Entry 05 There Are Many Names in History (but none of them are ours), 6e
Title: There Are Many Names in History (but none of them are ours), 6e
Entry Number: 05
Author: goddessofbirth
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Pairing: Chris Argent/Peter Hale, other secondary pairings
Rating: PG-13ish for this chapter; M overall. Trigger warning for discussions of past physical abuse
Genre: Eh... Angst/Romance/Time Travel/Humor/A big ball of all the things
Spoiler Warnings: Spoilers through season 3a
Word Count: 1038
A/N: A continuation of this work
The blare of the elevator alarm jerks Derek awake from where he'd passed out on the couch, phone clutched to his chest. He's barely found his feet by the time Chris Argent comes barging in, Scott hot on his heels and making all kinds of panicked hand gestures behind his back. Chris doesn't bother to say hello.
“Where is she?”
Derek eyes him warily, glances over his shoulder to where Scott is shaking his head back and forth rapidly, drawing his finger over his neck several times as he goes.
“Who?” He knows who. Of course he knows who.
“That bitch you're still fucking.”
He's rarely seen Chris Argent mad. Disdainful, sure. And sad, sometimes, when he thinks no one is looking. But anger...Chris is usually too controlled for that. Rarely even curses. Now, though, the fury in his eyes makes Derek take a cautious step back. Scott's no help, eyes flicking between the two of them like he doesn't know which way he should leap first.
“Why are you looking for her? She hasn't done anything.”
Chris snarls, speaking through gritted teeth. “The nemeton has been used. Scott and I were there this morning. It's covered in blood.”
“Human blood?”
“What do you think, Derek? Do you think I'm looking for her just for fun?”
Scott pipes up, probably trying to diffuse the tension. “It's not all human. Right, Mr. Argent?”
“It's enough human. Tell me where she is, Derek.”
He shakes his head. “No. This isn't her. She wouldn't do it. She's promised.” He can hear the doubt in his own voice, though, and he knows Chris can, too.
“You sure about that, Derek? Really sure? Even if she thought her cause was vital enough? She always thinks she's fighting the good fight, doesn't she?”
She would. Derek knows that. But she would have told him. Maybe. Christ. “It isn't her,” he says again, more firmly this time. “Every time something happens, somebody trips and falls or the milk goes sour, you all come here. And every time you're wrong. When is it going to be enough for all of you? She gave us back Boyd and Erica!” Even though they'd promptly turned their backs on Beacon Hills and anything having to do with it. They were alive, and that's what matters. At least that's what he tells himself. “She offered to try to bring your wife back. How much more until you get she's done with Beacon Hills?”
“Oh I don't know, Derek. Almost being suffocated in a root cellar tends to leave one with certain prejudices. And dead things should stay dead. Point in case, your uncle.”
“The only people who say that are people who haven't lost enough.” It's not fair, he knows that. Chris has lost more than his share to even out the Hale family loses. But he doesn't need the reminder that they're all still waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“Then why is she still here? Why didn't she slink away when she had the chance? Why come back? Sink her claws right back into you? I'd think you'd be done with that after my sister.”
Derek keeps still. Barely. “You dealt with your father yet, Chris? No? I didn't think so. How about you come back pointing fingers when you have. This wasn't her.”
It's scary, almost, watching the way Chris packs his anger up, piece by piece. In seconds, that bland, amused expression is back on his face. He smiles, slow and easy, tucks his hands into his jacket pockets. “You tell Jennifer she fixes this, puts things back, or I'll cut her head off myself. And I don't particularly care if you get in the way.”
He turns on his heel and walks out, leaving Scott behind.
Scott shakes his head. “Sorry, man. I tried to talk him into letting me come alone. I thought for a minute there he was gonna shoot you or something. And with the mood Allison's in, I don't think she'd support me stopping him this time.”
“What the hell was that even about? Does this have to do with Stiles' emergency? The cigarette butt on my floor? Thanks for not texting me back, by the way.”
Scott's laugh is uncomfortable and borderline nervous. At times like this it's hard to remember he's an alpha, and a good one - far better than Derek had ever thought about being. He just looks too much like the teen he actually is on most days. “Scott?”
“You didn't show up last night, okay? So you missed it. You're kind of lucky you missed it. It was traumatic.”
“Scott.”
“Okay, okay. Somebody disrupted the...um, I think Mr. Argent called it the temporal stream? With a spell. A really strong one. And Mr. Argent didn't think it was the nemeton but now it apparently is? Which of course...Jennifer. And he's not really thinking rationally right now. Not that I blame him. I mean, I wouldn't be thinking very rational now.”
“Scott.” He's starting to sound like Stiles, which is way too much babbling for Derek to deal with. “What happened when the temporal whatever was messed with? Why is Chris trigger happy right now?”
“We don't really know what the intended purpose was yet. You should ask Jennifer. Okay, yes, I know you don't want to think it was her but just...maybe she has some ideas. At least that. So, we don't know why. But...” he takes a deep breath. “Okay. It accidentally dumped Mr. Argent and Peter in front of Stiles' jeep.”
He lifts an eyebrow. “It accidentally...dumped Chris and Peter...”
“A different Chris and Peter. Well, not different. No, definitely different. But not different people. Just younger. They're teenagers. The spell accidentally brought them forward to now.”
Derek blinks. “What?”
“Exactly. And it gets worse. Derek, Mr. Argent and Peter used to date.”
Scott's phone beeps before Derek can even think of a response. “Crap, that's Mr. Argent. I gotta go. Just ask her, okay?”
Then he's out the door, too, leaving Derek to try to figure out what the hell just happened.