The Dangers of Falling (in Love)

Chapter 49-

Stiles wakes with a gasp jolting up in his seat. It's not real. Derek isn't dead. We're in the hospital and everything is fine, Stiles tells himself as he rubs his eyes with the palms of his hands trying to forget about the nightmare. He sits up higher in the chair, stretching his arms when he hears Derek tossing and turning in the bed next to him. Stiles quickly turns on the lamp looking in Derek's direction to find him in the middle of a nightmare. He's gripping the side of his bed with his fists with cold sweat dripping off his forehead.

Without hesitation Stiles stands up from his chair leaning over Derek grabbing his shoulders, being careful of the bullet wound on his chest.

"Derek, wake up." Stiles says softly shaking his boyfriends shoulders, noticing the slight red patch sleeping through his hospital gown from all the moving he was doing. "Derek!" Stiles shouts a little louder than he intends as Derek suddenly sits up gasping for air looking around the room frantically.

"Kate. S-She's here." Derek says in panic, his breathing becoming sharp and short as his eyes scan the room quickly. Suddenly Stiles realises that Derek thinks his nightmare was real.

"Derek. She's gone. She's dead. You're in the hospital, everything is fine." Stiles quickly says noticing the sudden panic Derek is in but his breathing doesn't slow down. "Der, look at me. Breath in with me alright? Breath in. Hold it. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Good, now out slowly. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. There you go, good. Now again, slowly." Stiles repeats trying to calm Derek down who does as he says breathing in and out slowly as he looks around in confusion.

He's sitting up on a hospital bed with Stiles standing right next to him. His tired eyes watching him like a hawk as he continues to repeat the same mantra calming Derek down slowly. After nearly five minutes Dereks breathing goes back to normal but Stiles can still see the sweat glistening on his forehead and the way his fingers are trembling as he grips the sheets of the bed.

"What... what happened?" Derek asks in a croaky voice, his eyes finally meeting Stiles' for the first time.

"You had a nightmare which turned into a panic attack once you woke up. Far out, I'm close to having one as well. Are you alright?" Stiles asks letting out a deep breath, relaxing a little knowing Derek is fully with it now.

"Fuck... I- I don't know." Derek mumbles closing his eyes for a few seconds trying to get himself together. He lets out a shaky breath as Stiles' hand grabs his own.

"Is this okay?" Stiles asks softly and Derek nods as he squeezes Stiles' hand.

"How'd you know?... How'd you know to stop a panic attack like that?" Derek asks after a few minutes and Stiles smiles, happy Derek is starting a conversation.

"My dad use to say those exact words to me whenever I got a panic attack. He said my mother taught him what to do, she was always good at helping people." Stiles replies with a sad smile as he kisses the back of Derek's hand.

"My Mum use to say the exact same thing too." Derek responds sitting himself up higher against the pillows as he winces slightly letting go of Stiles' hand to grab his chest.

"You we're moving a lot in your sleep, you might have busted the stitches." Stiles comments worriedly noticing more blood on Derek's gown. "I'll go get a nurse." Stiles says turning towards the door

"No... Just... not yet." Derek quickly says holding Stiles' hand tighter who nods taking a seat next to Derek.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Stiles asks quietly brushing his thumb in circles over the back of Derek's hand.

"About what just happened or about what Kate did the other day?" Derek questions looking down at their hands.

"Both?" Stiles replies with a soft smile and Derek sighs.