No Matter What

Part 1

Xxx

I'm only one call away

The phone ringing in his pocket drew Derek's attention away from staring out the large loft windows, his arms uncrossing at the slight jump he gave at the initial vibration as it caught him off guard, and caused him to roll his eyes. The name displayed was one he hadn't heard for a while, a face he hadn't seen in a while, and frankly one he didn't expect to experience either from in a while, either. Answering the call quickly, he held the phone up to his ear, mouth moving to speak, but no words finding their way out.

After an awkward moment of silence, that voice he had missed so much came over the line. "Hey, Derek. It's me." It's a funny thing when you realize you have missed something for so long only after you find it once again.

"Y/N?" His voice was barely above a whisper, as if should he speak too loudly, none of it would be real.

A soft laugh came through the phone, and he instinctively smiled and looked down to the floor to avert his gaze as if she was present in the room.

"Yeah. I know it's been a while, but, hey, um...."

That tense silence resumed, heavy, like a blanket, yet sparkling, sizzling, with an energy that he couldn't figure out. Finally the moment broke with a soft sigh from her end.

"Derek, I need help."

I'll be there to save the day

The wolfsbane bullet was lodged in your bicep, and it had been so long, you were now seeing double, words echoing like you were in a cave. You had called Derek from the parking lot of the vet clinic, not being able to make it the last few steps to the back door, much less pound on it to get someone's attention. You had meant to dial Deaton's number, but through the blurry haze, you had bumped Derek's number instead.

"Why didn't you come to me before it got this bad?" He huffed, voice agitated as he slung your good arm over his shoulder, helping you out of the car, ignoring your grunt and groan of pain. But despite the agitation, his eyes spoke a thousand words, and they said nothing but concern was held for you below the cold exterior.

You laughed softly, letting it turn into a grimace as another wave of pain washed over you, the back door of the vet coming into view much too slowly for your liking. You spoke through gritted teeth in an effort to bite the pain back for the way it was biting into you. "You know me, I'm too prideful to ask for help."

Derek scoffed as the back door flew open from the inside, the two of you still a few feet away. Scott and Deaton were there, waiting, urgent but calm in everything they did. "That's gonna end up killing you, Y/N." You met Derek's eyes, though you felt your own drooping, to let him know you heard him.

"I know."

Then the world went black.

Superman got nothing on me

You woke upon the cold steel table in the clinic, slowly blinking your eyes open to see a few more pack members had gathered in the time you were out. Looking to your arm, you saw a bandage wrapped around it, and slowly went to test the motion of the limb, but the biting pain instantly told you no.

"Hey, hey, there," Deaton's calm voice came from behind you, a calming hand coming to rest on your shoulder gently. "I wouldn't try that just yet. We barely got to you in time. It'll take a while to heal, but I'm just glad you're back."

"Why were you out on a full moon?"

You looked to the source of the voice, finding Derek sitting near your feet.

You huffed, looking up at the ceiling. "I still can't control my shifts regularly. Full moons are the worst, obviously. I didn't make it to the police station in time to meet Stiles, or Parrish, or the Sheriff, and it just took over. I never saw them coming. In fact, I don't know that I actually saw them at all. Or smelled them. They had to be snipers of some sort, long distance-"

"Or you tripped a wire," Stiles cut you off softly. "I think that wolfsbane got to your brain a bit, I highly doubt there are snipers out on the preserve."

You looked to Derek, feeling a shift coming, your eyes glowing bright yellow. "Give me a reason to keep suffering through this each month, Derek! Just give me anything - something to hold me up!"

"What ever made you think I wouldn't be here right beside you the whole time?"

He looked somewhat offended, and you wanted to slowly fade away into the table, but you settled for letting your eyes fade back instead.

"We're all here for you, Y/N. That's what packs are for." Stiles' voice was small, reassuring, which you appreciated. He knew how to talk to you when you were volatile, about to shift. He had made it his responsibility to help you and figure out why you were having such a hard time managing what had taken others days, weeks, or a few months. You were close to a year here, and still couldn't quite grasp control.

You hated having this other side of you, not your wolf, but a third part, seemingly ready to burst from your skin at a moment's notice, just waiting to come out and roar.

It made you want to grab it, shove it back in, and roar right back.

But that war was the very thing you felt was keeping you on the edge of control, and until you found a way to beat it, whatever it was was simply getting closer to showing it's face to the world, it was only a matter of time.

I'm only one call away

Helping you limp into the loft the same way he had helped you out of your car, Derek rolled his eyes at your aggravated huff sent his direction. "Don't wait so long next time!"

"I won't." You mumbled the words, not liking the way it felt to admit defeat, admit you were wrong. It didn't sit well in your gut, but nothing short of perfection ever really did, and that was kind of the point Derek was trying to make.

"Y/N." His voice sounded persistent, like he was repeating the same thing with only your name, and his eyes were wide and serious when you looked up at him after he plopped you down on the couch.

"I'll try." Stressing the words, your voice still small, you cast your gaze away from him, not willing to look at him when you both knew he was utterly right.

"Y/N." There was that tone again, a gentle prod.

"I promise." Looking back up to him, you met his eyes straight on, and you knew you had to keep your word, no matter what.

Xxx