for the rest of us death will be a relief

[praevaricatio]

Comments

[vampireboulevard]

Yeah, well, there's a witch coven who owes Elena like ... a lifetime of favors that could have gotten me here faster, which - oh!

[She should probably introduce the reason why she's in California, shouldn't she. She steps back and swipes at her cheeks, before gesturing to her boyfriend.]

This is Ryan. My boyfriend and also the reason I was in California.

[opencases]

A witch coven. ( The only ones she remembers are the Travelers - and, briefly, if she was filled in, the Gemini, but on to more important things.

Ryan glances at Caroline, steps forward and then introduces himself.

"Ryan Atwood," he says with a smile. )

Ryan, it's very nice to meet you. You were - with him and his family?

( "She came with me, yeah, but the minute we heard you were..." He looks to Caroline. )

You can say it, Ryan. Back from the dead.

[vampireboulevard]

Still weird, no matter how you slice it. Especially since it's so many of you, all at once, all over the place.

[It's just weird! And it feels like a problem and if it weren't for the Parker twins and Davina confirming that the spell is complete and they don't have to worry about all these people re-dropping dead, she'd be a lot more worried.]

This is also my friend Serena. She's here to help with Jenna.

["Very nice to meet you, Mrs. Forbes!" Serena smiles with a wave. "I'll be over here, making a daylight ring." And she will let someone point her in the direction of the vampire in question.]

[opencases]

I heard.

( She side-steps only slightly to give them a look at what she's been putting together. )

Stiles was generous enough to lend me his phone and the information he's gathered.

( Oh, another friend.

Jenna looks up at the mention of her name and daylight ring, before the Sheriff's door opens "Sheriff Forbes?" )

[seirenes]

["Stiles is a good guy." Caroline will go track him down later to thank him for his help. "Figure anything out?"

Serena pokes her head in and gives her a smile.]

Not exactly. I'm Serena. I'm here to make sure you don't get all crispy in the sun.

[unpreparedness]

( "Only that Elena, these two brothers, and people here in Beacon Hills are all involved, even though the spell was cast in Baltimore," she explains pointing.

Jenna stands as she's being greeted. )

Oh, daylight ring. I will be needing one. Please. Come in to not my office. Do I need to do anything?

[seirenes]

Nope. Just sit tight and look pretty.

[Serena moves over to the space near the window - the blinds are currently pulled to not fry the vampire resident, but Serena pushes up the blinds just enough to give her some sun to work with.

She places the ring down and flexes out her hands in front of her.]

I tried to find a cute one, since you're going to be wearing it forever.

[unpreparedness]

Hey, if it gets me back in my bikini - not that I ever really was a bikini girl. But, I did, I liked sun.

( So, have at it. )

Thank you for doing this.

[seirenes]

Of course. I'm happy to. Plus, Caroline owing me a favor is never a bad thing.

[She hums as she starts to wave her hands over the ring preparing to start the spell.]

From what she said, it sounds like you guys had a pretty wild night.

[unpreparedness]

We woke up together in nature. Like, early in the morning. And Laura had no clothes on, so I was very happy it was Sheriff Forbes and I and not some horny other returnee.

( Misandry! )

[seirenes]

Oh, yikes. I will second that.

[Okay, weirdo spell. Least you could do is bring someone back with their clothes on. She finishes the daylight ring spell, before passing it over to Jenna with a nod.]

There you go. One fresh and shiny daylight ring.

[unpreparedness]

( Jenna examines it, first, before slipping it on her finger. She flexes her fingers, liking the gleam, but also the style. Only one way to find out, she thinks, as she exits the sheriff's office for the first time in a few hours and she slowly approaches a beam of light coming from one of the windows. She looks back at Serena, then turns toward the light and holds her hand out, moving it into the ray of sunshine. And nothing. No sizzle. )

Huh.

[seirenes]

I do good work.

[Serena flashes her a smile before glancing back to Caroline.]

She was the only one, right?

["Yes. Thank you, Serena." Caroline glances over at Jenna with a nod. "Based on the group chat, we also need a plan for getting everyone on a plane because I think you said you can't do the IDs here?"

Serena shakes her head.]

That's not really my skillset. We'll need Alexander for that but I did reach out and he's gonna meet us in Mystic Falls.

["Okay. We can buy the tickets, but we'll need to figure out security."

Cora glances over from where she's talking with her sister. "Private jet? There will still be some security, but it'll be substantially less. I can cover it."

Because the Hales have piles of money because they're clearly not putting it into their interior decorating.

Serena brightens.]

I can siren someone through, and we have at least two vampires going back? A little compulsion goes a long way.

[unpreparedness]

And, I could -- feasibly compel us through? Or, Caroline. Stiles. It would be easy, right?

( As easy as it was to get her to stab herself. )

... Siren?

[vampireboulevard]

In theory yes, but I will help you figure out the specifics. It takes some concentration, but you'll get the hang of it.

[It comes a lot easier than you think, at least in Caroline's experience but it also requires a very clear force of will, and that doesn't always come easily to everyone.

It probably will need to be Jenna, though, if her plans to still (hopefully) make it to Chrismukkah are going to be put into effect.

She will look to Stiles though and ask:]

Are you going to Mystic Falls?

[Serena will address Jenna's second question though. "It's my special witch skill. I can use my voice to ... not make people do what I want, exactly, but entice them to help me out. Depends how much strength of will they have - some people are easier to siren than others - but it's kind of like a little mental nudge."]

[unpreparedness]

( "With Cora and her sister," he says. Well, meeting her sister there, but yes, for moral support, he is. He may dip down to DC. Or, the Underground. He needs his ties. Needs next steps. But, this is the next next step. Step one.

"If she can't, I can," he volunteers with the raise of a hand. )

Witches have skills. Like muscles?

( "But, you taught me she should probably be the one who tries. First." )

[vampireboulevard]

["More like talents. Some of them are inherited in family lines, but some have variations."

Caroline nods, considering.]

I have to talk to my mom, but I really don't want to break my plans with Ryan's family if I don't absolutely have to. So if we have someone who can compel or persuade for each person who doesn't have ID, we should be okay. I can work with Jenna on compulsion before you guys go.

[Serena and her mom, Jenna covering herself and Laura and Stiles, maybe? Caroline just doesn't like breaking her promises and she feels like she's being pulled in five different directions.]

But if you really need me, I can go. I can also probably go at least to security with you guys.

[phonetically]

You should go and be with Ryan's family. Your mom isn't going anywhere, Caroline. Well, other than Mystic Falls and you'll be back there, eventually.

( He still enjoys a good ramble, anyway. )

We can handle it. And there will be people in Mystic Falls who can take care of all the red tape after. Don't worry.

[vampireboulevard]

That's not really part of the Caroline Forbes package, but I will try.

[She reaches out and gives his shoulder a squeeze.]

But thank you.

[She then turns her attention back to Jenna:]

Ready for Compulsion 101?

[unpreparedness]

Ready. I hope I do better at Compulsion 101 then I did at Vampire Speed 100.

( And at that, they can go into another room, or maybe the rising sun and work on emotion and eye contact and everything else that goes with it. )

[hereditare]

[It takes a little time, but eventually they manage to wrap things up, and Cora takes them to a loft she says is Derek's for them to spend the night. It feels like Derek's, though the furniture is sparse and the scents say no one has been living in it in a while.

She's given a room and then left to her own devices while Cora gets everyone else settled. She's been quiet all day, beyond when dealing with her sister, not sure how to handle any of this. It's clear, at this point, that she's been dead for a long time. That she left her brother alone while his world became more complicated. That she went back on any promise she ever made to him about keeping him safe because she couldn't keep herself safe.

It feels weird that the one person best able to anchor her isn't here, which makes it harder and harder to believe that this is real so she pulls out the phone she was given, scrolling through the four numbers on it.

Derek, Cora, Malia and Peter.

She fights the urge to immediately block that last one, even if she doesn't want to see him at all right now. She taps Derek's name instead and hits send, waiting as the phone rings.]

[engender]

( Derek is outside. Erica is inside, getting outfitted, learning to pick locks on safes? Derek is outside. He's giving her space. That's still settling in, there are feelings, and like Isaac, there is silence. But, there is also his sister. He knows the unknown number that calls him, he knows who it's going to be.

So, he answers.

But, he doesn't know what to say. What's good enough. Peter has gone from enemy number one to reluctant ally to -- whatever he is now. It feels like the betrayal it is, but their lives have never been that cut and dry. Not as wolves. Not from Beacon Hills. Family, at the end of the day, is family.

Laura will understand that. Eventually.

He breathes into the receiver. Nothing is good enough. )

[hereditare]

[She knows that Peter is complicated. Cora tried to explain it, but she reached a point where Laura wasn't ready to hear it. She also really doesn't want to talk about it just yet, so when she catches the breathing on the other end of the line, she goes with the only thing she can say.]

Hey.

[engender]

Are you with Cora?

( And Stiles? And maybe the others who ended up in Beacon Hills? Hey goes unsaid. But, he wants it to be said. It will and can be said. )

[hereditare]

Yeah. She said this is your place, though.

[She drums her fingers against her leg briefly.]

She booked a jet to take us to Virginia, Mystic Falls. Something about a guy named Barry needing to check us out. Are you heading there too?