How to build better friends

How to earn trust

"Are you happy now?" Stiles asked, shooting Erica a dirty look, "Once I get my journal back, I can finally do what they wanted to do."

"Stiles, you sicked 2 zombies on my pack, do you know what you're saying right now?" The she-wolf shot back, stacking the final book on the trolley away.

"Don't rob me, then." He tripped over a risen piece in the carpet, "they are my best friends. Okay. Is that what you wanted to hear? I lost you guys. I just wanted anyone to reach out. Derek said he wanted nothing to do with me, I didn't know that also meant I'd lose my friends." He glared back at her.

"Stiles," she grabbed his arm, "I am so sorry that I haven't reached out, it was terrible of me to leave you hanging like that," It was one of those moments where you know you've been through a lot of shit together. Maybe it was the testament to how they were before Derek, before Mexico, maybe it was the confession he just admitted, but Erica made him feel better about being alone. "I'm sorry I stole your journal too, I should have just asked."

"It's okay, it's not the end of the world. Once Tanya and Boston come back with it, I can permanently bring them back. That's why it's so important that I get it, without all my notes on the ritual..."

"No undead friends to keep around," Erica nodded in understanding.

"It's not just that, they weren't happy in their graves. They were dating in real life before they died. I was supposed to give them one last chance to dance at a party together. I mean, you don't really understand, not everyone wants to come back. Only people who weren't supposed to be killed can come back."

"Awe, that is so sweet. I can't believe you'd do that for them, Stiles."

"I feel selfish for resurrecting them, again," he stated sitting back down onto his desk.

"We met them," Erica admitted sitting opposite of him, "I know it was another poor choice, but I don't want any more bad blood between us. I want to be your friend, again." She watched him cross his arms on the desk, "they seemed very happy to defend your friendship with them. I'm sure they don't mind."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"No guessing, I am right. They care about you, I'm absolutely sure about it."

"Do you really want to be my friend, again?" They shared another look that spoke a thousand words just as the other two students started walking to another desk far away from them. Mr. Harris had reentered the library just as they sat down.

"Okay, I think one day of repairing the library is enough punishment for now. I hope you enjoyed the last half hour as much as I didn't." He gave a toothy smile and a light chuckle for his own amusement before leaving.

"Of course I do," Erica reassured him.

"Then let's go," excitement filled the air as he guided her to his jeep and they were out of the parking lot.

"I don't mean to pry, but how did you discover you could bring people back?"

"After Scott and I's fight, I took a walk in the woods to clear my head. It was totally unfair, I mean, he was the one who got me captured in the first place, and I was the one being used to get to Derek. I was so angry, and then I hit the graveyard. I don't know why they weren't marker correctly. I mean-their graves were so shallow and I could almost feel the magic in the area."

"And you just did it?"

"No, I just felt like it was more possible then. And I went back the next day, but this time doing what Deaton used to suggest when strange magic was involved, induce a trance. Bring myself closer to death to speak to them. That's when we started to talk."

"Can you just do that? Bring people back?"

"No. Everyone's a bit different. Some people die with powers. The energy that gives people life is in everyone, it's the reason why mountain ash stops you guys from moving past it, your energy. Sure a stronger energy could move through it or an even stronger power could prevent it. I just use my power to bring the energy you take with you to death."

"Tanya and Boston had energy when they died?"

"Oh yes, they died young. They can live again off their own energy. And when they get old, they will wilt away like any elderly person. Only, because of the glamor, they will look the same til the day they die."

"What's a glamor?"

"You sure are asking a lot of questions."

"Well we haven't caught up. We sure haven't been handling any new threats to the town lately. Might as well see what projects you got going on."

"So, you've been doing nothing?"

"Of course not, we've been helping Derek. Training with him. He and Peter really went at it the other day, Scott was the one who stepped in to stop their fight. Peter just can't help but fight with Derek, I think he misses being an alpha."

"He can settle for being an evil prick. If he'd stop being so creepy, we wouldn't have any problems," Stiles laughed, but the thought of not being in the pack and using the term "we" felt a bit nostalgic and bitter to him. He felt closer to Erica, but that didn't mean he was pack. An akward silence formed between them, but Stiles couldn't stop himself from breaking it, "A glamor is a magic charm that can alter looks. But it is exhausting keeping it up. I can manage for a little bit, a few hours, maybe."

"Kinda makes you think, what could someone be hiding? Keeping a spell like that up. It's impressive you are able to ressurect them and glamor them."

"Believe it or not, it's easier pulling humans back from the dead, Peter used Lydia when he was dead. But I suppose that was because he was an alpha when he died and had a lot of stored up juice." The Hale fire made their conversations much shorter. The tense subject made them both a little uncomfortable. Erica wished Stiles could feel how much more happy she was. It was a life line between them.