i'm leaving you my last curse

[bravebartender]

Comments

[pricetags]

Right.

( That's actually hard to track, but, time has passed pretty naturally, and it all feels - safe. Cozy. It's something he hasn't let himself feel in a long time. And even though he's still a little on edge, and a door slam or the clang of a glass might alert him, it's a house of love. And a grumpy werewolf. He assumes he's always grumpy. )

You guys have lived quite the lives.

[polydeukes]

["That we have." A timer goes off in the kitchen and Jo pops up. "But let's talk about it more over dinner, shall we?"

And they will. Lots of chats and trading stories until Josie happens to find a lull to look down at her phone and there are ... so many missed calls from her girlfriend.]

Oh my god. Hope's been blowing up my phone. Sorry, be right back.

[And she'll step away to call her girlfriend back. If Lizzie happens to look down at her own phone there is one missed call from Alice before a series of text messages that read:

Heyyyyyyyy call me back, something happened in Scotland.
Update 1: Danny was at the Slayer castle, it was attacked, trying to get him on Whatsapp.
Update 2: Danny is okay! He Whatsapped me back, he and Bonnie and Isaac and heading back to London. A bunch of other people are also okay too.

Eventually it will switch to voice notes, depending on the scale of bourbon Alice has ingested:
"Did you know Scarlett O'Hara is a vampire? Wild. Also I think Hope may actually like me as a person which is totally crazy because she is so cool. But it's nice to actually have a friend down here."

"Update 3: Hope's dad may actually like me. I told him that Stefan was okay and he thanked me and was all solemn and used my first name and shit."

"My dad's voice is incredibly soothing. It's kind of unfair."

"Beignets may be my new favorite dessert, even if they are messy and make me look like I've been doing cocaine."

The ( . . . ) has appeared at the bottom and it looks like she's preparing to send another message, probably best if you cut her off. This is what happens when you become Alice's best friend, sorry Lizzie.

Annie watches the twins disappear, before turning back to Shep with a nod as people disperse. Jo is putting away leftovers, Ric is fixing drinks, and Liv and Tyler are handling the dishes. She doesn't know where Luke went, but it leaves them alone at least briefly.

"How we doing?" She's ready to provide an exit if he's ready. But she's good to stay if he wants more family time - or leave him if he is good on his own.]

[pricetags]

We aren't running scared. We're not ducking out to hit the vape. We're okay. What about you? I know it's a lot, this family's -- really been through it.

( Hard to believe that legacy just follows them, even that young. He tries not to think about his niece, Lizzie, focusing on Annie. )

Thank you for coming, if I didn't say it earlier and I know I didn't, so, thank you.

[dupes]

Anytime.

[She has his back. That's what friends are for.]

I don't think you can be part of the supernatural without really being through it. And it seems like you've got a good family to return to.

[pricetags]

I'm not staying. I won't be a stranger, but I'm not staying.

( He leans in for that, lowering his voice. He doesn't thinks she means he's returned for good. She probably means when he has the time, when they want him.

For holidays, like Christmas.

He looks down at his phone, idly, just checking for messages. )

Something tells me I'm about to have nieces in my messages.

[dupes]

Speaking from personal experience of my own niece, that's not such a bad thing.

[She leans back with a smirk.]

But they're a lot younger than Serena is. The conversations may be a bit more ridiculous.

[pricetags]

Or, serious. She's 18. She's dead. And Josie has to live with her sister being dead.

( It feels weighted. )

I know they didn't live through their family's massacre, but, this family has endured enough.

[dupes]

Fair enough.

[She thinks about when conversations with her and Serena were a bit more weighted, after coming out of Chicago with only what they could stuff in her car. Their family scattered to the wind. She understands Shep's situation far more than she lets on at times, but they've had their fair amount of alcohol-induced share sessions. He knows more than most.

Speaking of Serena though:]

What do you make of that Jackson kid?

[There's a pause, and then she clarifies.]

As a person and an operative, not as Alexander's boyfriend.

[She doesn't care one way or another who the kid decides to sleep with.]

[pricetags]

( Yeah, thanks for the clarification, because he did blankly look at her. Alexander's cool and all, but not his type? And - whomever he dates isn't his business. He's also his superior.

As for the matter at hand. )

He's getting better at playing well with others but there's a cocky streak that may never break. However, he's a good operative. He gets the job done. And he works well with Alexander.

( he could communicate better. and nicer. )

Why?

[dupes]

Serena's been texting me about a project he pitched her. Not a bad one, I just didn't read him as someone who would want to play social worker.

[Which is probably why Serena's involved in the first place.]

He wants to run a check-in program for the Kirsanov rescues as a test run for something bigger.

[bibrid]

( Lizzie goes through so many stages as she reads Alice's message when she sister heads upstairs. She jumps up, starts to head for the door, then stops. Then, by the front door, she taps the voice messages. These are a lot less end-of-the-world-sounding.

Those bubbles pop-up and she indeed does call her girl back. )

Okay, breathe. Did someone dip into the liquor while she was away?

[eredite]

Mayyyyyyyybe. Hope's family has really good bourbon.

[And she's been hanging around with supernaturals all night.]

I don't even like bourbon. Oh did you get my message about Danny?

[bibrid]

( She has things to say about it all, but first and foremost, this. )

Not really one to tell a girl what she likes, but, you like bourbon. And isn't bourbon an Earp thing? ( A beat, looking back at the rest of the house. ) I did. Normally I like suspense in my three parters, but I was happy I missed them all until you knew the ending. Who attacked Slayer castle?

[eredite]

Whiskey is an Earp thing.

[But whiskey and bourbon are basically the same, so who can say.]

Danny called them the Ivory Tower. Said it had to do with the Inner Circle, other members that were already killed. They might have mistaken the Slayers for the cause of those members dying.

[bibrid]

( Completely the same thing. She likes it, too. She's her father's daughter. )

So they just firebombed them? Is everyone just going in half-cocked now? First Triad. Then Necromancers. Hunters. Now vampires. Has no one heard of planning?

[eredite]

I dunno, man, my mom also mentioned something about a Gauntlet that's now actually happening and is gonna be really bad for witches? She didn't have a lot of details, but Hope's ancient relatives seemed really annoyed.

[She's not sure if that's a good or bad thing.]

[bibrid]

Can I -- have the definition?

( she huffs. )

The Gauntlet? It sounds Greek or Roman, but ancient, and not like anything Hope's relatives should be messing with.

[eredite]

Right. Hold on, let me sit up.

[There's a shuffle of a struggle as she rights herself into a position where hopefully her brain will work better.]

It's a witch war. Rebekah said something about the Inquisition? But Mom said that someone may be targeting witches whether they're part of the coven running it or not, so she wanted to warn you guys.

[bereavements]

( As everyone is starting to say their goodbyes and clean up, Hope's phone rings and she ducks out into the courtyard. )

Hey.

[polydeukes]

Hey. So sorry, things were just crazy here. It was a lot of information being passed around.

[She winds her way around to the front room and heads towards the stairs.]

Everything okay?

[bereavements]

For the most part? Some family weirdness I need to work through, and my uncle's girlfriend is a witch scientist who wants my blood - long story, I like her, I trust her, to your point. The slayers in Scotland were attacked. Danny was there and aunt Bonnie uncle Stefan and his girlfriend, but there were a lot of survivors. All of the above and more, but they also had real losses. Wynonna called Alice and says it's the start of something called the Gauntlet, an open season option on witches. It's all about consolidation of power and finding worthy heirs for covens, but, at the same time, it also might involve just... taking out witches. And I'm a witch Part witch. And you're a witch. Your sister. So... I called. Five too many times. I'm sorry for worrying you.

( She pulls a Lizzie and just lets it all out. )

[polydeukes]

Oh my god.

[Because yeah, that's a lot and she can understand why Hope was anxious to get hold of her.]

Well, we're all okay. Shep had a lot to say and so did we, but we're all safe. Did you text Lizzie too? About Danny?

[bereavements]

Alice Whatsapped Danny and he got back to her. I kind of had a girlfriend one-track mind and didn't want to inundate Danny with messages. Especially, if he was still in the thick of it. From everyone's description, because, seriously, I think everyone knows everyone now? It was bad. And now they're all gearing up to go after the culprits.

( It's the first time she's vicariously living through the drama and the danger. )

Did everything go okay with your uncle? Had a lot to say doesn't sound bad.

[polydeukes]

It wasn't, not really. Turns out he and Lizzie have a pretty big thing in common.

[She's hoping that Hope can read between the lines there, because Shep is still in the house and she doesn't want to spill the beans too much while he's in hearing distance.]

He seems cool though. And he brought his friend Annie, and she's quiet, but nice. I think she was mostly there for moral support and free food.

[bereavements]

Well, that's one way to bond with a back-from-the-dead -- never-been-dead family member. How did Lizzie take it?

( She gets it. )

Josie, I love you, but if Ivan invited me to his aunt's for moral support and free food, I'd go. I'd also invite you to be support plus one.