Treachery || Stilinski

Twenty-three: control and currents

Stiles' P.O.V:

I don't think me and Scott have ever hugged this much. Ever. Not even when mom died, not even when Scott's dad left.

But we do. We hug so tight until there're no tears left. Lydia and Allison refuse to let Emma out of their sight, even though it's all over.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," Scott mumbles, repeatedly.

The five of us stand in the middle of the parking lot, silently asking each other what's next. I'm not going back to that place, ever. And I'm making sure Emma doesn't either.

"We could sleep in the bus," Lydia proposes. "I'm never coming back."

"I can go get our stuff," Allison offers. "I'll be right back."

"Coming with you," Scott decides, running after her. "Gotta make sure everyone's okay."

I open the door of the bus for Lydia and Emma. My girlfriend makes herself somewhat comfortable in the seats, Lydia taking the one opposite from her. I choose to sit beside Emma, and before I can even touch her to get her closer to me, she breaks down.

Emma starts crying again.

"Hey, baby, don't cry," I plead, hugging the life out of her. "Please, Emma, it's okay. I'm here, we're safe. It's over."

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Emma cries, tears falling down her face like waterfalls. "This is my fault."

I tilt my head and try to make eye contact, but Emma won't look up from the floor. Lydia silently sits in front of us, placing her hand on Emma's shoulder.

"What do you mean, Emma?"

She shakes her head uncontrollably and I meet pinkish eyes once she looks up. I dry her tears with my thumbs and we wait until her breathing becomes even and she is ready to talk. I know for sure that tonight's events will add to the already large list of traumatic episodes that tend to repeat themselves in Emma's nightmares. I just want to make sure I'm there to cuddle the bad dreams away when it happens.

Her hand goes into her pocket to reveal Coach's whistle. She puts it in Lydia's hand.

"Please, try it out," she asks, quietly. "Put your hand over it and blow."

Lydia does as instructed, and her eyes widened when she takes a look at the palm of her hand.

"Wolfs bane," she says, showing me her hand. "This is...this is what triggered them."

"It was me. I put it there," Emma confesses and Lydia and I share a look full of concern.

"Emma, what do you mean? You were with me-I was there with you the whole time," I stutter, because there's no way in hell this Darach person is controlling my girlfriend without me noticing something's wrong.

"I don't know," she says, voice breaking. "I had a dream, but I think it really happened and now I can't tell what's real or not. I'm scared."

She cries even louder when Scott and Allison come back with our bags.

"What's wrong, what happened?" Allison asks, sitting beside Lydia and reaching out for Emma's hand. "What is it?"

"Emma?" Scott softly asks. "Emma, it's alright..."

"I'm so sorry, Scott," Emma cries and it breaks my heart to see her like this. "It was me, I didn't mean to, I don't know what happened..."

I pull Emma into my chest and hug her as tight as I can.