Burn Amongst Humanity [D. Hale ]

|IV|

"Pack Mentality"

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"When everything is falling apart around you, I won't leave."

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Casey had decided to finally stop running from the burned home that haunted her nightmares, since she needed to speak to Derek anyways.

Casey waited for a few seconds in front of the door, before it creaked open and Derek stood on the other side of it. "You sure about this?" He asked.

"I have to face it again at some point or another." Casey pointed out and he pushed the door open wider, as Casey walked into the house. "You're really living here?" She asked quietly, as she was looking around.

"I haven't had a chance to buy another spot, so I just have to avoid the police for now." Derek admitted and he shut the door behind her. "How much do you remember of it?" Derek asked.

"I remember," Casey took a shaky inhale of breath. "I remember, that I broke my dad's leg when I tackled him over a fallen tree... I remember running into the house, dragging Tye out of the house... He was the nearest to the doors, I dragged him out and he was screaming for me to let him go."

"Who was he trying to get to?" Derek asked and Casey was walking through the house, as she moved her head to look at the burned wreck.

"Your mom." Casey murmured and she heard him sharply inhale behind her and she looked back at him. "I ran back in, leaving Tye with the police and the fire department... I tried to get to your mom, but she refused to leave, to go out without Cora. I tried to find her, but I was on fire and the smoke inhalation... Between Peter and Talia, they managed to get me out." Casey's voice was hoarse as Derek's eyes were glowing icy blue at the words.

"Did-Did you get injured after-after they threw you out and away, from the house?" Right now, it was clearly taking everything he had to not break down.

"Der." Casey murmured as he shook his head, looking away from her and Casey automatically looked down at his hands, which were shaking and she inhaled quietly, when she saw that his claws were out. "Derek." She said.

"You shouldn't have come." Derek's voice was almost a growl and she was shaking her head quickly, hearing the familiar tone. "Casey, you have to leave. Now." He said and his growling was getting clearer and clearer, by the second.

"The fact that you're telling me to leave, is a rather clear indicator to me that I am exactly, where I need to be right now. Derek, I am not afraid of you." Casey insisted and he growled loudly. "Der, I am not going to scream like a little girl and then run away. I'll just stun you." She said and he was quieting down and he turned to look at her.

His ears were pointed and his fangs were out and silently, she was shaking her head at the sight of him. "I know that you have an anchor to keep your shift in check, Derek." She said and he looked at her. "But when it is grieving and emotional pain... sometimes, it is, not so easy." Casey murmured and he was looking down at the floor.

Casey moved her arms around him and Derek didn't move, as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Your heartbeat isn't changing." Derek's confusion was clear in his tone and Casey shut her eyes.

"I'm not scared of you, Derek, I already told you." Casey whispered and eventually, she felt his arms were going around her to return the hug.

"Thank you." Derek said and Casey nodded a little bit as when she backed up out of the hug, he was back in his normal state of complete control. "You really aren't afraid of me?" He asked.

"The last time that I was honestly afraid of you, was when you showed up at the house when I was home alone, after my father had shot you twice." Casey said as Derek looked at her. "I wasn't afraid of you, I was afraid for you. I thought that my Dad had killed you." She said and at the words, he was nodding.

Until a car was heard and Derek looked at the doorway. Derek was carefully shutting the door and he looked at Casey, who hesitantly was now pointing up the stairs.

Casey was now just standing a little bit behind Derek, as his eyes glowed briefly and he was causing the police dog to panic. The deputy drove off quickly after Derek's wolf had worked its' magic and Casey sighed. "I feel bad for the dog." Casey muttered as Derek looked at her, before his eyes moved back to the window. "What is it?" She asked.

"Scott." Derek murmured and he reached out his hand to her, as Casey took it. "You coming with me?" He asked as she nodded.

"Deputy Branson?" Scott asked as Casey followed Derek out of the house and she looked at him. "What are you doing here?" Scott asked.

"Helping out an old friend." Casey replied evenly and Scott sighed, as he had recognized that below the even tone, there was a frosty anger that he had earned from him and Stiles' part, in getting Derek arrested.

"Okay. I know I was part of you getting arrested and that we have basically announced you being here to the hunters. I also don't know what happened to your sister. But I think I did something last night. I had a dream about someone. But someone else got hurt. And it turns out, that, that part of the dream might have actually happened."

"You think that you attacked the driver?" Derek asked and Casey was looking at Scott. "You weren't on duty last night, were you?" Derek asked her and Casey was shaking her head with a yawn.

"Nope, I was soundly asleep in my house that is  at least half-made of things that can kill you Derek." Casey said and he looked at her. "Okay, not half of it but at least an eighth." She said.