And There It Is

CH9

Note: I am so sorry for taking so long! I've been trying my hand at other forms of writing (all focused on this pairing), anyway – lets continue shall we?

Derek could feel the heat against the side of his body like he was in the chamber of a furnace even though he was outside. Laura at 17, tossed her backpack to the ground with a minor crash before rushing towards their house as smoke billowed from a window before the roof was engulfed in red flames. He heard her scream echoing in his ears as his heart slammed against his chest. The noise of sirens blared in the distance before a red blur zoomed into the front yard and a series of firemen hurried out with hoses. He was numb. He couldn't make out words. He felt himself shutting down from the harsh light of reality.

A hand grabbed his shoulder as he heard a familiar voice.

"Hey are you two alright?" Derek turned to see the Sherriff, who was at that time, a deputy, looking much younger with less wrinkles and more hair striding towards them, gathering him and his sister and guiding them away from the inferno.

'Was anyone inside?" Laura sobbed, running her hands through her hair, trying to steady herself.

"We don't know yet, we just got the dispatch call a few minutes ago." The Sherriff supplied in a clipped tone.

"I need to take you two back to the station while we investigate." The Sherriff continued, his voice edged with sadness.

Laura looked over at him, her face pale. She shook her head.

"NO!"

"Sweet heart please, we don't want to get hurt" The deputy insisted.

Derek stared at the ground in front of him, there he noticed the slight imprint of a high heel. Somewhere in his mind a voice yelled that it belonged to his girlfriend. His girlfriends high heel still fresh in the mud of his driveway. Derek felt something inside him break. Like a part of him being ripped out and left there in the wreckage, burning away into nothingness.

Derek turned to look at Laura's face but it was suddenly night fall. He was in the forest. He looked down at the ground hoping against hope, but he saw her, now a carcass torn in half, eyes still open laying in the fallen leaves.

He stomach lurched, wanting to rid itself of whatever contents it contained, he felt dizzied, in a haze. His body filtered through a range of emotions until he felt himself fill with the feelings of lonely isolation. Alone. The only thing existing of his life was the ashened remains of his child hood home.

Derek awoke, the cold night air bringing him back to reality.

XXXXX

Derek sat watching the game with the Sherriff, trying to ignore how nutzo the whole situation looked. He wondered how the Sherriff would take it if he knew what he was and how Stiles and he had met. Probably not well. He'd most likely be running for his life as a shot gun fired bullets his head and balls from the front door.

They'd have to explain it to him one day, he knew that. That's if he survived. He tried to push the thoughts of impending doom out of his head when the Sherriff spoke, breaking the tv filled silence.

"Were you dating Kate Argent?" he asked quietly, not taking his eyes off the game.

Derek nodded and the Sherriff acknowledged it in his periphery.

"She went missing a while back. They never found her."

Derek shrugged, knowing very well that she wasn't missing. When Laura found out she had set the fire, she hunted her down and killed her. It should have been the happiest day of his life, but instead it had left him lost and without a goal. His goal now was to survive. And keep those he cared about safe. Deep down he knew he wasn't doing a good job at all.

The Sherriff stared at Derek for a moment before downing his drink and returned to the game. He also remembered that day.

He was 30 and exhausted. His wife had just given birth to Genim and the little red faced bundle was doing his best to keep them up at all hours of the night being a fussy baby.

The firefighters had a really tough time extinguishing the inferno. It was obviously not an accident. The flames were strong and powerful and the house cooked itself like a wooden oven roasting its contents to annihilation. The Sherriff's heart sank as the paramedics wheeled out the body bags in a horrifying procession and shook his head when he stepped inside of the charred house. No one should deserve that. He remembered watching the teenaged Hale children sitting in the police office waiting to learn the fate of their family. He remembered breaking the news to them and watching Derek's sister crumble and witnessing Derek's whole being go from shocked, to angry, then to hard, all in the matter of moments, becoming something fearsome. At that moment Derek Hale had stopped being a teenager and stepped into manhood.

On the other side of the couch Derek was also deep in thought. He rolled his glass in his hands, still remembered the sting in Stiles' eyes when he yelled out that he hated him. He had to make sure Stiles would leave, he couldn't explain it logically, because knowing that smart ass, he would find a way to use logic and finalize a solution that would convince even him that he could stay. Derek wouldn't lose another person he cared for. Not now, not ever. He was the controller of death; he wouldn't let it wrap its decayed, bony fingers around the necks of anyone else. He wouldn't let it still their heartbeats and slowly draw the light out of their eyes. He had promised himself after Laura.

Laura.

What would she say if she was here?

Would there be laughter in the house. Would the sheets be changed, the fridge always stocked, music playing from the radio?

Would she like Stiles?

She would have loved him.

He dry swallowed, feeling his throat open and close, lubricating itself with whatever saliva he still had in his mouth.

He opened the faucet in the kitchen and drank from it like a mangy dog till his thirst was quenched.

As he stood he felt that familiar pain shoot through his arm again. He flexed, feeling the muscles underneath his skin slide over each other, painfully readjusting when he stopped. Ever since that night in the woods. Derek took it as a sign and stopped thinking about Stiles. What was it with these Stilinksi men? It was like they made people care about them.

XXXXXX

Stiles finished up for the day and finally turned off his monitor. Today was a important day and he wasn't home to see her. After taking the train to a nearby church, Stiles sat and prayed until he felt he had put out happy thoughts through his prayers and popped $20 into the donation till.

Once outside he put his cell phone to his ear.

"Hey Daddy-O" he spoke brightly, trying to hide the slight edge in his voice

"Hey Genim."

'I was just about to head out."

"Ok. Good timing them Stiles nodded against the phone."

"Could you buy and extra bouquet for me?"

"Sure thing kiddo."

"Thanks dad. I wish I could be there."

'Yeah. Me too." The Sherriff reflected quietly.

"Well I better go Genim. It's almost dark out."

"Ok dad. I love you."

The Sherriff walked through the quiet cemetery, two bouquets of lilies overflowing in his grasp. He slowly peering at the headstones and different colored flowers laying against the various cold stone and cement plots. He reached his wife's headstone, reverently wiping off stray leaves.

He placed the flowers onto her grave and stood there in silence.

"Stiles has a new job. Out in Seattle. I know I already told you about it, but he's doing well and he's all grown up. He promised to come as soon as he gets back for thanksgiving."

"I'm doing well. Eating better. Well trying to. I made a new friend. Well I don't know if friend is the right word, but he likes Stiles." He shifted. "The Hale kid, yeah the one whose house burned down when Stiles was 6 months. He reminds me a lot of me when I was that age actually."

The Sherriff's receiver chirped out loudly. He answered.

"Sweetheart. I got to go. I'll be back soon I promise."

He leaned down and kissed the head stone. He turned and slowly walked away.

It was past midnight and the moon hung low in the sky when the crunch of dead leaves underfoot made their way to the grave plot. Derek his irises circled in red looked out into the moon. a large bouquet of white lilies grasped tightly in his hand, he bent down and placed the flowers onto the plot.

"Stiles likes white lilies, I had a feeling it was because of you." He mumbled awkwardly. "He was always busy on the 15th, I figured it out eventually."

Derek stared out at the dark cemetery, turning to go. He realized quickly that he had nowhere to go and no one to meet. He had already met with the pack a few days ago and things had been quiet for a while now.

He breathed out, watching his breath swirl in the cold air before him. "He spoke, almost in a whisper like he didn't want anyone else to hear."

"My family isn't buried here. They were cremated. I buried their ashes in the forest near our river. It was our favorite place."

He sighed looking back at the grave.

"I just wanted to let you know that he's safe. No one can hurt him where he is. I'll take care of them." Derek finished in a whisper.

He walked away slowly into the darkness, flexing his arm as the cold air worsened the pain.

XXXXX

Jackson flanked Derek as he made his way into the massive compound. A burly looking man with tattoos running down his forearms surveyed them before letting them in, once Derek's eyes had glowed red. Derek walked until he came to a large hall, that looked more like a theater than anything and sat with Jackson on the outskirts, watching the proceedings.

A silver haired man, presided over the meeting calling out for votes and discussing the actions of the alpha committee and their dedication to keeping the werewolf community underground and productive. Derek listened intently, waiting to talk with him. The committee of alphas voted on their last motion and slowly dispersed staring at the two as they walked out.

Derek finally saw the man approaching, checking his cell phone of all things.

"Alpha Westial." Derek stated firmly.

"Yes." Alpha Westial looked up from his phone.

"Alpha Hale." Derek put out his hand which the other wolf took.

Westial surveyed Derek and Jackson.

"I'm so sorry for your loss" Westial nodded to Derek. "How are you all doing in Beacon Hills."

"We are surviving" Derek supplied. "I came here to ask if we could ask for the Alpha circles protection and alliance."

Westial paused. "You know the rules Alpha Hale. It has to be seven years."

"I know, but we're only half a year away from that time point."

Westial shook his head.

"This law began at the dawn of lycan society. I cannot change it for you." He finished turning his gaze to Jackson. "No matter how young your pack is."

"What? That's bullshit." Jackson spoke out of turn his voice indignant.

Westial turned to him slowly, expanding in size with a growl. Jackson's resolve disappeared and he looked away in submission. "It is not, young man, Bullshit. A pack must survive the seven year transition in order to be acknowledged by the Alpha circle."

"It's only a few months! You don't know what we're dealing with." Jackson continued causing Derek's eyebrows to meet his hairline.

"That, young pup, Is the law! If your pack is wiped out before that time, it was not viable to begin with." Westial rumbled, his eyes bleeding red and then blue. He shook his head realizing how new of a werewolf Jackson was.

Jackson looked murderous but didn't look up. Derek's stomach was a mine field of knots.

Westial turned his focus on Derek.

"You of all people should know better. A strong pack means survival for our kind. If I were you I would ask another pack for inclusion."

Derek dropped his gaze in submission and Jackson followed suit, bending back down after attempting to see what was going on for a moment.

"Good bye Alpha Hale. I hope to see you at the next meeting." Westial strode away returning to his cell phone. The two were left in an empty auditorium.

"Derek! What the hell have you gotten us into!" Jackson started. "I didn't sign up for this bullshit!"

"Not here" Derek retorted sharply, before turning to walk away. Jackson followed shaking his head. Once outside and inside their rental car, Derek spoke slowly.

"Jackson, do you realize what you've done?" Derek spoke, his voice like thunder.

"What." Jackson asked in trepidation though he still sounded pissed off.

"You just gave away so much about our pack!" Derek roared as he started the car and sped through the country side.

Jackson grit his teeth so hard his gums bled.

"Fuck."

"Yeah." Derek seethed thinking that Scott would have been the better choice given the situation.

Derek shook his head. The pieces were moving together and the puzzle was making more and more sense.

After dropping Jackson off, he dialed Scott when his car was going through the woods.

"Yes?"

"Did you take flowers up to the cemetery"

"For what?" He could practically hear Scott thinking.

"Check the date." He heard Scott moving around on the other end. Suddenly Scotts voice came in pitched.

"Shoot! I'm heading out right now." Scott spoke in an apologetic voice.

Derek rolled his eyes "Good. We have a meeting tomorrow."

Scott tried to interject but he shut him down with a "It's not optional."

He hung up and continued driving wondering how the next few weeks would unfold. Now that so much information had been divulged, they would have to get ready to keep their pack and territory in their possession. He sighed trying to lower his heart rate. He had to think of a plan and make sure everyone knew what they were supposed to do.

He looked at his phone that he had ignored the entire day and saw a voicemail. He dialed into it and heard the Sherriff's voice through the speaker.

"Hey Derek, I just wanted to thank you for the flowers you left. See you soon."

TO BE CONTINUED…..

Notes: Things are coming to a head! Thank you for reading! Reviews are always welcome