LOOK MA, I MADE IT

“I said some things she didn’t like. She’s pissed, ain’t the first girl, won’t be the last. There is no label.” He stated, refusing to put one on it. Maybe he was a shit person for that, but if she asked anyone who had the pleasure of knowing the male, they’re tell her to get used to it. Scoffing, he pressed his lips together and shook his head, “Hm, what would you suggest? Family dinner?” As soon as the words were out, he grew quite. The realization that at one point, that was exactly what his brother wanted. The five of them to get along, to come back together. That let down was a harsh one for his brother, at the time. “She knows nothing. She’s a young girl, living her life, she doesn’t need to know that there’s scarier monsters out there, then the human species.” Honestly, Alejandro was a lot of things, but taking away someone’s peace of mind like that when there was absolutely no need to, he’d pass. Since we’re gonna be best friends. Ah, the sentiment was interesting, but he knew they both knew better than that. “Well, I’ve gotta say, that’s a new record. Last time, I think the record went for triple in years of not speaking.” He cocked a brow as the mention of Felicia and Jeremiah came about. “That douchebag’s back and kicking? Great. And here I thought Fel would’ve figured out the whole love and happy life thing before all of us.” He commented, “Sounds like you’ve got your life back on track, kid.“

“So you wouldn’t mind if she became someone’s snack?” Alejandro did this thing where he didn’t care until the woman was in trouble; hence the entire decades he wasted trying to kill Christal and somehow she ended up three steps ahead of them. A family dinner would probably result in a giant mess, one that he did not want to be apart of. “Sure -- we can even invite Thea to come in if you are into that,” Felicity and Preston were doing their own thing. Though he had more contact with the latter one than the other one there was no need to disclose that right now. “You would date a human. At least they have a quicker inspiration when it comes to bantering with you as a vampire.” He smirked as he laid his words thick onto his brother, without malice just stating a fact if he was honest. He had to know that Christal was alive and around -- right? Or were those two still doing the thing that only they did? Avoid each other, fall back, and then explode like a damn bomb. “That he is. Apparently people did miss him. Juliette is having a child too with Miller. Ezri and Ben are at the brink of a divorce or maybe just ignoring each other is a married couple thing. -- I figured one of us Adolphs should leave something behind that isn’t in the form of love triangles and death, right?”

                    “You’re welcome.” Thea confirmed, before grabbing a few pieces for herself, followed by a plate, before she headed towards the sofa in the open plan living room they shared, still able to hear Justus’ description of his day from across the room. “Look at you being all productive. You ready for tomorrow now?” Of course he was. When wasn’t he prepared heavily for whatever case he was working on in his career as a lawyer? Something Thea was incredibly proud of him for. Seeking out a passion for himself. “Bumped into Everett, and went and saw Maite. Nothing quite as nearly productive as yourself. But, I’d say I still managed to get a lot done.” In a sense, even though it was a different type of satisfaction to her brother’s situation. “Looks like everyone from our past is already here, or popping up. When is that ever a good sign?”

             He got himself up from his desk as he walked over to the packages that she had managed to get out. Justus had stopped at the bar to have a drink with a potential investor, something that he had not thought in a million years would actually get to play out but go figure, apparently dreams did happen. “How is Everett?” Attached to Felicity or what? He never knew how this Thea, Everett and Felicity story was going, or what chapter they were on at the moment. But he was not going to open that flood gate, not tonight. This was none of his business, this was another approach that he had learn to take, learning to talk and ask questions less -- did wonders in his career as well. “Alejandro is back,” why not just drop that bomb there? For shits and giggles, why not. 

“She’s not my girl.” He’d find himself spitting out, before Justin could even finish his sentence. He didn’t even bother to clarify just what she was, instead, he’d find himself looking out into the crowd, immediately locating her with his eyes. Relieved to see that she was doing exactly what he had asked, and therefore, safe. “If she ever tries to murder me, she’ll definitely find herself in major disappointment.” He mumbled under his breath, pretty sure she’s thought about it a time or two. Looking back at his brother, he found the sighting of him to be rather bittersweet. After all, Alejandro was positive that any relationship him and his brother could have, would be unmendable. And he had come to make as much peace with that as he could. Then again, he would often remind himself, that the same could’ve been said about their relationship when they had both arrived in Mystic, and somehow they got over it. If only for a small period of time. The truth was her loved his brother, he loved all of his siblings, but there was something wrong in his code. His siblings knew it, he knew it, Christal knew it, hell, everyone that came to meet the male knew it. As much as he hated to admit it, he was very much like his father in that aspect. “Missed you like hell, kid.” He stated, “Figured you wouldn’t want to talk to me. I also lost that phone about two weeks after leaving this place.” It actually found itself down some guy’s throat, but those were insufficient details.

“Right. So you’re telling me she’s out here hitting on man to make you jealous but she is not your girl?” Ironically somehow Alejandro and Felicity, the two that were the worst in the whole commitment thing managed to lure more people than the other two that actually did their best to be decent at it; you know Thea and Preston. By no means was he talking about himself, Justus had managed to find some peace in being single. His wife had passed away and since then he hadn’t opened up to anyone; not really. Even Jay was a losing contender after Tabitha, he said it himself. Justus was too busy being a bit -- justus, he supposed. Though who could truly blame him? Then his brother managed to disclose a fact that just proved to him that he was still on that shit. “I don’t even know why I am disappointed,” Because why did he expected things to be different? “So when are you going to let her in the whole family secret? Or is she just making her own assumptions and you’re playing along? I have to know how I am suppose to act around her. Now that we’re going to be best friends.” A statement that he knew was probably not true, he knew his brother was not one to stick around town if he was not forced to. “So it’s not the females in your life that make assumptions but I see you dab here and there. To be fair the first five years I probably wouldn’t have but between Miller teaching me how to use my magic and once again entering a never ending war with Felicity and Jeremiah bring brought alive managed to get over our family feud.” Or something like that. 

A Friday night in New Orleans, at one of the most popular bars, was as one could expect it. Noisey, crowded, and the longer Alex spend there, the more he wanted to hit something. Harley, the firey, spunky 28 year old blonde had lost herself within the crowd of people. Pounding down drink after drink, and ignoring the male as much as she could, but he was more then aware that she wanted to make sure he couldn’t miss her. He had dealt with her long enough to know what she was doing. She was pissed, and she wanted to piss him off. They had spent majorly of the day fighting with each other. She wanted a commitment, and he wanted to keep things just as they were. Therefore, she was going to make this night irritating. Little did she know, it wouldn’t quite be in the way she wanted. She was going to be up under as many guys in this bar as possible, in order to spark some kind of reaction from him. The reaction she was getting right now, was pure irritation, because if one more person fell into him, he was going to start throwing hands.

A hour into this, he’d come to find the blonde at the bar, chatting up a blonde male that Alex couldn’t quite make out. But he was ready to go, and while he couldn’t stand the blonde he came with at this moment, he knew he couldn’t simply just leave her. Making his way up to her, he had placed himself in between the blondes, “It’s time to go.” He stated, to Harley, who quickly dismiss him, as he attention went back to the other. “Not so fast.” She pushed Alex out of the way, so that she could see him fully, “Me and —” She paused, just as Alex turned to face the male she was speaking to, “I’m sorry, I haven’t caught you—.”

“—-Justus.” Alejandro would come to respond for them both, his heart skipping a beat.

“Justus? What kind of name is—” Harley would began, only to have Alex shut her up. “Harley, can you— just go get your stuff. Go.” He demanded, watching the cheery demeanor upon the blonde’s face fade completely, as disgust was now present. “Right. Whatever you say, Alejandro.” She deadpanned, as she pushed passed him, giving him the full notion he was gonna pay for that later. Turning back to his brother, the uneasiness Harley wanted from him, was now brought out from him through his brother. “It’s been a long time, and a small world.” Turning to face the bar, realizing now he could use that drink, “What are we having?”

Justus was getting ready to open his own law firm, he had the clients that he needed now it was all about money. He was well aware that he could just easily come up with a spell and fix that problem considering his hybrid self and it was not that he was scared of his Clark half, but he just wanted to earn something in life. To be able to look back and say he had actually managed to do it all on his own. He figured beating cancer wasn’t good enough, because even after that he had still been deemed selfish and reckless. Maybe he was trying to change something that just could not be changed. After finishing with some clients he decided to stick around and enjoy a drink or two. As much as things changed his vices still remained the same.

                    “Wow—” Immediately cutting herself off, she took all of that in. Justus was a lawyer now. And if he put half as much effort into that that he did fighting for his family, he was sure as Hell going to be the best prosecutor in the State. “That’s insane. Amazing, too, obviously.” She had hoped he’d accomplished what he wanted within the time span the pair had been away from one another. “Where do you practice? Or do you work for yourself?” Huh, aside from the witches, what else was new? A good question, really. It’d been so long, what wasn’t new? “Nearly got married. Safe to say that ‘nearly’ being the key word.” Yeah, that had to be the biggest mistake in the ten years or so they had been distant. “I mean, where do you start when you’ve not seen someone for ten years?” He was her best friend. Her person. Once upon a time, that is.

               “I’m alright,” he had managed to actually do it, that was what he was proud about the most. Every time a shit storm had hit Justus he had always just waited for everyone to get back together and not done a single thing for himself, now he had. Things were different a little, but it meant something to him, “Currently working for the state. Thinking about opening my law firm soon. Thea has been helping with that but also want to push her to go and do her own thing as well. Lately we’ve been glued to each other’s hips. Surprised she has it annoyed with me.” Though he reckon, she was as thankful as he was to be able to be with at least one fifth of his family. Something that he had never thought would be possible. “Wow almost married -- what happened?” In his head he had always imagined Hannah married and with kids, kind of strange to place that with the reality presented in front of him. 

                     He had a point. When was the last time that either of them kept tabs on the other? Justus was always knee deep in the dramatics, and agonising pain where his family was concerned, and all that came with both of those. It wasn’t often he tried to drag her into it, and ultimately, it seemed to be their most recent downfall. “Well, now you do.” She admitted, countering his statement. “I’ll be here for a while, actually. Witches here are helping me out.” They had info and resources she needed, so she had no intention of leaving anytime soon. “Wait, do you live here now?”

                     Staying with Justus was the better outcome for Thea. The last thing she wanted to do was stay in the city on her own, especially with all that New Orleans was known for, even if things were relatively under control. Apparently there was some new management in town now that Marcel had taken off with Rebekah. “What do you take me for?” And with that, she held up two bags full of tacos that she had picked up on her way back home, knowing he would be as ravenous as she was. “I got pretty much one of everything, dig in.” Placing the paper bags onto the kitchen counter, she began to open one of them, taking out the foiled and boxed items of food, showcasing what she had on offer. “What have you been doing then, if it’s enough to forget to eat?”

                   It hadn’t been long since she arrived into New Orleans, a friend of hers inviting her to learn more of her lineage and power where the witch faction was concerned. Alas, she was out this evening to get the lay of the land, wandering the streets before she had noticed one face in particular pass her by — but not just any face. “Justus?” Hannah called out, immediately turning on her heels as she took note of just who it was. Clearly timing was everything here, and time was exactly what had seperated the pair. “I didn’t know you were in the city?” She questioned once establishing it was very much the Adolph werewolf that her mother had brought into her life.

The past ten years had managed to provide him the new start he had been asking for. With Jeremiah back alive and the covens falling into line thanks to Juliette taking charge of them all, he was able to be released from having to deal with that cluster fuck that was that shit. With Thea had managed to build a life that he could stand proudly behind. Here the man thought he had left everything and everyone in his past behind, that was till a familiar voice that he had not heard in a while called his name out. Turning around he placed his phone in his pocket, instantly hanging up on the person on the other side of the call, “I didn’t know you were here -- actually had no idea where you were,” Hannah had left and that had been it in that chapter, though that was a good thing. God forbid she find out about the mess that followed.