Chapter Text
Present ...
After his parent's divorce, Scott McCall and his mother moved to the seemingly quiet town of Beacon Hills. Stiles rather begrudgingly at first was was assigned as Scott's "buddy" tasked with giving him a tour of the school and generally looking out for him in his first few days. Luckily though he and Scott quickly became firm friends and had been pretty much inseparable ever since. Scott, having just moved from a big bustling city, moaned constantly at first about the quietness of Beacon Hills "nothing ever happens in this town" he complained. Stiles nodded in agreement, ignoring the burning desire in the pit of his stomach to tell his new friend just how much really did happen in this small town as a result of the resident werewolves and those who hunted them. Stiles, however, kept his mouth shut because his knowledge of the supernatural world was a secret and besides he'd left that all behind him ... or so he thought.
Things quickly changed when Scott was bitten by a werewolf and was showing signs of transforming himself. Stiles had of course picked up on it right away, but he didn't know how to tell his friend what was a happening to him or what he was about to become. At first he tried to make a joke of it, telling Scott he'd contracted "lycanthropy" in the hope he would realise what that meant, but even after Stiles had spelled it out to him (wolf howl imitation included) Scott had just laughed off the suggestion leaving Stiles wondering how else to tell him. Stiles couldn't blame Scott, becoming a werewolf wasn't exactly the first conclusion a sane person would jump to, but he was surprised that it hadn't even crossed his mind even in the slightest - despite the bite he insisted was from a wolf and then the sudden enhancement of his sight, hearing and sense of smell, not to mention his new super reflexes ... where was his sense of imagination?!
A day or so after Scott had received the bite he and Stiles were in the woods of Beacon Hills preserve. Stiles kicked his way through the leaf litter trying to think of a way broach the subject of the supernatural, they were alone looking for Scott's inhaler which was like trying to find a needle in a haystack and so at the very least the conversation was not going to be overheard. An hour passed and Stiles still hadn't thought of a way to tell Scott, he was about to suggest they give up looking for the inhaler and go home when he was distracted by the feeling of somebody watching then. Watching him. Although un-nerved at first, the feeling soon settled when Stiles felt a sense of familiarity. Whoever it was watching him through the trees, Stiles knew them. He stopped dead in his tracks much to the confusion of Scott who had been following close behind and nearly bumped into him. Stiles peered through the trees ahead of him. Somehow Stiles knew who was out there,but it couldn't be. It just couldn't.
The moment Stiles spotted Derek Hale walking out from the trees toward them his stomach did a funny turn, almost making him feel sick. Stiles's eyes darted over Derek's and he simply gaped at him - what was he doing here? Stiles never thought he'd see him return to Beacon Hills. Stiles tried to gauge what was going on in Derek's mind - was he pleased to see him? Is that why he was back? But Derek's attention was fixed on Scott and he did not look happy. Stiles watched him grit his teeth together, it was clear that Derek knew Scott was now a werewolf. Despite the little signals Derek gave, Stiles could tell, because even though he'd been out of practice for over two years Derek was still like an open book to Stiles. There was just too much history between them.
Derek's eyes returned to Stiles and a conversation was exchanged between the two of them without a word needing to be spoken. "What are you doing here?" Stiles asked silently. "You're back? I thought you were never coming back."
"I'm back. I'm home now" Derek replied, a reassuringly glint in his eyes.
“I thought you were dead" Stiles replied with a hurt look in his eyes. It had been two years since Derek had left Beacon Hills with his sister Laura, and all Stiles was left with was a note. Not even a goodbye. Derek's eyes just fell to the floor, guilt, Stiles realised. Stiles tore his eyes away from Derek, he ran his hand across the back of his head as a million and one thoughts rushed through his mind. He didn't what to think of how to feel but at the same time felt everything - relief, hurt, anger. Of course he was happy to see Derek was alive and well, after not hearing from him for two years he was convinced that the werewolf must have met his end at the hands of a hunter. The relief Stiles felt however was tarnished with anger, why hadn't Derek contacted him? Not one phone call, not even a text in all that time - even just to let him no he was alive? And what was he doing back here? He'd left to make a fresh start with Laura after the fire, to escape the Argents and to protect him.
Scott glanced at Stiles, who could sense the atmosphere change as Derek approached them.
"What are you doing here? Huh? This is private property" Derek barked aggressively at Scott.
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Past ...
The first time Derek laid eyes on Mieczyslaw "Stiles" Stilinski was when the five year old had managed to escape both his car seat and his father's police cruiser and had chosen to celebrate his freedom by running around the Hale yard with his coat over his head making aeroplane noises. Sheriff John Stilinski had arrived at the Hale house to take a statement from Derek's elder brother, Lucas, who'd been accused of torching a car belonging to one of the Argent clan. Both Derek and his mother knew Lucas was guilty but they had covered for him, claiming that he'd been at home all night with them the night of the fire. Prior to arriving at the Hale house the Sheriff had been called to pick his son up from pre-school early; Stiles had gotten into trouble for making noise during nap time and had refused to stop singing Jingle Bells at the top of his lungs despite it being mid-July.
Seven year old Derek stood on the porch beside his mother and watched Stiles tear around like a wild thing. "Doesn't he ever run out of energy?" Talia Hale asked the Sheriff with an amused smile as he called for Stiles to get back in the car (Stiles wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention) and John could only apologise for his behaviour.
John rubbed a hand over his tired face. "Unfortunately we haven't found the off button yet" he said with an exasperated sigh, but he looked over at his son and smiled with affection.
Talia invited John inside to finish taking his statement and Derek was directed to keep Stiles occupied out in the yard. "Aw mom can't Laura take care of him?" Derek whined, but the sharp look Talia gave him told him not to argue and embarrass her in front of the Sheriff.
Derek rolled his eyes at his mother but didn't argue any further; he sloped off toward Stiles knowing his mother was trying to keep the Sheriff sweet as this wasn't the first time he'd been called to the house - Lucas was a bit of a troublemaker to say the least. "Mieczyslaw!" Derek shouted as he jumped off the porch. "What are you doing?" he asked heading over to him.
Stiles glanced at Derek and pointed up into the tree he was standing at the foot of. "What's that?" Stiles asked peering up into the canopy of the tree.
Derek headed over and looked up. "It's an owl," he said looking down at Stiles. "Haven't you ever seen an owl before?"
Stiles shook his head. "I'm only five" he said putting his hands on his hips and glaring at Derek. "There are lots of things I haven't seen, and I bet there are lots of things you haven't seen either."
Derek crossed his arms and drew himself up tall. "I've seen everything" he declared proudly.
"Everything in the whole wide world?" Stiles asked looking at Derek with big round eyes, full of awe and admiration.
"Yep" Derek smiled down at him. "Shall I pick you up so you can have a closer look?" he offered to which Stiles nodded enthusiastically.
Derek bent down, hoisted the younger boy onto his back and then up onto his shoulders. The moment he was on his shoulders Stiles grabbed hold of a branch and swung himself up into the tree. "Hey! I didn't say climb the tree!" Derek shouted up at Stiles who was climbing the tree incredibly fast for such a little kid. "Be careful Mieczyslaw!" Derek shouted.
Stiles stopped and peered down at Derek. "No one calls me that" he told him. "Mommy and daddy call me Stiles."
Derek sighed. "Okay Stiles, I think you should come down, if you fall you'll get hurt" he told him "and your dad will probably lock me up" he added muttering under his breath.
Stiles laughed, but clearly he listened to Derek because he started to descend. "The owl's gone anyway" he mumbled as he neared the lower branches. It had flown off the moment Stiles had started to climb the tree.
"Well you were lucky to see it in the first place they are not usually out in the daytime" Derek said watching the boy carefully - he was worried that the Sheriff would shoot him rather than arrest him if something happened to his son. "They're usually out hunting when you're tucked up in bed" he told him.
"Hunting?" Stiles asked taking a tentative step onto one of the smaller branches.
"Yep" Derek nodded knowing. "They hunt mice and other little creatures."
Stiles eyes widened. "I'm little" he said nervously.
Derek chuckled but the sound quickly died in his throat when he saw Stiles's about to step onto a particularly withered old branch. "Not that one!" he exclaimed but it was too late, Stiles had stepped onto the branch and it instantly snapped.
The wolf senses Derek was still adjusting to kicked in and quick as a flash he positioned himself under the tree and held out his arms. Soon he felt a heavy weight in his arms as Stiles fell into them. The little boy's eyes were clenched shut. "It's okay I've got you" Derek said holding him tightly, he was too afraid to put him down because Stiles's face was white as a sheet. "Stiles it's okay, you're fine, I've got you" he repeated calmly.
Stiles opened his eyes and stared up at Derek, he looked stunned for a split second as he glanced at the tree he'd fallen from and then all of a sudden he burst into a fit of laughter. Derek set him down and Stiles tore away and ran around the garden. Derek just sighed, he hoped the Sheriff wouldn't be long because he wasn't sure how long he could cope with this. Stiles was exhausting!
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Present ...
Stiles rubbed the back of his neck with his hand desperately trying to think of something he could he say to Derek and found himself mumbling something about not knowing they were on private property. Stiles glanced nervously at Derek as he and Scott exchanged words; for a second or two an ugly thought crossed his mind – Derek had suddenly showed back up in Beacon Hills and Scott had recently been bitten? Could it be just a coincidence? No Derek wouldn't have bitten him, he had always told Stiles the bite was a gift so he wouldn't have just bitten a random teenager he came across lost in the woods ... would he???
Stiles was a little surprised when Derek simply tossed Scott his inhaler, turned and walked away without so much as a backward glance. So that was that, years of friendship and two long years of absence with no word from him and he had nothing to say? Stiles was outraged and wanted to shout after Derek but Scott telling him that he had to get to work brought him back to his senses. He'd have to find Derek later and get some answers.
As they trudged back toward his jeep Stiles couldn't concentrate on what Scott was telling him, all he kept thinking about was Derek - what was he doing back? Did he know who was responsible for Scott's bite? Was he going to just disappear again? Where was Laura?
Stiles dropped Scott off at the animal clinic and then headed straight back toward the woods determined to get some answers. As he drove up the track toward the old Hale house he was reminded off all the times he'd walked the route, cycled it and even driven it with his father in the police cruiser. It had been years since he'd taken the route and when he pulled his jeep to a halt in front of the house he simply sat and stared up at it in disbelief. Stiles hadn't seen the house since the fire, Derek hadn't let him near it and now hew knew why - the once rather grand and impressive house was nothing more than a burnt out shell.
Stiles jumped when he spotted a figure suddenly appear in front of the house but sighed with relief when he realised that it was just Derek. Stiles quickly climbed out of the jeep and walked toward him swallowing nervously, unsure what to say now they were alone together and didn't have Scott as a reason to not talk to each other.
"Pretty bad huh?" Derek called to him, he had his back to him but didn't have to turn around to know it was Stiles because he'd heard the jeep a mile off. "Now do you see why I never let you come up here after the fire?" he said turning to face him.
Stiles came to a halt and stared up at the house, he simply nodded at Derek's words and knew in that moment that he'd never be able to fully comprehend Derek's loss. All of his anger and hurt toward him drained away in that instant, he no longer cared about the lack of contact because he understood now why Derek and Laura had wanted to severe all connections to Beacon Hills, to this ruined home, so that they could move on.
So was that why he was back? Had he come to terms with it? Was he ready to start a new? Was he home for good?