Hey yo! So this is my first attempt at a proper upload/publishing of any fanfic I've written. Hopefully you like it and it isn't horrible. Yes.

"Don't cheat yourself out of love,

Cos you know that's a bigger sin,

To never know such sweetness,

Never know completeness,

But that's where I've been,

Hush now pretty baby."

- Hush Now, Fink ft. Tina Grace

Catherine Gold

The name stood out to her for some reason. Sure it was her own name and she had seen it, heard it, and spoken it a million times before, but for some reason... Her name on this piece of paper just seemed so utterly different to her.

She stared at the printed-out email, her eyes skimming over it for the billionth time. She had received it a week ago. The email, and the contents it held, were informing her of the acceptance of her application towards a studio apartment it Beacon Hills, California. Not only was the email holding the rights to her new home, but it was the doorway to her new life... Away from all the chaos and confusion of the place where she was before.

She was knocked out of her thoughts as the car behind her honked. Wrapped up in her thoughts she hadn't noticed that the lights had turned green. She pressed on the accelerator and allowed the car behind her to overtake. They were the only two cars on the long road into Beacon Hills.

The paper found its way back onto the passenger seat as Catherine took in a deep breath. She tried to concentrate on the road in front of her, but her thoughts kept drawing back to the events of the last two months. She took in another breath and turned up the radio. The noise drowned out her thoughts and she kept her eyes on the road.

The brakes squealed as she slammed on them to avoid hitting an animal that jumped out onto the road in front of her. The car came to stop 3 metres in front of it. Catherine stared at the animal with wide eyes. It was massive. It was crouched on all fours and was covered in dark fur. The animal seemed to be staring back at her with blood-red eyes. Cautiously, she pressed on the horn and it ran off the road and into the surrounding woods.

Catherine gaped. She was stunned by the animal, never having had seen anything like it before. She shook her head and placed it down to a hallucination from her over thinking.

A wolf. That's all it was.

She began driving down the road again.

Watcha gonna do when your mom says no but you gotta say bye then you gotta go. I'm gonna have to run, I'm gonna have to run.

Catherine bopped along to the music blasting through her headphones. She walked down the street, making her way to the diner. She was blissfully unaware that Derek Hale was watching her from across the street, the music from her headphones drifting to his ears with the sound of her heartbeat.

He had seen her as she was driving into town. He had been chasing after the alpha earlier that day and was there when it jumped out in front of her. He had carefully watched as the alpha stared at her, anticipating for it to attack. He had been surprised when she had pressed on the horn. The alpha had run off into the opposite woods, making Derek have to wait for her to move on so that he wouldn't risk exposure.

The chase for the alpha had been a bust so Derek had decided to make sure that she wouldn't be telling anyone what she had seen. He really couldn't handle another human knowing all about werewolves. He had enough on his plate with the Argents and the two idiotic teens that had gotten themselves mixed up in all of it.

He took in a deep breath and emerged from the shadows covering him when he saw Catherine enter the diner. Looking through the window he saw her slip into an empty cubicle and place an order. He waited a moment before crossing the street and entering the diner.

He made a huge attempt to stay unnoticed as he sat himself down in a dim corner at the counter. He had a perfect view of her from his little spot in the dark. She had clearly just decided to get dinner out if Derek judged her outfit right. He watched as she searched through her bag.

His eyes took her in. This was the first opportunity he had had all day to really get a good look at her. Her hair was long and had a slight curl to it. It was a light hazelnut and framed her pretty face. Her face was perfectly aligned. Her cheeks were a soft pink and his eyes flicked to her lips and she bit her bottom lip. They were a pale pink and dipped in to meet each other at the top. She was beautiful, but it was more of a natural beauty and not a cosmetically created beauty.

"Crap."

Her murmured swear met his ears as she pulled out her phone and took a look at what was on the screen. His attention was taken away from her as a waitress appeared in front of him and asked what he wanted. He shot her a wide grin and ordered the special. He chuckled to himself when he saw her falter at his grin.

When the waitress moved away his eyes flicked back to Catherine. The phone was held to her ear now and a patient look was on her face as she waited for the person she was calling to answer.

"Hello?"

His ears pricked as he listened in on her conversation. He gave the waitress another smile as she came back with his drink.

"Hey Tess!"

"Catherine? Is that you? Where the hell are you?"

"Beacon Hills, California."

"What the fuck are you doing there?"

"Breathing. After everything that happened..."

She trailed off and Derek immediately wanted to know what they were talking about.

"Fair enough. I'm so sorry."

"Please, stop saying you're sorry."

"I'm sorry. Shit. Ugh, you know what I mean. Things are different here without you Catherine."

"How so?"

"Your family's gone bat-shit crazy and Jonah won't stop trying to get to you through me. You held us together Catherine. When are you coming back?"

Derek glanced back at her when she didn't answer straight away. She had her lip captured by her teeth and it was clear she was debating what to say next. She let out a sigh and stared out the window.

"I don't think I am coming back. At least not for a while."

"But-"

"I just can't be there Tess. You should know that."

"So you just get up and leave without telling anyone? Nice."

"I'm sorry, really I am. If I had told anyone I probably wouldn't be where I am right now."

"Okay. Good point. I totally understand Catherine. I just wish you had told me."

"I know... I wish I had too. But please, don't tell anyone where I am. You know my father. He'll hunt me down and make my life a living hell if he finds me."

"Sure. I miss you."

"I miss you too Tess."

Derek looked away from Catherine as she stared down at her drink with a sad expression. There was silence between the two.

"I gotta go Catherine. Keep me updated?"

"Will do."

There was an end tone as Tess hung up on Catherine. The phone lingered by her ear before she moved it away and placed it down on the table next to her. Derek watched as she buried her head in her hands and softly shook her head. When she pulled her head out of her hands she let out a sigh and waited for her order to come. When it did she softly thanked the waitress and ate her dinner quickly. Derek did the same with his own, eyes flicking back to her every now and then just to get a glimpse at her.

When she finished her meal she didn't bother to hang around. She left the money for the food on her table and got up to leave. She left the diner, door chiming as she went through it. Derek's eyes flicked to the table she was at and widened when he saw her phone still sitting there. He went over to the table and picked it up. He quickly raced outside and looked up and down the street, trying to find her. She was halfway down the street when his eyes settled on her. He jogged over to where she was, catching up to her easily.

"Excuse me, miss?"

She stopped and turned around. She gave him a curious look and he gave her his smile.

"I think this is yours? You left it in the diner."

He held her phone out to her. Her eyes flicked to it and the curious look fell. It turned into one of gratitude.

"Thank you." She said.

She took it from him. Their hands brushed over each other and something like an electric shock went through him. By the look on her face he could tell that she hadn't felt it.

"I don't know what I would've done if I'd left it there. You're my hero."

Her words jolted him back and his eyes flicked to her. She had a beautiful smile painted on her lips and he nodded his head.

"Any time." He said, returning the smile.

The two lingered for a moment. Derek was staring at her softly as her eyes flicked to her phone and then to him. Derek stopped for a moment when he got a clear look at her eyes. They were a bright green, almost like the eyes a black cat would have. She bit her lip and pointed behind her.

"Well I have to go. Thank you, again."

Derek nodded his head and Catherine gave him a smile. She didn't move. She softly shook her head and then turned away. Derek watched her as she made her way down the street. When she had turned down the corner he looked at his hand.

Who the hell was she?