A/N: I don't own anyone but my OC's….though I wished I owned the rest….*sighs*
Brooklyn sat on the bed and reviewed the articles she found regarding the fire, hoping she had missed something, anything, even if it was a single word or phrase that her eyes had overlooked. Derek Hale had once again gotten beneath her skin and the hunter was angry at herself for letting it happen. If it was one thing she prided herself on it was the ability to keep her cool. Well, except when it came to Argent and his cronies, and then she knew her anger wouldn't be suppressed.
Her fingers went around the paragraphs, word by word then skipped towards the next. Once again her search turned up nothing new. Thinking for a moment, Brooklyn weighed what other resources were available in this tiny town. This wasn't like Phoenix where she could go online and access public records day or night. No, sadly she would have to do it the old fashioned way: By letting her fingers do the walking. But then again Brooklyn wasn't one to turn down a challenge either.
Derek stood at the foot of steps as Scott and Stiles remained on the porch. Stiles was visibly fearful of the werewolf while Scott stood defiantly beside him.
"Stay away from Allison," he shouted down at Derek. Derek didn't respond but instead started up the steps and towards the trespassing teens. Stiles shirked away, afraid Derek would change and hurt him.
"Dude, let's go," he tugged at Scott's jacket but Scott didn't budge. "Let's go Scott!" His voice turned louder and more demanding.
"I didn't do anything to Allison if that's what you're thinking. I took her home to get her away from you. I left her jacket in the preserve to lead you away from everyone at the party. You're unstable Scott. You don't have control over it yet and until then you're a danger to everyone around you including Allison."
"Just stay away from her Derek! You and Brooklyn both just stay away from her!"
"Believe me when I say it won't be a problem," Derek's jaw clenched and tensed as he eyed the two teens.
"Okay he's really starting to creep me out now," Stiles was anxious to get out of there. Derek listened to his heart as it raced wildly within his chest. If it went any higher it may just burst out from its bony prison. "Okay you did what you came to do Scott now let's go before he mistakes us, or rather me, for a side of beef!"
Derek glared harder at Stiles as they slinked down the stairs and towards Stiles' Jeep. The screeching tires wailed in the air as the Jeep tore up mud, leaves and branches in a desperate effort to put as much space between them and Derek Hale.
He started up the steps but paused as something caught his attention. Derek turned and headed back to his car, realizing what it was that he was following. As he approached the passenger side Derek peered through the window and noticed Brooklyn had left something behind. Resting between the seat was a pendant: One of purple and black swirled together set against a silver backing. A thin silver chain complimented the token.
Derek carefully plucked it from the seat and stashed it in the smallest pocket of his jeans. He knew she would miss it but with how hurt she was when they parted ways, Derek decided to wait until perhaps she was of calm mind.
Stiles took his dad dinner since he wouldn't be home till later that night. The animal attack was their top priority despite the fact they had nothing else to go on other than the statements of the joggers. The DNA testing was some time out as it had to be shipped to Sacramento to the state lab.
"Hey Dad," Stiles knocked on the door, "I brought you dinner."
"Did you get curly fries?" The sheriff took the bag into his eager fingers.
"You know you can't have the curly fries," Stiles rolled his eyes.
"Well I'm the one wearing the gun so if I want the curly fries then I am going to have the curly fries," he spoke in an authoritative tone. Before Stiles could speak, there was a knock on the door.
"Sorry to interrupt but someone's here asking for the files on the Hale fire."
Sheriff Stalinski nodded and waved the visitor in. Stiles turned around and felt his jaw hit the ground. Standing in the doorway with a visitor's badge on her jacket was Brooklyn.
"Sheriff Stalinski right?" Brooklyn smiled sweetly.
"Yes," the sheriff wiped his mouth, "How can I help you Miss…."
"Lockwood," Brooklyn lied, "Katherine Lockwood."
"Well how can I help you Miss Lockwood?"
"I was hoping to look at the files on the Hale fire. I'm a student over at Northern California University studying Criminal Justice and I have to do a research paper for my class. Of course the instructor said to look beyond the major cities."
"Dad, she's lying!" Stiles leapt up.
"Stiles," the sheriff silenced his son.
"I'm sorry if I upset your son but I just recently arrived in town but a few hours ago. Perhaps I look like someone he knows."
"Are you freaking kidding me!" Stiles screeched. "Dad you gotta listen to me! She's working with Derek Hale!"
Brooklyn remained calm in the face of Stiles' accusations but knew she had to do something before he blew her cover.
"Who's that?" She played the innocence card. "Look I'm sorry if I upset your son. Perhaps I should come back another time."
"Miss Lockwood," the sheriff apologized, "I don't know what's gotten into my son so you'll excuse me as I escort him out."
Stiles was stunned. His father wasn't listening to him! She wasn't a college student! She was a freaking hunter! But then again if he told his father she hunted werewolves he would probably look at him like he was insane or tell him to stop watching horror movies late at night on the weekends.
Brooklyn took a seat and watched as Stiles was ushered out of the office. He flashed a knowing stare in her direction before the sheriff closed the door.
"I'm truly sorry about that," he gestured towards the door.
"It's quite alright," Brooklyn dismissed his apologies. "I take no offense. I just have that face I guess."
"Must be," the sheriff smiled then turned professional. "I understand you are hoping to get some records about the Hale fire?"
"Yes that's right," Brooklyn flashed another sweet angelic smile.
"Since it is public record," the sheriff nodded, "I can give you a copy of the file with all the reports and findings."
"Really? I don't know what to say other than thank you."
"And that will be enough for me," the sheriff stood and motioned for Brooklyn to follow him towards the archives.
"Dude she fooled my dad!"
"What!"
Stiles and Scott met up at Scott's house after Stiles had been kicked out of the sheriff's office. Scott saw the frustration written across Stiles' face as he continued flinging his arms in the air and pacing around the porch.
"Yeah, she put on this act or something and he bought it! She's smooth Scott, real smooth."
"Well when we were at Derek's I smelled the same scent that I got off the body in the morgue. I say tonight we find out what's buried at Derek's."
Stiles stopped and raised an eyebrow in intrigue. "You think Derek did it?"
"Why would a body be buried on his property if he didn't kill someone! Just meet me here at about nine okay? My mom's on shift so we won't have to worry about her asking questions."
Brooklyn stepped out from the station with a file tucked neatly in her bag. She hoped to find the smoking gun linking the Argents to the fire. The hunter knew Derek would have some closure and she could continue gathering ammunition against them. She wanted her family's ring back and wouldn't rest until it was perched on her right ring finger where it belonged.
Her thoughts drifted back to the spiky haired werewolf, wondering how deep his anger truly ran. He liked to push her to the brink, seeing how far he could go before she snapped. But then again Brooklyn had pushed Derek to his limit as well on a few occasions. It was like they were testing one another. She continued down the street to where her car was parked along the street. Brooklyn slipped in the driver's side and put the key in the ignition.
"You dropped something," Derek was in the passenger side. Brooklyn yelped and leapt in her seat, banging her knee hard against the steering column.
"Don't do that!" She greeted him with irritation while rubbing the tender joint. "Sneaking up on a hunter: Bad idea!"
Derek watched the hunter check herself over before letting out a forceful but controlled breath. Her scent was strong, one of subtle vanilla and soft earth that blended beautifully together. A welcomed change from the odors of smoke, soot and warped wood that coated his family's house.
"I found this," he held the pendant in the center of his palm and watched as her eyes brightened to two shining pools of slate.
"Where did you find this? I didn't even know I lost it!" She plucked it up and replaced it around her neck. Brooklyn held the stone between her fingers, reminiscing of a time since past.
"I bought this in Santa Fe when I was on a case. The man said that it called out to me, that the stone waited for me."
She looked up and smiled gratefully. "Thank you for returning this."
"You're welcome," he nodded.
"Look I'm heading back to my room….Did you need a ride home or somewhere?"
Derek looked away and out the window, unsure if he did want to go home. His home had long since been devoid of life and love, ripped away from him at a young age.
"You know if you don't want to go home, you could stay with me. I mean you don't have to but you shouldn't be alone either. But it's up to you though."
The Alpha watched and listened to Brooklyn and Derek in the car. It would be difficult to kill the hunter if Hale was always hanging around. But no matter as they would be apart at some point and then it would strike. It would make sure Hale was there to watch as the hunter's pretty white throat was ripped apart. It had seen the way they behaved and acted around one another. They were forming a bond and that made the Alpha uneasy. There was always power in numbers and both hunter and werewolf had proven to be worthy adversaries. No matter as neither one would stand in the way of what it wanted. Beta wolves were nothing to the Alpha as it had killed many in the past, ones who refused to partake in the right of passage into the pack. They were unworthy of such a gift anyways! But the dark haired one, Scott, had something that caught its attention.
When the time came for the Rite, Scott would kill the red haired hunter…..
Aww...Such a sweet moment... :)