Charmed © Constance M. Burge and The Vampire Diaries © L. J. Smith. I don't own or have any affiliation with either TV shows.
I also claim no ownership of the movie Titanic. That belongs solely to director James Cameron.
Please review constructively and respectfully. Flames will NOT be tolerated.
WE LIKE TO PARTY!
"Is this the way it's really going down? Is this how we say goodbye? Should have known better when you came around."
~Justin Timberlake: 'What Goes Around Comes Back Around' (FutureSex/LoveSounds [2006])
Mystic Grill
Day
A thoroughly annoyed Caroline stumbles upon Damon on the street outside the Grill. Damon has a cocky smirk on his face that told Caroline that he knew something that she would not like. She decided to stop it in his tracks.
"Look dungeon boy, I'm done being your little slave girl." She glared at him. "You seriously hurt me, and I will be damned if you think…" Damon cuts her off by using his compulsion on her. Caroline freezes and her eyes glaze over. The second they refocused, a bright sunny smile spreads over her face and she greets Damon like they were old friends. "Oh my God! Where have you been? It's really good to see you." Damon gives a satisfied smile.
"Much better." He confirms, and gives his instructions to Caroline. "You wanna throw a party here at the Grill tonight." He states, putting his plan into motion. Caroline frowns at him with confusion.
"Oh, why don't you do it?" She asks curiously. Damon frowns slightly.
"Because then Stefan and his BFF won't come." He replied, matter-of-factly. "I need a lot of people. Big crowd. Invite everyone." Caroline blinked at him, looking suspicious.
"And why am I having this party?"
"Because you're gonna help me solve this town's little vampire problem. And I want my crystal back." Damon's face hardens. Caroline recoils slightly.
"But Bonnie has it." Damon rolls his eyes.
"I know that. Get it from her." He demands harshly. Caroline had no choice but to agree.
Salvatore Boarding House
Day
The second after he had finished doing what he needed to do at the Sheriff's Office, Stefan went home; feeling slightly dejected by Elena's rejection. Seeing this, Lexi engaged him in some light hearted banter to cheer up her depressed friend (and to distract herself from visiting ideas of how to maim Damon should he try flirting with her again). Lexi blinked at Stefan curiously.
"So this Elena girl. She'll come around. I'm sure of it. Have you had sex yet?" She asked Stefan bluntly.
"No." Stefan replied dully, thankful that he could barely blush. Lexi chuckled at the response.
"Sex always works. I mean you'll rock her world so hard with your vamp sex, she'll be yours forever." Stefan frowned. He knew that Lexi meant well, but sometimes he wished that she wouldn't try as hard to help him.
"Yeah, but see, this isn't about sex or…or compulsion or any of our other tricks. She has to want to be with me on her own terms." Stefan insisted. Lexi blinked at him owlishly.
"Wow. That sounded all mature and grown up." She teased him and Stefan shrugged in response.
"I'm not getting any older." Lexi opened her suitcase and withdrew a blood bag from within. She stabbed a straw through the top and took a sip. Stefan inhaled sharply, causing Lexi to look over at him curiously.
"Want some?" She indicated the bag. Stefan shook his head politely.
"No. Thank you." He replied, looking slightly uncomfortable, but Lexi chuckled dismissively.
"Relax. I didn't kill anyone for it." She explained to a mildly curious Stefan. "This phlebotomist I went out with a few times, he's my supplier." Stefan frowned disapprovingly. "Oh don't judge, okay? I tried the animal diet; lasted three weeks." Stefan remained stubbornly resistant.
"It doesn't matter. 'Cause if I started again… I don't know if…" He trailed off and Lexi rolled her eyes.
"You could stop." She reminded him. Stefan pretended he hadn't heard her.
"Lexi, I'd never judge you." Lexi waved it off.
"I'm just jealous of your restraint. I have none. I delight in hedonism. Speaking of which, what are we doing tonight?" She asked, referring to how he was going to be celebrating his birthday. Stefan appeared to be extremely reluctant to reply. But he didn't have time to, as Damon strolled into the room, having overheard Lexi's question; much to both Lexi and Stefan's displeasure.
"Well, funny you should ask." He began, but Lexi threw him an annoyed look.
"Well, I wasn't asking you." Damon ignored her.
"There's a party at the Grill. You'll love it. Banquettes, tacky wait staff, all of Stefan's friends…" He trailed off as Stefan made a face.
"Yeah, I don't want a birthday party." Damon returned the face.
"Well, it's not for you. It's a party party. No one's gonna know it's your birthday. Caroline's throwing it." Stefan immediately frowned at the mention of Caroline.
"Damon, stay away from Caroline." He warned his older brother. Damon scoffed dismissively.
"We're friends, it's cool." Stefan didn't believe him, and Damon didn't particularly care. "It's important for the town to see us out and about like normal folk. We need to blend in." Damon turned to leave when he noticed Lexi's stock of blood. "I prefer mine at 98.6." He sneers before leaving. Lexi waits until Damon is out of sight before she turns and grins at Stefan.
"Let's go!" Stefan scowls at Lexi, shaking his head no. But Lexi gives Stefan the 'puppy-dog' look and sticks out her bottom lip. "Please?" She wheedled and Stefan sighs.
Gilbert Residence
Dusk
After Phoebe reinforced Bonnie's plea to Elena about keeping the existence of magic and anything supernatural a secret, she left the room to allow the girls to let her story of what happens when magic is exposed sink in. The consequences that Phoebe had painted a picture of in their heads, shook Elena and Bonnie to the core. It wasn't hard to image the reactions their friends and family would have if they knew the real truth about this town and its supernatural origins. But despite Elena seemingly having no problems with Bonnie being a witch, the young Bennett witch still needed reassuring from her friend.
"It's weird, huh? After all this time joking about being psychic – and having a new friend who was born supernaturally psychic – I really am a witch. You don't think I'm a freak now, do you?" Bonnie asked Elena tentatively. Elena smiled reassuringly.
"No, of course not. Bonnie, I just… don't understand though." She paused and bit her lip before continuing to voice her concerns. "If your Grams asked you to keep this all a secret, why did you tell me?" Bonnie smiled bitter sweetly.
"You're my best friend. I can't keep secrets from you." She admitted truthfully. There was a knock at Elena's bedroom door.
"Come in?" Elena called out. Phoebe ducked her head inside the door, and smiled at Elena.
"You ready yet?" Elena had asked Phoebe if she'd be willing to go with her to the Salvatore's. Phoebe's story about being cautious about who you reveal the existence of magic to, made Elena really think hard about it; and at first, she believed she had done the right thing about staying away from Stefan and making sure that he stayed away from her. But then she realised how unfair she had been towards Stefan, knowing how difficult it must have been for him to let her in on his deadly secret. So she decided to go and attempt to make amends.
"Almost." Elena replied. Phoebe nodded.
"Okay, I'll be downstairs when you're ready to go." The psychic witch reminded her. Elena nodded and got up from the bed to hunt around for her shoes, jacket and purse. Bonnie got up too.
"I better get going. Don't want to worry my Dad." She explained. Elena understood.
Salvatore Boarding House
Night
It took a while for Lexi to finally convince Stefan to just 'bite the bullet' and attend this so called party that Damon invited them to. There was just something that didn't seem right to Stefan. His brother just seemed way too eager for them to attend. But eventually, Stefan agreed… albeit reluctantly. Lexi stepped from the shower, freshly clean.
"I'm almost ready." She called out to Stefan who grumbled a response back.
"I can't believe you actually think that we should go to this thing." Lexi rolled her eyes at Stefan's whinging.
"It's not like I'm asking you to run outside midday without your ring. I mean, seriously, it's a party." Stefan snorted disbelievingly.
"A party that Damon wants us to go to, you know? So my question is why? I think he's up to something." Lexi shrugged, agreeing with him but willing to give Damon the benefit of the doubt.
"Who cares? What can he possibly do in front of all those people in a public place?" She questioned, sceptically. Stefan glowered.
"He knows how to keep a low profile, believe me." He insisted. Lexi was getting frustrated with Stefan.
"Okay, so he'll behave. Come on. One day a year I get you, one day that you're not brooding and existing in your own head." Stefan raised an eyebrow.
"It's my birthday, yeah?"
"It's my day." Lexi corrected him. "And that guy that jumped naked in the Trevi Fountain and got drunk on the torch of the statue of Liberty, that guy can take a break from all of his worrying for one night and go to a stupid party. So quit your whining…" She spins Stefan around and swots his ass. "…and go get ready!" She scolds him and Stefan chuckles and does what he's told, reluctantly.
"Fine."
Elena and Phoebe arrive at the Salvatore property line and Elena drives her car up to the Boarding House. Phoebe was feeling every bit of Elena's nerves the second they had gotten into Elena's jeep and peeled off down the road towards their destination.
"Sweetie, you really gotta relax. Stefan's not going to cast you out of the door the second you get there." Phoebe urged her, reeling from the emotions Elena was projecting. It wasn't the first time Phoebe cursed her empath abilities. It nearly drove her and her sisters insane the first time she had gotten them from the Elders. Elena sighed.
"I know, I'm sorry. It's just that your story about the consequences of magic exposure got me thinking." Phoebe turned her head and smiled reassuringly at her.
"Well, if anything; Stefan is more likely to be surprised that you're there in the first place, considering how the both of you left things. After all, it was your idea to maintain space between you." Phoebe reminded her. Elena winced as she put her jeep into park and Phoebe got out of the car first and strides up to the front double doors. "I wonder if Piper and Paige are here?" Phoebe mused out loud as Elena sided up next to Phoebe who reaches up and knocks. Inside, Lexi calls out cheerfully when she hears the knock.
"It's open! Come on in!" Phoebe and Elena exchanged curious glances between them.
"Who's that?" Elena asked, worriedly. She hoped that Stefan hadn't given up on them already. Phoebe frowned; also hoping that Stefan wasn't that stupid. The witch pushed open the door and walked straight in.
"Hello?" Phoebe called out, cautiously. She turned her head and saw Lexi standing there in nothing but a towel. "Oh, sorry!" She apologised. Lexi waved her off.
"No it's fine. I was just heading off to get dressed. Are you Elena…?" She cuts herself off when Elena steps out from behind Phoebe and Lexi's eyes widen in shock. "Oh My God!" Elena looked confused. "How… uh- wh-… Who?" Lexi stammered.
"No, I'm Elena. This is Phoebe." Elena introduced the slightly frowning Phoebe to the blonde-haired vampire. "Who are you?" Lexi blinked when she clapped eyes onto Phoebe. She was both surprised and impressed to see the woman whom had caught Damon's eye 97 years ago, and of whom was Stefan's first best friend. But Phoebe was almost immediately forgotten the second Elena made her appearance. She was unnerving.
"Lexi. I'm a friend of Stefan's." Lexi recovered easily, but frowned warily at both of them. Elena nodded.
"Is he here?" She asked, politely. Lexi pointed upstairs, indicating the general direction of the bedrooms.
"He's in the shower. Do you want to wait?" Lexi asked.
"No." Elena said immediately and Lexi nodded.
"I'll tell him you stopped by." Elena nodded.
"That's okay." She turned to leave, but paused when she noticed that Phoebe hadn't started to follow her.
"Are you coming, Phoebe?" Elena asked. Phoebe smiled.
"Actually, I'm gonna hang about for a bit." Phoebe said. Elena nodded and Phoebe could sense her despair, so she turned and gave the girl a bright smile. "Sweetie. You've got nothing to worry about. Trust me." She gave Elena a hug. "I'll see you at home." Elena returned the smile and waved at Lexi.
"Nice to meet you." Elena pulled the door shut as she left, and Lexi turned her attention towards Phoebe.
"So, you're Phoebe?" Lexi stated. Phoebe smiled pleasantly.
"Yeah, that's me."
"I must say I'm surprised. I've heard so much about you from Stefan." Lexi continued, scrutinising Phoebe from head to toe.
"Oh really?" Phoebe laughed light-heartedly.
"Mostly about your past life and your association with him and Damon."
"Oh." Lexi chose that moment to walk over to inspect Phoebe more closely. Immediately, Phoebe could sense curiosity and overprotectiveness coming from Lexi.
"This is so weird."
"What's weird?" Phoebe was cautious.
"How Damon could fall for someone like you." Lexi replied absently and Phoebe frowned feeling slightly offended.
"Someone like me?" Lexi's eyes widened when she realised how that sounded. She immediately backtracked.
"Oh! No, no, no, no. No offence meant. I just meant that you're a witch, and Damon's a vampire. It's kinda like oil and water; they don't mix, let alone romantically." Lexi explained.
"Oh, of course. I get that." Phoebe relaxed, but then the frown reappeared. "Wait, how did you know I was a witch?" Lexi grinned.
"Oh, because I'm a vampire. We can sense other supernatural beings." Lexi clarified. "That, and Stefan told me."
"Really?" Lexi nodded. "Well, in terms of my relationship with Damon, it's all really very complicated. But I know that somehow our destinies are intertwined. We can't be separate from each other." Phoebe explained rather clumsily. Lexi frowned.
"So what's the hold up? Why aren't you and Damon in each other's back pockets?" Phoebe sighed.
"Damon changed from the man I knew. I'm sure that Stefan already explained how we met, right?" Lexi nodded and gestured for Phoebe to follow her as she ascended the stairs.
"Yeah, past lives. Reincarnation. Maiden voyage of the Titanic…"
"Well, anyway. I'm just waiting for the right moment to take up our relationship where we left off. But, at the moment; I don't agree with most of what Damon has been up to recently." Phoebe explained. Lexi nodded.
"I don't blame you. Damon's a huge ass, so I was surprised when I learned that you were once his lover." Phoebe didn't reply. Eventually, they get to Stefan's room. "Well, I'm going here." Phoebe nodded.
"I'll leave you two to it." She waved and continued walking to Piper's room. Lexi turned and stared at Stefan's bedroom door. He owed her an explanation BIG TIME. Lexi barges into his bedroom. Stefan was in the middle of getting changed. She smiled at him, pleasantly.
"So, I just met Phoebe. She a really nice person, I approve." Stefan turned and gave Lexi a small smile in response.
"Phoebe's very unique." Stefan stated.
"I hope things work out between her and Damon. He needs somebody like her to keep him grounded." Then she moved in for the kill. Her eyes were hard and flinty, giving off how furious she was. "Also, just out of curiosity… ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FREAKING MIND?" She demanded. Stefan looked at her with confusion.
"What are you talking about?" Lexi stormed over to where he had set aside Katherine's photo and snatched it up, brandishing it at him.
"I also just met Elena." Stefan paled even further than he already was. "You have some serious explaining to do." Lexi turned and left the room. She returned dressed in a clingy long-sleeved, plunge-necked black shirt and a black and white miniskirt. She wore spiked black stilettos, some silver jewellery and her long blonde hair loose and free-flowing. Lexi immediately started applying her make up as she resumes grilling Stefan about Elena.
"You have some serious emotional damage." She glared at him through the vanity mirror causing Stefan to sigh with frustration.
"No, it's not what you think. She's not Katherine." He tried to explain.
"Then they're related, 'cause they can be twins." Lexi retorted. Stefan frowned.
"I don't know."
"You don't know, or you didn't find out?" Stefan bit down on his bottom lip. Something that he did when he was nervous.
"No. Maybe. I don't want to know. I have no desire to tie Elena to Katherine." Lexi gave him a look which caused Stefan to cave. "Okay, yes, yes the resemblance is what drew me in. But that's it. Katherine and Elena may look the same on the outside but on the inside they are completely different." Lexi spun 'round to face him.
"So Elena is not a raging bitch then, huh?" Stefan shook his head.
"No. Elena is… Elena's warm and she's… she's kind, and she's caring, and she's selfless, and it's real. And honestly when I'm around her, I…I completely forget what I am." Lexi laughed incredulously.
"Oh my God! You're in love with her." She stated and Stefan gave a genuine, sincere smile.
"Yeah. Yeah, I am." Stefan confirmed. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door and Phoebe immediately stuck her head inside.
"Hey, Stef. Can you drop me off back at Elena's on your way to that party?" Stefan nodded.
"Aren't you going?" He asked. Phoebe shook her head.
"Normally I would be up for it, but I think I'm gonna stay in tonight." Phoebe replied.
"Oh, that's too bad." Lexi pouted, sincerely. "It would've given us the opportunity to get to know each other a bit better." Phoebe smiled apologetically. "Aw, well. Maybe next time."
"Raincheck." Phoebe agreed.
Mystic Grill
Night
Caroline (and Damon)'s party is in full swing. Damon is seated in his usual place at the bar, observing the partygoers. He smirks, pleased that everything was so far going along with his plans. All he needed now was for that blonde bimbo to retrieve his necklace for him; otherwise his chances of getting into that tomb were slim to nil. Caroline approaches him, all smiles.
"Amazing party, right?" Damon gives her a barely noticeable smile.
"Glad you thought of it." Caroline's sunny smile fades when she notices his current demeanour. She is immediately concerned.
"Well, are you having a good time?" She demands, and Damon looks at her questioningly.
"Do you have my crystal?" He demanded pleasantly as to not invoke the attention of any bystanders or those in the know who would otherwise disapprove of his actions. Caroline's face falls.
"No."
"Then I'm not having a good time." Damon replied simply and then notices Lexi entering the Grill stag. He abandons Caroline and goes over to greet Lexi, who immediately stops and frowns at him with displeasure. "Where's my brother?" He demands.
"He said he'd meet me here after dropping Phoebe off at the Gilberts." Lexi stated brusquely. Damon's eyes widen at the mention of Phoebe and then he gives a painful smile.
"So you've met Phoebe already?" Damon stated, feeling uncomfortable about what might have been mentioned about him to Phoebe. But Lexi wasn't heartless and decided to set him straight.
"Yeah, she's a nice, decent person. You should consider yourself a lucky man to have her. IF you get back together with her again that is." Lexi stated. Damon nodded, slightly surprised by Lexi's backhanded compliment.
"Buy you a—" Lexi rolls her eyes and walks off, leaving Damon in mid-sentence.
Gilbert Residence
Night
Phoebe let herself inside with the spare key Jenna and Elena had loaned her for the duration of her temporary stay.
"Hey! Elena? Jeremy?" Phoebe called out. Stefan remained outside on the porch. Phoebe turned and looked at him questioningly. "You coming in?" She asked politely. Stefan shook his head.
"Nah, I should get going to the party." Stefan replied, trying to make his escape. But Elena – who had come down to greet Phoebe – spotted him and came over to interrogate. "Hey." He greeted her.
"What are you doing here?" Elena asked, nervously. Stefan smiled.
"Lexi said that you came by and you seemed upset." Stefan stated. Elena looked awkward.
"Right. The girl in the towel." Phoebe rolled her eyes from where she was in the kitchen. She knew that Elena had ignored what she had said back at the Boarding House. Now all she could sense coming from Elena was low self-confidence and low self-esteem. Stefan looked confused.
"The towel?" Then thought back to when Lexi had grilled him about Elena, wearing nothing but a towel, and he suddenly realised what that must have looked like from Elena's point of view. "Oh, no, no, no, no. Not like that." Stefan tried to explain. "She's not exactly a girl – Lexi's just 350-years-old." Elena and Phoebe's eyes widened in surprise.
"You mean she's a—" Stefan nodded.
"And she's my oldest friend. Nothing romantic. Ever." Stefan rushed to dissolve any confusion.
"Oh, okay, well… she kept staring at me. It was weird." Elena pointed out. Phoebe frowned when she realised the exact thing that Elena was talking about. Come to think of it, whenever somebody that knew the Salvatore brothers came to town and clapped eyes on Elena, their reactions were always the same. They would gawk and look either stunned – like they had just seen a ghost, pissed off or horrified and then make an excuse to leave. Stefan shifted awkwardly which served to only raise Phoebe's suspicions.
"Yeah, well. I've talked about you a lot so… I guess she felt like she knew you." He explained. "So why'd you come by?" Elena searched for a legitimate excuse.
"I-uh… it was a mistake." Phoebe held back a snort. Is that the best you can do? Stefan also had a look that told both women that he didn't believe Elena's excuse either.
"Elena." She looked up at him, and flinched at the concerned expression on his youthful face. "Talk to me."
"I can't. Stefan I can't, and that's the problem. I'm keeping all these secrets from everyone. I can't even tell my best friend. Do you know how hard that is? It's like I need to talk to someone but the only person I can talk to is you…and…" Elena couldn't finish. Stefan sighed, and Phoebe turned away from the scene. She completely understood how Elena felt.
"I want you to know that I will always be here for you." Stefan promised. "You can come to me about anything. Okay?" Elena gave a very tiny smile and nodded. Phoebe came back into the room, sensing that the moment between the both of them was over.
"Well, thank you for coming by." Elena said graciously. Stefan nodded, smiling slightly before turning for the door. Both Phoebe and Elena followed to show him out. But then Stefan turned.
"Hey, do you need a ride to the Grill tonight?" He asked curiously. Elena looked confused for a moment before realising what was occurring right this second at the Mystic Grill.
"Are you going to Caroline's party?" Elena countered. Stefan shrugged, and Phoebe cursed her empath abilities again when she is hit by a wave of irritation and embarrassment.
"Lexi's dragging me and … it's my birthday." He admitted. Elena's eyes widened with surprise.
"Really? Wow-um, happy birthday then." She said, laughing slightly incredulous.
"Thank you." Stefan replied bashfully.
"So, where's my invitation?" Phoebe teased. Stefan missed the joke.
"It's an open party…" He explained. Elena and Phoebe deflated slightly.
"That was a joke."
"Oh, right. Sorry." Stefan looked and sounded awkward, and Elena took pity on him and decided to change the topic.
"Actually I-I think I'm gonna stay in tonight. What about you Phoebe?" Elena turned to the witch who shook her head.
"Nah, I already gave my excuses to Stefan. He knows." Stefan nodded in agreement and Elena shrugged. Stefan turned back for the door and opened it.
"Well, have a… have a good night." He wished them both awkwardly. Elena nodded and waved before turning and disappearing deeper into the house. Phoebe rolled her eyes and grabbed the door handle.
"Talk later, sweetie." She promised Stefan and gave him a one-armed hug. However the second she touched him, Phoebe received a premonition. She gasped in surprise.
(Phoebe's Premonition)
It was night and Phoebe found herself in an alley, observing the scene. A slightly weakened Lexi was handcuffed and being lead towards an idling police car by a couple of officers and Liz before she throws them off. Liz shoots her with wooden bullets, but Lexi manages to evade them. Damon then suddenly comes from out of nowhere and stakes her; with Stefan seeing and pulling Elena out of sight from the scene…
(End of Premonition)
Phoebe violently jerks out of the vision, drawing a concerned and curious Stefan's attention.
"Phoebe? Are you alright?" Stefan asked. Phoebe, a seasoned veteran of faking excuses when it came to premonitions, easily sidesteps the question. She fakes a hiccup.
*hik* "Yeah, just got the hiccups." *hik* Phoebe fudged and Stefan nodded before kissing Phoebe's cheek and darting out the door. Phoebe waited until he was out of sight before closing the door and immediately calling for Paige. The Whitelighter-Witch instantly appeared in white-blue orbs.
"Phoebe? What's wrong?" Paige asked, looking concerned. "Is it Elena? Jeremy?" But Phoebe instead seized her hand.
"Quick, orb me to Piper!" Phoebe asked urgently. Paige obeyed without another word.
Salvatore Boarding House
Night
Piper was standing in the parlour, impatiently waiting for Paige to return after her sister had gotten the summons from their other sister. She was concerned when Paige told her that Phoebe had sounded frantic. The eldest Halliwell barely flinched when Paige rematerialized with Phoebe.
"Phoebe, what's going on?" She got straight to the point.
"I had a premonition."
"What did you see?" asked Piper.
"Lexi being arrested by the Sheriff and then Damon coming from out of nowhere and staking her." Phoebe despaired and turned away, raking a hand through her hair. This premonition was the very last thing she needed right now. Particularly when it involved somebody she loved very much doing something horrible to an innocent. The worst part of it all, was that it looked like the attack on Lexi had been planned; and Phoebe knew that Damon wouldn't have been this stupid if it wasn't for a specific purpose. But because Liz and her deputies were involved; it meant that it had something to do with the Founders Council.
"Oh, geez. I'm so sorry, Pheebs." Paige replied sadly. Phoebe frowned at her sister with confusion.
"Why?"
"Because we have to take out Damon now?" Paige replied, and immediately Phoebe turned on her.
"No, Paige. We are not vanquishing my lover. There has to be a reason why Damon has planned on killing her." Phoebe was extremely firm on this, and surprisingly Piper backed her up.
"She's right, Paige. We made the same mistake with Cole once-upon-a-time, and we nearly lost Phoebe because of it. We cannot jump to conclusions before getting all the facts first." Paige bit her lip.
"So what do you want to do then?"
"Edit his plans. Once I know what they are, of course." Phoebe explained, and Paige nodded. "Which is why I'd like you to go and stake out Liz, Paige. Find out any plans that she might've made with Damon for tonight and quickly report back." Phoebe instructed. Paige nodded and quickly orbed out as Phoebe massaged her temples.
"What are you going to do if it turns out that Liz's presence at the scene has nothing to do with Damon, Pheebs?" Piper pointed out, quietly. Phoebe turned and looked at Piper. The thought had crossed her mind, but Phoebe also knew that Damon was doing everything he can to stay on Phoebe's good side so that he could win her heart and resume their relationship from where they had left off.
"I guess, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it." Phoebe replied. Piper nodded, sensing that Phoebe wasn't likely to elaborate further, so she changed the subject.
"So, what have you got in mind?" Piper asked.
"A sleeping draught and two little rhymes." Phoebe replied firmly. Piper raised an eyebrow.
"What is that going to do?"
"Give Lexi a second chance and an attempt to get away until the heat is off." Phoebe replied. Paige reappeared, much to Piper and Phoebe's surprise. It hadn't been even two minutes since she had left.
"Paige! What did you find out?" Piper asked. Paige looked disgusted.
"Damon is planning on killing Lexi and making it look like she was the vampire that had been attacking all those innocents." Phoebe nodded, frowning and disapproving of Damon's plan but suspecting there was an ulterior motive. But Phoebe had gotten good at thinking on her feet and instantly knew that the plan that she had come up with could work … with a little bit of tweaking and co-operation from both Stefan and Lexi herself, if they got to the scene in time.
"We have no time to waste. Piper how fast can you cook up a sleeping draught?" Phoebe asked her older sister.
Ten minutes later, Piper had completed her powerful sleeping draught and was decanting some into a glass vial.
"Sleeping draught is ready." Piper announced and plugged it with a cork. The sisters had over the last three years decided to keep potion supplies on their person for emergencies, since they never knew when they would potentially need a potion to ward off demons trying to win favour etc. This was one of those situations. Phoebe and Paige were tasked with copying down the Awakening spell and writing a brand new spell.
"Alright, we've got to time this. Every second counts." Phoebe said as she and Piper attached themselves to Paige and they orbed out to the Grill, where it was presumed the attack was going to take place.
Mystic Grill
Caroline (and Damon's) Party
Night
The party was in full swing with everybody having fun. Caroline notices Bonnie arriving and wearing the necklace that had given her so much grief. She walks up to Bonnie, all smiles.
"Bonnie. I've been looking for you. I'm totally sorry to do this I know it's so Indian giver and I know we're not even supposed to say that anymore; but I need my crystal back." Caroline said all this at a hundred miles an hour, and Bonnie just barely understood it.
"Why? You said you hated it." Bonnie was suspicious. Caroline brushed aside the question.
"Then I saw it on you and I realise how great it is, and I've got three outfits I can coordinate it with so…" Bonnie frowned.
"I can't give it back to you." Caroline decide to go for broke. She was that desperate, and she wanted to get Damon off her back about that stupid necklace.
"Well, I didn't want to tell you this, but I'm your friend. When you wear it, it makes you look fat. There I said it, but it's because I'm your friend so…"
"I'm sorry Caroline, but I can't." Bonnie made to walk off, but Caroline stopped her; looking angry.
"What do you mean you can't? Bonnie, it's mine." Bonnie definitely frowned this time.
"I thought you said it was Damon's?"
"It is." Caroline stated. Bonnie 'aahed'.
"So he's the one who really wants it back." Caroline panicked.
"No. Maybe, just…" She immediately lunged at Bonnie and tried to snatch the Crystal off of Bonnie, but like before with Damon; the necklace shocks Caroline. The blonde flinches and squeals in surprise before frowning at Bonnie accusingly. "Are you wearing polyester?" Bonnie just gapes.
"You were really gonna pull it from my neck." Caroline looks pained, and Bonnie scoffs in disgust. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Bonnie turns and walks away from Caroline.
"Argh!" Caroline snarls in frustration.
Meanwhile, Stefan enters the Grill and looks around with trepidation. He is convinced that Damon is up to something, and even more concerned about what Lexi had in store to help him celebrate his birthday. But just then, Matt walks by. Stefan instantly feels guilt.
"Matt." Stefan flags him down. "Just hear me out, please. I was just trying to help Vicky. I went through something similar once, I'm really sorry." Matt gives Stefan a very weak smile.
"Don't be. It's not the first time she's run off. Turns out Vicky's just like our mother; I can't count of either of them." Stefan frowns. "Thanks for trying." He claps Stefan on the shoulder and walks away, leaving Stefan to look after him curiously. Damon runs into Caroline again, who panics.
"Where is it?" Damon demands, getting impatient. Caroline gulps.
"Bonnie won't give it to me."
"So rip it off her neck." Damon responded, like she was a simpleton. But Caroline shook her head.
"I tried. It shocked me." Damon looked at Caroline incredulously. What? Does the Crystal have a human subconscious? He snarled with frustration.
"Damn it! Why does it do that? I need that crystal!" Damon storms off, but Caroline rushes to keep up with him.
"Why are you being like this?" She demanded shrilly. "I'm so good to you and I'd do anything." Damon glared at her. "It's just some stupid necklace." Damon grabbed her shoulders harshly, and Caroline winced.
"No, you are the only stupid thing here. And shallow. And useless." Caroline looks hurt, but Damon is beyond caring and he just walks away from her.
Stefan locates Lexi dancing. She tries to coax him into joining her, but he resists.
"Okay, I'm gonna need a little more foot movement." Stefan rolled his eyes and stubbornly crossed his arms over his chest.
"Yeah, not really interested in making a fool out of myself." Lexi chortled.
"Come on, you're not that bad." Stefan looks left and right, before beginning to give in and dance alongside Lexi, much to her delight.
"Do me a favour." Lexi nods, grinning. "Tell me if you see Damon with his camera phone." Stefan begs and Lexi smirks.
"Right."
But neither Stefan nor Lexi needed to have worried about Damon using this opportunity to gather blackmail material to torture Stefan with. He had his own problems to deal with… and wasn't getting anywhere fast due to Caroline and her incapability of retrieving a simple amber Crystal necklace from Bonnie. Damon exits the Grill. He hears a sound and follows it, intrigued. Pretty soon he comes across a young couple sneaking off for some alone time together.
"Where are we going?" He overhears the girl question her partner. The boy chuckles.
"No one's gonna see us…" He pulls his girl towards him and both begin kissing each other passionately. Damon makes a face before deliberately making a noise, startling the couple apart.
"Did you hear something?" The girl asks fearfully. The boy half-heartedly looks around but returns his attention towards his girl.
"No, it's cool. There's no one coming down here." Guess again, slick… Damon arrived and bites the boy causing the girl to start screaming, but she immediately stops when she looks into Damon's eyes.
Back inside the Grill, Stefan is playing pool with Lexi. He lines up his shot and takes it. Lexi curses as it is a good move.
"Woo!" Lexi grins approvingly. "Nice!" Elena arrives unexpectedly and sees Stefan having a great time with Lexi. Damon returns from his 'feast' and comes up behind her.
"Stefan smiles." Elena jumped and turned to look at him, scowling. "Alert the media."
"You haven't given him a lot of reasons to be happy lately." Damon snorted, getting sick of Elena's attitude.
"Oh, you're right." He fakes concern. "Poor Stefan persecuted throughout eternity by his depraved brother." Damon scoffs at her. "Does it get tiring being so righteous?" Elena smiles 'sweetly' at him.
"It flares up in the presence of psychopaths." She retorted.
"Ouch!" He smirks. "Well, consider this psychopath's feelings get hurt." Elena frowns.
"What did you do to my brother?" Damon was confused by Elena's question. Was she losing her memory of what happened that night in question? Or was this a trick question?
"I'm gonna need a less vague question."
"When you did what you did to Jeremy's memory of Vicky, what else did you do him?" Damon sighed.
"You asked me to take away his memory of fangs and all the bad stuff. You wanted me to take away his suffering." Elena shook her head, not believing him.
"But he's acting different. He seems okay with everything and a little too okay." Damon gave her a 'what's your point' look, which Elena ignored. "I mean he's studying; he's not doing drugs; he's not drinking." She looked at an impatient Damon, meaningfully. "Are you sure you didn't do something else?" Damon sighed.
"Elena, I took away the suffering."
Caroline is walking around, still smarting from Damon's harsh rejection because she couldn't come up with the goods. The last thing she expected was for Bonnie to walk towards her and stop her from sidestepping her and walking off.
"Caroline…" Bonnie began, but Caroline scowled at her and cut her off.
"Don't talk to me." She stepped around Bonnie and continued walking, but Bonnie caught her arm and turned Caroline back to face her.
"Don't do that. Let me explain." Caroline exploded.
"What is there to explain, Bonnie? You got what you wanted… and something that doesn't even belong to you by the way and, I get called a shallow, useless waste of space." She starts to tear up, and Bonnie instantly bristles.
"Who told you that?" She demands and Caroline wipes at her eyes.
"Who do you think?" She replied waspishly. Bonnie summoned her patience and smiles kindly to Caroline who doesn't appreciate it.
"You know that's not true. Don't let him treat you like that." Bonnie tells Caroline, but the poor blonde is too hurt to give a shit.
"As opposed to how my best friend treats me." Caroline walks off and Bonnie grits her teeth, cursing Damon. Note to self: horribly maim Damon the next time I see him…
Outside the Grill
Night
The Charmed Ones materialised across the street from the Mystic Grill, in an alley. Outside the Grill, a police officer is patrolling in his car.
"Come on." Phoebe mutters and leads Piper and Paige across the street, hoping that nobody had actually seen them materialise. They make it across the street and are about to enter when they hear something. So does the officer. However, they let the officer beat them to the discovery but follow at a discreet distance; not wanting to be noticed yet. The officer and the sisters come across the same girl that Damon had just attacked earlier.
"Help me…" The girl was huddled in the foetal position, whimpering and staring at something not too far away from where she was huddled. The officer investigates and comes across the bloodied body of the boy, lying in a pool of his own blood.
"Oh my God…" Piper mutters quietly. Both Phoebe and Paige hold grave expressions.
Inside the Grill
Night
Lexi is at the bar.
"Two shots of tequila." She notices Elena, and grins as she sees an opportunity to chat with the Katherine lookalike. She turns back to the bartender. "Make that three." The barman takes one look at Lexi's youthful face and raises an eyebrow.
"I need to see some ID." Lexi leans forward and looks the barman in the eyes.
"No, you don't." She compels him. The barman looks dazed.
"That'll be—"
"Free!" Lexi finishes his statement.
"On the house." The barman agrees.
"Thanks!" Lexi grins and take the three shots of tequila, going over to Elena who raises her eyebrow at her deliberate approach and the three shots of tequila in her hands. "Oh! The famous Elena." Elena nods.
"Towel girl." Lexi shrugs.
"I've been called worse. Here." She offers Elena one of the shot glasses. Elena accepts it, frowning in confusion.
"I didn't know that you guys could drink." She comments, indicating not only Lexi, but also Stefan and Damon. Lexi laughed.
"Oh, yeah, it helps curb the cravings, but makes for a lot of lushy vamps." She giggles and Elena joins in.
"You know, I've never seen Stefan drunk. He always seems so…" Elena searched for the right word.
"Uptight?" Lexi supplied, and Elena nodded.
"Yeah."
"Yeah." Lexi confirmed. Elena frowned.
"But not with you." Lexi shrugged.
"Well, that's the benefit of knowing someone for over a hundred years. You can just be yourself." Elena looked dejected.
"Yeah, he can't be himself with me." Lexi looked sympathetic, but determined at the same time.
"Well not yet. The first step was him telling you. The rest comes with time." She reassured her. Elena looked unsure.
"You seem so sure."
"The love of my life was human. He went through, what I imagine you're going through: denial, anger, et cetera. But at the end of the day, love really did conquer all." Lexi eyed Elena's tequila shot. "Are you going to drink that?" Elena handed her the shot.
"Go for it." Lexi knocks it back. Elena suddenly looks vulnerable. "I'm scared."
"But you're here … 'cause you're crazy about him, I get it okay? I mean what's not to love?" They both looked over at Stefan, and Lexi could see the longing in both of their faces. So she decides to give Elena some valuable advice. "Listen. Take it from someone who's been around a long time. When it's real, you can't walk away."
Elena smiles.
"Hey Lexi. It was really nice meeting you." She laughs as Lexi salutes her and drinks the last tequila, before she returns to the pool table where Stefan is playing. He gives her a scrutinising look.
"Yep, I drank yours. Sorry." Lexi explains to Stefan, who is smiling at Lexi affectionately.
"Thank you." Lexi smiles back, understandingly.
"You weren't supposed to be listening." Stefan gives her a look, and Lexi shrugs. "I was feeling epic. Whatever."
A/N: *imitating Porky Pig* That's all Folks!
I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. The next one will be written promptly. Thank you to a lovely guest reviewer for a nice, lengthy review. I really appreciate the time you put into your review, so thanks and I hope you continue reading.
Please review!
TTFN ;)
