Four Days Later

Hope set the last bag into the back of the SUV she and Derek would be taking to the airport. They'd drop the rental off and head back to Beacon Hills. They didn't have much to take with them, but her father had insisted that she take the new paints he'd purchased. He was going to give them to her as a gift when she returned home, but now that she would be residing at Beacon Hills more permanently he wanted her to use them in her new home.

She embraced her family for so long, this goodbye felt different than the other one. More permanent somehow. Though she knew they'd be back and her family would visit often too. Still, there was a slight ache in her heart that wasn't the same as the last time.

"Oh, I almost forgot my purse." She kissed Derek's cheek as he got into the driver's seat and quickly jogged back into the compound.

Inside, on the couch next to her purse, sat Benjamin. He was leafing through the newspaper for the day and glanced up. His crooked smirk appeared in all its modesty.

"So. You're really leaving?" He asked, setting the paper down on the coffee table.

Hope nodded, sitting down next to him and putting her purse in her lap. She offered a small smile. "I love him, Benjamin."

"And I love you."

"No, you don't." She murmured and sighed softly, slowly shaking her head as she stared straight ahead. "Maybe you did before, in your own way, but not the way I deserved to be loved. Not the way he loves me..."

"Hard to compete with a soul mate bond" he shrugged, raising a brow at her.

"It's more than that. It might not make sense to you, but it's so much more."

"You met him barely a month ago. How could you even consider the prospect of love?"

Hope simply shook her head. She didn't have to explain herself to him. Not to him or anyone else. She knew how she felt, and so did Derek. That's all that mattered.

"Goodbye, Benjamin." She stood and walked toward the door, but his voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Why him?" Benjamin asked, slowly standing. For the first time in so long, she heard what sounded like desperation in his voice.

Hope turned to look at him and was quiet for a long moment, thinking through how best to answer without being hurtful, but also telling the truth. "I fell in love with him the moment he told me that I was my own alpha. That I didn't need someone to prove my strength and courage. I already had it..." she trailed off and swallowed hard. "You want to know why I choose him, Benjamin? Why I will always choose him? Because I never had to prove myself to him. I never, not once, had to ask him to believe in me."

That was the hard truth. Benjamin had always been the one to tell her why she couldn't do something, but he never told her why she shouldn't stop trying. As much as it hurt to officially close that chapter in her life and walk away from it, what she had with Derek was so much better for her in every way. Shape and form.

Hope moved toward him and kissed his cheek softly. "I'll always love you, but I'll never be yours again. Goodbye, Benjamin."

She watched his adam's apple bob as he swallowed. "I won't give up."

"Goodbye, Benjamin." She repeated for a third time and walked out and down the compound stairs.

The flight back was more than bearable. Hope cuddled against Derek's side, watching a movie on the screen while drinking wine and eating whatever they offered. Elijah naturally hooked them up with the first class.

It felt like a blink and they were landing down, unloading into the new rental car waiting for them. Her uncle really did think of everything. Maybe he could help plan a...more extravagant event in the future. She glanced over at Derek from her seat on the passenger's side and smiled.

Derek smiled over at her and raised a thick brow. "What?"

"Oh, nothing..." she bit her lip and looked out the window at the passing scenery.

The Beacon Hills sign passed by and Hope looked over at Derek, taking in his sharp features. "So I know you seem very attached to abandoned buildings, but..."

Chuckling, he shook his head as he turned onto her street. "Yeah?"

"I was thinking," she shrugged, "Maybe you want to try being under a roof that doesn't leak for a while."

"Is that right?" He pulled into her driveway.

"Yeah, ya know," she waved her hand, "Like eating in a kitchen with a table and waking up in the morning in a bed with a gorgeous brunette lying next to you..."

Derek caught her chin and pulled her face to him, capturing her lips in a kiss. He smiled crookedly. "Hope Andrea Mikaelson. Are you asking me to move in with you?"

"Hmmm..." she pretended to think for a moment. "Yes. Yup, that's exactly what I'm asking of you."

Derek grinned and pressed another chaste kiss to her lips. "Good. I accept."

"Good..." she murmured, her lips spreading into a grin.

There was a sudden burst of heat between them and Hope knew if she didn't get Derek's clothes off right away, she'd combust on the spot.

Seemingly reading her mind, Derek hopped out and before Hope could set foot on the pavement had her up in his arms and rushing in through the garage. Setting her on her feet in the kitchen, letting his tongue explore her mouth while holding her face in gentle hands as she giggled happily.

A soft thud sounded somewhere next to them. Derek and Hope looked over to see Stiles eating from the pastry tray she had set in the bread box. One cookie in his mouth, one on the floor, and one in his hand. His brown eyes were wide.

"Stiles!" Derek and Hope exclaimed in unison.

Stiles grinned around the cookie. "Uhm...welcome home?" He looked down at the cookie and offered it to them. "Cookie?"

Hope couldn't help herself. She let out a loud laugh, holding onto Derek's arm for support, and shook her head. "Eat the cookies..." she sighed and touched her belly where the laughs rippled and looked up at Derek with a fond, crooked smile. She nodded as she stroked his brow to smooth out the frustration only Stiles could inflict. Making him smile softly in return.

They murmured to each other. "Welcome home."