Okay, sorry that this took so long to get up, school started back this week ad it has been crazy! I am working on the next chapter of Truth and Consequences. Thank you all so much for your continued support and reviews, please keep them coming. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 11

Hearing the door open and someone running up the stairs, Derek assumed that the girls were home, however when he heard Erica and Isaac talking softly while the door upstairs slammed he became concerned. Turning the sauce on low, he walked into the living room where Erica and Isaac where talking softly, Isaac holding Jacob still in his carrier. "Anyone want to fill me in on what happened?" Derek asks.

Looking at each other before nodding, Erica began, "Um, we were just shopping and talking about stuff and we came out of the baby store and this woman, her mom, I guess, who is a total bitch came up and started in on Lydia—she called her a slut and a lesbian and she was really mean and Lydia just ran out of the mall and she couldn't even talk the whole ride home, and when we got here she just jumped out the car, handed baby Jake to Isaac and ran upstairs," Erica rambled.

Quirking his eyebrow, Derek asked, "She called her a lesbian?"

Looking at the Alpha exasperation clear, "That was all you got out of all of the whole story?"

"Um, well," He stammered, looking to Isaac for help, the Beta looked just as lost for a response, after a minute Erica just chuckled at them, "Never mind, the point is, you need to go talk to her." She surmises as she crosses her arms and fixes him a stare.
"Why do I have to talk to her," Derek is not against the idea, he is just confused as to why he was volunteered.

"Because you're the Alpha," Erica explained as if that made any difference in this situation. Giving up or giving into her logic, Derek turned and mounted the stairs. Pausing at Lydia's door, he could hear her crying. The sound of her soft sobs caused his chest to clinch in a completely uncomfortable way. Taking a fortifying breath, he knocked on the door softly, "Derek," her voice sounded small through the door even though she was on the other side of the door, "Just go away."

"Why?" He asked.

"I just, I can't" she trailed off, "Just leave."

Trying the door, Derek was personally a little offended that she wanted to dismiss him, but more so he was worried about her because Lydia rarely showed weakness and he had been there for her last show down with her mom. Hearing her sobs increased and realizing that the door was locked Derek understood that he had two chooses—kick the door down or find another way in. Seeing as how she was sitting against the door, he chose the latter. Jogging down the steps, he passed a slightly confused Erica and Isaac as he ran out of the house. When the two Betas hear the scratching sound of their Alpha climbing the back of the house and the thump of him breaking into the window of Lydia's room, they share a smirk.

Lydia was lost in her own thoughts, trying to pin down why her mother was such a bitch and why she still let her mother's vile words get to her. She was angry and embarrassed, both at her mom's behavior—specifically in front of Erica—but also at her reaction to it, this is the second time in a week that she has cried because of her mom and Lydia Martin doesn't cry!

The loud thump from the window draws her head up from her knees in shock as all 6 feet 2 inches of Derek Hale stumbles gracelessly threw her window. She can't help but snicker at his disheveled face and look of frustration as he hauls himself up off the floor. "Smooth," she smirks as he crosses the room and takes a seat a few feet from her, leaning against the foot of her bed.

"Glad I could amuse you," He deadpans, stretching one leg out in front of him and resting one arm on his bent knee, his relaxed stance not giving away his discomfort at her tears. At his intense look, Lydia's face breaks and she starts to cry again, "Do you want to talk about it?" He asks gently, looking up at him again Lydia looses herself a bit in his intense green eyes, letting out another sob; she crawls across the floor and tucks herself against his chest. Derek is shocked at her action, shocked at the contact, but them he wraps his arms around her, pulling her closer and presses a kiss to her hair and for a few minutes, completely caged by his body, she feels totally protected—a feeling that is nearly as rare as tears for Lydia Martin.

After crying onto his t-shirt for a few minutes, Lydia sighed, "I am so sorry, this is the second time in a week I have cried all over you," She laughed as she wiped her eyes, making no move to leave the comfort and safety she felt being cradled by his body.

"It's okay, you have had a rough couple of weeks, I think you are due a freakout," he said calmly, rubbing his thumb gently over her shoulder. Leaning back a bit, she gives a frustrated huff.

"I don't know why I let her get to me, I mean she didn't say anything she hasn't said before really, I just," sighing again she searches for the words, "She called Jacob a thing," she leans back a bit and looks at Derek, fighting tears again, "A thing. Like he isn't even a person, he is her grandson and she called him a thing, what does that make me? I am the mother of a thing," Her hands flail in angry gestures, "I just don't know why she hates me so much, I mean I have worked so hard to be perfect for her and she just doesn't see any of it. She just sees a disappointment, and I know that, I expect that, but when she looked at Erica in disgust the way she usually looks at me and them she called Jacob a thing and refused to even look at him, I just couldn't let that go," Wiping a few stray tears that had fell while she was talking, she chuckled sardonically again, "God, I must sound crazy."

Derek's face had taken on a serious and introspective look, lifting his hand, he wiped a few more tears away with his thumb, "That is the first time you have done that," he whispered, his voice thick with something Lydia couldn't describe, quirking her head she asked, "Did what?"

"You called yourself his mother. You were upset because of the way your mom treated Erica and Jacob, not because of how she treated you and you called yourself his mother." He explained without removing his hand from her face or allowing his voice to betray any emotion he might have over her declaration.

"Well yeah I guess I did, I just, even if I am not his mother she thinks I am and she is treating him this way and," Looking down to where her hands rest in her lap before looking back up at him, she whispers, "Derek I know that I am not his mom, I get it, but I am connected to him and I feel like I am, his mother I mean." She seems almost ashamed at her admission, like she is doing something wrong.

"I understand," he whispers back, "I feel connected to him too, more so than I even feel connected to my Betas, I feel like his is my blood," he grouped for the word, Lydia supplied it, "your son, you feel like he is your son, just like I feel like he is my son." Raising her hand to his face, she mirrored his action, rubbing his cheekbone in comfort.

"Yeah," Derek agree, "I know that it is probably wrong and that I am setting myself up for all sorts of pain but, I just, it is like an instinct, something primal, I need to protect him, I am connected to him in a way that I haven't felt before, not even when my family was alive but that is the closest connection I have ever felt to this," Nodding, Lydia understood his word perfectly, "Well for the time being, let's forget the hurt that can come from this and just let him be ours, our Jacob, our son," She giggled, "That sounds so strange but it feels right." Offering her a sad smile he nods, "Yeah it does." They lock eyes for a moment and Lydia can feel her body being drawn further into his, the need to kiss him becoming overwhelming. Just as she was about to close the distance between them a shrill cry from downstairs tears through the room; dropping her forehead to his chest, Lydia groans, "He's hungry," leaning back with a smirk, she asks, "Will you bring him up here, I don't really want to face the pack right now." Nodding Derek untangles himself from her and quickly exits the room.

As he closes the door behind him Derek takes a deep breath, both relieved for the moment to collect his thoughts and morning the moment that could have been. He knew that he shouldn't start anything with Lydia but it was like everything in his world was pushing him at her. Hearing the baby let out another, sharper wail, he jogged down the stairs to find Erica pacing with the baby, talking to him, "Come on baby Jake, just hush. Give them a few more minutes," she whispered insistently. Shaking his head and not wanting to focus on the beta's words too closely, Derek crossed the room, "Lydia said he is hungry," he says gruffly as he lifts the baby from her arms. Nodding Erica watches him walk up the stairs before turning to Isaac and Boyd who had just walked in, "We have got to get baby Jake on team Dydia too, he may be the only one that can convince them to be together."

Nodding sagely, Isaac adds, "I think he already is."

Shaking his head, Boyd walks to the room Lydia had converted for him, "I think you are both crazy," he mutters with a chuckle.

"Oh come on Boyd, you know that Lydia and Derek would be perfect for each other," Erica followed him, "I mean look at them, all that snark and sarcasm, they could be awesome."

"Not to mention have you seen how much happier Derek has been around her, he has been smiling—and not just when someone is hurt, that is growth." Isaac adds. Boyd just laughs and concedes, "Okay, I will say that he is a better leader when she is calling the shots."

With a little jump and a giggle Erica hugs them both, "Yeah, another member of the team." Turning to the kitchen she samples the sauce and puts on the pasta.

Derek re-enters Lydia's room to find her much as he had left her, still sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed. She had wiped the tears from her face but she still looked introspective as she stared at the floor. Looking up as he closed the door behind him she reaches for the crying baby. Derek lowered himself to his knees before lowering Jacob into her arms. Lydia blindly opens her top and snaps her front close bra open as she pulls the baby to her chest, as he latches on Derek moves to stand back up.

"Wait," Lydia whispers, reaching forward and fisting her hand in his t-shirt.

"Wha-" his words are cut off by Lydia yanking him forward by his shirt and pressing her lips to his. For a moment Derek froze in shock before relaxing into the kiss and pulling her bottom lip between his teeth, worrying it before smoothing it over with his tongue. Sighing into the movement, Lydia opens her mouth, sucking his tongue into her mouth. They deepen the kiss, Derek moving forward and burying his hand in her hair pulling her closer without crushing the baby between them.

After a few minutes the two break apart, both panting for air, "Lydia, I," Derek begins but then realizes that he had no words to offer because he can't really access his brain right now.

"Stop trying to come up with reasons why this is bad, I am not asking you to commit to anything and I don't think we should start a relationship in front of the pack just yet, I just," She sighed, looking down at Jacob for a moment, fortifying herself, "You have helped me out a lot in the last week and I wanted to kiss you. Let's not read anything else into that for now okay."

For a moment Derek stared blankly at her, processing her words through his admittedly slow moving brain before nodding, "Okay, but does that mean that I can kiss you when I want to as well?"

Considering it she tilts her head before nodding, "Yeah that seems fair," Looking down at the baby again, giving him a soft smile before continuing, "Look we are linked to each other for life through the pack and through this priestess companion thing, now we have Jacob, our perfect little charge," she spoke to the baby, rubbing his cheek, "And our supernatural lifestyle doesn't exactly lend itself to dating so, yeah, feel free." Derek chuckles at her bizarrely logical argument to justify kissing but he still leans forward and presses his lips to hers again. Smirking as he pulls back, "I wanted to," he shrugs, "but I think that you are right about not telling the pack about anything just yet because we haven't decided what this is so, no kissing in front of them." She smiles at him and shifts Jacob to burp. Reaching for the baby, Derek says, "I'll take him, Erica started the pasta so we have a few minutes until dinner if you want to grab a shower."

"Actually," she stood, "that would be great." After a quick shower, Lydia changed into yoga pants and a tank top before joining the pack in the kitchen. Walking over to Erica, she hugs the girl, "I am so sorry about today, my mother had no right,"

Cutting off the other girl's apology, "Lydia you have nothing to apologize for, you didn't do anything wrong. I just hope you are feeling better."

Smiling she squeezes Erica's hand, "Yeah, a few minutes of crying on Derek and a little baby Jake time and I am good as new." Both girls giggled and moved to dish out plates of food. Once everyone was sitting at the table the pack fell into an easy conversation about each member's day and what was going on at school Lydia proudly updated them on Jacob's check up before adding, "We also filled out his birth certificate today."

"Really," Boyd asked, his face showing his shock.

"Yeah, Dr. Deaton figured that he would need a birth certificate just in case any questions were ever raised about him or his birth," Lydia explained as she picked the baby up out of his mobile bassinet, "So today I filled out his birth certificate. Lady and gentlemen, I would like to officially introduce you to Jacob Isaac Martin."

Isaac's head snapped up, "What?"

Smiling, Lydia nodded.

"You mean," he sputtered, "you named him after me?"

"Well you are kind of the best uncle/ big brother a kid could ever ask for, so yeah, he has your name." She explain and Isaac's eyes glazed over a bit as he stood and hugged Lydia before taking his tiny namesake, "did you hear that baby Jake, you are name after me," everyone chuckled at the beta as he baby talked to the infant.

The pack spent the next few hours doing homework and fawning over Jacob, by the time Lydia crawled into bed, she was exhausted. A few hours after she had fallen asleep however, she was awoken by Erica's distressed screams from downstairs. Jumping out of bed she bumped into Derek as the both exited their rooms in a hurry to rush down the stairs. Letting the Alpha go first—just in case this was a dangerous scream—Lydia followed Derek into the room that Erica was currently sharing with Boyd.

Isaac had actually offered to switch with Erica and let her have her own room but she had refused, saying he deserved his own room and that she didn't mind sharing with Boyd but Lydia thought that there was more to it than that. As they reached the door to the room, Lydia pushed past Derek when she saw Erica crying out, sweat matting her hair to her forehead as she struggled and sobbed in her sleep. While Derek and Boyd both stared at the blonde, trying to gage the best plan of approach, Lydia climbed on the bed with her and pulled Erica to her body. Smoothing her hair back, Lydia whispered, "Shh, it's alright, Erica you are safe."

Looking over the still sleeping, struggling blonde, Lydia made eye contact with Derek who looked a little frightened. Reaching her free hand out to him, she prompted him to walk to the bed, taking her hand and sitting down behind Erica. Rubbing her back, he whispered, "Erica, you are safe, if you can hear me please wake up." After a few moments, the she-wolf opened her eyes, taking in her place between Lydia and Derek, she took a deep breath before pulling Lydia into a hug and sobbing for a few minutes. Boyd made his way to the bed, running his large hand over the back of her head comforting her as she calmed down, surrounded by her pack, her family.

Rocking the girl slightly, Lydia knew that neither she nor Erica were going to be sleeping anytime soon, she suggested, "Erica, why don't you come up to my room, we can watch cheesy movies and have a sleepover," Erica nuzzled further into Lydia's shoulder for a moment before whispering, "Really?"

"Yeah," Lydia pulled the taller girl up from the bed, Boyd kissing her head affectionately before the girls left the room. Hearing them start up the stairs, Derek turned to Boyd, "How long has she been doing this?"

Wearily Boyd ran his hand over his head, dropping heavily on his bed before looking up at his Alpha, "Um, every night since we came back. Tonight was the worst, but she has been having nightmares every since then." Sighing, he continued, "Derek I'm worried. The Alpha's tortured me for a long time, but I was unconscious on and off for a while and I don't know what they did to her, but, she is struggling with it. I feel like I failed her, like I should have protected her and I didn't," Derek could hear the Beta repress a sob, "She is like my little sister and I couldn't protect her, not from Allison and not from the Alphas."

Derek had always seen so much of himself in Boyd, much more than in any of the others actually and now he understood why. Crossing to the bed, he sat beside Boyd, resting his hand on Boyd's shoulder, "Boyd, this isn't your fault. You stayed with Erica when you could have run and protected yourself. You stayed and helped her escape the Argents and you took the brunt of the Alpha pack's torture so that she didn't have to. You did everything you could to keep her and yourself alive and for that, you are a great brother and pack mate. Stop blaming yourself and just keep protecting her."

Taking in the Alpha's words, Boyd nodded and ran his hand over his face, subtly wiping his tears, "Thanks, I needed to hear that."

Nodding Derek added, "I am proud of you," as he stood and left Boyd to his thoughts. "Try to get some sleep okay, you have school in the morning." Closing the door behind him, he mounted the stairs, hearing the girls giggling, he opened Lydia's door, "Hey," he looked to Lydia first, silently checking in with her before looking at Erica, who looked significantly calmer, "How about I take Jacob into my room so you two can talk and watch tv or whatever without having to worry about waking him up?"

Knowing that it was his way of trying to help without being in the way, Lydia nodded, "Okay, just bring him back if he gets hungry." Nodding, Derek picked up the mobile bassinet and moved it to his room. Sinking back into his bed, he fell asleep to the sound of the girls giggling. A few hours later, Jacob woke him with his hungry cry. Moaning, Derek rolled over and looked at the baby through the mesh of the bassinet, wishing for the moment that he could have a full night's sleep without anyone crying. Jacob met his eyes and, as if he was taunting him, let out another, louder cry.

"Okay, okay," he muttered as he stood, pulling the baby to his chest and stumbling across the hall to Lydia's room. The girls were both half asleep, watching some 80's horror movie, both under the covers a bowl of popcorn between them, almost as if he smelled his mother, Jacob stopped crying the minute Derek approached the bed, lowering the baby to Lydia, who was once again wearing one of Derek's henleys, already unbuttoning it. Once Lydia had the baby, he dropped to the bed beside her, burying his face in the pillow to her right, mumbling, "Wake me up when you are done," as the girls giggled at him.

While Lydia settled back into the pillows, running her fingers over the baby's arm as she whispered to him, Erica noticed the unconscious way that Derek's thumb ran over the expose flesh of Lydia's hip where her tank top and pants had slipped a bit. By the time the baby was finished, Derek was breathing steady and even with one arm thrown over Lydia's lap and the other hanging off the bed. As he snorted in his sleep, both girls looked at each other before breaking into giggles, "Oh God, that was," Erica giggle again as she searched for a word, "Adorable."

Nodding Lydia said, "Yeah, big bad Alpha."

Sighing, Erica offered, "Well I guess I should head back down stairs," her reluctance was clear in her voice.

"No, we are having a sleepover and the presence of the narcoleptic Alpha doesn't change that. Now settle in, we have another slasher flick to watch." Snuggling down into the bad, Erica locks eyes with Lydia, "Thank you, you know for tonight and for everything," chuckling she adds, "You know I have never had a sleepover before."

"Really? Well this is the best one I have been to for a while."

Smiling the girls settle down into the bed, snuggling the baby between them as Derek sleeps on beside them. Eventually they all drifted to sleep, this time nightmare free as Erica was finally comfortable and safe with the scents of her Alpha and Lydia around her. She had no idea why she felt safe because of them, but she did—they felt like family to her, like home in a way that she hadn't felt in years.