A/N: I don't own anyone but my OC's...though I wished I owned the rest...*sighs*
"Thanks," Brooklyn took the mug of steaming green tea and savored the gentle blend of lemon and ginseng as it swirled with the tea leaves. She could feel the shattered ribs were almost healed but it was still painful to make any sudden movements.
"Where's Stefan?" Alaric sat down beside her. He had called Pearl and Anna after the fight hoping they could provide some support for them all.
"He took Caroline home," Brooklyn smiled, thankful to be home where it was safe. "Where's Damon?"
"I don't know," Alaric shook his head. "He brought you home then took off. It was strange though because he looked almost sad."
"Brook," Anna sat down and hugged her friend tight, thankful she was alive. "Alaric told us everything that happened to you."
"Yeah it's been rather exciting," she bitterly laughed. "I mean John Gilbert returns and I grow fur every full moon! Life keeps getting better and better!"
She knew she owed an explanation to Alaric for leaving him as she did.
"Rick, I'm sorry I left you but I didn't want you hurt."
"Brook it's alright," he smiled sweetly. "You got Caroline back."
"But still I promised you I wouldn't keep secrets nor do anything sneaky handed."
"I can't be mad at you," he kissed her lips then pressed his forehead to hers.
"We must exercise extra caution now that werewolves have attacked and not to mention John Gilbert is in Mystic Falls," Pearl exercised her uncanny level of calmness.
"Which is why I called you," Alaric admitted and presented Isobel's research. "We have a lot to talk about."
Brooklyn slipped out her phone hoping to reach Damon. She wanted to tell him so much as her mind was swimming with emotions and thoughts.
Damon roamed the halls of the boarding house alone with drink perched comfortably in his hand. Tonight he had selflessly risked his life for Brooklyn by taking the blame for Mason's death. This wasn't like him! Sure he had confessed his love for her and Alaric but it went against everything in his very nature! He couldn't switch off the cold blooded killer that resided within for so long. It was easier to turn off the human emotions! Yet he didn't and couldn't bring himself to do it. The warmth he felt when Brooklyn and Alaric admitted their love to him was just too great to let go.
A knock on the door captured the vampire's attention as he finished his drink and strolled towards the main entrance. He opened the door to find John Gilbert standing on the other side.
"We didn't finish our conversation," he was cordial in his greeting.
"I'll bite," Damon allowed for John to enter, curious to see what he had to say, if anything of use.
"I was thinking," John started, "Personal feelings aside, I think Stefan and Brooklyn will do all that they can to protect Elena."
"I agree with that statement," Damon leaned against the couch.
"Which is why I come bearing gifts," John laid out the rolled up cloth and slowly unwrapped it to show Damon what lay concealed.
"What the Hell is this?"
"This is how you kill an Original," John explained, "In this vial is ash from white oak tree which dates back to the genesis of the vampires. The dagger must be dipped into the ash then plunged through the vampire's heart."
Damon snatched the dagger and looked at John with distrust in his blue depths. He toyed with the idea of burying the blade deep into John's chest but retracted the thought.
"How do you know all of this John?"
"Isobel," John answered. "She's very good at finding out things. But then again you already knew that."
"Where is Isobel?"
"Let's just say if she accomplishes what she's attempting, Klaus will never set foot in Mystic Falls."
"What can you tell us about Klaus and Elijah?" Brooklyn watched as Anna and Pearl hesitated to speak. "You know something don't you?"
"We know they are two of the Originals," Pearl drawled.
"Do you know anything else? Something, anything that will keep Klaus from breaking the curse and allowing vampires to walk amongst the sun."
"I have crossed paths with Elijah," Pearl finally admitted. "It was in the 1640s en route to the West Indies. I wished to keep a low profile as Anna and I were fleeing what had been our home."
"Let me guess…Someone ousted you," Alaric caught the brief glimpses of sorrow cross their eyes.
"Anna and I knew of the curse and of the Petrova doppelganger but we didn't realize it was Katherine!"
"Well the bitch had a lot of people fooled," Brooklyn smiled bitterly. "She only thinks of one person: herself. Honestly Pearl, I don't know how you stayed friends with Katherine. I mean she's a selfish slut who would sell her own mother if meant saving her own skin."
"I would have disagreed with you in the past but after learning the truth about her deception in 1864, I agree with you."
"Do you know of any way to track Klaus down? We have the moonstone hidden but there's something you need to know."
Alaric watched with baited breath, sensing Brooklyn was hesitant at what she wanted to say.
"Elijah's here in town and he knows I'm the Guardian."
Pearl and Anna exchanged worried glances.
"What is it?" Alaric observed the silent trade of apprehension.
"Elijah is not to be trusted," Pearl warned them in a veiled manner. "He is an Original and the Originals abide by their own rules."
"Well Brooklyn brokered a deal with Elijah," Alaric slipped. Anna and Pearl's eyes went wide with fear.
"Brook why did you do that?" Pearl gently gripped her friend's shoulders.
"Because I'm protecting everyone I love," she smiled sadly. "For the first time in a very long time I have people who genuinely love and care about me. I can't stand by and not do anything."
"There is always another way," Pearl beseeched Brooklyn.
"Funny because Damon said that same thing to me."
"Well Damon's right," the older vampire agreed with Damon's earlier words. "Who knows what ulterior motive Elijah harbors. For all we know he may be prepared to take to you to Klaus himself!"
"He won't," Brooklyn shook her head in confidence.
"How can you be so sure?"
"I'm empathic remember? Well rather an empath on steroids. A man, a warlock, named Jonas Martin is here in town…."
"And he is standing right here," Jonas interrupted. Luka stood silently by his side.
"What are you doing here?" Alaric coolly demanded.
"As I said before Alaric, I wished to speak with Brooklyn when she was better."
The father and son slowly crossed the room and stood by the opposite edge of the bed. Pearl and Anna tensed and wearily eyed the pair.
"So I see Anna and Pearl are here," Jonas bowed slightly. "Fear not as I am not here to kill you."
"Then what do you want?"
"He's here to talk about you," Luka gently answered. "Or rather about what is going on with you."
"Oh you mean the super phenomenal cosmic powers I have? Then by all means I'm all ears."
"Since you know of the curse and the role of the Guardian we can fast forward a few centuries," Jonas started.
"But the moonstone was destroyed," Alaric interrupted. "Bonnie told us she and Luka destroyed it….right?"
Jonas and Luka remained tight lipped but Brooklyn narrowed her eyes and straightened up in the bed.
"It wasn't destroyed was it?"
Her words stabbed like the sharpest blade as Jonas and Luka avoided her accusatory stare.
"Elijah has it in a safe place," Jonas revealed. "I apologize for the deception but we had to let Bonnie think it was destroyed."
"So what you don't trust us?" Brooklyn angrily spat. "So you came here to rub it in our faces that you got the moonstone like a kid that got the prize from the cereal box!"
"No," Luka interjected, "You don't understand…."
"Yeah I think we do," Alaric stood up and slowly rounded the bed. "You don't trust us despite the fact Brooklyn is the Guardian, who by the way's job it is is to keep the moonstone and doppelganger safe."
"Unfortunately, Brooklyn isn't in a position for such a task," Jonas challenged the hunter.
"And what the Hell is that supposed to mean?"
Alaric rose up against him but Jonas struck first. With a simple wave of his hand, the warlock sent Alaric to the floor, crumpled in a heap of pain. His muscles contracted and head throbbed uncontrollably as a high pitched whine threatened to rupture his eardrums.
"Stop it!" Brooklyn hollered. Immediately Jonas ceased his demonstration of power and released Alaric from his hold.
"Alaric," Pearl and Anna helped him to his feet. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," he struggled to breathe and felt his legs wobble like Jell-O. They helped him into the chair and stood in front his weakened form. Brooklyn slowly breathed in and focused on his suffering, absorbing it into her body. She couldn't explain it but felt something deep within her soul guiding her like a gentle hand. Her eyes remained steady and focused as they imagined a glowing aura surround his depleted being. Alaric felt the healing warmth envelope his body and soul, erasing any traces of Jonas's hand. Luka looked on, clearly impressed by her abilities.
"That was amazing," he whispered.
"It's the powers she holds," Jonas reminded him. "Clearly I underestimated her."
Anna smiled as she watched Brooklyn heal Alaric with a simple thought. Pearl was quiet and reserved but silently applauded her friend for protecting the one she loved.
"I suggest you two gentlemen leave now," Brooklyn stood up and padded across the room. "Since you refuse to help us and have made it painfully clear you do not trust us it's best to steer clear of us."
"Brooklyn I'm sorry," Luka felt he had to apologize on behalf of his father. "But please understand we are not your enemies. We want the same thing: Keeping Klaus from breaking the curse."
Brooklyn narrowed her eyes and suddenly the side table rattled against the wooden boards. Jonas bowed slightly at the hunter before motioning his son it was time to go. Her stone cold orbs trailed the warlocks as they retreated down the hall and through the front door.
"We need to get that moonstone back," Brooklyn said without turning around. Pearl and Anna stood by either side of her, knowing they had to regain the upper hand. "But for now we keep an eye on Will and Jaden."
"Thank you for coming by," Damon passed a tumbler of bourbon to Andie.
"Hey anytime," Andie flashed a brilliant grin. Damon smiled uneasily and took a long hard drink. What was he doing! He shouldn't have called Andie over! But then again he was in turmoil: He was in love with Brooklyn and Alaric but what they wanted from him he couldn't give. He felt as if he was betraying them both by having Andie here, in such a comfortable and slightly compromising situation. But then a tiny voice whispered, Vampires don't fall in love...It's a weakness...
"Damon what is it?" Andie frowned as he traced a finger around the edge of the glass. His eyes had clouded over dulling the brilliant edge to his eyes.
"I'm in love with two people," he confessed.
"Great! I sure know how to pick em! Wait what? You're in love with two people!"
"Afraid so," Damon placed his glass down. "But I can give them what they want. I'm not in control…."
"What you don't trust yourself around them?"
"I don't trust myself around anyone, Andie," Damon continued. "I'm bad Andie. I do things. I kill people."
Before Andie could run, Damon held her down and looked deep into her eyes.
"Don't be afraid, you're alright," he compelled. Andie relaxed and sat back up.
"Why do you kill people?"
"Because I like it, it's in my nature," Damon confessed. "It's who I am. They want me to be a better man you see and that means I can't be who I am. Do you see the problem I'm having Andie?"
Andie reached out and took his face within her hands. The vampire felt the smooth soft warmth as they pressed upon his cheeks.
"Maybe this is who are now. Love does that Damon. It changes us."
"No," he shook his head. "It changes humans."
"What do you mean 'humans'?"
The sclera of Damon's eyes melted into deadly oily pools. The veins around his eyes protruded from beneath the skin as his fangs glistened in the light of the fire.
"You're my distraction," he whispered before pressing his lips hard to hers. Andie responded and melted in his arms. Damon withdrew and spied the pulsing artery along her throat. The temptation was too great for the vampire to pass up as he tore into the fragile skin and flesh. Andie gasped and dug her fingers into Damon's back as the streaks of dark crimson flowed down her back.
Next update soon
