Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries is the property of the CW. No copyright infringement is intended.
~ X ~
There was a lot of history leading up to the moment Damon plunged that stake into Lexi's heart. The seeds of her destruction were planted a long time ago; carefully nurtured with jealousy, and fertilized with resentment.
I wrote a series of five stories chronicling the events that led up to Lexi's death at Damon's hands. They should be read in this order:
First Seed - Story ID 8837170
Seed of Her Destruction - Story ID 8190540
Another Seed is Planted - Story ID 8773864
Seed to Sprout - Story ID 9232598
Seed to Sprout to Toxic Weed – Story ID 9869542
~ X ~
~1942~
The crowded noisy bar suited him. He sipped his drink, nodding his head to the rhythm of the lively jazz music. He was casually killing time until he met Charlotte when he felt the weight of a familiar light slap on his back. His eyebrows rose as he turned to see a diffident Stefan standing in front of him, obviously unsure of the reaction he would get.
Damon's face reflected his shock and disbelief. He briefly licked his lips and after a moment he turned slowly and rose, half leaning back on the bar, maintaining a distance between them. "You look like a guy I used to know."
"Hello, Damon," Stefan spoke quietly.
"Come to put a stake in my heart." Damon smiled, dramatically patting the area as if inviting it.
Stefan smiled now. "More like come to bury the hatchet." He held out his right hand to show his sincerity.
Damon squinted at the extended hand for a moment, as if weighing the gesture. His face stayed solemn and then broke into a grin. He warmly clasped the offered hand, but it didn't feel like it was enough. He laughed and pulled his brother into a heartfelt bear hug. Stefan surrendered eagerly to the embrace, returning it with zest.
It felt like old times. Their father wasn't much for physical contact, but their mother had been and they followed her example, easily expressing their affection with touches; hugs or ruffling hair or pats on the back. Damon was always casually slinging an arm over his little brother's shoulder. He had almost forgotten how close they had been before the discord sown by Katherine has poisoned their relationship. He felt a lot of his anger and distrust melt in the warm embrace.
He compelled the person near him to leave giving Stefan a seat. He was shocked and displeased when Lexi slipped into a seat on the other side of Stefan. Their last meeting had been less than cordial, and he wasn't happy she was still hanging around his brother. He forced a smile and refrained from saying anything other than, "Hi."
She coolly returned the greeting.
Drinks were ordered, and Stefan filled his brother in on his current plans. Stefan playfully tapped his hands on the bar.
Damon listened to him, and his enthusiasm brought an unrestrained smile to his face. "Egypt! Finally going to get to see the pyramids."
Stefan grinned looking back and forth between his brother and Lexi as he explained, "Well, doubt if I'll get to see much driving an ambulance."
Damon didn't even have to think about it. "Think they'll have room for another driver? I can handle some war if it means spending some quality time with my little brother."
Lexi's immediate admonitory frown didn't escape him.
Stefan looked happily from Damon to Lexi who immediately changed her expression to a smile. He promptly said, "You know what? I'll talk to my CO." He wiggled his eyebrows, drained his drink, and hopped up. "I'll get us another round."
Damon couldn't keep the delight off his face. The happy grin was wiped off when Lexi slid over toward him.
The smile she kept plastered on her face in case Stefan looked back didn't match her determined tone. "You're not going," she curtly insisted.
Damon made no effort to control his face. "I don't like you."
Lexi took up the attack with gusto. As she spoke Damon turned his head away, body language rejecting whatever she was going to say. "In 1912 you pressured Stefan into drinking human blood. He's been trying to put his ripper days behind him, but he needs to see death and blood and deal with them as part of life. He needs balance and restraint."
Damon argued vehemently with her. "What makes you think I'm not balanced and restrained?"
Lexi made no attempt to soften her response. "That fact that you never have been. You think only what you want first, second, and third. Stefan's better off alone then in your company."
That hurt, but Damon wouldn't let it show. He angrily replied, "Well, I beg to differ."
Stefan rushed over with three glasses. He divided them up and quickly proposed a toast. "To the Salvatores in Egypt. Cheers." He clinked glasses with his brother who repeated the toast. "Cheers."
Stefan turned to Lexi and repeated the salutation and clink. Lexi responded with a smile when Stefan was facing her, but shot a nasty glare at Damon when his back was to her.
Damon's eyes were unflinching as he returned Lexi's stare.
The evening was brought to an abrupt end by Charlotte. She suddenly appeared pushing her way through the crowd supporting an unconscious woman. "Did you forget you were supposed to meet us for dinner?" Her cheeky question threw Damon off balance.
Nonplussed Damon responded, hands flapping in a nervous gesture, "Sorry, I lost track of time."
"I brought you leftovers." She jerked the woman's head back to expose a messy, still bleeding bite mark.
"Charlotte!" he hissed reprovingly, glancing around to see if anybody was looking.
She shoved the woman into Stefan's unprepared arms. He reflexively caught her, grasping at the closest body part which was the bloody neck. Damon quickly seized the woman from his brother, putting her on his other side so his body was between her and his brother.
Lexi roughly grabbed Charlotte ordering, "Get away from him."
Stefan's eye veins pulsed black as the smell of the fresh blood stimulated his scent glands. He held his blood covered fingers up to his face, staring at them in fascination. "Lexi!" He softly pleaded for help. "Lexi!"
A horrified Damon put a soothing hand on his brother's shoulder and tried desperately to break through his brother's stupor. "Stefan! Stefan!"
Trying to balance the now semiconscious woman, he reached one last time for his brother only to meet air as Lexi grabbed him and propelled him towards the door. "Stefan!" His last urgent call went unheard.
Lexi took the time to turn and deal one more blow. "She's better off without you too." She quickly followed his brother out the door.
Charlotte just gave Damon a big 'can you believe her?' amused smile.
Damon disgusted by Charlotte and chagrined at upsetting his brother stood helplessly by.
How is this my fault? How is he in control? He can't even deal with blood on one person! She's crazy. He has to learn to deal with this! He needs me with him.