Derek had finally reached his breaking point. He didn't know what to do anymore. He now had no one left. No one to love and no one to love him back. Riker had taken the bullet that was meant for Derek. The bullet from that rouge hunter that had blew into town from nowhere. Derek had never hurt anyone without reason and Riker wouldn't even kill the spider in the shower just last week, Derek had to kill it with his shoe; Riker was kind of a pansy that way. The pain in Derek's chest grew stronger with the memories that suddenly flooded his thoughts and he felt like he couldn't breathe, all the air in his lungs was gone.

Riker was gone.

Riker.

His best friend and love since freshman year and all the more after all the hell and devastation of the tornado, that was Kate. She nearly destroyed him and his whole being after she took his pack from him, his family, in that fire. Derek was never the same after that, but Riker kept him sane and grounded. He told Laura and Riker that anger was his anchor and they believed it too, so did he, at first. He first met Riker at baseball tryouts freshman year at Beacon Hills High School. Derek was always popular but never had a lot of friends. Everyone wanted to be his friend because they wanted the popularity, so he chatted and was kind to all of them, but he kept them an arms distance away, Laura always told him he was smart like that. But when he met Riker, it was kind of different. He treated Derek like he was a big nobody and just another person. It was nice. He was cool, they liked the same teams, both big Dodgers fans, same movies, TV, and books. Derek finally felt like he had a true friend. He and Riker were inseparable after that.

Riker was never supposed to know about Derek's deepest secret. He would plead with his mother to let him tell Riker, he knew Riker would keep his secret forever, but mother would have none of it. It was an accident honestly. It was summer break between freshman and sophomore year and they were on a camping trip with Riker's family. He and Derek were out for a long hike and decided against their own better judgment to travel off the beaten path and just make their own. It was fun getting lost, until they found a ledge that led down to the river that leads through the preserve they were camping at.

"Riker! What are you doing get away from the ledge man."

"I just want to see how far it..."

The next thing Derek knew he had Riker by the wrist with his claws extended and eyes lightning blue. The ground had given way under Riker's feet and sent him falling towards the water. Derek pulled him up slowly trying not to dig into his wrists with his claws. Shit Derek thought to himself. He wasn't ready to tell Riker; well he was, but just not in that moment. He didn't prepare himself for what denied response he might get. He braced himself for the worst. But much to his surprise the response he got was not what he was expecting. Riker grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Thank you."

Derek was still with shock, he wasn't sure if Riker's quick heart beat was from his almost death or from what he just saw of Derek. Riker pulled back and stared Derek right in the eye.

"I always knew you were strange Hale, I just never imagined that strange." He smiled at Derek. "What are you?"

"Um…Well…I'm kind of a…..werewolf." It sounded odd rolling off his tongue, but it was the truth. The rest of the day flew by without any more life or deaths and Riker grilled him on his whole life story and a bunch of questions that he just didn't have the answers to.

"I'm not Google you know." Derek shot him a look of please stop with the questions about century's old crap I don't know.

"I know, sorry dude, it's just, this is freaking awesome!" Riker's parents looked over at them with questioning eyes and Riker just told them that they were talking baseball.

Derek's parents were not as pleased with what happed but thankful that Riker wasn't hurt. They had welcomed Riker into the pack with open arms as a human pack mate, and Laura had a field day with it all. Riker and Laura where a lot alike and got along swimmingly. Sophomore year went off without a hitch and life was pretty great. Junior year Riker came out to Derek and Derek just hugged him and told him that he always knew. So Riker started dating some art student and then one day this beautiful woman walked in to the school as a T.A. and Derek thought she was the most exquisite being he had ever seen. He watched her walk by and noticed the sweet smell of honey and oat that he assumed was her shampoo, and slight grapefruit from her perfume. She winked at him as she walked by and he waved back. The next day as she walked by once more during lunch, he mustered all the courage he could and walked up to her and introduced himself.

"Hi, I'm Derek. Derek Hale."

She eyed him up and down and smiled. "Hale huh? Nice to meet you Derek, I'm Kate." She smiled. "What you doing later tonight?"

Derek beamed.

He always got a slight shut out feeling from Kate, but he thought it was just him. 'Cause she wouldn't want him around if she didn't like him right? He gave his everything to her; he even went and got a part time job on the weekends just so he could buy her some nice things. Riker and her never really saw eye to eye, when he first introduced them to each other he thought it went well, Kate smiled a lot and Riker paid for her coffee. It wasn't till later that night when she kissed Derek good night and waved bye to the boys that Riker spoke up.

"I don't like her. She gives off a bad vibe."

"What? Why would you say that? She's amazing! And she likes you."

"She looks at you like she wants to eat you or something. Her smile, it's just…oh I don't know…just wrong, I guess."

"Whatever."

A month or two had past and Derek spent almost all his time with Kate. He never wanted to leave her side and he wanted to tell her everything. He felt he owed her at least that, she was so good to him; she deserved to know the truth. He knew his mother would be pissed because she didn't like Kate either, but he loved Kate, how can you lie to someone you are in love with? That night after dinner he told her everything.

"Dude this chick is poison. She asks too many questions, you know? And she's like, in college. I just don't trust her. She looks at me funny." Riker said the next day during lunch while Derek was talking about their date and how he had stayed over the night before.

"Are you jealous or something?"

"Why the fuck would you ask that?! You're my best friend! I'm just watching your back man! She's bad news bears!"

"Whatever Riker, I don't recall asking for your opinion."

"No you didn't, but you're getting it anyways, I care about you man!"

"Well then maybe you should stop!" Derek was angry that his friend couldn't see how happy he was.

"Excuse me?!"

"You heard me! Maybe I should have never told you anything! You can't even be happy for me! I finally found someone who I love and loves me in return and you can't handle it, 'cause you just want me for yourself right?! Well I told her! I told her everything, who I am, what I am. And she just smiled at me, she didn't even flinch man, she just said thank you and kissed me!"

"You WHAT?! Who the fuck are you right now? Why the hell would you do that?!"

Derek just stared at Riker with hate in his eyes and stormed off to his chemistry class he knew would be open for all the early arrivers. Derek knew he was probably overreacting, but he was pissed that Riker didn't understand. He'd apologize to him later after school. But he never got the chance. Some time in 4th period the principle came into class and asked for Derek to come with him to his office. On the way to the office Derek racked his brain with what he could have possibly done to warrant a trip to the principal's office, and that's when he saw Laura standing by the door with three police officers, she was crying.

Derek just sat in the police station silent, never saying a word to all the strangers that had crowded him, telling him how sorry they all where for his loss and that they promised to find the monster that had done it. A familiar scent had filled the room and he looked up for the first time in two hours to see Riker just standing there with tears in his eyes and down his cheeks. Derek ran to him and clung to him as if he had ever let go he would lose him too. Derek hadn't cried all day, but when Riker wrapped his arms around him and told him how sorry he was, it could no longer be stopped. Derek had never cried that hard in his life, he couldn't stop it, the tears just kept coming, and they stood there for what felt like eternity just holding each other, Riker softly rubbing a comforting hand up and down Derek's back. Derek and Laura had stayed at Riker's that night and the following week. Laura had found an apartment she could afford and Derek didn't go to school for the rest of the year. When Derek had found out that it was Kate, he was on the hell path and was sick with revenge.

"Derek! Please think about this!"

"Think about what?! She used me Riker! Everything was a lie! She murdered my family! They were human too!"

"I know. But you can't just go chasing her all around the country."

"Why not?" He couldn't help the snarl that ripped from his chest.

"Because Laura needs you man! I need you." Riker Stood slowly and spoke even slower, so Derek would know that he meant each and every word he said to the pained man in front of him that had to grow up way to fast.

"I love you Derek. I need you to stay here, with me. Please?"

That was when Derek realized he had always wanted to hear those words. He needed Riker, he always needed Riker. He Loved Riker. It was never Kate, and it was that realization that mad Derek even angrier with himself. If only he had been honest with himself from the beginning, he would have never been hurt and his family would still be here. His late night games of catch with his father and his warm and never ending hugs from his mother. Derek lifted his hand up to Riker's cheek and just left it there. Riker leaned into his hand and kissed his palm. Derek then pulled Riker's lips to his and everything felt peaceful. After that night with Riker, Derek never thought about leaving Beacon Hills ever again. Where ever Riker went Derek would follow, forever.

Now there was no more forever, just more terrible things to add to his long list of regrets, not Riker, Riker will never be regret, ever, but how he couldn't protect him, that was his greatest regret. He had to find some way to get him back, somehow. He had heard about a kid in town that could talk to the dead, but can he bring him back? And if not, could he give Derek the chance he needs to say good bye?