I don't own The Vampire Diaries.
A/N: So, this is yesterday's chapter that would have been up if I had been home. It Christmas part II and I hope you enjoy :)
The Solution
Chapter 25
Katherine reappeared with a little tray a few minutes later and she set it down on the table then set the cups out and Damon took a seat next to his brother and they all thanked her then drank from the cups.
"Why does yours always taste better than when I make it?" Caroline queried her confused.
"I add a touch of raw honey to it to sweeten it." Katherine replied and Caroline nodded as that made sense.
"As for your present, it's a joint present." Damon started. "You've been nagging non-stop about not being close to the twins when I move out, so, I bought the house across the street for you and Katherine to live in and I thought we could finally get rid of the boarding house." Damon said to Stefan who grinned widely and Caroline looked very surprised as she knew nothing about it.
"Really?" Stefan beamed and Damon snickered at his little brother's expression.
"The decorating is crap but I'm sure Katherine's little friend that she hired can fix it." Damon smirked and they chuckled. He turned to Katherine then. "And I'll compel the interior designer to do your room at that house instead of here if you want so that you don't lose your deposit." He said to her and she smiled. "Does that work for you both?"
"Yes." Stefan grinned.
"Sounds good." Katherine agreed delighted.
"That'll also be good for Caroline to have you two close to her when I'm off doing the turnings." Damon added and the three of them smiled. Katherine was pleased that he'd included her in that – like he was accepting that she and Caroline were friends.
"What's the house like?" Stefan inquired.
"It's two floors, there's one bedroom upstairs with a connecting bathroom and there's a lounge with room for couches and a TV and there's a large walk in closet, I figured Katherine could be upstairs and she'll still have her own space and whatever. Then downstairs there are two bedrooms, the kitchen, a dining room and another lounge. So there's a bedroom for Stefan and a spare one in case you have a guest or you have the twins or whatever." Damon explained and Stefan grinned at the thought of babysitting his 'nephews'. "It's literally across the street from our bungalow." Damon added. "Though, that does not mean that you are going to bug me 24/7." Damon said to his brother in warning and Caroline and Katherine laughed while Stefan rolled his eyes.
The four of them sat around the living room watching Bad Santa after that and Ric appeared just as the movie was finishing. He chuckled at the sight of the four vampires sitting watching that.
"Merry Christmas." Caroline grinned at him.
"Merry Christmas." Ric replied with a smile.
"Drink?" Damon offered getting up to pour himself another.
"Sure, thanks." Ric accepted. Caroline instantly got his wrapped present from under the tree and gave it to him. Ric un-wrapped it and was very surprised at her gift as he loved the work bag she got him and thought that it was really his taste. "Wow, that's great, Caroline. I love it." He smiled.
"Just throw the holey one out, okay?" Caroline requested seriously and Damon, Ric and Stefan laughed loudly as they knew his work bag was falling apart.
"I promise." Ric agreed amused. "This is for you." Ric said handing her a large wrapped package and she looked at it curiously for it's odd shape. She un-wrapped it and found a large basket full to the brim of different Godiva chocolates and she grinned.
"How could you possibly know about my Godiva addiction?" Caroline beamed at him and they chortled.
"Because you have a surprisingly observant boyfriend." Ric replied amused and Stefan and Katherine chuckled while Damon rolled his eyes.
"Thank you!" Caroline beamed at Ric. "God, this'll be gone by tomorrow." She remarked staring at the basket hungrily and they laughed at her being a chocolate fiend. Stefan got three bottle bags from under the tree and gave them to Ric who snickered seeing that Damon, Stefan and Katherine had all gotten him nice bottles of whiskey.
"Thanks, guys. That's great." Ric smiled. "Starting to think I have a problem though." He quipped and they chortled.
"You have to teach high school. You'd probably be a freak if you didn't drink." Damon bantered and they chortled.
"True." Ric agreed amused. He gave Stefan a wrapped package and a bottle bag to Katherine. Stefan un-wrapped his to find a rare book and Katherine found a nice bottle of champagne in her bag. They both thanked him for their gifts then Ric handed Damon a gift bag and Damon observed it curiously then looked inside and laughed. Damon pulled out two teddy bears, one light beige and the other medium brown both with a small red ribbon around the neck. "They're not really for you but I guess you can always use them until the twins come." Ric smirked and they all laughed loudly at Ric buying Damon teddy bears.
"Aww, they're so cute." Caroline smiled.
"Thanks, Alaric. Just what I've always wanted." Damon teased with his usual snark starting another round of laughter.
A short while later, Katherine managed to get Caroline down to her room under the pretence of trying on her dress. They went inside and Caroline closed the door behind them.
"I actually have another thing for you." Katherine disclosed to her quietly and Caroline looked surprised.
"It was only supposed to be one thing, Katherine." Caroline reminded softly and she nodded.
"I know. But this is important." Katherine said. She went over to her dresser and pulled out a small box. She went over to Caroline and opened it to reveal a silver links bracelet with a small hanging crystal.
"That's beautiful." Caroline smiled.
"The important part is this." Katherine pointed to the crystal and Caroline looked curious. "It's magically covered but the inside of this is actually filled with liquid vervain but the magic keeps it from being broken." Katherine explained quietly and Caroline looked surprised. "No vampire would ever guess that this could make someone resistant to compulsion. You will still be able to wear this after you turn back into a vampire because the magic stops the crystal from burning the skin."
"Is this to protect me from Damon?" Caroline whispered confused and Katherine nodded.
"Damon could very well freak out about getting married and the babies thinking that he doesn't deserve it then try and compel you to forget him. Also, he might make decisions that you don't agree with but he thinks that it's what's best for you rather than you deciding for yourself." Katherine pointed out and Caroline looked stunned but it was only because she'd never thought of that. It was true. It sounded like something Damon would do. "If you're going to marry him then you have to be equals. He doesn't have the right to compel you." Katherine said. "But when you turn, you'll be a normal vampire, not an Original like him, so you always have to be able to protect yourself and vampires can't wear vervain normally, it can only be ingested but vervain leaves a vampire's system after only a day so it's easy enough to have a vampire vervain free. He would never suspect that." Katherine remarked pointing to the crystal and Caroline nodded.
"Do you have one of these for yourself?" Caroline questioned.
"I do. Hopefully Damon will release his compulsion on me after I turn so that I can use it." Katherine responded.
"What compulsion?" Caroline tested.
"Stefan told me that Damon compelled me not to wear or ingest vervain." Katherine shrugged and Caroline looked at her in contemplation.
"Is yours a bracelet?" Caroline enquired and she nodded. "Can I see it?" She requested. Katherine looked at her confused then went back over to her dresser and pulled out another bracelet with a similar crystal hanging from it. Katherine showed it to Caroline who took it from her then put it on her wrist.
"What are you doing?" Katherine asked confused at the blonde putting it on her.
"You can't put it on by yourself but he didn't compel you to take it off if someone else puts it on you." Caroline clarified and Katherine stared at her wide eyed for doing that for her.
"Why would you do that?" Katherine examined confused.
"Because I'm your friend." Caroline replied and Katherine blinked in surprise at the fact she'd obviously developed a trusting bond with her already. She liked it. "Thank you for the gift." Caroline said sincerely and Katherine smiled at her, took the other bracelet out of the box then clipped it on Caroline's wrist. Caroline understood that Katherine giving her that was a big deal. It showed how much Katherine had come to care for her.
"You're welcome." Katherine smiled at her fondly.
Bonnie showed up mid-afternoon to the boarding house after spending the morning with her dad then Abby for a couple of hours. She gave Katherine a beautiful hair comb decorated with red colour-change crystals and Katherine loved it. She gave Stefan the complete Seinfeld DVD series and he was very pleased with that. She gave Ric a bottle of whiskey and everyone laughed – Ric started contemplating AA. Stefan got bonnie a beautiful white gold bracelet with a hanging heart covered in diamonds and Bonnie was stunned at receiving such a gift – but Stefan was totally gaga for her so he couldn't really help himself. Ric got Bonnie a gorgeous gold silk scarf on Caroline's instruction and Bonnie loved it.
Katherine got Bonnie the Christian Louboutin Samira Strass blue crystal pumps to go with her dress from Caroline and Bonnie was shocked at those gifts though she loved them. She finally got around to Damon and Caroline's gift and she pulled out two small boxes from her bag then handed them to each of them. Damon opened his and looked at her confused as there sat a ring with a silver band and a small black stone set in it. Caroline's ring had a small square black stone in the middle with flowers engraved on the shoulders in the silver.
"What's this?" Damon queried her confused and Bonnie smirked.
"The stone is onyx. Onyx can be used magically as a portal of sorts. I spelled them for you so that if you wear them you will be able to speak to each other telepathically from anywhere in the world, no matter the distance. I thought that might make the travelling easier if you can always speak to each other whenever you want." Bonnie explained surprising them all and Damon and Caroline smiled at her.
"That's cool." Damon smirked.
"Thanks, Bon. That's amazing." Caroline grinned. "How does it work?" Caroline inquired sliding the ring on her finger.
"You have to be wearing the rings to hear each other. To send a telepathic message you just take your finger and touch the stone then think your message." Bonnie explained. Caroline touched the stone with her finger and tried it after Damon put his on his right hand.
Can you hear me?
Damon looked surprised.
"That's weird." Damon remarked amused and they snickered.
"Do it back." Caroline instructed and he chuckled at her bossing him around then he touched the stone and smirked.
I think we should ditch them all and go have some fun upstairs.
Caroline giggled.
Later.
She replied and he smirked.
"Thanks, Bonnie." Damon acknowledged amused and they all snickered knowing he'd no doubt said something naughty to Caroline. Bonnie happened to notice Caroline's left hand then and she looked confused. She took Caroline's left hand and observed the ring then looked up at Caroline wide eyed.
"I can't believe I forgot!" Caroline exclaimed dazed when she noticed Bonnie's expression. "We got engaged." She stated and Bonnie looked stunned.
"And you just forgot?" Bonnie asked shocked.
"Pregnancy brain?" Caroline suggested sceptically.
"You got engaged?" Ric asked Damon just shocked and he chuckled.
"Yes, Alaric." Damon confirmed amused at his friend's reaction.
"When did this happen?" Bonnie probed confused.
"This morning." Caroline smiled.
"Damon proposed?" Ric asked in disbelief.
"Why is this so shocking to everyone? I was born in 1844." Damon reminded them and they chortled.
"Uh… because you're a man whore?" Bonnie responded with a smirk and they all laughed loudly and Damon rolled his eyes.
"Nevertheless, those days are over." Damon pointed out and they sniggered at the fact he didn't deny it.
"This ring is unbelievable." Bonnie commented as she studied it and Damon smirked in satisfaction and they all sniggered at his smug facial expression.
"By the way, is Brent coming over?" Stefan asked Katherine but before she had a chance to reply…
"What?" Damon tested in disbelief. "The Allan one is barred from this house unless he wants to be drained dry and dumped in the woods." He warned seriously and they all snickered at how pissed he was.
"Chill out, Damon." Caroline said amused and he shot her a look.
"He kissed you." Damon countered stonily and they all gaped at Caroline as she hadn't told anyone else or explained what happened to Katherine and Stefan who'd been there when Damon found out. She'd told them she didn't want to talk about it and just to drop it.
"Oh my God! Allan Dubois kissed you?" Bonnie exclaimed to Caroline in shock and she reluctantly nodded. "You're so lucky! How could you not tell me that? I want all the details! How was it? Was it amazing?" Bonnie questioned with a grin and they all guffawed in disbelief while Damon shot a look at Bonnie.
"Standing right here." Damon said dryly and Bonnie giggled.
"Allan is so much hotter than you, Damon. I can't help it." Bonnie replied and they buckled over with laughter at the witch being so uncharacteristically blunt.
"Hey." Damon said annoyed and she shrugged.
"I told Caroline to dump you and go out with Allan instead but she didn't listen to me so I don't think you have anything to worry about." Bonnie quipped and Ric, Katherine, Stefan and Caroline shook with laughter at her telling Damon that.
"I thought you liked me now." Damon remarked aggravated and they all snickered at that.
"I do." Bonnie agreed. "But Allan Dubois is…" She sighed dreamily. "What was I talking about?" She tested confused and even Damon laughed along with everyone else at the witch getting lost in thought over the guy.
"He dedicated a song to Caroline at their gig." Stefan stated amused and Bonnie gaped at Caroline.
"Why the hell are you marrying Damon then?" Bonnie questioned loudly and Ric, Stefan and Katherine howled with hilarity while Damon's jaw dropped.
"Bonnie, that's really mean." Caroline chastised starting to get irritated with her.
"No, it's not. It's a genuine question. It's Allan Dubois, Caroline." Bonnie stated like it was obvious and they all – except Damon and Caroline – chortled at the fact Bonnie never said stuff like that.
"He is really hot." Katherine agreed.
"Hey." Damon said annoyed and they chortled.
"Well, Damon's going to live forever, right? So… why don't you just test out Allan for a little while and go back to Damon later?" Bonnie suggested and they all shook with hysterical laughter while Damon was just staring at the witch in shock. He was wondering if he'd suddenly become fucking invisible.
"Well, I don't see Allan that way, Bonnie." Caroline said like it was obvious.
"Then there's something seriously wrong with you." Bonnie countered deadpan and they sniggered. Caroline shot Bonnie a look to drop it and Bonnie shrugged unapologetically in response. Damon was busy scowling at nothing in particular.
"But, no, Stefan, Brent's not coming over later." Katherine answered amused and they chuckled.
"Are you talking about Brent Decker?" Ric queried inquisitively.
"Mmhmm." Stefan nodded.
"Why would he be coming over?" Ric inquired confused as he hadn't noticed any of them ever talking to Brent.
"He's Katherine's boyfriend." Caroline responded and Ric looked surprised.
"Really? Already?" He examined amused and they laughed.
"He's amazing." Katherine grinned and Caroline and Bonnie giggled at how smitten she was already.
"He's a trouble maker." Ric countered and Katherine smirked.
"Katherine's killed thousands of people. I doubt he's worse than that." Damon remarked dryly and they chuckled.
"Fair point. But Katherine's already the top of my class." Ric pointed out surprising them all.
"Well, she's like five and a half centuries old. Isn't knowing history kind of a given?" Damon quipped and they sniggered.
"No, they were talking about her in the teacher's lounge on Friday and she's doing really well in all of her classes." Ric countered and Katherine smiled.
"They're fun." Katherine said sincerely.
"School is not fun." Caroline disagreed and they chuckled.
"I've never been before. It is fun for me. It's something new. After 500 years there is very little that's new anymore." Katherine refuted and they conceded that she had a point. "By the way, I picked up the catch-up work from the principal on Friday last week. How long do you want the four essays to be?" Katherine asked Ric inquiringly.
"The guideline is 800-1200 words but about 1000 is the curriculum ideal, though most students add extra words in just to scrape past the 800 mark." Ric clarified amusing them.
"That's all?" Katherine asked surprised. "But how are you supposed to write only 1000 words about such broad topics?" She questioned and he shrugged.
"It's high school. It's dumbed down since I was in school. If you just put in some key points that would be fine or if you would prefer to write one long paper that covers the subject areas you missed that would be fine too." Ric suggested and she nodded.
"I'll write one long one." Katherine agreed. "About 4-5000 words?"
"That would be fine." He nodded. "Remember to cite your references."
"So, no personal experience?" She smirked and he snickered.
"As much as a first person account would be a fascinating read for me, the papers are read by a second party for grading purposes and I don't think I could explain the whole 500 year old ex-vampire thing." He smirked and they laughed. "Although, at the end of January there will be a paper on your personal experience of something that happened in relation to a historic event which will only be read by me so if you want to do yours on something from another century nobody would see that one." Ric revealed with a smile and they laughed at how eager he was to read that particular paper.
"What was your favourite point to read about in the last five centuries and I'll have a think about it?" Katherine queried amused.
"Teacher's pet." Damon quipped and they snickered.
"I'll think about it and get back to you." Ric smirked and she giggled.
"Okay." She agreed.
A/N: Hope you liked the chapter, the gift links are on my profile :) Let me know what you think please?