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Wait, what? [Something like this she'd expect to be about Klaus, but Elijah has typically taken the role of peacemaker in the family--as much of one as there ever can be, anyway. So to hear the threat, the quiet certainty with which Kol delivers it, catches Cami off guard.]
Kol, what happened?
Kol, what happened?
He's bloody gone mental - the sod hunted me down and attacked me.
[ Is that a hint of fear in his voice? ]
Thought he was going to try to snap me neck. He and the rest of my family can very well piss off for all I care.
[ Is that a hint of fear in his voice? ]
Thought he was going to try to snap me neck. He and the rest of my family can very well piss off for all I care.
Elijah did? [It's not that she doesn't believe him; Kol's a trickster, but with how he's acting? Cami thinks that what he's telling her is what he believes to be the truth. The complication comes in with the fact that Elijah, while still a Mikaelson, has typically been the most controlled of the lot.]
You don't want them to piss off. You're just saying that because you're angry. [In truth Kol cares a lot, and beyond being afraid he must also feel very betrayed.] Tell me what happened exactly.
You don't want them to piss off. You're just saying that because you're angry. [In truth Kol cares a lot, and beyond being afraid he must also feel very betrayed.] Tell me what happened exactly.
That's what I bloody said, isn't it?! [ Pay attention, woman.
She's right, and he knows it, but it doesn't mean he'll agree with her so instead he simply lets that point go. ] I announced Beks had gone home, and he got in all sorts of a tizzy over me calling her a strumpet. Not in the mood - I hung up on him, and then the proper sod found me and attacked me!
She's right, and he knows it, but it doesn't mean he'll agree with her so instead he simply lets that point go. ] I announced Beks had gone home, and he got in all sorts of a tizzy over me calling her a strumpet. Not in the mood - I hung up on him, and then the proper sod found me and attacked me!
[She is paying attention, Kol. That's why she's being very thorough about breaking all of this down rather than snapping at him not to yell at her, thank you very much.]
Kol, try to focus. [She wants to tell him to calm down, but given their general relationship, she doubts seriously that would work. So instead she tries to get him to talk through what happened, not only to try and discern what's going on with Elijah, but also to let Kol vent given how clearly rattled he is.] If we're going to figure out what's going on, I need to know everything. He started a fight with you, you hung up, and he came after you. Did he say anything before he attacked you, or after?
Kol, try to focus. [She wants to tell him to calm down, but given their general relationship, she doubts seriously that would work. So instead she tries to get him to talk through what happened, not only to try and discern what's going on with Elijah, but also to let Kol vent given how clearly rattled he is.] If we're going to figure out what's going on, I need to know everything. He started a fight with you, you hung up, and he came after you. Did he say anything before he attacked you, or after?
[It's been weighing on her.
Those who knew of the dalliance are long-gone and those involved have, similarly, flown Wonderland's coop. Normally Evelyn might attempt to compartmentalise her own issues in a way most befitting an Englishwoman, but with the arrival of her husband in early December she is forced into the uncomfortable position of confronting the consequences of her choices. She cannot keep it from him; the backbone of her relationship with Rick is trust.
More than therapy Evelyn needs advice, lacking a confidante who might best comprehend her situation.]
Cami, it's Evelyn O'Connell. I should like to solicit your opinion on something, if I may.
Those who knew of the dalliance are long-gone and those involved have, similarly, flown Wonderland's coop. Normally Evelyn might attempt to compartmentalise her own issues in a way most befitting an Englishwoman, but with the arrival of her husband in early December she is forced into the uncomfortable position of confronting the consequences of her choices. She cannot keep it from him; the backbone of her relationship with Rick is trust.
More than therapy Evelyn needs advice, lacking a confidante who might best comprehend her situation.]
Cami, it's Evelyn O'Connell. I should like to solicit your opinion on something, if I may.
Oh, hey Evelyn. [Cami doesn't need too long to answer the phone; she tries not to leave messages unanswered, given just how reluctant some people are to turn to her at all. Evelyn counts among that number, jaded by her experiences in Wonderland, but Cami's not entirely surprised the woman would have a reason to reach out. After all, she's spoken to Rick O'Connell, and while Cami herself shows it's possible to share that last name and not be related--is it really possible for three of them to be in this realm without a single pre-existing connection?]
Of course; do you want to meet somewhere? [While it may not be easier to confide things in person, Cami's found most people still prefer it. It feels more grounded and real than simply talking to a voice over the phones, although Cami would happily stick to communication-via-distance if that's the woman's preference.]
Of course; do you want to meet somewhere? [While it may not be easier to confide things in person, Cami's found most people still prefer it. It feels more grounded and real than simply talking to a voice over the phones, although Cami would happily stick to communication-via-distance if that's the woman's preference.]
[Fully aware of the fact that she's spoken to Cami very little since their last deep conversation on vampiric visitors, Evelyn feels oddly guilty about contacting her now, for help, no less. With few female friends and no notion of how to acquire them it is difficult for her to reach out.]
Your office, perhaps? Or if not there, somewhere else mildly private, I'd- ...I'd prefer if the information disclosed was done so in person.
Your office, perhaps? Or if not there, somewhere else mildly private, I'd- ...I'd prefer if the information disclosed was done so in person.
[Evelyn may feel guilty, but on Cami's end there's neither hesitation nor doubt. People come to her sometimes, and sometimes she goes to them, but she's learned she can't really force the issue so much as she might want to in some cases. Sure, she does her bit to strongarm certain stubborn people, but for the most part Cami operates on a philosophy of waiting until people are ready.]
My office is fine; we'll be on our own in there. [In person, discreetly, secretly: Cami can already tell whatever she wants to talk about is weighing heavily on Evelyn. Better that the woman feel as comfortable as possible, at least about her environment.] Meet you in ten?
My office is fine; we'll be on our own in there. [In person, discreetly, secretly: Cami can already tell whatever she wants to talk about is weighing heavily on Evelyn. Better that the woman feel as comfortable as possible, at least about her environment.] Meet you in ten?
[ It's been a day. Dean's birthday, to be specific, which hits Sam like a hammer to the head and rings there for hours and hours. He tries to avoid it, goes inside, outside, walks the dogs, reads over old notes, has a drink, stares at his ceiling in a confusing daze. Not much distracts from the fact that his brother's gone and hasn't come back yet and that today is a good (bad) day to reminiscence about all the crap they'd been through together in Wonderland. About what Dean might be going through back home, remembering nothing of the bizarre mansion and its people.
It's one of those people that he sends a message to later in the day, brows furrowed and a feeling of being lost weighing on his mind. ]
Hey. You free to talk?
It's one of those people that he sends a message to later in the day, brows furrowed and a feeling of being lost weighing on his mind. ]
Hey. You free to talk?
[She's honestly a little surprised to get the text; Cami and Sam have become better friends, but he's always kept her at arms length when it comes to--well, anything. His own death, Dean's becoming a demon, then the latter's disappearance. All of it Sam's tried to shoulder on his own, with Cami calling him on his attempts to pretend he's okay while he does. So to get a message like this out of the blue is a shock and concern alike; if he wants to talk, she has to worry about just what's happened that's so bad he's willing to.]
Yeah, I'm free. Want to meet somewhere? [She doubts he's going to come knocking on the door to her office, but Cami's flexible.]
Yeah, I'm free. Want to meet somewhere? [She doubts he's going to come knocking on the door to her office, but Cami's flexible.]
That's very kind of you, yes. I'll be in shortly.
[Far be it from Evelyn to desire to come across as an imposition, but she has so few people to talk to about this particular subject and that talking about it in general feels like a failing on her own part. Evelyn comes from a society that seeks to address private matters in private spaces, if at all. There's a reason "stiff upper lip" is a popular turn of phrase.
Not ten minutes later she dithers outside Cami's office, hesitating before knocking thrice, wringing her hands in front of her.]
[Far be it from Evelyn to desire to come across as an imposition, but she has so few people to talk to about this particular subject and that talking about it in general feels like a failing on her own part. Evelyn comes from a society that seeks to address private matters in private spaces, if at all. There's a reason "stiff upper lip" is a popular turn of phrase.
Not ten minutes later she dithers outside Cami's office, hesitating before knocking thrice, wringing her hands in front of her.]
Alright.
[Out at the car probably means he's thinking about Dean; the Impala is the closest tie Sam has to his brother, and knowing that only fuels Cami's concern. So she heads outside after putting on a scarf and a sweater to fight against that cold, her hands in her pockets as she approaches the car where Sam's perched.]
Hey. [She grins at Sam, taking a second to look him over. It's about what she might expect, even if Cami still doesn't know the specific reason.] Okay, out with it. What's going on?
[Out at the car probably means he's thinking about Dean; the Impala is the closest tie Sam has to his brother, and knowing that only fuels Cami's concern. So she heads outside after putting on a scarf and a sweater to fight against that cold, her hands in her pockets as she approaches the car where Sam's perched.]
Hey. [She grins at Sam, taking a second to look him over. It's about what she might expect, even if Cami still doesn't know the specific reason.] Okay, out with it. What's going on?
[Honestly, Cami's not surprised the knock comes earlier than expected. While Cami had left their first meeting with a favorable impression of Evelyn, they hadn't become fast friends. Cami had explained the workings of compulsion and how to prevent it, and Evelyn opened up a bit about a feeling of hopelessness, and a fear to trust. They haven't talked in the interim, so whatever has brought Evelyn to Cami's door now has to be urgent, even vital.
Which is why she won't give the woman much chance to change her mind; almost immediately after Evelyn knocks, Cami opens the doors with a small smile.]
Hey; come in. [Standing aside long enough to usher Evelyn in, Cami closes the door to ensure the promised privacy.] You can sit anywhere you'd like. I've got coffee and tea if you'd like something to drink?
Which is why she won't give the woman much chance to change her mind; almost immediately after Evelyn knocks, Cami opens the doors with a small smile.]
Hey; come in. [Standing aside long enough to usher Evelyn in, Cami closes the door to ensure the promised privacy.] You can sit anywhere you'd like. I've got coffee and tea if you'd like something to drink?
[ Yes, it's about what she'd expect. A Winchester, beer in hand, adorned with flannel, propped on the top of an old car. He's the picture of a family stereotype. ]
Hey. [ He offers a weak grin, sliding off the Impala.
Well, no point beating around the bush. She'll see right through it, anyway. ]
Today's Dean's birthday. [ Sam shrugs, as if to say "what can you do?" ] I just- You know.
[ He knows that she knows. ]
Hey. [ He offers a weak grin, sliding off the Impala.
Well, no point beating around the bush. She'll see right through it, anyway. ]
Today's Dean's birthday. [ Sam shrugs, as if to say "what can you do?" ] I just- You know.
[ He knows that she knows. ]
[Evelyn, who is familiar with what psychiatrists do but not altogether confident in whether or not they accomplish the purpose of their studies*, is hesitant for all manner of reason: not least of which is the fact that she has been trained to avoid emotional confrontations unless in a secluded space, with very specific people.
One doesn't just confess deep, dark secrets to strangers.
*In all fairness, Evelyn's experience with psychiatrists is limited to psychological articles from the late 1920s and conversations with Hannibal Lecter, who, as all parties know, is a horrible human being and cannibalistic serial murderer.]
Thank you, ah- tea would be...would be lovely,
[she adds politely, stepping inside and examining the room's interior.]
I'm afraid I'm not well-versed in psychiatric practises, this is very new to me.
One doesn't just confess deep, dark secrets to strangers.
*In all fairness, Evelyn's experience with psychiatrists is limited to psychological articles from the late 1920s and conversations with Hannibal Lecter, who, as all parties know, is a horrible human being and cannibalistic serial murderer.]
Thank you, ah- tea would be...would be lovely,
[she adds politely, stepping inside and examining the room's interior.]
I'm afraid I'm not well-versed in psychiatric practises, this is very new to me.
[Under different circumstances, it might not be such a bad stereotype to live up to. Take that image and give it the backdrop of a sunny day, maybe in a world not founded on the notion of insanity, and someone might think he's just relaxing in the warmth.
But Cami does know, all too well, the pain of birthdays gone by without her twin there to celebrate them. Sam only needs to get the first part out before Cami closes her eyes, sighing even as she nods her head.]
Yeah. Sam, I'm sorry. [Dean hasn't gone back to a world that's kind to him--and certainly not a situation where he'll show mercy to others. Now Sam's here without him, alone, without even the comfort that comes from thinking that somehow, things would be okay in their own world.]
I'm kind of surprised you're sticking to beer. [She forces a small grin, then nods towards the Impala.] But if you've got any more of those, I can at least keep you from drinking alone.
But Cami does know, all too well, the pain of birthdays gone by without her twin there to celebrate them. Sam only needs to get the first part out before Cami closes her eyes, sighing even as she nods her head.]
Yeah. Sam, I'm sorry. [Dean hasn't gone back to a world that's kind to him--and certainly not a situation where he'll show mercy to others. Now Sam's here without him, alone, without even the comfort that comes from thinking that somehow, things would be okay in their own world.]
I'm kind of surprised you're sticking to beer. [She forces a small grin, then nods towards the Impala.] But if you've got any more of those, I can at least keep you from drinking alone.
Of course. [The keurig Cami keeps in the office makes it easy enough to put together. She picks out a cup of chamomile, figuring that anything she could offer to help Eveyln relax would be a good idea at this point. Even during those few moments when she's not facing the woman, it's difficult not to feel her tension.]
Well, it's pretty simple on the surface. [She glances over her shoulder at Evelyn, offering a warm smile. She isn't the first nervous patient to cross Cami's threshold.] First, you keep two things in mind: you should keep breathing, and it's okay to be honest. Nothing you say leaves this room. [Unless Evelyn presents some sort of danger to someone, but Cami really can't see that happening. Evelyn's a strong woman to be sure, but she doesn't give the impression of someone who means to do harm.]
First and foremost, I'm here to listen. One of the most basic therapeutic exercises is just getting whatever's bugging you so much out into the open. [The tea finishes pouring, and Cami picks up the cup to offer it to Evelyn.] So sit down, stand up, walk around--whatever feels comfortable. And talk to me.
Well, it's pretty simple on the surface. [She glances over her shoulder at Evelyn, offering a warm smile. She isn't the first nervous patient to cross Cami's threshold.] First, you keep two things in mind: you should keep breathing, and it's okay to be honest. Nothing you say leaves this room. [Unless Evelyn presents some sort of danger to someone, but Cami really can't see that happening. Evelyn's a strong woman to be sure, but she doesn't give the impression of someone who means to do harm.]
First and foremost, I'm here to listen. One of the most basic therapeutic exercises is just getting whatever's bugging you so much out into the open. [The tea finishes pouring, and Cami picks up the cup to offer it to Evelyn.] So sit down, stand up, walk around--whatever feels comfortable. And talk to me.
[A psychiatrist, it seems, is a confidante without connexion. Someone far removed enough from a situation so as to view it with a more critical eye, and does that serve her purpose better, to be judged by someone who is permitted a certain lengthy proximity from her problems? How do they remain objective?
Perhaps these questions are better left unasked, as Evelyn isn't certain she wants the answers to them.
It's a safe space.]
Thank you,
[she receives the cup gratefully and grips its warmth with desperation. Predisposed to pacing when fraught Evelyn considers that it might be better to gather her thoughts while taking a small a turn about the room.]
I'm not entirely sure where to start, it- [It goes further than Rick.] ...I've been here a very long time.
[Pausing by a window Evelyn chews her lip, fingernails curling against the tea cup.]
Back home I'm- I'm very happily married, I have a son, but until very recently here I have never been lucky enough to be graced with family or friends. Wonderland has not been...kind to me...in that regard. Which- it's difficult, at times. Seeing so many others with kith and kin.
[It's lonely.]
Perhaps these questions are better left unasked, as Evelyn isn't certain she wants the answers to them.
It's a safe space.]
Thank you,
[she receives the cup gratefully and grips its warmth with desperation. Predisposed to pacing when fraught Evelyn considers that it might be better to gather her thoughts while taking a small a turn about the room.]
I'm not entirely sure where to start, it- [It goes further than Rick.] ...I've been here a very long time.
[Pausing by a window Evelyn chews her lip, fingernails curling against the tea cup.]
Back home I'm- I'm very happily married, I have a son, but until very recently here I have never been lucky enough to be graced with family or friends. Wonderland has not been...kind to me...in that regard. Which- it's difficult, at times. Seeing so many others with kith and kin.
[It's lonely.]
[ He does have more (of course he does). Sam takes a minute to produce another bottle, uses a key to snap off the top, before hanging it to her with a curt nod. ]
Beer's fine. [ Sam offers, noncommittal. He takes a swig and stares out ahead, trying to gather his many, crowding thoughts. Beer is fine because it reminds him of home and of long drives with his brother, of easier times on the road in between simple hunts. It's been a long time since those days. ]
I miss being able to drive. [ He says finally. ] Back home, we don't even go around that much. We've finally found a bunker to hole up in where our grandfather used to work, and it's... great, actually, but it's not the same.
[ Not to mention Wonderland, with its lack of space to ride around even if you do have a car. ]
Beer's fine. [ Sam offers, noncommittal. He takes a swig and stares out ahead, trying to gather his many, crowding thoughts. Beer is fine because it reminds him of home and of long drives with his brother, of easier times on the road in between simple hunts. It's been a long time since those days. ]
I miss being able to drive. [ He says finally. ] Back home, we don't even go around that much. We've finally found a bunker to hole up in where our grandfather used to work, and it's... great, actually, but it's not the same.
[ Not to mention Wonderland, with its lack of space to ride around even if you do have a car. ]
[Evelyn remains as quick to pick upon things as Cami had seen when they first met. In that one explanation she understands, though of course Cami has no way of knowing this for sure until Evelyn speaks again. She nods in response to the gratitude for the drink, stepping back once the cup is out of her hands. Evelyn chooses to stand, so Cami quietly sits in the chair that offers her the best view of the other woman, meaning to make herself unobtrusive. By doing so Evelyn would hopefully lose herself in the spoken thoughts, thus revealing more than she might were Cami's presence more blatant.
It works. In those first few sentences Cami can already guess where this might be going, and she understands far better than Evelyn probably realizes. Not because Cami is married or has children--neither is the case. But she knows what it's like to be on her own, both in Wonderland and back home. Sean's death, and Kieran's: both taught her that lesson long before Wonderland left her as the sole captive from her world.]
It makes you ache with the certainty of how alone you are. [Her voice is quiet, playing at being a continuation to the thought rather than an intrusion into it.] Even when you're surrounded by friends, in the end, there's no one else who really understands. Not like someone you've shared your life with outside of Wonderland. People you love.
It works. In those first few sentences Cami can already guess where this might be going, and she understands far better than Evelyn probably realizes. Not because Cami is married or has children--neither is the case. But she knows what it's like to be on her own, both in Wonderland and back home. Sean's death, and Kieran's: both taught her that lesson long before Wonderland left her as the sole captive from her world.]
It makes you ache with the certainty of how alone you are. [Her voice is quiet, playing at being a continuation to the thought rather than an intrusion into it.] Even when you're surrounded by friends, in the end, there's no one else who really understands. Not like someone you've shared your life with outside of Wonderland. People you love.
Yes, [she agrees, and the word is hushed.] People you love.
[Both hands wrapped around her cuppa Evelyn takes a wary sip; the burn reminds her that she's still alive.]
You know, in...in spite of everything, with disappointment comes a sense of hopelessness. A grudging admittance that time is not on your side and- for a while I thought perhaps I did not deserve the same sort of closeness here to which I had become accustomed back home.
But I...came to find company in someone else, I was so- so tired of being lonely.
[Tired enough that she felt a certain security in quiet flirting, in pleasant conversations over lunch, in appreciation for wit and intellect that she had not entertained in what felt like an age. When Evelyn speaks again it is airier, thoughtful as she looks outside, privately hating the snow.]
...when you and I last spoke at length I had been recovering from the shame of being lied to by the very man I took as a lover.
[Both hands wrapped around her cuppa Evelyn takes a wary sip; the burn reminds her that she's still alive.]
You know, in...in spite of everything, with disappointment comes a sense of hopelessness. A grudging admittance that time is not on your side and- for a while I thought perhaps I did not deserve the same sort of closeness here to which I had become accustomed back home.
But I...came to find company in someone else, I was so- so tired of being lonely.
[Tired enough that she felt a certain security in quiet flirting, in pleasant conversations over lunch, in appreciation for wit and intellect that she had not entertained in what felt like an age. When Evelyn speaks again it is airier, thoughtful as she looks outside, privately hating the snow.]
...when you and I last spoke at length I had been recovering from the shame of being lied to by the very man I took as a lover.
[In a strange and twisted way, what Evelyn offers runs in line with Cami's own story. Always attracted to the bad boys, the ones who are trouble, the ones she knows will break her heart because maybe on some level, she thinks that's what she deserves. She plays at being better, works so hard to maintain her sanity, her sense of right and wrong.
And yet there are moments when something dark creeps up inside of her, desiring to lash out in anger, and rage.
But Evelyn does not deserve her loneliness any more than Cami her pain. Not when they've made the best choices they can while living in circumstances so far beyond their control. Yet it's impossible not to see logic that would connect the dots.
Betray your husband, take on a lover, and this is what comes about it.
She leans forward in her seat. Though Evelyn doesn't look her way, Cami's eyes remain focused on the other woman. She is certain now, beyond sure of what has prompted this visit.]
Which is bad enough all on its own--but then a man named Rick O'Connell shows up in Wonderland.
[And of course the possibility exists that this is all just coincidence. After all, Cami herself shares the last name, but no other apparent connection.
But the evidence is plain before her, in the weariness of a haggard woman who doesn't know how to reconcile what she's done when facing a universe that seemingly stands determined to punish her for it.]
And yet there are moments when something dark creeps up inside of her, desiring to lash out in anger, and rage.
But Evelyn does not deserve her loneliness any more than Cami her pain. Not when they've made the best choices they can while living in circumstances so far beyond their control. Yet it's impossible not to see logic that would connect the dots.
Betray your husband, take on a lover, and this is what comes about it.
She leans forward in her seat. Though Evelyn doesn't look her way, Cami's eyes remain focused on the other woman. She is certain now, beyond sure of what has prompted this visit.]
Which is bad enough all on its own--but then a man named Rick O'Connell shows up in Wonderland.
[And of course the possibility exists that this is all just coincidence. After all, Cami herself shares the last name, but no other apparent connection.
But the evidence is plain before her, in the weariness of a haggard woman who doesn't know how to reconcile what she's done when facing a universe that seemingly stands determined to punish her for it.]
[Somehow Cami can't find herself surprised when Sam pulls another beer out from his stash. She nods her thanks when she accepts, stealing a drink herself while she waits for Sam to break the silence. He needs to figure out for himself what he wants to tell her; she'll push, but only if she has to.
She doesn't think it'll come to that. It's been nearly a month since Dean left, but the reality of that seems to have gripped him all the harder today than it had even when Sam made the announcement.]
I can only imagine. I'm guessing you used to travel a lot together. Just you, him, and the car? [So few constants in his life. All the greater is the ache when one of them is absent.]
She doesn't think it'll come to that. It's been nearly a month since Dean left, but the reality of that seems to have gripped him all the harder today than it had even when Sam made the announcement.]
I can only imagine. I'm guessing you used to travel a lot together. Just you, him, and the car? [So few constants in his life. All the greater is the ache when one of them is absent.]
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