Chapter 20

Stiles wasn't exactly "with it" when she awoke from surgery. Her head injury was worse than they initially thought, and she had trouble staying conscious for long periods of time, so she was put an induced coma to help her head heal. It was like being in a deep sleep. She had insurmountable dreams that were all so vivid and whacky, like an acid trip. She was in an ignorant and peaceful bliss until she was broke out of the coma, and even then, her mind still wasn't totally together. She felt as if she had been sleeping for years. Once awake, she continued to sleep a lot. She was just so tired. One evening she woke from a nap, aware of her surroundings for the first time since her surgery. Her conscious and the rest of her body were finally one again. She was in a hospital room, not alike any she had seen at Beacon Hills Memorial. Out the window she could see tall buildings. She was in a city.

Her memories came back to her in a flood. The Omegas, her friends, Derek, her legs, her baby. Her baby. She looked down at her stomach. She was definitely bigger. That was a good thing, right? That meant it had grown, that she hadn't lost it. Her eyes moved slowly to her legs. She braced herself for what she might see. She was on so many drugs she couldn't really feel anything below her waist. Her legs were both in thick, heavy casts strapped to a belt that were elevating them off the bed so her body was in an obtuse angle. She couldn't see her actual feet as her legs were so casted up, but she knew they were both still attached. She sighed with relief. She looked around the room, her mind very groggy. She turned her head to the side her saw her father, the Sheriff, uncomfortably asleep in a chair at her bedside. He looked awful, and smelt like it too.

"Dad," she whispered, snapping him to attention immediately. He leaned forward and grasped her hand.

"Hey kiddo," he said. "You're finally with it."

"What's going on?" she asked, confused. "What happened?"

"Everything's okay," he said to calm her. "We're in San Francisco, they had to put you in an induced coma for a bit and work on your legs. It's been four weeks.

"Oh," she breathed. "Where's everyone else?"

"They're fine. Just taking care of things back in Beacon Hills. Derek's been here though to protect you."

"Derek? Hale?"

"Yeah, I was just as surprised as you are. I know how much you hate him. He's been good, I must admit, has barely left this room."

She looked around, but didn't see him.

"What about the baby?" she asked.

"Baby is fine. You're 20 weeks now, halfway through. They kept asking me if I wanted to know the sex but I said I'd wait until you woke up," he explained.

"The sex? They know if it's a boy or girl?"

"Yep. Did you want to know? Or are you waiting until it's was born?"

"I hadn't really decided," she admitted. "I'll think about it."

They continued to talk for hours. The Sheriff told her about all the surgeries she'd had. Her left ankle was being held together with pins and wires. They were still unsure whether they would have to amputate it, but for now they were doing their best. Her right shinbones had to be reset. She was going to be off her feet for a very, very long time. He then told her everything that had happened in Beacon Hills since the night with the Omegas. Scott dedicated every waking minute to catching them, which he did. They were now imprisoned in the supernatural section of Eichen House. They wouldn't be bothering her anytime soon. She preferred they were dead, but Eichen House would have to do.

After a while, the doctor came in to give her some pain relief and talk a bit about her injuries. She didn't understand half of it but it all sounded very serious. The main concern now was her ankle. If the pins and wires didn't set and hold it together properly within the next month or so, she would have to lose her foot. Plus her baby would need close monitoring. Her body had gone through so much in the past couple of months that the doctor though it was a miracle she hadn't lost it. She knew it was because he or she wasn't a normal baby. It was strong, like its father. The doctor said she would have to stay in hospital for at least another month, and then move to a private care facility. It suddenly dawned on her that all this was going to cost an absolute fortune, and she panicked.

"I'm guessing our insurance doesn't cover all this," she said nervously. The doctor laughed.

"Oh there's no need to worry about that, Miss Stilinski, all your expenses have been more than covered. You don't need to worry about a thing," he told her.

"I don't understand."

Her father leaned forward.

"Derek offered to pay for all the treatment," he said.

"He did? Why?" she asked. Now she was really nervous.

"Well, he is loaded. Felt sorry for you I guess," he replied. Phew, Stiles thought, he doesn't know Derek is the father.

"I'll have to thank him for that."

"Now to the matter of your baby's sex," the doctor continued. "We need to do another scan, so we can show you if you like?"

Stiles still wasn't sure. She didn't care what the baby's sex was; she was just relieved it was still here. But she could tell by the look on the Sheriff's excited face that he wanted to know whether he was going to be getting a granddaughter or not.

"Yeah, okay, let's do it," she smiled. The Sheriff beamed with excitement.

Because Stiles was in such a delicate condition, the doctor had to have the ultrasound equipment brought to her. Her hospital gown was lifted up and the cold gel applied to her round stomach. Within seconds, an image of her baby was on the screen.

"Looks like you've got a thumbsucker," the doctor said. He pointed out the baby's hand going into its mouth.

"And the sex?" the Sheriff asked, barely able to contain himself. The doctor double checked, moving around the ultrasound so he could get a better look.

"It's a girl," he said. "Definitely a girl."

The Sheriff cheered and kissed Stiles on the forehead. "I told you!" he clapped his hands. "I knew it'd be a girl."

Stiles realized she genuinely hadn't cared either way, but she was kind of glad it was a girl if it made her father so happy.

"She's very healthy, everything's completely normal," the doctor said. "I'll print you out a copy."

The doctor wiped the gel off her stomach and got her the picture, then left her and her Dad alone. The Sheriff couldn't stop staring at the picture.

"Mini-Stiles," he breathed.

"We'll have to think of an actual name eventually," she said.

Now that Stiles was awake and well, the Sheriff agreed to shower and get some rest back at motel next to the hospital, after much persuasion. The minute he left, Stiles turned on her side and fell asleep.

When she awoke once more, it wasn't her father sitting in the armchair beside her, it was Derek. He was looking at the ultrasound picture, staring intently at it.

"Hi," she whispered. His head whipped up and he put the photo aside. He dragged the chair closer to her.

"Hi."

Stiles didn't know what to say next. What grounds were they on?

"It's a girl," she blurted out. Derek raised his eyebrows.

"What?"

"The baby, the doctor said it's a girl," she explained.

"Oh," he frowned, thinking about the information.

"You don't have to be here," she told him. He moved closer, holding her hand in his and gently stroking her hair with the other.

"I told you I wouldn't leave you," he said. He looked at her stomach. "My girls."

Stiles wanted to cry, but she was mad at him. She was always mad at Derek Hale.

"I don't want you here," she snapped. "You're too unreliable."

"I won't be from now on, I promise."

"You're promises don't mean anything to me," she continued. "All you've done is brought me trouble. I'm sorry but I don't want you around this baby. I have to protect my daughter."

"Our daughter, Stiles. She's mine too."

"She has no father," Stiles almost barks. She can see that Derek is hut, though she won't let up.

"You're going to need my help."

"Help to fuck up her life? No thanks. I've seen what this supernatural world does to people; I won't let her be a part of that."

"She's already a part of it," Derek said. "She's going to be a werewolf."

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."

"So that's it then? You want me gone?" Derek asked.

"Yes."

There was a moment of tense silence before Derek smiled.

"Well, I'm staying. And there's nothing you can do about it."