Chapter 9: History Repeating
Bonnie is in class, when she sees Emily walk by and leaves the class to follow her. Emily leads her to an old burned down building. Bonnie wakes up in the class screaming and everyone is staring at her. She turns around and sees Emily sitting right next to her and Bonnie wakes up again, this time for real, in the woods.
Later at school, Caroline runs into Matt, who simply says "hey", and walks away. She later confronts him on it, claiming he's being a lame boy by spending the night with her and now ignoring her. He explains he isn't treating her any differently, and her trying to make it into something bigger than it is, is a lame girl move. In History, a new history teacher, Alaric Saltzman, walks into the class and introduces himself. After class, Bonnie describes Elena her dream thinking that she is haunted by Emily, because of the crystal she is wearing.
At the boarding house, Damon tries to make nice with Stefan for killing Lexi. He explains that he did it for them, and also promises not to feed on human for a week. However, Stefan is not really amused by his humor over the subject. Stefan later finds Elena at school and informs her that he will not be coming to school anymore or near her to protect her.
Alaric calls Jeremy in to give him a second chance after seeing his grades from Mr. Tanner's notes. He asks him to write a paper about local history. Jeremy thanks him and he notices the ring that Alaric wears. A ring that looks a lot like the ones Damon and Stefan have. He explains that it belonged to his father, and Jeremy seems satisfied with that answer.
Meanwhile, Damon confronts Bonnie and demands his necklace back but Bonnie is not giving it. Damon tells her that he knows about Emily haunting her and, before he leaves, he gives Bonnie a message for Emily: "A deal's a deal". Bonnie tells Elena about Damon as they drive home when suddenly she pulls the car over and throws the crystal into an open field. Elena calls Stefan to inform him about Damon and the crystal. The two, plus Phoebe, discuss it out on the porch. Stefan explains that Emily was Katherine's handmaid and that the crystal was once belonged to Katherine. However, he does not know why Damon wants it so badly but he promises to find out.
After which Elena returns inside, but Stefan stops Phoebe from following.
"Phoebe, can I talk to you for a moment?" asked Stefan.
"Sure," replied Phoebe.
"Has Damon said anything to you that might indicate why he's here?" he inquired.
Phoebe thought about for a moment, then replied, "No, not that I can think of."
"Think harder. There has to be something. You're the most observant person I've ever met, Phoebe. If anyone can figure him out, it's you," he pressed. "Hell, you figured out we were vampires. Nothing that helped you draw that conclusion indicates to why he might be here?"
"I can't think on the spot like this," she said. "When I figured out you two were vampires I was alone, I had music, and I wasn't being pressured to figure it out."
"Okay, then I'll leave you alone. Do whatever you need to do. I'll go talk to Damon, and see if I can get anything out of him," he told her.
Phoebe nodded, and went back inside. With Bonnie over, and Caroline due to join them at the house, it would be impossible to focus. That meant Phoebe had to go out. She told Elena what she was up to, grabbed what she needed, and headed out. She put on her headphones, and began walking in no particular direction.
"Where do I begin?" she asked herself. "I suppose the best question to answer first is what does Damon need with a crystal? He's a vampire, not a witch. What possible use could he have for a magical talisman? Stefan said it was Katherine's, but if Damon wanted it for sentimental reason then he would've taken it years ago. So why does he need it now?
"What does Damon care about most? Making Stefan's life a living hell. He does that well enough without a magic crystal. Katherine? Maybe he's planning to use the crystal to resurrect her somehow. Is that even possible? It can't be. If it were, then he'd have done that years ago.
"What does Damon need with the crystal that he's had to wait nearly 150 years for? Maybe it's a magical thing. Searching the web will take forever, especially since I don't even know what I'm looking for. Wait a minute. I could ask Bonnie's grandmother. She teaches Occult Studies at the University, and she actually is a witch."
Phoebe headed for Mrs. Bennett's house to ask her about this.
Jenna and Jeremy are at the Grill talking about his paper when she sees Alaric. Jeremy offers to introduce her, but she declines and tells Jeremy that he can use his father's stuff for his paper. Alaric approaches and introduces himself. Jenna thanks him for giving Jeremy a second chance. Later Jeremy leaves and Jenna, being alone, goes and sits with Alaric at the bar. Alaric tells her that his wife died, implying that she was murdered. He later escorts Jenna back home, but she does not invite him in because Jeremy is home.
Elena tries to get Bonnie and Caroline to make up. She invites Caroline for dinner, while Bonnie is already there. Caroline apologizes but she gets upset when Bonnie tells her that she threw the necklace away. But Caroline finds the necklace in Bonnie's purse and she accuses her of lying. Bonnie is surprised to see the crystal and wonders if Emily will ever leave her alone. Caroline doesn't understand. Bonnie tells her that she is a witch, but Caroline just mocks her.
Phoebe arrived at Mrs. Bennett's house and knocked on the door. She put on a smile, as the door opened, "Hi, Mrs. Bennett, I'm Phoebe Gilbert. My sister Elena is friends with Bonnie."
"What can I do for you, Phoebe?" asked Mrs. Bennett, returning her smile.
"I'm working on a paper for History class, about witches, and Bonnie said that you teach Occult Studies at the University; so I was wondering if you would help me with it?" Phoebe lied. "I apologize for the late hour, but I just had the idea a few minutes ago."
"It's alright, I'd be glad to help. Please, come in," replied Mrs. Bennett. Phoebe entered the house, and they both sat down in the living room. "Now, how can I help?"
"I understand witches can use talismans to amplify their power. Are there any other things they can use?" Phoebe inquired, trying not to sound too suspicious.
"Witches can draw power from a number of things. They can draw power from other witches, nature, or astrological events," she replied. "Although, astrological events are sometimes unpredictable."
"What if there was an astrological event that was reoccurring, such as the comet?" Phoebe asked.
"They could use that, but if they decided to undo whatever they had done, they'd have to wait a very long time before they could undo it," she explained. "A witch would only do that if she needed a lot of power for something, and planned to keep her spell in place for a very long time. Possibly forever."
Caroline apologizes, once again, to Bonnie and gives her the necklace back. She then proposes the three of them have a séance. During the séance, the candles flare, a cold wind blows in while Bonnie is calling for Emily. The window opens with a blast and the three girls freak out. Bonnie throws the crystal on the floor but when the lights come back on, the crystal is not there.
Phoebe's mind began to race, "Okay, that answered a few questions. Damon didn't need the crystal before now, because he couldn't use it. He needed the comet, which only comes around every 150 years. But what exactly does he need it for? What would Damon wait 150 years for? The best answer is still Katherine, but she died in the fire. If she hadn't, then she and Damon would've been together this whole time.
"Okay, the crystal was Emily's before it was Katherine's, and Emily was a witch. What if Emily used the crystal and the comet to cast some kind of protection spell on Katherine? If that were the case, then wouldn't she be here, now? With Damon? Maybe she made her a type of panic room. But the entire church was burned to the ground. Maybe the panic room was under the church. No, that's no good. Katherine would've starved to death by now...wouldn't she? What happens to a vampire when they're deprived of blood?"
"I can see why they call you a genius. I can see those gears turning from here," Mrs. Bennett noted, with a smile.
Phoebe looked at her, and returned the smile, "I'm sorry. That just got my mind racing."
"More questions?" she asked.
"No, ma'am. More like pieces coming together," Phoebe answered.
"Then maybe you should get home and write those thoughts down, before they go away," she suggested.
"I think I will," Phoebe replied, getting to her feet. "Thank you, Mrs. Bennett. You've been a big help."
"Anytime, dear. I'm glad I could help," replied Mrs. Bennett, seeing her out. "You have a good night."
"You too," said Phoebe.
As soon as the door was closed, Phoebe pulled out her phone, and texted Stefan. She asked him what happens to vampires when they're deprived of blood. He told her that they desiccate, and mummify. She asks if they're still alive. He tells her yes, they are. The last thing she asks is where he and Damon are, currently, and then heads to meet them.
Elena, Caroline, and Bonnie search for the crystal when Elena sees a figure crossing the hallway. Bonnie sees the necklace in the bathroom and goes in to get it, but the door closes, locking her inside. She starts screaming for help and Elena and Caroline try to open the door, but they can't. Suddenly, the door opens and Bonnie seems fine, but she is acting weird. The reflection in the mirror shows that Emily got into her body. Bonnie says she is fine and walks downstairs. Elena calls to her, but she is not answering. She realizes that Emily has possessed Bonnie's body, tries to stop her from leaving the house, but she cannot.
In the meantime, Stefan is being friendly to Damon so he can be able to make him tell him why he wants the crystal. They play darts at the bar and later go to the football field to play football. While they are talking, Damon finally asks Stefan what he wants. Stefan starts talking about Katherine and tells him that what they felt about her was not real since she compelled them to think so. Damon doesn't want to talk about it and walks away.
Phoebe arrives shortly after the brothers. She watches them play football, and then talk about Katherine. The brothers don't notice her, until Damon turns to leave.
"Phoebe. What brings you-," began Damon.
Phoebe cut him off, "I know what you're doing in Mystic Falls."
"You figured it out?" asked Stefan.
Phoebe nodded, "He's here to get Katherine back."
"That's impossible, she died in 1864," objected Stefan.
"My guess is Emily used magic to protect her from the fire. With the crystal and the passing comet, she created a sort of panic room under the church for Katherine. But it couldn't be opened again, until the comet returned to Mystic Falls. Until now," explained Phoebe.
Damon stared at her with a combination of disbelief and impression.
"You told me everything I needed to know. Well, except for the magical stuff. That, I just learned a little while ago," she added.
Stefan looked at Damon, "Is that true? Is
Katherine alive?"
"Well, if that's what you wanna call it. She's been trapped in a mystical holding cell for the last century and a half," replied Damon.
"But why would Emily do that? How do you even know Emily did that?" questioned Stefan. "She never said anything to me."
"Because I asked her to. When I saw the townspeople looking at Katherine, I begged Emily to protect her. I told her to name her price," answered Damon.
"What was it?" asked Phoebe.
"She knew they were gonna come for her, too, so she made me promise her lineage would survive," he replied.
Stefan's phone began to ring. It was Elena. Damon listened with his vampire hearing, as Elena told Stefan about Emily taking over Bonnie's body. Damon took off to find Emily. Once off the phone, Stefan and Phoebe went after him. In order to catch up, Stefan had to carry Phoebe while he flitted.
Damon encounters Emily who tells him that she can't keep her promise, because things are different now. Damon tries to attack her, but she throws him aside, impaling him on a tree using her witch power. Phoebe and Stefan arrived to find Damon impaled on a tree. Stefan put Phoebe down, and helped his brother. Phoebe felt a little sick from the flitting, and now the sudden stop. It was like a bad carnival ride. She took a moment to compose herself, and then joined the brothers.
Damon fell to the ground and groaned, "Oh that hurt."
Phoebe knelt down by his side to help him up.
Looking up at her, he added, "This is why I feed on people."
Phoebe rolled her eyes, and helped him lean against the tree.
"Stefan," said Emily.
"Hello, Emily," replied Stefan.
"These people don't deserve this," said Emily. "They should never have to know such evil."
"What do you mean evil?" asked Phoebe.
"Emily, I swear to God I'll make you regret this," threatened Damon.
"I won't let you unleash them into this world," replied Emily.
"Them?" questioned Stefan and Phoebe in unison. Everyone looked at Damon.
"What part of the story did you leave out, Damon?" asked Stefan.
"What does it matter?" retorted Damon.
"Emily, did you save everyone in the church?" asked Phoebe, putting two and two together.
"To save her, I had to save them," she answered.
"You saved everyone in the church?" asked Stefan, surprised.
"With one comes all," replied Emily.
"I don't care about that. I just want Katherine," said Damon, stumbling away from the tree. He leaned on Phoebe.
"I knew I shouldn't have believed a single word that comes out of your mouth," grumbled Stefan. "This isn't about love, is it? This is about revenge."
"The two aren't mutually exclusive," replied Damon.
"Damon, you can't do this," said Phoebe.
"Why not? They killed 27 people, and they called it a war battle. They deserve whatever they get," spat Damon.
"You're blaming innocent people for something that happened 145 years ago," explained Phoebe.
"There is nothing innocent about these people," replied Damon. He turned to address Emily, "And don't think for a second it won't happen again! They already know too much, and they'll burn your little grand witch right next to us when they find out!"
Phoebe pushed Damon off of her, "Some of these people are admittingly narrow-minded, but none of us deserve to be punished for a crime we didn't commit. Things are different now, Damon, it's not 1864 anymore. And if by some strange plot twist they do try to burn you, Bonnie, and Stefan alive I'll be there to get you all out. Whether I'm on my own, or I have help. I won't let them hurt you, Damon. Any of you."
"I can't release them," said Emily. "I won't."
"Don't do this," pleaded Damon.
Emily ignited a ring of fire around her, and destroyed the crystal. Elena arrived in time to see the crystal destroyed. Stefan caught her before she could run into the fire for Bonnie. Emily extinguished the fire, and left Bonnie's body. Damon was so angry with Emily, he attacked Bonnie. Stefan and Phoebe both ran to stop him, but Stefan reached him first, shoving his brother aside.
While Stefan and Elena focused on helping Bonnie, Phoebe turned her attention to Damon. She understood he was just upset. As she looked at him, she noticed something about his face that she'd never seen before. She moved closer to get a better look, but he turned away from her, and walked away.
Meanwhile in Caroline's room, Matt drops by to talk to her. He tells her that he's never liked her and that cuddling with her creeped him out, yet it was nice. He tells her that with Vicki gone and his mom off with her boyfriend, Phoebe's all he has; but even she's been keeping busy lately. So he needs another friend to hang out with, when she's busy, and he wants Caroline to be that friend.
Once healed, the twins take Bonnie to Elena's car, while Stefan checks on his brother. Damon is devastated, because his only shot to bring Katherine back is gone. He tells Stefan that Katherine never compelled him. That he knew everything from the beginning, and he really loved her.
Stefan returns to Bonnie and the twins. Bonnie does not understand what happened and Elena promises to explain everything. With Stefan back, Phoebe leaves Elena to calm Bonnie down, so she can ask Stefan where Damon went.
"He's over there," replied Stefan, pointing to Damon's location. "He needed some time alone."
Phoebe nodded, as she looked in the direction he was pointing.
"Can I ask you something?" inquired Stefan.
"Yeah. Sure," replied Phoebe.
"Why do you care so much? About Damon?" asked Stefan.
"Because someone has to," answered Phoebe. "Everyone needs a friend, Stefan, and not one that's been compelled to be your friend. Someone who cares out of their own free will."
"But he doesn't deserve it, Phoebe. Damon is a monster. He doesn't deserve to have someone like you care about him," he responded.
"He's not a monster. Damon does the things he does for a reason, not because he just likes to see people suffer. Monsters do things for the sheer pleasure of seeing people suffer," she argued.
"Damon enjoys seeing people suffer," Stefan pointed out.
"But that's not the reason he does things," she countered. "Look, I'm not saying I agree with the things he does, or even condone them; but I will defend him, because that's what friends do, Stefan. They stand by you, no matter what."
Stefan was unable to argue further, because Elena was headed over, and Phoebe was walking towards Damon's location. Elena informs Stefan that she will tell Bonnie the truth. She also tells him that she now knows she can be with him, but Stefan disagrees. He tells her that he will be leaving Mystic Falls, and walks away.
Once Phoebe reached Damon, she sat down next to him on the log.
"I don't want to hear it," said Damon, not bothering to look at her.
"Hear what?" she asked.
"Aren't you here to scold me for attacking Bonnie?" he asked, still looking off into the distance.
"Nope," she replied. "I'm just here to make sure you don't drive."
Damon looked at her, now, with a confused expression.
Phoebe did a double take at him, and then explained, "You aren't supposed to drive upset."
Damon maintained a neutral expression, as he turned back to looking out into the distance. Phoebe looked up at the sky. They both snuck a glance at the other, and smiled to themselves.
Later at the Gilbert house, with Logan knocks on the door. Jenna opens the door and Logan asks her if she will invite him in.
