thepicketfencecliche | spamalot } { of confessions and saying goodbye

Derek: [and after talking with Laura and Malia comes home and the next morning Derek is just going to sit on the front steps of Peter's house until his uncle comes out to talk to him because someone needed to stop the cold war]

Malia: [will wander out eventually with coffee because her father's being stubborn] Hi.

Derek: [takes the coffee and smiles up at her] Hey. Thanks. [pats the step next to him.]

Malia: [sits and settles next to him, balancing the bowl of cereal in her hand as she picks up her spoon] Gonna camp out here all day?

Derek: That or until your father comes out to talk to me? Yup. [sips the coffee] I don't have much time before I move, so hopefully it will be sooner than later.

Malia: [she takes a deep breath] I'm betting on later.

Derek: Well, then it's a good thing I'm a patient person. Or an annoying nephew who won't give up easy.

Malia: [smirks a bit at that before taking another bite of her cereal] It's going to be weird. You not being here.

Derek: Yeah, I know. It's going to be weird not being around.

Malia: I mean, even when you were at Berkeley, it's not like you were far. [there's another bite] You're going to be staying with another pack, right?

Derek: [nods] Fiona's sister's pack. Mom knows the alpha and he's agreed to keep me as a guest to them.

Malia: [nods a bit. There's a pang of something that might be jealousy, not in Derek for leaving but in the other pack for getting to have him. Still she swallows it down. What happened with Jennifer has her questioning her instincts a little more, or at least trying not to react on them as viscerally. There's a part of her that still thinks she should have followed them, but she also hasn't even met these people and she likes Fiona. Derek will probably be fine. That doesn't make him any less hers, however, and even if they're not as close as he and Cora are, she doesn't want him to join another pack.] Sounds like fun.

Derek: [he knows how her thoughts work. Being Peter's confidant for most of his life, Derek was all to familiar with that look and he put the coffee mug on the next step] Come here.

Malia: [she makes a bit of a face at that, because she forgets how well her family knows her sometimes. She goes anyway, though, putting her bowl down and pressing into his side]

Derek: [pulls her close, snuggling her up against him] I'm going to be back at every holiday, and it's only for three years. By then, you'll be off on your own adventures in college, and I'll be here waiting for you to come home on breaks.

Malia: [she exhales as she leans into him, closing her eyes for a moment] I know. It's stupid. [meaning her feelings not their higher education adventures]

Derek: It's not stupid at all, and don't let anyone make you feel different. [he kissed the top of her head] The thing with us is that we are a very tight, connected and loving pack. Not most packs are like this, and that's what makes us special. I don't want to leave, but I need to. You know why, right?

Malia: [nods a bit] Yeah, I know. Cora told me. [and it sucks]

Derek: [he ran a hand along her hair] I'm not going to let you get hurt like that again.

Malia: [her eyes close] It wasn't your fault.

Derek: It wasn't anyone's fault but Jennifer's. But she was after me, so to keep you safe, I need to not be here for a while. But that doesn't mean you can't visit me.

Malia: [she sighs] I just don't see how that's fair. She woke up the stupid tree, but you're the one who needs to leave. [most of her anger directed at Jennifer isn't for herself. She healed. Her dad didn't and now her cousin is leaving]

Derek: [he's not going to lie to her] I woke up the tree, Malia. When I was your age.

Malia: [frowns as she pulls back to look at him] How?

Derek: [he sighs and looks away a moment, licking his lips. No, it was time she learned. He had told Cora, and Malia needed to know now too.] I had a friend who I love a lot, and thought that the only way I could be with her was for her to be a wolf too. I was wrong, but I didn't know that until it was too late.

Malia: [it takes her a second to process that. the bite didn't take, obviously, since they didn't have a new pack member running around, but she doesn't know how that went back to the stupid druid tree] What does that have to do with the nematon?

Derek: She was in a lot of pain and dying. We were hiding in the root cellar, and I told her I would make the pain stop, And I did. [and for the first time in his life, he looked at Malia and let her see his real eyes]

Malia: [she watches him and she looks down after a moment because she knows he did the right thing by his friend.] It still doesn't mean you should have to leave.

Derek: Then you keep on your dad to find a way to deactivate the nematon so I can come home for good. Think you can do that for me?

Malia: [she takes a deep breath as she nods] Yeah. I can do that.

Derek: Good. And I'm trying to figure out how Skype works, so I should be able to see you all whenever you want.

Malia: [smirks a bit at that] It's not really that hard.

Derek: For you. I suck at computers, remember?

Malia: How hard is it to look in the camera and talk?

Derek: It's the whole connecting the camera and the website part.

Malia: Most computers have it as an app, and the camera should be built in to your computer. Unless your laptop was built in the stone age.

Derek: I don't have a laptop. I have a desk computer.

Malia: [just .... stares at him]

Derek: [blinks] What?

Malia: [SIGH] Just ask Fiona to use her laptop, she uses Skype all the time to talk to her family.

Derek: [rubs at his eyes] I'm going for my masters degree, and yet you and Cora make me feel like I don't know anything.

Malia: [she laughs] You're getting an English degree. It's not like they expect you to be technologically savvy. Though having a laptop might make your life a little easier. They have some really nice compact ones now.

Derek: [chuckles] I'll look into it.

Malia: Good.

Derek: So I'm thinking I should just go in there and basically follow him around until he talks to me. Think that will work?

Malia: [she glances back towards the door] I'd wear kevlar.

Derek: I've got my healing factor. I'll just have to hope it's enough.

Malia: [she sighs] I'll head over to the house. Good luck.

Derek: Thanks. And I'll see you again before I leave, okay?

Malia: [she nods, before leaning in and giving him a tight hug all the same.] Just in case he kills you. [teasing mostly]

Derek: [hugs and laughs] I don't think he will, but I will take it anyway.

Malia: [she smirks as she pulls back before picking up her bowl and taking it back into the house. she then heads back out, stopping at the door for her shoes] Dad, I'm going to Aunt Talia's!

Derek: [and he goes inside and this ensues]