everyonelives | i'm leaving you my last curse

( Every day in Mystic Falls is sorting through names and relationships, it feels like, but Newport was also like a soap opera, so he's used to interchangeable names.

It's the second part of the story that makes Ryan hate her father. Ryan glances down to his daylight ring, gaudier than Caroline's. Men's lapis rings make a statement.

But not as big a statement as torturing your daughter. )

He tortured you. Is that what they would do, if Elena or Jeremy were made to be vampires? Is... that what they're taught?

That was my dad's special brand of crazy. They ... they were taught to just kill us. Because to the Council, we weren't people anymore. We were just monsters.

[She gives a small shrug.]

Tyler figured it out, got my mom. She pulled a gun on my dad so that Tyler could get me out. Tyler's mom came around too. So I know it can be done. That they can get past it. And my dad left me alone after that and I didn't see him again until just before he died. We parted on better terms. But there's a reason Elena didn't tell Miranda and Grayson.

[Because that Founding Family training runs deep.]

You can't expect them to change in two minutes what they've been told their whole lives.

I don't expect them to change. But, I expect them to treat you like a person. You're a guest and not a monster, and if that's all they see then maybe we shouldn't be here. But, I know you're here to support Elena - and to help with all the cooking. So, just tell me what you need.

( Besides ice.

Speaking of, he puts the car into reverse and finally pulls away from the bunker. )

Dean hides the stakes, right?

Winchesters don't generally use stakes. They have machetes.

[Which is not better but she at least trusts Dean enough to not give Elena's parents the means of killing her.]

And Ezra has our back at least. Which is kind of weird to say.

[She takes a deep breath. It also doesn't feel right leaving things when Jeremy is worried about Dawn and Bonnie is fighting for her life right now. She wants to be close in case more news comes in.]

I'm not going to leave because her parents are still working through their vampire racism, especially with everything going on in Scotland, and I know she has my back. So if they start actually saying this stuff to my face then we'll reassess, but for now ...

[For now they use this trip to pull herself together a bit and hope that things get better.]

( He gives her his patented Ryan Atwood head turn™️ because, is that better or just more violent? He knows Elena's parents weren't trained to swing a machete. At least. But she doesn't seem to make a bigger deal of it, so, he doesn't either. )

If they start saying it to your face, then they'll learn what a vampire really is. ( He looks to her and then back. It's not a threat at all, but an endorsement of the strong, honorable, well-spoken woman he's dating. ) You're still Caroline.

( On the subject of the witch, though. )

So, Ezra's officially not stalking Elena anymore?

I guess not. She's ... working on trusting him again. And he's the last point of contact for all the witch stuff she's been mixed up in.

[She shrugs as she glances over to him.]

I think he's mostly there for Irina's benefit today.

The... child the other witch wanted to possess. Your world is something.

( But, he likes it. It gives Newport a run for their money. )

If Elena is settled with her parents by then, the Cohens invited us to Chrismukkah.

( Hold for having to explain this one. )

[It takes her a second, before she blinks and puts two and two together.]

Oh, that sounds fun! I'd love to go.

[Honestly, it would be nice to be the visiting girlfriend for a change, rather than the one dragging Ryan along.]

Do we do separate gifts for Christmas and Hanukkah, or is it just one set of gifts for the whole event?

All at once, but for both.

( Seth's Frankenstein creation for celebrating the holiday season. But it's retained it's charm. It's not a staple for the Cohens.

Sandy joked that his girlfriend kidnapped Ryan from California, he never thought he'd see the day. But he's also happy for Ryan. And he hears the happiness in his voice.

Back at the bunker, Grayson and Miranda have settled at the war room table to give Ezra a wide berth. He and Irina eat in the kitchen, Dean, too. )

[Elena smells a rat.

Caroline has a good poker face, but she knows her best friend well. Something happened that sent her running, and she wants to sniff out what it is. So once her parents are settled, she goes wandering to the kitchen and zeros in on the two men in the kitchen.]

Before I ask them, do either of you know why people are acting weird?

( Dean with a mouthful of bacon, looks from Elena to Ezra, to Irina.

"Dntlkathme."

Ezra sighs, setting his fork down. )

Caroline heard them, didn't she. And Ryan.

( Adorable Irina takes a bite of her toast. Ezra smiles at her and then turns fully to face Elena. )

Your parents caught on to Caroline. And assumed Ryan. They're having a hard time with it. I probably owe you an apology because I put them in their place. Probably also why they're not in here eating with us, right Irina? ( He goes into babytalk as he wipes crumbs away from Irina's mouth. ) They're gross, mean people who think vampires are monsters. ( And then in his normal voice. With another sigh, he goes to stand. ) I'll apologize.

[She takes a deep breath, before holding up her hand and shaking her head.]

No, this is my fault. I held back because I wanted to protect her, but ... that was only going to hold for so long. And if you were sticking up for Caroline, you don't owe them an apology.

[What's he going to apologize for? Being right?

Elena made this mess, Elena should handle it.]

Let me talk to them first.

( Dean understands. He was like her parents at one time. Very narrow-minded. It took meeting a different kind of vampire, to Garth, to Benny, Jack... Working on and off with Crowley and Rowena, both of which were their enemies at one time - to see monsters as people. There are still monsters who are monsters, but he doesn't see Caroline as one. And while Stiles is a question mark, he's come around. He hasn't heard of any FBI vampire bloodbaths.

Sympathetically, he takes a sip from the orange juice he replaced his beer with.

Ezra sits back down, not in need of creating more drama. He is one of several hypocrites in this house. But, at least he embraces being one. He has no choice. And he did his ultimate apology. And he has bigger things.

Dean excuses himself from the table, setting his plate of food in the sink before coming to Elena's side. )

You need backup?

( He's asking if she wants him there with her. But, he puts it in his Dean way. That's being in a relationship. Being there for your partner. It's been a long time - since he's had a partner like this - but he's ready to be there. )

[Elena looks uncertain for a moment, because part of her thinks that maybe this should be a private conversation with her parents, but at the same time, maybe a third party should be there.

To remind her that she shouldn't lose her temper, and that her parents are adjusting to a lot.

She nods with a sigh.]

Yeah, that's probably a good idea.

Wherever you need me.

( Now? He can do it now. Probably better sooner than later, considering everyone's here for a holiday. This doesn't feel very holiday. But, bread-breaking does. Still, he lets her lead the way if it's now.

Ezra goes back to eating.

Irina pipes up, "Ugly gross people," and she laughs nibbling more toast. Ezra just high fives her toast. She is the cutest. She will bring everyone together. )

[Oh, they are doing this now. They're going to hash this out before Caroline gets back with the ice. So she nods before turning and leading the way back into the war room, and moving to stand across from her parents, crossing her arms in front of her chest.]

What did you say about Caroline?

[Miranda's eyes widen at the accusation and she straightens slightly. "Elena - "

She shakes her head.]

No, I want to know what you said to upset my one of my best friend.

[Miranda's jaw sets and crosses her arms in front of her chest. "They're vampires, Elena."]

I know. That doesn't change that Caroline is still one of my best friends. Caroline may be a vampire, but she's still Caroline, Mom.

( Elena comes in like she's the parent. Older, wiser, disappointed in her parents' ignorance. Her boyfriend takes his stance right behind, there to land a hand, to placate, even to shut down if things go too far. But, this is Elena's show. Her mother may lose her poker face, but her dad doesn't. It's probably the memory of him that's the most clouded over. Because, he remembers being a happy family and keeping things like vampires and adoptions to himself. He loved his wife. Got along with his sister. And protected his kids. He provided for his family.

None of it was enough after he and Miranda were killed.

He waits for her to say what she needs to before contributing. )

We know you think that, Elena -- ( But, immediately, he knows they've been backed into a corner. ) We didn't say anything to Caroline. Ezra was behind us, eavesdropping and calling that babysitting. ( Being taken down by a witch they were told at one time didn't have their daughter's best interests at heart? Cold.

Dean clears his throat.

"She heard you," Dean figures. "Vampires, your kind, have heightened senses. So anything you said or didn't or some witch overheard, she heard."

Grayson sets his coffee aside. Obviously caught. And not liking the third degree. )

I don't remember what we said. We both saw Caroline's unnatural speed. It was obvious. And, we assumed if Caroline was a vampire, than Ryan must be, too, what with the circumstances of their employment-courtship, we still don't know what's going on there, and don't need to. ( So, there's that. ) This isn't easy. To your mom and I, Caroline is still that little girl playing in your room and having sleepovers and she's not dead. You're telling us we don't know about vampires? Then tell us. About vampires. What do we have wrong, Elena.

( What have they always had wrong, apparently. )

[Elena takes a breath, trying to release some of the tension as she tries not to feel like this is a line that she has to draw in the sand. She will, if she has to, because Elena doesn't abandon people for any reason, but she remembers how it felt loving Damon and trying to be friends with Caroline at the same time, before Caroline forgave him for everything he'd done to her.

Her parents haven't done anything wrong. It's just how they're taught - and in some ways it's how vampires are taught too. She hopes that she can help them see what she sees.]

Becoming a vampire, everything about you becomes heightened. And yes, some vampires do become monsters and do terrible things. But not all of them do. Some of them are just trying to get by. It's not something they chose, and they're just trying to make the best of it. Sometimes it even makes them better. Believe it or not, becoming a vampire may have helped Caroline become her best self.

[Miranda can't help but scoff at that, the idea that becoming a monster could make someone better. "Even if this is true, she still needs to drink human blood to survive, doesn't she? How can she do that without hurting anyone?"]

Blood banks.

["So taking blood from people who need it. I assume you help her with that." Elena's silence speaks for herself, because of course she does. Miranda shakes her head. "So this Stefan comes to town and you fall in love with him, as you told us. How do you know he didn't do this to Caroline?"]

He didn't.

["How do you know, Elena? You know they can mess with your memory."]

Because I was there, Mom. You weren't. I was the one who asked Damon Salvatore to give her vampire blood because she would die if we didn't. We left her in the hospital where we thought she would be safe, and ... someone came in and killed her while the vampire blood was still in her system. By the time we realized what happened, she had already turned.

( Grayson was always the learned student. He'd leave no stone unturned. He remembers pouring over the Gilbert journals, taking his brother under his wing, attending every council meeting - moved monthly after the string of attacks in the 90's ended. He treated medicine like his birthright. He was good at details. And names. And muscle memory. And he was always good with kids.

He wasn't a man of many stories himself, but he did listen to them.

He remembers Elena and Jeremy sitting them down and going through - what still feels like a partial saga of what's happened to her. She is so much older and so much happened in such a short time. He pays attention. Names fix themselves in his mind as his wife and daughter go back and forth.

He remembers the attacks when he was younger. Brutal, brutal attacks. And the attacks he's read about. )

Someone not being a Salvatore. ( He can accept this. Or, try. ) Was she a part of that Original vampire's plan? Because you were the doppelganger?

( He can be of two minds. He can worry that his daughter would see this as her fault, or blame herself, but he can also not fully understand any of it. )

Kind of?

[This is where it gets messy because Elena is partially at fault. She left Caroline alone in the hospital with no one to watch over her. But she isn't the one who smothered her.]

The person who turned her intended her to play the role of the vampire in Klaus' ritual. But that wound up being Jenna instead.

[Miranda makes a sound that isn't entirely articulate, an involuntary response to learning the full truth of her sister's death. It seems as though no member of her family was free from the taint of it.]

I'm sorry. I don't ... it's a lot. I'm never really sure how much to tell before it becomes too much.

( Grayson's hand finds Miranda's in her lap. It doesn't help knowing how Jenna is gone. She's just gone. And it could've been Caroline, the vampire, staying with them. )

Stop saying sorry. You didn't ask to be born. You weren't lied to. You didn't kill your best friend or your aunt. ( He pauses, the frustrating tone dissipating. ) If you want us to meet you halfway, then you have to give us more than half. And understand that whatever you tell us, we will need the time. We can't do this overnight. I accept Caroline is Caroline. She's been nothing but polite since coming here. I don't know Ryan, he could say more. ( But other than that. ) We get it. You don't want to shock us or overwhelm us. But, Elena, our heads are going to spin like a top no matter if you sit us down once a week and hold a class or just put everything out in the open. And, personally, I just want you to. It's hard enough navigating everything not working from a full deck, no offense.

( Dean gestures, shrugs, not sure what offense should be taken, but hey, if the guy's gotta monologue. )

We know you're doing everything you can. ( Dean nods, got it.

"We have someone who's bringing you back to life. So-to-speak." Dean says.

It's Grayson's turn to gesture. Great. )

We can't undo where we came from. But, if you tell us more and you stop keeping us in the dark maybe we won't accidentally offend your friend. Whom, we like. The sooner you get everything out in the open, the sooner we can process. And, Elena. We want to process.

I know. But with this, I wasn't sure if it was my secret to tell. Because while Sheriff Forbes did warm up to it, her dad didn't take it well at all. I wanted to give Caroline the chance to tell you in her own time.

[Because that's what felt like the right thing to do.]

I didn't expect there to be a crisis before dinner, though maybe I should know better.

If you think this is a crisis, I'd hate to see your shifts in the ER.

( He tries to keep things a bit lighthearted. He sighs, turning to his wife, assessing if they even will -- do what he's about to offer. )

I'll apologize. And, maybe not today, or tomorrow, but, we need to know everything.

( They need to be able to defend themselves, to have their thoughts, to work from all the facts. )

I know high school was brutal. And I'm sorry we weren't there for it. ( It sounds like they might've just died. ...Dark thought. ) Oh, but, if Ezra the stalking witch thinks he has the moral high ground with us, we'd like to opt out of any further opinions from his camp.

[She nods because yes, eventually they'll have to move on to Elena's own stint as a vampire, as well as college and the sleeping beauty curse, but that will wait until ... after Elena comes back from Battlecreek.

Sorry.

That being said, she hears the sound of the door and nods.]

I don't think it will happen again. Also, Ryan's general laconic-ness is a feature, not a bug, so I wouldn't expect him saying more as a general rule. We've grown to love and accept it about him.

( Her life is so dramatic. )

A feature, not a bug?

( To that he turns to his wife, whatever that means.

Elena's phone rings! )

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