I looked to my left, staring back at me was the picture of the pack from about two summers ago. Allison and Scott standing off to the left with matching grins. Lydia was on Jackson's back, both had open mouth laughs on their faces. Danny was sitting in the front, legs crossed arms towards the sky with his face also looking up with pure victory rolling off of him. The best part of the picture was right in the middle, Stiles standing there with a huge Stiles like grin on his face with his arms wrapped around Derek's neck. Derek on the other hand was not looking at the camara but instead had his eyes on Stiles. You could feel the love he held for the human waving off the picture. It was the happiest times of all the packs lives.
FLASHBACK
Scott and Jackson where in the back yard swimming pool trying to see who could make the bigger splash when they jumped in. Allison and Lydia where the judges giving up scores whenever the betas would jump in. At first Lydia didn't like the idea of being near the water, scared of getting wet from all the water that she was sure they boys would get on them. That changed after Jackson threw her in the pool, so no reason not to sit there and play their dumb game. For some reason Jackson kept winning and that was starting to get under Scott's skin. He hated losing especially to Jackson!
"Allison you do know that you are suppose to score high for me right?" Scott asked his girlfriend.
"Aww McCall we all know that I am better then you at everything, even your girlfriend thinks so." Jackson lifted himself out of the pool flashing his smirk at Scott as he walked by. Scott got up and went after Jackson. He went to push the taller beta into the pool for making such a rude comment but Jackson heard him and sidestepped out of the way at the last second, which in turn made Scott lose his balance and fall head first into the pool with his arms and legs flaring.
"God McCall you make more noise then a room full of two year olds." Jackson laughed at Scott as he came up spiting out water.
"Jackson stop picking on Scott and Scott stop being a baby!' Derek's voice boomed from the back porch. "Let's go everyone inside for lunch." With the mention of food everyone jumped up and ran to the back door. Jackson and Scott where pushing each other as they both reached the door at the sametime. Lydia pushed her way between the two and yelled inside for help.
"Stiles! Can you please tell dumb and dumber to knock it off and wash up so we can eat. They aren't the only ones hungry."
"Hey wolfies stop bickering and clean up, oh and then set the table!" Stiles yelled from the kitchen.
"Yes Stiles." Jackson and Scott mumbled under the breath as they walked over washed their hands and went back to the table to set it for everyone.
Derek walked into the kitchen leaned into the door frame, his arms folded across his broad chest as he watched Stiles put the finishing touches on their lunch. He still couldn't believe he was lucky enough to have him in his life, in his home and the luckiest was having him in his heart!
"Hey Der, you want to help me bring all this out to the table?" Stiles turned around and motioned to all the food that was spread out on the counters.
"Sure Sty" Derek walked over and wrapped his arms around Stiles and just breathed him in. "I love you, you know that right?"
"Always!" Stiles whispered back. Stiles loved being in Derek's arms. They where big, safe and they felt like home.
"Hello! We are hungry out here" Scott's voice carried in from the other room.
"Shut up Scott!" Derek yelled back. Lunch went off without anymore troubles from any of the betas or humans. Everyone ran back outside once the table was cleared to soak up the last of the summer rays while Derek and Stiles were in the kitchen arguing over who was going to wash and who was going to dry. Finally Stiles gave up and let Derek wash.
"Derek, you ever wonder if we would be together if Peter hadn't bit Scott all those years ago?"
"No doubt, you are my life Sty and I would have found you no matter what. You are my destiny." Stiles walked up behind Derek and wrapped his arms up and around Derek laying his head on his broad shoulders and just soaked up all his warmth. He knew he was the luckiest person ever. Derek really did love him and he was glad he finally had that. Nothing could rip them apart.
END FLASHBACK
I rolled over and looked up at the white ceiling. How much had changed since that picture was taken. I got up and pulled on my running sneakers, knowing I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep whenever I thought about him I figured now was a good of time as any to go for a early morning run and by the look at the clock, which read 2:45am, early was right. I had to get out of that room and away from all the painful memories of him. It always hurt the most this time of year. This was our time.
Running through the forest use to always help me calm down and clear my head but knowing that in just a few days time would be the day that would forever change all of us I couldn't find the same peace like a normally could.
"I figured I would find you out here." Scott's voice echoed from up ahead. I looked up to see him standing on the porch of the once beautiful house that we all shared. Until that night, until the second fire that rocked Beacon Hills.
"Scott what are you doing here?" I asked gruffly.
"I couldn't sleep either. Its like I sit there and all these memories keep flooding back and I keep thinking about that day that he came to us all as a family and told us he was leaving. I can't wrap my mind around what made him do it, what drove him from his home, his dad, his family?" I shook my head, I had no answer, well actually I did, I just didn't know how to explain it to Scott when I could barley explain it to myself.
"Scott there is no right answer to all the questions you have. Without him here to answer we may never know." I looked down I could no longer look in the betas eyes and kept praying he couldn't pick up on my lies.
"Derek where do we go from here?"
"I don't know Scott, I don't know?" I whispered back. Then I was hit with the worst memory of them all from that night.
FLASHBACK
"Derek look at me!" Screamed Stiles, I couldn't even bring my eyes up to look into my disappointed mates face. I could smell his tears and hear his heartbreaking or maybe it was my heart. "DEREK!"
"I am sorry Stiles I have to go" and with that I walked out of the bedroom and down the stairs. As I walked past the living room I could see the rest of my pack looking lost and everyone of them had tears in their eyes. I didn't like what I was doing but it was for the best. Stiles needed someone that could give him the world and not worry about being killed whenever I got upset. I ran out to the middle of the forest the same spot were I first met the lanky teenager. I stood there thinking back to that moment and dropped to my knees, I let out a long mornful howl and then got back up and took off. Running until my legs couldn't carry me anymore. When I finally stopped to get my bearings I noticed I was in Vegas. What a great place to be Sin City as its famously known for with me the biggest sinner here.
"Stiles open the door." Scott was knocking on the door following the Alpha's exit about 20 minutes ago.
"What do you want Scott?" Stiles looked up at Scott with the most hate and hurt he has ever seen in his best friends eyes. This was Stiles the guy only had love for people. Where was all this hate coming from? Scott couldn't help but look down at his feet to scared to see that look in his friends eyes. He could feel all the different emotions coming off of him.
"I am sorry Stiles. I..." Scott couldn't finish for Stiles stormed past him and out the front door. He knew not to follow him, he would go home and cool off and hopefully come back when he was better.
END FLASHBACK
"Scott go home. There is nothing left for either of us here. We will never know what happened and standing here all night won't solve anything."
"Derek its not you fault" Scott said as he walked past the broken Alpha and made his way home back to Allison who he hoped would make this pain go away even for just a little while.
"Yes it is, its all my fault." Derek whispered once he knew Scott was no longer in hearing distance.
FLASHBACK
A few weeks later and no one had heard heads or tails from Stiles. Everyone was worried. They stuck close to the house hoping to hear something, anything from him. It came later that night as they were all sitting in the living room trying to watch a movie that everyone knew no one was paying attention to. Derek first heard the jeep and he stood up and ran to the door waiting on the porch to greet Stiles. It had been to long for him to not talk to his mate and he was glad he was finally there.
"Derek." Stiles slowly came up the front steps pushed past Derek and went into the house. Derek felt a little hurt that he basically go the cold shoulder from his mate but he didn't blame him.
"STILES!" everyone yelled as he came into the living room. They all jumped up and wrapped their arms around him all wanting to touch him some how knowing that they missed him and it felt good for all of them to have him home, they felt complete.
"We need to talk." Stile softly whispered to everyone. At that they all looked at each other confused and then slowly backed up to let Stiles sit down and say whatever it is that is on his mind. "My dad is going to North Carolina, he finally retired this week and well that's where he wants to settle down at. Him and my mom planned it back when she was still alive."
"That's great Stiles! You gotta be happy that your dad will finally be in one place. Now we will have some where to go every summer to visit him." Scott said.
"That's not all." Stiles interrupted before the pack could say anything else. "I am going with him." After that sentence there was no noise, you could have heard a pin drop. Everyone looked up to Stiles to see some kind of smile saying it was a joke and that he wasn't really going to leave them. This was not happening. Jackson looked up to Derek to see if he had any emotion or anything to say but the Alpha wouldn't look at anyone if anything he had the look of a lost soul the same look he has had on his face all these weeks without Stiles. This couldn't be happening Stiles couldn't leave the pack needed him, Derek needed him.
"Stiles you can't go. How will we look after you, you can't leave Derek or us. We are family you don't just leave family." Danny spoke up.
"Yea well its whats best for me and my dad. I can't let him go cross country without me. He needs me more then any of you, besides you have each other, you have a alpha. You will be okay. Look I only came by real quick to say bye. My dad is sitting at home waiting for me, our plane leaves in two hours." Stiles got up and everyone rushed forward and embraced Stiles. They all had tears in their eyes and no one wanted to let go. Once everyone was done Stiles turned to Derek but he just turned his back and walked into the kitchen. Stiles looked down trying to hide the hurt, waved one last time to the pack and walked out the door. Everyone else just looked off to the kitchen not believing that Derek could do that, could let Stiles just walk away.
END FLASHBACK
"Derek I think its time we finally talked." I looked up to the front of the house rubbing my eyes. They had to be playing some sort of sick joke on me.
"Stiles?"
"Yea Der, its me"