Change

by Immortal Supernatural Freak

AU, Prompt inside - Stiles Stilinski is the new kid with a story. It's his first day at Beacon Hills University and already he's the talk of the town, the talk of the school. He's never had the best life, he's never lived a normal life. He never thought he'd ever get away from the Hell he lived in. And then he met the Hale Pack. Could this be the start of something amazing? Or not?

59. Safe

Authors Note: HEYO! XD Please tell me what you think; I would love to know XD I own nothing and no one, apart from the following: Harlequin (Harley),Sam Campbell, Charlie Jones, Zane, Chase, Gabriel, Ben, Mia, Stiles' fox = Melrakki (Rak), Stiles' wolf = Okami (Oki), Derek's wolf = Cana, Diego, Serena, Deputy Shane Harding, Deputy Jason Curtis, Mo, Job, Asa, Cleo, Ezra.

JUST SO YOU KNOW: like everyone else, I have no idea what Stiles' real name is, so I'm going along with what everyone else puts :) and I've made his middle name up XD

You guys are all so amazing and I love you all! In a non-creepy non-psycho kind of way XD

Please, please review XD

P.S. I know it's been a while, but I've been having a lot of issues with family, University, my anxiety, etc. It's kind of knocked me off of my writing. Trust me when I say I'm trying to write for my fics as fast as I can.

Chapter 49 - Part 3

Stiles

The moment the words left my mouth, Sam dragged me away and out of the building, back into the parking lot. I didn't struggle. All I could do was stare at nothing, my heart thumping in my ears. I could see other students staring at us as Sam pulled me by, almost disgusted looks on their faces; I could hear whisperings of others as we went... But none of it seemed to register.

Ben raised his fist, punching it harshly into my stomach, making the last of the air I was desperately trying to get to leave me completely. Gabriel shifted slightly so he had both of my wrists pinned with one hand, using the other to collide sharply with my jaw after he curled it tight. I tried to get out of their hold, but the panic was draining my energy, the lack of air making the edge of my gaze go all fuzzy. Kicking my legs didn't help. It only succeeded in getting Ben into a position where he was sitting right on my crotch. I could feel everything, but he didn't care. Flattening his fisted hand, Ben slipped it under my shirt and placed it on the area where his fist connected with my flesh as hard as he could. With the leverage he now had, Ben rocked forward, getting just enough friction to feel just a little satisfied. Both Ben and Gabriel chuckled threateningly, and that alone let me know that, yes, they were intending to do what Zane never succeeded in doing. It made my stomach churn and my face pale. Well, pale even more, since it was rapidly losing colour at the rate I seemed to be losing blood.

"Don't give out on us now, Tiger." Gabriel demanded, stroking my right cheek and running the tip of his tongue over the shell of my left ear. "The fun has only just begun."

"And, boy, is it gunna get a whole lot better." Ben snickered, hand reaching for the zipper on my jeans.

I couldn't get the scene out of my head, couldn't stop remembering. I could feel my throat start to constrict, as if strong, skeletal hands were wrapping around my neck. Everything was going fuzzy around the edges, nothing looked right. I felt like I was floating along, I wasn't attached to my body. Nothing felt real.

SMACK!

Stunned, I slowly raised my hand to my stinging cheek. My mind went quiet, everything shifted back into focus.

Sam's panicked face was in front of me, one hand on my shoulder whilst the other hung in the air. For a moment, we just stared at each other, neither of us saying or doing a thing. In that instant, my legs gave out, my back sliding down the wall it seemed to be against. My entire body was shaking, I could feel the hysteria starting to bubble in my stomach. Sam went down with me, keeping her eyes locked on mine, her grip on me never wavering. I barely registered my hands flying out to latch onto her arms, enough sense in my mind to remember not to hold too tightly, least I hurt her in any way. I couldn't do that to my, very human, friend. I could faintly hear Sam talking, but I couldn't fully make out the words she was saying. All I could do was sit there and stare at her.

I was powerless, as always.

Sam wanted me to leave. She didn't want me hanging around, risking running into them. But I couldn't run. If anything from my situation with Dad and Zane taught me anything, it was that I couldn't keep running away from my problems. The moment I faced them in Texas, things started falling into place. Maybe, as terrifying as it was, I needed to face them as well. Just, you know, not alone. I reminded Sam that, not only did I have her in Art, but I had a minimum of two Pack members in every one of my other classes. I was hardly going to be alone!

Of course, this was all easier said than done.

The mere thought of even seeing the two of them made my stomach drop. Remembering what they were able to do, to someone like me, it sent a dark chill down my spine.

"It's too late to go to Art now - let's just go to the cafe down the road." I sighed. "I really feel like a coffee."

---

The cafe wasn't huge, just a small nook tucked between a charity shop and a wine store. There wasn't much in the way of seating, but it was usually quiet in the morning. At one in the afternoon, however... Well, you were lucky if you even got through the door, put it that way. The girl behind the counter, though polite, wasn't all that interested at all. In all honesty, she probably didn't even want to be there. We took a table at the back of the cafe, in the corner, near the toilets. It was out of the way, quiet and it had kind of become 'our' table, whenever we were there. It was our little spot.

I could feel Sam's eyes boring into me, waiting for me to talk to her, to tell her what she needed to know. I tried to drag it out as long as possible, trying not to look at her. Even though it had been just under seven months, it could still feel raw. It probably always would, to be honest. But Sam kind of needed to know, especially if she was going to help me. One problem, however, I didn't know where I was supposed to start. Where did you start with something like this? At least telling Derek and the others was easier, they knew everything from the beginning; knew every little thing Gabriel and Ben would do to me. Explaining to them had been a lot easier than trying to find a way to tell someone everything from the beginning. Sighing, hugging my mug to my chest, I leant my head back against the wall with my eyes closed.

Why did this happen?

"Hey, you don't need to tell me right now, you know." Sam said, softly. "I know the main thing, that's enough to start with."

"But I -" I started.

"I mean it, Sti. I know this kind of thing isn't easy to explain."

I let my head lull to the left, looking towards my friend. Sam's hands were gripping her mug tightly, her knuckles white. She was leaning on the table heavily, just above her elbows digging into the table. Sam stared at the liquid, looking but not really seeing. Her mind was off somewhere else, taking her back to the dark places of her past. Taking one hand off of my own mug, I placed it as slowly and as gently as I could on her arm. It amazed me just how much I had in common with the woman next to me. Our backgrounds, our experiences, even many of our likes and dislikes. I had never really had anyone like that before. Sam and Isaac were the closest I would ever get, but Sam even more so. Sam's head moved slowly, turning slightly to look at me, a small solemn smile placed on her face. One of her hands to cover mine, her fingers lightly gripping my wrist.

"I don't even know why they're out." I muttered. "After what happened... How could they have been let out?"

"I've asked myself that a lot of times about a lot of people." Sam sighed. "In my experience, if they don't have a record and they didn't actually fuck you, they don't stay away for long. Some get out really early for good behaviour."

"That's bullshit. I was in the hospital for two weeks and didn't go back to the University for close to a month. I mean, yeah, not all of it was because of them, but it did at first. Does that count for nothing?"

"It blows, I know. Someone must have posted their bail."

Closing my eyes for a moment, I could feel a headache coming on. First my Dad, then Zane and, now, Gabriel and Ben... Did I actually deserve it? Had I done something wrong? Was it because I was finally happy and comfortable? I just couldn't understand...

"Are you going to tell Derek?" Sam whispered.

"I'll have to." I huffed. "If I don't tell him and he finds out I was keeping it from him... He's going to be murderous as it is, not telling him will probably make him think they've done something already."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. I didn't tell them some of the things Gabriel did to me for quite some time, if I say nothing his imagination will probably run wild."

"Are you going to call him?"

"No. If I call, he'll come here and carry me home if he has to. I'll tell him when I got to lunch with him and Harley later, he won't be able to cause much of a scene then."

Well, in theory anyway...

---

Sam and I walked back through the doors of the University ten minutes before our next class. We were heading towards Scott, Boyd and Jackson's classroom, Sam refusing to let me head to Chemistry by myself. Not that I disagreed. Other students walked through the halls, some only just turning up for class, others having finished early and leaving or heading to their next room. None of them really paid us any attention. When we were practically around the corner from our destination, however, I told her to head off.

"The guys will hear if anything happens, Sam. I'll be fine." I smiled, stopping in the hallway. "We haven't seen them again; they're probably in class."

"But you don't know that." Sam insisted.

"I will be fine. If anything happens when you leave then I will agree to being escorted to and from every single class. Agreed."

Sam just stood there for a moment, watching me. Her eyes narrowed slightly, her hands curling and uncurling into loose fists.

"If anything happens to you, I will kill them before whoop your ass." Sam grunted. "Understood?"

"Understood. Now shoo, go to Law." I chuckled.

With a huff, Sam left reluctantly, her hand squeezing my arm lightly before she started to walk away. I stayed where I was as Sam walked away, the blonde walking backwards so she could keep an eye on me for as long as she could. I was surprised she didn't walk into anything or anyone, but Sam always seemed to surprise me. The moment Sam reached the stairs, she raised her hand in a little wave, only turning to run up them when I returned to gesture.

It was, at that moment, that I wasn't so sure of my decision...

Shaking my head slightly, I continued in the opposite direction to Sam, taking my time. I knew that, either way, I would have the Pack walk me too and from my classes no matter what happened, but I just wanted to at least try on my own. I couldn't rely on them every minute of the day. I needed to be able to take care of myself when faced with things like this... Of course, that was easier said than done. Shifting my bag on my shoulder, I ran a hand through my hair, tugging at the ends a little. It was bad enough that I had to deal with Harris for another year, but I had to deal with Gabriel and Ben. It seemed to be a never-ending cycle of shit. I wondered if it was ever going to end. I wondered if I was ever going to be able to just get on with life, not having to look over my shoulder all the time. I just wanted to live my life.

Turning a corner, I felt the hairs of the back of my neck stand up, pricking my skin. It felt as if someone was watching me and not if a good way, like when Derek did it. I looked over my shoulder, but I saw no one and I knew there was no one on either side of me, which left only one place. Lifting my head up, I could feel my heart beat starting to pound in my chest. I wasn't sure why until I caught the eyes of who was watching me.

Gabriel and Ben were stalking their ways toward me, dark grins on their faces.

I felt rooted to the spot, unable to breathe, let alone move. I wasn't sure what I should do. Sam was gone, there was still time before Scott, Jackson and Boyd's class finished. No one was around, I was alone with the two psychos in front of me.

"Long time no see, Kitten." Gabriel spat. "You look as pretty as ever."

"And your ass looks great. New jeans?" Ben smirked.

I couldn't speak.

I couldn't move.

"What's wrong, Sweet Cheeks?" Gabriel chuckled. "Cat got your tongue?"

"You look a little pale, Babe." Ben mocked. "Aren't you happy to see us?"

Before they could take another step towards me, doors on both sides of us opened as students started to spill out.

"See you next time, Kitten." Gabriel whispered as he and Ben walked past me, brushing close.

"Maybe we'll have some more alone time." Ben added.

And, with that, they were gone.

I just couldn't move. My heart was pounding, my throat was tight. I could hear my blood rushing in my ears. A sea of people walked around me, paying me no mind, only thinking of where they needed to go next.

I didn't even see Scott, Jackson and Boyd walking towards me. I didn't even know they were there until a hand touched my arm, my entire body reacting violently to the soft touch. I jumped so hard I almost fell over, Scott's reflexes the only thing keeping me up off the floor.

"Stiles, what's going on?" Boyd frowned. "You're heart's beating like crazy."

I had no idea what I was going to do.

---

The guys knew what had happened, they had managed to get me to talk when we had met up with the others for Chemistry. They had very much the same reaction as me, only far angrier and violent. The only reason they didn't go off to beat Gabriel and Ben is because I had somehow managed to hold them back. I had told them what I had told Sam - I didn't want to run away from my problems and, if it made them feel better, I would let them escort me to and from classes. To be honest, it would make me feel better. It seemed to relax them all, if only a little, but none of them were happy about it. They had even agreed to let me be the one to tell Derek.

For the first time, Harris left me alone. He didn't say anything to me. There was the occasional glare, but nothing was said to or about me, something I was extremely grateful for. I was sure I wouldn't be able to handle Harris at that moment, as well. Surprisingly, Chemistry passed quickly, Harris even letting us all out early. As soon as I was out of the door, I all but sprinted out into the parking lot, hoping Derek and Harley were there already.

The second I was out of the front doors, I spotted Derek's Camaro, spotting the Alpha himself helping Harley out of the car. I sped over to the two, not wanting to stand alone for too long, just in case. Within seconds, I was next to them both, Harley in my arms and pressed against my chest, whilst I buried my face into the crook of Derek's neck. Surprised, Derek wrapped his arms around me, tightly, after getting over the sudden attack. I could tell he knew something was wrong, even Harley could tell. Neither of them said anything. With Harley in my arms, whilst I was in Derek's, I felt like I could finally breathe. I felt safe, like nothing could touch me. I didn't want to move from that position.

"I'm so glad to see you two." I breathed, tightening my arms around Harley a little. "I need to get out of here for a bit."

Derek didn't say anything, but I felt him nod. He didn't even say anything as we made our way towards the cafe Sam and I had gone to that morning, but he kept an arm tight around me. The further away I got from the building, the more relaxed I felt. I could feel the tension slowly leaving my body.

Once in the cafe Harley and I grabbed a table, whilst Derek ordered. He knew what Harley and I liked, so it wasn't like he needed us there. Sitting with Harley, the boy was settled heavily against my side, his little fingers griping onto the fabric of my t-shirt, his head practically buried into me. I was content with letting him stay there, but he kept fidgeting, trying to press closer to me, as if he just couldn't get close enough. In an instant, I hooked my arm around him, pulling the kid onto my lap, wrapping my arms around him and resting my chin on top of his head.

"Hey, Sweetheart." I whispered, rocking slightly. "You been having fun with Derek and Peter."

I barely felt Harley nod as he buried his face into my shirt.

"Is something bad happening again?" Harley muttered into my shirt, his voice muffled by the fabric.

Sighing, I closed my eyes, turning my face down to press a quick kiss to the top of Harley's head.

"Maybe." I admitted. "But I don't want you to worry, ok? We've dealt with them before, we can deal with them again."

"Promise?" Harley mumbled.

"I promise, Sweetheart. Everything will be fine."

Harley just nodded. I knew he wasn't totally convinced. Honestly, I wouldn't be either, if I was him. Running a hand through Harley's hair, I risked a glance over at Derek. He was leaning slightly against the counter, his head tilted down slightly, his entire body stiff. I knew he had heard, how could he not? I was not looking forward to explaining everything to him... Darting my tongue out to wet my drying lips, I turned my attention back to Harley, lifting his chin until he would look at me.

"Hey, where's that gorgeous smile gone?" I mock huffed. "We don't want a Grumpy Gus."

All I got was a barely there laugh and a small twitch of the mouth. So, I decided to pull out the big guns - tickling. I had only just made contact with his ribs when Harley started squealing with giggles; I paid no attention to the looks it gained us from the staff and other customers. All I wanted was to see the kid smile, that was all I wanted at that moment. Harley tried in vain to fight off the attack, wrapping his arms around himself to attempt to hide his ticklish spots. Unfortunately, for him, he was too small to succeed at that. I only stopped when Harley was crying with laughter, his face split into an ear to ear, cheek hurting, genuine grin.

In that instant, I felt all my worries wash away.

"There it is." I teased, grinning as I ran a hand over the back of his head. "Now that's much better."

It was just a matter of keeping that smile there.

It didn't take long for Derek to join us at the table, a tray of food and drinks in his hands. It wasn't anything exciting, just some sandwiches and fries, apple juice for Harley, coffee for Derek and a coke for me. It wasn't like we had long, anyway; only an hour. I could feel the tension in Derek's body as he sat next to me, the Alpha wolf trying hard to force himself to relax, for Harley's sake. Instead of moving, Harley stayed on my lap, content with his position. I wasn't about to say otherwise. Derek rewrapped his arm around my shoulders, the tips of his fingers lightly brushing against my arm. I knew it was only a matter of time before he started questioning me, but, at that moment, I didn't care.

---

We had finished with the food quickly, Harley taking the most. Derek and I were more than happy to listen to him ramble on. Of course, it couldn't last forever. Harley had become rather fond of sweet things, like many children. It was no surprise when he asked if he could get a muffin. Since we weren't too far from the counter, I didn't feel so scared giving into Harley's request to go up by himself after giving him the right change. I didn't like it, but I couldn't be next to him through everything.

This was when Derek chose to strike.

"What's going on, Stiles?" Derek asked, as soon as the boy was out of earshot.

Staring down at my lap, I bit the inside of my lip, fiddling with a loose thread on my jeans. There were many ways Derek could react, a few of them not being entirely pleasant. But I had to tell him.

"Gabriel and Ben are back." I whispered.

Silence.

Derek didn't say anything, he barely even breathed.

Risking a glance out of the corner of my eye, I found him frozen, the red of an Alpha slowly taking over his forest green eyes. Gradually, a deep growl rumbled from his chest, his claws steadily elongating against my arm.

Shit...

As quick as I could, I took Derek's face in my hands, moving him until our foreheads touched.

"Derek... Derek, you need to calm down." I hissed, watching as his stubble began to lengthen. "Derek, you can't wolf out here."

It was as if he couldn't hear me, his bottom lip leisurely being pushed down by his growing fangs.

"Derek, you're scaring me." I breathed, hearing my own voice shake as my heart started to thump in my chest.

Everything stopped.

With just a blink everything was gone, Derek was back to normal Derek, his eyes back to the green I loved. His hand had found its way to the back of my neck, the pressure comforting, not restrictive. His breathing was laboured, his entire body quacking with rage. In all honestly, it was the best reaction I could have hoped for. I mean, he could have sprinted out of the cafe, finding the two and ripping their throats out with his teeth. But he didn't.

"Did they do anything?" Derek muttered, a hint of a growl in his voice.

"They didn't touch me, don't panic." I assured. "But I don't think they're going to leave me alone."

"I'm taking you home then. You're not staying in that place with them. You'll come home and we'll get this sorted out before you go back."

"No, Derek."

He reacted as if I had just slapped him, his mouth dropped open and eyes wide.

"I need to do this, Derek. I can't keep running away." I told him. "Besides, I have many body guards. They all already know; they all thought the same as you, they all tried to make me go home... They're going to look out for me whenever we're in there; walk me to and from classes."

"But -" Derek started.

"No buts. This is what's happening, Derek."

Sighing, Derek dropped his head onto my shoulder, his free arm coming to wrap tightly around my waist.

"I don't want you to get hurt." Derek mumbled, dragging me closer against him.

"I know, I know." I whispered, burying a hand into his hair. "But I can't run away forever."

I knew Derek knew I was right. He knew. He just didn't want to admit it.

It was then that Harley came bounding back over to us, chocolate already splattered across his face. It amazed me how he could get something all over his face. How was it even possible?

Chuckling softly, Derek removed the hand that was on the back of my neck, sitting up before he wrapped his now free arm around Harley, lifting the kid up and over the table to sit on us both. The kid just giggled.

I wish I could just give in and go home with them. I just couldn't make myself do it.

---

I didn't want to leave Derek and Harley. I practically had to force myself to set the kid down, force myself to let go of Derek. I just wanted all the shit in my life to be finished with. I wanted to close those chapters and continue on with the storyline. I thought I had finally achieved that, but it seemed like Life had something a little different in mind.

Getting Harley in the car wasn't an easy thing to do. He didn't want to leave and he knew I didn't want to leave him. All I wanted to do was get in Derek's car and go home, sit in the living room and watch movies. But I couldn't. I had to be firm, for the both of us.

"I'll see you soon, alright." I told him, forcing a smile. "We don't have to wait too long, Sweetheart."

"I don't want to wait." Harley grumbled, staring at his lap. "What if the bad thing happens?"

Crouching down, keeping my balance by pressing my left hand against the car, I placed my right hand on the back of Harley's head.

"Did you forget all the people we have looking out for me in there?" I chuckled. "At least one of them will be by my side every second. You don't have to worry, Sweetheart."

"Can't you just come home anyway?" he begged.

All I could do was shake my head.

With one last hug and a kiss to his head, I stood up and closed the car door, turning around and taking a moment before looking at Derek. The Alpha wolf looked as if he wanted to ask the same thing as Harley, but he didn't. He knew what my answer would be. Instead, Derek moved until there was any space between us, his arms coiling around me and pulling my gently against his chest. His scent surrounded me, encasing me completely.

I just wanted to stay there.

"Do you want me to stay?" Derek whispered, leaning down to my ear.

"Stay with Harley." I said, shaking my head no. "I think he needs at least one of us right now."

"Fine. But if they even try to come near you again -"

"Then I will get to the nearest Pack member and, if needed, call you."

I couldn't help but smile. It felt nice to have someone so protective, sometimes anyway. It made me feel wanted.

"Good. I don't want to see you hurt again, Gen." Derek muttered, shifting slightly to lean his forehead against mine. "I don't want them to lay a finger on you again."

"I know." I breathed, closing my eyes.

Looking into Derek's eyes, especially when he looked at me like that, was too much to handle. I couldn't even name how he looked at me, I just knew it made feel weak and turn my legs to jelly.

It wasn't even a second later that I felt Derek kissing me. It was just a simple press of lips, short and sweet. Yet it still took my breath away. I just curled my fingers into Derek's shirt for a moment to keep me standing, leaning against him slightly heavier. No one had ever made me feel the way Derek made me feel.

"I should get going." I sighed, not moving. "Class starts soon."

Derek didn't let me go.

"I'll see you in two hours." I added.

He still didn't let me go.

It took me a minute, but I ended up wriggling out of Derek's hold, quickly pecking him on the cheek before I moved away completely, waving to Harley as I went. I didn't head inside until they had driven away.

Checking my phone, I found it was ten to one in afternoon, trying to think of where to find my friends, mainly Boyd and Erica since Music was the next class on the list. I wasn't exactly sure where they were, but I was sure I would pick up on their scents at some point. I mean, they couldn't be too far away, right?

I started walking towards the room we would all use for breaks. No one ever seemed to use it, so we had all nabbed it for ourselves, having a nice and quiet little place for us all. It wasn't too far away, so I thought it would be the best place to start looking. What I didn't expect, however, was to find Sam in the next hallway, fighting against Chase and his goons. I had no idea what was going on, only that she kept hurling threats as she threw punches.

Then I saw Gabriel and Ben.

The moment I saw their bags drop to the ground and make their way towards Sam, I moved. I all but threw my bag down over to Sam's, running in head first to Sam's side, practically picking up one of Chase's goons and throwing him into the others, all of them toppling over like bowling pins.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Sam hissed.

"Helping!" I growled.

Nothing else could be said as Gabriel and Ben launched themselves at us, Gabriel heading for me and Ben for Sam. The only thing we could do was slide away from each other, giving the other as much room as we possibly could. I caught Gabriel's fist easily as it flew for my face, bending his arm back as far as I could without breaking it.

This won't end well...

---

In the end, I didn't go to Music. Sam didn't go to History, either. Instead, I drove Sam back to my place. The fight hadn't lasted long, a Professor ending it rather quickly. Thankfully, all he saw was Sam and me defending ourselves against a large group attack. However, even though the fight was short, that didn't mean we left unharmed. Which was probably why Derek and Peter were so angry...

I had helped Sam hobble in, her arm around my shoulders and mine around her waist. Sam needed off of her right ankle and I needed to sit down with how much my head was swimming. If I had been in the right mindset, I would have realised that the kitchen would probably have been the best place to go, instead of walking into the living room where Peter, Derek and Harley had placed themselves. Before Sam and I would even say anything, Derek and Peter were on us; Peter lifting Sam up and placing her on the couch, with her ankle resting on a pillow, whilst Derek grabbed a hold of me before I fell on my face, guiding me into his armchair. Harley was by my side in a second, his eyes wide and the corners of his mouth downturned. I was only just able to lift Harley up and place him on my lap, glancing over at Sam.

Neither of us said anything, we knew nothing would get us out of our situation.

The entire room was in silence for, around, five minutes. Peter bandaged Sam up, cleaning her wounds and making her take the pain medication she really did need. Derek kept me sat in the chair, not letting me move even after my head had stopped swimming and downing the glass of water he insisted I drink. Sam and I didn't even try to argue.

Whilst Derek paced back and forth, Peter glared at the wall, both of them tense, practically shaking with anger. I didn't know what to say, I wasn't sure if I wanted to. I just sat there, hugging Harley to me as tightly as I could without hurting him. Said child was practically attaching himself to me, pressing as close as he could, his fists wrapped tightly in my shirt like in the cafe.

That was when the door opened.

"Hey, sorry to intrude!" Charlie cheerfully called out from the hallway. "But I got off early and I know Sam's going to come here. You don't mind right?

Immediately Sam stiffened. The moment Charlie walked into the room, the redhead's entire demeanour shifted. She went from her sweet and bubbly self, to a creature that should have had flames coming out of its eyes.

"What the hell happened?!" Charlie shrieked, charging over to Sam, her hands flitting all over her fiancée's body. "Who did this?!"

"Charlie, Babe -" Sam started.

"Don't you 'Babe' me, Samantha Deanna Campbell! You tell me who did this so I can rip them to pieces."

Sam didn't seem to know what to say. I understood why, I would be the same if the situation was reversed.

"It's because of me." I muttered.

Then Charlie was on me. Before she could say anything, however, I kept talking.

"There was...a situation a while back." I sighed, avoiding eye contact. "I thought the people that were involved were gone and gone for good but, today, they showed up again. When I came back from lunch, those people were with Chase and his cronies and they were attacking Sam... I couldn't let her take that because of me. But I didn't exactly keep them away from her very well, did I?"

I didn't look up and no one said anything.

"It was stupid to think I could actually face this." I muttered to myself.

I didn't expect Charlie to hug me.

"Hush your face." she hissed. "If you hadn't gotten yourself involved I'm pretty sure someone would be worse off than they are now. But, now, you have to deal with me helping you out with these assholes. Understood?"

I just nodded.

---

The rest of the Pack weren't happy when they came home.

Derek was still angry when it was time for us all to go to bed.

I found the Alpha wolf sitting in my room when I came back from tucking Harley in, his jaw set hard and his shoulders tense. I didn't know if I was ready for what was about it come. I closed the door softly, standing awkwardly where I was, not moving away or coming closer. I wasn't sure if Derek was waiting for me to talk or what, but I couldn't think of anything that could possibly make the situation better. I doubted there was, to be honest.

"I knew I should have stayed." Derek growled. "If I had stayed none of them would have touched you. Or Sam."

That I didn't expect. I didn't expect him to speak and I certainly didn't expect that to be what he would say. Derek ran his hands over his face, running them harshly through his hair and down his neck.

"Derek -" I started, my voice barely more than a whisper.

"I should have, at least, made sure you got to your class alright!" Derek seethed at himself. "I should have..."

Derek trailed off with a harsh grunt, pushing himself out of my desk chair and walking towards me. I could do nothing but stand there. The second he was in front of me, Derek pulled me against his chest, his left arm wrapped around my waist whilst his right hand rested on the back of my neck. Automatically, my arms wrapped around his torso.

"I should have made sure they didn't hurt you." Derek mumbled, his voice muffled where he pressed his face into the top of my head.

"You can't always be there, Derek." I muttered.

"Yes, yes I can. I can't handle anything like that happening to you, I can't."

I couldn't say how long Derek and I stood like that for. All I knew was I didn't want to move from his arms. I just wanted to stay there, safe and warm, totally surrounded by all things Derek. I would happily stay there.

"Tomorrow." I whispered in the end. "After lunch tomorrow, you can walk with me to class."

"Damn right I can." Derek grumbled.

I couldn't help it. I couldn't help but laugh. Derek sounded almost like a petulant child finally getting what he wanted. It contrasted brilliantly with all his Derek-ness that I just couldn't help it.

"I'm just glad tomorrow's Friday." I sighed. Only three hours, then the weekend can start."

"And I can keep a better eye on you." Derek said.

My door creaked open before I could retort. My head whipped around as much as it could, Derek not releasing his hold on me, not that I minded very much. Especially when we found Harley standing there, sleepily rubbing his eyes.

"Can I sleep in here?" Harley yawned, already holding his arms out.

Derek loosened his grip enough to me to lift the child, before wrapping his eyes tightly around the both of us.

"I think I can allow that." I smiled, hugging Harley to me.

"What about me?" Derek asked, making no move to leave.

"I think I can allow that too."

---

The next day - Friday, September 5th - was Erica's birthday. The day had proceeded much like the day before, including Gabriel and Ben cornering Sam and I, only this time on their own. Sam was still recovering from her injuries and, to my astonishment, I was healing slower than usual. Pain would shoot up my back, bruises were still visible... It was ridiculous. The only upside of the day was, when everyone had come home, we could just celebrate Erica's nineteenth birthday, just as we had Isaac's and mine.

Saturday, however, didn't go over very well.

It had started off as a normal day, all of us, including Sam and Charlie, were lounging outside the house in the sun, just enjoying the weekend. To be honest, we needed the calm day, what with the craziness of the last two.

Not that it lasted very long.

Two Sheriff's Deputies were walking towards us all, Derek and Peter immediately on their feet.

"Deputies, is there a problem?" Peter greeted, outwardly calm.

"We're looking for Sam Campbell and Stiles Stilinski." one replied.

"May we ask why?"

Sam and I risked a glance at each other, eyebrows furrowed.

"We were contacted by one of the Professors at the University, about a physical altercation between some students." the other answered. "We have two other students in for questioning at this moment, but we need Campbell and Stilinski."

"We need to know their side of things, you understand." the first added.

Sighing, Sam and I pushed ourselves up, ignoring the quite protests from the others around them. We stood between Derek and Peter, looking up at the Deputies in front of us, neither of us knowing whether to trust the two men or not.

Looking at the two, I couldn't help but keep my eyes trained of the second Deputy that had spoken. There was something familiar about his face, about the calm look in his eyes. I just couldn't put my finger on it.

"I'm glad to see you're not in the hospital, this time." the second Deputy smiled, kindly. "You seemed to have healed well."

That was when it hit me.

"You took my statement back in February!" I recalled.

"That I did." he chuckled.

"At least I don't have to explain that again..."

---

Charlie and the Pack had refused to let Sam and I go to the station alone, not that either of us minded. To be honest, I think we were both relieved they were all coming with us. This is how we found ourselves, sitting in the Sheriff's station, waiting for the Deputies to come and interview Sam and me. Charlie and Derek sat on the outside of Sam and me, both of them refusing to leave our sides of anything, whilst Harley sat half on Sam and half of me.

I couldn't get comfortable. And could you blame me? I spent a lot of time in a cell back in Dallas, arrested for crimes that I had nothing to do with. It was dark and cold, too much like the basement at Dad's house. Yes, it was highly unlikely I would find myself in one again, but that did nothing to calm me down.

I just wanted to go home.

Derek's hand slipped into mine, fitting his fingers through mine and squeezing firmly. Turning my head to face him, he just gave me a small smile, squeezing my hand again. His thumb brushed lightly, back and forth, against the back of my hand, shuffling slightly to press his side fully against mine. I couldn't understand how just one touch from Derek could make me relax. It was confusing but not at the same time. Did that make any sense? Probably not... Sighing quietly, I bent slightly to rest my head on Derek's shoulder, strengthening my own hold on Derek's hand, running my other hand down the back of Harley's head.

Yeah, I wish we were all back home...

"How long do you think they're gunna make us wait?" Jackson muttered, staring down the corridor. "Shouldn't they be ready?"

"They're probably getting a room ready." Boyd shrugged.

"Rooms." I corrected.

Frowning, the Betas turned to face me.

"What?" Erica asked.

"Rooms. Plural." I sighed. "They won't question us together. That way they can see if our stories check out. If we're together, we can just agree with whatever the other says, even if it's bullshit. Doesn't matter if you're a suspect or a witness."

The moment Scott opened his mouth to say something, the two Deputies from before came walking up the hallway, followed by another two. It was as they were walking that Harley leant towards my ear, telling me they were good guys, before doing the same to Sam. The fact that the kid could tell, I knew it made Sam feel better, as it did me. Neither of us needed a biased audience when we tried to explain the actual story, compared to whatever rubbish Gabriel and Ben were attempting to pass off as the truth.

---

I found myself in a room with Deputy Shane Harding and Deputy Jason Curtis. They were the two Deputies that had found us at the house, Deputy Harding being the one to take my first statement about Gabriel and Ben back in December. We were in a rather spacious room, a window taking up the majority of the wall opposite of the door, the room being taken up with a large table surrounded with chairs and a couple of cabinets. The room was rather light, not as dark as the rooms I was used to being thrown into at a Sheriff's station.

The Deputies both took seats on one side of the table, whilst I took a seat close to the door. It always helped if I was near an exit, just in case. The Deputies had a tape recorder, two notepads and a file between them, the two of them focusing on setting up for the time being, not even looking at me. To be honest, I was wondering if they did this to let whoever they were interviewing take some time to relax a little.

"We will be recording this entire process." Deputy Harding explained. "Are you comfortable with that?"

"Yes." I nodded.

"Are you ready to begin?"

"Yes."

Deputy Curtis pushed record. They both stated their names and the date of the interview, just formalities, before asking me to state my own as well as my date of birth. It was the first time I had had to do that...

"Alright. Stiles, you were involved in a physical altercation with Gabriel Wright and Ben Johnson just yesterday, is this true?" Deputy Harding questioned.

"Yes." I replied.

"And you were with Samantha Campbell, correct?"

"Yes, I was with Sam."

"Was this the first altercation?"

"No."

Frowning slightly, the Deputies glanced at each other.

"Please elaborate." Deputy Curtis requested.

Nodding, I leant forward on the table, resting my arms on the table top.

"Yesterday was the second fight Sam and I had with Gabriel and Ben. The first was the day before that." I explained. "I had come back from lunch, trying to find my friends to go to our next class. I turned a corner and found Gabriel and Ben, along with a group of students who haven't like my friends and I since the beginning, attacking Sam. Sam, of course, was defending herself and I jumped into help. A Professor split up the fight and I took Sam back to my place, so we could get patched up."

Nodding, both Deputies made notes on their pads.

"Do you know why they targeted Miss Campbell?" Deputy Curtis inquired.

"Sam told me. She had confronted them." I admitted.

"Will you tell us why?"

Sighing, I could feel my throat tighten.

"Thursday, Sam and I were walking to our Art class, it was our first class of the day. We had turned the corner and I saw Gabriel and Ben. Sam got worried and asked if I knew them, so I told her the truth and told her they had tried to rape me. So, she dragged me outside." I described. "We had already missed the beginning of our class, so we decided to go to a nearby cafe so I could calm down. I told her about them being locked up, but I couldn't tell her exactly what happened and she understood. At lunch, whilst I was out, Sam had spotted Gabriel and Ben in a hallway, with the group of students I mentioned before. She decided to go up to them and tell them to leave me alone. They didn't take too kindly to that, Sam got angry and then they started attacking her."

Running a hand over my face, I leant back in my chair.

"That was all Sam told me." I added.

"That's perfectly fine, Stiles." Deputy Harding smiled. "That's perfectly fine."

---

I was in the room for, about, an hour before I could return to Charlie and the Pack. The second I reached them, Derek's arms were around me, hugging me to him. The tension immediately left my body. I was only in Derek's arms for a few moments before I felt someone tug at me shirt. I didn't have to look to see who it was, instantly just leaning down to lift Harley up and resting him on my hip, leaning back into Derek's hold.

"Has Sam come back yet?" I asked, my voice muffled by Derek' shirt.

"No. You're the first one back." Derek told me, kissing the tip of my head.

I just nodded and we all waited.

And we waited.

And we waited.

Half an hour later and Sam still wasn't back.

All of us were getting antsy, Charlie even more so. None of us knew what was going on. We had wanted to go looking for her, but we knew it wouldn't do us any good. The downside, however, was that it was getting too difficult to just sit there and do nothing.

It was as Charlie started growling that Deputy Harding appeared.

"Where's Sam?" Charlie blurted out, her voice raised just slightly. "Why isn't she back yet? She hasn't done anything wrong."

"Unfortunately," Deputy Harding told us, regret clear on his face. "With the amount of damage done to both Gabriel Wright and Ben Johnson, we've had to take Miss Campbell into temporary custody whilst we review the security footage."

"WHAT?!"

Peter was quick to step in front of Charlie, placing his hands on her shoulders, talking to her quietly.

"But Sam was defending herself." I protested. "And me. They-They threatened me, they attacked her!"

"And we understand this. Yours and Miss Campbell's stories matched almost perfectly, Mr Wright's and Mr Johnson's, however, not so much." Deputy Harding admitted. "The one thing they both agree on is that Miss Campbell attacked them both, and this needs to be investigated. We have the security tapes, we're about to go through them. If what you and Miss Campbell is verified by the tapes, then Miss Campbell will be released shortly."

Reluctantly, I nodded.

"I will keep you all informed as much as possible." Deputy Harding added. "I promise."

And, with that, he was gone.

---

Thankfully, Sam had been released in a matter of hours. Gabriel and Ben were being convicted again, this time going to an out of state facility. Sam had admitted that it probably hadn't helped her when she had said to the Deputies interviewing her, 'Saving people, hunting things, the family business'. Honestly, the girl could be an idiot sometimes, but I loved her.

Sunday, luckily, passed without incident, everyone just being able to relax and enjoy the last day of the weekend. Not that it was the last day of relaxing for Sam and me. Peter, Derek and Charlie had all decided that Sam and I would be taking the next two weeks off. Sam to heal, whilst I had to 'recover' from the whole Gabriel-and-Ben situation. Neither of us really argued, which I think the three of them were a little relieved, but also worried, about.

Monday - September 8th - it was just Peter, Derek, Harley and me. Charlie had managed to grab some time off, only having to go to work on Thursday which Sam would be spending with us, so she could spend it making sure Sam was ok and taken care of. Sam and I were both fine with that situation. I mean, she got to spend more time with her fiancée and I got to spend more time with three of my favourite guys.

Anyway, Monday. It had started off like any other day. I had made breakfast for everyone, getting drinks ready and on the table a couple of minutes before they all appeared downstairs after getting dressed. It was just strange waving all of them off, knowing I wouldn't see them until they had all finished for the day. It felt almost wrong. However, seeing the grin on Harley's face made me forget about that feeling almost instantly. I let the kid drag me into the living room, where Derek and Peter had already situated themselves, giggling as he went. He managed to drag me over to Derek's armchair, pushing me gently until I was sitting on Derek's lap, not that Derek or I minded this, before climbing on with us, snuggling down with Phantasia hugged to his chest.

It wasn't until after a bright flash that I realised Peter had managed to grab his camera. But I couldn't find it in me to be annoyed.

The four of us spent a while just curled up in the living room, the TV on low whilst we all talked about nothing in particular. It was nice, sitting there with the three of them, being able to just relax and forget about what had happened.

"So, we can't just stay inside all day every day." I smiled, during a lull in the conversation. "It would be nice to get out of the house, the four of us, even if it's only for a couple of hours."

"Oh? Any ideas, my boy?" Peter chuckled, leaning back in his arm chair a little further and crossing his legs.

"I don't know. What do people normally do?"

I felt Derek's fingers gently brush up and down my arm, leaning his head against mine. I could feel him hum in thought, the sound vibrating in his chest.

"Depends on the people really." Derek shrugged. "What do you feel like doing, Bud?"

Looking down at Harley, I watched as his face morphed into, what would seem to others, like an over exaggerated thinking face. His eyebrows furrowed, his mouth pulled to one side as he thought over the few things he had done with us, as well as other activities he had heard about.

"Can we do some drawing?" he asked, his little face lighting up.

"I think that's doable." Peter grinned.

In just a few minutes, all the furniture in the living room was pushed to the sides, a large, old blanket placed on the floor. I had managed to find paint and paintbrushes that I didn't need any more, we had paper piled on two sides, as well as an array of pencils. Harley looked far more excited than I actually thought possible. The kid was practically vibrating, jumping up and down as he waited for everything to be ready. I had barely got him into dark clothes that hopefully wouldn't stain with paint.

He was on the floor in an instant, grabbing a piece of paper and quickly snatching up a pencil, giggling all the while. Peter, Derek and I couldn't help but smile, following his lead at a much slower pace. Whilst Peter and Derek stuck with pencils, I decided to do a quick sketch before grabbing the paints.

It was...nice.

Before we knew it, finished drawings and paintings were scattered around. We had even done some hand print paintings, something Harley had enjoyed immensely, if the giggle and grin on his face was anything to go by.

---

The next day, I had something new planned. I had woken up even earlier than normal, managing to sneak out of the house and get back before anyone had woken up. I only just managed to finish breakfast before they all turned up. Why did sneak out of the house? Easy. I decided that it was going to be a baking day with Peter, Derek and Harley, so I had grabbed some ingredients. It was something I loved to do, I had always loved doing it with my Mom, and it was a nice thing to do with a few extra hands. Besides, Harley loved sweet things and the Betas seemed to love it when I made something sweet to eat for after dinner. I hid my purchases, packing them into the cupboards and fridge, storing them in places that I hoped no one would find.

Just like the day before, the four of us started our day, after the Betas had left, in the living room, just talking and waking up a bit more. I was, yet again, on Derek's lap with Harley snuggled up against my chest. I was finding it hard to keep my eyes open, if I was being honest. Especially with the calming way Derek was carding his fingers through my hair. Every now and then his nails would scratch lightly against my scalp, the feeling sending small shivers down my spine. It was kind of ridiculous how much I liked it. I could feel myself slowly slumping heavier against Derek's chest, my head resting on his shoulder, my forehead pressed against his neck. My eyes continued to get heavier and heavier, until I just couldn't keep them open any longer. So, I lay there, on Derek, with my eyes closed, listening to three of my favourite people talking.

I couldn't remember a time I felt as relaxed as I did at that moment.

I was warm and comfortable, I was quite content to just stay like that for the rest of the day. For the first time in a long time, I actually craved the touch of someone else. Just an arm around the shoulder or a hug... I had slowly been getting better at the entire touch thing since I had moved into the house, but, with Derek, I felt like I needed it. I felt like I needed that hand on my back, or those arms around me, at some point during the day to be able to function. It was strange to have that need again. It was definitely going to take some getting used to...

"So, what happens to be the plan for today?" I heard Peter ask.

It barely registered. Derek had to tap my shoulder, Peter having to repeat himself for my brain to actually catch up with everything.

"Can we draw like yesterday?" Harley grinned, his head tilting back to look up at me.

Running a hand through his hair, I couldn't help but chuckle slightly.

"We can, but I had a different idea for this morning." I told them.

"Oh?" Derek hummed.

Standing up, keeping Harley in my arms, I began walking towards the kitchen, hearing Derek and Peter follow swiftly behind me. The moment we were all in the room, I placed Harley on the counter, setting him on the emptiest part I could find, away from any possibly-dangerous appliances.

Opening one of the cupboards, I took out one of the bags I had hidden that morning, putting it on the kitchen table. Eggs, sugar and other dry ingredients poking out from over the top of the bag.

"I thought baking could be fun." I grinned. "Just simple things, you know."

"Where do we start?" Peter grinned.

Now, for a while, everything was fine. We got a lot of batter mixed and ready to go, placing it in as many bowls as we could find before we could actually put it in the oven. Everything was fine, everyone was having fun and doing great, so I didn't know how it happened.

One second, everything was going fine, we had placed one lot of mixture into the mixer. I had turned my back for one second, checking on how our first batch of everything was going when SPLAT! The next thing I knew the entire kitchen, and Harley, were covered in batter.

I didn't know what else to do but laugh.

---

The next day, everything started off the same. The only difference was Harley, for the first time, was wearing some of the female clothing she had been bought. What struck me, seeing Harley wearing what she was, was how easily it would be to just assume she was in fact a biological-born, young girl. Harley's features were quite gender neutral, if fairly soft. Harley, if just looking at the kid's face, wasn't more masculine or feminine. If anything, the kid's features and overall body type could be seen as fairly androgynous. There was no way to tell what gender the kid's body was just by looking at her face or body type.

Harley had put on a long sleeved, white top and sky blue, high-waist, knee length skater skirt dungarees over the top. The skirt had a swirled pattern of sequins all over, the shine being the first thing the kid had been attracted to. Harley had added a pair of slightly thick, white tights, whilst a pair of calf high, black boots had been placed at the bottom of the stairs. Even the way her hair fell seemed to look different, though she seemed to have done nothing out of the ordinary to it.

There was a slight reaction out of everyone, when Harley walked into the kitchen that morning. We had never seen the kid in any of the female clothing since we found out about the whole gender-fluid thing, so of course we would be surprised. Of course, Harley took the silence and looks badly, staring down at the floor as her arms wrapped protectively around herself.

Everything changed once Erica stood up, walking over to Harley as she took of the sparkly-silver-angel-wings necklace she was wearing, placing it around Harley's neck, the pendant reaching the top of the kid's stomach.

"There, now you look perfect." the blonde Beta grinned, winking. "I think it suits you a lot better than it does me."

The grin that broke across Harley's face was nothing like I had ever seen before. I just hoped we could all remember to use female pronouns, instead of the male we were used to using for the kid.

Anyway, like I said, everything that morning had started off, relatively, the same. However, after the Betas left, Peter had disappeared.

We left it for a little, thinking he may have gone to the toilet or gone upstairs for something. But, when he hadn't shown up again after fifteen minutes, we knew something wasn't right. Derek, Harley and I started looking around the house for him, Derek deciding we would stick together, just in case.

We looked in the training room.

We looked in the kitchen.

We looked in all the empty rooms.

We checked the floor all the Betas' rooms were.

We found nothing.

We looked upstairs.

The only thing we saw, from the top of the stairs, was what looked like a piece of paper, taped to Peter's bedroom door.

My stomach dropped.

In a blink of an eye, Derek was in front of the door, having grabbed the piece of paper, in an instant. Seeing his frown, I carried Harley over to him, reading the note over Derek's shoulder.

I see you finally decided to come look for me. Now, don't worry, everything's fine. I did, however, decide to create a little something, for today, for my favourite little Fairy. Think of it as a Treasure Hunt.

Your first clue is out on the porch.

Happy hunting!

---

Peter's clues took the three of us all around the house, even around the outside of it. Every clue we found took us to a different room of the house, or to a specific point just outside. We had to search for where Peter had hidden the next clue, finding a little present for Harley with it. The things Peter left for Harley were things she could wear or use, no matter how she identified on a day: drawing utensils, a silver charm bracelet, a gold 'H' necklace, clothes for Harley to put on Phantasia, books... Peter left so many things for the kid, it was hard to keep track.

The last clue took us to where we had gone fishing, shortly after Harley had come into our lives. It didn't take long for the three of us to load ourselves into Derek's car, Harley placing all her presents next to her. Derek had already helped put the charm bracelet on her left wrist, as well as the necklace, the pendant just reaching Harley's chest. Harley couldn't stop fiddling with either of them, mesmerised by the way the sun reflected on the silver and gold. It still amazed me how...innocent the kid was.

It didn't take us long to reach our destination, nor was it hard to find Peter, considering he was the only other person in the clearing. The older wolf was sat near the water on a blanket, a picnic basket placed next to him. The second Harley spotted Peter, she ran over to him, jumping on the eldest wolf, flooring him. It was a good thing Peter had been sitting down in the first place. Derek and I, however, opted to walk at a slower pace.

"I can't believe he did this." I grinned as Derek slipped his hand into mine.

"I can." Derek chuckled. "Peter loved doing this kind of thing for his girls, even Laura, Cora and me. He would always do it, at least, once a year. Having Harley around, I think, helps him more than anyone would have ever thought."

I could imagine Peter doing things like that, even before he had his girls. He was always good with kids, from what I could remember, though it probably helped that he could be quite childish himself. He seemed to have that parental instinct and it showed with how he was with Harley and Sam, even with Derek and the Betas. Even me.

"It's nice seeing him like this." I nodded. "Can you imagine how he'll be when the Betas start having baby wolves? God, he'd be wrapped around their little fingers!"

Joining Peter and Harley on the blanket, the two finally calmed down, though Harley still clung onto Peter, her arms wrapped around the wolf, a grin splitting her face in two.

"When the hell did you plan all this?" Derek smirked, once we had sat down, helping Peter to unpack the picnic basket.

"Last night." Peter shrugged, a glint in his eyes.

I had no words.

---

Early Thursday morning, Charlie dropped Sam off at the house. When Sam arrived, the rest of the Pack hadn't woken up yet. Well, they wouldn't have, since I was still making breakfast, so Sam stayed with me in the kitchen, jumping up onto the counter.

"You do this every morning?" Sam chuckled, swinging her legs slightly. "God, you and Charlie are more alike than I thought."

"Is that your way of saying you'd turn straight for me?" I teased, moving around the kitchen easily. "I'm honoured."

Sam did nothing but grin, wiggling her eyebrows at me. Sometimes, I wondered how the others could deal with us...

As we waited for the others to appear, Sam and I just caught up, talking about what had happened over the few days we hadn't seen each other. Like us, Sam and Charlie had spent their time at home, taking the days to relax in each other's company, to catch up on some quality time, to talk about their wedding and such.

"It's so surreal." Sam sighed. "I-I never thought I'd be doing this, you know?"

"Yeah, I know." I smiled, leaning against the counter next to her. "Trust me, I know."

"Crazy, isn't it? One day, you're facing hell, the next..."

"The next it's like you're in a dream?"

"Exactly! Sometimes, it's hard to process."

Neither of us really had to explain. We both knew. Isaac and us were the only ones that really understood. When you faced every day, wondering what you were going to have to deal with next, wondering where the next wound was going to be and how you were going to hide it, it took a lot out of you. It chipped away at any hope that you would have about finding something...good.

"There must be loads of kids like us out there." Sam whispered. "Loads that aren't as lucky as us."

"There always will be." I told her. "No matter what happens, there'll always be kids like us."

"That's depressing..."

But it wasn't like there was anything we could do. We couldn't save every kid like us, it just wasn't possible. No matter how much we hated it, there would always be someone suffering at the hands of someone they should be able to trust, someone that should care for them. There wasn't anything we could do.

Sam and I didn't have to wait long for the others to join us. Derek and Peter first, followed by the Betas, then Harley. Harley, like the day before, was in her female clothes, her whole demeanour far more relaxed than the day before. The moment Harley saw Sam, the kid ran up to her, practically jumping on the blonde huntress.

"Aunty Sam!" Harley giggled, taking a small step back once she let Sam put her down. "Whatcha think?"

Harley rocked back and forth onto her heels. She was wearing a light blue, cropped, asymmetrical, long sleeved jumper, the sleeves covering Harley's hands up to her knuckles, a black, high waist skirt, patterned with red-white roses with green leaves and a pair of black, flat ankle boots. Harley also had on the charm bracelet and necklace Peter had gifted to her the day before, as well as the angel wing necklace Erica had given to her. Quite honestly, the kid looked adorable. Well, Harley was whether she was identifying and dressing as a boy or a girl, but the kid still looked adorable.

Looking around at the Pack, I could see the small smiles on their faces. Over the months, they had accepted Harley as if she had been with us since the beginning. She was one of us, part of the Pack. Part of our family. And Harley knew that. She had taken to calling all of the Betas, as well as Peter, Sam and Charlie either 'Aunty' or 'Uncle'. Derek and I were the only ones he didn't do that with, not that either of us minded. It was, honestly, just the cutest thing I had ever been witnessed to and, I swear, I melted every time I heard their heartbeats falter slightly when Harley used those terms.

"I think you look beautiful, Little Buddy." Sam grinned, taking Harley's hand to twirl her around. "Very cute."

Grinning, Harley fell into Sam against, leaning against the blonde's legs as she looked to the rest of us, the hopeful and questioning look clear in the kid's fiery eyes. In an instant everybody was nodding, adding in their own two-cents. You could physically see Harley's shoulders relax completely, the kid letting out a soft sigh of relief.

Harley dragged Sam to the table, sitting the blonde down next to her on the extra seat I had put around the table, whilst I sat on Harley's other side. Everyone quite happily dug into the food, piling their plates up high, well, everyone apart from Allison, Sam, Harley and me, since we didn't need such bit portions. As the conversation easily bounced back and forth between different topics, I just took the opportunity to lean back and watch everyone, absentmindedly running my hand through Harley's hair, not that the kid seemed to mind. It still amazed me that I was a part of all of this, still amazed at everything it took to get to that particular moment. It was insane, but in a good way.

I still couldn't believe I had all of this...

---

Harley was ecstatic to have Sam at the house. I suppose it helped her having a girl in the house, instead of just Peter, Derek and me. She probably felt a bit more comfortable, having someone to, I suppose, help her. It probably helped that the kid loved Sam as much as she did. I mean, as soon as the Betas left for the University, Harley practically dragged Sam up the stairs, why I did not know.

Whilst Harley hung out with her Aunty Sam, I sat in the living room with Derek and Peter, as per our routine the past few days. It was nice to have a calm start to the morning. Running a hand through my hair, I flopped onto Derek, burrowing into his side. There was something about his body heat and scent that just relaxed me, completely encompassing me. It was comforting, to say the least. Derek didn't seem to mind, however. He just shifted slightly, wrapping his arms around me, tight enough that I could feel it, but loose enough that I didn't feel trapped. He always seemed to find that comfortable middle ground.

"It's nice to see Harley so relaxed with us all." Peter commented, a soft smile planted on his face. "To trust us enough to see this side of hi-, excuse me, her is quite an honour."

It was sometimes difficult to remember to use female pronouns for Harley. I really had to think through what I was about to say, making sure that I would get it right. Sure, Harley would probably forgive me, just like she did the others, if I got it wrong, but I always noticed the flinch. Hearing the male pronouns when that wasn't how she identified more than likely made her uncomfortable, as if we didn't fully accept her and how she was. I could only hope she knew that wasn't true and I knew everyone fought to remember, but I couldn't blame the kid if it still held some hurt.

"I'm just glad the kid finally started trusting me. I said there was no need to be ashamed." I sighed. "It's a step in the right direction, for sure."

"It'll probably take a while before she can easily walk downstairs in whatever and be confident, but she'll get there." Derek said. "It'll just take time."

"That it will." Peter added. "As long as she remembers we love her, that's all that matters."

Nodding a little, I rested my head on Derek's shoulder, closing my eyes for a moment. I just wished I could take all of Harley's insecurities away, leaving the kid with nothing worry about when it came to herself. I didn't want her to constantly be thinking no one will accept her. Yes, I knew there were some who wouldn't. I wasn't completely oblivious, I mean, I had faced me fair share of ignorant, equality refusing cavemen, but I didn't want Harley to face any more of that. She already had to deal with her own kind shunning her because she didn't conform to their ways, why should she have to face that from anyone else?

Was this how Mom would have felt with me?

"Having a kid is hard." I muttered. "So many things to worry about."

"That there is, my boy." Peter chuckled. "But no one claimed raising a child was easy."

"It would be easier if we lived in an age where people weren't ostracised for who they are, for how they were born. Less things to stress over."

Derek and Peter said nothing. However, I knew they both agreed.

---

By the time Sam and Harley emerged, it was around twelve. Harley looked confused, but Sam looked determined. No one had a change to question, since Sam just snatched up her cell phone. I could hear Charlie on the other line, as soon as she picked up. The redhead barely had time to say hello when Sam jumped in.

"I'm going on a mini shopping spree, just letting you know." Sam told her.

"Oh, cool. Don't die." I heard Charlie chuckle back.

And, before I knew it, we were out of the house, piled into Derek's Camaro. Sam sat behind Peter, leaning around the chair, yelling out directions to Derek, far louder than necessary. Honestly, I thought either Derek was going to crack, or Sam was going to, somehow, grab the wheel and, literally, do some backseat driving.

Everyone was happy when Derek finally parked in the town.

"Sam, would you like to explain?" I frowned, following the skipping Huntress.

"Nope!" she grinned. "But, first, we're getting food; I need food!"

Peter, Derek and I couldn't even say anything to that, watching as Harley grabbed Sam's hand, the two of them running off ahead, giggling all the way. They didn't go too far, we could still see the two of them. But they went far enough.

"Should we be worried when those two team up?" Derek asked, slowly, his eyes widening slightly.

"I'm not sure…." I sighed. "All I know is Harley seemed just as confused as us."

"Well, we won't know anything if we just stand here." Peter chuckled. "I doubt it's anything we should worry over."

We knew Peter was right, don't get me wrong. But, with Sam, you never knew what was going through that mind of hers. Then again, it was one of the things I loved about the crazy girl. Obviously, she wasn't planning anything that could get someone hurt, especially since Harley was with us. But there was something about the look in her eyes, that little glint, that made me a little weary. Could you blame me? Whenever I used to see that look, I knew I was going to get a beating from my Dad, or get attacked by Zane….

I was just too in my head.

Attempting to shake myself off, I slid myself closer to Derek, the two of us following slowly, whilst Peter jogged to catch up with Sam and Harley.

It wasn't all that busy in the town, but it was a Thursday and we still had, around, an hour until the lunch rush. There were, however, a lot of parents and their young children, mainly babies and toddlers, but that was to be expected.

I felt Derek's hand slide into mine, my entire body tensing for a moment. It was strange trying to get used to the shift in our relationship, period. It was a little easier at home, especially when it was just the two of us, or when we were with Peter and Harley, but it was still weird. Out in public, Derek had no qualms about being affectionate. He would quite happily but his arm around me, hold my hand, hug me, kiss me…. I didn't know how to get used to it. In Dallas, I never really saw any openly gay couples being affectionate out on the streets. Not that I blamed them. A few of the couples I knew of were harassed just for walking side by side, talking! Who could blame them for not taking part in any public displays of affection? Sure, any place could be like that but, to me, Dallas seemed a lot worse. That, however, was just my experience. Back to the point, however, I didn't know if would ever get used to Derek doing that in public. It wasn't that I disliked it, quite the opposite, in fact. But there was a degree of uncomfortableness every time.

Why's this so confusing?

A little tug on my hand made me look up, Derek's face pulled into a concerned frown. He slowed down even more, not taking his eyes off of me.

"You ok?" Derek asked, his voice low.

I nodded, smiling a little.

"Yeah, just thinking." I assured him. "Don't worry about it."

Derek looked as if he wanted to push the issue further; I knew he didn't fully believe me and I knew he would worry anyway. But Derek dropped it. He didn't ask anything else, he just nodded and continued on walking with me.

I couldn't help but feel bad.

By the time Derek and I reached Peter, Sam and Harley, the blonde was bouncing on the spot, outside of the diner, whilst they waited for us. Harley had her arms wrapped around Peter, giggling at Sam, turning her face into Peter's side to try and hide her amusement. Peter, on the other hand, just grinned at the two of them, one arm around Harley's shoulders, whilst the other hand cupped the back of the kid's head.

I didn't know how the five of us looked to anyone else, but I didn't care. Why should I?

---

Lunch was uneventful. We managed to eat without anyone giving us looks or making comment. I felt like I could actually enjoy our time out. Peter picked up the bill before Sam or Derek could argue, the blonde pouting and glaring slightly at the him. Peter didn't care much, however. It was obvious he liked taking care of us all, the same with the rest of the Pack. Even though he wasn't the Alpha, he was still the oldest out of all of us. He was practically a father figure to everyone, taking on an involved, protective, parental role in our lives.

After eating, Sam seemed to calm down. She actually walked with us, after we left the diner, instead of running off ahead. Sam still didn't tell us where we were going, just grinning whenever we would try to ask. She had linked arms with Peter, jabbering on about one thing or another, whilst Harley walked between Derek and I, her hands grasping ours. Harley bounced slightly as she walked, her entire demeanour more relaxed than I had ever seen before. She looked as if a weight and been lifted and, in a way, I suppose it had. With knowing herself how all of us would react to her, when identifying as a girl, it would make it easier for her to except and embrace. It would make it easier for her to talk to us about it, make it easier to tell us if she saw or liked something. I was proud of her. I understood, in some way, how hard it was to come out to someone, wondering how they would react. I understood, in a way, how hard it was to do what felt right for you. To gather up the courage to walk down the stairs as a girl, for the first time…. I couldn't even fathom how daunting that must have been; I couldn't imagine how much self-persuading it must have taken. Especially for someone so young.

I can't even begin to explain how proud I am….

As I thought that, Harley looked up at me, smiling gently as she squeezed my hand a little, mouth a 'thank you'. For a moment, I didn't understand. I didn't know why she was thanking me. Until it clicked. Fairies can read minds. Harley was still trying to control it. If a thought was too loud, Harley couldn't block it out, yet.

Stopping where I was, in the middle of the street, I tightened my hold on Harley's hand. When they couldn't move any further, Derek stopped, Peter and Sam following shortly after. The three of them were frowning, but Harley just continued to smile up at me. Before anyone could say anything, I bent down and pulled Harley towards me, her hand slipping out of Derek's. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close to me as her own arms wound their way around my neck. I didn't want to let her go.

"What just happened?" I heard Sam whisper.

"No idea…." Peter muttered.

And they probably wouldn't figure it out.

---

It didn't take long for us to get to Sam's first store. It was dark, the inside and outside painted black, kind of like a Hot Topic, only not so 'goth'. The place sold video games, rollerblades, skateboards, clothes, DVDs, CDs…. At lot of things were packed into it. Once inside the store, it wasn't as dark and 'creepy' as it looked at first. Colour was splashed all over the place, neon paint splattered all over the walls, the carpet faintly glowing in the dim light. A range of people filled the store, from nerds to the grungy and more. But that, however, didn't seem to help the uneasiness Peter, Derek, Harley and I felt. Harley and I weren't too good in big crowds, a lot of people made the both of us nervous. Peter and Derek were always wary, both of them on high alert, just in case. Not that I could blame either of them.

Sam was neither.

Sam navigated the store happily, her eyes darting back and forth between different racks and shelves, a small spring in her step. We followed her through the aisles, slid around people and stock. She completely bypassed the checkout, walked past all working staff and made her way to the back of the store, heading to, what seemed like, the manager's office.

None of us knew what was going on.

The door was open slightly, one person sitting in the office. Instead of knocking, Sam just bounded up to the door, swinging it open and glomping them from behind, practically yelling hello into their ear. Obviously, the person pretty much shit their pants, all but screaming as they jumped up, dislodging Sam.

The guy was just shy of Derek's height, dirty blonde dreadlocks reaching halfway down his back, tattoos winding around his neck and down his arms. A scar cut through his left eyebrow, disappearing into his hairline, another running down the side of his neck from behind his right ear. His features were sharp, his eyes set deep into their sockets, his mouth on the thin side and his nose slightly off centre. It looked as if his honey skin was pulled tight, his cheekbones rather pronounced, especially with the way his jaw was slightly locked. He had a septum piercing, a chain snaking through all the different hoops on the shell of his ear, hooking onto the one going through his right eyebrow. He had a double lip piercing, one on either side of his bottom lip, as well as one that appeared to be on his tongue…. Those were the only visible ones, who knew if he had any more! The guy was fairly muscled. He was more of Jackson's size, however, rather than Derek or Boyd. His size and body type, though, made him look quite intimidating….

Harley pressed herself as far into my side as she could, dragging Derek a little closer by his hand. She had never seen anyone like this guy, so of course she was, for lack of a better word, scared. What else were you to expect? As soon as the guy saw Harley, however, it was as if a switch had been flipped. His face relaxed into a calm smile, his posture relaxing entirely.

"Well, aren't you a cutie." he chuckled.

"Isn't she just!" Sam grinned.

"Definitely. My little girl has those same boots; refuses to take them off."

The guy pulled Sam into a one-armed hug, resting the side of his head on top of hers for a moment.

"What can I do for you, Sammy?" he asked, a smirk on his face.

"You know exactly what." Sam laughed, rolling her eyes. "You got my board?"

"Hell yeah. Only the best for my favourite customer."

The guy grabbed a skateboard from beside his desk, handing it to a very excited Sam, also shoving a brand-new video game, one that had only been released in Japan, into her hands.

"Dude…. You don't have to do that, Mo." Sam sighed, trying to give it back.

"Sam, you legit saved my life." Mo deadpanned, refusing to take the game back. "My daughter has her Dad, because of you. It's the least I can do."

"Thanks, Mo…."

---

When we had stepped back onto the street, Sam tested out her new board, skating around and in front of us, before grabbing Harley and taking the kid for a ride. Harley looked completely mystified, but couldn't help but laugh, keeping a tight hold of Sam's hand.

Peter, Derek and I didn't ask about Mo. We knew enough of Sam's past to piece things together, so we didn't need her to delve into something she may not want to tell us. I think the three of us knew better than most that some things were hard to talk about.

Our next stop wasn't that far away. Sam skated up to this quaint, little store, taking a deep breath before nodding to herself. She took herself and Harley off of the board, lifting Harley so she could carry the kid of her side. She went to grab her board as well, but Peter grabbed hold of it before she had a chance. Sam didn't seem to mind.

The first thing we saw, when walking into the store, was someone at the side of the counter, leaning on the top and writing something in a book. The reason I say someone? Simple. Whilst they looked like a guy, physically, what they wore said the complete opposite. This, very good looking, six-foot, string bean, Asian person was dressed in a sleeveless, wide leg, woman's jumpsuit with a plunging neckline. The heels of the boots they wore looked killer. I mean, you could pretty much stab a bitch with them and they were so high off the ground, I couldn't believe it. Their waist was cinched, giving them curves, the jumpsuit tailored to fit them perfectly and, because of this, the chest area wasn't baggy as hell, due to the lack of breasts. There even seemed to be this hood made out of this silky looking, thin fabric, which sat just shy of the middle of the top of their head. Then there was the make-up. I couldn't tell if they had used foundation, but their skin looked flawless. Dark purple eyeshadow surrounded both eyes, with black eyeliner curving around them, ending in a sharp flick; their face was contoured, their face taking on a slightly feminine quality; lipstick, just a shade darker than their skin tone, was only just noticeable. To be honest, they looked amazing. And it seemed Harley thought so too.

"Afternoon, lovelies!" they called, not looking up from the book. "Give me a quick sec and I'll be right with you."

Reluctantly, Sam handed Harley to me, biting her lip. She took one step closer, taking another deep breath.

"Can't pull yourself away from the accounts for little old me?" Sam chuckled, shakily. "And here I thought you were a guy with manners."

His – now I knew they were a he – head snapped up so fast, I swore I heard something crack. His eyes were wide, mouth open slightly in shock, just staring at Sam. The rest of us said nothing, staying close to each other, but ready to jump in front of Sam in a second.

We watched as the guy sashayed away from the counter, almost stalking up to Sam, his face completely blank. As he walked closer, I hugged Harley tighter. I could feel the tension rising. The air was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. The moment the guy was in front of Sam, he just stood there.

He stared.

He said nothing.

I almost jumped when he slapped Sam across the face.

Before any of us could react, however, he grabbed Sam in a tight hug, the guy gripping so hard I could see his knuckles turning white, as if she would disappear if he let go. And Sam hugged him back, almost just as tight.

What….?

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!" he yelled, tears welling up in his eyes. "No call. No letter. You left, Sam!"

He kept repeating 'you left' as the tears spilled over. His make-up, though, stayed on point. I suppose he had waterproof make-up.

I couldn't say how long they stood there for in their embrace but, after a while, the guy pulled back, his hand rubbing the cheek he had slapped.

"My little Sambolina." he hiccupped, a small smile on his face. "I'm sorry, darling, but you deserved it."

"I know." Sam nodded, placing a hand over his.

"Hey, is everything ok? I thought I heard –"

Everyone looked towards the back of the store when we heard the new voice, a very large, very beefy man appearing. He stopped speaking the minute he saw Sam.

"Sam?!" his voice boomed, his face splitting into a grin as he ran up to the little blond, crushing her in a bear hug and spinning her around.

This new guy was taller than the one in heels. His build was like that of Boyd, dark stubble surrounding his mouth and trailing up his jawline. He looked, I suppose, like what people would refer to as a manly man.

What even….?

"Who're your friends?" beefy guy asked, placing Sam back down.

In the end, it turned out, Sam's friends were actually alright.

The one in the make-up and women's clothes was Job. He felt more comfortable dressed as he was, but explained to us that he, despite this, identified as male. The beefy guy was Asa, Job's husband of fifteen years. It was clear just how much Asa loved Job, it was in every look, every word, every move and touch.

Job seemed very fond of Harley, gushing over the kid's cuteness. Job also seemed to like touching Derek.

"Aren't you a hunk of a man." Job smirked, winking at me as his hand squeezed Derek's bicep. "The strong ones are the best."

Whilst everyone, including myself laughed, I couldn't help the soft, almost silent growl that shook through my body.

"Don't scare off Sam's friends, Babe." Asa chuckled, wrapping his arm around Job and dragging the small man to him.

"I would never." Job grinned, kissing his husband.

As soon as Job had been moved, Derek wound an arm around me, pulling me into his side. I could feel his entire body relax, the moment our sides were touching. When Sam glanced over to us, she just snickered.

"So, what can we do for you, Sammy?" Asa laughed.

"Whatever you want, it's on the house." Job added, grinning.

Putting her hand on Harley's shoulder, Sam finally revealed why she had ended up dragging us out of the house.

"Well, my Little Buddy here needs some things. Accessories, make-up, the works." Sam explained. "She needs some things for when she's a she and not a he, you know."

Immediately, Job was jumping into action.

"Say no more!" he giggled. "Let's find you some things, Honey."

With that, Sam and Harley disappeared with Job, somewhere in the store.

---

It had been, around, an hour and Harley was still occupied with Sam and Job. I could hear her giggling and squealing…. I couldn't be more grateful to Sam. It was true that Harley had a lot of outfits for however he identified, but the kid didn't have much else to help her feel more like a girl. I had no idea where to start with any of that and I couldn't ask the girls when they were busy with University work. The fact Sam took it upon herself to do this, for Harley, I couldn't stop smiling.

As we waited, Peter, Derek and I walked around the store, picking up something for everyone. One example being a scarf for Isaac. Peter had just picked up a book for himself, when a young girl, around about seventeen, came running out from the back of the store.

"Daddy, Papa, I'm out!" she called. "My shift's done, everything's looking good in the back and –"

Then she saw Sam.

"Hey, Cleo." Sam grinned.

"Aunty Sam!" the girl squealed.

I could barely hear what either of them were saying. They were talking so loudly, their voices so high and lapping over each other…. I only just heard the girl say something about a boyfriend when the door to the front of the door opened, a boy walking in.

"Babe, movie starts in twenty, you ready to go?" the kid asked, before being glomped by Cleo.

"Zeke, come meet my Aunt!" Cleo beamed, dragging him over to Sam.

Now, the kid was polite. He shook Sam's hand, he answered every question that was thrown at him. He didn't even bat an eyelid at any of it. Every answer seemed truthful, something Harley confirmed with a small nod of his head.

However, as soon as Cleo left the store, after giving Sam another massive hug, to go get into Zeke's car, Sam stopped him, her face darkening to the point of looking like a serial killer.

"You hurt her, I'll kill you." Sam growled, before pointing to Derek. "And he will help."

The moment the kid saw Derek's death glare, he went running.

"He seems like a nice kid." Sam mused the moment the door had closed.

We didn't stay too long after that. When any of us tried to pay, Asa and Job stopped us.

"After you helped us get Cleo and Ezra, it's the least we can do." Asa smiled.

"We wouldn't have our babies if it wasn't for you." Job added. "But if you disappear again, I'll whoop your ass, understand?"

With a few moments to exchange numbers, as well as a long goodbye, we left for home with many a shopping bag in hand, Sam promising to keep in touch, especially so she could see her Goddaughter and eight-year-old Godson.

It had been a hell of a day.

---

That evening, after dinner, after Sam and Charlie had headed home, after Harley had gone to bed, I sat in the kitchen with Peter, Derek and the rest of the Pack. Everyone had a mug of hot chocolate, talking about anything that came to mind, before we went to bed. It was nice having, I guess you could call it, Family Time. It didn't matter what we were doing, or talking about, I just liked that we got to do it together.

I wasn't sure how we got onto the topic. I couldn't say why we were even talking about it. Then again, I could say that about a lot of our conversation topics. For some unknown reason, many of the Betas decided to revert back to Junior High kids, giggling as they talked about 'Firsts'. Watching them act like little kids, whilst amusing, was a little strange. Sure, I was used to everyone messing around, having a few jokes, but the majority acting like a bunch of thirteen-year-olds? Well, it was weird. To be honest, I thought movies exaggerated this particular conversational topic within friendship groups; I didn't think it actually happened…. I wasn't completely sure I was comfortable with it.

I probably learnt more about my friends than I needed to. I mean, I didn't need to know when they all first had sex and who it was with! Why would I need to know that? Was it normal for close friends, practically family, to disclose this kind of thing?

I thought I was going to be able to avoid the questioning.

I thought I was going to be able to stay quiet.

I should have known better.

All I had to do was shift, then all eyes on me. The guys started snickering, the girls giggling…. Peter and Derek were probably both relieved to have the attention taken off of them, yet a little worried about what might be asked or said.

Before I could say or do anything to get the sudden attention off of me, however, I found Erica's arms winding loosely around my neck, hugging me from behind.

"So, Sti," Erica tittered, her chin resting on my shoulder. "Who was your first kiss?"

Folding my arms over my chest, I knew there was no way I would get out of the situation. I would have to answer, either I wouldn't be left alone or allowed to go to sleep. The only thing I could do was answer the question.

"It depends." I sighed.

"On what?" Lydia asked.

"Does it could if it was forced on me and I took no part in it?"

For a moment, all of them were still; all of them were quiet. I felt Erica stiffen, her arms tighten ever so slightly around me. I could feel the mood shift dramatically.

"It doesn't count." Isaac muttered after a minute.

"Then my answer is Derek." I told them.

"It would have been Derek, anyway." Peter chuckled.

Turning towards him and Derek, I found Peter smirking, whilst Derek had the slightest flush covering the bridge of his nose and the apples of his cheeks.

"How come?" Allison frowned, her head tilted slightly.

"You should have seen these two when they were kids." Peter snickered. "Hell, Oliver officiated their own little pretend wedding."

"I think that's enough story time." Derek squeaked, slightly, clearing his throat. "I think it's time we all went to bed."

None of us could help but laugh.

---

I had just finished getting ready for bed when I felt this weird pull in my stomach. I couldn't quite put a name to the feeling. It felt strange, like a bubbling, but not in a way that would make you feel sick. I didn't know how to describe it.

Rubbing my hand over my abdomen, I sat down on the edge of my bed. The sensation made no sense. I couldn't be ill, I couldn't have eaten or drank anything to upset my stomach…. I hadn't exactly done anything out of the ordinary.

All I knew, was that I needed to see Derek.

Getting up, I walked out of my room, not bothering to close my door behind me. I walked to the door next to mine, pushing it open as silently as possible.

Derek was sitting on the side of his bed, his head bent as his hands raked through his hair and down his neck. I could see slight red marks on his neck, almost like scratch marks. Without saying a word, I moved myself into Derek's room, closing the door as softly as I had opened it.

Derek didn't look up.

Derek didn't look up until I was standing in front of him. I placed a hand on the back of his neck, shifting his own out of the way. I lightly massaged the scratches he had left on himself, not exactly knowing what I was doing or why I was doing it. It just felt right…. It sounded strange, yes, but it was true. It seemed like the right thing to do.

Leaning forward, Derek rested his forehead against my stomach, his arms reaching up slightly to wrap around my hips, drawing me closer into a loose embrace.

"You ok?" I asked, quietly, staring down at where the angry red marks started to fade.

"I am now." Derek chuckled, nuzzling my stomach, lightly.

That was all we said. No other words were shared between us, but it was as if we didn't need them.

We stayed in our embrace for only a few minutes before Derek pulled away, but I made no move to leave. Neither of us had to ask, neither of us had to stay. We both climbed into Derek's bed, and I huddled as close to the warmth of the Alpha as possible, his scent completely surrounding me. I felt relaxed.

I felt calm.

I felt safe.

---

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