Laws of Nature [2]; Liam Dunbar

one: the last day of summer

Beacon Hills, sometime in 2014

Marlow leaned against the front desk of the police station with a sigh. Her father may have not handcuffed her to a desk like he did Stiles once they got back from Mexico but he still grounded both her and Stiles for the entire summer. They had to spend nearly three months locked away at home. Stiles had to beg Noah to be allowed to go to his Senior Scribe. Noah wanted to remain with his sentencing but eventually gave in and let him go.

After several attempts to escape through her window, Marlow was forced to come to the station with her dad whenever he worked. The last night of summer was one of those times. Marlow had taken in a nap in the holding cell when she was awoken by the burgeoning storm and walked out into the bullpen. 

Everyone was busy as the storm was starting to hit and nervous people all over town started calling because the power was beginning to go out. The lights in the station flickered once more and Marlow watched as Deputy Parrish picked up the phone at the front desk once more with a sigh.

He had been relegated to desk duty until Lydia could help him figure out what kind of shapeshifter he was and he wasn't having it anymore. Marlow understood his predicament. She and Liam were just starting to go steady with their relationship and then she hadn't seen him for months. Deputies were hurrying out of the station. 

"Yes, ma'am, we're having trouble with the power as well. It's most likely related to the storm." Parrish told the woman on the other line. He hung up the phone as Noah walked out of his office.

"Parrish! Check the backup generator and make sure it's fueled," he ordered. The phones were still ringing off the hook. "And Parrish. Answer the phone."

Parrish sighed and gave Marlow a look. She narrowed her eyes at him. "What?"

"Can you answer the phone for a second?"

Marlow tilted her head. "Is that legal?"

He held up two fingers. "Two minutes." he pleaded. Marlow sighed and walked behind the counter. "Thank you so much!" Parrish said. He squeezed her arm and walked right into her dad's office.

Marlow fought the urge to pick up the phone and tell the person on the other line that she was being held hostage at the police station. Most calls were about the power outage anyway. A few minutes later Parrish walked out of Noah's office and up to his desk. He grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. 

"Hold on, you get to leave?" Marlow asked. Parrish shrugged. "Wait! Take me with you," she demanded. But Parrish had already walked out of the station. Marlow dropped her head down on the front desk with a sigh.

Noah walked out of his office once more as Marlow took another phone call. "Yes, sir, we're having trouble with the power as well. It's due to the storm," she said. She didn't know what to say exactly so she just repeated what Parrish said each time. 

"Marlow, why are you answering the phone?" Noah asked. 

Marlow shrugged. "I guess you're understaffed, Dad."

Noah sighed as he looked out into the mostly empty bullpen. "Just, redirect the important calls to me," he told her. Marlow nodded and braced herself for the next few hours.