canon au } { post-3b, of fresh starts and first conversations

[kiss_evilgoodbye]

Peter: [after calling and asking her to meet him at Derek's, Peter is waiting for Cora to arrive, working on the laptop to try and find details of things he can't remember]

Cora: [eventually saunters her way in, studying her uncle carefully from a distance] Is everything okay?

Peter: Not really, but that is a double edged question at the moment.

Cora: [well, that's even more not good than usual] Is Derek okay?

Peter: Derek is fine, actually. It's regarding another member of our family. [he stands up and grabs the container holding Talia's claws. he carefully pours one out, holding it to her] When we had disappeared for a while after the alpha pack was defeated, Derek brought me on a search for these. They belong to your mother.

Cora: [she doesn't take it at first. Her mom's memory was somewhat hazy at the best of times, and most of them are clouded by what she remembers from the night of the fire. But eventually she reaches out and takes it from him carefully] Okay. [continue.]

Peter: Derek was looking for guidance. Instead, he found a secret that had been taken from me. I need your help, Cora.

Cora: What was the secret? [that determines whether or not she'll help, honestly. She trusts Peter on his good days - it's just hard to tell when the bad ones are]

Peter: [deep breath. Remember, be honest and open - he tells himself] I have a daughter. Malia. She's about you age, maybe a little younger.

Cora: [her brow furrows for a moment. She remembers hearing about this] The coyote?

Peter: Yes. Do you... do you remember anything about this? Your mother... she took the memory from me. Derek hasn't been able to tell me anything because of his injury and now being back at Berkley...

Cora: [shakes her head, before giving him a bit of a baleful look] She's seventeen. I'm seventeen. Unless you think there's some kind of telepathic connection between pup and mom when werewolves are in utero, I don't think I know anything.

Peter: Something happened to her when she was a child. She changed and ended up causing the death of her mother and sister. This would have been near the time of the fire.

Cora: [her brow furrows] I was eleven when the fire happened. Mom kept me out of pack stuff back then.

Peter: [just nods, lowering his head a bit to look at his hands. he had been hoping there may have been something Cora knew] Scott forced her to turn back human, and because of that she's rightfully afraid of joining his pack. She needs someone who can understand what she's going through and.... while I want to be that person, I know as well as everyone else that I'm not the best at letting people in anymore.

Cora: [sighs softly, before sliding up onto one of the stools next to the table, watching him for a moment, then back down at her hands] You want me to be the go-between.

Peter: Only if you want to. Otherwise, I need to know how to relate to her. I haven't done well with those in the pack of your demographic.

Cora: [eyebrows go up] And I've done better? [because ... she is the Hale with even less tact, let's be honest. Peter is all charm, Derek internalizes everything, but Cora just doesn't have a filter which hasn't exactly meshed well with Scott's pack either. They accepted her in the end, but ... it took her nearly dying to do it.] I can ... try. I don't have to be back for classes until Tuesday.

Peter: She just needs to know she has family. As dysfunctional as we are, she has us.

Cora: I might be able to get her here. But ... you're going to handle the family stuff. [because no way is she breaking that news.]

Peter: I believe I can do that. [he's worried, which is making him nervous and shifting a bit in his weight, unsure what he can do]

Cora: Okay. [there's a long pause] Are you sure it's her?

Peter: Lydia confirmed it.

Cora: [and Lydia is a banshee so. Okay. She can roll with this.] I'll talk to her.

Peter: Thank you. [and he is so grateful, Cora. You can hear that strange thing in his voice called sincerity]

Cora: [yeah, it's weird, but maybe if he has good things, he won't be so creepy all the time? or something. But he's right, as dysfunctional as they are, they're family.] Should we wait for Derek?

Peter: I don't think Dawn is letting him back into this town for the next decade if she can help it.

Cora: [mildly amused] Good luck.

Peter: And your brother has the technical know-how of a gnat that video conferencing him in will be disastrous.

Cora: [there's a look at that, because Derek is not that bad, but she'll let it go for now] Fine. I'll talk to her tomorrow.

Peter: [you didn't see him with the laptop, Cora.] I'll be waiting to hear how it went. [no, he will be stalking and listening from around a corner]

Cora: [crosses her arms in front of her chest, leveling him with a look, because yes. She knows better. She's a Hale. ... she does the same thing.]

Peter: [sees the look] What?

Cora: [her eyebrows raise]

Peter: [holds out his hands, feigning innocence]

Cora: No stalking.

Peter: I wasn't.... [no, he totally was and she knows it.] Fine.

Cora: Just ... trust me. [which is hard for him, she knows, but if he does, it'll prove how much he does want this to work. and with that she starts to take a few steps back towards the door] That it?

Peter: [doesn't trust anyone, but he nods] No, that's it.

Cora: Okay. I'll call. [and with that, she's out the door]

Peter: [and the next morning, he is going to show up at Buffy's hotel room with coffee and donuts]

Buffy: [kind of sleepy, she was out late patrolling, but she does perk up a bit when she sees the food] You do know the way to a girl's heart.

Peter: This is completely selfish. Cora is going to talk to Malia today. I need you to distract me until she calls. [otherwise he will end up stalking them out of habit]

Buffy: [considers this for a moment, then nods] Come on in.

Peter: [and he does, putting the donuts and coffees on the little desk table]

Buffy: [closes the door behind him and goes right for the doughnuts first] So I guess she took it well?

Peter: As well as anyone would.

Buffy: Knowing Cora she was just ... as impassive as ever?

Peter: Pretty much. [and Peter never actually did ask her what her feelings were, did he? Oh well]

Buffy: [she will probably called his brother to talk to him about it later] She's kind of been that way, ever since the fire. Everything we do get out of her is a fight.

Peter: She's a Hale. That's who we tend to be. Are you surprised?

Buffy: [she shakes her head] But they do trigger the Summers need to ramble.

Peter: And we get so much information out of you when that gets triggered.

Buffy: Hence the reason why it's dangerous and needs to be stopped.

Peter: Then you need to find other things to do with your mouth. [and he holds out to her another donut while one eyebrow is up in amusement]

Buffy: [she smirks a bit at that, before taking the doughnut from him] Fine. I will.

Peter: [goes to lean against the dresser because sitting down is pointless] So what can we do today?

Buffy: [he does look much nicer when he leans, but she mostly just munches on her doughnut as she mulls this over] We could go out of town? Maybe drive down to the beach?

Peter: Do you know how horrible the beach is for your skin?

Buffy: ... That's why there's sunscreen?

Peter: But you go into the water or sweat or trying to touch anything and it comes off. And then there's the sand and how it grates on your skin... [oh look, a rare rambling Hale...]

Buffy: [It is so hard to find one of those in the wild] Okay. No beach. Never mind the fact that we can both supernaturally heal. [but that's a discussion for another day] Do you have a better idea?

Peter: That's besides the point. Skin is very delicate and needs to be taken care of, even if we heal. We both still age, and you don't want to age your skin... [sorry, still rambling]

Buffy: Peter. Peter. [the doughnut is put to the side for a moment as she gets up and heads over to where he's leaning, her hands taking his wrists gently and meeting his eyes] I said we don't have to. Where do you want to go?

Peter: [he stops, looking down at their hands a moment, before up to her] We could go hiking perhaps? Like we used to?

Buffy: [she nods, her hands turning slightly to lace her fingers through his, giving him something to keep him grounded] Sure. That sounds good.

Peter: [he squeezed her hand.] Good.

Buffy: [she turns their hands a bit, before starting to slowly pull back] Just let me get dressed.

Peter: Sure. I can wait outside.

Buffy: [nods as she lets his hands go, moving back to her bag to find something to wear]

Peter: [grabs his coffee and heads for the hallway to wait patiently, not at all watching his phone]

Buffy: [gets dressed quickly and grabs her own coffee, before reemerging from the hotel room] Ready?

Peter: Yes.

Buffy: [and off they go and we can time skip to somewhere in the middle maybe?]

Peter: [yes, when they are at the top of some crest and looking over the valley and it's all pretty and stuff]

Buffy: [takes a deep breath as they reach the top, looking down at the valley below] I forgot how pretty it was up here.

Peter: Sometimes with all the craziness down there, you forget to look at the bigger picture this way

Buffy: [she nods] Everything just seems really ... close and intense.

Peter: It wasn't always that way. You remember how it was before the fire.

Buffy: [she nods slowly] But it didn't happen long after I got here. Sometimes I just wonder if I brought my bad luck with me.

Peter: No, it wasn't you. It was and will always be the fault of the Argents.

Buffy: [nods, eyes on the valley below. She still can't help but think she brings destruction in her wake] But they're pretty much defunct now.

Peter: For now.

Buffy: There's two of them left, and one of them seems to have imprinted on your nephew.

Peter: [looks at Buffy, confused]

Buffy: [stares back for a moment before ...] Oh, you don't know about Derek and Chris teaming up for ... oh. Okay.

Peter: [his eyebrows go up] Okay, teaming up. Not imprinting like falling in true love.

Buffy: Oh. No. But Chris does seem rather intent on not killing him.

Peter: Well, that's a relief.

Buffy: It's actually kind of adorable.

Peter: Don't let your sister hear you say that.

Buffy: I think she finds it kind of adorable too.

Peter: Well, I will not make any assumptions about what their relationship consists of.

Buffy: It's probably for the best.

Peter: [because that threesome is something he is not getting the mental image out of his head any time soon.]

Buffy: [yeah, Buffy isn't even going there.]

Peter: [pulls out his phone to look for any messages] Oh hell, we have no reception here.

Buffy: We don't? [reaches into her pocket for her own phone and nods in agreement] Huh. Guess not.

Peter: We need to get somewhere in case Cora calls.

Buffy: Or we can just take a breath and relax because it's not the end of the world if you don't pick up right away.

Peter: But what if she wants me? What if Malia wants to talk to me...

Buffy: Then you can call her back.

Peter: [nervous] I just don't know.

Buffy: [she takes another step closer, her hands landing on his shoulders] You don't have to be waiting by the phone. You're not supposed to be expecting her, remember?

Peter: No, I'm not supposed to be stalking her.

Buffy: This is part of the not stalking her.

Peter: [deep breaths] I just don't want to mess this up. I... this is the first thing that has been mine for a while. Talia took it away from me, and I don't know why, and I need to know that.

Buffy: I know. I know. [she takes another step in, her hands sliding up his shoulders to cup his face gently, her thumb brushing against his cheek] We'll figure it out.

Peter: [that familiar touch snaps him back and he looks at her, hesitating and for a moment almost steps back] Buffy, what are you doing?

Buffy: [she looks at him for a moment, before pulling her hands back a bit] Sorry. Sorry, I didn't mean to ...

Peter: [grabs her hands quickly] You meant to do something.

Buffy: I meant to ... [keep him present. Keep him from spiraling, if she somehow could] ... I was trying to keep you here.

Peter: [watches her a moment, then lets her go and just turns to pace away a few steps] Well, it did work.

Buffy: [lets him go, letting her hands drop to her sides. She isn't sure if she's crossing lines or it's something else]

Peter: [he huffs and just looks back down at the valley] Things aren't easy anymore. Not like they used to be.

Buffy: No one expects them to be, after what you've been through. Things change after something like that.

Peter: It does make you wonder sometimes how far some fall.

Buffy: The only part that matters is if you can pick yourself up again.

Peter: Unless you don't feel there's anything left.

Buffy: And what if there is, and you're just too stupid to see it? Because I've been there, and sometimes its right in front of your face and you just can't see it until someone points it out to you.

Peter: The last decade has really not been the kindest to me.

Buffy: Some parts of it weren't so bad. [she was in that decade. It may have been a smaller part but it was still there. And she's here now.]

Peter: [turns back to look at her] No, not all parts were bad.

Buffy: [her head tips to the side and she shrugs] Doesn't mean some parts couldn't be good again.

Peter: [he watches her a moment] You know, the hero isn't supposed to have emotional connections to the villain.

Buffy: [she snorts a bit at that, before looking down at her hands] Yeah, that's the part I've never really managed to get right. [she's quiet for a moment, before she looks up again] But sometimes, I don't mind.

Peter: I'm not the man you knew, you know this. I can't give you what you remember.

Buffy: That's not what I'm asking for. [she doesn't even really know what she's asking for, but she knows she can't have that] I know better than to think that you can go back.

Peter: then what do you want from me, Buffy. Just forget the song and dance and say it.

Buffy: [stares at him for a moment, unsure of what to say or do, but before she even realizes what she's doing she's moving, steps carrying her the rest of the way to him, pushing herself up on her toes and kissing him. She doesn't know what she wants long term, or if that's even what this is, but for now, she's just going to kiss him and let that be what it is]

Peter: [and that was not what he was expecting. But it was Buffy and he should have and part of him knows that. So he takes the kiss, and for a long moment isn't really sure how to kiss her back. Finally he just pulls back, turning his head away] I'm sorry.

Buffy: [she takes a step back and she nods, turning back to the valley again] It's okay.

Peter: It's been... years.

Buffy: [glances back to him] It's not like I've been having a different guy every night.

Peter: [sighs] the last person I was with was you.

Buffy: [pauses for a moment, before] Me too.

Peter: [blinks] I was in a coma and a burn ward for six years. What's your excuse?

Buffy: I was running an international army of super powered women and trying to save the world?

Peter: ..... Good excuse.

Buffy: [she shrugs] Being the girl in charge means you don't usually let a whole lot of people get close.

Peter: So why now?

Buffy: [she shrugs again] I don't know. I never know what I'm doing when it comes to stuff like this. But it feels right - which probably says something about how screwed up my head is, but ... [what can you do]

Peter: Yes, it does say a lot about how screwed up your head is. [he watches her a moment, then sighs] But at least it's a matching set.

Buffy: [she smirks a bit at that before nodding] At least there's that. And at least I haven't had to kill you yet. [because she keeps doing that to her boyfriends and it's kind of a bad precedent.]

Peter: And I would prefer if you keep it that way. Coming back is hard and I don't know if Lydia has it in her for another round.

Buffy: [there's a look that she gives him, almost as though what she means to say is "Don't make me" but she swallows it for now] I don't intend to.

Peter: Good. And I will try not to.

Buffy: Good.

Peter: I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of people unhappy with this though.

Buffy: [exhales slowly as she nods.] That is ... yet another standard in the romance novel that is Buffy Summers - no one is happy with your romantic choices. Ever.

Peter: You could always tell them that you are trying to redeem me with the power of love.

Buffy: [she laughs] Dawn will never buy it. But she knows enough to not do more than just make worried faces at me.

Peter: Neither will Derek. And he will lecture me.

Buffy: Yeah, well. At least they care?

Peter: Is that what they call it?

Buffy: I think that general concern for your well-being when you start dating someone that could be considered bad for you is usually called caring.

Peter: So they are all caring about you.

Buffy: I don't think it's just me. [because dating someone who is usually dispatched to kill supernatural killers when you are one yourself could be considered a bit worrisome. Add on the baggage they already have and Buffy could hurt or do as much damage to him as he can to her]

Peter: Okay, mostly you. [villains aren't cared about, Buffy. And that is how Peter sees himself]

Buffy: [she knows better than anyone that things are cloudier than that] I care about you.

Peter: I will admit that I never stopped caring about you.

Buffy: [she smiles with a small shrug] Sounds like a start.

Peter: I am way too out of practice.

Buffy: So we take it slow.

Peter: So that is about 20 steps back from last time.

Buffy: [she nods] Okay.

Peter: I'm going to feel like I'm in my 20's again.

Buffy: [she laughs] It's not a bad place to be.

Peter: I remember my twenties. I was very awkward.

Buffy: Think of it as doing your twenties again, but better.

Peter: Less fire.

Buffy: Much less.

Peter: [he walked back over to her, putting a hand on her cheek]

Buffy: [looks up at him, not pushing, just waiting. He wants to go slow, she can do slow]

Peter: [He just looks at her, then smiles] You really haven't changed at all.

Buffy: [her head tips a bit into his hand] Good or bad way?

Peter: Good way.

Buffy: Good.

Peter: [he isn't sure if he should. The last few years, he had been very calculating and specific on everything he did. Spontaneity wasn't easy for him anymore. He wanted to kiss her, but all the variables on what could happen start to play through his head, and he needs to make sure he has the right path in mind]

Buffy: [she watches him, and it's almost as though she can see the wheels in his head turning. She takes another step closer - not too close, but closer] Not everything has to be a chess move, Peter.

Peter: Everything is a chess move. It just depends on how important the game is.

Buffy: So how important is this one?

Peter: Very.

Buffy: [she exhales slowly, nodding a bit as she looks down. She wants him to do it, to just kiss her and let go and let her past the chessmaster but that's going to take time.] Okay.

Peter: [okay, he has his move now. He tilts her face back up to him with a finger, then leans in and kisses her gently]

Buffy: [kisses him back, not pushing more than he is, meeting him and nothing more. Her hands find his arms but for nothing more than to steady herself, not wanting to break the kiss by losing her balance]

Peter: [this kiss wasn't unexpected, so he pulled her closer, a tiny spark of their old relationship starting to come back to life in him]

Buffy: [she takes his lead, her hands moving up to come around his shoulders, pushing up on her toes a bit to meet him better]

Peter: [there is a tiny rumble in his throat, one that showed how much he was enjoying it. Wolves. He takes that as a sign though to pull back slowly, looking down at her. he just stares at her a moment, focusing on his breathing]

Buffy: [she pulls back a bit with him, her fingers linking behind his neck as she stayed close, taking the moment to catch her breath.] Good? [she'll keep checking, because he did say he didn't want to rush, but she remembers that sound from him, remembers what it means and hopes that it still means the same thing]

Peter: Yeah, I'm good. You good? [oh, it meant exactly what she remembered, and he was trying to behave. For once. Only because it was her]

Buffy: [she nods] I'm good.

Peter: Maybe we should go back though. In case.

Buffy: [nods in agreement] Yeah. Sure.

Peter: Do you want to see the evil lair?

Buffy: [her eyes turn a bit mischievous at that and she nods] Sure. Sounds good.

Peter: [starts to go, and after a moment, reaches down and takes her hand, threading his fingers with hers]

Buffy: [she smiles at that, giving his hand a soft squeeze before following behind him and we do another magical time skip?]

Peter: [magical skip to his lair or to Cora calling?]

Buffy: [either or though she does kind of want to see the lair]

Peter: [so they get to his place then. It's a one bedroom, very efficient and clean. Cleanliness is the sign of a crazy man, Buffy]

Buffy: [clearly. she glances around, trying not to appear too nosy as she wanders.] It's nice.

Peter: I've gotten used to not needing much. The Spartan lifestyle is a new Hale trait too, though I at least appreciate walls and some artwork.

Buffy: I do appreciate the walls. They add a little something extra.

Peter: I spent years staring at white walls. I need color.

Buffy: Understandably so. Plus, make it feel like a home, almost.

Peter: Almost. Can I get you something to drink? [he puts his phone and keys on the kitchen island after having checked for messages]

Buffy: [nods] Water, if you have it.

Peter: I have a sink. I always have water.

Buffy: [blinks] Point. I ... may have been living out of hotels for too long.

Peter: [he pulls a water bottle from the fridge] However you never know what's in the pipes. This is better for your complexion.

Buffy: [reaches over to take the bottle from him] Is the skin thing new for you? Because I don't think I remember you being this concerned before.

Peter: You didn't see me after the fire. My body didn't heal.

Buffy: [she frowns slightly at that, because she saw some of it. She just didn't stay] Yikes.

Peter: Spend half a decade looking at yourself like that, and you want to do everything you can to prevent anyone from looking less than perfect.

Buffy: Well, I appreciate the effort on my behalf.

Peter: Can't risk losing natural beauty like yours in the world.

Buffy: [smirks] Flattery will get you everywhere.

Peter: [sits across from her] So we're done with the notgitsune. Think this town will allow there to be some time before the next supernatural meltdown?

Buffy: In Sunnydale I at least got a summer vacation.

Peter: Too bad it's winter.

Buffy: I think the same three month rule applies.

Peter: So you'll take the winter off?

Buffy: Yep. Plus Dawn will be off from school and so well Cora so it'd probably be easier for her to just stay down here.

Peter: Dawn or Cora?

Buffy: Cora. Dawn may ... just keep Derek in her apartment for the entirety of break. And that's the extent of what I want to know about that situation.

Peter: I don't think Derek and Dawn will be back for awhile.

Buffy: Which is not a bad thing. After what Derek's been through, they deserve a break.

Peter: I agree.

Buffy: It's just a matter of getting him to see that.

Peter: He's too attached to his home.

Buffy: It is his home. [a beat] Though I think these days it's more half and half.

Peter: His home will end up being where Dawn is.

Buffy: Hopefully. Watching them sometimes I feel like it was kind of inevitable.

Peter: They've been dancing around each other since they met.

Buffy: [she nods] That fateful day she beaned him in the head with her locker. He probably should have taken that for a sign of things to come.

Peter: Yes, that she would forever be abusing him.

Buffy: That is another trait of Summers women, though not one of our fonder ones.

Peter: My nose also knows this lesson.

Buffy: [she winces] Sorry.

Peter: No, you're not. [small smirk]

Buffy: [she holds up her thumb and forefinger close together] A little?

Peter: Uh huh.

Buffy: Look, just because violence is my first reaction doesn't mean it's necessary.

Peter: You don't always jump to violence, per say. Just physical reactions.

Buffy: I guess it's what I know best.

Peter: You know as a team, we could take over the world

Buffy: You think so? I've always wondered what life was like on the other side. Is there dental?

Peter: Of course. We have everything we want, as long as you take it.

Buffy: Mmmm. Very tempting. Being a Slayer doesn't exactly come with benefits.

Peter: No, it doesn't. Though there is Obamacare, but some people will tell you he is also an evil mastermind.

Buffy: Oh, no, the President's Tuatha de Daan. I don't think they really do evil.

Peter: Tootha du what?

Buffy: Tuatha de Daan. Faerie. They're teleporters. Giles probably has some babble about high kings in Ireland, but I don't think he's from one of those lines.

Peter: ............... Of course.

Buffy: [she shrugs] Nice guy.

Peter: Sounds like it.

Buffy: You'd be surprised how many famous people are supernatural.

Peter: You know a lot more things that exist that I can imagine.

Buffy: It's true. Even I get surprised sometimes.

Peter: So what are you going to do for your vacation?

Buffy: I don't think I really get one anymore. Still have an army to run.

Peter: There is this wonderful thing called technology. You can check in via phone, video conference update meetings...

Buffy: But I'm a bit too much of a hands on control freak for that. I'll probably head back to Scotland, at least for a little bit.

Peter: I see. [which is very far from Beacon Hills]

Buffy: [It is.] ... What are you going to do for your vacation?

Peter: That is all going to depend upon the results Cora tells me about.

Buffy: [she nods] Guess we'll have to wait and see, then.

Peter: [nods and looks back at the phone again]

Buffy: [she reaches for his hand] She'll call when she's ready. You can't rush this.

Peter: I know, but she has to know I'm going crazy over here. She could at least send me a text saying they are talking.

Buffy: Maybe this is part of the test. If you trust her enough to handle this.

Peter: Wrong time to try and test me.

Buffy: Or maybe that's why she's testing you.

Peter: [growls softly]

Buffy: [is about to say something about that when her phone beeps in her pocket. She pauses, before going to fish it out] It's Cora.

Peter: Why is she calling you? [his eyes are narrowing]

Buffy: It's not a call, it's a text. She's asking if I'm with you. [which she is responding to]

Peter: [gets up and slides next to her on the couch]

Buffy: [sends the text back, which is responded to with a quick "stay" before Peter's phone starts to ring]

Peter: Why do I not like this... [he gets up again to go to his phone and answer it]

Malia: [isn't really sure what she's supposed to be staying, but Cora said call and unlike the rest of the Scott's pack she seems to get that just because you need a pack doesn't mean you want to be friends. but at the same time, there's a lot she needs to learn, and she waits until Cora is gone before she actually makes the call. But now that there's someone on the other end of the line she ... doesn't really know what to say. so she says nothing.]

Peter: [he isn't sure what's going on, but he knows what Cora's silence is like and it's not Cora.] Malia, is that you?

Malia: [her breath sucks in a bit, before she seems a bit flustered] Did she tell you that fast?

Peter: No, I just know what she sounds like when she doesn't want to talk. And you definitely aren't a heavy stalker breathing of my nephew, so I took a guess.

Malia: [she's quiet again for a moment, before shaking her head] Cora said you know stuff. About shapeshifters? More than Scott does.

Peter: I do. I've been one my entire life, actually.

Malia: [she's pacing at this point, running her hand through her hair as she tries to figure out to do with this. Asking for help is hard. It's something she's never had to do, because animals don't. They either survive or they don't. But she's not just an animal, she's a person.] I ... I'm not sure how all of this works. And ... I just ... [there's another long pause] I'm not really sure how to put it.

Peter: Being a person the way people expect you to be isn't easy when you have different instincts. You probably relate a lot more to how a coyote lives than a person does, right?

Malia: [she's quiet for a moment, and her voice is a little muffled, almost as though her hand is in front of her face] Yeah. [there's a beat and it's clearer] It was a lot simpler.

Peter: And there's nothing wrong with that. At least in my opinion. That's what makes us smarter than most humans.

Malia: Not all of you. [because Scott sure as hell doesn't get a lot of it.] And humans are so much harder to deal with. [reading between the lines? Not her thing]

Peter: Well, most of us. [there is a small chuckle] And they can be, but after a while you can figure out how to deal with them well enough to survive.

Malia: [huffs] And what if I don't want to survive in this world? [she can't just disappear again, she knows that. She can't do that to her dad. But she can't deny that there aren't moments where she wants to just shift, run and never come back]

Peter: Then you find a place and you claim it and make that piece of the world yours and working with your rules only. And you can have that and still not be alone.

Malia: [that's a little heavier than she intended but she tables that for her to mull over later. She doesn't deserve to be a part of this world, that's the problem] Why am I a coyote? Everyone else around here is a wolf.

Peter: When you shift, it's said that you shift to being an animal that you relate to at that time. And you have a very rare gift that you can become the full animal, and not just a half-formed version.

Malia: [there's a beat] I've never done it any other way.

Peter: So I've heard. Like I said, it's a very rare gift and it usually runs in a family line.

Malia: [yeah, that's the other thing. She doesn't know how she got this "gift," and that bothers her, but she doesn't expect him to have the answer to that] So the Tates have some kind of super special shifter in their background or something?

Peter: [ Cora didn't tell her about who he was. He had hoped... no, she knew he had to be the one to do that. Okay] Or maybe your mother's side?

Malia: [she grits her teeth at the mention of her mother] If my mom knew, I doubt she would have put me in a car with my sister on a full moon.

Peter: She may not have. I've heard it could skip a generation. I'm not going to pretend to know what her thoughts on the matter were.

Malia: If ... could you find out? I mean, do you have those kinds of connections.

Peter: [he turns to look at Buffy, not sure how to answer that one] I can look into it. But are you sure you want to know? It may open up doors you're not expecting to be there.

Malia: You mean do I want to know who the irresponsible idiot was that left a shifter child alone in a family that was unprepared for it? [the anger there is sharp and fast, because she knows that if that hadn't happened, if that hadn't been the case, her mom and sister might still be here] Yeah. I want to know.

Peter: [he closes his eyes, hearing the anger and grinding his teeth because he couldn't tell her that answer. Yet.] I'll see what I can find out.

Malia: Good. [then there's a beat as she remembers that that's what normal people say] Thanks.

Peter: You're welcome. Just, call anytime you need to talk. Okay?

Malia: Okay. [an outlet was good. Cora had said that and she said that Peter knew what he was talking about. That was ... a start anyway.] I won't keep you.

Peter: I have time, but if you have to go, I'm just a phone call away.

Malia: [shifts awkwardly on the other side of the phone before shaking her head] No, I should go.

Peter: Okay. [not sure how to end this] I'll talk to you soon.

Malia: Okay. [and with that she hangs up]

Peter: [hangs up as well, taking a moment to put the phone down slowly, running over that entire conversation again in his head.]

Buffy: [is still sitting where he left her, watching him from the couch]

Peter: [takes another moment] She's very angry at whoever made her into a shifter, and for leaving her alone in a human family. I told her I could try and help her find an answer.

Buffy: Are you going to tell her?

Peter: I'll have to, eventually. When I know it myself.

Buffy: [nods] So I guess we better figure out what it is.

Peter: I'll have to find out from Derek how much Talia told him.

Buffy: We could take a trip up to Berkeley. I'm sure Derek would like the company.

Peter: Yeah. Let's do that. [still standing in the kitchen, thinking]

Buffy: [pushes up and makes her way over to him] You okay?

Peter: I don't know. It wasn't what I was expecting. I should have been though.

Buffy: What do you mean?

Peter: She didn't know me as more than someone who could answer questions.

Buffy: It's a start?

Peter: I know.

Buffy: And at least she's asking the questions. She could have not called at all.

Peter: There is that. Should I call Cora and ask her what she got?

Buffy: If it would make you feel better?

Peter: It would. [and he's calling his niece now]

Cora: [picks up on the second ring] Hey, Uncle Peter.

Peter: Hey. So it went well?

Cora: Yeah. At least as far as me and her are concerned. I think she trusts me. [which she is a bit conflicted about because Malia doesn't have a lot of people to trust and Cora was trying to con her, in a way] She call?

Peter: Yeah. She's very confused and angry. I don't blame her. But she wants answers and I don't know if I can provide them without Derek, or what will happen when I give them to her.

Cora: So get them from Derek.

Peter: I'm going up to Berkley to do just that.

Cora: Can I catch a ride?

Peter: Of course.

Cora: Thanks.

Peter: Thank you, Cora.

Cora: Don't thank me yet. [because if this blows up in their faces they could wind up driving Malia even further away. But she couldn't not help either] Call Derek before we leave.

Peter: Hold on a sec. [hand over the phone] When do you want to go to Berkeley?

Buffy: [gives a bit of a shrug] I can leave in a couple days.

Peter: [back to Cora] Let us call Derek and Dawn, and I'll let you know when we're leaving.

Cora: Sounds good. I'll be at the loft.

Peter: I'll be in touch.

Cora: [hangs up]

Buffy: [waits expectantly]

Peter: Let's call Dawn and Derek. I need to let him know what's happening.

Buffy: [nods before reaching for her phone. She dials Dawn's number and sets it on speaker so that Peter can hear]

Dawn: [after a few rings] Yell-o.

Buffy: Hey, it's me. Is Derek around?

Dawn: Yep. [because she's totally back to being research girl in bed with him right next to her. She puts the phone one speaker and holds it out in front of her] It's Buffy.

Peter: And me.

Derek: [putting down his book] What's wrong?

Peter: Why do you always assume something is wrong when I call you?

Dawn: Because there's usually something wrong when you call? [just stating the obvious here]

Buffy: [sighs] We just wanted to talk about something.

Derek: About what?

Peter: I asked Cora to speak to Malia.

Derek: [looking at Dawn and sitting up] How did you...

Peter: Lydia.

Dawn: [eyes went a little wide at that, holding up her hands in innocence because she didn't even know the girl had a name] So how did that ... go?

Peter: She's angry and scared and currently an omega. She doesn't trust Scott, but Cora didn't reveal we are her family yet. She and I both agree we need to do that together when she is ready. But I did tell her I would look into her heritage.

Derek: You already know...

Peter: No, I know a name. You know everything, Derek. This girl deserves to know it too. So do I.

Dawn: [her hand finds his quietly, lacing through his fingers. Whether or not Derek has the answers Peter's looking for, she doesn't know, but she's there all the same.]

Derek: Well, it's not something to just discuss over the phone.

Peter: We were already planning on coming up in a few days. Cora will be joining us too.

Derek: [Just closes his head and leans it back against her headboard]

Dawn: Great. I'll cook. [or something] Just let me know what day.

Buffy: Probably Tuesday. We'll see you then.

Dawn: Sounds good. [and with that they say their goodbyes before Dawn hangs up and glances back to Derek again] You okay?

Derek: He isn't going to like what I have to tell him, Dawn.

Dawn: Since when has that ever stopped him from telling you what you need to hear?

Derek: True.

Dawn: He wants to know, Derek. He needs to know. Good or bad.

Derek: I know.

Dawn: [closes the book in her lap with one hand, before setting that and her notes to the side and turning to face him] Look, you're not doing this alone. I've got your back. And your front. And pretty much the whole package. Basically I'm really invested in your well-being at this point.

Derek: Really, I had no idea.

Dawn: Well, now you know. So I'm not going to let your uncle tear into you about this.

Derek: [small smile] I love you too.

Dawn: [she grins at that, because she will probably never get sick of hearing that. One hand comes up and brushes against the side of his face] Wanna talk about something else?

Derek: No, I think I just need to take a walk around the block. I'd say you could come with, but you were studying

Dawn: I can take a break.