Jackson hadn't thought so but he had to take a moment to re-evaluate staring at the abnormally pale lump under Derek's skin, nearly brushing his spine. He gulped slowly. It was simple in his head, not so simple to actually move his hand.
"Did you faint?" Derek muttered, muscles rippling.
"No," Jackson shot back. His hands clenched. "Why-wh-why…" He wasn't even sure what he wanted to ask.
"Why what?" Derek snapped.
"Why'd it move?" he blurted.
"Hollow point ammunition. It doesn't go all the way through. Just hurts like hell. My body pushed it as it tried to heal. Trouble is the skin already closed over."
"Oh," Jackson said, lips numb.
"Anything else?" Jackson couldn't think of anything. "Could you just hurry up?" Jackson sighed, really, really wishing he had a knife. Inhaling deeply, Jackson stared at his hand. This was no big deal. He'd wolfed out before. Sort of. "Do it," Derek growled. Jackson's nails sprung out and he slashed under the lump before they could retract or he lost his nerve. Derek groaned, flinching slightly. Jackson slipped the bullet out and patted the skin back into place.
"There," he said, flicking the lump of metal away in distaste. Derek was oddly quiet. Jackson waited a few moments. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Derek said, pushing himself up and yanking his shirt back on in jerky movements. He was slower with his jacket and Jackson wondered where his mind was. Jackson stood, still watching him. "Thank you," Derek eventually said so softly Jackson wondered if he'd imagined it. It was because of this that Jackson was staring at him like a deer in the headlights when he finally turned. "What?" Derek snapped, any trace of gratitude that might have existed vanishing.
"Nothing," Jackson muttered quickly, looking down. Better to pretend he'd heard what he thought he'd heard than question Derek.

Derek was quiet as they picked their way back through the woods in the grey dawn. Jackson didn't speak for fear of…well he wasn't sure what he was afraid of exactly. All he knew was that things were strange and he didn't want to upset the tenuous balance they'd found. Derek stopped at the edge of the woods and Jackson kept going, assuming Derek wanted him to. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Derek grabbed him by the shoulder. Heat flowed through Jackson in uneven, heady waves. He licked his dry lips, waiting for Derek to say something. Derek looked irritated and the longer they stood in silence the more nervous Jackson became. Derek finally blew out a sigh.
"Be careful yeah?" It barely qualified as a question but Jackson was mystified nonetheless.
"Alright," he rasped. Derek seemed at least partly satisfied by this and pushed him away. Jackson stumbled slightly and caught his footing before looking to Derek once more. He'd half expected him to be gone and his heart skipped a beat when Derek was still there. He didn't show any signs of moving either so Jackson turned and started walking. He was maybe ten feet away when he began to wonder if Derek was still watching him. At fifteen feet he snuck a glance over his shoulder. Adrenaline flooded his heart and he spun, making sure he was really seeing what he thought he was. "Derek!" he screamed in warning. Jackson's feet were already flying, nearly making him fall again. Derek immediately swiveled, thank God. The hunter just over his shoulder fired, not in time. Derek fled into the woods. Jackson didn't think, he followed.

The ground was rougher than he remembered. It was porous and tangled, trying to catch his feet. Still Jackson stumbled on, failing to notice when his vision shifted to red and he fell to all fours. All he could think about was Derek. For a moment he thought that was how it should be. Jackson tore past the hunter without realizing; only stopping, feet digging desperately into the earth, when he passed Derek as well. One hand slapped over Jackson's mouth and he was yanked to the side.
"He's alone. Stay close." Derek pulled him along for several heart stopping moments before releasing him. They wove a crooked path through the trees, faster and faster until Jackson didn't even think of the hunter anymore. Derek ran. He ran. A house appeared unexpectedly. It looked different in the daytime. "In the car," Derek ordered, human features returning. Jackson forced a deep inhale, heart still pounding in his head. He curled his hands, nails digging into his palms until he looked human again. The car door had barely slammed closed, Derek jerking at the loud slap of noise, when panic set in. His chest collapsed as his head dropped. "They didn't say your face," Derek was saying, speeding towards the road, "it's alright."
"It is not alright," Jackson exhaled vehemently.
"It's fine," Derek returned, the words gritting out over the air.
"No it isn't!" Jackson nearly shouted, clutching at his hair.
"Jackson," Derek said with a calm that was clearly forced.
"I said your name!" Jackson cut him off roughly. "I said your name and now they know who you are." Derek was perfectly silent. Shock rolled through the empty space between them. The engine whined in protest as Derek forced the car even faster.

Derek parked on the street and Jackson barely had time to wonder how Derek had known where he lived in the first place before he was yanked out of the car by the back of his neck. He cringed, trying to determine how to best apologize. He thought that maybe there was no apologizing for this. Maybe Derek would kill him. Was it possible to kill your mate? He stumbled as Derek yanked him up the stairs. He hadn't even realized they were inside. Derek went into Jackson's room, still pulling him along. He finally dropped Jackson's neck, closing the door behind them and locking it. He went to both windows and looked out the navy curtains before checking the locks and exhaling. Derek turned to Jackson after a moment.
"Pay attention to what I'm saying Jacks. The hunters already know who I am. You didn't do anything wrong," he stepped closer, arms wrapping around Jackson and pulling him close, "you saved my life." Jackson sagged into him, unsure why he was comforted by the proximity. "You need a shower," Derek said eventually.
"Yeah," Jackson agreed hoarsely, stepping back.
"I'm going to go make sure we weren't followed and hide my car," Derek murmured, hands lingering on Jackson's shoulder and back.
"You're coming back?" Jackson questioned, shocked. Derek blinked once, twice.
"Yeah."
"O-Okay."

Jackson tried not to think about it…he really did. But Derek had saved his life and then they'd pretty much cuddled and then when he just held him, how did he know that was exactly what Jackson needed? He was already in the shower and he kept thinking about Derek. One hand curled against the tile, chilling his skin on contact. He inhaled deeply and held it before letting it slip back out between his teeth. It wouldn't hurt anything, right? He teased a hand down his stomach, over the slicked skin, eventually losing all pretense and wrapping a hand around his half hard cock. Sparks went off behind his eyes and he heard the bathroom door open. Derek gasped at the first stroke, pausing. Jackson glanced the shape of him through the blurred glass, under half lidded eyes. He stroked again, biting his lip. He wanted… He wanted Derek. But he couldn't ask. Maybe there was an alternative. He focused on Derek, inhaling shortly. He wanted Derek to feel what he felt. He wanted the connection open between them. In the next moment Jackson wondered if Derek had somehow helped him because he could feel him. It wasn't like before. Instead it was much like his silhouette. There but not clear. Maybe this was what it felt like when he let Derek in but Derek didn't let him in. Jackson pushed the thoughts away, aware that he would never ask, and stroked again. His fingers closed over the head for a moment, squeezing before sliding back down. A pant slipped from Derek's lips. His frame moved, leaning against the wall. Jackson let his eyes close, keeping the feel of Derek in mind as continued. It should have been weird, with Derek watching. Maybe it was.

Derek left the bathroom as Jackson recovered. His hand was still shaky as he shut the water off and climbed out. Wrapping a towel around his waist he headed back to his room. He thought about school for the first time and winced. Problems for later. Derek was lying in his bed, ankles crossed, leather jacket tossed over one of the bottom posts. As if it was his room. Jackson had to pause a moment, just trying to keep up. This man had attacked him. He'd hurt him more than anyone else in his life ever had. Yet here Jackson was welcoming him in and worrying about his safety and pulling bullets out and having sex with him and letting him into his mind. It was nauseating. Here he was having feelings for this man. They were gentle and weak yet, but ever growing. Thin nimble roots that had all the time in the world. He turned towards his dresser and let the towel drop to the floor before pulling on clean boxer briefs. "How do I close it?" he questioned, shutting the drawer and keeping his eyes on the polished oak. He hated the idea that Derek had just gotten a front row to that…just all of that.
"You can feel it," Derek said after a moment, "almost physically. Just shut it. Like a door." Jackson's eyebrows drew together in concentration. He focused on Derek again and then slowly pushed him away. He didn't know about closing it like a door but he just kept pushing and focusing until he couldn't feel Derek there anymore. Then he let his shoulders drop and turned. "Why did you let me in?" Derek asked, not looking at him. Jackson shrugged instinctively, even though he knew Derek wasn't watching him.
"Don't know," he muttered, crossing to the bed and getting in. He half wished he hadn't. Seemed like a really stupid idea now.

A/N: Sorry about that little Jerek detour… I didn't really mean to. But I did introduce the hunters (partly) so yeah. We'll just say it was sort of necessary. Back to Halinski next chapter…before more angst. If everything goes according to plan.