‹ Prequel: The Guardians
Breath of Life
Here comes the darkness, It's eating on my soul
“Stacy are you okay?” I hear Derek yell over the running water of the shower. I don’t answer and just continue to scrub off all the black blood off my skin and hair. This is the fifth time he’s asked that in ten minutes. I get that he’s worried but I’m fine; he just doesn’t believe me.
A couple minutes later, I hear the door creak open. Drawing back the shower curtain a bit, I see Derek walking into the bathroom; closing the door behind him.
“You know I’m still capable of taking a shower by myself.” I tell him as he puts the toilet seat down, sitting on it after.
“I know,” he replies, looking up at me, “I just need to make sure you’re fine.”
“If I wasn’t a 100% sure I was fine, you’d be the first person I tell.” I reassure him. “Derek, I’m alive. Three hours ago I was dead, Your uncle came through and I’m alive and feel normal. In fact, I feel better than I have in years. I have my best friend back in my life along with my family and friends. I’m home. I’m alive, Derek. Your uncle didn’t half ass the ritual; he wouldn’t have done either.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“He needs me,” I reply, “he needs to collect the favor I owe him. He wouldn’t be able to collect it if I’m still dead or turned into some flesh hungry zombie.”
“I don’t like how you’re in debt to him.” He states, “but I’m glad he did bring you back.”
“I don’t think I’ll be debt to your psycho uncle for long,” I tell him, “I have a feeling he’s going to pull the favor card out pretty quickly.”
“What makes you say that?” He asks.
“Just a feeling,” I shrug, “now can I take my shower in peace? Unless you want to relive our toddler years and join me?” I ask wiggling my eyebrows at him. He just laughs, throwing a wash cloth at me,
“Finish your shower Sifred.” He states as he gets up and walks out of the bathroom, leaving me in peace…
**
After my shower I walk down the stairs and see all the Hales sitting around; talking about something. Most likely a scheme of some sort, if Derek’s expressions can tell me anything.
“Should I be afraid that the three of your are scheming or what?” I ask, making my presence known.
“Who says we’re scheming?” Peter asks, a smirk on his lips.
“That smirk for one,” I reply with a smirk of my own, “plus I’ve known you three most of my life. I know you better than you think.” I chuckle as I walk up to Derek. He pulls me into his lap and wraps his arms around me. I’m sure the feeling is pretty foreign for him as it is for me. For years, we’ve kept our feelings for each other hidden but on my deathbed, everything is spilled. We’re now just exploring everything, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t going to be awkward feeling to begin with.
“We’re not scheming,” Derek informs me, “we’re making plans on going to South America.”
“Why South America?”
“I spent most of six years down there,” Cora informs me, “I think it’s time to go back.”
“Plus there is something down there that we need.” Derek adds.
“So when are we going?” I ask.
“You’re not going.” Derek informs me. I whip my head to the side so I can look at him,
“Excuse me?” I scoff, “I’m going with you. Like it or not Hale.”
“You were just brought back from the dead,” he explains, “you’re not going anywhere.”
“Derek for the millionth time, I’m fine!” I exclaim as I jump out of his lap. “I’m well enough to go on a trip with you guys.”
“Stacy, please just stay here.” Derek begs, “I have no idea what kind of trouble we’re going to get into.”
“Derek, she’s fine,” Peter jumps in, “she can come with us. She should in fact.”
“Now I have more of a reason for her not to come,” he growls at his uncle before turning towards me. “Stacy, please just stay here. Be with your family. You get a second chance with them.”
“I also get a second chance at being a Guardian too,” I remind him.
“I’m not an Alpha anymore.”
“We still share a bond, Derek,” I counter. “You bleed, I bleed; remember?”
“You’re staying here; that’s final.”
A humorless chuckle escapes my lips, “nice way to start a relationship, huh Derek?” I grab my flannel shirt and throw it on before storming out of the loft…
**
“Stiles can you quit poking me?” I ask my cousin’s best friend, “I’m real.”
“We watched Derek kill you,” I quietly says so that my uncle doesn’t hear anything.
“It’s funny how things don’t stay dead around here, huh?” I grin.
“How do you feel?”
“Annoyed that Derek still believes I’m not fine,” I reply, “they’re leaving Beacon Hills and apparently I can’t go.”
“Maybe it’s a good thing,” Scott says, “you did just come back from the dead.”
“Don’t take Derek’s side,” I mutter, “I’m fine; better than fine actually. I can’t see why he’s so afraid of me tagging along.”
“He cares about you,” Scott shrugs, “he probably knows more than what he’s letting on.”
“It’s not him I’m worried about.”
“Who are you worried about then?” Stiles asks.
“Peter,” I reply, “Talia warned me that he was up to something. And I’m thinking the trip to South America is just the start of it…”
A couple minutes later, I hear the door creak open. Drawing back the shower curtain a bit, I see Derek walking into the bathroom; closing the door behind him.
“You know I’m still capable of taking a shower by myself.” I tell him as he puts the toilet seat down, sitting on it after.
“I know,” he replies, looking up at me, “I just need to make sure you’re fine.”
“If I wasn’t a 100% sure I was fine, you’d be the first person I tell.” I reassure him. “Derek, I’m alive. Three hours ago I was dead, Your uncle came through and I’m alive and feel normal. In fact, I feel better than I have in years. I have my best friend back in my life along with my family and friends. I’m home. I’m alive, Derek. Your uncle didn’t half ass the ritual; he wouldn’t have done either.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“He needs me,” I reply, “he needs to collect the favor I owe him. He wouldn’t be able to collect it if I’m still dead or turned into some flesh hungry zombie.”
“I don’t like how you’re in debt to him.” He states, “but I’m glad he did bring you back.”
“I don’t think I’ll be debt to your psycho uncle for long,” I tell him, “I have a feeling he’s going to pull the favor card out pretty quickly.”
“What makes you say that?” He asks.
“Just a feeling,” I shrug, “now can I take my shower in peace? Unless you want to relive our toddler years and join me?” I ask wiggling my eyebrows at him. He just laughs, throwing a wash cloth at me,
“Finish your shower Sifred.” He states as he gets up and walks out of the bathroom, leaving me in peace…
**
After my shower I walk down the stairs and see all the Hales sitting around; talking about something. Most likely a scheme of some sort, if Derek’s expressions can tell me anything.
“Should I be afraid that the three of your are scheming or what?” I ask, making my presence known.
“Who says we’re scheming?” Peter asks, a smirk on his lips.
“That smirk for one,” I reply with a smirk of my own, “plus I’ve known you three most of my life. I know you better than you think.” I chuckle as I walk up to Derek. He pulls me into his lap and wraps his arms around me. I’m sure the feeling is pretty foreign for him as it is for me. For years, we’ve kept our feelings for each other hidden but on my deathbed, everything is spilled. We’re now just exploring everything, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t going to be awkward feeling to begin with.
“We’re not scheming,” Derek informs me, “we’re making plans on going to South America.”
“Why South America?”
“I spent most of six years down there,” Cora informs me, “I think it’s time to go back.”
“Plus there is something down there that we need.” Derek adds.
“So when are we going?” I ask.
“You’re not going.” Derek informs me. I whip my head to the side so I can look at him,
“Excuse me?” I scoff, “I’m going with you. Like it or not Hale.”
“You were just brought back from the dead,” he explains, “you’re not going anywhere.”
“Derek for the millionth time, I’m fine!” I exclaim as I jump out of his lap. “I’m well enough to go on a trip with you guys.”
“Stacy, please just stay here.” Derek begs, “I have no idea what kind of trouble we’re going to get into.”
“Derek, she’s fine,” Peter jumps in, “she can come with us. She should in fact.”
“Now I have more of a reason for her not to come,” he growls at his uncle before turning towards me. “Stacy, please just stay here. Be with your family. You get a second chance with them.”
“I also get a second chance at being a Guardian too,” I remind him.
“I’m not an Alpha anymore.”
“We still share a bond, Derek,” I counter. “You bleed, I bleed; remember?”
“You’re staying here; that’s final.”
A humorless chuckle escapes my lips, “nice way to start a relationship, huh Derek?” I grab my flannel shirt and throw it on before storming out of the loft…
**
“Stiles can you quit poking me?” I ask my cousin’s best friend, “I’m real.”
“We watched Derek kill you,” I quietly says so that my uncle doesn’t hear anything.
“It’s funny how things don’t stay dead around here, huh?” I grin.
“How do you feel?”
“Annoyed that Derek still believes I’m not fine,” I reply, “they’re leaving Beacon Hills and apparently I can’t go.”
“Maybe it’s a good thing,” Scott says, “you did just come back from the dead.”
“Don’t take Derek’s side,” I mutter, “I’m fine; better than fine actually. I can’t see why he’s so afraid of me tagging along.”
“He cares about you,” Scott shrugs, “he probably knows more than what he’s letting on.”
“It’s not him I’m worried about.”
“Who are you worried about then?” Stiles asks.
“Peter,” I reply, “Talia warned me that he was up to something. And I’m thinking the trip to South America is just the start of it…”