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Title<\/b>: Everything Matters <\/p>\n The squeaking and scuffing of shoes followed by the thud of the door brought Stiles fully awake. His neck and back both cracked, causing him to groan softly in relief as he straightened from his protective huddle at the side of his dad\u2019s hospital bed.<\/p>\n Stiles looked at his dad\u2019s face, taking in the bruised and battered man. Knowing there was no one around to see it, Stiles didn\u2019t bother to hide the fear and pain he felt. He\u2019d already promised himself he wouldn\u2019t hide anything from his dad anymore. Now, if only the man would just wake up, so he could start keeping that promise.<\/p>\n \u201cFuck,\u201d Stiles said, rubbing his hands over his face before cutting a quick glance at his dad, almost expecting to see the quick headshake over his language. But there was no change.<\/p>\n His thoughts drifted back to the other night. When, despite their substitute sacrifice and the last-minute rushing in to save the day, they\u2019d only managed to get Melissa and Chris out before the nemeton\u2019s cellar had collapsed. Stiles and his dad had been there for what seemed like hours before they\u2019d been able to get out.<\/p>\n His Dad had been separated from him by a wall of debris and dirt, but they\u2019d been able to communicate through it, even if they couldn\u2019t see each other. Stiles had ended up divulging quite a lot of the last nine months while he tried to take his mind off the fact that they were buried under what felt like miles of mud and dirt.<\/p>\n Then his dad had suddenly gone silent.<\/p>\n Stiles had only known terror like that what he\u2019d felt in that silence once before. He\u2019d lunged for the wall of earth and debris separating them. Stiles had pulled and fought with it but had got nowhere. He\u2019d shouted himself hoarse. The panic attack that followed had left him hovering on the edge of unconsciousness when Derek had pulled him from the earth.<\/p>\n He\u2019d begged Derek to help his dad. Stiles had slapped the other man\u2019s hands off of him and used strength he didn\u2019t know he had as he tried to shove him back towards the cellar.<\/p>\n Derek had just studied him briefly and nodded, setting him down next to Isaac and Cora before he\u2019d headed back down into the place that had to still feature somewhere in his own nightmares to dig out Stiles\u2019 dad.<\/p>\n Stiles would never be able to thank the other man enough, especially when Scott had ignored him when he\u2019d shouted for him to help Derek. Isaac hadn\u2019t he\u2019d gone down into that dark, dank place to help, and Cora had sat with Stiles while they waited.<\/p>\n Stiles hadn\u2019t seen any of them since. That had been four days ago.<\/p>\n \u201cStiles?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMrs. McCall?\u201d Stiles turned, blinking his eyes a few times to bring her into focus as he brought his thoughts completely back to the present. \u201cEverything okay?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEverything is fine,\u201d She said; she didn\u2019t come any closer, but her gaze flicked over his dad before returning to him. \u201cThey said that the infection from the shoulder wound is clearing up nicely. He should wake up soon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d Stiles smiled at her, but he didn\u2019t think he was very convincing from her frown.<\/p>\n \u201cYou need to go home and get some rest,\u201d She said; she held up a hand when he tried to protest. \u201cI know you\u2019re halfway to eighteen, but that still means you\u2019re seventeen, Stiles, and I\u2019m sending you home to get a few hours of sleep and something to eat. A shower and a change of clothes wouldn\u2019t hurt either. Your dad would have a fit if he could see the state you\u2019re in right now, and you know it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to leave him,\u201d Stiles said, looking back at his dad and reaching over to take his hand. \u201cWhat if he wakes up and needs something?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll make sure someone calls you immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre you even supposed to be on shift?\u201d Stiles turned back to look at her as the thought crossed his mind.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not, but I have my own connections here,\u201d She said smiling. \u201cNow get out of here and go home. I don\u2019t want you back here until tomorrow morning.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat time is it anyway?\u201d Stiles started to dig into his pocket for his phone, only to remember that it had died sometime during his trip into the preserve.<\/p>\n \u201cAlmost eight at night,\u201d She said, shaking her head at him. \u201cYou\u2019ve been here for over forty-eight hours, according to the other nurses. They all know better than to try and send you home, so they called me in.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d Stiles glanced behind her into the hallway. \u201cI\u2019m not that scary.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re fine, but they all know how close you and your dad are too. It\u2019s just reached a point where you need to go home for a few hours.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I\u2019m more likely to listen to you than the rest of them?\u201d He winced internally, he hadn\u2019t meant that to sound as dismissive it did, but his point stood.<\/p>\n \u201cProbably not,\u201d She said, an amused smile on her face. \u201cBut I know to tell you that if your dad wakes up to find you looking like this he\u2019ll be more worried and stressed than if he\u2019s told I sent you home to get some rest.\u201d She sighed, reaching down just outside the door and grabbing a small bag. \u201cI brought a few things and I\u2019ll sit with your dad until you get back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about Scott?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s going to head over to your house and stay with you,\u201d Melissa said, finally stepping into the room fully. \u201cHe should already be there by now. He\u2019s probably tried calling, but I\u2019m guessing you haven\u2019t had a chance to charge your phone yet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t even thought about it, to be honest.\u201d Stiles shrugged, finally standing up and conceding defeat. A real shower would be good; the quick wash he\u2019d done in the bathroom sink earlier hadn\u2019t done much. \u201cYou promise you\u2019ll call if he wakes up, or something happens. The house phone if you can\u2019t get me on my cell?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, Stiles,\u201d Melissa said; she reached out and brushed her hand over his bare arm. \u201cI\u2019ll make sure you\u2019re informed if anything happens, anything at all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay.\u201d He nodded even as he held back a wince. He rubbed a hand over his arm after she pulled back, feeling a pained chill crawl over him, followed by the warmth of comforting compassion edged with frustration.<\/p>\n Ever since the cave, he\u2019d become oversensitive to touch, almost like he could feel too much of everything else – of everyone else – when they touched him. Stiles had been ignoring it while he\u2019d been focused on his dad. He\u2019d been able to with the lack of visitors, the nurses and doctors didn\u2019t go out of their way to touch Stiles, and his dad seemed to be inert in relation to whatever was going on.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll see you in the morning then,\u201d She said, shooing him out. \u201cYou know how to get in touch with me if you need to and I\u2019ll call the house if I can\u2019t get through to your cell. Now, get out of here. Scott is waiting for you so you won\u2019t be alone tonight, either one of you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlright, thanks Mrs. McCall,\u201d Stiles said. He leaned over and kissed his dad\u2019s forehead. \u201cWake-up soon, old man. You still have to yell at me for the last nine months remember? I\u2019ll see you in a couple of hours, love you Dad.\u201d He squeezed his dad\u2019s hand and stepped back from the bed, picking up his jacket from the back of the chair and heading toward the door. \u201cIf you have to leave for something, please let me know. I don\u2019t want him left alone here.\u201d It went unspoken why Stiles refused to leave his dad alone in the hospital.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course Stiles,\u201d Melissa repeated her earlier promise. \u201cYou go home and try to get some rest even if you can\u2019t sleep. Eat something and shower, before you come back in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d Stiles nodded and lifted a hand in farewell as he left the room.<\/p>\n He shrugged into his jacket to avoid accidentally brushing into someone in the hall. He wasn\u2019t going to examine this new ability he suddenly seemed to have, but his mind kept going back to it when he wasn\u2019t obsessing over his dad. Stiles figured it had something to do with the ritual Deaton had had them do and the figurative darkness around their hearts or the way he\u2019d died and come back. There were lots of anecdotes about people getting some sort of psychic ability or supernatural awareness after a near-death experience. Stiles guessed this was something like that and would probably fade over time, or he was just so exhausted he was half hallucinating it, which was a disturbing theory he really didn\u2019t want to dwell on.<\/p>\n \u201cHey,\u201d Derek said, stepping out of a side hall just as Stiles passed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the fuck? Derek!\u201d Stiles lashed out, shoving the other man back before slapping his hand to his chest. \u201cWarn a guy. I could have hurt you.\u201d He frowned at Derek\u2019s eyebrows. \u201cFine. I could have hurt myself, but I could have wolfsbane or something one of these times, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t want to interrupt you while you were with your dad,\u201d Derek said, sticking his hands in his pockets. \u201cHow is he?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s going to be okay,\u201d Stiles said, starting to walk again. \u201cAt least that\u2019s what they tell me. He hasn\u2019t woken up yet though. He got an infection from the stab wound Ms. Blake gave him and then the cave in down there did some damage; he broke his foot, and he\u2019s got a head injury, but other than that it’s mostly cuts and bruises. We have to wait and see how bad the head injury is when he wakes up though. It looks okay on their machines, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHmm.\u201d Derek grunted and rolled his shoulders a little. \u201cIf you think he\u2019d take it, I could offer him the bite. Unless Scott already has and you\u2019re going to take him up on it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d Stiles stopped at the emergency room doors; as Derek\u2019s words hit him, he turned to look at the other man. \u201cThat\u2019s – Thanks. And no, Scott hasn\u2019t said anything about biting dad. Why would he?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHave you seen Scott since you got back from the preserve?\u201d Derek reached out, pulled Stiles out of the way, and then led him out of the hospital.<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Stiles said. He frowned as he thought about it. Stiles remembered catching a glimpse of him with the rest of the pack when they came out of the preserve after they were rescued, but he hadn\u2019t had a chance to talk to anyone. He\u2019d been more concerned about his dad at the moment anyway. \u201cI came straight here with Dad, and I haven\u2019t left since. I haven\u2019t seen much of anyone until Mrs. McCall showed up about ten minutes ago.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo you don\u2019t know what\u2019s been going on or if the alpha pack is even gone then?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was a little busy,\u201d Stiles said, feeling his temper start to rise. \u201cI assumed that things were taken care of or my dad and I would still be underground. Nobody seemed to be dragging extra alphas or darachs around when I was leaving for the hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere\u2019s your jeep?\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles froze, and then his gaze swept the hospital parking, his shoulders slumped.<\/p>\n \u201cProbably still on the road where I crashed the other night,\u201d He said with a heavy sigh. \u201cI told you I haven\u2019t left the hospital. If it hasn\u2019t been towed, I\u2019ll need to make arrangements. It\u2019s probably going to cost a mint to fix too.\u201d He hoped he wouldn\u2019t have to dig too far into his savings for it, but he had a feeling that he\u2019d have to use some of the money his gran had left him if it was as bad as he thought.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll drive you home and tell you what happened if you want,\u201d Derek said, somewhere between a request and an order.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Stiles replied, beginning to feel a little off balance by this version of Derek, but he didn\u2019t feel threatened by the other man, and he\u2019d learned to pay attention to that radar. \u201cAre you also going to tell me why you\u2019re being so nice to me right now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you want me to stop?\u201d Derek raised a brow at him before taking his elbow and directing him to the car a few rows back.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t say it was a bad thing, it\u2019s just\u2026\u201d Stiles yawned and shrugged. He waved a hand in Derek\u2019s direction. \u201cJust fill me in on what\u2019s been going on. I didn\u2019t realize how out of touch I\u2019ve been.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou haven\u2019t been answering your phone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt died, and I forgot to charge it,\u201d Stiles said, leaning his head against the window and watching Derek drive. \u201cYou\u2019d tell me if your wolfy powers sensed anything wrong with my dad, right? You aren\u2019t offering the bite to him because there’s something you don\u2019t want to tell me, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo Stiles, I didn\u2019t notice anything unusual about your dad.\u201d Derek sighed, flicking a glance his way briefly. \u201cI offered for the reasons I told you and if your dad takes a turn or you think he warrants it because of his prognosis then\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Stiles said, nodding after a moment of silence. \u201cOkay. Well, tell me what happened then, especially if you think Scott should have offered us the bite.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI thought he would have at least been here to offer to officially make you pack,\u201d Derek said, his gaze flicked back over before he snapped it back to the road.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Stiles felt like he was laid out naked under that glance and not the kind of naked that he\u2019d prefer either. \u201cWhat was that look for?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t have a connection to his pack, that\u2019s all.\u201d Derek shrugged. \u201cI expected something to carry over now that he\u2019s an alpha, but maybe he has to affirm it in person since he came into his power differently.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, yeah. You\u2019re going to need to start at the beginning,\u201d Stiles said after a few moments of staring at Derek with his mouth open. \u201cI need to know how Scott became an alpha and who he killed to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe didn\u2019t kill anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStart talking, Derek. I swear, you are the worst at this story telling thing.\u201d Stiles lifted his hands and squeezed them together. \u201cI might not be able to tear your throat out with my teeth, but I will start pulling hair and biting until you look like you tangled with a mountain lion for at least<\/i> five minutes. Then I\u2019m going to find out how to turn mountain ash and wolfsbane into itching powder and dump it into your clothes. I\u2019m not even kidding.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour threats could use some work,\u201d Derek said dryly, but his ears were turning pink.<\/p>\n Stiles frowned, wondering if he\u2019d actually upset Derek. He went back over what he\u2019d said and internally sighed at himself. He hadn\u2019t even meant the innuendo this time.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe, but you still promised to tell me everything,\u201d Stiles said, deciding to ignore everything else. He waved Derek on. \u201cGo on, tell me how Scott McCall, the werewolf who doesn\u2019t want to werewolf, just became an alpha. Then tell me everything else that happened.\u201d<\/p>\n So Derek did, pausing when Stiles thunked his head against the window and cursed at various points in the telling.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you fucking kidding me?\u201d Stiles stared at Derek.<\/p>\n The car was parked in the driveway, but neither one of them had moved to go inside yet. Stiles was still absorbing the events he\u2019d missed, and Derek was watching him.<\/p>\n \u201cAbout which part?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou trusted Peter and faith healed your sister with your alpha powers which made them disappear. Then you and Scott just let Deucalion run off into the wild blue yonder because he promised to be a good boy while you made scary faces at him?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat wasn\u2019t exactly what I said.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cScott is now some weird ass true alpha, which you say is because of some sort of strength of will.\u201d Stiles frowned and made a face that disagreed with that. \u201cAnd I guess if the powers that be are handing out alphaness because of sheer stubbornness, then sure, yeah\u2026I\u2019ll buy it. But really? Also your power came back when you headed out to help rescue my dad and I, which thanks for that by the way.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek grunted and jerked his head in an approximation of a nod.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t just accept my thanks like a normal person can you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cScott\u2019s inside, and he\u2019s just noticed that we\u2019re here,\u201d Derek said, ignoring Stiles and opening his door to get out.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to take that as a no.\u201d Stiles got out of the car as the front door of the house opened. \u201cI\u2019m guessing the alpha upgrade didn\u2019t help with his ability to actually use his senses though.\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles would probably feel bad about sniping at Scott after he\u2019d had some rest and distance from the events of the past few weeks, but then again, maybe not. Scott hadn\u2019t even been by the hospital when Stiles\u2019 dad had been admitted; he hadn\u2019t even come to check on Stiles after the rescue when he couldn\u2019t get through on the phone.<\/p>\n \u201cStiles, get away from him,\u201d Scott said, stomping across the yard, his eyes stuttering red and gold. \u201cHe\u2019s an alpha again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s been an alpha for awhile now Scott,\u201d Stiles replied, watching him with a frown, his head tilted as he tried to parse what he was seeing.<\/p>\n \u201cHe lost his power saving Cora,\u201d Scott said. He frowned at Derek, crossing his arms. \u201cI thought you were finally getting better, but you showed your true colors. Who was it, Derek? Did you go after Deucalion after we let him go?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t kill anyone,\u201d Derek said, leaning back against his car and sighing. \u201cBelieve what you will though, you always seem to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you come by the hospital Scott?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t know you were still there,\u201d Scott said; he turned from Derek and looked at Stiles. He moved to Stiles and set a hand on his shoulder. \u201cNobody said that you were hurt that bad, and you didn\u2019t call.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid you even call me?\u201d Stiles fought back a shudder at the duplicity and apathy that drifted off Scott in his direction. The obsessive desire that caused bile to swim in Stiles\u2019 stomach when Scott turned his attention, however briefly, to Allison had Stiles step back until they were no longer touching.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy would I?\u201d Scott looked puzzled. \u201cI had to make sure Allison was settled and other things were taken care of. Her dad was kidnapped and mom was upset. Deaton was still shaken up too and then this whole true alpha thing. I had a lot I had to deal with Stiles, I\u2019m sorry I didn\u2019t call you. I just forgot.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou know his dad is in the hospital and hasn\u2019t woken up yet right?\u201d Derek stood up, a growl rumbling under his words.<\/p>\n \u201cThe sheriff?\u201d Scott glanced at Derek before looking back at Stiles. \u201cHe\u2019s hurt, I didn\u2019t know that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cObviously,\u201d Stiles replied, sighing; he shoved his hands in his pockets. \u201cWhy did you think your mom sent you over here anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI just thought your dad was busy working and someone needed to keep you busy – uh – company for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Stiles said, nodding. \u201cYou weren\u2019t planning on staying, were you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI mean if you need me.\u201d The guilty shift in Scott\u2019s gaze told Stiles another story, though. \u201cI\u2019m not going to leave you here with him, <\/i>though.\u201d Scott glared at Derek.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be fine with Derek,\u201d Stiles replied, holding back a sigh. \u201cAfter all, we\u2019re pack aren\u2019t we.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course.\u201d Scott\u2019s gaze did that shifty thing again, and Stiles wished Scott would stop trying to lie to him. \u201cThanks, man.\u201d He slapped a hand to Stiles\u2019 shoulder, already heading down the sidewalk to his bike, despite his warnings about Derek and his earlier anger at the other man.<\/p>\n \u201cHave a good night Scott,\u201d Stiles said, finally deciding to just fuck it all.<\/p>\n Stiles was tired, he was heartsore in more ways than one, and Scott\u2019s friendship was dangling by only a few frayed threads. They weren\u2019t pack in any of the ways that mattered. That feeling of absolute dismissal toward him was the final nail in the coffin of their friendship. He\u2019d been holding onto it by the edges of his fingernails for so long, all he could feel at the moment was pained relief. Stiles shook his head and put it away to think on later.<\/p>\n \u201cYou weren\u2019t talking to him,\u201d Derek said quietly from behind him.<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Stiles said, watching Scott drive away. \u201cScott and I haven\u2019t been in the same pack since the events of the kanima and the police station. I\u2019m not sure which one of us was clinging harder to denial at the time, though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou aren\u2019t denying it anymore though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d Stiles shivered as the breeze picked up. He felt a heavy fabric drop around his shoulders, and it took him a moment to realize that Derek had just draped his leather jacket over Stiles.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s go inside before you get sick.\u201d Derek pressed a hand against his back and turned him toward the house.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know that\u2019s an old wives tale, right?\u201d He wasn\u2019t getting anything off Derek, and he wondered if that was because of the thickness of the fabric or something to do with Derek himself.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd werewolves are fairytales and folklore.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFair, not quite the same thing, but fair point.\u201d Stiles smirked at Derek just before he stumbled over the step up to the porch.<\/p>\n \u201cBe careful. You don\u2019t need to make that concussion any worse,\u201d Derek said, catching Stiles by the elbow and standing him back on his feet. Derek straightened the jacket back over his shoulders before stepping back. \u201cI should probably\u2026\u201d He jerked his thumb over his shoulder.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Stiles laughed and shook his head. \u201cJust get in here unless you actually have to go.\u201d He gestured to the door that Scott had left open. \u201cI mean, I have a feeling that you\u2019re just going to drive around checking up on everyone and then lurking outside our places anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChecking on the well-being of the pack is what an alpha does,\u201d Derek replied, but his ears were turning pink again under the porch light. \u201cI might not be the best alpha, but I\u2019m trying.\u201d Derek\u2019s mouth snapped shut as if he\u2019d said something he hadn\u2019t meant to.<\/p>\n \u201cYou aren\u2019t the worst alpha either,\u201d Stiles said. He reached out and snagged the man\u2019s sleeve to pull him into the house. Derek came willingly if a little grumpily. \u201cRight now, you\u2019re my top pick.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d Derek raised his brows at Stiles and crossed his arms. \u201cI\u2019m <\/i>your top pick as alpha?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure.\u201d Stiles kicked off his shoes but kept the jacket on.<\/p>\n Stiles slipped his arms into the sleeves and decided to see how long Derek would let him hold on to it. He took a deep sniff off the collar of the jacket as he adjusted it back around him, walking down the hall, enjoying the scent of leather and Derek surrounding him. Stiles decided that he wasn\u2019t going to examine when exactly Derek became equated with safety to him and just enjoy it for now.<\/p>\n \u201cJust like that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFace it, Derek,\u201d Stiles said, turning and walking backward into the kitchen. \u201cYou\u2019re my number one alpha.\u201d Stiles grinned and winked. \u201cI\u2019m going to get that on a t-shirt.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, you\u2019re not.\u201d Derek leaned against the doorframe and sighed, watching Stiles. \u201cAre you saying that you want to be pack?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI thought I already was?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan you answer a question?\u201d Derek\u2019s voice had the precursor to a growl rumbling beneath the words.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know, can I?\u201d Stiles laughed and waved Derek\u2019s frown off. It felt good to have someone safe to laugh with after the last couple of days. \u201cYou seemed to be saying that we were pack. My dad and I, that is. Was I wrong in thinking that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot exactly,\u201d Derek replied, shifting against the doorframe and pushing himself up. He moved across the floor to Stiles. \u201cYou\u2019ve felt like pack to me for a long time now, but I thought that you were connected through Scott, even after I couldn\u2019t feel more than a hint of his pack bond. After he rose to alpha and his bond shattered I didn\u2019t expect to feel a pack bond to you anymore, but you\u2019re still there. It\u2019s faint, but still accessible.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf it\u2019s still there, then that probably means I\u2019m not in Scott\u2019s pack doesn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProbably, but not impossible,\u201d Derek said as he shrugged. \u201cI don\u2019t know as much about this as I should. I wasn\u2019t the one that was ever supposed to be the alpha, that was Laura or another one of the cousins. I was always supposed to be a beta unless\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere was some sort of catastrophe or special circumstance that wouldn\u2019t happen in your peaceful pack?\u201d Stiles reached over and laid his hand gently on Derek\u2019s arm, squeezing slightly. \u201cI get it. How are you going to find out what you need to then?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere are books and journals in our family vault that I\u2019m trying to read when I have time, but things have been what they\u2019ve been lately.\u201d Derek shrugged again and stepped back a step, but not far enough to dislodge Stiles\u2019 hand. \u201cAs for the bond, I think the reason its so faint is because we never officially brought you into our pack.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI guess not,\u201d Stiles replied, thinking back. \u201cI know less about this stuff than you do, officially that is. I just kind of came along with Scott as a two-for-one deal; that\u2019s all I thought there was to it. Is there something else that I\u2019m supposed to do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s more about intent and acknowledgment, really,\u201d Derek said; he sighed and crossed his arms again briefly before uncrossing them and putting his hands on Stiles\u2019 shoulders. \u201cWe\u2019ve been – I\u2019ve been half-assing this whole thing, and it’s got to stop if I\u2019m going to be an alpha here. If I\u2019m going to be a Hale alpha in Hale territory trying to uphold a Hale legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think you had that first part right,\u201d Stiles said, reaching up and wrapping his hands around Derek\u2019s forearms. \u201cWe\u2019ve been<\/i> making a mess of this all by not working together and on my part, by trying to ignore some of it until it goes away – only it never goes away, it just gets worse.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut, I think you\u2019re putting too much on yourself with all that Hale stuff,\u201d Stiles continued giving Derek a little shake. \u201cIt\u2019s great that you want to be a good alpha and live up to the Hale legacy or whatever, but you also have to remember that you\u2019re Derek Hale and not Talia Hale or Peter Hale or fuck, Hale Hale. The Hales made mistakes and weren\u2019t perfect, so don\u2019t put them on a pedestal while trying to emulate what you think a perfect alpha and pack is supposed to be.\u201d Stiles met Derek\u2019s gaze straight on, trying to instill all of his belief in the words he was saying. \u201cJust be Derek Hale and be willing to learn, that\u2019s how you\u2019ll be the best alpha, and that\u2019s how we\u2019ll be the best pack for this territory.\u201d<\/p>\n The kitchen rang with silence as Derek stared at Stiles for a long moment, his eyes wide and lips parted as if he wanted to speak but had lost his words.<\/p>\n \u201cSo you\u2019re joining my pack officially then,\u201d Derek said, his voice hoarse, but he didn\u2019t look away from Stiles\u2019 gaze.<\/p>\n Stiles finally realized just how close the two of them were, and he felt himself flush. Unlike Derek, Stiles knew that he was pink from his neck to the top of his cheeks.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Derek,\u201d Stiles replied, forcing himself not to step back or dwell too much on how Derek made him feel. He\u2019d known he was attracted to the other man since he\u2019d first met him – that it had blossomed into something that had turned his crush on Lydia into a faint memory was a little surprising, but not by much. \u201cI want to be in your pack and when my dad is awake I know he\u2019ll be there with me as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWelcome to the Hale Pack, Stiles,\u201d Derek said, flashing brilliant red eyes at him.<\/p>\n \u201cDid your eyes get more intense.\u201d Stiles leaned forward as he frowned. \u201cI don\u2019t remember them being quite that shade of crimson or so bright. That\u2019s so cool.\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles barely managed to get the words out of his mouth before he felt his knees buckle, and the kitchen seemed to explode in fireworks.<\/p>\n \u201cStiles!?\u201d Derek\u2019s voice came from a distance as Stiles felt himself start to slide away. \u201cStiles!\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles snapped back into awareness with Derek leaning over him; what looked to be a mini lightning storm was going on around them.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the fuck, Derek?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Derek said. His eyes were red, and his teeth a little sharper than usual. He gestured around them. \u201cI felt the bond snap into place fully, and you just – and then that\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFuck,\u201d Stiles said, coughing as he struggled to sit up. Derek wrapped an arm around his waist and helped him sit up as they watched.<\/p>\n The sparks and mini bursts of lightning didn\u2019t seem to be doing any damage to the room or anything in it, but the more Stiles watched, the more he became convinced that it was hunting something.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to get you something to drink,\u201d Derek said after they sat and watched the light show for a few moments. \u201cI\u2019m not sure what this is, but it doesn\u2019t seem like it\u2019s doing anything harmful.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, Deaton did say \u2018be the spark\u2019 <\/i>I didn\u2019t think he meant it quite so literally, but here we are,\u201d Stiles said as he laughed. He coughed again; it felt like something was caught in his lungs. Stiles had a brief thought that he\u2019d caught a cold under the nemeton or in the darach\u2019s storm.<\/p>\n \u201cHere,\u201d Derek said, handing him a bottle of water.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks,\u201d Stiles said hoarsely as the coughing fit slowed down. He cracked the top and drank. The light show seemed to be dissipating, and he felt a jolt of relief that didn\u2019t feel entirely his own. He glanced over at Derek and realized that Derek was rubbing circles on Stiles\u2019 back. Stiles choked on some of the water, which caused him to start coughing again.<\/p>\n \u201cJesus, Stiles,\u201d Derek huffed, rubbing circles over his chest now.<\/p>\n Stiles felt his whole body heave and immediately prayed that he wouldn\u2019t puke all over Derek\u2019s jacket. He expelled a dark black fleck that landed in his hand with a tremendous hacking cough. He closed his hand over it immediately, even while he shivered in revulsion. The dark emotions coming off such a small thing made his vision swim for a moment.<\/p>\n \u201cDerek, in my back pocket there is a plastic bag, can you grab it please,\u201d Stiles said, even as his throat felt like he\u2019d gargled glass.<\/p>\n \u201cSit up a bit more,\u201d Derek said before Stiles felt him groping into the back of his jeans. \u201cIs this mountain ash?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust what\u2019s left over from the kanima thing,\u201d Stiles said, not really caring about anything but getting the thing in his hand away from him. \u201cGive it here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrust me, please.\u201d Stiles got the bag opened with one hand and his teeth, then he dumped the small lump into the pile of mountain ash and quickly closed the bag.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the fuck?\u201d Derek peered at the bag, his eyebrows furrowing.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know, but the fact that I coughed it up right after the events of the last week and joining your pack with that light show tells me that it can\u2019t be a good thing,\u201d Stiles said as he frowned at the bag. \u201cAlso it feels like sludge and evil.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean feels?\u201d Derek whipped his head around to look at Stiles.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I might have come out of the tree or the drowning ritual a little changed,\u201d Stiles said. He shrugged, waving it away. \u201cWe can deal with it later, I promise I\u2019m not ignoring it.\u201d He ignored Derek\u2019s look of disbelief. \u201cI\u2019m going to need to figure out some way to control it anyway or I\u2019m never going to be able to be around people in large groups again. But that isn\u2019t our priority.\u201d He held up the bag and shook it. \u201cThis is, and I think its pretty bad, not to mention that I coughed it up<\/i>.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek opened his mouth to say something when the sparks that had been slowly dying out around the room exploded toward the bag in Stiles\u2019 hand. Derek threw himself over Stiles, and Stiles once again found himself flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the fuck?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre you okay?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have no idea,\u201d Stiles said, feeling exhaustion swamp him suddenly. \u201cI think so.\u201d<\/p>\n They both sat up, slowly glancing around. The kitchen was back to normal, with no light shows or any evidence of one. Stiles got to his feet and began to look for the bag with the thing he\u2019d coughed up.<\/p>\n \u201cI think this is it,\u201d Derek said, poking something with the toe of his boot. \u201cAt least it\u2019s got mountain ash in it.\u201d His boot wasn\u2019t quite touching the scorched mess on the floor. \u201cWhy did you put it in mountain ash?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh.\u201d Stiles stared down at the oozing mess that faintly smelled of rotten eggs and ozone. He shook his head and looked back at Derek when his question registered. \u201cIt just felt right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHmm.\u201d Derek tilted his head, gaze boring into Stiles. \u201cWe need to see about getting some training, but first we need to know what happened to you. I\u2019ve got some contacts that I found when I went through the things in the vault and I think that Cora is still on good terms with the pack she was with before coming here. Hopefully we can get some answers soon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll have to tell Dad when he wakes up,\u201d Stiles said. He shrugged at the raised brows that got. \u201cI promised not to keep important secrets from him anymore. This seems like it would be one of those things that I should tell him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou think he\u2019s going to be okay with all of this?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think okay is quite the right word,\u201d Stiles said as he moved to the cupboards and pulled out an old plastic container and lid. He grabbed the roll of paper towels and headed back to the mess on the floor. \u201cHe\u2019ll accept it though, especially since he knows me well enough to know that I\u2019m not going to walk away from you and the pack.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWill he even want to be pack or will he stay pack adjacent if he doesn\u2019t need the bite?\u201d Derek leaned back against the counter and watched him.<\/p>\n Stiles glanced up from where he knelt. \u201cI don\u2019t know, it could go either way. He could decide that it\u2019s a family thing or that he wants to try and straddle the line between the two worlds.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEven though you definitely won\u2019t be doing any straddling?\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles sat back on his heels and looked at Derek; raising his brows, he felt his lips curve into a smirk.<\/p>\n \u201cStop, just stop,\u201d Derek said as he held rand a hand over his face. \u201cYou know what I meant.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI want to say he\u2019d be all in,\u201d Stiles said, deciding to give Derek a break. \u201cBut with the way things went down the other night and what happened at the police station not long ago\u2026\u201d Stiles shrugged. \u201cIt\u2019s been brutal in this town lately and there isn\u2019t any indication that its going to get better, at least nothing that we can lay out for him directly. That could make him more likely to want to be a part of the pack and help or it could make him less than willing to want anything to do it the supernatural world. It\u2019s hard to say until I can really talk with him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUntil we <\/i>can talk with him,\u201d Derek said. \u201cI\u2019m not going to leave this all on your shoulders. This is something that I should have done in the beginning when I knew that you weren\u2019t going to let all of this go. I should have made you tell your dad, should have brought him into the pack earlier. He might have been able to protect himself better from Jennifer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou couldn\u2019t have made me do anything I wasn\u2019t ready to do in relation to my dad, Derek,\u201d Stiles said, wiping up the last of the mess and depositing the towels into the container before securing the lid. He didn\u2019t want to just throw it away, it didn\u2019t feel as bad as it had before, but he didn\u2019t trust what was left behind after the drama of it all. \u201cIf you\u2019d gone behind my back and told him about werewolves and everything, I might actually have shot you.\u201d He grinned without humor in Derek\u2019s direction as he got to his feet. \u201cWith regular bullets, but I would have done it where it would have hurt for awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNoted,\u201d Derek said with a grimace.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know how it will turn out when he wakes up,\u201d Stiles said, yawning as he turned the water on and began to wash his hands. \u201cHe seemed to be open to it, if exasperated and angry with me about how much I\u2019d been keeping from him over the past few months. I don\u2019t know – I just don\u2019t know. I don\u2019t even know what I don\u2019t know anymore.\u201d Stiles scrubbed wet hands through his hair before dragging them down his face. He looked at them and felt betrayed as water dripped off the end of his nose. \u201cWhat the fuck is wrong with me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re exhausted and worried about your dad,\u201d Derek said, handing him a towel from the oven handle. \u201cWhatever happened earlier didn\u2019t help with any of that. The situation with Scott certainly didn\u2019t. You need to get something to eat and some rest.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek wiped the towel over Stiles\u2019 face when he just stood there staring at Derek. Then Derek led him to one of the chairs at the table and sat him down.<\/p>\n \u201cDerek?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to get you something to eat and then you\u2019re going to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe can deal with whatever else is left after you\u2019ve had some sleep.\u201d Derek began to rummage around in the cabinets and the fridge. He put together a peanut butter and jelly sandwich; Derek sat it on the table with a glass of milk and nodded at Stiles. \u201cEat.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Derek,\u201d Stiles managed as he ate the sandwich and finished the milk in record time. He just sat in the chair after, feeling too exhausted to move.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on, up,\u201d Derek said, pulling the chair out and lifting Stiles to his feet. \u201cTime for sleep now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGoing to tuck me in?\u201d Stiles smiled, amused and warmed by this version of Derek. He was brusque about it but definitely trying to take care of Stiles.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I have to,\u201d Derek said; he kept his hand on Stiles\u2019 back as they headed up the stairs.<\/p>\n Stiles stopped off in the bathroom to brush his teeth and take care of things before heading to his room. He was so tired he barely managed to slip out of Derek\u2019s jacket.<\/p>\n \u201cI was going to take a shower,\u201d He said, looking down at the dirty clothes he was wearing.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can take one when you won\u2019t drown standing up,\u201d Derek replied, flinging a pair of sweats at him. \u201cI\u2019ll be back for you in the morning to take you to the hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou aren\u2019t staying?\u201d Stiles felt his heart flip before speeding up.<\/p>\n Derek paused at the door and turned around. He studied Stiles, tilting his head.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you want me to stay?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t have to,\u201d Stiles replied immediately. \u201cI mean, I supposed you have to get back to Cora or something right?\u201d<\/p>\n Derek stared at him some more before nodding and knocking a fist against the doorframe.<\/p>\n \u201cGet changed, I\u2019ll call Cora,\u201d Derek said. \u201cI\u2019ll stay the night and we can go see your dad in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles watched Derek turn and leave, stunned and stupidly grateful that he wouldn\u2019t be alone overnight.<\/p>\n \u201cNumber one alpha,\u201d He whispered under his breath, giggling a little as he stripped and put on the sweats. He went to the door and called out. \u201cDefinitely my favorite alpha.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo to sleep Stiles,\u201d Derek yelled back. \u201cBefore I smother you with a pillow.<\/p>\n \u201cEven your threats have less teeth to them now,\u201d Stiles said as he flicked off his light.<\/p>\n He crossed to his bed and slid under the covers, feeling chilled again and hoping that he wasn\u2019t coming down with something. At least the cough had disappeared once that thing had come up. Stiles hadn\u2019t got a good look at it, but it had looked like some sort of fly or something. He\u2019d definitely have to start researching that as soon as he woke up and saw his dad in the morning.<\/p>\n \u201cI told you to go to sleep,\u201d Derek said from the doorway. \u201cI can practically hear your mind running from here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t just shut it off,\u201d Stiles said, flopping on his back and staring at his ceiling through the gray shadows of his room. \u201cI\u2019m so fucking tired and I just can\u2019t seem to let everything go and relax.\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles heard two thumps and turned to look at Derek as he was straightening back up in the doorway. Derek crossed the room and looked down at Stiles for a moment.<\/p>\n \u201cMove over,\u201d Derek said, gesturing to him with a wave of his hand.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Stiles was already moving, though, as Derek climbed in his bed, almost fully clothed. The sounds that he\u2019d heard had been Derek taking his boots off.<\/p>\n \u201cThis helps Isaac sometimes when he has trouble sleeping,\u201d Derek said, his shoulders rolling in what Stiles assumed was a shrug. \u201cYou aren\u2019t a wolf, but you\u2019re pack so it should help some.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose,\u201d Stiles replied.<\/p>\n Stiles let Derek maneuver him into a position that had Derek sprawled on his back. Stiles\u2019 face tucked into his neck and on arm and leg draped over the other man. The position felt intimate – it was intimate – but Stiles was too tired to feel anything beyond a distant simmer of arousal that was banked under the bone-deep exhaustion that began to pull him down as soon as they settled.<\/p>\n \u201cAre we going to talk about this?\u201d Stiles thumped his finger over the center of Derek\u2019s chest a couple of times, stopping when Derek caught his hand.<\/p>\n \u201cEventually,\u201d Derek said, acknowledging that there was something to talk about without admitting to anything. \u201cBut not tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Stiles said; he\u2019d have to be okay with that. At least it wasn\u2019t in his head, whatever was going on. Derek was right, though; there was too much that had happened tonight for him to process anymore. Especially on top of his dad in the hospital and the events of the last few days.<\/p>\n \u201cSleep Stiles,\u201d Derek said, rubbing his hand up and down Stiles\u2019 back. \u201cJust sleep, I\u2019ll stay and listen for the phone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy phone,\u201d Stiles said, trying to sit up, but stopped when Derek spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cI took care of it,\u201d Derek said; he used his free hand to point towards the desk, and when Stiles lifted his head up, he could just barely see in the dim light that his phone was plugged onto the charging cord.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks,\u201d Stiles muttered, tucking his head back into Derek\u2019s neck.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, go to sleep,\u201d Derek replied, tapping Stiles\u2019 back in rhythm to each word.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, alpha,\u201d Stiles murmured, his mind finally going foggy as he let go of the day.<\/p>\n Stiles would deal with it all tomorrow. He\u2019d deal with the rest of it tomorrow. He\u2019d deal with his new abilities and coughing up evil things tomorrow. He\u2019d deal with his dad waking up – or not waking up – tomorrow.<\/p>\n And tomorrow, Stiles would have an alpha and a pack, ragged though they were at this point, with him to help deal with everything. Tomorrow wasn\u2019t looking so horrible – for once anyway.<\/p>\n Tomorrow things would change, things could start to be better, and the pack would take care of everything that mattered – together.<\/p>\n Stiles slipped into sleep with that thought and the feeling of Derek\u2019s hand running a slow path up and down his back, soothing him into soft dreams.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Title: Everything Matters Author: Sibyl Moon Fandom: Teen Wolf Genre: Canon Divergent, Relationship: Stiles\/Derek Beta: HarleyJQuin Warnings\/Rating:Canon-Typical-Violence, reference to canon deaths, Bad Friend Scott. Word Count: 7553 Summary: When Stiles arrived to help get his dad out from under the nemeton, things didn\u2019t go as well as he\u2019d hoped. … Continue reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[69,42,9],"tags":[73,70,71,60,14,39,72,46,30,31],"class_list":["post-662","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-big-moxie","category-sterek","category-teen-wolf","tag-bad-friend-scott","tag-big-moxie","tag-canon-divergence","tag-canon-typical-violence","tag-challenges","tag-derek-hale","tag-moxie-q1","tag-sterek","tag-stiles-stilinski","tag-teen-wolf"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/662","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=662"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/662\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=662"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=662"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=662"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nAuthor: <\/b>Sibyl Moon
\nFandom<\/b>: Teen Wolf
\nGenre:<\/b> Canon Divergent,
\nRelationship<\/b>: Stiles\/Derek
\nBeta:<\/b> HarleyJQuin<\/a>
\nWarnings\/Rating<\/b>:Canon-Typical-Violence, reference to canon deaths, Bad Friend Scott.
\nWord Count: <\/b>7553
\nSummary<\/b>: <\/b>When Stiles arrived to help get his dad out from under the nemeton, things didn\u2019t go as well as he\u2019d hoped.<\/p>\nChapter One<\/h1>\n