everyonelives | the ground could open, he could still say please

( His entire coven, technically, has been running from the Colony for generations, cursed into their power. Shipp has gone to great lengths to distance himself from who he was, from where he was from. Hardly anyone knows his whole story. Most people in the Underground just think he's a witch. They aren't wrong. )

Can't help if it stirs shit up.

( The scotch helps. Some. )

Nothing alcohol won't numb. Tomorrow morning I'll be good old Shipp.

( in ship-shape with wisecracks at the ready. )

[Mmm. She refills his glass once it's empty before knocking back her own.]

Back to being cryptic and driving the kids up a wall. As things should be.

[She goes to pour herself a second glass.]

But if you want to talk about it, you know it won't get further than me.

Talking about it doesn't... it's never done me any good. Gemini, we're -- we're in the middle of everything. I talk about it, even with you, and it's real. It's always real. But, Shipp's also real. I am that smart, savvy fuck-up. I'd rather be in a cloud of weed then...

( Who he really is. )

I told someone else once. Before you, before finding the Underground.

What happened?

[She assumes it's bad if he's so worried about telling it to someone else, but she wants the answer to that before she reassures him that he can be both.]

Gemini disappear. We aren't on anybody's radar and that's how we like it. Because of that, there's a lot on the streets about us. Most of it's bs.

( But that bs fuels some people, like someone who used to be his friend. )

Some of it's true.

( Really, he just denies it all. )

The coven I fell in with wanted to fortify. LA's -- it's easy to find friends. When I told Patrick, the leader, about who I was, about what I was -- thinking I'd be able to trust him, thinking I was safe - he - drugged me. Dosed me with vampire blood and --

( He cuts himself off, remembering siphoning just enough magic to end his life before he could end Shipp's. )

I've been on the run ever since.

( Twofold. )

His coven thinks I killed him in cold blood, not in self defense, like I wanted his power. I didn't. I just wanted a safe place to land.

People are shit.

[Which is said to commiserate, mostly. She doesn't blame him for being mistrustful, given that particular past experience. But she meant what she said, and she fully intends to keep his secrets.]

But I never said that Shipp isn't real. Shipp or Shep, whoever's on the board - I'll have his back. And I won't let that happen to you again.

[Because that's what friends do, after all.]

It's all real, baby.

( He downs his second scotch, laughing to himself. )

It's not just what happened with Patrick's coven. It's my family. It's my big brother. We all carry this weight. All of us. Sole survivor looks good on me, but unsuspecting stoner looks better.

[Annie only knows bits and pieces, the parts that Shipp would tell her when he was feeling up to it. She let's that information ebb and flow, but something about "sole survivor" seems wrong. Because Shipp isn't the only person she's heard the word "Gemini" from.]

Have you talked to Alexander about what went down in Mystic Falls?

When?

( Mystic Falls is a magic capital after all. He's done his research. Ten years or so ago, Hellfire shot into the sky. Thirteen years ago, Mystic Falls became a magic free-zone for a few months. He knows enough. )

A few months ago. One of the hunter attacks.

[She makes a face because she's not sure, but some of the pieces line up.]

His contact's wife is a pretty powerful witch. If I remember correctly, they have twin girls. Siphoners. I'm still working my way through the reports, so he hasn't mentioned Gemini directly but ... maybe it's not a coincidence.

( The dark liquid in his glass captures his gaze as he tries to make sense of what she's saying. A powerful witch wife. Twin daughters. Siphoners. He flashes back to waking up alone and bloody in their backyard. He walked himself back inside and found his family massacred. )

He looks up. )

Twin siphoners is not a coincidence, Annie.

[She holds up her hands because she doesn't know how things work with the Gemini, and she also doesn't know anything more than that. She reads the reports because Abernathy doesn't always like to share, but she's still playing catch up.]

That's all I know. If you need more detail, you'll have to go get it out of the kid.

( He drains the contents of his glass, getting to his feet. )

Then let's visit the playground.

( But, really, come with him because he wants the emotional support but he's not going to say or ask her for it.

He knows the last place they were headed was the war room, so he leads the way there, letting himself inside. )

Are we interrupting?

Not at all.

[Alexander shifts, leaning back from the table to give Shipp his attention. They're not focusing on anything right now, as they don't really have a lot of information to act on, but maybe Shipp has something he wants to move on.]

What's up?

Edited 2022-12-06 04:28 (UTC)

How long have you known a member of the Gemini coven was in Mystic Falls?

( He doesn't have the patience to put up his act. He has purpose. (Something he usually lacks.) His energy is best when he has something to channel it into. Like this confrontation. )

[Alexander looks a little put off by the accusation, because while he had suspicions, he never had confirmations with regards to where Shipp came from. This is confirming some of those suspicions, but his brain still doesn't quite understand the way he's being made to feel like he did something wrong.]

Like ... six months?

[At least, that's as long as he'd had confirmations.]

It was in my report? But I don't know if it's all that big a secret, dude, she's like ... the head of the coven.

Nobody is head of the coven. They were wiped out.

( They weren't. Obviously. But, the most of his family, his parents. )

[Alexander holds up his hands, because he doesn't know the answer to that demand.]

That's who they told me she was? Her name's Josette Laughlin. She's a doctor.

( He came in hot, something he never does, he doesn't blame Alexander's hackles being raised. He has better tact. He's lived on better tact. It's how he survives. But, here behind closed doors, the abandoned little brother escapes. )

I don't read your reports.

( Who reads his reports? If he had, he'd be coming across this privately. He might be taking this better. He says his sister's name like she's no big deal, but also like she's the head of her coven. Their coven. Like she's alive. )

Josette Laughlin is head of the Gemini coven.

( "Shipp," Alys tries, stepping between Alexander and her friend, placating him. "Bring it down. Alexander wasn't keeping information from you. None of us are."

She has a point. Shipp gathers up his composure, his unconscionable outburst out there now. )

Edited 2022-12-06 16:50 (UTC)

Look, that's all I know.

[He tries to be gentle about it, but he doesn't tend to get involved in Ric's life beyond the brief times they work together. He runs a school. Occasionally Alexander brings him some students for that school. That's usually the extent of it.]

But if you want, I can put you in touch with my contact. You can talk to them for yourself.

( Getting in contact? It feels like too much, like he just learned his sister is alive and now he can just call her. It's that easy. But, it's not that easy. He's safe. He has - well, allies, and one friend and her niece and he's fine. He knows now. He knows and that's enough right now. )

You also don't have to.

( His decision is his decision.

Shephard deflates, calming, lost for the moment. )

She's there. She will be there.

( "She's not going anywhere," he says, understanding. )

She's not, it's true.

[Alexander hopes that he'll stop yelling at him now.]

Whenever you're ready to talk to her, just let me know. Or if you would prefer I just give a hint so that she makes the first move, I can do that too.

[Sometimes that's less pressure too. Then all the onus isn't on you to make the connection.]

( Even choosing between the two sinks his chest and increases the pace of his heart. How did he go from bonding behind closed doors to being the deciding factor in reuniting with family he'd lost. He'd thought he lost. )

No. Neither. Not yet.

( He needs to think of her, too. Her family. He's lived with it for too long now to put anyone else into danger. If he weren't off the grid, he'd be in danger. )

Okay. Just let me know.

[But Alexander has a feeling the longer he waits, the sooner he'll be forced to confront it. But before they can go any further, Abernathy pokes his head out the door again.

"Alys, I think we're going to need you in New York. Dolls and Serena need some back up."]

( Like in Shephard's volleyball days, the ball dropped with minimal notice, but also like in his volleyball days, he continues to spike it when need be, rarely missing. He does everything with precision. This is the first ball that's dropped at his feet that he's let hit the sand. But, he reminds himself, this is his choice. And it's more than his choice. It doesn't just effect him.

Alys intervenes when it's necessary but holds back when their are those higher ranked than her. She has held ranks higher than this. She likes her level. This is her sweet spot, helping but not being involved in the coordinating. It's easier. It reminds her less of days gone by.

Backup they'll get.)

I'll leave within the hour.

( She places a hand on Shephard's shoulder, pauses a moment for him and his family, and takes her leave.

Shepard finally speaks again.

"Don't tell anyone." )

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