They make sure he and Ben have plane tickets back to New Orleans, that all their stuff is recovered from their car, and even find Jed a charger for his phone. Upon turning his phone back on, he receives and avalanche of texts and missed calls from Finch, and even a few from Josie, trying to figure out where he is and what happened to him.
He does text Finch back that evening. That turns into a phone call where she unloads three months of worry in one very direct and specific rant.
He also texts Josie back, letting her know that he is both alive and okay and that he'll tell her what happened later but does she think he might be able to salvage his first semester somehow? She says that she'll be back in New Orleans on Sunday, and they can figure it out then.
It's still weird, thinking that he's missed three months of time with his friends - he doesn't have his boyfriend's expanded sense of time, three months is a lot. But as he makes his way into the Abattoir courtyard and spots Josie and Hope on the fountain, he flashes them an awkward smile.]
So would you believe I was kidnapped by witches?
["I would, actually. Witches are kind of a problem right now." Josie crosses the space to him and pulls him into a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay. I'm sorry I didn't notice you were missing sooner."]
( Ben reassures his boyfriend they'll do something about his first semester and, if they have to, they know a few vampires that could smooth his transition back. He sees this is important to him, and assumes it can't be easy to fit back into a school you never started at, despite accepting. And, he's never met modern red tape he couldn't bypass. If Jed wants to address a board of whoever on his own behalf, either way, Ben will support him.
Ben is calmer than Jed is, less worried about what went on outside. Ancient age and a stint in Malivore do that to you, but he has sympathy and he pledges to be there for Jed personally, as well as academically. He even offers to tutor him in ancient history. (It's a half joke, only half if right about what scholars think his times were like.)
Hope meets Ben halfway, pulling him in for a - glad you're not dead, just missing - Hope hug. To be fair, she assumed Ben wasn't dead - or in Malivore, Malivore is done - but she didn't have any answers beyond that. And she may have been the loudest person reminding them of who Jed always was - Ben being nomadic and solitary anyway, and maybe to not worry.
Also, they had school, Danny drama, some wild magic -- Yeah, fine, she feels bad.
"I'll take all the blame there," Hope says, pulling back and turning to face Jed and her girlfriend. "Our less than humble beginnings triggered my inner bitch and I assumed you ditched us. I won't even say, in my defense."
But, in her defense it's completely something he would do.
"To be fair, if Josie wanted to drop off the face of the Earth for a gap year, I wouldn't say no."
Ben has only heard second and thirdhand about Jed's reputation - but by the time he "joined," Jed had evolved far past the few stories he's heard. The less said about them, the better. Unless it gave context to what's happening in the present.
Anyway, Ben and Hope came a long way and found their understanding after taking on his father (and Aurora). )
He was held in a cell and I was trapped in a spell. Same witches. Different means.
[He says that for Hope's benefit, because she puts more than enough guilt on her shoulders. He can't exactly blame her for taking his past behavior as gospel. He's back now, and that's the part that matters.]
Hopefully I'll be able to get my spot at school back for next semester. It'll be nice to get back to something normal.
["We'll figure it out. Worse comes to worse, we'll compel an admissions agent."
Jed raises an eyebrow.]
Yeah, I guess that's an option. Hopefully it won't come to that.
( He shouldn't worry. She's not taking it that personally. She has graduated from guilt, well, guilt not directly related to her. Jed can't blame her for his sterling reputation, his beginnings with Rafael and Alyssa Chang. She does like this Jed more, it's true. But, he came from something.
"It probably will," Hope hates to break it to him. "You're a no-show dropout as far as they're concerned."
If he accepted his spot in their year. )
They won't listen, or bend the rules for extenuating circumstances?
It's kind of hard to explain you were kidnapped by witches to a world that mostly doesn't believe they exist. And it's not as though I have any kind of documentation for anything else.
[He'll figure it out. If he has to go to another school, he'll figure that out too.
"I'm sure there's a way." Josie offers him a smile. "I'm just glad you guys are both safe. Have you talked to Finch?"]
Yep. She tore me a new one, but she knows I'm alive.
We had plans to see her before we strayed from the path.
( Maybe they will, still, when all is said and done.
"We'll fix it," Hope says, assuring him. "In the meantime, my dad's opened his home to you. It might be a little crowded this weekend, but there are a lot of rooms and one of them is yours - until you guys figure out what comes next."
Hope knows her father doesn't have a good reputation, but it's a place for them to say and she hopes they take her father up on it. Well, her. She asked Klaus. Klaus said, sure. As long as young werewolf and demigod drama don't come calling.
Also, he'd like a word with this Ben character. Ben can answer questions. )
[Jed nods, and while he is nervous to be under Klaus Mikaelson's roof, he assumes that he's not as terrible as everyone makes him out to be to Hope's friends.
He hopefully does want Hope to have friends.]
I was thinking about going to see your mom, too. I'm still interested in joining the pack.
[He's not defecting to Scott McCall's pack, even if Scott McCall is very cool.]
[Then he sighs, and rubs at his eyes. He feels like someone paused him for three months while everyone else got to skip ahead. But at least he'll get to catch up. He still has time.
("I only wish I could've been of help sooner," she says, but all's well feels like it ended well. Ben and Jed are free. They made it to their destination. Hope sees double dates in their future. Something she wouldn't have been thinking about before Josie. Apparently, she likes people now. Or, her people. )
You didn't know. And we're here, now. Thank you for your hospitality. We won't be in your way.
("They're all nice, especially when it comes to my friends." she says. They behave themselves for her. They trust her. Even if she makes dumb girl moves, sacrificing hero moves, or if she loses it completely. She's never looking to do that again. )
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everyonelives2025-07-26 07:05 pm
jed, ben, josie & hope | new orleans
They make sure he and Ben have plane tickets back to New Orleans, that all their stuff is recovered from their car, and even find Jed a charger for his phone. Upon turning his phone back on, he receives and avalanche of texts and missed calls from Finch, and even a few from Josie, trying to figure out where he is and what happened to him.
He does text Finch back that evening. That turns into a phone call where she unloads three months of worry in one very direct and specific rant.
He also texts Josie back, letting her know that he is both alive and okay and that he'll tell her what happened later but does she think he might be able to salvage his first semester somehow? She says that she'll be back in New Orleans on Sunday, and they can figure it out then.
It's still weird, thinking that he's missed three months of time with his friends - he doesn't have his boyfriend's expanded sense of time, three months is a lot. But as he makes his way into the Abattoir courtyard and spots Josie and Hope on the fountain, he flashes them an awkward smile.]
So would you believe I was kidnapped by witches?
["I would, actually. Witches are kind of a problem right now." Josie crosses the space to him and pulls him into a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay. I'm sorry I didn't notice you were missing sooner."]
no subject
Ben is calmer than Jed is, less worried about what went on outside. Ancient age and a stint in Malivore do that to you, but he has sympathy and he pledges to be there for Jed personally, as well as academically. He even offers to tutor him in ancient history. (It's a half joke, only half if right about what scholars think his times were like.)
Hope meets Ben halfway, pulling him in for a - glad you're not dead, just missing - Hope hug. To be fair, she assumed Ben wasn't dead - or in Malivore, Malivore is done - but she didn't have any answers beyond that. And she may have been the loudest person reminding them of who Jed always was - Ben being nomadic and solitary anyway, and maybe to not worry.
Also, they had school, Danny drama, some wild magic -- Yeah, fine, she feels bad.
"I'll take all the blame there," Hope says, pulling back and turning to face Jed and her girlfriend. "Our less than humble beginnings triggered my inner bitch and I assumed you ditched us. I won't even say, in my defense."
But, in her defense it's completely something he would do.
"To be fair, if Josie wanted to drop off the face of the Earth for a gap year, I wouldn't say no."
Ben has only heard second and thirdhand about Jed's reputation - but by the time he "joined," Jed had evolved far past the few stories he's heard. The less said about them, the better. Unless it gave context to what's happening in the present.
Anyway, Ben and Hope came a long way and found their understanding after taking on his father (and Aurora). )
He was held in a cell and I was trapped in a spell. Same witches. Different means.
no subject
[He says that for Hope's benefit, because she puts more than enough guilt on her shoulders. He can't exactly blame her for taking his past behavior as gospel. He's back now, and that's the part that matters.]
Hopefully I'll be able to get my spot at school back for next semester. It'll be nice to get back to something normal.
["We'll figure it out. Worse comes to worse, we'll compel an admissions agent."
Jed raises an eyebrow.]
Yeah, I guess that's an option. Hopefully it won't come to that.
no subject
"It probably will," Hope hates to break it to him. "You're a no-show dropout as far as they're concerned."
If he accepted his spot in their year. )
They won't listen, or bend the rules for extenuating circumstances?
no subject
[He'll figure it out. If he has to go to another school, he'll figure that out too.
"I'm sure there's a way." Josie offers him a smile. "I'm just glad you guys are both safe. Have you talked to Finch?"]
Yep. She tore me a new one, but she knows I'm alive.
no subject
( Maybe they will, still, when all is said and done.
"We'll fix it," Hope says, assuring him. "In the meantime, my dad's opened his home to you. It might be a little crowded this weekend, but there are a lot of rooms and one of them is yours - until you guys figure out what comes next."
Hope knows her father doesn't have a good reputation, but it's a place for them to say and she hopes they take her father up on it. Well, her. She asked Klaus. Klaus said, sure. As long as young werewolf and demigod drama don't come calling.
Also, he'd like a word with this Ben character. Ben can answer questions. )
no subject
He hopefully does want Hope to have friends.]
I was thinking about going to see your mom, too. I'm still interested in joining the pack.
[He's not defecting to Scott McCall's pack, even if Scott McCall is very cool.]
no subject
( She can facilitate a proper introduction. )
no subject
I'd appreciate that.
[Then he sighs, and rubs at his eyes. He feels like someone paused him for three months while everyone else got to skip ahead. But at least he'll get to catch up. He still has time.
He hopes.]
And thanks in advance for the help.
no subject
You didn't know. And we're here, now. Thank you for your hospitality. We won't be in your way.
( "I mentioned all the bedrooms, right?" )
no subject
[Ben would probably be fine. Jed definitely would not.
"They're not as bad as they sound," Josie chimes in. "Some of them are nice!"]
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Thank them for us.
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We're going to go find a room. But when you're done, want to get something to eat?
[Because even though he's not a werewolf anymore, he's still always hungry.]
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( Which is new. Probably didn't help that he was a conduit. Or, they can find something themselves. Either way. )
no subject
[Josie smiles as she reaches for her phone.]
You guys get settled and we'll pick the place.
[And they will settle in for a comfortable evening with friends.]