Please, Stay- A Stydia AU

Can't Stop Now

"Dad." Stiles stood in the hospital room, unable to do anything but stare at him. After all, he wanted to say everything. He wanted to ask if he was okay, he wanted to tell him that he wasn't going anywhere, he wanted to say that he was here. He wanted to say that he was sorry, that he never wanted to kill his mother and he never wanted to kill him too.

John smiled at his son. "Hey, Stiles... How are you kiddo?"

Stiles suddenly found it almost impossible to hold himself together. He moved to his dad's bedside, wrapping him in his arms and laying beside him.

"I've got you," John murmured.

Stiles wanted to tell him not to let go, to beg him not to release him, not to make him face the harsh reality of what could happen. He wanted to be held as if he were a child. He wanted to feel safe again.

But he didn't voice any of his thoughts.

Not even one. He just lay there and listened to his dad's breathing and tried hard not to sob.

When Stiles was with his dad, Lydia found it impossible to stand still. She paced the hallway, read everything she could find, and basically tried not to rip her hair out.

He was fine. He was with his dad. But she couldn't stop worrying.

When she saw Scott's mom, she jumped to her feet. "Mrs. McCall!"

Her heart thudded as the woman with the kind eyes turned to her. "Lydia?"

"I just... I... Can I... Can I do anything? For Stiles?"

Melissa hesitated then slowly came forward. "Honestly? Just remind him that he's not alone and you aren't leaving. And keep reminding him. He might try to pull away. I think he feels like it's his doing. He'll want to keep you safe. You can't let him. Just... Just keep reminding him." She looked at Lydia. "You care for him don't you?"

Lydia opened her mouth to say that he was her friend but then closed it. She knew what she was asking. She hesitated only slightly before answering her.

It had been the longest night of Stiles's life. And it still wasn't over. He sat in a chair after being told that his dad needed rest, he had to wait. Now he was camped out in a hospital chair, arms resting on his knees, hands folded at his lips, his teeth biting hard on his nail.

"Stiles..." Lydia sat beside him. "Here."

He looked at her, for one of the first times in his time with her only barely seeing her. She held out a cup of coffee. "It'll help."

"I don't need to be more wired," he said quietly, taking it from her.

"I know a thing or two about camping out in hospitals," she said gently. "Coffee helps. It actually calmed my nerves. People say it's bad for anxiety but it's always helped me."

Stiles took a sip and relished it. The bitterness seemed to bring him back to earth, back to this moment, out of his mind and wonderings of what would happen. "Thanks," he whispered. He glanced at her and hesitated before venturing to ask, "Was it Turner?"

Lydia was quiet as she stared into her coffee, her beautiful finger sliding around the edge of the cup. "Yes. He was in the hospital for close to twelve hours before... Before he..." She pursed her lips.

"I'm sorry." Stiles reached over and took her hand, enclosing it in his.

"Your dad will be okay." She looked at him. "You have to know that."

He looked at her, knowing, feeling how defeated and sad he knew he looked. "No. I don't know that. I knew that when my mom was sick, at first. I was so sure she could take it. I thought my parents were Batman and Wonderwoman. And then... she stopped breathing. She just... She just stopped."

Lydia watched him for a moment, gave his hand a soft squeeze. He closed his eyes and exhaled, as if she had taken away a physical burden. "I'm glad you're here," he breathed.

"Me too," she whispered. "Me too..."

Stiles leaned over and rested his head on her shoulder and, before he knew it, he began to cry. Lydia wrapped her arms around him and stroked his hair, whispering to him.

"Why do people die?" he finally murmured.

"I don't know," Lydia whispered back. "I wish I did... But I don't know either... It's not fair..."

"It's not..." Stiles gave a small hiccup as his breathing began to settle again. His arms tightened around her, almost afraid that she would leave him if he didn't. But she didn't even try to budge. She stayed.

"He'll fight for you," Lydia whispered.

"My mom fought too," he whispered.

Lydia looked at him sadly, pushing his hair out of his face with her finger tips before pulling him back into her arms. "I know," she whispered. She planted a soft kiss on his neck. "I know..." her fingers stroked through his hair, gently rubbing his scalp with her fingertips.

She closed her eyes and rested her head against the wall, listening to his breathing. "Stiles?" She whispered.

"Yeah?" He murmured back.

"I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

He looked up at her, brown eyes so sad that it broke her heart. He looked like a puppy in a shelter as he stared at her through his lashes. "Thank you." His voice was hoarse.

Lydia leaned down and pressed her lips against his nose. He closed his eyes and relaxed even more the moment her lips touched him.

And it was then, right then, that Lydia realized how much trouble she was in. But she couldn't stop- didn't want to stop- falling in love with Stiles Stilinski.