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.
ROAD TRIP
"High off from love. Drunk from my hate.
It's like I'm huffing paint and I love it the more that I suffer, I suffocate.
And right before I'm about to drown, she resuscitates me;
she fucking hates me and I love it."
~Eminem (feat. Rhianna): 'Love The Way You Lie' (Recovery [2010])
Fell's Church
Night
Phoebe regains consciousness about a half mile away from the church ruins where Logan said that he would be meeting Damon. At first, she is confused; but then remembers that Damon had purposefully knocked her out. That was when she got angry.
"So you're awake then?" Phoebe tenses and looked up to see Damon looking down at her with trepidation.
"Yeah, no thanks to you." Phoebe grumbled and Damon sets her back to her feet when he can see the ruins. She takes a step away from him, massaging her neck from where he had sharply tapped her to knock her out. "Was that entirely necessary? You could've asked me to pretend, you know." She bitches. Damon rolled his eyes.
"Well, it's not as though I planned for this to happen." He retorted and started heading towards the church. Phoebe glanced around the quiet wood, reaching out with her powers to sense any foreign emotions; to give her the chance to alert Damon so that they both could escape and retaliate against adversaries that could appear out of nowhere, unannounced and deadly. However, a few minutes passed and nothing changed. Damon broke the silence, obviously troubled by something Phoebe had said earlier between him and Stefan. There was no time like the present, as far as he was concerned.
"How did your sister die?" Damon asked quietly. Phoebe turned and took in his curious and cautious expression.
"Prue was killed by a demon." Phoebe responded quietly. Damon was solemn.
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"Thanks. It happened 11 years ago, but it's still a sore subject. She was the best sister in the world." Phoebe smiled sadly. Then gave Damon a pointed look. "And I dare say that if it ever happened to either one of you, I'm sure you and Stefan would have positive things to say about each other as well." She walked passed him and took a seat on some crumbling wall. "Even if you fight and nearly kill each other on a daily basis."
"Yeah, that's likely." Damon firmly dismissed her theory as Phoebe rolled her eyes and yawned. "Both of you remind me of my nephews." Damon looked at Phoebe with surprise.
"You have nephews?" Phoebe nodded.
"Yeah. Piper's sons; Wyatt and Chris. At the moment they're only 6 and 5 years old; but I was referring to their future selves when they are 25 and 24." Damon gave her a confused look. "Long story, I'll tell you all about it later." She promised, much to Damon's genuine surprise.
"And how do we remind you of Wyatt and Chris?"
"Because Wyatt turned evil; and to prevent this from occurring Chris travelled to the past – about six years ago – to protect him." Damon looked slightly offended, but Phoebe ignored it in order to prove her point. "But Damon, as much as you want to deny it; Stefan loves you and you love him, and both of you will do whatever it takes to protect the other. And someday, I hope that you will see it." Phoebe gazed at him with solemn eyes. Damon chose to remain silent on the matter, doubting that he and Stefan would ever truly make amends for what happened between them all those years ago. He started pacing around, waiting for Logan to show up. Suddenly his phone rings, startling Phoebe. Damon casually flipped open his phone.
"Hello?"
"I just wanted to say thank you." It was Liz. "I don't know how you did it." Damon frowns with confusion.
"Um, not following." Phoebe mouths 'who is it?' at him, and Damon raised his hand at her and shook his head.
"We found Logan's body up by the old Fell warehouse. He has been disposed of." Damon's eyes widened, fuelling Phoebe's curiosity. "He was hoarding victims, innocent victims." The distaste in her voice was evident.
"What?" Damon was confused.
"This town owes you so much. So do I." Liz tells Damon before she quickly hangs up. He pulled the phone away from his ear and stares at it, looking completely and utterly shocked. Phoebe approaches him, concerned.
"Damon, what is it?" She asked, urgently.
"Logan Fell has been disposed of." Phoebe curses as Damon immediately goes from a state of shock to cold fury. "Son-of-a-!" Damon kicks at a loose piece of rubble and shouts in frustration. Phoebe sighed sympathetically; knowing that Damon had just lost his only source of information to gain access into the tomb. Maintaining a respectful distance away from the obviously furious vampire, she waited until Damon had calm down long enough to be approached before she ventured a question that she wasn't sure Damon wanted to hear at that point.
"What do we do now?" Damon turned and looked at her with steely eyes. The fury he was feeling hadn't completely ebbed.
"We?" Damon's voice was slow and steady. "You can't help me, Phoebe. This is something I have to do myself." But Phoebe stared back defiantly, not backing down.
"No." Phoebe disagreed. "Let me help you." Phoebe used calm and soothing tones as Damon turned and started walking away. Phoebe's eyes flashed at the obvious dismissal. "Damon!" He stopped, not turning to face her. "Tell me what is going on, and why it is so important that you have to get into the tomb." There was a tense silence. "Tell me, now!" Damon immediately spun on her.
"You don't understand!" He growled.
"Then explain it to me!" Phoebe retorted, angrily. "Help me understand. I need to know!" Damon laughed at her humourlessly.
"You don't need to know anything." He insisted as he turned and continued walking. Phoebe followed stubbornly.
"I need to know if you still love Katherine—"
"Who says I still love her?" He snapped, facing her and glaring. Phoebe felt like screaming with frustration.
"If you don't love her, why do you need to rescue her? Why don't you just leave her there to rot?" Damon didn't back down.
"Like I keep telling Saint Stefan and Elena, my reasons for getting into that tomb are my own. Accept that!" He said, with a warning stare before he continues walking away. Phoebe let him go, just watching him before she immediately followed him. Fine, Damon. Do what you want. Even if I have to save you from yourself…
Both of them froze when they heard the sound of a car skidding and crashing. Phoebe's eyes widened as she ran over to Damon. She was about to open her mouth when the sound of a woman screaming silenced anything she could possibly have said. Phoebe paled before Damon instantly scooped her up and carried her to where they had heard the sounds of the crash.
Salvatore Boarding House
Night
Minutes after Elena had fled the boarding house upon finding the picture of Katherine on Stefan's bedside table, Stefan came back into his room with a glass of water for Elena.
"Elena?" He frowns and looked around in confusion before reaching out with his senses, trying to locate his girlfriend. She wasn't in the house. What? Stefan's eyes zeroed in on the picture of Katherine lying on a nearby table, and Elena's necklace lying on top of it, as though dumped there in a hurry. He picked up the necklace and the picture before looking around, worried that Elena had seen the picture.
Mystic Falls
Night
Elena drove down a deserted road, trying to wipe away tears that she was shedding at the same time. She slams on the brakes when she unexpectedly sees somebody standing in the middle of the road. But the person hits her windshield and bounces off, landing in a mangled heap of broken bones and twisted limbs. Screaming, Elena held on for dear life to her steering wheel as her car flips over several times before skidding to a stop on the roof of the car. Dazed, disoriented, and more than a little scared; Elena discovers that she is stuck in her seat. She silently counts her blessings that she was wearing her seatbelt. Then Elena suddenly remembers that she had hit somebody and hesitantly looks over to see the man she had hit with her car.
"Oh God…" She whispers in horror, as she stares at the man's mangled body. Elena starts to hyperventilate when the man slowly gets back up and straightens out his impossibly bent and twisted limbs and starts to approach her. Elena screams.
Salvatore Boarding House
Night
Stefan paced his room, clutching his phone to his ear as he desperately tries to call Elena's phone. But with every attempt, he gets her voicemail. Katherine's picture and Elena's necklace is clenched tightly in his hand as he dials her number one final time.
"Elena, it's Stefan. I know that this picture must have confused you. But I can explain." He pauses for a moment and amends his last words. "I NEED to explain. So, please, when you get this, call me." He rings off, panicking.
Mystic Falls
Night
The stranger Elena had hit with her car had almost reached her, when just as suddenly he freezes and runs away. Damon emerges from the woods with Phoebe in his arms, and Phoebe immediately recognises the upside down car.
"That's Elena's car!" Damon curses and vamp-speeds them over, scaring Elena. Phoebe immediately comforts the frightened girl.
"Elena, you're okay sweetie! It's just us!"
"Phoebe?" Elena frowns, just as Damon crouches down beside Phoebe and peers inside; a look of genuine worry on his face.
"How ya doing in there?" He asks Elena.
"Damon?" Elena is confused, but also extremely grateful to see both of them. Their presence had obviously scared off the mysterious stranger whom she had run over with her, now totalled, car.
"You look stuck." Damon pointed out, and Elena nodded.
"It's my seatbelt. I can't get it." Phoebe carefully reached in to help her, while both she and Damon attempted to calm Elena down.
"Shh, shh, shh. Elena, just let us get you out of there." Phoebe reassured her. Damon nodded.
"I want you to put your hands on the roof." Elena placed her hands flat on the roof of the car. "Yeah, just like that." He turns to Phoebe. "Get ready to catch her." Phoebe nods and supports Elena's head and shoulders, as Damon reaches for the button securing Elena's seatbelt in place. "You ready?" Elena nods. "Alright. 1, 2, 3." He ejects her seatbelt and Elena gives a little cry of fear as she drops unceremoniously, but Phoebe manages to cushion her fall.
"I got you." Elena takes both Phoebe and Damon's hands as she crawls from the wreckage of her car. Damon picks up Elena carefully. Phoebe fussed over her like a worried mother.
"Are you okay? Can you stand?" Phoebe asked.
"Is anything broken?" Damon added. Elena shakes her head.
"Uh-uh." Damon puts her down on her feet, but Elena almost immediately starts toppling over. Phoebe steadies her.
"Woah, Elena. Look at me, focus on my face." She insists. Elena looks at Phoebe groggily.
"I look like her…" She mumbles. Phoebe frowns in confusion, and looks at Damon in askance. He shrugs, just as puzzled.
"W-what?" Elena faints and Phoebe catches her, lowering them both to the ground. She cradles Elena's unconscious body in her arms, as she looks up at Damon. He has a grave expression on his face that Phoebe doesn't like. Brushing it aside, she addresses the situation involving Elena. "What do we do now?" Damon squats down beside Phoebe and studies Elena's face. This was going against his plans; as he intended on escorting Phoebe home before going on a short road trip. Making a decision, he stands up and focuses on Phoebe, who is looking intently at him; waiting for the next set of instructions.
"Give me a sec." Damon walks over to Elena's totalled car and drags off to the side of the road. Then he turns and comes back over and scoops Elena up into his arms. "Let's go." He announces and Phoebe frowns.
"Where are we going?"
"Road trip." Damon replies simply. Phoebe had no choice but to follow, staring suspiciously at him the entire way.
Alaric's Apartment
Night
Alaric was sitting at his table, busily typing away at his computer. A deeply disturbed expression on his face. He was making a record of what he had just experienced only hours before back in the Fell Warehouse.
"I found one." He wrote. "After years of research and study, there it was right in front of me." He paused and shuddered when he pictured the cocky smirk and the overly-confident swagger that Logan had; when he was convinced that Alaric was foolish and about to become his latest kill. "I was terrified." He confessed. "As I stared it in the eyes, I drove a stake through its heart. I was right about Mystic Falls. There is evil here. I can sense it. Feel it. It's everywhere." Then he paused, pictured Phoebe Halliwell's face and hesitated. "Although, there is one exception to the rule. Jenna and the Gilbert kids' friend, Miss Phoebe Halliwell. She's different; I can tell…" He saved his document, then paused and looked over at a nearby photo of a young woman with similar attributes to Elena Gilbert.
He sighed, both with frustration and despair.
Somewhere on the Highway near Georgia
Day
A light blue 1969 Chevy Camaro Convertible drove down the highway, en-route to Georgia. Damon was in the driver's seat, listening to the radio and drumming his fingers on the steering wheel; while Elena was lying unconscious in the backseat with Phoebe's leather jacket folded neatly underneath her head as a makeshift pillow. Phoebe was sitting in the passenger seat next to Damon. She had long since fallen asleep, slumbering unsuspectingly against the window; and completely unaware of Damon's watchful gaze – between watching the road at the same time – and troubled thoughts.
The vampire did not regret the angry, rage filled words he had exchanged with Phoebe back in the woods. It was true, Phoebe did not understand his urgency in gaining access into the tomb; but it wasn't for the reasons she suspected him having. Having Phoebe's help getting into the tomb, was not part of his plans at all; but it was becoming obvious that he may have no choice but to accept it, much to his resentment. Still, Damon's eyes softened and taking his eyes off the road for a moment, he reached over and lightly pulled away some loose hair that had fallen in Phoebe's face, and brushed his hand across her cheek lightly. The witch stirred a little, frowning, causing Damon to pull back. But Phoebe soon relaxed and resumed sleeping.
Damon smiled a little.
"All will be revealed soon, Phoebe. I promise." He mumbled, then straightened up when Elena stirred and sat up, looking around in confusion. Damon gave her a false grin. "Morning." He greeted her brightly. Elena frowned.
"Where are we?" She mumbled sleepily. Damon looked at her through the rear-view mirror.
"Georgia." Her eyes widened.
"Georgia? No, no. No, we're not." Elena frowned at Damon who blinked back at her innocently. "Seriously, Damon. Where are we?" She demanded.
"Seriously. We're… we're in Georgia." Elena slumped back in her seat with dismay. Damon fixed her with a serious look. "How ya feeling?" Elena was still stuck on the fact that she, Damon and Phoebe – whom she had just realised was in the passenger seat – were heading towards an unknown location in Georgia.
"I… I…"
"There's no broken bones. I checked." Damon announced, and Elena briefly checked to confirm. Her relief was momentary when she suddenly remembered why she was here in the first place.
"But my car… there was a man… I hit a man." Elena was starting to panic again, but before Damon could reassure her, Elena frowned with confusion. "But then he got up, and … who was that?" She asked him. Damon shrugged, but he too was confused and just a little bit pissed.
"That's what I would like to know." Elena glanced over at Phoebe and sat forward, observing the witch sleeping … with a frown on her lovely face. I wonder what's wrong? Elena thought curiously. Brushing aside her concerns for Phoebe's obviously agitated state of mind, Elena searched around for her purse; but when she groped around inside, she realised she was missing a crucial item. She looked up and glared at the back of Damon's head.
"Where is my phone?" She demanded. Damon rolled his eyes, but didn't reply. He had hidden her phone in the glove compartment; and it was very unlikely that he would give it back any time soon. "Okay. We really need to go back." Elena insisted. "Nobody knows where I am." Elena pointed out, but Damon made no move to pull over or produce her phone. She inwardly snarled with frustration and resisted the urge to haul off and slug Damon; but she suspected that he wouldn't be impressed, nor pleased if she had caused him to have an accident and risk her life and Phoebe's in the process by driving the car off the road and into the nearest tree or fence post. "Pull over. I mean it, Damon. Pull over! Stop the car!" Damon huffed in annoyance.
"Oh, you were so much more fun when you were asleep." Damon pulled over, causing Phoebe to stir because the car wasn't moving, and look around in confusion.
"Are we there already?" She yawned and stretched, oblivious to the appreciative look Damon was giving her. Elena immediately gets out of the car, earning a concerned look from Phoebe, and limps weakly to sit on the car bonnet. Phoebe immediately gets out and approaches her. "Are you alright, sweetie? Do you feel carsick?" Elena shook her head, and smiles gratefully at Phoebe; only wincing slightly.
"I'm fine." Elena reassures Phoebe, before giving Damon a hard look. "We have to go back." Damon sighed.
"Oh come on. Look. We've already come this far…" He tried to explain. But Elena cuts him off mid-sentence.
"Why are you doing this? I can't be in Georgia." She insisted, angrily and leaning slightly on Phoebe for support. Phoebe raised an eyebrow the second Elena mentioned their current location and looked at Damon. "I wrecked my car. I have to go home. This is kidnapping." Damon ignored the questioning gaze from Phoebe as he responded to Elena's declaration.
"That's a little melodramatic, don't you think?" Phoebe jumped in.
"Sorry, back up a bit. Georgia? What are we doing in Georgia, Damon?" Damon gave her a small smile that Elena looked at him strangely for.
"Following a lead." He answered cryptically, knowing that Phoebe would cotton on. Phoebe did understand, but was curious about why he had brought Elena and herself along with him. Elena was not impressed and even less amused.
"You're not funny; and you can't do this. I'm not going to Georgia." Elena seethed. Damon scoffed.
"Well, you're IN Georgia. Without your magical little necklace, I might add. I can very easily make you … agreeable." He pointed out casually, ignoring the warning glare Phoebe was throwing at him. Elena was stuck; she knew that he had that advantage over her and it frustrated her.
"What are you trying to prove?" Elena wanted to know, and Phoebe nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, that's something I'd like to know too." Phoebe added. Elena's phone rang from inside Damon's car. Pink's So What blared surprisingly loudly from its hidden spot.
"That's my phone." Taking the chance to avoid the question, Damon vamp-sped in and out of his car retrieving Elena's phone and smirked when he checked caller ID.
"Mmm. It's your boyfriend. I'll take it." He answered the call before either Phoebe or Elena could stop him. "Elena's phone…!" Stefan bristled at the sound of his brother's voice.
"Where is she?" Stefan brushed aside his annoyance with his brother and allowed his worry to consume him. "Why do you have her phone? Is she okay?" Damon adopted a careless tone. "Elena?" He glanced over at Elena, who seemed strangely withdrawn. Damon raised an eyebrow and indicated 'what's up with her?' to Phoebe, who shrugged looking equally concerned. "She's right here. And yes, she's fine." He replied, wondering what his brother dearest had done that produced this reaction out of Elena. Stefan sighed in relief.
"Where are you? Let me speak to her." He demanded. Damon rolled his eyes and looked at Elena, holding out her phone to her.
"He wants to talk to you." Elena immediately shook her head and starting hugging herself protectively.
"Uh-uh." Phoebe frowned and put her arm around the obviously agitated girl.
"Elena?" She looked up at the older woman with large eyes. "Talk to me, sweetheart. What's bugging you?" Elena immediately closed in on herself.
"I don't wanna talk about it." Phoebe glanced up at Damon, who looked troubled. He turned back to Elena's phone.
"Yeah. I don't… I don't really think she wants to talk to you right now." Damon explained to Stefan. His overprotective brother snarled.
"Damon, I swear to God, if you touch her…" Damon shook his head. 'Touching' Elena was the very last thing he wanted to do. Mostly because she looked like 'her' and because he had his sights set on Phoebe. Still, the temptation to torture his brother was almost too good to pass up. Smirking, Damon replied.
"You have a good day. Mm-hmm." He chuckled and flipped Elena's phone shut, ending the call. He could just imagine Stefan having a hissy fit. Composing himself, Damon turned back to the two suspicious women sitting on the bonnet of his car wearing calculating expressions on their lovely faces. Elena frowned at him.
"Look, no one knows where I am." Elena's severe expression softened slightly. "Can we please just go back?" She pleaded earnestly. But Damon shook his head.
"We're almost there." Elena threw up her hands in frustration.
"Where is there?!"
"A little place right outside of Atlanta." Damon took in the resigned expression on Elena's face, and the curious and slightly disapproving expression on Phoebe's. "Oh, come on, Elena." Damon was glad that Phoebe seemed to be somewhat on board with his plan (and only slightly ashamed at the disapproval), but was becoming annoyed with Elena's stubborn response. However, he did pick up on how tense Elena had become the second Stefan asked to talk with her, and decided to run with it. "You don't wanna go back right now, do you?" He grinned with triumph when Elena uncrossed her arms and looked thoughtful. "What's the rush? Time-out. Trust me. Your problems are still going to be there when you get home."
Phoebe smiled at him when she realised that in his own slightly twisted way, Damon was trying to give Elena a reprieve from something that involved Stefan; if her reaction both she and Damon noticed before had anything to do with it.
"Damon's right, Elena." Both Elena and Damon looked at Phoebe in surprise. "Take this opportunity to sort out your thoughts. It's obvious something is troubling you." Elena bit her bottom lip as she considered this. She looked at Damon.
"Am I going to be safe with you?"
"Yes." Damon replied.
"You promise not to do that mind control thing with me?" Phoebe slipped an arm through the crook of Elena's, grabbing the girl's attention.
"I'll make sure that he doesn't." Phoebe reassured her. Elena nodded, but still looked unsure.
"Can I trust you?" She asked Damon, but Phoebe tugged her back towards the car.
"Elena, if you can't trust him, then trust me." Elena smiled gratefully at Phoebe and slipped into the backseat. Phoebe glanced up at Damon who was smiling at her gratefully and mouthed 'thank you' at her. Phoebe shrugged back as though to say 'don't mention it', and hopped into the passenger seat. Damon eyed her and chuckled before getting in and driving off.
Mystic Falls High School
Day
Jeremy is heading out of school when he notices Alaric in his car, searching around his seats for something. Curious, he wonders over.
"Hey, Mr. Saltzman!" Alaric looks up and smiles when he sees Jeremy, he gets out of the car to properly greet his student.
"Hey, Jeremy." He notes Jeremy's curious expression, and explains himself. "I, uh … can't find my ring. I took it off for the gym, and I thought I put it …" He ducks back in the car when he spies something silver and glinting and pounces on it. "There it is!" He pulls himself completely from the car and closes it as he places the ring back on his finger. "Losing family heirlooms… bad." Alaric changes the topic. "How's your extra credit coming? You pick a topic yet?" Jeremy nods.
"Mystic Falls, the Civil War era." He replies. Alaric leans against his car, studying Jeremy.
"What's the angle?"
"My family." Jeremy responds immediately, looking proud of his reasoning. "I found a journal of an ancestor who lived in the 1800s. And the Gilberts were one of the original Founding Families of Mystic Falls. So…" Alaric smiled approvingly.
"That sounds good." The history teacher definitely could see hope in Jeremy's future.
On another part of the campus, Stefan spots Bonnie and jogs over to her. The witch is understandably standoffish when the vampire approaches her eagerly. Bonnie frowns at him curiously.
"Bonnie." Stefan greets her.
"Stefan…"
"Hey." He says, awkwardly. Bonnie frowns.
"Hi." Stefan tries again.
"I haven't seen you lately. How are you doing with everything?" Bonnie realises he's fishing for something; probably about Elena, whom she hadn't seen all day, strangely enough.
"I'm fine. It's all fine." Bonnie replied cautiously. Stefan nodded approvingly.
"Good. Yeah." Bonnie decided to speed this awkward conversation along and ventured a question to help break the ice.
"Are you back in school?" She politely inquired. Stefan shook his head, and raked a hand through his hair. It was obvious that he was agitated about something.
"No. Actually I came here to find you. I was hoping that you could help me with something. A spell." Bonnie hesitated.
"Stefan, look, I know Elena's okay with all of this, and I appreciate what you did to help me. But I'm not really ready to dive into it with you just yet." Stefan nodded, understanding.
"I understand that. But I need your help. It's Elena." That caught Bonnie's attention. "She's with Damon. I have Elena's necklace." He showed Bonnie the necklace, and Bonnie frowned. "I was just hoping you could use this to make some sort of connection. I just need to know that she's okay." Bonnie eyed the necklace and then Stefan, uneasily.
"How do you know I can do this?"
"Because I've known a few witches over the years. I've seen what they can do." Bonnie felt slightly flattered at the praise.
"I'm still new at it." She pointed out to him. Stefan nodded impatiently.
"It's okay. Give it a shot." Bonnie sighed, giving in.
"Okay, all right." She takes Elena's necklace and closed her eyes, trying to make something happen. After a few minutes, nothing happens. Bonnie opened her eyes, looking a little surprised. "There's nothing. Nothing's happening." Stefan looked crestfallen. "Usually there's an image or…" Bonnie suspected something, and she just hoped that she was mistaken. "Tell me if anyone's looking." She asked Stefan. He nodded.
"Okay." Bonnie bends down and picks up a leaf. She focuses on it, trying to make it float. But it doesn't work. Uh-oh… Stefan notices her stricken expression.
"What is it?"
"Something's wrong." Bonnie explained.
"With Elena?" Bonnie shook her head.
"No, with me. There's something wrong with me." She starts gathering her belongings and gets to her feet, obviously disturbed. "I have to go. I'm sorry, Stefan. I can't help you." Bonnie hurries away, while Stefan watches her.
Georgia
Day
It didn't take long for Damon and his 'entourage' to drive swiftly into Atlanta, Georgia; with a sulking Elena sitting in the backseat and staring out the window at the scenery rushing past in a multi-coloured blur (due to Damon's speedy driving). Phoebe had her reading glasses on and was currently on her phone surfing Facebook, checking her email and playing a few games. Damon was currently lost in his own thoughts; thoughts that were quickly broken by Elena's curt voice.
"So, where's my car?" Phoebe looked up from her phone and glanced back at her, smiling reassuringly.
"Damon pulled if off to the side of the road." She explained.
"I don't think anyone will bother it." Damon indicated and turned down a main road. Elena nodded, but then frowned when the image of the mysterious but sinister looking stranger came to her.
"What about that man in the road?" Damon tensed. "Was he a…?" Elena hesitated.
"From what I could tell, yeah…" Phoebe put away her phone and paid attention to the conversation.
"You didn't know him?" She asked, curiously. Phoebe stretched out her empathy powers to sense whether or not Damon was lying to save face, or if he genuinely had no idea. Damon glanced over at Phoebe and at Elena in the rear-view mirror. She was staring intently at him, waiting for his answer. He sighed.
"If I've never met him, I wouldn't know him." Phoebe relaxed, convinced that he wasn't lying. "I mean, it's not like we all hang out together at the Vamp Bar and Grill." He spat defensively. Damon pulled up in front of a bar named 'Bree's Bar'. Phoebe gave him a look that he ignored as Elena got out of the car and stretched.
"Where are we?" She asked before she turned and saw Damon walking with a determined stride towards the bar, with Phoebe reluctantly following. "You brought us to a bar? Damon, I'm not old enough. They're not going to let me in." Phoebe grabbed Damon's arm and caught his attention.
"Elena has a point, Damon." Damon gave both of them a confident grin.
"Sure they will." He winks at them, and opens the door; stepping aside to allow them through first. Phoebe and Elena exchange uneasy looks before they shrug and walk inside with Damon close behind. Almost immediately, an attractive middle-aged African American woman with an athletic build and dressed in black leather pants and an army green tank top approaches them.
"No. No, it can't be." Phoebe is immediately hit by lust and stops dead in her tracks, glaring territorially at the woman who stops in front of a slightly amused Damon. "Damon. My honey pie." The woman, whom both Elena and Phoebe assumed was 'Bree', grabbed Damon's face and moved to kiss him; but Damon immediately stiffened and grabbed Bree's wrists, easily stopping her in her tracks and shook his head. Phoebe relaxed as Bree fixed him with a quizzical look before shrugging and hooking around Damon's shoulder and leading him and the girls deeper into the bar.
"Listen up everybody!" Bree shouted, grabbing everybody's attention. She gestured towards Damon who didn't appear to mind being shoved into the spotlight. "Here's to the man that broke my heart, crushed my soul, destroyed my life, and ruined any and all chances of happiness!" Phoebe's eyes widened, and hesitated. Now why does that sound familiar? Elena came over to Phoebe, looking concerned.
"Phoebe? Are you alright?" Elena asked her quietly. Phoebe glanced over Elena's shoulder at Damon who had perched himself at the bar and was staring at Bree who was pouring shots for everyone. Oh yeah, that's right. Cole… Phoebe gave Elena a weak smile and nodded.
"Fine. I'm fine." She said uneasily and continued walking towards the bar; taking a seat and leaving one open in the middle for Elena who was still looking at Phoebe with concern.
"Drink up!" shouts Bree, who pushes a shot towards all the adults in the room. Damon and Bree shoot down their alcohol, and Phoebe after a split second hesitation (and some resentment) knocks hers back. Bree then turns her attention towards Phoebe and Elena, eying them with interest.
"So, he'd he rope you two in?" Bree refills Phoebe's shot and pours Elena one. Phoebe grabs the shot and salutes her.
"I'm a dear old friend of Damon's." Phoebe replied, sounding slightly bitter and shoots her shot. Damon frowns at her tone, as Elena immediately denies any association with Damon.
"I'm not roped in." Elena explains. "Actually, I'm dating his…" Bree cuts her off.
"Honey, if you're not roped, you're whipped." Bree says to her sagely. "Either way, just enjoy the ride." She smiles at Elena and pours more alcohol. Phoebe accepts the shot and Elena's and shoots down both. Elena gives her a thankful smile. She turns towards Bree.
"Okay. So, how did you two meet?" Elena inquired.
"College." Bree poured another shot. Elena looked at Damon incredulously. So did Phoebe.
"You went to college?" Damon smiled mysteriously.
"I've been on a college campus, yes." Bree filled in the blanks.
"About twenty years ago, when I was a sweet, young freshman, I met this beautiful man, and I fell in love." Bree indicated to Damon, who smirked; earning an eye roll from Phoebe and a slightly nauseated look from Elena. "And then he told me about his little secret, made me love him more. Because, you see, I had a little secret of my own that I was dying to share with somebody."
"She's a witch." Damon whispers to Elena and Phoebe. Elena's eyes widened, and Phoebe instantly glanced accusingly at Damon who looked defiant. Bree didn't notice this little exchange, she was stuck in her little fantasy world.
"Changed my world, you know." Bree gushed. Damon's smirk broadened.
"I rocked your world." Phoebe decided that she had heard enough, and immediately got to her feet.
"Excuse me. Gotta powder my nose." Elena moved to follow, but Phoebe waved her off and Elena sank back down on her stool, glaring at Damon who pretended that he couldn't careless, but inwardly felt like a right bastard. Bree leaned in to whisper to Elena conversationally.
"He is good in the sack, isn't he?" Elena looked at her appalled, and then looked at Damon, who pointedly looked away. "But mostly he's just a Walk-Away Joe." Bree added before looking at Damon, suddenly all-business. "So, what is it that you want?"
Taking in the goo-goo eyes that both of them were exchanging, Elena shuddered and decided to risk Phoebe's ire and followed her to the bathroom to both confront and perhaps comfort Phoebe. Besides, it seemed like Damon was here for a purpose; and the faster he could get what he came for, the quicker Damon would return Phoebe and her to Mystic Falls.
Mystic Falls High School Library
Day
Since getting the extra credit assignment, Jeremy had been religiously scoping out the Public Library and the high school's library; which he was currently in looking for a book on the Civil War era. He was so intent on what he was looking for that he nearly collided with some books which fell down in front of him. Jeremy mutters curses underneath his breath as he dodges some of the books. A girl appears from the other side of the bookshelf, and for a second Jeremy was struck dumb; to him this girl was gorgeous, petite; approx. 5'2 maybe 3 and slim, dressed in tight black jeans, a green t-shirt and a stressed-out black leather jacket and black boots. She was porcelain pale with long wavy brown hair and almond-shaped dark brown eyes which were staring down at Jeremy in horror.
"Oh my God. I am so sorry." The girl comes around and crouches down in front of Jeremy, who was rubbing his head and blinking at her in confusion. "There was this one book wedged between the other, and so I pulled and then kaplunk, kaboom!" She gestures with her hands. "Are you okay?" Jeremy smiles.
"Yeah, I'm fine." The girl sighs with relief and they both kneel down and start gathering up the books that had fallen from the shelves and knock into each other's heads.
"Ahh! I'm Anna." She giggles. Jeremy laughs as he rubbed his own head.
"I'm Jeremy."
Bonnie's Grams' Residence
Day
The discovery that Bonnie was unable to cast spells anymore, temporary or otherwise, disturbed her enough to pay a visit to her grandmother's house for a solution or advice. However, she didn't immediately go to her Grams. Instead, Bonnie poured her way through some old spellbooks, and was still looking when her Grams found her a moment later. Bonnie sighed with relief, which caused her Grams to frown.
"Thank God, you're back." Bonnie greeted her grandmother as she continued searching though the spellbooks. Grams crossed the room towards her, and studied Bonnie curiously. It was not like Bonnie to be actively interested in her studies without being pressured.
"And hello to you too. What's the matter?" Bonnie turned and looked at her with fear in her eyes.
"My powers are gone, Grams. I can't do anything, even when I concentrate. And there's nothing in any of these books that can tell me how to get them back." Bonnie turned and continued frantically searching, but her grandmother calmly stopped her and turned Bonnie to face her.
"Hang on, now. Just calm down and tell me what happened." Bonnie hesitated.
"I can't."
"We keeping secrets now?" Grams raised an eyebrow when Bonnie looked a combination of pained and remorseful.
"I have to. I'm sorry. I promised." Bonnie explained and her grandmother crossed her arms over her chest. "Please, help me." Bonnie pleaded. Grams sighed.
"Well, first of all, there's nothing in any of these that's gonna help you." She explained, gesturing to the spellbooks. "If you're blocked, it's in here." Grams pointed to Bonnie's head. "You gotta clear it out, then you're back in business." Bonnie was confused.
"Clear what out?" Grams gave her granddaughter a gentle, reassuring smile.
"Whatever's got you so scared."
Ladies' Room
Bree's Bar
Atlanta, Georgia
Day
Phoebe retreated into the ladies room and strode directly towards the mirrors. She grimaced at the sullen look on her face, and berated herself for behaving like a jealous teenager. Damon and she weren't officially together, so he was within his rights to flirt, make out and do any other frivolous things with other women whenever he wanted. But it doesn't mean I have to like it, or stand there and watch it happening in front of me. Upside however, Phoebe had noticed that while Damon seemed amused by Bree's outrageous flirting, he wasn't exactly reciprocating. Even went as far as stopping the woman from kissing him. Sighing, Phoebe splashed her face with water before turning and leaning against the counter, dangerously close to brooding.
"Phoebe?" Phoebe turned her head towards the ladies' room door and noticed Elena standing there looking at her with concerned deep brown eyes. "Are you alright?" Elena asked tentatively. Phoebe gave the girl a very thin smile that caused Elena to frown.
"Would you believe me if I said 'yes'?" Phoebe questioned.
"No, I would call you a huge liar if you did." Elena answered.
"Good answer." Elena came over and leant against the sink next to Phoebe. Neither woman spoke a word, and an awkward silence closed in around them. Finally, Elena broke the silence with an unexpected question.
"Do you love him?"
"Excuse me?" Phoebe blinked, taken aback by the blunt question. Elena frowned sternly at her friend.
"It's not a hard question, Phoebe. I asked if you love Damon." Phoebe smiled.
"Yes, of course. It's hard not to stop loving someone you've pledged your heart to for 97 years." Phoebe replied, then made a face when she realised what she had just said. Elena snorted with laughter.
"I can't believe you said that." Phoebe giggled too in embarrassment.
"Yeah, I have no idea where that came from." The laughter died off, and Phoebe fixed Elena with a very serious look. "But in all seriousness, you never truly forget your first true love ... even one that's lasted 97 years, and when yours truly was my great-great Aunt at the time." Elena winced.
"Please stop. Just thinking about that makes my head hurt." Phoebe grinned.
"Sorry." Then she fixed Elena with the 'concerned friend' face. "So, what's up with you and Stefan, huh?" Elena immediately stiffened up. Phoebe sighed, it was like Piper and her old neurotic idiosyncrasies all over again. "Sweetie, I'm a witch remember? I can feel how freaked out you're feeling. Talk to me?" Elena closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath.
"I look like her." Elena finally said. Phoebe frowned.
"Yeah, you said that before. Care to elaborate?" Elena looked like she wanted to do anything but.
"Katherine. I look like Katherine. Literally." Phoebe was stunned. "Stefan and I were talking in his room. He left to go get me some water and that's when I found it: her picture. It looked like something from the 1800s and it was freaky. I couldn't take it, so I left." Understandably. Phoebe started to pace, not having a clue about what to say to help Elena cope.
"Have you tried talking to Stefan about it?" Phoebe eventually asked.
"No. No, I haven't. I wouldn't know where to start, or what to say." Elena replied with her eyes downcast to the floor. Phoebe moved swiftly to Elena and wrapped her in a motherly hug. She pulled away after a few minutes and grasped the girl's hands in her own.
"I know it's hard, sweetheart. But you do need to tell him how you're feeling, and why you ran." Phoebe explained.
"I know. I want to talk to him, but I can't compete with Katherine—"
"And neither should you." Phoebe cut her off. "You're not Katherine. She's part of his past and a memory he holds. You need to talk to him and let him explain." She insisted. "I know it will be hard, but if you don't you will regret it for the rest of your life." Elena looked at me sceptically. "Trust me, I've been there. I've made that mistake."
"How?" Elena asked. Phoebe shook her head.
"That's not important right now. What's important is that you need to fix things with Stefan, even if there's a possibility that you may not stick together." Phoebe insisted. Elena nodded.
"Okay."
"Come on, let's go back out." Phoebe gathered up her purse and headed back out to the main floor, ready to tackle whatever Bree and Damon were doing. Elena watched her go for a moment before following. She decided to make a quick phone call…
Elena made her way outside to Damon's car and perched on the bonnet. It had occurred to her that she hadn't made contact with Jenna yet, and her aunt must've been freaking out. Psyching herself up for some major yelling from Jenna, Elena quickly pressed speed dial.
"Hello?" Jenna answered, and Elena relaxed a little at the calm sound of her aunt's voice.
"Hi, Jenna. I'm so sorry." Elena began the conversation with the apology. Jenna immediately pounced.
"Where are you?" She demanded, sounding worried. "Why didn't you call?" Okay, spoke too soon… Elena wracked her brains for a plausible excuse. She would be so busted if she revealed where she really was, and not even mentioning Phoebe would save her.
"I was so tired last night. I fell asleep at Bonnie's." Elena hastily invented the excuse. "And then this morning, I just wanted to get to school." She could hear Jenna let out a relieved breath over the phone.
"Are you okay?" Jenna asked. Elena paused. I'll let you know when I know the answer to that question… So instead she said this:
"You know, Stefan and stuff…"
A/N: Here it is, ladies and gentlemen. The newest chapter update. My apologies for the delay, it's been a madhouse for me at the moment. The next chapter will be out soon.
Please review (hopefully with a couple of sentences, not just singular words).
TTFN :D