The Dangers of Falling (in Love)

Chapter 33-

* 2 hours later *

He knows he looks like shit but he doesn't care. Stiles thinks he isn't happy with him, isn't happy living on the farm with him and that couldn't be further from the truth. He needs to talk to Stiles, he doesn't care about anything else at the moment.

Running his shaky fingers through his hair, Derek checks the time noting that it's 5pm and figures Stiles would be in the main house. Without thinking twice he walks out the hut and heads towards the farm house.

Kicking his boots off in a hurry he opens the front door and walks quickly towards Stiles' room, knowing if he was in the house that's where he'd be.

Not concentrating on anything other than getting to Stiles he doesn't hear footsteps. Until he turns the corner to go through the kitchen and nearly runs straight into the Sheriff.

"Whoa, slow down son." The Sheriff says grabbing Derek's shoulders as he slips on the kitchen tiles trying to stop himself.

"I need to talk to Stiles." Derek quickly says breathlessly glancing to the door behind the Sheriff.

"Just take a few breaths, Derek." The Sheriff says calmly nodding towards the chair and Derek sighs sitting down at the kitchen table putting his head in his hands. "What's going on with you? You look like shit, no offence." The Sheriff says taking a seat next to him and Derek huffs shaking his head but doesn't say anything. He knows he looks like shit, he hasn't slept properly for weeks... his nightmares about Kate and the fire and his family don't just happen when he's sleeping anymore. On his bad days his nightmares happen while he is awake too. Sometimes it's just Kate's voice or Laura's dying screams in his head. But other days he can actually see Kate and his family standing in front of him. He knows it's not real, that they're not really there but it still messes with him.

"You've been acting off for a few weeks, I don't think the others have noticed but I'm the Sheriff, it's my job to notice these things. What's going on?" The older man asks watching him carefully and Derek glances up at him but he doesn't know what to say. He doesn't even know where to begin.

"You haven't been sleeping well have you?" He asks and Derek shakes his head looking down at the table and the Sheriff sighs. He had a feeling Derek doesn't sleep very well. Minus the dark shadows under the boys eyes, he's also noticed every time he comes home in the early hours of the morning from night shift, the light is always on in Derek's hut.

"Nightmares?" He asks and Derek doesn't even look over him and just simply nods. He knows the Sheriff won't judge him for it. He remembers Stiles telling him about how when he use to get bad nightmares after his mother died, his father would come sit with him in his bed until he fell back asleep. "You look like you haven't slept in days, how often do you get them?" He asks, his voice calm with a hint of concern.

"All the time." Derek answers softly resting his hands in his lap so the Sheriff doesn't see them shaking.

"All the time? So every night?" He asks leaning closer to Derek who sighs.

"And more." Derek replies running his fingers through his hair as he glances over at the Sheriff who's face is full of confusion until suddenly it clicks.

"Your nightmares don't just go away when you open your eyes do they?" The Sheriff asks in a sad voice. Hoping, praying, that what he is thinking is wrong but by the way Derek takes a shaky deep breath he knew he was right. "Does anyone else know?" He asks and Derek shakes his head and the Sheriff sighs.

"Stiles knows I get bad nightmares but that's it." Derek answers truthfully and the Sheriff nods.

"How long has this been happening?" He asks even though he's not sure he wants to know the answer.