Remember Me This Way (Prequel to the Megan/Derek Series)

Chapter 2

8 year old Megan was feeling upset and angry. She didn't understand why she couldn't try out for the little league baseball team. She wasn't even using her 'special' abilities. She made it fair for everyone else!

She was so mad all she could do was cry. It's not like she wanted to but it's the only way her emotions came out at this point. She kicked the leaves under her feet and let out a huff. She couldn't do anything to change it. All because she was a girl trying to play a boy sport.

She slid down the tree she was by and looked at the baseball in her hands.

"Hey Meggy. What's wrong?" 8 year old Derek asked, while he was walking up to her.

"Nothing, just stuff that doesn't even matter." She replied.

"Well if you are upset, it matters to me." Derek said. Megan looked up at him through her tears. Seeing her like that made him incredibly sad, but mad at whoever made her feel this way.

He sat down beside her and put his arm around her shoulders.

"Tell me," he said.

"They wouldn't let me play on the baseball team because I was a girl." She said, quietly. Derek sighed.

"Who needs them anyway? We can play baseball by ourselves!" He exclaimed, excitedly.

"Really?" She said, hopeful.

"Yes, let's go play now!" They both got up and ran to the grassy yard.

Talia and Amber looked out the window and smiled, hearing the entire conversation.

"He's already so protective over her and her feelings." Amber pointed out.

"He really is. The other night, Peter was teasing him about it and he didn't get angry once. He literally told him that at least he had someone to be protective over and love." Talia said, with a smile on her face.

"It's so crazy that they are mates. What are the odds that my best friends son is the mate to my daughter?"

"I hadn't even give that a thought, but your right. That is so unreal." Talia agreed.

Meanwhile, Derek and Megan played in the back for hours, so content with one another and just being with each other.

After dinner, they both went to their respective ways.

That night, while Talia was putting Derek to bed, he asked her several questions that she didn't know how to answer.

"What is the m word you guys talk about?" Derek asked.

"Oh honey, that's a conversation we will have when your older." Talia shook it off.

"Okay. Well i guess it has something to do with me and meggy being best friends and I'm okay with that. Do you think we will always be m words?"

"Yes I do and you'll understand when we have that conversation."

"If you say so." Derek said and sat quietly, while thinking hard.

"What's on your mind, little wolf?" Talia asked.

"I just don't understand it. Why wouldn't let let her on the baseball team? She's so good. And she doesn't even use her special abilities. She's just as good if not better than half the team. It doesn't even matter that she's a girl! And my friends at school make fun of me because she's my best friend. I try and tell them that we were raised together because you and her mommy are best friends and her daddy and dad are best friends but they don't even listen! Why don't they listen? Why do they have to hurt her feelings! Why!" Derek started working himself up through his rant and for a split second, his eyes flickered.

"Derek, sweetie. Sometimes people think girls aren't as good as boys. And sometimes people don't get the concept of best friends because they don't have the relationship you and Megan do. Not many people are lucky like you guys." Talia said.

"Mommy...." Derek asked, after thinking on her words.

"Yes little wolf?" She asked.

"How do you know when you love someone? And not like how you love me but how you love daddy?" He asked.

"Well son.." John stepped in, "you think she's the most beautiful girl in the world. You can't stop thinking about her. You only ever want her happy. You want to fix all her problems. And you never want to be without her." He explains, only while staring at Talia. She smiles at him.

"...and when you aren't around her, your sad and it hurts to breathe. And you feel like your drowning..." Derek finishes, as he dozed off to sleep.

"Right son.." he says while both John and Talia are thinking the same thing.

Over in the Jones' household, Will and Amber are putting Megan to bed as she tells them about her day.

"...and so I was so mad and crying and Der came out there and made me feel better and we played baseball all day!" Megan was so happy, worn out, but happy.

"That's so good, little loba . I'm so glad Derek made you feel better!" Will said.

"I love him so much. He is my best friend and I cannot wait to see him tomorrow! It's so weird!"

"What's weird, sweetie?" Amber asked.

"Nothing really. It just kinda burns right here when we aren't with each other. And it makes me a little sad and makes my chest feel heavy." She said as she points to her heart. Will and Amber smile at each other.

"Well don't worry. You'll be together tomorrow at school and after. Get some sleep. Goodnight sweetie, we love you!" Amber said as both she and Will kiss her forehead.

When they leave her room, they enter theirs.

"I can't believe she's 8 and she already knows love that strong." Amber said.

"It hurts every inch of me, but I'm glad it's Derek who will one day be my little girls everything. He's already passed every test. Only because I love that kid so much and he's just too polite and cute." Will said, as he laughed.

"He loves her so much. Talia and I over heard their conversation about the baseball team. He made it seem that it was no big deal and they could have their own team and only they could be on it."

"He really loves our girl," Will said. Amber just nodded in agreeance.

That night, both eight year olds fell asleep knowing the love that they have for the other, but not the turn it will make when they are older and the more distant they become.