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.]
( 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. )
[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).]
[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?"]
( 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. )
[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."
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? )
( 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.")
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...
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( 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.
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[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.
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( 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.
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Is the new owner going against the grain?
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( He doesn't miss the pictures on the menu, though. It does look... more modern. Less small town. )
Prices went up, too.
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[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?
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( But, New Orleans has been good. )
The kids found me with someone.
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[Which is a good sign, in her opinion.]
Someone special?
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( And they only know their first names. )
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[Sincerely.]
Seems like it's been good for you.
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( Eye opening. ) I talk, Cami listens. ( He pauses, looking at his kids. ) I'm in therapy with Klaus' wife.
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[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.
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Yeah, well, it was a long time coming.
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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?"]
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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.
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["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."]
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( 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?
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"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.
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"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? )
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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."]
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( 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." )
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[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.]
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( It works and it doesn't. )
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[That's at least ... something.
Stephanie shrugs. "I think they could try harder, but that's a completely different town council."]
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( He'd love to hear about that. )
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