new york wolves } { of next steps and healing comas

[impetere]

Stiles: [mmmm, snuggly girlfriend is a space heater and he likes that. he sleeps easy except for some night twitching. Finally his brain sends him signals to wake up, and his eyes flutter open and he just looks around a moment before smiling] You know, I could get used to this.

Cora: [smiles a bit at that] Waking up with me?

Stiles: Yeah. Seeing your... your face as the first thing.

Cora: [her smile widens at that, her head ducking with a bit of a blush] I could get used to that too.

Stiles: I bet I won't be allowed to sleep here though when I'm living here this summer.

Cora: Well ... we'll see what happens. [then there's a beat as her sleepy brain catches up with her] Wait. You're going to do it?

Stiles: [deep breath and nods] Yeah. I mean, just taking out emotions and looking at numbers... right now I'm pretty much 100% dead in a year. If I do it, there's... there's less than 20... chance I'm dead in a what, week? The other 80 plus... is pretty much.... alive. That alone... ?

Cora: [nods and there's a part of her that's relieved. There's still a chance that he could die, but at least there's a bigger chance that he could live] Okay.

Stiles: I mean... I know there's a lot of don't knows... if it'll make me back to normal... but if there's a chance not to go... like my mom. Take it right?

Cora: [nods] Yeah. At least it's on your own terms.

Stiles: And hey... maybe I can grow a mustache... I mean, your brother is kinda hairy... and I suck at facial hair.

Cora: [laughs] Maybe. Never know. [and with that she'll lean in to kiss him gently]

Stiles: [ kisses her back, grinning] You may even get... you can get to meet the full me. Not the broken me.

Cora: I never thought you were broken.

Stiles: [chuckles] Yeah, you really like me then, huh?

Cora: I love you. [just a reminder]

Stiles: I love you too. And... and I kinda want to keep you.

Cora: [she brushes a hand against the side of his face gently before nodding] You can keep me as long as you want.

Stiles: [smiles] Good. We should... we should tell my dad.

Cora: [nods a bit, before leaning in to kiss him again] Before we go.

Stiles: Yeah. [he kisses her, and he moves to go, but stops as he's sitting in the bed and was about to get his slippers on. He's faded out a moment, but his face is staring straight ahead and his lips are moving like he's talking to someone]

Cora: [frowns for a moment, before pushing up and sliding her arms around his shoulders and pulling him back against her gently] Stiles?

Stiles: [he's stuck in the moment still, but his heartbeat is fine, and he's even smiling a bit. To him, there is a real person in front of him that he's hallucinating and talking to.]

Cora: [as long as she's not freaking out she'll let him finish, resting her weight against his shoulders a bit and waiting for him to work through it]

Stiles: [a few minutes later he's blinking, then looking around the room a bit before he sighs, almost sad]

Cora: [her hand brushes against his chest a bit, trying to help with the sad feelings she's getting] Who were you talking to?

Stiles: My mom. [he reaches up to hold her hand] The... brain doctor at school said it was... way to cope?

Cora: [nods a bit] What'd she say?

Stiles: That she loves me. She... she wants me to be strong. And live. And that being like you... doesn't make me a movie monster.

Cora: Well, she's right. The movies get a lot of it wrong.

Stiles: I.... I miss her a lot. And this... it feels so real. I'm going to... miss this. I know it's a bad thing but...

Cora: It doesn't mean she's not still with you.

Stiles: [nods] Yeah.

Cora: [she presses a kiss to his cheek before climbing off the bed] C'mon. Let's go find your dad.

Stiles: [and he will get up this time and follow her downstairs]

Sheriff: [is sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper that Derek brought in before he went to crash for the morning. Peter is out dog walking]

Cora: Morning, Sheriff.

Sheriff: Morning kids. Sleep well?

Cora: [nods before she glances to Stiles] Coffee?

Stiles: Yes, please. [goes to sit next to his dad because he doesn't trust his twitching to a coffee machine]

Sheriff: So, Cora... now that I finally get to meet you and know your name...

Stiles: [looks away. Oops]

Sheriff: Why don't you tell me about yourself.

Cora: [blinks as she faces the coffee pot] ... I'm a chem major?

Sheriff: I'm sure there's more to you than that.

Cora: [shrugs a bit] That's the majority of it right now.

Stiles: She's... really smart. And likes pizza with as much meat as it can hold. And isn't into zombie movies.

Sheriff: Aw, you're missing out on some good movies there.

Cora: [wrinkles her nose] I don't like the gore.

Sheriff: Well, Stiles can handle it sometimes. But he gets bad nightmares if it's too realistic.

Cora: [nods] I do like sci-fi though.

Sheriff: Oh? Well, that's good. You can watch Star Wars with him every weekend and he'll never get tired of it.

Stiles: Dad. [embarrassing him now]

Cora: The Castles have fully indoctrinated me, I think I can handle it.

Sheriff: Castles.... that's Hal's girlfriend, right?

Stiles: Yeah. Um... daughter of Richard Castle?

Sheriff: The author?

Cora: Yep. Alexis and I went to school together, she pretty much adopted me as her best friend from the get go.

Sheriff: Damn, I love his books.

Stiles: [facepalms]

Cora: [smirks] My brother's probably with him now. He probably wouldn't mind dropping by. He was helping with Stiles last night.

Sheriff: Your brother actually brought in the paper as your uncle was heading out the door. He looked exhausted so he's probably passed out in his room.

Cora: Then I could call him? I'm sure he wouldn't mind coming over, or Alexis could bring him.

Stiles: Dad, he has like this awesome custom made... [frustrated face, then sighs] …thingie at his house. I got to hold it.

Cora: Lightsaber. [happy to fill in the words for him]

Sheriff: [thank you Cora because thingie can be anything] Red or Green.

Cora: Green.

Stiles: It was really cool.

Sheriff: Next you'll be telling me he also has a working ray gun.

Cora: Not yet, but he's totally working on it.

Stiles: You'll like him.

Cora: I'll tell Alexis that she and her dad are invited for dinner. [a beat] Martha may even come too.

Sheriff: Martha?

Cora: His mother. She's an actress. She's ... a character.

Laura: [comes down, in her pjs] Who's a character?

Cora: Martha. Can we invite the Castles over for dinner?

Laura: [blinks then shrugs] Sure, why not?

Sheriff: I should call the office and tell them I won't be back for a few days due to a medical emergency.

Laura: That would be a good idea. I will figure out what we're cooking for dinner.

Cora: And I will text Alexis. [reaches for her phone]

Stiles: I um... I should maybe shower.

Cora: [glances over and nods] I'll show you where the bathroom is.

Stiles: I know where it is. Unless... can't use the one... by... near... hallway.

Cora: Oh. No, that's fine. Go ahead. [if he needs her she can go with him, and her eyes say that as she moves around the counter to the table]

Stiles: [and he's going to go upstairs slowly to where his stuff was and gets a new change of clothes and then go to take the shower. He just enjoys standing under the hot water until he went to grab the soap and his fingers wouldn't grip it. He tried, two or three times] Cora... - [and that is the sound of Stiles slipping as he went to open the curtain, slipped, grabbed the curtain and it all came tumbling down]

Cora: [her head had snapped around at the sound of her name, and she's getting up not long after and heading towards the bathroom] I'll be right back. [and she won't give anyone time to come after her, shutting the door behind her] Stiles?

Stiles: [sitting on the shower floor, rubbing at his head as he kicks the curtain rod away] Ow.

Cora: [cringes as she moves forward to help him] Are you okay?

Stiles: No. No, it fell on my head. [pouts]

Cora: Oh. [she gives him a soft smile, before reaching forward to turn off to the water.] Come on. Let me help you up.

Stiles: I can't close my hand. [he holds it up, his fingers stiff]

Cora: [frowns a bit as she slips her hands under his shoulders to help pull him up] Has it done that before?

Stiles: No, it usually stiffens into a first.

Cora: [settles him on his feet, before reaching for his hand and brushing her thumb over his knuckles] We should get started on this then.

Stiles: You think your sister can do it today?

Cora: Maybe? If you think you're ready for it?

Stiles: I don't know how much longer I'd need to be any more ready.

Cora: Okay. You dry off and get dressed and we'll see if we can get Victor and Marcus here.

Stiles: Okay. [and he's going to reach for the towel, his hands slowly flexing now]

Cora: [lets him go once he’s steady, before moving behind him to fix the curtain rod and get it hanging again]

Stiles: [and he's getting dressed, pulling on the jeans] I'm... can you help... button.

Cora: [nods as she moves back to him again, buttoning his fly and pulling up the zipper as she does] You okay?

Stiles: I just... I want to be able to take care... of myself.

Cora: I know. [she moves her hand to rest against his sides once she's finished, before leaning up on her toes to kiss him] But once we do this, hopefully you will be.

Stiles: I hope so too.

Cora: [she reaches over for his shirt, gathering it so that she can get it over his head] Ready?

Stiles: Yeah. Yeah, I am.

Cora: [gets him into his shirt before nodding] Okay. Let's do this. [And back to breakfast they go]

Stiles: [he goes back to the table and looks at his father] I made my choice.

Sheriff: You're going to do this, aren't you?

Stiles: ... Yeah. Yeah I am... how...?

Sheriff: I was up half the night talking with Peter about it. When I compare the pros and cons... a chance to be able to see you have a life and family of your own is the biggest reason I'm supportive of this. If medicine can't help you... then it's time to think outside the box.

Stiles: Thanks, Dad. [and Stilinski hugs are a go]

Cora: [awww, Stilinski hugs. She glances across the room to Laura, and her sister nods] I'll call Victor and Marcus.

Peter: [will eventually come back with Barron and coffee for himself and the Sheriff. Derek won't appear until he's summoned or he smells bacon]

Cora: [Barron wanders over in Cora's direction, and she keeps him from ruining the Stilinski moment to investigate the sheriff]

Laura: [talks on the phone for a moment, before glancing back to the two of them] Do we want to do this today, or wait until tomorrow?

Stiles: If they're busy today...

Sheriff: I think the sooner, the better. Less time to worry over it.

Laura: [nods and she'll go back to her phone call] We might want to reschedule dinner then.

Sheriff: Probably a good plan.

Cora: I'll tell Alexis.

Stiles: I'm going to.... eat breakfast?

Cora: [smirks] Go ahead.

Laura: [and eventually she'll turn back around again] They can be here for lunch.

Stiles: [is reaching for a bagel] Am I... can I eat before this?

Laura: [laughs] It's not surgery. Eat as much as you want, just be aware that some of it may come up again later. The bite effects different people different ways.

Stiles: I'll eat light. Save you.... grossness.

Laura: I appreciate it.

Stiles: [and he's going to nibble on the bagel, being quiet a moment] Crap. Scott. [he looks for his phone, needing to call him]

Cora: Why don't you go call him in my room?

Stiles: [nods, then goes to head up there. Soon it will be a long phone call on skype that the wolves will overhear of Scott being told finally about the disease and that he was dying but there was a doctor here and he was going to be trying a radicle treatment to help but probably won't be home for a while, and he would call when he was better enough to use the phone. And there was yelling about hiding it and then best friend confusion and fears and promises to have his dad call with updates and he was sorry for lying]

Cora: [tries not to listen, and this is mostly them getting ready to do this, and making sure that everything is in place. By the time he emerges, Victor and Marcus are there, and they're pretty much ready to go]

Stiles: [ comes downstairs, taking a deep breath]

Sheriff: Everything go okay?

Stiles: Yeah... yeah I'm good. Scott's pissed, but he... he got it. You um... he may call you after he talks to.... to Melissa. [looks over at Marcus and the new person in the room]

Laura: Stiles, this is Victor Kirsanov. He's the other alpha I told you about. He's going to be ... supervising.

Victor: [nods as he holds out a hand] It's nice to meet you, Stiles.

Stiles: [nods, going to shake Victor's hand. His fingers squeeze a bit tight and he quickly pulls back as the hand fists up on him] Sorry... not a lot of control... with it lately. [he tries to shake it out]

Victor: [shakes his head with a small smile] No harm done. I heal quick. Do you have any questions for me before we get started?

Stiles: [looks at his dad, then back at Victor] Should I um... sign anything? You know, just in case this doesn't go.... good?

Victor: [glances to Laura, then shakes his head] We have ... ways around that. As far as the rest of the world will be concerned, if you reject the bite, it will be listed as complications from your illness. We have ... friends in the coroner's office.

Stiles: Okay. And um... well I guess Dad, you get all my stuff so um... that's covered...

Sheriff: [walks over and puts a hand on Stiles' shoulder] You're going to be fine, kid. Alright.

Stiles: Yeah, yeah I'm good.

Laura: [nods as she takes another step closer. She's nervous about this too, but Victor assures her that it's instinct, more than anything else, but for now she'll just exhale slowly and look over at Stiles] Ready?

Stiles: As I'll ever be. Can't really kinda be ready, you know? [he thinks a moment] Just... a second?

Laura: [nods and takes a step back, moving to sit on the arm of the couch]

Stiles: [and nope, he doesn't care about the PDA. he's walking over to Cora and kissing her like it's the last time he may get it]

Sheriff: [there's a sad smile there, but he knew it was coming]

Cora: [she blinks a bit at first, surprised, but eventually she relaxes into it, one hand coming up to rest against the back of his neck and keep him close]

Stiles: [yeah, totally the soldier going off to war type kiss before pulling back just an inch, looking into her eyes] I love you.

Cora: I love you too. It'll be okay.

Stiles: [nods] Just... just in case. Okay? I don't want to not let you know.

Cora: I know. No matter what, it'll be okay. [only if it goes bad, it definitely won't for a little while, but this is better for him in the long run]

Stiles: [smiles, and then pulls away to go back to Laura and Victor.]

Peter: Derek, why don't you hang out with Cora for a while? [knowing look]

Derek: [yeah, that was already his plan, but he nods and just goes to stand behind his sister] He'll be fine.

Laura: [gives Stiles a small smile as he comes back] Do you want everyone here, or would you prefer a little ... privacy?

Stiles: [he shrugs] I don't mind. I mean... it's not like they don't know, right? [small laugh]

Marcus: [coming over with a small kit] I do want to do a few tests first, just so that we can be able to make sure I can track your healing properly.

Laura: [nods and takes a step back, to let Marcus do his thing] Maybe you should sit? [to Stiles]

Stiles: [nods and sits]

Marcus: [and he's going to take Stiles' temperature, blood pressure, two small vials of blood, and a quick physical] I got your MRI scans from a few weeks back now at my office, so tomorrow we'll go down there and track how your brain changes with this, alright?

Stiles: Yeah. You um... you writing a paper or something on this?

Marcus: [laughs] I prefer to keep my license, thank you. No, this is just so that if any other emissary wishes to know if it will help others in your condition, I can have results to show them. You may be able to help others in the future with this information.

Stiles: [smiles] I like that. That's a good thing.

Cora: [exhales slowly from where she's standing, watching everything and eventually curling on herself a bit as her arms cross in front of her chest. The waiting is making her more nervous but she doesn't say anything. Just keeps her distance and watches everything like a hawk]

Laura: [runs her fingers through her hair as she uses an elastic on her wrist to pull it back, keeping it out of her face] That everything?

Derek: [sees that and is going to step forward, carefully wrapping his arms around her from behind. Not saying anything, knowing she may push him away but wanting to be that comfort she needs]

Marcus: [nods, pulling back] I'm done for now. [he goes to move the equipment into the kitchen so it's out of the way]

Cora: [isn't even really thinking about that at the moment. She just leans back into Derek on instinct, using his presence behind her to hold her up a bit]

Laura: Okay. Here we go. [and with that she'll take a deep breath and move to sit on the couch next to him] Give me your arm? Arm's good?

Stiles: Arm's good. [he's shaking a bit out of nerves, but he holds out his right arm, hand fisted to her. His left goes and latches onto his father's hand on his shoulder]

Laura: [takes his arm gently before nodding] Alright. Here we go. [and with that she'll do it quickly, her face shifting and fangs descending as she leans in to bite into the meat of his arm, careful not to go too deep and avoid major arteries. She lets her body follow the motion, holding it for a moment, before pulling back and trying to swallow away the metallic taste of blood as she does]

Stiles: [and nope, he can't hold back to scream that comes out of his lungs at the pain. It's like a flood of adrenaline hits him, his heart starts to race and he's panting as all he can feel in the moment]

Cora: [starts a bit at the sound, and looks like she wants to move forward, but Derek's arm slows her just enough to know she has to stay put, watching anxiously from a distance.]

Victor: [moves around the couch to crouch in front of him, trying to get a good look at him head on, while Laura checks his arm to make sure he isn't bleeding too much] How're you doing, Stiles?

Stiles: [he's shaking, leaning back into his father a bit and offers a shaky smile] It hurts, but I.... I um.... I uh... [he blinks a few times, and his eyes are going to roll back into his head as he starts to have a seizure]

Marcus: I was afraid of this. [runs over to join them]

Laura: [she pulls back, giving Marcus room to get in there, but Victor will shift him so that he's lying on his side. She doesn't look at her sister, just focusing on what's in front of her for now]

Marcus: [is looking in Stiles' eyes, trying to get a reaction] Stiles, relax. It's your body trying to heal your brain.

Derek: [just holds his sister a bit tighter, his lips in a firm line]

Cora: [just leans back into him more, keeping perfectly still and her eyes focused on Stiles while she can]

Stiles: [and he's going to keep convulsing, not responding to anyone for about three minutes before his body finally stops, exhausted, his heart pounding. but he's passed out, and won't wake up to anyone's attempts. He's gone into a healing coma. however, any of the wolves will notice that his scent is changing to that of being a wolf... and getting better]

Marcus: [when he stills, does a quick exam] Well, he's not rejecting the bite. We'd see signs of that by now.

Sheriff: So will someone explain to me what just happened?

Cora: [there's a part of her that just sags against her brother when she picks up on his scent shifting, the relief coming off her in waves] He's healing.

Derek: Yeah, he is. He's going to be okay. [squeezes Cora gently]

Peter: [comes closer, watching Stiles carefully] Sometimes when wolves have to heal from a great deal of damage, it's easier for the body to shut off consciousness to focus all it's energy into it.

Marcus: [nods as he listens to Stiles' heart] It's true. It makes them vulnerable, which is why the pack is responsible to take care of them until they come out of it.

Laura: [nods a bit] We can move him back up to Cora's room, give him some space and quiet to recover. But this is a good sign. It means its working.

Sheriff: How long can he be in this coma?

Marcus: [gets up to move out of the way so someone can pick up Stiles] it varies. It depends on how fast he heals, and the extent of the damage. If he's not awake in 24 hours, I'm going to suggest bringing him to my office so we can do an MRI. Sadly, the device really isn't portable.

Peter: [looks at the Sheriff] I was in one for... some time.

Laura: But he got better, which is the important thing. [just saying] Stiles will too. And he can also probably hear everything we're saying, so we should definitely try and keep him around people - that'll help him get through it faster.

Sheriff: [trying to be strong here, but that is his kid now in a coma so yeah. He's a bit on edge. he nods, taking that in, and then looks at Stiles] Should I carry him or would one of you rather. [because he's not sure if there's a wolf protocol here now he has to follow]

Laura: [shakes her head] Go ahead. [even if he's part of her pack now, Stiles is still the sheriff's kid.]

Sheriff: [and he's going to lean down and easily pull Stiles into his arms] Cora, wanna show me where your room is?

Derek: [gives his sister a final squeeze and lets her go]

Cora: [nods, and goes to lead the way up the stairs to her room, holding the door open so that he has plenty of space to come in when he gets there] You can just put him down on the bed. [she hadn't made it this morning, so he can just slip under the covers]

Sheriff: [and he's going to do just that, tucking Stiles in carefully after arranging his limbs] I take it you're going to be playing sentry over him, huh?

Cora: [nods as she goes to sit in one of the big armchairs near the bed] I have a big exam next week. Might as well get a head start on studying.

Sheriff: [smiles a bit, walking over to stand next to her, squeezing her shoulder] I'm glad he found someone like you in his life, Cora. Even if you weren't a werewolf... I've never seen him happier.

Cora: [glances up at him with a small smile before nodding, then reaching for one of her text books to flip it open] I'll let you know if anything changes.