because the lives of the wicked should be made brief

[somanyadjectives]

Comments

[braveandstupid]

"Don't make me make you." Charming.

[But she falls in line, follows the two of them as they make their way through the compound, only stealing glances into each of the rooms so she might try and navigate her way through later if she has to make a break for it.]

Everyone always has the same play book.

[maxxx]

I am, actually. Very.

( The thing is, he could make her. But, he doesn't want to use that on her. He very rarely uses his charm. It got old the older he got. )

And what's that?

[braveandstupid]

Threaten you, threaten your loved ones, threaten the innocent people. I'm the big bad evil guy, look at how much damage I can do.

[Elena shakes her head.]

It would be novel if someone just tried saying please for once. And was able to take no as an answer.

["And that exactly would be why we don't," Mrs. Gainor replies, one imperious glance over her shoulder. "You don't get what you want if you start taking no for an answer."]

[maxxx]

Those are hurtful words coming from a person in a position to give them.

( For now.

He's playing his hand a bit, but, he knows Mrs. Gainor never has taken no for an answer. Not from any old witch. Not from her son. Not even from her husband. )

And they don't have a choice, do you?

[braveandstupid]

[Well, if you're going to play your hand, Max, maybe she'll play a bit of hers. "Maybe we would have, if someone hadn't decided to start punching above their weight."

If you and your generation had just been good little witches, maybe they wouldn't be here, now would they?

Elena frowns.]

See, I heard, that two of yours decided to punch above theirs. Draw the attention of people who weren't involved in the first place?

["I don't see the Salvatores coming to save you this time, Dr. Gilbert."]

Salvatores, probably not. But I've heard in some circles the Winchesters are scarier.

[maxxx]

( No, according to Hallewell and Rusty and probably any other witch they'd ever find for their side, if they were out there, he knows his parents have always been greedy. Not that this is actually David's mother. )

The Winchesters are stories bad witches are told by their parents. Be good, or the Winchesters will cap you.

[braveandstupid]

["And I thought we agreed that this would be peaceful, Dr. Gilbert." Mrs. Gainor raises an eyebrow at the other woman as they reach a door and she goes to open it.

Elena shrugs.]

I said I would go quietly. I didn't say that people wouldn't come for me.

[It may be more than she deserves, but she knows it's something she could always count on. Someone will come for her, for better or worse. She has people who love her and they will come.]

[maxxx]

( Max, until now, has been bluffing about not knowing Elena's connection to the Winchester's, and Ezra and David's part in Elena's life - or what happened after Monroe. )

It's a big compound. We're taking our chances, aren't we. Inside.

[braveandstupid]

["I think our doppelganger is giving the Winchester too much credit. We've already taken steps to ensure their largest asset is not nearly as helpful."

Mrs. Gainor gestures for the two of them to move ahead of her, making their way inside, where Max's father stands, studying the wedding set in the middle of the grand ballroom.

Elena's eyebrows climb, wondering if this one aspect of terrible supernatural novels is finally coming to roost for her and Mrs. Gainor smirks. "Don't worry, Dr. Gilbert. It's not for you. Gabriel, are you ready for the doppelganger?"

He smirks, making his way closer to her. "Just as lovely as the last one we met."

I'm sure Katherine will be so pleased to hear that.

[She won't. She'd insist she's lovelier, but snark is easier than trying to get around the way that the elder Melroux unsettles her.]

[maxxx]

( Matt goes behind Elena, in case she tries to make her grand escape, not that she could. She's surrounded. They all have their parts to play. Maybe Elena will survive. Maybe Max will. )

She's been on the run for months, hasn't she.

( Another way they learned Katherine was still alive. And, Elena, of course.

Maybe there's a kernel there. Fight doppelganger fire with fire? Not that he has any outside sources. Any recourse. )

If you have anything else to say, before the court and -- ( Yada, yada. ) I bet your brimming with snark.

[maleficum]

["I don't think we need any of that." Gabriel just plants his hand forward, connecting with the young woman's forehead and Elena is unable to resist. She slumps backwards into Max, unconscious, and hopefully he catches her before she hits the ballroom floor.

"Take her up to Harper. He'll be able to take it from there."

Mrs. Gainor nods, before turning to Max. "You don't mind, do you Max? Then you can go get fitted for your tux."]

[maxxx]

( He does, but forewarning would have been nice. He reaches an arm under her and then lifts her up in his arms. )

Why would I mind. ( But, he does linger. ) Do I get to know who it is I'm marrying?

( Is it Sierra? Is it this Elton cat? )

[maleficum]

["You didn't think we'd be that cruel to your sister, did you?" Gabriel replies with a tone that says he never actually considers whether or not he's being cruel to her. "I think you know the answer to that question."

At least he's hot, Max. Be comforted by the fact that he's hot.]

[maxxx]

( A silent, 'Again,' remains unsaid by the three of them, because he would. So, it is Elton the ex. Whatever. This goes down the right way, he'll deal with what that means after.

With Elena in his arms, he brings her up the stairs and down a high ceiling'd hall in the direction he was told to go.

George's lab is down a familiar alcove he avoids if he can. He turns sideways to not knock Elena's head or feet, and turns them back as he steps into the underlit room. There are strange touch points between all the parents and their other members' kids. It's George's lab, George Harper, but David took after with his alchemy.

He likes David's lab better. Feels less like a morgue.

He doesn't like David, though. For the record. )

[maleficum]

["Oh, thank you, Maxim." The comment is a little distracted as he's working on his current project, but he does flash the young man a smile when he sees him. "Please put her over on the cot, thank you."

He then turns back to his work, studying over what looks like a ritual bowl and a set of syringes.

"Excited for the big day?" He says, like he's not soon going to be wearing his sister like a dress.]

[maxxx]

( He does as he's told, being a little more careful than they probably care for him to be. But, she's sleeping. Alive. Trying not to dwell on her too much, he leaves her there, getting back to his feet.

He walks along one of the lab tables, eyeing the different jars of ingredients. )

The big ascension. I thought it would never come. The great culling stops after it?

[maleficum]

["That's the plan, yes."

He takes his tray and rolls his chair over to where Elena is lying, reaching for her arm and taking a syringe to draw some of her blood.

"Once the new heirs are confirmed, there will be no need for the Gauntlet to continue."]

[maxxx]

( He spins back around, watching George's meticulous work. )

What happens to you guys? You pass the legacy on. Does everybody go to Boca Raton? Or, the French Riviera? Is it like retirement?

[braveandstupid]

[Elena wakes up in a dark wood that feels all too familiar. She's been here before, hasn't she? She remembers standing here in the in between, waiting for the barrier between the other side and the real world to come down, and at first, she begins to panic.

No, no, no. She can't be dead. Not yet.

She pushes to her feet, glancing around, trying to place where she is.]

Hello? Is anyone there?

[She still hasn't lost her final girl tendencies to yell into the darkness, and hope the darkness doesn't answer back.]

[woodenbullets]

( Matt's been at Peace. He didn't reunite with his mom, or with Vicki, and getting past that was hard. (Getting past Vicki was hard, his mom, he didn't expect. Wasn't she still alive.) People at Peace don't talk about what else there is. But, Matt watches over every now and then, when someone thinks about him. Like, Elena. Or, Caroline and Bonnie, and weirdly enough when they escaped Cade's Hell he's there. He pleaded with his sister not to ring that bell while their dad used his voice she could hear.

Things calmed down. Life moved on. He was never as close with everyone as he once once was, choosing to go on the road. Pack up.

And then Damon found him. He'd heard through the grapevine how Damon was. But Damon tracked him down. He'd found his dad. His dad was never in any danger. Matt was always the target.

Matt's always the target, the punching bag.

He hasn't swam in this for a decade and change. He's been okay. That's Peace for you. Caroline's mom is there. And Tyler's mom. And a lot of his senior class. Ty's dad's there, too, but he avoids him. So does Carol. Sarah Salvatore finds him. They bond over the obvious.

He's supposed to be meeting Jenna at the Grill. Reminiscing with people not his own age because all his friends are immortal or alive. He remembers this place. He remembers the crazy. The wind. Except, there is no wind and this place shouldn't even be here. Everything is tinged in blue. He doesn't hear his sister's voice. But, Elena's.

He trudges over roots and leaves into the clearing. Elena's facing the other way, but it's unmistakeable. One of his best friends. And the one person that could have quenched that bitterness that set in his heart. He steps out into the open. )

Elena?

[braveandstupid]

Matt?

[She turns to face him, staring and taking him in. She can't tell if he's the trap because he's been on her mind so much, or if he's just the option that's available with her parents back from the dead but it doesn't matter.

She moves towards him without really thinking about it, arms out to catch her friend who she misses so much and just steals the hug while she has it. Before she has to think too hard about why he's here.]

Were your ears burning? I've been thinking about you lately.

[woodenbullets]

Yeah, it's me. Don't -

( He doesn't want to think about why she might be here. What it might mean. He's clinging to hope they need him for something, that this is like Bonnie's grandmother and they just found another bridge. Because Elena can't also be dead.

She pulls him close for a hug and his arms wrap around her. ) Don't tell me something happened. Tell me you're not supposed to be here, that you're just here to get something from me, or check up on me, but don't -- ( He works over her words and the smile he can hear from her voice. ) Would you believe me if I said I could tell Jenna hey for you?

[braveandstupid]

I would. And I may take you up on that when we're done here.

[Because they will be done. She does have to get back to the real world. She has a life to live.]

And no, I'm not dead.

[She remembers what dead feels like. This isn't it.]

I am in trouble, but people are coming for me. I'll be okay.

[woodenbullets]

( Elena's always important, it's kind of her thing. But, he knows he stepped up as a friend where he could. While Elena was gone. With Mystic Falls. With Bonnie. And he never asked anyone for help. Not his entire life. With anything. With bills. With insurance. With anything.

He pulls back.

As happy as he is to see her here, she doesn't belong. Not that he does. )

So, is this like your waiting room for your kidnapping? Or, are you stuck here?

( What's he doing here? )

Can I do anything?

[braveandstupid]

I don't know. These witches, they want my blood for this big ritual, but that's not until tomorrow. I think they knocked me out because they were tired of hearing me talk.

[She was being annoying, as is her right as kidnapee. She steps back to look around once he pulls back, trying to figure out what the plan is, exactly.]

I'm not sure what kind of spell, but there has to be a way out somewhere, right?