Present ...

Stiles and Scott become instant friends from the moment Scott had moved into Beacon Hills two years previously and Stiles had been assigned as his buddy by their home room teacher. Scott had moved to the relatively small town of Beacon Hills from the big city after his parents' divorce; he'd moaned constantly in his first few weeks about the quietness of Beacon Hills "nothing ever happens in this town" he'd groaned.

Stiles had just nodded in agreement ignoring the burning desire to tell his friend about just how much did happen as a result of the resident druids, werewolves, witches and all manner of supernatural creates along with those who hunted them. But he kept his mouth shut for two whole years - his knowledge of that world was a secret and he'd made a promise a long time ago that he wouldn't tell a soul.

Things however had changed ... Scott had received the bite, he was a werewolf now, and Stiles didn't know how to tell him.

At first Stiles had tried to make a joke of it, telling Scott he'd contracted "lycanthropy" in the hope his friend would realise what he meant but even after Stiles had spelled it out to him (wolf howl imitation included) Scott had just laughed the suggestion off leaving Stiles racking his brains in order to think of another way to tell him. He knew he shouldn't blame Scott but he was surprised at his slowness - a bite he insisted was from a wolf and then the sudden enhancement of his sight, hearing and sense of smell not to mention his new super reflexes and Scott still hadn't considered he might be a werewolf? Where was his sense of imagination?!

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Stiles kicked his way through the leaf litter as he trudged through the woods belonging to Beacon Hills Reserve trying to think of a better way to tell his friend what had become of him; they were looking for Scott's inhaler which was like trying to find a needle in a haystack and Stiles was about to suggest they give up and go home. Suddenly, however, he was distracted sensing a familiar pair of eyes watching him through the trees. Stiles stopped dead in his tracks much to the confusion of his best friend who had been following close behind him. Stile whirled around and peered through the trees, his whole body tense. Surely not? It couldn't really be him, could it?

The moment Stiles spotted Derek Hale through the trees, walking with confidence and a familiar swagger his heart leapt into his throat. A brief flicker of recognition crossed Derek's expression and even he, as practised as he was at concealing his emotions, couldn't hide the faint smile ghosted his lips as his eyes briefly locked onto Stiles's.

Derek quickly neutralised his expression when he noticed Scott and his teeth gritted together.

Stiles could tell that Derek knew that Scott had been bitten; he had always been able to read Derek despite the little signals the older one gave and even though he'd been out of practice for a long time Derek was like an open book to him.

Derek's eyes returned to Stile's and just like before words were exchanged between them without so much of a world spoken between them. "What are you doing here?" Stiles asked. "You're back? You said you were never coming back."

"I'm home now and I'm not leaving again."

"I didn't hear from you. I thought you were dead."

"I'm not leaving again." Derek's reassuring eyes reiterated.

Stiles tore his eyes away from Derek and bowed his head a little as a million and one thoughts rushed through his mind and a conflicting mix of relief, hurt and anger overcame him. Stiles was relieved that Derek was alive, after not hearing from him for two long years he'd convinced himself that the werewolf must have met his end at the hands of a hunter. The relief however was tarnished by anger - why hadn't Derek contacted him? Not one phone call, not even a text in all that time. And what was he doing back here? He'd left to make a fresh start and had told Stiles he could never come back - not after the fire that had destroyed him home and killed his family.

"What are you doing here? Huh? This is private property." Derek barked, addressing Scott rather aggressively.

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Past ...

The first time Derek laid eyes on Genim "Stiles" Stilinski was when the five year old had managed to escape both his car seat and his father's police cruiser and had chosen to celebrate his freedom by running around the Hale yard with his coat over his head making aeroplane noises. Sheriff John Stilinski was at the Hale house taking a statement from Derek's elder brother, Lucas, who'd been accused of torching a car belonging to one of the Argent clan. Both Derek and his mother, Talia, knew Lucas was guilty but they covered for him - claiming he'd been at home all night with them the night the fire was started.

Prior to arriving at the Hale house the Sheriff had been called to pick his son up from pre-school early; Stiles had gotten into trouble for making a ruckus during nap time and had refused to stop singing Jingle Bells at the top of his lungs despite it being mid-July.

Seven year old Derek stood on the porch beside his mother and watched Stiles tear around like a wild thing. "Doesn't he ever run out of energy?" Talia asked the Sheriff who was calling for Stiles (who wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention) at the same time as apologising to Talia for his behaviour.

The Sheriff rubbed a hand over his tired face. "We haven't found the off button yet." he said with an exasperated sigh, but he looked over at his son and smiled with affection.

Talia invited the Sheriff inside to finish taking his statement and Derek was directed to keep Stiles occupied. "Aw mom can't Laura take care of him?" he whined, but the sharp look Talia gave him told him not to argue and embarrass her in front of the Sheriff.

Derek rolled his eyes at his mother but didn't argue any further; he sloped off toward Stiles knowing his mother was trying to keep the Sheriff sweet as this wasn't the first time he'd been called to the house - Lucas was a bit of a troublemaker to say the least. "Genim." Derek shouted as he jumped off the porch. "What are you doing?" he asked heading over to him.

Stiles glanced at Derek and pointed up into the tree he was standing at the foot of; for a moment he was still as he stared up into the canopy and it was the stillest Derek had seen him since laying eyes on him. "What's that?" Stiles asked glancing at Derek.

Derek headed over and peered up into the tree. "It's an owl." he said looking down at Stiles. "Haven't you ever seen an owl before?"

Stiles shook his head. "I'm only five and a half." he said putting his hands on his hips and glaring at Derek. "I bet there are lots of things I haven't seen. I bet there are lots of things you haven't seen." he emphasised.

Derek laughed. "I've seen everything." he declared proudly.

"Everything in the whole world?" Stiles asked looking at Derek with big round eyes, full of awe and admiration.

"Yep." Derek smiled down at him. "Shall I pick you up so you can have a closer look?" he offered to which Stiles nodded enthusiastically.

Derek bent down, hoisted the little boy onto his back and then up onto his shoulders. The moment he was on his shoulders Stiles grabbed hold of a branch and swung himself up into the tree. "Hey! I didn't say climb the tree!" Derek shouted up at Stiles who was climbing the tree incredibly fast for such a little kid. "Be careful Genim!" Derek shouted.

Stiles stopped and peered down at Derek. "No one calls me Genim." he told him. "Mommy and daddy call me Stiles."

Derek sighed. "Well Stiles I think you should come down, if you fall you'll get hurt and your dad will probably lock me up."

Stiles giggled, but clearly he listened to Derek because he started to descend. "Owl s'gone." he mumbled as he neared the lower branches.

"Well you were lucky to see it they are not usually out in the daytime." Derek told him, watching the boy carefully worried that the Sheriff would shoot him rather than arrest him if something happened to his son. "They're usually out hunting when you're tucked up in bed."

"Hunting?" Stiles asked taking a tentative step onto one of the smaller branches.

"Yep." Derek nodded. "They hunt mice and other little creatures."

Stiles eyes widened. "I'm little." he said nervously.

Derek chuckled but the sound quickly died when he saw Stile's stretch his foot toward a withered old branch. "Not that one!" he shouted but it was too late, Stiles had leapt onto the branch and it instantly snapped.

Derek's heat race picked up out of fear and panic and the wolf senses he was still adjusting to kicked in; he watched Stiles fall through the branches in slow motion and quick as a flash he positioned himself under the tree and held out his arms; he heard a cry and then felt a heavy weight in his arms as Stiles fell into them. The little boy's eyes were clenched shut and he was shaking over. "It's okay I've got you." Derek said holding him tightly, he was too afraid to put him down because Stile's face was white as a sheet. "Stiles it's okay." he repeated calmly.

Stiles opened his eyes and stared up at Derek, he looked stunned for a split second as he glanced at the tree he'd fallen from and then all of a sudden he burst into a fit of giggles. Derek set him down and sighed irritably as Stiles tore away and ran around the garden flapping his arms, pretending to be an owl. Derek hoped the Sheriff wouldn't be long because he wasn't sure how long he could cope with Stiles.

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Present ...

Stiles rubbed the back of his neck with his hand desperately trying to think of something he could he say in front of Scott and found himself mumbling something about not knowing they were on private property. Stiles glanced nervously at Derek as he and Scott exchanged words.

For a second or two an ugly thought crossed his mind – Derek had suddenly showed back in Beacon Hills and Scott had been bitten? Really, could it be just a coincidence? But no Derek wouldn't have done; it he'd always told Stiles the bite was a gift, surely he wouldn't just randomly bite teenagers who'd just got themselves lost in the woods?

Stiles was a little surprised and more than upset when Derek simply tossed Scott his inhaler and turned and walked away without so much as a backward glance at him. So that was that, years of friendship and two long years of absence with no contact from him at all and he had nothing to say to him? Stile was outraged and wanted to shout after Derek, actually he wanted to chase after him but Scott telling him that he had to get to work brought him back to his senses - he'd have to find Derek later and get some answers.

As they trudged back toward his jeep Stiles couldn't concentrate on what Scott was telling him, all he kept thinking about was Derek - what was he doing back? Did he know who was responsible for Scott's bite? Was he going to just disappear again?

Stiles dropped Scott off at the animal clinic and then headed straight back toward the woods; as he drove up the track toward the old Hale house he was reminded off all the times he'd walked the route, cycled it and even driven it with his father in the police cruiser. It had been years since he'd taken the route and when he pulled the jeep to a halt in front of the house he simply sat and stared up at it in disbelief. Stiles hadn't seen the house since before the fire, Derek hadn't let him near it and he now knew why - the once impressive house was nothing more than a shell and his memories of all the times he'd spent there were tarnished just like Derek's must have been.

Stiles jumped when he spotted a figure suddenly appear in front of the house but sighed with relief when he realised that it was Derek. Stiles quickly climbed out of the jeep and walked toward him swallowing nervously, unsure what to say now they were alone together and didn't have Scott as a reason to not talk to each other.

"Pretty bad huh?" Derek called to him, he had his back to him but didn't have to turn around to know it was Stiles. "Now do you see why I never let you come up here after the fire?" he said turning to face him.

Stiles came to a halt and stared up at the house; he simply nodded at Derek's words and knew in that moment that he'd never be able to fully comprehend Derek's loss. All of his anger and hurt toward him drained away in that instant, he no longer cared about the lack of contact - he understood now that Derek had to severe all connections to Beacon Hills, to his home so that he could move on.

So was that why he was back? Had he come to terms with it? Was he ready to start a new? Was he home for good?