AU PROMPT: The past few years haven't been easy for Stiles and he's tired of it. He's taken it upon himself to become a hunter and question anything and anyone who enters Beacon Hills. But what happens when a ghost from the past returns to Beacon Hills?

THIRD PERSON

      Routinely, he leaned against his Jeep, busying himself with the barrel of the shotgun. It was around 8:30, his usual time to come out and check the perimeter around the Lookout. He had yet to hear anything, any traps being set off but then again, he had only just gotten here.

   Stiles threw the cloth on the hood and cocked the shot gun, shoving shells into his jacket pocket. He held the gun with both hands, walking away, into the forest. Farther and farther, he passed staches of weapons, traps and various other items that aided him in keeping Beacon Hills one less bad supernatural away from the decimation of the population.

    Stiles froze at the sound of leaves rustling. His back collided with the nearest tree as he tuned his ears to listen closely, seeing it was coming from behind. He slowly peered around, slightly seeing a figure in the dark, crouching to the ground. Their fingers fumbled with the bear trap, nails and fingertips covered in red. Stiles narrowed his eyes, and while they were distracted, appeared from behind the tree and gently walked across the woods floor.

   The figure was invested in escaping, not seeing Stiles inch his way towards them. Until Stiles was less than five feet away, he raised his gun and pointed it downwards. And, as if their senses, had kicked in, the figure stopped. Their fingers froze and eventually, their head began to rise. This close, Stiles could see their hair, and the more they looked up, Stiles could differ their features and figure it was a girl.

   The face entirely revealed herself and their golden eyes shone through the dark moonlight. He gripped the gun tighter and was about to demand answers and begin his questioning, but her eyes dimmed and returned to their normal color.

   Their familiar color.

  Stiles almost dropped the shotgun, his body running numb for a second. He almost couldn't believe it. The girl caught, afraid and in pain, on the ground had him off guard. Something he hadn't felt in years. He had done his best, calm and collected, serious and demanding.

    Yet, here she was.

  "Well, go on. Shoot me." She spat, her hair falling next to her face as she looked back down at her screwed calf.

    Stiles was still awe-struck. She was here. How? And, turned? Since when?

   She blew away strands of hair, huffing as she glanced up at Stiles again when he said nothing.

    "Are you going to just stand there, or can you help me get out of your bear trap?" She snapped him out of his trance.

   Stiles set down the shot gun and went to work on the release, before he heard her heavily breathe out when the metal teeth released her calf. It left bloody holes and her skin ripped. She stood up and flicked her hair away from her face, looking Stiles up and down.

   The last time she saw him, he was tired, angry, hurt. Now, he was tired, angry, hurt, and built as hell. His black shirt and brown leather jacket accentuated everything and Y/N had to hit herself for not returning sooner.

    "Jesus," Y/N muttered, straightening her own jacket. "What the hell happened to you?"

   Stiles had to contain his own snarky laughter. He gave her a once over, taking in her still-beautiful features. "You."

   Y/N, though, did laugh. "That's rich."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Stiles responding, feeling as if her response was a bit- hostile.

    He stood up again, retrieving his shot gun. Y/N raised her eyebrows and nodded her head at it. Stiles raised one hand, rolling his eyes as he emptied the barrel, the shell falling to the ground. He shut it once more, proving it was empty.

    "If I remember correctly, you guys happen to be the reason I'm having to come back to Beacon Hills." She quirked an eyebrow, crossing her arms. Stiles was astounded by her answer.

   "Enlighten me." He scoffed, eyes watching her movements closely. Now, usually, he thought if he ever saw Y/N again, he would be ecstatic and have to resist taking her in his arms and telling her everything he thought he never got the chance to.

   But, this was turning out differently.

  "Three years ago," She began. "Senior year. That night that we went for you, that night that we crossed realities to take you back from the Ghost Riders. I was the first to go through, Stiles. But-"

  "You didn't make it through." Stiles interrupted, the dots connected. His voice was quiet, distraught.

   Y/N shrugged. "I guess the supernatural didn't like rules as much as we thought."

    Stiles was so confused, he had so many questions.

    "But- But the cross over. They said it killed you? They-they said you weren't coming back! I lost you! We all lost you!" Stiles cried out.

    "Yeah, well, I didn't have much choice!" Y/N yelled. "You think I wanted to be magically delivered 500 miles away! Because that's where they put me. I fought like hell to get back here, but unfortunately, not the same as I left."

   Her eyes flashed their golden yellow once more, reminding Stiles of her new addition.

   "How's everyone else?" Y/N asked quietly. Stiles looked down to his shoes, shaking his head as he ran a hand through his hair.

    "I wouldn't know."

   Y/N became confused. "Where are they?"

  "There still here, I haven't heard of them leaving." He shrugged. "After- well, we thought you died, we all kind of split. Scott is still around somewhere, Liam, Mason, and Hayden are all seniors. Lydia's taking care of her mom and doing the rest of her Masters degree for MIT online, I think. Maybe she finished, I don't know."

  "And you?" Y/N nudged her chin in the direction of the shotgun, questioning his recent reputation. Stiles looked to it as well.

    "When I lost you-" He breathed in. "Something snapped. I decided I was done dealing with the supernatural after they got in. So, the last three years, I've been monitoring. Making sure nothing like what happened to you, happens again."

   Y/N watched Stiles silently, maybe realizing how her "death" had affected him. He was broken. He went from the boy who could do something, to a boy who stayed in the boundaries on a constant revenge mission. The bags under his eyes were easy, it was obvious he recently began to now leave stubble.

   "Stiles," Y/N eased, catching the gaze of his honey eyes. "Did you know that I loved you senior year?"

   Stiles stopped moving completely, slowing raising his head to look at her, before speaking.

    "Did you know that I still love you?"

    Y/N kept her eyes on him in amazement. Although he had change quite a bit, it was almost as if she could still see the Stiles she last saw. The Stiles who stuttered, the Stiles who was the first to ask if she was okay, the Stiles who put his whole heart into everything.

   A silence took over, until Y/N cleared her throat.

   "I guess the others could use a visit."

 
   Stiles almost didn't hear her words, his brain making rash decisions took over everything as his mouth spoke quicker than his thoughts, as usual.

     "It's been three years, they can wait a little longer."

   Two quick strides and Stiles had his palms on her cheeks, pulling her lips to his as he shut his eyes gently. Y/N did the same, her eyebrows raising to herself as their lips began to move sensually, before she relaxed and laced her arms around his neck.

   The ache of how long they had both awaited this kiss was evident as their lips moved fervently and obsessively. Desperate to keep the other as close and possible for as long as possible.

   Their breaths got heavier the longer they deprived themselves of less oxygen, until they barely pulled apart, their foreheads resting tiredly against each other. Their eyelashes fluttered open, making eye contact shyly as they saw the smile on both their faces.

   Stiles' thumbs brushed her cheekbones, making sure to embed the image of her face on her brain, keeping her last beauty as close as possible with the fear of losing it again.

   "That was, um-" Y/N tried to speak, her giddiness beating her. Stiles smirked. What a turn of the tables.

    "Late." He finished for her. Y/N stopped stuttering and simply nodded, agreeing.

   
      Stiles smiled and brought her to his heart, wrapping his arms around her figure as her arms curled into her chest, resting against him. Stiles set a small kiss on the top of her head.

    "Welcome back, Y/N." He whispered.

  Y/N looked up, peering past his jaw to catch a glimpse of his face. She nodded softly.

    "It's good to be back."