Chapter 01 - Welcome to Beacon hills.
Melissa opened the door to a slightly frustrated Derek Hale. His usually still face showed off a mix of nervousness and excitement. Melissa signed him to come inside.
"Am I late? " he asked as he stepped in through the hidden mountain ash barrier parted by her.
"Just a tad bit. I just invited them to breakfast. " she answered picking up on his nervous demeanor. She didnt want ware wolf abilities for that.
Derek entered the living room of the McCall house and Mrs. Flood jumped up from her seat to give him a hug before he could even begin to greet. She then stared at him for a second without taking her hands off his shoulders and couldn't help but notice the changed boy-turned-man infront of her.
" something is different about you" she said. And then she recognized it. "Oh, my god" she exclaimed. "You've learnt to smile".
"Mom" a clearly displeased plea came from Darya. " you are pesterin him, he is not a teenager anymore"
Derek looked at her thankfully for saving him from many more comments to come and exchanged a hug. He couldn't help but notice how grown up she looked than the last time he saw her years ago. She looked as fresh as she always looked and as always he decided to not comment on her but muttered a welcome to Beacon hills.
Many years ago when he left for Beacon hills and when he found out that Laura was dead, his neighbours in New York; the Flood family were the first he spoke to before he informed any of his remaining relatives . After that for one reason or the other they had lost touch. Now another chapter in thier supernatural clad lives have brought them back together.
"Sorry I got delayed. Mrs McCall told me you were about to have breakfast. So shall we?" Derek Resumed the invite.
"Oh I was in the middle of preparing the table, but you can take seats" Melissa said in a hurry as she rereated to the kitchen. Derek excused himself and followed her to the kitchen to help. As he grabbed the dishes to be placed Melissa stopped him to ask a question that was troubling her.
"Derek does she know?"
" Yes, actually she knows so much that my sister Laura used to say she is a walking ware wolf library"
"That's good. That means I don't have to pretend or hide anything right? What about her mother?"
"She does't know anything "
"Okay" Melissa said taking in the facts.
"Mrs McCall, I hope...is it too much to ask you to provide her accomadation in such short notice ? She had trouble with the mail and didn't receive the letter informing her of her placement of residensy at Becon hills hospital untill two days ago. I don't have a spare bedroom ready at my loft and I couldn't think of any place that I can aassure her of her safety since she is going to be Deatons apprentice and going to be involved in dangerous wolf business in no time. Here she has scott and..."
"Derek, honey its alright, the guest room is empty after Issaak left anyways and honestly Darya seems to be a nice girl and we are going to be working at the same hospital and I'm going to have good company because these days I can't find scott anywhere when I want company."
" I appreciate your help Mrs McCall specially..."
" Please call me melissa, and no need for formalities Derek. " Melissa said stopping Derek in the middle of his thank you speech probably taught by his mother when he was young. Derek nodded and continued to help her set the table. Although derek is not used to be called honey a small smile escaped him at the motherly vibe coming from Melissa.
"What is it" Melissa asked shaking him out of his thoughts.
"Nothing, its just that sometimes you remind me of my mother, she was the last person to call me honey".
Melissa firmly held him by the arm seeing thendistant look on his face.
"Oh Derek, I'm sorry"
But he shook his head in denial. "It's alright, I've learnt to let go"
Just as the guests started the breakfast, scott came and joined them. He eyed Derek uncomfortably as he observed his perfect breakfast manners and continued to fiddle with his toast.
" Derek, I have to hurry back to New York right after so I am sorry that I am bringing this topic over breakfast " Mrs. Flood started talking a few minutes in to the silent breakfast. Derek intuitively knew what she was going to ask and mentally prepared himself for the painful memories it would bring. He looked at her with an expression that encouraged her to ask what ever the questions she had.
"We were hoping to arrive much earlier today but there was a delay at the airport. " I wanted to visit Laura's grave" Mrs. Flood said almost stoically. But it looked like she had a hard time speaking the very words. "But I am hoping to return to Beacn hills as soon as possible and hope you would take me there"
" ofcours Mrs. Flood" Derek answered hoping her inquiries would end there. Images of Laura's cut-in-half body came to his mind and he shifted ununcomfortably, what ever apetite he had now gone. Derek hadn't given away much information on her death to his neighbours except to Darya who knew the whole truth. He could also see that Lauras' death has taken a toll on the old lady who considered Laura her own daughter. She being a renowned professor on medical science herself helped Laura build their lives back in New York through her busy schedule. She wanted Laura to let go of Beacon hills totally but Laura could never do that. So far all she knew was that a feud bbetween the Argents and the Hales got the fire started and killed his family and Laura and that the one responsible was Kate.
" None of this would have happened if Laura listened to me and stayed in New York. And now she is no more. Then I watched you leave without sitting your last exam and your college degree is incomplete, your last exam Derek... ,you could have let the police handle the situation. I didn't stop you from doing that and you never came back" .Then she left a sigh in defeat. " something tells me I shoud stop Darya from accepting her residensy here in Beacn hils but she wouldn't listen to me. " she said glaring at her daughter.
"It's my fault too Derek, I should have stopped her. I should have stopped you. If I pressured her enough she would have stayed. She always listened to me unlike Darya here. So please accept my deepest apologies Derek. I will never forgive myself "
The whole table grew silent at her revelation. Nobody moved and not even a spoon made a sound. Derek reached her hand to comfort her seeing how much it has affected her.
" you know very well that once Laura set her mind to something its impossible to stop her. She always wanted to investigate the fire herself. What ever happened to her its on who ever did that to her. Its not on you, its not on me. Believe me, It took me years to actually convince that to myself. But I now know it is on them, on Kate Argent who actually murdered my whole family. " Derek said pushing the image of Peter that came to his mind. Mrs. Flood had no idea about Peter. "But you said I have learnt to smile, it is because I convinced my self of that truth somehow, That what ever tragedy happened is not on me because I didnt mean any of that to happen. So you should too." As Derek spilled his heart out he knew he was telling that to himself too. It was something he never addressed aloud. But Mrs. Flood's revelation forced him to do that and at the end he felt some kind of a relief.
" thanks Derek " said Darya as she wrapped her arms around her mothers shoulders to comfort her. " she needed that. She has been blaming herself constantly. And I have to say it's actually pretty relieving to hear that coming from the grumpiest person I ever knew."
A chuckle escaped from Scott. " No arguments on that!"
Derek gave him a look, but he got his revenge with the next question from Mrs. Flood.
" Darya also told me that two stupid teenagers tried to frame you for the murder!"
Scott choked on his milk as Derek and Melissa surpressed their laughter. Knowing he got served Scott mumbled something about wanting to be at school early and disappeared out of the house.