Chapter Three

"You and Mama McCall got married? Yes!"

John smiled warmly as his daughter's reaction to his marriage with her former best friend's mom. Three hours had passed since he'd been reunited with his baby girl and he found himself learning more and more about her. Her friends, who'd joined them an hour previous, seemed to fit her better than the pack ever had, and it was amazing.

Around them, she smiled and cackled, but her nurturing instincts were in full effect, merging strangely well with the mania she was known for. She continuously made sure they were comfortably, refilling drinks and snacks, and changing subjects that were tense, just as she had before. He also noticed that her friends avoided mentioning her spouse, something he was immensely grateful about. She didn't need that reminded right now.

A soft hum drew him from his thoughts and he found her staring at the clock contemplatively.

"What time does she get off?"

He glanced at his watch. "Should be here in about thirty minutes."

She squealed, and grabbed the young girl, Zoe. "C'mon, Zo-Zo. Auntie Harley is gonna teach ya how to cook. Guys stay with my dad, if anything happens to him," Her eyes flashed dangerously, lips curling into a wide toothy smile. "I'll break you."

Her friends shuddered, but the oldest of them, Rick, raised a placating had at her.

"Go play Harls. Nothing'll happen."

Stiles stared at them, then giggled and led Zoe from the room, explaining to the girl how to make one dish or another, leaving her father in the room with her ex-criminal housemates.

"Your daughter's bloody crazy, mate." One of them, George if he remembered correctly, stated and he snorted.

"I know."

"You're the sheriff."

"I know." He smiled. "But I also know that if you're anything like Stiles, then you're all are set in your ways. All I ask is that you don't cause any trouble in town and don't get caught if you do."

The ex-cons all smiled at him, eyes gleaming, and he could see how they managed to handle his daughter so easily. They were all damaged, so more so than others, but they knew how to mask it so they could function in society. Even the soldier and his girlfriend, while not criminals themselves, carried darkness that hurt them, darkness that most of society shied away from. His resolve strengthened.

These people had been through hell, and he'd do everything in his power to make Beacon Hills a home to them.

"What did you just say?"

Aaron Kissinger swallowed thickly at the low, dark growl that left the King of Gotham's underground.

Like most, he's believed the man was dead and as such, he was paying gravely for it. The Clown Prince had waltzed into the building early that morning, as if nothing had ever happened, his mad grey-green eyes blazing when he failed to find his queen among those that greeted him.

In fact, no one had seen the woman since her arrest, only hearing rumors of her being released, and many had wondered why she hadn't returned. She was the only person with the power to sway The Joker's temper, the only person able to stay his wrath. She was Joker's, period. And everybody knew it.

This said, Aaron hated being the one to give the man the news of her disappearance, especially with how erratic his emotions were when the woman was involved. Messing with Harley Quinn was a sure-fire way to incite the infamous mania the Joker was known for.

"Sh-she n-never came b-back, sir. No one had seen her and our contact say that her team never returned to Belle Reve."

"Find her." Joker growled and for a moment his eyes seemed to flash a bright violent crimson. "Now!"

Kissinger fled quickly, fear racing through him.

They had to find her. They had to.

If not…Gotham would not remain standing.

Whoever said love would help the Joker, they were wrong.

Very, very wrong.

Dinner at 8. It important- Sheriff S.

Hazel green eyes narrowed as they stared at the message on the screen. Eight years had passed since Stiles had left Beacon Hills,since Derek had dared to return and not once had the Sheriff texted them outside of supernatural business.

The loss of Stiles had broken the man, and had it not been for Scott's mother, the sheriff would be dead.

Looking away from his phone and over at the pack playing in the field in front of his home, he sighed.

When he'd returned to find the McCall pack in shambles and its human nowhere to be found, it had taken everything in him not to kill Scott. Stiles was the one that held his pack together and the "true alpha" had kicked her out on the word of a chimera that was later proven to be trying to bring back Void. They'd tried everything they could to find the girl, to bring her home for both the Sheriff and the pack but they'd had no luck. If the sheriff new at the beginning, he wasn't talking, and, after finding out just what Scott had done to his little girl it was all they could do to keep him from getting Argent to give him the bullets he needed to kill the True Alpha himself.

The only clue they had was a voicemail she'd left, dated the day before she disappeared. He could still remember every word of it, and it never hurt any less.

"I- "A broken sob escaped her, "I can't do this anymore. Theo was right, I've got more blood on my hands than anyone in this pack, but still…I just can't. I- I don't even know why I called you, maybe because I know you won't pick up, but I just wanted you to know, I meant everything I said that night. I love you, Derek…and when you get this I'll be gone. I'm leaving Beacon Hills."

He'd gotten the message five days later, and it had hurt. Yes, Scott played the main part in her leaving but he knew that he did as well. They'd slept together, multiple times, (before the Alpha Pack, after it, after the Nogitsune), but when she said she loved him, he freaked. He didn't want to be like Kate, and yet it felt like that was exactly what he was doing, so he'd left. He never warned her, or called back, he merely…vanished.

He shook his head, forcing his mind to the present. He'd kept her pack together like she would've wanted. When he'd returned to Beacon Hills, he'd done so as an Alpha, and he 'd immediately gone to work fixing Scott's mess. Now their Pack was flourishing. Allison, Scott, and Isaac were a couple and had two children. Boyd and Erica, who'd been revived at the Nemeton by Theo, had a child as well and were pregnant with another. Cora and Malia were dating Liam and Mason respectively and the couples seemed to be working out well, and Ethan had returned with Danny and Jackson in tow. Even Chis seemed to be enjoying his place in the pack as Peter's mate and took it up to train the humans to protect themselves.

Now there was this.

Another sigh escaped him and he let out a low whistle.

The pack gathered in front of him immediately.

"Get dressed. The Sheriff wants us over for dinner."

The older members of the pack blinked, their eyes widening.

"What?" Erica inquired.

Scott frowned. "Like my stepdad? That sheriff?"

"You know any other Sheriff, genius?" Lydia sneered, rolling her eyes.

The younger alpha blushed, scratching his cheek. "Well it's not like he's exactly fond of us." He replied. "He only started talking to me again after he married mom."

Boyd nodded. "Which begs the question, why now?"

Peter smirked.

"Guess we'll just have to find out."

TBC...