cut
The song featured in this chapter is 'On my way' copyrighted by Phil Collins. I claim no rights to this song. I also claim no rights to Sonnet XXVI by William Shakespeare.
cut
Hello, peeps!
Yes, I am alive! I have been moving to a new place for the whole past week, and despite my best intentions I didn't have time to write and post! I'll make up for it when I have the chance!
Anyway, since it's my birthday today, I'm posting this chapter, even though I'm short on time, so here you go! Enjoy!
cut
It's been two weeks since Stiles left. Saying everything went back to normal would probably be the biggest lie in the world.
They missed him, everything reminded them of him. They mentioned him on every Pack meeting, asking each other if they've heard of him. He called John when he arrived to his grandparents' house and sent everyone a mail, but they hadn't heard from him since then.
They hadn't had the heart to call him in fear they would cross some boundaries, but they did send him mails. He had yet to answer them, Derek could hardly sleep. Yes, he let him go. A part of him was even glad Stiles finally did something for himself. But another part of him was hurting. He missed him, he missed him a lot.
In an attempt to stop thinking about Stiles, Derek and the Pack decided to rebuild the Hale House. It didn't only help them bear with Stiles' absence; it also helped them grow as a Pack. Even though they were at it for just a few days, they've already made great progress.
It was quite late and Derek and Isaac retreated to Derek's loft while everyone else went home after a hard day's work.
So you can imagine how surprised Derek was when his cell phone rang, the caller ID telling him that it was John calling. He swallowed when a feeling of dread passed over him.
They would be meeting early tomorrow, since it was Sunday, to work on the house. They would be seeing each other in just a few hours.
So John calling meant nothing good.
"Is something wrong?" Derek asked the moment he picked up. Isaac came down the stairs and looked at his alpha with a frown.
"Derek, I need you to gather the pack at your place. We have a problem." John's voice was filled with worry and Derek's heart clenched. Isaac's eyes widened and he ran up the stairs to get his phone. "I'll be over in fifteen minutes."
"Stiles?" Derek heard the hitch in John's breath.
"Yeah."
"I'm on it," Derek said and ended the call just as Isaac came down the stairs.
"I've sent everyone a message," Isaac said and Derek nodded as he heavily took a seat in the closest armchair.
"Derek?" Isaac called out in a small voice and the alpha looked at him.
Isaac was standing at the bottom of the stairs with wide, dilated eyes. He was wringing his hands and looked as though the weight of the world was on his shoulders. Derek swallowed and raised his right arm. The teen wolf practically jumped over, took a seat beside Derek and rested his head on Derek's chest while Derek wrapped his arms around the teen.
"It's alright," Derek whispered and nuzzled his nose in his beta's hair. "Everything's alright."
If there was anything even remotely good in Stiles leaving Beacon Hills it was the fact that it brought everyone closer. They felt the loss; all of them. They felt the need to be together as much as possible. They didn't even need to be in the same room together.
Being in close proximity was enough. Derek's loft became a meeting place of sorts. In the past fourteen days, the whole pack came over to him whether for a meeting or simply because they wanted to come over; better yet needed to come over.
You can only imagine Derek's surprise when Erica rang him up a little past midnight some two nights after Stiles left. She looked like death warmed over. She was the first one to ask if she could spend the night there. Erica, Derek and Isaac ended up sleeping together on the couch. They were missing their packmate and sticking together helped.
What surprised Derek the most was Scott. He came two nights after Erica came. He spent the night there and they talked.
For the first time since they met, they actually talked.
Jackson and Lydia came next. Derek was more than just surprised when, after they were done with the Pack meeting, everyone stayed over; even John and Melissa. The humans slept with Peter on the couch while Derek and the other wolves somehow ended up in a pile on the floor.
Even though he missed Stiles more than he ever missed anything, Derek had to admit that ever since he left the pack started growing closer. And for the first time since he lost his family, Derek felt like maybe, just maybe he could feel complete again.
cut
"Since I wasn't home all day I didn't check my mail. You can imagine my surprise when I found this in my mail-box when I came home," John said as he showed everyone a CD and a note.
"What is it?" Peter asked and John gulped. The wolves could hear the frantic beating of his heart.
"A message from Stiles."
"Maybe he just sent us a message so he wouldn't have to answer all our mails separately," Melissa tried to reason and John shook his head.
"That's not all," he said. "I – I received a message on my answering machine. My mom called when I wasn't home. Stiles – Stiles left."
"What?" the reaction was unanimous.
"Show us the message," Derek asked and John nodded. The feeling of fear was so tangible in the air it was suffocating.
John barely managed to push the CD into the player, and he walked on shaking legs over to the couch, taking a seat beside Peter who immediately covered his shaking hands with his right. John tried to send him a grateful smile, but it turned out more like a grimace.
Derek played the message and the whole Pack tensed up when Stiles' face appeared on the screen of the big TV Derek bought a few days earlier.
"Hello everyone!" a shiver passed down their bodies when they heard Stiles' voice after two weeks. He looked healthy enough, although his eyes looked somehow haunted and the smile on his face was a bit wavering.
"I assume that by now you already know that I've left my grandparents' place. Don't worry, they're supposed to find the message I left them pretty soon so - yeah. Don't worry about them. Dad, you should call them either way, alright?" he stopped, swallowed and took a deep breath.
"I've been receiving your mails. I guess I should apologize first for not answering them so – I'm sorry, guys, but – but I was thinking. I was thinking a lot actually and I came to a conclusion that I – I can't stay here. Peter, I've been thinking about what you said; about how everyone who knows what to look for would see what I am – what I've been through - and I figured that I can't stay here. I can't place my grandparents in danger, so I decided to leave. I sold my laptop and cell phone and arranged everything so – so you don't have to worry when I don't answer your calls."
"Idiot," Lydia muttered and everyone looked up when Stiles chuckled.
"I hope you're all together. I really do," he said. "You guys are a family now and you should – you should stick together. I really hope you're doing just that because – because I'd be feeling better knowing you're growing as a pack while I – while I do my own bit of growing. Honestly, I would be of no use to you like this. I've – I've had a few accidents. My powers are growing and I need - I need to find a way to control them or I'll just become a bigger menace than I've been until now. So – So I decided to leave. I need to do this my way." He stopped and cleared his throat.
His eyes grew sad and he bowed his head a little. He took a deep breath and looked at the camera again.
"Dad, I want you to know that you don't have to worry. I've applied for internet schooling. I promise I'll pass all the tests required to sign up for college. I promise. Please, don't worry. And – And just because I'm not there with you, don't start pigging out on food, okay? I want you as healthy as you can be when I come back, alright?" Stiles voice broke and John took a deep wavering breath before he nodded.
"Isaac, be a good pup, okay? I won't be able to answer your mails, but I'm thinking of you all the time. I'll bring you a nice present when I come back, I promise." Isaac whined and pushed himself closer to Scott.
"Scotty, my boy. I hope you're with the pack. You need them. You can't make it alone so please, just – just stick with them, alright?" Scott nodded. "Take care, bro."
"Erica, Boyd; take care of each other and don't torture Derek too much, okay? Peter, you're a good guy, despite your mental state. Take care of my dad and Melissa. I want them both safe and sound." Stiles' voice broke again and his eyes filled with tears.
"Lydia and Jackson. I just wanted to tell you that I'm glad you're part of the pack. You're both smart and strong and – and every pack needs people like you." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a second.
"And last, but not least, Derek." He opened his eyes and the alpha shivered, his heart skipping a beat. "Take care of the pack and – and take care of yourself, alright? I need my Big Bad Wolf to be alright." Stiles tried to grin, but failed. "It's been hard. It's been hard leaving and it's heard staying away, but I need to do this. Not only for myself but – but for my dad, for the pack and – and especially for you." Stiles smiled and tears trailed down his cheeks. "After all it wouldn't do for the alpha mate to be a ticking time-bomb, right?" his voice broke and Lydia, Melissa and Erica started crying too, "Take care, please. I'll try to call in occasionally just to let you all know I'm alright. I miss you and – and I love you; all of you. Take care." The image went black and heavy silence settled between them.
"What do we do?" Scott whispered after a few minutes. Not one of them was left untouched. Derek looked like he was about to dart out of the room, John was squeezing Peter's hand in his right and Melissa's in his left, Isaac was holding on to Scott as if he was the only one keeping him in piece, Erica buried her face in Boyd's chest, and Lydia and Jackson looked frozen in place.
"We wait," Derek murmured and everyone looked at him in shock. He swallowed difficultly and looked up at them. His eyes were like steel and his jaw was tight. "He said he would come back. We let him go. We – We can do nothing but go on and wait for him."
"It doesn't sound like you're too happy about it," Jackson said in a surprisingly tight voice.
"I'm not," Derek admitted, "but it was his choice. He chose to leave; he did it to become stronger not only because of himself, but because of us as well. The only thing we can do is believe in him and wait for him."
"I do believe that you've grown up, nephew," Peter muttered and smiled at Derek when the alpha looked at him. "And you're right. Stiles will come back when he's ready to come back. He'll come back when he finds himself. There's nothing we can do to make it happen sooner."
"What we can do is make sure he has something to come back to," Melissa said. "We continue growing as a pack, we continue working on the house; we make sure that everything that happened in the past months doesn't go to waste." Scott looked at his mom in shock and she raised an eyebrow at him. "What?" everyone raised an eyebrow at her. "You are part of this pack; John's part of this pack due to Stiles being part of it. We're all pack. As much as I understand pack means family. Although we've all grown a bit closer, we still have a ways to go. We need to work on becoming a real family."
Melissa glanced around the room at all the gathered teens and grownups forcing a small smile on her face even though her eyes were full of tears. "Stiles would want us to do that. If he stayed, he would work on it with us, and think what you want, but with him it would have been all too easy. This way we'll have to work harder on it. We're all different and it would be stupid to say that there isn't some bad blood among us," she shot a glance at Peter who shrugged a bit, "but you don't choose family."
"You're right." John cleared his throat. "When Stiles comes back he needs to find a pack; a family. And we do have a ways to go."
"So we move on?" Erica asked and everyone nodded.
"Yeah," Derek said and stood up. "We move on." He looked at the people around him. This was his family now.
Yes, Stiles was missing.
It was almost tangible; like a gaping hole.
An open wound.
And the only way to make it hurt less was to stick together.
That was the only way to close the wound just a little bit.
'You just wait, Stiles. We'll make it. We'll become a pack you'll be proud to be a part of. We'll make it together. And we'll wait for you to come back. We'll wait for you to come home.'
cut
"Thanks for the ride!" Stiles called out as the family that picked him up drove off, the twins, Kyla and Tara waving at him enthusiastically.
He sighed and looked around with a small smile. He walked over to the entrance to the gas station and smiled at the clerk as he fixed his duffle bag on his shoulder. "Hello, I was wondering if you have a detailed map of Colorado," Stiles said and the clerk raised an eyebrow at him.
"Thinking of hiking?" Jeff, according to his name-tag, started digging through a drawer while Stiles grinned at him.
"Yeah. I'm taking a break from studying so I decided a trip would do me good," he said and Jeff snorted.
"Here you go," he said and Stiles' grin grew when he took the map from him. He looked it over and nodded.
"Hey, do you have post cards here; and a way for me to send it?" Jeff rolled his eyes and pointed over to a shelf. Stiles chucked and smiled sheepishly.
"Thanks," he muttered and walked over to the shelf. He whistled as he tried to find a good one and grinned when he found just the right one. He placed his duffle-bag on the floor and dug out a pen. He scribbled a quick message on it and walked back over to the clerk.
"I'll just pay for everything and be on my way," Stiles said as he handed the postcard to the clerk.
"Will you need anything else?" Jeff asked and Stiles hummed as he looked around. He quickly grabbed two bottles of water and some energy-bars only to stop as he looked into a glass box and his eyes fell on a Swiss knife. He hummed and tilted his head to the side. 'This could come in useful.'
"That's a real one you know?" Stiles turned to look at Jeff and smiled at him.
"I'll take it and everything else." Jeff nodded and Stiles smiled as he looked out the window of the station at the mountains in the distance.
"Good luck, dude," Jeff said as Stiles paid for everything and the teen smiled at the clerk.
"Thanks. I'll need it," He took everything he bought, waved at Jeff and took a deep breath as he walked out on the road. He looked up at the blue skies and exhaled.
He hefted his bag on his shoulder and made the first step towards the mountains.
I hope you're doing okay, guys.
He smiled widely when he saw a squirrel run up a tree.
I miss you.
He walked onwards as he left the road behind.
Wait for me. I won't be long.
The sun shone down on him through the thickening branches.
I won't be long.
cut
Tell everybody I'm on my way;
new friends and new places to see.
With blue skies ahead, yes I'm on my way.
And there's nowhere else that I'd rather be.
cut
"Derek! Guys! You gotta see this!" Isaac shouted as he ran onto the Hale property where the rest of the pack was working on the house.
"What is it?" Scott called out to him as he wiped his forehead with his forearm.
The younger teen was grinning like a loon and waved his hand at everyone, showing them to come over. He didn't even notice Derek was missing. "We've got a postcard!"
"A postcard?" John wondered as they all gathered around Isaac.
"From whom?" Melissa asked.
"From Stiles!" Isaac wore the biggest grin on his face anyone has seen in a while.
"Gimme!" Erica snapped and tried to take the postcard from Isaac. Scott jumped at him as well and it all soon turned into a game of tag as Isaac tried to keep the card to himself while Erica, Scott and Lydia tried to take it from him. Peter, John and Melissa exchanged an amused smile, while Jackson and Boyd rolled their eyes at the others.
"Isaac, give me the card!" Erica whined.
"Finders - keepers!"
"The only reason you found it was because it was your turn to check the mail today!" Lydia snapped at him.
Isaac yelped when Scott managed to tackle him to the ground, an stretched out as much as he could, trying to keep the postcard out of Scott's reach, at the same time avoiding Lydia's and Erica's grubby hands.
"Hey!" he snapped when the postcard was tugged out of his hand and all four of them froze in their places when they looked up and found Derek looking at them with a raised eyebrow, the postcard in his left hand. He had a big tree trunk thrown over his right shoulder and he discarded his shirt some time ago.
"I thought you were teenagers, not three year olds," he muttered as he walked away from them and threw the tree trunk on the ground before he walked over to the rest of the pack.
"Isaac wanted to keep it for himself!" Erica whined.
"I just wanted to be the one to read it!" the four walked over to the others while Derek observed the postcard with a frown.
"This is from Colorado," Derek muttered and everyone looked at him. He raised it to his nose and everyone's eyebrows met the lines of their hair when a shiver wrecked his body. "It's from Stiles," he said and turned the postcard around as everyone gathered around him to look at what was written on the back.
John chuckled and tried to hide the tears that gathered in his eyes when he saw the small caricature of Stiles in a corner of the postcard.
Melissa smiled fondly and Peter chuckled in amusement. Isaac, Erica and Scott grinned brightly while Jackson rolled his eyes.
Boyd hummed, lips tilting in a small smirk as he crossed strong arms over his chest.
And Derek?
Derek could do nothing but smile.
Greetings from Colorado, you bunch of mismatched misfits!
Loads of love from the biggest, nastiest, snarkiest son of a gun in the world!
Hope you didn't kill each other by now!
Dad, you better be eating right!
Love you all!
cut
"Derek? You in here?" John walked into the living room of the Hale house. The first floor was almost completely renovated. Several rooms were added, and the basement was completely different from what it was before.
More rooms meant more problems when it came to finding someone; especially a certain Alpha who still couldn't shake off the nasty habit off disappearing occasionally to heaven knows where. He wouldn't disappear for long; two or three hours tops, but no one could smell on him where he went and no one could follow him.
"Derek! I need to talk to you!" John called out and entered a room only to stop in his tracks. A moment later he sighed and smiled. "Alpha Werewolf, my ass," he muttered when he found Derek sleeping like a log snuggled in a bunch of mismatched blankets and pillows. While it was still summer, it was quite chilly in the basement.
Derek's face was half buried in a pillow, his massive arm was thrown over another one, and he was peacefully sleeping. On the nightstand beside the bed was the postcard they received from Stiles almost three weeks ago.
Deciding he could wait until Derek woke up John slowly closed the door and sighed.
"I see you found him." John turned sharply on his heel and found Peter leaning against a wall with that trademark amused smirk on his face. John snorted and shook his head.
"You've known since day one, didn't you?" John drawled, tucking his hands in the pockets of his jeans.
Peter pushed away from the wall and shrugged, starting a slow prowl towards John until he stopped right in front of the sheriff, their noses merely a breath apart. "He is my nephew," he murmured and John raised an eyebrow.
"It could also be that he's just as good at sneaking around as you are." Peter raised an eyebrow, smirking when he heard John gulp, his heartbeat stuttering.
"You think I'm good at sneaking around?" Peter drawled and John cleared his throat.
"I – I think you're good at a great many things," the sheriff answered in a raspy voice, a slight blush covering his cheeks as he straightened, eyebrows narrowing, and Peter smirked, eyes glimmering with something John couldn't quite name.
"But I'm the best at sneaking around." John's breath hitched in his throat when Peter seemed to move even closer, even though John couldn't quite say how it was possible. The werewolf's warmth wrapped around him, awakening something that he had been trying to suppress for a while now, and something coiled in the pit of his stomach, sending shivers of electricity all over his body.
"I – I think I should-"
"Where in such a hurry, Sheriff?" Peter whispered and John cleared his throat, trying to look anywhere but in Peter's eyes while the werewolf looked at John's face with faint amusement.
"I'm – I'm just gonna-" in the next moment John found himself trapped against the wall with Peter right in front of him, his hands on either side of John's shoulders and his face a breath away from John's.
"This is the first time in two months that I've got you completely for myself," Peter drawled and John choked up. "Ever since Stiles left I hadn't been alone with you for more than a minute. Now the pups are in town looking for furniture, Melissa is in the hospital, and Derek won't wake up for at least an hour more. Why do you think I'll let you out of my hands?" John's eyes widened and Peter smirked.
He tried to find something, anything to say, but unfortunately John was no Stiles, and he was prone to finding himself speechless. "Peter, what are you-"
"You know what I think?" Peter spoke, and John shivered when the werewolf flattened his body against his and leveled his lips with John's ear. The sheriff's hands twitched. He was so close to just grabbing the werewolf's hips, but something was making him hold back.
Although he honestly didn't know what.
"I think that you've been avoiding me." John shivered when Peter's breath tickled his ear and made the little hairs on the back of his neck stand at attention. "The question that remains to be answered is why. Why would you avoid me?"
"Damn it all to hell," John hissed and Peter choked up when suddenly he was the one slammed against the wall.
John's lips were on his, John's hands were on his hips, his right leg was between Peter's and god did it feel good. John swallowed the moan that escaped Peter and groaned when Peter's fingers entwined in his hair pulling him as close as he could.
The kiss was hard; it showed a side to John the sheriff practically never showed. That darker, dominant side to him that made the law-breakers shiver before him. The side he passed on to his son. A dark, aggressive side that did things to Peter that shouldn't be mentioned in polite society.
"You are a tease," John growled against Peter's lips and the werewolf smirked.
"That's another thing I'm good at then."
John snorted. "How much more did you say Derek will sleep?"
"An hour or so."
"Good."
cut
"GUYS!" Erica's voice echoed through the completely renovated Hale house a little before dawn. Almost immediately everyone ran out into the hallway and into her room, the human members of the Pack taking a bit longer to untangle themselves from their covers and sheets.
"What is it? Where's the fire?" Melissa asked, still half asleep and Erica turned in her chair with a huge grin on her face.
"I was just checking my mail since I couldn't sleep and – and – and-"
"And what?" Derek growled. Just like everyone else, he was half asleep and quite annoyed at being awakened by a shriek at ass-o'clock the morning.
"This!" Erica screeched again and moved away from the computer. "He sent it to all of us last night!" everyone squeezed in around the computer and their hearts jumped in their throats. There were a few photos and a video and John quickly slid in Erica's seat.
The first image showed Stiles with a Native American. The other man was smiling calmly while Stiles was grinning at the camera with one arm thrown over the shoulder of the man and the other raised in a victory sign.
The second one was showing Stiles fast asleep in something that resembled a barn stall hugging a huge wolf around its neck. The third one was Stiles alone. He was lying on the ground, using his hands as a pillow and with the calmest expression on his face they have ever seen.
Derek frowned and leaned closer to the computer over John's shoulder. "What's that?" he muttered and pointed at Stiles' forearm, and everyone leaned closer.
"It looks like a scar," Peter muttered and John hummed.
"And look there." Lydia pointed to where Stiles' undershirt climbed a bit up on his stomach due to his stretch. "Is that a bruise?"
"Looks like it," Scott pressed out, suddenly pale.
"I'll start the video." John muttered, and no one missed the dread dripping off of every word.
"Hello, hello!" Stiles grinned at them and everyone frowned when they noticed a bruise on his right shoulder they didn't see in the photo. "I don't know who'll be the first one to see this so I'll just be addressing all of you as a whole. I just wanted to greet you all and let you know that I'm alive and whole. Right now I'm – well somewhere in Arizona. Met this awesome tribe and decided to stay with them for a while. I've been learning one hell of a lot of things from them. Seems they are one of the three Native American tribes that are also shifters! I couldn't believe it! Their culture is centuries old!"
The excitement in his voice and on his face made the pack smile.
"Oh, before I forget, I was against posting that third picture because I know you'll all freak at the bruises."
He moved the collar of his shirt to the side a bit to show the bruise on his shoulder. It looked pretty old now that they took a better look at it.
"Just want to let you know that you don't have to worry. The chief of this tribe agreed to train me in a few of their arts and – well, you know that I'm possibly the clumsiest person in the world. Most of these bruises are due to my own accidents."
He rolled his eyes and the pack laughed quietly, relief spreading over them.
"Anyway, I remembered that school's about to start so I wanted to wish my fellow teens good luck! I don't know how long I'll stay with this tribe, apparently there's another tribe somewhere in Louisiana, and they're not just shifters."
He hopped in his place and his topaz colored eyes glimmered.
"They are were-bears! I just gotta meet them!" The wolves winced at the volume of his voice, but not one of them was about to complain.
This was the first time in over a month they heard his voice and seen his face. There was no way in hell they would miss a second of this experience.
"I'm also thinking about visiting Salem before I go south. There are rumors about a Witch Coven there. Just imagine what I could learn from them!" someone called out to him from the back and Stiles looked over his shoulder. "Gotta go now, dudes and dudettes! It's story time! Scott, Isaac, Erica, Boyd, Lydia ad Jackson; good luck with the new school year. Give Harris hell for me, but don't land yourselves in detention unless you absolutely can't avoid it. Scott, I heard the Argents moved back for Beacon Hills so stay on the lookout. Melissa, don't work too hard. Dad, I hope the deputies aren't giving you a hard time and that you're eating right. Peter, so help me, if I find out you've been torturing my dad I'm going to kick your ass when I come back."
Everyone laughed at that.
"And Derek." Stiles' face softened considerably and the alpha shivered. "I debated whether I should tell you this or not, but I thought what the hell, you'll find out soon enough. I found this great thing while I was traveling to Arizona. It's a relic so don't let the pups close to it. I can't carry it around with me so I sent it to you. It should arrive to your flat sometime during the following week. Take care of it for me, alright?"
"Stiles, hurry up!" a voice came from behind Stiles and the teen grinned.
"Love you all! Take care!" and the screen went black. The silence that settled among the gathered people was filled with something no one could describe. There was happiness, there was worry, there was excitement and there was sorrow.
"So – so I guess it's safe to say he's not coming home anytime soon," Isaac whispered sadly. He raised his head when his alpha placed his hand on his shoulder. He looked around at all the smiling faces.
"He'll come home soon enough," Derek said. "And now - since we're all awake - whose turn is it to make breakfast?"
"I'm not doing it!" Lydia and Erica ran out before anyone could say anything.
"I burned it last time," Jackson said and walked out of the room without another word, and Derek rolled his eyes.
"Scott and Isaac are making breakfast," he decided then with all the weight of authority an alpha could exert and the two teens winced. "Erica and Lydia are washing the dishes!" two incredulous shouts came from somewhere in the house and the elders of the pack chuckled while Boyd snorted.
"I'm gonna get ready for school," he grumbled and left the room.
"Come Isaac," Scott said and led the teen out of the room. Derek took a deep breath and looked at the computer, looking to the side when John placed his hand on his shoulder.
"He'll come back soon."
Derek nodded before he smiled. "I know," he whispered. "I know."
cut
Tell everybody I'm on my way
and I just can't wait to be there.
With the blue skies ahead, yes I'm on my way
and nothing but good times to share.
cut
"Derek! We have a problem!"
The alpha frowned when Scott's voice reached his ears. What followed was the sound of several doors slamming closed before the front door of the house opened and the scents of his teen betas reached his nose. He placed the book he was reading on the tea-table and stood up just as they walked into the living room.
"What happened?" he asked as they gathered around him. Scott was pale and Isaac was standing as close to him as possible, his hand on Scott's shoulder serving like a grounding point; an anchor.
"Stiles was right. Allison's back to school. She came over to our table during lunch and said – she said her dad wants to have a meeting with us on neutral grounds," Scott blurted out. His eyes were wide and haunted, and Derek frowned. He could smell the worry rolling off of him in waves.
"There are no more neutral grounds in Beacon Hills," Derek said. "This is our territory now. The best they can get is a formal meeting in the presence of an Emissary." Scott nodded quickly while the others visibly relaxed.
"Should we call Deaton then?" Lydia asked. "Stiles said he's an Emissary."
"Yes. We'll wait for Peter, Melissa and John to come home. They're on our territory so we all need to go," Derek said.
"I'll go and call Deaton." Isaac squeezed Scott's shoulder before he left.
"Someone needs to contact the Argents," Jackson said.
"I'll do that." Derek nodded at his first beta. "Once I know when Deaton's available I'll call Chris Argent to arrange the time and place of the meeting. For now, go to your rooms. Do your homework and rest a bit. We'll figure everything out step by step." Everyone nodded and slowly made their way out. "Scott, I'd like to talk to you for a minute."
The teen stopped in the doorway and slowly turned around to face Derek. The alpha didn't sound angry. He didn't sound indifferent. His words weren't an order. He nodded at Scott and took a seat in what was fondly dubbed his armchair. It was right beside the fireplace and had a perfect view of the room.
More often than not he would be sitting there while the teens piled up on the huge comfy couch. Peter and John were often in the back of the room where they placed a chess board on a high tea-table between two comfortable chairs, and while the others either watched movies or played games they were engrossed in a game of chess. Melissa had her own armchair as well, and it was facing Derek's on the left side of the couch.
"Scott, I'm not angry," Derek said when the teen hesitated. "There's no reason for me to be angry with you, so come here." Scott took a deep breath and took a seat on the couch. His whole body was tense, his hands fisted on his knees and his head was bowed. He was avoiding looking at Derek.
The alpha sighed and shook his head. "Scott-"
"I wish Stiles was here." Scott interrupted Derek and the alpha frowned. "I wish he was here so that – so that he would tell me what to do. He would help me understand – understand what's going on with me; what's wrong with me."
Derek's frown deepened. "Why do you think something's wrong with you?" It was Scott's turn to sigh.
"I don't know," he confessed. "Ever since the day we found out Stiles wanted to leave I – I hadn't thought of Allison once. We joined forces to try and convince him to stay, then it turned into 'we need to show Stiles we care even if he leaves' in a span of half a day, then the Woodland Elves came and we all worked together on it all and – and then Stiles left and – and it all felt right."
"What did?" Derek asked calmly, tilting his head to the right a bit as he stapled his fingers in front of his chest and looked at Scott with a calm, warm expression.
"Being with you guys." Scott finally looked up and met Derek's eyes. "I didn't know how much I wanted this until – until I was an actual part of it. And you – all of you, the entire pack – you accepted me without ever mentioning Gerard and Allison and everything – everything I did. You even accepted my mom into the pack."
Scott stopped talking for a moment, his eyes slipping closed as he took a deep breath and relaxed in his seat a bit.
"Ever since Stiles left we've all – we've been a family. We've been trying to be a real family, and – and it feels great." He laughed weakly and the right corner of Derek's lips tilted up. "Its like – like we're all connected by one common denominator. We all miss Stiles. We all want him to come back home and it's connecting us. I never thought I'd get along with Jackson. I never thought I'd get along with Erica and Boyd, let alone Peter. You and I – we practically did everything in our power to cross the other in any way possible, and all of a sudden it's all gone. And Isaac-"
"What about Isaac?" Derek pushed in a warm voice; one Scott heard several times until now and every time, even though it was heartwarming, it still amazed him that Derek could sound so understanding and be so supportive.
"It's like – like-" Scott blushed, and Derek's right eyebrow twitched and a small smirk pulled on his lips, but it vanished as soon as Scott turned to look at him.
"You like Isaac," Derek concluded and Scott sighed.
"I don't know when it happened," he muttered. "And right about now I would give anything to have Stiles here because this is all so confusing." Derek hummed and leaned back in his armchair.
"Is it confusing because you didn't think you could ever be attracted to a man or because you still have feelings for Allison?" Derek asked and the younger wolf looked up, eyes big and glimmering with desperate confusion.
"That's the problem, Derek," he said in a wavering voice. "I don't feel anything for her." His words made Derek frown. "I thought I loved her. I thought I – I thought it was real; it thought it was love. And today when – when I looked at her the only thing I felt – I felt panic. The first thing I thought of when I saw her walking over to our table was that the Argents were back to hurt us; hurt Isaac. And I – I was so close to attacking her!" the corner of Derek's lips tilted up and Scott frowned in confusion.
"Scott, you are the only one among us who knows just what kind of an arsenal the Argents have. We've become more like a real pack in the past two months and you are, as far as I understand, attracted to Isaac. It was a natural reaction because your wolf remembers what Allison did to Boyd and Erica and its first instinct is to protect."
Scott looked at his fisted hands. "But – But I thought I loved her and I – I forgot her so easily. What if – What if the same thing happens with Isaac? I don't want to hurt him," Scott whispered, voice laced with worry, fear and confusion, and Derek hummed, a slight scowl marring his features as he looked at the tea-table.
"I can't help you there, Scott," he murmured, and Scott looked at the alpha from under messy bangs. "Your feelings are your own. As much as I know you and Isaac hadn't talked about this. I don't know what he feels for you. Concerning your relationship you two will have to handle things on your own. When it comes to Allison, she is a hunter; a natural enemy. Try as we might to uphold peace with hunters, our first instinct is fight or flight; more often than not flight."
Scott cracked a small smile and Derek returned it equally. "I understand why you want Stiles here. He might be able to give you more than I can, but I am your alpha and if you need to talk to someone about such things I will listen."
Scott nodded before he chuckled. "If someone told me 4 months ago that I would come to you for advice when it comes to love I would have sent them to a loony bin," Scott said and Derek chuckled.
"Four months ago I was a poor alpha, we thought we were enemies, and quite honestly, we cared very little about anything outside our own problems," Derek muttered and Scott huffed, shaking his head as a small wistful smile tilted his lips.
"Don't get me wrong but," he hesitated, looking for the right words. "In a way I'm glad Stiles left." Derek raised an eyebrow at him. "Think about it!" Scott looked at Derek with wide eyes. "If he didn't say he was leaving we wouldn't have gathered together to talk about stopping him. If he didn't say he was leaving we would have never willingly joined forces first to try and stop him, and then to save him from the Elves. If he didn't leave, if he chose to stay, eventually things would probably go back to how everything was before." Scott shrugged and looked at his hands, loosely clenched in his lap.
Derek - while slightly taken aback by Scott's words - could in a way understand Scott's reasoning. Nothing would have changed if Stiles didn't grow tired of their immaturity and selfishness.
"This way we all hope that he would come back one day. This way we're all working on making ourselves stronger, making this pack stronger. This way – this way we can grow. In a way I – I understand why he left. I understand what he meant when he said that he needed to leave. We had absolutely nothing to offer to him. We would have gone out of our way to protect him and in the end it would have probably done more harm than good. This way, while he grows in his own way, we're growing as a pack, and when he comes back we'll be able to show him that we have changed. He'll see that we need him. That we want him here."
Derek smiled and nodded. "You're right," he said, having thought much the same things several times until then. Scott smiled at his alpha, glad that Derek understood what he had wanted to say, but before either one of them could speak someone knocked on the door.
"Derek? Scott?" Isaac peaked in and the two nodded at him.
"Did you talk with Deaton?" Derek asked as he stood up.
"Yeah. He said he will serve as the Emissary, and that we can meet with the Argents tonight at midnight at the Clinic," Isaac answered all the while shooting confused glances at Scott.
"I'll go and contact Chris Argent," Derek said and looked at Scott. "Talk to him." Scott blushed furiously while Isaac frowned in confusion. Derek closed the door on his way out and made his way to his room.
Talking with Scott made certain things stir in him; things he tried very hard to suppress in his efforts to become a better alpha, to open up to his betas, to make sure they thrived as a pack.
It took constant effort not to surrender to the dark thoughts that still plagued his mind. It took a lot off self-control, especially those first few days after Stiles left for him not to leave everything behind and run after Stiles.
He missed him.
He couldn't say if he missed him more than everyone else, but he did miss him more than he ever missed anyone or anything.
Scott was right.
Stiles was the common denominator; the base on which they built this pack. He was the reason behind Isaac opening up to everyone; the reason behind his smiles, the reason why Isaac no longer hid his gentle nature behind a wall of arrogance.
Stiles was the reason why Scott was now part of their pack; why he accepted his wolf.
Stiles was the reason behind Erica finally letting go of her bitterness towards everyone who ignored and ridiculed her. Stiles was the reason why Boyd became the quiet pillar of strength in the pack.
He was the reason behind Jackson finally admitting he needed someone; the reason why Lydia actually listened. He was the reason why Peter started letting go of the past and focused on the present.
The reason behind John and Melissa, two people Derek came to rely on for advice, becoming part of the pack.
Whether directly or indirectly, Stiles affected their lives. He didn't have to address their problems. He didn't have to talk to them about what they did wrong or what they had to change about themselves.
No.
It was enough for all of them to think of him, to remember him, and something in them changed. Something in Derek changed.
It's been over two months since Stiles left. They felt it each and every day. Derek felt it each and every day. He felt it moments before he felt like he would snap at someone for doing something Derek would do differently, and it would tell him to calm down and move on.
He felt it moments before he would turn around and try to do something on his own, and he would tell someone to either do it or come help him do it.
He felt it every night moments before he thought about going for a run alone, and he would go to bed and actually sleep, because they were a pack now, they lived together and he wasn't alone anymore.
No.
Stiles didn't need to be there to change them.
He changed them enough with everything he did for them when they were the ones who weren't around. They didn't need him to be there so that he would help them grown. But they did need him to come back. Because for as long as he's not there, there would be a gaping wound in their hearts, and they would never be complete.
They would continue growing as individuals and as a pack, but until the one person who made them grow, the one person who made them see that they couldn't survive on their own – until he comes back, they wouldn't reach their true potential.
They wouldn't grow to what they truly want to be. They grow as a pack, but they know that they won't be a True Pack, until their common denominator comes home.
No matter how long it took.
cut
Derek looked around the examination room in the animal clinic. The whole Pack was there. John and Melissa stood to Derek's left while Peter stood on his right. Beside Peter stood Boyd, Erica and Jackson. Beside Melissa stood Lydia, Scott and Isaac.
Even though this was supposed to be just a peaceful meeting the whole pack was tense, hence the human members of the pack stood where they did. The moment the door opened Derek straightened and crossed his arms over his chest. Deaton walked in first and nodded at them before Chris and Allison entered the room.
Almost immediately Chris frowned and tensed up. "I thought this was supposed to be a peaceful meeting," Chris growled.
"And it is," Deaton said and nodded at Derek. "But the fact stands that you and your daughter are hunters, and that you entered the territory of the Hale Pack armed and without informing the alpha of your arrival or the purpose of your arrival. Hence this arrangement." Chris' frown deepened and Allison looked at Scott in surprise.
"I didn't know you joined Derek's pack," she said and Scott looked at Derek.
The alpha nodded at him and Scott looked at Allison. "You were gone for over two months. A lot has changed," Scott said and smiled when Isaac placed his hand on his shoulder.
Allison's lips tightened and Chris looked at Derek with a raised eyebrow. "I guess I should apologize then," he said. "I didn't know you've established a complete pack and that you've claimed Beacon Hills as your territory."
"This pack is big enough to watch over Beacon Hills. Anyone who wants to pass through Beacon Hills and is either a hunter or another supernatural being must first inform us." Chris nodded at Derek, and Allison looked at him with a small frown. Her eyes kept darting towards Scott.
"Where is Stiles?" she asked. "And since when are the Sheriff and Mrs. McCall part of this Pack."
"Stiles is gone," Derek said and looked at Allison strictly. "And John and Melissa joined the pack a little under two months ago."
"How do you mean gone?" Allison asked and looked at Scott who bowed his head a little.
"Like I said. Stiles left," Derek pressed out through his teeth and Allison looked at him. "A lot of things changed since you two went off chasing after Gerard. Now." He spared a glance for Deaton who nodded minutely. "I suggest you tell us why you're here and why you've requested a meeting with us before this turns into aggressive negotiations." Everyone was surprised when John snorted and Peter rolled his eyes.
Derek raised an eyebrow at them and John shrugged while Peter smirked. "Could have gone without the Star Wars reference," John drawled, and Derek sighed and shook his head.
He could smell the amusement rolling off of his betas and it almost made him smile; almost. He looked at Chris again and raised an eyebrow when he saw the wonder written all over the man's face.
"You've grown as a pack," Chris commented and Derek hummed.
"Say what you have to say and leave," he said and Chris nodded.
"We've dealt with Gerard. He is no longer a threat to you. If you need evidence we can provide it. For as long as you don't seek vendetta, we shouldn't have any problems with you or you with us," spoke the hunter, looking at Derek with a hard stare, consciously or unconsciously daring the alpha to ask for proof.
"We hunt those who hunt us," Derek said. "For as long as you and your own keep away from Beacon Hills we will not hunt you. Threaten us and you won't walk away."
Chris nodded. "As you wish. Other hunters will be informed that Beacon Hills falls under the jurisdiction of the Hale Pack again. That's as much as I can do. From this point on you're on your own."
"That's fine with us," Derek said. "Is there anything else?"
"Can I talk with Scott?" Allison asked and Derek looked at the teen. Scott swallowed and looked at Isaac. The slightly younger wolf smiled and nodded, and Scott took a deep breath before he turned to Allison.
"I don't think we have much to talk about," he said and Allison winced. "Even though I wasn't a member of this pack at that time, it still stands that you hurt my packmates. Your grandfather hurt my best friend. Your aunt killed my alpha's family. The only thing I can say to you is – is that you should both turn around and leave. There is nothing for you here."
Isaac squeezed Scott's shoulder encouragingly and Derek nodded minutely before he straightened and shot Chris and Allison through with a cold stare. "That is all we have to say," Derek said and Chris sighed.
"Allison and I will be gone by the end of the week." With that said Chris turned on his heel, took a hold of Allison's forearm and they left the clinic.
The atmosphere relaxed almost immediately.
"Really, Derek? Star Wars?" Jackson drawled while Derek snorted and rolled his eyes.
"Shut it. Go back to the house. You have school tomorrow morning." Everyone exchanged amused glances before they moved for the door almost as one, nodding at Deaton as they passed. Derek waited until they were all gone before he looked at the Emissary.
"Thank you for lending us your office," Derek said and Deaton smiled.
"Any time. I served as Emissary to the Hale Pack for a long time. I will be happy to serve as your Emissary." Derek nodded. "You've become a good alpha. You're a strong pack already. Honestly, I do believe that you will be known as a strong pack pretty soon within certain circles."
"That can mean both good and bad things," Derek commented and Deaton chuckled.
"Quite right," he agreed, clasping his hands behind his back and gifting Derek with a small smile, eyes glimmering with pride.
"Any news?" Derek asked quietly and Deaton raised an eyebrow at Derek before he smiled and nodded.
"I've heard rumors that he crossed the Mexican border," he spoke, voice laced with warmth, although he didn't miss the minute tensing of Derek's shoulders. "It seems he is determined to learn as much as possible."
Derek took a deep breath and shook his head with a smile full of fondness. "Thank you again. We'll stay in touch," spoke the alpha, seemingly somewhat breathless, and Deaton shook Derek's hand before the alpha left the room, following his pack home.
Once he was alone, Deaton sighed and looked heavenwards.
"Your son has finally grown into the Alpha he always had the potential to be, Talia," Deaton murmured. "I do believe that you don't have to worry about him anymore." He smiled when he felt a wave of warmth against his skin.
'Yes. I think they're going to be just fine.'
cut
Days turned to weeks.
Weeks turned to months. Soon enough autumn gave way to winter, and the Hale Pack was getting ready to celebrate their first Christmas together. It has now been over six months.
Six months since Stiles left Beacon Hills in search of himself. Six months since the Hale Pack established jurisdiction over Beacon Hills. The Argents were gone. Ever since they left the Hale Pack had to handle one group of rogue hunters that wandered onto their territory unannounced.
Deaton was sent first to try and talk to them. When he wasn't enough John tried to do it the easy way by telling them to get themselves, their illegal weapons and their codeless asses out of Beacon Hills. When that wasn't enough Derek, Peter, Boyd and Jackson paid them a visit.
They were gone before dawn.
Two smaller packs passed over their territory without many problems. One meeting with the ever-growing-stronger Hale Pack was enough for them to decide to move on. They had six encounters with rogue omegas. They weren't a problem for long.
With each day they grew stronger. With each argument their bonds grew. And with each passing moment they missed Stiles more and more. The closer they got the more they missed him; the glue that kept them together. They hadn't heard from him in a while. He sent another postcard over a month ago. It was from Venezuela.
Somewhere deep in their hearts they hoped he would come back for Christmas, but another part told them that wouldn't happen.
They didn't know how they knew that.
They simply did.
That didn't stop them from hoping though.
They only wished for him to at least call in and tell them that he was fine.
They only wished.
cut
Scott sighed as he rolled over in bed. His eyes immediately settled on Isaac's sleeping face. He smiled lovingly and leaned on his arm as he watched his boyfriend as of two months now sleep peacefully.
They've come a long way since Stiles left. They missed him to bits, and it hurt that they hadn't heard from him in a while, but they figured he was lost somewhere in the mountains and forests of South America; probably up to his neck in trouble.
Scott couldn't believe how everything changed in just a few short months. He couldn't believe how much he changed.
He missed Stiles, but he was happy. He never thought living in the same house with not only his mom, but his boyfriend and friends would make him feel so good; so complete. The only thing missing was Stiles.
He couldn't wait for his best friend to come back. Sure he had a lot of people to talk to. Scott had Isaac, his mom, John and Derek to talk to when he needed it. He had Erica who, even though she teased him mercilessly, turned out to be the best sister in the world.
He had Jackson who was always there to help him blow off some steam by playing one-on-one lacrosse or just talk about sports.
Scott had Boyd who, even though he wasn't much for conversation was more than good enough when it came to listening and giving good advice. What surprised him most was the fact that Peter, the man that practically caused all of this, turned out to be a pretty awesome guy, when he wasn't all creepy. Apparently Peter was a genius when it came to anything concerning literature, and thanks to him Scott's marks jumped considerably.
All in all they became a family.
And Scott wouldn't have it any other way.
cut
"Do you think he'll call in?" John muttered in Peter's hair and the werewolf chuckled.
"He's your son." He raised his head before he rested his chin on John's chest and looked up at him with drowsy, sated eyes. "I wouldn't be surprised if he found a way to pop in for a second." John chuckled and shook his head.
"I doubt it. He knows I'd lock him up in a dungeon for a few months if he decided to just 'pop in'."
Peter snorted and rolled his eyes. "Well. That wouldn't be half as amusing as locking him up alone with the pups. They'd hug the life out of him before he managed to leave again."
John chuckled. "I guess that answers my question." Peter's eyebrows met in the middle and his eyes filled with sadness.
"He will come back, John." John sighed and looked at the ceiling.
"I know, Pete," he murmured and Peter frowned. "That doesn't make it any easier to bear though. I've had to lie to my parents that he's living with a friend of his in Arizona. I have no idea why they still believe me though."
"You said Stiles called them too. Your son's crafty. If he doesn't want someone to worry about him he'll find a way to achieve it. He could have made us believe that he's still with his grandparents and yet he chose to tell us immediately where he is and what he's up to."
"There hadn't been news from him in over a month," John whispered and Peter sighed. He pushed himself up and straddled John's waist.
"Now, you listen to me." Peter growled and John raised an eyebrow at him. "Stiles is fine. He's probably just lost somewhere in the mountains of Peru talking with trees and birds." That startled a chuckle from John. "He'll send us another postcard soon enough with another silly message, and before we turn around he'll come back home, and then you can dot on him and do whatever you want as long as you come to sleep in this bed every night." John chuckled again and squeezed Peter's thighs.
"I just can't believe it's been 6 months already. It's Christmas tomorrow. This will be the first Christmas I won't spend with him. I thought that wouldn't happen for at least two more years and yet-"
"Your son grew up quicker than most teens," Peter murmured, rubbing John's chest comfortingly with his hands before he slid them up, bowing over the sheriff and framing John's head with his forearms. "You can do nothing about it. The only thing you can do is believe in him and wait for him to come back." Peter said and John nodded.
"Sure." He moved up a bit to peck Peter's lips and Peter raised an eyebrow at him.
"You call that a kiss? After the monologue I just held I surely hope I deserve more than tha-" John huffed and flipped them over, kissing Peter as though his life depended on it.
"I'll show you what you deserve," John muttered sultry and Peter moaned and smirked.
"Oh, please do."
cut
Derek sighed as he looked at the Christmas tree they decorated earlier that day. Everyone went to their rooms already, but he couldn't.
He simply couldn't.
He was restless.
It felt like something was about to happen, but he couldn't say what. He fisted his hands on the armrests of his armchair to stop them from shaking. He knew that if he went to bed now he would just twist and turn until he snapped and ran out of the house.
It was snowing outside to the point that they worried they would be snowed in by morning. Not one of them cared though.
Lydia, Jackson, Erica and Boyd promised their parents to come for dinner on Christmas. With the exception of Lydia, the other three can get to town without any problems and Derek promised Lydia to take her to see her parents himself if the roads won't be safe.
He sighed and tried to relax for the hundredth time that evening. He tried to concentrate on the comforting sound of the wood cracking in the fireplace. A low chuckle escaped him.
He never thought he would find that sound comforting again in his life, but ever since they finished renovating the house, ever since they started hanging out together beside the fireplace, Derek came to appreciate it all. Six months and everything changed drastically. Ever so slowly his shoulders relaxed and his thoughts grew lighter.
"I like what you did with the place."
Derek's eyes snapped open and his breath hitched in his throat. Everything suddenly grew quiet; everything but his heart beating wildly in his ears.
In the armchair across from him, dressed in snug jeans, ankle high boots and a dark red wool pullover that hung on his lithe frame was Stiles. His hair was longer, no longer defying gravity, but falling into his enchanting, topaz colored eyes that were glowing with something magical. His lush, full lips were pulled into a small, knowing, loving smile. His hands were resting calmly on his crossed knees and his head was tilted to the right as he observed Derek.
"Stiles?"
Derek wanted to jump up, he wanted to run over to the younger man; he wanted to kiss him, and hug him, and hold him, and yet something was holding him back.
Stiles smiled and tilted his head further to the side. "Before you ask, yes - you're dreaming, no - it doesn't make this any less real, and yes – I did this because I desperately wanted to see you, but I'm not ready to come home just yet."
Derek swallowed over a lump in his throat. Not knowing what else to do and unable to push the words past the lump stuck somewhere in his throat, he simply nodded.
And Stiles laughed.
And god did Derek miss that sound.
The teen pushed himself up on his long, lean legs, rounded the table, and kneeled in front of Derek. With no hesitation he took Derek's hands in his and chuckled.
"I learned a lot of things in the past six months, Derek," he murmured, his long fingers warm against Derek's hands. "I learned how to fight; I learned how to use mountain ash, wolfsbane, mistletoe and several other things to the full. I learned how to travel the Astral Planes, which is - by the way - how I got here. Took a lot of concentration and one hell of a lot of practice, but – but I'm here."
Stiles looked up at the alpha from under messy bangs casting shadows over those beautiful eyes, and Derek nodded slowly.
It felt real.
It felt perfectly real.
Stiles' hands were more callused than Derek remembered. They were rougher than he remembered. But they were Stiles' hands. Elegant, long fingers; deceiving in their almost delicate beauty. His wrists, just as deceiving in their thinness as those fingers. His eyes traveled up until they settled on Stiles' face again. Those beautiful eyes, two warm wells of endless knowledge.
Stiles' lips tilted into a small smile and his eyes glimmered. "How are you, Derek?" he spoke in a warm voice.
Derek wanted to say he was alright. He wanted to say how much they've grown as a pack. He wanted to say how everyone changed, and how they couldn't wait to have Stiles back. He wanted to tell him about the things they accomplished.
But he couldn't.
"I miss you." Stiles' eyes saddened and his hands shivered. Without really realizing what he was doing Derek entwined his fingers with Stiles', holding on for dear life. "We – I miss you. We hadn't heard from you in a while and we – I was so worried and-"
"Derek-"
"I just want you to come back home." In that moment Stiles moved forward, slamming his lips against Derek's. The alpha growled and placed his hands on Stiles' waist as he pulled him up to straddle his lap. The kiss grew more desperate with each passing moment as Derek pushed his hands under Stiles' shirt, and the teen entwined his fingers in Derek's hair.
Stiles' scent overwhelmed Derek, his taste made him choke up. Stiles' warmth made him shiver.
They parted for the second it took for Derek to push the pullover over Stiles' head. Stiles moaned when Derek grabbed his hips in a vice grip and stood up only to fall on the couch, careful not to crush the teen under him. He kissed down Stiles' chin as the teen arched up.
Dream or not this felt real and, damn it all to hell, Derek would take as much as he could.
Stiles gasped and arched closer to him when Derek ground his hips against his, and Derek felt a wave of something wash over him. He looked up and his breath hitched in his throat when his eyes met Stiles', and he saw the teen's eyes glow.
They were glowing amber.
Stiles grabbed Derek's face between his hands and pulled him into a scorching kiss. The alpha moaned and his whole body shook when Stiles' hips snapped up to meet his.
"I miss you, Derek. I miss all of you," Stiles whispered as they moved together, his voice deeper than Derek was used to hearing from him. He could only growl and grunt as his body shivered and strained under thousands of sensations.
If this was a dream, then Derek didn't want to wake up.
Derek's eyes turned red when he felt Stiles tense up beneath him and heard air hitch in Stiles' throat. They collapsed on the couch and Derek buried his face in Stiles' neck. He shivered when Stiles hugged him close and started scratching his head with his nails gently. It was a gesture Derek wasn't used to, but one that felt good.
They lay there in silence perfectly happy just being together, breathing each other in, their hearts beating as one.
"I have to go back soon," Stiles whispered.
"Should I even ask?" Derek grunted and Stiles chuckled.
"No." Derek moved off of Stiles and walked away with his back turned on the teen. Stiles pushed himself up and sighed. "Derek-"
"I just…" Derek bit out and Stiles stood up. He walked over to the Alpha and hugged him from behind, resting his forehead between Derek's shoulder-blades and squeezing him tightly.
"I don't know when I'll come back exactly." Stiles whispered and a shiver ran down Derek's body. "But I will come back, Derek. Please. Please, you have to believe me-…"
"I do," Derek said and turned around when Stiles let go of him. "It's just – It's just hard."
Stiles smiled when Derek looked to the side with haunted eyes. He chuckled and raised his hands to gently cup Derek's face and make him look at him. He leaned up a bit and kissed the alpha chastely, smiling when Derek placed his hands on his hips possessively.
"Till whatsoever star that guides my moving, points on me graciously with fair aspect, a puts apparel on my tottered loving, to show me worthy of thy sweet respect." Stiles' voice wavered as Derek rested his forehead on Stiles', and Stiles flattened his body against the werewolf's. "Then may I dare to boast how I do love thee; till then, not show my head where thou mayst prove me."
Derek swallowed over a lump and squeezed Stiles closer. "You have nothing to prove to me, Stiles," Derek whispered and Stiles chuckled.
"I know." He moved back a little and looked up in Derek's eyes. "But there is a lot I need to prove to myself." Derek took a deep breath and nodded reluctantly.
"Alright." His voice broke. "Alright." He took a small step back and Stiles smiled at him sadly.
"I will hurry up though." Derek looked at him with a raised eyebrow and Stiles grinned. "I can't stay away from my wolves for too long, can I? You're lost without me. I'm surprised you hadn't gotten yourselves killed by now." Derek chuckled and shook his head, and Stiles' grin grew.
"Well then, you should really hurry back. You don't want something bad to happen to us, do you?" Stiles shook his head and Derek smiled.
He chuckled when Stiles looked at him from under messy bangs and his eyes glimmered mischievously. The teen grinned and practically hopped over to Derek to kiss him again. "I'll see you soon, my alpha," he whispered and Derek sighed, nuzzling his nose against Stiles'.
"Yeah. I'll see you soon."
cut
"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" the whole pack was gathered in the living room exchanging hugs and kisses in the light atmosphere.
"Our first Christmas together," Melissa said and hugged Scott close.
"One of many more to come," Scott added and smiled at Isaac while the others took their usual seats around the living room.
"Hopefully next year all of us will be here," John said and Peter smiled at him while the others nodded.
"I have no doubt about it," Peter muttered and squeezed John's hand. Lydia was about to say something when every single werewolf in the room tensed up.
"What is it?" Melissa turned to look at Scott worriedly and the teen looked at Derek.
"Someone's coming," Derek muttered and they rushed out of the living room and out of the house. They stopped in their tracks when Deaton's car parked beside Derek's and a moment later the man came out. "Deaton?" Derek walked over to the man with a confused frown. Deaton smirked at him and walked over.
"Merry Christmas, Derek. I come bearing gifts," he said and Derek's eyes widened.
"Gifts?" Isaac walked over trying to peak into Deaton's car as the others joined them.
"You didn't have to bring us anything," Scott said and Deaton chuckled.
"Oh, these gifts are not from me," he drawled in obvious amusement and the others tensed up in excitement. "Stiles sent them to me asking if I could make sure they were delivered to you on Christmas."
After a moment of stunned silence the teens of the Pack broke out into loud cheers, while Derek, Peter, Melissa and John smiled, their eyes filled with warmth.
"Everyone get back inside. Deaton, I'll help you," Derek said. The teens immediately ran back into the house while Peter, John and Melissa followed at a more sedate pace.
When Derek and Deaton came inside, each carrying two bags in their hands, they found the teens sitting straight in their places with expectant looks on their faces, and John, Melissa and Peter were looking at them fondly, although all three of them reeked of excitement.
Derek couldn't blame them.
Not after last night.
"Will you go first, Derek?" Deaton asked as he placed his bags on the ground and took a seat in a chair.
"Sure," Derek said and walked over to the tea table. He placed his bags on it and, trying to hide the shaking of his hands, pulled the first package out. "This one's for Erica." The girl squealed and jumped up to grab her gift out of Derek's hands. She ripped the standard brown paper apart only to gasp.
"Oh my god…" she whispered as she held a beautiful, knee long, brown leather coat in her hands. She immediately put it on, her eyes wide in wonder as warmth enveloped her. "It's beautiful."
"It also looks like it's handmade." Lydia noticed, looking at the cloak with scrutiny. Erica swallowed difficultly and took a seat beside Boyd, caressing the right sleeve delicately.
"It's beautiful," Erica murmured and nuzzled against Boyd while Derek nodded and pulled out another package.
"This one's for Melissa," he said and the woman stood up. She took the package and frowned at the book-shaped thing, eyes widening as she ripped the paper off.
"What is it?" John asked.
"It's a book on treating injuries inflicted by enchanted objects," she muttered as she took a seat and flipped the pages, and eyebrows rose. "And it's not a book. It's a diary." Scott leaned over her shoulder.
"And that's Stiles' handwriting," Scott said and looked at Derek. "I can smell him on it."
Erica bowed her head and sniffed the coat. "I can smell him too." she said.
Derek frowned and took another package out of the second bag. "This one is for Lydia," he said and gave the gift to the girl. She unwrapped it quickly and her eyes widened when she flipped through the second diary.
"It's about different creatures," she whispered. "It has everything I could possibly need to know about them!"
"Who's next?" Isaac urged Derek on and the Alpha took another gift out of the bag.
"This one's for you, Isaac." Derek didn't even have time to turn before the teen took the gift from him and quickly tore off the wrapping. His eyes widened and his breath hitched in his throat when he found a handmade dream catcher.
"This is-"
"It's a dream catcher," Peter said with a small amused smile. "And if I'm not mistaken it's made from dragon-blood birch, what seems to me like the hair of a Baku, and those gemstones look a lot like Scolecite, Amethyst Point, Agate, Malachite, Labradorite, Dioptase, Lepidolite and Chrysoprase, all of which are believed to chase away bad dreams and evil intentions."
Isaac looked at Derek with wide eyes and the Alpha snorted. "How did he know?" Isaac asked and Derek shrugged.
"You'll have to ask him that when he comes back," he said and Isaac nodded, holding the dream catcher as if it was the most precious thing in the world. Derek looked at Deaton and the veterinarian smiled at him, and while Derek took a seat in his armchair Deaton took his place.
"This one is for John," Deaton said and the man straightened in his chair as Deaton handed him his gift. He swallowed difficultly as he threw the paper on the ground and looked at the wooden box.
"That's the Quadraspiral," Peter muttered. "It's a Celtic symbol, right?" he glanced up at the Druid, and Deaton nodded at Peter.
"It represents a lot of things, but most commonly each one of the spirals represents one of these things: healers, warriors, philosophers and virgins," Deaton explained, observing John with watchful eyes as the sheriff caressed the lines of the symbol with the tips of his fingers.
"Why virgins?" Jackson wrinkled his nose.
"Virginity didn't always symbolize a person who has yet to indulge in carnal pleasures." Deaton smirked. "It represented a person independent in every single way from people of opposite sex. For example Athena and Aphrodite were often referred to as Virgins." Jackson nodded in understanding and Deaton looked back at John.
"There's another meaning to the Quadraspiral." John looked at Deaton when he spoke a bit hesitatingly. "The central circle. It represents the Guardian. It represents all those virtues combined into one."
John traced the symbol cut into the wood. He slowly opened the box and gasped at what he found inside. On a pillow made out of animal skin was a sheathed knife. It seemed to be on a thigh holster and it was made out of the same brown leather Erica's jacket was made of. Beside it was something that really had John gaping.
It was a Colt.
An actual 1860's Colt.
"Where the hell did he find this?" John's voice was wavering as he slowly took the Colt into his hands. There was a smaller wooden box under it and John opened it. There were 20 bullets in it. John looked at the Colt again and frowned when he saw the Quadraspiral carved into it as well.
Peter snorted and shook his head. "He never does anything by halves, does he?" he muttered and John chuckled as he slowly returned the Colt into the box and took the knife. He pulled it out of the holster and Peter's eyebrows met the line of his hair when he smelled the knife. "The handle is made out of mountain ash," he wrinkled his nose, "and I would bet my savings that the knife is blessed silver."
John took a deep breath and tried to blink away tears. "He'll have a lot of explaining to do," he whispered and the others laughed.
"Peter, this one's for you," Deaton said and Peter raised an eyebrow when he received a small package. He opened it and choked up when he found a leather dog collar in it and everyone burst into surprised chuckling.
"And here's his non-existing sense of humor," Peter drawled although he had a small, amused smile on his face. He shrugged and put the collar on only to shiver when he felt a wave of warmth wash over him. "Alright, what was that?" he looked at Deaton and the veterinarian smirked at him mysteriously.
"I'll leave that for later," he said and took one of the remaining three gifts from the bag.
"Wait." Lydia stopped Deaton before she looked at Derek and then at Scott, Jackson and Boyd. "Why are there only three more gifts?"
"Later." Deaton smiled and handed the package to Jackson. The teen frowned and opened the small box. His eyebrows met the line of his hair and he swallowed difficultly.
"What is it?" Lydia asked. Jackson frowned and the others leaned closer. In his hand was a ring in the shape of the Celtic knot.
"It's beautiful," Jackson whispered and slipped it on his thumb only to shiver when a wave of warmth passed over him as well.
"Boyd." The tall teen frowned when he took the small package from Deaton. He opened it and found a necklace with the same pattern as Jackson's ring. He let Erica help him put it on and looked at Deaton when warmth shook his body.
"And last, but not least, Scott." Deaton handed the teen the last package and Scott swallowed difficultly. He opened it and gaped when he found two wristbands made from the same material as Peter's collar and Erica's jacket.
"Do I dare put them on?" Scott asked, glancing at Deaton almost warily, and the Emissary chuckled and nodded. Scott shivered when warmth spread over him.
"What you just felt," Deaton said and everyone looked at him, "was the Rite of Protection. I have no doubt that John will feel it as well when he puts the thigh holster on for the first time. It's a sort of Magic, and it requires a lot of Will and Love to take place. This, all of this, proves just how much Stiles has learned since he left."
"But – But what about Derek?" Isaac asked and looked at his alpha, and Derek looked at Deaton with a small smile.
"I got my gift last night," he said and everyone tensed up while Deaton just smiled.
"He contacted you," Deaton concluded and Derek nodded.
"He called you?" Lydia snapped.
Erica whined. "Why did you tell us?"
"All of us want to talk with him!" Scott cried out.
"He didn't call him." It was Deaton who broke the storm and everyone frowned when Derek's eyes warmed up considerably. "He came to Derek in his dream. Just like he came to me a month ago to ask me to deliver these gifts to you."
"He came to Derek in his dream?" John asked and Deaton and Derek nodded.
"It's called astral projection. It takes a lot of concentration and will and it's quite draining, especially since he is very far away," Deaton explained and everyone looked at Derek.
"What did he say?" John asked and Derek looked at him.
"That he misses us all. And that he'll come back as soon as possible." Everyone bowed their heads, looking at the gifts they received from Stiles.
"Makes me wonder who he's doing all this for," Peter drawled.
Deaton chuckled. "I do believe that it is obvious."
"He didn't leave just to learn how to control his powers; just to find himself." Everyone looked at Derek when the alpha spoke in a warm voice. "He left so he could become the protector he should be as the Alpha Mate; the Guardian he has the potential to be."
Deaton nodded. "Yes. And I do believe I have to correct you on one assumption." Derek frowned at him when Deaton pushed his hand in the inside pocket of his jacket. "He asked me to give this to you last." Derek stood up when Deaton pulled a small package out and offered it to Derek.
Derek opened it with shaky fingers and his mouth opened. It was a necklace. The pendant had the Triskele on one side and the Quadraspiral on the other side.
"Two sides of the same coin," Deaton explained as Derek put the necklace on. The leather strap was long enough to make the pendant hang right above his heart. "The Triskele and the Quadraspiral. The Alpha and the Alpha Mate. The Leader and the Guardian." Derek swallowed with slight difficulties as his body shivered from the wave of familiar warmth that spread over him.
"That idiot," Lydia whispered, trying to hide the tears in her eyes, and everyone smiled.
"This will make buying gifts for him difficult in the future," Jackson commented.
"We'll think of it when he comes back," Isaac said with a big smile.
"Sure," John agreed, hands resting on top of the box in his lap while Peter leaned against him, right arm thrown over John's shoulders and left hand fiddling with the collar.
"Now!" Melissa clapped her hands and stood up. "Who's for some breakfast? Deaton, you're more than welcome to stay." The veterinarian nodded with a small smile and Melissa returned it equally.
"I'll be happy to," Deaton thanked with a nod of his head.
"I call dibs on the eggnog!" Erica jumped over the couch and ran for the kitchen.
"You can't call dibs on food and drinks!" Isaac shouted after her frantically, running to catch up with Erica, the rest of the teens hurrying after them with Lydia trying - and failing - to look as though she didn't really care.
"WATCH ME!"
Derek sighed and shook his head. Before he followed after them he was stopped by John who placed his hand on Derek's shoulder.
"Is he happy?" Derek looked in John's eyes and a moment later he smiled.
"He'll be happier when he comes home." John let go of a breath he was holding and nodded.
"Yeah. He'll be happier when he comes home."
cut
So tell everybody I'm on my way
and I just can't wait to be home.
With the sun beating down, yes I'm on my way;
and nothing but good times to show.
cut
I can't wait for Stiles to come home, can you?