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His skin was on fire. He looks over towards Eli, his baby, the last to carry on the Hale name. Eli is crying uncontrobally. He whispers "Dad" even for Derek to be able to hear it over the roar of Nogitsune trying to struggle out of his hold.
"Derek?"
He squeezes his eyes shut and looks away back at Jordan. Shit, this must have been the same feeling as his mom, dad and family went through.
"Derek!"
A small tear escapes his eyes. He hates leaving Eli but hopefully Stiles will be okay enough to raise their kid on his own.
"Derek!"
I'm so sorry Stiles. I'm sorry Eli. I can't wait to see you mom and dad. I missed you so much. Laura. God, she'll be there too.
"Derek, baby."
He feels his skin peeling off and burning. His muscles are straining and contracting from the burns trying to heal at the same time. He's feeling dizzy but shakes it off. Just a few more moments and the Nogistune will be gone.
"Shit!"
He screams baring his clenched teeth. Then nothing. He's dead. He's at peace. A burst of pain hits his face. He's dead there's supposed to be no pain. He does nothing and it happens again. Much more painful.
"Derek, come on."
Suddenly Derek's eyes open. The icey blue eyes fix its gaze on Stiles who is above him. He has his right hand in a fist coming towards him. He quickly grabs Stiles' fist. He chokes out, "Stiles."
"Derek. Baby I'm so sorry I kept yelling and yelling. You wouldn't come out of it so I had to slap and eventually punch you." He relaxes his fist after Derek let's go and carasses Derek's cheek. It doesn't hurt anymore but still tender.
"Eli." He is struggling to breathe. "Where's-"
"He's at a friend's tonight remember?" Derek tries to concentrate. Stiles sighs and goes back into a kneeling position. Stiles is quiet for a few seconds, heart beating. He can only imagine how fast Derek's heart is right now. "Derek. You don't get nightmares anymore since Eli was born. Especially not this intense that I had to punch you. What happened?"
He tries to get eye contact from Derek, who looks back with pain in his eyes before he looks away from Stiles. Stiles waits for Derek to talk. That's what he always does during the nightmare aftermath. His knees get uncomfortable and he lies next to Derek and puts his hand on his chest. He starts rubbing his chest gently in gentle circles. Derek's calming down. After a half hour, Derek turns to Stiles and looks at him. Stiles still sees pain and now disbelief in them.
"I... I was back at Beacon Hills and so much..." He looks down for awhile and looks back up to Stiles. " The Nogitsune," he feels Stiles still his whole body against him, "it came back and the only thing we could do, I could do was sacrifice myself for our son, everyone."
Stiles sighs. "It'll never come back again."
"But it did. It did and Parrish burned it with me holding it tightly."
"You idiot. I'm so glad Eli isn't here, this would've just distressed him."
"I felt it Stiles. I felt my skin burn and peel. I still feel it. In my last... moments in the nightmare my last thoughts were you and our pup baby." He starts crying silently. "I left Eli alone." He looks at the ceiling, emotions pouring through him.
"STOP."
"Our baby was alone."
"Derek..."
"I left him alone, scared and confused Stiles. I let him become me, an orphan."
"It didn't happen. It won't happen. We are safe. Eli is safe." His hands is wiping Derek's tears away. "He still would've had me, Der. Still would've had me."
Derek looks back at Stiles, "You're right. How could I forget that?"
"You're still not in the right mind to process rationally." Stiles traces Derek's still furrowed eyebrows. "Everything is okay. Look ill go call my dad-"
"What time is it?"
"It doesn't matter. I'll call and check if things are okay, okay?" He gets up and presses his lips softly against Derek's. Derek kisses back after a few minutes. A few tears still escaping his eyes. "I love you. You know what I always say, 'If you die-"
"Stiles..." He whispers.
"What's the rest, Sourwolf?"
Derek huffs and slightly smiles at his beautiful husband. How was I so lucky? "We'll find each other again."
Stiles smiles and kisses Derek a little more harder before getting up, grabbing his phone of the night stand. "I'll be right back okay? Your voice sounds rough. I'll get you some water while calling Dad." Stiles pads over to their door, opens it and looks back and Derek smiling softly. He mouths "I love you" and goes towards their kitchen.
Derek looks at the open door for a few minutes after Stiles leaves and closes his eyes. Rubbing his face with his hands, a bit more rougher than he should. You're safe. Stiles is safe. Eli is safe. His hands drop from his face and he pushes himself up in a seating position waiting for Stiles. He looks at his hands, his arms. No burns. Skin is intact. It wasnt real. He smiles and gives a tiny chuckle.
He's okay.
It was just a dream.
He's okay.