They were at a standoff.
Allison with her bow.
Kate with her gun.
Peter, Scott, and Derek claws' out.
"Boys stand down, let the ladies talk." Stiles stepped forward, her hands raised in the air, "Is this what you call a hunter's honor?"
Stiles could see Allison hesitate her eyes shooting from one person to another.
"What would you know?" Kate mocked a sly grin upon her lips.
"I know who actually was responsible for the Hale fire."
"What's she talking about, Aunt?" Allison wavered some more, her bow starting to fall towards the ground.
"It was you who has been killing off those who have evidence against you isn't it? After all, that's the whole reason you came to Beacon Hills, isn't it Aunt Kate?" Stiles smiled mockingly at the other woman.
"No, that's not true. She came after the first killing."
"Are you sure about that, Allison? Didn't she come the day of the first killing?"
Stiles could feel the eyes of her soulmate staring at the back of her head.
"After all when Laura Hale began digging up the past there must have been so many alarm bells that started to ring inside your pretty little head."
Kate let out a laugh, "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about the call the ex-insurance investigator gave you when Laura first came." Stiles crossed her arms and smiled as Kate changed the direction of where she was pointing the gun towards Stiles herself. "All the police needed was me to tip them off, I'm sure they'll be here soon; to arrest the real murderer. After all it will all add up, especially when a certain Mr. Harris confirms it was you in a police lineup."
Peter stepped forward and Kate changed the direction of her gun, "I wouldn't do that if I were you Ms Argent you don't exactly need more red on your ledger."
"Put down the gun, Miss Argent."
Stiles sucked in a breath as she heard the police officer's voice, of course the police officer that heard the call just had to be her father.
Several more people came into the clearing at the front of the shell left of the Hale house.
"There's no need for any more violence, put down the gun Miss Argent."
Kate let out a laugh raising her hand in the air, and made a move that seemed to say she was putting the gun down but her finger was on the trigger.
Then Stiles did something stupid, she jumped into the pathway of the bullet. The bullet that would have hit one of her supernatural family members that could heal as soon as the bullet was removed.
The "No!"s that were shouted in the air seemed to echo around her, so that she couldn't distinguish one from another. The sharp piercing pain ripped through her stealing every breath from her. As she was caught before she hit the ground, she noticed how Kate stared blankly across the way. How odd, Stiles thought; even as her head was turned toward her soulmate who was murmuring over her, "Don't you dare leave me, Stiles!"
Right before she blacked out she heard her father's voice, but she couldn't hear what he was saying.
~~~
She could hear before anything else and then came the sense of touch. There was someone holding her hand.
"You are still here, I thought I told you to leave." That voice was familiar. It was rough like gravel but had a hidden softness that had yet to show itself.
"Would you leave your soulmate's side?" That voice she definitely knew, a surge of warmth went through her as he said 'soulmate'. Was he talking about her? Yes, Stiles did believe he was.
During the time she was daydreaming, the sound of scraping came to her right and that hand was taken up.
"No, I would not." Hmm...where was that voice from? "I didn't leave my soulmate and wife's bed-site when she was ill. I couldn't bear the idea of her waking up and not seeing me. Even if she had forgotten who I was." Oh, it was her father. "She actually was in the same room you used to be in at the care center, I wonder if that's what brought my daughter to your side."
"It was intentional on her part, that much I know. She had decided to be my family before I even knew who she was."
"Stiles always has been older than she appears. I've given her such a hard time, but each time she was just trying to do something for others."
She felt the bed dip on her right and her hand was lifted up, her father was gently kissing her hand.
"She's stubborn."
"Yes, she is."
Before the next time her father talked she almost knew what he was going to say, "I know there is more than what's on the report about the Hale fire but I have a feeling I won't get anymore of an answer."
Peter, that was her soulmate's name, spoke up "Yes".
"Don't put my daughter in danger again. I may not like the fact that her soulmate is...well you, but I know better than to try to separate two soulmates from each other. Just don't do anything I'd have to arrest you for." She could feel her father cringe, before tightening his hand and leaning forward to whisper, "Because I won't arrest you, I'll kill you."
"Understood, Sheriff."
The pressure on her right hand left and Stiles heard as her room's door closed.
"I know you are awake."
Stiles tried to smile, but wasn't sure if it looked like one.
"My eyes feel so heavy."
She felt the briefest feather-light touch against her eyelids, this time she thought she did manage to smile.
Focusing on opening her eyes, they cracked open enough for her to see Peter when she turned her head toward him.
"Hey."
"I'm so angry at you."
Stiles let out a little sigh, "I know. I was stupid."
"Yes you were. Promise me to never do something like that again."
Stiles opened her eyes a little wider, "I would but I think it might be a lie."
"What am I going to do with you?" Peter shook his head, his lips tilting in half a smile. He kept his eyes upon Stiles' even when the door opened and in came Scott and Derek.
"So, he's your soulmate?"
"What gives?" Stiles turned this time to give her brother the biggest smile she could.
"Oh, it was probably when your father punched him in the face as soon as he let go of you."
"Hmm..." Stiles tilted her head to look at the somber one next to Scott, "...and how are you doing sourwolf?"
Stiles smiled at the laugh that Peter let out that he covered with an awkward cough.
Derek glared at her.
"I'm glad some things have not changed even as I lie here an invalid." Stiles sighed and closed her eyes briefly before opening them again, "So what happens now?"
"Scott has agreed to be part of my pack, Derek had also agreed before the debacle."
"What of the Argents?"
Peter's hand tightened more around her hand, just barely before the point of pain.
"I don't think we've seen the last of them."
"Hmm..." Stiles took in a deep breath and winced as it pulled at her wound, "So what's the game plan?"
Scott groaned on the other side of the room, "Things are never going to be normal again, are they?"
Stiles smiled her eyes meeting her soulmate's, "Things are never going to be the same again, but I think we will be ok...as long as we stick together as a family."
Peter smiled, the pain in his features although still there not as prevalent, "As a family."
Looking to the boys they replied, "As a family."
With a smile Stiles went back to sleep, after all she knew she would need her rest for their next big adventure.
End of Part One: Never Be the Same Again