Diana shivered, a gust chilling her to the core. She hugged herself to try and ward off the chill. She was somewhere between sleep and waking but as she surveyed the area around her she could have been anywhere. Dense woodland covered her in every direction she turned and she could feel the sharp frigid twigs of the forest floor beneath her feat. Was this how Lydia felt in her lucid moments on her walkabout in the cold that night?
Night. She realised, if she could locate the sky she could find out where she was. Her head tilted back swiftly but all she could see was canopy. Diana shivered once again, this time there was no cold wind blowing. Something felt odd, like she was missing something.
She rubbed her arms in a vain attempt to being warmth back to them. It was then she realised she wasn't in her usual pyjamas but was instead in a vest and shorts. Summer wear, in the depths of winter.
Panic began to seep into her mind like ink through water. Fear flooding her system.
A snap in the distance met her ears. Her head snapped round. All she could see was darkness and trees.
Another snap. This time it was closer. Panting, footsteps, a person running. Diana listened closer but the sound was gone.
She turned her head looking desperately around her. Suddenly she was surrounded on all sides by large imposing figures. All carrying strung bows.
"No." Diana whispered shaking her head rapidly, "No." she repeated stepping back on the freezing earth.
Out of the gloom of the woods he emerged. His ancient face folded into a smug, self-satisfied grin as he sauntered towards her.
"No. You won't, no." She screamed, but all that escaped her lips was a whimper.
"Got no magic here little girl." He laughed still advancing slowly. "Too cold for a good fire too."
Diana shook her head wildly her hands coming out before her.
Stiff leather gloved hands sized her arms prying them out by her sides. Before she could fight back they had wrapped metal rope around her wrists.
"String the witch up; let's see if she'll burn." Gerard laughed. Diana felt the world go out from under her as she was flung upwards towards the canopy silent tears rolling down her face.
She looked down at her bare feet to see the feet of a twelve year old. She was a scared little girl again and there was nothing she could do. Still, something felt like it was missing.
Diana stared into the eyes of her greatest fear and scratted around in her mind looking for that which was missing.
Gerard took a loaded bow off of the figure to his right. The wind howled again shaking the canopy; the shift caused a shaft of moonlight to land on the figure. It was Allison.
Diana froze with shock failing to notice when Gerard's shot landed in the middle of her torso.
She gaped down at the arrow shaft.
"Diana!" Her gaze fell to the group of people on the forest floor. Gone were the hunters, instead stood a formation of her friends, Stiles at the head looking up at her.
"Stiles." She whispered. Suddenly fire consumed her in a bright blaze.
"Good morning! Today is a beautiful day, with highs of 53 degrees and clear blue skies."
Diana blinked slowly. Bright light assaulted her stinging eyes; she hated it when she didn't close her curtains the night before.
Wait, she thought, they said highs of 53 but it's so warm?
Then she felt it, the heavy weight of layered blankets and a duvet, memories of the night before swam leisurely through her mind as she was brought back to the present.
The monster, the pool, the sheer exhaustion that burrowed into her bones. Groaning she slid deeper into the covers. She had been changed into her pyjamas at some point that she didn't remember but even with the change to lighter dyer clothes she still felt like she was suffocating in the heat.
Making another noise of disgust she flung back two of the knitted blankets and wondered in that moment why her aunt's main stress relief was knitting. Cooler now she lay back in the soft cocoon happy to succumb to the heaviness of sleep once again.
Diana breathed deeply smelling the warm lavender and camomile that clung to her bedding. They had dried flowers in the linin closet for generations and it never failed to remind her of her mother.
About an hour later her body refused to rest anymore despite Diana still feeling weary from the stresses of supernatural teen life. She checked her phone seeing the usual flurry of messages about the Kanima and the full moon being in a few days and the preparations that it entailed. It would be the first full moon of Derek's new wolf pack. To say that Diana was concerned about being that close to so many brand new wolves was an understatement.
I don't think I'll be going out after dark for ages.
Diana flung back the covers and stretched while thinking about what to wear that day.
What do you mean? Stiles' voice floated through her head. Good afternoon by the way, how're you feeling?
Tired, but I'll be okay. Really hungry now actually. Diana held her rumbling stomach with a smile.
She pulled out a pair of leggings and an oversized cowl necked jumper and threw them on with a thick pair of socks. One look outside told her it was going to be a cold one.
Want me to come over later? I've not got anything planned and it's a Saturday. We do have geography homework to do.
I'll let you know, I don't know if I will be doing more than lying about today.
Diana felt the smile and shrug that Stiles did rather than heard or saw it in her mind, perhaps the bond was developing more now that they were spending so much time together.
Scooping up her phone Diana padded down the wide stairs to the kitchen where her Aunt was leaning against the kitchen island sipping a cup of coffee thumbing through her phone absently.
"Hello. I wondered when you would be up, you did a lot last night kid, made your Uncle and I really rather worried." She said looking up.
"Sorry, you're not missing work because of me are you?" Diana grimaced.
"Nope, but we are going to be working on a few restoratives today. You will not be putting yourself in that position again young lady." Her aunt instructed firmly.
"Oh come on, I know restoratives, every thirteen year old knows restoratives. The same way they know about limits. Heating spells are draining you know that. It was exceptional circumstances." Diana whined.
"Well clearly you don't know when to use them, the state that you got yourself in last night. The coven has no idea, they think you just got drunk or something and that Stiles brought you home. He actually carried you to your room, called us to let us know where and how you were, he sounded terrified. If I didn't know better I would have thought he was thinking he was going to die."
Guilt replaced hunger sitting heavy in the base of Diana's stomach. She hadn't thought of that, at the time all she had been thinking of was keeping Stiles alive. Forgetting in the arrogance of her gifts that if she died then he would too.
"Maybe one or two wouldn't hurt." Diana mumbled. She pulled out some cereal and poured herself a large bowl.
"Hungry by some chance?" Her aunt gave her an 'I told you so' look over her mug of coffee.
"Feels like I've not eaten in weeks." Diana said stifling a yawn. "Or slept."
"Conservatory, fifteen minutes." She instructed and wandered out of the kitchen into the main body of the house looking once more at her phone.
Not leaving the house today, doing some magic with my aunt.
That a good idea? Stiles asked a little nervously.
Restorative magic only, should get my energy bar back to full.
Good to hear. I'll just be here working on my homework.
Okay, let me know if you need me. Diana offered. She loved that she could talk while she was eating and not have it be bad manners. Although, she reasoned, it would be if they held a conversation in front of other people.
Dito. Was the only reply she got.
She followed Heather into the glass room, it's sofas and furniture moved to the low walls at the edge leaving a space big enough for two yoga matts to be unfurled in the centre and still have space around them.
"Choose your fighter." Heather joked in a mockingly deep voice gesturing to the pink and green yoga matts on the floor.
Diana smiled and opted for the green knowing that Heather's favourite was always the pink.
Together they seated themselves on the foam covered brick in the lotus position and began to breathe slowly.
As Diana had been taught by Heather three years ago she focused on her breathing and the world around her through the extension of her magical connection to the world. She felt rather than saw the rivers of power that flowed through the earth, the magnetic polarity that circled and pulled at the earth, the lines of water that curved and bent just below the surface and the buzzing of life in the garden just beyond the walls of glass.
Ordinarily they would have been sat on the ground outside but it was just two damn cold for that so this was the closest that they could get.
Whatever you're doing, it feels amazing. Stiles said. Diana cracked a smile her focus waning minutely.
"Don't wander off." Heather teased.
"Sorry." Diana whispered and refocused on her connection to the living world. She breathed in and pulled the energy towards her; she breathed out and pushed the energy back until it was flowing through her like any other part of the world but like river deposits stones on a bank it left energy behind and a feeling of contentment.
When she opened her eyes she was in an empty room. Heather was gone. Stiffly Diana rose from her position, she tried to shake the cold out of her legs as she wandered back into the house. The light was different. Gone was the clear still sunshine of the midday, instead the house was bathed in a warm afternoon golden glow as the sun set.
The further into the house Diana ventured the more she could hear voices, her Aunt and Uncle.
"She's fine, been restoring all afternoon. Better than bedrest Simon I promise you."
"I don't know if I like her hanging around this pack." Simon said and Diana could hear the frown in his voice.
"Me neither but Fate has decreed that the boy is to be tied to her therefore we kinda have to accept it. We try to help as best we can but other than that we just gotta let it play out." Heather shrugged. Diana was nearly at the kitchen now.
"Still don't have to like it." Simon grumbled.
"I'll go see if she wants dinner." Heather said just as Diana emerged into the kitchen.
"She does." Diana smiled, "She is feeling like a new Witch and she wants you to know that she is very sorry and loves you too."
Simon coughed loudly and smiled tightly. Clearly a little overcome he nodded firmly to her then sat at the kitchen table to watch Heather begin to cook.
Monday arrived all too quickly for Diana who had been enjoying the peace that came from a pleasant weekend. It seemed to be the calm before the storm however.
Isaac is back. Just heard from my dad that they've called off the search.
Really? This close to the full moon, it's gotta be something. Diana thought as she unloaded her English books.
"Hey, you doing anything next weekend?" Lydia asked her, Diana shook her head.
"Great!" Lydia brightened up like a lightbulb turning on, "You can come shopping with me and Alison."
"Great." Diana said with a smile that was worthy of her Uncle's political aspirations.
The teacher called the class to order and her focus went elsewhere.
A while later Diana heard Stiles in her head. She was absently playing with her necklace, one of obsidian this time while Lydia faffed about getting things in her locker. Diana leant against the ones near to it and stood on one foot while lightly tapping the off white linoleum with the three and a half inch heel of her appliqued black velvet boots. They really set off her royal purple pinafore dress that she wore with black tights and a black long sleeve tee.
"I don't know what's wrong with Jackson these days but he's not returning my texts." Lydia said quietly as if the news that the schools most popular couple having issues would devastate the populous.
Diana shrugged, "Maybe he's having issues at home." She suggested.
Lydia hummed, clearly not convinced.
You won't let the Kanima kill me right? I mean it's tried twice. Scott said it will keep tying until it does kill me.
Diana rolled her eyes. No Stiles I have no intention of letting you die. Big gun remember, that's you and me.
The relief that flooded the bond was instant and also made Diana smile to herself.
"So." Lydia said dragging her back to the present, "What's going on with you and Stiles?"
"How do you mean?" Diana asked. She could feel Stiles through the bond as his confusion at her sudden emotional shift ask her if she was okay. She ignored it.
"Oh come on, don't tell me you haven't noticed?" Lydia scoffed. "He's totally mad for you." She laughed.
Diana laughed too but this time a little nervously. She knew that although she would never be more intimate with anyone than she was with Stiles he didn't feel that way about her.
"No, no he really isn't." Diana insisted stepping away from the lockers and towards their Econ class.
"He totally is." Lydia rolled her eyes.
They took their usual positions in the back of the class, Stiles grinning at her when he saw her, his smile falling when Scott pulled him to their seats. Jackson started to talk to them but too low for Diana to hear. Other than that it was a usual Economics lesson. Except for when Lydia freaked out and began to write backwards on the board.
Diana watched for a moment confused, then slowly she stood and walked up to her friend who was crying and shaking.
"Lydia." Diana said softly, she gently rested her hand on Lydia's shoulder. "Lyds?"
Lydia stopped writing gasping for breath as she did. Diana reached forward and carefully prised the chalk from her friend's death grip setting it back on the small shelf.
"Okay then, anyone else want to try answering? This time in English?" The Coach mocked ignoring the girl who was clearly not okay.
Lydia snapped out of whatever state she was in and actually looked at the board. SOMEONE HELP ME was written backwards over and over. Diana gripped her shoulder this time,
"I'll help you." She whispered more to herself than to Lydia but she felt the girl relax a little all the same.
What the hell was that? Stiles demanded; he had watched Diana guide Lydia back to her seat and then their hasty retreat from the classroom when the bell rang.
A cry for help was all he could get out of Diana by way of a reply. Stiles loved their friendship, even if he did find it a little strange at times that the lighter and darker red heads had clubbed together from an early age and had made their friendship endure, at times it seemed from complete stubbornness, despite having very different views on rather fundamental things.
Talk to me later, Jackson said that Isaac and Erika are going to try and test Lydia in chemistry and if she fails kill her.
What?!
Yeah.
No, no backtrack here a second Stiles. The test is going to be the paralytic right? That means that she would then be paralysed for two or more hours, in school, and that will then obviously mean she'll be taken back to hospital. The suspicion is already going to be high right now because of the moon; this is the last thing that we need. Gerard will string us up.
Stiles said nothing as Diana's fear flooded his system. She hadn't told him about her nightmare but he knew that she was having more since the new head teacher had made his appearance.
Diana was like a strung bow her tension was that high when she walked into Chemistry.
It then didn't help that their teacher had decided that it would be the perfect time to have a carrousel of experiment stations.
Diana was first paired with Isaac, who although he now dressed like a mini Derek was still as sweet as ever to Diana.
"How's freedom treating you?" Diana asked with a grin. Isaac preened a little,
"Good, never thought being a werewolf would have so many perks."
"Just wait until the moon is full and high." She scoffed.
"Yeah Derek told me to ask you to stay inside for that time, something about warding your house too." Isaac said, his eyes going slightly puppyish.
"He would, my old babysitter still thinks he's babysitting me." Diana rolled her eyes.
Isaac leant over not so subtly sniffing her.
"Can I help you?" She mused a little baffled at his wolf behaviour.
"Stilinski keeps looking over here, looks a little annoyed that we're getting along actually. Just wondered why."
"It's not some weird mating wolf thing, if that's what you're thinking. He is a friend who overheard you were going to test Lydia, I don't approve by the way, far too much exposure to the actual hunters running our school, and is being protective." Diana shrugged.
"Just a friend?" Isaac asked.
"Yeah, why?"
"He doesn't look at you like just a friend." Isaac said smirking knowingly.
"Not you too, Lydia already thinks he likes me, when clearly he is into Lydia." Diana said coldly.
"Then what about Logan?"
"What about Logan? He being weird again?" Diana asked suddenly alert to the trouble making Freeze. He had been transferred aback out of her classes once it was made clear that He was going to skive off most days. Diana hardly saw him now and when she did he was often surrounded by his new found adoring fan club of teenage girls.
Isaac laughed, "That dude is so weird, so many plans to wipe out the hunters. But no, I meant he's still into you."
"Ehh, I don't know, it's nice that there is someone else my age to talk to about magic at times but other than that it will never go anywhere. I'm actually kinda glad that I can talk to you about all this stuff. Just please don't hurt Lydia." Diana said meeting his eyes. They flooded with guilt as he was torn between keeping Diana happy and doing as his Alpha told him to.
They turned back to their work as Mr Harris wandered behind them effectively killing their conversation.
Eventually after several switches the final seats everyone was sat in meant that Diana was further away from all of them than she had been all lesson. She could do nothing but sit and watch as Lydia ate the rock they made dripping with Kanima venom.
"Lydia!" Scott shouted.
The attention of the class focused on him as he half stood from his seat.
"What?" She asked, Scott looked sheepish,
"Nothing." He mumbled and sat back down. Diana rolled her eyes and thinking that she couldn't watch turned away to look out of the window. Straight into the eyes of her former babysitter.
He was stood menacingly by his car in the parking lot. It was strange and threatening and Diana wondered why no teachers had gone out and asked him to leave yet.
As soon as the bell went Stiles grabbed her arm and marched her with him, Scott and Alison to the Coach's office.
"Derek's waiting outside for Lydia." Scott said when they were all in, the door not even fully closed behind them.
"To kill her?" Alison asked worried.
"If he thinks she's the Kanima, then yes, especially after what happened at the pool."
"She's not the Kanima, nobody could go from crying in her car to a reptilian killer in that amount of time then text me as she was the thing stalking to pool." Diana rolled her eyes, she was sat in Coach's desk chair with her feet up on the table.
"But she didn't pass the test, they're gonna think it's her and come after her." Alison said. "So either we convince him that he's wrong, or we've got to figure out a way to protect her."
The three looked at Diana,
"No overt magic, protection spells can get pretty big." She said annoyed. Stiles scoffed at her,
"But what about the ones you keep layering on me, don't think I don't notice them." He demanded.
"That's because I have to keep you alive to keep myself alive and I'm bending enough rules there as it is. I can only keep layering them on you because I have enough time to do that, weeks, months. What you are asking would be all of that in one afternoon." Diana said tersely, she wasn't an answer to all of their problems.
"Why don't we just make her aware of the danger? She already thinks there's something wrong with her." Diana shrugged.
"I don't think he'll do anything here, not at school." Scott reasoned interrupting the staring match that Stiles and Diana seemed intent on having.
"What about after school?" Alison reasoned, Scott sighed.
"What if we can prove Derek's wrong?" She asked clutching for a solution.
"By three o'clock?" Stiles asked, Alison threw up her hands.
"Maybe there's something in the bestiary?" She asked, Stiles was getting very frustrated now.
"Oh you mean the 900-page book written in Archaic Latin that as far as we know only Di can read?" He snapped sarcastically.
"You can read it?" Scott demanded, Diana nodded slowly.
"Sure can, most of my family texts are written in it." She smiled conspiratorially "Keeps out unwanted readers."
"Okay," Scott said taking charge of the little group. "You read the bestiary and I'll talk to Derek. Hopefully convince him to give us a chance to prove it's not her."
He looked round at everyone,
"But if anything happens you guys let me handle it, okay?" He asked, Alison frowned at him.
"What does that mean?" She demanded,
"It means that you don't heal like I do." Scott said ignoring Alison rolling her eyes, "Diana can take care of herself and maybe Stiles too but that doesn't mean you should be running into harm's way."
Alison pulled out a crossbow from her school bag in defiance.
"Wow, you always come to school armed?" Diana laughed taking her feet off the desk.
"I can protect myself." Alison insisted, "Besides, Diana you come to school with crystals, it's basically the same thing."
Diana nodded in acquiescence. It was when she thought about it basically the same thing. She looked to Stiles who made an agreeing face.
She's got a point. He thought at her. Sorry for snapping, a little tense right now.
I get it, I care about her too. Diana said back.
Scott impressed upon Alison that she was to reach out for help if she needed it because he really didn't want her getting hurt.
That's really sweet. Diana thought to Stiles. He looked back to her and smiled. He picked up the crossbow that Alison had set down fiddling with it.
So, Isaac seems quite protective of you, you got something to tell me?
Nope, friends. As Scott's life goes on it will become more dangerous, you'll see why Witches will never willingly get involved with a Were.
Wait you're involved with Scott's life too.
Yeah because of you, you're in it so I have to be to keep you safe. Thus keeping myself safe. Which will be so much easier if the Hunters would just leave already.
They're really cramping your style huh? Stiles asked with a half-smile.
You have no idea. Diana huffed and moved from behind the desk to stand by Stiles.
Scott spun round. A bolt caught inches from his face in his right hand.
"I, ugh…." Stiles began. Alison held out her hand for her equipment and Stiles sheepishly gave it back. "Sorry, sorry." He said, "It's a sensitive trigger on that."
Diana laughed shaking her head.
This is why I layer the charms. She thought at him, he turned to her.
"That's really not helpful Di." He said blushing. Diana just kept laughing and pulled at his baggy hoody sleeve, reluctantly he slung his arm round her shoulders and squeezed her a little.
"What is going on with you two?" Scott shook his head pushing the door open.
Diana stared at the screen in front of her, on it was a double spread from the bestiary that the Argent's had kept for hundreds of years.
"So what does it say?" Alison asked looking past Diana to where Stiles was currently following Lydia. They were all in the library as Diana tried to translate the book before her.
"Blah blah blah, like the wolf, power greatest at moons peak, social creature, where wolf seeks pack, Kanima seeks…"
"Seeks what?" Alison pressed; Diana tilted her head looking at the one word.
"Well it could be friend but it could also be master." She shrugged,
"Well which is it?" She demanded. Diana sniffed,
"In this context I would say master. Either way we are technically looking for two people not just one. There's something here about vengeance which would make sense with what the internet says, that it goes after murderers."
Not one person but two, master and tool. The Kanima is the tool. Diana told Stiles,
Good to know. He shot back.
"Let's go." Diana said, her thumbs starting to get pins and needles. Alison stood up and followed Diana and now Jackson out of the Library where Stiles was leading Lydia.
"If we're doing a study group why not just stay in the library?" Lydia asked as they entered the corridor.
"That room gives me a headache." Diana supplied,
"Okay hold on-" Lydia began,
"Lydia just shut up and walk." Jackson said gripping her elbow and pushing her forward.
They ended up piled into Roscoe and speeding out of the school parking lot.
"Diana, you better tell me what's going on. You promised that you would." Lydia demanded.
You what? Stiles demanded not looking away from the road.
"She was crying Stiles." Diana shot back.
How much did you tell her?
"Pretty much everything." Diana shrugged and ignored the protestations in her mind.
"Another werewolf than the one that bit you is rather concerned that you have yet to present as a wolf and in thinking that there is something wrong with you would like to investigate further in rather unpleasant ways." Diana explained gently.
"Is that you're polite British way of telling me that some psycho wants to kill me?" Lydia asked a little shakily.
Diana just nodded.
"So now you know why we had to lift you out of school." Stiles said. Lydia nodded contemplating.
"What I would like to know though is just how long you were going to keep me in the dark for?" Lydia then demanded, her gaze flicking from Alison to Stiles and Jackson. None met her eye.
"Diana only told me because I was freaking out in my car at the game, but you've all been weird for a long time." She said. Diana looked away out of the plastic window.
We are talking about this later. Diana cringed at the anger and frustration filling their bond. He was really pissed off at her.
They arrived at Scott's house and when the door had finally shut Stiles locked it, flicked the deadbolt then slung on the chain.
"That gonna be enough?" He asked Diana. She looked around, Maybe put the chair too, she pointed to the chair and nodding Stiles shoved it under the door handle.
"Okay this is so weird; you two have known each other months, which is not enough time to have silent conversations with each other." Lydia demanded, she rounded on Diana, "I have known you since we were children and we don't have silent conversations."
"I doubt you could have silent anything." Jackson muttered.
"Excuse me?" Lydia demanded. Jackson shook his head,
"We need to talk." He gestured to down the hallway, Lydia followed with widened eyes.
"It's still weird." She sung.
Alison looked them over too,
"You know, it is pretty weird. Is this a Witch thing?"
Stiles looked at Diana worriedly; he had no idea what to say. She just shrugged.
"Occasionally two people are more connected than you realise." She explained as if that answered all of the questions.
"Y-yeah, that's us." Stiles said. "I'm thirsty, you thirsty?" He blurted pushing Diana towards the kitchen.
"Hey! Quit shoving." Diana protested.
"Why did you tell Lydia?" Stiles demanded when they were alone. Diana folded her arms,
"I couldn't just leave her in the dark about everything, she was freaking out, thought she was going crazy." She defended, "You would two if you were seeing a burned man everywhere and knowing at least on some level that you were being lied to!"
"But she could have been the Kanima." Stiles said gesturing wildly. "She could have ratted us out to Alison's parents or Grandfather."
"She would never do that to me." Diana said vehemently.
"You don't know that!" Stiles shouted.
"What I do know is that trying to 'keep her safe' without letting her know what she was in danger from was the worst plan in the world!" Diana shouted back, "So why are you really upset with me Stiles? Is it that the secret's out or that you wanted to be the one to tell her?"
Stiles turned away from her, gathered himself for a moment then turned back.
"I'm upset because, because…"
"Guys, we have a problem." Alison said gently pushing open the kitchen door.
Diana pulled it open and darted past her to the front door.
Derek and his three minions were stood threateningly outside on the road.
Alison followed calling Scott. The half an hour they had to wait for him to get there from the school was tense; they took turns twitching the curtains to see if they were still there. They always were.
Diana texted her Aunt and Uncle to let them know where she was and what was happening. They were concerned but knew that Derek wouldn't let anything happen to Diana and that she could take care of herself but they were okay as back up.
Alison though began to become more and more worried as the minutes dragged on.
"You okay?" Diana asked eventually, Alison looked from her to Stiles who stood by the door.
"I think, I think I'm gonna have to call my dad." She said with a sniff.
"No if he finds you here with Scott…" Stiles began,
"I know." Alison cut him off. "But what are we supposed to do? They're not here to scare us, they're here to kill Lydia."
"Wait for Scott." Diana shrugged. "Or you could shoot one of them?"
"That could work." Stiles said, Alison scoffed.
"Are you serious?"
"We told Scott we could protect ourselves, so let's do it." Stiles reasoned. "Or at least give it a shot right?" He looked to Diana leant against the wall who nodded at him.
"Okay." Alison said, Stiles looked desperate.
"Look they don't think we're going to fight, so if one of them takes a hit, I guarantee they'll take off. So just shoot one of them." He said twitching; his gaze kept flicking to Diana who was looking more and more concerned as Stiles was talking.
Alison pealed the curtain back slowly, "Which one?" she asked.
"Er…" Stiles stalled, "Derek." He said. "Yeah shoot him, preferably in the head."
"If Scott was able to catch an arrow then Derek definitely can." Alison argued, Stiles floundered for a response.
"Well then just shoot one of the other ones then. Erika maybe?" Diana suggested.
"You mean two?" Alison said,
"No we mean three." Stiles dove for the window pushing the curtain aside, "Where the hell is Isaac?"
Diana turned at the faint sound of footsteps only to be pushed out of the way. Isaac tackled Alison then went for Stiles.
"Isaac!" Diana exclaimed reaching out her right hand as he stood over Stiles, "Stabit." Isaac froze where he was; it was as if he could no longer move. A low growl built in his chest and he fought against it.
Fear flowed from Stiles as Isaac reached for him, claws extended, eyes aglow.
"Stiles, calm down." Diana commanded but all that did was heighten the fear being sent her way.
Isaac smirked as her hold lessened and he managed to get to Stiles.
"Isaac, stop this!" Diana cried out running forward to try and pull him off of the other boy. Isaac just growled again and threw her off. Diana went sliding down the hall to the kitchen. She scrabbled to her feet and started back towards her other half.
"Diana!" Stiles shouted, there was a thud, a groan and Diana saw Stiles try to commando crawl towards where she had been thrown.
"How many times Stilinski, she doesn't like you like that." Isaac mocked kicking him, then picking him up to throw him again.
"Stiles! Diana, it's here!" Alison shouted from further into the house. Stiles locked eyes with Diana then past her as a shock of blonde hair pushed the back of the other girl.
"Knock knock." Erika sassed stepping over Diana.
"Lydia, run!" Diana shouted trying to get up from the floor. Her attention was caught once again by Isaac growling; Stiles had gotten to his feet and was trying to feint around the other boy to get to Diana.
"This is getting us nowhere." Diana muttered.
"You got a better idea?" Stiles demanded. Diana nodded,
"Actually I do." She spread her feet, her right behind her left, a fighting stance. "You trust me right?"
"Of course." Stiles said instantly, he was backing away now from Isaac and Diana.
"Good." She said mainly to herself.
"Crescunt alta!" Diana demanded. A terrifyingly loud crack sounded from the floor as the wooden floor sprang to attention. Thick vine like roots emerged from the planks wrapping themselves around Isaac pulling him back and forcing him to lie on the floor. The more he thrashed the tighter the roots wound themselves.
Stiles straightened breathing heavily,
"God damn I love your power." He laughed.
Alison huffed down the hallway pulling a paralysed Erika, Scott dragging one leg and her the other.
"Oh hey guys." Diana greeted with a smile. "You get yours?" She gestured to the body on the floor.
Stiles stood by Diana's side sagging slightly with relief.
Scott growled at the boy on the floor and Alison stepped forward with a crossbow bolt in her hand with something dripping from the tip, Kanima venom.
Isaac growled lowly in warning as the girl stepped closer to him, but there was nothing he could do as she tipped the clear sticky liquid onto his forehead.
"Diana, if you would be so kind?" Stiles said gesturing to her newly created roots.
"Why of course," she mocked, "With pleasure." She waved her hand over Isaac muttering "Reditus." And the roots sunk back into the floor planks with only slightly darker wood rings where they had sprung from.
Scott scooped up Erika tossing her out of the front door that Stiles dived to open, then doing the same with Isaac.
They landed in the same spot on the lawn.
The little group trouped out onto the front porch, Diana stood just behind Stiles, she had a light grip on his arm for his comfort and on some level her own.
"I think I'm finally getting why you keep refusing me Scott." Derek said, "You're not an Omega. You're already an Alpha of your own pack." He smiled, "But you know you can't beat me."
"I can hold you off until the cops get here." Scott said menacingly.
Just then they heard police sirens wailing in the distance.
Derek looked up to the roof with concern; they ran forward and followed his gaze hearing something up there.
The Kanima was crawling on the roof of Scott's house.
Stiles' hand drifted towards Diana's and clutched it tightly while his face bore the disgust they were both feeling.
Lydia burst out of the door,
"Will somebody please tell me what the hell is going on?!" She demanded petulantly, Diana looked back up to the roof in time to see the Kanima roar and jump off into the night.
"It's Jackson." Scott said quietly.
"Ahh crap, it would be wouldn't it." Diana sighed. "I vote Alison fills in Lydia this time. Stiles, ready to go home?"
Stiles looked to Scott who nodded dumbly, giving his unspoken leave for them to go.
"I left my stuff in your car." Diana said loudly, "Night guys." She walked confidently past Derek who caught her arm.
"I know why you have to protect one of them but there is no reason for you to be in his pack." Derek hissed, "Pick the winning side."
Diana wrenched her arm free,
"Just because you think Scott can't beat you, does not mean that I can't. Bear that in mind next time you send one of your minions after me or Stiles." Diana gripped his arm away glaring at him. Derek began to gasp as if he was in pain and sink to his knees.
"Di?" Stiles said nervously behind her, "Diana, you wanted to go home." He hesitantly came forward and rested his hand on her shoulder. Instantly it relaxed under his touch and she let go. Derek was still on his knees before her.
The sirens were getting closer but when the pair climbed into the blue jeep it was as if they were miles away.
The drive home was tense with neither party saying anything. Until they stopped at a red light;
"What was Isaac meaning before about 'she'll never like you that way." Diana asked turning from the window to Stiles.
He sighed,
"Just some crap he was saying in Chem, he was just trying to get a rise out of me."
"Well it's clearly upset you, so what is it?" Diana asked kindly, she set her hand on his thigh. He looked at her then.
"Since you, my mind has been all kinds of mixed up. I mean you walk into my life all red hair and pretty smiles and suddenly I've got this magical protector who can make roots grow from floorboards and jackass Alpha werewolves fall to the ground and I feel so safe, you know, but I'm so scared all the time because what if I am the reason you go like you did after the pool and I have to watch you not wake up again." Stiles said, there was no stopping him now, "And now there is this other wolf pack that are constantly threatening us as well as the hunters who killed your family, and a murderous reptile thing that could come after you at any time."
Diana was silent for a moment then pulled her hand off of his leg. The light turned green and they pulled off, a few minutes later they pulled onto the Preston driveway, Diana could see her Aunt setting the table for dinner in the illuminated window.
"If you want, I could look into severing it again?" She said to her hands in her lap quietly.
"No! No, you don't… Diana," He took her hands making her look at him. "I love having you in my head, okay at times it's a little weird, but there's this weight like a heavy blanket that makes you feel so secure and safe that it's like…" he searched desperately for the right words. "When you were a kid and you felt insecure, and then your Mom or Dad gave you a really big hug and in that moment you felt loved and like nothing could hurt you? That's what the bond feels like to me." Stiles said, "I don't know what it feels like for you, I mean it could feel like a ball and chain but not for me."
"You don't feel like a ball and chain." Diana said carefully. "You feel," she looked up meeting his eyes that looked black in the near darkness, "You feel like home." She whispered.
He squeezed her hands tightly,
"So don't be looking into any severing things." He said with a small smile, "Please."
"Okay." She smiled subtly wiping at her wet cheek. She reached for the door handle then paused. "My car is still at school."
Stiles groaned, "Just go in, I'll pick you up in the morning." Diana smiled.
She looked at him for a moment then impulse took over.
Stiles froze when he felt her lips connect with his cheek. "Let me know if you need me." Diana said shutting the door behind her.
"Ye- yep, yeah, will do." He waved at her then watched the girl who had begun to star in his dreams more and more walk into her house before starting his engine once more to peal out of her driveway.
