A/N: I do believe that this is the last chapter to this story. It feels kind of weird to finally finish this story, it's a bitter-sweet ending.
I would like to thank everyone who has taken time to read and review this story and give me ideas of where they would like to see the story go.
As of right now, I have multiple stories started but not finished, hopefully though, I'll get some motivation to finish them.
Song used in this chapter: I Won't Give Up by Jason Mraz (Love, love, love that song!)
Enjoy!
Sunlight broke through the clouds, warming up planet earth below. Sweet aroma of the newly blossomed flowers drifted on the wind.
"Stay with us."
The man looks around, taking in his surroundings; nothing but happiness fills him. Closing his eyes and smiling, allowing the warmth to take control, soaking into every inch of his being.
"Over here!"
Another figure comes to sit beside the other man. "Stiles."
"Hello Derek."
"Call Deaton!"
"Are we…"
"Dead? No."
"Why are we here?"
Stiles shrugs, "I love this place, the sun is always shining."
"It is beautiful."
When I look into your eyes
It's like watching the night sky
Or a beautiful sunrise
"Derek," Stile turns to face Derek, placing his hand on the other man's. The two lovers were looking lovingly into the other's eyes. "I'm sorry about earlier."
"Stiles, don't. Don't apologize. What happened was not your fault; it's mine. I should have turned you a long time ago. I was just too afraid to loose you, but I did, I did loose you that day in the woods, when I tried to turn you. If I hadn't then…" A tear streams down the alpha's face.
There's so much they hold
And just like them old stars
I see that you've come so far
"We're loosing them!"
"We're going to be ok, Derek. We'll get through this, together."
To be right where you are
How old is your soul?
"Stand back!"
A little girl comes into view, running as fast as she can over the hill. She jumps into Stiles' lap, hugging him and then turns around in his lap and plays with the luscious green grass in front of her; her blonde hair shining in the light.
Stiles runs his hand through the girl's hair, still speaking to Derek. "Thirty years alone gives you some time to think. Every day, after everyone left, I would walk through the vacant house, stopping every now and then to smile and recall all those long ago memories. Before I would leave the house, I would go into our bedroom, closing my eyes and seeing the room full of life; you chasing me around the bed, laughing; our late nights where we would just talk, nights when you would just hold me close to you. When I found the retirement home, I stopped going to the house, coming to the realization that you and the others were not coming home and just going back to where we spent our life was too painful. I would sit in front of the window, staring out into the distance, rain or shine, and imagine seeing you walking up the road."
I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up
Stiles takes a shaky breath in; "Every fight, every argument we ever had didn't matter to me any more; I would rather have you there to argue with than not at all."
And when you're needing your space
To do some navigating
I'll be here patiently waiting
To see what you find
Derek remains silent, knowing that Stiles needs to get his emotions out, to express all the feelings he held in for so long. "People thought I was crazy, waiting day in and day out for the one who left me, whom they thought would never return. I knew that one day that you would return to me and we could finally be the family we wanted to be when we first started out. I could feel you, even when the bond started to fade and it was harder to feel you. No matter how many people told me to get over you, I knew, deep down that you were still fighting, fighting to return home, return to me."
'Cause even the stars they burn
Some even fall to the earth
"Now, even sitting here in our little dream world, I know that our feelings and dreams we have here will continue when we return home." A tear escapes Stiles' eye, sliding down his cheek. Derek reaches his hand up, wiping the tear away with his thumb. He places his hand under Stiles' chin, making the young man look at him.
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it
No, I won't give up
"The minute that I stepped out of our room that day we left, I already missed your touch, your voice, your laugh, your smile, everything. My mission was to take down the rogue pack as fast as possible to get back to you. Everyday on the battlefield, you were the only thing I could think about. You were keeping me alive."
I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily
I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make
"At night, I would lie awake, staring up at the stars, wondering if you were doing the same. I would wish to the higher powers to bring me home to you."
Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use
The tools and gifts we got yeah, we got a lot at stake
"The thought of you was strong enough for me to fight every day, not to loose hope."
And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend
For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn
We had to learn how to bend without the world carving in
The little girl started squirming in Stiles' lap; the action breaking Derek and Stiles' gazes and looking in the distance. Coming over the hill was Stiles' mother and father along with Derek's family.
Stiles smiles at the sight in front of him, Derek looks onward, tears threatening to fall; he looks towards Stiles.
Stiles nods his head, "Go." Derek kisses Stiles' lips as he gets up and starts running towards his family.
I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not
And who I am
Derek's mother and father stand with their arms wide open, wrapping around their son and holding onto him, never wanting to let go.
Derek has his head on his mother's shoulder, nose at the crook of her neck, taking in her scent that he missed so much. Derek pulls away to look his mother directly in the eyes, eyes that held so much love, where home was, eyes that could tell stories of the past, present and future. The Hale boy was too overwhelmed with joy that he could not form words.
Mrs. Hale places her hands on both sides of her son's face, "My how have you grown; a handsome, well mannered man."
Tears were falling freely down Derek's face. Derek looked to his father, who stood off to the side. His father was not a man of words but a man of action. Mr. Hale brought Derek in for another hug.
"No hugs for you sister?" Derek broke the embrace with his father, turning around to face the owner of the voice.
"Laura!" The first word Derek has been able to form since being reunited with his family. Derek hugs his sister, kissing her cheek and allowing the tears to flow freely down his face.
Derek takes a step back to look at the faces in front of him. All of his aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters and brothers were all looking back at him, smiling. Even faces that he did not recognize were there, standing beside Stiles and his parents.
The pack was exhausted, waiting on news about their alphas, waiting to hear the verdict if Stiles and Derek were going to be fine.
"What the hell is taking so long?" Scott was pacing back and forth, biting on his lips.
"I'm sure everything is fine…" Danny tries to comfort the other beta but to no avail.
"If everything was fine, Deaton would be out here talking to us, not in that room doing whatever the hell he is doing." Scott started to shift; Jackson, who was also on edge and tired of Scott's pacing, shot up from his spot on the couch and slammed Scott against the wall.
"Calm your ass down McCall. You're not the only one dealing with this." Jackson growled.
Scott was about to retort when Evan's voice became audible. "Stop! Fighting will not solve anything. Our fathers, our alphas, would not want us to be fighting like this. We knew the risk when dad left and we knew there was a possibility that we would loose both of them. Right now, we just have to stay strong and wait until Deaton comes out of that room!"
Stiles was now by Derek's side, their arms wrapped around each other as they looked onward, towards their beloved family members.
I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
Derek scans his eyes over the group in front of him; all his family members looking back at him with smiles plastered on their faces. His mother and father giving him a nod, saying everything that had went unspoken when they perished in the fire; the closure Derek finally needed. Derek's eyes finally land on Stiles' parents. Mrs. Stilinski gave Derek a wink while the Sheriff also gave Derek a nod.
I'm still looking up
Still looking up
Derek looks down at the man in his arms, forest green eyes meeting dark pools of chocolate. Stiles and Derek share a smile, then Derek leans down, capturing his lover's lips for the first time in what felt like an eternity. Warmth enveloped their bodies, the world before them starting to fade.
Coughing
Eyes shooting open
Gasps of breath
I won't give up on us (no I'm not giving up)
God knows I'm tough enough (I am tough, I am loved)
We've got a lot to learn (we're alive, we are loved)
God knows we're worth it (and we're worth it)
Derek frantically looks around at his surroundings; he is at the vet's office, on a cold table with an extremely bright light shining down upon him; he believes he is the only one occupying the room until he hears it: his mate's heart beat.
Derek struggles to sit up so he can look at Stiles.
"Whoa, easy there big guy." Jackson was standing beside the table now, arms supporting the alpha.
"W-where are the others?"
"Finally asleep. I'm on patrol while they sleep." Jackson smirks.
"H-how's Stiles?" Derek looks over Jackson's shoulders to where Stiles' body lays.
"He's stable."
"H-he's tied down to the table."
"Doc didn't want to risk it." Derek swings his legs over the side of the exam table, pushing himself off and stumbling. Jackson grabs his alpha before he falls. "Take it easy, you just had some major surgery there, Derek."
Derek growls. "I want to see Stiles."
"You'll be able to see him once you're strong enough, but right now, I'm going to help you back onto this table…"
"No!" Derek's voice becomes thunderous, his eyes flashing red.
"Ok, ok. I'll help you." Jackson lifts one of Derek's arms to drape over his shoulder and support the alpha's weight. The beta stands up as much as possible and helps Derek to the table where Stiles was still unconscious. "Let me get you a chair."
"Help me onto the table."
"There's no room."
"Help. Me. Onto. The table."
"You could at least say please. Oh my god, I'm starting to sound like Stilinski." Jackson rolls his eyes as he helps Derek lift himself up onto the small exam table, practically sitting on top of Stiles. Derek starts to untie the ties that had Stiles latched onto the table.
"I don't think…" Derek growls. "Ok, I'm just going to go…" Jackson walks out of the room, leaving the two alphas alone.
Just outside of the room, the rest of the pack was still sleeping. It has been two days since the fight and two days of waiting for any changes with Derek or Stiles.
Danny was the first one to awake; he notices Jackson coming out of the exam room.
"Is everything alright?" Sleep was still present in his voice.
"Yeah, Derek is awake. Go back to sleep." Danny smiles then settles back into the chair and goes back to sleep.
Back in the room containing Stiles and Derek, Derek had himself wrapped around Stiles as best as he could. The alpha had his arms wrapped around his mate's waist and his nose found Stiles' crook of his neck. Inhaling Stiles' scent, Derek starts to drift off but sleep is put on hold when he feels his mate stir below him.
Stiles' eyes flutter open, blinking multiple times and droopily looks around the room. "Derek?" Derek looks at the newly restored youth in Stiles' features. "Where are we?"
"Deaton's office. Go back to sleep, you're still weak."
"Where are the others? I want to see them."
"They're in the other room; you'll see them soon, right now just rest."
Stiles tries to get up but Derek's weight on him stops him. "Let me up."
"Just relax."
The pack had finally awoken and starts walking about the small waiting room, waiting patiently for the right moment to enter the exam room. Finally, the door to the exam room opens the rest of the pack file into the room, gathering around the exam table; their smiling faces looking down upon their pack member.
Scott was the first one to speak, breaking the comfortable silence. "Welcome home Stiles."
I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up