He paused at the top of the stairs hand poised over the doorknob. A familiar scent drifted through the air and he knew he was going to find the alpha lounging in his chair in the corner. It was the last thing Scott needed as he felt his torso spasm in pain. He may have advanced healing, but even werewolves took time to rebuild a kidney. He was sure he was going to be seeing blood in his urine when he finally made it past Derek to the safety of his bathroom. Sighing heavily, he opened the door and prepared himself for a confrontation. "What do you want Derek? I've had a really bad night."

"Really, now?" There was a red tint to Derek's eyes as he shifted forward aggressively. "So you spent two hours drowning in a pool with Stiles?"

Scott clenched his fist, already having endured this argument with Stiles. He felt horrible for hanging up on him, but he wasn't exactly in a great position either. "No, I got stabbed which was your fault by the way."

"My fault?" Derek's laugh was bitter. "How did I possibly screw up your perfectly normal life this time?"

"I was exposed to Gerard Argent trying to protect Boyd when he decided to wolf out in the middle of the lacrosse field. I got a broken leg, which Gerard noticed. Then I got forced into a dinner in a room full of hunters to find a bestiary that I apparently didn't even need in the first place because you know what this thing is called. Then I was blackmailed and knifed in the kidney." Scott flung his sweatshirt on the floor. "Not to mention a battle with a mythical creature I know nothing about while trying to keep you and my best friend alive."

Derek snarled, surging off the chair and pushing Scott against the wall. The omega resisted for a moment before going quiet when it became obvious Derek was checking his injuries and not attempting to hurt him. "Tell me everything." He pressed on the faint red line where the knife wound healed over and noticed Scott flinch. "Start with how you knew about the Bestiary."

"No offense, Derek, but you made your feelings on working together pretty obvious." Scott was mildly surprised when the elder let him push away from the wall and collapse on the bed. "Now you want to trust each other?"

"You've been exposed, Scott. You saw what he did to the other omega. Now is not a good time to be on your own." The casual lean against the wall was betrayed by the clenching of Derek's fists.

"Fine." Scott sighed, and crawled up the bed, kicking his shoes off. Draping an arm over his eyes, he relaxed into the mattress and let his body concentrate on re-knitting his abused organs. "It started after you kicked the crap out of me." Derek maintained his position against the wall desperately holding his patience as Scott tiredly meandered his way through everything that happened in the last twenty four hours. By the time Scott mentioned Gerard's threat against his mother, the younger wolf was almost unconscious. Derek closed his eyes for a moment and started to really consider the mess his encounters with Scott had become over the last few months. He slid down the wall, dangling his arms loosely over his knees and tried to figure out a way to bring the omega into the fold. "Derek?"

"Yeah?"

"Why is it so important for me to join the pack? The real reason." Scott's eyes slid open and he studied the forlorn expression on the alpha's face. "You don't seem to have a problem turning people, so it can't be pack strength. Why do you care what I do?"

Rubbing his hand in his hair, Derek scowled in aggravation. Something told him that this might be the only chance he had to repair the damage his rash decisions caused. "Do you remember what I told you the night Argent shot you in the arm?"

Scott frowned but nodded. "That we're brothers."

Derek nodded, the shifting of shoulders the only sign that he was uncomfortable discussing the topic. "I lost them all Scott. I watched my entire family brought out of the house in body bags the morning after the fire. Laura was all I had left and Peter killed her." He took a ragged breath. "I meant what I said. I consider you a brother, as annoying as you are, and I can't lose another one."

Scott closed his eyes and forced his mind to shut out his own drama, to really think about what Derek was saying, about how he would feel if he had to watch everyone around him die. Derek's idea of protection bordered on controlling, but his obsession with strengthen his pack, of destroying anything that could hurt them started to make more sense, as did his repeated attempts to pull Scott into the fold. Sighing heavily, he forced his body to sit up and study the Alpha on the floor. His face was as cold and impassive as ever, but there was something else in his eyes, a glimmer of fear, and he reeked of desperation. "If we do this, it's as brothers. I get that you are the alpha but I won't be one of your minions. You need to actually listen to me. Disagree all you want, but at least stop and listen." Derek raised an amused brow. "I'll try and do the same." He raised his hand in a gesture of peace. "Deal?"

"Deal." Derek grabbed his hand for a quick shake, relaxing into the wall behind him. There was a bone deep feeling of relief washing through him. "The full moon is next Thursday. We'll hunt then."

Scott nodded and fell back onto the bed. "Now get out. I need sleep."

Derek snorted and climbed to his feet. "Meet me tomorrow after practice at the boulder. We'll try and figure out a plan to deal with the Kanima problem and work on using your abilities."

"I'm bringing Stiles. Try to be nice to him." He smirked at Derek's irritated growl. "He did save your butt tonight, again."

"He talks too much."

Scott felt a laugh break free. "Yeah, but he grows on you." He could hear the other man mumbling something about fungus as he disappeared out the window.

AN: Forgive me, but I like exploring the various dynamics between Scott and Derek.