Derek was not pleased. Derek was not pleased one bit. Granted Derek was floating, well technically drowning in once again the high school pool only this time his legs and arms were broken, he was stabbed through the chest and there was no one there to hold him up so he could breathe.
Derek fought until he couldn't fight anymore and succumbed to the darkness but soon it turned white and there Deaton was with a white suit looking rather snazzy. "Deaton? What's going on?"
"Well Derek why don't you tell me that."
"Last time I was conscious I was drowning" Derek looked down to see he was in his clothes he put on this morning but they were dry and unharmed. "Now I'm here."
"Well have you thought maybe you're still unconscious?"
"Okay so what now? Why are you here?"
"You asked me to be here. Looks like you don't like your life right now."
"Well no shit. I'm dying in a high school pool with no one to save me and even if I did my life would still suck. I'm a werewolf who gets hunted and hurt and kicked and never once gets a break. My family's dead and all I have to show for it is soon I'll be joining them."
"So you're saying being a werewolf brings you all this pain."
"Yeah but it's not like I can do anything about it."
"I don't know Derek, I'm sure if you tried you could make it better."
"I highly doubt that."
"Would you like to see your life without your werewolf powers Derek?"
"Oh my god. This is one of those appreciate your life dreams isn't it. Like fucking Scrouge in the Christmas Carol. You have got to be shitting me. So what you show me some pathetic human life and I suddenly want my old one?"
"Not exactly more like It's a Wonderful Life but in the need to start going let's just say it is, shall we?" asked Deaton as he opened a door out of nowhere and motioned Derek to step through.
Derek begrudgingly did and found himself in an apartment that wasn't too dirty but certainly wasn't clean either. Suddenly he saw himself walk through the door. "I don't see why you and my sister keep trying to set me up with people. I'm perfectly fine with being single."
"Says the man who cried to me last Friday over drinks about how you and I quote "hate how alone I feel and just want someone to love me"" said a light brown haired beautiful women as she walked through the door to follow dream Derek.
"Derek growl "What the fuck is Kate doing here?"
Deaton shrugged "watch and maybe find out. Remember Derek you're not a werewolf and Kate is not a werewolf hunter."
Derek's eyes widened. This just couldn't be real "Look" said Kate "My niece's boyfriend's friend needs a date for the party. He's the only one without one and since you don't have a date and has openly admitted to his family, friends and ex-girlfriend "she points to herself "that your gay, you could at least start showing it."
Dream Derek's (now to be known as Derek2) jaw clenched but turned to her "freshman?"
"Yep, but come on, I started dating you as a freshman. It wasn't so bad." Kate said giving Derek2 a slight nudge.
Derek2 sighed and agreed.
"I'm GAY!" yelled Derek in an incredulous tone. "I'm not gay. I don't think" thought Derek as he shifted though about every time he masturbated to a women's body in his mind.
"How about we just flash to the party shall we?" said Deaton as he snapped his fingers and poof, they were there following Derek2 through the crowd of college students partying and getting drunk.
"Kate" called out a girl and Derek noticed it was Allison.
"Allison" Kate called back embracing her niece. "Allison Derek, Derek Allison" said Kate introducing them.
Allison shook Derek2's hand "I've heard a lot about you. Pleasure meeting you." Suddenly Scott showed up behind Allison as he kissed her cheek. "This the guy?" Scott asked eyeing Derek2 like he was sizing him up.
"Yeah" said Derek2. "Is this the guy?" he asked in an unimpressed voice.
Scott smirked and stuck out his hand "you'll do." Derek2 shook Scott's hand daring him to say anything else bad about him and Scott suddenly began to shy away behind Allison.
"Scotty long time no see." Called out Kate and Scott smiled and embraced Kate.
"Yeah your looking good." He said smiling. Kate scuffed up Scott's hair "So cute. So where is my man's man?" she asked looking around.
"Oh Stiles, over here!" Scott called out behind him.
"Stiles. You've got to be fucking joking! No way in hell am I going to fall for Stiles. He's a fucking 16 year old!" Derek exclaimed to Deaton.
"Technically in your world he's 18 as well in this one Derek. Things have changed, just watch what happens." Deaton assures Derek as they watch as the boy Derek once knew seemed completely different.
Stiles walked up confident and cool. He was wearing casual clothes but his hair was longer, snazzed up with obviously some type of jell or mousse and he sauntered up to Scott putting his arm around his friend and giving Derek a cool smile.
"And who is this really hot Greek god in front of me?"
"Dude he's your date, Derek. Enjoy." said Scott as if Derek2 was a platter of food for Stiles to choose from.
Derek2 looked a bit skeptical about Stiles' cockiness until Stiles heard what Scott said and his eyes widen and a blush flashed across his face. "Wait what? I thought Derek was just some average Joe. I wasn't expecting a god! Crap and I totally just made a fool of myself! Fuck Scott way to warn me!" complained a now flustered Stiles and both Dereks laughed to Derek's surprise.
"Please you have to give me another chance to make a better impression! I'll even walk up differently!" pleaded Stiles to Derek2.
"Sorry, one first impression for everyone. Take it or leave."
"Don't you mean leave it?"
"No I mean you either make up for your first impression by getting me a drink or leave? It's up to you." said Derek2 calmly as if he did this all the time.
Stiles smirked and asked "So what will it be? Beer, vodka, water?"
"Scotch preferably."
"One scotch coming up. Just follow me." Said Stiles giving Derek2 a wink.
"This just isn't right. Stiles and me?" said Derek as he watched the two flirt and talk and even dance to Derek's own disbelief. He hadn't danced in years.
"Yep looks to be that way." Answered Deaton unfazed by the sudden make out session the two men were now having in a far corner of the house laughing at each other drunkenly and groping each other as they swayed to the music. "Shall I fast forward?" said Deaton but Derek didn't really know why he asked because without waiting for Derek to reply they were zooming through the rest of the night through the rest of the week where Derek2 and Stiles were calling and texting each other to the next weekend where they both had their first proper date.
They laughed and joked and talked about their lives like everything was fine and it was and from Derek's point of view this was the most amazing thing he had ever seen. He and Stiles never talked like this. Normally they ended up yelling at each other or ended up in a life and death situation which would lead to one of them saving the other's life. Before he could blink Deaton was fast forwarding it "Hey I was watching." complained Derek.
"I know but if we watched every little detail Derek we could end up being here for a while so let's continue on."
Derek grumbled but watched as pieces of Derek2's life flashed before his eyes until Deaton stopped and on the screen it said 6 months later.
By now it was more like a movie then an interaction as Derek watched in anticipation to figure out what had changed in the last 6 months. Suddenly it was Christmas time and Derek2 and Stiles walked up a porch and Derek2 opened the door and walked in. "We're here." He called out.
"Yeah you are" called a women as she ran into Derek2's arms and embraced him in a rough hug. "How's my little bro!"
"Laura I'm fine, except having trouble breathing." Said Derek2.
Derek couldn't believe this. Laura was there. He knew now that this world was a million times better than his and soon his mom walked into view embracing Derek2 as the family began popping in and greeting the two men.
"So this is the famous Stiles. Come here you" called Laura as she embraced Stiles who just laughed and went along.
Derek wished it was him. Wished so badly that this life was his just from this one moment.
"This is cruel. This was supposed to be a life I didn't want." cried Derek angrily.
"I never said such a thing Derek. I said I was going to show you a life where you weren't a werewolf. This is it."
Derek felt like puking, or dying. He didn't care, this just wasn't right. Deaton fast forward between most of the major scenes of just talking and insignificant scenes that Derek wished could be watched if only to see his family more. Derek however did notice how well Stiles seemed to fit in his colorful home and how welcoming everyone was to him.
It was almost too much to stand because Derek knew that if they were alive and Stiles and he were together they would've acted the same way. It made breathing become harder as he tried not to cry. He tried so hard and yet tears were already streaming down his face. He would've asked Deaton to stop but he couldn't. Not when he could see his family so happy.
Deaton moved on until it was Christmas night and everyone was in their separate rooms and Stiles and Derek were together in their room talking. "Dinner was great wasn't it." said Stiles.
"Yeah and my family loves you." Said Derek2 as he embraced Stiles as the two leaned in for a kiss.
"Would it be too much to ask for a late Christmas gift?" asked Stiles.
"Depends on what."
"Fuck me. Please I need you Derek" Stiles whispered as he started making out with Derek2's neck.
Derek started having a mental break down. It was one thing to know he had a relationship with Stiles, it was a whole other experience to watch it. Derek turned to Deaton who was just watching like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"God Stiles." said Derek2 as he stood and lifted Stiles as the young man wrapped his legs around the other. They rutted against each other as they moaned quietly knowing there were people in the room next to theirs. Adults thankfully but still.
Derek2 set Stiles down who immediately stripped and Derek2 was not far from behind. Deaton suddenly fast forward slowly as Derek could still see everything but it was quiet and at a quickened pace until Deaton played it again this time right in the middle of Derek2's and Stiles' sexy times.
Thankfully the two were under the covers and all one could really see was the movement and Stiles hands raking against Derek2's back as the two stifled their moans with sweet kisses murmuring things like "your amazing" or "right there" until finally Derek2 whispered "I love you."
"Oh my god Derek really?" asked Stiles as if he had never heard it before.
"Yeah." Replied Derek2 and soon Derek realized why Deaton was showing this part. It was the first time the two said I love you to each other.
"I love you so much Derek" whispered back Stiles as he kissed Derek2 desperately. Derek2 continued trusting harder and faster now as the two whispered to each other with quick breathes announcing their love for one another until finally they came and they held each other the rest of the night.
Deaton then fast forwarded it and there was fights. Sometimes little ones, sometimes bigger ones and Deaton made sure to stop by most of them and show Derek how the two reconnected. The two even broke up for a month but soon got back together.
Soon it was two years into their relationship though and Derek2 soon proposed. 8 months later they married and 4 years later they adopted a little boy. "Isn't he perfect Derek?" asked Stiles who was in near tears.
"Yeah, he is." And when Derek2 held that child he almost cried. Deaton flashed through each of the years as Stiles and Derek2 raised their little boy from teaching him how to walk and talk, to bike riding, to reading, to finding his first love to his marriage. And even to Derek2's and Stiles' grandchildren. Derek watched it all and tears just streamed down his face completely entranced with this life that was completely and utterly miraculous. Derek would have never thought any of this possible as he looked on with wonder at the life filled with such happiness and peace.
Finally Deaton stopped and Derek found himself looking at Derek2 much older lying in a hospital bed with an older Stiles sitting next to him holding his hand. His son had just left a moment ago with his wife and now it was just the two once more. One last time.
"I'm going to miss you. I hope you know that." Said Stiles.
"And I you" Derek2 replied quietly.
"We had one Hell of a ride, didn't we?"
"We will once more. When you join me, but don't rush. It's not good to look to clingy." Said Derek2 as they held each other's hand.
"I'll love you forever."
"Forever and ever."
"Goodnight my love."
"Goodnight." Replied Derek2 as he closed his eyes and soon the tone that had his heart beat pumping, slowed until suddenly it was just a line and the nurse came in and Stiles just kissed Derek2's hand and walked away.
Deaton flashed forward two months and soon Stiles was in a similar situation and then he flashed a week later and their on two tomb stones right next to one another was Derek and Stiles Hale.
There was an end movie reel and now It was just Derek and Deaton and Derek was sobing. "Why did you show me that?"
"To show you, your life can happen in different ways. It's your choices that make things different. Dream Derek could have had a completely different life if he had decided not to go on that date. Now you have to decide what you want from your life Derek and make the choices accordingly."
"How am I to do that if I'm dead?" cried Derek.
"Just remember, all you have to do is make the choices Derek."
And suddenly Deaton was gone and Derek was coughing up water with a voice calling his name.
"Derek are you with us?"
Derek looked over to see Stiles above him drenched with water and Scott looking at him from the other side.
"Stiles?" Derek whispered in a gravelly voice.
"He's alive!" cried Stiles. "Thank god you had us all worried! Don't worry about the other alphas, we took care of them. Nice work killing the first two though! Very impressive!" said Stiles giving him a bright smile.
Derek just blinked as he tried to figure out what just happened. Had it been real or fake? "Derek I'm going to have to re-break your bones to place them correctly okay?" said Scott.
Derek shook his head yes and soon searing pain was shooting through his body but suddenly he felt something in his hand. Warm and safe and Derek looked to see Stiles holding his hand tightly. Similar to the version of the two in the dream world. There was still pain, loads of it but Derek could handle it, just as long as Stiles still held on.
After about 10 minutes the pain dulled and in another 15minutes Derek was able to stand up. Stiles and Scott offered up their shoulders for support which Derek took gratefully as the three exited the pool. When they finally emerged from the school Allison and her dad were pulling up along with Jackson and Lydia in his posche, and Erica, Isaac and Boyd in Derek's Camaro.
"Thank god you got there in time." said Allison running up and smiling at Scott.
"Yeah I got in there and I was like where is he and Stiles just ran in and jumped into the pool and dragged him up. Seriously, you should become a lifeguard. You even did CPR correctly." stated Scott to Stiles from around Derek's side.
"Well I have to be useful in some way other than research" Stiles replied as they walked Derek to his car. Erica got out of the front seat and took the man from Stiles as she helped him in.
"I'll make sure he rests at least a day before he does something life threatening." Said Erica with an assuring wink and Stiles nodded as she climbed in the back seat with Isaac and Boyd drove away.
"Okay did Derek seem kind of out of it?" asked Scott to Stiles.
"Dude he almost died. Anyone would be kind of out of it." Stiles simply put.
"Yeah but this seemed different. Like he was confused as to why he was alive and he smelt sad. You don't think he was in heaven and we dragged his ass out like that Buffy the Vampire episode do you?"
"Who knows. Ask him about it later. Maybe he can finally answer the question of what happens after death. He was out for a while before we came."
"But that seems like I'm prying." Complained Scott.
"So you gossip about it when he's not around but when you could ask a straight forward question you get all weird and nervous. That makes no sense Scott."
"You should do it for me." Scott said.
Stiles looked at his friend in disbelief "Seriously dude. Grow a pair."
"But your better at talking with him. Please." Scott begged.
"I don't understand why you want to know so badly anyway. Tomorrow he'll probably be back to normal and we'll have a little celebration of defeating our foes and then go our separate ways yet you're insisting me to ask him a pointless question."
Scott just put his best puppy dog face on and Stiles sighed and gave in and Scott silently cheered as Stiles looked at Allison and mouthed your dating this guy. And she shrugged and mouthed back I know.
The next day Isaac texted everyone and said Derek was doing a ton better and everyone was allowed to celebrate at the new secret base of theirs. In reality it was Isaac's old house that they had cleared out and remade into their new home. Erica and Boyd shared Isaac's brother's old room, Isaac remained in his room, to use to it to change even when Derek had offered his dad's room. It seemed they all thought Derek deserved the bigger room since he was older but Derek never understood that. He was used to being in the smaller room being the 4th oldest out of 7 in his family but he wasn't complaining either.
They ordered everyone to bring a dish of some sort of food while the hosts would provide hamburgers and hotdogs. People arrived with drinks, chips, salads, and dips and everyone just relaxed finally able to breathe after everything.
Everyone was talking and having a good time and then Scott walked over to Stiles and poked him. "He seems like in the sharing mood right now. Ask him" whispered Scott and Stiles looked annoyed but sighed and walked towards the older man.
"Hey Derek." And Derek turned to him giving him this contented smile as if to say hey I'm normal, which Stiles had never seen and the even Stiles was growing curious. Derek's near death experience seemed to have changed him. Stiles wanted to know how and why and what could have caused it.
"Well Scott was wondering, while you were passed out, dead, did you see anything or something? Apparently you feel different."
Everyone was apparently interested and had taken notice to Derek's new behavior and were now leaning in wondering just what could've happened to Derek.
Derek sighed and then chuckled "I had a dream. I was human and my life was completely different. It was the best life I could ever even begin to wish I had. But then someone in this dream told me I could have just a good of life as that dream, all it takes is a few choices and well for one of those choices I've decided to try to relax." Derek said giving Stiles a pleasant look.
"I've made some stupid mistakes in the past. A lot of them but I'm going to try and not make as many in the future. Try not to be so uptight and controlling about everything and be more inclined to listen to other's thoughts. That's what I plan on doing. I don't know if it'll be easy, probably not but I hope you can bear with me while I try." Derek was now speaking to the whole group but somehow Stiles still felt like most of it was being said to him.
It made him smile and then he shook it off and then he turned to Scott "There you go buddy." He said with a pat on Scott's shoulder. "And Derek, I wish you a great life, may it turn out better than whatever dream life you have."
Derek laughed "There's only one way that will happen and I highly doubt it will." simply said Derek with a sad smile.
"Why?" asked Allison. "I mean what was it like. Was being human so much better?"
"For one my family wasn't dead. Kate was actually my friend, we all met in college and the love of my life was the person I least expected to fall for."
"Who Jackson." Laughed Boyd which made Derek crack a smile as everyone laughed.
"No thank goodness. It doesn't matter. It was a dream and even though I didn't want to wake up from it I still did and now I have to make the best out of it." Derek stated.
"It wasn't Allison was it?" asked Scott suspiciously.
"No, but you and her were still together, you weren't a werewolf and you ended up having two kids, twins in fact, with a very happy life." Simply put Derek.
"What about us?" asked Erica worriedly.
Derek smiled "You three ended up fine. Erica was somehow got cured, forgot the specifics, Boyd and you got married, Isaac you ended up with my sister somehow, that was a very weird surprise and all of us remained friends."
"What about us?" asked Lydia holding Jackson's hand.
"You two broke up. But it was a mutual decision. Ended up staying friends the rest of your lives and lived the basic happy ever after ending."
Jackson shrugged "It could have been worse." And Lydia just shrugged and smiled.
"So what about me?" asked Stiles.
Derek looked at Stiles with the most affectionate look Stiles had ever seen him wear towards anyone and he simply said "You fell in love and had a son and lived to a long old age, even over me and you stayed beside the love of your life from age 18 till you were 97."
"Wow. Who was it? Wait don't tell me, wait was it Lydia, wait no that doesn't sound right, unless I am, damn what did they look like?"
Derek smirked "relax Stiles I'm sure you'll find that special person eventually."
"But why can't you tell me?" complained Stiles.
Derek sighed he walked up to Stiles leaned into his ear and with a deep breath he said "It was me." He then kissed Stiles cheek, pulled back enough to look into Stiles eyes and said "Thank you. It was the greatest thing I ever experienced."
Stiles stood there for a moment dumbfounded, not sure what to do and Derek just turned and began to walk over to the drinks and grab himself a soda.
"It was you?" Stiles finally asked after about 5 minutes of silence and Derek had drank at least half the can.
"Yeah." Derek said with a pleasant smile.
"I was gay? Wait you were gay?"
"Funny I said the same thing while I watched it." Derek stated.
"Wait your so called perfect life was with me?"
"Yep sounds unbelievable right? But it happened which is why I said it was extremely unlikely to happen."
Stiles blinked "You want it to happen?" he asked a little out of breath in the whole situation.
"Stiles if you even agreed to go on a date with me, I would do everything in my power to make sure you were with me."
"Alright then." said Stiles after a few minutes. The surrounding guests were watching with amazement at what was happening before them.
"What?" asked Derek as he turned to look straight into Stiles eyes.
"I'm eighteen; I'll go out with you." Derek looked at Stiles like he just pooped a golden egg.
"You're serious?" he said as he began to slowly approach Stiles.
"Why not? If it was so amazing, why not give it a try?" Stiles said with a sly grin.
Derek managed to now be finally standing directly in front of Stiles as their eyes stared steadily into one another's. "Will you go on a date with me?" asked Derek. He clearly was making sure Stiles was saying what Derek was truly hoping he was admitting.
"Sure. Dinner and a movie or do you have some special plan to go off of?"
"That sounds fine." Derek said with a smile slowly curling on his lips.
"Good so it's a date. Next Friday?"
"Next Friday." agreed Derek.
"Oh but Derek, you've got one date."
"One date?"
"To impress me, you know show me how well we should be able to fit together. If I'm interested, I'll ask for a second date, but if it ends up horrible and I don't feel anything, then no second date, deal?"
Derek looked more nervous now, he looked like he was actually going to say no but then he resolutely shook his head with a yes and agreed.
It was with this one date, this one choice that changed Derek's future forever.
This one date.
This one date that made Derek look like a total idiot trying to impress Stiles.
This one date that had Stiles begging Derek for another because he thought the alpha was hilarious to watch as he squirmed trying to get Stiles to fall for him.
This one date that had led to two, which led to three which intern led to two years where the two fell in love and Derek asked Stiles to marry him.
This one date that would one day lead them to adopting their little girl named Laura Karen Hale after Derek's sister and Stiles' mother, who would only further their lives to being absolutely and undeniably happy.
Until that one date would lead to the two men kissing each other as they closed their eyes and drifted off to a world much different than their own, to live happily ever after.