Promise to Live Free
Title: Promise to Live Free
Author: Oldsmobile_98
Rating: M
Genre and/or Pairing: Isaac/Scott, hinted/preslash; Derek/Stiles, hinted/teasing
Spoilers: Season 2
Warnings: pedophilia; sexual assault of a minor(teenager)
Word Count: 3608
Summary: Scott's Dad wants to re-connect, which effects the pack.
Disclaimer: Teen Wolf is the property of Jeff Davis and MTV.
Scott had hated that there was no name for what happened to him. That he could not go up to the sheriff and say bod touch while pointing at his side. His dad never touched him sexually but with soft touches that always left him feeling dirty. There were words whispered to him at night, which echoed in his head during the daytime. Promises that everything would feel good when he was older; that one day daddy was going to make him feel so good.
He was always terrified of that one day. Knowing that one day he would wake up and things would change between his dad and him and not knowing what was going to happen used to petrify him. Scott would sneak out of the house early to spend time with Stiles and his dad where he would feel safe but he had to go home at night where everything was wrong.
Stiles understood; Stiles saw the same danger as Scott. Like Scott, he understood that adults would not get it. So he did what all best friends did. He invited Scott to sleepovers and when Scott’s dad suggested they host one of the sleepovers at the McCall home; Stiles made up a fib to convince everyone he could not leave his dad especially at night.
The day when his mom sat him down and explained she was leaving his dad. Scott felt that his chest was too small to fit the relief that was trying to escape. Later that day he had ran over to the Stilinski’s house to tell Stiles. The two boys bounced around the room ecstatic that he would no longer be there touching Scott or watching them. The divorce flew by, leaving Scott living alone with his mom. He never understood why his dad was so willing to let most of the property goes to her or why he let custody of Scott go so easily.
It was several years later when Stiles sat next to him on the bed and repeated words over and over, trying to get Scott to understand his childhood nightmares. He used words like pedophile and molestation; however, they sounded so unfitting for what happened. His dad never touched him like that; he just touched him like most parents. After a few months of being bombarded by Stiles’ words, Scott started to get it. He started to understand what Stiles was saying.
He started adjusting; he had gotten use to sleeping through the night. He started enjoying the quiet of being alone during the nighttime and Scott loved being able to go to bed and not listen for footsteps in the hallway. Then all the shit with becoming a werewolf happened and Scott finally started escaping the hold his father had on him. Scott tapped his pen against the page thinking how to explain how being a werewolf had helped.
“Hey…” Stiles grinned from the doorway when Scott looked at him. “You’re using that journal that dad got you.”
“With everything that has happened…” Scott shrugged. Stiles understood; he always understands.
“What are you writing about?”
“My dad.”
“Why? I mean…is something wrong? Nightmares coming back.”
“No, I just wanted” He shook his head clearing his thoughts so he could explain better. “I wanted to get it, you know. Try to understand him a little better.” Stiles kept quiet letting him talk it out. “He called me, and he sounds so different than my head makes him sound. He’s a monster in my nightmares, but he doesn’t sound like that. He sounds like a dad should sound like.”
“What’d he call about?”
“He wants to try to be a good dad. He wants to re-connect.” Scott smiled when Stiles snorted in disbelief. “I don’t know if I should give him a chance.”
“Dude!”
“I know Stiles, you’ve had the talk with me multiple times, but he’s my dad. He’s not going to go away.”
“Just ignore him.” Stiles suggested. “Treat him like you did Derek a few months ago.”
“Yeah, I can do that.” Scott tossed his journal toward his desk and nudged Stiles to stand up. “Let’s go. Derek throws a fit if you’re late.”
***
“You mean us. If we’re late.”
“Sure.” Scott nodded doubtfully. Stiles just whacked him on the back of his head and led the way out. Scott jogged after him shouting one more comment. “Through, I don't blame you for not telling me. You’re always with Derek nowadays.”
“No, no and no.” Stiles groaned. “We are not playing this game. Derek and I are not dating, we are not together. We do not like each other.” He made sure Scott was listening before continuing. “And we will never be together. We dislike, almost hate each other.” Scott just patted his shoulder condescendingly.
“You’re destined for each other.”
“Oh My God.” Stiles groaned shoving him into the wall.
“Get over it, dude. And this moment is going in my best man toast.”
“Just get in the jeep.” Stiles was kind enough to wait for the werewolf to buckle his seatbelt before taking off. The pack meetings were a new thing for the werewolves. For the first time they met up to talk and update each other on their lives, not just to train with Derek. Of course the meetings were Stiles idea and the meetings had gotten approved because their alpha had felt guilty for what happened to Stiles during the fight against Gerald and Jackson. The pack liked to tease that Derek only gave into him because he had a crush on the teen which resulted in harsher training for them.
Isaac, Jackson and Lydia were already present when Scott and Stiles arrived. Surprisingly Derek was the one late to the meeting this time and he arrived in a mess. Bags carrying their dinner were carried haphazardly by him causing Stiles to rush over and take half of them from him.
“Thanks.” Derek grunted. “Everyone here?”
“Yeah, Peter’s downstairs.”
“Try again.” Peter grinned from the doorway. Scott was still getting use to this sane version of Peter Hale, well a saner version of the guy. He did not go out to kill people on the full moon; and he was making things up to Derek by acting as a mentor along with Deaton. Through Scott’s boss still did not trust him and kept a constant eye on the werewolf’s activities. The strangest thing about their oldest pack member was he had been the one to start on the Derek-Stiles teasing.
“Any major news?” Peter asked while he claimed one of the bags from Stiles digging out a takeout box to hand off to Jackson. Stiles handed the other bag to Lydia letting her pick her own food. Isaac accepted a box from Peter and Scott stole his from Stiles.
“I finished up my summer classes, so I’ll be in the same grade as you guys.” Scott supplied.
“Congrats!” Derek nudged Stiles over on the loveseat handing the teen one of the remaining meals. “How did you handle the classes?” He asked.
“Pretty good, except for Finstock’s. He did not ease up with it being summer.”
“I’m not surprised. Bobby has always been…intense.”
“No.” Lydia ordered. “No creepy knowledge about our teacher. In fact, no being creepy at all.”
“As you wish, dear Lydia.”
“That counts as creepy.” Peter sneered at her, but let the subject go. Derek gestured for the meeting to continue.
“I heard from Boyd and Erica.” Isaac whispered. “They’re doing okay. Living in Washington near the coastline, joined up with another pack.” Everyone ignored the tension coming for Derek. He was still upset about them leaving, but he encouraged Isaac’s friendship with the pair.
“That’s good. Any threats of Boyd-Erica spawns I need to watch out for?” Stiles asked. Isaac used his fork to toss a piece of broccoli at him. The meeting stayed pretty laid back after that even when Peter started quoting books.
***
Everything seemed pretty normal for the next month. Everyone made it to training and no one missed a single meeting so Derek was surprised to find Stiles waiting for him at the house one evening.
“What do you want?”
“Something’s wrong with Scott.” Derek sighed and waved the teen in after him.
“He seemed fine in training yesterday.”
“Maybe a little too fine. He hasn’t wolfed out lately.”
“Most people would consider that a good thing. He’s learning control.” Derek argued while ignoring the glare being directed at him.
“He never wolfs out. You could threaten to rip out everyone’s throat and he wouldn’t wolf out.”
“Stiles...” Derek groaned.
“No.” Stiles interrupted by shoving the alpha. “And listen to me. Scott is not himself. Something is wrong.” Derek rubbed his face in frustration.
“Things are allowed to calm down, Stiles.” He pushed him onto the couch so they could keep the talk calm. “And I always listen to you. It’s why the others stopped taking me serious.” Stiles whined in frustration while Derek continued talking. “You need to stop doing this.”
“Doing what?” Stiles asked, his body frozen in place and heartbeat stressed.
“Worrying about little things. Bringing attention to you. Undermining me.” Derek suggested. “It’s not just you and Scott now; he’s allowed to change.”
“I know that.” Stiles hissed. “I know he has changed. Better than you do. But this isn’t about that.”
“Stiles.”
“Derek!” Stiles shoved off the couch and jostled the werewolf away from him. “He’s hurting!”
“I know when something’s wrong with MY pack.” Derek finally snarled back. He crowded into his space unconsciously demanding submission.
“And I know when something’s wrong with MY friend. Get your head out of your ass and pay attention!” Stiles did not back away when Derek grabbed his shirt hauling him up to stare into his eyes. In the doorway, Peter was watching the exchange carefully. He was only going to interrupt if Derek lost it. “You know Scott is good at pretending things are okay.” Stiles exhaled letting the tension drain from his body.
“Yeah.” Derek admitted. He let go of him. “What do you think is wrong with him?” Stiles glared at Derek in annoyance.
“I know he has been avoiding his house. And I KNOW,” Stiles emphasized. “he hasn’t wolfed out even a little bit in the last month.”
“Avoiding his house?” Peter asked from his position.
“He’s at my house almost 24/7. When he’s not there, he’s at Deaton’s clinic.” Stiles rubbed his head. “Last time he did this, we were….” He trailed off in silence.
“Stiles?”
“Oh My God.” Stiles began digging through his pocket.
“Stiles.”
“How did I miss that? He told me! Oh, please let me be wrong.” Derek exchanged a look with his uncle but both Hales left the teen alone. Stiles found his phone and began calling Scott.
Across town, Isaac was sneaking into the McCall house to check on Scott. He heard a cell phone ringing upstairs, but no one answered it. A sense of fear spiked through him as different scents met his nose. He hurried upstairs hoping he was imagining everything: Scott acting weird and smelling of shame and disgust. Soft crying from his pack mate’s room broke his heart and the sight on the other side of the door was not much better.
Scott flinched when the door opened cowering against the wall and refusing to look at his visitor.
“Scott?” Isaac whined. Slowly he approached him, and bent down so his height was not looming over the scared werewolf. “I’m here.” He whispered. “You’re safe now.” Scott whimpered as Isaac laid a hand on his shoulders. He had kept his touch light, almost non-existent so he would not feel trapped. “You’re safe.”
***
“No I’m not.” Scott whined. He tucked his head between his knees trying to hide his sobs. “I’m wrong; So so wrong and dirty.” Isaac squeezed his eyes closed gulping hard. With his sight gone, it was harder to ignore the smell of terror and cum in the air.
“No, you’re not.” Isaac cooed into his pack mate’s ear as he carefully wrapped an arm around Scott’s shoulder. The naked werewolf just whined in response. He let Isaac tucked him into his side. The cell phone started ringing again, but the pair just stayed cuddle in the corner. Neither knew how long they stay in place nor how many times the phone had gone off with calls and texts.
Isaac did notice when someone came charging into the room, and he met the intruder with claws and fangs. He pinned the man to the floor realizing too late that it was Derek. Behind them, Scott started whining again as he tried to merge with the wall. Isaac muttered a low curse and turned back to him to try to coax him back into a calmed state. Derek backed out at the room, letting out his own whines to offer some comfort to him.
Once Isaac had Scott settled into his side again; he looked at his worried alpha and subtle gestured for him to leave. Derek nodded and slipped away, but not before he got a good whiff of Scott’s attacker. He could not help calm Scott down, especially after his careless actions, but he can handle everything else.
Isaac listened as Derek’s heartbeat got further and furthered away. He nuzzled Scott offering a little comfort.
“We should leave.” He whispered. “It’s safer at Derek’s house. Peter’s there and Stiles is always there too.”
“Stiles?”
“Yeah.” Isaac felt Scott start to stand up and let him. The other teen was in a dazed as he stared at his room. He let himself be handed clothes which he put one piece at a time until Isaac stopped handing them over. Isaac tucked the phone into his pocket and started guiding Scott outside the room. As they walked through the house, he watched him relax a little bit. Hanging off the front door’s knob was Derek’s car keys, but the alpha was nowhere nearby.
The drive to the Hale house was quiet except for the whines Scott let out each time Isaac would let go of his hand to shift gears or make a turn. Peter was already on the porch when they pulled up, his head tilted at an angle so he could hear them. He did not approach either of them; he kept back a distance so Scott did not feel crowded. Despite the space, Scott still flinched when they passed him.
Peter’s face crumbled into a sad frown, and he gave him a soft whine. Inside the house, Stiles stood on the staircase eyes intent on the door. Scott gave a cry at the sight of his best friend and tugged free of Isaac’s embrace to wrap his arms around his chest and bury his face into Stiles’ red hoodie. Stiles returned the hug and sunk onto the steps so Scott could curl into him.
“Go get the shower ready. Make sure it’s hot water.” Peter whispered from outside. Isaac hesitated wanting to stay with him; nevertheless, he slipped past the pair and into the master bathroom. He turned the hot tap over and only twisted the cold a little so Scott would not burn himself. He dug out one of Lydia’s scrunchie scrubbers and some of Jackson’s soap sticking them both in the shower holder. He left the shower running while he went to get Scott.
With Stiles helped he was able to get Scott undressed and into the shower. He sat on the toilet’s lid so someone was nearby while Stiles was in the bedroom grabbing some of Derek’s clothes to dress Scott in. Stiles dropped them on the bed and pulled the covers back before he headed outside the room to talk to Peter. Isaac listened to Stiles handing his phone over to let Peter call Lydia and Jackson. Peter asked if he should stay away, if that would help.
***
“No, you’re crazy but you’re pack. Maybe don’t join the pile, but stay in the room?”
“Alright.” Peter stayed outside the room to wait for them to get Scott dressed, and called the others. Isaac turned his head to see Scott; his skin scrubbed red turn off the water. He helped him dry off with one of the soft towels kept in the bathroom. He let him leaned against him as they left the bathroom. Stiles handed over the black boxers and white tank for Scott.
Soon, Isaac had him tucked into the bed and he was curled next to him, not crowding but there. Stiles tossed out the clothes Scot had been wearing and cleaned up the bathroom so the faint odor of Scott’s attacker faded from the air. He climbed into the bed on the other side of Scott.
The room fell still and silent, only broken when Peter joined them by sitting in the chair Derek had set up next to the window. He kept his posture relaxed and guarded, eyes watching outside. At one point Scott curled into Isaac’s chest and drifted asleep. Isaac stayed awake listening to the creaks in the house and the arrival of Lydia and Jackson. Peter headed downstairs to explain what happened.
He heard Jackson hiss angrily when Peter finished. Neither male made to join them upstairs through Lydia had slipped into the room and sat at the end of the bed; her hand curled around Scott’s ankle.
“Is he alright?”
“No.” Stiles mumbled. She nodded silently. Isaac stiffens when he heard the downstairs door slammed close. He wrapped an arm around him running his hand in circles to soothe the tension that Jackson had inadvertently caused.
“You’re safe.” He mumbled into his hair. “It was just Jackson being a douche.” Scott mumbled incoherently back at him, and buried his face into Isaac’s chest. Everyone relaxed when his heartbeat smoothed out signaling he was asleep.
“Everything alright?” Peter asked as he entered the room.
“Yeah.” Lydia answered; she was circling her thumb around his ankle bone. He nodded at her and took up his seat by the window, once again watching outside. Soon Jackson joined them claiming a spot next to Lydia. His own hand resting on the same foot at Lydia’s so Scott would not feel trapped in place. Isaac found himself dozing with Scott leaving the others to stand watch.
He did wake up when Derek returned; his alpha smelled strongly of Stiles’ soap and shampoo and there was the faintest odor of Scott’s attacker underneath. He tilted his head to look up at Derek who was sitting next to Stiles staring at Scott.
“Who?” He growled.
“It’s taken care of, Isaac.”
“Who was it?” He hissed. Derek stayed silent resting his hands on Scott’s shoulder reassuring himself that the teen was physically okay. “Derek.”
“Scott’s dad.” Stiles answered. “It’s always his dad, when this happens.”
“It’s happened before.” Peter asked.
“Not for a while, not since his parents divorced.” Stiles lightly brushed Scott’s hair aside. “And never this bad.”
“This bad?” Derek mumbled, encouraging him to talk.
“It…used to be just touches. Hugs that would last too long and hands which lingered.” Stiles took a shaky breath before continuing. “Scott would tell me how it wasn’t a bad touch, but he felt so wrong, so dirty afterwards. He had nightmares for the longest time.” Isaac whined and founded himself nuzzling his pack mate’s hair.
“What can we do?” Jackson asked. “I want to help, but what can we do?”
“Be there.” Stiles answered. “Just be there when he wakes up from nightmares. Hold him when he asks.”
“Protect him when he needs it.” Peter added. “Be a pack. Can you do that?” Various words of affirmation came from the teenagers.
***
During the following weeks, Scott yelled and wept. He scrubbed layers of his skin off, and clawed at anyone who got too close when he did not want them too. He avoided Peter like the plague, hated Stiles for telling his secret, blamed Isaac for ruining everything, and despised Derek for attacking his dad. Even Lydia and Jackson were not spared from him; he accused them of being uncaring monsters which left the two avoiding the Hale house for a few days. He refused to be touched and refused to come to training; nonetheless, everyone else held on to their own tempers and mood swings waiting out the storm.
One night Isaac was woken up by the noise of sobbing coming from the foot of his bed. Rubbing his eyes, he pushed himself to sit upright. Letting his eyes adjust to the room’s darkness, he could see Scott curled on the floor his head pressed against the bed.
“Scott” Isaac whispered, trying not to startle him. Scott looked up, eyes puffy and red from his crying. “Come here.” Isaac patted the spot next to him; he scrambled onto the bed sitting against him.
“I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“I’m glad you did.”
“Yeah?” Scott mumbled, leaning against him. Isaac hummed in agreement and started to lay back down. Both teens were laid out on the bed, sides pressed together.
“You don’t have to be alone. Not if you don’t want to be.” Scott did not respond, instead he turned to lay on his side with an arm thrown over Isaac’s chest. He waited a few minutes for him to freak out or pull back, before Isaac shifted closer letting him burrow into his chest.
“Thank you.” Scott whispered. He chose not to respond, instead he wrapped an arm around his back and squeezed. They fell asleep listening to each other’s heartbeats for comfort.