Chapter Forty-Six

Regression to the Mean

Danny was lying in the small hospital bed with me after Melissa left for work again. His arms wrapped around me as I curled up into his chest. He smelt like cheap cologne and... oranges? maybe. He must use a citrus shampoo, and it must be new because he usually smells more woodsy.

I had his shirt fisted in my hand as I tried to memorize his smell, his heartbeat, anything that would help me hold onto him. I could feel his hands rub up and down my back, soothing me. "Why do you have to go?" My voice cracked slightly, and I cursed it. I wanted the question to be casual and inquisitive, not hurt and full of sadness.

Danny's arms tightened around me slightly and I felt him press a kiss to my hair. "Parents suck. I wish I could stay." He stated simply and I could hear the regret in his voice, his own sadness mixing with my own. We'd been friends since the first grade and now... now he was leaving; moving to the other side of the country after New Years.

I lifted my head from his chest, my eyes memorizing the color of his hazel-green eyes and went to say something, but her shushed me. "No. We're not doing this... pity party thing." He bent over the side of the bed and pulled up his bag, taking out a couple magazines and laying them in front of us. "We are going to look at baby stuff and design the nursery and look at things you need. For my godchildren."

A smile tugged at my lips and I nodded, turning so that my back was pressed against the pillows and Danny's arm. "Okay, fine." I grabbed the first magazine, opening it up to a page that had a bunch of cute clothes and useless things that I probably didn't need but, I really wanted them because... why not?

It was like Danny and I were in our own bubble. Everything that I knew was happening outside this room, everything that happened with Allison, it was non existent while Danny and I looked at dumb magazines and made plans for the nursery.

At some point, I must've fell asleep on Danny's chest, the magazine's spread out with marked pages and pen marks throughout them, circling the things I wanted or Danny and I thought were cute. It was nice, to sleep, it was like everything was put on pause and I was able to fully relax.

When I woke up I wasn't with Danny, though, I was alone in the bed. But, the room was full, I could tell that much before I even opened my eyes. Hushed voices were all around me, just letting me know that they were there.

I slowly blinked open my eyes, yawning as I went to wipe away the sleep and fog. Everyone was in my room; Scott, Stiles, Lydia, Kira, Danny's bag was still by the bed so I knew he was somewhere.

Stiles was quick to run to me the moment he saw my eyes open, "Victoria." He breathed out in relief, pulling me up from my lying position and into his arms. My head rushed from the sudden movement but, I couldn't help the small smile that formed on my lips as I hugged my brother back.

He was no longer cold and paler than usual. He was his warm, averagely pale, self. "You're okay?" I asked, I could feel the tears burning in my eyes, so I just closed them. Stiles and I made no move to release each other as he responded. "I'm okay. You?"

"If you're okay, I'm okay." After a while longer, Stiles and I released each other, and though he'll never admit it to anyone else... and he'll probably kill me if I told anyone... I saw his eyes glaze over with tears much like my own.

Stiles ran his thumb over my cheek, smiling at me before placing a kiss to my hair and then moving out of the way so everyone else could talk to me. Kira just told me she was sorry I got hurt and that she hoped I felt better soon. Lydia gave me a hug and we talked about anything but Allison. Danny told me we had to have a baby shower before he left, and then... he left.

And finally, everyone left Scott and I alone in the room. He was standing by the foot of my bed, his hands in his pockets and his hair a mess. I could see the bags under his eyes and I knew he hadn't slept. I was still hooked up to the machines so, I couldn't move much but, I was able to move over and make enough room for him. I patted beside me. "Turn off the light and come here," I told him while pulling back the blanket for him to get under.

Scott quickly obeyed, even kicking off his shoes before slipping beside me. I held him to my body, his head rested on my chest while I ran my fingers through his chocolate hair, and his arms were wrapped around my torso, the top arm's hand was caressing my belly carefully.

I used my spare hand to hold onto his forearm, just letting him know I was there. I pressed a kiss to his head and then continued to run my fingers through his hair. "I'm here," I whispered to him and it wasn't long after that I felt his grip on me tighten followed by his tears wetting my hospital gown.

He was hurting, and I had every intention to help him through this tough time. I was gonna be there for him through all of this.

Three days after I was released from the hospital, I was with Stiles in his room. He was tearing down everything from his walls, erasing any and all evidence of the past few months. I sat on his bed, watching him with furrowed brows as he tossed the red string and articles into the bin.

Of course not all of it fit in the bin, a lot of it was on his floor, waiting to be picked up until after he had finished. I ran the tips of my fingers over my bump, tracing it up and down and then up again.

I was so focused on my tracing and Stiles' tearing down that I didn't noticed our dad lean against his doorway. "Hey." I looked up at him, smiling as I noticed he wasn't in his uniform. It was his day off. "Whatcha doing?"

Stiles looked at dad for a moment, "uh," he turned back to his wall. The blue was beginning to show for the first time in forever it seemed like, "just, uh, clearing my head." He tore down the picture of Mr. Harris, dropping it in the bin.

I wet my lips before pushing myself up and into a sitting position, my feet touching the ground. "I was just sitting here, but now that I see both of you are free for the rest of the day... how bout a movie night? Stiles, you could invite you new friend... Malia?" I rose a brow at my brother, knowing there was something going on between him and the werecoyote I had yet to meet.

My dad nodded at that, "Stiles?" My brother looked between dad and myself, like he was memorizing us. He'd been doing that a lot lately. "Uh, yeah, sure. Sounds fun." I smiled widely at that while standing from the bed.

I walked out of the room, pausing in the doorway to look back at my dad and brother. "Alright, well, call me when coyote girl gets here. I'm gonna call Danny and plan some more of the baby shower."

Things were back to normal for my family, for the most part. We were getting back to our new normal, and it was hard, I'm not gonna lie. Scott was more distant than normal, but he was also extremely clingy at the same time. Like emotionally he was distanced and didn't really want to talk about his feelings and what not but, physically, he was always touching me in some way-- whether it was holding my hand or holding my body close to his.

School and the pack was different too. Since Allison and Aiden died... Isaac, Mr. Argent, and Ethan left. And the rest of the pack was feeling the losses, and everyone was dealing in their own way. Kira was fine, seeing as she didn't really know any of us. Lydia was being incredibly strong, I actually don't know how she's functioning as well as she is. I definitely admire her for that.

We also have Malia around now, she'd the newest pack member, and I know she'll fit in perfectly based on what everyone has said about her. I also know she's dating my brother so, I hope we get along.

A knock sounded on my bedroom door just as I finished my call with Danny. I moved from my chair to the door, pulling it open slowing just in case it wasn't someone I knew. I opened the door fully to reveal a girl my age. She was taller than me by quite a bit, but not as tall as Scott and Stiles.

She had brown eyes and light brown-blonde hair that was wavy and fell just past her shoulders. She was pretty. And she must be Malia. I smiled and went to greet her, and ask why she was knocking on my bedroom door, but she beat me to the punch.

"You're pregnant." She stated bluntly. My eyes widened slightly, I wasn't expecting such a blatant first words from her. I expected more of a 'hi, I'm Malia... and you are?' Not a 'you're pregnant.'

I nodded, laughing awkwardly, "yup, I am." Malia nodded, "I'm Malia. Stiles told me to come get you?" I nodded again, she's so straight forward and sort of awkward but, I think her and I are going to be friends. "Yeah. I'm Victoria, but you can call me Tori."