new york wolves } { of moving out and moving on

[hereditare]

Derek: [and lo and behold, the prodigal child returns home that night to the loft]

Laura: [convinced Stiles to take Cora out for the night because she was getting overanxious and mopey, and was making Laura anxious to boot. Peter is out again and so is Malia, so it's just his sister who looks up from the book she's reading, eyebrows going up in a dry sort of surprise] Look who's home.

Derek: [and there's a hesitant look, almost as if he's regretting just coming home] Hi.

Laura: [her face softens after and she gestures for him to come closer.] Hey. C'mere.

Derek: [and he does so and goes to sit on the couch next to her] I'm sorry about how I left. I just needed some space.

Laura: [nods] No, I get it. Just ... a text with where you were in case I needed you would have been nice.

Derek: And what, not give you a reason to text Esposito to check for signs of life? [small smirk]

Laura: [there's a small look] I may be your naggy older sister, but I'm also still your alpha, Derek. I get that you wanted some space, but you owe me at least either where to find you or an ETA of when you'll be back. What if there were hunters or something and I needed you back here?

Derek: [looks at his hands] I'm sorry.

Laura: [sighs as she tugs him closer] It's okay. Just ... next time, alright?

Derek: [and he leans into her] Actually... we need to talk about that.

Laura: [head picks up a bit in confusion] We do?

Derek: I talked with Sweets today, and I think it's time I look at having my own space. Just a place I can go when I need to think and not have three good minded sisters smothering me with their affection.

Laura: [pauses, considering for a moment] What, like a clubhouse like we used to have when we were kids?

Derek: More like a place of my own. I know I'll always have my place here, but sometimes I just need to be on my own. Grow up a bit.

Laura: [... oh. That's not what she was expecting. In some ways, she knew it would come, just like she knows it's eventually going to come with Peter too, she still isn't expecting it and it hits her a little harder than she'd like it to. There's still that instinct there to keep the entire pack as close as she can, but she knows that in some ways Derek is right. She just doesn't want to admit it] Oh.

Derek: I haven't been that far, to be honest. I was at the old apartment. But if that doesn't work, I can look for something closer. And like I said, I'd be back and forth between them. I'd probably be here more anyway, but sometimes I just... I know you guys mean well, and you're just trying to help, but I've been feeling just a bit smothered lately.

Laura: No, I know. And it's not bad. It's ... good, actually. For there to be some distance.

Derek: But you're not happy about it.

Laura: I wasn't happy when you joined the force either, but I got over it.

Derek: I just feel like everything I do lately just disappoints you.

Laura: Not disappointment. [holds up her hands and shakes her head] No, just ... a large part of me wants to say no and keep you here for my own peace of mind, even though I know that this is necessary and'll be good for you. You're not doing anything wrong.

Derek: Is there some kind of middle ground that would work?

Laura: Right now? No. Because I get that you need to do this. So you can do it.

Derek: How about after a month, we revisit it and see how it's going?

Laura: [nods] Okay. And just ... answer the phone if I call so that I don't have a panic attack.

Derek: I can do that. Or text you why I can't if I'm on a case.

Laura: Good. That's all I ask.

Derek: [leans into her more now] I just don't know what's wrong with me sometimes.

Laura: [will happily curl up in a puppy pile] Our family was killed in a fire and your ex-psychopath just made a reappearance. If you were completely psychologically healthy, people would wonder a lot more about what was wrong with you.

Derek: Maybe I'll figure out a working normal.

Laura: Maybe. [there's a beat] I meant it when I said that this is something you need to do, okay? I'm just ... needy.

Derek: Yeah, I know. But it may also be good for you too. The less you have to worry about at home... the more you can focus on things for yourself.

Laura: [she shrugs a bit. She doesn't really think so because she'll just be worrying about him more, but they'll see what happens]

Derek: And you won't have to worry about my delicate sensibilities when you want to have Espo over for dinner.

Laura: [laughs] No, just everyone else's.

Derek: Well, Peter and Cora really can't talk, and I don't think Malia will care much.

Laura: Cora can't really talk. Peter at least will keep his business out of the penthouse.

Derek: Do you think he's thinking of leaving too?

Laura: I don't know. But I figure he'll probably want to move in with Nadia eventually if things keep going well.

Derek: Well, doesn't her job take her out of town a lot? I'm sure that alone would make him come back and forth.

Laura: True. But I also have a feeling that Peter wouldn't mind going with her either.

Derek: Yeah, he probably would. He probably never thought he was going to have to do what he had to the last eight years. He's probably lost any chance of having a family of his own at this point. [because Peter is totally old now]

Laura: [a look] He's not that old.

Derek: Oh, he's totally that old. [smirking]

Laura: He's only ten years older than me. I'm not that old. So Peter will be just fine. [and don't let him catch you saying that if he just so happens to walk in, Derek]

Derek: If you say so. And speaking of you... don't you go turning my room into a nursery too quickly. [teasing]

Laura: Okay, enough. I'm willing to be rid of you now. Get out of my sight. [gestures with her hands as she makes a show of pulling away from him]

Derek: [laughs and goes to get up] Well, I'm going to stay until Cora gets home at least so I don't just pack and run. I owe her a few hugs and in person apologies and explanations.

Laura: [nods a bit] Yeah, I was gonna say - you have to tell the girls.

Derek: And like I said, its not like you guys don't know where I'm going to be staying. We lived there for a while.

Laura: [nods] Yep. We'll be fine.

Derek: [leans down to kiss her cheek] Thank you.

Laura: [closes her eyes and nods] Just don't be a stranger, okay?

Derek: I won't. I don't know how to cook, remember?

Laura: Are you kidding? This is your opportunity to eat pizza every night.

Derek: I'm pretty sure between that and the Chinese food I get at work, I'll explode from salt intake.

Laura: Fair enough.

Derek: And if nothing else, you choose one day a week and no matter what, unless I'm at a crime scene I'm here.

Laura: We'll see how the first couple weeks go.

Derek: [nods] Alright. Well, I'm going to go throw some stuff in a bag. Let Cora and Malia know I'm upstairs when they get back?

Laura: Will do.

Derek: [and he's up there packing, looking for things that he needs to have verses things that can stay here.]

Malia: [will wander in first, because she's not soaking up all the unsupervised alone time with her boyfriend that she can get] Hey.

Derek: Hey you. What's going on?

Malia: [shrugs as she goes to sit on his bed] Not much. Late class today.

Derek: [nods] Anything actually stimulating?

Malia: Some women's studies course. Sometimes it's interesting, sometimes it's not.

Derek: Yeah, I remember those kinds of courses. Anything else stimulating going on?

Malia: [she shrugs] I'm ready for actual classes to start again. Summer school is boring.

Derek: It'll be here before you know it.

Malia: I hope so. [sighs] Anyway, Laura said you wanted to talk to me?

Derek: Yeah. I'm... you remember the old apartment?

Malia: ... Yeah.

Derek: I'm going to try a short term living on my own and seeing if it helps me get better having some space to just focus on myself. Try a month, see how it works... I think it'll help my head a lot. I know it was on the eventual list, but lately I think it should be more on the need list.

Malia: [she gets this a little better than Cora probably will, mostly because she was there when he made the list] Okay.

Derek: I just didn't want you to think I was leaving because I was mad at anyone. I just need to see if this helps.

Malia: Got it. It's not me, it's you. [smirk]

Derek: [smirks back] Exactly. And I'll be back often since I can't cook at all and can only stomach pizza and Chinese so much.

Malia: Works for me. Worried about Cora?

Derek: [deep breath] Yup.

Malia: [nods a bit] She'll get it. She may not like it, but she'll get it.

Derek: Do me a favor and remind her that I'm doing this so I can try and be myself again?

Malia: Yeah, I will.

Derek: Thanks, kid.

Malia: [nods before pushing up to hug him] Just be careful, okay?

Derek: [he hugs her back tightly] I will. I promise. And you can text me anytime.

Malia: [nods, just leaning into him a bit]

Derek: [kisses the top of her head, then sniffs] That's not your shampoo.

Malia: Nope.

Derek: [rolls his eyes and hugs her once more and goes to playfully push her away]

Malia: [smirks before pulling away and heading back out to her room]

Derek: [still packing, trying to figure out which books on his To Read list he's taking with him]

Cora: [eventually wanders over, looking a little more apprehensive than Malia did] Hey.

Stiles: [is just going to wait in the living room just in case]

Derek: Hey, pup.

Cora: [Thank you, Stiles] Laura said you wanted to talk to me?

Derek: Yeah. I wanted to talk with you a bit. Come here. [he sat on the edge of his bed, patting the spot next to him.]

Cora: [hesitates for a moment, before making her way over and sitting next to him]

Derek: I'm sorry I snapped at you the other day, Cora. I was having a bad day.

Cora: [shakes her head] I was pushing. I'm sorry too.

Derek: You were trying to cheer me up. There's nothing wrong with that. [he reached over and put his hand on her shoulder]

Cora: [sighs as she leans into him a bit, letting her head rest against his shoulder] Are you okay?

Derek: Truthfully? Not really. But I haven't been good for a while. I just have good days and bad days.

Cora: [nods a bit]

Derek: I talked with Sweets about it all today. He agrees with me on something that you aren't going to like a lot, but it's something I need to do.

Cora: [yeah, that's not making her feel better, Derek. She looks up at him, eyes a little wide as she does] What?

Derek: I’m going to move into the old apartment for a bit. Try it out for a month, see if maybe a bit of breathing room will give me the space to think I need. Try to get my head sorted out.

Cora: So you're leaving.

Derek: Cora, I'm twenty six. It's time I try and live on my own and grow up a little. I keep hiding behind everyone, leaning on everyone and it doesn't do me any good. If I'm going to get past this... I have to figure out who I am after all this. And I can't do it when I'm trying to be the person everyone else wants me to be.

Cora: [if the fire hadn't happened, she may not be as worried about this. She would have asked why he hadn't done it already. But there's still that gut reaction that if they step outside their protective bubble, something will happen to them] I know. No, I know.

Derek: [he put his other hand on her other shoulder, looking her in the eye] I'm not going to be far. I'll probably be back often for dinner because god knows I'll end up poisoning myself trying to cook. And you know you can call me anytime, or text.

Cora: [just nods again. He's right. She knows he's right. But she doesn't have to like it all the same]

Derek: You've got Stiles to protect you from your nightmares at night, alright? He's a good kid, and I trust him to take care of you. [he pulls her a bit closer] Look at it as one less person you have to work around to get to spend time with him, alright?

Cora: [she buries her face in his shoulder a bit, holding him tightly as she does. She knows she has Stiles, but at the same time ...] He's not you.

Derek: [wraps his arms around her, holding her tight] No, which is probably a good thing on a few levels.

Cora: [nods some] But not in others.

Derek: [chuckles] We're a close family, but not that close.

Cora: [glances up at him with a look] That's not what I mean.

Derek: [smirks] Still want me to be here all the time?

Cora: [rolls her eyes]

Derek: [laughs and kisses her forehead] I love you too, pup.

Cora: [sighs] I'll miss you.

Derek: I know. I'll miss you too. But I promised Laura I would always answer my phone and texts, or text why I can't answer my phone. And I'm only a few subway stations away.

Cora: [nods a bit] Okay.

Derek: [smiles down at her, running a hand along her hair] And if you need me, just call and I'm on the next train up.

Cora: [nods some more, before starting to get up] I should let you pack.

Derek: I'm not taking much. Like I said, I'm going to be back and forth.

Cora: Then just let me know when you leave.

Derek: I will. [and it will really only take him another 30 minutes to get what he needs since he can take things slowly and doesn't want to carry anything large on the subways. Just a backpack of clothes and a messenger bag with his electronics and a few books]

Cora: [she's curled up in her room with Barron, his head in her lap and her stroking the top of it]

Derek: [knocks on the door] Alright, pup. Heading out.

Cora: [glances up at with a small smile] Okay. Be careful.

Derek: I will. You be good. But not too good. Someone has to give Laura a hard time on a daily basis.

Cora: I think between me and Stiles we've got it covered.

Derek: Good girl. [he bites his lip a moment because yes, this was real. His hand pats the door frame a moment, and then he nods.] I'll see you in a couple of days.

Cora: [takes a deep breath but stays where she is with her dog. If she gets up to hug him again she won't let him leave] See you then.

Derek: [he nods, and he just pushes off and heads downstairs to say his goodnights because it's not a goodbye damnit]