Jackson needed to clear his head. He wasn't sure exactly how to do that. In the end he did what had always worked in the past. He went for a run. He didn't bother with shoes or his car, yanking on jeans and a shirt before jumping out the window. Jackson inadvertently followed Derek's scent for a while, veering off when he realized what he was doing. The last thing he needed was to run into Derek now. Jackson was feeling unusually vulnerable. It seemed like every time he was beginning to get used to how things were they changed again. He'd just found a place to rest his head and Derek had turned his world upside down. He was fairly sure he could be friends with Danny still, but it certainly couldn't extend beyond that. Not that it could anyways. Jackson's feet faltered and he stumbled. As far as actually being with someone, all he had was Derek. After tonight… Maybe that wouldn't be so bad. He jerked to a stop, shaking his head roughly. No. He couldn't think like that. He couldn't let himself think that he could actually like Derek. That was a horrible idea. On principle alone. Derek had done nothing good for him so far. He was a threat to the pack and nothing more. That was what Jackson needed to remember. He swatted at a branch without thinking about it, doing a double take when the entire tree shuddered, nearly uprooting itself. He jumped forward, both hands settling on the bark and pushing it back into place. It was only then that he glanced around the darkened woods. Seeing a silhouette not even twenty feet away, his heart shot into his throat. The shadow lifted its hand and Jackson heard the words crystal clear.
"I got one."

Jackson did the only thing he could think of, he ran. Every base instinct was screaming at him to do so. All he could think of were hunters. Who else would be out here? Who else would say 'I got one'? Was he going to die? Carbon dioxide locked in his chest at the same moment he heard a gunshot. At least he assumed it was a gunshot. It was much louder than the movies, echoing in his ears. Much scarier. It was the last thought before his left knee exploded. Jackson fell, rolling. It might have been instinctive, he didn't care either way. His left leg, starting halfway up his thigh and moving down, was sheer burning agony. He laid on the ground for a few precious moments, ragged breaths escaping his chest. He had to get up. He had to move. Either that or he really was going to die. Tears in his eyes, Jackson rolled to his side before standing on his good leg. Biting into the flesh of his lip, he ran. It was hell. Whimpers escaped on every jolt of bone. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't howl for help. There had to be more than one hunter and Jackson just couldn't risk it. He had to be strong now. It he could just keep going. If he could just get somewhere safe. Four more gunshots from behind him. Not far enough behind, one hit. It lodged between two of Jackson's ribs, on his right side. Ridiculously Jackson was glad the bullets had somewhat balanced out. He didn't know if he would have been able to keep moving if they hadn't. The hunter was gaining on him and Jackson had his doubts about whether he'd be able to outrun him or not. His vision blurred after another couple feet and Jackson stumbled helplessly in the darkness, stomach twisting and turning sickly. Panic was edging out his breathing without much of a fight. Exposed tree roots grabbed at his feet and it wasn't very long at all before Jackson fell again. An anguished groan escaped gritted teeth. He knew he didn't have the strength to get back up. It was over.

He knew it was the cowardly thing to do, but he closed his eyes. A sudden growl shook him to the core, forcing a shudder up his spine. Jackson's eyes shot wide in time to see the hunter lurking over him disappear from view. He couldn't believe the pure relief rocking through him. He pulled himself up, groaning, expecting to see Peter. Derek was crouched protectively in front of him, still growling at the hunter.
"Neither of us has ever killed a human," Derek said after a short pause. The hunter smirked and Jackson forced himself to his feet.
"I don't care." Unease seeped into Jackson then. Derek launched himself at the hunter, not before the hunter got another shot off. Jackson cringed. He fell against a tree, debating if he would help or hinder Derek's efforts. It didn't really look like Derek was having much trouble so Jackson focused on not passing out. Derek wrapped the hunter in a headlock and Jackson may in fact have blacked out because the next thing he knew Derek was pulling him up, practically carrying him.
"Did you kill him?" Jackson managed on a whisper, eyelids heavy.
"No," Derek responded softly.
"Okay," he sighed, letting awareness slip away.

He woke up slowly, sore, the sound of trickling water filling his ears. Jackson sat up slowly, expecting to be alone. When he saw Derek he jumped, both wounds protesting. "Fuck," he let out.
"Those will hurt for a while," Derek said, crouching next to him. "You were out for the worst of it though." He edged around Jackson, to a small pool of water, glancing to the mouth of the cave for a second. "We should be safe here," Derek added, lifting soaked fabric to Jackson's forehead and patting it gently. The water was cool and the touch was gentler than he expected, Jackson sagged a bit. "They'll probably stop searching by morning. We can get you home then." Jackson couldn't look at Derek and so he examined himself instead. His shirt was gone and he suspected it was what was tied around his stomach and knee. The fabric was too darkly mottled to tell.
"You saved me," he murmured. Derek didn't respond immediately, returning the fabric to the pool of water instead.
"The bullets are already out," he finally offered, sitting back.
"You saved me," Jackson repeated stubbornly. He wasn't letting it go, even though something told him he should.

Derek sighed softly and looked away before running a hand through his hair.
"I felt you," he said duplicitously. "You were hurt and scared and you must have opened the connection without meaning to. It was either save you or feel each of your last moments with you."
"Oh." The short word was sharp with something that Jackson hesitated to call disappointment, but only because of his pride. "I thought I was going to die," he whispered after another moment. He let his eyes close, shrouding himself in ashamed dark.
"It's alright. You're safe now Jackson."
"It was stupid," he said, meeting Derek's eyes, almost wanting to see the agreement there. "I shouldn't have gone out alone like that. I should have known something like that could happen?"
"How?" Derek asked, dark brow spiking. "How could you have known more hunters had come into town?" Jackson opened his mouth before he actually had an answer. Didn't Derek understand? He just should have known.
"My life is different now," he murmured instead. "I can't just run around like it's still safe to do so."
"Jackson," Derek snapped, "it is not your fault."
"Yes it is."
"No," Derek said, louder, "it isn't. Now calm down before you open up those gunshots." Jackson let out a quick hmpf before forcibly closing his lips. It wasn't until they'd both been quiet for a while that Jackson realized why he felt he should have known. He spent some time remembering the last time he'd been chased through the woods, terrified. He didn't mention it aloud. Instead he lay back down and tried to sleep.

He wasn't aware of much the next time he woke up. There was a body framing his from the side and Jackson knew deeply that he didn't want to move. He could smell Derek. He felt warm and safe. A faint red light was filtering through the cave and Jackson closed his eyes against it, willing it away. It didn't work of course but he kept his eyes closed anyways. There was something draped over him, too thick and firm for him to understand. It took another few moments, several shallow breaths, for Jackson to realize there was an arm over him that didn't belong to him. He peeked down, Derek's jacket over him, his hand limp peeking from the edge of it. Something in Jackson swelled then. Something he couldn't understand. He had a feeling it wasn't something he'd been born with. He tried to stamp it down, or at least push it away, but it stayed in his chest, immobile, unchangeable. It was unsettling to say the least. He tried again to deny it. He even tried, quite desperately, to simply be glad he was alive. That failed to work because it led him right back to Derek. He sighed, shivering as Derek's arm slid slightly. There was a quick exhale, right in his ear, stunningly loud. Jackson froze perfectly, not even daring to breathe. It didn't work. He knew it wouldn't. Derek could hear his accelerated heart just as well as he could.

Derek sat up wordlessly, taking his jacket after another moment. Standing he paused, jacket clutched in both hands. Jackson was about to ask what was wrong, the words were on his lips, when Derek sagged against the rock beside him. Jackson jumped up and then fell as his knee gave out. He smacked into Derek and took hold of his shoulders.
"What's wrong?" He didn't miss the way Derek avoided his eyes.
"Damn bullet moved," Derek groaned, eyes closing briefly. Jackson felt his eyebrows shoot up.
"What bullet?" he questioned stupidly. Derek glared at him and Jackson flushed in response. "You got shot?" he tried again.
"Yes Jackson," Derek said slowly, "one of the bad hunters shot me. With his gun. A gun that used bullets. And now a bullet is inside me." Jackson's face got hotter and he glanced to his bare feet in the dirt. "Because I was saving you. And I am a werewolf. Hunters do not like werewolves."
"Okay I get it," he snapped before grinding his teeth. "I'm not stupid." By Derek's expression it was clear that he doubted that. Severely. "Alright," Jackson said, dropping his arms before righting himself. "What do you want me to do?" Derek's eyebrow rose slowly.
"You're not squeamish…are you?"

A/N: Going to be so tired at school tomorrow (later this morning)…tra la la…