Bonds // Stalec

Chapter 19

I know. I surprised you, didn't I??
Also, the action will pick up after this chapter
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Day by day, one by one, Stiles lost his runes, and since everyone thought he was dead, they could take their time planning their next moves, and, currently, their next move was playing darts.

"You suck at this."

Stiles rolled his eyes at Jay's comment and threw another dart at the circular board on the wall wards in front of where they were sitting.

"I don't know if you know this, but the low numbers aren't good," Jay said as she watched his next dart land on 6.

"Next one's gonna go in your eye if you keeping talking," Stiles replied. Jay chuckled quietly as he tossed another dart.

The two played for a little while longer until they were stopped by Malachi's voice sounding from across the room.

"Jay," Malachi called. "I've got him."

Jay's eyes lit up with both disbelief and excitement. Stiles looked between the two with a confused expression.

"Where is he?" Jay asked as she stood up, Stiles following shortly after along with the twins. The four of them together gathered around Malachi and looked at his computer screen.

"Who is this "he" we're talking about?" Stiles finally asked, gaining the attention of the twins as Jay was too busy starting at the screen of Malachi's laptop.

"His name is Peter Hale," Stella said quietly, and Stiles eyes widened at that.

"You've been tracking Peter Hale?" he questioned while turning to Jay.

"Ever since he killed Kaela, yeah," the woman replied, her gaze darkening at as she stared at the boy. "Why?"

"Well, I know him," Stiles said, and this time is was Jay's turn to stare in shock.

"You-"

"Yeah," Stiles confirmed once more, cutting the woman off, "and I have known him for like two years now, which also means that I'm not surprised you've been tracking him. I know the things he's done."

"So..you don't care if we take him out?" Malachi asked, and Stiles scoffed.

"Not at all," the boy said. "I tried to do it myself one, but my-" he stopped himself, thinking back to when Alec wrapped his arms around his body to prevent him from attacking Peter, "someone," he corrected himself, "stopped me. He's in Beacon Hills, right?" Malachi glanced at his laptop screen before nodding.

"Then be my guest," Stiles said, stepping back, "but you guys are on you're own."

"You're coming with us," Jay demanded and Stiles shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I can't go back to Beacon Hills. It would be risky for everyone," Stiles replied. "I'll stay here, keep watch, make sure nothing bad happens around here. Besides, you three are perfectly capable of killing him on your own."

"Stiles," Jay began, "we need if. If you know him, you'll know all his hideouts, how his mindset works. The easiest and quickest way to take him out involves you."

"I..I can't," Stiles choked. "If I show my face there, to the people that I abandoned, my dad, my pack, my..my," the boy shook his head. "I can't go back. He can give you some tips and tricks, but I won't go."

Jay pursed her lips in frustration as she placed her hands in her hips, tapping her foot on the ground as she stared at Stiles, who showed no submission underneath her glare. Then, as if a lightbulb went off in the woman's head, Jay smiled.

"What?" Stiles questioned.

"I've got it," she said. "Your body can stay here, but your spirit can come with us."

Stiles narrowed his eyes at her, saying, "That's not how the human body works, Jay."

Jay rolled her eyes before grabbing the boys arms and beginning to drag him away and toward another room, yelling back to Malachi, "Keep tracking him. We'll be ready to leave by dawn."

"Ow, Jesus Christ, loosen the grip, will you?" Stiles said, yanking his arm out of the blondes grasp as she pulled him into an empty room before shutting the door.

Jay turned to him, smiling as she said, "Astral projection."

Stiles gave her both a frightened and he's intent smile in return, replying with, "what?" in a confused voice.

"It's an ability normally used by witches and some advanced physics," Jay explained, grabbing Stiles' hand and pulling him down to sit on the ground with her. The boy mimicked there woman's actions as she crossed her legs and set her hands in her lap.

"But it is something that can be taught, even to those who are the most basic of humans," she continued. "It's basically an intention out-of-body experience thag assumes the existence of a subtle, or spiritual, body most call an astral body. It involves your consciousness functioning separately from your body. In other words, your physical body can remain in any place you'd like while your astral body and your consciousness travels anywhere you desire."

"So..I become a ghost?" Stiles questioned.

"Kinda.." Jay replied slowly, trying to think of a better way to explain the power, but she eventually just settled back on the ghost solution. "Anyway," she shook her head, "since it's not a natural ability of yours as it is mine, it will be a bit harder for you to maintain once you get ahold of it."

"So if I do get ahold of it," Stiles started, "I can stay here while my consciousness and all the information I know about Peter goes with you?"

"Yes," Jay nodded.

Stiles sighed, saying," Okay. Let's do it."

"Great," Jay smiled devilishly. "Let me demonstrate first."

Stiles watched carefully as Jay rested her palms on her knees, closed her eyes, and exhaled deeply. Nothing seemed to happen for a moment. The two just sat there in silence. They say there so long that Stiles was starting to think the whole thing was a gimmick until a familiar voice whispered, "hey" in his ear.

Stiles jumped at that, whipping his head to find Jay, or more like the woman's astral presence, standing behind him. The woman let out a small laugh at how easily frightened he got before stepping back and giving him a quick twirl.

"So this body's fake?" Stiles asked, pointing at the woman's spiritual body.

"Yep. It's totally convincing unless you try and touch me," she said, raised her hand and moving to grab Stiles' arm, which simply ended up phasing through her.

"Very freaky," Stiles commented, grinning. "Let's do it."

•••

"I actually have a migraine," Stiles groaned as he let himself collapse back into his bed. "How the hell does that happen? Did I think too hard?"

"Maybe, but you've practically mastered astral projection in half a day," Jay said, gaining Malachi's attention, who was still keeping track of Peter on his laptop. The twins were already asleep in their cots. "That's amazing."

"Yeah, yeah," Stiles saved his hand. "When do we leave?"

Jay checked her phone, saying, "An hour. You get some rest. Malachi," the man looked over, "bring your laptop just in case."

Malachi nodded, tucking his computer and a few other devices into a nearby duffle bag before leaving the room. Stiles assumed he was going to get changed into more appropriate clothes since he was only wearing sweatpants and a tank top.

Stiles relaxed in his bed as Jay left the room to tend to other things. He closed his eyes as he folded his arms beneath his head, thinking about what it would be like if he had never left Beacon Hills in the first place.

[UNEDITED]