Till I See You Again

PART NINE

Stiles's POV:

I remained on the ground, crying my eyes out as all I wanted was to stop crying, but I couldn't. I couldn't understand how a human being could miss someone so much, even when Derek left Beacon Hills, I didn't feel like my world was crumbling down. The thing about death is you never see it happening to you or someone you know until it comes knocking on your front door.

'I need help.' I texted Scott, biting my lip as I sent the message, dropping my phone to my lap as I heard the soft whoosh letting me know the message had been sent.

'Of course, man, where are you?' He texted back, seconds later.

'Meet me at Derek's loft. My Dad told me that I could go through his stuff and take what I wanted before the FBI goes through his stuff.' I stood up and walked towards Derek's loft, taking step by step as my mind began racing.

Come on, Stiles, is this really a good idea? I'm still too emotional, how can I go through my boyfriend's stuff? I thought to myself as I felt my eyes water, again. Damn it! I want to stop crying, that's what I want.

I walked into Derek's loft, his scent was still strong, almost as if he was really there. I glanced over towards the big window as a memory flashed into my mind.

"If I go in first, how much space do I have?" Derek asked as Scott, Derek, and I stood around the table. I looked over at Scott before looking back over at Derek.

"What-What are you going to do, Derek? You're going to punch through the wall?"

Derek crossed his arms as he looked at me. "Yes, Stiles, I'm going to punch through the wall."

"Okay, okay, big guy. Let's see it." I smiled as I motioned for him to make a fist. "Let's see that fist. Big, old fist. Make it, come on." Derek raised his arm up, making a fist. "Get it out there. Don't be scared."

"Big bad wolf, yeah, look at that." I grabbed his wrist. "Okay, see this? That's maybe three inches of room to gather enough force to punch through solid co-" before I could finish my sentence, he punched my hand. I stumbled back as I grabbed my hand. "He can do it."

"Hey, Stiles? Are you okay?" Scott asked, returning me back to reality as I softly shook my head, tears forming as I looked over at him.

I shook my head. "I-I can't pack up his stuff." I whispered as Scott walked into the room. "I can't do it."

"You've always been stronger than you've imagined." Scott said, sending me a soft smile but I shook my head as I took another glance around the room before looking back at Scott.

"No. Not without him." I managed to say between gasps for air. "H-He did so much for us, Scott and then once it was all done, he could have left but he didn't. He stayed for us. For me, and he gave me everything. Love, a belief, solid ground to stand on but don't you get it? That was all him."

"Stiles, you should just believe in yourself because you are so much better than what you think you are."

"N-No, you told me that Beacon Hills needed a symbol, someone to protect it, that was Derek. He was the symbol, now he's dead and there's nothing. There's nothing without him."

I began sobbing. "Come here." Scott pulled me in for a hug as I wrapped my arms around him, I could tell that Scott was thinking about something but I didn't feel like asking, I knew he would tell me when he wanted to so instead, I focused on trying to control my breathing. "Derek told me that hunters were after him the night before your date." Scott admitted.

I pulled out of his grip as I looked at him. "What did you just say?" I asked even though the both of us knew I heard what he said, I had chosen not to hear him.

Scott repeated it. "He told me that the hunters were after him before you had your date, he reassured me that he would figure it out on his own so I didn't tell you because I didn't think it was necessary."

"How could you-How could you keep this from me?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't want you trying to risk your life to try and fight the hunters so-"

"So instead you allowed Derek to get killed! He trusted you, Scott. I trusted you!" I screamed as I pushed him back, he stumbled back against the wall of the loft, as I looked at my best friend in his brown eyes.

"Stiles, you mean everything to me, if you would have died, I don't know what I would have done!"

"You don't get to make that decision, Scott." I snapped as tears began forming at my eyes. "You make life and death decisions for us all the time and I'm not allowed the same courtesy? After everything-" my voice had begun to break. "A-After everything, I deserved to know." Before he could say anything else, I walked away, leaving him alone in the middle of Derek's loft.