Noah, received a phone call from Dean saying he was in town and wanted Stiles to stay with him and the Hales for a bit, and he would look after him for the next few weeks when needed. Noah sighed in relief, he never knew how Dean did it, but he seemed to be able to take care of Mieczyslaw with ease that no one else seemed to have, even Melissa had problems, and suggested getting Mieczyslaw tested for something called ADHD. Noah really didn't want to think about that with Claudia in the hospital as is without adding more to it, so the Sheriff called the babysitter to cancel, and waited until he heard the familiar rumble of the Impala pulling up to his house. He had planned on doing the Christmas shopping today it was going to be hard with Claudia not there to help him, she knows Mieczyslaw and his likes and interests. All Noah knew was he liked Batman, and wanted to catch the baddies when he grew up. Packing Mieczyslaw "dad it's Stiles now" up, Noah handed his son off to Dean who quickly and efficiently got him sat in a booster seat, and buckled up, and Noah shook his head, he gave up on the booster seat long ago, even though he knew it was safer, but he could never get Stiles into one. Watching the Impala rumble off towards he assumes the Hale house, Noah took off to the hospital, and hopefully Claudia is in a good mood today, maybe talk about presents for their son.
The drive to the hospital was uneventful, though driving anywhere in a sheriff car usually was fairly uneventful. As Noah walked to his wife's hospital bed, he wished he had his sons ability to know when it was a good day or not, the dread built and built until he saw his wife's smiling face, and a book in hand, it seemed today was a good day.
"Hello, Dear, is little Mischief with you?" Claudia tried to look behind the Sheriff.
"No, Dean has him, and I wanted to get the Christmas shopping done." Noah sat beside Claudia's bed.
"oh good, I like that our Nephew has taken such interest in my little Mischief." Claudia took the time to glare, "Noah, You left the shopping so late, what are you going to get him?" Claudia grinned a bit as he gave her a sheepish smile "you know I think he's ready for that mountain bike he's been wanting since he learned how to ride." Noah smiled, he totally forgot about Stiles wanting a Bike, and the one he wants will last him until at least middle school, growth spurts pending. Noah allowed himself a couple of hours with Claudia just enjoying her knowing who he was, and not asking for help to kill the Demon in her.
Noah walked through the mall, and realized he never even got a tree for them, and was left feeling awful, it's the first Christmas Stiles will have without his mother being home, and all Noah has been doing was just trying to ignore it all, working long hours and visiting the hospital every chance he got. With a sigh Noah grabbed a cart, and went shopping for little trinkets and ornaments to decorate Claudia's room with Stiles later, maybe Dean will help as well. Noah found a smallish tree and all the blue and Orange decoration he could find, he also got a few gifts for Stiles including the Bike, which he got wrapped at the mall , he was absolutely pants at wrapping. It took all day, but Noah felt better about Christmas. He quickly dropped off the presents at the house before heading to the Hales
He soon pulled up to the lit up and decorated house, and as he climbed the front steps he heard laughter and yelling and all around happiness, Noah hesitated knocking on the door wanting not to disturb the bubble of happy that his son has found. Shaking his head and even taking a half step back, Noah straightened up his spine and knocked before he lost all his nerve.
"Hello, Sheriff, how has your day been?" he was greeted by Erik. Who was grinning and ushering him into the house.
"Busy I went shopping and am now all done."
"That's good, are you staying for dinner, it's just ready now. Tals is cooking tonight. Her famous lasagna Dean helped" Erik was already leading him to the Dining room that had everyone sat around the table, Cora and Stiles were whispering and giggling at a glaring Laura, while Derek set the Table, and Dean was going back and forth placing food onto the table. Noah noticed that there was already a spot for him set between his son and Dean.
"uhh yeah, I totally forgot about dinner tonight."
"No worries Sheriff, we understand, and anyway Stiles here has been with us all day the least we could do is feed him up before we shipped him off with you. Erik literally pushed him into the Chair beside his son, and went to sit at his own chair.
"Hi, Daddy, how is mummy doing?"
"oh she was in a good mood, though she was a little sad that her room doesn't look like Christmas, so I went shopping. What do you think of us going and making her happy by decorating her room tomorrow?"
"Really, can we, and can Dean come too, mummy likes Dean, and Dean is tall he can get the high places." Stiles seemed ecstatic about the prospect of decorating his mother's room. And the Sheriff answered all his questions about all the decorations he got, and then listened to him babble about all the plans he had to make his mummy's room special.
The meal was delicious, as it always is when the Hales opened their doors to him. Noah even stayed and watched all the classics, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Boris Karloffs How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and all too soon it was over, and Dean was carrying out a sleepy Stiles, and on the way home Stiles fell asleep in the back seat of the cruiser, Noah quickly drove home, and as he lay Stiles in his bed, he took a deep breath and really looked at his son. Petting his hair back, Noah just thought about how lucky he was to have such an intelligent boy, and was in wonder at how strong he was. Noah silently sat vigil over his sleeping son, for quite a while, wishing that the next few weeks or at least Christmas day itself Claudia would be in a good mood. The first time Noah allowed a few tears to fall, and prayed to anyone who would listen to allow stiles one more Christmas of being a child, instead of a little adult he was slowly but surely becoming. With one last kiss to the forehead Noah left his sons room and set up a fake tree and got their decorations out from the attic and went to bed with plans to set it up tomorrow morning before doing it all over again at the hospital.