He picks the first post card up on whim, with no intention of sending it. What would he say, anyway? A week later it's still lying in the console, the urge to contact someone from Beacon Hills, someone from his pack is slowly driving him insane. He doesn't want to contact Scott, he doesn't regret saving Cora, but a part of him is still bitter that he lost the power being alpha gave him. He stops at the next post office he sees, scrawls the words 'it's hot -D' and Stiles' address on the post card, and drops it in the mail chute, as Cora smirks knowingly at him.

He thinks that's it, and doesn't plan to send anything else. They head to Los Angeles next, where Cora has plans to force him to buy both of them new clothes, because he needs colour in his wardrobe apparently. She's so excited when they arrive, but there are just so many people, and just for a moment, he wishes Stiles was there, if only so he can complain at him, and then, without conscious thought, he's walking into a post office and picking out another post card to send to Beacon Hills.

He scrawls "Too many people – D' over the picture, and he feels lighter, less frustrated, as he heads back to the motel room, where Cora's waiting to drag him shopping, and even that doesn't seem to bad any more.

The next post card is sent from Calico Ghost Town, because he can imagine Stiles searching the town for real ghosts, and the two of them arguing over whether or not ghosts really do exist, and Stiles would pull out his laptop, and spout off all the evidence of ghosts he could find, before finally yelling, "Werewolves exist! Why won't you believe in ghosts?" and the people around them will stare at them like they're mad, but Stiles will be too busy glaring at Derek to notice.

This post card bares the message 'There aren't any ghosts -D' and he spends a few minutes, deciding whether he should pt his new number on the card, just in case they need him for something, but decides to leave it for the moment.

It's when they stop in Berkeley, and visit the University of California, he realises how far things have gone. He makes sure to pick up a post card for Stiles and realises that it's become habit, by now, to send a post card any time he sees something that reminds him of Stiles. He writes 'Nice Campus -D' on the cad and wonders if Stiles is even keeping the cards or if they all end up in the bin. He places the card carefully in the post and forces himself not to think about it.

He's at Yosemite National Park, when he gives in and writes his number of the back of a card, hoping that Stiles will contact him. Some how he's managed to miss the nosey brat who wouldn't leave him alone. He scrawls 'Think you'd like it here -D' across the front of the picture, and wonders how he got to the point where the thought of hearing from Stiles had him excited like a teenage girl waiting to hear from her crush... he was well and truly fucked.

A week after he sent the card, he got his first text, Took you long enough Sour wolf -S, and after that it some how became normal to regularly check his phone for texts from Stiles which ranged from, Derek... I'm bored, entertain me -SS to Scott still won't shut up about Allison, any suggestions? -SS.

He still sent post cards, mostly because Stiles had said he liked them, and yes, he was aware he sounded 'whipped' to quote Cora. He and Stiles were both happy though, so her teasing didn't really bother him.

The next one was sent from, Mission Beach and had the words, 'I should teach you to surf -D' printed over the picture, and less than a week after it was sent, he received the response, of Pretty please, would you? -SS and found himself imagining what it would be like to teach him. He could imagine Stiles falling off the surf board time after time and getting back on after each time until he finally got it and would demand ice cream because finally managed it.

He jerked back to reality as he saw a ball heading towards his face out of the corner of his eye, realising he'd just spent ten minutes staring off into space grinning like an idiot.

He was a week away from Beacon Hills when he sent the last post card, it was a California one, from nowhere in particular, and the only thing he only wrote three words on it, before posting it, immediately.

He dropped Cora at her boarding school on his way and headed straight to Stiles house, equally nervous and excited to see what would change between them when he arrived. Pulling into the Stilinski's drive way was nerve wracking, as he tried to calm himself down. He only took a few steps out his car, before he was thrown back against his car, arms around his waist.

"God, I've missed you, Sour wolf. You aren't allowed to leave for that long ever again, understand?" Stiles whispered against the crook of his neck where he was resting his head.

"Don't worry, Stiles I plan to stay here for a long while, now why don't you tell me what I've missed?" he untangled himself from Stiles and gently dragged him towards the front door.

"Are you sure you sure you want to know? You've missed a lot," He was warned as they sat down on the couch.

"I'm sure, tell me everything."