Chapter 24
Things seemed to calm down after Logan's death. All the vampire related deaths ceased (and were pinned on the dead journalist) but the town water remained laced with vervain as a precaution. The town council continued to meet weekly only this time the main topic was the upcoming comet's passing and it being the beginning of the Founding of the town celebration.
"If I go to one more of these meetings I'm gonna ask Lexi to kill me"
Jenna moaned when she and Bella met for a drink after said meeting. Jenna had taken her role seriously but the sheer stupidity of those meetings and the difference between "powder white" and 'sugar white" was enough to do her in.
"Why not dupe it yourself?"
Bella needled combining Jenna's love for all things DIY and the fact Jenna had said the exact same thing after the last three meetings. And yet she kept on attending them.
"I'm not suicidal!"
Jenna laughed scrunching her face.
"Of course not..."
The two friends were still laughing when the resident vampire trio joined them.
"I thought I heard two hyenas all the way outside."
Damon sneered sticking his head between theirs. Bella and Jenna rolled their eyes in unison. Lexi pulled the raven haired vampire back by the hair before putting a stool in his place and sitting down atop it.
"Why don't you make yourself Damon and get us drinks?"
Stefan rolled his eyes at his big brother. Then, as soon as Damon grumbled about not being a servant and headed towards the bar, Stefan's gaze turned worried.
"Something wrong?"
Jenna asked, noticing. Lexi and Stefan exchanged a look and then Stefan leaned in Jenna's ear and his voice was barely audible when he whispered.
"Our lover and maker was raided alongside with all the rogue vamps in 1864 and imprisoned in a ...tomb of sorts. Legend has it the entrance will be allowed to be opened on this comet's passing. Damon's been a bit... of a bigger asshole lately."
Stefan shared while omitting that a big reason for Damon's mood was Bella and what the hell was going on with her and, to a lesser extend, Elena and her shift of romantic focus to him after Stefan had broken up with her and had started a relationship with Lexi.
"'Our' lover?"
Bella questioned with her eyebrows raised and her head resting in the palm of her left hand.
"Long story."
Stefan's blush was brighter than Bella's. Lexi leaned across the table to kiss her boyfriend.
"Where's your wolf?"
Stefan asked when Lexi's lips were separated from his.
"Had to head out to see some friends of his for a few days"
"And with the doggies away, the thieves shall play"
Jenna groaned at the bad pun and asked while Damon deposited beers and his own scotch on the round table.
"What do we have to do to shut him up?"
"Feed me."
Damon's grin was ever present.
"Okay."
Everyone turned to look at Bella who motioned Damon close with her fingers and a coy smile, and then stuck a piece of cucumber from the platter between Damon's teeth, before chunking him on his chin with a smile that would melt ice.
"Good boy!"
Stefan choked on his beer. Lexi snorted grape juice out her nostrils. Jenna laughed loudly.
"Come on Bell, dance with me"
"Was she always like this?"
Lexi asked as soon as the human and the acting-human were on the dance floor.
"Yes"
"No"
Stefan and Damon said at the same time
"She was blending in the background, letting Katherine steal the spotlight"
"She was the one to talk to when things got too serious"
"Father liked her more than he did Katherine"
"Katherine hated that"
Stefan laughed. Much like Damon he had been enamored by Katherine but, seeing Lexi dead had worked in snapping him off it. Deep down he believed Damon was close to snapping off it too but his brother was too pigheaded to realize it himself.
"Funny how I've known you ever since you were a newborn practically but you never mentioned the wallflower."
Lexi interlaced her fingers with Stefan's but it was Damon who answered.
"You know I have no idea what did happen that night. I remember a few bits and pieces and Katherine, and us change but..."
"Last time I saw her was when I got home. She was playing maid for father and doctor Gilbert. She cornered me in the kitchen, at first wanting to know why father kept insisting we were dead. And then she looked into my eyes... and... knew."
"You didn't mention that."
Damon told his brother. Stefan's chuckle was sad. He closed his eyes and remembered.
"She told me to run and hide and only come back when I can claim to be my own descendant. And to stay out of the sun."
"That's what we've been doing all along, only I thought it was your idea saint Stefan."
Damon mock accused his brother. He didn't do feelings but he did love Stefan. In his own unique way.
- - - Memories of a Past and a Future - - -
Meanwhile at the Gilbert house Jeremy had been sitting in the attic, going over his family's papers for the founder's celebration. He had promised to see what he could find and lend it to the committee.
Finding journals that were nearly decrepit and unreadable he set them aside, hoping Jenna would know if they were the right things.
Then he dove once again in what he jokingly called 'The Narnia trunk'.
He found a ton paperwork relating to his parents' schooling. Their school yearbooks and similar crap from their university days. Their wedding album. His grandparents' photo albums. His own baby album, Jenna's even. Something nagged at him.
"Where's Elena's?"
He asked the cobwebs around him. Frowning he took hold of everything he found to lug it downstairs. He stood at the top landing of the staircase. A hand appeared out of nowhere and shoved him down the stairs head first. Jeremy heard a voice mocking him
"Little boys should not seek what is not theirs to find"
Right before he succumbed to darkness.