Chapter (3) But the boy wasn't stupid, and first he stopped at his aunt's.

"Hello, dear aunt!"

"Hello, my darling! What brings you?"

"Mother sent me to her sister's to ask for a needle and some thread so she can sew me a shirt."

His aunt who was wise knew of this tricky but could do nothing to stop it only help her nephew and again silently wished her sister was still among the living. So his aunt told him what to do before giving him what he would need.

"There will be a birch, dear nephew, and it will slap you in the face. You just put a ribbon on it and it will let you pass." as she said this she pulled the dark red ribbon from her hair and tied it gently around his wrist.

"Then the gates will screech and flap. You just pour some oil on the hinges and ease their pain and it will let you pass." She pulled a small tin of oil from a drawer.

"The dogs will bite you. You just throw them some bread." She then pulled a fresh loaf of bread from her basket and stowed it as well in the nap sack she was packing him.

"The cat will scratch your eyes. You just give it some ham." she said finally placing a bit of meat in the sack as well before closing it up and handing it to the boy. She kissed his forehead and made sure the cloak was tied tightly around the boys shoulder before sending him off with a silent pray to the gods to keep him safe.

The only problem Stiles found with his promise to his Dad was the lack of people he could go to. He tried talking to Scott but all he was worried about was Allison and Isaac. Melissa had been home for that argument so when Stiles smashed the small table in the living room, she didn't say a word to Stiles just took his shoulders in her hands and led him into kitchen with her and set him down on the table. She made two cups of tea and Stiles nearly cried when he smelled his mother's special blend. She'd only taught it to two people that Stiles was aware of, Melisa and himself. She told Stiles firmly that he was always welcome here, even if it was just her and she was sleeping that he didn't have to interact with Scott or the others. That she missed him being here and as nice as Allison and Isaac are, she missed Stiles.

"I miss Momma." Stiles said softly

"I miss Maria too." Melissa said just as softly reaching over and squeezing Stiles hand. "I know its hard to see your Dad move on but..."

"It's not that, I love my Dad. I want him happy and she makes him happy." Stiles said softly pulling his hand away to sip at his tea. "But she scares me Melissa."

"How?" Melissa asked.

"The way Gerald did." he admits softly hearing her suck in a ragged breath.

When the truth about what happened that night, Melissa had nearly lost it on not only, Scott and Derek but Boyd and Erica, who had been there with him. Stiles had been more the grateful to find out with the defeat of the druid, the alpha pack and Gerald who had been using her for power that those killed in sacrifice had been brought back to life.

"Stiles you know anytime you don't feel safe you can come to me," Melissa told him, reminding him of the same thing Maria had said to her the first time she found Melissa with a black eye from her ex-husband.

"I know," Stiles said softly giving her a smile before hearing the front door open and close.

"Hey what happened to the table?" Allison asked

"Stiles being an idiot." came Scott's reply making Stiles set down his cup a little harder then necessary.

"I'm going home." Stiles said with a sigh standing up and grabbing his bag. "Thanks for the tea, Melissa." he added kissing her on the cheek.

"You're welcome Stiles, just remember what I said." Melissa replied.

Stiles nodded his head and left through the kitchen door instead of the front one not wanting to look at Scott, Allison or Isaac.

Stiles had debated on going home but he didn't want to so he drove his jeep out to the woods, closest to her home and got out to walk. He hadn't paid to much attention when he crashed into one of Babushka's horsemen, well woman. The Dark Horsemen, or my dark midnight, as Babushka called her was in fact a woman, with some of the darkest skin Stiles had ever seen. It was as dark as the night and her eyes as well as her hair were white with sliver threaded through them and glowed with the same light that the moon glowed with. She never spoke just gave him a smile and pulled her onto her horse whose on skin was the same color as her own and took off deep into the woods. Stiles had hated the first time one of the horsemen (woman) picked him up. They never spoke and they were too quiet when they moved but they always were kind to him, making sure no one bothered him when he was in the woods (werewolves the exception after he explained to them). Midnight, as he called her, had to be his favorite. She always made sure he was safe when she could. She had been his mothers favorite too.

Stiles held tightly to Midnight as she drove her steed deeper and deeper into the woods. The horse suddenly reared nearly tossing them both. Both Stiles and Midnight's eyes were focused on a giant spider that clearly did not belong there, it was green with yellow stripes. It hissed at them fangs barred and dripping poison. It charged at them but didn't get close as two of Babushka's own black and red spiders suddenly jumped on it and ripping it apart. Stiles felt himself shaking the violence that happened no matter how many times he'd seen it bothered him. Midnight let out a sound that sound like a horrible shrieking before she spurred her horse on deep into the woods. The sound of two other thunderous foot falls of two more horses joined Midnight's. Stiles thought at first they were going to take him to Babushka but soon Stiles recognized that he was on Hale land.

"No take me to Babushka." Stiles pleaded but none of the riders answered just spurred their horses onward. "Midnight please."

The horsewomen shook her head and spurred the horse on faster and faster. Stiles just sighed and held on tighter knowing that none of them were going to listen. They were deep into the preserve only stopping once they reached the burnt out shell of the old Hale house. Midnight slid him off and graced his forehead with a cold kiss before all three of the horsemen (and women) took off back deep into the woods. Three identical shrieks could be heard echoing through out the forest. A few minutes later Stiles phone rang.

"Yes Derek?" he said as he answered. "Yes I heard it I'm sure the whole town fucking heard those screams. No I'm not, how the hell did you know I'm not at home? Really Derek you are a fucking creeper. No I'm at the preserve. Yeah the thing is I walked. Don't yell at me just come get me if you are so fucking worried."