sometimes people leave you halfway through the wood

[madskilled]

Comments

[blackstarred]

She sounded okay on the phone. She's still stuck in witch town, but I'll let you know when I see her.

[Whenever Faith happens to return.]

[attainathons]

Or, just tell her to call me. Slayer to slayer check-in. It's an excuse as old as -- it was when I started it.

( And that's good enough. )

[blackstarred]

Yeah. I can do that.

[In fact she will send Faith text right now: Call Buffy.]

Let me know when Stefan's getting in. One of us will try and meet him.

[attainathons]

Stefan's more the, you'll know he's there when he's there, type. Mia. Thank you.

( Sigh. )

[blackstarred]

Then I'll let you know when he gets here.

[And with that, they'll say their goodbyes, and she'll move on to the next call on the list: her dad. After a deep breath, she dials a number she's always known by heart and places the phone to her ear.]

[kapiushon]

( Answering numbers he doesn't recognize should be a thing he doesn't do, but his network spans continents, and he has a missing kid, so he answers. )

...Hello?

[blackstarred]

[There's a brief silence before she manages to get out:]

Hi, Dad.

[kapiushon]

( And he's up, pacing away. )

Mia?

[blackstarred]

I'm okay.

[Because clearly that is the biggest concern.]

I'm sorry, for disappearing, I just ... I was having a hard time dealing.

[kapiushon]

( Well. He has every question to ask. Every single question. But jumping down her throat won't help. )

With what?

[blackstarred]

With ... becoming a Slayer?

[Her dad used to roll with John Constantine. Fifty-fifty chance that he might know what that is.]

[kapiushon]

( Nope. He hasn't. )

You're going to have to elaborate. Did you join a murder group, Mia?

[blackstarred]

Only if you're a vampire?

[That's probably not the answer he wants either.]

It's this ... ancient magical calling. It makes you stronger, faster so you can compete with the creatures you're fighting. I got called when I was on that vacation with JJ. The other Slayers found me and when I saw an option to disappear, I took it.

[kapiushon]

Vampires.

( Okay. )

How were you... called.

[blackstarred]

It just kind of happened? One minute I was me and the next I smashed my phone in my hand without even trying and vampires started stalking me.

[It was ... not fun, to say the least.]

[kapiushon]

You mean you threw your phone down?

( From your hand? )

[blackstarred]

No. I mean I squeezed it too hard and it shattered.

[Aka your daughter now has super strength, Oliver.]

[kapiushon]

Like a meta. Except, magical.

( He's going to be calling her uncle Constantine, that's for sure. )

[blackstarred]

Yeah. Pretty much.

[There are some other bonus features that come along with it, but she'll let Oliver process before giving him the full details.]

[kapiushon]

Why didn't you at least, send one message. If you needed time.

( Everyone thought she wasn't ready to marry J.J. who'd asked for her hand. Oliver thought so, too. )

I know I'm the last person that can call you on disappearing.

( But, Mia! )

[blackstarred]

I know, I know.

[The guilt is starting to set in. How William was in that building looking for her, and she could have just as easily found a body rather than her brother. She doesn't have a good reason for going AWOL, beyond:]

I just didn't know what to say.

[kapiushon]

You say that you have a problem, or that something happened. You know what I've been through. Your uncle's a meta. Constantine's a sorcerer - of sorts. Did you think I couldn't handle it?

( Did you underestimate your father, Mia? He's just trying to get to the bottom of it. )

[blackstarred]

No.

[Of course not. Oliver's weathered a lot of bs over the years, he would likely take vampires being real in stride.]

But ... it was a lot. Vampires and demons are a lot. I wasn't even sure I was handling it and I didn't want you guys getting hurt because I didn't know how to protect you.

[A pause.]

I know it sounds really dumb, but I thought that staying away, at least until I got a handle on this Slayer thing was the right thing to do.

[kapiushon]

( Maybe, maybe he could buy not wanting her brother to be hurt, but her father thinks he could hold his own against a vampire or a demon. He has, hasn't he? But. He also understands. )

Look, I get it. You were scared and confused and still learning. But, next time, loop us in. We can handle ourselves. Or, did you forget my one-time wife training you and your brother in the backyard?

[blackstarred]

I did not forget. It actually gave me a leg up on the rest of the Slayers so thanks for that.

[Though the other girls probably didn't appreciate it.]

And yeah. Next time I'll do better. I promise.