guardians } { of resurrected fathers and future plans

[braveandstupid]

Elena: [and she will retreat to her room to take it] Hello?

Ben: So I really didn't think the other night was all that bad but you leaving planet kinda has me worried about your perception.

Elena: [rolls her eyes] I got a job. I left you a note.

Ben: What note?

Elena: [sighs] Did you even bother to check your messages before you called me?

Ben: ... Of course I did. [he totally didn't]

Elena: Uh-huh. Go check your messages.

Ben: Still, you don't just leave a note. Our ships were parked right next to each other. You could have come over and told me.

Elena: It was time sensitive, and I didn't want Caroline and Bonnie being weird about it.

Ben: Are they weird every time you get laid?

Elena: No, but they would be weird about it being you.

Ben: [rubs the back of his neck] And you didn't want to deal with it.

Elena: It's not like that. [sighs as she rubs her eyes] It's just complicated. Being more than just me is complicated.

Ben: ... Being more than just you... so you did enjoy it last night too?

Elena: Pretty sure that was obvious.

Ben: [smiles to himself] Just wanted to make sure. Because I really, really enjoyed it too.

Elena: [she takes a deep breath before nodding] Look, I know my life with the ravengers seems really simple and easy, but it's not. I have a lot of ... demons waiting for me. I don't do this a lot because involving myself with someone usually means they get dragged into it too

Ben: Well, seeing that I'm usually involved in a bunch of my own demons, it would just be an even exchange?

Elena: I don't know that it is.

Ben: Well, I may have some bigger demons sometimes. Including Dean on occasion...

Elena: Yeah, and mine is Klaus Mikaelson.

Ben: And we could help you with that, you know.

Elena: I don't want help with that. I don't want to fight him, I just want to stay off his radar.

Ben: That's what I mean. You find yourself on his radar, we help you get back off.

Elena: How?

Ben: Well that will depend on the how then. Swapping ships, dead ones, things like that.

Elena: No, I don't want you involved in this.

Ben: Elena...

Elena: [takes a deep breath] I'm ... I'm not saying no, okay. I'm just saying I can't do something serious right now.

Ben: Alright. Guess if things change, you know how to find me.

Elena: I'm sorry.

Ben: No, it's fine. But if you're in trouble, seriously, Elena, call me. You're not alone out here.

Elena: [she nods] I know. Thanks.

Ben: And if you get bored and have a few days off, let me know and I'll see where I am.

Elena: I will do that.

Ben: Stay safe, alright?

Elena: You too.

Ben: [and he will hang up and go turn on some music while doing some exercises to work off his frustrations.]

Elena: [and she will just stay in bed and stare up at the ceiling. she sucks, her life sucks]

Ben: [and when he's done, he's going to go and look on the network webs to find a job]

Cora: [and she'll come to sit next to him peering over his shoulder at the options] Pick one yet?

Ben: There's a couple is good options, but I'm not sure which has the right danger to payout ratio.

Cora: Who are the clients?

Ben: [and he will go through the list with her on some people looking for protection details, and some looking for retrievals]

Cora: [taps the screen] What about this Collector guy? Haven't you worked with him before?

Ben: [looks at it, licking his lips] Yeah, but probably not the best client right now [since he's totally a Hale]

Cora: Why? Does he not pay well?

Ben: No, but he's an odd person.

Cora: I can deal with odd.

Ben: [deep breath] It's not really you I am worried about.

Cora: [stares at him] Will you stop talking in riddles? [huffs] Look, if you want me to plan the jobs, I'm going to have to meet all your regular clients anyway. So you'd be better having all the odd ones get used to me.

Ben: It's not you, Cora. [give him a minute] Look, the guy collects oddities. Every time I've gone he's given Stiles the look like he wants to put him in the box, but Groot's always been there. I don't want to risk it right now.

Cora: [rolls her eyes] You're going to have to have me deal with him eventually. If we need to, Malia can protect Stiles.

Malia: What can I do?

Cora: Beat up anyone who tries to put Stiles in a cage.

Malia: Oh. I can do that.

Stiles: Someone's trying to put me in a box?

Ben: [slowly lowers his face to the table]

Cora: Metaphorically.

Ben: The Collector put a new job up.

Stiles: Oh. [blink] OH, yeah that guy is totally creepy.

Cora: But he pays well, right? Isn't that the point of what you do?

Stiles: Yeah, and the last job we had almost killed all of us.

Cora: Maybe this one is less dangerous.

Stiles: [exchanges a look with Ben, and then shrugs] You're call, man.

Ben: [sighs, and then turns to the girls] There's another reason Stiles and I wouldn't want to take you guys to see him.

Cora: Why not?

Ben: [rubs the back of his neck] Before I did, I needed to make sure that you [motions to Cora] are no longer under Thanos' control and you [Malia] would be willing to listen and not just go on the offensive.

Cora: [both girls are threatening him with long Hale stares right now, so you better talk]

Ben: The Collector's real name is Peter Hale.

Malia: [and there are two different reactions. at first there's a similar look of shock, because wow, but then Cora retreats to a look that's clearly shame, while Malia ... does go on the offensive, grabbing Ben and pushing him back against the controls] Take us there right now.

Ben: And this is the exact reason why I haven't told you yet. Until now, because I have.

Malia: [and her eyes glow as she pushes him back harder] Take us there now.

Ben: Hello, human captain here and it's hard to do anything in this kind of position.

Cora: Malia.

Malia: [she snarls but she lets him go, but doesn't go far, standing there to make sure he goes where he says]

Stiles: This is going to be an interesting family reunion.

Ben: [rubbing his back where one of the controls had been digging in] You want me to take you to him, you need to calm down.

Malia: I am calm.

Stiles: Coulda fooled me.

Malia: You just told me that my dad's alive and you've known this all along and didn't tell me. This is as calm as you're going to get.

Ben: I've only known for a few weeks, not all along. And he told me to wait to tell you when he was sure neither of you were going to kill him.

Malia: [and that ... is a flicker of actual hurt, because Peter knew and didn't come find her. but right now the overwhelming drive is to get to her dad, and she'll sort the rest out when she gets there] Just get us there already.

Ben: Alright. But you better be prepared for what you're going to find.

Stiles: [noticing Cora's retreated and goes to find her] You okay with this?

Malia: [doesn't care, just stays standing where she is]

Cora: Yeah. No, it's fine. I just should probably stay on the ship.

Stiles: No, he's your family. Go prove to him you're free from Thanos' control

Cora: It's not that, Stiles.

Stiles: Then what is it?

Cora: I don't know if I can ... [she shakes her head] It's just a bad idea.

Stiles: Hey, you can do this. [puts a hand on his shoulder] You want to save your family. He's your family.

Cora: But am I still his?

Stiles: He knows about how Thanos brainwashed you. He didn't have any means to rescue you. He became the collector in hopes of finding something with enough power to do that. At least that's what he told Benny boy when we dropped the orb off there.

Cora: [she listens but she pulls her knees into her chest] I'm not ready yet. I'll just stay here.

Stiles: If you're sure, then I'll stay here with you.

Cora: You don't have to. [she shrugs] Besides, Malia should get to have this. It's her dad.

Stiles: Yeah, but Ben wasn't wrong. He looks at me like he wants to figure out what I am. It's creepy. I'm staying here.

Cora: Okay.

Stiles: [and he jolts a bit as they enter the space jump] Shouldn't be long now.

Cora: [nods, and she's just going to stay where she is, curled up in her chair]

Ben: [And when they get there, he's going to sigh] Alright. One awkward family reunion coming up.

Malia: [doesn't say a word, just storms off the ship and starts to follow her nose to Peter]

Peter: [and he is watching her approach from the computer monitor, seeing that determination in her eyes. He had been hoping time with the Ravanger would have focused that rage, but he would be able to deal. He wrapped the fur shawl around his shoulder, covering the burned side of his body and matching the white half of his hair. He then grabbed the cane and stood up, going out to meet her halfway]

Malia: [it's not really rage, necessarily. It's desperation more than anything else. She spent so long being angry at her cousins, angry at Thanos for something that wasn't real, and she needs to know for herself if it's true. But when he steps into the hallway in front of her, she stops, her eyes scanning him as she tries to pick out her dad from behind the camoflauge.]

Peter: [he will put the cane down to lean on it, keeping that upright, high-class posture that even being burnt alive couldn't take from him] Hello, Malia.

Malia: [her face crumples a bit in response, because this is hard. her eyes well a bit, but she doesn't look away] I looked for you.

Peter: I know. I looked for you too. When I learned about how Thanos had kept your cousins, I had hoped that you were there too so that I could at least know where you were.

Malia: [she shakes her head] Mom came back for me.

Peter: Your mother? [he closes his eyes] I see. I should have thought of that, but I had heard her people had been wiped out a long time ago.

Malia: Their planet was. Not them. [the Desert Wolf wasn't exactly the most maternal, but she at least taught Malia to take care of herself]

Peter: Mr. Braeden told me he had found you in the Kryl. I asked him to take good care of you. I wasn't ready to face you yet like this.

Malia: Did you actually think I'd care?

Peter: [he looks down at his hands] I'm not the father you remember, Malia. I'm not as strong as I believed I could be. I only have my mind to help me survive now, and even that wasn't able to find you

Malia: You were alive! [the words burst out of her before she can stop them, hands balling into fists, but she doesn't move, because she doesn't actually want to hurt him but the frustration needs to go somewhere] I wouldn't have cared! I don't care! I spent more than a decade thinking you were dead and that I had nothing left! And you let me keep thinking that because of your stupid pride!

Peter: I kept you thinking that for your own safety. Thanos doesn't know you are alive. I'm no longer a threat to him, but you are and he knows it. That is why I told Mr. Braeden to take care of you until we find a way to stop Thanos.

Malia: [there is a sound that is pretty much a growl, because no, she doesn't like any of this] Aren't we supposed to be stronger together?

Peter: We are, but there is also knowing when you need to wait. I rushed in already once, and Derek almost killed me. I will not let Thanos destroy what is left of us by rushing head first back to each other and making us a bigger target for him to use Derek and Laura against.

Malia: [scowl] Cora thinks she can get them back.

Peter: The fact she came back shows that there is a path to get them back, Malia. You have to have hope for that.

Malia: Do I? Why do I have to put in the work to make them feel better?

Peter: Because that is what family does, and I would expect the same from them if it was you and I in Thanos' thrall. Because even if we hate the choices made, or we make the wrong choices... what matters is that we are doing it because we are trying to help our family.

Malia: [she wants to say that they're not her family anymore. that they lost that right and she has the right to choose. but she also doesn't feel like she can, so she just stays silent for now]

Peter: [she doesn't have to. The distance between them says enough] Come here, I want to show you something. [and he's going to lead her back to his office, limping and using the cane for support]

Malia: [she'll do as he's told and follow his lead further in]

Peter: [and when they get to his office, it looks vastly different from that of the rest of the collection. It's more homey, with items that looked like they had been from their homeworld. On the shelves of the bookcases sat little things that Peter had been able to recover from the destroyed landscape of their home. The few framed photos of their family. A picture Malia had drawn as a child of him. A few toys or trinkets] This is all that remains of our family. You, me, Cora, Derek, Laura and this little room of things I recovered. For the longest time this was all I had until I learned you kids were still out there. If you don't feel that you have a connection to any of this, I will understand. You can go have your own life, and visit me when you can. But I will not give up on getting them back.

Malia: I don't have a choice either way. [still, she gravitates to the things that were hers, things she barely remembered, but the inkling was there] Unless you're going to take Cora and work on it by yourselves. Though that would require convincing Cora that you aren't angry with her so that she'll actually talk to you.

Peter: I'm not angry with her. She needs to convince herself that she's worth not being angry at

Malia: [Malia disagrees, but whatever] My point is, Ben's already agreed to help her get Laura and Derek back so unless I want to be on my own again, I have to do it whether I want to or not.

Peter: Well, first you don't have to be on your own. You are welcome to stay here. If you're with Cora, Thanos knows you're alive. But why do you not want to help her?

Malia: [but you're also trying to do that too, Peter. Either way, she feels like there's expectations] Because I don't care. I stopped caring when I saw Laura kill Aunt Talia.

Peter: Laura didn't have control of herself when she did that.

Malia: I didn't know that then. And even knowing it now, I still don't care. She should have been stronger than that.

Peter: [goes to sit] Do you remember what your Aunt Talia told you about your first change? About how when you don't have control, the things you do aren't you?

Malia: Maybe that applied when I was eight, but I don't think it counts now. [if she loses control, she has to consciously do it. it means she's still making a choice]

Peter: But when someone takes your control away? That's not on you - it's on the one who takes it away.

Malia: So what? I should just treat them like victims?

Peter: No, you treat them like slaves. You help free them, and then let them figure out where they go next.

Malia: Slaves still make choices. I've seen slave worlds before, they can still choose to run and say no, even if it ends badly for them.

Peter: And did Cora make a choice once she was far enough out of Thanos' mind control?

Malia: Yes.

Peter: So she fits your profile. We have to trust that once we get Thanos out of Derek and Laura's minds, that they will make the same choices.

Malia: And what if they don't.

Peter: Then we judge them based off that choice.

Malia: [she still doesn't care enough to be swayed either way. she still doesn't feel like she has a choice in this if she doesn't want to be alone, but she doesn't know that there's any other argument to make either]

Peter: I'm trying to hunt down these infinity stones. There is one called the mind stone. If I can find it, and control it, I believe I can use it to free them.

Malia: Where is it?

Peter: I don't know. I have contracts out for all of the stones. The one your team brought me wasn't the right one. I have a feeling that it may be on Terra as that's the only world in our galaxy that actually doesn't believe in life on other planets.

Malia: Cora's plan is simpler and easier.

Peter: What's that?

Malia: Kidnap them and hold them until it wears off.

Peter: ... That is going to take a lot of strength and planning.

Malia: Maybe. But it worked for her.

Peter: It broke while she was in the Kryl, didn't it?

Malia: Yeah.

Peter: [looks back out over the collection] I think I have a container that could hold them. But we would have to keep Thanos away from here to make sure that they would be able to get through the wear out period.

Malia: Does he ever come here?

Peter: No, but that doesn't mean he won't start.

Malia: Can we take the container somewhere else?

Peter: If we had a transport. [he points out at one of the clear boxes that is empty, but it has reinforced sides and crossbeams] I don't know if it will fit in Mr. Braeden's ship.

Malia: [she tips her head to the side] But I know a ship it will fit on.

Peter: Oh? [and he will smile at her]

Malia: Yeah. [sighs as she looks at him with a thin smile] Mom's.

Peter: You want to steal your mother's ship?

Malia: [her eyes narrow at him like "are you suicidal?"] No. I'll call her.

Peter: [and that is relief because that is what he was thinking it would be] Okay.

Malia: But you have to tell Cora.

Peter: Then let's go talk to her, if she won't come talk to me.

Malia: [fine, she'll lead the way back to the ship]

Peter: [and he will go slowly, keeping on his costume to keep anyone in the mining colony from stopping him. He has his persona and he's respected here, feared even. He also has to go slow with the mangled leg]

Malia: [which is fine, she can take the lead, and once they're back on the ship she'll step to the side, giving him room to walk by leaning against one of the nearby walls] She's in the galley.

Peter: [sniffs the air] With the boy raccoon.

Malia: Yeah. She likes him. [Malia does not really see the appeal but whatever. and for the record, she means like like friends, not like in any other implication]

Peter: He's an interesting creature, but I'm more interesting in his animated nematon.

Malia: He's more of a sapling at the moment.

Peter: He died? Oh, I guess that I was too late on that. Another time.

Malia: [just squints at him, confused, before going to pull away] I'm going to tell Ben what's going on. [and maybe take Scott for safe keeping, DAD STOP BEING CREEPY that's her tiny tree friend]

Peter: [what that tree has power! But he will remove the fur cloak and goggles and leave them on a chair before limping his way to the galley where he can smell Cora]

Cora: [is just sitting there, talking to Stiles, when she hears the unfamiliar gait coming her way and she frowns] Were we taking on passengers?

Stiles: No. [gets up and pulls his gun because Stiles is always armed]

Peter: [comes around the corner] Just where Malia said you would be.

Cora: [and when she hears his voice she immediately freezes, eyes wide and tense as she waits. whether it's for the blow she feels is coming or something else is unclear, but either way, she doesn't try to turn and run the risk of having to look her uncle in the eye]

Stiles: So, doesn't mean she wants to see you.

Peter: Then she can tell me that herself.

Cora: [doesn't really want to tell him anything. she wasn't ready to do this yet. Her gaze holds on Stiles for a moment, before she takes a breath and starts to move past him, towards the private quarters of the ship where her bunk is. right now her instinct is to hide, and she doesn't really have a lot of room to do it in]

Stiles: See?

Peter: Fine. She can leave and not listen to Malia and my idea to help her with her siblings.

Cora: [and she stops in the doorway because no. she does want to hear that, and is stunned that Malia actually helped. her hand rests on the doorframe and she still doesn't turn around to face him, but she's listening]

Peter: Malia says you want to isolate your siblings from Thanos to give them time to shake off his influence. I have a collecting cage that can hold even an alpha. Malia says that her mother's ship can carry it. What is your plan to isolate them?

Cora: [she's quiet for a moment, before she swallows and finally speaks] Thanos is always looking for more soldiers, and he'd usually send the three of us to grab them for him. Depending on what it is depends on how many of us he sends. We find something powerful enough, he'll have to send both Derek and Laura for them.

Peter: What kind of power in particular?

Cora: Rarer the better. [a pause] Recently he was talking about hellhounds, even though they're basically extinct.

Peter: Has he laid eyes on your tree friend.

Stiles: No one's touching Scott.

Cora: [she shakes her head] Treants aren't useful to him. They take too long to repair themselves and he has to start over again.

Peter: Your treanant is also a nematon.

Cora: That doesn't change the facts. Werewolves fix ourselves. Hellhounds are said to be able to walk through fire without flinching. Treants you might be able to control for a little while, but when they die they have to be grown again which takes time, and they don't remember anything you did before so you have to rebuild all that programming. It's a waste of time - at least according to him.

Peter: Yes, but if he wants a hellhound, he needs a nematon

Cora: [her brow furrows, but she still doesn't turn around] What do you mean?

Peter: Nematons, when they are vulnerable, when they feel that the world is unbalanced around them, will call out to a hellhound to come and protect them and their people.

Cora: So we need to just ... put Scott somewhere to be scared?

Peter: Correct.

Stiles: Again with the no one is using Scott for nothing. [he has the gun and is looking very menacing]

Cora: Can Scott call him without being scared?

Peter: I don't know. Depends on if he even knows how to if he has been turned back to his infantile state.

Cora: I have an idea. [she glances back to Stiles] Do you trust me?

Stiles: [he looks back and forth between them] Yeah, but not him.

Cora: [she nods] Then it'll just be me. He'll be safe, I promise.

Stiles: If you're doing something with Scott, I'm not leaving your side.

Cora: Fine. You don't have to.

Stiles: Scott's my responsibility. He's my best friend.

Cora: I know. I wouldn't do anything that would get him hurt again. But I think I know how to get him to sense a hellhound without actually knowing how to sense a hellhound.

Stiles: I'm not going to like this, am I?

Cora: [she shrugs] We're just going to go make a friend.

Stiles: Uh huh.

Cora: Really. That's all we're going to do.

Stiles: No, I'm still going with you.

Cora: I didn't say you couldn't.

Stiles: Just making sure you knew.

Ben: [leaning in the doorway because he heard voices] What are we all doing now?

Cora: [glances towards Ben but still ... avoids actually looking at Peter] We think that Scott might be able to help us find something that will help us get to Derek and Laura when he's a little bigger.

Ben: Scott is currently in a pot and just wiggles around to Malia's music.

Cora: Yes, but once he has legs, we can try this.

Ben: [licks his lips, then looks at Stiles] Scott gets a say in it too. When he's old enough to comprehend it.

Cora: [she nods] Okay. Fine.

Stiles: [puts the gun on his shoulder] Still not a big fan of this plan.

Cora: If Peter is right about Nematons, then the person that they're finding won't hurt Scott.

Stiles: Yeah, but this is leading to Laura and Derek at one time and I remember you on your own.

Cora: We're not going to have Laura and Derek there right away. If we manage to find one, and that's a big if, Laura and Derek have to know where they are too.

Ben: I'm more concerned about using an unknown hellhound as bait.

Cora: I was planning on asking him. Not forcing him.

Peter: [says nothing, having no problem using the hellhound if needed]

Cora: [not really focusing on Peter right now but if that comes up later PETER NO]

Stiles: [yeah, Peter no you will get shot]

Cora: [that being said, Cora is just going to focus on the problems at hand] Peter says he has something that will hold them, and Malia's mom should have ship big enough to carry it.

Ben: Alright, so once Scott grows up a bit more, we'll look into making this plan happen.