Derek wasn't interested in her, and that was just fine.
He was a good friend. He was there for her when she was having a bad day, willing to deal with her nonsense rambling about the sexism she experienced at the precinct, or that horrible woman who worked at the coffee shop down her street or the awful and awkward men who tried to pick her up at bars when she was just trying to enjoy her drink. Derek never had to guess how Patty was feeling because he just knew, if she was upset he was comforting her before she even opened her mouth, and if she was worked up or excited he was the first to offer going out for a run. He was in tuned with her, respectful, even funny when he was in a good mood. Derek Hale was a good friend, but that was all he was and it was all he ever would be. A friend.
She shouldn't have said anything to him about her feelings. Patty had told herself that no matter how he reacted, their friendship was strong enough to withstand it, but in reality she was trying to convince herself of that just because the secret had become so much of a burden she knew she had to let it out. It was her own fault, because deep down Patty actually thought he would say it back. She thought that he could actually love her, the way that he looked at her some times and the way that he lingered when he hugged her goodbye made her delusional enough to think that she had finally found someone who saw more of her than anyone else was willing to see. But she was wrong. Or maybe she wasn't, maybe he did see all of her and maybe it still wasn't enough. Either way, she had been politely shot down, and despite her efforts Patty felt her walls slowly going back up. She felt too raw now, too exposed, like she was at a disadvantage in their friendship. He was Derek, and now she was just that annoying girl who fell for him and followed him around like a lost puppy.
She didn't mean to pull away but she couldn't stop herself from doing so. After the concert, after she stripped herself from all pride and reservation, she felt something change in Derek and it wasn't something good. It was almost like he was uncomfortable around her, and who could blame him? She felt unwanted now, and it was her own fault. So she stopped bothering him.
It was another restless night. She hadn't been sleeping right for over a week now, and despite how tired she was Patty was still curled up on the couch binge watching a random series on Netflix, wrapped in a blanket to stay warm so she wouldn't have to get up and change out of her boyshorts and cami. She was just about to start the next episode when she heard her doorbell ring, and Patty's heart jumped into her throat when her eyes moved to the time on the cable box. Who the hell was ringing her doorbell at 2:30 in the morning, in the pouring rain? She reached for the remote to pause the television, straining to hear if she could pick up on any voices outside, but nothing reached her which only unsettled her more. She stood, but instead of moving to the door she hurried into her bedroom, opening her bedside drawer to pull out a lock box.