''Lydia'' He said breathlessly.
Lydia Martin. The former love of his life. Or at least as he had pretended.
He took in her new look and it shocked him.
She was dressed like... well there was no other way to phrase it than a hunter. She was lowering the crossbow in her hands and stood there dumbfounded in her army boots and tied up hair.
She threw the crossbow across the room and ran into his arms. Stiles wasn't expecting that much of a reception but he welcomed the hug until he felt something burning his chest and retracted from her quickly with a hiss.
Lydia was confused until she looked at her chest and remembered the wolfbane coated locket.
''Stiles?'' she repeated.
He looked ashamedly at her and flashed his golden eyes.
Lydia stepped back and gave a horrified gasp, covering her mouth with her hands as she did so.
''No...'' she sobbed.
He nodded, ''Yes''
''Bu-but why are you here? Why did you come back?''
He saw her eyes trace the crossbow in the corner and stepped in front of it before she could get to it.
''To discuss peace''
''Peace?! You want peace? I don't understand!'' she insisted hysterically, ''Stiles, where have you been? You've been missing for months!''
''With my pack'' he answered with a surprising lack of hesitation.
''Pack? What pack?'' she demanded
''The Hale pack'' he answered coolly.
''Stiles, no!''
Stiles sighed in frustration and pinched the bridge of his nose.
''This is clearly getting nowhere. Take me to whoever's in charge, I'm here on behalf of my pack'' he snapped.
''You know who's in charge?'' More of a question than a statement.
Stiles huffed, ''Clearly not since I had to ask''
She swallowed. ''Why are you here?''
''You'll find out if you take me to your people''
Lydia didn't miss the way labelled them your people like he was never one of them.
''You realise they'll probably kill you if I do'' she pointed out.
Stiles nodded, ''I'm aware. But there are bigger things than the feud between our sides''
Her eyes widened. ''What things?''
''It's better if I tell you all at the same time''
''Are you not gonna visit your parents first?'' she asked tentively.
Stiles had prepared for the possibility of having to visit their graves.
''I don't think I can handle that''
''It might be hard, I get that, but it's better than just turning up out of the blue and saying: Hey mom, hey dad! I'm alive and in the Hale pack, oh yeah I'm a werewolf now by the way, but wait there's more!'' She ranted angrily.
''Fine. Take me to their graves''
The next sentence was definetly was something that no amount of prepeartion could stop the impact of the reveloution to come.
''Graves? Stiles, they're not dead''
All Stiles could do was stare at her dumbly, mouth open and eyes wide.
''What'' he stated, completely blown away.
''They're not dead'' she repeated.
''But Allison-'' he trailed off.
Their parents are alive? Then where's Allison? Is she still alive?
''Allison?!'' She squealed, ''She's alive too?''
''I- I really don't know anymore''
Lydia decided now was the time to call it in on the walkie-talkie on her hip. She pressed the button and brought it to her lips still looking at Stiles the entire time.
''Chris? Chris, are you there?''
''Yes, Lydia?'' he asked irritated on the other side.
Hearing his father's voice nearly brought him to his knees. They're alive. They're really alive.
''I... I'm not sure how to tell you. I was patrolling the house and I saw someone going in''
''Did you deal with them?''
''I think it's better if I bring them to you''
He sighed, ''Fine, whatever you want Martin''
She pressed the button and turned it off.
''You ready to go?''
No I just found out my family's still alive and my entire life's been turned upside down once again, give me a fucking minute here.
In the end, he answered with a quick ''Yes'' and followed her out of the house.
Chris was waiting impatiently at Lahey's house for Martin to bring whoever she'd captured. Maybe someone they could get information out of. He sighed, he wasn't in the mood to deal with blood today, he was too tired. Kate or Lahey would have to do it.
He told the rest of his men about Martin's capture as they sat at the table. Chris expectedly sat at the head of the table. Whether it was Lahey's house or not was irrelevant, Chris was always the head of everything. That in particular hadn't surprised him. It was more the tone of her voice. It was like she was emotionally paralysed. He detected something hesitant. Whoever this is, they shook up Lydia Martin, the girl with the face made of rock.
''Want me to handle it?'' Lahey offered sat at his side.
''Let's see who we're dealing with first''
They saw Martin enter the dining room alone.
''Where's the prisoner?'' Kate asked impatiently.
''I really don't know how to prepare you for this, so I'm just bringing him in'' Lydia told them.
They all looked around each other at the table oddly before he nodded at Lydia.
She gestured her capture to come forward.
Chris' breath caught in his throat. The world stopped spinning as he took in the sight of his son, long presumed dead, standing in front of him dressed in dark clothing.
Stiles swallows and looks at him.
''Hey dad'' he said with a reluctant smile.
Chris got up slowly and walked towards his son. Everyone was silent, watching the scene with unbelieving but hopeful eyes.
He stood in front of him and looked at him. His eyes looked weary and tired. Like he was making the effort to suppress his tears.
Chris touched his face carefully, as if to check if he was real.
He wrapped his arms around Stiles tightly. ''You're real. You're really here'' he whispered softly against his ear. Stiles held him closer but eventually broke the hug.
''You're home!'' Chris exclaimed.
Stiles face broke into sad smile, ''Not exactly''
''Stiles, I... I don't understand''
Stiles stepped back and zipped down his hoodie. He tugged on the collar of his shirt to reveal the bite markings on his neck.
Simultaneously, different things happened.
Half of Argent's men started raising their guns and aiming their guns at Stiles. The other half hesitant and too shocked to shoot the boy they had watched grown up.
''Guns down'' Argent commanded
''Chris, he's bitten!'' Lahey hisses.
''GUNS DOWN!'' Argent repeated.
They all numbly put them down.
''Stiles... you know the code'' Chris told him, feeling like his son was dying all over again. Probably because he was.
Stiles actually laughed. Loud and guffawing then his face dropped.
''No. No I'm not. Because believe it or not we have an enemy in common and you need us as much as we need you''
''Who's we?''
Stiles eyes' flashed golden and it sent chills down Chris' spine. His son seemed aware of this as he gave a predatory grin and answered him.
''The Hale pack''
