Simple Joys | Hale [7.5] OPEN

Secret Pain

gif from mindtwinsrph-blog on Tumblr

Request: Can you write about Lexi being injured or sick but trying to hide it for her children's sake? In the end she fades and just waked up to find em all worried -AzaleaLennox

Two days. It had been two damn days, and nothing has healed.

Two days of hiding underground, of fear whenever she hears footsteps. Of panic at every invasive scent.

Two days of vague texts to her family to assure them she is alive. That she is safe. To an extent.

Two days of unending consciousness.

As Lexi makes her way up to the door of her home, those two days weigh on her like anchors digging into the seafloor. Each step is just dragging her feet across the ground. The light emitting from her home makes her squint.

With stiff fingers, she manages to find the right key to the house, opening the door. It creaks open, a sound that bleeds through her ears. The warmth from the inside makes her relax for a moment. The pain at her side and her shoulder subside. Her tired eyes close.

The voices from the living room jerk her awake. Lexi rubs a hand down her face as she approaches the threshold. A small smile appears on her face as she sees her family: Stella sits on the couch with earbuds in as she talks with Carter; Teddy is at the counter with Jeremy, both betas concentrating on the computer before them; Derek stands at the stove, stirring a pot that emits the intoxicating smell of food.

She leans against the threshold, her movement eliciting a sharp pain in her side. She suppresses a grimace with a soft smile. She crosses her arms over her body as if to protect it from the radiating pain. Her plan backfires when more daggers shoot through her body.

Involuntarily, she lets out a quiet groan.

Derek pauses at the stove, a frown crossing his face. He glances up to see Lexi at the door. The spoon in his hand drops as her name escapes his lips.

She smiles and waves a hand.

Both betas look up from the computer as Derek races to embrace Lexi in a tight hug. She does not comment as her skin erupts in pain, like shooting daggers.

"Where have you been?" Derek demands as he pulls back. Lexi glances behind him to see Stella hang up the phone and take out her earbuds. Derek looks her up and down. She tries her best to seem stoic, but she can tell he knows she can barely stand. He always knows when it comes to her.

"Conference gone awry," she replies, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. "All is fine, darling. Don't you worry." She pokes his nose with a soft laugh as a burst of energy finds her. "Now, I would like to say hello to my children—"

She pushes past Derek as both Teddy and Stella rush up to her. She groans as she wraps her arms around them, kissing both of their foreheads. She glances up at Jeremy and says, "Hello, Jeremy."

The boy smiles at her. "Glad to see you're back." His eyes move to Derek. "You're husband was worried sick."

Lexi shrugs as she pulls away from her kids, both of whom have not let go. "I am back now. Let's give Derek a little reprieve, shall we?"

She smirks back at Derek. The Alpha crosses his arms and rolls his eyes.

"So what happened?" He asks, tilting his head to the side.

That reminder sends needles shooting through Lexi's skin again. She contains a wince as she says, "I'll tell you in the morning. I really want to get to bed."