Protectors-Teen wolf

Ch. 99: Realization

I nod, frozen as I hold the card in my hands. She waves as she nods towards Raphael before turning and walking the way she was originally heading. My throat is tight as I turn and face the nurse counter once again. Forcing the lump up, I clear away my air way best I can with how shaky I feel.

"Y-you're pregnant?"

"Uh...yeah...."

I clear my throat again, looking down at the card in my hand before slipping it into my purse. Before either one of us can say anything else, a man walks up with a clipboard and file.

"Agent...I'm Dr. Kingly. Mr. Layhey's physician on duty. I understand you want to know of his condition?"

"Yes. As well as the other victims if you don't mind...."

"Mr. Layhey is the only survivor..." I feel bile rise up at that, knowing that Stiles was forced to do that. "We're still astonished that he did...He was hit with enough volts to kill a bear."

"His condition?"

"Sorry...he's stable and on the way up. We won't know for sure how bad his condition really is until he wakes up. That's all I can tell you..."

"Alright. Thank you..."

I cover my mouth as the bile returns twice as strong. I turn to rush to find a place, feeling the acid in the back of my throat. A unisex bathroom is a few feet away, the door wide open as I make a beeline for the toilet.

The door closes before someone grabs my hair, holding it out of the way as I dry heave. Rubbing on my back makes me stiffen as the last bit comes out, all of it landing in the bowl.

"Here..."

I take the toilet paper from the outstretched hand, wiping my mouth before flushing it down the toilet with last nights chicken parmesan. My eyes close as I lean against the wall, my butt on the hospital bathroom floor.

My head spins as I think of Isaac and Stiles. How they're going to be effected by this. I bet they'll both try to play it off, say that they're fine when I know they're not. I just hope they don't change too much.

That they heal from this...

"How far along are you?"

"Uh....three months? I don't know..."

"Three months? How did you not notice?"

"A lot was going on...the kidnappings and the murders..."

The fact that a certain group is always caught in the middle of it all...

"Does the father know?"

I scoff, moving to stand up off the dirty ground. Raphael grabs my arm, trying to help me up. Brushing him off with one glare, I step around him to walk to the sink.

"Like you have any idea what that word means..."

"Anastasia..."

I stay silent, glaring at my hands as I wash them clean. He takes my silence as an invitation to speak, shifting behind me with his hands on his hips under his blazer.

"I regret...everything. I have for years....I shouldn't have left you, Scott, and your mom like that-"

"What? You should have done it in another way?"

"I shouldn't have done it at all. I admit that your mother's and I's marriage wasn't the best...mostly on my part, but that doesn't change the fact that...I regret missing out on so much."

"Then why now? Why after all these years? Can you answer that?"

I look at him through the mirror, shutting the water off before reaching for a paper towel. He looks down, rubbing his head as I roll my eyes. Tossing the used paper towel, I reach for the door as my father finally speaks.

"Shame."

I freeze, not looking up as he continues speaking. I've never once in my life hear him admit to shame or regret. Never at the same time and never for the same thing.

"I thought with how I acted and...who had become...that you all would be better off with out me. I made myself believe that for so long that...when it got to the point where I finally realized...it was too late."

"Realized what?"

"Ana...the day that I found out that you existed was one of the best days of my life. I couldn't believe that I was a dad or that you were going to be mine. The same feeling happened the day I found out your mom was pregnant with Scott. I have never cared more about anyone than i how I feel about you two."

I meet his eyes, hearing the emotion in his voice. His heart doesn't skip a beat. Nor does his breathing change. Everything in his being shows nothing but truth.

"What I realized is that I am the one who can't live with out you both....that I need my kids."

I study his face as he studies mine. The years of stress and regret shows at this distance. Bags stack under his eyes, barely noticeable if they weren't pointed out. I see a few wrinkles that weren't there when I was young, the last time I saw him.

I sigh, looking down before clearing my throat again. I brush my hair back and force myself to meet his eyes. Standing up straight, I offer a small smile that doesn't last before speaking.

"How about lunch...I'll pick and you decide when. You obviously already have my number, so just text me..."

"Alright...uh...how about next week? I'm free Tuesday?"

"I have work..." he deflates a little, looking down as I sigh. "depending on how hectic it is...I might have an hour...maybe..."

"Okay...yeah..I'll text you..."

"I have to go..."

I turn, opening the door to escape the awkward air before it chokes me alive. I walk towards the exit of the hospital, the keys to Derek's car in my purse. I hear my father calling out to me, going unanswered as I rush out of the glass doors.

——

A/N

Alrighty.....sorry for the wait. Life got in the way, you know? I don't know how often I can update this. I will try, but...I can't watch Teen Wolf anymore. So..I'll have to look up scripts and summaries in order to get an actuart timeline.

I hope y'all are all doing well!

Drink water and get some sleep!

Love
-The Author