( he crouches to meet Irina's eyeline, hands softly coming to her shoulders. )
Elena is also staying there. And you know something else? She's really fun, and she knows some great games. And, I'm coming too, to help our friends out with their security system. And, I bet they have ice cream.
("Who doesn't," Dean says, opening the back left door. "Pulled this thing out of Men of Letters storage. Sam did some research, it's still regulation," he says, assuring Ezra and David that the carseat is safe, and that they thought this through, even though it was sprung on them.
Ezra turns so Irina can say goodbye to David, and so Ezra can, if this is the end of that road for now. He wants him with him, but he also knows appearances have to also be kept up. )
( David: shady, weird, odd, dark. Ezra, not so much. He also knows he's done just as bad, he just may not have been fingered for it. He's joking as well though, squeezing David's arms before turning back to face Elena and Dean. )
That depends on what we're working with. Easy guess, overnight. Possibly twenty-four hours.
( he moves closer to Elena, lowering his voice. )
I also want to make sure she settles in well, and, I know my part in the last mission. ( he made two questionable calls, and he is the one who connected the supernatural dots. ) I can help you with the next body.
[Elena hesitates, before glancing back at Dean. She doesn't want to get into a fight in front of Irina, who clearly trusts Ezra and David after everything she's been through, but she also knows that's not what they initially discussed.
David raises an eyebrow, not afraid to call it out.]
("Settling in well, and warding were givens," he confirms, and reminds.
Dean takes a moment, holds his hand out for the stuffy that Ezra hands him. he transfers it to Irina before closing the door to talk like adults. )
Read it back to me. You sold out Stiles, you sold out Lydia, you forced Lydia and whoever else to go to the Polar ice caps. Stop me if I'm getting anything wrong.
I'm not denying that that's how things went. But that wasn't how we wanted it to go. I know that intentions don't mean shit at the end of the day, but everyone made it back safe and sound. No one died except the person we meant to kill.
[He looks at Elena.]
And you agreed to us having a look at the wards.
["I did. But I didn't agree to you staying any longer than you had to." This isn't going to turn into a you show up and play your cards and never leave situation, because that doesn't exactly contribute to the safety of those involved.]
You didn't really stay on the phone long enough to talk it through. Why wouldn't I want to help with Hernandez? Why wouldn't I want to look after Irina, make sure she's safe before I go off and go on yet another suicide mission? ( that he sent others on... ) I know that talk is cheap when I say what happened with Siberia won't happen again. I know all I can do is keep telling you I'm on your side. But, we're all playing our part.
( but, he can give her one thing. )
I'm not asking to move in, or to have unfettered access, but I can help you find the body. I can help you with the body. We know you're doing us a favor. Why wouldn't I do one right back as a thank you? I owe you more than just this. And one day, maybe I'll be able to give that more to you, but right now, this is what I have. I can get your wards started, make sure Irina is okay, and stay in town. It can be up to you if you want any more help. But, I've dealt with her personally. She was at our wedding.
Us - or rather, Sam and Dean - handling the bodies for you was a favor to you in the first place.
[Elena crosses her arms in front of her chest. She's not saying they couldn't use the help, especially after what happened with Damian and Katherine when dealing with Kirsanov's body, but in the end she finds herself confused with what the end goal is here.]
And I'm just trying to figure out what's being asked of us here. I thought you brought her to us to hide her - how is it hiding her if you're not that far away? Isn't that showing them exactly where they should be looking?
( truth be told, he would be warded, too, but this tentative up and down of their friendship and their shifting alliance is complicating everything, it's true. now he has to sound like an assumptive ass. he smiles through the window at Irina and waves, before sighing. )
We thought I'd also be warded. If I come with her, make sure she's good and settled, then I thought I could lend you a hand and speed up the process. ( and this wasn't communicated. ) The faster we find the next body, and identify whatever failsafe it contains, the faster we can move. We thought only a few days. Then, I would leave her with you until it's all over. ( but, in this case ) If I'm working from afar, it still works to our advantage. David doesn't leave a trail. We believe Kirsanov was so solitary that nobody even knows she exists. But, why wouldn't we take every precaution.
( he brings up his hands and moves around the car to the other side. )
Talk it over, we sprung this on you. If the answer is no, or I have a ticking clock on me, then fine. But, Irina being with you. It's right.
( and with that, he lets himself into the backseat to check on her.
Dean gestures holding a hand out.
"Dude talks like he's in Dr. Sexy MD." Monologues and monologues. But, he steps a few paces away, pulling Elena aside, too. Ezra and Irina wave to David through the window. "Dude says he won't strongarm anyone again and then there he goes, giving us no choice." He sighs. "Where are we with Hernandez's body?"
[It's a "win-win" scenario that's all too familiar but also doesn't feel much like winning. It's meant to play on the fact that she has empathy and that she cares, and therefore she should just let the stronger power at play walk all over her. She doesn't like it, but again, it's a five year-old girl. She doesn't feel like she can say no.
So she lets Dean pull her aside and turns her back to the witches, so that they can't see her face to try and judge her feelings, but also so that Dean can react faster if needed. But the face presented to Dean is just resigned to the fact that things aren't going to go their way - that boundaries are going to be crossed whether she likes it or not.]
Sam has a few leads but nothing concrete yet. But I also think he wasn't looking especially hard, given that we were still waiting to figure if they could reverse whatever they did to Damian.
[Because he's not going to send in good people and have the same thing happen twice.]
( and he guesses Ezra and David were banking on that. Dean's still a good read on people. )
And Damian's mark is tied to another Inner Circle member going down, but we don't know which one. ( he doesn't like that, either. ) For what it's worth, he's doing this for you, but he's going about it all wrong. And the faster we waste the Inner Circle, the faster the Gauntlet is wrapped up. I know you don't like it. He's a pusher, Cady. Doesn't make him wrong.
[She just knows that when she gives a little, things end up getting pushed further than she'd like in the end.]
Just ... keep an eye on him, okay. Technically his job was to watch me for if the Colony ever decided they needed to quickly obtain the doppelganger, and they're not in charge of the Colony yet.
[She feels like maybe it's supposed to be implied in how he still wants to be friends, and wanted to start over, but those specific words have never left his lips. Probably because he didn't want to commit to a promise he isn't sure he can keep. Elena's trusted the implications before, and it hasn't always worked out in her favor - and in other ways, neither have the promises.]
[His tone is dry, because he's already been here longer than he wanted to be, but things to be finally moving now.]
Are we good?
["We're good. We'll head back to the bunker to meet up with Rowena and Sam, and once everything is done with the wards, I'll take Ezra to the local hotel."]
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It's okay. We know them. They're friendly. And did you know, Elena actually loves kids. She's a pediatrician, do you know what that is?
( Dean will give it to them, at least, and remark to Elena. "Kid's cute." )
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It means I'm a doctor who works mostly with kids.
[Irina nods slowly, before peering over at Dean. "Who's that?"]
That's my friend, Dean. You're going to be staying at his and his brother's house while Ezra and David sort some stuff out.
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Elena is also staying there. And you know something else? She's really fun, and she knows some great games. And, I'm coming too, to help our friends out with their security system. And, I bet they have ice cream.
( you have ice cream, right? )
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[Both of which are delicious and inticing kinds of sugar. Irina takes a deep breath as she considers before nodding. "Okay. I like pie."]
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Ezra turns so Irina can say goodbye to David, and so Ezra can, if this is the end of that road for now. He wants him with him, but he also knows appearances have to also be kept up. )
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Be careful. Don't let Rowena get the better of you.
[Because as much as the Winchesters may trust her, David does not - mostly because she's going to be on the Winchesters side.
Elena blinks as she looks up from the car. "Are you not coming?" The question is directed at David.]
No, I have to get back. They're going to be watching me.
[Then Elena blinks and looks back at Ezra. "How long are the wards going to take?"]
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( David: shady, weird, odd, dark. Ezra, not so much. He also knows he's done just as bad, he just may not have been fingered for it. He's joking as well though, squeezing David's arms before turning back to face Elena and Dean. )
That depends on what we're working with. Easy guess, overnight. Possibly twenty-four hours.
( he moves closer to Elena, lowering his voice. )
I also want to make sure she settles in well, and, I know my part in the last mission. ( he made two questionable calls, and he is the one who connected the supernatural dots. ) I can help you with the next body.
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David raises an eyebrow, not afraid to call it out.]
Is that going to be a problem?
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Dean takes a moment, holds his hand out for the stuffy that Ezra hands him. he transfers it to Irina before closing the door to talk like adults. )
Read it back to me. You sold out Stiles, you sold out Lydia, you forced Lydia and whoever else to go to the Polar ice caps. Stop me if I'm getting anything wrong.
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[He looks at Elena.]
And you agreed to us having a look at the wards.
["I did. But I didn't agree to you staying any longer than you had to." This isn't going to turn into a you show up and play your cards and never leave situation, because that doesn't exactly contribute to the safety of those involved.]
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( but, he can give her one thing. )
I'm not asking to move in, or to have unfettered access, but I can help you find the body. I can help you with the body. We know you're doing us a favor. Why wouldn't I do one right back as a thank you? I owe you more than just this. And one day, maybe I'll be able to give that more to you, but right now, this is what I have. I can get your wards started, make sure Irina is okay, and stay in town. It can be up to you if you want any more help. But, I've dealt with her personally. She was at our wedding.
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[Elena crosses her arms in front of her chest. She's not saying they couldn't use the help, especially after what happened with Damian and Katherine when dealing with Kirsanov's body, but in the end she finds herself confused with what the end goal is here.]
And I'm just trying to figure out what's being asked of us here. I thought you brought her to us to hide her - how is it hiding her if you're not that far away? Isn't that showing them exactly where they should be looking?
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We thought I'd also be warded. If I come with her, make sure she's good and settled, then I thought I could lend you a hand and speed up the process. ( and this wasn't communicated. ) The faster we find the next body, and identify whatever failsafe it contains, the faster we can move. We thought only a few days. Then, I would leave her with you until it's all over. ( but, in this case ) If I'm working from afar, it still works to our advantage. David doesn't leave a trail. We believe Kirsanov was so solitary that nobody even knows she exists. But, why wouldn't we take every precaution.
( he brings up his hands and moves around the car to the other side. )
Talk it over, we sprung this on you. If the answer is no, or I have a ticking clock on me, then fine. But, Irina being with you. It's right.
( and with that, he lets himself into the backseat to check on her.
Dean gestures holding a hand out.
"Dude talks like he's in Dr. Sexy MD." Monologues and monologues. But, he steps a few paces away, pulling Elena aside, too. Ezra and Irina wave to David through the window. "Dude says he won't strongarm anyone again and then there he goes, giving us no choice." He sighs. "Where are we with Hernandez's body?"
Not far along enough? )
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So she lets Dean pull her aside and turns her back to the witches, so that they can't see her face to try and judge her feelings, but also so that Dean can react faster if needed. But the face presented to Dean is just resigned to the fact that things aren't going to go their way - that boundaries are going to be crossed whether she likes it or not.]
Sam has a few leads but nothing concrete yet. But I also think he wasn't looking especially hard, given that we were still waiting to figure if they could reverse whatever they did to Damian.
[Because he's not going to send in good people and have the same thing happen twice.]
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( and he guesses Ezra and David were banking on that. Dean's still a good read on people. )
And Damian's mark is tied to another Inner Circle member going down, but we don't know which one. ( he doesn't like that, either. ) For what it's worth, he's doing this for you, but he's going about it all wrong. And the faster we waste the Inner Circle, the faster the Gauntlet is wrapped up. I know you don't like it. He's a pusher, Cady. Doesn't make him wrong.
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[She just knows that when she gives a little, things end up getting pushed further than she'd like in the end.]
Just ... keep an eye on him, okay. Technically his job was to watch me for if the Colony ever decided they needed to quickly obtain the doppelganger, and they're not in charge of the Colony yet.
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( because, he'd bet money on Ezra never handing Elena over. or at least coming to her if something like that came. )
He's got my one eye and he'll have Sam's other. And if Rowena's vet doesn't go through, then - ( he whistles and hikes a thumb back. )
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[She feels like maybe it's supposed to be implied in how he still wants to be friends, and wanted to start over, but those specific words have never left his lips. Probably because he didn't want to commit to a promise he isn't sure he can keep. Elena's trusted the implications before, and it hasn't always worked out in her favor - and in other ways, neither have the promises.]
But thank you.
[She smiles and reaches for his hand.]
I'm glad you have my back.
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( he takes her hand. but there're two husbands and a kid waiting, but he can show her how much more later.
he turns her around, and they return to David. )
You witches need to learn the art of the ask.
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[His tone is dry, because he's already been here longer than he wanted to be, but things to be finally moving now.]
Are we good?
["We're good. We'll head back to the bunker to meet up with Rowena and Sam, and once everything is done with the wards, I'll take Ezra to the local hotel."]
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( or the tangled network they've all created. but it's his time for an ask now. )
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[He turns back to his husband with a small smile.]
Text me if you need anything.
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exeunt, pursued by bear )