only death can part us now

[patrols]

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pre-wedding

[braveandstupid]

lawrence | elena & damon

[braveandstupid]

[Elena has been trying not to be pushy when it comes to the kids. She calls and they FaceTime and they talk, but it’s not the same as spending quality time with them in person. She understands why they chose New Orleans over Kansas.

But her Christmas adventures have had the hospital being a little less lenient with when she can take time off and the peds attending that would normally cover her requested a family vacation three months ago. She can’t really justify slipping away for a weekend in New Orleans for her birthday.

So time to ask and see if they’d be willing to come see her. The other complication being that Damon’s birthday is within a few days of hers, but given that she’s the one with a real job and Damon’s lifestyle is a little more flexible so it can’t hurt to ask, could it?

So, while standing in the kitchen waiting for her coffee to brew on her day off, she pulls up her phone and calls Damon.]

[unforgivably]

( As far as Damon's concerned, he chooses what's best for his kids - and he feels it being their decision was what was best. He encourages them to call their mom, to check in, to text when they can. He's not a dad who hovers, though he does have an awful lot of time on his hands. So, he meets Gray on campus for lunch while he audits a class. And he tries to connect with Stefanie on her level, letting her come to him. He gets a bigger place for the three of them so nobody is underfoot and he finds that to be a blessing in disguise. He always liked roominess.

He finds he checks in with Elena when he can, both in life and her job, and with the kids if she wants updates. He hopes they're sending her updates.

As for Damon's lifestyle, he's been "parenting" and dating.

Both kids are off doing something. He'd connected them to Josie and Hope and he knows that girl Erica is in town, too. So, they're not on a leash. He thinks today they're going to see some house some of the kids (not his) are moving into. He really tries not to hover. He should probably ask more, though, shouldn't he?

He does know what's coming right around the corner, however, so he's not surprised by the call. As he answers, he counts his lucky stars, and hopes it's not some supernatural calamity. )

Mr. Mom, at your service.

[braveandstupid]

Hey, Damon.

[There's still a pang as he says it, perhaps something akin to jealousy, but she shakes it off for now. She's doing this to try and become closer.]

I know you've probably been busy with the wedding, but I wanted to talk about our birthdays if you have a sec?

[unforgivably]

( He recognizes how she might take that and instantly regrets the moniker, telling himself to move forward. )

I have several seconds. Happy almost.

[braveandstupid]

Great.

[She takes a deep breath.]

So I'm not going to be able to get off work and come down to you guys. I tried but the other peds attending put in for vacation months ago so someone needs to be here to cover. Do you think that you guys would be willing to come to me instead?

[She's trying not to be prepared for disappointment, but she can't help but feel like she's bracing herself waiting for the answer.]

battlecreek | ben & dickerson

[acdc_rules]

[Six months of breathing room has been good for Ben.

He and Dean have hit an even keel, in terms of staying in touch and rebuilding their relationship. Dean’s been spending more time back in Kansas and on the road, but they’re talking and that’s what matters. Therapy has been helping too.

As for what Dickerson was offering, Ben finds himself opening more to the idea. He hasn’t done anything about it, yet. Hasn’t made the move. But he’s found himself thinking about it more and more, which is progress.

Now, however, he’s waiting at the bar for Dickerson to arrive, on the phone with Elena as they solidify the plans for a few weeks from now, but as he spots his friend coming in the door, he shifts to end the call.]

Yeah, Elena. No problem. Talk to you soon.

[He hangs up and gives his friend a nod.]

Hey. Want to take a road trip in a couple weeks?

[camber]

( Dickerson has balanced his preoccupation over Ben's decision-making with a deeper study and foray into local hunting (relying on Sam's deeper, local bench), his actual job, taking hours at the garage (maybe he is spending more time with Ben that way...), and bothering Helene on his day's off. Maybe she can read his face or underneath all his casual bravado. But, hell if he's told her where he's at. Where he left Ben at. Where that ball is. That there's a ball.

But, sometimes, when it's just him and Ben and Helene's on the other side of the bar -- it's like she has a sixth sense. Like she knows they're in the long-drawn out boring part of the soap opera.

Except, not at all, because he hunts and Ben's dad is a hunter and neither of their lives are what you'd call regular. Right now he wouldn't have it any other way. He's happy to have Ben in his life no matter what. He's not ready to move on, but he'd be able to if it came down to it.

He nods to Ben as he weaves around some surprise twenty-top - rude to the regulars - and takes a seat next to him. )

Maybe. Probably. ...Depends. Where are we road tripping?

[acdc_rules]

Kansas.

[About a twelve hour drive. Ben could make it alone, but he doesn't really want to.]

Elena's birthday is the twenty-second. She's inviting some people out and asked if I'd come.

[Dean and Elena came to him for Dean's birthday. He figures it's his turn to return the favor.]

[camber]

( He did hear Elena's name, but he didn't want to assume. Now, more to not assume. He just wants to get everything straight here. )

And you want me to come with.

[acdc_rules]

Yeah.

[He is asking you, after all.]

Unless you don't think you can get off work or something.

new orleans | mia, josh & aiden

[blackstarred]

[Mia and Zoe get into New Orleans late the day before the bachelorette party and spend most of the early morning sleeping off the time change. Fortunately, Lindsay decided on an evening event for her bachelorette so that gives her some time to go and meet Josh and Aiden for lunch.

Leaving Zoe coordinating something for her father that couldn’t wait until she was back from vacation, Mia steps out onto the streets of New Orleans and makes her way to the bistro Josh recommended when they arranged this trip. It’s been almost a year since she’s been back in New Orleans, and the last time she saw Josh and Aiden it had been a sea of blood and fighting hunters.

It’s nice to see them in a slightly more social setting, even if they still have serious things to talk about.

She lets herself into the bistro and spots them at the table, making her way over with a smile.]

Hey. Long time.

[vampasm]

( He's not sure what they can get from Mia today, besides reassurance, but she's someone that's going through what they are, now. But, there are truths he carries with him despite any discrepancies. And they are thus: he is Josh, his husband is Aiden and they share a brilliant kid in Erroll. Davina and he and them are all alive and they are thriving in New Orleans. There are harder days than others when reality frays at the edges and they get their individual bouts of PTSD. But, they work through it together.

And maybe Mia can help. )

Hey, thanks for making the trek down here. Well, thanks for taking the time before all the fun. I know this is more unfun.

[blackstarred]

Not unfun, exactly.

[But not necessarily a different kind of fun either. She definitely wants to get to the bottom of this memory stuff, and given that it seems it might be becoming contagious, she can't help but be concerned.]

I had thought it was just me, but now there's you two and one more back home. It seems like all of this is ... spreading. Me and my uncle both want to know why.

[vampasm]

Us, too, but, we also don't want to mess with it. I love our life right now, even if he and I now share two different universes with ourselves. And each other. Aidan's was triggered by one of the consequences of a spell we sort of... threw ourselves head first into.

( He doesn't know how familiar she is with the witch-body situation. )

[blackstarred]

Wait, you guys remember two different timelines?

[That ... is new. She and Connor both remember the same timeline, at least as far as she's aware. Maybe they should compare notes at some point to be sure.

Aiden nods: "I remember a timeline where he was killed by a witch named Dahlia when Hope was a baby, and he remembers a timeline where I did."

Mia nods slowly.]

So it's not just fractured timelines from this Earth. It's full timelines potentially from other Earth's.

bachelor party | the ford brothers, cami, dawn & serena

[fullpockets]

[The bachelor party is meant to be low key. A quiet night on Rosseau’s upper floor that still allows them a view of the stage below. Mostly because all of Colm’s other ideas were shot down. Clearly his brothers don’t know how to have fun.

But this also the first time all of them have been together in the same room for quite some time, so they’re going to take advantage of it while they have it.

Evangeline comes up with another round of beers, and Bairre takes his, and turns it in his brother’s direction raising it with a smile.]

To the man of the hour. Congratulations, Beck. You’ve landed yourself a hell of a girl.

[And she’s clearly going to make him very happy.]

[telegraphs]

( All of Colm's ideas were young, cerebral, loud or, expensive - and Beck suspects any of the "concert" ideas were more about Colm seeing a band than celebrating his big brother's nuptials but he can hardly blame the lad. He's young and in New Orleans. Oh, except for the ghost tour. Beck also vetoed the ghost tour. As far as he's concerned, his brothers, his cousin, and dawn make a pretty damn good bachelor party.

He never saw the old Rousseau's but he likes the new and improved one. Top floor is his all night and they have a dedicated server.

He's worried which of his brothers will initiate the inevitable shots. He'd like to hold those off as long as he can.

He raises his own glass, cheeks flush. He never likes the attention on him. That's ol' Brogue's cuppa tea. But, he will endure for this. )

I should thank Buffy and Giles for finally keeping me in one place.

( Callahan and Bradan are nearest to railing. The upstairs bar sits empty, since they have a server. Cormac's sitting, legs dangling from one of the tables. Brogan's got one leg hiked up on a chair. They've all done this once with Bairre Jr. but not since they all became adults (of a sort.)

"They might've gotten you there, but you sealed the deal," Cormac says, reminding him that Ford men forge their own paths.

"She can give you a run for your money, she can," Callahan says behind a grin. )

[ooglyboogleys]

Hey, that goes both ways.

[Dawn leans back in the booth next to Cami, flashing him a grin.]

Lindsay needs someone to pin her down half the time, or she'll never eat and spend all her time solving puzzles.

["Usually the bloody kind," Carroll smirks, before leaning back on his booth. "Maybe they should both consider themselves lucky that Buffy is a good matchmaker."]

[telegraphs]

I had her download an app that reminds her to eat. Still doesn't listen to the bloody thing.

( She's always starving when she gets anywhere, but maybe that's slayer metabolism. )

Bloody, adjective.

( "Is that her game," Cormac asks? Was Buffy playing cupid?" )

[ooglyboogleys]

Intentionally? No, not really. But sometimes things work themselves out.

[Especially since Buffy's own misfortunes in romance are so prominent. But Dawn doesn't really mind - she thinks that it makes Buffy happy that this one worked out.

"Either way, it seems like the two of you are doing well here in New Orleans," Cami says as she sips her drink. "The factions are certainly happy."]

bachelorette party | lindsay, buffy, willow, cordelia, lucia, mia, faith, damon, chelsea

[unexpendable]

[Lindsay is a very particular person. She likes what she likes and she does actually really like her job. Give her a mystery to solve, and she’s happy as a clam. She has spent the past six months planning her wedding, it’s less than a week away, and so she is going to have some good, old-fashioned, Lindsay engineered fun.

So they’re going to a murder mystery party.

Lucia studies the outside of the meeting room where they’re heading, before looking back at the man of honor that made all the arrangements.]

There is booze at this thing, right?

[attainathons]

( "If there isn't, Lindsay will be one man of honor down," he says, utterly serious. Or, he'd come back with booze. One or the other.

Buffy likes her alcohol, but she's not a lush, so while she's good with it, it's not like a requirement. )

I like that we all get to be in costume. Are they going to assign us a character when we get inside?

( "They emailed us all our assignments, Buffy," Willow says, also eager to be let into the room for an old fashioned mystery. )

I didn't get an email. Did everyone get an email?

( "Maybe it went to junk," Faith says.

Buffy frowns, looking down at her outfit. She grumbles. )

With my luck, I dressed for the wrong part entirely.

( "Cheer up, Buffy, you could put a really quirky spin on a number of roles," Willow encourages, smiling. She keeps back that the shorter aspect of the skirt is probably anachronistic.

"Or, you can just be that role, but in costume. It is a party," Damon tries, helpfully? )

[letsbe_clear]

I think we can make it whatever we want to be.

[Cordelia eyes the other attendees arriving, and they're not dressed much differently from the rest of the group.]

Besides, the idea is to solve the murder, right? Or the fake murder.

["We better hope it's a fake murder," Lindsay sighs as she comes up closer. "I'm not looking to solve a real crime today."

"And as long as there's booze, we can all have a good time," Mia smirks, peering at the dinner menu. "Oooh, and good snacks."

"What she said," Lucia agrees as she starts to head towards the door. Cordy glances over the group as she goes to follow.]

Are we waiting for anyone else?

[attainathons]

Raise your hand for fake murder.

( Buffy says before Lindsay hopes the same thing. )

Snacks really are half the experience.

( Dawn taught her snacks are important.

"Lindsay, wasn't your sister coming?" Willow asks, knowing it's a sore subject, but, needing to know if they're waiting for one more. They don't want to enter without one of the guests. )