canon au } { post-509, of confessions and lost friendships

[impetere]

Derek: [and he will go stand in her doorway] So, do you know why the Sheriff is asking me to send Peter to talk to Malia about being a tail on Theo? Because cryptic text messages are not really my thing.

Cora: [she glances up and her brow furrows] ... No? Maybe he found something we haven't.

Derek: [goes to show her the original text message from the Sheriff. It basically mentions that Theo is trying to get Sheriff's sympathy and took the blame for a chimera's death that was attacking Stiles and he has contradictory information] You know what this is about?

Cora: [she takes the phone for a moment, and at first she's confused, because Theo did kill a chimera that was trying to kill Stiles, but why would the Sheriff have contradicting information about ...] Shit.

Derek: What?

Cora: [oh god the Sheriff knows. The Sheriff knows and Stiles didn't tell him.] Shit! [and she's going for her phone to text the sheriff herself because it's the only explanation that makes any sense, sending him: "Lindsay told you?"]

Derek: Cora, what is it?

Sheriff: Of course you know. Seems I'm the last person to.

Cora: ["You're not. I'm pretty sure Scott is." She glances up at Derek and closes her eyes because everyone's going to know soon enough] Theo's trying to take the fall for something Stiles did.

Derek: Theo, the one we're not sure is a good guy, is trying to take the fall for Stiles? You realize that doesn't make sense.

Cora: It does if he's trying to get Stiles on his side. But what he doesn't know is that I made Stiles report it to Lindsay when it happened so there's already an official police record. The only person who didn't know was the sheriff.

Sheriff: ... Why wouldn't he tell Scott?

Derek: What did he do, Cora?

Cora: ["Same reason he couldn't tell you."] Donovan attacked him at the high school. Stiles tried to get away from him but he followed him into the library. He was a chimera - wendigo and something else I've never seen before. Stiles tried to climb the paint scaffolding to get away from him and Donovan was trying to pull him down and Stiles pulled the pin on the scaffolding so that it would knock Donovan off when he fell. But one of the supports ... one of the supports on the rigging skewered Donovan on the way down and it killed him.

Derek: [winced] Damn.

Sheriff: Do me a favor. Tell him I know. Tell him he needs to see me. I need to hear it from him.

Cora: ["I will when I see him"] Yeah. I've been trying to get him to tell his dad and Scott but he's just ... he's not dealing with it well, not that I blame him.

Derek: I hid in a root cellar for two days until Mom came to pull me out. There's no right way to deal with it. [and there is knocking at the loft door and he turns his head]

Cora: [straightens a bit at the knock, letting the conversation fall to the side for now] You expecting someone?

Derek: No. Dawn's already back up at Berkley getting the apartment ready for you guys. [and he's going to go head to answer it]

Cora: [and she'll hang back, leave her room but not head down the stairs, just in case]

Derek: [and he will head over and open the door and there is a drowned Stiles, looking at the ground and totally broken] Stiles?

Cora: [and that will have her coming down the stairs because that doesn't sound good]

Stiles: [luckily it's not winter so he's not freezing yet. But he's shaking anyway, halfway caught in a panic attack] My phone died. Is Cora... I need...

Derek: [pulls Stiles in, shutting the door behind him] Cora!

Cora: [she's halfway down the stairs and she'll move past her brother, reaching for Stiles' hand to pull him towards her] I'm right here.

Stiles: [and he's just going to curl into her, pressing his eyes to her shoulder. his anxiety smells are through the roof]

Derek: I'll find him something dry.

Cora: No, it's okay. I've got some of his stuff upstairs. [for reasons. She'll just pull him to her for a moment, not really caring that he's getting her wet, just reaching her hand to the back of his neck and squeezing it gently. and because she nat 20'd her wisdom check, she can guess what's happening here] Scott knows.

Stiles: He... he wouldn't listen to me. He doesn't believe me. He... I think he threw me out of the pack...

Derek: [closes his eyes, because he's been doing his best to let Scott run the show and not try and step in] I'll get you a towel at least. [because it will keep him from storming out to bite Scott's head off]

Cora: [closes her eyes and just stays close, sliding her fingers through his hair] It's okay. It's okay, we'll figure it out. We'll make it right.

Stiles: Why wouldn't he believe me? Why... why wouldn't he... [yup, pretty much panic attacking now that he's somewhere safe]

Cora: I don't know. But I'll find out. [and she has a sneaking suspicion that Theo is involved and if he is, she's going to tear him apart because this is getting ridiculous] Just breathe, Stiles.

Derek: [and he's back, wrapping a towel around Stiles' shoulders, and trying to guide them both to the couch] Stiles, you're safe. Breathe.

Stiles: [he's trying. He's really trying] I just... I... I can't...

Cora: [will go where Derek leads her, pulling him into her, before saying quietly] Hold your breath, count to ten and let it back out again.

Stiles: [he is all but curling up in her lap. But he tries, taking a shaky breath and holding it, making it only to four. he gasps, and then tries again, getting to five...]

Derek: [just puts a steady hand on Stiles' back, trying to be supportive but he's looking at his sister, worried]

Cora: [she keeps threading her fingers through his hair gently, pressing a kiss to his temple] That's it. Keep going.

Stiles: [he keeps trying, getting deeper breaths as he goes along, his hand squeezing Cora's because he feels like he's breaking apart.]

Cora: [she squeezes back, barely moving until his heartbeat starts to even out along with his breathing and some of the anxiety starts to lessen in the air]

Stiles: [and as the adrenaline fades, his body shakes. Good sign. He sniffs, just curling up more and focusing on his breathing] I should have listened to you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

Cora: It's okay. [she shifts a bit so that his head is resting in her lap and he's looking up at her. one hand reaches for his to rest over his chest and she gives him a small smile] We'll find out what's happening and we'll make it right.

Derek: [and he will shift off the couch] Do you guys need me for anything? Otherwise I can just... go somewhere else.

Cora: [glances up at him then back down at Stiles] We should go upstairs and get him out of these clothes anyway. We'll get out of your way.

Stiles: [he just nods. words are still hard, and he's starting to feel the cold from the ac]

Derek: You're not in the way. Let me know if you need anything.

Cora: We will. [and with that she'll get her boyfriend to his feet and get him upstairs to her room. Once there, she'll fish out a shirt and basketball shorts for him to wear that he either left there or she borrowed] Here. Gimme your clothes and I'll put them in the bathroom to dry.

Stiles: [nods, and he's going to strip slowly, wincing of course as he lifts his arm to get the shirt over his head and bad shoulder.] Thank you.

Cora: Of course. [she takes his wet clothes and heads to the bathroom to hang them up to dry, before coming back to strip out of her own wet clothes and get into something dry]

Stiles: [and he's going to just sit there. He's breathing better now] Scott knew.

Cora: [she glances over and looks at him for a moment, then grits her teeth as she pulls her shirt over her head] I'll bet anything Theo told him.

Stiles: He had the wrench. [he hears you, Cora, but he's just so lost in his own head at the moment] I lost it in the library. I never thought to go back for it...

Cora: [she finishes changing before moving to crouch down in front of him] Hey, hey. If Theo told him, I almost certain that he didn't tell Scott the truth. Did you tell him what happened?

Stiles: I tried. I tried but he wouldn't listen to me. He… he told me that we can't kill people. He wouldn't... I tried to make him believe me but he...I don't know what to do, Cora.

Cora: Don't worry about Scott right now, okay? I'll deal with Scott. [she takes a beat because now isn't really the time to tell him, but he needs to know] Right now, you need to talk to your dad.

Stiles: [he looked at her, because he got that] What happened?

Cora: [looks back with a soft look] Theo tried to take the blame for Donovan with him to get the Sheriff's sympathy. He told him what happened, but said he did it. Lindsay caught it, though, and she told him the truth. She had to, Stiles.

Stiles: [yup, his face gets that crushed look and he just looks down at his hands]

Cora: [she reaches forward and slips her hands in his] He wants to see you. He wants to hear it all from you.

Stiles: [nods] Later. Right now I just... I just need you.

Cora: [she nods] Okay. [and with that she will go to climb into bed under the covers and pull him in with her]

Stiles: [and he curls up into her, resting his head on her chest] I should have known this was where it was going to go... but why would Scott not believe me? He's been my best friend forever. He knows me better.

Cora: I don't think Scott knows who to believe right now. He's giving himself anxiety attacks.

Stiles: Yeah, he's been carrying his inhaler around since the whole day after we read the Dread Doctors book.

Cora: I'll talk to him. See if I can sort it out. Because if we're going to beat the Dread Doctors, he needs to get his head on straight.

Stiles: [just nods, his fingers resting on her stomach, just gently tapping against her skin] If Theo hurts him...

Cora: He won't. I won't let that happen, and Malia's on it too.

Stiles: Just tell me this is all fixable?

Cora: It is. You and Scott will work it out and everything will be fine.

Stiles: Promise?

Cora: Promise.

Stiles: [just nods and snuggles in more] My dad's going to be pissed.

Cora: He didn't seem mad about what happened. Just that he seemed to be the last to know.

Stiles: Who knows if he is or not?

Cora: Whatever it is, he's coordinating with Derek and Peter to use Malia to manipulate Theo into giving us the Dread Doctors. So however angry he is, he's not that angry.

Stiles: [and now that his breakdown is ebbing, the logical mind is coming back. the one who can't hide under covers and needs to do things to avoid thinking about his own problems] What kind of manipulations?

Cora: Don't know. I just saw the texts between Derek and your dad.

Stiles: I should probably text him. Tell him I'm here...

Cora: Didn't you say your phone was dead?

Stiles: Yeah, yeah that's right. I need to charge it.

Cora: [she nods] I'll do it. You can use my phone to call him if you want.

Stiles: I don't know if I can right now. I don't think I can... um... [risk being rejected again]

Cora: Stiles, he's not going to. He's going to be mad that you didn't tell him but he wants to talk to you.

Stiles: Just tell him I'm here. I'll be home in the morning.

Cora: [sighs but nods as she reaches for her phone to text the sheriff just that] Okay.

Sheriff: Is he okay?

Stiles: [just curls into her more, staring at the wall] I should have seen this coming. I knew he was trying to get in Scott's good graces, but this... this is too far.

Cora: ["Not really. You weren't the only one Theo told and I don't think he told Scot the truth either." She shifts so that she's nuzzling him more] I'm trying to figure out what he wants at this point. Alienating you is one thing but why cover for you to your dad?

Stiles: If he wanted me out of the picture, why didn't he just let Lucas kill me on the roof.

Cora: [there's a long pause] Maybe that's not what he wants. Maybe it's not you he's trying to alienate.

Stiles: [he licks his lips] Scott.

Cora: He doesn't want to be part of Scott's pack. He wants Scott's pack.

Stiles: You don't think he's going to try and kill Scott and get his power, do you? [pushing himself up, looking down at Cora]

Cora: [she pauses before shaking her head] Not if he doesn't have enough support from the rest of the pack. He would need ... [a beat] He would need Liam and Malia.

Stiles: If Liam believes that Theo saved his life... he has one.

Cora: That wouldn't be enough. It's isn't just about trusting Theo. Scott made Liam, Liam isn't going to go against his instinct to protect his alpha unless he feels betrayed by Scott.

Stiles: [he closes his eyes] Or he's an idiot in love and does something stupid... I went to find Scott because we were looking for Liam. He and Hayden disappeared after two chimeras were killed today.

Cora: And you think that would make him be okay with killing Scott? [she pauses for a moment, before shaking her head] Think about when Isaac was starting to pull away from Derek when I was sick. He blamed Derek for putting the pack at risk by sleeping with Jennifer. It needs to be that kind of betrayal, where he seems Scott's hand directly in hurting him.

Stiles: If the doctors kill Hayden? I'm pretty sure that will be it.

Cora: So doctors kill Hayden, Scott can't protect her, Liam's anger gets the better of him and he backs Theo for alpha.

Stiles: But it's still only Liam. Malia is smarter than that, especially if Peter and Derek have told her what's going on. And Lydia and I...and you and I...

Cora: He's not worried about the Hales. He should be, but he's not. He doesn't think we're a threat anymore. [there's a beat] Lydia's more worried about Parrish and she saw him save Liam and Hayden and she's also seeing Scott fall apart. Theo could probably feed her a story about Scott snapping and she might just believe it. As for you ... he thinks he controls your secret. He covered you to your dad, Scott doesn't want you ... [why not back him] He thinks you're like him, only looking out for your own best interests.

Stiles: Yeah, but I'd rather have Peter as alpha again than him. [blinks] Well, maybe not. But Derek for sure.

Cora: He underestimates us a little too much.

Stiles: Then you guys are our divine move. The one he's not going to see coming.

Cora: Nope. [she smirks] Never, ever underestimate a Hale.

Stiles: We need to figure out a plan. If nothing else, if Hayden is going to be killed next, we have to find a way to save her.

Cora: I'll talk to Peter to see what Malia's working on. Once we know that, we can start on a real plan.

Stiles: I... I need to do something... If I stop moving...

Cora: What do you want to do?

Stiles: Um.... he's probably waiting for me. If he talked to my dad... he going to know what happened with Scott... he'll know I'm going to hunt him down and blame him.

Cora: I think we should let Malia deal with Theo for right now. I think you should talk to your dad so that you're both on the same page before we go any further. [there's a beat as she watches him] You're stronger together, Stiles.

Stiles: I know. [bites his thumbnail a moment] I just don't want to make it worse.

Cora: Do you want me go with you?

Stiles: No, I need you to check on Scott. I got myself into this mess with my dad, I have to fix it myself

Cora: [she nods] Okay. Where did you leave him?

Stiles: Deaton’s. Who, you know, really picked a bad time to disappear.

Cora: He shouldn't have been gone this long. [she makes a face before nodding] I'll go find him.

Stiles: Hopefully he's okay wherever he is. [sighs, looking at Cora. All he wants to do is just stay curled up with her, but he knows he can't. Not right now. Not when the world is falling apart and he risked losing even more]

Cora: [she watches him back for a moment, before leaning in to kiss him gently, just for a moment]

Stiles: [kisses her back, and then presses his forehead to hers] Though there is a small part of me almost ready to put this town in the rearview and never come back.

Cora: Couple more weeks. All we have to do is put the Doctors down and we're at Berkeley.

Stiles: Just don't let him take you from me too.

Cora: [she shakes her head] Not gonna happen. The only way he could try is if he tries to kill me and that won't end well for him. [because at this point, all he has to do is give her a reason and she'll take it.]

Stiles: [nods, reaching up to hold her neck a moment, his thumb brushing along her pulse point] Don't let him even try.

Cora: [she watches him for a moment before leaning in to kiss him again, long and slow] I'm not going anywhere.

Stiles: Neither am I... unless my dad throws me in a cell.

Cora: I don't think he will. I think he will yell, a lot, but I don't think he's ready to turn you in.

Stiles: I hope not. He still hasn't fully forgiven me for Mexico still.

Cora: [she smirks] I don't think Mexico is high on his priority list right now.

Stiles: Just, if you don't hear form me again, look in our basement.

Cora: I'm on it.