The Ties That Bind Us

The Out-of-Line

Malia led Stiles out of the boundaries of the campus and into the surrounding woods. They walked quietly for a while, their feet crunching through thick, unbroken snow. Soon, he discerned a small cabin, made out of logs and everything.

"Old watch-post," she explained. "Guardians used to live on the edge of campus and keep watch."

"Why don't they anymore?"

"We don't have enough guardians to staff it."

Malia and Stiles rounded the corner of the building—a small frozen pond lay there, and Kira and Scott were ice skating on it. A man was with them.

Scott grinned when he saw his friend. "Stiles! Hey!"

Kira glanced over, and Stiles got the distinct impression she felt he was intruding on their romantic moment.

"Revealing our hiding spot, Lia?" the man asked, turning around to face them.

Stiles wondered who he was talking to, until Malia answered, "It's impossible to keep Stiles away from places he shouldn't be. He always finds them eventually," she half-shrugged. "I only gave it a jump start."

The man grinned and approached, and Stiles suddenly saw his face full-on. It took every ounce of his already dubiously held self-control not to react. His face had large green eyes, but across his left cheek, marring what would have otherwise been smooth white skin were raised, purplish scars. Their shape and formation looked very much like someone had bitten into and torn out part of his cheek.

Stiles swallowed. He suddenly knew who that was—Kira's other uncle. When her parents had turned, he had fended them off, kept them away from her. He had provided enough of a distraction until the guardians showed up, but it seemed he hadn't walked away without damage.

"Derek Hale," he introduced himself even though it was unnecessary. "I've heard a lot about you, Stiles." Stiles gave Kira a dangerous look, and Derek laughed. "Don't worry. All good things."

"No, it wasn't," Stiles countered seeing Kira smile. "What are you guys doing out here?"

"I wanted to spend some time with these two," Derek said. "But I don't really like hanging around the school itself. They aren't always hospitable, you know."

"Because of your family history?"

Derek shrugged. "That's the way it is." He rubbed his hands together. "But let's not stand out here, not when we can build a fire inside."

The cabin was pretty bare, covered in layers of dust and dirt. It consisted of only one room. There was a narrow bed with no covers in the corner. There was a fireplace around which the five of them sat down, and Derek produced a bag of marshmallows that they cooked over the flames.

Scott and Kira went on talking to each other in that easy, comfortable way they always had. Derek and Malia also talked in a familiar and light way which seemed suspicious to Stiles. They obviously knew each other. Stiles had actually never seen Malia so animated before.

"How do you two know each other?" he asked.

Malia and Derek exchanged an uncomfortable look. "You knew Matt Daehler?" Derek asked casually. Glancing at Malia, Stiles agreed. "He was raised by my parents. You know, like you were raised with Scott. He was supposed to be my guardian..." Surprisingly, Derek laughed out loud. "He was really funny. A total geek. He could make anyone laugh. Hell, he could make Lia laugh." And he shoved Malia playfully.

"Hey," she said. "I laugh."

"You used to," Derek said. "Remember that time you were in the bathroom, and he was waiting by the door to scare you?"