Not So Sweet Home

Chapter 4- The Conversation

                                                 Chapter 4- The Conversation

The BAU pulled into the parking lot of the small Sheriff's Department. The six team members climbed out of their vehicles and started to make their way to the doors. Stiles sped up his pace, and stopped in front of everyone else. The rest of the team slowed to a stop.

"Let me do the introductions," he blurted out.

"Uh..." Hotch started. "I usually do that as section chief."
"I know. Trust me, just this once let me do it."

"Okay." Hotch agreed.

Stiles turned on his heels and the team followed behind him. He opened the door and walked into the familiar old building.

"Stiles, I didn't know you were back in town," greeted Deputy Parrish.

"Yeah. Is the Sheriff in?" he asked.

There was a quick flash of confusion on Parrish's face, that Stiles hoped the rest of the team didn't notice, then he responded, "Yeah, in his office, I think you can get there well enough, right?"

"Yeah. I'm good. Just follow me," he told his teammates.

The followed Stiles into the main bullpen of the department, and then towards the office with multiple large windows. Stiles rapped his knuckles on the open door, before stepping in.

"Sheriff, I'd like to introduce to you the BAU. Our section chief SSA Aaron Hotchner."

Hotch lifted his hand in acknowledgement.

"SSA Derek Morgan, Jennifer Jareau-JJ-, Emily Prentiss, David Rossi, and our genius Dr. Spencer Reid," Stiles continued, pointing out each team member. "And back at Quantico our technical analyst Penelope Garcia."

"Nice to meet you Sheriff," Hotch said, sticking his hand out for the Sheriff to shake.

"Everyone," Stiles added after the two shook hands, "Meet Sheriff Stilinski... My Dad."

"Your dad?" Morgan questioned.

JJ also seemed surprised, but everyone else's faces were neutral.

"Are you surprised?" Spencer asked Morgan. "Just read the name tag, and considering how much he insisted doing the introductions, not to include that deputy's reaction when he called him Sheriff."

"I was focused on other things, Smarty Pants."

"Do you mind if we have a moment to talk before you get into the case?"

"Go ahead," Hotch answered.

"Thank you," Stiles replied.

The team left the office. Stiles came behind them and shut the door. He then moved to the windows shutting all the blinds. They're profilers, he didn't need them reading into his conversation with his father, especially not with what they had to talk about.

The first thing Stiles did once the blinds were shut was hug his father. His dad hugged back, squeezing his son tight.

"Are you okay?" his dad asked.

"Not really, but I'll be fine."

"What is it?" he asked, pulling away from his son. "Nightmares?"

"Yeah," the younger man answered hesitantly. "They know something is up. I freaked out on the plane, because I accidentally fell asleep. I told them it's related to something from my past, but I didn't say what. I've never told them anything actually."

"Why?"

"Because they don't need to be roped into this mess, into my mess of a life."

"Stiles, you can't keep everything to yourself."

"Why did you call us in anyway?" Stiles asked, his voice rising in volume.

"Because I knew you wouldn't come, and we needed you here."

"Who needs me here?!"

"Scott, Lydia, Malia. ME!"

                                                                   ***

Stiles had shut the blinds and door, but outside where the team was waiting, they could still hear snippets of Stiles' conversation with his Dad, when their voices rose.

"I need you too, but I have a job," they could hear Stiles say.

It got quotes again for a bit, but their voices rose slightly to the point where a word or two out of each sentence could be heard through the door.

"Nogitsune...How?" Stiles asked.

"Don't... know."

"It... case."

"Probably."

"How... them out of this?"

He was clearly talking about them.

"What is he trying to keep us out of?" Spencer asked.

"I don't know," Morgan answered, "but we are going to figure it out."

The door to the office opened, and the team stood up to greet Stiles and the Sheriff.

"I need to see Scott, do you know where he is at?" Stiles asked his dad.

"The loft, they're all there."

"Thanks. Love you," Stiles replied before heading out of the department.

"We can talk about the case in here," Sheriff Stilinski said, gesturing to his office.

The team followed back into the office. Stilinski shut the door behind them, before returning to his desk.

"Beacon Hills has one of the highest crime rates in the country," Spencer began. Morgan shot him a look, but he continued, "Along with that, it has one of the highest unsolved crime rates. No offense to your capabilities sir."

"It's fine. I am very aware," Stilinski responded. "It may be a small town, but a lot of people come through, and every now and then they don't have the best intentions."

"Who found the bodies?" Hotch asked.

"Um... a local girl. Lydia Martin."

"Both?"

"Yeah," Stilinski replied

"Do you have somewhere we can set up?" Hotch added.

"Yeah," Stilinski answered. He stood up from his desk and directed the BAU to another smaller office space in the department.

"Thank you," Hotch announced. "We'll just get set up. We'll come to you if we find anything."

"Just let me know if you need anything else. Coffee?"

"Yes please," Spencer cut in.

Stilinski left the room to go and retrieve coffee for the young agent.

"Lydia," Spencer said when the Sheriff was out of earshot.

"What?" Emily asked.

"Stiles knows Lydia."

"Yeah, it's a small town," JJ responded.

"No, 'and we need you here', 'who needs me here', 'Scott, Lydia, Malia. ME'," Spencer repeated the conversion they had overheard earlier. "He knows her personally."