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

[She winces because yeah. That couldn't have been fun.]

This was during the oni incident, right? Before Josie cast that big spell?

At the same time. So, of course, I feel like I've finally lost it.

( Forever. Cuckoo for coco puffs, Mom. )

But you weren't.

[Sebastian was real, even if he had messed with her at first.]

That must have been a relief.

Yeah. It was. Him being a vampire, that didn't matter. Some of my best friends - former - are vampires. And then Dad stepped in and tested him out. To see if he fit in at the Salvatore school.

( And that did NOT turn out well. )

Yeah, that's around where the yelling started.

[Prison worlds?! PRISON WORLDS, ALARIC?!]

It didn't end well, if I remember correctly?

No. He lied. He said -- that Sebastian didn't think he fit in. They both agreed he'd go.

( She finds her mother's eyes. She knows this part of the story. )

And then Alyssa Chang sent us to the prison world.

I know a lot of what happened there was complicated.

[Jo tips her head to the side.]

But I feel like we focused a lot more on Josie than you, for obvious reasons.

Well, yeah our psycho uncle forced Josie to go all Dark Willow on everyone. But. Sebastian also -- was there. He was there and we had this amazing night, mom. Until, he proved why every Disney Princess deserves better.

( She humphs, crossing her arms and sitting back. )

[She tips her head to the side, watching her daughter. She knows the pain all too well of teenage first loves. Of feeling seen and wanted and then the world turning everything upside down. It's not easy to get past, at least not when you're in it.

But you do get past it.]

Did you love him?

[No judgement. Just curious.]

... Maybe.

( She takes a bite of ice cream, sighing. )

Is that lame? Not even knowing if I loved the equally psycho vampire? He didn't love me. He just wanted to replace his first love. Cassandra.

[She shakes her head.]

It's not lame at all. That doesn't make whatever you felt for him any less valid or important. Sometimes ... we need to weed out a bad person or two in order to find the right one.

[She glances over to her.]

That's the benefit of being young. You can meet all kinds of people, and fall in love and fall out of it again. You can learn what it looks like when someone loves you well and when someone doesn't.

He wasn't. Bad. He did a bad thing and I'll never forgive him. But, he did it because all he wanted was to not be alone. He wasn't good at being a vampire. Bad or good. And that was when he was alive. That he would've kicked ass at being a Salvatore school transfer doesn't matter. I'm just - maybe not lucky, but, Josie found me. You kind of know the rest.

I didn't mean bad objectively. Just ... not right for you right then.

[She offers a small smile.]

We all have "the one that got away." But you learn from them, so you can do better next time.

You got dad.

( But... )

Who got away?

[She smirks as she leans back against the headboard.]

Guy in college. His name was Thomas, and he made me feel ... seen. He was also a witch, but he wasn't part of the coven and it was really ... freeing. Like my eyes were opened that not all covens had to be that way.

[She swallows.]

And then your Uncle did what he did and I joined the military and things had to end. But he taught me that there were other worlds I could join. I wasn't limited to that compound in Portland.

You joined the military?

( Whaaaat. )

That is badass.

[She laughs.]

Yeah. I was a combat medic for a while. Then once I finished my tour, I moved back here and met your dad.

[She smirks.]

And the rest, as they say, is history.

You also invented the Laughlin clamp. You met dad, but you also, like, saved the freakin' world.

( She's real proud to call you her mother right now. )

[She laughs.]

Yeah, I guess there's that too. You never know where life is going to take you. Even when it hurts, there's something you can learn from it.

You're my hero.

( You get a hug. )

[Jo will hug her back just as tightly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.]

I'm so proud of you.

( She closes her eyes, sighing, feeling closer with her mom than she has in a while. But, that's her. And also everything they've all been going through. Kids and not the adults. )

You said that already.

It bears repeating.

[She pulls back to look at her.]

And I want you to have fun on your trip, okay? You've earned it.

Way ahead of you. I made the perfect itinerary with breaks in between so the others can run wild if they must. We're going to see, we're going to taste... I can't wait.

( She really can't! )

Good.

[And she gathers up the remains of the ice cream.]

I should go check in with your dad, and I know your sister is waiting to come in here. But are you good?

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