canon au } { post-412: smoke and mirrors

[kiss_evilgoodbye]

[♫ Breath ~ IC Voicestream]



[After trying to kill Scott and claim his alpha, Peter got his ass kicked, drugged with wolfsbane and tied to a chair in one of the Slayer safehouses. He’s lashing out at whoever happens to be in range, before Buffy gets the brilliant idea of duct taping his mouth shut. Peter is less than amused.]

Buffy: Don't worry. You're still pretty. Now you don't get to ruin it by talking.

Stiles: [rubbing the back of his neck] I'm really getting a very bad feeling of deja-vu here...

Cora: [glances over] You don't have to stay. I'll be okay.

Stiles: No. I mean, this is my plan, and honestly... Peter did save my life in Mexico, and by teaching Scott this... and a few other times. I may not trust him at all, but I saw what you guys do in him last night. Well, you know, up until he started trying to kill Scott.

Cora: [ smirks a bit] Okay.

Buffy: [crouches to check Peter's restraints again] Yeah, well - hopefully we can bring that guy back. Because if this doesn't work ... [it's cuckoo's nest for you, big guy.]

Derek: [goes to move into Peter's line of sight] It needs to work. I'm not going to abandon him in that place - not without us fighting for him. Someone needs to actually fight for him, even if it means fighting him. [looks up at Cora] You really think you'll be able to use that skill in his head?

Cora: [she nods, crossing her arms in front of her chest, keeping eye contact with her uncle] Yeah. I can do it.

Peter: [staring at both of them, and the jaw is set into his stubborn expression, his eyes tinged with crazy]

Derek: [nods] Do it.

Scott: I just hope you two are right.

Cora: [nods as well] Me too.

Deaton: The wolfsbane should keep him from burning off the venom, so you will have longer than you did with Stiles. But remember that Peter's just as tricky.

Derek: [goes to steady Peter's head for Scott since he has no muscle control, hoping this works]

Scott: Cora?

Stiles: [gives her a kiss on the cheek] You can do this.

Cora: [turns and gives him a small smile before quickly pulling her hair up and taking the seat next to Peter. She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, tipping her head forward for Scott] Okay.

Derek: [watches nervously as Scott's eyes go red and he sticks his claws into the only remaining family he has left. Then he just stays there, pressing his forehead to Peter's and hoping that somehow, his presence can just help the other two.]

Peter: [Scott and Cora will wake up in Cora's bedroom in the Hale house. It's exactly the way she remembers it, down to the books that sat in their imperfect rows, and the toys on the desk and floor]

Cora: [sucks in a breath that she doesn't need as she surges into a sitting position, looking around as she does. Her eyes narrow as she takes in the scene, before pushing up and moving to the desk pressed against the wall with the window] Scott?

Scott: [blinks and sits up from floor, his eyes wide and looking around] Where are we?

Cora: My room. [a beat] Before the fire, anyway. [she's pauses, her hands hovering over the desk for a moment before she starts pulling the drawers open, clearly looking for something]

Scott: Your ... wow. I don't think I've even seen this room in it's current state... well, before it was knocked down.

Cora: [she pulls open the top drawer and rustles in it for a moment, before her fingers curl around what she's looking for. He knew she kept it and where. She's not surprised it's there] Come on. [she pulls it out, closing the drawer behind her] We shouldn't stay anywhere for too long.

Scott: [nods] This is all you, Cora. I'm here to keep you safe.

Peter: [the second they open the door, however, they will be greeted by a rolling cloud of dark smoke, and the screams of people being burnt alive. Closing the door cuts both off. The room is safe - it's the only safe place he's giving her]

Cora: [she closes the door once she sees it, memories of the fire coming back in a sudden rush of pain and she closes her eyes, trying to steel herself for this as best she can.] If it gets bad, you need to get back here. Got it? [that's for you, Scott. You may be here to keep her safe, but hell if she's going to let you get trapped in Peter's head.] They need you more than they need me. And I'm not just talking about Derek and Stiles. [she's thinking of Liam and Kira and he's the alpha, but sometimes the beta needs to take the fall for the rest of the pack] You get back here and you'll be able to get out, okay?

Scott: We'll get back here. [because you're pack too, Cora, and like hell he's leaving you trapped in the mind of a psycho]

Cora: [she watches him for a moment, before nodding and pulling the door open again. the arm with the closed hand comes up to shield her mouth and nose on instinct, and she throws herself into the fray again]

Scott: [he puts his shirt collar over his mouth and nose, and then his hand to keep it there. his eyes turn red so that he could see through the smoke and keep track of Cora]

Peter: [the hallway goes on forever, fire licking the walls. It lashes out at Scott - Peter so does not like you playing alpha in his head - but while it tries to go after Cora, it actually goes millimeters shy of actually hurting her. She can feel the heat, it'll singe the hairs on her arms, but it won't burn her. Scott - so not as lucky]

Cora: [she catches on to that quickly, before turning and pulling at Scott to shove him ahead of her, trying to see if keeping him close might shield him somehow] We have to get out of the house.

Scott: [yeah, this is worse than being in Stiles' head. Not as bad as the oni cutting at him but still - sucks] Where's the staircase?

Peter: [nope, he's just a shield now. So it's going to come at Scott's front, making a wall to block them from the stairs. oops?]

Cora: [her face falls a bit when the wall of fire appears] There. [she pauses, before taking a tentative step forward around Scott, reaching her hand out so that she can see what it will do]

Peter: [the fire flickers, not wanting to give up its position. Go back to your room, Cora, its safe there. But if she presses and pushes herself against it... the flames will feel like an illusion and let her pass. It'll also let Scott pass if Cora pulls him through fast enough]

Cora: [she does, her hand pushing forward and slipping through the flames. She reaches behind her and takes Scott's hand, pulling him close against her back] On three, jump. One, two ... [and then she'll tug hard, pushing through the wall of fire and onto the other side]

Scott: [does so, closing his eyes]

Peter: [and they will be falling down the staircase of the burnt out and ashy house into the front hallway. Everything is black, dusty, and the only light is from the full moon outside. They can see the living room to their right, the front door in front of them, and the dining room to their left. All burnt and basically the way Derek had been living in it. In the living room, there is a hole in the floor and by the fireplace stands a familiar shape in a long black leather trench coat, his back to them, fingers playing with a purple flower] You should have gone back to your room, Cora... [the voice is dark, menacing. It's the crazy talking]

Cora: [steels her jaw at that, keeping her hand in Scott's in case something else from the house decides to lash out at him] Sorry. It's going to take more than a little fire to keep me out.

Peter: [turns to her, and it's his shifted face, but the one from when he was an alpha. because in his mind, Peter is always the alpha. His red eyes bore into both of them] I can't be held responsible for what happens next then. [there's a growl, and yeah, he's looking right at you, Scott.]

Scott: [squeezes Cora's hand, but she's the lead here, so he stays quiet]

Cora: [won't hesitate to snarl right back, eyes flashing gold as her fangs drop. The alpha is the Peter she doesn't know, the Peter that's the easiest to disassociate from the man she knew. She just hopes that this isn't all that's left of him, and she positions herself between him and Scott. She's family. That's her leverage. And the one weapon she has is going into the front pocket of her jeans for the right moment] I know how this obstacle course goes, Peter. It's kinda like a game. And I think you know that I have no problem doing whatever it takes to win.

Peter: Do you really, little wolf? [his eyes turn to her] Because I'm sure that given the right incentive, you'll snap just like the rest of them.

Stiles: [and from behind them, in comes Stiles. But he's different. His eyes are gold, he has fangs, and he's very, very dark]

Peter: I obviously bit the wrong teenager in the woods that night. But Stiles was deliciously perfect when you let him get a taste of his dark side. The perfect beta.

Cora: [her eyes flicker to Stiles for a moment, only a moment, and then back to Peter again] It's not real. And you're wrong. [not about Stiles being a good beta, but not for those reasons. Those reasons aren't Stiles and being a wolf doesn't change who you are. Only time can do that.] I think I know Stiles a bit better than you do.

Stiles: Do you? Because you see, I remember everything about being the nogitsune, remember? And I liked it. Oh, baby I really, really liked it. [he points his claws at her] The power? I crave it, every day. But you just keep holding me back - and I'm tired of being the weak one.

Scott: [looking at Cora. He knows that since they are all connected, Peter can pull at their memories too, and that isn't something he knows]

Cora: No, I don't. [she finally looks at not!Stiles, all grim determination] You know I don't care. I'm not the reason you don't ask Scott for the bite, so really, Peter, if you're going to try to manipulate me with my boyfriend, you're going to have to do a little better than that. Besides, two can play at that game - do you really want me to break out the big guns? [because she knows more than a few things that can push him back if she really wants to, but she doesn't focus on anything specific, trying to keep the upper hand]

Peter: [smirks] You may need them.

Stiles: [and no, he's going to attack Cora, and yes, that is actually going to hit and strike her hard as his claws slash at her chest. She no longer is being protected in his head]

Scott: [goes to help, but look, alpha Peter is up in his face, throwing him across the room.]

Peter: You know, I may have forgotten to mention that if you die in the head of another person... you still die in the real world too.

Cora: [she recoils at the blow, stumbling back against the floor until she hits a wall. She glances down at the bloody gash in her chest. She's healing, however - that she at least has control over. She shifts easily, claws coming up to slash back at Stiles while her mind sorts through the defenses she has at her disposal. There are two in particular that come to mind and she tries to work fast, fighting against Peter to change the playing field before he realizes what she's doing, and two wolf howls echo from somewhere in the house - actual wolves, not werewolves.]

Peter: [he and Scott are both bloody, and he has Scott pinned up against the fireplace and snarling when his head snaps to the sound]

Stiles: [snarls, the extension of Peter's will, redoubling his efforts to attack her and get her unconscious and out of the way so he can kill Scott while he had the opportunity.]

Derek: [is on the outside watching, seeing both Scott and Peter jerking a bit in their stances, and Peter's nose is starting to bleed. He looked up at Deaton, nervous]

Deaton: I was expecting that. He's struggling against them.

Cora: [nope, not happening. She kicks back against Stiles and slams a kick to his chest to force him away. Before he can come back again, two snarling wolves are rounding the corner, one with red eyes and one with blue. Blue goes for Stiles, tackling him before he can come at him again, while the red goes for Peter, surging forward and sinking her teeth into his leg and pulling to drag him back]

Peter: [he howls in pain, dropping Scott who is coughing, and he goes to slash at the wolf latched onto his leg. Stiles is fighting the other wolf, both of them fighting and not paying attention for the moment at the two teenagers. Two doors are open for them to exit out of - the front door and the door that leads to the basement tunnels. If Cora focuses on scent, Peter's trail is coming from both, but there is a tiny difference of the old Peter and the lunatic - and the old Peter is in the tunnels]

Cora: [she reaches for Scott's hand first, pulling them both to their feet and starting to run. So long as Scott's hand is in hers, she doesn't slow down, just keeps heading down the stairs of the basement to the tunnels underneath] Come on, while he's distracted.

Scott: [coughing but follows, and soon they are in the dank tunnels. He stops as something catches his leg] It smells horrible... oh my god... [it's a skeletal arm reaching for him, the bones black from being burnt]

Cora: [squeezes his hand tightly, closing her eyes as she focuses on Peter's scent and not the burnt out remains of her family around them] Just stay close. Don't let go of my hand.

Peter: [the tunnels will keep wrapping around and around, never ending. arms will reach up at them, trying to stop them. whispers of "you left us... we needed you..." come as strangled cries from different members of the family - including Peter's. the stench of death is overwhelming, and sometimes it overpowers Peter's scent. But she will find the scent, but the scent only sends her back into the endless twists and turns. If she opens her eyes when she loses the scent, as opposed to following it, she will notice those are the moments when it's peter's voice moaning "i saved you... why wasn't I enough to come back for..." with his scent teasing on the wind to draw her away more. If she looks with her wolf eyes, eventually she will find the triskele in the wall there]

Cora: [it hurts. All of it does. It sinks like a stone in her stomach and her hand tightens around Scott's when she hears people she loves, people whose voices she hasn't heard in so long calling out to her, condemning her for doing the only thing she could. But she keeps herself with the task on hand, following the scent until her eyes glow gold in the darkness and she finds the triskele. She takes a step closer, one hand coming up to rest against the symbol for a moment, before pressing hard] You are. That's why I found you. [it's said softly, more to Peter than anyone else, but given how close she's keeping Scott, he can probably hear it.]

Scott: [for him, this has been way too much information about the Hale psyche he ever expected, and yet as he's gone through it, he's come to understand not just Peter, but all of them more. Cora and Derek, and all the social and emotional issues that each came with. But he stays close]

Peter: [Maybe it's her hands. Maybe it's her words, but the door opens and they step thought... into beacon hills high school? Yes, they are in the locker room. but it's different - not like it is now, but from when Peter was a teenager. His glory days. The times where he knew who he was. His scent is coming from a particular locker that is slightly open, a leather jacket hanging from the edge. If Cora goes to open it more, a basketball will bounce out and roll along the floor.]

Cora: [she follows her instincts and that leads her to the jacket, as well as the basketball. She sighs softly as she looks at it, before reaching down with one hand to scoop it up] I was never any good at basketball. [well, she was because natural talent, but she didn't have the grace for the game that Peter and Derek had. Still, she bounces the ball a few times, trying to see if it'll bring out Peter from wherever he's hiding.]

Scott: [looks around the locker room] There's not a lot of places for him to hide here. Trust me, I've tried.

Cora: [pauses for a moment, before tucking the ball under one arm and leading the way out of the locker room and towards the court itself, thinking maybe she'll find him out by the nets]

Peter: [good girl. because right there at center court is a single hospital bed with a spotlight down on it as the only light source in the room. in scrubs lays a version of Peter that Cora will recognize - Scott won't - but it was Peter at the age before the fire when he was still young and handsome, before the fire and coma aged him into the face and shape he was now. He's unconscious, unburnt, barely breathing and the faintest of heartbeats - as if he was fading away. There is literally nothing else around the bed. it is silent.]

Cora: [this is when Cora will let Scott go, handing him the basketball as she makes her way closer. There are probably moments where Scott can catch the flicker of the girl she used to be, the one that was lost to the fire too, and she slowly makes her way across the court, reaching into her pocket and pulling out the thing she had grabbed from her desk earlier. It was a small rock, something that could easily fit in the palm of her hand, with a triskele carved into the side of it. She reaches for one hand, placing it in it gently before finally speaking] Uncle Peter? You need to wake up.

Scott: [he holds onto the ball, following closely and blinking, rubbing at his eyes at the shifts and the deaging of both of them. But he keeps his distance, not wanting to ruin what may be the core of this]

Peter: [is silent and unmoving until the stone is placed in his hand and Cora calls out for him. It is only then that the wolves would hear it - the heartbeat jumps. Another moment, and then there is a gulp of air as his lungs waken]

Cora: [sucks in a breath at that as well, her hands still closed over his as she waits for him to open his eyes] Please. Please wake up. I know it hurts, but we need you.

Scott: [comes closer, because you know, Peter waking up is not exactly going to be a good thing]

Peter: [a few more breaths, his heartbeat getting stronger, and then there is a groan and eyes open, glowing gold]

Cora: [may be crying right now, because she hasn't seen those eyes in a long time. They've been blue ever since she came back to Beacon Hills, but this was the Peter she knew. so yep. tears. There's also a smile though, one hand coming up to brush at her cheeks] Hi.

Peter: [he looks over at her, seeing her crying and looks confused] Why are you crying, little wolf?

Cora: [shakes her head a bit] You got lost. I thought you were gone.

Peter: [blinks, and then he slowly sits up, groaning at the tightness all over. He looks over at Scott, and there is no recognition at all, then back at Cora] Lost?

Cora: [she nods, hand coming up to brush harder at the wetness on her cheeks] But I found you. Like you taught me too.

Peter: [he blinks, and the yellow eyes fade back to his normal blue eyes, and he slides off the bed to cup her cheeks, smiling] Thank you.

Cora: [she smiles back, leaning into his hand a bit, before looking around. She doesn't know if waking up this Peter negates the other one] But you have to get us out of here. Me and Scott.

Peter: [looks over at Scott again, trying to place the face, then nods] Are there hunters?

Cora: [hesitates] Not exactly. [there's a beat, trying to figure out how to explain it] It's another alpha.

Peter: [nods, then motions with his head] Come on, there's a way out the back. Goes right back home. Maybe we'll find your brother on the way too.

Cora: [nods in agreement, before extending a hand back to Scott again. Keeping them connected, if they were heading back towards crazy!Peter, it seems like the best bet.]

Peter: [they will be fine, because when they head out the emergency exit and Peter takes Cora's hand as she has Scott's, they will all wake up in the real world]

Cora: [sucks in a breath as she jerks awake, eyes flying open and hands flailing a bit, reaching for whoever might be right in front of her]

Stiles: [which would be her boyfriend because after Peter's nose started bleeding, Stiles and Deaton went to Cora and Scott to watch them carefully. He grabs her back, holding her steady] Hey, I'm here.

Cora: [her eyes go to him and when she sees him as him, a small smile crosses her face] Hi. [then the world starts to spin and she pitches forward into his arms] Whoa.

Stiles: [nope, holding her against him] Take it easy. You were out a long time.

Cora: [she blinks for a minute, trying to get the world to right itself] I think I'm gonna be out a little while longer. [and yep, back to unconsciousness again]

Buffy: [glances over to her, moving to check her vitals and looking back to Stiles] Take her upstairs to one of the bedrooms. Scott too. They've earned a nap.

Stiles & Deaton: [go to do so, carefully moving them. Scott locks eyes with Derek and nods his head at Peter in that knowing way they communicate with these days]

Buffy: [waits until they're all gone before turning back to Peter and carefully removing the duct tape from his mouth] Hi.

Peter: [has been blinking, partially confused, scared, and sad. His minds are working to merge and he just isn't moving] Buffy? [his younger mind, confused at seeing her there]

Buffy: Yeah. [she grabs he chair that Cora was sitting on and pulls it so that she's sitting in front of him] Derek's here too.

Peter: [blinks, then shakes his head] I... what's happening?

Buffy: What's the last thing you remember?

Peter: I... I remember the house on fire... and then I remember trying to kill ... Scott? It’s all mixed up in my head...

Buffy: [reaches down to start to undo the restraints on him] Do you know where you are?

Derek: [is staying quiet, just listening and watching Peter carefully]

Peter: [he looks around, blinking a moment as memories merge] This is where your slayers are staying...

Buffy: Yeah. One of my safe houses. You'll be safe here, no one's going to come at you. It'll give you time to sort things out.

Peter: [nods and goes to leans back, and then closes his eyes] Everything is just... jumbled up in my head. It feels like everything is this movie I'm watching.

Buffy: Well, Stiles and Cora came up with it on the fly. No one ever said it was going to be a perfect plan.

Peter: I really did all of those things?

Buffy: [she nods, reaching for his hand gently] Yeah, you did.

Peter: [takes it, squeezing it tightly as he takes a deep breath] How did I let myself fall that far? I'm better than that.

Buffy: Loss can make people do a lot of things they wouldn't normally do.

Peter: [shakes his head] I mean... I just... [he opens his eyes and looks at Derek] Derek, I'm sorry.

Derek: [small shake of his head] I know.

Buffy: [she gives his hand a soft squeeze in return] We'll help you through it. I'm not going anywhere, and neither is Derek.

Peter: [he blinks] You aren't supposed to be alive... I saw you... I thought I saw you...

Derek: [small smirk] I got better.

Buffy: [smiles a bit at that] Everyone made it out okay. Except for the beserkers, a few of the Calaveras and probably Kate.

Peter: I knew where she was... most of the time you were looking for her. I used her just... just like I used everyone. [blinks, so lost and trying to understand what he did]

Buffy: Hey. [her free hand comes up to brush against the side of his face gently, getting him to look at her] You made mistakes. But you're here to make up for them. That's what you need to focus on.

Peter: [looks up at her, so sad]

Buffy: [she pushes up from his chair, leaning in to kiss his forehead softly] You should get some sleep. It's been a long day.

Peter: [closes his eyes at the affection, still holding her hand] I feel like I've been asleep for years.

Buffy: But your body hasn't. The rest might help things feel a little mess jumbled.

Peter: [he just nods. He wants to ask her to stay with him, but he knows that there is a lot between them than need to be resolved in his head too] Where should I stay then?

Buffy: You can stay here. Come on. [she tugs on his hand gently, before leading him towards the stairs. She'll stay if he asks her to, but she won't pressure him to]

Derek: I'll be down here if you need me, Peter.

Peter: [he looks back and nods, then just goes to follow Buffy. There is so much he wants to say, but at the same time he doesn’t know how to say it.]

Buffy: [she leads him up the stairs, past the two bedrooms that Scott and Cora are in to the master at the end of the hall, which is the one she's been living in lately. She knows her scent will be everywhere in it, and hopefully it'll be more comforting than not]

Peter: [He's lost in his own thoughts, but having her scent surround him, taking away the anger and fear and anxiety from the other room helped a bit]

Buffy: [she lets his hand go gently when he sits on the edge of the bed.] I'll shut the door so no one should bother you. Just relax, okay? Try not to stress about things too much.

Peter: I just spent the better part of two months planning on killing half the people in this place. It's a little hard not to stress over.

Buffy: But only half. Half a murder spree is easy to come back from. Especially when no one's actually dead.

Peter: Which... I'm having a hard time deciding if I'm supposed to be happy about that or not. [honest answer]

Buffy: You'll figure it out. [there's a pause as she runs her fingers through his hair] Though my vote would be for "happy."

Peter: [he huffs a bit, more like a laugh than being irritated] Of course yours would be. [and he leans into her hand with a soft sigh]

Buffy: [she smiles softly, letting her hand linger a bit and her thumb brush against his cheekbone] Do you want me to stay?

Peter: I don't want to be alone. I'm... I'm afraid of what I'll do.

Buffy: [she nods reaching down to pull off her boots before climbing into bed. As she goes she pulls him with her, letting him curl into her]

Peter: [and he does, in a way his body hadn't held her since before the fire, but it was familiar in that time and space when they had been Peter & Buffy and the world was right. But it wasn't right in his head. Seven plus years of time to straighten out was difficult]

Buffy: [she lets her arms curl around his shoulders, fingers sliding through his hair softly as she tries to soothe him to sleep]

Peter: [which will eventually come, mental exhaustion just taking over to the point where he will get a nice dreamless sleep for probably half a day]

Buffy: [she'll stay up for most of it, but eventually she'll drift off to sleep catching at least a few hours before he wakes up]

Derek: [meanwhile is downstairs, knowing he's forgetting something but isn't quite sure what...]