Burn Amongst Humanity [D. Hale ]

|XXVIII|

"Battlefield"

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"You still want to be a part of my pack?"

"I'm not leaving."

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"You shouldn't be moving around." Derek said as he heard Casey getting up and he looked at her, as she was shaking her head.

"I have to do something. It is almost like ever since Jackson paralyzed me, I can't stop myself from moving." Casey muttered as Derek shut the book. "It's just fricking stupid." She said under her breath.

"No, it's not stupid Casey. It is a simple and natural survival instinct." Derek replied and he handed her a book. "You want something to do?" He asked and she looked at it, as she nodded and she took the book. "Walk as you read."

"Yep." Casey replied as she opened the book, starting to flip through it and looked for any information on the Kanima. "Do you really blame yourself, for this whole mess with the Kanima?" She asked and he looked at her.

"I bit Jackson. I turned him and he turned into the Kanima. The blame started, stops and it ends with me." Derek said and Casey sighed.

"Not really." She said and he looked surprised at her words. "It isn't your fault that he is an orphan, it isn't your fault that he was adopted. All of that shit in his past, that is what turned him into the Kanima. It was just your bite that triggered it all." She said and Derek sighed, as he shut the book. "Tell me I'm wrong, Derek, if you really think that I am." Casey said and he shook his head.

"You are not wrong. You never have been wrong yet ever since I came back, but as usual, I refused to listen." Derek muttered and Casey smiled faintly at the words. "I just said what you wanted to hear, judging by your chemo signals." He noted and she came up behind him and gave him a hug.

"You're learning." Casey murmured and Derek looked down at her. "In some ways and definitely in terms of height, you're different. But in some ways, you are still the same stubborn, hot-headed sixteen year old werewolf, who climbed into my house through my window and dared to bleed all over my floor." Casey murmured and Derek looked at her. "I'm never going to let that go."

"I kind of figured." Derek murmured and she rested her head on his shoulder. "You aren't going to run, are you?" He asked.

"I am not leaving Beacon Hills." Casey murmured. "I told you and Tye that I would stay, so I am going to stay." She stated and Derek nodded.

"Thank you, Casey, for being so damn stubborn." Derek murmured and she was nodding slightly at the words. "They're late." He said.

"They are teenagers." Casey reminded him patiently and Derek looked down at her. "Why the hell do I want to slap you right now?" She asked.

"Because I'm being an idiot? Judging from the look on your face." Derek said and she looked down at the floor. "You might feel like you have the weight of the whole world on your shoulders, Casey Branson, but I would gladly be there to bear it with you. If you're willing to let me." Derek said and she was shaking, as she sat down in the corner. "In here, does it still scare you?" He asked.

"Not when you're here." Casey murmured quietly and Derek crouched in front of her and he was shaking his head.

"You remember the first time that you came here with Laura and I? What did Mom ask you and I?" He asked and she chuckled.