Okay, first of all: I am so sorry! This week has been crazy, but I'm here now! Enjoy!

Lydia followed Isaac, determination clear on her features. "Are you sure you don't know?"

"Lydia," he sighed exasperatedly, pausing to turn to her. "I wasn't there, and they haven't told me. What else do you want?"

"I wanna know what was said about me!" she said as he stopped at his locker. "I have the right to know that, don't I?"

"Of course," he nodded. "But I can't tell you. You'll have to get it out of Scott and Stiles."

"Ask them what?"

Lydia turned around to see Liam standing there, looking at them curiously.

"Maybe you can help me," she said, crossing her arms. "You were at track practice this morning, right?"

"Yeah, I'm on the team," he said with a shrug. "Why?"

"I would like to know why Scott punched someone, and what the guy he punched said about me," she told him. "Can you tell me?"

Liam's eyes widened as realization hit him. "I can't, actually. I, uh, I have to get to class."

He went to move past her, but she sidestepped and blocked him. When he tried to go the other way, she blocked him again, raising her eyebrow sternly. "You can take thirty seconds. Talk."

"Please, Lydia," he begged. "I can't talk right now. I'm going to be late for class, and I already have two weeks of detention."

"Two weeks?" she asked, the wheels in her mind spinning. "Scott has two weeks of detention."

"Funny," he said, forcing a laugh. She narrowed her eyes at him, and his face sobered and turned into one of pleading. "Please let me get to class."

With a sigh, she stepped out of his way. "You're telling me after class, got it?"

He nodded. "Okay, but only because you scare me."

He hurried down the hall towards class, and Lydia sighed, leaning against the locker.

"I'm going to find out," she told Isaac, who had shut his locker while she had been talking to Liam.

He nodded, and knowing smirk on his face. "I don't doubt it."

Stiles made his way down the hall towards them, confusion on his face.

"What did you say to Liam?" he asked when he got to them.

"Nothing, really," she answered as he took her hand. "I just asked him if he knew anything about what happened in the locker room.

Stiles sighed, and she knew that he was fighting the urge to roll his eyes. He let go of her hand to run a hand through his hair, seeing as his other arm was still in a sling. "Does it really matter? It was just a classic case of 'Talk Shit, Get Hit', okay?"

"I have a right to know what shit he said, don't I?" she asked.

"I don't get why you want to know so bad," he countered. "I don't even know everything he said. I just know what he said after Liam pushed him up against the locker."

"So Liam was involved?" she asked, straightening up. She couldn't help that her heart warmed a little at that confirmation. She honestly had never thought he considered her much of a friend, but this had been the second time that she knew of that he had done something specifically for or because of her. But she hated the fact that this time it had gotten him in trouble. "Was it really that bad?"

The bell rang, and Stiles sighed again. "Look, I have to go. I promise, if you really want to know, then you need to talk to Scott. He heard the whole thing. I just heard the tail-end of it."

"Well, what was the tail-end of it?" she asked.

"I'll tell you later," he promised. "But right now, I have to get to class."

"Fine," she sighed. "But you will tell me."

"I will," he said. "I love you."

"Love you, too," she told him.

He left her standing there, walking to class with Isaac. She watched them go, irritation growing. She had a right to know what was said about her, no matter how bad it was.

''''''''''

Derek walked into the loft, groceries in tow as Braeden hung up the phone.

"Hey," she said, hopping up from the couch to grab a bag from him.

"Hey," he replied. "Who were you talking to?"

"Uh…Chris," she said hesitantly. "Just catching up, you know?"

Derek looked at her, catching the small change in her heartrate. She was brilliant at controlling it, but he had learned the minute changes when she wasn't telling the truth. He just hadn't told her yet.

"You've been doggedly pursuing this account number for three weeks, and you call Chris just to catch up?" he asked, setting his bag on the counter. He started pulling groceries out of it, glancing at her with a raised brow. She just shrugged.

"We haven't heard from him in a while," she said. No lie there. "What's so wrong about that?"

Derek sighed, turning to her and leaning back into the counter. "What aren't you telling me?"

She sighed herself, placing her hands on her hips. "I needed his opinion on something, okay? I've been stuck for three weeks, Derek. I have a theory, and I thought that I should run it by somebody."

"So run it by me," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. She had told him every inkling she had while they were off on their business, but once they get back, she's building theories without a word?

"I need to run it by someone who didn't want to rip someone's throat out for bringing harm to the Pack," she clarified, taking a step towards him. "I know how protective you are of everyone, and how intensified that is for Lydia right now. I didn't want you to go in making threats and taking names before I knew for sure, okay?"

"And now that you've run it by somebody?" he asked, still a little bitter about the fact that she didn't tell him, even though he understood. He put his arms around her waist, tilting his head as he looked down at her.

"It's still not confirmed," she told him, picking at his shirt. "But he's going to see what he can find out."

He looked at her as the realization hit him. "You think it was the Calaveras?"

She shrugged. "They're the only people I know of that wouldn't want to kill Scott themselves."

He nodded slowly, contemplating the possibility. "I thought that they had made a deal with Chris."

"They did," she confirmed. "But it doesn't mean they can't hire out if they were determined enough."

"True," Derek said, nodding again. It made sense. No matter what deal they made with Chris, they were still hunters, and they still followed the original code. We hunt those who hunt us. Araya didn't care that Scott would never hurt anyone, she just cared that he was a werewolf. She had been looking for a reason to end him since she met him.

He could feel his anger grow as he thought, and he had to take a deep breath to calm himself. Braeden was right. He did want to go end them right then and there. But he couldn't, not without proof.

"So what are we gonna do to prove it?" he finally asked, his voice tense.

"That's where Chris comes in," she told him.

''''''''''

Lydia pulled out her lipstick, reapplying it before leaving the bathroom to go pick up lunch for her and her mother.

A freshman girl came out of one of the stalls, and Lydia smiled at her in greeting. The freshman nodded, washing her hands. The girl kept shooting Lydia furtive glances, like she was trying to look without being obvious and failing miserably.

Had Lydia been in a better mood, a few seconds of this probably wouldn't have bothered her. But she wasn't in that good of a mood, and frankly it was annoying.

"Can I help you?" Lydia asked, looking at the freshman as she put the cap back on her lipstick.

The girl looked at her with wide eyes, shaking her head vehemently. "N-no. I just…"

"Just what?" she asked, raising a brow at the girl.

"It's just…" the freshman took a deep breath, gaining some courage as she did so. "You're Lydia Martin, right?"

"Yes," Lydia answered. "Why?"

"I just, I heard something about you," she said. "And I know not to take rumors to heart, I do, but it's a pretty bad rumor, and I just didn't know if you knew about it or not, or if it's even partly true, and I guess I wanted to make sure that you were okay, because you always seem nice, but I didn't know what to say –"

"What rumor?" she asked, her voice softening. The girl had only wanted to help but had been too intimidated. Lydia couldn't be mad at her for that.

The younger girl bit her lip, obviously nervous. "That you were pregnant. But like I said, I know not to take rumors to heart, but I've heard people say some pretty awful things just today –"

"Hey," Lydia said, stopping the girl's rambling. She hadn't been ready to address anything yet, but this girl just seemed so worried that Lydia couldn't help herself. "It's, uh…It's not a rumor. I'm pregnant, and my boyfriend and I are keeping it."

"Really?" she asked. "I just, it was kind of hard to believe for me. You're just the last person that I would think – not that I know you well or anything, but – I should stop talking."

Lydia couldn't help but smile at the girl. "You know that no form of contraception is one-hundred percent effective. I'm just an example of that, I guess."

The girl nodded. "Yeah. But you should know that people are saying some really bad things about you, even the girls. So just…don't listen to them, okay? Because I've spent less than five minutes with you and know that they're not true. Well, except for the pregnant part."

"Thank you," Lydia told her, her heart warming. "And thank you for warning me."

"You're welcome," the freshman said. "I should get back to class."

Lydia nodded as the girl left, looking in the mirror as she rested a hand on her stomach.

"We're going to have to deal with a lot of crap for the next few months," she said, taking a deep breath. This was the first time she had actually talked to the person growing inside of her. It was weird. "But guess what? I've been through worse, so I know how to deal with it."

She took another moment to check her appearance before leaving the bathroom as the bell rang.

''''''

"Did you hear that Lydia Martin's preggo?"

"Seriously? Since when?"

"I don't know. Carrie told me."

"I can't say I'm that surprised. I knew that it was going to happen sooner to later."

Malia clenched her jaw, putting down her pencil to save it. She had already broken one this morning because of Isaac. She looked across the classroom, making eye contact with him, and he looked just as pissed as she felt. She was used to these girls whispering in class, but once they started talking about Lydia, she couldn't help but be pissed. She didn't know if was Pack of friend, but she wanted to rip their tongues out. Maybe it was a combination of both. But she knew that's not what Scott would do. She wasn't even supposed to be able to hear them, anyway.

After taking a deep breath, she picked up her pencil and continued taking notes. She may not be a big fan of history, but she still wanted to get a good grade in it. Maybe it could make up for barely passing math.

The bell rang, and everyone shot up, determined to get out of there.

"Don't forget the quiz tomorrow," Mr. Yukimura called out. "Make sure and study!"

Malia sighed, glad that she didn't have to listen to the girls anymore. She put her notebook in her bag, standing up to make her way to lunch.

"Is everything okay, Malia?" Mr. Yukimura asked, looking at her with concern as she walked by the desk.

"Fine," she told him. "Why?"

"You seemed upset towards the end of class," he said.

"Just the girls behind me talking," she assured him. "It's kind of annoying."

He nodded. "Okay. Study for the test, okay?"

"Will do!" she told him, leaving the classroom and moving down the hall.

Isaac found his way next to her, walking with her to lunch. "Do you wanna study together for the quiz tomorrow?"

"Why would I want to study with you?" she asked, confused. The only times they had talked to each other was sarcastic one-liners and Malia trying to control her urge to punch him.

"Because we're the only two in that class," he said. "And it always helps to have someone to study with. I mean, I helped you with that math, didn't I?"

"How good are you at history?" she asked.

"Not as good as I am at math, but still pretty decent," he admitted.

She stayed silent for a moment, appraising him. Finally, she gave him a smirk. "I'll think about it."

"I'll take it," he said, giving her a smirk of his own.

''''''''''

"What exactly did he say?" Stiles asked his best friend. "Because Lydia's determined to find out, and we all know that means she will."

Scott sighed, looking down at his lunch. "I don't think she really does want to know."

"Apparently she does," Stiles said. "And now that he knows that she's pregnant, it's going to spread like wildfire, and who knows how he embellished it is now that he's pissed off at us."

"I know!" Scott exclaimed. "I've already heard some."

"Like what?" Stiles asked, his panic rising a little. "What have you heard?"

"Basically what Johnson was saying this morning," Scott admitted, picking at his plate.

"Which is?"

Scott looked at him across the table, apprehension clear on his face. Was it really that bad?

"Scott, what the hell did he say?" Stiles asked. "You're kind of freaking me out right now."

With a sigh, Scott put down his fork. Before he could speak, Lydia came and sat down next to Stiles at the table. "What's up?"

"I thought that you were having lunch with your mom?" Stiles asked.

"She had a last minute meeting," Lydia explained. "So I thought that I'd come eat with you guys."

Stiles nodded, turning back to Scott with a pointed look.

"Are you gonna tell me what that douche said this morning?" she asked, taking a bite of her salad. Scott groaned, running a hand through his hair.

"Do I have to?" he asked.

"Yes," she said simply. "Or I can always get it out of Liam. I apparently scare him."

"Fine," Scott said. He was silent for a moment before he started. "For one, he called you a slut, in more ways than one."

"That's it?" she asked. "You do realize that I've been called a slut before, right? It doesn't really bother me."

"He was pretty vulgar about it," Scott insisted. "Even to Stiles' face."

"What exactly did he say?" she asked, turning to Stiles.

He sighed, looking down at his hands. "He, uh, he told me that there was a reason that everyone know that you're a good fuck. That's when Scott punched him."

Her eyebrows were raised in surprise, but she simply nodded and turned back to Scott. "Is that all he said? Creative ways to say that I'm a slut?"

"He might've suggested that you probably didn't know who the father was…" Scott trailed off, obviously uncomfortable.

Stiles sat there with his jaw dropped, and he didn't dare look at his girlfriend as his anger rose.

"What?" Lydia asked. "How the fuck could he think that?"

"I don't know," Scott shrugged. "I just heard it."

"Calling me a slut is one thing," she continued. "But a cheater? Why would he even think –"

She cut herself off, taking a deep breath as she closed her eyes. Pushing his anger aside for the moment, Stiles took her hand in hers, his thumb drawing calming circles on the back of her hand. She didn't open her eyes, but she squeezed his hand in appreciation.

"This is why I didn't want to tell you," Scott admitted. "I knew that it would upset you, and you don't need that right now."

"Why?" she asked, her eyes finally flying open as anger flashed in them. "Because I'm hormonal? You think I'm going to turn into some blubbering mess because I'm pregnant? I know you feel like you have to protect me because of some instinct, but I am a big girl, Scott. I think I can handle a few harsh words."

"That's not it at all!" Scott said. "I just don't think that you should have to worry about what some random jerk says."

"Well, apparently he's not the only one who's saying things," Lydia snapped, her voice thick and her eyes shining with unshed tears. She took another deep breath to calm herself, and Stiles knew that she was trying not to cry. Out of anger or hurt, he wasn't sure. "According to a sweet freshman girl I encountered in the bathroom, people have been saying awful things about me all morning. So awful that a random girl that I'd never even met was worried about how I was handling it all."

Stiles clenched his jaw, his anger coming back full force. How could people be so fucking ridiculous?

"What's wrong?"

Malia came and sat by Lydia, placing a hand on her shoulder as Isaac sat by Scott. "I smelled that you were upset from the across the cafeteria. What happened?"

"Apparently everyone thinks that I'm a cheating slut!" Lydia told her, her voice breaking. She stood up quickly, ripping her hand out of Stiles'. "I'll be right back."

She walked briskly out of the cafeteria, and Stiles looked at Scott, who nodded at him to go after her.

''''''''''

Lydia quickened her pace down the hall, thankful that nobody was around. She didn't know why those comments bothered her so much, but she knew a lot of her reaction had to do with hormones. She took another deep breath to keep the tears at bay, picking up her pace to the door. She didn't have any more classes, so she didn't have any reason to stay there.

"Lydia, wait!"

Lydia ignored Stiles' voice, opening the door and making her way down the steps. By the time she got to the curb, she heard the door open, and the tell-tale shuffling that was Stiles trying not to fall down the stairs as he ran. She paused, taking yet another deep breath and turning to him.

"What?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Where are you going?" he asked, catching up to her.

"Home," she told him. "I don't have any more classes today, so I don't know why I'm staying here."

"So you're just going to let them win?" he asked. "None of what they said is true, so why does it matter?"

"I know it's not true, Stiles!" She exclaimed, unable to stop the tears from falling. "But it does matter! I know you might not get it, but what everyone else thinks has mattered to me for so long that I can't just shake it off! It used to matter more than anything what they thought! And I know it's dumb, and ridiculous, but I can't just shove that all away!"

He stepped closer to her, gently wiping away her tears as he looked at her. "I get it, I do. I watched you care, and I saw it hurt you. I've also seen you start to get past that, and it make you stronger. But what I'm trying to say is that you can just walk out of here, and let them win, or you can go in there, show them that it doesn't affect you and shut them up."

"But it does affect me," she admitted, hating how small her voice sounded.

"Doesn't mean they have to know that," he said, giving her a small smile. "I'm not saying keep everything in and then cry alone in your car like you used to, but for your one class, act like you don't give two shits about them, and then you can vent and do whatever you need to with me, or your mom, or Malia and Kira if you need girl time."

Lydia saw his point, she did. She just wasn't sure if she would be able to do it with the hormones raging inside of her.

"I can try," she finally told him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "But I can't promise perfection."

"I don't expect it," he told her, pulling her closer. "If anyone does make you cry, I'll send one of the wolves after them."

She couldn't help but laugh. "Please do."

He leaned down to kiss her, and her lips met his eagerly. When she pulled out of the kiss, she rested her head on his chest.

"You should probably go finish lunch," she said after a few moments.

She felt him shrug his good shoulder. "It wasn't very edible, anyway."

She rolled her eyes, pulling out of his embrace and taking his hand. "You need to keep your energy up for PT."

"Don't remind me," he groaned as she led him back to the door.

"If you do well, than you can be out of the sling in a few days," she reminded him. "And I want you out of that sling."

"Yes, Ma'am," he said, putting his good arm around her and kissing her temple.

They walked back into school, Lydia taking deep breaths to build herself up. She knew that the next few months wouldn't be easy, but she felt better having Stiles by her side.

Let me know what you think!