A/N: Hey guys! I hope you like this one, please let me know what you think!

Thanks for reading!

~ ~ ~

Chapter Eleven: Explosive Tendencies

Stiles was studying harder than he had all semester, the sooner he made it through his finals the sooner he was home.

If the idea of seeing Derek every day wasn't incentive enough to do well, the thought of spending at least a few nights a week eating take-out with his dad certainly was. He hadn't seen much more of him than the grainy Skype interface on his laptop, and all that did was make him more homesick.

"You need to find new places to study man," Kyle said as he came back from his group study session. "I don't think I've seen you leave this room since you got back from your little weekend getaway."

"Okay, firstly, that was three days ago, so it's not like I've been sitting in here for weeks," Stiles said. "Secondly, I'm studying so you should be praising me on my dedication. Third... I totally went out for lunch yesterday."

"That last one is a lie, you were going to and then had a breakthrough with one of your focus questions," Kyle said as he sat on his bed and looked over at him.

"Oh yeah..." Stiles said, dropping his highlighter into his textbook and rubbing his eyes with a tired sigh. "I just want to get through this and not spend my whole break worried that I'm going to lose my scholarship or something."

"Okay, let me tell you a few things," Kyle said, sitting down on his bed. "You won't lose your scholarship. You're smart and committed, relax a little. And finals are never as bad as you think they'll be. Believe me when I say the anxiety leading up to them is worse."

"Still doesn't really make me feel better," Stiles said, tapping his pen on the desk.

"Get out of this room Stiles," Kyle said. "For one thing it's going to make you feel trapped and claustrophobic and for another... I need the damn room for like an hour."

"Hot date?" Stiles said with a grin. "Or is 'date' too strong a word?"

"I did say I only needed an hour," Kyle said. "Seriously though, you need to see the sun or something."

"You're kidding right? I burn under heat lamps," he said.

"Then go sit in the shady part of the quad, or how about one of the student buildings? That's where I meet my study group," he said. "This time of year they can better than the library, less crowded usually."

"That might not be too bad an idea," Stiles said. "I might be going a little stir crazy."

"A little?" Kyle said with a raised eyebrow.

"So uh, who's so important that you need me to leave the room huh?" he asked as he closed his books and shoved them into his backpack.

"He's in one of my classes and I've been dropping hints for a while now," Kyle said. "And don't look so jealous."

"I am not jealous," Stiles said. "You're probably right about me needing to get out now because when I see Derek again all I'm going to be seeing for days on end is the ceiling or the sheets."

"God help him," Kyle said and Stiles tossed a pencil at him.

"Alright, I'm going to Anthony Hall, anytime you want to interrupt my study I will be totally down with that," he said.

"It'll probably be a few hours at least," he said.

"Oh so now it's a few hours?"

"Shut up and go," he said.

"If I get sun burnt on my way over there I'm blaming you," he said, leaving the room with a grin and shutting the door behind him.

*

Erica stood outside the loft with her arms folded as Cora stood by her side just staring at her.

Erica was trying to pretend that it wasn't bothering her but there was no way to mistake the frustrated tapping of her fingers on her arm as she shot looks back at her trying to get her to look away.

"Do you have to? I mean really?" she said.

"It seems to bother you," Cora said with the smallest of amused smiles on her face.

"Yeah and a normal person would stop," she hissed.

"What's with all the aggression out here?" Erica turned with a smile as she saw Jackson walking over to them.

She ran to him and threw her arms around him to which he just grunted.

"You know you've been away for so long that I actually missed you," she said, squeezing him tighter.

"That's great," he said, squirming to get out of her grip.

"You know it'll end faster if you just hug back," she said in his ear and he reluctantly wrapped his arms around hr waist with a roll of his eyes.

She grinned to herself and held him a moment or so more before letting him go.

He'd never admit it, but her hug actually made him feel a little better.

"I hear you've met the devil spawn," she said as they both turned to look at Cora.

"Devil spawn?"

They all turned quickly to see Derek walking over with an amused look on his face.

"Didn't think that one through, did you?" Jackson said quietly and she just glared at him.

"I take it back, I didn't miss you at all."

"So is this it?" Jackson asked. "It's just us?"

"Scott and Isaac have classwork to finish," Derek said and Jackson scoffed.

"Great," he said.

"So what are we doing exactly?" Cora asked.

Derek smiled, folding his arms as he looked around at the three of them.

"I've lost a few things and I need the three of you to find them for me," he said.

"Really?" Jackson said. "We're playing fetch?"

"You're tracking down what I've lost, and you're going to make sure I don't catch you before you do," he said.

"Well come on then, tell us what we're looking for," Erica said.

Derek reached into his pockets and pulled out three seemingly meaningless items and tossed one to each of them.

"That should help with your tracking, you get a one minute head start," he said. "I find you before you find what you're looking for, you fail."

They all took a second to look at one another before turning on their heels and taking off down the road.

"Bet you won't even get close," Jackson smirked over at Erica as they reached the tree line.

"Twenty bucks says he catches your ass," she grinned back.

"You're on," he said.

"You're both idiots," Cora said as she took in the scent of her item before disappearing into the woods.

"Don't screw up," Jackson said as he started running through the trees.

Erica rolled her eyes and ran along the grass until she found a matching scent and then she was into the trees and after it.

Derek watched them go and shook his head.

He hadn't done much teaching in recent days, but it seemed like a good time to start up again.

*

"Aren't you going to be late?" Isaac said breathlessly as he and Scott rolled over in the sheets.

"No," he said as he dipped his head to leave kisses against the side of Isaac's neck. "I can be fast when I want to be."

Isaac let out a laugh.

"Not sure if you're talking about this or getting to work," he said and let out a groan as Scott left a gentle bite.

Scott shrugged a little.

"Might as well compromise and do both," he said.

Isaac's skin tingled with every touch and his body yearned for them to keep going but he put a hand against Scott's chest and widened the gap between them.

"We should probably stop," he said.

"Why?" Scott asked, even though he knew the answer.

"Because we've been doing this for three days, not that I don't like this, I love this, I just... I think we actually need to talk this time."

Scott sighed and rolled onto his back for a moment before he was getting out of bed and searching for his clothes.

"I know," he said. "I just don't really know what there is to say."

"This happened last year Scott, I don't want to do it again," he said. "We got past it last time and figured it out but what if it doesn't work that way next time?"

"What are you saying?"

"I'm not saying what you think I'm saying," he said as he sat up. "I just think we're going to sabotage this by being too scared to have a conversation. I don't want us to just be angry all the time."

"I know, I mean I can't tonight, I have a late study class but... tomorrow?" he said.

Isaac just nodded and Scott walked back over with a smile and leant in to kiss him.

"You sure you want to press pause?"

Isaac bit down on his lip as he shook his head.

"I'm trying to be good here and you're not making it easy," he said.

"Well then let's compromise," Scott grinned as he pulled the sheet back.

He grabbed Isaac's leg and pulled him around so he was sitting on the edge of the bed, grinning as Scott got to his knees.

"If this is what you call compromise we can do this whenever you like," he said.

"Shut up and focus, I'm going to be late," Scott said.

*

Erica ran faster as she honed in on her tracked scent. She knew it was close as the trees flashed by almost in a haze.

She thought she could hear Jackson off to her left but she'd lost track of Cora while ago.

It was then she heard the second set of footsteps approaching from behind.

She skidded to a halt to try and focus on them a little more but almost as soon as she stopped they did too. She tried to slow her breathing as she listened in but her heartrate wouldn't slow.

She turned back to her chosen path and ran, the scent still strong in the air. It was just a few more steps when she started to lose it,

"Shit, no, no, no," she whispered to herself, taking the next turn and slowing down as she tried to pick it up again.

It was too late, and by the time she realised it Derek was slamming her into the ground.

She grunted in frustration and just looked up at him as he knelt over her.

"You failed," he said before he was gone again in search of the next target.

She sat up and jut out her lip, kicking some loose foliage and slamming her fists into the ground in frustration.

Jackson's eyes frantically searched as he followed the trail, looking for something with a scent that matched. He heard Erica yell from a distance and picked up the pace.

He kept running, trying to get faster but he could already sense Derek closing in.

He darted in a different direction and then doubled back. He paused a moment to check the air before he was off again, only for a few steps before Derek was colliding with him.

His back hit one of the trees and the wind was knocked out of him as Derek took a few more steps towards him.

"You're fast," he said. "But you need to be more than that."

"Told you he'd catch you," Erica said from behind him as she folded her arms.

"Oh yeah? Where's your trophy?" Jackson snapped and Derek just rolled his eyes.

"You looking for this?"

They both looked over to Cora who stood holding up a backpack and a smug grin on her face while Jackson and Erica just made irritated noises.

Derek nodded to himself.

"Out of the three of you Cora was the only one to recover something," he said. "It doesn't matter though, because all three of you fail."

"What?" they all said at once.

"I did what you asked, just because they couldn't―" Cora started.

"What I asked was for you to bring back the things I lost, all of you," he said. "The two of you were too busy trying to best each other that you got sloppy, I could hear you stomping around from the moment you turned away."

Jackson and Erica looked at one another and shook their heads as they turned away.

"And you," Derek said, turning to Cora. "You were evasive and careful, and you managed to find what you were looking for."

She looked over at the other two with a smile and Erica had to struggle not to complain audibly, instead she just pouted.

"But you were happy to watch them get caught and leave them behind," he said. "If one of you fails, you all fail. You're pack, you're a team. You need to start acting like it."

"So she's pack now?" Jackson asked and Derek gave him a look. "Oh I'm not saying I mind I was just wondering... since when?"

"Since I decided to stick around in Beacon Hills for a while," Cora said.

"How long is a while?" Erica asked dryly.

"Like I said, she's part of your pack now," he said. "And all of you need to start acting like it. Starting by working together. Maybe Cora could teach you both a few things about stealth."

"Oh no, there is no way I'm taking lessons from her," Erica said.

"You guys really do stomp," Cora said. "You need quiet feet."

"I don't care who teaches who, you need to learn to work together," Derek said. "Aside from how loud the two of you are, that seems to be something you refuse to do."

"To be fair I don't really work together with anyone," Jackson said. "It's why I was captain of the lacrosse team. Have them work for you."

"Co-captain," Erica said. "Get off your high horse."

"That's hilarious coming from you―"

"Enough!" Derek yelled. "Figure it out. A few months off hasn't done any of you any favours."

He turned to walk away from them and back to the loft, clearly frustrated.

"He's grumpier than I remember," Cora said.

"Still not going to take lessons from you," Erica said.

"I could go for a lesson, depending on the subject," Jackson said.

"You wish," Cora said.

"Alright, I'm done here," Erica said. "You guys can teach each other whatever the hell you like."

"You're just proving his point," Jackson called after her but she didn't turn back.

*

Stiles headed back to the dorm for the night, his day of study actually getting him somewhere.

He felt his phone buzzing in his pocket and pulled it out with a smile.

"Hey, haven't heard from you in a few days," he said.

"Yeah well I've been busy," Erica said as she looked herself over in the mirror. "But now I need your help."

"Have you ever heard the term 'fair-weather friend'?" Stiles asked.

"Stiles I'm serious," she said.

"Does this have anything to with your little training exercise today?"

"No, and I don't want to talk about that," she said. "I have a date."

"Is this with that guy from your work?"

"I don't know how to date Stiles," she said, completely ignoring his question. "I don't think I've ever had a real date ever and he's so nice, and I have no idea what the hell to wear!"

"Okay, firstly, you're going to be fine," he said. "You're amazing and he probably already knows that. Secondly, does this not sound like something almost anyone else could help you with? I mean I've been told many times that I should not be trusted to give good advice."

"Stiles," she said. "I'm nervous."

"You'll be great, okay? You're going to be okay."

"Well what do I do? I mean how do you... date?"

"Why are you asking me? You think I have any idea? If me and Derek ever end I will be completely done for," he said. "Have you tried calling Lydia?"

"Of course I have, she was no help," she said. "She didn't even answer the phone."

"Okay, well, I'm about to get back to my dorm so how about you send me a picture of what you're wearing and we'll go from there? I promise I'll be no help but I'll give it a shot," he said.

"Thanks Stiles," she said before she hung up.

She stared at herself in the mirror and stood up straighter with a sigh.

"Hot date?"

Erica spun around to look at the door to see Cora standing there staring in at her.

"Not that it's any of your business," she snapped. "But yes."

"And that's what you're wearing?"

Erica glared at her.

"Do you have nothing better to do?"

"Sorry," Cora said as her brow furrowed and she looked down at her feet. "I meant are you having trouble deciding?"

"I don't date," Erica said as she turned back to her reflection. "I mean, not like dinner dates anyway."

Cora smirked a little and walked in to stand next to her.

"Where are you going?"

"Just to a burger place in town," she said.

"Then you're overdressed," Cora said. "Go for jeans and a nice top, maybe some heels."

"You go on lots of dates in South America?" Erica asked as she walked over to her set of drawers.

"A few," she said.

Erica pulled the dress over her head and pulled on a pair of jeans, rummaging around for a shirt to wear with them.

"How about this one?" Cora asked, holding one up from the closet.

"Do you mind?" Erica said.

"No."

Erica snatched it from her hands and pulled it over her head, adjusting it and staring at herself in the mirror again.

"This isn't too bad I guess," she mumbled.

"You're welcome."

"I don't think I said thank you," Erica said and Cora just looked at her. "But... thanks, I guess."

Cora smiled and turned around, heading out of her room again. Erica shook her head but she couldn't deny that her small piece of advice actually helped.

Cora headed down the stairs and Derek watched her as she walked past him.

"I'm going out," she said.

"Where?" he asked.

"For a walk," she said without stopping.

Derek sighed but went back to his book. It wasn't long before Erica came down the stairs exuding a whole lot of nervous energy.

"You look nice," Derek said and Erica just stopped and narrowed her eyes at him. "What?"

"I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not," she said.

"Erica, you look nice," he repeated.

"Well I'm going to be late so would you mind giving me a lift?" she asked. "It's not far."

Derek just got up to follow her out.

*

"Hey," Kyle said as Stiles walked back into the dorm room. "Did you get anywhere with your study?"

"You know what, I actually did," he said. "How was your... extracurricular?"

Kyle grinned and opened his mouth to answer but Stiles just put his hand up to stop him.

"You know what, some things are better left unsaid."

"Have it your way," Kyle shrugged.

Stiles phone pinged in his pocket and he shook his head.

"This thing has been going off all day..." he said as he looked down at the messages.

Erica: All good, I figured something out.

Erica: Maybe give Derek a call when you get a chance, he's looking especially mopey tonight.

"Everything okay?" Kyle asked.

"Yeah, just... I can't wait until finals are over and I can go home," he said. "Not that you aren't half decent company but I'm kind of looking forward to not waking up to your snoring every day."

"First semester's the hardest," he grinned.

Stiles decided to shower before calling Derek, taking out his phone once he was tucked up in his sheets.

"I hope you've done your study for the day," Derek said as he answered.

"I hope you've done your teaching for the day," Stiles quipped back. "Tell me, how did that work out for you?"

"I could just hang up."

"Come on, I was just kidding," Stiles said.

"So am I for thinking any of them are willing to listen," Derek grumbled.

"I guess that's what happens when it's just Erica and Jackson, and I don't know what Cora's like but if she's half as stubborn as either of them then you'll need Isaac and Scott to balance them all out."

"And Boyd," Derek said.

"They'll sort themselves out eventually," Stiles said. "Look I uh, I really want to talk but I'm exhausted and there's a whole lot of study to do tomorrow too so can I call you then?"

"I'll talk to you then," Derek said.

"Don't stress too much about them," Stiles said. "You're a great leader."

"Goodnight Stiles," he said.

"Love you."

Stiles wriggled down further in the sheets and sighed. He was almost done for the semester and then he could go home, maybe he would feel less like he was missing out when he was finally back in Beacon Hills.

*

Erica sat nervously at the table pretending to look over her menu as Rajanish did the same opposite her.

She could sense his nerves but somehow she thought hers were worse. He looked up at her with a smile and she tried to smile back before looking down at her menu again.

"So, uh, how was your weekend with your friend?" he asked after what seemed like a very long time in silence.

"Good," she said with a nod and he looked over expecting her to say something else but she seemed almost unable to do so.

"That's good," he said and they exchanged a smile before looking back to the menu.

"Sorry, I mean, it was..." Erica started. "It was good to hang out again, with him, them. It was um, it was fun."

He nodded again and Erica was about ready to sink through the floor.

"Sorry I'm... I'm not good at this," she said. "Small talk and you know just general... this."

"Me either," he said. "I think I just get nervous and then forget how to hold a conversation."

Erica laughed a little. "I just worry I'm going to say something stupid and you'll think I'm a complete idiot."

"I could never think that," he said. "And you can't be any worse than me. I swear I don't ramble as much when I'm at home."

"So tell me about that then," she said.

He started out shy but once he started talking about his family he found his voice. His mother worked as a cleaner at the local elementary school and his father was in accounts at a local business. He was the oldest of four kids, two girls in middle school and a young brother in the fifth grade.

"I'm surprised I got out for the night, my little brother usually can't sleep unless I read to him or tell him a story," he said.

"That's completely adorable," Erica said and she saw the flush build in his cheeks.

"Not when he wants the same story every night," he said. "There's only so many times I can read those books."

"Kids like what they like I guess," she said.

"So what about you? What's your family like?" he asked and she felt herself stiffen up.

"They're fine," she said.

He waited a moment, expecting a little more to come out of her mouth but she just grabbed her drink and took a long sip.

"Just... just fine?" he asked.

"I don't really talk about them," she said flatly and he nodded, fidgeting with his cutlery a little.

There was an awkward silence between them and Erica pushed her chair back.

"Would you give me a second?" she asked but she was already on her way to the bathroom when he answered.

She took out her phone before the door had even closed on her and tried calling Stiles but he didn't pick up. With a frustrated grunt she tried Lydia to the same result. She tried Isaac and finally had a voice on the end of the line.

"Hey Erica, everything―"

"I need your help," she said, cutting him off. "I can't do this, how do you sit opposite someone and just... talk to them? I can't even answer him properly and even if I could am I supposed to tell the truth or something that he wants to hear? Help me."

"Okay I didn't really follow that but I'm guessing this has something to do with your date?"

"What if he thinks I'm crazy? How much am I supposed to say?" she asked. "Why is this harder than just sleeping with someone?"

Isaac chuckled and he could practically see the fury on her face.

"Because you're confident in your body, you're hot and you know you're hot. Getting naked is easy, you're exposed but not in a way that scares you," he said. "Your problem is that you're not confident in yourself."

"Real deep Isaac," she said.

"Do you want my opinion or not?" he asked and she just sighed.

"Fine."

"You're scared of anyone getting to know you so you don't let them, hell, even I don't know that much about you and you're calling me to ask for advice."

"To be fair you were my third choice, the others didn't pick up."

"I'm hanging up on you."

"No, no, no! Please... I'm listening," she sighed.

"Not everyone is going to judge you for who you are," he said. "If you don't give anyone the chance to know you you're always going to be scared that that no one's going to want to, or that they won't like it when they do."

"I asked for help, not a sonnet," she said.

"Don't be so defensive," he said. "If you like him, let him know you. Like I said, I don't know a hell of a lot about you but I still think you're pretty great."

"Really?" she said quietly.

"I'll deny it if you repeat it," he said warmly. "Just don't think so much, be you."

"I don't know if you're trying to tell me to relax or that I usually don't think a whole lot," she said.

"Okay now I'm really hanging up on you, enjoy your date."

"Wait, Isaac?" she said.

"What?"

"Thank you."

"Go, have fun, get off your phone and talk to the guy."

She took a look at herself in the mirror and she knew Isaac had a point. She was scared and until she faced that fear it wasn't going to get any better.

She headed back out into the restaurant and sat down in her chair.

"Are you okay? I'm sorry if I―"

"I uh, I don't live at home anymore, I'm almost completely moved out," she said. "My mother is... difficult and I doubt she even realises that most of my stuff is gone."

"So, where do you live now?" he asked.

"With a friend, and I guess with his sister now," she said.

"So it was just your mother?" he asked.

"I have an older sister but she moved away a few years ago and we're... not close. She was too much like my father," she said. "But I don't talk about him, I don't talk about any of them."

"Okay," he said with a smile. "I'm happy to listen to anything you want to talk about."

She put her arm up on the table and opened her palm to let him slip his hand into hers.

Maybe it was going to go smoother than she thought.

*

Stiles was up early the next morning ready for another day to focus on his study. He was heading back to the same study room he had been in the day before, admitting that Kyle might have been right about a change of scenery.

He knew that if he buckled down and focussed now he could make it through his exams and not be so worried over the spring break. To an extent he was kidding himself, he would worry about his results no matter how hard he studied, but at least Derek would be there to tell him to stay sane.

He thought about how good it would feel, how it used to feel before he left and he felt an ache inside him where he couldn't quite remember it, not in the way he wanted to. He wanted to remember every little detail, even though he knew that was impossible.

There weren't many people out as he walked through the campus but he thought to himself that there should have been because it was such a clear and beautiful day.

If he was a different guy he would have considered studying in the quad, but even the nice weather wasn't enough to lure him outside. If he was going to focus he knew he had to be inside.

He passed a few people as he headed to the study area and a pretty brunette girl shot him a smile, something that almost never happened, so he figured that it was going to be a good productive day.

When Isaac woke up he felt an uneasy feeling in his stomach, he and Scott had finally agreed to have a conversation long overdue and he knew he couldn't have it properly until he was allowed to tell him the whole truth.

Maybe it wasn't overly important at that moment, but he knew holding back a secret like that would come back to haunt him.

He got up quietly and left a note for Scott to tell him where he was headed, he was surprised he didn't wake up as he was leaving.

He took the long way to the loft, walking slowly as everything ran through his mind.

He'd had this discussion with Derek a number of times before and every time he'd had the same answer. With every time he heard it the tensions did nothing but grow.

He hoped that this time it would be different but he felt like he already knew how it would play out.

By the time he reached the loft it was late morning, he let himself up and walked in to take a seat at the bench. He heard footsteps moving upstairs and it wasn't long before Derek was coming down the stairs to meet him.

"Isaac," he said.

"Well it's not the tooth fairy," he said and Derek just raised an eyebrow.

"Does that ever get a laugh?" he asked.

"Well I'm not really here for a laugh," he said. "Is anyone else here?"

"Cora went out for a run, Erica's still asleep," he said.

"So it was an early night for her then?"

"Something tells me you're not here to talk about Erica's date," Derek said. "What's on your mind?"

"You're not going to like it," Isaac said.

"This is about Scott," Derek said with a shake of his head and Isaac could already feel the frustration sinking in.

"I'm not going to stop asking you this Derek," he said. "Do you have any idea how guilty I feel at having to keep what I know from him? I don't know if you keep this kind of thing from Stiles but if you do then I feel sorry for him."

"This is not a secret that needs to spread," Derek said. "You don't understand what it could mean―"

"You keep giving me the same argument," Isaac groaned. "I don't know how strong we are right now but I don't want to test it right now."

"Isaac, you need to―"

"Trust you? Yeah, I know," he said.

"What the hell is going on down there?"

They both looked up to see Erica standing at the top of the stairs.

"Nothing," Isaac said and she stumbled down as she rubbed her eyes.

"Sounds like a disagreement if you ask me," she said.

"How much did you hear?" Derek asked and Isaac rolled his eyes.

"God forbid someone else hear about it," he muttered.

"Relax, okay, whatever you're bickering about I'm still in the dark about. I don't care about it either," she said.

"How was your date?" Isaac asked, knowing that his discussion with Derek was very much over.

"Fine," she said with a nod.

"That gave me nothing," he said.

"Yeah well," she said.

"You could at least give me something," he said.

"Do I have to?"

Derek's phone started to ring and cut through their petty words. He grumbled as he answered it and walked into the kitchen.

"Stiles," he said.

"Hey, just taking a break and thought I'd call," he said, getting up from his desk and taking a slow walk through the building.

"Well I thought you would want to tell me how it went all things considered," Isaac said to Erica.

"Why the hell are you in such a bad mood?" she snapped.

"Did I interrupt something?" Stiles asked as he heard the two of them in the background.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," he said. "Let me call you back in a minute."

"Okay, I'll be timing you," he said and he hung up, wondering how that conversation was going to go as he kept walking.

Derek glared over at Isaac and Erica as they quarrelled.

"This is exactly what I was talking about yesterday," he said to Erica and they both looked up at him. "This doesn't feel like a pack."

"Gee Derek, I wonder why," Isaac said and Derek just shook his head.

"You need to start trusting me," he said to Isaac. "And you need to start working with others, not against them."

"How am I supposed to trust you when you give me half the information?" he asked.

"And I know you're talking about Cora," Erica said.

"I'm talking about the way you fight everything," Derek said and Isaac gave her a look because as much as he wanted to disagree with Derek on anything at this point, he couldn't deny the truth in that.

"If I argue and say that I don't I just prove you right anyway," she said.

"We need to get this figured out," Derek said. "And I'm willing to compromise to do it."

He turned to Isaac and they shared a look. He was right, something had to be done.

*

Lydia sat in the coffee house and typed out a reply to Erica.

She had missed a few calls from the day before because she had been out with some of the girls celebrating the last week of semester before finals.

She tried to think of something that didn't sound like an excuse but nothing sounded any good. She excused herself from the group and headed out into the courtyard where it was quiet to make her call.

"Hey Lyds," she narrowed her eyes in confusion at the voice that came through the phone. "Look I can't chat for long I'm waiting for a call, what's up?"

"Stiles?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah... who were you expecting?"

She looked down at her handset to see that it was Stiles' number that she had dialled, not Erica's and she couldn't understand why.

"I uh, I must have pressed your number by mistake," she said quietly.

"And here I was thinking you missed me," he said with a laugh.

The sounds that she had gotten used to hearing had somehow become louder. She could hear voices whispering and felt a tugging sensation in her gut that she couldn't explain.

"I... I don't..." she said softly.

"You okay Lyds?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah I just... just a weird feeling," she said as the voices got a little louder.

She looked up and walked slowly over to one of the climbing vines that wrapped around the courtyard fence, reaching out to take one of the tendrils in her hand.

"Finals must be getting to you too," Stiles chuckled through the phone as Lydia stood transfixed by the vine between her fingers. "Hey look, Derek's calling me back, I have to go."

Almost as soon as he'd spoken the vine seemed to catch fire, the flames chasing the tendrils up the fence and spreading with a loud crack that set the whole thing alight in a wall of red flames.

"No Stiles, wait," she said.

"I'll call you back soon," he said and she shook her head as her hands shook.

"No Stiles please! Wait Stiles, don't!"

She heard the end of call tone and looked down at the screen before looking back up at the fence, no flames, no fire, the end of the vine still hooked on her finger.

"No..." she whispered as she dialled Stiles' number again, only for it to go straight to voicemail.

*

Stiles couldn't hear Lydia saying much on the other line but his phone started flashing as Derek called him back.

"I'll call you back soon," he said as he switched through to Derek's line. "Have you diffused the situation yet?"

"Let's just say we have a few things to work on," Derek said and Stiles heard Erica say something in the background. "Erica."

"A few?" Stiles laughed as he turned a corner and leant against a bookcase.

He felt someone bump his shoulder as they passed him and he turned to see the brunette from earlier. She mouthed 'sorry' as she walked on and entered a room full of computers, closing the door behind her.

"Stiles?" Derek said.

"Sorry what? I missed that," he said as he tried to look in through the window of the room, the sign on the door stated that the room wasn't for use.

"Are you busy or?"

"No, no, I uh, must have walked through a patch without reception," he said.

"I just said that maybe you'll be able to reign in the attitude when you're back," he said,

"Mine or theirs?" he said with a grin.

"Yours, I can handle," he said.

"Oh yeah?" Stiles said quietly. "Care to explain how?"

"Can you please tell Stiles that no one will be doing that during this phone call?" Isaac called, picking up his words as he sat on the couch nearby.

"Did you catch that?" Derek asked with a smile.

"You can tell Isaac that eavesdropping has never been one of his attractive qualities," Stiles said.

"Something tells me I won't need to repeat that," Derek said and Stiles smiled at the sound of his voice.

The door to the computer room swung open and Stiles looked over as the brunette came walking out a little faster than she had done before. She shot him another smile and he returned a weak one as his eyes followed her.

She was quick to leave the room and he took a few steps to follow her.

"Stiles?" Derek said again.

"Yeah hold on, just give me a second," he said, looking down the hallway that she had just walked down but she was nowhere to be seen.

He turned back to look at the room she had just left.

"What the..."

Derek took the phone away from his ear as it cut out on him. He looked down at the face to see that the connection had been lost.

"Everything okay?" Isaac said.

"Bad connection I think," Derek said.

Almost at once both Isaac and Erica's phones began to ring and they all exchanged a glance. Derek was immediately dialling Stiles' number again.

"Scott?" Isaac said as he answered. "Did you get my note?"

"Lydia?" Erica said but she didn't have a chance to say anything else.

"You need to put Derek on the phone right now," she said.

"Scott, slow down, what's wrong?" Isaac asked as he got to his feet.

They almost didn't need to say what they had called for, the look on Derek's face said it all as Stiles' phone went directly to his message bank.

"It's Stiles."

~ ~ ~

A/N: You know how I love my cliffhangers :) I'll try and get the next one up as fast as I can.

Please leave your comments, love you all! x