I really appreciate all the reviews :) Thanks so much for all your kind words. Hope you enjoy this one!
Stiles' POV
Standing there, looking down at Emma's curious expression, was one of the most terrifying moments of Stiles' life. He tried to soothe himself by breathing deeply and thankfully, he calmed down once Emma's soft, familiar aroma danced over his nose. The guilt was killing him. He had to tell her the truth.
"This is going to sound absolutely.. crazy to you," Stiles stumbled over his words, "It's about what happened.. that night. That, that accident." Stiles could see Emma's eyes widen. She bit her lip like she always did when she was nervous. His voice trembled with his next words, "It wasn't an- an animal that ran out in front of us."
"I know," Emma quickly responded. His eyes raced to look into Emma's, "I thought I was just being crazy or seeing things- but I know it wasn't.. it wasn't normal." She began to look a bit scared. Stiles swallowed the dry lump in his throat. Just say it, he thought. He wouldn't bring Scott into this. No, he would not share Scott's secret with anyone- if anyone was to find out, it's because Scott wanted them to know. He couldn't do that to his best friend.
"It was the same thing that day in the woods, wasn't it?"
"Man, you-" Stiles forced a chuckle, "See? You are smart." His head began to ache. His eyelids dropped and he opened his mouth. "Werewolves exist." He opened his eyes with a wince, afraid of how Emma would react.
At first she exhaled very deeply. Her eyes diverted to the cieling, her forehead crinkling in confusion.
"I realize, it sounds so.. insane," Stiles mumbled, looking down at the floor, "I wish this was some dumb joke.. but it's not."
"How do you know this?" Stiles heart raced. He would have to lie to her again. He rehearsed this. Now he had to choke it out.
"There was an attack and my dad went to investigate it. I heard it over his radio and.. and I went to the crime scene. And, when no-one else was there, I s-saw it," he stuttered, "And I couldn't believe my eyes. But I did research. And- and now I'm sure. But I've told no-one." It was most of the truth. With Scott left completely out of it.
"This must be killing you," she said, surprising him. He looked up from the floor to meet her brown eyes, "You have to keep this secret. And, and if I was you, I'd be petrified to try to tell anyone."
And that was why he was in love with Emma. She didn't call him crazy or laugh in his face. She considered his feelings. She put herself in his shoes. Her kind, considerate soul amazed him.
"Thank you for not reacting how everyone else would." Emma placed her hand on his cheek.
"Thank you for telling me," she whispered to him, "I saw it, too, okay? Thank you." She suddenly sighed and looked upset.
"Hey, what is it?" he worringly asked.
"I just- I'm just wondering why.. why it would want to hurt us. I know it.. I know it jumped out," Emma stumbled over her words, trying to piece it all together.
"Maybe because I know about it," Stiles mumbled, "I just hate- I just hate that you're in danger because of me." Emma shook her head and rested her forehead on his chest.
"Stiles, I haven't told you this- but when I first moved here, I went on a run and, and I saw something in the woods. At the time, I convinced myself it was nothing, but I knew it wasn't. You haven't put me in any danger, okay?" she assured him, "And besides, I feel so safe when I'm with you. The safest I've felt in a long time." She had no idea how wonderful it was to him to hear her say those words.
"Really?"
"Really," she replied quickly. Emma pulled her arms around Stiles' torso and squeezed. He kissed the top of her head, relieved.
"You said two things," she said into his shirt.
"What?" Stiles knew exactly what she was talking about. The second thing he was going to tell her. The thing that made him even more scared.
"You were going to tell me two things." Stiles licked his lips and sighed.
"You know," he said with a laugh, "I actually forget." And of course you chicken out like you always do, he mentally scolded himself.
Emma's POV
"Well, tell me once you remember, okay?" she said with a chuckle. She stood, holding tightly onto him and smelling his comforting scent. He finally told her. He finally told her and made her understand- she wasn't crazy. What she saw was real. And this secret he'd been keeping for a long time- he trusted her with it. She had never felt so close to him before. If it was possible, she loved him even more now.
"I will." His chest vibrated once he spoke. His chest was so firm. And his back, too. Just by hugging him, she could feel his muscle definition. But by simply looking, no-one could tell. His sensitivity wasn't the only thing he hid from people.
She pulled away and looked up at him.
"Can I wear that brown hoodie you lent me once? I love it," Emma asked. Stiles chuckled and kissed her forehead. He moved over to his closet and grabbed the hoodie that was draped on a hanger. She turned and gladly took it from him.
"Thanks."
"Keep it," he laughed.
"Wait, you wear it first for a while, then I'll wear it," Emma told him. He only smiled at her and put it on. "What? I like the way you smell, okay?" Stiles' dimples were prominent as he grinned at her and zipped up the hoodie.
"I like the way you smell," Stiles answered, pulling her to his chest once more. Emma eventually took Stiles' hand let him to his bed. They lay in Stiles' bed in silence. She loved how they could just lie there, in complete innocence- simply because they enjoyed eachother's company. Emma was draped across Stiles' chest with her head over his heart and her hand tightly around his torso. He traced a finger continously up and down her back, causing pleasurable trembles through her body.
She contently listened to his breathing and heartbeat. "Have you eaten?" Stiles chuckled, causing his chest to go up and down quickly. "No, come on, you've just had frozen yogurt, you must be hungry."
"Well, I'm always hungry- but yeah, I'm especially hungry right now," Stiles answered, "Aw, you care about me." Emma giggled and looked up at him, resting her chin on his chest.
"Well, not necessarily you, but your stomach," she teased back. Stiles threw his head back in laughter. Emma felt a buzzing in her pocket. She fished her phone out and placed it in Stiles' hand. "Please read it, I'm too lazy."
"It's from your dad. 'Where are you? Come home'," Stiles read. Emma looked at him, worried. She took the phone and quickly texted back.
'I'm at Stiles', is everything okay?'
"I hope he's not mad," Emma mumbled, "I did tell him I'd be going out with you."
"Maybe he dug into my records and finally found out I stole a pack of gum when I was seven," Stiles answered. Emma chuckled.
"You dangerous man."
"It's in my blood."
"Did you actually steal a pack of gum when you were seven?"
"I was a trouble-maker, but not one that broke the law," Stiles chuckled. Emma giggled and looked into his hazel eyes. How she loved him. Her phone buzzed again. The two of them eagerly looked to see what it would reveal.
'Yes, just come home, you've been out enough.' Emma showed the text to Stiles, confused.
"My dad has never acted like this," she stammered.
"I'm sure it's nothing, babe," Stiles assured, "Parents get worried over nothing sometimes." Emma felt silly for feeling so giddy as soon as he called her babe. He said it so casually but it sent a rush of butterflies to her stomach.
"I hope so." Emma mounted up on her knuckles and sat back with her legs crossed. Stiles looked at her, sitting up and leaning on the head-rest.
"Thank you," were the next words that came out of his mouth.
"For what?"
"For existing." Emma's lips were pulled into a smile as she gazed at his serious face. She literally felt like she'd be lost without him. Moving to Beacon Hills was terrifying, but as soon as she met him, she felt like she'd be okay. She could talk to him about the horrific incidents of her past and he understood her. Anytime she thought of him, she felt love. It was definitely true what they said about not knowing what falling in love was until you actually experienced it.
She was in love with the person sitting across from her. So deeply in love.
"I don't- I don't even know where to begin," she chuckled to herself. She looked up to see him lick his lips like he always would.
"I get that you have to leave, but can you not, though?"
"That sounds like a lovely idea," Emma replied, "however, getting in trouble doesn't really sound too fun right now." Stiles nodded with a laugh and groaned as he slid off of the bed. Emma followed his lead. Reaching the front door, Stiles called out to his father that he'd be dropping Emma off.
During the ride, Emma fiddled with the radio and found a station playing 80's music, to which she goofily sang along to, leaving Stiles in fits of laughter. They approached Emma's street, but Stiles made a sharp left before her house.
"What are you doing?" Emma asked in utter confusion.
"I don't want to stop spending time with you." His comment set the butterflies in her stomach off again. "I'm willing to drive around just to get a few more minutes with my girlfriend."
Emma chuckled and reached her hand out to rest on his shoulder and lightly stroked his neck up and down.
"You're not making it any easier," Stiles answered, enjoyingly craning his neck as she massaged him. "Oh, I just remembered, I have to make a stop about an hour away. You mind staying with me? It'll be real quick." Emma laughed, so happy he wanted to be with her.
"I don't want to go home either," Emma chuckled. Eventually, Stiles unhappily made the correct turn and idled in front of Emma's home. As the car stopped, they looked at each other in silence.
"Hey, I get that you love my new sweater, but I want it back," Emma finally said. He laughed. How she loved that laugh.
"Where are my manners? How could I just take your sweater like that?" Emma giggled. Stiles unbuckled his seat-belt and moved up to the edge of the seat. She couldn't help but eye him as he took off the hoodie. She sighed, considering what'd it be like to watch him take off the rest of his clothing. She felt her face flush uncomfortably with the thought. He dropped the sweater on her lap.
"Thank you," Emma chirped, "I've had a wonderful time, as always."
"Likewise," Stiles answered. He eagerly closed the distance between them and pressed his lips on hers. Feeling Stiles' soft lips against hers finally caused the butterflies to go frantic. Impulsively, she deepened the kiss by licking his lower lip, spreading hers just slightly apart. Afraid of losing any more control, Emma pulled back, a little out of breath. She slowly opened her eyes at the same time Stiles did. He looked at her with a sly grin.
"I'll see you later," she whispered with a smile. Grabbing her things, and of course, the cotton hoodie, Emma got out of the vehicle. She walked through her front door, a little wary of what her father was acting so urgent about.
"Dad?" she called out. Her father rounded the corner, dressed in his uniform. "What's going on?" she asked, her voice shaking once she noticed his serious expression.
"I just thought you should be home by now. School ended a while ago." Emma's father bent down by the shoe closet and began to put his boots on.
"Well, I'm home," Emma announced, "Where are you going?"
"Just got called in the station," he answered, focusing on tightening his laces.
"C-can Stiles come over?" she stammered.
"The house is a mess," he muttered. Emma looked around, puzzled. They've had guests over in much more worse conditions.
"Uh, I'll clean it. Then can he?"
"Emma, you were just with him!" Bruce replied sternly. Did he hate Stiles or something? No, no-one could hate him. They had no reason to. Did he not like the thought of her with a boyfriend? She understood how it could seem like a couple- well, they were now. But no, he wouldn't deal with it like this. It had to be more than that.
"I- I know but, I'd like some company."
"Don't you have homework to do?"
"Not a lot," Emma shrugged, trying to understand her father's behaviour.
"Emma, please, just stay here, okay?"
"Dad, what's going on?" Mr. Landson stood with his arms behind him, resting on his back and stretching.
"Nothing, I just think you need to focus on some school work, okay? You're spending too much time with that Stilinski kid anyway. I'll be home later." He sighed and stood in silence for a second. He gave Emma a light pat on her cheek. "I love you," he said with his usual, soft voice. He walked past her, quickly closing the door behind him.
This was not the dad she knew. He never judged people the way he did. Something in her gut told her that wasn't about Stiles at all. Emma sighed in frustration and dragged her feet to the kitchen, making herself dinner, wishing Stiles could be there.
She grabbed her things and made her way to her bedroom. Emma filled her stomach and began to do her school-work. She then took out her cell-phone and texted Stiles.
'Sorry, have a bunch to do. :(' It was partly true. She didn't want to tell Stiles what her father said about him. Especially since she knew he didn't mean it. She sent the message and went back to work. A moment later, Stiles replied.
'That's okay. I'll just cry now.' She smiled at her phone.
'Don't cry please :) You're too cute to cry.' Emma chuckled and placed her phone back on her desk. After finishing her homework, she sat in front of the television, extremely bored. A commercial break began, momentarily stopping the sitcom Emma was watching. After a fast-food commercial, a small segment from the local news station came on with a story about a mysterious sighting in the woods.
Emma's heart drummed against her ribs. She sat up and silently stared at the tv screen. It displayed shots of the dark forestry of Beacon Hills, closed off by yellow police tape. "Catch the rest of the story on the most trusted news station in the county at 8." Emma nervously chewed on her lip, staring down at her lap.
She began to have an uncontrollable urge to check the crime scene out. She knew she shouldn't, but whenever there was a crime scene, she became unbelievably curious. Especially with this one- it could of involved the werewolf.
Refusing to deny her curiousity any more, Emma grabbed her phone and texted Stiles.
'There's a crime scene! Can we go? Pleeease.'
Stiles' POV
Stiles responded to his phone's chime, glad to see there was a text from Emma. Whenever he saw her name on his phone, it made him smile. He read the text. A crime scene? Stiles began to worry- what if it involved a werewolf? No, it wasn't a full moon. It couldn't be that.
What was the harm in doing so? He texted her back.
'YES WE CAN GO! Are you allowed?'
Emma replied quickly, 'Well, my dad isn't home at the moment.. but he didn't say I couldn't leave, exactly. I finished my homework, so it's okay. :)' Stiles smiled. His father wasn't home either. It must've been a big crime scene.
'Be there in 10.'
Emma's POV
Emma was glad Stiles agreed. She jogged upstairs and grabbed Stiles' hoodie, which was resting on her bed. As she waited on the staircase, Emma felt a little bit guilty. Her father was really persistent on getting her home. But she did do all her school-work like he requested. What was the harm in observing a crime scene like every other person who knew there was one would?
She breathed deeply. So, maybe this was involving the werewolf. And said werewolf could be dangerous. Well, he was dangerous.
But, it might have not been involving him. Either way, Emma wanted to get out of the house. Especially if it involved being with Stiles.
Soon after, Stiles' Jeep pulled in front of Emma's home. She locked the door behind her. Emma opened the car door to see Stiles smiling at her.
"I'm glad your new sweater is already being put to use." Emma looked down at the brown hoodie draped over her body and chuckled. As she plopped down in the seat, she reached over and gave Stiles a peck. Stiles grinned at her. He then pulled out his police radio from under Emma's seat. "I have bad news."
"What?"
"It ran out of batteries." Emma giggled.
"That's okay," she assured him, "We'll find out everything we need to know when we get there." Stiles shrugged in agreement and drove off. She informed him on the location of the crime scene, which she remembered from the news segment, and he had no problem finding it. Stiles parked his Jeep away from the police vehicles, which were resting farther down the winding road. "Let's go through this way."
The sky was beginning to turn a very dark blue as Stiles and Emma walked through the heavily wooded area. Emma continously checked around them to make sure no officers would see them, especially her father.
As they walked, Emma felt Stiles' warm fingers intertwine with hers. She held onto him tightly as they heard indistinct chatter. They stopped to hide behind the thick trunk of an oak tree. The two of them peeked over to see an officer very far away- one Emma had never seen before. He was standing with a flashlight and gun, shouting at someone. Emma moved around to see who he was talking to, but the view was completely blocked.
Suddenly, an enormous roar ripped through the woods, nearly shaking every tree. Emma lost all the breath in her lungs. I knew I shouldn't of come, she thought, I knew it.
"Let's go, please, let's go," Emma's voice shook. Stiles firm arms wrapped around Emma's body and guided her from the view her eyes were glued to.
Suddenly, she saw something she knew would be burned in her brain forever. The werewolf that jumped out in front of them. The one that tried to kill them. It pounced on the officer and roared. All of a sudden, she noticed that behind that werewolf was another figure. It was an even bigger and darker werewolf. Another one? No, her mind was playing tricks on her- it couldn't be.
But it was. The other werewolf snarled so loudly, it could be heard from where Emma and Stiles stood, frozen. It attacked the first werewolf, whipping it off the officer. The first werewolf rolled on the forest floor, but quickly got onto its feet and let out a piercing growl. Emma felt Stiles' grip on her arms tighten.
The two werewolves participated in a vicious and loud fight. Emma couldn't believe her eyes. The werewolves bit and scratched at each other continuously, growling and whimpering and what sounded like screaming at each other.
The darker werewolf finally got the first one on its back. It gave up a fight, but the darker one maintained its power. It snapped its large teeth, trying to kill the other. The one that attacked Emma and Stiles was struggling, and obviously losing. Suddenly, it squealed. A sound that sent pain to Emma's eardrums.
The bigger, darker werewolf had dug its teeth into the neck of the other. Emma found herself nearly panting, beads of sweat on her forehead. The werewolf on the bottom stopped struggling and slowly became motionless.
Emma saw the officer still on the ground, crawling backwards, away from the scene. The darker werewolf growled at him, still hovering over the being he had just killed. Almost as if it was telling the man to go. To leave.
The man sprinted away and soon disappeared from sight. Emma watched the werewolf panting and looking down. It slowly stepped over the body and shakingly walked away.
Emma took a couple steps to see where it would go. It stopped, still staring at the ground and panting. Suddenly, it became smaller. Shrinking, losing the darkness of its fur. Then losing its fur. It was transforming in front of her eyes.
"Emma, this isn't safe, let's go," Stiles whispered into her hair. Emma shook her head and continued to watch the scene. She gasped.
No, no, it couldn't be. It couldn't be true. Her eyes were deceiving her. Stiles stood still with Emma, behind her, gripping her tightly.
The werewolf that had just killed the creature that almost killed Emma herself. It wasn't a werewolf anymore. The words of confirmation slithered out of her mouth, giving a voice to the unbelievable sight she was seeing.
It came out as a soft, shaken whisper, "Dad?"
