Derek instantly grabbed Stiles Stilinski by the shoulders and then by the waist when the teen struggled. Derek held him closer to his chest as Stiles grabbed at Derek's arms, trying, but failing to prise them open. The longer he held him, the louder Stiles' sobs seemed. Derek could feel his kick out, hoping, praying that Derek would let go but he wouldn't. When Derek couldn't take it anymore he growled. "You can't."

Stiles let out another choked sob. "Please...please. Let me go. It's my dad. Didn't you see? Jackso- The Kanima has my dad!"

Derek looked up to see the Kanima circling Sheriff Stilinski. The older man only had a baton to defend himself and it was obvious that if someone didn't intervene it wasn't going to be good.

"You're as good as dead if you approach it," Derek said as he tried to stop the kid from going over. He didn't know why, but the thought of Stiles, dead, made his stomach lurch.

"AND I MIGHT AS WELL BE DEAD IF MY DAD IS! HE CAN'T DIE BECAUSE OF ME!"

Derek turned him around ready to punch the boy for being so hysterical. Of course there was a point of him being alive even if his father was dead. Did Stiles really think the pack was so heartless? That they wouldn't take him in if he had nowhere else to go? But he got his answer when he saw the sheer desperation in Stiles' eyes. He'd already lost his mother, he needed his dad. "Stay here. I'll get him."

Stiles calmed down at the words and Derek let him go. "I'm coming with-"

"NO! I'll get him myself," Derek said, and ran towards the Kanima in full sprint while transforming to his wolf form. He tackled the Kanima to the ground, knowing that he had to isolate the front legs as quick as possible, but as he grabbed on he realised that he had underestimated the Kanima's strength. They both rolled over, with Derek flung hard to the ground. Derek tightened his grip on the front legs, he couldn't be scratched, or he was dead for sure. But the more he held on, the more he realised that even as a wolf he was never going to be as strong as the lizard-like creature.

Turning his head left, he spotted the lake not too far from them. And then it came to him. The shard of glass at the pool. The Kanima was afraid of his own reflection. With all the strength he could muster, Derek rolled the Kanima and himself towards the lake. Taking the beast by surprise he gathered momentum until they crash landed into the water. Without hesitation, he grabbed the back of Kanima's neck and shoved his face as close as possible to the water. As the lake stilled, Kanima let out a straggled noise, leaping onto the bridge and scurrying away into the shadows, no doubt, heading straight to Gerard Argent.

Derek breathed heavily as he tried to recover.

He stayed, sat in the water for a few moments, before he started to haul himself out of the water. Only, he was thrown back into the water with the weight of Stiles running up and throwing his arms around him.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Stiles repeated over and over again holding him tight.

Derek couldn't help the warm glow of happiness pass through him as Stiles refused to let him go. But he mentally shook off the feeling; after all, he was still Derek Hale, the Alpha. "Trying to drown me isn't the best way of thanking me, you know," he said gruffly with sarcasm.

Stiles laughed, but just held on tighter as Derek did his best to scowl. The scowl slipped slightly to a smirk just as both of them hear a sharp cough. Stiles and Derek both turned to the bank to see the Sheriff looking at them with a raised brow. "Um...I just wanted to thank Derek for saving my life. But now I understand why you did."

Simultaneously, Derek and Stiles turned to look at each other, holding the other at arm's length. Stiles eyes were wide. He couldn't do anything more than open and close his mouth wordlessly.

"No," Derek spluttered out, cheeks heating up. He looked at the boy again. When had Stiles ended up in his lap? He shoves Stiles hard enough to get him off of him.

"Er...yeah, dad. No. Like I would ever- I mean, it's Derek Hale. Yeah, he's hot but he has no personality. And I would never because- He's a dude and you already said, I'm not gay so-" Stiles rambled on with what could only be described as a word vomit.

Derek growls lowly causing Stiles to jump beside him. "Stiles. Shut up."

Stiles rubbed the back of his neck while looking furiously between Derek and his dad. "Right. Yeah."

Derek pulled himself out of the water, resisting the urge to help Stiles out too. "Go home. The Kanima's still out there."

The law enforcer nodded curtly at Derek, before responding. "Yes, I wanted to talk to you about that. The creature- What sort of animal is it?" Derek almost scoffed. He wondered what story Stiles and Scott had concocted. It was evident from the older Stilinski's manner that he hadn't seen Derek change, or he wouldn't have been so quick to joke about his son and a werewolf.

"Ask Stiles," he said turning back once more. Derek rolled his eyes as Stiles appeared into view, dripping wet, puffing like mad. Even still, the teen managed to give Derek his trademark grin. The wolf scowled again to hide the fact that he had unconsciously been staring at Stiles chest, outlined by his soaked t-shirt.

Shaking his head he signalled his leave before running back to his dilapidated house. He wasn't even out of breath as he headed straight for the shower. He ran a hand through his hair.

Wait.

Did Stiles Stilinski say he was hot?

Stiles was a bit too mushy right? I dunno...I just think when hid dad's concerned it's only right that he gets over-emotional.

Derek's mushy as well but what you gonna do? :P

I would love some reviews! :D

DDF

XXX