Family Ties

The rest of the day went by quickly. I had classes, talked with my friends, the mandatory counseling meeting over lunch, and soon enough the day was done. The headache and pressure that burned behind my eyes hadn't disappeared, but it had faded considerably. The dull ache in my shoulder was still throbbing, but both pains were in the back of my brain.

I made my way out to the lacrosse field, an easier smile on my lips. I loved lacrosse, and would play, but Finstock wouldn't let me play. Something about "liability of me getting my ass kicked." Nevertheless, I was Jackson, Scott, and Stiles' biggest fans. Sometimes I helped with the book or did various other things for the team, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

I made eye contact with Lydia and Allison on the bleachers and waved, making my way towards them. I winced as Coach blew his whistle, the sound ringing in my ears. I noted that Scott did the same, his eyes shutting tightly. Finally I reached the two girls, settling on the cold bench.

"How was the first day?" I asked lightly, wrapping my jacket tightly around me.

"Overwhelming and Underwhelming at the same time? Does that even make sense?" Allison said, laughing carefully.

"Well hopefully Lydia was nice," I said, glancing at the strawberry blonde.

"She was helpful?"

I laughed, nodding slightly. "That's about as good as it gets with her. She's a sweetheart," I bumped the girl affectionately with my shoulder, "It just takes a little while." The girls and I chattered for a few more minutes, and I learned a bit more about Allison and her family. All helpful information.

Coachs' voices rang out, making me look up. "McCall! You're in goal!" Scott and I both groaned, knowing the boy was about to get his ass kicked. Scott sucked in goal. Coach said something else, but I wasn't tuned in enough to catch it. But Scott ended up in front of the goal nonetheless, rolling out his shoulders.

"Who's that?" Allison asked, her eyes on the boy.

"I'm not sure who he is," Lydia hummed, head cocked slightly.

"Honestly Lydia, he's basically like my brother. How do you still not know his name?" I grumbled, glaring at the girl. "His name is Scott, Scott McCall. I'd be happy to introduce you too." I said, a sly grin on my lips.

"No, well, I don't know. He just lent me a pen in English." Allison mumbled, her cheeks tinged pink as she looked over at the boy.

I just hummed and nodded, looking out just in time to see Scott land on his ass. I winced, and half the team laughed. Poor Kid. I mumbled a half-assed excuse to the girls before sliding down to sit beside Stiles.

However, before I could speak, Scott was back on his feet, catching a ball. And another. And another. He looked effortless and collected. "What the hell is going on with Scott?" I asked, my voice low.

"I don't know. But he's doing great," Stiles murmured, his eyes wide.

After a few more rounds, Jackson was up in line. I sighed, knowing that this wouldn't end well. Jackson shot, and it looked great. But Scott caught it, without a problem.

Stiles was up on his feet, cheering for his friend. I was clapping, but the unsettled feeling in my stomach overshadowed the joy.

Scott was smiling widely, but not at us. Instead, his brown eyes were trained on one Allison Argent, who was grinning in the stands.

-----☾-----

Practice had unsettled me just as much as the rest of the day had. Mostly because something was very wrong with Scott and I. There was no way that Scott was that good at lacrosse. I knew. I had practiced with them this summer, and he sucked. Majorly. So how did he just do that? Nevertheless, I was following the two boys back into the woods. I didn't want to come, but Scott had lost his inhaler, and I was a good friend, and those boys needed my help.

"Scotty, are we going to talk about how you were able to do that?"

"I don't know. It was like I had all the time in the world to catch the ball."

I frowned, looking out. We were at the creek, and I refused to get my shoes wet. WIthout asking, I jumped and wrapped my legs around Stiles, clinging onto his back. He stumbled slightly, turning to glance at me.

"Why are you on my back?"

"These shoes were expensive. I'm not going to ruin them." I said, very matter-of-factly, giving both boys a cheeky grin.

Stiles sighed, but carried me across the creek anyways, "So continue Scott, sorry for the interruption."

"I don't know! I felt like I had all the time in the world to catch the ball, but that was not the only weird thing. I can-"

"Hear things you shouldn't be able to hear. Smell things you shouldn't be able to smell." I cut in, my brow creasing slightly. The boy nodded, and Stiles looked between us.

"Smell things?" Stiles laughed in disbelief, "Like what?"

"Like the strawberry lip gloss Cassie is wearing." Scott said. I absently brushed my fingers along my lips. He was right.

"Or the mint mojito gum in your pocket." I added, sliding off Stiles' back.

"I don't have any gum-'' he grumbled, reaching his hand into his pocket, but did pull out a piece of the green gum. His eyes widened, looking up. "So this all started with the bite, last night..."

"What if it's like an infection? And our bodies are working really hard to fight and that's why our senses are heightened. Oh my god Cassie we're gonna die!" Scotts voice was frantic, and I rubbed my eyes slightly.

"I think I've heard of this infection." Stiles mumbled, nodding his head. "It's called lycanthropy." Scott looked horrified, and I fought the urge to smack Stiles.

"What's that? Is it bad?" Scott asked, pausing to look at us.

FInally I laughed, shaking my head. "Yeah, but only on the full moon."

"Cassandra! Something could really be wrong with us!"

"Yeah, you're both werewolves." Stiles said with a grin. "I'm kidding. But if you see me in shop class trying to melt down all the silver I can find, it's because Friday is a full moon."

I had stopped walking, looking around the clearing. "This is where the body was. And where we got attacked. So this is where Scott's inhaler should be."

"But where's the body?" Stiles retorted, looking around.

"Maybe the killer moved it. I don't know. But hopefully he left my inhaler. Those things are like $80."

I laughed, bedding down to shift through the leaves. We worked in silence for a few minutes, but didn't find anything. However, much to my surprise, I bumped into someone, someone who was not one of my scrawny friends.

I stumbled backwards, swallowing quickly as I made eye contact with the man in front of me, someone I hadn't thought I would see again. Stiles pulled me back and behind him, a protective scowl on his face.

"This is private property" he said, taking a step towards us, which forced the three of us to step back.

"I'm sorry, we didn't know. We were just looking for something, but forget it." Scott mumbled.

The man pulled something from his pocket, tossing it to Scott. It was his inhaler. Scott caught it with ease, tucking it in his pocket. I looked up again, meeting the older man's eyes, but before I could speak, he had already turned away and disappeared.

"I gotta get to work," Scott said, turning around and heading back to the car. I was frozen on the spot, my head still reeling.

"Dude! That was Derek Hale!" Stiles exclaimed.

"Who?"

"The guy whose family died in that freak fire a few years ago? He's only a few years older than us."

I was still grounded, my eyes where Derek had just been moments before. Derek was gone. He had left after the fire without even saying goodbye. What was he doing back? When did he get back? Why hadn't he written? Everything felt like it was spinning, and I didnt hear whatever Scott and Stiles said next.

"Uh, hello? Earth to Cassie? Let's go?" Stiles called, pulling me from my own thoughts.

"Right, yeah, I'm coming," I mumbled, turning to catch up with them.

Scott and Stiles didn't know everything about my past, and I needed to keep it that way. And Derek Hale, he was secret number one.

-----☾-----

I rode home in silence, my mind still running. While I had no intention of seeking out Derek, I figured I would have too sometime soon. I pulled up outside the house, sitting absently on the front porch stairs.

My father had always been close with the McCall Family. My dad had grown up here, and gone to medical school with Melissa McCall. Meslissa always joked that they were platonic Soulmates. My mother, on the other hand, was basically a Hale. She wasn't by blood, but she was a doctor too, specifically for their family. I had grown up knowing the family, and Derek Hale and my brother Blaise were basically like brothers. I had always been close with Cora, almost as close as I was with Scott.

My parents died just a few months before the Hale fire. The death was ruled an accident under suspicious circumstances, according to the police reports. That meant that they had absolutely no idea who or what killed my parents.

My recollection of the day they died is very fuzzy. I was 10, my brother was freshly 18. It was a few days before Christmas, and Blaise and I were heading home from a Christmas Party. My parents had left before, and were already home. But when Blaise and I got home, we were met with smashed doors, and the smell of blood. Everything else is a blur. I'm sure Blaise called 911, but all I remember was Derek Hale pulling me away, burying my face in his chest as I wailed.

Not even three months later the fire happened. Derek and Laura had disappeared, and Blaise was doing his best to raise a very angry 10 year old. Half the time I spent at Melissa's, and she was doing her best to raise me. The rest of the time I was just trying to get over my grief. Derek leaving and the Hales dying rocked our already shattered world.

Blaise was never home. He paid the bills, left food and money, and made sure that everything was taken care of. Looking back I can't blame him, he had a mountain of responsibility put on him after losing his true and adopted family. I learned to be self-sufficient, and I enjoyed it.

A cough shook me from my trip down memory lane, and I looked up to meet Derek's eyes.

"You could have called, let me know you were back in town. WOuld have been a courtesy." I spat, my tone just as harsh as I intended it to be. I had pushed myself into a standing position.

"I didn't intend to come back. But I'm sorry." He said, his voice much softer than I remembered it ever being. "Where's Blaise ?"

"Out. He's an adult, with a job and a fiance." I said, rubbing my arms, lips pursed tightly.

Derek looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't. Instead he sighed softly, looking me up and down. "Stay safe Cass." He said finally, turning and striding back towards his black Camaro. He knew something, that was certain.

But I didn't go after him. The headache was getting worse, and I needed to get some sleep. I carefully locked the door behind me, making my way up to the bedroom. I barely even thought as I stripped down and crawled into bed, closing my eyes. I was asleep as soon as I hit the pillow, but I wish I could say that my sleep was restful.