Chapter Text
Time flew by and before Derek knew it, Thanksgiving had arrived. Derek parked his cruiser in the driveway, cutting the engine and sitting for a moment in the growing dusk. The Hale house glowed warmly in the early evening light, with twinkling fairy lights lining the porch railing and pumpkins arranged neatly on the steps. It was exactly the kind of homecoming image he’d been missing during his years in New York.
Still dressed in his police uniform, Derek stretched his shoulders and grabbed a small pumpkin pie from the passenger seat—his contribution to the feast, hastily picked up during his shift. Thanksgiving on duty hadn’t been too hectic; mostly calls about missing cats, burnt turkeys, and one argument over whether it was illegal to deep-fry a bird on public property. Small-town policing, it seemed, wasn’t all bad.
As he stepped inside, the warmth and noise hit him immediately. Laughter, the clatter of dishes, and the smell of turkey and pie filled the house. Lizzy and Bettsy, the twins, were the first to notice him.
“Derek’s here!” Lizzy called, bouncing over to take the pie from his hands. “And still in uniform. Bet you were out saving lives.”
“Yeah, saving cats from trees,” Bettsy quipped, appearing right behind her.
“Both true and important,” Derek said dryly, kicking off his boots and hanging his jacket by the door. “It’s good to see you two haven’t changed.”
“We’re delightful,” Lizzy said with a grin, before disappearing into the kitchen with the pie.
Derek barely had time to step into the living room before Laura noticed him.
“There you are!” she said. “Looking good in your uniform, little brother. You’re making us all look bad.”
Garth, her fiancé, walked in carrying a bowl of stuffing. “Speak for yourself. I think I look pretty good.”
“You look fine, Garth,” Derek said, smirking.
“Fine?” Garth placed a hand on his chest, mock-offended. “I’m going for dashing, Derek.”
“Keep trying,” Laura teased, leading them both into the dining room.
"I have the feeling that our family is constantly celebrating. I've been back here for less than ten days and we're already having our second big family dinner," Derek complained.
"Oh, you poor, poor thing,’ Gwen mocked him. ‘I can imagine how bad it is when you're constantly surrounded by people you love while you're the most delicious thing in the world."
Laura laughed. “You should have a shower and change. I think dinner will be ready soon.”
***
The rest of the family was already gathered when Derek came downstairs. Talia stood at the kitchen counter, her apron dusted with flour as she directed the final touches on the meal.
“Bettsy, grab the extra serving spoons for the stuffing,” she called.
Thomas was by her side, carving the turkey with practised precision, while Peter was leaning against the counter, sipping cider and sneaking pieces of bread from a tray.
“Peter, you’re going to ruin your appetite,” Talia scolded, swatting his hand away.
“That’s impossible,” Peter said with a grin. “I am always hungry.”
By the fireplace in the living room, Cora sat curled up on the couch, her legs draped over Isaac’s lap as he tried to keep her from stealing whipped cream from a bowl.
“Cora, you’re going to have a sugar crash before dinner even starts,” Isaac protested, though his amused smile betrayed how little he minded.
Lizzy and Bettsy were busy arranging the place settings on the dining table, their identical faces scrunched in determination as they debated over where to seat everyone.
“Uncle Peter needs to be far from Dad,” Lizzy declared. “Otherwise, they’ll spend the whole night debating politics.”
“And you think putting him next to Laura will help?” Bettsy countered. “He’s going to make fun of her Pinterest-perfect Thanksgiving ideas.”
“I’m standing right here,” Peter interjected with a smirk, earning a collective groan from the twins.
When the family finally gathered at the table, the room seemed to radiate warmth. The centrepiece of golden candles and autumn leaves flickered softly, and the table was laden with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and pies of every variety. Derek's little pumpkin pie, which he had bought from Jodie's bakery, was also there. But compared to all the delicacies that Talia had served up, it looked almost sparse.
The chatter quieted briefly as everyone settled in, the clinking of glasses and serving spoons filling the air.
Talia stood and raised her glass. “Before we eat, I want to say how thankful I am to have all of you here. It wasn't so long ago that you were scattered all over the globe and not everyone always made it home for Thanksgiving. Having everyone together tonight means more than I can say.”
Thomas also raised his glass to cheer. “So, here’s to family, love, and an incredible meal! Talia my darling, you have outdone yourself once again.”
Everyone cheered, lifting their glasses.
As the plates were passed around, Laura stood, a slightly nervous smile on her face.
“I, uh… I actually have something to share,” she began, glancing at Garth , who gave her an encouraging nod.
She took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant!”
The room erupted in excitement, cheers and congratulations filling the air as Laura laughed and leaned into Garth ’s side. Talia wiped a tear from her cheek, and Thomas reached across the table to squeeze Laura’s hand.
For a second, Derek was afraid that Gwen and Peter wouldn't take the news so well. After all, they had been trying to have a child for years and unfortunately it hadn't worked out so far. However, when Derek looked at Gwen, he had the impression that she was genuinely happy for Laura and Garth.
“Oh my gosh, this is amazing!” Cora exclaimed. “I'm going to be an aunt! Isaak, did you hear that? I am going to be an aunt. When are you due?”
“April,” Laura said, beaming.
As the excitement settled slightly, Peter raised his glass. “To Laura and Garth — and to Grandma and Grandpa Hale. Oh, the possibility of annoying you with your age now that you are officially old, Talia.”
”You can’t annoy me with that, Peter.” Talia said, her eyes shining with happiness. “I'll be the proudest granny in the world. Believe me. I can't wait at all. And if that means I'm old, then so be it. I don’t care.”
The table laughed, and as everyone returned to their food, Gwen cleared her throat softly.
“Actually,” Gwen said, her voice quieter, but with a determined edge, “I have some news too.”
All eyes turned to her, the room falling silent. She hesitated, her hands trembling slightly, but Peter reached over, placing his hand over hers in support.
“I’m pregnant too,” she said, her voice steady despite her nervousness.
The room froze for half a second before erupting again in an even louder wave of excitement. Talia stood and immediately pulled Gwen into a hug, followed closely by Laura and the twins.
“Oh, Gwen, this is wonderful!” Talia exclaimed, tears glistening in her eyes.
“It is,” Gwen said, her smile soft but bright. “I’ve just… I’ve been so scared to tell everyone. After the miscarriages, I—”
“You don’t have to explain,” Laura said, holding her hand tightly. “We’re just so happy for you. Can you believe it? Our children will grow up together. They will be the same age. That's amazing.”
“The doctors say everything’s going well this time,” Peter added, his voice uncharacteristically nervous. “They’re optimistic, and so are we.”
“We’re going to be here for you every step of the way,” Talia said firmly, glancing around the table for agreement.
“Absolutely,” Thomas said, his voice carrying quiet sincerity.
The table’s mood shifted to one of celebration, the joy and relief palpable as Gwen relaxed, her hand never leaving Peter’s. The conversation moved to baby names, nursery colours, and debates about whether the new arrivals would have Peter’s sarcasm or Laura’s stubbornness. Derek would have missed all of that if he had stayed in New York. Maybe he should be grateful to Jennifer for cheating on him.
After a while Talia raised her glass again. “I am sure everyone knows what Laura, Garth, Gwen and Peter are thankful for but what about the rest of you? Let me say, I am thankful to have such a wonderful family.”
They went around the table, with responses ranging from Lizzy’s cheeky gratitude for surviving another year with her twin, to Gwen’s heartfelt thanks for family and the new life she and Peter were about to welcome. When it was Derek’s turn, he hesitated.
“I’m thankful to be home,” he said finally. “And for all of you, even if you’re a little overwhelming sometimes.”
That earned a round of laughter, and the chaos resumed as everyone began serving themselves.
Partway through the meal, Cora leaned toward Derek with a mischievous grin. “So, big brother, did anyone tell you that your new partner used to have the biggest crush on you?”
Derek froze, his fork halfway to his mouth. “What?”
“Oh yeah,” Laura chimed in, smirking. “From the time he was, like, eleven to fifteen. He was totally starry-eyed. I never understood how you didn't realise that. I think everyone in Beacon Hills knew about it.”
“Ha, ha, very funny. Have you hidden a camera somewhere? Is this a prank? “ Derek groaned, setting his fork down as heat rose to his cheeks.
Stiles had a crush on him? What the hell? Derek could hardly remember him. There were only little pieces of memories in his mind. He remembered a wide-eyed always babbling boy with a buzzcut. But not much more. However, it had to be said that Stiles was almost three years younger than him. Derek must have thought he was a toddler back then, annoying like his little sisters.
“No, we are telling the truth,” Cora said, waving a hand dismissively. “But you can relax. He got over it once you left for college. After that, he had crushes on other people. Lydia Martin, for one. And then Danny Mahealani. He had more luck with them.”
“Wait—he dated Lydia Martin and Danny Mahealani?” Derek asked, the question slipping out before he could stop himself.
“Yep,” Cora said, popping a piece of bread into her mouth. “Stiles and Lydia dated for a while in high school, but they broke up when they went to college. A long-distance relationship was not for them. They’re still friends, though. And Danny? That was more of a college thing. But I think they were together for almost three years.”
“Well,” Laura said with a teasing smile, “sounds like you’re officially ‘the one that got away.’”
Derek frowned, unsure why the idea of Stiles with Lydia or Danny didn’t sit well with him.
“Oh, and just so you know,” Talia added casually, “he’s single right now. His dad mentioned it the other day.”
“Mom,” Derek said, exasperated, while the rest of the table dissolved into laughter.
“Don’t worry, Derek,” Bettsy teased. “Maybe you're not the one that got away. Maybe you're the one he ends up with in the end. I think you would be cute together. Your babies would have your eyebrows and his snub-nose.”
Derek buried his face in his hands as the teasing continued, muttering, “I need more pie or alcohol.”
***
Later that night, as the dishes were cleared and the family migrated to the living room for dessert, Derek found himself sitting quietly by the fire. His sisters were bickering over which pie to cut first, Peter was regaling Thomas with a ridiculous story, and Gwen and Laura were comparing pregnancy notes.
Despite the noise and teasing, a sense of calm settled over Derek. This was what he’d been missing—family, connection, and a place where he felt like he truly belonged.
But the conversation about Stiles lingered in his mind. He shook his head, deciding to brush it off for now. There would be plenty of time to sort through those thoughts later.
For now, he was home, and that was enough.