puppy love } { of bank robberies and jedi pigs

[impetere]

Stiles: [he doesn't remember the explosion, or the events leading up to it. It was a normal trip to run errands. Bank, haircut, groceries... but he never got past the first one. As he stood in line there was a commotion and door locked for a robbery. His training kicked in. He still wore his ankle gun because he knew he would always be in danger. He herded the people he could into the offices. He tried to keep them back. But they wanted more than money, and he didn't know about the suicide vest. The explosion made him fly across the room, slamming into the wall as the ceiling collapsed. The people in the offices were safe because of him and the old, thick bank walls.

He was taken to the hospital and his fingerprints run since his wallet was separated from him in the blast. It set up an alert at CONTROL that was directed to Matt since it was his weekend on duty. He went to the hospital first for information, and then made his way to where he knew Stiles and Cora lived to be the bearer of the news.]

Cora: [and she's at home setting up the house, trying to figure out how she wants things to go. she's mostly focusing on the homemaking rather than anything else at the moment, so when there's a knock on the door and she sees Matt, she frowns] Hi, Matt.

Matt: Cora. [he licks his lips, looking in the hallway to see if there was anyone around] Are you alone?

Cora: [that's never a good sign] Yeah, Ben's at school.

Matt: Can I come in?

Cora: [she lets him in, but she doesn't wait long after the door closes] What happened?

Matt: There was an incident at the bank downtown.

Cora: How bad?

Matt: He's in surgery right now. They'll know more in a few hours. I can drive you.

Cora: [she nods and reaches for her phone to call the school] I'll call about Ben on the way.

Matt: [he has already texted Hayley and Allison from the hospital, so he will just nod and show her to the car.]

Cora: [and she will make arrangements for after school for Ben as they drive, staying quiet and trying not to worry too much about what's waiting for her at the hospital. Mostly failing though]

Matt: He saved a lot of people from what I was told by the police. Herded them into the back away from the robbers.

Cora: I'm sure he did.

Matt: [looks over at her] He's going to be okay, Cora.

Cora: [is just going to stay quiet and keep her eyes out the window]

Matt: [that's fine, he can do quiet. And they will get to the hospital where he will lead her up to the intensive care unit and to the nurse he had spoken with]

Cora: [and she will just wait for the doctor to come and talk to her]

Doctor: [and when the surgery is over he will come out and talk to them, explaining how the blow to his head had caused a subdural hematoma. They went in to relieve the pressure it had caused on his brain. They won't know more until he wakes up, but once he is settled into a room they will let her come back to see him]

Cora: [just nods as she takes all that in and once the nurses give her the all clear, she'll head to the room indicated to sit at Stiles' bedside, one hand in his as she tries to make sure he isn't in any pain]

Stiles: [nope, drugs are good. So good. Best drugs ever. His head is bandaged, as are his ribs. Otherwise, beyond the few superfluous scrapes and bruises from the wall, he looked good for someone who had been close to an explosion and then at the bottom of a pile of bricks]

Cora: [well, she'll just sit here with him until he decides to wake up]

Stiles: [which is not going to be for at least a day.]

Cora: [well, Laura has Ben, so she's just going to curl up in the chair and go to sleep, and the doctors better not try to make her leave because she will not]

Stiles: [and eventually his eyes will crack open and he will stare at the ceiling a moment, his brain trying to figure out where he was. It was hard to keep them open though and he closed them again, sighing softly as he listened to the distant voices somewhere]

Cora: [stirs a bit at the sigh, before glancing over to the bed] Stiles?

Stiles: [what is a Stiles? That voice is closer, and he will open his eyes again and try and look in that direction, but groan because his head hurts trying to move]

Cora: Hey, take it easy. [she makes her way closer so that he can just look up at her and takes his hand gently] You're in the hospital.

Stiles: Explains why I hurt. [he will look up her, confusion in his eyes. She was a beautiful woman, and he knew she meant something to him. But he struggled to find a name to call her.]

Cora: Is it bad? I can try and make it a little better. [she goes to try and pull his pain]

Stiles: [he is about to ask what she meant by that, but as she pulls on his pain his eyes will flutter closed again because that feels good, and it'll lull him back to unconsciousness]

Cora: [and she'll pull as much as she can before she needs a break, and goes back to her chair to let him rest]

Doctor: [and they will come in to check on him, having seen the vitals change]

Cora: He was awake for a little bit, but he passed back out again.

Doctor: Well, that's a good sign.

Cora: He said he was in pain? But I think he's doing better now.

Doctor: [and he will look over at the drugs and his chart] I can up his morphine drip. You or he can also press the emergency button for an extra dose for him.

Cora: [she nods] Thank you.

Stiles: [and the doctor will leave, and a few hours later Stiles will wake up again, and he will manage to turn his head a bit. The beautiful woman is still there, and he will smile at her] Hi.

Cora: Hi. How're you feeling?

Stiles: It doesn't hurt as much.

Cora: Good. They upped your pain meds a little bit.

Stiles: That would explain it. [he doesn't want to ask her for her name. He knows he should know it, and he's still trying to figure it out. It was like the answer was just out of reach]

Cora: [reaches up to brush her hand against the top of his had] I was worried about you.

Stiles: Well, from how I feel I can see why. [her hand is nice against his head, and he will grin] I must look pathetic right now.

Cora: [she shakes her head] You're alive and you're awake. As far as I can see, you look great.

Stiles: [he laughed at that, and then groaned as his ribs protested]

Cora: [winces] Sorry. Probably shouldn't be making you laugh.

Stiles: It's alright. Pain just reminds you that you're alive, right? [where had he learned that?]

Cora: I guess.

Stiles: How long was I asleep?

Cora: A day and a half, give or take?

Stiles: That's bad, huh?

Cora: You were hurt pretty bad, so no. It's about average.

Stiles: [he tries to remember what happened, the frustration is evident in his face as he looks for memories that aren't coming to him]

Cora: [frowns when she sees that] What is it?

Stiles: I know I'm in a hospital. I don't know why.

Cora: Do you not remember?

Stiles: No.

Cora: [okay. that's probably normal] There was a bank robbery. You were trying to help people stay safe when a bomb went off and you got caught in the blast.

Stiles: Well, that explains the ribs. [there's a soft chuckle, trying not to laugh too hard]

Cora: You had a subdural hematoma. They did surgery to relieve the pressure.

Stiles: And that explains why i can't remember.

Cora: Hopefully you'll be back on your feet soon so I can take you home. I'm sure Ben is ready to get out of Laura's hair.

Stiles: Ben? [that look of confusion is back. He looks away a moment, trying to find the puzzle piece. The name meant something important, he knew that. It was someone very important to him.]

Cora: [and that worries her] Your son?

Stiles: [that helps put the puzzle piece into place, and he smiles, the face of his mini me coming into his mind's eye] Ben. Yeah, I'm sure he wants to go home too. Where is he?

Cora: With my sister. He's fine, he's just probably worried.

Stiles: I don't blame him. I'd be worried to.

Cora: [she nods, but now she's worried so ...] Stiles are you having trouble remembering things?

Stiles: Of course not. [but he looks away because yeah, he's totally lying and trying to play it off]

Cora: [and here comes the tone] Stiles.

Stiles: Okay, what is a Stiles?

Cora: [sigh] Stiles is your name.

Stiles: No, it's Mieczyslaw

Cora: Okay, yes, but no one can pronounce that so you just had everyone call you Stiles. It's a family nickname.

Stiles: Oh. [and he will reach up to rub at his head] Maybe I am having trouble remembering things.

Cora: What do you remember?

Stiles: I don't.... really. Not a lot. A few fleeting images of things that are just out of reach.

Cora: [there's a beat because yeah that's not good] You don't know who I am, do you?

Stiles: [he looks at her, and nods] Cora. Cora Hale. You mean the world to me. I can't forget that.

Cora: Oh. [well that's a relief] But that's it?

Stiles: [thinks] I remember the lyrics to Butterfly Kisses.

Cora: That's ... random.

Stiles: It's been playing in my head while I'm trying to sleep.

Cora: Ah. Well ... there's a lot you're going to have to catch up on.

Stiles: I guess so.

Cora: Your dad's probably going to be by soon.

Stiles: Dad. [he blinks, thinking because he finds the Sheriff's face in his mind and then another thing falls in] Mom. She's the one singing the song in my head.

Cora: [her face falls a bit] She died a long time ago.

Stiles: [he nods, but there's a pain and he closes his eyes at that] I know. I remember now. She was sick and died. I was eight.

Cora: I'm sorry.

Stiles: I know. But it was a long time ago.

Cora: It was.

Stiles: She would have loved you. Just like I do.

Cora: [small smile] I love you too.

Stiles: I'm tired though. I guess I don't have a strong head after all.

Cora: Get some rest. I'll be here when you wake up.

Stiles: You should go see Ben. Tell him I'm okay. I'm just going to be sleeping.

Cora: Are you sure?

Stiles: Yeah. I can't really move without feeling slightly nauseous anyway. But, don't tell him I forgot him. He might not like that.

Cora: I won't. I'll be back in a few hours, okay?

Stiles: Okay. I'll just lay here. [gives her that old, goofy grin on his adult face]

Cora: [and that makes her smile, and she'll lean in to kiss him as she starts to get up]

Stiles: [and he will kiss her back, smiling against her lips]

Cora: [and she'll go head out to check on her son]

Ben: [and he's probably been doing pre-werewolf training with Laura, but will tackle hug his mother when he sees her] Mama!!!!!

Cora: [hugs him tight] Hey, bud. How're you doing?

Ben: Good. Aunt Laura is teaching me to smell things!

Cora: Oh yeah? Found anything good?

Ben: No, but Raph has really disgusting farts.

Cora: Yes he does.

Ben: Like really bad. I think something died inside of him.

Cora: [laughs] Well, if you wanna get technical ...

Ben: [smiles, and then looks behind her] Is Dad not with you?

Cora: No, honey, he's still not feeling well. But he's getting better.

Ben: Can I go see him? I can bring him some soup.

Cora: Not yet. But as soon as you can, I'll take you. I promise.

Ben: Can I make him a card you can take to him?

Cora: I think he would love that.

Ben: I'll get right on that then! [and he is going to grab her hand and drag her towards his room if she will let him] You can help me.

Cora: You got it. [and she'll let him lead the way]

Ben: [and he is going to get out the drawing supplies] I want to draw him as a Jedi. He likes Jedi.

Cora: That sounds perfect.

Ben: What color should I make his lightsaber? Blue or Green?

Cora: Green.

Ben: [and he will get to work at drawing something that resembles a pig in a robe with a green stick]

Cora: [smirks a bit as she goes to draw her own picture, not with Jedis but just to pass the time so he's not doing it on his own]

Ben: [he will stop after a bit though] Dad will come home, right Mama?

Cora: Yes. He's going to be just fine. Don't worry.

Ben: He's a superhero. Superheroes always get back up when they get hurt. He shouldn't be hurt this long.

Cora: Sometimes superheroes take a little longer to heal. Movies make it seem really fast, but sometimes it takes a long time.

Ben: Really?

Cora: Yeah. Doesn't make him any less of a superhero, though.

Ben: [bites his lips] He'd be better now if he was a werewolf though.

Cora: [a beat] Yes, but that's not what he wants to be.

Ben: I know. I just don't like it when he's hurt. He gets hurt a lot.

Cora: Yeah, but that's part of being human.

Ben: I'm glad I'm not human.

Cora: Oh yeah?

Ben: Yeah. Because I want to be a superhero like Dad, but I won't get hurt as much.

Cora: Well, we'll see what happens.

Ben: [nods and he goes back to drawing]

Cora: [and so will she, mostly focusing on the cartoon she's doodling]

Ben: [and when he is done, he will sign his name to it and handed it to her] Make sure Dad hangs it somewhere he can see it.

Cora: Will do. [small smile] Anything else I need to tell him when I head back?

Ben: That I love him and he needs to stop getting hurt.

Cora: Got it. I will make sure he knows it. [and she'll hold out her arms for a hug]

Ben: [and he will hug her tightly, snuggling into her] I love you Mama.

Cora: I love you too, kiddo.

Ben: And don't worry about me. I'll be good.

Cora: I know. Be good for Aunt Laura, okay?

Ben: I'm a perfect angel.

Cora: Sure you are.

Ben: I'm insulted that you don't believe me. [totally a Stilinski]

Cora: Just when I think you may not be your father's son ...

Ben: [grins]

Cora: [shakes her head] C'mon. I should head back to your dad.

Ben: And I told Aunt Laura I would help her make things for her food truck!

Cora: That sounds like a blast. Have fun, okay?

Ben: Yup! [hugs her one more time before she leaves, and off he runs back into the house]

Cora: [and she will take his card and head back to the hospital]

Stiles: [and he will be there sleeping, the Sheriff in the hallway outside just watching him]

Cora: [comes up behind him] How's he doing?

Sheriff: He was awake when I got here. The doctor has been happy with how his memory has been coming back as he's reminded about things.

Cora: That's good. [and she'll go to place the card somewhere he can see it when he wakes up]

Sheriff: I gotta tell you, Cora... even if he didn't do that job, I'm pretty sure he would have done what he did at the bank anyway.

Cora: I know he would have. It's what he does.

Sheriff: Just so you know, he hardly remembers Beacon Hills.

Cora: I figured. He's kind of putting things together piece by piece.

Sheriff: But he remembers almost everything about you. [smiles] He doesn't even remember Scott really.

Cora: Should I feel special?

Sheriff: You should. He obviously finds you unforgettable.

Cora: Maybe. [it's hard to phrase exactly why it bothers her because while he's equally important to her too, she doesn't want to be all he is. and Scott definitely deserves to have some of that real estate]

Sheriff: [narrows his eyes a bit] Something wrong?

Cora: [glances back at him before shaking her head] No. At least, not something I can really explain. It's stupid.

Sheriff: Well, whatever it is, just remember that sometimes things are worse in your head than they actually are in real life.

Cora: It's not that. I just ... don't think it's fair that I take up that much space.

Sheriff: It's not you taking up space, Cora. [thinks] You guys have been telling Ben to find an anchor. Something to focus on when he feels like he's losing control. I think that's what Stiles is doing with you.

Cora: [she nods because it makes sense, but it still doesn't one hundred percent feel right. She shakes her head] I guess I'm still not used to having what I want sometimes, I'm still expecting the other shoe to drop.

Sheriff: Unless getting what you want after all you've gone through is the other shoe dropping.

Cora: Things haven't always worked out that well for me.

Sheriff: Tides change all the time.

Cora: I know. [she reaches over to give Stiles' hand a squeeze] Maybe I'll start believing it when he stops almost dying on me.

Sheriff: [and he will put a hand on her shoulder] Cora, take it from someone who's been there? You can't predict when that day will come. You don't have that power anymore than he does. You just need to cherish each day so if it becomes the last, you know that they left the world loved. Whether it's tomorrow, a year from now, or fifty.

Cora: [she tries to that. she tries to be in the moment when she's with them. but that doesn't stop her from worrying when the moment is over] I know. [that doesn't make it easy to feel, though]

Sheriff: [and he will just squeeze her shoulder] I'm going to check on a few things. I'll be back later tonight.

Cora: [she nods, waiting for him to go and close the door behind him. Once that's done, she toes off her shoes and very gently shifts to curl up in bed with him. She's gentle because she knows he's probably sore, but she's Tired and she knows she probably won't be able to get any real sleep without him there]

Stiles: [and he will groan, and then blink awake to turn his head to look at her] Hi.

Cora: Hi. Is this too uncomfortable for you?

Stiles: It's a small bed, but I think we can make it work. Just be careful of the head.

Cora: I can do that. [and shifts so that she's resting comfortably with her head against his shoulder]

Stiles: Dad stopped in. I don't know if you saw him.

Cora: I did. He was still here when I got back.

Stiles: Oh. [and he will sigh] I didn't realize how old he looks.

Cora: He's not that old.

Stiles: I know. But he looks it. [looks at her] Do I do this often? I mean, do I do things that land me in the hospital?

Cora: You used to have a really dangerous job so ... yeah, sometimes.

Stiles: I'm sorry. I must make you worry way too much about me.

Cora: Worrying's kind of what I'm best at.

Stiles: Yeah, but you shouldn't have to worry about me like that. It's not fair to you.

Cora: Yeah, but you were helping people. It wouldn't really have been fair to me to ask you to stop either.

Stiles: You said used to. Did I get fired?

Cora: No. You quit.

Stiles: [thinks, looking for why] Because I didn't want you to worry?

Cora: I don't know if that was part of it, but I think it was more that you were tired of the life. You wanted to be here for Ben.

Stiles: If it keeps me ending up here, i can see why I got tired of it.

Cora: I can certainly live with never having to patch you up again.

Stiles: Unless I end up stopping a bank robbery.

Cora: Unless there's that.

Stiles: How was Ben?

Cora: He's good. He made you a card. [and she points to his jedi drawing]

Stiles: [turns to look, squinting a bit] Is that a Jedi Pig?

Cora: Yes, it is.

Stiles: [chuckles, and then groans because ribs] That's adorable.

Cora: He is pretty cute.

Stiles: How is he?

Cora: He's okay. He's worried about you and he wants to come see you, but I figured I'd let that be your call with the memory issues.

Stiles: I seem to get things back quickly when I'm reminded about it, so between that and you I'm sure I could handle it. Does he know?

Cora: [shakes her head] You told me not to tell him.

Stiles: That's right. I forgot. [sighs]

Cora: It's okay. You hit your head.

Stiles: The doctor wants me to stay for observation. I just want to go home. I don't think I like hospitals.

Cora: No, you don't. But the doctors are probably right. And your dad and I are trading off, so you won't be alone. Scott'll probably want to come by and see you too.

Stiles: Scott. [give him a sec] My best friend.

Cora: He lives in DC, but we've been texting and he's going to try and drive down tomorrow.

Stiles: Okay. That'll be good.

Cora: Yeah, it will. He's fully prepared to make you remember him with the power of your guy love.

Stiles: Maybe I should pretend I don't remember Star Wars. See just how dedicated he is.

Cora: That's mean. He may think you've been body snatched.

Stiles: Alright, I won't be mean.

Cora: But you could guilt him into watching it with you to make you feel better.

Stiles: That could work. [smirks a bit]

Cora: Good. [leans up to kiss him on the cheek]

Stiles: I'll get most of the memories back, at least that's what the doctor said. It'll just take time.

Cora: I know.

Stiles: [and he will reach over and push some hair behind her ear] I love you.

Cora: I love you too.

Stiles: I think I'm going to go back to sleep. You still be here when I wake up?

Cora: [she nods] I promise.

Stiles: Good. Night. [and he will nuzzle his head on top of hers]

Cora: [and she will smile and close her eyes to drift off herself]