spamalot } { of mate bonds and long distances

[arbalete]

Allison: [she was sitting in the gardens, Noah in her lap and playing with Ryan when it happens. It's a sudden, sharp searing pain that rips through her, almost like claws digging in, and it makes her gasp for breath. The suddenness of it sends her reeling and one hand moves to grip the fountain next to her while the other tightens her grip on the baby so that he doesn't fall. All she can manage to get out is one word] Scott.

Ryan: [just looks confused, a worried look crossing his face at seeing his mother in such distress] Mommy?

Dina: [sitting playing with Ryan, looks up as well] Auntie Allison?

Stiles: [was working on his laptop closer to the house, but he hears his daughter and turns, and then sees Allison and takes off from the spot, running down the stairs to her side] Allison? Allison what's wrong?

Andrea: [heard that too, making her way into the courtyard, concerned]

Allison: [can barely get the words out, her entire chest feels tight and it's hard to breathe] Scott. Something's wrong with Scott.

Andrea: [.... ooooh shit] Hey kids. Why don't we give the adults a minute? I'm pretty sure we've got some ice cream in the kitchen. [there's an inquisitive look to Stiles if that's okay, given the givens]

Stiles: [carefully gets Noah out of Allison's tight grip and hands the child to Andrea, nodding] That sounds delicious, Andrea. Kids, why don't you go and Allison and I will be there in a few minutes?

Dina: [knows that tone of Daddy's and takes Ryan's hand] Okay, Daddy.

Andrea: [takes Noah easily and nods] C'mon kids, let's go.

Ryan: [too young and too easily distracted to realize something is wrong, just takes Dina's hand and runs after Andrea for his ice cream]

Allison: [manages to keep it together until the kids are gone and then the panic really starts to show] I have to call him. Right now. Where's my phone?

Stiles: You sit, right now. [he's trying not to act freaked out and pats down his pockets, pulling out his phone] Here, use mine.

Allison: [does as she's told, her hands shaking a bit as she tries to make the touch screen work, and it's not working out so well - she probably misfires and calls Stiles’ favorite pizza place or something in the process] I can't get this to ...

Stiles: [takes the phone from her and puts in the correct phone number for Scott and hands it back to her, sitting next to her] It's going to be okay, Allison.

Scott: [nope, sorry Allison, he is so not in a position to answer the phone right now, but leave a message and he will call you back when he's available]

Allison: [yeah, that doesn't make her feel better] It went to voicemail. [it's said quickly before she leaves him a short message to call her back, unable to keep the fear out of her voice]

Stiles: [takes the phone back] Here, I'll also text Cora and see if she can tell me anything. [and he sends her a text asking if Scott was oaky because Allison was suddenly freaking out]

Allison: [nods a bit numbly, trying her best to wait patiently, but not doing it very well]

Cora: [there's some text volleys with her sister and eventually she comes back with] Tangled with Derek and got cut up pretty bad. He'll be okay, though.

Stiles: [is just going to hold his sister-in-law tightly until then, trying to comfort her until his phone responds] Okay, he's going to be fine, Allison. See? [shows her the text]

Allison: It doesn't feel fine. [but she can take Cora's words as the truth, at least for now. She won't really feel better until she can talk to her husband]

Stiles: [pulls her in closer, his contact aversion not even kicking in and he just holds her, letting Allison take what she needed from contact with him] I can't even imagine what you are feeling.

Allison: [will take the comfort gratefully, burying her face in her hands] I shouldn't be here. I should be with him. [he needs her. That's all this feeling is really telling her and she hates that she's too far away to go to him - though that was probably the point of sending her that far away in the first place]

Stiles: [he rests his chin on top of her head, his casted hand rubbing her back a bit] I know that's where you want to be, but your boys need you here. That's why you're here, Allison, and he's there.

Allison: He needs me too.

Stiles: And once the nogitsune is taken care of, he'll have you.

Allison: Logically, I know that, but that's not good enough. [not for whatever it is she's feeling. She pulls away from him and gets to her feet, pacing across the floor as though that will help the nervous energy] It feels like I can't breathe.

Stiles: Does it feel like the world around you is slowing down and you're moving too fast for it?

Allison: [she shakes her head] No, not really. It's just this feeling, sitting in my chest, that I need to just go.

Stiles: [pushes himself up to stand] Do you think it's a mate thing?

Allison: [she takes a deep breath for a moment before nodding] Probably. I've never really felt something like this before.

Stiles: I think Cora felt the same thing when I was shot. [which hi, guess how long Stiles and Cora have been mated for, Allison] She didn't want to leave my side, but I was fine for the most part. [you know, after the not being dead any longer]

Allison: [she nods a bit, running a hand over her face] It's one thing to be a couple towns over, but I'm too far away. This is too far, I never should have agreed to this.

Stiles: [deep breath. Okay, he can do this] Allison, stop. [yes, that's his strong voice, a rare showing. The last time was when he had killed Ray] Seriously, right now you need to focus on Noah and Ryan. I know it hurts. Knowing you're hurting because of him is making me want to see him too. But right now Laura has him, and she will keep him safe. He’s a freakin werewolf and he'll heal. So I need you to focus on what you can do here, and wait for him to call you back.

Allison: [he's right. She knows he's right. She takes another deep breath, arms rubbing hers absently for a moment as she tries to get herself to breathe normally again, she glances back to the kitchen, before turning back to Stiles] I just ... I need some air. Can you watch them for a bit?

Stiles: Long as you promise me you're not going to steal a car and drive back to California.

Allison: [snorts a bit before nodding] I promise. I'll be back in an hour, tops.

Stiles: [licks his lips, then nods] Fine. But you're not back in an hour, I'm sending the wolves to find you. [and that's a promise]

Allison: Deal. I won't even take my ID or anything - just my phone.

Stiles: [nods] Alright. I'll go deal with our sugar high children.

Allison: Thank you. [and with that she'll go take a walk through the quarter.]

Andrea: [is actually managing pretty well in the kitchen, balancing Noah on her hip while the other two sit at the counter eating their ice cream]

Stiles: [comes back, seeing the kids and is trying not to show that he's just a bit shaken in the moment, smiling instead for the kids] Those look good.

Dina: Miss Andrea let us have TWO scoops each!

Andrea: It was a bribe, I'll admit. If you want me to handle them until it wears off, I can.

Stiles: [he'd ask what she was talking about, but no, wolf smelling probably can taste his anxiety in the air] Thanks. I'm going to just go... grab a shower. I think it's almost time for cartoons any way so you should be good.

Andrea: [she nods] Got it. Cartoons it is. [there's a small smile] Do what you need to do.

Stiles: [he's going to make his way upstairs and sit on the floor of the bathroom, debating a moment before pulling out his cell phone and calling Cora]

Cora: [is in his room, Derek securely kanima'd downstairs and when she hears her phone ringing she answers immediately] Hi.

Stiles: [there is a sound of relief from his throat before he can find words] I just needed to hear your voice.

Cora: [closes her eyes for a moment and nods] Is Allison okay?

Stiles: No, not really. Scott needs to call her as soon as he can. I think I at least snapped her out of her flight mode to rush back though.

Cora: That's good. He's okay, Stiles, he just really needs the rest. I have a feeling Laura's screening his calls.

Stiles: Yeah, well tell Laura she's doing a crap job at it and let her talk to him. [he's trying not to slip into a panic attack of his own, hence the curtness]

Cora: Stiles. [her voice is quiet, trying to keep him calm as best she can] He might not be in a place where he can talk right now. I'm sure that when he's awake she'll be the first call he makes, but right now he needs to rest.

Stiles: [takes a shaking breath] How bad is he really?

Cora: [she's quiet for a long moment, before] Remember when I went up against the twins?

Stiles: That was a long time ago.

Cora: Remember how bad I was?

Stiles: I'd rather not. [rubs at his neck]

Cora: [sighs] It's like that, Stiles. He needs a lot of sleep, but he'll be fine.

Stiles: [nods to himself] Okay, I get it. [deep shaky breath]

Cora: [frowns a bit] Are you okay?

Stiles: Not really. I um... I just keep sitting here thinking what I'd be doing if it had been you.

Cora: It wasn't me. I'm okay.

Stiles: But it could have been. If Derek could do that to Scott... he could do it to you. He could do it to anyone.

Cora: We have him, Stiles. Paralyzed with kanima venom and locked up downstairs. He's not going to hurt anyone else.

Stiles: Okay..... okay. [and he's going to just focus on his breathing] I'm not used to being the strong one here.

Cora: I remember you being pretty good at it.

Stiles: Yeah, but that was also a long time ago.

Cora: I think you can do it again. It never went away, you just got rusty.

Stiles: [if rusty means beaten out of you... sure] I just really want you here right now.

Cora: [she pauses at that, curling into his pillow a bit almost as though he was actually there] I wish I was there too.

Stiles: [he just closes his eyes, leaning against the wall] I love you.

Cora: I love you too. I miss you.

Stiles: We were supposed to be moving into the loft today.

Cora: I know. [there's a beat] I could still go move some stuff over. It's not like I'm getting much sleep anyway.

Stiles: No, I want to do it with you.

Cora: Okay. [shifts a bit as she picks at the comforter] How does Dina like New Orleans?

Stiles: She loves it. She's also Klaus' newest fangirl.

Cora: [she laughs] How did he win her over?

Stiles: Thor on a pony.

Cora: Thor on a pony.

Stiles: You heard me. It's huge and going to be hanging over her bed.

Cora: [she laughs] Well at least he has one fan of his art.

Stiles: I have to admit, it was cute watching them.

Cora: He has his moments.

Stiles: Otherwise he hasn't really been around much. Andrea tends to stay with us.

Cora: With Elijah not far behind, I'm sure.

Stiles: Yeah. Laura's kids spend time with him. I think he reminds them of their father.

Cora: Yeah, that seems right. Is Liam sick of hanging out with all the little kids yet?

Stiles: Actually, Liam's made a few friends. One of the emissary in trainings is a year older than him.

Cora: Good for him. [there's a beat] Oh, wait - Davina?

Stiles: Yeah, her. And her friend Josh, is... well let's just say Derek and Fiona are in for a surprise.

Cora: [eyebrows raise] Good surprise or bad surprise?

Stiles: Liam's figuring out what he is looking for in a potential mate surprise.

Cora: .... Oh. Well ... whatever floats his boat.

Stiles: Allison pretty much thinks the boy will eat Liam alive.

Cora: Sometimes it's good to just fall for a really cute boy.

Stiles: Well, he is a really cute boy, that's for sure.

Cora: Good. He can have his little French Quarter fling.

Stiles: I really hope Derek gave him the sex talk. I didn't sign up to give that talk yet.

Cora: I think he did. I may have forced his hand on that particular topic.

Stiles: Oh right, the whole mate thing. [deep breath, much calmer now]

Cora: Yeah. I still haven't lived that down.

Stiles: You probably won't until Dina is old enough.

Cora: Yeah, I know. [a beat] I miss her too.

Stiles: She misses you too. I heard she was telling people that you're her new mommy.

Cora: [she grins a bit at that] Good to know.

Stiles: [sighs] I should probably shower and check on them all.

Cora: [and just like that the smile goes away] Okay. I'll let you go.

Stiles: I'll be home soon, okay? I mean, you've got him now, and you can figure out how to save him. Save him, and you get us as a reward. How's that for motivation?

Cora: That is excellent motivation.

Stiles: Then you go make it happen. We're all counting on you. [he's smiling.]

Cora: [smiles a bit herself] Got it. I'll see you soon.

Stiles: Love you.

Cora: Love you too.

Stiles: [and he's going to hang up now and go off and be the man of the house guests]

Cora: [and she hangs up with a sigh, staring at his side of the bed and misses him]