Derek was barely keeping it together. Laura was gone. He was alone. It was as if coming back to Beacon Hills had caused all his nightmares to become real. He had to stay strong, had to keep his game face on for just a little bit longer. He'd called in reinforcements, hunters in the area that he'd known since he was a child. Friends of Laura and his, people who had sheltered them. Once he got to them he could rest. Stiles and his mom would be safe. The girl, Allison Argent, she'd be under guard.

He'd gotten a message earlier saying the hunters had met up with a local resistance group. There were people in Beacon Hills who knew the truth. He wished he'd called for help sooner, but that's not the way he and Laura did things. They were a team. They only had each other, everyone else were just allies. Now Derek was alone.

He leaned his head against the door, watched the tops of buildings streak by as they made their way out of town. Mrs. Stilinski was driving. Stiles was in the passenger seat. Derek was in the back of the van with Allison. She'd been bound, gagged, and had a hood pulled over her head. They were using strongly scented cleaning products from the bakery to try to muddle her sense of smell. Derek hoped it was enough. He was too tired to fight anymore. He just needed to hold on a little longer. Derek's head fell forward. Just a little longer.

A tentative touch brushed along the back of his head. Derek glanced up. Brown eyes looked at him from above the passenger seat. Stiles was perched on his knees, clearly not wearing his seat belt. The werewolf had an arm stretched out shaking slightly. Derek gripped the young werewolf's hand. Stiles rose up on the seat further, a shy smile on his lips as he looked down at Derek sitting on the floor of the van.

Stiles's grip was firm. Derek hadn't expected that. Once they were touching all the trembling in Stiles's body seemed to fade away. It was simple, such a small gesture. Stiles was reaching out to him, trying to make a connection. Derek wasn't sure what it meant, but he was glad Stiles was making progress. Being reunited with his mother had changed him. That's what having a family did. It made people stronger. Derek was glad. He wanted to get his sister back because she made him stronger too.

"I-I-I'm going to help you," Stiles said. "W-we'll get her back." The werewolf tightened his grip on Derek's hand as he spoke. It was like he was trying to show Derek that even if his words were hesitant his intentions weren't.

It was amazing. Stiles was willing to face head on the people who had made his life a living hell. For some reason he was willing to put himself back in a position where he could be taken again. He'd risk giving up his freedom just to help Derek.

"No. You're going to stay somewhere safe." Derek wasn't going to let anything else happen to the young werewolf. He'd faced enough, seen too much already. Derek wasn't going to risk it.

"We're both going to help you," Claudia said. "You helped bring our family back together. We're not letting you trade yours away. That's not a price we're willing to pay."

Derek looked at the woman driving. He couldn't see her very well from the floor of the van, but there was something in the set of her jaw, the way she held her head with pride that told him it was no use arguing with her. Stiles squeezed his hand. Derek smiled.

He'd given Claudia directions to the safe house. Deaton had told him it'd been set up a few years ago and that no one used it very often. The Argents had caught the attention of other hunters. Deaton had been investigating it, had called in another family of hunters. Derek couldn't remember what their name was. Was it McConnor? He'd meet them soon enough. They had someone on the inside, someone who knew how the Argents did things. Derek didn't have time for a full briefing. He was too tired to think about it.

"Thanks," Derek said. It wasn't enough, but it was all he had in him. He let his head fall back against the door. He didn't let go of Stiles's hand though. For some reason the werewolf's tight grip was reassuring.

It was sort of funny, that he was drawing a bit of strength from a creature like the ones he'd spent his whole life hating. He glanced up at Stiles. The teenager's brown eyes were still focused on him. Derek wasn't sure what it meant, the look that was on Stiles's face. It made him feel good though, made him feel a little less alone.

They just sat there watching each other. Stiles's lips still turned up in a small smile. It was a good look on him. Derek hadn't been sure he'd ever see that type of expression on Stiles's face. It suited him.

Stiles nodded at him. Derek didn't know what it meant either. Maybe it was an acknowledgement of the thanks he'd offered. Maybe it was just supposed to be reassurance that they would get his sister back. Maybe it was all those things. What mattered was that it was being offered. That it made Derek feel a little bit warmer inside.

"We're almost there," Claudia said. "Just a few more minutes."

"Good." Derek was ready to meet up with the rest of the hunters. He was ready to start planning. He was done feeling sorry for himself. He didn't have time to be weak. He needed to be strong. For Laura, for Stiles and his mother, Derek had to be strong for everyone. Once he had Laura back, then he could share the burden again.

Stiles's hand tightened around Derek's. They hadn't broken eye contact. Derek watched as hesitancy dropped away from Stiles's features, watched as it was replaced by determination. Derek was in awe of it, the core of iron will that had kept the werewolf alive and sane despite everything that had happened to him. Stiles was stronger than he'd thought, was probably stronger than anyone thought.

"It'll b-b-be okay," Stiles said. "We'll get her b-back." His eyes trailed away from Derek's face. They focused on the girl tied up in the back. The soft brown of his eyes melted away under a furious golden light. "They're not going to hurt anyone ever again."

Stiles's voice was strong and steady. Derek's mouth fell open. The amber fire in Stiles's eyes was powerful and radiant. Chains rattled, Derek turned to look at the female werewolf. He'd thought she was trying to escape, but he'd been wrong. She was shaking. There was no way she'd been able to see the promise that had been in Stiles's eyes, but she'd heard it in his voice. She was starting to realize that she hadn't raised the perfect toy. She'd forged something else, something that she knew she needed to be afraid of.

Derek smiled, squeezed Stiles's hand. They were going to get Laura back. They were going to do it together. The Argents were going to pay for what they'd done. He looked back at Stiles. The golden light in the boy's eyes hadn't dimmed. It seemed to be growing stronger. The Argents had no idea what was coming for them, what they'd unleashed.

"We're here," Claudia said.

Derek got his feet under him, gave Stiles's hand one last squeeze before letting it go. They had a job to do. They were going to do it right. He pulled open the side door of the van. The building they'd parked in front of was some sort of veterinarian's office.

A young man opened the door of the building. He was holding an assault rifle like he knew how to use it, like he'd played with real guns instead of toy soldiers while growing up. "Derek Hale?"

"That's me," Derek called out.

The guy walked out from the building to meet them, rifle still at the ready. Derek was surprised at how young he was. He had to be roughly the same age as Stiles.

"I'm Scott. Scott McCall." He pointed his rifle at the bound and struggling girl in the back of the van. "My dad said you've got a prisoner. Nice work."

"Aren't you a little young to be a hunter?" Derek asked.

Scott smiled at him, for just a second he looked incredibly innocent. "This is the only life I've ever known." He patted the rifle he was holding. "I'm pretty damn good at it too. My father's a little jealous of how good a shot I am."

Derek grinned. He liked the kid's confidence. "Let's get everyone inside."