Derek spent the next few days, giving Kate her space. She made it clear that she was still angry with him in the smallest of ways, but with time he knew she'd forgive him. After all, they were working together towards a common goal.
But while in that time, Derek couldn't get Stiles out of his mind. Their brief interaction days before left him feeling hopeful, light, almost as if she could solve whatever problems that would be thrown her way. He was willing to admit that he expected her to back down based on Kate's behavior from their first meeting, but when she didn't; that just proved to him that Stiles wasn't one to back down from a challenge.
And a challenge this process will be.
Today being the first step.
"You'd think with your enhanced hearing, you'd react to what I said," Kate comments in a very passive-aggressive tone.
Derek hadn't, he is feeling too nervous and enthusiastic about their meeting for the morning, "I'm sorry, Katie," He apologizes. "Tell me again."
That is the first mistake Derek makes at the start of their conversation as he watches Kate's face turn red and her eyes glare sharply at him. Her scowl deeps with frustration.
Of course, in recent months it seems that nearly everything that he did was the wrong thing. While it wasn't pleasant, Derek didn't know what else to do. He sympathized with her, knowing that the process wasn't going to be easy for her and maybe that wasn't enough. It's easy to know something, but it was different than understanding it. He did appreciate her welcoming Stiles, though he has never seen her react that way in her life, he wonders what her motivations were.
He hates that he feels the way he does, but as always that voice in the back of his head doesn't stop to remind him that Kate had the same personality type as her father.
Months before the fires, an Alpha named Deucalion decided that maybe it was time to have talks of peace with Gerard. Many people were against the idea first, thinking that Gerard would never accept, but they were surprised that the Hunter agreed to meet. They warned him to be careful, but Deucalion has such a strong vision for peace that he didn't listen.
The meeting turned out to be an ambush that left a few dead and Deucalion blind.
"I went to see my doctor this morning," Kate explains to him. "The doctor told me that my eggs aren't viable."
"What does that mean?" Derek questions, even though he knew. A part of him knew, but he also needed to hear her say it.
"I can't even conceive a baby. What few eggs I do offer aren't healthy enough to actually support a baby."
Derek makes mistake #2.
"What does that mean for the surrogacy?"
Kate's mouth falls open slightly, "Is that really all you care about?" She questions him. Derek was sure if she was a shapeshifter her eyes would've flashed, "I'm telling you that I've heard this terrible news about my health, and all you can think about is whether this woman you've chosen is going to be able to get pregnant?"
"Yes," Derek answers in a calm tone. "Isn't that why you're upset, too? If your eggs aren't viable, wouldn't the only reason for you to be upset is that the surrogacy can't go forward as we planned?"
"You want this baby so badly," Kate tells him.
"I thought that we wanted this baby so badly," Derek counters.
"Of course," Kate sighs, finally seeming to cool down. "That's what I meant. We want our child. And now the doctors have told me that I can't possibly have one. What are we going to do?"
Mistake #3 coming right up.
Derek checks the time on his phone, "Stiles has an appointment to meet with Deaton in twenty minutes," He tells her. "We'll go to the meeting and talk about it. Maybe he will have a suggestion."
Kate's eye twitches with annoyance, "Don't you think that if there was an option at all, that my doctor would be able to tell me?"
"You insisted on going to see a regular doctor rather than one that specializes my kind." He offers lightly, "Maybe there's something that they don't know that we could consider."
That would've been considered a home run for all the mistakes Derek made in their conversation and Kate is ready to fight with him about, but Derek doesn't allow her the opportunity as he grabs his coat and heads out the house.
Unlike the other appointments that were held at the newly rebuilt Hale House, the appointment was at Beacon Hills Medical Clinic. They made it for the afternoon time when the building would be empty and there not be a risk of prying eyes.
When he walks into the clinic, Derek notices Stiles and Deaton appearing to have a staredown, while Boyd and Erica standby looking rather amused, "Is everything alright?" Derek questions.
"Peachy," Stiles tells him. "I was just surprised that Deaton practiced this as well considering his other profession."
Deaton gives Stiles a blank expression before instructing, "Follow me please."
He leads them into an office that had three seats in front of a desk. Derek had intended to take an outer chair, to allow Kate to sit between him and Stiles, but she drops down into a side chair without looking toward Stiles or him. Stiles takes the other side chair which leaves Derek to sit in the middle.
Boyd and Erica stand next to each other by the door, amused faces no longer present.
Derek tries to give a smile towards Deaton, hoping that the awkwardness wasn't too obvious. But he sees Deaton shift eyes between Stiles and Kate, already deducing the situation.
"Before we get started," Kate says, breaking the silence in the room. "I think that I need to tell you something. I'm not sure why we are even here. This cannot proceed."
Beside him, Derek feels Stiles tense up, just as the lights around them flicker so slightly. Derek looks to Deaton to see if the doctor had noticed the strangeness, but it would seem that Deaton had his head cocked with curiosity while so also giving Kate narrow eyes.
"Why is that?" he asked.
"I came from my doctor earlier this morning," Kate shares, much to Derek's dismay. He was hoping to have a chance to lead in the conversation, but it is clear that Kate had other ideas. "They told me that my eggs aren't viable, so I will not be able to conceive a child."
"Well," Derek says trying to gain some control of the conversation as he reaches out to touch her leg comfortingly. "They didn't say that specifically. They said that her eggs aren't viable, but her doctor isn't you. We were hoping that maybe you would know of an alternative that would still allow the plan to move forward."
Deaton nods, "I do."
Derek gets a sense of relief, "That's wonderful news."
"But," Dr. Deaton starts with cautiously, "It might not be what the two of you had planned."
"What do you mean?"
"If Kate's eggs aren't viable, there's really nothing that I can do to make them viable." Deaton explains to him, "It just means that they can't be used. That doesn't mean, however, that you can't use another egg."
"Another egg?"
"An egg donor is used in a large percentage of surrogacies," Deaton reasons.
"You want me to just choose a stranger and use their egg?" Kate questions.
"Not necessarily a stranger," Dr. Deaton, suggests, before looking at Stiles.
Stiles is completely caught off guard, "Me?"
"Traditional surrogacy involves the woman who is acting as a gestational carrier to also contribute her egg." Deaton explains, "The process is largely the same except for the insemination procedure, and the legalities will remain that once the baby is born, it is the child of the couple and not the surrogate."
Silence falls over the room for only a beat before it filled with unruly voices.
"How could you even suggest that?" Kate demands.
"You can't be serious," Erica questions. She places a hand on Stiles' shoulder stating, "No offense, Stiles." Before looking back at Deaton, "This will make things much more difficult."
"I'll do it."
The uproar stops instantly at the calm agreement.
Stiles has her hand, holding onto Erica's as if she needed an anchor. She looks to Deaton, her face still, but unfazed by her own statement.
"You will?" Derek questions.
"Yes," She answers with conviction. She looks to Deaton, "I will. I told myself I would do anything that I could to help you and I don't go back on my promises. I know what's at stake and what needs to be done. If using my eggs is what it takes," She declares. "Then I am willing to do it," She finishes, looking to Derek.
It is like word vomit. Stiles didn't have to think about the decision without needing the time to think it over. She indeed knew what was at stake. She always had a plan B when it came to planning a big decision, even if Plan B was completely made up at the last moment. Derek's sad expression hadn't helped either. She didn't like seeing him sad. It almost like he and Scott could win in a puppy-eyed contest.
"Thank you so much, Stiles," Derek says, he takes her hand in his. "You have no idea what this means to me."
"Yes," Kate says, her voice somewhat flatter now as she gives Stiles a stoned expression. "No idea."
"Of course, all care after today will be performed at the Hale House," Derek announces, breaking away from Stiles. "Everything still needs to be kept tightly. So, what has been decided in this room, only stays between us and the people Stiles chose to share her news with."
"How can you be so sure that they won't tell anyone else," Kate says, looking expectedly for Stiles to answer.
"Because I trust them with my life," Stiles answers strongly. "They're my family."
Scott and Lydia are back at the Stilinski home, this time neither of them drank or ate anything before Stiles had shared her news with them.
"Jesus Christ, what were you thinking?" Scott questions her after Stiles shared the new development,
"I panicked," Stiles confesses. "I totally and completely panicked, and I'll admit that, but-" She says with her hands up in defense, "You can't think it's that bad when he is on board with the idea."
"He was the one who suggested in the first place," Lydia argues.
"No surprise there," Scott comments with minor anger, crossing his arms. "Will it be your baby?"
"No," Stiles explains. "It will still be their baby. Erica was there throughout the whole thing to make sure that I understood what was happening, and we signed the contracts. Essentially whatever egg they use won't belong to me. The baby is theirs."
"And you don't have anything to do with the baby?"
"Nope," She answers with certainty.
"But are you absolutely sure that this what you want to do?" Lydia questions carefully. "You're no longer just carrying an egg and sperm in this case. You'll be using your egg. That's literally a piece of you." Lydia gives her a worried look, "That changes everything."
Stiles shakes her head, "It changes nothing." She looks between her two friends, her expression serious, "Do you guys have my back or not?"
"That's a dumb question," Scott tells her easily, unfolding his arms as he pulls her into a hug. "We've always got your back," He tells her, but over Stiles' shoulder, Scott is giving Lydia a look of concern that matches hers.
While Stiles was having unity on her end, Derek wasn't having the same luxury.
"How could you do that?" Derek had barely gotten through the door of their home when Kate whips around to glare at him, "I can't believe that you asked Stiles to let us use her egg."
Boyd and Erica abandoned ship at Kate's mood as they quickly hurry up the second level of the house. And he honestly wishes he can do the same. Whenever, Kate was in a particularly bad mood, such as the one she is in now, his betas would leave their Alpha hanging high and dry.
"I didn't ask," Derek points out to her, "She offered."
"And you accepted."
"Of course, I did." Derek says as if it were the obvious choice, "You heard what Deaton said. If your doctor said that your eggs aren't viable, then that's it. They can't be used for surrogacy."
"And you were just so willing to jump on using her egg," Kate tells him in an accusatory tone as she stalks away from him and into their living room where she takes a seat on the couch, crossing her arms.
"I don't understand why you're acting like this," Derek tells her.
"Acting like this?" Kate questions, her voice almost hissing. "What is that crack supposed to mean?"
"You are so angry that I agreed to let Stiles contribute an egg so that we can have our baby. It doesn't make sense." Derek tells her, "You agreed to surrogacy when you found out that you can't carry children."
"I agreed when I thought that maybe somehow, go through the experience with you," She defends herself. "Not be left on the sidelines."
"You aren't on the sidelines," Derek assures her, sitting on the couch beside her. "You are going to be just as involved every step of the way as I will be. Nothing else will matter."
But Kate isn't moved by his words, "Maybe it's time for us to talk about adoption."
"You know that it doesn't work like that," Derek tells her. "The power that my family has can only be inherited genetically."
"You're asking me to raise a child that belongs to someone else," Kate tells him. "It's not exactly fair circumstances."
"If you want to consider adoption, we'll talk about it." Derek tells her, "But we still wouldn't have what we need." He gives her a soft expression, taking her hand in his, but this time Kate pulls away, "We need to ensure Beacon Hills's safe first."
He watches Kate's eyes flickering slightly back and forth as if she was thinking hard about something. The color in her cheeks faded and the tension in her muscles disappeared, "We'll do it your way."
Derek leans in to pull her close for a reconcile hug, but Kate moves away from, giving him a cordial pat on the leg before she ups and leaves him alone.
Derek should feel relief that they have been able to talk about their issue, but he didn't. Kate's cool demeanor left him wishing that they had reconnected and understood each other more just as he was in others, but if he were truly honest with himself, he'd know that they never had the type of connection he sought in the first place.
"I can't ask you to do that," Stiles says as she sat looking between Derek Kate.
The procedure had been two weeks ago. Now Kate, Derek, and Stiles wait in the examination room for Deaton and his results.
"Of course, you can," Derek assures her.
"No." Stiles says even more certain, "I can't ask you to do that."
"If she says that she can't, she can't," Kate tells Derek, in a snappish attitude, as she stands with her arms crossed over her chest.
Derek concluded that he was no longer going to let Kate force his hand. He wanted to be as invested and committed as he possibly could, even if that meant ignoring how difficult she was being. At this point, he was all talked out and they needed to focus.
"There's no reason that I can't help her."
"This doesn't have anything to do with the contract," Stiles insists. "You can't be responsible for my personal expenses."
"Part of the agreement was that I would provide for your expenses throughout the agreement period."
"Yes, like housing and medical expenses." Stiles says in an obvious tone, "That doesn't include helping with the restoration of Beacon Academy. That's something that I decided to do on my own."
"I don't want you having to be stressed about anything," Derek explains to her. "Whatever the results are, I don't want you to worry about having to go down to the construction site on your own."
"I wouldn't be doing it on my own," Stiles insists. "I have friends that would help me."
Derek hears the blip in her heart. She is lying about not doing it her own, but he isn't going to call her out on it, "This is something that I am happy to do for you," Derek pleads with her, giving her a knowing glance.
He knew. Stiles knew that he knew, and he is just being kind enough to not call her out on her lie, "I will, but only if I get to see the first steps being taken."
The corner of Derek's mouth twitches, "Agreed."
Stiles gives him a relieved smile, "Thank you."
Deaton finally walks into the room, carrying a folder, "Congratulations," he says, his face breaking into a smile. "Stiles is pregnant."
Stiles turns her head to look at Derek in reaction to the news. Their eyes connect and without thinking, Stiles jumps to her feet, closing the space between them as Derek does the same.
It feels right being his arms, she realizes. She felt safe like nothing could touch her even if it tried. She felt almost whole. She thinks Derek might have felt the same as she feels him, holding onto her rather protectively. Like he would take on any threat that came to like. Like a wolf, protecting their…
She quickly takes a step back at the thought, which she realizes is a mistake based on the worried look Derek gives her, "I'm sorry," He apologizes, "Are you OK?"
"I'm fine," She answers with a slight laugh. "I'm not breakable, I promise."
"We've gotten through the first hurdle," Deaton tells them, bringing them out of their own world. "The procedure worked, and Stiles is officially pregnant. Your baby is happily growing and has gone a few key phases of development already. Now we move forward. This is just the beginning."
"So, what now?" Kate questions, the tone is her voice sounding slightly irritated.
"Now we decide how to proceed. Stiles can either be under my care or-."
"Melissa," Stiles says, not giving it a second thought. "Scott's mom," She explains. "She knows about everything about me and my health history, so it's not like we'll have a total stranger included in the process if that's okay."
"Of course, that's okay," Deaton claims, closing the folder. "We can start you under her care in just a few weeks, once a bit more development has happened. For now, just relax. Enjoy the news. If you notice any signs of problems, such as bleeding, cramping, or dizziness, come in as fast as you can. Other than that, I'll set you up for your first appointment during midsummer."
"Midsummer?" Derek wonders, sounding slightly frantic. "Why that far?"
"Because there's really nothing that we can do until then," Dr. Deaton explains. "The baby has plenty of growing to do, and until then, we won't be able to even see or hear a heartbeat. After that, I promise things will get more exciting. So just go on home. Congratulations again."
It's not long before the uplifting mood from the news is ruined by Kate, who is now glaring at Stiles, as they leave the clinic, "Make sure that you're following the diet that I gave you," She demands her. "I don't want this baby being born with a food addiction or already behind in the fight against childhood obesity. Besides," She looks Stiles up and down, scrutinizing her, "There's no real point in you getting fat, is there? You won't have a built-in excuse once the baby's born."
"Kate!" Derek scolds but is blown off by Kate as she stalks toward the car. Derek turns to a silent Stiles. "I'm sorry," He apologizes on Kate's behalf. "That was really uncalled for."
"Everything about her is uncalled for," Stiles states casually. "And that's fine. I'm not doing this for her. I'm doing it for you and Beacon Hills."
"Thank you," Derek tells her, his face in a big grin. "You don't know just how much this means to me."
Stiles gives him a smile of her own, "I promise I will do everything I can to be the very best home for your baby until it's born."
"I know," Derek tells her just as Kate starts calling for him from the car, but he ignores her. The joy and appreciativeness that he feels for Stiles aren't going to be ruined by her.
"I guess I'll see you at the site?" Stiles offers.
"Good. You can send me the address for the new location, and I'll send a crew out."
"Oh, it's not a new location," Stiles tells him.
This piqued Derek's interest, "What do you mean?"
"It's actually in the same place," Stiles tells him off-handedly. "You remember where it is, don't you?"
Derek smiles at the question.
Of course, he did.
Two days later, Derek meets with Stiles at the site for the restoration of Beacon Academy. The display of the burnt-out shell of the school still got to him. He had been fortunate enough in not being in the fire itself or even in his family's house fire, but lives, that didn't include his own family, had still been impacted.
Stiles had been so engrossed at the construction crew and equipment, she jumps when Derek suddenly appears at her side, offering her a box of doughnuts.
She doesn't take one at first, giving him a suspicious expression, "I thought that I was supposed to be on a strict diet."
Though she wore a suspicious expression, Derek sees the teasing smirk on her lips and laughs, "I won't tell if you won't," He whispers in teasing tone of his own. "It's a diet that mostly Kate's doing, anyway."
She takes a pastry from the box eagerly, "To getting through nine months off no sugar or caffeine."
"Almost ten months, technically," Derek corrects her.
"If that's the case, I'm going to take two," Stiles declares, taking another just as the wrecking ball takes its first swing into the building. They watch at what used to be the front entrance of the school, crumble into pieces easily.
"You know," She tells him in a soft voice. "While we can't exactly share the news so openly, I feel that the restoration of the Academy also provides a symbol of hope." She looks to him, "Does that make sense?"
Derek nods his head in agreement, "It does."
"Awesome," She says, giving him that same embarrassed smile.
The same cute embarrassed smile.
Damn it, Derek.
In the following months, Derek had been antsy. He tried to keep himself busy with focusing on the restoration of Beacon Academy and trying to find any clues on finding out Gerard and his whereabouts. Everything was going along smoothly with the restoration that they could reopen it in the upcoming fall, but not so much on the Gerard end. Despite millions of things that needed to be done, he couldn't get Stiles out of his mind.
Which is why Derek finds himself back at the Preserve in Beacon. He knows there's a chance that Stiles could be at the hospital visiting her father and having a life of her own, but he needed to see her. To see them. He hoped that she would understand.
He pulls into an open gravel area in front of a house. Despite being surrounded by trees the yard appears to be kept nice and clean. He spots a blue jeep close parked closer to the house, implying that Stiles is home. He takes a bundle of flowers and sparkling grape he had picked up along the way.
But as soon as he steps out of his car, he is confronted by a coyote. A coyote that looks to take a nice big chunk out of him. Derek easily lets his eye glow red at the animal, but it doesn't budge. Instead, its eyes glow blue in retaliation while making a low growling sound while baring its teeth.
"Malia!" A voice calls out. Derek follows the direction of the voice and sees a fiery redheaded woman walking off the porch towards their direction. She wears a disapproving expression, but it isn't directed towards Derek, but to the coyote. "Remember your training."
The animal seems to huff at the reminder but stops baring her teeth. "Come on, lunch is almost ready."
Not needing any more encouragement, the coyote turns her back on Derek and trots up the steps and into the home, "Sorry about her." The woman apologizes to him as she stretches out her hand, "She normally good at controlling herself. You must be Derek."
Derek easily grips her hand in return, "I am."
"Lydia," She introduces herself, "That was Malia. The others are already inside, but you may want to get rid of the red eyes first." She advises him, "Stiles a "No Supernatural Hierarchy" rule in her house."
Derek does as directed as follows her inside the house.
The first thing he notices when he steps into the home is that there is an enormous amount of space, for what Derek can assume to be the living room, that is occupied by a half-shifted werewolf and some type of lizard creature as they wrestled along the floor.
"The werewolf is Scott and the kanima is Jackson," Lydia informs him as they watch as Jackson bodyslams Scott into a wall, causing a minor crack.
"You two supernatural shapeshifters," A familiar voice calls out from another room, "Are trying to test my entirely un-supernatural level of patience."
"She's in the kitchen," Lydia tells him as she leads them to the kitchen where he sees Stiles standing at the stove, stirring a pot, that strengthens the smell of food while Erica is chopping up fruit and tossing it into a bowl.
Stiles spots him first, "Hey!" Her voice clearly not trying to sound as confused as she is, "I thought the appointment wasn't for another couple of weeks?"
"It's is." Derek explains to her, "I was just…" He sees Lydia giving him a judging stare just as Erica starts to pretend to be super busy with her task, making it clear that she isn't going to help him out of the jam.
"I invited him," Boyd announces as he walks through an entrance that is attached to the kitchen. "I honestly didn't think he was going to come."
"I didn't mean to intrude," Derek apologizes. He silently thanks Boyd for having his back.
"The more the merrier," Stiles tells him as she steps away from the stove.
When Derek finally gets a good look at her, his heart practically skips a beat. Because he can see it. He can see a small bump that is covered by the apron, that has various spots and splotches on it.
Unsure what to say, Derek holds out the flowers to her, "Thank you," Stiles says, accepting them and tilting her face down into the golden, red, and orange blooms. "They're beautiful."
"You're welcome," Derek says, finally finding his words. "I also brought this," She shows her the bottle of sparkling grape juice. "Since you can't have wine."
"Really?" Stiles questions, reaching up into a cabinet to pull down a glass jar, filling it with water before tucking it onto the sill of a window that is opened. "I thought that that was an old wives' tale. And here I've been guzzling down bottles of wine and cooking with it all day. A little for the pot, a little for me."
"Don't give the man a heart attack, Stiles," Boyd tells her.
A loud thump is heard from the other side of the wall, "Speaking of heart attack," Stiles mutters. "Boyd, can you take of this for me?" She questions, "I've got to go give two idiots hell."
Stiles walks past Derek, taking the same route Derek had through a dining room and towards the living room.
"I should probably go help her," Derek offers, taking after Stiles.
This time Scott is now in a chokehold by Jackson, but Stiles isn't paying attention to what they are doing. She is noticing the damages the house has obtained, "Oh, you guys, come on." She begs, touching a crack along the wall, "This house does not have a supernatural ability to heal!"
She finally looks to the wrestling shapeshifters and claps her hands together, "So stop it!"
"Just a second," Scott says as he manages to get up with the lizard creature on his back, "Let me just-"
He gains his footing and the momentum that is needed and flips Jackson right on its back. Hard.
"Damn it, McCall." Jackson groans as he shifts back to his human self as Scott does.
"Hey, now," Scott teases with a smile, "No swearing in front of the baby."
He does offer Jackson a hand up, which Jackson takes while giving him a smug face, "Bite me."
"Before the two you decide to continue breaking my house," Stiles says loudly, "We have a guest." She indicates at Derek by her side.
"Alpha Hale," Scott acknowledges in a rather indifferent tone.
"Call me Derek."
"Now that introductions are out of the way," Stiles says in a strong tone. "Isaac wants to set up the table outside and I would like to avoid a repeat of what last time."
"What happened last time?" Derek wonders when Scott and Jackson start laughing, as they left the room.
"Isaac got stuck between the door and the table." Stiles explains with a fond smile as well, "Had to call the fire department to get him out."
"And the others didn't help him?"
"They were being trolls," Stiles explains fondly. She looks up the staircase where a pair of eyes are watching them, "Malia that means you too." Stiles directs at the coyote, but she doesn't exactly move. She is too busy giving Derek another stare down, "It's fine Malia."
The coyote made an annoyed huff sound, before giving Derek another glare and, jumping down the stairs after the others.
It takes almost half an hour for everyone to settle down, but when they did Derek felt something he hadn't felt in a long time.
He feels a sense of unity among Stiles' friends with Erica and Boyd. This surprises him, considering in the years of their friendship, he never truly felt like it. Yes, he knew Erica and Boyd would defend him and fight with him no matter what, but something about being surrounded by others like them just felt different. It felt more like a family than an actual pack.
"Hey Derek, are you going to join us?" Isaac's voice calls down from the table when all the food is practically gone.
Derek has been caught up in his world, he hasn't heard a single thing that has been thrown his way, "What?"
"For our free run," Isaac explains with an eager expression. "Every now and then, this bunch gets together for a big meal, such as this, and a nice run through the preserve, embracing our animalistic side." He speaks with such pride, "Sometimes even other shapeshifters from families join in. Then afterward we have a nice round of dessert courtesy of Stiles."
"You want me to join you?" Derek questions the group.
"Of course," Erica answers from her spot beside Boyd. "That's why you came over, isn't it?"
She is picking on him again.
"Uh, maybe next time," Derek informs him. "I'd feel bad to leave Stiles with all this to deal with on her own."
Stiles opens her mouth to assure him that it is fine, but Jackson beats her to the punch, "She'd prefer if we left her alone. You heard how she was earlier."
"You were damaging my house," Stiles shoots at him with no real heat. "You're lucky, that's all how I reacted." She looks to Derek, "Since you're the only one who hasn't tried my patience lately-"
"Hey!" Two indigent voices, that Derek realizes are Scott and Lydia, shout.
"You're welcome to stay behind and help," She looks all around the table. "The rest of you get the hell off my property please."
Derek watches as everyone, except for Scott and Lydia, shuffle away from the table, removing the top layers of their clothes to the athletic wear they wore underneath, and jump off the porch running into the woods that lay behind the house.
It's not until they are inside the kitchen, does Stiles finally ask the question, she has been wondering all afternoon, "Where's Kate today?" She wonders, trying not to sound like she is prying.
"She ended up getting a summer cold," Derek answers, though the tone of his voice didn't sound convincing.
"Oh, really?" Lydia questions, not sounding too convincing herself as she puts food away. "That's a shame."
He didn't like the vibe that is he is getting from Lydia. It is like she knows he is lying without her even having to concentrate on hearing his heartbeat.
"This was incredible," Derek tells Stiles, hoping to shift the conversation away from Kate.
"I'm glad you like it," Stiles beams. "Most of these are my family's recipes that have been passed along from generation to generation." She looks around the kitchen with a sense of nostalgia, "Just like this house as well. In a way, it's like the foundation of my family."
Derek nods his head in understanding, "Family traditions are important." Traditions that Derek, unfortunately, hasn't had the pleasure of experiencing in the past decade.
"So, Derek I gotta ask now that the others are gone," Scott says. Derek looks to Scott with interest, "Why aren't you and Kate married?" Stiles gives Scott a what the hell look, "What? I'm just curious is all."
"You don't have to answer that question," Lydia informs him. "Especially when it's really none of his business."
"I think it's a fair a question considering all that we are going through," Derek answers, coming to Scott's defense. "But to answer his question, I don't really know."
"Do you want to marry her?"
"I don't know."
The surprise expressions on Stiles, Lydia, and Scott's face tells him that he gave an answer that they didn't quite expect. And if he is being honest with himself, he is surprised too.
Lydia gives him a curious face, "Why don't you know?"
"Now you guys are just being nosy," Stiles comments, trying to shift the conversation. "Instead of being nosy, why don't you go join in the free run."
She hopes that she can avoid Scott and Lydia grilling Derek about his personal life, but Derek ruins it by answering, "We've been together for so long and been through so much, with her disavowing her family to the fire to this." He looks at Stiles, "I can't imagine anything else. She understands our lifestyle." He looks to Scott, "She understands our status and knows that the safety of the Community is my primary focus right now."
"You're well on your way," Stiles tells him with an approving smile.
"That doesn't sound like a healthy relationship," Lydia comments. "But then again, after what you guys dealt with in the aftermath…" She sighs. "If it works for you it works."
"But what about the baby?" Scott questions. "What if the baby doesn't inherit your power?"
Stiles wants to kill Scott so bad right now.
"Even if the child, Stiles is carrying doesn't inherit my family's power, I can always offer them the Bite when they're older," Derek answers. "But it honestly doesn't matter to me, I know that it may just seem that I want to have a baby just for Beacon Hills's sake, but it's not just that." He looks to Scott, "I've wanted to have a family for a long time. Does that make sense?"
Scott stares at him silently, "It does."
Lydia clears her throat, "I think we should go join the others."
Scott nods his head in agreement before swooping Lydia into his arms and heading out the kitchen exit.
"You'll have to forgive Scott," Stiles tells Derek when Scott and Lydia are gone, "He's more protective of the two."
"Don't worry about it," Derek tells her. "You said that you trust them with your life, and I can see why."
"Yeah, he's been more protective because of the whole Gerard and baby thing," Stiles tells him. "I know that you didn't want to join in the free run, but do you want to go for a walk? I know the conversation was a bit intense and too personal."
"What about dessert?"
"Scott and Lydia know what to do," Stiles affirms. "Come on, you look like you need some fresh air."
She leads him out the front door, walking down the steps before realizing that Derek isn't following her down the driveway, "Is something wrong?"
While Derek did enjoy spending the afternoon with Stiles and her friends, there had been a few things that sat wrong with him in the earlier part of the afternoon he hadn't let on. The in-shift wrestling with Scott and Jackson that occurred in Stiles' proximity made him feel uneased and the thought of a shapeshifter that preferred to embrace its animal side rather it's human side didn't sit well with him either. Maybe if Stiles wasn't pregnant with his child, he probably would feel different.
Maybe.
But she is and despite her being able to have a good handle on them, he really wanted to advise on her not being around her friends if they decided to act rowdy.
Yeah, he can see that conversation going well.
But her not locking her home is something that he can't let slide, "Aren't you going to lock the door?"
Stiles gives a small laugh, "We're just going for a walk."
"You're not going to lock it?"
"I know it may be hard to believe, but the Community doesn't live in fear as much as you think it does," She sees that Derek isn't convinced, "The last time there was cause for alarm was because of Liam Dunbar running down the street naked, halfway shifted and closing in on the Beacon Hills city limit line." She gives a casual head tilt, "That's not exactly the crime of the century."
"No, I guess not," Derek says as he walks down the stairs by her side before Stiles leads him down the driveway and onto the sidewalk.
It doesn't long before they come across one of Stiles' neighbors in her garden, "Hi, Stiles," She greets when she looks up from her growing plants. "Oh my, Alpha Hale, it's an honor to see you in the flesh."
"Please call me Derek," Derek tells her with a friendly smile. "I'm here just as a normal citizen Mrs…"
"Talbot, Lily Bleu Talbot, but everyone calls me Lily," She introduces herself, before focusing on Stiles. "I can assume that was your gang that I saw running in the woods for a free run?"
"Yeah," Stiles says. "They need to blow off some steam before my house became a victim," Stiles shares with her. "I assume Brett and Lori went off and joined them?"
Lily laughs, "You know they did. I also saw your little coyote friend trying to make her way away from my patch before Isaac called her back over."
Stiles looks at the hole that Lily has been filling in, "Oh no, not again."
"Stiles don't worry about it," Lily comforts her. "We know she can't help it."
"We'll do better with her training," Stiles promises. "As a token of appreciation for your understanding, I do still have enough leftovers to feed an army."
"That's not necessary, but I'll gladly take you up on your offer," Lily beams.
"Then it's settled. I'll send Brett and Lori home with some later this evening," Stiles tells her.
"Much appreciated," Lily tells her. "Go on and enjoy your walk before it gets dark"
It's not until they are a good distance away does Derek finally expresses his concern, "So Malia…"
Stiles gives him a confused appearance, "What about her?"
Derek feels that he is creeping into dangerous territory, "I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with the idea of you hanging around a shapeshifter that is more animal than human."
This causes Stiles to halt her steps and give him a displeased look, "What do you mean more animal than human?"
Derek looks at her dumbfounded, "You can't seriously be asking me that question." But Stiles continues to glance at him as if he has lost his mind, "This entire afternoon, she has not once shown in signs of having any of her humanity left."
"So?" Stiles questions him in a guarded tone.
"Stiles, what if she attacks you?" Derek questions her.
"She won't attack me," Stiles tells him offhandedly. "She knows the difference between friends and threats."
"But you don't know that," Derek argues. "Can she even shift back?" He wonders, remembering the stories he heard in the aftermath of the fire. Some students chose to embrace their animal side rather than regain their humanity.
"When she wants to," Stiles answers.
However, that isn't the answer Derek wants, "While we're on the subject, I'm not too crazy about Scott and Jackson wrestling in your home and stressing you out."
"They were not stressing me out," Stiles counters. Derek gives her a raised eyebrow letting her know that he heard the lie, "Okay, maybe just a bit but they stress me out naturally. And you saw they stopped after I told them to."
Derek scoffs, "Yeah, after you had to tell them twice and be in the same room with them. Scott practically body slammed Jackson near you."
"Would you rather I just let them destroy my house?"
"I would rather you not hang out them for the remainder of your pregnancy," Derek comments without thinking.
When the air around them suddenly feels like it is filled with static, Derek knows he has said the wrong thing, "I get that you're concerned," Stiles tells him in a calm voice, "but I don't need your permission on who I do or do not hang out with."
"Well, you kind of do." Derek says, making the conversation worse, "You are pregnant and I have a say in your lifestyle, so I can make sure that you're taking care of my child properly."
Stiles stare turns into a glare, "You might get to tell me what I should and shouldn't eat or drink, but you can't tell me who I can or can't be around. Especially when it comes to people, I consider being my family."
"Stiles-"
"No, you don't get to show up to my home, uninvited by the way," Derek gives her a surprised expression. "Yeah, Boyd is a terrible liar," Stiles informs him before coming her tirade, "And act like you know everything and anything about the people I hang with just because you're the Alpha. In case you have forgotten, I attended Beacon Academy too," She snips. "I know the same if not more about how to handle shapeshifters when it comes to them embracing their animal instinct just like you." She turns on her heel, taking them on previous their route, but she continues ranting, "Now, I'm going to go back to my house, step up for dessert because no doubt they're making their back. Alone." She stops him by his car, the only one that is in the driveway, "Enjoy the rest of your night."
She takes a few more steps before whirling around to face him again, "And I'll have you know there are worse things than a shapeshifter who gives into their animal instincts."