Prelude

Chapter 18: A List Of Names Is Suspicious No Matter Who Owns It

Guinevere was yelling, sounding more like her mom than she would have liked. 

"There's men flying in through the windows, by the way if you don't pay for that, you're an asshole," she pointed at Ethan, eyes wide as she yelled, "and then you're bleeding and you're not bleeding and there's glowing fucking eyes and fangs and I know now isn't the right time to say it but they're actually kind of hot and tell me what's happening!" She huffed, finishing her screaming as she looked at the kitchen full of her friends in various states of injured and perfectly fine. Scott was looking at her as everyone else looked at each other and then took a step back, putting their hands behind their backs as they looked at the ceiling or one of the walls, leaving Scott standing front and center. Guinevere would have laughed if the situation wasn't so tension fused. 

"Okay, why don't you sit down?" He started. 

"That's a bad call, buddy." She told him, holding a hand up and taking a step back as he moved forward to pull out a chair for her. "I'm not sitting down right now. Tell me what's happening. And someone clean up the glass! It's making me nervous!" Peter grabbed a broom and Erica grabbed the trash can as everyone started picking up the bigger shards of glass. 

"Alright, alright." Scott said, clearly trying to keep her calm but only using one method that she assumed he thought worked for everyone. "Uh, well, most of our group is compiled of werewolves and other supernatural creatures. Really it's just werewolves, a werecoyote, a hell hound, a banshee-"

"And a Stiles." Stiles said as he walked into the house. "I'm completely human." He told her, tossing clothes to Ethan and Jackson. 

"Dining room." Lydia pointed them into the other room when they started pulling their clothes off in the kitchen. 

"Human I can work with. Give me some information on the others and give me names and we'll get somewhere." She said, looking at Stiles before flicking her gaze to Scott. 

"Why don't we clean everything up first and then we can all sit down and have a proper conversation?" Stiles suggested. "I can make breakfast, Ethan and Jackson who have some serious explaining to do," he called into the other room, "can catch us up on their business, we can all talk about it, okay?" He asked, looking at Guinevere like she was the one in charge and that put her at ease. Before she answered, her phone started ringing from where it had been abandoned on the counter. She blinked and looked at  the screen as she pulled it off of the counter, swiping to answer. 

"Hey dad." Her voice sounded perfectly normal, incredibly steady and didn't give anything away. The entire kitchen froze, waiting to see what she would do. "No, I'm not with anybody. He just heard Lydia and I decided to play with him because he says you guys are all being downers...Yeah, I know. He just got shot. But seriously, his life isn't over. Buy some cake and balloons and get over it." Stiles shifted his weight carefully, aware of the kitchen glancing at him. "Tell Dallas he's a dick for me...Love you too." She told him before she hung up. "As much as I don't like breakfast, Ethan and Jackson need to eat and I don't give a shit if they're werewolves or not, he was unconscious and water logged." She said, pointing towards Ethan in the other room. 

"Okay." Stiles agreed. "Lydia, you probably don't have enough for all of us so I'll go shopping."

"Derek's going with you." Scott said. "Buddy system until we hear Jackson and Ethan's explanation." Everyone nodded and Erica gave a small smile when Boyd linked their pinkies together. 

"I want to go with you too." Guinevere said. 

"Alright. Why don't you go get dressed while I make a shopping list?" Stiles suggested, already pulling out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and a pen. Guinevere carefully maneuvered around the remaining glass as the kitchen became a flurry of talking and moving bodies. She went up to the guest room and didn't give herself time to dwell on what was currently happening, pulling on a t-shirt and some skinny jeans that she cuffed before tugging on her Converse. She slid her phone into her pocket and then headed back down stairs. Liam, Isaac and Malia were walking into the house when she stepped off the stairs and Stiles caught sight of her. "You ready to go?" He asked, taking the paper and pen back from Lydia as she handed it to him in passing. 

"Yeah." She nodded. 

"Great. Derek," he called, looking around the kitchen for the man. 

"He's with Peter, I'll send him out to you in a minute." Someone called.

"Thank you!" Stiles replied, walking towards Guinevere. "Let's wait outside." She nodded and followed him outside to his blue Jeep. There was a police cruiser pulling into the driveway and Stiles waved at the deputy climbing out. 

"Hey Parrish. We're doing breakfast, the others will explain, what do you want?" Stiles asked.

"Cantaloupe and watermelon." 

"Got it." Stiles nodded at him as he added the fruit to the list. "Okay, I have everyone except for you. What do you want for breakfast?" Stiles turned to look at Guinevere.

"I don't eat in the mornings."

"Not even your usual fruit that you have for lunch?" 

"I can maybe eat half of what I usually have." 

"We'll get some fruit." Stiles said, writing it on the list. "We're stopping for coffee too, will you drink that?" He asked, not sounding mean or judgmental, just curious.

"I'll never say no to coffee." She answered, making Stiles smile. 

"Me neither but I'm not allowed to have any until after my dad has his and never after 8p.m." 

"You're like a Gremlin." Guinevere said without thinking, talking to herself mostly. 

"Bingo." Stiles answered, making her look up at him. "Ready?" He called to the big man Guinevere hadn't known who was now walking towards them. 

"That's why I'm walking towards your piece of crap Jeep, aren't I?" The man said as he got closer, earning a glare from Stiles. 

"It's not a piece of crap, Derek. It's got character." 

"It's a death trap, Stiles." 

"Yeah, well, as soon as being part of a pack starts paying, I'll get her fixed. Until then, sit your little werewolf ass down and stop complaining." Stiles retorted as he pulled the seat up so Guinevere could climb into the back. She smiled despite herself and climbed into the backseat as Derek climbed into the front. He was annoyed by Stiles but it all seemed natural for them to settle into their bickering like it was an itchy yet soft sweater. They were familiar with each other.