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Derek happened to of been walking past his mothers' study when he heard her.
“Peter! Don’t you dare hang up on me! Peter? Peter!” Talia yelled into the phone.
Derek pushed the cracked door open and leaned against the frame. Watching his alpha’s eyes flicker a few times before she dropped the phone onto the desk and took a few steadying breaths. She shook her head and growled.
“What did uncle Peter do this time?” Derek smiles at his mom. Talia sighs heavily and falls back into the desk chair.
“He claims to have found the solution to our problem and plans on bringing it home.” She throws up some air quotes and shakes her head. A deep frown forming on her face and her chin resting on her fist.
“What problem?” Derek frowns and enters the room coming to sit in on of the chairs across from the desk.
“It’s not a problem right now. But Olivia is concerned if we let it go for much longer it’ll turn into a much larger problem.” Talia waves a hand and leans back in the chair.
“The nemeton is starting to show activity. It’s nothing major just a small hum. We think it’s due to the recent centaur deaths in the preserve. The deaths of those supernatural are feeding the nemeton.” Talia glances to her right and looks out the window with a far off look.
“And uncle Peter thinks he’s found the ‘solution’ to the issue?” Derek fights a smile. His uncle always did have a flair for the dramatics.
“So he says.” Talia stands and Derek follows her out of the study and downstairs.
“You’re ingrate of a husband is coming home.” Talia calls as she walks into the kitchen. Felicia, Peter’s wife, is elbow deep in sudsy water at the sink. Derek walks past Talia and grabs a dish towel and starts drying the dishes piling up on the counter.
“He means well.” Felicia offers Talia a sweet smile and a head tilt.
“He’s a bastard is what he is.” Talia sits down at the counter and crosses her arms over her chest.
“He’s your brother.” Felicia points at her with bubbles covering her hand.
“I still doubt that.” Talia whispers under her breath.
Derek snorts into the pan he’s drying, having heard his mother.
“Did he at least tell you when he’s expected back?” The alpha stands from her seat and grabs an apple from the basket of fruit on the counter.
“Two days.” Felicia offers over her shoulder, pulling the plug from the sink.
“I don’t trust it.” Talia says around a bite and uses her pinky to wipe away a drop of juice, her other hand braced against the counter.
“You don’t trust anything that’s uncle Peter’s idea.” Derek offers from where he’s putting away a mixing spoon.
“Exactly.” Talia frowns.
Turns out Talia was right not to trust Peter. It’s the day he’s expected back and most of the Hale’s are at the house decorating for Christmas. They know Peter is due home any minute. Talia hears the car before anyone and Derek knows because he sees the moment she tenses up. The whole family pulls on jackets and moves outside to wait. A Lyft car pulls up to the house, a wide-eyed driver trying not to make eye contact. Peter steps out of the back seat first. His right arm staying stick straight because-
Because there’s a human being handcuffed to him. Their wrists locked together in metal.
“What the f-” Cora starts before their aunt Thea cuffs the back of her head. Laura is snickering from where she stands on the far right of their group.
“We both know I will drag you out of this car.” Peter says with amusement clouding his words.
The person that gets out of the car has their face hidden under a red hoodie. He’s tall, the same height as Peter, with a lithe frame. He dressed in the hoodie and tight jeans with beat up sneakers. Derek leans a little off the porch and squints at the other man handcuffed and takes a deep breath. He can smell his uncle, smell the woodsy musk and underling cologne. Peter always smells like the preserve no matter what. Even though he’s been in New York for the past two months. He still smells like the forest and like pack. His scent has just barely begun to mix with the hooded figure. Which means he’s been around him enough for their scents to mix. The other smells more earthy than anything Derek has ever smelled before. Like fresh dirt and like the Lily’s aunt Shannon grows. There’s just barely a tint of burnt toast in his scent and fresh coffee beans. It’s like nothing Derek has ever scented before. Such a vast scent.
The driver can’t back up and peel away fast enough. Peter has a small duffle bag in his non-cuffed hand which must belong to the man in red because Peter doesn’t travel with clothes. He has a place in New York that has his things there so why waste energy, is his philosophy. He tugs the stranger forward with a “stop being so stubborn”. Talia steps off the porch in all her regal I-am-the-alpha airs.
A strong gust of wind rips through and blows the strangers hood off his head. Derek is shocked because he can’t be any older than Cora who is still in high school. His brown hair is matted down from his hood but still retains some of its volume. His eyes too light to be called brown and his skin a mass of bursting constellations. Derek purses his lips and rolls his shoulders. He’s just a kid.
“Peter.” Derek watches his mother take a step forward and growl. Her eyes darting from Peter to the kid and back to Peter, repeating the process.
“I present to you,” Peter starts and tales a step forward. His right arm angles back because the kid refuses to take a step forward. “Our solution.” Peter glances behind him and tilts his head at the kid.
“You literally kidnapped me. I ain’t cleaning up jack shit for you.” The kid says in a flat tone glaring at Peter.
Laura loses her shit. She’s bent over wailing in laughter. Her face turning red and tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. Cora sneers and goes back inside. Thea and Shannon stand next to his dad, Kevin. All keeping straight faces.
“Oh Peter, what have you done now?” Felicia shakes her head and sighs.
“We had a problem. Solution.” Peter points over his shoulder at the kid. Who makes a face at Peters' back that sends Laura back into a fit of hysterical laughing.
“This is nice and all. You two can growl at each other to your heart's content but I’m starting to get cold and I'm hungry.” The kid glares at the back of Peters' head when he says he’s hungry.
“So if you’re not gonna let me go home.” He trails off, leaving the rest up for interpretation.
“Of course honey. Come on it.” Felicia smiles at him and waves a hand to the door.
“We’ll get you home.” Talia composes herself and turns to the side to allow them to walk past her. The kid mumbles something under his breath that none of them capture.
Peter still has to pull him inside via the cuffed hand. The kid drags his feet and leans back and away from Peter. Making it as hard as possible without injuring himself. Derek cracks a small smile at that. Felicia and the chained two make their way to the kitchen while Derek, Laura, and Talia stay outside. An SUV pulls up and the rest of the Hales climb out save for one. Lincoln, Thea’s husband climbs out of the drivers' side with a wave. Lucy, Derek’s older sister and Laura's younger, walks around from the back with a play bag thrown over her shoulder. Philip (Lucy’s twin brother) hops out of the back with a babbling four-year-old attached to his hip. The young wolf pauses mid-sentence and sniffs the air. She squeals and pushes out of Philips' arms. Running towards the house with a scream of ‘daddy’.
The rest of the wolves enter the house with Laura filling in the three with what they missed. Thea makes her way in and presses a chaste kiss to Lincoln's lips and a ‘welcome home’. Peter has Stephanie on his hip as she tells him about her day inanimate detail. He’s standing next to the head of the table where the kid is sitting down and trying to eat one handed. Key-word trying and pretty much failing. The kid gives up and drops the fork onto the table. Looking up at Stephanie. His head slowly tilts to the side and a far-off look overtakes his features.
“I’m sorry we don’t even know your name?” Talia phrases the ending as a question as she sits down in the chair directly to the kids left. His gaze darts over to her and hardens.
“Stiles.” He grunts out and leans back in the chair.
“What’s a-” Cora starts from where she’s sitting on the counter in the kitchen.
“Me. I’m a Stiles. It’s my name.” Stiles grounds out with a clenched jaw. His hand's fisting and his knuckles going stark white.
“Are you okay?” Thea asks from where she’s leaning against Lincoln in the archway of the kitchen.
“I’ve been kidnapped and dragged to the last place I wanted to come to by a psychotic werewolf. No, I’m not okay. I would like to go home.” The kid locks eyes with Thea who dips her head and breaks eye contact.
“Peter, can we lose the cuffs?” Talia points a finger at where they’re chained together.
“No.” His voice is firm and there’s no hint of playfulness. Stiles grin is all white teeth and sharp.
“Why’s that?” Laura asks from where she’s standing at the back of her mother's chair.
Peter stares down at Stiles who grins up at him. It’s lost most of its sharpness but it’s still cocky and mocking.
“Because those aren't regular handcuffs.” Olivia says from the entryway of the kitchen, behind Thea and Lincoln.
“What do you mean?” Shannon walks over to her wife and tangles their fingers together.
“They’re spelled cuffs. Meant to block any magic user’s powers. A powerful spell. Not many can do it.” Olivia turns a heated glare on Peter.
“What right do you-” She takes a menacing step towards Peter. To do that to a user. She can't believe the audacity.
“Wow. Haven't seen one of your kind in a long time.” Stiles draws out the g and purses his lips as he gives Olivia a once over. Just like that the tension snaps like a rubber band.
“I’m afraid I can’t say the same.” Olivia inclines her head slightly. Almost in a half bow.
“Yeah other’s can’t ever sense what magical clusterfuck I am.” Stiles uses his free hand and makes a circular motion at himself.
“What exactly are you?” It’s the first time Derek speaks since Peter arrived. Stiles rolls his head and locks eyes with Derek. There’s a small current that passes through Derek like Stiles is looking into him. Derek stands up straighter and Stiles sits up like he felt the shock too.
“Um-ah. I’m a Spark.” Stiles jabs his thumb at his chest and pulls his cuffed hand closer to him and glares up at Peter.
The room is silent before almost everyone starts yelling. Talia is smacking the back of Peters' head, hard. Felicia is also yellowing at Peter. Olivia is staring at Stiles but then starts yelling about the cuffs. Kevin is yelling at Laura to stop laughing for god's sake. Derek, however, is watching the young boy; who in turn is watching each Hale with bored interest. His eyes settle on something behind where Thea and Lincoln are still standing. Derek glances where the spark is looking and see’s young Caleb peeking from around the corner. Stiles abruptly stands and that quiets the room. Peter’s arm hanging in the air from where they're connected. Stiles is still looking at Caleb and Derek takes a step forward with a small growl aimed at the spark.
“Oh hush up sourwolf.” The boy dismisses Derek.
Stiles glances at the cuffs and sighs. He touches his pointer finger to his forehead before touching the cuffs. The metal glints for a moment before completely disappearing. Peter’s wrist heals from where the cuffs had bit into his skin. However, the boy's skin stays raw red. Peter stands too, knocking the chair back.
“How?” The older wolf whispers. Olivia’s eyes are wide as well.
“I’m a spark.” Stiles glances at Peter with a ‘duh’ look. He walks around the table and past Derek and kneels down on the floor.
“Hey there.” He coo’s in a soft voice looking at Caleb. The young wolf looks ready to bolt before the spark speaks again.
“She’s scary isn’t she?” Stiles tilts his head to get a better look at Caleb around Lincoln’s leg. The young wolf's claws pop out and dig into the frame. He looks at Stiles with wide eyes.
“I can make her go away if you want?” He reaches his uninjured hand out towards the young wolf. Caleb hesitates before he teeters over to the spark. He has his thumb in his mouth and his other hand tucked behind his back.
“Yeah she is scary isn’t she.” Stiles lets out a small laugh.
He closes his eyes and presses his thumb to Caleb's forehead and then sweeps the hand through the small wolfs hair. Caleb lets out a breath and his thumb falls from his mouth. He looks up at Stiles with wide eyes before he takes steps closer to the spark and curls into the boy's chest. Stiles lets out another laugh and rubs a hand up and down Caleb's back.
“What did you do?” Felicia asks with wonder. Their son has always been very shy, even with family.
“He had a hag attached to him. A nasty one at that.” Stiles purses his lips in disgust and flicks his finger like his getting rid of some invisible slime.
“How did you know?” Olivia asks as she smacks the back of Peter's head when she walks past him.
“I’ve dealt with a couple before, they leave a stench around their victims.” Stiles purses his lips and tries to stand.
Caleb lets out a small whine and Stiles lifts the wolf up. Caleb wraps his arms around the sparks neck, his legs hooking around Stiles front very like an octopus. Stiles crosses his fingers together and supports Caleb under his thighs. It would seem all it took was a sleepy looking Caleb before Stiles let out a large put-upon sigh before turning back to the wolves.
“Alright alright. I’ll help with your problem.” The spark shakes his head and a grimace flashes across his face before it’s gone.
They all sit down in the living room, Caleb still glued to the sparks front. They start to tell him about all the kinds of supernatural creatures that live in the preserve. He nods along to each creature named, seeming to know all of them already. Talia tells him about the deaths of the centaurs and Olivia chimes in her concerns about the effect it will have on the forest.
“Wait, wait, wait, back up. A nemeton? You guys have a freakin nemeton?” Stiles hisses and he leans forward. Caleb grunts and Stiles quickly drags a hand across the wolf's back to put him back to sleep. Olivia glances over at Talia, the alpha nodding before the witch continues.
“It’s not something we advertise. Many more supernaturals would come to us, seeking sanctuary and home in the woods because of the nemeton. But within the past couple of years it just seems, darker. More tainted and just not what I remember of it.” Olivia shakes her head with a frown. Shannon squeezing her wife's hand in comfort.
“Okay I can fix that.” Stiles nods his head, mentally checking things off on his fingers.
“I’ll need two days to prepare, maybe three.” Stiles stands up and pulls Caleb off of him and hands the child off to Peter.
“Do not disturb me.” Stiles frowns over his shoulder back at the pack and points a finger at Peter, singling the wolf out.
They all move to watch as he goes outside and sits down in the grass. He sits cross-legged with his back braced against the trunk of a tree. He lets out a breath, the frost catching in it. The spark touches his fingertips together in his lap and closes his eyes. His head bows slightly and then dark green vines start to peak up from the ground. They curl around the boys' legs and up his arms and into his hair.
Two days go by and Derek somehow had been volunteered to be the one to watch the boy. He would check on him first thing in the morning and then on and off again through the day. The night of the second day showed temperatures dropping dangerously low for the boy to be outside. So Derek dug out a thick comforter from his room. He layered his own clothes and grabbed a quilt for himself. His mother smiled at him as he passed her in the kitchen on his way out back. It’s a struggle to get the blanket around the boy's shoulders because the vines that have intricately wrapped themselves around the spark. Derek eventually gets the comforter around his shoulders and plops down next to him. The wolf ends up falling asleep, his head tilted back and resting against the tree, listening to the sparks even breaths. Derek wakes the next morning to the sun just having risen. Honey golden eyes staring at him with a soft look rounding the corners of his eyes.
Derek and Stiles cook breakfast as they wait for the pack to wake. One by one the come down, taking seats at the table as Stiles piles more food onto the table. Caleb immediately goes over to Stiles and buries his head in the sparks leg. Stiles laughs and sweeps his hand through Caleb's curls as he flips the pancakes. Derek doesn’t even realize he has a small smile on his face, watching the two interact until his mom comes into the kitchen.
They all gulp the food down fast and dress for the day. Only Talia, Peter, Olivia, Derek and Laura will be going to the nemeton. The alpha keeps her eye on the spark as he walks ahead of all of them. He brushes his hands against trees and plants as they walk. The flora looks to curl around the boy's touch as they walk. When they reach the sight of the nemeton the Spark gasps and rushes over to the tree.
“What happened to you?” He whispers as he kneels down on the stump.
Stiles gets himself situated on the stump. He has his legs tucked under his butt and the palms of his hands pressed flat on the tree. Peter looks up as the wind picks up and his eyes go wide as the surrounding trees curl in and around them to block out the sky. Derek can barely hear the spark whisper the word ‘heal’ over all the wind. Bright lights shoot out from under the nemeton and al the wolves have to shield their eyes. The wind picks up even hard and Derek grabs Laura's arm when she stumbles forward. There’s a crackling sound and then the white light explodes before dying down. They all uncover their eyes, blinking away the spots. Peter glances up again and the trees have returned to their normal standing, allowing light to spill through.
“How?” Laura whispers and takes a step forward, Derek's hand slipping from her arm.
The Nemeton is fully regrown. Back in all its glory. Talia had remembered the tree from her childhood before it had been cut down. It was thicker than it was tall. Green leaves covering the branches and looking full and healthy. Small redbuds nestled in among the leaves yet to bloom. The bark had returned to the soft wooden color instead of the faded grey. Her heart warms at the sight and there's a small rippled that comes from the tree passing through the wolves and continuing through the preserve. One of the thicker branches sways forward and then the tree looks to bend down towards the ground, letting Stiles down gently. The spark looks a little sweaty and pale but otherwise fine. He stumbles a little and Derek walks over to him to help the teen.
As they make their way back to the Hale house, Derek and Stiles lagging behind them, Talia is amazed at how alive the forest now it. Even in the middle of December, it being a warmer day of winter, the leaves are soft greens and the trees sway in happiness. Small pinpricks of lights flit around them as they walk, hushed whispers float through the forest. The thumping of hooves reveals a unicorn that gallops past them, pausing to stare for a moment before disappearing into the trees. When they get back to the house the others are already aware of the change.
They talk Stiles into staying through Christmas. He helps Laura go shopping for her family and he even buys a couple things to send home. Laura asks where he’s from and he actually laughs. He tells her that he was actually originally from BH and after his mom had died they moved away. He helps Tea and Kevin make a big dinner for Christmas Eve; Cora and Peter put up stupid decorations like bright green and red tinsel and Peter hangs up plastic mistletoe in a couple doorways. Stiles snorts as he watches Peter hang it in the kitchen doorway since they can't use actual real mistletoe.
Stiles is left alone in the kitchen, keeping an eye on the biscuits so that they don’t burn. They bake for a couple more minutes before he kills the oven and pulls them out. Tossing them into two different baskets and pilling them into his arms as he head for the dining room. At the same time he had been walking through the doorway, Derek had been walking in. They bump into each other and Stiles fumbles with the biscuits, almost dropping them. Derek's hands shoot out and grab Stiles’s by his elbows to keep him from falling. The teen, in turn, leans forward slightly to catch the rolls.
They’re standing toe to toe now, noses almost brushing. Stiles lets out a breath through his nose and it fans over Derek. Derek squeezes his elbows and takes a deep breath in, his eyes flutter just the slightest. Stiles glances up at the plastic prop hanging over their heads and then at Derek. The wolf smiles at him and ducks his head to kiss the spark. Stiles lets out a small noise of surprise when their lips connect and his brows shoot up. Derek pulls back to quick and his tongue shoots out to wet his lips.
“Well, that was nice.” Stiles breaths and adjusts his grip on the baskets.
“It was.” Derek agrees with a nod and takes one of the baskets.
Very nice indeed.