Soulmates | Derek Hale - Chapter 47: Chapter 47

Elizabeth watched Stiles wearily, the teen sat in front of her trying to write his work during detention, blinking in and out of sleep.
Dismissing the other students, Elizabeth headed towards Stiles, frowning as she noticed his bloodshot eyes, "Stiles? Are you sick?"
Stiles let out a shaky breath, looking around in confusion, "W-why aren't I in class?"
"You're in detention," Elizabeth corrected, eyes wide with concern "Did you forget where you are?"
Stiles gripped onto the side of the desk, muttering, "I - I don't know."
"I'm taking you to the hospital," Elizabeth decided, picking up Stiles' backpack, "Come on."
Stiles hesitantly followed after her, knowing there was no arguing with Liz, "Please don't tell my dad."
Elizabeth paused, turning to him with a sigh, "Stiles..."
Stiles started back at her with frightened eyes, and Elizabeth couldn't say no. He wasn't alone, he had her. She could just call Noah later....
—
Stiles stood weakly beside Liz at the front desk of the hospital, Melissa looked up with a patient smile, "Dr. Gardner's not back until next week. Do you want to try waiting for one of the urgent care doctors or?"
Elizabeth took the patient paperwork with a sigh, "Anyone will do as long as he's seen."
If anyone was aware of the Stilinski stubbornness it was Elizabeth, and she wasn't leaving the hospital until Stiles was seen whether he liked it or not.
Stiles dizzily stepped back, Liz grabbed onto his arm before he fell, looking to him in alarm, "Stiles?"
Melissa stood, walking around to help Liz, "Stiles? Are you all right?"
"I don't know. I guess I guess not really," Stiles answered shakily.
Melissa and Liz shared a nervous look, guiding Stiles through the hallway, "All right, kiddo. All right. Come with me. It's okay."
Stiles reached out and grabbed Elizabeth's hand, Liz smiled comfortingly, "Its alright, Stiles."
Stiles took a deep breath, nodding slowly.
—
Elizabeth stood quickly as Noah rushed inside, his tired face relaxing seeing Stiles asleep.
Letting out a sigh, Noah slumped down on the armchair opposite Elizabeth, "Thanks for bringing him in."
"What's going on, Noah?" Elizabeth eyed him in concern.
Noah stared at Stiles, "I honestly have no idea what's happening with him. He's just getting worse, not sleeping - night terrors. I'm terrified."
"He's safe now, he'll get the help he needs," Elizabeth assured him, "Noah, don't be too hard on yourself. Kids like ours, with supernatural - there's often very little you can control."
"We're the parents," he stressed, "How can we take care of our own kids if we have no idea what's going on?"
Elizabeth smiled weakly, "There was a time where Maeve became a werewolf and I had no idea, she faced all that alone. She's strong, I know she can handle it, but it doesn't make it easier when she runs off and makes these impulsive decisions."
Noah turned to her as she continued, "But when they really need us, you'll know. The best thing we are doing for them is to be there when they need us, that's far more effective than trying to fight of their problems."
Noah sighed, glancing down at his radio as it bleeped, "You're right. I have to go. You'll-"
"I'll look after him," She interrupted, "I'll be here for as long as he needs me to be."
Noah smiled thankfully, "Thank you, Liz."
Maeve impatiently stared down at her phone screen, waiting to hear from Jazz about how Peter was doing. Peter hadn't quite got used to the news yer, but he was slowly coming around.
Maeve squeezed Derek's arm as she refreshed her messages, Derek scowled, tugging his arm away to wrap it around his son alseep against his chest, "Hey!"
Archie laughed as he approached the couple, sitting on the opposite side of the picnic table as he set down a tray of coffee, "Drink your coffee and stop using your husband as a stressball, Maeve."
Florence kicked about on Maeve's lap, clapping as she spotted the brightly coloured coffee cups, trying to reach out to them.
Archie smiled, moving the coffee away from Florence but passed her an equally as bright napkin. Florence eyed it critically before tossing it onto the grass.
"I didn't think you could have a kid that requires more attention than Lu," Archie chuckled, nodding at a snoozing Freddie, "At least Freds takes after his dad."
Maeve rolled her eyes, whilst Derek didn't look at all bothered, "Hilarious, Archibald."
Maeve and Archie followed Derek's gaze onto the playground, spotting him protectively watching Sammy push Luna on the swings.
"Honestly Derek," Maeve muttered, "Give it a rest. Between you and your brothers Luna will never be able to date."
Derek smiled, "That's fine with me."
The friends turned to where Jamie slumped down beside Archie, pale as a ghost.
"What the hell happened to you?" Maeve asked in alarm.
Jamie took a deep breath which sounded more like a wheeze, "Mara's pregnant."
Archie dropped his coffee onto the grass, Derek slowly blinked and Maeve practically screeched in excitement.
"Really?" Maeve asked giddily.
Archie seemed at a loss for words, as did Derek, but he managed to stutter out, "You're going to be a dad?"
"Derek," Maeve scolded, avoiding her sons head as she whacked Derek's shoulder.
"We said the same thing about you mr big bad wolf," Jamie pointed out.
Maeve looked to Jamie suspiciously, "Why are you so frightened? Was this planned?"
"You would be the expert," Jamie snorted.
"Well?" Derek questioned, raising his brows at Jamie.
"Why do you assume I'm the one that would knock someone up!" Jamie protested, "Archie could!"
Archie looked at Jamie dumbly, "I'm gay."
"Right," Jamie hummed in remembrance, "Well you have science in your favour."
"That's not how I would put it," Archie muttered, shaking his head in amusement.
"Anyways. Its a girl."
Derek chuckled knowingly, "Good luck."
"Hey! I've had good practice with Lu and Flora and they're high maintenance at their most well behaved," Jamie protested, shrinking in his seat as Luna glared at him as she ran past.
Archie rolled his eyes, "You wont survive in a house of girls if you keep talking like that, James."
Derek glanced down at his wife, frowning at the sight of Maeve staring at her phone, frozen.
"Maeve, what's the matter?" Derek questioned.
Maeve turned back to the group, her voice shaking, "Its Stiles, he's in hospital."
—
"Blackouts. But not for that long. And sleepwalking, which I used to do a lot as a kid. Um. Also having some really bad anxiety," Stiles explained.
Elizabeth frowned sadly from her place in the armchair, watching Melissa take note, "Panic attacks?"
Maeve quietly opened the door, smiling at Stiles to try and ease his obvious anxiety, "Hi."
Hurrying inside Maeve sat down on the bed beside Stiles, quickly holding onto his hand. She glanced discreetly at her mother, noticing the worried look on Elizabeth's face.
"Yeah, a couple," Stiles squeezed her hand nervously.
"Oh, and I temporarily lost the ability to read," Melissa looked to him in surprise, "But that might have had more to do with this giant magic tree and a whole human sacrifice thing."
"I recall something vaguely about that, yes," Melissa chuckled,
"How many hours of sleep are you getting?"
"Eight," Stiles answered.
"A night?" Melissa asked.
Stiles sighed, "In the last three days. Yeah, definitely eight."
The three women turned to him in alarm. No wonder he looked so sick.
"Been feeling irritable?" Melissa continued.
"Yeah. Possibly to the point of homicide," Maeve closed her eyes sadly, resting her head on Stiles shoulder.
"Inability to focus?" Melissa walked over to the cabinet, lifting out some medicine.
"No, the Adderall's not working," Stiles admitted.
"Impulsive behavior?" Maeve noticed the needle and sighed.
That won't go well.
"More than my usual? Hard to tell," Stiles laughed quietly.
"Vivid dreams during the day?" Melissa finished.
"Okay, basically all of the above. Do you know what this is?" Stiles replied in frustration.
"I think so," Melissa nodded, Maeve stood up to let her give Stiles the medicine.
Stiles frowned at the needle, "Uh, what's that?"
Maeve blinked in confusion, Stiles normally flipped out at the sight of a needle.
"Do you trust me?" Melissa asked gently.
"When you're not holding a needle," Stiles pointed out vaguely.
"It's Midazolam. A sedative," Melissa replied, placing the needle in Stiles' arm without him flinching.
"Why'd you give me a sedative?" Stiles said to her in a panic.
"Because you, Stiles, are one profoundly sleep-deprived young man. You need rest and you need it now," Melissa reminded, helping him sit back, "Lie down."
"Okay, how long's it take to," Stiles sat back drowsily, "Oh. Not long at all."
"Go to sleep, Stiles, we'll be here when you wake up," Liz patted his shoulder softly.
"Thanks, Mom," Stiles whispered as he fell asleep.
Maeve's mouth fell open in surprise, going to speak but her mother silenced her with a glare.
Elizabeth knew she and Stiles had grown closer since Maeve had properly returned to their lives, it made sense that Stiles would see her that way. But it didn't help with the shock of it actually happening.
"This isn't what his mother had, is it?" Elizabeth asked Melissa.
Melissa glanced down at her notes, frowning at the mother and daughter, "Let's hope not."
—
Maeve was curled up asleep on the armchair at Stiles' bedside when he woke, not wanting to wake his sister Stiles walked out of his room in search of Melissa.
Maeve blinked awake hearing the door shut, looking around the room, "Stiles?"
She hurried to her feet, walking out into the corridor Stiles had just exited.
"Stiles?" Maeve called out into the empty hallway, tugging her leather jacket around her tighter as a chill settled in the hallway, "Stiles!"
"Melissa?" Stiles called out, walking down into the next hallway.
Stiles paused as two gusts of wind sounded behind him, turning to find the oni surrounding him in clouds of smoke. He tried to run, but fell towards another Oni, he rocked on his feet, surrounded.
Maeve reached the end of the hall, as she went to open the door, she spotted the smoke around the glass, peering through the small window.
Stiles breathed heavily, shaking as the oni reached to hold onto the side of his face. Stiles suddenly grabbed its hand in motion, eyes darkening as he pushed it away, slamming it back into the Oni's chest, green smoke blowing out into the room.
Maeve gasped silently, falling down against the door to hide from sight as Stiles turned. She had no idea what she just witnessed, but she was right to think she was absolutely terrified for her brother.
Pulling away, Stiles' hand trembled, slowly opening his hand to find a firefly flickering on his palm. Maeve slowly moved to crouch by the window, watching curiously.
Stiles turned slowly, smirking at the remaining Oni, Maeve blinked and they were gone, sucked into Stiles' chest.
Scott hurried into the hallway through the other doors, sighing in relief at the sight of Stiles, "Stiles? You okay?"
Stiles turned, smiling brightly at his friend, "Yeah, I'm fine. What's been going on?"
Maeve breathed heavily as she entered the room once the boys had gone, reaching out to pick up a dead flickering firefly from the floor. Holding it close to her eye, Maeve felt the darkness swarming around her fingers. It was only a second before it had disappeared into thin air.
—
Maeve took a deep breath has she parked her car on the edge of the preserve, what she had seen in the hospital had shaken her. But she knew she had seen that firefly before, and mixed with the sight of her brother controlling it, Maeve knew it couldn't be good.
Tugging on her trench coat, she eyed her surroundings as she walked through the trees. She had no idea where she was going, but Maeve knew it would lead her in the right direction. It always did.
Maeve knew she should've waited for Derek to arrive, but her curiously won that battle.
Maeve had tried to solve this mystery for a long time, but it never had any leads, it's confusion only seemed to grow. All she knew it was dark magic, the witch that brought her family back confirmed that.
But what exactly was it?
Approaching the tree trunk, Maeve observed the burn marks running from the grass into the wood. That was certainly new...
She was hesitant to step closer, Maeve didn't know the repercussions of what could happen if she touched the tree.
But a sudden chill ran down her back, and Maeve felt herself moving closer, holding out her hand as if she had no control. Honestly, she wasn't sure if she did. Before she could even comprehend what was happening she felt everything go black, a laugh danced across her mind, silencing her fright.
Little did Maeve know that every time she came into contact with the dark magic, her life takes a drastic turn.
—
Maeve groaned, reaching up to touch her pounding head, blearily opening her eyes. Her gaze met Stiles', his brown eyes wide.
"What are you doing?" Maeve grumbled, sitting up in her bed.
Stiles slowly backed away, dropping the pillow in his small hands. Maeve glared at the nine year old suspiciously.
"Dad told me to wake you up," Stiles replied innocently, "I didn't mean to hit your head so hard."
Maeve rolled her eyes, tossing her pillow at her brother, "Sure you didn't. Get out!"
Stiles didn't have to be told twice, scrambling out of his sisters room. Maeve yawned as she pulled herself out of bed, her head didn't just hurt, it ached. Despite thinking he did, Stiles didn't have enough strength to inflict that amount of pain.
She rushed around her room getting dressed, her room was a disaster - covered to the brim in notes and revisions, finals just around the corner.
Heading downstairs for breakfast, Maeve paused at the top of the stairs, glancing outside onto the driveway. Her moms convertible sat where it normally did, as did her dads truck. But it felt wrong, misplaced. She frowned as she turned away from the window, blaming it on the headache.
Her mom smiled widely as Maeve stepped into the dining room, holding up two identical dresses, "Diana! Which one looks best?"
Maeve glanced at her father across the table, raising her brows but Noah only sighed, sipping on his coffee.
"They're identical, mom," Maeve pointed out.
There was collective groans around the room as Elizabeth dropped the dresses onto the table, huffing, "Diana Maeve Stilinski, can you not tell the difference between silk and satin? How are you my child?"
"Sorry, I missed out fabric studies between my human science and medicine studies," Maeve chuckled, reaching out to take the cereal box from her youngest brother.
Toby Stilinski glared at his sister, trying to snatch the box back, their father placed an arm between them before a battle broke out.
The five year old's messy brown hair stuck up in all directions, his brown eyes were flicked with mischief just like his brothers.
Elizabeth sat down sulkily, "Fine! Ignore my life goals."
"Your life goal isn't to just make dresses, Elizabeth," Noah reminded softly, "You have a very successful store."
Elizabeth blushed, smiling at her husband, "Well... I suppose you're right."
Stiles and Toby appeared to be having a silent stare off, when suddenly Toby choked on a piece of toast and Stiles laughed so hard milk ran from his nose. The two were inseparable, especially when it came to causing mischief.
Maeve scrunched her nose up in disgust, whacking away a piece of toast that flew in her direction, "You two are disgusting creatures. I'm going to school before you two have the battle of who can fart the loudest."
She kissed her mother's cheek as she stood from the table, rolling her eyes as her brothers shared smirks, she glanced at her father in a mutual amusement as she left the room.
"I can!" Stiles announced proudly.
Toby gasped in offence, "No! I can!"
"No, I can!" Noah joined in, causing a round of giggles from his sons and a fond eyeball from his wife.
—
Jamie West met Maeve at the school gates, wincing as he noticed her scowl, "Ouch, Di, who's got you in such a foul mood?"
"Just been a strange morning," Maeve shrugged, linking arms with him as they made their way up the steps, "Do you ever feel like things are just wrong? Misplaced?"
Jamie frowned, "Not really. Are you sure you're alright."
"Yeah," Maeve muttered, pushing through the school doors, "Must just be a headache."
Maeve quickly dumped the contents of her bag into her locker, her notes alone felt like carrying around bricks. Turning around to see Jamie, Maeve's gaze fell on another.
Maeve watched intently as Derek waltzed through the doors like he owned his place, grinning as he greeted his friends.
Maeve instinctively glared at the boy, but a part of her felt wrong - this shouldn't be how she reacted to him.
"Why are you staring at Derek like that?" Jamie laughed, "Should I leave before you start your 'all the reasons why I hate Derek Hale' rant?"
Maeve blinked, glancing back to Jamie to ignore Derek's presence. She was being stupid, she hated Derek. She and Derek had been practically enemies since preschool, each conversation they'd ever had ended in an argument.
So why would she feel the opposite of hate when she looked at him? Maeve shrugged off the thought, it was crazy to think of herself actually liking Derek Hale.
"No comment? Maybe you are sick..." Jamie teased.
Maeve rolled her eyes, "Maybe."
—
After school Maeve sat alone in the empty library, despite being the last term of her senior year - she needed to get the grades to get into med school.
"Stilinski?"
Maeve glanced up from her book, raising her brows, "Hale, I didn't know you knew what a library is."
"I didn't know you were capable of spending anymore time in the library but here we are," Derek rolled his eyes, slouching against the bookshelf, "What's wrong with you? You're all twitchy today."
Maeve closed her book, staring at Derek suspiciously, "Are you actually concerned for my well-being, Hale?"
"Forgive me for being concerned about why I didn't get my daily lecture on why I'm an idiot," Derek scoffed.
"Well, given you're so concerned," Maeve started, picking up her books as she stood, "I'm fine. Just a headache."
Moving to walk past Derek, her head felt like it was burning as her shoulder brushed against his, Derek reached out to catch her as she stumbled - at his touch the pain worsened.
Derek helped her stand, eyes wide with shock, "Are you alright? You don't look fine."
"I'm fine," Maeve said through gritted teeth, "Now this is the longest conversation we've had without me feeling like I want to hit you so I'm gonna go before it gets ruined."
"You know just cause you're the sheriffs daughter doesn't mean you're better than all of us," Derek called after her with a scowl.
Maeve laughed loudly as she whirled around to face him, her head pain suddenly fading, "that's rich coming from you. Is that really what you think of me?"
"Coming from me? How the hell am I stuck up?" Derek argued.
Her mind told her to stay away, it was agonising as she stepped closer to Derek, but her heart told her to stay close.
"Honestly, Derek, you walk around-" Maeve argued, glaring up at him as she fell silent
She blinked slowly, Maeve knew she'd said that before - it was her first thought when thinking of an insult.
"Stilinski?" Derek questioned, eyeing her in confusion.
But it felt wrong. Maeve knew it was wrong. She stepped closer to Derek, ignoring the burn through her skin as she took his hand in hers.
"What-" Derek protested, eyes wide as Maeve's grip tightened on his wrist.
"Shut up, Hale," Maeve silenced him, taking a deep breath, "This is either fake or I'm going to be really embarrassed."
"Diana! What-"
Maeve didn't respond to him, instead she kissed him. Her skin was on fire, the shields hiding her memory crumbled to pieces. Maeve knew who she really was.
Slowly opening her eyes, she breathed in relief. Her Derek stood there in place of his younger self.
"Derek," she whispered, reaching up to trace his stubble covered chin.
Despite being terrified, even the sight of her Derek bought her comfort. Even if he was an illusion.
The burning that consumed her suddenly became too much, Derek vanished from her vision and Maeve fell unconscious.
Maeve woke with a gasp, lurching forward onto the damp stone floors. The room was dark, apart from a small bar covered window. Maeve crawled over to the light, panting as she pulled herself up on the bars, trying to gain awareness of her surroundings. She rested against the bars in exhaustion, finding only a blinding white infinity behind the bars.
Her body tingled with anxiety - she had no idea how long she had been gone, if she was even gone! There was no sense of time or location, it was well and truly mind boggling.
"Maeve?"
Maeve flinched hearing her brothers pained voice, whirling around to where a small patch of light from the glass shined down, Stiles' equally as exhausted body in the corner. She wanted to cry at the sight of him, Stiles looked so alone and terrified.
"Is that really you?" He whispered weakly.
Maeve felt her heart break, nodding before running over to her brother, tears falling as she crushed him into a hug.
"What's happening to us?" Maeve muttered, slumping down against the wall beside him, "Are we going insane?"
Stiles held his head in his hands, sighing, "I don't know. I really don't know."
"It's this," Maeve decided, looking around the dark room, "This is what's causing everything."
Stiles nodded, "What the hell is it trying to do?"
"I think its showing me-" Maeve frowned, "What my life would be like if I didn't stumble upon the nematon as a child."
"Maeve, its trying to mess with you," Stiles argued, "Make you think you're crazy. No one knows what your life would've been like."
"What if its not?" Maeve frowned, glancing down at her hands, "What if its real. What if that was the like I was supposed to have?"
Stiles stared at her uncertainly, "But it isn't your life, you're not living a lie. Your life is what you've always known, your life is with Derek and your kids."
Maeve smiled sadly, nodding her head, "Yeah. Yeah, you're right."
"Maeve?" Stiles asked after a moments silence, "We will survive this, right?"
Maeve sighed, holding onto his hand, "I hope so. I'll do everything to make sure we do."
"You don't deserve this," Stiles stressed.
"Neither do you," Maeve agreed, blinking slowly, "God, why am I so exhausted?"
Maeve found her eyes trying to fight the sudden exhaustion, it quickly dawned on Stiles what was happening.
Stiles suddenly sat up, shaking onto his sisters shoulders as she slipped in and out of consciousness, "No! Wake up! Maeve, don't go to sleep! Sleep brings it back!"
Maeve tried her hardest, she really did. But the darkness faded to light, and Maeve was met with the woman who haunted her dreams.
Kate.
—
Out in the preserve, Derek followed the same trail his wife had only moments earlier. He'd been running late trying to get the twins to settle with Laura, he didn't expect Maeve to wait around for him.
He glanced down at his phone, tracking where Maeve's phone was - it was the only way to find her and the damned tree, not that he had any idea where it was. It never failed to shock him how Maeve always stumbled across it, even if she wasn't trying.
His boot scuffed against the tree stump, suddenly realising he was there, but Maeve was no where to be seen. Looking around he tried not to panic, but it suddenly consumed him as he found Maeve's unconscious body on the floor beside the tree.
"Maeve!" Derek exclaimed, dropping to his knees as he tried to wake her, shaking her shoulders gently, "Maeve! Maeve, wake up!"
Maeve remained still, breathing in slow breaths, showing no sign of waking. He checked her over, searching for an injury that could explain her current state, but found nothing.
Derek tugged her into his arms, lifting her up to carry back to his car - in his haste he didn't notice the flickering firefly falling from her hand onto the grass.