Soulmates | Derek Hale - Chapter 28: Chapter 28

Isaac, Derek and Kieran were greeted by the sound of Maeve and Dean arguing in the kitchen as they entered the loft. A sound that was way too common for concern.
Muttering to himself as he walked out of the kitchen, Dean paused noticing his classmate, raising his brows in confusion, "Isaac? What's going on?"
"Isaac's part of the pack now," Derek answered, staring at his younger brother knowingly, "I trust you'll keep an eye out for him."
Dean nodded slowly, "'Course."
"Luna!" Maeve was out of the kitchen next, carrying a large bowl of pasta that Dean quickly took from her hands.
Realising she'd practically shouted in their faces as a greeting, Maeve smiled, "Oh! Sorry, I didn't realise you were here."
"This is Isaac," Derek introduced, "Isaac this is Maeve."
"Nice to meet you, Isaac," Maeve greeted warmly, easing Isaacs nerves as she motioned to the dining table, "You hungry?"
The group made their way into the dining room where Lorraine was already sat at the head of the table, a large glass of wine in hand hand, flicking through a magazine with the other.
Isaac nodded shyly, sitting down beside Dean as Luna came thundering into the room, sprinting towards the table that she'd probably run head first into if Derek didn't catch her.
Derek swung her around playfully, Luna shifted in his arms, hugging him tightly, "What? No hello?"
Luna grinned up at him, "It's dinner time!"
"You love food more than me?" Derek questioned, pouting mockingly.
Luna shook her head quickly, leaning against his shoulder as he set her down on her designated chair, "No!"
Derek chuckled, kissing the top of her head, "That's what I thought."
"You'll get used to it," Dean told Isaac who watched the interaction in surprise, snatching a bread roll off Luna before she took them all, "It's an odd sight for people who know grumpy Derek."
Sitting down at the table, Kieran hummed in agreement "It's still an odd sight for people who know normal Derek."
Maeve rolled her eyes as she walked past, whacking the back of the brothers heads, but Dean simply smiled back, "Am we wrong though?"
Lorraine finally set down the paper, eyeing Isaac suspiciously, "The new beta, I presume, Derek?"
Isaac froze, admittedly terrified of the woman.
Luna grinned as she noticed his, speaking through a mouthful of pasta, "Isaac, that's nana Lorraine, she looks scary but she isn't! Promise!"
"Dear god, Luna, finish what you're chewing before you speak," Lorraine tutted, "It's very unladylike. You have your mothers manners, apparently."
Maeve sat down with a huff, "Nan! I have perfectly acceptable manners."
Lorraine opened her mouth to add more but Maeve beat her too it, "And morals! Thank you, I can see that judgy look in your eye."
"I'd argue differently," Dean added, grinning as Maeve glared back at him.
Luna made an effort of gulping down her pasta, "I think mommy's manners are fine."
"Thank you Luna," Maeve smiled, "At least I have someone on my side."
"Luna darling, you've been exposed to some bad influences," Lorraine said pointedly in Kieran, Maeve and Deans direction "You need people like your father and I to teach you differently."
Maeve set her wineglass down, "Right, i've had enough of this Derek favouritism -"
"Now, Maeve, jealously isn't a nice trait," Lorraine interrupted.
Maeve scowled at Derek, but her ex husband smiled smugly right back at her.
Isaac smiled. He could get used to this, this felt like a family, albeit slightly dysfunctional.
—
Maeve and Derek stood side by side at the sink in the kitchen as they cleared up after dinner, everyone else had swiftly left before they had to join in.
Maeve lifted a soapy pot out of the sink, handing it to Dereks to dry, "Want to tell me what's just happened?"
"Isaacs dad died," Derek avoided her gaze, concentrating on drying the plate.
Maeve took a breath, scrubbing at a bowl a little harsher, "Died or got killed?"
Derek leant to her side, placing a plate in the cupboard, "Why do you assume the worst all the time?"
"Do I need to answer that question?" Maeve raised her brows in amusement.
"Killed," Derek sighed, rolling his eyes as she shoved a bowl at his stomach, "Isaac said it was some type of creature, the one we spoke about."
"Oh yeah, the murderous one," Maeve scowled, "So I'm going to work tomorrow to cover up Isaac's dad being murdered by a creature or am I actually going with that theory?"
Derek smiled innocently, handing her back the dry bowl.
"You don't make my job easy," Maeve huffed, crouching down to put the bowl back, "I actually miss the normal murders, at least we could investigate them without having to fight the blasted thing as well. Is Isaac alright? He saw his dad die."
"As good as you can when your dad was an abusive piece of crap," Derek shrugged, eyebrows narrowed in frustration as he noticed Maeve frown, "don't go fuss over him."
Maeve glared at him, the pots clattering as she picked up another, "I wasn't going to fuss."
"Maeve, you coddle," Derek pointed out.
"I do not!" Maeve exclaimed, turning away from the sink.
Derek reached forward to take the dirty knife from her hand, placing it back in the sink, "You do! Need I remind you of when my dad got arrested? You treated Dean like he had a severe flu."
Maeve rolled her eyes, "Take the knife off me. Real mature."
"Dean do you need a blanket? Dean are you hungry? here, have another cupcake-" Derek imitated.
But Maeve didn't need a knife to be threatening, opting to hit him with a tea towel instead.
"Shut up!"
—
Maeve switched on the lights before stepping aside for Isaac to walk in, "This was my friend Jamie's old room, we finally managed to get him out once he got a girlfriend but before that he was impossible to get rid of."
Isaac nervously followed her into the room, setting his bag onto an empty dresser. Maeve had easily been the most welcoming towards him, he even felt the most relaxed in her company, despite Derek being his alpha. Of course, Isaac had yet to learn that when it came to the Hale family, Maeve was the sacrificial alpha.
"It's a bit empty but you can decorate once you're settled," Maeve smiled, "Deans the room next door, my nan's down the hall and Luna and I are at the top of the other staircase so you don't have to worry about her bugging you."
"This is great, thank you," Isaac thanked her quietly.
"Don't hesitate to ask if you need anything, you're pack now," Maeve told him, "I deal with dean on a daily basis, I'm sure you're no bother."
"Diana!"
Maeve rolled her eyes, walking back to the door, "Get some rest, I'll see you in the morning, you'll probably hear me or Derek trying to wrangle Luna to school."
—
"After today I need to sleep for days," Noah sighed as he and Maeve walked back into the station.
Today of all days the Beacon hills crime rate had skyrocketed and Noah and Maeve had their hands filled trying to organise the station.
Maeve hummed in agreement, "I would if I didn't have to take Luna to ballet at 7:30 in the morning, maybe I should make Derek suffer all the dance moms."
"I don't quite think Derek would know how to handle himself," Noah laughed.
"Yeah, he'd show up in all leather and think nothing of it," Maeve snorted, "I think the moms would pass out."
Turning a corner they paused in front of the waiting cells, spotting Stiles stood awkwardly beside an unconscious deputy and a broken cell. Maeve closed her eyes, taking a breath, she just knew something like this would happen whilst she was busy. And naturally, Derek was involved.
"Uhhh," Stiles squeaked, smiling innocently, "Hey!"
Noah took a deep breath, "Where is he?"
"Who?" Stiles blinked, Maeve rolled her eyes.
Noah's face grew red in anger, "Lahey. And what happened to that deputy?"
"He.. uh...fainted! Yes, he fainted," Stiles stammered.
Maeve discreetly smiled in amusement, "The door?"
Stiles paused, wincing as he answered, "There was an earthquake?"
"We didn't feel an earthquake," Noah pointed out slowly.
"Oh, it was a little one..." Stiles motioned to the room Derek and Isaac destroyed, "around this room, mainly."
"And Lahey?" Noah squinted at his son suspiciously.
Stiles glanced to Maeve in panic, and by judging his heartbeat, he needed help.
"I dismissed him earlier, he had an alibi," Maeve cut in, "You don't know anything about that do you, Stiles?"
"No! Course not," Stiles sighed in relief, "Glad he's freeeeee-"
"Great," Noah sighed, turning to leave, "can this day get any worse?"
"You're an idiot," Maeve hissed once Noah was out hearing range, "What is wrong you? What the hell happened?"
"Your ex was the one to help me!" Stiles exclaimed, throwing his arms out in defence.
"And is Derek is the prime example for good decisions?" Maeve glared.
Stiles awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, "Not really. But as much as I hate to admit it, he did get Isaac out of here."
"I think making bad decisions is just part of him," Maeve muttered irritably, "Why didn't you guys just call me?"
"Well he married you, that was a good choice," Stiles shrugged, "And we t-"
Maeve didn't listen to the rest of his words, too busy occupied with trying to hide his smile.
—
Almost everyone in the loft jumped as Maeve slammed the loft door open, storming through, "What the hell happened!"
Isaac looked up worriedly, but Maeve smiled at him in reassurance, "Don't worry Isaac I'm not mad at you."
Maeve's glare landed on Derek, "You on the other hand!"
"Here we go," Dean sighed, motioning for Isaac to follow him, "Mum and dad are fighting again."
"Shut up," Derek rolled his eyes, waiting for the boys to leave before smiling at Maeve, "Sorry?"
Maeve frowned, sitting down on the couch beside him, "You promised this pack wouldn't become a problem, Derek."
"It's not going to be," Derek argued, "What happened today wasn't exactly a great example of that but we'll get there."
"I had to cover this up at work again, if my higher ups get suspicious I'm screwed, Derek," Maeve stressed, "Yes I can bend the case, but you can't go ahead and break people out of jail without consulting me! Just please, promise me you'll stop running into these things so suddenly."
Derek sighed, but noticing Maeve's pleading look, he nodded, "Promise."
—
Maeve and her friend Jazz sat in the park as they watched their daughters play in the park. In typical Jazz fashion she'd noticed something was up with Maeve and eventually pried it out of her.
"I can't do it, Jazz," Maeve sighed, leaning back on the uncomfortable park bench, "Jake is perfect its just-"
"He's not Derek," Jazz finished, raising her brows at Maeve, "You would've married him if Derek didn't turn up."
Maeve frowned, sipping her coffee, "You think?"
"Girl, the moment Derek came waltzing back through that door Jake didn't even get a second glance," Jazz laughed, "you might as well of just broken up with him on the spot."
Maeve watched Luna on the swings, smiling as she laughed, "Derek's no angel, but seeing him in a good place, it's difficult."
Jazz stayed silent, waiting for her to continue, whenever Maeve opened up about Derek you had to make the most of it because it didn't happen often.
"Seeing the Derek I loved every day," Maeve explained, "the Derek from before the divorce before I lost the baby. It's not like I don't know he's changed, because it's so obvious that he has, I just don't know what to do with that thought."
"Well, here's no doubt Derek is helplessly in love with you," Jazz reminded her, "It's just if you can love him again."
"That's problem, I didn't stop loving Derek," Maeve argued, twisting the ring on her necklace nervously, "I just stopped loving the Derek he was then."
"Diana Maeve Hale," Jazz started sternly, "You will do what makes you and your family happy, if that's Derek, then so be it. Who cares what anyone thinks, if you still love him after everything then thats what matters."
"What if we get back together and it doesn't work out like before," Maeve frowned, "it will destroy Luna if she had to watch us split up again."
"What if it does workout?" Jazz countered.
Maeve sighed, turning her attention back to Luna and Jazz's daughter, Suzie, on the swings trying to avoid the thoughts in her head.
Though she didn't need distracting for long before she spotted Dean and Benji, Jazz's son, strolling over.
"I thought you were too old to come to play dates," Maeve teased with a smile.
"Ha ha," Dean rolled his eyes.
Jazz eyed them suspiciously, "What do you want?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Benji asked in mock offence.
"You know what that's supposed to mean, Benjamin," Jazz argued.
"Oh god please tell me you both haven't done something bad," Maeve groaned rubbing at her temples, "I don't have the energy to deal with it."
"Why do you always think poorly of us?" Dean questioned playfully.
Maeve laughed, "You haven't given us a reason not to."
"We're going to see Isaac," Dean informed her, "We-"
"Do not bring that boy into your mess Dean Gideon Hale I mean it," Maeve interrupted with a scowl.
"Yes, mother, I'll lay off the new kid you want to coddle," Dean smiled sarcastically at her.
Maeve rolled her eyes, smacking his arm as he went to walk away.
"Abuse!" Dean exclaimed, grinning as parents turned and looked in their direction, "I'm telling Derek."
Maeve scoffed, "What are you five? Derek likes me more than you, who do you think he'll believe?"
Dean squinted at her, "Now that is just mean."
Maeve smiled innocently, waving goodbye to the teens.
"What?" Maeve raised her brows at Jazz's smirk, "What!"
"Just that you're using Derek in your arguments again. Seemed pretty confident in Derek's feelings towards you," Jazz pointed out.
Maeve smiled knowingly,
"We are talking about the same Derek, right?"
—
Maeve looked up from her paperwork as the door slid open, letting out a sigh as Derek stepped in first, a sheepish smile on his face. So that promise didn't last very long...
"What did you do?"
Derek rolled his eyes, "What makes you think I've done something."
"I know you've done something," Maeve set down her pen, crossing her arms impatiently, "Go on then, spill it."
Derek stepped aside making room for Erica who stepped in nervously behind him.
Maeve blinked in surprise at Dean's girlfriend, "Erica!"
"Hi Maeve," Erica smiled shyly.
Derek nodded down at Erica, "So I need a favour..."
Maeve glared at him in annoyance, slowly standing up from the dining table. If Derek wasn't her daughters father, Maeve was sure she would've strangled him by now.
"Please?" Derek questioned, smiling in success as Maeve huffed, walking over to them.
"Why do you never consult me when you make impulsive decisions?" Maeve grumbled, "We had this conversation less than 24 hours ago."
"Come in, Erica," Maeve took Erica's arm whilst pushing Derek back out of the door, "You can go now! It's girl time!"
"Bye Maeve-" Derek began, but Maeve let the door slam in his face.
Erica cautiously followed Maeve into the living room, "I didn't know you two knew each other well."
Maeve practically snorted, slouching back on the sofa, "Oh if only. Derek's my ex husband."
"Oh, wow," Erica gasped, sitting down as Maeve nodded, "Really? Wow."
"Mhm. Divorced last year," Maeve hummed, "It wasn't the nicest of breakups."
"Aren't you like 25?" Erica wondered, blushing in embarrassment, "Sorry-"
Maeve laughed, "Yeah, not one of my best accomplishments."
"Dean said you're like his sister, I always assumed you were friends with Kieran," Erica pointed out, "You two hang out a lot. Derek's always been described as the elusive big brother."
"The Hales are like lost puppies, Ah! Another pun! Sorry-" Maeve laughed, "Stiles only really finds me funny. Anyways... Kieran may be an adult but he likes being babied, as does Dean, i've become the sacrificial mother hen-"
Maeve was interrupted by a dramatic whine from the top of the stairs followed by small feet thudding against the steps, "Mommy?"
Maeve smiled knowingly, "Derek has a flair for dramatics. Which he passed onto this one. What's wrong now, Lu?"
Luna warped the blanket around her shoulders tighter, pouting as she crawled onto her mothers lap.
Maeve rolled her eyes, "You know if you're going to pretend to be sick you've got to do a little better than that."
"But-" Luna sniffed.
"I expect better than the duvet and fake sniffles!" Maeve told her in amusement, Luna huffed and climbed off her lap, "Need I remind you you're a werewolf, miss Hale?"
Luna sulkily wondered over to the kitchen, playfully glaring at her mother, "And don't you go near that treat cupboard!"
Erica laughed quietly, "She looks like Derek when she does that. Why's she bunking off?"
"Her class is going on a trip and Luna flat out refuses to go," Maeve shrugged, "Even Derek couldn't get her through the door and she listens to everything he says, its quite annoying, actually."
Luna had thrown the tantrum of all tantrums that morning. Maeve nearing the point of insanity as her daughter wailed through her tears by the front door when Derek arrived, and even when he picked her up to carry her out, which normally worked, she screamed like she'd broken all her bones.
Its safe to say Luna wouldn't be going to school.
Erica frowned, "Any idea why?"
"She has her moments, but I think she's a bit jealous of having Derek's attention elsewhere, she'd cuddled him for an hour straight and seemed back to normal," Maeve replied, "She's not adjusted to the whole pack and family idea yet, our family has always been our pack, so once she realises you're not here to steal Derek she'll be fine with it. So why exactly did Derek bring you here?"
—
After Erica's makeover, that wasn't necessary by any means in Maeve's opinion, Maeve left Derek to get on with whatever he was intending on doing ( probably causing a mess for her to clean up again) , but searching for a stranded Stiles was hardly how she expected to spend her evening after receiving a call from him freaking out.
Maeve kept her eyes on the road as she turned into Boyd's ( who she hadn't even met yet ) neighbourhood, Luna in the backseat on the search for Stiles.
"Can you see him?" Maeve questioned, slowing down in front of the address Derek told her.
Luna sat up in her car seat, pointing at the side of the house, "There!"
Maeve rolled down the window, shouting over to the teen, "Stiles!"
Stiles sighed in relief, rushing over to climb into the passenger seat, holding his head painfully.
"What happened to you?" Maeve frowned in concern, "Are you alright?"
"Erica," Stiles grumbled with a wince as Maeve pulled his head towards her to inspect it.
"Reyes?" Maeve questioned, spotting blood, "Do you need to go to the hospital? You're bleeding."
Stiles whacked her hand away, "I'm fine."
Maeve wasn't convinced, starting the car back up, "I'm taking you to the hospital."
"No! I've got to go help Scott against Derek..." Stiles protested, quieting down as he realised who he was talking to, "Maeve please just don't-"
Maeve rolled her eyes, "Derek isn't some mafia boss, Stiles, Scott can handle himself."
"But-"
"But nothing, Scott has a lot to learn," Maeve reminded him, "And you can't fight his battles for him, especially with a concussion."
"Whats a mafia?" Luna spoke up from the back seat, Stiles jumping as he noticed her sat in the car with them.
"Nothing, darling," Maeve interrupted, "Finish your book."
"Maeve really, I'm fine," Stiles sighed.
"Stiles," Maeve started, her voice stern.
"Diana," Stiles mocked.
"Mie-"
"Don't!" Stiles exclaimed, eyes wide.
Luna dramatically set her book on the other seat, leaning forward to smack Stiles in the back of the head.
Stiles lurched forward with a cry, holding onto his head, "Ow!"
"Luna!" Maeve gasped, horrified with her daughter's actions.
Maeve liked to blame Luna's temper on Derek, but everyone fully well knew Luna had Maeve's temper.
Luna grinned, "See, you're not fine, Uncle Stiles!"
"You can't just hit people, injured people especially!" Maeve started her rant, "I have not raised you to go around and hit people like your fa-"
"Its just Stiles," Luna interrupted with a shrug.
Stiles whirled around in offence, "Just Stiles? Just Stiles?"
Maeve yawned, resting her head back against the white hospital wall. The wait to get Stiles seen by a doctor took longer than expect she she was on the verge of falling asleep.
Luna, on the other hand, was wide awake. Luna sat opposite her mother, growing frustrated with her colouring. Maeve knew it would only take one more colour going outside the line before Luna lost it.
A nurse stepped out of Stiles' room, smiling at Maeve as she handed her Stiles' prescription "Your brother will be out in a moment. If you could just sign this."
Over the years Maeve had gotten used to being mistaken for being Stiles' sister, but with Luna now running around calling him uncle Stiles, everyone usually assumed he was.
Maeve frowned but took the clipboard, "Don't you need a parent signature?"
"Just family," the nurse checked the paperwork again, "We have your name down. Diana Hale, right?"
Maeve nodded slowly, scribbling down her signature. Yes she'd been with Stiles to multiple hospital trips, but not enough to be family on his file.
As the nurse walked away, Maeve sat in silence, her mind buzzing trying to figure out what was going on.
Luna hesitantly waved her hands in front of Maeve's face, "Mommy?"
Maeve blinked, forcing a smile, "Yeah baby?"
"You're staring at the wall," Luna pointed out.
Maeve crouched to help her with her colouring, hoping to distract herself, but Luna had abandoned the colouring and was now staring down the hall.
Luna leant forward to whisper, "That doctors staring at you."
Maeve glanced over at the woman, and much to her surprise, the doctor was in fact staring.
"Stay here and wait for Stiles."
Luna went to protest but Maeve was already hurrying to the doctor.
"Hi, is there something you needed?" Maeve questioned.
"Sorry, did I hear you were Mrs Hale?" The doctor smiled politely, Maeve nodded suspiciously, "I thought I recognised you, I'm doctor Edwards, you were my patient after the fire."
There was one upside from living away from Beacon Hills, and that was not being recognised for being a Hale or being in the fire. When Maeve returned after her divorce, she'd received attention for months until people had gotten bored of being nosy.
Maeve's breath hitched, "Oh- sorry I recognise you now."
Doctor Edwards smiled, "It's alright, if I remember rightly you were on quite a lot of pain medication. May I ask how you are now?"
"Fully recovered, physically anyways," Maeve answered, nodding back at Luna, "That's my daughter staring at you like a crazy person, she made it out alright as well."
The doctor smiled over at Luna, "Oh I'm so glad to hear that, you had quite the scare! Did you ever go to that cardiologist? I was quite concerned it would be hereditary."
Maeve blinked in confusion, having no idea what this doctor was talking about, "Uh, no not yet, I seem fine though."
"Well, i best be off," Doctor Edwards made her way into another room, "Make sure your brother gets some rest. Oh! Say hello to your father for me."
That's when it all made sense.
Maeve turned slowly, trying not to have a panic attack on the spot. That doctor had been there every minute Maeve had been in the hospital, she'd read all the files, she'd seen the blood tests.
Spotting Stiles stood with Luna, Maeve's breathing grew more uneven. The doctor knew who her father was... the doctor thought her father was the sheriff. Her boss. The man she'd known for seven years.
That meant that Stiles was her brother, her real brother. Maeve found herself rushing down the hallway, flinging her arms around Stiles.
Stiles jumped as Maeve hugged him tightly, "Woah, Maeve, I'm fine it's just a concussion!"
Maeve's eyes burned as tears gathered, "I'm just glad you're okay."
Stiles looked at Luna in confusion, trying to figure out what was wrong with Maeve, but Luna shrugged and returned to her colouring.
—
After dropping Luna off at home, Maeve hurried up to Derek's loft as she tried to contain her tears.
Derek rushed down the stairs hearing the door open, finding Maeve pacing in the middle of the almost empty room, failing in trying to take deep breaths.
Derek hated seeing Maeve upset, his heart dropped every-time, but he hadn't seen her in this state in years.
"Maeve? What's wrong?" Derek approached her cautiously, hoping he wasn't the one to upset her.
Maeve shook her head, releasing a sob as she stepped forward, hugging him tightly,
"I've got you," Derek frowned, hugging her back, "you're okay. I've got you."
Maeve always felt safe and protected in Dereks arms, but nothing was stopping this pain hurting.
Derek managed to guide her to the sofa, helping her sit before crouching down in front of her, "What happened, Maeve?"
Maeve took a second to gather a breath, but as Derek reached up and wiped away a tear, she felt her heartbeat rise again.
"I-" Maeve started uneasily, "I think I know who my father is."