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

[cholesterol]

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?

[braveandstupid]

[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.]

[cholesterol]

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. )

[braveandstupid]

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

Why? What's happening?

[cholesterol]

( 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. )

[braveandstupid]

[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.

[cholesterol]

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. )

[braveandstupid]

[She shakes her head before making her way closer, offering Sam a small smile.]

Hey, Sam.

[Sam nods, before glancing between the two of them. "Hey, E ... lena?" Elena smiles.]

Yes. I'm Elena.

[cholesterol]

Not Katherine.

( Boy, if Dean even knew how much of a thing that was. )

Elena was inside trying to get a look at security footage. Her friend and friend's friend were attacked yesterday.

[braveandstupid]

[She glances over her shoulder to make sure the attendant isn't around before she drops her voice.]

He's a vampire. Dean mentioned that there was something happening where supernatural people are in trouble?

[cholesterol]

( The attendant is back inside behind the counter. As for anybody else around them, selective hearing exists for a reason. )

Knew it. ( He says that to himself, under his breath. But, he'll be helpful now. )

They're being hunted down. Tracked. All over, but this weekend. We think they'll be here.

[braveandstupid]

[Sam nods. "They've been building up to this for a while. We think they might be targeting ..."

The horror on Elena's face says she's already jumping to the conclusion that Sam is about to say:]

The school.

[She glances between the two of them.]

How many hunters?

[cholesterol]

Other than the one?

( Yes, Dean. Other than the one. )

We don't know how many are here. We know there were over a hundred. Spent a year knocking that down by half. But, the fearmonger running things is good at recruitment. We shut two cells down. Mob mentality hasn't stopped.

[braveandstupid]

[Elena nods because that is so not a good sign, but they can handle it. They can manage. They just have to call a few friends.]

I have to go. But thank you, for the information.

[She'd say something about grabbing a drink if they're going to be in Mystic Falls a while, but there's too much urgency to just move.

And with that, she's going to head back to her car and grab her phone. First, she texts Jeremy to ask if he and Tyler can head back to town as soon as they could. Then she props her phone in the mount and calls Damon.

It probably should be Stefan, but she's too used to Damon being the one she calls for trouble.]

[unforgivably]

( Damon's at the Grill during off hours unloading product and overseeing inventory. But, he always takes Elena's calls.

Stepping out back, he sits on the top step. )

Salvatore's Redheaded Stepchildren.

[braveandstupid]

It's the school.

[Elena doesn't have time for your usual banter right now, sorry Damon.]

The hunter that went after Stefan? There's a whole army of them and they're planning on attacking the school. I don't know why that guy attacked early - he must have seen Stefan and thought he'd get a head start.

[unforgivably]

( She cuts right to the chase. He's up in seconds. )

Where are you?

[braveandstupid]

Driving back from the gas station? I should be back in Mystic Falls in a few hours.

[She wishes she wasn't so far away but odds are Damon can get calling.]

I texted Jeremy and Tyler to head back. You should go talk to Ric and Jo.

[A long pause.]

Do you think we should tell Klaus?

[unforgivably]

( A name he hardly likes hearing. A face he barely sees except for on parents weekends. There was the one and only time he and Hayley took Hope to the grill. He was on his best behavior. Still treated Damon like the other Salvatore.

Followed Damon into the kitchen. There was stabbing. (Damon got stabbed. His mouth always gets him in trouble.)

But, his kid's still there. And Ric's girls. )

I'm conferencing in Stefan, stay on the line.

( He walks back in and tells the day manager he's taking off early. Call if there are emergencies and the only emergency that counts is the building being on fire. And even then.

He knows Stefan and Buffy must be sitting down with Ric, Jo, and the girls. If not on their way over there. He calls anyway. )

[somanyadjectives]

[They are, in fact, about to sit down to dinner. As the rest of the party moves ahead of them, Stefan hangs back to answer the phone.]

Is something on fire?

[He's assuming it's some kind of emergency.]

[cholesterol]

( Dean watches her go. Abruptly. Looks to Sam, cocks an eyebrow. )

Elena Gilbert is consorting with vampires. Her dad must be rolling in his grave.

[imnot_likeyou]

[Sam raises his eyebrows as he watches her go, before glancing back at Dean.]

Were you and her ever ... ?

[cholesterol]

Think you're old enough to say it, Sammy.

( He's just giving him a hard time. )

I was 19, she was 16 and other than dad and her dad killing me, which I wasn't into, she had this boyfriend. She was about to break up with him. We -- we had one deep conversation.

[imnot_likeyou]

Which is one more than you usually have with most women so ... close enough I guess.

[If you're going to give him shit, he can give you shit right back.]

Do you think she'll be okay?

[cholesterol]

( Maybe there was a spark. This is Dean. He sparks with every girl in every one horse town. )

Her friend's a vampire, Sam. Ten to one, the blonde is, too. ( He also watches Elena drive away.

That settles that, he returns (with Sam in tow) to the convenience store and tells the guy this is his trainee and that he's been asked to include him in the investigation. After calming down the guy, he takes Sam into the back and cues up the same video for him to watch. )