a risk worth taking.

"You're saying that now. In a couple of days you'll be saying that I'm annoying and a pain in the ass." Kat joked, a slight grin tugging at the corners of her lips. A quiet laugh soon followed the teasing statement, though her expression became more serious at his later words. "You never did lose me." She said quietly. "I never stopped considering you my best friend. Never." Yes, he'd shut her out for six years, but he was still her best friend. That wasn't going to ever change.

---

Stiles laughed. "Yeah, I guess so." He said, punctuating his words with a shrug of his shoulders. "I'll just end up being one of those old people with a bunch of cats screaming at kids to get of their lawn." He let out another laugh. He'd noticed her blush at his statement, though he didn't say anything of it. He wasn't going to make a big deal over it and tease her.

@ killian jones.
Rebeckah laughed at his words, "That's okay 'cause I'll be the same way." She admitted. She could never really see herself with someone. Maybe she was always just picturing herself with the wrong person even though she had pictured with herself with just about everyone to see if she could see it. Well everyone but Stiles. That was something she didn't want to picture.

---

"What are you talking about? I just said that a few minutes ago." He teased with a grin before he smiled at her following words, "Good because I've always considered you my best friend. I was just hoping you didn't move onto someone else who was a little less grumpy." He said with a laugh. He knew that Kat would never do that to him but it was just for jokes.

Kat rolled her eyes playfully and elbowed him. "You're such a jerk sometimes." She said, letting out a quiet laugh. "I really don't know why I'm friends with you." She shook her head slightly. Of course, she was only teasing. He'd been her best friend for years now, and she was happy to still refer to him as such today. "Well, now that you mention it..." She started, punctuating her words with another laugh. She was only joking. She hadn't replaced him or anything at all.

---

Stiles chuckled softly. "I guess we're both going to have a pretty sad future when it comes to our love lives then." He said, eating a few more of his fries. He hoped that that wouldn't actually be the case, but he really didn't know who he'd end up dating. He had a thing for Lydia, but that wasn't likely to happen, so he didn't know who else there was. Certainly not Rebeckah though, he knew that much.

@ killian jones.
Rebeckah shrugged, "As long as the cats give me affection that's all that matters." She joked. She hoped that wouldn't end up being the case because she was really looking forward to having a future with someone. Maybe she just needed to get out of Beacon Hills to do it.

---

Derek rolled his eyes, "You're friends with me because I'm amazing and help you do all your heavy lifting." He said with a laugh. When she joked about replacing him, he stuck his tongue out at her, "You're not funny, Kat." He said, "I would be lost without you as my best friend."

Kat laughed quietly, shaking her head. "Yeah, that's definitely it." She said, sarcasm dripping from her words. She let out another laugh when he stuck his tongue out at her. She knew that he knew that she was only joking and that she hadn't found anyone to replace him let alone looked for someone to replace him. "I happen to think I'm hilarious." She told him, smirking slightly. "I'm sure you'd be fine."

---

Stiles laughed. "That's all you really need to worry about." He said, eating a few more of his fries. "So, I guess we should get back to working on this project unless you'd rather call it a night? I mean, we've been pretty sidetracked for a while now so I don't know if there's any chance of going back." He let out another laugh. He didn't mind either way. They could try to go back to being productive or they couldn't, it wouldn't matter to him.

@ killian jones.
Rebeckah shrugged, "I mean I've basically finished my part so we can call if a night if you think you've finished your part pretty well." She said and closed up her laptop after saving her draft. She packed up her things, "I can't really think of anything else we need to put in. Most people know the general story of Romeo and Juliet anyway."

---

Derek rolled his eyes at her sarcasm, "I happen to think you're wrong." He replied with a laugh. He smiled at her, "But I am telling the truth, Kat. I would be lost without you." He repeated honestly. It was true. Even when he wasn't with her, he was always thinking about her and what she would say to him if she saw him in that moment.

"Hey! Quit being a jerk." Kat said, elbowing him lightly in the ribs. She smiled slightly at his later words. "Well, thank you, I guess." She could tell that he meant what he said. She also knew that there were very few people he'd actually willingly admit something like that to. He had always been different with her. More open. Less of an asshole. Mostly because she put him in his place when he started acting like a jerk, sometimes scolding him like Talia would.

---

Stiles nodded. "Alright, yeah I'm pretty much finished too." He said. He supposed that getting sidetracked hadn't deterred them from doing their work too much, and he was glad that things hadn't really been awkward for either of them. He'd honestly kind of liked talking to Rebeckah and joking around with her, though he knew that it wasn't a permanent thing. This was only for the sake of getting the project done and that was it.

@ killian jones.
Rebeckah nodded at his words, "Well then I will let you get back to your night." She said as she put her backpack on her back and stood up from the floor, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then." She stated awkwardly. She didn't know why she was being so awkward around him. It was just Stiles. It wasn't like she had a reason to be awkward or nervous around him for any reason.

---

Derek laughed at her words, "It's my best quality." He said and swatted her arm around when she elbowed him in the ribs, "So what are you planning to do while you're here?" He asked. He knew that he would be trying to find out what happen to Laura and who did it to her. He would still make any time for Kat that she wanted.

Kat let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head. "If that's your best quality, I can't imagine what your worst might be." She said, her tone light and teasing. She shrugged her shoulders in response to his later words. She knew that he'd be looking for whoever was responsible for killing Laura, and she kind of wanted to help, but she knew that he'd be against that. He was always against her helping with anything that could even be remotely dangerous. "You're going to look for whoever did this to Laura by yourself." She asked, punctuating her words with a raised eyebrow.

---

Stiles nodded. "Alright, yeah." He said, standing up soon after. "I'll uh show you out I guess." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. Had things been this awkward the whole time? He doubted that that was the case, and he definitely would have noticed if it were. He followed her out of his room and downstairs, though his dad being there kind of caught him off guard. "Oh uh hey dad, I didn't hear you come in." He said. Sheriff Stilinski looked over, and Stiles could see the surprised look on his face when he saw Rebeckah standing there as well. "I just got in a few minutes ago. I didn't realize you'd be here, Rebeckah. How's everything?"

@ killian jones.
Rebeckah smiled politely when she saw Sheriff Stilinski downstairs, "Hi Sheriff. Stiles and I are partners for an English project so I came over after my shift at the diner to work on it." She explained, "I'm good. I brought you some pie from the diner, by the way. I didn't know if you liked pie let alone what kind if you did, so I just went the usual route and got you apple." She said with a smile. She had always liked Stiles' dad, and she always wondered how Stiles got to be the way he was with such an amazing dad.

---

"My worst quality is probably that every full moon I turn into a werewolf...and I think also I might have an anger problem." He joked. She was the only one he was ever able to joke about that with. When she asked about looking for Laura's killer he nodded, "Yes. By myself. Alone." He stated, knowing that she would probably ask to come with. He didn't want her getting involved because it could be really dangerous for her, and he didn't want her to get hurt. Or worse.

"You might have an anger problem?" Kat teased, punctuating her words with a raised eyebrow. She knew that he didn't really joke about the whole being a werewolf thing with very many people. In fact, she was pretty sure that she was the only one he really joked with about that kind of stuff. "Derek, you shouldn't have to do this alone." She told him, frowning slightly, when he told her that he'd be looking for Laura's killer alone. She understood that it was going to be dangerous, but she hadn't come back to Beacon Hills just to hang around in her hotel room 24/7.

---

Stiles could tell that Rebeckah being there had definitely thrown his dad for a loop. He didn't exactly blame him though. He didn't really make it a secret that he didn't like the blonde. In fact, he'd ranted to his dad on a few different occasions about her. Namely when she'd managed to really get under his skin at school. Needless to say the sheriff knew that his son wasn't really on good terms with Rebeckah. "Oh, I see. Well, I hope you two got done what you needed to. I know that my son can get distracted very easily." He shot a knowing look Stiles way. "I took my meds today, dad, no need to worry." Stiles shot back, punctuating his words with a slight eye roll.

@ killian jones.
Rebeckah smiled slightly at the Sheriff's words before Stiles replied back and gave an eye roll. She laughed lightly at the two, "Well I will be on my way and let you two get on with your nights. Sheriff it was good to see you again." She said with a smile before looking over at Stiles, "And I will see you tomorrow. If you end up feeling like you need to add something. I'm sure I probably won't be able to sleep tonight, so just text me and I'll add it." She stated and gave him a smile.

---

Derek rolled his eyes at her words before she spoke about looking for Laura's killer. He shook his head, "Kat this could possibly be really dangerous and I don't want you to get hurt. I can't have that. You need to stay safe." He said. He wanted more than anything to keep Kat safe, but he knew that she wouldn't stop begging until he said that she could help.

Kat frowned. "And you think I'd be okay with you getting hurt?" She asked him. "Just because you're, well, you doesn't mean that this is going to be any less dangerous for you than it would be for me." She understood wanting to keep her safe, but she hadn't come all the way here to just sit back and watch him get himself severely injured or worse. "Laura meant a lot to me too, Derek...I just want to help..."

---

"It was nice to see you too, Rebeckah." The Sheriff said to her. Stiles mustered a small smile, nodding in response to her words. "Alright, I'll text you if anything comes to mind." He told her. He doubted that he'd have anything to add, but just in case he did, he was glad that she said she'd just add it in there. "See you tomorrow, Rebeckah." He watched her leave before turning to his dad, seeing the look that he was giving to him. "What?" Stiles asked. "Nothing, I just wasn't expecting to see Rebeckah here tonight is all...you know, I always did think that you two would be cute together." Stiles instantly made a face. "No, dad! Just no! She's still a she-devil and this project changes nothing about that."

@ killian jones.
Rebeckah drove home and was greeted with Danny sitting in her driveway, "Oh my god, Danny. Seriously?! I just got home I don't need you pestering me." She said as she grabbed her backpack and walked through the front door, Danny on her heels, "How was it? Did you two actually stay civil? Oh my god did you guys finally release the sexual tension?" He asked her with rapid speed as she walked into her kitchen, seeing a note from her parents that they were working late again, "Ew Danny no. This civil thing is only for the project. It doesn't change our history and the fact that I hate him and he hates me." She replied and got a drink from her fridge, "But I did have a good time, if I'm being honest. We got most of our project done quickly and then we really just goofed off and talked for the rest of the time." She added, receiving "the look" from Danny. She shook her head before playfully shoving him, "Don't." She said.

---

Derek sighed at her words before he looked at her and shook his head, "Only if you promise to do everything as I say. When I say stay put somewhere I mean it. I can't have you getting hurt on me. It would probably kill me." He said. He knew that this was probably a really bad idea, but he knew that Kat wouldn't stop asking him if she could help until he said yes. Hell, she probably would have ended up just coming anyway without him saying yes to anything.

Kat nodded. "I promise that I'll listen to you and do everything that you say, Derek." She knew that he wasn't going to agree to this unless she made that promise. She was just thankful that he was willing to let her help him out in the first place. She was beginning to think that she might have to sneak around and find a way to get involved anyway. Without thinking twice about it, she wrapped her arms around him, resting her cheek against his shoulder as she hugged him. "I'm not going anywhere, Derek. I'll be fine. I promise." She murmured softly.

---

"Alright, fine. I'm just saying. I think you two would be---" Stiles cut his dad off quickly. "Dad, don't even finish that sentence, I do not want to hear it." Before his dad could say anything else on the matter, he was quick to head upstairs to his room. He didn't want to hear anything else from his dad about how he and Rebeckah would be cute together because no, nope. That was never, ever going to happen. He despised her. They were only being civil for the sake of this project and that was it.

@ killian jones.
"You're starting to actually like him aren't you? Not like feelings but you don't really think he's that bad anymore." Danny said as he and Rebeckah headed up to her room. She turned around and glared at him, "Don't you dare say something like that. I could slap you Danny. That is such a rude thing to say. I do not like Stiles. I am merely being civil with him for the sake of the project. Was it nice to just talk with him for once instead of being down each other's throats like usual? Yes. But that doesn't change that he's a dick." She stated. Danny gave her another look and she threw a pillow at him from her bed.

---

Derek sighed, "I'm going to regret this already." He said before she hugged him from the side. He rested his head on top of hers and wrapped an arm around her, "I know. I'm going to make sure of that, Kat. I won't ever let you get hurt, ever." He stated and took a breath. He wanted more than anything to keep Kat safe.

"I know." Kat said quietly. He'd always made sure that she was safe when they were younger. Always used to stand up for her when someone was being a jerk and making fun of her in elementary school. He'd beaten up a few guys who broke her heart in junior high and high school too. Derek was always there to protect her and make sure that she wasn't hurt in more ways than one. "I just don't want you to have to do this alone, Der." She wouldn't let him do this alone. It would be dangerous, but she still wanted to help.

---

Stiles didn't understand why his dad would say something like that. And then there was Scott claiming there was sexual tension between him and Rebeckah, and apparently Danny thought the same thing too. What the hell? Could people not see that they hated each other? He was pretty sure that they both made it very obvious, but apparently that wasn't the case at all, because people were saying shit like that. He just didn't get it.

@ killian jones.
Rebeckah watched as Danny went through her closet, picking out her clothes for the next day, "If you're going to be around Stiles more you've got to start dressing to impress." He said, causing Rebeckah to groan loudly, "Danny I do not like Stiles. I don't want to dress to impress for him. I don't want him at all like that." She practically yelled before shoving her face in a pillow, "Well you still need to look hot, even if it's just to make Jackson question why he's not dating you."

---

Derek nodded at her words, "I know. I know." He said before he looked down at her, "It would just kill me to see anything happen to you. You're my best friend, Kat. I already lost Laura. If I lost you too. I don't know what I would do to be honest." He stated with a frown. He wasn't going to stop Kat from helping him, he just wanted her safe.

"Why don't you let me handle this?" Kat asked, glancing over to Derek. "Talking to the kid, I mean?" He'd just shown up at her hotel a few minutes prior and started ranting about there being an alpha in town who had turned some teenager and the teenager wanted nothing to do with Derek at all. Apparently he had a friend who got under Derek's skin too. Why he hadn't mentioned any of this to her the first day she arrived in Beacon Hills was beyond her, but whatever. At least she knew now. "Maybe if he heard it from someone else it'd be easier to get through to him."

---

"So, how did things go with Rebeckah last night?" Scott asked Stiles as they made their way into school. "There were no things going. None at all. We were just working on our project, that was it." He knew what his friend was getting at, probably about to hint at that damn sexual tension again today too. He wished that Scott would just give that a rest. Nothing was going to happen between him and the pretty blonde. Never in a million years. Not even if Hell froze over.

@ killian jones.
Rebeckah sighed as she walked into school with Danny, "Danny I looked ridiculous." She stated as they walked through the halls towards her locker, "No you look seriously hot. Do you not see everyone staring at you right now?" He asked. They walked passed Jackson, who actually gave her a double take, "Look at that. Now do you believe that you look good?" Danny stated as they walked towards their lockers, "Look there's Stiles. Remember to strut your stuff as you walk passed him." "Danny would you shut up about Stiles already. I didn't do this for him." She scolded before she passed him and Scott by Scott's locker, "See ya Becks." Danny said as he walked down to his locker.

---

Derek sighed, "I guess if we want to go with the gentler approach then you should probably be the one to talk to him." He said as he sat down on her bed of the hotel room she was staying at. They were supposed to talk to Scott today and tell him everything that was going on with him. Derek knew it would be hard to believe, and if he hadn't grown up in a family of werewolves and was told that he was one, he would never believe it. So he would probably end up understand where Scott would be coming from if he thought this all was crazy.