A/N: I don't know how I feel about this chapter, but I wanted to get something up after all this time. I really wanted to finish this before 2015 was over, but I don't think that's gonna happen now. Just know that no matter how long it takes, I WILL finish this. Thanks to everyone who's still hanging in there.
After Stiles left to have his talk with Derek, Melissa led Malia into the living room and they sat together on the couch. Malia could feel it coming, the "how are you doing?" question paired with that same concerned expression they all wore when they looked at her. Everyone had asked her already, some more than once. It was nice that they cared, but she really wished they'd stop. With Melissa being a nurse, however, Malia knew there would be no escaping it.
Of course she still had to try. "Why did Hanna get sick?"
"Sometimes their food disagrees with them, that's all. She seems to be feeling much better now." Melissa smiled at the sleeping baby in her arms. "Stiles told me you breastfed her?"
"Only twice. Was I not supposed to?!" Malia cried, sure she'd done something wrong.
"Of course you can," Melissa assured her. "Sometimes switching their food like that can upset their stomachs at first, but they adjust quickly. We never discourage mothers from breastfeeding their babies if that's what they want to do, so you should keep doing it if you want."
"I don't know . . . I don't think I'm doing it right."
"I can teach you, if you'd like."
Malia said nothing. They sat in silence for a moment as they watched Hanna sleep, and Malia listened in on Stiles and Derek. They were also surprisingly quiet, but then she heard Derek say, "Idiot," and she decided she didn't want to hear any more. If Stiles was an idiot, then what did that make her?
Melissa watched her closely. "How are you feeling, Malia?"
Just as she'd expected. "I'm fine," she answered automatically.
"Are you sure? Are you in any pain or have any bleeding –"
"No, none of that. I heal fast."
"Right, of course. Well, are there any questions you want to ask me? Is there anything you want to know about what happened?"
She didn't even know where to start. Instead of speaking, she simply shook her head and stared at her hands. They were shaking again, but this time she was able to keep the claws away.
Melissa paused for a moment, then held out the baby to her and said, "Here, take her. I don't think you've gotten to hold your own baby much today."
Malia hesitated before taking her. Sometimes holding Hanna actually made her feel better, but then other times she felt inexplicably nervous, like she'd screw up somehow. She never knew how she would feel at any given moment, which was incredibly confusing. When Malia looked down at that sweet little face, her eyes filled with tears and her voice shook. "Ms. McCall?"
"Yes?"
"I don't know what to do."
Melissa moved in closer and put an arm around her. Instead of pulling away like she'd usually do, Malia leaned into it. She cried silently while Melissa smoothed a hand over her hair and told her everything was going to be okay. Melissa was just so soft and warm and motherly, and it made her cry even more. Malia had never felt the loss of her mother quite as strongly as she did in that moment.
The day went on and the sky slowly grew darker. Stiles knew everyone would be leaving soon, but he wasn't ready for them to go. Taking care of Hanna wasn't such a difficult task when there were nine other people in the house. There was always someone willing to give her a bottle, or rock her to sleep, and even change her diaper. Once they were gone it would be just him and Malia taking care of her again, not to mention that they'd also finally have to talk about what would happen to Hanna.
"What are you watching? Care to share with us?" Isaac asked. He and Allison were curled up together on the Sheriff's recliner.
Stiles was sitting next to Lydia on the couch. They were showing each other funny videos on their phones. Stiles said, "You'll have to come over here. I'm too full to move."
Scott and Kira joined them in the living room. He was holding Hanna again, which surprised no one. Allison asked, "Hey Scott, think you might give someone else a turn with the baby today?"
"Everyone's gotten to hold her, right?" he asked the room at large.
"For about five minutes," Lydia said, and everyone nodded in agreement.
"That's not true. Stiles?"
"You're a baby hog, bro."
"Fine, then someone else take her." He went to give her to Isaac, who waved his hands.
"Oh no, don't give her to me!"
Scott then turned to Kira. "I don't think you've held her yet, have you? Here, take her."
"Actually, I –" Kira tried to protest, but Scott gave her the baby anyway before sitting next to Stiles on the couch. Kira just stood there, completely frozen. She held Hanna away from her chest, as if waiting for someone to come and snatch her out of her hands. "Uh, Scott? Can you take her back please?"
"Why?"
"Um, it's just . . . babies kind of . . . scare me."
"But you're doing great with her."
"Do you not like babies?" Lydia asked.
"Of course I like babies! It's babies that don't like me!" As if on cue, Hanna started to fuss a little. Kira looked expectantly at the others, but no one got up to help her.
"I heard that babies can sense a person's fear," Allison offered.
Isaac chimed in. "Hmm, yeah, and I could probably smell your anxiety from a mile away."
"R-really? You can smell it on me?"
"Well, you do seem nervous," Scott admitted kindly. The baby started crying then, and Kira looked even more panicked. "Hey, it's okay. Hold her against your chest and try to relax. She's just feeding off your feelings."
She did as Scott suggested, but Hanna still continued to cry. She let out a groan. "Guys, seriously, she hates me. Can someone take her?"
"Come on, babies don't hate anyone." Scott got up and went over to her, but he didn't take Hanna. He was determined to help Kira get over her fear. "If you're calm then she'll be calm. Try rocking her a bit."
"Oh, this is a funny one," Stiles said as he pointed out another video to Lydia.
Kira stared at Stiles in disbelief. "Are you really not going to come get your daughter?"
"Nope," he said, never looking up.
Fear was her next tactic. "Have you forgotten that even though I'm a kitsune I can still be surprisingly clumsy? What if I drop her?"
"You're fine."
"Kira, you won't drop her," Scott assured her.
Malia arrived at that moment, confused by everyone's amused expressions while her baby cried. "What's going on? Is Hanna okay?"
"She's fine," Stiles told her as he finally put his phone away. "Kira's nerves are just making her uneasy. Scott's trying to teach her how not to be so nervous around babies, and the rest of us are giving her a hard time about it."
"Oh." Before Malia could make her way over to retrieve Hanna, Derek entered the living room. His strides were quick and purposeful as he made a beeline for Kira, who didn't even have time to react before Derek plucked the baby from her arms and held her snuggly in his own. They were all amazed when after a few moments, Hanna stopped crying completely.
Stiles was so shocked that he rose off the couch and stared in wonder. "What the . . . ? How did you do that? And can you teach it to me?"
"There's nothing to teach," he shrugged. "I'm just good with babies. I had some younger cousins I used to babysit sometimes."
"First you're an expert potato salad maker and now you're the baby whisperer?"
They were all watching Derek so intently that they never noticed the Sheriff and Melissa enter the room. The Sheriff cleared his throat to make his presence known. "Stiles? Malia? Can we talk to you?"
Stiles immediately went to Malia's side so they could approach them together, and they all went into the kitchen. He was suddenly nervous, sure they were about to tell the others to leave so the four of them could talk. "What's up?"
"Melissa and I were talking, and we thought it might be a good idea if you and your friends went out for a bit. You know, just for an hour or so."
He certainly hadn't been expecting that. "Really?"
"It might be good for you both to get away with your friends for a while. Do something fun. You haven't been anywhere but here and the hospital for days now. I know you. You've got to be going stir crazy by now."
Stir crazy didn't even begin to describe how restless he felt. Stiles had never been much of a homebody. "Are you sure?"
"It's fine, just as long as you come straight back here when I call you. It won't be long before we're both called into work, so you better get out of here while you can."
"You don't need to tell me twice," he said before turning to Malia. "You up for it?"
She smiled. "Sure."
They went back to the others to tell them the news. Everyone made sure to say goodbye to Hanna, and soon they were all standing in the driveway, trying to decide where they were going to go. They came up with a few ideas that were quickly dismissed.
"You know," Stiles mused, "When nobody's trying to murder us, Beacon Hills is an incredibly dull place."
"I've got an idea," Derek said as he climbed into his SUV. "Follow me."
Nobody had a better idea, so they all shrugged and agreed to follow him. Malia went to get into Stiles's jeep when Lydia stopped her. "Hey Malia, all of the girls are riding together in my car. Come with us."
Malia looked over at Stiles, and he gave her an encouraging smile. She supposed she could do a little more female bonding. She got into Lydia's car while Scott and Isaac got into the jeep with Stiles, and then the pack was on its way to parts unknown.
It turned out parts unknown was the place where the Hale house once stood. The house had been demolished months ago, but as Derek pointed out, the land still technically belonged to him.
"Did you guys see what happened at Video 2*C?" Lydia asked once they were all parked and standing together.
"It looked like somebody crashed their car through the front window," Allison said.
"Yeah, and we heard it on Stiles's police scanner," Scott said. "I guess nobody will be able to rent movies there for a while."
"Who actually rents movies from a video store anymore?" Isaac wondered.
"I can't believe it's still open, especially after Peter tore the place up," Stiles chuckled. He'd kind of forgotten that had been Peter's doing. That felt like a million years ago now. "My dad might be calling me even sooner than I thought."
"Then we'd better make the most of this." Derek grabbed a small cardboard box out of his car. He brought it over to them and opened it so they could all see what was inside. Fireworks.
"What the hell?" Stiles said, amazed. "You can't buy fireworks in Beacon County. Where did you get these?"
"I know a guy in Sacramento."
"You have a firework guy in Sacramento? I feel like I'm learning so much about you today."
"I only have twelve," Derek said, ignoring the comment and looking up at the sky. "And it's not really dark enough yet, but we don't have much time. So, are we doing this?"
Everyone cheered and clapped, so Derek pulled out a lighter and walked quite a bit away from them with a firework and the mortar tube. Kira was the only one who seemed apprehensive.
"Is this even legal?"
Stiles had made it a point to learn all of the laws years ago in order to know when he was breaking them. "Only on the fourth and only when you're on your own private property outside the city limits."
"And are we outside city limits?"
"Who can say really," Stiles said, which didn't seem to provide Kira with much comfort.
They all watched Derek set up. Stiles leaned back against the front of his jeep and Malia went over to join him. He asked, "Hey, you okay?"
"Sure, why wouldn't I be?"
"Just checking."
She hadn't said a word since the car ride over, and she'd inexplicably found herself hanging back a bit. Even though she'd grown to like these people in the short time she'd gotten to know them, it wasn't easy to go back to exactly how it had been before she'd left. The whole day had been a bit awkward for her, if ultimately pleasant.
Malia decided to voice the other thing on her mind instead. "I didn't like fireworks much as a kid. They always hurt my ears. I never understood how they didn't bother anyone else, but now I guess I know."
Stiles stood up straighter. "Oh, then I'll tell Derek not to –"
"No, it's okay," she said, grabbing his arm to keep him from walking away. "I don't mind. They're too loud but I did always like the colors."
Stiles leaned back against his jeep and moved in closer. She didn't move away. At that moment Derek called, "Ready?"
They all cheered and clapped again, so Derek lit the fuse and moved a safe distance away. After a few seconds, the firework shot up into the air and exploded. Stiles heard Malia gasp and he turned just in time to see its red light flash briefly across her face. He couldn't help but smile at her as she stared wide-eyed up at the sky.
"Did you see that?!" she asked, grinning widely. "It was so pretty."
"Yeah, I saw it."
Derek and Isaac took turns lighting a few more. These fireworks weren't nearly as big or impressive as what they might've seen at professional firework show, but they all oohed and ahhed just the same. They got through over half of them when it got dark enough to need to put their headlights on, and Derek took a break to show them something else he'd bought.
"Can't do the fourth without sparklers."
He passed them out and lit them. Suddenly it was like they were little kids again, running after each other and making patterns with them in the air. They watched Lydia write out her name with hers, so then everyone else wrote their own names too. After a pause, Stiles wrote Hanna's name as well. The others noticed and did the same, with fond smiles on their faces.
They went through the pack of sparklers quickly. Malia watched the last one slowly burn down to fingertips, appearing almost transfixed. She told Stiles, "Now these I always liked."
Lydia put on the radio, and she and Allison danced together. Halfway through the song they pulled Malia and Kira over to join them. Kira was a bit awkward, but she eventually loosened up. And Malia, despite not having danced in years, had a natural rhythm that nearly rivaled the others. She'd always liked to dance. Soon she was laughing like she didn't have a care in the world.
The guys, of course, just stood back and watched. Stiles asked Derek, "So where's your girlfriend?"
Derek's eyes drifted over to Malia before answering. "She's still working, looking for that same person, you know?"
He knew. They didn't know much about the Desert Wolf other than that small bit of information Braeden had been able to accumulate over the years. Braeden had almost become obsessed with finding the woman, and it seemed like the obsession had returned. She and Derek had left together after everything that happened in Mexico, but just a few weeks ago Derek had returned alone.
"Is she having any luck?"
"Nope."
The simple one word answer seemed to reveal some contention, so Scott changed the subject. "Let's light the rest of those fireworks."
Derek nodded and went off to light another one. Meanwhile, the girls were still dancing and having a great time when Lydia's cell phone rang for the third time. She sighed and ignored the call.
"I told him I was going to be with all of you today, but he won't stop calling me."
Malia had no idea who 'he' was supposed to be, but the picture on Lydia's phone certainly caught her attention. "Is that Hanna?"
"Oh yeah, that was after I met her in the hospital," Lydia said as she turned the phone so Malia could see the picture better. "I have a lot more. Do you want to see them?"
Malia nodded, and Lydia brought up the other pictures and scrolled through them. Allison and Kira gathered round to look at them too. This brought Stiles, Scott, and Isaac over to see what all the fuss was about. Soon they all had their phones out, showing each other all of the pictures they'd taken over the past few days. Lydia and Scott were tied for first with the most.
Malia was particularly interested in the ones of Hanna in the hospital. She was so tiny, and it was so odd to see her hooked up to machines and lying inside that strange, clear box. All of those pictures just reminded her how much she'd missed while she'd been gone.
"Ready for the rest of the fireworks now?" Derek called over to them.
"Do it!" they cried. Derek lit a few more and they watched, but between each firework they inexplicably lost another member of the group. Lydia went off to finally answer her phone. Then Allison and Isaac snuck into the backseat of Lydia's car when no one was looking. After a sparkly gold firework went off, Stiles glanced over to see Malia's reaction and found she was no longer standing beside him. He saw her sitting in the jeep, so he went over and sat beside her in the driver's seat.
She had his phone in her hand, looking through his pictures for the third time. He only had five he'd taken himself plus the one Scott had sent him of them leaving the hospital. That was the one she was looking at when she asked, "Why were you in that wheelchair?"
"Melissa made me do it. It's hospital policy, apparently."
"Oh."
Derek lit another firework and they watched it through the windshield. There were no colors, and it just crackled a bit before fizzling out. A dud. Malia went back to the pictures.
"Why don't you have any others of her at the hospital?"
"I don't know." His fingers drummed nervously on the steering wheel, and he took a moment to watch Scott and Kira slow dancing before turning back to her. "I guess I didn't want to remember her like that, hooked up to all that stuff. It was kind of overwhelming."
Malia bit her lip. "I don't like seeing it much either."
"Maybe one day I'll regret it and wish I had them." When she looked a bit startled, he quickly added, "I meant no matter what happens! You know, whether she's with us or . . ."
The silence between them was so heavy, filled with everything that needed to be said that they just hadn't gotten themselves to voice yet. They heard Derek yell, "Last one!" and they watched a gorgeous purple firework explode in the sky. It was easily the best one of the night.
Malia was smiling, but Stiles could somehow still sense her sadness. "Malia? Are you ready to go back?"
She simply nodded, her dark eyes wet.
"Okay." Stiles was just about to hop out of the jeep to tell the others when something on the police scanner suddenly caught his attention. He turned up the volume.
". . . got a report of fireworks at –"
"Shit!" Stiles cried as he practically tumbled out of the jeep. "Guys, somebody reported the fireworks! We've gotta go!"
Everyone froze for the briefest moment and then they were a flurry of movement. Derek picked up the evidence. Lydia yelled to Stiles while she gestured to her backseat, where Allison and Isaac were completely oblivious to what was going on. "I'll take the lovebirds home."
"Kira's car is back at your house," Scott reminded Stiles.
"So get in! Let's go!"
They had no time for goodbyes. Stiles, Scott, and Kira got in the jeep, and each vehicle sped off in a different direction. Stiles took a route he was sure the cops probably wouldn't use. They weren't really in much danger of being caught, but this kind of adrenaline rush was nice to feel again.
"Woo!" Stiles yelled out of the open window. He glanced over at Malia to see her smiling back at him, and Scott and Kira were laughing in the backseat. Stiles wanted everything to stay just like this. And no sooner than he'd had the thought, he remembered that Hanna was back at home waiting for them.
A/N: Yeah, I know it's filler. I've had this written for months, but it was supposed to end with a very important Stiles and Malia conversation. It's turning out to be much harder to write than I thought it would be so I thought I should finally post this at least, and hopefully this also helps get rid of my writer's block too. That also means there are still two chapters left.
I would love to know what you think!