I heard noise coming from outside the door before I saw the headlights through the curtain window. I got out of bed and looked through the curtains. Chris was leaving in the early hours of the morning. I wonder what was going on. Without thinking too much over it, I climbed back into bed. Kate was suppose to show up today, but I didn't know when. Maybe Chris went to pick her up? Wait, that doesn't make sense. She was suppose to be coming in her own car. Maybe something came up and they ran out of milk. I shuffled lower into the thick comforter. I sure hope the kids at school are nice. Maybe Allison could show me around. Probably not, she was new too.

I yawned despite myself and I could feel my body getting heavier with sleep. Before I knew it, I was being awoken to someone shaking me and whispering my name.

"Aliya. Wake up already." the voice seemed faint or rather I only heard it that way.

"Five more minutes," i grumbled turning over onto my back

I felt a heavy weight fall on me making me open my eyes and stare at the foreign object. The black bag was over my stomach and a white hand laid perched on it.

"Wake up you lazy bum." Kate looked down at me smirking and I couldn't help, but to return it with a wide smile of my own.

"Kate!" I pushed the bag aside and hugged her around the neck.

"I'm only gone for a few days and you get all clingy like this." I can hear the smile in her voice and I remember how much I really missed her.

"You call half a month a few days?" I ask letting her go.

She only shrugged. "Half a month, one day, your reaction is the same."

I punched her playfully as we both smiled at each other.

Just then the door opened and Alison came in. Both her and Kate gave a scream of joy and embraced each other as if they were long lost sister that hadn't seen one another for years and were finally reunited.

"Oh my gosh! I don't see you for a year and you turn into a freaking runway model." Kate exclaimed as she took in her niece.

I smiled as Alison did a little half spin out of embarrassment. I pushed all of Kate's things into a corner, sliding the black bag under the bed as the two girls talked.

"A jump start?" Alison asked in a confused tone. I looked at her as she looked at me and I shrugged indicating I didn't know.

We both got ready for school. Kate helped me pick an outfit she liked best consisting of a white sleeveless shirt with a smoked skull painted on it, a red plaid skirt and a pair of closed toe heels. I added a three in one studded belt, fishnet tights, and a leather jacket I absolutely loved.I pulled my hair into a messy bun and headed out, kissing Kate on the cheek before i went.

"Hey kid!" she called out. I turned around as she threw a black back pack my way. I caught it mid air surprised by the weight.

"What's in here?" I asked looking up at her from the small steps.

"You know. All the essentials for school. A journal, pen, pencil, hunting knife." She shrugged. "the usual."

I smiled at her. "uh-huh. the usual kid stuff, right?" I asked.

she smirked. "Right. Now get going. You're going to be late."

I climbed into the passenger side seat of Alison's car."Ready?" she asked.

I nodded. "ready as I'll ever be."

We talked a bit on the way to school. Her mostly about scott. "Oh that reminds me, I'll be staying after school today so don't wait for me." I spoke as she stopped at a red light. She was starting to get nervous about her after school study session with Scott.

"What for?" she asked, looking at me for a brief moment before returning her eyes to the road.

"You know, the whole study date thing. I don't want to be in the house while you two are being you two." I spoke casually.

I saw her stiffen and gave out a little cough. "Excuse me?" she asked.

I didn't respond and kept my eyes fixed on the window as she parked her car.

We both exited the car and made our way to class. Although I'm sure she wanted to ask more, there wasn't much time for her to ask anymore questions.

Classes passed by in a blur, mainly because I wasn't paying attention to what was going on around me and kept to my own imagination to amuse myself as the teacher drone on.

In my last class of the day, I left early, tired of sitting in a seat for so long. I didn't understand how the students could do this everyday and not feel a little sense of sickness of it all. Then again, they've probably been in classrooms their whole lives so they got use to it. Part of me wanted to be like them, only worrying about school and home life such as divorce or something along those lines. But no. I was who I was because of who I chose to be and nothing could change that. A little part of me smiled. I knew I wouldn't have to sit on my ass all day if I didn't want to.

The smell of blood pulled me from my thoughts and I quickly looked around to find the source. Rounding the corner, I saw a pale, gravely ill looking Derek digging his claws into the neck of a student, slamming him into the wall. I quickly ran over and grabbed his wrist.

"Derek! Are you insane?" I asked angrily. Derek stared at me a moment with wide eyes before looking between me, his hand, and the boy who, by the way, looked like he was about to piss his pants. If not for the situation, I would've laughed.

"Sorry." Derek mumbled as he pulled his claws from the student's throat. I pulled his arm around my shoulders and helped him walk away.

"What are you doing here?" I asked once we were virtually alone aside from the few kids still wondering around.

"I need to find Scott." He explained holding on to one of his arms.

"Scott?" I looked at him with a disappointed expression. "And here I thought you were looking for me."

He gave me a small teasing smile as if saying 'yea, sure.'.

the bell rang releasing the final classes for the day and I pulled Derek back towards me. "Let's go into the parking lot. I'm sure he'll be around."

"How do you know?" Derek asked as we walked, doing my best to support his weight.

"He has a date today. There's no way he wouldn't leave campus right away" I explained.

He spotted Stiles's jeep as he was pulling out and I urged Derek to walk faster. Standing in the middle of the road, Derek put up his hand to stop Stiles as I tried to continue to support him as his weight shifted and he started teetering towards the ground. Losing my balance, we both fell, me on my knees and him laying on me because his arm was still wrapped around my shoulders.

The boy I considered to be Scott and Stiles ran over and looked us over. "What are you doing here?" Scott asked mainly to Derek. "And who are you?" He asked turning his gaze to me.

"I've been shot." Derek interrupted.

Scott looked concerned. "Why aren't you healing?"

"He can't." I jumped in noticing how much effort it was taking for him to answer. He gave me a look which I took as one of gratitude. "It must be a special bullet." I looked at scott, his brown eyes looking straight into mine.

"Like a silver bullet?" Stiles chimed in.

Both Derek and I looked up at him and spoke simultaneously. "No you idiot."

Scott looked away thinking. "wait, that's what she meant when she said you had 48 hours."

"Who?" I asked.

"the one who shot him." he had an expression as if saying it was the most obvious thing.

Just then Derek's eyes began to glow blue and he strained against the pain. I pulled him closer as scott began to panic.

"He can't control it." I practically growled. I pushed him to get up and he moved with the motion. "A little help." I spoke directing the two boys to help him to his feet. I could smell Allison coming closer and I felt a little cornered. Kate couldn't know about this.

Scott and Stiles placed Derek into the front passenger seat. Stiles walked around to allow me to climb into the back seat through the driver's side. Before I could, I saw Allison standing near by. I waved as Scott stopped her from getting any closer. Stiles climbed in after me, driving off as soon as he was in the seat. I let out a sigh of release and looked at Derek as he looked back at me with a puzzled look.I gave him a tired smile and leaned back into the seat.

Derek took off his sweater as Stiles threw his phone down in frustration. I kept my eyes on the two, curious.

"Try not to bleed out on my seats. We're almost there." Stiles reported. I perked up at this, leaning forward to look between the two.

"Almost where?" Derek asked in a low voice.

"Your house." Stiles responded in an obvious tone.

"What?" I whispered.

"You can't take me there." Derek argued.

"Why not?" Stiles question in disbelief

"I can't protect myself." He responded.

Stiles pulled his beat up jeep over and stopped on the side of the road. "What happens if scott doesn't find your little magic bullet?" Stiles questioned. "Are you dying?"

I eyed Derek as he stammered out his reply. "I uh, I have a last resort."

"What do you mean? What last resort?!" Stiles yelled as Derek pulled the sleeve up on his arm.

"Oh my god." Stiles and I said simultaneously.

"What is that? Is that contagious? you know you should probably just get out." Stiles complained, in a grossed out voice, as if trying not to gag.

"Start the car. Now" Derek demanded.

"I don't think you should be barking orders with the way you look. Matter of fact, I bet I could drag your little werewolf ass out and leave you for dead. And you," Stiles looked at me before realizing his mistake. Derek noticed the look on Stiles's face and then my neutral one as I stared back at Derek.

"Start the car." Derek spoke in a demanding tone as he looked at me. "now." He shifted his attention back to Stiles "or i'ma rip your throat out. with my teeth."

I watched as Stiles began to drive. "So where do we plan to take you?" I asked leaning forward to see the two.

"I'll ask Scott." Stiles replied as Derek just leaned back in his seat looking exhausted.

"How about the animal clinic?"

They both looked at me as if I was crazy. "Are you nuts? What about Deacon? You know? The guy that works there?" Stiles animatedly pointed out.

"I can get him out. It won't be too difficult." I shrugged it off. It really wouldn't once I thought about it clearly. Deacon was always a reasonable man, a little too reasonable sometimes. I'm sure he would help me out.

"How do I know I can trust you?" Derek question, the suspicious look in his face from before. I shrugged once more, keeping what I hoped was a neutral facial expression.

"Who are you anyway?" Stiles spoke, cutting through the silence that had fallen between me and derek's staring contest. "You show up out of nowhere helping… this man. Plus, you're all mysterious and new and who do you think you are? Why are you even here?" He finally stopped speaking and I took the moment to think about my response.

"My name is Aliya. I was placed here by my adoptive mother, who, for some reason thought it was a good idea to move to a town she grew up in. I'm here because unlike you, I actually wanna help… this man live." I responded, annoyance and irritation dripping through the tone of my voice. "Now if you don't mind, start driving towards the clinic." I added a sweet smile for good measure.

Derek kept a constant gaze on me, looking away only to wince in pain from the bullet wound on his arm.

"What now?" Stiles asked after parking across the street from the clinic. I checked the time once more. I had to make sure I got home before diner.

"Wait here until we leave." I instructed. Stiles opened his door and got out, pulling the seat forward so I could climb out as well.

"Wait. Aliya." Derek called after me as I stood in the open doorway. I looked at him and noticed the tone on his face: almost pleading, yet demanding.

I climbed into the jeep, closing the door as I sat inside staring at the older werewolf. I saw Stiles throw his arms up in disbelief as he waited outside. "If you're wondering who I am again, I'm going to tell you the same thing." I spoke before he even opened his mouth.

Derek shook his head. "What's the real reason you're here? In this car?" He seemed to be trying to ask the questions in a way where I wouldn't be able to be a smart ass.

Giving him the benefit of the doubt, I sighed before answering. "I know you're a werewolf." I ran my hand through my hair. "Since before Stiles let it slip just now."

"Since when?" He demanded.

"Since my mother told me. Briefed me actually. About you. About your family." I didn't meet his eyes when I brought up his family and I wasn't surprised when he reached over with his good hand to take me by the neck.

"Who-" he didn't finish his sentence before Stiles opened the door and began to try to pull me away. Derek let me go, causing Stiles and I to fall into a pile on the sidewalk.

I stood up quickly, coughing slightly. "I'll explain everything. I promise." I assured him. "Right now, we just have to help you."

I walked away from the car before he could say anything else. I made my way across the street and into the clinic. Deacon was there at the front desk when I entered.

"Aliya. What a pleasant surprise." He smiled genuinely at me. "What brings you by."

I tapped my ear as he spoke and pointed across the street indicating that someone was more than likely listening.

"I've been good doc. Just a lot of work as usual. I was hoping you could help me get home." I smiled as he passed me a piece of paper and a pen.

"I could." he spoke slowly as if in thought. I quickly scribbled a small message on the piece of paper.

"That's my address. Not that far is it?" I questioned.

Deacon looked over my note before motioning me to come to the back. I followed him obediently. "Let me close shop and we'll be on our way." He gave me a smile, holding out a necklace for me to take. "Could you lock the front door for me?" I nodded, tucking the piece of jewelry into my pocket. I looked out through the door and clicked the lock in place before heading into the back. I followed deacon out the back door making sure i was the one to close the door.

"Get in." Deacon motioned towards the only vehicle in the lot and I quickly did as I was told. Pulling out of the drive, I looked back in time to see Stiles's jeep turning into the now abandoned back lot of the animal clinic.

"So," Deacon began as we headed down the road. "Are you going to tell me what's going on? Your not was more than a little vague." He passed it to me and I laughed at my own writing.

"Hide your saw. They're gonna break in to use it." Another chuckle left my lips before explaining everything that just happened.

Deacon stopped in front of my house. The lights were on and my phone kept going off in my lap.

"Are you going to answer?" He asked, his facial expressions filled with worry.

"Yea." I pressed the small green button on my cell phone and immediately heard Kate's voice. "What the hell Aliya? I've been calling you for hours. Where are you?"

"I'm outside. I was just about to go in." I answered, my voice sounded tired.

"Is everything okay?" Her worried voice filled the cabin of the car so Deacon could hear.

"Yea, just tired. I'll be there in just a bit."

"Okay honey. I'm gonna want an explanation after dinner."

The call ended with that and I slid my phone back into my pocket. I could feel the tears stinging at the ends of my eyes, wanting to spill over. I blinked a couple of times before wiping the few stray tears away from my cheeks. I looked at Deacon as he lightly grabbed my shoulder in a comforting squeeze. I gave him a small smile. "Thank you for this." I said before climbing out of his car and making my way up the steps and into my new home.