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Stiles tossed and turned.
"Having trouble sleeping?" Peter asked softly.
"Yeah," Stiles admitted. "I miss my pillow."
"What's special about it?" Peter asked from the other bed.
For all that Peter and Stiles were in a relationship, they were taking it 'slow.' They had started officially dating just two months before Scott's debacle that sent them on the run. Peter wanted to make sure Stiles was comfortable with the age and financial difference between them. Stiles wanted to time to convince Peter he was sincere in his decision to be with Peter. Although they both wanted to make sure John was comfortable with their relationship, and that they knew what they were doing.
So while there had been some kissing and touching -- Stiles understood his 'wolf needed physical contact and was glad to provide that -- there hadn't been much beyond that.
Hence, sleeping in separate beds.
"It's something my mom made me," Stiles admitted. "It's... it just always seems perfect."
"Mom magic," Peter said. "It's pretty powerful."
"Huh," Stiles huffed. "Never thought of it that way."
"You get your magic from somewhere," Peter said. "I'll bet she put some, well, call them charms, for lack of a better word, on the pillow to help you sleep. You've gotten used to it being there and when you're away from it for more than a couple of nights, you have more difficulty sleeping."
"That's true," Stiles agreed. "I always thought it was a different bed and I'd get used to it after a bit and then sleep better. But it could be the pillow, making me feel safe."
Peter lifted the covers on his bed. "Come over here," he offered. "You can use me as a pillow."
"Really?"
"Always," Peter promised.
Stiles slipped out of his bed and into Peter's. Peter wrapped one arm around Stiles and encouraged him to move close. "Just close your eyes and relax."
Stiles put an arm across Peter's waist and put his head on Peter's shoulder. It wasn't a terribly different position from what they had done when watching movies together.
Peter dropped a soft kiss on the top of Stiles' head. "Sleep."
So Stiles did.
----
"Sheriff? Chris Argent is here to see you," Naima Brody, currently on duty at the front desks, poked her head into John's office.
"Did he say what he wanted?"
"Said it had to do with Stiles," she said.
That made John curious. "Sure, show him back."
After she left, John gave a short whistle to get Derek's attention. He had snickered when Derek had suggested it but resisted the dog joke that he knew Stiles would have made. "Chris Argent is here. Listen in."
Naima brought Argent into the office.
"Come in, have a seat," John invited. "What can I do for you?"
Argent shut the door to the office and settled easily into the chair.
"I got a message on a Hunter... call it a forum," Chris said. "There was an anonymous message about an unknown group recruiting help to take over Beacon Hills, specifically its Nemeton."
John strongly suspected that was Peter, since Derek hadn't said anything about it.
"Interesting," John commented.
"And that the Guardian has been taken out of the territory, to protect them from whomever is looking to take over Beacon Hills," Chris continued.
"Guardian?" John frowned.
"The person who holds the... there isn't a good term, but I'd call it the key to the Nemeton. They protect the Nemeton, it protects them, together they protect the land," Chris explained.
"And you think I know anything about this?" John asked.
"I wouldn't say this to anyone but you, but I know the message had to be from Peter Hale and I strongly suspect the Guardian is Stiles," Chris said flatly.
John sat back in his chair and drummed his fingers on the arm. Deciding he needed help, he called, "Derek. Come in here, please?"
Derek had to have been in the hall just outside, he slipped into the office almost as soon as John was done speaking.
"Join us," John said to Derek. He turned to Argent. "Derek is officially a public safety consultant, awaiting the next law enforcement training session in Redmond."
Argent nodded. "Good plan."
"Derek? Do you know something here that I don't?" John asked.
"It probably was Peter who left the message," Derek replied. "I know he had an eye on some of the forums and because we don't know who's involved, he would leave messages about Beacon Hills being under attack. The main Hunter Clans would then watch each other, not wanting to get caught with their hand in the cookie jar, so to speak."
"Putting everyone on alert," John nodded. "Sounds like something Peter would do."
"None of the reputable Hunter Clans would do anything against a Guardian," Derek went on. "As much as some of them hate the supernatural, they understand the importance of the Nemetons and the Ley lines. Guardians are sacred."
"What makes you think Stiles is this Guardian?" John asked.
"The fact that someone is targeting Beacon Hills, means it's someone local. Between surviving the Nogitsune and the Wild Hunt, he's the best candidate for it," Argent said.
John saw Derek look at him, as if he knew something. "Derek?"
"It would be Pack business," Derek said giving a small waggle of his hand. "It's up to you."
Dammit. "Go ahead."
"When I see Stiles in the Pack bonds, there's an image of a tree behind him," Derek said. "There was always something else with him from the beginning, but it's only been in the last year that it's really crystallized."
"And it was about six months ago that rumors about someone looking for help in 'rescuing' a Nemeton started to appear," Argent added. "The rumor was vague and came from an untraceable source. Anyone I talked to had discounted it as someone looking to cause trouble, since there were no known problematic Nemetons."
John rubbed a hand on his forehead. "What are the chances that Scott and Deaton are not involved in this?"
"Zero." That was from Argent.
"I have to agree," nodded Derek.
"Although it has to be mostly Deaton," Argent added. "Most of what I've heard is too subtle for Scott."
"Although something Scott dragged Stiles into recently has sent Stiles and Peter on the run," John said.
"Are they safe?" Argent asked.
"As far as we know," John admitted. "They're working on staying under the radar. We know they're safe at the moment but we have no idea where they are or where they're going. If they even have a specific destination." As much as he trusted Chris Argent, the fact that John could feel the Pack bonds was none of Argent's business.
"We've had some out of town visitors that don't really seem to have a reason to be in town," Derek put in. "Maybe you can help us identify them?"
Argent nodded. "Be glad to. I'm here to be whatever help I can to you."
"Will Scott talk to you?" John asked. "I doubt he'll talk to any of us, since we're on Stiles' side."
"Maybe I can talk to Mel," Argent said thoughtfully. "If I talk to her, maybe she can get something from Scott."
"Scott's a hairs-breath away from being feral," Derek admitted reluctantly. "We're pretty sure he has no Pack bonds and only the physical presence of his Pack keeps him from being an Omega."
Argent nodded. "I'm not surprised, to be honest," he admitted. "I tried to get Scott to get some help after..." he took a breath "after Allison died. He flatly refused, saying all he needed was his Pack. I know there's no fighting that kind of mindset, so I made one last offer that I would be available if he ever needed help. I've never heard from him."
"Not surprised," John said. "If you learn anything, let us know?"
"Certainly," Argent promised.
John swung around in his chair. He tapped at the computer and brought up the photos Jordan had taken. "Do you know these two?"
Argent swore. "Yeah. They worked for Gerard at one point. They say they're working 'freelance' but that's only because no one will take them on permanently. They're guns for hire."
"We've been keeping a quiet eye on them," John said. "If you see anyone else around town that we should know about, we'd appreciate it."
"Definitely," Argent nodded. "Any uptick in Hunter activity like them means trouble for everyone."
"How can we reach you?" John asked.
Argent dug into a pocket and brought out a business card. He grabbed a pen and scribbled a number on it. He hesitated and then wrote another number. "This one is my cell," he pointed to the top number. "This is a number for Argent International. They'll take a message and then do what they think best. It may not be what you want them to do, but it's an emergency fall-back."
"Be careful of what you wish for," John gave a wry grin.
"More or less," Argent nodded.
----
"That was wonderful!" Stiles yawned. He leaned over and gave Peter a quick kiss. "Do you need the bathroom..."
"Go ahead," Peter waved a hand, immediately missing the warm body that had been next to his.
Over breakfast, Peter handed Stiles yet another new burner phone.
"Did you buy like a case of these?" Stiles asked.
"Never hurts to be prepared," Peter grinned.
"What do you need?" Stiles asked.
"Since we're going to be in Spirit Lake for more than overnight, look for someplace to stay and make a reservation for... a week sound right?"
Stiles nodded. "At least a couple of days. I don't really know what I'm looking for, so having a week will make it easier."
"We can stay longer, if we need to," Peter shrugged. "But a week should sound normal-ish to the locals."
"What do they do there in the middle of nowhere at this time of year?" Stiles wondered.
"You may want to figure that out," Peter said. "It will make our story for being there more plausible."
"Ah! Research! Perfect!" Stiles nodded.
"Done eating?" Peter asked, looking at Stiles' empty plate.
Stiles inhaled the last of his orange juice. "Quick stop in the bathroom and I'm ready."