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

Apparently.

[Yeah, Lindsay is going back to Beck and inform him that weird shit is happening, and this may wind up turning into a work thing, because she is also on the group text and it seems like some of them have been in New Orleans too.

Stephanie stares back at her fake father, and decides to take the path of least resistance. Sitting here in silence has given her a lot of time to draw conclusions and while she may not know all the details of her parents life, she knows some.]

You're still a vampire. Is Mom still in a coffin sleeping somewhere or something?

( The waitress takes the strange credit card, but confirms it has a strip, and hides her reaction as she retreats to the POS system.

Damon doesn't know where to start. Doesn't even know if he believes it. But, daughter's taking it remarkably well after not.

For the record, Gray tried to make conversation, but Steph wouldn't. And while he doesn't blame her, they have each other here. They need to be on the same page. )

By all means, say that louder. ( But, don't. He slides forward in his chair. ) Last time I checked, your mother was in Kansas. Small town called Lebanon. Barely on the map. Bonnie brought her out of the coffin twenty or so years ago. We tried, we failed, we went our separate ways. Which means in your reality...

( "You have your stuff, but you make it," Gray says. "And yeah, you're human. Our uncle Stefan injected you with the cure in his veins after his and aunt Caroline's wedding. He died, you lived."

Damon's eyes travel all over as he listens to all of that. Uncle Stefan. He knows what would happen if Stefan did that. Stefan and Caroline's wedding? They never got together, either, but her crush was documented. )

Stefan took the cure? I was going to take the cure.

( Clearly, he didn't. But, he figures if he had kids, they were on his damn terms. And that means Stefan. Is dead. Because he knows what happens when the cure leaves a vampire's veins. )

Mom is in Kansas? Why is she in Kansas?

[What kind of nonsense world did they wake up in?

Look she's dealing with a lot, and part of her wants to buck and say she'll be as loud as she wants but people are weird about supernatural stuff.]

Aunt Bonnie jumped him with it after he killed her boyfriend. He didn't really have a say in the matter.

No, Bonnie incapacitated him - ( in his reality. oh. ) with the cure - in your world. Ouch.

( Behind them, the waitress calls over her manager.

But, Damon owes her an answer about their mother, which is weird enough to think. )

Elena ( because it is still weird to call her 'your mother' ) is in Kansas because she is seeing someone who lives in Kansas. Someone from her high school years. They reconnected this year, and circumstances were what they were - she ended up there. And stayed. And I am here. Dating the proprietor of that bar. Not cheating on her, for the record.

( With her newly resurrected parents, he realizes. )

Wait, gross, did she leave you for Uncle Matt?

[She may be offended on her father's behalf. Not that she doesn't love Uncle Matt, as the family uncle who can get her out of trouble because he's the mayor and he and her mom are best friends.

But he's the only high school guy she can think of that might be in play.

Focus, Stephanie.]

Sorry. Okay. Mom and Uncle Matt ran off to Kansas. Weird but whatever.

She did not leave me for the high school quarterback.

( But, that hits hard in a way he doesn't like, dredging up some of his first session's therapy. His horrible parental instincts are to compel his daughter to stop asking dumb questions and just sit there while he figures it out.

But, he won't be doing that. )

She didn't leave me. After her coma, things were hard. On both of us. ( For the both of them. ) His name is Dean and he passed through. I think he did like a semester or something and that's all you're getting out of me about your mom's boyfriend. In this - world.

( He tracks down the waitress, who seems to be apologetically approaching. )

I need a bottle of whiskey. And one glass.

( "I'm sorry," the waitress begins, presenting the card. "But, your card declined. And then it got stuck in our other machine --" She's never had that happen before.

Damon pulls out his own wallet, holding his card out. )

Use mine. My treat, like I said.

( The waitress exchanges cards and Damon inspects his daughter's )

It'll work. Shoo. And bring the whiskey.

( Damon frowns. Turning the card over. )

Nice... iridescent strip. Never heard of Forge Card.

( "Like, forging your own path," Grayson very helpfully says. "There isn't a Forge Card in this world?" he says, looking at his sister. And then realizes. "Your wallet was on you. Mine wasn't. It's why I don't have it." )

You have no wallet? No cash, too, I'm guessing.

Who actually carries cash any more?

[Certainly not these kids. But before she can dig into any more of that two things happen on Damon's phone.

One is a text from Lindsay: At some point, would you mind if I came to talk to the kids? I need to know what they know.

But the presence of that text on the lock screen is very quickly followed, however, by Stefan calling. Ring ring.

Stephanie squints over at the name and frowns.]

Wait, he's actually alive?

( Damon shouldn't have put his phone down on the table, is going to ignore Lindsay's text, but then his brother calls. It stings, hearing he's dead in their world. If anyone deserves to live, it's Stefan. If anybody deserves kids...

He swipes up his phone, ignoring Lindsay's text for the time being and answers, holding a hand out. Don't. Talk. His hand tries to say. )

Not a great time, little brother.

I don't think there is for what I'm about to say.

[And he's not going to dance around this because that group chat is going, so he'll just rip off the band-aid.]

Matt Donovan's alive.

( His eyes narrow as he watches his skeptical daughter and exacting son. )

What did you just say?

( He doesn't need for him to say it again, because he knows. )

Like found hiding out or in a small town with amnesia, cause I gotta say, I thought I had the monopoly on clichés over here. ( That, and his kids - if they're his kids don't need to know he killed their "uncle Matt." ) My daughter found me in a bar and yelled at me for cheating on their mother, Elena. Their, ( plural ) because my son followed. Any chance he's their uncle?

( Maybe it's not his Matt. )

[Stefan is about to tell him that by the looks Matt is giving him, they're probably not that lucky but then Damon drops that bomb and he finds himself stunned into silence for a moment.]

Wait. Who did you say found you?

Pretty sure they're my kids. They're pretty sure they're my kids. If it walks like a duck and has a picture of you at their high school graduation all smiley... ( Then maybe they're his kids. ) Like I said, not a great time. And Matt's there with you? In Baltimore?

( Why Baltimore?

"Uncle Matt," Gray asks.

Shit. Damon makes a face. He was trying not to say his name out loud because it will lead to questions. And answers Damon doesn't want to... have to explain. His head's hurting. The bottle of whiskey finally makes it to the table and he pours himself a healthy amount. )

Elena got kidnapped by a coven. They took her to Baltimore, we went to go get her, and before you ask she's fine and everyone that's a problem is dead, but somehow we got Matt out of it, along with other dead people seemingly popping up everywhere.

[But Damon's supposed kids aren't dead people, so what the hell does that mean?]

I think you should find a way to be really sure. Because we need to know if they're part of this insanity or something else entirely.

Please explain what something else entirely would even entail.

( Or, don't. )

Well, I guess we have a surefire way. I'm sure they're going to love it. I'll see if anybody in New Orleans has discreet contacts in the hospitals. We need answers stat. ( Gray frowns, exchanging a look with his sister. He's... begrudgingly hungry, so he finally takes a few ravenous bites of his sandwich, sitting back, ineffectual. ) Well, if that's everything, we need to go. But, I'll let you know the verdict. Or, results or whatever.

( He almost hangs up )

Oh, tell Elena -- I don't know. Whatever you want.

( And then he ends the call. he shrugs at his kids, finishing his whiskey )

At least paternity tests aren't invasive?

Edited 2025-10-19 07:40 (UTC)

[Back in Baltimore, Stefan is making strangling motions at his phone, but fine. He'll talk to Elena. But he's going to let both of them sleep first.

Back in New Orleans, Stephanie sat on the other side of that phone call losing what little is left of her patience and when he brings up a paternity test she tries to breathe, tries to remember that he may look like her father but isn't actually her father.

Her fist crumples a napkin in her lap, out of view, but she nods.]

Fine. Whatever. What do we have to do?

We find some nice and discreet doctor, or lab-monkey.

( He goes to do just that and then sees a message from Lindsay. He'd ask if she had wedding plans, she did, but this - and all the other -- messages in this group chat.

He sends a quick one, to Lindsay, corks the whiskey and stands. )

But, first, we're going to leave and pay a visit to your aunt Lindsay. Is she sheriff... or - well ( he says, pushing his chair in ) she's a friend and in law enforcement and in town. And she has some questions. Innocent ones, nobody's blaming you for any of this.

( And instead of her meeting them, Damon takes them to the cake caterer's she's posted up in.

For his part, Gray listens to everything their "dad" says. Everything different. That Uncle Matt's a topic of conversation. Their mom is in Kansas with some drifter or military brat named Dean. That everything's different.

He sticks close to his sister, keeping one eye on her. )

[Stephanie also follows obediently though she is still quietly seething, already hating everything about this situation that they have found themselves in.

Lindsay tells Damon to bring them by the apartment, so to the apartment they head. Lindsay and Beck do live in the Quarter, but they were careful to select a building out of both vampire and witch territory, making sure to fully establish themselves in the human camp. It's a nice, historical building while still being secure, and it doesn't take long for them to wind their way up to the Ford-Miller apartment, where the door is answered by -

- Unfortunately not Lindsay or Beck, but this asshole.

Colm is hanging out with Beck and Lindsay for the first two weeks of break before they fly out to visit Brogan and spends the second two weeks with his older brother. He also opens the door just barely after Damon knocks, glancing over all three of them with one headphone popped off his ear.]

Evening.

( Damon wanted to crash a caterer, just for dramatic purposes. But, he obliges, driving him and his kids over to Lindsay and Beck.

Damon checks the number by the door.)

Did you go to the wrong apartment, I thought Lindsay was your friend?

( "She is," he grumbles. )

No, you're in the right place.

[More of his Irish lilt comes out in that, so Damon may be able to catch on that this is one of Beck's many, many brothers.

He's about to introduce himself when Lindsay appears in the entryway, eyes narrowed. "How did you get here so fast? Your music was so loud and that knock barely happened."

Colm frowns before turning and pointing to girl wedged between the two Salvatore men.]

She is also very loud.

[Stephanie looks offended, before saying, loudly: "I didn't even say anything!" But for those in the know, it does make sense that angry teenage girl thoughts are both angry and loud.

Lindsay catches on to his meaning, however, and shakes her head. "No, not. It's not your fault." To her brother-in-law: "It's fine, I was expecting them."

Colm nods, and steps back, pulling the door and gesturing for them all to come in.]

( He does indeed recognize the Irish lilt. This must be a future brother-in-law. But, a little shit.

Damon puzzles over the loudness, but, he has more important things. And it doesn't help that she is being loud. Out loud at that moment. )

Go on.

( Gray goes in first, giving Colm a weird look, and then by Lindsay.

"Hey. Gray," he says, shaking her hand. )

Lindsay. Nice to meet you.

[Stephanie also makes her way in and gives a wave since it seems like they're doing introductions. "Stephanie."

Lindsay nods with a smile to her.]

This is Colm, my brother-in-law. Colm, why don't you take them into the kitchen and see if we have anything they like to eat while I talk to Damon for a sec?

[Colm nods, before turning and pointing in the direction of the kitchen. "This way."]

Your brother-in-law?

( He's a little young, but, gathering facts. And then they're dismissed. He didn't get to finish his sandwich, so, fine. But, Damon's not getting rid of them that easily.

Once the kids are in the kitchen, Damon sits down on Lindsay's couch and drops the stolen whiskey bottle on the table.

In the kitchen, Beck opens the fridge to take out the steaks for the night and sets them on the counter to thaw.

"Beck Ford," he says, introducing himself. "Lindsay's fiancee. And this twerp's brother. Let me know if I have to go out and get a few more steaks." He rubs Colm's head, messing his hair up before joining his fiancee and Damon in the living room. "So, those are your bairn." )

[Colm waits until his brother are around the corner and raises an eyebrow. "I'm the youngest, Beck is second oldest. There are eight of us."

He feels like that usually covers enough lingering questions.

In the living room, Lindsay smirks at Damon.]

Both of them definitely have your "I hate everything about this stare."

( "There are only two of us," Gray says, peering down at the steaks. "Steal sounds good."

IN the living room, Damon unplugs the whiskey, takes a big swig and holds it out for whoever wants it.

Beck gets his hands on it first. This is worth whiskey.

"Stefan wants them to take a paternity test," he says. )

Damon Salvatore, you are the father. He's got your eyes.

["Yeah, sure." Stephanie shrugs. "Steak's fine." She's not a huge carnivore, but she'll manage until they get back home. Because they're going to go home, right?

Right????

Lindsay tips her head to the side.]

I actually don't think that's a terrible idea. Because you'll know for sure, and Elena's probably going to want one too. I'm assuming she's the mom, right? Which is part of the reason you're wearing that face?

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