perpetual anticipation is good for the soul but it's bad for the heart

[maxxx]

Comments

[illtempered]

( He follows Lydia into the guest room as Harvey checks his own, sifting through firm emails to see if there's anything that needs to be prioritized.

Jackson once again does his signature lean, this time against a dresser. )

I don't like that you're being used. Is there any way you can get out of this.

[beanchaointe]

Harvey thinks they intend to use Stiles as leverage. They seem aimable enough but they also mentioned they were on a time table, so I don't think they intend to purse other options unless someone volunteers one.

[And she's not expecting anyone to do that in advance.]

And Parrish won't let anything happen to me.

[illtempered]

Parrish isn't omnipotent, Lydia. You're offering yourself up to be captured, all for a crusade for an unaffiliated coven. And they're holding your friend - or considering him as leverage. They're strong-arming you.

( Well, this isn't going to be fun, but )

Isn't Harvey on their payroll?

[beanchaointe]

I'm aware, Jackson.

[She knows how complicated this is. In fact, she's aware of all of these things. But getting a very powerful witch off the board could be worth they effort, if they negotiate things in their favor.]

Harvey is on my side. He wasn't part of it until I brought him into it.

[illtempered]

He was a part of it in Beacon Hills.

( He deflates, his point hanging between them. Then he relents, trusting her instincts. )

I'm worried about you. And pissed as Allison is.

[beanchaointe]

[She can't just go say no, this is different, but she also knows how her track record looks.]

I'm not doing anything without a plan. But these people that they're going after are also causing real harm and Allison was already helping them in some ways. As much as their approach could use some work, this ... might be something worth considering if they're willing to give me the IOU.

[illtempered]

Do you think Stiles is actually in danger?

( Are they willing to go that far? )

[beanchaointe]

He's got Cora with him. I think he'll be fine. The point of leverage is that everyone gets what they want when they're done.

[So he'll be unhappy and have his day ruined, but he'll live to complain about it another day.]

[illtempered]

By force.

( He doesn't have to like it. )

I trust you. We're not going anywhere.

[beanchaointe]

Thank you.

[She appreciates that.]

I appreciate you having my back. Alexander too.

[illtempered]

Always, Lydia.

( Back in the living room, Harvey consults with Alexander.

"Do you have contacts near DC?"

Stiles may between a werewolf, a rock, and a hard place, but there's always a way out. )

[swillpot]

[Alexander takes a breath and leans back, considering for a moment where all of his people were.

Annie and Serena were following his dad out to the midwest for whatever trouble Rowena is pulling him into. Angel and Cordelia were in Canada. Dolls took Crash and Aalis to New York, but that's not close enough to be efficient about it.

Of course Sweets is in DC (Sweets is always in DC), but he's not exactly combat-ready. He's a human, Alexander can't send him in blind to go play with witches of the Colony's caliber.

... Shipp is in Baltimore though. He knows he's dealing with family stuff, but this technically qualifies as an emergency.]

Actually, I do.

[And he pulls out his phone, sending a quick text to Sweets with the info, and then to Shipp:]

Sorry to do this but I need a favor. How fast can you get to DC?

[pricetags]

( It's an easier choice to stick around, convince his family to stay in town longer and to get to know his difficult twin siblings. Difficult to each other, not really him. It's been a long time since he's played mediator. )

You officially pulling me off sabbatical? What level Def Con is this?

( He decides it's high enough to reach out, so he follows up with

Fast.

There, with his two siblings in his hotel suite, he interrupts bickering over Jonathan. )

Hey. She's right. He's no good, and if you're out of thin air older brother can see that, then everyone can. And, I may need to do something for work.

[swillpot]

["Thank you!" Liv shouts back from off screen, clearly this making her right.

Alexander receives a text from Sweets saying that Stiles' phone is going straight to voicemail and his texts aren't being delivered.]

Huh. Looks like my guy in DC already knows Stiles.

[Handy. Sweets mentions he's going to head over to his apartment and Alexander tells him to wait for Shipp, who will hopefully back him up.]

I need you to back up Sweets on something. We have contact there who might be in a danger of the witchy variety and he's suddenly not answering his phones or receiving texts. I'll owe you one.

[Because favors are the currency of everything these days.]

[pricetags]

( "It's a small world after all," Harvey says dryly.)

Will you need my witchy variety?

( Because if so, he needs a witch with magic as he is a heretic. )

And I may need your help.

[swillpot]

From what we can tell, it's likely high caliber Colony witches.

[Alexander will let him assess what backup he may need as he sees fit.

Liv frowns, turning and making her way closer to try and see what he's doing on his phone. "What kind of help?"]

[pricetags]

( familiar preservation is set aside as he looks back at his sister. )

Someone is involved with a dangerous, dark colony of witches. And I'm closest to DC. We're closest to DC. Does the Armory send you in the field?

( Can you tell what kind of organization he's been in? )

[geminated]

When needed.

[Honestly she's a lot more of a blunt force witch than a nerd, so it's more often than she's making it seem. She pulls out her phone to check google maps and text Tyler.]

We can be there in under an hour.

[pricetags]

Well, who I work for, it's very 'when they say jump.'

( But because they do the same for him. )

[maleficum]

["Then let's go. You can fill us in on the way."

And the next morning, David and Ezra striding up to Lydia's door, knocking lightly. They decided (wisely) to leave Rusty out of this part, because David didn't miss Lydia's discomfort with someone she didn't know being involved and making demands, so Rusty agreed to wait back at the hotel room until they're ready for him.]

Do you think we should have brought more than croissants?

[rehire]

( Max is with Rusty, a real curiosity forming, making effort at co-aligning himself. There is his sister, but there's also Rusty, and more. His world has always been so small. He's quickly tiring of being the golden boy.

David and Ezra got a good night's sleep, Ezra is as optimistic as he's going to be, but he's drawn the line in the sand. For the greater good, he tells himself. But also for his husband's life. And for the Colony. He invested himself in this man and this marriage.

He hopes they don't come to blows.

"We like croissants," his husband shrugs. "Anything else would be about impressing them, and we're not here to impress anyone." Pressing, on the other hand.

Harvey is the one who answers the door, their troops ready to hear them out behind him. )

Gainors. With pastries.

( He steps aside and calls back. )

Anyone here hungry this morning? Kind of seems like you're bringing a gun to a knife fight, doesn't it? Any good will you bring with your polite gesture kind of tanked royally when you went after Lydia's friend.

[maleficum]

[If David looks confused at first, it's because he is. But he resists the urge to glance to his husband and neutralizes his face (15), because if something is done it's already done - he can't just backtrack with the siblings Melroux have decided to do behind his back.

He doesn't suspect his husband, because he thought that he and Ezra were on the same page about not making things worse.]

I'll admit, we bungled our approach. But we're hoping that we can leave here with everyone getting what they want.

[rehire]

( His husband makes real effort at keeping his face neutral (10), but the greater good and all that. At least that discussion won't happen now. )

Including Lydia, who you're strong-arming into making this deal in the first place.

( Jordan Parrish stands to the side, arms folded. Jackson perches on the edge of Lydia's nice couch. They're all here to hear them out, aren't they?

"With me," Parrish says. )

[maleficum]

[David's eyes dart to the new voice and oh. So we're bringing in everyone now then. He starts to take a step closer but the daggers Malia is staring into his skull from where she's standing with him pulls him up short.

David falters and waves a hand.]

David Gainor. Thanks for coming, I realize this has all been a bit of an inconvenience.

["To put it lightly." Lydia is sitting next to Jackson, one leg crossed over the other, and Alexander is perched against the far wall, just observing and keeping himself out of the direct attention.]

[rehire]

( Technically, Harvey shouldn't be here, he represents David Gainor's best interests, but this isn't about their legal dealings, and Harvey's drawn his own line in the sand.

As they do, everything gets messier.

"I'd call it intimidation." Jackson says. )

Blackmail. Extortion.

( "Harvey," Ezra says. "We're here." )

You're right. We're all here. We've come to the negotiating table, because make no mistake, that's what this is. You're going to lay it all out, everything you need from Lydia and Jordan Parrish. And then, we're going to counteroffer.

( And that's how this is going to go. )