Trust the Instinct

"What happened to your pups? Too big of a job for them?" I taunted, appearing much more confident than I really was.

Stiles stood there awkwardly in the corner, unsure of what to do. Now that I think about it having him as protection may not have been the best thing.

Derek ignored me and shifted his weight "It appears you have something that I need." I fingered the necklace lightly, aware that it was becoming a habit of mine. "What makes you think I would give this to you?"

He crossed the room in seconds, towering over me before he leaned close to me. "I don't believe you have a choice." I shivered as I felt his warm breath hit my face and tried to back away, however his hands caught me roughly and held me in place.

"Leave her alone Derek" I took a quick breath as Derek turned to focus on Stiles. "This has nothing to do with you" he hissed, releasing his grip on me to advance toward Stiles. "You still owe me, for that night at the pool." He sounded confident but I saw the fear in his eyes. "I owe you nothing, have you forgotten I didn't kill Lydia?" 

I saw that time was running out for Stiles. Derek had him by the throat and he was slowly losing color and although I knew Derek wouldn't kill him I didn't want Stiles to be a bloody wreck either. "I'll give it to you" I said quietly, my hear hammering in my chest.

Derek looked back at me and smiled, walking over once more to where I was standing. "Just tell me where my grandmother is." He looked at me sardonically, "She's okay, and as soon as I get what I want you will find her easily." 

I looked into his dark eyes and saw that he was telling the truth. With clumsy hands I undid the clasp around my neck and handed it to him, my neck feeling bare without it. I felt a rush of wind and he was gone, leaving nothing as a reminder of his presence.

I ran over to Stiles and made sure he was alright. "How could you let him have it? Do you know how much trouble that just got us all into?" 

I smiled back at him, "I don't believe that he's a witch Stiles, not any of his followers, so I wouldn't worry about it." He smiled back but in a matter of moments his face fell and turned white. "How long before he realizes that though? Then he is going to come for you and when he really wants something there is nothing we can do to stop him."

I ran a hand through his hair, feeling a bit pleased by his concern. "He will try to find me eventually but for now it gives us time to fight back." He was going to reply when the front door opened. 

"Hello? Who is there?" My heart stopped as I turned and looked at my grandmother for the first time in years. "Cordelia" She said with finality and opened her arms, I ran to them and hugged her close, discretely checking for any sign that Derek harmed her. 

"Are you alright Nan?" She looked at me oddly. "Of course I'm alright, why wouldn't I be?" This time it was I who gave the strange looks. "No one took you? Or held you anywhere?"

"Heavens no, I was at the store. What on earth are you talking about Cordelia?" I chewed on my lip and glanced at Stiles, giving him a sorry look before looking back at my Nan. "We better sit, it's quite a long story.

~*~

We all sat in silence around the kitchen table after I finished. She knew everything now, about Scott and Derek and the mysterious box and what it had given me.

I looked at her nervously, it was all a lot to put on someone and I had no idea if she would even believe me. She surprised me by smiling. "I just knew that you had the gift, it's unfortunate that you had to get rid of the necklace but it was the right thing to do at the time." 

"So, you know then? I'm not insane?" I felt my body grow weak with the release of all the tension I had been holding. "Of course you're not crazy, every oldest female in my family has the gift. Who do you think gave you the box in the first place?"

I looked at her completely aghast. "But how did you get it there and how did you even know I would know what to do with it?" She rolled her eyes as if the answer was completely obvious . 

"I just sent it to you, it's a simple spell, you will learn it in time. As for knowing to give it to you? I told you that I knew you had the gift. Even as a child your powers were remarkable. It's a shame your father didn't agree. You would be quite the force if I had been able to train you all these years."

She paused to take a breath before continuing. "No matter, what's done is done. I shall train you to the best of my abilities, that is if you choose to accept this gift." My stomach dropped at this choice. It would be nice to never have to deal with any of this ever again and Scott would have less to worry about.

On the other hand Scott needed the help more than he thought and it would be nice to be known for something other than a sidekick. "How soon can I start my training? I want to know as much as you do as quickly as you can teach it to me."

She suppressed a grin at my eagerness. "We can start during the week. Every Tuesday and Thursday after school, come here and we shall begin." She got up from the table and went over to an old oak cabinet; pulling out a large leather volume and handing it to me. 

"Study this, anything you can need will be in here. Memorize the first page of spells, you will be tested on them the next time you come. Now go, your boyfriend doesn't seem comfortable here and I have nothing else for you."

Stiles and I both flushed with color, "He's not my boyfriend Nan." I mumbled, expertly keeping the bitter tone out of my voice. She gave me a hard look and in an instant I knew that she had found me out in a single glance.

With a sigh she lead the two of us to the door. "I shall see you in three days time" She said softly before hugging me . "And if you don't figure this out with him soon I'm going to go for him."

I pulled away, shocked that something like that would come from her. "Nan!" I exclaimed, hoping Stiles had not heard her. She shrugged and gave me a conspiratorial look "Women are doing it all the time. Now go, before it gets too dark."

I threw her another warning glance before walking over to my car. I handed the keys to Stiles, careful not to touch his hand, "You drive home, I can't."
 
Wordlessly he nodded and got into the drivers side of the car, pulling out with ease once I had gotten in as well.

The two of us sat in silence the entire  ride home, not nearly as comfortable with one another as we were only a few days ago. I sat as far as I could away from him and tried to not think of the growing tension between us. 

When we finally got back to Scott's dark had already fallen and the lights were off, meaning Scott was out and my aunt was working yet again. "Do you need a ride home?" I asked  him, it was the first thing spoken between the two of us in hours. 

"No, I'll be fine. I'll just walk you to the door before I go home." I smiled a bit at him. He was so old fashioned for someone so young. 

We both stood at my door silently, neither of us making a move to leave. "Thank you" he said at last "You saved my ass back there when you didn't have to." I rolled my eyes at him. "Of course I had to save you, what kind of girlfriend just watches their boyfriend die?" 

He seemed far away as I teased him, I feared that I had done the wrong thing yet again. He surprised me by grabbing me and kissing me softly. He pulled away soon after and looked apologetic and conflicted. 

"Th-Tha-Thanks again" he stuttered before walking away. I watched him speed down the block before opening the door with a content smile on my face. 

For the first time I felt as though the hope I had for him and I becoming more than an act was not based on faith any longer.