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

[praevaricatio]

Comments

[disputable]

( she gains her composure back, because he's in her arms. she turns her head, giving him another squeeze before leaning back. )

No. You have nothing to be sorry about. You hear me?

[abad_influence]

[It kind of feels like he does. That he was stupid and got himself in a situation that ended in his death - that feels like it should be his fault. He promised her he would come back and he didn't.

You should apologize when you break a promise to your mom, even if it's one he didn't have control over whether or not he kept it.]

Is Coop okay?

[He remembers slipping his brother the address because something just didn't feel right but if he got Coop killed too ...]

[disputable]

He's okay. He survived, he wasn't - I don't know everything, only that he saw it happen. But, he's good. He's good now. He's doing really good. He misses you. We all do.

( she can get into his personal life later. and they need to tell him. )

And nobody blames you.

[abad_influence]

[Lucas nods at that, not really sure what to say, or how to even process if this is real. He feels like he's trapped in some kind of fever dream, and you're not supposed to have those when you're dead. Instead, he just looks back at Sam, because he's the only objective party in the room.]

What next?

[Sam takes a deep breath. "I'm going to check and see if we need to obtain another car, and we're going to get the hell out of here." He then nods to the space behind Evelyn. "And you're going to see your dad."

Lucas isn't sure he wants to see his dad right now, but it's too late and Michael rounds the corner, laying eyes on his son and finding himself frozen in his tracks, not sure what to do next.]

[disputable]

( She steps aside. )

Go.

( She watches as Lucas manages to make it over to him. In the meantime, she has amends to make, so she finds Ezra leaning against the wall between the two cave openings.

"I owe you an apology," she admits.

"It's okay. I understand," he makes sure to add. "I've been slapped before," he says, brushing it off. Evelyn then moves forward. He flinches before being embraced. Oh. Okay. That he can, do. And he pats her back. )

[imnot_likeyou]

[Sam also steps away to give Lucas and Michael some privacy, and as he looks over the car options they have, he tips his head towards Evelyn with a frown.]

How many can you seat in your truck?

[disputable]

( Evelyn sniffs, wiping the her nose with the back of her hand. She rubs it against her jacket, clearing her throat. Right. )

Three in the front, up to five in our truck bed if we were on the backroads of Texas. Not across state lines.

[imnot_likeyou]

[He nods because yeah, this going to be a tight fit. Sam then pauses, and turns a curious expression back to Ezra:]

Do you have a spell that could ... make more room?

[Can you make a TARDIS car? Curious minds would like to know.]

[praevaricatio]

( He's heard stories of Dean's codependency to his car, but, this is a real spell, Sam.

He could also clown car the Sullivan's truck, but, this feels more like a thing. )

I could clown car the Impala.

[imnot_likeyou]

[Sam takes a deep breath, before glancing back to the entrance of the caves and looking for any sign of his brother.]

Let me talk to Dean.

[By which he means let's see if he can talk Dean into this.]

If not, I'll see if Mary's close by.

[praevaricatio]

( Evelyn rolls her eyes, stretching each arm across her elbows. She's a little too stiff for her own comfort from the past twenty minutes and she likes to remain loose at all times. Limber. But, before she bounds away to her husband and now alive adult son,

"If Dean won't, we will. If your clown car spell works on three-seater trucks."

If not, guess it's Mary or bust? She leaves Ezra with Sam for the moment as the other group makes their way through the dark passage with Dean's flashlight.

Ezra regards Sam. )

Elena's parents are alive.

[imnot_likeyou]

Yeah.

[Sam isn't going to be the person to gauge how she's feeling about that, but he knows she's definitely rattled by it all. Especially given who Grayson Gilbert was before he died and all the things he doesn't know about what happened to Elena.]

Do you know anything about how? There has to be some kind of catch, right?

[praevaricatio]

I think the catch is, Hernandez has made three new bodies, should anything happen to hers.

( It's the only explanation as to the two other bodies disintegrating into nothing. )

That spell is meant to act as a mirror. I've never seen it used like this, but, it claws at someone lost to the subject. Sometimes, with no more consequence than, this'll distract 'em. And sometimes, with a mission in mind. Do I think they're double agents and don't know it, no. But, I told Elena, I'll do all the diagnostics I can. First thing I would check? Their backs.

[imnot_likeyou]

[Sam nods.]

We'll get them back to the bunker, and then we'll see what we can learn.

[And he'll ... probably text Rowena on the drive, tbh. She's going to be sick of him by the time all this is said and done.]

It's a long drive but we're not really going to have any privacy until then.

[praevaricatio]

( Rowena could never be sick of her Samuel. )

Nor is this a first person, Impala's gone wild, so, with you there.

( And because this budding friendship still needs several years of time, probably, everyone is interrupted as Elena and her father help her mother out of the second passageway with Dean not far behind. )

[imnot_likeyou]

[Sam nods to Ezra before pulling away and crossing to his brother, pulling him off to the side slightly.]

Okay, so hear me out.

[Dean probably loves it when he hears Sam start with that.]

We're short one seat, but Ezra could do a spell on the car that could add some extra room.

[cholesterol]

( Yeah, he's not loving it already, but he'll listen. He has an open mind! Sometimes. He eyes narrow. )

Add it how.

( Permanently? )

He can Tardis Baby?

[imnot_likeyou]

Yeah, basically.

[A beat.]

It's just until we get back to the bunker.

[Unless he wants it to be permanent but that's something he can discuss with Ezra.]

[cholesterol]

( He looks behind them, at Elena and her parents and Lucas, with his. )

I don't see any other alternatives, long as he promises it's not permanent.

[imnot_likeyou]

[Sam nods, before clapping his brother on the shoulder.]

Will do. Thanks, man.

[And with that he will head back to Ezra.]

That spell you mentioned isn't permanent, right?

[praevaricatio]

Not unless he wants it to be. I'm guessing that's a yes.

( He's surprised, but it's better than waiting for a third car to arrive.

Across the way, Grayson checks in with his wife, arm around her waist, asking how she's feeling - physically, anyway, and Evelyn finally turns away from her family as they rejoin the group.

"What's the verdict?" ) she asks.

[imnot_likeyou]

We're going to put it on the Impala. I'm sure Elena will want the Gilberts with us, but do you have enough room for Lucas?

[He's offering the space if it would be more comfortable, but he has a feeling she wants to keep Lucas with her.]

[disputable]

It's a tight fit, but I think Lucas should decide. We're all reaching the same destination.

( And, selfishly, maybe it might be good to unpack this with her husband. She even exchanges a look with Michael, too, to make it clear, maybe he could do with space? )

[sullivansr]

[Michael raises an eyebrow at his wife, considering, before glancing to Sam.]

If you're offering, I may ride with you. I think Lucas would prefer to ride with his mother.

[And maybe not deal with his father for a bit. Things aren't explosive but they're not perfect either. Sam seems to read into that just enough (18) and nods. "Of course." And he'll head off with Ezra to get the Impala ready.]

[disputable]

( While time away from father and son can go either way, the outcome with her sharing the car with her son steadies her breathing every further. She appreciated her husband that much more. She and her husband can unpack this back at the bunker in Lawrence and Lucas can work through his and his father's -- distance. At least at first.

Evelyn makes sure the Gilberts are helped across the bed of rocks that is the climb back to the mouth of the cave.

Once everything levels off, everyone breaks off on their own as Dean leads the group back up the path to where the cars are parked.

Ezra instantanously adjusts the inner guts of the Impala, the back door open and waiting for whatever configuration happens.

Dean's driving, though. He does wait for everyone to get where they need to be before climbing in. )