Nothing is Thicker Than Blood - Appetite For Destruction Sequel

I've Not Outgrown Adolescence, Or Escaped My First Grey Hair

"Wow..."

That was the first thing Deaton said when we lay the unconscious form of Derek on the table of the animal clinic. The vet seemed baffled by Derek's condition and I really couldn't blame him. I couldn't believe it either.

I stared down at the teenage version of my brother, sleep deprivation and shock leaving my mind a jumbled mess. The bar on the unbelievable was set pretty high, considering my life, but this whole experience had redefined the word 'weird'.

"Wow as in 'I've seen this before and I know exactly what to do' kind of wow?" Stiles asked hopefully. "'Cause that's the kind of 'wow' we were hoping for."

Deaton was still staring at the young and unconscious Derek. "I think you might be overestimating my abilities." He seemed to shake himself out of his shock and went into 'vet mode', checking Derek's pulse and breathing.

"Do you think this is permanent?" I spoke up for the first time, hating how shaky my voice was. Deaton lifted one of Derek's eyelids to shine a light into his eye, frowning the whole time.

"I'm not sure a medical diagnosis is even adequate," He said, looking up at me. "This is well beyond my experience." He glanced down at Derek again. "It might be best to leave him with me. He'll be safe here."

"You mean from Kate?" Scott asked.

"If she's alive and what you say she is, she won't be able to walk past that gate." Deaton assured us, and I let out a relieved breath and lay my hand on Derek's arm, trying not to focus on how cold his skin was.

"Why would she do this to him?" I asked quietly, staring at Derek's face. It had been a long time since Derek had looked so peaceful, the lines of anger and pain that the years had carved into his face smoothed out with his new youth. However much I liked seeing my brother young and innocent again, I needed my Derek back.

"Knowing Kate, it's probably for a reason that won't be any good for anyone but her." Deaton said, and then glanced around at the assembled group. "You should probably go home. He doesn't look to be in any danger, so maybe the rest of you should get some sleep?" He directed the last part at me, and I bristled.

"I'm staying." I said immediately, ignoring how every fibre of my being protested simply standing right now. All I wanted to do was go back to the loft and sleep for a week, but I couldn't. Not until I knew Derek was going to be alright.

"I'll stay." Lydia said firmly, and when I opened my mouth she cut me off, "When was the last time you slept?"

I snapped my mouth shut and folded my arms defensively. I'd been running on cat naps and caffeine for the past week, but without the need to find Derek driving me I was really feeling the lack of sleep. "I'm staying." I said firmly. Deaton sighed, but he could clearly see I wasn't going to budge.

Even after the others left I stayed at Derek's side, unwilling to leave him in such a vulnerable state. I startled when a hand landed on my shoulder. "Why don't you take a seat?" Deaton said kindly. "He'll be fine here. I'll come and get you if anything changes."

I hesitated. "Get some sleep." Lydia commanded, moving so she was standing beside Derek and taking one of his hands in hers. "I'll watch him."

I would have continued to argue but the exhaustion dragging me down was making it hard to even form coherent thoughts, so I just heaved a defeated sigh and headed into the waiting room where I collapsed into one of the chairs. It was - I glanced at the clock and groaned - four in the morning. 

I closed my eyes for a second, and suddenly I was blinking into the morning sun, disoriented. I pushed myself up, rubbing at my aching neck, and glanced at the clock to find it was almost eleven.