Work Text:
Dennifer AU - I will dry your eyes, I will fight your fight
I need a sign to let me know you're here.
Derek tucked the blankets around the four year old's body and kissed him goodnight. He started towards the bedroom door to turn off the light but was stopped when a small voice spoke up from underneath the comforter. "Daddy, what's an abomination?" he asked earnestly. Derek stopped and walked back to the end of the little boy's bed. "Where'd you hear that word from?" He asked while sitting down. His son sat up. "Stephanie's dad said that I was an abomination because I can do weird stuff." Derek wasn't sure how he should respond. After a moment of silence he finally said. "You're not an abomination Julian. Stephanie's dad is a hunter. He doesn't know what he's talking about."
The little boy looked down at his hands. "But I hurt that person, daddy." He looked up at Derek. His eyes were filling with tears again at the thought of what had happened. Flashbacks of being snatched away from his preschool recess. Being taken out to a field by a group of hunters. He remembered being scared and wishing he could get away.
That's when he heard the voice. It was no louder than a whisper but Julian heard it clearly. "You're not alone Julian, mommy's here. Close your eyes. Think about daddy. Think about how much you want to see daddy again." Julian remembered the feeling of air rushing out from his body. When he opened his eyes the hunter was on the ground. The gun that had been in the man's hand was laying beside him and there was a pool of blood. Derek, Stiles, and Scott had been the ones to find him. Julian remembered Derek running towards him in a frenzy.
He had been scooped up into his father's arms and squeezed with a hug. The little boy had cried on his father's shoulder and Derek hadn't let him go even when they had gotten into Stiles' jeep and drove home.
Allison and Lydia had been waiting back at the house to comfort him with more hugs and clean and bandage him up. They'd spent the rest of the night, Scott, Stiles, Allison, Isaac, Lydia, Derek, and Julian, sitting on the couch in the living room watching Disney movies and eating chocolate chip cookies that Lydia had made.
Julian's mind came back to the present when Derek reached out and pulled him into his lap. "You didn't know better. We didn't know you could do that, did we?" Julian shook his head. "But you know how to control it now right?" Derek asked and Julian nodded. "That man was a bad man. He shot you and you were defending yourself." He got up from Derek's lap and went to lay down under the covers.
He looked over at Derek. "Can you sleep in my bed tonight? I'm scared." Derek climbed up towards the head of the bed and laid down beside him. "Goodnight son." he leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. The little boy wrapped his arms around his father and smiled. "I love you." Derek smiled back. "I love you too kiddo."
Soon after, Julian fell asleep. Derek lay there watching his little chest rising and falling with each breath. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh that was a mix of frustration and sadness. "Jen, I wish you were here." He thought to himself before closing his eyes and falling asleep in Julian's bed.