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

[jockwitch]

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[imnot_likeyou]

[He laughs awkwardly, before rubbing the back of his neck.]

Yeah, I guess dressing up isn't usually part of the day, to day. But you do. Look great.

[A n y w a y.]

Yeah, we didn't know either, until a few years back. They have a tendency to be pretty hands off when they can help it.

[matriarchate]

Thank you, Sam.

( A n y h o w. )

Until they have no choice. It's not just hunters that try to tip the scales. It's darachs, shapeshifters. Witches. When I changed our code, I thought that we would make more of an impact, and all I feel is that the playing field is as uneven as it was ten years ago.

[imnot_likeyou]

Unfortunately, that's not really something you can level.

[There will always be something waiting to come out of the darkness and tip the world on it's axis. Sam's seen so much at this point that he's lost hope in the fact that one day he might be able to retire and that the world would stop ending.]

In my experience, all you can do is the best with the resources you have. Put all the good into the world you can and hope for the best.

[Does he sound tired? Probably because he is. This is also the thing that wears on you and he doesn't envy her position.]

For what it's worth, I think you're doing a lot of good.

[matriarchate]

Yeah? When is it going to feel like that, Sam.

( Does it ever? )

But, look who I'm talking to. You've been doing this longer than I have.

[imnot_likeyou]

You're one person. You can't always save everyone.

[He doesn't say that to be cruel, he mostly says it to be kind. It is what it is.]

You make peace with saving who you can. And deal with the bad days as they happen.

[matriarchate]

When I took over, I had a lot riding against me. It's one thing when your dad respects you, and looks to you to make the big calls. But, it's another when a network of hunters needs you to prove it. I used to go into the field a lot more. My entire first year after high school, I had something to prove. It was better to focus on who I could save. And it wasn't just other humans. I helped Scott, too. Orphaned werewolves. A kitsune who had nowhere else to turn.

( She quotes: )

"Nous protègons ceux qui ne peuvent pas se protèger eux-měmes"

[imnot_likeyou]

[Sam nods, because he's heard it before.]

It's a good goal. You're doing the best you can.

[And sometimes, that's all you can do.]

For what it's worth, I think you're doing well.

[matriarchate]

Maybe say that to me every day.

( She can't say it to herself enough. Hoping. )

You and Dean, you do a lot of good.

[imnot_likeyou]

We try.

[Sam's not always sure they succeed.]

And we're not perfect. We've made a lot of mistakes.

[matriarchate]

We're nothing if not our mistakes. And what we do after we make them.

( She looks over the crowd, nods to one of her witches, but then looks at Sam again. )

What's next for you and your brother?

[imnot_likeyou]

Don't know.

[He exhales slowly.]

I think Dean might want to stick around Mystic Falls for a while.

[He's seen the sparks of interest in his brother regarding Elena, and Sam isn't going to begrudge him that.]

[matriarchate]

Has Caroline expressed any interest in either of you becoming adjuncts?

( She may have an opportunity, depending, but does Mystic Falls have both of them. )

[imnot_likeyou]

[He huffs a laugh, before shaking his head.]

I'm not sure Caroline's our biggest fan right now, in terms of having us around her students.

[matriarchate]

You threatened her newest vampire. Dean threatened her newest vampire.

( She makes the distinction. )

How often to do you guys split up? Are you a packaged deal everywhere?

[imnot_likeyou]

Not often. I mean, every so often we do get so sick if each other that if we have to see the other's face we might punch it so it's usually a good idea to take a break.

[Once a year, usually.]

But not too often.

[matriarchate]

And on a scale of 1 to punching it?

( She steps into the row, taking her seat. )

[imnot_likeyou]

Right now?

[He pauses as he moves to take the seat next to her before shrugging.]

Maybe a seven?

[matriarchate]

That's not insignificant. And, the farther we get from him threatening Stiles? That number goes down? You two are real assets for us, Sam.

( Us. But, she does - also mean her. She says 'us.' She's the company. )

[imnot_likeyou]

Well, generally we run at an even five.

[If Dean and Sam are ever completely happy with each other, something is wrong.]

We're not looking to go anywhere, unless you want us to. We intend to stick through this until it's done.

[matriarchate]

We don't know when that will be. You're okay, not taking smaller cases?

( Because those pass her desk, so to speak, too. )

[imnot_likeyou]

There are other hunters we can pass those off to.

[Allison isn't the only one with a network, after all.]

If you want them off your plate.

[matriarchate]

I had heard that you had taken more of a leadership roll.

( They spoke highly of him, when not worried about his well-being. Dean was eventually found, but what happened after, that's escaped her purview. )

About a year ago. Is there still an outfit back in Kansas?

[imnot_likeyou]

[Sam nods.]

They work out of the Men of Letters base there. They're good people.

[Most of them just come from a world where things went wrong. They don't know what else to do but hunt.]

[matriarchate]

Right. I have to say, the Men of Letters didn't make our radar. It's hard to believe just how many of us hunters were operating under each other's noses. You work directly with them too, then?

( Their secret, the legacies they carry, continues to remain under wraps. )

[imnot_likeyou]

They actually went defunct around the fifties, but our grandfather was one. So we sort of inherited this whole bunker of research and notes.

[He can't help but smile a little because nerd.]

Way better than Google.

[Nerd.]

But yeah, they're a much bigger thing across the pond.