ANOTHER STORY ANOTHER TIME

CHAPTER FORTY * GLASS HEART

"Where is it, where is the glass heart?" Shelly had pushed her way into the house, everyone was looking at her like she was crazy. Then it dawned to Stiles. 

"Are you referring to the one I used to ground the electrical storm in New Orleans?" she stopped turned and stood there. 

"It is true, its more powerful than we thought." At this point Ethan had walked into the room, 

"Shelly how are you doing." She gave him a snarky look then blurted, 

"I'm fine thank you." Stiles looked at her,

 "Come with me," as she walked by Max she stopped, 

"You do not belong here, .." Stiles watched her hands start gesturing like she was going to perform magic or something so he grabbed her hand. 

"No scenes, come with me now." The four of them walked into the moderately sized room that was to be used as an office and a conference room. Stiles opened the wall board, there behind it was the safe that Derek had given him. "

Here just a second, you said once the house was completed, put this on the mantle, correct." He showed her the heart. She gave him a vague look, 

"Don't put a play on the words Mieczyslaw, I said put it on the mantle when it was finished." As the four walked back into the main room, Stiles walked to the fire place and put the glass heart in the center under a large picture of Derek's original pack. Within seconds there were large popping sounds and screeching noises. 

"There the house is finally grounded, you can stop slobbering on this imposter,(She gestured toward Max with distaste.)  and know you can not be seen nor heard by outsiders." Stiles walked up to her and slowly placed his hand around her arm,

 "Now if you would please tell me what is going on." she turned and ran through the door way, Both Stiles, Isaac and Max followed her, but she disappeared after going through the door . 

Stiles stood there, "Oh wow that was new."

 Lydia came into the room from the master bedroom, 

"Hey, While I was coming out of the bathroom, This thing burst into flames." Stiles took it from her, he yelled,

 "Quickly I need good sniffers." Liam, Alec, Isaac, Scott, Malia, and the twins all wondered into the room and stood in a circle around Stiles, 

"Okay go from room to room, smell for a burning scent, there where cameras and recording devices everywhere, remember where you find them." He watched as the twins started sniffing the air nearest the floor, he almost giggled because it was just that cute to watch. Standing where he could see just about everyone, Stiles looked out the window as a figure walked to the door, being there to open it, he smiled because it was Jordan and his dad with Scott's mom. As the trio walked in, Lydia walked over and informed them what had happened. "Well lets go finish the food, so we can eat before it all burns. Jordan placed his arms around Lydia, and kissed her softly. The two couples entered the kitchen as the searchers all started to return with the burned devices. Stiles and Ethan started placing the devices on the coffee table.

Max started feeling horrible again, he quietly walked to the front door, he reached for the handle, turned and looked at the group frantically try to round up all the devices. He quietly opened the door and stepped out. He looked into the window as he passed it. These were good people and he put them in harms way, the guilt was eating him inside, all he ever felt before was anger, this was a new and horrible feeling to his brain and his heart. He sat at one of the ends of the porch. His eyes started to water, he had always prayed and wished to be released from the grasp of that horrible man, and his evil grandmother, but not this way, not at the expense of his brother and his brothers friends. His brother, he did have one, his memory was vague to say the least, and the manipulations by his grandmother and Ogmios were overwhelming. He knew in the back of his mind he had one, but their lies prevented him from remembering except during dreams, then there was Stiles. This man cared about his brother so much he embarked on a rescue that almost cost him his own life. In the end the rescue was futile, Max had managed to get him recaptured and now most likely being put through the same torturous things he went through.

"I wish I had died." he said softly to himself, 

"No you don't." the broody wolf said softly, looking down on him. Max heart raced and his pulse increased, Derek could feel these things, but Max had no idea Derek could. After hovering a bit, Derek finally sat next to him. 

"Yes , Yes I do, Hale you don't know how much this hurts me, to sit and watch these people try to protect me after I got them involved in this." Derek softened his voice, 

"I fell in love with a women who was twenty three when I was sixteen. She lied to me and in the end she trapped most of my family in our house's basement, and burned it down killing all but the three that got away, she killed almost all of my family. I let her in , I was weak. Once your feelings are compromised, your at their mercy." Max looked at him,

 "But you were young and vulnerable, it wasn't your fault." Derek looked at him with a grin,

 "Just like you were." Max just sat there, trying to see through the tears in his eyes. Derek placed his arm around Max and pulled him close, trying to take his pain away. In a quick second, both men could feel a hypersensitive emotional connection with the other. Then in the blink of an eye the connection was gone. Derek could have sworn his wolf had woken up again and was happy.. but his new friend was an emotional wreck, possibly making Derek's senses go awry. Derek could smell something burning. 

"Hey why do I smell electrical burning?" Both men stood up and started towards the front door. Derek put his hand on Maxwell's arm. 

"Hey, I'm not good at this, ask anyone who knows me, but if you need anything, at all I'm here for ya." 

Stiles was staring out the window at this point, 

"Scott." He softly called his friend over. Both men looked out the window at Derek and Max. They both were witnessing something new. Then Derek pulled Max into a hug. Both men turned and walked away from the window. 

"Don't say anything, to anyone. This is their business not ours...  yet." Both men smiled as Lydia stood up from the stool chair at the island in the middle of the kitchen. 

"What's going on outside?" Stiles looked at her and pulled her into the kitchen. "

Come on lets get the table ready, Jackson will be here momentarily with Petey, and Peter." 

Derek released his hug, "Why are you being nice to me?" Max asked curiously. Derek looked at the ground personally he wasn't quite sure why he was doing it he just knew for one reason and one reason only so far and he spoke it aloud, 

"It's a wolf thing."