Chapter 27: Stars Will Fall

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"We never made it, did we?"

Anita hissed and backed her head away from the cotton ball. Anita insisted that she could clean out the wound on her neck herself but she was taking forever and would freak out each time she was close to touching it.

"Stop moving". Derek told her.

"It hurts". Anita whined. "I hate peroxide. I don't know whats worst. The sting or the noise it makes". She told him as she held still again. Anita groaned, closing her eyes when the sizzling noise sounded.

"I'm almost done". Derek said softly and with a few more dabs he finished, placing a bandage on her neck.  Anita touched the bandage slightly before looking at Derek who leaned forward on the couch, putting the stuff on the table.

"Derek".

He looked at her.

"It's not your fault".

Derek immediately looked away after she said that. "Yeah, I know". He looked down at his hands, clenching them in and out.

Anita placed a hand on his back and rubbed it in soothing circles. It didn't take long for Derek to completely break.

"First Erica...now Boyd". Derek shook his head. "They were just kids. I got kids killed".

"You didn't know it would end like that.  You weren't just trying to make a pack, you were helping them".  Anita reassured him.  "Derek, it's not your fault".

Derek's eyes welled with tears and he shook his head.  Soon, his body began to shake and he let out a choked sob.  He slowly leaned closer to Anita, some of his body laying on her lap. 

Anita never saw him break down like this.  She thinks the last time this happened was the incident of the Hale Fire.  Anita wasted no time in holding him close and continuing to rub soothing circles on his back and arm.

~~~

"Okay, so if Derek was a sophomore back then how old was he?  How old were you?  How old are you now?"  Stiles asked Peter with pure confusion written on his face.

"Not as young as we could have been but not as old as you might think".  Peter answered.  Not.

"Okay, that was frustratingly vague.  How old are you?"  Stiles turned to Cora who was next to her.

"I'm 17". 

"See.  That's an answer.  That's how we answer people". 

"Well, 17 you'd measure in years-"

"All right".  Stiles waved his hand.  "What happened to Derek and the cello girl?" 

"What do you think happened?  They were teenagers.  One minute, it's, 'I hate you.  Don't talk to me'.  The next it's genetic groping in any dark corner they could manage to find themselves alone for five minutes". 

~~~

"Clarice was the one who found Derek first. Once I got there I took her body from his arms and to the woods, to a place where I knew it would be found. Another in a long line of Beacon Hills animal attacks". Peter stared ahead.

"And what about Derek?" Cora asked.

"Taking an innocent life takes...something from you as well. A bit of your soul, darkening it, dimming the once brilliant, golden yellow to a cold steel blue...like mine". Peter flashed his blue eyes at the end for a moment.

"You mentioned Clarice". Stiles pointed out.

"And?" Peter asked, becoming defensive.

"That's Anita's sister.  She knew about your family?"  Stiles asked.

Cora nodded.  "She was good friends with Laura.  My older sister and she also dated..."  Cora trailed off at the end, looking at her uncle.

There was an awkward silence.  Stiles looked a bit confused as he stood there and then he looked to Cora and followed her gaze to Peter.  Stiles looked back and forth and then held a disgusted look on his face before shaking his head.

"Oh, my god".  He said quietly.  "Oh, my god".  He said a bit louder.

"What?"  Peter asked annoyed.

"Why would she date you?"  Stiles questioned.  "Like, come on.  It's you."

Peter rolled his eyes with boredom.  "Do you ever not say something stupid?" Peter asked.

Stiles gaped at him and then scoffed. "What? It's true. What did she like in you? I've seen pictures of her and she was way out of your league".

"She's so out of your league."  Derek told his uncle.

"Shut up."  Peter scoffed, continuing to look at Clarice who was talking to Laura on a cement block on their college campus.

"Why are we here again? I should be practicing for basketball." Derek let out a long deep breath, wanting to be with his friends.

Peter gave his nephew a look. "Your sister needed a ride as well as her very attractive friend".

"Her name is Clarice." Derek informed him.

"How do you know her name?" Peter snapped his head over to him.

"If you paid attention besides yourself. You would know that Laura and Clarice have been friends since they were in high school." Derek told him smugly.

"Zip it".  Peter told him when he heard the two girls coming to the car.  Laura laughed, opening the back door behind the passenger side. Laura entered first, scooting to be behind Peter while Clarice was behind Derek.

"Hi Derek". Clarice greeted with a smile.

"Hey". Derek greeted back.

Clarice's eyes moved to Peter and offered him a small smile. She leaned forward, her and extending as she offered him her hand. "I'm Clarice".

Peter grinned widely, adjusting his position to shake her hand. "Clarice. Lovely name. I'm Peter".  He introduced himself.

Laura rolled her eyes at her uncle trying to flirt with her friend.  Meanwhile Derek just looked annoyed and wanted to get home already.

Once the two let go, Clarice leaned back in her seat with a small smile set on her lips and Laura raised her eyebrows to her friend.  Clarice who saw gave an innocent look and mouthed, 'what?'.

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