Alaric's POV
I was sitting in the Mystic Grill having a drink, when my vampire ex-wife sits down next to me. To say I was surprised to see her; would be an understatement, seeing as she told Elena to stop looking for her, yet here she is. I hadn't seen her since the night I watched Damon drink from her, when she made me think he had killed her. When in reality he changed her, upon her request not out of some misguided torture to unknown people. "It's good to see you. I hear that you're a high school history teacher, how is that?"
"Where have you been, Isobel?" Out of all the things I wanted to say to her, which was the least to have pissed her off to where she would kill me. She had chosen to leave me, and she left her own child before that. I wanted to be harsh, and tell her to just leave it's what she's good at obviously. But I wanted to know, no needed to know if she was okay. Even though I apparently never really knew her, I did love her once and her being okay was all that mattered even though I had gotten over her.
She didn't look the least bit remorseful for leaving me, and I wonder if she ever loved me in the first place. But if she did, it didn't matter because I was now in love with Jenna. And I needed to protect both Bella and Elena, so I needed to know why she was here. "I don't have any reasons that are gonna comfort you. I don't have any explanations that are gonna satisfy you. I wanted this."
"It's that simple?" She acted as if others feeling didn't matter to her and that hurt the most about seeing her again. I feel sorry for Elena being related to her, but if I've learned anything the apple never falls from the tree. Elena has been slowly showing how much she really was related to her mother and Katherine, and that is worrisome because she didn't used to be that way.
"Yeah." She said so easily, as if I asked the stupidest question known to man. I couldn't understand why she was this way, when I had never known she was this cruel. She had taken students under her wing, and taught them everything she could. "You were supposed to mourn me, and move on."
"You were my wife, and I loved you. How could I not search for you?" I felt like I was talking to the stupidest person in the world, there was no rationality in her at all. I feel almost glad about not loving her anymore; this isn't the woman I married at all. She didn't care in the least about how she made me feel when she made me think she died, and I'm over it all now. Jenna helped me get over it, and I think I was meant to find her.
"Because I wasn't lost, Ric." She says while taking paper out of her bang, and writes something on it. She looks very serious, and I knew the person I once loved was no longer there. She was replaced with a self-involved version of herself, and it makes it easier for me to let go of her. "I understand that you know my daughter Elena, and I hear that she's been looking for me. So…"
""I want you to arrange for a meeting with us." She gives me the paper she wrote on, and once I read it I realize this meeting between us wasn't for closure. It was so I could be her message boy; all she had done is piss me off with that move; she couldn't think I would do her bidding so willingly.
Of course I would tell Elena, along with the rest of group. Damon and possibly Bella would have a plan on what to do about her. Damon will probably be more pissed with me for not trying to find out who it is Isobel is working with, but I knew I could count on Bella. She has become quiet the planner, on how to take care of vampire issues. "You want me to deliver a message?"
"Yeah." With the only a smile she can give, that would normally make me do anything for her. But not anymore, which I knew would piss her off. She was obviously used to getting her way, but she's done some of her research and should know she can't control me right now. Hopefully soon she would never be able to control anyone in Mystic Falls ever again, if Bonnie can figure out a way to use Bella's Mental Shield to protect the whole town we will be fine.
I was starting to realize that I had made a family here in Mystic Falls, which I never had back at Duke with Isobel. I'm super glad that Isobel and I never had kids, because she would have just screwed them the fuck up like she's done with Elena. I throw the paper at her, and get up ready to walk out on her. I just had to get one more thing off my chest, and I would be good to go. "Screw you. You selfish bitch!"
I made it to my car, when Isobel shows up behind me. I felt her behind me, before I saw her reflection of the car window. Even though I had hoped she would get the hint, I knew better than to think she would just leave it at that. "What do you want from me?"
"I told you." She said so simply replied, and all I wanted to do was stake her. I wouldn't of course knowing Elena would probably want to meet her. But how could anyone want to meet a vindictive and arrogant woman like her, which she feels like she knows better than everyone. She obviously doesn't know as much as she thinks she does, whoever is working with her hasn't told her what's different in Mystic Falls.
"I'm not gonna do anything for you." Immediately she strangles me, and pushes me against my car when I refuse her. I'm not at her beck and call, she used to be able to get me to do anything she wanted but it isn't like that anymore. She's been gone way to long, for that to work on me anymore. She obviously knew she couldn't use compulsion, or maybe she didn't want too.
"You better tell Elena that I want to meet or I'm gonna start killing the citizens of this town one by one, and I'm gonna start with your history students. Got it?" She throws me on the floor, and gave me the paper once again. I get up and look at the paper, when I look up she had already disappeared. She didn't need compulsion, because she knew I wouldn't be open to her going on a killing spree.
I didn't sleep at all I was up all night trying to figure what I was going to do. We would all have to meet at the school, because I'm in charge of the history class float and I have to meet my class to assign who is in charge of it. I knew Elena and Stefan were supposed to be there; I just had to get Bonnie who would also most likely already be at the school with Caroline. So, how am I supposed to get Bella and Damon there, without Damon causing a scene?
I would need to talk to Bella, and tell her it's urgent and I need everyone to meet me in my class room. I immediately text her knowing she wouldn't get it, until the morning because Damon would be fucking her until they both passed out from exhaustion. As much as I found it nauseating, I knew if Elena and Jeremy weren't home all of the time I would be the same way with Jenna.
How was I going to explain to Jenna, that my missing ex-wife showed up and is a vampire? I really didn't like hiding things from Jenna, that's what got me to become a hunter in the first place. If Isobel had just told me, maybe I wouldn't have become the person I am. Then again, I also wouldn't have met Jenna. I had a best friend, who just so happens to be vampire. I couldn't understand why I was friends with him, until I met Bella and she brought out the side of Damon that made people like him for short periods of time. She just so happened, to keep that side of him out all the time.
BPOV
I woke up to a gorgeous morning, ready for anything until my phone went off. Alaric called me informing me there was an emergency and that he needed Damon and me, to meet him at the school as soon as possible. If we are meeting him at the school, what a wonderful way to spend a day when I had plans on staying in with my husband. "Damon, Alaric just called said we need to meet him at the school immediately. Please try to contain your dramatics, I'm already blown that we have the house to ourselves and I can't take advantage of it."
"Let's go then, because the sooner this is dealt with, then the sooner we can come back to the empty house." Damon was up and getting dressed as he spoke and I knew we were in for an interesting day. There was no way that, we were making it back to the house alone today I already knew it. But I won't crush his little dreams, because I kind of hope they come true. So much had been going on, that I was hoping for just one relaxing day of no drama.
Of course that's always too much to ask for, ever. My life is always surrounded by drama; it should be no different now that I am married. I finally get out of bed, and start getting dressed for the day. I pull on a pair of black skinny jeans, and white tank top with a grey crop cover. I put a pair of biker boots on, and placed dangling cross earrings with a cross ring along with my wedding ring. Damon walked out and looked at me, and grabbed something out of the jewelry box I had sat on the nightstand. It was a necklace that hung low, and it matched well with the outfit. "You look beautiful, let's get this over with so I can ravish you for the rest of the day."
"Let's hope it's that easy, because it definitely didn't seem that way with the way Ric was talking." I told him as we began to walk out of the room. I quickly grabbed one of my leather cuffs, and put it on my wrist as we walk down the stairs. I look at Damon and notice he is in his usual black jeans and leather jacket, but instead of wearing all black he has a light grey shirt on underneath. Somehow, we always tend to match without trying too. We make it to the car, and before I know it we are half way to the school.
I never understood how small towns had no idea of the things in their town, at least Mystic Falls has some idea what's going on. Forks has no idea, about what's going on around them unless you're from La Push. Damon parked, and we got out making our way inside. I had never been inside Mystic Falls High before, so I had no idea where we were going. I followed Damon as we made it to Ric's classroom' when we made it there the whole Scooby gang was there. Elena looked like she saw a ghost, while Stefan looked like he was torn. "What's going on here, it feels like we just crashed a funeral we weren't invited too."
"I saw Isobel last night, at the Grill." Ric announces before, Damon could make a stupid comment to what I said. Everyone's eyes immediately go to Elena, and though I didn't like the whiny girl, it must be hard for her knowing her biological mother is in town when you have been looking for her all this time.
It makes sense on why Stefan looks torn, he doesn't know if he should comfort her or stay away. He doesn't want to send the wrong signal to her, because he has decided that it's over between them officially. He had already told her this, but he still planned on standing on the float with her because Caroline had asked as a favor to her. "What did she say? Is she working with John?"
"I didn't ask about John, and she wants me to set up a meeting with Elena." Ric is being slightly difficult, and I understand why but come on just say it all so we don't have to play this game. I look at Alaric, and pretty much tell him with my eyes to tell us everything now. "If I don't set up a meeting between them, she will start killing people in town. Starting with people in my history class, then move to everyone we all care about."
"If you don't want to do this Elena, we will find a way to stop her." Damon tells her, still trying to be her friend. Yes I know she has been a very shitty person, but Damon tries to see the good still. He wants to know that she is still different from Katherine, but I can see that she's not which is really just sad. Elena has the potential to break this curse of repeating history, but she won't do it because she's too selfish.
Elena looked at Damon, and I could see she has already made her decision. She made it, before we walked in. I looked at Bonnie, who was sitting next to Stefan. Bonnie feels like she needs to do something, though she don't see a future for their friendship right now. "I want too; if I don't meet with her I will regret it."
"Then this is what we should do, Alaric will set up a meeting at the grill today. Bonnie and I will be inside at a different table from you; while the boys wait outside in case something goes down that we need their help." I knew immediately that Damon was going to protest, but I had this covered. The reason I want the guys outside, is because Isobel knows Damon and Alaric. Stefan being there really wouldn't help at all, but I have nothing to keep him from staying with Damon and Ric.
I'm betting on the fact that Isobel doesn't know me and Bonnie, so it works to our advantage. Bonnie and I have the chance to listen in on the conversation, and still have a chance to protect Elena if anything were to happen. Luckily I didn't have to explain this, because Bonnie did understand why I wanted to do it this way. She and I were becoming a good team, and I was glad because now I had a witch on my side in this crazy supernatural world. Damon didn't like it like I expected, but he didn't argue. He actually thought it was a good plan, when you took me out of the equation. Ric called Isobel, and made the arrangements for this afternoon.
"I don't like this you know, but I won't argue because I know I can't stop you from doing this. Just make sure you are careful, and stay close to Bonnie." He said as we were getting ready to leave the school, Bonnie was standing in between Elena and Stefan trying to keep the peace. I kissed Damon as slowly as I could, before getting Bonnie so we could get a table right next to Elena.
Luckily when we got there, it wasn't crowded like it usually is because everyone is either at work or dealing with things for the parade. When Elena gets there she is seated behind me, which was perfect for Bonnie to see everything that was happening. I was close enough to hear everything, so my plan was working so far. Now only if Damon can keep it together, and stay outside. "Thanks for being here; I know you both don't really like me at the moment."
Before anyone of us could think to say anything, Isobel arrived and I had to say her voice was irritating. I now knew where Elena got it from, besides you know being just like Katherine in every way shape and form. Elena tried to ask who her father was, but Isobel ignored her. We all already knew who he was, but no one wanted to tell her. Isobel wants the Gilbert Device, and she seems to think Elena can get it from Damon. Bonnie was the first one up, and over to Elena when Isobel left. "I'm sorry your mom turned out to be such a bitch, but at least we know what she wants."
"It's like she didn't care about me at all, when I would have just been happy to know who my father is." She was going to be super disappointed when she finds out, but its ridicules that everyone is afraid to tell her. I get she feels like maybe her father would turn out better than Isobel, but that isn't really the case. But at least she will find out she's still related to Jeremy in some way, and that should lift her spirits a little bit.
Damon and I left separately from the others, going back home. I knew there was something on his mind, but I didn't know what. As we drove home. I took in his hand into mine, to try and calm his nerves. He squeezed my hand in thanks, but we didn't say a word until we got home. "I know we wanted to ravish each other, while we still had the house to ourselves. But I know how to find Isobel, and to at least try to get her to leave us all alone."
"Do you think it will help? Or will it piss off more people?" I knew Isobel was working for Katherine, and only time will tell if this will be a problem for the brothers. I want to believe in me and Damon's love, because I know how happy we are. I also know he has been looking for her his whole vampire life, and that's what worried me. No matter how much he loves me, he will always have some kind of feelings for Katherine. For now, I kept this to myself until I have more concrete evidence.
The less he knew, the less he thought about it. If he goes to Isobel's who knows what he will learn. I want to know how long it will be before Katherine show's her face, but it makes me wonder why she just doesn't show herself. Unless she's scared of something, who could be looking for her? Someone wants her dead, otherwise she wouldn't be running, like she has her whole existence. "Babe, I don't know who is behind this. I need to keep you and Stefan safe, and this is the only way I know how too right now. Maybe I can find something out, about what she's doing here and what she's hiding."
"Alright, I trust you. Go, and find out what you can. I will see what I can dig up on my own here, and maybe work on some things for the restaurants." Most of my night will be looking for something on Katherine's past, and how she turned into a vampire and why? There is more to the story, that none of us know about. I hate lying to my husband, but sometimes a little white lie doesn't hurt when it's for the better of everyone.
As soon as Damon left, I made my way into the library and looked for something that could be useful. For some reason, an old journal seemed to catch my attention. I picked it up, and when I lifted the front cover I found that it belong to Damon's father. I thought Stefan had gotten rid of them all, unless it was one he had over looked. As I read through it, I find that the device was used disorientate vampires. Why would Isobel want this, it would affect her along with any vampire that was around.
None of this was making sense, but I knew I needed to talk to Bonnie now versus later. I dug in my pocket for my cell, and found Bonnie's number. I waited a few seconds before she picked up, and I had to wait a little bit longer until she got away from her parents. "Hey Bella, is everything okay?"
"I'm so glad you asked, I found some information out that I need your help with. I know you probably can't get away right now, so I'll just speak quickly. I found one of Damon's fathers journals in the library, and it spoke of the device the Isobel wants. Only one slight problem, it's used to disorient vampires. Why Isobel would want this, something in her plan is missing. Is there anyway, you can look in Emily's grimoire and see what you can find? Also, a way to keep it from working?" I knew I was asking a lot from Bonnie, but I'm hoping with how she and Damon are getting along that she will be willing to help.
I hated asking, but this wasn't only to help me, but Elena as much as I disliked the girl. She should be so lucky to have so many people willing to sacrifice themselves for her, but she takes it all for granted. The sooner we found a way to protect her from all vampires, the sooner she can move on with her life and never worry about vampires or turning into one. "Of course, I will search what I can tonight. I will be over tomorrow morning, to go over anything I find. Just make sure Damon, is willing to work with me versus antagonizing."
"I'll see what I can do, but you know as well as I do that he has gotten better at that. I'll talk to him when he gets home, but for now this stays between us until we've talked again. I will finish reading the journal, to see if I can find anything else about what is going on. Thank you, Bonnie." I told her, because I was honestly thankful for her help. She said it was no problem, and we went off to do what we had sent out to do. I grabbed Giuseppe's journal, and made my way to the kitchen to grab something to eat. After making myself a sandwich, I take the journal and food and go to the sitting area.
I knew I wasn't going to be able to go to sleep, with Damon looking for Isobel. Knowing what my husband can do, to try and get information out of on old fling just doesn't sit well in my stomach. Though we are at a place in trying to save everyone in this town, where anything we can do is necessary as much as neither of us will like it. I focused my mind, on reading the journal in front of me. Instead of what Damon could be doing, because that was something I didn't want to think about. There were other devices, made for different things. Most of them were to use against vampires, but apparently Jonathan Gilbert had made many other types for other things.
So not only would I be talking to Bonnie tomorrow, I would have to talk to one of the Gilberts as well. It would be just so much easier to not have to hide this from Jenna, but I wouldn't do anything until Alaric or Jeremy was ready. We needed to know what all we were working with, and the Gilbert journal might know where all of them are located. Since there was nothing else in the book to help me, I decided I would work on some of the plans for the restaurants. Contractors will be working the café first, it should be done by the time I'm back from New York. The restaurant would take a week longer, which was fine it gave me an adjustment period. As I was finishing working on the things that needed to be changed in the café, Damon walked back in to the house. I didn't look the least bit happy, and something told me Katherine had something to do with it.
DPOV
Things with Isobel didn't go as I had planned, like how Katherine is behind why Isobel and John were here. Knowing Katherine is causing trouble for all of us pissed me off, but I knew she wasn't here yet. She would be making an appearance I just didn't know when, and what kind of trouble she would cause then. Walking through the front door of the boarding house, I notice Bella is on the couch working on building plans. God she was so beautiful, in the simplest way possible. She was wearing a pair of my black sweatpants, and a white wife beater. Her bare feet were tucked in underneath her, with a portable work top on her legs holding all the paperwork.
She had an empty plate on the table in front of the couch, which means she had eaten without me. I look at the time, and realize I was gone for a couple of hours. That made me feel like shit, because I hadn't planned on leaving her alone for so long. She was sipping on a glass of bourbon, and it was definitely the good stuff. She was a lot like me, if you were going to drink you drank the good stuff. I didn't know if she was going to be mad at me, or just ignore the fact that I left her alone. I figured I'd test the waters, by asking her how paperwork was going. "Hey sweetheart, did you get a lot done?"
"I got the café blueprints done, the restaurant's is almost done. Did you find anything useful out?" I made sure when Isobel tried to kiss me, I backed up as soon as she attempted. I had no feelings For Isobel, or to want to be with anyone but Bella. I was glad she already knew of my past with Isobel, but I also didn't want to do anything to hurt her either. She is everything to me, and I don't know what I would do if I lost her.
I would do anything to keep her safe, and she knew it. But when Isobel went to kiss me, I had pushed her into a wall because the only person who was allowed to kiss me now was Bella. I would never want to hurt her like that, and make her feel like I didn't love her enough to stay faithful. Knowing that Katherine was behind this, I didn't think Bella would be all that happy about hearing about it. I would hate to know her ex was lurking around, and trying to hurt the people we cared about. "It seems Katherine is the one who sent Isobel here to get the device, because she doesn't like doing her own dirty work. John is in on whatever they have planned, and now we needed to find out why they want the device."
"Well I might have found out something about that, but before I say anything about it. I would like to apologize for going through yours and Stefan's things in the library, but I found one of you father's journals. At first I was surprised, because I remember you telling me that Stefan had got rid of them. Bonnie will be by in the morning, and her and I will explain everything I found out and the plan we have in place. I need you to trust me, and know that I would never do anything to put any of the people you care about in danger. We can deal with Katherine, and anything else comes our way together." I thought she was going to withdraw from the news of Katherine, but she just seemed to be more determined to fight her and everyone else against us.
I was worried about the plan she has, but I trusted in her to know that it was probably the best bet we have. That's what made us so good together, because she made me think before I going off and being reckless. She thought about everything, so we had all our basis covered. She had no need to feel bad about going through the library, I wanted her to be comfortable here it was her home now as well. "There is no need to apologize, you are more than welcome to go through any of the books in the library. Hell, go through anything you want, except maybe Stefan's room. I can wait for Bonnie to come over tomorrow, I trust that you two have come up with something to help us. Let's go upstairs, and you just relax. I promised you a few things last night, and I plan on following through with them before we fall asleep."
I pulled the lap desk away from her, and placed on the table in front of us. Taking her hand and pulling her up, and as she stood up the sweatpants she is was wearing slid down and stopped right at her hip bone. You had this perfect view of her slim waste, and the muscles she help but never showed you that she could truly use. I slowly pulled her behind me, as we walked up the stairs. I knew Bella wasn't always fond of the way she looked, but I was glad that she saw herself differently now. Because she is absolutely gorgeous to look at, and I'm the luckiest man in the world to have her love.
Tomorrow we would worry about what to do, right now I needed to reassure my love that everything will be alright between us. Because no matter how much she tried to hide the insecurity of knowing Katherine is near, deep inside I know it's there and I wanted to make it go away. Something was coming, and it was going to test our love. I just didn't know what, it was going to be. I truly hope it isn't Katherine, but knowing her she will do something. All I can hope, is that whatever it is we get through it like we have everything else.
As we made it to the room, I kissed her forehead before looking her in the eyes. Seeing all the love she had for me, it made my heart beat a little faster than normal. I leaned in, and kissed her slowly, not trying to rush anything. Tonight was all about taking our time, and taking everything slow. I started that mantra by slowly removing each piece of clothing she was wearing, and I was surprised that she wasn't wearing an underwear under m sweatpants. She followed my lead, and started undressing me as well. She had caught on to this being slow, and passionate. I don't know if I could love this woman anymore then I already do.
A/N: I'm sooooooooo sorry that it has taken me so long, to get this done and posted. I've had a lot of things going on, and I had tried so hard to get writing in but with everything that has been going on it's been very hard. Please enjoy, and let me know what you think. I promise the next chapter, will be done and up sooner than this one.
