Changed

This is What I Came Back For?

I sit next to Derek, who hasn't spoken to me since Deaton left to watch the boys and make sure everything goes as planned.

Ten minutes.

Twenty.

Thirty.

An hour.

And a half.

Two hours.

I bounce my knee in anticipation, worried for the boys' sake. Derek isn't helping in the slightest; he sits motionless, as if thinking as hard as possible.

I want him to talk.

I want him to stand up and tell me that everything is going to be okay.

I want him to comfort me.

I want him to get up and give me a big hug, the one I've been waiting for for as long as I can remember.

I want him to be the older brother I've always dreamed about.

But he just sits there quietly, a worried expression plastered on his tanned face.

I sigh, the silence taking over my body. It's way too much, and I ant handle it for one more second.

I get up and pace around the room. My heart pounds with adrenaline that I need to get out and my mind races with possible ends to this sacrifice.

And at last, I can stand it no more.

I take a fistful of my pin straight brown hair and let out a thunderous roar, echoing off the walls.

Derek doesn't move, but his eyes flicker to me for a second, before returning them to a spot on the wall ahead of him.

"Jesus Christ, Derek"

Finally, Derek turns and looks at me. "What?"

"Are you ever going to pay attention to me?" I ask, my arms crossed across my chest.

This doesn't seem to bother him. "We talked in the car."

My shoulders slump and I frown at him. "Are you serious?"

Derek looks at me, puzzled. "What do you want from me?" He snaps.

I throw my hands up in the air. "Oh, nothing. Nothing AT ALL!"

Derek jumps up and points at the door. "Listen, Cora," he spits, "there are people I love in there. I don't know if you've witnessed the feeling, but you usually don't want the people you love to die. Scott could die from this. Don't you understand that? He's the closest thing to a brother I've ever had. I have so much more on the line here than you do!"

"You don't get it, do you?!" I shout at him, shaking my head. "I'm not talking about the fact that we're both worried about the three boys! We both are! I don't think there is one person in the world who truly wants someone to die. But I'm not talking about that! Frankly, that's the last thing on my mind right now. You're my brother, Derek. My older brother. You're supposed to be excited to see me, I thought you were dead for Christ! Derek Hale, the powerful, brave, selfless, Alpha Werewolf. But are you any of those things? Did you even seem happy to see me? No, all you-"

Derek scoffs. "I'm sorry if I didn't seem happy to see you while you were trying to kill me!" He yells sarcastically.

I ignore him. "All you care about is your precious friends and your precious self! Well maybe I might need a brother. Right now, I could use some family. Someone to love me." I paused, watching his eyes dart around my face. "But maybe I can't get that particular thing from you."

A muscle at Derek's jaw jumps and a vein in his neck pops as he screams the most horrible thing at me. "Well maybe you shouldn't have left in the first place!"

It hits me squarely in the face, as if he's punched me. And then my stomach twists and turns as if the wind has been knocked out of me.

I stumble back a step and stare into his eyes, filled with fury.

My heart clenches and a tear slips down my cheek. "Oh, you're gonna pull that one out?"

Derek's face softens and he reaches out to me. "No, Cora, I didn't mean that. I'm so-"

I slap his hand off my arm and turn on my heel, walking into the room with the tubs, slamming to door shut behind me.

Blocking out my "brother."