I want to personally thank Monkey. gone. to. heaven and Wolflover1989 for being my two best reader/reviewers. Everyone who has reviewed and read so far thank you too and I hope you guys like this chapter as much as I do. So please read, enjoy, and review. :)


As Emma prepared for school she thought of what happened a few days ago. She bit her nail as she stared at the bracelet her brother gave her. Rushing out of her room she looked down the hall seeing the bathroom light on and the shower running. Opening her brother's bedroom door she quickly walked inside and closed the door behind her. "What am I looking for?" she asked aloud as she opened his dresser. Going through his clothing she gave up before moving to the bed. She turned the flashlight on her phone and looked under the dark bed. Finding nothing she looked around the room and ran into the closet hoping to find something. As she was just about to give up she saw a small black door through the cracks between a few shirts.

Emma forced the shirts to the side and grabbed the handle but found it to be locked. "Damn it," she grit her teeth as she walked out of the closet. She looked around the room hoping for something.

"Em!" Felix screamed opening his door tying the his towel around his hip. Emma screamed and turned around as he laughed. "What are you doing?" She drew a blank biting her lip. "Em?"

"I was…I was looking for my phone," she laughed holding it up. "I was wondering how it ended up in your room," she pointed at him falsely accusing him.

"I didn't take it," he said defensively as she smiled.

"I know, I think I just left it in here last night, forget about it," she laughed hugging him. "Ew," she laughed rubbing her wet hands on his bed.

"It's water from the shower."

"Whatever, I'm going now," she said embarrassed walking past her brother. As she passed his dresser a permit caught her eye. "What's this?" she asked walking over to his dresser.

"Nothing, get away from that," he barked rushing over as she picked it up.

"Why do you have a permit to hold a concealed weapon?" she asked faking puzzlement as he rubbed the back of his head.

"I just want to keep me and the family…safe, can we talk about this when I'm…less naked?" Emma stared at the permit for a bit longer and placed it on his dresser before walking out the door. "Em," Felix called sticking his head into the hallway. "Please, don't tell mom," he pleaded as she nodded and walked back into her room. As she sat in front of her mirror she looked at herself carefully.

"It means nothing, it means nothing," she repeated over and over trying to catch her breath. "There's no such thing as hunters or werewolves, this is just a nightmare," she said grabbing her black hair as her chest became heavy. "Wake up, you crazy little child," she whispered pinching herself so hard that she nearly cut herself. "This is…impossible," she freaked as her conversation with Derek flashed in her mind.


"You need to leave, now," he barked agrivated as she closed the front door behind her. She looked at him funny as he came down the stairs and opened the door.

"Wow, what great hospitality are we?" she pointed at him closing the door again.

"I don't want you here." She looked at him puzzled.

"Is something bothering you? Was it my brother's visit? Why was he here?" she questioned quickly.

"Shut up," he groaned causing her to stop talking. "Stop talking, you need to leave and never return."

"I'm not leaving, until I know what the hell is going on in this crappy little town," she barked back just as forceful. "I mean this town has always been weird, but now, we are beyond weird. I'm believing the kid who thinks there are werewolves and they including me accused you of murdering that girl who was a wolf but wasn't, and now my brother is doing weird stuff in the middle of the woods that a grumpy ass who hates everyone won't talk about and let's put a cherry on top by having me falling for said grumpy ass," she screamed collapsing in the corner pulling her knees to her chest. The air became coldly silent and she shivered a little. Her head rose and her eyes widened. "Crap, you weren't supposed to hear any of that," she bit her lip as Derek leaned on the banister his face cold and hard.

"Why not tell me everything that's bothering you," Derek joked as she stood up and smacked him.

"I'm so sorry," she panted grabbing her own wrist looking away.

"It's ok," he chuckled something she didn't think he was possible of doing. "Come here," he said still sounding angry. Derek sat her on the fourth step and looked deep in her eyes.

"What are-" He shushed her as his eyes changed from the dark green she saw to the familiarly blue. She gasped and rubbed her eyes. When she looked at him again his eyes remained lighting blue. "So Scott and Stiles were telling the truth," she said raspy and confused. "Why was my brother here," she said hardly audible and Derek turned away from her. "Why was he here," she said louder.


A knock came from her door and she snapped out of her thoughts. "Come in," she sighed grabbing her sweatshirt thinking Allison was here. Her mom walked in and looked at her. "Mom? Is everything ok?" she asked as her mom smiled and nodded.

"I just wanted to give you these," her mother said holding her hands out with Emma's car keys dangling from her hand. "Drive carefully." Emma squealed and hugged her mother before taking her keys back. "Please don't hit anything again."

"I won't I promise," she smiled running downstairs seeing her Mercedes looking perfect and new again. She texted Allison telling her the great news and jumped in her car forgetting everything that had happened this past weekend. She drove to the school and parked in the parking lot next to Jackson's car. "Morning," she smiled as Jackson nodded without saying a word. She rolled her eyes and began walking for the school door when she noticed a group of students gathering around the bus pick up. She followed the group and all the recent thoughts flooded back as she stared at the bloody bus. "Oh my God," she gasped covering her mouth. She noticed Scott and Stiles on the other side, Scott's face had said it all. She ran over to the two boys. "Why does this have you're name written all over it?" she asked.

"Not now," Stiles answered as Scott ran back into the school and both Stiles and Emma chased after him. Scott looked like he was going to spill the contents of his stomach and made Emma feel nervous. "What is going on? Why was the bus completely destroyed," she asked as Stiles chased after his friend. As they came around the corner they noticed Scott pressing his head to a locker. And watched carefully as he punched it, breaking it from the hinges. "Ok, I'll see you guys later," Emma said quickly walking away. As she came around the corner she walked into someone dropping her books. "Crap," she sighed as she looked up Felix.

"Em? You ok?" he asked as she nodded and ripped the book from his hand. "Em?"

"Just leave me alone," she sighed as he started to laugh.

"Are you still embarrassed from this morning?" he laughed as she faked a smile.

"Yep, sure am," she said. "I have to get to class," she said before walking away from him. Why was he here? Played over and over in her head as she took her seat in her English class.


"Your brother…" Derek paused as she looked at him with trusting eyes. "Your brother is what we call a hunter." She squinted not understanding. "He hunts werewolves. Kills them for sport."

"So not only werewolves exist but now werewolf hunters? How come I should believe you?" she sighed turning from him annoyed.

"Because I have this," Derek said aggressively pulling out a grey old key.

"Oh wow, a key," she said sarcastically as he grabbed her hand and roughly placed it in her palm. She froze as the chill slowly moved from the key up her arm and she stared at it with fear. "Where…where did you get my father's key?" She knew exactly where it went but was told never to open the box until she was ready.

"I got it from…a family friend. You know what this belongs to?"

"Of course I know what this belongs to," she said as the tears fell down her cheek. Closing her fist around the key Emma tried holding back the tears. Derek's face never softened as he grabbed her hands pulling her a little closer to him, she shook from the freeze that consumed her body. She slowly looked up at him and took a deep breath.

"Do you know what is in the box?" she asked slowly as Derek nodded his jaw tightening.

"If it gets in the wrong hands, there is no telling what will happen," Derek whispered as she pressed her head to his chest.

"Where is it?" she asked looking up.


The bell rang pulling Emma back to reality. She looked around as everyone was missing. "That was the lunch bell Miss Fryse," Mr. Harris sighed as she slowly nodded and ran out the door.

"Stop thinking so much," she whispered to herself as she entered the cafeteria. Lydia was in line and she ran over. "Thank you for saving me a spot," she smiled as Lydia hugged her.

"What do you think happened to that bus?" Lydia spoke up trying to start small talk as they walked to the front. Grabbing a tray each Emma shrugged and paid for her meal.

"I don't know, my guess a mountain lion, what everyone else is saying," she suggested as Lydia nodded. They made their way past their normal seats and Lydia placed her tray next to Scott who looked just as confused as she did. She took the seat next to Scott's backpack. Soon Jackson came over and forced the kid at the end to move causing Emma to roll her eyes.

"Hi," Allison smiled sitting between Emma and Scott.

"Hi," Emma replied taking a bite from her sandwich. "Hey tell your dad I'm sorry for not telling him sooner to not pick me up, I felt so embarrassed this morning," Emma added as Allison laughed.

"It's ok, your house isn't that far from school he was ok," Allison shook her head with a smile. Lydia asked the same question she asked Emma to the entire table.

"I heard it was a cougar," Danny said aloud.

"Well I heard it was a mountain lion," Jackson retorted.

"A mountain lion is a cougar," Lydia and Emma spoke up making Jackson sound like an idiot.

"Right?" Lydia corrected herself as Jackson shrugged the thought away.

"Well we don't have to guess who the guy was anymore," Stiles spoke up as everyone leaned to look at his phone.

"I know him, he was the my old bus driver," Scott said nervously but Emma was the only one to pick it up.

"Let's talk about something less morbid, like what are we doing tonight?" Lydia spoke up looking at Scott who looked completely shocked.

"Tonight?" he asked as Emma smiled trying not to laugh at his face expression.

"Oh sorry, I told Lydia we were hanging out tonight and…"

"I thought it would be a great idea if we joined," Lydia said perky.

"If you'll excuse me," Emma smiled grabbing her tray as she walked away letting out a very loud laugh not even caring if anyone heard. After she threw everything out and the bell rang she went to her afternoon classes. After classes Emma got in her car and drove past her house and made her way to the preserve. Leaving her car off the Beaton path she briskly walked deeper and deeper into the woods. She ripped the bracelet from her arm and threw it to the ground as she ran into a full sprint. The Hale house came into view. "Derek!" she yelled as she looked around. "I need to talk to you, I know you have answers for me," she called as the door creaked open. She ran up the steps and slammed the door behind her. She walked around the first floor not finding a single soul and she dashed up the creaky steps to the second floor where she found Derek in a small room looking out a broken window.

"You think I have the answers you seek?" he mocked as she took a step closer.

"I was hoping," she whispered nervously. "Where's the box?" she asked abruptly as he shrugged and looked back out the window. "What do you mean you don't know?" she barked as he stared silently.

"Shut up," he sighed as she got quiet hearing the sound of a cop's radio echo through the forest. A few seconds had passed when the sound of dog barked ferociously and then the sound of a moving car.

"Is he…" Derek held his hand up telling her to continue to remain silent.

"Stay here," he said angrily walking past her. She slowly moved to the window and looked through the broken glass. Scott slowly walked foreword she could see his lips move but heard no sound. She really was hating how she couldn't hear their conversation or what her brother truly said to Derek; she knew Derek held back information. At the sound of the door closing she left the room and stood at the top of the stairs and she watched Derek walk into the den. She ran down the stairs and saw him pulling a few loose floor boards up. "It's in there," he pointed to the hole in the floor. Emma stepped foreword and looked in the black emptiness of the hole.

"I know how horror movies go, I'm going to stick my hand in there and something bad will happen," she said nervously as he squinted at her.

"Just get the box," he said angrily and annoyed as she knelt down next to the hole and stuck her hand in. She pulled a small wooden box out and sat it on her lap, the dark brown wood was shiny and smooth. She pulled the key from her sweatshirt pocket and stared at the box. "Are you going to open it?" Derek asked in frustration.

"I…can't," she paused looking up at him. "You do it," she demanded standing offering him the box but he stepped back. "Take it, I can't do it," she demanded as he shook his head indignantly. "Just open it."

"I won't touch it!" he yelled as she jumped. She took a step away from him. "I can't touch it," he sighed as she looked at the box and key. "If you can't open it now, take it home, I am not allowed to touch it, I made a promise to your father," he said bitterly.

"You said a family friend, you never told me you knew my father," she said scarcely. "How do you know him?" She began questioning even the memories she kept, he wasn't a sociable person and he had no friends, did he keep his private social life hidden from his family? "Answer my question," she demanded clenching tighter on the box.

"He was a friend of my mother's. Before everything he came over with that box and hid it beneath the floor boards. I thought the fire burned it, but it's survived the fire," he said coldly.

"Derek…I'm sorry," she said sadly. Placing the key and box on the floor she stepped closer to him and looked up at him, his jaw was tighter than ever and his eyes carried the most hate. "I can't say I know how you feel because I truly don't but I know what is to lose a loved one," she said slowly. "I know some pain of what you are going through, and I want you to know that, just because you feel like your on your own your not," she whispered touching his cheek. He pulled his face away shivering slightly from her touch. She slowly placed her hand on his cheek again and leaned on her toes her face inches from his. "I can't say I know the pain," she said quietly before pressing her lips to his. Derek remained stiff and awkward, but this time didn't push her away. Taking his hands out of his pockets he placed them on her hips causing her to giggle. She stepped back her as she bit her lip looking at the floor like a guilty child.

"I…I should go," she laughed picking up the box and key rushing for the door. Without turning around to look behind her she ran back to her mercedes and drove home. Her body was warm all over for once and her smile went ear to ear. As she pulled into the driveway her phone buzzed and Stiles picture came up on the screen. "Hello?"

"We are on our in route of your house," Stiles said in a hushed tone.

"Ok, two questions, who is we and why are you coming over?" she asked as the warm feeling began leaving her body.

"Scott and I, we may have solved the problem of what happened at the bus," Stiles answered before hanging up.

"Great, just when I thought I could have one normal night," she groaned opening her trunk. Emma placed the box in the trunk and closed the door before putting the old silver key in the glove compartment. Just as she locked the door Stiles' jeep pulled into her driveway. Without questioning anything she jumped in and they drove down the street. They pulled up to the school and parked by the back gate.

"Stay here," Scott demanded as he and Stiles got out.

"Oh because I'm a girl I can't join in," she rolled her eyes taking her seat belt off she jumped out of the jeep and ran toward the boys walking for the gate.