Phoenix || Malia Tate

28

The moment she sees him is the moment all the feelings and all the memories she's tried so hard to bury come erupting to the surface. It hits her with force, and despite all efforts, she cannot help the flashes that flood her mind. She sees them in the den, sitting close and quietly, doing nothing but simply enjoy the feeling of the others hand in their own. She relives their first kiss, and then their second, and then their third, and with the damned coyote heightened senses it's as if she is back there, with him, feeling him, feeling the way he makes her feel. She experiences his little whispers and his little touches all over again and it nearly melts the ice from her heart. She misses him. It's only then that Malia realizes she's missed him this entire time.

But then she remembers how Scott got hurt and how so many have died and how it's Phoenix's sister's fault. The warmth goes away and the longing turns to hatred again.

With her head low, she tries to walk pass without him noticing, without having to face the confrontation. She does not get far. He notices her almost instantly, and in seconds he is up and rushing towards her. Malia walks faster.

"Wait, Malia!" Phoenix calls after her.

She doesn't slow down. "I don't want to talk to you."

That doesn't stop him. "Malia!"

"I don't want you here," she calls behind her. She hopes that will get him to leave. It doesn't.

"Mal, just wait! I wanted to come earlier –"

"Go away, Phoenix!"

He does not. Instead, he steps in front of her so suddenly that she has to force herself to stop before she slams right into him. She takes a step back, a step away from him, and refuses to look at his face. Phoenix's entire demeanor softens. "Malia, please."

Still not looking at him, Malia chooses to focus on a very uninteresting red BMW in the parking lot. Anything, no matter how ordinary, no matter how boring, is better than facing him. "What do you want?"

"I want to talk," he says. "I want to fix this."

"There's nothing to fix," Finally looking at him, Malia says this almost instantly. Almost instantly, she regrets it. His face, which already looks worn and tired, falls in its expression, and it's clear that her words hurt more than she intended.

"I -" he starts. Stops. Has to take a moment. "I know I messed up. I didn't know everything, but I should've told you what I did."

Malia can't find any words to say. She doesn't say anything.

Phoenix shifts his weight, adjusts the strap of the bag on his shoulder. Malia eyes the duffle carefully and then looks at him. Phoenix doesn't answer the question she's silently asking. Instead, he says, "I messed up and you don't want to talk to me. I understand. But, there is something you really should know."

She tilts her head slightly upward. For all her anger and hatred, she can't miss the importance that laces his tone. "What?"

"It's my sister," he says. "I think she's planning something big."

*

Even after that bombshell, Malia is still reluctant to speak to Phoenix. Stiles' words, however, ring in her head and won't let her forget the fact that Phoenix might just have some valuable information, information they no doubt need. She texts Kira to say she won't be able to make patrol. Kira messages back saying it's all good and that Lydia offered to go with instead.

They end up going back to the picnic table Phoenix had been sitting on. She doesn't want to go to the den with him, or anywhere else, really, that's private. She's afraid of the emotions and conversations being alone with him in a private setting would stir. They sit on the table and face the parking lot rather than each other.

"I'm sorry to just show up like this," he speaks up before she can. "I... I didn't want to push you. I know you don't want to see me, but –"

"What is Ellie planning?" Malia cuts him off. Phoenix looks cut and she instantly feels bad, even though she doesn't want to feel bad. Malia didn't stop him to hurt him. She stopped him because she knew if he continued talking like that, she would not be able to keep being angry at him, and being angry at him is the only way she can cope with the hurt.

Phoenix looks down at his shoes, obviously trying not show the offense. He scrunches his nose and clears his throat. "These people came over yesterday. There was probably like ten of them or so. I've never seen them before, but Ellie knew them. She invited them in and took them into the office. It was all very secret - they even locked the door. Ellie doesn't want me to know what's going on, I guess."

"What did they say?" Malia asks.

"I'm not entirely sure. I, uh, I don't have enhance hearing like you do," he turns to her like he expects her to smile at him as if he made a joke. She doesn't. He looks back down at his shoes. "Um, I couldn't make everything out, but I heard 'extinction' and 'December 16'."

Malia tenses instantly. She knows exactly what that means. Judging by the way Phoenix won't look at her, they both do.

"Ellie's planning another massacre," Malia breaths.

Phoenix nods in confirmation. "Bigger and deadlier than the last."

She turns her head to look at him. He looks just as worried as she is. Even more so, actually. There is an actual terror all over his face, genuine fear she has never seen on him before. For a moment, it distracts her because all she wants to do is make that look go away.

And then she remembers where they are and what they're discussing. "How is she going to do that?"

"I don't know. She didn't say. I tried asking her about it, but..."

"But?"

Phoenix shifts again and takes his lip between his teeth. Malia looks at the duffle bag beside him, and then at his tired and worn face. There's dirt on his cheek, and his hair is a bit oily, and his clothes are wrinkled. He smells, too. Smells like how Phoenix usually does, but a Phoenix who hasn't bathed properly in over twenty-four hours.

"Oh."

"She wouldn't give me an answer," he says. "I tried to talk to her but she just kept saying that I didn't need to worry and that she was protecting me. I told her I don't want her protection, not if it's killing people. She started freaking out and I just – I couldn't take it anymore."

Malia starts to put her hand on his shoulder, but she stops herself. She puts her hand back down.

"That's not my sister," he says. His voice scratches a little as he does. "Not anymore." He looks up, then, and it's like suddenly his entire attitude changes. He's serious as he looks Malia in the eyes and says, "So whatever you're planning, I want in."