REGRESSION TO THE MEANS

Scott was running through the Beacon Hills woods and felt, for the first time in a long time, happy. He didn't know that he is even capable of this emotion anymore. After Allison died, Isaac left to France, Derek got kidnapped by Mexican hunters, and psycho Kate was back in a land of living as a were-jaguar. So life kind of sucked.

They've got Derek back four weeks ago and three weeks ago Kira broke up with him. Scott didn't blame her, he understood the situation completely. When Allison's mother died and they split up, he was in exact Kira's position. Back then he told Allison that he will wait for her. Forever, if he has to. Kira didn't give him the same promise and he didn't ask her for it. Kira deserved better than waiting for a guy who can't give her what she needs - wonderful first love, which every teenager should have.

Scott stopped running, as he saw hurt Isaac and himself holding Allison's body again, light in her eyes fading. He couldn't breathe, his vision got blurry. It was like when Chris was trying to explain to him, the story they had to say to cops. He stood there desperate for air, unable to think about anything else but that he lost Allison.

"Scott?" he heard familiar voice right behind to him. "Scott, I'm here."

He felt uncertain hands around his shoulders, trying to comfort him as he fell on the ground. Scott felt suddenly embarrassed because this wasn't the first time it happened. Actually it was his third panic attack in two months, and everytime Malia was there.

First one happened shortly after Scott started teaching her, how to shift into coyote, how to be normal teenager, how to live an actual life. Like now, he remembered Allison, Derek and everything just crumbled. Scott was afraid that he will scare that poor girl, who was still uncertain as a human, but he was wrong. Malia didn't say anything just pressed herself on him, hugging him tight, so that he could feel that he wasn't alone.

Same thing was happening now. Malia was kneeling right next to him, hands wrapped up around his body, nose buried in his neck. She didn't say that everything is ok. She didn't promise him, that everything is going to be just fine. Malia just sat there, making sure that he wasn't on his own, waiting until he will anchor himself again.

Scott closed eyes and held his breath. He listened to Malia's heartbeat and tried to synchronize his with hers, hoping that it will stop the panic attack. After Scott finally managed to calm himself, he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Sorry about that," he started apologizing, because it wasn't fair towards her. He was supposed to be her mentor, take care of her and not another way around.

"That's alright," Malia whispered.

Scott couldn't see her face, but he felt that she smiled. For a moment they just sat there, on the ground, in the middle of the woods. Malia moved first and Scott caught himself disagreeing with it.

"Hey, don't try to be all cute. You know that I'm hanging with you, just to avoid Peter, right?" Malia offered to lighten the mood.

Even behind that obvious attempt to make a joke, Scott knew that she is partially telling the truth. Her relationship with Peter was... weird. There is no other word for it. Lydia explained them everything, about how she learned about Malia being Peter's child, but even after that Malia simple resented the truth. Peter, on the other hand, was ecstatic about having daughter.

Happy Peter was scary and even scarier was his approval about Malia spending a lot of time with Scott. Lydia even came up with some insane mating theory. When Derek saw their terrified faces, he tried to calm them down, with explanation that it has probably something to do with the fact, that Peter created them both. No need to say that it didn't help at all.

"Stiles have a bad influence on you. Two months ago, you would never say anything like that," Scott laughed.

"Actually, I haven't seen Stiles for a while," Malia's face frowned. "He is spending a lot of time with Lydia."

Scott didn't know what to say. Of course he knew about Stiles' first time with Malia, he told him. He also knew about his undying love to Lydia and that his feelings towards Malia were more or less brotherly. Why he didn't know was how Malia is feeling about all this.

"Yeah," Scott nodded. "It seems that the Nogitsune thing kind of brought them together."

Malia shrugged. "She is making him happy. That all is matters."

"Are you happy?"

"What?" her face was suddenly confused.

"I was asking, if you are happy, Malia," Scott tried again.

"Are we sharing the deep stuff now, Peeta?"

Scott rolled eyes in amusement. Firstly, Stiles should never have introduced her Hunger Games and secondly - she was worse than Isaac, when it came up to sharing feelings. But it got better or at least he thought it did. The more time they spent together, the more she begun open up to him. He caught her eyes and raised his brows. She still didn't answer him.

"I'm happy in days like this," Malia sighed. "When you buy me a coffee and then we are running through the woods together, it's nice. It feels like... home."

Something inside Scott snapped. He didn't know exactly what he is doing, when he reached after her and kissed her. It just happened. He felt how Malia freezed and realised what he just done. Scott released her immediately.

"Oh, my god, I'm so sorry," he blurted out. "I shouldn't have..."

Before he could've continued apologizing, Malia crossed the distance between them, cupped his cheeks and pressed their lips together again. Scott couldn't help himself but kiss her back. For a brief moment everything was perfect as he deepened the kiss. He pulled her on his lap, so Malia was basically kneeling on him.

It was different than any kiss he experienced before. With Allison it was about pure human love and passion. Kissing Kira was more innocent, almost childish pecks. This was something else entirely. As he felt Malia's hand rubbing the back of his neck, Scott realised that his wolf is the one, who is calling the shots now.

When they ran out of air, Scott broke the kiss and pressed their foreheads together. He took a deep breath to inhale Malia's scent and sensed she did the same. With that, something was suddenly off. Scott felt that his eyes were glowing red, he looked at Malia and saw that hers are too changing colour. They were switching from chocolate brown to heavenly blue and then... into perfect shade of yellow.

"What the...?" Malia whispered, obviously confused. "What just happened?"

Scott blinked and let the red fade away. Even thought, he knew exactly what happened, he leaned to Malia's neck and smelled her once more. And he was right of course.

"I'm beta now, aren't I?"

He is dead. Peter and Derek are going to kill him. They might have been ok with Malia hanging out with him, but as a member of his pack? Probably not. And Stiles... he is going to kill him too. So much for bro code.

"I'm sorry, Malia. I know you didn't ask for this."

Malia's expression changed from confused to happy and back as she throw herself on his torso, hugging him tight.

"Why are you apologizing? Are you kidding me?" brunette squeaked and released him. "It's awesome! All those years as coyote, I was alone and craved for someone, for pack, for family and now...Now, I have someone, Scott."

"You asked me, if I am happy," Malia smiled at him. "I am happy now."

He couldn't help but smile back. As he was helping her get up, Scott remembered what Deaton said to him after Allison died. Everything can't be bad all the time, not even in Beacon Hills. Things will always even out, and right now, life sucked a little less.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

So, after days of begging on tumblr to someone write Scalia fic, I've done it myself :-) I think they have huge potential (Hello? Someone said Stefan/Caroline?) and it will be fun to watch these two puppies growing close...

I'm absolutely not done with this pairing, so if anyone has idea on fics with them, let me know ;-)

And COMMENTS MAKE ME HAPPY!

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