everyonelives | because the lives of the wicked should be made brief

I'm doing the best I can.

[She runs a hand through her hair and glances over at her dad again.]

And I know it's a lot to hear, all listed out. But the choices I'm making right now, in this moment? No one is twisting my arm. I'm not giving up things because people are forcing me to. Things are happening and I'm dealing with them but I'm not the same girl who was trying to out run her survivor's guilt anymore.

Then I trust you. And back you. And your mom will come around.

( She's having a harder time. It's obvious. He's tried to not make it so apparent, to seal the cracks and fissures. He can only do so much. This is his partner in life. )

Thank you.

[And with that, she will let the subject fall into silence and eventually drifts off because it's been a long, emotional day so far. And maybe because of some of the emotions of that day, she feels her dreamscape drifting to a familiar old bridge, with a pile of yellow flowers sitting on the railing next to her.

The last time she saw Matt was standing here, saying goodbye. You would think she would stop being sad about it, given that she did have a chance to say goodbye to him, but she thought that she was saying goodbye so that he could go off to live a whole life. Not a handful of years before being killed to prove a point.

She stares out over the water, wondering if some subconscious version of her friend will join her, but when she turns at the scuffle of feet behind her, she inevitably finds herself disappointed.

It's not Ezra's fault. He's just not what she's expecting.]

How did you ... ?

( It feels like a goodbye tour. It might be.

He never knows what to expect when he drifts into someone's subconscious. It doesn't always work if they're not susceptible, so she must be drifting off to sleep. Still, he feels like he owes her a try.

He comes to at the edge of the bridge, he crouches down to get a look at the flowers below. He looks up at her. )

Magic. There's a lot I never let you get to know about me. ( That's on him. ) I did it all wrong, ( he stands. ) but in my defense, I did it for love.

[Elena can't really blame him there. She's done a lot of shady things for love herself.]

I can't really judge you for that. I've done the same.

[Though very rarely for love of herself, and maybe that was her father's point.]

I'm being called back. Game over. Rusty's the only one on the outside now.

( Of the witch-heir contingent. )

I might not come back from this.

( And because he's curious and feeling a bit - nosy. )

Is this the bridge?

[She takes a deep breath and looks over the lake before nodding.]

Yep. This is Wickery Bridge.

[The place that started it all.]

I've been thinking a lot about the a friend I lost recently. This is where I last saw him.

I'm sorry. Losing friends is never easy.

( He leans against the railing, then turns to face her. )

I gave Dr. Laughlin the last piece to the curse. To break it. I owed her that much. I owe you more. Someday I might live up to it.

[Elena glances back at him, before nodding.]

Thank you. For holding up your end of the deal.

[She knows it wasn't a real deal - Ezra and David could have pushed their advantage any time. But it's good to know that Jo will finally be able to get some answers for her family.]

That's all I ever asked of you.

[Meaning you don't have to consider anything still owed.]

Got any juicy gossip, so I have something to hold onto in the meantime?

( Something that might keep him sane, human. He doesn't know what's in store for him, or what David's parents even think they know. But, anything could help. And, maybe he just wants something real. Regular. Like friend's gossip. )

Dating Dean Winchester can't be without drama.

[There's a huff of a laugh at that, because boy does she ever but also no. She's not going to give away Ben as a tidbit to keep things interesting for Ezra.]

Damon Salvatore is going to therapy.

[Which she doesn't know if the two of them ever actually met, but Elena definitely complained about him to Ezra on occasion as she was sorting through the initial wake of their breakup.]

I think he might be finally growing up, even if he couldn't do it without one last painful conversation.

Damon. Is - well, now I've heard everything. Now, I really can step back.

( He braces himself against the railing, looking out onto the river below. )

And he made it your problem, I bet.

[Elena takes a deep breath before shaking her head.]

I don't know if he'll ever really get why things changed. Sometimes for Damon it's like ... as long as he holds on to his North Star, everything else will be fine. I just ... couldn't be that person anymore.

Maybe he always did. Deep down. And that's why he never let go. Sounds like this is a healthy step, just wish he didn't bring you back to the forefront.

( And. )

Is this about your friend Matt?

This - yes.

[She gestures to Wickery Bridge and nods.]

The end of me and Damon? No, but he definitely helped tip it over the edge.

Matt's death did?

( Give him a second, because... )

Damon didn't.

He wasn't ... in control. Brainwashed, there was a siren, it was ... very messy.

[But yeah, he did. And she wasn't there to see any of it, so she was mostly contending with the after report.]

I tried to let it go, but ... it was hard.

He killed one of your best friends. Siren or not. As a witch, we apologize for vampire actions. It's written in the code. If we want to coexist. But, it doesn't mean we don't have feelings about them.

( Which sucks. )

Where were you? Those years he was obsessed with you and you said you were finding yourself. And he expected you back. He "waited."

I was asleep. Sleeping Beauty curse. It was supposed to last until Bonnie died, but she found away around it. I was under for about five years though. Just ... me and my thoughts.

[And somewhere in there, Damon killed Matt.]

Your thoughts on everything.

( He can see why so many years away could make a difference in what she wants. )

[She nods, exhaling slowly.]

I didn't want to hurt him. I fully intended to keep my promises. But ... when those promises become untenable, it's usually better to be honest.

No, it's always. Well, a lot makes more sense now. Probably does with my life, too, and my invisible husband I swore I have. ...Things were a lot simpler before. I'm not sorry I met you. But, I am sorry how everything happened.

( The real, umprompted apology. )

[Elena offers him a small smile.]

If I got rid of every friend who came into my life under mysterious circumstances, I wouldn't have very many friends left.

We are. For the record. ( And then, he leans back. ) Oh. How's Irina? Has it been an adjustment?

[She nods.]

So, some things shifted around, and we thought with everything going on she might be safer at the school. It's warded to high heaven and Caroline dressed up the paperwork to tie her to a different old witch family.

[She feels bad telling him this way, but she really does believe that Irina is going to be far safer at the school with other witches like her than hanging out in the bunker.]

Our attention is spread a bit thin right now, given some of the things that happened over Thanksgiving, we thought it was best. Plus she can start making some witch friends her own age.

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