Chapter 21

The elevator door opened, and they were there. Again. White room filled with sucudytes ready to feed on them. Stiles swallowed loudly. He didn't know why, but he was a lot more nervous this time. Yesterday he knew that they were going to use his scars on his back to see Dereks reaction. Today it was different, he had no idea what was waiting for them.

They arrived too early and were taken behind the tables, where four other ones were chained and waiting. They were couples. Stiles knew that, because they were holding hands or slightly touching each other. What Stiles didn't like was that they were calm. Chained, in this weird place and completely calm. All their eyes were fixed on the middle of the room, where he and Derek were yesterday but right now there was a man and a woman.

Chains from the ground were replaced, but there was still a few cracks on the ground left by Derek. The woman was standing and pulling the new chains. The man was kneeling on the ground, also chained. Stiles could see that they both were exhausted.

Derek saw that Stiles was a little shaken so he took his hand in his. Stiles smiled a small smile, but kept his eyes on the center of the room. This can't end well.

"Hope you liked this little snack, but hold on there is more." The announcer said.

One of the sucudytes walked to the woman, who looked like she has been crying. "We can all see how brave Lisa has been tonight.. but I'm afraid that's not enough."

Lisa sighed, an it looked like her whole body slumped with it. Like it was the last breath in her. The man noticed it and tried to get her attention "It's okay Lisa, we will survive this. You know I love you." his voice broke a little. He looked as shaken as her, but tried to stay strong for her.

From across the room Stiles saw Linda who was looking away from Lisa. Maybe because it was too much for her. Stiles looked at Derek, because he was holding his arm too tight. Derek was glaring at the sight, Stiles saw his chest rise and fall a little faster that usual. He knew he was afraid that they were soon put into this exact situation.

Sucudyte pulled Lisas hair so she would be looking at his husband. When she finally did, another sucudyte hit him in the face. Lisa snarled and tried to pull away. "Turn Lisa, or he gets it again."

Lisa shook his head, eyes locked with his man. They exchanged a smile. That pissed the sucudyte off so he hit him again, harder this time, so his nose was bleeding. Unfortunately that made Lisa turn. She was a werewolf.

She snarled and tried to bite the sucudyte who was holding her, put she got away. She tried to get to his man, but he was just out of reach. She wanted to kill the bitch next to his man, who had dared to hit him like that, she pulled the chains again, but nothing. She saw the smug face on the sucudyte and she knew that he was going to get hurt again. She pulled harder, almost desperate and completely broken when he saw the loving eyes of the man she loved.

The sucudyte pulled out a gun. At first he aimed at his head and everybody watched in awe how the werewolf was in complete despair. The sucudyte laughed, aimed the gun at her and pulled the trigger. Twice.

She fell down, blood coming from her chest and head.

"No." the man said silently, completely shocked "Lisa..." he started to sob "No, no, no... " With each word, he was realizing more and more what has happened. Tears were falling from his face.

Stiles heart stopped. This was too sad, he couldn't take it. He waited for the man to get angry, to try to get to her... but nothing. He was just crying his heart out. Screaming no and collapsing on to the floor.

Derek looked at Stiles and saw a tear, he quickly wiped it away and pulled him into a hug. It was weird with the hand cuffs so he winced for a second and his cuffs were broken. He now took Stiles into his arms. When Derek saw the guard coming at them, probably to handcuff him again, Derek gave him such a death galre that the guard stopped and took a step back.

They didn't look, when the body was taken away and the heartbroken man was removed from the room. It didn't matter, because Stiles still heard his cries.

"You said it yourself, they want a balanced meal." Derek repeated Stiles words from a few hours ago.

Oddly enough that made Stiles feel better immediately "Yeah." he shook his head like it was stupid of him to even think that Derek was going to die tonight. "I know. I'm fine.

"Well I'm not." Derek said, knowing that Stiles wasn't either.

That made Stiles smile and Derek released him from his embrace. Stiles wanted to say something, but they were called to the center of the room.

This time it was different, nobody really payed any special attention and two other couples were with them. A guard removed all their chains and left them in the center of the room. Stiles and Derek both frowned. What the fuck? Even the evil-queen-like creature from yesterday wasn't even paying attention to them.

The two couples on each side, spoke softly to each other, they smiled and one of the couples started kissing.

Stiles looked around and saw that a few sucudytes were looking at all of them and writing something down. They even argued about something, but kept the focus on them.

Stiles knew what they had to do. The sucudytes were looking at their emotions, they were testing his and Dereks connection. Linda said that, they were supposed to have a great connection, but maybe not impressive enough when he shielded his emotions and Derek was... being Derek. Stiles didn't even think it through and explain that to Derek, when he blurted out.

"Kiss me."

"What?" he hissed back "No."

"Do you want to get separated? Or die? Just kiss me!"

Dereks eyes were wild, he didn't really get where Stiles was going with this. "I'm not kissing you in front of all these people " he hissed silently and looked around. Even if most of the people were talking to each other, it was still an audience. It didn't help that the other two couples were now making out.

"The big scary alpha is shy?" Stiles mocked.

"You aren't?"

"No." he frowned.

Derek crossed his arms "Then you do it."

Stiles just gaped "This is not the time nor place to argue about who will kiss who.." he nervously looked at some of the sucudytes and back to Derek "Kiss me."

"You kiss me." Derek purposely riled him up, because he now knew what this was all about.

"Ugh... you are impossible."

"Nope, just sexy and really kissable." Derek half smiled.

"Derek I swear to God, if you don't kiss me right now I will... I will let one of my emotions out. Just one. And the last time you smelled that much arousal you licked my neck.." Stiles tried to seduce him or at least get him hot and bothered by remembering him of that incident.

"Oh yeah..." Derek walked closer to him, slowly, hiding how Stiles words just affected him. He kept his movement slow so Stiles would feel the tension "I will rip your clothes off if you don't kiss me right now."

"I... " he was getting short of breath "I will..." he said almost a whisper, his eyes half closed and staring at Dereks lips. Derek smiled a small smile of victory "Yes, you will kiss me." he whispered and waited for Stiles to come closer. And Stiles did, he was slow but he moved closer to kiss. Just inches away he stopped.

Derek frowned, he thought he had Stiles on that. He raised his eyes from Stiles lips to Stiles eyes. Still confused until he saw Stiles raise his eyebrow and flash a half grin. "Aint gonna happen Hale." he whispered near Dereks lips, taunting him and letting Derek know that he wasn't going to give in.

Derek looked into his stubborn eyes and bit his lower lip. That fucker. That stubborn, smart, annoying... infuriating fucker. And this was the moment he knew... he knew that Stiles is the one for him. Stiles Stilinski is the one person who can be what Derek wants, needs and desires. Stiles Stilinski is the on person, who understands him... who wants to be angry and stubborn together. It's Stiles. It has always been Stiles.

He heard some muffled surprised sounds around him. He saw Stiles look around and frown, then say something. He couldn't hear what or anything for that matter, Derek was still in his moment of clarity and taking in the lack of emotions from Stiles scent. Now it seemed stupid to want more of him. This was enough. Anything from him is enough, he will never demand more.

"What the hell just happened?" Stiles still stayed close to Derek, but looked around, all the people in the room looked like their drugs just kicked in. Some of them were shocked and confused. Some in pure bliss. Few started to argue. Linda just gaped at them. Stiles was utterly confused by their reactions.

His goal was to make Derek a little angrier and then let him feel his emotions so Derek would lose it and kiss him. Stiles never even got to that part. He wasn't expecting Derek to start arguing with him, well he wasn't really surprised for Derek being... himself. He just didn't go through with his plan, but it looked like it already worked.

Looking at all the sucudytes reaction, he was a little taken aback. Their bickering really had to make some waves. Linda was right, their connection is something special. They didn't really do anything. Stiles moved his eyes back to Derek to see if he is as confused as him. He wasn't.

Derek was staring at Stiles, eyes locked and strong. Stiles didn't have the voice to ask or say anything, his gaze was so intense that even if he found his voice he wasn't sure he would have dared to use it. Derek finally moved. He raised his arms, placing one on Stiles waist and the other on his cheek. Before leaning in he moved his arm on the back of his neck. Stiles swallowed loudly, his heart was beating like crazy. Derek just smiled a small smile and kissed him.

Their lips collided, a little too softly but it had a sense of urgency, like this was something more. A lot more. Derek parted for a second then crashed his lips against Stiles and this time with passion. He pulled Stiles body closer, deepened the kiss. Stiles responded with the same passion, pushing his body closer to him. Derek licked Stiles bottom lip and that broke Stiles shield. Every emotion was out in the open, there was no holding back anymore.

Derek pulled his eyebrows together, and kissed him harder. There was so much of Stiles, he was almost drowning, but he welcomed it. It was perfect. Stiles loved the taste of him, also moved his arms to pull him closer. He was not going to let go or stop kissing him. Never.

His arm reached Dereks hair and he buried his arms in there, when he pulled it, he heard a low moan from Derek and he couldn't help it to respond with a shudder that went trough his spine. The sound of Derek enjoying this as much as he was pushed Stiles over the edge. He pulled away to breathe and hold his own moans back. Derek didn't stop him, he just moved his kisses to Stiles neck. His legs felt like jelly.

Derek suddenly pulled away and looked at the elevator, he then pulled Stiles down on the ground and covered him with his body. Seconds later a smoke bomb was thrown into the huge room and soon after that shots were fired.

Stiles covered his ears, the sound was deafening. There were a lot of shots fired, he didn't like that Derek was shielding him. That meant he could get hurt. He tried to wiggle out, but Derek hold him down. "It's Argent. Stay put, I'll go help."

And with that he was gone, he saw where he was going. He went straight to Sky, with a murderous look on his face. Sky didn't even try to run, he smiled smugly but a second later she frowned and fear crossed her face. That was enough distraction for Derek to reach her and with one swift moment slash her neck. Blood flew everywhere. Derek didn't stop there, but the smoke moved and Stiles couldn't see him anymore.

He felt stupid lying around so the moment he didn't hear any shots for more than five seconds he got up and ran to the nearest wall. There were people walking around in guns, checking people on the ground and clearing the room. He looked for familiar faces, but he couldn't see any. Finally the smoke was clearing up.

"Stiles!" Scott ran to him "You okay?"

"Yeah." Stiles was little shocked "How did you get here? And how.."

"After we got the emails we pretty much knew everything. The house on the surface had a surveillance room. We hacked into it, or one of the Argents hunter friends did." Scott pointed to the different hunters in the room "They came pretty quickly. Turns out they have searched this place for quite some time."

"And how did you manage kill everybody?"

"The special smoke bomb and some special bullets to the head."

"I'm guessing the hunters again?"

"No. Linda's sister came to town. She was the source Linda was talking about. And with her and Deatons help we found some weird herbs that with silver should do the trick. But we have to burn all the bodies. We aren't really 100% sure, if this will work."

"And you still came?"

"Yeah! It was the perfect moment. I mean we still have to get on the ground. We aren't safe yet. But so far so good."

Stiles nodded, little concerned that he doesn't have a his bat or one of the guns that contained magic bullets.

"By the way, I think you have some explaining to do."

Stiles frowned and then when he saw Scott wiggle his eyebrows he laughed "You want me to talk about Derek. Are you sure?"

"Yeah, why not? That was some kiss we saw on the cam."

"It was?" Stiles smiled so widely it hurt.

"Don't tell me you didn't feel it. It was a brilliant plan though, every sucudyte in this room was so out of it. Like they were brain-damaged. "

Stiles frowned a little, it wasn't really a plan. This just happened. And it was amazing.

"We saw how everybody in the room started to space out so we knew they were feeding off you two and we had to move in. Apparently they are a lot more vulnerable when they feed." Argent was talking to Derek, when Stiles walked next to him with Scott.

"And looking how hot things got, we knew they were pretty much knocked out already." Allison grinned.

"I'm not surprised that knocked everybody out." Derek laughed, because he had a similar response to his sudden moment of clarity.

"We were almost ready yesterday and would have been even more prepared tomorrow. Some people haven't arrived yet."

"I lost it yesterday. Today was the best time to come."

"Good thing we were ready and you knew what you were doing." Argent nodded.

"Yeah, it was a great plan." he nodded but laughed at himself. He had no idea what he was doing. Shit just sorted itself out. And all the worrying was for nothing. He only needed Stiles and his friends.

Stiles frowned at Derek, but he didn't catch his response, he was still smiling and talking to Argent. Stiles turned from him. Completely embarrassed. Stiles was so sure that this kiss meant something, but he was just part of Derek's plan. He felt betrayed, hurt, angry. And what the hell was wrong with Derek, he was smiling, all the time, he usually did that with him. He never looked happy when everybody else was around, actually he has never seen him so happy. And the worst part was that Derek hasn't looked at him, not once. Or even acknowledged this presence. Stiles needed to leave.

He walked from Derek and Argent, looked around the room and some of the bodies on the ground. He saw Linda talking to Isaac, she looked a little shaken up, but they both were smiling. What the fuck? Was he the only one not happy. He looked around and found a gun the hunters were using to kill the sucudytes. He picked it up, knowing that they can't just walk upstairs and go home. They maybe had to fight. And right now that was the only thing he wanted to do. Fight and get the hell out of here.

"Stiles we have to go." Derek grabbed his arm to start going and Stiles followed. Derek still didn't look at him and that made him even angrier. Stiles then hid everything, his emotions, his face, his heart, he imagined himself locked in a safe with a hundred locks and no one was going to be allowed in. Nobody.

They split into four teams, Stiles was with Derek, Scott and two hunters. They were on the second elevator and were set to go only one floor up, clear the hallway from the elevator to the back stairs and and then take the back stairs to go on to the 8th floor, the Lobby.

Derek was on a mission to kill everybody on his way, to keep Stiles protected. He was a little uneasy now when it was dangerous again. It was so hard to keep away from him, he was sure that the moment he locked eyes with Stiles he would just go and kiss him, probably end up making out right there. So he kept a distance to keep his mind clear.

They had almost no trouble on their way up. The two hunters with them looked like professionals, Stiles and Scott just walked along not really doing anything then keeping an eye open for danger. It was on the 8th floor, when things got bad again.

They walked in hearing shots in a distance. The hunters said something to Derek and ran towards the shots. Stiles looked around, everything was covered in smoke, but he thought that there was someone. He aimed his gun. Scott and Derek were on alert.

"Can you hear anything?" Stiles asked, really not ready to shoot into the smoke.

"It's Isaac and Linda." Derek said frowning and Stiles was already running to them.

"Stiles wait!" Derek yelled and looked around for danger.

Around the corner a sucudyte just killed one of the hunters with his own gun and now aimed it at Stiles. He didn't even notice it itself, but Derek did. And the only thing on his mind was that he wasn't going to make it.

Stiles saw Isaac and then the horror in his face, he turned to the side a little and saw a gun pulled at him. He felt Derek touch him form behind, but she already pulled the trigger.

Stiles opened his eyes, he was on the ground with Derek. He felt no pain.

"Derek are you hurt."

"No."

Stiles frowned and looked at the shooter. A hunter was taking her down, but there was a body on the ground, in front of her. It was Linda.

He got up and ran to her. "Linda?"

She was still barely alive. Stiles was furious at her "You were supposed to be selfish and evil!" he yelled "Why?" Stiles eyes filled with tears.

Linda smiled a weak smile to Stiles and then looked at Derek lovingly, before life disappeared from those same eyes.

"What happened?" Allison was out of breath when she reached them.

Scott was the only one to speak out "Linda just saved Stiles life."

Derek was having mixed feelings seeing Linda dead on the ground. He was happy that she wasn't part of Stiles life anymore, he was angry that he couldn't kill her himself and he was sad. Sad how it will affect Stiles, sad how maybe she was good, sad that she knew. Linda knew that Derek discovered true feelings for Stiles and she was happy. That is why she was looking him. Derek still didn't like Linda, but a part of him forgave her.

Stiles didn't really pay attention what was going around him anymore. He felt somebody move him around, but he wasn't sure who. Maybe Derek.

Linda is dead. Because of me. Why did she do that? Why did she look at Derek like that? Like she was sorry or sad... Stiles was confused. Million things went trough his mind at once.

Somehow Stiles made a conclusion that Linda felt sorry for Derek. She put him in this situation. This situation with him. Maybe Linda really did put feelings for Stiles into Derek. That would explain a lot. Stiles didn't want to believe it, he didn't, but his mind kept going on that track.

But the kiss, that didn't feel wrong. Then again he wasn't really concentrating, maybe he let an emotion slip from his shield and that is why Derek kissed him. It wasn't the first time it made Derek kiss him.

He placed his anger on the wrong place, it wasn't really about Derek or Linda. He had been the one who made everything happen between the two of them. He pushed him into a relationship. Stiles didn't want a relationship like that. It felt wrong.

"Good plan by the way." Derek said lightly to Stiles, when they were walking away from the house.

"Mh?"

"You know, getting us to fight.." Derek smiled.

"I was planning to let you smell my emotions." he responded but kept his voice serious, almost sad.

"Oh."

They walked in silence, when Derek picked his words. He didn't really want to talk about this, he didn't care. Which was funny because this was the one thing that he did want to talk about from the start. Now things were changed. He needed to tell him about his feelings, but he had no idea how to do it. So for the time being he just kept talking.

"So you can control it however you want?" Derek asked.

"Almost. At first it was just a shield and then I became aware of it." Stiles felt how this subject wasn't important anymore. It was at first but now it was nothing.

"Linda gave it to you?"

"Yeah, when I first developed feelings for you, she magnified it and then helped me hide it. Good thing that she did."

"Why?"

"I was a mess at first trying to hide it from you." he almost smiled remembering how he tried to hide himself by over scenting with everything.

"I never noticed anything." Derek answered truthfully.

"Really?" Stiles hid how much that just hurt.

"Only when I found out that I can't smell you. Then I went crazy... it was unsettling." Derek said and thought back how difficult it was.

"unsettling..." Stiles repeated silently.

Derek touched Stiles back to comfort him when he saw that Stiles was in deep thought. He wanted to get out of here so he could be alone with him, Argent said that he got this and the rest of the pack was already gone. He guided Stiles to his car, so they could go too.

When Stiles still didn't say anything, Derek pulled him into a hug. He smiled for a second how such a simple thing lifted his mood. He thought that it would do the same to Stiles. But Stiles didn't hug back. Derek couldn't smell him or even hear his heart, but he didn't mind. He guessed he was grieving.

"Hey, I'm sorry about Linda." he held him tighter "I'm sorry for being such an ass to her, but I still think..."

Stiles pushed away "I'm done." his voice was a little shaky.

Derek rolled his eyes "Okay, I admit she wasn't completely bad, you were right. I ..."

"Derek. I'm done." this time his voice was strong.

They looked at each other for a moment.

"What do you mean?" Derek said softly, a little afraid what Stiles is going to say next.

"I'm done with us."

Derek stayed silent.

"I'm tired of making this into something it's not. I'm not that confident for the both of us. Not anymore."

"Stiles you said it yourself..."

"Yes I know. I pushed you into this and I wanted you to act on your feelings."

Derek frowned in anger "It wasn't just for you. I told you that I will act on my feelings for you... for us." he tried to remember him that, but then shook his head "That's not the point anymore.."

"It was my fault. I truly thought that your feelings were your own.." He looked at Derek almost teary eyed "I was so sure that you actually like me... I was so into you that it clouded my judgment."

"You are right, Linda did put those feelings in me. But.." Derek said quickly so he could move on to the thing he really wanted to say, but Stiles cut in.

"She did? And you knew?!" he lost all his breath, Derek just confirmed everything. It wasn't just a suspicion anymore.

Derek wanted to hide that fact forever, but it was Stiles. Ha can't and he won't lie to him. "Yes, like you knew your feelings were real."

"When?" he yelled and when Derek didn't answer he repeated "WHEN?!"

Derek closed his eyes and sighed. "That night when Linda came to us and I went to the woods with Argents..."

"Before you came to my bed?" Stiles snapped.

"Yes..."

Stiles held his tears back "Why did you come to me then, with that stupid pancake story? Why did you agree to be with me, to..."

"I couldn't ignore those feelings that Linda put in me." Derek shouted back "they were very strong and I know why..."

"Me too." Stiles interrupted and looked away.

"I doubt that." Derek snorted.

"Are you mocking me?" he narrowed his eyes "Was all of this some kind of a game for you so you could get me to open up to you again? So it wouldn't be unsettling for you anymore?" he made a face at word unsettling

"What!? No! How could you think that?"

"I don't know what to think anymore. I thought I knew you." he shook his head " Or a part of you at least."

"You do." Derek assured him "Please, let me speak my mind, before I lose my courage."

"No." Stiles said deep in thought.

"The one time I want to talk about my feelings and you don't want me to?" Derek laughed nervously.

"I pushed you to say and do all of these things. I practically made you my boyfriend, made you like me..."

"You got it all wrong, I..." Derek started again.

"Don't you think I know that?!"

"Stiles shut up! Listen to me!" Derek yelled at Stiles.

"WHY? You're gonna say that you suddenly love me and want to be with me until you die?" he spat out.

Derek laughed, it was exactly what he wanted to say. Maybe not in these words and that tone.

Stiles answered sarcastically a tear escaping from his eye "I would laugh too if it didn't hurt that much... It's a little different when it's your real feelings not the ones a sucudyte put in you. But I'm glad you find this funny." he then turned and started to walk away.

Derek was mortified, he didn't mean it like that "Stiles, I'm so sorry, I ..."

"Go fuck yourself Derek!" he said still not looking at him.

Stiles quickly got into his car and drove away.