Vitality

i.

Adele Whittemore stood in her kitchen, putting away groceries when she hear the front door slam open. The blonde kept her hand on the refrigerator door as she turned to look at her daughter sitting behind the breakfast bar. "Ten bucks says he stole the Jeep again." Eleven-year-old Margaret Laura Hale grinned at her mother. "I'm not taking that bet, we both know I'll lose." Adele sighed as the other two Hales entered the kitchen. Eli immediately slammed his bag onto the ground, while Derek pretty calmly hung up the car keys. Adele closed the fridge to look at Eli who stood next to his mother, both watching Derek accidentally knock the coat rack out of the wall. "You stole the Jeep again." Adele tried to keep the amusement off her face as she turned to her son.

"Alright, well let's talk about this like adults so nobody does anything embarrassing or that they'll regret." Adele looked between the two males. "I think that qualifies as embarrassing." Eli pointed to the coat rack on the floor with a smirk. "Eli." Adele warned the teenager with a pointed look. "It was coming loose anyway." Derek looked at his wife, defending himself. "Are you going to punish me or not? Because if you're not, I'd like to just go to my room." Eli looked between his parents. "Maggie, go to you're room please." Adele dismissed the youngest Hale as she tried to prevent the boy's attitude and poor decisions from rubbing off. "Do I have to?" Maggie looked at her mother hopeful, craving the drama. "Yes." Adele deadpanned, unsurprised by Maggie's pleading look. Maggie sighed and made her way towards the hall, keeping her door cracked open to ease-drop.

"Eli, we don't want to punish you." Adele began as she ignored the fact that her daughter's door never clicked closed. "We would like to maybe understand what you think you were doing." Derek explained to his son, who remained closer to his mother. "I needed a ride to meet my friends after the game, what is wrong with that?" Eli defended his actions. "You're 15, don't have a license, and it's called breaking the law." Derek looked at his son in disbelief. "You broke the law, mom broke the law." Eli pointed out, causing Derek to let out a breathy laugh and Adele to purse her lips. "Okay, you know what? If this is about the other thing, then let's talk about the other thing." Derek countered his son's argument.

"What other thing?" Adele looked between the two Hales. "I don't want to talk to you about anything." Eli scoffed at his father's words. "I wouldn't push it if it wasn't a thing, we both know it's not just anything and now it's at least something." Derek argued back, leaving Adele completely lost. "I don't know what you're talking about. Are you listening to yourself? You sound drunk." Eli continued to argue with his father. "I can't get drunk, you know that." Derek was unamused with his son. "It's not my problem." Eli shrugged at the statement. "Eli, it's a thing and I can teach you!" Derek proposed to his son, Adele finally understanding what 'thing' they were talking about.

"What if I don't want to learn? Mom, a little help here." Eli looked to his mother for help. "Well you're going to have to learn, it's who you are, you're a Hale!" Derek ignored Eli's call to his mother. "I'll change my name, I can be a Whittemore." Eli proposed, pointing to his mother. "That won't change the fact that you're a werewolf." Derek continued to argue with his son in frustration. "And what if I'm not?" Eli finally revealed his true feelings. "Am I a werewolf?!" Maggie Hale poked her head out from behind her door in excitement. "Margaret Laura Hale!" Adele scolded the small girl for eavesdropping. "Sorry, mom!" Maggie finally closed her door, pouting at her exclusion.

"Eli, do you really feel like that?" Adele looked at her son concerned. "Maybe that's why I can't turn into one." Eli looked to his mom with tears in his eyes. "What if I'm the first-ever Hale not to turn into a werewolf." the teenager confessed his true concerns. "Oh, honey." Adele broke, pulling the teenager into her arms. "To be honest, it would probably make life a little easier." Derek muttered under his breath, looking up at Adele when he realized she probably heard him. The blonde did in fact hear him, but she wasn't mad, only understanding, his confession. Adele's phone began to ring from the counter and she released her son when she saw Malia's name flashing across the screen. "Why don't you go get ready for you're game, we can talk later." Adele pulled Eli gently from her arms. The teenager nodded, leaving his parents for his room.