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[lupusalpha]

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[mamanurse]

I know. And I really appreciate it.

[She takes a breath, and lets it out slowly.]

You could come with us. Stay with us.

[lupusalpha]

[His expression doesn't change, but inwardly, he doesn't know - why would she offer that? Derek has no romantic notions about how he lives.]

I'm fine here, thanks.

[mamanurse]

...I had a feeling you'd say that.

[She puts her cup of coffee down, and rubs a hand down her face. Sometimes it's difficult to be a mom.]

Just for the record? You're always welcome.

[lupusalpha]

[He gives a nod, a thank you and acknowledgment in one.]

[mamanurse]

I'm just worried that Stiles is going to choose to stay here, too. Is he...is he okay, Derek? Are you okay?

[lupusalpha]

We're fine, Melissa.

[He's not calling her Ms. McCall.]

[mamanurse]

[Eyebrow raise. That was unexpected.]

Forgive me for being slightly skeptical about that.

[lupusalpha]

[A shrug, and a slightly irritated look, although it's mild in comparison to what he gives people like Peter.]

You can try and convince him to go, if you want.

[mamanurse]

[You don't really consider her as annoying and creepy as Peter, do you?]

But then you'd be here alone. Which is an outcome I don't want either.

[lupusalpha]

[No. Not nearly]

I've lived alone for a while. It's not a burden.

[mamanurse]

[She looks sad at that easy dismissal.]

...Is that by choice? Or by default?

[lupusalpha]

It's been both.

[mamanurse]

That's what I figured.

Derek...it doesn't have to be that way.

[lupusalpha]

It's all right.

[mamanurse]

No. It's not.

[But she sighs again, and shakes her head.]

Look, I'm not your mother. I don't even know how old you really are, which is a little disconcerting considering you're all tangled up in my seventeen year old son's life. I know practically nothing about you or your family. But...ugh. It's pointless, isn't it?

[lupusalpha]

[He doesn't look guilty about it, but his tone does soften]

Melissa, look, my family situation isn't exactly something I would want your seventeen year old caught up in. If it had been up to me, he wouldn't be, but that isn't something he or I chose. I know it's not ideal. But it is what it is. Scott's like a brother.

That's just how things are.

[mamanurse]

Oh! You do say more than three words a time! Thank you!

[Mom sass. In your face. Have some.]

Like a brother? Well, I'm glad to hear that, at least. But what about Stiles?

[lupusalpha]

Stiles is pack.

[His mouth flattens, oh god, sass, why????]

That should really be more than enough.

[mamanurse]

Really.

[Oh, if she didn't have mom sass then the world would be ending.]

Because I've spoken to Scott about that, and he doesn't consider himself part of your pack.

[lupusalpha]

Who, Stiles? Or Scott?

[He knows about Scott]

Scott's been clear on that matter for himself.

[mamanurse]

Scott. So why is Stiles pack if Scott's not? Is there something else here I'm not being told about?

[lupusalpha]

Scott doesn't want to be. He's said it more than once. That's the difference.

[mamanurse]

And Stiles has?

Forgive me for not understanding the details of all of this, but...Stiles isn't a werewolf.

...Right?

[lupusalpha]

You don't have to be a wolf to be pack. My family wasn't all werewolves. There were humans.

[He shrugs]

I told Stiles I would consider him pack. He agreed. If things have changed, he hasn't told me.

[mamanurse]

Ah.

[She lets that sink in, and then slowly nods.]

All right. Then in the spirit of parental supervision...I do want to remind you that he's still sixteen.