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


"I am here because…." Brooklyn was groggy as she let Damon lead her towards the boarding house. Her head throbbed after the horrific nightmare she experienced but didn't tell Damon or Alaric about it. She could think of a million different things to do besides being trapped in some stuffy party, let alone in the same stuffy party as Damon's little toy.

My lovely…..

Klaus's voice echoed in her mind. The smooth seductive voice enveloped her thoughts like silk around her naked body as they entered through the front door. She involuntarily shivered at the image of the electric blue eyes that reflected her death within them and didn't notice Damon snap his head in her direction.

"Brook are you okay?"

The hunter was moved by his display of concern, given the last few days he had been indifferent towards her and Alaric.

"Yeah I'm just….drained."

She tugged at the vampire and headed for the study to see Alaric perched on the couch. Immediately he realized something was up with his lover. He watched as Damon guided her towards the overstuffed leather chair then helped himself to a drink.

"Okay Damon spill it," Alaric got straight to the point.

"Spill what Rick? Tonight is a fact finding mission and nothing more I swear."

"I know that look Damon," Alaric wasn't buying it.

"Look I know Elijah's an Original and it would be a stupid idea to try anything with a room full of people."

They continued their bantering unaware Brooklyn had slipped into the kitchen, wanting to be alone. She found a glass then sought out the wine cabinet across the way. Her eyes relished in the vintage bottles that rested comfortably in the cool dry racks.

"Bingo," she slipped a bottle from the middle rack and popped the cork with a small simple twist. Brooklyn poured until the top was level with the rim then slowly sipped the dry sweet ambrosia.

"It's such a travesty to see a distraught beautiful woman drinking alone," Elijah appeared across the bar.

"Not when one desires to be alone."

"Even with Damon and Alaric just across the way?" Elijah studied the label and nodded as he was impressed over her selection.

"I just needed to be alone that's all," the hunter took a longer harder drink. Elijah noted the subtle hints of anger in her features as the hunter refilled her glass.

"It happened again didn't it?" His voice was calm but sympathetic causing Brooklyn to pause with her glass midway to her lips. She closed her eyes and reluctantly nodded.

"Yesterday when I was sleeping I had visions of Klaus tormenting me."

"I'm sorry," he meant every word. Brooklyn didn't deserve the personal hell Klaus was forcing her to endure as it was clearly taking a heavy toll upon the hunter's health.

"Yeah well I really shouldn't be here Elijah; not with Damon's little 'friend' showing up."

"Even after he shuns you, keeps you at arm's length you still love him," the vampire's words were more of a question than statement.

"Yeah," she laughed shortly then took another drink. "Love bites sometimes. That and ever since these abilities awakened my emotions are so much more intense and harder."

Elijah could relate to Brooklyn's predicament for he had once loved as hard and as fiercely as she does now. To see the way she spoke of Damon and Alaric sent a pang of jealously through the Original.

"I suppose I should play nice since I'm stuck here," she sighed and waved at Elijah to follow her.

"This is a bad idea," Alaric still didn't believe Damon's innocent agenda.

"There is no such thing as a bad idea; just poorly executed awesome ones," Damon poured them each a drink.

"I don't like the idea of Elijah being in the same house with Brook or anywhere near her for that matter; especially after what Bonnie told us."

"Rick," Damon took two steps closer until they were nose to nose, "It's just a fact finding mission as I said before. It's totally harmless. I won't let anything happen to Brook."

"So you're telling me that you are on a simple fact finding mission and will keep Brook safe at the same time," Doubt lingered in the human's tone.

"Yeah, just a fact finding mission," Damon defended his actions. "We need to find out why Elijah's so interested in some long forgotten settlement."

"No sneak attacks, no surprise plans, nothing that's gonna put Brooklyn in harm's way. You and I both know Elijah will make good on his word and we will never see Brook again. I mean it Damon, no more lies between us. If you're truly serious about making this work with Brook, you can't keep secrets."

Damon was quiet and looked briefly down into his drink. Tonight he indeed intended on sending Andie packing as he realized Alaric's words had cut deeper than he cared to admit, even to himself. Andie had been a distraction, a poor choice made in a moment of weakness, and now it was time to right his wrong. Katherine was right: The beginnings of a love story did hurt; a lot.


Brooklyn heard the doorbell ring and she was first to reach the door. To her dismay it was John Gilbert who stood before her.

"Who the hell invited you?" She blocked his path but John easily slipped past the hunter and into the entrance way.

"Well when I heard that a dinner party was being thrown in Elijah's honor I had decided to swing by."

"John," Damon flatly greeted him, "What a surprise; leave."

"Yes please do leave," Brooklyn pointed towards the open door.

"I can't miss out on the fun and games," John refused to set foot outside.

"There won't be any fun and games," Alaric came up behind Brooklyn. "It's a quiet dinner party and nothing more."

"Again get out," Brooklyn barked.

"You don't have a say as to whether or not I stay or go Brooklyn. So why don't you run along like the good little girl that you are."

"Excuse me," Brooklyn headed towards the kitchen where Jenna was putting the finishing touches on dinner. She knew John had made a veiled insult about the change in her life but Brooklyn was determined to not let the weasel get under her skin. That iron will was slowly beginning to warp and twist with each passing second.

"Don't look now but John's here," Brooklyn warned Jenna the instant she stepped in the kitchen.

"Who invited him!" Jenna nearly dropped the casserole she held but kept it steadfast.

"No one I can assure you that," Brooklyn started grabbing dishes and flatware while battling the anger that simmered within. "He just decided to invite himself."

"Lovely," Jenna rolled her eyes.

"That makes two of us," Brooklyn snorted before heading out to set the table.


The dinner was uneasy at best.

Brooklyn glared and Andie who glared back at the hunter. If looks could kill both women would've dropped dead. Alaric thought fast and reached his hand beneath the table and gently squeezed his lover's hand. Brooklyn could feel the weighted stare of John Gilbert as he sat at one end while Damon was placed at the other. Both were locked in a heated battle of wills as Jenna was oblivious to the powder keg that was teetering dangerously close to exploding before her very eyes.

Elijah made it a point to sit next to Brooklyn, sending a friendly warning to both Alaric and Damon regarding his words.

You will never see Brooklyn again…..

"So why do you want to know the location of these alleged witch massacres?"

Damon watched as Elijah thought for a moment, as if he were planning his words carefully. He then calmly replied, "I find the story fascinating, what with the ties to the Salem Witch Trials and settlers being a faction from the colony. In fact there was an outbreak of witch hysteria over in the next settlement and the witches were rounded up and tied to stakes in a field where they were burned alive. Some say you could hear their screams for miles around."

"There is no tangible proof that witches existed in Salem," Andie said with a knowing smirk.

"Shows what you know," Brooklyn retorted in a nasty manner.

"What Brook means is most people don't believe in the supernatural or metaphysical world," Damon jumped in hoping to keep the peace.

"Sure, that's what I meant," Brooklyn muttered in her glass. "You know I think I'll go get the dessert going."

Brooklyn flung her napkin down and darted for the kitchen. Jenna got up and hurried to the kitchen leaving Andie alone with the men.

"Brook what's wrong?" Brooklyn hung her head and gripped the edge of the counter with her hands. The expensive Italian marble slowly cracked beneath her grip as she shoved aside the tears.

"Brook are you and Rick having problems?"

"No," she shook her head. "No, it's not Rick. It's the company Damon's holding."

"John," Jenna exhaled.

"Yeah," Brooklyn had also included Andie but kept that detail to herself. "He's doing everything he can to ruin anything good for Rick and Damon."

"Brook I have to ask but what's Alaric holding back about his wife?"

Brooklyn felt her heart stop as her very breath was trapped in her lungs.

"Jenna I know as much as you do," she turned around and faced her friend. "I'm gonna guess John said something. Jenna you know you can't take anything he says as literal truth."

"I know but a part of me wants to believe Rick but there's another part of me that isn't so sure."

Brooklyn felt the turmoil churning throughout Jenna's aura as she started getting the dessert put together. She feared Jenna would one day learn the truth about Alaric's vampire ex-wife and how she helped to keep it under wraps. As her hands were busy panning and layering the thick layers of sponge cake and rum, Brooklyn couldn't hear Alaric or Damon in the next room.


"So in addition to the doppelganger, the moonstone, the Guardian, the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe, I suspect you need to know where this witch burial ground is."

"Well since we've grown so close Damon I'll tell you yes I do."

"Wanna tell me where the moonstone is?" Damon passed a tumbler of Cognac over to Elijah.

"We're not that close," Elijah took a step back to admire the paintings. "You have such an amazing collection."

"Thanks," Damon rolled his eyes and savored his drink.

"Though I would like to remind you that I am allowing for you and your brother to live so that you both may keep an eye on Brooklyn and Elena."

"And I would like to remind you to keep your distance from her," Damon quietly gathered the dagger in his hand.

"You know Damon, you proclaim such a fierce devotion to Brooklyn and yet you are brazenly gallivanting around town with Andie Star. Tell me, do you deprive some sort of sickening pleasure by drawing her in then coldly brushing her aside?"

Damon prepared to plunge the dagger into the Original's heart when Alaric rushed into the study. The vampire quickly concealed the dagger as the human hurried down the steps.

"Elijah, Brooklyn would like for you to try some of the dessert before serving it to everyone else since you're the guest of honor!"

"Well yes of course," Elijah brushed past Alaric and up the steps towards the kitchen. Alaric flailed his arms and gestured towards the door then at the dagger.

"What!" Damon was annoyed by the sudden interruption. He had been within feet of ridding themselves of a huge thorn in their side!

Alaric shot a finger to his lips and frantically sought a pen and paper. He spotted both on the desk and hastily scribbled down the message Stefan relayed to him.

Stefan says if you use the dagger it will kill you

Damon stomped his foot and balled his hands into two angry fists. John Gilbert had nearly succeeded in getting him killed!

That bastard is gonna pay!

Next up...All Hell Breaks Loose! PS: It's gonna go a different way than the Dinner Party...But can't say too much without giving it away!