A/N – I have had a few PMs saying that for all the crap Derek went through for Stiles (although he had it coming, the big jerk), there needed to be a bit more fluff/lemon, and some wanted me to 'flesh out' Ted's character. So this chapter will take place a year later when Derek gets a chance to plan ahead. A warning: you will die of sugar shock from all the sweetness in this long-ass chapter.

Part 1: Driving

The phone rang while Derek had several lengths of freshly untangled Christmas lights in each hand and one clenched in his fangs, as he teetered on top of a twelve foot ladder.

"Ackson, an oo et uh reaking rone?" Derek growled around the lights.

Jackson was hanging stockings from the chimney with care, and the earbuds of his iPod blocked out even his sensitive wolf hearing. Derek snarled and cast about for Lydia. One sniff told him she was in the basement going through some of the remaining Christmas storage bins. Danny was shopping for food, Allison was buying a last minute gift and Scott was on his way to pick up Stiles from college since Stiles' beloved Jeep had died the final death a few weeks before.

"Uuuuuuuck!" screamed Derek around the lights.

At that minute the door opened, and Ted walked in from where he had been setting up the Christmas displays outside, brushing snow out of his short dark hair.

"I don't know what you said, Derek…but it didn't sound very Christmasy." He walked over to the phone and picked it up, clicking it over to speaker when he saw the id.

"Hey guys, it's me! Merry Christmas!" came the voice of Stiles.

"Eye runny!" yelled Derek.

"Sorry about that Derek, didn't know you could get sick." said Stiles, concerned.

Derek gave up and spat out the lights dropping the whole mess to the carpet. He climbed down the ladder . "I said 'Hi honey.' What's up? Scott's not there yet?"

"He just got here. I wanted to know if one of you could pick up my Dad and Scott's Mom from the airport. Their flight was delayed and they're both exhausted, but my Dad's the stubborn type and is insisting he can drive. I just worry, you know…"

"No problem. I should still be back two hours before you. Lydia memorized an entire cookbook so she'll have a feast ready for us when you get here."

"Awesome! And thanks, Der. Love you, lots and missed you like hell. Missed all of you." Stiles sounded choked up.

"Same here…I'll head out now. See you soon." They hung up and Derek gave an irritated look at Jackson who was still be-bopping to Adele's latest CD even though the stockings were hung and filled to the brim.

Derek yanked the earbuds out.

"I'm going to the airport, airhead. Untangle those lights and string them up, and put the same effort you do into Lacrosse…I want it to be perfect for Stiles."

Jackson looked at him expectantly.

"What?" asked Derek.

"C'mon…just say it for old time's sake." Jackson was grinning.

Derek rolled his eyes. "Okay. Do it or I'll rip your throat out…with my teeth. You satisfied?"

"Man, I miss that so much!"

"Freak. Ted, come with me? I'm going to need someone to drive their car back."

Ted agreed, and Derek grabbed his leather coat before heading out to the car with the younger boy.

They got on the road, taking it slow due to the ice that the salt trucks seemed powerless to get rid of.

Unlike every single other member of the Pack, Ted was the sort that could just sit there quietly lost in his thoughts…except that after nearly two years with Stiles, the silence was almost unbearable for the Alpha.

"So…what's been happening? How are you and Danny getting along?" asked Derek when he thought he would go crazy if he didn't have a conversation. God, Stiles had rubbed off on him in a big way.

"Oh, great. He's the best, and his mother treats me like her own son."

Derek nodded, pleased. His Pack's happiness was very important to him.

"How about your folks? I never heard you talk about them."

Ted tensed up, and Derek heard his heartbeat increase slightly. "They're not worth talking about. They basically cut me out of their life when I came out. I tried a few times to re-connect, but they started to get really...let's just say insistent that I stop trying. I get the idea that they're ashamed of me." He flicked his green-eyed gaze towards the passenger window, perhaps to admire the light snowfall. Perhaps not.

Derek wished he had taken the advice he'd given to Stiles so many times when he first met the quirky teen and just shut the hell up. The last thing he wanted to do was upset Danny's mate.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry. From what I've seen…it's their loss. I've never seen anyone adapt so well to being in a Pack, and you're a lot like Stiles in that you care about others so much more than yourself. I don't think I could have stood another Jackson."

Ted laughed. "Jackson's not so bad when you get to know him. He's pretty insecure about himself, for no reason, and he feels like he's under a lot of pressure to be the best at everything. He's come a long way in the past year, and that's all because of you."

Derek blushed slightly at the unexpected compliment. "I wasn't fishing… but thanks."

"The Pack is everyone's second family…but Jackson and me, we feel like it's our first. I will never stop being grateful to you for taking me into your home and helping me get a job…and most of all letting me into the Pack. I've never had anyone look out for me like you did."

Derek's face heated up even more. "Stop it, man. I just gave you a shot…you're doing really well at your job, and I've never seen anyone help out around the house like you do…which I've never asked you to do by the way."

"I like to do it…and you won't let me pay you rent from my check. Someone has to keep after Stiles anyway; Scott tells me the Board of Health just condemned his dorm room."

Now Derek laughed. "Well, I don't know what plans you and Danny have for the future, but no matter what happens you always have a home with me. As one of my Betas, I'll always feel responsible for you…that means come to me with any problem and I will help you."

"Same goes for me Derek…not that I think you would ever need help with anything, but if you ever did, just ask. You won't get questions or arguments from me."

"I wish you could pour some of that into Scott. He'd argue with me if I told him to breathe."

They fell into silence again, and Derek noticed that while there was little traffic going to the airport, all of the opposite lanes seemed to be congested. He ground his teeth at the thought that he might not be home when Stiles arrived, but it was important to Stiles that his father make it home safely so Derek just had to deal.

They pulled into the parking lot and went to the gate for arriving flights, locating the one coming from Hawaii where Steven and Melissa went for their honeymoon. The older couple did indeed look exhausted. Ted and Derek took charge of their suitcases, and packed them into Melissa's station wagon. Ted got behind the wheel with Melissa in the passenger seat which she promptly leaned as far back as it would go and passed out.

Derek opened the passenger door of the Camaro for Steven before getting behind his own wheel. Derek thought Steven would fall asleep as well, but the older man was looking more awake by the second.

"Merry Christmas, Derek." Steven said quietly.

"Merry Christmas, Sheriff." Derek said awkwardly.

"You can call me Steven, son."

'Son?' thought Derek to himself. This was new. "Thanks…Steven. How was your honeymoon?"

"Let's just say I'm a little concerned about how I'm going to pay the medical bills for the melanoma I'm going to have in six months."

Derek chuckled. "Send them to me. It can't be any higher than Stiles' food bill."

"Or his college bill. Thanks for that, by the way. He got some scholarships, but that would never have covered the room and board. I could have paid if he'd gone to school locally…"

"It's no trouble. I had a college fund that I never wound up using since…well, family stuff. Besides, you had a wedding and honeymoon to pay for. Stiles is a man now, and you've done a great job with him. We don't want for anything, and you need to enjoy your life now. You earned it."

"Ahhhh this time of year always gets to me. I've grown to love Mel so much, but I still miss Stella…especially now. This was her favorite time."

"I know. Um, Stiles told me." Derek covered himself.

"Derek, I'll be frank with you. I had a hard time with you at first, you know. First off, you were a male…well, that wasn't exactly a surprise…Danny needs to teach Stiles how to clear his web history. Second, you were older. Not a lot, but slightly outside of social expectations with him being seventeen. Stiles told me that…er, you two were taking things slow. I didn't think you were a predator or anything…" They both chuckled. "…well, not that kind of predator. Then the werewolf thing…" Steven shook his head.

"Melissa didn't take the news well. It's a very good thing for you that your uncle was the one that bit him, Derek. And we were both concerned that you brought all the others in."

"Steven, one and all they asked for it, for different reasons. Even Stiles wanted it, although I refused until I realized he had frostbite. He would have lost fingers if I hadn't turned him. As a human, you won't find it easy to understand; this life can be a difficult thing but not always a bad thing. It's a lot of power, and a lot of responsibility…and Stiles is doing really well with it. I'm not looking to bring anyone else in, but I'm making sure each one of them fulfills their potential. They're going to do great things someday. Especially Stiles."

Steven nodded. "My main worry was that Stiles was going to get hurt. I had a long talk with the Argents. I informed them that the Lycan residents of Beacon Hills were under my supervision and protection, and I made them understand how upset I would be if any of their group went within a mile of any of you."

Derek wished he could have been a fly on the wall at that meeting. Chris and Vivian and all of their Hunter flunkies actually pulled out altogether from Beacon Hills, selling their house and leaving Allison to live with Scott (now that she was eighteen) while they went to the local university. Generations of werewolves had failed to get rid of the Hunter family so efficiently; it made Derek respect the Sheriff more than he did…and fear him a little. Steven Stilinsky obviously had scarier threats than Derek on his worst day.

"I will never hurt him, if you're thinking that. I also know that if I did, I would live exactly as long as it took you to find me…and I feel the same way. I would kill to protect him, and I would give my life for him if necessary."

"I believe that, now, and that's why I started calling you son. I really think he's going to make something of himself with you being there for him."

The congestion cleared up and they took the Beacon Hills exit from the highway and minutes later they were turning onto the Sheriff's block. Just as they completed the turn, one of the back tires blew out and Derek cursed as he pulled into the spot behind the station wagon. He got out, and pulled a rusty piece of metal from the ruins of his tire.

The Sheriff came over and looked at it, whistling. Derek opened his trunk and pulled out the spare.

"Need a jack? I don't see one in there." asked Steven.

"Nah. Hey, Ted, can you come out here a minute?" Derek said conversationally.

"Ted's in the house, Derek." The Sheriff said, cocking an eye at the lycan.

"He heard me." Derek advised him.

Ted came out and quickly took in the situation. "Lift or twist?" he asked.

"I'll lift. You twist." Derek tossed the spare tire to him, walked over to the rear of the car and lifted it from the pavement, the Beta features appearing while he did so. "Holy Mary…" the Sheriff said, not for the first or last time. Derek decided not to tell him that in Alpha phase he could probably toss the car into his neighbor's yard. Ted spun the lug nuts off the tires like they were bottlecaps, stuck the new tire on and replaced them just as fast. Derek let the car back down gently and threw the flat into the trunk before going to help Ted with the remainder of the bags. The Sheriff just stood there looking at the new tire before sighing and going into the house.

Melissa was refreshed from her power nap in the car and quickly washed up and changed while the Sheriff did the same. She packed the presents from under their Christmas tree for the trip to Derek's into the station wagon before getting behind the wheel. The Sheriff rode with her while Ted joined Derek once again in the Camaro.

"How was she?" Derek asked.

"She snored the entire way." They both laughed.

Part 2: The Gifts

Derek was delighted to see that Scott and Stiles hadn't got there yet, although they were due any minute. The rest of the Pack were back and Danny came over to give Ted a hug. All presents were placed under the tree (Jackson had done an incredible job with the lights…he would live another day) and all last minute preparations were made. Derek went upstairs to the master bedroom to change. The tantalizing aromas of the two 30 lb. turkeys, biscuits, steamed vegetables and about a dozen other different foods nearly made him ruin his outfit as the Alpha roared its hunger into his mind.

'Easy boy. Soon.' Derek thought to his inner companion.

He heard Scott's Mustang pull into the driveway, and it took all of his willpower not to race downstairs. Instead he slowly made his way to the top of the stairs as the front door opened and Scott walked in, grinning and dusted with snow. He stomped his shoes on the mat and heaved some of Stiles' suitcases into the foyer. Allison gave him a hug and took his coat while he struggled out of his boots. Ted trucked the suitcases up the stairs to the bedroom, Derek giving him an appreciative pat on the shoulder as he walked by. Scott turned around to peer back outside, and as Derek inhaled, he smelled that unique and incredible scent that belonged to his mate.

Scott looked up at Derek and began to hurriedly shoo people away from the door. The Pack gave him no trouble, but Melissa and Steven looked a little confused until Scott hurriedly whispered at them. Then they backed away quickly with the others.

Stiles appeared in the doorway, red and green pom-pom hat on his head and what seemed to be a fifteen foot scarf wound around and around his neck and yet still trailing on the floor. His breath steamed in the air as he gave everyone one of his enormous million dollar grins surrounded by a new goatee.

"Derek! I'm home!" he shouted. Derek jumped the stairs and landed at the bottom so hard that the silverware in the dining room rattled and some of the goblets fell over.

"WHOA!" shouted Melissa, echoed a second later by one of Steven's 'Holy Mary, etc. etc.' Derek swept Stiles up in his arms and squeezed. The foyer was suddenly full of feathers as Derek accidentally tore open Stiles' down jacket with excitement-induced claws.

"I just Hoovered!" wailed Ted.

The gathering watched Derek whirl Stiles around and around until they felt self-conscious and made their way into the dining room where Lydia was fussing over the food. "How many people have ever picked feathers off of a turkey after it was cooked?" she complained.

Derek finally let Stiles down after a kiss that might have lasted until New Year's had Scott (always the bravest) not cleared his throat loudly and obnoxiously at them. Stiles gave his Dad a lengthy hug while Melissa kissed him on the cheek. The Pack gave him an assortment of hugs, kisses handshakes and smacks on the back.

"What's with the goatee? You look like Evil Alternate Stiles." asked Jackson, who despised facial hair of any kind.

"I couldn't grow three whiskers before I got the wolf, I just wanted to see what it was like."

Stiles left the remains of his coat on the floor and Derek pulled out his chair just to the right of the head seat and across from Scott who sat at Derek's left. Everyone piled food high onto their plates, and Derek asked if Melissa would say Grace.

"Dear Lord, we thank you for this wonderful meal and also for allowing us all to be safe and well and together this Christmas Eve. Amen." The Pack echoed the Amen, and then looked to Derek out of respect. He was already ripping into a biscuit so no one would have to explain the custom of the Alpha eating first to the humans. Everyone followed suit and within a short amount of time one would never have known there was any food on the table to begin with. Lydia blushed at the numerous compliments thrown her way.

"I hope you enjoyed it because I am NEVER cooking again!" she said smiling. Jackson looked deeply troubled by this. "Never?" he whined.

"Don't worry Jackson…Ted and I will cook for you anytime!" Danny said, pretending to flirt. "You can even spend the night afterward."

Jackson reddened.

"Keep it up you two, and you're going to wonder how your eyes got under my fingernails!" Lydia said sweetly.

After the meal, they decided to open presents in front of the fireplace.

"As some of you may know, it's traditional for male members of a Pack to get the sigil tattooed somewhere on their body, but being that you guys are so young and not a few parents would want to kill me if I insisted, I did the next best thing."

He passed out small boxes to each Pack member save Stiles, which contained necklaces identical to Allison's Argent clan pendant, only with the triskelion sigil engraved on the front. On the back of each was the Greek letter Beta, the whole a combination of white and yellow gold. The Pack eagerly put them on.

"Where's mine?" whined Stiles.

"In my pocket. You'll get it later, trust me." Derek said mysteriously.

Derek gave a heavy wrapped package to Steven and Melissa. They opened it together to reveal a heavy leather bound book.

"That book contains all of the lore of our kind, compiled by one of our most revered Clan leaders, Eowin Radcliffe. Since both of you have children that are…in the club…this will answer all of those awkward questions you may have. I hope it sets your minds at ease."

Stiles was green with jealousy, and made grabby hands at the book.

"Want it! Want it, Derek!"

"Stiles! I converted it to a pdf. document for you."

"Oh. Okay, my turn! As everyone in the Pack is aware, all of us Betas and the puny humans (that's you two) are giving gifts that explore each of the five senses. I picked sight, so you know what you're all getting!"

Stiles' thing was pictures, and when he wasn't taking pictures of important events himself, he always managed to track down someone who had. Each black & white photo was framed professionally in a rich dark red polished wood.

Scott's picture was of him leaping in the air and making the winning shot in his first real Lacrosse game. It was a fantastic Sports Illustrated kind of shot, with Scott looking all kinds of badass. If you looked closely, you could see evidence of the Beta features on his face, but only because the picture was blown up. It was called 'The Victor'.

"I knew it! You cheated!" shouted Jackson. No one paid any attention to him.

Lydia's was a shot of her at the ill-fated Formal before things had gone wrong. It was a candid shot of her in her dress looking perfect. Every other picture Lydia had of that night had her with the too-wide vacuous smile she wore when she had her 'mask' on. This shot had her looking slightly off to the left, unaware she was even being photographed. She wasn't smiling, but it was the Mona Lisa of all pouts. There was a vulnerable look in her eyes that was so authentic and alluring it made the heart skip a beat. 'The Hidden' adorned the bottom.

Lydia crowed over the picture. "My God, Stiles! Who the hell took this? I don't remember this at all!"

"Freddy Overlock, a bigger geek than me. He had a mini fiber-optic camera hidden in his boutonniere, and a huge crush on you." Stiles said, still passing out pictures.

Jackson's picture was incredible, the jock was shirtless and sweaty, fresh from a workout. His jaw was set, and he had a look of grim determination in his eyes like a soldier on his way into battle. It was obvious Jackson loved it. It read 'The Champion'.

Lydia elbowed Danny into Ted; they were staring a little too intently at it.

"Um, that was also Freddy's picture…he swings both ways apparently, and he can hide that camera almost anywhere…" admitted Stiles.

Derek was next. "I could see it now. 'The Glare.'" He joked.

It was a shot of Stiles with an open book that was either homework or werewolf research and sitting at the dining room table. Derek was leaning over him with their faces almost touching, one arm around his shoulder, palm against Stiles' chest and the other pointing at something in a large book. Instead of looking where Derek was pointing, Stiles was looking at his mate, the disbelief that he could possibly be so lucky plainly written on his face. 'The Teacher' was engraved on the bottom, but whatever he was learning, it wasn't coming from the book.

"I sort of borrowed Freddy's camera…" Stiles admitted, redfaced.

"It's amazing…" whispered Derek.

Allison's picture was posed and taken by Stiles, though this was the first time anyone had seen it. Allison was seen standing at the window of her old bedroom at the Argent house, looking up into the night sky at a glorious full moon. She was dazzling, her beautiful face full of hope and happiness. Scott was nearly invisible crouching in the shadows on the roof nearby (Stiles made him stay human for the shot) and gazing at Allison in awe. It was titled 'The Loved'.

Danny's picture was also of him in his Lacrosse uniform, but with his helmet off. An unknown player from the opposing team was on the ground, possibly injured and Danny was offering his hand to help him up. It was called 'The Hero.'

Ted's picture was of him sitting on the couch in the living room reading, Danny asleep with his head on Ted's lap. Ted was absently stroking Danny's arm, and Danny looked utterly peaceful while he slept. This was called 'The Rock'.

Finally, the newlyweds received a picture of them just emerging from the church in a picture not captured by any of the professional photographers. The couple's usual careworn expressions were gone; the smiles they had made both of them look years younger and all the hope of a new beginning was evident in their eyes. It was untitled.

"Wow, Stiles! You took this?" exclaimed Steven.

"Actually, no. It was Derek."

The rest of the Pack stared at the Alpha.

"What? I can't have hidden talents?" he grumped, glaring at them.

"But you have so many obvious ones! Frowning, scowling, being sour, glaring, grumping, growling…" began Stiles, counting each one off his fingers.

"…tickling!" finished Derek leaping on the younger boy who screamed for help to a room of deaf ears as the Alpha attacked his ribs, Stiles' fatal weak spot.

Ted and Danny picked sound, and so gave everyone front row tickets to the next Adele concert, which nearly caused Jackson to have a seizure.

"Jesus, guys, how much did you spend?" asked Jackson, taken aback. Derek glared at him. "Don't answer, I know that was a rude question…but oh man that must have cost a bunch! I really appreciate it, and I know you guys will love the concert…man, am I stoked for this!"

Steven and Melissa had picked touch, and also spent a great deal of money on a group gift…all-day passes to a deluxe Day-Spa with all services pre-paid for. Massages, mud baths, the works. Lydia especially went nuts over that, and gave Melissa a tight hug.

Scott and Allison picked the sense of smell, and had spent months handpicking colognes and perfumes out for the group that their now ultra-sensitive noses told them would work extremely well with each person's individual scent.

"Don't use them until you're…alone. The effect can be pretty powerful!" Allison advised.

Jackson and Lydia picked taste, presented everyone with gift-wrapped menus. They would all be dining the evening of the concert at an upscale steak house a short distance away free of charge, all they can eat.

"How the hell did you swing that?" asked Scott.

"Oh, I bought the place." Jackson said absently. "I picked it out!" Lydia said indignantly.

Everyone rolled their eyes.

"Well, I thought Derek might forget my gift, thoughtless boyfriend that he is, but in a happy coincidence it turns out I don't need a necklace!" Stiles announced. Standing, he pulled off his sweater and yanked the back of his t-shirt up. Stiles now had a tattoo exactly matching Derek's on his back.

"STILES!" shouted Steven. Derek face-palmed himself. "Steven, I give you my word I had absolutely no idea."

Anything else the Sheriff might have said was drowned out by the appreciative whoops, cheers and catcalls the rest of the Pack began hurling at him.

"Stiles, do you remember when I told you to wait until I'd been dead for ten years before you got a tattoo?" Steven said when Derek quieted the Pack with a Glare.

Melissa patted Steven's shoulder sympathetically. Scott opened his mouth to speak, but Melissa interrupted him.

"Scott…if you have one too…don't tell me." She said through clenched teeth. Scott shut his mouth with a snap.

"Well, I did get you the sigil, just not on a necklace." Derek pulled out a keychain from his pocket. The triskelion flashed at Stiles, the other side reading 'To Stiles, with Love, Derek." The chain held a single car key.

"No way!" Stiles grabbed the key, but Derek yanked it out of his reach.

"Sorry, I'm too thoughtless to give this to you!"

Stiles tackled Derek laughing and trying to grab the key. Derek let him have it when Stiles played dirty and tried to tickle him. The Alpha couldn't let the Pack know he was ticklish. Stiles ran outside with everyone following him.

Stiles clicked the panic button on the key and heard the alarm coming from the garage. Yanking open the door, he beheld a sight that took his breath away. A 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe, the Special Transformers Bumblebee Edition. It even had the Autobot symbol next to the driver's side door.

Stiles fell to his knees, mouth open wide, reaching one trembling hand to gently stroke the door handle.

Steven looked at Derek in shock. Derek shrugged. "He did really well on his report card."

"I think he did really well in the bedroom." Jackson snickered, too low for the humans to hear. Scott whacked him on the head.

"Gaaaggahhh" said Stiles.

"Sty? You okay?" asked Derek, concerned.

"Unnnuuuhhh!" Stiles informed him.

Derek rolled his eyes. "C'mon, cub. Back inside. You know I hate to think of you out in the cold with no jacket. You can drive it tomorrow. And it comes with a price tag; there is no way I'm going two months without seeing you again. I get a visit at least every other weekend."

"Bluboor!" agreed Stiles.

Part 3: Promises

Everyone spent the night since it started to snow heavily, and also because no one really wanted the evening to end. Derek and Stiles were the last ones up, since they wanted to clean before bed. When the last of the dishes were done, Derek suddenly backed Stiles up against the sink.

"Did I tell you how much I love the goatee…and the tattoo?" he asked huskily, slicing open the front of Stiles' shirt with a claw.

"Yeah, as soon as my Dad was out of earshot, kiss-ass. Did I tell you how much I love the Camaro?" Stiles leaned forward and nibbled at the skin over Derek's collarbone.

"No, you were mumbling in some foreign language only Jackson is dumb enough to understand." Derek whispered, closing his eyelids over gently glowing crimson orbs.

"I'm going to go up and grab a shower. Give me ten minutes and then join me." Stiles left the kitchen leaving Derek standing in more than one sense alone in the kitchen.

Sighing, he walked back to the living room and looked at the tree, rubbing his eyes and thinking of his lost family. This was the only time he allowed himself to do so, now…on Christmas, when he was alone, and just for a few moments.

"I miss you Laura. I miss all of you so much. And you Stella." He let the grief wash through him before allowing it to fade.

"That's very nice of you to say, Mr. Hale. Or should I say, son." A familiar voice said from behind him.

Derek whirled. There stood Stella Stilinsky and Laura Hale, both smiling at him.

"Oh, God…" Derek rushed over and grabbed them both in a rough hug.

"We're not supposed to be here…" began Laura.

"…but you know me!" Stella said brightly. "My son has never been happier in his life, and that is no small achievement! I wanted to thank you personally. You kept your word and made a complete turnaround, and you went above and beyond what I ever expected. If you ever need a special favor, just ask."

"Stella…please show yourself to Stiles. I know he would love to see you so much!"

Stella shook her head. "That's a rule even I can't break, and I wouldn't if I could. My husband and my son have moved on. Seeing me would only make their grief return. I visit them in their dreams…I urged Steven to build a new life, and I told my son how much I love him and how proud I am of him…and how much trouble he's in because of that tattoo! He won't be seeing me for a while though; I checked his dream schedule, and he's booked for the next few weeks. Tonight it's going to be you naked, tomorrow the car, the next day you naked in the car…well, he'll probably spare me a thought on Mother's Day at this rate."

Derek's face was burning crimson, even as a smile tugged at his mouth.

Laura was making ralphing sounds. Derek withered her with a hi-intensity Glare, and she punched him in the arm.

"You're still sad over us, little brother. Don't be! We're all together, and we are really happy, especially now that you're happy. You'll see us one day, and that family gathering (she flicked her eyes over to Stiles' gift to Derek from last year, 'The Most Perfect Christmas Ever') will finally happen for real. We're not gone…just someplace else. Remember that."

The two ghosts faded away, saying 'Merry Christmas!' together. Derek looked at the empty space before going upstairs to join his mate.