keeper (d. Hale)

thorns in her side.

"Do we at least have some sort of plan?" Peter asked as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I would like to know the same thing," Noah sighed.

The sheriff leaned against his desk while Scott and Stiles sat across from him in the chairs he kept adjacent from his desk. Of course he was elated that his son was a live and well himself but how he couldn't help but feel the pull of worry as he was told about Delilah.

"And, just so I understand the Lydia Martin is gone as well?"

"Yes," Scott sighed. He looked to Stiles who had his head leaning into his hands. He never looked and felt more awful.

"It's all my fault," he groaned mournfully.

"How?" Noah asked as he picked up the ringing phone on his desk and quietly mumbled into the receiver. It was a short conversation.

"If I hadn't of let him in..."

Peter whacked him across the back of the head. Although it was gentle, Noah still instinctively reached for the gun on his hip. The other man made him weary, even if Delilah reassured him that he was harmless. He guessed murderous rampages and rising from the dead usually did that to a person.

"That was from both Derek and Delilah, who would be appalled by your woe is me attitude." Peter growled. "Now smarten up and use that brain of yours."

Stiles stared at Peter with something akin to shock behind his sunken eyes.

"Why are you even here?" Scott grumbled as he glared at Peter.

"Because your mother put me on babysitting duty. And let me tell you if that woman says jump, your only response should be how high."

Scott scoffed, not at all liking the idea of his mother telling Peter anything.

A knock sounded at the office door, drawing the attention of the occupants.

"Uhmm, Sheriff?" Parrish called out. "As you requested, we've got an APB out on Martin girl's car, but results are looking a little slim at this hour. And I should probably let you know that a couple of hikers heard shots fired in the preserve."

"God Damn it!" Noah said as his fist collided with his desk.

Peter winced as he saw the fold his fingers and was fully aware that the sheriff's hand was now probably bruised.

Parrish looked barely phased by the display as he lifted a clip board to his face to read.

"Not to worry Sheriff, we've got everyone in this county and the next out looking. I just need to know who you want to send to check out the preserve..."

"Hold off on sending anyone," Noah instructed with a raised finger. "I need to make another call first."

Parrish looked a bit concerned but nodded none the less and gave everyone else in the room a quick cursory glance. He looked at Peter with a tilt of his head before offering a smile.

"Sure thing, Sheriff. I'll keep you posted."

Parrish closed the door softly and Noah quickly picked up the phone from his desk.

"Who are you calling?" Scott asked.

Noah held up a finger as the rung for a second time before picking up.

"Hey, it's Stilinski... are your 'friends' still in town?... I thought they were leaving?... Well that was my understanding..." Noah paused before rubbing aggressively at the back of his neck. "Yeah, well I'm not going to send my deputies into that if they're just going to be shot down... Good, please deal with it."