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Lacy here with our next Effie story! Welcome to season 5b, otherwise known as New Threat, New Pack, New Start. When we left Effie, she and Stiles had just found John, who had been attacked by another chimera. Derek was on his way home and Scott had kicked the twins from his pack. That's fine, Derek's their alpha, anyway. For those who've been waiting, Derek is finally back, in the flesh, right from the start. Read on, kids!

Disclaimer: I own Effie.

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~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

If there was one thing Effie hated, it was hospitals. She and Stiles had lost entirely too much in these places and now, it looked like it was going to take one more. They sat quietly in the waiting room, tears streaking their faces, as their father laid in surgery, fighting for his life.

Effie was as curled up in her chair as she could be while Stiles continued to fidget beside her. That was the one way they were always different. When upset or stressed, Effie went completely still while Stiles couldn't be still if his life depended on it.

Tipping her head forward onto her knees, Effie kept checking the bond that tied her to her father. Kept feeling along it to make sure his heart was still steady and his breathing was as normal as it could be under sedation.

"I'm looking for Stiles and Effie Stilinski."

The twins jerked their heads up, eyes widening at the familiar, but long missed, voice that filled their ears. Moving from the waiting room, they saw the one person they desperately needed at the nurse's desk.

"Derek."

Derek Hale turned from the nurse he'd been talking to and sagged in relief as he took in Stiles and Effie. Without a word, he darted forward and pulled both twins into a tight hug, which they eagerly returned.

"It's gonna be okay," he whispered as they shook with sobs against him. "I'm right here and I'm not leaving."

Stiles pulled back first, letting Derek tuck Effie closer. He knew his sister needed the constant contact with her mate after so long apart.

"Missed you, Sourwolf." Stiles teased as he wiped his face.

Derek chuckled with an eye roll. "Yeah, you too, Stiles." he kissed Effie's head. "Let's go to the waiting room. You can catch me up on what I missed while traveling."

Stiles gave a soft snort. "How's your hold on your anger?"

Derek cocked a brow. "Get the feeling it's not good enough."

"Probably not." the twins chorused.

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Head resting on Derek's chest, Effie focused on the vibrations of his voice as he and Stiles talked about all that had been going on.

'Why didn't I see this?' Effie thought to herself. 'Why didn't I draw this out? Why couldn't I save Dad?'

"Stop it." Derek said, looking down at her. He saw her surprise. "You're blaming yourself for not seeing this coming. For not being able to protect John."

Effie sniffled. "It's the second time someone I care about has been attacked and I didn't have any vision or feeling about it."

"That doesn't make it your fault." Derek pressed. "The druid in South America warned you that you would never have complete control over that part of your powers. Some things can be forewarned, others can't. It's just how the power works."

"Well, I hate it." Effie huffed, not caring that she sounded five.

Stiles let out a weak laugh. "Haven't heard that tone in about ten years."

"What happened with Scott?" Derek asked after they lapsed into silence.

Stiles hesitated at Effie's growl. "Knock it off, Ef." he looked at Derek. "Theo told him what happened. Or at least, a version of it that made me look like a cold blooded killer. Scott wouldn't believe me when I told him the truth, that Donovan was going to kill Effie and Dad, and told me not to worry about the pack. Then walked away."

"Well," Derek sighed. "I understand where Scott's coming from. But," he pressed as Effie went tense in his arms and Stiles stared at him in disbelief. "at the same time, he should know better then to take the word of someone he doesn't really know over two people who have been by his side his entire life. I don't care what this Theo guy said, something like this, Scott knows you better than that, Stiles."

Stiles gave a half hearted shrug. "Yeah, I thought he did."

Derek could feel the drain coming from the two Stilinskis. "First thing's first, you two need rest. I'll wake you as soon as I hear Melissa coming."

Even if they wanted to stay awake, the two knew they couldn't go without sleep. So they listened to Derek and settled down. Stiles leaned on his fist, body angled towards Effie and Derek, while Effie tucked herself closer to her mate and let the sounds of her brother and boyfriend lull her to sleep.

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

John was okay. And then he wasn't. Effie didn't understand it. Neither did Stiles or Derek. The three stood helplessly around John's bed as they watched him struggle for breath through the oxygen mask he'd been given. Both Effie and Derek had hands on the sheriff, pulling as much pain as they could. Effie even tried to heal him, but it was like something was fighting against her.

"Guys," Melissa stuck her head in the room. "Dr. Geyer wants a word." she saw Effie reach for Derek's hand. "I explained that you're all family."

Derek gave a small smile. "Thank you, Melissa."

Melissa nodded as the three followed her out. Geyer, also known as Liam's father, was waiting for them, a grave expression on his face.

"Two hours ago, he was fine." Stiles said. "Now it looks like someone took a baseball bat to his neck."

"There could have been some minor internal bleeding." Geyer tried to explain.

"Did you say minor internal?" Stiles questioned. "Since when is anything internal minor? I need to know what's going on here. Okay? Okay? Someone needs to tell me what is happening. Someone needs to tell me what's happening to him!"

Derek put a steadying hand on Stiles's shoulder while Melissa finally caved.

"We don't know." she said.

Effie saw Stiles's eye catch something and turned. Her breathing grew shallow as she saw Scott on the other side of the double doors, staring into their father's room.

"Ef, no." Derek grabbed her around the waist. But he missed Stiles. "Stiles! Stop!" Derek struggled to hold Effie back as Stiles tore through the doors and slammed Scott first into the wall and then the floor. "Stiles!"

"Where were you?" Stiles demanded of the true alpha. "You trusted him? You believed him, right? Huh? So where we you?! Where the hell were you?!"

"Stop it!" Melissa helped Geyer pull Stiles off Scott. Derek came forward, arm tight around Effie and took the other Stilinski from the doctor with a firm nod. Once Stiles let Derek know he was calm, they all looked back at Scott.

"Look," he said. "your dad's not the only one who got hurt."

Effie rolled her eyes. "Oh, you'll heal."

Scott pulled his jacket over the blood stain on his front. "I'm not talking about me. I'm talking about Lydia."

Derek felt the spike in the twins' heart beats at Scott's words. "Stiles, go. Make sure she's taken care of. I'll cool Effie down."

Stiles nodded and kissed his sister's forehead before heading for the elevator with Melissa.

"There's, uh," Geyer cleared his throat. "there's an empty room just around the corner. You can take her in there."

"Thank you," Derek nodded. "come get us if anything changes, please."

"You have my word." Geyer promised.

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Effie panted heavily as she paced the empty patient room. Derek stood back by the door, letting her slash and claw at anything she needed, making a mental list of all that would need replacing so Liam's father didn't get in trouble. He knew everything Effie hit, everything she tore apart, she was seeing Scott in her head. And he couldn't blame her.

Instead of listening to his pack, listening to those he'd known for years, Scott listened to a stranger and the price might very well be John, the last family Effie and Stiles had. Effie was entitled to her anger. Stiles was entitled to screaming in Scott's face while pinning him to the ground. But later, after they figured out how to save their father.

Derek focused back in on his mate as Effie let out a sob and fell to her knees. He was by her side in seconds, cradling her against his chest as she cried.

"We can't lose him, Derek." Effie whimpered. "It'll break us."

"Shh," Derek kissed her head. "you're not going to lose him, Ef. We'll figure this out and, if worse comes to worse, I'll turn him." he pulled back, meeting Effie's eyes. "You will not lose your father."

Effie sniffed softly and nodded before tucking her head under Derek's chin. The two just sat there, for minutes or hours, they didn't know. But after so long apart, and so many things going wrong, they needed it.

"Effie, Derek," Melissa appeared again. She looked around the room, eyes wide.

"I'll pay for it." Derek offered.

Melissa snorted. "Damn straight you will." she jerked her head towards the hall. "We have a plan."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

The only thing Effie wanted to do to Theo was finish what she and Stiles had started in the impound lot. But the bastard had information they needed and Effie would be damned if he died without giving it up.

Stiles, Effie, Derek, and a hidden Scott, were waiting at the Stilinski house when Theo arrived. The chimera took one look at the mountain ash line across the entrance and smirked as he stepped over it.

"Don't look so impressed with yourself." Effie said. "I can do that without being a twisted abomination."

Theo chuckled. "Sassy as ever, Effie." he caught sight of Derek, looming to the left of the stairs where the twins sat. "Derek Hale. Should have known Effie would go crying to her mate."

Derek gave a dark grin. "Be happy we need information from you, or I'd gut you where you're standing."

"That might be harder than you think."

"I'm always up for a challenge."

Stiles tossed Scott's bloody shirt at Theo. "So, you killed my best friend?"

Theo looked the shirt over. "Let's be honest, Stiles. Was he still really your best friend?"

"You gonna let my father die?" Stiles asked.

"If I wanted him to die," Theo said. "I wouldn't have told you where you could find him." He tossed the shirt aside.

"Then why are they saying his body is shutting down?" Stiles questioned as he stood up. "That some toxin is poisoning him? And they don't know how to stop it?"

"I'm not the bad guy, Stiles." Theo avoided answering. But Effie heard the jump in his heart. Knew Derek heard it and that Scott heard it. "I'm just a realist. I'm a survivor. If you knew the things that I know-"

"Yeah, what do you know?" Effie stopped him, moving to stand beside her brother.

"I know what's coming." Theo said. "I know what the Dread Doctors created and I know what Parrish is. Lydia figured it out, I saw it in her memories."

"Right after you drove her out of her mind." Stiles pointed out.

Theo almost smirked again. "Collateral damage. But if she's right about Parrish, then things around here are gonna get a lot worse."

Stiles shook his head. "I don't care."

"You should." Theo pressed. "Because if your dad does survive, he's not gonna be sheriff of anything much longer."

"What's happening to him?" Stiles asked. Theo turned to leave and Stiles darted forward. "Hey! Tell me!"

Before Derek or Effie could stop him, Theo shoved Stiles back into the stairs, leaving the older twin dazed and blacked out. The two dropped to Stiles's aid as Theo ran from the house and Scott came charging down the stairs.

"Stiles," Effie slapped his cheek. "Stiles, wake up."

"Is he okay?" Scott asked.

"Back off." Effie growled.

Scott started, clearly not expecting Effie's anger. "Hey, I'm just-"

"Scott." Derek's voice was neutral. "Do what she says. Back off."

"What are you even doing here?" Scott asked as Effie refocused on her brother.

"I came to help my pack." Derek said. "They were struggling because the local alpha wasn't listening and didn't believe them. They needed me."

Scott frowned. "Are you saying, they're not my pack?"

"You tell me." Derek volleyed back. He saw Stiles was coming around and helped him up. "You good?"

"I'm okay." Stiles confirmed, patting Derek's shoulder. "Did you guys get anything?"

"Steady as a rock." Effie said. "Minus one blip when we mentioned Dad being poisoned."

"That could be something." Stiles said. "A jump could mean surprise, right?"

Derek nodded. "Yeah, definitely."

"Okay, so why would be he surprised that Dad's still dying?" Stiles asked.

"Oh, wait." Scott said. "He didn't say that he was the one who attacked your dad, did he?"

Stiles shook his head. "No. No, which means it was probably someone else."

"Another chimera." Derek sighed.

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Working with Scott was leaving a bad taste in Effie's mouth. And she could tell from the look on Stiles's face that he wasn't dealing much better. But Derek had reminded them that, until they knew how to save the sheriff, they needed all the help they could get. Which also included Malia, who decided to reappear from wherever she'd gone.

The three reluctantly followed Scott and Malia through old rail tracks and underground into what looked like the sewer system of the town. Or maybe the water pipes. Effie couldn't tell, there were too many smells.

"This is Noah's." Malia said once they found traces of blood. "He was here. I think he's close."

Both Effie and Derek moved around, noses in the air.

"Guys," Scott spoke. "I think we've been down tunnels like this before. Like when we were looking for Liam and Hayden."

"Okay, so what?" Stiles asked.

"Maybe it means that we're closer than we think." Scott suggested. "Maybe there's something else down here. Something that we haven't found yet."

"Yeah, nothing that helps my dad." Stiles said. "Look, we can't just be standing around here, waiting for something-"

"Stiles!" Effie and Derek shouted as something, someone, came out of nowhere and knocked him to the ground. Derek ran to help Malia with the person while Effie knelt in front of her brother.

"Sti," Effie gripped the hand he raised. "Sti, come on, come back." Stiles finally returned the grip and let Effie pull him up.

"You okay?" Scott asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Stiles said. Growling caused the three to turn. They watched Malia and Derek pin the person, Noah as it turned out, to the ground.

"Let me go, please." Noah pleaded. "They're coming!"

They all turned towards the hall, hearing the sounds of footsteps and weird machinery. The Dread Doctors were coming.

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Malia released Noah, but Derek grabbed him again, pinning him to the wall.

"You're not going anywhere." the Hale said.

"I said I don't remember." Noah repeated.

"You don't remember anything?" Derek questioned.

"No." Noah insisted. "Not when it happens. Not when I change."

"You mauled the sheriff half to death." Derek informed him. "And now it's poisoning him. You need to start remembering every detail. Right now."

"Scott," Malia spoke, her voice shaking slightly. "I hear them."

"Yeah, I do too. Hey, Stiles, get him out of here. Go to the hospital. Figure out a way to save your dad."

Stiles grabbed Effie's arm, pulling her towards Derek. "You too, Ef. No way they're getting their hands on you."

Derek looked away from Noah, letting Stiles take him. "What? Why would they want Effie?"

The younger twin cringed. She forgot to tell him that part. "Later. Help Malia and Scott. We gotta get Noah out of here."

"Stiles," Scott spoke again. "Go."

The twins exchanged looks with Derek and Scott before grabbing Noah and vanishing down a side tunnel. Derek moved to stand between his cousin and Scott, claws already out.

"Why do they want Effie?" Derek asked.

"She's already a chimera." Malia explained. "A druid and a fox. And her body survived. She's perfect for them."

Derek let out a low growl. "Not while I'm around."

Scott looked at them as the Doctors appeared. "We're gonna be okay."

"Scott," Malia didn't look convinced. "we're gonna die down here."

"No, we're not."

The two looked at him. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because Malia isn't the only one that I called."

"Get down."

The three turned and there was Chris Argent, gun in hand, ready to fight.

"Derek," Chris got off his first shot. "follow Effie and Stiles. They need you."

Derek nodded, ducking passed the armed man. "Welcome home."

Chris snorted. "No place like it."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Watching Noah break apart of the chain holding their way out closed turned out to be the answer to what was happening to John. When Noah attacked him, part of the bones that were his change broke off and stuck inside the sheriff. He was being poisoned by bone marrow. Once Melissa knew that, it was just a matter of getting Geyer to go back in and removed it.

Once more, Derek, Effie and Stiles were circled around John's bed. The twins were sound asleep, Stiles resting his head and arms next to John's leg while Effie had a hand stretched out to hold John's hand. Derek had Effie curled up in his lap, watching the monitor that showed John's vitals, needing the sight of his returning health, as well as hearing and smelling him getting better.

Seeing John move out of the corner of his eye, Derek turned and smiled as he watched the sheriff reach out to stroke Stiles's arm and squeeze Effie's hand. The two woke quickly, their eyes fixed on their father.

"It's okay," he whispered. "You still got me."

Stiles exhaled in relief, taking John's hand while Effie let out a laughing sob, tucking her head against Derek's neck. A smile spread across Derek's face as he moved his free hand to pat John's leg.

They were okay, they still had each other.

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

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Effie's tolerance for anyone who isn't her father, brother or Derek is like gone. Well, okay, it's mainly gone for Scott and Theo. And working with Scott is not going to sit well with Effie, at all. But the packs will be playing nice. After all, the enemy of my enemy and all that. Gotta focus on taking Theo out, then they can go back to fighting each other. Kinda. Anyway, let me know what you think, flame policy, located at the bottom of my profile, always remains standing and thanks so much for reading!

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