Empath

I Still Want To Go

Derek

Amber was trembling in my arms. I could feel her fear and the anger that wasn't hers. I cradled her face in my hands.

"Baby," I made her look at me, "Amber she's gone. You're safe now, sweetheart. Breathe Amber."

Her eyes were flickering between red, black, and her normal beautiful brown. Amber gripped her chest and closed her eyes taking deep breaths. Stiles came back into the room and set a gun on the table. He knelt down beside us and set a hand on my shoulder.

"You need to kiss her." What?

"Stiles, now is really not the time for that," Stiles shook his head, "she's overwhelmed. Kiss her. It will give her a distraction and she'll be forced to hold her breath. It would give her the moment she needed to focus on you. I wouldn't suggest it if I didn't think it would work."

I looked down at Amber and saw that she was hyperventilating. Hopefully Stiles was right and this would work. I leaned down and kissed her. For a moment nothing happened, but then she quickly pulled away from me. Her eyes were closed and tears were slipping down her face. She looked up at me and I was relieved when I saw her eyes were their normal color.

"Are you okay?" She nodded.

"I don't think you should go to school today, Amber. It's not safe. Your mom could stay in holding or your family could bail her out. Besides, your Aunt Kate is still out there. It's just not safe." Amber looked up at Stiles.

She nodded and looked down at the ground.

"You're right, I won't go today, but I have to go back at some point. I can't let them keep me from living. I still have to graduate." Amber stood up and I stood up with her in case she lost her balance.

Her hands were shaking and I reached out to take her hands in mine. She looked up at me and smiled. I could see that see in her face that she was exhausted.

"Come on, Amber. Let's get you back to bed okay?" She nodded and pulled away.

She turned to Stiles and hugged him. Stiles hugged her back. He looked at me and I could see the anger in his eyes.

"I'm going to be okay, Stiles." He rested his head against hers.

He took a deep breath and nodded, "I know you will, Amber, that doesn't mean I can't worry or be angry on your behalf."

I felt a feeling well up in my chest as I watched them. I wasn't jealous because I knew they cared about each other like a brother or sister would. I walked up to both of them.

"We'll get through this and things will be as normal again as they can be. I promise." Amber looked up at me and smiled.

"I know we will, Derek, because I have the family I chose by my side. As long as I have that I know we'll be okay." I smiled at her.

She was right, as long as we had each other we would be okay.

Chris Argent

I walked into the police station and marched straight into Noah's office.

"I demand that my wife be released and I demand my daughter be brought to my house." Noah looked up at me.

"Close the door." I slammed it shut.

Noah came around his desk and poked me in the chest with his finger.

"Your wife is not getting out on bail, Chris. It's been denied because you have the funds for her to leave town and I know the moment she's out she'll pull a goddamn disappearing act or she'll violate the damn protection order I filed for Amber. Your daughter was almost dead when my son decided to tell me the truth about the supernatural. She was electrocuted to the point she almost died! Your sister and your wife tried to kill your daughter simply because she's an empath. So if you think your daughter is leaving the protection of my home you've got another thing coming. If you think I'm going to let your wife out you've lost your mind. If you think I'm not gonna find Kate Argent and charge her with attempted murder you're wrong. Now I suggest you get out of my office and out of my police station before the whole town knows that your wife and sister tried to kill your daughter. Get out, Chris, before I am tempted to arrest you too." I had never seen Noah so angry.

"She's my daughter and she is safe with me. I'm taking her home." Noah slammed down a folder on his desk.

"You look at that folder and tell me she is safe around her mother and your sister! Go ahead, Argent! Look!" I reached down and opened the folder.

My heart sank at what I saw. A black patch of skin where she was electrocuted and tiny burns all along her abdomen. Her hands were covered in blisters. The bags under her eyes stood out against her pale skin. She looked so tired and sad in all of these pictures.

"That is what your wife, her own mother did to her. Someone who should've protected your daughter drugged her and gave her to someone who caused the Hale fire all those years ago. Kate Argent is a murderer and your wife endangered her own daughter by handing her over to a murderer. So think long and hard before you decide if you really want to take Amber home or want your wife back home, because you can't have it both ways. Amber going back to your house wouldn't happen anytime soon because I petitioned the court for temporary custody of her and protection orders against Kate Argent and Victoria Argent. You have to choose between your daughter and the rest of your family. Not to mention you have Allison to worry about, but I can tell you that if you continue down this path she won't come back to you. To be honest with you I don't think she ever will, Chris." Looking down at the pictures of my daughter I understood why he said that.

"I still want to see her," I looked up at Noah, "that's not up to me, Chris. For right now the answer is no, but when I get home tonight I will talk to her about it."

I nodded, "that's all I can ask."

"Chris. If she says she wants nothing to do with you, you will have to respect her decision. She has been through something no child should have to and you will need to follow her lead. It's her choice and if you don't respect her you will lose her forever." I knew he was right.

If I wasn't careful I'd lose my daughter forever.