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

Come on.

( Pack of donuts in hand, mouthful, he walks Elena over to his room, kicking the door behind them closed. He drops the pack of donuts and the pack of beers down on the desk, swallows the donut in his mouth and then turns and draws her in close. He holds her there until she extricates herself. )

You guys get far?

Didn't get to the me becoming an actual vampire part, but we got through most of the big points.

[She shifts to settle in comfortably, closing her eyes as she tries to relax. Nothing about that conversation felt safe, and she has no idea how that's all going to shake out in the end.]

I also feel a little bad because ... there's nothing left really, of the Mystic Falls they knew. All their friends, their family - they're all gone.

There's time for everything.

( They got through the basics with their mom, but it took months for them to all get on the same page. )

Hey. You didn't do that. And you can't take that on. They're going to deal. Figure it out. Navigate the losses. You can be there for 'em.

( But she doesn't have to lose sleep over them losing their life. )

Anything land with a thud or did they take everything...

Some stuff they didn't really respond to.

[Mostly the stuff about Stefan. They have a lot to process and she can't help but feel that they're going to look at her differently for it.]

And I didn't think it was right to tell them about Caroline or Tyler so ... who knows how well that's going to go. But they have a lot to think about.

I reiterate, however they take it, whatever they do - not on you.

( He knows it's a cold comfort, but he's been there. )

Mom came back to us and her adjustment period - it was a long one. But, you see her here, right? Babysitting? You'll get there. You'll get somewhere. all of you.

( He just doesn't know where, and can't really help there. Well, he can. But not right now. And not magically. But, he knows if he's the early riser and sees Miranda, he'll make nice. Answer what he can. Make coffee. Just be there for her. )

Yeah, I know.

[She takes a deep breath and if she knew his line of thought, she'd say he was helping by just being there for her. For reminding her of that fact - that it's not on her how they react to things. They weren't there - they didn't have to make her decisions.

They didn't know Stefan, all they knew was that he was a vampire. And while Stefan's history is damning, she also knows how it felt to be loved by him, and by Damon, and both of those things were things she needed at the time.

She glances up at him with a small smile.]

Just keep reminding me if it feels like I'm starting to take on too much. Or forgive me if I use work as an escape sometimes.

[There may be a few long ED shifts in her future.]

Already forgiven.

( Dean's had his fair share of coping mechanisms. Still does. Things aren't dire, and it helps to focus on others, on Elena. But, he'll circle back to his bad habits. He always does. Hopefully, she forgives him in advance, too. )

[Always. As long as they keep communicating, she can handle it.]

Do you think Lucas can do this?

[He knows the Sullivans better than she does, and while she wants to trust him - trust that he's amply motivated - she can't help but share some of her brother's reservations.]

It seems like we only really get one shot at this.

I think we can stack the deck enough.

( Do everything in their power. To help. To ensure things go off without a hitch. )

I think he's motivated. I think, even if it didn't have to be him, he might've led the band, so to speak. He's got a bone to pick and I don't blame him. It's nice to have a direction to shoot in. Might even help in the long run.

[Elena nods, because she understands that too. And while it may not be perfect, it'll have to be enough.]

I feel bad that we're not risking as much as the Sullivans are.

You play the hand you're dealt.

( And he'll have Ezra with him and a small cadre of witches they don't quite trust. )

Would you let your parents go to Mexico City?

[She takes a deep breath, before giving a small shrug.]

If we didn't have another choice, we'd have to. Sometimes the hand your dealt means doing things you don't want to do, but are what's best for everyone involved.

[Elena's had to make those choices all too many times. As much as she wanted to try and protect her people, sometimes she couldn't.]

And if they wanted to go, to make sure that they could get to stay and not be possessed, who am I to stop them?

( Yeah, he gets that, too. )

So, then let's rally behind Lucas. Give him everything he can throw at her. ( Hope he gets the job done. Except. ) Do you want me to go with them.

[Part of her does, because she trusts Dean and she knows he's capable, and is fairly certain that he'll come back, whatever is thrown at him. She knows he'll help protect Lucas too. But ...]

You're the one who said I should start trying to trust Ezra. I think this is one of those instances where I have to trust him. And he's right about too many cooks in the kitchen being detrimental to the plan. These witches don't want her to possess someone else any more than we do, so time for them to put their money where their mouth is.

Then we'll wait.

( Which won't be easy, for anybody. )

[No, it will not.]

Whatever happens, we'll be okay.

[She just hopes that things end more in their favor.]

Keep that mindset.

( He'll be there, either way. )

[She glances up with a smile, leaning in to kiss him.]

Should we worry about dinner? I can order pizza.

Yeah, we should order something in. Not sure we have enough for everyone. Pizza sounds great. And wings. Garlic knots. They have the little brownies, now, right?

( ALL OF THE ABOVE! )

I will make sure you get your little brownies.

[She leans in to give him another quick kiss before pulling away.]

I'll go see what everyone wants. Wanna go pick it up with me?

[Because they probably don't order delivery directly to the bunker.]

Yeah, I'll drive. I'll just check in with mom and Irina.

( And Ezra. A third kiss for her efforts! )

[Elena nods, and goes to check in with the Sullivans and see how they like their pizza.]

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

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