new york wolves } { of strange bodies and fiery perpetrators

[beanchaointe]

Lydia: [really really hates being a banshee, just FYI. Because that was supposed to be a really interesting lecture on something mathematical that she now doesn't remember all because she needed to go scream at a dead body. But she's going to call Derek with this one just because this poor dead person SO does not look human] Pick up, pick up, pick up.

Derek: [groans and reaches over Kate for his phone because that was how they had finally fallen asleep last night. He squints at the number, and then answers it] Lydia?

Lydia: I found a body. [insert street crossing here] You need to come get it.

Derek: [he rolls to look at the time, and then sighs] Give me fifteen minutes.

Lydia: Okay. [she doesn't know if he's awake enough to have missed her emphasis there so she'll reiterate] Don't call it in yet.

Derek: [no, he didn't. now he does] What do you mean?

Lydia: [she doesn't know if she can explain it so she'll just take a picture with her phone and send it to him]

Derek: [looks at the picture, and he groans] Alright, I won't call it in. Find a dark corner to stay in until I get there.

Lydia: Okay. Get here soon.

Derek: I will. [and he's going to hang up and kiss Kate's shoulder before shifting to get up and dressed]

Beckett: [and she will just roll over into the warm spot he left behind and stay asleep because not her case anymore]

Derek: [and he will leave her a note on the fridge before slipping out. He goes to take the rooftop approach since it's faster and less noticeable in the city until he is at the right cross-street and jumps down]

Lydia: [and she will step out when she sees him, arms crossed in front of her chest] Something did this to him.

Derek: [coming closer, pulling out his flashlight to look at the victim as he crouched down] He's not a creature I've seen before.

Lydia: But when you guys die you usually look normal, right?

Derek: Yeah. We revert back to looking human. It's our nature to preserve our secret, but a good mortician can make our fangs push down. [he looks at the body's teeth and leans back a bit] Okay, not a wolf.

Lydia: Do you know what kind he is?

Derek: [shakes his head] His claws are wolf, but these teeth... those are wendigo.

Lydia: [frowns] Is that normal?

Derek: No, not at all. [and he's pulling out his phone to call Marcus]

Lydia: [and now there's lots of worried face]

Derek: [he talks to Marcus and the doctor says he will be there. He will probably call Victor and let him know on his way too since it's Victor's territory] You were right not to just call it in. I can't explain this.

Lydia: I figured. [she sighs] I wish I could tell you more but this was a weird one.

Derek: What did you feel?

Lydia: Nothing. Just one minute I was in class and the next I was here.

Derek: [nods] Do you want to call someone to come get you?

Lydia: No, I'll be okay. The subway's not too far from here, I'll just take it back. [to Sam's.]

Derek: If you're sure. I'll take care of this.

Lydia: [she nods] I'll be fine. [there's a beat, then] Let me know what you find out?

Derek: I will.

Lydia: [and she will nod and off she goes]

Derek: [and he will wait for Marcus and Victor so they can talk about wtf this is and what they are going to do, but he gets a surprise in the form of a firey fist to the jaw taking him down in one swing]

Victor: [so when they arrive Victor's mouth works for a moment before nudging Derek with his foot] This doesn't look like the picture he sent us.

Derek: [groans and rolls over a bit. Some of his scruff has been burnt off]

Marcus: [kneeling down in an area of the alley] This area is a bit too clean for New York standards though.

Victor: [well that's not good. he crouches down to rouse the werewolf] Derek? Are you alright?

Derek: [slowly opens his eyes, dazed] Ow. Someone get the plate off that truck?

Victor: Sorry. We got here and you were already out.

Derek: [moves to sit up, and notices that the body was gone] What... it's gone.

Victor: Whoever took you out must have taken it.

Marcus: And cleaned up any trace. Which, looking at the photos is remarkable since we were here within ten minutes of your call.

Derek: [rubbing his tender jaw] Maybe the perp came back to claim the body?

Victor: [his nose twitches, before he tips his head to the side for a moment] Sulfur.

Marcus: Huh. [he thinks a moment, and then grabs a pair of lenses from his bag and nods] That's more like it. Whatever you found here, Derek, it has a sulfur residue in it's blood.

Derek: It's blood was metallic.

Victor: [he shakes his head] No the sulfur came later. The sulfur is on you. [pointing to Derek]

Marcus: [looking up at Victor through a UV lense, then at Derek] The perp then?

Derek: All I saw was fire in the shape of a fist.

Victor: I think so. [and he'll make his way over to where the body was before crouching down] No, he's right - this is more metallic. Like mercury.

Marcus: All that's left is a residue. I don't know if I'd be able to get a good sample seeing that we're in a back alley behind a Chinese restaurant in New York, but I can try.

Derek: Do you think we could track it? The sulfur?

Victor: Maybe, but I don't know how far it'll get us.

Derek: Without a body, I have nothing to pull the police in. And it was half wolf, half wendiego. Those two shouldn't be able to crossbreed...

Victor: [recoils a bit at that] Wendigo? Really?

Derek: Yeah, I checked it's teeth.

Victor: Huh. Well, let's see how far we get.

Derek: [gets up, rubbing at his jaw and feeling the singed] That's got to look weird.

Marcus: You two track, I'm going to see what I can figure out here.

Victor: You can shave it later. [and off they go and I'm going to let you decide how far they get since it's your plot]

Derek: [they aren't going to get far because it will cut off at a specific parking spot] They got into a car here.

Victor: Looks like it. And from there they could have gone anywhere.

Derek: I hate dead ends.

Victor: Do you think it might have gotten caught on camera somewhere?

Derek: [looks up at the street] I don't see any cameras but I can have Ryan look.

Victor: [he nods] I'll ask around and see if anyone has heard anything else.

Derek: Why do I have a bad feeling about this?

Victor: Because disappearing bodies stolen by men on fire is never a good thing?

Derek: Yeah, that's probably it.

Victor: Well, things have been a little quiet. Hopefully it won't be getting too loud

Derek: Let's hope. We should probably collect Marcus before he starts really looking at the DNA in a back alley.

Victor: [nods and back they go to pick up the scientist]

Marcus: [OMG ALL THE SCIENCE HE CAN DO HERE]

Victor: [hands on the shoulders] Let's do this back in the lab, shall we?

Marcus: Yes, that's probably a good idea. Just need a few more samples. [on top of the dozen he has.]

Victor: Marcus.

Marcus: [sighs] Okay. [and he will pack up his bag.]

Derek: What should I tell my sister?

Victor: For right now? Be careful.

Derek: [nods] Let me know what you two figure out.

Victor: We will. Be safe getting home.

Derek: You too. [and he's going to text Kate that he's going to the loft and he will catch her up later]

Beckett: [which is fine, she's probably heading to work at this point]

Derek: [so he will be coming home to the loft before Javi leaves with bagels for everyone]

Laura: [is up feeding Thomas when he comes in and raises her eyebrows] You're here early.

Derek: We need to talk. Where's Stiles?

Laura: Upstairs. He just got back from Boston last night.

Derek: Lydia found something last night.

Laura: What'd she find?

Derek: A dead body. Half wolf, half wendigo.

Laura: [she does a double take] Sorry, half what?

Derek: Yeah, I can't explain it, but I know what I saw.

Laura: Have you talked to Peter?

Derek: No, I just left Victor and Marcus to come here.

Laura: I didn't think that kind of cross-breeding was possible. Usually they only present as one.

Derek: That's what I said, but it had claws like us, but wendigo fangs.

Laura: Huh.

Derek: But here's the best part. By the time Victor and Marcus got to me, the body had been stolen. I was attacked by something that was wrapped in fire.

Laura: [. . . . .] That's ... more than slightly terrifying?

Derek: Tell me about it.

Laura: [shifts Tommy on her hip before frowning] So what is Victor going to do?

Derek: Marcus pulled samples but the place was wiped clean so we don't know how much he even has. But he'll let me know. He just wants us to be careful.

Laura: [she nods] That we can do.

Derek: I figure Stiles may want to check on Lydia later.

Laura: Probably. He should be up soon.

Derek: And Javi?

Laura: In the shower.

Derek: Okay. Well hopefully this is just an isolated incident.

Laura: Fingers crossed.

Derek: I want to find that fireball bastard though. Knocked me out and burnt my face.

Laura: [amused] You might want to shave before you head in to work.

Derek: I know. [and gets up to go to the guest room bathroom muttering about how he looks 12 when he's fully shaved]

Laura: [pats his shoulder as he moves past her before setting Tommy down so she can make breakfast to go with the bagels]

Stiles: [finally stirs at the smell of bacon. Bacon. wonderful bacon how did he not appreciate you when he was human]

Laura: [Thomas starts banging his cup against his tray when he sees him, HI UNCLE STILES, and Laura glances back over her shoulder when he does] Morning.

Stiles: Murphmmm [going for the coffee and just absently ruffling Thomas' hair as he passes by]

Thomas: [shrieks gleefully as dirty hands reach up to try and grab at him as he passes by]

Stiles: [nope, too slow kiddo. Give him thirty seconds to get coffee]

Thomas: [whines softly, before Laura gives him some Cheerios and he gets distracted]

Stiles: [and 3...2...1..] Human mode activated. Good morning.

Laura: How was your drive back?

Stiles: Long. So very long and dark and why is there so much traffic in the middle of the night between Boston and New York? [and he will go back to Thomas now and lean down to give him a morning kiss because totally best uncle ever]

Laura: [she laughs] Probably because everyone was thinking the same thing you were.

Stiles: People need to stop being like me.

Laura: Clearly that is the solution.

Stiles: Totally. Is the bacon done yet? Protein will help.

Laura: Almost. Derek wants to talk to you about a body Lydia found this morning.

Stiles: Lydia found a body and didn't call me?

Laura: She called Derek. It was late, she probably didn't want to wake you.

Derek: [coming back out, rubbing at his face] Plus it was something she didn't know what to do and needed a real cop.

Stiles: [blinks, and leans over to Laura] Did Derek fall into a fountain of youth?

Derek: [look]

Laura: He got punched in the face by someone on fire so he had to shave.

Stiles: [snort laughter and he's going for his phone]

Derek: [soft growl]

Laura: [and his hand is coming up to stop him] Derek, please tell Stiles what you saw.

Stiles: But Cora wants moments like this documented...

Derek: [glaaaaare, then looks at Laura] Lydia found a dead creature in an alley who hadn't shifted back. When I examined him, he had our kind of claws, but his fangs were wendigo, not wolf.

Laura: Cora's seen Derek unshaven before. She'll live without it.

Stiles: [ sighs. Fine, ruin his fun] So he was a half and half. Is that possible?

Laura: Not that we know of.

Stiles: [licks his lips] So it was kinda like a mythological chimera... human, wolf and wendigo... huh.

Laura: [frowns] At least it wasn't a manticore. Those are just ... messy.

Stiles: ..... Not asking. [looks at Derek] So where's the body?

Derek: Taken by whatever was attached to the flaming fist.

Stiles: [slow head nod] You sure you don't have a concussion?

Laura: Victor followed a trail of sulfur from the crime scene. He's not making it up.

Stiles: So what now?

Derek: We just pay attention. Let Lydia know what happened and to make sure she tells us if she remembers anything that could be a clue from the voices.

Laura: Do we really have to call it the voices? It doesn't really discourage the fact that she already thinks she's crazy.

Derek: The sounds in her head?

Stiles: .... I got nothing.

Laura: We should work on that.

Stiles: I'll find the thesaurus after bacon.

Laura: Good plan. [and she'll set breakfast down before scooping up Tommy] I gotta go get him dressed. Let me know when you leave.

Stiles: Will do. [and he and Derek are going to work on their breakfasts]

Laura: [and she will head into her bedroom to put Tommy down on the bed and go find something for him to wear]

Stiles: [and when he is done, he is going to head up and shower]

Esposito: [sleeeeeeping]

Thomas: [this is a bad plan, Dad. He's going to prove this to you by pulling himself up the blankets to use you push himself up]

Esposito: [cracks an eye open] Looks like a little man's trying to get one over on his papi.

Laura: [Thomas bounces up and down against his dad's arm as Laura glances over with a smile] He got to see his Uncle Derek and his Uncle Stiles this morning, so he is very, very awake.

Esposito: [sits up a bit] Derek's downstairs? Something wrong?

Laura: [catches Thomas before he gets knocked too far off balance and pulls him into her lap so that she can wrestle a sweater over his head] Lydia found a body last night that was a little weird.

Esposito: [goes to sit up, totally shirtless] How weird?

Laura: [one arm in the other arm in, over his head and there's one smiling baby again] Well, for one, it was a shifter that hadn't shifted back yet upon death, and it was half-werewolf, half-wendigo.

Esposito: Sounds like one nasty looking carnivore. [holds out his hands for his baby]

Laura: [will wiggle him into pants first before letting him crawl over to his dad] Especially considering it shouldn't exist.

Esposito: Crossbreeding not a thing?

Laura: Not with those two particular species.

Esposito: guess I see why that's not a good thing to find.

Laura: Nope. And then he got taken out by a guy on fire who stole the body.

Esposito: Glad I didn't get called into that mess.

Laura: No. Luckily Lydia had the common sense to tell Derek not to call it in yet. But you'll probably still have a dead body to find.

Esposito: If someone calls in a missing report.

Laura: You'll have to take that up with him. I'm just relaying information.

Esposito: Yeah, well I'm his boss. He can report it to me, even if you are over us both.

Laura: [she nods as Thomas reaches his dad and faceplants into his chest] I'm sure that was the plan once you were awake.

Esposito: Oh I'm sure.

Laura: Anyway. You have to get up and go to work. And we - [she reaches forward to tickle her son's stomach to make him laugh] - have a full day with park time before going to hang out with Uncle Peter. Yes, we do.

Esposito: Think Uncle Stiles can play with his nephew a bit so we can take a couple's shower?

Laura: I think he's awake enough now that we can trust him with that responsibility.

Esposito: Good. Meet me in the shower.

Laura: [she nods and scoops Thomas up, heading back to the kitchen] Hey Stiles - can you keep an eye on him for a little bit?

Stiles: ..... Yeah. [is now dressed but sockless]

Laura: [smiles] Good. [holds out her son] He's all dressed and fed, so all you really have to do is put him down to play and make sure he doesn't choke.

Stiles: [takes Thomas] I can do that. Bucky can entertain him.

Laura: Good. I'll be back down before you have to leave for work.

Stiles: Yes, because they will not take that I was babysitting while my in laws have shower sex as a valid excuse again. [smirks]

Laura: [she laughs, before heading back upstairs] You're the best.

Stiles: You're lucky I love you. [and he will go and put Thomas down while Bucky comes over to nose the baby]

Laura: [will disappear to have awesome shower sex with her husband]

Thomas: [HI DOGGY YOU'RE REALLY FLUFFY WANNA BE MY FRIEND]

Bucky: [sniffs and then goes to lick baby face YOU GOT FOOD BABY?]

Thomas: [giggles happily at the licks, but no sadly, he lacks food]

Bucky: [that's sad. He is going to go lick hands next. Babies always taste like food]

Thomas: [still going to keep giggling because wow this tickles and is wet and slimy UNCLE STILES LOOK AT HIS SLIMY DOG DROOL HANDS]

Stiles: [sighs and goes to get the baby wipes] Good job, Bucky.

Bucky: [wags his tail to the word good]

Thomas: [and Barron is going to come over and settle down behind Tommy so when he flops back he has something soft to flop back into]

Stiles: [and he will return and push Bucky away and wipe down Thomas' hands and face] You are a mess, kiddo. Pretty sure you don't want to take a shower at the moment.

Thomas: [just babbles a bit as he does that because he's starting to learn that when someone makes mouth noises at him he should make them back]

Stiles: Yeah, yeah. Just watch it, or you're going to have a baby sibling before you hit two.

Thomas: [more babbling in response. What's a sibling? That sounds cool.]

Stiles: [goes to pick up some of Thomas' toys and wave them where baby fingers can grab them] You want a little brother or sister, kid?

Thomas: [OOOOH TOYS GIMME GIMME]

Stiles: Pretty sure if they keep going like that, you'll get one soon.

Thomas: [grabs teething ring and shoves it in his mouth]

Stiles: Don't nom on those too hard. You don't want to break those gums too early.

Thomas: [but it hurts and this makes it feel better]

Bucky: [oh toys. Goes to try and grab the other one]

Stiles: No, no Bucky. These aren't your toys... leggo.

Thomas: [this is what you get for trying to manage two babies at the same time, Stiles. Though Bucky is probably about a year old at this point. Still, Thomas is just going to sit there and gnaw on his teething ring as he watches]

Stiles: [and if playing tug of war with his big puppy now] Bucky, drop it.

Bucky: [OOOOOO TUG OF WAR]

Barron: [just watching this balefully. sigh. children]

Bucky: [and he finally gets it away from his dad with triumphant tail wagging and darting away to nom on it out of reach]

Stiles: [sighs and looks at Thomas] At least you can't run yet.

Thomas: [just totally laughing at you losing, Uncle Stiles.]

Stiles: You laughing at me? [goes to tickle Thomas]

Thomas: [and that's going to make him laughs some more, but more high and shrieky]

Stiles: [and he's going to smile and keep doing it because baby laughs are awesome]

Thomas: [yep. happiest baby in the world]

Laura: [and eventually Laura will come down, dressed with her wet hair pulled back and watch them with a smile from the stairs] Everything good here?

Stiles: Totally. I owe you another teething toy.

Laura: Bucky made off with another one?

Stiles: Yup.

Laura: Well, as long as he hasn't stolen the favorite, I think we'll live. [which would be the one Thomas has in his hands right now]

Stiles: I will get a spare one of those too just in case it ever happens. Better to be prepared now.

Laura: Good plan. Luckily for us, he doesn't remember enough to know the difference, isn't that right, Tommy? [and Tommy just beams up at her in response, hi Mommy]

Esposito: [jogging down the stairs, all detective'd up and whistling to himself] Need a lift to the station, Stiles?

Stiles: Only if you're offering.

Laura: [scoops up Thomas from the floor] I would take that as an offer.

Stiles: Awesome. Let me get my shoes on then. [and he's up and off]

Esposito: [getting his breakfast and going to sit on the arm of the couch] You two going to be fine?

Laura: [smiles up at him and nods] Yeah, we're good. As I said big day planned. [she wriggles Thomas into his jacket before passing him to her husband] Take him while I get the other puppies together?

Esposito: Sure. [he can hold his son with one hand on his lap while holding the bagel sandwich in the other]

Laura: [and she will grab the leashes and work on hooking up Barron and wrangling Bucky into submission]

Stiles: [jogging back down and watching Laura] I should start looking into that doggy daycare for Bucky again.

Laura: [shakes her head] He's fine. He just needs to be worn out. That's what the park is for. [and Bucky is usually pretty good with her because alpha]

Stiles: Alright. Just offering. [and oo, some bacon left.] Laura, you want any more?

Laura: Nope, I'm good. [and once Bucky is down, she grabs her own jacket and the stroller and comes back for the baby] Ready for the park Tommy? [to which he is beaming]

Stiles: [inhales the rest of the bacon and grabs another bagel as he puts the dishes in the sink and cleans the table. Walks back to Javi with a bagel in his teeth as he puts on his jacket] Mkayphoo.

Esposito: [rolls his eyes and goes to kiss Laura] Guess we're ready to go.

Laura: [kisses him back] Have a good day.

Esposito: You too. [puts his hand on the back of Stiles' neck like he's scruffing him] Let's go.

Laura: [and she gathers her puppies to go off to the park]