A/N: I don't own anyone but my OC's…though I wished I owned the rest…*sighs*

Brooklyn was on edge for the rest of the gala despite reassurances from Alaric Damon and Stefan they wouldn't let John or Lockwood get near her. Still, she had her doubts as the party continued on through into the night. Taking a deep breath, the hunter decided she needed some fresh air and headed out towards the balcony. The sun had set cooling the warm Virginia air. Some were starting to leave already but most were sitting below on the stone benches or inside taking advantage of the free food and alcohol.

"The stars are out tonight I see," Brooklyn cringed as Mayor Lockwood came up behind her.

"Yes, lovely indeed," she said through gritted teeth. Lockwood grinned at her displeasure and dared to lay a hand over one of hers.

"I apologize for not getting an opportunity to know you better Miss Ravenwood," the whisper was low and hungry as he pressed his body against hers. The hunter's scent raged through his being threatening to unleash the beast within.

"Get off me," Brooklyn shoved him away then slapped him hard across the face before hurrying inside away from Lockwood. As her heels clattered against the marble the hunter swore she could hear his cold cruel laughter all the way inside.

Damon spotted Brooklyn first and immediately saw the distress in her eyes. The vampire brushed through the crowd muttering excuse me along the way. Alaric caught sight of the vampire then Brooklyn and made his way towards the pair. He felt her anguish turn into his own the closer he approached. It churned and boiled like a raging hurricane ready to explode like a ticking time bomb.

"Brook what happened?" Brooklyn wiped her eye with a shaky hand and gathered her composure.

"Lockwood," she sputtered, "Lockwood came onto me."

Alaric arrived and shared an enraged expression with Damon.

"Ric stay with her, I'm going after Lockwood," Damon's tone left no room for argument and Alaric escorted Brooklyn to another room away from prying eyes. Stefan and Elena saw Alaric and Brooklyn and caught the tears in her eyes. They quickly followed them down the hall away from the main room and in a side room.

Stefan was the first to rush in as Alaric comforted his distraught lover.

"Ric what happened?" Stefan knelt down to Brooklyn's side.

"Lockwood that's what," Alaric kissed her temple and carded his hand through her hair. "Bastard laid his hands all over her."

"I knew the mayor was a creep but this…." Elena shook her head in disgust.

"Damon went looking for him," Brooklyn streaked the back of her hand across her face smearing her makeup and mascara. Elena grabbed a Kleenex to which the hunter gratefully accepted with a shaky smile.

"So what now?" she asked.

"I'll look for Damon," Stefan nodded at Elena before leaving the trio.

Damon scoured the outside and surrounding grounds but Lockwood was nowhere to be found. He couldn't detect the foul stench that radiated from the human and suspected he had run off like the coward he was.

"If he touches her again…." Damon swore to himself.

"Damon," Stefan called out. The older Salvatore spun around to see his brother approach.

"I don't need your help," he said coolly then turned back around and started towards the main building.

"Damn it Damon," Stefan sped up and clenched a hand around his forearm. Damon felt the sharp jerk of his brother's strength twisting him back to face the younger one.

"Stay out of my way! I won't warn you again Stefan," Damon's eyes turned and fangs extended in an attempt to warn his brother.

"She's my friend," Stefan hollered as his eyes flashed to match Damon's.

"Well I saw her long before you did little brother," Damon brushed the hand aside while his features resided to normal.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Stefan narrowed his eyes.

"Let's just say I crossed paths with her before Chicago, before you met her."

"So what you compelled her to forget you? She would've told me about something like that!"

"What's not to say I didn't compel her? Although she doesn't remember our little meeting as she had suffered a rather nasty accident and had a bit of memory loss."

"You son of a….." Stefan lunged for his brother but Damon was faster and pinned his brother against the large oak tree. The vampire's eyes turned as he was outraged Stefan would accuse him of hurting his hunter. Damon was enraged at the mere thought of causing harm to Brooklyn or Alaric.

"I didn't touch her! I couldn't and wouldn't!"

Stefan then knew Damon wasn't lying about hurting her. The look of hurt in his brother's eyes said it all for him. They stood locked together for several tense seconds before Damon released his grip without breathing another word and started back along the path. Stefan stood speechless at his brother's words and wondered if perhaps he held feelings for her longer than just Chicago.

Damon decided not to go back and instead found himself walking through the back streets of Mystic Falls. He had failed to locate Mayor Lockwood but knew the worthless bastard would turn up like a bad penny. The vampire wanted to go back to Alaric's where he hoped Brooklyn would be. It had been another rough night for them all and right now he could use a drink, no a bottle of whiskey to chase it all away. He plotted his next move but was abruptly interrupted by Anna.

The smaller vampire stepped from the shadows still clad in her dress and jacket.

"Alright now this is getting weird," Damon exhaled.

"We're here to talk," Pearl emerged from within the building and stood calmly before him. The last time he had encountered her, she had torn his eyes out in the boarding house. But now she was relaxed and wearing a simple black dress with matching jacket.

"Not in the mood," Damon quipped sharply. "Today has been a no good, very bad day."

"My daughter tells me you're looking for a device that I stole from Jonathan Gilbert," Pearl started speaking, in different to Damon's bad day.

"I'm listening," Damon was cautious but intrigued. He stepped closer watching Pearl extend something in her hand. She watched as her nemesis took the offering and began to open the pouch.

"What is it?" He looked over at them both and pulled out what appeared to be a pocket watch.

"Jonathan Gilbert was passionate about his inventions," Pearl explained in a matter of fact manner, "He confided in me he had created a device to track down the town's vampire element."

"It was a pocket watch," Damon was confused over what he held in hand.

"That's what it turned out to be yes but that's not what I stole," the picture was turning clearer for Damon. "I discovered my mistake when I saw the pocket watch in Jonathan's hand the night they took us."

Damon examined it closely as Pearl explained how the style pointed at her revealing her identity.

"So what is this?" Damon scrunched his face.

"I have no idea," Pearl shrugged, "But now it's yours."

"What's the catch?" Damon knew this had to be too good to be true.

Pearl laughed at his assumption and smiled at the vampire.

"There is no catch," Damon's face dropped at the news. He was stunned Pearl would so freely give up something such as this.

"My daughter wishes to stay, I wanna stay here. You refuse to trust us and for good reason. Consider this an apology for what happened to the hunter."

"Brooklyn, her name is Brooklyn," Damon bristled at the vampire's lack of courtesy.

"Brooklyn," Pearl corrected herself.

Damon glanced over at Anna then back to Pearl before leaving in silence.

Brooklyn had slipped in the shower after Alaric brought her home and stayed under the hot force of the water. She felt like it was washing away the vile touch of Lockwood, cleansing her skin of anything left behind by him. The hunter ran a hand through her soaked tresses relieved to be rid of the hair gel and makeup. She wondered how anyone could wear that every single day?

As she continued lavishing her body in the shower, the hunter detected another in the small space with her. Alaric wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed along her back and shoulders. Brooklyn sighed as she turned around to meet his needy lips. He knew what she needed to forget about Lockwood and lifted her up and off the shower floor keeping her pinned against the wall as he slowly slid inside her waiting body. Brooklyn groaned in his mouth as they made love in the shower not caring if anyone could hear them on the outside. Her hands ghosted over his face and lips noting how the droplets made him look almost ethereal as they glistened in the light.

The gentle tender thrusts filled the hunter completely as she clung tight to her lover. She looked deep into Alaric's eyes reaching into the depths of his soul feeling it capture hers in its seductive hold and refused to let it go. Alaric leaned forward hungering to taste her lips against his once again. He would never grow tired of the silken sensation that ran over and around his mouth as it only fueled his need for her and only her.

He watched her arch back and hands slap the smooth fiberglass wall as her body crested and tightened around him. Brooklyn's hips rolled up and along his in a rapid frenzied motion that only prolonged the sexual ecstasy she continued to feel. Alaric tilted his head back and closed his eyes, surrendering to the tightness exploding inside. He gasped and panted while riding out his release feeling the thick heat spread out between the damp walls of his lover's body claiming her as his.

Alaric continued thrusting upward even as his orgasm had started to wane. He felt the warmth spreading through Brooklyn's body and smiled into her skin. He tilted his chin and tenderly kissed each breast, taking time to run his tongue along each pert erect bud then placing a quick kiss upon each. Brooklyn drew in a sharp breath of air at the light pinching of his teeth but felt her lover quickly let go and work his way upward until she felt the warm full lips devour hers.

Damon returned several hours later with the invention clutched tightly in his hand. There was no way John Gilbert was going to get his hands on this device! The vampire was finding he was content with what he had between himself and the humans. Damon wasn't about to admit to his brother he had developed real feelings for Brooklyn when they first crossed paths. Stefan would only goad him about how he treated humans especially since Brooklyn was one of his brother's closest friends.

John paced around the kitchen of the Gilbert house, realizing his mistake with Damon. The quiet buzzing of his cells caught his attention and John dreaded for he knew who it was.

"Did you get it?"

"No, but I know who has it," John answered.

"You better retrieve it and fast or I'll swipe your ring and kill you myself!" Isobel growled.

"I will get it," John muttered and snapped his phone shut.

Okay gang next update soon!