Baby|| Stiles Stilinski

53

Baby still went to school despite what had happened last night. He felt shaky and a bit under the weather but not enough that it was noticeable. He needed to go to school. School had pack, school had all his friends. Safety in numbers. (Baby laughed at that thought. Being here had really changed him. Vampires didn't have packs. They were a lone species, but here he was, seeking his pack when vulnerable). So he got changed and headed to school. Kira was there. She was obviously back after whatever had happened with her and her parents. Baby saw her with Scott before class. The two of them talking.

He didn't manage to speak to him before classes started. His first lessons were ones who he shared with Lydia and Danny. Some of the only classes he had without any of the Wolves. Before, it would have been a nice break where he could spend time with his more human friends. But now he felt uneasy. Danny noticed. "Hey Baby", he said as the class settled down. "Are you okay man? You look a bit pale. I mean, more so than usual".

Baby sent him a small smile. "I'm fine. Just worried about stiles". The whole school knew by now that Stiles was missing. It was true, Baby was worried about him. So he wasn't really lying.

Danny sighed and nodded. "Yeah. If you need to come and stay at mine for a bit, then feel free. I am here for you, you know".

"I know", Baby reached out and squeezed Danny's shoulder. "I just don't want you to get caught up in this again. The last time you almost died". He was referring to the mistletoe incident with Jennifer.

"You almost died too you know", Danny scowled. "I know that your new friends can protect you more than I can. But I'm still here for you, outside of the supernatural stuff". He waved a hand. Baby smiled.

"Thanks Danny".

——

The next lesson was gym. Which he shared with both of the twins and Scott, and Danny. Baby trudged into the locker room and set his bag in his locker with a sigh. Most of the boys were seated on the benches listening to coach before they got changed. Baby ignored them and ducked behind a row of lockers to join Scott and Ethan and Aidan. "Any news?" He greeted, leaning back against the metal.

"No Stiles and no demonic ninjas", Aidan stated.

"Things are getting too quiet", Ethan spoke up. He was right. Whenever things got quiet in beacon hills, it usually spelled trouble brewing.

"Yeah I know", Scott sighed. "Yeah it's making me nervous too".

Baby opened his mouth to speak up about what had happened the night before but stopped as all three Wolves turned their head in synch. There was a metallic pulsing echoing around the school. It was quiet, behind human hearing but they could hear it. "What's that?" Baby asked.

"Do you guys hear that?" Ethan questioned.

Scott frowned. "It's an emitter. One of Argents". He strode towards the door and pulled it open. Baby and the twins rolling after him.

"It's coming from the basement", Baby stated. Out in the corridor the pulses were louder. Scott sped up and they jogged after him. Across the school and to the basement door. They hurried down the stairs, stopping a the bottom. The basement was dark. Shelves of old storage covered most of the space. Down the corridor was a figure. He was lit by the white light of the emitter. Baby knew who it was before he even turned. He could smell him. Fresh rain, earth and cotton. Tinged with fear and exhaustion and smoke.

Stiles turned and held out his hands placatingly. "Guys. I know what you're thinking but it's me. I swear to god it's me".

Baby was moving before the Wolves could react. He ran down the corridor. The emitter dropped to the floor with a clatter as he threw his arms around Stiles in a hug. Stiles stepped back with the impact, arms automatically coming up to wrap around Baby's back. "Stiles", Baby sighed as he sank into his embrace. "You had me so worried".

"I know, I'm sorry", Stiles mumbled into his shoulder.

"How do we know it's him?" Ethan demanded. The three others approaching them with heavy footsteps.

Baby let his hold on Stiles loosen. "It's him. I know it. I can smell it. His scent changes slightly when he's the other one. Can you tell?"

Scott blinked and shook his head. "I don't smell anything different from his smell than before. It must be a vampire thing". Baby frowned at the knowledge. He had let go of Stiles but he still stood close. Like a wall between him and the twins, who were growling threateningly.

"Scott", Stiles spoked up shakily. "It's me. I swear it's me. I don't know where I've been the last two days. Or what I've been doing but this is me. I promise". Scott nodded. He believed them. Stiles sagged slightly with relief.

"You know what happened at the hospital?" Ethan asked.

"I know more than that". Stiles stepped away from baby and to a duffel bag. It was a different bag than what baby had seen last night. He tried not to dwell on it. His attention on the papers Stiles was unfolding. "You see this? This is a blueprint of the hospital's electrical wiring. See all these markings in red?" He gestured to the scribbled notes covering the paper. "That's my handwriting. I know I did this. I caused the accident". They all crouched down to see the bag in closer detail. "Everything in this back, it's all stuff that could be part of something bigger". Stiles looked down at the bag's contents. Wire, hammers, tools.

Ethan picked up a electrical cutting tool. "What the hell have you been up too?" He asked gravely.

Stiles looked at them all with wide eyes. "I think something worse. A lot worse".

Baby grabbed the bag and pulled it over to a table. Scott flicked on a lamp and the Wolves began pulling the objects out. "Let's try and see what you have", Scott suggested. "Maybe it will give us some clues".

Stiles nodded shakily. Baby stepped back and held out his hand. Stiles took it and he interlocked their fingers. "Do you remember anything at all from last night?" Baby whispered. The clattering of the objects hitting the table disguising their voices.

"No. What did I do?" Stiles asked wildly. Baby took a look at his wild eyes, the fear and drew in his scent.

"Nothing", he whispered back. "I was just wondering if you remembered anything. That's all". Stiles let out a sigh. Baby gripped his hand tighter. He had found nothing this morning. He didn't know what Stiles was doing in his house last night, so technically he wasn't lying. He had found nothing. That was the most troubling part.

"What the hell were you doing?" Aidan muttered, gesturing to the stuff all over the table. "Building a terminator?" There was dope, tape, wire, chains and the boys were still unloading things.

"Are you Sarah O'Connor?" Baby quoted with a giggle. Stiles' lips twitched.

"Thank you for that", Stiles huffed sarcastically.

"Hey guys this is a map", Scott held up a piece of paper. They all took a few steps closer to see as Scott unfolded it on the table, it was a map of beacon hills and the surrounding woodland.

"Isn't that the cross country trail?" Ethan voiced, gesturing to a line marked in red.

"That's the Tate car. Where Malia Tate's family died".

"You mean that's where her father put those steel jaw traps", stiles reminded.

"Not fun", baby nodded. He paused. "Hey, isn't it cross country day today?"

"Shit", Scott muttered.

Unedited