1. time and glass - teen wolf ᵈᵉʳᵉᵏ ʰᵃˡᵉ

[5.4] THE TELL: act four

- HIGH SCHOOL | LOCKER ROOM -

Steam pours into the locker room from the showers post gym class while the boys get ready for next period.

Jackson heads from the showers to his locker. Only when he begins to pull his things out does he notice that the room is now empty.

Dripping faucets and clanging pipes accompany a thick steam billowing from the shower room.

Shutting his locker, Jackson pauses. Slowly, he gazes back to find two glowing red eyes coming toward him through the steam.

He steps back, hand moving to his neck where the puncture marks from Derek are still visible.

The glowing eyes come closer and closer to Jackson and just as he's about to bolt, a student steps through the steam, revealing the two red eyes are illuminated headphones stuck in his ears.

As the student exits, Jackson lets out a relieved breath and turns back to his locker when Derek enters.

Jackson stumbles back, almost falling over the bench.

"Okay, all right, I don't know where Scott is. I haven't seen him—"

"I'm not here for Scott. I'm here for you. Jackson." Derek cuts him off.

Jackson flinches at the sound of his own name, retreating until his back hits the wall.

"Me? W-why me? I didn't do anything." He stutters

"But you saw something. Didn't you?" Derek comes closer.

"Saw what? When?"

"Last night—"

"What? No. I didn't see anything, I swear." Jackson cuts Derek off this time.

"All I want to know is what you saw. Was it an animal? A mountain lion?"

"I don't know. I'm not lying. I swear to God."

"Then calm down and say it again." Derek suggests meeting his eyes.

"What? That I'm not lying?" Jackson asks confused.

"The other part. Tell me you didn't see anything. Slowly." Derek doesn't move his gaze from him.

"Why do you care?" Jackson looks him up and down.

"Calm down and say the words." Derek ignores his question.

Jackson takes a deep breath before saying: "I didn't see anything."

The sound around the two boys fade until all Derek can hear is the rhythmic rise and fall of Jackson's heartbeat.

"I'm not lying." Jackson adds.

"I know." But Derek doesn't retreat. Instead, he takes a step closer. "One more thing..." He adds. He puts his hand on top of Jackson's head. The boy squeezes his eyes shut as if waiting for his neck to be snapped. But Derek simply turns Jackson's head around to get a look at the infected claw marks on his neck. "You should really get that checked out." Derek suggests.

Jackson lets out a gasp. His eyes flutter open. And once again...

He's alone in the locker room.

- HIGH SCHOOL | CORRIDOR -

Stiles and the female McCall hurry down the hall. Stiles holds his phone to his ear.

Scott picks up the line.

"What?" Alycia hears him say.

"Finally! Are you getting any of my texts?" Stiles asks

"All nine million of them."