FBI (For Basic Idiots)

An Echo

“I speak without a mouth, I hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind... What am I?”

“An echo.” Stiles slowly sits up in bed, her eyes landing on her “visitor.” She’s calm, but sounds tired as she says, “That’s all you are – just an echo of a bad memory. Now, leave me alone. “ She lets out a dismissive huff before pulling herself out of bed. “I’ve got a breakfast date with an annoyingly sexy werewolf, and I will not let you ruin it.” She states snootily, still doesn’t know if she’s really talking to Him, or just talking to herself. And when He suddenly shimmers and vanishes, she doesn’t feel any more... sane.

“Ohh, and which sexy werewolf might that be?” Melissa chimes out just as her head pops in through the half open door.

“Dear – God!” Stiles squeals, hands pressed over her racing heart. She glares over at the smirking woman. “All kinds of supernaturals love to sneak up on me, my friends included. I don’t need you adding to mix and finally giving me a heart attack.”

“I think if that was gonna happen, it would have by now.” Melissa’s smirk widens, dark eyes glinting mischievously.

Stiles scoffs quietly, walks back to her suitcase. “I know you’re a nurse, but when it comes to the supernatural, anything is possible.”

“Yes, it is.” Melissa takes a seat on the end of the bed, watches as the younger woman roots through her clothes, smiles to herself when she sees that nothing has changed – that Stiles still keeps her things organised... unlike a certain Alpha Werewolf son of hers. “So, would this annoyingly sexy werewolf you’ve got a breakfast date with be the tall, dark and handsome one?”

Stiles pauses her efforts to shoot the older woman a withering look.

“What?” Melissa chuckles out, smiles innocently. “Your words.”

“It’s not actually date. I was just... y’know...” Stiles admits with a sigh as she plops her ass down onto the rug. “And werewolves are mostly all tall, dark and handsome.”

Melissa chuckles again, nods her agreement. “True.” The mischief in her orbs only seems to twinkle all the more as she says, “But literally everybody who isn’t Derek Hale knows how pathetically in love you’ve always been with him. Which is both adorable and infuriating, because he’s very intuitive, even for a werewolf.”

Stiles slowly folds her arms over her chest and shoots the older woman – her so-called (practically) adoptive mother – a (pathetic) glare.

Melissa smiles sheepishly. “I meant ‘sweetly’ in love.”

“Uh-huh.” Stiles grumbles. “Thanks.”

“Well, I mean, he’s pretty pathetic, too. You two need to just pull your heads out of one another’s asses already, because after almost 15 years, it’s getting old. It was cute, at first. And I get that he didn’t wanna be a creep and make a move before you were finished with high school, but you’re both adults now. And I would like some grandkids before I die, Stiles. So... get on with it.” Melissa tells her, tone casual, as if they’re merely talking about the weather.

As the awkward teen she really was, Stiles' limbs would have flailed about while she scrambled for a response to that. She’s a little more graceful now, but only a little. Instead, she scoffs awkwardly, and maybe sputters for a response anyway. “OK, first of all, for the love of all supernatural ears, keep your voice down, because I have about 10 minutes left to get ready and Derek is always early! ...which is just another cute and considerate thing I like about him...”

She mumbles out that last part, but Melissa smirks, obviously still having heard.

“Damn it!” Stiles hisses, mumbles out, “Stupid mom ears.”

Melissa relents, decides to show mercy when she sees how anxious the younger woman looks. “OK, I’ll keep my voice down. What’s the second-of-all part?”

Stiles motions down to her half ransacked suitcase, her clothes now spread all around her. “What the hell should I wear?”

“You said it’s not a date, so why does it matter?” Melissa asks, arches a brow, looks slightly smug and like a God damn all-knowing again.

“It’s nooot and it doooesn’t.” Stiles whines, sinks back to the rug, eyes now glaring at the ceiling. She huffs, explains “Scott and everyone else are all still working ‘til the day before Christmas Eve, and Derek said he had a few hours to kill while all of the kids were at school, so we’re gonna be going over this Heart Ripper case.”

“Scott name it that?” Melissa already knows, is already shaking her head, but smiling fondly over her little nerd.

Stiles chuckles lightly. “Yeah.” She sighs, says, “Breakfast is just a bonus here. Free food and whatnot. He said he’s paying... but that still doesn’t mean it’s a date... I mean, I think someone with his face and confidence would just go for it and ask someone out if he wanted to... right?”

Melissa opens her mouth to answer, but apparently, the woman’s adorable nervous rant isn’t over.

Stiles scoffs quietly, still glaring up at the ceiling. “It’s not like he had any trouble with either Jennifer or Braeden... One was a psychotic and evil b***h monster of death – who he didn’t mind sleeping with upon practically meeting her. And the other one – well, she was actually pretty cool... and probably one of the hottest women I have ever seen in my entire life... don’t tell Lydia that... or Malia.”

Melissa simply lets her vent, instead, silently rises from the bed and shuffles over. She kneels down, as Stiles waffles on, makes herself useful – because she’s missed this; missed being there for her kids (and not just Scott and Stiles, but the entire pack) – by sorting through the clothes.

“Although... I mean... when Scott tried to tell him about Ms. Blake, Derek didn’t believe him... but when I told him... he believed me... And I have to admit, when he used to manhandle me because I annoyed him so much – on purpose, of course, I mean, he’s literally the easiest person to annoy that I have ever met – yeah, it never actually hurt, I was just being dramatic, he never really hurt me... and even when I was a teenager, he would come to me for his supernatural problems, which he still does, to this day. So... that’s gotta mean something... or... or not... technically just means he values my input... as a friend... probably...” Stiles scoffs at herself. “God, I sound like a i***t. You’re right, Melissa, I am pathetic.”

Melissa lets out a soft chuckle, leans over to pat the younger woman’s flat belly. “You’re in love. Stop sulking, and get dressed, I can hear a car coming.”

Stiles immediately bolts upright, eyes wide and frantic. “I take it back – mom ears are a God Send.”

Melissa smirks, holds up a pair of knee short dungarees in one hand and a tight fitting black t-shirt in her other hand. “Cute, but casual. Not over the top, but not sloppy. No cleavage if it’s not actually a date, but you should always be showing off those sensational legs of yours.”

Stiles arches a brow, grins as she says, “You always give Red a run for her money on this fashion B.S, Melissa. I love you SO much!” She eagerly grabs the clothes. “And yes, my legs really are sensational. That’s what happens when you run with a pack of wolves and also spend a lot of time running away from other supernatural beaties.”

Melissa chuckles as Stiles leans over to give her a quick peck on the cheek, watches after her with a smile of endearment as she rushes out towards the bathroom. Melissa hears the car slowly pulling up into her driveway, smiles to herself as she picks out the pair bright yellow Converse packed into the suitcase – along with a couple of simple flats, a pair of walking boots and Stiles’ adorable pair of fluffy white bunny slippers – because the bright yellow will surely draw in the wolf’s eyes, if those sensational legs don’t already. Melissa chuckles to herself, knows that’s definitely not going to be a problem.

She’s often the only one – aside from Peter when he was around, thank f**k he isn’t anymore – who catches Derek’s wondering eyes, is often smirking at him when he feels her eyes on him and turns slightly pink (she knows even a born wolf like him can only control his body so much) and his eyes dart away from Stiles and over to Melissa. He always looks at her like he’s silently begging her not to say anything, and she never does, because she’s not that mean. No matter how funny it is to her.

Melissa pulls out a pair of cute pale pink socks, places both them and the Converse neatly onto the wooden chair by the bookshelf. She walks out into the hallway, pauses at the bathroom door and knocks lightly.

“Is he here?!” Stiles all, but squeaks out. “Whoa! Ow! s**t!”

Melissa swallows down a laugh when she hears a thud. “Yeah, he’s here. Take a minute to calm down. I’ll let him in and tell him you’re almost ready. Not actually a date, remember? Relax.”

Stiles takes a deep breath, nods to herself. “OK. Right. No, you’re right... Thank you.”

“OK.” Melissa nods, tells her, “Wear the Converse and socks I left on the chair for you. Oh, and tie your hair up in a cute messy bun – show off that elegant gazelle neck of yours. Shouldn’t be too hard with your unattainable bonce.”

Stiles scoffs, but sounds defeated as she mumbles back, “Almost unattainable.”

Melissa chuckles, sends her a quick text when she hears the knock on the front door – knows he’ll only hear her if she uses her words. “Don’t take too long. Derek’s here, and I gotta get ready for work.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Melissa grins, finally makes her way down the stairs and over to open the front door. And she doesn’t know how she doesn’t grin, but has to purse her lips, has to force them into a more casual and friendly smile when she sees that he’s wearing a freshly ironed navy blue shirt, even if he’s wearing it under his infamous black leather jacket and on top of his usual many identical dark pair of jeans. At least he’s wearing a nice pair of polished black steel toe caps, she thinks, instead of his ratty old sneakers. God, he’s more like Scott than he knows.

“No hair gel. Hm.” Melissa can’t help herself in the end, however, smirks lightly when he shoots her a withering look.

“I like it better like this.” Derek huffs when she only arches a brow, clearly waiting for him to repeat that. “Fine. Stiles likes it better like this. Happy now?”

Melissa chuckles. “Immensely.” She gives him a playful pat on his lovely hard chest before finally stepping aside to let him in. And like the gentleman he always is, he motions for her to go ahead so he can close the door for her instead. She offers her usual grateful smile, hears his steady footfalls following slowly behind her. She leads him to the kitchen, switches the coffee machine on, and tells him, “Stiles is just getting dressed.” She turns to the cupboard, pulls out her usual morning coffee ‘Best Mom Ever’ mug, and smirks to herself as she lets him think about that for a second.

Instead, Derek surprises her by sounding more worried than anything else as he asks her, “Does she seem... I dunno, a little frazzled lately... well, more than usual for Stiles...?”

Melissa smiles fondly, but is slightly confused as to where he’s going with his – even if she’s glad he’s always not so secretly looking out for the young woman (her baby from another lady.) “Like you said; no more than usual for Stiles.” She tells him as she turns to face him, leans against the counter and folds her arms over her chest, takes a moment to really think about it, because Derek is never worried for no reason – though, he really does worry a lot. “I mean, the only thing I noticed that was a little out of the ordinary was her tossing and turning in her sleep more than usual these last couple of nights. Usually she’ll move around for the first hour after she’s fallen asleep and then, she’s like a fricking zombie. She’s always been that way, but I dunno.” She glances back at him, looks slightly worried herself now as she asks him, “Why? Have you noticed anything?” She knows it’s more than likely with these wolves.

###

MommyMewMew:

‘Yellow cos it’ll make him look at ur sensational legs.. and the socks r just adorable.’

Stiles lets out a quiet snort after reading the text, then, quickly does as she’s been told. She pulls on the socks and the yellow Converse, then, has to dig back through her suit case for a stupid hair tie.

Ugh!

She’s already running late.

SO unattractive!

###

“She’s scared, I can feel it, Melissa.” Derek grits his teeth through the word ‘feel’ as he feels it, even now – a horrid skin crawling feeling. He hates it. “She’s hiding something.” He says, huffs and adds, “And you know what Stiles is like – she always hides s**t, ‘cause she thinks it’ll burden everybody else.” He both hates and loves that about her.

Melissa nods, because of course she knows, almost more than anybody. “She hasn’t even told Scott anything.” And she knows that, because Scott always comes running back to his mother when he’s worried about his best friend – his sister.

Derek nods, knows that Scott would have already asked him if he knew anything. Though, he senses the dreaded question finally coming up when he sees the True Alpha’s mother now eyeing him carefully.

“If she’s using her magic to cover her ass from us all, why are you still able to sense that something is wrong? Why not Scott, too, at least? I mean, isn’t he the Alpha? A True Alpha.”

Derek sighs, just about manages to – painfully – mumble out his words. “Yeah, uh... that status stuff doesn’t really matter when, uh... when the person is your... is your mate...” Her eyes widen, and after a few moments of silence, Derek clears his throat, says, “But whatever. It’s not important. What’s important right now is that we need to find out if what she’s hiding is a danger to her... or to anybody else... obviously.”

“Obviously...” Melissa mumbles, takes a breath and then casually asks, “What was the part about Stiles being your mate? I... can we just go back to that part? Just for a second?”

Derek sighs deeply, tiredly, and utterly defeated. “Please, Melissa.” And he doesn’t care how much he sounds like he’s begging, because he really is right now. “I only figured it out a couple of years ago, and I know that’s pathetic, but I really don’t wanna make a big deal about it... at least... well, it’s still not important right now. Stiles is.”

Melissa takes a couple of moments to compose herself, turns to pour out her coffee, adds her usual one and half spoonfuls of sugar. She pauses her stirring, finally speaks again as she turns back to face him. “I’m sensing you want me to keep this to myself, which is absolutely fine. I’m not unreasonable. Or cruel.” She smirks when his lovely hunky shoulders (lucky Stiles) sag a little, sees the adorable look of relief wash over his handsome face.

“Thank you.” Derek nods, shoots her a very grateful smile. He would say more, only, he can hear those familiar shuffling footsteps moving down the upstairs hallway.

Melissa doesn’t need to notice the familiar way his (and literally every wolf’s) head tilts to know that Stiles is making her way downstairs, because the kid is a loud little shuffle monster – which is what Melissa used to call Stiles when she was an actual little kid. “I’ll keep an eye on her and let you know if I notice anything off.” She whispers, gives his chest another fond pat before finally swooping in for her morning coffee.

Derek mouths a thank you to Melissa, his gaze then, instantly drawn to those bright hazel catlike eyes... not to mention those sensational legs... and that neck... f**k, that neck... He really is so f****d.