hey it's good to be back home again

[somanyadjectives]

[It's been a while since Stefan has been back in Mystic Falls, but he wasn't going to miss the twins graduation. He knew that coming home was going to be complicated. He was bringing his girlfriend to meet people. He was bracing himself for Damon's judgement about him dating a vampire slayer the entire ride from the airport.

What he hadn't expected, was getting ambushed at a gas station while filling up his car by a hunter.

According to Damon, there haven't been hunters in Mystic Falls in years. They knew that the school would be a beacon, but they also took precautions for that to protect the kids. Most hunters understood that they were trying to reduce deaths, rather than concentrate them. This isn't to say that Mystic Falls is perfect, but they're doing better than they used to.

Stefan doesn't kill him. He's caught off guard enough that he doesn't immediately go for the kill, and Buffy catches the hunter off guard enough that the guy decides to retreat and regroup rather than push his luck against a slayer and a vampire. This isn't, unfortunately, before he manages to plug Stefan with a few wooden bullets. And those hurt like a mother.]

Gotta love coming home.

[He groans as he sinks back against the car, trying to keep an eye on their surroundings, before glancing down at the bleeding holes in his shirt.]

I liked this shirt.

Comments

[attainathons]

( Buffy heard from minute one that Stefan's brother had changed, and Stefan had been the more famous brother, anyway. The Ripper of Monterey. She may have had a certain reaction to Stefan, too, touring what might have been a haunted castle. (It wasn't.) And it was less "Get out" and more, "Shut. Up." It's not like Stefan said anything.

Buffy has tangled with her fair share of vampires, yes, in that way, but she doesn't have a type, thanks. Remember Satsu? So, anti-type that she's not admitting she has. Types can be circumstantial, and Spike is her own thing she only speaks to her closest friends about. And barely at that.

Like it goes with Buffy, fighting on the same team and offering him a temporary position with them turned into late work nights and weeknights. Fighting turned to flirting. And there wasn't anything that Stefan held back. Buffy didn't have to adjust. It was an adult relationship. To simply put it, she feels like she's baking - but the baking is ongoing. Maybe she'll never be cookies. She's a work in progress.

And so is Stefan.

The months move quickly (the year?), that Buffy accepts the invitation to see his nieces graduate. She even promises to keep her slaying to a minimum. Strictly graveyard - and that's only if she needs to.

The flight is long, but she spends it on Stefan's shoulder. Or, she reads up on one of the ops currently going. She promised to keep work to a minimum. It doesn't count on the plane. She's only woken up one time from Willow's telepathic link to her and Xander. And to good news.

While Stefan gasses up the rental car, Buffy goes inside to pay. And then she grabs a magazine. And a candy bar. Oh and two bottles of water.

Coming around to the side pump again, she drops her bag when she sees Stefan in combat. The hunter tries to run off, but Buffy's there in a second, trading her own blows. At one point, she's hit, hard enough to knock her back a few steps. And that's when the hunter empties a clip into her boyfriend's chest.

The hunter rushes off and Buffy rushes to Stefan's side. )

I bought you this shirt.

( Not that it's the biggest concern she has. The way he seethes, she knows.

She lifts his shirt up, the blood soaking most of the front quickly. Yeah, this top's a goner. )

Hell of a welcome wagon. ( Delicately, she touches around Stefan's wounds. ) Did he use wooden bullets? Come on, you need to be on your back. We have to get those out. Right?

( She tries cradling him and helping him down to the ground. She's not the most versed in Stefan's magical vampire line (that's what Willow calls it, the line of vampires created by magic). While Willow draws her power from the Earth, the witches Stefan knows draw power from their ancestors, the Earth, conduits. She's still keeping up with the differences. )

[somanyadjectives]

[Stefan nods with a grimace, because yes, those are definitely wooden bullets and yes, he agrees with her course of treatment. He stumbles forward, reaching for the handle on the back door to tug it open. Next comes rather ungracefully sprawling himself out on the backseat and tucking his legs in so that Buffy can close the door and perform amateur surgery on him without attracting any undue attention.

This will probably be fine and totally not hurt at all.]

Upside, he seemed to miss my heart entirely.

[attainathons]

( The only reason there's fumbling is because they were not planning for the amateur surgical pitstop. She helps him into the backseat, wincing as she climbs in behind him. )

Downside, I need to Google, what gets blood out of the backseat of the uninsured rental car.

( It's hard enough to explain. There might even be a dent in the side. She didn't check.

At her feet is her one giant travel tote bag filled with the books she never cracks (she chose trashy romance, surprise surprise) work folders, her laptop... and a small pocket that she pulls her second phone out of and starts to deposit the stray wood she collects.

Any time she has to dig in, she does give an apologetic, "Sorry!" But, they've both been through worse pain. )

Good thing is, I think he was trying to make his great escape, not aiming for anything heart-adjacent. He still made a mess.

[somanyadjectives]

Money. Don't worry, we can afford it.

[Or rather, he can afford it because when you're 165 years old, you learn how to max out your retirement.]

We can clean up the mess later just ... get it out, please?

[attainathons]

( Stefan, it's not about worrying for money, but, yeah, sometimes the practical things do come up. Between his deep pockets and her organizations, they'll be more than fine. )

It's the last one.

( She might retire or dry clean the tote bag, but it's not like she didn't just buy it for the first leisurely vacation she'd taken in awhile.

Looking up, her mouth forms an o-sound as she fishes the last wooden bullet and drops it into the little pouch of her bag. )

There. I think that's all of them. ( But, also, it's about what's happening inside his body. ) Is it?

a call | to elena gilbert

[unforgivably]

( The busy doctor gets a voicemail. )

Stefan and his new girlfriend, Buffy were attacked at a gas station. I'm meeting them at the house. I still haven't memorized your schedule, I should apologize, but instead, I'm just going to tell you, call when you get this. You know where we'll be.

[braveandstupid]

[The busy doctor is still busy, and when she finally gets a chance to check that voicemail, she can't call back but she does want to check in, soooo:]

Is Stefan okay?

[#priorities. Give her a minute, and then she'll be helpful.]

[unforgivably]

( By the time Damon gets this, we'll say he's with Stefan and Buffy. Or, they're upstairs, settling in, discussing the conversation that will have to happen. Like, what is his brother thinking. If he wanted to date a vampire hunter then he could've talked Alaric and Jo into a trio. Stefan is reasonably attractive, even with his hero hair. )

All's well, as the saying goes. Here's here. Hunter used wooden bullets, though.

[braveandstupid]

What's the status of the hunter? Any injuries?

[Not because she particularly cares for the hunter's well-being but because if he's bad enough that he needed to go to the hospital, maybe she can find him here.]

[unforgivably]

Sounds like Buffy roughed him up, but it was more about shooting Stefan. You go to Europe, but the Marcia Brady problems never go away.

Best I could tell, an arm or leg thing. Buffy's strong.

Buffy's a slayer.

[braveandstupid]

[The next morning, as promised, once she's well-rested and feeling her most human, she makes her way out to the gas station in question to do some investigating for herself. It's not hard to find the spot where Stefan was shot - there's blood on the pavement where the car had been sitting the night before.

She glances around, trying to see where the hunter's car might have been hiding, before making her way into the convenience store to she if she can persuade the clerk into letting her see the security tapes.

It's not going well. When the convenience store door opens again, the person who enters likely can hear her almost pleading:]

Please. I just heed a quick look to see if I can get a license plate for my insurance.

[cholesterol]

( Sammy's got the right idea. Pork rinds. And by that, Sam knows how much his brother needs his road food. Yeah, they're a few hours out from seeing Cas and Jack, but they needed gas. And with gas comes road fuel. And if you're Dean, that means salty artery-hardening goodness. Sam will settle for whatever manufactured salad abomination he'll barely eat.

He leaves Sam by the car when he makes his way inside. He finds the pork rinds easily and grabs a few Slim Jims for good measure.

As he approaches the one person at the register, he recognizes her voice first. She seems like she needs that look. He's been here before. Something pings - something about an old friend's explanation. ) Is there a problem here?

( But, whatever the explanation here, they need the old badge. His junk food in his left hand, he brings up the badge to his right. )

Agent Martin and this here is Agent Lannister. Give it up, Lannister. You tried the nice way, now we're going by the book. Now, we need that license plate... ( He spies the guy's stained name tag. ) Kenny.

[braveandstupid]

[At first, Elena is too bamboozled to really know what to say. The last person in the world Elena expected to walk into this convenience store is Dean Winchester. And he does it with all the swagger in the world, like he wasn't wanted for murder, like he wasn't reported dead years ago.

But she needs this security footage. Dean can be dealt with at a later date. And if he is what her first instinct screamed - vampire, her first instinct is to always assume vampire - then reacting poorly in public would not end well for her or the attendant.]

I didn't want to pull that card, but please. It's important.

[The attendant huffs, before nodding,. "Let me see if I can pull it up. Wait here."]

[cholesterol]

( He's been reported dead three times now if he hasn't officially lost count. Been arrested about that many times, too. But, it has been awhile since he's been formally charged with anything. Things got more outlandish, more Biblical. And maybe Chuck tired of the police chasing them. How many times did they turn someone around, one second, the agent is against them and the next, they believe they were possessed. That same agent did blow up a day later.

Dean gives the attendant a confident 'You do that,' smile before bringing his badge down. He gives a good look around the small convenience store. )

I do have to ask which you - you are. I don't see your gigantic partner, unless you moved on and went solo.

( Unless she's Elena. Sam did the research on that one but it still blew his mind. )

Or, is this a your dad thing?

( Or, dad's legacy. Basically, Elena. Are you Katherine? Or are you Elena. )

[braveandstupid]

[It takes her a second to realize that he's referring to her doppelganger, and it knocks the wind out of her for a moment. It's been years since someone's need to distinguish between her and Katherine. She doesn't even know what her counterpart has been up to.

And it bothers her that Dean, previously thought to be dead Dean, may know more about Katherine's whereabouts and company than she does.]

Wait, you've seen Katherine?

[So yes. She's Elena.]

[somanyadjectives]

[After Elena's text, Stefan finds a moment to excuse himself again and steps to the side to make a phone call. It makes sense that she'd ask him to do it, he just hopes that Katherine actually picks up her phone.]

[shreds]

( Katherine Pierce is laughing at something Damian says when her cell phone screen lights up. Glancing down, she can see it's Stefan calling her. There's always a part of her that will love Stefan Salvatore, and he still gets the time he deserves. That ship sailed after their one night together. But, he will always be her white whale.

Albeit, not one she's the most concerned about.

She brings up the phone to her ear, though, Damian and she both used to either one of them needing to take a call. She's up, taking her bag with her as she brings the phone to her ear. )

Stefan Salvatore, of all the phones in all the world. ( There's still a borderline sappy layer to Katherine Pierce, the human. ) You place a call to mine. What do you need?

( She pushes the door open to the front of the roadside bar, taking a few steps away. )

[somanyadjectives]

Hello, Katherine.

[He's still unsure about how he feels about her most days, but her being human has seemed a fitting penance for some of the things she's done. It will never be 1864 again, but at least they have the chance to work towards allies, if nothing else.]

I need a favor.

[shreds]

I know. It's why I asked what you needed. Keep up. ( She rests a heel against a parked bike. ) And spill.

[somanyadjectives]

[He could have needed a lot of things.]

If anyone asks, I need you to say you were in Mystic Falls today with the Winchester brothers.

[He thinks she can probably put two and two together for the why.]

[toomuchheart]

[And, out of nowhere, because I do what I want, a man in a trenchcoat appears on Damon Salvatore's doorstep.

He doesn't make a move to knock on the door, or anything that an ordinary person would do, he just appears, stands there and waits.

Because that's not suspicious at all.]

[unforgivably]

( As Damon and Stefan pull down his turnabout, Damon's lights illuminate Castiel up ahead. Instead of pulling into one of his garages, he pulls around and parks.

Getting out of his car, he closes the driver's side door and comes around the back. )

Can I help you?

[toomuchheart]

I was told to meet a friend here.

[Stefan gets out as well, and waits for there to be more elaboration to that particular statement, and there isn't. Not even a little bit. He just stands there, as though that's explanation enough.

Stefan's brow furrows, and he glances to Damon.]

[unforgivably]

Does your friend have a name?

( He meets Stefan's eyes, too. They have their Salvatore wordless conversation. Either he's meeting the Winchesters, or, perhaps the hunter called in the -- suited cavalry. )

[toomuchheart]

Dean Winchester.

[So that would be a yes for option one.

There's something a little weird about him. Stefan can sense it, but he can't put his finger on it.

"Well, he's not here yet. I'm Stefan, this is my brother, Damon -"]

Salvatore, yes. I know. My name is Castiel.