Frozen In Time

14

The day of the seminar comes around quickly, everything beforehand going well without a hitch. The hotel was actually really nice and the beds were super comfy. Scott and Stiles may have stayed up a little too late, talking and giggling quietly with each other, just like kids would do at sleepovers once their parents have sternly told them to go to sleep. Scott and Stiles don't care though, they're just trying to enjoy and appreciate each other's company. Stiles tries to also reassure Scott that the seminar will go smoothly and there's no need for Scott to worry. Scott decides to trust and believe Stiles on that, and he trusts Stiles to not let anything bad to happen to him.

Thankfully though, they wake up in time (with the help of the trusty alarm on Stiles' phone) to get ready and meet Stansfield down in the lobby in plenty of time before they have to leave for the seminar. Stansfield has hired an Uber driver for them. Scott has no idea what the hell Uber is or what it means, but he just assumes that it must be some fancy transport thing that is common in this new, modern world. It's weird how some of the things in this world are so strange and foreign to Scott, but are completely normal for everyone else. It definitely is one of the reasons Scott feels like a total outsider that doesn't belong here, but Stiles has this way about him that makes Scott feel like that he actually does belong here with everyone else, or, at the very least, he belongs with Stiles. Scott is very content to only belong with Stiles here in this world, but it wouldn't hurt to feel like he belongs here with everyone else too. However, Scott knows he could survive with just Stiles by his side. Scott thinks that Stiles has, in a way, cast himself out of society after his father and girlfriend died. It could be just Scott and Stiles against the rest of the world. Scott's heart actually leaps slightly at the prospect. It just feels... right.

Scott blinks and shakes his head and refocuses a little as he sits in the car with Stansfield and Stiles sitting on either side of him. Scott looks over to Stiles to see him gazing out the window and around the city with awe. Scott peers out the window as well, curious to know what California looks like, especially in 2018.

"Be ready for the event of your life, boys. The press and scientists will all love you." Stansfield announces from beside Scott, making Scott feel a little uneasy. He doesn't want to be goggled over by hundreds of fascinated scientists and reporters. It would make him feel uneasy, and maybe start to panic. He's not used to all the attention on him, and he never wants it to be. He doesn't want everyone to know his name; he wants only his friends and family to know who he is. However, Scott reminds himself that he's doing this for Stiles. Scott knows that this is really important for Stiles, so Scott can't let him down.

"The university is only about five minutes away. I hope you have your speech ready, Stiles." Stansfield continues.

"Oh, believe me, I've had it prepared for days." Stiles says excitedly as he looks over Scott and towards Stansfield with a confident smile. Stiles' excitement just reconfirms for Scott that this was the right decision. After all Stiles has done for Scott, this is the least that he could do.

"You nervous?" Scott asks curiously.

"Maybe," Stiles shrugs, replying quickly, not needing to think about it too much.

"Are you?" Stiles asks in return.

"Yeah." Scott answers honestly.

"You'll both be fine, I'm sure." Stansfield says, waving his hand in dismissal, looking out of his window, barely paying attention to the conversation going on next to him.

"Don't worry, Scotty, you'll have me right beside you the whole time. I won't let anything bad happen to you." Stiles promises Scott with a kind smile, and Scott can feel himself relax a lot more, his heart slowing down and a grateful smile forming on his face.