but oh what a year

[patrols]

Comments

[marinates]

You should be sure. Slayers come with baggage. And targets on their backs.

( But. Who is he to question Stefan? He wanted Lily. And that put a target on his. )

[somanyadjectives]

I'd rather dodge bullets with her than be without her.

[Because, he's well aware that target is there.]

Everything else we can figure out as we go.

[marinates]

Always the romantic, at heart. Sounds like you deserve each other. And I do mean that from the bottom of my once again unbeating heart.

( And that's the last of that. )

We should be getting to that party, shouldn't we. Do you need any help with transport?

[geminated]

[The timer goes off and Stefan nods, passing over a roll of tin foil as he goes to pull the last one from the oven.

"Please."

It doesn't take much for them to get everything packed up and over to the Lockwood house. Once they're inside, and get the food to the kitchen, a wreath of blond curls pokes around the door.]

Hey, Salvatore. I owe you a drink.

[She then glances over and gives Enzo a friendly smile.]

Nice to see you again, Enzo.

[marinates]

Olivia Parker. Hitched your wagon to Lockwood yet?

( As in, did you get hitched? )

[geminated]

It's not going anywhere else.

[It's a very indirect answer to the question, because yes, she and Tyler are still together but no, they're not married.

She passes a glass to Stefan after he drops off the food. She lifts her glass and clinks it to his before nodding to Enzo.]

Drink for you too?

[marinates]

Always. It's a celebration. A celebration without drinks is not a celebration at all. And, considering there are a number of us who are back from the dead, I'd like to avoid all signs of a funeral. So, merriment and drink. What say you, Stefan?

( Don't sadsack the day away! You already did a damn good job at the pasta! )

[geminated]

["I fully intend to make merry." Stefan then gestures to his face. "This confusion is more me trying to figure out why she owes me a drink."]

Oh, that's easy. You put my sister over a barrel.

[Stefan blinks at her again and she smirks.]

Jo giving all of us news when she doesn't have all the answers that mean it's going to be immediately fine? No, she doesn't do that unless she knows someone else is going to make her look bad. Like, for example, a certain vampire creating a group chat involving the boyfriend of one of her siblings who is absolutely going to spill the beans to her.

["Oh," Stefan smirks. "Is that all it takes?"]

Pretty much.

[marinates]

( Enzo looks from Liv to Stefan and back again. What? )

That was not easy to follow.

[geminated]

[Liv apologetically passes Enzo a drink. She's not sure how much he's heard about what's going on so she'll keep it simple:]

Did we ever tell you about Kai? I can't remember if you were around for that.

[marinates]

Minimally. Was I a bit Lily-whipped at the time.

( Among other things. He was -- there, but not right there. He was on the outskirts of everyone. )

[geminated]

Right. So Kai is my brother, and my sister's twin. He lost the merge to Jo twenty years ago. We broke the curse that caused them to merge in the first place recently and it's caused them to become un-merged. Mostly.

[She takes another sip of her drink.]

Stefan went down to help them sort out what was going on, and we, the rest of the family, received the news in a rather expedient manner, and when I went to tell Tyler I realize that he had already found out in a group text from Stefan. And that was when I started doing some math and realized that she probably asked him not to tell Tyler so she could put off telling me.

[Stefan winces before nodding. "That she did."]

And Stefan refused, so she had to tell us so that she didn't look bad. Hence, being rewarded with bourbon.

[marinates]

( Okay, this vaguely makes sense. Jo's swings, he remembers. )

And being put over a barrel.

( That, he was able to follow. )

Well, we can always count on Stefan to say the hard thing, even it gets someone else into trouble.

[geminated]

That's such a nice way to call him a dick.

[Stefan laughs, before pointing towards Liv. "I think that might be a little closer to the mark."]

Anyway, Kai is still a problem, but at least I'm glad I know about it. If I don't hear from Jo in the next two days, I'm going up to Williamsburg to make sure Kai hasn't stabbed Ric to death.

[Stefan makes a face. "He was incredibly ... mellow. Honestly if I didn't know better, I would think he changed."]

Yeah, forgive me for not trusting that the guy who murdered my sister and brother in front of me has turned over a new leaf.

[marinates]

He does what he has to, but not in the oftentimes reckless way, his brother does.

( More points in Stefan's favor. )

Well now, he's free of Jo's mind and that curse. And didn't that curse build in... parameters?

[somanyadjectives]

For right now, it seems that he and Jo are still at least a little connected. Anything done to him, she feels. I'm not sure if that's just a lingering effect of the curse being broken or that's they're new normal.

[Would certainly suck for Jo if it was.]

But it benefits Kai in the sense that all the people who want to just murder him can't without also hurting someone we care about.

[marinates]

Anything? And vice versa?

( That feels like it comes with strings. )

Talk about being off of the hook.

[somanyadjectives]

None of us like it. But as long as he stays away from Elena and Bonnie and the remainder of his living siblings, we'll allow it. We don't really have a choice.

["And his nieces. Definitely don't want him near the nieces either." Liv adds with a sigh. "Fortunately both of them are very far from him right now."]

[marinates]

I'll remember that, should I ever see him coming for his family or his nieces.

( He feels not qualified for this. But all information is useful if you want it to be. )

[somanyadjectives]

I wouldn't worry too much. I doubt he'll be anywhere near your vacation plans.

[Melanie is as far from a Kai priority as you can get.]

Maybe by the time you get back this will all be resolved.

[marinates]

I wasn't worried, mate, but that is a comfort.

( Kai's priorities are very narrow. )

Maybe I won't get back.

[somanyadjectives]

I wouldn't blame you if so.

[Liv makes a face because she would blame him if so, but the door is opening and more people are wandering through, so she's wandering off to start greeting people.

The party begins to wander and people shift into their various groups and eventually Stefan finds himself alone in a side room with Grayson Gilbert. He hesitates because he knows this conversation is one that they put off in favor of rescuing Elena, but he still is a bit nervous to have it.]

Dr. Gilbert. How was the drive in?

[founderscouncil]

( The memory is fuzzy, and shaded in blue, but it's there. Stefan's face is the one that dove down and saved Elena. He'd chosen that for his daughter.

Knowing where he came from, giving Elena another chance - and then knowing where that got her. He could blame the vampires for that. But, Elena couldn't control how much she looked like Katherine, or that Klaus would have eventually needed and found her. A lot of that frustration and the sour taste in his mouth has let up considerably. But he still doesn't know how to take Stefan. Or what to do with him. She's moved on from the vampire loves of her life to a hunter - and he can't decide if that puts his daughter's life in more danger.

But her being kidnapped had nothing to do with Stefan or Damon. Or, Dean, for that matter. Only for who she is. )

Easy. Flat. ( Kind of long. He has a lot to thank him for and his eyes say most of it, but he knows better than to let thanks linger. Stefan is owed this, as are a few others in this party. And the sooner he gets it out, the sooner they can talk about anything else. ) Thank you for helping in Baltimore.

[somanyadjectives]

Of course.

[It's Elena. He would do anything for Elena.]

Thank you for trusting me with it. I know what we were asking of you was hard.

[Being asked to sit on your hands and trust other people to do the job you want to be doing is easy.]

[founderscouncil]

We would've been in the way.

( Or, killed again. That's something he can easily wave away. Not a factor. )

It's hard, for Elena's mother and I, knowing that choosing for you to save her didn't make her life any easier. Or better.