D erek wasn't sure how long they had been there. There were no windows, no cracks to see the sun or the moon. He wasn't alone but he wished he was. Stiles laid in his arms, cold as death and eyes hollower than when the Nogitsune had been in control. Derek wished Stiles was anywhere but in this forsaken place. He stroked through Stile's hair and the human let out a barely there shiver.

"Helps going to come." Derek murmured to Stiles, praying that God wouldn't make a liar out of him. Help had to come. Stiles was beyond saving with a bite. Even if he wasn't Derek wouldn't do it without Stile's permission. He knew Stiles didn't want it and would respect that. After all, help was coming and Stiles would be okay. He wouldn't die

"D-rk." Stiles slurred and Derek made a soft noise to let the human know he was listening

"D-n't let m' Dad se' m'. D-n't wan' 'im to se' m' l-ke tis." Stiles slurred, opening his eyes to look up at Derek. Derek nodded

"He won't see you until you're at the hospital. I promise." Derek said hiding his worry behind a weak smile. Stiles let out a small snort, eyes drifting shut

"'m not getting out. I kn-w it. G-t on wfh it." He slurred staring up at Derek with those dark brown eyes that seemed to see into his very soul. Stiles was begging with those eyes, begging for Derek to take the pain. Derek couldn't take the pain, it wasn't physical anymore. Stiles was in mental agony knowing the end was coming and that there was nothing either of them could do to stop it. It was destroying Stiles. Derek knew that Stiles could last another day, maybe two at most, but it would be time that Stiles spent thinking about everything he could have done, the people he would leave behind, the fact that he wouldn't be able to say goodbye to so many people. Derek knew what Stiles wanted, he wanted Derek to kill him. To take the long, slow death away. To make the pain stop Derek stroked Stile's cheek

"The saddest word in the whole wide world it the word almost. He was almost in love. She was almost good for him. He almost stopped her. She almost waited. He almost lived. They almost made it." Derek quoted as he pulled Stiles closer to hi-m. Stiles smiled a small, weak smile and reached up with bloody fingers to stroke Derek's cheek

"Almost…Almost h-d y-u." Stile said sadly before closing his eyes. Derek felt tears stream down his face as he shuffled Stiles around. He pressed a chaste kiss to Stile's lips that slowly descended into something more. Stiles hummed into the kiss as Derek moved his hands to each side of Stile's head. They broke the kiss and Stiles looked at Derek with a sappy smile on his face

"L-ved y-u so m-ch Sourwolf." He slurred before Derek quickly snapped Stile's head to the side, breaking his neck. Stile's body slumped in his grip. That sappy smile lingering on and Derek felt the dams behind his eyes break as tears poured from his eyes

"I'm sorry Stiles, I should have saved you. It seems I'm not strong enough, good enough, to save anyone. I get everyone killed in the end and you are just another casualty to add to my list." Derek said between sobs and Stile's heart gave a small beat before falling still. Derek let out a loud sob, clutching the body close to him

"I love you Stiles. I couldn't say it before but I love you so goddamn much. Please don't leave me, I don't want to be alone anymore." Derek begged but Stiles didn't wake. Time no longer had a point, a meaning. He could have sat in that room for hours, days, months, it didn't matter anymore. Stiles was dead and Derek wished he was too. He sat there, covered in both his and Stile's blood, clutching at a body that should have been full of life and love. Thumps above him startled him out of his trance some unknown time later.

"Don't worry Stiles. I'll do everything you asked of me." Derek murmured pressing a kiss into Stile's hair. When the door to their cell opened Derek was waiting. Stile's body limp in his arms. It was Parish who was standing on the other side and he gasped when he saw.

"He didn't want his dad to see him here. The sheriff can't see him yet." Derek said, his voice cracking with emotion. Parish nodded and stepped aside to let Derek pass with Stile's body. He followed behind, talking lowly in his walkie, as Derek carried Stiles through the abandoned house where they had been kept into the light of the setting sun. There were four cop cars and an ambulance waiting for them outside and Derek carefully set Stiles on the gurney that the paramedics had brought. With one last stroke across the human's cheek, Derek turned away. Stiles was gone. The paramedics carefully covered the body, Derek could hear the rustling of the sheet

"I almost had you." He murmured to himself, "We almost made it." He wiped the tears from his eyes.

All that you think is rain is not. Sometimes behind the veil angels weep.

Rumi