Ten

Stiles sat by Devon's bedside a long time, just looking at face deathly silent in sleep, and wondering what he could do to help.

He'd finally found the love he'd searched for. Now it had come to this. Devon might not ever wake again.

Trying to use whatever fox magic he might have hadn't helped.

"Please Dev," Stiles whispered, holding his boyfriend's hand, willing his own power to flow into him. "Wake up. If you hear me."

Nothing happened. Stiles inhaled heavily through fresh tears and pulled out his phone.

He could call Scott, but explaining to his best friend that he even had a boyfriend was something he didn't want to do right now.

There was only one person to call...

"Hello."

"Derek," Stiles said in a broken voice, near a whisper.

"Stiles? What's wrong? Is everything alright?"

"No Derek," Stiles stated, all emotion gone from his voice. "Devon was attacked... "

Derek was silent, but Stiles heard the werewolf inhale on the other end.

"You mean something happened?" Derek asked, trying to sound non-hostile and concerned.

"Yes," Stiles choked, again it was almost a whisper. "It was a Nogitsune."

"Stiles," Derek said seriously. "You're sure?"

"I'm sure."

Silence again and another inhale from Derek's end.

"Do you want me to come there?" the Sourwolf asked finally. "Do you need me?"

Stiles felt a rush of surprise.

"You would do that... for me?"

"Yes Stiles I would," Derek replied, sounding a little annoyed now. "You think I don't care?"

"I don't think that," Stiles said honestly.

Stiles remained silent, not sure what he should do. Should he tell Derek yes? Wouldn't that be selfish? The older man would be dropping everything in New York for him.

"Right then," Derek spoke. "I'm coming."

"You are?" Stiles asked in surprise.

"You bet! You'll always be pack, rather you believe that or not."

Stiles was actually touched by the sentiment. He thought back to that night at the police station during the Kanima ordeal, when Derek had made Isaac back off with his alpha roar.

"Derek?"

"Yeah?" the older man asked.

"Thank you."

That wasn't really all he'd wanted to say, but its all he could bring himself to.

"I'll see you soon," Derek said before the call disconnected.

Stiles simply stared forward after that for a long time. He didn't put his phone back in his pocket. He was looking at Devon, but his mind was a jumble of conflicting emotions.

He wanted Devon to be alright- to wake up, and maybe announce this wall all some joke.

Stiles knew it wasn't. Even more complex, now Derek was coming- coming into a part of Stiles's life he hadn't been introduced into yet.

Derek had left Beacon Hills before their senior year. Stiles hadn't seen him in over two years.

His mind went back to the last time they'd seen one another, though it seemed very distant now. Memories always seem distant until we allow ourselves to revisit them.

He'd decided to go visit Derek at the loft one more time on the morning of the day the older man was to leave Beacon Hills.

He'd never forget how different the loft looked with a small mountain of boxes ready to go out to the SUV, not that Derek owned a lot of stuff.

"You're really going to leave then," Stiles had said, still standing in the doorway of the loft.

"I am," Derek replied simply, eying Stiles with a expression that was neither hostile or friendly. "I guess I should have expected you to drop by."

"Whadaya mean?" Stiles asked curiously.

"That's just you," Derek said in explanation. "You look out for people. You're... a good friend."

Stiles snorted in disbelief.

"Now stop it," Derek chided playfully, with the smallest hint of a smile. "Let's not drag this out Stiles. You know I hate playing emotion."

Stiles had actually felt a little hurt. Did Derek mean it was all an act? Even them being friends? He stared at the older man for a long moment, and Derek stared back, his eyes betraying no particular emotion.

"Well goodbye," Stiles said.

He couldn't just leave it at that though. He bounded across the loft before he could reconsider- wrapping his arms around Derek in a hug.

The older man simply raised his arm and patted Stiles's back in reply.

"Goodbye Stiles."

Stiles might not have been able to bear seeing Derek's expression when he pulled away, so he made a clean break of it. He turned around after breaking the hug and ran out of the loft without looking back. What had Derek's expression been? What had he thought?

Stiles returned to the present, eyes still focused on Devon's seemingly lifeless form.

He almost wanted to see Derek now. He needed someone- someone familiar from his past. Family.

There was nothing else for him to do except wait for Derek to arrive. He only had a few ideas of how he might find the Nogitsune, but he would need help. He didn't want to face an opponent like that dark shadow from his past without help.

Stiles yawned a little and placed his hand over Devon's.

"I'll still be here Dev," he whispered. "Dream of me. I love you."

Stiles felt tears streak down his cheeks even as his eyes closed in sleep. Soon he went under in the ebb of his emotions.

oooOoooOoooOooo

Stiles yawned and awakened to a ringing sound. He knew he must have been out for some hours now.

"Hello?" he asked, yawning into the reciever.

"Hey I'm in the lobby," Derek said. "Sorry if I woke you."

"Nah, I'll be right there."

Even though he'd just woken up he felt invigorated. Derek was actually here.

He walked down the hospital corridor, thinking he couldn't go fast enough. What if it somehow weren't true? He hadn't seen Derek in two long years.

His heart nearly exploded when he went through the double doors into the lobby and caught sight of those same features seated there- those mysterious eyes were fixed on him with something like a smile.

"Derek!" Stiles exclaimed.

Derek stood and this time he opened his arms to recieve Stiles's embrace.

"Hey," Derek said more good-naturedly than Stiles ever remembered. "I actually missed you... a little."

"Gee thanks," Stiles snickered, pulling away from their hug. "I'm happy to see you."

He really was. Even in spite of current circumstances. It was good to have an old, familiar face to turn to.

"You hungry?" Derek asked him. "I'm starved."

"I could go for something," Stiles said agreeably.

"Great. Let's walk."

The two of them exited the hospital through the automatic sliding door, finding themselves in the muggy night air of New Orleans.

"I'm happy to see you," Stiles said, trying to make conversation.

"Good," Derek grunted, still looking forward as they walked.

Stiles didn't expect Derek to display much emotion, but he knew the Sourwolf was happy to see him too.

"So how's New York?"

"Stuff," Derek said, staying true to his short answers. "Mostly pack stuff. There's another pack in New York."

"Figures," Stiles replied. "A werewolf's life huh?"

"You got it," Derek said, burying his hands in his jeans pockets as they walked.

The two of them remained silent the entire block.

"There's a coffee shop just ahead," Stiles suggested when they reached an intersection. "You up for it?"

"It'll do," Derek agreed shortly. "We can talk a little more I guess."

Well, that was Derek for ya.