I love you, Im sorry - Derek Hale

8

The fog of time had lingered between Derek and Vivian for years, but in the stillness of the Hale house, it felt as if they were only just beginning to clear the air. After everything—the anger, the hurt, the betrayals—their quiet moments felt like a beginning, not just a painful continuation.

Derek wasn't the same person she had known when they were teenagers. The raw edge of his anger had dulled, though it still flickered beneath the surface. But it was his quiet vulnerability that Vivian was beginning to see now. The years apart hadn't erased the bond they once shared, but it had changed them both.

As the days passed, Derek and Vivian found themselves alone more often. The shared space of the Hale house made it hard to ignore the past, and one evening, the weight of it finally came to a head.

"Vivian," Derek began, his voice low and hesitant, "I didn't just hurt you. I failed you. And Alexis. I know it's too late to undo the past, but I'm here now, trying. I want to be here for you both. I'm not the same person I was."

Vivian met his gaze, her heart aching as she remembered the anger she had carried for so long. "I know," she whispered. "And I've spent so long resenting you for what you did, but I also know that we're both different now. I'm sorry too. I should have given you the chance to explain back then."

There was a long silence between them, one filled with the weight of unspoken truths. Alexis had come to accept Derek's presence in her life, but she was also a reminder of the things they couldn't fix. Vivian swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "I never wanted Alexis to grow up without her father. I just... I didn't know how to deal with all the anger."

Derek nodded, looking away for a moment before returning his gaze to her. "I couldn't fix everything. I still can't, but I want to try. For her. For you."

In that moment, the years of silence between them started to fade. The connection that had once been so strong was beginning to resurface—slowly, tentatively, but unmistakably. Vivian could feel it, a tentative rebuilding of trust. She hadn't been able to forgive him all at once, but she could see the man he was now. And that was enough to start moving forward.

Alexis, who had been listening quietly from the doorway, finally spoke up. "Are you two... okay?"

Vivian smiled, her heart warmed by the simple question. "Yeah, I think we're okay," she said softly.

Derek crouched down to Alexis' level, offering a tentative smile. "I hope so. I hope we can get there together."

Alexis nodded, her eyes thoughtful, and Vivian could see the beginnings of something forming between them—the start of a real bond.