Present …
When Stiles woke he turned over and couldn't help but let a huge grin cross his face; Derek had stayed and was sound sleep next to him - he'd been convinced that he'd wake up alone. Stiles glanced at the clock on his bedside table, if he didn't get up soon he'd risk being late for school but he was far too warm and happy to care about that right now. He sat up a little, propped up by his elbow and gazed down at Derek counting his lucky stars; he still couldn't quite believe how things had suddenly changed between them … how they'd gone from friends to this ... whatever it was … boyfriends? Were they ready to label themselves as such yet? Well whatever, it didn't matter, the most important thing was Derek wanted to be with him and the thought was a dizzying one.
"You know it's rather creepy of you to be watching me." Derek mumbled from the pillow his face was buried in.
Stiles chuckled. "Sorry, can't help myself. Sometimes I think this is all just in my imagination or a dream or something." he told him.
"You think more highly of me than you should." Derek replied squirming a little when Stiles pressed a kiss to his shoulder blade.
Stiles scoffed. "Come on Der you could have any guy or girl you wanted just with a flash of that smile of yours and you decided to pick me of all people?"
Derek turned over. "I didn't pick you Stiles, it's always been you. It's just what I want." he told him like it was the most simple thing in the whole world. And Stiles liked that, he liked things simple – they had enough complications going on without anymore but the words still caused Stiles's heart to pulse faster in his chest; he knew Derek had heard from the glance at his chest and the small smile that crossed his face. "So how long?" Stiles asked.
Derek shrugged. "I can't pinpoint it exactly, since we were kids I guess I've felt tied to you."
Stiles swallowed, he'd always known Derek to be protective but he hadn't realised the depth of his feelings back then. "So why did it take so long for us to get here?" he asked. "Seems like we've wasted a lot of time not doing this." he said leaning down and pressing his lips against Derek's.
Derek smiled. "Tell me about it." he said with a sad sigh as he wondered how things might have been different if they'd gotten together sooner – he might not have left Beacon Hills at all; Laura might still be alive. "I didn't think it was what you wanted." he replied honestly. "And I didn't want to lose you as a friend. I couldn't bear that."
Stiles smiled; he cupped Derek's face and pressed another kiss to his lips. "So what changed your mind?" he asked.
Derek reached down beneath the covers and tangled his fingers through Stiles's. "Almost dying I guess, twice none the less." he added thinking of both the bullet laced with wolfsbane that Kate had shot him with and the Alpha attacking him at the school.
Stiles's eyebrows rose. "Derek you're always putting yourself in danger." he said not quite understanding.
"When I got shot I thought that was it, I really didn't think Scott would find the bullet in time." Derek confessed. "It was the first time I really thought this is it, you know?"
Stiles's eyes filled with tears. "Me too." he said gripping Derek's hand tightly.
"Then at the school … well after that I just knew I had to risk it." Derek told him. "Had to know for sure, I didn't want to die with that regret hanging over me."
Stiles sank back down, his arms winding around Derek's middle and his face burying in his chest. "As much as I hate the thought of you coming that close to death I'm kind of glad that it brought us together."
"Me too." Derek replied. "But that doesn't mean you can watch me sleep, creeper." he said shoving Stiles playfully. "Or be late for school." he added glancing at the clock pointedly.
Stiles chuckled. "Alright hint taken." he said sitting up and yawning. "Not that I want to go in and face Scott today." he sighed.
Derek slid out of bed and began to dress, checking his arm before pulling on his t-shirt, pleased to see that it had completely healed itself over night. "If he gives you any trouble call me." he told Stiles.
Stiles nodded as he set about packing his school bag – but knew he'd only call Derek if things really got out of hand. He needed to try and sort things out with Scott on his own first.
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Past …
Talia Hale brought her car to a halt outside Stiles's house. Stiles glanced at her, she hadn't said a word since they'd left the school and Stiles was too scared to say anything either, Talia Hale could be very intimidating to say the least.
"Thank you for the ride." Stiles said politely but when he pulled at the door handle to let himself out of the car he found it locked. Stiles swallowed hard, his heart beat picking up. He glanced at Talia. "I'm not going to tell anyone." he said shakily.
Talia's eyes glowed red for a second before returning to their normal dark green. "How long have you known?" she asked.
Stiles knew the Alpha would know instantly if he was lying and besides it was probably best everything was out in the open now. "Since those hunters tried to shoot Derek and I in the woods." he replied.
Talia's teeth gritted together. "And Derek didn't tell me." she muttered in a low growl.
"It's not his fault." Stiles said coming to his friends defence. "He didn't tell me, I worked it out."
"He still should have told me." Talia snapped. "How am I supposed to protect my family if I don't know these things." she added crossly.
Stiles didn't dare to argue with her. "I haven't told a soul, I never will." he assured her.
Talia closed her eyes briefly and let out a sigh. "You have good intentions Stiles but this world is more dangerous than you could possible know, it's not a game. Lives have been lost."
Stiles nodded; he didn't need to be told that. "So what now?" he asked.
Talia sucked in a deep breath. "I'm sorry Stiles but I think it's for the best if you didn't come over anymore, if you stayed away from our house – and from Derek."
Stiles's heart swelled. "No!" he cried. "You can't say that, that's not fair!"
"I've made my decision Stiles. And believe me I'm just trying to do what is best for you, to protect you."
"Then I need to be with Derek." Stiles told her. "Please, I have no one else … my mom is dead, my dad … he … well he might as well be." he said with a shake of his head as he thought about how his father spent most of his time at home passed out from drink. "Don't take Derek away from me too."
Talia gritted her teeth again and Stiles could tell she was wrestling with her decision, but he also knew how determined she was. "You should go inside, I'll call your father tomorrow and ask that he make alternative arrangements or your after-school care."
Tears spilled free and ran down Stiles's cheek. "Please don't do that, please." he begged.
"Look at what happened tonight Stiles." Talia hissed, although she herself was breaking. "You were kidnapped, hurt." she said her eyes tracking over his cut lip and bruised face. "Derek was shot, he could have died. Don't you understand?"
Stiles cried harder, the shock of what had happened finally hitting him like a tonne of bricks. He started to panic as he found himself unable to breath and gripped that arm rest of his seat tightly.
"Stiles!" Talia cried in alarm. "Just breathe."
"I can't!" Stiles managed to puff out as he wheezed; he could feel himself on the edge of blacking out. "Derek, I need Derek." he mumbled.
Talia reached out and placed her finger tips on Stiles's neck; Stiles sighed with relief and felt himself start to calm as the familiar tingling sensation swept through his body; he glanced up to see black pulsing through Talia's veins. "Thank you." he managed to stutter out.
Talia sighed. "Derek would kill me if anything happened to you." she said, although there was affection in the tone of her voice.
Stiles smiled at her; she came across as a hard and cold but underneath she was warm and kind – she cared about him like she was his own son, Stiles knew that and the blackness in her veins only proved this. He was virtually a son to her, virtually pack otherwise there was no way she could have helped him like that. "Please." he whispered his tearful eyes turning to rest on hers. "I haven't got anyone."
Talia's shoulders dropped and she sighed deeply. "I'll think about it." she said relenting a little.
"Thank you." Stiles said climbing out the car when he heard the lock unlock. "You can trust me, I swear you can."
Talia just nodded her head. "I said I'll think about it Stiles." she replied before restarting the engine but she did not drive off until Stiles was safely inside his house.
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Present …
Stiles spotted Scott the moment he parked his jeep at school; he climbed out and headed over to him waiting for him to finish locking up his bike. "Hi." he said gripping the arms of his backpack tightly. Scott just grunted in reply. Stiles ran a hand over his short hair. "Look I think we should talk." he said following Scott as he headed into the school ignoring the gaggle of girls at a stand close to the entrance calling out to the to buy their tickets for the formal coming up.
"I don't want to talk Stiles." Scott replied slamming his locker door closed once he'd taken his books out.
"Derek told me about your deal." Stiles said following him down the corridor.
Scott rolled his eyes. "Yeah I bet he did." he said sitting down at once of the desks. "Tells you everything I bet."
Stiles sighed. "Scott we've got to talk about it sometime, I'm sorry okay … I should have told you."
"Yeah damn right you should have!" Scott hissed angrily. "You've made me look a completely fool, I thought you were on my side when all the time I bet you and Derek have been laughing at me behind my back."
"We haven't." Stiles protested.
"How long have you known him? How long have you known about werewolves?" Scott asked.
Stiles decided that he had to be honest from now on with Scott; to show him that he wouldn't be keeping any more secrets from him. "My parents have always been friendly with the Hales, I've known them since before I can even remember. When my mother got sick," he said swallowing hard, "and after she died I used to go to the Hale house after school until my dad finished work. Derek and I were friends, best friends, and I've known about him being a werewolf since I was thirteen. After the fire, Derek and his sister left town ... I didn't see him for two years, until that day he showed up in the woods whilst we were looking for your inhaler."
"And how long have you been a couple?" Scott asked sneering at the idea of it; like he couldn't possible believe it to be true.
"Not long, just since the night the Alpha attacked us at the school." Stiles replied having to bite his tongue, stop himself from having biting back. "Him almost dying … it well ... it made us realise …"
Scott quickly shook his head. "I don't want to hear it." he muttered. Stiles was rather offended by this but said nothing, he didn't want to cause another argument. There was silence between them for a few moments before Scott spoke again. "So you must have known that was Laura Hale when we dug up the body?" he questioned.
Stiles nodded. "I did."
"That's why you didn't want me to call the police." Scott replied it all starting to make sense to him now. Again Stiles nodded. "I can't believe you just said nothing!" Scott raged. "You're a coward and a liar Stiles and I want nothing more to do with you." he said grabbing his back, getting up and moving seats just as their classmates began to arrive.
Stiles pulled out his phone and from under his desk he opened the text he'd received from Derek. "How's it going?"
"Terribly."Stiles wrote back.
"Need me to come over?"Derek asked.
Stiles smiled knowing Derek was probably pulling on his jacket right now, or was already skulking around the school somewhere. "No, I think that will only make things worse. Just be home when I finish school?"Stiles asked, he knew he'd need a friendly face when the day was over. Although he was pretty sure it was going to be longest school day he'd ever known.
"Of course."Derek wrote back simply.
Stiles smiled, he glanced over at Scott who refused to look at him and sighed – it was going to be long day, but he knew he couldn't give up. He had to make things right.
