Web of Deception: The Webbed Avenger

Chapter Fifty-seven: The Blind Lawyer

Let's face the truth, shall we?  The Stiles Stilinski that left, isn't the one that came back.  Not just appearance wise, either.

As he walked with Lydia through the school, he couldn't help but feel a stark difference compared to when he walked the halls of Midtown High once more.  When he first stepped through those doors, he was invisible, to say the least.  A tiny ant crawling along on a mountain, unnoticed.  Now, he was all that people were looking at.  Maybe it had something to do with Lydia being with him, his arm draped around her; maybe it had something to do with his drastic change in appearance, one even Stiles himself couldn't deny was more than he thought it would be.

His eyes scanned the halls quicker than anyone could notice.  He was making sure his return didn't warrant any surprise visits from Derek.  If the werewolf were to show up, Stiles couldn't face him head on, he left his suit back at Lydia's unfortunately.  He could, however, swing over to Lydia's easily and grab it if need be.

Something told him that Derek wouldn't show up here, not without losing that last bit of freewill that he had left.  The one thing Derek hadn't done was tell Mesmero who the man under the mask was, so for now... Stiles knew he would be safe at school.

And, to be completely, one hundred percent honest?  Stiles was ready for Derek now, and soon enough he would be able to save him, and stop Mesmero.  Later tonight, he would return to Josie's bar and hopefully catch a break, finally.

Lydia was smiling, not as a way to just make herself look composed, but legitimately smiling as she looked up at Stiles, to which he just smiled back at her.

Stepping into class, Coach caught sight of the teens and his mouth dropped to the floor.  "Stilinski?!  Is that you?!" he bellowed with happiness in his voice.  "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"

Stiles smiled as he moved from Lydia and shook Coach's hand.  "I'm sure you're aware that I had a family emergency.  I had to take care of my father's last wishes, just in case he doesn't wake up.  I understand I left the team in the worst possible time, and I will gladly run as many suicide runs as you want, but I'm ready to get back into the swing of things."

"Oh, we'll get there, but you will be doing suicide runs until you drop."

"Understood."

Throughout the class, Stiles texted Laura and her sister, letting them know he was back in New York, filling them in as best he could, without giving away any classified information regarding S.H.I.E.L.D.

Laura: "Did you find Derek?"

Stiles: "No, not yet.  I will have him home, soon."

Laura: "You said that two months ago..."

Stiles: "I'm close.  Following a lead, seeing it where it goes.  With luck, I can get a straight path to both Derek and... the guy who had him hurt you."

Laura: "Okay... we trust you, Stiles."

Unfortunately, deep down in Stiles' heart, a part of him was unsure of whether he trusted himself to bring Derek home safe or not.  Too many variables were at play now that he had to contend with.  A mole at S.H.I.E.L.D, Brad and Cassandra Michaels being on the loose, Mesmero's plans, his father being in a coma, the Lycan Serum being reverse-engineered from Derek's blood being a possibility, Norman's dark intentions that may or may not include having Jackson be a pawn in this fight between them, the comatose Captain America that would be waking up any time now, and one tiny other thing... the flash drive that Danny had.

Speaking of Danny, he saw the teen writing away in his notebook listening to the lecture and smiled lightly, hoping Danny had been a man of his word, working on the flash drive to get that footage fixed.  He needed to know what was on it.