canon au } { post-3b, of werewolf missiles and bittersweet reunions

[ooglyboogleys]

[♫ The Chain ~ Ingrid Michaelson]



Cora: [After a trip to Mickey D's where Cora impressively downs two Big Macs and a large fry like an inhuman food vacuum, Spike drops them off on the balcony, and Dawn let's Cora shower first. She trashes the torn bloody clothes she's never going to wear again and spends a very long time under the hot water before she deems herself clean and swaps out for Dawn. She's in the middle of shoving her feet into sneakers when she hears the door of the loft open and catches her brother's scent on the air. She pauses, considering for all of a moment, before sneaking her way out of her room and very quietly down the stairs.

She hasn't done this since they were kids. She used to do it all the time, sneaking up on him when she thought he wasn't paying attention and trying to get the drop on him and usually she failed but that didn't stop her from trying. She waits until his back is turned, sneaks down the stairs, and launches herself at him like a tiny werewolf missile.]

Derek: [is coming home and not really paying attention to the scents in the air. Over the last few days with everyone there, all the scents had intermixed and it was hard to pick out what was and wasn't there anymore. So Cora had that advantage. However, he hears the shower going and that gets his attention, which is why he's about to go into the bathroom when he's hit from behind by the wolf missile of his sister.

On his back, he's about to shift out of habit of being attacked when the scent hits him first and his eyes widen, flashing blue.] Cora? [and then she is enveloped in the tightest hug ever and Derek literally clings to his little sister for all his worth]

Cora: [Yep, she's clinging right back, burying her face in his shoulder as she stays close. Look, Michael and Olivia had hit a lot of hot buttons with her, okay? She missed her big brother and staying right where she is is the only priority she has right now.] Hi.

Derek: [is trying his best not to cry right now because he had been thinking the worst and now she was back and that had to be Dawn in the shower and he wasn't going to let go of either of them ever again. His face matches her, his arms shaking a bit] I thought I had lost you forever.

Cora: [she laughs softly, because there were a couple moments where she thought that too, but she's not going to tell him that. Just don't go snooping in her trash, Derek. She's fine. It was just a flesh wound.] You should know me better than that by now.

Derek: It's just... been hard. [which is as much of a confession as he'll make on how bad he's been since she's been gone.] Don't ever do that again.

Cora: [she can't promise that. not with anything they get into, but she doesn't want to] Trust me. I'm not going near any portals for a long time.

Derek: Good. [and he finally pulls back, and rubs at his eyes before just putting his head on the back of her neck and pressing his forehead to her] I can't lose you again.

Cora: You won't. [not if she can help it. She demands the same of him, really, and while she knows the risks of being part of the pack in Beacon Hills, she knows that it's what they need too. They just needed to be smart about it] I'm not going anywhere.

Derek: [he nods, closing his eyes to just take in her scent] Where's Peter and Isaac? [he has an idea, but wants to make sure they are okay and where he thinks they will be]

Cora: Probably driving here. Isaac's with the Argents and Peter caught a ride with Buffy. Spike gave us a ride in his space ship so we could get back here sooner.

Derek: [nods] I'll go find them tomorrow then. You... as much as I don't want you out of my sight... you should go to Stiles. He deserves to see that you're back and safe too.

Cora: [smiles a bit at that and nods, before leaning in and giving him one last hug] And you should see Dawn. [the shower had stopped at some point while they were talking and Dawn was probably drying off and getting dressed]

Derek: [holds her back] Yeah. Also... just so you know... Sheriff Stilinski knows you've been there more than you think he knows. And he's okay with it. And so am I. Just be respectful of him, alright? [kisses the top of her head. Yes, that's your brother blessing you to be with your boyfriend.]

Cora: [there's a soft huff of a laugh at that, before nodding and pulling back, tipping her head towards where Dawn is] Go. [and with that she's going to pull back from him and go sneak in her boyfriend's window, to be played later]

Derek: [watches her go, biting his lip a moment because he was letting her go in more ways than one but only in a part of his mind that he wasn't conscious of. He then went to the bathroom door and opened it a bit, peeking in to see Dawn standing there and he just watched her]

Dawn: [she dressed at this point, in one of his shirts and a pair of sleep shorts, toweling her hair off as she looks at herself it in the mirror. The sleeves are rolled up so from where he's standing he can probably see the healed cut on her arm from where they had to open the portal home, as well as where she had to shapeshifter-test herself, and some bruises from the demons who didn't want to be exorcised, but other than that, she's fine. It takes a moment before she catches sight of him in the doorway and when she turns the smile she flashes him is brighter than it's been since this whole mess started] Hi. [and that's about all the warning he gets before she's crossing the bathroom to kiss him]

Derek: [he doesn't say anything, his eyes having taken in the injuries. But she's safe, here, and that's all he needs. But there is something in his eyes that keeps him from being as excited as you would expect, but that doesn't make his hug any less tight than it had been on Cora, or the relief and love any less in his kiss. There may be a touch of desperation in it, needing to feel the reality of her being there physically to soothe something inside of him, and his fingers grip the back of the shirt to feel something real there too.]

Dawn: [she matches his desperation with some of her own, a twinge of remorse thrown in for good measure, but what matters is that he's here and so is she and she sinks willingly into his hold, arms sliding around his neck. She kisses him until she absolutely can't anymore. She breaks the kiss slowly, resting her forehead against his as she stays close] I'm sorry. [because it was Cora and Peter and her fault. No amount of reasoning would ever make her think otherwise. Her blood. her fault]

Derek: It's not your fault. [he doesn't see it that way. It's his fault. He wasn't strong enough to protect her from being taken. He shouldn't have taken her out for coffee alone.]

Dawn: [and she wasn't strong enough to protect herself. Or fast enough to dodge a stupid athame. Or smart enough to have told Cora to get back and not cross the line. They're both going to blame for a while, so it's probably best to move on] I missed you so much.

Derek: I thought I was never going to see you alive again. There was so much blood. [and he buries his eyes in her shoulder, the tears finally coming out]

Dawn: [closes her eyes and pulls him in closer, turning and brushing soft kisses against his temple and neck, just letting him take what he needs from her. He's been through so much loss and she just kept adding it to the pile. But she's here now and she's not leaving him again. not if she can help it.] Hey, it's okay. I'm okay.

Derek: [he nods against her shoulder, trying to keep his composure. finally, he took a single deep breath and got his calm back. He wanted to tell her that he wasn't okay. He was far from okay and he knew it. But he couldn't add that to her plate. He would get himself back after awhile.] I know. You look like you've been through a ringer though. What happened? [he pulled back to look in her face, his hand running along her cheek and fingers in her hair.]

Dawn: [it'd be okay for him to be not okay. After everything he's been through it's almost expected. But at the same time, she knows that forcing him can make things worse in some ways and now he wants to focus on her. She'll keep an eye on him all the same. For now, she'll just give him a bright smile to indicate she's fine.] Nah, we just ran into a little demon trouble. Plus apparently over there me had been dead for a while, so I had to prove I was a real girl and then bleed some more to get us home, but I'm fine. Really. [she turns her head and presses a kiss to his palm] All in one piece.

Derek: That's all that matters right now. Are you hungry... I can make you something to eat?