Chasing The Sun Vol II: Citizen Soldier

Chapter 5:Cooking Interviews with a Pinch of Salt

Stiles straightened unconsciously as a strict looking woman with short black hair, cut in a straight line, wearing a green sweater, greeted him on screen.

He licked his bottom lip then smiled. Yet before he could return her greeting, she interjected;

"Is that a habit of yours?" She asked.

Stiles frowned, "Sir?" he asked unconsciously repeating the gesture.

"Ah. It is unconscious. Has no one ever called you out, on being deliberately provocative?" she enquired, accent distinctly Brooklyn

Stiles couldn't help it, he burst out laughing, "W-what?? Provocative? Me??" he snorted at the look on her face, mild shock, "Holy Christ! First of all, if me 'licking my lips', is an unconscious gesture, how is it I'm being deliberately Provocative?" he asked genuinely confused.

Chief Collins, "Ah wallflower syndrome! Do you, not know you are good looking?" she asked inquisitive.

Stiles couldn't help it, he snorted again. "Lady... I'm not wallflower-anything. Its not because of me being invisible, people generally can't quite get me to shut up, rather", he grinned at her bemused expression, "Sir, apologies", he bowed his head once, and looked up schooling his expression back to normal.

The Chief barked out a quick happy laugh.

"You really are quite sharp. Chief Steele warned me about your written tests and your above average intelligence quotient. So is it true, are you really Claudia Stilinski's boy?" he asked.

Talk about Curveballs...

Stiles blinked, "You knew my mother?" he asked cautiously.

"Know her?! Ha!!! We grew up together. Man, your mother sure knew how to throw a right hook", she laughed.

Stiles swallowed, "Really?" he asked softly, "But my mother grew up in Ireland?" he pointed out.

"Aye laddie. We grew up in Omagh. But we met later on in life. at college. That was before I realized I'd rather be a copper not an Artist. Couldn't paint worth shit!!"

Not that he didn't remember her, he could at times still smell the Lilac Perfume, he Could hear her laugh, her voice. The way she smiled mischievously before conning him into eating his greens. And to never forget what she looked like, he kept a photo of her, in his wallet.

It may not have justified why, but "What was she like?" Stiles couldn't help ask.

"Was?" Chief Collins sat up straight, blue eyes pierced his, laughter gone from her voice.

Stiles swallowed, "Um... My mom, she passed away when I was ten", he answered confused, "Did you not know?" he asked.

"We lost contact when she moved to a small town in California. She fell in love with one of my Senior Officers at the Academy", Collins answered.

Stiles smiled softly, "Yeah..." he breathed, "She told me, she met dad at the Police Academy. She walked right into him outside the school", he laughed quietly.

"Walked into? You mean crashed into", Collins snorted, "She was coming to meet me, but she was always naturally clumsy. She uh...slipped on something, probably just air, and careened right into one of my seniors. Knocked them both off of the steps and into the trash. It was hilarious!!! Horrible true, but hilarious!!!" she snorted again, chuckling at the memory.

Stiles grinned, "Dad ended up with a sprained wrist, hours before his Firing test. He had to use his right hand", he laughed.

"Man those were the days. I'm sorry to learn of Claudia's death. So, you're Johnathon Stilinski's son? Gosh I would never have guessed that. I mean—", she picked up a sheet of papers, "—Your name? What Language is that even?" she asked.