Chapter 8- Baby Pains

The days grew shorter as fall had truly taken hold in Beacon Hills. Stiles was still attending community college with Scott though Finley's birth was imminent. They hadn't seen the faeries since they had released Malia but Stiles was uneasy anyway, he knew it was only a matter of time before they came for his son. And he would die rather than let anything happen to him.

Malia's belly was round and protruded from her slight frame and she looked plain miserable. Stiles had taken to setting her whatever food she asked for before jumping away quickly as possible. She'd been prone to throwing things or smacking him upside the head if he asked something she deemed as a stupid question.

Lydia was still at Berkley and texting and talking to Stiles all hours of the day and night. He decided that when she came home for Thanksgiving he'd ask her to make them official. He couldn't believe he was going to date Lydia Martin, it was almost as crazy as him becoming a father!

Melissa was planning a huge feast in honor of the holiday and everyone was coming to the Stilinski household which Stiles, Deaton and Lydia had given every protection they could imagine to keep the faeries out. Melissa, Scott, Lydia and Natalie, Derek and Cora were supposed to be making the trip home as well as Isaac and Chris, Kira and her parents were coming too. It'd be a house full but he was really looking forward to it.

Stiles was just finishing up his last class of the day when his phone pinged with another message from Lydia.

Lydia: Headed out now.

Stiles: Drive safe. See you in a few hours!

He couldn't help the spring in his step as he headed toward the student parking lot to hop in his Jeep. He swung into the grocery store picking up all different sorts of foods. Some for Malia, the usual healthy stuff for his father, snack foods for him and Scott and a few special treats to have on hand for Lydia and a few cans of Pumpkin that Melissa had forgotten for dinner.

He dropped the food off at the house and made his way to the station for his janitorial/filing shift and to visit his dad when the first ominous feeling hit him. He just couldn't shake that something was amiss. Much like it was the day that Malia went missing. He parked the Jeep squawking the tires and pulled his phone from his pocket and speed dialed Malia.

"This better be life or death Stilinksi because I just got comfortable." Malia snapped at him over the phone.

He let out a shaky breath before replying to her. "I just had a bad feeling is all. I wanted to check to make sure you were okay." He'd stopped saying they or both awhile ago since it seemed to irritate her further.

"Stiles you aren't a banshee and you aren't a psychic you can't possibly know these things. You are just being paranoid. I am fine. I'm just sitting down to a Netflix marathon of Orange is the New Black."

"Okay." He swallowed thickly his nerves still in a jumble, "just call me if you need anything."

She hung up without so much as a good bye and he headed into the station. He said his greetings to Parrish who was headed out for the day and nodded to his father as he headed towards the supply closet to begin his duties so he could get home. Even after hearing Malia's voice he was still uneasy. He'd normally have texted Lydia but he didn't want to distract her while she was driving.

He hurried through his cleaning and filed the stack that was waiting for him in record time. He waved to the night clerk as he hurried to his jeep in the dark parking lot. He noticed the heavy dark clouds blotting out the moonlight and shivered at the cold in the air. Heavy rains were forecasted for Thanksgiving and torrential rains with a good likely hood of flooding were supposed to hit, and it appeared for once, the weather forecasters might actually be right.

Stiles had barely walked in the house when he saw Lydia's headlights pull in the drive. He opened the front door before she'd even had a chance to knock.

"I thought I'd stop and see you real quick before I headed to see my mom." She said breathlessly. She was going to say something else but Stiles brought her in to a bone crushing hug and smashed his lips to hers.

She responded instantly molding to him like they had done it a thousand times even if he could count on one hand the number of times they'd kissed, he was going to fix that as soon as possible. "Miss me?" He asked slightly breathless as he finally broke the kiss. His thumbs traced over her cheeks and jaw line, his forehead still pressed to hers.

"Of course." She eyed his lips again before capturing them in another searing kiss. "Though I do have to go or my mother is going to be calling your dad to put an APB out on me."

He groaned as they broke contact and walked her to her car. "I wish you could just stay here." He whined slightly as she climbed in the car and clasped her seatbelt.

"I'll be back first thing in the morning to help Melissa with dinner I promise." She closed the door but rolled down the window. He kissed her once again and then stood in the drive as he watched her back her car down the drive and head toward home.

He'd had a hard time sleeping. He'd checked on Malia after coming in the house and again before bed. The second time she threw the remnants of the popcorn she'd been eating at him. She was still in the midst of her marathon so he didn't want to bother her. When he did manage to shut his brain down enough to fall asleep he was plagued by nightmares about the faeries and his son.

He woke just as his alarm hit six am. After laying there trying to will himself back to sleep unsuccessfully he decided to get up and shower before everyone arrived. He'd tip toed past the nursery where Malia was still asleep and went down stairs to start the coffee and pick up the mess she'd left in the living room.

The pot had just finished brewing when Melissa came through the door her arms burdened with bags. He went to the car to retrieve the rest for her before pouring her a cup of coffee with cream just as she liked it. She gave him a warm smile and ruffled his hair like she had done when he was young.

Lydia arrived at seven followed by a sleepy looking Scott. Lydia gave him a few soft kisses before tying on an apron and joining Melissa starting the turkey and pies. Stiles and Scott retrieved the extra chairs and pulled the extra leaf out and extended the table. They cleaned and set the table and were chased out the kitchen on several different occasions by Melissa when they attempted to sample food.

Kira and the Yukimera's arrived just past lunch followed by Isaac and Chris nearing two. Malia finally emerged from her room just before dinner though she didn't say much.

The sky broke just as they sat down to dinner, the rivulets of water quickly overtaking the gutters and cascading down the window panes, it made a cozy backdrop for dinner, he's just glad that he wasn't out in it. The counter and table were groaning under the weight of the food and the house rang with cheerful conversation. Stiles was observing everyone fixing their plates when Lydia's arms snaked around from behind him. He leaned his cheek down so she could kiss it. "Aren't you hungry Stilinski?"

"Oh I am… just not for food." He said as he turned and pulled her into a kiss. "That apron is doing things for me Martin." She gave a hearty laugh as she snaked her arms behind her back to untie it.

They ate quietly their hands clasped under the table joining into the different conversations that were going on around the table. Stiles could notice Malia shift every once in a while and he watched her keenly. He noticed even her quips didn't have their usual level of spite in them. Her hand seemed to touch her belly more often than was usual too. It didn't take him long to figure out what was going on even if no one else seemed to notice. When she excused herself to go to the bathroom Stiles followed behind a few minutes later.

When she hadn't come out he knocked softly on the door. "Malia are you okay?" He asked softly through the door.

"Go away she snapped." Her voice sounded strange so Stiles opened the door anyway. He'd take whatever she gave him if he was wrong but he had to make sure she was okay.

She was hunched over the sink gripping the edge of the counter tightly. He could see she was in pain by the way her face was scrunched and her eyes were closed tightly. "How long have you been in labor Lia?" He asked softly as he gently put his arm behind her.

"I don't know. I've been having twinges on and off since last night." She said as the wave of pain receded and she straightened back up. He led her softly back to her bed and sat beside her.

"Why didn't you say anything? Do you want me to get Melissa?" He asked her feeling the panic start to hit. He was going to be a father and looked like it was happening sooner rather than later.

"Why would I say anything Stiles? It's not like you can do anything. No don't get Melissa, she's finally off her feet. Besides they are still really far apart, the contractions I mean." She said as she lay back against her pillow. "I'm just going to try and take a nap for a while."

"Want me to stay with you?" He asked her and she shook her head. He stood realizing he was dismissed. "I'll come check on you in a little bit okay?" She nodded her eyes already closed.

He padded back downstairs and everyone gave him a knowing look. "She's in labor I think. She's just going to try napping for a while." He announced as he sat heavily down in his seat. Lydia's hand found his and she rubbed his shoulder in sympathy. She knew just how stressed he was for this.

He had just turned back to his plate when the lights blinked off whether from the storm or from something less innocent he wasn't sure. When heard Malia scream a moment later, however, his blood ran cold and he leaped up the stairs beating even the wolves that were still getting up from the table.

He burst into the nursery only to find that Malia was gone.