Title: Curiosity Killed The Cat (But the Werewolf Seemed Like More of a Threat)
Category: Smallville/Teen Wolf
Genre: Humor/Romance
Ship: Chloe Sullivan/Derek Hale
Rating: Teen/PG-13
Word Count: 3,050
Summary: Chloe finds out via her cousin Stiles that he knows a real-live werewolf; what kind of purveyor of truth would she be if she didn't check it out? That he happened to be quite handsome was just a huge bonus.

Curiosity Killed The Cat (But the Werewolf Seemed Like More of a Threat)
-1/1-

The warehouse was dingy, dark, and smelled damp; Chloe couldn't help but focus on these facts when she was confronted by the current, and hopefully only, resident after he came barreling out to confront her, apparently having heard or smelled her. With only the eyes and teeth playing 'wolf', not fully transformed, Derek Hale was crouched, taking her in, searching for a reason to her being there, especially since she wasn't currently holding a weapon, although she was packing.

Likely confused, and understandably angry, he growled at her.

"The canines are new, but I've gotta say… I've seen weirder."

He huffed at her, standing with his head cocked, shoulders hunched. He started walking circles around her, glowing red eyes taking her in from head to toe.

Chloe followed him, pivoting on her heels, eyebrow raised. "Listen, I can get out the Kibbles n' Bits, but I was hoping for a more civilized approach."

He sneered at her, snapping his teeth.

"No?" She crossed her arms over her chest. "My cousin said you were in control of your monthly visitor… Well—" She snorted. "Stiles wasn't so generous. He mostly said that you managed not to maim or kill unless you felt like it, so…" She shrugged. "That's about as close to 'control' as a shape-shifter can get, right?"

Very slowly, his stance started to change.

Chloe's mouth twitched. "What? You didn't think I had connections?" She scoffed, walking toward him. "Former investigative reporter, remember? I think I mentioned that was on my resume before you leapt off the bus and went a little… canine." With a sigh, she see-sawed her head side to side. "Admittedly, using family as a source sounds a little less professional than I'd like, but then again, it's not too often I get a tip on a werewolf… And, while I'd usually write it off as a hoax, as much as Stiles is the ultimate in sarcasm he does have his limits, and loyalty comes naturally to him."

Still breathing heavily, his chest heaving somewhat, Derek's eyes returned to a much friendlier shade of green. "You're related to Stiles?" he asked, sounding skeptical.

"My shining wit didn't give me away?" She quirked her head. "Should I get out the family tree to prove our genetic ties or will a blood oath cover the bases?"

His eyes narrowed, lips pursing. "Never mind, I'm starting to see the resemblance."

She grinned. "I'm flattered."

"What are you doing here?" he asked, cutting straight to the point. "Better yet, what are you doing on private property when apparently you knew there were werewolves around…?" He shook his head. "You're lucky I'm the one who found you, because if my pack had, they wouldn't have asked questions."

"Good to see your leadership skills are up to par," she snarked. "And I'd like to remind you that it took some coercion for you to retract the claws too, so don't get so hasty that you forget you're not the easiest sell on the block either."

He snorted, eyes darting away for a moment. When he looked back at her, he was still frowning. "I repeat, what are you doing here?" he said, slowly enunciating the words to show his impatience.

"Pre-Daily Planet days, when the weird and unsolved had to be saved for personal time, I held a certain… fascination with the supernatural… Or, well," She shrugged, "it was fascinated with me and that usually got us both in a ton of trouble." She smiled briefly, but it wasn't happy. "Long story short, I'm a weird magnet, and instead of looking at it as a problem, I started looking at it like a… calling, you could say." She walked toward him slowly, her head turned to the side as she watched him watching her.

His eyes roamed her again, looking for her angle, as if she'd have it pinned to her sleeve for any to read, expose, and use against her.

"In some cases, the weirdoes weren't exactly the warm and cuddly types and, unfortunately, they either ended up in the local insane asylum or…"

"Dead," he said, with fitting finality.

She nodded, her own frown forming. "Like I said: unfortunately…"

"So Stiles told you about shape-shifters and you thought you'd come get a look for yourself?" He rolled his eyes, sighing with exasperation. Holding his arms out, muscles stretching and bunching beneath his wife-beater, he said, "So look your fill and then leave."

Chloe bit her lip to keep from smiling to wide. "He said you were surly."

His jaw ticked. "He said a lot of things, apparently."

"He spilled most of the beans, but, if it's any consolation I'm his favorite cousin and he has a hard time lying to me." She was within arm's reach then and he looked a little more wary. "Consider this… professional curiosity." Her eyebrows hiked. "I'm not asking for a full diagnostic or for you to do tricks while I shake a bag of treats, I'm asking for a little q-and-a… Tiny, in the grand scheme."

"Tiny?" His eyebrows flashed. "You think I have the time to play guinea pig to your Nancy Drew investigations?"

"I think you can make time, if you feel like it." She reached for her bag, heavy against her hip. "Like I said, short, easy questions. I'm not writing a book, just looking for the general gist of what a shape-shifter is, does, and maybe a little of your personal history."

"And I should share this with you because…?" He shook his head, mouth folded up in a mock-frown of confusion.

"I asked politely." She grinned, arching her eyebrows and staring up at him. "You're not doing anything right this second, right? So far, it's all quiet on the western front?"

"If anything, peace just means they're planning," he muttered, clenching his teeth.

"Well, if the alarm goes up, I won't get in your way. You go chase cars or beat up bad guys, and I'll hang around and wait for you to get back."

He sighed, long and hard. "You know most people are a little more worried about me ripping their jugular out… with my teeth."

Slowly, her lips curled, and she walked a few more steps toward him. "My, what large teeth you have…"

He took a step toward her until they were nearly chest to chest, and stared down into her face. With a growl tingeing his voice, he replied, "The better to bite you with, my dear." His hands twitched as her scent enveloped him, from her body wash to her faint perfume, of which he could pin-point down to the exact places she'd dabbed. He could hear her heart beat rise and skip, but not with fear, no… Attraction, maybe. But was it to the mystery of what he was or to him, regardless of pedigree? He searched her gaze, which met his with stubborn amusement, and couldn't be sure if he was attracted or irritated with her.

"Wow, sexual tension. I was not expecting this," a voice interrupted.

They both turned abruptly to see Stiles and Scott staring at them. Scott, at least, had the decency to cough awkwardly and look away, rubbing the back of his neck and pretending to be very interested in a far wall.

Stiles, on the other hand, was shaking his head and looking between them. He waved a hand, his eyebrows hiked. "Hi, yeah, no, that is not happening. Nu-uh." He started toward them, waving his hands negatively. "This is my favorite cousin." He hugged his arm around Chloe's shoulders and pointed at her as he stared up at Derek, his eyes wide. "She's sacred. I think you've sunk your teeth into enough people in my life, this one you can leave alone."

Derek's lip curled, a hint of fang showing, and his eyes narrowed on Stiles.

Chloe looked to her cousin, amused when he went stock still. "It's cute, that you're trying to protect me, but let's not forget that you're the whistleblower who brought me in."

"Yeah, because you have as much fascination with the weird as me!" He shook his head, staring at her seriously. "I was hoping you could help us get 'broody and tight-lipped' to give up a few state secrets…" He waved a hand at Derek. "He shares some days, clams up on others; who better to crack that code than you?"

"Well, I'm flattered by the vote of confidence," she returned, "but I didn't come here to read his diary. I came here to sate my own curiosity." She shrugged. "If that happens to help out you and Sideburns, then cool."

Scott sighed, rolling his eyes, and then reached up to scrub his fingers over his sideburns self-consciously.

"I'm just saying they stand out… in a really distracting way," Chloe offered.

He rolled his eyes. "Comforting," he muttered.

"Okay, freaky sideburns aside," Stiles said dismissively, "Can we focus on how you came down to play reporter with Derek, not eye-sex him out of his broody years?"

Chloe looked from him to Derek, who was glaring darkly at the teen, and finally back to her now gulping cousin. "I appreciate the sentiment, but I'll eye-sex whoever I want," she said decisively. "Besides, it's still school hours, shouldn't you and Scott be learning?"

"Technically…" Stiles' eyes narrowed, "we're learning, it's just more of a… self-taught situation…"

"Uh-huh." She nodded. "Unless you two have some stimulating, need-to-know information to share with the class, you need to head back to school and try and focus on things kids your age should be focusing on."

"Stiles was panicking at school… He figured you'd go and see Derek without us, even though we specifically asked you not to," Scott piped up again, walking over to join them, frowning at her, eyebrow raised.

"And the air filled with the smell of over-inflated male ego," Chloe muttered, rolling her eyes. "Look, I came here of my own volition and I don't need anybody to play bodyguard for me." She waved her hands around. "As you can see, we were playing nice."

"And if you weren't?" Scott wondered. "What were you going to do with an angry alpha werewolf on your hands?"

"Scratch him behind his ear until he learned his manners?" she quipped.

He stared back at her dully.

"This is treading dangerously into 'explain yourself, young lady' territory…" Her eyes narrowed in warning. "Might I remind you, again, that I'm a grown woman?" She shook her head slowly. "And what if's aren't going to get us anywhere. So…" She turned back to Derek. "I still want that conversation. Are you up for it, or do you have any other empty complaints?"

He stared at her a long moment and then turned a look between Stiles and Scott. Slowly, a smile spread across his mouth and he turned it on her.

Chloe shook her head. "Come on, Twilight, we'll set up shop and you can answer a few questions…" She started walking away toward a table set up with a toppled set of cards and an old stereo.

Derek watched her go a moment, enticed by the sway of her hips, and the way the light hit her blonde hair. She tossed a cheeky grin over her shoulder. He swallowed tightly before turning his eyes back to a protective Stiles and an exasperated Scott.

"Weren't you two told to get back to school?" he asked.

Stiles glared at him. "If you hurt one hair on her head…"

He raised an eyebrow. "You were the one who told her about me, about us," he said, motioning to Scott. "In fact, she said you told her I was in control… So why not trust that and go— away—"

Stiles frowned uncertainly, his feet shuffling.

"Come on," Scott said, staring at his best friend earnestly. "You said yourself that Chloe was one of the smartest people you know…"

"Yeah, well, not so much when it comes to men," he muttered, but gave his cousin one last look before starting toward the door. "Don't come crying to me when you get mange," he shouted to her.

She sent him an O-K sign with her hand.

Rolling his eyes, Derek made his way toward the waiting blonde, watching as she set up her pad of paper and held a poised pen in her hand. She offered him a friendly smile and nodded toward the seat across from her. "Sit," she said, mouth quirking.

"Fine, but roll over and shake-a-paw are out," he said, dragging out a chair.

She raised an eyebrow, smirking as she said, "Playing dead is a popular one I bet... I'm more interested in whether 'beg' is still on the table."

His jaw ticked as his teeth ground together, a churning of desire twisting his stomach up tight. He rested his forearms on the cold, metal table, foot tapping underneath. "You so sure it's smart to tempt a wolf?" he wondered, tipping his head questioningly.

"I think you've gotten too used to people being afraid of you, and probably for good reason." Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "But being feared isn't respect or loyalty, and it's definitely not friendship or companionship."

"Who said I wanted either," he said, his voice low and dark.

"You don't make a pack because you're bored… You make it for security, sure. Power, of course…" She nodded. "But the real reason is for the family… Now, admittedly, maybe it's a dysfunctional family made out of misfit toys, but it's yours. And there's a little pride to be taken from that."

He licked his lips and looked away. "I needed a pack because it makes me stronger. And if I'm stronger, then my enemies have less chance of killing me," he told her, his tone scathing.

"Not dying's a bonus," she agreed. "But when the enemy packs up for the night and heads on home to their cozy beds, with their family to keep them company, I'm betting you're hoping for something of a similar variety… Only that's the problem with finding good help these days…"

He looked back at her. "How much did Stiles tell you?"

Her mouth turned up on one side. "Enough to get me here… Seeking out the big bad wolf against all common sense."

"Given the family you come from, I wonder if you even have any…" he snarked.

She snorted. "Not the first time I've been accused of leaving that out of my general make-up," she agreed.

He scoffed under his breath and looked away once more. It was a few seconds before he said, "If you knew Scott was a werewolf and you wanted to know more about it, why not ask him?"

"He gave me as much as he knew, but I think we both know you know more than what he's been told…"

He turned slitted eyes on her. "And what's it matter to you if I do? No newspaper would pick up the story." He snorted and amended, "Not a credible one, anyway."

"Personal curiosity… I'm not going to circulate anything you tell me; I just want to feel it out myself…" Chloe shrugged. "What can I say? I like to know what's out there in the world. Let's me sleep better at night."

His eyes dropped to the tabletop. "There are some things that would keep you up at night…" He looked at her. "Living nightmares."

"Why not let me be the judge of that?" She tipped her head. "So what do you say, Derek? Are you willing to talk history with me?"

He leaned forward, gaze washing over her face. "You haven't lied to me… Not once since you got here," he said.

She blinked. "Was I supposed to?"

"It's more common than you think."

She smiled. "I lie if I have to, if it means protecting myself or others… But I figured you for the direct approach."

"You figured right." He sat back once more and gave her a nod. "All right… Ask away."

She dropped her pen to paper. "Just to get it out of the way ahead of time… thanks."

He nodded before saying, "Thank me after we have dinner together." He smiled briefly at her surprised face. "Unless shape-shifters aren't on your menu."

Slowly, her expression morphed into attraction mixed with amusement. She gave him an appraising once over and then cocked an eyebrow. "It would depend on the shape-shifter."

Derek grinned, eyes flashing red. "I can be convincing when I have to."

She smirked. "I look forward to seeing that in action." She tapped her pen against her paper-pad. "Let's see how the q-and-a goes and we'll take things from there."

He held his hands, palms up. "I'm an open book."

She snorted. "We'll see about that." She leaned forward. "FYI… I might not have the tricky werewolf senses to see if you were lying, but…" Her head tipped to the side, blonde hair spilling over her shoulder. "Let's not kid a kidder; I'll know it if I see it."

He pursed his lips to keep from smiling. "Rizzo's," he told her.

Her brows furrowed.

"It's an Italian restaurant… Old school charm, genuine menu, low-key… I think you'll like it."

"Is confidence a side-effect of lycanthropy?" she wondered, amused.

He shrugged. "In some." Shaking his head, he said, "For others, it's natural."

She laughed. "Interesting." She split a line down the center of her page and then pointed at it. "So I can keep track of regular wolf traits and those specific Derek-only ones." She winked at him. "In case I need to check my notes later at dinner."

He grinned.

She probably wasn't diminishing his overconfidence any, but she couldn't say she cared much.

Dinner with a handsome and fascinating man? She was willing to suspend belief a little while and see where it led.

She firmly shut down any and all thoughts of the flea collar jokes Lois would make should she find out. And she would, of course, because she always did.

Until then, Chloe decided to spend her time focused solely on Derek Hale and what, exactly, made him and his kind tick. She imagined it was going to be quite the information overload and she couldn't wait to unravel the mystery. And maybe later, after dinner, she'd be unraveling Derek in a completely different way.

One could only hope.

[End.]

Author's Note: I'm up to episode 5 of season 2 right now, so please ignore any inconsistencies with the series or time line. This was more or less a writing experiment to see how I could handle writing Derek's character. I have a longer story in mind, unrelated to this one, but I wanted to see how/if I could write them, as well as if there's any interest... Lemme know what you think!