everyonelives | best to take a moment present

( Ezra spends the initial time playing with Irina, asking her questions, and answering them in return, but trying not to alarm her. She curls up across from them, eventually, and Ezra watches the frozen tundra go by out the window as she's rocked to sleep. Every now and then, he glances over at his husband's frustration and quick thumb-work.

Eventually, he covers one hand with his. Maybe that's enough with the angry Whatsapping? It won't help anyone. And as he says, they have something they need to discuss.

he sighs in acknowledgment, wishing they didn't have to send her anywhere. but it's about to get a lot less dangerous. )

It needs to be somewhere off the beaten path. Warded. Under the care of people not drawn into the gauntlet.

( which eliminates every witch they know, and he mentally crosses them off. he leans in, trying to lighten their conversation. )

We don't exactly have close friends we can ask to babysit.

( but that was by partial design, and partially what happened as Colony. )

My first instinct? ( if it comes to close friends, or formerly close. ) What about Elena?

That bunker is said to be pretty impenetrable. And she would be surrounded on all sides by powerful people. But it's not perfect. Those wards probably need some updates in order to be as safe as we'd like.

[Read: as David would like. Using it to protect Elena, a full-grown adult aware of the dangers of the world, is one thing. This is a five year-old child who is less able to do so.]

Are we sure that's not too few steps from us?

Do we know our next steps?

( he agrees wholeheartedly at rewarding, and using a few old-school techniques on the grounds outside. but, he doesn't actually know where they go from here. do they return under the Colony's roof while they await their next move? only to disappear again for the next assault? will they be doing it? will they be dividing and conquering? did giving access to Stiles sour everyone from helping them?

... he just doesn't know. )

I meant more like degrees of separation.

[But Ezra's question is a valid one. David rubs a hand against the back of his neck, trying to determine what their next steps actually are.]

I think the main one is being somewhere completely unrelated when Kirsanov's death is discovered. We don't really know how connected he was to the Inner Circle, so we don't know how long that will take, but I think we should have at least enough time to stash her somewhere.

[A pause.]

Elena does give us some plausible deniability. We're supposed to be keeping an eye on her.

( He agrees with updates and measures needing to be taken, and fully understands what David means. Proximity. His eyes find Irina again, just to make sure she's sound asleep.

All the more reason to pay Elena and the Winchesters a visit. And, Elena was always my assignment. One of us needs to play the part of the dutiful, prodigal son. ( leaving him free to... well, he doesn't have that plan in place, yet, does he. ) I have some ground to gain back that I know is my fault, but my physical help will go a long way.

There's also the issue of none of them speaking Russian, at least that we're aware of.

[He pauses as he leans back in the seat.]

The necklace is a good stop gap, but she is going to have to learn English eventually. It would be helpful if someone there could teach her.

Then that necklace stays on a little longer.

( for her safety and for her to be taken care of properly. they can work on what comes next after shes out of the circle's crosshairs. )

To be fair, we don't know who knows what languages, or who knoww what in their network. It's a roadblock, but, I don't have any better ideas.

Elena is definitely the most secure. Bonnie is also an option - she could be around other witches. Knightsbridge is still rebuilding, but they also need new blood.

[So having Irina would be a boon once she's older. They would have to decide whether or not to uproot her later.]

There's also hiding her among the students in the Salvatore School.

You experience with the Knightsbridge coven involved giving them safe passage, what else do you really know about them? Bonnie's -- do you trust Bonnie?

( does she trust them? )

But, by all means, we can't forget about the Russian classics teacher at the Salvatore school.

Bonnie owes me a favor. And I think I've built up enough good will at this point that we can trust her to protect and not harm a five year-old girl.

[Though he does give his husband a smidge of a look at that.]

And the Salvatore School is warded and the last place anyone would look for her. And who knows, they might have someone who speaks Russian.

I don't think she, or the old school British coven, are going to hurt Irina.

( for the record. )

Warded or not, the Salvatore School is continuously beset upon by formerly fictional fantastical -- ( or, according to lore ) was.

That is true. The bunker is safer.

[Both warded and with people who would protect her. Bonnie is also trustworthy but Knightsbridge's situation is more tenuous.]

Do you think Elena would be okay with this? Or the Winchesters?

The bunker is also off everyone's radar. The Salvatore School has a zip code.

( he'd bet money the bunker has a PO box. )

I think, ( he starts, pulling his phone out, tapping a few buttons. ) I should find out sooner rather than later. In the meantime, anywhere else you can think of? That we can trust?

( and he can think about that, as Ezra connects the call to Elena. )

[David's only got options that get further and further away from them. There's taking advantage of the offer Alexander made with the Underground. He knows, though, that once they hand her off to Alexander, they don't have as much of a say in where she goes.

In some ways, it might be safer for them to not even know.

But he's just going to stew on that while waiting to hear from Elena, who is coming off her shift and sees Ezra's name on her phone as she heads to her car.]

Hey, Ezra.

Hey, Elena.

( he pauses, because he doesn't know how the information was disseminated, or how she saw what happened with Lydia. but they are all on the same side. )

We have a question.

What ... kind of question? Should I be sitting down?

[She says it half-heartedly, almost like it's a joke but it's not. She can tell he's being serious, but she wants to know how serious it is.]

I don't know. It's more of a favor preceded by a question. ( the Mystic Falls life breeds a lot more drama. but, he supposes this is up there, too. she can't see this coming. cam she. ) David and I rescued a child, a little girl Kirsanov intended to be his next vessel, we think. Her name is Irina, she only speaks Russian, and we need to find her somewhere off the grid and safe.

[Elena quietly takes in that information as she slides into her car, turning over the information in her mind as she draws this phone call to it's most likely conclusion.]

You want to bring her to the bunker.

We talked it over, and out of everywhere, and everyone, we trust you and we know what comes with bunker protection. The Men of Letters only put information out there that they want to be out there. ( he also glaces at his husband as he talks. ) The bunker isn't found easily and isn't on any map. It's heavily warded and we want to beef your wards up. ( he parts his lips, as he adds ) And I want to help, personally. In person.

[Elena nods, but she knows that she can't take this conversation further, really, as much as she wants to help. The bunker isn't hers. She can't make this call.]

I have to talk to Sam and Dean. Can I call you back?

Yeah. We're on a train in Siberia. We're over an hour out from anywhere. Take your time.

( and when he hangs up, he slips his phone back into his pocket. )

She's dialing in the Winchesters.

["Good. Hopefully we'll hear back soon."

Elena does drive back to the bunker, trying to do the math in her mind as she makes her way inside. She catches both Winchesters at the center table, working on something.]

Hey. Can we talk?

[Sam, reasonably, assumes that this is a couple-related "Can we talk?" and starts to get up to give them some privacy but she shake her head.]

You, too, Sam.

["... Okay."]

( Dean, always with one foot in the doghouse in his mind, closes whatever book is open. They feel close but not close enough to this, so it's a welcome distraction. Or, it could be, now that he realizes he and Sam are both involved. Hold one doghouse, please. Still, his relationship always comes with commentary. )

Sounds serious.

No one's in trouble. Well, neither of you are in trouble.

[She sets down her bag next to one of the chairs and takes a seat.]

Ezra called. They managed to take out Kirsanov, but there was a little girl there that they rescued. Apparently she was the plan for the next time he was going to hop bodies.

[Which, gross.]

Her name is Irina, and she's five, and they need somewhere safe to put her.

( they could easily both be in trouble. he left the toilet seat up. a certain magazine slipped out from under the mattress. dishes? all irrelevant.

Dean makes a full face at a pedo-body-hop, exchanging a look with Sam, which lingers because, oh, they're trying to enlist them. He looks back to Elena. )

Here. So, we reenact Adventures in Babysitting and the witch husbands - what?

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