It lashed and lashed with rain today, so guess who has been stuck inside this evening and has mad, typing fingers? :P I forgot to say in the A/N last chapter, but thank you so,so much for the reviews! angel-of-animosity (I was just a bit buzzing when I read your reviews! I'm so glad that you're enjoying this fic!), msspicyjalapeno (thanks for your thoughts, I'm happy that the last chapter wasn't too bad then with character development and stuff :3), Marine76 (I will definitely be asking in the future when I have long conversations! Merci! :P) and PsychoticSmartypants (you picked up on that-I'll be touching on that again in the future ;) ).
Enjoy!
'Faith, we need to have a talk,' Arnaud said quietly when she and Derek had returned, and Derek had left the room. He shut the door, turning to face his niece again. Faith shifted nervously on her feet, pushing her lip to her teeth with her thumb, nibbling as she raised her eyes to her uncle's.
'You need to stop associating with Derek,' Arnaud said simply.
Faith just glared at him, 'Why, pray tell?'
'Because, you're going soft on them, Faith. Remember what we came here for, d'accord?(okay?) You're completely forgetting that. You know what has to happen eventually,' He spoke with a little less harshness in his voice.
Faith looked down to the floor, breaking his heavy gaze. She knew he was right, but had she really changed that much? Apparently Arnaud thought that she had, otherwise he would not be having these words with her now, 'I just- I can't see myself wanting that to happen now,' she admitted quietly, 'Is there anyway you have to do what you're going to? I mean, the others, they have those words to work by like...' Faith trailed off, daring a glance to her uncle.
Arnaud still had a hardened expression on his normally young and relaxed face, 'You know I can't do that,' he replied curtly, seeming to offer no lenience. He wanted to do what Faith wanted, but he was over ten years older- he had over ten years more of their way of life, and he had no one to change his views. Not the way Derek was changing Faith. In all honesty, it was scaring Arnaud, and so all he could do was force the ways Faith had been brought up with onto her more.
Faith felt herself break a little, 'But why? He hasn't done anything worthy of that,' she started to raise her voice a little. Arnaud and her usually got on so well, but they were fighting over a family matter now (a pretty serious matter at that), and something Faith would not have questioned about doing a few months now. But her life had really began to flip upside down, though she hadn't really noticed until now. What as it about Derek? Sure, she found herself liking him. Really liking him, actually. But then he went an did something and messed up her feelings once again. Though Faith began to realize, no matter what, Derek was always on her mind, and it bothered her to no end. Her life would be so much easier without him, and this...this pull she had toward him. Like her fear of the dark, Faith hated not knowing. Not knowing her feelings, not knowing her mind.
Arnaud sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb, 'As far as I see it, you're going to do what you want anyway. You're too stubborn to listen to me. I know that know you're very capable of...making your own decisions. So,' he began to finish, losing all of the harsh lines in his face, 'you can do what you want. Go out to save some people, or not. I would appreciate a text every now and then, and I hope you stay at home...but if not, that's fine. Just know that I'm not going to stop what we came here to do, Faith. I love you, but it's important you know that,' he warned her with sad eyes. He was finally letting go. Yes, Faith was seventeen (she would be eighteen in over six months anyway), and he knew if people knew what he was saying to her, they'd think he was mad. But he knew his niece better than anyone else- and he did love her, and he didn't want that...spirit of hers broken nor did he want her to hate him. So this was the best that Arnaud could offer her. Faith could go do her own thing, but so would he.
Faith had started to tear up, and she hand't realised until she felt a wetness on her cheek, 'Okay,' she said meekly, smiling and gave him a hug, 'I love you too, Arnaud. But I do need to do this,' she whispered against his chest.
Arnaud wrapped his arms around his niece, smoothing down her hair with one hand while the other held her tight, 'I know, petit loup (little wolf).'
Faith sniffed and the endearment let the floodgates open. She made no sound, apart from a few sniffs, but tears made lines in the little make up she wore. She pulled away, 'I thought this would have ended in shouting and tears, not hugging and tears,' she gave a nervous laugh, wiping her eyes, 'Thank you. For understanding,' she said honestly. Nobody would really understand just what he was doing for her. And she appreciated that beyond words.
Faith let out a nervous breath, 'I think I'm going back to Beacon Hills. I have this bad feeling about this full moon, especially with the Alpha getting restless, ' she told Arnaud. He nodded, and smiled.
'Just, please be safe,' he told her, and Faith nodded.
Faith was still sniffling when she left Arnaud. She needed to get back to Beacon Hills a few days before the full moon- which is exactly what she had- to sort things out with Scott and Stiles and Derek. They needed to do something soon to figure out who the Alpha was before he attacked again. They had done a pretty crappy job of it so far. She headed for her bedroom, rubbing at her eyes again. Derek was lying on her bed on his back, eyes closed. Faith quickly and silently went to the mirror, fixing her mascara and tear stained face, making herself more acceptable. When she turned around, Derek was standing close behind her. She let out a little squeal as she banged into his chest.
'You've got to stop doing that,' Faith said with a dead tone, not looking to his face. She stepped around him and started to pack her things back into her suitcase. Derek didn't say anything or do anything. He just watched her as she packed, how she meticulously folded her clothes, getting more and more frustrated when things weren't fitting into the suitcase properly.
'Faith-'
'I need to get packed. I need to go back to Beacon Hills, and these stupid clothes won't fit properly, they're not sitting right-'
'Faith,' Derek repeated.
'As soon as I'm packed, I'll be fine, if it would just sit. Right-
Derek grabbed her gently by the forearms, 'Faith. Stop. What happened? Why were you crying?' He asked, his green eyes searching her face.
'It's nothing,' Faith mumbled, trying to move away, but he kept a firm grip on her.
'It's not nothing.'
Faith rolled her eyes with irritation, 'What do you care, anyway?' She snided at him.
'I may not be the most emotional but I'm not going to let you walk around like everything's fine, when it so obviously isn't. Even if you looked as happy as Larry, I could still smell it off you,' Derek said matter-of-factly.
Faith sighed, 'You wouldn't-I mean, I just...I can't explain it to you. Do you trust me?'
'No.'
'Good. Just leave me be- I'll be fine.' Eventually.
Derek seemed to debate with himself for a moment what to do, but eventually let Faith go.
'I've got a favour to ask you...' She trailed off, turning to face him after she zipped up her suitcase, 'Can we go back to Beacon Hills? You have your ar, don't you?'
Again, Derek seemed to be having a debate with himself, 'Yeah. But you do realize the whole state police are looking for me?'
'I know. You can stay at mine for a few days, because I don't think Arnaud is leaving just yet. He'll probably stay another week,' Faith told him.
Derek gave her a curt nod, 'Let's go now then, if you're ready?'
'Yeah. We need to go help Scott anyway, what with the Alpha and all,' she mentioned, to which Derek mumbled his agreement. It was going to be a long three hours in his car.
Faith remained silent the whole way in the car, only getting out to get gas (Derek couldn't very well hop out to have a quick fill-up). Soon, the familiar sights and smells of Beacon Hills woke Faith up, and she almost breathed a sigh of relief- she thought she had wanted to get away from Beacon Hills, but clearly she was wrong. If it wasn't for the underlying fear of dealing with the Alpha (regardless of the fact she was one too- this dude was one scary-ass monster), she would be almost happy.
Derek pulled up to Faith's house, which looked utterly cold and un-lived in,though she had barely left more than a week ago. Faith lifted her suitcase, taking out her keys to unlock the slightly-on-the-smaller side, detached house. Derek followed her to her room, not knowing what to do with himself.
'You can sleep anywhere except the last room on the right. That's Arnaud's,' she stated, when she realised he was hovering.
'And I'm supposed to stay here and do what exactly?'
'Not wreck the place would be nice. You can do whatever you want, I'm not forcing you to stay here. I'd thought you'd be a little more appreciative,' Faith quipped.
For once, Derek didn't seem to have a sarcastic response.
'Well, I know you can't, but I'll be going back to school for these next few days, so hopefully we'll get whiff of the Alpha or something before the full moon,' Faith told Derek, seeming like absolutely nothing had happened before and that she was fine. She turned around to face Derek, but there was no sign of him in her room. She rolled her eyes, and busied herself with calling Allison and Lydia, having an utterly, boring 'catch-up'.
Faith snarled at the male, launching head first into his stomach. She managed to throw him back across the woods, until he hit a tree with a painful whack. He immediately got up, and retaliated, knocking her over onto her back. Faith jumped up quickly, anticipating his punch and ducked below, swiping out his feet from under him with her hand. She jumped on him, claws at his throat. Faith grinned triumphantly, returning to her human self, 'I win.'
'Just about.'
'Oh, don't be such a baby about it. I won, no matter how ''just about'' it was,' Faith smirked, getting up off him, 'Oh lighten up, Derek,' she said to him, seeing his sour expression. He continued to glare at her, brushing the leaves off his body and fixed his shirt straight.
'Seriously, Derek. You've been teaching me, and finally it's paying off- I can beat you. And more than just about, by the way,' Faith finished with raised eyebrows.
'You're an Alpha, I shouldn't have to teach you in the first place,' he spat.
'Hey, that hurt! Excuuseee me, if I wasn't born,' She mocked, though was getting a little irritated at his mood, 'Can't you just ever be happy?' she moaned, turning to face him. He continued to glare at her.
'Come on, let's go back now. The full moon is tonight and we need to look out for any stupid things Scott may do or the Alpha,' Derek ordered. Faith rolled her eyes, but followed him. The training her had agreed to help her with after school had distracted her from her thoughts about Arnaud and the sort. Derek and Faith both showered (Faith in her en suite, Derek in the guest room) and sat awkwardly on the couch downstairs, watching some television. It was weird to see Derek so...domestic, for want of a better word. He didn't seem to know what to quite do with himself, and seemed completely uninterested in anything that was on the television.
'Maybe we should go to Scott's to look out for him,' Faith said when the moon was nearly full.
'Yep,' Derek replied immediately, getting up and heading for his car. Faith quickly grabbed her keys and followed him out, sliding into the passenger street. He burned rubber to Scott's house, suddenly on edge.
'What's wrong?' Faith asked as she noticed his tensed body, and more sour than normal face.
'I think something's wrong.'
'How do you know? He's not part of your pack,' Faith questioned, confused.
'I know, I guess it's just 'cause he's the closest wolf.'
'Oh aye, sorry. Forgot, I just turn into a unicorn during the full moon,' Faith said sarcastically.
Derek glanced to her, then returned his eyes to the road, 'I mean the only other one I would get these...hunches about.'
Faith stared at his side profile. He got instincts about her? 'In what way?' she questioned, getting entirely too curious.
'I don't know, just feelings. We need to focus on Scott,' Derek said, not answering her question. Faith just left it, knowing he wouldn't answer her and she'd just annoy him. Derek slowed down, the car rolling to a stop. Faith undid her seatbelt, sitting forward when she noticed his open window. She immediately got up and headed to the door, where Stiles flung it open, 'He just broke free, I don't know what's going on with him. Well, probably Allison if I'm being honest, got both brains focused on her...' he rambled on, running his hand through his hair with raised eyebrows.
'Stiles!' Faith exclaimed with horror.
'Yeah, yeah, you're not so innocent yourself,' Stiles said, glancing to Derek, 'But go get him. Seriously, sniff out his furry little ass, we need him back. The Alpha's seriously doing something to him.'
Faith nodded and turned to find Derek and his car gone. She groaned and picked up Scott's scent, taking short cuts through the woods. The trail lead her to a car lot, where she spotted Scott on top of a familiar car. He was raising his hand, ready to rip through the roof, but another familiar figure knocked him off, dragging him into the woods. Faith, lying low until she was under the cover of the shadowy trees, followed them into the woods. She caught up with them, and Derek had Scott's back against him, who was struggling to get free, 'Stop! Stop!' Derek kept shouting at Scott. He managed to slip free, and Derek took the opportunity to push him away into a tree.
Faith watched them fight, enjoying watching them man it out-or wolf it out- with each other. Scott leapt forward to Derek, who went down on his back, pushing him up and over with his hand. He jumped back onto his feet, turning to face the smaller and younger beta. Again, Scott recklessly swiped at Derek, who easily leaned back with quick movements to avoid each hit. Slipping and coming to his knees, Derek shoved Scott down with his foot, towering over the inexperienced wolf. Faith, having had enough, interrupted their fight, dodging a swipe from Scott and a punch from Derek. She grabbed Scott by the lapels of his jacket and threw him on the floor. She let her wolf come through, it revelling in the moon, and snarled in his face, her eyes burning red. Scott dropped on his back, and scooted back. Faith glanced over her shoulder to Derek who had stepped back and returned to normal.
Scott just panted, looking the two wolves up and down, then looked at his clawed hand as if he didn't know what was going on. Faith threw a confused look to Derek, who just looked to Scott.
'What's happening to me?' Scott asked, looking back up to the two older wolves.
'Exactly what he wants to happen.'
Derek nudged Faith when he reached down to get Scott, 'Help me with him.'
Faith followed him to the young beta, and helped him up by the other arm. They walked him home (and boy, was it a long, painful walk) and up to his room. Faith waited in the doorway, leaning against the frame as Derek set him down on the bed. He turned, looking to Faith, but stopped at Scott's voice.
'Wait!...I...I can't do this,' Scott began, causing Faith to wonder where he was heading with his words, 'I can't...be this, and be with Allison.' Scott paused for a moment, and Faith stepped forward beside Derek.
'I need you to tell me the truth, 'Scott began, 'Is there a cure?'
Faith seemed to just completely stop. Why hadn't she thought of that before? She looked to Derek, her eyes wide. She needed to know this. If there was...well, her life would be better. Wouldn't it?
'For someone who was bitten? I've heard of one- I don't know if its true,' he stated.
Faith gripped his arm, an intensity in her voice, 'What is it?'
Derek seemed a little taken aback by just how intense she was, but replied, 'Kill the one who it you.'
'Kill the Alpha?' Scott questioned a little defeatedly.
And in that moment, reality crashed down around Faith. Her shoulders sagged again, and she returned to her position by the door. That ship had long sailed. At least Scott had a chance...Maybe...Scott looked to Derek with an 'are you serious?' expression, and sighed with annoyance.
'Scott. If you find him. I'll help you kill him,' Derek said lowly.
Faith headed downstairs, Derek soon following her, and she started walking, not knowing where Derek had left his car.
'It's near the parking lot,' He spoke, as if he knew what she was thinking, 'and it's this way.'
'I know what way it is, I just didn't know where your car was,' She snapped, turning and marching past him. She always walked faster when she was annoyed or in a huff, though miraculously, it wasn't Derek's fault this time. She was annoyed at herself for giving herself that bit of hope about being cured. She was annoyed at what she was. She was annoyed that she and Arnaud couldn't see exactly eye to eye, though knew she really couldn't asked for me. As Faith contemplated every single thing that went wrong in her life, they had reached Derek's car. She angrily got in, slamming the door hard.
'I swear, if you ruin my car,' Derek gritted, closing his door gently with a facetious expression on his face.
'I just had my whole life crushed because of the stupid cure- I only had hope for about five seconds, then reality came and slapped me in the face. I don't care about your stupid car!' She hissed.
'Why the hell do I even put up with you? Why am I even staying at yours, out of everywhere I could go?' Derek snapped at her, his glare burning a hole in her head.
'You haven't exactly got anywhere to go, smart ass. You want to stay with Stiles? Really? Or how about Scott? I'm sure Melissa would just love a fugitive in her house. Can't exactly go back to yours either. There'll be hunters and police and god knows who else there. Realistically, I'm the only person you've got, 'Faith said, pretty calmly.
Derek knew Faith was right, and instead just clamped his canines shut at her, eyes flashing blue. She ignored him until they got to the house (in record time, might she add). She got into the house, her wolf struggling to get out with her anger and...and something else she didn't quite know. She headed up to her room, once she was sure Derek had closed the door properly. Faith changed into shorts and t-shirt. She had been getting really warm lately, despite it was nearly the end of the year. She had calmed down, cursing her immature self for snapping at Derek again. She always ended up fighting with him, when a part of her didn't want that. Sighing, she went downstairs and made some bacon sandwiches (she liked bacon a lot, alright?) and feeling bad for potentially damaging his car, brought some up to Derek. She doubted he could cook since he didn't seem like that kind of guy. How'd he survive in that burnt house of his, with no electricity, anyway?
Faith knocked on the door of the spare room where Derek had been staying. She heard his gruff voice telling her to come in. He pulled a shirt over his head (had he been stealing Arnaud's clothes again?) and turned to face her with that frown that was always etched upon his face.
'I, uh, made a peace offering?' Faith tried, dropping a hip and holding up the plate of food with a half-assed smile. She must have done something right, because he gingerly took the food.
'Did you poison it?'
'What!? No!' Faith exclaimed in shock. He seriously thought that of her.
Derek rolled his eyes, 'It was a joke.'
Faith stood in front of him as he sat on the bed to eat, her hand covering her chest, and said in mock horror, 'Derek Hale? Resident sour wolf, cracked a joke?'
He just glared at her, and she grinned, 'There's the Derek I know. I do want to apologize to your car, for slamming its door.'
'To my car?Not to me?' Derek raised an eyebrow as he took a bite of the bacon sandwich.
'I thought the car would be a little more communicative,'She teased him, and lay next to him, stretching out and staring at the ceiling, like she always did.
'I'm sorry though, for snapping at you. I was just annoyed about the cure thing,' Faith tried. For what she had done in the past, she sure whipped a conscience out of her ass when she was around Derek.
Derek looked to her with a calculated look, and finished off the sandwich, 'Well, this sandwich helps.'
Faith sighed inwardly. It was too much for him to apologize to her. He had been a class-A jerk to her back at his house...
'Why do you want the cure so bad?' Derek began to talk to her, 'What's so wrong with being a werewolf? You're obviously in control, and don't have anyone like Scott has Allison.'
I'd love to have you, Faith thought, then answered him, 'I don't know. Well, I do know, I think. I just don't want to lose control some day, and get caught or hurt someone I love, I guess.'
'What was it like, being completely human?' Derek then asked cautiously.
Faith sat up, her hands supporting her, as she raised an eyebrow to Derek, 'Seriously? You're technically human, Derek. Ish.'
'I've never gotten sick from something as simple as a common cold, or actually broke a bone long enough to have a cast. I've had to be cautious my whole life, and had to decide everything with such care. I'd hardly say that was the same kind of human as a completely normal human.'
Faith looked at him with a steady gaze. Were they the sort of things he wanted to be human for? They were such mundane things...
'I mean, it was...normal. I can't describe it. Getting sick was pretty crappy, and I have broken an arm or two, and being an invalid for six weeks at a time wasn't too pleasant,' Faith answered him, 'but then again, I was the one annoyed about the cure...'
Derek placed his empty plate on the dresser beside the table, and clasped his hands as his forearms rested on his legs, 'I wish I was human sometimes...but then I think of how much weaker and so helpless I probably would've been.'
Faith snorted, rather unattractively, 'I'd say you could throw a few weights around with your body, regardless if you were a wolf or not.'
Derek raised his eyebrows, and a small smirk crept onto his normally lined lips, 'My body, eh?'
Faith suddenly felt too warm, and she sat up and tied her hair back into a ponytail, 'Well, yeah, I mean-like not that you're hot or anything-but-but you're not ugly, I just mean you're really perfectly muscled and-and that,' the words just fell out of Faith's mouth in a bumbling mess, 'Sorry. I'm a pretty calm, cool and collected girl. Well, maybe not calm 'cause I've a bit of a temper on me, and maybe not cool 'cause you're never cool if you say you're cool, 'she ended with a nervous laugh. She dared to raise her eyes to Derek, who had the subtlest grin that a grin could be on his face.
'Why-why are you grinning? Can your muscles even make that shape?' Faith asked genuinely.
'Because you're a completely, beautiful mess,' Derek replied, his normally sour face returning
Faith felt very uncomfortable, with how...happy and talkative Derek was being. It was too weird for her to know how to handle, so she bounced off the bed and opened the window, 'I don't know about you, but I'm flipping warm. It's winter too, what even?' She said nonchalantly. As she turned around, there was Derek and his chest again, 'God damnit, I have told you that you have to stop that. I'm gonna die young from a heart attack. Plus, you're radiating way too much body heat, move,' she rambled, trying to step around him. She felt his hand on her chin, and he lifted her head up so that she met his eyes, and he gave her a little sniff.
'Derek, when you're being chatty and close like this, it makes me nervousss,' Faith said a little in sing-song.
'You're in heat, already.'
'What!?'
'I hope I don't have to explain, I could probably find some documentaries that would te-'
'I know what it is! I'm not some animal-'
'Well, you're kind of a wolf-'
'Who is in bloody heat, who smells for some male to come and have a wee rump- just waiting to incubate a couple of pups, who made up these rules!?' She finished, ignoring when he cut in.
'Yeah, that's the point, you're going to have a mate . And trust me, you do not smell bad, 'Derek added a little lowly.
'Do you know how self-conscious I'm going to be know? Oh sweet, Moses, Scott's going to notice too!? Isn't he!? Could this be any more embarrassing?,' Faith babbled on.
Derek took her shoulders in his hands and gave her a little shake, a smile on his face, 'Faith. Stop. It's natural.'
Faith pouted, 'Stop laughing at me!'
'I'm not. The big, bad, Alpha female is freaking out over something as normal as heat,' he scoffed, smiling at her expense.
'Well, I'm sorry that I wasn't born into all this knowledge. I'm pretty much learning as I go, here,' She said, slightly annoyed at him for internally laughing at her(she just knew he was), 'I don't know how that all...works,' she mumbled.
Derek lifted her chin up so she could see his gaze, again, 'You're like a pup. Honestly, my twelve year old self would be laughing at you right now.'
Faith glared at him, before hesitantly asking after she cleared her throat, 'Do I smell..do I smell bad?' She quizzed.
'I already said you don't,' He answered, 'if you had have been listening to me.'
'Ugh, I don't know anything about truly being a wolf,' she said, brushing his hand away from her face, and she sat on the bed again. She crossed her legs, letting her arms rest on her thighs, and she looked up to Derek,'Anything else I need to know about this stupid heat, before I further embarrass myself? Do guys go into heat?' She wrinkled her nose at the thought. It was such an animalistic concept.
Derek sat down next to her, 'To be honest, we're either never in heat or always in heat. We don't often turn down sex,' he replied with a scoff, raising his eyes to Faith's. The moon shone in through the window as the clouds cleared from its path, and her eyes changed to the red of an alpha, reminding him just how powerful she could be if she really knew how to access it. He could almost feel his own eyes changing colour as the moon had a better grasp on them, as it shone across their bodies. His face neared Faith's again, dangerously close, when she spoke, 'What do I smell like?'
'Drugs,' He replied, pressing his lips to hers, 'You're completely intoxicating,' he growled, pulling her up onto his lap.
Faith returned the kiss, which was a lot gentler than their first one. God, Derek could make her feel everything at once. But Faith had little faith in herself, and pulled back, 'Why are you being like this?' She asked him gently.
'Being like what?'
'So...chatty with me. You didn't make too many stupid remarks. You actually managed a smile. Sort of. You bloody well tried to make a joke. And now...this kissing. I'm just some school girl. Why would you be interested in someone like me?' She asked.
Derek rested his forehead against hers, 'I don't know. Everything's just changed since Scott got bit and you appeared,' he opened up a little to her, 'I haven't felt anything like this since...since Kate,' he spoke her name with ice in his voice.
'What happened with her?'
'You already know what happened,' Derek said dryly, sitting back but did not make her move from his lap.
'I mean...like, what happened between you two, before she turned psychotic or whatever.'
'She was this hot, blonde and slightly older woman who wanted to spend time with me and have crazy sex morning, noon and night. I was basically your age and I thought I was in love. Then she burnt my family alive. What a blow that was,' he said venomously.
Faith squeezed his shoulder, 'How old are you anyway? You I'm basically eighteen, like.'
'Yeah, you're seventeen, 'he rephrased her words, 'I'm twenty three.'
'Well, this may be slightly illegal,' she mumbled and got off of his lap. Although Derek barely explained what happened with Kate, she couldn't..she just couldn't be with him like that, knowing how she had made him so broken. Derek looked a little confused at her actions, but his normal, frowning self returned and he didn't say anything, like he was not bothered. Faith closed the window, and turned to face him, 'I'm away to sleep now, I don't know when Arnaud's coming so just be careful if you hear him,' she warned, ''Night,' she said to him, before closing the door after herself. God, Faith knew how to ruin things to the max. She just hoped nothing would come back and bite her in the ass.
Now, I know I say this every chapter but sweet moses do I not know about this chapter. I'm not even going to say anything, just go easy on me D:
So tell me what you think- should I keep in the last scenes with Faith and Derek, or should I change it? PM or review to let me know what you think!
~capitain
