The Longer I Live

Chapter 15: Your Little Code of Ethics is Barbaric. Just FYI

The overnight stay at the hospital did some good. After getting a good night's rest, Stiles woke up the next morning to curtains being drawn to allow the light inside of his hospital room.

Still half asleep, he opened his eyes to see an older woman with gray hair in scrubs smiling down at him. He immediately recognized her.

"Laura?"

"Good morning Stiles," the Aeiwa shamaness smiled. "How is our patient doing today?"

"Reeling from shock," Stiles joked. "You're my nurse? I thought Derek didn't want the tribe leaving the reservation."

Laura shook her head. "We're not prisoners, Stiles. We can come and go as we please. Derek is only overly protective, especially with keeping the Aeiwa a secret from outsiders. Besides, your presence there helped him to come around."

"I thought you guys didn't believe in modern technology," the teen noted.

"That's also starting to change," she replied. "Derek finally gave me back my microwave and we're looking into building more generators for electrical power. Yes, Stiles Argent, we are finally going to enter the modern age!"

The shamaness laughed. Sitting up in his bed, Stiles tossed his legs over the side and watched as Laura Hale brought out a wheelchair.

"So, who decided that you were to be my nurse?" The hazel eyed teen inquired. "Dr. Derek?"

"Of course," Laura nodded. "Believe it or not, Derek and I are certified medical professionals. It's always good to have that in our background, especially with caring for a tribe like ours."

"I thought you had a degree in Humanities and Native American Linguistics?" Stiles pointed out. "When did you find the time to fit a nursing degree in there?"

"When you live on a reservation with no television or internet access, you have plenty of time to do a lot of reading," Laura smiled. "Now sit in the wheelchair please. It's time for your first treatment."

Stiles jumped off the bed and sat in the wheelchair. Laura pushed him down the hallway toward the radiology department where he met a debonair Dr. Derek Hale waiting for him near some science fiction looking piece of machinery.

"Good, you're up," said Derek. His bad boy smile seemed to bring comfort to Stiles. "Stiles, don't be scared. The procedure is completely painless, I assure you."

"That's easy for you to say." Stiles rolled his eyes. "You're not the one turning into the Incredible Hulk."

Derek snickered. "Relax. Gamma radiation can't make you all green and angry. Here's how it works." He pointed to the machine. "This is an IMRT, which will emit radioactive rays to various areas of your brain to attack the tumor and any nearby tissues that it might be hiding in. According to your CT scans, we'll start with your frontal lobe and go down from there."

"Will there be any side effects?" Stiles asked. "Like, will I get any cool mutant powers or shoot webbing from my hands?"

"No though you get to have your hair fall out and get a chance to look like Charles Xavier," Derek teased. "Then there's the nausea, the vomiting, skin discoloration, fatigue, and diarrhea but nothing that will kill you."

"Gee thanks for pep talk Dr. Derek," the teenager rolled his eyes. "I'll make sure to recommend you to all my friends who are suicidal."

Laura sat with him. "Don't worry, Stiles. Derek knows what he's doing. You're in good hands."

"I hope so," he whispered.

Placing both hands on the armrest of Stiles's wheelchair, the Spirit Wolf leaned in close. Raking a strong hand through the teen's short brown hair, Derek offered him his support.