Apparently, this place has more supernatural beings than you'd think. Besides myself and Damon, there's also his brother and at least two other vampires. There is also a werewolf to be wary of, and I swear there's a witch, as well.
Anyways, I told someone the story. Not the whole story, of course, just the short version. It wasn't Damon, after all. But I had to tell her. I don't know why, but I really wanted her to know. I guess I wanted her to understand why I'm doing this. I think I can trust her to not tell him, but she did warn me that she'd have to tell his brother. They've got some sort of pact between them, to never keep secrets. I guess that's sweet. But I wonder how long that'd last? As long as he doesn't find out yet, it's okay. Because as much as I want to pay my debt to him, I need to make sure he pays me first. There's no way I'd get money if I paid first.
WWW
"See you at the barbecue." Damon smirked and walked off, peach cobbler in hand.
"Does the whole silver thing actually work against werewolves? I mean, I've learned that most people get the wrong idea of vampires, who is to say that werewolves aren't in the same boat?"
Damon looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "Gotta admit, did not expect to see you so soon." He looked to the left, and saw Frances Lennon leaning on one of the posts, hands in her denim jacket.
"I told you, I'm gonna stalk you 'til I get my money." She nodded at the box in his hands. "You can pay for a peach cobbler? Surely, you have just a little bit of change left over. And you know," she continued, walking closer to him, "it doesn't even have to be all of it at once. Bit by bit is good with me, as long as I get it all in the end."
"Stay away from me," he said, walking through the doors.
"Not gonna happen, Blue Eyes." She followed him outside.
He glanced at her necklace. It was a dark red stone encased in iron, hanging on a simple iron chain. "Is that your daywear? How did you get it?"
She fingered the chain a bit. "It's a recent thing. Got it in, I think, the seventies. Met a witch back then, who happened to like me. She decided to help me out."
"The seventies?"
"Yeah, lemme tell you," she said is a light voice, "the thirty years before that? Not as much fun as now."
"Still not my problem."
Lennon hissed in a breath through her teeth. "Kinda should be, though, considering you are the one that turned me into this."
"Yeah, I have no recollection of doing that."
"Maybe I'll tell you how it all went down."
He paused. And looked at her. "I don't believe you."
She shrugged. "I keep my promises. I did in life, why should I stop in death?"
He stepped closer to her. "And all I have to do, for this little story, is pay one hundred fifty?"
"Yep," she replied, popping the 'p.'
"Yeah, not worth it."
"Psh, your loss. It's a pretty interesting story." She began walking backwards, still looking at his face. "This whole undead thing? It wasn't easy at first. I had to learn as I went along."
He shrugged. "I did the same thing."
"Really?" She looked at him incredulously. "'Cause, from what I've been gathering over the past year, you had a somewhat mentor before you died. Some broad told you everything beforehand, so it couldn't have been that difficult to figure things out."
"You seem to know a lot about me," he said, eyes narrowing. "Not sure if that's a good thing. For either of us."
She shrugged, her face a mask of indifference. "Meh. It's not a whole lot. After I started searching for you, it didn't take much to get others to tell me what they knew of you. You're kinda popular, did you know that? In 1864, some vamp chick was playing you and your brother, and then she died. And then you died. Not a whole lot," she reiterated.
Damon stared at her with a stony face, before smirking and laughing a bit. But it all went away as he said, "Yeah, you need to get your facts straightened out."
"No, I don't," she interrupted. "I just needed to find you, to get my one fifty. Don't need to know your history for that."
He tilted his head a bit. "You not exactly a curious sort, are you?"
She smiled. "In my old profession, getting too curious usually got you killed. Old survival habits die hard."
"Right. Well then. I'm going to go. And you're not gonna follow me."
"Does that mean you're gonna pay me, right now?"
"No chance in hell."
"Then just call me your new shadow. Or creepy stalker, I'm not picky."
She walked back into the Mystic Grill. Damon frowned. Maybe he should tell Stefan there's a new vampire in town.
WWW
Jenna was fuming. Why, just why, did she agree to allow Damon to come? The guy was an asshole. And he really needed to leave Elena alone. That was just sick.
The doorbell rang, which was weird, because all the guests were here. She opened the door to a young woman, blonde and a little taller than herself. Stranger knocking on her door. What fun.
"Hey, are you Jenna Sommers?"
"That's me. Can I help you?"
"I'm sorry for intruding like this, but I'm looking for Damon Salvatore. I was told I could find him here."
Jenna frowned. "What do you want from him?" Was she an ex? She looked like she could be an ex. Maybe this was a good thing, a little drama is just what he deserves, but she did not want her little get together to be a bummer, or a fighting arena.
"Money."
Jenna blinked. "Pardon?"
The stranger shrugged. "He owes me money, and I've traveled a long way to get it."
"Really, where you from?"
She laughed. "Chicago. I know, I know, it's creepy and obsessive, but my family needs the dough. And he's not giving it up."
Jenna laughed mirthlessly. "Yeah, he's an asshole."
"You don't like him?"
"Not at all," Jenna replied. "He's only here cuz my boyfriend is like his only friend, or something."
"Huh. Go fig he'd only one friend," was the response. "Oh, I'm Frances, by the way." She held out her hand. Jenna took it.
"Jenna, but you already knew that."
"Yeah, small town," Frances laughed.
"Well, come on in, and the jerk was in the kitchen last I saw."
"Thanks, Jenna, it was nice meeting you."
"Likewise. Just don't cause a scene? It would be a real party downer."
And she stepped over the threshold. "Oh, I'll be discreet. I'm good at that."
WWW
Damon groaned. "Really?" he asked, as Lennon strutted over to him. "Who let you in?"
"Jenna. She's like my best friend now," she joked. "Once we both agreed that you were an asshole, we just... bonded, you know?"
Elena walked into the kitchen. "Um, hey," she said in a cautious voice.
Lennon turned around with a smile. "Hi, you must be Elena, Jenna's niece, right?"
"Yeah, how do you know my aunt?"
"Oh, I don't. We just met today. Damon, on the other hand, he and I go way back."
Elena's eyes narrowed. "How far back, exactly?"
The blonde waved a hand. "Far enough, sweetie. Don't worry about the details. I'll be outta here as soon as Blue Eyes and I are done here."
"Damon?" Elena's voice was low and and full of worry.
Damon answered her unspoken question. "Yes, Elena, she is a vampire."
Lennon snapped her head toward him, then back at the Gilbert girl. She laughed breathily. "Oh. You know about us." She sighed with relief. "That is, that's just fantastic, 'cause I really hate lying." She grinned amiably at the girl in the doorway, and held out her hand. "I'm Frances."
Elena didn't take her hand, she just stared at the new threat to her family with a face of distrust.
"Ah." She took her hand back. "You don't like vampires that much?"
"I haven't had the best experiences with them, no," Elena replied, crossing her arms. "So, when I find a new one, in my house, I get a little upset."
"Oh, no, no, no, no, don't worry," Lennon hurriedly said. "I'm not here to hurt you, or anyone, really. I'm just here until Blue Eyes over there gives me what he owes me. Then I'll give him what I owe."
Damon frowned. "See, that kinda sounds like you want to hurt me," he said.
Lennon smirked, and turned to him. "I suppose it kinda does, doesn't it? However, from what I've learned about you, most people wouldn't really care."
Alaric came into the room. "Um, am I interrupting anything?" he asked, glancing over Lennon curiously.
"No, no," Damon replied. "Just being threatened by the new vampire in town."
Rick's eyes suddenly grew hard. "Oh? So same old, same old?"
Lennon laughed. "Wow, okay, so, um, how many people actually know? Is everyone in this house aware of all the vampires in town?"
"No," Elena answered. "My aunt doesn't know, and she won't."
"Mason Lockwood also doesn't know, and it'd be a really bad idea to let him find out," Damon warned.
"Got it," Lennon replied, but Damon could not tell if she was being serious or not. "So, Elena, is it alright if I just stick around? Just until that guy pays up?"
"What did he do?" Alaric asked.
Damon intervened. "That's not important. But, Elena, don't you think that a party crasher isn't the best thing to have around right now?"
Elena looked at him. "Actually, I'm curious." She turned to Frances. "What did he do?"
"Oh, he just owes me money." Frances shrugged. "He didn't pay me, and I had to go through hell for that." She turned to Damon. "Just give the one fifty, and after my debt is paid, I'll leave."
"One fifty?" Rick asked. "As in one hundred and fifty dollars?"
"Yep," she replied. "It was a lot of money back then."
"Back when?" Elena asked.
"In 1945. When I was killed."
Elena looked at Damon. "You... killed her?"
Damon threw his hands in the air. "For God's sake, Elena, this was sixty-five years ago! I killed a lot of people before and since then!"
"I never said that he was the one who killed me," Lennon intervened. Everyone's heads snapped toward her. "Just that I was killed. Wow, you got quite the rep, dontcha?"
Elena shook her head a bit. "Okay, I'm confused."
"That's fine, hon," Lennon replied. "No one really needs to know anyway. But if Blue Eyes wants to know, then all he has to do, is pay up."
"So, I'll pay, you give me your sad, pathetic life story, then you'll kill me?" Damon shook his head. "Yeah, don't really see that happening."
"Rick!" Jenna's voice called out. "What's taking you all so long?"
Alaric shook his head. "Oh, right, we were gonna play a few games, any of you wanna join?"
Damon looked through the doorway, staring at Mason Lockwood. "Yeah, you know what? I'll join."
"Pass," Elena stated.
"Same," said Lennon. "You and I can use this time to get to know one another." She smiled at Elena.
"My necklace has vervain in it, so don't try anything funny," she warned.
Lennon blinked. "Is that supposed to mean something?"
Elena looked at her curiously. "You don't know what vervain is?"
"Should I?"
Rick jerked his head to the living room. "Come on, Damon, let's go. I think they'll be fine."
As Damon and Alaric left the room, Elena asked, "How long have you been a vampire, again?"
"Uh... sixty-five years. But it's been a 'learn as you go' kind of experience."
"How can you not know what vervain is?"
"Well, what is it? Is it like a poison?"
"Yeah, to vampires. It also prevents compulsion."
Frances looked thoughtful. "Huh. Good to know."
"What else do you know about vampires?"
"Uh, sunlight kills, unless you know a good witch," she held up her necklace, "and I'm pretty sure the stake to the heart thing is true, though I haven't been rather keen to test it out. Human blood is delicious, but it's not completely necessary to kill, thank goodness. I've been avoiding garlic this whole time, which sucks more than I do, 'cause I love it, but I learned quickly that the running water thing is false. And I still go to Church every Sunday, so I know holy water and crucifixes are okay. Um, reflection thing is false, but I've been avoiding photographs, as well, so I'm not entirely certain if they work on us or not. We have superhuman speed, strength, and senses. And we can mind control."
"Compulsion," Elena corrected. "That's what it's called."
"Hmm, yeah that's less of a mouthful."
"How did you get like this?" Elena asked. "Didn't Damon turn you? Isn't that why you want revenge?"
Frances glanced at the living room. "Let's go for a walk. I'll tell you anything you wanna know, but I don't want any eavesdroppers."
Elena looked at her suspiciously. Frances sighed.
"Look, I know we only just met, but I really don't want to hurt anybody. Believe me, Damon's the only one I really wanna deal with, and I think once you hear the story, you'll understand why. But I don't want him to hear it, not until he gives me my money."
Elena looked into the stranger's eyes, searching for a hint of insincerity. "Okay. I'll trust you. Don't make me regret it."
Lennon smiled. "Wouldn't dream of it."
WWW
"Wow." Elena opened the kitchen door and let the older woman in.
"Yeah," Frances said, with a small smile.
"That's, um...okay."
"So, you see why I want to do it, now, right?"
"No, not really," the adopted Gilbert admitted as she grabbed Damon's pie box. "But, I guess I understand why you think so."
"How is that a wolf?" Jenna shrieked from the living room.
Damon came in with a saunter and a smirk. "Aunt Jenna is getting tipsy," he informed the room.
Frances rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's what happens when you keep handing her a steady stream of alcohol," she said.
"Speaking of," Elena said, "would you quit that?"
"I want her to like me," Damon defended.
"Not sure if that's the way to do it," Frances whispered.
"How is 'Operation Lockwood?'" Elena asked.
Damon leaned close to her ear, causing her to jump slightly when he said, "He's my new BFF."
"There you are," Jenna cried, giving her niece a quick hug. "Isn't this fun?"
"Yes!" Damon agreed. "Thank you so much for inviting me!"
"Hmm, did I have a choice?" Jenna asked, good attitude slightly diminished.
Damon smiled. "I know what you must think of me," he began.
"No, you don't," Jenna interrupted. "You've never dated you, I have dated many you's." She have him a hard look.
"Well, I'm a work in progress."
Elena sighed as she handed Jenna a cake knife from a set. Damon glanced over at it. "Ooh. These are fancy."
"Thanks,"Jenna answered, not looking at him. "My mother's silver set."
Elena looked up, and glanced at Damon. Frances looked at them both, and shook her head. She stood up and walked over to the living room.
"Oh, hey, you're new," Caroline piped up from the couch. "I'm Caroline Forbes, a friend of Elena's. And you would be...?"
"Frances Lennon, friend of Damon's."
"Oh, so he does have friends?" the younger blonde asked.
"Oh, only as Damon can. He and I go back, but I'll admit, it's been years since I last saw him." She held out her hand, and Caroline cautiously took it. The two of them grasped the other's hand with impressive strength, signaling to each other their true nature.
The secret werewolf stood up from the couch. "Mason Lockwood," he said, holding out his own hand.
Frances took it with a smile. "The guest of honor, I gather?"
He shrugged. "If you want to call me that, I wouldn't object."
"Haha, I'd bet. Well, Jenna is starting to serve the pie, so I say, we get our asses to the table and feast!"
"Sounds good to me, I'll be right there."
Caroline shook her head. "I think I'll pass. I ate a lot already."
As soon as Jenna finished cutting the pie, Damon took it over to the table.
"Mason, why don't you start us off?" He handed the plate over to him, silver handle pointed towards him.
Mason looked at it, then glanced up at the older Salvatore. "Don't mind if I do." He spun the pie around, and picked up a piece with his bare hands. Everyone looked at him, surprised. He laughed, "My apologies, I'm an animal."
Alaric piped up, "So, Mason, you and Jenna never dated?"
"Nope," was the reply. "She was always stuck in Logan Fell Land."
Jenna groaned. "My first mistake. Mason was a catch, he had girls lining up."
"Really?" Damon said, sounding surprised. "I always had you pegged for a lone wolf."
Mason smirked at him. "Oh, I'm sure I wasn't half the lady killer you were."
Frances laughed. "I'd drink to that."
"I got a better idea," Mason supplied. "To new friends."
The four adults smiled as they clinked their beer bottles with one another's.
"Jenna, Caroline and I are gonna go out," Elena said, before quickly escaping out the front door.
Jenna blinked. "Okay, then. Be safe. Come home soon. Thanks for the warning."
About an hour later, Damon and Frances were in the kitchen, doing dishes.
"So, you're not at all curious?" Lennon asked. "You don't remember me, but you don't want to hear how I know you?"
"Nope. Not at all."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "I think you're lying."
"Do you, now?"
"I think you're just dying to know, but don't wanna pay me, so you're waiting for me to crack first." She laughed. "Well, you're gonna have a long wait, Blue Eyes. I was really stubborn in life, and I learned I am even more so in death. Besides, Elena agrees with me that you should just pay up."
Damon looked up from the glass he was drying. "You told Elena?"
"Mm-hmm."
"That was a mistake," he smirked. "She's bound to tell her boyfriend, and that just so happens to be my brother. Now I'll definitely find out."
She shrugged. "If you think so."
Mason came in at that moment, saying, "Jenna just brought out the Guitar Hero. Think it might be time to bail."
"Well," Damon began, "I happen to like Guitar Hero, so, you, my friend, are just barking up the wrong tree."
Frances groaned.
Mason sighed. "Okay, enough with the innuendos. You win, you're hilarious."
"Yeah, and seriously, you're just getting way too painful to listen to," Lennon added.
Damon brought a hand to his heart. "Ouch, that hurt."
Mason frowned. "Come on, man. You don't think I know what this barbecue is about?"
Damon's face got serious as he stepped closer to the Lockwood. "How do you know about me? Your brother was completely clueless."
"It doesn't matter," Mason insisted. "I'm not your enemy, Damon."
"You tried to kill my brother," the vampire pointed out.
"Ooh." Lennon groaned. "Yeah. That'd put a damper on any alliance."
"That was a mistake," Mason defended. "There was some confusion, I couldn't chain myself up in time. I have no control once I shift."
"What, no obedience school?" Damon asked.
The female vampire rolled her eyes.
"I'm serious," said Mason. "Let's not spark some age old feud that doesn't apply to us."
"Do you really expect me to believe that you're here in Mystic Falls planting peach trees?"
Mason looked grim. "I lost brother. My nephew lost his father. I'm just here for my family. Let's be above this." He held out his hand.
After looking at it for a while, Damon took it. Lockwood smiled, and walked away. Frances caught her prey eyeing the silver knife set.
"You're gonna try to stick him, anyway, arencha?"
"Duh."
He grabbed a knife and hid it under his shirt.
"No more takers for drinks at the Grill?" Mason asked at the door. When no one accepted, he added, "Oh, come on, it's like I'm with a bunch of adults here."
Jenna smiled. "I prefer the term 'role model.'"
"Okay, well thanks for having me," he said, reaching over to give his friend a hug. "It was awesome. Alaric, catch that game next week?"
"Yeah, I look forward to it," replied the history teacher, giving Mason a firm handshake.
Frances stepped up. "Well, I'm gonna go crash somewhere. Jenna, it was a pleasure meeting you. I hope we can meet up again sometime. Alaric, nice meeting you, as well." Rick gave her a nod. "Mason, I think we'll cross paths soon enough."
"I'm sure we will," he replied. "After all, it's a small town."
"Night, all!" Frances cried as she stepped outside.
"You know, I should probably head out, too," Damon called, walking out of the kitchen. Mason followed Lennon out the door. "Jenna," Damon said, taking her hand and kissing it. "You are a wonderful hostess."
"And you're a terrible artist," she retorted.
"Is that the only thing that makes me terrible?" he asked.
Jenna gave him a thoughtful look. "I'm still deciding."
"Good enough for me!" Damon celebrated. "Alaric, let's not catch that game next week." And he slipped out the door.
"It'd be a mistake," Frances said, in a sing-song voice, from her seat on the porch.
"What would?" Damon asked.
"Just leave him alone, okay? I think he was telling the truth when he said that trying to kill your brother was an accident. Besides, is it so hard to believe that he's here for family?"
"Look. The bite of a werewolf is fatal to people like us," Damon explained. "I'm just making sure that we're all safe here."
"And I'm saying you're just going to make things worse," Frances warned as she stood up. "You've been baiting him all day, and I'm surprised that he actually wants to be above the feud. Just," she paused a bit, "don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Take his offer as it is."
Damon looked at her. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were worried about me."
She shrugged. "How am I gonna get paid if you get yourself killed, huh?"
He eyed her. There was something underlying this all. And he intended to find out what.
"See ya around, creepy stalker."
After he took care of the werewolf problem.
WWW
Frances was walking toward the Grill with the full intent of downing multiple glasses of whiskey. Telling Elena the truth was relieving, but the fact that Damon still would not listen to her really hacked her off. True, she could easily pay off her debt without having him pay, and she could tell the story afterwards. But, really, it was a matter of principle to her. She felt she owed it to her family to see to their needs first. She was always like that: putting family over everything.
She sighed, and looked up at the stars and the waning moon. "For family, I can do anything. For family, I will do anything."
"Then why so pouty?" she heard a familiar voice say.
Looking ahead, she saw Elena walking after a ticked off Damon. Why did she curl her hair? And… was she wearing different clothes? Did Elena have a twin sister? She thought there was just her younger brother.
"I tried to kill a werewolf, I failed," Damon replied. "Now, I feel like I'm not living to my best self."
Frances was about to go and yell at him, but something in her gut told her to avoid this curly-haired Elena. Survival instincts kicking in? Most definitely.
"Well, werewolves aren't easy prey," the Not-Elena told him.
Damon stopped in the street and turned to her. "What do you know about werewolves?"
She smiled. "Why don't you ask your brother?"
Frances was not a curious person. Curiosity killed way more than just the cat, as was proven time and time again. But the way this broad talked to him and about the younger Salvatore sounded… dominating. Like she owned the both of them for a really long time.
And she did not like that at all.
The broad continued, in a more serious tone, "Don't try to be the hero, Damon. You'll end up dead."
"Been there, done that," Damon replied. "At least this time, it'll be worth it." And he strode off, heading in Lennon's direction.
Frances quickly made herself scarce; she really did not want the Not-Elena to see her.
She waited for Damon to walk by before she announced her presence.
"Does Elena have a twin sister? 'Cause, I am certain that's not her."
Damon continued walking, refusing to look at her. She quickly caught up.
"Okay, fine, don't tell me. I'll just avoid Curly Elena," she decided aloud. "She feels wrong."
Damon barked out a laugh. "You've no idea."
"So, you tried to kill Mason with the silver?" she asked.
"Don't remind me," he snapped.
"I tried to tell you," she reminded.
"Yeah, shut it."
There was a moment of silence before she asked, "How pissed was he?"
"Oh, he staked me as an enemy," was the nonchalant reply.
"Well, as long as it's not with wood."
Damon stopped walking. "That… was horrible."
Frances winced. "Yeah, that was… Hey, you know what would make it better?"
Damon eyed her suspiciously, before groaning and walking off again.
"Oup! I think he's guessed it!" she giggled. "Come on, Blue, eventually, you're gonna get sick of me shadowing you and bringing it up and you'll pay me just to get me to leave. You might as well just save us both the time and give it to me now."
"What would you even do with the money anyway?" he asked.
"Hey, now," she started, "that's for me to know, and for you to discover as I'm doing it. It's improper to ask what we do with the money after the job is done anyway."
"That reminds me," Damon asked, with a glint in his eye, "do you still work as a-?"
"No," Frances interrupted firmly. "The clients became too much of a temptation. Too many times did I wake up the next morning to a corpse. I just told them to give me the money, then pretended that they just had the most amazing sex ever."
"So, how long has it been since you…?"
Frances glared at him. "If this is your way to ask me if I want to sleep with you, forget it. You've stiffed me once, no way in hell I'm letting you get a freebie again. Not until you pay me for the last time."
"Pft," Damon scoffed. "Like you're my only option."
"You're disgusting."
"Said the call girl."
"Screw you, Damon. Oh, wait, I did. And you owe me for it."
"I still don't see why I need to pay now. Surely the… statute of limitations has passed."
Frances' face contorted with conflict. "Look, I want to tell you why it's important to me you pay me, but that would involve me telling you why it's important for me to pay you back. And I want to make sure I'm paid before that happens."
"And that's another thing," Damon said. "What makes you think I'd be willing to hand you money, which seems to be the trigger for a gun you've got pointed at me?"
She looked at him incredulously. "You don't honestly think that I even can kill you, do you?"
He pretended to think. "No."
"Well, then what have you got to lose?" she asked, throwing her hands in the air. "Besides the one fifty you owe me."
Damon eyed her some more. "You don't want to kill me, do you?" he stated rather than asked. "Then what is this about a debt you owe me?"
"Repay yours, and then I'll tell you."
And she disappeared. Damon sighed again.
"I think I'll kill her. Problem solved."
