puppy love } { of vacations and baby wolves

[impetere]

Stiles: [and when they arrive, they will walk down and get their bags, and there is a man waiting for them with a logo of the computer company that "stuart" runs]

Cora: [is just mostly keeping track of Ben and not really looking for or expecting the car]

Stiles: I'll be right back. [he will go over and talk to the man a moment, and then get a set of keys from him before the man heads off] Alright, I had my car brought out of storage, so we're good to go once we get the bags.

Ben: What kind of car do you have?

Stiles: A fast one. A very, very fast one. [he smiles at his son. Sorry Cora]

Cora: [hoo boy] Remember what your suitcase looks like, Ben?

Ben: Uh huh. [it looks like Darth Vader]

Cora: Good. [and she'll make her way up to the baggage claim and point so he can see] They're going to come out of that chute there, so we have to make sure we can spot it and grab it.

Stiles: [and he will help her with the bags, and then they will head into the short term parking where this beauty is waiting for them. Thankfully it's a 4 seater]

Cora: [of course he has a ridiculous, shiny sports car. his girlfriend is not surprised] Will the luggage fit in there?

Stiles: Of course. Ben doesn't need that much room in the back, so we can put the carry ons with him]

Cora: I'll take your word for it. [gives Ben's hand a squeeze] Okay, Benny, let's load up.

Stiles: [which they will do, and then head off into the wilderness north of the airport about an hour. Stiles will tell them both all about the area and how there is a river behind the house where boats ride during the summers and swim since it's a slow moving river]

Cora: [and she'll mostly just listen to him talk, her eyes watching the scenery pass as they go]

Stiles: [and soon they will pull up to this beautiful place that has been opened up and made ready for their arrival]

Cora: [... okay now she's impressed] Wow.

Stiles: [and he will look over at her and smile] I take it that's a good wow.

Cora: [she nods] It's very ... modern.

Stiles: Tends to fit the whole persona.

Cora: I'm getting that.

Ben: Can we go in it?

Stiles: Of course we can. We're spending the summer vacation here.

Ben: [bounces in the back]

Cora: Make sure you bring everything in from the car, Ben.

Stiles: [and he will slide out and pull the seat forward so Ben could climb out and go running down to the house and look at the river.] Yeah, I don't think he heard you.

Cora: [sighs, before going to grab her things and Ben's suitcase] I figured he wouldn't.

Stiles: There's a fence between the property and the water's edge, so he can't fall in.

Cora: That's good, at least. I'm sure he'll be fine.

Stiles: My valet will be bringing the boat up tomorrow if we want to cruise the river.

Cora: Your valet?

Stiles: [nods] Yeah, guy who was at the airport.

Cora: You have a valet.

Stiles: Well, someone has to look after my property when I'm in the states. He makes a lot of money making sure no one takes my stuff.

Cora: Uh-huh. [she's teasing] It's just very fancy, having a valet.

Stiles: Yeah. [and he will roll his eyes, hefting the last suitcase from the car] Wait until you meet the servants.

Cora: Servants too?

Stiles: [and he will laugh and just walk to the house. He doesn't have them... well, they are on call from a service if he needs them to clean the house or something, but he's the one teasing now]

Cora: [she shakes her head as she follows his lead up to the house with the suitcases in hand]

Stiles: [and the house has been opened and ready for them, including a fully stocked kitchen and made beds and fresh linens] Welcome to our German getaway.

Cora: [she nods a bit, some of the tension loosening from her shoulders as it sets in that they really did leave and she doesn't have to see anyone else but her boys for the next three months] It really is nice.

Stiles: It is nice. And we don't have to leave unless we want to. Everything else can be brought to us.

Cora: I think Ben might go stir crazy if we don't at least try to go find another person his age every once in a while.

Stiles: There are kids all up and down the riverbanks. Plus I know a few parks, and I'm sure we can plan some excursions for sightseeing.

Cora: Good. So where are we sleeping.

Stiles: This way. [and he will lead her upstairs to the master bedroom that overlooks the waterfront. There is a balcony there with a sitting area and a fire pit. There is also a large bathroom with a separate shower and jacuzzi tub with forest views.] This will be ours.

Cora: Wow. [she leaves her suitcases next to the bed as she makes her way over to get a better look at the view] It's so quiet.

Stiles: Technically, that's the double paned bulletproof glass. But it's quiet as well with the nearest neighbor being about three miles away, or across the river.

Cora: Still ... it's been a long time since I've lived somewhere quiet.

Stiles: Then I guess we should enjoy it while we're here.

Cora: [she nods before turning to face him] Well, the downside of quiet, unfortunately, is that Ben can hear a lot more, and we have no babysitters to distract him.

Stiles: My bedroom is soundproof. I have a pretty advanced security system, but the forest sounds... I couldn't sleep listening to the animals so I got my room closed off and there's a white noise machine I use instead.

Cora: [she nods] Let's just hope Ben remembers to knock then.

Stiles: I can set the system to turn on my alarm clock if he leaves his room.

Cora: [her eyebrows go up] Really?

Stiles: Please remember this house was designed by a paranoid CIA spy. [smirks]

Cora: Duly noted. [she ... guesses that's fine, so long as they're only monitoring Ben to save him from mental scarring, not making him swallow a GPS tracker]

Stiles: [no, those only last in the system 48 hours max anyway. Stiles would insist on an implant if they wanted to monitor him that way.] It's a safehouse. A very, very safe house.

Cora: Good. Then I will be very, very safe here.

Stiles: [and he will smile and lean in to kiss her] Very safe, and very loved.

Cora: [she smiles into the kiss before nodding] I should go and find Ben, make sure he hasn't gotten into too much trouble.

Stiles: Sure. I can make us a snack to hold us over until dinner.

Cora: Sounds good. [and off she will go to find Ben]

Ben: [and he has found a bunch of frogs at the fence by the river and it trying to catch them before the hop past the barrier]

Cora: [smiles when she sees him] Having fun, bud?

Ben: This place is awesome! I can see birds on the water and I hear dogs.

Cora: Oh yeah? Where are the dogs?

Ben: I think down that way. [and he will point down river] I hear them barking.

Cora: [she glances over and nods] That's pretty far, kiddo. Your hearing is getting better.

Ben: That's a good thing, right? [looking up at her]

Cora: [she nods as she crouches down] Yeah. It means you're probably going to start getting your werewolfyness soon.

Ben: And then I have to go stay with Aunt Laura for awhile, don't I?

Cora: [she shakes her head] Only if you want to. We'd have to go out there for full moons until you figure out your anchor but I can teach you other stuff.

Ben: Hope says I shouldn't be scared.

Cora: She's right. What you're going to go through is normal. I went through it, and so did Uncle Derek and Aunt Laura and Uncle Peter - and we're all going to be there to help you do it too. [she tips her head to the side] But it's also normal to be a little scared too. It's a big change and it has a lot of responsibility.

Ben: Will daddy be able to help me?

Cora: Not ... directly. He doesn't really know what it's like to be a werewolf, so it's different, but you can use him as part of your anchor. Like when he's with you, and you're stuck in a really loud room, you can use his voice or his heartbeat to help drown everything else out. I used to do that a lot when we were in school.

Ben: You did?

Cora: You know how when you're in a school assembly and everyone is talking all at once and you can't tell who's saying what?

Ben: Yeah.

Cora: For me, sometimes being in class was a lot like that all the time. Sometimes I could focus on the teacher's voice, but other times, when a teacher wasn't around and I was starting to feel overwhelmed, I'd listen for your dad's heartbeat. It helped me calm down.

Ben: [smiles a bit] Maybe I could do that with Hope?

Cora: [smiles and nods] Yeah, definitely. Hope would be a really good choice. [because your best friends and nothing more SHE IS NOT READY FOR HER BABY TO BE SOMEONE'S BOYFRIEND YET.]

Ben: And when I'm not at school, I can use daddy and you.

Cora: Exactly. I can't promise the same trick works for smells though.

Ben: Uncle Derek says I should put something I like the smell of in my pocket and focus on it.

Cora: Yeah, that works sometimes. But it depends on how bad the other smell is.

Ben: Like dog poop?

Cora: [she wrinkles her nose] Or locker rooms.

Ben: Or Grandpas farts. [smiles]

Cora: [she laughs] Or that too. But you'll figure it out.

Ben: [looks past Cora] Where is daddy?

Cora: He's back in the house. He said he was going to make us a snack.

Ben: Oh, I'm hungry.

Cora: Then let's head back in and get something to eat.

Ben: Can I bring my new friend? [holds up one of the frogs]

Cora: [she laughs] We don't have anywhere to put him, bud. I think you gotta let him go.

Ben: [sighs] Kay. Bye Kermit.

Cora: [pushes up, before leaning in to kiss the top of his head] He'll be much happier in the river. But you can come out and see him when we're done.

Ben: [smiles and then jumps up as well] And we can go swimming in the river?

Cora: I don't know. You'll have to ask your dad, but he did say we could go boating.

Ben: I've never been on a boat before, have I? [jogging along side her]

Cora: I don't think so. Not unless Grandpa took you.

Ben: Will I like boating?

Cora: [she shrugs] I haven't been in a really long time, so I'm not sure. It depends on what kind of boat it is.

Ben: I hope it's a fast boat, like the car!

Cora: [laughs] Knowing your dad, it probably is.

Ben: Yay! [and he will go running inside where there are cheese, meat slices, crackers and grapes all set out, and Stiles is upstairs taking a shower]

Cora: Wash your hands before you go for the food, Ben. You're covered in frog slime.

Ben: Yes mommy. [and he will go to the kitchen sink to do that]

Cora: [and she will get them some plates to divvy some of it up.]

Stiles: [and he will come back down a few minutes later, towel drying his hair] Sorry, there would have been sparkling juice but the bottle exploded all over me.

Cora: No, it's fine.

Stiles: Let's go sit out on the porch and eat? [and he will go make himself a plate while Ben tries to grab a few more crackers]

Cora: [nods as she picks up her plate to go with them]

Stiles: [and he will tell Ben about all the things along the river, pointing them out, and Ben will tell him about Kermit and the frogs and where are the dogs dad?]

Cora: I think they're south of here.

Stiles: Maybe we can go and see them soon then.

Cora: Yeah, maybe.

Ben: Maybe we can get a dog too?

Cora: That'll have to wait until we get home, bud.

Ben: Can we rent one?

Stiles: [laughs] No, we can't. It wouldn't be fair to the dog when we leave and it thinks we don't love it anymore.

Cora: Dogs are like best friends. How would if feel if Hope told you she didn't want to be your friend anymore because she was only renting you for the summer?

Ben: But she wouldn't do that.

Cora: No, she wouldn't, because she's your friend and she loves you. And that's how the dog would feel about you while you're here.

Ben: Oh.

Stiles: But that doesn't mean you can't make friends with someone your age who has a dog and go over to visit and play with them.

Cora: Oh, that could be fun. You'll have a friend for the summer.

Ben: I'd like to have a friend.

Cora: Maybe we could go see if there's a park or something nearby tomorrow.

Stiles: I think there's one.

Ben: Cool!

Cora: Cool indeed.

Ben: [and he will just gobble up his plate]

Cora: [and she will just settle next to Stiles to eat]

Stiles: So, Ben I have to tell you one thing, and it may be weird, but you need to remember this.

Ben: What's that?

Stiles: You remember how sometimes Batman pretends to be different people when he's not in Gotham City so that people won't know who he is?

Ben: Yeah?

Stiles: Well, some people here think my name is Stuart. So if you hear someone call me that, they aren't wrong, ok?

Cora: [isn't going to comment, just lets Stiles try and explain this to Ben]

Ben: Do I have to call you Stuart?

Stiles: Nope, you just always call me Dad.

Ben: Are you going to have to be Batman here too?

Stiles: [shakes his head] Nope. My Batman days are over.

Cora: Hopefully they are very far behind us.

Ben: Aw, I liked knowing my dad was Batman.

Stiles: Hey, I will always be Batman. I just don't do it for a living anymore, that's all.

Cora: Sometimes even Batman can let other people save the world.

Stiles: Yup. Other people deserve a chance to be Batman too.

Ben: Does that mean I can be Batman one day?

Cora: Maybe. There are a lot of different ways to be Batman.

Stiles: You could be a cop, or a fireman, or even a doctor and still be Batman.

Ben: Okay.

Cora: But you don't have to worry about any of that right now.

Ben: I don't?

Cora: Nope. You just have to be a kid.

Stiles: You can wait until you're 16 to decide how you want to be Batman.

Ben: But that's like years away!

Cora: It is, but you'll have a lot to deal with before then.

Ben: School?

Cora: And being a werewolf.

Stiles: [and he will look to Cora because was he missing signs?]

Cora: His hearing is getting better. Usually the first sign.

Stiles: Oh. Well, okay then. [so that question is answered]

Cora: He's still got a ways to go before his first full moon though.

Ben: You knew I was a werewolf, right daddy?

Stiles: I knew you could become one, kiddo. Just not that it was starting, that's all.

Cora: To be fair to your dad, I just figured it out twenty minutes ago.

Stiles: Okay [he feels better now]

Ben: I've always known.

Cora: You've always known you were going to be a werewolf?

Ben: Uh huh.

Stiles: How so?

Ben: I just did.

Cora: Well, now we're catching up with you, Benny.

Ben: I could have told you years ago!

Cora: [she laughs] I'm sure, but you're still part human, kiddo. There was a fifty-fifty chance.

Ben: Nope, always been a werewolf.

Cora: I'll take your word for it.

Stiles: Well, little werewolf that could, how about you go learn the layout of the house while mom and I do dishes?

Ben: I can be excused?

Cora: Go ahead, bud.

Ben: [and he will shove the rest of his food into his cheeks and take off running upstairs before they can take it back]

Cora: [just sighs as she watches him go] We definitely are going to need a soundproofed bedroom in the new apartment.

Stiles: We should probably soundproof his room too then. It will help him not have all those sounds flooding in and keeping him from sleeping at night.

Cora: [she nods] Yeah, that will help him a lot. At least when he's starting out.

Stiles: And when he's a teenager I think he will appreciate it.

Cora: I am so not ready to go there.

Stiles: Neither am I, but it happens.

Cora: Let's just focus on this growing up moment for right now, worry about the others later.

Stiles: Ok.

Cora: [and she'll take a deep breath before she starts cleaning up dishes]

Stiles: [and he will go behind her and help] You know, I never asked if you wanted him to have this.

Cora: [she glances over at him, before giving a small shrug] He'll be healthier this way. No cancer, nothing like that. It's just going to be hard for the first few years as he learns control. Kids feel the emotions a lot more strongly than we do.

Stiles: No cancer, and no risk for frontal temporal dementia either.

Cora: No, not that either. [she hadn't forgotten, but she didn't want to rub it in]

Stiles: It's one good thing, if nothing else.

Cora: [she nods] No, it's all good really. I'm just not ready for him to really start growing up.

Stiles: You can't really stop it, Cor. Time marches on.

Cora: I know. Believe me, I know. But this kind of makes it a little too real right now.

Stiles: Well, maybe one day we can start over with a new little one that we can raise together. [and he will slide his hands around her from behind]

Cora: [smiles softly as she leans back against him] That would be nice.

Stiles: Yeah, it would be.

Cora: [pauses before turning around to face him] I still wish you had been there with him.

Stiles: [rests his hands on her hips] So do I, but we can't change that.

Cora: I know. But I wish I could.

Stiles: I'll just pull extra duty with our next one.

Cora: [she nods] Sounds good.

Stiles: [and he will step in to kiss her against the sink]

Cora: [sighs as she kisses him back, wrapping her arms around his neck]

Ben: [from upstairs] I want a brother!

Cora: [she laughs, pulling back from the kiss and burying her face against Stiles' shoulder] It doesn't work that way, kiddo.

Ben: I know, it's a fifty-fifty thing. But I still want one!

Stiles: [laughs as well] At least he won't be jealous about a sibling.

Cora: We'll keep that in mind, Ben.

Stiles: We're also going to have a talk about listening in to mommy and daddy's conversations.

Ben: Sorry.

Cora: Just keep it in mind, kiddo. With great power comes great responsibility. [or they'll just start speaking foreign languages around him]

Stiles: [that's one way to make him multi-lingual]

Cora: [yep, so it's parenting with a purpose]

Stiles: [and he is just going to shake his head and lean in to kiss her again]

Cora: [ kisses him back, before leaning in to whisper in his ear] This is why we need soundproofing.

Stiles: I believed you already.

Cora: Well, now you have a practical example.

Stiles: Can we get him earmuffs?

Cora: They won't do much long term.

Stiles: White noise machine?

Cora: Might work.

Stiles: And my bedroom here is sound proof.

Cora: That is good.

Stiles: [and he will lean in again and whisper in French] And if you by chance want to try for another child, we have an entire summer to work at it.

Cora: [oh what does she remember of French] Not yet. But I do want to eventually.

Stiles: Practice then.

Cora: We should absolutely practice.

Stiles: Tonight, after the little one is asleep?

Cora: [nods] Sounds good to me.

Stiles: It's a date then.

Cora: Good.