canon au } { post-3b, of knock-down drag-outs and research breakthroughs

[kiss_evilgoodbye]

Derek: [has been absent of late at the Team Research meetings except for an occasional check-in. Instead, he's been at the Hale House, upstairs in the one bedroom he managed to remodel in renovations. It smells the most like his family, and so he's there reading.]

Buffy: [giving Derek his space is usually the best plan, as far as Buffy is concerned. She recognizes the need for it, and she doesn't want him to lash out at someone who's trying to push him. But after a few missed meetings she manages to track him down, not bothering to cover the sound of her entrance as she does. She's not here to hurt him. She just wants to check in on him. She eventually wanders to the bedroom, leaning against the doorframe as she watches him] What're you reading?

Derek: [looks up, having caught her scent when she crossed the threshold, which was why he was still sitting and reading, and not up and alert] One of the textbooks from school that Dawn had brought back with her.

Buffy: [there's a small smile at that] Brainy stuff. Got it. I tried getting through one of those once and I only got a few chapters in before I got frustrated with how many things they got wrong.

Derek: She's always talking about it at night while grading papers. It helps me know what she's talking about.

Buffy: [nods a bit] Yeah, well, you're more with the knowledge than I am. I was never really built for academia.

Derek: I'm refusing to comment because I like my nose the shape it is. [there is a tiny lift of his lip though at the joke. Nowhere near the amused smiles he had given recently though]

Buffy: [she will take any attempt at humor, however small, as progress. She smiles all the same and takes it as a sign that she can come a little closer, sitting on the edge of the bed] Smart boy. One of the reasons why I like you.

Derek: [he knows what you're doing, Buffy. And he knows you well enough that pointing it out isn't going to get you to leave anyway] It's a reason Dawn likes me too. Sadly, I'm already taken.

Buffy: [At least she's keeping everyone else from ambushing him too. She gets that despair of losing everything, and while she doesn't want him to go through it alone, she doesn't want him to get dog-piled either.] Darn. You got me. I was totally considering leaving Peter for you, but I guess I'll just have to settle.

Derek: Dean Winchester's always available.

Buffy: [she makes a bit of a face at that] Yeah, no, that's a disaster waiting to happen.

Derek: But you have such a way with reforming lost causes.

Buffy: Dean is beyond my help. Way beyond. Like ... lightyears to infinity beyond. If Sam can't save him at this point, no one can.

Derek: Too bad. He was a good guy once.

Buffy: He was. But ... he's pretty much given up. You can't save someone if there isn't a part of them that wants to be saved.

Derek: [just nods. He knows the feeling]

Buffy: [there's a pause, as she picks at the bed beneath her for a moment, before glancing up to him again] How're you doing?

Derek: [closes the book, giving her his typical emotion free look] I was wondering when you were going to ask. I think you win the record of taking the longest.

Buffy: [she sees it. It's a look she knows well, and has been using a lot herself lately] Do I get a medal? Or maybe a nice tiny trophy for my mantle? [glib humor may not be the best way to go but some days it's all she's got]

Derek: A gold star. Especially since you probably know exactly how I feel, seeing you're hurting too from all this. You just were built with a better disposition to handle it.

Buffy: [shrugs, before turning and shifting so that she was sitting more against the headboard next to him than across from him] I think it's more denial than anything else. Dawn's been kidnapped. Again. I usually get her back so until Giles tells me that I can't I just have to push through and get to the part where I have her again.

Derek: I...]he doesn't know what to say. This is the second time he has lost his entire family in one instance and it had been his fault. He shouldn't have taken Dawn out of the safety in the loft without backup.] I'll manage.

Buffy: [but it's not his fault. He couldn't have known. None of them did.] You don't have to manage on your own. We're all just ... managing right now. [a beat] We won't push, but we're in this together. Including you.

Derek: I'm fine, Buffy. You don't need to come here making a plea for me not to fall into a pit of despair. [he never really left. Dawn just made him not see the walls] And that's why I'm reading through Dawn's books to see if something in here can help.

Buffy: [there's a pause, and she decides to go for the blunt approach] You're living in the burnt out ruins of your family's old house. Feels like you're already in it. I'm just here to make sure you don't fall too far down that we can't get you out. [because she knows how low that low can go, and she doesn't want there to be something drastic happening before they get Dawn, Cora and Peter back.]

Derek: Well, seeing I have a small army living in my loft. [that's a look short of a glare there] This is my home, wreck or not. And I am not always here.

Buffy: [eyebrows climb a bit in return] Would you like me to remove the small army from your loft? Because I can do that.

Derek: You're not going to find a space with the same amount of room anywhere in Beacon Hills. You need to be there.

Buffy: No, we don't. Giles has a hotel room, I have somewhere to stay, the Winchesters can grab a motel room - the loft is your home first. So if you want us gone, all you have to do is say so.

Derek: This is my home. The loft is where I live. Big difference. [the Hale House will always be his home. He had been thinking of trying and rebuilding it until recently]

Buffy: [pauses as she considers that for a moment. There are a lot of different ways to approach it, and not all of them are good, but not all of them are bad either] Speaking as someone who's home is also in ruins? You're allowed to have more than one.

Derek: [he shook his head. She wouldn't understand. There were still spots he could stand in the house and smell his family though the fire. A corner of the kitchen where his mom was. Laura in one of the bathrooms where she always spent hours fussing with her hair.]

Buffy: [she might. a little better than he thinks. There are moments where she longs for her mom, for Sunnydale, for the simplicity that she once had. She knows the temptation to mire yourself in ghosts and not want to pull yourself out of them. The ghosts are easier to deal with. People expect things like emotions, and the dead don't really care. They're dead.] They may be stuck here, but you don't have to be.

Derek: [just gives her a look not to go there]

Buffy: [there's just a look right back, from a girl with far more blood on her hands than he'll ever have. Because when Buffy digs her heels in, she stays and she makes her point.] You know how much I admired your mom, and I cared for your sister. But they're dead, Derek. You're not. It's the hardest thing in the world to be, sometimes, but you're alive. You don't have to spend the rest of your life keeping company with ghosts.

Derek: [is just scowling and looks at his hands. He is about five seconds from exploding at her and trying to keep it reigned in, but his claws are showing. Literally.]

Buffy: [has no problem pushing him really. it's what she wishes someone had done with her. If he wants to fight her, they'll fight. If he wants to yell, she'll take it. But if he responds, at least it means he's not past the point of caring] If it were me? I would have knocked this place down a long time ago.

Derek: [oh, if she was trying to get a reaction out of her, she got one all right. Playing with a predator was not a good thing to do, especially when they were hurt. Which would be how Buffy ends up being thrown clear across the room and out of the wall that would send her down a story into the forest. Derek was right on her heels, jumping down to land on top of her, his hand grabbing her neck and holding her tightly, his other hand poised back to strike. His eyes glowed bright blue - something he would never have shown her since he lost his alpha - and he was growling from fangs as he had shifted somewhere in the moment] You even think about it, and I don't care who's sister you are, or what you are because I will rip your heart out without a second thought.

Buffy: [ooooooow that hurts. but she'll live. She expected to be thrown through a wall on the floor, but she doesn't have the time to wallow in her pain before Derek has her by the throat and she's staring him down. She grits her teeth, her body twisting to catch her legs around his waist and roll them so that she's on top.] I'd like to see you try.

Derek: [growls and squeezed more, because he hasn't given up the grip on her neck and his claws will dig in. He's not in his right mind because he would never think to hurt her otherwise. he grabs dirt with his free hand, going to throw it in her face to distract her first, a wofllike snarl coming from deep in his throat]

Buffy: [no, he's not, but he hasn't been for a while as far as her estimation goes. He just lost so much and he needs an outlet somewhere. If that outlet needs to be her, so be it. One hand goes to his wrist, grip tight enough to bruise and hold his nails in place as she dodges to the side to avoid the dirt.

(And maybe this is a little for her too. For her mistakes in this and her needing an outlet for something that isn't digging through books.)

She pulls back, and then swings hard with her free hand.]

Derek: [takes that hit and snarls at her again, getting his feet grounded to kick off the ground, flipping them both over their heads back to the ground and getting him on top. His hand on her throat is trapped but he keeps squeezing anyway, his other one going to slash at her arm]

Buffy: [she grits her teeth as the slash hits, drawing red lines across her arm. She moves her second hand to join the first, gripping tightly and twisting his arm, hard enough to break if he makes her]

Derek: [oh, he's going to end up making her and his arm snaps and he howls in pain before backhanding her across the face, full claws]

Buffy: [takes the hit hard, stars exploding in front of her eyes a bit. It takes her a moment to recover and as she does swings out purely in reaction, the heel of her hand coming up and aiming for his nose or throat.]

Derek: [and there goes the nose, nice and broken along with his arm that is already starting to try and heal. He kicks her away from him and gets into a low squat on the ground, snarling with one hand planted in the ground, blood running down his face before he jumps again, teeth aimed back for that throat he really wants to rip out]

Buffy: [rolls where she's kicked, managing to catch enough momentum to roll onto her stomach. Her eyes find him across the way, and when he jumps she pushes up onto her knees, ready to catch him and hopefully use his momentum to roll and throw him off her before he can make his mark]

Derek: [she does, but not before his claws on his good hand leave another trail of marks as he's tossed. But he manages to do a flip in that toss and get back on his feet. He's about to charge again when there is a blur between the that grabs Derek and presses him up against the nearest tree]

Scott: [and it's the teen alpha who's shifted, his eyes glowing red] DEREK SNAP OUT OF IT! [he howls, his claws digging into his arms]

Allison: [is a few yards behind Scott, dropping to her knees next to Buffy as she tries to help her up] Oh my God, are you okay?

Buffy: I'm fine. [she doesn't shove her off, but does manage to push up into a sitting position, watching Derek and Scott closely. She's bleeding, but not badly enough to do too much damage]

Derek: [tries to fight against Scott but the younger one has leverage, two good arms and is the alpha of this pack now]

Scott: DEREK. [he knows he can get him to snap out. he's done it with Malia and Isaac both]

Derek: [his head falls back and he closes his eyes a moment, growling before he finally gives in, slumping against the tree]

Scott: [waits a beat longer, then pulls back to stand between them] What the hell happened here?

Buffy: It's my fault. I pushed a button I shouldn't have. [note that she doesn't exactly sound sorry for pushing that button. They both needed it, even if her clothes didn't]

Allison: [her eyes narrow, before glancing back to Scott. that doesn't seem right at all.]

Scott: [gives her an incredulous look] You went pushing buttons on a werewolf after he's lost his entire family for the second time in his life? Are you crazy?

Derek: [Is just focusing on getting his breathing under control, looking at his arm and snapping it back into place so it can heal the rest of the way before going to fix his nose]

Buffy: [sets her jaw. She doesn't heal as quickly, but she's at least not directly bleeding anymore] It's better than him not reacting at all. [she and him are a little the same that way] Besides, I could take it.

Scott: [looks between the two of them, then at Allison because really?! REALLY?! These are the adults here?!?!]

Derek: [he's glaring at her over his alpha's shoulder just a bit.]

Buffy: [yeah, she doesn't even flinch. she'll just stare him down right back]

Allison: [does not even want to know what's going on, and it shows on the look she gives back to Scott]

Buffy: [takes a breath, before taking a step back] I should get cleaned up. [her eyes go back to Derek] The offer still stands. [with regards to kicking everyone out of his loft. and with that, she's headed back into the woods towards Beacon Hills]

Derek: [he doesn't remember that offer beyond her talking about knocking down his house and takes a step forward, but Scott's hand is up and pushing him back against the tree] Scott...

Scott: No, you listen to me for once. You're not the only one in pain right now, got it? Yeah, you lost the most, but so did she, and Stiles and Allison. We all lost friends and everyone else is trying to find a solution to get them back. We've given you space to brood, but we could use your help too. You're smarter than half the people in that loft right now and you know it, but instead you're hiding out here. Think about what they would want you to be doing, and when you figure that out, you know where to find us. [and he pushes off Derek and goes back to Allison]

Allison: [she waits for Scott to join her, and keeps her eyes on Derek the whole time. It feels weird to try and contribute, even if Isaac is on the other side of that rift and Allison wants him back more than anything but Scott made that point already. She keeps her eyes on him for a moment before turning and getting ready to leave with Scott.]

Derek: [pushes away from the tree, looking at both of them a moment, then lowers his eyes to the ground. But he's not going to apologize, and instead just go back into his house, grab his things and throws them in a backpack, and decides to go for a long walk to get out his anger]

Allison: [crosses her arms across her chest as they get back to her car, before glancing back at him] Do you think ... [then she pauses, deciding to wait until they were in the car before continuing] ... do you really think that we can get them back?

Scott: [doesn't get into the car right away, watching as Derek leaves and disappears into the woods] For all our sakes, I hope so. Because if we don't, I think he's going to lose it one day and we'll have to take him down before he hurts someone for real.

Allison: [takes a deep breath before nodding and getting ready to start the car] Then let's get back there. Hopefully we'll be able to get to the bottom of it sooner.

Scott: [nods and gets back into the car] I think we need to tell your dad. Maybe he'll know a gentler way to talk to him? I don't know who could get through to him if Buffy can't.

Allison: I don't think Buffy was trying to get through to him. I think Buffy was trying to get him to ... react. [but she reaches for her phone all the same and pulls up her dad's number] But I'll let him know, just in case.

Scott: Well, she got what she wanted. I don't think she realized how damaged he is right now though.

Allison: [sets the phone on speaker as it rings] Maybe. But I also don't think it was just for him.

Scott: Probably not. But I don't really know Buffy all that well.

Chris: Allison?

Allison: Hey, Dad. We were up at the Hale house and ... Buffy and Derek had a bit of a blowout. I think you might want to try and find him.

Chris: What's going on? Derek isn't someone to blow up easily these days.

Allison: From what I can tell? Buffy picked a fight and he took it way over the line. If Scott and I hadn't gotten there in time I think he could have seriously hurt her. [she pauses] He's calm now, but I'm worried about him. [it's odd, being worried about Derek Hale, but she doesn't want him to do anything stupid. She doesn't want him to be in a place that he can't come back from when they finally get Dawn back]

Scott: We were thinking maybe you could have a softer approach? I don't know how to talk to him about something like this.

Chris: In the span of seven years, Derek has lost his family twice, once by our family's doings. He's probably in shell shock, reliving the first one all over again but without any family to support him this time. Last time he at least had Laura. I'll try to talk to him, but he may need someone who knows how to talk to trauma victims.

Allison: Do we know someone who isn't Ms. Morrell? [because she's not sure she wants to send Derek in that direction]

Scott: Deaton?

Chris: I may have a few contacts. Let me talk to him first. Where is he?

Scott: Um... that may be a problem. He was at the Hale House, but before we left he took off with a backpack into the woods.

Allison: Maybe there's somewhere his family used to go to lay low?

Scott: There's the abandoned subway station...

Chris: No, Derek left that one because some historic society wanted to revitalize it. It's under construction.

Scott: That's all I can think of.

Allison: [pauses as she considers] Didn't Gerard say something about an old meatpacking plant?

Scott: Ms. Blake died there. I don't know if he would go back there just losing Dawn.

Allison: [huffs] And I doubt he would go back to the Nematon.

Scott: Where else would he go? I mean, he can't go far. HIs car is totaled and he won't go too far that he can't get back quickly.

Chris: Maybe he.... [there's a knock on the door in the background at the Argent apartment] Hold on a sec, kids.

Allison: Okay. [and she holds and hopes that the person on the other side of the door is who she thinks it is]

Chris: [ON SPEAKER: Opens the door] Derek. What are you doing here?

Derek: I need a place to crash for a few days. Someplace safe. I remembered Isaac was in the spare room and thought...

Chris: No, it's yours. Come on in.

Allison: [sags a bit in her seat, relaxing in the car. Good. That's good. Her hand wanders across the armrest and finds Scott's hand out of habit more than anything else]

Scott: [holds her hand in return, squeezing it gently and he reached over to hang up the phone] Derek doesn't need to think we're listening in or plotting against him right now.

Allison: [nods] We should head back to the loft. The sooner we get them back, the sooner we can try and help him.

Scott: Good plan. [squeezes her hand, and then lets it go so she can drive]

Allison: [and with that they go back to the loft to meet up with Team Research, but on the way they stop for donuts at the request of Lindsay (and probably Dean). Every good research party needs food, after all. And when they get there they wander in to find books and paper everywhere, but Dean is already reaching forward to clear a spot in the papers for the donuts]

Dean: Finally. Where did you go for those things, Canada?

Scott: Sorry, had a bit of a problem came up I needed to deal with. What'd we miss?

Stiles: Well, you missed Dean attempting to eat the fridge now that we have completely eaten Derek out of any food he actually had here.

Allison: We'll replace it. [she places the donuts down on the table and moves to go resume her seat next to Stiles.]

Dean: [attacks them with vigor] I offered to go for burgers. They said you guys were already out - I didn't expect you to take so long.

Stiles: You offered after I came back with my fries. I offered to split them with you even.

Sam: [shaking his head, just taking a bite from his apple as he works his mouse on his laptop]

Scott: I take it since you're all basically in the same spots when we left, you didn't find anything.

Lindsay: [sighs heavily] Bupkis.

Dean: Zilch.

Willow: Nada.

Giles: No. I'm afraid not. Though we have ... narrowed the options. [gestures to the pile of books they discarded]

Scott: Well, the more you eliminate, the closer you are to finding the right one?

Stiles: [a fry dangling from his lips, not looking up from his computer] Yeah, and the sooner you get back into a book, the faster we can eliminate more.

Scott: You know, Stiles, I really did miss you being you.

Allison: [gives him a sympathetic look across the table, before looking down at her book again. The room falls into silence for a moment, aside from some dedicated munching]

Buffy: [not long after she makes her way in. She's changed her clothes and there are still scratches on her face but she's considerably cleaned up since last Allison and Scott saw her.] What'd I miss?

Stiles: Aliens landed, and all they wanted was a recipe on how to make pizza rolls.

Sam: [just looks up over his computer at Stiles a minute, then over at Buffy. His eyes narrow a bit] You okay?

Buffy: Fine. Slayer thing. [because she's not going to say she picked a fight with her sister's boyfriend that didn't go as well as she thought. She moves to sit cross-legged on the floor and holds out her hands to Willow.] Book me.

Willow: [smiles as she hands one over] I think there's a jelly left if Dean hasn't inhaled them.

Buffy: Oooh. Lucky me. [she reaches for the box to flip it open and see if she can find one]

Sam: If not, I have apples.

Stiles: you realize you're going to end up eating those all on your own, right?

Allison: I like apples? [she likes donuts more, but Sam doesn't have to eat them alone]

Scott: No, sorry, sugar is better when reading boring stuff.

Giles: [... sighs and cleans his glasses. This is why they're not getting anything done.]

Dean: [is actually ignoring the chatter and focusing on his work as he shoves donuts in his face which is why!!!!! he suddenly sits up and snaps his fingers in the direction of the pictures Argent took] Let me see those ritual photos again?

Sam: [grabs the pictures in front of him and hands them over his shoulder to his brother] What'd you find?

Stiles: [gets up because he's nosy like that]

Dean: I think I found it. [he holds up the photos next to the drawings that are in the book to see if they match] You said the ritual was on the new moon right? By the water?

Stiles: Yeah, that's it. And that's totally a match. Giles, come look at this.

Giles: [gets up and makes his way closer, Buffy and Allison both peering up at him, hope all over their features. He gently takes the book from Dean, pushing the picture to the side as he reads] Of course, yes. Channeling the reflection of the water as a portal. [more quiet musing] This ... this is doable. Tricky, but doable.

Buffy: Because we don't have Dawn's blood?

Giles: No, we have Dawn's blood.

Buffy: [there's a beat] I'm sorry, what?

Stiles: You know, we've got the demon's heart in the fridge right now. I'm actually not surprised at this.

Giles: After Glory, Dawn and I discussed it and decided that in case of another world ending disaster, we should have some of her blood on hand. I have some in storage.

Buffy: [....] I'm surprised she didn't tell me.

Giles: I wouldn't take it personally. I don't think Derek even knew. [but moving on] The tricky part is that the spell requires a living key. However, I think I can modify it slightly to work with blood that's not ... fresh. It just might not be able to transport someone who's living.

Dean: [there's a beat] That sounds like a pretty big hurdle, man. Especially considering the people on the other side are, you know ... living.

Sam: Well, it's a door, dude. It works both ways. If the dead person activates it, they can hold it open while the living people come through. Question is, who would you get that's stupid enough to let you do that to them?

Giles: Well, more like they would travel through and reactivate the spell on the other side with fresh blood. [there's a beat] As for who ... [he looks to Buffy]

Buffy: [looks back and reaches for her phone] I'll call Spike and Angel.

Stiles: Spike? You mean the bad poetry reading brooding vampire who may still be in love with you Spike?

Buffy: That's the one. [scrolling through the phone numbers until he finds the one] But Giles did say stupidity was a requirement.

Sam: I'm not going to say anything bad about either of your ex-boyfriends Buffy beyond that they both fit the requirements.

Dean: [makes a face] Do you have to call Angel? The guy's a bit of a dick.

Buffy: [sighs as she gets up, putting her phone to her ear] If I don't call them both, they'll read way too much into it. Not something I need when they're going to rescue my current boyfriend.

Scott: Wait... boyfriend? Is she..... [someone has been left out of the loop here]

Buffy: [eyebrow raise. omg Scott, Dawn warned you about this] ... Yes? No one told you?

Scott: I just knew you two were having sex. Not dating.

Stiles and Sam: [both choke on air]

Dean: [smirks a bit behind his hand, and Allison just is facepalming. Giles is cleaning his glasses]

Buffy: [pauses for a moment, processes that, before nodding] Note to self: have a discussion with Dawn with what exactly she's allowed to say about my sex li - Spike! [she turns on her heel and heads towards the other end of the loft to take the call] I need a favor. It's about Dawn.