canon au } { post-5a, of spirit quests and recouperating

[kiss_evilgoodbye]

Derek: [well, the mountain ash security system is a moot point at the McCall house, and while they are out of danger at the moment, he's not sure how long it will take Theo to know Scott's alive. So he's calling the biggest gun in town] Come on, Buffy, pick up.

Buffy: [it only takes a couple rings before Buffy's voice on the other end] Derek?

Derek: Please tell me you're not busy right now.

Buffy: Not incredibly, why?

Derek: Um, so Theo tried to kill Scott. And pretty damn close did for a few minutes until Melissa brought him back.

Buffy: ..... Crap.

Derek: I need backup in case he finds out that he wasn't as successful as he thought.

Buffy: Where do you need me?

Derek: The McCall house. Chimeras aren't affected by mountain ash so the barrier that Deaton put in isn't going to do anything.

Buffy: I'm on my way.

Derek: Thanks. [and he will be waiting downstairs, sitting on the stairs so that he could hear what's happening on both levels easily]

Buffy: [and she will just let herself in when she gets there since she assumes Melissa knows she's coming. She spots Derek and gives him a small smile] Hey. How is he?

Derek: [he'd smile, Buffy, but he's exhausted] He's realizing just how much he's screwed up. Which I've been there, done that, and I'm giving him his space until he wants to talk.

Buffy: [nods in agreement before making her way closer] How much do you know how much has happened tonight?

Derek: I know about Parrish. [he knew for a few days but that's a different story] Laura has him right now. I know Scott and Stiles are broken up and well, seeing that Mason, Liv and I broke up Liam trying to kill Scott and Liam only stopped because Hayden died... I haven't seen Cora check in yet but she and Ben were going to track him after he left here.

Buffy: They did. Lindsay texted me from the hospital. He attacked the Sheriff and left him for dead and he did that claw thing to Lydia in order to find the nemeton. He resurrected at least five of the chimeras and Lydia's catatonic.

Derek: [hangs his head] Wonderful.

Buffy: Yeah. But on the upside, I think one of them was Hayden.

Derek: [looks up at her] Not sure if that's better or worse.

Buffy: Neither do I. But I guess we'll have to see what happens.

Derek: Maybe Peter should check on Lydia? He knows that claw ritual better than any of us.

Buffy: Maybe? It's probably the calmest she'll ever be around him.

Derek: Probably. [huffs] If he can fix her, he probably will take a good step in the direction of healing that wound.

Buffy: We'll see what happens. Right now Peter's got his own problems to deal with.

Derek: [his eyebrows go up. Universal Hale for please continue]

Buffy: Malia's mom's coming back to town, and the working theory is to kill Malia.

Derek: [and he's just going to close his eyes] This is just getting better and better.

Buffy: Yep.

Derek: Someone should probably check on Liam. The super moon is still up.

Buffy: I can send Maria and Tara?

Derek: [thinks] Whoever has the gentler hand between them. Learning your girlfriend is a zombie to the packmate that just betrayed and used you isn't going to be easy.

Buffy: [she nods] Actually, I'll send Dawn.

Derek: [chuckles] Yeah, that's actually probably your best choice.

Buffy: [and she will go to do that] I'm gonna check the doors and windows, make sure everything's locked down. You good here?

Derek: Yeah, I'm good. Scott knows I'm here so I'm giving him his space until he wants to talk.

Buffy: [she nods] Then I'll give him some time too. I've ... been here. It really sucks.

Derek: Yeah, I was there about two years ago. It's not an easy place to come back from. But he was a lot closer to his pack... and I think that is going to be the one thing that will help him fix it.

Buffy: [she nods] We'll see what happens.

Derek: I'm telling you, I've never hated mountain ash so much as I have seeing Liam and Scott going at it and not being able to help.

Buffy: [she nods before reaching forward and giving his hand a squeeze] Scott's alive. That's the important thing.

Derek: Yeah.

Buffy: I'll be right back. [and off she goes to check the perimeter, as she said she would]

Derek: [and he just goes to go another walk around inside the house to look for anything off]

Buffy: [and eventually Buffy will settle on the couch with coffee that Melissa got for her and just keep an eye out for anything bad]

Derek: [Yes, coffee break. those are good]

Scott: [and eventually he will make his way down, healed physically, but he's broken mentally] Mom said you two were down here.

Buffy: [she glances up with a small smile, shifting over on the couch to have him sit next to her] How're you doing?

Scott: Feeling like I'm the worst friend in the world.

Buffy: Ahh. I know that feeling well. Been there more than once.

Scott: It sucks.

Buffy: Hardcore. [she holds a hand out to him to pull him closer to sit with her] C'mere.

Scott: [and he will go to take it, going to sit next to her on the couch, Buffy between him and Derek] I heard you guys talking a bit, but I didn't get everything. What else did Theo do?

Buffy: [slides an arm around his shoulders] A lot. He was a very busy boy. Before he got to you he ambushed the sheriff and left him for dead where he released Liam and Hayden. He also somehow got a hold of Lydia and used that claw memory thingie to find out where the nemeton was so he could get to the bodies where he resurrected at least five of the chimeras, including Hayden. Last I checked, the sheriff was in surgery and Lydia was catatonic.

Scott: ..... Stiles, Cora and Malia?

Buffy: Stiles and Cora are at the hospital waiting for news on his dad. Cora was the one who found Lydia. And Malia is with Peter. Faith came back with some bad news about her mom.

Scott: What kind of news?

Buffy: She's coming back to Beacon Hills. She's not really all that sane a lady.

Scott: [and that will be Scott leaning forward to put his head in his hands]

Buffy: [sighs and rubs his back gently] We're all licking our wounds here, including Theo. Thankfully, that will buy us a little time to see what we can do to stop him.

Scott: I don't know. I mean, Derek, you said that a pack makes you stronger. What happens when you lose your pack?

Derek: You become a lone wolf. [puts his coffee down] But you're not alone, Scott. The pack’s broken, but it's not gone. You need to figure out how to fix it.

Buffy: [she nods in agreement] You can get them back. You just need to find yourself again.

Scott: Mom says I need to give them hope. I don't really feel I have much to even give right now.

Buffy: Hope can be hard to find. Especially when everything feels like it's falling apart. But, you need to find it for yourself before you can give it to them.

Scott: [looks up at her] And how do I do that?

Buffy: Well, that depends on you. Me ... I slayed a supervamp gladiator style to get the slayerettes to have faith in me again. But that's ... not really your style.

Scott: [shakes his head] We're not supposed to kill people.

Buffy: We were fighting a war. It was a different kind of caliber. [there's a pause as she still rubs his back before his eyebrows go up] Maybe we should go on a spirit quest.

Scott: Spirit Quest?

Buffy: We go out into the desert, there's a ritual and a gourd ... [a beat] The gourd's not important. I don't think. But when I was kind of questioning my place as the Slayer and whether I was actually doing good or just built to destroy, Giles took me out there and I actually got to talk to the first Slayer. Which was ... crazy, but she actually gave me some really good advice. Maybe if we do that with you, you might be able to find you hope again.

Scott: Gourd?

Derek: Think Native American ritual.

Scott: [shakes his head]

Derek: Hallucinogenic drugs.

Buffy: Actually, no drugs. It's basically the hokey-pokey of rituals but there's a sacred circle that we jump in and out of and shake the gourd instead of shaking it all about but you go out into the desert and your guide will guide you to what you seek.

Derek: [and he just looks at Buffy] Giles gave you a really weird version of a spirit quest.

Scott: I'm not sure I like the one with drugs myself.

Buffy: [she shrugs] It was like going on walkabout. I kinda liked it.

Scott: Do you think it will help?

Buffy: Definitely couldn't hurt. [she shifts to face him a little more] You've said that you've been feeling really lost. Maybe this will help you find your focus and your confidence again.

Scott: What about Theo? And everyone else... I can't just up and leave Beacon Hills with all of this.

Buffy: The Slayers can keep an eye on Theo. But he needs to regroup too which earns us a little bit of time. We don't have to leave right away either. [she glances over to Derek] We should get everyone together and on the same page anyway.

Derek: I can probably see if I can get some of them to come together. [he looked at Scott] I can't promise that I'll be able to convince Stiles.

Scott: [looks down at his hands] He didn't really kill Donovan, did he? Not like Theo told me... right?

Derek: That's for you two to talk about... but why you're off on walkabout, you may want to figure out what happened that would make you not even give your best friend a chance to explain or give him the benefit of the doubt over someone you've only known a few weeks.

Scott: [yeah, not making him feel any better there]

Buffy: Derek's right. Walkabout is for self-reflection. When you figure yourself out, you'll be able to figure out how to fix you and Stiles. [she looks to Derek] I'd put your sister on that particular project, though.

Derek: Yeah, I'm not even awake enough at this point to make a comment on that.

Buffy: You clearly have not had enough coffee.

Derek: No, not nearly enough.

Scott: Maybe just meet in the morning. Here.

Derek: Sounds like a plan. Get some sleep, Scott. You need it more than we do.

Buffy: [she nods] We'll keep watch. Don't worry.

Scott: Thanks guys. [and he's going to go drag himself upstairs to sleep]

Buffy: [and she will inch closer to Derek and curl up with her coffee] You want me to take first watch and you nap instead of shoving more caffeine down your throat?

Derek: Let me send out the family text message first. Cora will get Stiles, Peter has Malia, and Laura has Parrish. That leaves Dawn for Liam.

Buffy: [she nods] Hopefully she's already got him and kept him from running off to find Hayden.

Derek: The Hale family, fixing the problems in Beacon Hills since forever. [texting]

Buffy: [will keep sipping her coffee and keep her eyes on the windows] It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it.

Derek: You still glad you moved here ten years ago?

Buffy: [she laughs] Are you kidding? It was either this or Cleveland. [she makes a face]

Derek: [snorts] Yeah, sounds like it.

Buffy: [she grins] We'll figure this out. Just like we figure everything else out.

Derek: [texts are sent] Alright, I'm going to go crash on the couch. Wake me if you need me.

Buffy: Will do. Sleep well.

Derek: [and he's going to stretch out on the couch and pass out for a bit]

Buffy: [And Buffy will keep watch and we will skip?]