Three days since the poisoning. That's how long it took for Stiles' stomach to stop feeling like it was trying to rip itself in half. Three days. By the fourth morning, Stiles could stand to eat more than soup, but all anyone let him have was bread. It was aggravating, but he knew it wasn't without reason. So he ate the soup and the bread and let the nurse bathe him like she had for the last several days, and generally he felt like a child.

The fourth day was also the first time he was able to push himself up on his own. He felt ragged and sore, but he managed to sit up. It wasn't that he was going anywhere, but the glass of water left for him was too far to reach while lying down. He got hold of it, but he had to use both hands in order to not feel like he was about to drop it. A nurse spotted him drinking it and rushed over to urge him back down. So, so, SO aggravating. But he did it.

Day five saw him using Derek's arm as a crutch as he got to his feet. They took a turn about the room, and Stiles didn't feel like he was about to keel over. The muscle fatigue was fading, and his stomach only gave him minor pain once or twice a day.

The hospital stay wasn't terrible. Allison visited every day, as did Derek. Often, Stiles would wake up from a nap and find Derek at the desk again, writing endless missives. When he noticed Stiles awake, Derek would let Stiles question him about the business he was attending to. Stiles figured he could wake up every day of his life to this and be happy.

Speaking of business - It seemed Scott was working with the lawyers again to handle Goodwater county while Stiles was taken ill, but Scott still stopped by to get Stiles' input and to check on his best friend. He even brought letters of good will from the other lords and ladies of the country, such as Lord Deucalion and the Yukimuras, as well as some from people Stiles knew personally, like Liam and Mason.

Kate was still missing.

A week after the party, Stiles got out of bed on his own, walked across the room to the small desk by himself, and put his arms around Derek's neck from behind.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," Derek said.

"Much better." Stiles slid his hands down Derek's arms, down to his hands, and tossed the pen Derek was writing with back onto the desk. He slipped his hands into Derek's and tugged until the older gentleman stood from the desk and turned to face him. "May I have this dance?"

With one arched eyebrow, Derek allowed Stiles to move their arms and hands into a traditional hold, with Derek leading in case Stiles got hit with a bout of muscle fatigue. "This seems strangely random, even for you."

Stiles shrugged and then urged Derek to begin the movements. They stepped into an easy, basic waltz. "I need to practice. I haven't needed to dance since… You know, I don't think I've danced in almost ten years. Wow."

"And why the sudden need to dance now?" Derek asked, turning them in a circle and dipping Stiles back.

"Well we're getting married, aren't we?" Stiles asked. Derek gently pulled him back to a standing position so as not to make him dizzy. "It's been awhile since I've been to a wedding, but I'm rather positive there's dancing involved."

Derek chuckled. "You would be right." He stepped gracefully back from Stiles, putting space between them, then led Stiles into a slow spin back in. With Stiles securely back in his arms, he touched their foreheads together. "It slipped my mind. I'll have to call on my sister when this fiasco is over. She's an adept wedding planner."

"Perfect. I'm a terrible planner of anything involving myself. This works out nicely." Stiles smiled a teasing smile and stole a quick kiss.

A gasp at the door alerted them to the arrival of Allison Argent. She was grinning but trying to hide it behind her hair. Clearing her throat as she came further in, she said, "I apologize for the intrusions, my lords. I have a delivery for Lord Stilinski." She even curtsied. How cute.

Stiles and Derek separated with only a mild embarrassment shared between them. Stiles met Allison half way to the door and they embraced. She produced a stack of letters from Stiles' admirers and friends. Some, Stiles noted, weren't addressed. These, Allison said, were from the servants in the Argent Estate who now knew Stiles wasn't dead and missed him.

It was nice to see so many handwritten letters from people he'd come to care about. Caitlyn, Emily, and Jared all sent letters. The house was eerily quiet most days, they said. Lady Allison was gone as often as she was home, off to visit Baron Posey or in school. Lord Argent took strides to be away from his father, so there was rarely conversation in the house that wasn't between servants. Lady Katherine had been the only source of real disruption, storming about the house at times and locking herself in the study at others. But now Lady Katherine was unaccounted for. All of the servants missed Stiles and his chattering ways. He had always been such an interesting addition to their days.

They were all completely stunned by the announcement of Stiles' title – they had been working alongside and joking with and tending to the wounds of a Baron! Caitlyn said she was surprised but it made sense. Emily said he deserved all the perks that came with privilege – how sweet of her. Jared mostly sang Stiles' praises and apologized for minor infractions that Stiles barely remembered. He was, as always, a very interesting young man.

Stiles had a second letter from Mason as well. In his first letter, Mason had told Stiles about his boyfriend, Corey. As he'd mentioned before, Corey was the son of a baker. More often than not, Corey was covered in flour and resembled a ghost, but even without the flour he was rather pale and shy, so still ghost-like. Mason liked him even with his shy demeanor and they had struck up a sweet but subtle relationship.

When Stiles opened the second letter and saw Corey's name written, he expected this letter to include more details about their developing relationship or at least a cute anecdote. Neither was technically true.

"Derek. Allison." Stiles didn't take his eyes off the note. "Kate is heading home."

The two were instantly at attention. "How do you know?" Allison asked.

"Mason's boyfriend. Apparently he saw Kate when making a delivery. He's really good at going unnoticed, so he eavesdropped. She said she was catching the next mail coach home. She needs to see her father." Stiles looked up at the other two with wide eyes. "Are the guards still there?"

Derek pressed his lips tight together, but it was Allison who answered. "I think they drew most of the officers back. There should still be one or two stationed in the area, keeping an eye on my grandfather as much as looking for my aunt, but I doubt more than that. Do you think it'll be enough to catch her?"

A tense silence answered her. No. None of them doubted Kate's ability to slip into her own home undetected, especially after she'd eluded officers for a week in an unfamiliar town.

Although Stiles was still technically on orders to take it easy, he called for the nurse and asked for his release forms. Allison tried to protest while Derek just looked conflicted, but Stiles promised he wouldn't go running off on his own. He'd take it easy, but he had to make sure someone was there to catch Kate. Not him, of course. In his state, she could probably knock him over with a paper ball. But Derek could probably do it, and Derek would go if Stiles went.

Before they managed to finish Stiles' paperwork, Allison and Derek both sent out missives. Allison's was probably for Scott, but Stiles had no idea who Derek wrote to. Before he could properly ask, Derek was out of the room, delivering the letters to the post man and calling for a carriage. Stiles jerkily changed from his hospital gown into his new regular clothes – clothes befitting a baron. He had the fine, silk shirt and shiny new shoes, and his vest was embroidered with golden thread.

"Say, Allison," he began as he finished tying his shoes. She was politely not facing him, though she'd seen him naked before and had definitely been present for him shirtless on several occasions. "I don't know if Scott may have told you already… about me and Derek?"

Allison laughed as she put away the book she'd been skimming through. "I didn't need Scott to tell me about the two of you. You told me yourself, remember?" She turned to face him and leaned back against the small bookshelf. "Are you just saying you're official now? Will he be courting you properly?"

A blush heated Stiles' face. "No. Um. I mean, Derek asked me to become the Count of Beacon." He scratched his nose. "After we deal with your aunt and grandfather, Derek says we'll get in contact with his sister to help plan the ceremony."

Allison's hands came up to cover her mouth, which had split into a wide grin. "Oh my God. Stiles- That is amazing!" She crossed the room to stand in front of him, bounced hesitantly, and then gave in and embraced him. "I'm so happy for you! No, Scott didn't say a word. I'm surprised he didn't let it slip. Oh my gosh! This is wonderful!"

Laughing slightly, Stiles moved on to the part of this conversation he'd been most nervous about. "Well I was wondering… You've been my best friend for five years. You've stood by me and taken care of me. You're the closest thing to family I really have. I love you."

Allison pulled back and smiled down at him on the bed's edge. "I love you too, Stiles."

He grinned at her and teasingly poked her in the cheek, which just made her laugh again. "Yeah? Well I was wondering if you would do me another huge favor and walk me in at the ceremony. You know, present me to society and all that."

She gasped and batted away his teasing hand. Then she grabbed it up again like an apology and nodded. "I- Stiles, I'd be honored." She was practically vibrating with excitement, and it wasn't even her wedding. "Oh my God. This is really happening. I'd love to."

They embraced again when Stiles stood up, both laughing. Stiles was so glad to have her in his life. Even if meeting her had been part of Kate's planning, he didn't regret it in the slightest. In some ways, he loved her more than he loved Derek. But clearly not in all ways. He had no interest in taking her clothes off, for one thing. Or marrying her, for another. But he loved her so much.

Derek was watching from the doorway when Stiles glanced that way. He was wearing a fond expression, his features more relaxed than Stiles had seen in days. Stiles didn't know everything about Derek, but he was looking forward to learning. He already knew how Derek felt about his family members, about his job, about his pets, about the upper class world he was a part of and the people he had to interact with. He knew how Derek claimed to feel about him too, but seeing Derek's expression when he thought he wouldn't be noticed brought it all to life. Derek was watching them with the kind of love in his eyes that Stiles would reserve for close family.

Wow. Derek really did love him. It was astounding. A damn miracle. Stiles wasn't going to let it go. In fact, he was going to work every day to be the person Derek loved most. Everyone else be damned.

At first, Stiles wasn't sure that his eyes had adjusted properly to the light coming into the carriage from the newly opened door. Surely he must be seeing things wrong, because once again the Duchess of Roden's personal officer seemed to be standing before him. The carriage had pulled to a stop outside of the Gévaudan court house. The footman approached and opened the door, except it wasn't the footman at all. Officer Jordan Parrish smiled in at them, as though he knew exactly how surprised they'd all be to see him and it gave him secret pleasure.

"My lords and lady," he greeted with a deep bow. "Welcome back to Gévaudan."

Derek exited first and seemed the least surprised. Officer Parrish held a hand out to assist Allison on her step down, though she only needed the assistance because she was staring at the man in shock.

"Officer Parrish," she said in greeting and even curtsied upon exiting the vehicle. "It's a pleasure to see you, I'm sure. But- Why are you here? Is the duchess in town?"

Stiles slid out of the carriage, rather literally when he missed the step, but he caught himself and almost made it look graceful. Parrish chuckled.

"Perhaps I should have offered my hand to you instead, my lord," he teased. Stiles pursed his lips, but Parrish was already returning his eyes to Allison. "My lady is at home, ma'am. We received word that your party would be arriving to intercept Lady Katherine, and a request for royal assistance was made. I came as quickly as my horse would take me."

"Just you, then?" Derek asked, an unimpressed arch in his left eyebrow.

Officer Parrish was unaffected by the snub. "Of course not. I have three men with me. They await my orders inside the court house."

Stiles stared at his fiancé's profile. Derek still seemed unsurprised in the slightest, which must mean he was behind the letter Parrish mentioned. That's who he'd written to while they waited for Stiles' paperwork to go through. Sneaky, sneaky. Stiles was almost impressed.

"We've tried to keep a low profile. It's better if we don't spook Lady Katherine and send her running again. I sent a man to scout the house earlier, out of uniform. He reported that she had not been home. We're monitoring incoming carriages and hope to spot her soon, but if all else fails, we will be paying a visit to the Earl in the morning."

While Parrish spoke, Stiles let his eyes wander. He'd never been great at listening to long reports. From their spot by the carriage, Stiles' view was partly blocked, but he could still see the old shop where Mason's family used to sell fabric. Shifting to stand by the back of the carriage, he could see the fruit stand and, in the distance, the theater and music hall. Further down, he knew there would be the museum and a library as well as the bank, the jeweler, and a shoemaker. He knew this town well after living in it for five years.

Part of him grew bittersweet at the familiarity. Most of him was just bitter. It wasn't the town's fault, exactly, for how he was treated, but none of the officials, none of the upper class visitors, no one at all had seen his bruised face, seen his wincing, and done anything to stop it. They all knew how terrible the Argents were and turned a blind eye. But Stiles knew he couldn't blame them. The Argents were terrible to everyone, sucking them dry but keeping them dependent. Money and power kept the Earl safe for years, but not anymore.

"Stiles?" Derek called to grab his attention back. Stiles nodded and moved to return to the group, but something caught his eye and stopped him.

There, down the street. She had a simple, cute hat on that hid most of her hair and cast a shadow over her features. A pair of trousers was incongruous with her hat, but her shirt was flattering and embroidered with flowers. Her stride was quick and calculated, even more obvious because she wore pants instead of a skirt. Stiles had never seen that outfit before, but he recognized the woman anyway. He reached back for Derek without looking and somehow managed to actually snag the man on his third try.

"Stiles?" Derek asked again, concerned this time. "What's wrong?"

"We don't need to wait for morning," Stiles said. He spun around, eyes wide. "She's here."