Chapter 10: Mending bridges

Summary: Malia still feels she has to make sure Stiles and Lydia are okay.

Malia was with Lydia. There was nothing strange going on because well, between the girls, there was nothing wrong. In fact, if Stiles hadn't gone about feeling like crap, Malia and Lydia would be the best of friends. Without Kira, it was just the two of them and neither were open to making new, regular and normal friends. It didn't even cross their minds. Besides, Malia had gotten Lydia's confession of love for Stiles before Stiles had heard it himself so she had had time to brace herself.

If only Stiles hadn't been a massive doofus and dragged on the emotions longer than they needed to be.

Lydia wasn't sure exactly how to feel. To say she was confused would be quite the understatement. Her confusion had nothing to do with Malia who was sitting cross-legged on her bed and helping her choose clothes suitable for college, no. It had to do with the boy she called her boyfriend. In fact, she was almost tempted to revisit her plan of being done with teenage boys. It almost wasn't worth dating them. Oh, if only her stupid emotions weren't all over the place. She turned around, picking up two dresses and holding them up in front of her for Malia to either give her approval or scrunch up her nose, which was her obvious sign of disapproval. Quietly and offhandedly, she asked: "Did you and Stiles talk recently?"

Malia cocked a curious brow at Lydia. For the most part, nothing had prepared her for the question but then she was also wondering what could follow and hoping against all hope that this won't lead to an awkward conversation. "Yeah we did."

"What did you tell him?" Lydia asked again, careful to be casual about it but when it seemed Malia's brows were not coming down, she felt the need to elaborate. "Believe me this is not me being the jealous girlfriend. This is me being the worried girlfriend. I mean he hasn't called in two days and he's leaving at the end of the week so don't you think we should be spending a lot of time together this week?"

"I think that's right." Malia agreed. She had the good sense to hunt the poor bastard down and best him into a pulp. She had been clear about him not making her an excuse to treat Lydia wrong. She had at least thought he was clear on that and then what does he do? He ignores her for two days and automatically she finds herself being at the center of their relationship. Again. "You want me to whack some sense into him?" She offered, hoping Lydia would say yes, honestly.

"I'd like that, thank you." Lydia answered with a chuckle then dropped the two dresses and picked up a skirt and jacket, frowning at the jacket herself. "No, I'm just kidding." She added with a chuckle.

"Too bad. I'd take any chance I get to beat him up." Malia offered, then seeing the worried and horrified look on Lydia's face, shook her head. "I'm just kidding too. God, you should see the look on your face."

"I was just..." The banshee stammered.

"If you two are going to be weird about dating each other, then why do you even bother? I told Stiles, and I'm going to tell you too. Don't make me the reason why you make yourselves sad. I would not accept that." Malia cut in sternly. She meant this, at least.

"I know. It's just that with Stiles AWOL I'm not sure how to feel." Lydia sighed.

"And don't let Stiles make you feel bad either. No matter what, I think I should whack some sense into him." Malia offered again. She would gladly oblige and haul the boy at something solid. Perhaps a few cuts and breaks here and there would get his mind on track.

"Yeah." Lydia agreed.

"Although, in his defense, I may have said some things he hadn't expected me to say and he was pretty shocked about that. However, I don't think that is enough reason to not call you for days." Malia was as independent and objective as possible. At least until she added; "Dump him." to her sensible, objective words.

"I should." Lydia says with a chuckle and they went back to talking about lighter issues. When Malia was going shopping with her, how Peter would be her financial benefactor for whatever she chose to do with her life now...

Of course, Malia didn't tell Lydia she had been thinking about going to Davis with Scott mostly because she hadn't really spoken to Scott about it, only said it in passing. She imagined the alpha would be freaked out and most importantly, worried. She anticipated Scott would ask what she was going to do there or how she was going to live and she wanted to figure all that out so that when she finally informed Scott McCall, the alpha would have little basis to discourage her. She really didn't want to be left behind in Beacon Hills while everyone went to find their path.

"Penny for your thoughts." Lydia teased lightly from across the room.

"Yeah... I was thinking about Scott." She obviously didn't realize the implications of that, neither did she notice the amused look Lydia had on her face.

o0o

Sheriff Stilinski whistled as he walked through the house. Beacon Hills has been quiet for a while now and a part of him missed the action. If there was a way for him to get the action without people dying or drastic and evil things looming over the town, he'd get that action but as it stood, those drastic things he abhorred came hand in hand with the so-called action he wanted. He poured himself a glass of milk and opened the box of chocolate chip cookies he had bought the night before and headed up to his room, cheerful for all intents and purposes. He walked by Stiles' room then with a frown on his face, walked backward to the door with was slightly ajar. He pushed it open and was met by the strange sight of Stiles sitting with his chin in his palm. Thinking. Oh no the thinking wasn't the strange sight. The fact that Stiles did not have a marker or red thread running from pin to pin was what bothered him. "Hey. You okay?"

"Yeah dad I am." Stiles replied absentmindedly. He was confused to say the least. He knew he had to call Lydia but he wanted to figure out for himself what to tell her and how to tell her. He wondered if he should tell her he kissed Malia or if that was just one of those information that she could live without. He wanted to even understand why he was still so surprised that Malia hadn't beaten him into a pulp. A scene kept playing in his head after Malia had left. That scene in the hospital when Malia had told him she liked him a lot. It dawned on him that he never, not once, told her that. And that made him feel a lot worse than he would have liked.

"You don't seem okay to me?" Sheriff cut into his thoughts, pushing the door open and stepping into Stiles' room fully.

"Why did you ask if you weren't going to believe me anyway?"

"I've been interrogating people long before you were born. Don't try to outsmart me." It was usually like that. Stiles did his best to avoid talking about his emotions and Sheriff didn't even spare him the chance to do that.

"I wouldn't dare." Stiles replied honestly.

"So then tell me what's wrong. Are you nervous about joining the FBI? That is why I told you to officially join us at the station for a few months before leaving." His father supplied, worried now.

He scoffed at that. "Oh please. I knew the inner workings of the station and knew every hiding place in there before most of your deputies dreamed about joining law enforcement."

"There is no talking to you." The sheriff shook his head, giving up.

"I think you're doing a fine job of it, quite frankly." He looked up at his father and smiled, then on second thought, added. "I spoke to Malia."

"Oh, that explains a lot. Was she angry? Did she break any of your bones?" It was only fair, he imagined. He had asked Stiles what happened to his relationship with the werecoyote and hadn't gotten any real answer from him but judging by the fact that of the two of them, Stiles was the one who jumped into a relationship with his long-time crush, he was quite certain his son was the one at fault.

"No. She was very...civil." Stiles mumbled his response, brows furrowing again in confusion. Turns out his brain was still struggling to accept Malia's reaction to his relationship with Lydia.

"And that's a bad thing because?" The sheriff asked, curious.

"It's not like her. She just... well she was different than what I expected. I mean, Scott told me but... I still didn't expect her to be like that." Stiles confessed. It felt weird, hearing himself say that out loud. "She said I should focus on Lydia and leave her out."

"So...? Did you tell Lydia?" His father took a gulp of his milk.

"I haven't called her yet." He was even ashamed to admit that.

"Son..." His displeasure was evident.

"I know. I know. She must be angry herself. I better go see her in person." Stiles replied.

"Do that." The sheriff ordered before stepping out and going his way.

But he didn't. Not that day anyway. In the back if his mind, he commended himself for hurting two women at the same time.

o0o

Lydia was with Malia in her room today too. It was Thursday and Stiles was leaving the next day. She was very aware of that, as she was about the fact that the boy had still not called her.

"So, call him." Malia offered. They hadn't been talking about Stiles. In fact, they had been try if every hard not to talk about Stiles but she wasn't the type of person who liked, or appreciated, subtlety.

"I waited too long. Now it feels weird to even try." Lydia all but moaned.

"The two of you are the weirdest couple I've met." She scoffed her disappointment.

Lydia opened her mouth to answer her when her phone beeped a message from Stiles. [I'm at your door. Can you please come out?] She looked up from her phone to see Malia's eyes on her. "Its Stiles. You think I should go and talk to him?"

Malia had to fight the smile off her face. "I know it's Stiles. You should hear your heartbeat now. It's pounding like crazy just because you got a single text. Wow." Then at Lydia's pout, she shrugged and answered her question just as nonchalantly as she had shrugged. "Depends."

"On?" And Lydia was wondering why she was taking relationship guidance from Malia.

"Do you want revenge or are you good with the smooth sailing?"

"A little bit of revenge, yeah." She figured why not. Stiles needs to know she was hurt by his coldness.

"Good. Then tell him to come on up." Malia deadpanned, plopping down onto the bed and propping herself up on Lydia's pillows.

"With you here?" She asked.

"What? I wanto have some fun too." The werecoyote shrugged her shoulders, not even sorry.

"Okay." Lydia agreed. "I'm assuming I'm not supposed to tell him you're here right?" She was starting to get a mischievous thrill.

"Why would you do that?" Malia asked like Lydia had said something unthinkable.

"Right." She typed a reply and hit send. [Door's unlocked. Come up. I'm in my room.]

Stiles smiled when he received the message. He knew Lydia was going to give him a little bit of tough time when he went up so he braced himself for whatever reaction she would give him. Knocking on her door, he didn't wait for an answer and pushed it open to step inside the room. "Hi-ii..." His greeting had a squeaky finish when his eyes fell on the other occupant of the room.

"I'm going to take the latter part of that hi to be mine." Malia chipped in with a cheerful smile.

"Malia." Stiles looked from Lydia, who was busy putting clothes away into her closet, to Malia who was giving him her full attention.

"Yes, Stiles." She was still smiling, as she imagined Lydia was too, judging by the scent that was coming from the banshee.

"How're. ...how're you?" Stiles stammered, shuffling on his feet.

Malia turned to look at Lydia who was also now turning around. "Still think he doesn't deserve to be beaten up?"

He was being ganged up on, Stiles realized. He also realized that he had fallen right into their trap and focused on Malia instead of Lydia, the reason why he came. "Lydia. I'm so sorry." He apologized, turning to Lydia.

"Tell me what you're sorry for... I lost track of the things you should be sorry for." She replied honestly albeit lightly

"Can we talk... outside?" He was having trouble concentrating on anything.

"Why can't we do it here?" Lydia asked innocently, feigning ignorance. Malia was dragging her to hell and she was willingly shopping for supplies along the way.

Stiles knew very little about women but at least he knew when to give up. There was no way he was going to get his way and he figured this was all a ploy from Malia to get him to snap out of the uncomfortable stage. He was sure the werecoyote won't be offended if he was affectionate to his girlfriend. In fact, he got the idea that was exactly what Malia was hoping to achieve. Stepping closer to Lydia and trying not to focus on their audience, he offered the banshee an explanation. "Look, I'm so sorry I just... I was angry at myself for a while and I was thinking maybe you and Malia would have tension between you because of me and I was feeling bad the whole time because if you lose another friend because of me-"

"I never lost a friend because of you." Lydia cuts into his words. She always figured Stiles was still hang up on the whole thing with the Nogitsune and Allison's death but he never really said it out loud. "Never. And as you can see, Malia and I are fine." All anger or desire for revenge seemed to evaporate right out of her.

Malia was grateful that at least this time she knew what they were talking about. Scott had told her about Allison so she had fair knowledge of that. A part of her wanted to leave them to it but she also wanted to be sure that this awkwardness between them was going to stop today so she just powered on. "Stop hoping I'm going to leave. If you wanto kiss her, go right ahead. I'd like to watch. I need some action in my life."

Stiles turned to look at her in disbelief and Lydia just giggled. She looked like she meant every word she had said. Sighing in resignation, he turned to Lydia, a hand cupping her cheek. "I'm leaving tomorrow. ... that offer to watch a movie with you here... is that still on the table?" Because the last time he had been so distracted by Malia's illness they hadn't been able to do that.

"It was never off the table." Lydia replied with a smile.

"A threesome. That sounds fun." Malia called from where she sat on the bed, dragging their horrified looks back to her. Chuckling, she stood and walked to Lydia's window, pushing it open. "I've had enough fun for today and I kind of miss a certain alpha friend of mine."

"You and Scott..." Stiles started to ask, a little easier now. He was already feeling leagues lighter.

"Have not even kissed. We're just friends." Malia chipped in. "So, get your minds out of the gutter and you kids be good. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"That leaves us with only a few restrictions." Lydia teased.

"Exactly." And with a wink she was out of the window. She heard the telltale sounds of the two kissing and was actually proud of herself.