CLAUDIA STILINSKI

"a mccall," he clarifies softly. it's hard to tell what she remembers, what she might not. hard even for him to remember how much she should know. especially when he's busy reeling over his best friend's reality; a mother back from the dead, saying her son is a witch. "yeah, you did the best you could. but maybe trying to keep him safe from it wasn't the answer, you know? i think in a lot of ways ignorance about this sort of thing can be a lot more dangerous than knowing." he stiffens over the idea of stiles being even more unprotected and quickly steps forward again. "okay, then don't forget about the book. let's find it. i'll help you."

A MCCALL HE SAID A MATTER OF FACTLY. Right... "Melissa's son," She remembered that, taking a moment to remember the boy and also remember he wasn't little anymore. "My family was hunted from one continent to another for the fact that we have magic so I need a little less judgment okay. It didn't exactly go according to plan." But did anything really go to plan? Hell no. "If it's not in my house, I left it somewhere I thought was safe... or I was out of my mind and I really hope it's the first one, not the latter."

"The town's survived much worse over the years, trust me," Malia remarked with a smirk, remembering the many strange, supernatural threats that her and her pack had thwarted over the years. "I was adopted not long after I was born but I've got Hale blood. Talia's my biological aunt. I never got the chance to meet her, but she saved my life; pretty sure my mother would've killed me right out of the womb if Talia hadn't whisked me away." The werecoyote spoke of the former Hale alpha fondly, as though recalling memories belonging to an old friendship. "I'm Malia. Tate or Hale, you can take your pick."

"IT'S RESILENT, I'LL GIVE IT THAT." There had been certain things she knew before her death and some during said death, but some things she had learned coming back as well. From what she'd heard, it broke her heart a little bit. The Hales were never a threat; that much Claudia knew even around the time Talia became the alpha. "I think I see her a little in you -- or maybe around you. I was sorry to hear what happened to her. She was a good woman and an even better alpha." Not that she had much experience with werewolves per say, but her interactions with them left her with the hope that not all Hales were gone. "Which do you prefer? There's a lot in a name, you know, and a special kind of power to it."

on his way to make a drink, readying himself for another all nighter, stiles was greeted with a strange sight, one that could only be described as something from a movie. there stood his father, statue-like. he was still, yet the world ticked on around him. he frowned, then hurried toward his dad. that was when he saw her, the aid from the hospital, the one whom had stayed by his side during his recovery period. "uh.. what the hell is going on?" stiles quickly spoke, eyes flicking between his dad and the woman, whom still held the very same hint of familiarity that he couldn't place. "what have you done to my dad?" the woman had said not to freak out. but, stiles was a natural at that. when she mentioned telling him the truth, he quickly combed a hand back through his hair. "no, i'm gonna' stop you right there. you're going to tell me what the hell is going on, what the hell you've done to my dad and, more importantly, why are you in our house?" he spoke, his tone of voice becoming a little harsher, yet still rapid, spitting the words out with barely a breath in between, so much so that all of them almost jumbled into one.

SHE EXPECTED... nothing else, honestly. She knew the truth would freak Stiles out but he had a right to know it. Her feet stayed where they were and she made no sudden moves, not that it would help the sudden fire set upon every nerve Stiles had. "I froze your father with magic because I'm a witch, Stiles. It's a spell that won't hurt him." She wouldn't admit it but she had done it once or twice, when absolutely necessary, to help preserve something in her husband's subconscious. Noah Stilinski was a man of logic and nothing else mattered... but she suspected he may of known something he didn't want to admit. The Gajos' were cursed in a way but they kept trying their best. "My name isn't Dia exactly, it's Claudia... Claudia Kochanie Gajos-Stilinski. I have one more spell I need to do but I'm not here to hurt you. I'm just here to explain, please." Her voice remained steady until she spoke of her two last names. Then her expression changed and her eyes revealed something she'd been trying to hide; her fear and her sadness. How could this be anything but terrifying?

There was something about her that was eerily familiar but she couldn't put her finger on it. The song itself was an interesting choice, again familiar but still she wasn't quite sure what was so familiar about it. The question of her mother distracted her from thinking about it further. ''She's doing pretty well, less stressed now that the holiday season is over and all the parties are.'' now she thought about it her mother hadn't mentioned anyone with the name the woman had given her which in itself was suspicious but she seemed to know an awful lot about her to not know her personally. ''You left something? what was it you left? maybe my mother could help you. I'll let her know you're around.''

IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE THE MARTIN WOMEN ENDED UP. While Natalie wasn't a Martin by blood, she was still a Martin never the less. "That sounds like Nat. I don't think there was ever a party she liked; not even her own birthday party." and that memory alone made her laugh. No, Claudia was more of a party planner type. If Claudia had given Natalie the book, it would make sense. She trusted her. While she hadn't been a banshee, it was safer with her not knowing what it was. It wasn't like her son would find it. "It was an old leather bound book with the name GAJOS on the cover. It's pretty important to me."

Malia let out a snort of laughter at the woman’s response. “I can think of a few people who’d be deserving of an ego explosion.” Eyes grow wide as she watches the spell take hold, rewinding the messy aftermath of whatever had taken place before she got there. The brunette whistles low, impressed by the others magical capabilities. She'd met a few witches over the years but was rarely given the chance to watch their magic in action - it was breathtaking. “Good instincts. Coyote, not wolf. Though most of my family are werewolves, if you don’t count my bitch of a mother.” She gives a derisive snort, still expressing contempt for the Desert Wolf even after all this time. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around before. Are you new to Beacon Hills?” As she nears the woman, her scent fills the werecoyote’s nose; a scent that bears a striking similarity to one of her favourite people. Why does this lady smell like Stiles?

CLAUDIA COULDN'T HELP LAUGH AGAIN. The other was right. Wouldn't that be something? Exploding egos could be a new business venture.... but she was distracted from the true purpose of the spell. "I don't think Beacon Hills would survive." Claudia pointed out before her expression softened. "Are you a Hale by chance? I knew Talia once upon a time..." Peter too, but mostly Talia. She had been the alpha after all. "I'm not exactly new. I was born and raised here but," Well that's too hard to explain just yet. "I'm Claudia."

she doesn't remember him. it makes sense — he would have just been a little kid if and when she ever did interact with him, and where he's had her pictures around the house to keep him company, she's mostly just had ... well, the whole dying thing. "not a hale," he manages, breathlessly, reeling beneath all this fresh information; she doesn't even seem to hear him, though, going into detail about binding magic. "wait. wait, our magic? so you're saying—" scott's eyes widen. lydia's warnings, stiles' penchant for always getting into trouble, as if dangerous things are drawn to him not through sheer dumb luck but from something else entirely. "stiles is a witch?" he stumbles forward before he can catch himself, that much closer to her. "mrs. stilinski, forget the book. we have to tell him, i have to take you to your son. i know this is a lot for you right now, but he's in danger. he needs to know." scott hesitates, looking at her familiar features. "you have to let him know you're here. you're his mom."

SHE HAD WONDERED, of course she had, WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE if she hadn't died. If she hadn't of used the spell to not only bind her magic but forget if it meant she and her family would be safe. Witch hunter fear was imbedded in any witch's DNA who was raised to fear them. "Not a Hale." but he was a werewolf, that much was clear by the red eyes and the claws. He knew Stiles which meant that even without magic, Stiles had found the world Claudia was trying to keep him safe from. "Half witch, half human... but it doesn't mean anything anymore. Stiles was always bound for a world I tried to keep him safe from." Of course, how could she not see it? He'd always gotten into trouble and where Noah's brain was logical, Claudia could see where the reason wasn't. How could she think binding his magic would stop it? He was meant for a world Claudia feared. "You don't understand. If I don't find the book, I can't reverse the spell. If I can't reverse the spell, I'll leave him even more unprotected and unprepared."

he hums, considering, reaching out with his magic to get a sense of her. sure enough, he feels it — powerful magic still clinging to her, like a shadow. "we'll find out who it was. in the meantime, you've been touched by something strong, something other; you can use it to your advantage." lips quirk in amusement as she nears him, offers her a brief, supportive squeeze of her elbow. "does your son know you're alive? that you're a witch?" his eyes glitter with interest as he recalls the specifics of her situation, her intent. "that he's a witch?"

SHE CAN FEEL IT; creatures held magic inside them just as witches did. When she came back, she felt more... like it was there, creeping in slowly but surely. It wasn't like a werewolf or fae. This magic wasn't supposed to be there and despite the fact that the two shared different views on magic, Claudia was appreciative... ready to learn, if he'd be willing to point her in the right direction now. She didn't care about witch hunters when her son and husband were no longer safe. Maybe they had never been even with her extra effort. "How Valentine? My parents rarely used their magic. The spells I have, they're not anything special." If anything they were Band-Aids rather than actual help. Claudia was desperate. "Not yet. I need to unbind his magic before I reveal too much. Can you... can you help me?"

needless to say, scott's eyes go big with shock. blinks several dozen times at the woman before him, positive that he must be seeing things, hearing things. "uh," is all he can manage at first, mentally replaying the movements of her hands, the chant from her lips he doesn't understand. "i ... don't know. no one knows, we hadn't even talked about witches yet. that wasn't on our radar. but mrs. stilinski, was that magic? are you..." a witch. and if she's a witch, does that explain why stiles has been getting into so much trouble? or is it all one big coincidence? ugh; scott's head hurts from the neverending supernatural whirlwind. "look, i'm begging you to explain. just a little."

HE SEEMED UNBELIEVABLY CONFUSED and not on the verge of attacking... Claudia was so confused but she didn't have time to be confused when something or someone hurt her son. No, she needed her book. Where the hell had she put it? "Witches are secretive creatures, forced into the shadows to seek safety. Good witches work for the balance of life not against it. No one should've been brought back." Yet his words seem to signal opposite. Black magic in Beacon Hills? That was bad... the magic in her veins told her to listen carefully. "It was different sixty years ago in Poland. It was supposed to be different here. It was..." Until it wasn't. It was never different though was it? The witch hunts and trials, dividing the population based on many factors and much more. "My parents moved to Beacon Hills to escape witch hunters. They would help the pack -- the Hales, as much as they could but... are you a Hale?" It might’ve been familiar, having a thought and moving on to another before it could be answered, "I bound our magic to hide us from a witch hunter but I must've used the spell wrong. How could I be so stupid?" It might seem like aggression but it was more so exhaustion than that. Fear, worry, guilt yes but not aggression. "Where did I put that damn book?"

Malia saw the other's eyes flick down towards her hands and realised that she was still bearing her claws, gearing up for a fight. Quickly shoving her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket and hoping that the woman didn't fully register that those were, in fact, claws protruding from her finger tips and not just an extra long, extra sharp pair of false nails, she stepped further into the alleyway. "I see. So it was your ego that exploded? Colour me impressed." The slight fluctuation of the older woman's heartbeat betrayed her lie to Malia's attuned sense of hearing, but she chose to play along, unsure of whether the other posed a threat just yet. "Judging by the look of you, my guess would be either a flock of chickens or sleepover sized supply of pillows."

SHE SUPPOSED SHE COULD TELL THE OTHER THE TRUTH -- having claws where she had magic, but Claudia was paranoid and with good reason surely. Claudia was trying a spell in hopes that it was just a once off. Maybe her magic wasn't completely fucked side ways and six days til Sunday. "I'd be more impressed if everyone's ego could explode a time or two." Claudia replied with amusement before her shoulders gave a shrug and she felt herself give up. A spell under her breath causes the mess to disappear after the other's teasing, including causing the dumpster to snap shut as if it hadn't been exploded to begin with. Not time travel, not, but something of a reversal. "I'm a witch and you are? Not a werewolf... I've known plenty and it doesn't match your energy." Her feet stay planted where she stood. She made no movement to get closer or farther away. Claudia wasn't a threat unless she needed to be.

WHEN SHE HAD DIED, WEREWOLVES WEREN'T MUCH OF A THREAT. They lived peacefully with their pack -- the Hales, and most people tended to avoid the area around full moons. That's not to say there weren't threats elsewhere, with certain people, but when Claudia died, they weren't the source of it. Since returning, she'd learned of "animal attacks" and came face to face with a werewolf in the Stilinski living room. While she didn't think her son's best friend was a threat, she was on edge. There were too many threats now. "They have witch shops now? I'm sorry... it's been a while. They didn't have those when I was growing up," Claudia gave a little laugh.

"claudia," he greets easily enough, gaze flicking over her familiar features. she looks as perfectly hale as when he'd seen her last, before he'd heard of her untimely fate. interesting. "so it's true. someone resurrected you." slowly, valentine steps forward, eyes falling curiously to the book in front of her. "it's good to see you again; you were too young. you have more to live for."

WHEN YOU'VE LIVED THE FEAR OF EVERYTHING, you eventually stop fearing things the same way some would. She'd never hold her parents to their taught fear; knowing they had witnessed witch hunters who destroyed their town in such a way that they had to move continents. She'd hope to raise her child differently but in the end, the threats were too great and she knew she needed help. Different help that meant risking it all... and in the end, it was almost for nothing. Disastrous results aside, she was surprisingly happy to see Valentine. [ OR MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE BLACK MAGIC WAS EASIER THESE DAYS. ] "Yes, although I'm not sure who or what it was." She would've asked if he had a hinkering as to who could bring the dead back on such a large scale but he didn't seem to of believed it until now. He might not know. She stepped away from the book and neared him, half wanting to hug him but still found living strange. Awkward. It felt as if she were constantly vibrating as if her senses were overloaded. "I know but... my son is ten years younger than I am when I," she didn't need to finish the thought, did she? "and I can't seem to ground myself. It's like I'm half here and half there."

The mention of a remedy caught her attention, and Lydia couldn't help but be intrigued. "Kotki Dwa? Interesting choice," Lydia remarked, her tone thoughtful. "If it worked for your son, it's worth a shot." She flashed a small, appreciative smile, grateful for the unexpected advice. The mention of her mother and their shared history made Lydia's eyes widen with recognition. "Natalie Martin? That's my mom yeah.'' she replied with a touch of amusement. "Small world, isn't it? I must have been a kid when you knew us. And now you're back, stirring up memories and that's why I can't place you.." Lydia's gaze held a mixture of curiosity and nostalgia. "So, what brings you back to Beacon Hills after all these years? Or is it just the irresistible charm of our little town that drew you back?"

IT WAS BRIEF BUT SHE CONSIDERED THE POSSIBLITY that Natalie's extremely intelligent daughter caught the clue she was trying to give her. She didn't know why she was alive again, heart beating without any reason other than the urge to protect her son and husband... even if death may have nixed that. "A family tradition for all of our littles." Claudia admitted with a nod. "How's she doing? I've been meaning to visit." Truly but also, Claudia couldn't bring herself to do so. She had barely been able to see Stiles and Noah. "I worked at the high school with her too. I taught Chemistry before I left." Which oddly enough, she had worked with not only Natalie but even Bobby too. That was just another person she'd have to see. "I left something I need to get back. After that, I don't know what I'll do."