Final chapter of this fluff piece :D Hope you guys like it. Shout outs to I'llSendPostcards and of course winchesterxgirl. Thank you so much for your encouraging comments, love to hear from you again ^^.

xx

SSC

The sound of the door shutting in the Stilinski house snapped the Sheriff from his thoughts. He was sitting at the dinner table with folders of cases laid out in front of him when he had heard the door opening and closing.

"Stiles?" He called out and leaned back on his chair just as Stiles trudged by. At the sound of his name Stiles looked to his father from the corner of his eye.

"Hey dad." He greeted pausing at the threshold of the dining room. His father gaze fell to his son, taking in the dreary look in his eyes and the defeated hunch of his shoulders.

"Is everything alright?" He asked, hesitantly while rising up from the chair. Stiles glanced up as if snapping out of thoughts.

"Yeah I just— " Stiles even lacked the energy to explain. A heavy sigh escaped his lips "Did Ariel drop by?"

The Sheriff was astounded by the question for a moment before regrettably shaking his head from side to side. "No she didn't."

Stiles didn't even seem surprised by the answer

"Of course not." He grumbled before turning and heading towards the staircase.

"Is everything alright with the two of you?" His father called out just as Stiles placed one sneaker on the tread.

"No—I mean, it's nothing"

"Because I've had my fair share of difficult women."

Stiles was not expecting his father to be intuitive or expect him to bring out mom, but Stiles did not want to divert from the topic.

"Mom was difficult?" He asked turning to face his father. The older Stilinski smiled, the crinkles deepening around his soft blue eyes.

"Are you kidding, you don't think I put up a fight over your name?" He stated jokingly, a smile broke out on Stiles's face.

"Kinda wish you fought harder." He retorted chidingly as he took a set on the edge of the fifth step.

"I loved her; it was hard to say no." His father murmured fondly "Another thing your mother was difficult to deal with was when she had problems."

His interest peaked at his father's word, his body perked up "What do you mean?"

"Your mother was fiercely independent. As much as I admired that, it was a double edged sword. She was used to dealing with things on her own and I just felt unwanted."

"Yeah, I get that." Suddenly he didn't feel so alone.

The sheriff didn't miss the woeful way Stiles averted his gaze to the floor boards "But it doesn't mean I wasn't needed, once I had laid down how I felt about a situation, she confided in me." He added.

"You just expressed yourself? That's it?" Stiles asked doubtfully, his father nodded while smiling.

"Sometimes just letting her know how you feel, might make her want to do the same."

Stiles parted his lips a few times, struggling to form words while trying to decide if he should confide in his father or not. But giving into better judgment he said "What if she is avoiding me?"

"Give a little time, she will come around."

His father's words sounded more foreshadowing than it was reassuring.

Stiles was practically dragging his feet across the carpet as he made his way to his bedroom. He lazily gripped at the door knob before twisting and opening the door before walking in, but the moment he turned on the lights in his dark room, he was shocked into attention.

Ariel was sitting on his bed as if waiting for his arrival; he stood there gaping at her for a moment. She looked perfectly unharmed in her black jeans, grey band tee while sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Ariel you can't—you can't pull shit like this anymore!"

She was startled by his outburst and slowly got to her feet. "What are you talking about?"

His eyebrow twitched in annoyance "You are really going to do this right now? Pretend like you don't know what I am talking about." He exclaimed after shutting the door behind him.

The confusion in her gaze faded. Her posture stiffened and the guarded look had returned, she knew what he was referring to "This is how I've always dealt with situations Stiles, if you can't handle it—"

"Handle it?!" The strain strings that held his patience, snapped.

"Ariel situations are never the same anymore, you can't just come into my life, make me fall in love with you and just expect everything to be the same." He ranted, his arms moving about animatedly and gesturing wildly "You can't keep things from me and disappear whenever you feel like it."

Ariel stared at her boyfriend unsure how to react while holding on to each word that left his lips. Did he not realize that he had just confessed his love for her?

Ariel felt like a fool, why wouldn't he when all he had done was turn him into an ill tempered, weary mess.

"You are right." Her clear soft voice cut through the tense air instantly dulling the intensity.

Stiles froze "What?" He didn't know if he actually heard her say those words or he had imagined it.

"You are right." She repeated with a firm nod of her head.

Stiles fell silent and stared at her doubtfully for a few seconds "You are not just saying that because you think I have a condition?" He asked suspiciously.

Ariel didn't answer his question but the remorse expressed on her pretty face made it clear enough that he had gotten to her. He saw her shaky movements when she sat down on the bed, like she was trying not to crumble. He had never seen her so vulnerable before.

Ariel sat there for a moment, staring at her hands and Stiles waited patiently for her to speak.

"I—I know that I don't express myself like a normal girl's do, but then again there isn't anything about us that is average." She said. Slowly Ariel raised her gaze to meet his and he was immediately taken back by the glittering uncertainty in her gorgeous blue eyes.

"Everything I've kept to myself I've done as a way to protect you."

He stared at her, his heart clenching.

It was such a perfectly Ariel Carden thing to say, he felt guilty for losing his temper with her but the woman was positively infuriating. A heavy sigh escaped his lips and Stiles made his way to her and took a seat on the bed, beside her.

"I get that, but you can rely on me too you know?" He said tenderly, she averted her gaze back to her hands.

"I don't know how, I am trying but sometimes it just easier to get things done on my own—without the risk of bothering or hurting anyone. I would rather chop off my own head than see you hurt physically because of me."

It was a little dramatic of her but Stiles didn't doubt the seriousness behind her vow. He reached out and took her hands gently in his, lacing their fingers together. Stiles knew it had only been nearly three days but was it possible to miss touching someone so much?

Their gazes met and Ariel was caught off guard by the stern way he stared at her. "You are just going to have to deal with it." Ariel could only hope she could.

Stiles began to fiddle with her fingers, to gain strength for the sensitive words he wanted to utter "Why couldn't you just tell me about what you found out?"

How did he—it didn't matter. Ariel was partly relieved she didn't have to be the one he found out from, it sounded so surreal to even speak about. She knew he must have been truly desperate to result to asking the twins.

She knew she couldn't avoid the topic forever. It had been one of the main reasons she had isolated herself from him for the past two days. He couldn't bear to see him without being reminded of what she tried to hide from.

Taking a deep breath she began to speak and Stiles listened attentively.

"I always saw myself as someone who takes calculated risks, choose to feel certain things and disregard the rest."She said.

"After all that's happened I've found a way to cling to sanity by not allowing myself to feel but...after what I found out I—"

She stopped, remembering the events all too vividly. The moment Deucalion's claws dug into the bag of her neck. It had felt like someone had plunged two icicles right into the back of her neck and the ice cold water was streaming through her blood and right into her brain. She couldn't scream she couldn't move all she could do was sit still. Then the images began to form right before her eyes.

Flashes of lightning across a stretch of asphalt. It was like a movie was playing in her mind, she could practically smell the leather of the car, and she was sitting in the back seat watching the wipers move from side to side across the windshield. The rain was pelting down and the lighting had terrified her as a child, but then her mother's face came into her vision. Like rays of sunlight on a cold day she was instantly assured by her mother's gentle smile.

Her father was driving, right up to the point where a sudden flash of light blinded her for a moment.

"My parents were murdered Stiles, murdered right before my eyes and I...I felt nothing." She remembered the blood, the broken glass across the leather seats. A few were embedded into her thigh but she felt no pain, just emptiness.

"Everything came flooding back and I felt no vengeance, no hate. I mean it was an incident that Deucalion had feared would cripple me and I had gained it all back in milliseconds and I felt nothing." She could feel Stiles stare like hot iron on her skin; it was hard to look at him.

"It gave me perspective, like seeing myself out of my body and what I saw was pieces." She knew she had to admit it; there was no turning away now "I am broken and hollow."

"No." His quick ruling startled her. Bewildered she turned her head to face him. Stiles stared back, sternly and she saw no fear in his eyes which only mystified her further.

"No?" She echoed.

"No." He repeated. Ariel wasn't convinced.

"Not 'no' to all, but no to the hollow bit." He began "What you are feeling right now, the detachment— I've been there and I think it's the worst part of grieving when you just feel so lifeless and empty."

Ariel watched as he took a shaky breath. Maybe to calm his heart maybe to gather his nerves, she didn't know but she didn't want to interrupt him.

"I thought it would consume me whole and I woke up in the middle of the night frequently, I couldn't breathe and I just felt like I was swallowed up by the abyss." Stiles was all too familiar with the motions she was going through, having gone through grief after his mother's death.

He turned to her staring deep into her eyes. Ariel gazed back unable to look away from his honey brown orbs. "But don't for one second think that you're hollow, because it's not true. Not in the way you look at the world, not in the way you speak and definitely not in the way you are with me."

Ariel literally felt like her heart was frozen up until the moment he had uttered those words. She felt such a deep longing towards him and everything suddenly felt clear. Like the world wasn't ending, like she wasn't the monster she thought she was. Through his eyes she saw the reflection of what he saw in her, even though it scared her she couldn't turn away.

Stiles was a little surprised by way he had spoken, he had never been so sure about anything in his life. But the way Ariel was staring at him in that moment, eyes full of wonder, he was a little abashed.

"But that's just what I think" He stated dismissively and shrugged his shoulders haplessly "If you want to go ahead and see yourself as this heartless ice queen that you think you are then go ahead, but I will never think that way about you."

A breathless laugh escaped her lips and the sound was like music to his ears. Stiles looked to her again to find Ariel smiling. It wasn't a sad smile that made him ache. It wasn't a stiff turn up of her lips that hide her true feelings. It was a genuine, heart melting smile that brought the lightning back into her brilliant eyes.

He couldn't help but return her smile with a wide grin of his own. Stiles felt like he had done something right, like everything that happened up to his point didn't matter. He had made her smile again, him and no one else.

"You are, something else Stiles." She murmured lovingly, his grin widened.

"Good I hope."

"Very." She uttered. Ariel moved closer and Stiles wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. She shuddered, having forgotten how good it felt to be held in his arms, to feel his beating heart against hers. Ariel buried her face into the crook of his neck and allowed herself to fall into the warmth he offered.

They sat there in an embrace, silent and immersed in the moment. Stiles pressed his lips to her forehead, her skin was cold and her hair smelt like lavender.

"I have a question." He spoke up, cutting into the silence.

"Yes?" She responded, nuzzling the crook of his neck.

"Were you ever planning on telling me about what happened?" He asked while combing his fingers through her soft, auburn tresses.

"I don't know, I thought about running away though." She murmured truthfully. Stiles tried not to let her statement bother him, he instead focused on the fact that she had stayed back.

"Why didn't you?" He asked his voice was tight and controlled.

She hesitated, reflecting over her reasons. "Well I realized the place I ran away to was here. My legs just led me here."

She heard his heart thud at her words.

"You—" He cleared his throat coyly. Ariel couldn't help but smile. "You can stay here tonight if you are not ready to go back."

She raised her head and looked to him. Stiles stared back awaiting her response. She reached up and traced his soft lips with her fingers.

"I would like that." She whispered before meeting his gaze. Unable to resist the urge, Stiles leaned in and gently pressed his lips against hers. Ariel responded just as slowly and sweetly.

He didn't want to rush her, despite her obliviousness. He knew she was still vulnerable.

Ariel knew she could always rely on him to make her hectic, fast passed life somehow move slowly with just a kiss, or a touch, sometimes even a look. Moments when time seemed to slow down just for them to enjoy each other's company without the world being a factor.

They fell back onto the bed, still holding each other tightly. Stiles cupped the side of her face and Ariel loved the way the padded base of his thumb brushed her cheekbone. He ended the kiss but they remained close, staring deep into each other's eyes.

Ariel hadn't realized she had been clutching on to his shirt until she wanted to move her hand. She reached up and began to trace lines across his smooth jaw down to his throat. Stiles watched her, peacefully.

"Do you love him?"

Claire's question resurfaced in that moment. She paused to look up at his face again. Stiles had fallen asleep. She admired his long inky lashes. His thick dark brows, the cute moles and the deep cupid bow of his upper lip. His expression was the epitome of serenity.

She didn't have an answer before but now it was like a fog had lifted. She couldn't imagine life without him.

Sheriff Stilinski braced a closed fist on his son's door, ready to knock when last night's events made him hesitate.

Maybe it's best I let him wake up on his own today. He concluded, he turned away from the door and made his way down stairs. A sudden scent of warm bread and cinnamon brushed under his nose. He followed the smell into the kitchen and was astounded by what he saw.

"I hate it." Ariel grumbled while suppressing the urge to spit out the horrid taste in her mouth. Stiles could only stare at her from his seat at the dining table in disbelief.

"But-but, it's a pop tart." He exclaimed gesturing at the plate in front of her where a pop tart lay with a crater of a bit on it.

"It's too sweet" She added, Stiles rolled his eyes.

"Oh come on, this is like the Smore incident all over again."

"Stiles?" his father called out, grabbing their attention. They looked up from their seats at the kitchen table. Ariel sat at the head of the table with Stiles on her left. He had his arms folded over the table top while Ariel sat primly with her arms tucked under the table.

"Morning dad." Stiles greeted with a short salute "Ariel made cinnamon pancakes."

Sure enough there was a stack of neatly cooked pancakes at the center of the table with plates laid out respectively, one for him plus cutlery.

"Morning Mr. Stilinski." Ariel stated, snapping the sheriff out of his enchantment.

He smiled at the sight of her pretty face and gorgeous blue eyes "Good morning Ariel, it's nice to see you again."

"You too." She replied smiling from ear to ear

"How many would you like?"She asked gesturing to the pancakes, ready to serve him.

"I'll help myself thanks." He assured before grabbing a plate and a fork before beginning to fill his plate with the glazed pancakes.

Stiles glanced between Ariel and his father who was practically salivating at the anticipation of eating a home cooked meal. Ariel was silently sipping at her mug of Bridget Brew. Stiles suddenly felt mischievous.

"Oh hey dad" He called while grabbing Ariel's flask beside her plate and pouring the mixture into an empty glass. His father looked up in question and Stiles half filled glass of tea. "You should try this tea, it's amazing."

"Tea? Wouldn't mind if I do." The sheriff reached out quite eagerly. Stiles pressed his lips down to a thin lip to mask the artful smile that itched to form.

"It's bitter. You can add sugar if you like." Ariel abruptly spoke up just as the sheriff was about to gulp of the liquid.

Stiles reeled in shock "Wait what? You can add sugar?"

"Of course." She said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world "drinking it bitter for the first would be far too cruel."

Stiles could only gape, appalled by her words. Ariel smiled mirthfully against the brim of the mug.