One thing that hadn't changed in the past couple of years was that Derek still didn't like showing his emotions.

Maybe Derek was still too afraid to let an entire group of people get close to him. It didn't help that Erica was cut in half right in front of him, reminding him that not only had he failed his pack, but Laura too.

He knew that this summer was important for everybody because they were all headed to college. He put on a brave face and didn't put up much of a fight when Lydia went all the way to Harvard to be with Jackson. He was glad that Scott was going to a state school twenty minutes away from Beacon Hills- far away enough to have a separate life from the pack, but not too far away from his Mom or Allison.

He was happy that Isaac and Stiles were sticking together and moving to Stanford. He just wasn't ready yet.

He drove to Stiles' house and crawled through the window, trying to be quiet as he opened one of the suitcases that was packed earlier that day.

"Derek? What are you doing?"

"SPF 30? Do you want to burn?" He asked

"You came all the way here to tell me that my sun block isn't good enough?" Stiles rubbed his eyes and checked the clock. "It's 6 in the morning. Why are you here criticizing my sun block at 6 in the morning?"

Derek threw the bottle in the garbage can. "Because you're being irresponsible. Did The Sheriff okay this?"

"He said it was fine, you sun block freak. Want to keep it down so he doesn't wake up and think that you're a crazy person?"

"And I don't like that fridge you bought", Derek added. "It's too small. What are you going to fit in there? I'm getting you a bigger one."

"They won't let me get a bigger one at school. There are fridge restrictions in the dorms."

"You should stay at the house the first couple of weeks until we figure it out."

"Yeah, the three hour commute to class sounds like a great time", Stiles said, rolling his eyes.

Derek didn't listen, he just kept digging through Stiles' suitcases and throwing things around. "Why did you decide that any of this was a good idea to pack?"

"I'm going to have to iron everything I own at the rate you're going at", Stiles told him, getting over to him and grabbing his arm. "Stop." Derek threw him a glare. "If you don't like what I'm bringing, it's okay. There's still time left. We can go to the store tomorrow and get everything that you think is okay. I know you're worried, but it's going to be okay."

"You'll listen to everything that I say?" Derek asked, skeptically.

"Come back at a decent hour and I'll let you tear this whole place apart. We'll make a list."

Derek snuck out the window and couldn't sleep because he was so nervous. What if there was some sort of pack out there in Stanford just waiting for Stiles and Isaac to show up? There were too many casualties with the Alpha pack.

He could still remember graduation, how lucky the rest of them were to get their diplomas in one piece. Erica's parents were partners of a successful business that would rather fly out to China than deal with their daughter's medical troubles. They packed everything up and left Beacon Hills after her funeral and never looked back.

Derek didn't understand the abandonment, but he understood them leaving. He accepted Erica's diploma at graduation when the ceremony was over on her behalf. He didn't care much for the past two principles, but he didn't mind the new one. The man was a complete stranger, but at least he respected Erica's memory.

What Derek didn't understand was why he was fixating on Stiles and Isaac being safe from werewolves when he should have been more worried about Jackson and Lydia who were on the other side of the country.

Maybe it was because Jackson had run away from everything so long ago, and he had been expecting Lydia to go to him the first opportunity she had. Regardless, he felt responsible for what happened to Stiles. Stiles was there at the beginning.

Derek had done more than just threaten him over the years, but Stiles hadn't gone anywhere. Stiles had more to lose than the rest of them, but he kept helping him, and Derek kept accepting his help.

He should have stopped when it started. Because the number one rule was to never let anybody in, and somewhere along the line, it was broken. And now, he couldn't sleep. He was too busy worrying.

Hours passed before he got the text from Stiles saying that he could come back. He got in the car and sped over to his house. He needed to go the normal way in case he bumped into the Sheriff.

When he finally arrived, Stiles was making waffles. "Want some breakfast?" he asked

"No, I'm good, but that's something to put on the list. Where's your dad?"

"Went off to work five minutes ago. Can I get you coffee or something?"

"We have to get you another waffle iron." Derek pointed out. "And a coffee pot."

Stiles put some waffles on a plate and pulled out a notebook. "Let's get going on that list, then. I'll get you a pen." He retrieved a pen from a drawer and tossed it across the room.

"Okay", Derek said, writing down some items, trying to remember things that he thought of earlier. "I'm getting you another gun in case there's a pack at Stanford."

"Ah, I thought we would get to that part of the conversation again." Stiles pulled out his laptop and flipped the cover. "Rules and regulations. If you go down a couple of pages, you'll see the part about weapons."

"That's ridiculous", Derek scowled. "They sound too optimistic."

"They're being truthful." Stiles answered.

"They're delusional."

"Yeah, you're having breakfast. I'll get you some waffles and coffee."

"They're going to inspect your room? What for?" Derek asked as Stiles set the full coffee pot in front of him with a mug.

"To make sure that I'm not carrying a weapon or selling drugs", he answered, closing the waffle iron. "So I'm guessing that they would think that wolfsbane is really expensive weed if it's lying around."

Derek poured himself a cup of coffee. "They're almost asking you to get killed. Off-Campus housing isn't even worth it."

"Bill's already been paid. Can't do anything about it. But I can get better sun block."

"And a better coat." Derek said, taking a sip of his coffee. "We're expecting a cold winter."

"Add it to the list."

They went shopping and Stiles let Derek pick out more sweaters and hoodies in case he got cold. Stiles took the usual black and grays that were being suggested and replaced them with greens and blues, but otherwise, it was a successful trip.

"What's this?" Stiles asked as they started packing. "Have you been sneaking things in and paying for them when I haven't been looking?"

"It's just a thermos."

"I have a thermos", Stiles told him.

"But that's a plastic one that's scratched up. This one's stainless steel. It'll keep water cold for four hours and coffee warm for three."

"I think I'll be okay without it."

"You drop things sometimes", Derek pointed out. "And it'll be fine as long as you don't land it on the button on the side."

"Alright, I'll bring it. But only because it's a fun gadget."

Derek nodded. "Okay."

"I'm going to visit on weekends. You know that, right? And Isaac's going to be fine during the full moons. He's had control of his transformations for a while."

Derek cleared his throat as the suitcase zipped shut. "Looks like you're all set for tomorrow morning. I'll just put this one in your car, and I'll be on my way."

He got up and pulled the handle up before carrying it down the stairs and wheeling it out the door.

"I know you're going to miss me."

Derek stuck the suitcase in the trunk of the Jeep and closed it. "What?"

"You're going to miss me. It's okay."

He nodded. "It's not going to be the same."

"Change doesn't have to be bad. You can always visit if you want. Open invite. Check on Isaac if you're so worried."

"It's not…" Derek down at his feet. "It's not Isaac that I'm worried about."

"I'm going to be fine. I promise. I have a werewolf bodyguard, remember? And really good sunblock. Not even the sun can touch me."

Stiles wasn't getting it. Why wasn't he getting it? Derek was never very good at talk, small or large.

"We've put down roots here." Derek said suddenly. "After Laura died, I wouldn't have cared too much about staying here. But you helped me move into a new place. You made sure that I got furniture, you kept my fridge stocked, you Spring Cleaned with me, even though I don't think it's important."

"We've been over this, it makes the place brighter after the winter." Stiles interrupted.

"You made sure that I had a goddamn tree every Christmas, and that I decorated it. You made Beacon Hills home again, and now I don't want to leave here and I don't want you to leave either."

He wasn't sure what to expect after that. Maybe Stiles telling him to stop being a whiny girl, or to make fun of him. Instead, he grabs Derek's neck, pulls him close, and kisses him.

The last time he was kissed, Derek rolled his eyes at the stupidity of the decision, and threw that person across the room. The last time the kiss actually meant something, the girl lit his house on fire with his family still inside.

This time, he felt like things were going to be okay. The panic that he had been feeling all day long was starting to subside, and he sank into it, feeling the humanity resonate from Stiles' body and start to wash over him by extension.

He felt the goodness of the world battling the cynicism that he had been projecting for years, and he was disappointed when Stiles pulled back.

"I'll pester you so much that you won't even notice that I'm gone."

"You're good at that", Derek said.

"I know."

"Don't change or outgrow me."

"Trust me, I won't. When did you get so honest and open with your feelings?"

"It's the bad sunblock. It got to me."

Stiles laughed.