Chapter Text
His head was pounding against his skull and he couldn't open his eyes. He half wanted to burrow his head under his pillow and never wake up again but something was tugging at his mind. Some urgent need to be awake, to be aware of what was going on around him. He vaguely understood that this was just the fear talking but he couldn't even remember what he was afraid of. He forced his eyes to be open.
Oh god, he thought as a blinding pain shot through his head. The lights were too bright. He was in hospital and now that he knew, he could hear the machines and the people passing by in the corridor every few minutes. He waited a few moments and tried to open his eyes once again. He managed okay this time, just as a woman came into his room.
She was wearing scrubs so he guessed she was a nurse. She was very pretty but he bet she was someone's mom. She had that 'I love you but what trouble have you gotten yourself into this time' look permanently etched on her face.
“Hello, my name's Melissa McCall. First things first, can you tell me if you're in any pain.”
He was ridiculously tired and uncomfortable but no pain. He shook his head slightly. That took a lot of effort in itself.
“Could you say that out loud for me please?” She urged gently.
He glared at her. He didn't want to speak. His throat too dry. He knew she was only doing her job but he was so tired.
“Not m-much.” His voice cracked.
“Could you tell me your name?” She asked with a smile.
He opened his mouth to reply. Only nothing came to him. “I don't know.”
She looked disappointed for a moment before she covered it. He wondered what that was about. “Some confusion is normal after a coma.” She was looking at her chart so she didn't see him finch at the word coma. “Do you know where you are?” He shook his head. “You're at Beacon Hills Hospital. You were found in the woods, badly injured and you've been in a coma for 3 weeks.”
Well damn, that wasn't good.
***
He and Melissa became good friends over the next week. Some doctor came to talk to him but he barely understood a word they said. He eventually asked why no one else visited him. Surely he had some family or friends.
“We don't know who you are." Melissa explained. "We haven't been able to contact your family and no one's been reported missing. We think you must have wandered in from another state. You're a real mystery.”
He hadn't realised they didn't know who he was either because Melissa had been calling him John. He guessed John Doe was all the identity he had now.
About a week later a man in uniform came to the door and Melissa watched him warily as she spoke. “There is a man from the police that wishes to talk to you. They know about the amnesia but they wanted to talk to you about the incident that led you here. See if they can get any more information.”
He nodded eager to get some information about what happened to him and the man came in. The man gave Melissa a reassuring smile.
“John, this is Deputy Stilinski, Deputy this is John.” Melissa introduced.
“Can I see your badge?” He asked, interested.
Stilinski looked at him weirdly before taking the badge out and passing it to him. He stroked it, mesmerised. “Cool.” He grinned at the Deputy, pleased. He tried to hand it back reluctantly but the Deputy refused.
“You can keep a hold of it, for now. If you want.” He offered.
“Thanks.” He said holding the badge even tighter.
“I have some pictures. I was hoping I could show you them. See if they jog your memory.” The Deputy said.
“Yeah, that would be great.” He said hopeful.
“I don't think this is a good idea. He's just a kid, he needs proper representation from social services.” Melissa argued.
“You told me he was over 18 a week ago.” The Deputy argued.
“That was an educated guess at best and you know it. His body was put through a lot of stress. Whatever happened to him in the past, it made him look older than he is. We need to do a proper examination to determine his real age.”
“I want to see.” The kid between them argued. “I don't like not knowing.”
Melissa sighed and sat back down. The deputy put a folder down in front of him. “If it gets too much, we'll stop.”
He opened the file and picked up the first image. It made him feel like he was going to throw up. There was so much blood. It was splattered all over the trees. There was a naked body in the middle of a huge tree stump in the middle of the ring of trees. It was set up like a ritual sacrifice but instead of a knife it looked like an animal had attacked the body. Gouges like claw marks all over them, the person's neck looked twisted and bloody and raw where a chunk had been ripped out of it.
He tried to take in the scene in front of him but couldn't. Breath becoming harder every second.
A hand slammed the file closed. Another pair of hands we gently touching his jaw turning him to face away. Melissa was talking to him but he couldn't listen. Could only think about what he had seen.
“You think I killed that person?” He asked the Deputy. “I did that?”
The Deputy gave him a pitying glance. "No, of course not. That person is you. Don't you know what you look like?"
"He hasn't seen a mirror yet." Melissa defended.
"I don't understand. How can someone be alive after that. They were torn to pieces." Stiles hadn't realised he was crying. He wiped them away annoyed.
"I know," Melissa gave him a reassuring hug. "But you are alive and that all that matters."