Lady Silver's Challenge: Sensory overload. Think of the lead-up to Scott's panic attack in "Lunatic," only this one isn't panic attack caused. Scott's lost control of the filter on one of this senses (hearing is probably the easiest). Why? How is everyone else going to cope with this? What consequences does this have for Scott?

Burn It All Away

Jackson will admit, if only to himself, that he might not have thought this prank through completely. After he figured out what Scott was, he assumed that he could strong arm the weak minded teen into giving him what he wanted, but Scott maintained that it was a curse that he wouldn't bring on anyone, even if he could. Scott's refusal set off something deep inside, something borderline evil that wasn't about to be stopped from getting what it wanted, and what Jackson wanted was to be a werewolf. It was stupidly easy to add wolfsbane to Scott's shower gel, but the affect was decidedly more troublesome.

He waited anxiously in the locker room that night, to see Scott's reaction, expecting it to be something minor like itching powder, but the moment the body wash touched his skin, Scott howled in pain and Jackson could literally see the skin sizzling. By the time Scott had rubbed off all of the gel, it looked like his skin had melted from his body. He dropped pathetically to the ground, passing out in the hot water spray.

While Jackson was busy retching in the sink, a large body appeared behind him, glowering at him with the evidence of his prank in his hands. The co-captain of the varsity squad and all around bad ass actually squeaked when he saw Derek's electric blue glower in the mirror. "Was it worth it?" He forced Jackson to face the sobbing mass of teen in the shower, and Jackson almost lost his lunch again at the sight of damaged flesh that looked like the victim of an acid bath. "You broke him, you can fix him."

Derek threw Scott's bag at Jackson and bent over the gasping teen. "Scott, I'm going to have to pick you up. It's going to hurt." The other beta whimpered when a towel was wrapped around his waist, but the whimpers turned into shrieks of pain when Derek touched his skin to lift him. "Move." The growling order left no doubt in his mind that Derek would beat him bloody if Jackson didn't comply so he grabbed his own gear and followed the pair out into the gym parking lot. Without asking, Derek stole his keys and helped Scott into the front seat of his porsche.

"Come on! That's disgusting, he's getting blood all over my seats."

Derek's hand was wrapped around his neck before he knew what hit him and he found himself dangling a foot off the ground. "Maybe you will remember this the next time you think you can hurt a member of my pack." He pulled Jackson in close, fangs a hair's width from Jackson's nose. "For the next week, you are his nursemaid. If I hear one complaint I will tear the flesh from your bones just to see if you survive."

Jackson gulped and nodded. "What does he need?"

"No chemicals, soft all natural fibers and don't let anyone touch him. The new skin is going to be too sensitive to deal with it." Derek snarled and knelt down next to Scott. "The alpha heard you too. I'm going to draw him off while you get out of here. You're too weak to fight like this so stay hidden for a few days." Scott nodded before he started to hyperventilate at the sight of his hands. "Scott, look at me!" Derek started growling, pulling the other beta's attention to his eyes. Scott focused on the sound of the growls, letting them calm his panic as something deep inside responded to the familiar sound. "You are going to be fine. I'll check on you tomorrow. Jackson's going to take you home to his place and help you." The last was said with a warning growl at Jackson, daring him to disagree. Instead, the teen huffed and got behind the wheel of the car, starting the engine. Without further comment, Derek placed a reassuring hand on the only part of Scott not burned, the top of his head, before closing the door and running to the woods where he knew the alpha was waiting.

"Come on Dog Boy, get inside before my parents get home and see you." Scott started to step out of the car and hissed at the pain on the bottom of his feet. "I am not carrying you." Scott snarled at him as he forced his body upright, feeling the healing skin tear all over again. Jackson's hands tightened into fists as he checked over the damage to his car seat. He was never going to get that out of the leather. Silently, he led Scott through the house to a guest room. "Don't touch anything, I'll be right back."

Scott bit his tongue to keep from making a nasty comment and fought the urge to crawl onto the bed in all his damaged glory just for spite. Instead he walked into the bathroom and started the shower, hoping the water would get rid of the itchy skin he could feel flaking off his back. He ignored Jackson's grumbles about following directions as he let the cold water run over his skin. It was taking all of his concentration to keep from letting his claws out to gouge through the expensive tile in the shower. He was a quivering mess of pain when he turned the shower off, but at least his skin looked less like Peter Hale. His flesh was still angry red and damaged, but the blistering was gone. Scott stood at the counter, staring at his reflection in the mirror as he let his skin air dry, afraid to touch it with a towel. "McCall! I've got better things to do. Get your ass out here before I call Allison and tell her what a mutt you really are."

Righteous anger filled Scott and he tore through the door in a rage. For the second time that night Jackson found himself dangling in the air with a feral beast glaring at him with glowing golden eyes. "You did this to me." His claws began to dig into Jackson's neck, drawing droplets of blood and for the first time, he was terrified of Scott McCall. "I tried to protect you, Jackson. I tried to save you from the alpha, but if this is the thanks I get then you get to see what the wolf is really like. From now on, you get to be my bitch just so I don't kill you myself. If anyone finds out what I am, I'm coming for you first, so I'd say it's in your best interest to keep my secret." He dropped his co-captain and watched with satisfaction as Jackson practically crawled out of the room in an effort to get away from him.

"Feel better?"

Scott turned to see Derek grinning in the window. He hissed in pain at the sharp movement and took a minute to center his mind. "Not really, no." Derek just stared at him. "Okay, yes, I do."

The other beta smirked as he came into the room, carrying a bag. "These will keep the clothes from rubbing your skin." Scott took the package and whimpered when Derek grabbed his chin, turning his head back and forth to inspect the damage. "You won't scar." Fighting nausea, it was all Scott could do to nod. "Take a lot of showers, no soap. It helps."

"The alpha?"

"Off wreaking havoc somewhere. We have time." Derek walked over to Scott's backpack and grabbed his cell phone. He entered his number under the name Pack and put it on the nightstand. "Call if you need me."

Scott nodded and pulled the silk thermal shirt and pants from the bag, holding his breath against the overstimulation of the fabric touching his hand. "I'm going to sweat my balls off in these."

Derek snorted and paused at the windowsill. "How can you tell? They're tiny."

"Hey!" Scott snarled at his mentor. "I spent twenty minutes in ice water." Derek just smirked and leapt out the window. "I really hate you."

Derek found Jackson in the garage vehemently scrubbing at the ruined interior of his car. The boy's heart was fluttering with fear before he even noticed that Derek was behind him and it made the wolf smile. There was no reason a puny human should ever feel superior to a werewolf and it was about time Scott stopped taking Jackson's shit and put him in his place. "You really should be careful about pissing off werewolves, Jackson." He luxuriated in the boy's terror. "You threaten exposure again and Scott isn't going to be the one you need to worry about. You haven't earned the gift, and even if you could the alpha will kill you now before giving it to you. You've hurt a member of his pack and in our world there is no greater sin." He basked in Jackson's terror for a minute more before he turned to leave. "If I were you, I would do my best to make Scott very happy. The alpha is watching." The last part wasn't true, but Derek was definitely watching and once they killed the Alpha, Derek would take his place.

Jackson rolled his eyes at the way Scott shuffled down the hallway to the garage. "Get moving, McCall." Scott growled, but remained otherwise silent as he dropped into the passenger seat of the Porsche. Jackson studied him, aware of the shuttered breath and sweat beading on the other boys face. Huffing in irritation, he started the car and tore out of the driveway. The sooner this week ended, the better.

"Turn it off."

"What?" He scowled over at Scott, surprised to see his jaw clenched in concentration, clawed fingers curled into fists.

"The air conditioner." Scott gasped and trembled, goose bumps forming on his arms that drew a pained cry.

"Alright!" Jackson snapped the air off, noting that it wasn't even cranked up.

Shocks of pain were ripping through Scott with every bump in the road as his back rubbed against the seat. By the time they pulled into the parking lot he was pale, fighting back nausea and clinging to the straps of his backpack to keep himself from destroying Jackson's car. "Shit."

"Get out. We're here." Jackson got out slamming his door, sending another jolt through Scott as he stumbled drunkenly from the car.

Scott straightened and hissed when a warm autumn breeze blew across the back of his neck and his eyes flared gold. Taking a deep breath, he started moving toward the school, shutting out as much of the pain as his brain could manage. Jackson moved through the hall in front of him, parting the bodies only in and effort to keep Derek from making good on his threats, but he made no real attempt to keep people out of orbit. He almost snickered when he saw Greenburg check Scott into a locker until he saw Scott drop like a stone, grabbing his arm like it had been stabbed. "Nice one, Greenburg. He's got a separated shoulder. If you screwed up his chances for playing Friday I'll kick your ass myself." He turned his back on the sheepish team mate and faced the bane of his existence, cowering on the floor. "Get up, McCall. You're not making me late to class."

Scott snarled, digging his claws into the locker next to him, and pulled his body vertical. His vision was clouded with red and he knew he was in no condition to fight off the wolf. Another whimper was torn from him when Allison sidled up next to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. It took everything in his being not to howl in agony. He pulled away from her without a word and stumbled down the hall to the locker room. Tearing the clothes from his body, Scott sank onto the cold tiles, crying into the water freezing his limbs. Giving in to the pain, Scott tipped his head back and shouted in anguish.

"McCall!" Jackson skidded into the room, staring at his nemesis, resembling more of a wounded animal than a human. "Shit, Derek's going to kill me."

"Scott?" Stiles had followed his friend down the hallway during his episode, trying to find out whether he was shifting again. "Scott?" He rounded the corner to the showers and found Jackson crowding his friend. "What's going on?"

"He's flipping out." Jackson gestured helplessly.

"Scott?" The huddled figure in the shower just whimpered pitifully and started rocking harder. Stiles could hear the labored breathing of his panic attack. "What did you do to him?"

Jackson flinched at the venom in the normally genial voice. "I screwed up, okay?" Jackson inched closer to Scott, holding his thermal shirt. "I put wolfsbane in his body wash last night."

"You what?" Stiles was sure his hand was broken as his knuckles connected with Jackson's jaw. "You could have killed him!"

"I know that now!" Jackson crowded the smaller boy. "Either help or get out of my way before Derek shows up and guts me."

Stiles snorted. "You deserve it." He turned back to his best friend and frowned at the wheezing. "Tell me what's going on."

"He had to regrow his skin and now it's freaky sensitive. Derek told me I wasn't allowed to let anyone touch him, but Allison just ran up and hugged him."

Stiles snatched the shirt out of Jackson's hand and shoved his teammate out of the shower. "Find him something dry to wear that doesn't hurt." Jackson nodded and sped out of the small room, thankful to be out of Scott's view. Snarling again at Jackson's idiocy, Stiles slowly crept toward Scott, turning the shower to the off position. "Scott, you need to breath. You're going to pass out."

Glowing eyes pierced through him. "Hurts."

"I know, Buddy." He knelt down, ignorant of the water soaking his jeans. "What do you need me to do?"

Scott couldn't seem to catch his breath to speak again, so he raised his clawed hand to point to the fan in the locker room. Stiles spun to see the pathetically ineffective fan puttering in the locker room. He couldn't even feel the air flow, and if that was what was hurting Scott right now then his friend was screwed. "Jackson, turn off the fan." Stiles could hear the jock grumbling in the other room but the squeaking from the fan stopped. He turned back to Scott to see a shuddery sigh of relief. "Can you tell me what it feels like? Maybe we can figure out what to do."

"Raw." Stiles jumped at the voice behind him. "He feels raw, like every nerve is exposed." Derek dropped down next to Scott and pulled the wild eyes up to meet his blue gaze. Stiles and Jackson watched on in amazement as the rumbling snarls from Derek started to calm the broken teen on the floor. Scott was once again pulled into the familiar sound, finding comfort. "You shouldn't have brought him here."

Jackson flinched at the accusing eyes. "What was I supposed to do with him?"

Derek growled, throwing the cause of the problem against the wall and pinning him with an arm to the throat. "You were supposed to keep him at your house where he would be safe. He's a sitting duck for the alpha here." Derek looked over at Stiles to see if he understood.

"Oh, man." Stiles shifted closer to his friend. "He's a basket case. He won't be able to resist when the alpha forces a shift and tries to get him to kill us all again."

The other beta nodded, thankful that someone else understood the gravity of the situation. He pushed off Jackson and moved to help Scott to his feet. The sight of the burly hand had Scott flinching back in panic, but a warning growl from Derek stopped his progress. With a gasp of pain, he took the hand and tried to ignore the way Derek's calluses felt like sandpaper tearing off his flesh. "Shirt."

Stiles handed the clothing to Derek, shocked as the gruff man eased the material over his whimpering friend with a gentleness that he would never think Hale capable of displaying. Gnashing his teeth against more whimpers, Scott allowed the fabric of the pants to be pulled over his legs, hissing every time one of Derek's knuckles dragged across his thigh. When the protective barrier was once again in place, Derek tangled his hand in the wet curls and pulled Scott's forehead to rest against his shoulder, careful not to allow any other contact. He held the shivering boy, whispering reassurances, until Scott started to calm down.

"Stiles, go get my car." Derek held out his keys ignoring the stunned look on Scott's best friend.

"Really, I get to drive?"

"Across the parking lot, Stiles."

Stiles deflated a bit and grabbed the keys. "Right." He started a slow jog toward the exit.

"Jackson, go make up an excuse for him to be leaving." Jackson started to back away, but stopped when he heard a vicious growl. "Something that won't get him in trouble." Derek snatched the clothes out of his hand and helped Scott into the hoodie and sweat pants. When he looked back, Jackson was long gone and they had the room to themselves. "Pull your hood up, it will block the wind and keep the sun off your skin."

Scott nodded weakly and complied with shaking hands. His mind was near breaking as he fought to stay conscious through all the pain. He felt the loss of body heat when Derek stepped back and gasped in shock at the cold sensation. Mindlessly he followed the other werewolf's steps out into the bright sun. He heard idle chatter around him once he was seated in the car and realized belatedly that Stiles was pestering Derek.

"How do you know so much about this?"

Derek was silent for several blocks and Stiles was positive that his last question wasn't going to be answered. "I took care of my little brother for a week after the fire before I lost him."

Stiles flinched when it became obvious his foot was lodged somewhere in the vicinity of his vocal chords. "Oh." He sat back and bit his lip for the rest of the trip.

"How long is this going to last?"

Not calling him on the tremble in Scott's voice, Derek gave him a reassuring smile. "A day or two. After that it will be annoying, but not painful for another few days.

"Scott? What are you doing home sweetie?" She looked at her son and noticed his sweaty brow and flushed skin. "Are you feeling okay?" She reached out to feel for his temperature but her hand was stopped by a second person. Even from where it was, Melissa could feel the heat coming off Scott in waves. "Oh, baby, you're burning up. Get up to bed and I'll call the school."

"I'll get him in an ice bath."

"Derek? Derek Hale? Oh, sweetie, you're all grown up." Melissa drew him into a tight hug. "I've wondered about you every day for ten years. Are you okay? I heard about Laura."

Derek nodded, trying to pull back from the hands cradling his face. "I'm dealing."

"He doesn't know yet." Scott frowned at the odd conversation, and the fact that his mother seemed to know the other werewolf. But he was kept quiet by Derek's watery gaze, a rare vulnerability and pain. "I meant to tell him when I heard you were in town, but we haven't had time to just sit down and talk."

"I'll tell him." Derek gave her a shy smile and Stiles almost choked on his tongue. He looked over at his friend and found Scott just as confused.

The McCall matriarch studied the werewolf carefully. "Where are you staying?"

"The old house."

Melissa gasped in horror. "Not anymore you're not. We've got a spare room." She pushed him towards the stairs. "We'll take care of Scott and then you can go get your things."

"Mom?"

She smiled kindly at her son. "Come on, lets get you in bed. We'll talk when you are feeling better."