"-to hand it to you. You sure know how to get the blood pumping. I was sitting at my desk eating my damn veggie…"

"Come on Stiles, it's time to wake up. Come on, son…"

'Everything feels heavy,' Stiles thought to himself as he tried to open his eyes. Wiggling his fingers he felt the soft blanket that was on top of him but didn't recognize the fabric. Moving anything exhausted him but he tried harder to wake up. Stiles wrinkled his nose at the antiseptic smell that surrounded him. Then, cracking his eyes open just the slightest amount, he groaned as the bright hospital lights blinded him.

"Stiles? Son! Are you waking up?" David Stilinski asked, desperate to know his son was okay. He stood up from his chair, hand still grasping his son's, and leaned over Stiles who in turn turned his head away from the booming voice.

Licking his lips was hard but Stiles managed and then croaked, "Dad? What happened?"

"Awe, kid." David lowered his voice. "You gave me twenty new gray hairs and took five years of my life." David sagged back into his seat and leaned his head against Stiles' hand. When he lifted his head a moment later, Stiles' eyes were a little clearer. "You were at the coffeehouse, kid with a gun came in."

"Yeah, yeah," Stiles breathed out. "Right, I remember that. Erica!" Stiles started to sit up but immediately his body was wracked with pain.

Firm but gentle at the same time, David put his hands on Stiles' shoulders to keep him down. "Hey, hey. Stiles look at me. Look at me, son. Erica is fine. I promise she is. She had a little concussion but you don't have to worry. Relax, son. She's fine; you're fine. Just relax."

Stiles couldn't help the tears that prickled at his eyes. He didn't even try to wipe his face when they spilled over; he was so relived to know Erica was okay. Gulping, he asked, "What about the kid?"

"It was suicide by cop, Stiles… I uh- I didn't get the whole story from Boyd but the kid was in a bad place and after he shot you… He just wanted to end everything. One of the other deputies took him down…"

"Damn…" Fresh tears trailed down Stiles' cheeks. "I tried to talk him down, dad. I failed him."

"Hey!" David admonished. "You did not. You got everyone out of the coffeehouse. You protected five innocent people and did your best to save that kid. None of what happened was your fault. If you hadn't been there, he just would have hurt someone else." Logically, Stiles knew his dad was right but it didn't change the feeling in his gut that he'd failed. "I'm just glad you're finally awake. You've been out for the last two days."

"Two days?" Stiles squeaked, surprised.

"Yeah, major surgery does that to you. Your body needed to heal. We thought you woke up last night. You opened your eyes and slurred a bit but then you were back out."

"We?"

"Yeah, kid." David gave Stiles' hand a squeeze. "Derek's been here almost the whole time. In fact I expect him back any minute. I made him go home to take a shower." With his free hand, David ran it through Stiles' hair. "You're gonna need a trim soon," he teased. "And a shave," he said as he pulled at Stiles' poor excuse of facial hair. In return Stiles stuck his tongue out. "Derek refused to leave the hospital until you were out of ICU. Erica and I stayed with him. Then Isaac came over and took her home under the promise of staying with her and waking her every two hours." He tapped a finger against Stiles' forehead. "Concussions…"

"Yeah, I've had my share of those…"

"Derek's a good man, son. He really cares about you."

Stiles nodded and swallowed hard. "I really care about him too. Dad, I'm pretty sure I-"

The door to Stiles' room opened and in came Mrs. McCall. Right behind her was Derek.

"Speak of the devil," Stiles joked and Melissa raised an eyebrow.

"You better not mean me? After all I have access to your morphine."

"Devil, you? No way!" Stiles tried to grin Melissa's way but wasn't sure what expression he actually made. It must have been close enough because Mrs. McCall smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Glad to see you awake. It was way too quiet around here. And look who I found wandering the hall."

"Hey," Stiles said by way of greeting, giving Derek a little wave with his fingers.

"Hey."

While Melissa went over the machines Stiles was hooked up to, David got up from his seat and forced Derek into it. "We've been alternating turns. Your back from your shower, now it's time for mine."

"I knew something smelled in here."

Both David and Melissa rolled their eyes. Derek let out an amused huff.

"Feel better," David said as he and Melissa exited the room.

Once it was just the two of them, Derek took up the charge of holding Stiles' hand. They were quiet for a long time before Derek spoke. "You really scared the shit out of me. There was blood everywhere, Stiles… And you- you stopped breathing and I swear I did too…"

Using most of his strength, Stiles pulled Derek hand to his lips and gave it a dry kiss. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry…" Derek mumbled. "Just don't, don't let it happen again. I can't ever see you like that again."

"You know I can't promise that. I'm an officer of the law; it's my job."

"I know," Derek eventually conceded. He let out a long sigh.

Stiles felt his heart clench in his chest and his whole body tried to curl in on itself in response. "If you don't think you can see me anymore… if you want to break this off… I would totally understand." He turned his head away from Derek, staring out at the nurse's station that was outside his room. He could see his dad chatting with Mrs. McCall.

Soft fingers forced his face to turn back and meet Derek's gaze. "I don't want to end us. I love you too."

"Too?" Stiles choked and Derek nodded.

"Once I passed Erica off to the EMT's Boyd gave me his phone. You never hung up, so we could hear you talking to the kid."

"What was his name?" Stiles cut in. "Sorry, I forgot to ask my dad."

"It was Matt. Matt Daehler. And you told him you loved me. I heard you." Derek paused, concentrating on the moment. "You said that you didn't think Matt would appreciate hearing you talk about how much you love me. You told that kid you love me and then he shot you… and I thought you were going to die before I got to tell you, I love you too."

"I think I may have died in your place of business. This is way too sappy, even for us."

"Shut up, Stiles."

"I love you… I'm sorry you had to hear it through the phone like that."

Standing, Derek leaned over until he could brush his lips against his boyfriends. He didn't try to further the kiss and Stiles didn't have the energy. "No problem; I don't think I'll tire of hearing it," he mumbled against Stiles' lips.

"Good," Stiles said with a large yawn. "Cause I'm not gonna get tired of saying it."

Back in his seat, Derek gently ordered, "Go back to sleep. Your body needs to heal."

"Lay down with me," Stiles whined and yawned again.

"I don't think that little bed it gonna fit both of us."

"Please." Stiles could feel his eyes drooping as he patted the mattress. "Help me sli… over. Hhhuummmph… Make roo-"

Instead of trying to squeeze onto the small mattress, Derek grabbed the bed from the other half of the room and slid it over. Once they were lined up and the breaks were on, he kicked off his shoes and ambled up onto the bed. Sliding up next to Stiles, Derek gently laid his arm over Stiles' hips and settled his face against his boyfriend's neck. "I love you," he whispered into Stiles' ear.

"Love you too," Stiles slurred back.