Isaac fell asleep soon after waking, his body not strong enough to keep consciousness for very long. Jackson knew he was fighting sleep though, had seen the same fight in Isaac's eyes that he had seen in Stiles'. Derek and Stiles had arrived shortly after Isaac had slumped over into sleep and Jackson hadn't missed the flash of disappointment in Stiles' eyes when he saw that Isaac was asleep. Derek hadn't stuck around long, both because of the two visitors only rule and because the department was a madhouse dealing with the flu. Jackson and Stiles sat with Isaac until visiting hours were over and the nurses were forced to kick them out. He hadn't wanted to leave yet, feeling like if he left it could be the last time he saw Isaac.
It wasn't. Stiles was waking him at three in the morning with the news that Isaac had somehow escaped the hospital and was wandering around and that the Sheriff had told them to collect him and bring him back to the Pack house since the hospital was understaffed and overcrowded. Jackson got dressed and the two of them hopped into the Jeep to look for the missing beta. They drove in quiet, listening for any sign of Isaac. Finally, at five they decided that there was too much ground to cover for just the two of them, not to mention that he could be somewhere in the Preserve and they would need to search on foot for that, and headed back to the Pack house to get the others up only to find Isaac sitting on the steps to the front porch shivering
"Pup." Stiles said throwing himself out of the car without turning it off or putting it in park even. Isaac met him halfway, pressing himself into Stiles' chest like he could melt into it. Jackson slid into the driver's seat in order to put the jeep into park and shut it off before climbing out.
"Let's get him inside and get something warm in him." Jackson said and Stiles nodded
"Come, Pup, let's get some cocoa in you. How the hell did you get out of the hospital?" Stiles said wrapping one arm around Isaac's shoulders. Isaac shrugged but didn't say anything.
Stiles sat across the counter from Isaac. His pup had a large cup of cocoa in his hands and Jackson had brought the comforter that he had used that night to wrap around Isaac's shoulders. Stiles didn't miss the way Isaac pressed his nose into the fabric every once in a while, as if reminding himself of Jackson's smell. Stiles had always found Jackson's scent to be almost acidic, like sour lemons mixed with chemicals. He had gotten used to it, had to when he had been sharing an apartment with the Kanima. It seemed Isaac found the scent comforting. He was still wearing the hospital scrubs but Stiles knew that it would have to wait. Stiles didn't want to let his pup out of his site for at least an hour to reassure himself that Isaac was truly awake and okay. It had been a little unnerving when he had arrived at the hospital to find Isaac asleep again. Like he hadn't actually woke even though Stiles had known he it had probably taken all of Isaac's energy just to wake once.
"I don't have to go back, do I?" Isaac asked quietly. Stiles didn't understand what he was talking about but it seemed Jackson knew
"You don't unless you start to show symptoms again." He said and when Stiles shot him a confused look Jackson mouthed the word 'hospital'. Isaac didn't want to go back to the hospital.
"You don't have to go back Pup, promise. I doubt you'll fall ill again. Your body has beat the spell once, it's got magical antibodies against it now." Stiles said turning to the fridge to start breakfast for his pup. Isaac needed good food so he started making homemade oatmeal, something his mother had often done when he had gotten sick as a kid. He figured he could make sausage as well so that Isaac would have protein and maybe eggs too but that could wait until the rest of the Pack was awake. For now, Isaac would have to do with the delicious oatmeal.
"That's good. Would we be able to use them to make a cure?" Isaac asked and Stiles shook his head.
"It doesn't quite work like that I'm afraid. From what I've read the only way to get the spell to go away is for the caster to break it or for the affected to realize it's not real and fight it." He said and Isaac deflated
"Oh. But I don't have to go back there, do I? To that world?" Isaac asked and Stiles shook his head
"Like me, you'll be immune to that family of spells from now on." He said and Jackson cut in
"You're immune to?" He asked and Stiles nodded
"One of the few good things about being possessed by a Nogitsune is that most illusionary magic is useless on me because I see right through it. This spell requires it's victim to be susceptible to illusion magic." Stiles explained and Isaac sighed
"Has anyone else shown signs of getting sick?" Isaac asked and Stiles shook his head.
"No one else in the pack has gotten sick yet. I hope you were just an unlucky one and that no one else falls into the spell." Stiles said and Jackson snorted
"I wonder what McCall's illusion would be." He said and Stiles shrugged
"Probably something with Allison." HE said and Isaac flinched
"Is everything okay?" Jackson asked putting his hands on Isaac's shoulders. Isaac relaxed at the touch
"In my dream world Ally was still alive, pregnant with Scott's twins. You were human Stiles and Jackson was a normal werewolf." Isaac said and Stiles smiled softly
"In my dream world I think I would have stayed. Married Derek, had a few kids already." He mused
"If I fell sick I would probably have a dream about staying with the pack as well. Maybe not being a real wolf like everyone else because I've accepted what I am but I would have stayed here instead of going to London." Jackson said. There was a thump from upstairs and Stiles glanced at the ceiling
"Sounds like Lydia is up." Stiles said scooping a bowl of oatmeal out of the pot and placing it in front of Isaac. Isaac dug into it hungrily and Jackson slid into the barstool beside him to watch him eat.
"You want some Jax?" Stiles asked and Jackson nodded so Stiles made him a bowl, drizzling honey onto it because he knew Jackson liked his oatmeal sweet. Lydia breezed into the kitchen half an hour later and began to make toast for herself, not even looking at the three in the counter until she realized that Isaac was there
"Isaac!" She screamed and Stiles heard half a dozen thumps from upstairs as the rest of the pack woke.
"Oh, Isaac we were so worried. How in the world did you get here? Derek said you woke but should you be out of the hospital? You look so thin, I'll make you some breakfast." Lydia said moving around the kitchen. Stiles could see that she was making Isaac uncomfortable since he clearly had a second helping of Stiles' oatmeal still sitting in front of him with a spoonful on its way to his mouth.
"I'm good thanks." He said and Lydia paused.
"You really should eat." She said and Isaac frowned. Whatever he was about to say was cut off when the front door opened. Stiles smiled when Derek entered the kitchen before anyone else was downstairs and had his arms wrapped around Isaac. As the rest of the pack filed into the kitchen Derek checked Isaac over and fussed in a way that only Derek could pull off; glaring at everything in the way that said he wasn't really mad but just really worried. Once he was sure that Isaac was okay he moved to kiss Stiles' cheek
"I'm glad you found him. I was so worried when the hospital said he had disappeared and John wouldn't let me go looking." Derek said and Stiles grinned
"Didn't actually find him. Me and Jax got back here to get the rest of the pack up to look and he was sitting on the porch steps." Stiles said and Derek huffed. Lydia made her anger known by slamming two pots together unnecessarily
"Not like the rest of us deserved to know that Isaac was wandering about." She muttered and Derek let out a low growl
"I told Stiles to only wake Jax because I didn't want a mass search and I knew everyone had to work today." He said sharply and Lydia huffed but didn't say anything. Stiles considered it a win even though the tension in the air seemed to thicken.
"Come on 'saac. Let's get you into some comfortable pajamas and then some more sleep." Jackson said helping Isaac to his feet and leading him away from the rest of the pack. Cora shot Jackson a dirty look and Stiles felt his anger at the girl's immaturity boil over. He waited until he heard the shower start before speaking
"I've had enough. I know I left but I am back and I will not be treated like a pariah. I am Derek's mate Cora. I'm not sure if you know what that means so let me spell it out for you. I outrank you. If I deemed it necessary I could kick you from the pack because I am one of the Alpha Pair. Stop playing like you have power over me because you are Derek's sister. Grow up. The same goes for you Lydia. Don't push me." Stiles snarled before stalking from the room. As soon as he was out of sight he heard Cora start to whine to Derek about how Stiles was being an ass but Derek shut that down by saying
"He is correct. I won't stop him if he chooses to dismiss either of you from this pack. He is my mate." Stiles smiled at those words. Having his mate defend him felt nice.
Derek relaxed back into the bath that his mate had prepared for him. His back ached from leaning over paperwork for the last three days. Three of the officers who had been out sick had returned and John had told him to take a few days off. It was probably a good thing. He had been extremely dizzy for the past day. Not to mention the fever that kept him sweating all night and freezing all day. He knew he was past the point where he should have told someone but after seeing Isaac in the hospital and watching Stiles fight with Lydia and Cora about every little thing he was afraid of what being sick would mean for the pack. Would they follow Stiles like they should? Or would Cora take over because Derek knew she was making the rounds with all the pack members talking shit about Stiles. He suspected that Stiles knew too but not to what extent. Derek knew that Boyd and Erica would side with Cora, they didn't trust Stiles anymore since he had explained that he was a creature of Chaos. The twins would no doubt side with Stiles, he had seen them look at his mate and saw blind loyalty due to the fact that Stiles saw past their past in ways that the rest of the pack never could. Or would. No doubt if Cora took over the pack they would leave to follow Stiles. Isaac would stay with Stiles too, that Derek had no doubt of. Isaac saw Stiles as a mother figure despite Stiles being male. He would stick with Stiles no matter who was in charge and would no doubt leave with Stiles if Cora too over and kicked the Shadow Kitsune out. Liam would remain in Beacon Hills no matter who was in charge. Danny would do the same though he might leave if Cora became to antagonistic. Lydia was just as bad as Cora an since she was Cora's mate she would stay. Kira would stay with Scott and Scott was a hard one to figure out. He was deeply hurt with Stiles, didn't like that Stiles had both stayed away for so long and he also didn't trust that Stiles would stay. But he was also Stiles' self-proclaimed best friend. It could honestly go either way.
That meant most the pack would side with Cora even if Scott decided to stay neutral.
Stiles snuggled into Derek's chest and frowned. Instead of being like a furnace, Derek' skin was as cold as the artic. Stiles was immediately awake and aware that something wasn't right. He didn't move but opened his eyes to glance around. He could see in the faint moonlight that there wasn't anything out of place in the room, the door to both the bathroom and the hallway was still shut, the window was as well. There wasn't anyone else in the room and it was really Derek that he was snuggled up to. Still, something was wrong. Derek was too cold and that could mean a lot of different things. The worst being Derek was sick. Wouldn't have Derek told him by now though?
"Derek?" Stiles said sitting up and waking his mate with a light shake. Derek let out a soft groan in protest but sat up as well
"What's going on?" He mumbled as Stiles flicked on a light.
"I should ask you that. You're freezing." Stiles said watching how Derek rubbed his head with a frown. Derek paused when he realized what he was doing and Stiles felt dread sink into him.
"Oh, G-d. You're…Derek…Please tell me you're not." Stiles anguished, his heart picking up in fear as he thought of what this could mean. Derek reached out and grabbed his hand.
"Stiles, calm down. It's going to be alright." Derek said soothingly and tears slipped out of Stiles' eyes.
"How long have you known?" Stiles asked softly. Derek stayed quiet for a long moment, rubbing circles into Stiles' knuckles in a soothing manor.
"Since before you left for London." He said and Stiles let out another anguished cry, pulling away from Derek to sit at the end of the bed.
"Stiles." Derek said and Stiles let out a sobbing laugh
"When were you going to tell me? When I found your comatose body laying somewhere? Or when my father called saying you had collapsed while at the station? When did I get told Derek?" Stiles snapped. He was so scared now. How long did he have left with his mate? How long until Derek succumbed to the sickness and disappeared into a world of his own mind's making?