Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

Okay, so warnings or heads up for this chapter. This is definitely an M chapter of the story. Like, if only one chapter could be labeled M, this would be it. I don't think it's too graphic or anything. (I really tried to mostly let a lot of the finer details be left to your imaginations). There is some kind of serious talk and discussion between Jordan and Nixie at one point, and then come the parts that you need your imaginations for. Hopefully you all agree that I didn't break any rules or go overboard or anything like that with what I wrote. If you think something in particular is too much for what this cite would actually prefer to allow, please let me know and I'll do what I can to tweak it.

But for now, here is what I've got. Let me know what you think.

Okay, sorry for interrupting. You have been warned. Enjoy! :)

Intermission

"Okay, so we're all aware that Nixie is trying to figure out what's wrong with herself... by herself. Agreed?"

Everyone is at the clinic. And that means everyone. Not just Stiles, Lydia, Scott, Kira, Malia, Liam, and Jordan. Mason is here too. Deaton, Melissa, Noah, Natalie, Chris, Noshiko, and Ken are all here as well.

Stiles nods to Deaton's question and says, "And the best way to figure out all of her concerns is to find where she currently is." Deaton nods and says, "Agreed." Liam asks, "So how do we find her?" Mason looks around, and then asks, "Couldn't we just ask her? I mean, you guys keep saying she hates lying."

Scott shakes his head and says, "If she considers this a personal problem, she'll see it as saddling us with an additional burden we don't need right now. She'll lie to keep us focused on finding the last chimera." Lydia nods and says, "She said later. She said we'd talk about it later. But she didn't say when that would be." Deaton nods and says, "And by the time she thinks she's ready, or that we're ready, she may be in so much pain that she won't be able to help us when we really do need it."

Mason points and says, "Okay, but tell her that. Explain it to her. You all say that everything she does is to protect you guys. If she knew that what she's doing would prevent that, she'd stop, right?" Scott looks to Lydia and asks, "What do you think?"

Lydia looks around the room for a moment, all eyes suddenly on her. And even though Jordan is here too, and he obviously knows her quite well himself... it was Lydia who has always been her best friend. Stiles and Scott were like brothers, sure. But Lydia had always been Nixie's confident, even before Lydia had owned up to being the genius that she is. So if any of them were going to be able to tell if she'd actually tell them what was wrong with her or not, if anyone was going to be the one to really have insight into Nixie's head... it would be Lydia.

Finally she says, "I think I should be dead. And the only reason I'm not is because when the fear of losing you guys was too much to bear, she shared it with me." Scott nods and says, "The time she'd roared with Jordan, Chris, and Gerard watching. When they were determining if he was the hellhound." "Yes. And when Valack was drilling a hole into my head and I thought I'd die or pass out, she shared my pain with me." Stiles nods and says, "While we were in the station talking to Jordan about the plan to get you out of Eichen."

Lydia nods and then adds, "And when my scream should've killed all of you, she covered it and muffled the sound. Twice. And every single time I screamed, and I felt my head was going to burst, and I just couldn't take anymore, Nixie took all that she could from me, and made it so I could stay alive long enough for you guys to save me."

To Deaton, she says, "And I think that if she knows she can do that, she thinks she can manage whatever else is going on. At least until we finally reach the end of all this." Deaton nods and says, "So asking her bluntly is out." Liam asks again, "So how do we find her where she is without asking? We checked Kira's house again, the lake house, all of our spare rooms combined… where the hell else could she be?"

Deaton shrugs and says, "That is something I was really hoping you all would know." Kira asks, "Us? Why us?" "Because you are the ones who knew she was homeless in the first place and why. Most of the adults weren't aware of her being homeless at any point in time until now when Lydia told us. Jordan and Noshiko appear to be the only ones that knew that part."

When the adults look at Noshiko first, she says, "They wanted to keep it from the sheriff until she turned eighteen. She didn't want you to feel like you had to turn her in and send her away to an orphanage or something." Noah says, "I wouldn't have done that." Jordan nods and says, "I think she just didn't want to add another secret to all the ones you were starting to have to keep."

Turning to Jordan, Noah asks, "How did you know she was homeless at one point? Did she tell you?" "No. Noshiko and Ken told me once it became apparent that I'd be around a lot."

Natalie asks, "Because you're her mate?" Jordan nods. Apparently Lydia and Stiles had tried to give Natalie a crash course in their world of the supernatural. She was doing better than Noah had with it at first, he'll give her that.

Lydia says, "But she's not at Kira's." Deaton nods and says, "But the dragon, whether Nixie understands it or not, is seeking comfort. And since Nixie herself isn't allowing herself to come to you, that only leaves so many options. She would go somewhere familiar, a place she knows. A place that has some semblance of safety in her mind."

As they're all pondering, Stiles suddenly lifts his head and says, "No." He glances around when all eyes land on him, and then he looks at Lydia and says, "She… the house… she wouldn't…" Lydia's eyes widen, and then she groans and says, "Of course she would." Melissa asks, "What? Do we have an idea? Who did she go to?"

Stiles sighs and says, "Not who. Where? Where did she go to. And the answer to that… well, that's something we didn't tell Noshiko."

All the parents look at Stiles, then at Lydia, and then at Scott who finally answers, "There's a house in the woods. Secluded and cutoff. You wouldn't even know it was there if you hadn't already seen it." Lifting his gaze and nodding at Stiles, he says, "That's where she is. And she's using the walls again as her board of investigation."

Lydia looks around at everyone for a moment, and then says, "Alright. Let's go talk some sense into my best friend."

When they reach the cabin, Noah asks, "She stayed in this place?"

Jordan is staring too, because he hadn't known this either. He knew when she left the apartments she went to Kira's, but he'd thought of that as a more immediate move. Like she went straight from the apartments to Kira's house.

But no. First she'd made due in this rundown shack for a while.

Scott opens the door easily, and as they all walk inside, they stare at her walls of information. Lydia glances at all the times she has marked herself stupid for seeing something between Jordan and her, but also noting she can't shake it. Stiles makes note of every instance in which she stole someone's injury. Corey's, Lydia's, his own, Scott's, and even Noah's. She'd tried to fix his dad when he'd had the bone marrow in him that was poisoning him, but hadn't been able to.

Liam notes her concern about her own control, and how she's lacking it for something she calls second sight, for her wings, for the ice she's meant to control. Basically, she doesn't feel like she has much control of everything.

Mason notes the room in general, awed and amazed at the lengths Nixie is going to try and keep herself away from them, to keep them safe, and to figure out why she doesn't feel she is safe to be around them all the time.

Scott notes that even with everyone back together, she feels apart from the pack. Deaton comes up beside him to read that particular note, and then says, "That's because we haven't seen the dragon. A majority of these problems are all connected to that one thing. When we see the dragon, see her pain, and see her for all she's done and can do? We'll have Nixie back."

Lydia nods, but then comes to stand beside Jordan. He's staring at one sentence, one idea on the board. And Lydia gasps when she reads that Nixie had been trying to consider the option of letting him go. For his own happiness. Nixie had the inkling, which she again noted as stupid, that he would be happier with Lydia, and so she felt she needed to find a way to release him from her hold.

Shaking his head, Jordan says, "We need to find her. Now."

And that's when a cry of pain from an extended room reaches them, and everyone rushes that way. And frustrated as Lydia was at Nixie's stubbornness, she gasped in horror at the sight before her.

Nixie was on her hands and knees, forcing her wings painfully back into her body. And when they finally disappeared, raw, red, and now bleeding skin was left behind.

Rising to her feet, she tries to manage the pain, but nearly stumbles before catching herself on a old and rotting chair. She turns to her side while trying to stand again, and Melissa gasps at the wound still on her chest, bleeding again thanks to the electrified batons she'd received to the chest. Scott tilts his head, and then says, "Mom, the photos."

Melissa hands him the photos of his wound that Mason had taken when he'd called her to come and try to save him. Scott looks them over more carefully this time, and then looks at the wound and scar forming on Nixie's chest. Dropping the picture on the ground he then says sadly, "She took more than half. She took at least two thirds from me, maybe more."

Kira sees the slash on her side, next to the wounds that had gone through her from the kanima. Frowning, she asks, "Nixie… what happened to your side?"

Nixie looks at them all in a daze of pain. It was too early in the morning right now. She found herself waking up like this more often than not nowadays. She just needed time to wake up, to get her head wrapped around the constant pain her body was in. Then she would be okay and she could function again. But right now, still too confused to understand that they're not supposed to even be here, to even know that she's here again, she simply says, "Um… that was… um… kanima… Tracy. Whiplash and got…"

But Kira shakes her head. The only one who had witnessed that particular incident, she finally explains for everyone, "No. Her tail went through you and slashed Lydia. Tracy never hit you again."

Lydia jerks to look at Kira, and then back to Nixie, who is blinking in confusion. And then she remembers how confused Jordan had been when she'd shown him her injury the day they'd been training together. And she remembers Nixie's momentary pause before answering about what had happened to her side. And Lydia rolls her eyes at herself, because it should've been obvious. Of course Nixie made that up. Stepping forward, Lydia says, "It was mine wasn't it? You took that from me while I was still on the floor." Nixie, waking up a bit more now, says, "You were bleeding." "So were you!" Shining her eyes at them defensively, Nixie says, "I'm the dragon. I heal. You don't." "Nixie…"

Lydia gasps as a tear falls, and she says, "Look at you." Nixie looks down at herself, and then sighs and says, "I'm…" "If you say you're fine, so help me God, Nixie."

The desperate and harsh sadness in Lydia's tone is what helps Nixie blink herself into awareness sooner than normal. And then she glances around the room at everyone, finally putting together that they aren't even supposed to be here. She's still dangerous, and the whole reason she's here is to keep them safe from her while she tries to figure some of this out. Backing up from them now, she says, "You… um… really shouldn't be here." Lydia shakes her head and says, "Nixie… no more secrets. You promised us that. And that didn't just mean injuries, and you're hiding them too!"

Sighing, Nixie says to Lydia, "It can wait." "It can't!"

But as she comes closer, Nixie jerks back and shouts, "No!"

Lydia freezes and Nixie backs into the wall behind her, and then cries out from pain as her sore and bleeding back meets the hard wood. The rain clouds gather outside as she begins to cry from how much it hurt. And they all can't help but stare at her. She might be awake enough to know they shouldn't be here, but she didn't have a grip on the pain yet. She needed more time for that; time that they weren't giving her anymore.

Holding her head in her hands, Nixie says, "I'm… I'm dangerous. I don't have control. I can't… I don't know what's wrong with me. Please don't come near me right now. I'll be fine later. I just need a minute. Just a minute."

Deaton pulls Lydia back a little, and as she protests, he says, "Just let me talk to her a moment. I'm the one she expects to have the answer to this problem. Let me make her see how simple it can be." When Lydia finally backs off, Deaton approaches Nixie slowly where she's now slumped to the ground. She looks up at him, tears in her eyes, and asks desperately, "What's wrong with me?"

Deaton smiles gently and says, "You have to let us see all of you Nixie." "You're looking right at me." He can't help but grin at that. Nixie still didn't understand what was wrong because as far as Nixie was concerned, this was all there was that they should need to see. This was Nixie.

But it wasn't all of her. Not anymore anyway. So Deaton explains, "The dragon Nixie. You need to let us see the dragon. The wings, the scales, the talons and the teeth. All of it together. Show us…" "I can't. I… I might…"

"Nixie, the dragon needs to be seen. It is proud to exist inside you, proud that you are worthy enough to hold it. You cannot be one with the dragon if you do not let us see her in you. You are one in the same, and it's why you were chosen to be a dragon."

Tilting her head up with his hand, Deaton says, "You are no danger to us. You cannot harm us. Everything you are and everything you will be, is all about protecting what you love most. And that is what makes you the blue dragon. Be proud of that. Show us that. Because the dragon is proud of you, and it wants to share in what you know. But it can't if you won't let it. It can't if you won't let us, the very people you love so dearly, see you for the glorious creature you are."

Nixie stares at him a moment, and then says, "But… I don't understand. I feel broken inside. It hurts Deaton. Everything... everything hurts. The pack is back together, and I still feel broken. I…" He nods and says, "Let the dragon see it Nixie. Show us the dragon, show us all of you, and then see us through your dragon's eyes. You call it second sight on your wall, but the term Druids used was the Dragon's eye. That ability to see the emotions swirling around a person, to see their deceit or their honesty."

Gently brushing some hair out of her face, he says, "And to have gained it so young, as such a brand new dragon? Now that, in itself, is just another wonderful gift that shows how special you are. Please Nixie. We're your pack. You take our pain when you can, but that does not mean we do not share in yours. We hurt when you hurt nearly as much as you do for us. Look at your pack Nixie. They're worried about you, but no one here is frightened."

Nixie looks over at everyone else. Some eyes are wide, and some are filled with tears. Some are hopeful, and some are filled with shock and surprise. But Deaton is right. There is no fear.

And when she reaches Jordan's face, she sees love. She sees his worry, concern, and his want to make the pain end, to help her and love her back to feeling the way she should. And it's that look that finally makes her nod and close her eyes.

When she opens them, the silver glow is bright and beautiful. She still cries out in pain as her wings burst from her back again. Scales ripple across her body from head to toe, remaining in view and showing them her hard armor. Her talons extend, her teeth grow, and for the first time, her second sight comes on at will and remains on.

She can see the light all around the room. She can also see the worry in all of them that care about her. She can also see the awe and wonderment. But no fear. No one fears her. There is no doubt in their minds or hearts that she is the last thing they will ever have to be afraid of.

It honestly seemed too easy a solution at this point, but her body suddenly shifted and relaxed. She hadn't even been aware she was still in as much pain as all this, so accustomed to it by now, until suddenly it all vanished. Only the physical sores from her physical injuries and wounds remained. All of what had ached inside of her though, all that was gone.

Lydia smiles at her and rushes up to hug her. Sighing with Lydia in her arms, Nixie says, "I'm sorry. I didn't… I thought…" "It's okay. You're okay now. And now we can work through all of this together." Nixie nods, and then laughs when Stiles says, "About time you showed me everything. I've been asking for ages." "Shut up Stiles."

Grinning, he says, "She's back. Now. About your living arrangements. Your options are wide and many obviously. We have…"

"She's coming with me." Nixie's heart leaps into her throat at Jordan's voice. Lydia lets her go and smirks while Jordan moves up to Nixie.

Her wings shift back into her body with ease now. No pain this time. Her scales slowly vanish, her eyes move back to normal, and as Jordan traces her face with his hand, her teeth shrink and her talons go back to just nails. Leaning into his hand, she sighs and says, "I'm still in school." "But you're eighteen. You're an adult and you can live wherever you want."

Tilting her head up so she has to look at him, he says sternly, "And that's going to be with me."

She stares at him for a moment, caught up in the hard set of his eyes. It was rare, she'd come to discover since they'd been together, that he was ever truly hard set in any one position. He was usually open to compromise or at least willing to listen to another option or idea. But she could see it in his eyes now. He would not budge on this. And arguing with him... well, now that would just be stupid at this point. So instead, she simply nods and says, "Okay." "Good." Glancing at the others, he says, "Somebody pack up her stuff. And if Kira or somebody will drive her bike to my house, I'd appreciate it."

Kira nods that she'll do it, and then Nixie says, "I can drive my bike. I'm not a baby." Jordan shakes his head and says, "You're riding with me. End of discussion." "Hey!"

Okay, so she wasn't going to argue about living with him now. But come on. It was her bike. She could drive it to his house if she wanted.

Or... so she thought.

But before she can make that her case, he has her thrown over his shoulder before she can protest, and Stiles offers up a catcall behind them before Lydia says, "Shut up and leave her be now. Jordan will fix everything else." "He better. Because if we have to go through this once a year, I think I'm gonna have to start taking anxiety pills or something."

Jordan holds her hand in silence all the way home, and he doesn't wait in the garage for Kira to drop off the bike. He knows she will. He takes Nixie inside, to the bathroom, and then sits her on the counter and says, "Take off the bra."

He's gathering materials, and when he turns back, she hasn't moved. In fact, she seems frozen.

Easing up a little, he moves in front of her and says, "Nixie…" "Are you mad at me?" "I'm frustrated with you. But no, I'm not mad. I don't think anyone is mad." She nods at that, and then says, "Um… I've… we've never…" Jordan nods, and then reaches around gently to unclasp her bra. Tugging off the shoulders, he says, "First time for everything Nixie. And I can't help the wound with this in the way this time."

Leaning forward and kissing her slowly, feeling her relax at his touch and kiss, he says gently, "Trust me." "Always."

And her bra was dropped to the floor.

He doesn't do anything except tend to her wounds right now. It was true, that he couldn't reach everything he needed to with her bra in the way. And once it was gone, he set to work patching up the wound on her chest that she'd taken from Scott.

Then he took inventory. He noted the scars he'd already seen and knew, and then made note of the new ones that were hers and that she had taken from others. He bandages everything he can that needs it, and then finds a soothing body ointment that he proceeds to apply to her back.

The places where her wings come out had instantly stopped hurting as much once she had officially shown them everything. The skin was no longer raw and wasn't nearly as tender. But the areas were still red, as though someone had just scratched them or she was beginning to have an allergic reaction to something.

Now she's sitting on his couch, wearing a pair of shorts and one of his long-sleeved shirts. Sighing in a completely relaxed fashion, something she feels like she hasn't been in ages, she turns to look at him when he comes back into the room from the hall.

He'd told her he was going to change, but her eyes still widen a little before she blushes when he comes back in nothing but a slack pair of sweatpants. Sure, she'd seen him shirtless before. And he slept in sweatpants whenever she was over for the night, so it wasn't exactly new. But he'd just taken a shower, and his body still glistened from that, and the sweatpants hung low on his hips in a tantalizing way.

Jordan moves to the couch and settles himself behind her, pulling her back into his chest. Kissing the curve of her neck, he asks, "How do you feel?" "Kind of wonderful." Jordan makes a thoughtful sound in the back of his throat and asks, "Only kind of?" He kisses beneath her ear, then down her neck, and then to her shoulder as he tugs the shirt aside and out of his way. Nixie leans back with a sigh, and can't help but shiver when Jordan says, "I'll have to see what I can do to fix that."

Turning so her body is sideways against him, Nixie looks up into his eyes and says, "I love you." "And I love you baby." Kissing just under his chin, she says, "And… I'm sorry. I mean… half the problems I had, I guess I caused them myself." Jordan nods, but tilts her head up anyway and says, "But I will concede this much. If Theo hadn't come into the picture and screwed with everyone so much, I think you would've admitted to everything on your own, and a lot sooner. Hell, you might not have felt like you had to hide anything at all."

Nixie nods, and then sighs as he kisses her soundly on the lips. When he leans back again, he asks, "What do you want to do?" "Be with you right now. Or is something else tragic going on at the moment?" Grinning slightly, he answers, "I don't think anything new is going on." "Then with you. I don't really care what we do." Jordan nods, and then says, "Well, I'd suggest going for a swim, but I'd actually rather just keep you here and resting for now." "Doable, so long as you don't plan on moving anytime soon."

He chuckles, and then says, "Fine. Hand me the remote though."

He flips through enough channels until he finds a football game, and then turns the volume down so they can only barely hear it. Wrapping his arms around her and holding her tightly against him, he sighs and says, "I've missed this." "Me too."

And true to her statement, she doesn't let him leave. He'd shifted a little when he thought she was sleeping later, and she'd instantly tightened her grip on him. He just kissed the top of her head in response and said, "Not leaving. Just getting my book."

She'd gotten it for him, and then asked, "Can you read aloud?" "Sure."

And so he read to her for a while, and then asked, "Are you hungry?" "Yeah." "Wanna let me up to cook?" "No." Chuckling, he says, "Well, that's going to be a problem. How about you come with me to the kitchen?" "Okay." "You're kind of quiet baby. Are you sure you're alright?" "I'm alright. Just… still kind of ashamed I guess." "About what in particular?" "You and Lydia."

Jordan nods and says, "Well, that one was pretty ridiculous." "Hey!" He chuckles at her outburst, and then moves and stands up from the couch with her. Kissing her cheek, he says, "Come on baby. Give me that one." "You're supposed to be nice to me." "You're supposed to have faith in me." "I do!" "I'm talking to the dragon." "We're the same now." "Good."

He kisses right beneath her ear, and then bites there for a moment.

Then he remembers that she's eighteen, and his lips move tantalizingly down to the curve of her neck. Nixie hums in approval at the action, and then gasps a little when he tugs on the skin there, harder than usual. His lips wrap around a section of skin and pull and suck and nip and bite until he finally releases the skin with soft pop.

Nixie's breathing is faster now, and then Jordan grins when she asks in a stunned sort of voice, "Did you just give me a hickey?" Kissing that tender spot gently before leaning back to look at her, he nods and says, "Yep." She touches it gingerly, and then says, "Jordan… I'm still in school." "You're eighteen. You're an adult. And you are mine."

Tracing her face with his fingers, moving them down to touch the little bruise as well, he says, "And whether they know that it's me or not, everyone will now understand that you are taken." Nixie stares at him for a moment, then just grins and laughs before saying, "You're such a guy." "I should hope so." "Oh shut up."

He chuckles and pulls her into the kitchen with him, sitting her on top of the counter while he goes about cooking some noodles, chicken, shrimp, and some Italian herb dressing to go with it. Nixie watches him for a while, and then moves to get plates and glasses and silverware for them to use.

Hopping back on the counter, she says, "It's strange now."

Jordan stirs the chicken and shrimp some more, then sets the pan to simmer before turning to her. Stepping up between her legs, he asks, "What is?" "The way I think. I mean, the way both sides of me think together now. It's like… like beforehand I couldn't control both sides, like there was some sort of wall between them and I could only gain access to one side, the side I'm used to."

Shrugging, she says, "Now… now I get everything, but it's not overwhelming. I just… I understand better now." "What do you understand better?" "The werewolf thing I suppose. Deaton always talked about how the wolf and the man needed each other in a werewolf. The man needs the wolf for strength, instinct, and occasionally guidance in the actions to take. And the wolf needs the man to calm him, to keep him from being a monster, and to rationalize and categorize his thoughts in a way that the wolf himself can't."

Lifting her gaze to Jordan, she says, "I kind of feel the same. Two sides, both feeding off of each other now, both needing the other for certain things and aspects." Jordan nods, and asks, "And you feel in control?" Nixie nods, and then edits, "Well, as in control as I can be. I think I should maybe look into seeing if I can control when I call up a thunderstorm instead of having one happen every time I start to cry or shed any kind of tears."

Jordan chuckles, and Nixie smiles and says, "But yeah. I feel in control." "Good." And with that, he kisses her gently.

Or… he meant to. But Nixie's arms wrapped around behind his neck and drew him in even further, her legs wrapping around and hooking around him. He chuckled against her mouth and said, "The food will burn." "It'll be fine. You put everything on simmer." Kissing her again, he says on a laugh, "Because I know how you are, and figured I wouldn't be let go right away." "Well then, it was a good plan."

She kisses him soundly, ending any other argument he might've put up. And Jordan just pulls her tighter against him in response, finally surrendering.

Her tongue is in his mouth, fighting with his, when his hands slip beneath the edge of her shirt and slide up her back. Warm hands that leave a trail along her bare skin, and Nixie sighs before pulling her head back and sighing wantonly as his hands keep caressing every bare inch of skin he can touch. His lips move to her neck, and he asks, "You alright?" "I'm great. You feel wonderful." He chuckles and smooths his hands on her skin again before saying, "So do you. You have no idea."

His fingers dig in a little, not hurtfully, but enough so Nixie feels the pressure and arches closer to him. Tilting her head back, she sighs again and says, "Okay, we should stop." "And why is that?" His fingers trail up her spine and she shivers before saying, "The food will burn." "It'll be fine. Or so I'm told."

He kisses her neck while she laughs, and then she says, "Jordan… look at me." He leans back to see her, and then she blushes and says, "I… I just…"

She rolls her eyes at herself, and then says, "You keep saying I'm eighteen. 'You're living with me because now you're eighteen and you can.' And you left a hickey because I'm eighteen and even if I say that you gave it to me, there isn't anything anyone can do. And I'm… I'm just…"

Jordan smiles gently at her, and then kisses her forehead before saying, "I suppose we should take a little time to redefine what our boundaries need to be." "Yes." Jordan nods, and then looks down between them before looking back to her face. Raising an eyebrow, he says, "Kind of hard to have a conversation about boundaries when you have me leg-locked against your body."

She blushes and releases him while saying, "Shut up." "And that would not help in our discussion about to take place." "You know what I mean. Geez. I wore off on you too much." He grins at her, and then takes a step back and checks on the stuff at the stove. Then he returns to her and says, "So… we used to have a boundary of no hickeys and no marks on either of us. That, as I sort of stated earlier, has clearly been marked null."

Nixie nods, and then blushes when he says, "Your turn baby." She takes a moment to think, and then shrugs and says, "That… you touching my bare skin like that. It felt really nice." "I've touched your bare skin before." "Not like that." He nods, and then tilts his head and asks, "Where else do you want me to touch you?"

She blushes so badly that Jordan takes pity on her. Kissing her temple, he says, "Just talk to me Nixie. What do you want?" "You." "How much of me?" "All of you." Jordan grins and says, "Now… I am going to need you to be more specific on that point. More to the point, I'm going to need you to tell me how much of me you want right now, before you get out of high school."

Nixie huffs and says, "Even when you're nice you're mean." He chuckles and says, "Sorry baby." She leans back to look at him again, and then simply says, "I want you." "All of me. Got it. Exactly how far are you thinking when you say that though?" "All the way, if I'm honest." "Honesty is good."

He kisses the top of her ear, and then says, "You've never had sex before. That's correct, isn't it?" "Yeah. Is that…" "Do not ask me if that's a problem. It is a gift and I intend to treasure it." Leaning back to look into her eyes, he says, "Your first time, your first real time, will be perfect. There will be a little pain. That's unavoidable. But it will be as perfect as I can make it for you. Which means… you need to be patient with me. Because right now, we have too many problems around us to be getting all that comfortable."

Nixie nods, and then asks, "First real time?" Jordan nods, and then grins and says, "We don't have to go all the way yet in order to… explore, I guess I'll say." Nixie blushes, but she also looks intrigued. Tilting her head, she asks, "Explore?" Jordan leans his head back in fake exasperation and says, "You're going to make me spell it out aren't you?"

Nixie laughs and grins at him. He smiles down at her, and then says, "I want to make you happy Nixie. And I want to make you feel good. Now, I'm not going to take you to bed right now, right after we've just had this talk. I'm not all prepared for that and neither are you. But… I could pleasure you other ways, by other means."

Nixie blushes again, and Jordan kisses her cheek and says, "Not right this moment, obviously. But… later. Eventually. If you're open to that. If not, we won't do it." She nods, and then says, "I'm open to it." He smiles and says, "Good. Now, since we've pretty much just agreed that eventually, once our current problems are gone, we're going to make love, I think that pretty much ends the need for discussing boundaries. You think?"

Nixie laughs again and says, "Yeah. Yeah, I think that's good." "Awesome. Now, I'm going to prepare some plates for us to eat, and if you would please get us both some sweet tea, we will enjoy this lunch and then maybe do something else for a while." She does as he's asked and after they eat he takes her into the bathroom to check on her wounds and bandages again.

Then he leads her into the garage and helps her into his truck. Backing out of the drive, he grins when she asks, "Where are we going?" "Swimming." "Where?" "That private pool at the edge of town." "Isn't it closed today?" "Not if your boyfriend's a cop."

When they get there, she ducks down, and then Jordan shows his badge so he's let in. They are literally the only ones there. Tossing a bag to her, he says, "Go ahead and change. I'll be out here."

When she comes back in her bikini top and mini short bottoms, Jordan is already in the water. Slipping in quietly and coming up behind where he currently is, Nixie wraps herself around him and asks, "Now what?" He chuckles and says, "Now you let me go, and we race from one end to the other." "I'll win." "That's what you think."

She does win. And when she does, he comes to her side and says, "Now you get a prize." "We have prizes?" "Sort of." She raises an eyebrow curiously, but then grins when he gently holds her against the side of the pool behind her, and then kisses her deeply for all he's worth.

Her hands are running through his hair and clutching him close to her even as he pulls back. Grinning down at her and her slightly dazed expression, he says, "You want more?" She nods and then groans while laughing when he says, "Then you have to win again."

She beats him again, and he kisses her again. She beats him a third time, and he moves his kisses down her neck and to her collar. She knows she has another hickey to cover up on the other side of her neck now, but she couldn't care less.

She beats him a fourth time, and he lifts her up out of the water enough so he can kiss down her chest, following the line of her bikini with his lips on her skin.

As eager as she is for more kisses though, he does manage to beat her the fifth time. To be fair, he'd distracted her too well and had gotten enough of a head start to beat her.

Nixie pouts at him, and he laughs at her before motioning her over with his finger. He backs himself into the poolside behind him, and then shrugs and says, "Now I get a prize." Nixie nods, and then starts at his chest, kissing and biting gently from one side to the other.

Considering he only won one time, she probably spent too long giving him his first prize. She worked over his chest hungrily, and could only smile in response whenever he sighed or shook from something she'd done to him.

She gave him a hickey on his neck as her final act, and when she pulled back, he chuckled at her smug look and traced over the tender spot with his fingers. Raising an eyebrow, he says, "That was some prize." "Yeah, well… I guess I just give better prizes than you do." "Excuse me?"

She shrieks as he comes after her, and for the remainder of the time they're in the water, he's either chasing her, holding her against a wall, or she's chasing after him in return, and occasionally dunking his head in the water.

As they're getting out and drying off, Nixie asks, "So… why did we go swimming?" "To tire you out." He chuckles at her confused expression, so he explains, "You're going to sleep tonight, and I don't want you waking up any earlier than nine. And the only reason I say nine is because I know you have a class tomorrow that you need to wake up by then for."

Nixie rolls her eyes and says, "You didn't have to wear me out for that. I never have trouble sleeping when I'm with you." His arms slip around her waist and he kisses the back of her neck before saying, "Then humor me with the thought that wearing you out might help me keep you in bed past seven o'clock tomorrow."

Leaning her head back on his chest, she sighs and says, "Okay. You could've just asked though." "Maybe. But having you this tired might just help me convince you to stay." "Your kisses could do that too." "Noted." She laughs as he licks a playful strip up the side of her neck, and then he hands her one of his shirts to slip on and they head back to his truck.

She does fall into bed beside him that night, and upon waking up at seven-thirty, she only gets up from the bed so she can shut the curtains in his bedroom. Good thing too, because he was this close to yanking her back into the bed when he turned to find her standing and awake.

As soon as it was darker in the room though, she crawled back into bed and curled into him and murmured, "Wake me up please?" "I will."

Or… his alarm does. But even then he groans as he reaches over to hit the snooze. Nixie ends up beneath him as he reaches across her for the clock, and then she laughs when he simply holds himself above her, not moving off to let her get up. Cupping his face in her hands, she says, "I love you." "I love you too."

And even though she really needs a shower, she lays there with him for another ten minutes, just kissing and touching until the snooze alarm goes off. And then Nixie laughs when Jordan tickles her for trying to push him away.

He finally lets her up, promising that he'll have some sort of breakfast for her in the kitchen. "Just go ahead and hop in the shower." She nods and kisses his cheek before grabbing up some clothes and heading that way.

She's in the shower, in the midst of putting the shampoo in her hair, when the door to the bathroom opens. "Jordan?" "Yeah." "Everything alright?" "Of course."

A pause, and then Nixie asks, "Then why are you in here?" There is the sound of fumbling clothes, and Nixie blushes even though Jordan can't see her yet. Then the glass door of the shower slides open slowly, and Jordan steps inside. Naked.

Completely naked.

Nixie jerks herself around to stare at the shower wall in front of her, solely for the purpose of not having Jordan watch her stare at him in awe longer than necessary. The shampoo has washed from her hand by now, and she's frozen for a moment, completely unsure of what to do.

Jordan's hands find her hips, squeezing gently, fingers swirling in those sensitive dips. One of Nixie's hands comes over one of his to cease the motion, the other finds the bar on the side of the shower and grips it tightly to hold herself in a still standing position.

Jordan keeps teasing her other hip with his free hand, and then he whispers in her ear, "You still want all of me?" She whimpers a little and he works her hips and sucks and bites at the lobe of her ear at the same time. Nodding, she says breathlessly, "You know I do." He kisses just beneath her ear, and then asks, "You alright with just eating cereal this morning?"

It seems a strange question considering what he's doing to her right now, but she nods anyway. She honestly doesn't care if she doesn't eat anything at this point. She leans her head back and turns to see his face, and then grips the back of his head and pulls him down to kiss him hard.

They stay that way until Jordan's hands slide up her body and she gasps at the sensations. Jordan then wraps his arms around her tight and says, "Let me help you with this."

And while she usually washes her hair first before the rest of her body, she offers no protest when Jordan grabs the soap and starts slowly cleaning her body for her. He finds every crevice, every sweet spot.

It's when he pushes her to lean back against the wall gently and drops to his knees in front of her that she realizes what he intends to do in the process of cleaning her. And though she had been about to protest, or at least tell him he didn't have to do that, the words died in her mouth and turned into a moan as he went about 'exploring' as he'd called it the other day.

Lydia notices the change right off. Not that they hadn't all expected her to be brighter and more back to her old self. Nixie wasn't homeless, she was one with her dragon now, and with the pack back together, she wasn't in pain anymore and wasn't upset. She was Nixie again, plain and simple, and it was good to have her back.

That being said, Lydia noticed more than that. Nixie was always ready with a smile and a sarcastic comment, as Stiles had trained her to be ready with. But today, as she'd walked into the school, there was a bit of an extra bounce in her step. There was a stupid grin on her face, and she kept biting her lip as though she was trying very hard not to let out a very girly giggle. She gazed into space occasionally, as though caught up in a wonderful old memory, another stupid smile tugging at her lips until she managed to pull herself back to the present and focus on class again.

It wasn't until the middle of the class that Lydia finally realized why she must be so blissfully happy, and then it took all her will power not to drag Nixie out of the class with her to talk.

Lydia managed to wait until the bell rang, and then she left a befuddled Scott and Kira behind while she hurriedly packed and then dragged Nixie into the hall. They ended up in the girl's locker room, currently empty of people. That wouldn't last long, but it didn't need to. Spinning around to face Nixie, Lydia blurted out, "You two had sex didn't you!"

Nixie froze for all of a second, and then blushed a deep red before saying, "No!" Lydia blinked and frowned. She was so sure she'd been right on that point. Then Nixie's blush deepened and she explained, "I mean… well… not exactly. We haven't… I mean… what he did was… he…"

Lydia's eyes widen and a smile splits across her face before she points and says, "Oh my God, did he? Oh he did! Oh my God! What happened?! How? When? Was it…"

People began coming in and Nixie quickly shushed Lydia. Stepping back out into the hall and stopping at her locker, she puts her books that she doesn't need to take home with her away. Then they step to Lydia's locker, and then out the door and to Lydia's car.

Sitting down inside, Nixie take a breath and says, "Okay, um…" Then she laughs at herself and says, "I have no idea how to have this conversation with you. I'm that inexperienced. Is that sad?" Lydia laughs too, and then says, "No. Okay, no gross details. I don't want specifics about how talented his hands or tongue are. But how did it happen? What did he do to start it? Was it last night or this morning? Those kinds of details. Go."

Nixie nods and says, "Um… this morning. Well, first of all, we had a talk yesterday about redefining the boundaries we'd set in place. Since I'm eighteen now and everything. Then he took me swimming to wear me out so I wouldn't wake up before nine today. I told him he didn't need to do that, but he had anyway."

Taking a breath, she then says, "When we woke up… well, usually in the past if I was there, he'd tell me to hop in the shower and then he'd work on making breakfast. He would usually still be making it when I finally got out and came back to the kitchen all dressed. But…"

Grinning at the memory, making Lydia grin with her, Nixie says, "He… he came into the bathroom. He undressed and he just… he came in with me. And then he… we had a very brief discussion where he made sure I was still alright with the new boundary ideas, and he asked if I was alright just eating cereal this morning. And then… he grabbed the soap and started helping me wash up."

When Lydia looks like she expects more, Nixie says, "He eventually put me against the wall and… started cleaning the lower half of me. That's as far as I'm going with that." Lydia nods, and then squeals and asks, "How was it? I mean… that was your first anything, right?"

Nixie nods, and though she's still blushing, she smiles and says, "Amazing. He's amazing." Lydia giggles and then asks, "And did you… you know… reciprocate in anyway?"

Nixie does sigh at that, huffing before saying, "No. But that's his fault. He wouldn't let me. Said I was running out of time to get ready." Lydia rolls her eyes and says, "Next time just use your dragon strength and make him understand you don't care about being on time for school when he's in the shower naked with you. He was naked right? Oh wait. Not information I need. I can assume."

Nixie laughs, and then closes her eyes and sighs before asking, "What are you doing now?" "Going to talk to Deaton. I want to understand a little more about how mistletoe being shoved into my head saved my life." "Yeah. Good idea." "And you?"

Lydia grins when Nixie blushes, and then gently nudges Nixie's arm and says, "Go home. I'll see you tomorrow." "Or before. Call me for anything." "You know I will." "Good."

When she gets back home, Jordan is working out in the designated weight room in his home. Nixie pauses in the doorway and just watches him for a moment as he lifts the bar press up and down several more times, watching his muscles flex and some veins shift to show themselves before sinking down again. Smiling to herself, she sets her bag down quietly and then makes her way silently into the room.

Jordan finishes his last rep and hangs up the bar, taking a deep breath and getting ready to sit up.

He ends up forced to remain on his back though when Nixie, seemingly from out of nowhere, swings over so she's straddling him on the bench. And she doesn't give him time to protest or ask what she's doing. Her lips are on his before he can utter a sound, and then he just groans into her mouth and slides his fingers into her hair to hold in her in place against him.

She smiles and laughs when he has to turn away before her, still a little out of breath from his work out. She nips at his ear and then slides her tongue down his neck before asking, "Do I get to return the favor now?"

Jordan groans as she trails her kisses down to his chest. He manages to say, "That wasn't a favor. That was a pleasure on my part." Nixie grins and nibbles across his chest, teasing a nipple with her teeth before she asks, "Then can I return the pleasure now?"

He finally laughs at her, though he does hiss and gasp as her teeth continue to tease him. She finally goes back to kisses, which as she suckles and places them heavily across his skin, doesn't help his situation much.

He manages to sit himself up, and then pulls her to him so she's pressed against him. Kissing the corner of her mouth, he says, "I want to make sure you're ready for that first. Understand that I don't expect that from you right now, or immediately in return, by any means." Kissing her lightly on the lips, he concedes, "I just couldn't wait anymore."

Nixie grins up at him, but then says shyly, "I want to. I just… I've never done that before." Jordan nods, and then says, "That's why it's called exploring." She laughs at him, and then stands up from the bench and says, "Come on then." "Where are we going?" "You need a shower. It's my turn to wash you."

Jordan doesn't think he's ever enjoyed a shower so much before in his whole life.

He was standing in the shower, ash and dirt and blood falling to the floor beneath him again. Jordan found himself coming back to reality like this more often than not nowadays.

The only pleasant thing about it was that he was never alone anymore. Nixie was behind him in the shower at this moment, a soft sponge pressed against his skin and she gently cleaned the grime from his body.

She's moving in front of him now, drawing the sponge over his shoulder so she can clean his torso, when he reaches up to gently grab hold of her wrist. Drawing it to his lips and kissing the inside of it, he sighs and asks, "Do you know where I went?" "Not this time. I'm sorry." "Don't be. You need your rest." "So do you."

He closes his eyes again and relaxes under her touch, her delicate hands cleaning his wounds and body. She watches as the wounds seal up a worried expression on her face for a moment. As of late, he's been healing slower than normal. It's really beginning to bug her.

Not to mention that, even though the hellhound had always declared that he wasn't Jordan, it seemed to be making a greater effort now than before to prove that. As though something had changed and the hellhound felt he needed to be more apart from the human side of Jordan than he did before.

Nixie shakes that off though. In spite of the hellhound side of him not accepting the human side completely, she could always still call him back to the present eventually. She had to always go out and find him for that to happen, but when she did, the hellhound recognized her, called her beautiful, and then proceeded to allowing her to lead him home.

Even when she didn't find him, he would return home. He would move to stand beside the bed, looking down at her, until Nixie woke up from either feeling restless or feeling his eyes on her.

Those particular moments were ones that Jordan always remembered. Everything else came in snippets or flashes. But coming back to her and watching her wake up? That he always remembered. And why?

Because despite what he thought of himself, and despite what some others might think of the hellhound inside of him, Nixie never woke up afraid of him. She would lift her head, find his eyes, and all he would see was love, recognition, and worry. But never fear.

Once he's clean, Nixie is about to step out of the shower to grab a towel when Jordan stops her again. Pushing her gently against the wall, he smiles gently and says, "I'm not tired yet." "I know. You never are. I was just…"

He kisses her silent, and then his lips never leave her skin again as he leaves a blazing trail down her chilled body.

Her sighs and gasps and moans… all the sounds she makes… help to ground him in reality again, remind him of where he is and who he's with. Not that he needs that to know. He gets that same kind of peace from returning to bed and holding her in his arms. But… well…

She yelps as he does something particularly clever with his tongue, and he can't help but smile. He couldn't help it. He loved 'exploring' with her.

"We can ask Chris." Jordan nods while holding her in his arms. Having returned to bed that night, it was now eight in the morning. Jordan was not exactly looking forward to going into work this morning. He would just be happy for now when he had a day off again.

Nixie, her head on his chest and a leg draped over his thigh, hugs him tighter to her and asks, "What are you thinking?" "I'm thinking it's a good idea." "And?"

He sighs and says, "I'm also scared of what he'll find me doing." "You aren't hurting people Jordan." "I know you believe that. And I'm grateful for it. I just… I wish I could remember for myself." Nixie nods and says, "Maybe Chris will have an idea about that too." "Maybe."

Jordan then suggests, "Maybe his father will have an idea." Nixie tenses instantly in his arms, and he rubs up and down her back and arm soothingly before saying, "Not that I have to listen to it. Chris can always tell me if it's too dangerous to risk. We trust him right?" "We trust Chris with our lives. We don't trust Gerard with anything. Not a single hair on your head do we trust him with."

Jordan chuckles lightly at that, and says, "Understood." "So… should we… call Chris?" "Yeah. It's probably a good idea. You might try telling Scott too." "They already know." "I know that. I mean to follow me though. Scott can probably help." "I'll help too." "I know baby."

He kisses the top of her head, and then sighs and says, "This is far from over, isn't it?" Nixie nods and then sits up to look at him. Smiling gently, she says, "But we can do this, so long as we stick together." Jordan nods and kisses her gently before saying, "Go ahead and call. I'll make breakfast."

And that's the intermission. So... what do you think? I hope you enjoyed it. Again, I tried not to be too graphic, staying within the regulations and rules of the sight. (I really hope this is all stuff that's okay. If someone thinks a part of it is too much, let me know. I'll do something else or try to fix it if I can.)

And now, the next chapter will be back to being based around the episodes of the TV show. And again, with the exception of the possibility of the internet crashing, I hope to finish proof reading and post that next chapter soon. :)