Chapter 16: Welcome to Beacon Hills

"Are you sure we just flew to the other side of the country?" Caroline wheeled her suitcase behind her along the sidewalk. "Because, is it just me, or does this town look exactly like Mystic Falls minus a few hundred year old mansions?"

"Guess the supernatural just like small, boring, towns," Jeremy shrugged. "Why did you bring your bag?"

"This isn't mine. Elena found some of Meredith's things when she cleaned out Ric's office. I thought I'd give them to her while we make sure she's okay before we join the rescue mission. Bonnie hasn't called back anyway, so we're stuck for now."

She didn't notice Jeremy's frown.

"Ugh. I need a vacation," Caroline continued. "A real vacation. Not a trip across the country to save my best friend. And to somewhere nice. Maybe a big city like London or Paris. Just think of the shopping. Not another boring small town."

"Oh, I think there can be plenty to enjoy here, if you just look in the right places."

The pair turned as a blond man wearing a crooked grin rounded the corner.

"Oh, really?" Caroline challenged the stranger.

"I've lived in Beacon Hills my whole life and every day I find something new. There's more excitement here than you think."

"Excitement, huh?" Caroline lowered her lashes and stepped toward him, "like the kind of excitement you get from kidnapping my friend?"

Before the man's smile finished falling, Caroline had him face first into the side of a building, arm twisted behind his back.

"You don't think I can't smell a werewolf?"

"You don't think I can't smell a vampire?" The man ducked, pulling out of the hold. "Why would I flirt with you if I was going to attack you?"

"You call that flirting?" Caroline straightened, pushing loose hair out of her face. "And yes, maybe. Maybe you're some sicko Alpha that gets off on it."

"Alpha? You think I'm a part of the Alpha pack?" The man laughed low.

"We were told there were only two packs in this town. And everyone not in the Alpha pack is with our friends."

"Well, there's your answer, sweetheart." He circled her. "I'm not part of either pack. I'm more of a lone wolf."

"Did you seriously just say that?" Caroline stepped back from his prowling path. "So then, why were you talking to me?"

"Is it a crime to want to make the acquaintance of a beautiful woman?"

"Aren't you a little old for me?"

"You know age is relative to creatures like us." He straightened. "Why don't we start over? I'm Peter."

"And we're leaving," Jeremy rolled his eyes. "Sorry, man. We don't have time for this."

"If you're going up against the Alphas, you might want to make time."

"What?" Jeremy sighed. "You have some secret plan against them that you're going to tell us?"

"I'm going to tell you to run."

"Excuse me?" Caroline crossed her arms.

"I've been helping Derek try to find Boyd and figure out a way to stop the Alphas, but that's all on the sidelines. I'm not part of Derek's pack, so the Alphas aren't my problem as long as I don't get in their way. This isn't your fight, either. Go home."

"They took my sister. I'm not going anywhere."

"Then you'll die." He turned to Caroline. "Both of you."

"Vampires are stronger than werewolves," Caroline moved her hands to her hips.

"I'm going to guess that you've never fought an Alpha before. You're fast, sure. But they're strong."

"I'm stronger."

"Maybe right now. But they're smarter. Trust me. And they'll stay hidden until the full moon gives them the advantage if they know vampires are here."

"How do you know so much about them?" Jeremy fingered the wolfsbane syringe in his pocket.

"It doesn't matter," Peter turned.

"You could help," Caroline blocked his path.

"What I could do is get myself killed. No thank you. But I wish you luck. You're going to need it."

Caroline and Jeremy watched as the taller man sauntered away with a wave of his hand behind him.

"Huh," Jeremy crossed his arms. "Remind you of anyone?"

"It's Werewolf Damon," Caroline nodded, and then laughed.

"Give him your blood." Scott rounded on the pair of vampires as he pocketed his phone.

"What? Who?" Damon rolled his eyes.

"He's my best friend and he's dying - because of this," Scott waved his hands. "Because he saved us."

"Well, he hasn't saved my life, so -"

"He's human! He's human and I can't lose him. Neither can his dad. His mom is gone. My dad left. Neither of us can lose him, please."

"Where is he?" Stefan lifted a hand.

"Beacon Hills Memorial. My mom is with him. She's a nurse. She knows - everything."

"I'll go."

"Whoa, whoa, Stefan. Holster the hero hair, bro. You don't know this kid. You can't just go around saving everyone you meet."

"Why not? If I can do good - any good - I'm willing to do it, to try to make up for every wrong I've done. And because it's the right thing to do. Now, let's go."

"You're not going alone," Derek placed a hand on Scott's chest.

And when a small mob of teenagers burst through the doors of the hospital, no one tried to stop them. These were the same kids who had been coming round the clock for days. The same kids who the doctors and nurses knew were about to lose a friend.

Scott was the first one around the corner, which meant he was the first one to see. The Sheriff collapsed on the floor, back against the wall and head cradled in Scott's mother's arms. The werewolf's sneakers skidded against the tile on the turn and as he slid to a stop, the whole of time and space slid to a stop with him.

Lydia was already in the room, her body crashing into Jackson as the newest beta pushed his way through the pack, past Scott, to wrap her in his arms. He noticed absently as Erica swayed and Isaac wrapped a steadying arm across her shoulders. She had a hood up to hide her face and she turned into it, closing her eyes as she buried her head in Isaac's shoulder. Scott could see Derek's fist fly into the wall to his left and still, all was slow motion and silent and he didn't move.

He stared through the plate of glass. The window that Stiles had mentioned he hated. Mentioned, spoke, right there in that room, lucid and living - not pale and stock still with one arm dangling over the side of his bed and wires stretching out like tentacles and a doctor glancing at her watch, mouth moving with still no sound, nurses backing away from the bed and no - no - no -

"What are they doing?"

The world snapped back, the rubber band flinging him forward, feet moving before his brain told them to.

"Why did they stop?"

A hand - he didn't know whose - fell against his shoulder and he almost bit at it.

"No! We just got here! We can't be too late. We - we can't. Go in there." He turned to the vampire. "Go in there. Do it. Do it, now. Save him!"

Stefan glanced at the body on the bed and then toward the boy in front of him.

"I can't. He's already gone. It doesn't work like that. I'm sorry."

Scott's world went red. When the color came back, he was up against a wall, and Derek's face was in his own.

"You need to calm down, now."

"I - I can't. Stiles -"

"Wouldn't want you to tear someone apart because you lost control, especially right in front of his grieving father. Find your anchor, now."

"My anchor - is - it's Allison. And she - we're not -"

"I don't care what is going on between the two of you. Is she your anchor?"

"Yes."

"Do you have control?"

"No."

"Jackson, call Allison. Get her here."

"Allison?" Erica let loose her claws as she pulled away from Isaac. "After what she did to us? Are you kidding me? It's her grandfather's fault that - what happened - that Stiles -"

"As much as I hate her family and what she did to my pack, if she is Scott's anchor, then he's going to need her. And - Stiles was her friend. No matter what she's done, she deserves to know. Jackson, do it, now. Everyone, out! Only let Allison through here. Until then," he turned back on Scott, "you need to focus." He was whispering now, the pack and others having obeyed and dispersed and the Sheriff too distraught to notice the pair. "Scott, focus. I know what you're feeling. Trust me. The grief? That's okay. The anger? All part of it. You can't stop that. But losing control of your wolf and hurting someone? That you can control. You -"

Both wolves' heads snapped to face the pane of glass.

"Was that -"

But Scott couldn't finish his question because the sound happened again and the young werewolf found himself breaking away from the Alpha and barreling toward the window. He had hardly reached the glass when the body on the bed on the other side lurched, convulsing, chest curving sharply into the air until the head lifted and mouth gaped, gasping.

Stiles was alive.

"They're here."

Scott shook his head, still trying to stop the previous night from playing over in his head

on repeat as Stefan stepped through the threshold. He moved away from Derek, offering the older werewolf a solemn nod in thanks after their talk.

The wolves were all awake and up now, shoulders curled and fists flexing. It wasn't exactly an exciting thing to be welcoming yet another vampire and, more worriedly, a hunter, into their territory. They moved, following the vampire out the front door and meeting the pair on the lawn. The blonde bounded from the driver's side toward Stefan and the wolves tensed. Instead of attacking, she pushed his chest with her palms with what was probably only half her real strength. The other vampire still had the sense to back up.

"Not a single phone call? Email? Text message? You just left?" She punctuated each question with another push. "If my best friend wasn't in mortal danger right now, Stefan Salvatore, this conversation would be a lot bloodier."

"Caroline, I'm -"

"You're what, Stefan? 'Sorry'? I get why you left. What you were feeling. But I thought we were friends. And I needed a friend, okay? Tyler left me, Bonne went away, and Elena was busy being in la-la-land-honeymoon-phase with - whoops. Sorry. I'm sorry." She stepped back, expression softening. "But I'm still hurt. And mad."

"And on that note," a brunette boy pulled himself out of the passenger seat, clasping hands with the vampire. "Hey, Stefan."

"Good to see you, Jeremy."

And if it hurt to see Elena's brother because the kid reminded Stefan of her, he didn't show it, because Jeremy didn't deserve that.

"Little Gilbert," Damon waved a hand, "meet the Motley Crew. Motley Crew, meet Little Gilbert."

"I'm Jeremy," he rolled his eyes, "and this is Caroline."

Derek introduced his pack, none of them looking too keen on meeting the strangers.

"Okay," Damon clapped his hands, "both Scooby Gangs are all here. Time for the 'Save My Girlfriend' mission plan."

"You mean, 'Save Your Girlfriend and Boyd plan," Erica crossed her arms.

Jeremy reached into the backseat and yanked out his bag and sighed.

"Yeah, this should be fun."

A/N: Gosh dang it, Stiles. Just stay healthy and alive. Also, I couldn't resist Peter having a bit of fun with Caroline.