A/N: Because it might be a while before I can get the follow-up's posted, I thought you'd appreciate an epilogue chapter. Literary Licence Warning: I know nothing about the American legal system,
Epilogue:
Guilt of Loving You
Stiles paces, he can't help it, this is just too damn important for him to be sat still on an uncomfortable wooden bench. He ignores the hushed voices around him and gritted his teeth. God this is killing him. He glanced down at his watch, how much longer? It had already been two hours. Two hours of waiting around for one damn word. - Or maybe it'll be two words. God the fear that it would be two words had been keeping him up at night.
He practically jumped out of his skin when a pair of large, heavy hands skimmed over his shoulders, squeezing them gently and pulling him back against a wall of warm muscle, the gentle breeze of breath against his ear.
"Relax." Derek whispered.
Stiles closed his eyes and leant into the comfort, moaning softly even as he spoke. "Relax? You expect me to relax?"
Derek smiled; his lips brushing against the shell of his ear. "Because she's not walking out of here, you know that. She killed three police officers, held a Sherriff hostage and almost killed…" he trailed off, his throat tightening around the words while his arms tightened around Stiles.
The teenager twisted in his boyfriend's arms and pressed his nose into the crook of Derek's neck, inhaling deeply. "I know." he murmured. "I'm just…so scared she'll get out."
Derek's arms tightened further. "She won't, I promise. The only question is whether she'll be spending the rest of her life in a prison or a psychiatric facility, and considering her already failed suicide attempt and…" he growled quietly into Stiles shoulder. "Her attempt to abort my child, it's a full gone conclusion. - This is just pageantry because she refused to make a deal."
Stiles finally felt himself relax into Derek's arms, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Great way to spend Valentine's Day, ain't it?" he scoffed.
"The day's not over yet." Derek replied, pulling back and staring into the warm brown eyes of his mate. He lifted his hand and brushed gently as his jaw. "You think I'd let this be how we remember our first valentine's day together? I'm insulted."
Stiles smirked. "So, can I expect a fancy dinner and a dozen roses?"
"You hate roses." he pointed out. "Don't you?"
Stiles laughed lightly. "Yeah. - So dinner and buttercups?"
"You'll just have to wait and see." Derek replied.
"Boys. They're coming back." Talia called from a few feet away.
Derek looked over at his mom, nodding before slipping his hand into Stiles. "Here we go. You ready?"
Stiles took a deep breath, holding it in his lungs for what felt like hours before releasing it, nodding. "Lets do this."
They walked together, meeting with the Sheriff and Talia at the large wooden double doors.
"You don't have to worry; she's not walking away from here." Talia insisted confidently.
"I know all pomp and circumstance." Stiles replied; his back straight and his head high. "So lets get in there, I have a date to be getting to." he smirked; shooting Derek a warm, bright smile.
~~~Samhain: Scent of Midnight~~~
The sun was shining down as Jennifer stepped out of the courthouse. She turned her face up to it, closing her eyes and savouring the feel of it on her skin. When she opened her eyes once more, they landed on two figures, staring down at her from a window.
"Keep it moving." the guard ordered, pushing her gently towards the transport.
She shot a glare over her shoulder at the large balding man and kept walking, a female guard at her side. Just as she set her foot up on the step, she looked at the window once more but it was empty, the pair gone. She huffed angrily up at the figureless glass and vanished into the blue bus, silently promising to rid the world of the monster that was Derek Hale.
~~~Samhain: Scent of Midnight~~~
It was almost dark by the time they got back to town after the verdict, Talia pulled her BMW up outside the Stilinski house and smiled brightly at John as he climbed out, Stiles and Derek shoving open the back doors and making their way up to the porch.
"I'll pick you up in an hour; you think you can be ready?"
Stiles rolled his eyes dramatically. "Must I repeat? I am not a girl. - In fact I think I should be the one organizing the big Valentine's day surprise and you should be the one home fussing over your hair." he huffed; folding his arms over his chest.
Derek smirked, stepping closer. "How about this? You be the girl this year, and next year I'll be the one fussing over my hair." he winked.
Stiles meet his gaze, heavy lidded and so very turned on. "Oh, hell yeah, baby. I'm holding you to that." he said huskily, stepping even closer to the older man, his hands skimming Derek's waist.
Derek growled and closed the gap, kissing Stiles passionately, his hands pulling him even closer.
"Uh-hum!" Talia coughed from the car and Derek pulled away like he'd been burnt, blushing scarlet.
Stiles chuckled, smirking and waving over to the Alpha. "An hour. Don't be late." he warned. "Or I might just find myself…" he didn't get to finish the sentence as Derek yanked him back into a possessive deep kiss then marched away before they both got too carried away. "Later honey-bunny." Stiles called after him. "Hate to watch you go, love to watch to leave." he wolf-whistled and laughed as Derek flipped him off while climbing into his mom's car.
Stiles watched the taillights vanish before turning on his heels and sprinting into the house, up the stairs and into his bedroom, tearing his suit off while toeing off his shoes. Then he froze. "Shit, what am I even meant to wear? I don't know where the fuck we're going?" he dashed for his phone and shot of a text.
Sent: 2/14/2014 7:05pm
Derek
What do I wear?
He was pacing the bedroom in his underwear, staring at his open closet when the reply came back.
Inbox: 2/14/2014 7:06pm
Derek
Clothes genius.
Stiles rolled his eyes but couldn't help but laugh.
Sent: 2/14/2014 7:07pm
Derek
Wow, really? I would never have thought of that.
Seriously Derek!
Inbox: 2/14/2014 7:08pm
Derek
Something comfortable and warm.
Stiles narrowed his eyes at the information. Huh?
Sent: 2/14/2014 7:10pm
Derek
So no romantic dinner?
L
He wasn't disappointed. He wasn't. He didn't even like that romantic sappy stuff. He looked up at his closet with a sigh, tossing his phone on the bed, because Derek was not going to text back, he knew that.
Stepping forward he ran his hands over the hangers and tugged out a sweater his Dad had brought him two Christmases ago. Nah. He wrinkled his nose and put it back. If Derek wasn't taking him for a nice cliché romantic dinner and all he needed to be was warm and comfortable then screw it. He reached for his hoodie and a pair of his best jean, tossing them on the bed. He added fresh underwear to the pile then vanished into the bathroom to shower and shave.
He was out and padding back to his bedroom, his towel hanging loosely on his hips in less than twenty minutes. He quickly finished drying and was half way through dressing when his phone began to ring; snatching it up, he stared down at Scott's name, also catching sight of a missed text. If Derek was texting to cancel, he was going to shoot him, he had access to weapons, he hit the screen and quickly put the phone on loudspeaker while retrieving the text. "Hey there Scottie, how is you're Valentine's Day going?"
Inbox: 2/14/2014 7:30pm
Malia
Hey. J
There was a long silence on the other end of the line and Stiles knew it meant trouble. Things had been hard on Scott since he'd figured out that Malia was his mate, mostly because he was determined to stick it out with Allison, but…well, Alli was having her own issues, what with discovering her father's infidelity and that she had a half-brother who was a werewolf. Yeah, he didn't blame her for being distant, the problem was, Scott was…well, clingy. He needed reassurance, especially considering that Allison was his first proper girlfriend.
In addition, the situation wasn't made any better by Malia's presence. She wasn't going out of her way to cause trouble, she'd decided, after a long talk with Stiles, to just let Scott work it out in his own time, There was no rush, after all he and Derek had had to wait almost seven years to sort out their tangled mess of a relationship. If it was meant to be, it'll find a way.
Whether Stiles actually believed that, even he wasn't sure. Every relationship was different, wasn't it? What worked for him and Derek, wasn't going to necessarily work for them all. And maybe it was wrong to give his future cousin-in-law false hope, considering how incredible stubborn Scott could be, but….he liked her. What can he say; he didn't want to break her heart.
"We had a fight." Scott sighed. "She said I didn't really want to be taking her out tonight anyway. That I should go find my mate and take her to Angelo's instead."
Stiles closed his eyes sadly. "I'm sorry buddy." he murmured regretfully. "Maybe she just had a bad day." Stiles tried to reassure, while typing his reply to Malia.
Sent: 2/14/2014 7:32pm
Malia
Hey. You okay?
"Yeah." Scott sighed. "I… - I saw Chris leaving the house all dressed up."
Stiles groaned. "There you go then, he's probably meeting with Laura and… well you know how Allison's still sensitive about that."
Sent: 2/14/2014 7:35pm
Derek
Babe, is Laura out with Chris tonight?
Inbox: 2/14/2014 7:35pm
Malia
Yeah, just you know… L
It's Valentine's Day and I'm home alone.
Stiles heart tightened. Shit, everyone was miserable and it was really killing his buzz. Nice, Stilinski, real sympathetic and understanding. Hey, he was being understanding. He'd been understand for the past couple of months. He'd sat and listened to Scott bitch about Malia and Malia pine after Scott and he hadn't told them to just shut up already and get over it. He'd been fucking awesome at understanding, but for god sake he had a date with his sexy werewolf boyfriend and he was still standing in his bedroom in his underwear and socks. A line had to be drawn god dammit!
Sent: 2/14/2014 7:37pm
Malia
Sorry, Lia.
Scott sighed down the phone and it was that, fuck I'm a dumb-ass sigh. "Shit. What do I do?"
Inbox: 2/14/2014 7:45pm
Derek
Yes. Why?
Sent: 2/14/2014 7:46pm
Derek
Scott/Allison issues.
"Just got confirmation, Laura's out with Chris tonight, so maybe you know, just…be there. Go over to her place with those warm puppy eyes and a box of chocolates and a movie and you know, listen to her bitch about my future-sister-in-law,"
Inbox: 2/14/2014 7:37pm
Derek
Are you ready?
Stiles looked over at the nightstand clock and shit, where the fuck did his time go and he was still not dress, dammit.
Sent: 2/14/2014 7:40pm
Derek
Soon. Ready real soon, promise.
Inbox: 2/14/2014 7:40pm
Malia
You out with Derek?
Sent: 2/14/2014 7:45pm
Malia
Soon, real soon.
He dropped the phone on the bed and snatched up his jeans, hopping into them and almost toppling over. Great one Stiles, brain yourself. He huffed.
"Stiles? You okay?" Scott asked with concern.
"Fine. Dressing." he replied breathlessly as he rushed to finish getting ready and not be late for his date.
"Shit, sorry. You going out with Derek, obviously. Damn and here I am babbling on about…shit, I'll call you later…"
"Not…"
"Tomorrow, I meant later tomorrow. Have a good time, buddy."
Stiles stopped rushing around and took a breath. "Thanks, you to. Remember just be there, okay?"
"Thanks, bro."
Stiles sighed; closing his eyes as the line was blissfully silent, he rubbed at his temples and inhaled slowly, willing his heart to calm the fuck down, he did not need a heart attack tonight.
Once he was calm, he pulled his hoodie over his head and turned to look at himself in the mirror, he look….normal. Ordinary. Totally unspectacular. "Fuck!" he groaned; his eyes flickering to the sweater then back at himself, torn. Warm and comfortable. Derek repeated in his head. But he at least owed the man something….smart.
He was just pulling the hoodie off over his head when the doorbell rang and he let out a loud "Fuck!" He tossed the hoodie aside, behind him on the bed and reached for the sweater, pulling it over his head and looking at himself. Not spectacular but better. Definitely better. Nodding to himself, he snagged his keys, phone and wallet off the bed and ripped his jacket off the door, then rushed out, down the stairs to find Derek and his dad talking about the playoffs.
"It was awesome right." Stiles announced as he reached the bottom. "I mean, Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, AWESOME!"
The two men stared at him like he'd grown a second head and Stiles couldn't help but chuckle. "Come on, Wolfie. - Bring me to my knees and make me testify…" he sang as he stepped through the door, shooting Derek a very meaningful look as he passed. "See yah later dad. - You make me feel like, I've been locked out of heaven…"
Derek cleared his throat, nodding at John. "Sir."
John shook his head and smiled back. "You staying at Derek's tonight?" he called after his son.
Stiles turned, walking backwards as he nodded. "If the night doesn't blow." he said. "Or should I say if it does." he added in a whisper he knew only Derek would hear, sending his boyfriend a teasing, seductive smirk while waving goodbye to his dad.
Derek growled, blushing as he gave Stiles a light shove towards the Camaro.
"Hey, where's the chivalry, baby?" Stiles gapped, waving at his door. Derek just ignored him and walked around to the other side of the car. Stiles sighed dramatically. "Wow, the romance is dead. We're doomed." he climbed into the car, yanking the door closed.
"I hate you." Derek announced the second the door was close. "Just because your dad is human, doesn't mean you can say shit to get me all hot." he growled, even as he reached across the central console and pulled Stiles into a deep passionate kiss.
When Derek pulled away to start the car, Stiles was grinning from ear to ear. "But its such fun."
The Camaro pulled out of the driveway to silence, they were at the corner before Derek replied. "Fun, huh? Well we'll see how fun you think it is when I start groping you under the dinner table Sunday."
Stiles lifted his chin. "You wouldn't dare."
Derek met his challenge with a raised brow. "We'll see." he smirked, turning the corner.
Stiles huffed, slumping down in his seat. "I hate you."
"Ditto, baby."
"Where are we going?" Stiles asked, looking at the passing town.
"What part of surprise do you not understand?" lifting a hand off the wheel he reached into his pocket. "Here put this on." he said after a few minutes, handing Stiles a blindfold.
Stiles took it cautiously, his brow raised. "Really? Look don't you think we should talk before we step into fifty shades territory?"
Derek shot him a hard look.
"Seriously, I knew those books you read we're screaming danger." he laughed, even as he fastened the blindfold, fully trusting Derek. "I swear if I end up naked tied to a fence and on Youtube, you will pay Derek Hale." he warned, jumping as Derek's hand skimmed up his thigh.
"If you end up naked, it will not be appearing on Youtube." he promised seductive.
Stiles smiled warmly over at him. "Good to know." he reached down and found his boyfriend's roaming hand, knotting their fingers together. "So I guess I'm just meant to sit her and wait patiently for my surprise?"
"Yep. Don't worry, it's not far."
Keeping to his word, the Camaro slowed and finally stopped. Stiles tried to figure out where he was, but all he could conclude was that they were outside, the wind brushing through his hair and against his cheek; he could smell the crisp fresh air. "Wow." he murmured, blindly climbing out of the Camaro.
He startled slightly when Derek's hands slid over his shoulders, giving them a reassuring squeeze.
"So…where now?" Stiles asked, turning his head to where he could hear Derek breathing. He squealed loudly as the werewolf sweep him off his feet and into the man's arms. "Dude, what the hell? I can walk!"
"It'll take too long with you blindfolded. - Besides, I don't want you ruining my surprise."
"Ruin?" Stiles scoffed, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend's neck and snuggling into the man's embrace.
Derek started walking, Stiles head resting on his chest, listening to the world around him, his eyes closed behind his blindfold. He could hear the leaves squelching under Derek's cautious heavy tread, the occasion snap of a twig. In the distance, he could hear the sound of the animals, an owl twitting above him. His sense of smell felt heightened too, the fresh cool winter air battled with the stale scent of damp, but the strongest smell came for the body he was pressed up against, musk and mint shower gel, Derek own personal aroma that seemed to cling to Stiles clothes and bed, and he loved it. Proving so, he snuggled deeper into the warmth of his mate's arms and pressed his nose to Derek's neck, inhaling slowly, filling his lungs with the scent he'll never get tired of.
"How much further?" Stiles asked sleepily. "Cause this is way too relaxing, I might jus…" he trailed off and began to snore.
Derek snorted at the obviously fake noise and pressed his lips to the teenager's temple. "We're almost there. - But if you'd rather sleep, I can take you home now." he stopped, turning back the way he came.
"Don't even think about it, jackass!" Stiles warned, his head shooting up.
Derek laughed, easily imagining that Stiles was sending him a death-glare from behind the blindfold. He turned back to his path and kept walking, pressing a kiss to Stiles lips.
A few more minutes of walking and Derek drew to a halt, slowly lowering Stiles down to his feet.
"Can I take this thing off now?" Stiles asked impatiently.
"One moment. No peeking." the werewolf growled.
Stiles stood listening to the sound of movement around him but couldn't identify any real clue to what was going on, other than he was apparently in the woods.
He jumped as Derek's fingers brushed over the sensitive part of his neck, the man's breath playing at the shell of his ear. He swallowed hard as his dick began to stir.
"Soon." Derek whispered seductively, nipping at the lobe. "First though…."
Stiles felt the tug of the knot he'd tried at the back of his head; he closed his eyes on instinct, not quite ready for his surprise. The fabric fell away and he held his breath, his lip pulled between his teeth as he waited, slightly scared to open them. What if it sucked eggs? What if Derek was like the worlds worst Valentine surprise giver?
"You can look." Derek whispered uncertainly, his fingers sweeping lightly across his mate's jaw.
Taking a reassuring breath, Stiles slowly opened one eye, then the other. With both eyes, open he just stared at the tree in front of him, his and Derek's initials jaggedly cut into it. His lips curled at the thing, laughing at the ridiculousness of youth. Derek's fingers skimmed under his chin, lifting it up to look into the branches of the tree and his heart leapt painfully into his throat. "I - I…" he gulped in cool air. "How? It…it was burnt down." he whispered with both fury and wonder.
"I've spent the last couple of weeks restoring it to its former glory." Derek murmured, looking up at the tree house.
Stiles choked on a sob and Derek wrapped an arm around his shoulder, pulling him into his side. "I can't be-believe you did….this?"
Derek pressed a gentle kiss to his mate's temple. "Why wouldn't I do this? I said I was going to make up for….everything. - I'm just….sorry I…."
Stiles turned his head sharply to stare up at Derek. "It wasn't your fault." he'd been saying that a lot lately.
"I know. - She did it to get back at me, she just….she thought it was special to me because of…"
"Paige." Stiles whispered, trying not to let his natural jealousy for Derek's first girlfriend taint the moment.
Derek nodded. "She thought I used to bring Paige here and that was why I never wanted to be here with her." he shook his head. "I didn't even know why I hated being here. Why it always left me feeling so….lost and heartbroken." he took a breath. "She burnt it down to spit me. I - I guess we should have….known it wasn't going to be enough."
Stiles turned, wrapping his arms around Derek, squeezing him tight as he captured the werewolf's lips in a slow kiss. Derek's own arms encircling the teenager, holding on as if terrified of losing him again.
They kissed for a few minutes before Derek pulled back and looked into the warm watery brown eyes. "I also figured we could pass it on to our kids." he said with a sigh.
Stiles nodded. "Yeah. - Maybe they'd bring their mates here and carve their names in the tree."
"Yeah. Our own little family tradition." Derek grinned goofily.
Stiles snorted at the idea of generations of Hale-Stilinski…? Stilinski-Hale….? Whatever, lovers carved into the ancient wood. "You're such a sap." he shook his head.
"Like you're not imagining it right now." he replied with a grin, pulling Stiles into another slow kiss.
"So how about we work on those kids?" Stiles murmured seductively.
Derek leant back, meeting his gaze with a snort. "Something you want to tell me? - You secretly are a girl, aren't you?" he deadpanned.
Stiles punched him in the stomach before racing towards the robe ladder. He already had his foot on the first step when he called back. "Last one up, blows." then took the ladder like a monkey in a zoo.
Derek huffed, racing towards the ladder, growling curses. When he reaches the top, he practically runs into Stiles', who's standing at the entrance his eyes wide as he stared at the faux-candle lighting wooden hut, a large blanket covering the floor, a hamper of food laying open and waiting for them. He wrapped his arms around his mate and pressed his nose into the curve of his throat. "Happy Valentine's Day."
Stiles is speechless for a small eternity before he turns back and grins up at Derek with heavily lidded, love filled eyes. "Oh Tarzan." he swooned dramatically, wrapping his arms around the werewolf's neck.
Derek huffed, shaking his head before pressing a brief kiss to Stiles smiling slips. "You like?"
"I love." Stiles nodded, pecking at Derek's lips before pulling back and fixing the werewolf with a hard stare. "There had been be peanut cups in that basket." he warns. "Or you are so not getting lucky tonight."
Derek raised a brow challengingly.
"Okay, so that may be a case of cutting off your dick to spit my face." he huffed.
He was moving in to continue their make out session but was distracted by the loud rumble of his stomach. Derek laughed, turning him towards the hamper. "Food then kissing."
Stiles dropped to his knees on the blanket, reaching for the basket. "Happy Valentine's Day, Derek. - I so love you." he grinned, unwrapping the Reece's and shoving the thing in his mouth before kissing his boyfriend again.
A/N: I may post other epilogue chapters in the future. Just to keep connected with this universe, until I can get around to the other stories, but I'm sure you won't be complaining, right?
I almost messed this up by making a reference to this years Super-Bowl rather than last years. I remembered at the last minute that this is set 2013/2014. Thankfully, I was able to use 'Locked Out of Heaven' lyrics. I'd originally intended to reference 'Roar'.
Hope you enjoyed this little trip back to the Samhain Universe and HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, I LOVE YOU ALL XXX