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Lacy here! And we've reached the final chapter of season two. We've been through a lot and it'll only get harder from here, but at least at the end of it all, Effie still has her father, brother and Derek. Which is what matters. So, read on!

Disclaimer: I own none but Effie.

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~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Effie dialed her phone, tears welling in her eyes, as she stood at the back of the locker room. "Pick up, please pick up."

"Effie?"

Effie nearly sobbed at the sound of Derek's voice. "Stiles is missing."

"What?"

Effie shook her head. "The lights went out at the end of the game and when they came back on, Jackson was on the ground, dead and Stiles was missing. We can't find him and no one knows where he went."

"Effie, I need you to focus for me. I'm going to meet you at your house. Okay? Let your dad know I'm going to be coming."

Effie nodded as tears slid down her face. "Just don't get seen, please. I can't-"

"I know," Derek soothed. "stay with your dad, I'll see you at home."

Effie nodded again and hung up, only for Isaac to hug her tightly. Effie buried her face in his pull over and shook with tears.

"We'll find him," Isaac promised. "we will."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Derek grabbed his keys and made for the door.

"Where are you going?" Peter asked.

Derek gave him a look. "I know you heard both sides of that conversation."

"Derek," Peter stepped up to him. "I understand you wanting to be there for Effie while she's upset, but we need to talk to Scott and Isaac. Now."

"And you will." Derek said. "I'm leaving you at the school before going to see Effie. Once I've made sure she's okay, and Stiles is located, I will join you three back here."

Peter cocked a brow. "With or without your mate?"

"That's entirely up to her." Derek said without hesitation, not denying the role Effie played in his life. "Now, are you coming or not?"

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Scott looked at his phone, slightly confused. A text had come through from Derek.

'Got someone coming your way to talk. Don't kill him. Again.'

"Boys,"

Scott looked up as Isaac stepped up behind him. There stood Peter.

"What the hell?" Scott asked in disbelief.

Peter spread his arms wide. "I'm back."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Effie and John stood in Stiles' room while John was on the phone with one of his deputies. Effie was looking around the room, tears shining in her eyes.

"Ef,"

Effie turned at her father's call and saw Derek walking into the room. She practically flew into his arms, her tears flowing anew as Derek held her securely and rocked them slowly from side to side.

"Anything?" Derek asked over Effie's head.

John shook his head. "No, he hasn't been here. His jeep's still at the school. Scott found his lacrosse bag still in his locker. It's like he just vanished."

Derek nodded before turning his head back to the door way. "Stiles,"

Effie and John turned. Stiles was standing uncertainly, face beat up. John got to Stiles first, and Derek held Effie back so John could look his son over.

"Who did it?" John demanded.

"It's okay, Dad." Stiles said. "It was just a couple kids from the other team. They were pissed about losing and I was mouthing off. The next thing I know-"

"Who was it?" John demanded once more.

Effie looked at Derek, to see if Stiles was being honest. Derek subtly shook his head. Something else was going on but they'd wait until John was out of the room to ask. Once Stiles shouted to stop John's ranting about going to the other school and beating on the kids who hurt Stiles, the elder Stilinski grabbed his son in a tight hug. Effie could see tears in Stiles' eyes as he held onto his father and felt her own sliding down her face once more.

John pulled back and cleared his throat. "I'm gonna go let everyone know you're okay."

As their father left the room, Effie sprang forward and wrapped Stiles in a hug of her own.

"It wasn't the other team, was it?" Effie whispered.

She could tell by his pause that Stiles considered lying but with Derek in the room, he knew better.

"No," Stiles pulled away and walked over to his bed. "no, it wasn't." he looked at Derek. "It was Gerard. He wanted me to give up your location. Or give up Effie so he could get it out of her." he saw fury pass over Derek's face but knew it wasn't aimed at him. "Obviously I didn't tell him anything and," he waved a hand at his face. "you can see what my punishment was. Once he realized I wasn't giving him either of you, he had his goons drop me off down the street."

Effie carefully looked Stiles' face over. "He hit anywhere else or did he just decide you didn't need to be pretty anymore?"

Stiles gave a light laugh. "I may have a bruised rib or two but other than that, it was just my face." he looked at Derek again. "They have Boyd and Erica. I don't know how they got them, my money's on Allison, but they've got them. Though, Chris gave me this look, like he'd take care of setting them free. He wasn't exactly thrilled with his dad over any of this."

Effie looked at Derek. "We've still got a bigger problem."

Derek nodded. "I know. And I'm leaving it up to you two if you want to help. I won't drag you into this without your okay."

Stiles frowned. "What are we talking about?"

Effie crossed her arms. "When the lights went out at the game, and Gerard took you, he had Jackson kill himself. We've already figured out something much bigger is in play, we just don't know what. Scott and Isaac are at Derek's house with Peter, waiting for us." she looked back at Derek. "I'm coming."

Derek nodded again. "Okay, Stiles?"

Stiles sighed and shook his head. "I can't. Not this time. Not after," he ran a hand over the uninjured side of his face. "If you absolutely need back up, call me in. But for now, I'm done playing first string." he frowned. "Wait, Peter? How-Wha-"

Effie shook her head. "Don't go there. It's a long story that no one wants to explain." she kissed Stiles' forehead. "I'm proud of you for not giving in."

Stiles smiled. "I'd never betray you, baby sis. And I've never hurt you by turning Derek over."

Derek met Stiles' gaze and gave a single nod. "I'm glad you're okay." he paused. "For Effie's sake."

Effie shook her head while Stiles laughed.

"Thanks, Sourwolf. Glad to know you care."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Effie stood on Peter's free side as he worked on his laptop. Derek was on the phone with Scott, who was at the hospital with Isaac and Melissa, and Jackson's apparently not dead body.

"They say he's in some kind of transparent casing made from the venom coming out of his claws." Derek told them what Scott was saying.

"That sounds sufficiently terrifying." Peter commented.

"They also say he's starting to move." Derek responded.

Effie pinched the bridge of her nose before crossing her arms and aiming her words at Peter. "Do any of you actually stay dead?"

Peter grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know." he sat up. "Okay, look, I think I found something. Looks like what you've seen from Jackson is just the kanima's beta shape." he scrolled through a few things.

"Well, meaning what?" Derek asked. "It can turn into something bigger?"

Effie leaned closer to see what Peter was looking at as he leaned back, eyes wide.

"Bigger," Peter said. "and badder."

Effie blinked rapidly. "He's turning into that?"

"That has wings." Derek threw in.

Peter didn't flinch. "I can see that."

Effie cleared her throat. Twice. "We couldn't kill him in his beta shape. How the hell are we gonna get rid of THAT?"

Peter made a bunch of unintelligent noises before throwing his hands up. Effie gave him a look. Great.

"Look, someone actually made an animation of it." Peter said. "Maybe's it's less terrifying if we-" The three visibly jumped as a screech came from the computer and Peter slammed the cover shut. "Nope, not at all. We should probably meet them halfway."

"Scott, get him out of there now." Derek ordered. "Go now."

Effie fell in line behind Derek as he headed for the door, Peter trailing after them. Things were about to get interesting.

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Effie stood off in the shadows as an SUV pulled up and Chris, Scott and Isaac got out. Isaac looked right over at her and she stepped away from the building.

"Should you be here?" Isaac asked.

Effie smiled. "My pack, my fight."

"Where's Derek?" Chris asked.

Effie just motioned ahead of where they'd parked. No sooner had she done that, did Derek appear, running on all fours, towards them.

Derek stood and looked at Chris, Effie could see both men were sizing each other up.

"I'm here for Jackson," Chris said. "not you."

"Somehow I don't find that very comforting." Derek responded. He looked at Scott and Isaac. "Get him inside."

Effie moved over to Derek. "You're going to have to tell him."

Derek sighed. "I know. Just not sure how."

"Simple." Effie said. "'Scott, I plan on killing Jackson instead of saving him, as planned.'"

Derek gave her a look. "Acting like your brother again."

Effie returned the look. "Sleeping alone in the rail station, tonight."

Derek blew out a breath through his nose. "Please go inside. And stay close to Isaac."

Effie gave him another look before following the path into the warehouse. Derek shook his head and looked up for a moment.

"Girls are just so troublesome, aren't they?" Peter's voice reached Derek's ears.

Derek rolled his eyes. "Go get in place before I kill you. Again."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Effie screamed as Jackson suddenly woke up and stuck his claws into Derek's torso. Isaac put his arm out in front of Effie, blocking her path and protecting her if Jackson came their way next. They watched Jackson toss the alpha as if he were nothing more than a doll before standing.

"Well done to the last, Scott." Gerard said. He started walking forward. "Like the concerned friend you are, you brought Jackson to Derek to save him. You just didn't realize that you were also bringing Derek to me."

Before Isaac or Effie could react, two arrows whistled through the air, catching Isaac in either shoulder. He started to fall back and Effie caught him, lowering him to the ground. Scott registered Allison's presence before helping Effie lift Isaac up and moving further away from the hunters and Jackson. They got behind some crates and Effie helped Scott remove the arrows from Isaac, watching them heal in seconds.

"Stay here." Scott said to Effie. "Keep an eye out for Allison and do not let Gerard see where you are."

Effie nodded as Isaac and Scott took off to help Derek, who was completely wolfed out and healed from his toss. She watched as the three wolves took on Jackson, who just kept kicking them back and blocking each and every attack. When the kanima's claws slashed Derek across the stomach, dropping him to the ground, Effie ran from her hiding place to his side, rolling him so he was resting against her lap. She saw Allison take Isaac down before getting ready to charge at Derek.

"No!" Scott's voice rang out. "Allison!"

Before Allison could reach them, Jackson appeared, knocking Allison's blades from her hands and grabbing her by the throat.

"Not yet, sweetheart," Gerard appeared.

"What are you doing?" Allison asked her grandfather, clearly as confused as the rest of them.

"He's doing what he came here to do." Scott answered.

Effie turned sharply to the beta. Was he still betraying them? She felt Derek shift and moved her hands to his shoulders, giving him more freedom to move.

"Then you know." Gerard said to Scott.

"What's he talking about?" Allison asked.

"It was that night outside the hospital, wasn't it?" Gerard said. "When I threatened your mother. I knew I saw something in your eyes. You could smell it, couldn't you?"

"He's dying," Isaac announced.

"I am." Gerard confirmed. "I have been for a while now. Unfortunately, science doesn't have a cure for cancer, yet. But, the supernatural does."

"You monster." Chris growled.

"Not yet." Gerard corrected him.

"What are you doing?" Allison asked again.

"You'll kill her too?!" Chris asked angrily.

Gerard actually shrugged. "When it comes to survival, I'd kill my own son."

Effie looked between the three Argents, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"Scott,"

Effie whipped her head back towards the beta. She saw him looking at Derek and her eyes grew wide.

"Don't even try it, Scott." Effie shook her head. "Don't you dare touch him."

Scott walked towards them. "You're not strong enough to stop me, Effie. And right now, neither is he."

"The only way you're taking Derek," Effie threatened. "is by going through me. And if you lay a finger on me, you lose Stiles. You and I both know it."

Scott just shook his head and pushed Effie away from Derek before grabbing the alpha by the base of his neck and forcing him to his feet. Effie scrambled to stand and stop Scott but Chris grabbed her and held her back.

"I have to stop him." Effie struggled. "Please."

Chris swallowed. "I understand Effie, believe me, I understand. But if you try to stop Scott, either he'll hurt you on my father's orders or Jackson will. And the last thing Derek would want is you hurt."

Effie let out a strangled sob as Derek told Scott to stop, that Gerard was going to kill him right after and be an alpha.

"That's true," Gerard said. "but I think he already knows that, don't you Scott? He knows that the ultimate prize is Allison. Do this small task for me, and they can be together. You are the only piece that doesn't fit, Derek. And in case you haven't learned yet, there is just no competing with young love."

"Scott," Derek panted. "Don't. Don't!"

"I'm sorry." Scott said. "But I have to."

Effie watched, terrified, as Scott forced Derek's head back and his mouth open. Gerard moved to them, rolling up his sleeve as he went. He placed his forearm in Derek's mouth and Scott forced the alpha to bite.

Scott let Derek fall to the ground once he released Gerard and Chris let Effie run to him. She slid to her knees at his side and once again rolled him onto her lap.

"Hey," Effie smiled through her tears. "you're okay."

Derek panted and grabbed Effie's hand as a life line.

"What?" Gerard suddenly said.

Effie and Derek looked up and saw Gerard's bite wound was bleeding black.

"What is this?" Gerard looked at Scott. "What did you do?"

Scott looked down at Derek. "Everyone said Gerard always had a plan." he turned to Gerard. "I had a plan too."

Gerard started panicking, reaching into his pockets for his pills. He poured them into his hand and crushed them. "Mountain Ash!" he slowly fell to the ground as black blood starting leaking from his eyes, nose and ears. He started choking just before throwing up a geiser of black blood. Effie turned away, not wanting the image in her head.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Derek asked Scott.

Scott looked down at him again. "Because you might be an alpha, but you're not mine."

Effie glared harshly at Scott as she felt Derek's shoulders slump in defeat. If she wasn't so concerned about Derek, she'd be on her feet, showing Scott just how strong she was.

Spitting sounds distracted the group back over to Gerard, who was crawling on his elbows and still spitting up black blood.

"Kill them." He ordered Jackson. "Kill. Them. ALL!"

Finally, he collapsed face first into the ground, causing Jackson to release his hold on Allison's neck. The moment she was free, she elbowed the kanima in the face, only to get knocked to the ground for her efforts. Before any of the wolves could go at Jackson again, to Effie's surprise, Stiles' jeep came crashing through the broken siding of the warehouse and straight into Jackson's side.

Unfortunately, that just stunned Jackson. In moments, he was back up and on the hood of Stiles' jeep, hissing at the two passengers. Stiles and Lydia, Stiles screaming all the way, rushed out of the jeep and away from the kanima.

Stiles ran over to Scott, Effie and Derek while Lydia stayed, calling Jackson's name. As the kanima stood before her, she held something up, a key from what Effie could see. Stiles tried to run back over to her but Scott stopped him. Jackson had stopped, mid-strike, and was staring at the key in Lydia's hand, as if it were triggering a memory.

They all watched as Jackson slowly became more himself and less the kanima. His eyes turned back to normal and he reached out, taking the key from Lydia's hand.

Derek started to get up and Effie helped him before he motioned her to Stiles' side. Not knowing what he was planning, Effie did as she was told and hugged her brother as he wrapped an arm around her.

Jackson slowly backed away from Lydia, seemingly in a daze as he turned more and more human. Effie saw the way Jackson held his arms out, as if surrendering to Derek, and gave a small nod. Derek darted forward, digging his claws into Jackson's gut while Peter appeared and did the same to Jackson's spine.

Holding him in the air for a moment, Derek made the decision to pull back and he and Peter removed their claws. Derek stepped back as Jackson choked and gasped and when he started to fall, Lydia rushed forward and caught him in her arms, carefully lowering him to the ground.

Derek moved to Effie's free side and she slid an arm from around Stiles and took Derek's hand, anchoring them both as they watched Jackson and Lydia. Isaac appeared on Derek's other side and the alpha put a hand on his beta's shoulder.

Silent tears ran down Effie's face as she watched Lydia tell Jackson she still loved him before lowering his lifeless body onto the ground.

"Where's Gerard?" Allison asked suddenly.

"He can't be far." Chris reassured.

Lydia stood up and started moving away from Jackson, tears streaming down her face. Effie felt Stiles let her go and move towards Lydia to comfort her, only for the sound of claws on stone to stop them all in their tracks.

Stiles stepped back as they watched the claw marks heal into nothing and Jackson slowly begin to stand up. He got to his feet and leaned his head back. Then, shocking everyone, he let out a fierce roar of a werewolf. Lydia ran forward and jumped into Jackson's arms and he didn't hesitate to return the gesture.

Effie saw the tears on Stiles' face and looked at Derek. "I'm gonna go with Stiles. He just,"

Derek nodded. "I know." he kissed her. "Go."

Before making her way to her brother's side, Effie turned to Scott and met the beta's gaze.

"If you ever touch Derek, again," Effie spoke softly, but harshly. "or betray our pack, again, and I don't care if I see you as a brother. I'll hurt you so bad, your supernatural healing won't be able to do shit."

Scott stared. "I-I had no choice."

"There is always a choice." Effie spat. "Like talking to your friends, telling us what's going on. Asking for help, you idiot! You don't seem to have a problem taking it, whether it's offered up willingly or not. Try asking next time." she shook her head. "Because you won't get a third chance."

Effie put a hand on Stiles' shoulder and followed him to the jeep. With one last look at the reunited couple, the remains of the Hale pack and Scott's down turned face, the twins got in the jeep and headed for home.

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Effie sat in front of Stiles on his bed, holding his hands in her own, as he cried silently over the events of the past twenty four hours. They were home, safe and with only their father around. Effie had told him it was okay to finally let it all go. That she wasn't going to tell anyone, that he could trust her to be there until he was done.

Hearing the door open quietly, Effie looked over her shoulder and saw John. He looked at Stiles in concern but Effie just shook her head. John nodded, understanding that there were some things his children could only work out together. Once the door was closed, Effie turned her focus back to Stiles.

And there it would stay, well into the night and next day.

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

"You're sure?" Effie questioned again.

Stiles rolled his eyes. "Yes, for the love of god, go. Spend time with Derek. Play pack mom with Isaac." he smirked. "And Peter too."

Effie groaned. "Please, don't go there. The idea of Peter being back AND part of the pack makes me want to hurl. Violently. And then stab his eyes out."

Stiles perked up. "Oh, I like that idea."

Effie laughed. "Alright, I'll go see Derek. You go train. I expect you to make captain next year, Stilinski."

Stiles saluted. "Yes ma'am!"

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

"So," Effie looked around Derek's newly purchased loft. She could hear Isaac upstairs, putting all his belonging away in the storage bins that Derek had gotten. The boy did not know how to be quiet. "Jackson's fixed, Peter's back, Boyd and Erica are missing and Scott's a douche. Did I miss anything?"

Derek paused as he fixed up the kitchen area. "Um, the alpha pack that's here and possibly has Erica and Boyd."

Effie nodded. "Right, right. Can't forget that." she leaned against the large table by the floor to ceiling windows. "So basically, business as usual?"

Derek laughed. "If that's business as usual, we need new jobs."

Effie snickered. "I think it's a bit late for that, Der."

"True," Derek walked over to Effie and pulled her close. "We'll get our betas back, Ef. I swear."

Effie rested her head on his chest, forehead tucked against his throat. "I know we will. I'm just scared for them, for what they must be going through." she glared off to the side. "For every injury those pups have, the alphas get twice as many."

Derek nodded. "I think I can make that happen." he gently tipped Effie's head up with a single finger. "We haven't lost yet. And we're not gonna start now."

"Damn straight." Effie agreed before leaning up to kiss Derek. The two easily got lost in each other, in the moment, until-

"NOT WHILE I'M HOME, GUYS!"

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

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What can I say? Scarring Isaac is just awesome. I've been reading too many Sterek fics, to be honest. Posting for season three will begin on Wednesday and will be titled 'Strength, Change, Growth'. The thought and time I've put into these titles kinda scares me, not gonna lie. Anywho! Let me know what you think, flame policy stands and thanks so much for reading! See you in season three!

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