puppy love } { of interrupted lectures and solidified bonds

[impetere]

Derek: [it was supposed to be a typical day at school. One of the heads of DHS was speaking, talking about immigration history in the country. Derek was working on grading papers when he heard something odd from the hallway. Chains. Why would he hear chains? The answer came moments later as men in combat gear with guns charged into the room. Students started to scream and ran for the other exits, only to find them chained. They huddled in the corners as one man started down to the dais, gun on his shoulder as he approached the speaker. Derek growled softly, shifting to put himself in a place where he could deal with this gun wielding idiot]

Cora: [Derek had invited his sister to come see the talk and she came because she was trying to make an effort with Derek, to try and move towards a better place. She should have figured that naturally that would mean something would go horribly wrong, and she tries to meet Derek's eyes from across the room, trying to see what he was thinking]

Derek: [he caught her eye and motioned to one of the doors. He would distract the gunmen, Cora get the students out. He was a teacher and his students' safety was always his first instinct.]

Cora: [she's not thrilled with the idea, but she'll take it. she slowly inches towards the edge of her row and start to head towards the door in question to test the chains on it]

Derek: [the speaker and the gunman are shouting at each other, and Derek is inching along the aisle to get into pounce position. He's waiting for Cora to tell him she's ready before he goes so that the distraction will keep anyone from hearing her break the chains]

Cora: [she slips through the students, trying to calm them down softly as she slips through to the door, once she gets her hands on the handles she closes her eyes. Quietly, so only Derek can hear:] Okay, go.

Derek: [and he will pounce, going for the leader first and hitting him hard enough to knock him out... but the man takes the hit like a seasoned boxer and Derek has only a moment to try and react before he feels the taser against his ribs and the electricity shoot through his body]

Cora: [she forces the doors but as she does the smell of ozone hits her and she keeps herself from pushing too hard. Electricity is the one thing that can take them down as easily as it would a human. The chains give just enough to show some space, but not enough to release all of the students. She turns to the one next to her, a small girl who's tinier than even Cora, and she holds the space open] Do you think you can fit through? [the girl nods] Go get help. [the girl slips out and Cora lets the door close quietly, before she turns to try and see if she can see her brother]

Derek: [he is trying to get back up, stubborn that he is, and gets hit again, and again]

Terrorist: Next time you try to get up, boy, I'm using this one. [and he chambers a round in the gun, aiming it at Derek. Who stays down, because he's passed out]

Cora: [technically a gun is better for them ... unless they take a head shot, but Cora doesn't want to take any risk of them actually using it anyway, and she holds up her hands as she makes herself known, hoping to distract them from the students too] Is he okay? [she keeps making her way down the row slowly, not wanting to spook them] He's my brother. I just need to know he's alright.

Terrorist: [looks at her, then snorts] He's probably a bit crispy, but still breathing. Maybe you'd be better at convincing him to stay down. [terrorist two will push her down towards Derek, being held hostage now as well in front of the room]

Cora: [and she'll go willingly, dropping down on her knees next to him as she places a hand on his shoulder gently to try and gauge his pain, and pulling whatever she finds] Derek?

Derek: [he's got a nice burn spot on his ribs where the taser hit him, but it's already healing under his shirt. He groans, in pain but pushing through it]

Cora: [she'll keep pulling his pain, talking to him softly as she does] Just stay down. We need to be able to keep them off guard. [her voice is very low at a level only a werewolf could hear]

Derek: You... didn't get out. [he keeps his eyes closed, doing as she says]

Cora: I wasn't going to leave you. [not like this. not on his own. and she couldn't fit out the door, but that's neither here nor there, and that's not the important thing]

Derek: [and he will shift enough to put his hand on her. It helps him stay calm] Do you have a plan?

Cora: One of the girls got through. She's going for help. We just have to buy enough time so that they don't hurt anyone before backup gets here. [so it's not much of a plan, but her eyes will dart around to take a headcount of how many gunmen they have to deal with] Do you know what they want?

Derek: They mentioned a law that passed recently. It's what all the protests are about. We were supposed to have a different person at DHS here, but he backed out because of security issues and sent someone from a different department.

Cora: So they might have been planning for a different guy, and are upset that he's not here?

Derek: Yeah. They are trying to make a statement.

Cora: Okay. [she pauses for a moment, before glancing around to take stock of the doorways] You know this room better than I do. What's our best bet? If we bum rush them, they're just going to shoot us - so hope they don't shoot us in the head?

Derek: They have the tasers though. [he looked up at the lights] If I kill the lights, do you think we can take them out before they start blind shooting?

Cora: [she glances around before gauging the distance] If you deal with the one up here, I can take one in the center, but I don't know about the two in the back. I don't think I can cover that much distance with all the chairs in the way.

Derek: If I can get the gun, I can take them out.

Cora: Even in the dark?

Derek: No, I’d have to turn them back on.

Cora: [she glances back for a moment, trying to gauge the distance from where they are to one of the aisles] If I just go straight for the back two, can you take the guy in the front and then shoot center when the lights come back on?

Derek: [he opened his eyes to see their locations] Yeah.

Cora: Okay. How do we control the lights?

Derek: Clicker in my pocket. Faster than switches during lectures.

Cora: [she slips her hand forward and reaches into his pocket to find the clicker, easily transferring it to the pocket of her jacket. She gently pulls back the hand that's drawing his pain, and looks to see where the main guys are looking] On my signal?

Derek: Yeah. [he tenses, ready to move once she gives the signal]

Cora: [and while the two guys are distracted, she will slowly inch away from her brother and towards the walkway, trying to get as close as she can, before her hand slips over the clicker, and the world is plunged into darkness and she's flying up the walkway to slam the two back guards together]

Derek: [and his eyes flash, making it easier for him to see in the dark as he rushes the leader. Claws were out this time, slashing the man before grabbing his gun. There are two shots - one into the leader, the other into the man in the center who was lifting his gun and about to shoot]

Cora: [is much more physical, but no claws, just aiming to knock them both unconscious and call it a day. once that's done, the lights come back up, and she glances over to make sure Derek is okay]

Derek: [he is. Neither man is dead, but they are both disabled. Derek's on his feet, looking up at his sister and just gives her a nod]

Cora: [and she nods back just in time for the police to come bursting in to arrest all the bad guys, and Cora holds up her hands and steps back to let them do their job]

Police: [yeah, but Derek's holding a gun so they are going to make him get down and cuff him until they get the whole story and release him]

Cora: [and she'll be waiting for him until they do, whether that's at the station or at the scene] You okay?

Derek: [at the scene. He will nod, and then look at his shirt] I think the only casualty is my shirt.

Cora: Good. I'm glad. [and her hands just sit awkwardly in the pockets of her jacket for a moment] It's been a while since I've been in a situation like that.

Derek: Same here. But we still make a good team.

Cora: We always did. [Laura always used to accuse them of cheating when they were kids, claimed they were using their twin powers]

Derek: [licks his lips a minute] Thanks for being there. If you hadn't...

Cora: I wouldn't have left you alone. [she shrugs and looks down] Whatever our issues, I don't want you dead. I'm just glad you let me help.

Derek: Why wouldn't I let you help me? You're one of the most capable people I know.

Cora: [she shrugs] I guess I'm just used to people treating me like I'm not.

Derek: Well, you are. I mean, hell you raised a tiny kid pretty much on your own and neither of you died. That right there says a lot. I'm sorry if I made you feel like that.

Cora: It was never really you. You were complicated, but whenever we were making decisions, it felt like we were on the same level. I always appreciated that.

Derek: Maybe we are more alike than we give ourselves credit for. [smirks] We could even be twins.

Cora: [she snorts a bit at that, looking at him for a moment, almost as though she's weighing something, before she takes a step forward and slides her arms around his waist, just taking the moment while she has it] I'm really glad you're okay.

Derek: [and he will take it, holding her close and pressing his cheek to her head] I'm glad you are too. thanks for saving me.

Cora: Always. [it doesn't always seem like it, but she doesn't want him dead]

Derek: I love you, you know. First, always, and forever.

Cora: I love you too.

Derek: You probably need to get going back home, huh?

Cora: Yeah, probably. Stiles and I had plans for after he dropped off Ben at Dad's. [there's a pause as she starts to pull back, looking at her brother for a moment, before adjusting her jacket] So Stiles and I are going to get married. We were just going to do a small thing, at the courthouse with his dad and Ben and Scott probably but ... do you want to be my witness? [she knows how this sounds, and the implications of what she was saying if she hadn't said it to him in that moment, but she wants him there. And she knows that part of her has just been waiting for this, and that's why she kept putting it off. She still needed her twin there, even if she wasn't sure how to get herself there]

Derek: [his eyes widen a bit, and then he just smiles.] Witnessing my sister finally have her dream fulfilled? I wouldn't miss it. I'm honored you want me there. [because he noticed neither their dad, laura or peter were listed]

Cora: [Peter is the only one that she might feel bad about not being there, and she still may ask him if he wants to be there, but she still hasn't managed to find a way to mend those bridges with Laura and her father yet. And in the case of Laura, she also knows that Stiles hasn't gotten to the point of forgiving her yet either. she's not going to address that now though and just smile] I'll send you the details when I have them. We haven't really picked a day yet.

Derek: I'll be on the lookout for it, and won't say anything about it.

Cora: Thank you. [and if she's about to say more, it's swallowed when she sees Allison, flashing her badge to get past the barricades, looking worried, and turns back to him] I should go. You should... [and she nods back to where Allison is standing]

Derek: [turns to look at Allison, gives her a smile and just holds up his hand to tell her wait a moment longer, and then looks back at his sister] You going to be okay to drive?

Cora: Yeah. [she nods with a small smile] I'll be fine. I'll talk to you later. [and with that, she'll go off to find her car where she'll sit behind the wheel and just take a few deep breaths before driving home to her fiance]

Derek: [and he will turn back and walk over to Allison, giving her a sheepish grin] It wasn't my fault, I swear.

Allison: [shakes her head before pulling him into a hug] You okay?

Derek: [lets her hold him, nuzzling into her neck] Yeah. A little sore under my ribs, but okay otherwise.

Allison: Well, the site commander said I can take you home, if you're ready to go.

Derek: [nods, looking over his shoulder to make sure Cora isn't being hassled at all] Yeah, the students are all safe. I think I can go.

Allison: Okay. [and she texts Stiles to let him know that everything is okay and Cora is on her way home on the way back to the car, after having texted him to keep him in the loop earlier and to see if he would take Baal to the farmhouse]

Stiles: [thank god. Because he might have gone to the school to watch in case something tried to go after Ben & Baal's school. So he's going to just wait because the school day is almost over]

Derek: [and he is going to just walk at her side. He knows he should check his phone, but he doesn't. He just walks quietly.]

Allison: [will wait until they're in the car before reaching over to squeeze his hand] You okay?

Derek: [nods, leaning back in the seat. He then pats his face] My glasses. I left them in the classroom...

Allison: Do you want me to go back and see if I can get them?

Derek: No, it's a crime scene. They probably have bagged it as evidence. Along with my bag.

Allison: I'll call tomorrow and see when it will be released.

Derek: Ok.

Allison: [and off she will drive to take them home and back to the apartment]

Derek: [and he is going to still be quiet.]

Allison: [and she'll take him inside, and sit down on the couch with him] Stiles is going to pick up Baal and take him to the farmhouse for time with your dad and Ben, so we don't have to worry about him for tonight.

Derek: But he's going to wonder why he can't come home. I was going to may him gyros tonight.

Allison: Do you want to call him?

Derek: Maybe later.

Allison: Okay. [and she'll reach for him gently to pull him in, because something is wrong but she wants to wait for him to tell her after asking twice]

Derek: [and he will lean into her, and then look at his hand, which is twitching. He makes a fist and closes his eyes, trying to forget the pain of the taser in his ribs]

Allison: [looks down at his twitching hand, before reaching forward to take her hand in his] You're okay. You're safe.

Derek: I've been in war torn states, I've been hunted, but I've never once stared down the barrel of a gun, knowing one wrong move could kill me and I wouldn't heal. When we were kids, and it happened to Cora I thought because she was safe afterward that it wasn't a reason to change my ways. Now I can see just why it scared her so much. Why she hated me that day.

Allison: [nods as she moves one hand, running her fingers through his hair] It's a scary thing. It kind of makes you rethink everything you've ever done.

Derek: I couldn't do anything. He tasered me. If I was human, I would have been burned inside out. I still feel it in my bones.

Allison: But you're not human. You're a werewolf, you're okay, and he's going to jail. [brushes her thumb against his forehead] And you're here with me.

Derek: Not like that. Electricity messes with the wolf. It keeps us from healing. From shifting.

Allison: I know. It'll fade though.

Derek: [and he takes a shuddering breath and nods, leaning into her more]

Allison: [tips her lips to press a kiss to his forehead, one head resting against the back of his head, before shifting so that they can stretch out on the couch, letting him rest over her and running her fingers through his hair] The important thing is that you survived. You survived, and you're here, and we're safe here. And we can stay here as long as you need until you feel it.

Derek: [swallows] I don't know if I can go back.

Allison: That's normal. Maybe you can talk to your boss about changing the room for a little while. I'm pretty sure your students aren't going to want to be there either.

Derek: Maybe. [he isn't sure he wants to go back at all at the moment. And he knows Laura is going to hear about this soon and will be freaking out]

Allison: It's also okay if you want to take a break too. [she's not trying to limit his options, and she wants him to do what's best for him] Maybe you could talk to your sister, see how she handled it. You guys seemed like you were doing better at the scene.

Derek: [nods] She helped save me. We worked together to save the others.

Allison: And you guys did a really good job.

Derek: I almost killed them. I wanted to kill them.

Allison: You were protecting yourself.

Derek: I know. But I couldn't face Baal if I did.

Allison: Then it's good that you didn't. [she brushes a hand over the top of his head] Why don't we take a break? Baal has a break from school coming up, so why don't we take a little road trip to the beach or something? Take some time to clear our heads.

Derek: [nods against her] That would be nice. Just the three of us.

Allison: I'll talk to Hayley and see when I can get off work. I think my family has a house down at Cape Hatteras we might be able to use.

Derek: If not, it's not like I'm destitute.

Allison: [nods] I'm pretty sure Hayley will jump at the chance of me actually using my PTO.

Derek: You do work too much.

Allison: You are biased.

Derek: I know. [sigh and nuzzles her more] I do too.

Allison: [smirks and presses a kiss to his forehead] This'll be good for all of us.

Derek: Right now, I just want to stay here.

Allison: We can stay here as long as you want. I'm not going anywhere.

Derek: [and he will look up, and just lean in to kiss her, because he needs her]

Allison: [kisses him back, one hand remaining against the back of his neck as she shifts to get comfortable under him]

Derek: [and yeah, he's going to pretty much take comfort in her affection]

Allison: [and she will give him everything he needs, though if clothes start coming off, she's going to pull him into their bedroom]

Derek: [yeah, they will end up in the bedroom for sure]

Allison: [yep, so lots of comforting until they're both sated and exhausted and she turns to kiss him softly one last time] Sleep. We can call Baal when you wake up.

Derek: [and hopefully she remembered a condom because he's still in shock so he rolled low]

Allison: [she did, but also she's on the pill so they're covered either way]

Derek: [good. he will nod, and then let himself drift off as the exhaustion both mentally and physically catch up to him]

Allison: [and she will stay close, before eventually drifting off herself]

Cora: [and eventually Cora will be pulling into their driveway of their house in Mystic Falls, the adrenaline winding own and hands shaking a bit as she makes her way into the house to find her fiance] Stiles?

Stiles: [and he has dropped the kids off and is home, pacing. When he hears the car he will be striding into the livingroom and examining her up and down] Are you ok? Do I have to go kill someone? I'll go kill someone if they even touched a hair on your head...

Cora: I'm fine, I'm fine. [she holds up her hands, before resting them on his arms gently] I did more damage to them than they did to me.

Stiles: Good. Good. [still worried, his eyes looking over her face] What happened? Allison gave me the typical agent answer which isn't much because she didn't know much.

Cora: Some idiots decided they wanted to hold the guest speaker hostage. They chained up the exits to keep us all in until their demands were met. [she seems okay, but she's definitely a little shaken, and she takes a step forward to slide her arms around his waist and lean into him]

Stiles: [he will pull her in hard, his hands enclosing her, one on the back of her head, the other on her back keeping her pressed against him] You're out now. You're safe. Okay, you're safe.

Cora: Yeah, I know. [her eyes close as she leans into him, taking in his scent and the feeling of home, and she relaxes into his touch, staying close. she doesn't really want to talk about it anymore, so she changes the subject] I invited Derek to the wedding.

Stiles: The one we still need a date for.

Cora: The one that I keep putting off, yeah.

Stiles: Yes, that one. [there is a gentle tease in his voice]

Cora: It's not you, you know that right? I'm not wimping out because I'm unsure about you, I'm wimping out because I'm unsure about ... everything else.

Stiles: Everything else like inviting Derek?

Cora: And deciding whether or not to invite Laura or my dad or Peter. I just ... I have enough regrets. I don't want our wedding to be another one. But you, I'm one hundred percent sure about.

Stiles: Look at it like this - do you feel that you will regret it or there will come a time you will in not inviting them?

Cora: Maybe. [it's a weird complicated ball of feelings but its hard to want to invite them when she isn't sure how she feels about them and she doesn't want those feelings to color her happiness on the day of] I just don't want our wedding to have a whole lot of baggage attached.

Stiles: It won't. [he ran a hand along her cheek] We'll make it known that if they can't be there and be happy and supportive, then they shouldn't come. But if you feel you'll regret it, then don't push them away. Be the bigger person and let them celebrate you. Us. Maybe it'll even give you some healing.

Cora: [she takes a deep breath and nods] I'll think about it. [which is not a yes but it's not a no either. That being said...] But Derek and I are better now. I think we're finally back in sync again which ... feels really good.

Stiles: [and he smiles at that] Oh Cora, that's good. That's really good.

Cora: [smiles back] Yeah. And I'm very glad I have you to come home to.

Stiles: Same here. I didn't think I was going to have this for a long time.

Cora: Well, you do. And I'm not going anywhere for an equally long time.

Stiles: And hopefully a lot longer. [leaning in to kiss her]

Cora: [kisses him back, sinking into his arms as she uses the man she loves to distract her from the fear of earlier]

Stiles: [that's fine, because he's been worried out of his mind and could use a healthy way to release the built up adrenaline]

Cora: [good, then she will just drag him to their bedroom pulling at his clothes as they go so that there are far less layers between them and he can inspect her thoroughly to make sure she's okay]

Stiles: [which he will do, inch by inch with fingers and lips]

Cora: [and maybe it's because she wants to reassure him that she really does want to be with him forever, or maybe it's the fact that there are no barriers between them anymore, or maybe she just doesn't have as strong a leash on her wolf in this particular moment, after riding the high of an adrenaline charged situation but as they're starting to reach the moment where they both crest, her fangs slip out and they find purchase in Stiles' shoulder]

Stiles: [and he will feel that and his eyes will go wide. He will fight all those spy instincts he has to pull back and just go still under her a moment.]

Cora: [she doesn't hold him long, just enough for the bond to take root, and when she falls back, her eyes still glowing gold, until she realizes what happened and her hand comes up to cover her mouth] Oh my God, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?

Stiles: [and he will blink, his hand going to his shoulder] You bit me. [he's in a bit of shock here]

Cora: Yeah, I did, it's a .... mate thing. Let me get you an ice pack. [and she goes to reach for a robe. Once the door closes behind her, her feelings will start leaking through the bond, a bit of nerves but also a kind of contentment that she's never really had]

Stiles: [and he will feel that, unsure what the hell it is and will rub at his neck, so confused. So very, very confused and still kinda horny but ow his shoulder]

Cora: [and she'll return with the ice pack and place it on his shoulder gently] Is that better?

Stiles: [and he will nod, putting his hand on top of hers] Yeah, better. [and he will look up at her] What did you mean by mate thing?

Cora: [and this is where she looks embarrassed because she should have brought this up sooner] So ... one of my werewolf relatives would used to tell these ... stories about how werewolves mark their mates with a bite and it bonds them together where they can feel each other's pain and their lives are bound so that when one dies the other will follow, like swans? And I knew that we could be pretty monogamous but I thought that the rest of it was kind of ridiculous because my mom died, but my dad was fine, but ... not as much of a myth as I thought.

Stiles: Huh. [and he will shift his shoulder, then nod] Well, warn me about the next werewolf myth, ok? I'm not going to become one now, am I?

Cora: [she shakes her head] I can't turn people. But if everything else is true, you'll probably be healthier and live longer?

Stiles: Well, that's good. I think.

Cora: [she nods, before going to settle next to him, looking nervous] I'm sorry. I really should have known better.

Stiles: [and he's going to stay sitting on his side of the bed, holding the ice with one hand, his other running through her hair] No, it's ok. I mean, it's flattering, even. Just, ow.

Cora: I know. [and she places he hand against his chest to pull some of the pain as she leans up to kiss him, and it's ... strange, how such a little thing can make such the difference. part of her is still worried because she did hurt him and spring a lot of this on him, and there's a lot of feelings that she still bottles a lot, but there's a lot of happiness too. A kind of ease and contentment as a part of her is sated that she didn't realize needed to be]

Stiles: [he's not hurting as much as he gives on. It's more like a little sting with a sore muscle, but her pulling on it makes him feel better. He thankfully hasn't had to feel her pull on pain in awhile, and he forgot how nice that feels. He can also feel a cloud of love surrounding him like a fog, and when she kisses him it just intensifies and he groans, his eyes closing as he is lost in the new sensations sliding over him]

Cora: [and when he reacts she leans into it, feeling his feelings bloom into her chest and craving more of it. It's almost like she's sixteen again and discovering these feelings for the first time, only they're a bit more intense, and she pulls him closer]

Stiles: [and her craving and pleasure bleeds into him, a circle of desire and need and want and love and he kisses her back harder, needing]

Cora: [and she shifts back down onto the bed with him one hand sliding down to undo the robe she put on so that he can have easy access to her again]

Stiles: [and there is totally going to be another round of intense sex]

Cora: [which is like dialed up to eleven with the feedback loop of the mate bond between them]

Stiles: [and if she wasn't already knocked up from the last round, he would have done it now from just how intense that orgasm is, because it goes on for awhile on the loop]

Cora: [and they both collapse down onto the bed to try and catch their breath, Cora stretching out with a sigh] Holy crap.

Stiles: [panting, trying to come back down] Fuck. That was... yeah.

Cora: I'd say we should do it again, but I don't think I can move.

Stiles: I don't think I have anything left in me. You heal faster.

Cora: We should sleep it off and see where we're at tomorrow.

Stiles: [and he will at least roll over enough to spoon her from behind] I like this plan.

Cora: [she curls into him and closes her eyes] I love you.

Stiles: I love you too.

Cora: [and with that she will drop off to sleep fairly quickly because they wore each other out]

Stiles: [yup, and he is going to pretty much hold her tightly all night, and sleep in]

Cora: [and when she wakes up she feels so much lighter than she has in a long time. Yesterday was a good day with a lot of wounds finally starting to heal, and she feels closer to her soon-to-be husband than ever and she's just ... happy. She's almost forgotten what that feels like]

Stiles: [and when he wakes up... the problems he has been having with his memory are gone, the bond having healed whatever was causing the amnesia. Not that he knows it yet, but he will just snuggle more into her, nuzzling her hair]

Cora: [hums softly when she feels that, rolling over to face him] Hey.

Stiles: [opens his eyes, looking at her] Hey beautiful.

Cora: How are you feeling?

Stiles: Good. [leans in to kiss her quickly] Great now. [leans in to kiss her again]

Cora: [sighs as she kisses him back, inching closer to let him pull her in]

Stiles: [and round three is a go!]

Cora: [yep, round three is good. very good. and once they're done she pulls back with a laugh] As much as I would love to stay in and keep doing that all day, we have to go pick up Ben eventually. And I think I need to talk to my dad about something.

Stiles: [and he will raise an eyebrow] Okay...?

Cora: I think he was worried about more than just Ben with your other job.

Stiles: I'm sure he was.

Cora: [her hand comes up and brushes gently against the bruise] I think he was worried about this.

Stiles: About you making this kind of bond with me while I was out doing spy work across the country.

Cora: And what would happen to me if you got killed.

Stiles: [nods] And leaving Ben without any parents in the process.

Cora: [she nods] Yeah.

Stiles: I can't blame him for that, if that's why.

Cora: I can't either. [she closes her eyes as she leans back] But it still should have been my choice.

Stiles: And sometimes instincts overpower that.

Cora: I know. But if you had known about me and Ben while you were still training, would you have stayed in?

Stiles: I probably wouldn't have gone into that branch of the CIA. I don't think I would have left though. Just, gone into something less reckless.

Cora: [she nods] I know that instincts are strong things, obviously, but ... I wasn't a child. And I wasn't the one who made the emotional choices. I'm not saying I don't understand it but I was an adult and I deserved to have all the information.

Stiles: Honestly, Cora... I was messed up during that time. It may have been best for you not to have been around me. [he runs a hand along her cheek] If I knew about you and Ben, I would have wanted to be there. But I don't know if I would have been someone you'd want around Ben. I mean, look at the problems we had when we did find each other. I was ten times worse before my time in the farm and the discipline I got for the job.

Cora: [tips her head into his hand] Maybe. I mean, I wasn't much better. I was angry and cold and alone and ... I just can't help but wonder if maybe we could have helped each other. And it doesn't mean I deserved to have that choice taken away from me.

Stiles: And maybe we would have destroyed each other. Maybe you would have come with me and dragged Ben into what would be an ultimate fuck you to Laura and we ruined Ben's life. [he pressed his forehead to her] We can't change the past. And I like to think what we have now is worth it.

Cora: [she closes his eyes as she leans into him] I know. I just want to make sure it's not going to happen again.

Stiles: I'm pretty sure you sealed the deal last night with your fangs. [smiles]

Cora: [she laughs] I mean with any other information he might decide to keep from me.

Stiles: That's only something you can ask him about. But you know, with this wedding you'd be doing to him what you don't want done to you.

Cora: Yeah, I know. Which is why I have to talk to him.

Stiles: Alright, then let's go shower and head over to their place.

Cora: [she nods and they get up to do that! having some coffee and a quick breakfast snack to hold them over before driving up to the farmhouse. And while on the way she will text her brother a quick and slightly cryptic text:] BTW the stories Aunt Rita used to tell us? Kinda true.

Derek: [and he will be curled up on the couch with a cup of tea. When he sees that, he will write back] The one about the evil Santa that eats bad children on Christmas?

Cora: No. The ones about mate bonds.

Derek: Really?

Cora: Yep.

Derek: Damn.

Derek: Wait, how do you know?

Cora: [there's a really long pause before ...] Practical experience?

Derek: You didn't.

Cora: I didn't realize what I was doing.

Derek: Are you ok?

Cora: Yeah. I'm really good, actually. [she feels better than she has in years] Stiles was the one who got bitten.

Derek: Stiles I know can take a bit of pain. But he is ok, right?

Cora: Yeah, he's fine. I just wanted to warn you in case you and Allison ... you know.

Derek: I appreciate it. I struggled against doing that when I was 17. I keep resisting though

Cora: Well, I wasn't expecting it.

Derek: It just means that you're meant to be with him. That's what Aunt Rita said.

Cora: I know. I remember. I just didn't think it was real.

Derek: I guess it is. Congrats?

Cora: Thanks?

Derek: Make sure he wears a turtleneck when you go to pick up Ben.

Cora: Yeah, we got that covered. [hopefully?]

Stiles: [yeah, he'll have his hoodie on to cover it. mostly]

Cora: Do you want us to bring Baal home?

Derek: I don't know. Laura is going to want to see that I'm ok.

Cora: Okay. We're driving over now, so just text me and let me know. We'll be there for a bit.

Derek: Ok.

Cora: [and they're pulling up to the house so she tells Derek she'll talk to him later and just ... stares up at the door for a moment] My sister may get super concerned about my well being when we first get in there. She's probably been anxiety baking.

Stiles: Well, then I guess we're taking cookies home.

Cora: Or a cake. Or pie.

Stiles: I like it when we make your sister anxious.

Cora: [she laughs] She really wishes you wouldn't.

Stiles: What can I say, she's a good cook.

Cora: That she is. [and she takes a deep breath] Let's do this. [and out of the car they climb to go inside]

Stiles: [and he will make sure his hoodie and flannel are both covering the scar and bruise on his neck before they enter the house]

Cora: [and they will let themselves in] Anybody home?

Thomas: We're in the kitchen. [because everyone wins when Laura is anxious]

Cora: [and she goes and makes her way in where she's accosted by her sister who wants to check her over for herself so they're going to chat by themselves for a bit]

Stiles: [and he will come over where Ben and Baal and decorating cookies with Thomas]

Cora: [and once that's done, she'll make her way over to Ben] Hey, buddy. What're you working on?

Ben: Coloring in cookies. [he's focused. Intense concentration on designing the robot cookies]

Cora: They look really good. [she pauses for a moment] Do you mind if I borrow Grandpa for a little bit?

Ben: Nope. [eyes only for the decorating. And without grandpa, he can eat some too]

Cora: [nods before looking over at her father] Dad, can we ... ? [talk somewhere where little werewolf ears can't hear them]

Thomas: Sure. Want to take a walk?

Cora: [she nods] Yeah, let's do that.

Thomas: [and he will grab his jacket and walking cane and off they go towards the field in the opposite direction of Stan's place]

Cora: [and she'll keep her hands in her pockets for a moment, and once they're a good ways away from the house:] Can I ask you something weird and uncomfortably personal?

Thomas: Of course you can. That's what fathers are for - weird and personal things.

Cora: [yeah, well, that doesn't make it any easier for the daughters to ask them] Before mom died, did she ... were you ... mated?

Thomas: [shakes his head] No. Your mom didn't want to risk you kids losing both parents in case some hunter took her down. Then she became alpha and even if she changed her mind, that would involve making me a werewolf, and that wasn't something I wanted.

Cora: [well that answers that question] But it's why you didn't tell me about Stiles.

Thomas: [he sighs, stopping and putting both hands on the walking stick to support himself] One of them, yes.

Cora: [sighs as she turns to face him] That wasn't your decision to make.

Thomas: You are an adult, Cora, and I know I took away your choice. You're going to learn when Ben's older that you don't stop being a parent on that day your kid turns 18. You'll do things to keep taking care of him, keeping him safe, until you're dying breath. Sometimes you make mistakes. Sometimes there will be fights. But what I did was out of love for you, and protecting both you and Ben from what could have become a disaster.

Cora: Maybe it could have. And maybe it couldn't have. But you have to let me make those choices for myself. [she looks down for a moment before shifting her weight] I thought that you were on my side. That you trusted me enough to make my own choices. I thought you had my back, Dad. And now it feels like that wasn't it at all - that was only for the decisions that didn't really matter.

Thomas: I have always had your back, angel. I trust you to make your own choices, but you're still young. You don't know everything, and with how angry you are at Laura... you were so adamant to do things in an effort to throw it in her face... and then add in the strong instincts you have towards Stiles - it wouldn't have been fair to you either. Or Stiles. Not just because the boy was off trying to get himself killed, but because there were things about being an adult werewolf you didn't really know and wouldn't go to your sister to ask. Things like mating.

Cora: But the thing is, Dad? You were so scared that I would wrong thing, that you didn't give me the chance to get it right. You didn't have any faith in me. [and that's the part that hurts. it's not the lying, or withholding the information, but the fact that he didn't think that giving her all the information would lead to the right choice]

Thomas: Like I said, sometimes we make mistakes, even when we do something out of love.

Cora: [she swallows hard, because it's still not okay. it still hurts. but Stiles is right.] We're getting married, Dad. It's not going to be a big thing, but ... I wanted you there. But you gotta let me grow up. And if you can't do that, then ... don't come. [it hurts to say, but it's how she feels]