Well, here's the next chapter. I guess it's kind of a lot of musing and not a lot of dialogue, so sorry if that's not your thing. Title is All We Are by OneRepublic. Oh, and the italics are supposed to be a little flashback conversation if that's unclear.

Chapter 4: All We Are

"When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching - they are your family."

― Jim Butcher

Derek sat in the dark running a hand tiredly over his face. His whole body screamed with exhaustion, but he couldn't bring himself to sleep just yet. He needed to watch over Isaac to make sure he was okay.

It had been a long night, but the Kanima situation was finally taken care of. Not to say that it had been easy. Derek had been tossed around like a ragdoll for a good bit before the pack managed to take control of the fight. He wasn't concerned about himself though. He was more concerned with Isaac who had taken a pretty good attack from Allison.

He hoped Isaac would sleep soundly through the night. First, because that would help with the healing process, but also because he was sure Isaac wouldn't be happy to wake up to Derek keeping an eye on him. They had already had that discussion earlier that night.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Derek asked for what had to be the hundredth time in Isaac's opinion.

"Yes, Derek, I'm fine," Isaac ground out.

"I'm just saying, maybe we should go see Deaton. Have him take a look just to make sure."

"Jesus Christ, Derek! I said I was fine. Why do you only treat me like this? I don't see you asking about Erica or Boyd. You know, just because my dad would hit me doesn't mean I can't take care of myself!"

Isaac's stared at the floor, ears reddening in embarrassment even through his anger.

"Isaac," Derek said firmly. "You know I didn't mean it like that. It's my job as alpha to make sure you're okay."

"Yeah, whatever," Isaac mumbled storming past him. "I'm gonna get some sleep."

"Okay."

Derek cringed as he thought back on the conversation. If he was trying to be subtle about the fact that he might care about Isaac a little more than the others, he wasn't doing a very good job. He couldn't really help it though. He hated seeing him get hurt. He didn't deserve to go through any more pain after all he'd been through. Derek didn't mean to say that he pitied the boy in any way; he knew how strong Isaac was. He just wanted to protect him.

The more he thought about it though, the more he realized that it was his fault Isaac was in this situation to begin with. Derek was the one who bit him. Sure, Isaac had agreed, but he hadn't really known what he was getting into.

Derek had been too desperate for that sense of pack that he had lost. He had spent so long living like the empty shell of a person, and he just wanted to feel alive again, to feel like something mattered, like he mattered. He'd spent the last ten years of his life feeling as if there was nothing left inside him, like if he carved open his chest, he wouldn't find anything. He felt like a ghost cursed to haunt the earth alone for the rest of eternity. Was it so wrong that he was tired of feeling like that? He didn't know anymore.

It was too late to take any of it back though. He had already bitten Isaac, Erica, and Boyd. They were in constant danger because of hunters and monsters they'd never even dreamed of all because of him. He had to teach them how to protect themselves now, he had to keep them safe.

It wasn't like it was all bad though. They had really grow into a pack of sorts even if it was a somewhat odd one. The betas had all learned to trust each other almost immediately. After all, they had all been on the outside at school. Isaac and Boyd had never laughed at Erica's seizures, Erica and Boyd had never egged Jackson on as he beat Isaac up, and Isaac and Erica had never looked down on Boyd for always being alone. They all came from hardship, and they brought their own qualities with them from it.

Isaac was fiercely loyal. He'd learned what betrayal felt like when his own father laid his hands on him and his older brother did nothing to stop it. He'd learned what betrayal felt like when he saw people who knew what was happening pretend he didn't exist. He'd learned what it was to live in pain and fear. Now that Isaac had the power to fight back, he did. He protected the people he cared about like they were precious jewels. He cared for them and comforted them. He would die before he let them go through what he had.

After Erica got bitten, she had become the brave one. She had lived her whole life cowering in corners waiting for her next seizure to hit. She had walked around with her head down and her shoulders hunched in an effort to disappear, to escape the mocking. But now, she was finally free. So she got strong, and she got angry, maybe even dangerously so. There wasn't a fight she wouldn't back down from even if she knew she'd lose. She was tired of cowering and hiding. She wouldn't go down without a fight.

Boyd added the level-headedness to the pack. He had walked alone for quite some time, so he had learned how to survive on his own. He'd learned what it was like to rely on his own mind for everything, how to think through the best possible options for every situation. So when he became part of the pack, he brought this knowledge, along with his newfound strength. He became the quiet voice of logic within the group. When Erica got too enraged and Isaac got over-protective, he would bring them back with his calm rationalizations.

They really had become a family, and Derek truly cared for each one of them. They had given him a reason to live again, a reason to fight and that was more than he could ever repay them for. But it was Isaac who had this uncanny ability to set off this spark inside Derek that he'd never felt before. He made Derek feel like he could smile again, like he could laugh. He made Derek think that maybe he did deserve to be happy again.

Isaac was just so innocent, and it wasn't because he hadn't seen his fair share of horrors. He had, and yet, he still saw the best in the world. It was what made him somewhat of the baby of the pack. Everyone loved him. On pack bonding nights Scott, Stiles, Erica, and Boyd would all fight over who got to snuggle up next to Isaac during the movies. It was also what made Derek so desperately want to protect him from anything and everything that could hurt him. He wanted to protect that gentle nature of Isaac's that he loved. The way his soft blue eyes lit up with joy when he was happy, the way his smile practically radiated light infecting everyone around him. His soft voice that you had to give your full attention to in order to hear. In short, those were the reasons Derek couldn't stop himself from staying until he was satisfied that Isaac was okay.

"The best and most beautiful things in life cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart."

- Helen Keller

So, I don't really know if that was supposed to be sad or a little happy in a way or what, but I guess I hope you enjoyed. Let me know.