Chapter 11

Note: The usual disclaimers apply. Don't own anything. All characters and recognizable contents belong to their respective owners. Not making any money from this.

Not betaed so all the spelling and grammatical mistakes are mine. Let me know if you spot them.

Suggestions, Reviews and Kudos appreciated

The next time Stiles woke up he was much more alert than the previous times. He felt human again. Being in the company of supernatural beings has upped his threshold for pain tolerance and the amount of pain that he was currently in was manageable. He looked around himself and was thankful for the depletion of various equipments. That has to mean that he was getting better... right? He also noticed some other changes like the room he was in was different from the ICU. They must have moved him while he was asleep. Good. There was also a lack of his dad and his friends. He looked outside the window where the sun was shining bright in the sky and thought that maybe his dad was working and the rest of the gang was at school.

Stiles carefully moved himself so that he was mostly in a sitting position, his pillow supporting his back in a way as to avoid putting pressure on his injured ribs. He mostly ignored the chest tube hoping desperately that it will come out soon. He was alone in the room and was getting bored so he tried to reach the remote to the TV in his room. It was just out of his reach and he was getting frustrated. He was contemplating getting up when Malia entered the room.

"What are you doing?" She asked worriedly.

"Uhhh nothing?" Stiles said sheepishly.

She shook her head and said, "Can't I leave you alone for five minutes?"

"You were here?" Stiles asked surprised.

"Uhh Yeah! I just went to answer Kira's call. Anyway how're you feeling?"

"Good. I feel pretty good actually." Stiles said honestly.

"Good. I am so happy you're alright Stiles. I don't know what I would've done if I lost you. I wanted to protect you, to keep you away from all this but I couldn't even do that. She knows that you are my weakness and now she's free again god knows where and we aren't even able to track her down. I feel so helpless Stiles." She said unable to stop herself.

"Hey come here." Stiles said gesturing towards the space on his bed. "You are not weak and you're definitely not helpless." Stiles said in a strong voice. "You are one the strongest people I know Malia. None of this is your fault and as far as Corrine is concerned, she's nothing now that she's powerless. She might come after us, maybe try to hurt us but she'll not succeed. We've taken on far greater threats than her and we've emerged victorious. You, my dad and the rest of the pack and I will take care of her if she tries to do anything." Stiles said giving her hands a squeeze.

"I'm so glad you're ok." She said and gave Stiles one of the gentlest of hugs that he has received from her. Stiles hugged her back careful of ribs and stitches. He was just glad that they could be friends even after broke up.

"So why aren't you at school?" Stiles asked after they had separated from their hug.

"Didn't feel like it. Besides I wanted to be here with you."

Stiles just smiled. They spent the next hour or so talking about nothing in general just hanging out. Kira came by some time later.

"Hey guys." She greeted.

"Hey." They both replied.

"It's good to see you awake Stiles." Kira said.

"It's good to be awake." Stiles replied happily.

"Malia, I think you should go home and rest for a while. I'll stay with Stiles until Scott and the others come from school." Kira said

"But I don't want to." Malia says not wanting to leave Stiles alone.

""It's OK Malia. You should go rest. You look tired. We'll be fine here. Kira will keep me company."

"Ok." She agrees reluctantly. "Be safe and you rest too. I'll see you later, OK?" She said leaning in to kiss Stiles on the cheek.

Stiles hugged her goodbye and promised to rest. Malia made Kira promise her to call her if she was needed before leaving.

Stiles and Kira talked about what Kira was doing the past few days with the shifters and they seemed to be helping her. She retold Stiles about how she managed to control her power and help take Theo down.

"Scott's going to miss you, you know?" Stiles said suddenly.

"I know. I'll miss him too but I have to do this Stiles. I can't be that helpless again. You can understand me right Stiles? I mean with the whole Nogitsune thing. I know it's not the same thing ..." she added hurriedly, "but I want to be control of myself and not the other way around. I won't let the fox take over me again and if the shape shifters can help me learn control, than I am willing to stay with them for as long as it is necessary. I don't want to be responsible for hurting anyone if I can prevent it by learning control. Besides knowing that Scott and all you guys will be here for me, will be like an incentive to work harder to learn control quickly so that I can be back soon."

"We're all going to miss you." Stiles said honestly

"I'll miss you guys too." After a moment she adds, " hey Stiles? I know Scott's your best friend and all and I don't have to say this but, you will take care of him right?"

"Always." Stiles said instantly.

Kira gives him a grateful smile.

The rest of the time passes in watching crappy television and making jokes about it.

Scott and Lydia came back some time late.

Lydia rushed in as soon as she heard Stiles's voice and hugged him, possibly a little harder.

"Ow. Lyds injured party here." Stiles managed to say. Not that he didn't like being hugged, and that too by one Lydia Martin but still.

"Sorry." Lydia said easing up a bit but not letting go of him fully. After she was satisfied, she looked him in the eye and said, "Don't ever scare me like that again."

Stiles just gave her a fond look.

"How're you feeling buddy?" Scott asks.

"Great." Stiles says with a smile, "can't wait to get out of here."

Scott just rolls his eyes in fond exasperation.

"I'll drop Kira off and come by later Ok?"

"OK." Stiles replies.

Kira Hugs Lydia and Stiles Goodbye and says that she will miss them and that she'll be back soon and for them to take care of each other. She had tears in her eyes. She really was going to miss them all.

She and Scott left the hospital together.

Stiles and Lydia talked some time about how Kira leaving was going to affect Scott and then later about school and homework and what Stiles missed today.

"I seriously didn't think Scott would turn anyone else but Liam seems so much happier now. He really loves Hayden and at least someone deserves to be happy after all that we have been through." Lydia says describing how both Liam and Hayden looked like teenagers in love, making gooey eyes at each other during lunch today at school.

"I'm just happy that the bite took. I don't think that Scott would have been able to forgive himself if the bite had not taken and if something would have happened to Hayden." Stiles says thinking about how it would have affected Scott if the bite wouldn't have taken. They had a new addition to their pack now. Scott had another beta bitten by him. This will help make their pack stronger.

Just then a doctor came to check up on Stiles. He examined him thoroughly and declared him doing fairly well given circumstances and no, it does not mean that Stiles can leave the hospital early. He looked at Lydia and said that she should head over to the cafeteria and have a break as a nurse will be coming in to change his bandages and dressing.

The doctor left the room saying that he'll send the nurse.

"It's Ok, Lyds. You should go have a coffee and eat a sandwich or something. I'll be fine here."

"I'll be right back." She said not wanting to leave Stiles alone

A nurse entered his room then. "Hello Mr. Stilinski. I am Betty. I'll be changing your bandages."

"Hey Betty. Call me Stiles." Stiles says giving her a smile.

Lydia rolls her eyes as she leaves the room. When she reaches the door another nurse enters the room. She has her face covered in a mask. It should not be that odd given that it's a hospital but Lydia still finds it odd since the nurse is here to change the bandages. She lets it go and heads to the cafeteria. The quicker she leaves, the quicker she can be back.

It's only when she's in the elevator that she realizes that the nurse in the mask was none other than Corrine.

TBC.

Please review if you are still reading and want me to continue.