darkest timeline } { of catching up and echoing walls

[hereditare]

Laura: [after several days of dealing with alphas trying to sell her on the glowing qualities of their second born children, mostly sons, as though she could select one of them from a menu, Laura has had enough. She has a headache, she's recently dumped and she really doesn't want to be treated like she's the focus of Werewolf Bachelorette. So when she finally gets a break in the middle of the week for some pre-planned time with Peter, she takes advantage of it, making her way down to the twelfth precinct. Unfortunately, she's never been there before, so once she's inside and past the front desk, she frowns as she tries to make it through the sea of people]

Esposito: [and as in every universe, he has a hot girl radar. He's walking through the office with coffee for himself and Peter when he sees the lost look on her face.] Can I help you, miss?

Laura: [turns and ... hello. Her eyes wander over him once before nodding] Yes, actually. I'm looking for Peter Hale?

Esposito: What did he do now? [teasing, nodding his head for her to follow him]

Laura: Well, hopefully he's not standing me up for lunch. [she turns to follow in step behind him] I'm his niece. [just for clarification, so he's aware.]

Esposito: Well, you definitely don't look like Cora. [he smiles] He's been talking about you and your brother coming to town for awhile now. I'm his partner, Javier Esposito.

Laura: Ahhh, you're Espo. [she presses a hand to her chest] Laura. Nice to meet you, officially.

Esposito: Guilty. Same here. Though Peter forgot to mention how gorgeous his niece is.

Laura: [and the smile widens, because she is a sucker for a compliment] Well, I think that's a good thing, coming from him, given that he is my uncle.

Esposito: Probably. He'd probably also claw my eyes out if he knew what I was thinking.

Laura: Oh really? [she turns to him with a teasing smirk] But would I approve of what you were thinking? [because her opinion is the one that matters, sorry Peter]

Esposito: I was thinking dinner and dancing, if you've got some time and want to see part of the city your uncle wouldn't think to show you.

Laura: Oooh, that is very tempting. I do love dancing. [she's also keeping an ear out for Peter's voice just in case things get complicated] My schedule is a little tight though. Can I get back to you?

Esposito: Sure. I'll sneak you a card before you leave with my digits.

Laura: Great. That sounds perfect.

Peter: [and as they walk around a corner, they will see Peter in a conference room, papers spread out in front of him as he write details from the reports up on the whiteboard. He'll catch Laura's scent and look up, then smile] Hello, Laura.

Esposito: [putting the coffee on the table] Found her wandering around the front waiting area, thought I'd bring her back.

Laura: He was a very capable guide. [smiles back] We still on for lunch?

Peter: Of course. I can finish this when I get back. The case isn't going to get any colder.

Esposito: I'll call if a murder pops up.

Laura: [nods and turns back to Espo with a smile] Thanks for the help.

Esposito: [hands free now, he offers his to her. There's a business card against his palm, turned away from Peter's view] It was a pleasure. [and he winks with a smile]

Laura: [smiles as she shakes his hand slipping the card from him and tucking it away for later. Then she turns back to Peter with a nod] So. Where are we eating?

Peter: There's an Italian bistro down in the village I think you'll love.

Laura: Sounds perfect. Let's do it. [she will hook her arm in his once she's close enough] On the way, you can catch me up on anything I've missed while I've been at the summit.

Peter: Well, Cora has recruited Stiles into helping us figure out a way to keep Derek here. After seeing him here, I can tell going back to Beacon Hills is not a good option for him.

Laura: Yeah, we're agreed on that. I don't know if we'll be able to bargain for forever, but I can at least take his place for some of the time. [she knows that there would be no way to swing both Derek and Laura not having to return with Talia, but she went away for school and had her chance to at least live some of her own life. Derek hasn't. She can give up a little bit of her freedom for that]

Peter: If needed, Cora is an adult now. I could take a sabbatical from the force and return to Beacon Hills to act as second once more.

Laura: What about Malia?

Peter: She could stay with her mother until the school year ends, then come spend the summer with us.

Laura: Will Corrine be able to handle that?

Peter: I'll ask her first before I confirm on it being an option for your plans.

Laura: [she nods] But really, it's okay. I can handle Mom for however long we wrangle out of her. I've started working as a guidance counselor at the high school, and she's been pressuring me to start alpha lessons again anyway. I'll be plenty a distraction. You don't need to uproot your life.

Peter: Too bad you can't stay as well. Cora misses both of you.

Laura: [she nods] I mean, I can't say there aren't some incentives, but Derek needs this time on his own more than I do right now. He was alone for a long time while I was off getting my degrees. Time for me to return the favor.

Peter: Your brother wouldn't want you to sacrifice yourself like that.

Laura: I wouldn't call it a sacrifice so much as applying the right leverage.

Peter: Well, whatever I can do to help.

Laura: I know. But we've got this. Right now, we just need to convince Derek that he has reasons to stay other than spite.

Peter: Cora and Stiles will give him plenty of reasons.

Laura: [nods] Cora mentioned introducing him to one of her cryptid friends who runs like a ... outreach program for other cryptids? A support system that they can go to without relying on ones used primarily by humans. People he could help.

Peter: Hmm. [thinks, then nods] Yes, that would be something he would enjoy doing?

Laura: Stiles says that he needs to feel useful. I can't think of something more useful than that.

Peter: Very insightful. I need to give that kid more credit.

Laura: Don't get me wrong, he's still a hyperactive spaz at times. But he's a good kid. He'll be a good ally here in New York, with or without Derek.

Peter: If I didn't know better, I'd think Derek was in love with him.

Laura: Well, he is the only real friend he's had as of late. [she raises an eyebrow] You really think so?

Peter: It's not that Stiles is his only friend, but they're close. Stiles is protective over him too. [shrugs] But I think it's more a codependency than romantic.

Laura: Mmmm. I know he took Stiles being involved in this whole Paige situation hard. Do you know if they've worked that out yet?

Peter: Cora was going to talk to him today about that.

Laura: [nods] Hopefully they work that out. The other two I'm less worried about, but I don't want Derek to lose a friend who was clearly trying to protect him. Even if it sounds like it was a lot.

Peter: I've been thinking about that, you know. About what happened on that day. I realized that your mother knew about it all. She didn't have her memories removed like Claudia and myself.

Laura: [her eyebrows go up] Which might explain why she was more concerned than curious about Elena being in town?

Peter: And why she's kept such a grip on him. If he had become a blue eye, he would always be in danger.

Laura: Yeah, but he's a long way away from losing that kind of control. Especially since it's such a specific set of circumstances. [she shakes her head] She's going to have to trust him eventually.

Peter: If that future was as they said, it seems he just went from one box to another. And Cora too... discarded. But I think you and I can fix them both. Just need time.

Laura: [she nods, before glancing up at him as they head into the bistro] Have you decided what you're going to do about Freya?

Peter: [big sigh] No, I haven't. I barely know the woman, and I'm not the man she did fall in love with. It's... flattering, in a way. But I would feel weird trying to slip into that kind of relationship. It wouldn't be right, to either of us.

Laura: [nods] That's fair. And for what it's worth, she doesn't really strike me as the overly romantic type. [they settle into a seat, and she picks up the menu] Though speaking as the recently dumped, I may be a little jealous that I'm the only one who didn't get a time traveling epic love trying to save me. [kidding]

Peter: I bet if we ask Stiles, he could tell you. But would you really want to know what you had in another reality?

Laura: [shakes her head] No, I'm kidding. I don't envy any of you right now. [and she's trying to wrangle her schedule so that she can have one night to go dancing with Peter's partner so she's honestly set] It's mostly just me lamenting I didn't see through Brett's bullshit sooner.

Peter: It's his loss, in the end. You're a treasure that he should have cherished.

Laura: I am. I am a delight. [she sighs] Hopefully the next person will appreciate me more.

Peter: Fingers are crossed. However, I doubt it'll be anyone at this summit.

Laura: [makes such a face] I feel like a piece of meat, honestly. Some of these alphas are just throwing their sons at me. Like one, no one's thought to offer me one of their daughters. At least there would be some variety if that were the case. And two, all the "selling qualities" are just ... not what I'm interested in at all.

Peter: You should do what Cora did and get a friend to pose as a boyfriend until this is over

Laura: [eyebrow raise, because that's not a bad idea] I'll take that under advisement. I'll have to find someone local. [she may have someone in mind, but Peter probably wouldn't like it]

Peter: [and the waiter will come over and get their orders] So what's been going on at the summit I should know about?

Laura: Most of it is just hobnobbing and renewing alliances. Some of the newer alphas are rubbing some of the old guard the wrong way. Damon Salvatore in particular. But that might just be his default personality.

Peter: I've heard about that one. Elena's bonded to him, I believe.

Laura: Poor girl. [her nose wrinkles] Though he's had a banshee with him the entire time. Isobel Flemming. I honestly don't want to know how he wound up with two, but Isobel's older. I don't think he's bonded to her too.

Peter: Just a bit greedy. That matches what I've heard

Laura: Elena works with you at the police station, right? Maybe it's worth seeing what she knows about him?

Peter: I can ask. She hasn't contacted me in a few days, after the whole revelation, but I probably should reach out.

Laura: She's probably trying to give you space. It'd be good for her to know that bridge isn't burned.

Peter: That's what I've felt it to be.

Laura: Space or a burned bridge?

Peter: Space.

Laura: [nods] Gotcha. I'm sure you guys will figure it out. It's just a matter of setting the appropriate boundaries, whatever those may be.

Peter: Yes. I also realize she's dealing with her own combination of memories and mourning her previous life. Perhaps I can use that as a way to mend our relationship back to a mutual understanding.

Laura: I think that sounds like a great idea. And I think she'll really appreciate you reaching out.

Peter: Then I will do that. [pause] Probably tonight while my partner and you enjoy the evening together.

Laura: [blinks] Well, I should have seen that one coming.

Peter: You all learned to be sneaky from me. Plus the sounds in the precinct echo off the walls.

Laura: Are you okay with this? He's your partner, I'm just visiting.

Peter: You're an adult, and he knows me well enough to know that I will make sure his body is never found if he hurts you.

Laura: Alright. So long as I'm not disturbing any delicate balance here.

Peter: The one thing I've learned as a father, my dear, is that I would rather be upfront and honest in what is being done, then force you to hide and feel guilt.

Laura: Well, I appreciate that, but I don't think we'll be doing anything to feel guilty about. [ she's only here for two weeks and she's just out of a relationship. she just wants to spend time with a guy who seems to appreciate her beyond who her mother is and who Laura might become one day]

Peter: Very well. Just make him aware of shower etiquette before he comes to work the next morning. [there is a small, teasing smirk on his lips]

Laura: Yeah, don't worry. We won't offend your delicate nose. [a beat] Speaking of, how much does he know about ...

Peter: Fully. One of his brothers in the military was a wolf, and saved his life. He figured me out pretty quick.

Laura: Oh, good. That must be nice, given the kind of work you're doing.

Peter: It also makes it easier for us to work, and how to approach a case.

Laura: Well, good. I'm happy for you. It sounds like you guys have got something pretty good going here.

Peter: We do. It also confirms to me that, while I now know the circumstances for why my sister sent me away, I am doing something here that will better the world for both humans and creatures here.

Laura: Good. Then that's what matters.

Peter: Good. Now let's enjoy the rest of our lunch on lighter topics?

Laura: Yes, please. [ and they will chat the rest of their time away before Laura has to return to the summit]