Shout out to:

I will do all of jayesh dms ones first, you other reviewers will find your replies underneth :)

*jayesh dms (ch17): I don't like him in the show, I don't know, I don't like Rafael's character.

*jayesh dms (ch18): Yes, they look into evidence eventually :) And thanks! Yes, the Sheriff knows about the supernatural.

*jayesh dms (ch20): :)

*jayesh dms (ch21): Stiles will have his protective moments!

*jayesh dms (ch23): You'll find out.. :P

*jayesh dms (ch24): I'm trying to break their hearts because I'm evil :P

*jayesh dms (ch25): I was thinking it'd be Scott to get the truth from her but it felt right for it to be Derek instead :) Yes, Jacob shouldn't feel hurt because it's his own fault!

*jayesh dms (ch26): Hmm..you'll form more of an opinion on him later on.

*jayesh dms (ch27): Thank you :) They don't have those kinds of talks for a little while.

*jayesh dms (ch28): You are 100% right :P

*jayesh dms (ch29): He pulls some strings, but not all the right ones!

*jayesh dms (ch30): Thanks, I'm glad you did :) It's fine, everyone has their own ship names, you don't have to use mine :)

*jayesh dms (ch32): It does a little bit..but not completely.

*jayesh dms (ch36): Hmm..I don't know if there's any of that, but he does have a couple moments I think.

*jayesh dms (ch39): I may in the future! Hehe, I like to write Dash fluff sometimes :)

*jayesh dms (ch40): You'll see!

*jayesh dms (ch41): Finally! Thanks :) We'll have to see!

*jayesh dms (ch42): Thanks, I don't really like to follow the show anymore, it's too predictable, even with your own spins on it. Hehe, someone had to catch them in bed, I thought it'd be the perfect way for Ash to tell her Aunt and Uncle that she's with Derek :) No one for Scott and Isaac, there's enough relationships around them, they're happy on their own for now :)

Okay! The other reviews from last chapter now!

*AlphaWolf19: Yes, Derek will be finding out soon..and Stiles' live might be in danger :P Yes, I want to make it so Jessie has the baby before the end, that's why I'll be time jumping soon. No, I could never kill Ash, well, not for good :P Dash is..they're figuring it out, you'll see more of that this chapter, and a lot more in the next chapter! I think they 'baddies' part is over for this fic, maybe.. , but I want to focus more on the family side of things, and the relationship side as it comes to a close :) Thanks!

*nikavin: Thank you, that's so nice :) I don't really know, every time I go to write 'I love you' from one of their mouths..it just feels wrong. But, I am retracting my statement of them never saying it because I do have a few ideas. Yes, Derek's reaction.. Their Aunt and Uncle just think Jade is coming to stay with them, because from the very beginning when Melissa first passed, Hailey did say they'd do a joint custody thing even though Jade and Scott are under Ash's guardianship. So, no, the Aunt and Uncle do not know of the supernatural life because Scott and Ash want to protect them from it :) Thanks for coming out of the shadows and reviewing, it's nice to hear from someone new :)

*Serena Sterling: Yay! Double yay! Everyone's looking forward to his reaction :P They might say it later on, I'm still trying to write a good scene for it, but they do show it more with their actions, like they have since they 'hooked up'. Like in the way he protects her, and in the way Ash takes care of him in different ways too, the way they open up to each other, those sorts of things are all silent little 'I really care about you's :) You're welcome and thanks!

..

In the Hale loft, both females spend their mornings with their heads in a toilet.

Jessie, morning sickness.

Ash, the curing process.

Both males, Stiles and Derek, hold their hair out of their face, patiently sitting with them, waiting for it to stop.

"You okay, baby?" Stiles asks, rubbing Jessie's back as she sits back, leaning into his chest.

"Not really." Jessie says, wiping her mouth with her hand. "Oh, God. I'm sorry, this is probably a huge turn-off for you." She says.

"No, it's okay." Stiles says. "I'm here for you."

"Are you sure you wanna be?" Jessie asks him.

"Yeah." Stiles nods, his hand slipping over her flat stomach. "I'm positive." He smiles, rubbing gently where his baby is sitting comfortably.

Jessie smiles back and leans in to kiss him but quickly pulls back.

"Good call." Stiles nods, helping her to her feet so she can brush her teeth first.

Ash leans back against the wall, groaning as she covers her face because she feels like..well, shit, if she's being honest.

"How bad is it?" Derek asks her, leaning against the wall beside her.

"Not that bad." Ash lies, because her stomach, and head, are churning and twisting and she feels inside out right now.

"Wanna get back in bed?" Derek asks her.

"No." Ash shakes her head. "I'm starving." She says.

"Then c'mon, let's make something." Derek says, getting to his feet and holding his hands out to her.

Ash looks at him for a second, because he's been unbelievably sweet to her despise their distance as of late. But she puts her hands into his and he helps her to her feet.

But she doesn't stop there, she threads her arms past his face, wrapping them around his neck and hugging him. She shuts her eyes, just leaning into him and hugging him close to her.

"You okay?" Derek asks in her ear, bringing his arms around her back.

Ash nods but doesn't let him go.

"Are you sure?" Derek asks her, keeping his arms around her as well though.

Ash shakes her head this time, being honest.

"You'll feel better soon." He tells her.

"Thanks for being here for me." She says, pulling back to look at him.

"I'll always be right here." He tells her.

Ash smiles a little, brushing her nose against his.

Derek brushes her nose back and leans in.

Ash puts her hands on his chest, stopping him.

Derek exhales softy, leaning his forehead against hers.

"Sorry." He says.

"No, it's not that." Ash says, pulling back. "But I just threw up." She reminds him, screwing up her face a little bit.

"Right." Derek nods, a big part of him smug that she wasn't just rejecting him all together. He leans back in and kisses her cheek. "C'mon, let's get you something to eat."

..

Later that day

Scott goes over to the Hale loft to check on Ash.

He walks in, they're all a little past knocking at this point. He slows, spotting them on the sofa.

Derek looks up at Scott, bringing his finger to his lips.

Because Ash is asleep, laying on the sofa with her head in Derek's lap, his hand racking through her hair.

Scott quietly walks over to them both, crotching down beside Ash. He puts the back of his hand to her forehead feather lightly.

"She's warm" Scott says quietly before taking his hand away and sitting down on the other sofa.

"It was bad last night. Deaton was right, she's been hot, cold all day." Derek tells him, just as quiet, because he doesn't want to wake her.

"But she's getting better?" Scott asks.

"A little, yeah." Derek nods, his hand still brushing through her hair. "She was sick this morning but hasn't been again today. She has almost no pain either."

"You care about her a lot, don't you?" Scott asks him, because he's just looking at her softly, brushing her hair to keep her relaxed, comfortable and asleep.

Derek looks away from her, looking up at Scott now.

"More than you may think." He nods.

"Do you love her?" Scott asks him.

Derek hand in her hair stops and he tenses up. But he relaxes again, raking over her scalp again. He looks up at Scott but he doesn't answer him, just looks at him.

Scott didn't really think he'd get an answer anyway, he just thought while they were on the subject he could slip the question in there and maybe learn how Derek really feels.

"Can you promise me something then?" Scott asks him, because he's not getting an answer to that question.

"What's that?" Derek answers this time.

"That when she's better, you'll fix this break between you two." Scott says. "We can all see it. And I don't like it, she's not happy, and neither are you." He says.

"I know." Derek says, because what's the point in trying to say it's otherwise, he isn't happy, and he knows she isn't either. "And I will fix it, I promise."

"Good." Scott nods.

Scott looks in the directon of the stairs, wondering where everyone else is.

"Where's Jessie? Isaac?" Scott asks, looking back over at Derek.

"Isaac went to the school, he wanted to get some lacrosse practice in." Derek tells him. "And Jessie, she's upstairs with Stiles. She seems pretty exhausted, I think." He says, because his sister and Stiles have been in bed all day. Stiles said something about movies and popcorn, but Derek could see how restless Jessie was, so he's left them alone and just looked after Ash.

"So..any chance Ash is coming home tonight?" Scott asks.

"I don't think so." Derek answers. "She said she wants to stay again. I don't think she wants to go home until she's really her again, and Jade can come home too."

"Derek.." Scott sighs. "You have to give her back, you do know that right?"

"She's not a dog." Derek frowns.

"I know that." Scott says, rolling his eyes. "I know you wanna look after her, protect her and whatever but she has a toddler to look after. She can't stay here forever."

"Yeah, well..when she's better we'll look after Jade." Derek says, because even if Ash feels as though she's slowly dying as the cure works through her body, he has enjoyed being close to her again. He hasn't enjoyed their seperation, so he's thankful they can at least share a bed again, he just wishes she was well again. But he's not admitting that out-loud.

"Wait, hold on." Scott says, holding his hand up. "Did you say we?" He repeats.

There's a pause of silence as Derek realises he did in fact say 'we', meaning Ash and him.

"Yeah." Derek answers after another beat, because there's no point in denying it.

"What, the big bad alpha decides he wants to be a Dad?" Scott asks, a smirk creeping to his lips, because he enjoys teasing Derek..when he knows he can get away with it.

"Scott." Derek warns, but it's barely a real threat.

"You want kids of your own?" Scott asks, becoming serious again.

"Scott." Derek says again, because he can't have this conversation when Ash is sleeping right in his lap, and he can't have it with her little brother either.

"C'mon, don't be so sour, just answer the question." Scott says. "Do you want kids? And do you want them with her?" Scott asks, glancing down at Ash.

Jessie's about to come downstairs for a glass of water. But then she hears Scott and Derek talking. So, she stops and listens instead, even more curious for his answer than Scott is.

"C'mon." Scott coaxes.

"Jesus Christ." Derek sighs, knowing Scott's not giving in on this one. "Okay, when I was younger..maybe. But now? After the fire? I..I can't." Derek says, looking at Ash so he doesn't have to look at Scott.

"What do you mean you can't?" Scott asks him. "Oh.." He realises, maybe Derek actually can't..reproduce.

"No, I can, I just..can't." Derek corrects him.

"Derek, that doesn't make sense-"

"I'm 22 years old and I barely have my own life together. I couldn't be responsible for another person, a baby. I'm not exactly a role model either, Scott. I've killed before, more than once. I can't bring that to a dinner table with a child. I couldn't be a father, not a good one." Derek says. "That wouldn't be fair to the baby, or to her." Derek says, because their really is no one else Derek can think of that he'd start a family with other than Ash, even if he's never told her that before.

Jessie finds those words sting her a lot.

She's 18 and pregnant. She can't really say she has her life together. She can't say she's a role model either. Yes, she was nervous because she knows her and Stiles eventually need to tell Derek, but hearing that just made her feel a lot worse.

Her glass of water is forgotten as she goes into the bathroom instead, closing the door behind her.

"I guess that makes sense." Scott nods.

Derek's feeling a little uncomfortable, so he decides to flip it on Scott.

"What about you? You must want kids, right?" He asks the younger male.

"I do." Scott nods. "A little girl, and maybe a boy. But the boy would have to be older so he could kick ass for her." Scott smiles.

Derek smiles a little too, becuase that makes sense, that's probably how he'd want it too. He'd have to have a little princess, but he'd also need a son to look after her at school.

It's strange though. Because every time he thinks of 'his little princess', all he sees is Jade. Jade who reminds him so much of his own baby sister, Cora. Jade who he knows he's quite protective of. Jade who isn't his child.

"Hey, you okay?" Scott asks, seeing the alpha's eyebrows furrow and a distant look come to his face.

"Uh..yeah, I'm fine." Derek nods, coming out of his thoughts.

"Okay." Scott nods. He checks his phone. "Okay, well, I just wanted to check in on her, I gotta get to work. I'm doing some overtime with Deaton as a thank you for what he did for Ash."

"That's good, he'll appreciate that." Derek says.

Scott nods and stands up.

"Well..I want to tell you to look after her but I don't think I need too." Scott says.

"No, you don't." Derek shakes his head, because he'll protect Ash with his life. And he'll be here to watch over her and keep her comfortable as she continues to go through this curing process.

"Okay, I'll see you later then." Scott nods.

"Bye." Derek says.

"Bye." Scott says. He looks at Ash for a moment longer before turning and leaving.

Derek exhales deeply, rubbing his hand down his face. He knew Scott would want to check on his sister, but Derek had no idea his 'visit' would turn into all of that.

..

The next day

"You feeling okay? Feeling sick or something?" Stiles asks Jessie.

"No." She shakes her head. "I'm okay."

Stiles notices Jessie been quieter since yesturday. They've gotten past the shock of the preganancy, because this is happening whether they're ready or not, so Stiles knows it's not that that's bothering her.

Jessie pushes her grilled tomato around on her plate.

Stiles wanted to get her out of the loft today, so he brought her into town and to the coffee place for breakfast, well, more lunch by this time.

"Hey." Stiles reaches over the table, putting his hand over hers.

Jessie looks up at him.

"What's going on?" He asks her. "Something going on with the baby?" He asks her, keeping his voice right down.

"No..no, everything's fine." Jessie shakes her head.

"What's bothering you then?" Stiles asks her.

"It's nothing, it's stupid." Jessie mumbles.

"No, it's not." Stiles shakes his head. He gets up and slides into the booth beside her. "What's going on, Jess?"

"Can we..take a walk? I don't wanna do this here." She says, looking around at all the other people occupying the dining area.

"Yeah, sure." Stiles nods. He gets up, holding her hand and helping her out.

They begin walking out and Stiles gives the waitress a grateful smile as she begins clearing their table.

Their hands stay together as they walk, their fingers threading through each other's.

"C'mon, let's sit down by the water." Stiles says, leading her to the river side.

He goes in front manovering a safe route down the small grassy slopes until they reach the water. Stiles kicks his shoes and socks off, Jessie slipping out of her ballet flats. They both go and sit down, dipping their feet into the water.

"So.." Stiles says, looking at her, still holding her hand. "What's up?"

"Stiles, this baby..do you think we can acutally do this?" Jessie asks him seriously.

"Of course we can. Well, we're gonna have too. But I think we can." He answers.

"Because..I overheard Derek and Scott talking about kids and..I don't know if I can be a Mom, Stiles. I don't know if I can handle this sort of thing, I just..I-I don't know." She says, tears starting to swarm in her eyes.

"Hey, hey, hey." Stiles says, turning to her and putting his hand on her cheek. "You're gonna be a great Mom, Jess. I promise. And I'm gonna be the best Dad I can be, I promise you that as well."

"Stiles, this is a child. How are we gonna support it, feed it, look after it?" She asks him, sniffling.

"School's finished, I'm looking for a job anyway." Stiles tells her. "Jessie, we can get help, I'm sure the pack will help us if we really need it." He assures her.

"Yeah, that's if Derek ever speaks to me again after I tell him." Jessie sighs, wiping her cheek as a tear falls down it.

"Hey, Derek wouldn't do that to you." Stiles tells her. "Yeah, he's going to need a minute, they all will, but they'll always be there for us, I promise you." Stiles swears.

"I'm fucking terrified, Stiles." Jessie admits, her watery blue eyes locking onto his whiskey eyes.

"You don't need to be scared, Jess." He says, wiping his thumbs under her eyes to catch the tears that continue to escape. "You will never be alone. I will always be here. You have my word." He says. "So, no more talk like that, okay? We're going to do this, and we're going to do it right. We'll go to the doctor's, get you checked up, and figure it out from there, alright?"

"Yeah." Jessie nods.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Jessie smiles, because Stiles always has a way of soothing her and making her feel better.

"I love you, so much." Stiles says, taking her face into his hands.

"I love you too." Jessie says.

Stiles leans forward and kisses her lips before pulling her into a hug, the pregnant girl hugging him back tightly, burying her face into his neck.

..

That night

Ash rolls over in bed, resting her chin on Derek's chest.

This causes the male to wake up. He looks down, finding Ash is looking at him. He's about to ask if she's okay but she speaks before he can.

"They were like my best friends." She says. "My Grandparents."

Derek pauses, realising she's decided she will open up about them, like she said she would.

"I mean, I didn't have too many friends in high school. I had the band that I used to sing with, we were all close. But other people, they were just school hang-arounds, you know? There was no real bond there. But the band..they're basically all guys so..there were things I couldn't talk to them about. And when Rafael-" Derek still feels mad at the mention of the man's name. "-started leaving all the time, and Mom was always working, I..I had them. They were always there. The both of them." Ash tells him.

"They sound like good people." Derek says, looking at her still.

"They were." Ash says, dropping her eyes to his chest. "I just.." She sighs, burying her face into his skin, because she doesn't talk about this, she hasn't for a couple years now.

"It's okay, Ash." Derek says, putting his hand on her back.

She looks back up at him, laying her head against his chest.

"They were the ones that were there when no one else was." She goes on. "My Grandmother had cancer once before she got it again and passed. She bet it, and we were all really proud and so relieved. And not even a month later, she was sick again, and then another month..and she was gone. And God, it hurt so much, I'd never lost anyone like that before. It really crushed me, you know? Really badly. I couldn't be at home, because she should have been there too, but she wasn't. I don't even know what I did for those two weeks I was away, I just surfed through people's place, I guess. I guess I was trying to run from it, I don't really know. But I loved her so much, both of them so much. I couldn't help but get upset whenever someone called me by my real name, because it just reminded me of Grandma. But I got better, and I went home. Then a few months later, I lost Granddad too and..I didn't think could handle that much hurt. I mean, it was so bad and..I just..I couldn't handle it. And I couldn't hear people call me..Ashlyn-" Ash fumbles over the name. "-because..I'm not her. I could never be her. It just hurt every time I heard it so..I had to change it. But I love my Grandmother so I just shortened it. I still wanted to keep the memory alive, I just couldn't be reminded of her every time someone said my name." Ash says. "So..that's why I changed it."

Derek nods slowly, because it does make sense, he can understnd that.

"I think it's a beautful name, and I think she'd want you to keep it." Derek says carefully. "Your Mom too."

"Derek.." Ash sighs, shaking her head and sitting up.

"I'm not trying to guilt trip you, I'm trying to help you." He says, sitting up as well.

Ash just fidgets, because she doesn't know what to say.

"Not visiting Peter all those years when he was in hospital wasn't just because he wouldn't talk or move. Laura, Jessie and I moving away after the fire wasn't just because we didn't have a home. And barely visiting the cementry isn't just because we all feel guilty either." Derek says.

Ash looks back up at him now.

"It hurts. And it will always hurt. It will never not hurt. But when you love someone, when you'd do anything to protect them, hurt is part of the package. Sometimes it's intentional, sometimes it isn't, but if you truely love someone, they will hurt you at some point. It's just the way things are." Derek says to her. "Whether it's by leaving you living while they're gone..or whether it's by some stupid fight, they will hurt you." Derek says, locking eyes with her.

Ash feels her whole stomach flip inside out, because she knows he's talking about her in there too, but does that mean that he's saying he loves her? And that means she hurt him. She hurt him.

"Being home, being back in Beacon Hills, it does hurt. Not just me either, Jessie too, and it hurt Laura too when she was..still here. But the pain is worth it. Because now Peter's out of hospital, because now Jessie and I have a new home, and now we have a pack and something we can call family. We're happy. And that could have all been different if we stayed away, if we shyed away from that pain." He says.

"I know that, and I'm glad you and Jessie are here and that you're happy, I really am." Ash says. "But our pain is not the same."

"No, it isn't." Derek agrees, because he was the one that told her that weeks ago. "Listen, I'm not telling you to go and change your name back, or to reveal the truth to everyone but..if every once in a while, I called you that-" Ash's eyes snap to his. "-you should be okay with that." He finishes.

Ash thinks it over, for a long time too. They sit in silence for a few long moments that turn to a few long minutes.

"I'll try." Ash finally says. Becuase that's all she can do, is try. And she will, because Derek is right. The pain is worth it if Scott gets to remember his Grandmother when he looks at her and hear's her name, for Ash herself too.

"Okay." Derek nods, because all he can ask is that she tries, he can't expect her to just be fine with it on the spot.

"Just..don't push it. Because I will throw you down a flight of stairs." Ash threatens, but it's only half-hearted..sort of.

"Okay." Derek nods again, deciding not to tell her it wouldn't hurt him, or he'd heal, or most likely he stop it before it happens.

"Okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

"Okay." Ash nods. "I need to get some sleep, I'm tired." She says with a yawn.

"That's good. You should feel a hell of a lot better tomorrow." Derek tells her, because her two days will be up by then, she should be completely her again.

"I will." Ash says, becuase she has faith, and she can feel it. She leans up and kisses Derek, because she didn't get to kiss him earlier. "Goodnight." She says, resting over his chest again.

"Night..Ashlyn." He says cautiously, peeking out one eye at her to see her reaction.

Ash shuts her eyes, not saying anything. She felt that twang of heart ache, but surprisingly, it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be.

..

..

Feels all around :3 And Ash is her again by next chapter, yay! Favourite, follow and review!