Stiles shivers as he feels something supernatural pass through the wards around Beacon Hills. After all of the shit they've been through the past few years, they finally decided to smarten up and set up an early warning system for their supernatural guests. And, ever since Stiles' spark has been realized, their precautionary measures have been growing exponentially. For example, whenever a supernatural creature passes through Stiles' wards, a tether of sorts is created by which Stiles can track and identify the creature, and therefore, put a stop to any nefarious activity before it has the chance to spin out of control.

Anyway, Stiles immediately reaches for his phone when he feels the familiar tug indicating that something has passed into Beacon Hills. He dials Scott's number and waits as it rings once, twice, three times, before Scott picks up with a sleepy greeting. Stiles looks over at his clock and realizes that it is, in fact, one in the morning. 'Oops?'

"Stiles, it's early. What do you want."

"I would apologize, but apparently lying is a sin-"

"Never stopped you before." Scott mutters as he interrupts his friend.

"Okay, okay, shots fired! Someone's a little touchy this morning. But I'll let it slide, just this once. We have important business to attend to." Stiles pauses for dramatic effect. "Something just passed through the wards."

"Shit, okay." Scott suddenly sounds wide awake and Stiles hears a rustling sound from the receiver, indicating that Scott is now out of bed and getting dressed. "I'll get everyone together and you get a location. Send it to me when you get a lock and we'll meet you there."

"Got it; See you soon." Stiles hears a click indicating that Scott has hung up. Stiles sets his phone down and closes his eyes, taking a moment to collect himself before reaching for his spark. Once he finds it he lets it flow through him, racing through his veins and sparking between his fingers. He searches for the tether connecting him to the creature they're searching for. He finds it quickly, faster than usual, and gently tugs on it, evaluating its properties to try and get a better understanding of what they're walking into.

As he inspect the tether, he realizes that, not only is the supernatural a werewolf, but it seems familiar as well. They don't get many werewolves coming through Beacon Hills. With the previous reputation of the Hale Pack and the recent establishment of the McCall pack, the area has become out of bounds to other packs seeking to expand their territory, especially after the conclusion of the Alpha Pack incident. Apparently, True Alphas are not to be messed with.

Stiles visualizes the tether, grabbing onto it firmly and pulsing his spark through it as he follows its path. The trail ends deep within the reserve, just outside of Hale land. Unfortunately, the tether only allows Stiles to track whatever it's linked to, leaving him unable to get an actual visual and, in this instance, keeping him from figuring out why this werewolf seems so familiar to him. He sighs and opens his eyes, opening a map on his laptop to get a general location that he can send to Scott. He decides that the easiest way to get to the wolf is through the backside of the preserve. Based on the werewolf's current movements, they should be able to head him off and flank him from at least one side, minimizing the likelihood of escape.

Stiles picks up his phone to type a quick message to Scott.

Stiles: It's a werewolf and it's just outside of Hale territory. If we go in from the back of the preserve we should be able to get to it. You know where.

Stiles exits out of the map and closes his laptop before rushing over to put on his shoes and jacket. He hears his phone buzz on the bed beside him and checks it. As he expects, it's Scott.

Scott: Got it. Sys.

Stiles pockets his phone, picks up his keys, and exits his room, taking care to shut the door as quietly as possible so he won't wake his dad. The Sheriff may know about the Supernatural now, but that doesn't mean that Stiles wants him involved in it any more than he has to be. And since everything that happened with the Nogitsune, that task has been getting harder and harder. I mean honestly, you get possessed by an evil fox demon once and all of a sudden people think you're made of glass. Stiles is not fragile. If anything, Stiles is the immovable object on steroids. Fuck you unstoppable force, because this immovable object isn't going anywhere,

He tip-toes down the stairs and exits the house swiftly, walking down the driveway and unlocking his jeep before getting in and buckling his seatbelt. As he pulls out onto the road his mind wanders to Derek Hale which, oddly enough, isn't exactly what you'd call unusual these days. In the weeks before Derek's departure, he and Stiles had come to a mutual understanding. Stiles would even go so far as to call them friends. But, ever since Derek left Beacon Hills, the sourwolf has been on Stiles' mind more and more frequently. It's not like he's worried about the guy. No, definitely not. Stiles knows that Derek I'm-going-to-rip-your-throat-out-with-my-teeth Hale can handle himself just fine. It's just that… Okay, maybe he's the slightest bit worried. But only the slightest bit. Derek seems to have a knack for getting himself into trouble, much like Stiles himself now that he thinks about it, and the fact that there's been complete radio silence for the past month or two bothers Stiles much more than he cares to admit.

"Well, at least I have a reason to be thinking about him this time." Stiles says to himself as he flicks on his turn signal and turns tight onto the road leading to the back of the preserve. They are going onto Hale property, after all. So it does make sense that Stiles' mind would go there.

Stiles thinks back to the first time he met Derek Hale, back in the preserve in his sophomore year. He still remembers the heavy and imposing air that Derek exuded as he stood there, glaring at the two trespassing teenagers. He just seemed so cool and collected, untouchable almost. As if he was indestructible, a far cry from what Stiles now knows to be true. Derek hides behind anger and indifference, but underneath all of his bravado lies mountains of pain and guilt. Before he left, Stiles was beginning to break through the surface, cracking the edges of his mask to reveal what lies beneath. But, as per usual, shit hit the fan before he could really make any progress. More than anything, Stiles wants to help Derek, show him that it's okay to let yourself feel and to let people in. He doesn't know why exactly. Maybe it's to make up for all the shit he and Scott pulled right after Scott was bitten, or maybe it's just because he understands what loss can do to a person if it's left to fester for too long. Either way, if Derek ever returns to Beacon Hills, Stiles is going to make it his personal mission to help him as much as he can. He knows that it will be hard, and he knows that Derek will probably fight him every step of the way, but above all, he knows that it will be worth it in the end, because Stiles would do anything to see the weight of Derek's past lifted off of his shoulders.

Stiles shakes himself out of his thoughts as he pulls up to the entrance of the preserve, turning off the ignition and hopping out of his jeep to survey the area. The stars are barely visible and the moon is peaking out from behind the clouds, making them glow brightly. The wind is rustling through the trees and if Stiles strains he can hear the sounds of small animals scuffling along the forest floor. He lets himself breathe for a moment, reveling in nature, in the power from which his spark is derived. It's freeing and he finds himself wishing that he was able to do this more often.

A few minutes later Stiles hears a car pull up behind him. He turns, and Scott and Kira jump out of the vehicle. Their arrival is quickly followed by Lydia and Malia, who quickly exit the car and come over to stand with the group.

"So, what's the plan?" Malia asks in her usual aggressive tone, her brows furrowed in the patented Hale glower, despite there being no reason for it. Well, other than the fact that it is now 1:45 in the morning. Yeah, okay, Stiles has to admit that he'd be a bit pissed off too. Why can't supernatural creatures show up at a more convenient time? Say, three in the afternoon? Is that really too much to ask for?

"The usual; We find the werewolf and talk to him or her. Just to find out why they're here and figure out if they're going to be a threat or not." Scott replies, his "I am the alpha" voice in full effect.

"Great! Easy peasy-"

"Stiles, I swear to God if you finish that sentence I will cut you up and leave your body parts scattered across the highway. It is way too early for your nonsense." Apparently Lydia needs her beauty sleep. Duly noted.

"Fine, fine. Let's go then." Stiles grumbles, though he isn't actually offended by the strawberry blonde's statement.

"Yeah, come on." Kira agrees, already beginning the trek into the forest.

Scott takes up the front and Malia takes up the rear, leaving Stiles, Lydia, and Kira in the center of the group. "Stiles and Lydia, you stay with me. We're going to go in from the front while Kira and Malia come in from the side. Stiles, where is it now?"

Stiles stops walking and closes his eyes, grabbing onto the tether once more and following it in his mind. "Northeast of us about one mile, on the outskirts of Hale land still. It's not moving very fast so we should be able to catch up relatively easily."

"Great. And remember, we're here to talk to it, not scare it and run it out of town." Scott sends a pointed look toward Malia.

"It was one time, okay! You are never going to let me live that down." Malia scoffs and rolls her eyes, glaring at Scott before submitting. "Fine."

Scott nods and the pack takes that as a signal to continue, Malia and Kira breaking off to the left while the rest of the pack continues forward.

"The wind's working against me. I have a scent, but it may not be very reliable. Malia's a lot better at this than I am." Scott mentions as they trek forward.

"I got it. If you feel like you're losing it, I can make sure we're going the right way." Stiles replies as he ducks underneath a low hanging tree branch. Scott grunts in affirmation and they continue to walk in silence.

They're walking at a brisk pace, one that Stiles used to not be able to keep up with. But now, with the help of his spark, he can push himself faster than a normal human. He's not even close to being able to keep up with Kira and the wolves, but he's fast enough for situations like these, easily keeping up with Lydia.

They walk for about thirty minutes before they start to hear the werewolf moving around the forest. They quicken their pace and veer off to the left to cut it off. They hear the wolf stop, it's obviously picked up their scent now and is waiting to see what they'll do next. Scott opens his phone and sends a quick message to Kira.

Scott: Are you guys ready?

Kira: Yes

Scott returns his phone to his pocket and glances over at Stiles and Lydia. "You two stay here until we know it's safe." Scott whispers before creeping forward through the trees. Stiles and Lydia roll their eyes in sync. They should be used to this by now, but being left behind until "they know it's safe" really does get old.

"He knows that we're not defenseless, right?" Lydia mutters under her breath, combing her fingers through her hair in an attempt to make it settle down in a somewhat presentable manner.

"Probably." Stiles shrugs, even though the movement is mostly lost to Lydia due to the dark environment. "Come on, let's move up a bit so we can see." Stiles grabs Lydia's hand, something which younger Stiles would lose his mind over, and tugs her forward a few steps. They crouch down and look through the foliage, seeing Scott, Kira, Malia, and someone else, presumably the werewolf they're looking for. Now that Stiles is closer, he can say for certain that this person is familiar. He definitely knows them, but he can't get a good enough view to see who it is. "I can't see." Stiles leans forward, perhaps a bit too far, because one second he's securely crouched behind the bush, and the next, he's sprawled out on his stomach in front of it. He hears Lydia sigh behind him. But, if she says anything else, it's lost to him, because standing no more than ten feet away, is none other than Derek Hale.

"I see that some things never change." Derek cocks an eyebrow, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.

"Eh, I like to keep things consistent." Stiles says from his newfound home on the forest floor.

"You? Consistent? Now that'll be the day." Lydia steps out from behind their previous hiding spot and takes Stiles by the shoulder, heaving him up. "On your feet, Stilinski. We have guests." Lydia chastises sarcastically as she pulls a few leaves from Stiles' unruly hair.

"Oh, my bad, was I supposed to break out the fine china?"

"No, whoever trusts you with the fine china is a madman." Kira says definitively, sending a chorus of laughter through the group. Even sourwolf laughs, which is definitely an accomplishment. Stiles is just upset that it wasn't him who made it happen, even though the joke was at his expense.

"We should move this somewhere else." Malia says, eyeing the sky. It looks, and feels, like it's going to rain any second.

"Agreed; My mom's at work so we can go to my house." Scott supplies, looking at each member of his pack for confirmation. Everyone agrees and they begin the journey back to their cars.

It begins to rain about ten minutes into the walk, making the ground slick and treacherous to walk on for the less agile members of the group (Stiles and Lydia). Stiles slips and almost takes an elegant nose dive into the mud, but Derek catches him just in time, saving him from the embarrassment of two falls this evening. Stiles hadn't even realized that Derek was walking so close to him until that moment, but he finds that he doesn't mind. It makes him feel safe, and he'll be damned if he's going to let Derek out of his sight again any time soon.

When they reach the cars it is decided (more like insisted by Stiles) that Derek rides in the Jeep with him. When asked where his Camaro is, Derek simply replies, "I left it with Cora," before shrugging the subject off.

Derek and Stiles watch as everyone gets into the vehicles and pulls away, driving off toward Scott's house. Derek looks over at Stiles and takes note of his drenched and shivering frame. He sighs and shrugs off his leather jacket, slapping Stiles' arm with the sleeve to get his attention.

"Here, take it. Wouldn't want you to die on me now, would we?" Derek's tone is gruff, but there is a slight smile on his lips that betrays his true feelings.

"Thanks." Stiles mumbles, taking the jacket and wrapping it around his body. And, if he just happens to blush at Derek's considerate gesture, then that stays between him and Derek.

Stiles watches as Derek gets into his Jeep, shutting the door and buckling his seatbelt. Stiles takes a brief moment to let Derek's scent wash over him. It makes him feel protected and safe, and he can't help but think that this feels like home, even though he has no idea why. He shakes these thoughts from his head and rounds the vehicle to get in on the driver's side. He starts the engine and looks over at Derek, soaking in the fact that Derek is actually here, with him. 'Like it should be.' Stiles barely registers that thought as it crosses through his mind, instead turning his head forward and getting ready to drive off. Before he can shift gears, however, Derek places a hand on his arm, turning his attention back to the werewolf in the seat next to him.

"Hey, I missed you." Derek says, unsure. Almost as if the words coming out of his mouth are forbidden.

Stiles smiles reassuringly, putting his hand on top of Derek's and squeezing it lightly. "I missed you too, big guy."

With that, Stiles drives off in the direction of Scott's house. And, well, if he blushes again, that's just between him and Derek too.

The rest of the drive is in silence, which is unusual for Stiles. However, the quiet that spreads between Derek and him in the jeep isn't uncomfortable or strange, and Stiles finds that the need to fill the figurative empty space with mindless chatter isn't there. Yet another enigma about Derek Hale to add to Stiles' ever lengthening list.

They pull into Scott's driveway and Stiles turns the engine off, taking the keys out of the ignition and turning his body so he's facing Derek. "You know you're going to have to explain all this, right?"

Derek turns his head to look at Stiles, nodding before closing his eyes and letting his head fall back onto the head rest with a soft groan. "This isn't going to be fun." Derek states in a whisper.

"Probably not, but it's better to just get it over with." Derek hums, but gives no other response. "Hey, if you don't want to do this right now we can just, like, go somewhere. I'll explain it to Scott and-"

"No, you're right. I should just get this over with. Thanks for the offer, though." Derek opens his eyes and gives Stiles a grateful smile that honestly does more to Stiles than he's like to admit.

'Damn you Derek Hale for making me confront things about myself that I am sooo not ready to confront.' Stiles sighs inwardly. "Okay, then. Let's get this shit show on the road."

The next hour and a half is spent listening to Derek recount what he's been doing for the past few months. Apparently, he and Cora have been traveling, driving across the country together. But Cora, having been alone for so many years, had a bit of a hard time with Derek around 24/7, so she had asked him to let her continue traveling alone. Derek, being the concerned older brother that he is, was hesitant at first, but quickly realized that leaving Cora alone may be what's best for her in the long run. So, he left her with the Camaro and hitchicked back to Beacon Hills, where his presence was subsequently picked up by Stiles' wards.

Now that Derek's explained himself, they are facing a whole new conundrum: Where is Derek going to stay? Stiles, for some unknown reason, volunteers his house immediately, much to the surprise of Scott, who is currently unaware of how close Derek and Stiles have become.

"Of course I'd need to ask my dad, but he shouldn't mind you staying. At least until you find somewhere to live." Stiles finishes, staring expectantly and hopefully at Derek. He isn't entirely sure why it's so important that Derek stay with him, but to him, there are no other options. Derek nods his agreement and Stiles steps outside to call his dad.

He dials his father's number and waits for him to pick up. After a few seconds he hears his father's sleepy voice through the receiver. Stiles quickly checks the time, realizing that it is still rather early. 'Oh well, this can't wait.' Stiles thinks before returning the phone to his ear.

"Hey dad, so… Don't be mad…"

"Stiles…" His father says, the question of where the hell Stiles is evident in his tone.

"So I'm at Scott's right now with the pack."

"Go on."

"Well, long story short… Derek's back. Surpriseee…" Stiles draws out the "surprise" in a hesitant manner, and, if his father were in the room with him, he probably would've done something along the lines of jazz hands to accompany his statement.

"Okay, I can work with that." Stiles' dad says deliberately.

"And there's more. It's just a small thing, really." There is silence from his father which prompts Stiles to continue. "He kinda needs a place to stay so… I said he could stay with us."

The sheriff sighs heavily. "Okay." He relents, a lot easier that Stiles was expecting.

"Wait, really?"

"Don't sound so surprised, Stiles. Derek's a good guy and I trust him."

Stiles gaped and sputters, stunned into silence by his dad's easy proclamation. 'O-okay… Thanks, Dad."

"No problem. Just don't make a habit of bringing home strays. We only have so much room." The sheriff jokes, causing Stiles to laugh freely, all previous anxiety dispelled.

"Yeah, no promises there." Stiles snarks back. "Bye, Dad. I'll see you soon." Stiles hangs up the phone, chuckling to himself as he walks up the drive and back into the house.

When he enters, Derek turns to him expectantly, his eyes burning with hope. Stiles files that bit of information away for later. It seems that Derek wants to stay with Stiles just as much as Stiles does.

"He said yes. Let's get going, big guy." Stiles claps Derek on the shoulder and goes to say goodbye to the pack, who begins to disperse soon after. "Well, your chariot awaits." Stiles bows dramatically, smirking at Derek.

"You're ridiculous, you know that?" Derek replies, his voice full of playful fondness at Stiles' antics.

With that, they leave the house, getting into Stiles' jeep and driving off in the direction of Stiles' house.