Soulmates | Derek Hale - Chapter 42: Chapter 42

"Where's your dad, and why's no one been able to contact him?" Agent McCall quizzed.
"I don't know. I haven't seen him in hours," Stiles lied.
Elizabeth hurried down the hallway, Maeve had called her frantic earlier to come get Stiles and had barley gave any information. Elizabeth hoped nothing worse had happened than everything in the past few days, but then she spotted the FBI parked outside.
Agent McCall looked to the teen suspiciously, "Is he drinking again?"
Stiles frowned, sitting up "What do you mean, again?"
"That's enough, Agent McCall," Liz interrupted with a glare, catching the end of their conversation.
"I was questioning him," Rafael stated innocently, Stiles scoffed and Elizabeth rolled her eyes.
"You can bring it up with his sister," Elizabeth added pointedly, taking Stiles' arm, "I believe she's a colleague of yours."
Glaring once more at the surprised detective, Elizabeth tugged Stiles down the hallway, "Come on, we're going home."
As they approached her car, Elizabeth noticed Stiles' anxious jittering straight away. Elizabeth caught his arm before he could get inside the car.
"Stiles," She began gently, smiling sadly at his tired eyes, "They'll find your dad, okay? He's going to be fine."
Stiles sighed, leaning back against her car, "he's just - he's not used to all of this, and I never told him cause of something like this happening."
"Stiles, your dad isn't stupid, and actually he's a lot stronger than everyone thinks," Elizabeth comforted, "This isn't your fault, it isn't Maeve's fault, it's not anyone's fault other than the lunatic who took him."
Stiles looked at Elizabeth strangely, unsure about this side to her that he never saw, "my dad, uh, he's really okay with all of this? He's not angry?"
"Stiles, there was a time I can remember your father being just as fascinated by werewolves as you are," Elizabeth patted his arm, "Don't worry, I promise you he will be okay."
Stiles stood silently before deciding to hug his fathers ex wife. Elizabeth blinked in surprise, but thankfully this was far less awkward than the pat on the arm.
Stiles finally felt calm knowing there was someone out their who understood his dad other than him and Maeve, and for a moment, he didn't feel as alone anymore.
—
"Careful," Peter warned, sharing a cautious look with his sister was they watched Derek take away Luna's pain.
Luna hadn't improved since they'd returned from the hospital and the family was growing concerned about what to do next, as well as their worry of the missing parents.
"Don't worry," Derek panted, letting go of Luna's arm, "I know going too far could kill me."
Maeve cradled Luna closer, it was awful to watch her daughter in so much pain, she knew Derek felt responsible, but Maeve could only take so many worries at once and hoped that Derek would be able to handle it.
"That's not exactly what I meant," Peter trailed off nodding to the hallway, Derek blinked confusedly but stood.
Maeve didn't even notice Derek follow Peter out into the hallway, whispering between themselves, "I've heard it's something only an Alpha can do, and with good reason."
"Which is?" Derek asked, watching Maeve move to lie down beside Luna, Luna curled up beside her mother.
"You know normal wolves never abandon an injured member of the pack," Peter explained, "They care for it. They bring it food from a kill and then regurgitate it into the mouth of the injured wolf. They even give it physical and emotional comfort by intensely grooming it. In a way, they can do more than just ease pain. They can be instrumental in healing their own."
"If you're trying to tell me I can save her, just tell me," Derek growled impatiently.
"I'm telling you..." Peter began, glancing back at Luna nervously, "I've heard it's possible."
"How?" Derek asked.
"It's that spark of power that makes you an Alpha. When you take her pain, she draws on the power that provides you with those special gifts. The power that heightens your senses, your strength. The power that transforms your body. As an Alpha, you have that bit of extra, that spark intensifies the color of your eyes from a bright yellow into a searing red," Peter explained.
"If I can save her..." Derek breathed heavily, "I have to."
"If," Peter interrupted, "If. I didn't say it works every time. It could just as easily kill you."
Derek looked back to Luna, closing his eyes as he sighed, "I don't care about the consequences, Peter. How do I do it? By taking her pain?"
"And then some. Because there's a cost."
—
Maeve looked up as Derek walked back in, Peter stopping him before they reached the bed, "I can understand not seeing a downside to this, as you haven't exactly been Alpha of the year, but think about what else you'd be losing."
Kieran sat himself down on one of Luna's beanbags, wincing as her cat leaped onto him. The whole family was searching for cure to try and help, Cora, Dean and Laura had left in search of Deaton, but Kieran was feeling particularly useless, unsure how to help.
"I don't care about power," Derek sat down beside Luna, brushing his hand through her hair, "Not anymore."
"What about the power to fight back?" Peter reminded, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but Kali's ultimatum still stands. The full moon is tomorrow night, and if you couldn't beat her as an Alpha, how do you think you're gonna fare as a beta?"
"I don't care," Derek repeated, relaxing as Talia placed her hand on his shoulder.
Maeve frowned, "What are you both talking about?"
"We know how to help Luna," Derek answered hesitantly, not wanting to get her hopes up.
"What if this was exactly what Jennifer was hoping for? She would know the only way for you to save Luna would be giving up your power. Maybe that's what she was gonna have you do at the hospital," Peter suggested.
"Why?" Derek asked irritably.
"So that you wouldn't be able to face the alphas without her. She wants you to come to her," Peter told him sternly, "It's all part of her little seduction, and she is still seducing you. She needs you on her side-"
Peter rolled his eyes at Maeve's glare, Derek held onto his wife's hand trying to calm her down before she started on Peter.
"What..." Talia interrupted, stepping forward, "What if Derek didn't have to be the one to do it?"
—
After Talia decided if anyone were to loose their power healing Luna, it would be her, the family knew they had no choice in arguing. Talia knew what she was doing, she knew she would loose her power completely, but at the point in her life she was finally ready to let go and hand over the reins of the alpha pack to Derek.
Derek was against it, of course, he thought his mother had lost the plot. But Talia made it very clear that this was the plan and the only plan.
"It's gotta be now. We don't have a choice," Derek stated, tears filling his eyes.
"You always have a choice. It's whether or not you can live with the consequences... facing Kali as a beta," Peter reminded, who was also against Talia taking Luna's pain.
"But it's not just a full moon coming. It's a lunar eclipse. We'll all be powerless," Derek sighed.
"Derek," Talia scolded, stepping between her son and her brother, "let me do this. I want to do this, you need to keep your power. End of discussion."
Derek looked to his wife helplessly, but Maeve shrugged, equally as confused. Derek and Maeve moved to sit at one side of Luna whilst Talia sat the other, taking Luna's hand in hers.
The family watched in awe as black veins travelled from Luna's wrist into Talias arm, Talia winced and closed her eyes, continuing to take Luna's pains. Luna gasped, slowly blinking awake as her pain started to fade.
Talia howled for once last time as she suddenly let go of Luna's arm, the family knew she had done it. Derek wasted no time in scooping Luna into his arms, he could cry as she hugged him back, no longer exhausted.
Maeve didn't bother hide the tears rolling down her cheeks, joining in on their hug.
"You're okay," Derek whispered, "You're okay."
" The moon is rising, Derek. You drained your battery taking Luna's pain earlier. And there is a fully charged alpha on her way to rip you limb from limb." Peter announced, walking up to his niece and nephew.
"I'll be fine in a few hours." Derek argued, not letting go of his daughter.
Peter rolled his eyes "I sincerely hope so, because a few hours is all that you have."
—
Maeve sighed as she gazed across the view from the balcony, squeezing her phone nervously, "Talia reckons it healed her completely, we're just going to have to wait and see."
"My dad seems to agree, but even her being in no pain at all is better, right?. Anything else we'll be able to handle with a clear mind."
Maeve closed her eyes as she let out a breath, "I know, Arch."
"We know Luna's going to be okay, and we're gonna find your dad. Try and keep calm, Maeve, or Jamie's gonna win his bet that you go into early labour."
"I'm taking him to freaking rehab for his gambling addiction," Maeve rolled her eyes, smiling slightly, "Thanks, Arch."
"Don't thank me for being your friend, stupid. Now go spend some time with your kid!"
Feeling a little less stressed, Maeve hung up and walked back inside, sharing an uneasy look with Peter as she joined them by the sofas. Derek stood in front of his pack, eyeing Aiden and Lydia suspiciously.
"We know about the lunar eclipse, so don't think Kali's gonna sit around waiting for it to level the playing field. She's coming, and my brother's coming with her," Ethan warned.
"Good enough for me," Peter agreed simply, "Derek? Maeve?"
"You want me to run?" Derek asked.
"No. I want you to stay and get slaughtered by an alpha with a psychotic foot fetish," Peter joked, walking to stand with his nephew, "Of course I want you to run. Take your family. Sprint, gallop, leap your way the hell out of this town."
"I'm not leaving without finding my dad," Maeve refused stubbornly, "And don't even think about making me leave, it's not happening."
Peter threw his arms out in defeat, looking around in search of objections. As much as Maeve wanted to run with her family and stay safe, she couldn't leave knowing her dad was in danger - she couldn't leave Stiles to deal with the guilt on his own. She needed to be there.
"If you want to fight and die for something, that's fine with me, but do it for something meaningful," Cora agreed, eyeing Derek knowingly.
"How do you know I'm gonna lose?" Derek asked, Maeve hid her laugh at the way his voice perked up in offence.
"We don't, but I'll bet she has an idea. Don't you, Lydia?" Peter slowly approached Lydia, staring at her deeply.
Lydia blinked, uncomfortable under his stare, "I don't know anything."
"But you feel something, don't you?" Peter probed.
Maeve stopped between them, asking gently, "What do you feel?"
"I feel like..." Lydia looked around nervously, "I'm standing in a graveyard."
Maeve glanced back down at her phone as it buzzed, the rooms attention landing on her as she gasped, looking to Derek with a panicked stare she dropped her phone on the table for everyone to see.
Argents been taken.
Derek stepped closer to Maeve, sensing her panic straight away. Maeve gulped, clutching his hand as they shared an unspoken agreement. Something had to be done, and fast. And first of all, that meant getting Luna safe and away from Beacon Hills.
—
Maeve squeezed Luna into the tightest hug her rounded stomach would allow, smiling sadly down at her daughter.
"Your dad and I will be with you soon, okay?" Maeve promised, kissing the top of her head, "I'll miss you."
Luna grinned up at her mum, glowing healthily for the first time in days, "I'll miss you too!"
Derek lifted Luna into a hug, carrying her over to the car to help her into her car seat, "Don't stop until you're at the house. Luna knows how to get in."
Peter shared a cautious look with his sister as she climbed into the drivers seat, "Don't call until you're at least 100 miles away."
"We're very capable of taking care of ourselves uncle Peter," Laura sang sarcastically from beside Talia.
"Be good for your gran, okay," Derek kissed the top of Luna's head, checking her seatbelt was buckled.
"Love you," Luna muttered, already rummaging through her backpack for a book.
Derek sighed quietly as he closed the car door, "Love you too, Lu."
Peter, Maeve and Derek watched the car drive away, all relieved knowing their loved ones were at a safe distance from the lunatic running around Beacon Hills.
Maeve turned to wrap her arms around Derek, resting her chin on his chest as she looked up at him, "Please be careful, you and Scott are far too impulsive."
Derek chuckled, "As long as you don't go run off doing the same."
"How could you think so low of me?" Maeve gasped playfully.
"You two are sickening," Peter grumbled, strolling over to his ridiculously priced car.
Maeve looked over her shoulder, raising her brows, "And where are you going?"
"On a date," Peter chimed, rolling down his car window to look at the couple.
Maeve and Derek glanced at each other in surprise, the both of them practically shouting, "With who?"
Peter grinned up at them before rolling up the window, "Behave yourselves whilst i'm gone, kiddies!"
—
Neither Derek or Maeve kept their promises to be careful.
Maeve drove down the Forrest lanes at an alarming speed, glancing down at the tracking app on her phone that she'd installed into his car. Not that he needed to know that...
"Stiles," Maeve muttered, tapping the steering wheel impatiently.
She winced as one of the babies kicked at her ribs, chuckling, "Yes I know, uncle Stiles is an idiot."
The back of the jeep came into view and Maeve let out a sigh of relief, only for her mood to shatter spotting the front of his car crushed up against a tree.
"Stiles!" Maeve gasped, pulling her car to a halt as she scrambled out.
Maeve stepped over the tree branches that had fallen to the ground, eyes wide as she spotted her brother slumped against the steering wheel, blood trickling down his head.
"Stiles," Maeve panicked, tugging on the broken door, "Oh god."
She gently lifted his head from the wheel, wincing at the cut across his forward, "Stiles? Stiles!"
"Maeve?" Stiles groaned, slowly blinking.
He was tugged into a hug as he wobbly climbed out of the car, letting out a wheeze as Maeve squeezed him. Maeve was so relieved just to see he was okay that a sudden wave of upset hit her, followed by anger.
"I'm okay, Maeve," Stiles sighed, hugging her back as Maeve suddenly let out a sob.
"You idiot, don't scare me like that!" Maeve cried, "I thought you died."
Knowing Maeve's hormones made her even more temperamental than what she already was, Sriles smiled innocently, "But i'm fine! Only a few cuts and bruises."
Picking up a branch and whacking his leg with it, Maeve stormed back to her car as Stiles let out a cry, "You'll have more than a few cuts and bruises if you ever drive your car like a nutcase like that again!"
Looking back over to Stiles, Maeve sighed spotting him reaching through a broken window to pick up his baseball bat.
"Do you really need the bat?"
"Yes. How else am I supposed to protect us?"
Maeve held back her scoff, how was she supposed to protect them, more like.
Hobbling into the car beside her, Stiles glanced around, expecting a sarcastic comment from his niece to greet him.
Maeve noticed his confusion, "She's gone away with Talia whilst we sort this mess out."
"Good, good," Stiles nodded, "She's better now?"
"We think so," Maeve smiled sadly, "She was back arguing with Dean so I guess that's as much as we can ask for."
The siblings suddenly went quiet as the sky darkened, Maeve pulled the car to a stop, looking around nervously at the grey sky, wind sprinting through the trees.
"The eclipse," Stiles realised, turning to Maeve hurriedly, "You have to take me there. You're the only one who knows where it is - Are you ever going to explain how you know where this is?"
"It's a long story," Maeve shrugged, turning the car back in the direction she came unconsciously, trying to listen to where her body was telling her to go.
Taking the hint, Stiles fiddled with the overhead mirror awkwardly, "Where's Derek?"
"With Scott and Jennifer," Maeve sighed, "Trying to fix this mess."
"You're okay with that?" Stiles wondered.
"I trust my husband," Maeve stated, "I don't have a reason not to."
"Didn't she kiss him?" Stiles reminded, sitting back in his seat at his sisters glare.
"Don't make me regret telling you that," Maeve threatened, turning into another clearing.
Spotting her bump that he still could not get over seeing, Stiles questioned, "Should you be driving? You know, stomach and all that."
"Okay, stomach equals babies, you weirdo, you need to get over your fear of pregnant women. And no, I shouldn't be, but someone crashed his car into a tree," Maeve argued.
"Ah," Stiles squeaked.
Maeve slowed to a stop, stepping out of the car before Stiles had even realised she parked.
Stiles scrambled out of the car, jogging after her, "Maeve? You okay?"
Maeve followed the footpath that suddenly felt very familiar, Stiles ran after her, wheezing as they finally reached an open clearing.
"You walk very fast for a pregnant lady," Stiles panted, holding his hands on his knees as Maeve finally came to a stop.
Maeve rolled her eyes, spotting the doors hidden beneath the rubble of the grass.
"It's here."
The siblings shared a look of relief, Stiles sprinted ahead to work on the doors of the cellar.
"Is it me, or is this place getting smaller?" Isaac stressed, struggling under the weight of the beam, "I can't do it. I can't hold it. I can't hold it. It's too much."
"It's gonna fall," Isaac shared a nervous look with the group, "It's too heavy."
Rocks and rubble fell onto the floor, everyone was certain the ceiling, But much to their surprise Stiles came clambering down the broken steps, breaking them even more, shoving his baseball bad under the beam as it started to fall.
Noah grinned proudly, "I always said aluminium was better than wood."
"Everything okay?!"
Everyone looked up to find Maeve's head poking out from the cellar doors, Maeve sat down with a sigh finding her loved ones unharmed. Though, she was glad to be up on the ground instead of in the cellar.
"Maeve?" Noah questioned, frowning upon at his daughter, "What happened to taking it easy?"
Maeve smiled innocently, "Hi dad."
Half an hour of bickering later, Maeve won the battle of what was best for her, of course...The next issue was how to get everyone out of the cellar, without the stairs. Maeve was feeling pretty useless sat by the doors, and Noah knew it.
"Maeve you come down those steps you're in big trouble!" Noah scolded, noticing her hesitant expression.
Chris sighed in irritation, "Did no one think to bring a ladder?"
"Maeve can you drive and get one?" Allison suggested.
"I would but -" Maeve winced suddenly, looking to them in panic, "I don't want to alarm you, but I think I'm in labour."
Maeve had been having slight contractions all day, she thought nothing of it, especially with the distraction of everything going on around them and she'd been having false contractions for the past day or two.
"What?!"
Stiles scrambled to his feet, hitting his head on the roof of the cellar "What do you mean labour!"
"Maeve!" Noah exclaimed, matching his son as he tried to stand, "Are you alright?"
Noah couldn't believe he was stuck in a freaking cellar whilst his daughter went into labour, he was most likely going to miss the birth of his grandchildren unless someone brought them a ladder. And of course, their only current help had just gone into labour.
"I mean there's two babies trying to vacate my womb!" Maeve shouted at her brother.
Stiles felt sick, it all suddenly dawned on him that his sister was about to birth a baby - two! They weren't just going to appear out of thin air like he'd convinced himself.
Chris, who had not come to terms with the fact that Maeve was no longer a child, was admittedly very surprised. Allison and Isaac looked to each other nervously, going into labour in the middle of a crisis like this was one thing, but to be just shy of 8 months pregnant was another.
Melissa quickly intervened, "One of you is going to help her to the hospital, she's only almost eight months."
"Who can climb out?" Allison looked around the group for someone limber enough to get through the gap.
Stiles was nominated despite his protests. His fear growing as he pulled himself up through the gap, landing with a huff beside Maeve.
Spotting his sisters frazzled state, it suddenly dawned on him that he had to get Maeve to the hospital before she had the babies, and he was definitely in no position to become a midwife in case they didn't make it to the hospital.
His overwhelming anxiety made lots of sense.
Stiles sat frozen in shock for a moment before hurrying to his feet, holding out his hands to help Maeve up.
"Remember your breathing!" Melissa shouted as they walked away.
"Someone will come get you!" Stiles assured them, turning to Maeve, "To the car-"
"Theres no need to be on the verge of a panic attack, Stiles, i've had a baby before," Maeve told him calmly, walking towards the car at a relaxed pace, "We just need to find Derek and it will be fine."
Maeve was too shocked to know she was in labour again to process everything around it, all the warning bells in her head told her to find Derek and fast. As much as she loved her brother, he couldn't be her birthing partner, she'd probably knock him unconscious before she could even start to push.
Stiles knew they had to find Derek, there was no way he'd be able to help Maeve through labour without passing out. But the only problem was that they had no idea how to find him, and, knowing Derek's luck, he was probably injured and unconscious - or dead, Stiles really hoped he wasn't dead.
She hoped to god that Alan was right about werewolf babies arriving early, Luna was early, but no where near nearly two months early.
"Right, yes," Stiles nodded slowly, taking a breath as he assured them both, mainly himself, "It will be fine. Everything's going to be completely fine."