Chapter Three

A/N - Thanks for all of the positive reviews. I don't know why I saw Stiles as Whitelighter material, but once the thought was in my head I had to go there. Enjoy!

They were too wired to sleep so they ended up taking a shower and since conserving water was such a necessity, Stiles easily convinced Derek that they should shower together which led to a repeat of their earlier shenanigans. They dressed quickly, Stiles grabbing Derek's shirt and putting it on so that the Alpha would be forced to go shirtless, and descended down the stairs so that Stiles could make them lunch. "You should tell me before everyone else. I mean, we're wasting valuable resource time."

Stiles picked up a baby carrot and shoved it into Derek's mouth to quiet him. Derek made a disgusting face and pulled it out, tossing it into the trash can from where he stood without even looking. "Carrots are not my thing."

"Who doesn't like carrots?"

"Anyone who isn't an herbivore."

"Just because you have perfect werewolf eyesight now doesn't mean it'll always be that way. Do you even eat vegetables?"

"All the time. Why are we taking about food when there is unspeakable evil headed our way?"

Stiles shifted his weight. Derek was giving him an attitude without shoving him into a wall and he was kind of loving that they were having a conversation without a pain response attached to it. Although now that he could heal himself he didn't see the point of avoiding the pain like before, aside from the fact that pain still hurt. "I will tell you when you're all together. It's meant to happen that way, believe me. Right now we need to talk about the elephant in the room."

"The fact that you're wearing my shirt?"

Stiles couldn't seem to look away from Derek's perfectly chiseled chest and abdomen which was on full display. He made no apologies for it, licking his lips to convey all of the thoughts that he shouldn't be having.

"Are we together?"

"Do you make out with other people just for fun?"

Stiles rolled his eyes as he slid the grilled cheese over to him on a paper plate. He and his father had never been a fan of dishes and while they did have china for special occasions, plastic and paper were much more convenient. Stiles knew that Derek was aware that he had been his first and that he never so much as even got to first base with another human being. "Are you kidding me? You know you're the only one."

"I care about you. It's more serious than a friends with benefits situation."

Stiles smirked. "We're friends?"

"It's just an expression. Allies with benefits?"

Stiles thought for a moment. "We're allies?"

"Most of the time." Derek took a bite of the grilled cheese and a line of cheese fell onto his chin. Stiles was there with a napkin in an instant, wiping it away and looking into the Alpha's human eyes.

"Fine, you're my boyfriend. Happy?"

"Ecstatic! Now that we've got that figured out we need to have another discussion. About Boyd."

Derek's gleeful expression faded like Stiles had used a remote control to make him change from an almost happy and normal human being into his typical withdrawn and broody self. "I don't want to talk about Boyd."

"We have to talk about him. I told you that Boyd had nothing to do with me being abducted or killed by Peter. We both know Boyd was blaming himself over what happened."

"As he should have been. He gave Peter the strength he needed to hurt you."

"Not intentionally. Boyd is a good guy and you know that. Cut him some slack. We're going to need everyone together and on the same page."

"How can I trust him after he already left my pack once?" Derek took another bite as Stiles thought about it. He had finished the sandwich after the third bite and Stiles wasn't sure whether to be worried about Derek's emotional eating or impressed by his seemingly excellent cooking skills. "I know it must be difficult for you. Just think of it from his point of view. He made the decision to stick around with your pack even though he would have to face his betrayal every day. That takes a lot of strength."

"I guess," Derek said, growing quiet. Stiles eventually turned back to the stove and finished his cooking, using the spatula to give Derek another and making himself a plate. He walked over to the table and joined Derek so that they were sitting shoulder to shoulder. Neither was sure when it was suddenly comfortable for them to be around each other, in fact it seemed that it had only happened after their kiss earlier in the day.

Stiles raised his eyebrows then, a far away thought suddenly becoming more prominent as it caused proverbial warning bells to sound in his head, and he looked to the clock, suddenly remembering his father was going to be home in...now. They both heard the sound of the vehicle pulling into the drive way. Stiles cursed because his father didn't have any memory of him being missing which Stiles had no reason to be home on a school day.

"Clean up now," Stiles said, running to put the items away. Derek was hurrying next to him and they shoved the pan inside of the oven. "Damn it, he's gonna smell it. Crap, my jeep is in the driveway." He looked to Derek, the gears in his head spinning, and the Alpha didn't expect what happened next. Stiles' hands were on his waist and then unzipping his jeans.

"Stiles, what are you doing? Your father is almost at the front door."

"This is the only logical reason for me being home. Unless you want me to try to convince him I dropped out of school to join the circus?" Derek was silent and he watched as Stiles tossed his shirt onto the floor. He fought the urge to touch Stiles in ways that would be far too inappropriate for the Sheriff to see.

"Kiss me like you mean it," Stiles said, pulling Derek to him. When they heard the sheriff clear his throat they separated after having been caught up in the moment. "Dad! I can explain."

"If it involves you and Derek Hale checking each other for ticks I might be able to retain my sanity." Stiles smiled weakly at his father, impressed with his ability to find humor in their situation. But he didn't have the courage to go there with Derek standing right next to them, both of them caught in an internal struggle between lying to the Sheriff and wanting to continue making out without a care of who may be watching.

"Sheriff, it's my fault," Derek began, unable to look at him as he spoke.

"Not likely, knowing my son."

"Hey! Derek could have wanted to jump me without any provocation on my part. I'm an attractive guy, dad. Face it, your son is a sexual being and you're just going to have to get accustomed to it."

The sheriff put a hand on his head as though he were checking to see if he were running a fever. "So much for hallucinating. Derek, maybe you should leave?"

Derek nodded and collected his clothes, leaving through the back door to avoid getting too close to the man staring at him with a loaded gun in his holster. Stiles started to put his clothes back on, including Derek's shirt, and his father wasn't in the kitchen when he had finished. He walked through the living room and eventually found him in his office with a whiskey in his hand.

"I told you that I might be gay but you didn't believe me."

"My mistake." He took a drink and finished it in one shot before setting the glass down onto the desk. "Derek Hale? Out of everyone in this town you go after Derek Hale?"

"It just sort of happened. It's good though. He and I are good together. Really, really good."

His father raised a hand for him to stop and Stiles complied, closing his mouth and keeping it that way. "I am at a complete loss for words. Derek aside, you should be in school right now instead of making out with someone."

"You've obviously never been a teenager." His father ignored his poor sense of humor.

"Stiles, he's older than you and he doesn't have a stable track record."

"You don't approve of him or you don't approve of me being into him?"

"Both. Stiles, I couldn't care less whether you're into guys, girls, or creatures from the black lagoon. You're my son and I love you unconditionally no matter what stupid stuff you get yourself into. My feelings about Derek, however, are bordering on not even almost okay with him touching my son."

Stiles knew he shouldn't push it. He knew he should give his father time to process everything, especially since it had been his idea to spring it on his father in the first place. But the thought of staying away from Derek for his father's sake wasn't something he could do, not anymore. The pull that was shoving them together was stronger now, he could feel it growing even more powerful the further Derek got away. He didn't know if it was because he had become a Whitelighter or if it was more to do with having feelings for Derek. He didn't really care.

"Derek and I are going to keep seeing each other. I want you to be supportive and get to know him but you have to understand that you not approving isn't going to be a reason for us to stop."

"How long has this relationship been going on, exactly?"

"Four hours," he said honestly, squirming to show that he didn't like the answer. The Sheriff took a deep breath and then nodded. "Alright, I get that you need to explore this and see where it goes. Just promise me that you'll be careful and use protection."

"Dad!"

"Promise me, Stiles. The world is a dangerous place."

"I know that. We'll be safe."

"Good. Now we can talk about your punishment for skipping school."

"Okay, as long as it can start at midnight tonight. Derek and I have a double date with Allison and Scott."

"I thought you said they broke up?"

"They did, but I'm going to get them back together."

The Sheriff looked at his son in a way that made him feel self-conscious. He felt like he was finally being seen by his father, not as a child that needed his protection, but as a young adult capable of making rational decisions. "Don't push them if they aren't ready. They might resent you if you go too fast too soon."

Stiles nodded and rushed his father, hugging him tightly. He promised that he would never leave him again if he could help it and he intended to keep that promise more than any he had ever made in his life. "Thanks. I'll tell Derek you said hello."

The Sheriff glared at him as he walked to the door. "Tell him that if he's dating my son he'll be coming to dinner on Sunday night."

"I'll see if he can come."

"If he doesn't I will throw him in jail. You know I'll do it, too."

Stiles smiled and he started to leave but he stopped and turned back to face his father. "I know you may not be ready and it's cool with me if you're not, but I happen to have it on good authority that Scott's mom thinks you're fine. You've got swagger and all the ladies know it. I wouldn't be upset if you wanted to start dating."

"Thanks," he said sadly, pouring himself another drink as Stiles left the house. He stood on the front porch and closed his eyes. The training he received made him pretty good at orbing but he still hadn't mastered the healing touch or sensing. He focused on Derek and he not only sensed him, he felt him. When he opened his eyes he felt his body tingle as he started orbing. It was an experience he could only describe as sensory overload. When he materialized he was inside the passenger seat of Derek's car.

Derek's eyes were wide as he slammed on the breaks. Thankfully there weren't any other cars around or he would have caused an accident. Derek just glared at him. "What? I wanted to be with you. You can't fault a guy for using his supercool powers to hang with his boyfriend."

The corners of Derek's mouth twisted into a smile and he instantly forgave him. "I can't believe we did that to your father. He's going to hate me for violating you for the rest of his life."

"He'll be fine. Besides, I like that we won't have to hide this part of us. It makes it easier for you to drop in on me when he's home. Which reminds me, he wants you to come to dinner on Sunday night."

Derek thought for a moment as he resumed driving. He nodded a moment later. "I'll go. But you have to keep your hands to yourself."

"No promises."

"Should I bring the children?"

"A babysitter would be safer, ensuring none of us have a meltdown while I try to have that conversation with my father. We should get everyone together at the gymnasium just after dark."

"The school? You seriously want to go back to iNear Death High School/I for a pack meeting?"

Stiles nodded as Derek pulled into the parking lot of the station. They got out of the vehicle and went inside. Everything was ransacked like someone was going through stuff looking for something. Derek was glad they didn't have that much but he also felt like his domain had been invaded. He was on edge until Stiles' hand came to rest within his own, their fingers interlocking.

"Someone was looking for something."

"There wasn't anything to find, right?"

"Not that I can think of." Stiles watched Derek sniff the room and he started looking for clues as to who had been in there. "It's odd...there isn't a scent that shouldn't be here. None of my pack would need to do this unless there was a fight."

"It doesn't look like there was a struggle here, it looks like someone was doing research on you." Stiles pulled his cell out of his pocket and dialed Scott. He answered on the third ring.

"Scott, I need you to keep the pack at school, Boyd included. I'll explain when Derek and I meet you there in an hour." He rolled his eyes at Scott's response. "Just do it, okay?"

He hung up the phone and kissed Derek lightly on the lips. The Alpha pulled him closer for a second one. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of kissing you."

"The feeling is mutual," Stiles said. "I have to go send a couple of invites for our meeting tonight. If you need me all you have to do is say my name and I'll hear it. At least that's how it should work. You'll probably have to threaten to decapitate me with a staple remover or something."

Derek cocked his head to the side, uncomfortable at the mention of him causing harm to Stiles in any way. He couldn't blame him for going there, he had threatened Stiles plenty of times to get him to do what he needed. Still, he had never followed through on those threats and he never would have. He hoped that Stiles knew that but before he could ask him his body broke down into spheres of light and vanished.