The Lost Boy

CHAPTER 1 Are you a Dream

Derek was standing in a familiar room, although the house seemed warmer, he didn't understand what it was. Things to his sharp eyes were less tattered less torn, this was Stiles' livingroom, the furniture wasn't changed, even the outdated television was the same. Seriously the sheriff should just join this century and allow Derek to buy Stiles a new flat screen for the kid's next birthday or it could be a shared Christmas present for the Sheriff and Stiles.

"Oh. Hello." A woman with dark short hair entered into the familiar but unfamiliar room from the brightly lit kitchen. The stranger an omega by her scent was wearing a flowery apron, not just any apron but one Derek had often seen Stiles wear when he cooked for the Sheriff or at home in general. It looked newer not so much new, just less warn, and without the familiar stains and frays. "Are you another delusion?" She had on a sleeveless yellow dress that reminded him of something a fifties house wife would wear.

His nose wasn't working, this strange woman he had seen somewhere before but her scent it was way ahead of his brain. She was an omega, but she couldn't be what her scent said she was.

"Stiles!" Derek yelled turning to the staircase, he glanced at the pictures that usually littered the walls, there were less. Where was the omega? He could sense him near, could make out his particular scent although it was somewhat different and it was unnerving to the alpha. The woman kept her whiskey colored eyes on him, hands behind her back she was rocking back and forth in her black flats, eager for his attention. The same way Stiles acted when he wanted to ask questions but was waiting somewhat patiently for Derek to acknowledge this with a tilt of the head or roll of his eyes.

Suddenly his eyes fell on one particular picture sitting near the sheriff's recliner, it was one Derek had always seen when visiting, one he sometimes wondered about. It was a picture of Stiles' mother holding a toddler version of her son, her dark head leaning on the Sheriff's shoulder, a very much younger version of the Sheriff.

Derek had always found the picture interesting, it was a testament of happier times, he himself lost everything in the fire that took his family. All he had were a few trinkets an inheritance and thankfully Cora and Laura. He would give anything to have his whole family.

His broken uncle had a small photo of the family from one of there many vacations, he kept it locked away in a desk drawer hidden from prying eyes. Unlike the Sheriff the older man hid it away unable to look at the faces of those lost. Whereas the Sheriff and Stiles preferred to remember what was gone. Derek only had his memories, and sometimes he wondered if that was as accurate as one would think.

The alpha pushed all this away, refocusing on the same face belonging to this stranger with a kin scent to Stiles. Derek shook his head, no, no. He wasn't going to be tricked, "Stiles!" He yelled again over his shoulder his claws out glaring at this witch? Demon? Whatever the fuck she was, she wasn't going to hurt Stiles, she doesn't get to wear that face and carry that scent. That was cruel.

"You'll scare him. Don't scare him." Claudia or not Claudia said hands out her tone pleading.

"Mom?" A small voice called down the stairs and equally small legs carried a dark haired pup with familiar moles towards them. He was wearing his favorite batman t-shirt and his converse were untied grass stained knees nearly wearing out his jeans.

"You'll fall Stiles." She called out then she looked back to Derek.

Derek fought the urge to scoop him up and carry him out of the house. He didn't understand the surge of protectiveness that surfaced lately when it came to Stiles. This wasn't Stiles though, Stiles was just graduated from Berkeley, Stiles was probably at the loft making food for the others.