[OPEN] You can get anything you want at Alice's restaurant

[failedparenting]

Who: Jo Harvelle, Ray Palmer, John Winchester, and YOU!
Where: The Bar!
When: Backdated to Thanksgiving
Rating: PG-13
Summary: It's a Thanksgiving party! And everyone is invited!
The Story:
[This was supposed to be a family thing, okay? Just family.

John normally scoffs at the idea of family get-togethers, or apple pie, picket fence traditions, but he realizes that now, for the first time, he’s got almost his entire family for a Thanksgiving. And add in Jo with her husband, it’s practically a respectable crowd for a holiday. Mary loves the idea, but when he tells Jo about it, of course she’s got to insist on more people. They’re family too, she insists, hers and Simon’s just like she’s family to him. He’s not so crazy about it. But he sure as hell likes Michonne and Simon, so he finally relents. They’ll have to do it in the bar for the space, but it fits, for them. Feels almost like a hunter party, and he knows that Ellen would’ve approved.

Plans are made, food is cooked, and just when John thinks they might pull this off without some kinda bizarre event going down, Jo makes one herself- why not just have a party for everyone?


He’s really not crazy about that one. She insists, says another guy wants to make his own feast but there was an “incident”, and….yeah. Jo. Fine, fine. Just stop needling. So that’s how they’ve gotten here, a guy with a dislike of family holidays on principal, a bartender who loves too many people, and a superhero who can’t cook sweet potatoes hosting a dinner together.


Happy Thanksgiving, everyone, try not to die.]

Comments

[lightgunhustler]

[Jo feels like she knows that look, and it makes her smile in turn, glad to see someone else in such good spirits, although she reserves any further comment for now. She doesn't know either of them well enough, and it's not her place, but it's awfully cute to see Sarah brighten just talking about him.]

I think I understand.

[Her smile fades, a little bit, as she considers Jane's position.]

She wouldn't be the only one who's felt the need to withdraw after Wonderland puts them through the ringer. Sometimes that's the easiest way to deal with things, even if it might not be the best. Wonderland has a way of making us think about things we'd rather not, see parts of ourselves we've tried hard to forget.

[blackbirdsing]

That's why I've eaten enough food for probably four Thanksgiving meals?

[ Stay with her, Jo. ]

She can't remember any other Thanksgiving before this, and with the last couple of events being...well, what they were, my brother went all out and made everything he could think of, so we started eating somewhere around nine this morning. But it's good to know she's making memories for now that really outweigh the bad.

[ Sarah holds up her plate of pie. ]

And hey, now I'm here, and the food is just as amazing, so I think this day is pretty damn good for everyone.

[ Marshmallow assault aside. Ray did get kisses out of the deal, so. Hard to say it was a bad day. ]

[lightgunhustler]

You know, that's really sweet of you guys.

[Jo and Jane are relatively new friends, but Jo can absolutely respect the effort Jane's people have put forth for her.]

There's a lot of power in good memories. She's lucky to have you, both you and your brother.

[She wholeheartedly approves.]

Hard to complain about a day full of good food under most circumstances, right?

[blackbirdsing]

[ Sarah likes Jo, pretty immediately now that they're actually having a conversation. They've talked here and there, but this is over food and spirits are high, and there's good things happening all around them. ]

Exactly. The only person missing is my kid, but I know he's safe, and he doesn't have to put up with Wonderland, so honestly? That's a relief.

[ She feels like she'd lose her mind with worry over Sawyer being here. She already can't believe there are actual kids in this place. ]

I wouldn't mind repeating this day a few times before we move on, honestly. I think it's one of the most perfect days I've ever had here.

[lightgunhustler]

It must be a real load off, knowing he's safe, even if it's gotta be hard for you to be here without him.

[That he won't be missing her, that time, as far as her kid is concerned, is frozen-- but that doesn't change how Sarah must feel here.]

I don't think I'd mind repeating this one, either. It's been awhile since I've had one this good. The events lately-- we've had so many rough ones in a row, it's been getting to me a little bit.

[blackbirdsing]

With every event that passes, I'm really really glad he isn't here. And I'm worried about the kids who are, but as it turns out they're all pretty tough? Like, surprisingly.

[ Which makes her also worry but she can't go around asking about all of their home lives and adopting them. She does sympathize with Jo, though. ]

Does this place ever just...take a prolonged break?

[lightgunhustler]

They're tough, and a lot of people make it their job to look out for them.

[Jo is one of them; she and Simon practically adopted Ellie ages ago.]

But most of 'em? Yeah, not to be underestimated, you're right about that.

[She smiles again, and it comes out tired.]

Sometimes? We'll get strings of events that are a lot easier and pretty non-invasive, but this year... it's been a rough one.

[blackbirdsing]

[ Sarah wants to help more on that front. Maybe it's because she misses her own kid like hell, or because she'd hope to whoever is running this place if Sawyer ever showed up and she, Kurt, or Jane weren't in Wonderland, someone would look after him. ]

Let's hope for a better year, then, and in the meantime, better appreciate the breaks.

[ Not that she thinks anyone isn't, but she raises her glass in a little mini-toast anyway. ]

[lightgunhustler]

I'm all for that.

[She likes the way Sarah thinks. Honestly, they're not all that different.]

I should check in on things in the kitchen, make sure my husband doesn't "accidentally" burn the place down in protest of an American holiday-- but I'm really glad you're here. [She grins.] We should grab coffee or something sometime.

[blackbirdsing]

[ Sarah matches Jo's grin then nods in eager agreement. ]

I'm all for that, anytime. Go, go make sure your husband isn't anywhere near open flame. I'll be in touch after the craziness of the holidays.

[ At least, she's assuming they'll be crazy because aren't they always, anywhere? She's banking on it being a universal thing. ]