Chapter Text
Jennifer was so fucking normal.
Sometimes he watched her, how she was reading in bed before they went to sleep, or how she ranted on and on about some little shits at school when she came home from work, how she tried to throw a crumbled piece of paper at him when he distracts her from grading essays at the dining room table.
Nothing she did or said indicated that something was different in their relationship, that there was something that made them different than other couples. Sometimes even he forgot that they were different, which had to mean something when he was a born werewolf.
And he fucking loved it.
He loved it to wake up with her in the morning when she had to go to work, how he went downstairs in his faded t-shirt and boxers to make breakfast while she was getting ready in the shower. He loved how he kissed her goodbye when she had to go and he would take off on a run in the woods right afterwards. He loved to greet people on his way because he knew them and they knew him, because he lived here, because he was at home here. He loved to wash and fold their clothes, how he had to sort out her underwear from his, and the domesticity of it. He did start improving things around the house and the garden like she proposed. Doing something with his hands and his body helped him settle and relax (and he hoped the birds were happy about the aviary he put on the terrace).
He loved spending time with her in any way he got, even if it was cooking while she told him of her day and he told her about his. He loved taking in meals with her and see her face morph into delight when she enjoyed his cooking. He loved just sitting on the couch and watching stupid TV and both of them ranting on how people could actually watch such stupid shows. He loved cradling her to his body when they slept, after sex or just simply to sleep, how it felt to know that she was by his side and wouldn't leave him, wouldn't betray him. He fell asleep every night with her scent in his nose, her calm heartbeat in his ear and sharing her warmth.
It was all too damn domestic that, at times, his heart would feel too full for his chest. Sometimes he thought he didn't deserve it, but then she made him forget again that he was the cause of his first girlfriend's death, that his next one killed his family, that he slit his own uncle's throat, or that his last remaining sister probably hated him, now more so than ever before.
When he was with Jennifer he forgot all of those things, and what was left was a normal man, living a normal life with his normal wife in a normal house. No supernatural, no blood, no gore, not death or threats on a daily basis.
Just Derek Hale with the woman he loved.
He was just about to start lunch when the doorbell rang.
In front of their door stood a worried Gary, holding the hand of a confused looking Josie. She was still carrying her backpack from preschool.
"I'm sorry when it's a bad moment," Gary started to say, cringing a little. He seemed to gauge Derek's reaction to his imposition.
"Don't worry. I wanted to make lunch, but I haven't started yet," Derek reassured him.
The tension in Gary's shoulders eased a little, and he let out a sigh of relief. "I wouldn't trouble you, but I would like to ask you a favor." He reached down and covered Josie's ears with his hands. "You see, Henry had an accident. Nothing overly serious, but he had to go to the hospital, and they don't know when they are going to release him, only that it will be today," he whispered. "I want to go to the hospital, but I would rather like if Josie doesn't see him injured in some hospital bed. Would you take her and watch over her? I would pick her up in the evening."
Immediately Derek nodded. "Of course." He knew what it felt like seeing a loved person injured in the hospital. He still remembered seeing Peter for the first time after the fire. It was such a shocking thing to see him so vulnerable and motionless, the skin melted from his face and parts of his body. Though Henry surely wasn't as seriously wounded he understood when Gary wanted to spare his daughter the image.
Letting out another sigh of relief Gary released his daughter's ears. She looked even more confused now then she did before. Gary kneeled in front of her and took her hands in his.
"All right sweetheart," he began. "You remember when I said that Henry got sick?" Josie nodded dutifully. "Good. In the time it takes for me to get Henry to the doctor and back home to get healthy again I want you to stay here with Derek. He will watch over you."
She turned around and looked Derek up and down critically, as if she was assessing his ability to babysit her. Derek did his best not to squirm under her gaze and to look confident. He wouldn't let himself get intimidated by a preschooler.
She turned back to her father. "Why can't I come with you?" she pouted.
"It's like the flu," Gary tried to explain. "Remember when I had the flu once and you and Henry got sick, too? I don't want you to get sick before Henry gets his medicine."
Josie continued to pout, but still nodded and stepped back until she stood beside Derek in the door. Gary leaned forward to give her a goodbye kiss. "Be good," he told her before standing up again. He held out his hand to Derek. "Thank you. I will make it up to you."
Derek shook his hand. "Don't worry about it. I'm happy to help out."
Gary nodded and smiled gratefully before walking towards his car. He waved one last time before driving away, and when they couldn't see his car anymore Derek ushered his little ward into the house and closed the door.
Josie was silent as he helped her out of her shoes and her jacket, carrying her backpack into the dining room with the open kitchen.
"Would you like to help me with lunch?"
xXx
The first thing Jennifer heard when she was coming home was the sound of shrieking laughter. She definitely knew that it wasn't Derek's, and when she rounded the corner to the dining room she saw who it belonged to.
The kitchen was a mess. Everything was covered in flour and sauce. Josie was standing on a chair and cut a flat, rolled out dough into stripes. Derek stood behind her, first guiding her hand before leaving her be and instead stirring something inside a pot on the stove.
She had no doubt that Derek has already noticed her coming home a mile before she was even in the driveway, but Josie hasn't, and when she looked up and saw her standing in the doorway for the first time her grin grew even wider and she raised her sticky hands into the air. "We're making noodles!" she exclaimed excitedly before continuing with her work.
"I can see that," Jennifer said when he came closer. As she looked over the little girl's shoulder she saw that the noodles weren't only stripes, but also little hearts and stars and something that distantly resembled a tree.
Derek came up from behind her and pressed a kiss to the back of her head before circling her and grabbing the pile of noodles ready for cooking. "Just keep up with the good work and we will be ready to eat in no time," Derek instructed. Josie just nodded, her tongue sticking out of her mouth in concentration.
"Gary dropped her off," Derek murmured to her when he passed her again. "Henry had a minor accident and is in the hospital, and he wanted to spare her the sight. He will pick her up in the evening."
That explained why there was a child in their house. Jennifer would surely remember if there were one before. They were in for an interesting day.
"Well, in that case I will go change before we start eating."
When she came back down again the table was set and the plates filled with the unique noodles and a creamy tomato sauce.
Josie was squirming in her seat, cushions on the seat of her chair giving her the little extra height for her to reach her plate without problems. The sight made Jennifer grin.
"This smells heavenly," she said when she sat down in her chair, and the joyous grin on Josie's face was almost sparkling. There was still a little bit of flour on her cheek.
"I did that!" she exclaimed happily. "Derek helped."
Derek just shrugged and gave her that little victory. It was cute how he acted around the little girl. He looked more fulfilled than before. Normally he was a little restless. Jennifer suspected it was because he didn't really know how to spend his days. She always told him to get himself a job, if just to kill his time, but now that she saw him with Josie she could imagine him with a completely different child, and a warm and excited feeling filled her chest. But when they started eating she had to file that particular image back for later.
The meal, just like the cooking, was a complete mess for the little girl. In the end Josie's entire face was covered in sauce. The only reason why her clothes weren't covered in it, too, was because of the dishcloth they have tucked into the collar of her shirt to prevent that exact outcome.
Thankfully her face was quickly cleaned up, although doing the dishes erupted into a water fight. Mopping the floor afterwards was a little less fun, but with the help of three people the task was over quickly.
"And now?" Josie asked, almost hobbling with contained excitement and anticipation.
"Do you want to play outside, in the garden?" Derek proposed. "We don't have any toys, but we could play some games."
Nodding eagerly Josie almost ran into the hallway to get her jacket and shoes.
The trees were already completely leafless this late in the year, and Derek has gathered all of them in three big piles in the farthest corner of the backyard near the forest for them to rot.
Josie gasped when she saw them, and with a gleeful shriek she ran up ahead and threw herself right into one of them, almost completely disappearing inside one. When she turned up again she threw a handful into the air and watched, transfixed, how they fell down on top of her.
At first Derek was chagrinned about the mess she was making, but when he saw the delighted smile on her face he just sighed and walked up to her to join her.
What he didn't expect, though, was the hand full of leaves that Jennifer has stuck into the collar of his shirt.
While he was busy squirming and wiggling to free himself of the soggy leaves Jennifer has joined Josie in her pile and the two were battling it out with cries of disgust interrupted by laughter.
Growling and letting his animal senses leak through just a fraction he sneaked behind his unknowing wife. Josie, of cause, saw him, but before she could shout her warnings he has already grabbed Jennifer and, with a predatory grin, dropped her into the last remaining pile.
While Jennifer was still sputtering and flailing he turned to Josie. The girl's eyes widened comically before she darted across the lawn to evade his wrath.
They darted around the backyard, chasing each other, playing and ruffling through the near forest until it was growing dark. When they went back inside Josie's cheeks were flushed with activity and excitement. Her movements were a little sluggish and exhausted, but otherwise she was still too high on the fun she had outside.
Her craving for activity, though, was satisfied for the moment, and so, while Derek prepared some sandwiches for dinner, Jennifer lit the fireplace and started reading Josie a book.
It was one of the trash novels Jennifer has bought during their road trip. Back then Derek has already enjoyed listening to her voice while she read them to him before they went to bed sometimes. So when Jennifer sat in the living room with their little ward and mimicking voices for her he smiled and fondly put some extra chili sauce on his wife's sandwich.
It was seven in the evening when Gary came to pick his daughter up. Right after dinner Josie has quickly fallen asleep on the couch, wedged between Derek and Jennifer and cuddling with a cushion.
When Derek opened the door he quickly put his finger to his lips when Gary opened his mouth to say something. He beckoned the man in and pointed to the couch. Gary's face immediately softened and gave Derek a cheeky grin.
He gathered his daughter into his arm and gave Jennifer a thankful smile. The girl snuggled into his shoulder and let out a little sigh but didn't wake up. With his free hand he slung the backpack over his shoulder and, with a last wave and a soundless 'Thank you', towards them Gary left their home.
The house was quiet except for the cracking of the fire. Settling back on the couch Derek wrapped his arm around Jennifer's shoulder, who in return rested her head on his shoulder. Silently they watched the flames.
"Today was fun," Jennifer eventually said. Derek just hummed in reply. Silence. "You are good with kids. A natural."
"Kids are easy, uncomplicated," Derek said, letting his temple rest on her hair. She still smelled of wet leaves.
"You'll be a wonderful father," she sighed blissfully.
Derek's first reaction was to tense. "What did you just say?" he whispered, his brain still trying to comprehend what Jennifer was telling him.
At first Jennifer said nothing. Then she snorted and erupted into peals of laughter. When Derek noticed that she has led him on he rolled his eyes and shoved her away. "Very funny," he muttered and crossed his arms over his chest.
When Jennifer calmed down again she bobbed him in the side. "Hey, are you pouting?" When Derek just turned his head away she chuckled and began straddling his lap.
"Hey," she cooed gently, cupping his cheeks to make him face her. "Would it have been so bad? If it wasn't just a joke?"
Derek sighed and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Of course not. You just surprised me."
"Then why did you tense?"
He licked his lips. "Because I don't think we're ready yet."
Derek has tensed again while he awaited her answer. But Jennifer smiled and leaned down to kiss him. "I know, she murmured against his lips, and he relaxed again.
He wrapped his arms a little tighter around her and sought her lips out again. "We're not ready now, but eventually we will be," he whispered.
Jennifer smiled. "Yes, we will," she responded and kissed him again.