regency au } { of illness and fairytales

[braveandstupid]

Elena: [Derek has been gone for a bit but was returning soon as winter was approaching. Unfortunately the dip in temperatures is rough on the human immune system and Derek's favorite ladies are all unfortunately human. Elena manages to get Talia to Melissa before the youngest of them can catch the cold, but he will unfortunately come home to two ill daughters and an ill wife, all curled up in bed together]

Derek: [and he will return as the scruffy Lord that he becomes while he it away from the manor. He will come upstairs with his saddlebag over his shoulder, having heard from the servants the condition of his ladies. The poor, poor humans] Hello, are any of you awake?

Elena: [stirs a bit from her place in the middle and gives him a small smile] You're back.

Derek: I am, and it seems just in time to be able to care for my beautiful ladies.

Elena: [she nods a bit, eyes closing again] Patience's fever has gone down some at least.

Derek: [and he will put down his bags and take off his cloak.] That is good. [and he will walk over to join them, sitting on the bed and stroking their faces in turn]

Elena: Melissa has Talia. You should look after her until I'm better.

Derek: I will check on her later. I can look after the three of you now. [leans in to kiss her gently]

Elena: [sighs softly at the kiss, before pulling back and coughing violently]

Derek: [gives her a soft smile, rubbing her back gently] Shall I get you some tea?

Elena: [nods a bit] Tea would be good. Thank you.

Derek: [and he will go to do that, while taking the moment to clean up from the road in the area outside the kitchen while cook heats the water]

Melissa: [and she will wander in eventually with Talia in her arms] Oh, good. You're back. [Talia is less than happy, she misses her mama]

Derek: Yes, I was going to come see you once I brought tea to Elena and the girls.

Melissa: I can do that, if you'd like to take her. [she gives him a small smile] She's missed family.

Derek: [he can take a hint] That would be fine. Come to Daddy, Talia.

Talia: [goes easily and burrows against his shoulder, and the fussy noises she's been making calm after a few moments]

Derek: [nuzzles her cheek] I missed you, my tiniest beauty.

Melissa: She missed you as well. It's been lonely for her with everyone sick.

Derek: I think she will end up getting more of my attention now that I have returned than her sisters would like.

Melissa: Well, her sisters spend most of their time sleeping, so I don't think they'll notice too much.

Derek: I can only hope. [kisses Talia's cheek]

Melissa: [gathers the tea tray and gives him a small smile] I'll take these upstairs to Elena, and I'll take her back when you're ready to go back in.

Derek: Thank you. [and he will go take Talia with him as he goes to check in with his eldest sister so she knows of his return]

Laura: [Parrish has Grayson for the day while Laura was working with Amelia on school and alpha things, and she looks up when she hears her brother's footsteps] You're back.

Derek: That I am, and checking in with all my favorite Hale ladies.

Laura: [smiles softly] The rest of us are fortunately fine.

Derek: The result of good genes.

Laura: And careful quarantine.

Derek: [laughs] That too.

Laura: How are they doing?

Derek: A sick pile of women on my bed who probably will not let me take care of them.

Laura: I think you wife will protest more than your children will.

Derek: That is true. Though for now, Talia gets to have my attention.

Laura: I'm sure she is pleased with that.

Derek: I believe she is. [nuzzles his daughter] Aren't you, sweetheart?

Talia: [is gripping his collar tightly with her head resting against his shoulder, and she babbles softly in response]

Derek: That is a yes.

Laura: Yes it is.

Derek: So I will leave you and Amelia to her lessons. I just wanted to let you know I had returned.

Laura: Good. We can discuss your trip later.

Derek: That we can. Until later. [small bow, and he will head out]

Talia: [and eventually she will nod off against his shoulder because she has been refusing to nap in her crankiness]

Derek: [and he will take her to lay down, and then go back to check on Elena]

Patience: [and she has drank her tea and passed out again while waiting for him, but his older daughter has started to stir] Father?

Derek: Hello, my darling.

Patience: You're back.

Derek: Yes. You were sleeping when I arrived home, and I didn't want to wake you.

Patience: [rolls away from her mother a bit so she's facing him more] My head hurts. But Dr. Deaton says I'm getting better.

Derek: Yes, I know. But sleeping a lot and drinking a lot of warm drinks will make you feel better. Did you drink any tea that Melissa brought up?

Patience: [she nods] They said people can't be with us, or they'll get sick too.

Derek: Ah, but I don't get sick, so I can be with you.

Patience: [and that makes her pout] You're lucky.

Derek: It also means I can be here with you.

Patience: I'm glad.

Derek: Want to tell me about what you did while I was away?

Patience: [and she'll talk about some of the books she's read and finish with] But then I wasn't feeling well.

Derek: [pets her hair gently] Well, maybe we can sit and read something together until you're better.

Patience: [smiles softly] Okay.

Derek: So what shall we read?

Patience: A fairy tale.

Derek: A princess one?

Patience: Yes. With a good fairy.

Derek: Cinderella then?

Patience: Yes.

Derek: Let me go get the book. [and he will look for it on the bookshelf]

Patience: [and she will slowly push herself up to point] On the lower shelf. [Because it's her favorite]

Derek: [he will move his hand down, but not exactly at it] Here?

Patience: No. One more.

Derek: [and his hand touched it] Here?

Patience: Yes.

Derek: [and he will pick it up to go join her on the bed] Come join me.

Patience: [and she will, curling up against his shoulder as she does]

Derek: [and he will open the book, starting from the beginning of the story he knows she knows by heart at this point]

Elena: [and Patience will eventually pass out again but his wife will wake up somewhere in the middle watching them quietly]

Derek: [and he will know because of her heartbeat, but he will keep Patience with him, reading softly until he gets to a finishing point and closes the book]

Elena: [smiles softly, looking over at them] Do you think she'll ever be sick of that story?

Derek: No, I don't think so. I think I may use this book though to teach her to read soon.

Elena: Just make sure she doesn't cheat.

Derek: I won't. [looks over at her] How are you feeling, my love?

Elena: I have been better, but I have also been worse.

Derek: Would you like for me to help you dig yourself out of the pillows and children?

Elena: Honestly I would rather you join us, but that may be the next best thing.

Derek: I can, but I will still have to move children around.

Elena: True. Here, give me Patience.

Derek: [and he will gently shift their eldest to Elena. Once she is passed off, Derek will quickly shed his shoes and outer shirt to be in just his undershirt]

Elena: [and she will settle her against her chest to keep her sleeping and wait for Derek to slide in bed, checking to make sure Miranda didn't fall off the other side]

Derek: [no, he will make sure that no one is at risk of falling off the bed. He had the craftsmen make him an extra large one to be able to hold him, his wife, and a few children. He will shift though to try and find a way to be able to be near them all]

Elena: [And she will shift Patience back to them, before scooping up Miranda and placing her between them as well]

Derek: [and he will reach across them to take his wife's hand]

Elena: [gives his hand a squeeze as she looks them over] I'm glad there's no risk of you getting sick.

Derek: There has to be someone to care for you all.

Elena: And poor Melissa needs a break every now and then with Talia.

Derek: She does. I think she will need a vacation after this winter.

Elena: I wouldn't blame her.

Derek: Neither will I.

Elena: Though she will get a bit of a break. Ben will be heading back to Austria with his parents, and we were discussing a trip to Mystic Falls this spring.

Derek: Yes, so there will only be Laura and Parrish here to worry about.

Elena: So only Amelia and Grayson. That can't be too hard to manage.

Derek: And I'm sure Malia can help like Cora used to.

Elena: I'm sure she could. It'll probably be a nice distraction from missing Liam.

Derek: One can hope.

Elena: It will be nice to travel again. To show the girls more of Mystic Falls, now that they can understand it more.

Derek: And learn about your family’s history there too.

Elena: [she nods] They have a lot of history there.

Derek: And who knows, perhaps one of them will wish to return. Your brother will continue your family roles, but they can be there to help.

Elena: [a soft smile] Maybe. There should always be a Gilbert in Mystic Falls, after all.

Derek: Yes.

Elena: It will be good for all of us, I think.

Derek: I would miss them though, if they chose to live far from us.

Elena: I know. But that won't be for a long time.

Derek: Time passes faster than you think.

Elena: Maybe it does. But that doesn't mean you still don't have plenty of time to prepare.

Derek: True.

Elena: That's the trouble with daughters. You don't always get to keep them with you.

Derek: [sighs] I had faced the reality I was going to lose Cora when she was to be married.

Elena: And now you're working up to it.

Derek: [looks at his wife] I've lost so much family, Elena. I don't want to lose more.

Elena: [reaches up and brushes a hand against the side of her face gently] You're not losing anyone. They're just going to be further away.

Derek: I know, but it still means I will have to learn to let go.

Elena: Well, no matter how far anyone goes, you will always have me.

Derek: [he smiles at that, stroking her cheek, but the thought of the Mikaelsons nudge at the back of his head and he knows that may not always be true]

Elena: [she sees the ways his eyes go distant, and hers fall for a moment. she knows what that thought is] I'm not going to leave you, Derek.

Derek: You can't decide that completely, Elena.

Elena: Maybe not. But so long as it is my choice, I will be here.

Derek: And I will be here with you.

Elena: Good. [sighs softly, as her hand moves to rub her eyes] But I think I need to sleep again.

Derek: You sleep. I'll watch over all of you while you heal.

Elena: [she nods and then closing her eyes as one arm tucks around Miranda more. she's asleep not long after that]