Big changes at the loft. The group get reduced to half. The ongoing investigation into Boyd and Erica's deaths catches up with them when Mr Stilinski is asked to come to the station. They learn a thing or two about Alex, and gets pleasantly surprised. Next chapter will be posted shortly. And for those of you who craves it: Sorry, no smut for a while, but it's coming.

When Allison came out from the bathroom, everybody stared at her. She took her time to make sure she didn't have to take part in the explanation, but of course they were curious about her point of view.

Melissa was the first one to react. She came running over and gave her a hug. "Poor thing. You must have had a horrible couple of days." She took a step back, and let their eyes meet as she held on to Allison's shoulders. "I'm so happy you got through this in one piece."

When she felt her eyes well up with tears, Allison tried to move away so she could compose herself. Melissa obviously noticed, but pulled her back in to an embrace. "So, so, It's okay. We're here for you."

Allison managed to control the tears somewhat, but it felt so good being held like that. Melissa's unconditional support was something you could only expect from a mother.

They pulled apart when Isaac tapped her shoulder. "I'm sorry I acted like a jerk." He waited until Melissa walked away before he gave Allison a quick hug. Thinking back, she realized that she and Isaac hadn't exchanged a word during these last few days. She hadn't really noticed before – she'd been too indulged in her own problems – but he'd seemed both angry and disappointed.

She was pretty sure it had nothing to do with her personally; it was probably due to the fact that she'd hung out with Alex all the time, and made it impossible for Isaac to get him on his own. "Don't worry about it. I was behaving like a jerk too." She gave his hand a quick squeeze and threw a peek at Alex. "He helped me a lot. He's a good guy." She could see that Isaac blushed when he obviously realized who she was talking about. Nobody else seemed to have noticed, partially because Stiles tried to get up from the couch and needed help. He made a big deal out of it, and had managed to get everyone's attention.

Isaac drew his breath. "Oh, uh, sure... but it's..." He shook his head and before he could continue, Allison just winked at him and walked away.

Stiles was standing up straight, supported by Scott. "Werewolf, uh?" He waved her over. "I want a hug too." Allison chuckled a little and moved closer. "Of course. I'm sorry I took your boyfriend away." She embraced him and lifted him clear off the floor. "I know he wanted to tell you; he didn't know if he could pull it off by himself."

Stiles squirmed a little in her arms, but then he relaxed. "One more person who can carry me around until I'm healed. That has to be a good thing." He giggled a little. "But you can put me down now." Allison helped Stiles back on the couch and sat down next to him. "I think I could have carried you before also, I'm, uh, I was pretty strong as a human, and you don't weigh much anyway."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

As soon as the police eventually got wind of what had happened to sheriff Stilinski, a deputy was sent to the hospital to interview him. At that point in time, he was still in the ICU and in no condition to talk to anybody. They had been pretty sure that they had to look for a rabid dog, but after a brief conversation with one of the doctors, they'd scrubbed that. He'd explained the injuries, and told them that it was more likely that he'd been attacked by a wild animal. The blood work and other tests hadn't shown any traces of rabies.

A hunting party was sent out, but hadn't found any animal that could be responsible for Mr Stilinski's injuries.

When they came back again, they learned that he'd discharged himself, and nobody knew where he was. They had of course tried to call his cell phone, but it was off. It wasn't until the sheriff himself had called in, that they finally got his location.

They wanted to come and talk to him, but he suggested that he'd come to the station instead. He was urged to bring the evidence he stole, and was reminded that he was on suspension for the time being.

Sheriff Stilinski had made the call early that morning, but with the commotion around Allison's return, he'd completely forgot about it. After everything had calmed down and he sat there indulged in his own thoughts, he suddenly remembered.

"I have to go to the station. I should have been there days ago." He got up from his seat, but had to grab on to the back of the couch because he felt dizzy. Melissa hurried to get to his side. "Not alone you're not." She threw a glance around the room. "Anyone? Or do I have to go with him myself."

Mr Stilinski shook his head. "No, you're not." He too panned the crowd in there. "I need to go home and get the... uh, the list, lists I..." He drew his breath. "I have to hand in my badge. The suspension was effective from Monday, so it's overdue."

Chris volunteered to take him. "I can't stay here all the time, regardless. I can't wait for Hester to attack." He grabbed Allison's bag, and turned to his daughter. "We're going home. We can defend ourselves."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Scott jumped between Chris and his daughter. "No, I mean, eh, no!" He seemed slightly panicked. "We shouldn't split up. What if she comes? We have to..." He got cut off by Mr Stilinski. "We tried this, and it was helpful to us all at the time, but now..." He sighed. "We have to try to get back to normal. We're gonna kill each other if we get stuck up here forever."

Scott didn't look convinced. He obviously wanted to keep this weird pack together. "I hope that Hester can look at us as a too strong force to attack." He drew his breath. "I can see you alls' point, but... Hey Stiles! Derek! Give me some support here."

Stiles didn't know what to say. He was fed up with having all these people around a long time ago. He just wanted to heal and be with Derek alone as much as possible. It took a little while for Derek to reply also. He seemed to think about the options, before he got up and started pacing. "I see your point Scott, but I have to agree with them." He stopped and nodded towards Stiles and the sheriff, throwing his hand out to include Melissa. "We just need to find a way to protect them in their homes."

He sighed, and looked down for a moment. "The rest of us... uh, well, we should be able to defend ourselves. Although, nobody should go out alone."

The discussion went high. Scott was not ready to cave in to this insanity. He wanted to protect everybody, but it would be impossible if they were scattered around Beacon Hills. "I, we. oh, we have to stick together."

Mr Stilinski managed to get to his feet. He cleared his throat loudly to get everyone's attention. "It's not healthy. We have to look at this as if we're living in a war-zone " He cleared his throat. "We can make plans and everything, but being cooped up here just waiting for an attack is just... We have to try to be normal – to act normal."

Scott knew that what Mr Stilinski said made sense, and he didn't want to be stuck in the loft himself. "You're thinking that this will be a long-time thing. That we need to get back to our lives and deal with whatever comes up?"

The sheriff nodded slightly and seemed to think about it for a second. "Exactly. Fear is just going to cripple us. We could get hit by a car at random; we can't possibly know when we're going to die." He sighed. "As a police officer, I never know if I will survive a shift, but letting the fear in is never an option."

The little speech changed Scott's point of view, but it didn't prevent him from trying to argue his own opinion. "I understand, but isn't it too early? You Sir, are not fit for fight, and Stiles can't even walk. We should wait."

There was a short discussion, but eventually Scott had to cave in. Chris and Allison left without Mr Stilinski. It was settled that he should stay behind until he got his strength back, so Derek would take him to the station. Melissa was also more than ready to go home, and managed to convince Scott to come with her.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Since he was still recuperating, Mr Stilinski wasn't subjected to any tiresome interviews about the animal attack, but he was urged to be available at all times. Even if he was on suspension, the sheriff still managed to get some information about the investigation on Boyd's and Erica's murders.

They've learned that Erica had had sex before she was killed. The decomposition of the body made it impossible to tell if it had been consensual, but the fact that she'd been beaten, and possibly held prisoner for an extended period of time, made them think that it was rape.

"Vernon Boyd was probably her boyfriend. He could have gone after the assailant on his own." The deputy in charge, shook his head and pointed to the lists. "We think that these people could have known about the rape, and that the perpetrator wants to silence them."

He sighed and shook his head. "I can understand that you didn't want to involve your son, but we will have to interview him, and also his friends."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Derek was a little worried about how it would go. He wondered if Hester was keeping an eye on them, but deep down he was happy about this outcome. Even if the sheriff was there – possibly making it a little awkward – Derek hoped that he could share his own bed with Stiles now.

Mr Stilinski had told him the news from the station and asked him if there was a sliver of truth in it. Derek didn't want to get into that, and managed to avert the question by suggesting what they'd pick up some takeout from the burger joint. They eventually decided against it, but the sheriff didn't ask again; it was obvious that he really didn't want to know. He was perfectly aware of the fact that werewolves were involved, and that the suspected rape of Erica had nothing to do with it all.

When they came to the loft, Stiles was leaning on the counter watching Alex flip pancakes. On the stove, there was a big pot emitting a delicious smell of tomatoes and herbs.

"It's a little late for breakfast, but does it matter?" Alex threw a glance over his shoulder as he poured more batter into the pan. "I needed to make something simple because I started planning dinner also."

Derek got a little thrown by the confidence in the guys voice; he'd definitely made himself at home. Stiles smiled widely and waved them over. "You know, Alex is a really good cook. We didn't know. At least he claims to be." He pointed to Alex. "He just went for it, and it looks like he knows what he's doing."

Isaac was nowhere to be seen, but the sound of running water from the bathroom gave a clue to his location. Stiles obviously noticed that Derek stared at the door. "Yeah, Isaac. He's been in there forever. I think he..." Stiles gave a quick nod in Alex' direction. "There's something."

Alex didn't seem to notice that Stiles was gesturing behind his back. He focused on his task. "I like to cook, and I think I'm pretty good at it. Hester never complained." He made the pancake take a somersault in the air. "I'm almost done here. Grab a plate."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Stiles was happy with the new development. He had for a long time felt that it was to crowded in there. As soon as everybody else left, Isaac had locked himself in the bathroom leaving Stiles and Alex alone. Alex seemed like a nice guy, and the two of them had had a chance to talk a little.

When he asked for a guided tour through the kitchen, he'd helped Stiles to his feet and practically carried him around. After a quick assessment, Alex had just started cooking. Stiles tried to tell him that he didn't need prove himself, but it was futile. "I'm a decent chef, I want to do this. I like to cook."

Alex kept peeking at the bathroom door as he dug through the fridge and the cupboards. "I should tell you about myself. It's not pretty. I'm not proud of what I had to do to survive." He chopped garlic and dumped it in a pan with some dried oregano. "Would have been better with fresh." He added a little oil and threw a quick glance at Stiles as he stirred the mix.

Stiles thought he was going to get a recap about how it was in Hester's house, but Alex went a little further back. He was keeping his voice down, and Stiles suspected that he didn't want Isaac to hear it. It was a sad, sad story.

He was born to a single mom and when he was around four, she'd met the guy that became his stepfather. It was a religious man who believed in corporal punishment. Alex was a wild child, and had to live through ten years of serious abuse before he eventually just left.

What he had to do to survive on the streets abhorred Stiles, and he could easily understand that he felt saved when Hester turned him. That his life in her house resulted in even more abuse didn't bother Alex so much. He'd felt that he was appreciated on some level. Hester always told them when to get ready for it. He didn't have to watch his mouth or his behavior. Hester's abuse was rarely a punishment for anything he'd done wrong. It happened, but even then she'd explained herself, unlike his stepfather.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Isaac tried to listen in, but he had to pretend to be in the shower. The sound of the running water distracted him somewhat, so he didn't catch the whole conversation between Stiles and Alex. Part of it he got, and it made him feel more attached to the guy. He'd obviously been seriously abused by a father-figure, just like Isaac.

It was sad to hear that Alex had lived on the streets for years. Part of the conversation got lost in the sound of streaming water, but Isaac could have sworn he heard something about a drug habit. He only had to guess how Alex supported his addiction, but then again, Isaac wasn't even sure if Alex was talking about himself at that point.

After several days shadow-boxing with the guy, Isaac didn't really know how to approach him again. In between the eavesdropping, he spent almost the entire time in the shower going through the different options. When he heard that Derek and Mr Stilinski were back, he knew he'd lost the momentum for a while. He'd hoped to catch Alex off guard when he was alone in the kitchen. Procrastinating had not turned out well.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

As soon as the pancakes were gone, Mr Stilinski had withdrawn to Isaac's room, claiming he needed a nap. There had been no discussion on the sleeping arrangements after most of the guests had left, but Derek had moved all Stiles' belongings to his room. Stiles wasn't sure if he could spend the night there. He wondered if his dad would comment on it.

Alex had put on some music, and was humming along while he was busying himself with cooking. Isaac had eventually got out of the shower, and seemed to do his best not to stare at the guy. Stiles found it incredibly humorous, but managed to keep it to himself.

With the delicious scent from the kitchen tickling his nose, he cuddled up with Derek on the couch. "Alex seems like a nice guy. I didn't know he could cook. Did you?" He moved his hand up Derek's thigh, brushing the crotch area with his thumb. Derek drew his breath quickly and pushed it away. "No, I didn't know." He chuckled a little and squeezed Stiles' hand. "That was a bold move."

Stiles hadn't even been aware of what he was doing, but Derek's reaction made him want to tease him. He leaned in and gave Derek's earlobe a lick, before he grabbed it with his teeth and bit down gently. Derek pulled his head to the side. "Seriously, what are you doing?" He was still smiling, but there was a hint of surprise in his eyes. "Now? Don't you have any shame?"

When Stiles realized what Derek was thinking, he got a little embarrassed. He'd only wanted to tease his boyfriend. "Well, why not? You clearly have no qualms about having sex in public." He nodded towards Alex and rolled his eyes. He wasn't sure if Isaac and Alex were paying any attention to them, but he kept his voice down. The music was possibly loud enough to prevent anyone hearing much of the conversation.

It took a while for Derek to respond and in the meantime, Stiles managed to ease his free hand up Derek's back under the T-shirt. "I kinda liked it, but you... you didn't tell me that he, " Stiles nodded towards Alex again. "That he was there." It had been somewhat exciting having sex on the couch with people so close, but that was before he knew that Alex had been there, awake and alert.

Derek let go of Stiles' hand and rubbed his forehead. "I didn't plan it, but you know... After everything that had happened, I just needed you." He leaned in a gave Stiles a kiss. "I just wanted to forget about everybody else."

Stiles huffed. "Yeah right! That's why you got that body lotion-bottle-thingy? Because you didn't plan it! Try again buddy!" He punched Derek on the shoulder. "You're the one with no shame."

None of them noticed that Alex approached them, and they both got startled when the guy leaned over the back of the couch. "I may overstep my boundaries here. I don't know if I'm still a prisoner." He was whispering. "I am not particularly squeamish, and I've seen and heard it all before, but I just want to say please, please, get a room."