darkest timeline } { of visits home and magical consequences

[fadingspark]

Claudia: [Noah had the night off and they were planning on turning it into a night in. They'd had a nice dinner, basking in their child free home. They were preparing to "enjoy a movie" without actually watching the movie. But unfortunately (fortunately for Stiles) before things can get to where she was hoping things would go, a hole in the world opens in the middle of their living room, and out comes their son. Claudia sees him first, and she jumps] Stiles! What are you doing here?

Stiles: [whoa give him a second, mom. The world's trying to unspin. meanwhile, the mouse on his shoulder holding onto Stiles' ear give a great hail to the priestess and god of the house] Hey Mom. Dad. Sorry to interrupt movie night...

Claudia: [deep breath. remember you love him] Stiles, when you said you were moving to New York, I thought that meant you would be in New York. And that your returns home would be forecasted by plane tickets and phone calls.

Stiles: Would it sound better if this is an emergency visit?

Claudia: Is someone dead?

Stiles: No. Not yet, put probably sooner than later.

Claudia: Are you going to kill them?

Stiles: Oh, no. This death isn't my fault.

Sheriff: [sighs] Please remember that your father is a cop.

Stiles: [blinks] Oh. Yeah, no, no deaths are my fault. [semi-confident smile that only makes his father groan]

Claudia: It's okay, sweetie. We've trained him well, they'd never find the bodies. [...Sorry Noah, you married a Price.] Who is dying?

Stiles: Talia Hale.

Claudia: [and the glibness drains from her face instantly] What?

Sheriff: [sits forward] You mean the matriarch of the Hale pack?

Stiles: Yeah, the same. [and he explains what he's been able to make out from talking to Cora, Derek and Laura.]

Claudia: [one hand comes up to cover her mouth as she listens] Damn. I had no idea.

Stiles: I know. I mean, they didn't even know what was going on until an empath revealed it to Peter.

Claudia: So what are you doing here?

Stiles: Um... I needed time to clear my head. I told you about what happened last week with the memories, right? I thought I did.

Claudia: You did. Still wrapping my head around that one.

Stiles: There's more to it, and Laura suggested I take a step away for a few days and clear my head. But, um, if you two had plans, I can just go hang out with Scott tonight.

Claudia: [takes a breath, and then looks at her husband. She's soft for their son, he knows it, she knows it, she'll back his play]

Sheriff: [looks at both of them, then shrugs] What kind of father would I be if I kicked my son out of the house when he came all the way across the country?

Claudia: I'll make it up to you. Promise.

Sheriff: Oh, I will hold you to that.

Claudia: [she smiles] You know I'm good for it. [sorry Stiles, this is what you get now that both your parents are alive and still together]

Stiles: [and he actually doesn't mind. They are a good example of a healthy relationship]

Sheriff: [he pulls himself up from the couch] You need something for dinner, son? I think we have a frozen pizza somewhere.

Stiles: Yeah. Grandma warned me that portal jumping burns energy.

Claudia: [smiles and gestures for Stiles to come sit with her] C'mon. Tell me what's going on.

Stiles: [and he'll go to sit with her] So previous me was in a relationship with Cora. Like, really deep into one.

Claudia: ... Awkward, I'm guessing?

Stiles: Yeah. Here she's got a guy, but I think it's just a whole friends with sex thing. And, the one here is different than the one previous me loved.

Claudia: I'm sure it doesn't help you look at her and see the one you lost.

Stiles: [nods] And sometimes it's hard to remember which is which in my head.

Claudia: I'm sorry, kiddo. That has to suck.

Stiles: It gets worse.

Claudia: Gets worse how?

Stiles: Before I got the memories back... I've been crushing on Derek.

Claudia: Oh. That is complicated.

Stiles: Especially since Elena's his girlfriend from previous time, and they're reconnecting. [leans into his mom]

Claudia: Oh, bud. I'm sorry. I can see why you would have wanted to get away.

Stiles: I don't know what to do. I mean, Derek's one of my best friends. So I want him to be happy. I really do. And this Cora and I are becoming good friends, but I think she visits me for the mice than me sometimes.

Claudia: Well, she's known you a grand total of two weeks, at least in this world. But just because she loves the mice doesn't mean she doesn't like you. Is she aware of the whole time travel situation?

Stiles: Yeah, she is.

Claudia: Then I also think a factor is she wants to make sure you like her for the person she is now, and not the person she was before.

Stiles: And I'm trying not to put these feelings on her since it's not her.

Claudia: Have you tried talking to her about it?

Stiles: Not yet. She's been dealing with a lot right now

Claudia: [nods] I'm sure this revelation with her mom is complicating things too.

Stiles: Just anything with her and her mom is complicated.

Claudia: [she nods] Talia hasn't made things easy on anyone the last few years.

Stiles: She was surviving only because she was taking energy from Derek, you know?

Claudia: [purses her lips] I don't think that's really an excuse, but I'm not in her shoes.

Stiles: Not in the least. But Derek's been feeling way better while he's been in the city.

Claudia: That's good, I'm glad to hear it. He always was a sweet kid.

Stiles: [snuggles closer to his mom] How are you feeling?

Claudia: [tucks an arm around him and rubs his shoulder] Me? I'm fine. Never felt better.

Stiles: [thinks then looks up at her] Do you remember getting a necklace that night? The one where Elena was hiding in the house?

Claudia: [frowns before shaking her head] I don't really remember Elena hiding in the house, I'm just taking your word for it.

Stiles: Well, the third in our time travel trio... was a Mikelson witch.

Claudia: .....That's not comforting, Stiles.

Stiles: She did the spell, but she also did something I didn't know. Something.... for me. and You.

Claudia: What did she do?

Stiles: [closes his eyes and takes a deep breath] In the previous me's world... you died.

Claudia: [a long pause] How?

Stiles: Frontotemporal dementia.

Claudia: [her brow furrows] But my doctor said I was misdiagnosed.

Stiles: She transferred it off from you to Kate Argent.

Claudia: [and with that her face drops] She had no right to do that.

Stiles: I know. I didn't know, and I promise you I didn't ask for it.

Claudia: [sets her jaw as she shakes her head] How did she do it?

Stiles: I don't know. I just know it involved some necklace that belonged to Kate that was given to you, supposedly by little me.

Claudia: [sits up and looks down, reaching for the chain under her shirt and pulling out the wolf necklace in question] This one?

Stiles: [sits up and takes a look at it] Yeah, I think that's it.

Claudia: She's dead now. What happens if I take it off?

Stiles: I don't know. I didn't do the spell!

Claudia: [grits her teeth because this is always why she's been frustrated with magic. Magic and it's rules took her father from her, and while she knows that it runs in the family and there's only so much she can do about that, she can try to avoid getting trapped in those rules herself. This isn't Stiles' fault. She knows that. But she can't help but feel tense about it.] I would really appreciate it if you would find out.

Stiles: How about tomorrow I call her and get the information?

Claudia: [she nods] That sounds like a good idea.

Stiles: Then I'll do it. [pause] I'm not going to lie, though. I'm glad you're still here. The things I remember from previous me without you aren't really good.

Claudia: [her face softens] I'm not ... it's hard not to be grateful that I'm alive. But magic comes with a price, Stiles. It always has. And whether or not I asked for it, I have to live with it.

Stiles: I know, Mom. Just like I know one day my time traveling will have one.

Claudia: [she nods] I just would have preferred to have been consulted. Which I know is not your fault.

Stiles: I know. [and he leans against her again] I love you mom.

Claudia: I love you, too, bud.