"Der'k?"

Derek looked up from where he was holding his arm, at the sound of the scratchy, confused voice. "I'm here and I'm healing, " Derek replied, trying to soothe Stiles as the teen used shaky hands to wipe the blood off his face.

"You... I..." Stiles' amber eyes widened as he stared at the bite on Derek's arm. He shuddered as he thought about why there was a healing bite on the werewolf. He swallowed hard and tried to keep his 'meal' down.

"Yes, Stiles, " Derek said, and his tone offered no room for argument. "I let you feed from me. I have the best ... control. And we can't let you get mindless again. It was hard enough on everyone when we found you."

Stiles shivered at the memory as his mind settled back into place. His memories had gotten a little foggy the hungrier he got but 'food' made him stable. He looked up at Derek and sighed. "I'm sorry. "

Derek rolled his eyes. Hard. "It's not your fault this happened. I should ... I should have protected you better."

Stiles wiped his hand on his jeans for a second before he laid his hand on Derek's arm. "Hey! You did everything you could. And I'm still here ... More or less, " Stiles waved a dismissive hand as he leaned into Derek's side and felt the warmth start to seep into him.

Derek sighed and leaned into the contact. "I know. But I don't think either of us know how to not take the blame," he replied with a small, lopsided smile. He let his chin rest on Stiles' head for a few moments before he shook himself and moved to stand.

"What's the plan? " Stiles asked as he took the hand Derek held out to him.

"We've got to go see Scott and the others. They went out yesterday to find out how the research has been going," Derek replied quietly.

"Do you think they'll have good news? " Stiles asked, trying to sound hopeful.

Derek couldn't help but shrug at the question. He honestly didn't know and he'd let his hopes get up too many times. "I hope so ... but I wouldn't want speculate."

Stiles bobbed his head in acknowledgement. "Yeah ..."

Derek raised an eyebrow as he looked over at the teen next to him. "How's your memory?"

"Doing fine now," Stiles replied thoughtfully. "And it's getting easier to remember everything that's been going on. This sucks."

Derek bumped his shoulder against Stiles' as he tilted his head in question.

"Being ..." Stiles huffed as he made a vague gesture toward himself. "Being ... this. A zombie."

Derek growled lowly at the comment. He clenched his hands to keep from doing anything else.

"It's okay," Stiles tried to soothe the wolf. "I've come to terms with what I am for the time being. They're working on a cure. So .. we just have to - to keep up the ..."

Derek raised an incredulous eyebrow.

Stiles huffed. "I know. But it's not gonna make me feel any better about the 'feeding' schedule." He used air quotes. "Or the fact that I ... I have to ... you know," he stumbled to a halt, uncomfortable with the whole situation.

Derek huffed out another sigh and leaned in to rub against Stiles again. "I don't mind. I'm the one that was supposed to protect you. And I failed. And ... I want to do this for you. I ..." He paused as emotion choked the words.

Stiles fave a small smile and nodded. "I love you too," he said as he leaned in to give Derek a quick kiss on the cheek.

Derek turned his head to brush his lips against Stiles' before he leaned back a little bit. "I do love you. I - I just..."

"Suffer from a severe case of emotional constipation, " Stiles finished for him. He gave a knowing smile as he pulled back so they could head back inside where the others would be waiting.

The two of them walked in companionable silence to the door.

"Scott," Derek called, his voice easily carried through the door. "We're done now. You can let us back in."

Scott's face appeared in the small gap in the door as he looked out to confirm. He gave a weary nod and opened the door the rest of the way. "So... it went okay?"

Derek gave a terse nod as he stepped inside with Stiles right behind him. "How's the research coming?"

Scott rolled his shoulder in a half shrug as he moved to lock the door behind Derek and Stiles. He looked tired with dark circles under his eyes. "Don't know. I didn't want to ask."

Derek nodded and led Stiles downstairs. "We have to go get you looked at," he said softly.

Stiles sighed but followed without hesitation.

"Good to see you're both back," Deaton said serenely as he looked up from the notes before him. He had a pen loosely held in his hand and a cup of tea nearby. "How did it go?"

Derek held his arm out and showed the fully healed skin. "It went fine. And he's lucid," he said as he watched Deaton write something in his notes.

"And you, Stiles? " Deaton asked with a raised eyebrow. "How much do you remember from your ... time between meals?"

Stiles frowned but actually took a moment to think. "I just remember the hunger and everything was ..." he swirled his hand through the air. "It was blurry? I know I could see but it was more... I dunno. Food or not food? I guess that's the best way to put it."

Deaton gave a tiny, tight lipped smile. "Very good. Scott and the others managed to get word to a few other emissaries and we're sharing information. I have something new to try. Its a collaboration with the others. If you're feeling up to it."

Stiles sighed as he looked at the intimidating concoction that was bubbling away. The smell wafted over to him and assaulted his nose, making him feel like he wanted to either gag or puke.

"That smells weirdly sweet," Derek commented as he took a tentative sniff.

Stiles looked at the werewolf like he'd lost his mind. "It smells horrible to me..." he countered even as he brought his shirt up to cover his nose.

"Interesting," Deaton hummed thoughtfully as he took down more notes. "It is designed to kill the zombie virus in you. The virus could make this smell bad in order to protect itself."

Stiles shuddered at the thought of having to drink it. "And you want me to try and drink that stuff?"

"Not much. Just a tiny sip. And then I want to know how you're feeling. Hopefully we're getting close to a cure," Deaton replied with a small, but hopeful smile as he held out a small vial with a dose of the 'cure'. It was a strange green substance interlaced with a purple streak. It swirled slowly in the vial.

"I don't know about this," Stiles said slowly as he looked at the vial the same way most people would look at a rearing cobra. He watched the stuff swirl for a moment before taking a deep breath and throwing the whole thing back.

Deaton watched the teen intently with a pen in hand, ready to take notes.

Stiles shivered briefly before his body fell deathly still. "That wasn't too..." he froze mid-sentance and grabbed his middle in agony as a tortured sound was ripped from his throat and his knees hit the ground with a nasty thunk.

Derek dropped to his knees beside Stiles, eyes full of worry. "Stiles? Are you okay? Stiles!"

Stiles groaned as his eyes clouded over and he paled further. His hands dropped from around his middle to brace against the floor. He growled lowly as his hands clawed at the ground.

Derek looked up at Deaton with a look somewhere between pissed and worried. "What's going on? What can we do to help him?"

Deaton frowned and shook his head. "We just have to wait. Just remember that he volunteered for this. And we have to hope for the best."

Stiles snarled and lunged forward teeth snapping as drool escaped from his lips.

TBC...