Looking Back

Derek Hale

Derek was sitting alone in his loft, as usual, but this time with a drink in his hand. Although he was invited to Lydia's, he wasn't planning on going.
Derek was never a sentimental person, for a long time he hadn't cared about anyone but himself, but that had all changed over the last two years, he found himself befriending hunters instead of wanting to kill them, he had become friends with people he used to hate, he had made allies with people he couldn't stand, and most importantly Derek had found something he hadn't thought possible for a very long time. Love.
Derek had never had the best luck with women, but then he met Braeden and that changed, for Derek she was the only good thing that came out of the last terrible year.
After the huge change Derek went through in the past year of dying and coming back to life as a fully transformed wolf he still felt lost at times, like he had no idea what his purpose was, or what he was supposed to do. Derek was always strong, and he was never affected that much by anything, but the past two years had somehow taken a real toll on him. He wasn't the same as he was before, he had changed, but in a good way.
After everything that had happened with Peter, Derek couldn't help but wish he had killed him when he had the chance, but then again that wouldn't change anything, that wouldn't bring back Laura, Erica, Boyd and Allison. Even Allison.
Even Derek found himself wishing Peter had died in the Hale house fire, he knew it was a terrible thought but after everything he had done, after all the people he had hurt, he couldn't help but feel that way.
Derek kept thinking that maybe this new year wouldn't be so horrible, but he knew things would never come that easily for him.
Then suddenly Braeden walked in, she sat herself beside Derek and grabbed the glass from his hand and before Derek could even say a word of protest she had gulped down his drink.
"Why'd you start the pity party without me?"
"It's not a pity party."
A look of worry came across Braeden's face, "Derek, seriously what's the matter?"
Derek turned to Braeden and smiled. "You know what, it's nothing. Really."
"Fine, if you say so."
"So." Derek said as he put his arm around her. "What are we doing tonight?"
"We? I didn't know we were a we." Braeden said with a sense of snark in her voice.
"We, us, whatever it is you want to call you and me."
Braeden couldn't help smiling, she leaned in and kissed Derek.
"C'mon, I've got an idea." She said as she got up and pulled Derek up as well.
"Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise."