for the rest of us death will be a relief

[praevaricatio]

Comments

[bravebartender]

That's good. And I'm not discounting you trying.

[She pauses before trying to figure out how to approach this.]

I know that Elena is going to be a factor in a lot of things. But I think setting a good baseline here, I'd like it if we tried to focus on the things that you're feeling, and not using Elena - or any partner for that matter - as a basis for comparison. "I didn't do this but Elena wasn't doing it either" doesn't actually help get to the root of what you're actually feeling and the real whys of things. Does that make sense?

[unforgivably]

Yes, but I want it made clear, I'm not trying to use her to justify anything, just admitting to, myself, and God that for a long time she informed most of my decisions.

( He holds a hand up. )

But, that doesn't make them any less mind. And I'm not using her as an excuse.

[bravebartender]

Okay. Just making sure we're starting on the same page.

[Cami leans back in her seat.]

I think there's a lot we have to talk about. But I also think you've been through a lot, not just in your relationship with Elena. And asking for help is the first step.

[With that she concludes their first session, setting up a weekly cadence for now. Which is why she's surprised when a couple days later, he calls her and schedules a very last minute session. She settles across from him and picks up her notes.]

Is everything okay? You sounded a little ... frayed on the phone.

[unforgivably]

( He knows there's no real answer coming in the next forty-five minutes, but he's not suddenly coming face to face with Elena extra early. He wanted to be healed and whole and maybe in a hot new thing he could lightly flaunt in her face, not with children.

Damon doesn't sit, preferring to pace away as she settles herself. Turning back, he just lets it rip. )

You're not in the giant networking chat for all things supernatural William set up after hunter-witch-gate, are you?

( She'd know, then. Maybe it's not letting it rip. But, context is everything. Maybe if she knows people are appearing everywhere, she won't look at him crazy. Kind of like he's looking at himself. )

[bravebartender]

[She shakes her head.]

My cousin mentioned there was something going on, but I try to stay out of it.

[It keeps Klaus' blood pressure low if she doesn't run off into trouble when his back was turned.]

He seemed to imply it was something ... out there, though.

[unforgivably]

It's The Sixth Sense's pointless sequel. Everyone is seeing dead people. Dead people are back. And not just dead people, people that don't exist. In this world. ( He purses his lips. ) And in that case, that's not back, as much as... crossed over. As in, Elena and my's kids from another universe. Crossed over. And are currently at my best friend's apartment being witch-evaluated, poked, prodded, and questioned.

[bravebartender]

[She blinks. And then she blinks again because you hear a lot of things when you're a therapist for the supernatural, but you don't often hear things like that.]

Your and Elena's ... alternate universe children. Are here. In this universe.

[Cami leans back in her seat with a sigh.]

You really do hear something new every day.

[And back to business:]

That is a huge complication. How are you handling it?

[unforgivably]

At Lindsay's. Yes. With a grifter vampire.

( He likes Sophie, though. In another life. )

I'm handling it. I'm trying to get them answers. I called Elena. We're... all going up to Mystic Falls for Christmas. To... further evaluate them and all the other returned people. I'm fielding late night questions about the differences in our worlds. I'm handling it.

[bravebartender]

Sophie's great. They're in good hands.

[But that's not what they're here to talk about. She changes the question just slightly.]

And how are you feeling about it?

[unforgivably]

I... ( he looks down at his clasped hands. his fingers stretch out as he thinks. he is feeling... thrown. confused. like he has a tether to elena he never asked for while he was making real strides, finally, to pull away from her. like this complicates his new romance.

rubbing his hands, he sits back and kicks a foot up on the table. )

I am feeling like I don't hate that they're here. Like I have two children that I can get to know. That don't know every deep dark secret I have. That... never asked for this and feel out of place and at least they found me. At least I... get to be. I know, I'm not the father they know. I'm... DNA. I'm a name. Great hair. But, actually. Maybe. Maybe I'm their dad. And I don't hate it. I don't. Maybe I should. But. I care about them. 24 hours in. I care.

[bravebartender]

Why should you hate it?

[She tips her head to the side, curious that that was his line of thought.]

[unforgivably]

That's what she's acting like, Stephanie. Like, they dropped on my doorstep and I never asked for them. I know what she thinks when she sees me. I know what everyone thinks when they see me. I know my reputation.

( He just does. Even if his reputation is more shades of gray, even if his brother gets down in the blood and the muck as much as he does. )

[bravebartender]

[Cami nods slowly.]

Is it your reputation, or is it a coping mechanism?

[It seems like a very short period of time for one, Stephanie to know much about her father's reputation in this world or two, assume that Damon hates her.]

It could be her pre-emptively trying to protect herself from the fact that you aren't the father you're familiar with, so she can't really predict how you'll react to things.

[unforgivably]

Then keep me at arm's length. I really don't blame her.

( None of this is on her or her brother. )

[bravebartender]

[She shakes her head.]

Neither can I. But from what you're saying, it sounds like that may not be what you want?

[unforgivably]

I want them safe. And happy. I want them to have answers and to reunite with their actual parents. Because despite her tantrums, she deserves to have her dad.

( Any version, but they've covered that... he probably doesn't count. )

[bravebartender]

[Cami nods slowly.]

And you don't want to get to know them at all?

[unforgivably]

That's what you got out of that? No, I do. I do want to get to know them, but I'm not going to force them to get to know me. If they need me, want me, ask me things, need help - I'm providing. But, if they don't, if they get what I can give them or just enough. Who am I to push?

( Her father, technically. )

[bravebartender]

I asked you what you wanted and it wasn't on the short list. You implied it, sure. But you didn't outright say it.

[But that isn't really the point. Sometimes you have to say the things you want and not just dance around it.]

It's fair that you don't want to force them. But I do think you deserve to be treated better than a transaction machine until they get to go home.

[unforgivably]

Maybe they'll come around.

( He won't bet on it. They're his kids. Which means, stubborn. )

[bravebartender]

Maybe. They'll probably have time. I can't imagine it's going to be easy to get them back to where they belong.

[She doesn't know the details of the multiverse, but it sounds complicated. It may take a little time to figure out.]

[unforgivably]

Me neither. You're taking this awfully well.

( Is this a, she's heard everything by now, situation? )

[bravebartender]

Oh, I'm pretty sure there's going to be a small existential crisis at some point today, but that's not my job. Right here, my job is just to take things as they are and help you how I can.

[Her feelings don't matter right now, and she's gotten pretty good at keeping them to herself.]

[unforgivably]

I took them to a friend of a friend's. I'm picking them back up after this.

( So, that's something? )

[bravebartender]

Good.

[She then pauses and asks the other question:]

How are you feeling about seeing Elena?

[They did leave things rather complicated the previous time they spoke and there has to be some layer of feelings about it under all the kid ones.]