Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"We're okay," Derek whispers to himself with just a hint of disbelief lacing his tone. Stiles sits beside him being unusually silent but Derek understands his dilemma. Traveling down the road at high speeds while trying to restrain a struggling and angry were-puppy is hard work. It's a good thing Stiles is a quick thinker. He must have said that out loud because when he glances over at Stiles he sees him looking at him with a shit-eating grin on his face.

Derek turns away slightly fighting the blush that wants to rise. He's still not used to being fully human and all of his body's responses. Stiles lifts his hand slowly to grip Derek's bicep before he gently trails his fingers down Derek's arm to tangle their fingers together. He stiffen's slightly fearing Derek's rejection and shifts backwards a little to get more comfortable while still keeping his death-grip on Derek's hand.

"We'll always be okay as long as we have each other," Stiles finally says breaking his silence and throwing Derek a sidelong glance. His cheeks faintly turn pink but when Derek doesn't move to pull away he relaxes. Derek rolls his eyes at Stiles but the corners of his mouth turn upwards. He's used to Stiles' cheesy one-liners by now and he hadn't realized just how tense Stiles' silence had made him. He slowly relaxes against the back of the van and squeezes Stiles's hand.

"Yeah." He answers back softly as he recalls all the times they've saved each other in the past. He really is an idiot since it took him this long to realize what he was feeling for Stiles. He's doesn't have time to think of what he wants to say to Stiles. He certainly doesn't want an audience when he figures it out so he tries to show him with touch. He slowly pulls his hand free ignoring Stiles's squawk of protest and reaches to pull him flush against his side, curling his arm around Stiles to rest his hand on his hip. Stiles makes a happy, contented noise and rests his head on Derek's shoulder.

Stiles doesn't care that Liam is looking at them a little weirdly and that Braeden is watching them in the rear-view mirror. They'll figure it out eventually. He and Derek are a packaged deal now, he's waited long enough. They've both waited long enough. It's the first time in a while that he's felt like things might possibly start to be okay again. He gives Liam a look that clearly states Derek is MINE as he snuggles closer to Derek and wraps his arms around his stomach and lower back. He clasps his hands together to rest on Derek's hip, daring Liam to say something with the look he shoots him.

Liam makes a questioning noise but at the simultaneous glare from both Stiles and Derek, plus Derek's low growl, he sits back on his side of the van and wisely shuts up. Derek may be human now but old habits die hard. Liam doesn't want to push him any more than he has already tonight. He know's Derek's got a gun loaded with wolfsbane bullets somewhere on his person and he's not too keen to be shot by an ally tonight. He needs to be in fighting shape against Kate and the berserkers.

Stiles shifts slightly to throw his legs across Derek's lap and leans into him fully. Stiles is practically using Derek like a human teddy bear but Derek doesn't mind. He shifts his other arm to curl around Stiles' knees as he rests his hand on Stiles's upper thigh. Stiles hums softly as the rocking of the van and the comfort of being held by Derek lures him into sleep. Derek stares at him for a while before he looks away slightly, feeling Braeden's eyes watching them. He looks towards her and catches her eyes in the mirror. He unconsciously pulls Stiles closer to him while eyeing her warily but all she does is smile softly. He can see the slight hurt in her eyes but they share a look of understanding. She's known all along how much he cares for Stiles, it was just a matter of how long it took him to realize that. Apparently that time was now so she breaks eye contact with Derek and finally concentrates fully on following the vehicle in front of them.

Derek then looks across to Liam sitting across from them and raises a questioning eyebrow. Liam slowly shakes his head, he doesn't want to anger Derek by talking, especially since Stiles is asleep. He then nods while raising his hands in a placating gesture to show he understands. He then leans back without a word to practice sheathing and unsheathing his claws.

Derek goes back to staring at Stiles asleep in his arms. Slowly he leans forward to place a kiss onto his forehead. He's uncertain about what's coming for them once they reach the church, but for now he has Stiles by his side and that's all he could ever ask for.

Chapter Text

          Stiles watched in horror as Scott and Peter started fighting right in front of the assembled Pack members. Stiles shook the image from his head, and as he slipped out the door, he sent up a silent prayer for Scott to win to whoever might be listening. He was frightened for everybody but Scott and the Pack could handle Peter, he had faith in their abilities. It was way past time to go back for Derek, Stiles thought as he took off at a run.

          The sound of fighting and gunshots filled the air as Stiles got closer to his destination. He came to a screeching halt, and ducked down behind a building, before peering slowly around the corner. The sight before him filled him with dread and hope. Chris Argent had showed up with The Calaveras and various other hunters and... Parrish?

          "What the hell is he doing here?" Stiles muttered angrily to himself as he watched the Hunters fighting against the Berserkers. "I'll deal with him later," Stiles thought as he quickly darted towards the wall he'd left Derek at earlier being guarded by Braeden. He managed to make it to the wall where he could see Braeden shooting without getting hit. He silently fist pumped before carefully getting Braeden's attention. She quickly ducked down behind the wall and pulled her spare handgun from her ankle holster and shoved it into Stiles' hands.

          "Stiles," She hissed softly, "What in the hell are you doing out here? Where are the others?"

          "They're coming, soon I hope. Scott managed to break whatever freaky hold the Berserkers had on him! He's fighting Peter with the Pack's help right now!" Stiles panted quickly as he looked for Derek. "I knew that fucker had something to do with this! Where's Derek, Braeden?"

          "Stiles..." Braeden said gently, lifting her hand like she was going to restrain him.

          "NO!" Stiles shouted, headless of the battle going on around them. He tucked the gun in the waistband of his jeans and started sprinting towards the other wall. He didn't see the Berserker until it was almost on him, too late to use his gun. He ducked under the swiping claws as he heard a shot ring out from his left and one from behind him.

          Parrish stood behind one of the vehicles, shooting steadily at the Berserker, while Braden snuck up behind it and took it down. Stiles flashed Parrish a watery smile as he fought to see through his tears while running. He finally came up to the wall Derek was behind and flung himself over it, falling into a heap in the dust. He lay there panting for a second before he raised his head slowly, to look at the slumped body next to him.

          "Derek, no!" Stiles cried as he scrambled the few feet between them to reach him. Derek didn't move as Stiles got nearer and reached out for his hand. He grabbed it in a death grip and used his other hand to gently shake Derek's shoulder.

          "Come on Big Guy," Stiles whispered under his breath. "You can fool Braeden with playing dead but I know better. You wouldn't leave me like that."

          Stiles balled up his hand into a fist and punched Derek right in the chest. He didn't even flinch and that made Stiles angry. He released his grip on Derek's hand and started to punch him in the chest with his fists, muttering under his breath, only to Derek.

          "Wake up Derek! This isn't funny anymore! We only just got you back! I only just got to tell you how I feel! And you feel it too, so WAKE UP! You can't leave us Derek. You can't leave ME!" Stiles sobbed as he curled up next to Derek, laying his head on his chest. He pressed his ear down as hard as he could, to listen for Derek's heartbeat. His ears were met with silence. He crumpled off of Derek and to the dust, shaking with the force of his sobs. All of a sudden a hand gripped his ankle and started dragging him backwards, away from Derek. Stiles yelped and kicked out at his attacker.

          "Stiles! Stop it!" Jordan grunted, as Stiles' foot connected with his hip. Stiles flailed until he had finally turned enough to see Parrish.

          "Let me go Jordan! I can't leave Derek!" Stiles cried, digging his fingers into the dirt. He started trashing again, anything to slow them down or get out of Jordan's hold. Jordan shook his head sadly, tightened his grip and kept pulling Stiles with him. They finally got back behind the vehicle, at the other end of the wall where Parrish had been shooting from.

          "I'm sorry Stiles, he's gone," Jordan said as he finally crouched down next to Stiles, releasing him. "He's gone."

          Stiles shook his head stubbornly, and tried peering around the car but he couldn't see Derek anymore. He started sobbing again as his heart started pounding, and his throat felt like it was closing. He was having a panic attack. He started clawing at his throat, because he couldn't breathe. He couldn't draw any air into his lungs through his sobbing. His thoughts started spiraling as he fell sideways back into the dirt, writhing and shaking. Derek was gone. Scott hadn't come out yet and neither had the pack. They were all probably dead. He was gonna die. Derek was dead. His mom was dead. Heather and Allison were dead. Derek was DEAD. He was never going to see him again. DEAD DEAD DEAD.

          The sudden voice of Kate Argent startled Stiles straight out of his panic attack. He sat up and sucked in a deep breath as he waited for his ears to stop ringing and the black spots in front of his eyes to go away. He felt like he was going to puke, but he swallowed that feeling down as he concentrated on listening to Kate. He knew it was Kate that had spoken but he couldn't get to his feet yet. He heard her talking to someone as the fighting slowly died down. Chris, she's talking to Chris. He slowly rose up to peer over the hood of the van to see Kate and Chris in some sort of standoff.

          Stiles slowly pulled the gun from his waistband and aimed it at Kate. He clicked the safety off as Chris lifted his gun and they both shot Kate. Stiles got her in the left shoulder as Chris's tranq dart hit her in the heart. Chris darted around the corner as something big and black leapt out of the dark, headed straight for Kate's throat.

          Stiles watched in a dazed and hazy manner as Kate transformed into the WereJaguar and began fighting with the... wolf?

          "What is that? Or should I say who?" Stiles asked Parrish as they both watched the fight unfolding in front of them.

          "I don't know," Parrish answered after scrutinizing the wolf. "Maybe he came with the Hunters?"

          Stiles slowly shook himself out of his thoughts and stood up fully to watch the fight taking place. The Wolf moved with a natural grace, all its moves were fluid and beautiful. Kate was snarling in frustration because she couldn't seem to land a hit. Her moves were sluggish as best and then almost as suddenly as the fight started she was down. The Wolf was prowling slowly around Kate, like he was making sure she was really down. Stiles watched, enraptured by the wolf's movements, but didn't find it necessary to shoot him. He had just put the safety back on and handed the gun to Jordan when Braeden came around the corner headed straight for Stiles.

          "Stiles! Where is Derek's body?!" She said angrily. She was covered in blood and all kinds of unidentifiable goop, Stiles assumed was from the berserkers.

          "What are you talking about?" He huffed as he walked to where he'd been dragged away from Derek. "He's right.... there?" He said in confusion, staring at the empty patch of dirt. There was nothing there but a giant blood stain. Stiles started to panic again as the air around the Wolf started to swirl.

          Braeden and Stiles both looked over towards The Wolf as he started to transform. Stiles squinted, trying to see who it was through the dust, Derek's missing body momentarily forgotten. Out of the cloud of dust rose a figure with his back to Stiles and Braeden, facing Kate on the ground. A back with a very familiar tattoo.

          "Holy shit." Stiles and Braden said in unison. Stiles froze. He felt like he was rooted in place, his eyes never leaving Derek, even as Kate made an angry growling sound.

          "You're supposed to be dead!" Kate roared as she tried to get up and failed. She glowered up at Derek as he stalked a little closer to her.

          "I wasn't dead, I was evolving." Derek said easily as Kate finally succumbed to whatever Mr. Argent had put in the tranq dart. The Calaveras’s quickly came out from behind the van behind Kate and Derek to secure her. Stiles finally felt like he could move as they dragged Kate away. He ran out from behind the wall and launched himself at Derek. Derek caught him before Stiles could bounce off his chest from the force of his launch.

          "Derek!" He yelled, clinging to his Sourwolf as he started to cry again. "I thought you were dead. I thought you left us. I thought you left me!" Stiles continued to sob as Derek tightened his arms around his smaller frame.

          "I'm sorry Stiles. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I'm okay, I'm right here," He soothed Stiles as they clung to each other. "I'm not going anywhere. I'd never leave you."

          Stiles' sobs quieted but he still clung fiercely to Derek. He was afraid that if he let go Derek would disappear again. Derek drew him even more tightly against him and rested his head on top on Stiles'. Stiles suddenly drew back from Derek and smacked him as hard as he could across the face. Derek didn't even try to stop him, even though he could have. He just stood there, holding Stiles as he stared to yell.

          "Don't you EVER do that to me again Derek Hale! I was scared out of my mind! We can't do this without you! I need you here with me, okay?! I LOVE YOU!" Stiles shouted as he shook his hand out. "Ouch, that hurt. You and your stupidly hard and handsome face."

          "You love me?" Derek asked, his eyebrows almost disappearing into his hairline, the only sign that he was shocked. He waited for Stiles’ too answer as a little, pleased grin fluttered onto his lips

          "That's what you got out of that sentence?" Stiles fumed, as he took another step away from Derek. He suddenly glanced down and noticed for the first time that Derek was completely naked. Stiles' face turned brick red as he tried to back away from Derek but Derek wasn't having it.

          "I said I was sorry Stiles. I didn't know this was going to happen," Derek said with a bit of confusion as he kept Stiles from moving any farther away. He wasn't mad at Stiles for hitting him and he didn't understand why Stiles was suddenly as red as a tomato and trying to back away from him. "Where are you going?"

          "Uh..." Stiles stammered. "You're not wearing any clothes Sourwolf."

          "Oh, that's all?" Derek sighed in relief as a hand holding a pair of pants was thrust into his peripheral vision. He slowly let go of Stiles with one hand to grab them, nodding his thanks to Parrish, who was also a little red in the face. He finally let go of Stiles to put on his pants as Stiles backed up another step to give him room and turned his gaze skyward so he wouldn't stare at Derek like he wanted to.

          "How is this even my life?" Stiles muttered to himself, his face on fire. Derek's rich laugh startled him as he automatically turned towards the source of the sound. Thankfully Derek had his clothes on this time.

          "Damn werewolf’s with their werewolf hearing," Stiles said in an annoyed tone. "I can't talk to myself anymore without commentary from the Peanut gallery." That only made Derek laugh even harder as he reached out and snagged Stiles' hand.

          "I can pretend not to hear you, if that's what you would prefer," Derek offered as he pulled Stiles closer.

          "I guess it's alright, if it's you," Stiles told him, gazing up into the eyes of the man he thought he'd never see again. His heart started to flutter as Derek lowered his head, slowly, like he was trying not to startle Stiles. Stiles reached up and placed his hands at the base of Derek's skull as Derek's hand came around his waist. Slowly Stiles tilted his head up, his lips parted in anticipation, to meet Derek's kiss. It started off gentle, almost reassuring, as Derek pulled Stiles as close as he could get.

          Stiles closed his eyes with a sigh as Derek used his tongue to trace Stiles' lower lip. Stiles opened his mouth a little wider with permission as Derek finally slipped his tongue inside Stiles’ mouth to gently tangle with his own. They made out like that until Stiles decided he was done with being gentle. He bit down and playfully tugged on Derek's lower lip as he looked up at him with desire. Suddenly a wolf whistle pierced the air, and startled Stiles. He pulled away from Derek to see the entirety of the Pack gathered around them. Stiles narrowed his eyes at Scott and glared with all the menace he could gather at being interrupted.

          "It wasn't me dude," Scott said laughing as he nudged Kira in the ribs.

          "Well it's about time!" Kira shouted, as the whole pack wrapped themselves around Stiles and Derek, in a giant group hug. Stiles and Derek joined in with the laughter as everyone insured they were all together and alive.

          "Just wait until I tell your Dad!" Scott said as he dashed away towards the cars.

          "You wouldn't dare!" Stiles screeched, racing after him and tackling him to the ground, as Scott let himself be "caught". Derek stood with the rest of the pack watching fondly as Scott and Stiles wrestled with each other. He was finally happy and it was all thanks to Stiles Stilinski.

          "Stiles!" Derek called, loud enough for Stiles to hear him over the petty squabbling. Stiles glared down at Scott for another minuet before Scott raised his hands in a placating gesture. They both got up and trotted back over to the Pack.

          "Derek?" Stiles questioned softly.

          "I love you too." Derek said with a soft look on his face. He reached his hand out towards Stiles, palm up. Stiles stared at him for only a moment before he reached out and tangled their fingers together. He stretched up on his tiptoes, using his free hand to balance on Derek's shoulder, as he leaned in to kiss him again.

          "Let’s go home Sourwolf." Stiles said softly, smiling up at Derek.

          "Okay." Derek agreed with a fond smile of his own. He heads towards the cars, tugging Stiles to walk alongside him, hands swinging gently. The Pack slowly fell in line behind them, chattering excitedly about all the ass kicking they'd done and what they were gonna do when they got home. They won and it was finally time for them to go home.