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Lacy here! Alright, next up for Effie is a lot of drama. Shocking, right? And also the next step in just what is going on with Stiles. Not that we learn a whole hell of a lot, but things are being set in motion. Read on, kids!

Disclaimer: I own only Effie.

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~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Effie hugged Stiles tightly as he met her out in front of the school. "Can we not do the vanishing act with dark and creepy's running around, please?"

Stiles frowned. "Dark and creepy's?"

"Something to be explained with Scott's help." Effie said, vaguely. "Seriously, don't do that again."

Stiles gave a small smile. "Sorry, the whole thing with the key and it appearing outta nowhere. Now, the writing on the chalkboard, it's mine, Ef."

Effie frowned. "Yours? You left the message?"

Stiles nodded. "And the key was for the chemical closet."

"Okay," Effie said slowly. "we really need to talk with Scott. See? This is why vanishing is bad."

"Guess I wasn't thinking." Stiles admitted.

"You never think, Stiles." Effie teased. "I'm the one who does the thinking."

Stiles laughed. "Yeah, you wish." he slung his arm around her shoulders. "Come on, let's go find Alpha boy."

"Dare you to say that to his face." Effie taunted.

Stiles snorted. "No thank you, I enjoy living."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Effie leaned back against her locker, running her free hand over her face. "Thank you for taking care of him, Melissa."

"Stop thanking me for these things, kiddo." Melissa said over the phone. "You and Stiles are as much my kids as Scott is. I'm gonna let your dad know he's here but I knew you'd wanna know too."

Effie nodded. "Yeah, I was getting worried." she sighed before standing straight. "Alright, I gotta go. Let me know if he needs a ride home."

"You got it."

Effie pocketed her phone and tried to smile as Kira came up to her. "Hey,"

"Are you one, too?" Kira asked.

Effie let out another sigh. "Uh, yes and no. Not in the way you're thinking." she grabbed Kira's hand and pulled her into the girl's room. "Look, I know this is weird and freaky and-"

"And I absorbed electricity into my body instead of frying." Kira stopped her. "We're past weird and freaky."

Effie gave a weak laugh. "Yeah, I guess we are. How much did Scott tell you?"

"Not a lot." Kira admitted. "Just a basic low down that everyone is a werewolf."

"Not everyone," Effie clarified. "Allison's a werewolf hunter and Lydia's a banshee."

Kira blinked. "Seriously?"

Effie nodded. "Yeah. Allison's dad's also a hunter. Derek, my boyfriend, is a wolf, too. Oh, and the twins, Ethan and Aiden, and Isaac."

"That all?" Kira asked.

Effie actually paused to think. "Um, yeah. Well, Stiles and I are actually Sparks, though I am a fox, too, but that's a whole other story that takes a lot more time to explain." she saw the dazed look on Kira and rubbed her arm. "It takes a while to absorb everything but you'll get the hang of it. That is, if you want to."

"I do," Kira said. "It's just, you're right. It's gonna take time. But I'm guessing, with those things out there, we don't have a lot of that."

"Probably not," Effie agreed. "Just stick close to Scott once school's out. He'll keep you safe. And the rest of us," she shrugged. "we'll be around."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Effie climbed into Derek's car, not in the least bit surprised to see it waiting for her. "How long have you been following Scott?"

Derek smirked as he pulled away from the school. "All day. The twins don't exactly know what subtle is, I expected Scott to ditch them at some point. But he can't ditch what he doesn't know is there."

"Not bad, Mr. Hale." Effie smirked with an impressed nod. "Though, once he does find out, he'll be pissed. You know that, right?"

"As long as he's still alive," Derek countered. "he can be as angry as he wants."

"Big brother." Effie muttered.

Derek gave her a side glance. "What was that?"

Effie tried to look innocent. "Hmm? What was what?"

Derek reached over, tickling Effie's side. "Oh no, I don't think so. What'd you say?"

"Stop!" Effie tried to squirm away but there wasn't much room in the truck. "Fine, I called you big brother! Stop!"

"Big brother?" Derek questioned, taking Effie's hand after letting her catch her breath."

"Yeah, big brother." Effie defended herself. "You're acting just like Stiles does when he wants to make sure I stay safe, even if he knows it'll piss me off."

Derek gave a small shrug. "I can think of worse things to be." he squeezed Effie's hand. "You gonna be okay if we have to go against these things again?"

Effie took a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I think so. Last night just shook me because they were able to silence my fox when I tried to call out. A hand to the back of my neck and my voice was gone." she shook her head, ignoring Derek's worried look. "But don't focus on me. Our concern has to be focused on Scott."

"You can't tell me not to worry, Effie." Derek said. "You're my mate. Even if I'm fighting to protect our alpha, I'm still going to be worrying about you."

"I know," Effie said softly. "I do the same thing. We just can't let it get in the way of protecting the rest of the pack."

"It hasn't so far," Derek said confidently. "and as long as we remain aware of it, we won't let it."

Effie smiled. "Deal."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Effie watched the street grow dark as the sun set, finally. She and Derek had been sitting across the street from Scott's house since he and Kira had arrived. They watched Rafael show up, Derek restraining Effie so she couldn't go after the man.

"He shouldn't still have a key." Effie had growled.

Derek hadn't commented, just held her hands until she calmed down. Unfortunately, not long after Rafael arrived, Melissa did as well. And then the sun set. The two shifters kept their eyes on the McCall house, waiting. A scream from inside had them flying from Derek's truck in seconds, Effie staying a step behind Derek as he kicked the front door open. Derek slid in, and began attacking one of the ninja while Scott went after the other. Effie took in Melissa pulling Rafael away from the fighting and Kira standing in the kitchen. Tucking into a roll, Effie sprang to her feet next to Kira, pulling her away from the ninja that appeared behind her. The two stepped back, Effie's claws out keeping her guard up. Before the ninja could attack, Ethan and Aidan came crashing through the window, distracting the ninja from the two girls.

Effie pulled Kira back, watching as Scott, the twins and Derek tossed the ninja out, just in time for Melissa to throw a container of mountain ash on the ground, sealing the house from the supernatural.

Effie let Kira move towards the back door, where she reached a hand out and was repelled by the ash barrier. Going on a hunch, Effie looked at Kira through her fox eyes and was shocked to see the aura of a fox surrounding her friend. Well, it certainly explained a lot.

"All the baseboards are ashwood?" Effie heard Derek asked. She turned, seeing Derek and Scott by the front door.

"Uh, yeah," Scott said. "It was Deaton's idea. Where the hell did you come from?"

Effie turned back to Kira. She was so staying out of that one.

"I've been following you." Derek said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"For how long?"

"All day."

Effie shook her head as she heard Melissa call to Scott. She had a feeling Rafael was hurt and, for some reason, she was actually concerned about him. Considering the last time she saw him, she kicked him in the shins, it was as high as she could reach, Effie wasn't understanding her feelings.

"It's Kira, right?" Aidan suddenly spoke. "Are you going to tell us what you are?"

Kira backed away from him. "What? What are you talking about?"

"Aidan," Ethan warned as his brother took Kira by the arm.

"Watch." Aidan pressed. He held Kira's hand against the barrier and watched as it was repelled. "See that? She can't go through it either. So, what are you?"

"She's a kitsune, idiot." Derek said as he walked into the room. "Use your eyes. You can see it all around her. The younger ones give off an aura. She just hasn't learned how to conceal it yet. She probably doesn't know what kind she is either."

Effie gave her boyfriend a look. "One day, I'm going to make you sit down and write out everything you know. Hunters have their book, ours happens to be trapped in that skull of yours."

Kira moved through the group. "I need to talk to Scott."

Effie turned her look on Aidan. "I'm blaming you for that."

"I wasn't going to hurt her." Aidan's words were aimed at Derek.

"Not yet." Derek replied.

"Why do you think we're here, Derek?" Aidan argued. "For a study group? We're here to protect Scott."

"We're trying to fight for him." Ethan added.

"I'm sure you are." Derek said, his tone filled with disbelief. "I'm sure you'd kill for him." he turned to face the twins. "But are you willing to die for him?"

Effie watched the twins look at each other and knew the answer. "When you were with Deucalion, it was a fact that death could come, at his hands. With Scott, he doesn't care if you screw up or don't follow orders to the letter. He cares about people. To be in his pack, you have to be willing to step in front of an innocent, or a pack member, and lay your life down for theirs."

"And you're willing to do that." Ethan questioned.

"Since I was a child." Effie said honestly. "The only thing stopping Scott from being my brother is blood. We're family and I'll do anything for family."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Effie jumped down from the counter, startled as the house shook. Looking at the ninja, she saw them hacking at the barriers with their swords.

"What are they doing?" Scott asked, coming into the kitchen with Kira.

"Testing for weaknesses." Ethan answered.

The harder the ninja hit, the more the house shook. Dishes started hitting the floor, shattering on contact.

"Guys," Ethan called their attention to the back door, where two ninja were managing to create a hole in the barrier. "We have a problem."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Scott's phone ringing distracted the pack for a second as he answered.

"Allison, please tell me you have something." Scott said, his tone a bit frantic. "They're here. They're trying to get in. And it looks like they're going to be able to it."

Effie moved closer to Derek's side as all three entrances were being breached, her fear peaking slightly. Derek felt it and took her hand, helping ground her.

"I'm right, aren't I?" Kira asked. "They're looking for me."

"They're looking for a dark spirit." Scott said. "And I know it's not you."

"Scott," Derek spoke up. "we're gonna have to do something."

The barrier broke and the ninja stepped in. Effie stood between Derek and Aidan as they and Ethan formed a line between the ninja and Scott and Kira.

"Don't do anything." Scott said. They all turned to look at him in shock.

"Is he serious?" Aidan asked.

"I said," Scott spoke again. "don't do anything." he held out his hand to Kira, who took it, lacing their fingers together. "Trust me."

The two stepped forward, almost presenting themselves to the ninja. Effie gripped Derek's hand tightly as they grabbed Scott and Kira by the back of the neck, just as they'd done with Aidan and the others. They dropped them to their knees, their eyes glowing brighter as they leaned closer to Scott and Kira. Aidan tried to charge forward but Effie grabbed his arm in her free hand, stopping him.

Time seemed to stretch before the two were dropped to the ground, both marked behind the ear. The ninja vanished and the others rushed forward. Effie dropped to her knees next to Kira, pulling her head onto her lap.

"You're gonna be okay." Ethan spoke to them.

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

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Next chapter is where things get really emotional for Effie. And it's not gonna be easy to read. Let me tell you, writing it was a roller coaster of emotions. I made myself cry several times. I need to stop making sisters. Let me know what you think, flame policy stands and thanks for reading!

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