there's something due any day

[braveandstupid]

Comments

[praevaricatio]

( "Their end of the bargain, it's a process. But, you're not in danger with them. That's not what they want."

What they do want is a healthy doppelganger and a walking smell ingredient, but, Bonnie's trying to keep the peace. )

You don't have to threaten us with your disappearing act.

[saveslives]

Don't we? Bonnie's endorsement is a lot, but she endorsed you, not your coven. And trust is earned.

[Jo crosses her arms in front of her chest as she watches them.]

Elena and Bonnie haven't grown up hearing horror stories about the Colony. I have. So I want to make sure that you understand that if I think she is at risk in any way, I will make sure that she isn't.

[She meets eyes with Bonnie on that because she understands that you're trying to keep the peace but she knows. She knows the witches that you've only received warnings about.]

Does that sound fair?

[praevaricatio]

We don't even endorse our coven.

( He interrupts her first point, but Jo's determination keeps his attention and he clams up again. )

We don't want Elena risked. And, not in the Colony's idea of keeping Elena out of harm's way. Not for a reason. Look, I'll admit, I was sent to do the Colony's dirty work, but the Colony, me? My husband? We're on different pages. I can make that promise.

[braveandstupid]

As long as you're on our page. That's what matters.

[Elena looks to Jo to see if she agrees. Jo nods. For now, she is satisfied. But she is going to be watching both of them like a hawk all the same.]

So. Anything else we need to get out in the open?

[praevaricatio]

( Elena has always known what she's wanted, even on the job. He's not surprised she came in with her agenda and came out in charge.

So-to-speak.

He would pull her aside, he believed they were friends, but she feels betrayed. So, he's going to let that sting settle. )

No. I think we're done here.

[braveandstupid]

Good. Then I'll see you at work.

[And with that, she and Jo will make their exit. Jo drops Elena back off at her apartment, where the Impala is sitting in the parking lot. Taking a deep breath, she makes her way inside, with a reminder to text Bonnie later and check in.

After closing the door to the apartment behind her, she calls out to whoever's home:]

Hey. Anybody here?

[cholesterol]

( Dean's on his back, cabinets open, in her kitchen. The faucet sounded a little leaky, and maybe he needed a better distraction than alcohol, food, or horror movies. If he'd gone to Mystic Grill, he'd be ten sheets to the wind. As it is, he has a half drank beer on the counter and the contents under her sing are strewn around him.

She hears a bang and a grumble as he pulls himself out from under the sink. )

Great entrance line. Anybody tell you you should be the final girl?

[braveandstupid]

I'm pretty sure I am the final girl.

[At least as far as Mystic Falls is concerned. She makes her way into the kitchen and eyes the destruction.]

What're you doing under my sink?

[cholesterol]

Your sink had a leak.

( He heard a leak. )

You're back. How'd it go?

( Among the ruins, he pulls himself up to wrap a hand around his beer. He'll... clean this all up. )

[braveandstupid]

It went ... as well as it was going to, I think. Turns out Bonnie met his husband while she was in London, so she was able to vouch for them. They say they're working against their coven.

[Whatever that may mean.]

[cholesterol]

( Look at that, distract her once. He didn't do the best thing, but he meant well. )

That involves you, how?

[braveandstupid]

Apparently, I'm a crucial spell ingredient.

[She makes a gesture like "What else is new?" Story of her life.]

They think the Colony might want to use me to make some kind of move.

[saveslives]

[After Jo leaves, she heads back to the Saltzman house and is feeling a little more on edge. With all of her magic coming and going, she never really got used to high powered magical negotiations. She doesn't want it to seem like she's operating at a loss, but when it comes to covens like the Colony, she can never be sure.

Tired, she makes her way inside and reaches for her husband's bourbon. It's been a long day, and she could use one.]

[daydrinker]

( Alaric slept in. He feels slightly entitled to it with his girls both graduated. He hit the bottle pretty hard the night before, which has never changed. Alaric Saltzman will always be an alcoholic in every universe. Having Jo and the girls ensures he functions and drinks less than he'd objectively want.

Alaric is sitting with spiked coffee for his hangover and the newspaper. They need to see if anything made the local papers. He looks up. )

How did the witch summit turn out?

[saveslives]

We managed to catch them off-guard, which is a plus.

[She didn't honestly think they would, so at least there's that.]

They agreed to our terms, more or less.

[daydrinker]

More? Or less.

( He'd set his mug down if he needed a top off, but he knows just how to spike his coffee for a good time. (Or, to kill the hangover he has. )

What happened?

[saveslives]

Well, we confronted them. We laid down our ultimatum. They claimed that they were also working against the Colony and had Bonnie Bennett as backup.

[Which truly does count for a lot.]

I'm just not sure if we can trust them.

[daydrinker]

It's Bonnie.

( But, Bonnie has been influenced by darkness before. More duped by it. )

They're working against their coven? What explanation did they give for practically stalking Elena?

[saveslives]

That was their job. They're playing their roles.

[She makes a face.]

I don't know Ezra well, but I think he seemed a little hurt that we weren't trusting him.

[maleficum]

[And once their unexpected visitors have left, David takes a beat before turning to his husband. He knows how much Ezra liked Elena, and this throws a complicated wrench into things.

Elena's importance to their cause aside, he's much more concerned about how his husband's feeling.]

Well. That was unexpected.

[praevaricatio]

( Ezra is going to do his best to hide his disappointment. He lost a friend today, a friendship he thought he had on lock. But, Elena had been busy since they regrouped. )

Yeah. Who knew they'd put all the pieces together.

( He'd wanted to be the one to break it to her, to bring an olive branch, but instead, Jo and Elena brought their best ultimatum. )

How screwed are we?

[maleficum]

If Elena keeps her word, not very. Harvey's already gone and I'm technically in charge, so whatever the elders don't know won't hurt them.

[He pauses as he makes his way closer.]

Are you doing okay?

[praevaricatio]

I'm fine. Unscathed.

( Physically, husband. )

[maleficum]

Are you?

[He tips his head to the side, because she did not mean physically.]

I know you two were close.

[praevaricatio]

From the beginning of our residencies.

( It's a good thing they weren't gracious hosts, or he'd have something to clean up to ignore the conversation David wants to have. )

Not everything works out.