Disclaimer: I sadly do not own Teen Wolf, script or characters. I however do own seasons 1-3 on DVD. Oh, yeah, and Oriana.
Chapter 6 - Magic Bullet
"Keep up, Oriana." Derek growled.
He expected a snarky response from his younger cousin but when all he could hear was the sound of his own breaths and footsteps on the roof he turned around.
"Oriana?"
Derek started looking around worriedly. They were tracking the alpha and Derek knew he had specifically told the teenager that she was to stick to his side like glue. So where the hell was she?
"Oriana?!" He whisper yelled into the dark night.
Suddenly he heard a low growling behind him. He froze. Slowly he turned to face the growing sound.
"What the hell are you doing?!" He yelled. The silver wolf rolled on to its back and started to wriggle around, legs kicking, tail wagging and head flipping side to side, it's snout opening and closing as it made a continuous coughing, yelping noise.
"Stop laughing and get up! This is serious!"
The wolf stopped wriggling to roll back onto its stomach. It lay its head between its paws and used them to cover its electric blue eyes.
Derek rolled his eyes. "Did you see the alpha on your stroll?"
The wolf peeked an eye out of its paws and shook its head.
"Well then if you're done playing around you can go home."
The wolf sat up and started making grumbling noises, "Ruuuuruuuuaaooooo." It started making noises like a husky talking to its owner.
"You know I can't understand you right now, right?" Derek asked.
It stopped and tilted its head.
"No arguing with me. The alpha is dangerous, Oriana, and if you can't take this seriously then go home." She whimpered. "Now." He pointed to the right.
Before she could start growling at him for treating her like a dog they heard a loud gunshot.
They both jumped from the roof and started running in the direction of the gunshot. Derek took a deep breath. The alpha was close.
Derek stopped them when they were in a loading dock between old warehouses when he smelt blood. He bent down to touch the wet blob of liquid on the ground. He heard Oriana growling. He looked down to see her standing in attack position looking up, all hackled raised and fangs exposed. He looked up to where her electric blue eyes were watching.
The alpha was watching them on the roof opposite them. It limped as it jumped away.
"Stay here." Derek told Oriana and ran to a nearby shipping container which he used to jump up onto the roof to follow the alpha. Oriana ran beside him on the ground. He'd just leapt between buildings when they heard another gunshot. Derek fell.
Oriana changed back into her human form and ran to him as he lay on the ground.
"Derek! Are you okay, where did it get you?" She knelt at his side running her eyes over his body looking for blood. He sat up with her help.
"I'm fine. It's okay, it got my arm." She went to touch his left arms where he was holding but he stopped her.
"Really. It's okay, it'll heal in a few minutes." He assured her. "The alphas long gone now. Let's go home. Go get the car, okay?"
He pulled his keys from his pocket with his good hand and passed them to her.
"Wha-?" She looked down at the keys to Derek's precious Camero in her hand. "But you-"
He grabbed her hand and looked into her light green eyes with his own. He smiled softly. "I'll be okay. I just need to dig the bullet out." She cringed, "I don't want you to see, so...go get the car."
She nodded and got to her feet. As she was rounding the corner of the building he called her name. "Be quiet and stay in the shadows." He warned. She nodded and took off.
Derek waited until he couldn't hear her footfalls anymore and looked down. He pulled the sleeve of his arm up with a wince. The bullet hole was turning black at the edges and blue steam was rising from the wound. This was not good.
OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOH
Oriana sat in History class in the row to the left of Stiles. She was copying the board at her usual slow pace. She had to keep looking at the board to double check spellings. The long words were making her annoyed already and they'd only just started class.
"If Derek isn't the Alpha, if he's not the one that bit you, then who did?" Stiles leant forward to ask Scott who sat I front of him.
Scott shook his head. "I don't know."
They both turned to her. She looked up from her book to scowl at them. "If we knew do you think he'd still be out there?" She hissed. They looked away quickly. She went back to her work.
"Did the Alpha kill the bus driver?" Stiles asked Scott.
"I don't know." Scott whispered.
She didn't look up as they turned to her again.
Stiles sighed and sat back in his seat. After a second he leaned forward again to ask, "Does Allison's dad know about the..."
"I don't know!" Scott said loudly turning to glare at his friend.
Everyone turned to look at the now blushing boy. Stiles sat back in his seat and turned to a nearby shocked face and gave a "what's his problem?" shrug.
The teacher passed by then placing their marked tests on their tables. Oriana looked at the large red 'F' on the top of her paper and threw down her pen.
"Dude, you need to study more." She heard Stiles say and snapped her head around to glare at him, thinking he was talking to her. He threw his hands up in surrender when he saw her death rays directed at him. She looked to the front of the class again, her hands clenched in her lap.
"That was a joke." Stiles told Scott, still eyeing Oriana wearily. He caught sight of her test and cringed. "Scott, it's one test. You're gonna make it up." He said, speaking to the both of them then. Oriana kept her eyes on the board jaw clenched.
"Do you want help studying?" Stiles asked his furry friend.
"No. I'm studying with Allison after school today."
Stiles eyebrows raised, "That's ma boy." He clapped his hand on Scott's shoulder with a proud grin.
"We're just studying." Scott insisted, hiding a smile.
"Uh-uh. No you're not."
"I'm not?"
"Not if I'm forced to live vicariously through you. If you go to your girlfriend's empty house with her today and squander that colossal opportunity for some sexy time, I swear to god I'll have you de-balled." Stiles ranted passionately.
"Okay." Scott told him, turning around to calm him.
They felt a hot glare on them both so slowly turned their heads to see Oriana's furious face staring right at them. Her eyes flashed blue and she leant forward. Like magnets they leant backwards.
"I don't like what you are implying." She told Stiles in a chilling tone before setting her sights on Scott. "You'd better not try anything with Allison until she's the one making the move. And if either of you even think about continuing this conversation..." she looked between the two. "I'll have you both de-balled."
They gulped simultaneously and started nodding in agreement. She sat back in her seat and continued to copy the board.
"Dude, just...enough questions." Scott plead in a whisper over his shoulder.
"Done. No more questions." Stiles quickly responded. "No more talk about the Alpha or Derek...or Allison. Especially Derek, who still scares me." Stiles confided in a whisper.
OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOH
Allison caught up with Oriana at the end of the day.
"Can I ask you something?"
Oriana nodded.
"It's kinda…personal."
She looked over at the timid brunette. "You can ask. Doesn't mean I'll answer."
"Have you ever…studied…with a boy."
"Nope. In case you haven't noticed I've never had much friends to study with."
Allison shook her head. "No, I mean…studied."
Oriana stopped just before the doors to the parking lot. "Okay. What the hell are you talking about?"
Allison took a deep breath and started twisting her fingers. "Okay, so…I'm studying with Scott tonight and I was just wondering…what should I do?"
Oriana looked at her for a second and answered sarcastically. "Algebra?"
"No." Allison sight exasperated. "Lydia said that we weren't gonna study, that we were gonna ya'know, study." She received a blank look. "Like a study date." And a trademark Oriana eyebrow raise. "Fool around!" She shouted. "She said we were gonna fool around."
"Ohhhhh." Oriana said, opening the door for them to continue walking, recalling Scott and Stiles' earlier conversation about this stupid 'studying' business. She ignored peoples' stares while Allison's face blushed as she looked down.
"Well, why are you telling me?"
Allison shrugged. "You're my best friend."
Oriana looked at her for a moment, speechless. She didn't want to admit it but the girl had grown on her. She supposed Allison was her best friend now. Not that she had many to choose from.
"Okay, well what do you want to uh, know?" She asked awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck.
"Well, Lydia said I should just give him a little taste. What does that mean?"
Oriana took a deep breath and pulled Allison to sit beside her on a nearby bench.
"Look, hun," Allison smiled a little at her friend's unnoticed affectionate nickname, "You don't have to do anything with Scott. Don't listen to Lydia or even Scott. If you don't want to do anything, you tell Scott it aint happening, and don't you dare feel guilty for it either, okay?"
Allison nodded, surprised at how serious and passionate she was being. She felt really touched, knowing that Oriana cared so much. "No, I know. And I won't, it's just…I think I want to do something…more…with him. You know what I mean? But I'm just nervous. I've never done anything more than kissing before."
Oriana nodded, relaxing slightly. "Well then…you start off with kissing and take it slow, I suppose. Maybe make out a while, lie down." She shrugged. "Get comfortable with each other, learn what the other likes. You don't have to go too far yet. You move at your pace."
Allison nodded, thankful of how helpful her friend was being but slightly shocked at how easy it was for Oriana to talk about. Then again, Oriana isn't the type of person to get embarrassed, like she was.
"Have you ever…had…" She raised her eyebrows suggestively.
Oriana laughed somewhat darkly and nodded. "Yeah. But like I said you don't necessarily have to do anything sexual to do 'more'. Right now, you just want to be getting comfortable with each other. Like me, I love having my neck kissed or touched, it's a sensitive spot for me. Everyone has them. It's something to know for later on, when you are getting hot and heavy." She winked. "But just remember; no glove no love."
"Oh god." Allison held her red face.
"Wrap it before you tap it."
"Okay bye." Allison got up and hurried to her car, head down, cheeks aflame.
Oriana laughed and got up when she caught a familiar scent. Derek. She looked around for his car. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a black streak stumble into the pathway of a blue jeep. She looked over to see Stiles rushing out of his car to the figure now collapsed in the road, Scott beating him there. She heard the wolf say her cousins name and started running. She saw her cousin laying on his back, pale and weak. As she ran over she saw him manage to weakly sit up. Scott knelt down beside him and asked in a panicked whisper. "What are you doing here?"
"I was shot." Derek panted. She came to a stop beside a nervous looking Stiles and immediately threw herself down next to her cousin.
"Derek...what the hell?" She asked, gripping his shoulders to support his weak frame.
"He said he was shot." Scott piped up, hoping to help the frantic girl.
"Again?" She asked Derek. He shook his head. "Last night."
"But you healed. You said you were fine. You drove me to school." She ranted.
He shook his head dully. "It got worse."
"He's not looking so good, dude," Stiles cut in.
"Why aren't you healing?" Scott asked.
"I can't." He gasped. "It was a different kind of bullet."
"A silver bullet?" Stiles asked eagerly.
"No, you idiot."
"Wait. That's what she meant when she said you had 48 hours." Scott realised.
"What? Who said 48 hours?" The Hale's asked together.
"Woah!" Stiles started, waving his hands. "That's creepy." They ignored him, looking to Scott.
"The one who shot you."
Derek's eyes suddenly flashed blue and his face scrunched in pain. He started groaning and gasping, trying to blink his eyes back to normal.
"Derek?!" Oriana held him tighter. Horns started blaring from behind Stiles' parked jeep.
"What're you doing?!" Scott asked, looking around. "Stop that."
"That's what I'm trying to tell you. I can't." He spat, his wolf eyes flashing in and out.
"Derek get up." Scott demanded, he went behind him and grabbed him, lifting him up. Oriana helped support him while Scott lead them to Stiles jeep.
"Woah, woah, woah! Why's he getting in my car?!" Stiles yelled, "He looks like he's dying. I don't want him to die in my car!"
Oriana let Scott hold up her cousin while she span around to growl at Stiles. The boy jumped back when he caught sight of her glowing angry blue eyes.
"He's getting in your car and you are going to help him." She told him firmly.
"Oh, yeah?" He asked with a strange burst of confidence and crossed his arms.
"Oh yeah." She nodded stepping closer. He ended up pinned to the hood as she closed in.
"Why should I?" Stiles asked, his confidence waning.
"Because if you don't I'll tear your throat out."
He scoffed. Her step faltered and the blue faded from her eyes. Suddenly he was looking down into a pair of scared, hopeless light green doe eyes. He could almost real the pain and terror radiating off of her. Her beautiful features were pursed in desperation, her tan skin a few shades paler.
"Because I...because he's all I have left, and I can't loo-" she choked. She looked up at him pleadingly. "You said we were friends now. Please. Help me."
He could hear how strongly she meant what she'd said, and he got the feeling they weren't said to many people. If ever.
He nodded without a second thought. "Okay." He whispered. She blinked her wet eyes and nodded. He saw her mask applying itself again as she stepped back, allowing him to move. He nodded to Scott.
Scott helped Derek inside and closed the door. Oriana stood nervously beside Scott, looking back to give the finger to the honking cars.
"I need you to find out what kind of bullet they used," Derek told Scott through the open window.
"And how am I supposed to do that?"
"She's an Argent. She's with them."
"Why should I help you?"
Oriana growled at the other beta. Scott glanced at her wearily.
"Because you need me." Derek told him calmly.
"Fine. I'll try."
Stiles jumped in the drivers side quickly. Scott looked at him and sighed. "Get him out of here."
"I hate you for this so much."
Oriana opened the back door but before she got in she grabbed Scott's arm and pulled him in close.
"You better be quick, McCall." Then she jumped in the back of the jeep and slapped the back of Stiles seat twice. They sped out of the parking lot.
OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOH
"I can't believe I got dragged into this." Stiles whispered to himself.
Oriana helped Derek remove his Jacket as much as she could from the backseat. She laid a palm on his shoulder and closed her eyes. Black veins crawled up her arms and the jeep swerved.
"Woah! What the hell are you doing?!" Stiles shouted at her.
"She's taking some of my pain away." Derek panted, he weakly tried to shrug off her hand but she held firm.
She shuddered as her cousins burning pain overwhelmed her. After a minute she let go and sat back.
"Better?" She asked. Derek nodded, "but don't do it again."
She scoffed, "like you could stop me." She tried to tease. "Has he found it yet?"
Stiles checked his phone before throwing it back down. "He said he needs more time." He told her, looking to Derek who had started to groan, trying to get comfortable.
"Come on. Try not to bleed out on my seats, okay?" He asked. "We're almost there."
"Almost where?" Derek asked lowly, his head down.
Stiles sighed. "Your house."
"What? No, you can't take me there." Derek insisted strongly.
"I can't take you to your own house?"
"Not when I can't protect myself."
"Oriana can protect you."
"She can't protect both of us from the alpha or the Argents." Derek scoffed.
"Hey!" She shouted, slightly insulted but reluctantly admitted that he was right.
Stiles suddenly pulled the car over and turned the engine off. He turned to Derek and started rambling in a mix of annoyance and irritation that Oriana was sure felt like confidence to the boy. She shook her head.
"What happens if Scott can't doesn't find your little magic bullet? Hmm? Are you dying?" He asked loudly and without sympathy, not seeing Oriana's face twist at his words.
"Not yet. I have a last resort." Derek told them.
"What do you mean?! What last resort?!"
Derek pulled up his sleeve to expose the festering bullet wound.
"Oh, my god! What is that?" Stiles cringed, looking away. "Oh, is that contagious? You know what, you should probably just get out." Stiles pointed to the door. Oriana slapped the back of his head with a scowl.
"Start the car. Now." Derek told him.
"I don't think you should be barking orders with the way you look, okay? In fact, I think if I wanted to, I could probably drag your little werewolf ass out in the middle of the road and leave you for dead." Stiles told him cockily.
She growled so loudly it vibrated the frame of the car around her. Stiles jumped and looked back as if he'd forgotten she was there. His face flooded with guilt and shame when he realised what he'd said and remembered how she pleaded with him to help her save cousin. He felt like he'd thrown that back in her face and hated himself for it. He couldn't help it if the sourwolf got on his every last nerve, though.
"Start the car now." Derek said with a calm and sure tone. "Or I'll rip your throat out. With my teeth." They stared at each other , challengingly, for a moment before Stiles threw his head back and started the car with a defeated frown.
OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOH
It was dark by the time Scott finally bothered to call Stiles, and Derek's health was slowly declining along with everyone's mood. They were parked by the side of the road while Stiles talked on the phone to his friend.
"What am I supposed to do with him?" He sighed, "And by the way, he's starting to smell." The Hale's simultaneously rolled their heads to glare at him. Having been on the receiving end of it for a few hours now, he simply ignored it.
"Like death."
Oriana growled. He rolled his eyes. He'd gotten a lot of that too.
"What about your boss?" After a moment he sighed and handed the phone off to Derek, rubbing his eyes in annoyance, "you'll never believe where he's telling me to take you."
Derek took the phone and spoke weakly through it. "Did you find it? ... Look if you don't find it then I'm dead, alright?"
Oriana listened for Scott's response, "I'm starting to think that wouldn't be such a bad thing." She ripped the phone from her cousin's hands.
"Then think about this. The alpha called you against your will. He's gonna do it again. And next time, you either kill with him or get killed. So, if you want to stay alive, then you need Derek. Find the bullet." She hissed into the reviewer. "Because if you don't," she continued, "If you let him die...it's not the Alpha you should be hiding from." She hung up angrily and there Stiles phone at him. The boy scrambled to catch it form the air and gave a glare to the steaming girl.
OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOH
Oriana helped Derek into the storage room after Stiles had unlocked the door, and sat him down on a pile of dog food. She looked at him worriedly. He was sweating, breathing hard and his skin looked almost translucent by now, his eyes dark and tired. He looked barely awake as his eyes closed to rest.
"Does Nordic blue monkshoods mean anything to you?" Stiles asked, reading his phone.
"It's a rare form of wolfsbane. He has to bring me the bullet." Derek said roughly.
"Why?"
"Because he's gonna die without it." Oriana whispered, looking at Stiles with wet eyes.
Stiles led the way to the operating room, the Hale's following blindly, the girl holding up the bigger man. Derek pulled off his shirt as they entered. He stumbled over to rest his bad arm on the metal desk in the middle of the room. They looked down at the wound on his forearm near the crease in his elbow. The wound itself was black with dried blood running down the arm. Black, blue veins bulged out of his pale skin, travelling up his bicep and down to his wrist, curling all around his forearm.
"You know, that doesn't really look like anything some Echinacea and a good night's sleep wouldn't take care of." Stiles insisted, hopefully.
"When the infection reached my heart, it'll kill me." Derek mumbled, ignoring the young boy. He started looking through the cupboards in the room for something. Oriana hovered near the table, helplessly.
"Positivity just isn't in your vocabulary, is it?" Stiles snarked.
"If he doesn't bring me the bullet in time, last resort..."
"Which is?"
Derek turned, holding up a small saw. "Your gonna cut off my arm." He told Stiles. He gagged.
"What?!" Oriana screamed.
"No, Derek!" Oriana tried to take the saw from her cousin who she was sure was now delusional.
He held firm. "Oriana, it's the only way. Either this," he held up the saw, "Or I will die."
"No you're not, because Scott's gonna get that bullet, okay. He's gonna be here any minute with the bullet and we're gonna fix you!" She shouted at him, her overwhelmed feelings bursting out.
"You're gonna be fine! Do you hear me?" She grabbed his face in her hand and stared into his drooping eyes, identical to her own. She didn't like the mist that was starting to take over his, it reminded her of the last time she'd looked into Laura's dead eyes.
"You're going to be fine." She whispered brokenly, a tear drifting down her cheek. He put the saw down and reached up to wipe the tear away. He forced himself to open his eyes as wide as he could and look at her with what he hoped was determination, and told her in the clearest, firmest voice he could manage. "I'm not going to leave you."
She nodded, another tear escaping, he hooked his arm around her head and pulled her into his chest, holding her as tightly as he could with his waning strength. He met Stiles, solemn stare over her head and they shared a single nod. Silently agreeing not to let this girl, that meant so much to both of them, down.
OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOH
She rushed the tourniquet to her cousin, hiding a wince when Stiles experimentally turned on the saw.
"Oh, my god!" He turned it off just as quick. Stiles leant forward on his elbows, covering his mouth with a hand, watching Oriana pull the blue plastic around Derek's arm.
"What if you bleed to death?" He asked.
"It'll heal if it works." Derek told him, watching his cousin start to tie the tourniquet off.
Stiles gagged loudly. "Ughhh! Look, I don't know if I can do this."
"Why not?"
"Well, because the cutting through flesh, the sawing of the bone and especially the blood!"
Derek slapped his good hand down on the metal table and stared at Stiles. "You faint at the sight of blood?"
"No. But I might at the sight of a chopped off arm!"
"How about I just do it?" Oriana asked loudly, finishing the knot and stepping back.
"No!" They both shouted, protectively. She sighed and shook her head in defeat. Really, she was glad. She already had enough nightmares, she didn't want to add dismembering her brother to the list.
Derek sighed. "Alright, fine. How about this? Either you cut off my arm, or I'm gonna cut off your head."
"Okay, you know, I am so not buying your threats anymore."
Derek reached over the table and grabbed Stiles by the shirt and pulled him over the table.
"Oh, my god! Okay. Alright, bought, sold, totally, I'll do it. I'll do it."
Oriana suppressed a chuckle. Really not the time. As if agreeing with her, Derek started heaving and started throwing up black goo onto the floor.
"Holy god! What the hell is that?" Stiles moaned in disgust as Oriana rushed to Derek's side to start rubbing and patting his back.
"It's his body, trying to heal itself." She told Stiles absentmindedly, as Derek stopped throwing up.
"Well, it's not doing a very good job of it." He groaned, looking as if he were about to get sick aswell.
"Now. You gotta do it now." Derek gasped, laying his head against the table.
"Look, honestly, I don't think I can."
"Just do it!" The Hale's yelled together.
"Oh, my god! Okay." He picked up the saw and turned it on, the loud noise filling the tense air further. She held Derek's bad arm down on the table, as he lay over it, and looked away. Stiles lay the blade below the tourniquet on the werewolf skin. "Oh, my god. Alright, here we go!"
"Stiles?" They suddenly heard from the open doorway.
"Scott?" He looked up, relieved. Scott stood panting in the doorway with wide eyes as he surveyed the scene before him.
"What the hell are you doing?!" He yelled at them.
Stiles dropped the saw as if it were burning hot and started chuckling. "Oh, you just prevented a lifetime of nightmares."
"Did you get it?" Oriana asked Scott impatiently. He pulled the bullet out from his pocket quickly and handed it over to Derek, who stood up straight and held it up to look at it.
"What are you gonna do with it?" Stiles asked.
"I'm gonna..." And then he collapsed to the ground dropping the bullet in the process. While Scott scrambled after the bullet Oriana fell down next to her unconscious brother and started shaking his shoulders frantically.
"No. Derek, wake up! Derek! Wake up!" She shouted, shaking him. He just lay there, limp and pale. Suddenly his face turned into Laura's. She started crying.
She distantly heard the boys talking to each other, not feeling Stiles' hands on her own shoulders trying to pull her away from Derek.
"...I think he's dead..." Stiles' voice said frantically.
"No. No! Get up!" She screamed at the prone form of her older brother. She couldn't lose him. She just couldn't. Not after Laura. Not after their sister. She couldn't be all alone. Not again.
She felt Stiles forcefully pushing her away, where she fell on her ass with a thud. She sat staring in shock with empty eyes as Stiles started slapping Derek's cheeks lightly. Suddenly he drew his arm back and punched him. Derek jolted to life and reached to take the bullet from Scott. She didn't hear what they said, it was as if she were underwater, only able to watch as their lips moved.
The boys lifted Derek to his feet and Derek ripped the cap off the bullet with his teeth. He poured the powder from the cap and quickly lit it on fire. The powder sparked brightly before fading, leaving the pile to burn blue smoke. Derek scooped the pile up into his hand and pressed it onto the bullet wound. Screaming in pain, he rubbed it in forcefully as it began to smoke again. He fell to the floor in front of Oriana again, who still sat in shock, just watching. He squirmed in pain, groaning and screaming until he finally fell back, exhausted and healed. It was if the wound was never there.
"That was awesome!" Stiles fist pumped. "Yes!" Scott looked at him in mild disgust.
Derek sat up, looking as healthy as he had the day before.
"Are you okay?" Scott asked.
"Except for the agonising pain?"
"I'm guessing the ability to use sarcasm is a good sign of health." Stiles chirped.
Derek stood up and gave his usual glare. Stiles admitted, it worked much better now he wasn't half head.
"Okay, we saved your life, which means you're gonna leave us alone. You got that?" Scott demanded. Derek stared.
"And if you don't, I'm gonna go back to Allison's dad, and I'm gonna tell him everything."
"You gonna trust them?" Derek interrupted, looking at Scott as if he were stupid. "You think they can help you?"
"Why not? They're a lot freaking nicer then you are!"
Derek smirked with no amusement. "I can show you exactly how nice that are."
Scott tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
"Derek?" They heard a small voice whimper. They all looked to the corner of the room at the girl huddled against the wall hugging her knees, and remembered her presence.
She was staring down to where Derek had been lying just minutes ago, dying. She's wide green eyes were void of emotion, her face set in shock.
"Oriana?" Derek asked with such tenderness the boys balked, wandering who this stranger before them was. They watched as Derek's big intimidating frame lowered to the ground in front of the girl. He moved with such sureness, yet such apprehension they knew, he knew exactly what he was doing. They watched fascinated as his giant hands dwarfed her small ones that grasped her knees.
"I'm here, you're okay. It's Derek, I'm fine. Pup? Brat?" She blinked. He reached up to stroke her crazy hair back from her face, cupping the back of her neck. He gently pulled her head up to lock eyes with her. She gasped. He smiled softly. She reached a tentative hand up to brush her fingers over his stubbly cheek.
"Derek?"
He nodded. "I'm right here, Hun. I promise, I'm right here. I'm not leaving you."
She shook her head in denial. "You did."
He shook his head and scooted closer, "No. I'm here. I'm right here." His thumbs strokes her wet cheeks.
She blinked again and her bottom lip started to quiver, "You were...Laura..."
He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers.
The boys watched the strangers in dumbfounded silence. They felt the heavy emotions around the two and tried to hide their shock. They didn't think either Hale was capable of such strong emotions, both always seemed so cold and numb.
"You're alive...?" She asked. He nodded against her.
"…Laura...?"
He shook his head. Her arms shot out to wrap around him. He pulled her into his lap to hold her close as she cried into his chest. The boys silently left the room to wait outside for them. They didn't talk. It didn't feel right. After ten minutes the Hale's emerged, their masks both in place. Oriana's arms were wrapped tightly around herself, Derek's arm around her shoulders.
"Stiles, you're taking Oriana home." Derek ordered. He nodded, unable to argue. He opened the door for her. She briefly squeeze Derek's hand before entering the jeep.
Scott and Derek watched the jeep drive away in silence.
"What now?" Scott asked.
"Now," he took a deep breath, "I show you what the Argents are really capable of."
OHOHOHOOHHOHOHOHOHOHOH
"So, where are they going?" Stiles asked nervously after minute of tense silence.
Figuring Scott would tell him the minute he got home anyway, Oriana answered, exhausted.
"Derek's bringing Scott to the hospital."
"Why?"
"To introduce him to my father."
He looked at her in shock. "But I thought you were..."
"An orphan?" He nodded. "Not technically. Remember the other day at school when I talked about my parents? I said my dad-"
"Was catatonic in the hospital." Stiles finished, remembering. She nodded.
"So why is he bringing Scott to see him?"
"He's showing him what the Argents are capable of."
"Argents? But wha- hunters. The hunters...?"
"My father is one of two survivors of the Hale fire. The last remaining evidence of the Argents' true nature."
Stiles gasped. "They...they set the fire?" She nodded. "The Argents?" She nodded. "Allison's family?" She nodded. "Started the Hale fire?"
"Yes, Stiles!"
He nodded, trying to absorb the information. "Wait." He remembered. "You said your dad was one of two survivors. Who's the other?"
She took a deep breath. "Me."
OHOHHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOH
Scott entered the hospital room, following Derek. Inside was a man in a wheelchair and a robe. He had light brown hair and grey eyes. He stared forward blankly, not acknowledging their presence in his room. Derek stopped and stood looking at the man.
"Who is he?" Scott asked Derek quietly.
"My uncle. Peter Hale."
Scott looked at the man. He realised then that the man wasn't ignoring them, it was as if he didn't know they were there. He was almost...catatonic.
Scott turned to Derek with wide eyes and whispered. "Oriana's father." Derek nodded.
"Is he like you? A werewolf?"
"He was. Now he's barely even human. Six years ago, my sister and I were at school. Our house caught fire. Twelve people were trapped inside. He was the only survivor. Or so we thought."
Scott was silent for a moment before asking, "So what makes you so sure that they set the fire?"
"'Cause they're the only ones that knew about us." He looked at Scott.
"Then, they had a reason." Scott said simply.
Derek narrowed his eyes in disgust. "Like what?" He challenged. "You tell me what justifies this." He span the wheelchair around for Scott to see the scars covering the right side of Peter's face. Scott balked.
"They say they'll only kill an adult and only with absolute proof. But there were people in my family that were perfectly ordinary in that fire. Oriana was in that fire."
Scott looked at him in horror. "You said..."
Derek nodded and looked down in shame. "We presumed she'd died too. Last year Laura read an article in the paper about a young homeless girl bring arrested. A girl named Oriana Hale. We hopped on a plane to Boston...she's been with me ever since. Somehow she got out. I don't know how. She doesn't like to talk about it. I don't blame her." He motioned to Peter.
"This is what they do. And it's what Allison will do."
Scott looked at him, finally understanding.
I know not a lot happened in this chapter, but the episode doesn't leave much wiggle room, so I tried to add some bits for Oriana. Leave a review to let me know what you liked, didn't like and want to see in the future.