#c. derek

Glass of wine is set against the bar top before it slides gently against the male's shoulder, gentle kiss placed against his cheek before sliding his usual drink in front of him and settling herself beside her husband with a faint smile. "At least we can count on the Mikaelson's to have top shelf wine and liquor," Savannah quips. "We don't have to stay long if you don't want to, I just want to make sure Avery is good and see Bonnie."

@sleeping-alpha

Derek wasn’t really one for compassion.  All of the compassion has been ripped from him throughout the years.  Sure, he had shown it towards his sisters, but they were really the last ones that had seen that side of him.  Now Laura was dead and Cora was in South America and he was all alone.

And yet, it was upon returning to Beacon Hills that he found compassion again.

It came on a pouring night when he found a very pregnant dog standing in the rain and shivering.  He had slammed on the breaks, coaxed her into the car, and sped off towards the Vet Clinic.

Only it was empty.

And the mother dog was in labor.

He knocked heavily on Scott McCall’s door as he held the shaking mother dog.

He had needed time away.  Away from Beacon Hills.  Away from Braeden.  Away from everything.  It’s why he had traded his jeans for a pelt and taken to running wild.

He was the lone wolf, hunting alone, sleeping alone under the stars, and just being in tune with nature.

But Beacon Hills always called him back.

His feet touched native soil as he finally returned home.  To a place filled with so much pain.

The Hale House had been rebuilt in his absence.  Cora had been in charge of decoration from down in South America.