Had they not just moved, Stiles might have made a different choice – one of the clavigers, maybe. But the pack was in chaos over the move. They were nowhere near as tethered to a place as vampires, but werewolves were, to an extent, tethered to each other. Solidarity and proximity were necessary for continued cohesion. And if the Shadow Council supplied its own agents, Stiles would have his own manpower to call on. BUR was already somewhat involved in the investigation, though, and if Stiles was right, BUR would be putting Erica on desk duty the second they were informed about the pregnancy. She'd be dying to get out and do something.

Stiles decided to visit Boyd and Erica's apartment, rather than have her come to him. He told himself it was because he wanted to keep the activity from becoming public knowledge outside of those actually investigating the assassination rumors, but it was at least partly because he didn't want to bring it up in front of Derek again.

When he arrived, he let himself in with the key Erica had given him and found Erica curled up on her couch, an open container of ice cream on her lap.

"You can't already be having cravings, can you?"

She arched an eyebrow. "Know a lot about pregnancy, do you?"

"Erica."

She grinned. "I'm going to take advantage of the excuse to eat whatever I want for as long as I can. Boyd is already freaking out. He'll do whatever I ask."

Stiles laughed. "Of course you are."

"What are you doing here, anyway? How's the kid?"

"Connor is fine. Now that the threats have died down, one of Laura's drones took him to the park. I think Derek ordered at least three clavigers and two BUR agents to watch over him, just in case. I'm only unaccompanied, because I promised to take Scott with me everywhere and have conveniently left him asleep."

Erica smiled. "At least after all that, he's trying to show he cares."

"I know. And I want Connor safe. I just don't know if he's ever going to feel safe if he's constantly surrounded by bodyguards and federal agents."

"He will. It will get better. The threats just stopped." Erica patted the seat next to her. "So sit down and tell me why you came."

"Well, I figured you had to tell BUR about your pregnancy."

Erica nodded. "Boyd made me. I knew they'd take me off active duty immediately, which is crap, but he insisted."

"Well, I was wondering if you'd do me a favor."

"Of course. It's not like I have much else going on. I'm way too early in the pregnancy for much to be going on with the baby."

Stiles hesitated, wondering exactly how much to reveal. Despite his position, very few outside the supernatural community actually knew that Stiles was preternatural. Even at BUR, only Derek and Argent knew officially. If anyone else employed by them knew, it was for some other reason, and not because of their position. The only person Stiles had ever told was his father. He'd been afraid to tell Erica for so long, wondering if it would put her in some kind of danger. But he decided at this point, she was just as involved in everything as he was anyway. He might as well take the plunge. "Erica, have you ever wondered if there might be something unusual about me?"

"Not really, taste in clothing aside. I bet living next to Laura will help with that, though."

Stiles rolled his eyes. He then took a deep breath and blurted out, "I'm preternatural."

"You're what? Is it contagious?"

Stiles blinked at her.

Erica donned a sympathetic expression. "Is it painful?"

Stiles continued to blink.

"Are you okay? Does it affect Connor too?"

Stiles finally found his voice. "What? No. Preternatural. Effervescent. Or curse-breaker. I have too much life. A ton. As a matter of fact, I can pass it on to supernaturals given a chance."

Erica relaxed. "Oh, that. Yes, I knew. I wouldn't be concerned. I don't think anyone minds if they notice."

"Wait, you knew?"

Erica shook her head. "Of course – I have for ages."

"But you never told me! Did Derek tell you?"

"No he didn't. I've known you for years. I just thought you were embarrassed about it or something or maybe you thought you'd be studied for it. I did notice it's not in any of the textbooks."

"Oh, well, right. Thanks, I think. Well, I'm working on something and I need your help."

"Research?"

"More like an investigation."

"For BUR?"

"Kind of. But you really can't tell anyone at BUR except maybe Derek and Argent."

Stiles didn't really want to tell Erica everything about the Shadow Council, as that really was supposed to be a secret.

"Oooh, a secret society. We should give it a name."

Stiles stared at her blankly.

She pouted. "I'm pregnant, remember. Let me have a secret society."

Stiles rolled his eyes, but remembered that at least he didn't have to deal with this all the time, like Boyd did.

"Sure. We can call it" – he hesitated for a moment and then, recalling a phrase Derek had offered up while annoyed, suggested – "The Baseball Bat Battalion?"

It was the stupidest name he could think of. He was hoping that would dissuade Erica from the whole secret society shtick. He was wrong.

"Perfect! Do we have a pledge or ritual or something? Please tell me what we do?" Erica's eyes glittered with glee. Stiles thought she would have made an admirable vampire – both infatuated with useless pageantry and espionage. Stiles didn't have the heart to stop it there. She looked like she was having too much fun and his life had had far too little purely ridiculous moments in the past few months. He wanted something to be just fun for once, even for a moment.

"Of course, of course."

After a moment's thought, Stiles pulled out his bat and handed it to Erica. "Spin the bat three times and repeat after me. Pursuit of truth is my mission. I protect one and all. To shield others is my ambition. I vow by the bat of baseball."

Erica did as she was told, face as serious as she could make it, although Stiles could see her fighting to keep from laughing. He was having a hard time not laughing himself.

"Pursuit of truth is my mission. I protect one and all. To shield others is my ambition. I vow by the bat of baseball."

"Now pick up the bat and swing like you're hitting a ball. Yes, just like that."

"Is that all? Shouldn't we seal it in blood or something?"

"Oh, do you think?"

Erica nodded enthusiastically.

Stiles shrugged. "Sure, why not." He took back the bat and hit buttons on the knob, emitting tow sharp spikes, one of silver, the other wood.

After a moment's hesitation, Stiles nicked the pad of his thumb with the silver spike, did the same for Erica, and then pressed their thumbs together.

"May the life of the effervescent keep your own life safe," intoned Stiles, feeling appalling melodramatic, but knowing Erica would love it.

Erica did. "Oh this is perfect. Too bad this is a secret society. I want to tell people."

Stiles rolled his eyes. "I'll have to get you a special baseball bat too."

"Oh, no. I can't carry something like that around working for BUR."

Stiles thought for a moment, but then remembered his friend's true weakness. "What about a kind of belt with some hidden items?"

"A utility belt? You want to get me a utility belt? Are you kidding me? I can be an actual superhero."

Erica's beaming smile could probably light up the city block.

"Well, it is a secret society, after all. You need some secret weapons."

Erica hugged him around the midsection till he almost couldn't breathe.

"Okay, so what did you want me to do anyway? Because I know you just made all that up to humor me."

"Well, I need to know about a fire that happened in Beacon Hills about 25 years ago."

"Beacon Hills? Derek's old pack?"

"Yes, the reason he left. It killed his mother and brother and was spearheaded by his Beta."

Erica's eyes grew wide.

"I know. He doesn't really talk about it and he'd probably be pissed I told you, but I need you to go there. I think 25 years ago they ordered some kind of chemical from the Order of Ouroboros here to set the fire and I think it would be worthwhile to get information on the girl who they ordered from, but she's dead now. Ask the pack there what they knew of her and why they ordered from New York and report back."

Stiles slept restlessly, shifting aside when Derek joined him only to be awakened fully just after sunset by someone banging on the door.

"Derek, there is someone at the door!" He shook his massive husband where he lay in a boneless pile next to him.

He snuffled softly and rolled over, trying to gather him in closer. He began burrowing into Stiles's neck.

Stiles arched against him, enjoying the affection and the movement of lips against his skin. For such a scruffy man, he had very soft lips.

"Derek, there is someone at the door and I don't think Laura and her drones are awake yet."

Derek merely burrowed in against him with greater interest, apparently finding thing flavor of his neck most intriguing.

The door shook and rattled as whoever it was seemed to be trying to physically force it open. But for all Laura's frolicsome decorative choices, her house was built with the supernatural in mind, the protection of clothing being paramount. The door barely budged. Someone on the other side yelled, but a door so massive it could withstand shoe thieves could also muffle voices.

Stiles was becoming concerned. "Derek, get up and answer the door. It sounds urgent."

"I, too, have matters that are pressing and need to be taken into hand."

Stiles couldn't help it – he giggled. The innuendo was so bad.

But, someone was still torturing their poor door. Derek blinked, his green eyes wide and direct. He kissed the tip of Stiles's nose and, with a massive sigh, rolled out of bed and lumbered over to the door.

Stiles admired his backside for a moment, then shrieked, "Derek, robe!"

Derek ignored him, throwing open the door and crossing his arms over his chest. He wasn't wearing a stitch of clothing.

Luckily, it was only Chris Argent.

"Chris," grumbled his husband, "what are you yelling about?"

"It's Scott. You'd better come quickly. You're needed."

"Already?" Derek started swearing and ran off, presumably to their house next door.

"What is it?" Stiles asked.

Argent turned back. "It's Scott. He really isn't handling the curse well this month. He fights it too much and the more he fights it, the more painful it is."

"But it's over a week until full moon! How long will he keep doing this?"

"Difficult to say. Could be years, could be decades of losing nights around full moons until he has better control. All new wolves are like this, although they are not often taken so suddenly or badly as Scott. Usually it's only a few days before the moon. Scott's cycle is off."

Stiles felt slightly guilty, knowing that in some roundabout way, it was his fault Scott had been captured in the first place and placed in a position where Derek had to bite him.

He made his way next door as well. When he walked into the room where he heard the most noise, he found Derek and another, smaller wolf fighting. Derek was clearly winning, but that was because Derek was still in control of all of his mental capacities. He only really lost his human mind on the actual full moon.

Derek noticed Stiles and charged at the other wolf – Scott- flipping him right at Stiles's feet. Stiles reached down and grabbed his tail, turning him human again. Stiles barely managed to grab a foot when the tail disappeared before a very naked, but very human Scott lay in front of him, panting and out of breath, but in control once again.

A/N: Yes, the secret society scene is silly and unnecessary. However, 1) how can I base this off the original and not include it and 2) the original was so much more ridiculous. Just imagine that for a second. And also, Erica would totally want a utility belt. We all know it to be true.