"Derek, Come Home..."
The branches reached like decaying fingers up at the moonlight as Stiles trekked through the dark woods surrounding Beacon Hills. His phone lit up the path, call history open to the countless missed calls and unanswered texts to Derek over the past few months. Each went unresponded - a cold silence where there used to be warmth. Stiles stopped walking as the tears began to overwhelm him yet again.
He sat with his back against a thick tree trunk, drawing his knees to his chest and letting quiet sobs echo amidst the nocturnal sounds of the preserve. Why did Derek leave without saying anything? Didn't he care about any of them, about him? The sheriff's son had tried so hard to be enough reason for the brooding werewolf to stay, but in the end it wasn't enough. Now Beacon Hills was paying the price, as supernatural forces sensed the vulnerability of an Alpha-less pack.
Scott and the others fought valiantly to protect their home, but it was only a matter of time before they were overrun without Derek's strength and leadership. And through it all, Stiles was crumbling, the pain of abandonment gnawing away at his soul each night he spent alone in these woods, wishing with all his might that Derek would just answer - that he would come back for him, for all of them.
But there was only silence on the other end of the line. Until one day, there wasn't.
Stiles couldn't believe it when Derek finally answered the phone that night. But hearing only silence on the other end only caused more agony.
"Please Derek, say something," Stiles begged, his voice crackling with emotion. "The pack needs you...I need you. We can't hold out much longer without our Alpha."
Still, Derek gave no response. Stiles gripped the phone tighter, tears falling freely now.
"Was it all for nothing to you?" he asked quietly. "Did our friendship, what we had...did it mean nothing in the end?"
A sharp inhale came through the phone, the only sign Derek was still there listening. But he offered no comfort, no explanation for his abandonment. Stiles took a shaky breath.
"If you really don't care about any of us, about me, then I guess this is goodbye," Stiles said, his voice small. He pulled the phone away, about to hang up in defeat.
That's when Derek finally spoke, a tortured whisper: "Stiles...please don't go."
Hope and heartbreak warred within Stiles at the sound. "Then come back to me," he pleaded. "We need our Alpha. I need you."
For a long moment there was only strained silence between them. Then, softly: "I'll be there as soon as I can."
The line went dead. Stiles collapsed in relief and sorrow, hugging the phone close as he waited with bated breath for Derek's return, wondering if their shattered bond could ever be repaired.
Stiles spent a sleepless night in the preserve, replaying the brief phone call over in his mind, clinging to the hope that Derek would truly come back this time. When dawn broke, he reluctantly returned home for a few hours of fitful rest.
As the sun slipped below the trees once more, Stiles found himself drawn back to the woods. He wandered aimlessly at first, lost in thought. But then he stopped suddenly, senses on high alert. He was being watched.
Gripping his baseball bat tightly, Stiles peered into the shadowy forest. "Who's there?" he called out, suddenly afraid. A low growl answered him from the dark. He backed away slowly, heart pounding.
Then a familiar form emerged - the tangible form of his hope made manifest. "Derek..." Stiles breathed in disbelief.
Derek stepped into the fading light, gaze locked on Stiles with an intensity that took his breath away. He looked exhausted yet resolute. Without a word, Derek closed the distance between them and pulled Stiles into a desperate embrace.
Stiles froze in shock for a moment before melting into Derek's arms, feeling as if his shattered pieces were slowly mending. He clung to the werewolf, tears falling once more - but this time from relief. Derek was here, he had come back. Stiles felt complete again.
Pulling away slightly to look at Derek with a watery smile, Stiles asked the question burning in his heart. "You came back...for me?" Derek nodded, cupping Stiles' cheek tenderly. "I'm sorry I left. I'm home now, if you'll have me." Stiles surged forward to kiss Derek in reply, whispering against his lips, "Always."
Derek and Stiles held each other close in the forest, making up for lost time with gentle kisses and quiet words of apology and affection. When they finally broke apart, Derek rested his forehead against Stiles' and asked softly, "How is the pack faring?"
Stiles sighed. "Not well. We've been struggling more each day without your strength and leadership. Scott is doing his best but he's still learning, and the supernatural threats just keep coming." He pulled back to meet Derek's gaze seriously. "The pack needs their Alpha. Will you reclaim your role and help us fight?"
Derek nodded. "Of course. I should never have run from my responsibilities. Take me to Scott - it's time I made things right."
Stiles breathed a sigh of relief. Hand in hand, he and Derek made their way through the woods to the McCall house. Upon their arrival, Scott's eyes widened in shock at seeing Derek, before breaking into a grateful smile. "You came back," he said simply.
Derek nodded. "I'm ready to help however I can. This is my home and you're my pack." Turning to Stiles, he added, "Thank you for bringing me back where I belong."
With their Alpha returned, a sense of renewed hope filled the house. But their celebrations were cut short when Lydia came crashing through the door, out of breath. "It's theAnuk-Ite," she panted. "It's attacking the high school - we need to stop it, NOW."
Derek's eyes flashed red as he turned to his pack. "Then let's go. It's time to defend our territory once and for all." With Stiles at his side, he led the charge into battle, more resolved than ever to protect his home and the ones he loved.
