"I said I was fine Derek." Stiles said as he stood from the nasty blue couch in Derek's loft. He sat right back down feeling queasy and light headed all at once.
"You throw up on my floor, you are cleaning it." Derek said as he eased Stiles head back down on the pillow. "And you're obviously not okay. You can't even stand up." Derek got up to grab a bucket and set it next to Stiles, just in case. "This is why I wanted you to stay behind. You were no match for her, and you knew it."
"I had my bat." Stiles sat up protesting, regretting it instantly. "I just wanted to help."
"You help plenty Stiles, you do most of the research, you're a great moral support for the pack, and you keep me from ripping Scotts guts out most days, you help a lot." Derek gave Stiles a little grin.
"You think you're so funny, don't you Hale?"
"Stiles?" Derek said more seriously, "You don't heal like I do, you can't just be off and running straight into the front lines like that, she hit you like you were a piñata. She could have killed you." He made his point as he brushed the gash on Stiles forehead.
Stiles hissed, pulling back from Derek's hand. "I'm fine. See, all in one piece. It's going to take more than some power hungry bitch of a witch to put me down. Ha! That rhymed." Stiles lightly giggled to himself.
"Well, at least you can laugh at your own stupid jokes, that's got to count for something right?"
"Oh ha ha, you love my stupid jokes, and you know it."
"You really scared me tonight Stiles, I thought I was going to lose you when I couldn't get you to wake up. I thought the worst. I know you think you're not much help to us, but you are. How do you think we would feel if something did happen to you and we lost you? How would Scott take it? Lydia? What about me? You made me a promise Stiles, remember?"
"You know I do, geez Derek, don't make this such a big deal."
"A big deal? You almost died Stiles?"
"But I didn't, see all peaches and rosses." He gestured to himself, hissing when he moved the wrong way. "What did you expect Derek? She hit me like a piñata huh? She threw you like a rag doll; you hit the tree so hard it snapped in two. I panicked, she started towards you while you were down, so yes, I picked up my bat and tried to delay her, I'm sorry for caring."
"Please don't be like that Stiles, I would have been fine, I was fine. Again, I heal, you don't. I just you safe, okay?"
"I know, and I am sorry, but I don't regret it. I'll do it again if it means for once, I can protect you."
Derek kissed Stiles forehead and lifted him up gently. Stiles hissed in more pain, but wrapped his arms around Derek's neck as he carried him over to the bed. He laid Stiles down and covered him up with the sheets. Derek kissed Stiles cheek this time as he ran a hand through Stiles hair. "Rest, okay?" Derek stood to leave him to his resting when Stiles grabbed his wrist.
"Please don't go, stay with me, please?"
Derek twisted his hand so Stiles' hand was in his. He gently climbed into the bed behind Stiles and wrapped himself around him. He placed his hand gently on Stiles forehead, seeping the pain from his wounds while Stiles hummed with a little smile, drifting into a light slumber. Derek kissed the back of his head. "I'll always protect you Stiles; I'll be here, always."