but oh what a year

[patrols]

Comments

[matriarchate]

You had your own little army.

( Kind of like when Beacon Hills stood up to - well, kind of each other. Nothing like it, than. )

Big snake meant apocalypse? ( A beat. ) What was the worst?

[letsbe_clear]

Probably the one where Sunnydale got cratered? I wasn't there for that one.

[She pauses.]

Buffy's very good at stopping them, but doesn't mean people don't get hurt.

[matriarchate]

People get hurt. Sometimes, it's unavoidable. But, it's about having the least amount of casualties.

( Allison keeps a lookout for who they were looking for ( may have forgotten, was it Lisa? ) while exchanging war stories. )

[letsbe_clear]

[Any of the Braedan family will suffice, they were initially digging for news on Dickerson. As Cordy scans the room, she spots Lisa and Rudy sitting nearby.]

Oh! There's Lisa.

[And she will guide Allison over with a smile.]

Lisa, Rudy, this is Allison.

["Ah!" Rudy smiles before extending a hand. "Nice to meet you."]

[matriarchate]

( That's right. Intel on Dean's son's friend at family Christmas.

"You're the famous Allison," she says, getting up from her seat to bring her in for a hug. "I feel like I've met you already, but I'm sure Cordelia already told you I mistook her for you," she says. )

She did. And, I don't mind. We'd never met. But, it's nice to meet you. ( Sometimes, hugging is awkward for Allison, but Lisa pulls back in time. ) This must be your husband?

[nextproject]

Yep. I'm a lucky guy.

[The luckiest in his opinion, but he's sure that every man feels that way about their wives.]

Are you from Mystic Falls also?

[matriarchate]

No, no. From all over, actually, but I finished high school in Beacon Hills, California. ( She claims it more than any other place she's lived. ) Sam and Dean worked for my father and I and then we sort of ended up on the same job.

( "You're a hunter?" Lisa asks, gesturing for the two women to sit. )

It's kind of in my blood.

[nextproject]

It seems to be a thing that runs in families. At least if you and the Winchesters are anything to go by.

[Cordy shrugs. "It depends on how you get started. There's definitely a lot of whiskey-soaked revenge nuts out here. Which is a different and distinct flavor from your usual whiskey-soaked hunter."]

[matriarchate]

And we know that personally. We were on the wrong side for a long time. I helped steer us into a better place.

( And she's proud of it. )

I heard about how Ben found Dean.

( "It was a shock to all of our systems," Lisa says, taking Rudy's hand. "But, we've made it here." In this gorgeous house with a bunch of strangers. And Dickerson. )

I met Ben, but I haven't met his friend - is it Dickerson?

( Real smooth, Allison.

"Yes, they're good friends." )

It sounds like it. Emotional support is important.

[nextproject]

They've been best friends for a long time. He's practically part of the family.

[Cordy nod, good play Allison. "Those are good friends to have. The people that stick with you are the ones worth keeping."

Rudy nods in agreement, and then the inner shrink kicks in.]

I agree. I'm glad they've been able to stay close. With young men especially, it can be hard to find that level of emotional intimacy.

[matriarchate]

They are. Even if you find them later. They can still mean so much.

( She thinks of Allison and of Scott. )

Not in my experience, but two of my friends are a big exception, if you've seen Stiles around here somewhere. He and Scott are -- emotionally intimate. ( She fondly smiles, but, gossip. She course corrects. ) It's cool, though, that they're that close he would bring Dickerson here. Not just with your family but with all the supernatural everything.

( "He brought what he found to Dickerson first who then uncovered a timeline of Dean and Sam's... behavior." She says, implying that Dickerson would have to be involved. "And he was there the morning he, Elena, and Castiel paid us a visit."

So. Angel. )

[nextproject]

["I, for one, can't wait to meet him. And to talk more with Ben." Cordy smiles. "Especially considering I didn't know Ben existed until you guys arrived."

Rudy smirks.]

I take it the Winchesters aren't the type to send out a Christmas newsletter.

[Rudy is though. Rudy loves a Christmas newsletter.]

[matriarchate]

It comes with the hunter territory. Keeping things quiet are ingrained in them. But, they're getting better at remembering it still takes a village.

( Outside of their hunter contacts. )

But, maybe, Cordy and I can - find Ben. I want to talk to him more, too. Make him feel welcome.

[nextproject]

Oh, of course. I think ...

[He looks up and over, trying to scan the room for his stepson, before pointing to where he's chatting with Dawn.]

There he is. Talking to Elena's brother's girlfriend.

[matriarchate]

Dawn. Yeah. Thank you. And please, have a wonderful time.

( She gives Cordy a look, at least they can come at it from this angle and hear from Ben. More gossip to go around.

Allison and Cordelia sidestep Laura and Derek to join Dawn and Ben in conversation.

On the couch, Lisa turns to her husband.

"Were they just grilling us information to find out if Ben and Dickerson weren't just friends?" )

[acdc_rules]

[Ben is meeting a lot of people.

It's hard to keep track of all the names, but he's learned to figure out the name priorities. If they're friends of Elena or Allison, he's trying less hard, not to be a dick but more because the odds of him seeing them again are probably low. But Allison is coming back again with Cordy on her arm, and Dawn turns to see Cordy and sighs.

"If you need to escape, the code word is 'banana.'"]

Banana? Really?

["You'd be surprised how hard it is to use it in a non-ridiculous way in a sentence. Unless, of course, you're talking about the fruit." Dawn flashes a grin at Cordy once she slides into ear shot. "Plus it'll confuse her long enough for us to slip away."

Cordy grins. "I'll have you know I'm considered a very comfortable presence, Dawn."

"Sure you are." Dawn then addresses the other person with her. "Hi, Allison."]

[matriarchate]

Hey Dawn. I would vouch for Cordelia's comfortability, but this is our first extended period of time together. I'm liking it so far, though. No notes. Hey, Ben.

( A nice wave and then a very subtle, simple, easy lean. She's in the conversation now. )

[letsbe_clear]

Unfortunately, Dawn has known me too long.

["I have. She went to high school with Buffy." That's maybe more for Ben's benefit than it is Allison's, depending on the conversations they've had at the bunker, but now everyone is on the same page.]

There are many things about that time in our lives that we would all like to forget.

[Ben smirks. "Isn't that true of everyone's high school experience?"]

[matriarchate]

What was she like in high school?

( That sounds like a mini story, and one Dawn might animatedly explain. She'll circle back to all things Ben. Maybe Ben cares! )

[letsbe_clear]

["Not all that different, honestly," Dawn smirks. "Maybe a little less empathy and a little more self-centeredness but still the same level of tact."

Cordy shrugs.]

I'm not gonna sugar coat someone's feelings just to make them feel better. In my experience, it doesn't do anyone any favors. You also left out my terrible romantic choices.

[Dawn makes a face. "But that would mean acknowledging my own."

Ben takes a sip of his beer. "Does anyone make good romantic choices in high school?"]

[nextproject]

I think they were just fishing for information in general.

[Harmlessly, if Rudy's radar is anything to go by. Not all gossip is bad gossip, and they are new arrivals to this group.]

They may just want to properly categorize how everyone is connected. A very human process when new members are added to a community.

[enate]

A human process among all the - more non-human. I don't know, I might use the motherly instinct card. ( She smirks though, cuddling close with her glass of wine to her chest. ) I feel like he's enjoying himself, though. Ben? Like it's not too much?

[nextproject]

Yeah, I think he's doing okay.

[He tucks his arm around her and pulls her closer.]

For a crazy day, he's handled all of it pretty well.

[enate]

At least Dean warned us it would be crazier than he had anticipated. Forty instead of twenty.

( And extended people extended from them. )

Thank you. For coming with us. And for being there for him. And his friends. How did I get so lucky?

[nextproject]

Right place, right time. I like to think I'm the lucky one.

[Because Lisa is great and Ben is also great.]

And I'm just glad that Dean is making the effort. It does seem like he wants to do better this time.