I'm sorry that I'm late with this as well. There's been barely any time for me to write but I'll try to at least post semi-regularly if possible. I think that as soon as I'm used to my new schedule, it should be easier for me to write a bit more. The thing I'm most concerned with is sleep at the moment…

Anyway, enjoy,

Nick

Tegan stepped onto the escalator with Lydia and Allison. She had been forced to come along with them and honestly? She was already hating it. Their teenage drama was nothing she needed right now. Not even later. But – it was nice to see that some people had normal problems for once.

"Nothing's wrong," Allison insisted "I just – I have a lot on my mind."

Lydia sighed at her friend and glanced up when Tegan walked past her to where Stiles was standing by the perfume. They were probably talking about something nerdy. Really, those two hit it off almost as soon as they got introduced and Lydia – no matter whether it was Stiles or someone else – couldn't be happier that her cousin was at least interacting with someone outside of her and Allison. Especially, since her mom had decided to keep Tegan out of school for a little while. After everything that happened, Lydia could understand. The last thing on Tegan's mind was school "You could smile, at least," Lydia pointed out "Ever heard of the saying 'Never frown. Someone could be falling in love with your smile'? Smile, Allison. I'm buying you a dress."

"Have to admit as far as apologies go… that's more than I expected," Allison smiled lightly.

"Excellent," Lydia clapped happily.

Allison held up her hand to stop the strawberry blonde before she could open her mouth again "But not as much as I'm going to ask."

"What?" Lydia blinked "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're going to cancel on whatever dumb, roided-up jock you said yes to and you're going to go with somebody else."

Lydia sighed "That's what Tegan said as well. Not in as many words but… Who should I go with, then?"

Allison nodded to the two who were standing a little to the side "Him." Lydia's shoulder slumped, causing Allison to laugh "Don't frown, Lydia. Someone could be falling in love with your smile."

Lydia huffed, storming past her, Tegan and Stiles with an arm full of dresses "Oh," Stiles stumbled, looking after "Okay, so are you just gonna… Try these on right now? All of them? Is this a 24-hour Macy's?"

Tegan's head snapped up when the scent of werewolf reached her nose. Her eyes fell on the black-clad man who was standing by Allison's side. She licked her lips, unsure of whether it was a good idea to approach. The man felt like an Alpha… Not nearly as powerful as her own but… he was an Alpha and that meant that he was higher-up than Tegan was. Even if she was a Hybrid.

"That's not your colour," Peter pointed out, his focus completely on the little Argent. Allison flinched in surprise and looked up at him "Sorry if that was intrusive but – considering your skin tone, I'd go lighter."

"Because I'm pale?" Allison sighed, grimacing.

"Fair," the Alpha corrected "I mean, you can't call skin like yours pale. Not skin that perfect."

Allison looked around, more than a little uncomfortable "Okay," she let out a little laugh, looking close to crying.

"Trust me, I – I have a unique perspective on the subject. Do you mind?" Peter grabbed the girl's hand, holding a dress in the other "See? Much better." He raised his eyebrow at her "You're not here alone, are you? Shopping for dresses – with friends. High school dance?"

Allison shook her head "Formal."

Tegan was about to make her way over and get Lydia's friend out of that situation when an announcement came through the speakers "Attention, shoppers. To the owner of a blue Mazda. License plate…"

Allison's head snapped up, her tears almost forgotten "Did she just say a blue Mazda?"

"– 5768. Your car is being towed."

"Oh, that's my car." Without looking at the creepy man one more time, she hurried off to the parking garage.

Tegan turned away when the Alpha started looking around "I have to say, Scott," he whispered "I continue to be impressed with your ingenuity. Just remember – You can't be everywhere all the time."

"Tegs," Lydia called from the changing rooms, drawing the young Hybrid's attention away from the man "What do you think of this?"

Tegan looked at the dress and grimaced "No. Definitely not."

"You're right," she sighed "I look like a balloon."

"You're the one who said it," the Hybrid mumbled.

Stiles gaped, still holding a whole bunch of dresses that Lydia had chucked at him earlier "I think it looks…" When Tegan shook her head, his shoulders slumped "Yeah, you're right…"

"Tegan, dear, are you alright?" Natalie Martin asked her niece when she came home to find the girl staring out of the window.

Tegan startled, looking over at her aunt. Every time she looked at her, she felt a pang of guilt. She should have done something. She knew that Tyler was out for revenge even if she hadn't known what he was going to do… Hell, she even knew what Klaus was like when angered. Nothing mattered to the Original Hybrid. No life was worth anything. Well, not theirs at least. It was something that Tegan had learned early on.

She had more or less stayed away from the Scooby Gang but it was proving difficult when there was Supernatural drama wherever you looked. For her, it only really changed when her Uncle Mason came to town after her father's death. Mason had immediately sniffed her out and it drew her into the whole mess in the first place.

"I'm fine, Aunt Natalie," she smiled lightly, trying to reassure her aunt that she was indeed fine.

"Liar," the older woman accused gently "I can see the look in your eyes, Tegan." She sat down on the sofa next to the girl and drew her into her arms "I miss her too, you know? And I can only imagine how much it must hurt you to see me every day after what happened…"

Tegan shook her head "No… It's – I think I just… I – I don't know what to do anymore."

"Oh, Tegan," Natalie sighed "It will be alright. I'm sure you'll find friends here soon. Lydia told me that you get along well with the Sheriff's kid?"

"But I just…" Tegan broke off, hiding her face in Natalie's shoulder "Why can't everything just stop and go away? Dad died, then mom and now Tyler is going to get himself killed. I don't know what to do anymore."

"Just be yourself," the older woman soothed, running her hand through Tegan's short hair "I'm sure you'll find out soon. I don't know what to tell you, Tegan. This is a difficult situation even for me. But I will help you. Lydia and I are here if you need us. I promise you."

Tegan sniffled lightly "Thanks."

"You're welcome, sweetie," Natalie murmured, pressing a kiss to Tegan's head.

The formal was already in full swing and Stiles had finally gotten Lydia to dance with him "You okay?" he asked as she kept looking around as if searching for something – or someone.

"Just – need to take a little break," Lydia murmured.

Stiles smiled sadly "You mean you need to go find Jackson. I get it." He took a step back and watched as Lydia walked away from him. It had been too good to be true.

About half an hour later, he was getting worried. Lydia was nowhere to be found and even Jackson wasn't inside anymore. Stiles ran over when he spotted Jackson coming closer slowly "Where the hell have you been?" he demanded "Did Lydia ever find you?" When Jackson just stared at him, Stiles frowned "What? What's wrong?"

"I – I was out behind the school," Jackson murmured "And I – I was – out…"

"What happened?" Stiles questioned urgently "Jackson. What did you do?" His eyes widened when he realized what was going on "Lydia."

On the Lacrosse field, Lydia was looking around in confusion "Jackson?" The lights were going on, one at a time, causing her to squint at the brightness "Jackson. Jackson, is that you?" She whirled around when Stiles came running up behind her.

"Lydia! Run," Stiles shouted, running onto the field. Before he could reach them, Peter bit down into the girl's neck, making her fall back onto the ground "Please… Don't kill her."

Peter smirked at the boy "Of course not. Just tell me how to find Derek."

"W – What?" Stiles frowned.

"Tell me how to find Derek Hale," Peter repeated forcefully, raising his claw to Lydia's cheek.

Stiles shook his head "I don't know that. How would I know that?"

"Because you're the clever one," the Alpha pointed out "Aren't you?" And because deception has a particularly acrid scent, Stiles. Tell me the truth – or I will rip her apart."

"You know what else deception is good for?" Tegan asked from behind Peter "Distraction."

The Alpha whirled around, only to be faced with the younger girl's Hybrid face "Fascinating," he murmured "What are you?"

Stiles' eyes widened "Tegan? What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for my cousin," Tegan gave back before glaring at Peter "If you kill her, I'm going to end you. Alpha or not. I'm going to rip you apart slowly and painfully."

Peter chuckled "I quite like you, little one." Tegan batted his hand away when he reached out to for her "Strong too. You would make an amazing Beta."

Tegan crossed her arms "Can't, sorry. Actually, no. I'm not sorry at all…"

"Tegs?" Lydia mumbled, blinking sluggishly at her cousin's voice. She was still almost unconscious and fading quickly.

"I'm here, Lydia. Everything is okay," she replied.

Peter looked from one teen to the other and rolled his eyes "Alright, no matter how much I enjoy this… conversation. Where is Derek?"

"Okay," Stiles murmured "Okay, look… I – I think he knew…"

"Knew what?" Peter demanded.

Stiles looked up at Tegan "Derek, I think he – I think he knew he was gonna be caught."

"By the Argents?"

"Yeah," the boy nodded.

"And?"

Stiles shrugged "When they were shot, he and Scott – I think he took Scott's phone."

Peter narrowed his eyes and stiffened when the young Beta behind him shifted a little "Why?"

"They all have GPS now," Stiles explained "So if he still has it and if it's still on – you can find him."

"How?"

Tegan was the one who spoke up "All you need is the account the phone is registered under. A username and a password. With that, you're able to track it. Useful if you lost it…"

"And I assume that the two of you know what to do?" the Alpha asked.

"I –" Stiles swallowed when Peter's eyes were on him again. He broke off, nodding his head a little.

The Alpha straightened up "Good. You're going to come with me then."

"But Lydia," Stiles protested.

"I'm not leaving my cousin hurt," Tegan told him, kneeling down next on the ground for a moment. She was debating whether or not to give Lydia some of her blood.