Author's Note: The following takes place directly after the events in part one.
His dad is holding his hand when he wakes up. There is blood smeared on his uniform, a splash under his chin. His eyes are bloodshot and puffy.
He's made his father cry.
"Da-" the attempt to speak tears up his throat and it hurts.
"Don't talk. Your throat will be sore for awhile. You. . . you were strangled." He doesn't remember it. Doesn't remember much at all before he slid the blade between someone's ribs and fell beneath the body he left behind.
Why was he strangled?
The deputy.
Derek.
Where was Derek?
He tries to ask, but his dad shushes him before he can get anything out.
"Do you know why-" his dad chokes off his sentence, and moves closer to Stiles when he realises he can't get the words out. Stiles knows the question anyway. Do you know why my deputy almost killed you?
"Whe. . . re. . . is. . ." Stiles finally manages to stammer out. His dad tightens his grip on Stiles' hand.
"Scott is in the waiting room with a few of your other friends. They've been there for hours."
"De. . . rek?" he finishes, before a coughing fit hits and obliterates the conversation. His dad helps move him into a sitting position and coaxes a handful of ice chips between his lips.
He thinks his dad has forgotten the question and wants to ask again, but he's not sure if he can handle the attempt at speaking.
"Who is Derek?" his dad asks. Stiles tries to say Hale, but the word just won't come. He mouths it several times, hoping his dad will catch on.
"Derek Hale? Why would you want to know where Derek Hale is?" Stiles is fairly certain that his dad hasn't even realised how loud his voice is by the end of it.
Melissa McCall walks in before Stiles can even think of another way to ask.
"Stiles! You're awake. Are you in any pain?" He shakes his head, despite the fact that his throat still hurts and his wrists are a little sore. He doesn't want any more pain meds-even if he normally would.
He needs to know if Derek is okay.
"If you're sure, hon. Do you want me to send Scott in to see you?" her voice is soothing, but seeing Scott is not what he wants right now.
"Der..." he only manages the first syllable before the pain is too much and he can't help but whimper. The whimper hurts as much as the words.
"I'm going to up your meds, Stiles. Do you want me to ask about Derek for you?"
He nods gratefully, trying to ignore the incredibly confused look on his dad's face. His dad waits until Melissa leaves to comment.
"I thought you barely knew Derek Hale." His dad's voice is half concern and half anger. He can't blame him. Stiles can't think of a way to respond.
And once again, he doesn't have to. Scott comes in a moment later, heading right for the bed.
"Dude, my mom told me I only had a minute. But seriously, you want me to call Derek for you?"
Scott, the master of tact, doesn't even realise that his dad is in the room until after he finishes speaking.
"What does Derek Hale have to do with my son being in the hospital?" Scott cowers a little.
"Well, that I don't actually know? I mean, Stiles and Derek are kind of. . . friends?" Scott finishes, wincing at Stiles' face.
"Friends?" His dad asks. Stiles closes his eyes and breathes slowly.
"I'm going to go call Derek now." Stiles can hear the door open and shut as Scott leaves.
"What is going on with you, kid? You almost got killed last night. What has Derek got you into, Stiles?"
Stiles blinks his eyes open at his father's words. He's a little bit angry for Derek even though he knows his father is just worried about him.
"Pen?" The word causes him to cough again, and several minutes pass before his father gets up to find him something to write with.
Stiles is not sure what he's going to tell his father, but he needs to explain something.
It's not Derek's fault.
