I think we all need to get very comfortable with the idea that there's going to be collateral damage no matter what we do.
[Because they kill the Inner Circle before the Gauntlet, there's going to be innocent people dead in the power vacuum. They use the Gauntlet to their advantage, then it's the Gauntlet.
Either way, people die.]
So I think it's a better strategy that killing the Inner Circle is our way of winning the Gauntlet.
[Jaqueline turns her attention on David. "You understand what I'm saying, don't you? This is your plan."
David places a hand on Ezra's leg under the table, because he understands what he's saying. He gets that. But they're going to war, and they're going to need to be prepared for all the death that's coming with them next.]
We're the heirs. If we kill the Inner Circle, the Gauntlet ends when we say it does. I don't think Jaqueline's wrong. No matter what we do, there's going to be collateral damage. And we need everyone here to be okay with that.
( Do no harm's looking real good right about now, but he married into this. He knows what he signed up for. In sickness and in health. His hand covers his husband's and he goes silent, indicating he's - in.
"I think we need to ask the most important question," Max says.
[With that, they settle in for dinner, quiet conversation and light plotting, but as things wind down, she waves Max off and says she'll catch up with him later. Then she waits out the husbands, and once they head off to whatever they're doing, she reaches for Sierra's hand gently.]
Hey. Are you sure you're okay with this? With giving it up?
[Jaqueline nods. But from her perspective, she always had a feeling that her death would be a bloody end at the colony's behest. At least this time, she's going out on her own terms.]
( Not if Sierra can help it. ) I said my peace and the door wasn't slammed in my face. And I -- micked him a bit.
( on the one hand, it looks like she helped him, but really she slipped him a little extra of his magic she recovered. if that made him a little wobbly, well, he's gotta get his magic on his own merits. she's not innocent. )
I'm not handing over his birthright he should be fighting harder for. He needs to toughen up or bow out.
( And the playing field needed to be evened. )
As for us, we need to strategize where we should position ourselves. And I know what you think I'm going to say, but, I think you and I have spent enough time apart. Do you think the boys would let me and you take one of the targets? Like old times.
Back in Baltimore, back through the portal, the marrieds sit in a booth in the hotel bar a few buildings away from the restaurant.
Ezra's red wine sits, barely touched, the seriousness of their play setting in. He knew it would come to this. Inner Circle revelations aside, he hates his in-laws maybe as much as his husband does, but he didn't anticipate a strike on all fronts. He wanted to avoid a Gauntlet. Now, his husband and the other heirs become the de facto leaders. If this doesn't go sideways.
He liked his idea of getting out. If only they got out. But, instead they sold their souls. Maybe his husband's soul was never his own to begin with. He's a mob wife. But, he's not going anywhere. )
[David takes a sip of his beer, before glancing over at Ezra and reaching out to take his hand. He knows that dinner was a lot, and he wants to know where his head's at.]
I know what I married into. And I know where I came from. Something about this just feels -
(Worse. )
And forget all the collateral damage, witches, who if they don't have to power to survive, than that's Darwinism, because I should care about them. I took an oath to care about them, to do no harm. Under my knife. ( When he is their doctor. ) But, all I can think about is you. How, I don't want to lose you. How, for who knows how long your parents, who were monsters, aren't even your parents and are now bigger monsters. And, I would burn it all down, burn the entire world down. For you.
[Honestly, Ezra puts more net good out into the world than he does, when he's actually allowed to do his job and not being caught up in his family's bullshit. All he's ever wanted was to get them free of it so that he could do that.
But they just have to make a very big mess before they can do that.]
Look, you don't have to do any of this. The four of us can handle it.
You can't. Not mathematically. Three viable targets. If you think I'm letting you go after anyone alone. Or, with Jaqueline as your partner-in-witch-crime, or the walking Polo. It's you and me. Always. Until the end. In a shower of sparks. Except, you and me, we're growing fucking old together. In witch - old, like, MaCleod old. You're not dying and I'm not going anywhere. End of discussion.
( He gets a bit carried away, but he means it all. )
...Or, say whatever you want to say, whenever you want to say it because you have equal parts in this. Have you thought which prong we need to hit? Or, who we're enlisting to help? Five of us can't carry six targets, can we.
No. But I have already started on the making sure they can't come back part. Sam Winchester was involved in my favor for Allison Argent and I've got him and his brother hunting down the original corpses.
[If there are corpses, that is. He's not going to comment on whether or not they're growing old together, because he's not about making promises he can't keep.]
I figured it was worth giving them a boon in return. And our little venture into the swamp was successful. So it might be worth it to give Sam and Dean some time. But as far as order goes, I'm not sure.
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everyonelives2023-01-03 09:05 pm
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[Because they kill the Inner Circle before the Gauntlet, there's going to be innocent people dead in the power vacuum. They use the Gauntlet to their advantage, then it's the Gauntlet.
Either way, people die.]
So I think it's a better strategy that killing the Inner Circle is our way of winning the Gauntlet.
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( Is there one?
"David, I liked your husband more when he was morally grey. What happened to the witch doctor trailing after the Doppelganger?" )
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David places a hand on Ezra's leg under the table, because he understands what he's saying. He gets that. But they're going to war, and they're going to need to be prepared for all the death that's coming with them next.]
We're the heirs. If we kill the Inner Circle, the Gauntlet ends when we say it does. I don't think Jaqueline's wrong. No matter what we do, there's going to be collateral damage. And we need everyone here to be okay with that.
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"I think we need to ask the most important question," Max says.
"Who gets to ride on the riverboat."
But yeah. He's in too. Kill Parents is a go. )
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Hey. Are you sure you're okay with this? With giving it up?
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You don't have to worry about me. I know what I'm doing. ( She squeezes her hand. ) We both do. Don't we?
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Just making sure. How did things go with Danny?
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( on the one hand, it looks like she helped him, but really she slipped him a little extra of his magic she recovered. if that made him a little wobbly, well, he's gotta get his magic on his own merits. she's not innocent. )
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Then I guess we'll have to see where things stand once the solstice passes.
[Either he'll be the heir, or he'll be dead, but it won't matter in terms of the Gauntlet. Just in terms of the supposed reward.]
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( And the playing field needed to be evened. )
As for us, we need to strategize where we should position ourselves. And I know what you think I'm going to say, but, I think you and I have spent enough time apart. Do you think the boys would let me and you take one of the targets? Like old times.
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[For the most part.]
But I promised Max I'd keep him in the loop. That we were doing this together too.
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( Unless there's fine print she's missing. )
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[She smiles widely.]
Just wanted to let you know that I am keeping him in the loop.
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( For the record. )
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[So is Sierra still laying low, or are they making this decision for them?]
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( Basically: When do you want her to surface. She can singlehandedly start this bitch. ,b>)
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Let's see where the Solstice lands. Either Danny has his moment or he doesn't, and then we can make things interesting.
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Back in Baltimore, back through the portal, the marrieds sit in a booth in the hotel bar a few buildings away from the restaurant.
Ezra's red wine sits, barely touched, the seriousness of their play setting in. He knew it would come to this. Inner Circle revelations aside, he hates his in-laws maybe as much as his husband does, but he didn't anticipate a strike on all fronts. He wanted to avoid a Gauntlet. Now, his husband and the other heirs become the de facto leaders. If this doesn't go sideways.
He liked his idea of getting out. If only they got out. But, instead they sold their souls. Maybe his husband's soul was never his own to begin with. He's a mob wife. But, he's not going anywhere. )
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You okay?
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( Worse. )
And forget all the collateral damage, witches, who if they don't have to power to survive, than that's Darwinism, because I should care about them. I took an oath to care about them, to do no harm. Under my knife. ( When he is their doctor. ) But, all I can think about is you. How, I don't want to lose you. How, for who knows how long your parents, who were monsters, aren't even your parents and are now bigger monsters. And, I would burn it all down, burn the entire world down. For you.
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[Honestly, Ezra puts more net good out into the world than he does, when he's actually allowed to do his job and not being caught up in his family's bullshit. All he's ever wanted was to get them free of it so that he could do that.
But they just have to make a very big mess before they can do that.]
Look, you don't have to do any of this. The four of us can handle it.
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( He gets a bit carried away, but he means it all. )
...Or, say whatever you want to say, whenever you want to say it because you have equal parts in this. Have you thought which prong we need to hit? Or, who we're enlisting to help? Five of us can't carry six targets, can we.
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[If there are corpses, that is. He's not going to comment on whether or not they're growing old together, because he's not about making promises he can't keep.]
I figured it was worth giving them a boon in return. And our little venture into the swamp was successful. So it might be worth it to give Sam and Dean some time. But as far as order goes, I'm not sure.
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( He doesn't need to trust the Winchesters to trust this job won't fail, because his husband trusts them. )
Pretty macabre boon.
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[Please don't get caught in another fucking apocalypse.]
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