"I have no idea what did this."

"Of course you don't. Your kind do not come into close contact with these creatures very often."

"So you know what did this?"

Violeta stared at the deep scars that ran down the body of the hunter currently placed on the silver table before her. When Dr. Alan Deaton had knocked on her door early this morning, Tomei had opened it and Violeta had sighed when she saw the druid standing there. It was happening. The very fact that he had come straight to her and not her grandma emphasised the shift that was occurring.

Tomei was about to ask, as a normal concerned guardian would, but then she saw the sternness set in Violeta and it suddenly clicked what this was about. Tomei wasn't really that all involved with the supernatural but being Violeta Rodriguez' guardian made her need to know who was what.

For example; Alan Deaton = druid emissary.

So Tomei didn't ask and just said she would leave the two to speak. At this, Deaton had said that he actually had something to show Violeta and that it couldn't wait. The fact that the druid had come to her, straight to her, made Violeta nod and follow the druid to his animal clinic to which she found the body presented to her.

"How is Scott?" She asked, knowing Deaton had quietly taken the responsibility of the young teen wolf.

"He is fine. Derek hurt him so the cut may take a little longer to heal but it will heal." He answered. Then he waited for her answer.

"I know you wish for me to divulge my knowledge but I can't do that. Not just yet." Violeta said, not facing him as she crouched down to get a closer look to one particular cut. "All I can say is that I have not run into the creature myself."

"I know." Deaton said. She didn't stand up, only flicking her eyes to meet his gaze with a raised eyebrow. He laughed. "If you had it would be dead."

"My opinion... murder ain't a good first option."

"Some would disagree." Deaton said. "For example, the Argents."

Violeta rolled her eyes. "I will ignore that comment at the expense of your ignorance of just what we have faced. I won't remind you who you're speaking to and the offence you could impose by saying that a mere human would pose a difficulty for me."

"And yet, they're your greatest weakness." Deaton said. At this, Violeta stood up and walked around the table to square up to him. Deaton wasn't a very tall man and she was glad to be at eye-level at him. Not that being shorter would've made her any less intimidating.

"Just what is it you are insinuating?"

"I met a traveller once." Deaton said. "He had come from an antique land where he had come across an even more antique scripture. It spoke of how there must always be balance. Even with your kind."

"And you believe foreign rumours?"

"I believe what is in front of me." Deaton spoke. "And I see Abuela Maria's health declining more and more since the death of your grandpa."

Violeta brought both her hands up and slammed each one on either side of Deaton's head. The druid became stoic and his eyes rolled up. At this, she flicked her wrist and he fell limp on the ground.

Violeta didn't realise she was shaking until her phone started vibrating and she couldn't unzip her pocket to get it out. By the time she could calm herself down enough to open it up, the call had cut out. She looked at the caller ID and felt her stomach drop even more.

Missed call from 'batman.'

Then, before she could even process, she got a text from him.

hey. can you pls meet me at carlos's shop?

She messaged back a 'yeah, sure' and ran a hand through her hair, knowing the mechanic wasn't in because he was with Luis at the hospital. Knowing just how much the teenager relied on his Jeep, she called Carlos and pulled in a quick favour and he acquiesced to open it up and meet her there.

In the mean time, she thought about everything Deaton had found and explained with his medical knowledge. He had told her about the punctured lungs and ribcages that were cut through with ease. He had shown her the precise cut at the back of the neck. It was as much evidence as anyone could ask for.

But one can never be sure until their eyes confirm.

Now, the veterinarian was groaning, waking up. She knew that he would wake up and forget about that part that had transpired since that's what she had intended. He'd only remember what she wanted him to. Still, Violeta was quick to leave the animal clinic and make her way to the shop. On her walk there, she thought about it.

About it all.

One can never be sure until their eyes confirm.

That was a rule that her grandmother had told her. That was one amongst the many she had taught her. Another was that the first and foremost priority was to protect, then to heal if we failed. And it was always our failure if someone was hurt because keeping order and balance was our duty. We prevent the witches from abusing the powers we gave them. We stop the vampires from killing too much and keep them in check. We help the werewolves through their changes and help them find and live in their packs. We maintain order and to do so requires rank and power over others.

However, there must be balance. There must always be balance. So the oldest, highest, strongest, most knowledgeable of all the species must be tethered to the youngest, weakest, most ignorant of all the species: humans. It was something that had been decided long ago by the Wise Ones who had decreed it and prepared each soul to follow their command.

She arrived at Carlos' shop to see the young boy pacing back and forth. Evident from the frantic hand gestures and the way his mouth was moving and that there was no one around him, he was talking to himself. Hoping to spare him embarrassment, she pulled out her phone and pretended to be busy with it as she dragged her feet so that he would hear her coming and right himself.

From her peripheral vision, she saw him do just that. She smiled down at her phone, looking at nothing but her lock screen picture of Tupac Shakur.

"Vio! Hey! Thanks for—"

"— the FUCK did you just call her?!"

Stiles paled as Carlos walked up, cleaning a wrench on the dirty towel thrown over his shoulder. "I, uh, I was just-uh, she- her- I, uh—" Violeta sighed and shook her head but Carlos was not having it.

"No! Esé here has no right. No one does. Even abuela stopped calling you that!"

Stiles, bless his heart, tried but only made it worse when he stammered out a "I, uh don't get it like, is it like, uh, Voldemort or something?"

Carlos swiftly reached behind him and pulled out a gun and aimed it square at Stiles' face. Acting on pure instinct, Violeta darted in front of the boy and wrapped her hands behind, around him. She spat out some quick, harsh Spanish that Stiles could not understand. He saw the shock that ran through the older, muscular man who immediately lowered the gun. He replied in a simple sentence that Stiles' Spanish skills was able to translate.

Your parents called you that.

Stiles thought back to Boyd who he knew lived around these parts. He knew a lot about Violeta and the Latin gangs that ran around in night. If calling Violeta 'Vio' was taboo, Boyd would know. Hence why the teen had said that he, Stiles, couldn't call her that. But Violeta had shook her head, had dismissed it. Just as she had tried to do with Carlos before he pulled out a gun on him.

Violeta said something else and Stiles knew she was purposely trying to throw him off understanding her Spanish. Carlos looked over her shoulder to where he was, frozen in shock and heart beating fast. He sighed and nodded. Violeta stood forward and took the gun he handed her. As she expertly dismembered the gun, emptying the bullets out and taking it a part, Stiles heard an accented voice address him.

"What's wrong with you car?" He looked up and closed his mouth, realising it had fallen open at seeing how well Violeta took it apart. He would be lying if he said it wasn't even a little hot.

Okay it was really hot.

Stiles looked at Violeta who had placed all the parts onto the table and then unzipped her jacket and Stiles found his cheeks going red at the tight black t-shirt he wasn't expecting.

"Ay, Stilinski!"

Stiles snapped back at the infamous Carlos and explained what was wrong. When the mechanic nodded and asked for the keys, Stiles fumbled to get it out and threw it to him. Carlos caught it one-handed, not even looking at him as he walked forward to the blue Jeep.

Stiles glanced back at Violeta to see her walking back, hands in her hair as she worked the long curls into a bun. He stared at her, so many questions flashing in his mind. So many things he wanted to tell her — to ask her. About how she knew about guns, about why she let him use that nickname, about Bernie Mac, about everything he had found out during the all-nighter he had pulled, studying up on her and her family line of Rodriguez women.

Carlos had brought the jeep around and did a perfect reverse park. He came out as Violeta had opened up the front and began inspecting the engine. Carlos called out to Violeta in Spanish and she replied, not even looking up. The man then ran a hand against the door then turned to Stiles.

"I'm getting a nice red paint coming in soon. I can do it up for you." Carlos said.

"Oh, I'm uh, it's f-fine." Stiles rushed out. Carlos gave a tight-lipped smile and then walked past Stiles.

He patted him on the shoulder and said, "Think about it."

"I, uh-"

"In the meantime, I'm gonna leave you to our Letty's very capable hands here." He said. Then Carlos waved at Violeta who saluted him as he left the shop, pulling a shirt off a stray chair as he left.

"Isn't he, uh going to work on it?' Stiles asked. "Not that I don't trust you! I just, uh, thought he was, like, in charge and all."

"Carlos' son is Luis, the boy who got shot." Violeta suddenly said, turning around to face Stiles. She dusted her hands and leaned against his Jeep, a sad look on her face. "I apologise for how he acted. He's stressed and only opened up the shop because I asked."

"You, uh what?" He asked, once again taken aback in surprise by something she did for him.

"I know you need your Jeep and since it would cause people to talk if I came over to your place and worked on it in your driveway, I figured the actual shop would work better."

"Why would it, uh, cause people to talk?" Stiles asked. As he did, he saw Violeta stop and stare at him. He thought about it and realised that Carlos had called him by his last name. Stilinski. As in Sheriff Stilinski. "Right." He said, understanding what her look had meant.

Violeta moved and pulled out a chair, the same one that Carlos had collected his shirt from, and brought it closer to the Jeep. She gestured and Stiles realised it was for him to sit. She then brought a tool box and began working. And talking.

"Before he died, Bernie Mac said 'have fun, be yourself, make mistakes,'" She began, "three simple things that a lot of people struggle with. His comedy and acting and everything else aside, I admired him for saying that, for reminding me."

She was quiet after that but she left a clear follow-up question for him. Hesitant so as to not stuff up such an opportunity, he asked, "Reminding you what?"

"My parents had died and I didn't cope the best. I was depressed but I wanted to be depressed. I acted out and hurt the people who only wanted to help me. Whenever there was anything happy or joyful in my life, I would automatically turn it down or try to ruin it. Back then, I had lost faith in every being happy again, and that every moment of joy I would experience was cheating. I didn't deserve to feel joy. I wasn't worthy of it. So I surrounded myself in a depressed bubble." She stopped and held out a hand, "Could you get me a towel please?"

He was quick to get her one, hoping she would continue on where she left. Hoping she would continue to open up.

She didn't thank him, only taking the towel and throwing it over her shoulder. She then leaned forward, checked something and then moved back to pick up a wrench.

"Then I was in a supermarket. I was there intending to steal some eggs. Not because I was poor or because my aunt had asked for them. I had wanted to steal something for the sake of stealing and eggs seemed a challenge and I wanted to see how far I could go. But along with the thrill of theft, I wanted to see what would happen if I got caught. But I never stole those eggs. Instead, I saw a man yelling at his wife. He was yelling and I saw the fear in her eyes as clear as I saw the bruise under her left eye. From there, I followed them, took some photos did a little investigating. I didn't know why I cared so much but I did. I gathered enough 'evidence', if you'd call it that and then one Friday night, when I know he'd come home drunk and angry from losing more money in a poker game, I called your dad.

"I had gotten his number from swiping his credentials one time I was being booked. I don't know why I did it." She stopped and Stiles wondered if she was crying. Instead, she chewed on her lip and went on to admit, "Maybe I thought I could black-mail him or something. But I was thirteen years old. And I guess the universe made me want to get it so that one day I could get him to come to the dodgy parts of Beacon Hills and catch a bad guy red-handed."

"I remember that." Stiles said. "My dad woke up me to say he had to go to work and he kissed me the head and told me he loved me." The memory flashing though his mind.

"Going after a... gang member is never easy. Especially with people like Rooney in the force. So when he was arresting that man, I went home to my computer and sent his personal email all the evidence I had been gathering. By then, he had so much evidence that there was no way he couldn't be sent away. But not jail so much as I worked out a situation with your dad to help rehabilitate him." Violeta said. "It was that incident that made me realise while I may not be worthy of joy or happiness, it didn't mean that others deserve the same fate as me. That I couldn't try and work to make them happy."

She turned and face Stiles. "I used the name Bernie Mac because I was sick of denying that yes, I am like my parents. Yes, I like to help others. Yes, that is me and I should be myself and if the only way I can experience 'fun' and ease my conscience is by risking everything and going against the worst and try and help them... even if some may see that I'm being a snake."

"But you're not going against your own." Stiles found himself saying. "You're only going after the bad guys. And you're helping them get clean!"

"It doesn't make me, or the situation, any good." Violeta said. "Many would see it as their leader betraying them. It's why I use a codename and go to such lengths so nothing can be traced back to me." She then gave a dry laugh. "It's why I'm only telling this you now in an empty workshop... and doing the third thing Bernie said."

It took him a second to remember what she had said. "Making a mistake?" He asked, looking confused and little insulted.

"That depends on you." She said, finally meeting his eyes for the first time since she had brought a chair around for him to sit on. "And what you do with the information I'm entrusting you with."

"You really think I'd betray you?" He questioned, affronted.

"No, I know you are incredibly loyal from how you are with Scott." Violeta said. "The mistake, really, is up for you to decide. Is the fact that you now have a target painted on your head for knowing information about me worth it all or was it a mistake?"

Stiles was at a loss for words.

"Your father knows and is okay because it's all a part of the job. Once again, look at how you are with Scott. Since he became a werewolf, how much more danger has entered into your life. I know you have questions... about me, about who I am, what I can do, my role in all this. And I will tell you everything you want and spare no detail as long as you are prepared to deal with the fact that people will get to you to get to me." She sighed and grimaced. "Why else do you think I isolate myself?"

"Well, I, uh..." Stiles began then realised he had no clue what to say after all of this had been dumped upon him. "I, um, I guess you really are Batman in all of this."

Before Violeta could reply, there was movement behind Stiles' shoulder. Her shoulders fell back as her chest rose in a defensive stance. "Stiles, get behind me." The teenager frowned and slowly rose. Impatient, she hurried him with a sharp, "Now!" He scrambled out of his seat and once again, she trapped him behind her, his front flush against her back and between the Jeep. He was awkwardly stammering behind her at the prospect of being so close but she paid him no mind.

"Zip up your jacket and put up your hood." She commanded. Her voice was calm yet radiated such authority that Stiles didn't falter like last time and did what he was told. She pulled her hair out of her pony-tail and reached into the toolbox to retrieve the small hand-gun Carlos always kept there for 'safety purposes.' For a quick moment, she turned away from the darkness and faced Stiles.

"Don't say anything. I know you've held your fathers. Use it if you see it."

"See what?"

There was a loud bang and then screeching as the creature had lunged forward from behind a scrap car body. "Oh my god!" Stiles shrieked but Violeta said nothing. She only waited until it fully revealed itself, proving her theory.

Then, and only then could she engage.

It darted across the darkness, Violeta and Stiles getting glimpses of the scaly flesh. That looked promising but Violeta needed more. She needed to see the eyes.

She needed to see the eyes and see Jackson's to know just what had happened.

There was another loud shriek and then it slowly crawled out from the shadows. Stiles gripped the back of Violeta's shirt. Feeling this, she brought one hand behind her and eased Stiles grip from her shirt but still kept a grip on his shaking hand. She looped her hand in his, squeezed it once.

It then stepped forward. Violeta exhaled seeing the crawling kanima make its way forward. When she saw that and saw the piercing blue eyes, she was good to go.

She then held up her free hand and spun a circle in mid-air with her forefinger. Stiles saw the gold streaks forming. Then Violeta flicked the little ball at the creature and as it lunged forward, the ball hit the creature and it grew to encompass the creature. To Stiles, it actually looked like something out a video game with how this ball trapped the creature. But he couldn't think about it any longer because Violeta used their joined hands to pull him forward.

They dashed into Carlos' small office and Violeta locked the door behind them. Stiles felt her hand leave his as she brought both up, palms facing out. She closed her eyes, chanted something under her breath and Stiles saw an invisible force shoot out and spread itself out amongst the walls.