After the Hale fire, the family split, running, as their home was destroyed.
But when Laura doesn't return Derek's phone calls, he come back six years later, to find someone he never expected.
"I didn't think you'd ever come back."
"I never left."...
"Where are you staying?" Denver asked her nephew after a few minutes of silence. "At the house." He told her and he heard her intake of air. "You can't stay there. You'll stay with me." She said, her words being final say. Derek sighed as he looked at the woman he hadn't seen in six years.
She had aged, more than a werewolf should, but he also figured sticking around in the town your family died, and where your husband lay comatose would do that. He figured he would regret it, but he asked anyway. "Why do you keep your burns?" "If he has to keep his, I'll keep mine." She said sadly, still looking at her husband.
Derek would admit he envied the love his aunt and uncle shared. She would never leave his side. She hadn't since the day they had met, and still hadn't, even after ten years.
Denver was the one to pull him from the fire, to take away his pain though she had gotten burnt herself. He had tried to go back in, save their family, as she worked from the outside, ripping the bars from the basement windows, trying desperately to help, but she heard him scream as a timber fell on him, pinning him to the burning building. She ran inside, using all her strength she shoved the burning wood off of him, scorching herself in the process. Carrying him out, they both collapsed in the yard as police and fire rescue got to the scene.
She hadn't heard his voice, seen his beautiful blue eyes she loved so much, heard his sarcastic quips, felt his arms around her for six years, though she stayed by his side.
"Do you come up everyday?" He asked. "Generally. I try to take his pain away, but most of the time I think he knows it's me and doesn't allow me to." She said, a small smile on her face.
Glancing over to her nephew, she saw the stress of the day on him and sighed. "Let's get out of here. I think we could both use a shower and some sleep." She said as she stood walking over to the bed and gently rested her hand on Peter's. "I'll come by and see you tomorrow baby. I love you." She smiled as she pressed a quick kiss to his forehead.
Walking over to Derek, she guided him out of the room and out of the doors to the parking lot.
Turning to him she smiled. "Do you remember Paige's house?" She asked the younger wolf and he nodded. It's two blocks to the left and one back. "You live in town?" Derek asked. "The hunters wouldn't expect a lone wolf to live in town with neighbors. Too many eyes and ears, yet still backs up to the forest." She told him and he smiled at her.
"You play the widow card well." Derek told her and she snorted. "He's not dead, Derek. He just hasn't been able to move in six years. My neighbors know that. They recognized the name the moment I moved in. They keep an eye on me, it's quite charming actually." She smiled. "Follow me so you don't get lost." She said as she got in her car and was soon off.
🌀
Derek followed her, into the unfamiliar surroundings, looking at the suburban neighborhood around him, he wondered how she had fit in here.
Denver was always a bit of a wildflower, living life a little on the edge. He guessed that was what Peter saw in her. She took risks, loved wholeheartedly, and thought outside the box.
Seeing the house she was talking about, it made sense. It resembled the old house, just smaller.
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Parking, Derek got out, looking up. "Looks familiar." He said and she smiled. "I thought so. Go take a shower and I'll make some sandwiches, then we can talk." Denver told Derek and he nodded headed into the house.
Hearing the water turn on, Denver tried to not listen as she could hear him cry. Frying up some ham, she toasted bread, spreading mayo on the pieces after they had popped up. Putting the fried ham on the bread, she cracked two eggs, breaking the yolks as she flipped them. After the eggs were done, she added the eggs to the sandwiches along with some pickles.
Putting the sandwiches together she cut them on a diagonal, just as Talia had always done. The water shut off as she placed the plates on the table grabbing a box of cheez- its and original potato chips from the cupboard, sitting them on the table as she grabbed two soda from the fridge.
Hearing Derek coming down the stairs she settled down at the table. Derek looked at the table, more importantly the food that waited for him. "That's why you're married and Laura wasn't." Derek chuckled. "Why? Timing?" "No, you can cook. Laura would burn noodles in the microwave." He said and Denver laughed. "We'll eat up sweetie. I can make another if you want." She told him with a smile as she dug into her sandwich.
The two were quiet, it wasn't awkward as Derek had thought it would be. It was nice, and it was comforting to be in the presence of another member of his pack.
Setting her plate aside, Denver looked at Derek. "What did you find?" She asked him, getting right to the point. "I only found half of her. The police were in the woods along with someone else." "Do you know who?" "No, but I found this." Derek said, holding up an inhaler. "Huh." Denver said, taking the object, examining it, before handing it back. "How long were you there tonight?" Derek asked. "With Peter? Not long. Fifteen-twenty minutes max before you got there."
"They may try to pin this on us Deni." Derek said. "I'd like to see them try." Denver told him as she wrapped her arm around him. "We'll be okay Derek." She told him as she kissed his head. "I promised your mother I would watch over you guys if anything ever happened and I intend to keep that promise."
