They took out Stiles' family for dinner that first evening. They were all exhausted from their flight but also starving and it was their only chance for a get together before Derek's family arrived. Derek was pretty sure that this was their last peaceful day before the wedding and he was determined to enjoy it.

From the airport, he drove them over to Stiles' place where they could freshen up before they would head out. But first, there was a round of hugs when Stiles was reunited with his family.

Scott even lifted him out of his chair with his enthusiastic hug and almost dropped him on the floor when he missed most of the chair on the way back down. Stiles had to cling to Scott to not crash and then they were just frantically struggling to get the chair back under Stiles' butt. Nobody felt the need to help, they were all just watching the spectacle and Derek kind of wished that he'd had the mind to have his phone ready to document this heartfelt moment between the best friends.

"Asshole!" Stiles slapped Scott's shoulder once he was safely sitting in his chair again and didn't need his hands to cling to his best friend any longer. "One day you're going to drop me."

"But not today." Scott grinned at him. Next to him stood Isaac who just rolled his eyes at them.

Derek had met them only shortly over his last stay in Beacon Hills but he had to say that he liked these dorks. And it was saying something that Stiles had managed to keep their friendship alive for years with the whole county between them.

Everybody was hungry so Stiles' parents just dropped their bags by the door, Scott and Isaac had left theirs in the car since they would stay at a hotel, quickly freshened up and then they were ready to go.

Isaac got into the Camaro with Derek while the rest piled into Stiles' car.

"He looks happy," Isaac commented once they were alone.

"Our wedding is in a few days, he better be happy." Derek tried to sound serious but the wide smile on his lips betrayed him. "But same to you. You and Scott look happy too."

For that Derek got a glare but he laughed it off.

Over dinner, they mainly talked about Beacon Hill. Stiles and Derek were both curious about what was going on back home even if they hadn't really been back to Beacon Hills in years. They didn't even know most of the people they were talking about. But John was the sheriff, Melissa a nurse in the ER and Scott and Isaac were running the local vet clinic, they all had funny stories to tell.

Derek almost felt as if his life had gotten boring since he'd quit his retail job. He still had customers and the jobs he was getting now were quite interesting but BDSM shows and a photo shooting for an adult online shop didn't seem appropriate topics for a dinner with the in-laws.

Abby came up and her stalker problem, though. She hadn't said much about Rick lately, just that he was still around. Which just built up the anticipation for when and what he would do next.

Of course, John perked up at that topic and he promised to talk to Abby. Maybe he could give her some advice. Melissa could have shared quite some stories from the bad end of stalking but she didn't go into detail there for which Derek was grateful. He had seen a bruised and beaten Abby, he didn't need to hear how much worse it could have gotten.

All in all, dinner was fun and when they got home, Derek felt at ease for the first time in days. The last few weeks had been stressful, the good kind of stress but stressful, but now he could relax. There was still stuff to do but for the main part they were all set and tonight he didn't want to think about anything.

They had dropped off Scott and Isaac at their hotel so it was just him and Stiles with his parents. Stiles got a bottle of wine and some snacks and then they were just talking and laughing until way after midnight. Derek slung his arm around Stiles. This was good.

They had a short night because there were things they needed to take care of the next day, among them Derek's family.

Since there were seven people flying in, Derek didn't pick up his family himself. They would take taxis to their hotel which would give Derek a little more time to steel himself for the confrontation with his mother. Not that he had time to idle around, he needed to pick up their suits and he had to check in with the DJ while Stiles hurried to finish his last commission and to take care of the last the paperwork required.

Then Derek met with Boyd at the studio to hang up the pictures. They had been delivered a few days ago but until now they had been leaning against the wall. Derek had half a mind to just display them like this but they would look way better hung up properly.

However, they were big and heavy, almost as big as the ones he'd had at the gallery, so it was a two people job to hang them up. Lucky them, Erica was there as well, busy with setting up the dishes and silverware in the office which they used as a storage room for now. Turned out that hanging up some pictures was actually a three people job.

"Wow." Erica made when they had the first one up the wall. It was the one with Derek kneeling in front of Stiles, arms around his lower back and cheek resting on Stiles' thigh. Stiles had a hand in Derek's hair but from this angle, it was more hinted than shown. Derek liked this one the most. Maybe because it was the one where their dom-sub relationship was shining through the most. His mother would hate it.

Since everybody was aware of the tension between Derek and his mom, and between his mom and Stiles which was kind of the starting point for the tension except that it wasn't, it had just been the catalyst, they had agreed to meet on neutral ground. In a restaurant, they at least had to keep their voices down.

So for the second time in as many days, Derek went to a family dinner.

"This shirt or the other one?" Derek was standing in front of his closet and just couldn't decide. He liked them both but neither felt appropriate for the occasion.

"The green one." Josh pointed at the shirt in question. "You feel more comfortable in that one."

Derek raised an eyebrow at him, he would have expected a comment like that from Stiles but not from his cousin. Not much got past Josh, Derek had to give him that, he was a lot like Stiles in that regard.

"Don't you have to get dressed as well?" Derek glared at him but put the other shirt back in the closet, green it was.

"I know what I want to wear, I can be ready in five minutes." Josh was leaning against the frame of the door, seemingly without a care in the world. The focus would be on Derek, that was for sure, but Derek had no doubt that Josh would be put in the spotlight as well. Maybe not tonight but their family would stay for a few days.

"Don't let Talia ruin your mood," Josh said. "And if things go south, we can always leave."

"Apple pie," Derek said with a sad smile.

"What?"

"Apple pie," Derek repeated. "It's our safe-word for family dinners. If one of us needs to leave, we say it to let the other one know."

"You're weird, you know that?" But the way Josh was looking at him made Derek pause.

"You can use it as well," he offered. "If it gets too much, just say apple pie and Stiles and I will get you out of there."

"Doubt I'll need it but thanks, man." He tried to sound nonchalant and Derek let him get away with it.

"You really think the green one?"

"Arg!"

They met Stiles in the parking lot of the restaurant. Stiles had made a reservation so they didn't need to worry if they would get a table for ten people but they were still way too early. They hadn't talked about it but somehow they had agreed that they would face Derek's family together.

"Hope you're parents don't get bored," Derek said to fill the silence.

"They've spent the day, exploring New York. And they have dinner plans as well. Don't worry, they can occupy themselves," Stiles answered but it was clear that his mind was on something else as well. He was constantly scanning the parking lot. "Do you want to go inside or meet them here?"

"Here." Derek didn't want to do this in a cramped restaurant. They were waiting for seven people to arrive.

"I hate waiting," Stiles muttered. He was on his back wheels again, nervously tilting back and forth. Derek was just glad that the lot was asphalted and not the gravel kind. Gravel and the wheelchair did not go along well especially with what Stiles was doing right now.

"I think that's them." Josh pointed out a cab turning into the lot. There had to be a second one but they didn't arrive at the same time. Derek was holding his breath at who was going to emerge from this one. He kind of hoped that it was his mother just to get it over with.

Instead, Lucy jumped out of the car when it had barely come to a halt.

"Stiles!" She squealed and flung herself into his arms.

"Hey there." Stiles managed to bring all his wheels back to the ground before the impact and still got almost thrown out of his chair. "You're getting tall."

Lucy grinned at him and straightened up to her full height.

"Mom bought me a new dress for the wedding because the other one is too short." She gestured at her legs to indicate how short the other dress was.

"You're going to look pretty in your new dress, I have no doubt," Stiles assured her.

"Mom says that Derek is going to look really pretty."

"Does she now?" Stiles threw Derek an amused glance. "I've seen him in his suit, I can tell you that he does indeed look very pretty."

"You're not supposed to see him before the wedding," Laura spoke up.

"So Derek is the bride?" Stiles cocked an eyebrow at her which was lost to her because she caught Derek in a fierce hug. Derek hugged her back just as tightly.

"Missed you," she mumbled into his chest.

"Missed you too."

Frank and Justin had been hanging back but now they said hello as well and almost shyly Justin took his place at Stiles' side. His sister was bolder and was already sitting in Stiles' lap. Hoping for a ride, she was not fooling anyone.

"How's mom?" Derek asked the most burning question.

"She promised to behave." Laura let out a sigh.

Before Derek could say anything to that, a second cab pulled into the lot. His parents and Peter.

"Here we go," Stiles muttered under his breath but loud enough for all of them to hear.

Talia did play nice. She greeted Derek with a hug that felt a bit stiff but it was the thought that counted. She shook hands with Stiles and had a way more warm greeting for Josh. Derek couldn't help the stab of jealousy but he bit his tongue.

"You're looking good, son." His dad put a hand between his shoulder blades, his version of a manly hug. It felt familiar and good.

"You sure you want to merry this grumpy guy?" Andrew asked Stiles, his voice a tad too loud and joyful but given the circumstances Derek took it.

"Haven't decided yet." Stiles played along, all in good nature. "But he has his qualities."

"I don't want to hear about my brother's qualities." Laura cut in.

"Believe me, you don't." Josh made a suffering face. "These two are worse than teenagers and I should know, I am one."

That got the desired laugh out of everyone. Except for Talia who was eyeing Josh as if she wanted to dig into his mind to find out what scandalous things he'd been exposed to.

"Shall we go in?" Stiles saved the situation by turning on his back wheels with Lucy still in his lap. The girl let out another squeal and then they all followed them to the entrance.

Derek noticed that Peter was quietly talking to his mother. Hopefully, to remind her of her promise to behave.