I tell my Dad I'm staying over at Lydia's tonight to help clean up, and he easily buys it. He likes Lydia- I guess her house can be my alibi whenever we've got one of these crazy supernatural situations.

"Dad, I'm going now." I say on my way out, looking from the corner of my eye. Then I freeze. "Dad…"

He acts nonchalantly as he gets a bottle of water from the fridge. "What?"

"Why are you all dressed up?"

He smiles. "Uh… Melissa and I have a date tonight."

"Really?" I put my bag up and go into the kitchen.

"Yeah- you're not upset, are you?"

"Of course not!" I exclaim, straightening his tie. "It's been years- I'm excited for you!"

"So… you like her?"

"Are you kidding me? Melissa's amazing, I wouldn't approve of anyone but her." I catch a glimpse of the clock over the oven. "Oh, I'm late- gotta go."

"Have fun, Danielle."

I smirk. "You too. Tell Melissa I said 'Hi'."

When I leave, I'm actually excited- not for the club, that terrifies me. For my Dad. He's never been able to forget Mom since she left us back in New Jersey, but now seeing him less than miserable about a woman: it's progress. Maybe he can actually be happy.

Lydia's got about a million hair tools plugged in at her house and I wonder how she's not already blown her fuse.

"How can you use so many hair things at once?" I ask when I walk in.

"I have a custom fuse. Now sit- we've got a lot of work to do."

"We've got two hours…"

"Please, I'll be lucky to finish just your hair in two hours."

I sit in front of her vanity and she begins spraying my hair with some good-smelling liquid.

"What's that?"

"Odds are, you don't know what any of this is." She says. "If I have to explain everything, it'll take us at least three hours."

"Fine, geez."

"Okay- curly or straight?"

It really does take her every minute until eight o'clock and everyone starts showing up.

"Lydia, I look…"

"Fantastic!" She exclaims, proud of her work. "You look like you just stepped off the cover of a magazine. My work here- is done. Now go change, I think I hear Derek's camaro."

My stomach drops, and I stand to quickly change into the particularly showy dress she picked out this afternoon.

"You brought the heels, right?" She asks in a deadly serious tone.

"Yeah..." I say, slipping them on and rolling my eyes.

She shakes her head in amazement. "How do I do it."

Then her phone rings.

"Hello? Mom… really?! Okay yeah, that's fine." She says, but looks panicked. "See you later, love you."

"What's wrong?"

"My parents- their last event at the convention got cancelled, and they're on their way home."

"So how do I explain coming home at midnight all dolled-up?"

She shrugs, perplexed. "I have no idea, we're totally screwed. I wouldn't recommend staying with Chris and Allison right now, and I think everyone's parents are home. Let's go downstairs and ask."

I follow her out to the stairs and realize everyone's standing in the foyer and begin to blush. Dramatic entrances are really not my thing. I keep my head down as I walk downstairs. Thankfully they see I'm uncomfortable, and don't make a big deal of it.

"Guys- my parents are coming come." Lydia says.

"Then she can come to my house." Scott says. "No big deal."

"Yes, big deal." I say. "Our parents have a date tonight. What if my Dad notices I'm there?"

"He won't."

"But we can't take the chance." I say. "He's already really wary about my friend group, I don't want to risk being able to see you all, especially when I'm targeted by Kate."

"You'll spend the night at my place." I hear Derek say. And I think my heart stops for a minute.

"We've got an extra bed." He says, shrugging. "It works."

"Um… sure." I say awkwardly. Spending the night at Derek's… this is going to be so weird.

"Alright, so Danielle and Derek, take the camaro." Scott says. "Stiles, you're driving me, Kira, and Allison. Peter, you're going with Chris. Got it?"

It's clear it'll be incredibly awkward between Peter and Chris, but no one argues.

Scott sighs. "Okay. Let's do this."

I get in Derek's car, noticing he's wearing cologne. I sneak a peek- he looks good.

"You look beautiful." He mumbles shyly.

I smile, avoiding eye contact. "Thanks. You're not so bad, yourself. You look handsome."

"... thanks."

It's one of the most awkward car rides of my life, and we attempt to make small talk, but the atmosphere doesn't get any more comfortable for either of us. Then he turns on some music and it relaxes me a bit- only a bit.

"Your heartbeat is racing." He comments. "Nervous?"

"Yeah," I admit. "A bit."

"Well, try to calm down." He says. "They'll notice if you're freaking out."

"I'm not 'freaking out', I'm just a little anxious."

He puzzles for a moment, then figures something out. "You've never been on a date either, have you? Is this your first date?"

"It's not a date." I mumble.

"Oh yeah, we both got all cleaned up to go out to the club and you're going to my place after- not a date."

I hold in a laugh. "Not a date."

"Sure."

The lights of the nightlife line the streets of the city. Each building is lit up unlike anything I've ever seen. The prettiest people strut down the sidewalk like it's a runway, and bars open their doors to the night owls of the city. People are on the prowl for a good time.

The energy is electric, and even though it's unusual, it's kind of beautiful and calming. For a minute I forget why I'm here. I forget I'm assisting an assassination, and I forget I'm way out of my level.

"That's it." Derek says.

"Do people really do this every weekend?" I ask, fascinated.

"Apparently." He says. "It gets way too bright in the loft at night on the weekends. Can't they take one weekend off…"

There's grumpy Derek again.

"You know… you kinda look like Grumpy Cat when you're mad." I say.

"Who?!"

I pull up a picture on my phone and show him.

"I do not."

"Oh, you do." I laugh. "Only when you're upset, though."

He rolls his eyes, pulling over to a parking meter. "We're here."

My heart starts thumping against my chest again. He walks around the car and opens the door, helping me out.

"Just relax." He says, taking my hand. "I'm here. Just take my arm and follow my lead."

I nod, nervous.

"And smile."

I take his arm and attempt a smile. "I'll smile if you will."

He smirks a little- good enough.

We walk for about a block until I see a line forming, and I assume we're close. But we don't stop.

"There's a line." I mumble.

"I don't care." He says, leading me straight to the line. We walk up to a tall man with a jacket labeled "Security". Derek slips him something, and he steps aside so we can walk in.

I thought the music was loud outside- the beat vibrates through the floor as we walk in, and flashing lights blur throughout the room. A DJ spins at the very end of the room, over a practically endless dancefloor. The whole room is decorated in tones of blue, purple, and red. I look down to see the floor underneath the glass I'm standing on is a fish tank- literally a fish tank! People dance to the beat on the crammed dancefloor, and the energy is out of this world.

"What do we do?" I whisper up to Derek.

"Blend in."

He takes my hand and leads me to the dance floor and I nervously follow. He looks off over the heads of people and spots Kentaro, and nods towards his direction, pulling me through.

I identify him easily. "Wait- I can't just go up to him- he's in the V.I.P. section."

"You need him to come to you." Derek figures.

"And how am I supposed to do that?"
He smirks. "Make him jealous."

Then, Derek wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me in.

I look around me at how other people are dancing and try to mimic them. I've never even hugged a guy, let alone this. We dance close together, and every now and then our torsos brush against each other.

But this isn't about how our bodies touch, or the undeniable electricity between us, or how low his hands are on me, or how fast my heart is beating. It's about getting Kentaro's attention. I notice out of the corner of my eye that Kentaro sits on the corner of the V.I.P. section overlooking the dancefloor. I observe the people around me and turn around so Derek's chest is against my back, and his hands fall to my hips. I let my eyes flicker to Kentaro- his eyes are already on me. I bite my lip, then look away. I really hope this works.

I look over my shoulder at Derek and he smirks down at me. Then I look back at Kentaro again. He's watching us, sipping his drink. What a creep. I turn back around so our chests are together and he brings his head closer to mine. I look up at Derek, feeling safe. I feel naughty, being this close to Derek, but I kind of like it.

I permit myself another glance to Kentaro, and when I see he's still watching, I wink.

Then he motions me over.

I take a breath and look back up at Derek and give him a look. I really don't want to leave Derek right now, I'm actually having fun. And Derek… but I turn around and walk away. It's time.

I try the sexiest walk I have, though I probably look like a three-legged newborn deer, up to the V.I.P. section.

"V.I.P.'s only." The guard says.

Kentaro comes over to the rope. "She's with me."

The guard moves to the side and I walk by.

Kentaro looks me over, licking his lips. Ew. "What's your name, honey?"

"Dani." I say, proud of myself for saying it so easily.

"The man you were dancing with- there was something about him I didn't like."

He must've noticed Derek's a wolf.

"Maybe," I take a step forward, "I need a handsome man to spend the evening with." Lie. I would never, by any means, go for this guy. He's not bad-looking, just the definition of douchebag.

"Why don't you come sit at my booth?" He suggests.

I smile and follow him to his booth.

When we get there, he pulls me onto his lap, and I play along.

"Would you like a drink?" He asks.

"Oh, I'm only twenty, I can't drink." I say.

"It doesn't matter." He signals to the waiter.

"What can I get you?" They ask.

"Uh- shirley temple?" I ask, kicking myself for not acting mature.

Kentaro places his hand on my leg. "Ah, such a good girl. Put some vodka in that."

I wait uncomfortably on Kentaro's lap for my drink as he slides his hand up my leg. He leans forward to whisper in my ear. "Your pulse is quickening."

I giggle. "How can you tell?"

"I'm a very special man, Dani."

I almost shiver at how uncomfortable I feel.

My drink gets here, and the waiter places if in front of me.

I stare at it, aware that I'll eventually have to drink it. Instead, I pull off a cherry from the little umbrella and eat it, watching the dancefloor. It's time to make my move.

"Why don't we go somewhere more private?" I say back to him.

"I'd like that."

I finally get to stand, relieved, hoping Derek is following close behind.

He leads me back past a set of curtains into a whole different club, and I'm shocked.

It's a strip club.

Women in lingerie and heels walk around the club and there's a pole in the middle of the room on an elevated stage where men standby and watch. I follow Kentaro to a backstage area where there are small rooms. One is unlocked with a key on Kentaro's belt and he holds the door open for me. I walk in, observing the room around me. It's an office-type room with a couch on one wall, with expensive interior design.

I stroll over to his desk as he tells the nearby guard to give us privacy. He doesn't bother locking it or closing it, he leaves it barely cracked- good. I notice a vase of purple flowers on his desk and inhale their scent.

"What are these?" I ask sweetly.

"Just a flower I'm fond of." He says. It must be the wolfsbane. "Would you like a bud?"

"No thank you." I say, sitting on the couch. "I think I want something else."

He cocks his brow and sits by me, leaning in.

I lean back- where is Derek?! "Wait."

He looks confused.

"I know nothing about you." I place my hand on his chin. "I like when you talk to me."

Kentaro smiles. "We didn't come in here to talk."

"I know- but you're going to have to earn it." I bite my lip.

"You just might be worth it- what do you want to know?"
"So, you own the club…" I stall.

"Yes, I'm a very rich man." He says, leaning in closer.

What a jerk.

"If you want, I can pay you for your services."

"That won't be necessary." I whisper as he gets closer.

Just then, the sound of the door opening fills the room, but before either of us can look, Kentaro's neck turns to an extreme angle and a snapping sound fills the room.

Kentaro falls to the ground, limp. Derek stands behind him, looking like he did when he fought Kate, and I can't stop myself from jumping up into his arms.

"Good, you're safe." He says. "He didn't try anything funny, did he?"
"No." I say before pulling back.

"We don't have much time." Derek says. "The only way to kill him is by cutting off his tails, or in this case, destroying the object he symbolizes it with. We need to find it before he wakes up, or we're as good as dead. His should be red- I can see it in his aura"
"Got it." I bend down to search Kentaro as Derek sifts through the desk, then I remember something. I dig into his pocket to take out the key he'd used; it's bright red.

"I found it!" I hand it up to Derek.

"Yep, this is it." Derek says.

Suddenly, Kentaro's eyes whip open and he grabs my wrist.

"Derek, do it now!" I yell.

Derek quickly crushes the key in his hand, and Kentaro's grip loosens as his eyes roll back into his head.

"It's done." Derek says, helping me up. "Now let's get out of here before someone

discovers his body."

Derek holds my waist and escorts me out of the strip club, back into the V.I.P. section. Just then, one of the guards runs past us.

"They know." Derek whispers down to me. "Hurry."

We hasten to the front of the club and get out just in time. But we don't stop there. We get in the car, and to my relief, drive away immediately.

I take a deep breath, relaxing as Derek dials up Scott on his car phone.

"Derek." Scott says. "You're on speaker."

"We did it." Derek says. "He's dead."

"Did you destroy his symbol?" I hear Kira ask in the background.

"Yes, his key." Derek answers. "We're safe."

"Good." Scott says in relief. "You guys go home and we'll plan more tomorrow."
"Got it." He hangs up.

We sit there in silence for a few minutes, de-stressing.

"You did good." Derek admits. "It was almost believable."

"Really? Thank you, I felt like a kid out of their element."
"You were, and that's why it worked. That, and the fact that Kentaro was irresponsible. He should've known that people were constantly trying to kill him."

"He kept touching me, so creepy." I shiver at the thought. "I just couldn't wait to get out of there; it motivated me."

"Um… yeah."

"Is something wrong?" I ask in concern. "Did I do something wrong back there?"

"No, I just… didn't like the way he was touching you."

I raise my brows. "Derek, are you jealous?"

"No." He answers abruptly. "I just didn't want you to be in a position you… didn't want to be in, that's all."

"Mm-hm." I answer smugly.

We get to Derek's place on the other side of the city around one in the morning, and I grab my bag from the car and follow Derek to his loft. He brings me to a spare bedroom with a bed, nightstand, and light. They must not be ones for interior decorating.

"If you're hungry, there's stuff in the kitchen." Derek says as I set my stuff down.

"Thank you for letting me stay over, and… for protecting me tonight. Minus the murder, I had a good time."

He manages a small smile, something he usually doesn't do. "You're welcome. Me too." He says, closing the door. Then he pauses. "And… yes, I was a little jealous." Then he closes the door abruptly.

I can't help but smile as I change, thinking about the night. Yeah, I'm probably never going out again.