everyonelives | but oh what a year

We are not calling him Dean-Dad.

[Ew, nope nope nope.

But at the second point, Stephanie shrugs.]

We also don't know why her and dad broke up. Maybe it wasn't amicable. Maybe it's not about us.

Dad-Dean?

( Does that make it better? Worse? )

I know it's not about us. And I don't - want to know why they broke up. But, it's obvious and it's looking us straight in and eye and still has fangs. Uncle Stefan wasn't turned human so he couldn't turn dad human.

How about just Dean?

[It's his name. It works for him. Annoying nicknames can come organically. It should be something that irritates him rather than wigging them out.

She also considers Gray's assessment of things, and she doesn't know if it's that simple, of their dad just remaining a vampire. She has a feeling her dad being a vampire is a consequence of their breakup, not the cause.

But she nods.]

So maybe, we just get this test done, and you can talk to New Mom, and who knows. Maybe by the time we're done you two will be back to being two annoying peas in a pod.

[Because she knows that that is what's really at the bottom of this. Gray misses their shorthand, misses their understanding of each other, misses all the things they had in common. She has a feeling that this Elena values some of those things too. They can probably make it work.]

Yeah, Dean.

( Yeah, maybe it isn't that easy. He shoves her lightly, leaning his head back on the wall. )

I hate it when you're right.

( Because he's always the right one.

Dean leaves Elena and Damon with paperwork and he rejoins the kids.

"Your -- Elena and Damon are signing you in. It won't be long." he says.

Gray can feel his sister bore holes into his side with her eye sockets, so he looks at - just - Dean. )

Sorry. For before. And calling you fictional.

( "Not the worst thing I've been called to my face," he admits with a shrug. "And, some people think I am." )

Yeah, well, you decided to do the dramatic storm-off so one of us had to be the reasonable one.

[But she looks up at Dean, and because she can't help but ask:]

How much of it was actually real? Like ... he had to make some of that shit up right? There was over three hundred books and in some of them he really jumped the shark.

( hmm, well, he does want to bond with elena's kids. )

I didn't read 'em, but Chuck's real, for the record. And he was who you think he was. I don't know, did Paris Hilton attack us with an axe? We were in an episode of Scooby Doo. One alternate world... Went to the past, the future, the Bad Place... any of that ringing a bell?

[With everything he says, she seems to grow more and more concerned, but she does blink and hold up a finger.]

It was not Scooby-Doo.

[A pause.]

It may have been getting sucked into a Goosebumps book, though. Maybe he felt like he had to translate it for the medium.

[Another pause.]

Really unnerving that he's actually ... you know.

Yeah, us too. But, he's depowered now. Nebbishing up north somewhere, if he knows what's good for him. ( Goosebumps gives him the shivers, though. ) Can't believe I missed out on - ( Daphne. ) ...Cas is real, by the way. He'll be at Christmas. And mom. Mary. Second Bobby, if that means anything. Rowena might make an appearance. Any of this not having you foam at the mouth?

Wait, your ...

[She knows that Mary came back. But then she died. Again. And if God was already taken down then ...

She had assumed that he and her mom met before Dean reached the end of his story. But if he hasn't then ... then he survived his ending. He didn't die. He met her Mom and ... she rocks forward, resting her head in her hands as she processes this.]

I know way too many spoilers.

Been there, for the record. Not fun. Gives you a massive headache. Try not to think too hard.

( A beat. )

Unless, you mean from now forward.

No. I mean, I don't think so?

[She pauses as she looks up at him.]

You take out a vamp nest in Akron, Ohio?

[They probably did. And Stephanie doesn't know this, but before they went, they probably got a warning from Cordelia for Dean to watch his back - literally.]

( He can't not grimace, but try his best to mask it (nat 20) to not react at all. )

Years ago. ( Cordelia had specifically been watching their backs then. ) Don't tell me anything else. ( He does throw a palm up, sorry.

Gray just nudges her with his shoulder, mouthing 'What are you doing.' )

Being a -- she's protective. I'm right here. So, work on the stage whisper. This'll be over with before you know it and then it'll be on to Christmas, okay.

Wasn't going to.

[Definitely her least favorite of the Winchesters' adventures. When she catches her brother's look she gives him one in return.]

Look, I'm just trying to figure out if I do know any actual spoilers. Which I don't. That's where I stopped reading. So all I really know is a bunch of dead people that may or may not be dead. Just like real life.

[She then holds up a finger as she turns to Dean.]

Also I told them they should have left me in the car because I would inevitably make it awkward but they didn't listen. Not my fault.

Just like your life.

( World differences. )

You waiting in the car would also be awkward. Guess we're not escaping it today. But, I've been through more awkward. Trust me. We could be making small talk.

( Or his brother could be outing his liking of Japanese erotica. )

See, small talk wouldn't be that bad. Founder's parties are full of small talk. I'm like expert level.

[But everyone has their wheelhouses.

With that, Elena comes over with four cotton swabs in tubes in her hand, and offers them a small smile. "A quick cheek swab and we should be good to go." She turns to pass one off to Damon first, before turning to pass two off to the kids.]

( Damon sighs, swabbing the inside of his cheek before dropping it back in the tube and twisting the tube closed. He hands it back to Elena, waiting for Stephanie and Gray to do the same.

Gray contemplates for the second, but ultimately decides to do it, too, swabbing thoroughly. He makes a face, sticking his tongue out.

"Think they have a bottle of water I can have?" His mouth is dry. )

So, what kind of small talk were we all making.

[Stephanie takes the test without comment, because she already knows the answers so it's not like she's keeping any secrets. She pops the swab back in the tube before replying:]

Spoilers. Literally.

[Elena does her test as well, before collecting all four of them and nodding in Gray's direction. "Yeah, sure. I can show you." It's a vending machine and she still knows the cheat code for the medical staff so it'll be easy to get.

She'll drop off the tests on the way.]

( Oh, yes, please. He's going to get a few, then, since she's cheating. He just wants some time with her. )

I thought we decided, spoiler alerts all around?

["Not all spoilers are good spoilers," she replies. "That's what I was trying to establish. Dean has boundaries." And she will respect them. She still doesn't understand how she got here, or how her mother wound up with Dean of all people - because let's be real, her father withstanding, Sam is more her type - but in some ways she's grateful. Other people probably wouldn't take it half as well.

Elena punches the code into the vending machine and then the request for a bottled water - she'll get one for Stephanie too - before glancing back at him.]

I appreciate you doing this. I know it's a lot to ask.

( He leans against the adjacent coffee machine, accepting her thanks. )

No, it's not. We could be anyone. You have your own life. I get needing to be sure.

[She nods, before smiling sadly.]

It's funny, but if you'd shown up a few months ago, I probably wouldn't have been as paranoid. But things recently have been reminding me how much my life isn't really mine sometimes.

[She shakes her head.]

Which isn't your fault. It just ... is what it is. I really do want to get to know you guys, though. If you'll let me. I probably won't be as good as your real mom, but I can try.

If you're anything like Elena Gilbert, than you'll live up to the job. ( Because if there's one thing he knows, this is her. Maybe she's different. Maybe she is seeing someone else and she never cut her hair. But, she is her. ) You kept a lot from us, especially about dad.

Your dad's a complicated guy.

[Even in a world where they're not together, there's no animosity there. It just is what it is.]

And I'm pretty sure that I would have wanted a better life for you guys than the one that I had.

[While probably slipping vervain in their clothes and instructing them to be very careful who they invited in the house.]

Oh, we've had a really great life. And we have friends and family friends. It's just, all the dad stuff, who he was - that was kind of dropped on me by a really vengeful guy. Kind of messed up the end of my junior year.

( It really fucked him up. )

[Her face falls briefly, before nodding, because that's always a risk, it seems. Even if Damon is human.]

I'm sorry you found out that way. But I can sympathize with junior year imploding. That's when everything kind of started for me.

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