puppy love } { of refugees and stemming the tide

[arbalete]

Derek: [so he has a Red Cross patch on, helping volunteer with a group he had met up with in Italy to go in and survey the conditions of a refugee camp. He was getting first hand experience that he was going to use for his thesis now. That was then he met the uncle with the nephew he was caring for on the night of the full moon when the child was screaming in pain. He had sat with them all night helping the child control the wolf inside of him, and woke up to the tiny ball of a werewolf curled up against him, shivering in the makeshift tent that was his home.

It was a call to his sister, knowing that he was put here for a reason and he needed to help this kid. As the days went on, he and Baal had just clicked - reminding Derek of his nephew back in DC. When the uncle knew he would take years before they would be able to get a country to go to, he asked Derek to take him back to America with him. He would come find them if he was ever able to get to America. He needed to ask his alpha first, but when he got the okay he started to use his inheritance to find a lawyer and work to adopt the boy with the uncle's blessing. But US rules and the fear of Arabs and Muslims made it difficult.

So finally he made a call he didn't want to, but it was one of his last hopes. So he found Stiles' work number and called him there, but he wasn't there so when Matt answered the phone, he put Derek on hold and looked at his partner with a "do you want to talk to Derek Hale or should I hang up on him? He's asking for you or Stiles"]

Allison: [that is ... unexpected, but she takes a deep breath and nods, reaching for her phone] Transfer him to me.

Derek: [and it's done and he's on the phone. It's windy and there are a lot of voices around him as he's sitting on the edge of a wall watching the kids play soccer] I know I said I wouldn't call, but this isn't really for me. There's an eight year old werewolf in Turkey who needs your help

Allison: [she doesn't even get to say hi but okay] What's wrong?

Derek: I'm working in a refugee camp in Turkey and I came across this kid who was starting his changes. His parents were killed in the bombings and he has a human uncle who knows he won't be able to get through the refugee process for years. He's willing to let me adopt the kid and bring him back to the states so I can take care of him. I just can't get the government to approve letting me do the adoption and bring him home so we can help him with this time. And if I leave him here... he'll be killed or he will end up hurting people.

Allison: [takes a deep breath] Let me talk to my boss and see what she can do. Maybe we can get a special dispensation or something. Can I call you back on this number?

Derek: Yeah, this is my new cell number.

Allison: Okay. I'll try and give you a call back in an hour.

Derek: Thanks.

Allison: Talk to you in a bit. [and she does hang up and go back to Hayley and they talk it out and talk it out with the chief, and Allison calls back, as promised]

Derek: [and he's a little out of breath having played soccer but he's laughing as he answers the phone] Derek here.

Allison: Hey, it's me. So I need his name, and the name of his parents for this paperwork, and Hayley and I are going to be on a plane in an hour to come to you and check things out. If it's all clear, we'll be good to bring him in.

Derek: [there is a sigh of relief] Oh Allison, thank you. Thank you so much. [and he is going to wave Baal over and he will be speaking to the little boy in Arabic and there is a tiny voice replying] Okay, his name is Baal Amari. [and he will give all the information that his ward keeps giving him.]

Allison: [and she will scribble it all down and nod] Okay. We'll see you tomorrow.

Derek: Should I meet you are the airport?

Allison: No, we'll come to you. I'll call you when we're close.

Derek: Alright. Anyone with the Red Cross patches will know where to find me.

Allison: Good. We'll see you then.

Derek: See you then. [and he will smile and ruffle the hair of his little friends and heads back into the game.]

Allison: [and the next day the two of them will arrive with a CONTROL agent to act as translator in case anything was fishy. they ask around and eventually wind up near the tent where Derek works and it takes her a second to spot him] Derek?

Derek: [yeah, probably because he is tan, scruffy, and just radiating that he is doing something he is meant to do and happy with himself. But he will hear her voice and turn, smiling] Allison. Hey, you made it.

Allison: Yeah. [and then she'll gesture to the two other ladies with her] This is Malina Harvey and Hayley Marshall.

Derek: [and he will shake their hands] Pleasure to meet you both. Hold on a sec. [and he will whistle and one of the boys from the makeshift school looked up, and then smiled and ran over to Derek] And this is Baal.

Baal: [goes to greet them in Arabic, but after a quick reminder] Hello. Welcome to our camp.

Malina: [will crouch down with a smile and return in Arabic] No worries. I can translate. [then she holds out a hand] I'm Malina.

Baal: [and his face brightens and he tells Malina about how Derek is trying to teach him English but he doesn't make it fun., which makes Derek wrinkle his nose]

Derek: I can understand you.

Baal: Sorry.

Malina: [she grins at him, before asking, still in Arabic] Do you speak Farsi? [because sometimes in these camps, languages can blend a little and he's young enough to learn]

Baal: [in Arabic] Not a lot. Enough to understand adults though.

Malina: [still in Arabic, pointing to Derek] Does he speak Farsi?

Baal: He speaks everything. He's a nerd.

Derek: Hey!

Malina: [she laughs] It's okay. He's cute for a nerd. [she holds out her hand to Baal] Why don't you show me around?

Baal: Sure! [and he will take her hand and show her to where the school is and two of the Italian aid workers are teaching English and are very interested in the hot American]

Derek: [trying not to blush as he rubs his neck because thanks, Malina, before looking at Allison and Hayley] So I can show you our work tent if you guys need a place to set up?

Allison: That would be great, yeah.

Derek: [and he will show them to the red cross tent where there is a folding table that has his name on it and a bunch of papers and some artwork and a soccer ball] Sorry it's a mess but it's all I have here. No wifi but I have signal on my phone and unlimited data.

Hayley: Don't worry, we have that covered. [and she'll go set up the tech stuff, with their own signal stuff, thank you Bruce and Lloyd]

Allison: [turns back to him while she waits] So ... how're you doing?

Derek: Good. I'm doing good. [going to sit at the edge of the table, nice and relaxed] You know, I've been wanting to help in things like this, and studying for it... but it's nothing like doing it. These people have nothing, and people in our country hate them for existing. They need people like us to help fix that.

Allison: Then I'm glad you're doing it. It seems like it's been really good for you.

Derek: Yeah, it has, but it's not about me. It's about them. [points out at the people, and then at Baal literally still dragging Malina around] And now it's about him. He reminds me about Ben.

Allison: Who I've been told misses you a lot, by the way. [not that she's actually met him yet, for reasons] Hopefully we'll be able to get both of you home soon.

Derek: Well, Stiles is on a leash right now with my sister, so I'm not surprised. Give Cora some distance from whatever all that was, and maybe she will let him bring the kid around. But he and I talk and Ben's talked to Baal a bit. I've been working on getting Baal better with his English so they can be friends.

Allison: Good. And Ben's been spending a lot of time with Hope, so he'll have a friend there too. [A beat] Hope's Hayley's daughter.

Derek: [motions with his thumb behind him, then nods] Good to know. He talks about Hope all the time.

Hayley: Oh yeah. Apparently they're going to get married when they're twenty-one.

Derek: I'll start saving up for their wedding gift then. [confused]

Allison: [she laughs]

Hayley: [she shrugs] I told Hope she couldn't get married until she was twenty one. And the only reason they're not "boyfriend and girlfriend" is because my sister-in-law told them there would be kissing involved.

Derek: [laughs] Well that will keep them apart at least until middle school. After that all bets will be off, I'm sure.

Hayley: Oh, by then her dad will probably be back and he will be enough of a deterrent, trust me.

Derek: Poor kid. [and he will refocus on Allison a moment] How are you doing? You weren't involved in that whole little thing overseas at all?

Allison: [shakes her head] No, that was Stiles' old job. [a beat] How much did Cora tell you?

Derek: Enough to confuse the hell out of me and make me want to punch him in the face, but not enough to understand the how or why.

Allison: [deep breath before glancing to Hayley and she'll flip on the cone of silence which is a lot more streamlined so it'll cover the whole tent, and once everything is soundproofed] Stiles was working as an assassin for the CIA and his cover got blown. Sort of. He was hurt and he needed help, but me, Hayley and Matt were all being monitored by the CIA so he called Cora.

Derek: And just how did Stiles... of all people, become an assassin for the CIA? [crossing his arms]

Allison: [she shrugs] They recruited him out of college? He had a lot of ... anger to deal with and they gave him a way to deal with it.

Derek: That's a lot of anger. Which, for the record - I don't blame her for keeping him on the leash now.

Allison: No, I don't think Stiles does either. He's working on figuring things out again and he's not doing that anymore.

Derek: That's a good start. [watches her a moment] You're not doing that kind of work though, right?

Allison: [shakes her head] No. I really did join the FBI. [which is not a lie, but she's not going to expand on it more than that] Stiles was on loan from the CIA but he works with us full time now. [look FBI is easier to explain than CONTROL.]

Derek: And you guys can promise my sister that she and her son are going to be safe while he works with you?

Hayley: Absolutely. And if there's trouble, she'll be the first to know.

Derek: Good. [and he's going to see Baal waving for Derek to come over] Do you guys need me for anything? It looks like I'm being summoned.

Allison: [she shakes her head, before going to check on what Hayley is working on.] We're good. Go.

Derek: Thanks. [and he's going to push off and go. No look back, not long looks of desire in Allison's direction. He's found his focus on something and it's no longer her, which will give him an easy stroll and smile to Malina as he joins them]

Baal: [in Arabic] Lady Malina is very nice but I have to go back to school. You have no woman. You should show her around so the other men do not think she is available to make rude words at her.

Derek: [laughs] You sound like an Italian grandmother.

Baal: Uncle said for me to say that.

Derek: [shakes his head, swapping back toEnglish] I think we're being set up.

Malina: [laughs] I think so too, but when it's an eight year-old, it's kind of hard to say no.

Derek: [and he will wave Baal off to class and smile at Malina] So you work with Allison and Hayley? Doing the same thing or different branch?

Malina: Eh, I bounce around. Hayley usually only brings me if she's messing with witch business. Or, in this case, needs someone to speak Arabic.

Derek: Witch business?

Malina: You know that they almost exclusively work supernatural cases, right?

Derek: I don't know much about it at all. Allison and I don't talk much anymore, and this is my first time I met Hayley. I've been overseas since October.

Malina: Oh. Well, Hayley is Hayley Marshall-Kenner, aka the werewolf queen of New Orleans. Their unit pretty much only deals with supernatural shenanigans for cases. Vampires, hunters, you name it, they deal with it.

Derek: And by dealing with it, they....?

Malina: Depends on the case. When they're wolves like Hayley, she tries to help them. Most of the time, they don't even realize or remember killing, they're new, and they're scared. If it's a cryptid that's purposefully doing bad shit, they usually try and arrest them, but that doesn't always work out. And with hunters ... we'll they've taken more than a few of the not-so-good ones off the board lately.

Derek: Huh. So you work both sides of the equation. That's good. But you only help when it comes to witches. Does that mean you're a witch?

Malina: Yes, it does. I never really had a coven, but my dad was part of the French Quarter witches.

Derek: Which explains how you know Hayley.

Malina: Sort of. We didn't meet until she joined the agency, but I'd definitely heard of her. It's kind of hard not to when you're the mother of a literal miracle child. Especially one from such a powerful witch line.

Derek: True. [unsure for a moment] Have you eaten yet? We could grab a snack if you are.

Malina: I would love something to eat. I haven't really eaten since the plane, and they're going to need time to sort out all the politics.

Derek: Alright, come with me. [and he will smile and lead her to the kitchen tents where there is a sweet young woman who is making the dinners for the camp. Derek will talk to her a moment and he will get them both apples and protein bars, which he will hand to her] Enjoy.

Malina: Thanks. [and then, because she's curious] So how did you start working with Allison?

Derek: Oh, Allison and I never worked together.

Malina: [squints] Oh. I thought you were an asset.

Derek: No, we're just friends now.

Malina: [her eyebrows go up] So what were you before?

Derek: [chuckles, rubbing at the back of his neck] We dated in high school.

Malina: [Oh.] Okay. That makes sense now.

Derek: But like I said, we're just friends now.

Malina: That's good. I mean, it was high school. It would be weird not to be friends at this point.

Derek: Well, we didn't have a conventional breakup. But can't really change the past.

Malina: No, I guess not.

Derek: When I offered to adopt Baal, i ran into a lot of problems with the US government since Baal has no parents and he's just starting the refugee process.

Malina: Yeah, well, the US government loves being douchebags about refugees right now.

Derek: And I don't think being a baby werewolf will help escalate him through the red tape.

Malina: No, not so much. Poor kid.

Derek: Yeah, but I think that's why I'm here, you know? Right time, right place... and the kid is adorable. You can't help but fall in love with him.

Malina: [smiles softly at that] Then good. I'm glad you found him. These people deserve so much better than what they're getting.

Derek: Yeah, I know. I've been studying on advocacy to be able to help the bureaucrats understand what's going on and see the other side.

Malina: [she snorts] Good luck.

Derek: Sometimes it's not about the number of voices, but about how loud they can be.

Malina: Oh, I don't doubt that. It's just I think a lot of our current bureaucrats have their heads too far up their own asses to hear you, no matter how loud they are.

Derek: You're not wrong there.

Malina: Don't get me wrong - I want you to succeed. But ... I would not trade jobs with you, that's for sure.

Derek: [laughs] No, I get that. We're all meant to do certain things. I can finally say I really am meant to do this.

Malina: Then Godspeed. Me? I'll just stick with dealing with the smaller stuff.

Derek: Well, good luck to you on that.

Malina: You too. [and she will raise her protein bar in a mock toast]

Derek: [and he will mimic her, giving her that charming smile of his]

Malina: [yes he is quite charming, and very pretty. Malina approves] So odds are we're probably not going to be able to get out of here and back to the states tonight, happen to know anywhere a girl can get a drink around here?

Derek: Most of the people here don't drink. But I may know of an Italian friend who has some hidden in his tent.

Malina: Sneaky. I like it.

Derek: I have to admit, spending a few months in Italy before coming here has corrupted some of my previous boy scout mentalities.

Malina: [her eyebrows go up at that] How so?

Derek: Sneaking around alcohol, exchanging favors with other people in camp for snacks... [smiles a bit] spending time with beautiful women.

Malina: That I don't think boy scouts get excluded from, unless they happen to be douchebags. In fact, usually I think that's the other way around.

Derek: I have too much integrity to be a douchebag. My sister will tell you I have too big of a heart. That hasn't changed.

Malina: Then that's really the only part that matters.

Derek: [smiles] So, I guess before I offer to get you that drink... I should ask if you are seeing anyone. Because I don't want to put you into awkward situations.

Malina: [she shakes her head] Nope. Not at the moment.

Derek: Then would you think it being too forward to ask you to going me in my tent after lights out for that drink?

Malina: [shakes her head] Not at all. [it's not necessarily a promise of anything, but it's not not a promise either.]

Derek: [it's not really an offer of more than alcohol and conversation either but] Just please, do me a favor and don't let Allison know about it? I don't want to make her think I'm flaunting something in front of her.

Malina: [shakes her head] No worries. I'm not the type to flaunt anyway.

Derek: Good. I don't know how she feels about me these days, but I don't want to hurt her.

Malina: I can respect that.

Derek: Well, we should probably head back and see if the rest of your team needs me, and then I have a ward I need to check on.

Malina: [nods] Sounds good. [and off they will go back to the tent where Hayley is bickering with the Chief but things are going smoothly and they should be able to leave with Baal tomorrow]

Derek: [and he will drop of apples and protein bars to the other two. and then sit back to wait and see if they need anything else from him]

Hayley: You're the best, Chief. [there's only a little amount of sarcasm in that] Okay, so, we're going to take him home on the company jet, because that's probably the fastest way to get him out of here and around President Douchebag's travel restrictions that make no sense at all. He won't need a passport that way, and we can just set him up with US paperwork when we get back stateside. So I guess it's just a matter of if you'll be coming with us.

Derek: I'm not going to send him on his own. I'm just going to need to make sure the rest of my team will be okay with my departure. I mean, we're volunteers so it's not like I need permission but still.

Hayley: [she nods] I can buy you a little time, but we need to do this quick before the local authorities try to read too much into what we're doing.

Derek: I just need to make sure his uncle knows how to find me if and when he ever gets the ability to come to the states. How much time until takeoff?

Hayley: Sneaking out of here will probably be easier in the dark, so I'd say until sundown? If you need more time, we can wait but sundown earliest.

Derek: Sundown it is. Should give me enough time to get things together. [stands, looking at Malina] I guess we'll have to do that drink another time?

Malina: I'll be in DC for a while. We'll make it work.

Derek: Good. And I owe all of your one. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. [looking at Allison] Thank you for this. [and he's going to go out and find Baal and his uncle to give them the good news and gather up whatever Baal wanted to take with him]

Allison: [and she will just take a deep breath and smile and go to pack up and try not to be disheartened by ... any of that]

Derek: [and even with having tried to prep Baal for the change, he's still having a hard time understanding and dealing with it, clinging to his uncle's leg after Derek comes back with his packed bag. But soothing words from both of them, and a promise that they will find each other one day puts the tiny werewolf into Derek's arms, clinging to his neck with a backpack hanging off his tiny shoulders that has a ratty teddy bear and some clothing sticking out of it.]

Allison: [and when he returns to the tent they're packed up and ready to go] Ready?

Derek: Yeah, we're ready. You ready, Baal.

Baal: [and he nods, but buries his eyes in Derek's neck, still crying]

Malina: [smiles softly, in Arabic] It'll be alright, sweetheart. You'll see.

Baal: Uncle. [sniffs]

Malina: I know. But you'll see him soon. I know it.

Derek: He knows how to find me, Baal, and no matter where he resettles he will go to him, I promise.

Malina: And I know a trick that can let you send him messages.

Baal: [looks up] You do?

Malina: I do. Do you have something of your uncle's?

Baal: Yes. In my bag.

Malina: Then I'll show you when we get back to DC, okay?

Baal: Okay.

Hayley: Alright. Let's get out of here. I'll drive in case we need some extra persuasion.

Derek: I take it the two of us need to keep our heads down?

Hayley: Just to be on the safe side.

Malina: I'll ride on the back driver's side in case we need to boost your persuasion.

Derek: And then you'll get your first trip in an airplane, runt. [speaking softly in Arabic as he follows the women]

Hayley: [and they all load into the car and start to drive out of the camp, Allison riding shotgun]

Derek: [and he's doing the best to stay in the shadows of the car, Baal in his lap under a blanket and the bags on the floor at his feet]

Hayley: [and will they run into any trouble?]

Derek: [no, because they are CONTROL and they know the volunteers who aren't refugees and Baal is good and quiet at each checkpoint]

Hayley: [and they'll make it to their plane and Allison will lead them on and Hayley will bring up the rear. Once they're in the air, Hayley will exhale slowly and nod] And we're free and clear. Drinks all around.

Derek: [and Baal's asleep in the seat next to Derek, who will gently whisper that he is going to be right back and will go join the women] Thank you all. Like i said, I owe you so much.

Hayley: [waves a hand] It was no trouble. It was actually kind of chill for most of our cases so that's appreciated.

Derek: This camp was a lot better run than others I've toured through these last few weeks.

Hayley: Then I guess we got lucky.

Derek: Now I just have to make sure I don't screw up raising this kid.

Allison: I think you'll be fine. You'll have a lot of help.

Derek: [nods] And it's not like I don't have my sister to help.

Allison: Exactly. You'll be fine.

Derek: [and he will smile as he goes to take a drink and sit down] So what do I do now?

Hayley: There will be some paperwork. You'll have to get him an American passport and identification, and there will be people coming to check on you from the state department, but other than that, you just take care of him.

Derek: Will the paperwork be something fake or is there a loophole we can exploit to make him a legal citizen?

Hayley: We're figuring that out. Stiles is better with the paperwork than we are.

Derek: So I'll have to work with him on that. I can do that. After I break his nose.

Hayley: Why are we doing that again?

Allison: He made his sister cry, I'm guessing?

Derek: And I technically owe him one. Been waiting for almost eight years to redeem it.

Allison: I'm not getting in the middle of this.

Derek: Probably best not to. But I'll be good and hold back y strength.

Hayley: And I wouldn't do it in front of your nephew.

Derek: No, i would never do that.

Hayley: Then I'm not gonna get in the way either.

Derek: [smiles] I like you.

Hayley: Hey, sometimes you need to punch a guy in the face.

Derek: Exactly. [smirks]

Hayley: [sighs] I'm going to pass out. Wake me up when we land?

Malina: That actually sounds like a good idea. I'll join you.

Allison: [nods] I'll keep an eye out.

Derek: I'll stay up with you for a bit. I'm not tired yet.

Hayley: Alright. See you all later. [and the two others will move to more isolated seats so Allison and Derek can talk]

Derek: Want a refill? [holds up the alcohol]

Allison: [nods with a smile] Please.

Derek: [and he will refill her glass] There you go. [and he will sit] I take it this job gives you all many causes to drink from the liquor cabinet you have here.

Allison: [laughs softly] Far more than I'd like, to be honest.

Derek: I take it you end up going home sloshed at least once a month?

Allison: Especially when a case is particularly bad. And my partner is used to drinking with vampires, so ... yeah.

Derek: Yeah, you're screwed. May want to get a witch to give you a magical liver or something.

Allison: I don't think it works that way.

Derek: It'll keep you from needing a liver transplant in ten years. [smirks]

Allison: [she laughs] Probably, but what would it cost in return?

Derek: I don't know. I mean I don't think Malina would charge you too much for the spell.

Allison: That's not the kind of cost I mean. Magic always comes with a price.

Derek: So I've heard.

Allison: I'd rather live with the consequences then pay something worse.

Derek: Well, if you ever need a ride home, you have my new number and I'm officially back in town.

Allison: I will keep that in mind. If that wouldn't be too weird.

Derek: Why would it be weird? We're still friends, right?

Allison: Are we? That was kinda up in the air when you left.

Derek: I'd like to think we are.

Allison: Then okay. [she still sounds a little uncertain about it, but she doesn't want to argue]

Derek: Unless you don't want to be. Which if you don't... you just need to tell me.

Allison: I just don't want you to feel like we have to be friends if you don't want to be. I mean, after that conversation, you left the country, Derek.

Derek: Yeah, I did. Because in talking to people, I needed to actually do what they had been telling me to. I focused on myself for once. I left because I can't do that in DC. Not just because you were there, but that's where my family was. I needed to get away from Peter's judgment. From Cora's overprotectiveness. I needed to just be responsible for me and find who I am. I needed to listen to you and figure out what makes me happy. Because you were right - I wasn't happy -not really.

Allison: So you did? Find that, I mean.

Derek: I think so. It was weird - I went to Italy because it's supposed to be like the first step in the whole Eat, Pray, Love saga. [grins, joking. somewhat]

Allison: [she laughs] Well, you're not exactly Julia Roberts.

Derek: No, I'm not. [laughs as well] But I wanted to just experience life like I never let myself. And not to go into detail... I indulged in pretty much everything I could.

Allison: Was it fun?

Derek: Sometimes. Food's amazing. The art, architecture... and I think every mother was trying to throw their single daughters at my feet, being the rich, single American.

Allison: I take it none of them really stuck if you were flirting with Malina.

Derek: I was just flirting with Malina because it made her feel happy being flirted with. I wasn't going to go any further than drinks and conversation. That's the thing - my happiest times in Italy were when I was with the old woman who owned the villa I stayed at. We'd sit and talk and I found I wanted her company than all the other women who all but climbed into my window. Want to know why?

Allison: Why?

Derek: She would make me think about the world I wanted to live in. The world I needed to have to be happy in. She made me really look at all aspects of my life and had some crazy story of her childhood in Sicily that was relevant to it. I swear I never laughed so much

Allison: [and that makes her smile] Sounds like she was really great.

Derek: She was. But one night? [and he will imitate a little old Italian lady voice] Derek, bombino, I see the girls come in and out, but never a smile on your face. These girls, they will not make you happy. You aren't a boy - you are a man. Smart man, and you don't think with your sausage like other men.

Allison: [and that makes her laugh because his impression is ridiculous] She said that?

Derek: Yeah, she did. And then she was like 'When you think with sausage, maybe it taste good but it doesn't last. You think with your head. You don't need a girl who wants to play with your sausage. You need a woman who plays with your brain. Makes you think. Find a woman that does that, and who cares what the two of you do with your sausage- that's not why you're happy together. It's just part of the menu.]

Allison: She sounds like a smart lady.

Derek: She was. So I went home for Christmas but I realized I had an understanding of a few things, but I didn't know what I needed to be happy. Then I got a call from the other guy at the villa who had friends in the red cross that were granted a spot in one of the refugee camps doing service, and knowing my degree aspirations they wanted to know if I wanted to come and get some first line experience. And being there, helping people as we went from camp to camp... I knew this is what I wanted to do. I could stay behind my books, or I could get my hands dirty. And then I met Baal's uncle and the little runt and I knew he was what I could do to help just one person. Start with him, and go from there. And when I realized that, I just suddenly felt at peace. I found who I'm supposed to be.... and I can really say I'm happy. Not like I thought I was, but really happy in a way I can't explain.

Allison: [she smiles softly] Good. I'm glad.

Derek: What about you? What have you been up to while I was gone? Are you happy?

Allison: Yeah. I've mostly been busy with work, but an old friend came back into town, so it was good to see him. [a beat] Mostly work though. I've got a tough project I've been working on. [that project being the Mikaelsons and Peter]

Derek: So just a lot of work?

Allison: Yeah. But it's good work. [a beat] I'm just trying to make things right with what my family's done.

Derek: To who?

Allison: To everyone? [she shrugs] Me and my dad are the only Argents left. If I don't do it, who will?

Derek: But that's not fair for you to take on all of that baggage. Not healthy.

Allison: It's my birthright. I get it whether I want it or not, so I either ignore it, which helps no one, or change it, which ... I don't know. Maybe it makes a little bit of a difference.

Derek: Yeah, but the way you approach it... that you can choose. You can either look at it like you're fixing a problem and the sins of your family... which is what it sounds like you're doing...or you do what we wanted to do and you use it to fight for what's right and prove that you're more than just a name.

Allison: [shakes her head a bit before she downs the rest of her drink] It's not that simple, Derek. The world doesn't work that way.

Derek: Maybe not, but perception helps you find the purpose in it. Do you want to just fix something forever, or do you want to build something better?

Allison: I don't know if there is something better anymore. [the optimism that she had when they were together in high school isn't there anymore, drained away by the fight for Beacon Hills and the law enforcement job she does every day] Right now, there's just ... stemming the tide. Right now, that's the best I can do.

Derek: [and he reached over to take the drink out of her hand, and then held them both] There is always something better, Allison. It seems we both put our heads down in the sand after I left. I just focused on anything to get by... because that's all I thought I could do. But I was wrong - you made me see that and yeah I had to travel to Italy and live with an old woman who was overly concerned about my sausage... but I found that there is more but you need to believe that you can have it, and give yourself the perspective to believe in it. You made me relearn to believe in my own convictions again. Now let me help you. Because you have the ability, and the resources to do more than just stem the tide. You are in a position to fix the world. You are the reason this little boy is going to have a life and not grow up feral or get shot by a soldier. If you can do that for him and it be an easy case.... think of what you can accomplish when you really put yourself behind it. That’s not stemming the tide. That's you making this world a better place for all of us to live in. And that will be a legacy that will be remembered.

Allison: [she lets him, for a little while, but pulls her hands back when he tries to dismiss it as her being needlessly negative] I didn't put my head down in the sand. I couldn't. You left, and ... the alpha pack didn't go with you. He came for your sister's territory, not knowing that she had already given it to Satomi, and when he found out the truth? He was ready to burn the town down to get it, and then the darach followed, just when we didn't think anything could get worse. So many people got hurt, were killed. My mom ... [she pauses, taking a breath as she tries to compose herself] This isn't as simple as wanting to make a better world, Derek. Nothing is that simple. Sometimes, you simply have to grit through, or you're not going to make it to the other side.

Derek: [and his eyes sadden because he didn't know. But he has to ask] And have you made it to the other side yet?

Allison: Not yet. [she leans back in her seat again, turning away from him] But I've been told what I'm doing isn't going unnoticed, so maybe at least I'm making progress.

Derek: [he sighs and he stands up] Well, I'm grateful. And thankful, more than I can ever express. And I hope that when you do get to that other side - that it's worth everything you've put into it, and that you find happiness in it. [and he is going to rinse his glass out and put it away]

Allison: [she nods] Me too.

Derek: [yawns] I think I'm ready to get some sleep. See you in the morning?

Allison: [she nods] I'll let you know when we land.

Derek: Thanks. [and he will return to his seat where Baal will stir and not recognize where he is, so Derek will stretch out across three seats and let the little boy curl up on top of him, humming a soft song that his mother had hummed to him so many times as he rubs the boy's back to get him back to sleep before drifitng off himself]