Battlefield | Act Two
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THE CHAOS had ended, and the team was escorted back to the locker room where deputies took everyone's statements. Blaze had finally gotten Charlotte to leave after reassuring her that she didn't have to fuss over him and that he was fine. He wouldn't lie and say it didn't feel nice to have someone care about him like that because his parents never did but right now, he was worried about Stiles, and he didn't need anyone fussing over him.

He stood in front of the Stilinski boy's locker with Issac and Scott as they spoke to Stiles's father who was being everything in him to remain calm and locate his son.

"I got to meet with the medical examiner and try to figure out what happened with Jackson. I've got an APB out on Stiles. His Jeep is still in the parking lot, so that means..." Noah paused as he bit his lip and Blaze felt bad for the man. He had already lost his wife and Stiles is all he had left, "Well, hell, I don't know what that means. Um... look, if he answers his phone, if he answers his emails if either one of you or see him..."

"We'll call you." Issac nodded, keeping his voice low knowing the man was trying his best to keep it together and not assume the worst.

"Look, he's probably just freaked out from all the attention or something. We'll find him." Scott reassured him despite knowing Gerald had taken him and was intently freaking out.

"Or maybe some hot girl grabbed him during the chaos and they're currently getting hot and heavy against a tree somewhere." Blaze tried to lighten the mood, but it failed as Scott elbowed him in the stomach and Issac shot him a look, "What? Just trying to be optimistic."

"Yeah. I'll see you, okay?" Noah stated before he left Coach had joined them.

"McCall. We need you on the team, okay? You know I can't put you on the field next season if you don't get your grades up. And that goes for you too, Blaze. Your grades aren't looking the best." Coach told them.

"Yeah, I know Coach." Scott nodded as Blaze stayed silent.

"I mean, I know I yell a lot, but it's not like I hate you guys. Well, I kind of hate Greenberg, but you know that's different it's Greenberg. I'm just saying us... I need you both on the team. Blaze, I know you've probably had the worst year of your life but get your grades back up." Coach stated.

"We will." Blaze nodded.

"I know." Coach nodded as he walked away leaving the three boys alone in the locker room.

"Is that everyone?" Scott asked, looking around to make sure they were alone.

Issac got off the lockers and moved forward before he sighs, "I think so."

The sound of metal twisting made Issac and Blaze turn to see Scott had torn off Stiles's locker door and let it hit the ground before he reached inside and grabbed Stiles's sweater.

"You're gonna find him by scent?" Issac asked him.

"Yeah, we all are." Scott nodded as he tossed Issac one of Stiles' shoes.

"But how come you get his shirt and I get a shoe?" Issac frowned.

"Yeah, I'm not taking a shoe. You're his bestie, you can do that shit." Blaze said, grabbing the shirt out of Scott's hands, making the werewolf chuckle and shake his head.

Blaze looked up to see Scott and Isaac standing straight as they looked behind him making him confused, he turned around and jumped at the sight of Derek standing there, "Lovely you're back to the random standing poses."

"We need to talk," Derek said calmly.

"All of us." Peter appeared from behind Derek making Scott and Blaze's eyes widen. Blaze glared at the man who had attacked him and Lydia at the formal and made their lives hell for weeks.

"What the fuck is this?" Blaze demanded as he glared at Peter who finger waved at him, making him glare at him harder.

"You know, I thought the same thing when I saw you talking to Gerald at the sheriff's station," Derek said snidely.

"Wait what?" Blaze turned to look at Scott who scoffed.

"Okay, hold on. He threatened to kill my mom. And I had to get close to him. What was I supposed to do?" Scott stated.

"I'm gonna go with Scott on this one. Have you seen his mom? She's gorgeous." Peter added his unwanted opinion.

"Shut up!" Scott, Derek, and Blaze said in unison.

"Who is he?" Issac leaned close to Scott as Blaze eyed him but ignored it anyway.

"He's Peter. Derek's uncle. A little while back, he tried to kill us all, and then we set him on fire, and Derek slashed his throat." Scott summed up.

"Hi." Peter waved.

"That's good to know." Issac smiled tightly with a small nod.

"Don't forget I bite Blaze at the formal and now thanks to me, he tapped into his real heritage. You're welcome." Peter smiled at Blaze who could swear steam was coming out of his ears.

"Of course, you knew." Blaze grumbled, "How is he alive? Why is he alive? And can I kill him again?"

"Look, the short version is, he knows how to stop Jackson. And maybe how to save him." Derek said as the boys shared a short look.

"Well, that's very helpful, Expect Jackson's dead," Issac told the Hale's who looked confused at this new information.

"What?" Derek questioned.

"Yeah, Jackson's dead. It just happened on the field." Scott nodded.

"Okay, why is no one taking this as good news?" Blaze wondered aloud seeing the looks from everyone else in the room.

"Because if Jackson is dead, it didn't just happen. Gerald wanted it to happen." Peter answered his question.

"But why?" Derek turned to look at his uncle.

"Well, that's exactly what we need to figure out. And something tells me the window of opportunity is closing. Quickly." Peter moved forward as he spoke.

⸻

After everything that has happened since Scott was bitten in the woods from the night, they went out to find a body to this moment now, Blaze had yet to step foot in the Hale household. Standing in front of the door as everyone else walked in, but he hesitated. If he lived here then this was once his home.

"You good?" Derek asked, turning back to look at the boy who was looking around at the house that seemed familiar but had no memory of.

"I'm fine." Blaze snapped out of his thoughts as he walked inside just as Scott sighed in relief.

"Oh. Oh. They found Stiles." Scott said as Blaze felt relieved to hear that.

"Look, I told you I looked everywhere," Derek told Peter who stopped at the stairs.

"You didn't look here." Peter crouched down on the steps, moving one of the floorboards up, and removed a case.

"What is that a book?" Derek wondered aloud.

"No. It's a laptop. What century are you living in?" Peter gave Derek a weird look as Blaze had to force himself not to laugh.

This was Peter. He was not funny. He was an asshole who should go back to the grave. But his comment was funny—No!

"A few days after I got out of the coma, I transferred everything that we had. Fortunately, the Argents aren't the only ones that keep records." Peter said as he got up and left with Derek following.

Scott's phone began to ring as Issac walked into the room with Peter and Derek so he could have some privacy to take the call. Blaze on the other hand didn't care as he took his time, looking around the house. He glanced into what looked like it was once a living room and saw old brunt belongings making him frown. He wondered what it was like to live here before Kate had decided to ruin it.

He walked down the hall and paused when he saw markings on a wall. Like a height chart that kids made when they were younger to keep track of who was taller. He crouched down and looked at the initials on the wall.

L.H. D.H. B.E.H. B.H. C.H

He assumed D.H. was Derek Hale and maybe L.H. was Laura Hale but he didn't recognize the last three. He traced his fingers over the B.H. and couldn't help but let his mind wander. He had longed for a real family. Someone who truly cared about him and acted like a real family, but he knew that even if it was possible, the Hales were gone and all that was left was Derek and Peter. Two guys he doesn't like and doesn't trust. Blaze sighed knowing there was no point in trying to figure out these answers because like he once told Ryle. It would only end in disappointment. The best thing he could do was move on from the thought.

"Blaze." The sound of Scott's voice made Blaze jump, falling into his ass from his crouched position. Scott laughed as he walked into the room, "Sorry didn't mean to scare you."

"It's fine. I'll live." Blaze huffed as he used Scott's offered hand to help him up. He had underestimated Scott's strength as he was moved to his feet in one swift motion. The pair were standing close together. Too close. The approximately of their faces made Blaze tense as they stared at each other for a moment.

They had yet to have a moment to truly talk and Blaze was more than curious about how that conversion was going to happen. He had never been attracted to Scott before (at least he didn't think he had) but whoever decided to let him wear that red shirt that hugged him in all the right places made Blaze want to rethink those previous thoughts.

"My mom called. She needs us." Scott said quietly as he coughed and backed away from Blaze who fixed his white shirt. The sight of his stomach caught Scott's eye who forced himself to turn around and walk away. Missing the warmth that came from standing so close to him and the old Cologne that lingered on his old shirt.  Scott would love nothing more than to inhale the scent longer, but he knew they had to go and didn't have time to fool around.

⸻

"What is happening to him?" Scott asked in disbelief as he stood in the morgue with Issac, Blaze, and his mom.

"Can my life get any weirder?" Blaze gaped at the wall before he turned back to look at Jackson who was covered in his own venom. He didn't even know what to say or think of this situation.

"I thought that you were gonna tell me. Is it bad?" Melissa asked her son.

"It doesn't look good." Scott shrugged before they all jumped back when Jackson moved.

"Um, lady, could you zip it up, please?" Blaze asked Melissa who shot him a glare for calling her "lady" and for having her be the one to go near him.

"Okay." Melissa sighed as she hesitated before moving forward and beginning to zip up the bag. The zipper ended up getting stuck making the woman sigh in frustration as she used both of her hands only for Jackson to lung forward and hiss making them all jump.

"Zip," Scott told his mother.

"Okay. Okay. Okay."

"Zip! Zip, Mom, Zip! Zip!"

"Scott, call Derek." Blaze sighed in annoyance as Scott pulled out his phone to inform Derek of Jackson's state. Blaze's phone buzzed making him pull it out to see it was a message from his parents wondering where he was and demanding to know what happened at the game.

A normal son would have reassured them that he was fine and would be home soon, but Blaze wasn't a normal son, he was a werewolf standing in front of something he couldn't even out in words, so he quickly texted them back, "Maybe you'd know what happened if you were there."

"He's turning into that. That has wings?" Blaze turned Derek's question from the other side of the phone.

"Wings? What the fuck is he, a butterfly? He's clearly in his fucking Cocoon right now." Blaze grumbled in disbelief as he pointed at the body bag that began to move.

"Scott, get him out of there now. Go now." Derek told him as he hung up leaving the boys to deal with the caterpillar.

Issac grabbed the top of the bag as Blaze grabbed the middle and Scott grabbed the end and picked it up as they began to take him outside with the help of Melissa who made sure they didn't get caught.

"Hold on." Scott whispered to them as he saw people walking by, "Okay, Go. Go. Go."

They quickly ran the eBay they could think the bag until Scott grabbed his end of the bag on the ground as they all shared a wide-eyed look, "You, fucking idiot." Blaze grumbled under his breath.

They heard a car coming making Scott quickly try to pick it back up but turned around to see it was a familiar SUV and Argent had stepped out making them tense.

"You're alone," Scott mentioned seeing no one else was with him.

"More than you know," Chris stated looking more depressed than Blaze had been and he had a real diagnosis.

"What do you want?" Blaze asked not in the mood for chitchat when they had places to be.

"We don't have much in common, Scott. But at the moment, we have a common enemy." Chris stated.

"That's why I'm trying to get him out of here," Scott said nodding back at the bag the boys had dropped to the floor.

"I didn't mean Jackson. Gerald has twisted his way into Allison's head in the same way he did with Kate. And I'm losing her. And I know you're losing her too." Argent exclaimed.

"You're right. So, can you trust me to fix this?" Scott asked him. Chris didn't say anything, but he let a small nod of his head give them an answer, "Then can you let us go?"

"No," Chris said making Blaze roll his eyes in annoyance. Of course, "My car's faster."

⸻

Arriving at their location, Blaze jumped out of the car and stood beside Scott, "I think he stopped moving." Issac stated as he looked at the bag sitting in the back.

"Where's Derek?" Argent asked as they looked around and saw no one. His question was short-lived as they saw Derek given a dramatic entrance which made them all sigh and wait until he was done.

"That was dramatic and a waste of time," Blaze muttered under his breath as he rolled his eyes and watched the way Argent and Derek eyed each other.

"I'm here for Jackson. Not you." Argent reassured him, despite still not liking him.

"Somehow, I don't find that very comforting." Derek told him before he turned to the younger teenagers, "Get him inside."

Argent had moved the car inside the building where they set him on the ground and stood around, "Where are they?" Scott asked Derek who looked around in confusion.

"Who?" He asked.

"Peter and Lydia," Scott stated as if it were simple.

Derek didn't say anything as he moved to stand over at the body bag making Scott tense, "Woah, hold on a second. You said you knew how to save him."

"We're past that." Derek ignored him as he opened the bag.

"And this is why I don't trust him." Blaze rolled his eyes. He didn't trust Derek from the beginning, and he didn't understand why Scott did.

"What about-" Scott stuttered as Derek cut him off.

"Think about it, Scott. Gerald controls him now. He's turned Jackson into his personal guard dog. And he set all of this in motion so that Jackson could get even bigger and more powerful." Derek snapped at Scott.

"No. No, he wouldn't do that." Chris shook his head, "If Jackson's a dog, he's turning rabid, and my father wouldn't let a rabid dog live."

"Of course not." Gerald's voice was heard from behind them making them spin around to see the old man standing behind them, "Anything that dangerous, that out of control is better off dead."

Derek looked down at Jackson, raising his claws, and went to kill him when Jackson's eyes snapped open and his hand shot forward into Derek's chest making him gasp as Jackson stood up, growling and hissing before he through Derek across the room.

"Well done to the last, Scott. Like the concerned friend you are, you brought Jackson to Derek to save him. You just didn't realize that you were also bringing Derek to me." Gerald told the boy.

The sound of an arrow twirling through the air made Blaze grab Scott and push them down, allowing the arrow to fly past them and into Issac's shoulder who gasped and fell to the ground.

"Allison?" Scott seen the brunette turn around the corner before running over to Issac and pulling him up with the help of Blaze.

Chris used his gun to shoot at Jackson while Scott and Blaze pulled Issac away from everyone and pulled the arrow out, allowing him to heal before they joined the fight with a fully-turned Kanima.

The four of them fought with Jackson who through off Derek and Scott, leaving Issac and Blaze to grab Jackson who through Issac into the crates and Blaze towards the wall making him groan.

"Asshole," Blaze grunted as he got back up, growling as he punched Jackson, ducking underneath his arm until he was kicked in the chest towards the crates where Allison had decided to put her dagger skills to use in Issac who fell to his knees.

"No, Allison!" Scott yelled as she twirled the knives and stalked towards Derek who had been nicked with Kanima venom.

Blaze got up and saw she was beside him but before either could do anything Jackson grabbed her by the throat before using his other hand to grab Blaze and hold him in the same position.

"Not yet sweetheart." Gerald walked back into the room.

"What are you doing?" Allison asked him in confusion.

"He's doing what he came here to do," Scott stated. Blaze didn't pay attention as much as everyone else did because he looked just as confused as Allison.

"Then you know," Gerald says.

"What's he talking about?" Allison questioned him.

"It was the night outside the hospital, wasn't it, when I threatened your mother. I knew I saw something in your eyes. You could smell it, couldn't you?" Gerald exclaimed.

"He's dying," Issac spoke up as Blaze chuckled.

"I fucking knew it. I told you, Scott. Fucking cancer or something I can't spell." Blaze said snidely as Jackson's grip tightened making Scott tense he wanted to move forward and help him, but he knew he would do more harm than good, so he stayed put.

"I am. I have been for a while now. Unfortunately, science doesn't have a cure for cancer yet. But the supernatural does." Gerald smiled as he looked down at Derek.

"I thought you Argents had a code." Blaze hushed out as Jackson tightened his grip on Allison who gasped, a tear running down her face and her heart beating so loud it was starting to hurt Blaze's ears.

"You're gonna be okay." Blaze mouthed to Allison trying to keep her calm as she did her best to give him a reassuring smile.

"You monster." Chris glared at his father angrily.

"Not yet" Gerald smirked.

"What are you doing?" Allison cried out before Jackson gripped her throat tighter again.

"You'll kill her too?" Chris's voice cracked as he had tears in his eyes seeing his daughter so helpless and not being able to do anything to help her. It was bad enough, he allowed her to get manipulated but now there was a chance she would die, and he still couldn't do anything.

"When it comes to survival, I'd kill my own son!" Gerald snapped at Chris who nodded, not seeming surprised by his words. Blaze felt disgusted and felt a bit bad this was the man that Chris Argent had to deal with his entire life. Talk about hell on earth.

"Scott," Gerald told the boy who looked hesitant before he slowly started to walk towards Derek with a sigh. Looking up at Blaze and seeing the position he was in was enough to make him reach down and haul Derek to his feet.

"Scott, don't. You know that he's gonna kill me right after. You'll be an alpha." Derek groaned as he looked up at Gerald.

"That's true. But I think he already knows that don't you, Scott? He knows that the ultimate prize is Blaze." Gerald said acting as if Blaze was some prize to be won just pissed him off, but he stayed silent (for once), "Do this small task for me and they can do whatever they want together. You are the only piece that doesn't fit, Derek. And in case you haven't learned yet, there is no competing with young love."

Blaze glanced at Scott, finally beginning to accept the fact that Scott had feelings for him and how everyone truly did know except him. While he had no idea what he felt and he wasn't exactly in the position to think about it, he wondered if Scott was truly going to give Gerald what he wanted. Would he really let Derek die just so he could live?

"Scott, don't, don't!" Derek pleaded with him.

"I'm sorry." Scott told him as he looked at up Blaze whose eyes were glistened, "But I have to."

"Scott, don't." Blaze gasped out with a small shake of his head. He knew Scott wouldn't be able to live with the fact that he helped kill someone for his own selfish gain and he didn't want Scott to live with that.

Scott pulled Derek back as Gerald took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeve before placing his forearm on Derek's mouth and screaming as Derek unwillingly gave him the bite.

Gerald laughed happily as he raised his fist revealing the fresh bite that blood turned crimson red to midnight black making everyone confused, "What?" Gerald questioned seeing their expressions as he looked down at his arm and saw the black blood, "What is this? What did you do?"

Everyone looked at Scott who glanced down at Derek, "Everyone said Gerald always had a plan. I had a plan too."

Gerald pulled out his pills and opened them, dumping them onto his hand before he cursed, "No. No..."

Scott switched the pills out. Blaze realized as Gerald crushed the pulls in his hand and black dust fell to the ground.

"Mountain ash!" Gerald yelled angrily as his nose and eyes began to bleed black, he fell to his knees before he vomited up the same liquid.

"There goes his soul." Blaze grimaced as he looked away from Gerald, feeling the need to gag at the sight. Hearing a thud, he looked back to see Gerald had collapsed on the ground.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Derek asked Scott in disbelief.

"Because you might be an Alpha, but you're not mine," Scott stated as Blaze resisted the urge to smirk. He doesn't think he's ever been prouder in his life. (And a little pissed that he didn't know about this plan).

Their attention was turned back to Gerald who was crawling and puking at the same time, "Kill them! Kill them all!" He yelled before he collapsed again.

Jackson let go of Allison and Blaze who took their moment to elbow him in the face and chest before moving out of the way just in time for a familiar blue Jeep to come crashing through the wall and straight into Jackson.

"Did I get him?" Stiles questioned as he opened his eyes.

"Those are my best friends!" Blaze cheered as Stiles chuckled before he screamed when Jackson jumped on his Jeep making them yell as they quickly got out of the car.

Stiles ran behind Scott and Blaze as Lydia stood in front of Jackson, "Jackson. Jackson!" She called out his name.

"Lydia." Blaze went to run forward as Jackson tried to attack her but was stopped by Scott who grabbed him, keeping his hand on his arm so he didn't move as they watched Jackson freeze at the sight of the key in Lydia's hand.

The memory of the key managed to turn Jackson back into his human self, with claws, and some animal skin still present but enough to recognize him. He grabbed the key out of Lydia's hand as he finally came back to realization.

Jackson stepped back from Lydia knowing what was going to happen as Derek stood up and dug his claws into his stomach as Peter appeared and clawed him from behind.

Scott gasped as he went to move forward this time, but it was Blaze who kept him from moving by placing his arm around his stomach, "Don't." Blaze muttered quietly to him.

Lydia let out a gasp as she jumped forward and caught Jackson who fell to his knees, coughing and choking, "Do you—do you still..."

"I do. I do still love you." Lydia nodded, tears streaming down her face.

Blaze looked at the ground, his own eyes filling with tears. He wasn't a fan of Jackson, but he loved Lydia, and he knew she truly loved him and the pain of losing that person was heartbreaking, and he knew that. A part of him wished he had gotten a goodbye, but he was glad Lydia was getting hers.

Jackson fell forward, his head leaning against Lydia's shoulder as she held him and sobbed. Blaze sniffled which made Scott slowly grab his hand and squeeze it knowing what he must be thinking about.

"Where's Gerald?" Allison questioned seeing the name was nowhere to be found.

"He can't be far." Her father told her.

Lydia stood up and wiped her tears as she turned around to walk back to the group, pausing for a moment to squeeze her eyes shut and let her tears fall again. The sound of claws scraping against the cement made them all pause as they turned to see Jackson's eyes open, revealing a dark blue that Derek once had. He got up before letting out a dramatic roar that was once again not needed before he looked at Lydia who ran into his arms and hugged him tightly.

⸻

Blaze sat in the back of Stiles's jeep as Scott sat in the front. There was an uncomfortable silence that made Blaze wish Stiles would drive faster so he could go home. He missed his bed and this night felt like it was never ending.

"Are you okay?" Blaze asked Stiles who didn't respond for a moment until he looked in the rear mirror.

"Me?" Stiles questioned, thinking he was talking to Scott first.

"Yeah, you. Gerald gave it to you." Blaze said, nodding towards the large cut on his face.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. It'll heal." Stiles nodded as he looked back at the road. He glanced at Scott who kept his eyes trained out the window making him wonder what he missed.

"If it helps, only you could rock a gash like that," Blaze said cheekily, making Stiles chuckle at him.

"What the hell?" They heard Scott mutter as he leaned forward, making them look forward, and saw red and yellow flashing lights and black smoke in the air passed the trees. As Sties drove forward, they saw people surrounding the place, police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances on standby.

"Stop the car." Blaze felt his heart drop as he realized they were surrendering his house.

"What"

"Stop the car, Stiles!" Blaze snapped as Stiles came to a stop, allowing Blaze to jump out of the car and run down the street.

Pushing through the crowd, Blaze went under the yellow time and stood up ignoring the officers' protests. Blaze gasped as he looked at the scene in front of him. His home. The only home he had ever known was on fire. Flames filled every room and half of the house was already taken down.

"Oh, my god." Stiles stared in disbelief as he stood next to Scott who mirrored the same expression.

Blaze's eyes filled with tears as he realized his home was gone. Everything he owned was in that house that the firefighters so desperately tried to put out. The world around him seemed to drain out as Blaze caught sight of four EMTs rolling out two body bags.

His parents. They were gone. His entire life was gone.

⸻

Authors Note:

I wrote the last part quick because I wanted to end it already so it's probably not that good but I don't care. I just wanted them dead, lolll.

Thank you for reading!!