PLUCKY GIRL

Gen turned to see the beautiful blonde and suddenly became a lot more interested in socializing. Gen let out a small laugh, before telling the woman, “This is Parker. She just turned one. Yeah, she’s growing up way too fast,” Gen mused, before telling the woman, “I’m Gen. Just in case you wanted to know that, since I made the baby.”

“Hi Parker.” Shiloh waved at her with a smile on her face, looking up at Gen once she was called out, her smile only growing because of it. “Sorry, totally should acknowledge the beautiful mother. I should know better by now.” Considering all her hours around babes before. She would’ve asked to hold Parker too, but it seemed odd to ask a stranger that two seconds after meeting them. “I’m Shiloh. So is this a way of having mommy and daughter bonding time?”

“That so?” He pursed his lips and looked around. He’d heard the whispers, the drunken chatters of seemingly madmen, something was happening here, but then, what wasn’t happening here? It wasn’t until Madeline made her less than legal request that he started to give it a little more thought. What were the officials upto? Riley was talking to himself in his own head until she spoke and it was then that he found himself pleased he was in-front of her. Katherine? His eyes shut and he sighed quietly. What were the chances it was a different Katherine from the one he allowed into his home? “You think he’s hiding something?” He focused on that part, pausing to look at her. “Something that’s driving him down a darker path… That’s why you’re here. That’s why you’re so wound up. So you’re here to try and find out what really happened.” He stated it like facts but his expression did suggest they were actually floating comments awaiting her confirmation. “Why don’t you tell me the story he told you, yeah? Then I’ll have a better idea of what to look for.” If anything. Riley wasn’t certain what Shiloh was hoping to find here but he was there to support her either way. 

“I know he is.” She simply nodded her head in response before continuing to walk, looking around the place aimlessly. “There’s nothing to find. It’s useless.” And clearly she was frustrated. Still, she figured talking it out with another person that she truly trusted with the information would be better. “You just can’t say anything to anyone about any of this.” She wasn’t supposed to talk about any of it, Shawn and Mateo both wanting to keep it secretive for different reasons she figured. “Mateo brought her to this place because she was becoming a problem for him, my brother, I don’t know.” She shrugged, stopping in her tracks so she could turn around and face him. “But something happened and that vampire messed this place up. Mateo came here, stupidly by himself, putting himself in danger. She called my brother and after that, the details start to get less detailed and more of Shawn shutting me down. All he says is that Katherine hurt Mateo and knocked him out. She was gone before Shawn could do anything to her. I know when my brother is keeping something from me and I have no idea where this freaking Katherine is or I’d go and ask her myself.” Even if she put herself in danger, then maybe someone would take her serious and tell her the truth. “Maybe she is my best lead. Maybe I should just focus on tracking her down.”

Leven could always respect when people acknowledge her snippy attitude directly, so she submitted to Shiloh’s company fairly quickly. It wasn’t as if she had dibs over the public domain either way but mostly, she figured if she had been glad to run into her, then it had to do with Shawn, who despite being usually pissed at, she always wanted to help. “Well it didn’t keep me up at night not hearing from you, so I wouldn’t worry too much. Not unless you needed me for something?” She comments but also offers it as a question so she knows she’s more than welcome to ask for help with anything. It was what she thrived off of more than anything. “Okay, I suppose. Mostly unchanged. Has Mystic Falls treated you well? Or at least the people in it?”

“More just have some curious thoughts. I know some other witches but none actually in town.” If what she was curious about was something that she could actually do, then maybe it was just easier to ask of it from someone who was already around. “That doesn’t really sound like it’s okay.” Maybe it was just a way of brushing it off, so Shiloh wouldn’t pry too much. She had already done that enough the first time they met. It probably wasn’t the best to always push, even though it came naturally. “The people haven’t been so bad. There was this thing with a vampire but it’s a little...weird-” complicated, is what she really meant. “Otherwise, it’s been alright.” Shrugging she readjusted herself so she could lay down.

Riley wasn’t one to ask too many questions whenever he saw a woman on a mission. He was smart enough to know it was much safer for his balls to step back and follow their lead. But whatever was going on with her? He wasn’t ignorant to it, she seemed off on the drive there. “What?” He looked to her and then towards the place, knowing a couple chains weren’t going to keep them out. “Careful, Bonnie.” Riley watched her carefully in case she slipped, sighing under his breath as he took a glance around. He was very aware of how far away they were from the hospital if something went wrong in here and like always, the math in his head gave him a sense of unease. He climbed in after her and patted his hands down, whistling quietly at the wreck the building was in. “You gonna tell me what’s got your knickers in a twist today?” Couldn’t hurt to ask, right? “You know better than to judge a book, Lollipop,” he put a hand on her shoulder to grab her attention. “Breathe.” What he meant was, relax. “Let’s explore.” 

Turning to look at his hand on her shoulder first, her gaze trailing up his arm to meet his gaze. She nodded her head but her frustrations just felt like they were growing and growing with time. For whatever reason, she felt like she was on a clock. She couldn’t explain it, so instead she chose not to with anyone. Worries of a sister, that’s what she hoped it came down to. “This was some kind of government facility.” She began walking, her eyes jumping around to any little thing. She didn’t know what she was looking for, she was just hoping something would jump out at her. “Something happened here. Between Shawn, his friend, and some crazy vampire named Katherine.” She shrugged. “There’s a story to what supposedly happened but it feels like there’s more to it because something’s been going on with him and it seems to tie back to this. I don’t know, I thought me telling him everything I’ve been keeping from him, he would’ve told me something but he’s just shut me down.”

Surviving, that’s a good one right? You know, someone to love me when I’m old and wrinkly would be just great.  You think I could kick ass at eighty years old? Nah, honestly, having a place to call home again one day. Bonus if it’s in New Zealand or somewhere like it. Climb El Cap in Yosemite. See one of the photos I take in like National Geographic or something.

Riley wasn’t exactly a sound sleeper but he was out for the count when a gentle whisper made him both jump and stir lazily. A groan escaped him and he tensed, hand instinctively coming up to rest on her side, like he was just being a little cautious over where exactly she was making herself comfortable. Eyes still closed, he offered her a sleepy lopsided smile, a chuckle getting caught in his chest. “I won’t be sleepy for long if you keep wriggling around, Shi.” He mumbled, his voice groggy as he opened his eyes and blinked until they adjusted to the light. Riley moved both hands to rest on her thighs, absently tickling her skin with his thumbs. “On second thought, feel free to wriggle.” He hummed out a light chuckle, half asleep or not, he was full of teasing quips. 

“No? Why not?” She said innocently as if she had no idea what she was doing as she pretended to readjust her positioning. “Hmmm nope.” Shiloh was quick to grab his wrists, guiding his hands away from her legs, leaning forward to move them above his head. Smiling as she looked down at him from their faces being close to one another. “I still have a bruise on my ass you’re not allowed to make any worse.” She teased letting his hands go as she leaned back up to a sitting position, resting her hands flatly against him. 

Sofia frowned, but didn’t ask any more questions. Although she would probably ask Aria. “That makes two of us. But who I am to judge?” Sofia shrugged. “I’m just worried that he’ll get hurt.” In more ways than one. “I don’t think so. Not in the near future, at least.” Sofia said. Letting Matt go had been hard enough and she was terrified of having to do the same thing all over again. “I have a lot on my plate already anyway. And what about you? Any love in your future?”

“It’s apart of life but I hope he doesn’t.” Despite not having the best opinion about the girl he was seeing, it wasn’t like Shiloh’s opinion mattered so she’d just keep her mouth shut on that end of it. "Mmm..” She had to hold back a laugh, that was more out of trying to cover up some other feelings trying to come through. “No.” She shook her head. “Much easier keeping things simple, right? Besides, I never really stay anywhere long enough anymore and I don’t see anyone declaring their love for me in Mystic Falls.” Her tone changing into something more playful towards the end of what she had been saying.  

“Wasn’t really a question, was it?” Astrid chuckled. She knew which one she’d go for, who in their right mind would turn down a paid job as opposed to a volunteer? “Yeah, so your pay would depend on your contract. Because I’ve made a few exceptions for my younger staff who prefered hourly over salary… What I mean is, whichever one accommodates your lifestyle better, I’ll do for you.” Astrid was a fair boss, but that was probably because she didn’t actually think of herself as one. All she saw was someone trying to help out people who wanted to help animals. “You train? Is that what you would want to do?” She asked first, before pausing and shaking her head. “I’m sorry, I never got to meet Buddy, but I wish I did.” She offered the blonde a smile. Astrid felt sad for her, losing a pet was like losing a part of the family, it was written all over Shiloh’s face. “Say about ten?” 

Shiloh nodded her head as she followed along with what Astrid was saying, looking at her with a bit of surprise in her eyes purely because of how kind she seemed. She didn’t expect her to be anything else, but something about her just made Shiloh believe she would go out of her way for people. “That’s...really nice of you.” She told her, giving her a smile. “Uh, well, I might leave that to my brother.” She shrugged. “I’ll do dirty work.” She didn’t mind it. It seemed like a perfect little gig to have under her belt since her funds would end up running low at some point. Looking over at Buddy she tapped the side of her leg to call him over to her before looking back at Astrid. “Ten it is. I’ll see you then.”