Heartbeat // A Derek Hale Love Story (Teen Wolf)

Screaming Sirens

Derek's POV

She reeked of blood, and I knew it wasn't just from her horse. My heart dropped to my stomach as she leaned forward, coughing up a fountain of blood onto the pavement. In the dark I could see perfectly, the dark red stain that narrowly missed her boots.

"Oh, God," I nearly moaned. "Lillian, I need to call someone. Please," I reached for her cheek, but she took a stumbling step back.

"No," Lillian insisted, the tang of her fear tainting the air as effectively as the blood. "Derek, I can't."

"Yes, you can," I replied as forcefully as I dared. "I'm not going to let you die on my watch."

Her beautiful eyes filled with tears again and she started to cry again. Except, this time it was for herself and not her beloved horse. The sound she made along with it cleaved my heart in two. "Please, Derek. Don't take me there."

"I have to call someone," I said, tears lining my own eyes. "Lillian, you could bleed out. I can't let that happen." I reached for her phone, but she caught my wrist.

"No, Derek!"

"Let me at least call your dad," I begged, tugging my arm from her unsettlingly weak grip. "Come here, sit down. It's going to be okay," I guided her to a fencepost, holding her as she slid to the ground clumsily. If she was coughing up blood she was bleeding internally, which didn't likely do anything to help her coordination. "I'll be right back, I'm just going to call him, get him to come."

Lillian nodded distantly, getting a faraway look in her eyes which made my insides clench. She didn't even argue with me, because I think once she was sitting down she realised how exhausest she was. I stepped away, finding her father's number quickly before bringing the phone to my ear.

He took his time answering, which did nothing to help my nerves. I considered in the moments of nothing but dial-tone that if somehow no one could come for Lillian then I would run her to the hospital myself. I was dangerously close to forgoing all secrecy if it meant saving her life.

"Dr. Stager speaking," he answered, his voice edged with professionalism and the of efficiency of a doctor.

"Hey, this is Derek Hale," I started.

"Lillian's friend, correct?" he said quickly. "What is it?"

I swallowed and quickly told him what happened, up to Lillian coughing up blood and begging me not to call anyone.

"I'm here at the hospital," Alaric replied, his tone laced with the concern of a parent. "I will send an ambulance to you. Don't let her tell you she won't go to the hospital. She will. If she is coughing blood, she will likely need surgery. Just— try to keep her calm. If it helps, tell her I will be here when she gets here."

"Okay," I responded, running a hand through my hair.

"Whatever you do, do your best to keep her conscious, if you can," Alaric instructed. "I will see you when you get here."

He hung up without another word, no doubt to send us an ambulance. I swallowed again, jogging back to Lillian, dropping into a crouch in front of her. "Hey, how we doing over here?"

Lillian's eyes slid to me, and she licked her paling lips. Tears still stained her cheeks. "J-just peachy."

"Lil," I breathed as I sat down next to her, taking her hand.

"W-what did my dad say?"

"He's sending someone to come help you," I said. Not a lie, just avoiding the part of the truth that she didn't want to hear.