Forbidden Gift [Derek Hale]

Chapter 22: Nature

Liz sat on the floor against a wall, looking around at her room, knowing within just a few days it would all be gone. A creaking noise came from the window and she turned to see Derek.

"Hey," Liz said as he sat next to her.

"Hey," he said softly.

"How are you?"

"I'm good, you know, I'm doing good." She could hear the pain in his voice.

Liz paused. "So how are you really?"

"Liz, I thought I lost you. I didn't know what to do. They turned to me when you passed out like I knew what to do. Liz, I had no idea what I was supposed to do. All I could do was wait like anyone else. I thought you were gone forever. I was so scared," his said, choking up on the last few words.

She looked at him and grabbed his hand. "Come here." Liz slowly moved closer to Derek connecting their lips. She smiled against his mouth as his hands went immediately to her waist. He suddenly stopped. "Liz," he breathed heavily. "You know I cant. You know we cant. I love you, but I cant."

"Derek, I need this. I need you. I need us. My dad," I thought of a better excuse than 'oh in my dream', "he told me once that to find my inner strength I have to find something or someone who I truly care about. Usually, this said object or person is forbidden to the one seeking it. Derek, without you, I will lose to Alistair. I will be nothing more than a Dirut and I will spend my entire life trying to regain my powers. It's in my nature. I cant do this without you."

"Liz, I'm sorry."

She stood from the floor, crossing her arms across her body. A tear began forming in her eye but she held it back. "Then leave."

He stood, towering over her. Derek grabbed her at the shoulders. "Liz, don't do this." She looked down at the floor. "Liz, look at me. Really, look at me. You don't want to do this, I can see it in your face."

Liz shook loose of his grip. "Derek, I told you what I needed from you. Derek, I know how you feel about me. I heard you tell Aiden once. If you really felt that way, you wouldn't be doing this to me."

"You know the law!" he shouted.

"Derek, do you really understand what you mean to me? I mean, do you truly get it?"

"Yeah, of course. You've loved me ever since you saw me."

"Do you know why?"

"Not exactly."

"Derek, when I first came to Beacon Hills, the very first person I met was Scott. You know the first thing he said to me? He said, Dont go around Derek Hale. He's bad news. I was drawn to you because since the very first time I saw you, you were forbidden to me. Scott nearly killed me when he saw me even looking at you. Derek, I may not have been a wolf my entire life, but I have been a Visionary, whether I knew it or not. It has always been my destiny to find someone who will help me fight the next person who challenges me for the opportunity to become a Pilae. When Scott told me I was to stay away from you, I tried. I tried so hard to not get involved. But its like I said before, it is in my nature."

"That doesn't tell me anything about why you love me the way you do. It's in your nature to be drawn to me, not why you love me," Derek interjected.

"Fine, Derek. You wanna know why I love you so much? It's because you're different. You're not like the guys I was ever around before I moved here. You're dark and mysterious but have the most incredible soft side I have ever seen. You can make me smile with one word or sometimes just a look. You make me nervous. I feel as if every time I am around you, I am gonna mess things up. I try so hard to be perfect for you, because to me, you're the epitome of perfect."

"Liz, you are perfect in every way. You don't have to try."

"Are you saying you'll do this then?"

He glanced down to the ground. "Liz, I'm sorry."

"I cant believe you! I told you everything, Derek! All I am asking for is for you to do this one thing and because of some dumb rule, you wont do this for the girl you claim to love?! I can't believe I ever wasted my time with you."

"Liz, don't say that."

"GET OUT. I never wanna see you again!!" He grabbed her shoulder again. "Let go of me, Derek!!" Liz's eyes burned immensely from holding back the tears. She closed her eyes, letting a few escape. When she reopened them, Derek was no longer there. He was gone.

She sat down against her wall and pulling her knees to her chest. She folded her head into them and let the tears flow from her eyes like rain from the sky during a massive thunderstorm.

"Elizabeth, dear, what's wrong?" Liz heard in her head, like some sort of cryptic inner thought.

She looked up, wiping her eyes. "Mom? But how?"

"I am always here, sweetheart."

Liz had no idea how she could talk to her mother, but at this point she didn't care. Maybe she was crazy, maybe she was some sort of ghost whisperer on top of everything else, but none of that mattered. She was able to talk to her mom and that was the only thing she cared about.

"Mom, I don't know what to do. I cant win anymore. I have nothing left."

"You have Derek."

"He wont listen to me," Liz thought, letting her head droop.

"Make him."

"But how? I tried. I told him everything."

"Think, Eliza. How did you get what you wanted growing up? Remember when you wanted that Princess car so you could drive it around the yard when you were younger? What did you do?"

"I threw a tantrum."

She heard her mothers familiar laugh in her head and smiled. "Think harder. What did you tell your father and I?"

"We made a deal. If I wanted the car, I would work for it. You made me work endless lemonade stands until I made at least half the cost. But, I don't see how that helps me."

"We came to a compromise. That's what you have to do with Derek. He won't break the law of his kind, but you need to think of a way that doesn't technically do so."

"Where was this side of you when I tried getting out of doing homework?"

She laughed again. "Be safe, Elizabeth and be careful. Trust your instincts and trust yourself. Be brave and be smart. I love you so much."

"I love you too, mom." Liz smiled to herself as she stood up and ran through the house to the front door.

She grabbed her phone and texted Derek. Meet me at the school. Urgent.