but oh what a year

[patrols]

Comments

[scrutinously]

Wait, so, he - passed through. ( He bets there's no novel about that adventure. For the good of his eyes and mind. ) You've seen, now. It's been a while. Is it better than home?

[braveandstupid]

It's better for me than here.

[She pauses, trying not to blurt it out the way she had at her father. Tries not to think about how much the bunker has become home over the last few months versus the apartment she left behind.]

Being here was really ... lonely. I had the Saltzmans, but none of my friends stuck around. Uncle Jeremy was out in Portland at his gallery or doing the hunter thing. They all went out to build other lives and we still talked but it wasn't the same as them being here. It wasn't a reason to stay. And one of my other closest friends had just been revealed to be a witch plant from a coven that wanted to use me as the doppelganger, so I guess ... I was feeling a little disenchanted with Mystic Falls. I didn't feel like there was much waiting for me back in Mystic Falls beyond my job and my ghosts. I wanted to be somewhere new where I could be someone new.

[Damon was there but Damon was complicated, so she isn't going to dig too deeply into that. And the new person wasn't really literal so much as spending time with people who didn't know her baggage just by looking at her.]

[scrutinously]

I get starting over. I just finished freshman year and Stef just started.

( It may hurt, but at the same time, he understands. He actually understands and he didn't think he could. )

Is uncle Jeremy coming to Christmas?

[braveandstupid]

He is. He's already in town, actually. His girlfriend, Dawn, is coming in with Mom and Dad. Dawn's sister Buffy is also Stefan's girlfriend and those things happened completely independently of each other, some how.

[She tips her head back to the rest of the group with a smile.]

C'mon. I can fill you in on the rest at lunch. Stephanie should probably hear some of this too.

[scrutinously]

... That's a lot to follow, but I think I did.

( He doesn't think he did. What are the odds, though?

He nods, though, because this is already a lot of information. He hadn't mean to stumble into all of it. )

Yeah, yeah, let's get back. I'm hungry. Thanks. For... answering.

[braveandstupid]

Of course.

[They will head back to the group, and then round everyone up to head to the Grille. Ben will appear on the phone and he and Dean will break off to talk while the rest of them head inside.

Elena will wait until they're at a table before she glances over at the curious expression on Damon's face.]

What?

[There's no tone, but more that she doesn't want to assume the question before it's asked.]

[unforgivably]

Who was that?

( Because, last he checked, Dean was the perennial bachelor that got his shit together. )

With Dean?

[braveandstupid]

That's his son, Ben.

[Before she can elaborate further, Stephanie's head slides into view from next to her father. "Braedan?"

Elena holds up a finger. Not stern, just protective.]

Get it out now before they get back, because Dean may be used to this stuff but Ben is not.

["Heard." She pulls back away again, and there's a muttered: "I knew it" as she turns back to her menu.

Elena sighs, but turns her attention back to Damon.]

It's a recent discovery. Not his existence but the fact that he is Dean's son. We found out at Thanksgiving.

[unforgivably]

Like he dropped in on Thanksgiving and sought him out or...

( Damon, having heard the exchanges at the hospital realizes that Stephanie has probably read all about Ben Braeden. )

So, you both have surprise kids. You really are MFEO.

[braveandstupid]

Like ... he called after taking a DNA test. There's other, more complicated layers there, but that was the basics. When you called, I was flying back from Michigan.

[She smirks.]

I'm not sure that's usually one of the metrics.

[Whether or not someone is made for each other. In fact, surprise kids usually mean the opposite.]

But it's definitely been a wild ride.

[unforgivably]

Great timing for all of us, then.

( There's an apology in his tone as he looks at the new - new?? menu. He looks up past Elena as the new owner happens to be fucking into the back. He narrows his eyes. )

Soap Operas usually are.

[braveandstupid]

[She nods, glancing up before following his eyeline over her shoulder. She can't help but tease.]

Is the new owner going against the grain?

[unforgivably]

Trying something new, I guess. I know they joked I was a tyrant, but there's good work to be done.

( He doesn't miss the pictures on the menu, though. It does look... more modern. Less small town. )

Prices went up, too.

[braveandstupid]

I did notice that.

[She glances down at her own menu.]

But things are good in New Orleans, though?

[Because she does still care and she does want him to be happy.]

Haven't pissed off Klaus enough to have him come calling yet?

[unforgivably]

I steer clear, but no, our paths haven't crossed, even accidentally.

( But, New Orleans has been good. )

The kids found me with someone.

[braveandstupid]

I did hear that.

[Which is a good sign, in her opinion.]

Someone special?

[unforgivably]

I don't know. She could be. She was there on day one. We see each other when we can.

( And they only know their first names. )

[braveandstupid]

Well, good. I hope it works out.

[Sincerely.]

Seems like it's been good for you.

[unforgivably]

New Orleans. It's - been good.

( Eye opening. ) I talk, Cami listens. ( He pauses, looking at his kids. ) I'm in therapy with Klaus' wife.

[braveandstupid]

Cami's good at what she does.

[Stephanie doesn't seem bothered by it beyond the fact that Klaus is alive and has a wife (she doesn't know who Cami is, but so long as she's good at her job).]

I'm glad it's helping.

[unforgivably]

( Gray doesn't react, either, but the Klaus he's heard about had not wifed anyone up. )

Yeah, well, it was a long time coming.

[braveandstupid]

[She nods, and the door to the Grille opens and Dean and Ben swing their way in. Ben looks better than he had when they left, so hopefully talking helped.

She waves them down, shifting over to give them room to sit and Ben flashes her a smile.

"Hey, Elena. Sorry about - "

She waves a hand.]

Don't worry about it. It's good to see you.

[Ben nods, and he tries to remember the names from earlier. "Damon, Stephanie, Gray?"]

[unforgivably]

( "Yeah," Gray says, giving a wave with his hand. "Damon and Elena's..." he starts, trying to define them. )

Kids. But, we're pretty sure they aren't from this world. Sorry, Ben, for not easing you into that. It's just the truth. Probably. We all took tests.

[acdc_rules]

I figured it had to be something like that, considering Elena didn't know they existed and she would kind of have to, if they were from here.

["I mean, there are ways." Elena makes a face. "Horrific ways I don't want to think about. But Damon probably wouldn't have been involved."

Ben nods.]

One of the vampire ex's then. Got it.

[She snorts in response, before shaking her head. "One of them, yeah."

But speaking of that conversation:]

Thanks by the way, for putting me in touch with Emma. She was really helpful.

[Elena brightens before nodding. "Oh, good. Yeah, she's a really great resource. I'm glad she could help."]

[unforgivably]

Not --

( Now they're going a bit too far. He does remember Elena being kidnapped, made to be a blood bag. Left behind. And then she was a lab rat. A prisoner. And then stuck in her own damn body, asleep.

Damon also liked Emma, despite her and Alaric's little electric hiccup and Dorian's subsequent romance with her. )

You put him in touch with Ms. Tig?