ANOTHER STORY ANOTHER TIME

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR * TRUE AWAKENINGS

Michael was quietly sitting by Stiles holding his hand. For the last two days he had spent every waking hour talking to Stiles and his brother, trying to motivate them to wake up. He had watch Derek place his hands on Max taking his pain away, he had thought it unusual, and it made him wonder if he could do the same. Maybe he could clear their minds enough to hear him. He quietly pushed their beds closer together, making sure he could reach both foreheads at once. Walking to the door, he looked to check to see if anyone was close, he turned and walked back and quietly placed a chair in between the two beds. He sat next to Stiles and solemnly looked at him, he and Stiles had been to hell and back together. He heard a noise at the door and quickly pulled his hands down to his side. Pete was standing there with Jacob, who had bandages wrapped around his eyes. 

"Come in guys, maybe some more familiar voices might help." Both men started talking to Stiles as Pete was became emotional, 

"Hey buddy, it's Petey. We are all here for you. After what we went through, please don't give up." Jacob placed his hand on Pete's shoulder, 

"Stiles it's Jacob, there is so much I want to tell you, I just want to tell you face to face." A motion behind him caused him to turn his head. Ethan walked in pushing Jackson in a wheelchair. 

"Hey Army reunion without me?" Michael was overwhelmed as Ethan rushed to his side. He grabbed Ethan in a giant hug. 

Talk to him please, I can't get through to him, but I know he can hear us, I mean, I could hear whoever was talking to me, but it was like they were at the end of a very long tunnel." Jackson looked at the ground then turned to Michael, 

"Hey, could you and I go for a walk." Staring at Ethan, Michael glanced back to Jackson. "Sure, gives them time to talk to Stiles."

Michael slowly pushed Jackson in his wheelchair through the hall, 

"Look I was kind of a Jackass to you during the time we were captive, and I'm Sorry for that. I also was a Jackass to Stiles when we were in high school and I'm sorry for that. I have a lot to atone for, and I don't deserve it, but, what I'm trying to do is ask you for, forgiveness." The man couldn't find any other words and sat there looking at the ground. Michael pushed him to a side waiting room and sat in front of him. 

"Look, I can't speak for Stiles, but we were all under duress when we were captive, I can't be mad at you for your short comings then. But as far as I know, Stiles never held a grudge towards you for those years, He spoke highly of you during something he called the Monroe fight. I also knew he considers Ethan his best friend even though he had injured or killed Stiles's friend Boyd in high school, which brings the fact that he thinks you two are good for each other."

Ethan was sitting up in bed next to Stiles. 

"Plus, he threatened to break off an extra-large branch of mountain ash, wrap it wolfsbane, roll it in mistletoe and shove it up my ass. But he had every right to hate me that much, my brother and I had recently killed his friend Boyd." Jacob laughed. "Damn, that's why you always stay on Sarge's good side." Michael pushed Jackson in the room at that second. 

"He called me an abomination, but when Scott and Derek both gave up on me, Stiles didn't, he was there when I opened my eyes for the first time as a wolf." Michael had a small sideways grin, 

"Sounds like our boy is very much loved, he has the capability to forgive and show compassion. I honestly never thought I would fall in love with a man." Michael looked at the four men in front of him. "I wanna try something, if you all could pull pain out of both men, hopefully giving them strength enough that I can somehow meld with them and wake them up." Ethan moved the chair out of the way, Michael got between Stiles and Max first, then Ethan took their chests, Pete their arms and finally Jacob took hands as Jackson monitored. After a moment Michael placed his right hand on Stiles's forehead, and his left hand on Maxwell's forehead. He stood there a moment trying to clear his mind so he could concentrate on their pain, then he tried listening to them, the other three men were drawing the pain from the two in bed. Jacob was listening, there was a small yellow light that raced from Stiles's forehead to Maxwell's. As it flew through Michael, Derek and Noah walked in Michael started to talk out loud. 

"No don't do this to me, I swear if you do, I will kill myself Stiles, I'm not joking Sarge, you better fight." Noah drew closer listening to the one side conversation. 

"Derek do something." Derek looked at Noah in pure fear. He was trying to figure out what was actually going on. 

"What can I do? Their bodies should be healing themselves, they went through a horrible amount of electricity." As he spoke the other men had stopped pulling the pain, and stepped out of the Sheriffs way as he stood in front of Michael. Michael started to fall as Noah grabbed him, 

"Here, come on son, get in bed." Michael's eyes opened, "Sheriff, I tried, I was able to communicate with them both. God I haven't a clue how, but its more of a feeling I guess, but Stiles sent his strength through me to Max." Noah stood there looking at Michael in the eyes, 

"Your going to find that Stiles some times has the horrifying ability to put others lives ahead of his own, but he usually listens to reason." The elder Stilinski walked over to younger, 

"Son this isn't a game, but if you insist on fighting with us, then hear this. You believe the need of the many, out way the need of few or the one. Stiles the many need the one, do you hear me, the many need you." Noah walked out of the room, he passed Scott and Malia.

"Michael, what's going on?" Scott asked as he watched the Sheriff get in the elevator from the door. Michael looked at the couple.

 "Noah is upset at Stiles." Scott looked at the five men scattered around the room confused. 

"Stiles is still sleeping right?" Malia asked Michael who felt exhausted, 

"He is, we somehow are able to communicate mentally through touch." Malia looked at him , then at Stiles, then to Scott.

 "What are you thinking Lia?" Scott asked almost scared. 

"That should have worked?" Scott looked at confused. Derek had walked in seconds earlier. Malia explained to her cousin what the soldiers tried. 

"Its never been done that way as far as I know, But these three are not conventional wolves either, they are African Jackals. There could be a hidden power of sort." Max slowly turned his head to look at the people in the room, he then found Derek,

"Hey guys" He calmly whispered. Derek looked up as Michael rushed to his brother's side. 

"Michael, Stiles is emotionally drained, he said he was ready. But then there were all these voices that just wouldn't quit. He said tell the many, I'll try." After Melissa made everyone leave, Michael got in bed with Stiles and held him, late in the evening Stiles opened his eyes. 

"Michael, Michael." As if an electrical jolt hit him, he awoke. 

"Sarge?" Stiles lightly smiled, 

"Between the guilt trip you gave me, then my dad, hell, all of you. I couldn't give in." He was falling asleep again, "Michael, I love you." Michael closed his eyes as he lightly kissed Stiles on the lips.

 "I love you too Sarge."