"How are you feeling?"

Derek peeked his head inside his room to check on Stiles.

"Good…"

Derek nodded, disappearing behind the door frame.

"Derek?"

Derek fully opened the door this time, "Yeah?"

Stiles felt this ball of anxiety filling up his lungs and he had to force himself to take a breath.

"Can we talk?"

Derek squinted, "We are talking."

Stiles rolled his eyes, "You know what I mean."

Derek entered his room and sat on the corner of the bed opposite Stiles.

"What?"

Stiles thought the words he wanted to say but nothing was coming out of his mouth, which was open and making the whole conversation awkward. Derek had his eyebrow arched, waiting for some form of audible communication. Stiles let out a frustrating moan, Scott's words echoed in his head. You shouldn't be afraid to take a chance. Stiles screamed out,

"I like you as more than just a friend!"

Derek's eyebrow arched even further and his face went blank, which made getting a read on him impossible. Stiles' heart started to race and he clenched the sheets, waiting for Derek to react… anything was better than the blankness he was giving off. Derek looked down and rubbed his palms on his pants. He looked back up at Stiles and his face was conflicted.

"Are you sure about that?"

Stiles nodded, "Yes. At first I thought it was because of the book… but, well this warmth I get from you has to mean something. And I think it might not have been always warmth, but you always made me feel something… unique to you. I feel safe with you."

Derek gave a half smile. "If you're sure then I guess I can admit to liking you too."

Stiles heart fluttered. "No way!"

Derek frowned at Stiles outburst, "What?"

Stiles shrugged, "I didn't think I'd have a shot with you. What about all the girls you've dated?"

Derek let out a hallow laugh, "My choice in women have never been good. Well you should sleep. We can talk about this more tomorrow."

Derek got up from the corner of the bed and started towards the door.

"Derek?"

Derek turned back around.

"Could you sleep here again? When you leave it gets cold."

Derek paused before nodding. He left the room and came back with a water for Stiles before getting into the shower. Stiles laid in bed listening to the sound of the water, knowing Derek was butt naked inside. Derek came back out in just a towel around his waist, Stiles couldn't help look at his glistening abs and happy trail. He realized Derek was watching him,

"Sorry."

"It's fine. Could you turn around though? I have to change."

Stiles felt a bit of bravery take hold of him,

"Well you saw me naked. I think it's only fair for me to see you."

Derek squinted at Stiles as if he said something stupid.

"That was an accident. I don't owe yo—"

Derek went silent and his face was withdrawn. Stiles felt the cold in his bones and knew what Derek was thinking.

"Come on, this wasn't your fault. You didn't know what would happen, and I volunteered."

"That's not true. I called you. I could have called a pack meeting and discussed it, but I acted without thinking."

Stiles crawled towards Derek and sat on the corner of the bed.

"I'm here aren't I?"

Derek shrugged, "Yeah."

"Ok, so don't worry about it. I'm fine."

Derek looked down at the floor.

"I'm serious. Don't blame yourself for this."

"I don't think that's possible. I could have handled it differently. I could've… put some value to your life."

There was silence. Stiles felt bad for not thinking about how Derek felt.

"Do you?"

Derek looked back up at Stiles.

"What?"

"Do you value my life?"

"Yes."

Stiles stood up and moved close to Derek.

"That's good to hear. Then there is only one thing we can do. Stop these Crusaders."

Derek smiled, "Yeah. And we will."

Derek leaned in and before Stiles could react their lips met. It wasn't the ideal first kiss but still, he just kissed Derek Hale! Derek pushed against Stiles' lips and made him take a few steps back until he hit the bed, falling back onto it. Derek smiled and walked over to his nightstand. Derek grabbed a pair of underwear from the drawer and looked back at Stiles. Derek pulled the towel off him and let it fall down. Derek's butt was perfect, it was tone and tan. Stiles bit his bottom lip wanting to see more but he knew Derek was only teasing him. Derek bent down and pulled on his underwear.

"And now we're even. Now move, you're sitting on my side of the bed."

"Fine, but that was just a cruel way of going about it."

Derek got into bed and Stiles tried to sleep, but after just being kissed that was basically impossible. Such a tease. Eventually sleep took over and Stiles entered another world. There was a loud burst of thunder and the area opened up to him. It was dark, but there were torches lining a muddy road. The rain was hitting Stiles face and it felt ice cold. Stiles followed the road with his eyes and found what looked like a village gathering up ahead. Stiles ran towards the people, as he got closer he started to hear their voices. They were screaming, "Kill the witch!" Stiles eventually got to everyone and turned to a woman in the back of the crowd.

"What's happening here?"

The woman ignored him, her eyes were fixated on something in the center of the circle of people.

"Hello?"

Again, nothing.

Stiles tried to poke the woman but his hand went right through her body and she vanished into the air.

"Oh my God!"

Stiles recoiled back, and accidentally bumped into someone. Instead of making contact he fell through the person and found himself in a puddle. He saw a cloud of what looked like dust fade into the air. This must be a dream. Stiles got up, his soaking wet clothes weighed him down. It was cold, but Stiles was getting use to the freezing cold. Walking to the outer ring of the circle Stiles touched the shoulder of some man with a torch, he instantly vanished and the torch fell to the floor. Stiles picked it up and held it out in front of him to make the darkness visible. He pushed his way through the circle of people, who were all still screaming. Making it to the front he saw a wooden stage with a wooden crane about 9 feet tall. There was a man that looked very familiar to him standing on the edge of the platform, hands behind his back. The man paced as he spoke.

"There is no room for witches! Not in the new world! Not in Salem! We have an obligation to God! We must purify not only our hearts but this town, and this world, from darkness! If not us then who?"

From behind the man there was a woman, with a noose fixed around her neck. Stiles gasped, she was standing on a wooden crate. This is an execution?

"Hey!"

Stiles screamed at the man, running to the platform and up the stairs. Stiles reached the stage and stood looking at the man, who didn't acknowledge him. Stiles looked over at the woman, she was staring at him.

"Can you see me?"

The girl nodded.

"What's happening?"

"The town has charged me with witchcraft. So I'm to hang by the neck, till dead."

She said it as if death didn't bother her. Stiles shook his head.

"That's horrible! Let me help you!"

Stiles ran over to the woman but paused inches from her.

"But if I touch you, you might disappear like the rest of them."

The woman laughed, "It's too late for me. This is merely a vision. For some reason you're meant to see this. Maybe so you can avoid the same fate."

"But I'm not a witch."

The woman laughed again, this time she caught the attention of the exorcist.

"Witch? No. Warlock? Yes. I can feel the darkness radiating from you."

The exorcist stepped between Stiles and the witch.

"For your crimes against all things holy you will be sent to God to be judged. May He have mercy on your corrupted soul!"

"No!"

Stiles ran towards the man and pushed him, making contact with him. As they both fell to the floor Stiles entered another world. He hit the floor of a church. When he looked around he found himself in the Vatican, with seven men standing in attention opposite the Pope. The men had on the same clothes as the Crusader! Are these the Crusaders? The Pope finished his lecture and the men all kneeled down. The Pope went to each one and did the sign of the cross over them. Suddenly the door from behind Stiles shot open and a man ran towards the Pope.

"Your Holiness! We have an issue!"

The Pope finished with the last Crusader and calmly stepped up to the man, who already passed Stiles on the way over.

"What is it my son?"

"The Shade. It's been activated!"

"What!?"

"We just received word. It's been tracked to a place called Beacon Hills."

One of the Crusaders stood up back into attention.

"Your Holiness, let me handle this. I will go and take back the book."

The Pope turned to the Crusader.

"You may go. Be carful and my God watch over you."

The man bowed and ran off towards the door. This must have been recent. He was the one we fought! Stiles didn't pay attention to his surroundings and made contact with the Crusaders shoulder. Stiles fell back, through the floor, and back up to his feet. Stiles found himself in a small office, with the Pope and the messenger.

"You're certain?"

"Yes."

"Then we need to send more. Send word to Justin and Luke, they must go and do what their brother could not. And… if they are to fail too," the Pope paused, "Then you must send the other four immediately. The longer the book is active the larger the threat. I don't wish to send the rest of my holy guards but if I must then I shall."

They are sending more of them! I need to tell Derek! Stiles tried to send himself back, to wake up, but he couldn't. He was stuck. With the messenger gone the Pope sat down in his chair.

"I can feel your presence."

"Can you hear me?"

"Yes. Why are you here?"

"I don't really know."

"Well you must be aware that I just sent more Crusaders to obtain that book."

"And to kill me?"

"If that's what it takes."

The Pope stood up and walked in Stiles direction,

"You are corrupted by Satan, I can't have you walking free in this world."

Stiles stepped back and hit the wall. I need to get back! Derek! Derek! The Pope kept approaching Stiles.

"It was not smart to come here unprepared. You are stepping foot on holy ground."

"I didn't mean to come here. I didn't ask for any of this!"

"It's to late now. You are to lost to be forgiven. You have made the bond and that can only be undone with your death. I'm sorry my son. But you have fallen from Heaven."

DEREK! Stiles felt something pulling him and suddenly he woke up in Derek's bed. Derek was on top of him.

"Stiles? Are you ok?"

"They're coming! Two more Crusaders! From the Vatican!"

"It's ok Stiles. It was just a dream."

Stiles shook his head. "No it was real! They are coming for me!"

"Us. They won't get close to you. I promise. I'll get everyone over in the morning again. We will figure something out."

"Derek it was crazy. I was sent to Salem, and I saw a witch! She called me a warlock. I tried to help her but I was sent to the Vatican. They knew the book was activated and the Pope sent someone after it! That was the first Crusader! And now he's sending two more. If they fail he's sending the remaining four. And then he told me he was going to kill me because I formed a bond with the book."

Derek let go of Stiles and settled back on his side of the bed.

"This is good news Stiles."

"How?"

"It means we know what they are going to do. So we can stop them."

"But we could barely fight off one."

"That was because you were just watching. But when you helped me, it was easy. We can do it. But we need your help. We were talking about it while you were out. The only way to stop them is by using that book. I hate to ask…"

"I'll try my hardest."

Derek nodded and they both laid back down. Stiles woke up to an empty bed. When he walked out of the bedroom he found everyone sitting around the table, Scott, Kira, Lydia, Liam, Derek.

"Hey everyone."

Everyone said hello and Scott asked, "Hey dude, how are you feeling?"

"Good."

Derek informed Stiles that he told them all about his dream last night.

Lydia said she did some more research and Stiles dream supported her findings. The Crusaders were formed back in 1692.

"Based on how the Crusader died, I'd say they are the original ones, probably sworn to serve the Pope. Meaning they aren't human anymore. I'd also go as far as to say that they aren't even bound to this world."

Liam was scratching his head. "What does that mean?"

Lydia gave a 'isn't it obvious' look to everyone. "Meaning that the reason you can't heal is because they're not attacking your physical bodies, but your spiritual ones."

Scott's eyes widened. "Like our souls!?"

Lydia shrugged. "Maybe. I don't have any proof, but it would make sense. If there bodies aren't really in this world, it would make sense that they wouldn't be fighting our physical beings."

Stiles nodded. "That makes sense! That must be why I could heal you guys. I'm in the same world as them with this book."

Lydia nodded. "Exactly. Which is all the more reason that we need you to use that book."

Stiles took in a deep breath. "If it will help you guys, then I'll do it."

Scott added, "You don't have to if you don't want to. I'm sure there is an alternative."

"It's ok. I want to."

Derek and Stiles met eyes, and Stiles was reassured. He could do it.

"Stiles?" Kira looked over at him. "If you are going to pull this off you need to practice. We can't have you passing out, and we need to research alternatives to killing these Crusaders in the physical world."

"Derek," Lydia got up from the table, "help Stiles. If he can summon you then you two need to work on how to fight side by side."

Derek nodded and walked over to Stiles.

"Come on."

They sat on the couch and Stiles opened his book and started shifting through the pages.

"Ok, now what were those spells you were using last time? Where you gave me all that power?"

Stiles turned to the page and pointed at the spell. "This one?"

Derek looked at the page and then back up at Stiles.

"Um, it's in Latin. What does it say?"

"With what served my master well, I now instill to you. Strength."

Stiles felt the words pour out of him and then some of his energy escaped into the air and into Derek. Derek looked at his hands and flexed them.

"Yeah. This one. Ok. What else can you do?"

Stiles turned the page. "I can heal you like I did last time. It looks like I can also phase you?"

"What do you mean?"

Stiles shrugged. "Lets find out. Huh, that's weird."

"What?"

"It's only two words. Shadows."

Stiles felt another wave of energy leave him and enter the air. It went towards Derek and then he vanished.

"Whoa! Derek!?"

"Did it work?"

"I don't know! Ok. Next part. Appear!"

Stiles looked at the table in front of him and after the energy left him Derek appeared on top of the table, falling a few inches onto it.

"Are you ok!?"

Derek got up and rubbed his back. "Yeah."

Stiles laughed. "That's so cool!"

Derek nodded. "Ok now you try to string them all together."

"Ok. Here we go."

Stiles stood up and faced the other side of the room. "Shadows." Stiles felt the spell make contact with Derek, "Appear!" Derek showed up in the kitchen. This time he was standing.

Scott gawked from the table. "Dude! That's so cool! Do me!"

Stiles laughed, "Ok! Shadows. Appear!"

Scott vanished and reappeared on the couch next to Stiles.

They laughed and then Stiles world went black. Stiles woke up a few seconds later, just in time to feel his head make contact with the floor. He sat up and rubbed his head.

"Ow."

Scott kneeled down next to him, "Sorry man!"

Stiles shook his head, "It's fine. It wasn't your fault."

Kira interjected, "Keep practicing. You did four spells before you passed out."

Stiles nodded. "Yeah and some of them felt like they took more energy."

Derek made his way back to Stiles, "Ok so lets keep looking through the book. Let's make a list of the ones that will be useful while you recover."

Stiles nodded. I'll be useful. I won't give up now.

Stiles purple eyes tore through the book and he marked the pages he thought would be useful. When his headache passed he turned to Derek who was deep in his family's book.

"I can track people, I think it's how the Crusaders are tracking me. It might be a good idea to start tracking everyone, in case any of us get attacked."

Derek agreed and watched Stiles intently, making sure if he fainted he wouldn't hurt himself again.

"This spell needs to be channeled and it looks like it will need a lot of energy. Ok here we go. North, south, east, west, north, south, east, west…" Stiles felt a large amount of energy leaving his body and he felt light headed almost instantly, his vision was slowly turning dark. I need to focus. I can't faint again. Stiles thought about how Derek was counting on him. He couldn't let him down. Stiles made contact with Derek and started moving his attention to Scott. He noticed that the farther the person was the more energy was needed to reach them. He made contact with Scott and another wave of energy was taken from him. Next Kira, Liam, lastly Lydia. "… south, east west. Track." All of a sudden the energy required was ten fold what was already being asked of him and he felt like throwing up. He sat back down on the couch and grabbed his head.

Derek looked at him with concern, "Are you ok?"

Stiles nodded, "Just light headed. I think it worked."

"How can you tell for sure?"

"I should be able to track you with this spell," Stiles pointed at the page, "but I might pass out if I cast it right now."

"Well," Lydia started speaking from the table, her eyes fixed on her laptop, "while you're waiting I think we should talk about what we plan on doing tonight."

Scott looked over at her, "What do you mean? What's happening tonight?"

"My point. Do you think the Crusaders are going to wait for all of us to be together again to attack?"

Kira nodded, "You have a point. So you think they're going to wait till night?"

"I don't know but I think we should be ready for the possibility."

Derek sighed, "Fine. You all can stay the night, but no one goes in my room."

Stiles heart dropped when he heard and he starred at Derek in disbelief, "But…"

Derek gave Stiles an angry 'I'm not talking to you shut up' look with blushing cheeks so Stiles quickly looked down at his book with a smile on his face.

Lydia nodded, "Good. Well in that case let's get everything we need for a few nights and meet back here."

Everyone agreed and left, everyone expect Stiles. After Derek closed the door on the last person Stiles blurted out, "So I'm allowed in your room right? Like at night? In your bed?"

Derek rolled his eyes and sat down at the couch with an exhausted "Yes."

He waited a bit and then continued, "So did that spell work?"

"Oh yeah, um. Lets find out."

Stiles closed his eyes and focused channeling in his head north south east west north south… He focused on Scott and when he opened his eyes he was looking through Scott's eyes.

"It worked!"

Stiles was overjoyed, he felt useful. He stopped channeling the spell and Scott's perspective faded back into his own.

"So what did you see?"

"I saw what Scott was seeing."

Derek nodded, "That will be useful… um… good job."

Stiles eyes widened, "Did you just… compliment me?"

Derek looked like that question was a personal attack on his character, "Yeah, why is that so shocking?"

Stiles shrugged, "I don't know. Never heard that from you before."

Derek frowned and said under his breath, "Well that's because I was trying to hide—"

Derek closed his mouth and darted his eyes away from Stiles. Stiles looked at him inquisitively.

"Hide what?"

Derek shook his head, "Forget it."

Derek grabbed himself a soda from the refrigerator. Stiles laughed at his pathetic attempt to dodge a question,

"Oh my God tell me right now! What were you hiding?"

Derek shook his head and his cheeks flushed which only encouraged Stiles more. Stiles ran towards Derek,

"You're blushing? No way! Oh come on Derek!"

Stiles grabbed Derek's arm and playfully pulled on it. Derek didn't even sway, he was like a brick wall.

"If I tell you, you have to promise me you'll stay silent for five minutes."

Stiles swatted the air, "Fine fine. What is it?"

Derek rolled his eyes. "I was trying to hide my feelings for you. That's why I never complemented you."

Stiles flushed and started sweating. His jaw dropped to the floor, "So does that mea—"

Derek put his hand over Stiles mouth, "You promised."

Stiles pulled Derek's hand away, "Yeah but you can't expect me to—"

Derek covered his mouth with his other hand, "Nope. Five minutes. And don't give me that look, I'm far too heartless to be swayed by puppy dog eyes."

Stiles squinted angrily and pulled his face free.

"But that's not what I was exp—"

Stiles heart dropped to the floor. He expected Derek to free one of his hands and cover his mouth again, but their fingers were interlocked. What was keeping Stiles quiet was Derek's mouth, which was pressed against Stiles lips. Derek's lips were soft and the slightest taste of soda lingered on them. Stiles saw the blackness creeping in his peripheral vision, and soon after he blacked out, only momentarily sampling Derek's lips, again. Stiles woke up on Derek's bed, with Derek sitting on the corner.

"So you're awake?"

Stiles felt a brief moment of sadness but then he was angry.

"That's so not fair!"

Derek laughed, "What?"

"You kissing me! That wasn't fair. I had no control over that. I completely blacked out. We need a redo."

"You want a redo?"

Stiles face flushed, "Yeah."

Derek nodded, "Ok."

Derek crawled over to Stiles and went on top of him. Derek slid his fingers in between Stiles', pushing them outward. Derek ran his leg down Stiles' and pushed outward, nestling his knee in Stiles' inner thigh. Those blue eyes melted any ice that was left in Stiles body. He felt his face turn red and a wave of embarrassment washed over him. Stiles bit his lower lip in anticipation and Derek inched in till their lips met. Derek pulled back a little but Stiles pushed his lips against Derek's, gripping his hands. Derek's mouth widened and Stiles hesitated for a moment, but he trusted Derek and mimicked. Derek pulled away and Stiles gasped for air. He didn't want it to stop but his body was screaming to breath.

"There. Happy?"

Stiles nodded still trying to catch his breath. Derek smirked and loosened his grip on Stiles fingers.

"What is it?"

"We have company."

Stiles frowned, "Nooooooo. How long was I out for? How far away are they?"

A knock with Lydia saying, "Derek help me with my bags!" came from the front door. Derek laughed and rolled off Stiles, leaving the room with,

"Don't worry, we can always continue tonight."