Chapter 14: The New Start
Only seconds pass when Stiles feels his phone vibrating. "Oh, Stiles." Caroline joked.
Trying to catch his breath, and not laugh, Stiles picks up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Stiles, it's Dad. I'll be home for dinner tonight, do you mind cooking? I have to go back into work later."
"I can do that."
"Thanks, see you in a bit."
Stiles hangs up quickly and let's out a deep sigh.
"So, like always you have to go?" An almost annoyed Derek says.
"Yes, sorry. Dinner Duty tonight. He will be going back into work though."
Caroline slips off his lap and sinks into the couch. "I guess I should get going too."
She saw Derek's smile weaken to a frown.
"We will be back!" Caroline tried to rise a smile out of Derek, which didn't work. "Stiles, can I get a ride?" She said softly, but still all her focus on Derek.
"Yeah, you ready?" Stiles replied.
"Well I'm not ever ready to leave his side...but I must." There's Derek's smile.
She leans over and kisses Derek's scruffy face, and they were on their way out the door.
Walking behind them Derek watched them leave in Stiles blue jeep. He kept looking until he couldn't see them anymore, but he could still hear them laughing as they were trying to decide on a radio station to listen to.
Turning back around he realized how much he missed them already. Never would he have thought his life would end up like this. He was so ready to finally believe he would suffer for eternity. He almost welcomed it, but it all started with Stiles. The little shit got under his skin and he never left. Now there was Caroline, which startled him even more. He was utterly baffled that this has happened to him.
Looking around his burnt down home he finally realized something. He needed to let go of this place. Not fully, never fully, but enough to finally live his life. His life is changing and he, himself has also been changing. Realizing he's so much more that the grumpy sour wolf Stiles so happily calls him.
Smiling, he started thinking of plans to move forward.
The night passes slowly, and all they can think about is one another. The clock strikes 10:00pm and Liz tells Caroline goodnight. Caroline thought about asking her Mom for the keys so she could go out, but she didn't feel like answering twenty questions. Maybe she could sneak the car, she thought, but her Mom would hear the engine. She decided to just watch a late night talk show.
As Stiles sat on the couch waiting for his dad to leave, he decided to go upstairs and give Caroline a call.
"Hello, Care?"
"Hey! What are you up to handsome?"
A blushing glow came over Stiles face again, "I was just wondering if you'd like to head to Derek's with me tonight? My Dad is heading back to work soon."
"That sounds lovely, but I'll have to sneak out. Could you pick me up around the corner? I don't want my mom to hear the car, or see the lights."
Laughing, "Of course, anything for you." He could almost hear her smile through the phone. "Be there in about 15."
"I'll be waiting."
As soon as they hung up, Stiles heard his dad shout a goodbye. He grabbed his keys, and waiting for the headlights of his dad's cop car to fade into the darkness.
"Finally!" He said out loud.
Grabbing his coat, he headed to get Caroline. He couldn't wait to see her and Derek again.