Gut Instinct (Teen Wolf)

1:7 Dad, It's Locked

"I don't understand it but somehow after only ten days of being out of your coma, your charts say that you're ready for a home environment," Dr Hilyard said. The woman was reading off a chart. Vic sat in her bed with her dad by her side. He had come by to visit with this amazing surprise. He had a disastrous night at the station so this was definitely a welcome surprise. 

"You mean I can go home?" Vic asked. Her crystal eyes shone with a kind of hope she hadn't allowed herself in years. Hope was dangerous for her. 

Dr Hilyard nodded. "Yes, I think so. But you need to remember that you're not entirely healthy. You need to regain a lot of weight. No big exercises or long runs for a while, okay?" 

Vic nodded. "Got it, doc." She turned her hand over and grabbed onto the IV tube, ready to yank the thing out. 

Noah quickly grabbed her hand before she could rip it out. "Woah, woah, easy there, princess," he told her, "Let the doctor do it, okay?" 

"Sorry, got a little excited," Vic apologized. 

"It's all right, I get it," Dr Hilyard said. "We have a few clothes that we have set aside for paitents who don't have some that they can walk out in. I'll get you a pair." 

Vic narrowed her eyes slightly. "What kinds of clothes?" she asked. 

The woman laughed lightly. "Not those kinds of clothes, I promise. Just a t-shirt and sweats. Now, let's get this over with shall we?" She set her clipboard down on the bedside table and held the tube delicately. Vic didn't even react as the woman pulled out the tube. She had a high pain threshold. It got hooked on the stand as Dr Hilyard bandaged the IV tube hole. 

"I'll get those clothes for you," she said. She grabbed her chart and left. 

"Thank you," Vic called. She smiled a smile that split her face in half and turned to her dad.  She was practically bouncing in that thin hospital bed. "I get to go home!" 

"I know," he said. He stood up from where he sat next to her and hugged her. "How about tonight we have my mac and cheese?" He pulled back and smiled at her. 

Vic's eyes filled with love and nostalgia. "I love your mac and cheese," she clarified.

"I know you do princess," he said. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Her eye found the jacket on the side chair. The insignia was on the back, faced the cushions. She didn't think of her jacket when she looked at it. She saw it as Cleo's jacket. Cleo's, not hers. 

"Hey," Noah said. He tilted her head so she could look at him. "They gave their lives so you could go home. Don't let their sacrifice be in vain." 

"I just wish they didn't have to," she whispered. She leaned her head on his shoulder. 

"I know, kiddo, I know," he said. 

There was a knock on the door and Dr Hilyard came in. "I got those clothes for you," she said. She held a pair of black sweatpants and a blue t-shirt with gray sneakers on top of the pile. Vic smiled at her and accepted the pile. 

Her dad patter her arm. "We'll be outside, okay?" He got up and walked out, happy he didn't have to walk into that room again. Dr Hilyard walked out with him, closed the door behind her. 

Vic looked at the writing on the t-shirt and smiled. She carefully took off the gown, exposed the scratches, bumps and crapers along her tan skin. She put on the t-shirt with the jacket following. She looked down at the pile and smiled at the note attached to the white t-shirt, 'Don't worry, they haven't touched anyone elses butt. I promise.' 

She faced the door so they wouldn't see her scars. She didn't mind people looking at her body. She wasn't ashamed of her scars either. But she also didn't want to give an explanation on what they were. She tied up the sneakers (even though she would prefer to go barefoot) and pulled out her necklace so it was sitting proudly in front of her t-shirt. She hadn't take it off since Stiles came and they made her ID the bodies a week ago.