(Author's Note: Okay, I am so so so so so so so so so so so so so sorry that it has taken this long to post...I've had it written for a few days but my internet was down for the past TWO DAYS, so I couldn't get on to post...I started typing it yesterday evening but then I had to go to a BBQ so yeah...I didn't finish typing until now. I am going to a cottage this evening for five days (not including today) so I won't have time to post at all BUT I will be writing so I'll three chapters, at the very least, done so I'll get them posted fast. I also have the rest of the book planned and there will be a sequel! BUT I wanna finish this before school starts, and when I do finish this I'm not starting the sequel until I'm done my other book 'Meeting Tristan.' It is posted on Miss Literati if you want to check it out, my name is thecullensrock. Anyway, just a heads up, the last two paragraphs in this chapter may be a little confusing, but all will be explained in the next few chapters. Sorry for that huge ramble, ENJOY THE CHAPTER! And, reviews are always appreciated :)

Scott slowly slides down to the floor, tears spilling freely down his cheeks. He had never been close to Danny, but they had been friends; the type that casually hang out at school but not at home. Scott had always had a strangely strong trust in Danny, he would have trusted him with his life, and Scott had always assumed that Danny would do the same; he was loyal to his friends. Despite them not being close, Scott feels as if he has lost a brother. "He didn't deserve to die." Scott whispers. "Not like that."

Derek sits next to Scott and pulls him into a hug. Scott accepts it gratefully and sobs into his shoulder. "What happened to him?"

Scott grips Derek's body, drawing blood where his nails dig into the alphas back. "The n-n-nurse said t-t-that h-h-his lung c-c-collapsed."

Derek rubs his hands through Scott's hair. "Shhhh, you can tell me in the morning once you've had some sleep and calmed down a bit."

Scott shakes his head and loosens his death grip slightly. "I can't sleep, not after watching what Ethan went through." He shutters at the memory.

"What happened with Ethan?" Derek asks, hugging Scott even tighter.

"He went crazy." Scott said. "He knocked out a nurse in his rage . . . I had to drag him out, kicking and screaming, tears rushing down his face. I – I couldn't control him. Derek, I was barely able to anchor him."

Scott's mind flashes back to the moment that they had been alone in the parking lot. Ethan had collapsed onto the cement, tearing some up in a yell of rage. "Ethan, listen to me." Scott had said calmly, even though he was holding back tears.

"Go away Scott!" Ethan had screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Ethan I can help you, okay. Get back into Derek's car, we'll go back to the loft and I'll help you. You can get through this, I promise." Scott had explained soothingly.

"He was my mate!" Ethan yelled. "Do you know how many people I've watched die?! Deucalion killed my family, right in front of Aiden and I. He made me kill my pack and he made me take Isaac's memories and bite your mom. How much death and destruction can one person take before they break?" He gasps for air. "I've hit my limit Scott; I can't do this anymore, I can't stay with Deucalion anymore."

Scott places a hand on Ethan's trembling back. "Where will you go Ethan?"

Ethan digs his nails into the cement even more and lets out another pained cry, "I d-d-don't k-k-know Scott." He's hyperventilating now. "I know that D-D-Deucalion k-k-killed him. H-he knows p-p-people . . . I want t-t-to h-h-help, Scott."

Scott rubs Ethan's back. "Breathe Ethan. What are you trying to say?"

Ethan shifts so he's sitting on his butt and his breathing returns to almost normal. His blood shot and tear filled eyes had stared straight into Scott's. "Deucalion is what caused Danny's lung to collapse. He got someone to cause it to happen, I just know it. Him killing my family I could handle because I still had Aiden and my promise of an alpha status. Killing my pack I could take because I still had Aiden and my super-alpha status . . . but killing Danny is going too far. He's the first person that I've ever truly loved . . . I want to help kill the man that is responsible for his death."

Scott had squeezed Ethan's hand. "What are you getting at?"

Ethan had taken a deep breath before replying to Scott. "I'm going to help you."

Now, as Scott looks into Derek's eyes, he says something that he would have thought impossible six months ago. "Derek, Ethan's on our side now. He's going to do anything to kill Deucalion, just like us."

The next few hours were hell for Scott, who cried so much that his head and throat hurt like nothing he'd ever felt before, and he could barely keep his eyes open. It was twice as bad for Derek who had to watch the boy go through so much pain and know that there was nothing he could do to comfort him but hold him tight.

Derek sighed in relief when Scott finally fell asleep. He carries the boy up to a spare room and tucks him in before being stopped in the doorway by a pissed off Stiles. "Dude," the teen said, "you didn't tell me they were back!"

Derek steps out of the room and closes the door, joining Stiles in the hallway. "They were both in a really rough shape, Stiles."

Stiles hesitates before speaking. "Danny . . ."

"Is dead." Derek whispers. "All I got from Scott was that his lung had collapsed."

Tears swim in Stiles's eyes. "How's Ethan doing?"

Derek sighs. Of course Stiles is more concerned about someone else than himself. "To be honest, Stiles, I don't really know. Scott said that he was really torn up about it, but I haven't talked to Ethan myself yet."

"How are you feeling about all of this Derek? You look terrible." Stiles points out.

Derek leans against the wall, "I just spent half my night worrying about an innocent boy and the other half comforting a grieving werewolf, both of which are very stressful and neither of which involve getting any sleep. How should I look Stiles?"

Stiles put his hands up in mock surrender. "Okay Sourwolf, sorry for trying to-"

"Trying to what?" Derek asks, folding his arms across his chest and raising his left eyebrow quizzically.

Stiles's mouth drops for a moment while he tries to think of something to say. "I was trying to . . . umm . . ." His cheeks start to go red.

An amused smile comes across Derek's face. "I love how I make you so embarrassed." He whispers. "It's very amusing."

"I'm not embarrassed! Pffff . . . that's crazy talk . . . why would you think that?" Stiles exclaims, but since his face is getting even redder it only confirms what Derek already knows.

Derek steps forwards and ruffles Stiles's short hair. "I'm going to check on Scott's mom."

Stiles watches as Derek 'sexy werewolf ass' Hale walks down the stairs and mentally slaps himself for being so stupid. Since when is Stiles-freaking-Stilinski ever at a loss for words? He always had something to say, until he started to fall in love with Derek that is.

Stiles shakes his head and peeks into Scott's room. His best friend is curled up in a ball on the bed with his eyes staring wide and tear-filled at the wall. He must not have actually been asleep when Derek brought him up here; that or the weird flirting they had going on woke him, "Scottie." Stiles says softly. After years of being through Scott's lowest times, Stiles knows exactly how to handle a sad and depressed Scott.

Scott inhales sharply and exhales slowly as his claws come out and retract, "Stiles." His voice breaks.

Stiles crouches next to Scott's head and grabs his hand. "Hey bud, we'll be okay. We'll get through this together."

"I feel empty." Scott whispers. "Ethan said that he's his limit, but I think I have too."

Stiles swallows his tears as an old memory surfaces. "Scott, remember when my mom died and I said the exact same thing you just said, before I tried to eat all those pills." Scott nods weakly as Stiles wipes a tear from his eye. "What did you say to me?"

Scott closes his eyes as he thinks back to the day that Stiles almost committed suicide; exactly one week after his mom had died. After a minute he opens his eyes and stares at Stiles. "I told you that although you miss the dead," the two boys swallow their tears, "it's the living that you need more and there's always somebody who needs you."

Stiles smiles sadly, "Exactly. Now, think about that for a moment and tell me who in this world needs you right now?"

"My mom," Scott whispers as he wipes tears from his eyes.

"Who else?" Stiles encourages.

"Isaac," Scott says, "a-and you. And Ethan and Boyd and Derek."

"Stiles sticks his tongue out, "Derek's mine."

Scott grins weakly, "Well, I've got Isaac."

Stiles snorts, "Derek would so kick Isaac's ass in a fight."

Scott sits up, a real smile on his face. "Yeah, but that doesn't make Derek better."

Stiles flicks Scott's arm. "In a world of werewolves, I think it does."

"Ladies, Ladies," Derek says from the doorway, "Stop fighting about me."

The two boys grin. "And that's why I love my Sourwolf." Stiles says, "He always has perfect timing."

Derek gives Stiles a look that practically screams 'have sex with me' before looking back to Scott. "Your mom wants to see you."

"She's awake?" Scott asks.

"No," Derek says, "that's why she wants to see you. Of course she's awake you idiot."

Scott smiles and looks at Stiles. "Was Derek actually trying to be funny?"

"I think he was." Stiles gasps dramatically and then laughs when Derek shoots him a typical, emotionless Derek Hale look.

"I guess I'll go keep your mom company then." Derek says as he leaves the room.

"He so wants to bang you." Scott whispers.

"I know." Stiles grins back. "And trust me, I've been waiting months for that beautiful, sexy, Alpha di-"

"Stiles, shut up!" Scott says, trying not to smile, "He can hear you, ya know."

"Good." Stiles says, standing up. "I wanna bang you too!" He yells. "Now that that's taken care of, let's go see you mom Scott."

Isaac wakes in a cold sweat; too many memories swimming around for him to focus on any one thing. The last thing he remembers is Ethan in his room and then black. Thinking back, nothing makes sense.

He remembers the janitor's closet and admitting his love to Scott, the fight with the alphas and then waking up in the hospital. Ethan had come to give him his memories back, but Isaac had never lost any memories. He remembers everything leading up to Ethan, so what exactly did Ethan do?"