A/N: I hated doing this to Stiles, but I think it had to be done. Stiles was always the one getting hurt or left behind, now the shoe is on the other foot.
Song: 'Remember When' by Alan Jackson
"No!" Grace spun around, burying her face into Evan's chest.
"I-I'm sorry, we tried everything that we could."
"No! He-he can't be, he's not…!" Allison cried out.
"I'll let you say your good-byes." The doctor walked off down the hallway, the nurses coming out of the room and disappearing as well.
With trembling feet, Derek stood, walking into the room containing his mate. Stiles looked so small, so fragile, so peaceful. The heart broken Derek walked over to the bed, falling on the floor beside the bed, sobbing. His pack filed into the room, Grace and Evan making their way to the side of the bed, tears flowing freely.
Derek reached up, grabbing Stiles' cold hand, bringing it to his lips again, kissing it. "I'm so sorry." He choked. "I'm so sorry."
Scott inched closer; reaching his hand out to touch Derek's back, then leaving the room. The others did the same, walking towards their alpha, laying a hand on his back, and then leaving. Soon enough it was just Derek, Grace, Evan and the lifeless Stiles left in the room.
"There are things to be done." Evan broke the silence. Derek looked up at his two children, nodding, standing up, giving Stiles' hand one last kiss before leaving the room.
The car ride home was silent, everyone lost in their own thoughts, sniffling and wiping away escaped tears. Soon, Derek was parking the camaro in the dirt path, stepping out and heading to the house. Scott, Allison, Lydia, Jackson and Danny and the children were in the living room, sitting, not talking, tears also escaping. Derek by-passed them, heading to his room.
Grief stricken, Derek walked over to the bed, which Stiles slept in only a few months prior, his scent still lingered. The alpha grabbed a pillow, bringing up to his face, sniffing it for his mate's scent. He lay down, drifting to sleep.
The bright sun was hanging in the sky, kissing his face with its warmth. Derek was standing by a lake, looking out across the water. He decided to explore the unfamiliar place. After a few minutes, the alpha saw a figure in the distance, sitting on the ground, looking out at the landscape in front of them. Derek approached cautiously until he saw the features of the person. It was Stiles. Derek ran up to him.
"Stiles!" Stiles turned his head, looking at the man approaching him, a smile on his face.
"Derek."
"Stiles, I-I thought…how?"
"Sit, we have to talk." Derek sat next to the man. Stiles had his youth back, the pools of brown eyes sparkling with life, his hair back to brown, the crooked smile, everything was the same. "Derek," Stiles began.
"Stiles, I am so sorry, I shouldn't have tried to turn you, you would still be alive…"
"Shh… Derek, it's not your fault, I wanted it. Don't you dare blame yourself."
"I should have done it a long time ago, but I was scared of loosing you, but now, look, I've lost you anyways." Stiles brought his hand up to Derek's cheek.
"My sweet, loving, idiotic Derek, a lot of things could have been different, and should have been different, but this was my destiny, my fate. Don't cry over me, celebrate the life that I lived. I love you so much Derek, I don't want you to ever forget that ok?" Derek nods.
"I love you too Stiles."
Stiles gets up from his position on the rock, reaching out his hand for Derek to grab. Derek grabs it gets up and walks with Stiles.
"It's so peaceful here." Derek says.
"Yeah, it is."
Derek stops, making Stiles turn around to face him.
"Derek?"
"Stiles, h-how am I going to live on without you?"
"Without me? Derek, you have been living without me for the past three decades, I think you can manage. Plus, although I may not be physically walking around, I'm always here, I'll still be with you, always."
Derek averted his eyes, a single tear running down his face.
"Hey, shhh, I'm fine here and you are going to be fine too." Stiles caresses Derek's cheek, bringing their lips together. Stiles and Derek continue walking, finding a spot to sit down on the green grass.
Another figure approached the two men, it was a woman. "Hello Derek." Derek looked up, mouth agape at the figure in front of him.
"Mrs. Stilinski?"
"Call me April. Stiles, can I talk to Derek here for a moment?"
"Sure mom." Stiles stands up, walking over to his mother, kissing her cheek, she smiles and sits beside Derek.
"April, I am so sorry, I should…"
"Derek, no need to apologize. You did nothing wrong other than by not. turning. him. sooner." April hit Derek, emphasizing her words. A tear escaping and running down Derek's face. "Derek, don't cry."
"The love of my life, my mate, is gone and it's all my fault."
"Derek, its not your fault, things should have been different but this was his destiny, it was meant to be."
"What am I going to do without him?"
"It won't be easy." April looks in the distance, "Derek, its time for you to go, don't loose your faith." April walks off, leaving Derek alone.
"Wait!" The world went black.
Derek woke up, tears streaming down his face. He notices that he is in his and Stiles' room. The alpha gets up, walks out of the bedroom and makes his way down the stairs to the living room. The pack was sitting on the furniture, silence surrounding them.
Scott and Jackson were the ones to notice Derek standing in the doorway and stood up immediately and walking over to Derek to embrace him.
oOo
It did not take Derek and his pack to make arrangements for Stiles' funeral. A few years ago, Stiles had planned everything out, so all Derek and the others had to do now was to follow through with Stiles' arrangement.
The whole pack was dressed in black from head to toe. Together they walked into the funeral home, only to be greeted by Stiles' casket and a video playing.
The video had a dozen or more photos of Stiles when he was growing up, with the other pack members, his children and Derek; the song 'Remember When' playing.
Remember when I was young and so were you
and time stood still and love was all we knew
A picture of Stiles in Derek's arms, smiling as Derek kissed his neck.
You were the first, so was I
We made love and then you cried
Remember when
Remember when we vowed the vows
and walked the walk
Stiles and Derek were surrounded by the other pack members in a church. Lydia and Allison standing beside Stiles and Jackson, Scott and Danny standing beside Derek. Stiles had his hands in Derek's, looking lovingly into each other's eyes. Stiles' father and Scott's mother sitting in the first row pews, holding each other.
Gave our hearts, made the start, it was hard
We lived and learned, life threw curves
There was joy, there was hurt
Remember when
Remember when old ones died and new were born
And life was changed, disassembled, rearranged
We came together, fell apart
And broke each other's hearts
Remember when
Remember when the sound of little feet
was the music
Stiles, Derek and the other pack members where in the living room, toys scattered throughout the room. Stiles had his feet sprawled out with his hands beside a baby while Derek was a foot away, encouraging the little baby to take a few steps.
We danced to week to week
Brought back the love, we found trust
Vowed we'd never give it up
Remember when
Remember when thirty seemed so old
Now lookn' back it's just a steppin' stone
To where we are,
Where we've been
Said we'd do it all again
Remember when
Remember when we said when we turned gray
When the children grow up and move away
We won't be sad, we'll be glad
For all the life we've had
And we'll remember when
The video ended with a picture of the whole pack, Stiles in the middle with Derek's arms around him, all smiles. The picture faded to black, the pack stood, staring at the screen, wiping away tears, holding onto one another.
This was a difficult chapter to write just because of the whole funeral thing. When I wrote this, it was during the week of my grandfather's passing. I can't help but to tear up when rereading this to make sure everything is how I want it.
I'm truly sorry for doing this to Stiles, but again, I think it needed to be done; just please don't kill me.
There are only two chapters left and they're both tear jerkers, well I think anyways.
Thanks for all the alerts and for reading my stories!
~boobtube1938