There's an uncharitable feeling about how Cora is the only one who fully survived the Alpha Pack, how it feels like she succeeded in getting out of the vault and stole Erica's life to go along with it.
She also knows that Erica got herself in this situation, in a world where none of her friends are really her friends anymore. She thought she could try and take Kali, tired of being a victim and wanting to do something about it, never mind that she was hungry and weak and hadn't felt the moon in weeks.
Cora is watching her like she doesn't know what to do with her either and Erica is honestly starting to get sick of that face, so she swallows and shakes her head.]
Anyway. Everyone's getting ready for the party. So they're around.
[Serena weaves her way around the Hales. "Hi. Serena. Is Alexander upstairs?"
[That, oddly, makes her feel better. That Cora didn't just swoop in and steal her pack and her crush all at once. She does, logically, know it's been a long time. It's just a lot to adjust to.]
It's - a lot of awareness. And feelings. Everything, you just feel more of. All my senses are heightened. But, I've gained some equilibrium. I don't freak out at the sight or smell of blood. So, we're all making progress.
( We being... relative. )
How are you doing, I know it must be a lot. Over ten years later. We're all... older.
Yeah. And you guys moved on which ... you're supposed to. I mean, I didn't think the whole world would end if I died.
[Just hers. And now she's trying to restart it again.]
I guess I just don't really know where I fit yet. But Scott said I could stay in the pack, and Hayley's really nice and so is her daughter, so I'm making friends, I guess. I'll figure it out.
Hey, I want you know, we never moved on, we just moved forward. We take everything that happened in high school with us every day. Shit kept hitting the fan, but we never really lost perspective.
( Well, sometimes, but we don't talk about Theo or the Wild Hunt. )
I know how it feels, to fear being forgotten completely. And Erica, you never were.
[That does mean something. It catches in her chest heavily, and she takes a shuddering breath before nodding.]
I just wish I had been there.
[That they could have grown together instead of her getting left behind. It's hard not to feel left behind, even if they never forgot her. She blinks back the tears and swallows as she looks up at him with a smile.]
[Lots of stuff is going to be going down at this party, apparently.]
I'll see you there.
[And with that, she will leave him to go get ready. In the meantime, Laura has followed her nose in he direction of her brother and finds him down in one of the living rooms, before making her way closer and nudging him with her foot.
( Derek's looking at some of the pictures on the mantle. No doubt one of Allison's gophers pre-furnished. He smells his sister first. Then he feels the toe tap. He lets himself smile, before he turns. After a second, he gives her the hug they both need. )
[She will take that hug, leaning into something that is wholly familiar, that feels almost exactly how she left it. Derek has aged some but not in the way that Cora had, where she went from a young child to a full grown adult. And seeing that he is actually okay and all in one piece is a relief.]
Sorry I left.
[In New York. Sorry she went back to Beacon Hills alone, sorry she went to face Peter without being the requisite back up. She was stupid, and she paid the price for it but that means Derek paid it too.]
It's far-reaching. I moonlight for Hayley's pack, but, it's always been Scott.
( Coming from feeling like a failure to recognizing how cut out some are to be the alpha was a journey and it happened quicker than he'd anticipated. )
[Laura nods, before looking around at the rest of the house.]
So Stiles has been telling me a lot about about the pack and the hunters you guys hang out with. Is there any one else at this party I should be worried about?
[The offer is tempting. It'd be nice to not feel like she's drowning in a room full of strangers and not knowing who to trust. At the same time, she's not going to get over this aversion if she doesn't actually spend time with these people.
So she shakes her head.]
No, I'll go. I'm not going to get used to them if I don't actually spend time with them.
[She just may duck out early. But she'll let him know if she does.]
I haven't said it. Because I didn't know - ( How he'd feel. ) But, ( He still can't, he just leans in, pressing his chin against her forehead, breathing with her. )
[She leans into him, soaking in the familiarity of it. The years after the fire of it being just the two of them, the only people they could rely on, come rushing back and she doesn't want to pull him back into that space again. To make him think that she needs him like that.
Derek is still Derek, even if he's changed, he still feels the same. He still feels like family.
She wishes she hadn't missed it all, but she's glad she gets to be here now.]
It's okay.
[Whatever he wants to say, she can take it. Or if he doesn't want to put it out there, he doesn't have to.]
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[In the vault.
There's an uncharitable feeling about how Cora is the only one who fully survived the Alpha Pack, how it feels like she succeeded in getting out of the vault and stole Erica's life to go along with it.
She also knows that Erica got herself in this situation, in a world where none of her friends are really her friends anymore. She thought she could try and take Kali, tired of being a victim and wanting to do something about it, never mind that she was hungry and weak and hadn't felt the moon in weeks.
Cora is watching her like she doesn't know what to do with her either and Erica is honestly starting to get sick of that face, so she swallows and shakes her head.]
Anyway. Everyone's getting ready for the party. So they're around.
[Serena weaves her way around the Hales. "Hi. Serena. Is Alexander upstairs?"
Erica blinks, and tips her head to the side.]
Jackson's boyfriend. Yes. He's upstairs somewhere.
[Serena smiles and gives her arm a squeeze. "Cool. Nice meeting you." And with that up the stairs she goes.]
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Yeah. Right. Great.
( Stiles watches her go upstairs. He sighs, turning back to Cora. )
Hey, can you take our stuff upstairs? I'll meet you up there?
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Laura takes a deep breath and moves forward into the house, following her nose. "I'm going to go find Derek."
Once both the Hale women are gone, Erica turns her attention back to Stiles.]
So how long have you and Cora been ...
[You know. She's just curious. Definitely not jealous at all.]
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( After he fucked up a few times. )
Been a vampire since last May, so. It's a new development.
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Is being a vampire weird?
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( We being... relative. )
How are you doing, I know it must be a lot. Over ten years later. We're all... older.
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Yeah. And you guys moved on which ... you're supposed to. I mean, I didn't think the whole world would end if I died.
[Just hers. And now she's trying to restart it again.]
I guess I just don't really know where I fit yet. But Scott said I could stay in the pack, and Hayley's really nice and so is her daughter, so I'm making friends, I guess. I'll figure it out.
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( Well, sometimes, but we don't talk about Theo or the Wild Hunt. )
I know how it feels, to fear being forgotten completely. And Erica, you never were.
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I just wish I had been there.
[That they could have grown together instead of her getting left behind. It's hard not to feel left behind, even if they never forgot her. She blinks back the tears and swallows as she looks up at him with a smile.]
It's really good to see you, though.
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You would've been a part of some really crazy stuff. I'll tell you more about it at the party.
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[Lots of stuff is going to be going down at this party, apparently.]
I'll see you there.
[And with that, she will leave him to go get ready. In the meantime, Laura has followed her nose in he direction of her brother and finds him down in one of the living rooms, before making her way closer and nudging him with her foot.
"Hey."]
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Sorry I left.
[In New York. Sorry she went back to Beacon Hills alone, sorry she went to face Peter without being the requisite back up. She was stupid, and she paid the price for it but that means Derek paid it too.]
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( Maybe if he had gone back with her and tried not to be a college student, maybe everything could have been prevented. )
Neither of us have anything to be sorry about.
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[But she's still processing a lot of things, so maybe that instinct will fade.]
Seems like you've got a good pack now though. Stiles has been drawing all the connections.
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( Coming from feeling like a failure to recognizing how cut out some are to be the alpha was a journey and it happened quicker than he'd anticipated. )
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[She's glad that her siblings found a good pack.]
And Hayley sounds ... nice. Cora likes her.
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( He always has been, even in the thick of it. )
Hayley is very nice. And, yes. Cora does. We've been together since May. It's been... awhile.
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So Stiles has been telling me a lot about about the pack and the hunters you guys hang out with. Is there any one else at this party I should be worried about?
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( He does rest a hand on the mantle as he thinks through the invited guests he knows about. )
There will be vampires there, but, all vampires we trust.
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[But that may be her bias showing and she holds up her hands.]
I know, everyone's all friendly now. I'm just ... still wrapping my head around it.
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( He wants her to feel comfortable. )
You don't have to go tonight, if you don't want to. We could stay here. Order something. Let everyone else be in the crowds.
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So she shakes her head.]
No, I'll go. I'm not going to get used to them if I don't actually spend time with them.
[She just may duck out early. But she'll let him know if she does.]
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( He draws her close, around her waist. )
I haven't said it. Because I didn't know - ( How he'd feel. ) But, ( He still can't, he just leans in, pressing his chin against her forehead, breathing with her. )
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Derek is still Derek, even if he's changed, he still feels the same. He still feels like family.
She wishes she hadn't missed it all, but she's glad she gets to be here now.]
It's okay.
[Whatever he wants to say, she can take it. Or if he doesn't want to put it out there, he doesn't have to.]
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