Chapter 24: Senses Working Overtime
When Christmas Day rolled around Derek and Elizabeth had news to tell them all. They were surprised that they had managed to keep it between them for as long as what they had. The only person they had told before they revealed to everyone was Theo. Derek, Elizabeth, Theo, Scott and occasionally Liam, Malia, Isaac and Cora in the week leading up to Christmas had watched The Santa Clause Trilogy, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Die Hard, Gremlins and How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
"So...we kind of have something to share," Elizabeth said, before she motioned for Melissa to open the card she'd been handed.
"Twins?" Melissa blinked looking at what was inside the card she'd been handed. "When did you find out?" Scott stared at his mother at the words coming out of her mouth and then looked at Elizabeth wide eyes.
"For sure? On Saturday, we may have known a little longer than that though," Elizabeth answered, she'd managed to mask the extra heartbeats when they'd been around the others as they hadn't wanted anyone to know. Cora launched herself at her brother and sister-in-law pulling them into a group hug. "Yes Scott you'll have cousins,"
"How far along are you?" Lydia questioned, before both she and Melissa added. "Congratulations,"
"Around twelve weeks...we were sure around six or seven weeks but I couldn't get an appointment until last weekend," Elizabeth answered as Derek took hold of her hand and it explained why he had been almost more protective over her than normal. "And yes I managed to mask the heartbeats, it wasn't easy but I did it,"
"How the hell did you do that?" Stiles questioned, raising an eyebrow he'd stayed in town after the encounter with the skinwalkers – apparently Rafael was good for some things like getting Stiles a semi-extended leave for a couple of weeks during December.
"Witch remember?" Elizabeth laughed, letting go of Derek's hand as Cora hugged her tightly again. "Yes Cora, you're going to be an aunt,"
"I mean I am already, but that's just weird for Theo since we're the same age and all," Cora said looking at Theo who nodded in agreement before she turned her attention to him. "Wait did you know about Ace and Derek?"
"Yeah, last week..." Theo trailed off as Liam punched him in the shoulder. "What? It wasn't my place to say anything,"
"I think he did a good job, since he realised that was why we were looking for a new place," Derek said before he look around the room and decided to ask the most important question that he could think. "Elizabeth and Scott insist that Die Hard is a Christmas movie, is it?"
"Yes, the answer is always yes," Elizabeth grinned, Lydia shook her head she didn't consider it a Christmas movie nor did Melissa.
"What's Christmassy about it? Christmas movies are like the Miracle on Thirty Fourth Street or A Christmas Carol," Lydia questioned, raising an eyebrow at them before both Scott and Elizabeth answered.
"It's literally set on Christmas Eve at a Christmas party that gets turned upside-down," Scott answered before Stiles took over the rambling causing Lydia to shake her head and kiss him.
Talk soon turned back to Elizabeth and Derek and whether their children would be human or werewolf or witch. They didn't know the answer, neither did Deaton when they had asked him and told him to keep what they were asking to himself. Melissa questioned what they were planning on doing birth wise which was when all the boys decided to disappear and head outside.
Around six months later and Derek and Elizabeth were the proud parents of twins a girl who they named Thalia after Derek and Cora's mother, and a boy they called Caleb. Theo had taken to calling Elizabeth mom, but only when it was just the five of them and occasionally Scott. Elizabeth had, had to temporarily relinquish the hold she had on Derek's spine during the birth. Deaton and Elizabeth had worked together to create something that slowed the gestation period down to a somewhat normal speed.
"Elizabeth, Derek...you have some explaining to do," Melissa said as she stood in the private room at Beacon Hills Memorial and looked between Elizabeth sitting in the bed, and Derek sitting in a wheelchair.
"It's a semi-long story," Derek said glancing at Elizabeth before he looked back to Melissa and then down at the sleeping baby boy in his arms.
"I'm waiting," Melissa said folding her arms as she sat on the edge of the bed and stared pointedly at the two of them.
"When Derek and I were teenagers, Peter tried to kill him by running him over while we were running," Elizabeth said pausing as she glanced down at the baby girl sleeping in her own arms. "Anyway, Derek's spine and all the nerves in his lower back were badly damaged to the point..."
"To the point that even werewolf healing couldn't heal it. Ellie and my mom took the pain, but Ellie did more than that she somehow for the last decade has been holding me together literally," Derek finished as both of them looked at Melissa who was staring almost disbelievingly at the two of them but at the same time she knew not to question.
"Why is there no record or sign that it ever happened?" Melissa questioned, as Deaton arrived at the room due to Scott's request.
"I can answer that, Talia brought both Derek and Elizabeth to me. Elizabeth used magic under mine and Talia's supervision to essentially weaving and stitching the nerves, bones and muscles together. She's been holding it together subconsciously since then," Deaton explained, Melissa nodded in understanding as she took Thalia from Elizabeth and placed her in the crib beside the bed before taking Caleb from Derek and doing the same thing. "Derek, on a scale of one to ten how much pain are you currently in?"
"Right now, I'd put it at some where around a seven or an eight," Derek answered, as he felt Elizabeth's hand on his shoulder and Deaton noticed that her veins was pulsating black as she absorbed his pain.
"Elizabeth, you shouldn't be doing that so soon," Deaton said as Derek pushed her hand away from him.
"She knows," Derek told the older man who nodded as long as they knew they didn't have much time before it was permanent.
"Could I speak with them alone a moment?" Deaton questioned, Melissa nodded and wheeled both twins from the room and down the hall to the nursery. "How long do think.."
"Before it becomes permanent? I think he's got until roughly this time tomorrow...I'm hoping that I can do it tonight though," Elizabeth said with a yawn, Deaton and Derek both shook their heads at her. "I'm talking midnight, not right now,"
Melissa walked back into the room as Deaton made his way out saying he'd be back at Midnight to supervise, Melissa raised her eyebrow at what he was talking about. As Deaton was leaving, Scott, Theo and Cora walked into the room saying that they wanted to meet their niece/nephew/cousins/brother/sister. Melissa laughed, motioning for the three of them to follow her down to the nursery.
"You two will need all the sleep you can get before you go home. So try for some now," Melissa smiled at them, before Scott quickly walked over to Derek.
"I'll catch up in a second," Scott said nodding to his mother, Theo and Cora who nodded before leaving the room. "Didn't think you'd feel comfortable asking my mother for help,"
"It's only today," Derek muttered, before Scott gave him a hand moving him from the wheelchair to the bed that they had put in the room. "Thanks...think you, Theo and Cora can be back at Midnight?"
"Yeah...why?" Scott questioned, as he started to move towards the door before taking some of Derek's pain again.
"She's going to put me back together again...it may take longer and be a strain on both of us," Derek answered glancing toward Elizabeth who had already closed her eyes. "I mean she gave birth at like five thirty this morning...neither of us slept last night. Theo and Liam managed to get us here in one piece,"
"And then mom started on the questions?" Scott queried, he wasn't entirely sure what had gone on he just remembered getting a frantic series of messages from Theo at two AM. "Also everyone is here,"
"Pretty much," Derek yawned, Scott took that as a cue to leave the room pulling the door shut behind him and shooting a look to Isaac that said don't let anyone in.
The entire pack had turned up when they'd found out that Elizabeth had gone into labour and that was no thanks to text messages from Theo, Liam and Derek. They'd set up a group text and Theo had semi-freaked out as Derek hadn't been there when Elizabeth had screamed at him. Elizabeth and Derek managed at least three hours sleep before Melissa brought the babies back in to be fed.
"Scott's gone to get you both something to eat," Melissa said as she handed the little boy to Elizabeth and he almost instinctively went straight for the breast. "Seems like someone's a little hungry,"
"He's not the only one," Elizabeth laughed, as she started to feed him and glanced at Derek who was smiling at her.
"Scott told me he gave you a hand and then had Isaac making sure no one came in," Melissa told Derek, before she handed him his little girl. "I'll come back in a couple of minutes and swap them around,"
"Thanks Mel," Elizabeth smiled before Cora burst into the room and leaned against the door. "Cora?"
"Peters on a rampage, he's annoyed that no one told him," Cora blurted out still leaning against the door. "Scott's trying to hold him off," Cora was holding what food Scott had managed to grab before being held up.
"Let me see them!" Peter almost yelled at Scott who was close to pushing him against the wall of the hospital.
"Cora, you stay in here, I'll talk to Peter," Melissa said motioning for the young woman to stay with Derek and Elizabeth. Cora nodded stepping away from the door and going over to Derek and placing the sandwich and drink on the table beside him and doing the same for Elizabeth.
"She's so little, this one is Thalia right?" Cora questioned peering down at her niece as Derek rocked her back and forth. "We saw them in the nursery, but Melissa said that you should be the ones to hand them to us... Can I?"
"Go ahead," Derek said but not before leaning down and kissing the infants forehead. "Ellie said they won't break," Derek laughed watching as his younger sister gingerly held onto the baby.
"I know, but they're tiny. Do you think they'll get any supernatural abilities?" Cora questioned gently rocking Thalia back and forth in her arms.
"They could, or they could be completely human...we won't know until they're older," Derek said wincing as he felt an immense amount of pain suddenly shoot up his spine. "Cora..."
"Cora, take his pain I would but he's over there and I'm over here," Elizabeth said as she gently pulled Caleb away from her breast as Melissa re-entered the room saying that Peter would be back tomorrow. "Cora, grab Theo?" Cora took some of Derek's pain before sticking her head out the door for Theo.
Elizabeth gently burped Caleb before handing him to Melissa and taking Thalia who was a little more fussy and didn't want to take to the breast. Elizabeth sighed before Melissa handed her one of the bottles that the nurses from the paediatric ward had prepared in case neither twin wanted. One of the paediatric nurses also happened to be a supernatural so they were understanding in why Melissa was making Elizabeth her priority even though she was an ER nurse.
"Want to hold them?" Elizabeth asked the second that Theo had entered the room. "Caleb's been fed and burped. Come and sit here," Elizabeth patted the bed next to her while she held and fed Thalia.
"Are you sure?" Theo questioned raising an eyebrow as he moved to sit where she had motioned as Melissa handed him Caleb and made sure that he was holding him correctly. "He's...he's so little," Theo glanced at his baby sister and corrected himself. "They're both so little"
"They definitely are, but they're perfect," Elizabeth smiled, looking down at the little girl that was falling asleep in her arms while taking the bottle.
When midnight rolled around Elizabeth climbed out of the bed, and motioned for Theo, Cora and Scott to come into the room. They'd stayed there all day going into the room periodically to take some of the pain that Derek was in as Elizabeth's body took care of itself. During the afternoon when Elizabeth and Derek hadn't been sleeping the pack had gone in in drips and drabs to meet the newest members.
"Are you sure you're up for this?" Scott questioned, watching as Elizabeth made her way over to Derek.
"I'm sure, if I don't do it before the morning it could be permanent," Elizabeth said as Derek managed to pull him self up as Elizabeth sat beside him. "You'll know when its time to take the pain from both of us,"
"Wait. You never said pain from both!" Scott exclaimed, apparently forgetting when he and Cora had helped years earlier.
"Scott, you've done it before," Cora laughed, nodding as Elizabeth closed her eyes briefly before they glowed blue/violet.
"Breathe when I tell you," Elizabeth said taking one of Derek's hands in her right hand as she let the fingers on her left hand spark before gently pressing them into his spine. "Now," Derek inhaled as he felt a sharp pain and then exhaled as Elizabeth moved her fingers slightly.
"How come you're doing it the long way?" Cora queried, running a hand through her hair as she glanced out the window of the door and came face to face with Isaac staring at her.
"Easier when it's been a few a hours since I released the spell," Elizabeth answered, taking a deep breath which Derek mimicked as she moved her fingers again. "He's usually wobbly for a few hours after it as well,"
"Shut up Ellie," Derek muttered, wincing as he felt the nerves slowly stitching together.
"Scott, now would be a good time," Elizabeth said as she held her hand still for a second longer than before. Scott took a step towards Derek and put his hand on the older man's shoulder watching as the vein in his forearm pulsated black.
Elizabeth worked on Derek for the next hour and a bit only breaking once when none of them could handle the pain. Theo and Scott had taken turns taking Derek's pain while Cora had concentrated solely on Elizabeth's until Isaac had entered the room around 1AM as it was quiet. Elizabeth had told Isaac that if he still wanted to date Cora then she didn't think that Derek would have an issue with it after it had been almost four years.
Three months later and Isaac had taken Elizabeth's advice and asked Cora out, Cora hadn't said no and Derek well Derek hadn't been impressed about it. Derek and Elizabeth were still trying to get the hang of being parents to newborns, they were sleeping whenever they slept. They'd finally moved into somewhere bigger, the house they'd found was more like a mansion than anything else as Derek had insisted that they needed it. Peter had decided that he needed to be the one to purchase it for them. There was seven bedrooms, all having a purpose – There was Derek and Elizabeth's, Theo and Liam's whenever Liam stayed, Scott and Cora had their own rooms (for whenever they stayed) and finally was the twins who they were having share until they were old enough to have their own rooms. Of course the packs were both welcome to stay whenever which happened after meetings mostly.
One morning Elizabeth was sitting in the living room rocking the twins in their rockers while talking with Lydia who had dropped by to tell her that Stiles had asked her to marry him and she hadn't known what to say. Elizabeth had laughed a little, she'd had the same reaction when Derek had asked her, the only people she'd told the full story to was Lydia and Cora. Malia hadn't wanted to know too many details but Lydia and Cora had questioned everything.
"Ace, he asked me to marry him and I ran," Lydia said putting her head in her hands as she looked at the older woman. "I ran, I wanted to say yes but I ran," Lydia mumbled glancing up at her and then putting her head in her hands again.
"Oh Lydia, you know it's okay to be scared of saying yes," Elizabeth sighed, reaching over to her and pulling her hands way from her face. "Lyds, find him and tell him,"
"He won't want anything to do with me," Lydia muttered, neither of them had heard the front door open or the footsteps heading towards them.
"Yes he will," Elizabeth smiled, as she realised that Derek, Scott, Malia and Stiles were all standing in the door way of the living room.
"Lyds?" Stiles was almost quiet as he said her name walking around in front of her and crouching down. "I know you're scared, I am too but I love you,"
Derek walked around the other side of the lounge and leant over the rockers kissing both twins on the top of the head before he pulled Thalia out to give her a hug. Malia looked at Derek and then at Thalia she'd been too nervous to hold them at any stage. Derek noticed that Malia was looking at her and motioned for her to sit on the lounge. The second Malia was sitting on the lounge Elizabeth had shoved a pillow under her arm, and Derek had placed Thalia in her arms. Scott had taken it upon himself to carefully remove Caleb from the rocker and was gently swaying him back and forth.
"Just how many people did you run into on your run?" Elizabeth questioned looking up at Derek from where she was still sitting and listening as they heard more familiar footsteps heading towards the house.
"Uh..." Derek shrugged, he had only really run into Scott and Malia while he was running, Stiles had turned up at the house figuring it was where Lydia would be.
"I just finished work if that helps?" Theo laughed, he'd managed to get a job at the laundromat with the help of Corey. "Liam, Nolan and Mason met me there...and Corey works with me," he added as the five of them made their way into the house and then quickly retreated to Theo's room.
"We just got into town, as we told you we were coming last week," Ethan said as he and Jackson walked in behind them followed by Cora and Isaac.
"And I wanted to see the babies," Cora grinned, whipping her phone out the second that she saw that both Scott and Malia were holding them.
"Is that everyone now then?" Elizabeth questioned before motioning for Stiles and Lydia to go into the study if they wanted some privacy.
"I think so," Derek said sniffing the air slightly causing everyone to laugh before Scott glanced down at his arms and noticed that Caleb had fallen asleep. "Hand him here," Derek held out his arms and Scott looked at his own gulping when he didn't know what to do.
Derek managed to take the still sleeping baby from Scott while Elizabeth took Thalia from Malia and gently rocked her before giving her to Cora who had pocketed her phone and was eagerly waiting to hold her niece. Derek motioned for Cora to follow him to the nursery where they disappeared for around fifteen minutes – mainly because Caleb whimpered every time that Derek put him down. In the end Derek had put him down, and then picked up the baby monitor and walked out with Cora.
"You've got a great place here," Jackson said looking around and noticing little bits and pieces that had been scattered in both of Elizabeth's apartments with touches of Derek's loft.
"You should see the rest of the place, there was originally a frigging ballroom that's now what did you call it?" Elizabeth questioned looking at Derek who got a grin on his face, that was the room he was most proud of.
"We turned it into a gym, and turned the gym into a media room," Derek said, motioning for them all to follow him but not before he tossed the monitor to Elizabeth.
After they had all returned back to the living room they found Stiles with his arms wrapped tightly around Lydia and a grin on his face. Scott raised his eyebrow at his best-friend and then at Lydia he hadn't known what was going on. Malia slapped Scott upside the head and ran over to her best-friend and wrapped her arms around her pulling her from Stiles grip.
"She said yes!" Stiles grinned, almost manically as he looked at Scott who did almost exactly the same thing as Malia had and hugged Stiles.
"When? How?" Jackson was the first to say what everyone was thinking.
"Today, picnic in the park," Stiles said before Lydia took over while still being in a bear hug from Malia.
"What Stiles isn't saying...is I ran may have freaked out a little and ended up here...and I've just said yes," Lydia explained, she didn't think they needed to hear the whole explanation. "Now we just have to tell our parents,"
"Hey Malia, want to let someone else hug her?" Scott questioned, as he pried Malia's arms from Lydia while Elizabeth hugged Stiles. There was a lot of hugging going on that afternoon.
'So did Isaac finally ask you out?' Elizabeth questioned, looking to Cora before she glanced down at the monitor. Technically they didn't need the monitors but it made Melissa feel better.
'Yeah, haven't actually told Derek yet either,' Cora replied with a smirk as she pulled Isaac towards her before planting a kiss on his cheek which. "Sorry Derek,"
"Derek, leave it! Now go congratulate Stiles and Lydia," Elizabeth grinned pushing Derek towards the two of them.
"Elizabeth?" Derek glared at her but it was quickly replaced with a smile as he hugged/congratulated Stiles and Lydia.
"Ace?" Theo's voice was heard from somewhere in the depths of the house, Elizabeth figured it was the nursery and she was right when she looked again.
"I'll be right back," Elizabeth said before she started to head towards the nursery and found the five boys standing in with their noses covered. "It's not...okay it is that bad, go open the windows," Elizabeth laughed when she realised that both babies had done quite smelly poo's.
"Is that smell really coming out of them?" Liam questioned holding his nose as he looked at Theo and then at Elizabeth.
"Yeah, baby's can make some pretty rancid smells," Elizabeth shrugged picking up Caleb and taking him over to the change table while grabbing a diaper at the same time. "You can help or you can go back downstairs, Stiles and Lydia have something they want to share," she ushered them out and continued changing Caleb before putting him back in the crib and grabbing his sister and doing the same thing. She stayed in the room a few minutes longer until she was satisfied that they would stay asleep she walked back to the others.
"How do you deal with the smell?" Mason questioned, Derek raised his eyebrow wondering what exactly he was talking about.
"Caleb and Thalia," Theo said noticing the look that Derek had given which caused Derek to launch into an explanation that babies that had the potential to be supernatural from what he had read were smelly.