I forgot in the first chapter but I do not own Teen Wolf or any of the characters.

And to the lovely people who favorited, followed and reviewed; Thank you! *hugs for all of you*

Well, now:

Chapter 2

With everything that was going on with the Dread Doctor's and the chimeras, Stiles hadn't had any time to sit around thinking about a certain wolf.

They still knew little to nothing about the Dread Doctor's, other than their name and Lydia was still in the Eichen house.

Which was not good. Neither of those was really not good.

Stiles had tried researching about the doctor's without coming up with so much as a theory on how they worked. Or what they really wanted. And not finding anything while researching, was something that didn't sit well with Stiles. They had to know more about what they were up against.

Going in totally blind would end up being a disaster. Even with Stiles' and Scott's friendship being under a bit of a strain lately, they both knew they had to keep everyone safe. And that included getting Lydia out of the Eichen house.

Stiles knew Scott, as the Alpha, had to bring their pack together again. They would stand stronger against the threats towards them.

Stiles grabbed his keys of his desk and went to find Scott.

-o-o-o-o-

Parking outside Scott's house, Stiles got out and put his phone in his pocket before going up to the house.

The front door suddenly opened and Stiles took a step back in the surprise.

"Malia. Hey" He gave her a faint smile, feeling a bit awkward.

Things with Malia had cooled off in the last couple of weeks and Stiles knew things weren't all that good between them. Even if their break-up hadn't been official, their relationship had turned more into a close friendship. The feelings they had, had changed and it hadn't been the same between them in a while. Malia had even said so just last week.

And Stiles knew she was right. But it still made him sad. Things had changed between them, and he guessed it would be awkward at least for a little while.

"Hi Stiles" Malia looked between him and –

"Braeden?" His brows shot up in surprise and his heart started beating just a little bit faster. He noticed Malia's frown, knowing she had heard it. "What are you doing here?"

Braeden gave him a small smile, before glancing over at Malia. "I had some things to talk to Malia about"

"It's about the Desert Wolf" The look on Malia's face told him that she was conflicted about the topic. "Braeden came to warn me about her. She thinks the Desert Wolf-" she swallowed "-my mother, is back. For me."

With a hand on her hip, Braeden shook her head. "And not in a good way" She looked at Malia. "We better go, Malia"

Stiles looked at Malia, who seemed a bit out of it. And with good reason, Stiles thought. "Let me know if you need anything, alright?"

They nodded their goodbyes and Stiles stared after them as they drove off. Does that mean Derek is back as well?

The one thing Stiles' knew was certain was that if the Desert Wolf was in town, it meant that things would get even more complicated with everything else that was going on.

As we didn't have enough on our hands. He ran a hand through his hair. Beacon Hills, everyone. The place where anything can happen.

Sighing, Stiles entered the house and looked for Scott, while he tried not to think about who else that might have come back with Braeden. Stiles hadn't talked to or heard from Derek since he left, so Stiles decided he wouldn't give it any more thought. Not that he had the time to think about it either.

"Scott? You home?"

-o-o-o-o-

Later that night, Stiles was waiting for Liam outside the school. One of the chimeras had turned up right after practice and Scott, Liam and Kira were out in the woods searching for it. Stiles had been running to his car to catch up with them and he was about to start the car when his phone rang.

"Scott?"

"It took off and we can't catch its scent" Scott was a bit out of breath but otherwise he sounded alright.

"Did you see who it was?" Stiles bounced his leg while he looked around the parking lot. "Do you think it could come back to the school?"

Something caught his eye by the edge of the forest opposite the school, and he sat up and tried to get a better look. Something was hiding between the trees.

If it was the chimeras again, Stiles would swear to God that he would never leave his house without a gun or a bat again.

Not that he was totally unprepared; Deaton had given him some wolfsbane, to which Stiles had mixed up a little and had come out with a sort of liquid he had in small bottles. Quite efficient when he threw them at the chimeras, Stiles had found out a few nights ago.

He heard Scott say something to Kira before talking into the phone again. "No, I don't think so. But could you maybe come pick us up? We're two blocks away"

Stiles had his eyes glued to the movements by the edge of the forest. "Sure. Be right there"

He took a couple of the wolfsbane-bottles out from his bag. "I might be human, but I'm not defenseless. I've seen worse things than a few fake werewolves" he mumbled, knowing the person –thing- could probably hear him.

Some branches moved and Stiles heard a low rumbling.

More like growling. And what the- "Derek?"

A big, black wolf was coming out of the shadows by the trees, looking intently on him. He had probably smelled the wolfsbane, hence the growling.

"Alright, alright. Putting them away. Jeez, still having trouble with mood-swings I see" Stiles put them on the seat next to him and opened the door slowly.

That had to be Derek.

The wolf took a few steps closer before stopping as Stiles climbed out of his car and closed the door. All that while his eyes was still glued to the wolf standing on the other side of the parking lot.

The black fur was thick and shiny and his eyes were bright blue. The knowing look in those eyes told Stiles that this was not just a wolf.

This was a Hale wolf.

This was Derek.

The sight of him as a wolf did nothing to stop Stiles' heart from beating quite erratically in his chest. The sight of the big wolf was pretty.. magnificent. Derek as a wolf was quite the sight. Even if it wasn't Derek in his human form, Stiles could still see the same eyes as he had looked into so many times before.

And now those eyes silently told him to calm down. Or he would have a heart attack.

The wolf growled again and Stiles chuckled before taking a few deep breaths. "I'm calm. See? Totally not stressing out" He held out his hands and took a few steps towards the wolf.

The wolf cocked his head and sneezed, clearly not believing a word Stiles was saying. If wolfs could have rolled their eyes; this wolf would have done so by now.

"Aw, don't give me that look, dude" Stiles couldn't contain the smile that spread on his lips. He started going closer to Derek again, when the wolf suddenly froze and looked over to the end of the parking lot.

The growling coming from Derek was way worse than the irritated growling he had used against Stiles moments ago. This was a pissed off kind of growling and Stiles looked to where Derek was staring.

"Is it the chimera?"

The wolf didn't look at him but the intensified growling told him that he should get the hell away from here.

Stiles ran back to his Jeep, ripped the door open and started the car in a rush before he saw Derek take off after in the same direction he had looked towards.

Stiles' phone rang again and Scott's worried voice floated through the phone. "Where are you? Liam caught its scent and it's-"

"-by the school again, yeah. I noticed"

"You noticed? Stiles, get away from there. Now!"

"I'm on my way to you" Stiles said but Scott had already hung up.

Derek is back, was the thing that repeated itself in Stiles' head. Even if he really had other things on him mind right now.

Kira jumped out in front of his jeep and he hit the breaks. "Kira! I could have run you over!"

Kira jumped into his car in a swift motion. "Scott and Liam went after it. Scott said something about having help, something about another scent he thought he recognized?"

"Derek"

"Derek? Derek Hale? He's back?"

Stiles turned the Jeep around, going back to school. "Seems like it" He hoped his voice didn't betray what he was feeling about the wolf's return. Or the man himself.

-o-o-o-o-

"So this was a werewolf.. with the powers of a kanima?" Liam asked, a bit out of breath, as the thing had gotten away from them. Again.

Scott looked up from the wound on Kira's leg. "Yeah, it's the same from last night"

Stiles watched as Scott pulled some of Kira's pain away before patting Liam on the shoulder in what he hoped would be a calming gesture. The boy looked slightly terrified. "We'll get it, dude. Just.. try not to go around alone. And don't try to fight in on your own"

The boy nodded as Stiles opened the door to his jeep, slinging his bag into the back. "Kira, do you need a lift? I could-"

He felt the hair on his arms rise and turned around at the same time that Scott straightened up and Liam put himself next to Stiles, shoulders hunched with his head down- ready for attack.

The large, black wolf stood a few feet away from the Jeep.

"Scott?" The young beta didn't look away from the wolf, but was unsure of the wolf's sudden appearance.

Stiles stepped in front of Liam, throwing a glance back at Scott- who was looking like he was trying to remember why the wolf looked so familiar.

Stiles sighed. Scott was a good guy, was doing better at this whole 'I'm the Alpha now'-thing but still lacked quick thinking. "Scott, it's Derek."

Scott raised his brows, clearly remembering seeing Derek's wolf form back in Mexico. "Derek?"

Derek took a few steps forward and seemed to glare at the Alpha. Stiles looked back at the wolf with a grin, pointing at Liam. "Scaring the children here, dude"

The wolf cocked his head and Stiles had a sudden image of what would happen if he told Derek just how cute he thought he looked right now. Better not.

Stiles grinned cheekily. "So- you go full wolf all the time or..? I can imagine how interesting Braeden's conversations with you must be. Pretty one-sided, huh?.. When I think about it; you're not the one who talk too much when you're on two legs either so-"

Another growl was heard and Scott walked up to them. "Dude, why do you always do that?"

"Do what?" Stiles knew Derek would never intentionally hurt him. In human or wolf form. This.. friendship they had seemed to have before Derek left town, made Stiles pretty sure he wasn't to be killed for one of his rants.

Scott frowned and looked back at Derek, who was now looking at Stiles with a more amused expression. But Stiles couldn't be sure. He didn't read wolf expressions all that well.

Scott nodded to Derek. "Good to see you again. Thanks for helping us back there"

Derek simply stared. It wasn't like he could answer anyway.

"Where have you been since Mexico?"

Stiles looked at Scott with a raised brow. "Dude, he can't answer you" Motioning to the wolf, he added: "Wolf"

Scott nodded slowly. "Yeah. Right. Um.. Could you change back or..?"

The wolf disappeared behind the Jeep and Stiles heard Derek ask for clothes.

He dove into the Jeep, finding some shorts in his bag before handing it out of the window on the side where Derek stood. "Here. They might be a bit too small for you but-"

He was looking away from where he held out the shorts, because on most days he couldn't handle Derek shirtless. And he knew for sure he couldn't handle Derek naked. Very much naked with his muscles and something Stiles knew had to be a very firm a- Not going there.

Derek had slept in Stiles' bed before, but that was more for comfort from Stiles' nightmares than anything else so Stiles had no idea how Derek's a- um, backside felt like but Stiles had a very vivid imagination. Nope, still not going there. Not the time, not the place.

"They're fine" Derek hesitated before adding: "Thanks"

Huh, that's.. new. Derek thanking me for something. It wasn't like they hadn't talked before. (A lot, Stiles might add. About more or less everything.) But Derek had still been Derek even back then, so him thanking Stiles -even if it was just for clothes- it was new.

Stiles climbed out of the Jeep just as Derek came to their side of the car.

Derek addressed Scott first in a short greeting. With Scott being the Alpha, Stiles knew that was proper custom and that Derek did this more out of habit than anything else.

Derek then turned to Stiles and locked eyes with him and the rush of emotions running through him hit him in surprise. He knew he had missed the other man, but this? This he was not prepared for.

Derek continued meeting Liam and Kira's eyes- a form of saying hello as much as someone as Derek Hale was able to do.

Still a bit constipated, Stiles thought with a small smile.

Scott asked Derek to drop by the next day, after Derek told them he would be in town for a while. At least until the situation with the Dread Doctor's was solved.

Scott seemed to like the idea of having more people to help and Stiles had to agree that they needed all the help they could get. And Derek being back.. well, Stiles didn't protest on that.

-o-o-o-o-

They all ended up hitching a ride with Stiles, seeing he was the only one who had brought his car. Or even owned a car for that matter. So after dropping off three out of four, Stiles turned to Derek and ignored the sudden change in atmosphere now that it was just the two of them.

"So, where to?" Stiles tried the best he could not to let his eyes drop to Derek's bare chest as he sat next to him in the car. It was a difficult task not to take in the way the muscles moved as Derek leaned back in the seat. It was even more difficult not to notice the sharp v-shape leading down the tight shorts he had borrowed. Stiles did absolutely not sneak a glance. Or two. Absolutely not.

"You still have the loft, right?"

Derek nodded slowly before looking straight forward.

"Dead silence. Still hung up on that too, huh?"

Derek threw him a bored look and Stiles shrugged. "Alright, alright. Somethings never change, I guess"

There was no tension, no nervousness between them. It was just a comfortable silence as they drove to Derek's loft. And Stiles was secretly overjoyed over the fact that things hadn't changed, even if Derek had been gone for quite some time now.

"So how have you been?" he said, seeing as he couldn't keep silent for too long.

Derek looked over at Stiles before answering. "Good. Been travelling with Braeden. Going to different places, but never stayed long in any of those places"

Even if Stiles had formed some sort of friendship with the werewolf, it still surprised him when Derek talked like this. Relaxed but still not overflowing with words. That just wasn't him. And Stiles understood that. Stiles could talk enough for the both of them anyway.

"What did you guys do? Is she staying at the loft too?" That last question wasn't something he had intended to ask, but it had just.. come out.

"No. She's staying over at some friends, I think"

"You think? Aren't you two like.. together.. or something?" Stiles parked outside Derek's loft and looked over at the man sitting next to him while drumming his fingers absently against the steering wheel.

Why was Derek looking at him like that? His eyes seemed to bore into Stiles' own and made his heart skip a beat. Just a little 'blip' but he was sure Derek had noticed.

And.. was that butterflies in his stomach? What the-

"No. Not anymore" Derek got out and stopped before closing the door. "See you tomorrow"

Stiles gave an awkward wave and nodded. "Sure. Tomorrow" Why were things suddenly awkward?

Stiles looked at the triskelion that moved subtly with Derek's movements as he crossed the street. A warm feeling settled in Stiles as he let it all sink in.

Derek was back.

Stiles blew out a slow breath. "It's good to have you back, man"

A slight hesitation in Derek's step told Stiles that he had heard and Stiles put the car into gear and drove back home to get some much needed rest.

This night had left him exhausted and with only two bottles of wolfsbane left. So he needed sleep and then he had to make some more of those bottles.

But that didn't matter, Stiles thought as he fell into bed. Because Sourwolf was back.

-o-o-o-o-