everyonelives | hey it's good to be back home again

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hey it's good to be back home again

[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.

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( 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.

Edited 2020-10-17 04:44 (UTC)

[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."]

( 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. )

[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.]

( Being on these terms together, hunting terms, may have been inevitable considering her dad's ties. As far as he knew, she wasn't brought up in any life beside the one he remembers her having. Little brother. Cheerleading. And always with that journal.

She's older, now, like him. And still near Mystic Falls. )

Years ago. ( But how to put it. ) Our paths cross every now and then, mostly I know her partner. He's been in the game longer.

( In the game. That must sound like something. All Elena knows is he traveled with his dad. Family business.

He'd say more but the attendant returns, "I spoke to my manager. If you'll follow me." He takes them through the back to the small room with a monitor. "You have to put in the date and time." )

Yeah, yeah, we know how to do this part. Thanks. ( He dismisses him, taking a seat. He waits and looks back at the guy. ) This is a closed investigation.

( "Intrigue. I'll be back in front if you need me."

They won't. Once the guy leaves them and closes the door, Dean turns back to the monitor. )

Time and date?

[Oh, Dean, how wrong you're about to be. Elena takes in that information about Katherine, preparing to feed it back to Damon and Stefan at a later date.

Katherine. Hunting. That's ... new and interesting information.

Still, focusing on the matter at hand. She turns to him and moves closer so that she can get a look at the video.]

Yesterday, around seven?

( Long ago Sam taught him to do this, and while he's never reached the hacking level on his brother, he is capable. )

Two cameras inside, two outside.

( His fingers clatter on the keyboard. )

What are you looking for? ( He looks back at her, waiting for the answer. )

Out front by pump two. A friend of mine had an altercation with someone yesterday, and I want to see if I can find a way to identify them.

[She watches as the video moves through at a good clip, until a familiar car rolls into view.]

There, stop. This is them.

( An altercation. Awful long way to go for an altercation - but something smells like it's more than that for her. Dean will help either way. Sammy will wait by the car. If he was paying attention, he probably saw Dean pull the badge and get led away. )

Frame by frame.

( He slows down the footage.

Her friend - one of them - either pulls up in the rental car or gets out to go inside. Dean watches as the guy stretches his legs. Someone he doesn't recognize. Both, really, but, hey, the world doesn't revolve around Dean and he hasn't been around to know who she knows.

Someone approaches, a grainy white male with sleeves rolled up. Just the way he comes at him, cell phone in hand, Dean can tell this guy doesn't have good intentions. It's too friendly. He can guess what's about to happen. The altercation is clear -- except for the speed of -- that must be her friend.

The blonde returns, and enters the ring. He's impressed with what she brings to the table.

And then the guy is shot and runs.

Dean pauses the feed. )

You weren't kidding.

Nope.

[Watching Stefan get shot is never any easier, even now, even knowing that he's okay and safe back in Mystic Falls. But she doesn't have what she came for yet, so she leans forward to try and get a closer look.]

Can you see if the guy got into a car or something?

( Switching cameras, he scans the angles. )

If your guy got into a car, a camera didn't capture it. ( Which is when he'll pause the feed again and look up at her. ) And your friend crawled into his backseat with - his friend. ( Who could fight, he saw at least. ) Shot. You calling this an altercation, is... it's more than that. Looks like a hit.

( Like her friend was the target. )

[Look, she didn't realize how bad it was. She saw Stefan after the fact.]

An attempted one. He's fine, I saw him last night.

[So the guy ... missed. Totally. That's what happened.]

In the hospital?

( He doesn't watch the rest of the footage where Stefan and Buffy get back out of the car and drive off. )

Did you recognize the guy?

[She shakes her head. He wasn't one of the Founding Families. And he wasn't one of the hunters that have come through in the past - likely because most of them are dead.]

No. I didn't.

[She's going to ignore the mention of the hospital.]

Are you sure there isn't another angle?

The only other angle we have is the front. But, they were on the side and he ran toward the street. It's possible another camera got him.

( One not here. In another store. That they'd have to check. )

Not that I haven't been enjoying the reunion. You need to give me more if you want to help. Your friend looks like a target.

I need to give you more if I want to help? With my friend's situation.

[She squints at that phrasing so much.]

No offense, Dean, but this is my problem and I can handle it. Thank you for this, but I can handle it from here.

( He could've put that better. He rolls away from the screen and stands. )

Try the mechanic or the nail salon.

( She's right, this isn't his fight. He put his hat in the ring because he recognized her. )

Hell of a coincidence, running into you.

( He replays their night in his mind, the one when he'd met her outside that party and discussed what else is out there. )

Yeah, I guess it is.

[She knows they should probably have a conversation, but they probably shouldn't have it in the security center of a roadside convenience store.]

Are you just passing through?

Stopping for a few days. We have a job this weekend in Mystic Falls. Sammy's outside.

( What she knows about his job, he's not sure of. Was Sam there that week or had he already gone off to Stanford. He thinks it was right after. Or, before.

But.

What are the chances he's here with his brother, here to prevent something massive at the Salvatore school. Say what you want about vampires and witches, kids with no choice in the matter need a place, too. Dean would put every one of them down if he ever found out the school wasn't on the up and up, but Jack assured him and Cas that they're the real deal.

He even decided to stay and actually matriculate. Not just to be undercover.

Which brings him to why he's here. )

Your friend. He human?

[She straightens slightly, the question already putting her on the defensive. But at the same time, she's not really sure she wants to answer that question.]

Why does it matter?

[It might as well be a "yes," but she wants to know why it matters to Dean.]

Because, anybody within sniffing distance of someone or something supernatural could be in danger. Guessing that doesn't include doppelganger.

( There. His cards are down. Well. Some of them. )

[Well, she's within sniffing distance of a lot of supernatural folks, so:]

Why? What's happening?

( A sigh. )

Not here. Come on.

( He leaves the back room, leading Elena through the convenience store. He gives a wave to the clerk and holds the front door open for her. )

[Elena follows, letting him take the lead before passing through the door in front of him. Her eyes scan the parking lot out of habit, until they fall on the old Chevy Impala. Some things never change.

Sam glances up and sees them from where he's waiting, brows furrowing in confusion.

Elena waves. Sam waves back.]

Sam got ... really tall.

Yeah. He's like a beanpole. Shot up like a weed and never stopped. Thought about removing all ceilings for him, but he suffers.

( His brother is his favorite subject, so Elena just ran head first into this. )

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