So in this chapter Derek shows a softer and even more (gasp) playful… side. Hope you enjoy. Oh and another thing about this story… Scott was turned by just a wandering wolf and Derek helped him control his powers so that's why Stiles knows him =)

Ellen

"So his entire family is gone?" Asked my mother with pity, disappointment and sadness in her voice.

I was telling her about the Hales. How they were all gone and she was in disbelief like I was. She's admitted a million times that I used to stay over there more than I stayed in my own house and it seemed like Derek was always somewhere lurking around wanting to be invited to dinner. My mom has always had a way in the kitchen. She has what I call… A chocolate thumb.

We rolled the dough for the cinnamon buns we were making in silence for a moment. She was thinking and I could tell. She had her "scheming" face on and I just bet it had everything to do with Derek and I dating. She's in a big hurry to marry me off.

"So I was thinking… You're nineteen, Derek should be about twenty. Why don't you two go out?" She asked with a sneaky and amused look on her face.

"Because mom, he's Derek and I just got back. I don't even know the guy. He could be a serial killer or an organ smuggler." I argued my defense weakly. It probably would have been better had I not even objected. She went back to scheming.

"Well… Let's have him over for dinner." She said in an almost giddy tone… too giddy in fact. It's what she does when she's trying to coerce me into seeing things her way.

"Fine." I said throwing in the towel.

"Great!" She exclaimed. "Now invite him and… finish making the cinnamon buns, will you dear? I've got errands to run." She said while walking out of the kitchen, grabbing her keys and leaving me to deal with the doughy mess in our kitchen.

After popping to buns in the oven I went outside to water the plants and talk to them. Once I was outside however I nearly got scared half to death by the likes of Derek Hale once again. Geez, if he keeps this up I'm going to make him wear jingle bells so I can hear him coming.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack again!" I yelled excitedly.

"No actually, just returning your music player." He said in a calm and rather amused tone as he handed the IPod to me.

"Well… Thanks I would have missed this later." I said with as much sincere gratitude as I could find in my voice. I truly was thankful he returned it.

"So… I don't like dinner?" He asked sarcastically while he stared at me with his piercing gray eyes.

"You're a tough guy now so I just figured you wouldn't be interested in a family dinner." I answered as innocently as I could. His eyes said he didn't believe me though. "You could come if you'd like Derek." I finally said, giving up the fight.

"Great." He smirked cockily while he twisted his car keys around his finger. "I'll be here at seven." After reserving his spot at the dinner table he disappeared into thin air. I've almost forgotten how fast were people are. He's definitely grown into his powers.

Derek

I love sneaking up on Ellen. I still get the same rush I used to get when I was just a kid. Truthfully… I've been at her house since sunrise. We stayed up last night catching up in the woods and when I went home I felt strange. I couldn't get her out of my head so…when I saw the sun slipping into the sky I went to her house.

I don't like what's happening to me really. I feel the same way I did about Kate and that ended horribly. Even though Ellen is no hunter and she's definitely not a deceitful bitch… I just don't want to be that open and vulnerable again. The last time I fell in love… it got my family murdered by a psychopath… this time what will I lose for a little piece of happiness?

Everything is telling me to leave her alone and… be alone but I don't know if I can. I actually don't even think I want to. Why should I have to be scared of joy? I'm not scared of anything else… but I am scared of the one thing most people spend their entire lives trying to attain. Happiness.

I sat on the dock by Ellen's family's pond while I watched the ducks swimming by. It was peaceful.

"Ahh! Saved you life!" She yelled behind me while tapping my back lightly.

I heard her coming just like I heard every word she said this morning.

"Cinnamon rolls?" I asked hoping she would offer me one. Her mom's cooking is one thing that makes me feel… nice. At least it used to be and from the way this pastry smells it still is.

"Yup." She said briskly with a smart alecky tone.

She smirked at me and for a moment our eyes locked. I moved in closer wanting badly to kiss her but I chickened out. Derek Hale backed down. Instead I took a bite of her cinnamon bun and she smiled at me in disbelief before punching me in the arm. I didn't sting as bad as I remember…

"You could have just asked for one!" She yelled with that gorgeous smile still plastered on her face. She wasn't really angry. I could tell by the way her heart was beating.

"I implied that I wanted one. You didn't offer." I smiled at her while licking my fingers.

"Well… come on. My mom made a whole batch." She said before leading the way into the house.

That's when I heard a car outside. I looked to see that it was Stiles Stilinski. What is he doing here? The doorbell rang and Ellen ran to it. She came back in the kitchen with Stiles trailing her.

"Whoa, Derek what are you doing here? Ellen are you okay?" He asked in a concerned tone.

I do have a bad reputation and I may have threatened to behead Stiles a little too much for comfort.

"I'm fine Stiles. Derek is harmless. Couldn't hurt a fly." She said with sarcasm and laughter in her voice. She knows what I could do but she also knows what I won't do.

"Look Ellen… this guy is crazy!" he said with a bought of hysteria in his voice. Maybe threatening to rip out his throat wasn't the right thing to do.

"Look Stiles… I'm sorry I threatened to kill you all those times but you were being stupid and annoying." I apologized as sincerely as I could to the dweeb.

"Stiles pay no attention to Derek. Here my mom has the jams your dad asked for all packaged up. I'm sure these will be a hit at the police man's bake sale this weekend." She said cheerfully.

"Well actually… my dad will probably eat this entire box before it can make it to the sale. Thanks a lot Ellen and watch yourself…" He said, heeding Ellen before scooping up the box of jams and driving away.

When he left she didn't say anything she just shook her head at me and chuckled before coming around to sit beside me at her breakfast island. Things were silent for a minute as we both snacked on the warm gooey pastries until the phone rang. Ellen answered and the news didn't sound good. She dropped the phone and a look of disbelief covered her face.

"Everything okay?" I asked… she was still in a look of shock.

"My dad… he was burned alive." She said almost breathlessly. "I need to find the keys… where are the keys?" She asked tearfully as she looked around the kitchen for her keys. I saw them but I knew she didn't need to drive.

"You don't need to drive. I'll take you… I'll drive."

We got in my car and she cried all the way there. Once we arrived at the hospital she ran inside to the hospital room they had him in. I stayed outside. I hate hospitals. There are so many noises and heartbeats and every few seconds you hear one just stop. It's haunting to hear death.

Ellen

"Daddy please don't die! Please! I love you." I begged him as I cried. My mother had yet to arrive but she was on her way.

"Bear." He said weakly. I doubt he can talk much but he managed to whisper the nickname he's called me since before I can remember.

He handed me a necklace. It was gold and the insignia on it was a wolf. Which was a little strange. He looked me right in the eye as he passed it to me and then he flat lined. Doctors and nurses flooded in, pushing me out. My mother had just arrived. She was a total wreck too. When she tried to go in the room I heard them give her the news. They couldn't save him. As if things couldn't have gotten any worse a police officer came over to ask me some questions.

"Ma'am. I'm so sorry for your loss but… your father was at the Honeymoon hotel when this happened. We suspect he was meeting a mistress there. Do you have any idea who this would be?" He asked the question with no emotion on his face. He tried to look sympathetic but it didn't translate.

"No I don't. My father just died. Can please wait until he's in the ground to try and ruin his fucking name!" I yelled at the officer not caring that he was armed and that I could get arrested.

My father's dead and there's nothing I can do about it. I held the necklace in my hand. Why would he give this to me?

Unless it's a clue.

Thanks for reading, please leave a review. Let me know what you think. I hope this writing style was easier to follow than the one I previously used.