Shatter My Reality

Fire and Water

Derek stood on the balcony, waiting on the verdict from Deaton. He avoided inside, unable to stand to see Stiles in his current state. And also to control his urge to snap Gatlin's neck like a twig.

The back door slid open behind him.

"I know it's hard to see him like that, but maybe what he needs is to hear your voice," Spencer said, leaning against the railing next to him.

Derek glared up at him. "This isn't a fairytale," he snapped.

Spencer shrugged. "My life has been nothing but magic and werewolves for the past week. That's awfully fairytale to me."

Derek sighed. He wasn't wrong. "Once this is... over. Will you stay?"

Spencer bit on his bottom lip. "Why do you ask."

Derek's eyes cast back toward the tree line that sat at the edge of the property. "You're acting different. Like what you do and say doesn't matter."

Spencer's scent shifted to guilt.

"If Stiles doesn't..." he shook his head. "I'm supposed to look out for you and Dad, but... I can't."

"I'll be fine. But your dad..." Derek swallowed. He couldn't imagine the grief he'd feel at losing two sons.

"If Stiles lives, though... I think I'll go to Washington. Start fresh. Start over." He shrugged.

"If Stiles dies..." Derek's tongue soured at the words. "You can't leave."

"I won't be his replacement," Spencer said sternly.

Derek understood where Spencer was coming from. He wished Spencer didn't feel like he was just a second-best Stiles. He was his own person. Telling him so didn't seem to convince him though.

"What if he lives and he wants you to stay?" Derek asked.

"I don't think he'll want me to stay."

"I think you're wrong." Derek glared down at his lap.

Spencer only scoffed.

"If it weren't for you, I'd probably have killed them already. You've helped me. You helped Lydia. You belong here too."

"No offense, but Stiles is the only one who can decide that. This is his life. Not mine. I've taken enough from him."

"You haven't taken anything from him. He loves you. You're his family. Something he doesn't have a lot of."

Any response fell away when Scott leaned out. "Deaton thinks he knows what's wrong."

Derek pushed away from the railing and eagerly followed Scott inside. He held his breath as he looked at the druid with anticipation.

"As far as I know, Stiles' magic is in a state that... is overwhelming him," Deaton said, not beating around the bush.

"What do you mean?" Gatlin asked.

Derek had to hold back a snarl.

"The spell he did. He shouldn't have been able to. But his magic is strong because of his connection to you all." He looked at Scott and Derek. "But doing a spell from that book. It was like adding gasoline to a fire. Only the gasoline isn't burning away, so the fire remains too hot, too high."

"So how do we put it out?" Spencer asked.

"I have an idea, but it's risky."

"For who?" Derek asked.

Deaton's eyes fell on Spencer.

"I'll do it."

"Hold on, we just avoided trading your life for his," Scott huffed.