Sheriff Stilinski

"So you've got everything packed and ready to leave tomorrow?"

"As much as I can. Even cleaned up the room and moved the really important stuff into boxes in my closet in case Alex or Claire crash in my room."

"It's going to stay your room, kid. I promised you that."

"I know, but if they need to be separated in case, you know, they will tear the house down or something... I'd rather have a home to come home to."

Sheriff Stilinski laughed at that and stole a french fry from his son as they relaxed in the police car. Stiles was due to leave the next morning, and he wanted one more father and son dinner before he was gone. He just looked at his son as his eyes watched the people in the street walking by, shoving fries in his mouth like they were going to disappear.

They had spent so many nights like this after Claudia had gone into the hospital, and then passed away. A few times Scott would be in the backseat with him, but often it was the two of them where Stiles was doing homework in at his deputy desk, and then dinner in the car.

He remembered the tiny face the first time they had done this. He had bounced in the seat, his fingers barely able to hold the McDonald's burger that back then had been just a treat and not the norm. "Can we do this every night, Daddy?" he had asked, the eight year old's grin bright as his father's ski cap was too big over his head and kept falling over his eyes.

"Of course. Anytime you want, kid."

After Claudia died, he had taken a period of bereavement time to learn to be a single father. It had been hard, but he had been doing it a lot with Claudia's time in Beacon Hills Memorial, and then Eichen House, getting longer and longer. Then it was just them - no grandparents on either side to help. Two only childs with an only child, and now it was down to two.

Melissa helped when she could, but the days in the car became a daily ritual when he returned to work until finally one day Stiles, then barely twelve, had thrown his fries at the windshield and kicked and screamed about wanting to go home and have mom cook dinner and not eat fast food all the time. They had both cried in the front seat that night, and McDonald's soon changed to the diner because it tasted more like home cooking. The cook and waitresses loved Stiles and would give him whatever he wanted back then, and they would eat at a booth instead of the car.

He hadn't planned to run for Sheriff at first because of Stiles, but his son encouraged him to. "You need to do this, Dad. You said it yourself - we can't keep just standing still. You're the best person for this job and we both know it. I'm old enough to stay by myself, or I can sleep over at Scott's." Wise words from a thirteen year old covered in mud from lacrosse and sitting on a towel as he took his adderall pill before diving into his sandwich.

Teenage life was different. His energy was funneled into tricks and sticking his nose into places it didn't belong. It frustrated the Sheriff, and some nights Stiles' dinner was served in the back of the police car in a way that never seemed to work as a life lesson. Hunting for dead bodies in the woods... stealing transport vans... he wished he could blame Scott but both he and Melissa knew Stiles was the instigator in this friendship. But sometimes, it would just be a nice night between them like this - no crazy antics to reprimand him for, or keeping his son's nose out of a case. Just father and son, enjoying a meal together.

The son who was now leaving for college tomorrow. One who had a woman of his own that he was sharing a life with, who knows what he's going to be doing in his life and may not be as confident as his game face makes him be, but he was ready to leave the nest. It was scary to think that ten years ago he doubted that he would be able to take care of this ball of hyperactive energy... and yet they had both survived the process.

"Dad?"

Sheriff shook his head, looking at Stiles' quizzical face. "Yeah, kid?"

"You're staring at me. Do I have something on my face?"

"No, I was just thinking about something."

"What?"

He chuckled. "Nothing. How's the burger?"

"Best yet. Cook's gone all out knowing I'm heading to Berkeley in the morning. I don't think I've ever seen one this big."

"Well, we're all proud of you." He reached a hand over to rest on Stiles' shoulder. "And Mom would have been proud of you too."

That stopped Stiles a moment, and he looked at the burger before nodding. "She would have. You know, she'd be all into this training. She's want me to tell her all about the different creatures I learn about."

"Of course she would. Hell, I'm going to be curious about all of this. Just... don't bring home anything too weird."

"Of course not."

Sheriff looked at his son's grin with a raised eyebrow. "You're not instilling confidence in me, kid."

"I won't bring home anything big, poisonous, or that bites?"

"I guess that's all I can ask."

Stiles grins, and then looks back out of the windshield a moment. "Hey Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"You going to be okay with me gone?"

"You kidding, I've been waiting for this day since you were born." He laughed at the hurt look Stiles gave him, and took a sip of his drink. "Yes, Stiles, I'm going to be okay. I've got enough people keeping their eye on me that you don't have to worry about leaving me."

Stiles nodded. "Good. Because I'm not going to be here to save your butt again."

They settled into silence a moment, and then Stiles looked at his father again. "And um... if you and Jodie... want to, you know - get married or something..."

"Whoa, that's a few dozen steps away from where we are at the moment."

"I know. I just... if you do, I'm good with it. You shouldn't be alone. Hell, you can't make your own dinner without help."

"Thanks."

"Just speaking the truth."

"Why am I going to miss you again?"

"Because I'm your baby boy."

"Yes, and it's the only reason you're still alive." They laughed, and Sheriff started to clean up the wrappers while his one-armed son settled back in his chair having finished his food and sipping the end of his drink. "But do me a favor, alright kid?"

"Depends on the favor."

"When you leave here tomorrow, keep your eyes on the horizon and your future. Things may pop up back here, but you're in college now. There'll be more than enough opportunity for you to be involved in the affairs of Beacon Hills, but this is your time to shine. Don't let it slip away."

"I won't, Dad. I promise." Stiles looked at his watch. "Shoot. Scott and I were going to hang out for a bit..."

"Go. Just make sure you don't leave too early in the morning. Jodie is planning on making you a breakfast send-off."

"Pancakes?"

"What else?"

"Oh, I'm there. See you in the morning?"

"Of course. You two behave now."

"Of course we will." He grinned and shut the door, heading off to where he had parked the jeep not that far away.

Sheriff watched him go, watching him drop his keys and almost trip over his own feet as he went to pick them up. A moment later his son peeled out back towards Scott's house, and he relaxed back into his seat a moment. He's going to be just fine, he told himself, and after a moment he started the car to get back on patrol.