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

Alive

Derek's POV

I lost track of how long I had sat in that chair, long after Alaric got up and left, leaving me to drown in my thoughts of self-hatred and the deepest regret. I didn't know how long I sat wondering if I would ever get to see Lillian alive again, if I'd ever get to hold her or hear her beautiful voice.

I heard Alaric's fast footsteps before he rounded the corner into the waiting room, this time with a long blue paper-like gown open at his chest. Like he'd ripped it open when he walked out of the OR.

"Is she—"

"Dr. Mazurek is closing," Alaric said breathlessly, and I slumped in the chair, tears of relief rising in my throat and threatening to wash my face. "Her vitals are stable. We are planning to keep her here for a few days, but if she still refuses when she wakes up we might have to reevaluate and consider moving her home."

"But she's alright?" I pressed, digging my hands into the arms of the chair.

"She needs to heal, but yes, she is stable. We'll know more when she wakes up."

"Is there anything I can do?" I questioned, getting to my feet. I barely took notice of how disgusting my clothes were at that point, so at odds with his pristine scrubs and gown. At least they weren't covered in Lillian's blood.

"I think you being here would be good for her," Alaric murmured. "She will likely be very stressed when she wakes up, and if earlier was any indication, she will likely respond well if you are here."

I dipped my head. "I was never going to leave anyhow," I said. "I told her I'd be here when she wakes up. I plan to make good on that promise."

"Of course, a nurse should be bringing her to room 404 in a few minutes. I have to finish my shift."

I nodded again, but he extended a hand to me. I took it and shook firmly. "Thank you, again, Derek. I hope to see you when I finish my shift."

"Yes, sir."

"Please, Derek. Alaric will do."

*

When Lillian was wheeled into the room, her heartbeat infinitely stronger than it had been when I last saw her, I gritted my teeth to keep from whimpering with relief. The man I assumed was a nurse tucked her bed into the spot between IV stands and life support machines, locking the wheels of the bed.

"I'm Jon," he said as he injected the IV into the port in Lillian's vein with ease. His face was young, kind, but his eyes held depthless thought, swirling behind hazel irises like water.

"Derek," I replied, cradling Lil's hand the second I could reach it. I curbed my need to suck away her pain, knowing I couldn't risk letting Jon see my veins turn onyx. He'd be gone in a minute. Her skin was warm, dry, the only trace of blood left on her was the dried red under her nails. The mud caked to her skin, her hair, gone. The braids she'd done earlier, curving around her head, those were gone too. For a moment all that was heard was the beeping of Lillian's still-slow heartbeat on the monitor.

"Ms. Stager took quite the spill, huh?" Jon remarked lightly, flipping a sheet on the clipboard in his hand. "Got stomped on by a horse?" He raised his eyebrows and looked at me.

"Yeah," I sighed. I hadn't noticed the claws of exhaustion sunk so deep into my bones until I saw that she was alive. Until I sat down next to her and felt the warmth of her hand.

Alive.

I frowned, knitting my eyebrows together. "What time is it?"

Jon glanced at his watch. "Just after one," he replied. "When did you get here? You look like it's been a while."