Thanks for all the reviews, you guys! I really appreciate them. Still a warning for writer's block on the next chapter, can't really get past it today. Hope it'll be done soon, though.

Chapter Six: Family & Friends

Derek looked down at Ruby, who was sleeping on the couch in her princess nightgown.

They had more in common than he had thought.

He went through the records again on his laptop. Laura had taught him how to get into them when they were still teenagers.

Derek's heart constricted like a python wrapped itself around it.

He'd have to sneak in tomorrow and get some records with Stiles' help. All he could get was a confidential newspaper article.

Ruby gasped quietly and opened her eyes, "Derek?"

Derek rubbed her arm when she looked about ready to burst into tears.

"I want my mommy," she sniffled. Derek sat down beside her and she crawled into his lap, starting to sob again. Derek held her close and rubbed her back as she choked on loud cries. She wiped her nose along her sleeve and started dry-heaving between sobs.

"Calm down," Derek said.

"Mom-mommy."

Derek rubbed her back again and could feel her tears wetting his shirt.

After a couple more minutes of this, Ruby had started to stop dry-heaving and then wiped her nose again, staring up at Derek.

"I want my mommy," Ruby murmured again.

"I know," Derek told her. "Why don't you go back to sleep, okay?"

Ruby nodded and laid back down on the couch. Derek pulled the scratchy blanket over her again.

Isaac was standing in the doorway.

"Is she alright?" He asked. Derek nodded and shushed him. Then he heard Ruby's soft breathing patterns and said, "She's fine."

Isaac looked between her and Derek. "Are we going to keep her?"

"No," Derek answered quickly.

Too quickly.

He sighed, seeing Isaac's expression.

"I need you to watch her tomorrow." Derek said.

"I can't," Isaac told him. "I have to go to some extra credit class to get ahead."

Derek frowned. He wouldn't tell the kid to give up on college since he wanted Isaac to do something useful when he was done training.

"Alright." Derek said. "Don't fail."

.

It was a foggy morning when Ruby woke up. She balled her little hands into fists and rubbed her eyes harder and harder until she saw funny colored circles.

"I wouldn't do that." Derek told her. She stopped and looked over at him. He was pulling a grey short-sleeved shirt over his head.

"Why?" Ruby wondered aloud.

"You'll go blind." Derek said.

Ruby's eyes got wider and she waved her little hands in front of her face.

Derek snorted in amusement. Ruby jumped up on the couch and pointed an accusing finger in his direction.

"Liar!" She accused, jumping down and stomping up to him. "I can see good!"

Derek ruffled her hair and said, "Get dressed, we have to go somewhere."

Ruby gave him the confused look again.

"Where?" She asked.

"You're going to stay at a friend's house while I do something." Derek said, getting some of her clothes out of a The Gap shopping bag.

"Friend?" Ruby asked. "What friend?"

"His name is Scott." Derek said.

"What about Voyd and Erica?"

"Boyd," Derek corrected lightly. "And they're doing something."

"Oh," Ruby said. "Is Scott your brother?"

Derek paused and looked down at the pink dress he was holding. "I like to think so."

"Oh," Ruby said again. "I don't like that dress."

Derek threw it back in the bag. "Then why did you buy it?"

"I liked it then."

Derek sighed and said, "Which color do you like today?"

Ruby thought about it and said, "Purple."

Derek pulled out the light purple dress.

"Not that purple!" Ruby cried.

"Which purple?" Derek couldn't keep himself from yelling.

Ruby looked down and shuffled her feet, shrugging.

Derek lowered his voice and pulled out a darker one. "This one?"

Ruby nodded and Derek handed it over to her. She pulled off her nighty and threw on the purple dress. She pulled on some dark blue leggings and put on her coat again. Derek handed her the new red shoes and she pulled them on quietly.

While they were driving, Derek looked in the rear view mirror.

"You'll like Scott." Derek reassured.

Ruby nodded and started playing with a button on her coat.

"Do you like him?" She asked.

The question took Derek by surprise. He figured he should be used to the randomness of Beacon Hills by now.

What would be the harm in telling a six-year-old?

"Yeah," he said. "Yeah, I do."

Ruby nodded and yawned.

"Tired already?" Derek asked.

Ruby nodded and rubbed her tummy, whining, "I'm hungry."

He remembered he hadn't fed her. He'd make Scott do that.

When he opened the window to check for Melissa McCall's scent and found she wasn't there, he pulled into Scott's driveway.

A second later, Scott ran out on the driveway, his face twisted into confused rage.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He asked. "I have work."

Derek rolled his eyes, "I need you to babysit."

"Babysit?"

"Yes, Scott. Babysit."

"Can I come out now?" Ruby asked from the car.

"Yes," Derek responded. Ruby opened the door and hopped out.

"Who's that?" Scott asked. "Is that the girl you found?"

Hearing it from Scott made it sound creepy to Derek. He shrugged it off and said, "Watch her for a couple hours."

"I can't!" Scott said.

"I need you to watch her!" Derek threatened.

"Why can't you take her?" Scott asked.

"I can't."

"Why?"

Ruby grabbed Derek's hand and squeezed it. She could tell her alpha was getting upset.

Derek could tell she knew and he sighed.

Too close.

"Just watch her, okay? I need to find some things out."

Scott caught onto the lingering "about her" at the end and said, "What's your name?"

"Ruby," She told him.

Scott nodded and looked at Derek, "I have to work."

"Then ask Deaton about her," Derek said. "He said he'd help me."

"Fine," Scott said.

That was the end of that conversation and Scott ended up at the vet's office with Ruby in tow.