new york wolves } { of tricks and treats

[hereditare]

Esposito: [is home, pulling food out of a Styrofoam container from the diner on the way home when the doorbell rings. He goes and grabs the bag of candy to answer because Javi ALWAYS gives candy, and when he sees her, he just leans against the doorframe] So what, this a trick or a treat? [yup, still not happy with you, Laura Hale]

Laura: [yeah, she doesn't blame him. She doesn't look good, either. She's pale and probably a little thinner than when he last saw her from not eating much, and she doesn't know what to say at first. The witty comment that should be there isn't. Her lips move slowly for a moment before she manages to spit out] I'm sorry.

Esposito: [his eyes widen a bit] Come again?

Laura: I'm sorry. [there's something pleading about it, hoping it's enough because she's not sure if she can give more than that without falling apart, and she doesn't want to do it in the middle of the hallway]

Esposito: [he sighs, thinking a moment before reaching into the bag and pulling out a tootsie pop] You look like you could use a treat. Come on in.

Laura: [she sags in relief before making her way inside reaching up to take the tootsie pop from him] Thank you.

Esposito: You still got about another fifty "I'm sorrys" to say before I'm forgiving you, just for the record. [closing the door behind her]

Laura: [she nods, that's fair, she probably deserves it, and if he had sent her away she would have gone. But he didn't, and she's clinging to that because right now it feels like it's all she has. She keeps her focus on the tootsie pop in her hands for a moment before the will power she managed to pull together to get her here falls apart. the tears start to slip and her hand starts to shake] Why haven't they found her yet?

Esposito: [And he's going to guide her to the couch, sitting her down] Because the bastard that's got her is trying to break you down. He wants you like this so he can do what he’s planning.

Laura: Well, he's winning. Because I don't care anymore I just want my baby sister. [both of them, but Cora is at the forefront at the moment, because Cora is the one she watched grow up, that found in the woods that night, that she took care of all these years and her not being there is tearing her apart] Why won't he just tell me what he wants?

Esposito: He will, baby. He will, and it ain't gonna be good. And Cora needs you to be ready for it.

Laura: [she tips forward, burying her face in her hands] It's been over a month at this point, and nothing. I'm starting to think I'm never going to see them again.

Esposito: I work trying to solve cases all the time, babe. If he was going to kill them, they'd be dead by now. Not taken to points unknown. And to keep them alive, he's got to give them basic care - food, water, medical care. It may not be the best, but it's something.

Laura: Just because we haven't found them doesn't necessarily mean they're alive. He could have buried them somewhere we'll never find them just to keep us guessing forever.

Esposito: And what would it have given him doing that?

Laura: I don't know. But Malia ... she's stubborn and she's willful and she will take any opportunity she can get and if she pisses off the wrong one at the wrong time ...

Esposito: But she listens to Cora. Cora will help keep her calm.

Laura: And what if she can't?

Esposito: She will. You just have to have faith. Otherwise you're going to spiral down a cycle of what ifs that you won't escape from.

Laura: What faith? [she scoffs at the suggestion] I haven't had faith since my family died.

Esposito: Well, maybe it's time you get some. [he thinks a moment, then gets up] Stay here. [he's going to go towards his bedroom, and comes back a minute later with a set of rosary beads] When I got back from Iraq, one of the army chaplains gave me these. Told me that because I was so worried about the guys left behind in the field while I was coming back, I could use these to talk to God and ask him to watch over my brothers back in the field. [he put them in her hands] Maybe it's time you do that for your sisters.

Laura: [she takes it from him, staring at it in her hands for a moment before shaking her head. She hears what they mean to him and she doesn't trust herself with them] Javi, I can't ...

Esposito: [he closes his hands around hers, making her hold them] Yes, you can. That's what they're for, girl - people who need something to focus on while they're praying. You need them not, not me.

Laura: [she doesn't want him to pull away, wanting to keep his touch where it is and hold onto it while she could, but she also knows she can't take this] I don't believe. [Not in God or Christ, or anything else that comes with Christianity. That wasn't the kind of faith she had before the fire] I don't pray.

Esposito: That's fine, baby. Even if you don't believe in God, he believes in you. So just focus something else into it. A message for the girls, promises to them. Something that can keep you calm and focused when you need it.

Laura: [she still doesn't feel like she deserves to take it - that she should take it, but he's clearly not going to take no for an answer so she just nods, cradling them carefully as she pulls her hands back and slips the rosary into her pocket]

Esposito: [he keeps his hands on her knees as she does that, not breaking the contact that he can see she needs] You know, not going to say I told you so, but this is kinda why I was saying not to push me away. [smirks a tiny bit]

Laura: [her eyes roll up to meet his before she closes them again and shakes her head] I don't know if it would have helped, even if I didn't.

Esposito: You would have had someone at your side to comfort you. Do you know how many times I watched Derek just lean into Beckett because something reminded him of what he's dealing with. Knowing you weren't letting me be there for you like that.

Laura: It's different for him. [swallows hard before she finishes because no matter how many times they tell her, she still can't shake the feeling it] It's not Derek's fault.

Esposito: And it's not your fault either. [very firm in that]

Laura: It may as well be.

Esposito: Laura, stop it. This isn't your fault. This is some psycho choosing to prey on you. You're the victim.

Laura: Yeah, but I knew that he was out there and that he would be looking for me. When everything happened with Gerard I should have been more careful. I should have taken more precautions - hell, I should have gotten us out of here. I ... I let myself get too comfortable, just like my mom did.

Esposito: [sighs and pulls her into his arms] Girl, you can't always run. You and your siblings... you need to find a place to make roots. And yeah, maybe there's a danger to that, but what's the alternative? Running forever and dying alone?

Laura: [she can't help but melt into his hold, her instincts overtaking her logic and she turns into him, burying her face in the crook of his neck and taking a deep breath] If I can't keep them safe then what good am I?

Esposito: So your mother did it all on her own - no allies, no help, the rest of the pack worthless in helping take care of each other?

Laura: [she snorts] Her allies are the people that are hunting me now. [which also adds another layer to the hurt because Deucalion, Ennis and Kali were her mother's friends, and now they're plotting the death of her children] And no, that's not what I mean.

Esposito: Right, and your allies are the Kirsanovs and New York's finest. [both who he knew cared deeply for her and her pack] But what are you meaning?

Laura: I'm the alpha. I'm supposed to be able to protect them, whether we're setting down roots or not, and ... I feel like I can't keep anyone safe.

Esposito: How many years has it been since the fire?

Laura: Ten? Maybe eleven?

Esposito: So, in ten years, you've had how many problems surface against you?

Laura: [closes her eyes for a moment as she thinks] More than Derek knows about.

Esposito: Not an answer.

Laura: [sighs as she pulls back to look at him] The bullshit with the cleaner last month, Gerard before that, Kate, the Ivanovs extorted Peter as cannon fodder for years in exchange for "protection," it's only recently that we were able to get away from that and when we did they didn't take it well. I'm just waiting for the fact that we've been protecting Tyler Lockwood to blow up in our faces and now this.

Esposito: [he sighs] And what would be different if you hadn't stayed.

Laura: A lot of things. But the Argents probably wouldn't have been able to find us as easily. Neither would Deucalion.

Esposito: And what about us? Stiles? Your brother's mental health? Would you trade that away?

Laura: Do you really think he's going to be doing that much better if we don't get to Cora in time? Or if I go into this fight and I lose?

Esposito: Which are big if's right now. Again, you gotta stay out of the if spiral girl. It'll only suck you down.

Laura: I don't know how. [she glances down at her hands] Her scent is getting stale and soon it's going to be gone and ... [she shakes her head] ... I can't lose my sister. Either of them.

Esposito: [he just hugs her closer] We're not going to lose either of them. This guy is going to show his hand, and we're going to take him down with everything we've got. Everything, Laura.

Laura: [she bites back the "what if that's not enough," all the negative thoughts swirling in her mind for the moment before she swallows and nods, not really trusting herself to actually say anything for the moment]

Esposito: [he kissed the top of her head] I talk to the fed working the case. He's following the trail still for you. He hasn't given up, and I looked into this guy’s background and he always gets what he's after.

Laura: I just hope he gets there in time.

Esposito: And that's where you need to have a bit of faith.

Laura: [sighs, closing her eyes and curling into him more] I'll try.

Esposito: Good. But for tonight... stay. Let me take care of you.

Laura: [everything is telling her she shouldn't, that should be far away from him when everything inevitably implodes, but she's not strong enough for that tonight. She's missed him too much for that. So she just nods, not trusting her words to allow her to take what she needs.]

Esposito: [he holds her closer a moment, and then his stomach rumbles.] You hungry? I was just about to eat, but I can order you something...

Laura: [she shakes her head] Go. Eat. I'm fine.

Esposito: When was the last time you ate a full meal?

Laura: [she tries to have a quick answer but she's quiet a little too long for that] Breakfast?

Esposito: Yeah, I'm ordering you a pizza. No offense, but you look horrible and I'm not going to let you waste away on my watch.

Laura: Javi, I'm fine. [she's absolutely not fine]

Esposito: Mhmm, sure. I'll believe it when I see it. You may be the alpha, but I'm the boyfriend and I'm taking care of my girl.

Laura: [sighs] I'm not hungry.

Esposito: Well, it will be here in case you get it later. [nope, not giving in.]

Laura: [exasperated look, but she stops arguing because she knows it's pointless]

Esposito: [yup, just as stubborn as she is. He's going to bring his big, juicy burger and pile of fries into the living room though and eat it while sitting with her, looking for something on the television to watch]

Laura: [the smell of the food doesn't really do much for her - it hadn't in weeks, but getting comfortable on the couch with him does. she settles him close, and passes out against him while he's flipping through the channels her body taking advantage of that temporary lull of safety and forcing her to get the sleep she hadn't been getting in weeks either]

Esposito: [and he will have to get up and down now and then between the kids and the pizza that he leaves in the oven to keep it warm, and always resettling her in his lap when he returns. One hand is constantly on her back, rubbing her soothingly]

Laura: [she stirs some when he moves, but not enough to wake her up, just enough to resettle and get comfortable again when he returns]

Esposito: [and once it starts to get late, he's going to just pull her into his arms and resettle them in the bedroom. He texts Derek to let him know Laura's with him, and tell Flack he'll be late or taking a sick day tomorrow]

Laura: [Flack is just going to assume sick day until Espo tells him otherwise. Laura, however, will be out until morning happens and her body has had enough and forces her back into the land of the living again with a groan]

Esposito: [and he's going to sleep through that groan, but his hands tighten to hold her just a bit closer unconsciously]

Laura: [glances back over her shoulder to look at him, smiling softly, but doesn't pull away. She's been spending so much time in bed lately, but she wants to relax with him and try and reclaim a bit of herself if she can]

Esposito: [eventually he will stir, and he will kiss her shoulder] Sleep well?

Laura: [nods as she turns to face her more] Yeah, I did.

Esposito: Good. You look a bit more rested.

Laura: [sighs as she shifts to tuck her head under his chin] Sleep's been weird lately.

Esposito: You're stressed. It has that effect on the body. Lack of sleep, appetite, sexual drive... [smirks a bit]

Laura: [rolls her eyes] I'm aware.

Esposito: But you know what the perfect cure is? A little TLC. It won't make the things that are stressing you out go away, but it helps you handle it.

Laura: [glances down for a moment, finger tracing against his chest] Doesn't feel like I deserve it.

Esposito: Well, you do. I promise you, you do. You're not the big bad wolf, girl. You're hurting, but you deserve it.

Laura: [the first thing on her lips is an argument but she swallows it for the moment and tries another tack] What would you suggest?

Esposito: Well, seeing that I've called out sick from work for a very important purpose, I think breakfast in bed is in order, and then we can see what develops from there.

Laura: [she glances up at him, watching him for a moment before nodding] Okay.

Esposito: Good. But first... [he's going to lean in and kiss her properly]

Laura: [it catches her by surprise at first, but her instincts take over after a moment, closing her eyes and sinking into the kiss]

Esposito: [he grins, pulling her closer against him, because he missed waking up to this]

Laura: [she missed him too - she hadn't realized fully how much until right then, and she just goes where she's pulled, trying to hold on to the kiss and make it last as long as she can]

Esposito: [and he is going to try and get this going into sexy times....]

Laura: [and provided she doesn't have to do too much thinking about it she may let him but we can swap to something else if he'd rather play it out later]

Esposito: [we can see how far we've gone from this point, but he wants to be on top this time, no ifs, ands or buts about it]

Laura: [this may be one of the few times she actually lets him without him having to ask]