Omg you guys. The next chapter is going to be the finale! :O :'( Same goes for the Derek fanfic )

Dont worry, i'll be announcing the surprise sooon :)

xx

SSC

Stiles woke up groggily. He sat up and smacked his lips a few times before attempting to stretch and yawn but there was a grip on his hand. He blinked rapidly to realize he had fallen asleep, with half his body over the edge of his bed and Ariel's hand gripping tightly onto his. His book was on his lap. The situation felt all too familiar, like the time when he read a book to his mother when she was sick at the hospital. The similarity scared him a little but when his gaze landed on her face, the fear faded away.

Her long inky lashes fanning over her high cheek bones. He never noticed the tiny charming freckles the littered the bridge of her nose or the way her upper lip was slightly pushed up and so kissable. Stiles recalled the press of those lips, how soft and warm they felt.

Her deep red hair was in disarray. Fanned across his pillow, but the rays of light from the window made a few strands highlight in an auburn colour.

Stiles dazedly watched her sleep. The way she breathed in slowly and calm. He had never seen such a beautiful serene expression. He knew he should be feeling creepy, ogling her so openly but he just couldn't turn away. His gaze wandered down to her hands. They were slender and elegant, his seemed so big in comparison. Stiles found a certain pleasure in that and he didn't know why.

"Stiles!" He heard his dad calling in a distance.

"Yeah I'll be right with you." He mumbled in an inaudible reply while being entranced by her presence.

"STILES!" He immediately snapped out of revere and nearly fell off his chair when he pulled away so suddenly.

"Oh shit." He exclaimed in a harsh whisper so not to wake her. Stiles practically threw himself at his bedroom door before swiftly escaping to come face to face with his father.

"You are awake." Mr. Stilinski was surprised by his son's alert appearance. Stiles grinned to cover up his nervous state.

"Yeah the alarm woke me up." He said, the sheriff nodded in acceptance.

"Okay well get to school, I have to get to the station, you can manage breakfast right?"

"Sure thing daddy-yo." Stiles immediately cursed himself. The last statement was laying it on a little thick. The sheriff gave his son a look for his odd words before shaking it off and hurrying down the steps. Stiles made sure his father was out of sight before sighing in relief and relaxing against the door. He took a moment to gather his wits before walking back into his room. He was surprised to find Ariel already up and sitting on his bed.

"That was a close call. I can't believe I fell asleep for that long."

Stiles wasn't about to disagree. He was relieved that she was sleeping and didn't catch him creeping over her. She threw her legs over the edge and sat there for a moment, feeling for her wounds. Stiles noticed that the small cuts across her face had healed too and she had her healthy glow back.

"You look better, no more leaking wounds." He mused as she got to her feet. There was something about the way she just stood beside his bed, in his clothes. All hair tousled and bleary eyed that made an intense yearning wash over him. Images began to form in his mind. More moments of waking up beside her, seeing her in that exact same way that made his heart flutter.

"I forgot about your strange diversion to blood. I am surprised you even tolerated my sorry state last night." She said with a grin. He blinked out of his stupor and shrugged.

"You needed me. I've seen Scott hurt plenty of times so the nausea faded away."

"Good, so what's for breakfast?"

"Eggs and stale bread." He answered in despair. He hated having breakfast because it usually meant left over's and he was getting really sick of eating eggs.

"What about the bacon I stocked in your freezer?" He blinked dumbstruck.

"You put bacon in my freezer?"

"Yes, I didn't want to be a complete free-loader." She stated it like it was the most obvious thing to do in the world. Stiles could only shake his head at her to express his disbelief.

"You are...you are something else." He mused. Ariel wanted to utter some witty response but the admiration in his eyes rendered her speechless.

"So I guess you won't be coming to school then huh?" Stiles asked Ariel while shrugging on his school bag. They had just finished breakfast and Ariel was back in a pair of her usual ankle length jeans and baggy long sleeved sweaters she liked to wear so much. They were standing near his door and Stiles was about to depart when he had asked the question.

"And give Aiden and Ethan the pleasure of seeing me alive—nah I'll let them suffer a little more." She replied smirking wickedly.

"What is it with you and Aiden?" Stiles asked abruptly.

"Why do you ask?" Her piercing eyes landing on him in inquiry.

"I just see the way he stares at you sometimes, like you are a plate of perfectly cooked steak and he is the man ready to stick his fork—"

"That was a vivid image," She cut in before he had disgusted her further "Aiden just had a lot of built up sexual frustration which he chose to focus on me, I never consented of course but now that he found away to relieve himself I suppose he is a little confused on how he should feel. I except nothing but angst from them once they find out I am not dead."

The fact that Aiden lusted after Ariel didn't surprise Stiles. It pissed him off—but it didn't surprise him.

"Why the angst? From the looks of it, they betrayed you." He pointed out, she shrugged haplessly.

"I never expected them to help me. I knew that the moment I decided to rebel against Deucalion." There was gloom in her eyes. He could see it in the way she lowered her gaze to the floor and crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive maneuver.

"Yeah but you considered them to be friends, I can tell and you can't say that you didn't feel a little bit disappointed when they didn't help you, can you?" The gentle understanding his voice surprised her. She looked to him in reluctant wonder.

"I-I guess not," she whispered allowing the realization to sink in, but her expression abruptly turned grim. The steel resolution in her eyes was back "But it doesn't matter, I was always better off alone."

"Yet you still needed me." Stiles meant to say it teasingly and he except witty banter from her but she simply watched him. Wide eyed and silent and he was instantly pulled in by her magnetic stare.

The silence stretched on but there was a crackling heat between them. Stiles was always so overwhelmed by it before but now, he wanted nothing but to give into it. There was a glow in her eyes he had never seen before. It lit them up like aquamarines.

Then, she blinked.

"You should probably go, wouldn't want to be late." She reminded gently. Stiles was reluctant to leave but he feared if he stayed she would probably hand him a restraining order from what his thoughts were telling him to do—or maybe she won't.

"Yeah I'll—"He cleared his throat "I'll see you when I get back?" He stared meaningfully.

She smiled and nodded "I'll be here."

Stiles left in a merry manner, shutting the door behind him. Ariel stood behind the door for a moment, until her thoughts snapped her back to the agenda she had planned for the day, starting with replying to the miss call by Derek Hale.

Stiles came rushing home after school, in haste that even surprised Scott. He wanted to see her, terribly. He bounded up the staircase and dashed to his room. Placing one hand on the door handle he twisted and swung open the door.

"Ariel you—why are the lights off?" He inquired curiously, reaching for the light switch.

"Stiles don't turn on that light." Her voice cut in through the darkness.

"Why what's—"He had already clicked on the switch and immediately regretted doing so.

"I told you." She stated chidingly while standing in the middle of his bedroom in nothing but a towel. He took a startled moment to give her a once over before immediately fluttering his eyes shut and turning away.

"Sorry I'll just look away, sorry." He mumbled, a fierce blush colouring his face. Stiles clenched his fist and bit into his knuckles. Afraid he would start praising God out loud. He heard the distinct drop of the heavy towel on to the floor and he was so tempted to turn around. There were sounds of ruffling clothes and then a silence.

"Alright, I am done." She announced. He could hear the amusement in her voice. Stiles dropped his arm back to his side and turned to face her again. She was calmly shoving her clothes back into her duffle bag and he watched the act, confused.

"Are you leaving already?" He asked just as she packed the last of her clothes. Ariel looked to him and nodded.

"Yes, I was supposed to leave an hour ago but I promised you that I would be here when you got back."

"Wh-where are you going?" He stumbled out. Ariel zipped up her sailor blue bag before turning to face him.

"Derek wants to protect Meg and the only way to do that is to take her as far away from here as I can."

"So Kali won't kill her."Stiles mumbled in realization and nodded in agreement "Can you manage on your own?"

Ariel was mid shrugging on her jean jacket when his question made her grin "You have to start giving me more credit than that, Stilinski. I did fake my own death." She reminded confidently.

"Yeah, Meg will be safe with you." Ariel brushed her long hair from under the flaps of her jacket. Her electric gaze intense on his worried expression. She walked up to him.

"What's wrong? You seem troubled." She asked concerned. He raised his gaze to meet hers.

"Just, everything is so messed up. First with Deucalion and we still haven't figured out who the Darac is." He murmured running a hand through his hair out of frustration.

"You will." She stated he stared at her.

"How do you know that?"

"Because for the first time in my life I have faith and it's in you." Her firm remark surprised him. She sighed and looked him dead in the eye, Stiles didn't dare turn away.

"You have to learn to trust your instincts. The moment you have the feeling that something is terribly wrong you have to trust it. Our senses can tell us anything and you know that."

"Yeah, pay attention to every detail." He nodded frantically, she smiled pleased by his words. She abruptly flicked him on the forehead, startling him.

"You have the eyebrows and forehead for it." She added hoping to coax a smile from him but Stiles continued to watch her. His honey eyes softening in a deep longing.

"I—I wish." He struggled to say the words, but from the way her smile wavered. He figured she already knew he wanted her to stay.

"So do I, but I owe Bridgett, I am sorry Stiles." She whispered to him, genuinely apologetic. Stiles lowered his gaze to her hands that were dangling by her side. He reached out and looped his finger around hers.

"No don't be, I understand." He spoke quietly, meeting her azure gaze. Ariel's hand left his grip only to wrap her arms around his wide shoulders to embrace him.

Stiles was not expecting the contact, but eventually relaxed when the familiar scent of a clean pine forest brushed under his nose, her signature scent.

Her hair was still damp from the shower but he didn't mind. She was warm and fitted so perfectly against his body.

He hugged her tightly around the waist. A deep shuddering breath escaped his lips, it felt like a heavy burden was being lifted off his chest. He wondered if it was another werewolf gift to relieve stress or just the feeling of human contact.

Ariel rested her head against his shoulders. He felt a lot sturdy than she perceived him to be. She could feel his large warm hands on her back. She never felt so feminine in her life.

The remained embracing each other for the longest time. Neither of them willing to let go of one another. Completely reeled in by the comfort they felt in silence. Ariel could hear his heart pounding against her chest. Eventually it slowed down into a lulling sound, but then the heavy treading of footsteps below them brought her out of her thoughts. The sheriff was back, she was glad—that way Stiles wasn't alone in the house.

"I won't be gone for long, I can promise you that." She vowed holding her stare. He lowered his gaze bashfully.

"Good because uh—I'll be holding on to that." She smiled and stepped back and Stiles instantly missed her touch. She turned and walked to his bed. Picking up her bag by the strap she made her way to the open window. He followed and watched as she placed one leg over the frame and then the other to get sit on the sill.

"See you later Stilinski." She uttered. He nodded and grinned in response. She jumped off and landed gracefully on the grass before heading off.

Stiles watched her leave, resisting the urge to yell out for her to stay.