Ding, dong. Stupid door bell. Damon groans and tires to get up but I hold him to me, enjoying the warm too much to let it go. I'm a mess, in the mirror across the room I can see that my hair, which is normally straight, has returned to its naturally curly self and I have large purple marks on my neck and certain places on the little bit of my stomach that can be seen under my tank top. Strange, I don't remember putting clothes back on last night.
"I have to get the door," whispers Damon, stealing a kiss.
"You don't have to," I state, not letting him go.
"I…I really do," states Damon kissing me once more before getting out of bed and quickly dressing.
"Who's at the door, Damon?" I questions, resting my chin on his shoulder.
"Alaric," I state, buttoning up my shirt, "he's going to help us."
"Fun," I state before hoping off the bed and running down the hall to the door.
Damon chases after me, wrapping his arms around me, picking me up off the floor. I laugh and scream and Damon moves me away from the door.
"Behave," he laughs, kissing my cheek before answering the door. "Thanks for coming, Rick. Can I get you something to drink? Coffee, bourbon, bourbon and coffee?"
"No, thanks, Elena mentioned you needed my help." Rick says, glancing over at me as I hug Damon, still standing behind him.
"Yeah," Stefan says, entering the room, "we were hoping you could shed some light on the Lockwood family."
"Not in front of her," Rick says, looking over at me.
"Why not?" Damon questions, giving Rick a threatening look.
"Reasons that both she and I know," Rick states, taking a seat on the couch.
"That was a long time ago, Rick. Can't we put the past behind us?" I question, standing behind where Damon is sitting.
"She leaves or I don't talk," Rick says, his jaw set.
Why do people insist on hanging onto the past? If I was one to do that there would be no way I could ever be with Damon…well not anymore. Yet, I've learned to move on in my 175 years of living, is it really that hard for other people?
"She's with me," Damon says, crossing his arms over his chest, "she stays."
Looking truly upset Rick scowls at me before turning his attention back to Damon, "Now why would I know anything about the Lockwood's?"
"Well…you wouldn't. But your dead, not dead, vampire wife might," says Damon, reaching his arm above his head, taking my hand in his.
Staring at Rick's face for a minute I can detect his stupid little lie, "He knows something."
"Thank you, Elizabeth," says Stefan in a rather sarcastic voice that I personally had no clue he was capable of using.
"Don't talk to her like that," snaps Damon.
"Like what?" Stefan questions, giving Damon an 'I have absolutely no clue what you are talking about' look.
Quickly, my eyes shift between the two brothers, silently wondering which would lunge first, my bet is on Damon. This is of course because it was Stefan who was ever so rude to me and anymore Damon is…protective. Not that I'm complaining, I like being looked after, especially when the person doing the looking is as amazingly good looking as Damon. It's just strange.
"Enough!" exclaims Elena. "Isabel's research, from when you where working together…."
Stefan interrupts her, "You said she had spent years researching this town."
"Isabel's research here in Mystic Falls rooted in folklore and legend and at the time, I thought most of it was fiction," says Rick looking around at Damon, Stefan and I.
"But, you soon found out just how wrong you where…didn't you Alaric?" I question, a smirk set on my lips.
"Out!" Rick commands, standing up. "I want her out!"
"Not going to happen. Izzie has every right to be here," says Damon, looking up at me with his striking blue eyes full of nothing but love.
"Aside from vampires what else?" asks Elena, trying to keep everyone on track.
"A lichen group," states Rick, his gaze still on me.
"Wait, like werewolves?" says Elena.
"No way, impossible," Damon says shaking his head quickly back and forth.
Obviously no one really wants to believe this one either. It's not surprising of course…I mean werewolves are dangerous to vampires, but still. Can we not all get over ourselves for five minutes and be open to new ideas that might actually help us get somewhere?
"Not quite, Damon," I state, fearing his reaction.
"I've been on this planet 150 and some odd years and never come across one if werewolves exist, where the hell are they? And why do you suspect the Lockwoods?" says Damon.
He doesn't look upset, which is good but then again Damon doesn't look pleased either. Why should he though, Damon has been around long enough to know that vampires and werewolves aren't necessarily bffs.
"Because you've said vervain doesn't affect them, but on Founder's Day the Gilbert Device did, and it affected Tyler." I explain.
Stefan studies me as if I am some painting in a museum that is meant to be interpreted in one specific way yet no matter how hard one tries they simply cannot understand, "So you're suggesting there is some super natural entity?"
"Yup," I reply.
"We were hoping Isabel's research could help us figure out what it is," says Elena.
Rick shakes his head clearly not wanting to say anything in front of me, "Well…all of her thins are still at Duke, a fact I'm sure Damon's new play toy could have told you."
Damon snarls under his breath, "She's not a play toy, Rick…I love her."
"I love you too, Damon," I reply, looking down at him. "Yet, that's beside the point. Can we get access to Isabel's office?"
"Not if you're coming too," states Rick, clearly set against me being involved in this even in the tiniest little bit.
"Look, Rick, we need to know what we are dealing with. If this wolf man this is true I've seen enough movies to know it's not good. So, put aside your dislike for Elizabeth and tell us…can we get access to Isabel's office or not?" asks Damon and I can tell he is fighting the urge to do something terrible to Alaric.
"Yes…yes we can," Rick says before standing and walking out of the Salvatore mansion, slamming the door behind him.
"I suggest you get dressed, Elizabeth," Stefan says as he leaves to room.
"I do as please," I retort before walking away down the hall towards Damon's room.
When will Stefan learn? I'm with Damon; I don't listen to anyone but Damon or myself, obviously, so Stefan might as well give up.
**Reviews would be super awesome. Soon to be a mega twist so don't stop reading please. Thinking about breaking away from the TV show plot line so if you have any ideas please send me a message. **