Soulmates | Derek Hale - Chapter 22: Chapter 22

"Are you incapable of staying away from crime scenes?"
Derek blinked in surprise as he walked out of the ruins of his childhood home, finding Maeve stood at the bottom of the steps with her arms crossed looking hardly amused.
Derek walked down the steps, looking to Maeve suspiciously, "What are you doing here? Thought it was your day off."
"I had a call about a suspicious looking trespasser on our land, I suppose it's you then?" Maeve replied, resting her hands in her jacket pockets, the same jacket Derek recognised from when they were younger.
Derek nodded, "I figured the alpha may of come back here."
"I thought we agreed you weren't going to hunt down the alpha on your own," Maeve reminded him, her voice full of disapproval.
"I'm not hunting down anything," Derek corrected, matching her tone, "I'm researching."
Maeve's gaze flickered on his bare chest, gulping as she looked up to the sky, "Without a shirt?"
Derek shrugged, Maeve briefly looked back to his bare chest, realising he wasn't going to put his shirt back on, she let out a sigh.
Maeve scoffed quietly, eyes narrowing on her ex, "So Is that what I should tell the family when the alpha mauls you to death?"
Derek went to argue with her, but a crunch of some branches in the distance caught their attention, looking over their shoulders out into the preserve, "What was that?"
"If that's the alpha my point proves itself," Maeve grumbled, unconsciously stepping closer to Derek.
Derek sighed, his gaze flickered through the trees, "Not the time, Maeve."
Maeve heard multiple sets of footsteps getting closer, worriedly glancing up at her ex, "Derek?"
"Hunters," Derek grunted, grabbing onto Maeve's arm, trying to pull her up into the house.
"No-" Maeve pulled back, standing at the bottom of the steps, eyes wide with fear, "I am not going in there!"
"It will be fine," Derek stressed, looking between Maeve and the trees.
"You didn't nearly get burnt to a crisp in there," Maeve hissed in a whisper, hearing voices getting closer, "No chance, Derek!"
Maeve avoided the Hale house at all costs, with the annoying habit of being dragged there on many occasions, Maeve had gotten used to seeing it, but always refused to go inside her old home.
Derek hurried back down the steps, taking Maeve's arm back in his, "Maeve, we have no choice."
Maeve saw the fear in his eyes and nodded slowly, jogging up the steps after him into the ruins, her heartbeat rising with her nerves.
"It's okay," Derek whispered, carefully making their way through the ruins, lifting a fallen beam to reach the staircase.
Derek turned around at a sudden click, turning around to find Maeve loading the gun she had in her holster, "What is that?"
"A gun," Maeve stated obviously, rolling her eyes as she put it back.
"Why do you have a gun?" Derek muttered, ignoring the obvious.
"Because we're about to get killed!" Maeve growled at him, scowling as his grip tightened on her arm, pulling her behind a wall, grabbing his shirt as they passed it, "And for gods sake, put your shirt back on."
"He wants us to wait," Maeve froze as a voice echoed from outside of the house, pulling on Dereks arm to run upstairs.
The exes crouched down behind the door in what used to be their old bedroom, burnt wallpaper falling to a crisp on the ground beside them.
"So I've been reminded - To death," Maeve clutched the wedding ring around her neck tightly at the haunting voice of her aunt.
Maeve has been left crippled with anxiety after the fire, Kate being the worst. Hearing that voice, Maeve couldn't breath, Derek didn't even need to look at her to know what she was feeling.
"Hey, hey, look at me," Derek grabbed onto her shoulders, turning her to face him, "You're gonna be alright."
Maeve shook her head no, biting down on her lip, Derek sighed, "Maeve."
Derek went to hug her, but Maeve would probably slap him if he did, so Derek pulled back.
"And that means we're not allowed to kill him," Maeve looked up in alert, herself and Derek standing to their feet just in case.
"But it doesn't mean we can't say hello," Kate's voice grew closer, Dereks grip on the rusted door handle tightened.
"No one home," One of the hunters called out from what the couple assumed to be the living room.
"Oh, he's here. He's just not feeling particularly hospitable," Kate taunted.
"Maybe he's out burying a bone in the backyard," Maeve's anxiety faded as she glanced over at Derek, now taken over with worry over his anger.
"Really? A dog joke? We're going there, and that's the best you got? If you wanna provoke him, say something like, 'too bad your sister bit it before she had her first litter.'"
"Derek," Maeve warned, holding him back from opening the door.
"Too bad she howled like a bitch when we cut her in half!"
Derek's eyes flashed, going to push Maeve out of the way to get out of the door but Maeve held him back, "Derek, don't!"
"Reminded me of the time I left your precious Maeve lying in the flames on the verge of death-!"
Maeve stumbled back as Derek practically pulled the door off of its hinges, staring at his disappearing figure in shock.
Maeve was running after him before even thinking, by the time she'd reached the bottom of the stairs, Dereks body was on the floor, electrocuted.
"This one grew up in all the right places. I don't know whether to kill it or lick it." Kate hummed, looking Derek up and down, her gaze focused on his abs.
Maeve stepped out from behind the door, standing protectively in front of Derek as he pulled himself up, slumping against the wall. Maeve held back a growl at the flirty look Kate sent Derek.
"My sweet niece, it's been a while, you missed me?" Kate taunted, turning back to Derek as the two other hunters grabbed onto Maeve's arms, Derek growling up at them.
Maeve's emotions didn't seem to hit, her focus on keeping Derek alive rather seeing her aunt for the first time in six years.
"900,000 volts. You never were good with electricity, were you? Or fire," Kate glanced over at Maeve with dark eyes, her niece not faltering under her gaze, "Which is why I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. And, well, maybe we can help each other out. Yes, your sister was severed into pieces and used as bait to try to catch you two. Unpleasant, and frankly, a little too Texas chainsaw massacre for my taste, but quite true. Now, here's the part that might really kick you in your balls - We didn't kill her. You think I'm lying?"
"Wouldn't be the first time," Derek growled.
Maeve yanked her arm back from the hunter, glowing her eyes at him. The hunter stepped back.
"Tsk, sweetie , Well - Why don't you just listen to my heart and tell me if I am. Okay? We - didn't - kill - your - sister. Do you hear that? There's no blips or upticks. Just the steady beat of the cold, hard truth. Found bite marks on your sister's body, Derek. What do you think did that? A mountain lion? Why aren't we helping each other out? You might as well admit what you've been guessing all along, which is - The Alpha killed your sister. And all you have to do is tell us who he is, and we'll take care of it for you. Problem solved, everybody goes home happy. Unless - You don't know who he is either," Kate scoffed, "Wow. Guess who just became totally useless?"
One of the hunters pointed his gun at Maeve's head as she growled, Maeve rolled her eyes, pulling her own gun out of her jeans, pointing it back at him. Distracted by the gun in his face, Maeve ran away from the hunter, grabbing Dereks arm, pulling him out of their old house.
Sprinting through the woods, the pair slowed down to a walk, looking around to check they hadn't been followed. Silence fell between them as Derek finally pulled his shirt over his head. Maeve's uneasy breaths blended with the woods sounds around them.
Now somewhat out of harms way, Maeve's emotions could finally hit, and they did with full force, like she'd been kicked in the chest.
Derek didn't have a second to catch his breath before Maeve slammed her hands against his chest, shouting "How could you be so stupid! You could've gotten hurt, she could've killed you! Why the hell would you run out there like that!"
Derek was startled by Maeve's explosion, holding his hands over Maeve's, moving them away from hitting his chest "Maeve-"
Maeve had tears running madly down her cheeks by now, her voice growing weak with her shouts, "How many times does it take you getting hurt to realise that I can't loose you again! Luna can't loose you again!"
"You can promise that you'll stay all you want but running around trying to get yourself killed is no better than not being here at all, Derek!" Maeve sobbed, her hits against Dereks chest going weak "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you so much!"
"Maeve," Derek called softly, Maeve stared up at him with her teary blue eyes.
Maeve looked ready to collapse with her own emotions, Derek sighed, pulling his ex into a hug whether she liked it or not, "Maeve."
Maeve hated Derek so much, but she couldn't deny how she felt her heart swell as she cuddled against him, leaning her head on his shoulder, finally feeling a moment of peace.
Neither knew how long had passed as they stood in each other's embrace. Derek didn't want to let go, he didn't how how he ever did. Maeve was a whirlwind of emotions, but the reminder that she didn't need Derek to be okay quickly swarmed her thoughts.
Hesitantly pulling away, Maeve gazed at Derek only slightly less broken than before, "Kate could stand there and call me every insult under the sun, but don't you ever run straight into her trap like that again."
Derek nodded slowly as Maeve turned on her heels, walking away from him "Maeve?"
"Maeve!"
Maeve didn't turn back, her expression stone cold as she hurried out of the preserve, wondering how Derek could make her hate him and love him all at once.
Derek stood alone. Without Maeve. Something he thought would be better for the both of them, but now, he knew it was far from it.
—
"We really didn't have to come to this-" Dean looked slightly nervous as he followed Maeve through the school hallway, Luna running ahead excitedly.
"Don't be stupid," Maeve muttered, taking the list of appointments out of his hand, "Someone has to keep you Hales in line."
After her divorce, Maeve knew that there was no way she could abandon Dean, leaving him with Derek would be even more unstable than it was before they took him in. Now months later, Kieran and Maeve tried their best to make life stable for the young Hale, but Dean definitely didn't make it easy.
Melissa rushed over to the Hales, worry etched on her face, "Dean, you haven't seen Scott have you?"
Dean shrugged, "He didn't turn up today."
"That doesn't sound like Scott," Maeve frowned, but knew Stiles and Scott we're likely running around causing havoc with her ex husband.
"I know," Melissa muttered with a sigh, "Teenage years."
'Tell me about it," Maeve laughed, nudging Deans shoulder as they continued to walk down the hall.
Passing the chemistry lab, Dean grinned mischievously, "Aren't we going to see Adrian?"
"I'm never stepping foot in that classroom again," Maeve protested, spotting the right classroom at the end of the hall.
"Don't want detention?" Dean teased.
"I don't think Maeve's ever had detention in her life," Kieran Hale caught up with his sister in law and brother, from far away, his resemblance of Derek was uncanny.
"You're late," Maeve hummed, scanning his appearance critically, "Where've you been?"
Kieran simply winked, his younger brother snorted at his actions whilst Maeve rolled her eyes "Really?"
Whilst maturing over the years, Kieran was just the same as he was when he was a teen.
Maeve looked around the busy hallway for her daughter, "Luna come on, sweetheart!"
Luna came sprinting around the corner, almost doubled over in a fit of giggles, the three Hales sharing amused looks.
"What's got you all giggly?" Kieran questioned, picking up his niece to stop her from running off.
Luna looked ready to burst with excitement, "Mr Coach says he's called cupcake!"
Maeve huffed in annoyance, rummaging around the back seat of her car in search of Luna's jacket, the six year old insisting she wouldn't walk into the cold with out it. Silently cheering at the denim jacket thrown over the back into the boot, Maeve grabbed it, rushing out of the car.
Maeve almost stumbled back as she turned to walk around the back of her car, bumping into two approaching teens.
Maeve looked up to apologise but was met with Allison's startled gaze and Scott's surprised yet somewhat guilty stare, "Maeve?"
"Hey Scott," Maeve greeted, smiling softly at her younger cousin, "Allison?"
Allison's brows knitted in confusion, "Maeve?"
Allison was young when Maeve disappeared, taking her allusive mother with her. The Argents had packed up and left shortly after too, but Allison had never gotten an answer for where her aunt and cousin went.
"You two know each other?" Scott looked even more confused, glancing between the two Argents.
"Allison's my cousin," Maeve spoke up, noticing Allison was too flustered to even try and explain.
"I haven't seen you in years," Allison blinked back her shock, letting go of Scotts hand to pull Maeve into a hug.
Allison had always looked up to Maeve, the werewolf being a big sister to her. She couldn't believe how much she'd changed over the years, but seeing her alone was enough of a shock.
"Six," Maeve smiled weakly, pulling away from the hug, glancing over her shoulder in case another one of her family appeared out of no where.
"Where've you been?" Maeve fiddled with her car key, nervously avoiding Allisons questioning gaze.
"Uh... around here mostly," Maeve answered vaguely, turning to Scott, "Scott your moms looking for you, she's pissed."
"Oh," Scotts eyes widened, glancing at his phone before rushing up the stairs, Allison and Maeve following after him, "Crap."
Walking into the hallway Maeve was met with a small force crashing against her legs, looking down to see Luna grinning up at her.
Allison stared at the small blonde wrapped around her cousins legs in shock, Maeve let go of the breath she didn't know she was holding, forcing a smile down at her daughter.
"Did you get it?" Luna questioned, grinning as she spotted her jacket under Maeve's arm.
"Here you go," Maeve crouched down, helping Luna button up some of the buttons on her jacket.
"Hi Scotty," Luna sang, giving the werewolf a toothy smile.
"Hi Luna," Scott greeted, dramatically gasping, "You lost your tooth!"
Luna nodded excitedly, holding onto Maeve's hand, "Are you in trouble like uncle Dean?"
"Not quite as much," Maeve laughed knowingly, Luna's attention wondering over to Kieran leaving one of the classrooms.
Luna didn't bother saying goodbye, running over to Kieran, her uncle picking her up, frowning as he noticed who she'd run away from "Come on monkey, let's go find Dean. You coming, Maeve?!"
"I should go-" Maeve began, smiling apologetically before dashing off down the hallway, using Kieran as a human shield from the two teens.
"Luna," Allison whispered, her gaze not leaving the Hales as they left the hallway, "Is she Maeve's? They're almost identical."
Scott nodded, scrunching his brows in confusion, "You didn't know? She's your cousin."
"How old is she?" Allison shook her head.
Scott pieced it together, but answered with a sigh, "Six."
Allison gulped, now that made sense.
—
Maeve, Kieran and Dean walked out of the school, Maeve and Dean clearly bickering over his grade results, taking the paper out of his hand with a laugh.
Luna was running ahead with Elizabeth, the six year old happily chattering away again the sheriff. Elizabeth got stopped by another parent, her granddaughter skipping off to find Maeve's car.
Maeve quickly said goodbye to the Hale men and rushed after her daughter, trying to spot her blonde curls pass by the cars "Luna, be careful!"
Luna looked back from behind one of the cars, making the princess doll in her hand fly, dashing off as she laughed to herself, "Yes, Mommy!"
Maeve bumped against a car at a sudden scream echoing around the car park, looking around in shock for the issue.
As the car park descended into chaos, Maeve was rushing around in a panic searching for Luna, parents and at students running at her sides from the wild animal taking hostage outside the school.
Maeve couldn't even think about what the attack would be about, or even why people were freaking out, all she could think about was finding her daughter, "Luna?!"
A gunshot caused a still in the chaos, a lump growing in Maeve's throat, finding her daughter to where to be seen.
Luna held tightly onto the doll in her hand, looking around through the cars with her baby blue eyes wide, "Mommy?!"
Luna stumbled against a body, taking after her mothers clumsiness, Luna fell back to land on the ground but two hands caught her just in time.
Luna cautiously took a step back, staring at the familiar stranger, she wasn't allowed to talk to strangers, but he smelt like family, and her parents had always told her you could trust family.
Rushing around another corner, Maeve was starting to get worked up, "Luna!"
Her panic came to a halt at the sight of the sheriff laying on the ground, obviously being hit by the car beside him.
Maeve ran over to him at the same time as Elizabeth, the elder Argent noticing the panic in her daughters features, "Mom!"
"I'll find her," Elizabeth smiled weakly, nodding down at Noah "Help him."
"Hey, it's alright," Chris crouched down to Luna's level, staying calm in front of the six year old Hale, "I'll help you find your parents. Can you tell me your name?"
Recognising her from being with Derek, Chris assumed the young girl was a werewolf, it wouldn't stop him helping her find her mother, he wasn't that heartless.
"Luna," The blonde replied hesitantly, "Hale. My mommy's names Maeve, my dad calls her Diana sometimes though - oh! His names Derek. I'm not supposed to run off..."
Chris waited for her to finish rambling, the bombshell being pushed aside until Luna was out of harms way, "You could get hurt if you do, you know."
"I know," Luna rocked on her purple converse, a guilty frown forming.
Maeve knelt down beside her old boss, carefully aiding Melissa to help Noah sit up, "Oh my god!"
Noah waved off the two women, grumbling, "I'm fine!"
"You got hit by a car, you're not fine!" Maeve protested, staring at him in disbelief.
Maeve had grown close with the sheriff over the years, in Chris' absence, Noah was the only father figure she had left.
"Maeve," Noah sighed, playing down his pain as he moved to stand, "I'm fine."
"We're taking you to the hospital," Maeve shared a look with Melissa, clearly seeing the pain in the sheriffs eyes.
Noah couldn't help but groan, "No you're not."
"Can you walk?" Maeve worried, holding out her arm to lead Noah to her car.
"I'm not a child, Maeve," Noah muttered, wobbly on his feat as he began to walk.
Maeve sighed before dashing off down the car park, "Wait here! I'll bring the car to you!"
Melissa laughed in amusement as the young mother rushed away, smiling at Noah's unamused expression over being babied.
Maeve neared her car, yet again stumbling over her feet at the voice that was like music to her ears, "Mommy!"
Maeve gasped in relief, whirling around to face her daughter, but blinked in surprise finding Luna stood beside her uncle, the one she hadn't seen since the night of the fire.
"Thank you mr Chris," Luna smiled up at the hunter before running over to her brother.
"Luna!" Maeve practically crushed Luna into a hug, kneeling down on the ground in front of her, "How many times to I have to tell you not to run off?! You could've got hurt."
Luna smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, Mommy."
Maeve sighed, kissing the top of her head, holding her close as she tried to ignore the stare of her uncle.
Maeve knew the conversation would come one day, but she wasn't going to be having it today. Maeve's gaze met his, and nodded thankfully, Chris knowing not to start anything now.
"I'm going to take Noah to the hosptial," Maeve finally let Luna go, but held her hand tightly as she led them over to where she'd left Elizabeth, "You're going to wait here and your dad will come get you soon, okay?"
"Am I in trouble?" Luna didn't see her mother get into a panic often, and the fear in Maeve was still obvious, even to a six year old.
Maeve sighed, running her hand over Luna's soft curls, "No, baby, just promise not to run off like that again."
Luna hugged Maeve's legs, "I promise."
"Be good for your dad," Maeve kissed Luna's cheek, straightening out the young girls jacket.
"Is mr sheriff going to be okay?"
No matter how many times Noah tried to get Luna to call him Noah, Luna insisted that she called him mr sheriff. Stiles had many nicknames too, but some weren't to pleasant, like when she was four and Stiles shaved his head so she called him baldy for a year.
"He'll be fine," Maeve smiled, spotting her mother making her way over, "Mom!"
Luna was quickly handed off to her grandmother, Maeve had rushed an annoyed Noah to the hospital straight away.
Sat on the steps waiting for Derek, Luna scanned the car park, spotting the man that had helped her find Maeve, "Grandma, mr Chris is staring at you."
Elizabeth looked up, finding Chris staring back at her in shock.
Elizabeth grinned, picking up Luna, "Well we'll just have to go say hello then won't we?"
If they're was anything Elizabeth loved, it was drama.
Approaching her twin brother and his family, Elizabeth smiled mischievously, noticing the gun in his jacket pocket, "Christopher, can't say I'm surprised to see you kept up with your old ways."
"Elizabeth," Victoria greeted her sister in law in surprise, glancing between Luna and Elizabeth.
"Victoria, it's been a while," Elizabeth hummed.
"It has," Luna cuddled into her grandmothers shoulder, slightly terrified of Victoria, "Is she yours?"
"Oh no, my child rearing days are over. I'm on grandma duty now," Elizabeth snorted very uncharacteristically, "Lulu, this is my brother, Chris, his wife Victoria and their daughter Allison."
"Hello," Luna mumbled, Allison and Chris noticing she was quieter than before.
"We best be off before your father has a melt down, munchkin," Elizabeth turned in her heels, walking away from her family, "Say goodbye, Lu."
"Bye!" Luna waved over her grandmothers shoulder, leaving the Argents stood in complete and utter disbelief.
"Stiles?" Maeve called upstairs as she helped Noah through the hallway into the living room, "Stiles!"
"Sit down, tough guy," Maeve let go of Noah's arm as he sat down in his armchair, wincing in pain, Maeve smiled "Does this get me a raise?"
Noah laughed, kicking his legs up onto the armchair with more force than intended, Maeve cleared the table of his paperwork "You comfy?"
"Dad? Dad!" Stiles bounded down the stairs, almost falling over in shock at the sight of his father sat looking worse for wear, "What happened?"
Noah waved off his overprotective son, "I'm fine."
"That will be the pain medication," Maeve hummed, waving a paper bag in her hand.
Stiles went to ramble on about what happened, but a deep snore interrupted, the two of them finding Noah fast asleep.
"The alpha showed up at the school, it caused chaos in the parking lot, a car hit your dad-" Maeve explained, "I tried to find him but i had Luna and Dean-"
"Its alright," Stiles sighed, eyebrows knitted worriedly, "Scott was there, didn't he do anything?
Maeve hesitantly shook her head, sensing tension between the two best friends.
"Are you okay?" Stiles questioned, his protective manor falling on the detective.
"Luna ran off and nearly gave me a heart attack, but I'm fine," Maeve replied tiredly, passing Stiles the paper bag
"He takes these at morning and night. No alcohol, more sleep. Definitely no work tomorrow, I'll come and check on him tomorrow. Call me if you need anything okay?"
Stiles walked with Maeve to the front door, smiling appreciatively, "Thanks Maeve."
Maeve turned away, but quickly stopped, "His meds are strong so if he starts going on about a load of rubbish, just ignore him."
Walking into the loft, Maeve stopped in surprise at the sight in front of her. Derek lay fast asleep on the couch, Luna lay ontop of his chest, cuddled against him like a baby, even if she was too big for it now.
Maeve kicked off her shoes, a sudden drain taking a toll on her body, slowly making her way through into the kitchen without waking the two Hales on the couch.
Seeing Derek and Luna together always made Maeve emotional, before it was out of affection, but now it was relief that the pair were able to reconnect after the missing months.
Joining Kieran in the kitchen, Maeve gratefully took the cup of tea from his hand, leaning against the counter as she stared into the living room, for some reason, unable to take her eyes off the father and daughter.
"Luna wouldn't go to sleep until she saw one of you," Kieran explained Dereks presence, "Knows how to kick up a fit, that little terror."
Maeve chuckled, shaking her head, "You know full well that she was messing with you?"
"But her eyes, Maeve, they had that little sparkle, it was -" Kieran defended.
Maeve raised a brow, "Manipulation? She's not fond of the idea of Derek being back but the both of us not being together, she's bound to make a fuss."
Kieran shrugged, "She's young, she won't understand."
"She understands," Maeve sipped at the warm tea, letting out a sigh, "She just doesn't like it."
"Well there goes another day without you tearing off Derek's head, that's progress," Kieran hummed in amusement.
Maeve laughed, "Whatever you say."
Of course Kieran didn't know about the showdown in the woods that morning....
"You don't have to be so afraid," Maeve stared at the elder Hale in surprise, "He's not our dad. I know he's left before, but he would never abandon the two of you for good."
—
Derek slowly blinked awake, adjusting to the bright lamp shining down on him, his breaths feeling heavy with the weight on his chest.
Dean strolled in as Derek woke, greeting his brother for the first time in months, "You're here. Good. I was beginning to think you would end up like dad."
"I'm not stupid enough to cheat on my wife," Derek growled quietly, careful not to wake Luna.
Dean grinned, flopping back on the couch opposite, flicking on the tv, "That's what I like to hear."
Luna groaned at the sudden noise, Derek set her on his hip, standing up to carry her up to bed, just missing Maeve as she walked into the room.
"And where have you been?" Dean jumped at Maeve's voice, turning around with an innocent smile to be met with Maeve's scowl.
—
"Wolfie," Derek counted off, handing his daughter the stuffed teddy, reaching down to pick up the pink blanket, "blanket."
Luna cuddled the teddy, looking around sleepily, "I want missy."
Derek blinked in confusion, "Who's missy?"
"My cat," Luna smiled with a yawn, "Mischief."
Derek held back his groan, walking out of her vibrant room to find the cat. He left them alone for barley a day and then got a cat.
"Maeve?" Derek found his ex lugging a wash basket up the stairs, setting it down on the landing with a huff before looking to Derek "Please tell me you didn't buy her a cat."
"I didn't!" Maeve didn't look any happier about the subject than he did, Derek sighed in relief as Maeve walked into her room, their old room.
Maeve smiled at Dereks discomfort over the fluffy ginger cat in her arms, "Stiles stole her one."
Keeping the cat far away from Derek, the parents made their way into Luna's room, the six year old already holding up a stack of books to be read.
"Can you read me a story?" Luna smiled, knowing her father would have a hard time saying no.
Maeve nodded, letting the kitten roam around the room before jumping up on Luna's bed, "Your dad will read you one."
Luna's eyes twinkled with an idea, "Can you both read me one?"
The parents looked to each other with a sigh, but the both of them sat down on Luna's bed, the both of them on different sides.
"Only one," Maeve muttered, lying back beside Luna, on Luna's left, Derek sat propped up against the headboard.
By the end of the story, both Maeve and Derek were fast asleep, Luna cuddled between them as they both slept peacefully for the first time in months.