Authors Note:

I don't know if any of you have realised, but I've actually been coming up with locations through copious use of google maps. I had heard the name Tallahassee a while ago and didn't know what it was (I'm Aussie). Then I mapped it, searched up the nearest forests, the crime rates and all this other meaningless crap because I could. I did the same for Death Valley, because it's almost on the border of Nevada and California. Honestly, this is the most research I've ever done for a story! I'm feeling pleased with that effort.

Oh, one last thing. Thank you to all the people that reviewed chapters 8 and 9 for me. Your words encourage me to write at my best and be confident in my writing skills. This ones a short chappie, but important nevertheless.

Chapter Ten: A Beacon of Hope.

She had fallen asleep on his back, it was like they were children again. When Sam shook her gently she rubbed her eyes and jumped off of him. She knew exactly where they were. There may have been a lot of trees around them, but a familiar dirt path was on their right. She could smell the fresh airs of Beacon Hills, away from dampness of Death Valley. It was ironically named, especially noting the recent events. But it wasn't just the smell that was familiar. Up ahead there was a house, one she had visited many times as a child. It looked much different now to what it had in the past.

"Good thinking." Avery nodded at her brothers choice of hide away.

Despite most of what Kali had said had been lies, there was one thing that stuck with them. Hiding in plain sight. She was right that it would be terribly confusing for their enemies, because they were often overestimated due to their lineage. Right in front of them now, was a place no one would ever expect them to be. The burned down ruins of the Hale House. They walked up to the front door, Sam turning the handle. It swung open freely, he had doubted there'd be a lock on this place.

"Cosy." Avery stated walking around the creaking house. It was a mess. Broken furniture everywhere, charcoaled walls.

"It'll be good to hide out for now, until we can think of our next move." Sam said, starting to walk up the stairs. Avery followed him, wanting to see what had become of this place. A place that had once be a great source of happiness and joy.

"It's eerie being back here." Sam stated as they entered an upstairs bedroom, "I feel like there's still someone here."

"Can you sense Derek or Laura here?" Avery stopped dead in her tracks.

"No, not like that." Sam chuckled at her nervousness, "Like there's still spirits watching over."

"Do you think they're watching over us?" Avery moved to the window in the bedroom. It was smashed and broken. She stared out at the moon, it was about a week out from being full.

"Maybe." Sam replied, "I could just be letting my imagination wander though."

"Yeah." Avery walked away from the window. She leant against the bed, starring up at the ceiling. Sam joined her.

"It feels nice to be inside a house again." she curled into a ball, "Just to have a little bit of normal back."

"Except we've never really been normal, have we." Sam threw his arm around her.

"I've been better off than you." she laughed, sitting back.

"Harsh." he cringed, pretending to be cut.

"I was getting somewhere." Avery pouted, "I had the big dream in place. I was leaving behind the hunters life. I was doing what I wanted."

"This isn't about the gallery is it?" Sam moaned. This conversation had been one brought up a lot at family dinners usually ending in screaming matches.

Avery had moved to Bellevue two years back after receiving a large inheritance from her grandfather, who died while fighting wolves. She had bought her own apartment which she planned to use for her own endeavours away from hunting. From a young age, Avery had loved to draw. She had taken drawing lessons on top of her training. Brian and Andrea had thought she'd grow out of it, but her passion for art only grew. Every school they went to, art was a class that was always on the top of her list. After school she had planned to start up her own art gallery to showcase her works, much to the dismay of her parents. She had been very close to her grandfather, who believed much more in the way the Argents gave roles to their women. Their women were leaders not warriors. So he very much supported his granddaughters quest to find meaning away from the fighting.

"Yes it is." Avery stated proudly, "I was making things work too. I had a location, a few works under my belt and some interested buyers."

"I told you before that if you wanted my support you had it straight away." Sam said with open arms.

"Yeah, then everything changed." Avery sighed.

"I dragged you to Tallahassee." Sam's tone became more sombre. Avery didn't reply, "I don't blame you for being mad."

"I'm not mad at you. I prefer having you alive and by my side any day than a successful art gallery." she held his hand tightly to support him, "It's just I keep thinking about how my life could have gone differently."

"If things could have been simpler?" Sam inclined his head.

"Exactly." Avery said, "I think, now, things are going to get much easier. We're still on the run, but we don't have to worry about you wolfing out and killing someone. We got away from Kali and Deucalion without a scratch and now we're safely hiding from our parents. It's not perfect, but it's pretty close."

"About that." Sam suddenly sounded irked, "What you did back there, despite the fact that it probably saved our lives, I don't want you to ever do again."

"I thought you might say that." Avery grumbled.

"I mean it. You said you weren't a child so don't act like one when you don't get your own way."

"I didn't do it because I was being immature. You heard the rest of them say that if Julia didn't know what Kali was up to, it would be bad news."

"We need to be clear that just because you're the Kanima's master, you're not mine. I'm still my own person." Sam insisted. Avery scratched the floor back and forth with her finger, biting her lip. She really was apologetic.

"Sorry." she whispered, swallowing her guilt, "I didn't do because I wanted to control you though. I just wanted to look out for our safety."

"Well, next time let's make it a joint agreement." Sam got to his feet and went to stalk out of the room, "I'm going to keep watch in case this place isn't so deserted. Tomorrow we need to find the local arms dealers and stock up. But for now, rest."