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Thinking back, Stiles smiled at the memory of meeting Derek. Everyone thinks that Derek and Stiles met the night after Scott was bitten by Peter. But what if I told you that they are wrong? What if I told you the story of how Derek and Stiles met? The story that is known only by Derek and Stiles? The story that Laura Hale took with her to her grave? The story that even Theo and Scott, Stiles’ best friends do not know?
It’s not something Stiles likes to talk about.
About five months into Claudia’s diagnosis, her state worsened. Her being lucid was extremely rare. The hallucinations were more frequent than they weren’t. It leads to many unpleasant situations, to say the least. Stiles’ mother thought that he wanted to kill her, and because of that she attacked her own son on many occasions. She could be lucid, and apologize to him in one second, only to yell at him the next, saying that he wanted to kill her. The first time it happened, no one knew how to react. Sure, Noah restrained her and the nurses quickly used physical restrains, but no one knew what to do.
Stiles thanked everything that Scotty and Theo were with him that day. They cheered him up, though their faces showed what Stiles felt.
After that day, Stiles wasn’t allowed to visit Claudia alone anymore. Even when she was lucid, which is rare nowadays.
There was always someone with Stiles when he was visiting. Scott’s mom, some other nurse, a doctor doing rounds, his dad, his grandpa on mom’s side, et cetera. Whenever he visited with his best friends — or just one of them — Stiles noticed that Scott and Theo were wary, and always cautious. They were ready to protect their brother, even if in reality they wouldn’t be able to. Even without their sicknesses, they were only ten. But Stiles still appreciated it. He was thankful for his brothers.
It had been ten months since his mom got sick. She didn’t look well.
Stiles, being Stiles, did not listen to his dad when he told him to wait for Scott’s mom. As much as the boy would have waited any other day, today was his mom’s birthday. Claudia was lucid two days ago and said that she would love to see her boy on her birthday. So, Stiles, despite every cell in his body telling him dad’s right, wait, he ignored it. Melissa was called in for a pile-up, it would take her a while, and the boy wanted to say ‘happy birthday’ to his mom. It would be quick.
He lied to Melissa, saying that he would wait with Theo in his room. And Scott’s mom believed him, since Stiles had never lied to her.
Too bad today’s different.
Today, Stiles will visit Theo later, like he planned from the beginning. Stiles knows that T will be mad at him for visiting his mom without supervision, but today Stiles decided that he doesn’t care. Usually, young Stilinski is the one to put up with Scott and Theo’s antics. They could handle one of his. He knows that Theo won’t be really mad, just worried. But Stiles already bought him Reese’s as an apology. He will also need to buy something for Scotty. He thought about some puppy teddy bear, as lately McCall insists that he will be a veterinarian in the future.
When Stiles entered his mom’s room, she was sleeping. The boy sat in the chair next to the bed and waited. Stiles took his notebook from his backpack and started working on his math homework. He hated math, but he tried to understand it, so that he could explain stuff to Theo, and so the boy would be able to get the needed credits. Like hell will Scott and Stiles let Theo fall behind. Their friend already hated his sickness enough, and his friends knew that staying behind in school would crush him. That was enough for Stiles to put his hatred for math away, and to try to figure out the math stuff. For Theo. Scott did the same with science. It made Jackson Whittemore jealous, which always put a smile on Theo’s face. Jackson, who has many friends, he’s doing pretty well at school, he’s quite good at lacrosse, and yet he’s jealous of Theo.
Stiles was finishing his homework (turns out it wasn’t that hard) when his mom woke up.
”Happy birthday, mom.” The boy smiled.
That’s when all hell broke loose.
”Derek, I get it, you lost Paige not that long ago, and I’m sorry, I really am, but you cannot get our very human cousins hurt because of it. What were you thinking, leaving them alone?!” Laura whisper-yelled at Derek. How could he be so irresponsible? He knows better than to leave children alone. He’s seen Cora breaking her leg, arm, as well as the bruises, ‘cause she’s a kid. She doesn’t pay attention to what she’s doing. The difference? She’s a werewolf, their cousins aren’t. That’s how they ended up in the ER. Now, years later, when Derek has his arms wrapped around Stiles, he’s grateful for his own stupidity. That’s how, two minutes later, Derek and Laura were able to hear Claudia Stilinski screaming bloody murder.
”I know, Laura. I’m sorry.” He apologized honestly. The oldest Hale sibling sighed.
”It’s okay. I know that your head isn’t in the right place right now. You just lost your anchor, someone you loved. I don’t blame you. Just think twice the next time, okay?” Derek nodded. ”You hear that?” Laura asked and turned her head fast. Derek focused his hearing. His eyes widened when he heard a patient on the first floor screaming that someone was trying to kill her. The siblings nodded at each other. “Kylie, Connor, we’ll be back in a sec, okay?”
“Mhm. We won’t be moving,” the little girl giggled. Laura and Derek quickly went to the stairs, and used their speed to rush into the woman’s room.
”Help! He’s trying to kill me!” Claudia yelled, throwing a pack of tissues at a frozen Stiles.
”M-mom…” he stuttered and sniffled.
“Stop looking at me like that!” She grabbed Stiles by his arms and shook him. “Stop it! Stop!” She screamed. She kept yelling, and the boy cried.
Someone pulled her away from Stiles, and another someone pressed an emergency button.
”Hey, let him go!” Derek screamed and pulled Claudia away from Stiles, as the nurses rushed in with physical restrains. There was a girl, who kneeled in front of Stiles, and asked him if he was okay. It was clear to her that he wasn’t, but she needed him to answer.
”Let me go! Can’t you see that he’s trying to kill me?!” Claudia yelled and cried as the nurses restrained her, the boy who saved Stiles, helped them.
”I…I…” Stiles stammered and allowed the girl to hug him. He cried into her T-shirt. Laura looked with a worried look at her brother, who looked both angry and confused. Angry, because he actually thought that someone was trying to commit a murder. Confused, because he recognized Deputy Stilinski’s wife. The boy she attacked, and yelled at, was their son, Stiles. That’s when the smell hit him. Sickness. And death. She’s going to die soon. Derek looked sadly at his sister and nodded at the door. Laura nodded.
”C’mon, let’s go to the hall, okay?” Derek’s sister asked.
“Okay,” he whispered.
Not long after, a terrified Melissa McCall ran towards them, waiting to scold Stiles.
But seeing his sad face, sitting between Laura and Derek Hale, talking to Laura, she was thankful for Talia’s well-behaved children.
He went to visit Theo once Melissa took him (and after saying his goodbyes to Laura, and a short wave towards Derek). Theo looked like he wanted to yell at Stiles, but all he did was scoot over in his bed. Stiles laid down with him, and cried in his friend’s arms. Scott came by twenty minutes later, as mad and worried as Theo, but all he did was hug Stiles along with Theo.
That’s how Noah Stilinski found the boys. He smiled, grateful for Scott and Theo. Stiles needs his friends now more than ever.
twenty years later
“Penny for your thoughts?” Derek kissed Stiles’ lips. The younger pulled his wolf closer, for a longer kiss, not wanting to let go.
”Was thinking ‘bout our first meet.” Stiles whispered, and Derek saddened. The werewolf knew it was a painful memory for Stiles. That’s why even Scott and Theo don’t know how they actually met. Everyone thinks it was in the woods, with Scott.
”Hm.” Derek hummed and hugged Stiles. If he could, he would hide Stiles from the world in his arms, occasionally letting Theo and Scott in to visit. And Liam, since he and Theo were a package. Derek was open to negotiations.
”Saving me from day one,” Stilinski whispered and allowed himself to melt in the safety of Derek’s arms. Talia’s son only smiled and kissed the top of Stiles’ head.