Just a Kid [Derek Hale]

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Pacing back and forth in the loft, she tried to focus on the occasional laughter which came from Talia. She couldn't help but laugh or smile when she heard it, but now was not the time for laughing or smiling. They'd gone to fight the nogitsune and they were all fighting a battle that she had no idea whether they would win or not. Truth be told she wasn't even thinking about the werewolves or anyone she was thinking about Stiles.

He was human.

He was a human who could die and who could suffer so much in comparison to those of the supernatural, and she was terrified that he wouldn't make it till morning. She didn't want him to die because he was like her little brother. There was so much uncertainty and it was killing her that she couldn't go and help.

Hearing another laugh, she glanced over at Talia who was throwing her arm around with the stuffed wolf bouncing up and down. "Yeah, it's a wolf," she mused laughing herself as she looked down at it.

"Doesn't hurt you as much as it hurts me?" Aiden wheezed out, as he looked up to his brother. Black bile was falling down his face and he looked in so much pain. He was in so much pain and Ethan nodded trying to be brave for his brother but it was so hard to do when you were in this position.

"Yeah..." he admitted before he broke out in a cry.

"It's okay... Lydia never believed I was one of the good guys, anyway..."

"She'll believe me," Derek assured, and Aiden forced his head through the agony to look up at him.

"T-tell Hayley that...that I'd be proud...if she was my mom," he wheezed out, and Derek tensed up but nodded. He hadn't thought about what Hayley's reaction to the death would be and now that he truly was thinking about it he knew that there was going to be so much grief.

"I will," he promised, and Aiden nodded looking back to his brother. Then he died. He didn't have another tomorrow, he didn't have another moment. He didn't have anything. Now he was nothing more than the memories they'd collected of him.

The door of the high school slammed open and both Lydia and Stiles ran out freezing as they saw the sight in front of them. No matter what had been said he had been the good guy. No-one could argue that.

Opening the door to the loft, Derek looked around for a short while seeing Hayley sat on the sofa and he froze. How was he supposed to say this now? Upon hearing the intruder, she looked up a smile forming on her face as she saw that he was okay. He had a few spots of blood on him but he was healed. He was fine. He was alive, and that was the important thing.

"Well? What happened?" She asked, pushing herself up from the sofa. Seeing there was nothing but gloom on his face her brows furrowed and her smile fell, "Derek? What is it? Is it Stiles? Did you save him? He's okay, right?" She asked, and he nodded.

"Yeah, yeah he's okay," he assured.

"So what is it? Is it Scott?" Her heart was bouncing around as she tried to figure it out.

"Scott's fine...it's Aiden."

"Where is he?" She whispered, pressing her lips down together and already tears were burning at her eyes. She knew exactly what that meant and it terrified her. When he didn't respond, she took a step forward grabbing onto his sleeves, "Derek, where is he? Where are the twins?"

"He's dead."

She stared at him blankly for a few seconds before she let go off his sleeves taking a step back, "oh...okay... alright..." she trailed off her voice blank as she turned away from them and headed towards where the bed was.