Author's Note: I know you must hate me after how I ended last chapter, but I swear this one is the one you are waiting for. I really hope you like it. We're back to Stiles' point of view by the way. I liked writing in Derek's POV but this is something that I always thought should be seen from Stiles' POV. Here ya go.

oooooooooo

Chapter 22

Stiles POV

Waking up in a hospital isn't exactly a dream of mine. Waking up to see Derek waiting at my bedside, that kinda is, but why is he here. I understand my Dad being here, since you know he's my Dad. But Derek? Shouldn't he be out there finishing the fight and cleaning up the mess? Why is he here sitting vigil at my bedside?

After getting "sternly spoken to" by my father, it seems that he has to go and clean up the mess caused from the fight, leaving me alone with Derek. I know he's probably going to yell at me, but maybe if I can explain my side, he will be nicer to me.

Derek is sitting on the side of my bed, playing with the sheet right in front of him. His hands are just out of my reach, a part of me wanting to close the distance and place my hand in his. "Derek, before you start can I say something?" He looks me in the eyes and nods. "I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you. I'm sorry that I got myself into this mess. I just couldn't sit by and wait. I couldn't sit around and wait to hear that you had been killed." I could hear a sharp intake coming from him. "Or Scott. Or Anyone. You guys are my pack, my extended family. I needed to make sure you were safe. I was only planning on doing something if I felt like you guys needed the help. When I saw that wolf headed straight for you, I had to do something. I'm sorry that I got hurt, but I stand by what I did. If I had to choose again, I'd do the same thing." I took a deep breath and looked down. "Ok, now you can yell at me."

"Stiles," ok that wasn't a yell. The way that came out was someone who was so relieved but also partially falling apart. I look up to see Derek's attention back on the sheets. "Do you know what it was like to see you get torn up by that Alpha? To see your limp body fall to the floor? To hold you as the color faded from your skin?" He took a deep breath and met my eyes, his expression filled with sadness. "Keeping you away from the fight, it wasn't because you weren't strong enough or because you couldn't hold your own. It was because I didn't want you to get hurt. I know you're tough, but you're still human. I didn't want to have to see the life drain from your body, or be the one to tell your father that you were killed. Today, I had to do that. It may have only been an injury, but it was still horrible."

There is more there than just what he was saying. There was something behind those words. I mean, I know I should be making a joke right now about how that is probably the most I've ever heard him speak, but this isn't the time. "Derek, I'm sorry for that, but I had to."

"I know you think you had to, but that's just it, you don't." He stands up and starts pacing. "Everything doesn't have to fall on your shoulders. You don't always have to be the one that protects us all. You're not a wolf. This injury, it's going to take weeks to heal. If the same thing happened to me, I'd be healed up by now."

"I don't care about the risk. I know that it is dangerous and I can handle it." My voice starts to rise to meet his, the anger starting to become present.

"That's just it. You can handle it, but what about everyone else. You are always so worried about how devastating it will be to find out that one of us is dead, but how do you think we will feel if you die. God you're so selfish. Do you not see that it will tear everyone that loves you apart? How it will tear me apart?"

My face is frozen listening to him. "I'm sorry. I guess I never thought of that. I didn't think about how it will affect everyone else around me."

"I've already lost everyone I love, I don't want to lose you too."

The sadness in his eyes captures me, but then his words sink in. "Wait, Love?"

He takes a deep breath and moves to sit beside me again. He took my hand and placed it in his. They were warm and slightly calloused, but I loved the way they felt wrapped around mine. "Seeing you lying there, watching the color fade from your skin, it woke something up in me. It helped me to realize the feelings that I've been burying deep inside, so deep I wasn't aware of it."

I thought over what he was saying. He only thought he loved me because he almost lost me. He didn't have those feelings before. "Those feelings aren't real. You just care about me and didn't like how this all made you feel. It isn't love, it's just worrying mixed with caring. A week from now when this all settles down those feelings are going away."

His expression slowly changes from one of compassion to one of anger. "You think that what I'm feeling isn't real. You think I'm lying to you."

"They can't be. This is all just you being confused about what you're experiencing. It's not possible for someone like you to even think of someone like me in that way. Hell you didn't even think of me in that way less than a day ago. That doesn't just change." My frustration was starting to be heard through my words.

"I know what I feel. A part of me has had these feelings for you this whole time, I just wasn't ready to listen to that part. You have to believe me when I tell you that what I'm feeling is true. Dammit Stiles, why are you so stubborn?!" He stands up again and turns away for a second before returning to face me. "Why can't you see that I'm telling you the truth?"

"Because it can't be the truth!" I yell out. "I have been crazy about you for the past month. I've seen how great you are and I've seen your flaws. The one thing that I've come to determine is that these feelings I have are meant to be one-sided. Someone like you can't love someone like me."

"That's bullshit!"

"No it isn't."

"Yes it is. If you really have been feeling that way then you should be happy about what I am saying. You're just afraid of what will happen. You don't think you deserve to be loved. Well you do, and I'm going to prove it to you."

Before I can respond his lips are being pressed against mine. It took me by surprise but it took me less than a second before I was returning the kiss. I would be lying if I said that this was probably one of the best moments of my life. His hands moved to the sides of my neck, his thumbs moving on my cheeks. The ways his lips moved with mine was as if they were meant to. It wasn't perfect but there was something about it that just felt right. When he pulled away both of us were out of breath. Right there in his eyes I could see what he was saying. There was no doubt in his expression, just the love that he swore he carried. He pulled away and sat back down on the bed.

"Do you believe me now?"

"It's kind of hard to doubt you. Come here." He moved closer and I grabbed both his hands in mine. "You're an asshole." His face drops for a second, but then I laugh. "Do you know how hard it's been for me this past month? I started to realize my own feelings for you after those witches. I thought that it was just because I thought I was going to lose you, but I slowly realized it was more than that. There was also the fact that you're a 12 on a scale from 1 to 10. Do you know how many times I've wanted to jump you? You say you've had these feelings hidden inside, well it would've been nice if you had let them out before I got sliced and diced. Would've saved me a lot of stress."

"I'm sorry. I guess a part of me knew that I liked you and that's probably the part that had me constantly worried for your safety."

"Well at least part of you knew something was up."

"There was also another part of me that knew how attractive you were, but I guess I just thought that was just me noticing, not anything more."

"Attractive, huh?" I say with a smirk.

"Yes, attractive. You have beautiful eyes. I love your moles. You're just the right amount of toned muscles. Plus your lips are ridiculous, they sometimes distracted me. Any man or woman would be attracted to you. If they didn't, they're either blind or an idiot."

"Yea, about that whole attracted thing. Part of the reason why I never thought you'd be interested in me is because I didn't know if you swung that way. I mean, the only two people I know you've been with is Kate and Jennifer," a slight growl escapes his lips at the mention of their names, "Sorry. I thought you were straight so I had no chance."

"Just because I didn't broadcast my sexuality doesn't mean I'm automatically straight. If you really must know, I'm bi, but I'm assuming you know that considering I just professed my love for you."

"Really? Professed your love. What are we in? Some kind of corny teenage love story?"

"Well you are a teenager."

"Yes, but I'm a legal teenager so there's no excuses there buddy."

"Don't call me buddy."

"Sweetie?"

"No."

"Honeybuns?"

"No."

"Snookums?"

"Stiles, shut up."

"Fine." I laugh, it was good to finally have a lighter atmosphere. "So, what do you want to do about us?"

"That's up to you."

"What do you mean?"

"I want to do this. I want to be with you. I want you to be mine and I want to be yours. But it's not my decision to make. You get to decide."

"I like that idea. I want to do that."

"Great." He moves in and kisses me once again. This time shorter but just as nice.

"You know, you never actually said that you loved me. You just implied it." I say with a small smile on my lips.

He places his hands on either side of my face, capturing my full attention. His eyes locked on mine. "I love you, Stiles."

"I love you too, Sourwolf." He moves in to kiss me again and I smile before can kiss me again.

"What?"

"Looks like I've found a nickname for you after all."

"Shut up."

"Whatever you say, Sourwolf." He laughs quickly but then his lips are on mine again. Finally, it seemed like we would get the chance to be together. I don't have to worry about it being one-sided. We were going to be together. This wasn't exactly how I expected it to happen, but I'm glad it finally did.

oooooooooo

Author's Note: So they finally got together, YAY! I'm have one more chapter, an epilogue. It's not really going to be exciting while we wait for Stiles to recover, so it's going to have a time jump. Thank you so much for reading and please let me know what you think. Thanks.