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Stiles is at the airport, waiting for his ride. He just got back, finally after a decade, he’s returning to Beacon Hills. But of course, his return isn’t on good business or family and friend filled reunion business. Nope. He’s here because someone told him that Derek’s life depended on his return to Beacon Hills in two days.
He’d made it in ten hours.
Nobody threatens Derek’s life, and nobody tries to threaten his life to Stiles. He knew Derek had some trouble, dying and coming back with the whole nogitsune situation a few years ago.
His return to the living was found by Stiles, though only Lydia and Scott were privy to that information. Lydia because she’d helped him with the research, and Scott because he’d located the witch who had the plan. Derek was to know nothing, and the blame was passed on to Scott and Lydia for the sake of Eli. Even Chris Argent took some of the blame from what Lydia told him after she broke up with him again.
But Derek was supposed to be able to live his life with his son now, and Stiles will be damned if someone tries to take that from him again after everything.
****
“You just broke up with me, and you’re trying to tell me to ask Derek out?” asked Stiles in confusion as he looked at Lydia as she stood behind the wooden coffee table she’d picked out for the apartment.
“Well, yeah. Of course, I am. We both know you want him probably more than you want me. Besides, we’ve both broken up with each other, it wasn’t me breaking up with you. We both agreed we were better off as friends.” replied Lydia as she put her hands on her hips, leaning forward slightly to look Stiles in the eye.
“Lydia, that is not the point of this shit. Are you kidding me?” asked Stiles in a hurt tone, his anger held in his clenched fist as he stands and looks at her. “You just told me you don’t think we should be dating anymore, of course I agreed with you. I didn’t fucking want to. I love you more than anything in this world, and you know what I’ve done for you and would do. And you’re actually standing right there, not ten minutes later, telling me to move on with Derek. Do you even understand how you sound?”
“Of course, I do, but Stiles, you managed to be okay after we ended the first time. You told me you had strong feelings for Derek too. This is the time to go after what’s actually good for you.” explained Lydia even as tears drip from her eyelashes.
“This is hurting you, yet you’re still trying. What the hell, Lydia?” asked Stiles, voice filled with hurt as he throws his hands into the air, anger simmering in his gut, battling for control.
“I need you to move on, okay? I need you to. It’s the only thing I need from you.” cried Lydia brokenly, wrapping her arms around herself.
“And I need you to stop fucking with my emotions. I need you to stop trying to play this off, Lydia. I get that you- you feel like this is the best outcome, that you’re trying to be logical, but fuck being logical right now. Please, just- why can’t you just tell me what the hell is going on?” asked Stiles as he moved away from her, taking his anger and hurt around the couch to put more distance, frustrations spilling as he clenched the cushions in his hands.
“Nothing is going on. We can’t be together, we’re better as friends, and we always were. Our forever love, that- that is friendship, not romantic. We’ve realized that.” explained Lydia as she moved around the coffee table, kneeling on the couch to move closer to Stiles, trying to get him to hear her. “But now, now I need you to realize you have the chance at forever love with Derek. He’s your soulmate for life, and whether you realize it or not, you’ve always been his anchor. You’re the anchor to his humanity, but you’re also the anchor to his wolf. Stiles, the only reason we were able to bring him back was because of you. And he’s not even allowed to know that because you don’t want him to realize how in love with him you are.”
“I may be in love with him, but I was in love with you first, in love with you longer, and that meant something to me. Why can’t you see that?” asked Stiles as he shook his head, moving further away until his back hits the wall.
“I do see that, Stiles, but we’re done. Just- Just think on it, for me, okay?” pleaded Lydia as she pressed her palms together, practically begging. “Me and Scott took the blame for bringing Derek back, even Chris took some of the blame, said he did the research. Stiles, all of that was because of you. Derek doesn’t know that, but we all do. We know what that means, and so do you. Grieve our relationship, mourn what you have to, but don’t avoid this, please.”
“I think it’s time for you to go.” said Stiles blankly, looking away from her even as he listens to what she has to say, always listening to her. He can’t take this any longer.
“O-oh.. I- Of course. Just, uh, message me later… when you’re ready to talk.” whispered Lydia, voice full of hurt as she pulled herself away, grabbing her bags from their place stacked by the door. “Goodbye, Stiles.”
“Goodbye, Lydia.” murmured Stiles when the door shut behind her, and that’s when he slid down the door, when he hugged his knees to his chest, and he broke.
****
That was a good year ago, and Stiles warmed up to the idea of telling Derek. But only after he met Eli over a phone call with his dad. Stiles still refused to come back to Beacon Hills, preferring to help, when he had the time, from his apartment far, far away.
Logically, he knew this was stupid and a way to avoid dealing with how he felt and continued to feel after Lydia started talking someone new from the police force, someone Mason worked side-by-side with and trusted, a guy named Devlin Brae. This guy was supposedly a friend to another pack that Scott and Deaton had done business with, so he’s a good guy with good qualities that Lydia seems to really adore.
All good things really.
Stiles has even met Devlin over a call with Lydia, and he genuinely likes the guy. Thinks he’s great and everything.
But any time Lydia broaches the topic of Stiles talking to Derek, reaching out to Derek, coming home, and seeing Derek, well… Stiles shuts down, completely. He blatantly makes up an excuse to get off the phone with her every time, and she texts him afterwards every time to call him out for making excuses.
Of course, when he got the cryptic phone call about Derek, he checked with Lydia. Only instead of reassurances, he found out that Derek had been drugged and taken three hours prior, and Eli was left unable to save him and unable to heal because of wolfsbane. Stiles was on the first flight he could get, and even that wasn’t as quick as he wanted it to be.
All he did was pack a quick go bag with a couple books and two outfits because everything he’d need was already mailed to his dad the last time they reached out to him. He’d chocked three of the books full of sticky notes of information for them, and he’d overnighted three big packages of his sacred research books.
That was three weeks ago.
The flight was filled with him trying to research in the books he had to figure out what was going on. He was fidgety and pissed.
And now, Stiles is rather impatiently checking his phone because his ride is not here yet. Lydia said she’d be there, said it wouldn’t be a problem. He’s been there almost half an hour, and there’s still no sign of her or his jeep. He knows Eli has been driving the jeep, knows his dad handed over the keys, but Stiles wants to at least see the jeep, feel the leather seats.
He’s typing a message out to Lydia when he hears the familiar sound of his Jeep’s horn, and his head whips up to find Lydia… and Eli? Eli is climbing into the back of the jeep, and Lydia is sticking her head out the window of the passenger door.
“You comin’ or what?” calls Lydia brightly, something that shouldn’t be happening because Derek was just kidnapped.
“The hell took you so long?” asks Stiles in a grumpy tone as he jogs over to the jeep, getting in and handing his bag to Eli.
“Eli wanted to come too, so I had to wait for him.” says Lydia with a shrug as she rolls the window up.
“I had to wait on you, Lydia. You and Devlin were being extra at the station.” huffs Eli as he stares out the window, sounding just like Derek.
“Damn, you really are his kid. Well, that sounds exactly right. Don’t go blaming the kid when you were busy making out with your boyfriend.” says Stiles with a chuckle as they get moving, the feel of the car purring under him makes him melt.
“And you really are Stiles Stilinski.” says Eli with an eye roll as he sticks his head up between the seats to pointedly roll his eyes at Stiles. “Do you have any more information about my dad?”
“No, kid, I don’t. All I was told was his life depended on me returning to Beacon Hills in two days. I’m thinking it might be a life for a life.” says Stiles thoughtfully as he squints at the red traffic light as sun beams into his eyes, but he catches the shared look from Lydia and Eli and chuckles. “I have some friends trying to single out the real voice that was used since it was manipulated. But I’ve been dealing with some supernatural shit at home, and I lost one of the hunters that was giving me grief. She dropped off the face of the planet, became completely untraceable, even by her own car.”
“And why do you think it’s her?” asks Lydia quietly, uncertain but clearly thinking hard.
“Because the last thing she said was that she’d kill me, even if she had to go through a member of my pack.” whispers Stiles brokenly as he remembered the anger in her voice, the way she knew about his pack, the reason being a little girl, maybe twelve years old, a young wolf the hunter had kidnapped.
“This one hit home, you smell like you’re hurting a lot. Why’d you get on her trail in the first place?” asks Eli hesitantly, nose wiggling as he takes in the scent.
“A little girl went missing. At first we figured it was the father because he’d been threatening to take her, a lot. But then I realized she wasn’t just a little girl, she was a born wolf.” explains Stiles quietly, somberly as he tells the tale of what happened maybe six months ago, of his only cold case. “My research was done based on the mountain ash surrounding the spot where the little girl’s lion stuffy was laying. Her mom and dad are both wolves from rival packs that had been fighting back and forth since their split broke the packs up. They’re both alphas.”
“So, they… what? Wanted to start a rift between the packs by taking the only thing left keeping them together?” asks Eli from where he’d leaned back in the seat, staring at the roof of the jeep.
“That’s exactly what they wanted to do, only I got there first. I talked to the packs, called their emissaries, and talked to them, and I managed to stop the war that was brewing.” replies Stiles, feeling a bit proud that Eli managed to deduce the reason even as he continues to explain himself. “Took some time, and a lot more secrecy than I wanted, but they’re as stopped as I can get them. And since I managed to get their little girl back to them, they’ve been waiting for a call to exact the revenge of their choices.”
“So, you’re gonna… what? Call them up if this is the same person? Stiles, that’s a bit insane, and you know it isn’t how we handle things.” says Lydia seriously, disbelief sparking in her tone.
“I’m going to do my job, and I’m going to get Derek back. None of this has to do with the pack, the only thing it has to do with is me.” replies Stiles harshly, turning down the dirt path of the preserve that he knows leads to the pack house where everybody is waiting. “This is on me, and I’ll handle it. I’m here to see what I can do to pick up the trail and wait for the call that I know will be coming since I’m in town already. None of you are coming with me, and that’s why I’m dropping you off.”
“Stiles, you can’t just-” starts Lydia as Stiles throws the jeep in park, but she’s cut off by Eli getting out of the jeep. “Eli, what are you-?”
“We’re getting out, but I’m only letting Stiles drive the jeep to save my dad if he takes one supernatural with him.” says Eli as he opens Lydia’s door, helps her out and hops in her place to stare Stiles down.
“Give me Theo, or I go alone.” replies Stiles with a sigh after a few moments, shaking his head when Eli smirks at him. “Just like your damn father.”
“That’s right, I am, and that’s why you’re taking Theo with you.” replies Eli proudly as Theo comes out to the car, Lydia sputtering by the door.
“Are you actually- are we actually letting Stiles do this? This isn’t how we-” stutters Lydia, angry and confused, panicked as she stares at them.
“Of course, we are.” says Theo with a shrug as he steps into place next to her, smirking.
“But- We- We can’t!” exclaims Lydia seriously as she looks at him with blatant disbelief.
“It’s his situation, and he asked that we didn’t get involved unless he called. We’re respecting Stiles’ wishes, especially since he agreed to come back into town without a fight for the holidays.” calls Scott from further away. He’s sitting on the porch with a pinched look on his face as Allison stands beside him, her hand running through his hair.
“Heya Scotty boy! I promise I’ll be here for at least three days after the dust settles, and then I’ll be back. Dad’s already threatened to send Jackson after me if I don’t, and Jackson agreed wholeheartedly.” calls Stiles with a happy grin as he waves at his best friend while Theo climbs into the jeep after Eli gets out.
“You’d better because I’ll send Theo with Jackson if you don’t. And doing that will piss off Liam, and you don’t want Liam to be mad at you.” calls Scott with a chuckle as Stiles’ jaw drops.
“Holy shit, you two are finally together?!” screeches Stiles as he looks at Theo with wide eyes filled with shock.
“That’s not as important as saving my dad. You have three days to give him shit for being a dumbass about Liam, and Liam will be here for you to also give him shit about it. Go save my dad.” huffs Eli as he shuts Theo’s door, a growl in his voice as his dark eyes tint with gold.
“Alright little Hale, we’re going, but right now we have no desti-” says Stiles in amusement just as his phone rings from its place in his pocket. “And we’re about to get a destination.”
Stiles picks up the call with a low, “Signs of life.”
“Don’t you fucking dare show up here!” comes the familiar growl of a pissed off, and pained, Derek Hale.
“Meet me at the lacrosse field in ten minutes, and I’ll send the wolf back home with no more wounds.” comes the distorted voice as his phone vibrates.
Stiles smirks as he puts it on speaker and reads the message.
“Veniya, you should’ve done better with the vocal distortion. Don’t worry, you’ll be handled soon enough. For now, I’ll see you in ten.” replies Stiles with a smirk before he hangs up the call and shifts the jeep into gear. “Better hold on, Raeken, I’d hate to send you through the windshield.”
Stiles presses the gas and drives out of there like a bat out of hell, speeding harshly until he’s two minutes away from his destination with four minutes left.
“You’re insane.” says Theo as Stiles harshly parks them in the empty parking lot.
“I’m saving a life, now give me a second to send this information. Can you smell Derek?” asks Stiles as his fingers fly across his phone. The information will end up in the right hands.
Thank the moon he’d thought ahead and got them into town with him.
“Yeah, he’s on the field, and he’s pissed. But also… he’s got a wolfsbane scent. I need a lighter.” huffs Theo with a fanged growl.
“Chill it, fangy, lighter is right here. Move quickly and don’t get hurt.” replies Stiles with an eye roll as he pulls out the lighter he’d slipped into his sock as soon as he got off the flight.
“You’ve changed a lot, you know that?” asks Theo as he takes the lighter, surprise and understanding in his eyes.
“I’ve been alone. Now move it.” says Stiles lowly before he’s climbing out of his jeep and walking towards the field. “Oh, Veniya, come out, come out wherever you are, ya little witchy huntress.”
“Oh, I’m here, puny human. I’m just surprised that you actually showed up. I didn’t think the little wolf was telling me the truth about how you felt about the Hale wolf.” calls Veniya in that bored tone of hers, and Stiles sees her leaning against the bleacher’s railing.
He clocks Derek sitting behind her with four guys holding him, and three arrows sticking out of his chest.
“Let’s be real here, this is a stupid revenge tactic so you can kill me for ruining your little war plans. Well, I’m here. So, do it.” sneers Stiles harshly as he steps directly in line with her, facing the bleachers and holding his arms out wide, taunting her.
“Oh, don’t worry, Stilinski. I’m going to kill you, but first, I must kill the wolf you’re unrequitedly in love with. Honestly, it’s kind of pathetic.” calls Veniya with a haughty laugh, smirking as she pulls out a revolver. “Yeah, I’ve got wolfsbane bullets that can’t be burned out. Things are going to go exactly as I say, or else.”
“You’re already going to kill me, Veniya, what else can you possibly expect to happen?” asks Stiles with an eye roll, disbelief in his tone as he steps forward.
“You’re going to watch the man you love die at my hands, and then, I’m going to kill you in front of your pack.” says Veniya with a smirk of pride as she lays her plan out beautifully.
“Congratulations, you’ve got a solid villainous plan… only, Derek’s gone, and your men are the ones in ropes.” replies Stiles as he steps forwards again, closing the distance until the weapon in her hand is meters away from his face. “So, now all you’ve got is me. Go ahead.”
“You conniving, scheming bastard!” growls Veniya before she presses the cold metal to the middle of Stiles forehead, leaning in close as she takes the safety off and puts a bullet into the chamber. “I’m going to blow your brains out, and then I’m going to kill every single member of your pack. And when they ask who did it, I’m going to make sure it implicates you. I’ll leave your reputation ruined, and your death will be worthless.”
“Then pull the trigger, Veniya.” says Stiles quietly, looking her dead in the eye as he leans into the weapon against his head. “Do it.”
Veniya’s finger presses lightly against the trigger, but she’s choking on blood before she can make good on her threat. Stiles pulls in a deep breath of relief as he looks at the two alphas that Veniya tried to take everything from.
“Glad you two could make it, how’s the little one?” asks Stiles kindly as he looks between them, ignoring the woman bleeding out on the bleachers.
“She’s doing well, and we’re planning a double pack retreat to try to strengthen our ties to each other. Your pack should come, I’d gladly send an invite.” says Gregory with a satisfied grin as he retracts his claws.
“I think they’re going to want to end me before they meet anyone new. But I will pass along the invite, promise. And you two had better be off, your flight leaves in half an hour.” says Stiles with a kind smile that becomes tense as he thinks about Theo and Derek and the hell the entire pack is going to raise.
“Do pass it on, maybe we can simply arrange a meet-up. I’d sure love to meet the True Alpha that’s stirred up so much fuss in our world. I have a feeling that no matter what, we shall be seeing you soon, Mr. Stilinski. So, take care until then.” says Ameli with a soft, kind smile as she clears the blood from her hands with a handkerchief that Gregory hands to her.
“Take care.” says Stiles quietly as they transform and take off, leaving the hunter at his feet. “And whatever shall I do with you? Ah, I know.”
Stiles pulls his phone out yet again, and he shoots a text to his dad.
“Stiles Stilinski, if you ever try to goad someone into taking your life again, I swear on Cora that I will rip your fucking throat out with my teeth.” growls Derek and Stiles turns to look at him in surprise only to be tugged into a tight hug.
“Missed you too, Sourwolf.” whispers Stiles as he wraps his arms around Derek’s neck, hugging him tight.
“We have a lot to talk about, but first, I gotta go see Eli.” says Derek quietly into his ear before he’s pulling back to give him this look that says Stiles will not escape this conversation even if he tries.
“Well, if Theo got the wolfsbane burned out, then we can go.” says Stiles as he feigns nonchalance and turns to Theo.
“Oh, I got it out alright. But not without a broken hand.” huffs Theo before he’s turning and walking away from them, shaking out his hands at his side.
“You broke his hand?” asks Stiles with a stifled chuckle.
“The dumbass tried to poke the wound, of course I broke his hand. And when he tries to tell Liam that I was mean to him, I’m telling Eli that Liam broke his lacrosse stick because of Theo.” replies Derek with a shrug as he and Stiles follow after Theo whose shoulders hunch forward. “Yeah, not gonna tell him anything now, are ya?”
“Yes, yes, I will. And Stiles is going to back me up!” exclaims Theo as they reach the jeep, sounding confident as hell as he turns to look at Stiles.
“No, no, Stiles is not. Stiles is going to make sure Eli and Derek have a good reunion, then Stiles is going to wait for Derek to heal up. And finally, Stiles is going to take his rejection and fly home. You’re on your own, asshat.” replies Stiles as he shakes his head and climbs into the keep, starting her up as they close their doors.
“Wha- why? I came with you!” whines Theo as he sticks his head up between the seats.
“You came with me because little Hale made an offer that I couldn’t refuse. But nice try.” replies Stiles with a shrug as he gets them backed out and, on the way, out of the parking lot.
“What did Eli do?” asks Derek curiously as he leans back against his seat.
“Oh, ya know, just blackmailed me like every Hale does.” replies Stiles with a shrug as he gets them on the road, glad it’s mostly a straight shot to the preserve and the dirt road entrance. “I gotta say, I was quite proud of the kid.”
“He’s my son, of course he did. Is he okay otherwise?” asks Derek in a worried tone despite the pride that Stoles hears in his voice.
“Oh, he’s all good. Healed up, and he’s got a smartass mouth too. Just wants you home is all.” replies Stiles as he turns onto the path, smiling lightly.
It’s quiet as they drive down the dirt path, a silence that’s welcomed for all involved as they slow to a stop in front of the pack house that has already emptied of its occupants. Their packs surrounds the car before Stiles can even turn it off, and they’re all practically yanked from the jeep and corralled inside before anyone can object.
It takes an entire day for Stiles to be around Derek again.
He’s actually rather annoyed about it because he doesn’t even know how he is despite being in the same house. But, considering only Eli has actually been with Derek, he feels a bit better about it.
That doesn’t stop the nerves.
It definitely doesn’t stop the fear of rejection that wells in him every time he misses out on seeing or talking to Derek. He’s only got a day and a half left, choosing a super early return flight when he bought his tickets, and he doesn’t want to run away from this.
But time is running out.
“I know, I know. Gotta visit on holidays or Jackson and Theo will come after me. I’m not going to be gone very long, especially since I scheduled some vacation time to come home for a bit longer for Liam’s graduation.” says Stiles softly, chuckling as Scott nudges him and his dad huffs from his spot in the couch across from where he’s sitting with Scott and Allison.
“Okay, but you gotta-” says Theo from his place on the floor, sounding serious with his devious smirk.
“Stiles, dad wants to talk to you.” Eli interrupts their conversation without hesitation, seeming uncertain but determined as he looks at Stiles from the archway that leads to the grand staircase.
“Oh, great. Rejection gets to happen now instead of before I leave. Sourwolf and his timing.” mumbles Stiles as his head drops forward, his elbows quickly press painfully into his legs as he tries to collect himself before he looks up at the kid with a grimace. “Alright, then I guess you can lead the way since I don’t know where he is.”
“That would be the plan, so come on. He’s waiting, and he’s more impatient than I am.” huffs Eli with an eye roll, arms crossed over his chest.
Stiles gets up and silently follows Eli past the staircase and into the kitchen where he ducks into the dining room and opens the door that Stiles had assumed was a storage space or something. Instead, he realizes it’s a basement entrance as they go down a carpeted staircase, fifteen steps that lead into a room where Derek is standing by a medium sized dresser.
“I’ll leave you two alone then, have a good talk, and actually use your words… both of you.” says Eli before he disappears back up the stairs as Derek turns and leans back against the dresser, green eyes locking on Stiles intently.
“So… Whatcha wanna talk about Sourwolf?” asks Stiles nervously as he shoves his twitching hands into his pockets.
“You’re in love with me.” says Derek seriously, the statement coming out as more of a question as his brows furrow, eyes shining with confusion.
“I- uh- well, yeah. The hunter didn’t lie, you know that. Why- uh- why did that sound like a question?” asks Stiles as he narrows his eyes at Derek, feeling suspicious despite the nerves and confusion.
“Because it was a question, Stiles, I- You- This is insane. You can’t love me. I- I can’t- Y-You deserve so much more than me. Why- Why would you feel like that about me?” says Derek a bit weakly, his confusion melting into insecurity as he looks down at the floor.
“Because you’re the most amazing person I know. Derek Hale, you’re a survivor who’s gone through absolute hell and is still fighting to save rather than to kill. Because you’d give your life to protect another, and I know that means anybody in this town, not just the pack.” explains Stiles as he walks forward until he’s a few steps away from Derek, tempted to fully cross the space and force Derek to look at him, but he gives him space. “You’re special, Derek, and I believe that wholeheartedly. But you’re also genuine, honest, and that’s what I love the most. You don’t bullshit anyone; you say what you mean even if you come off grumpy as hell. You care, and it shows even if your attitude argues otherwise.”
“You’re insane, Stiles, absolutely insane.” says Derek quietly as he looks up, locking eyes with Stiles and seemingly steeling himself for something big. “And that’s part of what made me fall in love with you and that big brain of yours.”
Stiles feels himself freeze, feels his jaw drop as those words filter into his brain and refuse to process for a moment before he’s asking, “Did that hunter poison you?”
“What? Other than wolfsbane, and some cutting, nobody touched me. Why would you ask me that?” asks Derek in confusion as his arms drop to his sides.
“Because you deserve so much better than me. I mean, you’re the Derek Hale, why would you want a pitiful human like me?” says Stiles in disbelief as he throws his hands up in the air.
“Because you’re amazing, smart, and hilarious.” argues Derek as he closes the space, cupping Stiles’ face in his hands as he speaks quietly and fiercely. “You’re skilled as all hell, and you go after what you want no matter what. You have the biggest heart I’ve ever seen, and you fight for the good in the world that’s barely seen. Stiles Stilinski you are a gorgeous being, inside and out, and you’ve never needed supernatural abilities to accomplish that.”
“Y-you really… you really love me.” says Stiles breathlessly as his hands grip Derek’s grey tee in clenched fists at his sides.
“Yeah, Stiles, I really do.” replies Derek as he leans in to press their foreheads together.
Stiles watches those green eyes dart down to his lips, and he closes the last bit of space to slot their lips together.
This is what coming home feels like.