A/N: From the catalogue of pointless information: This is my least favorite chapter. Upside: By definition, it's all uphill from here. :)
Seattle | February 2020
Before they sat down to eat, Damon called Bar None's landline and told Doug to take over the reins for the rest of the night and to come up to the apartment if he needed anything because he was going to switch off his phone. Thus ensured that they wouldn't be interrupted by a ringing phone, Damon returned to the table and wondered where he should begin the story.
"I honestly don't know where to start," he finally said, looking from Elena to Dot and back again.
"Do vampires eat?"
Damon blinked, having expected a whole different kind of question.
"They don't have to," Elena answered. "But they can and they do. Food is food; it still tastes good, so why wouldn't you? Sugar's not going to rot your teeth and trans fat is not going to clog your arteries." Elena shrugged. "All the fast food you want and none of the guilt."
"Sounds like heaven to me. So why would you give that up?"
And just like that they were back on topic and the mood turned somber again. Both, Damon and Elena sighed, and dived into the story.
So, during the main course, Dot learned about immortality that came with the price of blood lust and heightened emotions, of the sun that kept most vampires indoors during the day, and of daylight rings. For dessert, she heard all there was to know about the cure and what would happen to Damon if someone took it from him. And during after dinner drinks she was served the finer details of the Damon and Elena show, their many ups and downs and everything in between that led them to the here and now.
"I get that it's a lot to take in," Elena offered into the silence. "Knowing all that might potentially make you a target. There is a way to make you un-know it," she said very slowly, choosing her words carefully.
"Compulsion?" Dot asked, tasting the concept on her tongue. How crazy it was to think that one could simply choose to forget. Dot sighed. Maybe Elena was right and the knowledge was dangerous. But Dot was a big fan of having all the facts so she could make an informed decision. She also didn't believe in take-backs.
She shook her head no to answer Elena's unasked question. Catching sight of her watch, Dot noticed the late hour. The bar would be closing soon which meant they'd sat here for hours. It felt like only minutes had passed.
Her mind struggled to incorporate what she learned into her existing world view. Dot was quiet for the longest time. She was aware of Damon's and Elena's eyes on her and glanced up at both of them. They sat on opposite sides of her – in fact, they had each placed their chairs the furthest it was possible to sit from each other while still technically sitting at the same table. Dot frowned. With all the strange things she had been confronted with today, this might actually be the strangest of them all. To see Damon and Elena apart made the world seem not right somehow. Like a picture one the wall that hung crooked, the fingers itching to right it.
"What were you fighting about when I interrupted?" she asked, out of the blue. "Something about a threat. In your hometown?"
"Not many people know about the cure and if someone were to find out…" Damon drifted off.
"Has someone found out?" Dot asked. "And what were you going to do if that's what happened?"
"It doesn't matter," Elena replied. "Damon's not going."
Damon scowled at his wife. Dot even thought she heard him growl.
Turning to Dot, he said through clenched teeth, "We were still discussing it."
"No," Elena objected, "we were not. You were operating under the erroneous assumption that there was even the hint of a chance that I would ever let you put yourself in danger."
"What exactly are you talking about?" Dot cut in, sensing that they were gearing up for round two and trying to derail the inevitable.
"Remember that girl that came into the bar about a month or so ago?" Damon began. "The one who was very interested in my name?"
Dot's color drained from her face. She nodded numbly.
"Well, she somehow traced me back to Virginia. She's in Mystic Falls and she possibly knows more than she should. Elena and I disagree on how to handle the situation."
"Are you bored? Is that it? Is that why you're itching to go?" Elena cut him off, sounding resigned.
Damon looked at her dumbfounded. "No."
"Are you telling the truth?"
"I wouldn't lie to you, Elena."
"Then please, I beg you, please let my brother handle it. He has Caroline and Alaric. Together, they have powers you don't."
"I can't let them put themselves in danger's way because of me. It was my name she was asking after."
"Yes. But we don't know what she wants," Elena said. "Maybe it has nothing to do with your past."
"And maybe the easter bunny is real. The Salvatores haven't exactly made a name for themselves by giving back to the community."
"Or maybe we could just ask her," a voice cut in.
Dot shrank a little under the crazed stares of both, Elena and Damon.
It was Damon who finally spoke. "Explain."
He looked nothing like the sarcastic and funny guy she had come to known him in the past few months. The one who barked but never bit. For the first time however, she saw something dangerous glint in his eyes and she wasn't scared of him, exactly, but she didn't have to imagine anymore the menacing predator in a vampire Damon.
"I…" Dot began, but her voice wavered and she paused to clear her throat. Visibly steeling herself, she started again, "I went back after you left the bar that night, as you know. And she ordered a couple more drinks and we got to talking. At first I thought, if you weren't going to tell me anything, maybe this girl would. But I quickly realized she didn't know anything. And then we talked about other stuff until we sort of… exchanged numbers? I might have seen her a couple of times since then."
"I asked you," Damon thundered, "I explicitly asked you if she'd been back to the bar. You said no."
"She hasn't been back to the bar," Dot replied.
"I don't understand," Damon said. "What—"
Elena's eyes widened and her mouth sort of dropped and she interrupted whatever he was about to say with a soft, "Damon."
And even though they were in the middle of an argument, he immediately fell silent and sat back in his chair.
"So," Elena slowly worked out Dot's meaning, "a couple weeks ago, when you said you had a date, was that…?"
"Yes."
"Who is she?" Damon demanded to know. "What does she want?"
"She's Hannah," Dot replied, helplessly shrugging her shoulders. "And as far as I know, she doesn't want anything."
"As far as you know," Damon returned.
"She hasn't asked about you again, if that's what you mean. Not directly, not in a round-about way. You never came up. Neither did you, for that matter," Dot added with a glance at Elena.
"Where is she from?" Damon questioned.
"Nebraska. What does it matter? She's not dangerous."
"She could be a vampire," Elena said carefully.
Dot considered everything she learned today and tried to view the past several weeks through the lens of her newly acquired knowledge. She still couldn't find anything that didn't add up. Yes, her first impression of Hannah hadn't been the most favorable. But that was because Hannah wasn't really good with… people. And she'd be the first to admit it. Once Dot got to know her better though, she realized the off-putting demeanor was just insecurity and distrust.
"No," Dot replied with renewed conviction. "I don't think she is."
"Then what is she doing in Mystic Falls? Why is she researching the Salvatores?"
"I don't know, okay?" Dot replied. "But I'm a big fan of 'if you want to know the answer, the best way to get it is to just ask'. So why don't we do just that?"
"Okay," Damon agreed and nodded at her.
Dot rolled her eyes but reached behind her to pull out her phone. She dialed the number which went to voicemail after a few rings.
Damon looked smugly at her, but Dot was not having it. "It's two o'clock in the morning. I'll call her again at a more decent time. But for now, I think I need some sleep."
Damon looked around as if by doing so he'd be able to tell the time of day. But he must have realized how long they'd been sitting there. Or maybe he simply took stock of himself and noted that his body was running on its last fumes. The exhaustion was visible on his face. On all their faces.
Reluctantly, Damon nodded and followed Dot to the door. He watched as she and Elena hugged as they said goodnight.
Damon pulled some money from his wallet. "Get a cab home," he said roughly. Usually, Dot was getting around on her motorbike. But for the winter months, she had switched to public transportation. Only, Damon didn't want her navigating the city this time of night in her after-shock exhausted state.
Dot shook her head. "Gotta check on the bar first and lock up," she protested.
"I'll do it," Damon replied and pushed the money at her again. "You go home and get some rest."
After a brief pause, Dot allowed herself to be convinced.
Damon grabbed the spare set of keys from the drawer next to the apartment's entrance and glanced back at Elena. "I'll be up in a bit," he said and turned to go.
Elena chewed her lip for a second and replied, "I'll come with you."
Sighing deeply, Damon said, sounding incredibly tired, "I'm not going to jump on a plane to Virginia the moment you let me out of your sight."
"That's not why I'm coming with you."
"I also don't want to fight anymore. It's exhausting and I am about to drop dead on my feet." He winced at his poor choice of words. "Anyway," he hurried on, "it's late and you have classes in," with a glance at his phone he noted the time and winced, "in five hours. You should go to bed."
"I want to come with you," Elena repeated.
Damon shrugged and she followed him down the stairs.
His staff had done most of the work. They had emptied the trash cans and cleaned the beer taps, blenders, and soda gun nozzles. While Elena emptied the remaining ice from the bins, Damon did a walkthrough, pushed in the chairs, and locked up the cash register. He turned off the neon lights until only the bar sign above the counter remained. The aquamarine glow of the sign bathed Elena's face in a cool light, making the tight lines around her mouth more pronounced.
Their eyes met over the counter top, hers looking sad and lost. Damon's heart bled.
He came around the counter and she ducked towards him, arms winding tight around him, still wet hands knotted into the fabric of his black shirt.
When after a several moments, Elena made no move to let go, Damon said gently, "You're clingy."
"Sorry," she apologized, not moving an inch.
"Didn't say I didn't like it."
He paused and when Elena still didn't move, he asked, "Is it because of the fight we had or because you're ready to drop?"
"I don't want to go to sleep when we're fighting. And I don't know how to end the fight," she admitted into his shoulder.
"We're not fighting now," he stated.
"But nothing is resolved."
Damon sighed deeply. "Does every fight need a resolution?"
"I don't know. I know I'm being unfair. I get that. I'm just not willing to compromise. I'm sorry."
"I know. You've stated your opinion quite vigorously and I respect it. And despite everything inside me telling me to ignore it and do it anyway, I will not go to Mystic Falls."
"You won't?"
"You don't want me to," he said by way of explanation. "So I won't."
She was so surprised, she lifted her head and just looked at him.
"I just don't like letting others fight my battles. But if the decision is between you and my pride, you already know which one is going to win out."
Elena smiled a tentative smile. "Are you just saying that so that I'll be able to go to sleep?"
"No. I'm just saying it so you won't make me sleep on the couch."
"Pfft. I wouldn't make you sleep on the couch," Elena replied. With a saucy smirk she added, "We have a guest bedroom."
They grinned at each other for a moment or two before the smiles slowly slipped, making room for a different expression – this one a little sad, a little humbled, a lot tired. They reached for each other at the same time, pausing for a millisecond before their lips connected in a slow, warm kiss.
Elena pawed behind herself until she found the metal counter's edge and heaved herself up onto it, pulling Damon between her legs. She had a few inches on him in this position. He calmly looked up at her while she took his face in both hands and leaned their foreheads together. Whispering, with her eyes closed, she said, "This is how I love you, Damon. I don't know how to love you differently."
He shook his head lightly, a slight movement against her own. "Don't stop. Ever."
Hannah warned, "It's not a nice story."
"I'm sure I've heard worse," Damon responded.
It was several weeks later and Hannah had finally agreed to come talk to Damon and Elena. When she'd heard from Dot that Damon and Elena knew about her snooping around Mystic Falls, she had balked. That, more than anything else, had convinced Elena that Hannah meant no harm.
It still didn't explain however what her motives were. But it had taken a few weeks of gentle prodding on Dot's part before Hannah was ready to share her story.
"I ran away from home when I was 15. My mom, she was never around and it had been a few years at that point that I'd last seen her. It was me and my dad for the most part and he wasn't… Well, let's just say he won't win any father of the year awards anytime soon, okay? Anyway, one day, he came home early – I guess he'd run out of gambling money or they threw him out or whatever. Well, anyway, he came home and caught me… and my best friend… who wasn't so much my best friend as my girlfriend. Well, suffice it to say he didn't like it. As I said, I left after that."
Hannah paused and looked around, a defiant and almost challenging expression on her face. Dot, the only one who really knew Hannah, saw behind the façade and recognized something in it the others did not. She could see the nervous and scared 15-year-old peeking through the cracks of Hannah's attitude.
Dot smiled at her and nodded encouragingly for her to continue.
Hannah did. "I lived on the streets for a while, met a few people I grew tight with. For a couple years, things were good. I mean, we didn't have a roof over our heads, but we looked out for each other, you know? It's a tight-knit community, when you've found the right people.
"One night, one of the guys and I, we went dumpster diving and when we came back all our people were dead. Killed. Before I knew what was happening, someone snatched me up, bit me."
Her hand unconsciously moved to her neck and rested there, eyes still unfocused as she relived the attack again.
"I woke up in a dump. It looked like the basement of an abandoned building or something. It took me a while, but then I realized they brought me to where they lived. They were a couple guys and a girl, not much older than me. But they were… different. They weren't… people. I thought they were going to kill me but they didn't. They fed me and then… they fed on me."
She shook her head, trying to dispel the images.
"How long did that go on for?" Elena asked, looking afraid of the answer.
"Years? I wanted to leave and I tried, but I didn't understand why I couldn't. There was no lock on the door."
"You were compelled to stay."
She nodded. "Yes. I know that now."
"What happened then?" Elena asked, voice gentle.
"They died. All of them. All at once. Just like that," she snapped her fingers. "One night, they were having a rave, as usual, when suddenly, one by one, they drop to the floor, all grey and desiccated. I tried the door again and this time I could step through, something I could never do before. So I did and I ran."
Elena and Damon shared a knowing look. "When was that?"
"Almost 10 years ago."
Elena looked down at her feet and Dot could see that the date meant something to her.
"Where did you go?" Damon tried to distract from his wife's peculiar behavior.
"Just a place, I don't know, it's not important," Hannah answered, not paying attention to Elena. She paced a little back and forth. "What's important is – when I finally stopped running, I decided I was going to track down others that were like them. I mean, I had figured out at that point that they were vampires, I'm not stupid. And I had enough time to come to terms with the reality that hey, vampires are real. And I was going to find them and do what I planned to do to my captors: kill them. And maybe figure out some answers along the way. So, I started prowling the seediest bars, talked to some shady people and learned more than I bargained for. But I still wasn't close to figuring out why my captors just dropped dead."
"Did you ever find out?" Elena asked.
"I think I'm about to."
At that, she looked up, fixing first Elena and then Damon with a stare. She held the eye contact for a moment longer, daring either of them to protest. But Damon and Elena both remained silent and Dot squinted, trying to understand what she was missing.
"How did you get here?" Damon asked and it was clear that by 'here' he didn't mean Seattle but rather them – the two people who obviously could give her the answers she was looking for.
"I met this guy in Georgia, a nice guy. A vampire, but a nice one. He was the first that ever mentioned the Salvatore name to me. Said, if something inexplicable was going on, a Salvatore was for sure involved."
While Hannah was talking, Dot saw Damon instinctively move a step in front of Elena, as if trying to shield her with his body.
"I think he meant it as a joke. At least that's how I took it. He also pointed me in the right direction research-wise. And I did a lot of research, believe me. Do you know how many rumors and legends there are? Hell dimensions, and immortal beings, and original vampires, and witch bloodlines, werewolves, and curses, and bargains and somehow the Salvatore name keeps popping up. I was convinced that you don't exist. I thought 'Salvatore' was the Baba Yaga of the underworld."
At the uncomprehending stares, Hannah added, "Right. My Russian roots are showing, I guess. A phantom," she explained. "Like the boogeyman. Something out of dark tales to scare off one's enemies.
"Imagine my surprise when, years later, I hear that very same name spoken aloud."
She glanced at Dot, everyone in the room remembering that day in the bar.
Hannah stared intently at her nails as she continued with her story, "I went back into research mode. I started digging into the Salvatores and everything I read made it sound like there were a lot of them. But I found out there were just two. Two brothers. Two vampires."
At that, she raised her head and looked Damon straight in the eye.
"I'm not a vampire, honey," Damon said.
"But you are the Damon Salvatore, are you not?"
Damon remained quiet which she interpreted as admission of truth.
"Because a Damon Salvatore owns this bar and this building. Phantoms from stories don't own property in the real world. But you do. And that's not everything. I start following official records and they lead me to a sleepy old town in Virginia. A town that has the worst luck when it comes to animal attacks and leaky gas lines."
She spread out her hands in a wide circle, signaling the end of her story.
"So you came here on a hunch?" Damon asked in a mocking tone. "Because you think I'm responsible for what happened to your freaks of jailors? You do realize that you're suffering from Stockholm syndrome, right?"
"I'm not here to avenge them," she cried out. "I just want to know what happened. Even if it wasn't you personally, I know you have the answers."
Damon bellowed back, "Even if—"
Before he could say more, Elena cut in, "It wasn't him. It was me. Me and my brother. We killed an original vampire. You do that, his entire line dies out. That's what happened."
The silence that followed this admission was deafening. Nobody moved for a second and then the sound of a heavy breath being released filled the air.
Everyone's eyes moved to Hannah. They all watched as she opened and closed her mouth several times, but no words came out. She then dropped her head to her chest and a moment later her whole being seemed to collapse in on itself. The fight went out of her and she slowly sank down. Dot had the presence of mind to grab a chair and push it behind her so she didn't crumble onto the floor. Her eyes closed and she whispered, "Thank you. Thank you."
Elena didn't know if she was thanking her for killing an original and effectively freeing her, or for telling the truth. Maybe it was both.
She looked at Damon and wondered if he thought the same thing she did: They'd all assumed that whatever Hannah's story was, it was somehow related to Damon's past. But in the end, it was Elena's past that had come back to haunt them.
Taking a few steps back to allow Dot and Hannah some privacy, Elena forced herself to take a few deep breaths. She knew they had gotten away easy this time. They might not be so lucky next time.
A/N: Even though this website disagrees, according to my word document, we're passing 100k with this chapter, so cheers to that. Let me take this moment to say a few thank yous:
-to everyone who takes time out of their day to comment. It's the only form of "payment" one gets for writing fanfic and I adore each and everyone of you who reviews.
-to the girl letting me know that this story is read in Russia as well. Yay! Here's to my birth place (even though I haven't been there for over 25 years).
-to Riley38 for reminding me why I love to write.
-to the readerl(s) who spot the clues and references, no matter how subtle or obscure. You're the reason I put them in here in the first place.
-to 107k girl: Your comment on Chapter 27 made not only my day/week/month, but probably the entire year.
This is getting maudlin, so I'll stop now. Just know I'm very, very grateful.