Yelena could tell someone had been tailing her for the last half hour so the moment the nearest gas station came up she pulled into it and grabbed a crowbar from under her seat, tucking it under her jacket. Swinging the car door shut she walked around to the tank and once she heard footsteps she spun on the spot and gripped the crowbar tightly before finding herself being met by the cold barrel of a gun. The owner of the gun was a dark-skinned woman, with a deep scar covering her throat and just reaching her face. Yelena recognized them to be claw marks, given the fact that she had a similar scar on her neck, except hers was a lot smaller than the other woman's. She was dressed in dark clothing and wore a smirk on her face as she took in Yelena's appearance.
"Yelena Stilinski."
"Depends who's asking." She replied dryly
"My names Braeden. We have mutual friends." She told her.
Yelena tilted her head as she looked her up and down, neither of them lowering their weapons.
"Well Braeden, would you like to lower your weapon," Yelena suggested
"How about you lower yours first." Braden retorted
"Given the fact that you've been tailing me for the last half hour, makes me think you're a threat."
"You really are a sheriff's daughter." She smirked
"And you've still got your gun raised," Yelena said through gritted teeth
"On three?"
They both counted and once they got to three they both lowered their weapons.
"Why were you following me?"
"I'm trying to save your boyfriend and I could do with your help," Braden said as she crossed her arms.
"Dereks, not my boyfriend-"
"Yet you knew who I was talking about." She smirked making Yelena roll her eyes.
"Whatever, what happened? Where is he?"
"He's been taken by a dangerous Hunter family.....in Mexico."
Yelena's jaw dropped and shook her head "What exactly can I do?"
"They're hard to find, and it's hard to know who to trust, and from what I've heard your like a human lie detector. Plus considering you noticed that I was tailing you and how quickly you pulled that crowbar, makes me think that you can handle yourself." Braden replied as she picked at her nails.
"Well yeah that's true, but why do you need my lie detector skills."
"Derek won't trust me, he will trust you."
"Why should I trust you?"
"Well, am I lying?"
Yelena raised her eyebrows at her and nodded to her car "Vamos a Mexico. You can put the bike in the back." She nodded as she got back into the truck.
They drove for about two hours in silence par when Braeden was directing her where to drive. Eventually, Yelena sighed and decided to make conversation "You know you haven't even told me who hired you? Or what exactly you do? Are you like some P.I for the supernatural or bounty Hunter?"
"Something like that." She muttered keeping her eyes on the road.
Yelena rolled her eyes "Well it's a long journey so could do with some more information."
"You didn't seem interested in information when you agreed to come."
"As you pointed out I'm a human lie detector.....and it's a long drive, so humor me. You said we have mutual friends, explain?"
"I saved your buddy Isaac's life whilst you were running around in Chicago." She told her
"You're familiar with the supernatural."
"I've been around." Braden nodded with a smirk.
"Werewolf give you that scar?"
"Yes, did a werewolf give you yours?"
"I'm the one asking the questions, but yes. What's your job?"
Braden sighed and started to explain "I get paid for helping to track down certain people-"
Yelena interrupted her "You're a mercenary." Yelena stated matter-factly as she stared at her
"Your dad really is a cop."
"We already established that. Who hired you?"
"Deucalion."
Yelena slammed on the brakes ignoring the angry beeps from other drivers "Deucalion?! Are you crazy!"
"Would you relax, you found out I'm a mercenary and this freaks you out more?"
"Yes! A creepy blind, red-eyed werewolf who tried to kill my family, friends, and my boyf - Derek" Yelena quickly corrected herself, "tend to freak me out."
"Look do you want to help me rescue Derek or not?"
"Why so you can feed him to Deucalion?"
"No so that he's home safely. Deucalion is just keeping an eye on him." Braden told her sounding bored.
"That's ironic." She snorted in response making Braden smile.
"You gonna start the engine again or?"
"Well, I may as well, already spent money on the gas now anyway." She muttered as she restarted the engine.
"You have any more questions?"
Yelena pursed her lips in thought "Do you care if I put the radio on?"
"As long as it doesn't distract your driving and you can still follow instructions."
"You'll be happy to know it improves them."
Yelena could feel her eyes drooping from sleep deprivation as they finally reached the location where Derek and Peter were being held. They were in the middle of nowhere, with a lone house and a few cars scattered. Yelena felt like they were about to walk into a trap as she parked some distance away, making sure not to be seen. Yelena had become very aware that they were probably outgunned which she went to bring up but Braeden was already walking to the back of the truck and climbing up to her bike, she lifted the seat to reveal several guns and weapons.
"You don't seem surprised." She said to Yelena with a raised eyebrow.
"I didn't think that you'd get into my truck without backup. I just assumed you had enough in your backpack." Yelena commented.
"Oh yeah, they're for you." She replied as she reached through the window and chucked the bag at Yelena, who raised her eyebrows at her.
"This is probably the wrong thing to worry about but do you have a license?" Braeden stared back at her with furrowed eyebrows and a look of disbelief "You know what I don't even want to know, different jurisdictions anyway."
Braeden snorted in amusement "Yelena Stilinski I think I might actually like you."
"Then please, call me Len or Lena."
Braeden smiled and began strapping guns and weapons to herself, making sure they were loaded as she went.
"Do you need more?" She asked Len who watched her wearily.
"I'm good with the two I have. I don't really like using guns unless I have to."
"Really? I would have thought being around supernaturals all the time would make you more inclined to be armed."
"I mean yeah but I don't kill people."
"Then don't go for a kill shot," Braeden told her as she threw her a clip which she caught with ease, making Braeden smirk.
"I guess one more couldn't hurt," Len replied quietly as she strapped another gun to her waistband and allowed Braeden to lead the way as she took out every man that got in their way.
Any man that Braden didn't take out Yelena knocked them out until they reached the stairs to the basement of the building that was holding Derek and Peter. Why was it always in the basements, Len thought to herself as she watched Braeden kick the door in. Braeden wasn't even phased when they came face to face with a Hunter, grabbing the gun from him and knocking him out.
"Damn, I need to work out more," Yelena said to herself making Braeden smirk.
"Len?" A familiar voice called taking her attention.
Her eyes widened as she saw him chained up and shirtless "Derek. Why do they always undress you?" She frowned, ignoring her new friend admiring Derek's bare chest.
"What are you doing here?"
"Helping to save your life, duh."
"You're the one who saved Isaac," Derek spoke, watching Braeden suspiciously.
Yelena felt a pang of jealousy as she watched Braeden still checking him out. Yelena cleared her throat making Braeden roll her eyes as she answered Derek
"I'm the one who was hired to save Issac."
Peter looked between the two women and frowned at Yelena "Did you hire her to find us?"
Yelena furrowed her eyebrows "No, as if I could afford that. Besides, we met like today, well yesterday now."
"I'm only here for Derek. I'm fine leaving you for dead."
"I second that." Yelena nodded watching Peter give her a sarcastic smirk in response.
Peter sent Derek an exasperated look "When did I get this reputation?"
Yelena rolled her eyes and grabbed the keys off the table as she began to undo Derek's chains. She didn't miss the disapproving look that he gave her but was grateful that he didn't voice it in front of the other two, instead, he turned to face Braeden "Who did hire you?"
"Deucalion." She replied casually, helping Peter out of his chains, clearly deciding that he was coming with them after all.
Peter scoffed and gestured to the scars on her neck. "Deucalion? The guy who did that to you?"
Yelena was slightly annoyed that she hadn't said anything "You never told me that."
Braeden shrugged at them "Girls gotta eat." She frowned and watched as the moment Peter was cut down he ran to the floor, grabbing what Yelena now realized was his finger, blowing on it as if that would preserve it. Len gagged and turned to face Derek who was rubbing the area on his wrists that had been chained. Yelena's eyes went back to Braeden who looked unbothered by everything.
"I point blank asked who did that and you lied." She said pointing to her scar.
"No you asked 'Was it a werewolf', and I said yes."
"You didn't think that I should know that it was Deucalion?" Len crossed her arms feeling betrayed.
"Well if I told you he'd done it and then told you he hired me, would you have still come?"
Derek gripped Yelena's arm and looked between the two women "I'm sorry what exactly did you know about her before you agreed to drive her to Mexico?" He asked Lena in disbelief at her recklessness.
"Whatever, let's get the hell outta here," Braeden announced as she walked to the door.
Derek grabbed his t-shirt from the side and scowled, "We're not leaving without it."
Yelena released a deep sigh, she still didn't know the whole reason that Derek had come to Mexico, she just knew that he'd made her a promise.
Peter smirked "See? didn't I say this would work?"
The look that both Derek and Len gave him was more deadly than any of the weapons on the current premises. Yelena tugged on Derek's shirt to stop him from hitting Peter, not that she could blame him.
"You're kidding right?" He scowled at his uncle "We had no idea that these two were gonna come and get us. Your plan almost got us killed."
Peter just cleared his throat and wrapped up his finger "Well I think we should go get it now."
"What is it exactly?" Braeden questioned as Peter and Derek led the way.
Len just shrugged and followed behind them as they walked into a type of office. Braeden had her gun ready and motioned for Yelena to do the same but they seemed to be safe.
Yelena nudged Derek when she saw a random old chest placed in the room "Don't suppose that has any use to you?"
Derek went to touch it but was repelled away from it. They all looked at the box strangely, apart from Peter who seemed to have an amused smirk plastered on his face "It's made from Rowan tree. It's mountain Ash." He explained.
They all knew that this meant that the Hales wouldn't be granted access, Yelena shrugged at them before going over to the box and successfully kicking off the lock, Derek had a look of shock and Peter had one of awe but Braeden fought off a smirk as she could tell that she'd hurt her foot in the process. Yelena winced and pretended she was fine, praying that the two werewolves were too tired to pick up on her pain. She opened the chest, which only revealed more of the black dust.
"And that would be just mountain ash" Peter stated, sounding disappointed, "someone really doesn't want our hands in there."
Yelena rolled her eyes and looked at the three of them. Braeden just shrugged "I was hired to find them not grabbing random things from ancient chests."
Yelena sighed and reached in to pull out what felt like a wooden container. Derek shook his head and scowled at her "What?"
"You just put your hands in random boxes?"
"First of all, I'm a human not glass, and second of all I'm not a supernatural so this doesn't affect me."
Braeden snorted "You sure about that?"
"What?"
"You do seem to have a lot of strange qualities."
"No, she's just strange," Peter commented as Yelena flipped him the finger before dusting off the cylinder container and noticing that it had the same symbol that Derek had tattooed on his back. She began to blush and tried not to think about Derek's bare skin. Derek raised his eyebrows at her flushed reaction as she handed him the box.
"Now can we leave?" Braeden questioned.
Derek sighed and nodded "Let's get out of here." He said as they all started filing out of the building
"Good to see you, Len." Peter smiled as he petted Yelena's arm in what she assumed was an attempt of affection
"Don't touch me." She told him dryly as she moved away from him and his severed finger.
"I was being nice!"
"Yeah, yeah."
"Seriously, when did I get this reputation?" He called after her as they walked to her car.
()()()()()()()
"You know I drove all the way to Mexico to help save you, you could at least thank me......or pay for the gas." She said to Derek whilst they sat on his couch and prepared the sewing needle for Peter's finger.
"You drove to Mexico with a stranger and didn't tell anyone. Where does your dad think you are?"
"Chicago. I assume."
"You assume?"
"I haven't spoken to him yet, I've been busy."
Before Derek replied Peter spoke over obnoxiously "Do you have the needle ready yet?!"
Yelena and Derek both rolled their eyes at him as he came and sat down on the chair next to them. Yelena grabbed his hand and yanked it close to her as Derek passed her Peter's finger.
"Don't you have any anesthetic?" He flinched as Yelena was midway through sewing his finger.
Derek snorted with amusement and nodded "Yes, yes we do."
"Oh, I see." Peter scoffed
"Will you shut up." Lena moaned.
"Are you even qualified to be sewing body parts back on?" He growled
"Well I've almost cut off an arm before, so sewing a finger back on should be easy" she raised her eyebrows at him "unless you'd prefer not to have it back."
Peter just scowled and let her continue, glaring at Derek, who was amused by the whole situation.
"All done, so what's in the box?" She sighed as she put the sewing stuff away.
"I'm going to show you," Derek answered as he picked up the small box and opened it. He poured out the contents of the box, which showed to be wolf claws. Both Peter and Yelena looked at each other in confusion as Derek continued "After the fire, that's all that was left of her."
"Talia-" Peter muttered
Yelena nodded as she realized it was his mother's, and although the thought of Derek's mother's claws in front of them made her feel a little bit weird, she chose not to share her opinion...unlike Peter.
"-I can't decide if that's touching or morbid. I guess the real question is, what are you planning on doing with them?"
Derek ignored his first comment and continued to explain, "I have to ask her something. And from what I've heard this, is the only way possible."
"That's the reason you wanted me to sew his finger back on." Yelena smiled in amusement.
"You've gotta be kidding me." Peter huffed.
Yelena leaned back into her seat next to Derek and crossed her arms with a smirk "Shut up and put the claws on."
Peter shifted in his seat nervously
"You know, there's always an element of danger to rituals like this. I'm not particularly fond of them. Unless they somehow benefit me."
"What do you want?" Derek deadpanned looking at his uncle whilst Lena rolled her eyes.
"I want to keep them." Peter said simply "sentimental value."
"Bullshit," Yelena commented as she and Derek wore the same expression of disbelief.
Peter ignored her comment and carried on his tone of innocence "She was your mother, but she was also my sister" When neither Yelena or Derek changed their expressions, Peter did his usual childish huff "What? Am I not allowed a little bit of sentiment?"
Derek gave him a fake smile and slid the claws over to his uncle. When he still seemed reluctant Derek rolled his eyes and grabbed Peter's hand to force the claws on.
Peter clenched his teeth and winced at the pain but nonetheless stood up and walked behind a now-seated Derek. Yelena watched Peter cautiously "That's not exactly my colour. This is going to be excruciatingly painful." Peter warned.
"Just do it," Derek said impatiently.
Peter smiled at Yelena "Oh, I'm going to. I just wanted you to know we all have our petty revenges." And with that he dug the claws into the back of Derek's neck, making Lena flinch. Yelena watched them nervously for a few minutes, trying to keep quiet as she didn't want to interrupt anything. Once Derek started breathing heavily she went and sat next to him as Peter pulled the claw out of his neck. Yelena gently held Derek's face to see if he was okay whilst Peter remained unbothered and just fired loads of questions at him, ignoring the death glare that Derek sent him.
After Peter left Derek and Yelena spent the day lounging around the loft, talking and catching up.
"I take it you're not moving back to Chicago?"
Yelena grinned at him "What do you think?" She asked before letting out a yawn.
Derek laughed and checked the time "Do you want me to drop you home?"
"I was just going to crash here....unless you don't want me to?"
"Nothing I'd want more miss Stilinski." He joked.
Yelena sighed dramatically "In that case, carry me to bed." She said as she let her arms hang in the air for him to pick her up, which he did with a smirk as he picked her up bridal style.
They both laughed as he dropped her on the bed. He kissed her forehead as he stood up and began to walk to the couch "Where are you going?" She frowned as she grabbed his hand.
"Sleeping on the couch."
Yelena rolled her eyes as she knelt up so they were at eye level "You've shared a bed with me when we were together and when we weren't, so get in the bed.
Derek smiled at her as he lay them both down "Does that mean that we're-"
Before he could finish speaking Yelena cut him off "Derek if you want me to be your girlfriend again, then you have to ask formally."
Derek laughed "Seriously?"
"Deadly."
Derek sat them both up "Yelena Stilinski, will you please be my girlfriend, again."
Yelena jokingly gave him an exaggerated sigh before a smile broke across her face and she climbed onto his lap "I guess so."
"I hate you." Derek laughed
"You love me."
Derek pursed his lips and traced circles on her thigh "Yeah I do." Yelena raised her eyebrows at him as he held her close "I love you, Len."
"Derek Hale, I love you." She laughed as he began kissing every inch of her face with a smile on his lips.
Derek quickly flipped her onto her back and began kissing her neck, his hands sliding up her top, as she pulled at his t-shirt to indicate for him to take it off, which he happily obliged before pulling hers off. This was their peace, their happiness. If only they knew this was calm before the storm.