everyonelives | coming at you fast, midnight

( Xavier has not earned that answer just yet, but suffice it to say it sounds as if Doc, his wife, his son, and her entire family may be in danger. )

People like you. You think you were defending yourself, that you were fighting fire with fire. But you were putting everyone around you in danger, including yourself.

[That's fair. He lets it go, and figures that it can wait until some of that trust has been earned back.

The Leader cocks an eyebrow. "I'm just trying to survive. Judge me all you want, but not all of us are lucky enough to be able to melt dark objects with our minds."

They're not getting anywhere, though, so Dolls steps in.]

The damage is already done. Our beef isn't with you, so if you let us go our way, we'll let you go yours.

[She makes a face, before shaking her head. "Yeah, whatever you have to tell yourself. Better hope we never see you again." But with that, she'll take her remaining muscle, gather the unconscious one, and leave. Dolls waits in the silence for a moment, before glancing back to Aalis.]

Go check on Serena. Make sure everything's still cool upstairs.

They're going to get themselves, others, and each other killed.

( She's lived through it countless times. But, she leaves the two of them to it, giving Doc an eye up and down. She recognizes something about him, but she doesn't know what (9). Doc, not so much (4). He waits until she leaves them to speak.

"Do you require any more of my assistance?" )

[He shakes his head. He knows they're leaving things in an awkward place, but he doesn't think there was any other option.]

No. Thank you, Doc, for helping.

Any time. You owe Wynonna a call of her own.

( He holds a finger to him before leaving him there in the basement as he climbs the stairs again.

After messaging Sara about his findings and ensuring he'd have to write a report now that their aims are dust, Dolls' reappearance stays with him. It stays enough that outside his wife's family's apartment, he parks it on one of the stairwells, dialing his almost sister-in-law's number. )

[Once upon a time, Doc would have been her best man. Before things with Nicole fell apart, before she found herself fleeing Purgatory to try and grasp onto as much of the world as she can. Doc being her best man hasn't changed, though, so when she sees his name on her caller ID, she answers with a smile.]

Hey, Doc.

Hello, Waverly. Eh-how is everything going?

( He is trying not to be awkward. There is no easy way to jump into the topic. Dolls meant something to her, too. He also needs to see if she is Wynonna-adjacent. )

Does Wynonna happen to be around?

Things are good! I'm still getting used to the big city life, but I think I like it.

[It makes the world feel so much bigger, and she's appreciating more and more the feeling of not being trapped.]

And no, she's out with Alice, why?

Good.

( Well, that is wonderful. It is good that Waverly is taking to the city. )

It's good that Wynonna and I are so close in person to continue where we all left off. ( And individually. ) I know I treasure my time with Alice.

I'm glad to hear that. I think it's been doing Alice good, being able to be close to you and her brother. Which by the way, I do want to come see him, when you and Rebekah are both free.

[She's been waiting for an invitation rather than waltzing in, because she's not Wynonna and she doesn't want to intrude.]

You will. They are still taking it easy after the hunters invaded our home, and now with this witch war... ( He looks in the direction of their door and shakes his head. ) But, that we will confront head on soon enough... I called because I was on a work assignment and came eye to eye with Xavier Dolls. Dolls is alive.

[Waverly is silent for a long time.

Honestly, the news bowls her over, a tight twisting in her gut where that doesn't feel like the answer Doc should be telling her. She wants to feel elated, but at the same time ...]

Are you sure?

I am sure. Black Badge retrieved his body, brought him to the point of recovery and kept him hidden. Jeremy, Waverly.

( It's a deep betrayal that stings harder than Dolls letting them twist in the wind, going on without him in their fight against Bulshar and then the Clantons. )

[Jeremy was involved? The flash of anger comes hard and fast because what the hell Jeremy?! She knows that when the three of them came back from the Garden things were different, but she didn't think they were that different.]

Ooooh he is so lucky he is out of punching range right now.

[But like most of Waverly's anger, it doesn't last long. Instead it fades to something more like concern, because she knows being Black Badge's lab rat is the last thing Dolls wanted.]

Is Dolls okay? Is this a rescue? Do I need to sneak into BBD again?

( And cell range he'd bet if they tried to get in touch with him. )

The team he was working with did not feel like Black Badge. It is possible they nursed him back to health. I could see Dolls splitting off. He never liked being under their thumb in the first place. He can only be so grateful.

[There's a period of silence as Waverly connects the dots on this.]

So he's just been out there. And he hasn't said anything?

[Oh. That hurts, possibly more than it should.]

Perhaps he thought it best we all move on with our lives.

( Which is not an excuse in his eyes. )

Waverly. ( Hence his call. ) Wynonna.

I have to tell Wynonna.

[She can't keep a secret from her, and definitely not one this big.]

You really don't want me to tell Wynonna?

That is not what I said. She deserves to know.

( He agrees on that. )

We need to tell her. Together.

[She's going to need the support, because she can't imagine on any universe this going well. This is definitely going to turn into a fight, and given Waverly hasn't actually seen Dolls ...

Yeah, sorry Doc.]

Alice has plans this weekend and Rebekah is preparing for the solstice with her sister. Saturday may be best.

( He is not looking forward to this. )

I can keep it to myself until Saturday.

[She's sure this will be totally fine. But oh, no, these are not nice feelings.]

What will we say is happening. Should we - plan a meal?

( Drinks? What is the least suspicious? )

Wynonna will never say no to free food.

[Or drinks for that matter.]

Make sure there's whiskey, and she'll show.

Then we will have whiskey. Perhaps we should do it close to campus. More incentive that way, if she thinks Alice will make an appearance.

( Perhaps. )

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