everyonelives | for the rest of us death will be a relief

( The woman isn't dead, so that's one win for the day for Jenna on a day among other losses.

Jenna hears her name and the familiar voice that goes with it.

"Sheriff Forbes?" she asks, and doesn't say. "I can - I can explain," she tries, not knowing if she can. She knows the secrets she has to keep. And she has no answers besides the stake she can still feel being driven into her chest. Maybe it wasn't?

Liz comes around the stump as the woman holds that jacket close to her. This is all too disorienting for Peace - and she can tell that's true of Jenna - and - this person. She goes to say something, recognizing the breath her body naturally takes. That's new. She takes just a split second to feel the breeze and hear the evidence of nature around her.

She's not at Peace anymore, she's alive. )

Hey Jenna. Believe it or not, you don't have to explain anything to me.

( Moving on. She addresses Laura, first, kneeling down. )

I'm Elizabeth Forbes, are you hurt?

( "I think she's only naked," Jenna says, unhelpfully? But, she expected to have to explain everything. She takes a few steps closer, because last she checked, the sheriff wasn't in on everything. In fact, if Ric and Elena explained it right, she should be compelled and shouldn't remember any of it. Maybe this is grace under fire?

Jenna holds off, waiting for her answer. )

[Laura blinks, before shaking her head.]

No, just cold.

[She shifts up more into a sitting position, and wishes the coat was a little longer. Jenna is taller than her, but not by much, not enough to make a difference.

She pauses before trying to ask the awkward question.]

Are you two new to -

[Then there's a snap somewhere in the woods and voices coming their way, male and female. She hopes the male has a longer coat. Or at least a blanket or something.]

Someone's coming.

( Being alive, Liz doesn't ask before Jenna catches that twig snap, too, as if it's right beside her. She remembers Elena talking through her last hour, talking her through what she can do. What she can hear.

"I'm not saying I don't like you as my backup, I'm saying there's a reason Stilinski doesn't love it when I bring you," she hears someone say. )

A guy. Talking about backup. ( She purses her lips. ) And Stilinski? ( She comes back to herself, looking at her own sheriff and - the woman.

Liz doesn't blink or question her keen sense of hearing, having heard about what happened at the end of her daughter's junior year.

"Backup, we're three misplaced women, we're not criminals." Misplaced is - generous, but displaced feels more pointed. And she doesn't think it's easy to slip back from Peace. She does remember the Other Side and remembers that's gone now. "Here," she says, taking off her own jacket as she helps Laura up, at least one can go around this woman's waist, for now. )

[Laura flashes Liz a grateful look as the people get closer, doing her best to arrange things carefully.

Malia, on the other hand, understands the Sheriff's perspective at the same time, but:]

Well, the sheriff should also know that it's stupid to have anyone patrolling alone in Beacon Hills so I'll stop crashing your work shifts when he hires enough deputies so you have a partner.

[This is for your safety, Parrish. Obviously. She keeps moving further when she stops, as the trio of scents drifts downwind. Vampire, human and werewolf, which isn't an odd combination but there's something about the werewolf that's both oddly familiar and not at the same time.]

There's people up ahead.

( "Good help is hard to find and you forget, I have veto power. I haven't liked anyone, and then I went off to help my girlfriend protect --" he admits, then starts - maybe, he likes having a girlfriend on his patrol with him - but she stops in her tracks, and so does he. He's happy he hasn't said anything too compromising.

He squints, he himself smelling. Orange flecks light up in his eyes. Vampire and werewolf.

Liz tries to do her best at helping Laura look presentable enough and not like a naked stranger she and Jenna found. She steps back. )

It'll have to do. For now.

( "Friendlies?" Parrish asks. )

Wolf, vampire and human. So ... to be determined.

[Malia has spent enough time in New Orleans to know that it's not a cut and dry thing. But because she's calling that out.]

They've also probably heard us coming, so you should go tell them that you're friendly.

[Not Malia, Malia is not friendly. But she can pretend to be, provided none of them try to kill her boyfriend.

Especially since Laura is realizing by now that one of them smells like fire and she's definitely starting to shrink away from the direction they're coming.]

They hear we're friendly, ( he says, looking up ahead. ) Well, the wolf and vampire do. And it's okay. ( He tries, saying it up ahead. ) I'm with the sheriff's dept. ( He adds, before moving forward and yelling it ) Beacon Hills sheriff's department!

( Liz notices Laura's shift and her steps back. "Hey. Are you okay?"

She looks to Jenna, who turns in the direction of the sheriff's department's voice.

"He's coming this way. Should we not trust them?" )

Edited 2025-10-15 15:48 (UTC)

["I don't know. But he smells like a house on fire."

Malia hears that and sighs, before stepping forward, coming into view before Parrish does. Her eyes narrow down on the woman who spoke and she raises an eyebrow.]

Werewolf with fire trauma. Let me guess: Hale?

[There's always more and more of them, coming out of the woodwork all the time. She would know. She was one of them.

The werewolf raises an eyebrow, then her brow furrows as she leans closer, taking a tentative sniff. "So are you?" Then she moves closer. "Who are you?"]

Malia.

[Laura's eyes widen. "Oh, shit." That puts Malia on edge, because there's very few people who would know that connection. There's something about Malia's scent that itches though and as Laura's senses begin to clear up, and then her eyes flash. "Why do you smell like my dead sister?"

Then Malia connects the dots, and her eyes widen.]

Fuck me.

( Parrish comes to the other two while Malia and Laura sniff each other.

"Deputy Parrish," he says, introducing himself.

"Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes, former, of Mystic Falls, Virginia and this is Jenna Sommers," Liz says. )

Hi. Not going to do a butt-sniffing routine.

( "I know, you're a vampire," the deputy says, nonchalantly. )

Uh -

( "It's okay, Jenna. I know, too. I think there's a lot we all need to discuss, the first of which is, how we're in Beacon Hills, and, this is going to sound out there, but, Deputy, what year is it?" )

What - what year?

Edited 2025-10-16 06:15 (UTC)

[Malia will supply a year, somewhere in the twenty thirties, and Laura blinks and then sucks in a hard breath. Malia feels a little bad about it, but what can you do?

Then she looks closer at the woman who asked. A Forbes? From Mystic Falls?]

Forbes? Like Caroline Forbes?

( Liz doesn't seem to blink at that, which Jenna doesn't get, like she's expecting it to not be 2007. Or, 2008. Whatever year it should be. She then turns her entire body to Malia when she mentions Caroline. )

I hope so, she's my daughter. ( She gave her that name. Her husband gave her his last name. But she chose the name Caroline. And it suits her. ) You know Caroline?

( "You know Caroline?" Jenna asks, thinking for a second. "Who is definitely not a teenager in the twenty-thirties." )

Not ... technically. It's more of a friend of a friend situation.

[Okay this is too much. She is really one of the worst people to be tasked with handling his, and she needs to call the people who are better at it.]

Okay, we all need to go back to the station.

[She says like she's the law enforcement officer here when she is very much not. She then looks over Laura and frowns.]

And you need clothes.

["Yes, and you didn't answer my question," she retorts, and Malia sighs.]

Yes, I will, but we need to go to the sheriff's station first.

[Malia is the most helpful.]

How about we focus on getting everyone back to the station, including Jenna who has what looks like a few hours before the sun comes up. Malia will answer all our questions back there. Won't she.

( He asks it straight at the girl, stepping in naturally as the authority. )

If that's alright, Deputy.

( "I was going to say what she said," he says, vaguely knowing some of this. Not recognizing Laura, but recognizing Caroline's name. "Caroline, as in --" he asks Malia as they turn around and start to lead the group out of the preserve.

"Are we dead?" Jenna asks Liz, falling into step with her, but also keeping beside Laura. )

We were.

[Malia nods at his question about Caroline, and tugs on the sleeve of his coat before nodding towards her half-naked maybe-cousin.]

Sure. I don't know if I have any answers, but I can try.

[She then glances back over at Jenna and raises an eyebrow.]

I mean, technically you still are.

[Because, you know, vampire.]

Normally, I'd like you. And that would be a good one. But, you can understand why I feel under the gun here. Just. Move. Move.

( She puts a hand on Laura's shoulder. )

We'll get you answers, too.

( In the car, Jenna focuses on Liz and pries some information out of her. What she knows happened. Klaus killed her in his ritual. That Liz found out right around the same time and she and Caroline's bond actually deepened. But she died. Of cancer. )

[Malia will also answer any questions she actually has answers to, but she doesn't have many. She spends most of the trip managing the group chat and getting the people who need to be at the sheriff's station at the sheriff's station.

Once they arrive, they have spare clothes for Laura, and are catching up the sheriff when Stiles and Cora arrive. The moment she walks through the door, she stops dead in her tracks as the scent hits her. It's one she hasn't been around in a very long time, but family always stays. Family lodges itself in the back of your brain and doesn't let go, and she can't help but stare into the bullpen, confused.]

Laura?

( On the car ride, Liz explains about daylight jewelry and that they need to work on getting some for Jenna. She thinks Bonnie made Caroline's. They'll figure it out. She takes Jenna's hand in promise.

At the station, the three newcomers are given a room of their own while the sheriff tries to make sense of what he's being told.

"Every time I think I've heard it all, someone comes into my office or to my door and unloads something I've never heard before. So, those two women - they're dead - and" and well, he remembers Laura, vividly. "And that is Laura Hale."

In the front of the station, Stiles frowns, looking at Cora. He was half-focused on confirming who Caroline's mother in, but he also knows Laura's name. He remembers Laura's name. And, remembers her naked body. Not. Like that. )

Oh my god. Cora. That's -

[Cora flashes a glare at her cousin as she slowly makes her way closer.]

Way to bury the lede.

[Malia throws up her hands. "You realize why I just couldn't drop that in the group chat, right?"

Cora does, but she still as a retort loaded. She doesn't get the chance to use it, however, because the second Laura picks up her sister's voice - older, but still hers - she's making her way to her feet and making her way out into the bullpen to look at her sister.

She's so much older than she was when she last saw her. Which makes sense, as she's realized that she has been dead for a long time. But it's still a little disorienting for your sister to go from eleven to probably in her thirties overnight. "Cora?"

Cora looks at her sister and her feelings swirl. On the one hand, she's missed Laura most, given that they never got to start again, and there's a pang of regret that she and Derek couldn't have had something softer. Something where they actually got to be happy to see each other, and not contend with Cora's anger and Derek's failings as an alpha. She nods at Laura.]

Yeah. I ... I can't believe it's you.

[Actually her. No odd touches to her scent, nothing that seems overtly wrong, it's just ... Laura.

Laura takes that as permission and closes the last few steps, throwing her arms around her sister and holding her rightly. Cora returns it, not sure how this is going to go over, but that's a problem for future Cora.

Malia inches over to Stiles and nods towards the room in question. "Caroline's mom and Jenna - who also is a Mystic Falls person - is in there."]

Edited 2025-10-19 21:09 (UTC)

( The sheriff tips his chin to give Malia - well, no time at all to react to her cousin coming in. He nods to his son, too, giving the cousins their moment. Parrish hovers near Malia, having heard a little bit in the car. But he wasn't there when Laura was found.

Liz is mid-sentence when Laura leaves the bull-pen.

Malia approaches Stiles, who peers into the bullpen. After leaving everyone in the main room, Stiles approaches the two women, introducing himself. The other sheriff, sheriff Forbes introduces herself and Jenna Sommers.

Nobody has mentioned Elena specifically, so Jenna doesn't give her family affiliation yet, just that she, too, is from Mystic Falls. She knows something is up, because Malia's phone has been buzzing for the last half hour. This is a bigger deal, isn't it?

He doesn't know, but promises to tell her when he does. He tells them he needs to step away, but he'll be right back.

Gathering himself, he finds Caroline's number first, dialing, and bringing the phone to his ear. He'll explain to her mother who he is... after. )

[Caroline sees Stiles' name come up on her caller ID and flashes Ryan an apologetic look before politely excusing herself and moving outside. Stiles is one of the DND approved people because not being present for a baby vampire who's having a bad day can end in a body count.

She did the same for Ryan once, so she hopes he understands.

As she steps out into the front yard, she brings her phone to her ear with a sigh.]

Hey, Stiles. Everything okay?

( He looks at Jenna, who stares intently as him, recognizing Caroline's voice. Like she's ready for the worst to have happened, or ready to pull him back together. Jenna can also hear something else in him, he bets. No heartbeat. )

Hey, I'm okay. I'm at the sheriff's station in Beacon Hills. I saw you on the group, so I don't need to preface whats been going on with, with your friend Matt. And, others. The thing is, Malia and Jordan Parrish did stumble on people in the preserve. It's - it doesn't matter what it is. But, Caroline, your mom's here. Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes. And a woman named Jenna Sommers.

( Also his girlfriend's sister, but - these are Caroline's priorities. )

What.

[That, probably, is loud enough for Ryan to hear, but not the rest of the house.

To say Caroline isn't expecting it is an understatement. She thought that they would just get Matt, and of course Bonnie would get her Grams, it's what she deserves, so does Tyler, but she never thought that her mother would actually be a viable name on the list of people returning.

It's actually a gift, specifically for her, and she's not entirely sure how to process it. Which is why it's a good thing that Stiles also said Jenna because that gives her problem-solver brain something to focus on.]

Wait, Jenna? Is ... is she a vampire?

[Because that could be a lot of problems at once.]

Yeah, she's a vampire. And, okay, and in a not very well-lit room, but probably stuck here at least until sundown.

( Ryan opens the front door and lets himself out, stopping behind his girlfriend. He did hear her. But not the other end of the conversation. Until now. )

You did hear me about your mother, though, right? She's also here.

No, I did, just ... Jenna is the solvable problem and she is a problem.

[It feels harsh to say, but she doesn't know how things went for Jenna on the Other Side or in Peace but she definitely has not had to deal with vampire hunger in a nice normal mortal way.]

Jenna never learned, Stiles. She never had anyone help her because she turned and died so quickly for Klaus' stupid ritual so here's what I need you to do. Make sure you have enough blood on hand until I get there. I'm in Newport so it'll probably take me a few hours to get there. I'll stop and see a witch friend in L.A. to get her a daylight ring.

Don't make her nervous but keep an eye on her, okay?

[Processing her mother is going to be a whole other thing, but Jenna she can focus on.]

She's a good person, but she just ... doesn't have any guard rails right now.

( Jenna can't turn it off. Caroline's right. She doesn't have the discipline. Doesn't have a Stefan. Caroline has always been the organized friend. the Type-A. Apparently, still is as a vampire. Hearing the word, though, Caroline's not wrong - blood. She wants it. She was alive and confused, but now she's just aware. Of Liz. Of Laura. Cora. The sheriff. His deputy. All pulsating. )

I'm not at a blood bank, Caroline -- ( So, he needs to get blood. Is he going to step up and be the Caroline to Jenna? He doesn't even know Jenna. Well, he didn't know Caroline either. ) That'll take hours.

( Why is he fighting. )

Yeah, I'm pretty sure she can hear all of this, but I'll do nerves damage control.

( Jenna looks away. )

Got it. She's a wildcard. Do you have anything to say to your mom, no, actually ( he says, stalking over and handing Liz the phone. Confused, she takes it.

"Caroline?" she asks.

Jenna turns as Stiles faces her with a sigh. )

I know you heard all that. I was where you were last year. Like, May. And Caroline got me through it. So. You're in my hands. First, I'm going to dig into my dad's stash, because alcohol's going to help with the cravings. And there are no windows in his office. I got you.

( Jenna and Stiles end up in there, but Stiles stops by his dad, )

Hey, so, this is going to be the first, very gross thing I'll ask you but, I need you right now, dad. I brought blood with me. It's in the garage fridge. I need you to bring a few bags here.

( His dad makes a face,

"Stile -" )

Hey. Your son's a vampire. This is the vampire reality. And Jenna needs help. So. Suck it up. Leave Parrish in charge and please grab my blood. ( A beat. ) And another bottle of bourbon you hide you don't think I know about. They curb the cravings.

( "Okay," he reluctantly says. )

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