A Traveling Love

Chapter Thirteen

Derek was lying in bed. His bed. With Stiles wrapped around him. It was wonderful. Stiles had done everything Derek had asked of him and more. He made Derek dinner and paid his utmost attention to Derek from the time he got off work to the time they went to bed. In the same bed, with Roxy at their feet.

Derek had therapy two times a week now. And it was helping. Stiles had sat in and participated in a few secessions and had confessed his own faults to Dr. Martin. It was going good. And that was great.

Derek had had a hard time getting back from the war. Physical injuries healed, but sometimes mental ones did not.

-

Claudia passed away a year after she was diagnosed. The sheriff sobbed throughout the funeral. So did Stiles. Derek remained closed off, but even he shed a few tears. She had fought a good battle.

In the end it was very bad. Stiles and Derek had to remind her who they were. There was a live-in nurse and the sheriff spent as much possible time with her as he could.

Derek could remember one day in particular.

-

Stiles and Derek entered Stiles' childhood home and went to the living room where Claudia's bed was set up. She could no longer make it up the stairs. When they made it to Claudia's bedside she lit up at the sight of Stiles but looked confused by Derek. "Who this is? I meant, who this..."

Stiles took her hand. "I know what you meant, mom. This is Derek. He's my boyfriend."

Claudia looked over at Derek with admiration in her eyes. This was the third time that she had met him this week but every time that she looked at Derek like that, it made him mourn his own mom so much more. "Nice to meet you, Derek."

"You too, Mrs. Stilinski."

Claudia smile and giggled a little like she did every time. "Just Claudia please."

Derek grinned back. "Of course, Claudia."

They made small talk for a little while, had lunch, then a settled into the couch to watch TV. Nothing good was on so Stiles and Derek mainly just cuddled. Claudia silently cooed at them. Stiles got off of the couch and went down the hall towards the bathroom. Derek sighed, looking over at Claudia. He didn't know how much time she had left and he didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to think about anything.

Stiles came back out and told Derek to follow him, that he had a surprise for Derek. "Close your eyes," he told Derek when they were outside of his bedroom. He led a blind Derek in and sat him on the bed. "Open them," Stiles demanded and Derek did.

He gasped at the sight in front of him. Stiles was down on one knee and had a small silver box in his hand. He opened it to show a stunning silver ring. "Will you marry me?"

-

Derek had of course said yes and they got married the following month. Stiles wanted his mom there so he had most of the wedding already planned by the time he actually asked Derek. It was perfect.

There were flowers and lots of vibrant colors. Claudia was confused why her baby boy was getting married so soon and why she had only met Derek that day, but she decided that she liked Derek again that day and fully supported Stiles.

From then on until Claudia passed away, when he introduced himself, he told her that he was Stiles' husband, Derek.

A/N: This is the last chapter. I hope you liked it and thank you for reading. I want to thank everyone who took the time to vote or comment. They mean a lot to me. And thank you to everyone who read all of it and didn't give up on me in the middle :). This story was a little slow coming for a while.