canon au } { post-321: the fox and the wolf

[ooglyboogleys]

[In this midst of a phone call trying to figure out the nogitsune’s chessboard, now that it has full control of Stiles, they come to the realization that the nogitsune is heading for the loft. Where Dawn is. Right now.]

Derek: Dawn, get out of the loft right now.

Dawn: [yep, doing that, just grabbing some of her stuff, while the Slayer with her is raiding the weapons] I've got Lindsay with me, we've got a crossbow.

Derek: Good. I need you to come to Stiles' house and see if you can interpret this puzzle while we go to find him.

Dawn: And do ... what with him exactly?

Derek: Out-trick him. [looking at Chris and Sheriff]

Dawn: [.....] I'm calling Giles.

Derek: Okay. [anything to help Stiles at this point]

Dawn: Derek ... [there's a pause as she slings the bag she's carrying over her shoulder] ... There may not be a way to get him out of Stiles safely. I've never seen a possession like this before and possessions don't always end well, even with an exorcism.

Derek: We know. But we need to try before going there.

Dawn: [nods once] Who's going to be at the house?

Derek: [looks up at Sheriff]

Sheriff: Tell her I'll leave the back door open. I have an alarm that will let me know when she gets here.

Derek: [relays that]

Dawn: Okay. Be careful.

Derek: You too. And if Stiles shows his head while you're there, text me.

Dawn: I will. [and with that she'll hang up and head over to the Stilinski house, Slayer in tow]

Derek: [and off the men go to the loft]

Dawn: [and she spends quality time with the chess board and talking to Giles and ... eventually Derek gets shot if that is the verse we're going with here?]

Derek: [basically. Figure that the notgitsune gets into Argents head and there is a fight and he goes to kill Stiles and Derek ends up getting in the way figuring he can take it, but Stiles has changed out Argent's gun with the wolfsbane bullets somewhere along the trick and Derek is down hard]

Dawn: [and Dawn gets called and told to come to the hospital and meets up with Peter or Isaac or someone in the waiting room?]

Peter: [because Isaac still looks like a burn victim and doesn't need the stress. But Peter is pacing and for the first time in a long time very upset and not liking being unable to help, and probably planning on killing all the Argents]

Dawn: [yep, she hones in on him like a missile] What happened?

Peter: Argent. [growl] He had wolfsbane bullets in his gun. Went to kill Stilinski and Derek took it. Dawn, he may not make it. It was right by his heart.

Dawn: [her eyes close a bit at that, before looking around at the ward] Where is he now?

Peter: Operating room. They need to get the bullet out and stop the bleeding. Argent is up there and is going to burn the plant and give her the ashes, but... [turns and slams fist into wall]

Dawn: [jumps visibly at the sound, and it's obvious that she's very much trying not to fall apart.] Willow. Willow is ... Willow is with Issac, I'll find her and see if she can help too.

Peter: Please. [he is barely holding onto his anger]

Dawn: [nods] Call Buffy. [because if anything, she's can at least keep a calmer head than both of them. And with that she'll head upstairs to talk to Willow and possibly have a good cry, given her emotional state at the moment]

Peter: [gives her a look] You know she won't take my call.

Dawn: That's why she'll take it. She knows you wouldn't call if it wasn't important. [And with that she’s going to head upstairs to Willow and Isaac.]

Isaac: [sitting up in bed, slowly healing finally, but is bored and anxious]

Willow: [suddenly has serious frowny face going on] Uh-oh.

Isaac: I don't like the look on your face. Why do you look like you're about to cry? It’s not my face, is it?

Willow: No. No, it's not you, there's just something ...

Dawn: Willow! [suddenly Dawn's through the door and she's had the whole elevator ride up to not succeed at pulling herself together and is basically unloading all the freaking out she couldn't do at Peter] Willow, you need to help. They shot him, you need to come help fix him.

Willow: Shot? Dawn, shot who?

Dawn: Derek. They shot Derek and you need to make him okay again.

Isaac: Who shot Derek? [and he's trying to get up and find his pants. No, wait, forget pants] Where is he?

Dawn: Surgery. Peter said something about wolfsbane and near his heart and I can't lose him Willow. I can't. Not now.

Willow: Okay, okay, everyone is just going to breathe. [she wraps one arm around Dawn as she points to Isaac] You stay where you are. If he's in surgery, there's nothing you can do for him right now.

Isaac: [puppy whimpers, but sits back down, making room for Dawn on the bed] Give me a phone. I need to text Cora at least. And Scott.

Dawn: Scott was there. [goes as Willow guides her to sit next to Isaac and hands him her phone] He's here somewhere I think.

Isaac: [fidgets. He's too burned to hold her, but he can't do nothing.]

Dawn: [tries not to press to close, just tips her head back against the pillows] I told him to be careful.

Willow: He's gonna be okay, Dawnie. Just ... stay here with the coven and try to get a hold of Cora. I'll go check in with Peter.

Isaac: He is always careful, Dawn. he stopped being reckless when you two got together. He wouldn't do anything to lose you.

Dawn: [there's a soft but not at all happy laugh at that, her hands coming up to cover her face and brush some of her tears away] I never told him. I mean, I'm sure he figured it out because Hales are pretty much experts in nonverbal communication, but I never actually said it. And if he dies then I just ... never said it like I was expecting him to just figure it out or doing the petty girl thing where I was waiting for him to say it first.

Isaac: Dawn, he knew it. Hell, Cora and I both know it. From both of you. He loves you too.

Dawn: [still, it's something that should have been said, even if it's just once.] Tell Cora if she needs a ride down here to call the squad - they'll get her here.

Isaac: I will. She'll get here as fast as she can. [is texting but totally making misspellings everywhere because of wrapped thumbs]

Cora: [well her panicky texting back probably isn't any better]

Dawn: [she catches her breath for a moment] I told Peter to call Buffy. If Stiles made this happen ... this is going to get really messy.

Isaac: It's not Stiles, Dawn. It’s whatever is in him. You have to remember that. [sorry, Cora. Isaac should not be typing. He may have asked you for a taco cat]

Cora: [. . .] what the hell

Dawn: Yeah, but we might not be able to save him and keep him alive.

Isaac: Okay, before Cora starts to think we're crazy, you may want to take over typing. [because the screen currently says “Dwerky duck saigon Peter needs rope clam Dawn”]

Dawn: [glances over and ... laughs. She can't help herself.] Yeah, I got it.

Isaac: Your auto correct sucks by the way.

Dawn: I turn it off. It's easier to just do it myself. Especially considering most of the time I'm texting the names of demons that it really doesn't know how to spell.

Isaac: That explains it.

Dawn: [quick conversation with Cora probably swearing on the other end, before she glances up with the answer] She's catching a ride with Shelia, should be here by tomorrow morning.

Isaac: Okay. [he tries to smile, but only gets it halfway there before it hurts just a bit] He's going to be fine, you know. I mean it's Derek.

Dawn: I know he is. But that doesn't always save them. If my sister has died twice already ... [he can too]

Isaac: He's a survivor. We've seen him come back from worse. We've thought he was dead a time or two but he always comes back.

Dawn: [sighs softly] I hope you're right.

Isaac: [reaches over and even if it hurts him, he just rubs her back.] Me too.

Dawn: [glances over at him with a smile, before leaning back against the bed again] So provided Derek is actually okay, having Cora in town isn't such a bad thing.

Isaac: Hopefully stiles is back to himself soon otherwise she might kick his ass. Or bed him. Not sure.

Dawn: My money is more on the former. Sleeping with people when they're possessed is kind of skeevey.

Isaac: Well, the bedding him would be if he was fixed.

Dawn: Uh-huh.

Isaac: Um... I'm going to just push my button for more morphine now.

Dawn: [nods a bit, before sliding off the bed] I'm going to go back downstairs and let you rest. I'll keep you posted, okay?

Isaac: Thanks. And tell him there's more than enough room up here that he can rest in when they need to find him a room.

Dawn: I will. [and with that she'll go to head downstairs]

Peter: [still waiting, fingers steepled and his chin resting on his thumbs.]

Dawn: [makes her way closer] Did you get ahold of Buffy?

Peter: Haven't tried yet. They came out and asked me for blood for him. Got distracted.

Dawn: [nods slowly] I'll call her then. She should know. Willow came down to see what she could do.

Peter: Melissa scrubbed her in and took her in. That doctor finds out there is a witch there...

Dawn: He won't. Willow's smart enough to be a specialist, she can fake it.

Peter: [sighs, then pats the empty chair next to him]

Dawn: [moves to sit next to him as she calls Buffy]

Peter: [is going to listen in]

Dawn: Hey, Buffy. It's me. I'm at the hospital.

Buffy: What? What happened?

Dawn: Derek was shot. A wolfsbane bullet, he's in surgery.

Buffy: Oh my God, Dawn ...

Dawn: Look, can you come here? It's just me and Peter right now and I think we could use someone with a level head.

Buffy: [there's a small hesitation before she agrees] Yeah, sure. I'll be right there. He'll be okay, Dawn.

Peter: [just takes a deep breath out of his nose] I hate this hospital.

Dawn: Want to go get some air?

Peter: No, if they need something I need to be here. [he really needs to go out and get air]

Dawn: You don't have to go far. [she gets up from her seat and tugs on his arm gently] Come on. Let's just take a walk around the building.

Peter: [sighs, looking at her before he just gets up] Lead the way.

Dawn: [she smiles softly before linking her arm in his] Think of it this way: you're doing your due diligence in protecting me, the lowly human-like person from meeting a messy bloody death from whatever's out there.

Peter: [shakes his head slowly] is this what my life has come to?

Dawn: It will get you major Slayer brownie points.

Peter: If it will keep her from punching me in my face today, I will take them.

Dawn: You know most of the time you bring that on yourself, right?

Peter: No, I don't even see a real reason for violence.

Dawn: Some girls, when a boy is smarmy and generally shady in their direction, get upset. Buffy punches them in the face.

Peter: And she wonders why they are shady around her.

[And after a while Dawn goes back upstairs to wait for Derek.]

Peter: [downstairs trying to get a cup of coffee at the machine]

Buffy: [has just gotten to the hospital, and was directed in Peter's direction. She closes some of the gap between them before stopping next to him.] Peter.

Peter: [turns to look at her, guarded because he's trying to keep it all together and not look like he was freaking the fuck out] You'd think this place would have a Starbucks in it by now with the amount of traffic through here in the last year.

Buffy: Starbucks coffee is overrated and gross. [she's just sayin'. And she doesn't buy the stoicness] How are you doing?

Peter: It's been a crazy last few days. Too many things happening, secrets, and just... [He was a father. His memories of his own child had been taken from him for some unknown reason, and the only one who knew was laying at death's door. He couldn't lose Derek. Too many Hales had died in this damn town]

Buffy: [places a hand on his arm gently, trying to be sympathetic] Derek'll be okay, Peter.

Peter: [looks at her hand, then up at her. He doesn't move to shake it off, though] He should have just stayed away from Beacon Hills and never come back.

Buffy: You know he couldn't do that. Trust me, Dawn tried.

Peter: He's just so... thick headed sometimes.

Buffy: He's trying to do the right thing.

Peter: He's trying to play the hero. He still thinks he's an alpha and that's what got him in that room. [did his voice go up and betray his anger? yes it did]

Buffy: Do you think even being human would stop him? It was Stiles, Peter. And from what I heard the nogitsune was calling him out specifically.

Peter: And it all links back to his stupid attraction to that woman and her sacrifices.

Buffy: It's more than that, and you know it.

Peter: [he just shakes his head, then turns and places both his hands on the coffee machine]

Buffy: [Takes a step closer] If it were Derek possessed, or Cora - would you have just sat back and let everyone else handle it?

Peter: That's different. They're family.

Buffy: Stiles is Scott's family, and Derek is part of Scott's pack. That makes him family.

Peter: [his claws come out and they may be digging into the machine] Scott may be an alpha, but he's going to get them all killed.

Buffy: No he won't. I won't let that happen.

Peter: [just nods]

Buffy: [the hand on his arm moves to his shoulder and she tugs lightly] Come on. Let's go see if we can find the doctor.

Peter: Yeah, Melissa and Williow have hopefully gotten the bullet out and found a way to shove the ashes into the hole.

Buffy: Then things should be looking up.

Peter: [he just looks at her, giving her a very small smile, one no one but her has probably ever seen, and not in a long time] How do you manage to still stay so bubbly and cheerful after everything you've seen?

Buffy: [there's a pang at that, because she's missed that smile, but she plays it off the way she normally does] Hard work, lots of coffee.

Peter: Well, I drink enough coffee, so it must be that other thing. 'Work'.

Buffy: Faith in humanity can help sometimes too.

Peter: I gave that up when I watched my house go up in flames with children trapped inside.

Buffy: [she doesn't argue that. she would have lost it too]

Peter: We were going upstairs?

Buffy: [she nods, before starting to lead the way]

Melissa: [just coming out of the surgery room as they arrive] All of you, other room right now. [and walks towards the empty patient room across the hall from them]

Buffy: [nods and Dawn gets up as well, following into the room as indicated]

Peter: [goes as well, keeping his distance and going to hold up a wall]

Melissa: [eyes him before getting them in the room and closing the door] Now that I've nearly lost my job pressing ashes into the chest of what almost was a dead werewolf, I want some answers and I want them now.

Dawn: When dealing with wolfsbane poisoning, you can counteract with more .... wolfsbane. I'm not really sure why it works but it does.

Peter: But only the plant that's causing the infection. The ashes of the same plant will out the infection.

Melissa: And who shot him in the first place?

Dawn: ... Argent. From what I understand, it was a misfire.

Peter: Misfire my ass. He would have killed Stiles if he had to without blinking.

Melissa: He was trying to kill Stiles?

Buffy: Probably trying to kill the nogitsune. The point was, he wasn't trying to kill Derek.

Melissa: But he was trying to kill someone! Don't any of you see that?

Peter: That is what an Argent does, Melissa.

Buffy: The nogitsune was trying to kill people too. At some point we have to consider acceptable losses - Argent's is a little different from hours.

Melissa: Stiles is a 17 year old boy. He is not an acceptable loss. [glares at any of you who will debate that]

Buffy: [holds up her hands] Look, none of us in this room want Stiles dead any more than you do but this isn't about Stiles. This is about the thing inside him that we still don't know how to stop.