Meltdown [Derek Hale]

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

"If you could just sign here and here... yep that's perfect. So, just to clarify," Julie began, as she pulled the papers away from the patient and took a step back, "you are fully aware and understanding of all the risks and the procedure?"

"I am."

"Definitely nothing that you want to ask? Because you'll find it much easier to ask the questions before the anaesthetic," she mused, and the patient nodded.

"I'm pretty sure I'm going to die if this thing stays in me... I'm in so much pain."

Julie offered the most comforting smile she could muster, "I know. Not long now, we're moving as fast as we can. They'll be prepping the OR room for you right as we speak," she assured, "and then we're going to get that appendix out and then you're going to live a long and happy life."

"I'm going to get drunk and have plenty of sex."

Julie stared at the patient incredulously before she began to laugh awkwardly, "well, I wouldn't recommend it any time soon. After a couple of weeks and once you're off the pain medication then go for it. But for right now... I'd lay low. Let your body heal first."

"Oh of course, but I'm counting down the days."

______

"Maybe I should cut it again," Julie said, as she dragged her fingers down her braids. Not having to stress about alpha packs or Jennifer, she'd got to bed decently early the previous night and in doing so had woken up early and had the time to braid her hair in two french braids. It had taken a can of hairspray to keep the layers in the braid but she was still proud of her creation.

"Or maybe you should just... let it rest," Joe countered, both of them were sat in the break room at work. Burnt coffee's sat by their side. They'd grown used to the taste, even though they still didn't like it.

"Well, what does it matter. I've got no men to impress anymore," she muttered, resting her head in her hand as she did so. Joe watched her unimpressed.

"You could just...I don't know, call Derek."

She shifted in her seat, bringing the coffee closer. She refused to look at the werewolf in front of her because she knew he could tell everything she was feeling. He knew how desperate she was. She hated it.

"I can't just call Derek."

"Why not?"

"Because in an ideal world he is overcome with grief and mourning that our beautiful relationship is over and he's missing me terribly."

"So what makes you so sure this is the opposite?" He asked, and she sighed as she thought about it.

"Because it's Derek."

"So?"

She shrugged, "he's the least romantic person I know. I watched him kill his uncle, granted it wasn't successful... but you know, he's not going to care about some silly little human who pushed him away at the first sight of trouble."

"Then enjoy the fact that it's over. Be happy. You'll find someone else, you always do," he mused and she hummed.

"I just don't trust it," Julie admitted, as she took a sip of her coffee. Her face immediately grimacing at the taste of the burnt drink.

"Don't trust what?"

"How peaceful it is... it's not right... there's always something going on. The alpha, the kanima, the alpha pack, Jennifer... what's next?"

"There doesn't have to be a next. This could be it, you can relax now," Joe said, and Julie hummed with a shrug.

"You're right, I'm probably just being paranoid. But hey, I'm scrubbing in on an appy."