More Than Just A New Beginning

Chapter 20


Harry ended up gone for far longer than normal, and without explanation, which had both Peter and Derek on edge. Harry had thus far proven to be reliable, and always keeping in touch should the need arise that he does so. In the end, Derek went to visit his sister – Laura – and Peter made plans to go 'camping' in the wild. If he was completely honest with himself, he was rather looking forward to it. The thought of being entirely open for however long he was there, was exhilarating, along with getting to meet his own kind and variations of them. Since not all of them would be werewolves, a Werepanther, naturally he knew they existed but he'd never met one.

As per the norm, Peter nor Cora asked Derek how it went, neither were forgiving Laura for what she did. For Peter it was one thing to leave him – a cripple and a hinderance and basically dead at that point – but another thing entirely to leave a child behind. He couldn't understand how she could have left Cora behind.

Nothing she said or did would change his understanding, there was no reasoning possible to why she'd acted that way.

It was forty-eight hours later when Harry arrived back home. Peter, Cora and Malia weren't there.

"You're back," Derek said, relieved beyond belief, but at the same time wary, "You smell of Argent…did you find…?"

Harry's shoulders were hunched, exhaustion perceptible on every single angle of his body. He was quick to shake his head though, denying that Argent had been caught. Putting his bag, details, badge, gun, keys and everything on the table at the doorway. "Not her, no, a baby was found with clear signs of being a werewolf…"

Derek stepped back, fear clashing with terror, shaking his head blindly. No, there was no way he had a child with…with her. He couldn't stomach that sort of information, he prayed that wasn't something Harry was about to tell him. He felt as if his stomach was about to crawl out of his throat.

"It's not yours Derek," Harry answered, "But it was a fear that it might be, I spent the night we found her getting her help she needed, and yesterday tracking down her father…it was…one of the arson/murder cases we didn't know existed. The pack live in a small rural community, basically way, way out there. I'm not quite sure how the Argents knew about them, they're insulated."

Derek swallowed thickly, the list of her crimes was already so immense, to know there may well be others out there was shocking. "Is it…she going to be, okay?" he shuddered anew at the thought of what the poor pup had been through with Kate Argent as a mother…and already showing signs of being a werewolf…was that why she'd been abandoned he wondered? "Do the pack even…" he didn't think Peter would be able to tolerate an Argent in his pack, even if she was half Hale hypothetically speaking.

"She's going to be fine; he knows that he's a father, but he's fifteen, he doesn't want the responsibility, but his Alpha and her Alpha mate were happy to take on the position. She's going to grow up alongside her father, more of a sister." His stomach rumbled dangerously, his eyes were closing unwillingly, that was just how great his exhaustion was.

Derek swallowed the bile gushing up his windpipe, fifteen, which meant the boy had to have been what? Thirteen or something when Kate Argent approached him. He couldn't get over what happened to him, not entirely, how on earth could a thirteen-year-old boy? "The family?" unable to help himself, it was like he was glutton for punishment.

Harry stiffly moved towards his bedroom, talking all the while, "Only three of them died, one was their apprentice Emissary, the second hand and the Left hand. They wouldn't tell me names and I didn't push for them." murmuring out, the sight of his bed was the greatest thing in the world. "They were greatly loved and very much mourned, the pack has a commemoration set up in the centre of their territory, it's well kept and has many gifts for their departed spirits." Given the gifts left for the apprenticed Emissary, he couldn't have been more than sixteen if that.

Derek followed Harry despite being able to hear him perfectly. It was the first time he had seen Harry in two days he greedily took his fill. His other senses though, began to prickle to awareness, that his mate was beyond exhausted, the scent made him want to curl around Harry, to care for him, coddle him.

He froze though, indecision warred within him, just because he wanted to take care of Harry…didn't mean Harry wanted coddled. His experiences weren't exactly something he dwelled on. A girl he liked and kissed a few times, dated, ultimately died because of him. He didn't want to touch on his second experience with a barge pole.

Although, this particular conversation certainly hadn't helped him not dwell on it.

A discontented groan leaving Harry's lips had Derek jerking into action. Approaching his mate, he stiffened his spine, if Harry didn't want him to do something, he was pretty sure the wizard would be able to tell him. Harry wasn't by any means shy, and so far, he was very amendable to a sexual relationship, and even so far as to go slow to help him get over his own issues. "Let me," he murmured, helping his exhausted mate out of his clothes.

Harry gratefully leaned against Derek, closing his eyes, and enjoyed the pampering. It was then he remembered what day it was, and that Derek had gone to see Laura. Raising his arms along with the clothes as his t-shirt was removed, he murmured, "How did it go? Did Peter and Cora go with you?" Malia too but she could have remained home.

"No, neither of them was interested again," Derek murmured quietly seen as Harry was so very close to him. He disliked the lack of his scent on Harry's skin, in fact, he disliked the scents that weren't pack clinging so obviously to his mate. "Just a second," and with that Derek was off, plugging the bath and turning on the taps pouring in Harry's favourite bubble bath – which thankfully wasn't an overpowering scent – it hadn't been what he smelt like before, so he'd clearly changed it with a werewolf in mind which warmed him immensely.

"How was she?" Harry asked, using his big toe to toe off his socks, slumped on the bed, oh, he couldn't wait to sleep. Leaning down, he grabbed his phone out of his trouser pocket, and was about to head around to the other side of the bed – too exhausted to crawl across his head – if he did that, he'd just fall asleep he knew it. His battery was dead, he needed to charge it up just in case he was called in, but he doubted that.

"I've got it," Derek said taking the phone off of Harry, and throwing it on the bed, as he guided his exhausted mate towards the bathroom.

Harry admittedly tried stopping, but with a werewolf for a mate, it was an exercise in futility. Added with his exhaustion, he truly didn't stand a chance at all. He just wanted to sleep, "What are you doing? I'm tired…" he wanted to appreciate Derek for helping him, as sudden as it was, he really did but the exhaustion was dragging him down. That and Derek was so, so warm even through his Henley, and he was still freezing cold.

He had been that exhausted he hadn't even had the energy to reapply the warming charm to his clothes the millionth time. You'd think he'd be used to the long sleepless hours, but going more than forty-eight hours without a single wink of sleep – or much of a sit down – sucked so much.

"I know, you're cold, you need to warm up," Derek murmured, his voice soft and soothing. The voice he usually used to soothe his little sister, Cora, when she was upset. He didn't know everything about humans or their illnesses, just what he'd seen. He did know that humans – even wizards – could catch hypothermia and things like that being too cold. Who knows how long he'd been out in the cold…or why, "Get in," making sure it wasn't too warm, and put the facet off once the bath was filled.

"You joining me?" Harry asked when Derek efficiently stripped and directed them both into it.

"You don't look like you've got the energy to stay awake," Derek replied, happy to allow Harry to fully lean against him. It felt really good to have his mate depending on him. It almost made him purr in delight.

"Mmm, it does feel good," Harry said, sinking as far under the bubbles and water as possible. Not worried about Derek being able to take his weight, he'd seen what he could bench press, and that was the entire machine and the weights just because. "So, Laura?" poor Derek didn't have anyone else to talk to her about. His feelings for his big sister were so mixed up. He loved and hated her in equal measures. Loved her wholly, she kept him going after the fire, on the other hand she'd abandoned not only Peter but Cora too.

"She's accepted three Beta's," Derek confessed, tightening his hold around Harry's middle for a single moment before easing a little. "She spent the entire time talking about them…she refused to even acknowledge Cora or Uncle Peter were alive. Even with their scents on me, she just spoke over me when I tried to tell her the progress they'd made." Hurt suffusing his voice. It's like she wasn't his sister anymore. It was as if she was just this…callous hurtful person…how could she be that way?

Harry felt a deep sense of sadness for Derek, for what he was going through. He couldn't fix it, and it was rare he came across something he couldn't fix. Except his relationship with the Weasley's which had deteriorated to the point of no return. He missed them though, they were his family. He forced his hand up, rubbing it up and down Derek's arm, which was becoming a little more muscular the longer they were together. "Have you spoken to her therapist?" he asked quietly.

Derek shrugged, revealing that he hadn't spoken to him, but rather the man had spoken to Derek.

"What did he say?" Harry questioned, as he began to wash himself, his moves lax but hurried.

"Not much, he's not allowed to," Derek muttered in quiet complaint, but also grudging respect. He knew how he looked; how dangerous he could appear but the man had barely flinched. "I just don't understand…why is she abandoning everyone?"

Swallowing thickly, "It's not easy, when you abandon everything, you know and run, the denial runs very deep. So much so I doubt you or Cora or even Peter will hear her say she's sorry." Thinking on Remus, who could have told him so much about his family but hadn't done so. Packed up and Harry hadn't heard from him until the Order was reunited. It was almost as if Remus hadn't cared about him at all. It honestly baffled him as to why he'd been named as Teddy's godfather for all Remus seemed to care. Then again…everyone else that Remus knew had died by that point.

"She didn't abandon me…" Derek protest was half-hearted mostly only because she had abandoned him now. She'd taken on three Beta's and hadn't asked him to be one of hers. Yes, he had another Alpha…but what if he didn't have another Alpha? "She didn't ask me to her Beta." Getting to the root of what was really upsetting him.

"Did she know you had another Alpha?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Derek nodded, taking over and beginning to clean Harry's back, curiosity raising in him, at the low stirring arousal and happiness consuming his mate. All he was doing was wiping his back yet he was reacting as if he was doing something amazing. He'd never gotten that sort of reaction before.

Then again, Derek realized with a sort of subdued resignation, that Harry had primarily been making sure he and Peter were okay, that Cora and Malia were alright. None of them had paused much to make care of Harry. Then again, it wasn't Cora or Malia's place…nor was it Peter's Derek realized quietly horrified.

It was the Alpha mate, and like it or not – whether it had been in his plans or not – he should be there for Harry when he needed him. Just like his father was there for his mother when she needed him. Even if they hadn't always agreed or seen eye to eye, he was always there for her through the good and bad.

"Perhaps that's what has allowed her to let you go? She knows she's not good for you." Harry suggested, almost slurring his words he was so tired. "You've all suffered from a horrendous trauma. Laura needs three Beta's to centre herself, to focus on, and to make herself a better Alpha."

"How can she when they're all there because of Trauma?" Derek asked entirely baffled by his point.

"They aren't Derek, most of them are there for safety while seeking an Alpha." Harry said, craning his neck to see Derek properly, "Haven't you read the pamphlets I gave you?" then again with his Uni work it was no surprise he was a little reluctant to read more.

"The relevant information," Derek said, a sheepish look on his face, urging Harry to lie down in the bath – he loved wizards – the bath was big enough for both of them and then some. It was like being in a pool.

"Those that don't have an Alpha but know about the magical world, go there, they have a temporary collective alpha, while they wait on being assigned a suitable one." Harry revealed, "So far we've helped one hundred and eight Beta's find Alpha's. We hope to grow the programme, so that they can find Emissaries as well. Ones that aren't Druids." They in his opinion couldn't be trusted at all.

The power they wanted made them rather lax with their duties. What happened to the Hales should never have happened, the Emissary should have been there to help them. He really had to have another conversation with Peter about how Talia had run her pack. For he believed she ran it vastly different from what every other pack out there.

"The majority of the supernatural world is largely unaware of MACUSA, but as my department expands, so does the people in the know." Harry said puffing out proudly, and he had every right to be proud. They hadn't had much hope for the department, or so Harry personally believed. Why else would they allow someone with no experience at all, pick out his own team and lead a department. Trained before hand or not. "Within the next few years, our presence will be known by everyone in the supernatural community…our reach with extent to every corner of the world."

"Do you think with MACUSA we will be safe?" Derek asked, unplugging the bath with his toe and flicking it over the faucet. 'From hunters' was emphatically understood between them. Derek got them both out of the bath, and wrapped a towel around Harry, he was already drying quite quickly.

"Safer than right now, yes," Harry sluggishly nodded his head, everything hurt, his eyes, his head, at least he wasn't cold and better yet, his ass wasn't numb either. "There's always going to be hunters, but they are no longer working in the shadows anymore. Each life they take, they will answer for." he vowed, "Their so called, Vigilante justice ended the moment I signed on the contract. They just don't know."

Derek led his exhausted mate through the bedroom, drying him curious over the reactions he gleaned from him. "Has nobody ever done this for you before?" if Harry were a werewolf, he was pretty sure he'd be purring. He knew Harry had lost his family while young, and didn't have a good upbringing but surely someone had coddled him a little at least?

He was acting totally touch starved.

Harry snorted at the very idea, "I think I've received six hugs from Hermione after either life-threatening events or a hug going to school." His voice was matter of fact, not at all self-pitying at all. "Five maybe from my…ex-best friends mum, and her, the memories are all tainted." Shuddering anew, he refused to dwell on the sexual relationship he'd been forced into with Ginny. He couldn't, he'd already broken once, he couldn't do it again and pick up the pieces.

Harry somehow staggered into a pair of boxers while Derek reigned in control of himself. Managing to sheath his claws so that he didn't hurt Harry. however, the rumbling of Harry's stomach had him exiting the bedroom while he regained his composure.

Did Harry feel like that whenever his own sexual assault – and that's what it was and he could admit that to himself he had been underage – was thought about? Probably, but he had such control over his emotions that he was rather envious. He'd spent his entire life struggling to control himself.

He had a feeling that Kate would regret everything by the time Harry and his people, his team were through with her.

It was a very satisfying thought, not enough to come to terms with the loss of his family.

Derek quickly heated up two sausage rolls, and made a few sandwiches for them. Cutting them into small bite sizes, or at least Harry's portion. He wasn't sure how long Harry would remain awake; he'd expected him to zonk out before this. once he had the food prepped and plated, he grabbed two butterbeers from the fridge.

When he made his way back through, Harry was cuddled in, propped up on the pillows. Drowsy, but he made a very enticing picture, it made Derek want. He noticed the phone was plugged in too, putting the plate on his lap, he handed over the butterbeer before getting in beside him. He wasn't sure whether he got the courage from, but Derek wasn't afraid of moving forward. Perhaps it was Harry's unconditional acceptance, perhaps it was Harry's reactions…the fact he knew he was so touch starved. Or maybe, just maybe…he was beginning to heal at long last.

Derek wrapped his arms around Harry, pleased with the scent of happiness and delight. He was such a fool for denying himself and Harry this.

"Do you feel better after visiting Laura?" Harry asked softly, his breath tickling Derek's neck.

Derek paused for a few moments before murmuring, "No," if anything he just felt miserable, which was why he'd stayed here, not having Harry there made him doubly miserable. Peter had probably been glad to see the back of him.

"Then you should think on whether it's worthwhile going," Harry said, before shoving the sausage into his mouth, he was suddenly ravenously hungry. "It can't always be about her, your life, needs and wants should be considered too. If she's hurting you, Derek, maybe you should consider not going for a few months. You never know, she might heal in those few months enough to actually listen to you if and when you go." whether she came out of her denial it wasn't known.

"Maybe," Derek said quietly, brows furrowed making him look constipated not thoughtful. He didn't think he had it in him. To abandon Laura, to abandon his Alpha – she would always be his Alpha just like his mom would always be his Alpha – it wasn't who he was, he'd been raised the perfect Beta.

"Just think about it, it might do you both good." Harry said his tone becoming even more slurred.

"Sleep, we'll discuss it in the morning," Derek murmured, never mind that it was actually morning – nearly afternoon technically – his fingers caressing Harry's face in sure even strokes, delighting in the scents that Harry emoted with each touch. It was fast becoming addicting really.

Derek unsurprisingly ended up asleep too, after greedily taking his fill of Harry. He might smell tired, but he looked stunning. He wasn't sure there was anything Harry could do to make himself unappealing to Derek.

The next thing Derek became aware of was that Harry's side of the bed was empty. The bedroom door was open, and Derek fuzzily watched Harry pad into the room, phone in his hand. Derek glanced to the bedside cabinet and wasn't surprised to see the area clear. "You've been called in?" not sure why he was asking like that, Harry ran the department, what he should have said was 'you aren't going in are you?'.

"No, but I really should," Harry said, lips pursed, as he padded back to the bed, stretching out, showing his lithe toned body.

"You really shouldn't, what would you say if one of your team mates came in exhausted?" Derek gave him a pointed look, already knowing the answer.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Not to come in because they could be putting the entire team in danger." Sliding back into the warmth, shimming closer to Derek, putting the plate of food he'd gotten in the middle between them. Turning on his side, staring at Derek glad to see Derek didn't look quite so stressed as he had when he came back in. "I'm sorry for being away so long and being unavailable." He'd noticed all the missed calls from Derek on his phone. Which he would consider 'alarming' in a normal relationship but this was far from normal and Derek had had a lot of things happen of course he'd be concerned.

"Which is exactly what you'd be doing," Derek stated, "Why the urgency anyway?" Harry was usually pretty level headed about things. "A new case?" usually he was always full steam ahead when it involved a new case, despite the fact he should just trust his team.

"We've got three teams watching the building we found the child in, so far Kate hasn't made an appearance." Harry said in angered disappointment.

"Why would she? The second she realized the girl was a werewolf I'm surprised she didn't kill her," Derek said bitterly, truly believing that with all his heart. Why would he think otherwise? When Kate had killed nearly his entire family humans and all? "I'm surprised she actually allowed herself to give birth to a child that could possibly be a werewolf." The relief he felt that the baby wasn't his was paramount.

"We, uh, we found out more information from the kids," Harry confessed, stretching out, plucking a piece of cheese and eating it. "Apparently Kate used to take them out, once it's been confirmed they were a Were that is. She'd get them to point out anything that was supernatural. More interested in werewolf packs. The baby might be the reason she was around them, either wanting to force out the change or stop it. We won't know until we catch her."

Derek's green eyes flashed supernaturally blue, smouldering in rage and no small amount of fear. He wasn't sure he'd ever get over what Kate had done to him. He'd like to say he would, but what someone wants and what happens is two different things. At least he wasn't flinching and freezing entirely when he thought of the huntress. "I dread to think what she would have been like with a…"

"Loyal child that happened to be a werewolf?" Harry fully agreed.

"I used to think a werewolf wouldn't survive without an Alpha, an Alpha werewolf." Derek said quietly, their words seem to be even louder in the silence of the night. "Until you came along." Now he was realizing humans can be Alpha's.

"I'm not the only human Alpha out there, Leona has five Betas who don't care that she's a witch, or that she's technically human," Harry said, and better still, there can be no betrayal since the powers won't 'transfer' out of her into any Beta that could attempt to kill her. "They're all teens and it's so good for them, allowed them to settled down and have some semblance of a good life." finish up their education and Leona would know what to do to see that they could go to any Uni they wanted, by asking other Alpha's for permission.

"Good life…not normal?" Derek said peering at Harry through abashed lashes.

"This is normal Derek, everyone has their own version of it," Harry reassured him, pressing a kiss to his broad shoulder, not in an attempt to start anything, but reassure. Muffling a yawn, he sleepily stared at Derek his fondness showing through. "Where are Peter and the others?" he'd noticed it was very, very quiet and their absence through the wards.

"Where was the pup found?" Derek asked anxiously, praying it wasn't New York.

"Maine," Harry confessed, "We're keeping our eyes out, everyone is getting in touch with schools, and personally taking pictures to the secretaries if there's a new female on the faculty. So far, they haven't had any luck with any new members to the schools' faculties, especially with suspicious circumstances. They still have hundreds to get through…but we'll get there." He wasn't as confident as he'd like to be, everything else failed when it came to finding the Argents.

Even their contacts, who had never failed before. Money was a very good incentive.

Derek swallowed, Maine, that was too close, way too close for comfort. Anywhere was too close to comfort when you thought about it.

Harry wrapped his arm around Derek's stomach, "She couldn't get in here even if she knew you were here. You remember what happened to you?"

Derek relaxed fully before giving a short curt laugh.

"That's better," Harry said with a smile, Derek's eyes crinkled when he was really happy, but never left a single wrinkle. Which wouldn't happen, obviously, werewolves' bodies if you looked after them, could live hundreds of years, more than wizards and witches for sure, after all Were's could heal from all ailments and attacks. "Where's everyone?" he couldn't quite recall any of them being gone overnight, let alone all three of them.

"The New York Magical Forest, they're camping, Uncle Peter took your advice," Derek told him, wrapping his legs around Harry, stopping him from tickling him with his feet. To call it a mere forest was ridiculous, it was hundreds of acres of land, with cabins, and lots and stuff for camping and meeting up and just running around like crazy. Magically concealed so that everyone was safe, and Derek wished he'd known about it, the thought of just letting go and running as he should, it would have been amazing.

"Shall we join them tomorrow?" Harry asked, nose to nose with Derek, green eyes gleaming, that's if he wasn't called in, but if he was well, it didn't stop him having fun until that point. He honestly didn't think they would call him in unless it was completely unavoidable. "See who's faster, you or my broomstick, I haven't gone flying for years." Ignoring the choked incredulous laugh that left Derek's mouth half way through his statement.

Harry shoved Derek, rolling his eyes but secretly pleased.

"Yes. Uncle Peter is probably dying for a proper cup of coffee," it might not do anything for them…but it was something he was used to. Routine meant everything, being able to have a routine meant everything.

Harry smiled a little, ignoring the need Derek felt to defend his answer. That and the need to extrapolate another reason – that wasn't him – to get to go. Was it with living with siblings that caused it? With his mom? Or just because Derek didn't think he was deserving.

Curled up, both slept some more, the alarm curiously already set for early morning so that Harry and Derek could go meet the rest of the Hales.

It was good to have family.


A/N – Oh god you thought I was going to have Derek/Kate have a child? Goodness no! Definitely not, at least not for this one, having Malia is enough for this story right now 😊 plus with Harry's career and Derek's education…they're both too busy and Peter definitely wouldn't want to take care of two children, never mind an Argent 😉 so you guys like Harry's work being a primary focus along with Derek/Harry? That's good because I think that might stay that way 😊 he is the boss after all and it's his department. I'm sort of struggling on how to bring the Argents into it…caught in the act? One of the team's contacts coming through? Or taken down while out for breakfast or worse with her next 'target'? R&R please