Tyler Lockwood was not having a very good morning.
He had dropped into his chair at the breakfast table, suddenly, very aware that his parents were not just staring at him, but they were glaring! He didn't even pick up his fork. He would just face the music now.
"Okay. What have I done now?" Tyler asked.
"You'll watch your mouth, young man!" Carol Lockwood snapped. "I don't know how you became the man you are! I can't deal with this Richard! You handle this!"
Carol scooted back her chair and huffed out of the dining room. Tyler sighed and looked at his father.
"What?"
"Well, stupid son of mine, did you, or did you not, tell Vicki Donovan that you were a werewolf?"
Tyler sensed a colossal chewing out and maybe a backhand, coming forth.
"Yeah, but that was just to get sex."
"Just to get sex, hey? Well the little piece of trash told doctors in the psych ward. They thought she was still crazy from the drugs. Then she told her dear step-father, who is my mayoral opponent. He's using this against me!" Richard snapped.
"I don't understand." Tyler said in a hollow tone.
"You don't understand?" Richard continued in a berating tone. "Your mother thinks you used that as a line for sex, yes. But Rudy Hopkins is saying that you're crazy! He's saying that YOU gave Vicki drugs that made her believe you were a werewolf because that's what you do-you drug girls and tell them you're a deadly animal, just so you can get them to sleep with you!"
And with those words, Tyler was hit with the morning newspaper! Tyler picked it up and looked at the front page.
MAYOR'S HOME LIFE HAS BECOME FOCUS OF CAMPAIGN
Tyler read a few sentences, but got the point. And it was pretty bad. Rudy Hopkins was not only saying that he had seduced Vicki with some line about being able to turn into a wolf, but that he might've actually taken this 'hoax' far enough to have committed a string of unexplained murders...
"Dad, this is bogus! You know that!" Tyler griped. Richard looked towards the doorway, then lowered his voice.
"We both know you don't remember anything after you've turned," Richard reminded him, "and there have been murders. I just assumed it was you."
"Oh Christ, Dad, even the ones that happened when moon wasn't full?"
"I don't know if you're turning at will or what!" Richard told his son. "I just know that Sheriff Forbes was here earlier, before you awoke, asking questions. I certainly hope Bonnie can cover for you."
"She will." Tyler said.
"Good. Now, you need to get packed."
Tyler blinked.
"Uh, why?"
"Because you're not going to school. You're going to Briarcliffe until this whole thing settles down." Richard told him.
Tyler blinked again.
He then spoke.
"Briarcliffe...the mental institution? That Briaricliffe?"
"Yes, Tyler! Now go and get packed!"
"Hell no, I won't!" Tyler snapped. "Why am I going there?!"
"Because we have to cover our bases..."
"Dad, it's going to look like I'm guilty!"
"You're just going for treatment. Telling girls that you're a werewolf isn't nice."
"Dad!"
"Get packed!" Richard ordered his son. Meanwhile, one of the maid's pulled a cellphone out of her apron pocket and sent the news of Tyler's nut house stay, to Gossip Girl.
Meanwhile, Kelly Donovan Hopkins, smiled as she read the morning paper. Vicki looked surly and Matt looked fearful.
Rudy was nodding as he spoke on his cell at the table. He then hung up.
"The story in the morning paper has caused Lockwood to drop in the polls."
"Did Sheriff Forbes pay Richard and Carol a visit?" Kelly asked.
"Yes, from what I understand. This would be like a gift from God for my campaign, if it didn't affect Bonnie so much. I need to talk to her so we can get our stories together."
Matt eyed his step-father.
"What 'story'?"
"That Bonnie barely knows him." Rudy replied. Vicki snorted!
"That's a lie!"
"Vicki!" Kelly said warningly. But Rudy looked at the both of them.
"I'm not blind, you know. Now suddenly I can't get Bonnie over here and the three of you used to be tight. Clearly this Lockwood boy has come between Bonnie and you, Vicki." Rudy noted.
Kelly glanced at her daughter, who reluctantly answered.
"Rudy, it wasn't my fault. I mean we all are friends and he told me one of his maids baked some brownies. We were in the woods eating them and then he tells me that story about being a werewolf and the drugs kicked in..."
"Young lady," Rudy interrupted, "that picture of young Mr. Lockwood and yourself, in the woods, appeared on Gossip Girl BEFORE your drug scare. Look, I just don't want anymore nonsense taking place, that could mess things up for this family. Bonnie will be with us this weekend. Patch things up with her, Vicki, am I making myself clear?"
Vicki nodded reluctantly. Matt gasped as he stared at the newest Gossip Girl Blast.
WOLF BOY SENT TO THE NUTHOUSE!
"What?" Kelly asked her son. Matt looked up and around.
"It says here on Gossip Girl that Tyler is being sent to Briarcliffe."
"The nuthouse?" Kelly and Vicki asked in unison. Rudy motioned for Matt to let him see his phone, and he stared at the headline. He certainly wasn't one to believe everything he read online. But...
"What is it?" Kelly asked her husband.
"If there is any truth to this, then Richard Lockwood is trying to cover his ass. It looks like Tyler is seeking help."
"Yeah, but you practically name him as a murderer, Rudy. The only help for that is prison." Kelly told him. Vicki and Matt glanced across the table at one another, before Matt spoke.
"Yeah but he's not REALLY an animal. So that would mean he's not responsible for the killings around here, right?" Matt asked no one in particular. Of course he knew his friend was actually a werewolf. But he didn't believe for two minutes, that Tyler had actually killed anyone!
Vicki answered him.
"I think what's happening, Matt, is that Rudy is saying that Tyler has taken his 'lie' a little too far and actually started killing people."
"Exactly!" Rudy huffed. "And now the little killer is being shunted away to some mental institution instead of facing the law."
Kelly was very mindful of the fact, that her kids did not want Tyler being talked about like that. Not even for a mayoral campaign. She would just have to remind Matt and Vicki, that they had never had it so good, since she married Rudy Hopkins. And they would have it even better, once Rudy became mayor of this town. People would be looking up to them, instead of looking down.
Sheriff Liz Forbes sat down next to her daughter, Caroline, at breakfast.
"I just came from seeing Mayor Lockwood. Tyler could be in some trouble."
Caroline, who had been looking at her phone, turned it so that her mother could see it. It was an update on a breaking blast on Gossip Girl.
WOLF BOY CHECKS INTO BRIARCLIFFE!
"Gossip Girl is like ten steps ahead of you, Mom." Caroline said blithely. Liz grabbed the phone from her daughter and stared at the blast. She then handed the phone back to Caroline. What did Richard Lockwood think he was doing, by shuttling Tyler off to a nuthouse? He still could be a killer. And he could kill in that hospital.
"Caroline, do you know anything about what Tyler told Vicki, about his being a werewolf?"
Caroline tilted her head.
"So this is all because of Vicki?"
"No."
"Then why did you mention her name, Mom?"
"Okay. Okay. Rudy Hopkins filed a complaint against Tyler, on his step-daughter's behalf. He's alleging that Tyler drugged Vicki and forced her to have sex with him, claiming he was a werewolf. There is also speculation that Tyler might've carried this facade far enough as to kill people and make it look like an animal did it."
"Do you know how stupid that sounds?" Caroline asked snidely. "Especially that first part. Tyler 'drugging' Vicki and then getting her to have sex with him BECAUSE he said he was an animal? I mean most women would not want to have sex with a guy who was claiming to be some beast."
"The point is, Caroline," Liz continued, "I have to look into the possibility that Tyler may have killed. Did he ever say anything to you? Or maybe even Bonnie?"
"No and ask Bonnie." Caroline said, getting up out of her chair. "And it sounds like who you need to be talking to is Vicki Donovan. She's made up this story and got Tyler in trouble. And she did it because she's jealous of Bonnie. Look into that."
Caroline flounced out of the dining room, but her heart was beating a mile a minute! She was going to have a little talk with Matt, and tell him to tell his sister to keep her damned mouth shut!
Bonnie was pissed off beyond belief! She was still in bed reading the news about Tyler being shuttled off to the nuthouse and had not been able to get Tyler on the phone! Her father had called twice and she let it go to voicemail. Maybe Tyler's phone had been taken? They probably didn't let you have one in the loony bin.
Bonnie leaned over so that she could see under her bed, then pulled out the Bennett Witch grimoire. She hauled up onto her bed and began looking for a particular spell. Once she found it, Bonnie reached over on her night table and picked up her phone.
She called Cassie Blake. Cassie picked up on the second ring.
"Hi, Bonnie." she said glumly.
Bonnie didn't like her less than enthusiastic tone, but she let it slide.
"I suppose you saw the latest Gossip Girl blast about poor Tyler."
"I heard his father put him in a mental hospital, yes." Cassie allowed.
"Well, I want Diana, Faye, Melissa and yourself, to get checked in at Briarcliffe as well."
"Uh, excuse me?" Cassie asked.
"You heard me! Tyler is cute and he could be molested or something! I need you all to watch out for him." Bonnie huffed.
"You don't get molested in mental hospitals! That's prison!"
"What did you say to me, minion?" Bonnie asked, now sitting up.
"Look, Bonnie, I don't mean to offend you. But one of the reasons we're willing to follow you and do as you say, is because you are a descendant of the most kick ass witch from around these parts! And you promised that you would let us photocopy some of Emily Bennett's spells out of the grimoire."
Bonnie rolled her eyes! Yes, she sort of remembered promising that...
"Oh alright! Just one of you get yourselves checked in and watch over Tyler, and I'll see about getting you all some photocopies."
"Okay. I'll talk to the others. Bye." Cassie said, hanging up. Meanwhile, Bonnie set down her phone and began turning pages wildly in the grimoire, until she found the spell she needed. She then sat up on the bed, cross legged, closed her eyes and began chanting an incantation...
Meanwhile, Tyler was in his room at Briaricliffe. It actually wasn't that bad and he didn't have to share it with anyone. It looked like a hotel suite. He was looking out of the window, when Bonnie's voice filled his head!
BONNIE: Tyler? Tyler, can you hear me? Don't answer out loud! Answer me in your head.
TYLER: Yeah I can hear you! Why I don't know!
BONNIE: It's a telepathic spell! We can still talk to one another while you're locked up. What happened?
TYLER: That fucking Vicki ran her mouth to your father! Dad thinks I killed some people around here on the last full moon! I tried to tell him that there were SOME murders that took place on nights when the moon was not full. But he didn't want to hear it.
BONNIE: I still don't understand! What does my father and you being in a loony bin have to with one another?
TYLER: Your father is trying to say I have been telling people I'm a wolf, and am so into convincing people of it, that I've killed people!
BONNIE: Oh my God! Oh my God! I'll talk to Daddy! I'm seeing him this weekend!
TYLER: Bonnie he plans to win the election this way! You're not going to be able to change his mind!
BONNIE: Okay but if people think that you've killed people, then the police are going to get involved, aren't they?
TYLER: I think that's what my parents are afraid of. They're trying to make it seem as if I was crazy and didn't know what I was doing!
BONNIE: You know what? We have to prove that Vicki is nothing but a druggie liar!
TYLER: Yeah!
BONNIE: Oh and I'm sending the minions to watch over you in that place! There's no telling what could happen to you there.
TYLER: I don't need girls to protect me!
BONNIE:They're witches, not girls! And you never know when you might need one...or four!
TYLER: I know I need a witch right now...can we do some sort of telepathic sex with this spell?
DAMON: Hi!
BONNIE: I don't know...who are you talking to?
TYLER: No one.
BONNIE: You didn't just say 'hi'?
TYLER: No, but I did hear it...
DAMON: I'll look after Bonnie while you're locked up, Wolfie!
TYLER: Who the hell is that, Bonnie?
Bonnie broke off the spell, jumped off of her bed and ran for her door! She whipped it open and ran down the hall until she got to Damon's room! She turned the knob and found it locked! Bonnie calmed down, then waved her hand over the lock. The knob turned on it's own and Bonnie rushed in, then slammed the door!
Damon was lying in bed, reading a Dickens book, naked. He smiled at her.
"Looks like you included me in the spell, witchie! Sorry!"