Hope you all are having a great start to the year! Enjoy!

I do not own Teen Wolf.

It felt weird being back at school, even weirder than after Thanksgiving.

So much had happened in such a short time, and Stiles had been reminded why he had slacked off during high school. It was hard to care about reading literature and solving algebraic formulas when you've experienced what it's like to see life flash before your eyes, or nearly lose someone you care about forever.

Still, Stiles knew that fighting the supernatural didn't exactly pay the bills, and that some of the stuff he learned in school had even helped him deal with that stuff, so he plunked his butt down into his seat and pulled out his books.

He was getting the odd side glance from his classmates, but he supposed that was to be expected. Lydia's attack had attracted quite the crowd, and he was in the center of it all.

All of their eyes became suddenly preoccupied, and Stiles followed their lead to see Lydia standing in the doorway.

A hush fell over the room and Stiles could detect the subtle nervousness in her eyes.

But just as quickly, she lifted her chin, flicked a strand of her hair out of her face, and practically strutted to her seat like the queen she was.

Stiles couldn't help himself from smiling to himself, especially seeing the crown pendant on her charm bracelet sparkling under the fluorescent light as she situated her books.

One girl leaned over to her.

"Are you okay?" the blonde asked, face full of concern.

Lydia flashed her a popular girl smile, brilliant and bold. "Of course I'm okay. I lost nine pounds."

Lydia was grateful for it being one of her shorter days, because although she was cleared by the doctor to go back to school, she still wasn't feeling a hundred percent.

She was mostly pushing through, but the coffee cart line was extra long, and she wasn't even entirely sure the caffeine boost would help with her low energy. She was pretty sure her body was just still in healing mode, needing rest and low activity so it could take the time and effort to heal. Instead, she was going faster than her normal pace, trying to catch up on the few days she missed. She needed to finish the semester with top grades if she had any hope of being accepted into the school in Beacon Hills so last minute.

Lydia rubbed her forehead, trying to swipe the light-headedness away. Her drink better be ready soon.

Her knees felt weak, and she found herself losing her balance.

Before she could sway and make contact with the floor, an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her in.

Lydia looked up and smiled, pushing her hair off her face and trying to control her blush.

"Hi."

"Hi." Stiles replied amusedly, cupping her face in his hand and scanning her eyes objectively. "You okay?"

"Just a little weaker than usual." she explained awkwardly.

He nodded. "How about you go get us a table? I'll grab your drink."

"Stiles…"

"Lydia, it's okay. I've got to get mine anyways." he reminded her, stroking soothing circles on her waist.

"Okay, fine. But once I get my energy back, I want to go steal a study room."

"Deal." He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead before letting her go and heading back.

Lydia sat at the table, sighing, wishing she didn't feel so pathetic. Stiles was a great caregiver, no doubt about that, but she didn't want him to feel like he had to take care of her. She would be okay.

She leaned her chin on her hand, watching him from afar, finding her eyes following the curve of his spine, the subtle muscles in his arms.

A guy, maybe someone from his dorm, greeted Stiles enthusiastically and Stiles chatted with him while they waited for their drinks.

Lydia knew she had to tell him that she wasn't coming back to school next semester. That she was moving to Beacon Hills, essentially stealing the life he should be living there. She felt like she was betraying him somehow—she'd be living in his hometown, seeing his friends, but he would still be out here.

It wasn't fair. She wanted him to come with her. But he had said that he needed to be away. Did that still apply?

Her mind couldn't help reminding her of what he had said their last night of Thanksgiving break.

I didn't want to be away from you for that long.

She felt the same about him, even more so after the weekend they had had.

Stiles suddenly sat next to her, and she startled in surprise.

"Sorry." he said, clearly trying not to laugh. "Lost in thought?"

Lydia tucked her hair behind her ears. She really should just tell him already.

"Lydia?"

"I'm moving." she blurted out.

She couldn't look at him, too scared to see his expression.

He was quiet for a moment, but finally spoke.

"Okay… does this mean you don't want your machiatto?"

"Stiles!" she complained, looking up at him, to see his amused mask slipping on. It was subtle, but she knew he was doing his usual defense mechanism—making a joke to avoid showing his pain.

But then he smiled a real smile, and Lydia didn't know what to think.

"Come on. Let's go find that study room. Then we can talk."

Lydia followed his lead, feeling confused. He seemed to actually be taking things really well, all things considered, but then again, she hadn't explained yet, so what the hell was he thinking?

Thankfully, they managed to snag one as a study group left. Usually the rooms were something of a novelty, but Lydia had gotten good at beating the crowd so the pair of them had gotten pretty spoiled and today was no exception.

Once they were seated, Stiles pulled his seat over to hers and put his hands on hers in her lap.

"All right. Talk to me."

His amber eyes were warm and patient and she felt herself look down in shame, wishing she had told him sooner but also wishing she didn't have to tell him at all.

"My parents are still freaked out by what happened here. They don't think it's a safe place for me. And my mom is actually willing to uproot her life for me, even leave sharing a city with her longest relationship since my dad, and I just… I can't say no. I'm finishing the semester here and then I'll be transferring to another school."

Stiles nodded, watching their hands now.

"Me and my dad had a similar conversation."

Lydia looked up in surprise.

He grimaced. "A few months ago, I wanted to be away. It was my choice. And I'm glad I went. But if I've learned anything lately, it's that it's really hard being so far away from the people I love the most. I hate feeling so helpless. Maybe I am an extension of them, but maybe that's not such a bad thing. Because I'm a part of them too."

"So… what are you saying?"

"I'm moving back to Beacon Hills after the semester is over. I've already applied for a transfer. As long as I keep my grades where they are, they have a spot reserved for me."

Lydia simply stared at him.

"You're moving back to Beacon Hills?"

He nodded. "I wanted to tell you too, but there was never a good time what with all that was going on."

Lydia couldn't stop the grin from forming on her face. "Stiles. You're moving back to Beacon Hills?!"

He looked at her like she sprouted feelers. "Uh, yeah. Sorry. Thought I covered that."

"No. Stiles! I… That's where me and my mom are moving. She was speaking to someone at the hospital who mentioned some job openings at the high school, and she said she's staying there to search out a place for us to live, and my transfer has already sent through too."

Stiles mimicked her earlier shocked expression, just blinking.

"You're not joking?"

She shook her head, smiling so big she probably looked like she was hopped up on medication.

His face broke out into the biggest grin she'd ever seen him wear.

"Holy shit, Lydia!"

"I know!" she shouted back, giggling now.

Stiles was laughing just as giddily, before he sobered up some, looking like his thoughts caught up with him.

"Your mom thinks Beacon Hills is safer?"

Lydia nodded, calming down now too. "If nothing else, they still have the better hospital."

"I just assumed you would be going somewhere near San Diego, where you're from… I thought you and I would be miles apart, no matter what happened…"

"Nope. We'll be in the same city. And the same school. It'll be just like here except Scott and Allison will be around and your dad and Melissa. And now my mom too. No more dorms. You can sleep in your own bed."

Although she was listing all kinds of positive things, Stiles couldn't help but feel nervous. There had been another reason he had left Beacon Hills, another reason why he had to go back. And if Lydia was going to be around, things were going to come out. She'd be pulled into that world, whether he liked it or not. Hell, she already had been, and she had barely survived the spontaneous werewolf attack. How on earth was he going to keep her safe when she'd be neck deep in werewolves in Beacon Hills? And wouldn't her mom ship her off from there the second the trouble started?

But maybe, like his dad had wanted for him, she'd be safer with the supernatural pack to protect her. Maybe it would be better for everyone. And she didn't have to be long distance from him. That was a huge plus. Her safety was his top priority, but he couldn't deny the allure of having her close by, maybe even sharing classes like they did here.

Stiles smiled and returned the hug she leaped forward to steal, knowing that he had to trust that everything happened for a reason.

Lydia smiled broadly as she stepped back to admire her new room, seeing the way all of it was coming together.

It actually ended up being bigger than her old room, which suited her just fine. She really needed the extra closet space.

Her mom had managed to find an affordable house, actually only a few blocks from her friends'. She had suspicions that something bad happened to the previous tenants, because somehow they managed to snag a house that had an outdoor pool and everything. Her mom was very responsible with money and had a decent sized nest egg tucked away, so Lydia didn't feel too worried that anything would take away her new home.

"Lydia, do you want your sweaters in the dresser drawers or hung up in the closet?" Allison asked from her spot across the room, rummaging through the boxes. A lot of Lydia's clothes had been put in suitcases, but she only had so many before she had to start packing them in cardboard boxes.

"Closet, definitely." Lydia replied, coming over to help.

Scott and Stiles were downstairs, helping Lydia's mom and her boyfriend do the bigger heavy lifting.

Natalie had been so excited to hear Lydia's friends were coming to help. It saved them from having to hire professional movers, or doing it all themselves, and it also gave her a chance to get to know Lydia's new group.

Lydia hadn't missed the way her mom had been eying her and Stiles earlier in the day, when they were bickering.

"Lydia! You're not supposed to do any heavy lifting! See the marker on that box? It says HEAVY."

"I'm not an invalid, Stiles! And my wounds have healed just fine. I don't have any stitches left that might get ripped out—"

"You still shouldn't be overdoing it! It's not like they couldn't reopen if you put too much strain—"

"Are you a medical professional? No? Then shut up and let me move my own stuff."

Stiles groaned irritably at that. "You have got to be the most stubborn—"

"I think there's someone else in line for that award in this room, don't you?" she quipped back, quick as lightning, and they both glowered at each other before heading in separate directions—Lydia upstairs, Stiles back to the truck.

"Are they always like that?" Mrs. Martin asked Scott and Allison, who were breaking down the open boxes.

Scott laughed. "Oh that was nothing. You should see them cooking together."

"Cooking? Lydia cooks?"

Allison nodded. "Yep. Although she and Stiles spend more time debating than doing anything else."

Allison caught Scott's eye and smiled amusedly, knowing based on the impressed look on Lydia's mom's face that they had another person on their team rooting for the pair of bickerers to get together.

Allison returned to the boxes with the hangers, slipping each article of clothing on one before hanging it up.

"You know you're going to have to reorganize this whole thing to your liking, right? I'm just throwing it all in there."

Lydia smiled. "Oh trust me, I will be. I have a system."

Allison looked as though she hadn't expected anything less, smirking slightly as she started breaking down the empty boxes.

A laugh sounded from downstairs, and Lydia straightened up at the sound on reflex.

Allison didn't even have to hear it to know who it belonged to. She had to smile, thinking that maybe now, without the flurry of their other college life, the pair had a chance to get some real time together and would finally stop stalling on changing their relationship status.

She approached her new best friend cautiously, seeing her eyes glazed over as she looked at the different paint colour swatches in her hand. A taupe, violet, burgundy, magenta-purple, and deep blue were splayed in her hands.

Allison figured now was as good a time as any to bring up the obvious—the question of how soon she and Stiles were going to get together and allow them to go on proper double dates.

"I'm so glad you're going to be living here. It's amazing that your mom chose here of all places for you to move."

"I know. I guess getting attacked by a random beast has its perks?" Lydia teased.

Allison bit her lip. "Yeah… about that…"

Lydia turned to her, and she saw Allison duck her head shyly before flashing a brilliant smile at her.

"I've mentioned how happy I am that you're okay, right?"

Lydia laughed. "About a hundred times, but I'm glad it's still true."

Allison giggled and held up a paint swatch against the wall. "I like the purple."

Lydia cocked her head to the side contemplatively. She nodded. "Yeah, I do too."

Allison nodded in final agreement before turning back to the other boxes in the room, hunting for the next thing to unpack.

Lydia hadn't missed the look on her face before, when she seemed nervous at the mention of Lydia's attack, and she felt as if she was going to say something else. Maybe tell something Lydia hadn't known about it? She didn't know what it could be, but there was something about her expression that signified guilt, and that didn't seem possible. Allison hadn't even been there.

It wasn't the first time Lydia felt as if there was a puzzle piece missing from what happened that night, and after some of the stuff she heard over Thanksgiving, she couldn't help feeling like her friends had some big secret they were guarding, something that might relate to what happened to her that night at the dorms. She couldn't even wrap her mind around what that might be, because all of the snippets she heard didn't make sense. She needed the whole picture.

She was a curious person—a scientist really—and it meant her thirst for knowledge was pretty much unquenchable until she got all the answers and put together the solution. Now that she was living in Beacon Hills, she had to wonder if it would be long before she found out.

There was something inside her that felt like a warning—an unexplainable dread or anxiety that seemed to coat her every nerve ending. It was like it was telling her not to search for answers, not to question further into it, and she always flashed back to the night she was attacked when she really sat and pondered. Maybe because that was the last time she felt such a deep-rooted dread, that infinite moment between the beast's leap and the time it took for its teeth to slash into her side. She could remember the yellow glow-stick eyes better than anything and made a mental note to research into that. What kind of beast that could belong to. The hospital staff hadn't known exactly what had attacked her, but they hadn't cared much because they were relieved she had recovered.

Lydia supposed she should adopt the same philosophy, but that hunger for answers was too strong. Once they got their internet working, she would surely take the time to find something. With finals and moving, she hadn't really had much down time lately.

"Wi-Fi is working!" Stiles' voice suddenly came, and Lydia turned to see him in her doorway. "I'd like to take all the credit but it was actually the cable guy. I just unpacked the boxes with the stuff in it."

Scott passed him, holding Lydia's table lamp. "Where do you want this?"

She nodded towards her bedside table, which was still empty. "Throw it there. Once I find the rest of the power bars, I'll plug it in. Thanks, Scott."

"What about me?"

Lydia rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Stiles, for unpacking the stuff that lead to me getting an internet connection."

He smirked triumphantly. "At your service, milady."

She couldn't help rolling her eyes again. "How's it looking downstairs?"

"Pretty good." Scott said before Stiles could answer. "Most of the living room is together, all the boxes that need to be are in the kitchen, and everything is out of the moving van finally. It's just a matter of finishing building the furniture and unpacking the rest of the boxes. We actually came up to tell you guys it's time for a pizza break."

"Oh thank god, I'm starving." Allison said, intertwining her hand with Scott's and leading him out of the room.

"You guys don't have to stay until we unpack every box, you know. You've helped more than enough. I really appreciate all that you've done." Lydia told them as they headed downstairs.

"We know. We plan on using it to our advantage in the future so we can coerce you into helping us do other stuff." Stiles promised with a wink.

Lydia sighed exasperatedly. Leave it to Stiles to not let her have a sincere minute.

"We know you do, Lydia. We're happy to help." Allison interjected, shooting a smile over her shoulder at her.

Arriving downstairs, they headed into the in-progress living room and reached for the hot steamy pizza in boxes on the coffee table.

"Milo's pizza is the best. You guys picked this place first? You're already practically natives." Stiles said the last bit through a mouthful of pepperoni and cheese.

He swore he heard an irritated mutter of 'charming' from Lydia, but he was too happy with his carb-filled food to care. He supposed he should be on better behaviour in front of Lydia's mom if he had any hope of dating Lydia in the future.

"Speaking of choosing things, you guys picked a beautiful house. It's going to look amazing when you get it all together." Allison said enthusiastically.

"I'll have to have you guys over for a swim once we actually get the pool cleaned." Lydia told them with a smile, looking forward to it already. She had been spoiled by the group enough over Thanksgiving—it would be nice to be able to return the favour and have them over for a change. Lydia's dad had gotten them a huge big screen TV as a housewarming gift, and Lydia couldn't wait to use it for movie nights with her friends.

The enthusiasm from the others was encouraging, especially when they started spouting off other suggestions for things they could now do together now that they all lived in the same city, and Lydia felt her excitement mounting too.

That dread she had been feeling earlier quickly dissipated. How could living here ever be a bad idea?

It was a principle of the universe that one should never ask such a taunting question.