For Good | Hale- TO/TW [8]

24 | Sleep with the Angels

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Rousseau's bar is almost empty. No humans sit in the light building; only the faction leaders and the Hale children reside in the bar. Vincent, Marcel, and Josh sit at the bar while Stella and Teddy sit in the back at a booth.

"This was my fault," Josh mumbles, glancing at the silent Hale children. "I'm the one who let Greta get away."

Marcel shakes his head as he takes a drink from Josh. "You can't beat yourself up over this. Greta's plan was already in motion. You didn't start the fire, you just got burned by the flame."

"Like everyone else," Vincent adds.

"Yeah, well, still, I can't believe this was our people who did this to Hayley and Laura," Josh says. He misses Teddy flinch and Stella tense.

"Those are not our people, all right?" Marcel says. "They are a cancer that needs to be wiped out."

"Sounds like Klaus," Teddy mutters under his breath.

Marcel only glances back as Stella slams her foot over Teddy's. The werewolf yelps but does not glare at his sister. He shakes it off and returns to his laptop.

"That can wait till after the funerals," Vincent says. "Today and tomorrow are about grieving. I set up a truce between all four of the factions. Tomorrow, we have the second line, and then, in the evening, we have our werewolf funeral."

"And Klaus?" Josh asks. "Don't mean to be the doomsday prophet, but if he's in the city with Hope, he brings all that chaos back with him."

"He'll do the right thing for New Orleans and Hope," Stella says, her eyes never leaving her book. All three adults turn to her. "If there's anything I know about Klaus, it's that he won't risk his daughter's life again. Not after..." She tenses, the pages crinkling between her fingers. "Not after what happened."

Vincent grimaces before he pours two glasses of bourbon. He brings them over and places them on the children's table.

Teddy raises an eyebrow. "She's not old enough to drink."

"She is today," Vincent says before he raises his glass. "To Hayley and Laura. May they sleep with the angels."

Stella is the first to pick up her glass, Teddy following. "And I'm sure they'll teach 'em a thing or two," Teddy sighs as they all toast.

The cool liquid burns Stella's throat. She coughs, putting the glass down. Teddy's drink goes down smoothly. She glares at his innocent expression before something catches her eye; rather, someone captures her attention.

With a squeal, she slams the book closed and hurries under the table. Teddy opens his mouth but Stella shushes him. "I'm not here anymore!" She declares, curling up in a ball next to Teddy's legs. "Anyone asks, I've moved to Australia!"

Teddy chuckles. "And who would even know you're here?"

The bell at the door rings.

"We're closed," Josh says to the approaching brunette. She pauses at the bar, a nervous expression on her face. "Miss?" She looks over at Josh. "Did you hear me?"

Teddy glances over and his eyes widen. He kicks Stella under the table, but she covers her mouth to contain her yelp. "Carter?" He calls.

The girl with the button nose looks at him. Relief floods her face. "Hey, T," she greets. She walks over to him, ignoring the three adults. "I saw you in the window."

"What are you doing here?" Teddy asks. Something hard hits his shin. He hisses through his teeth.

Carter doesn't notice. "My dad brought me down to visit some schools. I didn't know you were back from your gap year."

Teddy shakes his head. "Not back forever. I gotta go back in a month." Carter frowns, hiking her bag further up on her shoulder. She looks like she wants to ask, so Teddy puts her out of her misery. "My aunts died." Her eyes widen. He swallows harshly. "Mugging."

"I'm so sorry," the girl says. A moment of silence passes before she takes a deep breath. "Well, if you see Stella, could you tell her I'm here? I texted her a while ago, but I didn't get an answer."

"Yeah, sure." Suddenly, his leg gets really warm. As Carter smiles gratefully, he suddenly says, "Actually, Stella's pretty broken up about the whole thing. Maybe she can catch up with you at school?"

The heat lessens.

Carter's expression falls. She looks down, wrapping her arms around her torso. "Um, yeah, sure," she mumbles. On her way out, she says, "sorry to bother you."

The door closes with a click after her.

Stella slowly climbs out from under the table, looking all over the bar. "She's gone," Marcel says, watching the young Hale girl closely. "Who was that?"

Stella just sits back down, curling in on herself. "No one important," she snaps. "Just a friend."

Teddy raises an eyebrow at her. She doesn't meet his gaze.

Vincent sighs as Teddy's phone buzzes. He instantly picks up when he sees the name flashing across his screen. "Mom?" He says, sitting straight.

Stella snaps her head up. The three adults lean in. "Put her on speaker!" Stella hisses, taking the phone and doing it herself. "Mom? You there?"

"Sorry, kids," The tired voice of their father echoes from the phone. Both of them relax, disappointment flashing across their faces. "she's not awake yet. But we have a theory."

"Why'd you call us?" Stella asks.

"Vincent wouldn't answer the phone."

"My phone ringing means news," Vincent calls out, pouring another drink. "News means information. Information means action. I don't want to do anything."

"If you'd answered the phone, you'd know that we don't need you," Derek replies with a hint of annoyance. "I was just checking in. And, I wanted to let you know that Freya's called. Hope knows."

Vincent lets out a sigh. "How's she taking it?"

"Right now, I'm more concerned about my wife not waking up or responding to anything."

"What do you mean?" Teddy asks, once again alert. "Is she healing?"

"Yes. The wolfsbane is out of her system. But she's not waking up. I wanted to run something by Vincent—"

"Tell us," Stella says.

Derek wastes no time. These are his kids; they won't take no for an answer. "Stiles suspects she doesn't want to wake up. We're gonna have to lure her out."

"Again?" Stella mumbles angrily.

Derek sighs, "Stella, this isn't about us anymore. Your mom lost three people in a very short amount of time. Knowing her, she might be thinking that she's helping you to survive by not waking up."

Stella sinks in her seat, rubbing the back of her neck. Both children are silent for a long time, looking at each other and thinking. Finally, Stella sighs, "Then why are you waiting? Help her."

Cierra Ramirez as Carter Montgomery 

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Hope you enjoyed!

-L