Seven hours of freeway later, Derek's Camaro pulled up in a familiar spot outside the Stilinsky residence. Stiles seemed reluctant to get out of the car so Derek cast his eye over the house he'd not seen for ten years. There were very few changes to observe, some of the paint had been refreshed and at some point the driveway had been re-laid. Other than that, the tree that grew next to Stiles' old bedroom window was taller and fuller and - Derek wryly observed - would make for even easier access to the room. He turned back to Stiles, taking in his anxious demeanour. For reassurance he folded his hand over Stiles' fingers which had been picking listlessly at a loose thread.
"Let's go in, it's gotta be better than waiting out here", he said quietly while gently squeezing Stiles' hand.
"Yeah, you're right." Stiles sighed but nevertheless made to get out of the car. His Dad's cruiser wasn't in the drive so he knew the awkwardness of the reunion was postponed for a little while longer. He didn't know whether he was relieved about that or not. Derek fetched their bags from the trunk and followed Stiles into the house.
It had even been a couple of years since Stiles had been back home so he was also looking out for things that his Dad may have changed in the meantime. He walked into the kitchen as Derek dropped their bags in the hallway. On the big kitchen table in the middle of the room he saw two coffee mugs and a note tucked under them. One of the mugs was his old mug that he'd always used and the other was new but similar. Stiles picked up his Dad's message and read it.
Welcome home son, there's some coffee on for you but it may be a bit stale by the time you get here. We will be searching until it gets dark. I don't know where we'll be so please don't try and find us, you've had a long trip and you'll need some rest. I'll update you when I get in. Make yourselves at home and I look forward to seeing you both soon.
Dad
Stiles handed the note wordlessly to Derek as he picked up the mugs and started to fill them with the very stewed coffee.
"That doesn't sound so bad", offered Derek.
"No", replied Stiles, handing a warm mug to Derek. "I suppose not but I would imagine his priority is finding Scott, I'm sure he'll have loads to say when it's over."
"Well then let's follow his example and worry about what he thinks later." Derek sat down at the table indicating to Stiles to do likewise.
"I'll just text him and let him know we're here." Stiles reached for his phone and sent a quick message. When he'd finished, instead of putting it down or away, he tossed it between his hands. "I think I'll phone Allison too, see if there's any news..."
Stiles found Allison's number and hit send. The ring tone went on for so long, he was on the brink of hanging up when Allison answered.
"Hey", she said, "You made it?"
"Yeah, we just got in, any news?"
"No, we've been out in the woods all day but we haven't found a thing, they're bringing the dogs in tomorrow. Oh Stiles, I'm so worried, what if we don't find him?" Stiles could hear the catch in her voice and how close she was to breaking down completely.
"We'll find him, I know we will, he wouldn't want to be away from you any longer than he has to. When will you be home, we'll come over?"
"They're starting to bring the search teams back now so I guess in an hour or so."
"OK, we'll see you then. Love you Allison, we're here for you, OK?"
"Love you too Stiles, bye." Allison cut the call before she started crying.
"So we've got about an hour and then we can head over to Allison's." Stiles told Derek.
"That will give us time to finish these", Derek tipped his mug in Stiles' direction, "...and get freshened up." Silently they drank their coffees. Derek reached over the table for Stiles' hand. "You're too quiet, you worry me when you're this quiet."
"Shit, Derek, I don't know what to think, never mind say, my best friend is missing and we know who's got him. We know, don't we Derek? What will we say to Allison, to my Dad? How can we explain it? I can't even wrap my head around telling my Dad what you are, what Scott is or even what might have happened to him."
Derek moved his chair closer to Stiles and pulled him into a hug. "We don't say anything now, not until we know some more. For the moment we're just supportive friends." Stiles melted into the embrace for a moment.
"OK, we're here because we're here, I get it." Stiles pulled away reluctantly and stood up. "I think I'll take our things upstairs, I kinda want to see my old room."
Derek followed Stiles up the stairs, letting him lead even though he knew exactly where the room was. When Stiles opened the door, he was surprised. He remembered his room as being all sorts of clutter; clothes and books scattered everywhere but the room was tidy and empty of nearly everything that defined its owner. Of course, he'd taken most of it with him when he'd left. He put the bags down by the wardrobe and went to sit on the bed. Closing his eyes, he imagined he was a decade younger.
Derek watched him from the doorway, letting him find his piece of mind, not wanting to force it. After a couple of minutes Stiles opened his eyes again and held out his hand for Derek to join him.
"We'll sleep here", he told Derek, "But until we've found Scott and spoken to my Dad, I can't do...you know..." he trailed off embarrassed.
Derek threw an arm around his shoulders and turned Stiles in to face him.
"I understand but I'll tell you this, when we've found Scott, when he's safe again, I'm going to make love to you in this bed like I should have done years ago."
Stiles kissed Derek, "that'll be great".
Half an hour later Stiles was directing Derek to Scott and Allison's house. As they came round the bend, Stiles saw that the porch light was on. He pointed out the house to Derek.
"I think she's home."
Derek pulled into their driveway and parked up behind Scott's landscaping truck. As they got out of the car, the front door opened, bathing light onto the drive. Two figures emerged, silhouetted by the glare, one of them ran towards Stiles and threw herself into his arms.
Stiles wrapped his arms around the distraught Allison.
"Oh my God! " she said, "You can't imagine how good it is to see you. You look great, your hair's longer and you put on some weight. I like it."
Stiles rubbed her back gently. "I'm sorry it took this for me...us...to come home."
Allison disengaged herself at the reminder that Stiles wasn't alone. She turned to face the man standing behind Stiles, never forgotten and still familiar in his posture. She walked over to him and gave him a hug as well.
"Derek, it's good to see you too. I should kill you for being gone so long but I can't think straight at the moment." She took each of them by the hand and led them towards the door. As they neared it, Stiles finally made out the other person standing just inside the house.
"Lydia", he said hesitantly, "Is that you?"
"Hey Stiles, yeah, I got in this morning." She took a step back into the light. Stiles could see how drawn her face was too, it made her look much older than her years.
Allison took them inside and Lydia shut the door behind them.
"Derek", Lydia nodded at him as he passed her, it was clear she was going to be less forgiving of him than Allison had been. They moved into the living room and Allison gestured vaguely at the chairs there. She sat down on one end of the sofa and Lydia tucked in next to her. Derek and Stiles took armchairs opposite.
"What happened today?" asked Stiles. "I've not spoken to my Dad yet."
Allison looked up at him, partly dried tears tracked down her cheeks. "They searched nearly all of the woods. Everyone was so good, there were people volunteering I don't even know." She shook her head in amazement. "They didn't find anything, it's like he was here one minute but not the next. I don't understand it, there's no reason for him to go and every reason for him to stay"
Tears started to flow more quickly and Allison caught back a sob. Lydia put her arms around her. As the son of a Sherriff, Stiles could well imagine the sorts of questions that Allison had been asked about the relationship between her and Scott. Questions that needed to be asked but which were incredibly hurtful all the same. Lydia was giving him the stink eye over Allison's shoulder.
"What?" he mouthed confused.
"She's pregnant doofus! Now do you see why Scott wouldn't have just walked out?"
"Oh!" said Stiles, momentarily taken aback. He knew how much the pair of them had wanted kids, how long they'd been trying. Scott had turned into a part-time bore on the subject of becoming a Dad over the past couple of years, telling Stiles all the time how he was fixing the house up, getting a nursery ready and how he was always trying to tell Allison to relax and not get stressed. Stiles could see exactly why Allison was so sure that Scott had been taken.
"Allison, I'm so happy for you, we'll get Scott back for you." He turned to Derek, "Won't we?" he said, almost pleading his boyfriend to back him up.
Derek leaned forward. "Can I ask you some questions Allison?"
Allison wiped her hand down her face trying to brush away the shed tears. "Yes, of course, anything you think will help."
"Tell me about his exercise routine, where does he go, is it always at the same time, what does he take with him?"
"He always runs in the woods, I don't know exactly what route he takes but I know he always goes past your old house Derek; he likes to keep an eye on it. He goes out at seven and he's usually back by a quarter past eight and he doesn't take anything with him, well, a cellphone and a bottle of water but that's it."
"And obviously you've rung the phone", asked Derek.
"It goes straight to voicemail; I've left so many messages."
Derek looked thoughtful, "You say there are dog teams going out tomorrow?"
"Yes", answered Allison, "They had to bring them over from upstate, they couldn't get here early enough today to do anything useful."
"I'm thinking that maybe I should go out tonight, see if I can catch his scent. If the dogs track him and he always takes the same path, they won't know where his scent stops but I'll know."
"Derek, you can't go out tonight!" protested Stiles. "You've been driving all day and you must be exhausted, I know I am."
"Well when can I go then? I don't want to get caught up with the trackers and the longer we leave it, the harder it will be." Derek seemed fairly firm in his intentions but Stiles knew how long the day had been."
Stiles turned to Allison, "What time are they heading out tomorrow?"
"About nine, I think", she replied.
"Well how about first thing, we can come with you and...do ...something, I dunno..." Stiles tailed off.
Derek looked into Stiles eyes, he saw only concern there and he reasoned that it was a fair compromise, he was tired and he'd be undoubtedly fresher after a few hours' sleep.
"OK, Stiles, we'll do it tomorrow but early, as early as we can.
"How will you know Derek? If the dogs won't know, how will you know?" challenged Lydia, leaning forward towards him.
"Because he's pack and an alpha can always sense its pack mates."
Derek's tone turned cold and the girls were somehow reminded of the Derek they'd known the last time things were strange in Beacon Hills. Lydia slumped back into the sofa, she tucked a leg under herself and eyed the two men inquisitively.
"So, you two, what gives?" Her direct stare was making Stiles a little uncomfortable.
"Um, we're together, you know, no big deal", babbled Stiles.
"Last I heard you were dating the hell out of the city girls. How come the turnaround, you weren't gay at school, you never even kissed Danny?" Lydia was obviously not going to let it go, it was maximum embarrassment time for Stiles. Not for Derek however, he ran his hand down Stiles arm which was laid on the armrest.
"I ran into Stiles by chance about a month ago. It seemed a good time to pick up where we left off when I had to leave here." That silenced Lydia, she gaped at Stiles.
"You mean you were having a thing ten years ago and you never said?"
"Kind of", muttered Stiles.
"What he means is, we both wanted to but it wasn't the right time", stated Derek. He took hold of Stiles hand. "It is now though, isn't it?"
Stiles smiled back at him, his confidence and assurance gave Stiles confidence too. "Yeah, it's the right time now."
"Oh my God!" shrieked Lydia, "you two are too cute together, why didn't we see this before? I can't wait to tell Jackson, I think I owe him some money."
"Huh?" queried Stiles.
"Oh, it's nothing, he just always said that there had to be a reason why you were always asking if you were attractive to boys. I told him you had a huge crush on me so you couldn't be gay. He wins!" she shrugged.
Allison smiled at them. "I'm really happy you found each other again. Scott will be over the moon when he finds out." There was an awkward silence, Derek broke it.
"Stiles and I will set off at six a.m. tomorrow; I should be able to cover most of the ground before the dogs start tracking."
"I'm coming with you" insisted Lydia. "I'm not missing this for anything."
"But don't you want to stay with Allison, you can't leave her alone?" exclaimed Stiles.
"I'm not", she said smugly, "her parents are upstairs. You don't mind do you Allison?"
Allison shook her head. "No, if you think you can help Derek and Stiles then by all means go with them. I'll be fine, Mum and Dad are very concerned, they'll be keeping an eye on me."
"OK then, we'll pick you up at six Lydia, make sure you're dressed for hiking, you can't get around the woods in four inch heels", Derek instructed.
"As if..."scoffed Lydia. "Tomorrow then..."