but oh what a year

[patrols]

Comments

[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?

[acdc_rules]

[She meant probably not involved because if someone is going to be stealing her eggs and creating surrogate doppelganger babies, Damon probably wouldn't have fathered them as a vampire.

"Yeah," Elena nodded, but she's going to leave it generally at that. She's sure that Damon could connect the dots for the reason why, and if he can't then that's a sidebar conversation later.

Stephanie decides to change the topic beyond horrific images she does not want. "But you didn't come from some freaky other world."

Ben shakes his head.]

Nope. Dean got me the old fashioned way.

[scrutinously]

To be fair, we were - they got - ( He just shakes his hand, refusing to go down this road. ) How about we change the subject from anything old fashioned. ( Everyone at the table knows what sex is.

"Dude, sorry to break it to you, kids come from a whole host of..." Dean starts, before thinking better of it. "Ben's in town for Christmas, though. Came down with his mom, stepdad, BFF..." he also lets trail off, because is that awkward now, too? )

[acdc_rules]

[No, BFF is fine. It'd not like they're not going to meet him anyway.]

Along with a whole lot of other people, it seems like. The B&B is almost full.

[Elena nods. "Greta will probably sing our praises. She's never this busy for the holidays."]

[unforgivably]

Heard every room's booked.

( He makes a face at that, because, kind of cool for it to be.

"Sam's shacking up at Chez Beacon Hills. Lockwood's still have space, though. Like, all the space," Dean adds. "Graduation was held there and - man. Rich white people." )

[acdc_rules]

This town is the epitome of rich white people.

[He then glances over to Elena.]

No offense.

[Elena shakes her head. "None taken. You're not wrong."

Ben really hopes not every room is booked though. But that's not for this conversation.]

[unforgivably]

There are the exceptions, but, yeah, they uh - they've gotten better. Historical society's more well-rounded. Council's back. ( A beat. ) Town beautification and historical some such or other. It's about letting the darker legacy -- acknowledge it, shine the light but don't...

( It works and it doesn't. )