Tether ⌲ Stiles Stilinski [2]

sixteen

It had been a few weeks since our final fight against the Darach. And I was beginning to understand what Deaton had warned me about before I decided to set foot in that bath of ice water. The darkness had brought my visions back.

Since being in France over the summer, I thought I was getting better this Fall. Obviously, I heard things way more often. There was no denying that the constant noise in my head was something new and more challenging in its own right since my return to Beacon Hills. But I thought, at least, that I had freed myself from the nightmares. Instead, the hours I had spent tempting death had seemed to trigger it all again.

I shot my eyes open with a start. My throat was raw as if I had been screaming, and I knew it had been yet another nightmare. Seeking comfort, I cuddled into Stiles' body laying beside me. The feeling of his chest curled around my back made me feel secure.

"Shh, it's okay," he hushed, petting my head gently. "Are you alright? You're breathing pretty hard."

I sighed heavily, attempting to close my eyes again and shut the memories out of my head. "I think I had a nightmare."

Stiles hummed behind me, spooning my body with his and trying to soothe my fear. "Do you wanna talk about it? What was it about?"

"I'm not sure." Only the feeling of the darkness remained like an afterthought. I couldn't actually pinpoint what had happened, which I was grateful for. If I couldn't remember my fear, perhaps I could get a good enough sleep before school in the morning.

"Was it about the Nemeton?"

"Mmm no," I whispered my response, nestling back into my pillow. "I don't think so."

"Was it about one of the bodies you've seen?"

I considered his words for a moment, feeling the warmth of his breath on my neck. "No. I don't know, it doesn't really matter now anyway. Now that you're here."

"Was it about one of the deaths you've witnessed? Was it about Kate?"

Something seemed off. My body tensed in a panic.

"Or your mother, because technically you saw that too? But, you know, if I listed every death you technically saw, we could be here all night."

I felt Stiles move behind me to get closer, his lips brushing against my ear.

"Was it about me?"

I turned over in bed, to meet eyes with the half-dead, mutilated face of Jennifer Blake in her worst Darach form.

With a guttural scream of terror, I bolted awake. I sat upright in bed now, clutching onto my chest and trying to steady my heartbeat.

How could I have been so gullible to go along with it? How hard was it to tell I was dreaming? Chris had approved of our relationship and all, but Stiles had still yet to be allowed to stay overnight in my room. And I hadn't dared to ask my father for permission for the safety of both of our fates.

Finally, once my pulse was somewhat back to normal, I pushed back my sheets and climbed out of bed. I doubted I would be getting much sleep tonight. And in that sense, I was back in my old ways too. The night sky was dark beyond my curtains, but there was still a light on in the hallway. As per usual, my father was working late.

Ever since Allison and I had approached him about getting back into training and living by a different kind of Argent motto, he had become more excited to work again. He no longer had any telluric currents to map, of course, but he was often up late prepping our lessons and researching new defence tactics.

My knuckles wrapped softly against the doorframe to his office.

He looked up at me with a smile and put down his pen. "Trouble sleeping?"