"You're a Spark bonded to an alpha werewolf. You're a weapon in the making and that will be noticed." They had to be strong enough to stand their ground and scare away threats so they wouldn't dare trying. That's how it worked.

"Sometimes that scares me. Just like the rapid way my powers are growing and how we both have to quickly adjust. I know it's a plus strain on you too, even with the wolf healing. But at least you are getting stronger too. I know your dream about building a pack from the unwanted and I want to help you with it in due time. The outburst might attract beings who are in the know and maybe figure it out that the Spark has a strong wolf familiar. I mean... in the books and legends Sparks more often than not were connected to wolves – betas or alphas, it didn't matter – and that amplified their powers. That's happening with us too and you know it. Some might hear rumors about an alpha in Beacon Hills without a pack too. They might start coming to size us... you up with the intention of joining your pack," Stiles thought out loud, trying to consider every option.

"So some might come without ill intent. But yes, some hunters will probably investigate, though most know that this town is protected by the Argents. Chris might shake off some if we ask him. With the rest he or even we can deal with. I'm more concerned about witches and warlocks and maybe even other druids and emissaries. Did you know that druids have a council in each bigger region? North-America has one too. Frankly, I'm surprised that they didn't send someone knocking on our door yet. I suspect Deaton might have a hand in that perhaps?" he mused.

There's no way Derek was ready for a pack, the building wasn't even ready yet but he wouldn't reject a potential pack member if they came looking if they were a good fit. "A pack would mean we'd be stronger." It would also mean they'd build more of a reputation so it could wait, not that he thought there would be many eager to join up with Derek Hale. His reputation was the worst out there. Old stories, fake stories. It didn't matter but that's what they'd hear.

"Yes, I know a pack would make you and through you me stronger too, but we aren't ready for that yet. Unless there's a good fit," Stiles unwittingly echoed Derek's thought again. "Plus, neither of us trusts easily. Especially me. We had a few arguments about that with Scott back in the day," he snorted with a slightly bitter taste in his mouth from the memories.

"I know the Council of South America." Not all of them but Derek had to deal with them when he had been living there because the pack had close connections to them. They were as useless as Deaton preferred to be, staying out of everything while hunters had free reign. Derek didn't care that's what they were supposed to be, neutral, he couldn't get it how a group of gifted people could stand by and let innocents get murdered. "But let them come. I can ask them how they let Kate become so strong with magic to control berserkers."

"Yes, that would be a good question to them about that bitch. But the answer would be the same like with Deaton and Morrell. 'For the balance, for the greater good'. I kinda understand their outdated point of view which is built on traditions, but will never accept it. Even if I only had an emissary bond to you, I couldn't just stand aside and watch you and your pack and innocents get hurt or even murdered. That's not me. Maybe because I'm a Spark, maybe because it's just not my nature. I could never step aside like that, only occasionally throwing in advice or taking part in the fights. So I guess you've got lucky with me in the end," Stiles chuckled for real now, his hand sliding from Derek's waist to his chest to caress it fondly. "I'm more action-packed. And sexier too," he added, obviously trying to lighten the mood a bit.

Witches were going to come, for sure, witches and mages. Mostly for Stiles but Derek'd get caught in the crossfire, easiest way to get to a mage was to get to their familiar. However, he wasn't a simple black cat or mouse, he was a powerful alpha. "I don't know how high Alan is on the druid ladder. I didn't even know he was the Hale's emissary until Laura had died and came back here."

"Frankly, I don't know about Deaton's position either. Or what kind of connections he or Morrell has. He's still very cryptic. Even with me who's his... protégé or apprentice or something... But... I think we're kinda starting to grow on him. He's more open and also seems to care more than in the past. Especially compared to his sister. That woman just gives me the creeps. She's too much of an opportunist, especially lately because of me. We better keep an eye on her too. I don't trust her."

"Deaton blamed me for the fire. It's why he was like... that." Deaton had never said it out loud, but it was there, the blame Derek had been able to smell on him, like he had been able to smell it on Peter and Cora when they found out the truth. Not Laura, she never had known the truth, not her. She had been the one he had depended on, and he never wanted to disappoint her. "Maybe he's easier now with time passed, with you thrown in the mix." Deaton seemed to help Derek out of loyalty to his mother, because it was his job but maybe, besides the usual disapproving jabs his way, there were some positive emotions these days. As for Marin? She was not to be trusted but they had known that ever since she had helped the alpha pack until suddenly her own life was on the line. Then she had become 'good'.

Pulling Stiles closer, he sighed. The human still smelled like blood and sickness and death. It was a reminder of what had happened and as nice as this moment was now, they had a long road ahead of them and probably no time for it to be long.

"She's most likely a preview of this Council which might come knocking, to test you like the alpha pack did with me. They might not even know the Nemeton is alive again." Stiles was probably even worse at politics than Derek was, so, as much as they weren't ready for more pack, to have one in the pack who was able to smoothly talk to other groups would be appreciated.

Derek had managed so far, he had been building on truces with hunters and had even set up this arrangement to have hunters call him if they were hunting omega werewolves so Derek could get in touch with the pack of the territory they were hunting on to make sure the omega really was beyond saving. There weren't that many calls sadly, most were too far gone and had been put down while they were killing and the numbers of werewolves was going down at an alarming rate. Too few alphas, too many rabid biting incidents. Too many hunters. And, as Stiles had pointed out, a lack of trust.

"I don't care about traditions anymore, you know that. I knew when the pack was a mix of everything that it would never be as traditional packs would dictate it to be. Times have changed, we all have to be fluid and druids are not."

Stiles nuzzled closer to Derek, burying his face into his neck to inhale the familiar scent, the musk of the wolf always present on the warm skin. It also always managed to calm him as much as Derek's physical closeness.

"He was wrong to blame you for the fire. You were an inexperienced teen used by a tricky hunter," Stiles hurried to reassure his mate (again) that he didn't think like Deaton and probably many more. "Otherwise I think he's kinda fond of us being mated and all. Maybe he even enjoys guiding a Spark like me. He had told me that he never had the opportunity to work so closely with one. So I guess I'm a novelty to him too. And I have the suspicion that Marin is more in connection with the Druid Council than her brother. She even might be reporting back to them. Or she has her own agenda – as usual. Dunno, these are just my theories and suspicions," Stiles sighed.

There was only a noise of disapproval because Stiles didn't agree with him on being responsible for the fire and Derek didn't agree with Stiles. The problem was that he had been part of the destruction of his family and he wasn't going to pretend that he was only just a victim. He had been sixteen, he should have known better and he had never dared to trust that easily again.

The prospect of the Council knocking on their door and wanting to test him like the alpha pack did with Derek wasn't an appealing one. Especially now when they had their own problems – which included Stiles' control problems.

"I'm a bit worried about a possible visit, though. Because I don't want to be deemed too dangerous in the eye of the Council. Someone to be put down like when hunters do that to your kind when they get out of control," he admitted, mumbling his words into Derek's neck. "I need to train harder to avoid that. To control my emotions better. I cannot allow the possibility of losing you trigger me so easily."

Listening to that, there was another noise coming from Derek’s throat. "What you need to do is inform yourself first. Find out the rules of this Council. They didn't come to put Jennifer down so I doubt they're like the alpha pack."

They would rule the human this dangerous for sure because that was a fact. Stiles was stronger than anything before, which was why Marin had this unhealthy obsession with the Spark in the first place. Not that Stiles training extra hard was going to go to waste but to do it out of a sense of panic of possible oncoming death by this Council was going overboard with it. And yeah, Derek couldn't trigger Stiles that easily because that was too dangerous for both of them.

"You need an outlet for when it gets too much. Maybe work is that? Or a hobby. Anything to get your mind of it when you need to." Derek would work out to get these feelings of being overwhelmed settled, or he used to paint or draw. He'd go into the woods and run. That's what he had done when he had lost Boyd, run off to the old distillery where he'd work out and brood and stayed away from others to protect them from more harm. He preferred being alone like that, with Stiles it could be different.

"Maybe you can get started on getting materials for your garden on the roof? Check out the space, make a plan."

"You're probably right and I like your ideas. Especially about the garden. I could do that next to some more working out and training with Deaton. Dunno when the paperwork will go through about the consultant detective position dad had managed to get for me at the station, but we are in no rush in that since we have more pressing matters at the moment," Stiles hummed into Derek's neck and stroked his chest again.

Derek was probably right about the Council too. Stiles should start asking questions about it from Deaton and perhaps the older druid had some kind of a book or history about them. Or at least stories. 'Know your enemy', right? Well, maybe the Council wasn't his enemy since they didn't intervene even when a Nemeton was being revived and corrupted by a darach – which was probably a big thing in their world too – but Stiles wasn't going to take any chances. Not when it came to the safety of his mate and him. Because it was very likely that in case the Council decided to eliminate the threat Stiles might be, Derek would die after him. Maybe not right away. Maybe he could even survive the death of his mate and the severing of the bonds, but if the wolf didn't come to terms with all the terrors in his head by the time Stiles' wall was going to fade, he was probably going to spend that life insane. He couldn't allow any of these possibilities so Stiles will have to dig deep and be prepared. As much as he can.

"Hm... What do you think... when might it be safe to try bringing your eyesight back? How do you feel about that?" he asked carefully, not knowing much about such things yet. "Deaton said a few weeks might be needed, but I think it will depend on your state of mind and how you feel about it. Even the magic knows that it shouldn't heal your eyes yet, though it would've had the opportunity a couple of times before..."

"Hopefully next week or so? This week?" Derek had to pause to remember how much time had passed between getting his soul back and now. It had to be around a week so next week would sound okay. Two weeks before the thin veil of here and Hell would fade after the soul had returned. Part of him wanted to see again, was already sick of it and part of him reveled in the safety it provided him. The semi-darkness was more comforting than seeing too much. Plus there was a chance they couldn't be healed. Not everything was fixable with magic and Derek wasn't ready to deal with a possible permanent loss of sight.

"Not long anymore. I'd like to get back home to Beth in a few days, though." If he wasn't going to be admitted to Eichen House and if they were at the loft where he was going to work hard on not unraveling, then maybe, depending on how long it would take to start therapy, they could at least spend time with the toddler again. It had been too long since he had seen his daughter, though it had been for her own safety. She was part wolf, she needed her alpha around since she was too young to be without her pack.

Opening his eyes, the milky white eyes, he leaned back to 'look' at his mate. "I'm not ready to see you as a corpse again." Especially not since they had come so close to that being a reality. It was too soon for the youngest Hale to become an orphan. Hopefully she would never experience that but it was a distinct possibility.

"It's okay, Derek," Stiles studied the white eyes which – in a weird way – he found badass and even sexy. Yeah, well, he was weird in many things so no wonder this fell under such a category for him too. "I don't want to force anything on you. I was just asking how you feel about it. You can tell me when it's time and then I can prepare for the spell and try it," he murmured, lifting his hand from the broad chest to gently caress the bearded face.

"I think you rock this look too, by the way. But I want what's best for you. And if it means going back home to be around Beth for a while, then we'll do that. If you're ready. She misses you and us. But you already know that from my recaps of the short stops at the house and the phone calls we did with her," he added. And damn, it was hard to hear her hopeful voice about seeing Derek again. And even harder when Stiles could hear the disappointment in her cute little voice when she was told 'soon'. The quivering of the small little lips was a sight that he could easily imagine and which haunted his dreams.

But at least they were going home soon. And if things go well, he'll heal Derek's eyes. What he didn't tell to his mate was that Stiles could feel on the magic that it can do it. It could've done it earlier too, as he had told the wolf. So the younger man had no doubt about that at least. But first he'll have to regain his strength and health since according to Deaton it was going to take a lot out of him again.

"I know you were just asking but I'm not ready yet." Probably why the magic didn't work on healing it. Derek’d love to have his sight back because being blind was limiting and it would make it easier for Stiles to take care of him without the strain of a blind mate. But the hallucinations that came with it if they didn't wait out those few weeks, it wasn't worth it. Going back to Beth and Noah was dangerous enough on its own but he honestly ached to be with his kid again. He had barely seen her lately and she had already lost her mom. He didn't want her to think her dad didn't want her either, that he'd disappear on her as well.

Besides, it wasn't like Stiles was even up for it right now. He was still healing from the overload, from the wall. There was no way he was up for it at the moment without doing serious harm to himself. Derek had seen how much it had taken out of Jennifer and she had been at full strength.

Stiles only nodded and made an understanding sound in his throat about Derek not being ready. It was clear to him too. Not just from what he felt from his mate, but how his magic had acted so far. But he didn't hold that against Derek, he understood. Plus it was safer for all of them if they waited a little bit longer. Hopefully safer. Stiles was mentally crossing his fingers for no shit to hit the fan until then.

"Stiles..." he hesitated for a moment. "I tried to heal you by giving you my spark and... your magic wouldn't let me. It gave it back and started balancing instead." Which meant Derek would know how to get that ritual started in the future should Stiles be unable to. But the fact that it hadn't wanted the spark was... unheard of. Strange. And he didn't know what it meant exactly. Besides Deaton being beside himself with curiosity.

What Derek revealed froze the recovering druid. He haven't heard about anything like that either. The shock and disdain he initially felt from Derek willing to sacrifice his alpha status and powers for him slowly transformed into confusion and curiosity.

"As much as I appreciate your effort to heal me, please don't try to make such a sacrifice again. You are an alpha again with a reason. Don't waste it on me. I'll be fine. I think... the magic 'knows' better as it was shown to you. I cannot think of anything else to explain why it gave your spark back and started the balancing instead..." Stiles mused. So this was that 'something more' he had felt Derek had tried to do in order to save him. He knew there was something he wasn't telling, but now he knew. And it made sense.

"It makes sense that you tried that. I mean... I'm a hypocrite because I'd probably do the same to save you. But... now that we know that you can trigger my magic, try not to sacrifice your powers for me, okay? I mean until there's another way. I know you're a hero, but... yeah..." Stiles trailed off for a moment. "It's also interesting that it made Deaton so very curious. I'd have loved seeing his face. It's rare that we manage to shock him. Damn!" he chuckled low, trying to ease the tension in Derek. He wasn't angry at his wolf. Just worried. He didn't want that sacrifice and maybe the magic felt it too. "We'll have to grill him why he got so curious."

Derek was an alpha again because he had killed an alpha, and that was different. He hadn't earned it, it happened and though he didn't treat the spark he had lightly, he had no problem sacrificing it when it was for a good reason. Stiles was a very good reason. "What good is an alpha spark if you die?" So he couldn't promise not to try it again if the situation called for it. What good would it be if he was an alpha and his mate would die, probably killing him in the process or the wall in his head would be destroyed and Derek was going to either flip out and get killed or spend the rest of his days in Eichen house? So he didn't say anything to it, not wanting to make a promise he might not be able to keep.

"I meant don't try to save me with your alpha spark unless there's no other way. That's all," Stiles shrugged, which Derek would feel since his arm was back around him again.

"About Deaton… Yeah, I was a little busy passing out so I didn't get to ask about his curiosity." Nor had he wanted to ask him with the way Deaton had been scolding him for days. It was possible that the magic knew it wasn't needed but that thought wasn't as assuring because it meant it was more sentient than Derek liked it to be. It meant they had something inside of them with a high intelligence and it was even more dangerous if that was true. What powers had they touched upon and what did it mean for them as a bonded pair?

"An alpha spark is like magic. The fact that your magic gave it back while you were being out cold… it worries me." Jennifer's magic had always felt more like it had been hers. It had been dark but it had come from her and it acted on her emotions. It hadn't felt like it was sentient. This was clearly way more advanced, which was possibly the reason why Deaton was so curious as well. They had so much to worry about already, adding weird magic to it was the last thing he wanted but Stiles had a right to know.

Stiles frowned lightly from Derek's worries. "Why are you worried about it? Magic is a mysterious force and has many forms. I honestly don't feel a reason for you to fear what's inside me and through the bonds inside you too. I mean... my magic... my Spark never did anything to harm us. It feels like... an ancient, instinct-based form of energy to me. It reacts mostly to my emotions and yes, it sometimes acts as if it has its own consciousness, but that's just not possible. Magic is channeled energy. From the land, the air, the Nemeton, the different dimensions we cannot even comprehend. Mine is the same as far as its basis goes. What makes mine special is the Spark in me which amplifies it. I'm like a vessel, a conduit for it to manifest. Usually controlled. Problems might occur only when I lose that control and it lashes out. Like in the forest," he explained. His sessions with Deaton and the research he had done so far were both clear in his words.

"Don't fear it, Derek. It won't hurt you, I promise," he said. Whether it'd hurt Stiles at some point was a different question entirely, but he very wisely didn't mention that. Still, Stiles was 100% sure that his magic wouldn't hurt Derek. It had proven it a few times before and the most recent was when it gave back the alpha spark to their wolf. "What complicates things are our shared bond to the Nemeton and the temptation that the lay lines provide too."

"I don't… fear it. I'm worried about it." And not for unclear reasons. The Nemeton wasn't as neutral as it should be, the lay lines... he had no idea what kind of magic they had but magic was something not to be accepted blindly at least. It was something to be cautious about. And he wasn't even worried about it hurting him, he was worried about being something that was going to be impossible to control because of the way it acted. Not all of that was Stiles. None of it was Derek. Because the magic he had was also from Stiles, he only stored it, not created it.

"Angels have no real bodies, they're made of pure energy. It's not that farfetched that something you created could become... more." Maybe it sounded paranoid, maybe it was because he had seen too much and experienced too much but Derek knew that nothing could ever be fully controlled, especially when it came from nature, from them. From the Nemeton. "I just want you to be careful with it." Something which felt good didn't mean it would also be good. "But I know it won't hurt me, it seems to like me just fine." The magic probably realized that it would be a good idea to keep Derek around since he was keeping it safe for Stiles to be this powerful without exploding. Most of the time. Obviously he had failed with that this last time.

"Huh. Never thought about it like that before... You have a good point," Stiles murmured after a moment or two. He had to admit that there was probably truth in Derek's words, but he didn't want to fear his own magic. What he got from the Nemeton was a different beast on its own, but his own magic was warm and comforting and useful. It gave him confidence and power which he could use for good. (Except for that one occasion in the forest.) But he knew that he could just as easily turn the tables and use it for bad stuff. Luckily he wasn't that kind of a guy, but who knows what the future might hold for them, right?

"Probably the magic is evolving with us too. With each power surge we get stronger along with it as we step onto a higher level. It's bound to become something more along the way too..." Stiles mused, nuzzling more comfortable into Derek's warm hold. "We'll ask more about such things and the nature of my magic from Deaton. Later though..." he stifled a yawn as he leaned his forehead against Derek's on the pillow. "Think I need some more sleep," he finally admitted. Talking this much took a toll on his still recovering body, but the closeness of his mate was definitely helping as he felt a bit safer and warmer in his arms. Stiles was also very relieved that in the end Derek didn't run and he didn't lose his stubborn, thick-headed wolf.

"I love you," he whispered, pressing his lips to the other's mouth before resting his head back on the pillow, nuzzling into the warm body as much as he could already half-asleep and with closed eyes. "Stay with me..." he mumbled barely coherently, the deeper meaning of the words already lost on Stiles since the next moment he was falling into a deep healing sleep.

BROKEN BUT GLUED TOGETHER

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