everyonelives | there are prizes all around you if you're wise enough to see

[Michael helps Miranda shift into a sitting position, leaning against her husband before having her do the same. When neither of them smoke or wince or any other sign of the supernatural, he relaxes his shoulders a bit, allowing the beginning of this to start sinking in.]

My name is Michael Sullivan. I'm sure this all must be very disorienting, and I'm afraid we don't have a very adequate explanation as to why this is happening, but we're going to help you figure it out.

[Meanwhile in the middle of the tunnels, somehow all of these running people are going to collide, and Elena slows and comes up short when Ezra and Evelyn suddenly appear in front of her.

"Are my - " She can't even bring herself to say it, but she needs to know all the same.]

You being...

( Ezra stops short. "It's your parents, is," he starts before Evelyn interrupts.

"Was Lucas in the other tunnel?" she asks quickly. )

He is. Sam's got him. They're probably coming this way.

[Elena can't not give her that. She can't imagine what she would feel if it was her child on the line. She's already losing her mind at the idea of her parents.

Parents plural. Both of them.

She looks at Ezra, desperate for some kind of understanding.]

What does this mean?

[Michael ... doesn't know how to explain this so instead he takes a gamble and settles with: "A friend of your daughter's."

Miranda perks up and confirms his theory: "Elena?" Her voice is raspy and raw, but she needs to be sure. She needs to know her daughter survived.]

( Dean catches up, then.

"Evelyn, you--"

"I know," she says dismissively, moving around the group, speeding off again.

Ezra tries to formulate a good enough answer, head half shaking. "I only know that they are back. This isn't temporary. That rune on your arm. It tethered them," he says. "I need more time to know how the spell was tailored, but, Elena -- Go. Go to them," he says. He nods again. "They're alive."

Grayson furrows his brow. )

You and your wife and that - guy - are friends with our daughter? ( that's right, his wife doesn't know. he had her saved. ) She's alive, someone jumped in, I insisted he save... her. So, tell me why we're in New Mexico and why you three are friends of my teenage daughter.

[Elena nods and moves around him, pushing down the way her stomach roils at what she's about to face. Instead she just keeps moving down the tunnel, knowing Dean is behind her and they'll have to figure out the rest later.

Sullivan, on the other hand, winces at the word teenager, as that gives an indication of how long it's been for Elena. Clearly not as long for the Gilberts.]

Well, that's where it gets complicated. Because the Elena Gilbert I know is a doctor in her thirties. I'm going to have to guess that you both have been gone a long time.

[He says it as gently as he can, but while Elena is coming and will likely be the best person to fill in the blanks, this is all going to be a bit of a shock.]

( Ezra heads back in the direction of the tunnel entrances. Everyone can have their reunions. They need their space. They'll get to the witchy part of this later.

Grayson looks at his wife, finding her hand again, expression turning serious before distrust dawns on him and he looks back up. )

Who are you, what is all this?

[Sullivan does feel bad that he can't better explain this to them, truly, because he barely understands this himself. But as he opens his mouth to make an attempt, to try and break this to them even more gently, footsteps sound in the corridor and he glances up, unable to help the relief when he sees who it is.]

Dad?

[It's hard to believe it's really them. It's always like they just stepped out of a twenty year-old photograph. Part of her feels like they should have changed in all the ways that she has, but death doesn't work that way.

She knows that better than anyone.]

Elena!

( she's not sixteen. she has longer, whispier hair, and she's toned. there are small wrinkles around her face. she's aged.

he shifts, moving his legs and cradling his wife to get the both of them up, to meet their daughter at eye level, to embrace her because she lived. she lived. )

He saved you.

[Something in her heart seizes at that, because Stefan Salvatore was so many things to her over time, but no matter what, he'll still be the man who pulled her out of that car.]

Yeah. He did.

[Her eyes glance over to Sullivan, who gives her a small nod behind her parents backs. Whatever they are, they're human - at least for now. Which is why when Miranda, still shaky on her feet, reaches for her daughter and pulls her into a tight embrace, Elena lets her, closing her eyes tightly as she sinks into that familiar hold she'd missed so much.]

I'm okay.

[Not right now, not emotionally, but she will be once they figure this all out.]

( Dean hangs back, there for emotional support more than anything, but the scene warms his heart. He's danced this dance before. He never thought he'd have something in common like this with her. He's already thinking about what comes next. How much they've missed. The life they lived. Who their daughter is now.

The family holds each other for a long time, a few minutes at least. Grayson finally manages a smile, and kisses the top of Elena's head. )

Not that I want to let go, but eventually, we need to get around to you being in your thirties. And all your... ( he looks around them. ) friends.

( Dean heads straight to Sullivan, nodding at him. "Go, I can answer questions. You should see your son." )

["Yeah, we ... have a lot to talk about, actually." But that's not a conversation for this cave, and they should probably make their way back to the cars.

She's also unsure if they have enough space to go home with three more people than they arrived with.

Sullivan gives Dean a grateful nod at that, before taking his leave. Miranda, on the other hand, tracks that voice that sounds familiar - rougher, also older, but still someone she knows (19). She turns and squints at Dean, trying to place it.]

Dean Winchester?

Mrs. Gilbert.

( he turns to her and joins the family, moving closer. )

It's good to see you. We're going to figure this all out. I know you're looking for answers, but right now, we should get out of this cave, okay? You can trust me. You remember who raised me.

( his and sam's thoughts on him aside, they saw the professional hunter. not the neglectful, gruff ex-army dad. )

[She gives him a gentle look at that, because what she does remember is making the boys plates of hearty leftovers while Grayson and John talked in his office and the way Dean devoured it like it was the best meal he ever had, while at the same time pretending he was too cool to care. And she remembers the way if looked after his brother.

If he was looking after Elena too, maybe things haven't been so bad.]

I remember you.

[And she can trust that. Her limbs still feel shaky, so she turns to lean on her husband.]

But yes. Let's go somewhere ... not here.

( he remembers her care. her hospitality. her warmth. in a way that hurt his heart when he heard about what happened to her.

Grayson stays by her side, "Dean," he acknowledges.

He gives Elena a quick, 'You okay,' look. )

You guys go first, I'll be right behind you.

[Elena gives him a thin smile that says she's very much faking it until she makes it, but she nods and draws her parents attention back to her. They can talk about it later.]

The exit is back this way. We'll go slow.

[And she will lead her parents out through the tunnels and in the direction of the cars where hopefully seating arrangements will be all sorted out when they get there.]

there are prizes all around you if you're wise enough to see

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