When Allison hadn't turned up in school for a week Stiles bit the bullet and decided to visit her. He was nervous, as he put his jeep into park and slid out the door. The house was dark and foreboding and Stiles remembered when his own house was like that after his mother's death. He knocked the door and waited, rolling on the balls of his feet. Chris opened it, and he looked tired, with bags underneath his eyes, and days' worth of stubble on his face.

'Now's not a good time.' Chris said eyes darting around the building before landing back on Stiles.

'When is a good time?' Stiles probed. Chris looked like he was about to tell Stiles to leave but then he opened the door wider. Stiles nodded and stepped into the hallway, waiting to be instructed on what to do. 'Would you like a drink?'

'No thank you. Where's Allison?' Stiles asked.

Chris snorted and shook his head like it was a question he wanted the answer to himself. 'Honestly, I don't know.'

There was a loud screech from upstairs and a series of thumps then everything went silent.

'I've tried every spell I know, I even tried to throw holy water on her, and she just laughed in my face.' Chris said leaning heavily against the wall. 'I'm afraid I'll have to...'

'No, don't.' Stiles said placing a hand on Chris's shoulder. 'I can help.'

Chris laughed at that one. 'You're a boy, how can you help?'

'She tried to kill Derek last week.' Stiles explained. Chris raised an eyebrow, but Stiles carried on. 'She poisoned his coffee, but Lilly wanted to taste it, and Derek's indulgent. Somehow, whatever's possessing Allison, she beat them, and she stopped Lilly from drinking it.'

'Who?' Chris said.

'What?' Stiles asked suddenly confused.

'You said whatever's possessing her, it's not a what but a whom.' Chris explained.

'Do you know who it is?' Stiles probed.

'It's a member of our family, my wife, my sister, my grandmother, I don't know, someone, a female someone, is possessing Allison and if I don't save her soon I'm afraid Allison's going to give up.' Chris said looking at the staircase as if the answer would suddenly dance across his face.

'I can help.' Stiles said with a nod. 'Allison's strong, we can do it together.'

'How?' Chris asked raising a sceptical eyebrow.

'I just can.' Stiles said. There was a noise on the staircase and Allison appeared. She looked wrecked, dark bags underneath her eyes, hair a mess, the jumper she was wearing was pulled like she'd been struggling in herself.

She froze when she saw Stiles and chewed on her lip. 'Come downstairs.' Chris said softly. Allison obeyed him easily and he breathed a sigh out. Stiles quirked an eyebrow at him. 'When she does as she's told she's not possessed.'

'Hey.' Stiles said when she reached the bottom. She was barefoot; her feet pressed together, her arms wrapped around her body. Stiles didn't hesitate as he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. It was what she needed, apparently, because Allison untangled herself and wrapped her arms around him, sobbing onto his shoulder.

She tried to talk, tried to tell him something but Stiles couldn't understand her broken words. He stood quietly for the longest time rubbing her back and talking in quiet tones to calm her down. It reminded him of soothing Lilly after a nightmare, and his heart ached for her.

Eventually she calmed down and Stiles led her by the hand into the living room. Chris set her up with a blanket and a bottle of water while Stiles sat as close as she wanted. 'I'm going to call my dad.'

'What does your dad know?' Chris asked with a snort hovering uncomfortably in his own doorway.

'More than I do apparently.' Stiles said making the call. While they waited Allison bit her lip and clutched the water bottle like it was a lifeline.

'How's everyone?' She asked. Stiles ran a hand up her ankle in a gesture of comfort.

'They're fine, a little confused. I haven't shared my theories yet.' Stiles said waving his arm around. He knew Allison would understand him.

'Do they all hate me?' She asked biting her lip and curling in on herself.

'They don't understand your motives. Lilly doesn't really understand what happened, and you almost killed Derek's baby, but don't worry I'll talk to them, I promise.' Stiles said rubbing comforting circles into her skin.

Allison nodded and Stiles could tell the moment something in her changed. For a split second frantic eyes met Stiles's before a slow smirk spread over her face. 'It's the Alpha's little whore.'

'Pleased to make your acquaintance and you are?' Stiles asked holding a hand out to shake. Allison bared her teeth and Stiles reminded himself that this wasn't Allison; this was a monster possessing her, evil that didn't die.

'Oh baby, if you only knew. He's good isn't he, the Alpha, he fucks like a soldier home on leave I'm telling you.' Allison raised an eyebrow. Stiles raised his chin back at her.

'Kate?' Stiles asked. Allison bobbed her head.

'At your service. I'm disappointed in this one, I have to say, thought I taught her better than to let two werewolves fuck her.' Kate snarled. 'I'll fix that for her, so don't worry, I'll make sure they suffer for what they put her through. Pretending to love her, they wouldn't know what love is.'

Stiles nodded as Chris stepped into the room followed by Stiles's father. 'Hey Chris, do you know what your baby girl's been up to, filthy little slut, sucking werewolf cock!'

'That's enough Kate!' Chris said sternly. Allison, or Kate, merely laughed.

'And here's the wifeless sheriff here to what, arrest the ghost? Fuck you very much sheriff. You know what, I would. I bet you're a kinky bastard, like it rough do you?' She cackled. John Stilinski ignored her, easily unpacking a bag onto the coffee table. Chris watched him quietly while Stiles took the opportunity to slip from the couch and move to a third point, effectively trapping Kate in a triangle.

'Okay, I'm ready.' Sheriff said looking up at Chris who nodded. 'Chris, I want you to know, that's not your sister in there, that's a little vengeful part of her trapped inside your daughter, and its weak, although this is the result of a year's leeching off of Allison. We'll sort this out.'

Chris nodded and Allison's eyes were wide looking between the two men before focusing on Stiles. 'You little bitch.' She hissed standing but a nod from the Sheriff had her falling back onto her butt.

'What? No, no, get the fuck away from me!' Kate snarled from Allison's body as John mixed a few herbs together and started to chant an incantation.

Stiles tried to listen to his father, to pay attention, but the screaming coming from Allison overshadowed everything else in the room.

XXX

Stiles didn't see the pack for another two days. He was holed up in the house, helping Chris take care of Allison. She was weak, and depressed, and she was in need of a friend. Stiles refused to abandon her, much to Chris's admiration. Stiles slept in the room across from Allison, but he spent more time on top of her duvet, his arms wrapped around her as she recovered from her trauma. 'There were things she made me do.' Allison whispered. 'She made me punish myself.'

'Hush,' Stiles said running his fingers through her hair and pressing a kiss to her temple, 'it's over now.'

'I've lost all my friends, I've...' Allison drifted off quietly into herself. Stiles barely noticed anyone at the window until he spied Derek's stoney face looking inside.

'Allison, you rest here for a second okay.' Stiles said glaring at Derek. 'I'm going down to the kitchen for some water.'

'Okay.' She said. Derek had already disappeared.

Stiles pulled open the back door of the house as Derek stepped inside. 'What the hell Derek!' Stiles snarled pushing at his chest. It was like shoving a mountain, nothing moved, but Derek understood the gesture.

'What the hell's going on here?' Derek snapped back glaring around.

'Allison needed a friend.' Stiles hissed. 'She was possessed. By a vengeful spirit. I help her get rid of it and now I'm being that friend.'

Derek's eyes widened slightly and he relaxed. 'What happened?' He asked softly, concern overtaking whatever emotion he'd been feeling before.

'Kate Argent.' Stiles whispered. Derek's eyes latched onto Stiles, widened slightly.

'Kate possessed her?' Derek asked.

'She's gone now.' Stiles said chewing on his bottom lip.

'And how's Allison?' Derek reached forward, hooking a finger into the pocket of Stiles's hoodie. Stiles went with it until he was wrapped in Derek's arms.

'Frightened, upset, hurt.' Stiles said letting himself relax and melt into Derek. He hadn't realised how much he needed Derek until he was here, holding him up, and burying his face in Stiles's neck. Stiles took a deep breath, closed his eyes and imagined the pack surrounding him.

'Can I see her?' Derek asked eventually.

'Are you sure that's wise?' Stiles wondered. His face was pressed against the cool leather of Derek's jacket, the collar biting into his cheek. Stiles didn't care, he needed this more than he realised.

'I'm her Alpha, if nothing else I'm her friend.' Derek said.

'You can see her.' A voice from the darkness said. Stiles startled but Derek didn't, of course he knew Chris was there.

'Thank you.' Derek said unwrapping himself from Stiles. Stiles took him by the hand and led him upstairs, pausing inside Allison's room. She was curled on her side with her face tucked into her chest.

'Hey Allison, someone wants to see you.' Stiles said. She looked up and startled back when she spied Derek.

'I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it, and it wasn't me Derek-' she pushed herself up.

Derek dropped Stiles hand and walked forward, then knelt on the bed, gathering her into his arms and pulling her against his chest. Allison went softly, easily, her confused eyes finding Stiles over Derek's shoulder. 'Thank you Allison, for saving my daughter's life. It wouldn't be easy, fighting for control, but you did it for my baby.' Derek said. Allison relaxed against him and wrapped her arms around him. Chris sucked in a breath at the door as Derek relaxed onto the bed taking Allison with him. Stiles followed, curling around Allison's back. Derek's hand found his head and together they lay like that, with Chris sitting on the edge of the mattress rubbing Allison's ankle until she fell asleep.

XXX

Derek was still cradling Allison against him when Stiles woke up. 'Did you sleep okay?' Derek asked him as Stiles yawned.

'No. Did you sleep?' Stiles asked leaning over Allison to check on her. She looked small like this, and vulnerable. Stiles felt protective urges well in him, and he wondered if it was a result of caring for Lilly or just his nature.

'No, I stayed awake to protect my pack.' Derek's voice was rough from a lack of use. Stiles smiled at him, licking his dry lips.

'I need a piss and a drink.' Stiles said standing and stretching again listening as all his bones popped. His movements woke Allison. For a second she was wide eyed but Derek's fingers in her hair relaxed her and she leaned into him.

'If you try to say sorry again I'll have you organise Erica's make up drawer.' Derek threatened with a curl of his lips.

Stiles snorted. 'Your threats are getting poor in your old age.' He teased. Derek shot him a quick smile then looked down to Allison.

'Lilly?' Allison asked.

'Lilly will be fine with you. Spend some time with her and she'll come around. She didn't understand what was happening so she'll be more confused by your absence than anything else.' Derek explained. Allison nodded again.

'And the rest of the pack?' She whispered.

'You leave them to me.' Derek said. He didn't look like he intended to move anytime soon. Stiles rolled his eyes and made his way out of the room and downstairs.

He found Chris in the kitchen gazing into the back garden. Chris looked at Stiles then at the ceiling. 'It's strange, not having them here. I grew up surrounded by family and now it's just us in this big house.'

'It is a big place.' Stiles shrugged. Derek's home was large too; large enough to have the whole pack comfortably living there if that's what they wanted. 'Why don't you join us for Christmas?'

'A hunter, join a werewolf?' Chris said softly. 'There's a lot of bad blood Stiles.'

'There's a lot of good blood too. I have this theory, that hunters like you and Allison are necessary, that people like you are needed to protect the werewolves and their reputation from those that aren't like Derek and his pack.' Stiles said. Chris frowned and leaned back against the counter.

'You have this all worked out don't you.' Chris said.

Stiles nodded. 'I love Derek, and I love his daughter. I see myself, hopefully one day, as another parent for Lilly, as a partner for Derek, and I want to protect those that I love, that has to start somewhere right?'

'Stiles you have one of the oldest souls I have ever met.' Chris said shaking his head.

Stiles just smiled and poured himself a glass of water. 'So we'll see you at Christmas then?'

Chris didn't answer but he didn't decline the offer.

XXX

Stiles could see that Allison was nervous as she knelt by the coffee table, her hands playing with the protective pendant she'd taken to wearing lately, but Lilly patted her hand and handed her a crayon with a smile. Allison smiled back and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she helped Lilly to shade the picture. Stiles was on Lilly's other side, kneeling as he tried to work on their Christmas menu. Almost everyone wanted something different with the meal, and Stiles was starting to feel the pressure. He was glad he had decided on getting help from the pack, hopefully they would have a ball on the day.

'I'd like to help; you know to show my appreciation.' Allison said as she shaded the penguin's hat orange under Lilly's supervision.

'That sounds good.' Derek said. 'I'm sure you and Stiles will have the kitchen humming with your talents.'

Stiles shot his boyfriend a grin and Derek grinned back. Derek looked good, and Stiles realised it had been too long since he'd got more than a peck of Derek's lips. He longed for some alone time with Derek, but he didn't see that happening any time soon. Hopefully Isaac could babysit sometime and they could sneak away. He wondered if his dad would keep Lilly overnight on the excuse of Derek and Stiles doing some Christmas shopping.

Shopping for gifts for Lilly would be both fun and frustrating, but Derek decided Stiles should accompany him. He had already scouted out what Lilly wanted, and Stiles was looking forward to playing Santa Claus with Derek. He was busy hunting through a website full of decorations when the front door opened and Isaac came in. He faltered for a second when he spotted Allison, but his smile was when Lilly ran to greet him and he carried her back to the couch to join them. Derek was watching from the armchair, a content look on his face when Isaac nudged Allison with his foot.

'Hey.' He said with a smile.

'Hi.' Allison said ducking behind her hair. Lilly ran her fingers along the strand.

'My Daddy plaits my hair when it gets in my way.' Lilly explained to her. 'Would you like me to plait your hair?'

Allison wrapped an arm around Lilly's legs and smiled up at her. 'That would be very sweet of you.'

Stiles couldn't keep the grin off his face as Allison settled back against the couch and Lilly settled herself to try and plait Allison's hair. He knew that Derek would eventually be drafted in to help but for now he was happy to watch his pack bond together.