"I told Raven." Vanessa stated as she and Derek was walking at night, tracking the alpha's scent. She was afraid of his reaction so she had waited long before finally spitting it out.
"Told her what?" Derek asked.
"Everything." That seemed to make it click because he abruptly stopped and turned around to face her.
"What?"
"She deserves to know."
"Because she's your girlfriend?"
"Yes." She said sternly and kept walking so he'd do the same. "She's told me everything about her life and now that she's actually here, she should know. She's already in enough danger simply being here, I can't let her walk around clueless about what's actually going on."
"Great. One more person to worry about." He sighed and narrowed his eyes.
"Aw, I never said you had to worry about her." She teased and casually bumped into him. His lips twitched from trying to suppress a smile.
"I only worry about her because she means something to you. I don't even know her." He made that clear, looking at her. His eyes were soft and honest, which made her smile. Then he suddenly turned sharp and listened to the wind and smelled the air. "He's near. I think he's... Chasing something."
"There's blood on the ground." Vanessa pointed out seconds before she heard a woman tauntly yelling and the howls of the alpha. Derek's eyes drifted to the nearest roof top and luckily for them, the alpha stood there snarling at them. Then he ran away. "Wait!"
But before Vanessa could stop him, Derek leaped after him. She contemplated on following but too much happened at the same time; Derek sprinted after the alpha, two hauntingly familiar voice began to make sense and a very known cologne reached her. Turning her head toward the voices, she clenched her fists at the sight of Kate Argent. Too late she realized that Kate had aimed her gun and shot at the roof, hopefully aiming at the alpha. If she was aiming at him, she missed. Instead, Derek dropped and clutched his arm which finally made her follow him.
"Shit." Derek winced and pulled up his sleeve. Vanessa gulped as the bullet wound started to glow purple. She carefully grazed the spot but her hand was shaking, more when they both looked at each other in realization of what kind of bullet it was.
"Yeah, shit indeed. Come on." She exhaled and lifted him up, helping him escape the scene. Reluctantly, she brought him to the motel where Raven was sleeping deeply. "If you wake her, I will kill you myself. She's the worst morning person and even worse if she wakes up by force." She whispered, pointing a finger at him.
"Promise." Derek rolled his eyes seconds before he spit out some blood. He was already getting sweaty and his skin, if even possible, became paler by the minutes.
Vanessa sat down to try and get the bullet out herself but for two reasons she couldn't. One: it had already sunken deep enough and two: it stung her every time she even came close. She tried that for an almost an hour with determent before Derek softly seized her hand and shook his head.
"What? What is it?" She asked and looked at him with a frown. She didn't even realize how angry she sounded.
"It's no use, Nessa. You know there's only one thing that can get this bullet out. Two, if it comes down to it." He reminded her, but now she shook her head and tried to continue pulling it out herself.
"No, the longer it stays, the sooner til–" She started but cut herself out. He sighed since his point was proven and she pulled a hand through her hair, eyes closed harshly. "We'll find a way. You're not dying on me."
"Hey." He whispered and lifted her chin up. "I know you think you can't afford to lose me, and don't object because if you thought you could then you wouldn't have spent the last hour determent to pick the bullet out without panicking. Only a person who can lose someone cries and shakes and panics. But first of all, we're gonna find a way. Second of all, you can lose me."
"Don't talk like that." She demanded sternly, staring at him. "You're not dying, this is ridiculous."
"Go to sleep." He laughed and tucked some of her hair behind her ear. "You look exhausted."
"Fighting with people does that." She swallowed a lump in her throat and looked down at the floor. "Can we just... stop fighting about this? About me leaving and Scott being a werewolf? I'm sorry I wrongly lashed at you for actually looking out for him."
"I'm sorry I lashed at you for taking care of yourself. I get it." He apologized and she weakly nodded as she smiled softly. "And I'll give Raven a chance. I mean, if you like her then she must be cool."
"She is. Totally objective here, she is."
Vanessa raised both hands in the air to get her point through and then laughed quietly. Derek grinned happily until he remembered the bullet in his arm. She made him a sleeping spot, said goodnight and lay down beside Raven on the bed.
The next morning when Vanessa woke up, she groaned in irritation over the fact that Derek wasn't in sight. Raven didn't say anything about a stranger sleeping in their motel room either so that meant he left before she woke up. Vanessa's brain took a long shot theory, but she was certain Derek would look for Scott since Scott is dating Allison, who's Kate's niece. She told Raven that she'd be back soon after changing into fresh clothes and then left to hurry to the school.
Once inside, the first thing she noticed were drops of blood on the floor. Thankfully the students didn't seem to notice them so she jogged down the hallway where she found Derek standing with Mr. I've got a Porsche. At first she listened on them with her wolf hearing up until Derek grabbed Jackson by the neck and pushed him against the locker.
"Derek!" Vanessa scolded while pulling Derek away from Jackson, examining his even worse state. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Ow. You two know each other?" Jackson rubbed the back of his neck and frowned at the two.
"You two do?" Derek retorted, making Vanessa roll her eyes.
"Come on." Vanessa dragged Derek to the nearest corner and grabbed his hands which only made hers bloody as well. "Don't you dare try and take advantage of Scott."
"He's the only one who can come close to Kate."
"So you're willing to put his life in danger too?" She asked and dropped her hands. "We'll find a way without risking anyone else."
Instead of answering, Derek focused his hearing on two females. Vanessa listened as well, grimacing when they were talking about Scott going home with Allison and Allison making sure he used a condom. As cool of a cousin she was, hearing them gush and talk about sex with her baby cousin was sort of gross. Suddenly the school bell rang, which was just slightly loud to Vanessa but to Derek, it was like a physical punch. He bent down a little and covered his ears in pain, making her frown and place a hand on his arm.
"It's getting worse." He grunted before abruptly hurrying out of there. She looked upwards and cursed silently to her gods over his stubborness and followed him out to the parking lot.
Vanessa's eyes turned big when Derek fell down against the concrete in front of Stiles' jeep. Cars were honking because he was in the way and soon Scott was by her side, helping Derek up and and then rushing to get Stiles' attention.
"What are you two doing here?" Scott asked the two adults..
"I've been shot and I can't heal because it's a special bullet." Derek answered bluntly.
"A silver bullet?" Stiles asked.
"No, you idiot." Derek answered, earning a subtle elbow punch from Vanessa against his side. "Sorry." He muttered so quietly Stiles probably didn't hear it.
"That's what she meant when she said forty eight hours." Scott murmured more to himself.
"Who said that?" Derek asked and grasped his own, wounded arm. Vanessa frowned at Scott and realized that it was his cologne she smelled the other night. She almost wanted to punch him for being so irresponsible and putting himself in that kind of danger.
"The woman who shot you."
Suddenly Derek's eyes flashed blue and Vanessa's turned even bigger. While Scott kept asking why he was shifting in the middle of a parking lot, his sister softly grabbed Derek's face and made him look at her.
"Hey, focus on me. Listen to me, Hale, I'm here, she isn't. I'm right here and I'm not leaving you again so soon. Calm down, breathe and get in the car, please." She said quietly, watching his face twitch and eyes shift back and forth. "Kate isn't here. I am."
"Do they have a thing or something?" Stiles whispered to Scott, but Scott only nudged him with his foot.
"Nessa?" Derek exhaled before he regained control. They all helped him inside the jeep but unfortunately both Allison Argent and Mr. I've Got a Porsche had gotten out of their cars to see why the line was held up. "You need to find out what kind of bullet it was."
"How?" Scott asked and shook his head in confusion.
"No." Vanessa shook her head.
"Nessa–"
"Derek, no." She said sternly and stared at him. Sighing in defeat, Derek allowed them to haul him inside Stiles' jeep. "We can find it out without prostituting my cousin."
"Vee, what does he want me to do?" Scott asked and stood by the car door, resting his arm against the top of it.
"The woman who shot me is an Argent." Derek informed him, much to Vanessa's dislike. "You put the pieces together."
"But..."
"We overheard Allison and another girl. You're going to her place after school, right?" Vanessa assumed quietly.
"So you're going to find out what kind of bullet it was." Derek demanded, though Scott wasn't particularly intimidated considering Derek was pale, sweaty and honestly looked like a mess who would pass out any second.
"Why should I even help you? Just because Vee trusts you doesn't mean I should."
"You need me." Derek stated, which Scott unfortunately agreed was true.
"Fine. Just get out of here already." Scott ushered for them to leave already because Allison was approaching and Jackson was staring intensely.
Once they were on the road, Derek started taking his jacket off which seemed to annoy Stiles more than anything. Vanessa sat at the back, hands holding the seat in front of her and her head leaning against it. Vanessa decided to ignore them while they bickered and rubbed her temples when Stiles pulled over and stopped the car.
"Get out of the car." Stiles ordered.
"Stiles..." Vanessa sighed.
"Start the car." Derek demanded, to which she rolled her eyes at.
"You know, I don't think you should be barking orders with the way you look right now. In fact, I think if I wanted to I could probably drag your little werewolf ass into the middle of the road and leave you for dead." Stiles rambled and that earned him a smack on the head from her. Why were they being so damn childish? Derek merely stared at him and upgraded his intimidating look.
"Start the car or I'm gonna rip your throat out. With my teeth." He said.
"Gods, he's a kid, Derek! Don't be so dramatic. And Stiles, just give it up and do what we need you to do." Vanessa said as she switched her gaze between the two. Derek craned his neck to look back at her and once he saw her face, his softened up and he relaxed a little. "Just drive for now. Stopping at one place for too long is dangerous."
"... But he's starting to smell. Badly." Stiles grimaced and leaned away from Derek.
"Then open a window or something."
Stiles phone suddenly rang and when he picked it up and answered, Vanessa heard Scott's voice on the other end. Once again, Stiles complained that Derek was smelling like death and Scott suggested that they bring Derek to the animal clinic he worked at.
"That doesn't sound like a good idea." Stiles countered. Derek stared at him until he was handed the phone.
"Have you found the bullet yet?"
"The entire Argent house is filled with bullets!" Scott whined.
"Remind me again why you're dating one of them?" Vanessa asked rhetorically, most likely making her cousin roll her eyes. Derek cracked a weak smile.
"Not now, Vee. Just take Derek to the clinic, I'll hurry. Even if I don't know why I'm risking my life just to save his."
"Scotty." Vanessa sighed and weakly shook her head.
"Because you still need me. The alpha can still call you against your will and next time, it's either you kill together or he kills you. Unless I'm there."
Scott hung up and Stiles started driving toward the clinic. When they arrived and entered, Derek stumbled so hastily not even Vanessa could catch him in time. Landing on top of dog food, he leaned back against the wall and decided to sit there. He didn't look to be in any shape to stand up anyway.
"You okay?" Vanessa asked and crouched down in front of him.
"No."
"I'm sorry." She murmured and sat down with her legs crossed, fiddling with her ear.
"Hey." He grinned and nudged her leg with his foot. She simply frowned at him. "You do still care."
"Of course I do...?" She tilted her head to the side, still not understanding.
"The ear thing, remember?" He pointed out and she looked down at the floor with a sheepish smile. "I'm glad you're here."
"Me too." She confessed and smiled softly at him.
"Does Nordic blue monkshood mean anything to you two?" Stiles asked as he looked up from his phone.
"It's a rare form of wolfsbane. Right?" Vanessa rememnered and flickered with her gaze between the two.
"Yeah. And if Scott doesn't bring me that bullet, I'll die." Derek muttered before he struggled to get up. "Get me to the surgery room. I have a plan B."
Vanessa put his arm around her shoulders and dragged him to the surgery room, Stiles following behind them. In there, Derek pulled his shirt off to reveal his wound. However, Vanessa's gaze got stuck on his back where a triskelion tattoo was. She carefully traced her fingers along the tattoo and huh-ed in amazement. Then she saw the infection and gulped.
"It's really not... that bad..." Stiles lied, trying to make it better. Derek only glared at him.
"When the infection reaches my heart, I'll die. Which is why I need you, if Scott doesn't find the bullet in time, to cut my arm out." Derek shocked them both, though Stiles seemed profoundly more disgusted.
"Are you insane?!" Vanessa exclaimed.
"Do you want me to die?" He questioned, which weighted heavier on them both more than he intended. Of course she didn't. Considering how her life crumbled when she believed that he had died in that fire, it was definitely something neither of them wanted to experience again.
"You know I don't want that." She shook her head and looked him in the eyes. The bags under his eyes scared her and his pupils looked lifeless. The pale skin didn't help either.
"Then he has to do it."
"Why can't she?" Stiles countered, nodded at Vanessa and had a fist against his mouth in disgust.
"Cause I wouldn't be able to go through with it. You don't care about him which means you being grossed out is the only obstacle for you to cut his arm of." She explained and licked her bottom lip between her teeth, biting hard.
"I don't... not care." Stiles mumbled and scratched the back of his head. "Okay, I don't care. At all. But cutting someone's arm off? That's mortifying, hot stuff. I'm probably gonna faint. No, I'm most likely to faint."
"Just do it!" Derek was losing patience but Vanessa slapped his arm for sounding so harsh. He ignored her however and grabbed Stiles collar, hauled him over the table and stared at him. "Now."
Vanessa stepped back when Derek's entire threatening aura vanished as he let go off Stiles and puked black blood on the floor. She stared wide-eyed at the liquid and then at the saw lying in the room. Reluctantly, Stiles grabbed it with shaking hands and swallowed a lump in his throat. The scene was too hard to watch so she quickly turned around and covered her ears but someone else entered the room just in time.
"Stiles, stop!" Scott yelled as he ran into the room. Stiles was so relieved that he dropped the saw and hugged his friend tightly.
"Oh my god, thank you for preventing a lifetime of nightmares!" He exhaled and patted Scott's shoulder.
"The bullet?" Derek reminded them and Scott handed it to him.
"So what are you gonna do?" Stiles asked, a hint of curiousity in his voice.
"I'm– I'm gonna..." Derek tried to form an answer but the infection grew and caused him to faint, followed by him dropping the bullet into a drain. Vanessa facepalmed herself before she and Stiles crouched down beside Derek and Scott went for the bullet.
"Seriously?" Stiles whined. "Okay, please don't kill me for what I'm about to do..." He sighed and raised his fist in the air.
"You sure you wanna do that?" Vanessa asked and raised her eyebrows. Poor boy.
Ignoring her, Stiles punched Derek on the cheek. However, just like Bella Swan he recoiled and grabbed his arm in pain since Derek's wolf bone structure was literally stronger than a punch from a teenage boy. To their surprise though, Derek did wake up again and when he emptied the bullet of its wolfsbane on the table, Vanessa began realizing what he needed to do. She'd heard rumors of this kind of bullet before. He lit the wolfsbane on fire before grabbing as much as he could and pressing it into his wound.
Derek screamed out and fell down the floor again and Vanessa crouched down to hold his hand. Stiles and Scott watched with intense and big eyes as Derek's wound began to heal.
"That. Was. Awesome!" Stiles exclaimed, earning a hard glare from Vanessa.
"You okay?" Scott asked carefully.
"Except for the agonizing pain." Derek replied and looked up at them.
"Guessing the ability to use sarcasm is a good sign of health." Stiles stated, trying to lighten the mood. This time, Derek joined into the glaring.
"Okay, we saved your Iife, which means you're gonna Ieave us alone. You got that? And if you don't, I'm gonna go back to Allison's dad, and I'm gonna tell him everything." Scott threatened.
"Scotty." Vanessa said sternly, frowning in disbelief. "You can't seriously trust them?"
"Why not? They're a lot nicer than your boyfriend is!" Scott retorted. Her muscles tensed at the word and he quickly regretted phrasing it like that.
"First of all, not my boyfriend. I do have a girlfriend, remember." She started and crossed her arms together. "Second of all, you just can't trust an Argent. They've been hunting werewolves for decades, probably."
"I'll show you how nice they are." Derek's patience had been rinsed and he quickly grabbed onto Scott before dragging him away from there.
Vanessa rolled her eyes over how drastic they were but she decided to bring Stiles home before she followed Derek's scent that lead to Beacon Hill's Crossing Home. Swiftly following their scents to a room, she froze when she saw the eerily still man sitting in a chair, half his face burnt. It had been so long since she last saw Peter Hale that she barely recognized him. Despite everything, her chest turned to stone at the sight.
"... But there were people in my family that were perfectly ordinary in that fire. This is what they do. And it's what Allison will do." Derek finished his sentence, looking sideways at Scott, though Vanessa barely heard him since her entire focus was set on Peter. No one deserved this, to be almost dead. Almost, without being able to do anything.
"What are you doing? How did you get in here?" An unknown, female voice said from behind them.
"We were just leaving." Derek sighed as he turned around. "Nessa?"
"Get out." The nurse persisted. Derek snapped his fingers in front of Vanessa's face to get her attention and frowned at her when she finally but shakingly looked at him.
"Sorry, I just... I didn't know." She whispered and followed them out of there.
"He's my uncle." Derek explained, unaware that she already knew this. "Still hasn't moved since the fire. Can you believe that? It's been so long."
"Yeah." She murmured and gulped. "Look, uh... I'm glad you're still alive. Sorry we didn't get any closer to the alpha."
"I'm glad you're alive too." He chuckled quietly and nudged her. "I'll see you around."
And just like that, he disappeared in that special way that Derek always did. Vanessa merely shook her head and walked Scott home. He entered his house and halfway closed the door before frowning down at the floor in thought.
"Do you know Peter?" He asked out of the blue.
"What?"
"The look on your face... it's the look of someone who's close to someone in pain or hurt. You weren't just shocked over the burnt face, you... I don't know."
"No, I don't know him. It was just a lot to take in and I hate it when people suffer unfairly." She lied, kissed him goodnight on the forehead and hurried to the motel.
Raven was sleeping, which was understandable because it was late, and Vanessa sat down on the bed and tucked some hair away from Raven's face. Tonights incident made her wish that she could just send Raven back home because if anything happened to her... it was too painful to even imagine. So instead she changed to her PJ's, lay down beside her girlfriend and fell asleep.
