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Stiles has been going to the old Hale place since it burned down.
At first it was morbid curiosity and doing something he knew freaked out his dad, rebellion after losing his mom, rebellion because his dad worked all the damn time and Stiles just wanted a bit of attention. Since he turned 16 though, he figured his dad was always gonna work as much as possible, their arguments about the old Hale place were as old and worn as their house without Stiles’ mom breathing new life into it and rebellion wasn’t really rebellion if the rules weren’t there to be broken in the first place.
After he got his driver’s license travel became much easier but, of course, the fact that his jeep was instantly recognisable by all meant there really wasn’t anywhere he could go without it somehow getting back to his dad. So spending time at the old Hale house became an escape. The people of their sleepy little town still looked at him like he was the poor boy, just lost his moma, pops is always working... such a shame it is!
It quite frankly, drove Stiles to distraction. So when he wasn’t with Scott, he was at the Hale place.
He’d never actually been there when the Hale’s were alive. He knew who they were, saw them around town, his mom often spoke with Talia Hale if they met in the grocery store or whatever but nothing so familiar as going around for tea early afternoon. He also knew his mom had worked with a couple of the Hale kids, though in what capacity he had no idea.
Over the years, he’d cleared the place up as best he could. He’d read a few how-to manuals and had attempted to make at least the ground floor as safe as possible which, considering it was literally a burned out husk as well as the fact that he was essentially, a kid, was no easy job. He was pretty pleased with himself. He’d only ever seen one ghost at the house, despite the tragedy, but she’d never spoken to him, never even noticed him. He’d watched her walk around the house as if it weren’t currently in shambles, she just was . He knew she’d talk eventually, which was probably the only reason he didn’t jump out of his skin when she finally did.
“It was a beautiful home once,” a voice spoke up and Stiles smiled.
"I never came inside," he commented and heard a low chuckle.
"Your moma did," he heard and turned around to see a woman stood there, her skin covered in black soot, her hair and clothes in disarray...
"You died before the fire reached you," he breathed and she nodded, her expression growing pained.
"I can't find my cubs," she admitted, making him frown.
"Cubs?" He questioned and by that point she just looked lost and scared.
"They weren't here... are they alive?" She focussed on him and he took half a step back.
"Who?" He pressed gently.
"My cubs!" She said, her tone growing heated. "My babies!"
"Your children?" Stiles gasped, eyes widening.
"Where are they?!" She roared and Stiles flinched. When he opened hd mouth to speak however, the woman turned away, arms wrapping around her middle. "Hunters took my family," she murmured just loud enough for Stiles to hear. "Hunters took my pack," she finished before starting to fade from existence right before Stiles' eyes, but not before he registered that her eyes had been red.
That evening when he sat down to dinner with his dad he asked about the Hale fire. His dad stared at him for a long moment before setting his fork down.
"It happened again, didn't it?" Stiles didn't answer directly.
"There were survivors, right? Laura and Derek?" He asked and his dad nodded.
"They left town not long after..."
--
Two weeks later, Stiles returned to the house. It was a risk, Derek was back in town, Laura was dead, Scott was... yeah. The less thought about that the better, but he needed answers.
"Aren't you Claudia's kid?" A female voice asked and a glance towards the porch confirmed his guest was new.
"You should have moved on..." he said and the woman snorted inelegantly. "Spoken to your moma yet?" He asked, climbing the steps and Laura got an uncomfortable look about her. "It's hard, isn't it?" He shook his head and went inside the house.
"She can't focus," Laura huffed, following him. "Keeps asking me to help her find her cubs..."
"Best I can figure, everyone else moved on. I've only ever seen her here." He caught Laura nodding. "So what's your deal? Mother or brother?"
"Bit of A, bit of B," she answered. "Anyone ever tell you never to enter the den of a wolf pack uninvited?" She sounded amused and a second later, he could tell why.
"Who are you?" A new voice growled. Stiles glared at Laura, who smiled innocently before he turned around to face a very alive Derek Hale.
"Hold that thought." he spun back around and frowned at Laura. "Do you remember who...?" She raised an eyebrow and pulled her shirt up to reveal scarred skin - like she'd been cut in half. He winced.
"He's not going to like it," she gestured behind Stiles, who sighed.
"Was it a hunter?" He asked and she frowned while behind him, he felt Derek tensing. "She says a hunter took my family, a hunter took my pack. It doesn't take a mastermind to jump to werewolves..."
"Who are you?!" Derek snarled at him, grabbing him hard and spinning him around, shoving him against the nearest wall.
"Derek Elijah Hale!" A familiar voice snapped harshly but he showed no sign of having heard. "We do NOT treat humans like that!"
"You don't know it, but your mom is glaring at you something shocking for touching a human like this," Stiles said helpfully and Derek froze. "Laura says you're an idiot too."
"I did not!" she protested.
"You probably did," Stiles pointed out and she glared but didn't comment again.
"Put him down!" The woman roared in Derek’s ear and, though Stiles was sure he couldn’t hear her, he stumbled back.
"Mrs Hale?" Stiles prompted gently and the woman turned to him - or almost did. She noticed - actually noticed - Laura, and gasped.
"Moma?" Laura breathed and both women were lost in each other's arms.
"Come on big guy," Stiles said quietly and easily lead Derek back outside. "Long story short, ghosts and me have a relationship. Sometimes not a very pleasant one. Your mother has been stuck since the fire looking for her pack and your sister... she didn't actually call you an idiot but I figured with siblings it was probably a safe bet."
It took a few minutes quiet contemplation before Derek raised his head.