By Monday morning, Derek finally showed up back at the loft before Bella left for school.
"Took you long enough." Bella said, avoiding eye contact with him
"I've been busy."
"Doing what, exactly?"
Derek did not reply.
"Look," said Bella, "if you are gonna leave me alone for days at a time, at least tell me what you are up to."
Derek began to feel annoyed. "Fine. You want to know what I've been up to?"
"Yeah! It helps to know."
"I've been keeping an eye on a new Beta."
"New Beta?"
Derek nodded "A kid named Scott McCall was bitten by the Alpha."
"The Alpha bit a kid?! Why?!"
"My guess? The Alpha wanted a younger Beta. For what reason, I don't know yet.But I do know that this kid has no control over his abilities yet and it is my job to look after him, make sure no one finds out what he is."
Bella sighed "Anything else?"
Derek nodded "Just keep living your life for now on. Leave the rest to me."
"And other than living my life, what else am I supposed to do? I'm a sitting duck here."
"You're doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing. You are not a werewolf, you can't risk your life in this fight because you are human."
Bella scoffed "Jeez, thanks for the words of confidence, cuz. Really, well done."
"I am trying to look out for you!"
"And you are doing a damn good job at that." Bella said as she grabbed her backpack. "Don't bother to drive me. I'll get to school myself."
Bella barged out of the loft and made her way to school. On the way, she was trying to come up with various ways to get kicked out so she wouldn't have to go back there. But she was stuck. The school day went on like it always does with the constant teasing and taunting. As usual, she goes to the care facility after school and is home by six.
The same routine repeated the next day, Tuesday, only Derek isn't around again.
By Wednesday morning, something changes. Bella woke up to loud knocking on the loft apartment front door. She got out of bed and went to the door. Standing in front of her was a policewoman.
"Are you Bella Luna Hale?" she asked
"Yes, I am. Is everything alright?"
"I am here to take you to the station. You cousin, Derek Hale, was arrested for murder."
Bella's eyes widened "Are you kidding me? Murder? What murder?"
"The sheriff will explain everything to you down at the station."
"Do I have time to throw some clothes on, ma'am?"
The officer nodded "Yes."
Bella kindly allowed the officer to enter the loft "I'll be back in a few minutes. Can I offer you a drink while you wait for me?"
"I am fine. Thank you."
Bella had always had the highest respect for law enforcement. She remembered when Sheriff Stilinski had helped her several years back.
Bella was frantic as she went to her room and hurried herself to get dressed.
Derek was arrested for murder?! Whose's murder? They can't be seriously considering him for Laura's murder.
She went back downstairs and met with the officer who escorted her to the station. When they arrived, the officer told Bella to take a seat and that someone would be with her shortly. Bella became nervous. Derek was in trouble which meant that she may end up in trouble as well.
After a while, a deputy came and told Bella to follow him "Miss Hale, come with me, please."
She nods. Bella follows the deputy to the sheriff's office where she is greeted by Sheriff Stilinski.
"Miss Hale. Good to see you again." The sheriff greeted
"Good to see you too, Sheriff." Belle said with a smile.
"Please, have a seat." the sheriff gestured to the chair on the other side of his desk. Bella sat down.
"I'm sure that you are probably wondering what's going on." the sheriff started
"Your officer said that my cousin was arrested?"
"That's right."
"For murder?"
The sheriff sighed "A body was found on the old Hale property. Derek was there."
Bella shakes her head "It doesn't make any sense."
"We are still working on trying to identify the body. Do you know if your cousin had any reason to kill someone?"
"I wouldn't know. He only just came back to town last week. I had not seen him in six years."
"Just last week?"
Bella nods
"You don't know where he's been before then?"
Bella shook her head. "I think New York. But I am not entirely sure."
"And your guardian, Laura Hale ? Do you know where she is?"
Bella knew she had to make up a lie "All I know is that she went to take some personal time out of town. I don't know where she is or when she is coming back. All I know is that Derek came back to keep an eye on me. That's all."
The sheriff continued to take notes when he told Bella that Derek would have to stay in the jail cell until further notice. "Do you have someplace you can go?
"I have no one else, sir. No family or friends"
The sheriff nods. "Well, you can't stay at your apartment by yourself, so you might be put into foster care."
Bella's eyes widened "What? No, you can't do that"
"I'm sorry, Miss Hale, but that is all we can do."
She sat back in annoyance and began to remember exactly what the sheriff did for her years ago. "You know, I remember when we first met, sheriff."
The sheriff looks up at her.
"I was six years old. You had arrived at the scene of the fire and found me lying down on the ground in my father's arms. I was petrified. The house I lived in was gone. My entire family was gone. My dad was badly hurt. I was too. You showed up and you helped me. You got me to trust you and I don't trust easily. Not anymore. You personally took me to the hospital when there weren't enough ambulances. You took care of me until my cousins came. You made me feel safe and secure. I haven't felt anything like that since.
And right now, I get that you are trying to help me again. But I do not feel comfortable suddenly going off to some strangers house when I don't know if they are good or bad people. I'd rather not leave Beacon Hills at all. This is my home. My dad's still here, even if he is not lively. I hate being stuck like this."
Tears began to fall from Bella's eyes. "There's got to be someone in Beacon Hills that you know that would be willing to help."
The sheriff had this look of concern and sadness. He understood where Bella was coming from. And she was right, he did help her when she needed help before and now she needs help again. "I will see what I can do, alright? I can't make any promises."
Bella nodded.
The sheriff had a deputy escort Bella to the conference room where she stayed for most of the day. Sheriff Stilinski was in a tough position here and he was determined to see that the girl had a safe place to be. He had made some calls but they didn't pan out. That afternoon, the sheriff had gotten a call from his son, Stiles, who had a question. Stiles could feel the tension in his fathers' voice.
"Everything alright, dad?"
"Yeah, I got a kid that is gonna need placement for a few days while her cousin is in jail for murder."
"Murder? Well, the only person we know that's currently in jail for murder is Derek Hale."
"The same."
"Hale's got a cousin?"
"Yes. Twelve years old kid. I knew her when she was younger. I helped her the night of the Hale fire that killed almost her entire family. Right now, I need to try and help this kid again. She's been through so much and I'd hate for something to happen."
"It's not like you can take her in, can you?" Stiles then realized he may have made a mistake in saying that. What if she is a murder-ey wolf too?
"You know I was kidding, right dad?" Stiles stammered
"Stiles, when a kid in this condition needs help, I would never turn my back on them. Besides, she trusts me and I'd hate for her to go to a foster care outside town. It'll just be until we figure out what to do with Derek."
Stiles continued to argue that it would be a bad idea but the sheriff wouldn't hear any of it. It was the right thing to do. Whether the kid tried to guilt trip him, he is unsure. He got up off his office chair and removed himself from the office to head to the conference room where Bella was. She was sound asleep on the couch in the room. It was nearly dinnertime and the kid had been at the station all day. She probably had not had anything to eat in ages.
Stilinski shook Bella awake "Hey kid."
Bella sat up, looking at the sheriff. "How long was I asleep?"
"Not sure. Just came in to check on you. You doing alright?"
Bella shrugged "Alright, I guess?"
"If you don't mind me asking, when was the last time you ate?"
Bella looked back "I don't think I did today."
"Well, that's not good. How about you and I go grab a bite. Would that be okay with you?"
"Yes, sir"