Another update.
I've reached another snag...
And I've been dealing with a lot of things, personal and work.

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf, nor do I own the characters.

Onward!

Stiles approached Derek slowly. The Alpha was in the kitchen putting dishes away and cleaning up the counter. The Alpha's hand twitched a bit as he closed the cabinet, he could hear the four year olds footsteps. Stiles was walking slow, cautious, with a gait. He did something and if Derek put his money on it, the thing he did, it was not good. "Stiles," Derek said, a warning tone in his voice.

The four year old gulped "Yeah?"

"Please tell me why I'm not going to like what I'm going to see when I turn around."

Stiles sighed, "I-I…"

Derek turned around and he silently groaned as he shut his eyes. He brought a hand up and ran it over his face the pinched the bridge of his nose. "Stiles," he groaned.

"I sorry!" Stiles cried.

"Oh Stiles."

The Alpha opened his eyes again and took in what was before him. Stiles was holding a pair of scissors in his right hand and in his left hand he was holding a handful of his hair. The four year old looked down, catching his bottom lip between his teeth, he bit at it. "Stiles?" Derek said, "why, why did you cut your hair?"

"I-I…I don't know." Stiles whispered.

Derek threw his eyes to the heaven, "Thank you," he muttered, "whoever you are, cloaked figure who's out to kill me, thank you!"

Stiles took another step, closer to the Alpha, "I..I..don't be mad."

Derek sighed, "Come on," he whispered as he extended his arms, "We have to fix it."

"NO!" Stiles cried as he backed away, "No..no haircut."

"Stiles," Derek glared, "you just cut your own hair, there is no difference."

Stiles shook his head, "No! No want to use the one-the one that.." Stiles trailed off as he stomped his foot, "not the one that makes noise."

Derek crossed his arms, "Well how do you suppose we fix it?"

"Leave alone!" Stiles yelled.

"Genim Stiles Stilinski," Derek growled, "I am the boss and what I say goes, you hear me?"

Stiles inhaled sharply and shook his head. Derek took a step forward, "Do you need to take a break?"

"No! No break!" Stiles screamed, "no break, no haircut!"

Derek sighed as he took another step. Stiles shook his head and took another step back. Derek glared as he ran forward gripping Stiles at the waist. Stiles let out a loud, blood curling scream. The items in his hands dropped to the floor as he kicked and flailed in Derek's arms. "NO!" he wailed, "I don't want to sit!"

"Too bad," Derek ground out, "you are."

Derek pulled out one of the kitchen chairs. The Alpha knew he was approaching this different than what he read about on the websites. He was calm but he was not talking it through to the boy. This wasn't any old tantrum, this, Derek saw, this was different. Stiles wasn't having a meltdown, he was just being plain out defiant. Good ole Stiles.

"I. Hate. You!" Stiles shouted when Derek placed him in a chair.

Derek sighed. His heart ached at the four year old's words, but Stiles didn't mean it. He was just angry. "Well," Derek breathed, "that's too bad," he said to him.

Derek stood up and made his way back to the counter, "When you ready," he told the boy, "when you're ready, I'm ready to talk."

Stiles bit at his lip as slammed his fists into his thighs. Derek continued cleaning the kitchen for about five minutes. Stiles had calmed down a bit by then, the little boy was now staring into his lap, little hands reaching up to rub at his eyes. "Are you ready to talk?" Derek asked.

Stiles nodded, "Yes," he whispered.

The Alpha walked over and knelt in front of the four year old. He used a finger to tilt Stiles' head up so they were looking at each other. Stiles in took a shaky breathe. "What's the problem?" Derek asked.

"No haircut," Stiles whispered as he shook his head

Derek raised an eyebrow, "I don't think that's the problem."

Stiles reached up and gripped his brunette locks, "I like my hair," he whispered, "I-I…did bad thing."

The Alpha sighed, "Why did you cut your hair?"

"I-I don't know.."

"Really?"

Stiles nodded. "Stiles," Derek whispered, "talk to me."

The four year old bit at his lip as he reached out and touched Derek's cheek, the boys brown eyes flashed for a split second. Derek's breathing hitched, heart skipping a bit. Stiles took in a shaky breath and Derek was standing up. Stiles looked up at him, brown eyes flashing with hurt and Derek swore staring at him. The Alpha took in a shaky breathe as his heart thudded loudly in his chest. "I think you need to spend some time with the guys," Derek breathed.

Stiles shook his head, "No," he whispered.

Derek nodded, "Yes," he said, "I'll have them take you to the park."

"Don't want to Der."

"I need, I need a moment okay Stiles."

Stiles nodded, a whimper escaping his lips as he answered with a soft, "Okay."

"Not mad at you okay," Derek assured the four year old, "not going anywhere either, I just, I need a moment."

"Okay Derek."

The Alpha took in deep ragged breathe as he stood in the shower. The hot water cascaded down his body as he calmed down from his running high. Derek tried desperately not think about the moment that happened when he had asked Stiles about the hair cut incident. Derek shut his eyes as a different memory flashed in his mind.

"Derek," Stiles whispered as he took a seat next to Derek on the log.

Derek nodded in acknowledgement, "What is it Stiles?"

"I-I need to talk to you," Stiles breathed.

"I'm listening."

"I-I…"

Derek turned to face him, head cocked to side. Stiles was a nervous ball of energy. Derek felt like he was choking on the anxiety and nervousness that Stiles was emitting. Derek licked at his lips as he reached over and placed a hand on the teen's shoulder, "Hey man?" he said softly, "calm down."

Stiles nodded, "Sorry," he breathed, "I just..I'm well I'm freaking out a bit."

"You can tell me you know."

"Okay."

"Go on."

"Derek, I love you."

Derek raised an eyebrow, "I love you too Stiles."

Stiles shook his head, "No, I'm in love with you."

Derek bit at his lip as he slammed a fist against the wall of the shower. He hadn't answered Stiles he simply got up and walked away. He knew that he handled the situation wrong, Stiles was upset Derek could feel it as he walked away. The Alpha let out an aguish howl as he pounded the tiled wall. He loved him too but he just, he couldn't do it, it was too risky. After Stiles' admission he began distancing himself from the quirky teen and went as far as being a total jerk to him.

"Derek," Stiles whimpered as he approached the Alpha, "talk to me?"

"No," Derek growled, "there is nothing to talk about."

Stiles took in a shaky breath, "You-you, you owe me and answer to what I told you last week."

"There's nothing for me to tell, you love me what else is there."

"I know," Stiles breathed, "but-"

"I don't feel the same way," Derek ground out, "leave it be now Stiles."

The brunette nodded, a whimper escaping his lips. He took in another shaky breathe, body shaking, "Derek?"

"What!"

"We have a training session later right?"

Derek nodded.

"I'll…I'll be back later then."

The Alpha nodded again, "Go ahead, I don't care."

The Alpha shut the shower off and he stood there for a moment. His eyes flashed red again as he recalled the moment that had happened hours ago. The moment shook Derek took the core. When he looked into the four year olds eyes, Derek didn't see the happy preschooler who he'd been getting to know the past few days. He saw teen Stiles. He saw the Stiles that had admitted his feelings to him, that was reaching out to him. The Alpha pulled back the curtain roughly and made quick work of getting dressed. Derek sighed as threw himself face down onto the bed. It was late in the afternoon and he was hoping to take a nap before Stiles returned from his outing with the guys. He was also hoping that by the time Stiles came back he'd have that incident far from his mind. The Alpha's eyes had slowly began to drift shut when his cell phone went off. He let out a frustrated groan as he reached over and answered it, "Derek Hale," he mumbled.

Derek was sitting up now, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST HIM!"

"Well we.."

Derek didn't give Scott a chance to finish, "NO! There is no excuse!" he roared as he pushed himself up from the bed, "You lost him!"

Scott sighed, "Derek-"

The Alpha's eyes darkened as it flashed red, "Don't you fucking DEREK me!"

"We were watching him-"

Derek rolled his eyes as he threw on his jacket, "You clearly weren't Scott!"

"Derek!"

"Where is Jackson and Danny?"

Scott sighed, "Trying to track him.."

"You better find him before I get there Scott or so help me, I will rip your throat out with my teeth!" Derek roared.

"Dude, you're-"

"I am not overreacting!" Derek yelled as he stuffed his keys into his pocket and ran down the stairs, "This is STILES! He is not seventeen he is FOUR!"

Scott nodded, "I'm aware of that!"

"Well! Now you see why I'm panicking!" Derek barked, "are you an idiot! He's four freaking years old!".

"Yeah," Scott breathed, "yeah I see."

"Then do something!" Derek ordered, "go look for him!"

"Gotcha!"

"NOW SCOTT!"

Derek didn't give the beta a chance to answer as he slammed on the end call button and stuffed the phone in his pocket. He flew out the front door and locked it before he threw himself into this Camaro and speed off to the park. The whole entire time Derek's heart raced as his hand gripped at the wheel and gear shift of his car. He arrived at the park ten minutes later as he parked it roughly next to Scott's car. He jerked the door open, eyes scanning the playground. He felt panic surge through him again, "Stiles!" he yelled.

"Derek!"

The Alpha turned his attention to where the voice was coming from. Stiles was walking with someone and he was holding their hand. Derek breathed a sigh of relief as he began walking towards them. Stiles let go of the hand he was holding and ran towards the Alpha. Derek was kneeling down and catching the boy and hugging him tight. "Stiles," he breathed.

"I-I lost," he mumbled.

"I know that," Derek breathed, "Scott called me."

Stiles pulled back and pointed the figure, "She help me."

Derek nodded towards the person, "Hi."

The person, Derek took note was an elderly woman, "You must be Derek," she said with a smile

"Yes," Derek breathed, "I am."

"He talked a lot about you," the lady said.

Derek raised an eye brow and turned towards the boy. He then looked towards the lady, "Nice things I hope."

"Oh yes of course, ranted and raved about how you were a good person."

The Alpha's heart swelled in chest. "Oh good," he breathed.

"Well, I better get going, you boys have a nice day."

Derek nodded, "Yes you too and thank you, thank you for returning him to me."

"Oh you're very welcome," she said as turned towards Stiles, "you make sure you listen to your friend you okay."

"I will," Stiles grinned.

Derek watched as the lady walked away. He then turned his attention to the preschooler, "Where are the guys?"

Stiles bit at his lip as he looked down at the ground, "I-I lost them."

"And why did that happen?"

Stiles sighed, "I-I don't know," the boy breathed, "I saw-I saw something cool and-and I go look at it and I lost, I got lost."

"Don't you ever to that again," Derek reprimanded, "you hear me Stiles."

"I'm sorry Der."

"Come on," Derek said as he stood up, "let's go find the others."

Stiles merely nodded as walked alongside the Alpha wolf. Derek noticed quickly that sadness that was emitting from the four year old in waves. He looked down and saw that Stiles was fisting at his shirt and pulling at the cotton material. "Hey," Derek breathed as he stopped walking, "Stiles, what's wrong."

"Sorry Der," Stiles breathed, "I so sorry."

Derek sighed as he picked the boy up and held him close, "I'm not mad," he breathed, "just scared, I thought I lost you Stiles."

"Sorry," the four year old apologized again.

"We'll talk about this later."

"Okay."

Derek held the four year old tight as he made quick work of finding his pack members. The Alpha's eyes darkened, a growl reverberating from his chest when he spotted the trio near the duck pond. Stiles tensed in his arms, "Derek," he mumbled, "easy Derek," the boy soothed as he ran his hands through Derek's hair.

Derek nodded as he approached the three Betas, "Guys!" he barked, "looking for someone?"

All three of them turned their attention to their Alpha, "STILES!" they all cried out.

Stiles grinned as he turned to face them, "Lookie who I found!" he cried out.

"Yes," Derek answered, "now does someone want to tell me, how all three of you lost a four year old, mind you, there are three of you THREE," he roared, "and your all werewolves," he added silently in a harsh whisper.

"Well we took our eye off of him for one minute," Scott whispered.

Derek groaned, "I told you didn't I, I told you to watch him!"

"Not their fault Der," Stiles whispered

The Alpha sighed as he turned his attention to the four year old. Stiles looked into the Alpha's green eyes, he reached a hand up to Derek's check, "Der," he whispered, "calm down."

Derek nodded. "Kay," Stiles whispered, "easy Der."

The Alpha nodded again, "I know Stiles, I know."

"Not their fault," Stiles sighed, "you need to learn to listen."

Derek bit at his lip as he glanced at his pack members. All three Betas, Derek took note, looked wrecked and he now noticed that they were feeling very guilty. Derek sighed, "Sorry guys," he breathed, "I just, I lost my head there for a minute."

Stiles' eyes widened, "No!" he cried as reached up and grasped Derek's head between his hands, little hands grasping the Alpha's cheeks.

Derek laughed, "Expression Stiles," he teased, "you were always good at those."

Danny sighed, "Derek, "he said softly, "we really are sorry."

"I know," Derek sighed, "I know, I can tell remember."

"He just, one minute he's there and the next minute he's not and just, I don't know how you do it," Jackson rambled.

"Ground rules," Derek stated, "but well you know him, sometimes it goes in one ear and out the other."

"We're cool right?" Scott asked quietly.

Derek took in a sharp breath and looked at the boy in his arms, "Yeah," he said, "yeah, we're cool and all the matters is that he's safe."

The Alpha turned to Stiles, "And you," he said, "we need to talk, you and I."

Stiles made a face as he hid his face in Derek's neck, "But I love you so much."

Scott laughed as Derek melted at the words, "Oh my god!" he yelled, "he's got you wrapped around his finger."

Derek scowled, "Shut up," he mumbled.

Danny grinned. Stiles was lifting his head from Derek's neck, brown eyes dancing with mischief. "Hey Stiles," he said to the four year old, "Derek's your favorite huh?"

"Yeah," Stiles breathed as he buried his face into Derek's neck again, "he my best friend."

Scott whined as his heart skipped a bit, "Stiles, what about me? I thought you were my best friend?"

Stiles nodded, "I am, I can has two, sides Derek is different?"

Jackson looked at the preschooler, eye brows raised, "How?"

Stiles sighed, "He just is," he mumbled.

Derek bit at his lip as the Betas all looked at him. "Do you know what he's talking about?" Scott asked.

"No."

Lie.

Derek left it at that he turned around and began walking away, "I'm taking him home, I'll see you guys later," he called out.

"He lied to us, does he realize that?" Danny asked.

"I'm sure he did," Jackson answered.

Scott watched the pair as they walked away. Stiles was now talking very loudly to Derek and the Alpha was just nodding the whole entire time. "You know," he said, "I think I know why."

Thoughts? Yes? No? Leave a review? Please?