Red Riding Hood

Chapter Four

Stiles never got a call from Derek. He was worried that maybe the nurse hadn't given him the paper but when he called up to the hospital she said that he had received it. Stiles knew that he shouldn't be this concerned. Sure, he had helped the man but still, he didn't know him. Didn't even really know of him before the other day.

But Stiles had felt something with Derek. He felt the urge to protect him and now he couldn't do that. He knew that the Hale family would probably think he was a crazy stocker if he came back. So he didn't go back. He stayed where he was in the lonely, old, and creaky cabin. Maybe he would go home early. Even Scott annoying him would be better than this empty feeling.

+++

Stiles had everything packed to go home by the next day. There was no point in staying if his thoughts were just going to be plagued by the Derek's well being.

When he closed the door of his jeep his phone rang. Stiles stopped and held his breath as he fished it out of his pocket. The number was unrecognized and Stiles hit answer. He held the phone up to his ear, waiting but still not breathing. "...Stiles?" It was Cora's high voice on the other end.

"Yeah," Stiles breathed, not knowing what to say.

"It's Cora, Derek's sister. I know that you probably don't want to be disturbed, but Derek's asking for you. The police just got done talking to him, and well... he didn't take it too good. Could you maybe come down to the hospital for a few minutes? Derek is pretty freaked out." Cora sounded desperate. Wasn't this what Stiles wanted? For Derek to need him again so that Stiles could see him?

"I'll be there."

+++

Stiles entered Derek's hospital room and saw the doctors and the Hale sisters all crowded around the bed. When he was close enough to see Derek, he could see that the man was uncomfortably curled around himself in the bed, weeping. Stiles didn't know what was the matter so he tapped Cora on back. She turned around and released a sigh.

Stiles pulled her over to the corner and asked what was happening. "The police asked who... 'Mistress' was and he was just set off. He started bawling and curled over. He popped a few stitches and the doctors need him to lay back down but he won't listen to anyone. I called you hoping that maybe, since he trusts you, that you could reason with him."

Stiles nodded along and agreed to try to help. Cora cleared the room including a very pissed looking doctor so that Stiles could talk to Derek alone.

"Hey Derek," Stiles said, laying his hand on Derek's back. Derek flinched away from it and Stiles backed up. "Derek," Stiles said firmly. "Listen to me. I know that you're scared, but there's nothing to be scared about."

"Stiles?" Derek asked in a small voice.

"It's me, Derek. Can you roll back over so I can see you?"

Derek did what he was asked to and Stiles could see the blood that had seeped through from the torn stitches. Derek looked at Stiles with big eyes through thick lashes. The hospital had cleaned him up. Stiles didn't recognize this Derek. The Derek that he knew had blood streaks and more mutilated skin than not.

"Hey," Stiles simply said. But hey, he couldn't think of anything else! And that was awkward enough for the both of them as it was.

"Stiles?" Derek asked again. He reached out his hand and Stiles placed his own hand in Derek's empty palm. His gangly teenage fingers (even though he was well into his twenties, they still would not go away) wrapped around Derek's offered hand.

Stiles pulled a chair up and sat down, still holding onto Derek's hand. "What's going on, Derek?"

Derek looked away, ashamed. "Mistress told me to never say her real name and the police got mad at me when I told them that. I can't say her real name or else I would be in even bigger trouble. And I don't like to be in trouble with Mistress. Do you think I'm in trouble now?"

"Of course not, Derek. Your old Mistress has no power over you anymore. Okay?" Stiles was running his fingers through Derek's hair. Then he looked around.

Stiles stood up in a rush and pulled his hands away from Derek. Why must the man be so hot? "Well..." Stiles said awkwardly. He started to go towards the door and leave. Maybe if he just left now then Derek's memory would fade and soon he would forget all about him. Stiles knew that wasn't possible.

He had started to fall for someone. And Stiles swore to never ever, ever! fall for someone again.