canon au } { post-5a, of mistrust between friends and spirit quests

[impetere]

Isaac: Well, I can see why Stiles is pissed now. [yeah, he's not sad at all he missed this]

Cora: [tosses him a look that says "not helping."]

Allison: So ... what do we do now?

Derek: [also giving Isaac that look]

Isaac: [but he isn't wrong.]

Scott: Right now we don't know where Theo went. We don't know anything and I don't know how to even tell you all how sorry I am.

Malia: [she glances around and, pointedly] You should be telling Stiles.

Scott: I know. But I think I need to do something first before I can do that.... before I can really be of help to any of you.

Buffy: [most of the wolves look confused and Buffy speaks up] Obviously you all noticed that Scott's been a little off his game lately. So we're going to try something to see if we can clear his head and get him back on it.

Liam: So you're leaving. Great.

Scott: I'm going to try and find a way to fix the pack. And that has to start with fixing me.

Buffy: And he's not going far. If there's trouble, all you have to do is call and we will be right back here. Promise.

Cora: [sets her jaw for a moment, because Stiles isn't going to like this either] So who's going to lead the pack?

Ben: [he knows his history, and he's the other smartass in the room so] Well, Cora, aren't you the Hale who has yet to take a swing at being Alpha? I mean, you can't mess it up any more than it's been...

Derek and Peter: [glaring at the Winchester spawn]

Cora: [she glares at him in return] Not becoming alpha. [and she looks back at Scott] But you need a second.

Isaac: You mean Stiles?

Peter: Not really. A second in a pack is usually someone who isn't destined to be an alpha, and tend to be the opposite of the alpha in a lot of way. It's a balance and allows the pack to be able to have leadership that looks at both sides of the coin, so to speak. Stiles is training to be an emissary - like Deaton. He wouldn't be able to play both roles

Laura: He's right. My mom used to refer to it as heart and head. Someone needs to be the logic to balance out the emotion.

Isaac: Well, Scott's obviously the heart. No offense.

Scott: No, you're right. Which means I need someone who think and doesn't let their emotions dictate what they do - even to the point where it comes off that he doesn't have feelings at all. [and he's going to turn and look at Derek]

Laura: [snorts behind her hand because yep, that's her brother alright]

Derek: [eyebrows up] Me?

Scott: You pretty much advise me all the time. And apparently when we decided to stop and let me do it on my own... I screwed it up. I think I need you, Derek.

Ben: [leaning over to Dawn] You good with sharing him like that?

Dawn: You act like I haven't been doing this since Scott became alpha.

Ben: Yeah, but this sounds like they are going to be going steady now.

Peter: [looking at Ben] You really don't have a mouth filter, do you?

Dawn: Dean is his father. This shouldn't surprise you.

Laura: [holds up a hand before they get too far off topic] Derek was pretty much born for it. He was supposed to be mine. He's a good choice.

Scott: [looking at Liam] Are you going to be okay with this?

Liam: [looking at Derek] Are you going to chain me to a tree?

Derek: [looking at Scott] You chained him to a tree?

Scott: He ran naked through the streets the month before. It was all we could think of.

Derek: [just closes his eyes and rubs at his eyes] No, Liam... I won't chain you to a tree.

Liam: I'm good then.

Buffy: Great. So it's settled. Until Scott gets back, Derek is stand-in alpha. And he's got two alphas to back him up.

Laura: Actually, more like ... one alpha. Jordan and I are going to go and try and sort out the hound of it all, so we're going to head up to the cabin. But I'll also be a phone call away if there's trouble.

Isaac: So Peter's going to be Derek's backup. Yeah, that's a good plan.

Allison: [raises her hand slowly] Yeah, I have my doubts about that one too. Especially without Buffy being around.

Peter: Actually, We have one more problem to add to the mix. [looks over at Malia]

Malia: [there's an uncertain look because damnit Peter, she didn't want to tell them about that] My mom is coming back to town to kill me.

Mason: Intense. [he looks like he should have a bowl of popcorn with how fascinated he is in watching all this]

Peter: [sorry, they don't need to know the plan, but they need to know they are in danger, kiddo] So we're also working on trying to keep Malia alive at the moment.

Cora: So basically everyone is going to be busy. [and no one is going to be there for Stiles but Cora. Awesome]

Scott: Yeah. I guess college is going to be put on hold anyway. At least for me.

Cora: I think that's probably going to be true for everyone.

Liam: Do I have to go to school then?

Mason: Dude.

Derek: Yes.

Cora: Your school doesn't involve leaving town.

Liam: [back to sulking teen wolf]

Cora: So is there anything else? I should get back to Stiles.

Ben: We'll stick around town if you guys want the extra muscle. I wouldn't mind finding where these Dread Doctors are hiding myself. [looks at Olivia and Michael for confirmation, and it will keep them out of the way as their dads make bad life choices]

Olivia: [she looks hesitant for a moment because well ... there goes her plans with Hal.] Yeah. Sure. [Michael's fine with that though]

Ben: [he will understand if she wants two days off to get a booty call. She just has to ask]

Derek: Good. I appreciate it. And if Laura is at the cabin and Cora's with Stiles... I have room here you can crash in.

Olivia: Awesome.

Allison: Speaking of, we'll probably stay with Melissa. Just so she has a werewolf in the house. [and an Argent, but mostly the werewolf]

Isaac: I promise not to break the house this time. [smiles at Melissa]

Melissa: You better not. [teasing. mostly]

Scott: So that's that. Regroup when I get back.

Cora: Sounds good. [and with that, she'll get up to go]

Scott: [he looks at her a moment, because he wants to tell her to tell Stiles he's sorry, but he knows he needs to do that himself.] Keep him safe, Cora?

Cora: [she glances back at him because he needs to make this right before he leaves, but she can't force him to do it] Always do. [and with that she's going back to the hospital]

Scott: [and he's going to look at Buffy and Derek] I guess we're heading out then.

Buffy: [nods before taking a deep breath] Giles should be waiting outside.

Allison: [looks up with a small smile] Good luck.

Scott: Thanks. [and he will grab his duffle bag and he's off with Buffy]

Parrish: [to Laura] I guess my place to pack a bag, then hospital and off to the cabin?

Laura: [she nods] Sounds like a plan.

Liam: [stands up] I'm going home. [and he's dragging Mason with him]

Dawn: [sighs, before looking to Derek] Home with us too?

Derek: Yeah. [Looks at Peter] Let me know if you need anything.

Peter: I will.

Allison: [runs out after them and catching Scott's arm before he gets too far] Scott, wait.

Scott: [he looks over his shoulder and then turns, giving her that small, sad puppy smile] Hey. I'm sorry, I didn't even know you were back in town to see all this.

Allison: Stiles called when he found out about Lydia. Isaac and I got here as soon as we could. [she watches him for a moment, before giving his hand a squeeze] Are you going to be okay, leaving like this?

Scott: I don't know. Right now, I don't know what I'm doing and that's how I got to this point.

Allison: Why didn't you talk to Stiles? Why ... why did you stop?

Scott: I don't know.

Allison: [she nods slowly, before crossing her arms in front of her chest] If I see Theo, I'm going to do my job. You know that, right?

Scott: Yeah, I know I can't stop you, but please... just wait until I get back. He's probably got a plan and that doesn't involve you or Isaac. You guys may end up being able to help us take him down... but he may not hesitate to just kill you because you're in the way.

Allison: [she takes a deep breath before nodding] I won't go after him. But I won't let him hurt anyone else.

Scott: Good. Because I think everyone could use a bit of protection at the moment.

Allison: [she nods] Isaac and I will try and stay out of sight. Better to have the element of surprise, right?

Scott: Right. [plus he wouldn't know what to do if he lost you too]

Allison: [nods for a moment, before moving forward and sliding her arms around his shoulders, pulling him in for a tight hug]

Scott: [and he will take it, taking a deep breath of her scent and the comfort from it]

Allison: Don't lose hope, Scott. [she tucks her head into his shoulder a bit] There's always hope.

Scott: Yeah, you told me that once. Mom says I need to find a way to give it to the rest of them now.

Allison: You can do it. I know you can.

Scott: I appreciate your confidence.

Allison: Hopefully what you and Buffy do will help you get your confidence back.

Scott: I hope so too.

Allison: [she pulls back and gives him a kiss on the cheek] Be safe, Scott.

Scott: Text me if you need me, okay?

Allison: I will. [and with that she'll head back into the house]

Scott: [and he will go to be with Buffy, looking at her a moment] I think everyone wants me to go see Stiles before I leave.

Buffy: [she pauses for a moment, before looking back at him] I think he deserves to hear that you're leaving from you. And I think there are some things you need to say to him.

Scott: Yeah but... I don't want to screw it up. And right now I don't know what to say.

Buffy: [she nods] I get that. But take it from someone who's done her fair share of running - you don't want to leave things unsaid before you do. I'm not saying you have to completely fix things right now. But he deserves a goodbye in person, Scott.

Scott: [nods] Alright. Think Giles can give us a stop by? I also want to check on Lydia too... if they'll let me.

Buffy: You're Melissa's son. I don't think they'll notice. [and as she says it, Giles's car pulls up to stop in front of the McCall house]

Scott: [and off they go to the hospital! Where checking on Lydia is more standing outside and listening to Ms. Martin and the doctor since she won't let Scott in I bet]

Lydia: [nope probably not, but Lydia knows he's there - or at least the banshee does. her eyes wander to the door and watches as Scott listens to the doctor tell her mother that there's nothing they can do for her here]

Scott: [he will wince when Eichen House is brought up, and he wants to rush in and tell them that is a very, very bad idea... but he doesn't have a say in this over Lydia's mother. So he's going to just sigh and slide away, going to find the Sheriff's room]

Cora: [and she's coming up to the door as Scott is getting there, and she looks surprised, but she's pleased. She's glad that he's coming to do this himself] Hey.

Scott: Hey. How is he? [Shreiff? Stiles? probably both]

Cora: [she turns and gestures to the door] About as well as you'd expect. [there's a beat] He needs you.

Scott: [nods] I know. That's why I'm going... because you all need me, and I'm not really me right now. I need to find that again.

Cora: [she sighs, exasperated] Scott, he doesn't need the alpha. He never needed the alpha. He needs you to be there for him.

Scott: I'm pretty sure I walk in there, he's just going to yell at me. Which I totally deserve.

Cora: And I think he needs to.

Scott: I may as well just get it over with.

Cora: [she nods] Good. [Stiles has so much anger, hopefully if he gets some of it out at Scott, maybe he'll calm down some]

Scott: [and he will go in]

Stiles: [and he will be sitting in the chair by his father's bed. The Sheriff is out cold on a morphine drip, bandages on his neck and chest, the heart monitor beeping softly. His chin is resting on his hands, and when the door opens he turns just a bit thinking it's Cora, and then he sees Scott and he just purses his lips and looks away]

Scott: Stiles, I'm sorry.

Stiles: Yeah, yeah you should be. [his foot starts to bounce and he huffs a bit]

Cora: [she moves in to sit on the edge of the sheriff's bed, giving the two of them a chance to talk. Her hand wanders over to the sheriff's leg, quietly drawing some of the pain from him so that the meds don't have to work too hard]

Scott: Listen, all of this has just... I'm not thinking straight, and I know that now. If I had, maybe I would have seen what Theo was doing.

Stiles: You know, or you could have just listened to me. All the way back at the beginning when I said not to trust him?

Scott: Yeah, yeah I know. Stiles.

Stiles: Or listened to me at, like, ANY OTHER PART of the last few weeks? [he turned to glare at Scott]

Cora: [yep, Cora's not going to say anything and just let the two of them get it out]

Scott: I was confused, Stiles.

Stiles: Confused? You were CONFUSED. I'm you best friend, Scott. [he stands up, so very angry] You're not supposed to be CONFUSED when it comes to me.

Scott: You were lying to me, Stiles.

Stiles: I ALWAYS LIE! But I don't lie about our friendship. And I never have.

Cora: [stiiiiiiiiiill not saying anything. Nope.]

Scott: But you should have told me -

Stiles: Why, so you could not believe me earlier this month? Huh? So you could throw it back in my face about how much I've disappointed you? newsflash, Scott - I fucked up. I'm not an idiot. I screwed up and I'm scared and I needed my best friend to understand or at least listen to me! [he advances on him, and Scott takes a step back] And then you do that.

Scott: Do what?

Stiles: [licks his lips, gesturing at him] Backing away from me. Like you're afraid to even be near me.

Cora: [okay, now she's going to speak up] Scott, tell him what Theo told you about what happened. [which she doesn't actually know but she can guess it's not the truth]

Stiles: [and he's going to cross his arms, because yeah, he wants to hear that]

Scott: [he takes a deep breath] He told me that Donovan was going after your father, and you and him got into a fight and you used the wrench to defend yourself.

Stiles: [nods] Yeah, but I hit him once with the wrench, that was it.

Scott: Theo said you lost your temper and kept going at him. That you used the wrench to bash his head in, and Theo had to drag you off him.

Stiles: And you believed that?! [yup, still angry] Get out.

Scott: Stiles -

Stiles: GET OUT! [pushes Scott towards the door roughly] You think I'd do that to anyone? You ass - you know me better and you'd believe I'd do that! Just get out of my face - I don't want to see you again!

Cora: [her eyes soften a bit because yeah. Scott should have known better. But she will get up and get between Scott and Stiles so that Stiles wasn't shoving at Scott as much, but she still doesn't say anything, her hands resting on Stiles’ side to draw his focus]

Scott: Listen, I just came by to tell you... I'm going out of town with Buffy. She thinks she can help me find my focus again.

Stiles: Yeah, well don't feel you have to come running back. Pretty sure the town's already fucked up enough that you can't do much worse.

Scott: [nods] Well... Derek's in charge of the pack while I'm gone...

Stiles: Oh, you mean the back you threw me out of. I'll be sure to let someone else know. You know, if I'm allowed to talk to Malia. Since you know, Theo didn't put her into a coma yet.

Scott: [licks his lips, looking down] Stiles... [he sighs] I just came to tell you I was sorry.

Stiles: Yeah, well you've done that. Come back when you really mean it. Pretty sure I'll be here since Dad's going to have another surgery and recovery and physical therapy... none of which we can afford, thank you for asking and I'm probably not going to be able to go off to school... [he just turned as walked away, planting himself to look out the window, hands gripping the windowsill] Just get out, Scott. I can't even look at you right now.

Cora: [she looks down at the ground for a moment, before she glances back to Scott with a nod] Good luck.

Scott: [watches Stiles a moment, then just nods] If you guys need anything... just call. [and he's going to nod and head out]

Cora: [watches him go, before turning and moving back towards Stiles again, sliding her arms around his waist and letting her cheek rest against his shoulder]

Stiles: [waits a moment] Is he out of earshot?

Cora: [her head picks up briefly as she listens, then nods] Yeah.

Stiles: [and yup, he's going to just crumple, breaking]

Cora: [and she will turn him around and pull him into her, keeping him nice and close as he lets it all out]

Stiles: [yeah, that's going to take awhile, just burying his eyes in her shoulder and it hurts all over again]

Cora: [and she will just hold him until he's done, stroking a hand against the back of his neck and she hopes that this evens him out a little]

Stiles: How could he believe I would do that?

Cora: I don't know. [she wishes she had an answer for him, but she doesn't]

Stiles: ... Maybe they're right. Maybe there's a reason they could think I could do it.

Cora: No. No, there isn't. [she pulls back, cupping his face to look at him] Everyone's just been through a lot.

Stiles: Cora... Theo was trying to get me to get angry. I didn't tell you about that part.

Cora: People get angry, Stiles. Especially with everything that's been happening lately.

Stiles: That's not the angry he's trying to draw out.

Cora: [her eyes narrow] What anger is he looking for?

Stiles: [he looks over at his dad, licking his lips to make sure that he's asleep, then back at Cora] You know what I'm talking about.

Cora: [yeah, she can guess] Stiles, the nogitsune is gone.

Stiles: [he shakes his head] No, the notgitsune made me. When we spilt.... he made this body and shoved me into it and sometimes I just... I don't think he's all gone.

Cora: [thinks for a bit] Then maybe we should have Willow do some kind of magical diagnostic test.

Stiles: And what if he's right... what if there's like, a time bomb in me. I hit a point where I get too angry and...

Cora: Then maybe what we should do is trying to find ways around it. [she turns to face him, taking his hands in hers] Maybe you should talk to Sweets.

Stiles: I don't know... maybe.

Cora: It's worth a shot, isn't it? It's better than doing nothing and letting the anger stew.

Stiles: [nods] Yeah, maybe. Right now... right now I just want him to wake up. [looks at his father]

Cora: He will. [she brushes a hand over the top of his head, before leaning in to kiss his cheek] But you need some sleep.

Stiles: [just nods, and rubs at his eyes] wake me up if he does anything?

Cora: [she nods] I will. Don't worry.

Stiles: [and he will kiss her and then go to sit in the guest chair again, curling up into it to try and get comfortable]