puppy love } { of firings and family time

[impetere]

Stiles: [it's been almost two weeks since Cora has seen or heard from Stiles when he walks into her bar not long after it opened, but long before it would get busy. He's got a week worth of scruff on his face since he was finally released from the CIA debriefing chambers. He's in jeans and a sweatshirt, and his posture shows he's tired, both mentally and physically as he takes a seat at the bar, waiting for her to notice him]

Cora: [oh she notices. and there's part of her that's still really angry with him for putting her in this position but the bulk of it has faded at this point. part of her is also relieved that Stiles is still in one piece, because that would have crushed her more than she'd care to admit. but at the end of the day, she's going to wait for him to explain himself before giving him more than the usual cold Hale treatment] What can I get you?

Stiles: Root beer, if you have it. [and he is going to slide an envelope across the table to her. There is nothing on the front but the return address stamp of the CIA on it.]

Cora: [she studies it for a moment, before pulling out a can of root beer and placing it down in front of him, before reaching for the envelope to read it]

Stiles: [and he will sip the root beer as Cora reads a letter from the Director of International Operations that is thanking Stiles for his service and apologizing for the inability to keep his personal file secure from an internal personnel. They acknowledge that all data about him has been transferred to CONTROL and will not remain in CIA databases as per protocol on the release of an employee. His access to the building and farm have been revoked, and it will remind him that he is no longer allowed to assert himself as a member of the CIA or access the buildings without specific invitation from current members of the Administration. It goes on and on, but it's a very well crafted, respectful but still a "you've been fired" letter.]

Cora: [she reads it twice, before placing it down to give it back to him] So?

Stiles: [and he will put the drink down, looking at the glass a moment as he takes a deep breath] You were right. [he can't look her in the eye as he admits it. He's angry, but at himself now that he's finished out the mission, learned all the details and then had a week in solitary to think about it all] You were right, I was an asshole, and I'm sorry I put you in and Ben in danger. So I made them fire me because otherwise they wouldn't let me fully go.

Cora: [she takes a deep breath as she relaxes a bit at the apology] Thank you. [it's not forgiveness, yet, but she appreciates the apology all the same]

Stiles: I've been absorbed by Hayley's team so I'm not unemployed. But that's the job I actually am an analyst in, and we work to detain, question, and lock up the creatures who are a threat to national security. Nothing like the previous job. There's still some risk, I'm not going to lie, but Matt and Allison tend to do those parts of the jobs since Hayley has Hope and I have Ben.

Cora: Okay. [that job she actually understands more, so she nods] So like cops.

Stiles: Yeah. It's an inter-department group with all the letter agencies pitching in data when requested. I'm usually the one doing that data and working up the files since that's some of what I did before, and give it off to the rest of the team. Then the four of us discuss the best use of all of our skills to find and detain the target for questioning and incarceration.

Cora: Okay. [yes, that's acceptable, that she can digest better than "assassin"]

Stiles: I just... i want to be honest with you. I just... I've spent the last five years of my life training to be someone who doesn't exist. Someone who goes unnoticed and someone who doesn't form attachments. Wanting to be a father started to break through that shell I had built up over the years and I don't regret that for a moment. [he looks up at Cora, his eyes wet with tears that he reaches up to rub away before they fall] Please don't take my son away from me. I'll do whatever you need me to do.

Cora: [her face softens a bit] Stiles, I never wanted to take him away from you. I never wanted him to be away from you ever. But I need to know that he's going to be safe. Because that is more important to me than anything else. So as long as you keep me in the loop about when there might be a threat that I need to worry about so that we can figure out how to protect him, I'm not going to take him away.

Stiles: [he nods] I know it's hard to understand, but I would have before too. I wouldn't have called you or agreed to meet Ben if I didn't put into place protections for both of you. If I didn't believe that I, or my employers, couldn't protect you. Maybe I was a bit egotistical in that belief, but I did. And while I won't give you the details, we made sure that the traitor was taken care of, and anyone who saw the file won't be able to do anything with it. [he won't tell her that he and Hayley killed them all but... well he and Hayley killed them all and he burned the hard copy of the file and magnetized all devices from phones to watches to computers in the room]

Cora: [takes a deep breath and nods slowly. that does make her feel better, at least for now] It was also ... I didn't think you were capable of that.

Stiles: [nods] I didn't think I was either. But then Dad almost died and I just couldn't stand back and keep watching people I care about being hurt. When I finally left Beacon Hills for school... [he takes a deep breath] I thought I could get a new start. I played lacrosse for a while. I had friends, there was a girl I was friendly with and then... three years ago, I was home sick while they flew off for a game across the country and the plane was hijacked and there were no survivors. Something in me snapped at that point. I didn't know the CIA was already looking at me for potential recruitment, but I was so angry and just... too many people lose their loved ones because of things they can't control, you know. I hated not having control of that in my life. I lost Mom... you... almost lost Dad... friends from when I was little... they offered me a way to get that control back. A way to make it so I could keep people from having that pain inside of them that I've always had. I gave up the idea of having a family of my own. I figured at that point I was never going to hear from you again because it had been four years. So I made the choice to give my life up. I let them make me into a weapon and they did a good job. I was very good at that job, and I slept well because I knew all those men were horrible, horrible men with more blood on their hands than I would ever have. It was just simple math to me. [and he's looking at the bar top] And if a job went bad... I was the one who would get killed, and my dad would quietly get a flag and be told that I died protecting our country. It was supposed to be a good life. I may have lived to be forty, maybe fifty. If I lived that long they probably would have thrown me behind a desk at that point like some rare unicorn but that would have driven me crazy.

Cora: [she nods, because that makes sense. It's still something she doesn't fully get, but at least she knows what Stiles' thought process is] It's just ... I get killing out of self-defense. Heat of the moment because you have to. What you were doing was so calculated it just ... it didn't sit right with me, with the person I fell in love with.

Stiles: [he looks up at her with a sad smile] That person doesn't exist anymore. I haven't seen him in the mirror since the day Chris Argent taught me how to shoot a gun so I could help hunt down the creature that attacked my dad and find out what it had done to poison him because nothing natural was working to heal him.

Cora: [oh yay, more guilt about not being in Beacon Hills. Not because of what Stiles had to do, but because maybe she could have given them answers] I didn't know.

Stiles: I know you didn't know. I know it's not your fault. It probably would have happened if you stayed, to be honest, and whether it would have been easier or worse no one will know. I don't blame you - and knowing about Ben I'm glad you weren't there.

Cora: [she nods, but she knows she needs to take a step back because her feelings for him were attached to someone that doesn't exist. that couldn't exist] Have to say, you were pretty good at faking it.

Stiles: Faking what?

Cora: Being you.

Stiles: I was trying to be the father Ben deserved. And to be honest... when I'm with him... during that time I don't feel that pain inside of me. He's the one thing that really makes me feel happy, and I haven't been happy in a long time. Not that kind of happy you asked me if I was in my life. I don't have it anywhere else but when I'm with him.

Cora: [she nods, looking down at the glasses she's fixing again] I get it.

Stiles: But I like that feeling. Maybe, since I'm no longer that guy the government made... since I'm going to have to start over and figure out who Stiles Stilinski is now... I think that feeling and how I am with Ben is a good place to start building from. [nods to himself] I like that guy.

Cora: [she glances back at him and nods] I like him too.

Stiles: [he looks up at her and gives her a small smile] Maybe you can help me too? Remind about who I used to be and see if somewhere under all the trauma and scarring that version of me you remember is still there?

Cora: I can try. But you have to want to find him.

Stiles: Yeah, I know. [clears his throat] I should um... i should let you get back to work. It's almost happy hour.

Cora: Ben will be home in about an hour if you want to go upstairs and take a nap while you wait.

Stiles: You don't by chance have a shaving kit I can use?

Cora: [she shakes her head] But there's a drug store around the corner.

Stiles: [nods] Alright. Thanks. [and he goes to leave, but stops a moment] I rub my thumb on my pants.

Cora: [blinks] What?

Stiles: My tell. When I'm lying - I usually have my hand pressed against my leg to keep my fingers from tapping, but I'll rub my thumb along my pants. My handler told me I should let you know so you could tell when I'm lying to you.

Cora: [she nods again with a small smile] Good to know.

Stiles: [he smiles back, and then heads out to go get a shaving kit, a toothbrush, well pretty much a travel shower kit at then head up to Cora's to shower and shave, and then he's going to just pass out until Ben and Malia come home]

Landon: [which he will probably hear coming because Landon brought his ukulele and was playing requests the entire walk home, followed by Malia's keys in the door]

Stiles: [he does start to stir, but he's exhausted so he's only half awake when the door opens.]

Malia: [swings in ahead of Ben out of habit and blinks when she spots someone on the couch] Oh, hey Stiles.

Ben: Dad? [and he is totally going to push past Malia and Landon] DAD!

Stiles: [starting to sit up] Hey kid - [and that is him being tackled so hard they both fall off the couch onto the floor]

Landon: [laughs as they go down] Aww, touching family moments.

Stiles: Hey, hey Ben I need to get up.

Ben: You were gone forever where were you? You said you were only going to be gone a few days.

Stiles: My job got complicated. But hey, good news is that I don't work with that company anymore so no more overseas work trips.

Ben: Really? Awesome!

Malia: [just makes her way in and goes to fix snacks while she lets the two of them catch up, while Landon will drop onto one of the arm chairs to stretch out]

Stiles: [and he will tell Ben about Paris a bit because he had been there and seen the city. He'd been there a few times so some of what he told him about Paris may not have been from that trip but it was true and real]

Ben: Can you take me there one day and we can go to the top of the Eiffel Tower?

Stiles: Maybe one day, but I'm thinking I'm going to stay in the US for a while.

Malia: [and out she comes with Ben's usual snack served up for everyone] Maybe Nadia can give you a behind the scenes at the museums when you go.

Ben: Can we touch the paintings?

Stiles: No. We'll end up in jail. I don't think so, kiddo.

Ben: No fun then. [and he is going to reach for snacks, but looks back at Stiles] No milkshakes?

Stiles: Maybe next time. Malia's already made snacks.

Ben: Thank you. [and he's going to shove one in his face as he goes to sit back in Stiles' lap]

Stiles: Yeah, thanks. I know you probably have things you guys could be doing today...

Malia: [she shakes her head] I don't mind. I like hanging out with Ben.

Landon: We were going to write a song about math homework. We hadn't decided on if we were going to go with tragic power ballad or upbeat pop tune.

Stiles: Math I'd think you'd go electronic since it's pretty much a math based music.

Landon: [he wrinkles his nose] But that's predictable. We're trying to break the mold here.

Ben: So completely opposite.

Stiles: Completely opposite of electronica? Pretty sure that's country.

Landon: [ponders for a moment before strumming the ukulele, and singing with a thick southern accent] Well, my lady hit the road, took my dog and took my truck. Said she wasn't coming back until I learned to add it up ...

Stiles: You know what happens if you sing a country song backwards, right?

Landon: The ghost of Johnny Cash comes back from the great beyond to destroy the music industry as we know it and quietly trigger the apocalypse?

Stiles: [laughs] No, not really. [and he will go into his phone and play a song on his playlist]

Landon: [listens quietly for a moment, before laughing] True story.

Stiles: [laughs] Thought you'd like it. I'm sure you could have fun with that at karaoke nights.

Landon: Man, I could have fun with that when we have a gig at the line dancing club downtown.

Malia: Landon's band does all genres. He even did Elvis at a frat party for Halloween.

Stiles: That sounds cool. May have to come watch one day.

Landon: Just ask Malia, she usually knows where I am and what I'm playing.

Ben: Can I come too?

Stiles: Not to a bar. You're about fifteen years away from that.

Ben: [Pouts]

Landon: I'm doing another flash mob proposal on the mall this weekend.

Stiles: Wow, you're busy.

Ben: What day?

Landon: Saturday afternoon. Unless the dude gets cold feet and cancels, but I have a feeling he'll sack up.

Stiles: Well, Saturday I have to see if your mom wants me to see you on that day, or on Sunday while she is at work and then maybe we can spend the day with Malia and watch Landon.

Ben: Are we going to see Miss Hayley and Hope? I miss playing with Hope.

Stiles: I'll have to check and see if your mom is okay with that.

Landon: Well, you decide to come, Malia knows where it is.

Stiles: [looks up at Malia] I'm sorry you have to always be with us for a while.

Malia: [wrinkles her nose like Stiles just said the crazies thing she's ever heard] Don't be. I'm not.

Stiles: You can't really like babysitting me with him.

Malia: ... I'm not? I'm hanging out with Ben. [why are humans so weird?] Besides, it makes Cora feel better, which is good, because anxiety is super distracting.

Stiles: Well, I've done a few things to help reduce her anxiety too, so hopefully she'll smell better.

Malia: Fingers crossed.

Stiles: Though I can meet you at school on my days again and you'll benefit from homework milkshakes at Johnny Rockets.

Malia: Sounds good to me.

Stiles: Alright, well let's get to this homework kiddo and then I guess I'll order a few pizzas for dinner?

Malia: I approve pizza.

Landon: As do I.

Stiles: Pizza it is. Come on, Ben, homework.

Ben: Okay. [and he will reach over for his backpack and father and son will work on the spelling and math]

Malia: [will also work on some homework and Landon will play mood music]

Stiles: [and eventually they will have dinner, and watch movies and then bedtime and Stiles will read his son to sleep and he really doesn't want to leave so he's going to just end up sitting on the floor in Ben's room looking at some of the comic books he has]

Cora: [and eventually Cora will come up to relieve Malia and Landon, and while she knows Stiles is still there, she doesn't go in right away, just sitting on the couch and taking off her shoes with a soft sigh]

Stiles: [by that point he's sitting at Ben's desk looking at pictures he's drawn that were new, things that he's built with legos and he refused to take them apart until Dad saw them. He knows his shoulder is healed but there's phantom pain there bugging him and he knows it reminds him how close he was to losing all of this]

Cora: [well, if he wants to be introspective, she'll take her time with getting back to him, disappearing into her bedroom to clean up after a long day, and once she's clean, alcohol free and in comfortable clothes, she'll wander back in to see what Stiles is up to] Hey.

Stiles: [he looks up at her and offers her a small smile] Sorry, I know it's late. You probably want to go to bed.

Cora: [she shakes her head] No, it's okay. You can stay if you want.

Stiles: I think you said once that it wasn't my place for that anymore. [he leans down to gently kiss Ben's forehead and tuck him back in before heading to the door]

Cora: [she squints at him] I said we weren't having sex anymore. I didn't mean you couldn't crash here if you wanted to stay. [and she shakes her head] And you were the one who set that boundary.

Stiles: Yeah, but you know if I stay, he'll start trying to find ways to put us back together and I don't want to disappoint him.

Cora: Do we know that? [because she sure didn't] I was going to let you sleep on the couch.

Stiles: You say he is just like me. It's what I'd do. Hell, Scott and I spent years trying to get his mom and my dad together. [thinking she was talking about Ben's actions, of course]

Cora: [well, that was what she was talking about, before shaking her head] Fine, whatever. You don't have to stay if you don't want to, but I don't mind if you do.

Stiles: Maybe another time. I should probably let my roommates know I'm still alive. But thanks.

Cora: Okay. [a beat, before she turns back to face him] Oh, by the way, Parrish counts, in terms of acceptable babysitters.

Stiles: Yeah, you told me. But um... could Hayley count too if she was with me? Ben hasn't seen Hope in a while and Landon mentioned something about a flash mob i think they would both like watching.

Cora: [nods] Yeah, Hayley is fine.

Stiles: [his shoulders sag a bit in relief with that] I have to get a new phone and phone number, but I have yours memorized so I will call you with that tomorrow and we can maybe meet at the mall Saturday?

Cora: [she nods] Sure. Sounds good.

Stiles: Thanks. [he made to reach for his keys when he stopped, his fingers tapping on the table] Cora, you always keep saying he's a lot like me. Do me a favor and just, whatever happens in the future between us - make sure he doesn't become me. He deserves a better life than what I have.

Cora: [she ... isn't entirely sure what that means, but ...] Okay. I will.

Stiles: Thanks. [and he will grab his keys and start to head out]

Cora: [and she will let him go to lock the door behind him, then head to bed herself]

Stiles: [and he will head back to his apartment and if no one there is awake he will see them all in the morning as he's making coffee for him and Allison like he normally does]

Allison: [and she will swing in when she smells the coffee and gives him a small smile] Hey, you're back. Matt said you might be tied up for a while.

Stiles: [smiles back] He was right, just thankfully not the literal kind of tied up.

Allison: At least there's that. [there's a beat] Everything okay?

Stiles: Mostly. I got myself fired.

Allison: [another beat] Is that a good or bad thing?

Stiles: For Cora and Ben, it's a good thing. The rest is probably debatable.

Allison: So did Hayley fire you too, or just your other boss?

Stiles: Just the CIA. But I don't know how it's going to affect my job with CONTROL. I know Hayley will fight for me, but if I was fired, I don't know if the contract is valid anymore or if they will want to keep me.

Allison: Then I guess we'll have to see what happens when we go to work.

Stiles: Yup. I guess I'll talk to Scott and Lydia later.

Allison: Scott hasn't been around much. Probably letting his new girlfriend distract him so he doesn't worry about you. [or distracting Elena so she didn't worry about Matt, but Allison didn't know that part]

Stiles: Hey, at least he's happy. That's a good thing.

Allison: Yes, it is. And maybe, eventually, we will get the chance to meet her one day.

Stiles: Maybe we will. [and they can head out] Ronnie still hanging around town?

Allison: [shakes her head a little] He got a call about a haunting in Maine, so he was going to head up there to check it out.

Stiles: Aw, such a good little hunter.

Allison: He likes to keep busy.

Stiles: [and he screws on the lid of his coffee and hands her travel mug to her] I don't blame him. So, shall we go see if I still have a job?

Allison: Let's do it. [and off they go where he will absolutely have a job because Hayley will death glare anyone who suggests otherwise - but the compromise is no international operations for a while.]

Stiles: [and he will be very happy because he wouldn't even know how to job hunt in DC with only a HS diploma so he's going to take his time removing and shredding all his CIA stuff in the locked drawer of his office, and waiting for Bruce and Lloyd to get him a new secured cell phone with whatever toys they are dying to add to it]

Allison: [while she will go do actual work since she's not a newbie]

Matt: [and after checking in with Stiles and the two of them having a private talk in the cone of silence, and actually shaking hand in the first time... since ever] Hey.

Allison: Hey. [glances between him and Stiles for a moment] So I'm guessing you two worked things out?

Matt: Yeah. Amazing what it takes to give you a bit of perspective. For how much I hated him, I didn't realize that it was mostly because of Victor and Hurley. And if Victor would do that to him just because he was jealous that Stiles was good at his job... what would he have done to me if I had stayed?

Allison: I have a feeling that Hayley wouldn't have let that happen to you anymore than she would let it happen to Stiles. If you guys hadn't taken care of it overseas, she might have stored them in a box for when the rest of her family wakes up.

Matt: [shudders] Not sure if I would be on board with that. But it's good Stiles has someone who has his back like that.

Allison: Yeah, it is. I would not want to be on Hayley's bad side.

Matt: Yeah, it's not a side that is nice to be on.

Allison: I believe it. [she glances to him] Are you okay?

Matt: [works his jaw] I don't have a good relationship with any of those vampires. Well, except Rebekah but that's complicated. And I'm pretty sure they are going to fuck with me.

Allison: You don't think Hayley can keep them in line?

Matt: Four against one? Five if they get Klaus? Yeah, not happening. She'll just be happy if they don't kill me outright.

Allison: Well, I won't be inviting them in at my place - or telling them where I live at all, if you need somewhere to hide out.

Matt: I appreciate that. I'm more worried about my friend Tyler. They will kill him on sight.

Allison: Is he in DC?

Matt: No. Virginia at the moment.

Allison: [nods slowly then tips her head to the side] Isn't he a werewolf?

Matt: No, he's a hybrid actually. Thanks to Klaus.

Allison: But he has venom, doesn't he?

Matt: Yeah.

Allison: Hayley mentioned something about Freya needing venom from all seven werewolf bloodlines to make this cure for Elijah and Kol. Maybe if you talk to her before Klaus gets in the picture, she and Tyler could make a deal. And you guys still have vampire friends - maybe there's a way this can benefit you both.

Matt: Yeah, Tyler would rather Hayley kill him than help an Original.

Allison: What about if Marcel comes after him next?

Matt: That I don't know. Depends on what Marcel offers. Tyler keeps himself far from New Orleans. Allison - Klaus ruined his life. Turned him into a hybrid as an experiment. Turned the love of his life against him. Killed his mother. Ran him away from his home.

Allison: And I get that. Believe me, I understand that. But at the same time, Freya is trying to create a cure for Marcel's venom and how long will Marcel be simply content with New Orleans. Or being the only one of his kind.

Matt: I dunno.

Allison: Exactly. So ... I get that he doesn't like Klaus. But there are greater applications to what Freya is trying to do.

Matt; Yeah, well it's his choice. I'm not going to risk my best friend unless he wants to.

Allison: Fair enough.

Matt: .... But I can pass a message along and ask him.

Allison: [she nods] Thanks.

Matt: So what are you working on?

Allison: [hands off the file] Have a look.

Matt: [and he will take it and sees...]

Allison: [probably a vampire thing! I didn't have specific details in mind, sorry.]