canon au } { post-503: dreamcatchers

[impetere]

Stiles: [jumping up, ignoring Scott as Lydia is wheeled by] Wait, is that... what happened?! [starts to go after them]

Scott: Kira? [misses grabbing Stiles because her hands are bloody and he's got worried alpha face]

Kira: I'm fine. I'm fine. Lydia got hit by Tracy when she tore through the sheriff's station. [so the blood on her hand is Lydia's, not her own]

Cora: [moves after her boyfriend and takes his arm to slow him down] She'll be okay. It looks worse than it actually is, she just needs to see a doctor right now.

Scott: [he looks at her, nods, then looks down the hall] How bad?

Stiles: What happened? [trying to peek around her shoulder to see where they are taking her]

Kira: We were ... following a feeling. Lydia's been trying to trust them more and see if we could get any information that could help and we figured out that her mom was the next target. But by the time we got to the station, Tracy was already there. I don't think Tracy was trying to kill her, just neutralize her, but her claws caught her in a bad place.

Cora: She'll be okay though. Hey. [she moves her hand up to draw Stiles’ eyes back to her] She'll be okay. Are you okay?

Scott: [nods, his hand slipping into Kira's] Alright. You okay?

Stiles: Yeah, I'm fine. [beyond the bleeding bandage against his neck]

Kira: [nods and there's a bit of a grin to it. She's still a little giddy, high on the rush of ... whatever it is she did at the police station and she wants to tell him about it but it seems like kind of poor taste with Lydia in trouble] Yeah. I'm good.

Cora: [her eyes study him for a moment, trying to determine if that's really true, and before she nods and curls into him a bit. She can feel the anger and anxiety all over him and she just wants to make it go away, even though she knows she can't. Still her head finds his shoulder and her arms slip around his waist]

Scott: Good. [and he's just going to hug her close a moment. They can talk later]

Kira: [nods as she curls into him, her eyes closing as she does, but she glances up when Stiles speaks] Your dad's fine. He got nicked by her claws but between me and Malia we took care of Tracy. He's there with her now trying to sort everything out.

Cora: [nods as she looks up at him] Nobody's dead. ... Except for Tracy.

Stiles: ... [blinks] Malia "took care" of Tracy?

Scott: [worried look] What did she do?

Kira: [blinks and shakes her head] No, not like that. It wasn't her.

Cora: [nods] She didn't kill her. Something else did. She tried to stop them but they were strong enough to hold her down while they took her out. Or ... at least that's what she said, but the way she was killed isn't the way Malia would have killed her.

Scott: [and he relaxes] Is she okay?

Cora: [she nods] Yeah, she's fine. But ... I have a feeling that whatever set off Tracy is just getting started.

Stiles: I'm telling you, Scott - Theo shows up, and things go to hell. He’s involved in this.

Scott: Stiles. He came to help us.

Stiles: Yeah, right when we were paralyzed and needing it. Isn't it obvious that he was waiting for a moment where we couldn't do anything BUT say yes to his help?!

Kira: [and there's the unsure face, and she looks at Cora, worried]

Cora: [gives her one right back before she turns to face Stiles again] Look, we can't just assume anything. Unless Theo's shown a penchant for running around in medical gear and creepy face masks it's not our guy. His scent wasn't anywhere near the police station.

Stiles: So he hid it! You guys can do things like that!

Cora: [deep breath] Stiles. Let's just wait and see what your dad and Malia figure out before we go jumping to any conclusions. Even if he is part of this, this is bigger than just him.

Stiles: [frustrated face, and then just shakes his head and pulls away from them] I'll be back.

Cora: [wants to protest but opts to just let him go instead, moving to drop down into one of the chairs and burying her face in her hands once he's out of view]

Stiles: [and he's going to storm into the men's room.]

Scott: [shakes his head, going over to sit next to her, Kira pulled to his other side and rubs Cora's back]

Cora: [runs her hands through her hair as she looks up again] I don't know what to do.

Scott: I don't either. He's never been this agitated before.

Cora: He's worried about leaving for Berkeley. Like it's all going to fall apart once he does.

Scott: [nods] I think he's mad I'm not going up there with you guys.

Cora: [shakes her head] Not mad. He's mad that you're not doing as he says with regards to Theo. But the Berkeley thing, he's just scared he's going to lose you.

Scott: Theo's done nothing wrong, Cora. He is just trying to find an alpha.

Cora: I know. I know, Scott. [because she would have been that wolf a few years back] I've tried talking to him about it but he's just ... he's kind of like Derek was when you first met him. Guilty until proven innocent, not the other way around. [the problem with living in Beacon Hills and knowing what really goes on under the surface]

Scott: It's not just that, Cora. He was the same way with Derek. And Kira, and Liam, and Isaac, and even you. The only one he didn't do this with was Malia, and that was I think because of extenuating circumstances.

Cora: [ah-hah. So her boyfriend is a lying liar that lies. She knows that it was to spare her feelings but she told him to be honest] I don't know. I don't want to tell him he's wrong, because I'm not so sure that he is. This kid showing up out of nowhere is weird. But I know that if I tell him he's right, it's going to be like letting a basset hound off his leash. He's not going to stop until he finds something and whatever that is, is going to get him hurt.

Stiles: [this isn't anything new]

Scott: [sucks on his lips a moment] He's already hurting himself. Cora, he's always been distrusting, but he's never been angry like this. Not since we were kids.

Cora: I don't know. I ... I just don't know what else to say to him. No matter how many times I reassure him, he doesn't listen.

Scott: [nods] You don't think this may be a side effect from the nogitsune...?

Cora: [glances down at her hands before shaking her head] I think a lot of things are changing, some of them he doesn't like, but he can't stop them either.

Scott: And he can't control it either.

Cora: [shakes her head] Like his dad and you going to another school.

Scott: And other people trying to join the pack and it's not his choice to make.

Cora: He's used to being the one making the choices and the plans and you going along with it. I'm trying to tell him that since you're the alpha it needs to be your choice in the end, but he's not happy about that.

Scott: I know. And he's not wrong - but I've been working with Deaton on all this too. And yeah, I want Stiles to become my emissary... but maybe it's too much for him right now to try and be it.

Cora: [she nods] Yeah. But telling him that would break his heart. Even if it is for his own good.

Scott: I know. Which is why I can't. I'm just trying to hold through the summer and hopefully he'll figure it out on his own.

Cora: I wouldn't hold your breath. [which is a hard thing to say, but she knows Stiles. he puts so much on himself and Scott is so important to him that it's not a responsibility he would put to the side lightly] He'd ditch Berkeley before he'd let that go.

Scott: I dunno. I just don't want him to get into a situation where it becomes a you verses me situation, Cora. It would destroy him, and he's putting himself there without us even doing anything.

Cora: I don't want that either. Trust me. I even told him that I'm the reason he won't lose you but he just ... he gets these ideas in his head and there's nothing I can do to shake them.

Scott: Yeah, tell me about it.

Stiles: [and if you haven't guessed yet, he's standing around the corner listening]

Kira: [yeah, but because they're dumb and not actually listening, Kira is the one that finds him as she comes around the corner. Her mouth works for a moment, but she doesn't actually say anything because she doesn't want them to feel bad but there's a silent look of empathy as she reaches forward to place a hand on his shoulder]

Stiles: [he just shakes his head, pulling away. He doesn't want it. He's going to just silently walk away, looking for Melissa to stitch up his neck]

Kira: [sighs and runs a hand through her hair as she turns to face them again] One of us should probably go check on Lydia.

Scott: I'll do it. [looks at Cora] You can wait for Stiles. Maybe convince him to have my mom look at his neck?

Cora: [nods] Sure.

Kira: I'll go with you. [to Scott]

Scott: [takes her hand with a small smile and off they go]

Cora: [and Cora will sit there and wait for her boyfriend, turning the conversation with Scott over and over again in her head]

Stiles: [and when he can't find Melissa right away, he'll eventually wander back and go to sit next to her stiffly. silently]

Cora: Hey. [her eyes scan over him for a moment before reaching for his hand on instinct] Where'd you go?

Stiles: Bathroom, and tried to look for Melissa. [he lets her take it, but he's just staring at the floor sullenly]

Cora: [no, that's not right. She frowns for a moment before giving his hand a slight squeeze] Hey. What's wrong?

Stiles: [he just licks his lips, then shakes his head] Nothing.

Cora: No, it's not. [she knows him better than that] Scott and Kira went to check on Lydia, we could go get some air or something. ["and talk" is the silent add on, but she figured that's implied by her calling him out on not being okay]

Stiles: I think I’ve had enough air for today. [indicating the silent talking business] I just want to get my neck looked at and go find my dad.

Cora: [she watches him quietly for a moment, and she can read enough of it to know that she upset him somehow, but she's not sure how.] Okay. Want me to go track down Melissa? Or I think I saw Liam's stepdad.

Stiles: Melissa if she's available. Liam's dad may be with Lydia.

Cora: Sure. I'll go find her. [she can use scent to track her down faster than Stiles can, anyway. She lets go of his hand and gets up, wanting to move away from how uncomfortable this feels] I'll be right back.

Stiles: [nods, letting her. once he's sure she's gone, he's going to just pound his fist on the arm of the chair, and then flex his hand because ow, and instead just worry on his thumbnail and try to ignore the pain]

Cora: [and a few minutes later, she comes back with Melissa, who gets them over to one of the exam areas to check him out. Cora will just linger in the back, waiting because until she knows what's wrong, she doesn't know what else she's supposed to do]

Stiles: It still hurts a bit. I don't know how deep the cut went, but Deaton wanted you to look at it and see if I needed stitches. [has his head tilted, looking at the wall]

Melissa: If I remember correctly, a kanima doesn't need to go very deep to do damage, but let's have a look. [she glances between the two of them, that won't look at each other, and her mom intuition definitely says that something's wrong, but she won't focus on that now] No, you're going to be fine. I'll just get you a fresh dressing for it, and you'll be good to go.

Stiles: Thanks. [a moment] Have you seen Lydia yet?

Melissa: [shakes her head] Not yet, but everything looks good so far. [she pauses, before glancing back over her shoulder] Hey, Cora, you mind running down to the snack machine and grabbing something out of there for him. The cut isn't deep but I want to make sure he keeps his blood sugar up. There are singles in my purse if you need them.

Cora: [glances over when she's addressed, watching the two of them for a moment before nodding] Sure. I'll be right back. [though this time she's probably going to take her time.]

Stiles: You know, normally you're against feeding me any kind of sugar...

Melissa: [she holds up a finger, glancing to the hallway to make sure that the werewolf ears are gone, before glancing back at him again] That was a very clever ruse so that I can figure out what's wrong with you.

Stiles: [blinks] I got attacked by a girl who we have no idea how she was a kanima?

Melissa: [and she'll just stare at him like "don't play a player" she knows you better than that, Stiles] I mean with you and Cora.

Stiles: [and she gets that cautious look she knows oh so well from him. It's a mix of how do you do that and the I don't want to talk about it] Nothing.

Melissa: [because she's your mom, Stiles, even if she doesn't officially have the job] I think you know better than to try and lie to me at this point. Things haven't been that awkward between you and her since before you started dating.

Stiles: I don't want to talk about it, okay? I just want to go find my dad.

Melissa: Maybe you don't want to talk about it but unless you want to lose your girlfriend it sounds like you need to talk about it to someone. Preferably her, but I'm good for a dry run in the meantime.

Stiles: [scrunches up his face] You know what, I'm fine. I'm done here. [goes to push off the table]

Melissa: ... Stiles, don't do this.

Stiles: I said I'm fine! [he's so not fine. He's five seconds from a breakdown but he's too stubborn]

Melissa: Give me a little credit here. I know you a bit better than that.

Stiles: I said I'm FINE. [and he's going to just storm out, and go the opposite direction of the machines to storm out of the hospital too]

Melissa: [she'll try but she really can't stop him, leaving a very confused girlfriend when she comes back from the snack machines. She knew the ruse for what it was but she thought that Melissa might be able to help. Apparently not]

Scott: [skids in, having heard the yelling] What happened?!

Melissa: I was just trying to talk to him and me blew up at me.

Kira: [isn't that far behind him and she's got that "whoops" look on her face]

Scott: Talk to him about what?

Melissa: Whatever it was that was pissing him off.

Kira: [pinches her eyes closed and winces] Like the fact that he might have heard you and Cora talking while you thought he was in the bathroom.

Scott: [looks at Kira, then Cora] Crap.

Cora: [exhales and closes her eyes] He was being weird ever since he got back, but he wouldn't talk about it.

Scott: [sighs] I'll go find him.

Melissa: Wait, what were you guys talking about?

Scott: He's just been paranoid about Theo coming back to town.

Melissa: Uh-huh. [she has a feeling there's more to it than that]

Scott: [looks at Cora] Do you want to come?

Cora: I don't know if it will help. I tried to get him to talk to me and he blew me off.

Melissa: Scott, if he's pissed about this Theo thing, I don't think you're the one he's going to want to talk to.

Scott: Someone's gotta get him to talk.

Melissa: I know. I know. But maybe just ... give him a little breathing room, and then send someone ... more on his level. Human to human.

Scott: [blinks, and looks at Cora because.... who is actually human in their group anymore?]

Melissa: [yep. this is why you keep her around] Go home. Both of you. I'll take care of it.

Scott: But Lydia...

Melissa: Will be fine. Go home. Get some sleep. It's been a long night for everybody.

Scott: [nods, and goes to Kira] I'll take you home. [looks at Cora] You need a lift?

Cora: [shakes her head] I'll walk. [and for once since she got home for the summer she actually goes to sleep in her own bed, figuring Stiles doesn't want to see her at the moment, let alone sleep next to her. Not that she'll be sleeping much, but still]

Derek: [and he's up and awake and...] What are you doing? [because why is Cora here at night?]

Cora: [her brow wrinkles and she glances back to him] Going to my room?

Derek: I can't remember the last time you slept here. Everything okay?

Cora: [her face flickers for a moment, before it's back to normal again] Yeah. Fine. [and with that she's continuing up the stairs]

Derek: [raises his eyebrow a moment] You do realize you can't lie well to me, right? [but he's not going to get up to stop her]

Cora: [she stops and she huffs and then turns to face him again] Stiles is pissed at me.

Derek: [shifts to actually look at her over the back of the couch] Why is he mad at you? I didn't think he could get mad at you.

Cora: [sighs as she goes to sit on the stairs] He's obsessed with this Theo kid he thinks is going to stab Scott in the back and Scott is trying to give the kid the benefit of the doubt because he's Scott. Which just makes Stiles more frustrated, and I keep trying to talk him down but he just ... reeks of anxiety and anger all the time and I don't know how to fix it. Scott and I are both worried about him and that he's just going to hurt himself like this, but he won't listen to us. We were talking about it while we were at the hospital and we didn't realize he was listening. But he won't even confront us about it. The only reason we know he knows is because Kira told us.

Derek: [looks up at her a moment, then nods] It sounds like he's focusing on Theo because it's something he feels he can do to contribute to the pack. His dad's a cop. He knows how to play detective. He's actually pretty good at it, when he's focused.

Cora: He also has a history of overreacting and assuming the worst of people without any evidence.

Derek: I'm well aware of it. He's the one who got me arrested over Laura's murder initially, and he and Scott got the city on a manhunt for me afterward.

Cora: [sighs] I'm not trying to discount his instincts. But I also know what it's like to be an omega. And I've met the kid, nothing about him reads hideously off to me.

Derek: What would be the risk of him just running the course with this? Just in general.

Cora: Running the course of what?

Derek: Trying to protect the pack in only way he's actually able to. He's been wrong before but has that really made any of us stop caring about him?

Cora: No! And that's not what we were saying! We're worried that he's going to go too far and either force Theo into a bad situation just to prove he's right or stumble into something else and get himself hurt. [she sighs] Me and his dad have both told him to relax, to let him incriminate himself but Stiles is so worked up and worried that if he does Scott is going to get killed. Everything right now is worst case scenario and nothing we say can convince him otherwise.

Derek: And let me guess, the fact he's leaving for college in a few weeks is only asseverating the situation.

Cora: And his dad is starting to date which is going over super well. [sarcasm] Especially considering it's not Scott's mom. It's just ... too much change at once. Too many things he can't control and he won't listen to anyone.

Derek: [nods] And he's not easily distracted, so finding a distraction isn't going to help.

Cora: [shakes her head] I just ... don't know what to do.

Derek: Well, seeing that it's pack business - Scott needs to handle him. On the relationship side... that you have to follow your gut.

Cora: And what does that mean?

Derek: [he gets up and goes to move closer] it means however this affects you two personally... you need to go with your own gut on how to handle him.

Cora: [looks up at him before shaking her head] I'm not leaving him. I can't leave him.

Derek: Good. I don't think he wants to lose you either.

Cora: [her eyes fall to her hands again] I hope you're right.

Derek: [reaches through the bars of the staircase and squeezes her hands] Me too.

Cora: [sighs as she leans into the bars a bit] Melissa said she was going to talk to him. Hopefully it'll help.

Derek: Melissa is the closest thing he has to a mother these days. I'm sure she can get through to him. [rubs her back] But stay here for a bit and give him some space.

Cora: [she nods. She's not going to like it because she misses him already, but she gets it. She exhales again before starting to get to her feet] I'm going to hop in the shower and then try and get some sleep. [there's a pause as she gets to her feet, before she remembers the actual important thing she should probably tell him] Oh - someone's turning people into kanimas. Be careful. Tell Dawn to tell the Slayers to be careful too.

Derek: [blinks] Do I ever want to know what you did today? [is going to tell Dawn that immediately]

Cora: [smiles but there's no actual mirth to it] Kira did an incredibly badass thing with her aura, Lydia trusted her banshee instincts and Malia chose the non-lethal option after coming back from kanima venom in a badass fashion. Just - ignore the rest and call today a win.

Derek: [ smirks a bit] Sounds like it was a great girl power day. Go take your shower. I'll make you breakfast in the morning.

Cora: [nods] Sounds good. [And she will go up to do just that]

Stiles: [and at about midnight... he texts Cora asking where she is]

Cora: [she had been lying in bed, staring at the empty spot where he's supposed to be, dozing in and out but when her phone buzzes she snaps to attention, quickly texting him back] Home, in my room.

Stiles: Oh. Okay. Just making sure you're safe.

Cora: [she stares at her phone for a bit, before trying to reach out again. She doesn't know if Melissa's talked to him yet, but she can't not try] Want to come over?

Stiles: No, if you're already in bed, it's fine. Just, crazy day, making sure you're okay. See you tomorrow?

Cora: [she's disappointed, her eyes drifting over to the empty space in the bed next to her, but she isn't going to push him] Yeah. See you tomorrow.

Stiles: Love you.

Cora: Love you too.

Stiles: [and that will be the end of it. But he won't be sleeping well at all. He doesn't have his "pillow"]

Cora: [she's not exactly sleeping either. But she'll just stay curled up in her room and leave it at that]

Melissa: [And around six am he'll get a text on his phone] Wanna get breakfast? I'm buying.

Stiles: [why is she texting him at 6am. It's summer. What teenager is actually awake at 6am?! Oh yeah, the one who's girlfriend was across town that he was sorta mad at but not really. He sighed, looking at the phone a moment and debating on if he should ignore it or not]

Melissa: [will wait for a very long time to see if he will respond before adding:] I know you're not my biggest fan at the moment, but is pride really worth the cost of free pancakes?

Stiles: [oh crap she's pulling out the pancakes. No fair] It's six am.

Melissa: I don't actually get off until eight. I didn't expect to hear from you until at least then.

Stiles: Phone woke me up. [LIES]

Melissa: My bad. So how about? Pancakes, 9:30 at the diner?

Stiles: [sighs, but it's not like he has anything better to do] Sure.

Melissa: Okay. See you then. Go back to sleep. [and with that, she goes back to work]

Stiles: [sleep. Ha. nope, he will eventually just roll out of bed, shower, play on his phone a bit and then just go to meet her at the diner]

Melissa: [and she will be there with menus, sitting in a booth with her coffee and eyeing her options]

Stiles: [goes to sit across from her, sulking teenager trying to hide in his hoodie.] Hi.

Melissa: Hey. [glances up with a smile] How's the shoulder?

Stiles: Sore.

Melissa: Cut gotten any worse?

Stiles: No. Just sore. I put a new bandage on after I took a shower. It didn't look infected at all.

Melissa: Good.

Stiles: [nods. he doesn't need a menu. Coffee and pancakes and bacon. Obviously he hangs out with the Hales.] I'm sorry about yelling at you last night.

Melissa: No, it's okay. Kira filled in some of the blanks.

Stiles: [and he's just going to nod, and empty to sugar container to start trying to build a sugar house]

Melissa: [watches him quietly for a moment, drinking her own coffee and weighing her next question carefully] So who lives in this one?

Stiles: The remaining shards of my self-dignity.

Melissa: [tips her head to the side with a bit of a look] It can't be that bad.

Stiles: They all think I'm overreacting. That's I’m being paranoid and crazy.

Melissa: No, they don't. They worry that you're pulling yourself in too many different directions and are going to drive headlong into a bad situation. They're worried about you.

Stiles: Yeah, well I'm worried about them, so it's even.

Melissa: [sighs as she watches him, bracing her cup in her hands] Do you want to vent? Because I'm here if you just need to get it all out there.

Stiles: [he thinks a moment, then sighs as the house falls down. He just goes to start again] You ever just... you look at a situation and everything is too good? So good you know it's too good and you want to know what the catch is?

Melissa: [considers for a moment] So you start poking at it until the catch happens and you wind up making it bigger and worse than it would have been if you just let it be?

Stiles: Or you're able to keep it from blowing up at all. [he's so focused on that house] People died last night. It's not a coincidence that he showed up the same time all of this started to happen.

Melissa: Unlikely as they are, coincidences do happen, Stiles. But, even if you are right, you're never going to find any proof if you spend every waking moment letting him know that you're watching him like a hawk.

Stiles: So what am I supposed to do? Just let him slide in and buddy up all my friends? [his foot is twitching under the table]

Melissa: No, but you have to trust that Scott has the best interests of the pack at heart and that if he does let Theo get close, he's not doing it lightly. Besides - friends close, enemies closer.

Stiles: Yeah, well Scott trusts everyone. It's going to end up getting him killed one day.

Melissa: Scott gives people the benefit of the doubt. That's different than trusting them.

Stiles: [shakes his head] He gives more than a benefit. He gives too much. He's too good of a good guy.

Melissa: Yeah. He's the good guy who dosed Allison's grandfather with mountain ash and then forced Derek to give him the bite.

Stiles: Yeah, when he could have put cyanide in those pills instead. Also the one who let Deucalion live, let the twins back into the pack, wouldn't.... [he shook his head, because those words were that Scott wouldn't have killed him with the nogitsune inside of him] ... He thinks everyone can be redeemed, but he can't save everyone.

Melissa: No, he can't, but you know what? I'm glad that my son isn't a killer and you should be too. Because you know who you sound like right now? You're reminding me a little of Peter and not in a good way.

Stiles: [and that stills his hands a bit, and thankfully his coffee arrives and he goes to take it] Yeah, and you know what - no one listened to Peter back then and look what happened to the Hales.

Melissa: You don't think Scott doesn't know that?

Stiles: I'm sure he does, but he also has the whole true alpha thing going and sometimes I think it feels like he thinks that because he is one, he can handle it all.

Melissa: And if you honestly believe that, I think he'd probably be really disappointed. [she shifts and leans forward a bit on the table] Scott needs you, Stiles. He needs you to be that voice in his ear reminding him that there are going to be threats at his door. But you have to be careful that you don't go turning those potential threats into self-fulfilling prophecies. [there's a beat] Look, Deaton and Derek keep telling Scott that he needs to choose the kind of alpha he wants to be. And he's still figuring that out. But he's never going to be the kind of kid who believes in neutralizing problems before they actually become problems. Maybe that's my fault for how I raised him, maybe it's just who Scott is, but I'll bet you anything he's considered the option - killing Peter, killing Gerard - [killing Stiles, even though he probably never gave it the consideration he gave the other two] But that's not the kind of alpha he wants to be. What you have to decide is if you can live with being an emissary to that kind of alpha - and not see him as weak, not see him any less powerful for that choice - but help him find a way to stay that way and protect the pack.

Stiles: [and he's going to just look in his coffee, because he gets it. And he sees it now. But he's just too stubborn to say it right now because he knows he's right.]

Melissa: [sighs softly before reaching forward and placing her hands over his] If you're right, you have to prove it. And you're not going to do it by beating a dead horse. Do what you do best. Be the detective and give Scott something more than your gut.

Stiles: [just nods, still sullen, but at least agreeable now]

Melissa: [gives him a small smile] Anything else you want to get out?

Stiles: [thinks a moment, then looks up] How come you and my Dad never dated? [yup, so going there]

Melissa: [stares. and ... blinks. And her mouth works for a moment, before she pulls back and leans back in the booth] Well. As much as I love your dad - and I do, love your dad - I didn't really love him ... in that way, you know?

Stiles: But Scott and I had a plan.

Melissa: [oh this should be good] You did, did you?

Stiles: Yeah. It was supposed to be you and Dad, and then Scott and I would be actual brothers.

Melissa: And how was this plan going to work? Were you just going to wait for the magic to happen?

Stiles: Well, it kinda got sidetracked by Scott turning into a werewolf and then just... everything after.

Melissa: Mmmm-hmmm. [she nods for a moment before glancing back to him] You do know that both your dad and I have been single and spending copious amounts of time chasing after you two for the better part of ten years, right?

Stiles: Yeah. Team effort. Why not unite the team under one banner. [smirks a bit]

Melissa: [she laughs] Don't you think if it was going to happen, it would have happened by now?

Stiles: Not with both of you working yourselves to death. Plus I mean, come on, combined household - neither of you would have to do a double again.

Melissa: Yeah. Maybe not. But ... putting it in terms you might get a little better - it would be like you trying to date Kira instead of Cora.

Stiles: But Kira's already dating Scott. [blinks, then leans in] Are you dating someone I don't know about?

Melissa: [sighs and leans in to shake her head] No. Trust me, if I were dating someone, you would be aware. I would not be that subtle about it.

Stiles: [watches her a moment, then leans back] Alright. [he can buy that. and look, pancakes!]

Melissa: [yay pancakes. She reaches for her syrup, before glancing over at him] How does being with Cora make you feel?

Stiles: Like I'm complete. In that whole I don't need anyone if I've got here way. Though I still want Scott. I guess I'm greedy like that. [allllll the syrup]

Melissa: [smirks a bit, before nodding] And how do you feel when you hang out with Allison or Kira?

Stiles: In the whole they're my friends way or in the whole Scott's girlfriend and ex-girlfriend way?

Melissa: The former.

Stiles: But yeah, they're my friends. Mainly because I was hung up on Lydia up until I met Cora, so it wasn't like my mind was thinking about them like that anyway.

Melissa: That's more like how it is for me and your dad.

Stiles: [blinks, because the lines aren't drawing fully. The analogy is not right, but he shrugged] Can you just do me a favor though... watch out for him still while I'm at school?

Melissa: Of course.

Stiles: Thanks. He hasn't lived on his own in a long time. He may need some supervision with me not being there.

Melissa: I know. I would have looked out for him regardless.

Stiles: I know. It's just... it's going to be weird, that's all.

Melissa: I know. It's gonna be weird for everybody. But the good kind of weird. You're gonna do good things.

Stiles: I guess that's part of why I'm worried. I just... I'm just afraid I'm going to leave, and that's when the shoe is going to drop and I won't be here to help.

Melissa: You are not going to be that far away. If we run into trouble, you can hop in that Jeep and get your skinny little butt back down here to save the day.

Stiles: [chuckles] Yeah. I just have to remember the duct tape.

Melissa: [and now that's a worried mom face] Don't tell me you're fixing the Jeep with duct tape.

Stiles: [innocent face] No. Not anything important.

Melissa: [SIGH] Get that looked at by an actual mechanic before you leave.

Stiles: Yes ma'am.

Melissa: Good.

Stiles: [he digs in for a moment, then just looks up at Melissa a moment] Change is supposed to be a good thing, right?

Melissa: [glances up as well and nods] Yeah, it is. This, in particular, is very good change.

Stiles: Then why doesn’t it feel good?

Melissa: Because it's scary as hell.

Stiles: I don't like it.

Melissa: No one does, kid. But everyone has to go through it. If nothing ever changes, it means that nothing can ever get better either.

Stiles: Yeah, but I liked what we had. Until like, three weeks ago.

Melissa: And you still have what you had three weeks ago. That didn't magically go away just because new stuff happened.

Stiles: [he nods, because that was true.] How much does Scott hate me right now?

Melissa: Not at all. He's worried about you, more than anything else. He wanted to come talk to you himself, but I told him it would be better to give you some time to cool off.

Stiles: I'm worried about him too. If it wasn't for Cora... there's a part of me that thinks right now is a bad time to leave.

Melissa: Stiles. This is Beacon Hills. There's always going to be something happening that will make it a bad time to leave. But if you keep using that logic, you'll never actually leave.

Stiles: It's been a pretty quiet last few months?

Melissa: And after we deal with this crisis - which, mind you, only usually takes a couple of weeks for you guys to sort out, we'll probably have another quiet few months. [she finishes off her coffee before looking back at him again] Do you want Berkeley?

Stiles: [he looks at his coffee a moment] I want Cora. And the staff at Berkley can help me learn all about what I need to know to be Scott's emissary. Better than anywhere else outside of Scotland, and Scotland is too far.

Melissa: Then go to Berkeley. Be a college freshman. Take that chance while you have it, because if you don't - if you turn it down because you think there might be trouble, you're going to regret it. You can always come home to Beacon Hills. You can't always go to Berkeley at eighteen and have those experiences.

Stiles: I just... I don't want things to change while I'm gone. And when I say change, I mean losing my friends. Not the growing part.

Melissa: Then don't lose them. You know the reason why people lose friends most of the time? They let it happen. Technology is a crazy thing these days - I'm sure Scott would not have a problem with setting up random Skype dates just to talk to his best friend. Also, you guys don't need me and your dad together to be brothers. You get that, right?

Stiles: Yeah, yeah I know. [to both] But it would also have been nice to be able to really call you mom. [and yup, that's a bit of an embarrassed face]

Melissa: [that makes her smile softly, before reaching across the table to take his] I don't mind if you do. Even if it's only just between us.

Stiles: [smiles, holding her hand] I know mom would be happy to know you've been here for me. I don't think she'd mind.

Melissa: I don't think so either.

Stiles: So does that mean I'll get care packages at school from you? [grins]

Melissa: [she laughs] I'll see what I can do.

Stiles: Good. [and he's going to go back to devouring the rest of his pancakes and dipping his bacon in the maple syrup]

Melissa: [and she will finish off the rest of hers and take care of the check, as promised] Feel better?

Stiles: A bit. I think I have a lot of apologizing and ass kissing to do.

Melissa: Probably not as much as you think. But I know there are probably a couple people who want to see you.

Stiles: Yeah, I'm pretty sure. [thinks] Is Lydia still at the hospital?

Melissa: She's getting released this morning, but she's going to be on bed rest for a couple days.

Stiles: I'll call her later and see if she wants company then. [which means Scott or Cora first... nope, girlfriend wins. Scott will totally understand] Tell Scott I'll call him tonight? I need to go beg forgiveness from a Hale first.

Melissa: [nods] Good luck.

Stiles: [finishes his coffee and slides out of the booth] Good talk. [leans in to hug her]

Melissa: [hugs him tightly before nodding in return] Good. I'll see you later.

Stiles: [and off he goes to the Hale loft, where again, Derek is giving him the look and just pointing to the staircase that Stiles climbs, his lips moving as he practices an apology before knocking]

Cora: It's open. [though she figures it's Derek coming to talk to her about breakfast and doesn't move from where she's lying on her side, her hand stretched out to rest in the place where Stiles should be]

Stiles: [and he slips in, leaning against the door as he closes it] Okay, before you say anything - I'm sorry. I know I've been a pain in the ass the last few days and it's nothing you've done and I'm not mad at you or Scott. I know you guys are worried about me and I get it. And I'm going to try and not be as freaked out and maybe try and give Theo some slack and ease off on him even if I still think it's a bad idea but I may be overreacting a bit too much.

Cora: [she startles at first, when she realizes it's him, and she just listens in silence for a moment, but once he's done, she just nods in acknowledgement] Okay.

Stiles: So um... if you need to tell me your honest feelings about what I've been doing lately... um... yeah.

Cora: [she still watches him for a moment, before sitting up more and holding out her hand for him] Come here.

Stiles: [and he will push away from the door, going to move to her side and sit on the bed]

Cora: [And she will just pull him into bed with her because when she said come here she meant come here.]

Stiles: [and he will flop into the bed, looking up at her with a small smile] So you're not mad at me?

Cora: [shakes her head as she curls up into his shoulder] I was never mad at you. I thought you were mad at me.

Stiles: I was more mad at myself. You guys were just worried about me.

Cora: [nods as she settles closer, nuzzling his neck gently as she does while her free hand comes to rest against his side] You smell like pancakes. [she may still be half-asleepish.]

Stiles: [no, that's fine because she's warm and he's full and he only did have one cup of coffee and he didn't sleep much at all.] Melissa took me out to breakfast to talk.

Cora: Mmmm. [she didn't sleep much either. Its getting hard and harder to do without him there, which probably should worry her, but that just makes moments like this even better] Did it help?

Stiles: Yeah, a bit. [he's going to curl into her a bit, closing his eyes. yeah, they should both be worried.]

Cora: Good. [she nuzzles her neck again] Can you stay for a little while? [she's halfway off to sleep again as it is, just listening to his heartbeat]

Cora: Good. [she nuzzles her neck again] Can you stay for a little while? [she's halfway off to sleep again as it is, just listening to his heartbeat]

Cora: 'kay. [and that's the last he gets before her body tries to catch up on the sleep she missed from the night before]

Stiles: [and you, just going to cuddle with her and fall asleep too]

Derek: [and he's just assuming that they won't need breakfast so he's going to slip out and get coffee elsewhere]

Cora: [they're not going to because Cora's just going to sleep for a while until her body wakes her up with OKAY YOU REALLY CAN'T SLEEP ANYMORE and she'll just open her eyes and stay close, checking his scent to see if he really is better]

Stiles: [is a lot less anxious when he's unconscious.]

Cora: [that's good at least. she'll just stay there, listening to his heartbeat until he joins the land of the living again]

Stiles: [he didn't sleep, and once he's out... yup, boyfriend sleeping like the dead for at least a few hours so probably around 3 he will stir enough to roll into her more]

Cora: [chuckles softly before rubbing his side a bit] Hi.

Stiles: [blinks awake] Hey.

Cora: How'd you sleep?

Stiles: Much better than last night. You?

Cora: Same.

Stiles: [leans up to kiss her because he can, and didn't get to when he got there]

Cora: [kisses him back softly, one hand coming up to brush against the side of his face]

Stiles: [yeah, he's going to just enjoy this. not like he doesn't always. Or ever get tired of it. Nope, totally into Cora just as much today as he was when they started dating]

Cora: [she enjoys it just as much as well, letting her hand slide back so that she can curl her fingers into his hair, before rolling onto her back and pulling him with her]

Stiles: [and after a moment he will pull back just a bit, panting against her lips] Do you hear anyone else in the loft?

Cora: [pulls back and listens for a moment, trying to see if she can pick up on anyone else] Dawn, but she's got music on. [she's listening extra closely for Derek]

Derek: [is with Dawn, drinking coffee and reading on the bed with her. He is also listening to music because he is trying to give sister privacy.]

Cora: [makes a face when she picks up Derek's heartbeat] Derek's still here.

Stiles: [sighs] Stupid brother.

Cora: [sighs as well] We could get out of here.

Stiles: Well, we did sleep through lunch.

Cora: Yes. Food sounds like a good idea.

Stiles: Of course, you have to let me up.

Cora: You're the one on top.

Stiles: Yeah, but you're holding me and you're stronger. [smirks]

Cora: [she laughs, before holding up her hands and letting her arms drop to the side]

Stiles: [and he will push up and stretch a bit before offering her a hand] Pizza?

Cora: [nods as she takes his hand] Sounds perfect.

Stiles: [and they are heading out? Derek looks up from the bed and just nods as they go by]

Cora: [gives a wave as they head out the door]

Stiles: [and hand in hand, they go to acquire food at their favorite pizza place like two teenagers do]

Cora: [Yep. it's like there was never a not fight at all]

Stiles: [and somewhere along the way he will text Scott seeing if they were cool and if he should come over, and Scott tells him whenever and they are cool]

Cora: [glances over as he does] Everything okay?

Stiles: Yeah, just seeing if Scott wants to talk. But he's fine.

Cora: Good. Are you okay?

Stiles: Yeah. I mean, I'm still leery about Theo... but I can try and take a step back.

Cora: I don't blame you for being wary. And I don't think Scott does either.

Stiles: [scratches his head] So I'm going to just focus on the stuff I can be worried about. Like someone turning people into kanimas. Because Theo isn't an alpha, so I don't see him being able to do that.

Cora: Nope. That definitely wouldn't be in his wheelhouse.

Stiles: So focus on that, try to not be weirded out that my dad is dating Sheriff Mills, and make sure apparently get a mechanic to look at the jeep before we move to Berkeley.

Cora: If it needs a lot of work I could probably ask Derek about paying for it since you're going to be my transportation too.

Stiles: Well, we can see what it costs. [it's going to cost a lot. it's held together by duct tape and cuss words]

Cora: [yep, she knows this, and she's pretty sure she can bribe Derek or Peter or Buffy into paying for it for them]

Cora: [yep, she knows this, and she's pretty sure she can bribe Derek or Peter or Buffy into paying for it for them]

Stiles: Do you want to come over after this?

Cora: [eyebrow raise] You have to ask?

Stiles: I wasn't sure if you wanted to go anywhere else.

Cora: [shrugs] I will go wherever you want to go. I didn't have any plans today.

Stiles: My only plans were to grovel and beg for forgiveness.

Cora: [considers him for a moment before smirking a bit] And how were you going to do that?

Stiles: I was thinking the one knee approach. I figured there would be some ass kissing and that would put the posterior right in front of me.

Cora: [she laughs] Excellent start.

Stiles: So as long as my dad isn't home, I can totally kiss your ass in private.

Cora: Guess you better find out where he is.

Stiles: [and he's going to text his dad, who is at the station and will be off at 11pm so they will have to fend for themselves] We have a few hours.

Cora: Is that enough time for all your groveling?

Stiles: Depends on how well it's received.

Cora: I guess we'll never know till we give it a try.

Stiles: Alright, let's go home then.

Cora: [nods, finishing off the rest of her pizza and back in the Jeep they go!]

Stiles: [and he is probably going to drive home like the world is on fire]

Cora: [and she may white knuckle against the door here and there]

Stiles: [hey, he wants all the time he can get.]

Cora: [yes, but she'd like to get there without dying]

Stiles: [he will get here there. And into the house. and up to his room]

Cora: [where Cora will close the door behind him and slide her arms around his neck] So. Where are we starting?

Stiles: Well, I need to get to my knees. But I can go slow on the way. [and he will lean down to kiss her]

Cora: [hums softly as she kisses him back, taking a deep breath and just relaxing into his arms]

Stiles: [and he's going to kiss her good as his fingers go to work her shirt free from her pants, his fingers finding the flesh of her hips]

Cora: [she shifts a bit to try and help him do that, eventually grabbing at the material of her shirt and breaking the kiss long enough to pull it over her head, along with his]

Stiles: [and then he will be kissing lower - her neck. Right in that spot that she loves]

Cora: [and she will react appropriately with a pleased little noise, her fingers curling against his shoulders]

Stiles: [and he will keep kissing, muttering soft apologies to her as his fingers go to unsnap her bra and remove it]

Cora: [she closes her eyes as she shifts her body, letting him pull it away. When it looks like he's going to be ducking too much, she's starts to move forward a bit, nudging him to sit on the bed behind him so she can climb into his lap]

Stiles: [but he can't get to his knees like that. He will just have to divert from his plans for now and sit on the bed, pulling her into his lap and then going to kiss and suck on her breasts]

Cora: [yes she forgot about that, it's unfortunate that she is shorter than him, because it makes their lives complicated. But when he's ready to get on his knees he could always just turn her around and lie her on the bed so that her legs are hanging off the edge]

Stiles: [that is the new plan. however? breasts. he likes her breasts. he's going to spend a good amount of time there]

Cora: [and she is okay with this, fingers sliding through his hair as her hips start to rock down against his, using the friction of their jeans together to stimulate them both a little more]

Stiles: [and stimulating him too, which is getting him to groan against her nipple before pulling back] I'm not going to be able to get to my knees if you keep doing that.

Cora: [her teeth rake over her bottom like and she flashes him a shy grin] Can't help it. It feels good.

Stiles: You remember... [back to kissing her neck] When we first did this... how awkward it was?

Cora: [closes her eyes as she tips her head back, giving him better access] Mmmmm. It wasn't that bad.

Stiles: No, but we've gotten a lot better. [he's going to nip at her neck] A lot better.

Cora: [she giggles at the nip] We've had a lot of practice.

Stiles: I love practicing with you. [his hands massage her breasts as he kisses her]

Cora: [kisses him back, arching up into his hands as he touches her, fingers moving to slide gently over his back] Me too.

Stiles: I love you. [between kisses]

Cora: I love you too. More than anything.

Stiles: [and he's going to pull her closer, pressing up against her hips as they kiss again]

Cora: [she presses her hips back in return, leaning in so that she could feel as much of his skin as possible, fingers sliding into his hair]

Stiles: [and eventually he's going to shift them, moving so that Cora is the one sitting on the edge of the bed, and he's sliding down to kiss down her neck, and then to her breasts as his knees get to the floor]

Cora: [she closes her eyes as she settles comfortably on the edge of the bed, letting Stiles settle between her legs and tipping back slightly against the bed to give him better access]

Stiles: [and he is going to take his time, his lips going to worship each part of her skin]

Cora: [just leans back and enjoys it, because this is supposed to be about him groveling after all, but it doesn't stop her hands from wandering over his shoulders because she likes touching him, her nails digging in occasionally when he hits a good spot]

Stiles: [and soon he will be kissing his way down further until he's guiding her legs a bit further apart, and he will really start his groveling]

Cora: [which will get lots of pleased, happy noises from her. she leans back even further against the bed so that she's more lying down, moving her hands so that her fingers are dragging through his hair]

Stiles: [and he's going to keep going, pleasing her until she falls over her edge]

Cora: [And when she does she will slump back against the bed, her fingers scratching idly at his scalp as she does]

Stiles: [and before he comes up, he's going to tilt his head a bit and gently kiss her ass]

Cora: [and that makes her laugh, basically uncontrollable giggles all the way]

Stiles: [and he grins and slides back up] Mission accomplished. Ass has been kissed.

Cora: [grins back] And you did it very well.

Stiles: Thank you. I've had some practice.

Cora: It's paid off. [and she'll bring him closer gently so that she can kiss him again]

Stiles: [and he's going to stretch out on top of her, kissing her as his hands go to undo and kick off his jeans]

Cora: [moves her hands down to help him push off the rest of his clothes, before using her legs to pull him in closer]

Stiles: [nestles in between her legs, kissing her as he grinds up against her]

Cora: [she hums softly in response, her hips rocking up to meet his gently]

Stiles: I need to just... I can't reach... [condoms too far away]

Cora: [she whimpers, glancing back over her shoulder] Where are they?

Stiles: Pillow case.

Cora: [she stretches her hands back over his head, fingers reaching out for the pillow case in question. It takes her a second until her fingers catch the edge and manage to turn it just enough so that she can pull it down towards her with a pleased grin, shoving her hand inside to try and find the box]

Stiles: [and it's a brand new box, but he was prepared and took off the wrapper at least]

Cora: [digs in until she fishes one out before tossing the pillow to the floor and handing it off to him] Got it.

Stiles: Good. [and he's going to get that on and scoot up a bit more so that he could slide himself in]

Cora: [which gets more pleased noses from his girlfriend, her hands sliding up his chest to cup his face as she pulls him in for a kiss again]

Stiles: [and he will, because he will never tire kissing her, or thrusting into her]

Cora: [she would hope not. She meets him for every move, just keep him close as close as she can but still have him moving]

Stiles: [and he's gotten good at this, knowing how to please them both when he's on top, and knowing how to take his time keeping them both going, but not getting right to the finish line right away]

Cora: [They've both had a lot of practice in that respect, knowing each other so well that they both know how to make it last and speed things up when they need to. Cora arches up into the press of him on top of her, hands sliding over his back before her fingers curl to drag down in a scratch]

Stiles: [he groans against her lips, thrusting in harder to that]

Cora: [she nips at his lips as she feels herself get closer with the change in force, the pressure continuing to build as her lips break the kiss and move towards his neck]

Stiles: [and he just tilts his head automatically, freely giving her access to that spot.]

Cora: [it doesn't much longer for her to fall over the edge, biting down against his shoulder with her human teeth still]

Stiles: [and he whimpered as he also went over that edge, tilting his head more as his hands gripped the sheets around her]

Cora: [she flops back against the bed with a sigh, eyes still closed as she clings to him. Her fingers trace along his spine and up to his shoulders again, just staying as close as she can]

Stiles: [he'll check later to see if he's bleeding at all from her bites or scratches. He's used to them at this point, and it doesn't bother him. He's just going to keep her nice and close]

Cora: [she's careful not to break the skin when she does it, just enough to give a little sensation as they go. She knows that one day she's going to, claim him with her real teeth, but until then she doesn't want to hurt him if she can help it]

Stiles: [still, frail, human, and welt marks and bruises easily. But for now] I think I'm ready for a nap. You good for a nap?

Cora: [nods a bit in return] I am very good for a nap.

Stiles: Then we shall nap. [and he reaches for the blanket to cover them]

Cora: [slips under them and curls up close, letting her head nestle against his shoulder]