canon au } { post-603, of missing sons and late night milkshakes

[impetere]

Sheriff: [after leaving the McCall house from helping the teenager clean up, he walked home with his hands in his pockets. After everything today, he was conflicted about everything inside that he thought was true. But pieces now made sense - why he felt like a father to Scott and had taken care of him so often. Why he felt there were empty spaces in pictures that shouldn't be.

Why Cora Hale slept in his empty guest room instead of at either of her sibling's places.

He had to talk to her about this, because he was pretty sure that if this Stiles was his son... that was his bedroom. That was why Cora slept there. And God... he was going to be a grandfather, wasn't he?

He couldn't tell any of this to Claudia. She didn't want to have kids, and then his father had said "dead wife"... but she wasn't dead. He had been having problems thinking of things he had done with his wife in the last 10 years so... was this an effect of losing Stiles? Or was it something completely different?

It was too much to deal with, and he couldn't put all of it on Scott McCall's shoulders. He had hoped Melissa had been home to talk it out with. At least Claudia wouldn't be jealous about that - their family had always been close. Which was why he couldn't talk to Jody either even if she was so easy to talk to and just relax with.

Sometimes he really hated this town.

Claudia was asleep when he got back, and he didn't want to disturb her. So instead he knocked on the guest room and peeked his head in] Cora, you here?

Cora: [picks her head up from the pillow and hesitates for a moment. she hadn't gone to the assisted living home because she knew that the sheriff didn't want them to, but she knew Scott was going to go anyway. She isn't sure if he was looking for her because he was angry, or if it was something else entirely. She sits up after a moment, uncertainty on her face as she responds] Yeah?

Sheriff: You wouldn't by chance have a late night craving for milkshakes at all, would you? [with the look that he would like to talk]

Cora: [she watches him carefully for a moment, before shrugging] I never say no to milkshakes.

Sheriff: Good. Come on, my treat.

Cora: [and she'll put her shoes on and grab her jacket before following him out]

Sheriff: [and he will drive them to the diner to get milkshakes and probably a side of curly fries]

Cora: [and she will just wait for him to start talking about whatever it is he wants to talk about - she doesn't want to make any assumptions but she's not in any rush for him to kick her out]

Sheriff: So thank you, first of all, for being the only person to actually listen to me this afternoon.

Cora: [ducks her head a bit] I didn't want to make you mad. [a beat] I like being able to stay with you.

Sheriff: I know. And I think I may have a lead as to why you feel that way. [sighs as he stirs his milkshake with his straw] It was something my dad said as I was ushering Scott and the others out.

Cora: [she looks up again, not entirely sure where he was going with this, but curious all the same] Oh?

Sheriff: Yeah. He's got dementia, and he's not all that nice of a father. He's good at finding words to dig into you and... well, as I was leaving, he said something about me going back to my dead wife and son.

Cora: [her brow furrows] But your wife's not dead. [and she's going to leave the "you don't have a son" hanging there obviously]

Sheriff: And I don't have a son either. But it made me think about this time, and I can't tell if it's a memory or a dream. [and he tells her about the dream he had shared with Scott] And she's right - name like that any son I gave it to would call himself Stiles in an instant just so his friends could be able to talk to him.

Cora: [it doesn't take her long to put two and two together - she's not dumb] So you think the Stiles who is missing is your son?

Sheriff: I think so. It's too much of a coincidence not to. But if that's true... what did my father mean by dead wife?

Cora: [she shrugs] I don't know. That seems ... oddly specific.

Sheriff: And yet... anytime I try to think of something in the last couple of years that she and I have done together... it's all fuzzy.

Cora: [there's a pause as she considers] You should talk to Buffy. Maybe she went through something similar with Dawn?

Sheriff: Yeah I can do that. [licks his lips] but back to this Stiles... if he is my son... it could explain why you're here so much. [and pregnant]

Cora: [and her eyes go back to her milkshake again, because it was one thing when it was a theory Scott had, but as "Stiles" becomes more and more concrete a person, it becomes more uncomfortable all the things she doesn't remember] Scott thinks so. That whoever he is, he's ... [the father]

Sheriff: Which would also make me... I'd never thought I'd be a grandpa since, you know, no kid but...

Cora: Yeah. I guess. [and there's a whole lot of uncertainty there because he was great when the father was a giant question mark, but she isn't sure how he'd take it when things were a little closer to home]

Sheriff: Are you okay with all of this, Cora? I mean, I'm sure you're not okay having lost someone. But between us...?

Cora: [she's quiet again for a moment, before giving a small shrug] It's better than ... not really knowing, I guess. I don't know if it's easier, because I still feel just as helpless and screwed up, but ... it wasn't some random guy? That's better, right? [she honestly doesn't know what you're asking her, Sheriff, and she doesn't remember the person who taught her to articulate her emotions properly]

Sheriff: It's much better. Because not only is it not some random guy, but it's someone who cared about you so much you find yourself safe in their home. And it explains why I care about you so much, because I do. You're like a daughter to me, and it's not because I don't have kids. It's now because the kid I've got brought you home and made you a part of our family. That says a lot.

Cora: [she watches him as he talks and she believes him, but it's still hard not to feel like a massive screw up all the same. it doesn't help that she also lost someone else and hasn't realized it yet, the one person who didn't get angry when she told them] I guess it does.

Sheriff: [he reaches across to put his hand on hers] I'm not going to abandon you, Cora. No matter what, okay?

Cora: [that she believes too. she hears the steadiness of his heartbeat and she knows it's the truth, so she swallows hard before nodding] Okay.

Sheriff: [smiles, squeezing her hand before letting go] So, how's that milkshake? [enough about feelings]

Cora: [oh thank god] Delicious, as usual.

Sheriff: Good. [and he is totally dipping his fries in his]

Cora: [and she'll just fall into silence for a bit, sipping her milkshake, before she'll briefly stray back into the tenuous territory] Are you going to tell Claudia? About ... me? And Stiles.

Sheriff: Well, you're a bit hard to hide. She already knows about you. But the rest of it…not yet. Not until I understand her part in all this.

Cora: [nods a bit] Okay. [she can keep her mouth shut, but she wanted to know if she should be prepared for backlash from that department]

Sheriff: [honestly, he has no idea]

Cora: [yes, well, probably for the best until they figure out if she's really Claudia or not]

Sheriff: [exactly] Do you want anything else?

Cora: [she shakes her head] I'm good with the shake for right now.

Sheriff: Alright.

Cora: ... Was there anything else you wanted to talk about? [please say no]

Sheriff: No, not really. I just... I needed someone to talk to and you were the best choice.

Cora: [she nods] Do you think we should get something for Claudia?

Sheriff: She was already asleep when I got back. Though I'm sure a slice of pie would make a good breakfast, right?

Cora: Always a good option.

Sheriff: [and he'll order an apple pie to take home]

Cora: [and they'll head back eventually and we skip?]