Through the years

56.

About two weeks had passed by since the defeat of the witches. Jeremiah and his pack had vanished, nowhere to be found on the territory and everything was slowly going back to the way it used to be. 

Well, at least as close as it could get as it will never ever be the same for Stiles. 

Because now he knew things he didn't before. Because he had gotten to know amazing people and lost them in a tragic event. He was still grieving and Derek was helping him as best as he could but Stiles knew that it hurt his mate to think back to it too. It was difficult but at least they stood by each other's sides and that was the most important thing right now. 

"What should we watch then?" Erika grumbled at Isaac as they fought over what movie to watch for their movie night tonight. Stiles was sitting next to Derek and Peter and it felt ever so slightly like they used to and the brunette felt warm inside. 

"I have a suggestion." Peter spoke suddenly, putting an end to the argument as he stood up. "I found this in Talia's safe back when I went to search for the book. I didn't want to bring it up because you were still hurting a lot, Stiles, and it would've only made it worse for you. Then, we had to fight the witches and it would've only made you lose your focus. That's why I'm only showing you now that everything is better." he explained himself as he walked up the tv and put something on before going back to the couch with the remote. "Are you ready?" he asked Stiles and even though the brunette was confused, he still nodded and Peter pressed play. 

"Hey Stiles." A video started, showing an eighteen year old version of Derek most of them had already seen once thanks to Kate Argent's crazy ass. However, seeing it again still surprised them. They had forgotten what he truly looked like at that age and it was so different from now that they couldn't help but be surprised. 

Stiles on the other hand was stunned to silence, staring at the screen with shaky hands and an slightly opened mouth. He didn't know why this video existed but he was somehow both sad and happy that he was seeing it. He had thought he'd never see the Derek he first fell in love with ever again but here he was, smiling at the camera for him.

Adressing him. 

Derek remembered doing this and he sighed. He knew what this was about but he had never thought back about it ever since filming it. It had been shoved to the back of his mind but now that he was presented with it, he felt extremely nervous. Both for his video and the ones to come. 

"Who's that?" Corey asked curiously from everyone's reaction while he and a few others sat there, completely lost. 

"It's me." Derek told them and their eyes grew wide in shock, glancing between the tv screen and the man sitting on the couch. 

How could they be the same person? 

"Mom said we should say a few words for you to see when you go back to your timeline. I don't really know why she wants us to do this since we'll see each other again but seems like I don't really have a choice anyway. I just want you to know that I'll miss you a lot. We spend so much time together that I know for sure I'll be missing you every second of every day. I know you said we don't get along well in the future." young Derek Hale said to the camera with a small frown. "I don't know what happened for me to not talk to you the way I do know but I hope everything will be fine when you leave. You need to change my mind, Sti. Force me to talk to you, make me spend time with you and I'm sure everything will go back to the way it was when you were with us." he smiled and Stiles  found himself smiling back with teary eyes. "Just know that you'll be missed and that I'll patiently wait for you to come back to me." he promised and Stiles could see the sincerity in his eyes. "I love you, baby!" he exclaimed as he waved one last time to the camera and with one last smile the video ended and faded back to black.