Let the moment go… Don't forget it for a moment, though

[jockwitch]

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the postmortem

[jockwitch]

( or, the afterparty.

the shockingly (or not so) open bar, sits on the outskirts of assembled tables, assigned to grads but free for all for the guests. waiters also pass around hors d'oeuvres. take a spin around the dance floor with the DJ or slow dance along to the string quartet.

or, if you have more serious or secret business, head on inside the Lockwood estate. but don't go into the off limits wing. and did you see a glimpse of Tyler Lockwood himself? )

[vampireboulevard]

Tyler Lockwood!

[Yes, Caroline spots him as she's making her way back from giving Scott his tour. Yes, she sees him sneaking around in his own house.]

What are you doing here?

[recrudesce]

( tyler snuck in, or tried to. luckily, she catches him already dressed. he's got his suitcase rolling behind him. that's right, he's grown up. no longer is he the duffelbagger, caroline forbes.

he turns, a slightly sheepish, caught look on his face. )

I heard there was a graduation. Don't you need a Lockwood ambassador?

( buying it? )

Jeremy wanted eyes on the situation. I agreed. You are looking headmistressy. What do I have to do to be sent to your office?

[vampireboulevard]

[She rolls her eyes, before pulling him into a hug. Even if their relationship isn't what it used to be, she still has a spot for Tyler Lockwood in her heart.]

It's good to see you. It's been a while since you've been live and in person.

[recrudesce]

( That crude humor is still there, but only with people he knows this closely. )

The packs, they're more widespread. Everyone is on high alert. Monroe's -- she's bad news. I paid cash driving back. How is today looking?

[werewolfqueen]

[Hayley also spots Tyler Lockwood as she's making her way through the party. It's been almost twenty years since they were last in the same room together, let alone the same town, and she had planned to keep her distance.

But after living with the Originals for all these years and seeing what kind of damage unsettled grudges can do, part of her feels inspired to try. She can't (and won't) speak for Klaus, but she can speak for herself.

Taking one of the champagne glasses off one of the trays floating through the room, she makes her way closer, holding out the glass to him as an olive branch.]

Hey.

[She lets the glass hang there, before she takes a breath.]

I swear I didn't poison it.

[recrudesce]

( Tyler's kept to himself. He's here to be the muscle and for Caroline's success. Damon bothers him once, and Stefan says his hello's. He saw Hayley from afar, and Klaus. He's planned on keeping his distance and playing nice. But, she doesn't. She approaches. And with an olive branch.

After a second, he accepts the glass. )

I deserve the wolfsbane if you did.

[werewolfqueen]

[She nods, as she glances out over the room, before turning back to him.]

Look, I think we can agree that we both did some pretty messed up things when we were younger.

[Both of them, not just one.]

I'm pretty sure if I were to ask Klaus, his response would be to hold a grudge until you die, but I honestly don't want that for me and I don't want to watch the echoes of the things I did come down on Hope.

So, I'm sorry. For the role I played in things.

[She takes a breath, before offering up the glass in a half toast.]

Truce?

[recrudesce]

( Tyler's never been a man of many words. He barely got out of New Orleans with any sanity left before he returned to Mystic Falls with his tail between his legs. That has been his lowest point. Kidnapping Hayley. Begging Klaus to end his life. And then returning to town later on only to learn from Katherine that Caroline had slept with him. He'd nursed a grudge for a long time. And transferring that grudge to Hayley and to Hope, that was not something he stood for. All of them at one time or another paid for the sins of their fathers. Why Tyler wasn't able to break that curse until it was too late.

It was the anger he'd carried around with him.

You have nothing to worry about. Hope is not on my radar. And I usually keep at least a whole state's distance away from your ex.

( Ex. Baby daddy. What have you. )

Having a truce for years doesn't count if you don't communicate it, does it.

( He half toasts back. )

I did a lot of messed up things back then. A lot. That's one thing I was never proud of. I - couldn't actually believe I did it. After. I'm sorry, Hayley.

[havethings]

( Hope needs to be told to stay put, that things with Dr. Gilbert are under control, but even with her being better adjusted, with who her parents are, she's still headstrong and independent.

This is about her graduating, not about other threats, unless those threats descend upon graduation. Then, she and the other students have family and faculty permission. She shouldn't want that to happen. It's actually a nice affair. She went to the Lockwood property once for a field trip. She's been in their cellar, by Fell's church. Where Tyler Lockwood once locked himself up.

So. Fine. Hope can play it off, she can have fun. She can pick at the food on her plate and smile, and marvel at both of her parents being here. Cami, too, but she is -- alive according to the text she gets back. Which means Elena is okay.

Hope accepts a dance from Landon, for old times' sake, but leaves the dance floor once MG and Kaleb do one of their coordinated dances. And soon it's all the vampires. Things are more prom than graduation.

She still made it. She survived. She graduated. And nobody attacked graduation. Is that because their target all along was Dr. Gilbert? )

[polydeukes]

[Josie hangs back, giving Hope a chance to get her congratulations from her parents, and her dance with Landon. She knows she's going to have Hope to herself for the whole summer, so he can allow these moments now, but there's still an edge of impatience to it.

Once Hope is on her own, she makes her way closer and offers her a smile.]

Think I might steal you for a dance?

[havethings]

( Hope likes her moments alone, but if anyone can break her from them, it's her girlfriend. )

I think I can make that happen.

( She sets her glass down taking Josie's hand in hers. )

[polydeukes]

[Once she takes Hope's hand, she leads the way out onto the dance floor, waiting until she finds a good spot before pulling her closer.]

It feels weird, doesn't it? To be actually done with high school?

[ergowwwd]

( Jack likes parties. He likes this parties more than any at the Falls, in the woods, or by the old Mill (which should be called the Mill, what other mills are around?), but he likes the music and he always likes alcohol. That's the Dean he was raised to be.

He also has a question to ask, and rounds to make. But, first, he eats. He mingles. He thanks Headmistress Forbes. It is a good day to be Jack Winchester.

More to Jack's speed, some of the time, he sits inside on a couch, reading one of his favorites.

He's never been good at socialization over a long period of time. Eve though he likes people. He's just not like other people. He never has been. He's still alert, like most others are, but he's happy to be here. And hopefully, happy to see the world. )

[imnot_likeyou]

[Sam has mostly been on the fringes of things, keeping an eye on the room and not mingling much with the parents. Cas seems to have that handled, given that he has actual relationships with the other parents that didn't involve late night hunting adventures.

That being said, he eventually notices Jack is missing, and weaves his way through to find him on the couch with a book.]

What're you reading?

[ergowwwd]

Call of the Wild. One of Dean's.

( Your brother reads more than you think, Sam. Be happy he's not knee deep in Vonnegut. )

Hello, Sam.

[jockwitch]

( Lizzie speech is about being who we need to be for ourselves and for our world. that in trying to be the best, we often make mistakes, but the best thing we can do is be there for each other. we can do good. even if we aren't always good. but that's what they've fought against and explored the nature of. who are they to each other and to the world. it's got a slight edge to it, as most of what lizzie says does. but for the most part? it's hopeful. she loves this school even if she was never good at showing it.

for once, a part is not about lizzie and she is not playing at being ms. popular. she is just enjoying herself.

sure, she's stressing about the theme, the drinks, and the food, and everyone having a good time, but, this is also for her. she can totally have fun. )

[saveslives]

[Jo gave her girls some space to talk with their friends and enjoy the party, but when she catches Lizzie standing alone, she makes her way closer, sliding an arm around her shoulders.]

I'm really proud of you, you know.

[jockwitch]

( To the other students, graduation - and high school - was the education of Lizzie Saltzman. The taming of the shrew without all the gross sexism. But, for Lizzie, it was about accepting herself. It was about accepting therapy, and leaving for two summers with her mom for a supernaturally inclined therapist in Switzerland. The second summer, she'd even invited Josie and Hope.

Lizzie was always afraid of herself and what she was capable of. And somehow, simultaneously, she was afraid she'd never be strong enough.

When her sister, Josie, spoke up, she was the strongest person Lizzie knew next to Hope.

But, Lizzie knows now she doesn't have to be the strongest, or most popular, or nicest... all the time. But, she did need to be compassionate. She needed to listen. And she needed to learn. Yeah, she still had a long way to go. )

Not that you don't have to say that because you're our mom -- thank you, anyway.

( She leans closer to her mom, embracing her one-armed pride. )

[vampireboulevard]

[As the night winds down, the parents leave with the children and the manor begins to empty, Caroline feels her energy being to flag. Not sleeping at all the night before and having to be "on" for all the parents can sap even a vampire's resistance, and she finds herself retreating to one of the couches in Mayor Lockwood's old office.

She drops into it with a heavy sigh, reaching down to slide one of the heels off and rub the arches of her feet. Sleeping in her own bed tonight will be nice.

Hopefully nothing gets in the way of that.]

[widenecked]

( Caroline has a job to do, so Ryan gives her the floor, except for the dance she asks for. He gives her that. He also helps some of the staff to clean up. Old habits die hard for him, even being a gentleman and helping the help. They've never been the help for him. They're people, too.

Once they're cleared, he finds Caroline in the study. )

Hey.

( Deciding, he steps inside and sits next to her on the couch. )

[vampireboulevard]

Hey.

[She looks up with a smile as he moves to sit next to her, shifting slightly to make room for him.]

Thanks again, for all your help today.

[saveslives]

[After dropping off Elena, Jo makes a run to Walgreens (the only thing open at this time of night) and picks up a couple pints of Lizzie's favorite ice cream. Once she's home, she checks in with Ric to let him know Elena got home okay and she's fine, before heading off to find her daughter.

While they always shared a room at the Salvatore School, at the actual Saltzman House, the girls always had rooms of their own. Places to retreat to when things became too much. She makes her way down to the end of the hallway, before knocking lightly on Lizzie's door.]

Lizzie? Ready for ice cream?

[jockwitch]

( Ric, uncharacteristically, is not reading something, in bed or otherwise. He's just enjoying a nightcap. Kisses Jo on the cheek.

The girls are back at their parents since school is closed and they've graduated. They still have things to move, but for tonight, it's nice to spend it at home.

Lizzie's in her bedroom, separate from Josie's in the house. Their bedrooms were separate, the older they got, not like at school. They'll probably spend the night up talking anyway, when she gets back.

Lizzie, in pajamas, sets her phone aside and gets up from her bed. )

Come in. Did you get what you needed to get done?

[saveslives]

I did. Your aunt Elena is home safe and sound, and all seems to be quiet on the supernatural front.

[She holds out one of the pints with a spoon for Lizzie to take.]

So I am all yours.