canon au } { post-5b, of hard asks and big responsiblities

[impetere]

Cora: [and she'll wait for a lull of silence before she pulls her legs up under her and looks over at her brother] Can I ask you something?

Derek: Sure. What's going on?

Cora: [deep breath] Stiles and I have been talking and we're realizing as things get further along that ... we're not really ready to do this. Be parents.

Derek: No one really is.

Cora: Yeah, but we're ... really not. [it's more than just it catching them by surprise, the idea of having to be a parent just fills her with dread and she doesn't want to feel this way. Her eyes cloud a bit, and she blinks and looks down as she asks the next part] And ... we were wondering if you and Dawn would be willing to take him or her in instead.

Derek: [leans forward a bit, looking at his sister carefully as he can see and smell the anxiety rolling off her] Are you sure that's what you want?

Cora: [she glances up at him, tears starting to roll down her cheeks a bit. she listens for a moment to make sure that Stiles isn't coming back or listening because she doesn't want him to feel worse about this] Every time I think about the baby being here, I just get this ... sick feeling, in the pit of my stomach. I mean, I get that parenthood is scary, it's supposed to be, but ... I don't think it's supposed to feel like this.

Derek: [shifts to sit next to his sister, pulling her into him so she can cry against him as he rubs her back] No, you're right, it's not. And you are still kids in a lot of ways. [this was what he had been worried about with Cora when he had learned. He and Peter had talked about it a few times] You should be nervous, but excited about this path.

Cora: [she shakes her head a bit as she curls into him] I'm not. I'm dreading it.

Derek: Do you think you'd be able to handle giving your child to us?

Cora: I think so. [there's a beat] It's not like we can take it outside the pack anyway, and ... I trust you to take care of it.

Derek: I don't know if you remember, but that was something that the pack did - our aunts and uncles helped raise us. They were just like parents to us. I mean, look at me and Peter when we were little. I don't mind doing it, but I have to first check with Dawn. And while we're raising him or her - we would want you to still be a part of this child's life. You're still their mother no matter who raises them. And Stiles needs to be okay with that too and I'm sure his father will still want to be involved in his grandchild's life.

Cora: [she nods] Yeah, that's what he said too.

Derek: Is he okay with doing this?

Cora: He said okay? I wouldn't have asked you this without asking him.

Derek: [nods] Well, let me talk to Dawn about this. But I don't think she would object to it.

Cora: Okay. [there's a beat] I'm sorry.

Derek: Don't be. I'd rather you ask for the help than do something you are uncomfortable with out of some sense of obligation and hurt all your relationships in the process.

Cora: I know. But I don't want you to feel obligated either.

Derek: Well, that you can't help. But - I'm doing this out of my own wants, not out of obligation.

Cora: [swallows, then nods and just curls into her brother more]

Derek: [and he will just snuggle his sister, keeping her close and being all protective brother over her]

Cora: [and eventually she'll get up to go take a break and hang out in her room for a bit and Stiles will be released from distraction duty in the kitchen]

Stiles: [and he will go up to check on her]

Cora: [she's okay, she just wants to curl up into a ball for a while and Stiles is welcome to curl up with her if he likes]

Stiles: [he will, and they can just snuggle]

- - - -

Derek: [and he will come into the kitchen, rubbing at his eyes]

Dawn: [glances over with a small smile] How bad?

Derek: Cora asked something of us.

Dawn: A big something or a little something.

Derek: A big something. Something that's going to change our lives [rubs at his scruff]

Dawn: [a beat] A big something about the baby?

Derek: They're getting the realization that this is more than they can handle, and she's asked if we would adopt the baby.

Dawn: [swallows and nods] Well, it's not like we weren't trying.

Derek: [goes to take her hand] With the child having a risk of being a wolf, they can't really give the child to anyone else.

Dawn: [squeezes his hand] I'm okay with it, if you're okay with it.

Derek: I'm okay with it. I did tell her that I expect her and Stiles to still be a part of their child's life, and that we will let the kid know who her biological parents are when they are old enough.

Dawn: Good, because getting lied to about that sucks.

Derek: I told her I would talk with you about this before I said yes.

Dawn: [she nods] Well, I am okay with you saying yes, for the record.

Derek: Are you ready for this then? I mean, we have until Thanksgiving to prepare...

Dawn: Longer than that. Baby's due in March.

Derek: Right, I'm mixing my sister's up.

Dawn: So we have plenty of time to get ready. And as I said - it's not like we weren't trying anyway.

Derek: [and he will kiss her hands] We can slow down on the trying then - I don't want to overwhelm you.

Dawn: [she nods with a small smile] Probably a good idea. [takes a step forward to slide her arms around his neck] Doesn't mean we can't keep practicing though.

Derek: [snorts, wrapping his hands around her waist] Oh, I don't plan on stopping that part.

Dawn: Good. Then we are on the same page.

Derek: I'll tell her when they come back down later.

Dawn: Sounds good. In the meantime, would you like some lunch?