Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It’s a Friday when Stiles is driving to Beacon Hills. He just got his diploma and he can’t wait to show it to his dad, and to brag about it to his friends. He hasn’t been back in town since last year’s Christmas and he seriously can’t wait to hug his dad. Sheriff John Stilinski is not there, though, so he needs to wait at least another week to do that. They had plans for this; his father was going to go to LA so he could see his son graduating from university but there was a last-minute emergency in Sacramento and as the Sheriff he couldn’t say no. So they decided they were going to see each other when his dad came back, and they were going to have a big celebration. Stiles finished his degree a year before the stipulated and is now having an existential crisis because he doesn’t know what to do with his life just yet.

A few years back, when Mr. McCall offer him a place in George Washington University, Stiles thought he had everything figured out. Being a Pre-FBI major was everything he wanted because following his dad’s steps was his life-long dream. But life doesn’t happen as you want because life's a bitch and Stiles have had that clear since his mother passed away. When he was in his second year, Scott called him saying that his dad had a heart attack, he was in the hospital, but he was ok, Melissa was taking good care of him. So when he found out there was a way to be studying a little bit closer to home, he took it without thinking it twice. His father was stubborn, just like him, and as soon as he was on his feet again, he went back to work and continued his duties as the Sheriff. Stiles begged him for long weeks that it was better if he just retired, that Parrish was going to be a good Sheriff, but he ignored all his pleas and just continued working.

When he sees the ‘Welcome to Beacon Hills’ sign he starts to worry. It’s destroyed in half and a bad feeling settles on his chest. Scott didn’t tell him they were having a problem right now, he actually seemed happy when they skyped because the town was passing a period of peacefulness, and that worried him more right now. What if Scott and the rest of the pack were in trouble? What if something happened right after they hung up and Scott didn’t have the time to tell him? What if something happened to them? Stiles is too distracted thinking about all the possible outcomes that he doesn’t see the big troll that literally came from the sky and makes him crush his Jeep into it. The accident leaves him unconscious for about two minutes and when he wakes up he’s being tugged from one of his feet.

Awesome. Take the puny human. That always seems to be the way they go, he thinks before passing out again.

Chapter Text

When he wakes up again, he’s tied up to a chair because of course they would tie him up and his body hurts like hell. God, that accident is going to leave marks. After blinking a few moments, he realizes that his head hurts, he’s a little dizzy, his ears are ringing and it really should be alarming how well he can recognize a concussion. He’s just grateful that he isn’t having temporary amnesia or vomiting, or losing consciousness, for that matter.

“Boss, he’s awake again.”

Well, perhaps he just doesn’t remember it? And well, he’s still trapped here until Scott and the rest of the pack figure out where he is. Unless, something happened to them meanwhile he was unconscious? God, he really needs to know what’s happening.

“Uh, yeah. I’m awake. Again apparently… Who are you exactly and why am I being kidnapped?” he asks trying to look for persons in the room. The room fills with shining blue and yellow eyes. “Ah… wolves.”

“Yes, dear.” A terrifying voice says and Stiles feels his spine go cold.

“I’m just gonna say that, I haven’t seen you and you already terrify me. Just lying that on the table.” He moves his hands, even though they’re tied up behind his back.

The person lets out a laugh and says: “It’s good to know that.” And after a moment of lurking in the shadows, the werewolves hidden make their appearance.

“So, you are a whole pack, who happens to have a troll at their hand… That’s… useful?” The Alpha laughs again.

“You could say that. Trolls are somewhat stupid, it’s quite easy to make treats with them. You should try it sometime.”

“That means you’re going to let me live my life.” Stiles says, he intends the phrase to sound as a matter of fact, but it sounds nervous.

“Yes, we’re going to let you live, as soon as we get what we want.” The Alpha says.

“And that is…?” he asks hopeful.

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, Man who runs with wolves, I would tell you, but I actually want to speak it with your Alpha.”

“Worth a try… But, I mean, if you want so much as speak it with him, why didn’t you go to him instead of kidnapping me?” he’s curious this time.

“Because we actually tried to contact the Alpha of this land and as it results, the tittle doesn’t belong to a Hale anymore. We tried to contact the new one but he wouldn’t receive us, so we went and took action.” The Alpha is now sitting down, facing him, the other wolves around the two of them, forming a circle.

The person in front of Stiles has beautiful gray eyes, their hair is blond and short, and he’s a bit stunned by their beauty.

“That’s Scott to you. One of the remaining Hales is traveling around the U.S, so he’s not here at the moment, the other one is living with another pack in South America and Peter… well, nobody knows what Peter does. So, the Alpha, Scott McCall, is the one in charge of this territory.”

“Hmm… Well, I’m sure neither of the Hales would want to be in these lands, I mean, we saw the house and it still smells like death and fire.”

“Yeah” Stiles sighs. “My name is Stiles, by the way. Where are you from?”

“Nice to meet you, Stiles. I’m Alpha Sebastian Jones. This is part of the pack from Minnesota.” Sebastian says. Stiles looks at him and he can see the laugh lines around his mouth, the little wrinkles around his eyes and forehead. He looks like he is forty-or-so-years-old.

“Nice to meet you too.” Stiles says. “Do you have, purely by chance, a first aid kit?” he asks, he feels himself bleeding and his head’s still pounding.

“No. I’m sorry. We decided to travel without the humans of our pack. We didn’t expect the troll was going to jump to your car.” Stiles gives him a look.

“It’s a troll… If I remember correctly he looked like the one in the Harry Potter movies. And that’s something, believe me.” Sebastian laughs with some of the young wolves.

“Yeah, we didn’t think that one through.”

“So… question. How long was I passed out?”

“About a day. You woke up a lot of times, really disorientated, throw up a little bit a couple of times and you were a little amnesiac too.” Sebastian says. “We figured you had a concussion, so we didn’t let you lie on the floor.”

“Thank you. I guess the tying up has something to do with that as well?”

“Yeah. You kept falling from the chair so we tied you. Do you want us to tie you off?”

“That would be really good, yeah.” A couple of wolves stand up and take the rope off. “That feels so much better!” Stiles says with a little smile, robbing his wrists.

Suddenly Sebastian stands up, just like the other wolves, and they look at what Stiles supposes is a door. Then, the supposed-door opens up and Scott, Malia and Liam are there, all human but with glowing red, blue and yellow eyes.

“What’s going on here?” Scott asks with a calm voice.

“Scotty, hey. How you doin’, man?” Stiles asks from his chair and one of the wolves helps him to stand up. “Thank you.”

“We found the Jeep, Stiles…” Malia says with a worried tone.

“Yeah, my bad. I’m sorry for your car.” Sebastian says, eyes glowing red. He’s talking to Stiles but his eyes are on Scott's.

“It’s ok, it’s not the first time that something like that happens. Scott, this is the pack from Minnesota, and this is their Alpha, Sebastian Jones.” Stiles says trying to walk, being helped by the same wolf who helped him up.

“It’s nice to meet you, Alpha Jones.” Scott says sounding confused.

“You too, Alpha McCall.”

“Can I ask why did you kidnapped my best friend?” he asks looking directly at Stiles, and then looking again at Sebastian.

“Well, we tried to communicate with you but you didn’t answer us, so we decided to drag your attention to us.” Sebastian answers calmly.

“You did? I didn’t have any notification.” Scott says frowning.

“Well, then. Apparently, you have someone who wants you to have a conflict between packs.”

“No. I mean, our emissary, Dr. Alan Deaton, hasn’t come back from his trip yet. That’s why I didn’t know.”

“Guys, I mean, I’m sure you have a lot to talk about, but breakable human here. With a mild concussion and a lot of wounds. Might be good to have Melissa’s hands on this, please?” He says pointing at himself.

“Liam, take Stiles to the hospital. And tell my mom I’ll be having a guest for dinner.”

“Sure thing. Come on, Stiles. Let’s get you patched up and lectured by Melissa.”

Chapter Text

Liam takes the Toyota to drive him to the hospital. He’s talking about how his classes are and that he might need a little bit of help with some of them but he’s going to ask for a tutor next week so he thinks he’ll be fine. They’re passing in front of the Police Station and Stiles gets distracted. His heart pounding like crazy.

“Are you ok?” Liam asks.

“Pull over.” Stiles says. “We need to get to the police station. Now.” Stiles is taking off his seat belt, ready to jump off the car. Liam catches him and they walk together.

“What’s wrong?” Liam asks, but Stiles doesn’t answer, being too focused on keeping his breathing steady.

When they enter, Parrish is there, looking sad and frowny. Someone is talking to him and after a minute or so, the person moves to the back to talk to the other deputies, not before telling him, ‘Congratulations, and I’m sorry’. Parrish looks lost for a moment after nodding, then he looks at the entry and see Stiles and Liam.

“Stiles, what happened to you?” he asks worried, coming to them.

After figuring out how to control the Hellhound and starting to do it consciously, Deputy Parrish could go back to his life as a police officer.

“Where’s my dad?” Stiles asks, his voice sounding forced.

“Stiles…” Parrish says with an apprehensive tone and sad eyes.

“Tell me where is my dad, Parrish!” Stiles feels his eyes watering a little bit.

“He died in an altercate in Sacramento.”

After that, Stiles only listens a few parts of the story. Liam is nodding and holding him close, but he can’t seem to wrap his head around the fact that his dad is dead. Parrish says something about him dying like a hero, protecting a pregnant woman in the police station of Sacramento because, apparently, the person they caught wasn’t working alone, and the partner went looking for revenge. He tells him that said person shot him in the head and that he died instantly, that he did it doing what he knew better: protecting the people that deserves to be protected. And that he’s very sorry this happened. When Parrish stops talking, Stiles moves and tries to walk to the entry.

“Let’s go to the hospital, Liam.” Stiles says with a monotone voice and passes out a little bit after he sits on the car.

Chapter Text

When Stiles wakes up again, he’s in a hospital room. Scott, Melissa and Lydia are there, sitting beside his bed and talking quietly. He sits up, looks at them confused and when he see their sad eyes, his’ start to water.

“Please tell me it’s not real.” Stiles says looking at the three of them. “Scott. Please tell me it was my concussion and that my dad’s ok.” He bites his lip and holds the sob is threatening to get out of this throat.

“I’m so sorry, Stiles.” Scott says blinking, letting the tears roll on his cheeks.

“Oh my god.” Stiles sobs, trying desperately to wipe his tears out of his face. “No… not my dad…”. All three sit on the bed and hug Stiles while he cries, trying to tell him ‘everything is going to be ok’ but being stopped by their own sobs. “The last time I saw him was on Christmas…”

After calming a little bit, Stiles asks Melissa if he can stay the night in the hospital, feeling too wrecked to go to an empty house full of memories, Melissa assures him it’s ok and that she’s going to pick him up in the morning.

Stiles doesn’t sleep that night. Instead, he cries from time to time, when the sudden thought of not being able to hug him anymore comes to his mind, or the fact that now he had a too-big house to try and call home, with all his clothes and books and photos, or that he’s lost both his parents too soon.

Chapter Text

The funeral passes in a blur. Stiles doesn’t remember most of it, he thinks he was on pilot mode the whole time, only waking up a little when he had to recognize his body and when they started to pull the coffin down. He can’t seem to get the image of the hole in his dad’s forehead out of his head. When he’s home again, alone in his room, hugging one of his dad’s shirts, all the loneliness his friends were trying to avoid hits him and he cries again. He feels his chest tighten every time he thinks about going into his room and see the empty bed, see the closet full of clothes, see the desk full of files, see the bottles of liquor… He wanders around the house after calming down, feeling a knot on his throat. He goes to the kitchen and opens the cabinets just to find a box of cheerios and he starts crying all over again, sitting on the floor and biting his hand to keep himself from sobbing too loud.

Somehow, he passes out and his sleep is dreamless.

Chapter Text

He takes the decision a few weeks after the funeral. The department gives him insurance and he uses the money to fix all the damages the Jeep has, pretty much because he doesn’t want to have that money at hand. The house is too full of memories and he still hasn’t gotten himself worked up to sort his dad’s stuff, not even wanting to go inside the room just yet.

When he opens the door the first time, the thought just comes to his head. He can’t be here anymore. He doesn’t belong here. He can’t stay in this house. He needs to leave. With determination, he picks a couple of boxes and puts everything that belonged to his dad in there, just keeping one of his jackets and his cologne, deciding to donate the rest of the stuff.

After leaving the boxes in charity, he goes to a real-estate and does all the paperwork to sell his house, furniture included. The woman who helps him looks at him with condescending eyes and he can’t help but feel that he needs to leave right now. She explains to him that the process may take a couple of weeks but that everything should be sealed up by the end of the month. He thanks her and then goes to buy a ‘For sale’ sign and puts it in the front of the house.

Chapter Text

The first one who shows up after putting the sign is Lydia. His greater love didn’t last too much after they both started college, but they remained friends and he still loves her, but not with the same force. Lydia’s always going to be a big part of my life, he decides one day, but we’re holding each other back. Right now, though? Right now, Stiles doesn’t feel like having guests, and Lydia doesn’t look like she’s visiting anymore, even if she has a casserole in her hands.

“What’s the meaning of this?” she asks, her voice sounds angry, and her eyes look like fire. She moves her hand and points the sign.

“I’m leaving Beacon Hills.” He says simply, moving a little bit so she can enter the house.

“What!?” she asks as soon as Stiles stops speaking.

“I’m leaving Beacon Hills.” He says again, knowing she heard him the first time.

“Are you crazy!?”

“No, Lydia. I’m not crazy.” He says with a monotone voice.

“Why the hell do you want to leave Beacon Hills!?”

“Why? Are you seriously asking me why!?” Stiles yells, feeling all the anger he’s being feeling settle in his chest. “Because there’s nothing here for me, Lydia!” his eyes start watering but he doesn’t let himself cry.

“You can’t do that, Stiles! Think about all of us! You have us!” she yells back.

“I’m tired of thinking about you! I’m tired of worrying and getting hurt! I’m tired of putting you all first! I’m tired of being kidnapped every time I set a foot on these lands! When was the last time you got kidnapped, huh?” Lydia doesn’t answer. “It was when we were still in high school, Lydia! Do you know when was the last time I got kidnapped? The day before my father died! This is me putting myself first! You need to understand that. And there’s nothing you can do or say that’s going to make me stay here. I don’t want to be here!”

Lydia gives him a pained look, sets the casserole on the table and goes to the front door.

“Goodbye, Stiles.”

Chapter Text

The next person who comes to his door is Scott. The real-state woman had called a few minutes before the knock, telling him the house is sold and that he’ll be receiving the money the next morning, officially giving the house key to the new owners next week. When he opens the door, he feels the sudden wave of sadness drowning him. He’s going to leave his best friend here, his brother. But no, he tells himself, reassuring, it’s not like I’m going to disappear. Scott will be here.

“Hey, man…” Scott’s eyes are sad. They look at each other for a moment and soon they have their arms around their bodies, keeping themselves close, holding on tight.

“How can someone do it?” Stiles murmurs, feeling his voice cracking up a bit. “Parents continue to be parents when they lose a child” he continues, letting himself being pushed inside of the house. “But what if a child loses their parents? What else is left?” he asks, more to himself than to Scott. He knows he’s socking his best friend’s shirt wet, but he can’t bring himself to care about that. Being in Scott’s arms feels good, it feels safe. “I just… I can’t seem to know how to breath sometimes. And I keep forgetting he’s not here every time I’m making breakfast. Or when I go to his room, it’s all empty and I… I finished his cologne, putting it in one coat, Scott… I don’t want to forget how he smelled. Or his voice. Or how he looked… I… I don’t know how to live.”

“It’s ok if you don’t know, Stiles.” Scott says, his voice soothing. “No one is asking you to know how to do it on your own. You’re going to figure it out somehow, I know you will, but right now? Right now, you just need to do what you feel is best for you.”

“I’m leaving.” Stiles says softly.

“I know. I heard your conversation. It’s ok, you know that, right? We’ll all be here. If you need to get away from here, it’s ok. You do what you need to do.”

“It’s just… I don’t know when I’ll be back. It could be a month, or a year… Or it could be never. I don’t know for sure.”

“It doesn’t matter. Whatever you feel comfortable of doing, it doesn’t matter, ok? Just, don’t be a stranger, man. Keep me updated on what you’re doing. Text me or call me, just tell me how you are. I’m just a text or a phone call away, ok?”

“Thank you.”

“You’ll always be part of our lives, Stiles, doesn’t matter if you’re miles away. Now, come on, I’ll help you pack a few things for your trip, and tomorrow we’re going to buy you a new phone.”

He loves Scott. Scott is safe, is warm. Scott is his brother.

Chapter Text

The moment he lends his house’s keys, he feels like some kind of weight is lifted from his shoulders, and something like anger at himself, all at the same time. He believes he’ll never be able to put a foot inside of the house once he starts his trip. Hell, he doesn’t even think he’ll be able to put a foot on Beacon Hills again. Before taking the route to Sacramento, Stiles decides to do a last visit to the place that started it all: the Hale house. He drives in automatic pilot until he reaches the place. There was supposed to be a house here, Stiles thinks when he sees the empty property. Without even thinking it he grabs his phone, opens Derek’s contact number and types a message.

Stiles: Hey dude, I was passing by the Hale house and I discovered that it’s not there anymore… Did you sell it?

Stiles: This is Stiles, btw, I changed my number.

Derek doesn’t answer right away and Stiles is not expecting him to, he just leans in his seat and observes the big square that was the Hale house. Somehow, the air doesn’t feel that heavy anymore; it feels clean, free, the way a house around the woods should feel. Stiles feels his cellphone vibrate after solid ten minutes of waiting.

THE Hale: Saved. Yeah, I sold the property to the people managing the Preserve. I think they’re going to do a greenhouse in there.

Stiles: A greenhouse? They have a full forest in here!

THE Hale: I don’t know. That’s what they said before I left. You’ll have to keep me updated.

Stiles: Um… I can’t, dude. I’m leaving BH.

THE Hale: Ok.

See? This is why he likes Derek, he doesn’t pressure things, he has patience. He knows that if Stiles has to say something, he’ll say it. Now or eventually. And right now, he doesn’t feel in the mood of sharing the “news” to anyone. And, come on, Scott probably told him. He doesn’t need to tell Derek everything that happened in the past few weeks, Scott is a good Alpha and he keeps tabs on everybody, Including puppy Isaac, who’s still in France, somehow. Stiles has no doubt it was to do with his looks and his kicked puppy face. He feels his phone vibrate again.

THE Hale: I heard what happened to your dad and that you graduated. I know you don’t want to hear ‘sorry’ so I won’t say that. He was a good man, Stiles, and you both were lucky you had each other, I’m sure he’s proud of you somewhere. Congratulations on your graduation.

Stiles feels the knot again and this time he can’t bring himself to decipher if it’s because of sadness, or if it’s because nobody but Derek can understand what he’s feeling, or because he’s happy someone actually congratulated him on his achievement, or a mix of the three.

Stiles: Thanks, man. I really appreciate it.

THE Hale: Any time.

Chapter Text

Before arriving to Sacramento, Stiles spends the night in a motel in San Joaquin. It shouldn’t have taken him that long, he should have been in Sacramento by night, but the amount of stops he did to eat, refill the gas and cry took the best part of himself. Later that night, when he can’t sleep, he decides he’s not going to Sacramento at all. Instead, he plans on taking the other route right to Contra Costa and drive to Solano next, and then to Napa. He doesn’t actually know where to go but he has enough money to stay in a motel pretty much every night for the next few months.

“This is good” he tells himself. “This is a good therapy… getting away from the others and the memories is good.”

He takes his phone and texts Scott.

Stiles: I’m not going to Sacramento. I’m in San Joaquin.

Scotty Bro: K, dude. Text me when you get wherever you’re going, then.

Stiles: Yeah. Have a nice night, Scott.

Scotty Bro: You too, buddy. My mom sends her regards.

“Ah, Melissa.” Stiles smiles at the thought of his best friend’s mother. “She would have been a great wife and companion to you, don’t you think, dad? I’m sure she’s upset because you left without her telling her feelings for you.”

Because yeah. Stiles knew since the beginning that Chris and Melissa wouldn’t last. And that the whole unresolved sexual and romantic tension between both McCall and Stilinski would resolve anytime soon. He knew his father felt butterflies for Melissa, he saw it in his eyes, and Stiles was sure his mom would have approved her.

After a few long beats, when Stiles is almost asleep, he feels his phone buzz again. With annoyance, he picks it up and stares at the message with wide, open eyes.

Scotty Bro: DUDE!!! MY MOM JUST TOLD ME SHE CAME FROM HER SHIFT THIS LATE BECAUSE SHE WAS WAITING FOR SOME RESULTS. SHE’S PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“WHAT?” He says after Scott picks his phone.

“I KNOW, RIGHT!?” He sounds excited, happy even. Stiles feels the joyfulness of the whole ‘new baby’ thing on his stomach.

“Let me talk to her! I want to congratulate her!” Stiles feels the smile on his face, and he realizes he hasn’t smiled since he heard about his father.

“About that…  There’s something else, dude.”

“What is it?”

“Um… How do I explain this…?” To Stiles’ ears, Scott sounded like when he was in high school.

“Just tell me, dude.”

“Um. Your father is, was, sort of, the father of my mom’s baby.” Scott sounds uncomfortable and he somehow manages to catch Melissa’s sob.

“You’re saying that…  My dad and Melissa figure it out without telling us and that there is a baby coming without a father and one of his brothers?” Stiles lets his smile fade away.

“The part of the figuring out is true. The father thing is also true. But they still have you. Even though you’re not here, man. We can skype with my mom and you can be all kinds of over the place, even though you’re not here. Nothing have ever stopped you before, you know that.”

“Yeah… Yeah… I think I should go back.”

“No. No, don’t do that, man. You’re not ready to come back, ok? It’s going to fuck you…” Stiles heard the Scott, language in Melissa’s distinct voice. “Sorry. It’s going to mess up with your head even more. When you’re ready, you’re ready man. You have all the time to meet them, ok?”

“Man, I love you. You’re a great brother and Alpha” Stiles murmurs. “If we were texting, I’ll be putting a lot of heart emojis here.” He hears Scott chuckles.

“I love you too, buddy. Now, go to sleep. I’m sure you have a big day tomorrow and you want to start it as early as possible.”

“Yeah… Have a good night.”

“You too.”

After hanging up, Stiles realizes he had been thinking about the whole Dad&Melissa thing, and he wonders if he, somehow, developed mind powers and now he can make things happen. He starts wishing really hard for a pizza getting wrongly delivered by his motel room door, but nothing happens. Not even after he falls asleep.

Chapter Text

When he hits the road the next day, he doesn’t know what to expect. He knows the trip is going to last, at least, four hours and he’ll be getting there a little bit before lunch. What he's going to do after that? He wants to take his time to explore new places and find something to do while he’s at it. Perhaps he can be a travel-detective? Like those hunters in Supernatural. He can go to a city and find if they need help… Yeah, that would be good, he thinks, but how can I get people to know my work if I, for once, don’t have work-related experience, only with the supernatural stuff… ohhhh, hello opportunity!

He takes his phone the moment he reaches a side-rode restaurant, orders something to eat and texts Danny.

Stiles: Dude, I need your help!

Dannyboy: What do you need?

Dannyboy: It doesn’t have anything to do with hacking, right?

Stiles: Dude. That was ONE TIME.

Stiles: And no. I want to create a website offering my services as detective but in the supernatural world.

Dannyboy: It could happen again, who knows with you.

Dannyboy: Sure. It could be really helpful.

Stiles: That’s what I thought! And now that I’m traveling it’s easier.

Dannyboy: Send me the details and all the information you want to have on your site and I’ll send you the link when it’s finished.

Stiles: Thanks, Danny. How much will it cost?

Dannyboy: We can arrange that after your first payment ;)

Stiles: Sure thing. Dinner or something? We haven’t seen each other for a while.

Dannyboy: Exactly. See you then.

Stiles: See ya.

His friendship with Danny was mostly based on human-only, mutual things. Having all of their friends be something belonging to a fairy tale or a creature that wanders in the night made them bond and actually develop a camaraderie. Although Danny left town, he was still in touch with Scott and Jackson, and after a while Stiles contacted him because why not? Danny was nice. Everybody loved Danny. Why should change that now? And since Stiles moved for college, they meet once in a while to have lunch or dinner together and talk shit about all things happening in the normal and supernatural world. It's kind of nice.

He texts Danny his information, making somewhat a card with all the important things, like his full name (Danny takes the chance to make fun of him for it), his nickname, his phone number, his e-mail, the reason why he’s involved in all the supernatural thing going on, which pack he belongs to, the list of things they had to encounter in Beacon Hills. Simple stuff. Danny replies telling him it’ll be done by the end of the next day and that, after everything is settled, he has to advertise it on his own to make people come to him. Stiles figures he can do that himself while he travels, offering his services for a low price, and telling people to spread the word and go to his website.

Chapter Text

When he reaches Contra Costa, it's past midday and the sun is burning into his skin. He goes to a restaurant, orders his food and waits watching the other ones there. There are, at least, four werewolves in a table in the corner of the place and they’re looking at him suspiciously. He supposes he has to greet their Alpha and explain that he means no harm.

“My name is Stiles Stilinski” he murmurs and stares at them. “I’m part of the McCall pack in Beacon Hills, former Hale territory. I didn’t know Contra Costa had a pack installed. I would like to meet your Alpha and explain that I mean no harm.” He finishes looking openly at the four of them, they stand up and walk right to him, the waitress looks confused for a second and goes back to the counter, Stiles supposes to change the table on their orders. The werewolves sit with him and they stare at him for a few minutes. Stiles only waits until they’re done with the sniffing thing.

“I’m Jensen” one of them says. He has long, curly hair, a little below his shoulders and he, somehow, is reminded of Isaac, he makes a mental note to text him later to know how he is. “This is Sam”, he points a girl across Stiles and she nods as greeting. “He is Carlos” points the guy who’s sitting beside Stiles and he gives him a little shoulder bump. “And this is Susan.” He points at the other girl sitting between Jensen and Carlos, just outside the booth.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Stiles says with a little smile and then an uncomfortable silence settles between the five.

“I’m sure you want to meet our Alpha as soon as possible but we need to talk to her first, make your visit announced. Are you staying somewhere?” Sam asks, flipping her blonde hair in a very Lydia-like manner.

“No, I haven’t decided where I’m going to stay. I saw a couple motels outside town so I’ll probably check there. But that’ll be almost at night so I’ll probably be hanging in the library or the grocery store, or perhaps the gas station.” He answers, immediately thinking about what he’s going to buy: personal hygiene objects, food so when he hits the road again he doesn’t starve until he finds a restaurant on the street, perhaps a few drinks for the night…

“Stiles!” Jensen almost yells in amusement, seeing that the other guy was distracted.

“Sorry, I was making a list of the things I need from the grocery store.” He answers with an apologetic look.

“Well, here. This is my number. Give me yours. I’ll text you when our Alpha is ready to meet you and then you tell me where you are, that’s good for you?”

“Yeah.”

After the possible meeting is settled Stiles decides to text Scott because, why not? He needs to know there’s a new pack in this town, perhaps they can ally or something.

Stiles: Bro, I’m in Contra Costa and I encountered a pack.

Scotty Bro: A pack? I thought Contra Costa was neutral ground.

Stiles: Same. But I found four were in a restaurant and I’m meeting their Alpha later today or tomorrow morning. You know, to show respect and all that.

Stiles: I’m in their territory after all.

Scotty Bro: Yeah. It’s good you do that. See if they’re interested in an alliance.

Stiles: Sure thing. Gotta leave. My food’s here.

Scott doesn’t answer after that and Stiles digs in his food and forgets for a while he has to meet someone else and decides to wander the city. He encounters an antique store and he goes to see if they have books on supernatural creatures. Who knows, somehow they always had veridic facts. Stiles thinks about writing a book with all the information he has gathered along the years.

Chapter Text

When he’s leaving the antique store, he sees an old woman with a bunch of plastic bags and what looks like groceries. She’s struggling with them and some of the things fall into the ground. He runs towards her and helps her pick a few things up and offers to help her, carrying her bags to her house

“Thank you so much, young man.” Her voice is sweet and fond.

“It’s nothing, miss Forthmoire. I’m glad I could help you.” He answers with a little smile.

“You’re not from here, are you?” she asks while they cross the street.

“No, I’m from Beacon Hills actually. I’m traveling.”

“Oh! A few years ago, there was this young man who came here for a few weeks. He was from Beacon Hills too, perhaps you know him?” she asks turning to the right in one of the corners.

“Maybe. What’s his name?” Stiles doesn’t know a lot of people who had left the city.

“He said his name was Derek Hale.” She answers looking openly at him, looking for any reaction. Stiles shoots his eyebrows up.

“Yeah. I know Derek. He’s a friend of mine.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful! He was very sad when he came here. Had this frowny face and was very difficult making him laugh!” she says with a fond smile.

“That’s Derek for you. Was he alone?” he asks because she didn’t mention Braeden.

“Oh yeah. He mentioned a girl but apparently they had broken up before he arrived town.” Now that was new information. Stiles knew they had broken up but Derek didn’t specify why or when. Knowing it was soon after he left the city was surprising. “He actually helped me rebuild my front porch” she says with a proud smile and Stiles has to go back at that.

“Your front porch?” she nods enthusiastically. “Derek. With tools. And an overall. Managing wood… Are you sure he didn’t ask you to cut his arm off?” Miss Forthmoire laughs brightly and denies with her head. “Do you have pictures? I need them for research purposes.”

“I should have a couple, yes. I couldn’t let pass the fact that an attractive man was rebuilding my porch. The girls in my book club wouldn’t believe me.” This time it’s Stiles who laughs. Ah, he loves old people.

They walk a few more minutes talking about what Stiles is doing in town and how long he plans to stay and Miss Forthmoire tells him about when she was young and how long she traveled with her friends in a truck. They reach a house with a pretty impressive porch and even though he had never seen Derek working with wood, the whole thing has ‘Hale’ printed on it.

“Yup. This is Derek’s work” he says and Miss Forthmoire laughs.

He lets the grocery bags in the kitchen and he’s ready to go when she speaks again.

“Where are you staying?”

“I’m not sure, yet. One of the motels outside town, I think.”

“Nonsense. You should stay here.” Stiles is going to protest when she speaks, interrupting him. “I have a spare room in the second floor you can use, and the bed is more comfortable than the ones in a motel.” She says with a voice that clearly says: ‘I won’t accept a no for an answer’. “Besides, a friend of Derek's is a friend of mine.”

Stiles feels his chest fill with warm at how loving she sounds when she says Derek’s name. He really made an impression, didn’t he?

“Fine. But I need to get my car from outside the antique store.” He says giving up.

“Well, go get it then. I’ll be making cookies.”

He seriously loves old people.

When he’s outside the house, Stiles looks again at the porch and snaps a photo, and then opens his texts messages.

Stiles: Hey man. I’m in Contra Costa and I found Miss Forthmoire and she told me you helped her and offered me a place to stay. Does she do that with all strays? I believe there is no crime rate here because of how trusting people are. It’s comforting you know? Anyway. This is a picture of her porch. She seems very proud of it and she’s still taking care of it and says thank you again.

Stiles: *Photo attachment*

When he reaches his Jeep a few blocks away from Miss Forthmoire’s house, he feels his phone vibrate and checks it to see Derek’s message.

Derek: Yes, she does that a lot. She says she likes it because it gives her a lot of space to put decorations on Halloween and Christmas. She’s in a competition with one of her neighbors on who wins best decorated house. Tell her you're welcome.

Chapter Text

Later that afternoon, Stiles receives a text from Jensen asking him if he’s free before six. Stiles asks Miss Forthmoire at what time they’re going to have dinner and she says, looking up from her crochet, that she usually dines after eight o’clock. Stiles tells her he has to meet someone but that he’s going to be back at eight so he can have dinner with he. She makes a dismissive gesture with her hand telling him that young people should do what young people should do, and that she doesn’t care eating alone, she’s being doing that for the past ten years. He reassures her he’ll be back at eight. She smiles at him brightly and then proceeds to correct the way he’s holding the needle because “it’s a part of your hand, Stiles, not a weapon.” And Stiles laughs at the irony that is his life.

Chapter Text

Alpha America Stocker is a woman around her fifties. She has laugh lines around her mouth and eyes, and a few lines on her forehead that indicates she frowns a lot. Her eyes are soft and she receives him with a polite smile.

“It’s good to meet you, Stiles Stilinski from the McCall pack in Beacon Hills.” She says while indicating him he should sit down.

“That's a pretty big name, Stiles is just fine” he says with a small smile, letting out a pleased noise when she laughs. “It’s good to meet you too”

“So, tell me, Stiles, what are you doing in Contra Costa?” she asked, directly to the point.

“I’m actually traveling. I left Beacon Hills two days ago. I was going to go to Sacramento but instead I decided to come here” he says it with an apprehensive tone, he really doesn’t want to be near Sacramento, he doesn’t really know what he thought when he first left town. “I didn’t know Contra Costa had a stablished pack.”

“We’ve been here for two years now,” she answers. “I knew Contra Costa was neutral ground so I decided to come here with Jensen, he’s my son, and stablish a pack so the humans here can be protected. There isn’t much going on here but from time to time we have some harpies paying visits.”

“Ugh. Harpies.” Stiles says with an annoyed roll of his eyes.

“I take you don’t like them very much?”

“I really don’t. There was one time where they were on a plane. It was awful.”

Stiles doesn’t really like to think about that one, he always tries to push away the thought of a million feathers flying around in the pilot’s cabin. He really doesn’t know how the co-pilot could land that plane.

“Well, they aren’t exactly pleasant, that’s true.” Stiles forces himself out of a huff at that comment. “How long are you going to stay here?” America asks after a moment of silence.

“I don’t really know. I think two or three days. I’m staying with Miss Forthmoire and I think I’ll help her put some decorations on her porch, I’m sure you know how she gets around thanksgiving.”

“Oh yeah, god knows why that woman likes to decorate so much. She always drags someone to help her.”

“It’s ok, though. A friend of mine built her porch, and it’s an incredible one, she has the right to be all smug about it.” Stiles says with a warm smile.

“Right you are.”

After a few other minutes of chat, Stiles realizes is almost eight o’clock and he excuses himself, explaining he promised to be back for dinner. America seems very understanding and she makes him promise to be there the next day for lunch. Stiles smiles and shakes her hand, telling her that, if something seems out of place she should call him, he knows a lot about this stuff and not for nothing he’s a detective.

Chapter Text

When he arrives to Miss Forthmoire’s house, the lights are on and soft, jazz music is playing in the background. He knocks and waits until the lady opens the door. She’s wearing a flower apron and has a cupcake in her hands.

“Hi, Stiles. Welcome back! You’re just in time” she says while handing him the cupcake.

“Hi. Wow, thanks. If you keep like this I’ll never leave” she laughs openly at that.

“Don’t be silly, sweetheart. I’m sure you want to explore a little more in that Jeep of yours. Now, come sit with me, I made lasagna.”

They sit and while eating Stiles sees an old photo on top of the fireplace. There is a large group of people, all smiling at the camera and behind them is a minivan.

“Are those your friends? The ones you were talking about earlier?” he asks after they’re finished.

“Yes” she looks at the photo and her smile is fond and nostalgic. “We traveled a lot together. After a while we decided to settle down, one by one, we stayed in different cities so we could start a new life. Josie and I decided to stay here. She’s the girl in the corner, there” she points the photo and Stiles sees a tall girl wearing a summer dress and big glasses. “We were twenty-four when the photo was taken. We found this little town in one of our trips and they… well, they were all friendly to us, even when they found out Josie and I were together, you know? It was really hard to find that kind of support.”

“And sadly, it still is.” Stiles says with a sad smile. “I mean, in Beacon Hills people is very supportive of the gay community, you know? But we all know there isn’t people that nice out there.”

“Yes, we had to fight a lot of hate but these people were all lovely. We talked about it and decided to stay. We said goodbye to our friends and they continued their path. We were already living here when the miners and gay thing happened in England.”

“Ah, yes. ‘Lesbians and gays support the miners’, right? There was actually a movie made a few years ago about that.” Stiles is making his mind work a thousand per cent to find the name. “I think it’s called… Pride, I’m not hundred per cent sure.”

“Well, I haven’t watched it. You want to watch it tomorrow?” She asked, her big, brown eyes looking at him hopeful.

“Yeah, sure. We can do that after we settle the porch.”

“Ok.” She says and she gets up and moves to the couch, pats the seat beside her and makes an inviting nod with her head towards Stiles. “Come on, we need to finish that crochet lesson.” She says.

Stiles laughs a little bit and he sits, taking the needle and the yarn. He’s actually starting to get the thing about knitting and why everyone seems to find it relaxing, though it stresses him a little bit more than it relaxes him, at least he’s not thinking about his dad.

“You know,” Miss Forthmoire says after a few beats of silence. “I started knitting after Josie died, we never got around doing it together, too focused on other stuff, but I started it as a therapy and, it’s been ten years now and I’m still doing it. Knitting has its appealing.”

“I think I’m going to keep doing it, you know, after I hit the road again.” Stiles says with a sad voice and his eyes tearing up a bit. “I think my dad would have liked me trying it. He would have laughed a bit but still, he would have enjoyed watching me pinch my finger with the needle.” A little tear trails his cheek.

“Oh, sweetheart.” Miss Forthmoire hugs him and starts caressing his hair, and Stiles somehow feels like this is what his mom would have done if she was still alive and well to see him in the middle of a break down because of his father’s death. It feels oddly maternal and it comes with a reassurance that everything is going to be all right. Even if she’s not saying it.

Stiles didn’t know he needed someone caressing his hair until this old lady did so, and he feels like the knot in his throat is less tight than the two days prior to his road trip.

Chapter Text

Having lunch with another pack was something else entirely. They were all polite to him and asked a lot about the things that had happened in Beacon Hills, wanting to know if the rumors were true. Yes, they did have a Kanima problem, and a Nogitsune problem, and an Alpha Pack problem, and a Darach problem, and a lot whole of problems after that and Stiles doesn’t really like to think about it because it brings so many memories. He thinks about Erica and Boyd’s anniversaries. About all the people that has died because of something supernatural, and he can’t help but feel that he needs to do something to avoid anything like that happening again.

“Stiles? You ok?” Susan asks with a frown, he’s been quiet for a long time, and he figures his scent must be giving him away.

“Ah, yeah, yeah. I was just thinking about something.”

He doesn’t really want to tell what he was thinking about so he changes the subject to how Scott became a True Alpha and how shit still went down after that. He goes for making them laugh so they forget his sad scent. When lunch is finished, Stiles promises he’ll be back the next day to say goodbye and then makes his way to his Jeep, thinking about how to decorate a porch. He remembers a few things about his mother, and one of them is how enthusiastic she used to be over the holidays.

When he reaches the house, Miss Forthmoire is already taking out everything they need. It takes them a good part of the afternoon but at six they’re done and ready to watch the movie. Stiles doesn’t remember having any contact with his grandparents and likes to think this is the kind of relationship he would have with his grandmothers. Miss Forthmoire likes to interrupt when she sees an inaccurate fact about the whole thing.

“We saw the news, sweetheart, this is nothing at how they portrayed it in television.”

After the movie finishes, Miss Forthmoire is so tired she decides to go to sleep because ‘it doesn’t matter what time it is, honey. We worked too much today and we deserve a good night sleep.’ Stiles assures her he’ll go to sleep after he loads everything on the Jeep and she smiles sweetly at him. When he’s closing his car, after getting everything in, his phone vibrates and he really hopes is Danny.

Dannyboy: ‘Sup! I have your site ready and going. www.littleredstilinski.org

Stiles: Danny! I was thinking about you!

Stiles: ha-ha, real funny, dude.

Dannyboy: Thinking about my jawline?

Dannyboy: No kidding, man. That was the only link available.

Stiles: Of course! And your ass, have you seen your ass? You have a great ass.

Dannyboy: I’ve seen my ass, Stiles, it’s attached to my body. And thank you. Many, many men can agree with you <3

Stiles: It’s ok, I guess I’ll just have to use my red hoodie when I go to meet a client.

Stiles enters the house while taping the URL on Chrome and when the website finishes loading he has the house all secured and the lights off.

Dannyboy: I can send you a real hood so you can make an impression.

Stiles: you think it would be helpful?

Stiles: DUDE, IT’S SO AWESOME!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Dannyboy: It was a joke, Stiles. You wear whatever the hell you want.

Dannyboy: I know:)

Chapter Text

The moment the sun is out, Stiles has had breakfast, has showered and is ready to go. Miss Forthmoire has packed him a few muffins for the trip. After his out there, he passes by the Stocker pack house to say goodbye and they wish him a safe trip, promising him that, if anything happens, he’ll be the first person to call.

“Oh, damn it!” Stiles says and turns violently the car back to town. He rushes until he’s in the center and goes running into a store. “I almost forgot!” he says to the woman behind the counter.

“I was hoping that didn’t happen” she answers with a smile. “Just give me a minute, I have it right here.” She looks for something below the counter and then stands up with a white, paper bag. “Here you are, young man.”

“Thank you, so much” he says looking in the inside. Red, white, black, blue, green and yellow yarn and a couple of needles. He pays and says goodbye to the woman.

“Have a safe trip, boy”

“Thank you” he answers with a smile.

Once he’s in his car again, he looks at the bag hoping his new hobby can get his head focused on something else that isn’t his dad for once. He starts the car and drives a little slower this time, thinking about Derek suddenly, and asking himself if he had a mechanism to cope after his family died.

“He probably didn’t have one” he murmurs after getting out of Contra Costa. “If the attitude he had after Laura died is something to go.”

After catching a red light, he takes his phone and texts him.

Stiles: I’m starting to knit. Coping mechanism and all that. Because of my dad. Did you have one?

The response came immediately.

THE Hale: Reading.

Because of course it would be that.

Chapter Text

The hours Stiles spends traveling from Contra Costa to Solano are mostly accompanied with loud music, him screaming the songs and checking his car is ok. Even though he spent a lot of money in a complete reparation, he needs to be really careful; his baby is old, and she needs to be taken care of.

Right when he’s passing the “Welcome to Solano” sign, and he really wonders why he didn’t think about doing a trip around all States, it’s not taking him that long, he finds a pregnant woman putting her thumb up for a ride. She’s at the other side of the road and she looks like she has been in a living hell. For some reason, he thinks about himself when the Nogitsune thing happened. He stops the engine, takes his seat belt off, takes his keys and gets out of the car. She’s looking at him with wide eyes and she seems to be sniffing the air. A wolf he thinks. She doesn’t look feral; then again, no wolf looks feral until you’re close enough to catch the look in their eyes.

“Help me” she says when he’s crossing the road. She has a pleading look and her hand is in her belly. “Please…”

Stiles sighs and closes his eyes. He can’t leave her, and there must be a reason if she’s at the other side of the rode. So much for going to Solano.

“Come on. I’m going to Napa.”

Chapter Text

“So… you’re gonna tell me your name?” he asks after they’re out of Solano. She keeps checking on the reviewer mirror with a scared look, and he can’t help but think hunters.

“… What?” she asks after blinking rapidly.

“Your name. What’s your name? You really don’t expect me to drive you without knowing at least that, right?” he doesn’t even look at her.

“Andrea. I’m Andrea Bront.”

“Ok, Andrea, nice to meet you, I’m Stiles Stilinski.”

“Stiles?” she asks with amused eyes.

“It’s a nickname. Believe me, not even my best friend can pronounce correctly my real name.”

She laughs a little bit and then she frowns, looking again at the reviewer mirror, like looking for a car that’s not there. They stay silent for an hour and a half, and Stiles is thinking about how late is getting for lunch and how hungry he is. He steels a look at Andrea and she seems thoughtful, like considering if speaking is something she can do.

“You…” they both say at the same time.

“You first.” Stiles says first, he can wait.

“You’re from a pack. You smell like one.” She says shyly.

“Yeah. I’m from the McCall pack, from Beacon Hills.” He answers. She nods and looks at him with a frown.

“My pack… my pack was murdered.” She says with a broken voice and tears in her eyes.

“Hunters?” he asks carefully.

“Yeah… I was… I was going to an appointment, it was the first echography and when I came back to our pack house it was… it was on fire. And all of them were dead. I’ve been running away ever since.”

Stiles sighs and stops the car, she looks at him with panicked eyes. He takes off his seat belt and hugs her.

“When did this happened?”

“A month ago. I was recently bitten because I was pregnant and my husband and our Alpha wanted to be sure our baby was a wolf. Apparently if you bite a pregnant woman, the bite goes to the baby as well. So I was taking the bite and they had business to do while I was with the doctor and… I just. He should have come with me… None of them should have been there.”

“Hey, no. Don’t beat yourself with that. Hunters who don’t follow the code do everything in their power because they think they’re doing the right thing by killing wolves. It’s not your fault. They would have taken any other opportunity when your pack was all reunited in the house, including you. But you’re alive, and so is your baby.”

“But I don’t have a pack. I don’t want to be feral.”

“That can be arranged. Are you the Alpha now, or are you a Beta?”

She looks at him with sad eyes and shakes her head. “I’m a Beta. They had a feral Omega with them who killed my Alpha and when he consumed the power, they killed him. That’s how I knew something was wrong, the link… it was so painful.” She starts to cry.

Stiles can’t help but think about Derek feeling when his sister got killed by Peter’s hands, and how hopeful he’d been when he arrived, hoping it was a joke and his sister was ok. His hopes crushed when he found half her body.

“Look, almost thirteen years ago something like this happened. It was in Beacon Hills. Before the McCall pack raised, the territory belonged to the Hales, and they were murdered just like your pack died… by hunters who don’t follow the code. I don’t know if these hunters knew the one who killed the Hale pack… but if they do, we have a contact who can’t put them down. I can speak with my Alpha so you can have some protection in our territory, at least until your baby is born, or until you find a pack who’s willing to accept you. Are you ok with that?”

Stiles thinks that Andrea’s probably going to stay in the pack, but he doesn’t say that, he doesn’t want to pressure her into belonging to a new pack when she hasn’t stopped mourning her former one. And he actually thinks Melissa can do a friend who’s going through the same thing

“Yeah… Yeah, thank you.”

Chapter Text

After they’re check in the reception of the Motel 6 (two rooms, single bed, thank you very much, Kathy), Stiles and Andrea sit down in Stiles’ room and he tells her everything she needs to know about the McCall pack.

“So, ok, let me see if I got this. Scott McCall is the Alpha, he’s twenty-three, became True Alpha at seventeen, took the leadership of the Hale territory when the Alpha lost his power and welcomed him on his pack. Am I missing something?” Andrea asked with a little bit of amazement.

“Just that he’s my best friend since we were like, four, and now we’re brothers but we’ll work on that.” He says joking and she smiles warmly. “I’ll call him.”

Stiles takes his phone and unlocks it to find he has a message from Derek.

THE Hale: I heard there was a fire in San Benito, a whole pack was killed.

Stiles: Yeah, I’m with the only survivor right now. She’s pregnant and afraid of the hunters coming from her. I’m gonna send her to Scott.

The answer comes right away:

THE Hale: Where are you? How did you find her? Is the baby ok? Is she a wolf? Are you both safe?

Stiles chuckles a bit and Andrea looks at him curiously.

“It’s nothing, a friend who doesn’t speak too much is actually writing a lot of questions, it’s funny.” She nods to him and goes back touching her belly.

Stiles: I’m in Napa. She says the fire was last month, I found her on my way to Solano and took her. Yeah, the baby is fine, or so she says. She is, was bitten a month and a half ago and we’re both safe. We’re in a Motel 6 .

Stiles doesn’t wait for Derek to answer so he calls Scott.

“Hey, bro” Scott says the moment he answers.

“Hi, Scotty.” Stiles says with a warm smile and mouths Alpha to Andrea. Before Scott can say anything else, he continues. “I have a situation, Alpha.”

“Tell me about it.” His Alpha voice is there and he sees Andrea shivers.

“I don’t know if Derek already contacted you but there was a fire last month where hunters killed a pack.”

“He told me, yeah, there aren’t any survivors. Why? Are you ok!?” he asks alarmed.

“Yeah, I’m fine. There was a survivor… or well, two” he smiles at Andrea and she smiles back, putting her hand in her belly.

“What do you mean? From what I head, they waited until everyone were there.”

“Yeah, but the thing is, one of the wives of the wolves had an appointment. She’s pregnant and went to the doctor. The hunters didn’t know she was recently bitten so they didn’t kill her… I don’t know if they’re following her but she’s with me now.”

“I see. Tell me what do you have in mind.”

“She needs a safe place, Scott. One where she can have her baby and a pack can protect her if the hunters come back. And this is Chris material and you know that… I also… kind of thought… you know, with Melissa pregnant as well, they could give each other company? Yeah? Yeah.”

“You’re offering our pack” Scott says as a statement.

“Kinda, yeah? As a safe place until she has the baby or until she finds a pack she can belong to” Stiles knows Scott has a big heart and he’s going to say yes, but Andrea doesn’t know that and she seems terrified.

“Ok.” Scott says with a sigh and Andrea sighs as well. “Stay where you are, I’ll send someone for her to get her here, ok?”

“Thanks, buddy.”

Stiles doesn’t say that just because of accepting Andrea. He’s saying that because Scott is not making him come back to Beacon Hills to leave her there, and he knows Scott is fully conscious of his thankfulness.

“Anytime, bro.”

Chapter Text

After Andrea goes back to her room, Stiles opens Derek’s text message and has to read it a couple of times before actually understanding what he’s saying.

THE Hale: What do you mean she was bitten a month and a half ago? How many weeks is she? Being bitten while pregnancy is too risky, for the mother and the baby! It’s riskier than biting a teenager! Are you sure she’s alright? And the baby?

THE Hale: Try to get information about that pack. I’ve heard a lot of things about packs who only have wolves and do not care about how many people dies because they couldn’t take the bite.

THE Hale: Stiles, are you reading this?

THE Hale: STILES!

He looks at his phone with wide, open eyes, and wonders how the hell did he not think about that. He hasn’t seen people die because they couldn’t take the bite, but Derek had to actually kill his girlfriend to save her from the pain of dying because of it!

“Your life is so messed up, dude… How can you keep going?” he whispers and answers the text.

Stiles: I didn’t think about that. Thanks for the information. I’ll ask her in a few hours because she went to take a nap. Already talked to Scott, he’s ok with her in the territory. Someone’s coming for her tomorrow or on Friday.

He goes to Derek’s contact and decides to change the name because why not? Derek has really proven he can stand everything that comes to him.

Super DH: Tell the person who goes to talk to Deaton. He’ll know what to do.

Chapter Text

Stiles lays on his bed and looks at the ceiling with –surprisingly– a blank mind. He blinks a few times and wonders if he has time to start on the little hat he wants to make for his little brother or sister. His heart’s full of warm and his eyes are full of tears when he thinks about Melissa having a baby, a baby that’s going to be his sibling, his and Scott’s… The feeling is so overwhelming that he doesn’t know if he’s crying out of happiness because he’s not alone, or because his father never got the chance to meet his unborn child.

He hears the knocks on the door and gets up to open it. Andrea is there, looking exhausted and sad, she’s sweaty and her eyes are full of tears.

“What happened?” he asks her the moment she’s safe inside the room.

“I had a nightmare…”

Stiles know by experience that when someone has a nightmare, the last thing they want to do is share it, specially with someone you only have known for about six hours.

“You wanna knit?”

“I’m sorry, what?” she looks confused, frown deep and Stiles smiles to himself because he has managed to take her mind away from her thoughts.

“Knitting. I learnt a few basic things these past few days and it’s really calming. Being stressed doesn’t do any good to the baby. I can show you the few things I know before we go for lunch, whatcha say?”

“… ok?” she smiles a little bit and Stiles looks in his backpack for his needles and the yarn.

He explains to her how to handle the needles and how to keep the yarn from tangling while watching carefully her expressions.

“You never told me, how many weeks do you have?”

“You really want to know in weeks?” she asks with a little smirk.

“Months, please.”

“I’m almost five months.” She says letting go of the needle.

Stiles raises his eyebrows and puts a little smile. “So you were three months when you got bitten.”

“Yeah, our Alpha wanted me to be almost in the end of the first trimester because the baby wasn’t totally formed yet and it was easier to take the bite.”

Stiles realizes she doesn’t know about the risks the bite might have. She doesn’t know she could have died, and her baby with her. She doesn’t know any of it because she’s been manipulated into taking the bite.

“I see, and your pack had humans?” he asks trying to sound nonchalant.

“No, I was the only one. They were all born or bitten, I didn’t want to be an outsider.” She says with a sad smile.

She doesn’t realize she’s been manipulated. Oh god, what kind of pack was that?

“Well, my pack has humans. We have born coyotes, born wolves, bitten wolves, and humans. We actually had a hunter in our pack but she died.” Because of me.

“You had a hunter!?” she asks alarmed, she seems ready to attack him.

“Yeah. Allison was Scott’s first girlfriend and then she was Isaac’s­ –­another wolf– she was living by the code and helped us when things got messy. She died a couple of years ago.”

“She must have been very young…”

“Seventeen, yeah.”

Stiles doesn’t like to think about all the shit that went down with the Nogitsune. But he actually likes to think about Allison being happy with her mom somewhere, encouraging him alongside with Erica and Boyd, and his dad and his mom, to keep walking forward and getting his life together. He likes to think they’re proud of the man he’s becoming.

Chapter Text

Andrea and Stiles are playing poker when she tenses up and looks at him with wide eyes, and then looks at the door. A few seconds pass in absolute silence, both looking at the door, then a few knocks sound startling Stiles who, with his heart in his throat, goes to open the door very carefully.

“Oh, my god, Isaac!” he says with a bright smile and laughs a bit. “You startled me!” He hugs the curly man standing in front of him.

“It was fun.” Isaac says with a fond smile. “I missed you, man.”

“I missed you too. Look at you! Your hair is longer! And why are you taller!?” Isaac laughs and Stiles lets him in. Andrea has a frown but an amused smile on her lips. “Isaac, this lady here is Andrea. Andrea, this curly, handsome man in front of you is Isaac, one of the wolves in my pack.” He says sitting on the bed again.

Andrea looks taken aback for a moment but she recomposes herself quickly enough to stand up and take Isaac’s offering hand. They shake their hands and then both look at Stiles, who’s reorganizing the cards.

“Come on, let’s play!” he says enthusiastic.

Isaac and Andrea sit on the bed in front of him, and something catches Isaac’s eye, who looks at Stiles with a smirk.

“You’re learning how to knit?”

“Yeah, it’s really relaxing.” He says without missing a bit or feeling embarrassed.

“Hmm…”  for a minute Isaac sounds like Lydia and that makes Stiles look up from the cards.

“What? Knitting is awesome!” he says like Isaac shouldn’t fight him on that statement.

“It is. For eighty-five years old grandmas.”

“Ah. Very sassy you are. I’m not going to knit you any scarfs.” Stiles says while he puts the cards on the bed.

“Oh, come on! You know I’m kidding…”

“No-no. No scarfs for you from me.”

Andrea laughs a bit at them and they both look at her with smiles on their faces. Stiles has missed Isaac so much he didn’t even know until he saw him again. The funny thing is, Isaac's still an adorable puppy. A tall, curly hair, handsome, adorable puppy, who has grown into a self-confident man, that much he could tell.

Chapter Text

Stiles: just keep talking like we aren’t texting.

Isaac looks up from his phone and looks at Stiles with a lifted eyebrow, Stiles just gives him an exasperated look and mouths “just go with it”.

Stiles: Andrea was manipulated. Her Alpha and her husband made her feel like she needed to take the bite to be a part of their pack. That pack didn’t have humans. And she was bitten when she was three months.

“So, Isaac, tell me. Are you guys going to go directly to Beacon Hills or are you going to do some sightseeing? Give a false trail for the hunters in case they’re following you?” Stiles says while helping Isaac put Andrea’s stuff on his car.

Curly wolfie: What? Are you serious right now? Isn’t that dangerous? You know what happened to Derek’s ex-gf and she was a teenager.

“I think we’re going to go to Beacon Hills. Well, unless Andrea wants to do something else, I guess. Scott didn’t say anything about us coming right away so…”

Stiles: It is dangerous. I talked to Derek about it and he said that the bite could have probably killed her and the baby. He said there are some packs who are like, really elitists? And they just want wolves or something like that? He said that once you’re in town, you should go and see Deaton.

“Ah, well. I think, with all that has happened, she deserves a little bit of rest. I’m sure Melissa’s going to be really enthusiastic about having someone to talk to.”

Curly wolfie: Yeah, I’ll tell Scott about meeting us at Deaton’s. Do you think we should tell her what they did? She seems nice, and I don’t want to crash her idea of her husband.

“Melissa?”

Stiles: I think you should probably talk to her about it. Derek was really concerned. You know how he gets when babies are involved.

“Yeah, you don’t know? Melissa’s pregnant! My… dad’s the father.”

“Oh…” Isaac takes a deep breath. “I still don’t know how to comfort people. I’m sorry, man. The Sheriff really helped me when he was alive, you know that.”

Curly wolfie: Yeah… Babies are important, tho. I met a pack in France and they did this big party when a woman’s scent changed because she was pregnant. They received the baby as a blessing from the moon or something like that. It’s a big fuss.

“Yeah, my dad was a good man” Stiles says with a sad, fond smile. “And hey, I’m your Alpha’s brother now” he says smirking.

Stiles: Can you keep an eye on her? She’s kinda lost in this whole werewolf act thing and I think her full moons are still very uncontrolled. Her eyes are blue, man, and I don’t think she knows what that means. Try to ask her about her pack, find out everything you can. I’m gonna do research on these packs who don’t allow humans. I think I’ll ask Derek too.

“Ha-ha. You may be my Alpha’s brother now, but Scott’s still mine.” Isaac smiles sweetly at him and then looks at Andrea, who comes with her purse on hand and a smile on her face.

Curly wolfie: Sure. I’ll ask what I can. Try to keep a low profile. Do not only research on them, you’re too far away from home to keep you under protection, ok? Derek should have more information on them, you’re right.

“Ah-ah. You’re clearly making a generalized assumption. What makes you think he’ll say yes? He’s still waiting for Kira, you know?”

Stiles: Sure thing. As soon as I get the information, I’ll send it to Scott. Be really careful with Andrea, please.

“Well, he doesn’t have to say yes now. I’m gonna woo him. But Kira’s not here, is she? He needs to move on.” Isaac says with a smirk and Stiles laughs at that.

He has learned to appreciate the way Isaac looks at Scott, even thought there was Allison in there at some point, and then Isaac going away, Stiles always knew that Isaac’s looks for Scott, when they were doing video-calls, were only meant for Scott.

“And I’m sure you can help him with that.” Stiles says sincerely because Scott’s his bro and he needs to be happy too.

Chapter Text

As soon as Andrea and Isaac are gone, Stiles climbs up his Jeep and look for his map. He has stopped for two, almost three days, and it’s not like he has somewhere to be, but he wants to actually meet some new packs and see if he can help them. Before starting to drive he tries to find some information about the pack in Glenn, learning the Alpha’s name and where to find them. The sole investigation takes him at least an hour and a half, and when he officially starts his road trip again it’s almost midday. Stiles sighs and starts checking the hour while simultaneously trying look for a side road restaurant to have lunch. A text comes and he decides to wait until he’s sitting on a booth, not wanting to cause any accident for not being fully concentrated.

While driving he spots a car accident and stops to see if he can help someone. One of the cars is fully turned upside down and the other has smoke coming out of it. He takes his phone and calls 911 and asks for an ambulance. Inside the smoky car is a whole family: dad driving, mom in the passenger seat and two kids in the back, all of them unconscious and with, what looks like, severe head traumas. He remembers some things about the protocol in these kind of things but he's a self-employed guy right now and he really doesn't give a shit about that at the moment. He tries opening the doors but all of them are closed. In that moment, one of the kids starts to wake up and he makes her signals to take off the secure system from her door, she nods and with some difficulty takes it off, he grabs her and the other kid with both his arms and puts them beside the Jeep, he goes back and takes off the secure from the mother's door and takes her away, lying her still unconscious body beside the children and then goes back for the father. The man is a little bit conscious, blinking rapidly as he tries to focus his eyes.

"Hey, you're ok. My name is Stiles. Do you think you can open your door for me?" He asks from the mother's open door. The guy looks at him in confusion as a minute passes, and then he nods. The guy opens the door, takes off his seatbelt too and helps Stiles lifting his own body.

"I don't... I don't even know what happened." he mumbles.

"Don't worry. The important thing is that you all are safe."

When the four of them are out of danger, without the risk of a blowing car, Stiles goes to check the other one to find it empty. With a frown he goes back to the family, not telling them that, and seats with them until the ambulance gets there.

Chapter Text

When the ambulance takes them away, only the mother’s still unconscious, Stiles takes a last look at the other car and goes directly to his Jeep, sensing something wrong. When he opens the door, someone closes it with too much force and he’s almost saying “Be careful with my baby!”. He turns around and sees a panting man, around his age, covered in blood, eyes glowing yellow.

“Help me” he demands, even though his voice cracks in the end.

Stiles looks out for immediate wounds where the blood is still fresh and finds a few bullet holes on his torso, arms and legs.

“Damn it. Hunters” he says with anger. “Was someone else in the car with you?” he’s looking in the Jeep’s truck for some wolfsbane bullets.

“Yeah, they took my little sister the moment I crashed to the other car. They shoot me and took her, and I tried to catch them but I…”

“I understand. Don’t worry, we’ll catch them and we’ll find your sister. Now, take your shirt off and rip that your pant. I need to have access to the wounds.”

Stiles remembers the first time he saw Derek cure himself from a wolfsbane wound. He remembers the panic and horror he felt when he thought he was going to chop off his arm. And he remembers the awesomeness that followed when the wound closed until there wasn’t even a scar.

It’s still awesome to see them close after so many years.

Chapter Text

“Ok, Eric. Tell me, why were the hunters following you, guys?”

“Why hunters do things?” he answers looking at him with a frown. They’re both on the Jeep, driving where Eric can follow Maura’s scent.

“Yes. There are hunters who don’t follow the code, I have encounter them. But there must be a reason why they were following you two.”

Eric doesn’t say anything at first, he just looks at the window while sniffing and Stiles sighs.

“Look, I know you don’t trust me, I’m just some human you encountered who happens to be a part of a pack. I get that. But if you don’t cooperate with me, then I can’t think of a plan, and then we can’t save Maura. So please, tell me the reason why they were following you.”

“Maura killed one of the hunters as a self-defense act. And they say she broke the code so they need to kill her.”

“Ok. So, Maura has blue eyes.” Stiles says thoughtfully, Eric looks at him with suspicious eyes. “What? I know what the eye color mean, ok? Do you know if they have like a ‘safe house’ or something? Some place where they feel they can take a kidnapped wolf.”

“The only place I can think of is the next town, but it’s guarded with mountain ash.”

“Good thing I know how to break it, huh?” Stiles says smirking at him and Eric, with surprised eyes, smiles at him hopefully.

Chapter Text

They find the house Maura’s being held hostage and Eric feels ecstatic.

“Remember. You’ll stay here while I go there and deal, ok? I still have a badge around here, somewhere. It was a fake one for an assignment when I was at college, let’s hope they don’t see the difference…” Stiles looks in the glove compartment while Eric is lying down in the back seat. “So, Maura Collins. Twelve years old. From Lake. Parents deceased and only alive relative, her big brother. Here. Take my phone and call 911, tell them we found your little sister in a house full of men, give them the direction and wait for them outside once you see the cars.”

Stiles gets out of the car and walks directly to the door. He knocks, puts his badge on show and waits. The man that opens has a resembling air to Gerard Argent and Stiles has to suppress a shiver.

“Detective John Michaels” he shows his badge for a few seconds and rapidly put them inside his pocket. “I’m looking for Maura Collins.”

“We don’t know anyone by that name” the man answers, trying to close the door.

“I don’t think so.” Stiles says entering the house, pushing the older man aside. “She was reported missing a few hours ago by her brother, and a neighbor said they saw you carrying a little girl with the same description.” Stiles wonders the house calling Maura’s name until he hears a crying sound from the ceiling. “So, if I casually decide to open the attic I won’t find Maura there, right?”

There are three men looking at him with anger while Stiles looks for the little rope falling from the ceiling, just so he can open the attic. He’s not dumb, he’s sure there is at least another man in there with her, trying to keep her quiet. He finds the rope successfully and pulls the little door open, a girlish sound coming from upstairs. Stiles looks at them with his ‘would you look at that’ eyes and goes up. As he imagined, there is another man there, his hands are soaked on wolfsbane and Maura’s being held by wolfsbane rope.

“Lake police department! Put your hands up where I can see them!”

Stiles has his unloaded gun on his hands and he looks at Maura with eyes that are trying to say ‘you’re ok now’, but she’s unconscious. Stiles moves carefully, pointing the gun at the man, who has his hands behind his head and Stiles disentangles Maura from the ropes. Still pointing the gun, Stiles goes back the other way to find the other three hunters pointing guns at him. He feels his heart raise and that probably wakes up Maura, who looks panicked for a second until she, probably, recognizes her brother’s scent on him.

“If you’re with her brother then you know what type of monsters they are.” One of them says.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about” Stiles answers, pointing the gun at them. Maura catches the lie. “All I know is that found a twelve-year-old girl reported missing from an accident in the attic of a house full with four men, one of them torturing her and the other three covering him. From the way I see it, you are the monsters.” Stiles hears the sirens and smirks. “And I’m sure they’re going to think the same.”

Stiles waits until the officers enter the house to arrest the hunters (who are babbling some nonsense about the girl killing one of them) to take Maura to Eric, who’s standing by the Jeep, with a soft smile on his face. Maura runs directly to him with tears running down her cheeks, and the moment Eric picks her up and swings her around with happy tears on his eyes is going to be forever stuck on his brain.

“It’s curious.” Stiles hears a known voice behind him, a few moments after the four hunters are inside the cruiser cars. “I thought I was John Michaels.”

Stiles turns around to find his ex-professor looking at him with wide eyes and a knowing smirk. “Hi…” he says embarrassed.

“An explanation, please Stiles?”

“There was a car accident and those four guys took Maura from Eric’s car. I happened to be near him enough to be asked for help. And well… you didn’t ask for your fake badge when we finished the assignment so…”

The man laughs and pats his shoulder. “I’m gonna let this one slip, Stiles, but give me that badge. It’s too dangerous to be doing this kind of things and it can end with you in jail.

“Yes, professor.” He answers with a little smile and gives him the fake badge.

Stiles goes directly to Eric, who hugs him and repeats a lot of thank-yous on his ear, while Maura does the same. Stiles thinks that yeah, he chose the right path.

Chapter Text

A few weeks after leaving Eric and Maura with the police, Stiles hits the road again from Tehama with a big smile on his face. Without paying much attention he takes the turn to go to Shasta instead of Trinity, and while changing songs, he settles on Britney Spears’ Stronger, smiling gleefully as he sings the lyrics.

“Oh, my god, Batman. Are you serious?” Stiles hears and he presses the brake in a violent movement, thanking all deities that the road is empty. “What the hell, Stiles, do you want to kill yourself!?”

Stiles looks at the passenger seat and there is she. All blonde, red lips, pale skin and wearing a white dress he never saw her in.

“Erica…” he says disbelievingly and she looks at him surprised.

“You can see me… You can see me! Oh, my god!” she looks excited for a moment and then blinks at him. “Well? Are you going to start the car again? We’re not going to talk here.

Chapter Text

“You… you’re here. How? I… Oh, god, Erica.”

Erica laughs and opens her arms at him, a fond look and smile on her face and looking just like the last time he saw her smile. All sixteen years old.

“Come here, Batman.” She murmurs with tears in her eyes.

“I can… I can touch you?” he walks slowly to her and unfolds his own arms, wrapping them around Erica’s body. “Oh, god.”

Stiles cries and Erica pets his hair murmuring reassuring words.

“Why are you here?” he asks sobbing, cleaning the tears off his cheeks.

“I never left. After I died I stayed here beside you, watching over you.” She answers sitting on the bed.

“But, how can I see you? I don’t understand.”

“Neither do I. I think it has to do with this town. It’s some kind of ghost-zone. The girl who gave us the keys of this room was also a ghost.”

“Seriously? I didn’t realize…” they stay silent for a while and Stiles looks at her again. “You’ve been with me since you died?”

“Yeah. Boyd moved on but I wasn’t ready. I was still too angry at everything because I was too young to die, you know? Did you know Derek talked to my family about how he found my body in the woods and giving me to them? I’ve seen him sad, Stiles, but have to see him look into my mother’s eyes? He was so broken. And then again with Boyd? He may seem so closed up and impenetrable but, god, Derek has suffered so much. He pushed Isaac away from him because he believed that being near him was going to get him killed, just like Boyd and me… He cried so many times because of us I’m not sure how he managed to not drown himself on his own tears.”

“Oh, Erica” Stiles mumbles and hugs her again, tight, never wanting to let go. She looks sad and she’s crying, and somehow is weird seeing her like that. “I’ve never seen you with so much emotion…” me mumbles with a fond smile, she chuckles.

“Being dead is a life changing thing. Pun intended. You don’t have to pretend anymore.” She says with a smile. “You know, I sat with you watching all those seasons of Supernatural and I realized I didn’t want to be a vengeful spirit. I knew I had to let go all of my anger but it was really hard, you know? I was angry at myself for being so naïve, I was angry at Derek because he didn’t protect us enough, I was so angry at Allison because she knew what happened to us and never said anything… When Boyd died… he was at peace, he was ok with dying and when he saw me, he just patted my shoulder and disappeared, and I couldn’t move on.”

“But you’re at peace now, right?” Stiles asks, cleaning her tears off her cheeks.

“Yeah. I actually am. I made up with Allison. We talked a lot, watching you feeling guilty over something you had no control… She never blamed you, you know? It made her really sad to see all of you like that. Eventually I forgave her, and more importantly, she forgave herself and was able to move on. But I decided I wanted to stay, I didn’t want to leave you alone, Stiles. You’re really important, you know? And after the Nogitsune I stayed with you 24/7 to make sure you were ok.”

“Thank you, Catwoman.” Stiles says the nickname with so much love it makes her smile a little bit brighter.

“When your dad died, his soul stayed with me for a few days. However, he decided he wanted peace, he decided he wanted to be with your mom, because he knew I was here to take care of you, and that I had been doing that ever since my soul left my body. He wanted me to tell you that he’s really proud of you, Stiles.” Stiles sobs are uncontrollable and so are Erica’s, but she keeps talking. “And that he’s sorry he couldn’t make it to your graduation. And that he loves you more than anything. And that doesn’t matter what you decide, you’re always gonna have all his support.”

“And are you ok with following me around like that? You’re at peace, Catwoman, you should rest.” He sobs quietly.

“I’ll do it. When you find the right person. That person who’s going to take care of you, just as you’re going to take care of them. When I’m sure you’ll be all right.”

“Why do I think that you already have a person in mind?” Stiles mumbles with a smirk, Erica laughs.

“You know me too well, Batman.”

Chapter Text

Stiles’ shopping. He was just looking for more yarn, ok? If Erica decides along the way that he needs new clothes and come on, Stiles. You have a business web-site, now. You need to live up to expectations! Yes. Erica made him buy a red cape. Danny is going to love the ironic thing about the situation.

When she starts shoving him a lot of tight clothes and pushing him into changing rooms, Stiles know there’s no way he’s getting out of this. It’s been two months since his father died and, even though he thinks about him every day, it doesn’t hurt the same way as it did when he left Beacon Hills. It probably has to do with Erica telling me what he said, he thinks. He has money in the bank every month and both his mother and his father’s insurance can get him through the motel bills and the oil for the Jeep, however, that doesn’t mean I can spend all of it in clothes, Erica, I have other needs, thank you.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” She had answered to him.

So now he’s in a changing room of one of the stores Erica pushed him into, and he’s looking at the pieces of clothing he has in front of him. While taking off his pants, his phone hits the floor and for some reason, after picking it up, he feels the need to text Derek.

Stiles: Hey, big guy. Did you know that Shasta is a ghost-zone?

He takes a look at the message and proceeds to taking off his comfortable, loose pants, to put on a pair that’s a size to tight and that’ll probable make hurt his balls.

Super DH: What do you mean?

Stiles: I mean an actual ghost-zone. Like ghosts living among humans and humans not giving a shit about it.

Super DH: What.

Stiles: How bizarre is that I know the tone of voice you’d be using for that what?

Stiles: It’s kinda creepy, really. But it’s also really… idk, sweet? I… actually don’t know how to put this but, umm…

Stiles: Erica’s with me.

Stiles: Like, with me, with me. Ghost Erica is making me shop clothes and is giving me sass about my knitting-coping mechanisms and crying with me because of my dad.

Derek doesn’t answer and Stiles starts to worry. Maybe he thinks it’s a joke? Maybe Derek doesn’t want to hear about his being-dead-for-six-years Beta? He asks himself if he should phrase it better when a text comes right in.

Super DH: … Are you serious right now?

Stiles: Completely serious. The moment I officially entered the town she was suddenly beside me, sitting in the passenger seat of my car.

Stiles: She wants you to know that she’s very thankful of what you did with her body. And with Boyd’s. And that she’s at peace, and that you should forgive yourself about what happened. That it hurt her really bad seeing you sad… And that you deserve to be happy.

Stiles doesn’t expect an answer to that. Yeah, he may have not seen Derek for the last few years but old habits die hard, you know? And even if Derek has changed, he figures he still doesn’t like to talk about these things.

Stiles: She decided to stay here because she wanted to make sure I was safe and emotionally ok, if you were thinking about that…

He gets out of the changing room to an Erica sitting in front of the curtain. She looks extremely judgy of the outfit and demands him to turn around, listing pros and cons about the pants and telling him how nice his ass is. In the end, she denies the whole set of clothes and asks him to go back to the changing room to put something else.

Super DH: Can you tell her I miss her? And that I’m really sorry?

Stiles: Sure thing, I can.

“Hey, Catwoman.” Stiles says, getting out of the changing room with new clothes on. “Do you think this cellphone can take a picture of you?”

“We can try. Why?” Stiles holds his phone up and puts the camera on, seeing Erica Reyes’ figure appear on the screen. He gives her a thumb up and she smiles at him. “Why are you taking pictures of me?”

“I’m sending it to Derek” he answers. “He says that he’s sorry, and that he misses you.”

“Can you tell him that I miss him too? And that I appreciated our short time together as a pack? And that I’m very grateful I got to know him and accepted the bite?”

“Of course I can” he says with a fond, sad smile.

Stiles: *photo attachment*

Stiles: Erica says that she misses you too. That she appreciated your short time as pack and that she’s very grateful she got to know you and accepted the bite. Her exact words.

Derek takes two long minutes to answer, both of them waiting and looking at the phone with anxious expressions.

Super DH: *photo attachment*

The photo is Derek’s face. Glossy eyes, a sad smile and his eyebrows doing a funny thing, like trying to frown but not actually doing it.

Super DH: She looks exactly the same. Thank you.

Chapter Text

“How will I know I’ve found the person you have in mind?” Stiles asks one night, when they’re both lying on top of his motel bed, looking at the ceiling.

“Oh, honey, believe me. When you’ve found them, you’ll know” she says with a smile, being all cryptic and evasive.

“I want you to know that I noticed the constant use of ‘they’. Are they non-binary? Or is it a guy and you don’t want me to freak out?”

“I’m not going to tell you that. You have to discover it on your own.”

“What!? Oh, come on, Erica!”

“No-no. What’s the point if you know who I’m talking about? You need to find that person and I want you to have real feelings for them, not because I told you so and you’re all predisposed to that. Nope. Not telling you anything.”

“Ugh. Fine. But my brain is going to give me headaches because of this and you’ll be the one to blame.”

“Wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Chapter Text

They’re in Stiles’ car. He’s getting out of town to continue his trip and he feels like he’s leaving Erica all over again in that godforsaken basement. She takes one of his hands and squishes it, smiles at him all watery and says:

“I’m always gonna be with you. And hey, if you miss me and you haven’t found that person yet, you can always come back here and we’ll spend more time together, ok? It’ll be ok, Batman.”

While speaking, she moves her hand and puts the music on, Guilty Pleasures playlist sounding on the speakers. She laughs and starts to change randomly the songs because she really doesn’t want to listen Britney Spears at the moment, finally settling on Sweet dreams are made of this.

“We should shout a name after the ‘some of them’, I’m sure we can play like that until I disappear again.” She says and the song starts.

Sweet dreams are made of this

Who am I to disagree?

I travel the world and the seven sees

Everybody’s looking for something

They sing together, yelling the words with smiles on their faces.

Some of them want to use you

“KATE ARGENT!” Stiles yells with anger.

Some of them want to get used by you

“KANIMA JACKSON!” Erica yells in return.

“Good one!”

Some of them want to abuse you

“COACH LAHEY!” Erica yells again, and Stiles can see how angry she is with just saying his name, even though he’s been dead for about the same time she has.

“I hate that man!” Stiles yells in return because it’s true. Isaac was such a mess before and after his father died, and not because of the grief.

Some of them want to be abused

“NURSE JENNIFER!” Stiles yells.

“Who is she?” Erica asks confused.

“Was. She was Peter’s nurse while he still was burned and in shock.”

“I can see where this is going.”

Sweet dreams are made of this

Who am I to disagree?

I travel the world and the seven seas

Everybody’s looking for something

They sing Hold your head up, keep your head up together, taking turns on the movin’ on part, and doing incredibly high-pitched voices that make the other laugh until they’re almost crying.

Some of them want to use you

“JENNIFER BLAKE!” Erica yells this time.

“Oh, yeah! I hate that bitch too! She took my dad and took advantage of Derek!” he yells.

Some of them want to get used by you

“ADRIAN HARRIS!” Stiles says, and Erica looks at him with a question written all over her face. “He was the one who told Kate about explosives.”

“Motherfucker!”

Some of them want to abuse you

“PETER HALE!” Erica yells and Stiles laughs.

“That’s a fucking understatement” she laughs too.

Some of them want to be abused

“… I don’t have anyone. How about you, Er-” he looks and the passenger seat is empty. Somehow, he didn’t realize they had passed the ‘You’re now leaving Shasta, come back soon’ and he suspected it was Erica’s doing.

The song keeps playing the chorus but he’s no longer paying any attention to it, trying to keep himself from crying while driving and focusing on the bittersweet knot he has on his throat because, even if he just passed a few days with her, he still misses Erica like hell.

Chapter Text

When Stiles was just passing the ‘Welcome to Siskiyou’ sign, he gets a text message. He decides to make a stop in the first diner he sees and grab something to eat, do some research and continue his trip to Modoc. There are, at least, six hours left until the town and he’s already feeling tired. When he makes the stop, he stretches his legs, arms and back, feeling a little bit of relief. He takes his backpack and goes inside the diner, asks for a booth and waits while the waiter comes with his menu.

Super DH: Where are you now? Still in Shasta?

Stiles smiles at his cellphone and denies softly, feeling a little bit surprised that Derek texted him on his own accord.

Stiles: Nope. Right now I’m in Siskiyou, just made a stop for lunch and then I’m going back to the road. I wanna be in Modoc tonight.

The waiter comes and Stiles asks, just out of curiosity, if they have curly fries. The guy, Sam, if the tag can be relied on, smiles and leans down in a secret motion.

“We have the best curly fries in the county.”

“I don’t know, man. I’ve lived in Beacon Hills my whole life and no curly fries from other county can surpass the ones I know and love.” Stiles says smirking.

“Well, you just have to try them, then.”

“I suppose so.” Sam smiles and walks away after taking Stiles’ whole order.

Super DH: Can you do me a favor? I lived in Siskiyou for about two years and started traveling again… Thing is, I forgot to change my address and I bought some things online and all of them are there. Can you pick them up and send them to me here?

Super DH: Stiles? Are you there?

Stiles laughs with enthusiasm for about five minutes, laughing again when he looks at the message and catching Sam looking at him with an amused expression.

Super DH: You’re laughing, don’t you?

Stiles: Yes. I am.

Stiles: I would say sorry but this is too amusing, seriously.

Super DH: Are you going to pick them up, or not?

Stiles: >:c? Are you frowning and pouting?

Super DH: *photo attachment* Not. Impressed.

The photo has Derek’s face a little bit blurry but he can distinguish his grumpy-cat face very well, all frowny and with a little pouty.

Stiles: OH MY GOD. ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME? I ALMOST CHOCKED WITH MY OWN SALIVA.

Stiles laughs some more and waits for Derek to respond but he doesn’t answer. Sighing, after taking a gulp of water, he answers.

Stiles: Yeah, I’ll go to the post office. Text me the both addresses (the post office one, so I don’t lose my head looking for the right one; and your new one) so I can send your ‘packages’.

Super DH: Why does it have…

Super DH: Forget it. I don’t wanna know.

Super DH: Thank you.

Stiles: No problem >:3

Sam comes with his food and a little paper, winks at him and goes back to the door, where new customers are asking for a place to sit. Stiles frowns and looks at the paper where it’s written the name, that is in fact Sam, and a phone number with a ‘call me ;)’. Stiles looks at Sam, who’s busy, and then looks at the paper again, a slow blush growing on his cheeks.

“Oh my god. I was being hitted on… I knew I was attractive to gay guys!”

Chapter Text

After Stiles finishes eating, he waits for Sam to come and take the plates, and to bring him the check. When Sam’s close to the booth, Stiles sees how his face is illuminated and he feels a knot on his chest.

“Sam!” Stiles says as a greeting, the man smiles.

“So? How was the food?” he asks taking the plates.

“Awesome. Although the curly fries don’t beat the ones made in Beacon Hills.”

“Ah, then I’ll have to go there and taste them.” Sam smiles again and turns.

“Wait!” Stiles says, and he feels a little bit nervous, he’s never had to reject someone.

“Do you need anything else?”

“No, no. It’s just that um…” Stiles takes the little paper and handles it to him. “I can’t accept this.”

“Why not?” Sam asks with a little frown, not taking the paper. “Do you have a boyfriend?”

“Ah, no. No, I’m uh, very much single.”

“Then why can’t you take my number?”

“I, uh, I don’t like guys… that way.”

“Are you sure?” Sam asks surprised.

“Yeah, I am very sure.”

“Completely sure? Or you just haven’t liked a guy before?”

“Is there a difference?” Stiles asks concerned.

“Well, yes, of course. Take my number anyway. When you have your sexual identity crisis, text me and tell me all the details.” And then Sam walks away, winking at him.

Not ‘if’ Stiles thinks a little bit scared. 'When'.

Chapter Text

He enters the post office a little bit confused. He asked a lot of people for directions and all of them sent him to the wrong way, until an old woman felt compassion for him and guided him to the right one. She made small talk with him about knitting and yarn and all types of needles, and Stiles felt like he was talking with miss Forthmoire all over again.

The office is empty and there’s just one man behind a counter, not paying any attention to him. Stiles walks towards him and clears his throat.

“Hi” he says.

“Hello, how can I help you?” the man answers with a polite smile.

“I’m here to pick Derek Hale’s packages and send them again.”

“Oh! You must be Stiles!” the man smiles again, but this time his eyes light up.

“Um, yeah. Derek said I was coming?”

“Yes, yes he did. I don’t have any problem sending this stuff to his new address but there must be someone else who signs the receipt, you know?”

“Yeah, I totally get it. It was a coincidence I was already here.” Stiles says with a small smile. “Where do I have to sign?”

“Oh, right!” the man goes to a computer, asks him a few personal questions and then prints a receipt. “Here, sign here and this one too.”

Stiles reads both receipts, one for receiving, one for sending. He signs both and because curiosity’s always getting the best of him, he asks:

“By chance, you wouldn’t know what’s in those boxes, right?” he smirks.

“Oh, probably books. Derek’s always buying tons of books. Sometimes Teddy-Bear supplies. Did you know that he makes them and sends them to the hospital? For cancer kids? He’s good like that, you know. Well, I’m sure you know him better than I do, you already know that.”

“Oh, yeah. Totally.” Stiles says blinking out of his surprise because Derek sewing Teddy bears? Totally unexpected. “Derek has always wanted everyone to feel safe and protected. I’m sure the Teddy bears can do that to kids.” Stiles says because it’s true. Derek Hale’s top priority with them was protect them, even though his methods were… unconventional. Like shoving them onto walls.

After the paperwork is done, Stiles waves his goodbye, and thanks the man, taking his cellphone to write a text.

Stiles: Hey, Der-bear, I just finished the paperwork. Your stuff should be arriving in three days.

Der-Bear: *sighs* … I’m never going to live this one down, am I?

Der-Bear: Thank you.

Stiles: Nope. You’re stuck with that nickname FO-RE-VAH.

Stiles: Anytime.

Der-Bear: What did I do to deserve this?

Stiles laughs and shots him a text saying to stop being so overdramatic and gets into the Jeep to continue his trip to Modoc.

Chapter Text

Stiles checks the little paper on his hand. He supposes he’s in the right place, the GPS guided him there so it should be, right? The house in front of him though, is really, really small. Then again, he thinks, not every house has to look as big as the Hale house was. Stiles knocks on the door and waits. And waits. And waits.

“Huh…” he murmurs and knocks again. “Perhaps they’re not home?”

Stiles turns around to see a couple of persons getting out of a car and walking directly to him.

“Hi.” He says, and for some reason he’s nervous. “I’m here to see mister…” Stiles looks down at the paper again, “Alexander Lewis. I want to pay some respects since I’m staying in town for a while. I’m from the McCall pack in Beacon Hills.” He finishes and a man steps up in front of him, offering a hand and flashing red eyes at him.

“I’m Alexander Lewis. What’s your name?” Stiles takes his hand.

“Right. Forgot about that. I’m Stiles Stilinski. Pleasure to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too. Unfortunately, mister Stilinski, I can’t invite you inside and proceed with the formal protocol because we’re having some internal problems right now, but feel free to come any other day, ok?”

“Sure thing. If you need any help, please let me know. I’m staying in the Bolton motel, room 25.”

“Thank you, mister Stilinski. I’ll see you around.”

Stiles nods and walks away, directly to his car, gets inside and takes his phone out.

Stiles: hey bro, I’m in Modoc, just visited the Lewis pack. I’m gonna stay here for two weeks and then I’m gonna go to Washoe.

Stiles: I was doing some research and I think I’m gonna go Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and then, California again… I’m not sure how long it will take me to go back home but I’ll be back. I took my decision. How’s Melissa doing? And Andrea?

Starting the car, he thinks about going for lunch at the diner he saw while driving to the Lewis pack house, it seemed really good from what he could see from outside, a lot of people in there and all that. After a moment of thinking he decides he’s going to make his goal to taste every curly fry he can get his hands on and decide whether or not they’re better than the ones in Beacon Hills’ diner.

“I better go back to my room.” He says looking at the time. “It’s just nine in the morning, better continue the research…” he murmurs while taking a turn and stopping at a traffic light. He has his phone on his hand when a new message comes in.

Scotty Bro: Stiles. I’m so happy to read that. You know you’ll always be welcomed here; and whenever you’re ready, man. Don’t rush yourself. Mom’s doing ok, a little thrown aback because she didn’t remember morning sickness being so awful, but she’s good. Andrea’s been a little bit sad. We talked to her about pack dynamics and how dangerous it was for her to take the bite, and also about the eye thing and it was a little too much for her. Mom’s doing everything she can to keep her in a good mood for the baby, but it’s going to take a while. I love you man, don’t forget that.

Stiles: I love you too, Scotty <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Stiles: Tell both of them I say hi.

Scotty Bro: Will do.

Chapter Text

He’s at the diner, his order has been taken and he’s waiting with his phone in hand, scrolling down on Facebook and answering messages from the pack.

- New message from Isaac Lahey to The Pack: Guys, what should we do about Andrea? She seems more depressed every day :(

- New message from Scott McCall to The Pack: I don’t know, guys. My mom’s been trying to keep up with her and trying to keep her happy because it can affect the baby but it’s like she doesn’t want to have it anymore.

- New message from Malia Tate-Hale to The Pack: We should have a party.

- New message from Lydia Martin to The Pack: Seriously, Malia? Now’s not time to be thinking about parties!

- New message from Lydia Martin to The Pack: … I never thought I’d say that.

- New message from Stiles Stilinski to The Pack: I agree with Malia, you guys should throw a party and make her feel like being in this pack can be good for her and the baby.

- New message from Liam Dumbar to The Pack: Stiles! We miss you :(

- New message from Stiles Stilinski to The Pack: Make her realize she can have a new, different life there and make her understand there’s so much more that her former pack. Andrea is really emotional… are you guys taking care of her nightmares?

- New message from Stiles Stilinski to The Pack: I miss you guys too <3

- New message from Lydia Martin to The Pack: Don’t miss us enough to come back.

Stiles frowns and feels anger runs through his veins as he reads Lydia’s message. He knew she was still mad at him but it’s been almost three months since his father died, one since he left town, she can’t expect him to be prepared to come back.

- New message from Scott McCall to The Pack: Lydia, stop.

- New message from Scott McCall to The Pack: She hasn’t told us anything about nightmares, Stiles. How do you know?

- New message from Stiles Stilinski to The Pack: The first afternoon we spent at the motel, she came to my room after having a nightmare when she was napping. She gets really worked up, tears and everything, and she just wants to be hugged. At least one of you guys should be with her when she’s at home.

- New message from Isaac Lahey to The Pack: I can go right now. Scott, I need your keys.

- New message from Scott McCall to The Pack: You know where we keep the spare. I’ll see you tonight then.

Stiles takes a moment at that message. Huh. Isaac knows where the spare key is. That’s… that’s a huge step on their relationship. Only his dad and Stiles knew where it was…

“Isaac’s doing well.” He murmurs while smirking amusedly.

“Hey, Stiles, right?” two men approach him at the table, sitting down with him. He remembers them from this morning, they were with Alpha Lewis.

“Yeah. What’s up?” he answers with a serious face.

“Our Alpha wants to talk to you. It’s kind of important.” One of them answers.

“Sure. Can I eat my curly fries first or should I ask lovely Margaret to put them as take out?”

“Take out. If you’re ok with that.”

“Yeah, no problem.”

Stiles stands up and walks to the counter, the two wolves behind him.

“Margaret” he says as a greeting to the lovely, eighty-something year old woman behind the counter. “Can you put my curly fries as take out? I have to leave with these fine men.”

“Sure thing, little boy.” She answers with a sweet smile and turns around to the kitchen.

*20 new messages from The Pack.*

- New message from Stiles Stilinski to The Pack: Sorry guys. Talk to you later. Duty calls.

Chapter Text

“Is it ok if I eat my curly fries?” Stiles asks once he’s sitting in front of Alexander Lewis.

“Yeah, go ahead. I understand you were waiting for lunch at Margaret’s” he answers.

“Yup. Lovely woman.”

“That she is.”

Stiles opens his container and starts digging on his fries, making little noises at how good they are. Alexander looks at him with amusement and then he clears his throat.

“Look. We did some research on you.”

“Didn’t expect any less.” Stiles comments after the moment of pause.

“We found a website.” Stiles nods. “So, you’re a detective, right?”

“Yes. I graduated almost three months ago and I’ve been working here and there. And also, well, I don’t know if you read the whole thing but a few years ago Beacon Hills was a hell hole.”

“Yeah, I read it. The thing is, detective Stilinski, one of my wolves’ been framed with murder and is currently in jail. We know who the killer is, a cop for crying out loud, but we have no prove since that man made it seem like it was out of jealousy. Steven’s wife, the person killed, worked with the killer and he framed Steven, saying his wife was cheating on him, being that the motive… But you and I know it would be really difficult for her to put a cheating move on a pack of wolves. Also, she was very much in love with Steven and their child… Everything’s a mess. I would like you to resolve this and put the real killer in jail. Please.”

“Wow. Yeah. Of course, I’ll do it. Can I talk to Steven though? I’m sure he’ll be able to tell me more information about this.”

“Of course. He’s in the town’s jail and he has his audience in a few days but we haven’t been able to come up with something in his defense that would not give us away as wolves…”

“Don’t worry about that, Alpha Lewis. I’ll do everything in my power to avoid Steven’s audience and him being framed as guilty.”

“Thank you, mister Stilinski. How much will you ask for your services?”

“We can talk about that after Steven is here with his pack and his child.”

Chapter Text

It’s not the first time Stiles’ been in jail. When he was a teenager, before Scott got bitten, he spent a lot of nights with his dad, helping him with paperwork and wandering the cells as he asked the prisoners why they were there. Sometimes they told him to fuck off, sometimes they sat with him and answered all his questions. After a while he deciphered how criminals' minds worked and he started to see patterns on his dad’s cases. When he started his studies, he went a few times to a series of jails with his professors to help with cases and solve loopholes. It was mostly fun, and he has always liked a challenge.

His first impression of Steven Gredos is that the man looks too kind to be a murderer. His eyes are soft, but he has dark circles around them as he’s been there for two days; he also has laugh lines and dimples. He has a few wrinkles on his forehead, making him seem older than he really is.

“Hi.” Stiles says after they sit in front of each other. Steven looks distrustful. “My name is Stiles Stilinski. I’m a private detective, I was sent by your Alpha.” Steven shifts and looks around to the police officers at the door. “Don’t worry, they can’t hear us. They’re too far away.”

“Ok… I suppose you already know who I am if Alex sent you.”

“Indeed, I do. But I’m gonna ask you a few questions, ok?” he receives a nod and Stiles continues. “Your name is Steven Gredos, thirty-five years old, male, Adriana Gredos’ husband and Tommy Gredos’ father?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Then we can proceed. Can you tell me everything you know, everything, that might help me getting you out of here? Who was your wife, what did she do, how she knew the killer, how was she killed, everything you know.”

“Adriana was… Adriana was three years younger than me. We went to high school together but we never talked to each other as I was a senior when she was a freshman. I went away to New York for college and meet her there when she went away too. Charles, the man who killed her” he says it with so much anger, Stiles can feel him growling, even if they have a table separating them, “was her best friend in high school but they grew apart when she rejected his feelings. We met, fell in love, dated, told her I was a wolf and married. When Tommy was born, we came here to do our moon ritual and to welcome her officially to the pack, but we lived in New York. She was a forensic medic and when Tommy had his first full shift, we decided to come back here so he would feel comfortable around other wolves and make the pack bond. She started to work with the Sheriff and the police as their forensic doctor and met again with Charles.”

“Ok, I get where this is going. A ‘if you’re not with me, you’re not with anybody’ crime. Isn’t it?”

“Yeah. She told me once that she thought he had moved on because he dated and stuff, but after we came back and he found out she was married and we had Tommy? He went crazy and yelled at her. She didn’t talk to him for months. They had started talking again when he killed her. Stiles, he drugged her, raped her, stabbed her and made it seem it was me who did it out of jealousy because ‘she was cheating on me’, and he’s getting away with it because he’s a cop… no offence.”

“None taken.” Stiles frowns a bit and asks. “Do you have a lawyer?”

“No. I didn’t want to seem guilty asking for a lawyer.” He smiles nervously and scratch his neck. “You know, in TV, when someone’s guilty they ask for a lawyer so…” Stiles chuckles.

“That’s true. But in this case, we need a lawyer to put the evidence in favor to you. I’m gonna work on a low profile but I think we need to delay your audience.  At least one more week.”

“But how do we do that?”

“Lawyer first. They’ll know. You guys have lawyers in your pack? Or should I ask one of my friends? I have a couple of favors to collect.”

“I think it would be better if it’s someone we don’t have any relation with, they can say it’s some trick we’re doing.”

“You’re right. I think I’m gonna be needing the evidence they used against you, and I’m gonna ask for a rape exam, if you’re ok with it? I’m sure they didn’t do it or even think about it… are you ok with that, though?”

“Yeah. Whatever it takes to put that motherfucker in jail.”

“I like the spirit. Give me four days and I’ll have everything sorted, you’ll get out of here.”

Stiles gets out of the room and gets his phone out as soon as he can. Dialing a number by heart, he takes his personal stuff and gets out of the place.

“Hey, Caroline? It’s Stiles. Yeah, I changed my number… yes, I’m fine, how are you? How’s Jeremy? Cool. He’s gonna be eighteen the next time you see him… ha-ha, you know how I feel about having kids at this age. Car, you remember that favor I did for you a couple of years ago? Good. I need your help. How fast do you think you can come to Modoc?”

Chapter Text

“Ok. Tell me everything.” Caroline sits on Stiles’ bed and looks at him expectantly.

“Steven Credos, a thirty-one-year-old man. Framed by the murder of his wife by one of her coworkers, actual murder of the woman.”

“How do you know that?” Caroline asks with suspicious eyes and Stiles scratches his cheek. “… It’s one of those cases, huh?”

Stiles knew very well what she was referring to. There were times where he encountered wolves around cases, ones being framed just because or with an ulterior motive, and because Stiles could understand what they were going through as he was part of a wolf pack, they opened up to him and told him theories based on their senses, and usually they were right. He couldn’t tell Caroline how he knew all that stuff, it wasn’t his secret to tell and she was better off not knowing what was really going on. There was a time, when they were in college, where she reached him because she had an unresolved case for her class and they weren’t getting anything out of their suspect, she heard rumors about a guy that could get information out of anyone and without thinking it twice, she asked for his help. And now she was going to pay that favor with the best of her skills.

“Yeah. I talked to him and he explained to me what really happened, but the guy who murdered his wife is a cop, so they’re taking his world for granted without doing any tests. They still have the body in the lab, though, so I can ask for a few tests that can help us, but we need to work on a low profile.”

“What else should I know or look for?” she asks.

“Well, he said Charles, the murderer, drugged her, raped her and stabbed her. He was in love with her but she never loved him back. She married, had a kid and he got furious. He made it seem like she was cheating on her husband with him and that Steven killed her because of that. But that could not have happened without Steven figuring it out… Confidential information, sorry.” He says as Caroline looks at him shooting her eyebrows up. She nods and looks at him intensely.  

“Anything else?”

“Yeah. The judge who’s taking the case’s named Santiago Allen.”

“And?” she asks confused. Stiles sighs and handles her a folder with a few profiles on it.

“The man we’re going to put in jail is Charles Allen, Santiago’s little brother. And you know what that means.”

“What they’re doing is illegal. No family member can handle cases like that, even if they’re the one suing.”

“Exactly.” Stiles says smirking. “And that’s where we’re going to start.”

Chapter Text

“What do you mean my audience is been delayed until further notice?”

“What you’re hearing is what you’re getting. I told you we’ll make you time.” Stiles says smiling.

“But how? I don’t understand!” Steven smiles bright.

“Well, you know the judge who was going to take your case?” Steven’s wide eyes are enough answer. “No, of course you don’t. The judge was Santiago Allen.”

“Charles’ brother?”

“Yup. The one and only”, Caroline answers and then smiles.

“You said ‘was’… what aren’t you telling me?” Steven smiles at her too, confused.

“Well, it’s illegal to let a family member take cases, do surgery and other stuff because it can cloud your judgment. And the court can’t take a law suit on them because of that so we made a deal.”

“And that deal was taking him out of the case?”

“Yeah. But also bringing a judge who’s not corrupted by the town’s people because if they let the whole ‘brother-taking-case’ happen, we can’t trust them. So, someone from LA is coming.” Stiles says smirking, “and, while they decide which one of them is going to come all the way up here, we can do our thing.”

“I… I don’t know what to say” Steven says while his eyes tear up a little bit. “I-I don’t even think a ‘thanks’ can express what I’m feeling right now.”

“Don’t thank us just yet. We still have an audience to win.” Caroline says smirking.

“While we’re at it, does Adriana’s family know about…” Stiles asks giving him a knowing look.

“Yeah, when we moved back, we came clean to them after Tommy… well, you can imagine. Why?”

“Yeah, I can. Well, I’m gonna need your permission, theirs and Alex’s. For the autopsy exams.”

“Oh, of course. I’ll write you their address.” Steven says as he takes the paper and pen Stiles is giving him. “Here you go.”

They stay silent for a few more minutes, letting the information sink in and also thinking about new questions.

“Who’s gonna tell him?” Steven asks.

“Oh, that would be me. Now that the audience has been delayed he’s gonna get really nervous. Like, angry nervous. And his confidence is going to be slipping away, getting violent at everyone. And, when that happens…” Stiles smiles wide as he extends the ‘a’. “We’re gonna get a witness.”

Chapter Text

Stiles looks at the map Alex draw for him when he asked how to arrive to Adriana’s family house. It should be that one, Stiles thinks as he looks at the house, it looks like the drawing. And yes, the drawing does look like an architected version of the house. Stiles thinks he’s pretty safe to say he's in the right place while he knocks the door. The woman that opens looks about seventy, all dressed in black, and carries a three-year-old boy on her arms.

“Hi, my name is Stiles Stilinski. I’m here to talk to you about your daughter’s case. Steven and Alex sent me.”

“My daddy?” the boy asks with curiosity.

“Yeah. You must be Tommy.” The boy looks at him and bright, yellow eyes flash at him as an answer.

“Tommy! He, uh… How do I explain this?” the woman murmurs, and Stiles smiles.

“Don’t worry about that, I’m from the McCall’s pack, in Beacon Hills. I already know about the wolves.”

“Oh… Well, that’s good, I think. I don’t need to convince you it was an illusion.” Stiles laughs at that. “Come in, please.”

Stiles enters the house and goes to the living room as instructed, watching Tommy up close, while Adriana’s mom, Clarissa, goes to the kitchen.

“So, how old are you, Tommy?” Stiles asks, with a soft smile.

“Three!” he says raising his hand and showing three little fingers. “But I’ll be four in a few weeks!” and then he adds a fourth finger to show.

“Wow! Such a big man!” Stiles coos while Tommy comes close to him.

“You smell different.”

“Well, I’m not from here. I’m from another pack.”

“Are they far away?”

“Yeah, they’re really far away. But I can go back to them if I want to.”

“And why don’t you?” the kid looks so pure asking the question, Stiles doesn’t have enough pain, or guilt, or anger to not answer it.

“Well, I can’t see my dad anymore, and it’s a bit painful for me right now because I’m not used to it.”

“Ah… Like my mama?” he asks, and flicks his view to the kitchen’s way. “I can’t see her anymore.”

“Yeah, like your mama. But I’m sure she’s right here with us, and she’s never going to let you out of her sight, even if you can’t see her.”

“Do you think your daddy is here too?” Tommy is now sitting beside Stiles, moving his little legs back and forth.

“No, he’s in a better place now. I have a friend how’s watching over me while my dad and my mom rest.”

“And my mama will rest too? Like your daddy and your mom?”

“Yeah, eventually. When she knows everything is good here and you’re all safe.”

Stiles doesn’t really know if Adriana passed to the other side like his dad or is chatting with Erica, but he feels the need to reassure this little kid his mom is there, even if he can’t hug her and kiss her anymore.

“Cookies!” Clarissa says the moment she enters the room and Tommy’s face lights up immediately.

After eating in silence, Stiles answers Tommy’s questions, and soon after Clarissa tells Tommy to go upstairs and plays with his action figures.

“What do you wanted to talk about?” she asks.

“Well, I’ve spoken to Steven and Alexander, as I previously mentioned. I’m a private detective and they asked me to take Adriana’s case. I’m doing everything I can to take Steven out of jail and put the right culprit behind the bars. But I need you to agree to not take Adriana’s body out of the lab, yet.”

“Why?” she asks pained.

“Because I need to run some tests to prove that Steven wasn’t the one who killed her.”

“And you think you can put Charles in jail? God… I never expected to say something like that. He was such a nice boy.”

“I’m sure he was. Obsession can do horrible things to a person. So? Will you give me your permission? Steven’s audience’s been delayed so I’m trying to work really fast and get the proofs as soon as possible.”

“Yeah. You can do whatever you need. Tommy needs his father and we all need to mourn her properly.”

“I get that.” Stiles gets a paper out of his bag and gives it to Clarissa. “Please, sign here and here, these are the consent papers.”

“Thank you for doing this. Adriana needs to rest and we need to move on. There needs to be a closure for this.”

Chapter Text

Stiles and Caroline are sitting on the bed in front of each other with their legs folded, a bunch of papers and folders in front of them. There are a lot of coffee paper cups on the floor and what seems to be energy bars’ packages. They have shadows below their eyes and it seems like they haven’t slept in days.

“Stiles…” Caroline sounds exasperated.

“Tell me.”

“This case has too many holes! How can you expect me to have counterarguments if I don’t even know how we’re getting this information!?” Caroline messes up her hair in a frustrated gesture. “I mean, I know I never asked you for extra information when we were at uni, but this is completely different. I’m walking blind here.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” Stiles sighs and his eyes water because of how sleepy he is.

They stay silent for a minute and Stiles checks his phone. He knows he’s probably going to regret this in a very near future but, he’s tired, and the pressure he’s feeling on his shoulders because he doesn’t know how to find a way to put the proofs on their favor it’s too much to bear right now.

“Look, this is really not my secret to tell and it’s better if I talk to someone first, ok? Car, this really isn’t something you can left unseen once you’ve seen it. It’s not something pink and full of rainbows. I’m giving you an out. It’s a ‘now I know and I wish I didn’t know’ or a ‘I’m better not knowing what’s really going on’. No in between. Your choice”

“I need to know.”

“Ok. Go take a shower and I’ll call Scott.”

Chapter Text

“Hey man, you look like shit.” Scott says once the video call tab is fully loaded. “And someone is having a heart stroke in the bathroom. What’s happening?”

“Scotty, I’m tired, angry, frustrated and stressed. I need you to do me a favor, ok? You remember Caroline? The lawyer girl who got pregnant when we were at uni? The one with the whole lot of problems because the faculty didn’t want to help? Even though the baby’s father was one of the professors?”

“Yeah, I think you told me something about that. She asked you for help to do research on a lot of supernatural cases, and the whole fugitive professor as well, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, what does that have to do with anything? Is she with you?”

“Yeah, she’s helping me with a case. Thing is, bro, this case is messing with us and I need to tell her where I’m getting the information we have, ok? And it’s because the guy is a wolf and my brain has like, short-circuited. Can I let her know? Please?”

“Stiles, I might be the Alpha but you don’t need to ask my permission for this kind of things. She’s your friend and I’m sure you trust her a lot to even consider telling her. Of course you can, it’s your secret too.”

“You’re the best. Can you call the pack? I want them there, with you, to formally introduce her.”

“Sure, give me half an hour and I’ll call you back, ok?”

Ten minutes after that, Caroline comes out of the bathroom, dressed in pajamas and with dripping wet hair. She looks a little bit more relaxed than before but not enough to say she’s less stressed.

“Let me take a quick shower. Scott’s supposed to call in twenty minutes. We’ll tell you everything.”

“Stiles…” Caroline calls right before he closes the door.

“Yes?”

“Is it really that bad?”

“… It’s a life-changing-perspective kind of thing.”

Chapter Text

“Hey, buddy, they’re all here.” Scott says, and suddenly, a lot of faces appear on the screen, and they start to talk at the same time.

“Stiles!” he hears.

“Oh my god, hi!” another one says.

“You look like shit, man” a male voice sound and Stiles can almost make up the sassy tone Isaac uses.

“Yeah, yeah. Guys, if you keep talking on top of each other, I won’t be able to answer anything!”

“How are you!” they all yell, he laughs.

“I’m fine! A little tired but fine.”

The bathroom door opens and Caroline comes out, hair dried and makeup on point.

“Stiles, your soap smells so nice!” and suddenly there’s silence.

“You’re all seeing the girl wearing plaid behind him, right?” Liam says.

“Yeah…” they all murmur loud enough for Stiles to hear.

“Oh. My. God. No.” Stiles laughs loud and Caroline looks at him amused. “This is Caroline, guys. She’s one of my colleagues and a very good friend of mine. Scott, you didn’t tell them why we’re doing this?”

“No, sorry. I just told them we were having a video call with you and they, sort of, loose their head.” He says with a sheepish smile.

“Well, I guess I’m gonna have to tell them. Guys, I want Caroline on the pack.”

Silence again. All of them are frowning and looking suspicious. Stiles looks at Caroline and she looks nervous, eyes on the plaid she’s wearing and hands drying the probably-already-dried sweat.

“Guys. I know we’re mistrustful about us, but if Stiles thinks she needs to know, we need to support him. It’ll be the same when you want to tell your family or a really loved friend, or even a partner.” Scott says calmly, looking at all of them.

“I know, Scott, but you know this isn’t something easy for humans.” Malia says looking apprehensive.

“Guys, I know it’s hard for us to open to someone new but I trust Caroline, and I already warned her it’s not easy. It’s ok.”

They all look at each other and then nod. Scott puts himself in front of them and the screen shows his face up close. He looks at Stiles, then at Caroline and again at Stiles, he nods and it’s like, even being miles away from each other, they understand what they’re thinking.

“Caroline, this is Scott McCall, the Alpha of our pack of… well, supernatural beings in general.”

“What?” she looks confused at Stiles and then, when she looks at the screen again, Scott’s eyes are red and the others shine bright yellow and electric blue. Caroline gasps and takes a step back.

Chapter Text

“Ok, good trick.” She says and laughs, stopping when neither Stiles, nor the others, do. “You’re serious?”

“Guys, show her. And Car, look at them very carefully.” He says after a sigh.

They make the change. The werewolves show their Beta form, and Malia and Theo show their fangs. Shortly after, they come back to their human form and look at her expectantly.

“I know it’s a lot to take in. Believe me, the shit that comes with being in the pack is…” Stiles stops and he looks at them fondly. “It’s worth it. We’ve lost a lot of people, but we welcome the new ones with open arms, and I really want you to be a part of our pack.”

“… If I decide to be a part of your pack, I need to be a… supernatural being?”

“Oh, no! I’m human. We have other humans in our pack.”

“Ok…and…You know all I can think of right know is Jeremy. Is he going to be safe? He’s only two.”

“Yes. Being in the pack means everyone is protected. Your son, by extension, is part of the pack too.” Scott answers for Stiles. “And… Stiles told me you live in Minnesota?”

“Yes, what does that have to do with everything? I need to move?” She looks preoccupied.

“No. No, of course not. We have a newly treat with the Minnesota pack, so they can offer you protection when you go back home.”

“Oh, ok…”

“So… You in?” Stiles asks. “It would make things so much easier.”

“Yeah, I think you’re gonna have to explain to me a lot, but yeah. I’m in.”

And, suddenly, Stiles feels the link connecting all of them to Caroline. And he knows Caroline feels it to because he hears her gasp as she takes both hands to her chest.

“Welcome to the McCall pack.” Scott says with a smile.

After hanging out, Stiles takes his phone to text Scott a ‘thank you’ and a smiley face, but the phone vibrates on his hand as he opens the text box.

Der-Bear: You guys welcomed someone new to the pack? I felt the link extend.

“Oh, Scott. It’s so you to forget to tell Derek.”

Chapter Text

Stiles: Oh god. Sorry, man. Yeah. Do you have a laptop near? Can you video call me? I’ll introduce you to her .

Der-Bear: I think so, tho I don’t know how to use it.

Stiles lets out a laugh and Caroline, from her seat, looks at him amused.

“What is it?” she asks, finding her voice after a few minutes of silence.

“Scott didn’t tell Derek what we were doing and he just texted me to ask me if we welcomed someone new. I asked him to video call me and he just answered he doesn’t know how to do it. Classic Derek.” He says with a smile and Caroline frowns but has a little smile on her face. “He was literally raised by wolves.”

Stiles: Open Skype and I’ll call you. Just hit the answer button.

Stiles starts to look on his contact list for ‘Hale, D’, as Derek registered himself, and when the contact shows ‘online’, he hits call. A few seconds later, Derek’s face shows up on the screen.

The Derek in front of them didn’t look much like the guy Stiles remembered. He didn’t look shady or sad, like the picture he sent him when he was with Erica. No. This Derek? This Derek looked like more than ten years had passed between the last time he saw him and now. Like, if all those rough years came all together to ask him for the pay check. But on top of that, Derek looked wild, free, happy. Some white hairs were starting to show on his beard and Stiles thinks he saw few more on his hair, there were wrinkles and laugh lines around his eyes, and his whatever-their-color eyes shined like he never saw before. Derek was breath taking, looking so handsome, wearing the years with rightful proudness. Like wine, he thought. And yeah. Derek Hale was like wine. Always more beautiful and tasteful as the years went by.

“Hey, Der-Bear.” Stiles says the minute he catches his breath again.

“Don’t call me that.” He answers and Stiles laughs. He knows Derek can hear how fast his heart is beating, but he can’t bring himself to care about that, he hasn’t seen Derek in six years.

“Don’t be like that, dude.” Stiles says and he sees Derek smile. “You look good.”

“You too as well.”

Stiles doesn’t answer for a second and Caroline clears her throat and elbows him. “Right. This is Caroline, big guy. She’s the pack’s new acquisition.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Caroline says with a warm smile and, for a moment, Derek looks edgy, visibly relaxing after giving Stiles a glance.

“You too. I’m Derek Hale, welcome to the pack.”

Chapter Text

“Ok, let’s get down to business.”

“To defeat the Huns?”

“Yup. Contextualization, though. Steven is a wolf, and the guy who hired me is his Alpha. Adriana was human and that’s pretty much why they know that the guy murdered her. Werewolves have higher smell and hearing, so it’s almost impossible to lie or cheat on them. Charles, obviously, doesn’t know that.”

“So, when you told me how he killed her…”

“It was because Steven told me. Should we ask someone to do the forensic exam?”

“Yeah, I think we should call someone, I don’t trust these people.”

“Neither do I.”

Chapter Text

Stiles is waiting for one of Caroline’s friends to come inside the morgue. She said she knew someone who lived near town and who would come within the next few hours, but while waiting, Stiles decided to check the body to see if she wasn’t manipulated by the last doctor. While checking her wrists, Stiles notices she still has some marks there of a probably really tight rope, he sighs and denies with his head, already thinking Charles maybe took her to some place and did all those atrocities to her.

“Who are you?” Stiles hears a male voice say and he lifts his head. In front of him is Charles Allen.

“Hi. I’m detective Stiles Stilinski, who are you?”

“Charles Allen. Why are you here? This place is restricted to outsiders.”

“Oh, I’m taking Adriana Gredos’ case. I’m trying to figure out what happened to her.”

“We already know.” Charles answers with anger. “Her husband murdered her because she was cheating on him with me.” He says with pride.

“See, that’s the thing, Steven does not agree with that statement. So, I’m taking the case. What are you doing here? This place is restricted to civilians.”

“I'm a deputy. And I’m taking Adriana’s body to her family. Her mom asked me to make all the preparations for her funeral.”

“Did she really? Because I have a consent form signed by her allowing me to do all the investigation needed for this case” while he says it, Stiles takes out the consent papers and moves it around for him to see, but not to touch.

“… This will not be the last time you hear about me” Charles says while turning around and getting out of the morgue.

“Oh, I’m sure of that, Charles. I’m sure of that.”

Chapter Text

“Ok, Jenny, what can you tell me?” Stiles says the moment he enters the morgue.

“Well, nice to see you too, Stiles. Oh, you asking how I am? I’m really good, a little bit cold for the air conditioning but good. How are you?” Jenny answers ironically.

Stiles laughs a little bit and rolls his eyes. “I’m sorry, Jenn, I’m good. It’s just that I don’t want to lose time, you know? Charles could be erasing his track for us to follow.”

“I know. But you can’t rush perfection. I can tell you a lot of things about this body and each one of them will drive you to a dead end.”

“Why?”

“Well, they already took her organs out so I don’t know how deep the knife went in. She has a lot of scars from previous injuries but they’re from her childhood or something like that, they’re really old. Our best leads are the wounds from the knife, the rope marks and the rape exam results. Under her nails was some dirt, I’m sure you know what we can do with that. But there’s no skin, either they took it out or she didn’t struggle, which leads us to the drug he used. Our best shot is chloroform but her nose’s been carefully cleaned so, once again, no evidence.”

“Damn it.” Stiles looks around the room and then looks at Jenny again. “Do you have the results for the rape exam and the dirt under her nails?”

“Yeah, there was, indeed, rape. He ejaculated inside her so there still was semen inside her vagina. He also hurt her insides with wood sticks and burned her as well. This was before he stabbed her. The dirt under her nails is probably from a warehouse or, some place close to the woods. He probably raped her and killed her while she was unconscious so she probably got that dirt when he laid her on the floor.”

“Question, there isn’t semen from someone else?”

“If you’re talking about the husband, no. Only him, and it’s been there for” Jenny looks at the report “… six days. There is no other sign of sexual activity.”

 “Six days…” Stiles taps the counter with a thoughtful look. “She was reported missing nine days ago and was found by her husband four days after that… He must have kept her drugged until he killed her.”

“If he did, then there must be evidence in the place he took her.”

“Yeah. But, where did he take her?”

Chapter Text

“Oh, detective, how can I help you?” Clarissa says the moment she opens the door.

“I have a couple of things to ask you, if that’s ok.”

“Of course, come on in. Tommy’s spending the day with the pack because full moon is getting close and I’m just packing his Christmas present.”

Oh. Right. Christmas, he thinks as he checks out the decorations he didn’t see when he first came to the house.

“I totally forgot about Christmas.” Stiles murmurs and Clarissa gives him an odd look.

“What can I do for you, detective?”

“Right. Um, my forensic doctor ran the tests we needed and she found that, indeed, there was rape and that he probably kept her drugged for the three to four days he held her captive. However, we don’t know how to prove this because they’ve already -partially, I might add- cleaned her and took her organs out, so we have our hands a little bit tied. She did tell me she had dirt under her nails and that it was probably from a warehouse. Clarissa, have you always lived in this house? Do you know a place where he could have taken her? Like, a childhood place the two of them had? Somewhere he thought it would be ‘meaningful’ for the both of them? I know it sound awful.”

“No, I get it. Adriana always said detectives try to figure these things out putting the situations from the killer’s perspective. I’m sure you know how criminal’s minds work.” Clarissa answers while looking at the photos she has on the coffee table. “No, I’ve lived in this house for six years, Adriana and Steven bought it for me, and they’re… he’s still paying it.           We lived down the road that drives you out town, to the next state, they weren’t warehouses but trailer parks. We traveled a lot when Adriana was a child and decided to stay here for a while so she could finish high school.”

“Trailer parks… Do you still have your trailer?”

“No, we sold it when Adriana decided she was going to college.”

Stiles stands up and walks around the living room, takes his phone out and texts the first person he has texts messages with.

Stiles: if you took a drugged woman to the trailer park she used to live and murdered her, where would you hide the clothes and evidence?

Stiles thanks Clarissa and gets out of the house, goes to the Jeep and starts driving to the motel. Once he hits a red light, he checks his phone in search for an answer and reads.

Der-Bear: are you solving a murdered? I’m not putting it in my case, but if it was Peter, really crazy for revenge and trying to hide, he would bury clothes and stuff near the trailer the woman used to live, or in the same spot the house used to be.

Stiles texts him a quick ‘thanks’ and texts Jenny and Caroline to be prepared. They’re going hunting.

Chapter Text

“Ok, what are we looking for?” Jenny asks as they get out of the Jeep.

“Some ground that seems recently digged and put back in. I know it seems like a big place but if the three of us look, we’ll find it.”

Stiles, Jenny and Caroline start by looking at their surroundings. Avoiding the trailers that are parked and ignoring the looks some people give them from their seats. At some point, Jenny decides to go to Stiles and murmurs something while he’s looking at the ground suspiciously.

“I think we should ask them if they’re seen something weird... aside from us, obviously.”

“We’re not weird!” Stiles answers and Jenny looks at him serious, pointing Caroline with her head, who’s currently digging on the ground. “Ok, I get your point, let’s go.”

They walk side by side until they’re in front of a couple, both looking at them suspiciously and frowning.

“Good afternoon.” Stiles says with a small smile. “I’m detective Stiles Stilinski, this is one of my colleagues Jenny Nott, and the one digging on the ground right there is Caroline Sawyer. We’re investigating a murder and I would like to know if you’ve seen something strange around here.”

“Well, aside from you three, no.” The man answers first. “A lot of new trailers come every day and leave the next day or so, everything stops being strange around the fifth or sixth time a trailer stops for the night.”

“I understand. And aside from trailers, there hasn’t been a man coming here in the last week?” Jenny asks.

“A man…?” the woman murmurs. “Now that you mention it, a man came this morning and he seemed really frustrated, he came with a shovel and a bag but got a call and had to leave. Didn’t dig, just turned around and got in the car he came.”

“Did you see where he was going?”

“Yeah, he was going in your friend’s direction” the woman said, pointing at Caroline.

A few minutes of silence fall between the four and right when Stiles is going to say thanks, Caroline shouts:

“Found it!”

Chapter Text

The three of them are in the motel room again. It’s 8pm and they have the evidence they need in plastic bags, deciding to do the tests early in the morning. They’re trying to figure out a way to get Charles’ DNA so they can compare both results but, at the moment, they’re out of ideas.

Queen L: Can I call you?

Stiles reads the text again, and again, and again. Frowns a little bit and looks at both girls in front of him.

Stiles: Yeah.

“Can you give me a moment? I’m gonna take a call.” Jenny and Caroline nod as he stands up and gets out of the room.

“Hey, Stiles.”

“Hey, Lydia.”

He stays silent for a few minutes, not really knowing what to say.

“I’m sorry.” She says first. “You were going through an awful moment and it was really selfish of me to try and make the situation about myself. I’m sorry.”

“Apology accepted.” He says and looks up, the sky isn’t completely dark yet, but the sunset was almost two hours ago.

“How are you?” she asks after letting out a sigh.

“I’m good, trying to solve a case and all that.”

“Scott told me. I’m sorry for not being at the pack meeting.”

“It’s ok, I’m sure you’ll have time to meet Caroline.”

They stay silent again, feeling the weight of the fight on their shoulders, and then Lydia speaks again.

“Christmas is coming. Are you going to be ok?”

“Yeah, I think so. I’m trying to solve this murder before Christmas so the guy can stay with his family those days. I’m trying to give him his freedom back.”

“You’re such a sap.” She says chuckling.

“Yeah, a little bit. I totally forgot Christmas was coming, you know?”

“I can imagine. You’ve been having a lot to think lately.”

“Yeah…” Stiles sighs, “how are you, Lyds?”

“I’m ok. Working my way on an investigation for the Fields Medal.” She answers and sounds proud.

“I’m sure you’ll get it. Out of all of us, you’re the one I know can make her dreams come true.”

“You think so?”

“I know so.” Stiles laughs a little. “You’ve always been very resourceful and focused. And you know how to get away with what you want.” She laughs a little bit and Stiles feels his chest fill with proudness. “You made Jackson watch The Notebook a thousand times.”

“He liked it! He just wanted to make it seem like he didn’t because he had this jock mask he had to put on.”

“He loved you, that’s why he watched it with you.”

“Yeah, he loved me. Just like Jordan, and Aiden, and you.” She sounds sad and apprehensive when she says that.

Stiles hums and walks a little, sitting on the steps that lead to the rooms. “Do you remember what I told you when we broke up?”

“That we were holding each other back.”

“Yeah. And you hummed, kissed my cheek and walked away.”

“You always got me the most” she says and Stiles can hear the tightness in her voice.

“I just knew where to look.”

“Sometimes I feel like I didn’t deserve you.” She murmurs.

“I don’t think so. You know what I think? I think that, you’re a focused person who knows what she wants in life. If you feel like you can do romance, then you’d do it. But Lyds? You don’t need someone to feel complete.”

“Thanks, Stiles.” She says and he hears the tears on her voice. “Now, enough with the feelings, tell me what you got from this murder. Let me help you.”

Chapter Text

“You took your time.” Caroline says once Stiles enters the room again.

“Yeah, I was talking to Lydia.”

“Your ex?” she asks.

“Yes, we had a big fight when I was leaving Beacon Hills so she was apologizing.” He says as he sits again on the bed. “She gave me a little idea, though. We need to find something that links Charles’ DNA to the clothes we found, if not semen, then some skin pigments. I’m not sure if he’ll try to go to the morgue again, but if he does we need to make sure we have a sample of his skin.”

“Do you think we’ll get a witness?” Caroline asks after a moment of silence.

“I really hope so…”

“Wait a minute.” Jenny says. “He’s supposed to be the mistress, right?”

“Yeah, that’s his cover story.”

“So, if we ask him to give us a sample of his semen, it wouldn’t be too out of the place, since he was ‘involved with her’ sexually speaking, right?” she says as she makes the quote marks with her fingers.

“Yeah… Yeah, you’re right! And we can use that as an argument if he denies the petition!” Caroline says smiling.

“That is actually perfect! He can’t have an alibi for that.”

Chapter Text

The next morning, they decide Stiles and Jenny are going to the morgue first while Caroline goes to the grocery store, heading up to the morgue next to look for Stiles so they can go to the police station to find Charles. The three of them realize there is someone starting a police cruiser and driving really fast, away from the motel. They look at each other, walk straight to the Jeep and Stiles frowns.

“Someone tried to force my baby open.”

He opens the driver’s door and gets in the car, opening the other two doors for Caroline and Jenny.

“I payed a lot of money for my baby to be this good, I’m not letting some psycho try and damage her.” He mumbles as he starts the engine.

“He’s not gonna screw her up, Stiles. Let’s go.” Caroline says from the back seat.

He drives, listening very carefully to any strange sound the Jeep might do, but also trying to put the pieces of information they have. Stiles thinks he maybe should visit Steven again, explain to him what they got, but decides against it, making his goal to visit him when everything is settled. They leave Caroline at the grocery store and start driving again, heading for the morgue. When they get there, Stiles checks his phone.

Der-Bear: did you find what you were looking for?

“Ooohhh” Jenny says, “who’s ‘Der-Bear’?” she uses a mockery tone and Stiles laughs.

“He’s just an old friend… Well, I don’t even know if he’s a friend? I mean, I think of him as a friend, I don’t know if he thinks of me like that. I really hope so, because the amount of times we’ve saved each other’s asses should be a way to friendship, you know?” Jenny nods amused. “He’s like… He’s really closed off, but he’s changed over the years and he’s friendlier now. But yeah, he’s a friend. A good friend from home…”

Is he really a ‘friend from home’? He hasn’t lived in Beacon Hills since the Alpha Pack.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, sweetheart.” Jenny says smirking.

“What do you mean?” Stiles asks frowning. “Jenny!” he calls after her, while she walks away, going inside the labs. “Hey! What do you mean!?” she laughs and he huffs a bit.

When they enter the lab where Adriana’s body is, they find a woman in her twenties, looking around the amount of medical equipment on the tables next to the big autopsy table.

“Hi, are you detective Stilinski?” she asks, putting her lips in a thin line.

“Yeah, that’s me. Who are you?”

“I’m Sheylla Nichols, I’m a deputy at Modoc Police Department. I would like to speak to you privately.” She says, eyeing Jenny, who’s putting her lab coat on.

Witness he sees her mouth and he nods, going outside the lab room with Sheylla behind him.

Chapter Text

“So, Sheylla, what can I do for you?”

“You’re investigating Adriana’s murder, right?” she asks, and even though she tries to stay firm, she looks a little bit jumpy.

“Yes, I am.” Stiles answers carefully.

“And you’re trying to demonstrate her husband didn’t do it, right?” she asks again.

“Yes…” Stiles frowns and asks himself if they weren’t too sneaky about the information they were gathering.

“Have you considered who might have done it?” she asks, and looks around the empty hall.

“Why? You think you know who did it?” he asks, evading the question.

“I… I don’t know. I think so? I’m not sure.” She answers nervously.

“Who do you think did it?”

“Do you know Charles Allen? He’s one of my colleagues. He came around the offices a few days ago, bragging about how he was Adriana’s lover and how her husband found out and that was why she was dead, you know?” Stiles nods because yeah, that was the story he told everybody. “But yesterday? He was so pissed off, murmuring some things about you and how everything was going perfectly until you arrived this town. He yelled at everyone because we called him to the station. He was late for his shift and dared to yell at us because he had important things to dig in!” she yells scandalized.

“So, you think he killed her?” he asks.

“We all knew they were fighting. Modoc is a little town, we knew they knew each other from high school and that he was really mad when she came back. He’s usually a pretty calm guy, you know? But when she came back, married and with a kid? He started to have these rage and hysteria episodes. Our sheriff told him that he had to go to a psychologist and he got well, apparently. But then, he didn’t take the night shifts for three days in a row, and then Adriana turns up dead? That’s really suspicious, don’t you think?”

“It is really suspicious. Do you have the doctor’s name? Maybe we can talk to them and see if we have some more information about these rage episodes.”

“Yeah, his name is… Daniel Spashnovich, I think. He came from Los Angeles a few years ago. I don’t know his office address, though.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get it.” Stiles says with a reassuring smile. “Thank you so much, Sheylla. Can you leave me your number, in case I need to talk to you again?”

“Of course. I really hope you catch Adriana’s murderer. She was a really nice woman.”

Chapter Text

When Caroline and Stiles arrive to the psychologist building, he feels his phone vibrate a couple of times.

Der-Bear: Stiles?

Der-Bear: Are you ok?

Der-Bear: Something happened?

Der-Bear: Hey!

Stiles checks his phone with a frown and sees that the message he typed was not sent to Derek, he checks again and sees that, instead, he sent it to Lydia.

Stiles: Sorry! I thought I answered you but I sent the message to the wrong person!

Stiles: I’m ok. Thanks for your help, I think we’re getting there.

Stiles: And thank you for worrying about me.

Der-Bear: You’re welcome. And whatever. Promise me you’ll call me if something goes wrong.

Stiles: Promised! <3

Stiles smiles fondly and then opens Lydia’s text messages box.

Stiles: Sorry Lyds! This message was for someone else! But thanks for your help too!

Queen L: I figured. You’re very welcome. Keep me updated.

Stiles: Sure thing!

“Hey, the secretary told me the office. Come on” Caroline says, tugging him from the arm.

They knock and wait for the doctor inside to tell them to enter, he stands up, looks at them with a frown and says: “You’re not patients of mine.”

“No, I’m detective Stilinski and this is my colleague, lawyer Caroline Sawyer.”

“Pleasure to meet you, I’m Daniel Spashnovich, but I’m sure you knew that already. May I ask you why are you here?”

He has an accent. It sounds British to Stiles’ ears and he wonders if the man knows the accent gives him a presence.

“We’re here to talk to you about Charles Allen.”

The man frowns at them and moves his eyes around the room, clearly thinking. “… Charles Allen, Charles Allen…” he walks directly to an organizer and opens the first cabinet. “Allen, Allen, Allen…” he murmurs. He looks between files and then takes out a folder, opening to read. “Ah, yes. He had rage problems. Came six sessions and then never came back.” He closes the folder and puts in on the table. “Why?”

“We have a strong suspicion he’s Adriana Gredos’ killer.”

“Well, she indeed was the cause of his rage. Or that was what he wanted to believe. I told him to go to the psychiatrist but I take he didn’t go.”

“Probably not. We found out this morning he came to you.” Caroline answers.

“Yeah, but that was over a year ago.”

They stay silent, processing the new information and Stiles speaks first. “Would you mind giving us Charles’ folder? It may help us demonstrate he was the one who murdered her.”

“Yes, of course. Do you need the original one?”

“Yeah, it’s better if we have the original papers.” Caroline answers.

“All right. Then tell my secretary to do copies of this for me, please.” He handles the folder to them and smile. “I hope there is something that can help you in there.”

“Thank you very much.”

Chapter Text

“Don’t you think this was really easy?” Stiles asks once he’s on the Jeep.

“Yes. He just gave us his clinical file, we didn’t even use a subpoena.” Caroline says as she puts her stuff in the back seat. “Either he’s really amoral or he’s bullshiting us with the information.”

“I love when you talk dirty to me.”

“Concentrate, Wonder Boy. Let’s go back to the motel, Jenny should be there.”

Chapter Text

When they get to the motel, Jenny is already inside the room, checking some papers and sitting on the bed. Stiles and Caroline leave the clinical file on top of the other papers and then sit on the floor, sighing.

“Didn’t go well?” Jenny asks.

“No, it went well, we have the clinical file and we can check what Charles said about Adriana.” Caroline answers.

“Then why do you have those sour faces?” Jenny asks again.

“Because there is a probability the man is not a doctor, so the statements have no credibility.” Stiles answers this time.

“Why would they hire a man for a psychologist job if the man himself is not even a doctor?” Jenny asks, frowning.

“Why the people in this town do anything? I’m seriously more concerned about taking Steven out of jail than the politics of this place. Let’s check the file and see if we can find something.” Stiles answers exasperated.

“Sure. We can have lunch here if you guys want. I talked to the town’s detective and he said we need a subpoena to check the data base.”

“I can take care of that. You both should go to the police station and ask Charles if he can give you the semen sample.” Caroline says, as she takes her phone out. “I’m gonna call for takeout, any suggestions?”

“Chinese.” Jenny and Stiles answer at the same time.

While Caroline makes the call, Stiles takes his laptop out to check for any background on the so-called psychologist, then hears Jenny murmur:

“December 14^th… Do you think we’ll be done here before Christmas?”

“I hope so. We still have no notification on the judge thing, so I’m thinking at least three more days. If we have how to demonstrate Charles did it, we’ll be out of this place before the 24^th.”

Jenny sighs, taking the clinical file on her hands, “Keep digging, then.”

Chapter Text

“Hi, I’m detective Stilinski, I’m looking for Charles Allen” Stiles says once he’s on the police station. The girl in the reception looks at him with wide eyes, looks over her shoulder and then at them again.

“Yes, he’s right there. He’s the one talking with that deputy.” She points the two persons talking and Stiles recognizes Sheylla as the girl he’s talking with and she looks somewhat scared.

“Thank you.”

Stiles and Jenny walk straight to them and overhear the hushed conversation they’re having when they get close enough.

“Just who the hell do you think you are? Going around and telling people something that has nothing to do with you!?”

“I…” Sheylla tries to answer and then looks over Charles shoulder to see Stiles and Jenny, both of them smiling at her, encouraging her. “I don’t need to explain anything to you. You have visitors.” She says as she walks away from them, Charles turns around.

“What do you want.” He says without actually asking. “I’m busy.”

“Oh, it’ll be quick, really.” Stiles says, smiling openly at him, trying to look innocent. “We’re just here to ask you a favor.”

“What kind of favor?” Charles asks, looking more confused than angry.

“We were wondering if you would mind giving us a sample of your semen?” Jenny says, straight to the point.

“… I’m sorry, what?” Charles frowns in confusion, an angry expression taking again his face. “What!?” he yells and everyone at the station looks at them.

“Well, we would like to compare it to some of the semen we found. You said she was cheating on her husband with you, right? We just want to check you out of our list.” Stiles says, holding his smirk back.

“Why would you want to do that? You already know he killed her, why wouldn’t you let her rest in peace?” Charles says, voice affected and eyes angry. He looks around, catching some of the other deputies staring at them, he makes a gesture with his hands, as if he’s drying them from sweat.

“Well, we just want to be sure,” Jenny answers first, and in a brave act she takes his hand. “I’m sure you’re suffering too, but we just want to confirm our findings, I’m sure you know how this works.”

Charles looks at her disgusted and takes his hand away from her, taking a step back and turning around. “I’m not going to give you anything. Get out of here.” He walks away and Stiles and Jenny share a brief look.

They turn around, thank again the girl in the reception and get into the car.

“He knows we have his dirty clothes.” Jenny says smirking.

“He knows we have his dirty clothes.”

Chapter Text

Stiles and Jenny park in front of the court, waiting for Caroline to get out.

Stiles: We’re here, are you done yet?

Caroline: Not yet, give me half an hour.

“Caroline says she’ll take half an hour.” Stiles tells Jenny and she nods.

They both play with the station a bit until they find a song they both like. Stiles taps the steering wheel with his finger, mouths the lyrics as the song goes, while Jenny hums the rhythm.

“How did you meet Caroline?” Stiles asks, bored with the silence. “We don’t know each other that well” he says with a smile, Jenny chuckles.

“An understatement.” She says with a playful smile. “We’re friends from home, actually. We met when we were in middle school and hung out a lot. We went to different universities but kept talking to each other, you know?”

“Yeah, I get that. My brother from another mother, Scott… well, he’s kind of my step-brother now, we met in kindergartner. We’ve been inseparable since then. And now we have a little sibling coming to make us big bros.” Stiles smiles at her with happiness.

“Ah, I get that. When Jeremy was born I was really excited. She made me his godmother, you know? He’s the sweetest kid ever, and I really despise the professor who left her alone with the pregnancy.”

“We all do. When Caroline told me she was pregnant, she was so devastated and firmly believed she wasn’t going to be able to finish her major. It was a train wreck for her.”

“Yeah… But look at her now. Jeremy’s almost three, she graduated a year earlier and she’s working her ass off. She’s really admirable.”

“That she is, I’m really glad she could take care of it all. Her prior concern’s been Jeremy since he was born and there’s nothing she does without putting him first.”

“Yeah… I hope we can finish this sooner rather than later. I wanna spend Christmas with them this year.”

“We’ll do it. We’re an awesome team.” Stiles moves his hand up and Jenny laughs, high fiving him with enthusiasm.

They stay silent again, looking outside their respective windows until they see Caroline get out of the court with a big smile.

“We have it! Let’s go to the lab!” she says as soon as she gets inside the car.

The moment he starts the car again, his phone rings and Stiles takes it without moving the car.

“Hello? Alexander? Hi… Wait, what? No, no, slow down… What!? Ugh, these people I swear. Yeah, thanks for calling me, I’ll go to talk to Steven as soon as I can. See you.”

“What is it?” Caroline asks first, frown deep.

“The judge will be here tomorrow. Sebastian just talked to the juries to have a date for the audience. It’s in two days.”

“What? But I just came out of the court! Why didn’t they tell me?”

“Because they don’t want us to know. Come on, we need to check the DNA and then visit Steven.”

Chapter Text

Caroline is sitting beside Steven, Stiles sitting at his other side, while Jenny looks at them from behind. They’re waiting for the judge to come inside the room. Charles Allen is sitting on the other table, looking at them angry and hushing comments with, they suppose, is his lawyer. The door opens and the guard announces the judge.

“Judge Nicholas Row, please stand up.”

Everyone in the room stands up and they wait until the judge sit to do the same. He looks around the room, catching both men’s eyes and then the jury, he nods at them and they make the same gesture.

“Good afternoon. We’re here in the case of Adriana Gredos’ murder. The accused party of this case is Steven Gredos, her husband; the plaintiff party is Charles Allen, her lover. The subject is murder by stabbing, the motive is jealousy because of the affair. Is that correct?” the judge looks at both parties and both lawyers nod. “Very well, then, lawyer,” he looks at Allen’s judge “you may start.”

“Thanks, your honor. My client maintained a relationship with Gredos’ wife for about six months before the moment she was murdered by her husband. They pretended to have a fight in front of their coworkers so they wouldn’t raise any suspicion. My client and Adriana Gredos knew each other since they were in high school and were friends since then, he fell in love with her since then but they went to different universities. When she came back, she was already married and had a son, but she realized she was still in love with my client, so they decided to keep their relationship a secret from everyone.”

“Objection! This is hearsay!” Caroline stands up, “this information was given by the plaintiff party beforehand.”

“Allowed. If you want to share a story, ask the questions directly to the plaintiff.” The judge says and the lawyer nods.

“Alright. I call Charles Allen to the podium.” Charles stands up and walk directly to the podium. “Do you solemnly swear that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God under pains and penalties of perjury?”

“I swear.” Charles answer.

“Tell us when did you meet Adriana Gredos.”

“We met when we were in high school. She lived in the trailer park outside town and we were really good friends, the best I would say.”

“And when did Adriana leave?” the lawyer asks again.

“As soon as we finished high school. She packed her stuff and went to New York to study. We didn’t talk while she was there so I didn’t know she was married and had a kid until she came back. However, she told me she had made a mistake by leaving and marrying another guy, and that she loved me.” Charles continues saying.

“He’s lying, that motherfucker.” Steven murmurs to Stiles, “his heart is beating quick and it skipped a beat.”

“Don’t worry.” Stiles murmurs back, “we’ve got this.”

“And what did you do after she said that?” the lawyer asks again.

“I told her that we couldn’t do anything because she was married, but she insisted and I ended up following her because I loved her so much. We pretended to fight just so we could see each other in secret.”

“I rest my case.”

“Lawyer? Do you have anything to say?” the judge asks.

“No, your honor. But I would like to call Sheylla Nichols to the podium.”

“Allowed.”

Charles comes down the podium as Sheylla stands up from her place, avoiding any eye or physical contact with him, Charles sits down and Sheylla enters the podium.

“Sheylla, do you solemnly swear that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God under pains and penalties of perjury?”

“I swear.”

Chapter Text

“Ok, Sheylla, is it true that you contacted detective Stilinski two days ago?” Caroline starts.

“That’s right. I went to see him to the lab and morgue where Adriana’s body was being analyzed.”

“Yes, and why did you go to see him?”

“Because I was concerned about my colleague, Charles. He was having rage and hysterical episodes again.”

“Again. And when did he start having his episodes?”

“Six months ago, the moment Adriana started working with us.”

“And did you, ever, see them fighting?”

“Yes. It wasn’t only at the station, in public spaces too. He always demanded to know why she didn’t choose him, instead of her husband.”

“Ah, and you say this was in public places too?”

“Yes, in malls, cafés and diners. Mostly was when she was alone or with her son.”

“And what did the police department say when he started to have these episodes?”

“The Sheriff said he should go to a psychologist, and because he wasn’t having any we thought he went. But he also didn’t talk to Adriana anymore.”

“What happened when Adriana’s body was found?”

“He entered the police station bragging he was her lover and that her husband found out about the affair.”

“And this was just the moment after her body was found?”

“Yes. He took morning shifts for four days straight, coincidentally the days Adriana went missing.”

“Do we have a report for this?” the judge asks.

“Yes, we have it.” Caroline answers and goes to the desk, looks for some papers and then handles them to the judge. Stiles and Jenny look at each other, frowning, when did she go to find those papers?

“Ok. Do you have more questions, lawyer?”

“No, your honor. I would like to call detective Stilinski to the podium, if the defense doesn’t have any questions?”

Both Charles and the lawyer start talking in murmurs, and while Charles looks angry, the lawyer keeps denying with head.

“No. I don’t have any.”

“Well, miss Nichols, you can go back to your seat. Detective, please, come to the podium.”

Chapter Text

“Well, detective, can you tell us why are you here, in this town?” Caroline asks.

“I’m travelling around the states.”

“And why did you take this case?”

“I went to talk to Alexander once I got into town because he’s one of my step-brother’s friends, and while I was there he asked me, as a favor, to take the case. Alexander is Steven’s mentor so he believes in his word when he says he didn’t kill Adriana.”

“And what happened when you went to talk to Steven Gredos?”

“He told me Adriana was drugged, raped and stabbed, but he didn’t know how to demonstrate he wasn’t guilty.”

“And you ran tests to confirm this?”

“Yes. We contacted a forensic doctor who came to run some of the tests because the one who did the autopsy didn’t do a rape exam. It got out positive, even though there wasn’t any sign of struggles, but it was hard to catch the drug that was used.” Stiles sees the smug smile Charles has and he smirks. “However, we did manage to find where she was held captive and male clothes that were socked in semen and chloroform. They were buried in the aforementioned trailer park.”

Caroline walks directly to the desk, takes a file and handles it to the judge, he looks at the documents and frowns.

“When Sheylla came to you, what did she say, exactly?”

“That Charles Allen had a rage attack because he was called to the police station. He was late for his shift.”

“And she mentioned a psychologist?”

“She did. I went to talk to him and he gave me the clinical file and mentioned Charles only went to six sessions, before recommending going to a psychiatrist. However, and even though said psychologist is untitled, we do have written every statement he gave in the sessions, arguing it was Steven’s fault that Adriana didn’t want to be with him.”

“You do know this doesn’t have credibility, right?” the judge asks.

“I do. I’m very aware of that. It doesn’t mean the clinical file isn’t professionally written, though. Every sheet of paper has its date and subject. And all six sessions are about Adriana mad at him and Steven being guilty.”

“I rest my case.” Caroline says, and the defense stands up.

“So, detective, you said you were here passing by?”

“I did.”

“Why stopping here, then?” he asks, his smile looks friendly but his eyes are fierce.

“Already said that. Alexander, Steven’s mentor, is friends with my step-brother. I wanted to pay a visit, let him know I was in town.”

“And how many days had passed from the moment they found Adriana’s body?”

“Two days.”

“So, two days after Adriana’s body is found, you show up and take the case, making the original audience delayed for Steven.”

“Yes. The former judge was Charles Allen’s older brother. Family can’t be involved with legal or medical cases.”

“However, you took Steven’s case as a favor.”

“Yes, that doesn’t mean I’m friends, nor family of Steven’s or Alexander’s.”

“Did you know the victim or the accused beforehand?”

“No.”

“I rest my case.”

“Thank you, detective. Please go back to your sit.” Stiles stands up and the judge looks at the defense. “Are you going to call someone else to the podium?”

“Yes. I would like to call Steven Gredos.”

Chapter Text

“So, Steven. How long have you been in jail?”

“Nine days.”

“You were the one who reported that Adriana was missing?”

“Yes. She was supposed to go to Lassen to visit a cousin but she never arrived. Her cousin called me and asked if she just decided not to go and I knew something was wrong.”

“So, you went to the police?”

“Yes. I left my statement that she was supposed to go and they say they were going to do whatever it took to find her but they needed 48h to report that she was, indeed, missing.”

“The police record says you found her body in the woods. What were you doing there?”

“I like to jog around town, it’s very calming. I came across her…” Steve takes a deep breath, closing his eyes and he opens them again, tears attempting to scape. “her body. It was in my jog path. I called the 911 but she was already dead. She smelled strongly of a drug I couldn’t recognize. They came for her and I went home, waiting for her cause of death. An hour later the police came to arrest me, saying I was the murderer.”

“Where is your son right now?”

“In Adriana’s mother’s house.”

“And what did you do those four days she was missing?”

“I… I waited for her to come back. I waited for the police to tell me they found her. I took care of Tommy.”

“But you went jogging the day you found her.”

“I went jogging every single day she was missing, with the hope of finding her car or something that gave Tommy and me, hope.”

“I rest my case.” The defense sits down and Caroline stands up.

“When was the last time you had sex with your wife?”

“Objection! How is this relevant?” the defense asks.

“Denied. Continue.” The judge answers, having in front of him the results Caroline already handled him.

“I’m not sure… Six, seven months ago? Perhaps a year. Having a child makes sexual life a little bit more difficult. And she worked day shifts, while I worked night ones. Or vice versa.”

“And what do you do for a living, Steven?” Caroline asks.

“I’m a nurse at the local hospital.”

“So, you barely saw each other.”

“Yes, we took turns for Tommy and when we had free days we went to Alexander’s house.”

“You see, this is relevant because while we already established she was raped, we wanted to do a test to confirm that the sperm found inside her body wasn’t Steven’s. However, before doing this, the prior exam determined that she indeed didn’t have any sexual activity before the moment she was drugged and raped. Instead, matched perfectly with the semen sample found on the male clothing. Your honor, I would like to call my last witness, forensic doctor Jenny Nott.”

“You can go back to your seat, Steven.”

Chapter Text

“So, Jenny. You got a call asking to come here and take the forensic part of the case, right?”

“Yes. I arrived here a day after the call.”

“And what did you find in Adriana’s body?”

“Well, first of all, she was already sewed and had her organs out so I couldn’t determinate if the cause of death was the number of stabs or the drug used. But, what I could determinate was that there wasn’t any sign of struggle in her body, aside from the marks on her wrists that indicated she was tied up and the dirt under her nails, that after some analysis determined it was from the trailer park. Also, I did a rape exam that came out positive, and the semen found there had six days inside her body the moment the results came out. She was also hurt in the insides by wooden sticks and burns.”

“And after that you found the male clothing?”

“Yes, the male clothing was buried in the trailer park, close to the road. There was also an empty bottle of chloroform. I tested the semen found in the cloths and it came out positive.”

“Did you try to link the semen to Charles Allen?”

“I did. I went with detective Stilinski to the station and asked, politely, to Charles if he could give us a sample of his semen, so we could link him or not to the one found on her body but he refused.”

“And, would you tell us how did you linked the samples to the rapist and murderer?” Caroline turns around, looks at the defense and then at the jury.

“We asked for a subpoena and looked on the data base of the laboratory. The results came to match Charles Allen in a 99.98%.”

All the people in the room start to talk the moment Jenny says that, while the judge tries to make them quiet. “I assume the defense doesn’t have any questions?” the lawyer denies and Charles looks taken aback. “You can go back to your seat.”

Chapter Text

“After a moment of deliberation, this jury has come to find Steven Gredos… not guilty. And would like to suggest that Charles Allen takes his place in jail, as he is the true author of the murder.”

“What!?” Charles yells. “I cannot believe this! This is all his fault! If he would have never married her, she’d still be alive! It’s all this fault!” Charles yells as his lawyer goes to talk to Caroline and the guards take him from the arms. “I should have killed you! I should have killed you! This is all your fault!” he keeps screaming as they take him away.

“Thank you…” Steven murmurs while hugging Stiles, after they take the handcuffs off. “Thank you so much.”

Stiles smiles happily and hugs him back, hard. “It was my pleasure. Have a Merry Christmas with your pack and your son, Steven.”

“Thank you so much.”

Stiles walks directly to Caroline, where the defense lawyer is still talking to her. “You did such a good job. The way you handle it was amazing.” The guy says.

“Thank you.” Caroline answers, smiling. “I was wondering why you didn’t ask more aggressive questions.”

“I already knew he was guilty. And Adriana was a good friend of mine when we were in high school. I wasn’t going to let him get out of this one.”

“That’s cheating.” Stiles says with a smile.

“Is it, really? I did my best, you guys just had better evidences than mine’s.” he winks at them and walks away.

“We did it!” Caroline says with a high-pitched voice and hugs him hard, Jenny joining them soon after.

“I’m so glad.”

They hug each other and laugh happily, watching Steven talk to Alexander, smiling at each other with relieved expressions on their faces.

“Daddy!” they hear and Tommy comes running between the amount of people inside the room. Steven grabs him up and hugs him, giving him kisses in the cheek and his hair.

“It’s going to be alright, baby boy.” He says and Stiles can see the tears running down his face.

He turns his face away from them, feeling like an intruder for watching such a scene between father and son, and he looks at the ceiling and thinks: We did it, dad. We saved someone… I hope you’re proud.

Chapter Text

Stiles is sitting on the motel bed. His stuff is already packed and ready go back to the road again, but he just feels like he needs to take a moment before he does that. The next few hours are going to be long and exhausting because he’s traveling to a new state and who knows what he’s going to find there. He can admit he’s scared. Flying from Beacon Hills to Washington was an entire different experience than driving out of California. He just feels like he needs a rest.

“Hey, Wonder Boy.” Caroline opens the door and looks at him, sitting. “Jenny and I are heading to the airport to Minnesota. Will you remind me to go and visit Sebastian?”

“Yeah, I will.” He says without taking his eyes off his hands.

“Are you ok?” she asks, and she sits beside him. “Is that…”

“Yeah. It was his badge. The new Sheriff let me have it, he said he could make a new one for him. This one was mine to keep.”

The Sheriff badge he’s holding has the Stilinski craved below the words forming ‘Sheriff’; Parrish had said it was a special gift from the Station to him, to remember the man his father was.

“I’m sure he wore it with proudness.”

“He did… He really did.”

Chapter Text

After days of driving, Stiles feels like he really needs to rest, at least, five days straight. It’s Christmas Eve and he’s almost in Humboldt, Nevada. He decides to make a stop there and just spend the next couple of days inside the motel room, not knowing what else to do. It’s his first Christmas without his father and all he wants to do is be alone, watch crappy Christmas movies, knit a little bit and go to sleep really early so he doesn’t feel the need to remember he is, indeed, without his family.

After checking-in in the motel, Stiles leaves his stuff secured inside the room and goes to a store to buy some hygiene objects, he’s out of deodorant, and some breakfast food too. While checking between cereal brands, someone comes behind him.

“You’re really far away from home, don’t you think?” the words on his ears startles him and makes him throw both boxes on the floor.

“What the actual hell, Peter!? Did you have to do that!? Couldn’t you just like, tap my shoulder or something!? You have to be your usual creeper wolf self!”

“Why mess up with traditions?” he asks smiling, sassy expression on his face.

Chapter Text

“Ugh, what are you doing here?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?” he says, gesturing to his cart. “The actual question here, Stiles, is what are you doing here, in another state?”

“I’m traveling” he answers in a mumble, and then frowns. “Why should I explain anything to you?” he says defensive.

In that moment, a pregnant woman, probably around seven or eight months, comes walking distractedly, looking at two cans of baby formula.

“Pete, love, what do you think would be best for little Sophie? This one here says she can start drinking it after right away, and it has iron on it but…” she lifts up her head to look at Peter once she’s beside him and then she looks at Stiles. “Oh, hi! Are you one of Peter’s friends?” Stiles snorts at her because the irony!

“You could say that…” he says smirking.

“He’s from home, honey” Peter says with an amused tone, “this is Stiles. Stiles, this is my wife, Sarah.”

Stiles looks at him with wide eyes and she smiles. “Oh! Well, it’s so nice to meet someone who can tell me if Peter here was always a creep like now”, she says and Stiles lets out a laugh.

“Oh, god. I don’t know what to tell you. He’s been like that since I met him, I don’t know about before.”

“Oh, bummer. It’s really nice to meet you, Stiles.”

“You too, Sarah.”

“Honey, do you think we should buy iron-y formula or not?” she asks, looking directly at Peter.

“I read that iron-y formula is needed when there’s no breastfeeding, because there must be something that prevents anemia. Maybe we should buy the other one.” He answers, taking both cans on his hands.

“Hmm… you’re right. Breastfeeding is one of the bonding things a mother can do with her baby. Let me take this to the next hall and I’ll come back.”

“Sure.” Sarah takes the cans, kisses his cheek and walks away.

Chapter Text

“So she’s your…”

“Yes.”

“And she’s…”

“Yes.”

“And she knows about…”

“Yes.”

“Ok.”

Stiles and Peter are looking at Sarah, walking away from them and when she’s at the end of the hall she stops, looks at them, smiles, waves and starts walking again.

“Is she a wolf?”

“No, she’s human.”

“Does Derek know? Cora? Malia?” Stiles asks, looking at him. “Does she know about Malia? About everything that has happened?”

“None of them know. I…  I don’t know how to tell them, I’m sure Derek won’t talk to me, Cora’s never picking her phone, and Malia… I want to tell her in person, not by text, or a phone call.”

“I can tell Derek, if you want.” Stiles offers.

“That would be good, thanks. As for the other question, she knows. She knows about everything. She knows I’m a werewolf, she knows about the fire, about murdering Laura, me dying. She knows about Malia too, and she can’t wait to meet her… I’m just not sure if she’ll be as excited as Sarah.”

“Malia has grown over the years, you should give her a chance. There’s nothing she wants more than a family, you know that. And, you know… Melissa’s pregnant, we have a new pack member who’s pregnant too. They’re good for each other, they can be good for Sarah, too.”

Peter snorts, but he doesn’t seem amused. “Yeah? And what am I going to tell Scott, huh?”

“That you moved on.” Stiles answers, looking him straight in the eyes. “Sarah’s the prove. Sophie’s the prove. And come on, even if you’re your usual creep self, she seems to like that, so it can’t be that bad. And you’ve been helpful, from time to time.” Stiles pats his shoulder and bends down to grab the cereal boxes.

“Yeah… you’re right.” Peter murmurs and grabs a box of cheerios, putting it on his cart.

Chapter Text

“So… how did you two meet?” Stiles asks after a moment of silence. Sarah doesn’t seem to be coming back any time soon.

“I… it was a full moon, I went hunting to the woods beside the road. She was there, dared by her friends to spend the night…”

“You attacked her.”

“I attacked her.” He says sighing, small smile playing on his lips. “She beat me up with a bat. You have no idea how ironical everything turned out. She seems petite, but god, does she have strength. After I woke up, she was beside me, looking curious and then she started lecturing me about how I shouldn’t be killing people. She was very blasé about the whole werewolf thing and she reminded me of Talia. It kind of… broke me.”

They stay silent again, not really knowing what to say after that. Stiles gets it. He gets that Peter had someone to remind him how everything was before. He saw him with Cora, how he treated her, how worried he was about her. Stiles gets he had a second chance and he just took it. He hanged on the thought of his sister, his family, and just got out of himself, out of his grieving. He wonders if Derek had done the same thing after leaving. If Braeden meant that for him.

They hear Sarah before they see her. She comes bearing a purple onesie and the can of baby formula. “Just look at this!” she says with a big smile, and handles Peter the onesie.

“My daddy is the best daddy?” Stiles reads and burst out laughing because how the hell not? “Oh, my god. Let me snap a picture. Derek’s gonna piss his pants!” he takes his phone out and takes the photo, Peter rolling his eyes while smiling.

“He’s probably gonna have his ‘not impressed’ scowl. Or his default scowl.” Peter answers and puts the onesie inside the cart.

“Maybe. Or maybe he’s gonna laugh so hard, he’s gonna fall of his chair.”

They keep taunting each other a bit more, Sarah looking at them with a smile, eyes bright with happiness.

“Stiles, what are you doing tonight? Are you free? You should come have dinner with us.” She says.

“Uh… I would love to, Sarah but… I have other plans.” Stiles answers and he’s sure Peter can hear his quick heartbeat, he looks like he’s trying to understand him.

“Oh, are you here with your family? They can join us.” She says again.

“Uh, no… I’m alone, I…” Stiles looks around, feels the tears coming and blinks rapidly.

“Then you can…”

“Sarah.” Peter interrupts. “He has other plans.”

Stiles is 85% sure Peter can smell the waves of sadness out of him, and it would bother him if he wasn’t trying to escape the conversation.

“Oh… Well, if you change your mind, you can text me. Or Peter. Love, give him your number.” She says, and looks at him pointedly. Peter sighs and handles his phone, making grabby hands at Stiles’ phone.

Once he’s done, he gives it back and says: “it was nice to see you, Stiles. Text me Derek’s reply, ok?”

Stiles nods and then watches them walk away from him, bickering in murmurs, disappearing through the halls.

Chapter Text

Stiles sits on the bed. He’s already called for pizza and it’s probably going to take an hour until the delivery person arrives, so he just sits down on the bed, takes his knitting stuff out and his phone and looks for a knitting pattern on the internet. While doing that, he remembers he needs to text Derek.

Stiles: Hey, Der-Bear. I ran into Peter a few hours ago. I’ve got news.

He sets his phone on sound and takes his needles with carefulness. He still needs to finish the hat he’s knitting for his baby sibling but can’t decide which is better, a dolphin or a ray. His phone sounds, announcing a new text message and Stiles takes it quickly.

Der-Bear: why should I care?

Stiles: Because the family’s growing.

Der-Bear: what.

Stiles: Peter’s married, his wife is pregnant.

Der-Bear: WHAT!!!???

Stiles: calm your caps down. I was just as surprised as you are. She’s really nice, the baby’s name is Sophie and is going to have a hilarious onesie.

Stiles: *photo attachment*

Stiles waits excited for Derek’s reply. When it doesn’t come, Stiles decides to call him.

“You… You’re laughing! I knew it!” Stiles says after hearing Derek’s laugh.

“Oh, I can’t stop!” Derek answers between laughs and Stiles chuckles a little bit.

“Yeah, imagine me in front of him. I couldn’t even… Derek! Stop!” Derek keeps laughing and Stiles feels himself fill with joy at listening to his laugh. He starts to laugh too. When they’re both quiet, Stiles speaks again. “I don’t remember hearing you laughing like that. Like, ever.”

“I don’t laugh quite a lot.” He answers in a mumble.

“You should. You sound really happy.” Stiles feels a strange feeling on his chest and bites his lip. “He’s moved on.”

“I can see that…”

“Have you?”

“I’m still trying… It’s not that easy.” He says, and Stiles can imagine him watching the horizon while saying that. “At least not for me.”

“Yeah…” He mumbles the answer and clears his throat. “You should call Peter, or text him. I’m sure you want to meet your new cousin.”

“Maybe I’ll do it.”

“Ok…”

They hung up and Stiles stares at his phone wondering if Derek’s voice sounded so affected the time they video-called.

Chapter Text

Scotty Bro: Merry Christmas, Stiles! Maybe you’re already asleep, text me when you read this! My mom says Merry Christmas too, we’re all ok. Btw, we’re gonna have a little sister! She looks so tiny! I’ll sent you the picture later.

The tears fall violently down his cheeks, some of them falling on the phone screen, he tries wiping them away with the sleeves of this plaid shirt, but he can’t seem to be able to stop them. He tried going to sleep after eating, feeling his stomach full of food. But instead of sleeping, he just rolled around on the bed, thinking about past Christmases, the ones he spent with both his parents, the one he spent with his mother in a hospital bed, the ones spent with his father, the ones spent with the McCalls, the ones spent with the pack. All of them having the constant paternal figure of his father. And now? Now he has to learn how to spend this ‘important dates’ without him, just like he learnt how to do it without his mom. He feels lonelier than ever.

Queen L: Merry Christmas, Stiles. I miss you.

His phone sounds again. And again. And again. And again. All of his friends texting him at once. He’s conflicted, feeling loved by them and missing them just as much as he misses his dad.

Curly wolfie: Have a merry Christmas, nerd.

Jackass: merry Christmas, looser.

Malia: Hope you’re not too lonely. Merry Christmas, Stiles.

Kira: Merry Christmas!

Liam: I miss you, dude! Merry Christmas.

Uncle creeper: Merry, merry Christmas, human boy.

Stiles chuckles a little bit at the nickname Peter chose for himself. If Stiles didn’t know better, he would say it was a coincidence. But he knows better, and he knows Peter can’t let pass any chance he can get for being all… Peter-ly. He gets a couple of messages from Caroline, Jenny, Steven, Alexander and Sebastian. Miss Forthmoire calls him and soothes him into calm with sweet whispers and promises of everything getting better, of the pain becoming bearable with each passing day. The last text message he receives is from Derek, it’s short and Stiles finds himself smiling fondly at the amount of care there’s written .

Der-Bear: Merry Christmas, Stiles. I know this must be a really difficult time for you, but I want you to know that you have people worrying about you out there. I suppose you’re asleep already, so… I hope you’re ok.

Stiles promises himself he’ll answer every text message the next morning, because right now? Right now, he feels tired, he feels his eyes puffy, he feels worn out. He needs to rest, he needs to hide under the covers and don’t come out until, probably, past ten in the morning. He curls himself into a ball, covers his body, closes his eyes and whisper.

“Merry Christmas, Erica.”

Chapter Text

Stiles visits Peter two times after Christmas. The house is really warm and there’s a feeling hanging around that screams home. Sarah shows Stiles the wedding photos and they both laugh at how uncomfortable and obvious Peter is, trying not to look directly to the camera. She also shows him the baby’s room and Stiles can count the amount of times he saw Peter genuinely smile in all the time he’s known him, and all of those would be nothing compared to the smile Peter has when Sarah’s talking about Sophie. Stiles imagines there’s a hole Peter’s trying to compensate because he couldn’t be there for Malia. He insists he should tell her and call Scott, Peter promises he’ll do it, and Stiles makes Sarah promise she’ll bug him until he does it.

New Years is almost like Christmas. It’s not that hard because he usually spends New Year's with friends, but he still feels the emptiness on his chest because he can’t really call his dad. He imagines himself going to the cemetery and his eyes immediately start to water. He hadn’t been there since his father got buried and he doesn’t really feel like going there. It makes everything too real. Stiles realizes he has to buy another bottle of cologne because his is almost empty, but he can’t bring himself to get out of the bed. He’s started to use his father’s cologne on him, so he can feel closer to him somehow and oddly enough, it comforts him. New Year’s Eve ends up being a repetition. Takeout, messages, can’t sleep, cry, wishing Erica a happy new year and going to sleep. He’s worn out.

Chapter Text

“Happy 2018!” Stiles says enthusiastically once Derek answers.

“Happy 2018” he answers with a little smile.

“What did you do yesterday?”

“Stayed home, called Cora, sent messages all around and went to sleep. How about you?”

“The same. Although I didn’t call Cora. Can you send me her number? Haven’t talked to her in a while.”

“Sure. With one condition, though.”

“Shoot.”

“I’m still your favorite Hale.” He says with a smirk and Stiles laughs.

“Oh, of course you’re my favorite Hale. Although, you’re most likely to lose that spot because of Sophie.”

“We’ll see, she isn’t born yet. She can be a walking disaster and then you’re gonna be upset because you changed a perfectly good Hale for a disaster.”

“Ego much?” Stiles answers with a smirk. “And good Hale? The good Hale is Cora. Although I think the good Hale would be Laura.”

“Yeah, she indeed was the good Hale. Cora and I are too awkward.”

“Oh, I’ve noticed. Was Laura the only not socially awkward of you lot?”

“She was shy, but she could have a good conversation with someone she just met, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Oh, it is. I feel she and I would have been great friends.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of. It would be terrifying the two of you together.”

“Whaaaaat? No, of course not. We’d just prank you a lot.”

“Please, don’t. It would be a war.”

“And it would be awesome.”

Derek looks thoughtful for a moment and then smiles bigger. “And it would be awesome.”

Stiles is really glad Derek can talk about Laura without looking hurt or sad. He smiles at him and lets the warm feeling sink in his chest.

Chapter Text

If there’s something Stiles enjoys very, very much is going on a date with Danny. There’s nothing better than to see someone you haven’t seen for a long while. Danny’s still the same, all dimples and big smiles; sarcasm and irony; sweetness and the ever so constant everyone loves Danny. Stiles would risk calling him one of his best friends but then Scott would be looking at him with his puppy eyes and Danny would smirk and call him a sap. He just likes people, ok? He’s not a sap… Ok, only a little bit.

“Danny boy!” Stiles says the moment Danny enters the cafe.

“Stiles Stilinski in the flesh!” he says as a greeting and they hug. “How have you been?”

“Meh, I’ve been. How about you? We haven’t talked for months.”

“I’m good, still working at the same company.”

“Did they give you the rise?”

“Yeah, I’m slowly getting up.”

“I’m glad, Danny, you deserved it.”

“I know” he says smirking and winking at him. “And? How’s business going?”

“It’s been very busy, actually. I’ve stablished treaties with two other packs, helped two kids with hunters, a pregnant woman with hunters, a man from being framed for the murder of his wife. It’s been good.”

“Wow, so you’re been really busy.”

“Yeah, a little bit. I found Peter two towns over.”

“Seriously? Peter Hale? Alive?”

“Yup. Alive, married and expecting.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Not at all.” Stiles laughs with amusement. “He’s still a creepy wolf, even his wife says it, but he’s really happy. I won’t dare to say he’s like, recovered and stuff, because I don’t think he’ll ever be, but he’s trying.”

“I don’t even know what to think about that. Do the other Hales know?”

“I told Derek and I tried to persuade him into telling Malia but I’m not sure he’ll do it. I assume Derek told Cora.”

Chapter Text

“You’re talking to Derek?”

“Yeah, we’ve been texting since I left Beacon Hills. You know empathy for the cause and all that.”

“You sure about that?”

Stiles frowns and looks at Danny confused. “What do you mean? Derek is one of the few persons I know who can understand the feeling of losing a parent, Danny. He’s been very helpful.”

“Well, I’m not going to deny that, it’s just that I find it curious that you’re talking to him. When was the last time you saw him?”

“In the flesh? I’m not sure, five years ago? Six? We’ve skyped a few weeks ago.”

“… I’m not going to say anything.” Danny says smirking and Stiles rolls his eyes. “And? How’s the love life going?”

“Not going. I’m traveling, dude. I can’t afford meeting someone and leaving them a few days later.”

“One-night stands exist for some reason, Stiles.”

“They do. But you know I’m not a one-night stand type of guy.” Stiles answers and a waitress comes directly at them.

“I’m so sorry for keeping you waiting. It’s our rush hour. Here’s a pastry for the both of you, on the house. Can I take your orders?”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll have a lemon iced tea.” Danny answers first and smiles at her, all dimples and bright eyes, she blushes.

“I’ll have a chocolate milkshake.”

“Right away.”

The waitress goes and Stiles and Danny look at each other, the giggle a little bit.

“You never lose your charm, huh?”

“Of course not.”

“You know, this reminds me of something, a few months ago a guy hit on me and gave me his number. Said that when I have my big sexual-existential crisis I should text him and tell him how it was.”

Danny gapes and soon after he starts to laugh, tears forming around his eyes. He laughs for straight five minutes, stopping for air and starting to laugh again the moment he sees Stiles’ face.

“Come on, it’s not that funny.”

“It kind of is.” Danny answers, wiping the tears off his eyes. “It just reminded me when we were in high school and you asked me if you were attractive to gay guys.”

“It was an experiment!” Stiles protests, “and I am attractive to gay guys. He gave me his number willingly.”

“You were enthusiastic when I told you we should have sex.” Danny replies and rolls his eyes amused.

“There was a killing-virgins spree. And who wouldn’t have sex with you?”

“Not helping your case. At all.”

“Oh, my god. Just leave it, ok. And let’s eat this cake.”

Chapter Text

After this date with Danny, Stiles finds himself wondering more than he wants to admit if Danny is right. He was desperate when the whole Darach thing was happening and he just wanted to make sure he wasn’t going to get killed. It was just that. He would have taken the offer out of anyone. Except maybe Jackson, but he wasn’t in town anymore. And it’s not like he thinks about gay sex, because he doesn’t. He doesn’t, ok? He just gets curious sometimes and does research on certain topics and sometimes, only sometimes, one or five of his tabs are about gay sex. But it’s because he wants to understand what Danny’s saying when he tells him about his sexual experiences. Nothing else.

He’s not gay.

He just isn’t, ok?

Just leave it.

Chapter Text

Stiles stays in Danny’s town for about two months. He meets his friends, makes friends on his own, and meets a cute girl. Karol is really sweet and understanding. And the sex is great. But there’s always something missing. He can’t actually tell her what he does around the states except that he’s a detective. He can’t tell her why he’s so attached to his friends and why he likes to keep tabs on them, because they’re actually in danger whenever some creature that goes bumping in the night decides to pay a visit to Beacon Hills. She questions him a lot who’s Der-Bear and why he sends him so many messages and he gets tired easily of her jealousy act. Because even though he explains he hasn’t seen Derek in half a decade, she can’t seem to understand that he has nicknames for all his close friends. In the end, when she asks if she can travel with him, Stiles tells her no and packs his things, says goodbye to Danny and hits the road again.

Chapter Text

Stiles tells Derek about Karol and Derek, in exchange, tells him about the girls he’s dated himself. Blondes, brunettes, redheads. Sweet, talkative girls who always break up with him because he doesn’t talk at all. Derek tells him why Braeden and he broke up. He tells him he actually traveled with her a lot for other counties before meeting miss Forthmoire. He tells him he realized he wanted a family but he understood Braeden wasn’t made for that life. So, they parted ways, stayed in contact and moved on.

Stiles understands that family means a lot to all the Hales. He understands that moving on is mostly realizing they can have their own family and having the constant reminder that everything can disappear as quickly it came. Understanding they have to live again. He wonders if he can realize something like that too, when his father’s death doesn’t hurt too much.

Chapter Text

He encounters a newly formed pack in Lander. And they’re actually very afraid because they don’t know how to control or kill harpies. Motherfucking harpies. Again. Stiles is so tired of them. Why do they have to exist? And why can’t they stay in their nests? Why do they have to bother other people? He’s so done with them.

“Ok, let’s list something, ok?” Stiles starts as he looks at their Alpha, a girl around her late twenties, Stiles can’t help but wonder what had happened. “Steel, silver, elven and iron won’t work with them so let’s drop those and come with me. We need ebony.” He continues as he gestures the weapons they have on their hands.

Stiles gets inside his Jeep and the Alpha sits in the passenger door, the three other wolves sit in the back.

“Question, where is the nearest antique store?” Stiles asks when he starts the car.

“Almost fifteen minutes away.” The Alpha answers.

“Guide me.”

Chapter Text

Stiles stares at the full display of ebony daggers with a concentrated expression.

“Curvy or straight… Hmmm” he mumbles as he takes one of each. “This one has cute patterns… on the other hand, straight daggers don’t lose aim when thrown… Which one to choose…”

“Dude! People are missing! Can you please choose one and let’s go!?” one of the wolfs says, almost yelling. Stiles doesn’t even flinch.

“Ah-ah. If you don’t choose well, you could get hurt, little wolf.” Stiles answer, tone ever so condescending. “Curvy daggers make more damage, but straight ones can be used for the first shot… maybe both then?” Stiles keeps murmuring and then takes five of each and shoves them into everyone’s hands.

“Seriously? All this time for this?” the same wolf complains, the rest of them roll their eyes.

“Boy, how do you manage?” Stiles asks to their Alpha and she just sighs, long suffering. “Come on. Let’s pay.”

When they get to the front desk, the lady looks at the purchases and sighs. She takes a paper bag and a few pages of a forgotten newspaper; while wrapping each dagger, she looks at Stiles and smiles cryptically.

“Killing harpies?” she asks quietly, even though she seems to know the other persons in the room are wolves. “Directly to the heart and cut the wings… Could you bring me some feathers? I have a potion I need to finish.”

“Sure thing. Need anything else?” Stiles asks. Of course the woman in the front would be a witch, of course.

“Maybe a sample of their blood. It has quite the properties, you know?”

“I can imagine. Wouldn’t you know, by any chance, where’s their nest?”

“Probably at the higher point of the city. If you could bring the missing persons here, it would be really good. I have a memory spell that can save us and them from a few of crazy mumbling around town. And I also kind of miss my clients, so…”

“Sure. Thanks for your help.” Stiles says, taking the paper bag.

“You’re very welcome. Don’t forget the feathers and the blood!” she says with a big wicked smile, “good to see you, Alpha, wolves.”

They head outside and Stiles can tell by the surprised expressions they didn’t know she was a witch. He sighs and gets in the car. For some reason, he knows he’ll have constant calls from this Alpha.

Chapter Text

Stiles remembers the harpies. He hates them with all his soul. And he hates the way they scream, a pitched noise that makes the wolves unhelpful because they’re too busy covering their ears. Ugh. He should have thought of earplugs, why didn’t he think of earplugs? He’s going to make a list for this sort of stuff: don’t forget this shit in case you’re confronting *insert here any type of supernatural creature because there are a lot*. Yeah. He should text Danny to put that on his website, maybe he can save some money from going around and instead earning money from the comfort of home… Then again, where is home? His Jeep?

“Stop thinking about that.” Stiles mumbles annoyed and throws his straight dagger to one of the harpies. It catches one of the wings and the harpy is falling, Stiles prepares the curvy dagger on his hands and he buries it on its chest when the harpy is on the ground. “Come on! Get up!” Stiles yells, running for his life when the other two harpies come for him.

The four wolves get up, still covering their ears, and Stiles picks their daggers from the ground. He hides behind them, using them as a cover, and throws two straight daggers, one hits the harpy on the head, and the other one makes a turn so the dagger doesn’t touch it. Stiles uses the commotion of the falling harpy to take another dagger and throw it to the last harpy. Both are falling and Stiles takes two of the curvy daggers, buries them on both chests, where the heart is, and turns around to look at the wolves, face wet with sweat.

“Next time, use earplugs. I don’t know how are you gonna do if you come across a banshee, but please, take ear plugs whatever you’re going. It’ll save you from a lot of stuff.”

Chapter Text

So, maybe Stiles is thinking. Maybe. After the harpies and all that, it may have happened some hitting on from the annoying wolf and he may or may have not be embarrassed because he kind of wanted to actually reciprocate. Even if the guy was annoying as hell, he was kind of hot. Stiles has eyes, ok? He can recognize attractive people when he sees them. So, when he’s in his safe motel room, in Eureka, he looks for Sam’s number and decides to text him.

Stiles: hey, man. It’s Stiles, from the diner? A few months ago, you gave me your number because you thought I’d have an existential crisis?

He moves his phone from hand to hand until it announces the notification of a text and Stiles drops it out of the surprise, because no matter how long you’re waiting for the response, the sudden sound is always going to give you a heart attack.

Sam: hey, dude! Yeah, I remember you. Did you have it, yet?

Stiles: kind of? I’m freaking out but I don’t want to freak out yet so I’m texting you. I have a question.

Sam: shoot. I’m at my break, we have fifteen minutes to talk.

Stiles: k. Um, why did you think I was gay?

Sam: I didn’t say you were gay, I said I thought you liked men. There is a big spectrum there.

Stiles: ok. Yeah, you’re right. Because I’ve liked girls. Like a lot.

Sam: well then. You could be bisexual, or pansexual, there are a lot of labels.

Stiles: hmm… hypothetically speaking, pansexual is the one who likes all genders and non-genders, right?

Sam: yes. Hypothetically speaking, do you think you’re pansexual?

Stiles: … no. I mean, I’ve never liked a guy, let alone non-binary folks or transgender folks, so I think I could be bisexual? I don’t know…

Sam: but have you ever found a guy attractive?

Stiles: yes, Sam, I have eyes.

Sam: Not what I meant. Like, sexually attractive? Like, you wanna rub your face on his face?

Stiles: … uhhh…

Stiles: talk to you later.

Sam: sure. Tell me all details!

Stiles looks at Sam’s message with wide eyes. Has he ever wanted to rub his face on other dudes’ faces? Well, bearded guys always seem more approachable, somehow, and sometimes they seem so soft and huggable, and kissab… Oh. Well, that’s an interesting turn.

Chapter Text

Stiles is doing research.

No.

Not that type of research. Leave the topic alone, ok? He’s pointedly postponing it until the problem goes away.

Shut up.

He’s researching wolves’ packs. As things go, he’s only been able to find little pieces here and there. Mixed packs are stablished in big cities and elite packs are established in small towns, he can tell that much. He knows Derek had cousins that were human, hell, even his father was human. But Beacon Hills is not that small, and apparently Talia Hale was a great alpha. Stiles is sure Derek knew the importance of humans in packs when he was an alpha, and that’s probably why he’s so reticent of him investigating wolf-only packs, because yes, it’s dangerous. Having wolves make the pack stronger, but humans can take other responsibilities, like breaking circles of mountain ash… Stiles wonders how these packs have survived this far with hunters going around the whole planet.

He never got to know why Erica, Isaac and Boyd decided to take the bite, but he can take a guess and not be completely wrong. Erica wanted to be healthy, Isaac wanted to be away from his father and Boyd… well, Boyd was really lonely. Derek wanted Scott in his pack because he saw potential, because he knew together they’ll be stronger, and Stiles thinks most of the decisions he took hurt Derek profoundly, but everything happened so fast and without any rest that he couldn’t actually sit and think about what his best friend was doing. Because, yeah, Derek wasn’t the best alpha around, but he knew stuff and sometimes Scott only used him because of the information he could get. Sometimes, Stiles is really glad Scott turned out to be a true alpha and Derek gave up his power to save Cora, because he’s not sure he would have been able to be in the middle of another fight between the two because of treason without taking sides.

Chapter Text

March 5.

Stiles: hey, Der, I’m in Nevada, I don’t remember if I told you that. I’m avoiding driving through Carson City, Douglas, Storey and Lyon. If I’m correct, the packs there are very elitists, you should be careful.

March 8.

Stiles: hey Der-Bear. I’m in White Pine. The pack here is very nice. Their alpha was willing to make a treaty with us, Scott’s really happy.

March 9.

Stiles: today’s my father’s birthday. I almost called to his phone to wish him a happy birthday until I remembered. I’m not even sure his phone’s still working…

Stiles: it’s still working. It has the same voicemail he had last year. I miss his voice.

Stiles: how long do you think his phone will still be working?

March 15.

Stiles: Derek? You haven’t been answering for two weeks. Are you ok?

March 17.

Stiles: dude, I’ve called Scott, Peter and Cora, they don’t know where you are. Where the hell are you?

March 20.

Stiles: Derek, if you don’t start answering your calls I swear to god, I’ll send the whole pack and the police department to find you. Where are you?

March 23.

Stiles: I’ve asked Danny to find you via GPS, I know you’re in California. Why aren’t you answering. We’re all worried.

March 25.

Stiles: Derek, if I have to go there myself, I’ll do it. I don’t even care I’m weeks away. I’m worried about you, just tell me you’re ok, please.

March 27.

Der-Bear: I’m sorry. I’m ok. I’m with Laura.

Der-Bear: *photo attachment*

Chapter Text

The photo Derek sends him shows a girl wearing a white blouse and white pants, she’s barefoot and is smiling directly to the camera, a forest behind her. Stiles recognizes that forest, it’s the one just outside Shasta.

Stiles: you, asshole! You could have told me you were going to Shasta! I was worried to death! Thinking something happened to you!

Laura, Stiles notices, looks a lot like Derek. She’s a bit more pale, sure, but she looks like a Hale. Stiles has only seen pictures of Talia in the police’ files, and her oldest daughter looks exactly like her. Laura is smiling at the camera, big blueish/greenish eyes looking directly at, Stiles suspects, the Derek behind the camera. She looks happy, and Stiles can imagine Derek is smiling as well.

Stiles: btw, your sister has amazing eyebrow. Is it a Hale trait?

Der-Bear: I’m sorry. I just wanted to prepare myself mentally to what I might see if someone was actually with me.

Stiles: that doesn’t mean you couldn’t have texted me to say you were alright. Or that you needed space…

Der-Bear: I know, I’m really sorry. Laura already lectured me on that. I promise that if I ever need space, I’ll let you know I’m ok.

Stiles: thank you.

Chapter Text

Der-Bear: look at how cute he looks when he’s making Teddy bears!! – L.

Der-Bear: *photo attachment*

Stiles chokes on his own saliva and the waitress brings him a glass full of water. He drinks it and thanks her before giving her an embarrassed smile.

Derek, indeed, looks cute. All concentrated and focused. He’s frowning and has one of the Teddy bear’s ears on his mouth, the other being sewed onto the stuffed animal. He’s surrounded by a lot of other bears of different colors and sizes, and he has a bag full of stuffing on his side. Stiles chest aches and he feels the fond smile forming on his face.

Stiles: did you steel his phone?

Stiles: he does look kinda cute.

Der-Bear: steel is such an ugly word, Stiles, I prefer the term ‘took over his phone without him realizing’. – L.

Der-Bear: kinda? KINDA!? He looks adorable!! – L.

Stiles: I’ll give you that. I’ve never seen him so relaxed.

Der-Bear: he looks like that these days… it makes me happy. – L.

Stiles: I’m sure you were really worried about him .

Stiles feels his eyes water. He doesn’t know why but he’s always thought he and Laura would have an awesome friendship if she were still alive. Even Derek thinks so and he can’t place the feeling on his chest, he’s not sure if it’s loneliness or just plain sadness.

Der-Bear: I was. My baby brother needs a blanket and lots of hugs. – L.

Stiles laughs loud and thinks I’m sure he hugs with all his body.

Stiles: you’re there now. You can hug him now.

Der-Bear: *photo attachment*

Der-Bear: *photo attachment*

The first photo is Derek smiling. He’s showing Laura the finished Teddy bear and he’s smiling happy and excited. The next one is a photo of Laura and Derek, a selfie of the two smiling at the camera, the Teddy bear between them. Up close, Stiles can see very well how pale her skin is, and how brown her hair is, and the eyebrows. God, they’re hundred per cent eyebrows of doom 2.0. He thinks about Cora for a moment, wondering about when was the last time she saw her older sister, and if she remembers something about her at all. Derek looks much older than Laura now, she looks in her mid-twenties and Derek looks like five or six years older than her. He has a spark, though, his eyes shine happily and they show just how young and content he really feels. Stiles thinks Talia Hale really had good genes. The whole Hale family, to be honest.

Stiles: you guys look really happy. You should text Cora too. I’m sure she’ll be eager to talk to you and hear about her older sister.

Der-Bear: you’re probably right. Talk to you later, Stiles! – L.

Chapter Text

Stiles gets a bunch of photos of Derek and Laura together for a few days, a bunch of texts from Laura and Derek that, sometimes, say exactly the same. Stiles wonders if Laura erases the messages she sends from Derek’s phone just so Derek don’t find out that she and Stiles are friends. After a week or so, Cora starts to show up on the pictures too and Derek tells him one night, when they’re talking on the phone, that Cora actually cried after seeing Laura and that they hugged each other and wouldn’t let go for almost an hour, scenting each other, even knowing that Laura doesn’t have a scent anymore.

Stiles finds himself wanting more updates on the Hale siblings and laughing more in those few days than the past few months. Laura, taking advantage of the sibling-bonding, starts texting Stiles about all the things he doesn’t know about Derek. Like how he actually pinches himself a lot when sewing; like how he likes to sleep hugging one of his pillows (there’s a photo that proves it somewhere on Stiles’ phone gallery); like how he likes his pancakes (with strawberry jam on top instead of syrup and I know. He’s weird, right? He’s been eating them like that since he was a child); and also tells him he cries with emotional movies. Cora texts him one day, telling him she didn’t remember her brother being all emotional and sappy, even before the fire.

Laura tells him a hundred and one things about Derek, little details about how he likes his food, and how he smells, and how sits when reading, and how he hugs (because yes, he does hug with his whole body). She also tells him that Derek hates his middle name (it’s Steven, Stiles. Don’t forget it); and he also hates when it’s too hot because he gets sticky. She tells him Derek hates horror movies and he will get up and leave and not talk to anyone for a week. She also tells him Derek hates almonds for no apparent reason and then proceeds to tell him the story of an eight-year-old Laura and her brother, a four-year-old Derek, and an incident that ended in Derek drowning in almonds (but don’t tell him. He doesn’t even remember it).

Stiles finds himself enjoying knowing those little pieces of Derek Hale. He finds himself wanting to know more.

Chapter Text

Der-Bear: Derek still has nightmares – L.

Laura texts him one night. He’s still awake, marathoning Supernatural again, laughing at the inaccuracies and typing down some other things because why not? It could help, one never knows. He looks at the text with worried eyes. There are so many things Derek could be having nightmares about: the fire, Laura, Peter, Erica, Boyd, Peter again, Kate, hunters, Gerard, Paige. Stiles remembers his own nightmares after the Nogitsune, all those faces, all those persons he knew, all of them dead. He remembers Donovan’s face. He remembers his father’s face in the morgue, in the coffin. He could fill a gore movie with all the people he’s seen die, dead or killed (or the ones he killed himself).

Der-Bear: he keeps screaming, crying and moving and won’t wake up! – L.

Stiles: grab his arms and try to contain him, hug him and sooth him until he stops. He’ll stop eventually.

He’s not sure about that, but that’s what worked with him, he figures it would work with Derek too.

Stiles: when he’s awake, make him count with his fingers from one to ten. One cannot count fingers or read inside a dream. And give him sugar water, it’ll calm him down.

Der-Bear: thank you, Stiles – L.

Stiles is in the middle of an episode, probably finishing it, when Derek texts him to thank him. He doesn’t explain why he was having nightmares, neither how does he know Stiles was the one helping Laura. But he smiles nonetheless and types a quick ‘whatever you need, big guy’. He goes to sleep thinking about his own nightmares.

Chapter Text

Der-Bear: happy 23th birthday, Stiles.

Stiles stares at the message like its mocking him. He blinks rapidly and frowns.

“What?” he mumbles as he scrolls down his options’ screen and checks that, effectively, it’s April 4, 2018.

Stiles: thanks. I didn’t even realize today was my birthday. What are you doing awake? It’s past midnight.

Der-Bear: I wanted to wish you a happy birthday before going to sleep.

Stiles feels a warm feeling on his chest and laughs happily, denying with his head while smiling.

Stiles: you’re such a sap <3

Stiles: thank, Der. It means a lot. I was going to bed, though. Talk to you in the morning?

Der-Bear: sure. I’m going to bed too. Goodnight, Stiles.

Stiles: goodnight, Der.

Stiles is sure that, when he wakes up again, he’ll have a thousand calls and messages from his friends, and Scott and Melissa, and probably Peter, who knows. But all he can think of right now is that Derek messaged him first and remembered his birthday. When’s Derek’s birthday? Stiles asks himself as he changes Derek’s contact name on his phone again. After promising himself that he’ll google-fu Derek’s birth date in the morning, Stiles closes his eyes and lets himself be dragged to sleep with one last thought: how much he likes Derek Hale.

Chapter Text

Stiles has answered every message and call he’s received. He always sounds happy and cheery and has a smile when he accepts everyone’s happy wishes. However, he’s freaking out internally. Last night’s thought woke him up early and the morning and made him double check every conversation he’s had with Derek from the moment he left Beacon Hills to their goodnight last night. He checks every photo Derek has sent him, from Laura and Cora too, and every time he does it, he feels warm inside and he just wants to dig a hole in the ground and put his head there, be miserable and wallow on his own embarrassment.

So. He does what he knows best. Google-fu if he’s gay. Bisexual. Whatever. He does that. With internet quizzes because why not? Internet quizzes usually have the answer for everything. And he sometimes wants to know the color of his aura, ok? It’s important.

Stiles is not sure if he should try the BuzzFeed one because he’s trying to discover if he’s gay, not how gay he is. AllTheTests seems trustable though, so he goes for it. When the link finally loads, he realizes there are actually a lot of tests there. It really is all the tests, huh, he thinks, feeling overwhelmed with the amount of possibilities. He decides to take the ‘Gay Test’, the ‘What is your sexual orientation’ test, the ‘Are you gay, straight or bi?’ test, the ‘What is your sexuality’ test, and the ‘Are you into men? (guys only)’ test. Just to be sure, ok?

He starts with the Gay Test and he’s exasperated after reading the first question.

“‘What do you think you are?’ I don’t know, test! That’s why I’m doing this!” he yells at his phone. He selects the ‘I don’t know’ option and then continues. “‘What do you want to be?’, seriously? ‘Oh, hey, I’m freaking out here because I don’t know which label is correct in my case but I want to be, I don’t know, a lemon!’” he mumbles, frowning. He feels his ears hot and he supposes they’re red because of the angriness. “I don’t know! That’s the option I’m talking about”. He waits until the next question comes and reads it out loud, snorting. “What do you think about sex? Bring it on!”

Stiles stands up and paces around the room while still reading the questions out loud and answering them.

“How often do you fantasize about the same sex?” Stiles frowns, thinking, “do I fantasize about the same sex…? I mean, I think so? But not so often…? Ugh. Seldom it is.”

He continues answering, muttering curses as he reads questions and tries not to throw his phone to the bed and forget the whole thing. While answering, Stiles wonders if he does have a crush on someone.

“Does Derek count? Is it a crush? I just like the way we are right now? Like, as friends? Or do I really want to kiss him and stuff like that…?” he frowns and clicks on ‘Yes, someone of the same gender as me’. “It doesn’t hurt, right?” he mumbles deciding that yes, it probably is a crush.

Chapter Text

Stiles checks every result. All the five tests.

• Gay test

For 25% you are: Asexual

Either you feel no attraction or the test is uncertain.

You could also get this result:

For 25% you are: Homosexual

Stiles snorts as he reads: “what happened with the ‘bring it on!’ on the sex question, test?”

• What is your sexual orientation

For 50% you are: You are definitely not straight, and that’s okay! You are bisexual or maybe gay! There are heaps of other quizzes that you can do to help figure it out! […].

“Ok… I guess I’ll try the others.” He says trying to relax.

• Are you gay, straight or bi?

For 50% you are: You are bisexual!

“Well… fuck.”

• What is your sexuality

Congrats, you are bisexual, pansexual or anything under the B of LGBT.

“Huuuuuuhhh…”

• Are you into men? (Guys only)

Stiles chocks on the option answers around question five and he almost dies of coughing because his water took the wrong way and ended on his nose.

Could be bisexual.

“Damn it…” he figures he’ll text Sam. Or Danny.

Chapter Text

After freaking out because of the tests’ results, Stiles decides to keep digging because why not? He starts watching coming out videos on YouTube because he’s trying to relate to those stories. 22 years without knowing he liked guys? Yeah, that seems relatable, right? Although, for what Danny had told him, and Sam for that matter, Stiles may be in denial. So, after thinking about it he’ll probably realize that him liking guys was always there. He comes across to a musical video named ‘I’m not gay’, by some J Pee dude. He clicks on it, and waits for the video to load.

He laughs.

The first two times he laughs because of the guy’s expressions. His open eyes are traumatizing and he can’t stop staring at them. The third and fourth time he pays actual attention to the lyrics. By the fifth he’s looking for the lyrics on Google. By the sixth he’s singing it too, still laughing. By the seventh, he’s realized that there is a part of the song that he can relate to. Damn it.

I'm not gay guys

That ain't me

I'm just comfortable with my sexuality

So I can admit when I see a guy

Who has a handsome face, and pretty eyes

And a rock hard chest, and rippling abs

And the tightest ass, and those sculpted calves

And those bulging quads, and the perfect bod

And ohh my god, take your pants off

“Well… that resumes it. Right? Right. I’m bisexual.” Stiles says while putting his pillow on top of his face. “And I like Derek. Damn it.”

Chapter Text

Stiles: dude! Check this video out, it’s so funny!

Stiles texts Scott the link of the musical video he saw because yes, he’s still figuring out the whole bisexual thing and the linking-Derek thing, but that doesn’t mean he can’t share a funny video with his bro. The video did make him laugh, and he’s sure Scott will laugh too.

Scotty Bro: dude.

Stiles is working on his ‘I know right!?’ when a new message from Scott shows on his notifications.

Scotty Bro: did you just come out to me???

Stiles stares at the message with wide eyes. How in the world Scott became so sharp about these things?

Stiles: huh. I did not think that one through.

Stiles: surprise?

Stiles: I’m bisexual?

He stares nervously at his phone while waiting for Scott’s response. Scott is his brother, and Beacon Hills has a zero-homophobia politic going on, but he’s still nervous of what he might say.

Scotty Bro: so, who’s the lucky dude?

Stiles: you’re the best. I love you. Lots of heart emojis for you.

Scotty Bro: Stiles. We’re brothers. Incest is not something I wanna do.

Stiles: ew. Not like that, dude. I’m not sure if I should tell you who’s the guy I like. It’s still really new to me and I’m not even sure if I like him.

Scotty Bro: you are sure. Why are you afraid?

Stiles: I am sure :c I’m afraid because he’s straight. Or at least I think he’s straight. I’m not even sure now. I thought I was straight. But guess not? I just want to be sure, you know? In this case my ten-year plan might not work.

Scotty Bro. well, when you’re sure tell me. I want to give him the speech.

Stiles: oh. My god. Please don’t. He might get all sad and his sad expression is too adorable for this world. But still sad. I don’t want to see him sad.

Scotty Bro: … do I know him?

“Ugh. Damn it. Why are you so on point Scott!? What happened to the oblivious you?”

Scotty Bro: it’s not Isaac, right? Because I think Isaac might be bisexual too, or pansexual, for that matter… if… if it’s him, you should talk to him.

Stiles: oh my god, Scott. No. Stop thinking about it. It’s not Isaac. Look, when I’m ready I’ll tell you. We’re friends so it’s a little bit hard to know for sure, but I’ll tell you eventually, ok?

Scotty Bro: ok. Are you sure it’s no Isaac?

Stiles: I’m sure. Please, let’s change the subject. How’s Melissa and our baby girl? How are Andrea and the new boy of the pack?

Scotty Bro: mom’s good. She says she feels huge but really, she just looks beautiful, as always. Our little sister is good too, her heart beats so strong. It’s so surreal, man. Andrea and Thomas are good, he doesn’t cry that much and Andrea seems to be handling it very well after giving birth. He yawns a lot and it’s the most adorable thing ever. I’ll send you a couple of photos. Andrea says she’s waiting for Thomas’ birth gift. Something about knitting?

Stiles: hahahahaha tell her I’ll send her a hat, because that’s the only thing I know how to do. I’m practicing socks, though.

Scotty Bro: sure, I’ll tell her. I have to go, though. Deaton has stuff to tell me about some wolf puppies we found in the woods.

Stiles: aaaaaawwwwwwwww!!! Send me pictures! <3 <3 <3

Scotty Bro: whatever you want, man <3

Chapter Text

Stiles is keeping tabs on where Derek is since the time he disappeared for almost a month. Derek told him he’s not in Shasta anymore, he said his proper goodbye to Laura, there were tears, I love yous and promises of coming back to talk again. He told him he’s coming back to Wayne and Stiles is planning on visiting him. Derek said that it was ok, that it’s been a long time since they saw each other. And he kind of wants someone he knows with him for a while. Stiles doesn’t ask what ‘for a while’ means, but he thinks that he’ll probably be staying with Derek for a few months before hitting back the road.

Stiles asks him one night if he knows something about Peter. Derek tells him Peter texted him months ago, when Sophie was born, and sent him photos of the little baby and Sarah. He doesn’t say anything else and Stiles doesn’t push. He knows Derek’s still hurting because of Peter, and he understands that yeah, Peter may be trying, but Derek is not ready to forgive him. He texts him one late night that Laura already did that.

Stiles does get the photos of the puppies, of Thomas and Andrea, of Melissa’s seven months of pregnancy, of Peter, Sarah and Sophie, of the pack. He prints some of them and buys an album. Lydia keeps telling him he’s a sap but he just wants to have them there. He could buy frames but he’s constantly moving, where is he going to put them? He considers settling for a while somewhere.

He decides to wait until he finds Derek. He can get some advice from the older man and then decide.

Chapter Text

Der: do you think you’ll make it tomorrow?

Stiles: yeah, I think so. I’m just a few hours away. Tomorrow morning I’ll go to a gas station, fill my baby and then hit the road. I think I’m seven or eight hours away. Let’s have dinner together.

Der: sure. Text me when you leave town. I get out of work at 5.

Stiles: still working at the library?

Der: yeah. Cindy says I need to make up for those two months I was away.

Der: and it’s really quiet, I like it.

Stiles: of course you do.

Stiles: I’m gonna sleep, Quietwolf. Have a nice night.

Der: you too.

Chapter Text

Stiles texts Derek to tell him he’s an hour away when he leaves Emery. Derek must be closing the library because he doesn’t answer right away. Stiles puts his music on shuffle and he turns the volume up. He still has fill for an hour and a half more so he’s not worried. The Jeep is a big car so it consumes a large amount of gasoline. He spends the next forty-five minutes refusing to think about the fact that he’s going to see Derek. Instead, he concentrates on other stuff, like what he’s gonna eat, and that he really needs to text Danny about the website thing. He’s been getting a few messages between weeks and he’s been traveling back and forth to a few cities he’s already passed, and he really wants to keep going further, not backwards. He’ll probably keep travelling and visit some places where he’ll be needed, but he thinks that it’s important that packs and other supernatural beings learn how to do things on their own. Yeah, that can be a good thing to put on his website, a DIY for supernatural beings… what’s his life, seriously.

When he’s fifteen minutes away, he starts freaking out. He’s seen Derek before on webcam but he hasn’t seen him since The Hunters’ Attack 2.0. Add the thing about his feelings and he has a cocktail for heart beating too fast and breathing going erratic. Just when he’s coming closer to the ‘Welcome to Wayne’ sign, he realizes there’s a man standing there, arms crossed and looking intensely at his Jeep.

“Oh my god.” Stiles whispers and he feels his throat tight. Not now, please, he thinks embarrassed.

Stiles stops the car and gets out, leaves the driver’s door open and almost run to where the man is.

“God!” Stiles says with a smile as the man smiles back, letting his arms unfold and opening them for a hug. “You just have to be your creepy wolf and wait for me here!” Stiles says with a laugh, earning a chuckle from Derek, something he feels when their chests are touching. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

Yeah. Laura was right. Derek does hug with his whole body.

Chapter Text

“So, where are you taking me?” Stiles asks when they’re inside the Jeep again.

“There’s a diner near where I live, we could go there.”

“Sure. You’re the guide.”

Derek makes him go through a lot of streets and makes him turn a lot of times but when they’re finally at the diner, Stiles feels at ease with being around Derek again. He suspects the wolf did it on purpose.

“Hey, Derek!” a waitress says when they enter the diner.

“Good afternoon, Layla. How are you?” he answers, fond smile on his lips.

“I’m good. Who’s your friend?”

“This is Stiles, remember I told you he was going to come and stay with me for a while?” he asks while she guides them to, what Stiles thinks, Derek’s usual table.

“Oh, yeah. You were talking so much about him and him coming that I almost thought you made him up for the old ladies to stop harassing you.”

Stiles laughs delighted and Derek looks at them with an unimpressed impression, and that causes them both to laugh harder.

“That reminds me, miss Forthmoire sends her regards. She says that she won the Christmas contest.” Stiles says with a big, teasing smile.

“I’m really glad. She’ll remind you about that the whole year.”

“Oh, I know. It’s June already and she won’t stop.”

“Miss Forthmoire was the one you built the porch for?” Layla asks, notepad on her hand, the pen on her ear.

“Yeah, that’s the one.” Derek says with his eyebrows raised. “Did I tell you about her?”

“Yeah, when Stiles texted you the photo of her porch. You were here, remember? He almost spitted all his food when he saw the picture.” She says with a private tone directed to Stiles and Derek huffs. “Come on, let me get your orders. What do you, very fine gentlemen, want for dinner?”

“I’ll have the biggest hamburger you have. I’m Hungry. Capital letter on the H.” Stiles answers and Derek smirks.

“You sure you can eat that? The biggest hamburger here was created because of me.”

“Please, you remember Scott is my brother? Or that Malia was my girlfriend? I can beat you on your own game, Hale.”

“Let’s see that, Stilinski.”

“Ok, then” Layla says amused. “A big Hale for Stiles, what do you want, Derek?”

“The same. And add some curly fries. This is a bet.”

“Sure. I’ll be right back with your orders.”

Derek smiles at her and then turns to look at Stiles, who’s gaping, with a teasing smirk. Stiles recomposes himself, leans back and lays his hands on the table.

“Game on.”

Chapter Text

“I. Can’t. Believe. I just ate that.” Stiles says, letting his body melt on the booth.

“I told you it was big.” Derek says smirking.

“Shush. Those who haven’t finished eating can’t talk to the ones that have already finished.”

“Yeah, and who says that?” Derek asks, looking at him amused.

“Me. Because I’ve already finished. Eat your burger, Hungrywolf.” Stiles says and lets his head fall on the table. “I’m so full.” He says almost crying.

“We can go walking before heading to my place, if you want.”

“I won’t walk. I’ll roll. I’m too big to walk. You’ll have to push me because my knees can’t handle my weight. I’m a sumo fighter.”

“Stop overexaggerating. You can walk.”

“You don’t know that, Der. I’ll probably break my bones when I try to stand up. Or I’ll have a heart attack.”

“Your heart is fine, Stiles. It’s beating strong and calm. Like always”

“If you say so. I think I might die if I stand up.”

“You ok here?” Layla asks once she’s at the table again, taking Stiles’ empty plate away from him.

“No. I think I’m dying.” Stiles answers and Derek rolls his eyes, Layla laughs delighted.

“We have a challenge here, you know? If you can finish the Hale burger in forty-five minutes you win a free meal plan for a month and a thousand dollars. And you did it in half an hour. I’m impressed.”

“I might celebrate tomorrow, Layla. If I wake up alive.” Stiles answers in a mumble, face on the table.

“I’ll bring him back tomorrow for dinner. Don’t worry.” Derek answers after taking the last bite of his burger.

“I’m sure you will.”

If Stiles wasn’t so insistent on dying because of fullness, with his head on the table, he would have seen the wink Layla sent towards Derek and how embarrassed he looked, while he avoided Layla’s look and looking at Stiles altogether.

Chapter Text

“So, this is my place.” Derek says when he parks the Jeep in front of a condo.

“It’s a really nice place, Der.” Stiles answers with a sleepy smile.

“Come on. Let’s get your things out and go inside. It has an elevator so you don’t need to worry.”

“Are you sure? I can sleep in a motel.” Stiles answers, but he’s getting out of the Jeep.

“Don’t be stupid.”

They get the bags and other stuff out of the Jeep as quickly as possible. When they enter the condo, Derek says hi to the security man and he introduces Stiles as the guy that was coming. The security man smiles and nods, introduces himself as James and says he expects him to have a nice visit in town. The elevator doors are opening when Stiles reaches Derek again and he pushes the seventh floor.

“You seem to be really known around here.” Stiles comments when Derek closes the door of his apartment.

“Well, I’ve been living here for a year, now. They’re kind of nice.”

“I can see that.”

They stare at each other and Stiles sees something in Derek’s eyes that he can’t quite place. Like proudness and embarrassment and something else.

“Follow me. I’ll show you your room.”

“I can take the sofa, man.”

“Stiles.”

“Following.”

Chapter Text

“You think I should settle?” Stiles asks one night, weeks after their first encounter outside town, just when Derek is almost out of Stiles’ room.

“…” Derek doesn’t answer at first but he does look at him with wide, open eyes. “Are you ready to settle?”

“I… I don’t know? I mean. I’ve stayed from days to months in a same place, but I always get this twitchy feeling that makes me leave.”

“Like you’re missing home.”

“Like I’m missing home, yeah.” Stiles says with a sad tone. Derek walks back and sits on the bed beside him. “But Beacon Hills is not my home anymore, you know? I mean, Scott’s there, and Melissa and my little sister who, by the way, will be born in a few weeks. And Malia, and Lydia and Isaac are there too. But…”

“But your dad is not there.”

“Yeah…” they stay silent for a few seconds and Stiles feels a knot on his chest. “I get that thing about home being a person. But why can’t Scott be my home too? That way it’ll be easier, you know?”

“When have our lives being easy?” Derek asks, looking at the ceiling and Stiles snorts humorlessly. “Stiles, home is not a place, neither is a person. It’s that feeling you get when you’re comfortable enough somewhere or with someone. Home doesn’t have to mean staying forever or moving forever. You just have to be comfortable.”

“I know… I don’t want to go back. It’ll make it too real.”

“Then don’t. Stay here, keep traveling. You can do whatever you want.”

“Will you come with me if I decide to leave?” Stiles asks looking at him, feeling reckless suddenly and Derek looks at him surprised.

“If you want me to, yeah. I’ll come with you.”

Chapter Text

Scotty Bro: STILES. EMILY’S COMING!!!

Stiles: WAT!?

Stiles takes his phone and sends Scott an invitation for a video-call. Scott answers right away and he can see the hospital right before switching to Scott’s face.

“Oh my god. I can hear my mom screaming.” Scott mumbles, he’s looking to some place past the phone, even though, Stiles is sure, Melissa’s not anywhere near.

“You need to calm down, bro. She’s gonna be fine. Both of them are gonna be fine.”

“But what if something goes wrong?” Scott asks, looking at him for the first time.

“Nothing’s going to go wrong.” Stiles answers reassuring, feeling nervous himself.

“Stiles…”

“Hmm?”

“We’re gonna be big bros.” Scott answer and there are happy tears on his face.

“We’re gonna be big brothers, Scott. How cool is that?” Stiles smiles, tears on the verge of falling.

“Hey, I’m home. Are you ok? Your heart is beating like crazy… Why are you crying?” Derek says from the moment he opens the door and closes it, worried expression on his face. “Are you ok, Stiles? You’re not hurt, right?”

“I’m good, Der” Stiles answers with a watery smile. “Melissa’s giving birth this exact same moment!”

“Seriously!?” Derek hugs him and they both laugh, Stiles managing to keep his phone on his hand.

“No fair. I want hugs too” Scott’s voice sounds and Derek lets Stiles go and looks at the phone. Scott is pouting but his eyes are happy.

“Hi, Scott. Congratulations!” Derek says, smile on his lips.

“Hey, Derek. Thank you! Although, my mom’s the one doing all the work.” He stays silent for a moment, clearly listening to what’s happening on the birth room. “Emily’s head is almost out… I think she’ll be there another fifteen minutes before our baby sister is completely born.”

“Moms are awesome.” Stiles says with a big smile.

Derek smiles at him, shuffles his hair and mumbles a ‘I’m gonna take a shower’ to Stiles but he’s too distracted to actually listen to him. Stiles sits on the sofa and watches Derek disappear on the hall and then looks at Scott again.

“Do you think Melissa will let me call her ‘mom’?” he asks, looking embarrassed for a second, scratching his neck with his empty hand.

“Of course she will! You’re family, dude! We share a sister. She’ll love you calling her mom.” Scott answers with a big, happy smile and Stiles smiles back.

“Mom’s awesome, isn’t she?” Stiles says, warm feeling settling on his chest.

“She really is.”

Chapter Text

Scotty Bro: so, Derek, huh? I think you have an opportunity with him. You should go for it.

Stiles: I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Chapter Text

“Just look how cute my baby sister is!” Stiles says the next time they’re at the diner. “She’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”

“I thought the most beautiful girl you’ve ever seen was Lydia.”

“Excuse me? Emily is way more beautiful” Stiles says looking at Derek with an eyebrow raised. Then he changes his expression to a scared one, “… Don’t tell Lydia I said that.”

“Too late. Recorded it and sent it.” Derek says moving his phone in front of him.

“You didn’t!” Stiles says with wide eyes.

“I did.” He says smirking, moving before Stiles can reach him.

Queen L: how dare you say a baby is more beautiful than me?

“Derek! Lydia texted me! You fix this!”, but Derek just laughs. “Oh, my god. I hate you so much right now.

“No, you don’t.”

“No, I don’t.” Stiles mumbles as he types an answer to Lydia.

Stiles: she’s my baby sister, Lyds. Of course I think she’s beautiful than you. That doesn’t mean she is, she’s just a baby. She doesn’t even look like Melissa or my dad yet.

Queen L: fair enough.

“One of these days you’re going to kill me, Funnywolf.”

“We’ll see about that.” Derek answers laughing. Stiles decides that’s the most beautiful sound he’s ever heard.

Chapter Text

Danny Boy: I made the change you told me to do. They’ll have to pay to see the information and the payment will go directly to your bank account. How’s everything with Derek going on?

Stiles: thanks, Danny. Next time I’m nearby I’ll invite you to that fancy restaurant you wanted to go last time.

Danny Boy: cool. Stop avoiding the subject. You’ll have to talk eventually.

Stiles: I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Danny Boy: *sigh*

Chapter Text

“Stiles! Stiles!” he hears someone calling his name but it just sounds really far away. The images in front of him making everything seem like a blur. “Stiles!” someone says again. It sounds right in his ear so he jolts as he opens his eyes. Someone is hugging him, and he feels himself crying. “Hey…” it’s dark, and he’s still a little bit asleep, but he can figure who’s talking.

“Derek…” Stiles says and he sounds broken. “He… He was…” he tries.

“Shh, it’s ok.” Derek says, soothing him. “It was just a nightmare.”

Stiles lets himself be dragged out of bed to the kitchen. Derek makes him sugary water and he drinks it quietly. He knows what day it is, he knows why he’s having nightmares.

“Today’s my mom’s anniversary…” he mumbles. He’s sitting on the couch, looking firmly to the floor. “It was a normal dream about her in the hospital but then there was my father and the fucking hole he had on his forehead and I just…” Stiles starts to cry again and Derek sits beside him, putting an arm around his shoulders. “If this what I’m dreaming on my mom’s anniversary, then what am I going to dream when it’s his?”

“Don’t think about that just yet. One demon at a time, Stiles. You can’t be afraid of living.”

“I am not afraid to keep on living. I am not afraid to walk this world alone.”

“Isn’t that a song?” Derek mumbles, looking at him with a frown of confusion.

“Yeah, but it’s really accurate right now. And hey! You know My Chemical Romance!” Stiles says with a small smile.

“I had an emo phase after the fire.”

“Had?” Stiles smirks.

“Shut up and go to sleep.” Derek says standing up.

“Can you stay with me? I promise I won’t kick you out.” Stiles stands up too and starts walking to his room.

“Let’s go to my room, then. My bed’s bigger.”

“Thanks, Der.”

Chapter Text

“Your bed is so comfy! I’m not getting out of here, ever!”

“This is my bed. I am not going to sleep on the couch.”

“Then come and cuddle me, Angrywolf.”

“You have your own room!”

“This is what happens when you let me sleep one time in this awesome, comfy bed! I’ll never leave.”

“Stiles.”

“Come. Cuddle. Me.”

“The things I do for you.”

“Yay!”

Chapter Text

“Someone sent me a message from Kane. Something about hunters, again. You wanna come with me?” Stiles says over breakfast.

Derek doesn’t answer. He just keeps munching his breakfast until Stiles kicks him on the leg. “I was thinking.”

They stay silent for a moment. Stiles remembers the conversation they had the first time they talked about leaving. He knows that if Derek agrees, they’re never coming back.

“I’ll have to talk to Cindy and sell the apartment.”

“You don’t need to come.”

“It’s ok. It’s time I move on.”

Chapter Text

They travel for four days from Wayne to Kane, taking turns to drive the Jeep and stopping at motels at night. They talk about a lot of things. What Derek has been doing aside from working at the library. What Stiles’ been feeling and doing since his father’s death. About the pack, and Andrea, and Caroline and the kids. Derek tells him one night the thing about pack dynamics and why babies are such an important part of them.

“The moment a pack starts to have newborns and toddlers is when it’s really considered as pack. It means we trust each other enough to take care of babies, who are still fragile and need so much care. It’s not just some individual thing like human parents. In a pack, everyone has to work together to keep everyone safe, more than before, because they need to think about the future of the babies. They can’t just take risks without putting first the little ones.”

“So, it’s a big pyramid of protection, right? Like, the other members need to protect the parents and the parents protect their kids.” Stiles wonders out loud.

“Yeah, it’s… it’s something like that”

Other nights, when it’s just terribly quiet between them, Stiles starts to wonder about the parts of Derek he hasn’t seen yet. The little things Laura didn’t tell him and that are still hidden under layers of masks and walls. He doesn’t get terrified to ask, but he’s nervous because he desperately wants to know but at the same time he doesn’t want to push Derek into revealing something he’s not ready to share.

Chapter Text

“Why did you start to sew Teddy bears?” Stiles asks the night before they get to Kane.

They’re in their beds, lying on their sides, looking at each other in the dark. Stiles can’t see much but he can make up Derek’s figure under the covers of the bed beside him. Derek doesn’t answer right away but he does sigh, letting Stiles know that he’s awake, he’s just thinking how to answer that question.

“When I started traveling with Braeden, she made me go to a therapist whenever we stopped. It was pretty much because I didn’t need to see them again because the next day we’ll be on the road again so there wasn’t any risk of discovering the werewolf fact. All of them helped me to move on from my family’s death and to open up a little bit more to people. And all of them told me to get a hobby that didn’t involve violence, that I needed to relax a little bit. So, I started with reading, finding every book I could and reading them within a day or less, but it wasn’t enough. So, Braeden suggested I should try something softer and she joked about me resembling a big Teddy bear when I let my beard grow too much. So, I started to sew Teddy bears. I made a lot of them, and they were starting to fill the car so we went to hospitals and orphanages to donate them to the kids. It was… It was really calming and soothing how their happy faces made me feel. So, I decided to keep doing it because their happiness made me happy. And I realized that I wanted a family really bad, I wanted to have my own kids… but I couldn’t take Braeden with me down that path, you know? She’s really free and wild with her own life and I don’t think she’ll ever get that need of settling down somewhere to be a mother. She’s really awesome on her own.”

“She’s like Lydia” Stiles comments. “I talked to her a few months ago and she was wondering about the ones who loved her, you know? Overthinking something she really didn’t need to think, it was something along the lines of having some debt to us because we loved her. She felt like she didn’t deserve our love. But I don’t think that, I think she’ll be awesome either way, you know? If she decides to stay single and do a lot of things or do nothing, or if she decides to settle down and have a couple of kids and a white house with a fence. Because she’s awesome like that, she’ll do it the best way possible.”

“But you don’t want to be the one in the white house with the fence and the couple of kids with her?”

“No. Lydia doesn’t need someone who holds her back. She needs someone who pushes her to be a better person and to succeed academically. I can do that being her friend, not her lover.”

“You don’t love her anymore?” Derek asks, and Stiles feels his heart speed at the question.

“No… Well, I think I’ll always love her, you know? Like… I’ve loved her my whole life. But I don’t love her platonically or as a I-want-to-be-your-forever kind of way. I love her as a friend who pushes her to be better and who is inspired by her doings.”

Derek stays silent for a moment, his eyes flash blue to show Stiles he’s still awake and he recomposes himself, facing the ceiling.

“Do you think the I-want-to-be-your-forever is something we can actually get?”

“I hope so. I really, really hope so.”

Chapter Text

Kane is starting to cool down a bit around this time of year. It’s the middle of August and Fall doesn’t seem to be getting behind this year. When they actually get to the local pack house, the Thompson pack, Stiles informs, they’re already using scarfs. Stiles is a little bit nervous because his father’s anniversary is next month and he doesn’t know what to do with himself. He’s a nerve ball and he just wants to curl and get out of bed in October.

“So, let’s get down to business, Der.” Stiles says when they’re getting out of the car.

“We’re not here to defeat the Huns, Stiles. That’s inaccurate right now.”

“Oh, my god! You understood a Disney reference! Wait until the pack hears about this!” Stiles says laughing.

“If you do that, I’ll tell them you sleep with a picture of Emily in the baby hat and socks you knitted for her.” Derek deadpans.

“Tell who about what? I don’t know what you’re talking about. What Disney reference? I don’t even know what Disney is.”

“Good.”

They knock on the door and immediately there’s someone opening. The person flashes their eyes at Derek, who does the same thing as a recognition and Stiles lowers his head a little bit signaling respect. The person lets them in and walks them through a large hall until they’re in the living room. The Thompson pack is there, all stood up and looking weary, in the middle of them there is an old man who flashes his red eyes at both of them. Stiles and Derek do the same thing they did with the Beta and then everyone is sitting.

“It’s very nice to finally meet you, Mr. Stilinski.” The old man says, “although I was waiting for the red cape,” he says jokingly.

“It’s nice to meet you too, Alpha Thompson. And the red cape was a joke from the friend who created the website. I used to have a red hoodie when I was a teenager.”

“Well, I’m sure it will make you stand up from everyone in the room. You should use it.” He commented and smiled at him.

“I’ll have it in mind, thanks for your opinion.” Stiles answered and smile formally at him, feeling Derek stiffen behind him. “What is it?” he asks.

“Vampires.” Derek murmurs, and Stiles realizes he’s almost wolfing out.

“Yes. That is the problem we have right now. There is a nest of vampires since last month and they just don’t want to leave, even if this is our territory.” The Alpha answers.

“I’m so sorry I’m late!” a young man enters the room, running. He looks sweaty and tired.

“Gentlemen, this is my son, James Thompson, next Alpha on the line. He’s still working on his punctuality.”

“I’m so, so sorry. I got out of class fifteen minutes ago and came here as soon as I could.” He says, shaking Derek and Stiles’ hand.

“He was actually the one who contacted you.” The Alpha says, “he doesn’t want this situation to end in a fight or in something bloody for that matter, so he contacted you because you seem to have an idea as to how to manage this kind of situations.”

Derek and Stiles look at each other. Stiles has never met a vampire, but he can do politics. They can get to an agreement to favor the wolves and the vampires equally.

“Well, I have never encountered a vampire before, if I’m being honest.” Stiles starts, “but I can use my political knowledge to talk to them and get an agreement. Do you know anything about the leader? And why they’re staying here? I understood they’re as territorial as werewolves are.”

“Yes. Their leader’s name is Nikolai Wood. They haven’t claimed the territory because this land has always belonged to werewolves. I think they’re hiding from vampire hunters.” James answers first, standing beside his father.

“Ok, I can work with that. Do you have human members in your pack?” Stiles asks.

“We do, why?”

“Well, as I can understand, your nose can smell them so I suspect their scent isn’t very nice for you. We can actually get to them if we can’t smell them, however, they’re gonna be able to smell the ‘werewolf pack’ on us. It’ll be a certain advantage.”

“I understand. Yeah, I can let you borrow a few of my humans.” Alpha Thompson answers.

“Thank you.”

Chapter Text

“This is as far as we go with you.” One of the Betas, Caesar, says.

“I’ll go with them a little further.” James and Derek mumble at the same time and the other Betas just nod.

“Do you like my red cape?” Stiles asks Derek and he smirks.

“Very Little Red of you.” He answers and Stiles huffs.

“Very funny.”

“Don’t know what you expected.”

“Yeah, neither do I.”

They keep walking until they find the warehouse neighborhood and Derek and James stop.

“We’ll stay here. If there’s something violent going on we’ll make the call and you’ll have back up, ok?” James says smiling down at the humans, Stiles nods.

“We’ll just stick to the agreement.” Both man nod.

Stiles and the other three humans keep walking down the street until the stand up in front of one of the warehouses. Stiles knows his fellow humans are scared so he’s the one who knocks the door.

“But what do we have here” a really beautiful man says when he opens the door. “Delivery meal and we didn’t even order.” He smirks. “Don’t you think you’re in the wrong fairy tale, Little Red?”

“I don’t know, man. You have fangs that can eat me, am I in the wrong tale?” Stiles answers with a smirk and the vampire in front of him smiles amused.

“I like ‘em mouthy. Come on in, little werewolves’ humans.” And he lets them in,

Everything is dark for a moment and then the room start to fill with glowing red eyes. Stiles takes a deep breath and puts himself in front of the stiffen humans.

“Alright, cut the act. Let’s get down to business.”

Chapter Text

“We’re here to make you an offer.” Stiles says once he’s sitting in front of the leader, the rest of the vampires surrounding him.

“You offer a deal but there are werewolves waiting to attack.” He answers, distasteful tone on his voice.

“Nikolai, those werewolves out there are waiting for a good reason to attack. Do you really want to give them that?” Stiles asks, looking directly at him and Nikolai smiles, showing his fangs.

“Mieczysław, what are you offering?”

“Ugh. Don’t say my full name, man. I know you can pronounce it but it’s really creepy. We’re offering you protection until you reach the next town. The next town doesn’t have a pack established so you can claim your territory and once you’re there, the witch who lives there can give you enough protection on her own.”

“And why should I believe that?”

“I can guarantee you the Alpha and the next in line to be the Alpha’s word.” Stiles answers without missing a beat.

“Ah, the little James. I knew he was involved in this. Very well, and how do you plan on offer us protection since werewolves can’t stand our scent? That’s why you came with humans, am I right?”

“You are right. The pack can follow your trail from afar until you’re in the next town, and since they can hear people coming, you don’t need to worry about hunters coming by surprise. They’ll give you a signal in case they hear something strange.”

“And what if they let hunters get us instead of helping us? Our kind is almost extinct, Mieczy… Stiles. We can’t risk it.”

“In that case, if both the parties sign the agreement and one of them breaks it, the other party has full control on what to do next.”

“So… if they break it we can kill their humans or them?” Nikolai asks with a creepy smile.

“Yes. And if you break the treaty and attack them, they can do the same to you.”

The room falls silent for a minute, Nikolai looks like he’s considering the offer and he looks at his brothers and sisters. All the vampires in there still look weary, stiffen on the presence of humans who smell like werewolves, trying to control themselves into not hearing their heartbeats.

“Very well.” He sighs and looks at Stiles straight in the eye. “Where do I sign?”

Chapter Text

“Thank you for your help, Mr. Stilinski.” Alpha Thompson says. “We now need to wait until their death scent fades and we can go back to our lives.”

“I’m glad I could help you. If you need anything else, don’t doubt on calling, ok?” Stiles says with a smile.

“Of course. I hope you two get home safely.” He says with a knowing smile and waves them goodbye.

Stiles doesn’t want to put too much thought into that.

Chapter Text

“Where do we go now?” Stiles asks when they’re out of town.

“My family has a cabin in Clark, Nevada. Do you want to go back there?”

“Sure! It’ll be nice to stay some time surrounded by woods.” Stiles says happily. “I’m sure you want some place to run.”

“Yeah, and… I haven’t been there since before the fire so… I really would like to see if it’s still ok.”

“Oh… Yeah. Let’s stay there, hum?” Stiles says with a small smile and he puts his hand on top of Derek’s for a moment, releasing it to keep driving.

“Ok. Let’s stay there.”

Chapter Text

They get to Clark in a week. It’s not a peaceful week. They fight a lot over the most stupid things and no, it’s my car, Derek. I can choose whatever music I fucking want and you’re not the only one driving in this car, Stiles. I have a saying in this too. They’re both stressed, tired and sleepless but they make it to the motel every night without throats getting ripped apart or deaths by too much listening to rambling. They’re weary when they finally get to the cabin and Stiles doesn’t feel like walking the few feet needed from the place they leave the car to the actual house.

When Derek opens the door, Stiles can actually feel the moment Derek breathes profoundly because that’s how close they are right now.

“It still smells like them?” Stiles asks with a quiet voice because he can understand how comforting the smells of the people you love are. He’s done that with his father’s.

“Yeah. It’s kind of… surreal. Overwhelming. I don’t know.” Derek mumbles quietly too, looking the inside of the house with shiny, sad eyes, probably remembering all those times he came with his family.

“It’s a bit dirty, though.” Stiles whispers.

“Yeah… we need to clean it first…” Derek answers.

“… You wanna stay outside for a moment?”

“Yeah… Let’s do that.”

Derek closes the door again and they let on the floor all their stuff. They both sit on the wooden porch, looking at the woods in front of them and Stiles starts to think about Beacon Hills, about the Preserve and about the Hale house and it hits him altogether.

“This is a mini version of the Hale House, isn’t it?”

“Yeah… Four generations before my great, great, great grandparents lived here first before heading to Beacon Hills. They built this house and when they realized the family was just getting bigger and bigger, they moved to Beacon Hills and built another house like this one but a lot bigger and with more room for all of us… It was kind of their legacy.”

“It’s a beautiful cabin.”

“We used to come every Summer here, stayed for a couple of weeks and then went back home. It’s was a family bonding thing. Nobody knew where it was except for us and we were able to find it because of the scent.”

“A literal werewolf-friendly house, then.” Stiles mumbles and Derek chuckles.

“You could say that, yes.” He answers and smiles a little bit. “There should be running water and electricity. I don’t know if the stove is working though, it doesn’t smell like gas. We’ll probably have to fix that. There should be towels somewhere and maybe some food, though I don’t think is edible anymore.”

“Ah… we’ve got so much work to do” Stiles says fakedly crying.

“Come on, baby, we should start as soon as possible. It’ll get dark in a few hours.” Derek says while standing up.

“You just called me ‘baby’!” Stiles says, a ridiculously high-pitched tone, a big smile on his face, and shock on his eyes, watching as Derek opens the door again and gets himself in. It’s like he doesn’t believe Derek knows he just said that.

“You are a baby! Weren’t you crying a few minutes ago and now you’re over excited? That’s baby behavior, Stiles!” Derek says from inside the house and then laughs.

“Ha-ha! You’re so funny, Unamusingwolf.” Stiles hears Derek laugh a little more and then mumbles. “Yeah, I know. It wasn’t a good one.”

Chapter Text

“Oh. My. God. How many rooms does this house have!?” Stiles says. He’s sweaty, full of dust and really, really tired. Derek is looking at him with amused eyes and an eyebrow raised.

“Just one more and a bathroom.”

“I am so claiming the bath after we finish this. And then, you’re going to take me to some nice place in town because I deserve it. And then we’re gonna do grocery shopping because the kitchen is empty. There’s nothing! Nada!”

“I know the cupboards had nothing savable. I was the one who cleaned the kitchen because someone decided he wanted the rooms.”

“That someone is really regretting that and he hates himself for it!” Stiles says and he lets his head fall on the counter. “I’m gonna go back cleaning. And I want the room I last cleaned! It has the most beautiful bathroom I’ve ever seen.”

“That was Laura’s room.” Derek mumbles while wiping the dust on the sofa.

“And she had amazing taste in furniture.”

Chapter Text

When they actually finish cleaning, they’re too tired to take a bath or go out for food. They just fall asleep in the living room floor, curled in each other and with their mouths open. Stiles is surprised he doesn’t catch a cold.

When he opens his eyes the next morning, he’s still on the floor but Derek is not there with him anymore. Instead, there’s a really warm blanket and a note in the coffee table.

Went to do grocery shopping. I took the Jeep. There’s coffee in the kitchen.

“Ugh, dude. You’re not making it easy for me…”

He gets up from the floor and walks directly to the kitchen. There’s a pot on the stove with black ambrosia and Stiles feels his mouth salivate. He warms it a little bit and serves it in one of the cups they found yesterday. Everything is clean now and the cabin looks more livable. Stiles thinks they did a good job.

There’s nothing on the fridge to make breakfast with so he decides to take a shower while Derek gets there again. The room he chose, Laura’s room, has a big, double bed, a desk, a really big closet and a bathroom.

“And the bathroom has a tub! I am so in love with Laura right now.” Stiles mumbles, and he knows Erica can hear him. If she’s still there with him. “Huh… I really would like to know if you’re still here, Catwoman… I guess I’ll have to wait until I go to Shasta again.”

He showers rather slowly and he’s singing in the shower when he hears the ‘I’m back!’ from Derek.

“I’ll be out in a minute!” Stiles resumes his singing and then he’s getting out of the bathroom, all wet and without clothes on. He’s changing when he hears something drop in the kitchen. “Are you ok!?” Stiles asks rather loudly from his room while putting a t-shirt on.

“Yeah! I just dropped few cans on the floor, no big deal…”

Stiles gets out of the room and walks directly to the kitchen. Derek is kneeled on the floor, grabbing a few cans of tuna with beans. He sighs and kneels to help him.

“I’m not even going to ask.”

“They just fell from the bag!”

“I’m not asking, Der…”

“I swear they fell!”

“So you didn’t drop them because there’s beans on it?”

“…”

“That’s what I thought.

“Shut up.”

Chapter Text

“I think I’m gonna buy a new phone, can you come with me?” Stiles asks over lunch one day.

“Sure. We can go to the store too? I wanna buy some new sheets.” Derek answers from his book and turns a page, “why do you need a new phone? I thought that one was fine.”

“It was, boo. But it’s asking me to delete apps because it doesn’t have any more space. And I had to delete Whatsapp because I didn’t have any more space for the new upgrade.”

Derek is watching him intently. His book is forgotten on his lap and his eyebrows are raised. Stiles looks at him confused.

“What? That happens to phones too, you know? They run out of space. You could know that if you downloaded more than two apps on it.” He says with a smirk and continues. “Maybe I’ll buy an iPhone? I know it has a lot of internal space… It’d be nice to have more than just five apps on it.”

Stiles keeps talking and talking and Derek just stares at him, between fascinated, surprised and a little bit annoyed.

“You’re not listening to me.” Stiles says with a pout.

“I’m sorry. What did you ask?”

“If you wanted to buy colored sheets or plain ones.”

“I don’t know. Help me decide when we get there, yeah?” Derek says with a warm smile and Stiles smiles big.

“I can do that, yeah! Let’s go now, Der! We can have lunch out for a change and buy some new books too! I saw an antique store last week, let’s go there too! One never knows when we’ll leave the cabin again.”

Chapter Text

Stiles chuckles, looking down at his phone.

Scotty Bro: so… Isaac kissed me.

“What is it?” Derek asks when he’s out of the shower. There’s a towel around his hips and his hair is dropping wet. He has another towel on his hands and he’s beginning to dry his hair.

Stiles gulps and tries to focus on his new phone. “Isaac finally got his act together and kissed Scott… Why are you showering in the spare bathroom?”

“Because it’s the only one with running hot water. How’s Scott?”

“I told you we needed to call a plumber but noooo, mister Wetwolf here wanted to do it himself. And he’s probably freaking out. I don’t know what to tell him, though. I’m actually rooting for Isaac.”

“I don’t want some stranger’s scent here. You know that.” Derek answers and he disappears through the hall, probably to his room. “Isn’t he waiting for Kira?” he asks from somewhere.

“Yeah. But I don’t think she’s ever coming back, you know? I actually think she moved on. Who wants to stay in Beacon Hills, anyway? It wasn’t that pleasant for her.”

“For any of us.”

“Yeah…”

They stay silent for a few minutes and Derek comes back again to the living room.

“You don’t think Kira’s coming back, then?”

“Nah. It’s been radio silence for what, five, six years?”

“I’ve been away that amount of time too.”

“Yeah, but you kept in touch.” Stiles looks at Derek and sees the way his mouth opens, showing he’s going to say something. “Birthdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas don’t count.”

“Hmm…” Derek walks to the kitchen and Stiles takes that as the end of the conversation.

Stiles: and how are you feeling?

Scotty Bro: I don’t know… I’m freaking out.

Stiles: why? Do you think you like him?

Scotty Bro: I don’t know. Isaac is a really sweet dude, it’s just… ugh! I don’t know!

Stiles: let’s do this, man. I’ll create group chat with Danny and Sam (he’s a friend I met while on the road) and we’ll help you figure it out, ok?

Scotty Bro: ok… I just. I want to be certain about how I feel about him, and about having something with him, you know? I don’t want to hurt him or keep him waiting.

Stiles: ooohhh!! Boo! You’ll figure it out! Don’t worry! <3

Chapter Text

“You think we could get out today?”

Derek doesn’t ask why. He knows why. Stiles really appreciates he doesn’t say anything. Stiles lets Derek grab the keys and drive him around town. They have lunch together and they keep driving. Derek shows Stiles all the parks and places his family and he used to go when he was little. He purposely avoids the cemetery and drives the long route when they need to go to a place near it.

At the end of the day, with take out on hand, Stiles and Derek sit on the cabin’s wooden porch and eat in silence. They don’t talk about what day it is and Derek can see and smell how troubled Stiles is. Probably feeling like crying but not being able to, feeling like he has cried all his tears in this passing year.

“Thank you.”

Chapter Text

“Look the new nickname I put on Jackson’s contact!” Stiles says giggling one morning.

“Evil Iguana? Seriously?”

“Yup. Come on! It’s funny!”

“If you say so. Does he ever text you, though?”

“Sometimes. On my birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

“Didn’t you say those didn’t count?”

“That doesn’t mean they don’t show up on my inbox.”

Chapter Text

Stiles has created group ‘group help’.

Stiles: guys. This is to help Scott. Sammy, this is my best friend Scott and my other friend Danny. Scott’s having his sexual identity crisis.

Danny Boy: Isaac finally pulled something out of the bag?

Sam: hi-hi.

Stiles: yup.

Scotty Bro: how is that everyone knew about this but me!?

Sam: who’s Scott? Who’s Isaac?

Danny Boy: *photo attachment*

Danny Boy: *photo attachment*

Stiles: the first one with the uneven jaw is Scott and the curly, blond one is Isaac.

Stiles: because you’re always oblivious to everything, bro.

Scotty Bro: that’s not true!

Danny Boy: it’s true.

Scotty Bro: :(

Sam: …

Sam: WOW?

Sam: HOW IS THAT YOU NEVER THOUGHT YOU WERE BISEXUAL, STILES!?

Sam: I MEAN, REALLY!?

Sam: THOSE TWO GUYS ARE REALLY HOT!!!!

Scotty Bro: thanks <3

Stiles: and you haven’t seen Danny… *wink wink*

Danny Boy: *photo attachment*

Sam: …

Sam: …

Sam: … are you single?

Danny Boy: yup.

Sam: heeeelloooo, Danny.

Stiles: dude. Go talk to each other elsewhere. We’re here for Scott.

Scotty Bro: and for Derek.

Stiles: lalalalalalalalalalala.

Chapter Text

Stiles: Derek says werewolves have bisexual tendencies, so it isn’t that much of a surprise. It’s like animal instinct.

Sam: what?

Stiles: uh-oh.

Danny Boy: Stiles…

Scotty Bro: dude!!

Stiles: sorry! I completely forgot!!

Stiles: uh… surprise? Werewolves are real? And all those creatures that go bumping into the night?

Stiles: except maybe zombies. Derek says they don’t exist. Although I seriously doubt that. I’ll believe it when I see it.

Stiles: or rather when I don’t see it. You guys have a very delicate nose and vampires are enough to deal with. Zombies or ghouls? Not so much. Thank you.

Sam: … you’re not joking?

Danny Boy: no.

Stiles: nope.

Scotty Bro: neh.

Sam: WHAT!!!???

Danny Boy: I know. Hell of a shocker.

Sam: I MEAN WHAT!!!!!??????

Stiles: @Scotty Bro is a werewolf, so that’s why I said the bisexual comment… Danny and I are humans. Kind of.

Sam: KIND OF?

Stiles: I was possessed for a bit.

Danny Boy: I’m totally human. Family’s known the secret for centuries but totally human.

Sam: POSSESSED!!??

Stiles: ancient history. Not the time or the place. MOVING ON. There’ll be time for explanations later. Our problem here is Scott and his bisexual freaking out.

Scotty Bro: THAT’S THE THING! I DON’T THINK I’M BISEXUAL!!!

Sam: why not?

Scotty Bro: I don’t feel sexual desire for dudes.

Danny Boy: hmmm…

Sam: biromantic, then?

Danny Boy: that’s what I was thinking.

Scotty Bro: what’s that?

Sam: is when you have feelings for someone of your same gender but you don’t feel that sexual interest you feel with someone of the opposite gender. But you still have feelings for both.

Scotty Bro: hmmm… that seems most likely.

Stiles: so you have feelings for Isaac?

Scotty Bro: I think so?

Sam: do you want to rub your face on his face?

Scotty Bro: what.

Stiles: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH

Sam: ;)

Danny Boy: ._.

Scotty Bro: what???

Stiles: have you ever felt the need to kiss him?

Scotty Bro: sometimes? Like when he’s all cocky I just want to kiss him to make him shut up.

Stiles: Scott…

Danny Boy: Scott…

Scotty Bro: what?

Stiles: you’re the Alpha. You can actually make him shut up with your red eyes, dude.

Scotty Bro: oh…

Sam: WHAT? CAN YOU EXPLAIN THIS?

Stiles: Danny, can you do it? Derek made dinner <3

Danny Boy: sure.

Danny Boy: you’re not off of this, tho. We need to talk about Derek.

Sam: who’s Derek?

Chapter Text

Danny Boy has sent 18 pictures.

Danny Boy: that’s all the pictures of Derek I could sneak out of Stiles phone. He probably has more now seeing he’s living with him.

Sam: dayum! Stiles moves faster than I thought!

Sam: and that guy is so fucking hot! Where do you guys hide yourselves!? I’m starting to feel self-conscious.

Danny Boy: don’t say that, you’re really handsome and hot as well.

Sam: <3

Scotty Bro: stop flirting! Danny, how the hell did you get Stiles’ password? He changes it like, every week.

Danny Boy: who do you think you’re talking to?

Scotty Bro: you sound like Lydia. And yeah, I don’t even know why I ask. Freaking System Engineers.

Stiles: WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!?

Stiles: I go to eat dinner and this is what I come to?

Stiles: you hurt me, Danny. After everything we’ve been through?

Danny Boy: especially after everything we’ve been through.

Stiles: I hate you.

Scotty Bro: no, you don’t. Everyone loves Danny.

Stiles: yeah. You’re impossible not to like.

Sam: it’s the dimples.

Danny Boy: moving on. Stiles, how’s your living-with-Derek-thing going on?

Stiles: if you’re trying to find answers about my crush on him you’re going to find none. We’re friends. We travel together. We’re currently staying at his family’s cabin. That’s it.

Scotty Bro: HE ACCEPTED IT!

Stiles: real mature, bro. Yes, I like Derek. That doesn’t mean he likes me.

Danny Boy: who wouldn’t like Derek? Guy’s like a Teddy bear.

Stiles: he is :3

Scotty Bro: disgusting.

Stiles: >:c

Sam: dude has a cabin? AWESOME!

Danny Boy: and he let you come? Stiles, you know how wolves are about scents. He let you come in a place probably sacred to his family. He wouldn’t do that just with anyone.

Sam: why is it sacred? Because of the werewolf thing?

Scotty Bro: yeah. And because his family died a long time ago and their scents are still mingled in the air of the cabin.

Sam: creepy.

Stiles: yeah. At least they were when we first got here. I don’t know about now, tho.

Stiles: we’ve slept in the same bed, dude. He’s used to my scent already.

Danny Boy: AND YOU SAY HE DOESN’T LIKE YOU!!!???

Sam: I’M WITH DANNY HERE!!!

Scotty Bro: ARE YOU BLIND!!!????????

Stiles: we’re just friends.

Stiles: STOP IT.

Stiles: I DON’T WANT TO HAVE MY HOPES RAISED.

Stiles has named Danny Boy as a Group Admin.

Stiles has left ‘group help’.

Chapter Text

Danny Boy added Stiles to ‘group help’

Stiles: ugh.

“What is it?” Derek asks with a frown.

“Danny, Scott and Sam are molesting me via texts.” Stiles answers, looking murderously at his phone.

“Who’s Sam?” Derek lets his book on top of the couch and gets up to the kitchen.

“A guy I met a few months ago. He flirted with me, gave me his number and got me thinking, big bisexual awakening, yada-yada, he’s a friend of mine and probably flirting with Danny via private messages.” Stiles answers while texting furiously.

“Big… bisexual awakening? He flirted with you? Number? What?” Derek says. He’s standing in front of the counter, still inside the kitchen, looking at Stiles with wide eyes.

“Uh… yeah.” Stiles looks up a little bit uncomfortable. “He pointed some obvious stuff, just like Danny, and I realized I was bisexual. Not a big thing.” Stiles moves his hand in a dismissive gesture and goes back to texting.

“I’m gonna take a walk.”

“Sure.”

Stiles: Derek’s acting weird.

Scotty Bro: weird how?

Danny Boy: how?

Stiles: I told him about Sam and my ‘bisexual awakening’ and he got all weird and just went to take a walk.

Sam: HE’S JEALOUS!!!!

Sam: wait, what did you tell him about me?

Stiles: that you flirted with me. Gave me your number and that we’re talking.

Sam: HE’S JEALOUS!!!

Stiles: STOP!!!!

Chapter Text

“Why are you so weird?” Stiles asks with a worried frown.

“I’m not.” Derek answers, avoiding looking at him.

“Are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong? I can grab my stuff, Derek, and continue driving somewhere.”

“No! No! Don’t leave!” Derek says looking at him in the eyes for the first time in three days. “I’m not mad at you, and you didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Then tell me what is it! I’m worried about you.”

“I don’t need you to. This is my problem.”

“Wow… Auch. Have it your way then.” Stiles turns around, feeling his chest tight.

“No, Stiles. I didn’t mean it that way. Wait.” Derek tries to go after him but Stiles opens the door first.

“I think I need some time alone. And so do you.”

Chapter Text

Stiles: so… we fought? And I don’t know why?

Scotty Bro: what happened?

Sam: guy’s a douche?

Stiles: a little bit. He’s just acting weird, you know? Like, avoiding me like I’m plague and stuff. So I asked him today and… UGH! WHY IS HE SO DAMN DENSE!?

Danny Boy: he’s Derek. What were you expecting?

Stiles: not helping.

Stiles: do you think it’s because I’m bisexual? Do you think he’s homophobic? Biphobic? Whatever.

Scotty Bro: that wouldn’t make sense since he was the one who said wolves are mostly bisexual too.

Danny Boy: exactly. Maybe the anniversary’s coming?

Stiles: nope. That’s early in the year.

Sam: HE’S JEALOUS OF WHAT YOU SAID!!!!

Stiles: SAM! SHUT UP!

Danny Boy: I’m gonna go with Sam on this one, he’s acting weird since you told him about the flirting thing.

Scotty Bro: I think Danny’s right. There’s no other explanation.

Stiles: there probably is. But it’s really down in Derek’s head and I’m not going to ask anymore.

Scotty Bro: oh, Stiles…

Chapter Text

“I’m sorry, Stiles. I… I have too much in my head and I can’t even start explaining…”

“I’m not asking you to.”

“And that was no way of treating you and… What?” Derek lifts his eyes from the floor to look at him with wide, surprised eyes.

“I’m not asking for any explanation, Derek. Those are your issues. You’re the one who has to sort them. I’m gonna sleep.”

Chapter Text

The next week is uncomfortable for them. They don’t see each other much. Stiles stays inside his room when Derek’s in the house and he just gets out when he’s out running. They leave their foods on the plates for each other and some notes thanking each other for it, but other than that, they don’t talk.

On a Friday night, Derek doesn’t come home and Stiles can’t sleep. He paces from the living room to the kitchen and from the kitchen to his room. At 1 a.m. Stiles starts calling to his cellphone but he doesn’t answer and he thinks of the time he disappeared for almost a month, trying to calm himself down from a heart attack.

“Come on, Derek, pick up!” Stiles mutters while pacing in his room.

He gets out and goes to the living room, hears something hit the wooden porch outside and a phone ringing. He curses and opens the door. Derek’s there, sound asleep with his phone on his hand and Stiles ID caller on his screen. Something bubbling starts to set on his chest. Relief and happiness but most of all, anger.

“Oh no. You’re waking up and walking to your room even if that’s the only thing I’m gonna get done!”

Stiles walks directly to the kitchen and opens the freezer, taking a jar full of water. He walks to the porch again and flips it over Derek’s head, jolting him awake.

“What the actual fuck!?” Derek’s voice, although a little bit slurred by his drunkness, is still understandable.

“Get the fuck up and get inside, Derek Hale, or I swear to god I’ll go looking for the lemonade jar and flip it in your head too!”

“Leave me here!” he answers.

“I’ll do it, Derek. And when you wake up tomorrow you’ll be covered in ants and I’m gonna let them eat you! I won’t even care! It wouldn’t even be the first corpse I bury! Get the fuck up and get inside!” Stiles yells at him, taking his arm and making him sit up.

“I’m sorry.” Derek mumbles. Tears on his eyes while he tries to focus on Stiles’ eyes. “I’m really sorry, Stiles. I didn’t want to upset you…” he sounds small, dropping his eyes to the floor again.

“You worried me to death, Derek. Come on, big guy. Let’s get inside and put you some dry clothes on, ok? And then to bed. That sounds better than the front porch, right?”

“Yeah…” Derek mumbles on his neck and Stiles wonders how the hell did Derek get himself drunk. He figures he’ll ask in the morning.

Chapter Text

Things get better from there. They don’t fight anymore and sit with each other at the table. Make trips to Ikea and lose themselves on the store for hours. Stiles feels like something has changed but he doesn’t know what. Derek is more attentive, he tells him where he’s going and asks Stiles if he wants to come with him. Stiles thinks is weird but he says he could get used to it.

They’re still afraid of talking about why Derek was avoiding him and Stiles doesn’t know if it’s for the best, but he decides to let it go.

“Big guy! Scott and Isaac got their shit together and are together!” Stiles says with a big smile and show’s Derek his phone.

Scotty Bro: so, Isaac and I are together…

Danny Boy: FINALLY!

Sam: I’m so happy for you guys!

Stiles: It was about damn time! I’ve been waiting for this for four long years!

Scotty Bro: whaaaaaaaat? And you couldn’t tell me!?

Stiles: Isaac wasn’t here and you were waiting for Kira.

Danny Boy: you’re too oblivious, Scott.

Scotty Bro: I’m not!

Sam: you are.

Scotty Bro: shut up. Go flirt with Danny.

Sam: gladly ;)

Danny Boy: ;)

Stiles: ugh. You’re going to make me throw up.

Danny Boy: I could tell you a thing that’ll make you choke but not throw up ;)

“Oh, my god. Are you still reading?” Stiles asks mortifyingly when Derek smirks.

“Yeah.” Derek says amused.

“Give me my phone back!”

“Make me”

“Make me he says! Don’t run! Give it back!” Stiles runs outside, following Derek. “Derek!”

“Catch me!”

“Oh my god.” He murmurs, his heart beating too strong, too fast.

Chapter Text

Stiles is cooking dinner when Derek wakes up from his nap. The whole cabin smells delicious and Derek, still a bit asleep, walks directly to the kitchen and sets himself behind Stiles, nuzzling his neck.

“Smells good,” he mumbles.

“God, I certainly hope so. This is one of my mom’s recipes for pasta. She had Italian family, did I ever tell you that? Left a family cooking book in one of cabinets in the house.” Stiles feels his heart beat like crazy, and his movements are carefully thought, as Derek puts his hand on the counter.

“You didn’t,” he mumbles again and, in a bold decision, Stiles lows the flame and turns around, facing Derek.

“Well, now you know…” he mumbles back against Derek’s lips and then, Derek is closing the little distance between them, inhaling deeply before realising it against Stiles skin.

The kiss is slow and Stiles takes his sweet time with both lips, sucking the upper lip first and then the lower. The mood doesn’t feel like there should be tongue. Instead, it’s just lips touching, hands cupping faces and tangling in hairs.

And then, Derek is pulling back and Stiles tries to follow his mouth, but Derek walks away,

“I can’t.”

Stiles watches him walk out of the kitchen and anger and tears come in waves. He turns around again, stirs the sauce, turns off the flame and takes a deep breath. He walks out of the kitchen and Derek is sitting on the couch, hands in his hair.

“What?” Stiles asks with anger.

“I didn’t mean that way.” Derek hurries the answer.

“Oh really? Because it sure as hell sounded like it.”

“Come on, Stiles. You know I didn’t mean it that way.”

And he kind of does, but that doesn’t mean he’s not mad.

“No, I don’t Derek.” He knows the werewolf hears the lie. “You’ll have to explain it to me.”

“Stiles.” Derek says with exasperation.

“No. Use your words, Derek. You’re not getting out of this one.”

“I don’t know!” Derek yells, but Stiles keeps staring at him hard. “I don’t know what I want.” He stands up but doesn’t walk towards Stiles.

“Ok. It’s ok.” Stiles says, but he turns around and grabs his coat, walking directly to the door. “No, you know what? It’s not ok. And, actually, I’m gonna overthink that. Because that’s what I do. I overthink. I’m an overthinker. It’s who I am. I’m actually overthinking right now, and do you want to know why? Because I can’t get around the fact that you are the one who’s going around in circles while I know what I want. I never know what I want, Derek! I don’t even know what I want to have for breakfast tomorrow! But here I am, wanting you and putting myself out there for you to make a move. So I’m going to overthink until you decide what the hell do you want from me. But trust me when I tell you this, Derek, I’m not going to sit around and wait forever. So goodnight, have a nice dinner and sleep well.” And then he gets out of the cabin, walks towards the direction his Jeep is and drives away from him.

Chapter Text

Stiles: hey guys, something happened.

Sam: hi-hi

Sam: why are you awake? What happened?

Stiles: Derek and I kissed.

Sam: SERIOUSLY?

Sam: THAT’S AWESOME!!!

Stiles: he walked away.

Sam: what?

Sam: that BASTARD! I want to punch him right now!

Stiles: you’ll probably hurt your hand if you do that.

Sam: it’ll be worth it.

Stiles: thanks, dude <3

Sam: what happened?

Stiles: I was cooking dinner and he woke up from his nap. He kissed me and like, his brain caught on what he was doing? And he backed off.

Sam: with all due respect, Stiles, but he’s a coward. Where are you now?

Stiles: I don’t know what to think… I’m in a motel room. Drove a couple of hours before deciding where to stay.

Stiles: what are you doing awake?

Sam: are you going to wait for him?

Sam: I’m at the diner, I have a night shift tonight.

Sam: it’s really slow.

Stiles: I guess so. I told him I wasn’t going to wait forever. I’m gonna give him three days, if he doesn’t come and find me I’ll get my stuff and hit the road again.

Stiles: I didn’t know the diner was 24h.

Sam: it wasn’t, I recently talked to the owner and she loves me so she considered the idea of making it a 24h. You’d be surprised how many supernatural beings come here at 2 or 3 am to eat.

Stiles: actually, I can imagine. How are you so blasé about the supernatural world?

Sam: I was actually very into folklore stuff growing up. Besides, Scott, Danny and I skyped a few nights ago and he showed me the shift. I have a lot of doubts and questions, tho.

Stiles: you can ask me later. I was actually the one who figure it out when Scott first got bitten, you know? It was a joke at first, but hey! Look where it got us.

Sam: hahahaha, yeah Scott told me.

Sam: going back to our previous conversation. Don’t beat yourself up. If it’s not meant to happen, then you move on, find someone else and be happy elsewhere, ok?

Stiles: yeah…

Chapter Text

There’s a knock on his door and that’s what wakes him up. He looks at his cellphone screen and groans because who the hell comes at six god damn in the morning!?

Still robbing his eyes, Stiles opens the door and stares directly to the man in front of him. “What do you want, Derek?”

“You.”

They stare at each other for what feels like hours to Stiles, and then Derek’s taking a step further, getting into Stiles’ personal space and all he can do is hold his hand on the door, stare into Derek’s eyes and feel how his chest tightens. In a slow movement, Derek cups Stiles’ face on his hands and trails his cheek with his nose.

“I want you so much it scares me shitless.” Derek mumbles in one breath and Stiles lays his hands in Derek’s hip, closing the door with too little force.

They’re panting over each other’s skin and Stiles murmurs. “Morning breath…”

“Don’t care.”

Stiles makes the first move, closing his eyes and moving his face to brush Derek’s lips with his, and it all escalates from there. The pression on their lips is strong, needy and satisfying. They’re still standing on the same spot and it feels like they’ve been moving around the room. And maybe they’ve been moving, but around each other, leading into this exact same moment, where they’re kissing and it’s everything they’re worried about. It’s just like their first kiss: slow. But there’s some certainty that when they break it off, none of them is going to back off and walk away on the other. It’s a choice they’re making. It’s something they’ve been postponing for so long that it feels like coming home.

Ah, Stiles understands what Derek meant by being comfortable around someone. He wishes everything stays just like this. And that this kiss means to Derek what hope means to Stiles.

Chapter Text

“I talked to Cora yesterday.” Derek says once they stop kissing each other and are sitting on the bed, holding hands tightly. “She told me I was being an idiot and that I should find you.”

“Bless her soul.”

“I looked for you everywhere all night. Trying to follow your scent but it was spread around town.”

“Yeah, sorry about that… I drove quite a lot last night before coming here.”

“I deserved it. I… I was scared.”

“I am scared, Derek.” Stiles says, squishing Derek’s hand. “I am so, so very scared of this. But I don’t want to lose you like this. I don’t want to miss the chance of loving you.”

“I don’t love you the way you deserve to be loved.”

“But you love me. And Derek, you don’t get to decide if your love is enough or not. I make that decision. And I decide your love is enough for me.”

“Stiles…” he shakes his head.

“No, no, no. You’re not telling me ‘no’ after this. You don’t get to ditch this on me. You love me, I love you. What’s stopping you?”

“Why do you love me?” he asks with a small voice and there it is. That’s the reason.

“Because you deserve to be loved, and you deserve to be happy. And just because, ok? I just do.”

They stay silent for a few minutes until Stiles squishes again his hand, making Derek look at him with dark, sad eyes.

“And it’s not going to stop just because you want it to.”

Chapter Text

“It scares me, you know?

“What?”

“Loving you too much and then losing you.”

“Der, you can’t start a relationship thinking about how it’s going to end. That’s not healthy. You should start it thinking it will last forever.”

“We both know that’s not true.” He mumbles and tries to stand up but Stiles doesn’t let him. “nothing lasts forever, Stiles.”

“Probably not. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. I mean, I’m thinking about all the ways I can make our relationship work. Because I promise you, it will.”

“You can’t promise that.”

“Oh, I can. I am so gonna date and love the hell out of you. And I am going to make you believe that we will last. You’ll see.” Stiles winks at him and gives him a peck on the lips before standing up.

“I never agreed to this.” Derek says right before taking Stiles’ arm and sitting him on his lap, “but I’m holding you to that.” He says. And then he kisses him, just like the one they just shared at the door, and the one in the kitchen the night before. All soul wrecking and it feels like they’re sealing a deal.

Chapter Text

“Happy birthday, big guy!” Stiles says, jumping on the bed while Derek still sleeps.

“Oh my god, Stiles, just let me sleep, please.” Derek mumbles, covering his head with the pillow.

“Nope! Come on, get up! We’re gonna eat cake today!” Stiles says laughing.

Derek takes the pillow away from his head and looks at him with a grumpy frown. He takes Stiles’ ankle and makes him fall on the bed, grabs him before he face-plants his face on it and cuddles him.

“Let’s sleep more, cake can wait.”

“But, Derek! I have to get up! And you too! Breakfast and going to the city and having lunch and cake! We have a lot of things to do for your birth…” Derek kisses him to shut him up. “Oh, hey…” Stiles mumbles against his lips with a loving smile. “We can sleep more, yeah…”

Chapter Text

They spend Christmas Eve in town. Go to a diner to have dinner just the two of them and they talk to other people there, some of them are the ones that go constantly to the library Derek’s currently working at, and they all are really nice and kind when they realize both of them are in a relationship.

They have a moment when frat guys enter the diner and walk pass them to sit on the table in front of their booth. They’re loud and they seem tipsy but they don’t give them much thought. When Stiles leans a little bit into Derek to grab his hand, smile and blow a little kiss and wink at him, they both realize the guys next to them are staring at them.

“Faggots.” One of them says, with an annoyed tone, Stiles rolls his eyes and looks at them.

There’s four of them, if there’s a fight Derek and he can take them down. Stiles catches two of them looking each other with worried eyes. He recognizes that worry, it’s the worry of someone who’s hiding. They both share another look with the other guy, who has a disappointed look on his eyes and denies with his head when they lock eyes. Ah, so this homophobic little shit is the only one who doesn’t know… huh.

“Do you have a problem?” Stiles asks, smile on his lips, he grabs Derek’s hand and intertwines their fingers.

“It’s disgusting what you two do.” The same guy answers, and the dude in front of him tries to stop him with a hand on his shoulder.

“It is? Wow, Derek, I didn’t know showing love to someone was something disgusting. I’ll keep that in mind, big guy. Thanks for your not-so-needed advice.” Derek hides his face on his neck and Stiles feels the smirk on his skin.

“Max, leave it.” One of the guys says.

“No, I want to hear what this fag has to say.”

“Max, man, now it’s not the time…” the guy beside ‘Max’ says with a preoccupied tone.

“Shut up, Andrew. These faggots have shit to say.”

“Well, I don’t know if we have shit to say,” Stiles says while smirking at the other three guys. They close their eyes and deny.

“Maybe we have some shit to say,” Derek says, smirking dangerously. “You know, about how gay sex works, that’s some educational shit to talk about, don’t you think?” Stiles recognizes the playful tone on Derek’s voice.

“Oh, yeah. Danny talked to me about all those different positions and ways to get a dude cum. It was really educational, like, deepthroating when doing a BJ. He told me it feels awesome, I yet need to learn to do that, but I’m sure we can practice, right, boo?” Stiles continues talking as the guy, Max, looks at them with a terrified face while the other three are almost laughing.

“Of course. When we get home, we can start with that practicing. And all those different positions Danny told you about. We can even start with some grinding. But don’t forget, gentlemen. Always use condoms.” Derek says almost laughing. Max is gathering his stuff and trying to leave.

“Yeah, that’s the advice people need. STD are not some shit to be played with. I’ve read the scratching is really awful.”

Max is completely out of the diner when Stiles stops talking, the other three guys stand up.

“We’re really sorry about him.”

“Don’t bother. We’re not offended, right?” Derek answers first.

“Yeah, it was fun to watch him grossed out.”

“He’s a little bit drunk.” Andrew says.

“We realized that.” Stiles says, “look, we’re not someone who can say something about your lives, but you should really educate your friend. One day, he can tell those things to one of you and it’ll be really hurtful. We don’t really care because we don’t know the guy, but when someone close to you say those kind of things…” Stiles trails a little bit, looking at the two guys that were sitting in front of each other, they look at the floor. “It’s better if you just teach your friend homosexuality it’s really not that bad, ok?”

“Yeah, we know…” Andrew curves down his mouth and takes the other’s hand. “Thank you for not making it a problem.”

“Be careful.” Derek says, the three of them nod and walk to the door.

Chapter Text

“Do you know what we should do when we get home?” Stiles asks, they’re going back to the cabin, Derek’s driving.

“Hmm?”

“We should get our big blankets, cushions, put on the TV and watch crappy Christmas movies on the floor.”

“I like that plan…” Derek says, turning through the entry of the woods. “And hot cocoa?”

“Yup.”

Chapter Text

When New Year’s Eve comes, they don’t get out of the cabin. Instead, they order takeout and stay inside, cuddling on the couch as they talk about what they’re going to do the next year.

“I got a message from Tooele, Utah. Apparently, someone’s killing men, drowning them and eating their hearts.”

“Sirens?” Derek asks with a frown.

“Seems like it. I’m not sure, though.”

“I lived in Wayne for almost three years, Stiles. I’ve never heard of any siren in the whole state.”

“Exactly. And, why would a siren be on a lake?” Stiles hums reading the message again. “That’s not what got me thinking, though. In some legends, sirens don’t even kill men, they just don’t leave because of their sing, and in others they kill the prey without leaving a piece of them. Which, gross, by the way.”

“That seems suspicious… If there is a siren there, I don’t think she’s the one killing them.”

“Or maybe they just changed the way of their kills over the centuries.”

“Maybe.”

Chapter Text

“We’re going on a road trip on May.” Derek says one morning, when they’re driving to Tooele.

“Where are we going?” Stiles asks with curiosity, eyes never leaving the road.

“Alberta.”

“Canada?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s really far up.”

“I know. But it’s the best place to see it.”

“See what?”

“The Blue Moon. It’s May 18^th. Alberta really has a beautiful sight of it, all big and… yeah. It’s really special. Other supernatural creatures like to gather in the woods to watch it.”

“It’ll be really nice, huh?”

“Yeah…”

“Ok! And we can make a picnic!”

“Yeah, Stiles. We can make a picnic,” Derek says with a warm smile, looking at him softly.

Chapter Text

They stay silent for a few hours, watching the road intently. They’re almost there but it’s been really stressful and tiring for them to get in the car and drive for sixteen hours every day. They initially planned to take a few more days to get to Tooele, but Stiles got a second message explaining that supernatural beings were starting to disappear too.

“Can you believe we’ve been five months together?” Stiles murmurs, a little smile playing on his lips.

“It’s been five months already?” Derek asks with feigned surprise and Stiles smacks him softly on his arm, laughing.

“Yeah, it’s been five months. Who would have thought you could tolerate lil ol chatty me?”

“I’ve known you for more than seven years. If I was ever going to not talk to you again, it would have been at the beginning.”

“Heh, you did shove me to walls, though. And steering wheels.” Stiles says joking but Derek’s face closes. “Der? Are you ok?”

“Pull the car.” He says with a carefully neutral voice.

Stiles puts the signal and parks the car at one side of the road, Derek gets out and Stiles turns off the Jeep and gets out too.

“Boo, are you ok?” Stiles asks with worried eyes.

“I did hurt you a lot.” Derek mumbles, looking the floor. “Back then.”

“Derek, honey, I was joking.” Stiles says, trying to get close to him. Derek takes a step back.

“It doesn’t make it less true. I hurt you.”

“That was years ago, boo. And I never got a bruise because of that. And hell, I deserved it, big guy. That thing with Danny and the shirt? That was not acceptable.”

“Stop making excuses for me, Stiles!” Derek says with wrath, looking at Stiles’ eyes for the first time.

“I’m not making excuses, Derek. It happened a long time ago. I was a brat, you were tempered. There was a lot going on and nobody knew how to handle the hell of any of that. You hurt me physically, I hurt you emotionally with all the things I ever said to or about you, Derek. Don’t beat yourself up because we both are to blame for those things.”

“I’m sorry, though. For shoving you to walls and hitting your head with the steering wheel. And for everything else.”

“And I am sorry for calling you a murderer, and accusing you of that more than once, and for digging your sister’s grave, and for letting you go at the pool.”

“You came back, though.”

“I did. But I’m sorry for letting you think I was going to let you drown in that pool. And I’m sorry for ever snapping at you when you were the Alpha. I am really, really sorry for everything.”

They look at each other with careful eyes and Stiles can see regretfulness on Derek’s eyes.

“Are we good?” he asks.

“Yeah…” Derek answers and curves up one side of his mouth.

“Come here, big guy.” Stiles mumbles and opens his arms. Derek comes close and hugs him by the waist, letting Stiles tangle his hands on his hair. “All of that is in the past. The important thing right now is that we’re together, ok?”

Derek hums inhaling his scent and nuzzles his neck. “I love you.”

Chapter Text

Derek’s kissing Stiles’ neck when he tells him to stop.

“What’s wrong?” Derek asks with worried eyes.

“Nothing! I mean, I just think we should stop. We should take our time. I’m not saying I want our first time to be special but I want out first time to be special?” Derek chuckles and he lifts his body from on top of Stiles and sits on the couch. “I mean, we’re each other’s first time with a guy. And I need to prepare myself emotionally because I’ve read the first few times hurt like hell…”

“What makes you think you’ll be the bottom?”

“Well, we can try a lot of things. You, or me, or both. It’s all about comfortableness. We’ll just have to find our rhythm.”

“You’re right…” Derek murmurs, nodding.

“I’m always right. Now, take me to the bed and cuddle me.”

“So bossy…”

Chapter Text

“So, we’re here.” Stiles mumbles.

“We’re here.”

They’re in front of the lake, trying to find some clues. The guys that ended up dead didn’t appear near the lake but the files say they were moved.

“The files say they weren’t drowned here…” Stiles mumbles while walking around the shoreline.

“Someone’s coming.” Derek says calmly, and they both hide behind a group of trees.

A beautiful woman shows in the clearing, she’s wearing a white dress and is barefoot. She keeps walking until she’s inside the lake and the next thing they see in a big, orange tail disappearing in the water.

“So, she’s the siren.” Stiles murmurs when they’re walking back to where the jeep is. “She didn’t bring anyone with her.”

“You should keep your options open, babe. She might not be the killer.”

“Did you not see how beautiful she was? She’s obviously eating their hearts to keep herself beautiful.”

“Aren’t sirens immortals?”

“… I don’t know.”

Chapter Text

“No! Laura don’t say that!” Stiles yells at his laptop screen.

“What are you doing?” Derek asks with a frown once he closes the front door, grocery bags on his arms.

“I’m binge watching a web-series Sam recommended me.” Stiles answers, biting his nail. “Noooo, come back!” he murmurs.

“Sam? As in the Sam who hit on you and now is dating Danny?”

“Yup. That Sam.”

“I thought you were doing research.” Derek sits on the couch and Stiles hides his feet under his leg.

“I was, then I got distracted and started watching this. It’s really good!” Stiles says, looking at him for the first time. “I’m already in season 2”

“How many seasons there are?”

“Three. Wanna binge watch with me?”

“I’ll probably don’t understand…”

“I can fill you in with some context, or you can binge watch the first season. I don’t really mind watching it again.”

“Nah, tell me.” Stiles moves and sits beside Derek, laptop on the coffee table in front of them.

“Ok. Laura is this hometown girl who travels to Styria for college. She’s doing her journalism project and her roommate comes into the picture, convinces her to go to a party and then goes missing. Laura decides to ask the Administration about her because Betty, her roommate, didn’t take any of her stuff, and the moment she decides to take the matter on her hands, a new girl comes in, Carmilla, and tells her she’s her new roommate.”

“Carmilla… isn’t that a book?” Derek asks with frowning thoughtfully.

“Yeah, by Sheridan LeFanu. The web-series is an adaptation.”

“Put the first season on.”

“Yay!”

Chapter Text

“You’re telling me there’s a movie!?” Stiles asks at his laptop, Derek beside him, popcorn long gone, blankets around them.

“Seems like it.”

“What time is it?”

“Almost four.”

“Oh my god. Can we watch the movie after we have like, fifteen hours of sleep?”

“We need to do research, Stiles.” Derek says, taking the laptop away from him, and allowing Stiles to wrap himself like a sloth on his body.

“I know! But I’m pretty sure it’s the siren. We just need to prove it.”

“We should go talk to her.”

“Why?” Stiles asks and Derek lets him fall on the bed. “She could lure us and kill us.”

“If she’s the killer.”

“She’s the killer, babe. I’m sure of it.”

“What makes you so sure? We don’t have any proves.”

“I just know, ok? Trust me on this one.”

“I trust you with my life.” Stiles looks at him with open eyes and Derek catches on what he said. “I mean… uh.”

“I love you.” Stiles says with a bright smile, tugging Derek by the arm and making him fall on the bed. “I love you and I trust you with my life too.”

“I love you too.”

Chapter Text

“Hello.” The girl they saw the first time they were in the woods says, sitting on the shoreline, white dress impeccable.

“Hello.” Derek answers politely.

“I’m sure you’re here to ask me questions,” she says, never getting up. Derek sits beside her and Stiles huffs, muttering something about being too trusting. “It took you both long enough.”

“We wanted to make sure.”

“Sure I wasn’t the one killing those guys?”

“I still think so.” Stiles says, frown deep on his face.

“Mermaids don’t kill, I’m sorry to disappoint you.” She answers, voice calm as she keeps talking. “We lure, we feed, we compel, but we never kill.”

“How do you feed?” Derek asks, curiosity showing on his features.

The mermaid looks at him and opens her mouth, perfect human teeth are there until her canines start to change to fangs, a lot littler than werewolves’ but they still look sharp enough to break the skin.

“You can say we feed like vampires, because it’s out of blood. But a siren bite fades as fast as it cracks the skin. And we feed out of certain people with certain blood. It’s much like… like the werewolf bite. It can be deadly for some people, but it can also turn. Human blood can be deadly for us, so we choose our humans with extreme carefulness. And we never feed out of anyone without their consent.”

“You said you lure and compel.” Stiles says as he shifts to face her.

“We do. We lure them here and ask. If they say yes, we compel the pain of the fangs away. If they say no, we compel the memory of our existence out of their minds.”

“So, you’re not the one killing them.”

“I’m not.”

Chapter Text

“I don’t understand. I was so sure.” Stiles murmurs when they’re walking back to the Jeep.

“We’ll need to look harder, then.”

“Ugh. I know…”

They keep walking in silence and then Derek takes an unexpected turn and grabs Stiles’ arm, hiding them both behind a tree.

“Der, what-?” Stiles tries to say but Derek puts a hand on his mouth and motions a shushing sound with his finger. Then he signals at the path.

There’s a girl in a floral, red dress walking, she seems to know the path by memory and doesn’t pay much attention to her surroundings. When the girl disappears through the path, Derek takes his hand off Stiles’ mouth.

“What happened?” he asks.

“She’s going to talk to the siren.”

“Is she being lured?”

“No… Her heartbeat was strong and fast, and she smelled happy, nothing like magic or manipulation… I think she’s going by her own accord.”

“She’s meeting the siren just because?” Stiles starts walking back to the lake and Derek follows him closely. When they can see the two girls, the siren is laying her head on the girls lap and they’re both laughing. “Huh… that’s unusual.”

“I don’t think the siren realize she’s not luring the girl.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’re in love. Or at least they smell like it. But I can bet anything you want that none of them seem to realize about that.”

Stiles doesn’t say anything for a few minutes and he thinks about how Derek and he danced around each other until they got their shit together.

“Come on. Let’s go to the motel, we have research to do. Let them figure it out on their own.”

Chapter Text

“God damn it!” Stiles yells and Derek gets out of the bathroom the moment he starts listening loud thumps.

“Stop that.” He says and reaches for Stiles’ head. “Stop hitting your head, Stiles.” He says again and Stiles lets his head fall on the table. “What is it?”

“Witches.”

“What?” Derek holds up Stiles head and searches with his eyes if there’s an injury on his forehead.

“Motherfucking witches, Der!” Stiles mumbles, Derek’s hands cupping his cheeks. “I don’t know how I didn’t know it! Ugh, and I’m not talking ‘I just started on witchcraft’ witches. I’m talking ‘I wasn’t burned in Salem’ witches!” Stiles says, getting up from the couch. “It’s nearly impossible to kill them.”

“But what are they doing here?”

“It’s a ritual. It doesn’t necessarily have to be here. They’re doing it to keep themselves young and beautiful.”

“Don’t they need kids for that?” Derek asks and Stiles raises his eyebrows. “Not that… that makes it better. But I thought that if they wanted to keep living, they needed to absorb kid’s energy because of their innocence, you know?”

“Yeah! Like, Hocus Pocus! But apparently they found a loophole or something. That’s how old they are. Those persons they sacrificed, all of them were cheaters. They take the lust out of their victims and use it to keep themselves young.”

“That’s creepy.” Derek says, sitting on the bed.

“Yeah…”

“And how is that nobody has seen them?”

“If my research is correct, they just come close to those who are cheating.”

“And how do we kill them? You said they were almost impossible to kill.”

“That’s the thing, they are killed with iron, or decapitation, or hanging them, just like any other witch. But they will return or something like that. I think we need to put a stop on their spell, like screwing it up, and that will kill them.”

“That easy?” Derek asks, frowning at him.

“Seems like it. But the hard part isn’t the killing.”

“Then? What’s the hard part?”

“Getting close to them. They only go after unfaithful people, and last I checked we’re not unfaithful to each other.”

Derek nods and narrows his eyes, thinking. They stay silent for a while, letting the information sink in and Stiles lets out a frustrated groan. Derek looks at him apologetic and sighs.

“I think I have an idea, but you’ll probably not gonna like it.”

Chapter Text

“The human and the werewolf. Are you here to ask me questions again?”

“No.” Derek answers, sitting in front of the siren. “We’re here to ask for your help.”

“My help? And why is that?”

Stiles sits beside Derek, not speaking yet. They agreed on let Derek do the talking, since he wasn’t suspicious of her since the beginning and will probable help them if he’s the one to ask the favor.

“Yeah, we figured who’s killing those people.”

“Oh? How are they?”

“Witches.” Derek answers, keeping a close look on her.

“Hmm… it does look like their work. Do you know why?”

“They’re doing a ritual. Killing unfaithful people to consume their lust energy and keep themselves young.”

“And why do you need my help?”

“We would like for you to create a veil on us so they don’t figure out we’re not cheating on each other, and for killing them.”

“And what do you have that can be exchanged for a veil? I’m not doing this if I have nothing to gain here.”

Derek and Stiles look at each other, silently asking if they have something she would like to have in exchange of the veil. Stiles smirks.

“We have information. Something you’ll probable treasure really well.”

“And what piece of information could you have, that’ll be useful or treasurable for a siren who’s being alive for almost four hundred years? I’ve seen and hear a lot in my time.”

“I’m sure you have.” Stiles answers. “But, you see. This will change something in this time.”

“And what is it?”

“The girl in the floral, red dress than came a few days ago?”

“What is it with Lauren?”

“She’s in love with you.” Stiles answers, smile big and mischievous eyes.

“What? No, I lure her here.”

“Do you really? Are you completely sure? Or she just shows up and sits with you and talk? How many times have you fed on her?”

“Uh…” the siren does look lost, she looks at Derek, then at Stiles and smile. “Are you sure?”

“Completely sure. Chemosignals don’t lie.” Derek answers.

“Very well. What do you specifically need?”

Chapter Text

“Do you think this will work?” Stiles asks as they enter a bar.

“It has to. Hazil said it would, and a four-hundred-year-old siren has a lot of power.” Derek commented as they made their way to a table.

“It’s really creepy that a siren that old is in love with a twenty-year-old human. It makes me think of Twilight”

“I seriously don’t want to know how you know the plot of that thing.”

“I needed information! Back when Scott was turned, I wasn’t sure what was true and what wasn’t!”

“And you had to read those god-awful books?”

“I wanted to help my friend.” Stiles says in a murmur but Derek laughs anyway.

They make small talk, the kind of talk one does with someone you just met. What do you do in your day life? What brings you to town? Where are you from? Do you like what you’re doing? Those kinds of things. They also talk about their respective partners, they say hurtful things about them in a joke tone that only them can recognize and they gain a few side looks from the people inside the bar. They say flirty things here and there, hinting they’re probably going to a motel after they get out of the bar, because apparently both of them are getting lucky. If someone else is looking, Stiles looks like twenty-year-old version of a girl. She has dark hair and blue eyes, an upturned nose and little, pink lips. But to Derek, Stiles just looks like Stiles.

When the waitress comes, she brings two drinks they didn’t ask for and they just know, if they don’t drink them they’ll never be able to stop the witches, but if they do, they’ll probably be too dizzy to actually do something and stop them from killing them. They look at each other and nod, both make the sign of cheers and Stiles drinks while Derek throws the liquid on the floor, thankfully it’s dark enough for the witch not to realize Derek didn’t drink it. He mimics the effects the drink has in Stiles, he faints about five seconds later and lets his body fall on the table, trying to control his heartbeat and copying Stiles’ with heavy breathings.

Derek pretends to be asleep for the most part. The witch drags them out of the bar and puts them in a truck, drives away to a place he can’t know because his hands are tied up in a tight rope and he has a black cloth on his eyes. Derek silently prays that their plan works out and they get out of this one alive.

They need to get out of this one alive. Because Derek knows there’s a lot that hasn’t been said and he just doesn’t want to lose another important person in his life.

Chapter Text

“Are you sure this pair will work?” Derek hears. The voice is soft but it has a little hint of darkness to it.

Derek counts four heartbeats aside from Stiles’ and his own. The witches smell like herbs and dried plants and death. The scent of death is so strong he has to wrinkle his nose while still pretending to be asleep.

“Of course they will. Both of them are cheating on their respective partners. I’ve seen the man’s boyfriend and I can tell you, I can’t blame him for cheating on him.”

Derek contains a huff and a growl. He wants to bite their heads off and kill them, deal with them on his own way. But if what Stiles told him is correct, they’re probably like a hydra, and they can’t take that risk.

“Well, I don’t care if his boyfriend is as attractive as this one, they’ll help us keep ourselves alive so I’m really glad he’s cheating on him.” There’s another voice and she sounds sweet. Too sweet for his own liking.

“You know what’s the better part? He’s a werewolf. Do you know how much energy a werewolf has? And one that looks like that? We’re gonna be living for a long time before we need another sacrifice.”

“That’s why I picked him. He looks so delicious.”

Derek suppresses a shiver and he closes his eyes the moment he feels them near his body. They take the cloth off his eyes and pretends to be still sleeping, letting his head hang almost on his shoulder. It would probably hurt if he was human. He makes a mental note to take Stiles’ pain away when they get to the motel.

“Take the hairs.” A new voice says and Derek feels the witch’s hand on his hair, pulling out one or two. He gives himself extra brownie points for keeping himself stoic.

“Hmmm…” Stiles hums, waking up. Derek takes that as a cue to wake up too.

The moment they open their eyes and look around makes them look at each other. The room seems like it’s a basement. It doesn’t have windows and there is a big cauldron in the center. There’s a young woman stirring the cauldron and another one is putting both their hairs on the mix.

“What? Where are we?” Stiles asks with feigned panic.

“Oh, don’t worry, my darlings”, the girl who was their waitress says. “You’re here to do something good.”

“Something good?” Derek asks, feels himself fill with anger. “And you need us tied up to do that ‘something good’? Huh?”

“Of course, beefcake! Otherwise you would move too much and we certainly can’t have that.”

“Move too much for what?” Stiles asks suspicious.

“Take your hearts out of course.”

Both of them start to struggle a lot more but they know it’s useless. Derek remembers Stiles words before they left the motel, if these witches are like any villain we know, they’ll want to explain their plan to us. I hope we can find the way to stop it before the veil stops working.

“Why do you need our hearts?” Derek demands.

“Now, that’s not a way to speak to a lady. But I’ll tell you anyways because you’re so good looking.” The witch stirring the cauldron says and then serves something into plates. “You two are going to drink this beautiful liquid, drawn in your own saliva and after that, we’ll take your hearts out and melt them in the cauldron, we’ll drink it and keep ourselves young, beautiful and alive forever.”

“You four are crazy.”

“Shut up, girl! Nobody is asking for your opinion! Girls should learn to keep their mouths shut!” another witch says and slaps Stiles, Derek reacts at her growling.

“Aww, so cute. Give them the potion.”

Chapter Text

Two witches come near them and make them drink the potion. It tastes awful, like the smell of water stuck in the sink for months. Stiles coughs on the potion a couple of times, trying to spill it out but they just make him drink more. Derek feels helpless as they make him drink it too, swallowing it all and waiting for them to stop bugging Stiles.

“Ah, ah, ah. You should stop fighting. This is what happens when you cheat on the people who love you.” The youngest one says and Derek rolls his eyes.

The four of them start chanting in Latin and the floor starts moving, the potion inside the cauldron starts to shine and Derek feels himself breathless for a moment. After they stop, they look at each other with confusion and start murmuring something about chanting the wrong spell as they’re still alive. They hear a clock indicate that midnight just came and Stiles smirks.

“I don’t understand. We know the spell by heart.” They let themselves gather around the cauldron and they all gasp. “Why is the potion looking like that!?”

“I don’t get it! We did everything right! We caught the cheaters, make them sleep, give them the potion and…”

“You may want to check again those steps.” Stiles says, Derek supposes his voice sounds male-like now from the way they all look up, horrified. “Because we’re not cheaters. And you certainly didn’t make us both sleep.”

“No…” one of them murmurs, walking backwards.

“You lied to us! You cheated!” the other one yells.

“You messed our spell!”

The moment that’s said, the witches start to become stone and Stiles gives them credit for the whole dramatic thing going on. The four of them turn completely and after a second or two they dissolve in dust. The room stays quiet for a long time, Stiles and Derek waiting for them to come back to life or for something else -magically speaking- to happen. But everything stays the same and they both look at each other in relieve.

“Der?”

“Hmm?”

“How are we getting out of these ropes?”

Chapter Text

When they get back to the cabin, almost a week later, they’re exhausted and the only thing they want to do is curl up in bed and sleep. So, they take a lazy shower together, rub their backs, wash their hair with shampoo and soap everything up with slow movements, taking their time to get clean. After that, they dry each other and go to the bedroom, they put boxers on, loose t-shirts that probably belong to Derek and they get in the bed, not taking the time to put the covers off, just curling on each other, letting the warm heat of the other be enough for them to cover their bodies. They end up spooning, Stiles being the little one and Derek being the big one. Derek’s stubble tickles on Stiles’ neck but that only makes him want to curl himself more in the curve of Derek’s body. They whisper soothing things, whisper a few ‘I love you’s and nuzzle a little bit, placing kisses on necks, hands and hair. They fall asleep like that, letting the scent and warm of home protect them from the outside world.

Chapter Text

When they do have sex, there’s dinner involved. They’re binge watching a TV show, comfortably sitting on the couch, silence between them and concentration on the scene. They went to town to buy a couple of pizzas and the empty boxes are now spread on the coffee table, looking abandoned and ready to throw into the trash.

Slowly, Derek leans forward and Stiles accepts him. There aren’t hearts raising, no drunkenness on each other. They just look at each other in the eyes and they just know. It’s consensual and the purest act they’ve ever done.

It hurts a lot, like Stiles said and they have to change positions a lot too because Stiles doesn’t feel comfortable with something inside him. It happens when Stiles is sitting on Derek’s lap, the moment he can finally say hello, prostate, it’s so nice to know you’re there. And he can’t wait to show Derek how pleasant it actually is.

Chapter Text

“So, what are we doing for my birthday?” Stiles asks one morning. It’s mid-March and they’re packing their bags to start their road trip to Alberta.

“We are going to make it to Danny’s for your birthday and then we’re gonna drive like crazy to Alberta, then.”

“Really!?” Stiles asks with a big smile, and Derek nods.

“Yeah, we’ll be staying there for two days and then hit the road again. We’ll only have a week to make it to the point, so we’ll have to wake up really early and have breakfast on the road.”

“That’s easy to do! This is gonna be so awesome! You know what should we do when we get back from Alberta?”

“Hmm? What should we do?”

“We should go to Shasta and spend some time with Laura and Erica.”

“Yeah… we should do that.”

Chapter Text

Stiles realizes Derek’s been on the phone a lot more since they started their road trip. He texts someone and laughs and he doesn’t know if he should feel jealous. They’re practically joined by the hip by now so Stiles would know if Derek met someone new. What if he did while doing his morning runs? What if he met someone so much better than Stiles, a girl probably, and makes him realize he’s actually not into guys and Stiles was just a mistake?

Stiles realizes Derek’s been on the phone lately. But he doesn’t dare to ask why. He doesn’t want to hear it.

Chapter Text

Scotty Bro: look at our sister! She’s so big!

Stiles smiles at his screen, Derek’s been driving for the last couple of hours and Scott’s been sending him pictures of Emily yawning, sitting, crawling and sleeping. Stiles hasn’t met Emily yet but she looks so adorable he can’t help himself. He loves her so much.

He’s been also receiving pictures of Sophie and he’s been showing her to Derek, making him want to see his little cousin just as much as Stiles wants to meet the little baby. He knows Peter finally talked to Scott and that he’s a pack member, but he hasn’t felt the bond expand that much into him because he doesn’t actually know the little girl. Stiles wants to meet both of those babies so badly he doesn’t know what to do with himself. So, Derek finds him staring at the pictures his pack sends him and hopes to actually have the courage to go back some day and meet them.

Chapter Text

“You’ve been on the phone a lot lately,” Stiles comments one night, they’re at a diner and Derek is, once again, smiling at his phone.

“Hmm?” he looks up distracted, he blinks and purses his lips. “I’m talking to Danny, letting him know we’re arriving tomorrow in the afternoon.”

“You’ve been texting Danny this whole time?” Stiles asks, and he doesn’t know why he feels his blood boil.

That’s a lie, he knows. He’s jealous.

“Yeah. A few text messages since we’re going there.”

“You know Danny has a boyfriend, right?”

“Yeah. He sends a lot of pictures with him. Why are you asking me this?”

“No reason.” And Stiles knows his heart stutters. Damn werewolf hearing.

“Are you jealous?” Derek asks, straightforward as ever and he finally lets his damn phone down.

“What? Of course not!” there’s the stutter again. Stiles sighs. “Fine, yes. I’m a little jealous. You’ve been texting none-stop since we got out of the cabin! If you’re not driving, you’re texting! You’re not talking to me, or-or looking at me… if you’re tired of me then…”

“Hey! I’m gonna stop you right there. I’m not tired of you, Stiles. I love you. I’ve been texting Danny because we have a surprise for you and your birthday.”

“Oh…” Stiles mumbles, feeling embarrassed, his cheeks red.

“Yes. Oh. And I’m not just talking to Danny, I’m also talking to Malia who now knows she has a little sister, and I’m also talking to Peter, who’s going crazy because Malia wants to meet Sophie and he doesn’t know how to tell Sarah.”

They stay silent for a moment and Stiles feels silly. Of course Derek would have family dramas via text messages. Who says he’s the only one who can have dramas? Derek has his own life and his own demons and he doesn’t need to tell Stiles about all of them, what was he thinking? Embarrassment’s floating in the air.

“I’m sorry…”

“Stiles… If I ever make you feel insecure about something, please tell me. We’ll talk it out, ok?”

“Ok…”

God, he’s such a child.

Chapter Text

After their little conversation about Stiles’ insecurity, they eat and go back to the hotel they’re staying in. It’s the first time in the month and a half they started the road trip that they’re only staying one night in the city. They’ve spent so much time together inside the car and meeting new packs, new supernatural, friendly beings, new people in general that it feels longer than that. Derek hasn’t been able to find a job as a librarian in Wayne, and he refuses to work as a mechanic as some town’s people say he should do. They do grocery shopping together, they cook together sometimes and take turns to do the housework in the cabin. Stiles feels stupid for doubting Derek.

“Sleep…” Derek mumbles against his side.

They’re in bed, Derek has an arm around his belly and he’s lying on his side, while Stiles rests on his back. He’s been thinking about the amount of time they spent together as a couple and as friends, and it surprises him how well they know each other by now, even though Stiles sometimes has his doubts about the whole relationship. Don’t get him wrong, he’s in love with Derek and he tells him every day, and Derek always answers with the same enthusiasm; it’s just that… he doesn’t feel worthy of being with such an amazing man, you know? He always gets this intruder thoughts about Derek actually not loving him and even if he tries very intently to push them aside and out of his head, they keep coming back and it makes him insecure. Stiles doesn’t want to bother Derek with his recurring, self-deprecating thoughts, so he just stays quiet and wonders if it’ll become too unbearable to handle and he’ll explode. He hopes Derek doesn’t get tired of him first.

Chapter Text

When they get to Pershing it’s almost midnight. They check in a motel and send Danny a text telling him they’re already in town. Stiles lets the bags on the floor and sits on the bed, waiting for Derek to arrive to the room. He starts thinking about how long it has been since he left Beacon Hills and how close he is to town… and how anxious it makes him think of swigging by. He lays on his back, legs outside the bed and feet touching the floor. He’s tired of driving and he just wants to sleep curled on Derek, and maybe cry a little bit because he misses his father. He thinks of letting his sadness go away with some knitting, takes his needles and realizes he has no yarn. He sighs and closes his eyes, feeling a hole on his chest.

The door opens and Derek enters the dark room, a little cupcake on his hands with a lighted candle.

“Happy birthday, Stiles…” he mumbles as he gets close, humming the happy birthday song softly. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Stiles says, small smile on his face and he blows the candle. “Thank you.”

Chapter Text

Stiles finds out Derek bought him some yarn in the town before and when he wakes up there’s a plate full of waffles from a Waffle House and a gift bag full of yarn balls of every color. He wraps himself on Derek and after eating they have sex. It resembles so much to their first time and Stiles feels content for those hours. After a nap, Stiles wakes up, puts his boxers on and sits on the couch nearby the bed. He does some channel surfing and when he doesn’t find anything interesting to watch, he takes his new yarn and starts to knit. He looks on his phone for some patterns and decides he’s going to try to knit a sweater for Derek.

Derek wakes up later that morning, almost at midday and they take a shower together and dress up to have lunch outside.

“We’ll need to swing by Danny’s place in the afternoon. He said he’s sick and can’t leave the bed but wants to see us both.” Derek says after checking his phone.

“Sure, we’ll buy some chicken soup and take it to him.”

Chapter Text

The moment they get into Danny’s apartment everyone screams ‘surprise’ and Stiles jolts in confusion, letting a big smile show on his face after that. Everyone is there. Scott, holding Isaac’s hand, both beside Melissa, who’s holding Emily, and beside Andrea, who has a sleeping Thomas on her arms. Beside them there’s Peter, Sarah and Sophie, Malia is playing with the baby’s hand and she’s smiling at him. Liam, Lydia, Danny, Sam and some of his friends from town are there too. The place seems crowded but they don’t seem to mind at all. Stiles laughs happily and hugs Derek.

“This was the surprise you were talking about?” he asks with joy.

“You like it?” he answers, burying his face on Stiles’ neck.

“I love it!” Stiles answers. “I love you. Thank you.” Stiles gives him a peck on the lips and let go of Derek, walking into the crowd, hugging and answering everyone’s wishes.

Chapter Text

Derek’s laying his back on a wall, watching everyone intently, a cup of orange juice on his hand. Stiles is talking to some guys and laughing while they joke around, asking him about how things are going. He has Emily on his arms, placing little kisses on her cheek and hair, making her laugh every time.

“He looks really happy, doesn’t he?” Lydia asks, beside him.

“He does. He was a little sad last night and this morning because of his father, and I think this was the perfect distraction.”

“It really was.” Lydia says looking at the crowd with calculating eyes.

“What is it?”

“I got ambushed by one of Stiles’ exes, she was very intent on teaming up with me to break you guys up.”

“What?” Derek frowns, “are you serious?”

“Deadly serious. It was an awkward conversation and she left after I finished with her, but I thought you should know about that. I know you guys are really good together… hell, I would even dare to say you’re great, and I don’t want to see either of you unhappy for something like that. If she ends up doing something, that is.”

“Thanks, Lydia,” Derek mumbles, astonished.

“He loves you, you know? Underneath all that sass, and sarcasm, and angst, he loves you… even more than he loved me. I don’t think something like this will ever damage your relationship.”

And with that, she walks away to talk to Danny.

Chapter Text

They take a cake out of the freezer, it has the Batman symbol as decoration and Stiles laughs when he sees it. They sing a very out-of-tone ‘Happy birthday’ and the babies cry for a few minutes. Derek gets out of the apartment to get something out of the car and he’s ambushed by a girl, who literally stumbles on him. Even with his werewolf senses, he can’t avoid the contact.

“You should stay away from Stiles.” She says.

Derek looks at her with an expression that clearly says ‘what the actual fuck? Who the hell are you?’ and she scowls at him.

“I knew something was up when he texted you, ‘Der-Bear’,” she says the nickname like it’s something offensive, “with more frequency than me”

Ah, the ex, he thinks. Derek sighs and keeps walking to the Jeep, opens the door and gets a package out.

“Don’t ignore me! Stay away from Stiles!” she starts to yell and Derek knows Scott is walking out the building.

Derek starts to walk back to the entry, ignoring her and keeping his breathing from going erratic because of the anger. Scott is, indeed, at the door, waiting for him with a worried expression.

“You’re taking away his best years!” she continues yelling, Derek frowns. “He doesn’t need to be with someone so old! He needs to experience his twenties with other people in his twenties! You’re not letting him live”

Derek enters the building and he stops listening to her voice. He turns back and he sees her yelling, but he doesn’t hear anything.

“Danny put wards in the building so something like this wouldn’t happen. She’s been bitter since Stiles told her he didn’t want to travel with her and left. Don’t listen to her.”

Derek doesn’t say anything to that and just keeps walking, pressing the elevator’s button and getting inside when the doors open.

“Just, don’t listen to her, man.” Scott says again as he enters with him and the doors close.

Chapter Text

When they hit the road again, Derek offers to drive and tells Stiles to sleep. Stiles concedes him with a sleepy smile and goes to sleep, head bumping on the window. Derek wakes him up at midday to get out and have lunch but the whole meal is silent. Stiles keeps frowning at Derek every time he avoids looking at him and, not for the first time, Stiles wonders what is it like to have wolf powers and being able to smell what the other one is feeling.

“Are you ok?” Stiles asks when they’re in the car again, Derek insisted on keep driving.

“Yes.”

“Because you seem… broody.”

Stiles knows Derek understood the reference. They binge-watched Carmilla together and it was a lot of fun. His expression doesn’t change, though.

“I said I’m fine.” Derek growls and Stiles’ frowns deepens.

“Whatever. When you feel like talking, tell me. But don’t ever talk to me like that again.” He takes his needles out and continues with his sweater.

“I’m sorry,” Derek mumbles but Stiles doesn’t look up to see his hurt expression.

Chapter Text

After five days of the same act, Stiles is tired of Derek’s shit. He goes every night to sleep alone, and wakes up alone in bed too. With a clenched jaw, Stiles throws him a shoe while they’re getting ready, Derek avoids the shoe with a simple movement and looks at him angrily.

“What the hell is wrong with you!?” he yells.

“With me? What the hell is wrong with you!?” Stiles yells back. “You’ve been distant, and silent and growly and I am the one who has something wrong!? You have the same fucked up attitude you had when you just came back from New York! We just need to be stuck in a damn fucking pool for hours to be in that same spot again!”

Derek doesn’t answer but he looks taken aback. He opens his mouth but Stiles interrupts him.

“No! Let me finish! You were the one who said that if you ever made me feel insecure we’ll talk it out, but you are the one who’s willingly acting like a little shit and I’m tired of your bullshit, Derek! So get your goddamned act together and talk to me!”

They stare at each other for a few seconds and Derek is the one who let his eyes fall to the floor first, Stiles groans, lets his hands ruffles his hair with anger and sits on the bed.

“Let’s go, Stiles.” Derek says, grabbing his bag.

“No. We’re not getting out of here without talking.”

“We need to be in Alberta in two days, Stiles.”

“Derek, if I need to put an ultimatum to you, I’ll do it. Don’t think I won’t.”

“Stiles…” he says his name with a frustrated groan.

“If you want to leave and hit the road, go and do that but I’m not leaving his motel room until we talk.”

Chapter Text

“Why are you with me?” Derek asks with a frustrated sigh, letting his bags hit the floor again.

“… What?” Stiles frowns, taken aback.

“Nothing…” Derek turns around and grabs his bags again. Stiles is up in a second, grabbing Derek’s hand.

“Talk to me.”

Derek closes his eyes with too much force than the necessary but he squishes Stiles hand and interlocks their fingers.

“Why are you with me? You could clearly be with anyone you want, with someone your age, doing other stuff than traveling to see a stupid full moon.”

“Why do you think I would want to be with someone else? Derek, I’m in love with you, I would never ever change what we have to be with someone my age.” Stiles says, worriedly

“But you could… should be! I’m six years older than you! I’m… I’m consuming your life!”

“… who the hell told you that!?” Stiles lets Derek’s hand go and puts himself in front of him, Derek still won’t look at him in the eyes. Stiles cups Derek’s jaw with both his hands.

“Nobody…”

“Love, I know you. I’ve known you for almost eight years and I know you wouldn’t think about this kind of stuff without someone telling you something, not even with all the overthinking in the world. Who told you this?”

Derek doesn’t answer and instead he closes his eyes and sighs.

“Was it someone in Pershing? You’ve been acting like this since my birthday, did someone tell you something because you’re older than me? They’re not right, Der, and you should know that. You shouldn’t listen to them. I love you because I know you, I don’t care about your age. I care that you’re loyal, and respectful and kind. I care that you like to help people, that you like to read, that you like to cook, to stay in bed with me, to cuddle me, to kiss me, to hug me, to listen to me, to let me listen to you. I care that we know each other well and we understand each other. Those are the things I care about, Derek, not something stupid like you being older than me. I like that you’re older, I like it because this is how we got to know each other, and I wouldn’t change anything if it meant not being with you.”

Derek looks at him with teary eyes, a pursed mouth and a soft, hurt expression.

“But I’m not letting you live. You’re a twenty-five-year-old dating a thirty-year-old. I’m pushing you to act like an adult.”

“Derek, I am an adult, I’m not sixteen anymore. This is not illegal, this is consensual and this is love. And even if it were the case where we started dating when I was sixteen instead of twenty-four, I wouldn’t be a kid anymore, not after everything that happened.”

Derek doesn’t say anything for a long time and Stiles sighs, gives him a lot of pecks in the lips until Derek smiles a little bit and then takes his hand, their bags and guides him to the door.

“Come on, we need to be in Alberta in two days.”

Chapter Text

The next two days are silent. They don’t talk much when they’re in the car but it’s not the same silence they had when Stiles didn’t know what was up with Derek. They air is not filled with uncomfortableness and awkwardness anymore. They don’t talk much, but it doesn’t feel necessary. Instead, they look at each other and share small smiles and continue to drive.

But, nights are different. At night, Derek and Stiles sleep curled on each other, always touching the other’s skin, reassuring each other they’re there. At nights they nuzzle and fall asleep holding for dear life in the other’s arms.

It feels sad, though.

And Stiles can’t help the hollow feeling on his chest. He just wants Derek to be happy again.

Chapter Text

When they finally arrive to Alberta it’s midday and they have enough time to have a quick lunch, do some grocery shopping for that picnic they talked about a few months ago and take a nap before going into the woods. After they buy some ham, bacon, bread and a few fruits and pastries, they go to a motel to rent a room for the night.

“Hello, welcome to Solstice.” The girl at the desk says.

“Hi,” Stiles starts. “Can you give us a room, please?”

“Sure, two singles?” she asks, smile on her face.

“Uh, no. One king bed, please.” He answers and the smile on the girl’s face falls.

“Oh… Um. Sure.” She does some booking on the computer and hands him the key.

Derek enters the reception, bags on his hands and greats the girl with a serious expression. She looks pale when Derek puts his hand on the small of Stiles’ back, bags on the floor. Stiles takes the key and takes his bag up.

“Thank you!” he says as they walk to the door. “We have the room 208. Let’s leave the stuff and take a nap, yeah? I’m tired of sitting still.” He says as he walks.

“Sure, but we need to get up before eight to make the snacks.”

“Of course! At what time will we be leaving?”

“I think 10 is a good time? The moon will be on its fullest at 11 I think, plenty of time to find a good spot.”

When they reach the room, they leave the stuff on the floor, take their shoes off and walk directly to the bed. The lay down and curl happily, sighing when they’re finally hugging.

“She was trying to flirt with you, you know?” Derek mumbles against Stiles’ hair.

“I don’t really care if she was. Sleep, Der. We have a big night against us…”

“Let me just… put the alarm on.”

Chapter Text

Derek drives from the motel to the spot. The ride is silent, both of them inside their own heads, too concentrated to think about something else other than what they’re doing. Stiles is looking across the window, the blue moon hasn’t started yet and he feels his heart beating faster in excitement. He doesn’t remember ever watching a blue moon, but Derek tells him it occurs every two or three years, and that it’s very important in the supernatural community, as well for humans who cultivate their own vegetables.

They park at the side of the road, and they leave the car completely closed and off. They’re almost outside of town, the forest looks dark and terrifying in s way the Beacon Hill’s preserve never looked. And not because the trees were one in front of the other, making it look crowded. But because it was really calm and serene.

“It’s beautiful here, don’t you think?” Stiles speaks first, walking the path Derek’s guiding.

“It is. Most of the supernatural beings like to ward this nights, in case something tries to go wrong. It keeps the forest calm and in tune with the moon.”

They stay quiet after that. It’s the most they’ve spoken since the afternoon and somehow, Stiles feels a little empty in the inside. They keep walking, close to each other in case something happens, feeling the warmth side by side. They stop in a small clearing, little puffs of light waltzing around and Stiles smiles openly.

“Look, Derek!” Stiles says.

“… fairies.” Derek murmurs and Stiles frowns, fairies? He thought they were fireflies.

Seconds later, a blinding light happens and Derek puts his body in front of Stiles’, trying to keep him from blinding himself. When there’s no light anymore, they look at the front and beautiful beings with long, almost white hair, are in front of them.

“Welcome, Mr. Derek Hale, werewolf, and Mr. Mieczysław Stilinski, human.”

“Thank you for letting us see the blue moon with you.” Derek answers first, and the fairies in front of them nod.

Chapter Text

After Stiles and Derek put the blanket on the floor, they see the fairies do the same, and Stiles feels a little overwhelmed. What kind of protocol you follow here? You eat first, and they follow, the queen eats first and then everyone else follows, everyone eats when they want? Stiles is having a mental breakdown while Derek shifts into his wolf form and then there’s a tongue licking all his face, distracting him from his mind.

“Derek, oh my god. Stop it!” Stiles says laughing, hands deep in Derek’s fur. “Come on, buddy. Go running, I know you want it.”

And it was like Derek was expecting Stiles approval because once the words left Stiles’ mouth, he was off running through the trees and into the dark.

Chapter Text

“Is this your first blue moon?” one of the fairies asks. She (he? They?) looks young, excited and less collected than the others. Stiles nods and they (Stiles settles for they, not knowing how gender works for fairies) smile. “Mine too.”

“Really? But the blue moon is every two to three years.”

“I know, but the Queen is who decides who’s coming. When we turn certain age, we can come. Each one of us has their responsibilities and they must be completed through certain period of time.”

“So, this is like, your initiation as an adult?”

“Yeah, you could call it like that.” They smile at him again, and they seem relieved Stiles understood.

“I’ve never met fairies before.” Stiles says, watching with a soft smile as Derek chases a blue butterfly.

“And? What do you think?”

“I’m really glad you’re friendly.” He answers, and they laugh.

“Oh, we’re mischievous, sometimes. But the blue moon is really important to us, as well to any other supernatural creature.”

“That’s what Derek told me. And even though I get why the moon has a powerful influence on him, since he’s a werewolf, I’m not sure what that does to other beings, you know? Like, vampires for example, why they feel the pull of the blue moon?”

“Well, vampires, as werewolves, are creatures of the night. The moon gives them the power the sun takes away from them. The blue moon marks a new beginning every time. At least for them. For fairies, the moon drops a blue dust that keeps our magic bounded to the nature. kelpies, on the other hand, can take human form and walk among us.”

“I thought kelpies could take human form whenever they wanted.”

“Oh no, they can take a form that resembles human, mostly at night. But it’s the blue moon that helps them change completely. It’s also a ritual from baby to adult for them. Just like us.”

“That’s so interesting.”

“I’m glad you find it that way.”

They stay silent for a while, eating and watching the creatures go around the woods. Stiles replays the conversation and looks at them again.

“Do you need privacy when you collect the dust?”

“It’s not necessary but it would be best.”

“I’ll make sure Derek and I find somewhere else, so you can some have privacy.”

“Thank you.”

Chapter Text

“This was really fun. Let’s do it again the next blue moon!”

“You really want to do it again?” Derek asks, throwing their stuff inside the car.

“Of course, I want to!” Stiles says, jumping and sitting on the front of the Jeep. “It’s a bit cold, though. Let’s bring a few more blankets next time, ok? So we can make a nest or something.”

“Ok.” Derek says smiling, covering Stiles head with his hoodie. “Thank you for coming with me.”

“No need to thank me, boo. I love spending time with you.”

“I love you.” Derek says, pulling Stiles in for a kiss.

“I love you too. Don’t forget that.” He murmurs on Derek’s lips before kissing him.

Chapter Text

“Where to, now?”

“I thought we said we’re going to Shasta.”

“Yeeeees!” Stiles moves happily in the passenger seat. “You think Erica and Laura are happy to see us?”

“Well, seeing as they’re with us right now, I think they’re thrilled to talk to us.”

“I want to meet your sister.”

“I want to see Erica.”

They quiet for a moment, and Stiles sobs through his nose.

“No, no, no, no, no. No crying. Control the tears!” Stiles murmurs, sobbing a little bit.

“Oh, baby.” Derek pulls the car to the side and stopping to hug Stiles. “Shhh…”

“I miss them so bad.”

“I know you do.”

“I’m such a crying baby.”

“No, you’re not. It’s ok to cry, you know that.”

“Yeah… but…”

“No buts. If you need to cry, you cry.”

“Thank you…” Stiles murmurs, sound muffled by Derek’s shirt.

Chapter Text

“Finally!” Erica says once they pass the border. She moves from her seat and hugs Stiles from behind. “Oh, my god, I’ve missed talking to you so much!”

“Hey, baby bro.” Laura says, patting his shoulder

“Hi” they murmur at the same time, smiles on their faces.

“Come on! Let’s go to a hotel and check in! God, we need to talk about soooo many things,” Erica says again, and lets Stiles go, putting her hand on Derek’s shoulder, and Stiles sees the hard line of tension on Derek’s shoulders go.

Chapter Text

“Hey, Stiles. You wanna take a walk with me?” Laura asks, as they watch Erica and Derek hugging each other, like they’re never going to let go.

“Sure.” Stiles says, getting out of the bed. “Guys, Laura and I are going to take a walk. We’ll probably bring food.”

They don’t answer but Stiles is sure they heard him. Laura gets out of the room first, and goes directly to the elevator.

“I think this is the first time we’ve stayed in a hotel.” Stiles says, pressing the button to call the elevator. “We’ve been traveling together for almost a year now…”

“And you’ve been in a relationship for almost nine months.”

Stiles hums as he gets inside the elevator when the doors open. He knows Laura is watching him closely, but he purposely ignores her stare to push the button that indicates the first floor. They’re silent for most of the ride down, and when the doors open again, Stiles takes a deep breath.

“I’m really glad I can finally meet you, Laura.”

“Likewise,” she answers and steps outside. “Come on, we have food to buy and a lot to talk about.”

Chapter Text

“I’m glad it’s you,” Laura says. They’re walking down the street, watching ladies with big, elaborated dresses talk to each other.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“The one who’s taking care of Derek. I’m glad it’s you.”

“Oh… I… I don’t know what to answer you to be honest. I thought you were going to give me the big sister speech or something,” Stiles answers nervously, scratching his head.

“This is my big sister speech, Stiles. Shut up and listen.” She says, rolling her eyes.

“Definitely a Hale.” Stiles murmurs smiling, and she smacks him in the arm, “ow!”

“Now, as I was saying before someone interrupted me,” she says, elbowing him jokingly. “I’m really glad you’re taking care of Derek. My little bro has been through a lot –”

“An understatement.”

“– And I really want him to be happy. You make him happy, Stiles. You should’ve seen him when you guys texted, he had this huge smile on his face and when he caught himself, he would frown upon his phone and leave it beside him. It was so adorable.”

“So that’s why he didn’t answer right away!”

“Yeah! He was really sad. And, I mean, Braeden was a nice girl and all that, she was really supportive of Derek and I am forever thankful that he got better with her help. But I think she and you have different goals. While Braeden wanted to help him get over stuff, you want to see him happy. And you want to take care of him.”

“I want to wrap him in warm blankets and give him hot chocolate full of marshmallows.”

“He’s had too much shit for a lifetime, just like you. I think you guys complement each other. And it’s really good that you call on your bullshit because you both are seriously full on that one!” Laura almost yells, smacking him in the head.

“Hey! The last one wasn’t my fault!”

“No, it really wasn’t.” They stay quiet for a moment, entering a diner and ordering their food for take-out. “Stiles, my brother can be dumb, and headstrong, and proudful, and a lot of other things, but he loves you fiercely. Please don’t ever forget that. If you hurt him, I’ll find a way to come back and hurt you.”

“If I hurt him I’ll find a way to bring you back to hurt me… I fear he’ll drive me away from him, you know? He doesn’t like talking about how he’s feeling, the constipated bastard, and it scares me that he’ll work himself up into believing something and push me away because we don’t talk.”

“Just… smack him in the head and sit him down with chocolate chip cookies. He’ll stuff his mouth and talk.”

“Seriously? Is that easy?”

“That’s how mom used to do it. Works every time.”

They take the plastic bags the waiter is offering them with their food and get out of the diner, stepping up into the chilly air.

“So, Laura…” Stiles says smirking. “What embarrassing stories can you tell me about baby Derek?”

Chapter Text

“Hey… you really want to do it?” Stiles asks Erica, she’s smiling at him softly.

“Of course, Batman. It’s time.”

“God, I’m gonna miss you so much.” Stiles murmurs with tears on his eyes.

“No, don’t cry. You’ll make cry too!”

They hug tightly, and Derek and Laura do the same.

“I love you very, very much, baby bro.”

“I love you too, Laura. Thank you for watching over me.”

“That’s what big sisters do.”

Laura and Erica take a step back and look at them with bright, teary eyes.

“Take care of each other…”

“And love each other…”

“And talk…”

“And call on your bullshit…”

“And don’t fight too much…”

“And cuddle at nights…”

“And use protection…”

“Kisses make everything right. Keep kissing each other…”

“I told you you’ll find someone worthy…”

“We love you.”

While they say all these things, Erica and Laura’s bodies slowly fade until the last thing they hear is their voice while there’s nothing corporeal in front of them. Stiles and Derek hug each other, sobbing into their arms and trying to murmur soothing things to calm the other down.

“We love you too.”

Chapter Text

Stiles takes the first drive after they’ve said their goodbyes. He gives Derek a blanket and a pillow and requests him to fall asleep because he drove almost the entire trip and now it’s time for him to rest. Derek protests, of course:

“Derek, if you don’t want me to bring the goat issue into this, fall asleep already,” Stiles says, feeling an oddly satisfaction as Derek whines at the mention of the goat.

“Damn it, Laura…” he murmurs.

“She loves me.” Stiles says smirking.

“I’m sure she does.”

Derek does fall asleep, and Stiles spends the entire time switching between admiring Derek sleep and keeping an eye on the road. In the end he has to wake him up to eat something and do a pee stop here and there.

Derek sleeps for most of the drive back to the cabin, or he talks to Stiles about Laura’s baby stories, stories of his family, his time when he was in high school and a few things about New York. It makes Stiles wonder what did Erica say to him.

Chapter Text

A few nights after they get to the cabin, Derek is sitting on the sofa, reading, and Stiles comes into the living room, drops himself on it and then lays down, putting his head on Derek’s lap and allowing him to pet his hair.

“What did Erica tell you?” Stiles asks, eyes close and mouth pressed.

“She thanked me for taking care of her body and took her to her family, thanked me for Boyd. Pointed out that I was being a moron… Don’t hum, shut up. And told me that she was glad we had each other… What did Laura say?”

“Gave me the big sis speech. Told me some baby stories. Asked me to love you, although I don’t need her asking for it. And to be patient.”

“Hmmm… The baby stories are the only thing I do not agree on, here.”

“Too bad for you,” Stiles says, smiling smugly.

They stay quiet for a moment too long and Stiles is almost asleep when Derek starts talking again.

“Stiles…” Derek says without putting the book down.

“Yeah?”

“Let’s go home.” Stiles opens his eyes, blinks slowly, sleepily and looks around.

“We’re home, Derek.”

Derek sighs, puts the book down and strokes his hair.

“Stiles.” He waits until Stiles is looking at him in the eyes and says again: “Let’s go home.”

Stiles gives him a long look, like he’s still sleepy but trying to think too hard about what Derek really means. Then, a lightbulb lights on his head.

“Oh… ok.”

Chapter Text

They start making arrangements. They talk to Scott, who is more than happy and jumps cheerful when they tell him via Skype. Derek tries very hard to talk about the subject of the territory and the pack and Stiles actually wants to hug and smack the guy for being so insecure around their group of friends.

“This will always be your territory, man. This is Hale lands, just… there’s a McCall here too. I want to honor the memories of all the Hales that once lived here. So, this is Hale-McCall territory. And you’ll always be part of this pack.”

Stiles swears, by the looks Scott gives him, that he realized Derek was crying mid-speech, but he didn’t actually say something about it. Bless his big heart and generous soul.

Chapter Text

“Ok, but if we’re going back, we need to have a place. We can’t come back to nothing.” Stiles says, looking at the ceiling, when they’re lying in bed.

“Hmm…”

“We can rent a house. Or an apartment. I mean, I have a few savings from the insurance and from the website too, we could use them and…”

“Oooooor.” Derek interrupts him, moving to his side, facing Stiles. “We could combine both insurances and buy a house.”

“You think it’ll be enough? To buy the house? Because, you know, we’ll probably have to buy furniture for that one and…” Derek interrupts him kissing him, and looks at Stiles smiling when they pull apart.

“I love you.” He says.

“I love you too” Stiles answers making kissing sounds.

“I think it’ll be enough, I still get the insurance, monthly, and it’s been accumulating on my account for years now. Cora has some, and Peter too, but I’m the one who officially and legally gets the money. Plus, I sold the property where the old house was, remember? So… I don’t think we should worry about that.”

“Then what should we worry about?”

“If we’re buying it near the preserve, in the outskirts of town, or if we’re buying in central.”

Chapter Text

“We got the house…” Stiles murmurs when Derek comes inside the cabin.

“What?”

“We got the house! Oh my god, Derek, we have a house!” Stiles says jumping on him, wrapping his legs on Derek’s waist, and he holds him putting his hands on his butt. Stiles laughs and hugs him tight. “Scott just called me, told me they said yes to our offer. That we only need to sign the contract and it’s ours.”

Derek starts dropping kisses on Stiles’ neck and then on his jaw, his cheeks and finally on his mouth.

“I love you so much,” they say at the same time, and smile.

Chapter Text

“Congratulations. You have a house.” The retail girl says, smiling, giving them the keys and smiling knowingly to Stiles. If he remembers correctly, she was the one who helped him selling his old house.

“Thanks,” Derek answers first and Stiles smiles at her, she winks and then starts walking to her car.

“We need to buy a lot of stuff,” Stiles says, grabbing Derek’s hand and interlocking their fingers.

“Probably a bed, first.”

“Yes, please.” Stiles starts pulling him from his hand, towards the Jeep. “Come on, we have a lot of mattresses to test!”

Chapter Text

“I’m in love with this mattress.” Stiles says out loud, sounding almost regretful. “I think I love it more than I love you.”

“I don’t blame you. I don’t want to ever get up.”

“You’ll have to get up eventually,” the IKEA man helping them with the mattresses says.

“Shhh… Don’t ruin our moment.” Derek murmurs, holding his index finger up.

“The moment is ruined,” Stiles murmurs back, whining, trying to get up. “We’ll take this one.”

“You sure? There are other mattresses that…”

“No… Mike. This one is our one.” Stiles says again. “Should we move to sofas and couches?”

“Don’t forget the dining table.”

“Oh, yes! We’ll have to buy two of them. One for us, with two seats, and one for everybody.”

“How many seats is everybody?” Mike asks.

Derek and Stiles look at each other, mentally calculating, “Hmm… well, there’s Scott.” Stiles says.

“Isaac.” Derek continues.

“Liam.”

“Mason.”

“Malia.”

“Andrea and her baby boy.”

“Melissa and my baby sister.”

“Lydia.”

“Should we reserve one for Jackson?”

“Yeah, I think we should.”

“Jackson, then. Aaaaand, Danny and Sam.”

“Those are thirteen persons,” Derek murmurs, “Are we forgetting someone?”

“The two of you?” Mike says, eyebrows raised and looking at them impressed.

“Right! Fifteen people. And with Corey we’ll be sixteen. So, a sixteen seats table. Do you have one?”

“Do we have one?” Mike scoffs and looks at them with a smirk. “Follow me, gentlemen.” Stiles and Derek look at each other, shoulder-raising and walking right behind Mike.

Chapter Text

Stiles is up in the ladder, putting some lightbulbs in the living room when Scott and Derek enter holding a wooden desk. There are other people helping, plus the pack, who are currently getting some other stuff from an IKEA truck outside.

“And, we have light!” Stiles says, getting down the ladder,

“We have desks!” Derek says, moving a little bit his shoulders and making Stiles laugh, while Scott tries to support the sudden unstable weight.

“Come here,” Stiles says, holding his weight in the ladder with his hands and letting his head in between the steps’ space to kiss Derek.

“Ugh, do you have to do this, every time?” Scott complains, pushing Derek. “Come on! This isn’t exactly light weight!” he complains until Derek takes the step forward and keeps walking. “You guys are disgusting.”

“Like you’re one to talk.” Stiles says smirking. “May I say Allison? Kira? Isaac?” he continues, pausing at every name to do a ‘bleagh’ sound. “Be grateful I don’t vent our sex life details to you.”

“Please don’t ever mention that again.”

Chapter Text

“I can’t believe I’m all settled down at thirty.” Derek mumbles, looking at the living room with awe.

“I can’t believe I’m all settled down at twenty-five.” Stiles answers, elbowing him. “With a thirty-year-old.” He continues laughing.

“Hey, you love the grandpa!” Derek says, smirking.

“Of course, I love the grandpa! He always gives me candy!” Stiles answers, and Derek looks at him with narrowed eyes, knowing that look, Stiles starts running around the couches. “Come on, grandpa! Catch me if your spine is not hurting!”

“I’ll show you hurting spines!”

Chapter Text

“I think I’m ready,” Stiles says, holding Emily near his shoulder and burping her.

“Are you sure?” Derek answers, holding the bottle of milk on his hand, and putting the table cloth on Stiles’ back and part of his shoulder.

“Yeah, I think so. It’ll be two years next month, and we’ve been back in town for almost four months, you know? It’s time.”

“We can go tomorrow morning, if you want. Before going to the station.”

“Yeah, let’s go tomorrow.”

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When they find the correct stone, Stiles is holding Derek’s hand really tight. There’s a bouquet lying on the ground, full of primroses and white tulips. Stiles looks at the name on the stone and drags Derek to sit down with him.

“Hey, dad…” Stiles takes a deep breath and continues. “Sorry for not coming before, I was… I was really scared. And in denial. I… I think I didn’t want to believe it actually happened. I’m sorry for taking so long. I’m back in Beacon Hills, for good. Well, we’re back. Derek and I. We came back together. Because we’re a couple. We’re in love. And we’ve been together for a year now. And… if I’m being honest, dad, it’s been the best year of my life. I think we’re in for the long haul, you know?” Stiles says, bumping his shoulder with Derek’s. “We bought a house together, near the preserve so we can have the pack around on full moons, and we bought a really long table for all of them. I swear, dad, I thought it wasn’t going to fit. I think you would love this Derek, the one that laughs, and cooks, and sits quietly to read. I’m happy, dad. I’m really happy.” He finishes, letting Derek wipe the tears off his face and puts some sweet kisses on his cheek.

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When they’re going back to the cemetery’s entry, Derek puts his arm around Stiles and murmurs:

“What do you think Melissa regrets?”

“What do you mean?”

“The flowers. She was the one that brought them, white tulips mean regret over a fight or disagreement in the past. What do you think she regrets?”

“Hmm… Well, my dad did leave angry when he went to Sacramento. But I don’t really know, and I don’t think she’ll want to tell us.”

“Probably not…”

“… Sooooo, you’re well versed in flower, huh?” Stiles says jokingly.

“A little bit. Worked as a florist in one or two cities I lived.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. It’s really calming, and the flower smell is really peaceful.”

“Huh… I didn’t know that. Well, what does primroses mean?”

“It’s a flower tied to youth and new life. Maybe she brought it for Emily.”

“Perhaps…”

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The next time they go to the cemetery, they stop by the Sheriff’s tombstone for a while to bring him a protea kings and nasturtiums bouquet, and Stiles lets Derek choose because it means courage and strength. After that, they go to the monument constructed with the names of the eight persons that died in the Hale fire, letting Derek carve Laura’s name beside his mother’s.

They stare at it for a long while, hands together, looking at each name and talking about the similarities his sisters’ names had. Derek tells him about the time his mother found him alone in the woods, after Paige’s death, and told him that his eyes were still beautiful. He tells him about the time little Cora fell down a tree and got really scared because her arm wasn’t healing as fast. He tells him about Talia, his father, his little brother, Peter’s wife, his grandparents and his mother’s younger brother and sister. Stiles lets him cry his loss, and lets him mutter apologies and promises of moving on.

When he introduces him, Derek murmurs to his mom about Stiles caring for him and making him happy. He tells her, in a private tone, that he loves him dearly and that she would approve of him. And that he misses her chicken soup, because “mom, Laura couldn’t cook for death. It’s was awful.”

When they walk back to the entry, they see Melissa, still in her nurse uniform, walking the stones with practiced ease, holding a bouquet of primroses. She waves them, and they wave her back, letting her have a private moment with the Sheriff.

After that, they walk hand in hand to the Jeep, get in and drive back to the house they both call home.