The Fault is Not In The Stars But In Ourselves

To Try and Scream Until the World Shattering Sounds Like Nothing At All

A/N: I'M BACK.

I'm so, so, so, SO sorry that this chapter has been, like, 3 months in the making and that you had to wait so long. Hopefully it's an okay update, and I'm going to try so hard to update more often. I have a lot of plans for this fic, and I am excited to get back to it. Thank you guys for still being here.

Just some warning: This chapter includes panic attacks, health scares, self hatred, and minor suicidal ideation. As always, take care <33

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Theo knew what pain felt like. He'd experienced it every single day growing up. Sometimes it was needles and scalpels and ripped out nails or teeth. Sometimes it was claws and fangs and arrows and torn open skin. Sometimes it was ripped out hearts-a lot of ripped out hearts.

He had never felt anything like this.

It felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest, like it was lying right there on the floor at Scott's feet, shoe skid marks on top from where Scott had stomped on it.

It felt like there was a pike lodged deep in his stomach, like it was twisted up in his gut.

It felt like he was back at the bottom of the bridge, water in his lungs that burned and burned and burned with every passing breath.

If felt like there was mercury in his veins, setting his insides aflame.

It felt like his chest had been sliced open with scalpels, his insides being scraped up by metal gloves grasping at his ribs and lungs.

It felt like he was dying.

Who's Liam?

"Dunbar," Theo said, desperately. "Your Beta."

"My...?" Scott frowned, glancing at Tara before looking back at Theo. "Theo, are you feeling okay?" He asked, moving forward towards Theo. He reached a hand out, to touch Theo maybe. Theo flinched away, wheeling himself backwards.

"Liam! Liam Dunbar!" Theo shouted. His breath caught in his throat, the pain just getting all that much worse as Scott looked at him with worried, pitying eyes. "You bit him. You did! You... You..." He gripped at his shirt, his heart starting to beat against his chest. "At the hospital. On the roof-"

"I bit Tara on the roof," Scott said slowly, so slowly.

Theo shook his head desperately, gasping for air. "No... You... but..."

"Yeah. Tara," Stiles said, frowning. He paused, then offered a tentative smile. "Didn't think you'd forget that. You freaked out for like a week straight, 'you bite Tara, but you refuse to bite me,'" he attempted to tease.

Tara glared over at Stiles before turning to Theo, softening her expression. "What's going on? What's wrong?"

Everything. Everything.

It felt like his whole world was crumbling-like just a few more seconds and a hole would swallow him up.

"You're... you're kidding. Right?" Theo looked around the room, desperate to find a hint of a smile-a hint that this whole thing was just some practical joke. His chest was erupting in pain, his heart beating too fast-too frantic.

"Oh, shit." Tara dropped to her knees in front of him so she was level with his eyes and scanned his face. "It's okay. It's okay. It's-"

Tara continued to speak, but her words became lost. It was all muddled-all white noise in comparison to the roar of his heart in his ears.