Summary: Stiles says goodbye.

Stiles sat and waited for Derek to come back, finding the older Werewolf was actually harder than he thought it would be. Being able to go through walls and doors made it easier.

Derek entered the appartment and dropped his groceries in surprize when he saw Stiles floating above his couch.

"Stiles?"

'Hey, Sourwolf.' Stiles smiled, 'How have you been?'

"Shit, Stiles, what happened?" Derek asked.

'Well, I'm in a coma right now, I really should be dead but well, I'm very stubborn.' Stiles explained.

"Stiles." Derek whispered, "How did you get into a coma?"

Stiles shrugged, 'That part is a little fuzzy, I'm actually surprized that you can see me, no one else could.'

"Why did you come here then?"

'I wanted to say goodbye.'

Derek stared at Stiles, unimpressed.

'I know it sounds weird but you've lost so many people without a chance to say goodbye and I didn't want to be one of them.'

"But no one has called about you." Derek said.

'Not yet, but Dad should be calling soon enough.' Stiles told him, 'I didn't want you to be alone when he did.'

"Stiles." Derek began only to be interrupted by the phone ringing.

Derek answered the phone, "Hello, Sheriff."

Stiles didn't hear what his father was saying but Derek sat heavily on his couch, "What can they do for him?"

"I'll pay for it, just don't let him go, please." Derek begged.

'Derek, don't.' Stiles said as he came to crouch infront of him, 'Don't keep me here when there's nothing to be done.'

Derek stared at him with tears in his eyes.

'You don't want to see my body like that, I don't want you to remember me lying in a bed hooked up to machines that are keeping me alive, okay, please.' Stiles told him.

Derek nodded jerkily, "Okay." He whispered.

"I... Sheriff..." Derek murmured, his wolf whining at the back of his mind, "When were you going to let him go?"

There was an indistict noise from Derek's phone as Stiles' father answered.

"Okay, I... okay." Derek drew in a shaky breath, "Thank you for calling, I'll... call me when you have his funeral details."

Derek hung up and looked at the ghost before him, "He's, we have three hours before they're are going to let you go."

Stiles smiled at Derek, 'I wish we had more time. Time for you to heal and come back to me.'

Derek looked startled as Stiles settled next to him on the couch, "What do you mean?"

'Derek, I've spent most of my teen years surrounded by Werewolves, if I couldn't figure out that I was your Mate then I'd be pretty unobservent.' Stiles gave Derek an unimpressed look, 'I could have done without the threats, you know. Although, I guess that was your awkward way of saying 'I love you' right?'

"Stiles." Derek whined, reaching for him, fingers going through him, sending a chill through Derek.

Stiles floated away from him, 'Don't do that, it feels weird for me too.'

"What does it feel like?" Derek asked.

'Why?' Stiles asked.

"I... I want to hear your voice." Derek admitted.

Stiles' eyes softened, 'It feels like a warm summer's day is travelling through my body, like the heat from a fireplace and laughter.'

"Laughter?" Derek asked.

Stiles smiled, 'Yours, to be specific.'

"You've heard me laugh?" Derek asked surprised.

'Once.'

"When?" Derek asked.

'I'd tripped over something at one of our meetings at the loft and then, while every one was asking about my wellbeing I looked at you and you were just chuckling as you looked at me, I think that was the moment I knew I loved you and would wait until you were ready to love me.' Stiles said, 'I'm sorry I didn't make it until then.'

"I'm sorry I wasn't willing to try." Derek said.

'I'm here for now, I know that's not much, but I'm here.' Stiles whispered.

"However long we would have had it never would have been long enough for me." Derek admitted.

Stiles smiled sadly, 'Me either, but what we had, the fact that we met at all given all our obsticals is really a miracle.'

"Yeah." Derek stood, "Come lay with me?"

Stiles followed Derek and they lay facing each other in Derek's bed.

"Talk to me." Derek whispered.

'About what?' Stiles asked.

"Anything." Derek said.

So, Stiles talked, he talked about flowers, he talked about the Beastiary, he talked about rituals, and then he started to talk about what he'd wanted his wedding to be like.

'I mean we'd have added some of the things I know Werewolves need, like the scenting thing, I'd probably end uo wearing one of your button-down shirts instead of my own and well, I'd let you thorw me over your shoulder and walk back down the aisle to our reception and what not.' Stiles grinned at Derek.

Derek let his tears fall freely, "That sounds wonderful."

'Yeah?' Stiles asked, 'Glad you approve.'

Derek smiled and then panicked as Stiles began fading, "Stiles! What's happening?!"

Stiles looked down at himself, 'I think it's time.'

"No, I'm not ready." Derek cried.

'Derek, you need to say goodbye, that's why I'm here at all.' Stiles reminded him.

"I can't." Derek whispered.

'Derek, I can't be one of the people you didn't get to say goodbye to, please.' Stiles asked him.

"Stiles." Derek said, "I... I love you, goodbye."

'Goodbye, Derek.' Stiles said as he faded to almost nothing, 'I love you, Derek Hale, I'll be waiting, your family will take good care of me, don't you worry. I love you.'

And then Derek was alone, just like he always was, and he let himself cry, for the first time since the fire Derek Hale cried.