Under The Gallows - A Derek Hale Fanfic. ✔

People Are Talking....

The truck and it's inhabitants arrived at the mountain as night fell, the forest deathly quiet as if it knew that after today another body would lay here for all eternity and water to pay proper respects. "I can smell her scent" Derek said, the slight sins bringing the sickly smell right to him. The two men followed Derek as he led them through the trees, some carved with faded symbols from the lost pack. The light was fading to near darkness as they reached what had once served as the hub of the Sumeri Wolf call but he couldn't see Annabelle anywhere. He had to stop and calm himself to actually be able to find the scent. That's when they found her. He'd not even seen her until they had gotten closer and the sight made him want to break. Lying between two graves covered in small rocks and stones was Annabelle. She wore a black dress and didn't move, Derek could hear her heart straining with each beat it made and her breath was choked and ragged. Her beautiful face was marred by the lines of black fluid that dripped from her nose and closed eyes. He dropped to his knees beside her and cradled her head in his lap. Deaton switched from distraught friend to professional doctor as he sat down his bag and began to take all the things out. "I need you to hold her steady Derek, Chris if you wouldn't mind helping me crush the ingredients" he instructed although Derek had no intentions of leaving her side anyway. He noticed how she had something in her hand and pulled it open to find the blood covered Triskelion. It finally began to sink in that this wasn't a selfish death after all. She'd been terrified, wanting to save those who'd grown to care for her the tragedy of dealing with the death. She struggled to breathe as black fluid poured from her mouth, Derek took her hands and willed her to let him take her pain, to let him in. She opened her eyes briefly and saw him, she tried to talk but couldn't find the energy. "It's OK, I'm here now, we are going to help you" Derek said soothingly as Deaton shot him a look. At this point actually saving Annabelle was a long shot. She closed her eyes again and he felt as if a gate had opened as the pain she felt rushed into his receptive hands. He felt like he was being burned alive after only a few seconds and Annabelle had been experiencing it for hours, days even. Deaton finished mixing the potent concoction and filled three needles with the green liquid. "Derek, inject this in her neck, Chris put this into her thigh and this one will go into her heart" Deaton explained as he handed the needles out. Derek hoped this would help her, his mind raced with regret of never telling her how he truly felt. "One - Two - Three - Now!" Deaton ordered and they all dutifully inserted their needle and pressed down on the plunger to deliver the medicine. They waited. "Will this work?" Chris asked and Deaton wasn't sure. "I could have made a better antidote if I had the original plant but this will have to do for now" he said as he watched Annabelle for any sign of change. The minutes passed as her heart grew weaker, Derek held her tighter as he tried to take more of her pain until Deaton stopped him. "You'll die too Derek of you keep going" he warned and Derek felt helpless. "Annabelle!" A female voice cried into the night. The sound of footsteps approaching had Chris on high alert and no-one was more surprised at the arrival of Kate Argent and several young wolves. "Don't bloody shoot me you idiot, I'm here to save her!" She said handing Deaton a tiny vial containing a yellow liquid. "It's all I've got left" she said as she saw the condition Annabelle was in. The young wolves gathered around Annabelle and placed their hands on her, drawing her pain into themselves just like Derek was doing. Deaton quickly filled an empty needle and plunged it into her heart, it was their last hope. "Why Kate?" Chris asked suspiciously and his sister looked away. "Annabelle found me, her family murdered in a way similar to Derek's and I couldn't stand by and let it happen again. Some of Annabelle's pack came to me in search of the shewolf to make them well again and we found the cure. We raised the stores where Gerard kept the yellow wolfsbane and we made this antidote. We lost six wolves but we saved this lot. We need to save their alpha too" she said in a strangely sad tone, her eyes trailed onto Derek as he held Annabelle in his arms. "The Argents have caused him enough pain Chris" she added as they waited. Gradually Annabelle's heart began to beat more evenly and the black fluid stopped flowing from her body. "Is it working?" Derek asked desperately and Kate knelt down beside them. "We will find out soon" she said. Ad the seconds ticked by everyone noted the changes in Annabelle as well as her pain subsiding. She opened her eyes and stared up at Derek. "Derek?" She questioned weakly  as she was carefully propped up, she looked around at everyone at the camp. "Welcome back Alpha" a female said bending her knee to Annabelle with the others following suit. Annabelle rested her head on Derek, exhausted. He kissed the top of her head, his joy that he wouldn't have to bury her now palpable. She turned her head to him and kissed him on the lips sweetly. "Next time you want a kiss, just ask OK? No more of this almost dying business" he teased making everyone laugh. They stayed on the mountain that night, Kate telling stories of the mischief she and Annabelle had gotten into during her jaunt to Mexico in her teens. Annabelle lay curled in Derek's arms and he wouldn't have wanted it any other way. "This belongs to you" she said handing him back the Triskelion now washed and free of blood and black fluid. "Keep it, I've got a permanent one" he reminded her. Annabelle slept in his arms, her head on his chest listening to his heartbeat echoing in his chest. "I don't want you to leave again" Derek said in a whisper, Annabelle turned to face him, "I'm not running ever again" she promised locking pinky fingers with him in a childish promise.
Derek slept with that hope firmly in mind.