Chapter 13

The calm of peace and safety lasted through the night. Derek was back on the tour bus, something he didn't expect to happen again, only this time things were different. This time he travelled strictly on Stiles' bus, not on the second bus like he did before with Laura. He would bet the only reason Peter was okay with that was because he knew Derek. If Stiles' soul mate had turned out to be some random roadie, Peter would have had reservations.

On the bus, Stiles insisted Derek not sleep on the couch, which meant he was in Stiles' bed. They weren't cuddling or anything, just sharing the same mattress, which was barely big enough for the two of them. They faced opposite walls, both strikingly aware of the other, and slept with their backs hardly an inch apart. Still, it was something new. And they drew comfort from the proximity.

In the morning, Peter was the first to scold them for lewd behavior on a tour bus. "Honestly, Derek, you should know better. Soul mates or not, Stiles is busy, and you should not be distracting him, or his bus mates, with your inappropriate behavior."

After him, Laura was the first to tease them about their sleeping arrangement. "Oooh? Sleeping together already? How scandalous, Derek. Simply raunchy. Hope you didn't keep the others up with all the fun you two had."

Neither one was interested in the fact that nothing at all had happened. Stiles and Derek did nothing to encourage the teasing, and they weren't given the option of disproving the jests either. So they just shrugged in unison and listened to all the assumptions in complacent silence over breakfast at IHOP.

Truth be told, all those teases had crossed Derek's mind the night before. How could they not have? Stiles and he were soul mates. Destined to be together and be happy. And even before discovering that, they'd both been fiercely physically attracted to one another. It only made sense that they'd both want to take it to the next level now that they knew it was meant to be.

Except what if Stiles didn't want to? What if he wanted to wait? It was very common for people to still want to wait until they got married to have sex, or for their careers to get to a certain place before they focused more on their relationships. What if Stiles hadn't tried to start anything last night because he was too focused on his tour or his music to worry about sex? It would make sense, especially considering Matt Daehler, and Derek wouldn't blame him. Derek just wanted to know where Stiles stood on the subject, really.

"One more show and this tour is over," Scott said after the topic of conversation had drifted away from Stiles and Derek's personal life. The assistant manager's eyes drifted over to Kira, who was sitting at a different table with her father, and then over to a third table full of Allison Argent, Lydia Martin, Isaac Lahey, Jordan Parrish, and Lydia's mother, before his eyes focused back on his own plate.

"Yeah. Then it's back to the studio," Stiles said with a nod. "Oh, speaking of which. I've been working on a song with Boyd. When we're done with the tour, Derek, you should swing by the studio. I want you to hear it."

"Sure thing," Derek agreed, and while he said it mostly to get Stiles to stop talking, he meant it. Then he turned to Scott and nodded toward the other table once they made eye contact. "You okay, Scott?"

"What? Oh. Yeah. I'm good." Scott set his fork down and frowned at his plate. Melissa's hand was on his shoulder instantly. "It's just that… I know polyamory is a thing. I knew it was possible to have multiple soul mates. But, dude. Three? What am I supposed to do with three soul mates? Do I have to buy them all flowers at the same time if I buy some for one of them? Or-Or chocolate? Dude, I don't have the kind of funding. I didn't even know how to handle the idea of having to dote on one person. I'm going to suck so hard at this."

With a chuckle, Melissa shook her head, and Scott gave her a hurt look. "Honey, don't even worry about it. Christmas might be tough, and when you all decide on an Anniversary, that could be tough, but otherwise you don't have to woo them all at the same time. They're not going to expect extravagance. They just expect you."

Stiles coughed as he almost choked on his eggs. Gulping down some water, he then cleared his throat and stared in awe at his best friend. "Whoa, so it's official then? You all match with all of you?"

Despondent, Scott nodded. "I mean… I'm happy. They're all great people, even though I barely know Isaac and me and Allison have always been cordial. And Kira is always great. I'm sure it'll all work out, but I'm just… I don't know. I'm just-"

"You're nervous. A little bit scared. That's fine. You thought your soul mate was Kira, and you were working yourself up to handle that responsibility, and now she is, but you've got two more too. It makes sense that you're overwhelmed. Don't try to take it all in at once," Derek said and then bit into a piece of bacon.

"Obi-wan over here," Stiles teased and shared a grin with Derek. Scott just looked confused. "Oh, come on, dude."

"What? I haven't seen Star Wars," Scott defended.

Stiles threw a hand out toward Scott. "See? You recognize where it's from. Stop acting like you don't get it."

While Scott dropped his head down and groaned, Derek shot a quick look at Stiles, trying to impress upon him the seriousness of the situation. Stiles, of course, replied with a look that said what? He was just trying to lighten things up and make Scott not be so tense about it. Which Derek had to admit was a pretty good idea, but he couldn't just admit that, with words or his eyebrows.

"Dang it. I mean, do you think I should go sit with them or something? Or I could sit with Kira and her dad?" Scott proposed before absent-mindedly gnawing on a biscuit.

"No," Melissa cut in sharply, setting her utensils down on her empty plate. Almost choking on his biscuit, Scott snapped his head to the side to stare with wide eyes at his mother's harsh tone. When she next spoke, Melissa's tone was almost quizzical, and she shrugged. "There's no room at Allison's table and you're almost done eating. It doesn't make a lot of sense to move now, does it?"

"I… I guess not." Scott frowned down at his plate as though it were to blame. "You're right."

"Well don't sound so displeased by that," Melissa said with a tiny laugh. "Look. Everything's gonna be fine. You're all soul mates. You'll work it out, even if you decided not to be together all at once. And no matter what happens, you have plenty of non-romantic soul mates here for you, and we'll always be here for you. Unless, you know, a stage light falls on us or a bomb goes off."

"Mom," Scott whined, but it had a teasing note to it and there was a smile on his face. Melissa leaned over and gave him a quick hug before ruffling his hair, and by the time Scott was finished fixing his now messy hair, a lot of the tension had fallen off his shoulders.

The mother-son dynamic was kind of beautiful, and Derek had no problem letting his thoughts about that show on his face. When he finally looked away from the now-relaxed Scott, he saw Stiles giving him a strange look, as though Derek had suddenly said something in a language he didn't understand. With one raised eyebrow, Derek questioned him, but Stiles just shook off his confused expression and shrugged like nothing was wrong. Then all conversation, spoken or silent, was lost to Stiles inhaling the last of his eggs.

With his hormones back in shape, Derek was an even better security guard than before, and he wasn't even technically working security anymore. Laura and he decided to bring on more security after the bomb scare, and the local police were on site now. Kate's picture was even on the news, and fans on Twitter declared their intent to keep an eye out for her at the shows. Their support was touching.

Kate wasn't a problem for the next couple of days though. Derek hung out in the background at the last signing of the tour and sent one of the guards on duty to escort someone away because he noticed the man was inebriated before the fan got within thirty feet of Stiles.

Derek was with Stiles for a photoshoot, where he found himself giving a stern talk to the company's head of security over four weaknesses Derek had found just by walking into the building and up to the shoot location. He would have much preferred to be watching Stiles pose and be silly in different outfits, but his professional side wouldn't leave him be.

And then, during the last minute prep of the last show, Derek pissed off Peter, which was always a good sign of being on your game. Someone, and by then they all knew who, had managed to switch out the water in Stiles' bottles with vodka – which was an easy catch because of the smell. It was just as easy to replace the bottles with new, not tampered with ones. Mostly it was just annoying because no one could figure out how she kept sneaking past them.

But Derek's biggest success was about ventilation shafts. Derek suspected plans using the ventilation shafts as soon as he spotted that several of the vents touched the outside of the building at easily accessible heights. Right in front of Peter, Derek had given the order to several of their employees to stand guard by all access points. And then the real kicker came when, halfway through the day, one man radioed in to say someone had tried to access a vent, but thanks to Derek's direction, they'd been thwarted.

Thanks to Derek's direction.

Ever the alpha male, Peter decided to inform Derek of the unjustness of the situation by getting right up in his personal space and standing as tall as he could. "Derek, nephew, listen. You can't keep acting like you're in charge here. You know who's in charge? Me. So stop telling my people what to do and where to go. You aren't co-captaining this team anymore."

And ever loyal to her brother, Laura stepped up too and gently pushed Peter back a step. "Well I'm still co-captain of this sausage fest, and I don't mind a little consulting."

"Yes, Laura, but you're not being consulted. You're being usurped. And I have to put my foot down and save your job as well as mine, or what will your mother think when the crew tells her Derek ran the show from his invalid seat while we did nothing?" Peter asked.

Talia Hale had only stayed long enough to congratulate Derek and hug Stiles. Then she'd hopped in her car and headed back to LA, although she mentioned stopping to buy some things on the way. Honestly, Derek was sure she made up the shopping to keep him from feeling guilty about her driving so far for such a short visit… and all for him, really.

"I'm sorry, Derek, but you're going to have to vacate the premises," Peter said, and his voice was calm and friendly, as though he were discussing how to bake a cake and not banning Derek from the stage.

Being scolded by his uncle was nothing new, especially after their major falling out eight years ago, but the order to stay away from the stages was not only unheard of, it was ridiculous.

"You can't make him stay away," Laura argued. "Stiles is his soul mate."

"And that's beautiful. I'm really struck speechless every time someone brings that up, which is every ten minutes. Trust me. It never gets old, the beauty of that sentiment. But I'm head of security, with seniority over you, co-captain or not, and so I say he can either leave the set himself or I can personally drag him back to the bus." Peter's smile was saccharine.

"For what reason? He's an asset. He's better than the majority of our men, and he's been crucial to the early detection and neutralization of threats for the entirety of this tour," Laura reminded.

And it was touching, really it was, that Laura would stand up for him and say such things about him. It was mostly true. Derek wasn't so self-deprecating that he couldn't admit he'd been more than a little helpful over the course of the tour. But Derek hadn't exactly been the best guard dog before. His mind had been so wrapped up in his soul mate, in Jennifer and Stiles and…

And that was the key, wasn't it?

Before Peter could start his comeback, Derek held up a hand to stop them both. "No, he's right, Laura. I'm in the way here. Stiles is my soul mate, not my kid. I need to stop hovering."

"Derek," Laura complained, and he could already see her mind whirling, prepared to give him a reverse lecture, one that explained why he deserved to be there.

"No, I'm just going to go sit on the bus. I need to relax anyway." Shuffling over with his crutches, Derek put a comforting hand on his sister's shoulder. "You're just as capable as me, Laura. You'll kick anyone's ass who tries to mess with your show."

"Including my uncle's," Laura agreed with a scoff, crossing her arms.

They ignored Peter's indignant, "Hey!" in lieu of some meaningful staring. Then Derek squeezed her shoulder and said, "But can you ask Parrish to meet me there? I'll need help with some crutch stuff, and I trust him the most."

Laura's stare went curious but serious, no doubt wondering about Derek using Jordan's last name, as though the two weren't friends, and Derek suggesting he wasn't a master at his crutches by this point. But she didn't voice any of her concerns. Instead she just nodded.

"Just don't do anything stupid, Stupid," she said, ruffling Derek's hair before turning and ushering Peter back to the side stage to continue watching over Stiles.

Back at the bus, Derek sat on the bottom step inside the door and waited under the warm sun. The days had been cool, still clinging to winter, but there was a beautiful stream of heat caressing the area around the concert theater that day. If his thoughts hadn't been so serious, Derek might have considered actually relaxing under the big, open sky.

In the distance he could hear the fans out front, waiting to be let in, and he thought of how Stiles had kissed him goodbye only minutes before. For good luck, he'd said, and Derek hoped it worked both ways – for Stiles during the concert and for Derek during his plan. The sun tingled on his skin and reminded him of that kiss, and part of him wanted to go back inside when the concert started, forget anything bad could happen.

In his state of his mind however, he stood up almost as soon as Jordan appeared at the back stage door and waited like a soldier under inspection.

"What's up?" Jordan asked as he got closer. "Laura said you needed help with something. I mean, she mentioned crutches too, but I seriously doubt that's the real reason you asked me to meet you."

"No." Derek smiled, proud of his coworker and friend. He understood Derek well, it seemed. "I need your help catching a criminal."

Instantly on alert, Jordan's eyes scanned the area. "Is Kate on the premises?"

Derek shook his head, drawing Jordan's attention back. "Not today. But a thought occurred to me inside… and I think I may know where to find her."

The café was small, attached to a hotel, and was stuck in an awkward position between quaint and fancy. Derek entered alone, and a waitress greeted him promptly, helping him to an easily accessible table. Sometimes crutches were helpful. He reorganized the sugar packets in the cup that sat in the middle of the table and then frowned down at them.

Casting his eyes around, he tried to search for a head of blonde hair, but part of him suspected that Kate wouldn't show up here. Ten minutes passed, and Derek kept his attention on everyone entering the café, unwilling to miss his target.

Then a woman with dark hair and red lips stepped in through the hotel entrance. Her pale purple cardigan stood out from the crowd and matched the pair of gloves on her hands, and when she finally spotted Derek, she found his eyes laying intensely on her. Back straight, she walked over to him in a stiff sashay and then lowered herself gracefully into the chair opposite him.

"How's your leg?" she asked in greeting.

"Almost healed," Derek answered and nudged the sugar container closer to her despite her having no drink. "How are you, Jennifer?"

Her eyes flickered down to his exposed wrist and she frowned. "Not as well as you, it would seem. Nothing's hit the papers, but it's Stiles, isn't it?"

A nod was all it took and she let out a heavy sigh, laying her arms on the table. "I didn't think so at first," Derek admitted. "I was much happier being around you than with him in the beginning. He made me feel sick. You made me feel good."

"What can I say? I have a gift," Jennifer said like a jest, but Derek's expression darkened at the words and her smile cut off abruptly.

"You do have a gift… don't you?" Derek asked. He held his hand out for hers, and watched the indecision play out across her features. He was right, and he knew it. For a while, he'd forgotten about the tingling sensation he always got when Jennifer touched him. He'd been too distracted by Stiles. But distraction was the problem. In the beginning, he'd been so distracted by Jennifer that he hadn't noticed the similar, more intense signs from Stiles.

Finally, after several long moments of a staring contest, Jennifer relented and pulled her left glove off. When her fingers slid over Derek's hand, the familiar pleasant tingle wound its way through his body, but for once his mind and heart were not swayed. It was different this time.

Jennifer sighed. "It doesn't work well on matched people," she said, and Derek let her pull her hand away. "They're balanced. Unmatched people are easier, and people in their month countdown are the easiest. Their hormones are so confused already that a little push from me can feel like an island in the middle of an ocean, and I'm the only one on it."

"What is it? The aurasphere?" Derek asked, rubbing his hands together to rid them of the now odd sensation.

"Yes. I think I would have preferred to get that strange empathy most special people get, but nope. I just get skin that tricks people into thinking they like me… for a short while at least." She shrugged and rolled the fabric of her glove between her bare fingers. "Is that why you're here? You came to prove I was using you for my career? Did you want me to apologize?"

"Trying to further your career is not a bad quality," Derek replied, proud at how calm he was. "Hurting people to do it, however, is not only a bad quality… it can also be illegal."

"Are you angry with me?" Jennifer's eyes were electric as she stared determinedly into Derek's, unapologetic.

"I won't be… if you tell me where she is." Derek leaned forward then, arms resting on the table, and Jennifer leaned away.

Pursing her lips, she said, "I don't know who you're talking about."

"Jennifer, you knew bad things about the set before anyone else did. My mind was foggy back then when it came to you, but there's only one explanation now. How long have you been working with Kate Argent?"

"I'm not working with her," Jennifer answered, lips barely opening for the words, and he knew she was lying. She was helping Kate Argent cause chaos at the concerts and events. She was helping spread the news and add oxygen to the flames. His leg ached in the knowledge that she'd helped Kate try to kill Stiles and only Derek had gotten in the way of those plans succeeding.

"Stop lying to me," Derek growled, keeping his voice low so as not to draw attention.

"I'm not lying," Jennifer snapped back, and in the same instant, she ripped her right glove off, revealing her blank wrist. "We're matched."

Kate and Jennifer were… soul mates? They had been the entire time? No wonder Jennifer kept her wrist covered with thick bracelets. She couldn't let her marks know she was already taken while she fooled around with their heads. Derek felt ill.

"Just because you're bonded doesn't mean you aren't helping her hurt people. This goes way beyond slashed tires, Jennifer. She's tried to kill people. She's almost succeeded." He clenched his fists on the table.

"No. Seriously injured, obviously, but we've never killed anyone." The dark haired reporter adjusted her purse, preparing to leave.

"She used a bomb," Derek hissed. "Are you telling me you're so proud that you can't admit that you've crossed the line?"

He couldn't let her leave, not until he found out where Kate was. With his leg, he'd never be able to chase after her. He needed to information now.

"Is she here?" he asked. "Please, Jennifer. Before she does anymore damage, before either of you does something you can't take back. Where is she?"

Lips pressed into a fine line, Jennifer slowly pushed herself to a standing position. "I should have played you harder," she said. "You're too persistent."

"Jennifer," Derek tried again, but she cut him off.

"The bomb under the stage was never our big play. None of it was. Everything you've stopped so far was just the fodder for the flames," she snipped. "You're here with me, so it doesn't even matter if I tell you where Kate is or not. You're already too late to stop her. Run back to your tour buses, Derek – if there's anything left of them."

Ice filled Derek's stomach as she turned away from him. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket, paying Jennifer no mind, and dialed Laura's number. It rang. And rang. And rang. When Jennifer stepped back into the hotel, she was stopped by three police officers and Jordan Parrish.

Voicemail. Derek cursed and ended the call before dialing Stiles. It rang. And rang. And rang. Jordan stepped up beside him and reached into the sugar cup, pulling out a tiny listening device, which he then handed to the nearest officer. He was talking to the other man about something, but Derek only heard the ringing of Stiles not answering his phone.

Voicemail. Derek stood up and grabbed his crutches. He dialed his uncle.

"Jordan. We need to rejoin the others," he said a bit too harshly as he got another voicemail, but Jordan looked as serious as he felt. Ignoring the confused and slightly frightened stares from some of the café patrons, the two hurried outside as quickly as they could.

"I'm sure they're fine," Jordan said, sliding into the driver's seat of the car and waiting just long enough for Derek to get situated before he started driving. They were already moving when Derek shut his door.

"I'll believe it when someone answers their phone," Derek grunted and tried to reach Scott.

Chapter 14 Preview:

A wall of fire stands between Derek and Stiles, and the only hope Derek has left resides in his blank wrist that says Stiles is still alive. And he isn't the only one with cause for worry. Kira enlists the help of Jordan and Laura to quell the fire, but despite all efforts... one person won't make it out unharmed.