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Palo Alto. Malia had never left Beacon Hills before but now here she was in a hotel in Palo Alto with Kira as they waited for news about Kira's Mom. She'd shared a look with Kira's Dad and then walked Kira back to the hotel down the block. Kira had been doing her best to keep herself awake with coffee but after nearly nodding off into her cup for the third time, Malia was taking her to get some sleep.
Once they had changed into their sleepwear and were sitting on the bed, Malia was lost in thought. The walk had woken Kira up enough to realize that something that been off with Malia for a while but she just hadn't noticed.
"Malia, what happened?" asked Kira as leaned towards her friend.
"Talked to Peter. Then talked to Stiles. Stiles said the same thing you did, that I'm not like Peter. It was the same words...but it sounds...desperate. Like he's trying to convince me instead of reassure me. Convince himself too. But I know what I said. I told my Mom, my adopted Mom, that I wished they were all did. I mean, over and over and over you guys tell me that coyote or wolf- until we learn control of that part of us, it's all instinctual. What if that's just what my coyote did? Fulfill my stupid eight year old wish?" She wasn't sure when her tears had started but she wiped at them angrily with her hands and then the front of her shirt. She would have gone to the bathroom but Kira pounced and suddenly the fox was sitting in her lap.
"When I was eight I wanted to be Rogue from the X-Men" said Kira.
"And what? You're disappointed you turned out to be Jubilee instead?" asked Malia with a quirk of her eyebrow.
"I'm -? Hey! I kind of a-! Not the point! Focus! The point is I was eight. So were you! If it's about instinct, your coyote knew you didn't mean it and that you loved your Mom and sister. They were your first pack. You lived with them, your scent was all over them, so even if you were just yelling at each other, your coyote would know who they were."
Malia hoped so, she really did. She wrapped her arms around Kira and rested her chin on her shoulder. Lydia had been the one to tell her about Peter and she trusted her to tell her the facts and not embellish, though it's not as if Peter's horrors really needed it.
"He showed me my adoption records" mumbled Malia.
"Did it say anything?"
"No. They were just paper and ink but nothing helpful. Peter gave me a lead though. He'd tracked down the woman he thinks is my Mother. She's called the Desert Wolf, which of course means Coyote. Which means I've never known my real family. Peter said he doesn't remember who she is because his sister Talia stole the memory from him. Based on what Lydia's told me, I'm guessing that was to keep me safe, until I was born and after. Still, my Mother probably gave me up to keep me safe, not knowing what Talia had done. But it means I've always been alone" continued Malia, almost to herself.
"Now stop that!" said Kira as she shifted in Malia's lap and took her face between her hands. "Your adopted family loved you! Your adopted Dad still loves you and is working hard so that he can get transferred back to Beacon Hills to live with you. You've got Lydia and the others and you have me! You were alone for along time and I know that sometimes you forget that you aren't anymore. That's why Lydia and I are going to remind you as often as you need us too. Mostly me though. Lydia will too though and we have to do the same for her because she's the only Banshee in a group of were-creatures. She forgets she's not alone too."
Malia nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed that she'd let herself get so down, much less let anyone else see it.
"If you need proof, you're here being my cuddle buddy" said Kira with a sigh as she settled in for the night.
"Wait...what?" asked Malia, super confused having been pulled from her thoughts at the term 'cuddle buddy'.
"You had a shitty day, found out more questions than answers about your past, and don't look like you're going to get any answers anytime soon or easily. But what was the first thing you did? You shoved some clothes in a bag and came with me to Palo Alto" explained Kira as she snuggled into Malia's chest, this time too tired to be embarrassed by how she was nuzzling her cheek against Malia's breast.
"Of course I did, your Mom is seriously hurt. I can go and get food or whatever you and your Dad need while you guys are at the hospital. Or knocking your Dad out to make him get some sleep, which I wouldn't rule out your Mom asking me to do once she's awake" muttered Malia.
"Exactly."
AN: Please review!