Abandoned But Loved

AUTHOR: DJDarkPixie

SHOW: "Teen Wolf"

TIMELINE: Let's just say… Future

RATING: M for mature. Parental discretion is advised. ;)

PREMISE: Sequel to "When Your Soul Cries Out", "Lucky Valentine", "Connecting To The Whole," same Universe, no Lydia or Allison. Derek and Stiles are engaged, Danny & Jackson are mated, Scott is mated with Ted. Its dying mother leaves a baby at the pack's doorstep. Jackson knows what it means to be adopted and they take it in. Trouble soon follows when they discover its true identity.

CATEGORIZATION: SLASH; M/M; Stiles/Derek "Sterek", and Danny/Jackson "Dax", Scott/Ted "Tott", humor, angst, romance, supernatural, spirituality, charity, death, dimensional travel.

DISCLAIMER: All references to the show "Teen Wolf" are owned by MTV and only this plot and alternate universe belongs to me, well, I inherited it from my partner in crime, Blooboy70.

AN: Thank you to everyone who alerted, reviewed, or commented. I got a lot of "you can't stop now, dammit" letters, and those always make my day. For those of you on A03, please leave kudos if you wish. I'm not getting many hits there, but I know it only lets you do it one time per story, so thank you if you already did. Also, please make note that in this chapter we get to meet, "The Creator"… Organized religion aside, I believe in a Creator, but don't limit myself to the concept of 'God' in any man-defined concept of what that means. This is FICTION, not a statement of religious or theological beliefs, so please don't flame, just enjoy our boys! A total nod to Kevin Smith and his ideas around The Creator, and his film "Dogma" – where I got the inspiration for this character. Fiction, remember? Oh, and "Conversations With God" by Neal Donald Walsh – truly inspiring work.

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Chapter 11

(Cont'. from Chapter 10: Derek whirled looking at his mother; his unspoken question so clear on his face only shouting could make it clearer. His mother brought her hand up to his cheek, caressing it. "Yes, little one. Your mate is still alive." Derek's heart actually skipped a beat. Without missing a step, she continued. "So, let's see what we can do to get you back there, shall we?" She smiled that million-dollar smile. It matched the one on her youngest son's face.)

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Gregory and Beverly turned to smile at each other and Stella and Laura joined them in a group hug. The group of passed on relatives and friends all beamed with joy at the wonderful reunion they had witnessed. It wasn't over though; the best part had just begun.

As the group watched, smiles on everyone's face, a small figure was watching too. The being smiled and radiated love and joy. Taking leave from the scene the being gave a wink and then turned away walking back into a bright light and faded from view.

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Talia's head snapped up from her son's shoulder, a tear on the edge of her eyelid like a jewel. "Oh, my precious son. It's happening. You are going home. Home to be with your mate."

Derek lifted his head from his mother's neck where he was nuzzling her, and wiped a tear from his eye as well. "What? Are you serious? But, I don't want to leave. I mean, I want to see Stiles, but I want to stay with you too." His heart began to race. "Can't I just…?" He was stopped with a soft finger against his lips.

"Shhhh…. little one," his mother cooed. He smiled at the name she used to call him. "It's okay. It's not your time here. You need to go back. I don't know what exactly brought you here; I can only assume there was a purpose." Derek heard the small uptick in her heartbeat… she wasn't being truthful.

"Mom… please," he implored. He pulled back further to look her in the eyes. His own eyes were looking back at him, just as beautiful and striking. "What aren't you telling me?"

Talia smiled – Derek could always tell when someone was lying or omitting something. "Well, sweetheart, all I can say is that I don't know why you were brought here, but I do know how you were brought here. I'm just not sure if I am allowed…" she trailed off growing still. Derek could sense her demeanor shift. Her heart began to speed up and he followed her gaze. As he turned, he saw a small figure walking towards them. The figure's arms were behind its body, and a large smile could be seen growing larger. Talia grinned and looked at Derek, taking his hand into both of hers. "Oh, honey," she said, tears filling her eyes fully now. Her voice almost a whisper, "You don't know what a precious gift this is." She sniffled and smiled larger, kissing his hand as she pulled it closer to her.

The being stopped in front of them and tilted its head to the side and smiled at Talia. He reached up and with a soft touch, cupped Talia's cheek, his eyes just closing for a moment then re-opening. Talia's voice caught in her throat and she nodded in his hand, pressing into his touch. "Thank, you," she whispered. The being smiled again and winked.

Derek looked with shock at what he was seeing. The being that looked like something indefinable, had looked like a young man when it touched his mother's cheek but now looked like a girl about his age as it took its hand away from his mom's face and let it drop to the side. She, or he, Derek wasn't certain, clasped her hands together in front of her and squinted her eyes giving Derek an appraising look. Derek, without a thought, raised one eyebrow. This made her laugh out loud. It was a melodious sound, like a choir of bells and playing children. Talia laughed too, and Derek smiled, but was still nervous. He started to speak, "Who are…?" but stopped when the being reached up and touched his lips with its fingers. They were the fingers of a male now, as beautiful as the girl, and still about his age. Much to his own surprise, he wasn't shocked by this. It was like it was… somehow… how it was supposed to be. If that made any sense. "But…" he tried to continue, only to have the finger press harder against his lips. He stopped and visibly relaxed. His mother had stepped back slightly as if to give them space. Her face was still beaming at Derek, tiny droplets glistening on her long lashes. She nodded almost imperceptibly but Derek understood. He sighed and just grew more still. The figure took his fingers from Derek's lips and placed his hand over Derek's heart. Immediately Derek was filled with a feeling that could only be described as joy and peace, as if they were something tangible that could be felt.

A voice sounded in Derek's head. The male figure's lips didn't move, but Derek swore he saw light twinkling in his eyes. Derek, my precious Derek. We have been watching you ever since you were born. You have been through many trials and tribulations in your life. The voice was like a single voice, male and female at the same time, but sounded like many voices all together in unison. Normally Derek would have run away shaking his head, but he knew, at his base-most level, there was nothing but pure love behind that voice. One didn't need to be a werewolf to know that. The voice continued. We are very proud of you. In spite of the challenges you have faced, and we know there have been many, you didn't lose the capacity for love. Your sister, your uncle, your mother, your father, your brother, all of them sit with us and watch. Derek's eyebrows shot up. Yes, Derek, we do, make no mistake. The love of your pack, your family, is one of the greatest I have ever seen on your world. It gives us great joy when I see it. Derek tilted his head asking a silent question. Oh, that. Sorry, it's strange for you I know. We are one and I am many – there is no difference. How can I explain it… Mmmm, a singularity that is infinite in number? The male laughed out loud at Derek's reaction. He spoke, this time, not silently. "I sounded like Stiles just then didn't we?"

Talia laughed as well. "I know, son, I know. It's a lot to take in, meeting her like this." Derek had turned to look at his mom, then turned back at the mention of the word 'her' and sure enough, the being looked female now.

The figure spoke again, "Derek, I don't mean to confuse you. I know you have many questions but suffice it to say, you aren't meant to stay here as it's not your time to pass into this realm." She held up her hand to him. "No, I know, please let me explain." Derek stilled again. "Okay," she continued. "Derek, I will answer your two most important questions: who am I and why are you here." Derek raised his eyebrow in surprise, and then chuckled when she smiled back laughing. "Okay, so, for what good your language will do us here, you can think of me as The Creator. Some people call us God or Higher Power, but the concept of deity isn't accurate as it's not complete. Some in our creation have words for what I am and even have words for us but alas, yours doesn't, at least not yet. I see the name on your lips. Fenris? You can call us that, but that's just one of my names. As I said, one but many at the same time." The being regarded Derek with what could only be called admiration. "I see you are taking this rather well. It's not every day a mortal, even one that knows the supernatural exists such as you, gets to meet us. I am as pleased as I knew we would be. Now, the crux of the issue: why are you here?" The figure once again, turned into a male. "Derek, what happened to you wasn't unexpected." This time, both Derek and Talia turned and looked in his direction. "What?" he asked looking toward Talia. "Like you didn't know. Please…" It was The Creator's turn to raise an eyebrow. Derek frowned.

"I don't get it," he asked. "I'm confused."

The Creator turned and began to pace, arms behind his back, hands clasped. "Derek, as I said earlier, your family has an enormous capacity for love, unlike any I have seen in most of your kind before. In the billions of worlds we have created in the infinite of what I am, yours is a rarity that I must say, at the risk of sounding self-praising, proud of and a sort of… well, favorite."

Derek's mouth fell open at this admission. Feeling, for the first time since he came to this place, meek and vulnerable. "I, I, I, I don't know how to take that. Uh, I am sure Stiles would know what to say here, but…" He scratched his head and just gave a sort of shy grin, and peeped, "Uh, thank you? I guess." Talia and The Creator laughed at Derek's awkwardness.

"Sweetheart, you never could take a compliment, even when little. Remember the Pinewood Derby when you were in Cub Scouts?" She grinned even larger with pride and the joy of that memory washing over her.

The Creator laughed too and clapped his hands together. "Oh yes, I love that day! That was awesome. Your car was the fastest and blew everyone else out of the freaking water." He laughed in that way that someone does when they recall a wonderful memory. "It was like it was yesterday." He stopped, and this time it was his turn to shoot his eyebrows up. Derek's mouth had fallen open and was staring at him with disbelief. He started laughing again. "What? Are you surprised that I said awesome or that I watched you win the citywide tournament?"

Derek stammered, "Uh, I guess, um, both?" Derek's mouth was still open.

"Close your mouth, you'll catch flies," The Creator said, with a twinkle in his eye. Derek's eyes flew open and his mouth snapped shut with an audible click. The Creator laughed again. "Yes, I say that too. I know Stiles uses it often. We love that. He really loves you, you know." The mood shifted again to something more serious. "Derek, as I said, your kind has the greatest capacity for love in all our creation but, it was your love for your mate that brought you here." Again, Derek's face went wide with shock. The Creator took Derek by the shoulder and started walking him toward a small black spot that had appeared in the distance. Talia fell in step beside them as they walked, her billowy robes flowing behind her.

"But I don't understand," started Derek. His voice softer, "I saw Stiles get hit and fall, and the next thing I knew I was here." He stopped and faced The Creator. She, now in female form, dropped her hand from his shoulder and took a breath and let it out like one does before beginning an explanation that might be difficult.

"Derek, you know what the mate bond is, right? Between a werewolf and his or her mate?" Seeing Derek nod his head, she continued. "Well, that's just the part you know. What you don't know is that it exists at the supernatural level too – what you refer to as supernatural anyway." Seeing confusion on the young wolf's face, she tried to explain. "It's like this. What you feel is just the tip of the iceberg as they say. The mate bond is the epitome of connection between a were and their mate. The connection is beyond feeling, and beyond what your language has words for. Let me put it this way. You've heard the phrase that a person isn't a body with a soul, but a soul with a body, right?" They stopped walking and The Creator stood in front of Derek, in the form of a male again. He put his hands on Derek's face, smiling and with a gaze that made Derek's heart skip a beat, continued speaking. "Derek, it's true. All my creatures are energy, what is called a soul. This crude matter is an expression of that energy. It vibrates at unfathomable speeds, and when it slows down, that's what is called matter. Your body is a creation of your soul, for all intents and purposes. As you are all part of me and we are part of you, this is true throughout all Creation. So, do you see now?"

His face still in The Creator's hands, he spoke softly. "Yes… and no." He smiled, the hands on his cheeks making his face scrunch.

The Creator leaned in and kissed him softly. "My sweet, sweet Derek. You are a soul first, and a body second. So is Stiles. So is everyone in existence. When you and Stiles became mates, your souls, your actual souls, became bonded. They mated. They re-united. Notice I didn't say united because that's inaccurate. They RE-united because that's a truer statement as you all come from me, from us."

Talia looked at Derek with a smile on her face as she saw understanding grow in her son's features. "So, that means…" Derek started. "But, why then…" he paused, looking clearly into the soft blue eyes of The Creator that were smiling back.

"Yes, Derek. You know the answer already." The Creator let Derek's face go and took his hand in his and grabbed onto Talia's hand and they started to walk again. The three of them were holding hands, walking towards the black spot that was now larger and seemed to resemble a door.

"I came here because I died, but got caught because Stiles didn't. We are still connected. He is still alive as you said." Derek's heart was beating faster as the enormity of what he now understood sank in. He stopped and looked at The Creator with narrowed eyes. "It was you that came to me in the yard that night, wasn't it. When I killed Danny. That tiny spot of light, that was you."

The Creator looked at Talia, and grinned a knowing grin. "He's ready, my dear. He understands." The Creator turned back to Derek and smirked. "You already know that answer too Derek. We have always been with you, from when you were us and before you were you." He winked.

"This is giving me a headache," Derek whined. Talia and The Creator stopped walking and laughed. Derek shook his head and laughed too.

"So, our love for each other was what prevented me from crossing over completely, but why did I die? I didn't get shot." Derek's face was puzzled now.

Talia's face grew soft and she walked to her little boy and put her hand on his head and stroked his soft dark hair. "My son, your love for your mate was your undoing, but his love for you and your love together was what saved you. You died of a broken heart. When you saw Stiles get hit by the vampire's bullet, and fall, your heart broke." She caressed his face with damp eyes but was still smiling.

"I'm not sure I understand completely," Derek said softly. The Creator once again changed form, this time into what appeared to be a very beautiful and tall, Alpha Werewolf. Long, flowing white fur covered the wolf, pale features and eyes flashing white, it stepped forward. Talia and Derek instinctively bared their necks to the Infinite Alpha they now beheld.

The white furred Alpha spoke and its eyes flashed bright white like fire. "My son, your love for your mate when you thought it was over, exploded from your body in a beautiful display healing your mate, but breaking your heart. Your mate's love for you, echoed back as you began to leave your plane of existence, stopped you from leaving him fully. Throughout time, the love for another has been the penultimate of our creations, the truest expression of what I am and what We are. Love for another even to the point of losing one's own life to save the other is that in tangible form. Your world's greatest story of sacrifice for others in the one you called Jesus was just such an expression of that love."

Derek's face was wet with streams of tears now as the understanding and pure love radiating from his Supreme Alpha filled his very being. His mother leaned against him, her eyes wet with tears as well.

The Alpha's reverberating voice grew louder as a bright white light shone from the doorway they were now in front of. "It's time my son for you to go back to your world and your mate. It has been an honor my child, my beta, Alpha of the Hale Pack." He bowed his head to Derek, Talia stepping back to stand by The Creator, and bow to her son, honoring him as the head of the Hale Pack.

Derek was speechless, tears streaming down his face, diverted by his shy smile that had filled his face. "The honor is all mine, Alpha Infinite, my Fenris." Derek put his hand over his heart and bowed his head then fell to one knee. With a shaky voice, he added, "And mom, I miss you as my Alpha, and if I can do half the job you did, I will be lucky." He looked up and saw that he was now surrounded by everyone he had ever lost in his family, human and were alike, there to say goodbye. Derek's resolve faltered and he broke down at seeing everyone loved coming to him, hugging him, patting him on the back, kissing him, holding him tight, everyone wishing him well. After what seemed like an hour but was in fact, timeless, the Alpha Infinite clicked its throat and everyone retreated to form a semi-circle around Derek. Feeling drained and recharged at the same time and feeling overflowing with love, Derek stood firm, ready to return to his world.

Everyone looked on with sparkles in their eyes as the giant white wolf walked forward toward Derek, its form changing back into that of a male but this time in long white robes like everyone else he had met. "It's time Derek." He held out his hand and Derek took it, looking back and waving at the crowd who was waving back and smiling and wishing him well. "I love you all," he replied back. "I miss you and know I will see you again one day."

One voice above the crowd caught his attention. "I'm thankful I got to meet you Derek. I'm happy my son has you in his life. Please tell him I love him, for me!" Derek nodded his head at Stella's request, feeling warm at seeing his mate's mother and for seeing why Stiles was the way he was and loving it more than before. He hugged his mother one last time and looked back at The Creator and said, "Okay, I'm ready. Let's go home."

Suddenly there was a flash of purple and two dark figures appeared before him, tall, with black hair, and piercing blue eyes. Vampires. But, there was something familiar about them.

The Creator motioned him to stop and walked ahead of him, changing form again, this time into a very tall, pale man in a dark blue suit with black shirt and blue tie, eyes a beautiful shade of purple. Derek gasped, and The Creator turned around and flashed him a smile, two sets of fangs smiling back. Derek's eyebrow went up again, and the beautiful vampire winked at him, chuckling. The Creator turned back and greeted the two that had arrived in the flash of purple lightning. They ran to him and threw themselves into his open arms, and he pulled them into a big hug. "Thanks for coming boys. Ready to escort our young Alpha back to his world?"

The two vampires looked over The Creator's shoulders to look at Derek. The Creator turned in place as the two vampires stepped forward to flank him. The more muscular one spoke, "Hello again Derek. I can tell you've had quite the adventure here." The taller one looked at his partner then at The Creator, then both he and The Creator looked at the other vampire. "What? Like it's not always a love fest here with tears and hugs and everyone all, just…" he flailed his arms around and made gestures with his hands trying to indicate hugs and love, and closeness. He stopped when he noticed his partner and The Creator giving him deadpan stares, with no expressions. He stopped and put his hands on his hips. "Oh screw you guys, you know what I mean." The Creator looked at the vampire next to him and said, "Do you know what Brian means, Jeremy?" The taller vampire looked over at Brian then back at the Creator and with a gleam in his eye, said, "Yeah, I know what he means Dad." He walked over to his mate and hugged him. "You big ole softy," he said, Brian giving him a hug, his mate hugging him back.

The two vampires looked back at The Creator who was now laughing at them. "You two have always been my favorites."

"You say that about everyone, Pop," Brian said, walking over and hugging The Creator again. Jeremy joined him, the three of them in a group hug. "Um, boys, I think we are scaring our young Alpha, calling me Dad and Pop."

"No, not at all," Derek said, a little too fast.

"Liar," said Brian, winking at him. "Ready to go see Stiles?"

The Creator let Brian and Jeremy go and they walked over and stood next to Derek, all three facing forward. "Ready?" asked Jeremy. "Ready," said Brian. Derek gave one last look over his shoulder and everyone waved again. He beamed his beautiful smile back at them in kind. He turned again forward and caught the gaze of The Creator who had once again changed form, this time into a what appeared to be an older man in a sharp white suit with white shirt and white tie, aged in appearance but strong of stance and with a twinkle in his eyes. He nodded at Derek. "Ready," said Derek softly.

The Creator stopped for a moment and looked at Brian who was shaking his head. "What?" he asked slyly.

"Oh nothing, just the last time I saw you in that outfit you didn't like it when I said you looked like The Architect," Brian said, Jeremy shaking his head chuckling.

The Creator gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "Oh please… I had this outfit before that movie and I think I make it look better." He wiggled his pinky and Brian's outfit changed to match his own. Brian looked down with shock and Jeremy was shaking hard trying not to laugh out loud.

"Seriously, Dad?" Brian huffed. The Creator winked, and acquiesced. "Oh all right, no need to get your knickers in a twist." Jeremy laughed out loud finally unable to stop himself. Derek was chuckling. "Oh great, now the mutt here is laughing at me."

"Hey, who you calling mutt?" chirped Derek, turning to look at the muscled vampire in an all white outfit.

"Now now, boys," The Creator spoke. "None of that. We all play nice up here." Jeremy and Brian looked at each other, and then looked at The Creator giving him knowing looks. "Well," he said, "mostly." He chuckled, and Brian's familiar dark outfit returned. "Now, are you ready?" he asked, finally.

The two vampires grabbed Derek's hands, and squeezed them tight. Jeremy whispered, "Hold on, it's quite a ride." Derek saw Brian and Jeremy wink at The Creator as he held up his right hand and snapped his fingers. The three of them were gone.

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I hope you liked it. Remember, it's fiction. And yeah, a little Matrix for kicks. ( ( hides ) )

Please tell me what you think. Reviews/comments, please.