heads will roll

hayden walked through the bustling bar of mount olympus, crowds chatting and laughing to fill the noise of the establishment. he headed towards the crowd and nodded to the bartender on the clock to pour him his usual.

ah there was that stone cold expression the was used to seeing from her. the glacial face. "does it matter? it's not like we ever speak to one another." she shrugged, picking up a pen to twirl it in her fingers "you'd know about it if you took an interest in my life. i moved back here to get out of the city and to reconnect with old friends..." which was true but she had a very specific old friend of woody pride in mind. "gabe knew about it. he makes the effort to keep up with me"

"who? who could possibly have duped you into believing coming back here was a good idea? it was one thing for you to be running around california with your little podcast but this... gabe-," she scoffed, absolutely incredulous that she was throwing that man back in her face! gabe. "what a wonder it is gabe has the time to do anything while he chases down adulterers and asks them to say 'cheese'."

walking into hart law firm, bowie strolled past the front desk and anyone else that was trying to stop her and headed straight for the door in question her was looking for. opening the door, she leaned against the doorway

"hello mother"

@queencfharts

the venom in bowie's voice when she said 'mother' helped to ground her at least. she schooled her face to neutrality - annoyance, even - as she looked back at her from behind her desk. regardless of what the papers said, lorelai felt in her bones that this accursed town was no longer safe. and she didn't want bowie here.

"what on earth are you doing here?"

Guinevere gave Lorelai a glance, and cleared her throat. She admired the woman's ability to be mostly unfazed by the situation, only showing some situation-appropriate frustration and impatience. She wished she had that kind of steely resolve.

"Yes, indeed," Guinevere replied, turning her voice into a neatly-set almost-monotone. "I don't doubt that she is fine --I'm just wondering where she must have gone. It isn't much like her, to wander off." Lady did have some police training, so maybe she decided to put it to good use in this oh-so-unusual situation, and help around with the party organizers to put some order in the crowded Town Hall.

She turned back to look at Lorelai, and tilted her head. "Did you come alone, Miss Hart?"

Lorelai raised her eyebrows in response to Guinevere's question. "Tonight? Yes. I'm afraid that marriage didn't agree with me the way it has for yourself and Lady."

The wind whistled, thunder roared, and Guinevere remained standing away from doors and windows, very still, eyes darting around the room. She had been expecting something might happen that night, at Town Hall, where the most important people in Redwood Hollow would gather to celebrate what seemed like a return to peace. She had expected there to be some surprise --but not for her to get caught in it, along with everyone else. After all, that sort of awful incidents happened to someone else, not to Guinevere --not to someone so cushioned by her wealth.

Right then, though, she didn't feel very safe at all.

"Lady..." she remembered out of nowhere, realizing that was who she was searching for in the crowd. "Lady?"

"I'm sure she's still in here," she offered. "Even so, if anyone can take care of themselves, don't you think it's your Lady?"

“Don’t worry, I won’t drink your blood tonight,” Lady chuckled, her fangs catching the faint light like a threat wrapped in silk. It was a joke—mostly. Unless, of course, it was Guin, and she got one of her rare, frisky ideas. But that was hardly likely in their carefully constructed farce of a marriage.

Sometimes, though, the pretense gnawed at her. Lady would find herself watching Guin from across the room, the candlelight tracing the edges of her face, and feel an ache she couldn’t quite name. It was ridiculous, she thought—like a dog chasing after a sausage, only to catch it and realize it had already spoiled. Wanting something she couldn’t have, and knowing that even if she could, it wouldn’t taste the way she imagined. Still, the chase was its own kind of tormenting pleasure, and Lady was nothing if not addicted to torment.

Halloween. Oz's favorite night of the year. He had indulged in decorating his home and the casino as well. He went all out for holidays, but most especially for Halloween. That said he far preferred the idea of spending the evening at a party with other adults than sitting at home getting whatever he was reading or watching get interrupted every two minutes from a knock on the door. No, Oz was always where excitement was.

So now he stood at the town hall, scanning the room for anyone who might be open for conversation. He noticed someone alone by the dessert table.

"Let's hope it's not like that last time," Oz said. "Can you imagine twice in a row? Now that'd be somethin'"

Turning to face him, she raised an eyebrow in response. "It'd be a riot, don't you think? Given that all this nastiness is supposed to be over and done with. Might you opt for treats inside of tricks for one night, Oz?"

alfredo leaned against the door, enjoying the moment before he checked his watch and they had to get a move on "yes dear, you're very kissable" he winked paired with a million dollar smile "are you ready to head out?"

"yes, thank you," she said, already on her feet as she smoothed out her red dress. she collected her jacket and handbag before making her way over to him, taking a moment. lorelai didn't care what her office might think of them walking to the elevator together, but she was allowed to have pause. to make sure. "are you ready to head out?"

James stood at the edge of the ceremony space, heart ticking steadily beneath his chest as he waited for the moment he would walk down the aisle. Each breath felt deliberate, like his body knew this was no ordinary day—this was the day everything changed. The sky above was a soft, forgiving blue, the kind that seemed to bless the day in its own quiet way. The chairs were filling with guests, all faces he recognized from different corners of his life—friends, mentors, people who had become a kind of chosen family.

His fingers brushed over the edge of his sleeve as he adjusted his cufflinks, more out of habit than necessity. There was still time. The music hadn’t started yet, the soft hum of conversation still drifting like smoke across the air. Somewhere behind the scenes, she was getting ready—his bride. The thought alone filled him with a warmth that settled low in his chest and spread outward. she had visited him prior, the nervous mess that she was, they couldn't be gone without the other soon, which filled James with a joy he couldn't put into words.

Even with his heart beating a little faster, James found the grace to step toward a few guests who had arrived early and stood near the back. He didn’t want to seem too closed off, even though every part of him was tuned into the anticipation of seeing her.

“Thank you for coming,” he said with a gentle nod, offering a small smile. His voice was soft, but grounded, carrying a quiet sincerity that spoke more than just the words.

Her stiletto heels clipped against the ground as she made her way over to James, careful to avoid any other small talk. She smiled politely back when he thanked her. "You're very welcome, thank you for inviting me." She clasped her hands, looking briefly around them before meeting his eye again. "Everything looks beautiful. You must be excited?"