Chapter 2
June 7th
Damon's POV
Stefan and I were close once upon a time, but that was 145 years ago before Katherine put a wedge between us. I may not be able to stand him but he is my brother. On top of that if this thing is affecting Stefan now what is going to keep it from turning my life into a living hell…again?
First I need a witch. Whatever this is has a witch written all over it. And Bree will be my best bet; she seems have this ability to know everything about everything and what she doesn't know she can find out. Bree and I go way back, we had a fling about 80 years ago but other than that we have been good friends since.
Bree has this place in Georgia, a bar she has owned since then end of probation. I think the last time I stopped in for a drink was the mid 60's. But there is no time like the present to stop in for another one. Being a light traveler it takes a whole two minutes to throw everything I own in a duffle bag and to hit the road.
It takes me about two days to get to Georgia, I find the first motel I come across and compel me a room. I find it easier to stay off the radar that way, with today's technology and my unique last name I am bound to be found rather quickly. Taking a room at the back of the building settle in not really bothering to unpack, I just tossing the duffle bag on the floor by the door.
Just before sun set I walk through the familiar old doors. Not much has changed really. The old juke box still sets in the back corner although judging by the amount of dust on it has not been used in so time. Pool tables have the replaced at some point but the old wooded bar is still the same. Bree spots me from across the room and I am greeted with a warm smile. I'm glad she is happy to see me after all these years.
I take a seat and order my usual, finest Bourbon in house. We catch up on each other lives like old friends do. Then near closing time she asks me what I need.
"That obvious huh?" I finish the Bourbon in my glass and she pours me another.
"Damon, we have known each other for almost a century. So don't act like I can't read you besides I know you better then you know yourself. Now tell me what do you need?"
"Well…it's not just me, Stefan is currently affected. Me on the other hand had my round with it a few years back."
She seems intrigued. "Go on. I need more details if you want me to help."
"About 16 or 17 years ago we both experienced this sensation. A feeling really, it was like an intense love and need to protect. It disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. Then a few years ago it hit me again, except it was different. It was like someone ripped my heart. I honestly thought I was going to die. And now Stefan is going through the same thing, I need to figure this out because I really don't want to experience that ever again."
"So you both felt emotions that are not yours. How curious. I have only heard about one other account of this happening. I must tell you thought, it is not any spell and it cannot be undone."
Well that is a little unnerving to hear. But I need to know so I ask. "Well how can you tell, need some blood or something."
Bree just laughs. "I just need to read your soul Damon."
"My soul? Are you even sure I even have one? I have been called soulless before."
"Just call Stefan and meet me here when you are both ready. I would rather do this only one time. It tends to take a lot out me sometimes. You know old age does catch up with some of us."
I give Stefan a call once I get back to my room. Being his typical self he argues whether we can trust Bree. I ask him if he has any better leads and with that he says he will be here with in a day's drive.
June 9th
Stefan's POV
I am not accustom to letting Damon talk me into things. In fact I am not accustom to talking to him period! But his call a few days ago lead me to wonder if Damon really has a heart, either that or he is just doing this for himself. I vote for the latter. Lexi urged me to at least look into this lead because right now it is better than what we have at the moment, which is nothing.
We meet Damon at his motel taking rooms near his. Damon says he has arranged time with Bree after closing tonight. In the meantime Lexi plans to crash I need to hunt. I head to nearby Cohutta National Forest, I figured a few hours to myself to do me some good. Maybe try and de-stress before we meet with Bree tonight.
Well feed and relaxed we head to Bree's bar just after 10pm. Lexi being in her element naturally heads toward the open pool table. Damon and I take the only two open seats at the bar. Apparently Thursday night is ladies night because we instantly the attention of several women. Unfortunately for Damon he caught the eye of one particular woman with a large mole on her face. Bree tries to hold back her laugh each time she passes near us, this women keeps going on about all he ex-husbands and her five dogs that she got out of her divorces.
Closing time finally nears and Bree motions for us to meet her in the back as she locks up. On the floor there is a chalk drawn pentagram with several candles place inside it. She tells us to set within the pentagram and she begins to chant. The candles burst to life with a long thin flame. After a few minutes the chanting stops and Bree stares ahead of her in a daze.
When she comes out of her daze she just smiles. "Just as I thought, you both have tethered souls."
Damon and I just sit there unsure what to say. I guess she took our silence as her queue to continue. "Sometimes fate sees fit to tether or tie two souls together. A soul mate if you will. Since you both have tethered souls I am going to say it is a safe bet that they are sisters, maybe twins since you both your souls connecting about the same time."
I am first to ask one of the many impending questions. "Why were we chosen?"
Bree moves to a nearby chair and offers us a place to sit as well. "Well fates choose you. Fate saw that these sisters are special and because of this they will not lead a normal life. I don't know about you but for a normal person finding true love is hard. Most just settle. Fate does not want these sisters to settle, fate wants them to find true love. They just gave boys a push in the right direction."
Damon speaks up this time. "Alright then why did it feel like my heart was being ripped out?"
"I would imagine the one destine for you was in need of your love and comfort just as Stefan's is now."
This worries me, what could possibly be wrong to create such pain. I need to find her. "Can you tell me how to find her?" I sound desperate.
"Since you carry her pain I might have some luck with a locater spell."
We waste no time as I help Bree set up for the spell. Within minutes we watch the talisman find its resting place. Damon and I are both shocked to see the name Mystic Fall's directly where the talisman laid.
Damon swallows hard. "So we are going to back Mystic Falls then. How ironic is that."
Bree is quick to answer. "Stefan's destine is in Mystic Fall's. That does not mean yours is there."
Damon looks confused. "But you said they are sisters. Besides they are what 16 or 17, still living at home with mom and dad."
She sighs. "True but sometimes twins get separated by adoptions. Often live apart not knowing about one other, if you are lucky the adoption information is not sealed like they did in the past. Once Stefan learns the identity of his destine then you can use that to find yours."
June 10h
Elena's POV
Nine, that's how many days it's been since Jeremy and I buried our parents, at least we are on speaking terms again, well sort of. We have yet to talk about the big elephant in the room but we are acknowledging each other's presence. I asked Jenna if she could leave us alone for the afternoon so I could at least try and talk to him. I decided to make his favorite meal, Chicken Alfredo with steam broccoli and cauliflower. I make the sauce for scratch like mom always did.
I am just finishing the meal when Jeremy walks in through the back door. I ask him to set the table. Then we both sit in silence eating before he breaks the tension.
"Where's Jenna? I know she didn't make this."
I smile. "I asked her for some time alone with you. We need to talk Jer, I know it hurts but I can't keep on like this. I need my brother back." My voice cracks a bit there at the end as I hold back tears.
"What is there to talk about? Mom and Dad are dead. There is nothing either of us can do about it. So let's just get over it and move on!" His fits pound the table and make me jump in my chair.
"I am all for moving on but we can't just brush this under a rug and forget about it. We need to grieve and I need you not to blame me for this."
Jeremy looks me dead in the eye. "Elena, I blamed you at first but I don't anymore. I was just so angry and it was easy to take it out on you. Mom and Dad were only there because they went to get you. But then the more I thought about I figured if it weren't mom and dad it would have been someone else."
I swallow hard. "It is hard for me to see through the guilt I guess because that actually makes sense. I mean I have been so caught up in the fact that they were only there because of me not that accidents happen. And Jer, there is something else I want to talk to you about."
"Shoot. I mean it can't get any more depressing around here."
Suddenly I'm nervous. "Okay….wow…well…I am adopted."
Jeremy chokes on his drink just as I blurt out the last bit. "Adopted…I don't understand! How can you be adopted you look some much like Grandma Gilbert."
I stand to take my empty plate into the kitchen. "Well I am still a Gilbert only Uncle John is my biologically father not Grayson."
Jeremy leans back in his chair. "Seriously? So what he knocked up so girl and pawned you off on mom and dad."
I move back to the table. "Sort of. Isobel, my biologically mother had twins and she didn't think she could raise two babies. So when dad delivered us he suggested they take one of the babies. Uncle John and Isobel split up some time later and she married some other guy that adopted Elyssa leaving John to live his life child free. Hence we never heard of Cousin Elyssa aka my twin sister."
"Wow. So are you going to look them up?" I could see pain in his eyes.
I move to the other side of the table and hug him. "Jer, you are my brother, although technically we are cousins. Besides that, you are my family. I know nothing of these people and I will not replace you with them. But I think I might contact them. I kinda like the idea of having a sister."
"Well just don't forget about me and Jenna, you are all we have left now."
I run up to my room and give Jenna a quick call to let her know it is safe to come home. She jokes and asks if the house is still standing. I laugh. I look at the scrap of paper taped to my mirror and decided to at least look up their current phone number. I do a Google search for the white pages and put in their name and city. I get one result so I write it down. At least now I am one step closer to taking the step and giving them a call.
June 14th
Stefan POV
Finally back in Mystic Falls…
Damon called our nephew/ Uncle Zach a few days ago to see about opening up the old family estate. Zach primary lives in the Boarding house owned by our family. It to like the old estate has been around since 1830. The boarding house sits on the front of the property close to town; the estate is further back of the main road perfect for someone who wants to be secluded. Over the years we kept the both properties up to date with the necessary repairs, rewiring and plumbing, and every few decades updating the appliances. Come to think of it, it has been a while for the estSate I need to make a mental note to run by Lowes over in the next town.
Zach is sitting on the porch when we pull up. Not even a hello as he hands us the keys and leaves. I have a suspicion that we are not welcomed family members, in fact I think we are his only family. His lose not ours. Damon and I start pulling suit cases out of the back of his Camaro. Lexi decided not to join us here in Mystic Falls, not her scene she says. Most of what Damon owns is in one bag so he heads straight into the house leaving me with my three bags. Lexi and I did some shopping yesterday, I needed some variety.
Inside house I make my way to my old room. It's just as I remember, large oak four-post bed center of the room, writing desk placed by the bay window, my wardrobe on the opposite wall and a trunk at the end of my bed. Thankfully the cleaning crew Zach hired deep cleaned otherwise the dust in this house would be ridicules.
After unpacking I head down stairs to the stack of local newspapers from the last 3 weeks on the dining room table. I had asked Zach to get them for me. Damon comes down shortly after and announces that he is heading out for a blood run. He needs to stock the freezer for himself.
Starting with the oldest newspapers I find nothing at first. But then I stumble on one dated for May 30th, the day after. The headline reads Deadly crash on Wickery Bridge kills two. I read on to learn the couple left behind two teens. My mind races, it had to be her, there was no other explanation. I quickly hunt for the obituary hoping it will give me a name. I am in luck it does. Her name is Elena Gilbert. Now I just need to meet her.