All Sharp Like Fox Teeth: Volume Two – Chapter 2 – quicksylver28

Reading Time:
32 Minutes

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Tony stood at the large picture window of his hotel room, sipping hot tea as he gazed out unto the stunning view of the forests that sprawled out to the horizon. He was barefoot on the pile carpet, nothing on but black silk boxers because as much as he loved sleeping in the nude, he’d learned the hard way that one did not indulge like that away from home and the dead bolt on his door or at Ian’s place with the sniper between him and the door. Especially not in a strange hotel rooms where, as fancy as they may be, any Tom, Dick or Ziva could pick a lock or have a spare room key.

He’d taken one skeptical look at the motel rooms the local FBI office had ‘helpfully’ organized for him and Mac the night before and had immediately opted for an upgrade for them both, on his own dime, of course. Feebies were notoriously cheap bastards. Surprisingly, Beacon Hills had its own ten story Marriott with a really nice presidential suite that he’d promptly booked for the next week.

The room was well appointed and looked clean enough with a large ensuite bath. The sheets felt crisp and smelled good, and the bed was big enough that his feet didn’t hang off the edge. Add to that the hot beverage corner with a sweet little coffee machine that came with those fancy pod thingies of assorted flavours and a kettle big enough to fill his tea thermos and Tony was happy as a clam.

It also helped that they’d promptly taken care of cleaning and pressing his clothes despite the late check in, and how friendly and efficient the night staff had been when Hargrove had dropped them off. Tony had offered her a room as well but the agent had politely declined, preferring to head back home to her family that very night. She would be back later that afternoon to pick Mac up and take her back to the plane for her flight back to DC.

Tony took a sip of his tea, savouring the warmth in his throat and chest, his eyes drawn to the thick forest that blanketed the earth all the way to distant purple snowcapped mountains. Beacon Hills was an odd place but Tony was not really surprised by the dichotomy the town posed it itself. Some online research and many conversations with Stiles had shed a lot of light on the teen’s odd little home.

Beacon Hills was small enough for that small town feel, where almost everyone knew each other and gossip spread like wildfire. It had one high school, one main commercial street, one bank and one local Sheriff’s office. On the other hand, the suburbs around the town sprawled far and wide in every direction, winding into the woods and hills that all but surrounded the settlement like fingers slowly reaching deeper and deeper into the wild.

They also had a thriving wild life and nature tourism industry that drew in hikers, back packers, bird watchers, naturists, campers as well as the vacationing elite that bought up exclusive property around Beacon Lake and kept a small upper class population thriving with high end homes, stores and services that stood next to down home mom and pop shops, trailer parks and crumbling churches.

In fact, Beacon County as a whole was made up of three towns that surrounded a smattering of crystal clear lakes that had once been an ancient river that had carved a path through the mountains. According to a proud Stiles, Beacon Hills, Beacon Falls and Beacon Hollow were all under Noah’s purview as sheriff and three days out of the week were spent visiting the satellite offices there.

Sadly, since the massacre at the station, they’d been scrambling to pull in deputies from other counties to cover the area and maintain public security and Tony could only imagine the immense pressure Noah must be under. Thankfully, tourist season was winding down so there weren’t many new people left to look out for.

He drained the tea cup with a hum, turning the white ceramic mug around in his hands absently as he gazed out unto the picturesque view from the top floor. The forest outside his large window was like an entity in itself, a rolling, surging mass of greens and browns that slipped and slurped over the titular “Hills”; always creeping closer, always encroaching on the human infrastructure that had carved a place out of the savage nature that had been here before.

It felt like he was in Hogwarts, watching the forbidden forest from one of the house towers. He almost expected to see a centaur or unicorn poking a head out of the thick foliage of the tree line. He huffed a bitter chuckle, probably not a unicorn as they were drawn to purity and innocence… he was more likely to see a thestral. He’d seen enough death.

He shook off the sudden depreciative melancholy and poured the rest of his brewed tea into his travel thermos. He had to admit that the air in California was a balm to his lungs. He hadn’t even had to use his inhaler since the plane had landed though he did utilize the nebulizer before bed and after waking up as the night had gotten a bit nippy. He would have to make note of that in the future and let Brad know as well.

He showered and dressed, opting for a button down shirt, slacks and comfortable shoes. There was a lot he had to do today. There was breakfast with Mac, a trip to the bank, a meeting with Mrs. Lydia’s Mom about house options, lunch with Stiles then one last meeting with the CPS officer before Mac returned to DC then, hopefully, dinner with Stiles and Noah as well. Full day.

He met Mac in the restaurant downstairs, the breakfast buffet offering a wealth of delicious dishes. He got an omelet made to order, crispy bacon, reindeer sausages (yes… you heard that right), a large oat muffin, some berries with Greek yogurt. He eyed the freshly squeezed fruit juices for a second before sighing and grabbing a bottle of water. He didn’t want to irritate his throat just for some citrus. Not on such a good lung day.

Mac was already in a corner booth, making steady progress on an impressive spread. “This place is amazing. Did you know that they do conferences here? Company retreats and stuff.” she hummed around a spoonful of crispy hashbrowns. “A lot of corporate big wigs come here a few times a year for hiking in the woods and sailing on the lake. There’s even a luxury look out lodge in Beacon Falls where the original “beacon” once stood. There’s even a hot springs and a spa there now. A real millionaire’s playground.”

“Wow, Mac.” Tony quirked a brow, “Got a job over night as a local tour guide? And here I thought you loved the FBI.”

The agent chuckled. “Nah, couldn’t sleep so I ended up reading all the pamphlets in the lobby.” She waved off Tony’s frown. “It was that last cup of coffee at the house last night. No worries, Nonna Bear; I worked it off in the hotel’s sweet gym, took a bubble bath and slept like a log afterwards.”

Tony had to nod in agreement. The coffee Noah had made at the house during the CPS visit the night before had been top notch. On any other day it would have had him wired up as well but the last few days had been such an emotional roller coaster that Tony had just stripped down, brushed his teeth and used the nebulizer for a bit before slipping beneath the covers  and falling into deep sleep himself. He woke just after dawn feeling well rested, his breathing easy and ready to take on the day.

The list he’d scribbled while on the machine was on a folded piece of paper in his pocket but he knew what was on it without having to look. Right after breakfast he’d be heading to the local bank to set up an account. After that he had an appointment with Mrs. Lorenna Martin to discuss real estate options. The few phone calls with her had been promising and he looked forward to meeting her in person.

Then it was over to the Stilinski’s for a follow up meeting with the CPS officer Shelby Cho before Mac left to report back to Washington. Then lunch with Noah and Stiles and some overdue phone calls back to DC. Then, hopefully, more Stiles time and a home cooked dinner. Stiles had apparently been boasting about his time as sous chef and Noah was looking forward to experiencing the ‘totally awesome and deliciously delicious food, dad’.

Tony was all for it. Cooking for others was part of his love language and he missed the teen acutely. Even though he’d only known the boy a few days, they’d spent almost all that time in each other’s company and being away from him now made something twist in his gut.

His eyebrows raised into his hairline as he took in the luxury SUVs offered to rent by the hotel, staring at the gunmetal grey Range Rover rolling up to the valet station. The young valet hopped out and greeted him, giving a small speech about the amenities included in the car and a few tips of places of interest in the town before stepping aside politely.

Tony exchanged impressed looks with Mac before climbing behind the wheel. “Okay, I’m starting to believe you. Millionaire’s playground indeed.”

“I know, right?” Mac laughed as she claimed shotgun. “I guess taking the President’s suite for a week comes with certain perks.”

He dropped her off at the main commercial street to explore then headed to the bank where he met with the manager. Mr. Bevins was a grandfather like man, friendly with an easy smile and pictures of his family populating his desk. His blue eyes were sharp and intelligent as Tony laid out the arrangement he wanted made. A slush account for local expenses as well as a custodial account for Stiles of which both Tony and the Sheriff would share authority.

He’d already had his financial advisor back in DC set up an investment portfolio and trust. If it’s one thing his mother’s side of the family taught him was to set up generational wealth from the jump. Considering he hadn’t even known that Stiles existed for the past seventeen years, he had to get started sooner rather than later. He’d eventually have that conversation with the teen and his dad when Stiles turned eighteen but for now Tony would quietly build the foundation for his son’s future.

Satisfied with his service, Tony left the bank and walked the block to Mrs. Martin’s Real Estate office. He’d seen her face on a couple of ads on benches and at the bus stop along the main street. She was a stunningly beautiful red head who stood at a neat six feet with the high stilettos she swanned around the well-appointed office on. Lorenna Martin was smart, charismatic and highly knowledgeable about the properties available in all three sister towns.

Tony was thoroughly impressed with her professionalism as well as her easy smile and playful flirting. Being a natural flirt himself, Tony enjoyed the rapport between them that they both knew was just for fun and would go nowhere. As Lorenna told him about the various activities enjoyed in town by both the locals and the tourists alike, Tony found himself taking a genuine liking to her. Considering how well Stiles spoke of Lydia, Tony was not surprised that her mother was also amazing.

They parted on good terms, setting an appointment the next day for some open houses. He looked forward to seeing more of the town and bid her good bye with his most charming smile and a saucy wink as she laughed and showed him to the door.

He walked a further ways down the street to meet Mac at a small café. It was one of those mom and pop places attached to a lovely bustling bakery and smelled divine as he walked in, a small bell tinkling above his head as he entered. It was just in time too because he was getting peckish after all that business.

The place was brightly lit in warm gold and the rows upon rows of glossy pastries were calling his name as he ordered large cappuccino with a double shot of espresso. The large mug came with a lovely leaf pattern in the foam and he savoured the excellent taste along with a couple of pain au chocolat and an overly stuffed ricotta spinach croissant.

Mac was already working her way through a huge cinnamon roll smothered with glaze and a flat white. She smirked at his look. “I’ll work it off kicking Morgan’s ass on the court this weekend. I even reached out to Vesta like you recommended and she’s totally on board with pwning his smug ass at the next pick-up game. I’ll let you know how it goes.”

Tony huffed a laugh, carefully chewing the large bite he’d taken from the croissant. Damn, it was good. “Sweet. Let someone take video if you can. Derek’s a great agent but he can be a huge ass with his offence.”

He’d miss the games at the local YMCA, well, what he’d been able to get to with his work schedule from hell and his mounting medical problems. The guys he’d met there had been from all walks of life but a large number of them were also federal employees. That was just what happened when you worked in the capitol. It was also a large part of why his DiNozzo network had been as extensive as it was.

Part of him would miss the fast pace of big city living. He’d enjoyed his life there… when it was good… and he’d always been a city boy. Small town living was something he’d have to grow accustomed too and he’d have to look for new ways to keep his body active and healthy.

Stiles had waxed poetic about the preserve and it’s many trails, with Mac piling various facts on over coffee as she flipped through the history book she’d bought from a nearby bookstore. The book had facts about the three sister towns, photos of the old settlements and maps of the various back roads and trails that spindled through the vast preserve.

“I’ve already read through most of it. Historical shit is fascinating and this town has the weirdest history.” Mac licked glaze from the corner of her mouth before finishing off her coffee. I’ll leave this copy with you when I go so you won’t have to buy another.”

Tony thanked her, finishing off his own dish then paying the bill and getting a box of assorted treats to go. Walking leisurely back to the car together, they took in the sights along the storefronts before driving to the Stilinski residence. The CPS officer would be arriving for her follow up and they didn’t want to be late.

Tony had been getting random text messages from Stiles all morning, making him smile at the teen’s snarky commentary and helter skelter ADHD jumps from one topic to another. It warmed his heart to hear the staccato dings from his phone throughout the morning, knowing that he was receiving some little gem or factoid from his boy.

They’d had a brief talk over the phone that morning before Tony left his room and he’d heard the real time relaxation of the teen’s anxiety. The home coming the night before had been tense after the initial joyful reunion and though it had ended well enough, with the CPS officer satisfied with the home environment and Stiles’ wellbeing; today’s visit would bring her official findings and recommendation.

Seeing Noah in real life after so long had been nerve wrecking and awkward at the same time and Tony had been forced to pull on his “Very Special Agent” face to mask the tumult of emotions he’d been feeling. He forcefully and ruthlessly pushed it all down, focusing on Stiles as he’d been the priority in the moment and he deserved the attention and concern.

Shelby Cho had been professional and easy going, with a calming presence that had everyone at ease. She’d already done the home inspection and interview with Noah and wanted to talk to Stiles as well. She’d understood how uncomfortable the boy would be having to go to the hospital for an official health check, considering the boy’s recent experiences there; and having the check done by Scott’s mom, Melissa; who was apparently a registered nurse and well known and respected health professional.

As Stiles showered and changed and Noha served awesome coffee, he really needed to take note of the brand, they’d waited for melissa to come over for the medical exam. As an RN she’d be able to sign off of the documentation needed to complete Shelby’s report. Melissa had clucked and coo’d over a flushing, awkward Stiles like a mother hen, at the same time chastising him for running away and worrying his father. It felt as off putting to Tony as it looked on Stiles but Tony put that down to the years of co-parenting that she and the Sheriff had done for both Stiles and her son Scott over the years.

Though she certainly meant well and her concern was genuine, it was bit disheartening to realize that no one in Stiles’ life had actually noticed that he’d left town for more than a week and gone all the way across the country and the fact burned like acid in Tony’s chest. Being left behind in Hawai’i when he was just twelve, as beautiful and wonderful as the island had been; had been traumatizing in ways that still manifested in him.

The realization that the one person he had left to rely on for love and protection could forget about him so easily, had cut deep. The fact that Senior had been more upset about the embarrassment than worried for his own son, followed by the disownment right after; had all but shattered Tony on an emotional level’ leaving him unbalanced and off kilter for most of his rebellious teens and beyond.

Any kind of attention from the man, even anger and disgust, was better that the bitingly cold indifference Senior seemed to have for him. It wasn’t until his last few years at RIMA that he’d been taken under the wing of one of the coaches there, James Davies, a former NAVY seal who’d whipped him into shape with tough love and a steady hand and set him on the straight and narrow on to college and a full ride sport scholarship. Tragically, the man had died in a car crash with a drunk driver during Tony’s first year at OSU and hadn’t been around to see him thrive from those few years of persistent effort.

Tony still kept in touch with his wife and daughters, helping in his own way to mentor them the same way their father had done for him when he was at his lowest. The youngest girl was in her final year in college while the oldest owned her own fine art museum. The middle one and the one who reminded him the most like himself, had gone on to become a SEAL herself, following in her father’s footsteps. He’d flown out to her graduation and kept tabs on her while he was an NCIS.

It was the least he could do for the man who’d saved his life so long ago.

Stiles met him at the door with a hug, tight and lingering as Tony laughed and duck walked them out of the doorway so that Mac could enter behind them.

“Buongiorno, Mimmo.” Tony hugged him back, making no move to extracate himself or pull away. “Did you sleep well?”

He felt Stiles relax fully against him, all but swimming in the ratty lacrosse jersey he was wearing over a thin white tee. He was too thin and Tony would have to monitor his eating carefully in the upcoming days. Good thing he liked to cook for an army like an Italian Nonna and the Stilinski fridge and chest freezer would soon be full of reheat and eat meals. He’d have both Stilinski men hale and hearty in no time.

“Si, Babbo.” the boy mumbled into his chest. “Mi sei mancato.”

“I missed you too, Tesoro.” Tony smiled indulgently into his wild hair. “Nice pronouciation by the way. Great job.”

“Grazie. I’ve been practicing. Google really helps.” The teen’s pale cheeks were flushed as he finally pulled away and turned to greet Mac who’d already wandered into the living rooom and claimed a corner of the couch.

“Dad went to the station for a check in but he’ll be back in time for Ms. Cho’s visit.”

Tony nodded and glanced towards the kitchen. “Have you eaten?”

He tastfully didn’t ask if Stiles had slept. The dark circles under his eyes answered that question.

Stiles nodded. “We had take out last night. Chinese from Panda Express, our favourite. I made sure we got lots of veggies because Dad always ends up ordering butter fried shrimp bombs. It was all a bit heavy so I made some oatmeal with fruit and pancake syrup for breakfast while dad ate left overs in a stir fry. He’s getting straight up salad for the next few days for sure after all that grease.”

Tony bit back a grin at the grumpy teen, checking out the kitchen and taking note of the few appliances set against the tile backsplash. The place was a bit ages but looked well kept and clean. He checked the fridge and made a mental list for shopping before checking the small pantry and adding to it.

“Butter fried shrimp bombs?” Mac asked as she accepted the water Tony offered her from the fridge. “… never heard of those.”

”

“Oh man.” Stiles rolled his eyes and hopped up to sit on the counter only to hop right back off when Tony gave him the side eye. He shuddered exaggeratedly at the look and plopped himself unto one of the chairs at the small four seater table. “It’s an unholy off menu concoction that’s only sold at this location because the people here are total carnivores.”

His hands flailed as he spoke, Mac taking a seat across from him with her water as Tony completed his inspection of the small kitchen he was mentally gearing up to upgrade. He’d have to if he was going to be cooking here as much as he’d hoped.

“Imagine deep fried butter battered chicken skin around bacon around minced beef around filleted boneless chicken thigh meat around a sweet and sour shrimp stuffed with gorgonzola cheese the size of a baby’s fist. Not a vegetable in sight. That’s a butter fried shrimp bomb.”

He laughed heartily at both Tony and Mac’s horrified expressions. “it’s the best worst kept secret in Beacon Hills and even appears on a few of those supersecret menu item lists videos on YouTube… along with the prerequisite health warning, of course. I don’t let Dad eat more than two in one setting and he has to work it off with a week of solid fruits and veg afterwards because talk about cholesterol and not the good kind either.”

“Seriously?” Tony still had a doubtful look on his face while Mac was getting excited.  She turned that eager look at the older man. “We so need to order those before I leave today.”

Stiles nodded sagely as if it were a given. “Better eat them while they’re hot or they’ll turn into a ball of congealed grease that might cement your teeth together and clog your pipes… in and out.”

“I’ll just have to take your word for that one, kid.” Tony mock gagged even as Mac started to bouncing in her seat and asking for the take out menu with grabby hands. “I’ll stick to my own cooking for now. That reminds me… we’ll have to stop by the farmer’s market after Shelby’s visit to stock up on some things for dinner but I should be able to whip something up for lunch with what you have here.”

The teen blinked at him, a shy look of wonder on his face. “You’re going to stay for dinner?”

Tony felt an ache inside at how surprised the boy still seemed to look that Tony wanted to stick around. It spoke of things that Tony couldn’t afford to look into just yet. He gave the teen an easy smile. “Of course, Mimmo. I said that I would make sure both you and your dad eat healthy from now on, remember? I keep my promises.”

He turned away to check the cupboards in order to give his son a moment to school the open emotion on his face. “… and since I’m going to be spending a lot of time here until I get my own place sorted, I might as well get to stocking up on the essentials.”

“So, we can look forward to a freezer full of Italian soups and stews and every flavour of biscotti known to man?” Stiles voice was a bit watery as he teased the older man softly.

Tony just shrugged in return. “Fondalmentalmente.”

“Fondue what?”

Tony cackled at the teen’s pole axed expression. “It means Basically.”

“Oh. Cool.” the teen giggled as Mac chuffed across the table, opening up the box Tony had brought from the bakery café.

Tony tutted, “Hey, I bought those for Stiles and his dad. Besides, you just had a cinnamon roll as big as your face. There’s no way you’re hungry already.”

The dark skinned agent gave a little grin as she plucked an éclair from the fancy box. “I’ve always had a high metabolism. It’s one of the things that make me awesome.”

Tony gave her the gimlet eye and pulled the box away from her reach and into Stiles’ hands. The teen made a sound of delight as he looked over the selection of baked goods. He plucked out the other eclair and took a big bite, closing his eyes and moaning as he chewed.

“Linstrom’s is awesome.” He said around a mouthful of cream and chocolate. “I went there with Lydia once and we had these fantastic strawberry muffins that came with strawberry jam and whipped cream on the side. They also have these pecan cookie bars that are to die for but cost, like, five dollars for one which is way too rich for my taste. I love pecans as much as the next guy but I could a huge bag of candied pecans from Mrs. Ogilvy  at the farmer’s market for the same amount of money.”

“Or we could make our own, I know a good recipe.” Tony commented as he rolled up his shirt sleeves. He saw a lovely gingham apron hanging on the pantry door and pointed at it. It was a happy sunny yellow with sunflowers stitched into the front pocket. There was only one person to whom it could belong, and he wanted her son’s permission before touching it. “May I?”

Stiles paused, mid chew as he stared at the apron that still held pride of place, the last of the éclair hanging limp from his fingers. “I… ” the teen swallowed heavily, his eyes starting to mist.

“Hey, it’s ok, Tesoro.” Tony came over to squat at the boy’s side, putting them at eye level. He cupped that pale freckled cheek gently. “You don’t have to answer. I can cook perfectly well without an apron. It’s fine. I won’t touch it, ok?”

A tear fell from Stiles eye as he leaned into the touch and took a shaky breath. “No one’s used it since… ” He closed those pained whisky eyes as another tear fell. “It was too long for me back then so I hung it there until it fit. But I never… I never got to…”

A shudder wracked his frame and Tony pulled him into for a hug, going to his knees so that he could support the teen’s weight and his own. He ran his hands down the thin back comfortingly, giving the boy a chance to process the sudden surge of grief. Mac slipped out of the room, letting father and son have a quiet moment together while Tony hummed Se Telefonando to the shaking teen until he began to talk against Tony’s broad shoulder.

“A lady my dad was dating when I was twelve once tried putting in on and I screamed my head off until she all but ran out of the house. She dumped him soon after that… saying she didn’t want to deal with a spaz kid that wasn’t even hers. Dad was hella upset but he was more angry that she’d called me a spaz.”

He sniffed and clenched his fists in Tony’s shirt. “I could never quite  explain to Tata what made me lose it like that. I mean it’s just a silly apron… ” he sniffed again, “… but ever since then we’ve just kept it hanging there and never touched it.”

“It’s not silly, Mimmo. It was your mom’s and she loved to wear it and I’m sure it smelled like her for the longest time.” Tony hummed in understanding. “… and if it’s hanging there where she always kept it then maybe one day she’ll know just where to find it when she comes back.”

Stiles pulled away, a haunted look on his young face. “How did you…?”

Tony gave him a small, sad smile. “Because even now I keep hoping to look up at my piano one day to see her playing it. It’s not remotely realistic or what anyone else would consider sane but it’s what I feel deep in my heart and what still I hope for against all odds.”

They were both seated on the vinyl floor, hugging each other close; taking comfort in shared warmth. Tony kissed his son’s hairline with a soft sigh. “Grief manifests itself differently for everyone, mimmo, and no one gets to tell us how we deal with it.”

They got up a few minutes later, both red eyed as they dusted off their pants and straightened out their clothes. “I need to mop the floors. Dad’s crap at house work though he tries his best.” Stiles admitted sheepishly and Tony snorted a laugh, patting the boy on his back as he sat back down to finish his éclair.

They had enough ingredients to make a simple lunch. A half dead cauliflower that could be roasted with other wilting veggies and made into soup along with a carton of beef broth. Pair with that a three bean and fire grilled corn salad along with some garlic bread and they would be set.

Noah came back home while Stiles was happily playing sous chef, his handsome smile wide at how animated the teen was acting as he chopped,  strained and stirred under Tony’s calm guidance. The teen grinned widely at this father as he shrugged off his uniform jacket and hung it nearby.

He was wearing a sheriff’s office polo and a pair of comfortable jeans underneath which hugged his body in all the right places. Tony certainly gave him a quick and appreciative once over before the teen all but tackled his father in an octopus hug.

“Dad, great news! Tony says he should be able to make a heart healthy version of the butter fried shrimp bombs you love so you could eat them more often and not risk clogging your arteries!”

Noah’s face twisted at the news. “Please tell me ‘heart healthy’ doesn’t mean breaded tofu stuffed with quinoa wrapped in turkey bacon and fried in two drops of olive oil because if it is then thanks but nooooo thank you.”

Both Tony and Mac laughed at the sheriff’s hang dog expression while Stiles scowled. Tony showed the man some mercy. “I’m sure that I can whip up something that both tastes good and settles Stiles concerns. You’d be surprised at how much flavour you can pack into ‘healthy’ alternatives if you know what you’re doing..”

“I’ll take your word on that.” Noah still looked skeptical but quickly acquiesced under his son’s glare. The soup was bubbling and the salad set to chill by the time Shelby Cho arrived. Tony swiftly set the heat to low to let it simmer and placed the prepper garlic bread aside, they would toast it off just before eating.

Shelby sat on the love seat, shuffling the papers in her hands with her laptop open beside her. She was dressed in light and soft colours, her long dark hair in a low pony tail. She’d shown herself to be sweet yet strictly professional in their meeting the night before, deftly arranging Melissa’s examination and comforting a nervous Stiles enough to have a productive consult.

Stiles and his two dads took the couch while Mac took the remaining arm chair.

“First things first, there will be some discussion of personal medical records and as a minor, I am required to have your father here with you while we talk.” Shelby looked to the teen. “I will need your express permission to speak on the matter in front of anyone else in this room.”

Stiles glanced at Tony then swung his head to look at his father. “Can Tony stay… please?”

Noah took a deep breath, meeting Tony’s steady gaze before squeezing his son’s hand. “That’s up to you, kid. We’ll do whatever you are comfortable with.”

“Ok then.” Stiles nodded, almost to himself. “Tony stays.”

“And that’s it for me.” Mac immediately stood. “I’ll just be walking the perimeter until you’re done.”

“better yet, make yourself useful and go get something for dessert.” Tony held out the keys to his rental and quirked a brow. “… since someone ate all the pastries I’d planned for that.”

“Alright then, half a down strawberry muffins and pecan cookie bars coming right up.”

She just gave him a shit eating grin as Stiles did a quiet fist pump and swung the keys on her finger. Tony just shook his head as she nodded to the others and let herself out. He then turned his full attention back to Shelby, the tension seeping back into the room after that brief distraction.

The Asian woman shuffled her papers once more… a tell he’d noticed her using as she took a moment to gather her thoughts. “I am a firm believer in support and stability over removal from the home.”

She put up a hand as both Stiles and Noah stuttered. “I’m not saying that I’m entertaining removing Stiles at all but I feel the need to impress on you how serious the situation may be.”

She turned to Stiles “You travelled across the continental united states with only a back pack and a handful of cash to find someone you had no idea could or would even provide a safe harbour all while experiencing acute emotional distress, sleep deprivation and, according to Dr. Singh, frequent dissociative episodes.”

Stiles shrunk on himself, going pale and Tony quietly took his hand, swallowing a wince as it was squeezed tight enough to hurt. Shelby turned her face to Noah. “On the other hand, Stiles may have made a ill-advised decision while not at his full faculties but that doesn’t negate the fact that you didn’t even know he was missing from your home until CPS notified you that he was in Washington DC.”

Noah’s lips thinned as he went pale then a splotchy red, a shudder going through his as Stiles’ other hand creeped over to thread their fingers together and give his hand a squeeze. Shelby’s stern gaze softened.

“But we are not here to play the blame game… we are here to find the source of the problem and provide you with the tools to properly deal with them. Stiles, I’ve been able to read through your medical files and discussed the matter extensively with Ms. Ramirez. We both believe that your travel across the country is  not the true crisis but a direct result of the sustained emotional, physical and mental trauma you’ve experienced in the past few months.”

She shifted in her seat. “Getting you the treatment you need would not be served with you in CPS custody or foster care. What you need now is stability and proper support. That’s where the sheriff comes in. Your father is an ‘anchor’, as it were, for you and separating you from him would only hurt more than help any progress you will make.”

She cleared her throat and Tony quickly got up to offer her a bottle of water, taking a moment to set a pot of that good coffee brewing. He was sure that they all would appreciate a good cup of java after this.

She thanked him for the water and expressed pleasure at the offer of coffee before laying out the situation and how they’d decided to move forward. First thing first was therapy. Both joint and separate. Just as Stiles needed the help of a steady parent to keep him level, so did the sheriff need help on finding his own balance.

He had also been traumatized by the slaughter of almost all his deputies, not to mention the seriously fucked up shit that the official records had hinted to Tony. The sheer pressure he was under from both the higher ups and the public were enough to grind a lesser man into dust. Stiles made a pained sound and hugged his dad’s arm, burying his face into the man’s shoulder and Tony took the time to organize the coffee and busy himself serving, giving father and son the time they needed to settle themselves.

When both Stilinski’s were back on an even keel, Shelby continued. She had a short list of qualified and recommended therapists, both child and adult, that dealt heavily with trauma. She also scheduled regular health checks with Melissa via home visits until they could dispel Stiles’ strong aversion to the hospital. That would happen once a month while check ins with Shelby would happen every two weeks. Those visits would eventually go to once a month then two then three then six until they determined that they were no longer needed.

“I will also be liaising with your school guidance counsellor which is a bit of a situation in itself.” Shelby huffed, irritation flashing across her usually serene face. “The school is still looking for a new on since the old one disappeared suddenly a few months ago.”

Tony narrowed his eyes as he felt Stiles go still next to him, his hand squeezing Tony’s tight for a second before carefully relaxing. A quick glance at the sheriff had him wearing that careful blank expression that could fool most but Tony’s long years of undercover could practically see the flashing neon signs above their heads saying “Move along… nothing to see here folks!”

He filed it away for later. It was getting to be a pretty long list and he’d only been in town a day.

“So they have recruited the current staff to be temporary student support staff until they get around to filling the role.” she checked her file with a frown. “Stiles… you’ll be under the guidance of Coach Finstock for now.”

The teen sputtered in shock. “Coach? You’re not serious.”

Shelby frowned “is there a problem with that?”

Stiles paused, his face going through several emotions before he shrugged. “He’s just an odd kind of teacher, I guess.” before slumping back into his seat.

Noah chuckled and made a face at his son. “I am sure he thinks the same about you, kiddo.”

“Touché, old man.” The teen blushed a bit and nodded meekly. “I guess anything is better than Asshole Harris.”

“Yeah, ” Noah arched an eyebrow “…we really lucked out with him being.. you know… a missing person and all.”

Stiles sighed heavily as he gave a sage nod. “Good riddance.”

Tony exchanged a concerned look with Shelby at the gallows humour but they both looked away just in time for the father and son to rejoin the conversation as if the last few seconds had never happened. Yeah, just go ahead and add that little nugget to the list of things he needed to think about. The thing was starting to get a bit too long.

They talked a bit about Tony’s status and the pending results of the rushed DNA tests. It would take a few more days at the least, lining up perfectly with the processing of Tony’s medical retirement. He talked about his efforts in buying a house, the first step in laying down roots. Stiles got that same awed and shy expression when Tony invited both him and Noah along to look at houses, flushing happily when Tony explained that he hoped that they would feel at home with him as much as he did with them.

“I’m kind of putting myself in the middle of a situation that’s long been established. I want to make it as easy as possible for all of us. I will also be looking into getting therapy for personal issues and would be happy to attend future joint sessions if needed.”

He smiled at his son and the man sitting next to him. “I only want the best for Stiles and I believe that all Noah wants is the same thing.”

“Good.” Shelby sat back with a smile and a sip of the good coffee. “I’m looking forward to work with you all.”

…………………………………