A/N: Okay so the last chapter was really meant to be the last chapter but by the time I finished writing I realized that I needed to deal with the whole Alex/Baby thing because I just know you're all frothing at the mouth. So this chapter is kinda doing that.
Note: I have no idea about high school graduations, so a lot of this may be completely wrong. My reference material come from teen shows like Buffy and Dawson's Creek. Though there will be no giant killer Mayor-Snakes wanting to eat everyone. But seriously, if I've screwed this up, I really do apologize. I'm English, what can I say. *shrugged* we don't have Graduations.
Hope you enjoy anyhow.
Epilogue
Five and a half months later
It was warm and bright. Perfect. Just how it was meant to be for a Graduation. Derek skimmed along the row of seats with Leah in his arms, Alex waddling a few steps behind him. He smiled down at John and Melissa as he finally reached his seat beside them. They'd gotten there early so as to grab a front row seat. Not that Derek, Alex and Peter needed to be close, they could easy see perfectly from the back. But Leah, John and Melissa could not.
"Grandpa Shewiff!" Leah yelled reaching out for the older man before Derek could even take a seat. Despite being told countless times to call him either just Grampa or Grampa John, the little girl insisted on calling him by his work title.
John smiled, holding his arms out to take her. "Hey sweetheart." he pressed a kiss to her cheek. "You look beautiful today."
Leah preened over the compliment, smiling brightly. "It special today. - Are you coming to my party?" she asked after making herself comfy on the man's lap.
John frowned past Derek, who rolled his eyes and leant forward to talk to his daughter.
"It's Scott, Stiles, Allison, Lydia and Isaac party." Derek clarified, staring at his little girl.
"Whatever!" Leah shrugged in an off-handed way, her hand bating the comment aside in a manner that could have only come from one Lydia Martin.
John and Melissa chuckled. "We'll be there."
"How you feeling Alex?" Melissa asked leaning forward to see the expectant mother more clearly.
"Like I want to claw my stomach open." she growled with frustration. "And I mean that literally." her eyes flashed for a second and she curled her hands to hide the claws.
Melissa looked at her sympathetically. "I remember that feeling. - But not long now."
Alex grunted and slouched a little in her chair, reaching around to rub at her back. Noticing her discomfort Derek replaced her hand with his, rubbing circles while his eyes scanned the program.
"She's been snappy all day, and she's in pain."
Melissa frowned. "Maybe we…should take you to the hospital? Just check it out."
Alex shook her head. "It's fine; I had the same thing with Leah. It's just that Braxton-Hicks thing. They'll just send me home."
Melissa didn't look particularly convinced. "I don't know…"
"It's fine." Alex said, meeting the woman's gaze. "I swear. - Besides, it's not like I'm having a hospital birth anyway."
"Another thing I'm not sure about?" Melissa murmured, shaking her head.
"Believe me, if we had a choice she'd be in the hospital with a lot of drugs, but it's not exactly a normal birth, and I'm not sure you want your work colleagues being thrown through windows." Derek stated. "I remember when mom had Cora; she put the midwife through a wall, and the midwife was a werewolf."
Melissa looked torn between shock, fear and amusement.
"We'll be fine. We have you, right." Alex said with a warm smile as the discomfort receded.
Melissa blushed. "Yeah. Though I really don't want to end up through a wall."
Alex laughed. "I promise." She turned at the sound of someone approaching and fought the smile that curved her lips at the sight of Chris.
"Do you mind?" he asked awkwardly. Gesturing to the seat beside her.
"No. its fine." she replied too eagerly.
Derek shrugged, his attention fixed to the stage in front of him, though he spared a hard look at Alex when he heard her heartbeat rise and the scent of attraction seeping from her pours. She met his gaze and blushed intently, lowering her eyes to stare at her feet. Batting his hand away.
Derek tore his gaze from Alex as Peter slid into the seat next to Chris, his brow raised. The werewolf scowling at the hunter like a rebellious teenager. Derek half expected him to stick his tongue out at the other man with a smart ass insult, but instead his uncle forced all his attention on Derek, grinning wickedly.
"Just making sure….everyone's got what they need."
"Right." Alex chuckled, leaning past Chris to rub at the lipstick on the man's neck.
Derek rolled his eyes and glanced over his shoulder, before looking down at his watch.
"Relax. It's going to be a while longer. - It's one of the pitfalls of getting good seats." John said.
"I hate Graduation. I hated my own. It was the dullest day I've ever had to live through." Derek complained.
"Mine wasn't so bad." Peter smiled. "Of course, we glued all the diplomas together so when the principle picked one up, the whole pile went with it."
"Why am I not surprised?" Derek huffed. Then his head snapped to the table. "You didn't tell Stiles that story did you?"
Peter turned to meet Derek and John's concerned gaze. "Of course I did."
The pair exchanged looks before slumping in their chairs. "Great."
"I never had a Graduation." Alex said, slipping her shoes off to roll her swollen feet. "I never went to High School, we were home schooled." her voice was quiet, and filled with regret and bitterness.
"Trust me, you weren't missing much." Peter huffed, folding his arms. "The only good part were the girls. - And basketball."
Derek, Chris and John grunted an agreement.
"I actually don't remember my graduation." Melissa informed them casually.
John looked over at her with a frown. "Why?"
She dropped her gaze, flushing scarlet. "I might have….been a little…trashed."
John stared at her for a long moment before bursting into laughter.
The subject tampered off as Leah decided that she wanted everyone's attention on her and told them all dramatically about school and the boy that had called her a freak because she had a mom and two daddies. She'd then punched him in the nose just like Aunt Awison had taught her. Chris gapped, looking apologetically at the group. Derek and Alex of course already knew about the incident, having been called in for a meeting, along with the boy's parents, who'd at least had the comment decency to look embarrassed at their son's behaviour. Of course Derek had quickly apologized for Leah's reaction. Stiles hadn't been happy with that at all, stating that if the kid didn't want to get a bloody nose his parents should teach him not to be an ignorant little shit. - And that hadn't gone down well. Though Alex had peed herself laughing. Literally. Because apparently that's what pregnant hormonal women did.
A good twenty minutes later all the chairs where filled, and the teachers were taking their seats on the stage. A couple of minutes after that the music started and everyone turned to see the parade of students making their way to the chairs.
"Aunt Awison!" Leah yelled, waving like a crazy person as the brunette past. She received a small shy wave in return and a bright smile.
"Leah, you have to be quiet." Derek said in a low voice.
The little girl pouted for a second, then promptly ignored him as she called each member of the pack as they marched through the crowd. When she saw Stiles she leapt to her feet on the Sheriff's lap and waved with both arms. Receiving giggled from the surrounding parents. Stiles didn't seem to care much, he grinned, waved back just as enthusiastically at Leah and his dad before blowing a kiss and winking at Derek. Grumbling something about his Graduation present clear enough for the wolf to her.
It took a few minutes for all of the students to take their seat and then everyone quiet down to listen to speeches by the Principle, a guess speaker, some writer or other, and then it was time for the parade of student to get their diplomas. The principle stood proudly reading names. Allison hit the stage first, smiling brightly. Leah yelling and waving from the Sheriff's lap. Melissa got to her feet, along with Chris to take as many photo's as she could. She'd already volunteered herself as the official photographer for the event.
It was a few minutes before Isaac stepped onto the stage, taking the diploma he'd worked so hard for and shaking the guest speaker's hand. His eyes searched through the stands and found Derek's instantly. The alpha nodded proudly at him in a way his father would never have done. Isaac knew it was wrong, and part of him hated himself for it, but his father dying was the best thing to ever happen to him. Derek and the pack was the second.
Danny soon followed Isaac. Then Lydia, who marched across the stage with such grace it was as if she floated. Her head high, power just rolling off her in waves. Her valedictorian robes swaying with her every movement. Instead of leaving the stage with everyone else she took a seat next to Mr Harris, and waited to deliver her speech.
Melissa burst into tears the moment Scott hit the stage, and fell into her chair, her camera hanging from her wrist. Instantly John draped his arm around her, squeezing tight, while Leah wiped at her cheek with her little hand and told her not to cry, it was a happy day. Melissa pressed a kiss into the little girl's hair.
It was a while before they reached the S names, and Leah was clearly becoming bored, by the time they reached Stiles, Leah was half asleep against the Sheriff's shoulder. Until his name rang through the microphone, then she was sitting up straight, arms tight around John's neck as the man leapt to his feet. Stiles stood their beaming out at the stands, his eyes flickering between his father, Leah and Derek. After shaking hands with both the guest speaker and the principle, he thrust both fists into the air, proudly. "I made it! I survived!" he yelled, and the pack knew he wasn't talking about surviving high school.
"He really does need to learn not to say sh….stuff like that." John sighed, retaking his seat.
"You'd have thought after all this time he would have." Peter chuckled from three seats down. "But then Stiles has a way of dodging the draft."
Derek glared at his uncle before turning back to watch his mate take his seat.
Things dragged on for a few more minutes before Lydia took to the stage, standing proudly at the podium to deliver her speech. She didn't say anything particularly thought provoking. It was all kind of standard. But when she touched on the changes they'd all gone through, the friends they'd made. - How the people you thought were losers and dorks could actually turn out to be the best friends you'd ever have, it was clear how she'd changed over the past four years. And Stiles whooped and cheered, and called back how he loved her too.
She was still going when Isaac and Scott's heads snapped around to stare at the stands. The moment Stiles saw their sudden reaction, he followed suit. Then they were on their feet, not caring about the rest of the ceremony.
"….and as Albert Einhuh….that's it. Congratulations class of 2015!" Lydia yelled; her eyes locked on the stands. "Woo hoo!" she grabbed her paper and ran for the stairs, Allison meeting her at the bottom as they ran for the stands, clearly confusing everyone, including her parents.
"Just breathe. Alex. Breathe. Slowly. In through your nose. Out through your mouth." Melissa couched.
Alex lifted her eyes to meet the woman's and they flashed gold as she growled low in her throat.
"Okay, we need to get her the hell out of here before she starts…." Chris looked over at those around them. "Screaming the place down."
"Wait, she's not due for another month!" Stiles said, breathless from the adrenaline.
"Baby's don't really care about a schedule, Stiles." Melissa said lightly.
"Yeah, but Derek's never on time for anything."
"This is not the time for joke." Alex growled as Chris and Derek manhandled her along the row of chairs. Melissa close behind, John, and the rest behind them.
"Lydia?"
She turned to stare at the confused look on her parent's face. "Huh, sorry mom, got to go. Huh…here can you." she shoved her hat and diploma into her mom's hands, before rushing off, catching up with Peter who guided her with a possessive hand on her lower back.
"This is not how I imagined my graduation going." Stiles grumbled as they made their way to the parking lot.
~What's Best For Everyone, Isn't What's Easy~
Alex's face wasn't even human by the time they reached the house. Derek and Peter had to help her into the house after she'd almost broken Chris's arm in his attempt to get her out of the Volvo. Stiles had Leah hanging off him as he raced to keep up, his dad at his side.
Unable to get Alex up the stairs, they settled her on the floor in the living room, arranging cushions to make her comfortable while Melissa sent Scott and Allison upstairs to grab some sheets and towels, while Isaac and Danny were sent fetched some warm water, string and scissors from the kitchen. Then she settled herself between the woman's thighs, lifting the hem of her skirt and ridding her of her panties.
"Okay, you're close."
"No fucking joke!" Alex groaned, her fingers tightening around Derek's hand as another contraction slammed into her.
"I should take Leah up to her room. Away from the bad language." Stiles said, moving to leave.
"No!" Alex yelled. "Stay!"
Stiles looked from the woman to Derek. "I don't…."
"I need everyone here!" she said brokenly. "I can't do this alone."
"You're not alone." Derek murmured, his hand stroking at her hair. "We're here. All of us." he shot Stiles a look that said it was a pack thing.
Stiles looked down at the little girl who was staring at her mom with a weird sort of fascination. "What you say Lee? Wanna stay and watch your baby brother or sister be born?"
Leah beamed up at him. "Awesome."
Stiles chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes then." he found the armchair that Melissa had dragged out of the way and dropped down onto, arranging Leah on his lap. Thankful that it wasn't a direct view of the action. He turned to look up at his dad who was hovering to his right. Then to his left when Lydia dropped herself on the arm, Peter at her side, his hand reassuring on her back.
"Well I should…I'll be out…." Chris said awkwardly.
"Don't you fucking move!" Alex yelled, shot him a golden eyed glare.
Stiles instantly pressed his hands to Leah's ear. "Little ears mommy!" he scolded.
"This isn't…I don't belong here!" Chris argued.
"Pack stays!" she growled.
A challenging look passed between the hunter and the werewolf, and Stiles almost burst out laughing the moment he saw the surrender in Mr bad-ass Agent's face. It reminded him weirdly of how he'd been with Derek at the beginning, and the smirk grew as he stared between the pair.
Allison and Scott reappeared with an armful of material and Stiles groaned, he could only imagine what the linen closet looked like. "You two are cleaning it up, hear me."
Allison smirked as she dropped the stuff at Melissa's side, before stepping back and meeting her fathers gaze across the room. Scott handed over the towels to his mom before moving to stand beside his girlfriend. A moment later Isaac and Danny rushed in with the boiled water, scissors and string.
"Here." Isaac said, setting the water on the floor, before rushing over to drop down at Stiles feet, Leah's hand instantly dropping to play with his hair, as Danny sat beside him.
"Okay Alex, when I say I want you to bear down and push, okay?"
Alex grunted, her fingers tightening around Derek's.
"Okay. - Push."
Alex gritted her teeth and did as ordered, sweat pebbling her brow and a deep growl rumbling through the house till the window's shook.
"Okay. Breathe." Melissa ordered. "When you're ready."
Alex flashed her eyes at the woman before pushing again.
"Okay." Melissa smiled a few long moments. "Head's almost out, one big push should do it. Really. - Push!"
"Ahhhh!" Alex growled and yelled, then howl. Letting go of Derek's fingers she jammed her fist into his chest and sent him flying.
Peter thankfully dodged himself and Lydia out of the way. The action moving the chair too and knocking the sheriff over in the process. Stiles leapt to his feet, Leah still in his arms and rushed to see if Derek was alright just as the alpha marched back into the room, red eyes glowing.
"See why we couldn't go to a hospital." Derek said, sharking off the plaster from where he'd landed.
Melissa looking at him with horror filled eyes, while Stiles just laughed and retook his seat.
"Remind me never to get you pregnant." Stiles said as Derek settled back to the floor beside Alex.
"Silly 'iles. Boys can't have babies." Leah rolled her eyes dramatically, shaking her head.
"They can't?" he pouted. "Well, I guess it's lucky I have you then, huh?" he pressed a sloppy wet kiss to her cheek.
"Okay. Head's clear. Full head of dark hair." Melissa informed them. "Okay, when you're ready. Take a deep breath and push."
Alex panted for a moment, grabbed Derek's hand, which he was reluctant to hand over.
"It's lucky I can heal." he grumbled as he prepared himself more broken bones that he'd miraculously avoided so far.
Alex pushed, grunting, howling and swearing to cut Derek's dick off just for putting her through this, and she didn't care what Stiles said.
"Does that mean I'll have to…." a glare from his father and Derek shut him up before he could say any more. "Sure, cut away, my sista."
It was another few minutes before Alex gave a final push and slumped back against the couch. Melissa pulling away a small silent body.
"Is it?" Derek asked nervously. Concern and fear in his features.
"He's…." Melissa rubbed at his chest and wiggled her pinkie finger into the small mouth to clear the mucus. When he suddenly stared to wail, although it was weak, there was a sigh of relief from everyone.
"Congratulations, guys." Melissa said, as she tied off the umbilical cord. "It's a boy. Derek you want?" she held out the scissors to him.
Derek nodded and shifted forward on his knees, thankful he'd given Alex his left hand. Taking the scissors, he cut.
Melissa wrapped the freed baby in one of the towels before handing him over to his mom, who pressed a kiss to the little boys head.
"Is he?" Stiles asked. "You know, a wolf?"
Derek sniffed at him. "I….can't tell." he looked at Alex, waiting for her to rejected the child as she'd done to Leah months ago. "He might…."
"It doesn't matter. He's mine. - Ours. Human or wolf." Alex murmured. Kissing his crown again.
"What are you going to call him?" Allison asked quickly.
Alex stared up at Derek warmly. "Miguel." he finally answered.
"Really?" Stiles gapped.
Alex rolled her eyes. "No genius, not really."
Derek was still grinning mischievously when he revealed the real name, his eyes meeting Peter's. "Jesse."
"Jesse Hale. I like it." Stiles nodded.
"Sorry guys, but we're not done here." Melissa said.
Alex nodded, passing the baby to Derek. "This part you guys can get lost for." she said and that was all the permission they needed. The whole pack scrambled for the kitchen.
"So daddy?" Stiles smiled up at Derek. "How's it feel?"
"I'm already a dad Stiles." Derek rolled his eyes, pressing a kiss to Leah's head. "And…well I can't say if he's mine or…"
"Hey, you knew with Leah right? What's your gut saying?"
Derek looked down at the little boy, his eyes scanning his tiny features. His dark hair, his small pouting mouth, his tiny fingers curling around his own larger one. He buried his nose into the boy, inhaling deeply. When he pulled back he met Stiles gaze. "Mine. - He's mine."
Stiles grinned brightly. "That's all that matters then, right."
Derek stretched forward, pressing his lips gently to his mates. It wasn't until a flash went off that he pulled away, turning to see Allison smiling at them with a camera in her hand.
THE END
A/N: Well that's it kiddos. It's over. I'm kinda sad about it, as hard on my emotions as this story's been I've really enjoyed writing it, and sharing it with all you lovely people. I know I didn't give you an absolute yes or no on the Derek being the baby's father but I think the thing I love about Teen Wolf (at least in the fan-fic universe) is that family isn't about genetics. Kinda like Dean Winchester once said: Blood don't make you family. (SPN season six: Then There Was None) Derek's claimed the little boy as his son, as he has with Leah and that's all that matters. Whether it's DNA or not, that's up to you. (I'm guessing the vote will land in favour of a yes.) As for whether he's a wolf? Again, that's really not important either.
If anyone's wondering who Jesse is, well I've decided that it was Derek's dad. I know like every bloody parent on this show, Derek's father is a mystery, and I also know that like with everything else in this story, Jeff 'freaking' Davis will come back in January and mess it up. Because he's got it in for this fic. I swear. But I hope you guys don't mind the name choice too much. It was a case of sticking a pin in a baby name book. It's actually the third choice, as the first name I got was Lancelot (no damn way was I going with Lancelot Hale) and then Oswald. (For goodness sake!)
As for the Leah and Isaac moments, I apologize whole heartedly, it seems that I can't shake the Leah/Isaac thing and may very well end up writing something just to get it out of my head. I don't want to do it, because as I said its way too twilight and disturbing and well, I hate twilight, but I just can't shift it. But I hope my twisted desire to bind the pair wasn't too ship-ish. You make of their relationship what you will. And yes I am totally hinting at a budding romance between Alex and Chris. I hope that was very clear.
Anyway, I'd just like to thank everyone for their wonderful support during this story and all the brilliant reviews that have kept me focused and on track at many points. For the countless debates that have helped me work though a ton of plot lines. (Especially you Chrix - you've been a great help throughout.)
And that's it from me. I hope to hear from you all again when I dip my toe into Sterek in the future, but for now I'm going to take a break and concentrate of my Destiel fic. Because I've been seriously neglecting it the last few weeks.
All my thanks and love.
GATERGIRL79 signing off.
PS: I was thinking of posting the deleted scenes that I was forced to drop from this fic. Would you be interested?