Diana was about to go to bed when she heard it. Stiles. A very Drunk Stiles.
Dude, you know she's just one girl, out of so many, there's so many other girls in the sea.
Diana's face lit up. This should be so funny. Giggling she scrambled to collect her scrying kit and quickly cast the right spell to see a very drunk Stiles laid out on the damp ground of Beacon Hills preserve with half a bottle of Jack next to him.
"- in the sea." Scott was with him looking utterly miserable.
"Fish? Whay you talking about fish? I'm talking about girls. I love girls, especially girls with strawberry blonde hair and green eyes, five foot three."
"So, Lydia."
"How did you know I was talking about Lydia?" Stiles giggled. Diana's heart fell slightly. The feeling that the universe had made a mistake was coming back in full force.
"Or Diana." He stifled a burp in the middle of her name, "There's something about her man. I don't get it."
Diana pursed her lips, she shouldn't be watching this, it had stopped being fun now. Instead she pulled out her phone and shot off a couple texts.
[To Stiles, From Diana]
[Please be careful.]
[To Scott, From Diana]
[Is he ok?]
She waited to cease the spell until after they had gotten the messages,
"See, she text me, 'Please be careful' it's like she's always with me. And that's great." Stiles slurred, Diana smiled softly at his reaction. Scott just rolled his eyes and put his phone away.
"I don't trust her." He growled. "She's a Witch and we had no idea. That and she knew Derek Hale."
"Hey!" Stiles protested, "I trust her."
"Of course you do, you have some weird connection going on." Scott grumbled.
Stiles just looked at the stars,
"You know her eyes have flecks of gold in them." He mused, Diana laughed and waved off the spell.
"Be careful what you want to see Diana." She told herself getting into bed.
The next day was the first day back at school. For the rest of the people affected by the incident on Wednesday they got sympathy and understanding. Not Diana. No she got a loudly opened door and her school bag thrown at her by a laughing Heather.
"Education's a gift, go to school." Heather laughed leaving the door half open in the annoying way that adults with teenagers do.
Diana managed to drag herself to school looking as fabulous as she always did in a cropped white peasant top and ripped rolled jeans with a tan leather jacket all tied together with an effective use of a moonstone hexagonal crystal necklace and her tan heeled ankle boots.
"Hey Diana." Donovan appeared next to her at her locker. "Been texting you all weekend." He stated trying to look cool.
Diana barely spared him a glance.
"Have you Donovan, I would have noticed them if I wasn't ignoring you." She smiled at him. He tried to think of a reply, but Diana finally saw an out, Isaac.
"Isaac, wait." She shot off after the taller boy she sat with in Chemistry.
"He- hey Diana." He greeted nervously. She fished in her red leather satchel and pulled out a stack of notes,
"These are the Chemistry notes, the history notes and the econ notes. Now I've simplified them and sectioned them off so that you can make them into flash cards." Diana said happily, she loved Isaac, he was a sweet boy who to Diana's eyes seemed to have something going on at home but she couldn't place it.
"Wow, thanks." He said sincerely, taking the papers from her, "You didn't have to, I didn't even ask you to."
"No, I know. I wanted to, besides you seemed to find the last few tests hard so…" She shrugged.
"Di!" Stiles waved from the end of the corridor, she waved back.
"Let me know if you need anything else Isaac." She said sincerely leaving the lanky boy in the centre of the corridor.
Stiles was taking to Scott while she approached, Scott had a killer look in his eyes.
"You ok there Scott." She whispered knowing that he could hear her. Stiles hit his chest and suddenly the normal Scott was back in the room. He ran off to get to class but Stiles stayed to talk to her.
"Diana, you gotta help us out, the Chemistry test is today and I completely forgot about it." Stiles said desperately.
"You want to copy off me in a test?" She clarified her eyebrows raised.
"Well," Stiles grimaced as only he could. "You are my special soul buddy."
Diana rolled her eyes.
"Fine." She groaned, "But you gotta do something for me."
"Anything, I mean sure." Stiles nodded rapidly. Diana looked about them leaning in closer to make sure nobody was listening.
"Be careful." She kissed his cheek and swanned off to her homeroom for morning register.
"Be careful, okay, yeah, I can do that." He told himself as he moved quickly to his.
The test before her was easy, she didn't even need to cheat with a revealing spell to know the answers. She could see Isaac a few seats over he looked to be struggling.
How you doing? Diana asked Stiles,
Great, I might not need you after all. He said happily to her.
Oh really, what did you put for number seven? Diana queried,
Ammonia. Stiles told her confidently.
Nugh-ugh its Nitrogen. Diana answered smugly. Stiles let loose a sea of curses that would make a sailor blush.
After that they answered every question together. That is until Scott freaked out and ran off and Stiles ran off after him.
Diana sighed slumping back in her seat.
Don't worry, I've got this. She sassed at him.
Thank you! Stiles responded. You're a fantastic person.
Yeah I know. Diana blushed casting a quiet spell over Stiles paper to imitate her answers.
I found him. Panic attack. I used to get them after my mom died, made him think it was an asthma attack and the inhaler stopped it. Stiles explained five minutes of silence later.
Oh those suck, I used to get them too. Diana said in sympathy.
After your parents?
Yeah. She confirmed. Was it about Alison again?
When is it not? I don't think the full moon helps.
Yeah, that's gotta be a raw deal. Diana grimaced.
Yeah imma lock him up in his room later tonight to stop him going awol on the entire town.
That's a good idea. Diana agreed sagely.
Diana went about the rest of her day without too much supernatural interruption. Classes and lunch where she sat with her usual crowd consisting of Lydia, Alison and Jackson, who for some reason was constantly cooing over Alison.
[To Diana From Heather]
[You are not going out tonight, please come straight home from school.]
"Hey Stiles, you and Scott are going to have to do without me tonight. Just got my orders from Heather, I'm on temporary house arrest." She told the boy sat across from her in Econ that afternoon. Disappointment crossed his face,
"That's okay. I get it." He said a little sadly, "We have Lacrosse after school anyway so; I wouldn't have seen you anyway."
"I could probably hang round for Lacrosse for a little while, I mean Heather knows what Lydia's like." Diana smiled encouragingly. Stiles perked up at his new friend staying for practice. "Besides, moonrise isn't until eleven anyway."
"It's in your self-interest anyway, you know, my safety and all that." Stiles pouted nodding knowingly, Diana grinned,
"Exactly."
"Alright shut up!" Coach Finstock bellowed calling the class to attention effectively ending all conversation.
[To Heather, From Diana]
[Lydia is making me stay for Lacrosse; I'll be home way before moonrise.]
[To Diana, From Heather]
[Better be kid.]
I made first line! Stiles said excitedly to Diana. She beamed at her phone.
That's fantastic! She congratulated her partner. She could feel him buzzing down their connection and nearly laughed.
She couldn't find Lydia anywhere so she headed straight out to the stands spying a couple of her other friends and sat with them on the front few rows of the bleachers.
"Hey Preston." Donovan called jogging over. Diana rolled her eyes, the arrogant blonde was still trying to get with her and it was becoming an irritation. The only other guy she had been interested in having a relationship with was a Freeze called Logan Swan, the son of a woman in her Aunts Coven. Looking at normal boys after that had been a severe disappointment. Donovan was an even bigger let down.
"Hello Donovan." Diana drawled yawning. He stopped just short of the benches and she had never been happier with her decision to sit a little further up.
"You going to cheer me on?" He smirked confidently. She had to vehemently resist the urge to roll her eyes again, instead choosing to smile patronisingly at the boy.
"No. I'm here for Stilinski." She deadpanned.
"Good one. See you after, yeah?" He directed looking back to Coach who was waving his players in.
"No." Diana said as he ran away to join the rest of his team.
"Diana? Did I just see Donavan flirting with you?" Mia gossiped the bottle blonde as she moved from the other row to sit next to Diana. The Witch was now beginning to wonder why she didn't follow her Aunt's direction and go straight home.
"If that's what that was then yes." Diana said bored with the conversation already. At least when she talked to Lydia like this they both knew there was some form of intelligence behind each other's eyes. Mia however was just looking to stir the pot.
The Practice started and Diana had to sit through Mia's commentary on which seniors are the hottest and which of the Lacrosse team she thought she had a chance with, all the while Diana watched what was effectively another generic practice.
She grimaced when Scott got slammed. Her eyes widened when he crab flipped himself back to his feet, stopped Stiles from taking his turn in attacking practice and preceded to slam flip the defenders downing Danny.
"Danny!" Diana cried in panic running from the bleachers to the field where a crowd had gathered round the downed body of the goalie.
"Out of the way please." Diana heard Heather say pushing through the crowd of teenagers. She was still in her Paramedics coat so people parted quickly.
"He gonna be ok?" Lydia asked from Diana's right squeezing herself between Diana and Jackson.
Heather was shining a light into Danny's eyes.
"How many fingers am I holding up Danny?" Heather demanded raising one finger.
"One?" The bloodied boy answered. Heather smiled,
"You're just a little bloody. No harm done." She confirmed to the boy, Coach looked as happy as if someone had just told them they'd won state without trying.
Jackson looked at Lydia properly then,
"What?" She asked at his confused look.
"Your lipstick." Lydia pulled out a compact mirror from her bag,
"Oh." She laughed "Wonder how that happened?" she said fixing it, Diana frowned.
"Yeah." Jackson said sceptically, "I wonder." They shared a tense look like all was not well in paradise while Diana crouched next to her Aunt and Danny completely missing the look of realisation on Stiles' face.
"Good thing that I came to get you." Heather said to her niece, and sole heir to the Preston legacy.
"Was Si really that worried?" Diana said deadpan, she knew exactly why Heather had come to get her. Heather grimaced, helping Danny to his feet gently.
"Well, yeah. But I thought it would be nice for you and me to have a catch up. It is your Birthday soon."
Danny looked at Diana shocked,
"It's your birthday?" Diana made a 'seriously' face to her now guilty looking Aunt before replying,
"No it's not. Forget about it." He wouldn't but Diana made him swear not to say anything to anyone else, February seventeenth was not something that she typically shouted about.
Coach made Danny sit on the bench for the rest of the practice just to be safe that they didn't properly damage the boy. Diana returned to her seat in the bleachers but now with her Aunt in tow.
Mia grinned at the pair as they sat down; Diana had to resist the urge to roll her eyes again.
"I hope Danny is ok. He's my History partner; I can't do another project on my own again." Mia said worriedly. Heather looked at Diana concerned but for another reason, opened her mouth to admonish the girl but halted when Diana caught her hand shaking her head.
Fifteen minutes later and both Witches were cold and bored,
"Let's go home." Heather decided much to Diana's relief,
"Oh thank god." She breathed; putting up with Mia was getting to be a herculean effort.
Heather laughed and followed her charge off the frigid seats.
I'm going home now. Good luck tonight. Diana said to Stiles with a little wave, they were still doing drills and she wasn't shouting across the field announcing to Donovan that she was leaving. The idiot might turn up to her house or something.
Stiles waved to her as did Donovan who started to laugh at Stiles.
"You think she was waving to you Stilinski, as if." Donovan laughed. Stiles bristled, Scott had already kissed Lydia but nobody could take Diana away from him.
"Yeah I do, she's my English partner dumbass." He shot back feeling bigger than he was. Donovan scoffed and pushed past him to take the next drill spot that would have been Stiles'.
Diana sat on the large red leather sofa in the smaller family living room, the church candles in the fireplace lit and burning happily casting a soft glow over the room in contrast to the brighter glow from the TV. Love Actually was playing away to an absent minded teen and an asleep thirty two year old Witch.
I wonder how the moon thing is going with Scott and Stiles. Diana thought to herself staring at Colin arrive in America in the film. Should I check in? A wave of anxiety came over her that she hadn't felt since she first moved to the States. What if that's too much? Like I don't trust him.
You don't trust him. A little voice in her head said casting derision on the situation and playing up her concerns.
Diana sighed looking back to her Aunt's slack jawed expression. Screw it, she thought. Simon was at a dinner with the Governor of the state so it was just the two Witches in the large eight bed house. On the full moon. Because that was such a good idea.
How's it going? She tentatively sent out.
I've cuffed him to his radiator. He responded immediately.
You don't sound too happy about that. Diana frowned.
He's just saying a bunch of stuff. Stiles said testily, I'll see you tomorrow. He shut off before Diana could say anything. Suspicious she crept slowly past her Aunt and to the library next door. A quick scrying spell later and she really saw what was going on.
Stiles was slumped outside Scott's room,
"She would have done anything I wanted, ANYTHING.!" He roared, Stiles slid down the wall to the floor and sat. His knees high, head in hands.
"I bet if I went for Diana she'd kiss me too, her and Lydia are so close, so alike in many ways. Why wouldn't she?" Scott drawled tauntingly.
Diana's mouth fell open, Lydia and Scott? Trouble was definitely in Lydia and Jackson's paradise.
Stiles looked close to tears.
"Diana's smell too," Scott groaned, "The magic drips from her. Why would she bother with a human like you? So breakable, so slow." He smirked, "I bet she's tight too, she looks it. Untouched." Stiles began to shake with rage but Scott continued. "Soft, pliable, I bet she'd do anything I wanted too. Maybe I should go find her she'd be gagging for it."
"That's enough." Diana spat pulling her phone from her back pocket and dialling Stiles.
"That'll be her now, calling to ask about me."
He pulled it out and held it before him as it rang through. His face the antithesis of pain.
Diana balked. Why isn't he picking up?
"It's her isn't it? Answer it Stiles, ask her, she'll be asking about me anyway." Scott taunted some more.
Diana called again. She could see Stiles considering the idea, fighting within himself. Eventually he picked up.
"Diana, not a good time." He greeted feeling Scott's mocking eyes on him.
"Yeah I know, thought you could use someone else to talk to other than some dick Were." Stiles let out a breath.
"You're on my side forever right?" He said calming. Diana smiled at Scott's responding growl.
"Always and forever buddy." She promised. "You seemed to really need me to say that, is everything really okay? I can come and dog sit with you if you need, my Aunt's passed out." Diana offered.
"No!" Stiles shot back immediately panic colouring his tone.
"Okay." Diana said backing off "It was only an offer. If you've got this then I trust you."
"Thanks but it's okay." Stiles assured nodding to himself. Diana smiled,
"Here if you need me, you are technically my other half." She laughed. Stiles scoffed a laugh grinning slightly,
"See you Di." He hung up and shot Scott a shit eating grin getting a growl in response.
Diana waved off the spell and stood, it was half past eleven. She stifled a yawn, time for bed. She wandered back into the family room, shook her Aunt awake, turned off the TV and bidding the elder Witch goodnight wandered off to her room.
Diana started to pack her bag while brushing her teeth when she noticed the lace curtain covering the enchanted mirror twitch the signal that someone from the other side was wanting to talk.
Diana pulled back the lace expecting to see her Grandmother wanting the lowdown from her day, instead she found Agnes.
The young woman smiled warmly at her,
"How are you?" She greeted Diana who looked a picture, her hair in a messy bun, lips ringed with toothpaste foam and the brush sticking out of her mouth, in nothing but her pyjamas; an ancient black Pink Floyd top and faded Micky Mouse shorts.
"I'm good." Diana responded dumbly pulling the brush from her mouth.
"Good, and your husband?" Agnes asked. The thing with hundreds of years old ghostly relatives was that they often failed to grasp the customs of the modern era.
"I am not married." Diana reminded her ancestor.
Agnes blushed,
"I meant your bonded." She said her smile faltering slightly. "Forgive me."
Diana folded back the curtain properly and pulled out her desk stool,
"I know who you meant." Diana smiled back, Agnes beamed in response.
"There isn't that many of my age in the Hall, forgive me, I wanted to speak to another who wasn't over thirty." She laughed slightly. Diana chuckled in solidarity. "Or my bonded."
That got Diana's attention.
"Your bonded is with you?" She pressed confused normally only family went to their afterlife. That would mean...
Agnes nodded,
"They join our Hall when the two souls…" Agnes blushed crimson, "'Meet' for the first time."
"Wait, are you talking about sex?" Diana demanded, Agnes nodded. "So he wasn't related to you, us?" Agnes looked sickened and shook her head rapidly.
"If I have sex with Stiles he joins our afterlife?" Agnes nodded again, Diana leant back her mind processing the information she had been given.
"Has he realised that he loves you yet?" Agnes asked leaning forward like any other young woman would asking her friend about a crush. Diana smiled at the image, humanity really hadn't changed even dressed in typical early seventeenth century dress, corsets, skirts and all, she was still just a young woman.
"No Agnes,"
"Call me Nessie." She directed with a smile, Diana smiled in return,
"No Nessie, he hasn't. To be fair to him though, he is dealing with his friend being a newly bitten Werewolf and tonight is the full moon." Diana shrugged. Agnes nodded understandingly,
"And you? Do you think you love him yet?"
Diana considered her white and green toothbrush intently for a long moment,
"Not yet, but I am fond of him."
Agnes looked around the Witch's room and sighed.
"That's a start." She shrugged, "Good night darling."
Diana mumbled goodnight back and redropped the curtain resuming her previous activities with a heaviness that only deep thought can bring.
That night she slept deeply fully of confusing dreams and visions. Mr Harris talking to a beast with Red eyes. Derek, alive.
She awoke with a gasp. He didn't die.
