canon au } { post-6b, of future plans and east coast friends

[ooglyboogleys]

Stiles: [and he had told Cora that he was going to head to see Joy today so she wouldn't be caught off-guard when he came home smelling like her. So he will show up on the crutches Melissa threatened to duct tape to his armpits if he pulled those stitches one more time. Once he has his balance, he will knock on the door.]

Dawn: [and she will leave Joy in the playpen with one of her new favorite teething toys before she goes to answer it, pulling the loft door open with a smile] Hey, Stiles.

Stiles: [grins] Hey Dawn. Glad to see you're back.

Dawn: You too. [glances and the crutches] Taking care of your war wound?

Stiles: Yeah. I think Melissa is going to tie me to a bed for a week if I pull another stitch.

Dawn: Then let's not test her patience. C'mon in. [And she'll step to the side so he can get to the couch]

Stiles: [and he will crutch his way in, careful of the stairs and then head to the couch] So is the lobisomem around?

Dawn: Practicing your Portuguese I see. No, Derek isn't here. I think he's helping Cora pack up some stuff.

Stiles: Oh, she didn't tell me that. But that's good. Give her some time with her brother before heading to Boston with me.

Dawn: That was the plan, I think. He's missed having her around, and I'd be lying if I said he wasn't a little sad that she was going all the way across the country, but he's glad that she's seeming more like herself lately.

Stiles: Yeah, me too. But at least it's not another country this time. We're just seven hours away by plane.

Dawn: It's true. Plus it sounds like you're getting a really cool job with Liv.

Stiles: Yeah. I mean, it changes my goal a bit. Instead of being, like, the emissary like Deaton, I'll totally get to be the long arm of the law that can take care of the crazy in town. Plus, I think Mason is really more into the whole science side of it, and Deaton likes him better I think.

Dawn: So you'll take after your dad. Nothing wrong with that.

Stiles: Nope, not at all. I think he's actually relieved in some ways.

Dawn: Because law enforcement suddenly got less dangerous?

Stiles: Because it's something he can talk to me about and help me with. I don't think he was fond of me being a magical guru.

Dawn: Ah. Well, here's to father-son bonding moments.

Stiles: [chuckles] So how have you been doing?

Dawn: Good! The little one is crawling so chasing her around has resulted in lots of exercise for Derek while I've mostly focused on not letting her eat my student's papers.

Joy: [and then, almost as though she knows she's being talked about, there's a loud babble of nonsense syllables from the play pen]

Stiles: [leans back to look over at her, smiling] Yeah, well I'm sure you'll be blaming me for all her bad habits.

Dawn: Well, you are the obvious choice. She's fairly good otherwise, she's just figuring things out.

Stiles: Well, that's good. I know I can't really help with chasing her around, but I just wanted to come see her before I head out again.

Dawn: Oh, sure. [and she'll get up and head over to the play pen before scooping her up and bringing her over. She's much bigger than when he last saw her on Skype, almost looking like a miniature person, and when she smiles at the new person because prior to this point she had no object permanence so she forgot people as soon as they left, he can see the little teeth that are starting to push out of her gums] Here we go. Want to sit with your Uncle Stiles?

Joy: [another string of unintelligible syllables]

Stiles: Hey cutie. You remember me? [and he will hold up his arms to take hold of his daughter]

Dawn: [And she will pass her over gently, before moving to settle on the couch across from him, close enough to reach for her if needed but far enough to give them some space to figure each other out] Probably not, but she will after this. Object permanence is kicking in right about now.

Joy: [settles in his arms and shoves her teething toy back in her mouth as she settles]

Stiles: Well, it'll be done time before i get to hold her again so we can see if it sticks. [and he will look at the toy] What do you have there, huh? Does it taste good?

Joy: [mumbles around it, before shoving the drool covered ring up into his face to show him SEE LOOK ISN'T IT GREAT]

Stiles: [leans back laughing] That's ok, sweetie, you don't have to share with me. That's all you.

Joy: [suit yourself dude, and she'll just pull it back and shove it back in her mouth, shifting a bit so that she can rest more comfortably against his chest the way she usually does with Mom or Dad when it's couch time]

Stiles: [and he will smile and kiss the top of her head] So while telling you this is a mute point, you may want to take it easy on your parents. You don't want to run them raged before you hit two.

Joy: [tips her head up to look at him, because she's old enough now to understand that he's saying words to her and she's supposed to listen to them! does she understand him? probably not.]

Stiles: [not like he expects her to either] Just don't make them curse my genes too much. But remember that my genes also make you adorable and cute.

Joy: Mah - ah neh.

Stiles: Exactly. Adorable and cute.

Joy: [and mumbling and gumming her toy, her head shifting to rest against his shoulder again. you're comfy, this is nice]

Stiles: [and he will smile, just holding her] You're just perfect, you know that? Of course you do.

Joy: [totally doesn't understand what that word means, but sure!]

Stiles: [looks over at Dawn] How's it going on the whole giving Joy a sibling front? I don't need the details though.

Dawn: [smirks] We haven't started trying again yet. She's been a handful enough.

Stiles: Yeah, I can imagine. Dad joked that one of me was enough.

Dawn: [she nods] Yeah, but she's getting bigger and starting to be able to entertain herself, so maybe we'll pick that up again soon.

Stiles: Well, you'll have a lot of hand me downs I'm sure when it happens.

Dawn: Oh, probably. We'll see what happens when we get there, but I think we're good with giving her all of our attention for right now.

Stiles: Good. [and he will smile at her] Maybe you'll also get a biological sibling one day.

Joy: [maybe! but it's getting to nap time and she's not interested in this conversation and may be starting to doze off in this comfy position]

Stiles: [and he will see that and just shift her to a position that will be more comfortable for his arm too] Play hard, nap hard.

Dawn: Always. Which is great, because she seems to have inherited your ability to fall asleep anywhere.

Stiles: [chuckles] Well, I guess that's a good thing for now. Until you find her sleeping in laundry baskets.

Dawn: [she laughs] Getting in touch with her inner cat I think is something we can work with.

Stiles: Mom said I loved the smell of the dryer sheets. Every laundry day, she knew right where I was for my afternoon nap.

Dawn: Plus the freshly dried clothes were probably warm and comfy.

Stiles: So comfy.

Dawn: [she laughs] Yeah, if I were tiny enough to fit in the laundry basket, I would do it too.

Stiles: Instead now you just put it all on the bed and use it as a pillow.

Dawn: [she laughs] But that loses the whole cushion appeal.

Stiles: Then do a lot of laundry, Dawn. That's not a hard thing to fix. [laughs]

Dawn: [she laughs as well] I'll think about it.

Stiles: [and he will look down at his sleeping daughter, going to gently run a hand along her hair] So I think I should probably warn you that she may have inherited an ability to do magic.

Dawn: Did she?

Stiles: [and he's going to show off by looking at the candles up out of child's reach and Dawn will get to see his lips moving and then look, they are all lit]

Dawn: [and her eyes will follow his up and her eyebrows will rise slightly] Oh. [a beat] Make sure you remember to put those out before you leave.

Stiles: [nods and focuses, and one by one they blink out] That's just one of the things I've learned to do. I haven't really had a lot of time to figure out a lot, but it's a work in progress.

Dawn: Have you talked to Willow? Which is probably not the first time you've been asked this, but she is the resident expert on all things witchy.

Stiles: Yup. we talk by e-mail all the time.

Dawn: Good. If Tara was still alive I'd be recommending her but ... the whole not alive thing kind of gets in the way of that.

Stiles: Yeah, mostly. But I've also got a dude in New Orleans and a girl in Virginia I've talked to as well. I'm asking Willow if she has any contacts in Boston now to be able to find someone to keep teaching me in person out there.

Dawn: Boston. Boston, Boston, Boston .... [there's a beat and then she perks up a bit] Oh! If the coven doesn't, I do!

Stiles: Oh? Who?

Dawn: [she gets up and goes to grab her phone so she can write the number down] Her name ... is Malina Harvey. Malina, not her father Mike, he will bullshit you and rob you blind, but Malina's a good egg. She's not in Boston, exactly, she lives in Queens, but if she likes you, she'll probably drive for you and it's closer than Virginia. [and with that she will finish scribbling the number down and hand it off to him]

Stiles: Malina, not MIke. [and he will tuck it away in his pocket] Thanks. It's always good to have contacts over there anyway since I don't know harely anyone.

Dawn: [she nods a bit] I'll let her know you're looking. Also if you wind up going to Queens and run into a grouchy Asian druid named Gus, ignore anything he says, he's pretty much a dick professionally.

Stiles: Drunk Asian Gus is a dick. Got it.

Dawn: Good.

Stiles: [and he thinks, then smiles] Oh, Cora is probably telling Derek right now... but I asked her to marry me. She said yes too.

Dawn: [and a bright grin stretches across her features] Yeah? That's great, Stiles. I'm happy for you two. [though telling Derek is probably just ... wearing the ring and seeing how long it takes him to stew in his big brother-ness to ask about it]

Stiles: I joked with my dad that we could make it a two for one wedding and the look I got. [laughs]

Dawn: [she laughs] Let your dad have his special day. He and Jody have been waiting for a [while]. I'm surprised they haven't eloped already.

Stiles: Apparently the whole mob rule problem took up a lot of their planning time.

Dawn: Yes it did.

Stiles: I think they are planning on shifting it closer to Thanksgiving so that everyone will be back in town.

Dawn: Oh good! Just not on Thanksgiving or Buffy might explode.

Stiles: Nah, but it'll be easier for me to get the time off that's for sure.

Dawn: Oh, definitely. We'll have to see what happens.

Stiles: [looks at the sleeping Joy] She's going to be a toddler soon and I'm sure every trip back she'll have grown taller and smarter.

Dawn: [she nods as she goes to sit on the coffee table nearby] We can send you videos and stuff if you want.

Stiles: I do want. I still want to be a part of her life, however it works for you guys.

Dawn: Okay. I can definitely do that. I just wasn't sure how much you wanted to know.

Stiles: I want to know. I hope one day when she's an adult to be able to explain to her why we did this so she knows I always loved her and it wasn't about her at all.

Dawn: [she nods] I'll add you to the group text then.

Stiles: And maybe one day, in the far future, Cora will want to know. I can have it all saved somewhere for her at that point.

Dawn: [she nods a bit, before resting her hand on his leg reassuringly] I think she's just worried about breaking her promise.

Stiles: I don't know, but I'm also not going to pressure her. When she's ready, she'll let me know.

Dawn: You are right. She will do exactly that.

Stiles: I'm getting smarter and wiser in my old age. [smirks]

Dawn: [she smirks back] Well, that is the point of growing up.

Stiles: Yeah, I know. But it took awhile for it to click into place.

Dawn: Also part of growing up - otherwise we wouldn't know it was happening.

Stiles: [nods, and looks down at joy] Well, I should get going. I promised Scott some bro time before we fly out.

Dawn: [and she will get up to scoop up Joy gently and cradle her against her shoulder] I should put her down for some actual nap time. But I'm glad you came by.

Stiles: Me too. It's kinda lonely, being on the other side of the country. Especially when everything important is on this side.

Dawn: Well, now you're taking at least one of those important things with you.

Stiles: Yeah, the most important one.

Dawn: So I think you'll be okay.

Stiles: Me too. [grins, pulling himself up and grabbing the crutches]

Dawn: [and she will walk him safely to the door] Have a safe flight.

Stiles: Thanks. You guys enjoy the new Beacon Hills.

Dawn: Oh, I don't think that much will be changing. [but it's certainly got a "fresh start" feel to it, doesn't it.]

Stiles: Don't have to hide so much anymore. Derek can do his hero thing in the open, and not in the shadows. Maybe he'll even get a medal.

Dawn: We'll see what happens. Until then, I think we're just going to play it as business as usual. At least until we sort out who was whammied and who still follows Monroe.

Stiles: Good luck with that.

Dawn: You too, with the job. [and with that, he will head out and she will put Joy down for a nap]