"Stiles, what do you know that we don't?" Isaac asked, walking closer to Stiles.

Stiles felt his head getting dizzy and his legs go weak. He stumbled backwards, falling onto the wall beside him. He slumped, letting himself slide down the wall until he was sitting, his knees to his chest. "Will called me the night he died." Stiles whispered.

Isaac became confused. "We knew that, Stiles. He called all of you." Isaac said and Stiles looked up at Isaac. His cheeks were red and covered in tear streaks. "But I picked up." Stiles muttered, terrified of his own words especially when his voice cracked.

Isaac blinked in shock at Stiles's words. He's blinks being more frantic before he finally stopped. "What?" He asked and Stiles looked away again. He pulled his lips into aline and clenched his jaw. "Donovan attacked me that night. You and my dad were right. He was a chimera." He said and Isaac wasn't surprised by the fact that Donovan was a chimera, but one word caught his attention. "Was?"

"He chased me up the scaffolding in the library and a piece of it fell and impaled him." Stiles whispered. He started to shake his head and look up at Isaac, mad at himself. "I was so terrified and in shock that when I picked up Will's call. I wasn't in my head. I was... I was having an attack. I couldn't hear a single thing he said. And so I hung up on him."

He tried to come for me for help and I pushed him away. He was scared and alone during all of it. I wasn't there."

"Stiles..." Isaac started, going to walk up to the boy, but Stiles flinched. Isaac immediately stopped. He stepped back as Stiles continued to shake his head. "He died alone. I hung up on him, and then he died."

It was quiet between the three boys for almost a minute before Stiles looked up at Theo, his saddened features now contorted into confusion. "How did you know?" He asked.

Isaac turned to Theo at the question. Theo looked back and forth between Isaac and Stiles before keeping his eyes on Stiles. "I was there. I was at the library. Malia found the book. She was texting us to see where you were. She said she left you at the library. I told her I was close. When I got there, I heard the scaffolding come down. You saw him. Just the body." Theo explained before he looked to the ground and sighed. "I watched you answer the phone and then hang up almost immediately after. And then I watched you come out. I was gonna say something, but then I saw the cop car. And the body was gone. I don't know who took him. I only saw what you saw, and I didn't say anything because you didn't."

Before Stiles could open his mouth to ask Theo another question, police sirens echoed throughout the streets leading to the hospital. Isaac looked over the edge of the roof and could faintly see blue and red lights flashing. "We should get out of here." Isaac whispered and Theo nodded, starting to walk off of the roof.

"We can't just leave him!" Stiles yelled. making Isaac turn around from the edge of the roof and Theo turn around from the door.

"Fine. All right, let's take him." Theo said and Isaac nodded, liking the plan. He and Theo both started walking towards the boys body as Stiles watched the two of them with wide eyes. Isaac shrugged at Stiles's look. "Someone's stealing the bodies anyway, right? Here's our chance to find out who."

Stiles ignored Isaac's words, glaring at Theo. "You killed him." Stiles seethed and Theo immediately took a step towards Stiles, making Isaac quickly try to walk up to make sure Theo didn't hurt him. "In self-defense." Theo yelled before he turned to Isaac, realizing it looked like he was going to attack Stiles.

Theo took a small step back before continuing. "He was going to kill all three of us. He wasn't going to stop. If we stay, we're either going to have to tell the truth or we're going to need a pretty convincing story. It's your choice. I'm not going to ask you to lie to your dad."

"Don't worry. I've had plenty of practice." Stiles said as he, Theo and Isaac walked towards the boys body. Theo grabbed the boys top half as Isaac grabbed his legs, Stiles not grabbing the boy and instead leading them to make sure no one was around as they walked the halls of the hospital.

Isaac turned to Theo. "Hey." He said, making Theo turn to Isaac. He looked down at the boy he and Theo were carrying. before he looking back up at Theo. "You guys can hide this from whoever you want, but I have to tell Steph." Isaac said and Theo's eyes widened. He opened and closed his mouth in shock, shaking his head. "Isaac-" "She'll understand it was self defense. Trust me, she's almost killed plenty of the people we were fighting last year." Isaac said, interrupting Theo.

Theo gave him uncertain eyes. Isaac clenched his jaw in anger, shrugging. "Look, this is the girl I love. I live with her. I have a life with her. I'm not gonna jeopardize that over something she wouldn't have gonna upset about if I had just told her." Isaac sapped before he turned to Stiles.

"I think you should tell her about Donovan and Will." Isaac said and Stiles's heart sank. Isaac heart the boys heart drop and he quickly shook his head. "I won't tell her about Donovan and Will. That's your thing. I'm only telling her about this kid. But she won't be mad at you about Donovan or Will. She's known you for what? Eleven years? She's not gonna be upset with you."

Stiles stared at Isaac after his words, even when Isaac looked away from Stiles to help Theo get Josh down the stairs. He knew Isaac was right. He knew he had to tell Steph.

...

Stephanie frowned at the sight of the newly dead teen on the clinic table in front of her and Scott.

Isaac, Stiles, and Theo brought him down from the roof of the hospital and Scott immediately suggested they take him to the clinic.

"Do you know him?" Isaac asked and Scott gulped. Stephanie looked up at him from the body. She was standing next to Scott while the other three boys standing on the other side of the table.

"His name's Josh. He was a junior." Scott whispered. Stephanie looked back down at the boy. He had it worse than Will. Josh had his throat ripped out. She slowly looked up at Isaac, her eyes watering as she thought of what all of these Dread Doctors were doing to teens. "Which one did it? The one with the cane?" She asked.

Isaac's heart sank. He didn't want to lie to her. Theo nodded, not knowing if Stiles and Isaac would be able to lie to Scott and Stephanie. "Yeah." He said. Scott sighed at his words. He looked down at Josh and shook his head. "What are we going to do with him? We can't just set the alarm and leave. That's how Tracy disappeared. Someone's got to stay here with him."

It was quiet between the five of them for a couple of seconds before Theo sighed. Stephanie looked up at him and watched as he shrugged. "I'll do it. It's not like I had a big Saturday night planned."

Scott's phone that was on the metal table behind him and Stephanie buzzed, making a loud noise that startled Stephanie. She jumped slightly as Scott grabbed his phone, his face falling at the message he received.

Stephanie looked up at Scott, her eyes brows creased. "What is it?" She asked and Scott shook his head, still looking down at his phone. "Another one." He whispered before he looked up at the four in front of him. "Another Chimera."

...

Stephanie watched as Scott knocked on Liam's bathroom door that Hayden was hiding in. She stood beside Liam, rubbing his back comfortingly.

"Hayden? It's Scott. I know that you're scared, but we just... We want to help."

It was quiet on the other side and Scott pressed his ear to the door. After a couple of seconds he turned back around to Liam Stephanie, Stiles, and Isaac. "I can hear her heart beating. She's really freaked out. What happened?"

Liam stepped forward, moving away From Stephanie and closer to Scott. "She was okay when we got here. I went to text you for two seconds and she locked herself in."

Isaac walked up behind Stephanie and wrapped his arms around her waist hearing how loud her heart was beating and smelling her anxiety.

"She's definitely a Chimera?" Scott asked and Liam nodded. "She said she heard a voice saying, 'Your condition improves.'" Liam said and Isaac cringed, letting out a small hiss near Stephanie's ear. "Okay, that's unsettling." He muttered as Stiles walked towards the bathroom door.

"Hayden. This is Stiles. Your sister works for my dad down at the station. Look, just open the door, okay? You can trust us. We just need to tell you the truth, Hayden. And that kind of thing usually is better face-to-face." Stiles said and again, nothing.

Scott rolled his eyes and walked to the door again. He pushed Stiles out of the way and knocked on the door. "Listen, either you're gonna unlock the door or I'm gonna have to break it open." He threatened.

Stephanie looked at Scott like he was crazy. Terrifying the girl more won't help. "Jesus Christ." She scoffed out as she walked towards Scott and Stiles at the door. She pushed her way past them, muttering a small "Move over." as she did so.

She frowned at the door as she tried to think of what to say. She's never met Hayden so there was no personal things she could say.

She sighed before she finally spoke up. "Hayden? You don't know me, but my names Stephanie. Thought it might be better hearing my voice because um... I don't know. Girl power or some shit. Look--" Stephanie said, cutting her own words off.

She closed her eyes a took another deep breath. She thought about what the girl might be going through and opened her eyes again.

"I've been in your shoes. Weird shit happening to you, bad dreams, voices in your head. It's terrifying. We want to help you, but you have to open the door. It's okay if you don't want to talk, or if you're not ready to believe us, but we just gotta know that you're okay in there."

It was quiet for a couple of seconds before she heard the door unlock. Stephanie took a small step back, pushing Scott and Stiles back in the process as Hayden opened the door.

Hayden slowly looked up at the five, her eyes yellow and her fangs peaking out of her mouth. "I believe you."

...

Stephanie and Stiles sat further away form Hayden so Scott, Isaac, and Liam could help her.

Stiles was losing his mind sitting next to Stephanie. Isaac's words lingering in his head. Guilt eating him alive. He knew deep down between Stephanie and Scott, Stephanie would be the one to not be upset with him. He wanted to tell Stephanie. Slowly, he turned his head to the girl beside him, his eyes slightly wide filled with fear and hope.

"Can we talk?" Stiles asked, his voice wavering, worrying Stephanie. She looked at Stiles with concerned eyes before she slowly nodded her head.

Stiles stood up and led Stephanie out of the room. He looked to Isaac, who gave him a thumbs up, making sure Scott didn't see it. Stiles sent him a grateful nod before walking out of Liam's room and out of his house so Scott wouldn't hear.

They stood in Liam's driveway. Stiles was biting his thumb nail as Stephanie frowned. It was quiet for a few seconds, yet all they could hear were their own heartbeats.

"I wanted to tell you everything that happened the night Will died." Stiles said and Stephanie's brows furrowed. He was picking at his nails and his eyes were farting everywhere but her. He was nervous.

"Okay..." Stephanie muttered. Stiles bit his lip and finally looked up at Stephanie. "You know how we said Will called all of us that night?" Stiles asked and Stephanie's brows furrowed. She nodded, a small hum pressing against her lips as a way to say yes. Stiles took a deep breath, terrified to say his next words.

"When he called, I answered."

Stephanie blinked at his words. Her mind started to reel. Maybe he was on his way over to Will when he died. "What? You answered?" She asked and and Stiles nodded.

"Were you on your way to him and he died? Is that why he was alone?" Stephanie asked Stiles, who visibly flinched at her words. He started to blink crazily before he cleared his throat and shook his head. "No I... I hung up on him."

Stephanie's heart sank. She took a small step away from Stiles and gulp. "Why would you do that?" She asked and her heart started beating in her stomach at how nervous Stiles got.

"Because that chimera we're looking for? Donovan? I had just killed him." Stiles said and Stephanie's eyes had never widened so fast. She walked towards Stiles as he quickly looked to the floor. He was terrified of Stephanie's next move.

"Stiles, what are you talking about?" Stephanie asked, but Stiles kept his eyes on the ground. "Donovan was attacking me, and he was chasing me, and I killed him and was an accident. I didn't meant to. It was self-defense. I didn't do it on purpose and I was freaking out and I was panicking and then Will called and I couldn't hea-" Stiles cut himself off when Stephanie wrapped her arms around his middle and pulled him into a hug.

Stile was frozen. He felt his whole body tense and he didn't hug her back. He started to calm down though. Stephanie's hugs always calmed him down when he was panicking. It was something she read once when he started getting his attacks. If you hug someone's middle, it give them somewhere to focus their breathing on.

"You're hugging me..." Stiles whispered, still not hugging her back. Stephanie snickered at his words, Stiles feeling her smile against his chest. "Yeah, no shit, Sherlock." She laughed out.

Stiles didn't laugh back and still didn't hug back. "Why are you hugging me? You're not mad at me?" He asked and Stephanie pulled away just enough to see his face. Her face had fallen, disappointed by his words. "Of course not! Why on earth would I be mad at you?" She asked. Her voice was soft. Genuine.

His chest tightened and his eyes started to water in relief. "Because I'm the reason Will and Donovan are dead." He whispered and Stephanie instantly shook her head. "Stiles, you didn't do any of that on purpose. You said Donovan's death was an accident and even if it wasn't, it was self-defense. No one can get mad at you for that. As for Will, you were panicking you didn't hear him. It's not your fault." Stephanie said, emphasizing on her last sentence. She knew Stiles. She knew he was blaming himself.

Stiles started to let himself believe Stephanie words. He finally hugged Stephanie back, pulling her as close to him as possible. He shut his eyes as tight as he could, and sucked in a deep breath of air. "Thank you." He whispered and Stephanie smiled, hugging him tighter. "What are best friends for?"

"I'm still your best friend?" Stiles asked, pulling away from Stephanie enough to see her face. Stephanie smiled, nodding her head. "You're always gonna be my best friend, Stiles. You and Scott."

Stiles smiled. He didn't have to say it back to know that Stephanie knew he felt the same way. But his smile started to falter at the mention of Scott. Stiles removed himself from Stephanie arms and cleared his throat. "You can't tell Scott, Steph. Please."

Stephanie instantly shrug. "Wasn't planning on it. With Hayden becoming a chimera and a body at the clinic, if anyone told him that right now I think he'd explode." She said and Stiles let out a breath of relief.

As Stephanie thought over her words, her brows furrowed. Now that she thought about it, why would Theo watch over the body in the same room as the body? The person taking the bodies would never show up.

Stephanie turned to Stiles, her eyes wide. "We have to go to the clinic." She said just as Isaac walked out of the house, wanting to check on them. Stephanie grabbed Isaac's hand, interlacing their fingers and led him and Stiles to the Jeep parked on the road.

"Steph, why are we going to the clinic?" Stiles yelled and Stephanie rolled her eyes as they got to the Jeep. "The person taking the bodies isn't going to take Josh if they see Theo hovering over it."

Stephanie climbed into the passenger seat after Isaac got in the back. He looked between Stephanie and Stiles with a hopeful smile. "So, I'm guessing the conversation went well." Isaac said and Stephanie turned around to look at him, an amused smile on her face.

"Duh. Why wouldn't it? I'm super amazing." She said in a joking bragging tone. Isaac hummed at Stephanie's words. He leaned forward and kissed her, pulling away as soon as possible so Stiles did yell at them.

—I was going through lights out the other day and remembered how much i loved steph and stiles so OF COURSE i had to make this scene
I LOVE THEM SO MUCH😭😭

i'm also loving stiles and isaac's relationship. they're growing. slowly but growing.

will please get resurrected faster. we miss you🫶
(just about four or five more chapters)

WILLIAM IDK HIS MIDDLE NAME SATICOY COME BACK HOME NOW STILES AND THE KIDS (malia and liam.) MISS YOU❗️