puppy love } { of known locations and big surprises

[arbalete]

Envelope: [is just going to sit here. white little envelope with Allison on the front. Totally not taunting her at all the longer it hangs out]

Allison: [Yeah, and if it taunts her long enough she's just going to shove it in a drawer]

Envelope: [And it will be there. every time she goes to get a pencil. The little corner of the envelope poking her fingers]

Allison: [nope. still ignoring you. going to find Derek is a bit like opening Pandora's box, and she doesn't want that. things are still just as complicated. So eventually, it'll nag her enough that she'll fish it out of the drawer and go to head down to the garbage disposal to shred it because she doesn't want to know. it's better if she doesn't know]

Lloyd: Um, you don't want to do that.

Allison: [turns to face him] What?

Lloyd: You're about to put self destruct flimsy in the shredder. Last time someone did that, we didn't have a shredder for two months. [makes a BOOM motion with his hands]

Allison: [sighs heavily] Then can you get rid of it? Please?

Lloyd: Why don't you want to open it?

Allison: Because I don't want to know what it says.

Lloyd: But you haven't opened it. You don't know what it says.

Allison: And I want it to stay that way.

Lloyd: Are you sure? What if it's important?

Allison: [she shakes her head] I know what it's generally about. I just don't know the exact information.

Lloyd: Well, if you're sure. [and he's going to take it, open it, and will read it before the paper and envelope set themselves on fire. Lloyd drops it and stamps it out]

Allison: [and she exhales with a nod, before turning to head back to her office] Thank you.

Lloyd: You're welcome. [and he will turn to go, before stopping] You really sure you don't want to know?

Allison: [she stops for a moment, before shaking her head] It's a bad idea.

Lloyd: [nods. He goes off, and he's going to go talk to Bruce and well... yeah they are curious about what Allison is not wanting to face so they are going to go face it for her. But of course they don't know the details so two days later they are having lunch and talking about something they never talk about - Advocacy for Cross-Culture Communication]

Hayley: [is walking past with Allison on their way back from training and she squints at them] What're you two nerds going on about?

Lloyd: Oh, we went to this class over at Georgetown University last night. It was really good.

Bruce: Yes. The teacher focused on the importance of listening to those who are different than you are as a way to educate yourself and retain an open mindset of the world.

Hayley: [squints at both of them before patting Bruce on the back] Good on you for expanding you horizons.

Bruce: Thank you. But it was Lloyd's idea.

Lloyd: The teacher was really good. I think one of the students said he was the TA to the head of the department.

Allison: [half-listening as she goes to get some water] Oh yeah?

Bruce: Yeah. I believe his name was Derek Hale.

Allison: [and Allison's water bottle goes clattering into the sink]

Bruce: [and everyone is going to silent and turn to look at her]

Allison: [and she turns and puts on her best "I'm fine" smile] Sorry. Slippery. [a beat] Lloyd, can I talk to you for a moment? In private.

Lloyd: Um, sure? [and he will get up to go with her]

Allison: [and she will find an empty room and close the door before turning on him again] So how did you find out about this class, exactly?

Lloyd: The course number was what was on the flimsy you didn't want to read. We weren't sure which of the colleges in town it matched so we just started looking at course catalogues and this one looked the most interesting. Must better than the science of sociology over at Howard University.

Allison: And why exactly did you decide to do that?

Lloyd: Because it's our job to take care of each other. And someone wanted you to go to one of these classes so we decided to scout them out and see if any of them were dangerous. Bruce and I don't have a hard time fitting into schools.

Allison: That was personal, Lloyd. It wasn't about work. You had no right doing this.

Lloyd: How was I to know that?

Allison: Maybe the fact that I didn't want to know the information in the first place was a sign to leave it alone.

Lloyd: So if you don't know that there is a bomb in your car, i should also leave it alone?

Allison: That is completely different. If you had bothered to ask me what it was about, I would have told you it was personal, and I still wouldn't know the thing I didn't want to know in the first place.

Lloyd: What, you don't like cross-culture communication? Isn't that kind of important to your job?

Allison: [rolls her eyes] It's not the subject, Lloyd, it's the teacher.

Lloyd: ........... Ooooh.

Allison: Yeah. So thank you for that. [she's not that grateful. But with that, she's going to storm out of the room and head towards the locker room]

Lloyd: [calls after her] But at least you now know what school to avoid?!

Allison: [doesn't respond, just throws herself into the shower and tries to wash the anger and conflict away, because this is NOT something she wanted to deal with, and now it's there, nagging in her subconscious]

Stiles: [and so he's sprung for pizza, but he's pacing, nervous as he waits for the rest of them to come home. Scott's already there since he had a great coffee with Elena earlier]

Allison: [makes her way in and looks exhausted. she's not angry anymore, just distracted and she blinks when she sees the pizza] Did I forget something?

Scott: House meeting. Stiles has something he wants to tell badly enough that he bought dinner.

Allison: Right. Sorry. [and she'll go to sit on the couch next to Scott]

Stiles: Anyone know when Lydia will be home? [seriously, someone needs to give him his ADHD drugs]

Lydia: I'm only five minutes late. Don't have an episode. [and she swans in, going to drop down neatly next to Allison]

Stiles: Oh trust me, I've already had that. Twice. [still pacing]

Lydia: [watches him for a moment, before rolling her eyes] Stiles, if you keep pacing like that I'm going to have an episode. Out with it.

Stiles: So... I know I've pretty much heavily hinted at the fact that I ran into Cora and she and I have been talking again. But there's something else... and you guys need to know but it's got to stay between us. Got it?

Allison: ... Sure. What is it?

Scott: [OH. So that's what stiles has been hinting at. Okay then] Yeah, tell us what's going on.

Stiles: [deep breath] So um... when the Hales left Beacon Hills, it seems that they weren't alone. [rubs the back of his neck] Well, not that Cora knew at the time but let's say that something broke I guess because she's got a kid. A son. Who is pretty much a mini me.

Lydia: [does not seem surprised]

Allison: [very, very surprised] Oh my God. Are you okay?

Scott: [WHAT THE FUCK] Dude, seriously?

Stiles: [shrugs] Yeah, seriously, and honestly, no I'm not. I mean... the kid's great. I got to meet him Saturday and we hit it off but... he's six. Six. Not only am I really not dad material... but I missed six years of his life. I don't know what to think.

Allison: Missing that time isn't your fault, Stiles. You didn't know. And how do you know you're not dad material? You've never been a dad.

Stiles: Well, between the job alone, probably not the best career to have with a family. And I just... i dunno. And it's not that I don't want him because he's here and he's mine and I'm going to figure this all out but it's just a lot.

Allison: No, of course it is. But you'll figure it out. You have time.

Scott: So what's going to happen? I mean, are they going to... now that you found them?

Stiles: No. Cora says she's not going to. And she wants me to get to know Ben.

Lydia: She wouldn't have told you if she didn't. And for what it's worth, the Hales seem to be in a way more stable place than they were in Beacon Hills.

Stiles: But it doesn't mean that their enemies still aren't out there. [he looks at Allison] Present company excluded.

Allison: [holds up a hand] No offense taken. He has a point.

Lydia: And Laura has more allies than she did back then. She's ready to actually handle them this time around. And let's be honest, Stiles, it's not as though they've all been stalking you, waiting for you to find her. If they're still gunning for the Hales, them being found isn't going to be your fault. There's only so many places to look.

Stiles: Yeah, well I barely know anything about what's happened to them since they left. How do we know they didn't bounce around a bunch of places to throw them off? And it still doesn't change that they are out there, and on top of it all anyone who comes at them is also by default coming after my son. And I am not having that.

Scott: I'm confused - are we supposed to be happy about this development or not?

Allison: [gives Scott a small smile] I think it's complicated.

Stiles: But so anyway, I'm going to try and figure out a visitation schedule with Cora. Between work and her job, I think I can probably see him once a week at first as long as I'm not out of state for work. But eventually I may have to keep him overnight or something so I figured I'd give you all warning that there is a mini Stilinski in DC and will eventually be here.

Allison: Just give me a heads up when he's here and I'll steer clear. If Cora didn't like me hanging out with her brother, I can imagine she'll like me hanging around her kid even less.

Stiles: [nods] I will. However I haven't told her you're here.

Allison: It's probably for the best.

Lydia: I personally think it's melodramatic, but that's just me.

Boys: [just look at Lydia to explain]

Lydia: [sighs] Allison lives here. Unless you're kicking her out of the apartment, Cora's going to find out eventually. You might as well be upfront about it so it doesn't look like you're lying to her.

Stiles: Well you know what, I'm leaving that up to Allison to decide then. Because her presence here isn't something for me to blab about either when we don't know who her allies are or their views on her family.

Allison: [purses her lips for a moment, before taking a deep breath and getting up] I'll let you know, okay? I need to think about it.

Stiles: [nods] Yeah, like I said before, it's your call. If you'd rather I not bring Ben here at all, I'll find other places to take him on days you're home.

Allison: No, that's not what I mean. I have no problem finding somewhere else to be when Ben is here until we figure out how to deal with Cora.

Stiles: Sure. I can go with that.

Allison: I just don't want to have him think he's not welcome here. Because he absolutely is.

Scott: And if you decide you don't want to deal with Cora... Stiles and I can look for a place of our own.

Allison: Just give me some time to think it over, okay? Don't start making decisions just yet. Today's just been ... a lot.

Stiles: [tilts his head a bit] You ok?

Allison: [deep breath, small shrug] Not really, but I'll figure it out. [a beat and she points to her room] I think I'm actually going to try and get some sleep. I'll see you guys tomorrow?

Stiles: Yeah. Well, if you need to talk, you know where I work. [because they had taken care of each other post-Hale times as friends, and he wasn't going to abandon her now]

Allison: [she nods with a small smile, because she appreciates it, but with that she's just going to turn and hole up in her room, trying to figure out what she's going to do]

Scott: So does that mean I'm Uncle Scott now?

Stiles: [snorts] Yeah, you're totally Uncle Scott.

Scott: Awesome. I can't wait to tell Ben all about how you were as a kid.

Stiles: Second thought, you're never going near my kid.

Lydia: [rolls her eyes] I think I'm going to follow Allison's lead. You boys have fun.

Stiles: I'll put the leftovers in the fridge for whoever wants it for breakfast.

Lydia: Sounds good. [And she'll head to her room]

Allison: [will pretty much stay in her room, but if Stiles wants to come talk to her because he heard about what happened at work, she wouldn't say no]

Stiles: [no, he will give her the space, because he knows it started from his note. But they both are usually the first ones out so he will be in the kitchen making them coffee]

Allison: [and she will make her way out and go right for the coffee] Hey.

Stiles: [keeping his voice down] Hey. Sleep well?

Allison: As well as can be expected.

Stiles: I'm sorry about what happened.

Allison: It's not your fault.

Stiles: Why didn't you just give it back to me?

Allison: [she pauses, before shaking her head] I was just going to destroy it. Lloyd stopped me before I blew up the shredder - I didn't think he would actually look into it.

Stiles: [hands her one of the coffee tumblers] He really thought he was helping protect you. He does have a crush on you.

Allison: I know. I know he did, and I feel bad for the way I blew up at him, but ... I had made the decision. I was going to move on, and just ... not even think about it, but now I know. [and knowing is a big part of the problem]

Stiles: I guess you just have to choose on if you want to have the control to choose the time and place, or if he surprises you. Because if Derek is still like the Derek we knew... once he knows you're in town, he's going to want to see you just to make sure you're okay.

Allison: Yeah, I know.

Stiles: But if you don't want to see him... I can ask Cora to make sure he knows that fact.

Allison: [nods slowly] I'm still ... turning this over in my head. I'll figure it out.

Stiles: Well, just know I still have your back, 100%. Always.

Allison: I know. That goes both ways.

Stiles: Thanks. [licks his lips as he screws on his mug's cap] I told her I only wanted to be friends.

Allison: [her eyebrows go up a bit, but she's not surprised] Is that what you want?

Stiles: [nods] Yeah, it is. I want to focus on just Ben, but it means I'm going to have to deal with Cora and all of everything and [deep breath] honestly when I signed up for the CIA I did so deciding that I wasn't going to do the family thing. But now there's Ben and I'm not going to deny him a relationship with his father. This isn't his fault. I've seen what not having a dad has been like for Scott. But I don't want anything serious right now. Maybe it'll change but right now Ben's my focus, and it's not fair to him or Cora if I don't state where I stand to Cora in regards to us.

Allison: Was she okay with it?

Stiles: She understood. You had the Hale who shows emotions. Cora has a damn good poker face so I don't know how she felt.

Allison: Well, it's been a long time. Maybe she's with someone else now.

Stiles: And if not... maybe it will make her feel she can be. [and he will look at the clock] We better get moving if we want to catch the metro.

Allison: I actually have to take care of something else first. I'll meet up with you for lunch later?

Stiles: Sure. [because while they are in CONTROL, they are technically "on loan" since CONTROL doesn't exist, and CIA and FBI don't tell the others what they have to do]

Allison: [she nods with a small smile, before moving in to give him a hug, just because] Ben is a good thing, Stiles. Don't overthink it too much, just enjoy it.

Stiles: [smiles and hugs her back] Thanks. Just keep reminding me that because we both know I overthink everything.

Allison: [nods with a small smile] I will do that. [and with that she'll step back to gather her stuff] See you at work.

Stiles: See you then. [and off he will go to work]

Allison: [and she will ... head to her car instead, sitting in it quietly for a moment, before picking up her phone and calling the registrar's office, playing the part of a flailing college student a little too well as she asks about the next section of the class Derek teaches, and where and when it is. Once she has the answers she needs, she'll drive to the university, walking over to the building in question. She finds a nice subtle hiding place that is down wind and out of view, making use of her covert training and trying not to feel ridiculous about it. All she wants to do is see him, not necessarily talk to him, and ... get a vibe for how things are. She's sure that he's probably moved on too. She just needs to see it for herself]

Derek: [and cue the Hale twin walking on campus with a phone against one ear, the other holding a coffee that he manages to get a sip out of before he's talking again] No, you can't do that, sir. The policy clearly states... [another sip] Sir, you asked me to review your organizational mission and the First Amendment... [sighs as he stops, putting the cup on a brick wall as he rubs his eyes under the glasses he's wearing] Sir, I know that's how you feel, but there is a separation of church and state and if you want to be eligible for federal assistance... yes I know.... sir, if I may be blunt - I don't care about your opinions on gay marriage, but if you want to do this your company, not you, has to follow the law. [laughs] Sir, I'm the last person you want to ask to help you skirt civil rights amendments... hello? Huh. [and he will slide his phone into his pocket, and two students walk over to try and flirt with him but he makes an excuse to get to his own class and quickly escapes - the awkwardness of not wanting their attention evident in his haste]

Allison: [good. he looks good. he looks happy. that should be enough. she takes a deep breath and is preparing to walk away and go back to work when she feels the wind shift, and she who was once down wind is now suddenly up wind, and she knows her scent is probably going with it. She swears silently to herself before she ducks behind the corner of the building she was using for cover, hoping she wasn't seen. She'll give it half a minute before she'll start walking back to her car, hoping the crowd will give her cover]

Derek: [and he was almost in the building too when he picks up the scent. He stops and turns, looking in the direction from where the wind had blown from, but there was nothing to see. The small smile from his face dropped and for a moment he considered approaching, but no. He had promised his sisters he would stay away, and when they left Beacon Hills and Cora learned she was pregnant, he promised that he would always but Cora first. And that promise is what makes him take a deep breath and just go into the building. Though she would see that his shoulders were slumped, almost sad in the choice he made.]

Allison: [she misses it - by the time she glances back around the building again, Derek's gone inside and she's in the clear. so she just makes her way back to her car and goes to work like everything is fine, because that's her specialty, even when it isn't]

Derek: [and he's going to just sit in class, completely distracted until he has to go teach his late afternoon class for the professor, and he can let himself get lost in the activism passion that he has used to distract him for the last near seven years.]