A/N: Thanks for reading and sticking around for as long as you have. This story is coming to an end. However if you stick around to the end of the chapter you might find a little surprise.
Chapter 28: The End or Is It?
Thanksgiving came and went. Ethan and Jackson arrived at the house with the announcement that they were planning on moving back to Beacon Hills to start their own little family. They were going to temporarily move into the remaining spare room of Derek and Elizabeth's. The twins loved their Uncle Ethan and Uncle Jackson so they were excited.
Elizabeth and Derek lay in bed late one Saturday morning relishing in the fact that the twins hadn't decided to grace them with their presence. They could however hear them down the hallway jumping on Theo's bed and Liam pulling up the blankets as fast as he possibly could. Theo's laughter was what broke the silence coming from the rest of the house.
"Should we save them?" Elizabeth yawned, glancing at Derek who shook his head and pulled her back under the covers.
"Mom!" Theo yelled, he'd just gotten to the point where he didn't care if the others heard him call Elizabeth mom, especially if it meant getting Thalia and Caleb off him. Theo looked at the clock on his bedroom wall and saw the numbers 8:15 flashing at him.
"Take them downstairs, I'm pretty sure Scott and Malia are in the kitchen," Elizabeth answered, she didn't have to yell to get her point across as there was a muffled.
"No we're not!" from Malia, followed by something that sounded like 'We will be in a minute,'.
"Get dressed and take them then, you two are on breakfast duty this morning and you know it," Derek said, he vaguely remembered the conversation from three weeks prior stating that if they stayed they took on breakfast duty.
"Derek!" Malia whined causing Elizabeth to laugh and pull Derek under the covers with her. "They're your children!"
"And Scott's their cousin. Deal with it," Derek called back from under the blankets.
In Scott's room, Scott had climbed out of bed and was pulling on a pair of track pants as Malia grumbled. Malia reluctantly grabbed her underwear pulling it on under the covers and grabbing Scott's discarded shirt before tugging it on. Scott took Malia by the hand and dragged her down the stairs, sometimes being a werewolf had its downside. After a couple of minutes they heard Thalia and Caleb running from Theo's room and stumbling down the stairs.
"Unca Petey put me down!" Thalia giggled as the older man spun her around at the bottom of the stair case.
"Peter?" Elizabeth and Derek looked at one another wondering just when had his uncle crept into their house. Derek reached for a pair of sweats off floor while Elizabeth grabbed her pyjamas and they both pulled them on.
"So much for staying in bed," Elizabeth muttered as Derek took hold of her hand and the two made their way downstairs passing Ethan and Jackson in the hallway. "I'd say you two have maybe three minutes before the twins are racing up here to get you for breakfast,"
"Say what?" Ethan blinked, Elizabeth just laughed and continued down the stairs with Derek. "Did she just say what I think she said?"
"Yeah, Tali and Caleb get excited when people stay over," Theo said after he and Liam pulled themselves out of bed.
"We had bedroom visitors," Liam mumbled, they'd been happily minding their own business when Thalia had opened Theo's door.
"They're kids, what do you expect?" Elizabeth laughed as she and Derek entered the kitchen and headed straight for the coffee.
"Them not to barge into the room at the crack of dawn?" Malia suggested which earned a laugh from Scott and Theo.
That statement just made Elizabeth laugh harder, to which Derek joined in it was evident that none of them were ready for kids of their own. Malia scowled as Thalia wrapped her arms around her legs and looked up at her. Malia looked down her scowl immediately softening to a smile. This time it was Scott's turn to laugh at his girlfriends reaction.
"Aunty Mali do we get pancakes?" Thalia asked as she looked up innocently at Malia and then looked at Scott grinning. "Please?"
"Okay, everyone up for pancakes?" Scott questioned, getting a unanimous yes for an answer. "Hey Ace do you want to make them?" Scott smirked looking at his aunt and then at Derek who shook his head.
"Yeah mommy you make them," Caleb grinned as Derek picked him up and sniffed him, quickly setting him on the ground again.
"Caleb, mom makes the worst pancakes," Theo said watching as Caleb took hold of Derek's hand and the older man led him back upstairs.
"Really?" Caleb asked looking up at Derek and then looking back at Theo who had Liam wrapped around his waist. "Does mommy really make bad pancakes?"
"She does, that's why daddy, Theo and Scott make them," Derek said as he led the three year old into his bedroom and closed the door behind them. "Hey buddy, why didn't you tell mommy and daddy that you had an accident?"
"Cause you be mad," Caleb mumbled looking up at Derek as he crouched down in front of him and quickly pulled him into a hug.
"Buddy, no one would be mad. Who told you we would be?" Derek asked asked as he quickly moved about changing the toddler into a fresh pair of pants.
"Unca Stiles,"
The next thing Caleb knew he was being picked up by his father and the two of them were running down the stairs two at a time. Scott, Theo and Elizabeth looked at Derek and the look on his face told them that he wasn't impressed. Elizabeth took Caleb from Derek, and raised her eyebrow at him as they all heard the front door open.
"ACE!" Cora's voice filtered through the house with Isaac's voice telling her to be quiet they couldn't possibly be awake yet.
"In the kitchen," Elizabeth called back, and soon enough everyone was filtering into the kitchen. "Just how many people did you pick up on the way to the door?"
"Uh well Isaac was already with me, Mason, Nolan and Corey pulled up when we did and Stiles and Lydia got here when we opened the door," Cora answered watching as her boyfriend was hugged by his Alpha.
"Stiles we need to talk!" Derek growled the second that he saw the younger man standing in the kitchen.
"What? What did I do?" Stiles looked at Derek wide eyed and tried to hide behind all the wolves. Elizabeth shrugged she hadn't been listening when Derek had taken Caleb upstairs.
"Derek?" Elizabeth raised her eyebrow as she shifted Caleb on her hip and motioned for Theo to pick up Thalia. "Derek?" Elizabeth let out a low growl this time her eyes flashing red at the same time.
Out of instinct Derek, Cora, Ethan, Jackson, Theo and Isaac's eyes all flashed blue and gold. Elizabeth grimaced slightly forgetting that it had that effect on her beta's momentarily. Scott laughed but then noticed that Malia and Liam had responded in the same way.
"What?" Derek growled turning around to face Elizabeth as Thalia and Caleb buried their heads.
"Mason, Corey could you take Caleb and Thalia into the living room and put some cartoon on for them?" Elizabeth suggested, Mason and Corey nodded taking a twin each and heading for the living room with Thalia and Caleb burying their heads in their shoulders. "What the fuck was that about?" Elizabeth said as calmly as she could.
"Stiles here decided to tell Caleb that we would be mad if he told us he had an accident," Derek said as calmly as he could muster while still holding onto Stiles' shirt. This time Theo moved to where Derek was holding Stiles.
"You said what to my little brother?" Theo growled standing beside Derek causing Elizabeth to shake her head and look at everyone.
"Everyone needs to back down now," Scott said, though he wanted to know exactly what Stiles had said to Caleb and to Thalia.
"Stiles, would you please inform me of what the exact words were that you said?" Elizabeth asked, she could use a spell to get the truth if she wanted to. "I will use a spell on you if I have to," Elizabeth warned seeing the hesitation on the younger man's face.
"I...I told him..." Stiles trailed off as Lydia managed to change the subject of discussion promising that she would give Stiles a talking to if he ever wanted to have children with her.
Scott grabbed Stiles and had him help with the rest of breakfast. Lydia grabbed hold of Elizabeth, Malia and Cora dragging them to the backyard while Mason, Theo, Corey and Liam occupied Thalia and Caleb. Derek talked with Ethan, Jackson and Isaac in office. Lydia had in her hand what appeared to be a scrap book which she set down on the outdoor coffee table.
"Lydia?" Malia raised her eyebrow at one of her best-friends as she saw the title on it.
"I've been planning my wedding since I was little girl," Lydia smiled at them as she opened the scrap book and showed various pictures.
"So more planned out than what mine was," Elizabeth said causing Cora to laugh and Lydia to grin.
"Definitely," Lydia smiled nodding, everyone knew that Elizabeth and Derek's wedding had been thrown together as the older woman was even less girlie than Malia.
"Rub it in why don't you," Elizabeth laughed, watching as Lydia pulled out various photos.
"This is the dress," Lydia said pointing to an off the shoulder princess cut with a train. "Hair, I can't decide up or down?" Lydia pulled out four different hairstyles that she'd narrowed it down to.
"Why not half and half?" Cora questioned, they all knew that Lydia could pull off anything.
"What about location?" Malia asked they all wanted to know where the banshee was planning on having her wedding.
"Stiles just asked Derek if they could use the backyard," Scott's voice could be heard from the kitchen along with Derek's muffled voice saying that he'd think about it.
Fifteen minutes later and Elizabeth had both Caleb and Thalia clambering into her lap while Scott and Stiles set plates of pancakes, bacon,fresh strawberries and various other items onto the table. Derek didn't even try to save his wife, pancake hungry toddlers loved their mommy. Everyone took a seat as Derek put three plates in front of Elizabeth each with pancakes and watched as Thalia grabbed a pancake and a strawberry at the same time and then twist in Elizabeth's lap. Cora barely had time to react before she found Thalia shoving a pancake towards her.
"Aunty Cora!" Thalia grinned innocently as she continued to shove the pancake towards Cora.
"Hold up kiddo," Cora laughed, before she managed to manoeuvre her niece into her lap. "Apparently Tali is feeding me," Cora said in between mouthfuls of pancakes.
"Tali, sweetheart you need to eat too," Elizabeth laughed, before she ate the fruit and pancakes on her plate while Caleb ate his.
"We want Caleb and Thalia to be a part of the wedding," Stiles said suddenly as he grinned at Derek and Lydia, Lydia nodded in agreement they wanted the youngest pack members involved.
"You want the little trouble makers in your wedding party?" Derek raised his eyebrow as he and Elizabeth shared a look that said do they realise what they're in for? "How about you two look after them for the day before you decide that,"
"What?!" Stiles and Lydia both exclaimed, neither of them expecting Derek to suggest baby sitting duty.
"Well, we were going to get Theo and Liam to do it," Elizabeth said at Theo who briefly had a triumphant look on his face but schooled it to a more neutral look the second that Elizabeth looked at him.
"It's only for a couple of hours tomorrow from 11AM until 2PM," Derek said looking towards Ethan and Jackson who shared a knowing look.
Stiles and Lydia looked at one another trying to decide if having the twins in their wedding party was really worth them baby sitting for a couple of hours. Elizabeth and Derek looked at one another and then at Stiles and Lydia again as they waited for an answer from the two of them. Everyone wanted to know what the answer was going to be.
"Only a couple of hours right?" Stiles raised his eyebrow as he looked between Derek and Elizabeth wondering exactly what they were going to get themselves into.
"Yes three hours," Elizabeth confirmed looking at both Stiles and Lydia with a smile on her face. "All you have to do is give them lunch and let them play for a while and then put them down for a nap,"
"We'll have everything ready for you," Derek laughed, seeing the look on Stiles face after Elizabeth told him everything they had to do.
"I'm sure we can handle them," Lydia smiled, she'd helped Elizabeth once or twice when they were babies, but them being toddlers was a slightly different ball park.
"You'll be fine. Scott'll be back before us," Elizabeth said nodding to Scott who's eyes went wide, he had planned on spending the day with Malia.
"I will?" Derek gave Scott a look that said you will definitely be back before us. "I will," Scott reiterated earning a 'wtf' look from Malia who had other plans.
The next day, Theo and Liam went to hang out with Corey and Mason, Malia and Scott went on their planned date while Elizabeth and Derek went to meet up with Jackson and Ethan. Lydia and Stiles were left with a list of instructions on what to do with Thalia and Caleb. Thalia and Caleb were happily sitting on the floor playing with blocks when Lydia and Stiles arrived.
"All you need to do is follow exactly what is written on this," Elizabeth handed Lydia a piece of paper that was nowhere near as daunting as they had been expecting.
"Eleven until twelve let the play, twelve feed them peanut butter sandwiches, and then nap time," Lydia read the list and then noticed that it said that the sandwiches had already been made.
"Are you always this prepared?" Stiles raised his eyebrow as he looked at Derek and then at Elizabeth.
"When it comes to people looking after them for the first time, yes," Derek answered, Stiles was still looking between the two of them so Derek spoke again. "Everyone but the two of you has looked after them at some point in the last three years,"
"Okay..." Stiles mumbled there was a reason that he'd never offered to look after them when they'd been back in town.
"We'll be fine," Lydia smiled, taking hold of Stiles hand and pulling him towards her before planting a kiss on his cheek. "Go do whatever it is that you plan on doing,"
"Oh we will, just remember Scott'll be back first," Elizabeth grinned before she dragged Derek out of the house and down the path so that they could meet up with Jackson and Ethan.
Elizabeth and Derek headed off to meet with Ethan and Jackson, the two men wanting their alpha's opinion on where they should buy. They knew that Derek and Elizabeth were thinking bout eventually buying back the Hale land and rebuilding the house, they also wanted to be closer. Jackson saying something about being in the same town, same city making them stronger than being so far away. Ethan agreed with the sentiment saying that they also felt safer together.
Christmas ended up at Elizabeth and Derek's with the entirety of both the Hale & Hale-McCall packs and their parents and partners. Theo, Liam, Mason, Corey and Nolan spent the day holed up in Theo's room playing video games. Lydia and her mother spent the time going over the finer details of the upcoming wedding with Stiles, Noah, Melissa and Chris. Elizabeth and Derek spent the majority of the time chasing Caleb and Thalia around the backyard with Ethan, Jackson, Jordan, Cora and Isaac. Scott and Malia had a little announcement of their own, one that they hadn't initially planned on revealing at Christmas but it happened none the less.
"So...we have something to share..." Scott trailed off looking at Malia as he spoke, while everyone's attention was on them. Derek and Elizabeth shared a look they knew the look that Scott was giving Malia all too well.
"Scott, sweetheart what is it?" Melissa smiled at her son as she picked up Thalia who'd stopped running and was tugging on her pant leg.
"You're going to be a..." Malia trailed off as she spotted her father leaning against the balcony, no one had seen him in almost a month. "Peter?"
"Unca Petey!" Caleb ran at Peter and jumped forcing the older man to catch him.
"Malia, just get on with it," Elizabeth smiled at her, as Derek wrapped an around her shoulder and pulled her close.
"You're going to be grand...parents..." Malia and Scott spoke quickly causing both Peter and Melissa to nearly drop Thalia and Caleb.
"Grandparents?" Melissa and Peter questioned, before Peter picked up a second heartbeat coming from his daughter.
Malia and Scott nodded, Scott smiling at Elizabeth as he and Malia had gone to her and asked for her help in hiding it until they were ready to tell everyone. Stiles and Lydia were the first people aside from Peter and Melissa to congratulate them with Scott and Malia apologising that they hadn't meant to take away from them but they couldn't hide it any longer.
New Years Eve was something else for the Martin's and Stilinski's.
THE END!
Thanks for reading! Yes you get two thank you notes! There will be a sequel in the coming months.