Stiles paced around his room, drumming on every flat surface. Finally his patience wore thin and he ran to the front door, intending to just go looking for Scott. They crashed into each other as soon as Stiles started to jog through the door. Stiles leapt up and grabbed Scott by the arm. "Come on, we're going," Stiles said.
"Where?" Scott asked, stumbling along behind Stiles.
"To spy on Darcy, that's where," Stiles said.
"Come on, Stiles. Let's leave her alone."
"What? No. I don't trust Derek."
"They seem to really like each other," Scott said.
"That just makes it worse!"
"Stiles, calm down. Let's just stay here and we can wait for them to get back." Scott tried to dissuade his best friend, but knew that it was probably pointless.
"You can stay here. I'm going." Stiles got in his Jeep and started the engine.
"Fine then. I'm going with you to keep you from ruining their night." Scott jumped into the passenger seat. Stiles sped out of the driveway. "Stiles, I know Derek is kind of out there, but I don't think he'd hurt your cousin. He really does like her."
"Stop saying that," Stiles snapped, speeding toward no particular destination.
"Stiles, don't you want her to be happy?"
Stiles stopped the Jeep suddenly and pulled to the side of the street. He rested his forehead on the steering wheel. "Scott, I grew up with her. She's like my sister. Its not that I don't want her to be happy…it's just I'm scared that if she gets involved with Derek, she'll get hurt. Not by him, I know she can handle him. But the Alpha has already attacked her once. I don't want her around all this werewolf business. It's like…my dad and Darcy are my closest family members and now they're both in danger. All I want is to keep them safe, but I can't do anything."
Scott thought of his mother and Allison and even Stiles. They were all so close to danger because of him. He could understand the fear, the guilt. He sighed and closed his eyes. "What were they going to do?"
Stiles and Scott shared a look. "Thanks," Stiles muttered, deciding that they would stake out the park.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Derek stared at Darcy as she laid her head on his chest. She was beautiful to look at, but even more beautiful to be around. Derek hadn't felt so much happiness in years. Darcy reminded him what it felt like to be loved. . Before she'd come into his life, the pressure had started to wear on him. Without his family, what really mattered? It had all seemed pointless. She was his reason to continue trying to fight the Alpha
Darcy stretched her arm and put her hand in Derek's hair. "You know what?" she said dreamily.
"What's that?" Derek said.
Darcy sat up suddenly and grabbed the front of Derek's shirt. "I want oatmeal really, really bad. Oh, with brown sugar! Or maybe really buttery popcorn. Pickles too. Derek, why aren't you writing this down?"
Derek smiled and sat up, wrapping his arms around Darcy and kissing her forehead. "I remember it, Darcy. Come on, let's go get oatmeal, brown sugar, popcorn, and pickles."
"Are you serious?"
"Isn't that what you want?"
"You're a good man, Derek."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Stiles and Scott ducked low in their seats and watched Derek open the car door for Darcy.
"See? They're fine. Darcy's safer with Derek anyway, Stiles. Let's go back to your house, I feel a little uneasy."
"No, Scott. Who is that guy over there?"
Scott squinted at the dark outline of a tall and wide man. Scott didn't recognize him, but the figure made him feel on edge. "Get down, Stiles." Scott grabbed Stiles by the shirt they both ducked out of sight. "Did he see us?"
The Jeep lurched forward as something landed on the roof. Stiles fumbled with the keys in the ignition, his nerves weren't helped by Scott urging him on, "Hurry!"
Finally, the engine purred to life. Scott twisted around in his seat to watch as the man fell to the macadam.
"Is he gone?" Stiles asked.
"Just keep driving," Scott said. He'd lost sight of the dark figure. "I can't see him."
Stiles swerved and Scott crashed forward into the dashboard. Stiles scrambled to lock the doors as the huge man continued to approach the Jeep, now in front of them. Stiles thrummed on the steering wheel and threw it into reverse, knocking a mail box over as he made a rapid three point turn to get away.
"Is he still behind us?" Stiles asked after he nearly lost control on a curve.
Scott turned and looked. "No, I don't think so."
"Who was that?"
"I don't know!" Scott snapped.
"Do you think it was the Alpha?"
"I don't know. He didn't shift. I couldn't really get a good look."
"We need to tell Derek about this. Now."
"What, you all the sudden want him around?"
Stiles gave Scott a look that clearly said 'shut up' as he replied, "That guy was watching them. So either he's after Derek and Darcy's in trouble. Or he's after Darcy and she's in trouble."
"We don't even know who or what he is."
"He friggin' jumped on my Jeep. I don't care if he's not a werewolf, he's still crazy and he was watching them."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Darcy grabbed a box of instant oatmeal and dropped it in with the rest of her stash. Derek looked almost comically out of place pushing the Wal-Mart shopping cart, but he was still unbelievably sexy. Darcy hugged him and sighed at the feel of two strong arms around her. She felt like she could get addicted to it.
There was a crashing sound behind her and she slapped her hand to her forehead when she saw Stiles running towards them, Scott close behind him trying to grab his shirt to slow him down. They'd knocked over the Cheerio pyramid.
Derek looked increasingly annoyed as Stiles, who had finally reached them, was so out of breath he couldn't even spit out the reason he'd interrupted their time together. "You…I need to…talk…" Stiles gasped as he poked Derek in the chest.
Scott stumbled up and pulled Stiles away from Derek, who was tensing up as if ready to punch Stiles the next time the teenager poked him.
"It's important," Scott said.
Derek sighed and took out his wallet. He handed Darcy his credit card and kissed her cheek. "Go pay for your things and I'll see if I can get rid of them."
Darcy watched the three young men walk away, Derek scowling the entire time. She shrugged and figured it was just Stiles being his idiotic self, probably there to threaten Derek in some way for the kiss she was sure one of the deputy sheriffs had seen. After all, the officer had been watching her and Derek for most of their time in the park.
