For Good | Hale- TO/TW [8]

Stella sits on her mother's old bed, her hands curled around the mattress. The day had been a whirlwind of bad news.

First, Hope had been the one to kidnap Hayley and Laura. When Klaus, who has yet to talk to Stella, went to find them, he found a destroyed coffin with blood everywhere next to Laura passed out in wolf form. The Alpha has not woken yet, but the situation does not look good.

Second, Stella's mother has gone insane. Something prompted Lexi Hale to turn into the monster she never claimed to be. And Stella hadn't realized that her mother was gone.

A knock at the door jolts her. She springs up from the bed and spins to look at the door. Derek holds his hands up in surrender. "Just me," he says, closing the door.

Stella runs a hand down her face with a sigh. "I'm sorry I ran out," she says. "I just—"

"I don't want to believe it either," he says. "But she's lost control. Once Laura is awake, I'm going to take her and Aunt Cora to help your mom."

Stella frowns. "What about me? I can help."

A soft smile stretches Derek's lips. He rests his hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. "I want you here, where it's safe." She gives him a look. "Relatively safe. I don't want you to see Mom like that."

Stella shakes her head. "But I can help!"

"Stella." Derek flashes his red eyes: a reminder of the sacrifices and kills he has made for his family. "You are going to stay here with Hope. Try to find Aunt Hayley. I'll bring your mom back, I swear."

Stella sighs, plopping on the bed. "But I don't wanna be here alone."

Derek closes his eyes for a moment, pain flickering in his expression as he kneels before her. "Stella, you're not alone."

"But I am," she says, clenching her jaw. "Sure, Aunt Freya's here. And Hope is here. But you're not. And Mom's gone. And Teddy is half-way across the world right now. And I don't have Carter anymore. And Klaus scares me."

Derek's eyes flicker to the door. "Well, I won't be gone long. And Klaus is an acquired taste."

Stella narrows her eyes. "He's right outside the door, isn't he?"

Derek purses his lips and nods. "He wanted to introduce himself while Hope was out."

As Derek stands, Stella grabs his hand. He looks at her curiously as she bites her bottom lip. "Don't leave yet," she whispers.

The fear in her eyes makes Derek's heart sink. He nods and kisses her forehead before calling out, "Klaus!"

The blond hybrid peaks his head into the room, apprehension written into his features. He takes a step in but pauses by the threshold. Stella stands next to Derek, hiding their hands behind her back.

"Stella, this is your uncle," Derek says.

"Are you Klaus or Nik?" Stella asks, tilting her head to the side. She relies on what she was taught: annoy the stranger until they leave you alone. If they don't, resort to small acts of violence. Avoid murder.

Klaus chuckles. "Klaus is fine. Uncle Nik if you prefer."

"I prefer Klaus," she says coldly.

Klaus bites the inside of his cheek. "I see you have your mother's stubbornness."

"I see you have my mother's anger," Stella snaps back. "Listen here, I'm here until my mom gets back home. I'm here for Hope. I'm here to help find my aunts. I am not here for you. You've had your chance."

Klaus stares at her, blue eyes melding into blue. Derek coughs to avoid his smirk. "I couldn't contact you, Stella," Klaus finally says.

"No?" Stella raises an eyebrow. "Fine, I'll accept that. But you could've contacted Hope. That's on you."

Anger flickers in Klaus' expression. "I see you've also gotten your mother's tendency to piss me off," he mutters under his breath.

"And I've got her magic," Stella smirks. "Don't mess with me."

The two glare at each other as Derek claps his hands. "Stella, you'll stay near Freya."

"Thank you," She smiles up at him.

Klaus' glare drops as he tilts his ear up. "Your sister's awake," he states before running out of the room.

The two Hales are right behind him, appearing in Laura's room only moments after Klaus. The Alpha Hale stands before Klaus, her expression furious. "Where's Hayley?" She demands.

"She was with you," Klaus says, his famous interrogation smirk on his lips. "Why don't you tell me?"

Laura punches him in the face before pushing past him. He groans, holding his cheek. "Laura!" He calls, grabbing her arm.

She takes his hand, tucks it under his body and snaps his neck. He falls to the ground with a thud. Laura cracks her neck but pauses before Stella and Derek. "You're here," she states in surprise.

Stella launches herself at Laura, hugging her waist tightly. The heat from Stella's hands radiates and almost burns Laura's skin under her clothes. She winces but hugs back and ignores the pain. "I'm ok, Stella." She gently pulls back. "I'm fine."

Stella's expression is full of relief. "Well, if you weren't, I would have killed you myself," Stella states, trying to harden her expression like her mother would have.

Laura laughs. "I'm sure you would have." She lifts her eyes from Stella to look at Derek.

Her brother's eyes are filled with sorrow and guilt. While she may have been born before him, he never misses the chance to feel guilty. "Derek, it's not your fault," Laura mutters as she wraps her arms around him.

"But I wasn't here," he whispers into her hair. "We need to go."

"Go?" She pulls back, eyes wide. "Um, no. I need to find Hayley."

"I'll find Aunt Hayley," Stella says. "You find Mom."

Laura's expression falls slack. "Lexi's missing?"

"Lexi's in Beacon Hills," Derek states, his features now cold and hard. "She's unreachable. We're gonna get Cora, and all three of us will bring Lexi back."

Laura stares at him for a long time before she nods. "She better have a damn good explanation for this. We need her."

"I think she needs us more."

Going to Beacon. This'll be fun...

Hope you enjoyed!

-L