"Merry Christmas to you guys too. I'm fine by the way." Stiles spoke up, feeling a little left out.

Derek turned around to look at his mate. He grabbed Stiles and placed his arm around his shoulder that didn't have their sleeping son on.

"We didn't forget about you Stiles." Allison snuck around the others and hugged Stiles.

'Beep!' Melissa turned around to look at the kitchen. She realized that it was the timer going off, signaling that the food was ready. "Let's get these three out of the cold" Stiles' father said while closing the door behind the group.

The group walked towards the kitchen, Derek following. It has been an extremely long time since he set foot in the house. Even though he probably could navigate through with his senses, he was too busy looking at everything. So much has changed in the last few years.

The hallway and staircase was cluttered with baby toys, there were a dozen or more new pictures of Chloe, Hunter, Jayden and the rest of the pack. They were all smiling. One picture caught Derek's attention.

It was a picture of the group. It must have been taken during one of the pack gatherings. The whole pack stood close together for the group photo. Melissa and Stiles' father standing close together, his hand on her shoulder. They both wore a huge smile, laughing at what the others were doing.

Allison, who was holding Chloe, was trying to stop her little girl from pulling on her long black curly locks of hair, while Scott was reaching for the baby to pull her away.

Jackson and Lydia were running around, hunched over, trying to catch their son, who was crawling on the ground.

Then, smack dab in the middle of the picture was Stiles and Jayden. Stiles, with a crooked smile, was sitting cross-legged on the ground as a little boy, Jayden, stood on his dad's thigh, hugging him around the neck.

Derek chuckled lightly to himself as he felt arms around his waist. "That was one of the best days ever." Stiles spoke.

"How was it that you and Jayden managed to be the only calm ones in the picture?"

"Well, right before this picture was taken; Jayden was jumping and crawling all over me. The camera just got lucky to capture this. Which I'm glad, we seem to be the only normal ones according to this picture"

Derek leans down and kisses Stiles.

"Break it up, break it up. There's plenty of you two to have alone time, but right now, it's pack time." Lydia joked as she walked past the two to go into the kitchen.

"Everyone, it's time to eat" Melissa shouted.

Stiles' eyes grew wide at Melissa's statement. He led his husband into the kitchen, where the rest of the pack had already been seated.

Stiles' father was at the head of the table, Scott, Allison, Jackson and Lydia on his left and Melissa at the other end of the table. Jayden took his normal seat at the right side of the Sheriff. Stiles led Derek to the seat they save for him every year and Stiles sat on the left of his son. Chloe and Hunter were in their high chairs, next to their parents.

The Sheriff stood up, clearing his throat, he began. "This is a very special time of year that we are blessed with each other's company, but this year, it is extra special. Finally, after two long years, Derek is home." He raised his glass, the others doing the same. "Welcome home Derek." There were whistles and cheers for the newly returned alpha, who mumbled 'thank you' to everyone.

Stiles leaned over to Derek and kissed him on the cheek. "Yes, Derek, welcome home." Not one much for being sappy, broke the moment. "Now let's eat!"

The Sheriff filled everyone's plate with every food item. When the food was placed in front of the werewolves, Allison, Stiles and Jayden, bothered to take a bite of the delicious food in front of them.

"Is there something wrong with my cooking?" Melissa questioned as she swallowed her first bite.

"No, there's nothing wrong with your cooking, we're just waiting." Scott told his mother, who looked confused.

The Sheriff, having had Derek over before for dinner, remembered and instantly felt a little guilty, he immediately stopped eating and told Melissa what was going on.

"Melissa, there's nothing wrong, the food tastes fantastic, but they will not eat until Derek starts first."

Melissa, still new and never having the whole pack over before, was still confused. "Why?" she asks.

Stiles, being Derek's mate, responds: "This big guy right here," he motions towards Derek, "well, since he is the alpha of our little pack, he is the first one to eat, then the rest of us can join in."

Scott explains a little more. "That is why, like at previous gatherings, everyone would wait until Stiles and Jayden would start to eat. Stiles and Jayden, especially Stiles, is the closest thing this pack had to an alpha, because he was Derek's mate."

Derek grew extremely proud of his pack. Not only had his pack helped Stiles when he needed it, but they also treated his mate with the same respect as they would if he was there.

"Papa" Little Jayden tugged on Derek's sleeve, "can we eat now?"

The alpha smiles, taking his first bite "Ok little man, we can eat now."

The other werewolves plowed through their first course and were on their second when the others were just starting their first.

After dinner, the group helped with cleaning the kitchen and then took off running to the living room to open gifts.

"Papa over here!" Jayden grabbed Derek's hand and pulled him to his normal spot, closest to the tree, another sign of respect for the alpha and his family.

Derek followed and sat where his son told him to sit. "Here." The little boy tugged his father onto the floor and scurried into his lap. Stiles sat beside his husband and son leaned against Derek.

The others piled into the room. Jackson and Lydia sitting on the couch with Hunter, Scott, Allison and Chloe on the floor, facing the alpha

Melissa and the Sheriff were the last two to come into the room. The Sheriff leaned against the doorframe and Melissa sat down on the reclining chair.

Jayden started to hand out presents to the others. Grabbing one by one and giving it to the designated person.

"Aunt Alli." He waddled over to Allison with the wrapped box that was as big as him.

"Thank you Jayden." Allison places a kiss on his head.

Jayden picks up another one, repeating the process of reading the name and handing it to the person. There was one package left. It was for Derek.

Jayden walks over to his dad, hands it to him: "Here Papa"

Derek takes it with a confused look.

Stiles whispers, "Every year we place a present under the tree for you." Derek still looks confused.

"It was our way of wishing to spend Christmas with you again." Lydia stated.

The alpha was at a loss for words. Even when he was away, his pack made sure they had a place for him at the dinner table and a present under the tree.

"Papa open present!" Jayden was bouncing up and down waiting for his papa to open his gift.

"Every year we would add to it." Stiles told Derek.

Derek examined the present closely. He finally unwrapped the present, while the others had their eyes casted on him. There were multiple, individually wrapped DVD's. He walked over to the television after Melissa gave him permission. He put the first one in the DVD player and pressed play. He stood back so he could watch what was unfolding on the screen.

The screen was black at first, then, Stiles' voice came on. "Today, we are having our first outing at the beach with the new members of the pack. Say hi everyone" The video recorder panned to the left to show the pack. Scott, Allison, Jackson and Lydia were sitting on a beach towel, holding Chloe and Hunter. Melissa and the Sheriff were bringing more items from the van.

The video started to shake while a scream, followed by laughter could be heard.

"Jayden!" it was Stiles. Jayden snuck up behind his dad and jumped on his back, causing Stiles to fall.

"Gotcha daddy!" Jayden said while laughing and claiming victory.

The screen blacked out again. Stiles face was the first thing that popped up on the screen afterwards. "Derek, I just want you to know that Jayden is your son." Once again, the video recorder was turned around. This time, it was not at the beach, but inside their house.

Stiles took the camera through the entire house to show the magnitude of what their son had done.

There was not a piece of house that was not covered in pillow feathers. The couch was torn to shreds, the television and lamp knocked over, every cabinet door opened and its contents thrown everywhere, there was a toilet paper trail that ran from the bathroom and into every room of the house, except one.

Stiles stopped in front of a closed door, knocking on it lightly before talking. "Jayden, what are you doing?" There was not a response, so Stiles opened the door, leading to his son's room, and gasped at the sight in front of him.

Jayden, after he destroyed the living room, continued 'playing' in his room. His pillows were torn to shred, leaving his floor covered in feathers, his bed sheets were destroyed and the little boy was found jumping up and down on his bed.

"Like I said Derek, he is your son."

The video ended there and Derek was handed another DVD. He put it in the player.

This time, the group was met with Scott's face.

"Derek, happy birthday, hope you come home soon. Everyone misses you like crazy, plus, Stiles is getting cranky from not getting 'some'"

"Scott!"

"What? It's true! Well anyways, happy birthday Derek."

Next was Allison with Chloe. "Stiles I don't even know what to say"

"Well it is his birthday, so I don't know, you could wish him a happy birthday"

"Yeah, but I mean, never mind. Happy birthday Derek. Come home soon."

Jackson, Lydia and Hunter could be seen on the television next. Lydia was the first to talk. "Happy birthday big guy, wish you were here to celebrate with us. Jackson are you going to say something?" Jackson rolled his eyes.

"Uh, well, happy birthday."

Last, it was Stiles with Jayden. "Just hold the camera."

"Is this thing even working? Is that red light suppose to flash like that?" Scott asked, whipping the camera around.

"Dude, just point it towards us. Geesh."

"Ok, I think I got it. Ok, go."

"What do you want to tell your papa Jayden?"

"Hey! That's me!" Jayden yelled when he saw himself on the screen. Stiles patted his head.

The group focused back on the television in front of them.

Stiles whispered something in Jayden's ear. "Oh yeah, I got it daddy. Happy birthday Papa. I miss you. Bye." Jayden looks at Stiles. "Is that good daddy? I told Papa happy birthday and that I miss him."

Stiles was holding back his tears when his little boy turned to him. "Yeah, little guy, that was good." Jayden jumped out of his dad's lap and ran somewhere behind the camera. Stiles was now sitting by himself.

"Derek, come home to us soon. We all love and miss you, just come back home safe to us. Happy birthday. I love you."

The screen went black.