everyonelives | coming at you fast, midnight

[Serena's on stage, which means everyone's eyes are on her and no one is paying attention to him. The longing in her voice draws all the unprepared eyes to her, wrapped in the delicate nature of her siren song.

Whatever it is doesn't work on dragons, which is why in the few instances that Serena's needed to be in the field, Dolls gets sent with her. He thinks he has all the angles covered, but with Serena's influence has it's limits, and the rooms they need to access are both out of that range, and shielded with it's own magic. They need another witch to get them into the artifacts, which is where Alys is coming in. He's lounging at the bar with a drink, and nods to her as she makes her way in.]

Thanks for coming. Hopefully we can be in and out.

[Sam's in the middle of researching Bonnie's magic problem, when there's this itch, in the back of his mind. He still learning on the magic scale, and maybe it's because Rowena is the person he's done magic with the most, but he feels it every time, she's about to appear, like a sixth sense he's actually come to appreciate.

But it does mean he takes Elena's arm as she's passing through in front of him, and stops her before she can cross too far.]

She's about to make an entrance.

[Elena blinks as she turns back to him, but she does stop. "She who?"

He doesn't get a chance to respond, before the door flings open.]

[He knows he needs to have this conversation. He's talked it out with Eliza. He's talked it out with his witch mentors here. He's even discussed it with Bonnie a bit, and he knows what the answer is. He still isn't sure he's ready, but he can't let Maura, Sierra, whoever she is, steal his family's power.

It's not hers to take, and maybe it shouldn't be his either, but at least he didn't kill for it. And at least the Colony won't have it as a result.

But he has to tell Lizzie. And while he knows she'll be on his side, there's other parts of it that might not be as fun.

In the middle of their date night, curled up in her dorm room watching a movie while Alice is at her study group, he turns to face her more.]

I'm gonna do it.

[Because yes. That's the way to broach the subject.]

[The Connors siblings have disappeared for breakfast and Rebekah swings around to Kol's bedroom and knocks lightly on the doorframe.]

Good, you're awake. Freya needs me to go pick up some things for Solstice and I was wondering if you wanted to come with.

[Henry is going to be left in his aunt's care. Klaus and Cami are intending to take advantage of the time in the city, Elijah and Bela have social plans with friends from Europe that happen to be in town, so Kol has nowhere to escape. Sorry brother.]

[There is nothing like diner food.

Say what you want about nutritional quality, but as far as Kieran is concerned, there's nothing like a greasy breakfast sandwich and homefries and terrible diner coffee, so when Julian wants to go to breakfast so they can talk. Which means he's planning on judging her life choices so if that's going to be the case, she's going to pick the meal.]

Never change, New York.

[And she picks up her bacon, egg and cheese, waiting for him to open the door to whatever he wants to talk about.]

[The death of H is honestly a welcome distraction from everything else going on, and it's nice to have something productive to do. Also, having a chance to poke at Hallewell again is certainly going to be entertaining. She and Max slide up together, ready to get to the bottom of things, when a familiar face is found waiting at the door.

Just like that, her good mood bubble pops like a balloon.]

What are you doing here?

[David actually makes an appointment on Harvey's calendar. He can do that now. He's a client. But that's how Donna immediately knows something is wrong. She doesn't know what is wrong, so she can't give Harvey much of a heads up beyond "you have an appointment with David Gainor at three," but she figures he can read between the lines.

So when David strides into the office, he makes his way to Harvey's door and knocks lightly.]

Harvey. Thanks for making the time.

[Mia, true to her word, does go and talk to JJ. She makes her way over to his apartment, and tries her best to have a calm, rational, but apologetic conversation about what happened in Europe.

It does not stay that way, unfortunately.

She doesn't know what went wrong. For every word he said, he seemed to find a way to twist it like a screw, driving the guilt deeper. It's not the man she remembered loving, but at the same time, he has the right to be angry. But she didn't think it would be like this.

The front door to the Queen Manor slams behind her and she winces, because she can hear the crack in the wood as she does. She needs to watch her strength and she knows that, but better the frustration there than someone's face.

She hears footsteps and winces when she sees her father's face.]

Sorry.

[By the time Connor gets home, Mia is gone and JJ is nursing a drink in the corner. When he hears the key in the door he knocks it all back, needing to keep his brother in his good graces. Not that this version of Connor is anything to shake a fist at, but depending on what Mia knows, it's good to keep a pawn wrapped around his finger, just in case.

Honestly, he has them all wrapped around his fingers. Upside to this Mia Queen being a complete mess, everyone has spent the last almost year trying to make JJ feel better. Now he just needs to weaponize that to his advantage.

He's putting the bottle of whiskey back in the cabinet, just in view of the door as it opens, and he paints on the understanding wince.]

Sorry. Bad day.

[Liv watches Tyler from across the room as she does inventory. He's staring at his phone with an expression that only has one name. Since she is long past the point of being jealous about it, she decides to be amused instead, preparing for another blond to steam roll over what was previously going to be a very chill day.]

Let me guess. Caroline is coming.

[On the day of their planned hanging out, Wes sends a text. He's been musing his options and he's got two potential tracks for the evening. Hence, sending a text to feel out what his new vampire friend might be into.]

How do we feel about food?

[While vampires can eat it, some don't really beyond keeping up appearances around other humans.]

Yeah, my phone's definitely dead.

[Why are Stefan and Damon stuck in the Scottish highlands? Funny you should ask.

Damon persuaded his brother to have a good old fashioned Salvatore brothers night out. There was Quarters. There was darts. Unlike past adventures, shockingly little murder. But a Scottish witch cornered them over one of the games, charming them and plying them with alcohol, and after ... something, that is feeling a little hazy around the edges, he and Damon woke up in the middle of a field, surrounded by cows, and not entirely sure how they got there.

... It's not the worst night they've ever had. He pats a cow on the side when it gets a little too close before turning back to his brother.]

What about you?

[Of all the people Melanie expected to be knocking on her hotel door, Buffy Summers is not one of them. Perhaps Damon, maybe Stefan if he was feeling sentimental, but Buffy?

Not that she finds anything particularly disagreeable about the young woman, but despite the paramor she currently finds herself courting, Melanie would be a fool to believe that the Vampire Slayer just happens to find herself paying social calls to local vampires.]

Miss Summers. What can I do for you?

( She has before, she isn't exclusively human-social. She has friends of all kinds now and friends who are like family and friends of friends. She's a friend-a-thon! She's actually quite well-rounded now. She even has detentes with Original vampires. She's grown as a person! Her mother would be proud. Her mother might tell her to leave her boyfriend to his own devices because men always come back - not including her father. He was always the nonsentimental exception. But, she and Dawn learned to live without him. If someone doesn't want to be in your life, you let them go.

Buffy's not worried, but it's been almost 24 hours, and Stefan usually checks in, even mid-bender. She knows her boyfriend can put it away. His kind of vampires attain equilibrium from drinking, she's with it.

Buffy, however, knows Stefan wants to be in hers. But, Stefan has a brother in all of this and maybe she blames him. A good old fashioned Salvatores night out sounded like a night of murder. She was assured murder wasn't on the menu. She expected drinking. She didn't expect two check-ins and then nothing. She is not a paranoid girlfriend, but she is seriously dating the Ripper of Monterey. She knows both Salvatores have enemies of their own.

But, she also remembers old friends are in town. Or, as close to friends as vampires apparently get without being friends.

So, she uses her best friend's connections, tracks down what she thinks is all three Gone With the Winders, but only Melanie answers. Apparently, it's possible for someone to look effortlessly elegant at five in the afternoon. She almost says good morning, but it's been all day. She stops herself, she feels stupid now. Sighing, she speaks. )

Melanie, hey. This is going to come off a little boyfriend-on-a-leash, but he's not, he's anything but, and I'm not a Swimfan, but it's been almost 24 hours. And when you're dating a Salvatore and they've reconnected with a Salvatore you think of things. And you worry and I just - were they with you last night? Or today?

( Damon wouldn't blame either one of them. For the record. No matter whose side of the fault line fault lies, (he may have goaded her) the sinister Scottish witch who did something is to blame. It's her fault. He traded nothing away, he stole from no giants, they don't talk about his father. It's all her fault.

Damon's greatly concerned with the expensive jacket he's not wearing anymore as he stalks the field nearby to see if it came off before they were dropped here. Or ended up here. He doesn't... remember coming here, or even being dropped here. He remembers darts. He remembers Celestine. Celestina? Cel-something.

He stops his futile search and searching for his phone in his pockets before closing his eyes. )

My phone was in my jacket.

( He opens them again. )

Or on the table.

( There are pictures on that phone, he thinks. He remembers taking candids. )

But, it's not on my person.

( It probably has a signal wherever it is right now. Does that help? Probably not.

Even the name of the bar is hazy now. )

I know we promised Buffy murder wasn't on the menu, but I think this warrants an exception. Or at least a quorum.

( New vampire friend is generous. Mickey is making effort to not hope it's more. He just met the guy. He's new to everything Wes has lived through. He's not asking for a mentor or for pity. Or, vampire charity. But, he felt sparks. There were sparks, right? No, he's not overthinking.

He's just changing the four shirts he has on him.

Should he have gone shopping?

Maybe changing the jacket will help. )

Could never get enough of it, now it's more like a placeholder. Still tastes good, though, which surprised me.

Do you cook?

( And then, is he asking about cooking? He's probably just asking about inviting him to dinner. Why did he ask about cooking. )

I think food makes a good promise for a date.

( What does that mean.

He tosses his phone away, then. He tears off his jacket. )

( Caroline steamrolled her own side of things back in college. He reassures her early on she has nothing to worry about with Caroline. And back then, Caroline and Stefan were a thing - were even married, but that was short-lived. Now, Caroline is a professional contact and an old friend from high school.

That is his type, though, right? Steamrolling blondes who push their way into his good graces? Though, he'd argue he was the one who pushed Liv. It's been years. She still makes him feel alive, even at the end of a shift doing inventory.

He sends a quick message back. )

She's almost here.

( Usually, she gives them more warning. )

She needs to see the Bennett grimoires.

( Business, not pleasure. That makes things easy. )

She's asking for clearance for five.

( Field trip. He holds his phone up. )

Bonnie's coming, too.

( Connor does work for their dad and A.R.G.U.S. to pass the time. It's research or recon for him, but it keeps his mind and hands busy. He moved in with J.J. after getting out of rehab. The plan to move out slowed once Mia disappeared. He's strong enough to be around his brother's... reaction. It takes time, but Connor thinks J.J. numbs to what happened. He almost finds himself again, or so he thinks, and then Mia blows back into town.

He stands there, keys in his hand, still holding the door open. He can only guess. But, J.J. has his own stress with dad and with his work, too. He doesn't jump to a conclusion, only closes the door behind himself. )

I told you. You can drink. You drinking isn't my problem.

( Other people can drink. )

Long as you recognize the difference between an impulse and a coping mechanism.

( But enough about rehabilitative psychobabble. )

You wanna talk?

( Laurel is out with Dinah and William is out with Cooper. Oliver fills his days with philanthropy, giving his best impression of a reformed vigilante-playboy who was once incarcerated. It leaves him with time on his hands when he's not pulled into something, not with the Legends, and not worrying about his family.

This falls under worrying about his family as he steps into the main room.

There has been something in Mia, something different that he recognizes in himself that he never saw coming. A trained and raised Mia was always a happy Mia, the bubbly, socialite he raised - who learned how to defend herself. This Mia feels far from the Mia he remembers. It's a distance he hasn't been able to cross and he doesn't know why. But she is here now, so he can make all the effort he needs to. How she responds is up to her. )

Mia?

( David doesn't make appointments. Harvey drops in. Or, David drops in. They aren't appointment people. And yet, David makes an appointment. Harvey blinks when Donna informs him. She doesn't know anything more than Harvey and not in her usual, 'he'll find our when he does, it's not my place' way. She really doesn't know where this is coming from. Which makes this official business. The question remains, is this Colony-related or not.

He finds Harvey by the window looking down at the traffic and the unsuspecting world. He turns with the knock. )

It's your time.

( He gestures for David to sit before taking his own seat across from him. )

You made an appointment.

( As proven back in Mystic Falls, even when it's his job, Ezra doesn't stand idly by. David is off on his own calling in his favor from Allison Argent. Instead of waiting to see what side of the coin Danny Brighton lands on, Ezra takes it upon himself. He's not a fool. He knows blood covers blood. If it comes down to it, it's Jaq and Max against the world. He's always been an only child and until he'd met David, he'd never known that feeling before. But, because he does, he knows just how ruthless the two of them might be.

So, he does his own digging. He follows. It started after their lunch. He used a glass Max had drank from to find where they went next. The morgue attendant was all too happy to badmouth the Melraux siblings (well... Max). He not only recognizes the aged H, but the magic that aged him, how it was steeped in New Orleans ancestry (17) and how it was powerful enough to come from the Regent herself.

The question remains, did he try something or did she go rogue. And what does this have to do with Max and Jaq. He briefly forgets himself, having not flirted with another man like this in a long time so he botches his charm (1), outright calling the morgue attendant hot. He's cute, if skittish, and a little serial killer-y, but he doesn't buy it. Luckily, he's still smarting from his run-in with them and he offers up a familiar name all too easily.

He clumsily tells the guy he's married anyway before getting out of there.

It's a few days later when he pieces everything together, gets the blessing from his husband, and beats them to the building where the Colony holds their -- problem children.

Don't be so surprised. )

Your skullduggery needs work.

( "You're following us, now?" Max asks, unimpressed. (In truth, he just thinks everyone is obsessed with him. It's a character flaw.) )

Following you implies I didn't get there first.

( "I thought David was all about semantics." )

I don't know what that means, but we both like to pay attention to detail. Case in point.

( It means talking without seven over-sensitive ears listening in. It's another form of self preservation. It's his sister's judgement he's called into question. Turning to an Original, and of any Original, Kol Mikaelson. He's only guessed to this point. Kol could be there in any capacity, could have been sucked in along with Freya - who was apparently also inside his mind. Despite all his misgivings, he'd like this to be a nice breakfast.

He chose coffee, toast, and a bowl of fruit. But, he's not dying any time soon. Not anymore. )

I don't know how can you eat all that.

( He's awake. He kissed his girlfriend goodbye before she could be interrogated by her brother. He doesn't think he'll be out of a relationship by the end of the day, but with his luck, maybe? )

I don't need to be babysat.

( Lizzie's not watching the movie. Lizzie is holding on for dear life because she's finally found someone who isn't trying to gaslight her, doesn't hold her up on a pedestal, and accepts her for the very difficult person she is. He didn't turn away when he learned she was dead. He has a massive loss on his shoulders. All she can do is relate because she almost lost her dad, too. But, that's not the same as losing her entire family. It's not the same as dying herself. But she has been there. Every step of the way since Prague. The easier it's gotten, all she's done is worry what's coming next.

And then the shoe drops. And he has his conversations. And he isolates because what else is he supposed to do in this case.

And they put on a movie.

But, Lizzie isn't watching. )

At the solstice.

( Rowena has always liked her dramatic entrances. Even better when they're not from where people expect. To Elena, it may be the door to the floor below leading to the panic room, to Rowena, it's just a door. This isn't David Gainor magic. She didn't make a door where there wasn't a door. She just -- overshot her entrance a bit.

She brushes off the dust she was unable to dodge as the door closes behind her. She gives the bunker a once-over. )

Did you do any renovations, Samuel?

( Maybe she's rusty. No. It's probably the Men of Letters' warding. She's lucky she didn't end up in some hidden pool room somewhere. With an actual pool. She'd nay be surprised.

Her eyes settle on a doppleganger. )

Well, hello there. ( A (5) gives her the barest of bare recognition. Why should she recognize you? No matter, she sweeps the room, turning back with a flourish. ) I see things haven't gone tits up just yet.

coming at you fast, midnight

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