Chapter 12 - Mad Dogs and English men:
Melissa was waiting for the SUV's to arrive and was not looking forward to what was going to happen next. She had gotten a text message from Derek as she was about to go and get some grocery's. The Pack had landed and had cleared immigration and customs and was heading to Beacon Hills. They would pick her up on the way to the Whittmore's, it would seem that they had cottoned onto the fact that things were not as they seemed.
She had met the Whittmore's maybe twice in person at Lacrosse games, but apart from that it was only seeing them at events. They were in the 'have' category in Beacon Hills and that put them in very different social circles, but one of the impressions that Melissa had of them was that they placed a high value in how they were perceived by others. She thought that this had rubbed off on Jackson a lot, and hadn't helped with his insecurity problems. Sure they loved him in their fashion, but she was sure it wasn't shown in the same way as she did with Scott, or with the Pack. Melissa couldn't help but recall the need that had come from Jackson for the sort of intimacy she shared with Scott. So no, this was probably not going to go well, but she could be wrong and for Jackson's sake she hoped that she was wrong in her perceptions of how this would pan out.
The main gate opened and the two larger SUV's pulled up and stopped. Then the Pack sort of exploded from then and she was lifted off the ground as Scott pulled her into a hug. He sort of nuzzled her as well showing that he missed her, which was still something she wasn't quite used to, the extended range of physical contact, but she returned it having missed him as well.
"Melissa, sorry about the urgent texts, Jackson was able to hold them off from calling anyone, but we need to get over theirs now." Damion said to her.
Melissa nodded and said. "It's ok, I can understand the emergency."
Derek nodded at her co-operation and said. "Thanks, we need to protect the Pups, and having someone in a similar situation should help."
Jackson was hovering next to them. "We should get going; I don't want them doing anything stupid." He was worrying his lower lip again and Scott saw this, he came over placed and hand on Jacksons back and rubbed it soothingly, Allison and Lydia came over as well and join Scott in reassuring Jackson.
Derek looked at the group and frowned. "We don't want to go on mass to this. It might spook them. I'll stay here with Danny and Stiles, we can get the shopping in, Melissa if you will go with Damion and Jackson. Scott, Allison and Lydia, you go as well, like I could stop you." He said acknowledging that this would need to be handled carefully, and that Jackson would more than likely need the support of those he was closest too, but keeping Danny out of the firing line would hopefully put another conversation with parents off today's schedule.
Stiles and Danny nodded, and Stiles said. "It's nice weather let's Bar-b-Queue, we all love that." It was obvious that he was trying to give them something good to look forward too.
Derek nodded "Not a bad idea. We can eat out the back, go for a run later on."
"Good plan Stiles. Pick up some Cheesecake while you're at the shops, ok. I'm in the mood for a decent New York style cheesecake." Damion added, it was banal and kind of stupid the conversation but it was to try and distract Jackson if that was possible.
Jackson looked over at them. "Can you get me some Ice cream?"
Danny gave him a sympathetic nod. "Sure dude, I know what kind you like."
They broke into two groups and got back into the SUV's.
..oo00OO00oo..
The Whittmore's had a large house in a sister scheme to the one the Argent's lived in. The fact that it was Jackson's fathers company that had built the estates meant that they had gotten the cream of the almost palatial abodes. The large steps out front with white marble balustrades and banisters lead to a large brick built two story house.
Jackson was rubbing the back of his neck, the nervous tick he had developed after Derek had impaled him with his claws and left some of his memories behind when he had been poisoned by the aconite bullet. "This isn't going to go well." He said to no one in particular.
Scott turned to look at him from staring out the window at the house remembering the last time he was here on his first full moon. "Dude, it will be ok, I'm sure." He hesitantly placed a hand on Jackson's leg to comfort him. It was still a work in progress but the expanded relationship was benefiting both the boys.
Lydia frowned from the back jump seats. "I'm not sure. You haven't met the Whittmore's they place a lot of emphasis on how they are perceived. I mean I'm sure that they love Jackson but they have a funny way of showing it, makes my parents look almost Picket fences normal."
Allison raised an eyebrow at Lydia silently asking 'really?' to which Lydia nodded.
Melissa pursed her lips at hearing this. She knew that the whole Werewolf thing was going to be hard to take, but the concern that both Jackson and Lydia were showing wasn't a good sign.
Damion sighed. "Well we can't sit here all day. I get the feeling that the Gate security will check up on us, even if Jackson vouched for us."
The vehicles occupants climbed out and as a group with Jackson in the middle headed up to the house. Jackson opened the door with his key and they went through to the large hall. They stopped and Jackson called out. "Dad, Mom?"
They heard someone moving off to the right and a man's voice called. "We are in the Day room Jackson."
Damion exchanged a look with Melissa who was on the same page as him in how they felt about this.
Jackson led them through to a large modern looking living room. There were two people sitting on one of the white leather couches, having afternoon coffee from the looks of it. "Jackson what have you been getting into…" The woman, Mrs Whittmore, asked then stopped in surprise at the number of people that suddenly appeared. "Who are your… friends?" She asked though her demeanour said that 'friends' wasn't the word she wanted to use.
Mr Whittmore set his cup down and waited for Jackson to speak.
"Dad, Mom, you know Lydia, and this is Scott and Allison they are in the same class as me. Mrs McCall is Scott's Mom and Mr Magus runs the study group program that I'm involved with." Jackson said, he was on his best behaviour, the sort of attitude normally you would reserve for meeting new people, not family.
Mr Whittmore stood up. "Jack Whittmore and this is my wife Judith. I would say I was rather surprised that you and Mrs McCall were here Mr Magus, but I think you owe us an explanation as to Jackson's recent abnormal behaviour."
"Well Jack, I wouldn't necessarily call it abnormal behaviour, perhaps out of character, but then as they are teenagers who can define their character until it's fully formed." Damion said and he held out his hand. "Damion Magus and I think you may know Melissa. We have something to talk to you about, and it may seem fantastic, but if you can bear with us it may answer some of your concerns."
Jack looked at the hand offered to him, and there was a pause before he took it and shook it once. Damion could hear Melissa making an 'Hmm' noise behind him.
Melissa Looked at the couple and said "I was asked to come here as I have been in the position you are in now. You have concerns that don't add up, and it's worrying you that your son may be into something that could be dangerous or threatening."
Judith stood up at this point and looked at Melissa. "You were the one that was supposed to have booked the cabin they were meant to be staying at. This is not the best of start, having lied to us already."
Melissa returned the look she was getting over that point. "I realise that at the moment that action may see damming, but with context I do hope that we can reach an understanding over it."
"Mom, I know that I haven't been honest with you guys lately, but there is a reason, really." Jackson said trying to stop any arguments.
Judith looked at her adoptive son. "We've given you a lot of leeway Jackson, and so up till now your actions justified that. Recently though we hardly see you and when we do you've been evasive, and obtuse, and now out right lying to us. This is not the behaviour that we expect from you, or the company you keep." She gave the rest of the Pack another judging look.
"Mom, Dad, you have to understand, things got complicated and very hectic and I know that I haven't been around much, but we're here to explain why." Jackson told his parent with a pleading look.
"Well, let's hear it Jackson." Jack said.
"Um, geez, right. Ok. Well you see the thing is I've been through some really big changes lately, changes that have come with responsibilities."
Judith looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Are you trying to tell us this whole rigmarole has been because you're gay?" She asked with a hint of 'is that all' in her voice.
Jackson shook his head. "No, that's not it, and it's not that I'm not ok with being gay, or Bi. I'm a Werewolf."
Judith and Jack just looked at him.
Jackson waited for them to respond, he could hear the others shifting behind him as the silence stretched.
"Jack, Judith, I realise that what Jackson has told you may sound a little strange, but I can vouch for what he's saying..." Damion started to say, but Judith held up her hand.
"Are you high, is that what this is about your on drugs, can you imagine the scandal if that came out. For god sakes Jackson what kind of mess are we going to have to clean up here?" Judith said in an exasperated tone.
Damion growled at them and his eyes flashed to black, Jackson turned to him and gave Damion a pleading look as both the adult Whittmore's took a step back.
"Is this some sort of PCP gang that you've brought into our house?" Judith added shocked, Jack was looking at Jackson with reservation and anger on his face.
"No mom, it has nothing to do with Drugs. I'm being honest with you, I'm a Werewolf." Jackson answered his mother looking to her to give him a chance to explain.
Melissa nodded and added. "I know this is a lot to take in, but please give us a chance to explain to you what is going on and what has happened."
"This is ridiculous, you come in here with some crazy story having brain washed a troubled young man into believing this cock and bull and now expect him to do who know what for you. I'm calling the police right now!" Jack exploded reaching for the phone.
"Dad, wait!" Jackson growled at them, and both the Whittmore's faced their son in his Beta form. "It's not make believe." He was reaching out to them with his paw, the need for understanding on his face was clear. Scott was at his side with a hand on his shoulder and Lydia and Allison were beside him, supporting him.
"What have you gotten yourself into Jackson, what have they done to you?" Judith said as she sank to the couch and Jack stood there mouth agape as he tried to understand what was before him.
Damion walked forward and the Whittmore's flinched at his approach so he stopped, then took a step backwards. "As we were trying to tell you, Jackson has been going through some changes and we're here to try and explain what is going on." He turned and placed a hand on Jackson shoulder and gave it a squeeze to show his support. Jackson shifted slowly back to human form.
Turning back Damion started to explain. "This goes back to the Hale fire, the Hales were a family of Werewolves and a group of hunters, and one in particular caused their deaths in that massacre. Derek returned after his sister was killed as part of a plan by a rouge Alpha Werewolf that was wanting to take revenge on those responsible. Scott was bitten and he and his friends became caught in the cross fire between the Rouge and the Hunter. Jackson helped them fight the Rouge and stop the killings that had been happening." He emphasised the good that Jackson had done and glossed over the worst parts of the story.
"I asked Derek to make me a Werewolf, I was wrong in thinking that it would make me better, but I wanted to be better so badly, I wanted to be turned, to be like Scott." Jackson said, knowing that he would be the one to tell them that part, needed to be the one to tell them that.
Judith stared at Jackson unable to fathom that his drive to be perfect would lead him to such things. "We knew that you had issues, but to want to be that thing, how, why?"
Jackson stood there in silence, unable to answer. "Jackson." Jack said requiring an answer to his wife's question.
"Scott was suddenly so much better. I wanted; no I needed to be better, I couldn't see another way that I could be better, so that I wouldn't lose you." He said slowly, the admission of his own weakness coming as a blow to Jackson.
"What made you think becoming a monster was the answer? Look at what you've become." Judith shook her head as she said it.
Melissa frowned. "From what I know he has become a capable a loyal friend and someone who would risk everything for Family." She said, there was accusation in her tone over the Whittmore's attitude, yes it had been wrong to hide it, and sure it wasn't an all out success, but they seemed to be judgemental edge to their interactions with Jackson.
Judith batted at that almost like she was dismissing that idea. "We've always know that you felt the need to prove yourself, all that therapy you went to said the same thing. But to go to this level, it's madness. So... this is... was what you've been doing all this time, with your 'friends'..." She suddenly narrowed down onto a word Melissa had said. "Family? Is this because we haven't been 'family' enough for you, we gave you everything you could ask for! When were you... bitten, is there a cure, can we get it reversed?" She spat at the word bitten, and made it sound like he had been infected by a stupid experiment on his part.
Jack looked at his wife perhaps feeling that that she had gone too far but he said nothing for now.
Damion frowned at the pair. "No there is no cure, and it's not a disease like an STD. Jackson made a choice and he has been living up to the responsibilities that came with it." There was a growled edge to Damion's tone, no wonder Jackson had been a bully given the sort of pressure that they seemed to place on him, it could almost be seen as abusive in a way to know that Jackson needed to prove his worth to them, but not try to actively channel that need into something more positive.
"I was bitten..." Jackson started to say but Damion shook his head to stop him from giving the month. "A couple months back, my Pack came under attack by the hunters, I needed to help them, and make sure they didn't come after you."
"So you put yourself and us in danger, after you involved yourself in something that wasn't your business to begin with?" Jack asked him.
"No it was never meant to be like that." Jackson replied shaking his head, whining slightly as it was starting to frustrate him that he couldn't make them understand.
"This seems to be getting out of hand; it would be an idea if we all took a moment, calmed down." Melissa said trying to cool tempers. She gripped Damion's arm warningly as he looked ready to go for the pair, and Derek said he was meant to be the clam one.
"No, what needs to happen is the Jackson needs to break all ties with your group, and to put this Werewolf business behind him until we can deal with his infliction." Judith responded to Melissa.
Jackson shook his head. "Mom, it's not that simple, and I wouldn't do that to them. They need me, and I... I need them as well." Jackson told her.
Judith glared at Jackson. "Really, you need them more than us apparently." Was her tart reply.
"It's not like that, Jackson still needs you as much as he needs us. His family got larger, and different, were not a threat to you or your relationship with him, but he has responsibilities that come with being a Werewolf, ones he's living up too." Damion replied, part of him wondered if he were channelling Derek at this point because the urge to rip out throats was running high. Jack seemed to take that part on board; there was something that the man could respect in that.
"Really, responsibilities that make him lie and disappear and run around doing who knows what and getting into danger. No it's too much, we need to get the authorities involved and have them deal with your... cult. He has to choose, Jackson you have to choose, them or us." Judith laid down her ultimatum and Jackson's face fell, even Jack seemed surprised.
"Mom, please I can't, I won't..." Jackson tried to say.
Judith stood up, the conflicting emotions were playing out over her, and it looked like she was holding back tears as well. "No, you have. I hope you can live with it." She turned and almost fled from the room.
Jackson looked like he had been punched and the Pups surrounded him and held him, trying to support him, Melissa moved toward him and gripped his shoulder supporting him as well. "Mom..." he whispered.
Jack looked after his wife and shook his heads slowly, as much as to say this was all too much, that what happened wasn't the answer, but she must have been hurt by what Jackson had said. He turned around and looked at his son. "Jackson, I'm sorry, this it's all too much. She needs... we both need time." He looked at Damion. "We won't call anyone but..."
Damion shook his head, the hurt that this would cause Jackson would be huge, and not being able to turn to his parents that would be a blow. He reached into his leather jacket and pulled out a business card, he walked over and handed to Jack. "We'll look after him, don't leave it to long, or you could lose him." Damion shook his head. "He doesn't deserve this crap."
Jack looked at the tears in Jackson eyes, and went over to him and hesitated before he placed a hand on his shoulder. "Just give us some time." He turned and went after his wife.
Damion sighed and looked at Melissa who was scowling at the retreating Whittmore's. "Let's get out of here."
Scott had put his arm around Jackson's shoulder and guided him, un-fighting, back to the car, Lydia and Allison helping him and comforting him as well. "Come on Jacks it will be ok, really." Scott said to Jackson
Melissa shook her head. "I can't believe that they did that, I know it was a lot to take in and to try and understand, but to walk away from him. I don't think I would ever be able to do that to Scott, or any of them."
Damion nodded to her as they passed through the hall. "I know, but then I think we all knew that this was going to be trouble somehow. They had a strange family dynamic to start with, not one I would sign up to if I had any choice, but to do that... Jacks just had one of his worst fears played out before him, that... I don't know how to fix that."
Melissa stopped and put a hand on Damion's shoulder and looked him in the eye. "You do what you have been doing, you keep doing it, and the Pack keeps doing it, and hopefully it will be ok."
They started back to the car; neither saw that they were being watched from the second story by Judith who was in tears.
..oo00OO00oo..
Susan Black walked through the crowd of bodies that were kneeling down in supplication to her. The drought was bringing them on mass to her shows, and once inside it was only a matter of time before she wore down their wills subconsciously and had them enthralled to her whims. Create a famine of the land, and it creates a famine in the soul and then they were hers.
She motioned to one of the Hunters that were her guard and he hurried to her side. "We will need larger venues as this drag's out; it makes them so hungry for salvation. It makes them so hungry for me." The man nodded and retreated.
"My loyal followers, it is time for you to travel to the place of battle. You are charged with finding the beasts hiding as men, and to stop them. Travel to Beacon Hills in California, seek out the Hale Pack and watch them. Soon it will be time and we will take them and punish them for what they have done. They have caused all your pain and suffering with their actions and now is our time of retribution." It was religious clap trap, Susan knew that intimately but wrapped around her abilities to warp the will of others it was chink in the mental armour to exploit.
The crowd around her started to chant. "As you will it, it will be done. As you will it, it will be done..."
Susan stood in the sea of swaying bodies and drank in the devotion and savoured it like a wine. Such an easy thing to cause a famine in the soul of man, and when it was starved it would take sustenance from any source. Pitiful creatures that stemmed from the light, so easily swayed to the dark. Once enthralled to her they would do anything for her, and the more she preached to, the large her army would become.
..oo00OO00oo..
Derek scowled as he lay in bed. "I can't believe that they did that to him, it's a good thing that you went or I would have ripped their throats out."
Damion looked over at him; and put the book from his mother's collection down after marking his page. "I wouldn't go that far, I was about a hairs breadth from doing that myself. If Melissa hadn't stopped me I would have been having a far more difficult conversation with Stan. " He sighed. "We're going to need a bigger bed if this keeps up, well longer anyway."
Damion reached down and idle scratched behind the ear of the sleeping form of Scott, who leaned into it even in sleep, making an almost purring growl. Scott was curved around the sleeping form of Jackson and Allison was on the other side of him, the three between the two Alpha's. Derek followed suit and did the same to Jackson and a sympathetic look came to him as Jackson whimpered as he leaned into the scratching as well. It was automatic for the pair now to have tactile contact like this with any of the Pups if they spent the night. Speaking of which the rest were arrayed in a chaotic fashion on the bottom half of the bed; the fact they were dead to the world so early was a sign of how unusual events were.
It had been a terse evening, the dinner subdued and everyone had kept giving Jackson worried looks and glances as he just sat there more shell shocked that anything. Danny had shaken his head when he heard from Lydia what had happened and just held Jackson for a while. "They could never seem to accept him as anything less that the best, even though they said he did have to be, it was like an unwritten rule in that house." He had said and Lydia agreed with him.
After several unsuccessful attempts to raise Jackson's spirits they had retreated to the entertainment room and formed a puppy pile with him in the middle, the feeling that the best they could do was just be there for him. The Adults were there was well; thought Melissa and Stan refrained from joining in, unlike Derek and Damion.
When it had come time to turn in the wolves had headed up as a collective, leaving Melissa and Stan alone for a while. When they had headed up, Stan finally being persuaded to take a room in the house so he could spend more time with Stiles, Stan had frowned when he saw Stiles and Danny heading into the master suite.
Melissa had seen the look and smiled. "It's not what you're thinking Stan, come on I'll show you."
Stan had started to protest and Melissa shook her head. "Really Mel, it's ok, whatever they get up to..." He hadn't been able to finish that thought.
Melissa dragged him to the room and showed him through the open door that the puppy pile had reformed in the bed. Derek had seen them and nodded to the pair, even as Stiles was busy pushing Danny onto his back so he could lie with his head on Danny's chest. Melissa and Stan retreated at that.
As they headed back towards their rooms Melissa had said. "It's all about Pack, especially when one of them is hurt. I've been in the middle of that when Scott got hurt, in a weird way, well weird for me as a human, it was so comforting to have everyone around us, touching and sharing in the contact. It's so un-sexual, as hard as that is to believe, but it isn't, it's about healing and being together."
Stan sighed. "I think I get a handle on things and they add another layer to it, it just reminds me how different they are now, though they are the same people, even my Stiles."
Melissa shrugged. "They are different but they love each other, and care for each other and in the end if that is a wrong thing, then I wouldn't want to be right."
Stan nodded at that. "So, you were in the middle of one of those, how did you manage to sleep?"
Melissa smiled knowing that Stan was going to be ok with this. "You find yourself getting into a comfortable position, it was strange to start with so many bodies pressed together, most of them ages with my Son, who was there as well. It was something for me to get over that idea of personal space, but given the honour of experiencing it, and it was that, it felt good, especially knowing it helped Scott get better."
Stan had nodded and gave a thoughtful look back towards the room. "It makes you realise how alone we are as humans, we never really get to experience the intimacy or levels of contact. I know I loved my Stella as much as I could was bonded to her as much as I was able to be, but that seems almost a poor shadow of the depths they go to. That they know they go to."
Melissa placed a hand on his arm. "Damion once told me that all living things come from a primal source of life that connects us all. He said that we may not get mate bonds, or pack bonds like they do, but we do know a similar connection with others. I know you and Stella were mates as much as any of them."
Stan held her hand and squeezed it. "Thank you for that. After hearing what Stiles told me about their trip to that Library, she's been on my mind a lot lately. I'm glad that he got to see her once more, even as much as it must have hurt him as well. I wish I could have seen her once more as well."
Melissa smiled. "I know that Stella is watching over you two, ready to kick your ass if you mess up." She grinned as she said that and Stan could help but grin at that as well.
They had bid each other goodnight and headed to their rooms, Derek and Damion watched over the sleeping pups well into the night.
..oo00OO00oo..
The next few days were subdued as well; Jackson's father had called twice to see how he was doing, but nothing more than that was really said. Jackson's confidence and self worth had been blown right out the water, and he had started to need to be around someone most of the time. Even to the point where he would sit for hours with Damion while he was researching the books and journals his Mother had left him.
Thankfully the chamber when it had warped into the lair arrived behind the Cloister room, what Damion called the area with orrerys and other equipment he used. The room had settled behind and slightly below the current room, so it created a mezzanine floor with the orrerys and the scroll room was accessible from what was the back wall. If anything it added to the mystery of the room. Damion had said he was just glad that the room hadn't compromised the war room or the fuel cells, though already being a dimensionally weak area from the previous shunting to get his stuff in, it had been a safe bet it would end up there.
Damion was still working to re-integrate Excalibur back into his locus, so he was mostly in the under lair. Derek had upped Stiles training and was using the others to teach him and improve their own understandings. When Jackson had be tasked to do it he ended up second guessing himself till Derek had stepped in.
They were finishing up breakfast; Derek had excused himself to do his run, Melissa was going through mail that she had picked up when she had gone to her house, Damion was going through one of the manuscripts that he was studying with Lydia.
Melissa frowned as she opened a letter with the School logo. "Huh, apparently the Lacrosse team are to meet at School for extra training starting this weekend."
That bought frowns from everyone on the team; Scott voiced the group consensus though. "Seasons over, it won't restart till January, why are we getting pulled in on our Summer Vacation?"
Melissa scanned the letter. "Apparently Lacrosse has been growing in popularity and they are organising what they call West Coast Nationals. So the seasons are being shifted around. You guys as state champions automatically qualify for the tournament. It seems that the Coach wants you back so that he can look at any holes left by seniors going to college, so all starting and second string players are to report to the fields this Saturday mornings at ten. Apparently he is sure that the enthusiasm from his Co-Captains will spur you on to victory."
Scott, Stiles, Danny and even Jackson groaned at this news.
Stiles sulked. "Man this sucks all that extra training and I bet I still get stuck on the bench, it's always the same."
Jackson stared at him till Stiles squawked. "What?"
Jackson shook his head at how oblivious Stiles was, he pointed to Scott, himself and Danny, then to Stiles. "Werewolves."
Stiles had an 'Oh' moment then a huge grin spread over his face. "We are so going to pound the competition, the starting line up will be Wolf heavy, no way can we lose!"
Damion frowned. "There is no way that you won't be taking it easy, and playing at near human level, we have enough issues without Hunters chasing the lacrosse team across state lines. Understand." He said levelling his glare at each one in turn.
The Pups all nodded and Stiles looked somewhat put out that the first time he would get a chance to be a star he was getting told to put on the breaks. "Stiles..." Damion said warning him.
Stiles pouted. "I know, I know, I would never do anything to endanger the pack, but it was a nice dream for a minute."
Damion sighed. "You can play and you can win, just don't massacre the team like you did in your last game huh. That's all we're asking." To which he received further assurances from the Pups.
Stiles changed the topic of conversation as Derek's birthday was coming up Stiles had hatched a plan to give Jackson something to get his mind of things, and for a party. "We need something to get the mood of this place up a few notches. I mean if it got any lower it would be lower than Scott's face when Allison says she's washing her hair."
Melissa chocked on her coffee, Allison smacked Stiles on the shoulder and Scott gave Stiles his hurt look. "Dude, that's not cool!"
Stiles shot an apologetic grin at Scott but carried on. "Anyway, I found this picture that had Derek's birthday on it, and it's only a couple of days before Scott's. So I thought we get Derek out the house for a couple of hours and we could set up a party for them both, sort of surprise Derek."
Damion winced at the idea. "I'm not sure that a surprise party is the best of ideas."
Stiles made an exasperated gesture. "That's cause you have your pessimistic paws on, and been hanging around Mr Sour Wolf too much. We need this; it's for the good of the pack." He turned his best puppy dog eyes on Damion, then nudged Scott who looked at Stiles for a second then made his own 'Oh' face as he remembered his part in the 'plan' and turned his puppy dog eyes onto Damion.
Damion broke faster than a wafer under a ton of bricks. "Fine, but if it goes wrong, you're getting the blame." He said much to the amusement of Melissa, Allison and Lydia.
"Sweet!" Stiles exclaimed. "Ok, Danny you're on the Music. Lydia and Allison you're decorating, though I have an idea you may like for that. Jackson you rustle up drinks and I'll take care of food."
"So how are you getting Derek out the house to organise this Soiree?" Damion asked.
"That's where Scott comes in; we tell Derek it's a surprise for him, and that he needs to take Scott out for a few hours. It's so overt, it's covert!" Stiles crowed explaining his master strategy.
"And the reason to take Scott somewhere is?" Asked Scott, not sure that he like his place in the 'plan'.
"Well were starting Lacrosse next week, and you are needing new Cleats. Melissa has the Lawyers thing, and Damion is busy doing Damion things so he needs to take you for safety and we're busy with things."
Scott frowned. "That is never going to work."
Stiles shrugged. "Well no, not if we ask him, but if someone else were to, someone who is really old and will do anything for his pack to ensure their mental well being in the faces of overwhelming pressure and responsibilities."
Damion sighed the sigh of the put upon and pinched the bridge on his nose. "I take it that if I don't say yes then I'm going to get hounded by you lot till I do?"
Stiles nodded. "I would take that as read."
"Fine, but if it backfires, I will rip out your throat. With my teeth." Damion said levelling his gaze at Stiles.
Stiles nodded again. "I take that as read as well."
"Ok." Damion said and Stiles high fived Scott, Jackson and Danny.
Damion looked at Melissa. "I never had a chance did I?"
Melissa shook her head trying to hide a smile that was bursting out.
..oo00OO00oo..
"Tell me again why I'm taking Scott shopping for shoes." Derek asked his pre-glare face was on and aimed at Damion.
"Cleats." Damion responded absently as he made notes from a book.
"Fine, tell me again why I'm taking Scott shopping for Cleats." Derek said the pre-glare face moving to scowl.
"Well I'm going through this research, which I have some very promising leads by the way. Melissa is in town seeing the lawyers because they think they have the malpractice thing finally sorted. The Pups are trying to cheer up Jackson, and you said that you didn't want them going out alone at the moment, without adult supervision given that we still have a rouge cell of hunters who seem to be quite happy to kill us to send us a message." Damion replied putting down his pen on the study desk and standing up moved round by Derek. "It's also his birthday in a couple of days and they Pups wanted to surprise him with a party, which would cheer up the mood around here as well."
Derek frowned, it made sense, unfortunately. Thankfully Damion hadn't mentioned it was Derek's birthday, and Derek was happy enough with that. "Fine" He replied, sighing as he did. They walked out into the hall and Derek shouted. "Scott! We're leaving now!"
There was a pounding of feet from the entertainment room and Scott made an appearance, followed by Melissa who was handing him a list. "Get these as well when you're at the Sports store. You ruined your last set of protection somehow."
Scott whined as he made a 'your embarrassing me!' face. "Mom! Geez not in public!"
Melissa shrugged. "Well if you want to sing soprano and not have kids, but I would like grandchildren someday. Though not too soon."
Scott's head dropped in submission and he took the list, Derek and Damion smirked at the young Beta's reaction. Both Derek and Scott grabbed their leather Jackets and Derek went to get the SUV Keys as his Camaro was getting 'upgraded'.
"Here Derek, Catch." Damion threw him a grey card and Derek frowned at it. "It's for the Veyron. Seeing as you're doing me a favour, and I did kidnap your car, you can at least take mine." He said with a Shrug.
Derek grinned and both he and Scott headed out the front door. As they were about to get into the car Melissa said to Damion. "You know they do look like brothers, especially dressed like that."
Damion nodded. "It's kind of cute really."
Both Derek and Scott looked at how they were dressed and realised that both of them were wearing black jeans, black T-shirts, Scott had a pair of black Converses on and Derek had black trainers, finally they both had their leather jackets, Scott's looking like a youth version with the hoodie.
Derek growled at Damion. "This is not cute!"
Damion shrugged at his mate's reaction. "From here it's cute."
Derek growled again, and got into the car.
Scott was already in the passenger seat made a panicked 'Save Me' face from the passenger window as the Veyron roared out of the drive.
..oo00OO00oo..
Three hours later and a very subdued Scott got out of the car wincing as Derek growled at him as he got out. "Honest to all that's unholy how do you manage to not only get lost, in a mall, but forget to get the one thing your mother told you to get and then annoy me like Stiles until we go back so you can get yourself a cup so that you don't end up howling soprano."
Scott shrugged at Derek no sure what he could say to pacify the irate Alpha, but he had done his part of the plan and had kept him out for three hours. Stiles owed him big time.
They went inside and stopped just past they door, the lair was quiet. Unusually quiet to the point it seemed very wrong. Derek listened with his enhanced hearing and could detect the heart beats of the pack all grouped together and coming from the dining room, and they were racing. He looked at Scott and signalled him to shift. Scott went to Beta and followed Derek through house to the dining room. The curtains were pulled closed and from the crack in the door the room was in darkness.
Derek slowly pressed his hand against the wood and the door creaked opened enough for his enhanced vision to see things hanging from the ceiling and mounds on the table. Growling lowly he readied himself, and with gestures signalled Scott to follow him, Scott nodded acknowledging this.
Derek Sprang forward, pushing the door into the panels behind it and rolled forward coming up into a defensive crouch ready to spring at an attacker. He was momentarily blinded as the lights suddenly went on.
"SUPRRISE!" was the group chorus and as Derek blinked to clear his eyes there was pops and whizzes and he was covered in streamers. When his vision cleared enough he saw the pack all standing under a huge banner that read 'Camp Teen Wolf wishes the Birthday Boys a Happy Birthday'. Under the banner was two huge posters of Scott and Derek, Scott's was the shot from the Lacrosse team's photos where they had him standing alone with his helmet in his hand and wearing his Lacrosse kit. Derek was posed in a similar fashion and looked to be in the photo the same age as Scott was. Derek scowled at the ensemble.
Stiles came over with a party hat in his hands and went to put it on Derek. He was dissuaded by the growl Derek emitted. "Oh-kay… you can put that on later. Many happy returns though we weren't sure if you would want the age in human years or wolf years so we did both." He said with an unrepentant grin, and Derek saw his age at the bottom of the poster in both human and Wolf years. He just glared at Stiles who grinned back, the rest of the pack was in hysterics and when Derek looked back at Scott, Allison had put a party hat on him and the Beta was smiling obviously in on it all. Derek decided he would pay for that later.
"I didn't want anything done for my birthday. In fact how did you even know, I haven't mentioned it?" Derek looked at his mate with an accusation in his glare.
Damion held up his hands in surrender gesture. "Weren't me. I just… well I didn't stop them."
Derek stood up and sent death glares at his mate, another one on his list to suffer for this later.
Stiles rushed in when Derek was glaring at Damion and put the party hat on him, and earned his own set of death glares. "Don't be such a pouty snout Mr Sour Wolf. It's something that should be celebrated, and I found a picture when I was helping look for his list of boxes that he managed to put in a box without actually listing it on the box, so that he couldn't find the box or the list of the boxes which would have told him where the box was." He looked at Derek seriously for a second. "Birthdays should be celebrated with family, and I know were not your family, but we are a like a family and you're important to us, you know as well."
Derek stood there for a moment as he contemplated what Stiles was telling him then grabbed Stiles into a wolf hug and held onto him, he whispered in Stiles ear. "Thank you Pup, you are my family." The others took that as a queue to come in and group hug the birthday boys and to share in the family moment.
The group hug broke up after a few minutes and the party started properly, Jackson was busy sorting what would be lethal cocktails to any human, Lydia and Allison brought out the trays of food that Stiles had organised with their help and even Scott was temporarily forgiven his part as he was also a birthday boy.
Danny and Stiles went to get the cake which turned out to have been a special order from Beacon Hills Bakery that Stiles must have put in long before he mentioned his party idea. It was a replica of the bluff that had 'Pride Rock' on the top of it, on the rock was a large black and silver wolf howling and on the cliff was a tan and russet coloured wolf sharing in the howl at an unseen moon. Derek snorted when he saw the cake and Scott just grinned wide enough to almost split his face.
It became a twofold celebration as Melissa informed the group that the Lawyers had finally managed to quash the allegations that White had arranged against her and she was now free to return to work after an official apology was issued from the hospital administration. Scott was over the moon for his mother as he had known how much not doing the job she loved had been affecting her.
Damion was looking at the banner thoughtfully as Stiles came over to him with a drink, he took it and asked. "Camp Teen Wolf?"
Stiles shrugged. "It's what this place reminds me off, summer camp, but you know for Werewolves with extra killing and death threats. Though...thinking about it, I think I may have gotten more death treats the last time Scott and I were at Camp. I mean I only shot the camp councillor three times with the arrow, and nearly drowned him twice."
Damion just raised an eyebrow at that. "I thought Derek would gut you for the Photo, I can't believe that you found it and got it enlarged."
"I couldn't resist, makes him seem a bit more human, don't you think, the idea that he was as dorky as the rest of us at some point in his life. Though I doubt you had Lacrosse photos... wait you were probably around when it was invented." He said making a thoughtful expression, with an evil glint in his eye.
Damion smack Stiles on the shoulder for that. He looked at the Pack and commented. "Jackson seems to have relaxed a bit, thank fuck. Poor pup."
Stiles nodded. "Yeah, I wouldn't have wished that on my worst enemy... which I do have now. I would have laughed in your face if six months ago you would have said I would be worried about him." He replied thoughtfully.
"We all grow up Pup, times change." Damion said with a half smile. He called out to the rest of the group. "Ok, presents time!"
The others dived off and came back with parcels. Scott was the first to give his to Derek, he took the round parcel and opened it looking at Scott with a raised eyebrow, Scott explained. "The tin is leather food, it's meant to go on leather jackets and seats and stuff and help keep the leather in good condition. After the year yours has had I figured it could use a treat! It's Italian and really good stuff according to the web site. The other part is something I made in the workshop, I took some of the burned timber left from when your House was demolished and used my rather woeful skills in Shop to make you a door sign." Derek couldn't help but snort appreciatively at the leather food, but was really touched by the name plate. It was round and the wood had been sanded and treated so it was smooth and then the name 'Hale House' was carved on it inside a carved border with a wolf under the words. The effect was finished by the lettering being darkened against the golden yellow of the wax.
Lydia went next and gave her presents to Scott and Derek. Derek opened his first and it was silver coloured box with a mini version of his Triskelion engraved on it. "I figured that you could use a box of Aconite the amount of times you get shot, so I got a sealed box to keep it in, the engraving made it look nice."
Derek was stunned at the thoughtful gift. "I appreciate the thought Lydia, but I'm not sure I like getting tagged with always being shot with Aconite."
Scott was opening his and it was a book with several DVD's. "It's a concise book on strategy and planning techniques in the art of war fare. There is everything in there from Tsun Sui to gorilla techniques, to how to win a land battle in Russia. Figured that you like that so much from your talks with Damion, and it might help you win the occasional chess game. I mean how many times has he kicked your ass at it? There is a voucher in there so that when you finish it you can choose the next books you get depending on what you want to follow up." Lydia told Scott who was beaming at her.
"This is so cool Lydia; I might have chance at beating him. Though why would you want to run a land war in Russia?" He asked tilting his head; Lydia just groaned and patted the book as if to say it would answer his question.
Allison took her turn next and gave Derek a flat thin parcel. He opened it and looked at it speechless. Allison brushed the errant hair behind her ear and bit her lip before she spoke. "Stiles showed me where the box of photos was; I scanned them all and repaired the damage to them as best I could. They stored on a flash drive, and online so that you can never lose them. Damion got me the cloud space for them. That was the newest picture we knew of that had Laura in it, I know it was the most damaged but I managed to restore it almost back to new. I thought that was the one you would want the most."
Derek looked at the picture of Laura leaning on a tree, smiling. A friend of hers had taken it when they were in New York, in central park. It was the last picture to ever be taken of her, and he had kept it in his wallet until he realised it would get destroyed there, not long after Kate had captured him and tortured him under the Hale house. It had been the last thing he had of her and he didn't want to lose it, now he never would. He roughly grabbed Allison into a hug and told her. "Thank you."
Allison smiled and turned to Scott, and gave him a similar package. "I seemed to be running a theme here, and this is a joint present from your Mum and me. It took a bit of doing, but we were able to get all the photos your mom and Stan and well anyone who knew you and we put together a family album for you too." She smiled softly at Scott
Scott was speechless; he never really had any sort of family pictures beyond the few that still existed with his Mom, Dad and him. He opened the parcel and saw that the framed photo was of one of him and Stiles, they were building castles in a sandbox, they must have been about five at the time.
Melissa smiled at his and Derek's reaction and then signalled Allison who helped her bring two large parcels in. "Mine is a follow on from Allison's for both of you. I loved the work that she did with the photos but I always felt that a screen wasn't quite the same as the real thing. So we got them printed out, and I went and dug out any photos from the Beacon Hills Gazette, and the library for the Hale family. You guys have been here so long that there are photos in the archives."
Derek and Scott looked at the parcels then opened them almost with trepidation. The albums were large almost pulpit folio sized, bound in brown leather and had parchment sheets for the pages, on the front of both was the Triskelion. "I know that your family used that to represent them Derek, but I researched it and found it meant Family, with that I couldn't not use it on Scott's album as well." Melissa said in way of explanation.
Derek opened the album and started to flip through the various pictures, his close family was there and relatives that he either had only seen in the photos, or met when he was a young Pup. He stopped as he came to a picture of his grandparents with an older couple reading the legend underneath he realised that he was seeing his great grandparents for the first time. He was speechless at this, for what both Allison and Melissa had put together for him, a connection to his lost family. As he moved towards the end of the album and there were many blank pages in the back of the book but the last photos were photos of his new family, his new Pack.
Scott was also speechless at the gift, for someone who hadn't really known his own family, Melissa was an only child, and Richard had moved across the country. Scott had always felt that his family wasn't quite right somehow. Here though it realised that he had always had the family he wanted, and his mother had known that as well. The pictures at the start were of Melissa and him as a child, there was even one of her parents holding him as a baby. Some of them had his father in them, but even then it was few and far between. Then as he grew older in the photos something happened, his mom and him were joined by Stiles and his parents in more and more photos. Then around the time he was eight and Stella had died, he and Stiles became an almost constant pairing in the photos. Towards the end of the album other people started showing up in them in class photos and camp photos. He saw a younger Jackson who looked so lost in one photo with Danny at his side, before he had started to hide away how he felt; there was Lydia in several as well. Then the most recent one were of his family his pack. Pictures taken from this year, some he hadn't even realised had been taken. There were even ones from a few months back, like the one of him and Allison watching the sun set from his favourite tree.
The pair looked at Allison and Melissa and then pulled them both into a joint hug. Lydia was smiling at the thoughtfulness of the scene, and then turned as a sniffing noise disturbed her. Jackson was trying his best to not cry given the nature and touching thoughtfulness of the gifts. Lydia rolled her eyes and gave him a hug.
After a few minutes when everyone sought to regain their composure, Danny, Stiles and Jackson took their turns with gifts. "It's not as thoughtful as you Mom and Allison's but we thought that you could use a more professional stick for matches. So we got you a pro stick, it's an STX Scandium and Titanium handle and an STX Surgeon head. We figured if you got mad on the field again they you would be less likely to bend or break the shaft, like you did at State when they took out Stiles." Jackson said with a grin.
Stiles held out the long package to Scott, who tore into the paper with a frenzy, the stick and head were black with red accents on it and screen printed up the shaft was 'McCall' in metallic red paint with what looked like screen printed claw marks on the other side. Scott saw these and broke into a cheesy grin as he realised they were in the same place he had damaged his last stick. "Man this is so sweet! I thought I would just have to use one of the School ones till I could save up for a new one but this is so firkin cool." He gave it a few practice swipes.
Then the three turned to Derek, and Danny held out a similar package to Scott's. "We never knew that you knew how to play Lacrosse till Stiles found the Photo. Then a little digging turns out you were captain of the team the second year you played. So we were wondering if you could give us a few pointers and maybe some Werewolf playing tips." The three of them looked hopefully at Derek, and were joined by Scott's hopeful Puppy dog eyes. "We may have also got ourselves matching sticks too." Danny added with a hopeful look.
Derek took the stick and unwrapped it and saw that it had the same design and markings as Scott's. He looked at it and remembered the more carefree days of his youth. He hadn't held a stick since the day of the fire, but what could he say to the Pups with their hopeful expressions. "If you think Finstock was hard, I'm going to be even worse." He growled at them with a grin on his face, the Pups looked at each other not entirely sure if that was good news or not.
Damion looked at his mate's expression and smiled, and then it was his go to take his turn. Damion turned to the cabinet behind him and took out a set of boxes. They were black velvet and looked like jewellery boxes. "Well this is more of a pre-present and not just for Scott. Also it's from me and Derek and not just a birthday present, but sort of a birthday come graduation come missed occasions." He then handed them out to the Pups and to her surprise Melissa.
They opened the boxes and looked inside at the contents. Allison reached in and held up a thick plastic card. "Umm, thanks I think." She said.
"Oh man is this what I think it is." Jackson asked, recognising the type of card it was.
Damion nodded. "They're key cards for the new cars that we got you. After what happened to Stiles and Danny, we decided to upgrade the security on your cars, but we needed to start from a decent base. They're due to arrive by the end of the week, so until then these have to stand in."
Stiles was flipping his over in his hand looking for any sign of a manufacture. "So what did you get us? Are they all matching or what?"
Damion shrugged. "We matched them to you as best as possible."
Melissa looked like she was about to hand it back. "I can't take this; I mean I agree that for the Kids they need the protection."
Derek shook his head at that. "No, you're part of the Pack as well, and neither Damion nor I want anything to happen to you. Besides the way Scott thrashed your other car, you deserve it."
Scott pouted at the implication. "Hey I wasn't the one that lost the wing mirror on the driver's side!"
"Anyway until they arrive, we thought we would keep you in suspense." Derek added with an evil grin.
It wasn't just Scott that pouted at that thought. Stiles looked at Damion. "Ok, you've given us our present, what did you get for Big Bad here?" He asked more out of curiosity that anything else.
Damion blushed slightly. "It's something for later."
The blush was like chum into Shark water, Lydia was on it in a second. "Something private maybe, are you two getting weird and kinky?"
Jackson paled at that thought and wasn't the only one to make a negative noise. "Lyd's seriously don't go there. It's weird know that they do it, I mean not that they do it, but weird in a parent way doing it."
Scott nodded. "Yeah I mean what happened in LA was enough to scar and we just heard the howling."
Damion threw his hands into the air as Melissa and Derek were stifling a laugh. "Will you get your minds out of the gutter, for deities' sake... bunch of dirty minded I don't know what's. This is what I got Derek." He turned his back to the group and pulled of his T-shirt. On his back in a similar position to Derek's was a Triskelion, it wasn't solid like Derek's but instead made up of complex Celtic knot script with a dark border, at the hub there was a gold coloured circle over where the arms met and it had three darker gold skewed twisted tears that pointed inwards. It was the marrying of both Derek's family symbol and the glyph that Damion used for his name.
Allison whistles appreciatively. "That's kind of hot really." Then she blushed slightly when Scott gave her a panicked stare.
Derek stepped up to Damion and gently traced the symbol with his fingers, almost lost in the moment between the two of them.
It would have been special if Stiles, Allison and Lydia hadn't all made an 'aww' sound together. Danny and Jackson, and even Scott could be seen giving the tattoo some speculative thought and a having a whispered conversation. Melissa coughed and glared at Scott. "Don't even think about it, you hear me!" She gave the other two boys a similar stare and both Jackson and Danny nodded after a second.
Derek snorted as he caught the gist of what had been discussed. "Not until your old enough and I won't get killed by your relatives." He said to them catching each of their eyes until they agreed to his injunction as well as Melissa's.
Damion was pulling his t-shirt down. "It's kind of sweet that they wanted to get matching tattoos to their Alpha."
Melissa glared at him. "No, it's not, and you're in trouble for putting the idea in their heads."
Damion had the good sense to look contrite under her glare. "Sorry."
The party moved on to the entertainment room and the birthday boys got to choose the evenings films. That it ended up a Die Hard marathon was only lamented by Lydia and Melissa.
..oo00OO00oo..
When Damion and Derek had finally gotten to bed, and they lay there, Derek tracing the tattoo his mate had gotten for him, he said. "I love that you put yourself and me into this, I mean I know we have the mate tattoos, but unless their together then you wouldn't know they were a pair. This means so much to me that you want to share this with others that we are together."
Damion looked back into his mates eyes. "Of course I do. If I had a way I would shout it for the world to hear. I never expected to find a mate, especially after so long, or a new family. You gave me back that bit of my humanity that I had thought was gone for ever. I mean I think it's why I get so protective of you and the Pup's, Melissa and Stan, even the Argents who are like the in-laws to a point. To find something that you had never hoped you would get again, you want to build a wall around it and protect it from everything. I guess that's why I get a bit nutty sometimes."
Derek carried on making spirals with his fingers on Damion's back. "Yeah a bit nutty…" He said with a snort of amusement.
Damion shrugged at that. "I thought Melissa would have a conniption when the boys started talking about getting their own version of the tattoo. I don't think we've heard the last on that subject."
Derek shook his head. "No, but I leave you to sort out the bodies in that massacre. Seeing as you started it." He smiles as he said it to take the sting out of his words, then kissed Damion when he turned to argue.
Damion smirked after they split. "I got you another present by way; I got some funny looks when I got number one Wolf printed on the back of the Lacrosse Jersey." He snickered as Derek punched him on the shoulder.
"You are kidding aren't you?" Derek said eye his mate. "Tell me your Kidding."
Damion reached under the bed and pulled out a large box and Derek groaned. "It's not like I'm asking you to wear it all time, just special occasions." He said with a mischievous grin.
Derek looked at Damion and shook his head; he opened the box and saw it was a lacrosse top in black with Red printing.
"I'm kidding about it being for sexy time, you do realise that, it was just so easy to wind you up about it." Damion said to him with the grin still showing on his face.
Derek put the shirt back in the box, he did like the colours and it was a nice top. He punched Damion on the arm again and was rewarded with an exclamation of pain. "That's for winding me up about it."
They lay in silence for a while, Derek stroking the tattoo, as Damion was drifting off to sleep he heard Derek whisper. "Best birthday in a long time." To which he just smiled.
..oo00OO00oo..
Sam Argent was starting to have doubts, not full blow crisis of conscious doubts, but doubts none the less. When he was around Kate, those doubts seemed to disappear but when he was on his own, or left alone for a while they started to come back and nag at him.
This new person that Kate had involved in their group had been making requests for large scale transportation for large amounts of people. That and various supply's and resources that didn't make sense if they were meant to be hunting the Hale Wolves, or raising support in the Hunters Council or the Guard elders. The men he had sent to act as support to her seemed to be almost reverential when they spoke about her and the way they deferred to her in all decisions was freaky. He had spoken to them before he had sent them along and they were all independent people that didn't mesh with who they seemed to be now.
The other doubt was the weird resources that Kate had him tracking down and shipping in. The minerals and crystals and rare earth's, Kate said it was a project to build a Werewolf trap, but it was a lot of resources that came in and then went somewhere with her but there was no trace of it after.
He missed his family as well; he knew they were ok, that they were still ostracised by the council. But the rumours that he had gotten from his contacts left him wondering about the whole situation when it came to them.
The men he had brought in were trained and ready to go when Kate finally told him what the objective was. After the two men had just vanished that he had sent to deliver her message, Kate decided that on-going actions would be a waste of time better to have the Wolves on tender hooks then to be lulled into a false sense of security when no attacks came. When they did strike it would have maximum effect.
He sighed and turned over. This whole thing was getting far too complicated and was starting to feel wrong to him. He just couldn't see his way out of it now.
