The Plan
A/N: you will notice I have borrowed some ideas from the canon here but also departed from the events in the show, I changed things up a bit in terms of who found out what and when and where and how but there's still a general echo of some key ideas from the show. I think it's still pretty clear and straightforward, let me know if it's not. This theme of borrowing but also differentiating a bit will continue over the next few chapters as I pick and choose which bits of the canon suit my story. I hope to keep it close enough that it still feels believable, as much as a vampire story can be.
"Now will you tell me what's going on?" Elena asked as they drove away from the church.
"Stefan slept with Rebekah."
"Whoa. So, what, now he's on their side?" Damon tried to ignore the way Elena's eyes flared with shock or the way her mouth twitched with disgust. It was natural that she wouldn't want any of their group hooking up with Rebekah, let alone her ex-boyfriend. More than anything Elena was disgusted by the idea that Stefan might betray them out of jealousy.
"No, now he has an in. Apparently after Ric died my little brother was so bent up about he decided to take it out on his liver with Tequila and blondie couldn't resist but stick her nose in, so he told her about you and me and it being over between him and you, and well one thing led to another," Damon shrugged. "Anyways while he and Rebekah were bumping uglies he somehow found out she was trying to track down the location of the timber milled from a second white oak tree. Apparently it was used to build Wickory Bridge but here's the thing most of the original timber has been replaced over the years, so it's not so easy to just go carve a piece of the bridge, you might not get the right piece and then you've got a cranky original on your hands. I suppose you could do some sort of DNA testing, the support beams look original so they're probably white oak but there's a MUCH easier way to get ourselves some original-killing stakes."
"There is?"
"The history department at Mystic Falls High School had the original sign, built from the same wood. If we get the sign we know we've got white oak aka Kryptonite for Original Vamps."
"Wow. So that's why you didn't want to talk about it back at the church, so Rebekah and Klaus wouldn't find out."
"Exactly. That, and the more we can sell the idea that Stefan and I are no longer on speaking terms the more they will trust him."
"Hence the make out session outside the church," Elena inferred, comprehension dawning on her.
"Sorry about that," he grinned, not looking in the least bit embarrassed.
"I've done worse things to try and kill Klaus, it was just a little embarrassing with Mayor Lockwood and Mrs Forbes and everyone around. Plus I don't think Bonnie is quite as okay with us as she's pretending."
"She'll get over it," Damon reassured her, his tone suggesting he cared about as much about Bonnie's approval as he did about a piece of lint on his shirt. Actually no, white lint on black clothing frustrated him to no end, judgemental disapproving witches were to be expected. "Especially if we can take out Klaus."
"So what's the plan?" Elena asked.
"The school principal is planning to present the sign to Mrs Lockwood at the wake, we get there Klaus and Rebekah and get hold of it before they have a chance to destroy it. I would have gone ahead but we needed them to think that everything's going to plan, and it was too important that they see you and me together for me to miss the funeral."
"Okay so find the sign, make stakes, then what?" Elena asked.
"The closer Stefan gets to Klaus the easier it will be to take them by surprise. But in the meantime we need don't keep our eggs in one basket. Once we get the sign I'm going to chop it up and we'll each take a piece. That's why I told Caroline to drive herself, if Stefan doesn't manage to take out either Klaus or Rebekah we need to get out of there as fast as possible. I know you had misgivings about Elijah but if we hesitate we could lose Stefan or our last chance to bring them all down. We need do this today Elena, are you with me?"
"I'm with you," Elena nodded grimly. "Just tell me what to do."
"Look natural, try to get yourself overheard talking about being with me and Stefan being all cranky pants about it. We need to sell the story. Do not go anywhere near Stefan, don't talk to him, don't make doe eyed I-hope-he's-okay looks in his direction," Damon instructed.
"Got it," Elena agreed.
"I wish you didn't have to come at all, I don't like you being in this position," Damon looked pained by the prospect of putting his beloved in danger again but there was no way around it. "There's a vile of distilled vervain in the glove box take a swig of that, just in case Klaus or Rebekah try to get close. It won't stop them from breaking your neck but at least Klaus wants you kept alive."
"What if you get injured and you need my blood?" Elena asked quickly.
"I won't, there'll be a virtual smorgasbord of teenagers at the school that I can feed on if I need to, not that I'm planning on needing to," Damon gave her what he hoped was a look of confidence. Elena nodded, opened the vile and gulped down the vervain with a grimace.
A/N – Getting excited? I am!