Meg rushed down the steps and into the basement, tossing her bag on to the bed carelessly she raced towards the train to tell Derek about her plans for the weekend. More than that she wanted to see him.

"De-" she stopped abruptly in the process of calling out his name when the sight before her shocked her. Derek was fast asleep on the hammock and she was beyond surprised, never having seen him rest before. Her lips immediately sealed shut as she carefully tip-toed towards the hammock in her socked feet. Meg stopped just when she was close enough, peering at him cautiously.

He lay stretched across the hammock. One knee bent, the other foot sprawled off to the side. One of his muscular arms pillowed his head the other rested across his flat belly. Meg watched him with much interest. His height truly dawning to her when she realised he was too tall for the bed, but he looked so comfortable.

A tender smile stretched across her lips watching him adoringly. This must have been his first good rest in a while she mused, the sight of his peaceful face pulled at her heart strings. Meg wanted to treasure seeing him this way, no scowling, no pacing just pure serenity.

His hard mouth had softened. His inky lashes fanned across his high-boned cheeks. Her gaze trailed down to the vast expanse of his chest that rose and fell peacefully. Such deep and measured breathing. Meg began to wonder what it would feel like to fall asleep in his arms. They looked like they could soothe all her worries and lull her into a world of dreams, she couldn't help but stare utterly smitten.

Derek found himself stirring awake to a prickling stare, his raven lashes swept open startled to find Megra's pretty face staring down at him. He was even more astounded by the dazed misty look in her eyes, like she had just witnessed the most adorable thing on earth. His heart flipped internally under her ogling, which vanished when she blinked and gazed back him wide-eyed. But her surprise turned to one of content when a large mischievous grin curved her lips.

"How is the hammock?" She whispered condescendingly as if already knowing the answer. Derek stared at her passively, recovering from the fact that she was watching him sleep.

"You are creepy." He stated bluntly causing her to frown.

"That's the second time someone called me that." She muttered dejectedly as Derek sat up.

"Why, what did you do?" he asked regarding her with his pale eyes, she began shifting her gaze sheepishly.

"All I said was that Alyson's hair smells nice."

"You smelt her hair?"

"Well I couldn't help it. It was an overpowering stench of raspberries and cream." Derek frowned feeling internally sick at the thought of hair that smelt like fruit. Especially raspberries, he was never a fan of raspberries…or any berries.

"I am not a fan of fruity smelling hair. It seems to be popular among teenagers these days." Derek mused keep his unwavering gaze on Meg who surprisingly nodded in agreement.

"I know what you mean, it's like I walked into a fruit salad convention not a school." Derek smirked utterly amused by her choice of words but Megra was oblivious to it and continued to ramble, using her arms animatedly.

"Which is why I stick to my Head and Shoulders, not that I have a dandruff issue I just like the minty freshness plus it feels really nice when you stand under an air conditioner. Oh have you ever shaved your head? My friend Bobby he once shaved his head and used Head and Shoulders apparently the after effects are the best, it was like his head was the top of Mount Everest."

"You are like an encyclopedia of useless information."

"You are the useless one, sleeping till afternoon." She snapped back making him frown and glare at her.

"Did you want something?" He hissed averting the topic to why he was sluggish in the afternoon. He didn't want to admit that the hammock was snug. It will only increase her already happy nature. Her eyes sparkled at her words as if she just recalled her reason for entering his train.

"Oh right, I came here to tell you something and I completely forgot…" Meg mumbled rubbing her chin in thought as she struggled to summon up her motive.

Derek slyly added "When you were creeping over me?"

"Yeah—Wait what? I wasn't creeping I was admiring!" She exclaimed scandalized by his statement. He raced a raven brow full of sardonic question.

"Oh admiring, what were you admiring?" She grew flustered under his stare and his insinuating question.

"Um…my success—at providing you with a comfortable sleeping environment."

"Right."

"Mario Cart!" She abruptly cried out, thrusting her arms up into the air.

"What?" He asked taken back.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." She said pausing in her explanation to walk over and sit beside him on the hammock that was long enough to fit both of them. Derek watched her climb into the hammock and sit in a meditative style, comfortably. He found it fascinating how accustomed she had grown to being around him, acting like she had known him for years, it was strange and unfamiliar but Derek welcomed it, despite himself.

"Scott invited me to his place to play Mario Cart with him and Stiles this Saturday. I am going to go, after training of course." She said her fingers playing with the crotchet rope of the hammock.

Derek turned his profile around to face her. He pulled his legs onto the hammock as well, but instead of crossing his legs he bent one at the knee while the other leg was bent and slide vertically under the other leg. "If you already made up your mind why are you telling me?" He asked.

"Well…I was wondering if you would like to tag along too?" He was astonished by her words. She grinned for a few seconds awaiting a reply before continuing to speak.

"It would be fun! You can try whooping their asses without inflicting any physical damage, unless you are one of those people who don't take losing well and go into a epic rage mode and like destroy everything in their path—"she seemed to contemplate her own words for a moment before adding—with a wide grin for measured affect— "That could be fun to watch too."

Derek mulled over her words, struggling to find an answer. He wanted to ask her if it was alright just to barge into Scott's home uninvited but then again an invitation didn't stop him before. His thoughts raced at the fact that Meg wanted him to accompany her to Scott's home, dangerous questions like 'Does she like having me around?' and 'Why does she care so much?' began to whisper in his mind. Normally his silence would have been an automatic 'no' in her head but Meg really wanted Derek to tag along. Scott and Stiles seemed to be so unsettled around him. Meg wanted to show them what she saw in the Alpha.

"You don't have to decide now, let me know when you though do—hey what's for dinner." The hammock shook slightly when Meg suddenly jumped off and walked to the exit of the train.

"I smelt pasta sauce on my way here." Her voice trailed after her, Derek sat broodingly for a while before getting up and following her. She was peering into the plastic bag that was on the large wire barrel they used as a table.

"And I am right, score!" She fist-pumped celebrating the fact that her senses can detect Italian food and all the break dancing after school had really worked up an appetite. Derek approached just as she was carefully pulling out the various parcels of food and spacing them neatly on the surface before tossing away the empty bag.

"Drinks are on me! I put a dollar to get a Mountain Dew from the vending machine in school but thank my lucky stars I got two because the machine was glitch-y. Well actually you got lucky since this is for you, you like Mountain Dew right?"

"Piss coloured soda, who wouldn't?" Meg gave him a look which Derek returned with one of his infamous smirks before picking up one of the plates of pasta and walking away.

They sat on the floor eating as usual and Meg was reciting to him the events of her day at high school. Derek watched her while taking slow mouthfuls of pasta. He wondered if she even cared if he paid attention or not, he hid his smirk behind his fork while watching her with gleaming silver eyes.

The woman can orchestrate her own play starring her.He mused fondly to himself.

"Oh yeah I wanted to ask you, you know that really cool thing you do when you can tell when someone is lying?" this question caught his attention. Derek looked to her with a questioning arc of his dark brows.

"Yes…" He spoke inquiringly and Meg smiled.

"I want you to teach that to me, mastering all senses kinda thing." She stated mid twirling spaghetti with her fork. He was taken back considering none of the other Beta's showed interest in learning more about their senses but just learning how to fight to boost their self worth.

Derek said "Alright, let see what you got." While setting aside his empty aluminium container of food. She stared at him surprised with a strand of pasta dangling from the corner of her lip.

"You mean now?"

"Yes." She wiped at her mouth and seemed to be staring contemplatively for a moment.

"Um, alright sure" She said before smiling and setting aside her empty tray of food like he did.

"Try and listen to my heart beat,"

"You mean like Tarzan did with Jane?"

"No, from where you are right now."

"Uh, alright." Meg was unsure about his suggestion but obliged and concentrated while staring at the floor beneath her. She tried to focus on his heart beat but all outside noises distracted her. The flutter of a moths wings, the buzzing of a light bulb and the honking of distant traffic.

"I can hear everything, except a heartbeat." She heaved after a while looking to Derek who was waiting patiently. He stared at her thoughtfully for a moment before extending his arm out towards her.

"Give me your hand." He demanded and hesitantly placed her hand over his. Meg gasped when Derek suddenly tugged her toward his body, forcing her to shift closer to him. She was surprised when he forced her small hand on his broad chest right over his beating heart. Blood rushed up her neck instantly feeling the warmth of his chest right under her finger tips.

"You feel it?" He asked regarding her with his pale grey eyes.

My urge to jump your bones? Meg thought sarcastically but she knew he was referring to his strong heart, she nodded feebly.

"Good—now focus on it but with your sense of hearing." Meg nodded and tried her best to regaining her senses and ignore the pounding of her own heart. Derek gently released his grip on her wrist and waited for her to begin. Meg cleared her throat and sat up a little straighter before beginning to focus.

Derek watched her silently, her eyes fluttered shut and her inky lashes fanned over her flushed cheeks. A smirk pinched the corner of his lips as he stared at her, she was obviously taken back by his sudden movements but he didn't care. Derek loved seeing her blush and knowing he was the cause of it.

He continued to watch her intensely. The way her eyebrows furrowed in determination, the stillness of her hand against his chest, the way her full lips were slightly parted. Derek tried to keep his breathing and heart rate calm. Part of him wished for her to hurry and find it but another part of him liked having her so close, easily accessible to his touch. Suddenly her eyes lashes fluttered open and she stared up at him with her large amber eyes glittering with a new found excitement.

"I can hear it." She exclaimed beaming at him Derek nodded in acknowledgement and she smiled slowly lowering her hand from his chest. Her smile widened when she could still hear the thumping of his heart within her ears.

"So how do you tell when someone is lying?" She asked eager to learn, he looked to her.

"You need to listen intently to any blips or hesitation of any kind,"

"What if they are good liars?"

"Then you need to be an even better judge."