Pairing: none
"A dame that knows the ropes isn't likely to get tied up."
― Mae West
Friday, January 5, 2011
Morning
"Hey Brother, so Niklaus invited that doctor from the clinic to dinner tonight? Um, you didn't forget, did you?" Freya said after the kids, except for Kai and Dana, were off to school.
"Tonight? No, of course not," Elijah said lying through his teeth. He wanted Freya to start having a life of her own and if he had to fib to do it, he would.
"I love you for lying, but what can I do to help?" Freya laughed.
"I'm sorry. Vanessa and I meant to shop yesterday then we got the call that the kids were suspended. I may have downplayed the role the police played in this endeavor also, but let's let that one go. So menu? Everyone always seems to like Italian around here," Elijah suggested.
"Sounds terrific. And Elijah, my dearest brother, please don't go overboard. I think I heard the older kids say they were going to the Grill tonight," Freya added.
"I was going to see if you wanted me to take Dana and Kai shopping for clothes and things like that at the mall," Vanessa offered.
"Ah, that would be wonderful. Let me ask them. Where are they anyway?" Freya wondered looking around.
Elijah frowned, "I think Niklaus was asking Kai about the siphons who came out of the prison world. One was a Salvatore? Damon is on his way over."
Freya winced, "There is no a room big enough in this mansion for the egos of Damon, Kol, and now Kai...the charm, the wit, and the dashing good looks."
"Well, ready or not, prepare yourselves, because Damon is at the gate," Elijah snickered.
8am
"There he is! Lockwood, man, where ya been? All y'all has been gone. What'd you have? Polio?" Derek Smith asked as Tyler got on the bus.
"Nah, man, mono! I think they cured polio or something. How's it hangin'? Anything new, Der?" Tyler replied clapping his old teammate on the back.
"Nothing good. Someone said they saw you guys yesterday. I said 'No way cause he has the polio, you are mistaken!' Now, you're back. Were you on homebound?" Derek pressed.
"Yes, something like that. Good to see you, man," Tyler said sitting down in his seat. He hissed and then looked to see if anyone saw.
Connor did and he shrugged.
Tyler shifted uncomfortably, "The fucking phone and what I said to Caroline...I basically turned myself in. Dad actually gave me the choice to be grounded tonight but if I don't make up with Caroline and take her out, I'm going to be divorced before I ever get married."
"I hear ya. You know I don't approve of cussing in front at ladies, it's as bad as cussing in front of the preacher on a Sunday. I know y'all think I'm backward, but there's things I can't abide," Connor said solemnly.
Tyler laughed, "Shut up, man. Sometimes I feel like you're my granddad! I'm going to call you Pap!"
Erik turned around, "What are you two girls giggling about back here?"
Connor smacked his brother on the back on the head, "Get that hair cut before you call us girls? Hey, did you apologize to Rachael? I was just on Ty about cussing in front of ladies. You cussed to a lady, that's worse."
Erik retorted, "Yesss, sir! I did real nice like. You can ask her if you don't believe me. You can stop worrying about my honor or her honor, whatever the hell you're fussin' about. We're all lucky you're so perfect. Which is funny cause I don't recall the rest of us being in jail."
Connor went to smack him again, but Connor dodged him and laughed.
"I got arrested stealing food, you little dummy! Now set back down, before I set you down. Someone oughta wear you out!" Connor mused.
"It ain't gonna be you. You ain't allowed to touch me no more!" Erik sassed before turning around.
"You see what I got to deal with?" Connor shook his head.
"Yup, Pappy's got his hand's full with these youngins. Do you think you have time to go to a party tonight?" Tyler asked.
"Party? Where?" Connor asked.
"Shh, it's a small thing. I don't even know if I can get Matt in. Some guys I used to wrestle with, back when I wrestled, are having a little get together," Tyler whispered.
"What's the big deal? We've been to parties before," Connor said.
"Yeah, well this one is at Whitmore College," Tyler said in a low voice.
"Didn't you just get your ass whipped?" Connor argued.
"Yeah, but we won't get caught. It's supposed to be a big thing. I just can't trust the other guys to keep their mouths shut. There will be college girls there. This is your chance to get laid!" Tyler smirked.
"Yeah, but what about your girl?" Connor asked.
"She goes to bed at like 10pm now. I'll say we're staying at her place. I mean, she's already pregnant so what the hell does it matter and I'll slip out and we'll meet the guys. It's a couple of hours. What could go wrong?" Tyler asked. Connor agreed that it was a good plan.
A few seats over, Matt and Jeremy filled Rachael in on the girls.
"So your sister is Elena? And Bonnie is the witch? Caroline is Tyler's pregnant girlfriend...," Rachael clarified.
"And my sister dates Stefan, who is a vampire. She is supposed to be living with my aunt and our uncle, but basically lives with Stefan and his brother Damon. It's weird. Oh, Alaric is our uncle, but also the history teacher. He can be cool, but he's also super strict, so don't piss him off. He...," Jeremy drifted off, afraid he said too much.
Matt chucked, "What Jer is embarrassed to say is that he'd not afraid to threaten to call our dad or just bust our asses himself."
"Oh my god, at school? What is wrong with this place?" Rachael asked in horror. The more she found out about her new surroundings, the more freaked out she was becoming. There seemed to be nothing normal about this town or its people.
"Not at school. But didn't he use a yard stick on Ty once after school? Anyway, he used to be a hunter, but is now just a teacher and a researcher. Like Jer, here," Matt joked.
Rachael was confused, "Researcher of what?"
"This town. Mystic Falls is like the epicenter of the supernatural. This town has a shitload of secrets and I guess I'm hellbent on figuring them out. Dad and Ric are letting me go through the journals of one of my ancestors, Johnathan Gilbert and they are weird. Oh look, we're almost here. MFHS, home of the timberwolves," Jeremy said dryly.
Rachael paled, "I'm freaking out. I haven't been to a real school in years. I'm not sure I can do this without magic."
"Rachael, we're here. Just call one of us or the girls if you need us. We'll all help you, okay," Matt said gently.
Rachael's eyes filled with tears for the second time today.
"I don't deserve your kindness. Not after yesterday," Rachael said.
"Rachael, stop or we'll tell Freya and she will whack that guilt out of you with her wooden spoon," Jeremy cautioned.
"Please tell me you're fucking kidding," Rachael begged.
"She hits the hardest out of anyone. That spoon comes out, you best run. Aunt Freya makes Uncle Elijah's smacks seem like love pats!" Matt prodded.
"You two are fucking with me!" Rachael laughed.
Matt and Jeremy looked at each other, they really weren't joking.
Mystic Falls High School
"She doesn't want to talk to you, Tyler!" Elena said flipping her long brown hair behind her back.
"Elena, please tell her I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry," Tyler pleaded.
"I did, Ty. Face it, she's done. Caroline will not be emotionally abused by any man," Elena lectured.
Bonnie joined in, "Tyler, just give her some time. How would you feel if she did this to you? Told you to f-off and then ignored you all night during a fight?"
"Not good," Tyler admitted. He was ashamed and felt himself becoming emotional.
"Tyler, are you going to cry?" Bonnie asked with concern. Bonnie looked at Elena, they had known him since they were kids and hadn't even seen him like this when his dad died.
"You guys are right, I don't deserve her. Tell her that she's probably better off without me," Tyler confessed.
Elena and Bonnie stood there in shock. This wasn't the cocky, confident Tyler they knew. He'd never give up so easily. Connor saw Tyler walk off and caught up to him.
"What happened, man?" Connor asked putting a hand on Tyler's arm to slow him down.
"She won't even talk to me. I don't blame her," Tyler revealed, trying to get a hold of himself.
"Ty, you can't give up. You know she is mad. She is just tryin' to punish you, so you feel as bad as did," Connor suggested.
"I already got punished and I have the red ass to prove it. Yeah, still hurts. Aunt Freya invented some new salve that can't be washed off and I'm not healing. Maybe I should let her take a couple swings at me," Tyler said bitterly.
"Tyler, is that true?" Caroline whispered. He hasn't realized that she was standing behind the shelf where he was talking to Connor.
"Care? Let's go in here and talk alone. Everyone is looking at us," Tyler said pulling her into a small janitor's closet.
"It's your first day back and here we are fighting. This isn't the way I pictured it," Caroline said sadly. Her blond hair was in waves around her face. Her make up was perfect, yet he could see she had been crying.
He touched her face and said gruffly, "I made you cry."
Caroline nodded, "Did you really get in trouble at home over this?"
Tyler smiled softly, "Yeah, I told my dad what I said and he, um, gave me the choice of being grounded or...ya know."
"Show me," Caroline said. Was she serious? Tyler flushed from his neck to his ears and he could hear the roar of silence in the small closet. Well, if this is what it was going to take, he had to man up.
Tyler turned and slipped down the back of his jeans and underwear. He hiss as the rough fabric scrapped over his battered skin. He figured she had seen him naked before, so it shouldn't be too shocking.
"Feel it, it's still probably hot," Tyler said. He gasped as she felt the skin. She touched him lightly, it didn't
"It's warm and red. But I don't feel bad because you were a meanie. I should make you cry," Caroline said. Tyler went in for a kiss but Caroline smacked his bare skin.
"Owww, Care. It's still sore," Tyler gasped as she swatted him again. Smack!
"Good! Listen to me. I need you to step it up and get it together. You're not leaving me alone with two kids. I need you and I love you. We can do this, but only if we stay together. *smack* Don't sell yourself short. You're a Lockwood and now a Mikaelson, you are a hybrid and you can do this, but only if you try, Ty," Caroline said as she let him kiss her. Smack! Smack! Smack!
Tyler managed to yank his pants back up while kissing her. Smack.
"Ouch," Tyler breathed.
"Now, we're almost even," Caroline smiled. Smack!
"If you say so," Tyler growled going to touch her again. Smack! Smack!
"Oh no, we're not fooling around in school, Mr. Lockwood. *smack* You are going to be pretty late for Ric's class, aren't you. I'm supposed to be on hall duty. Ty, I think you better run. You know Ric warned you not to be late again and this is your first day back," Caroline giggled. Smack!
Tyler checked his watch and groaned. He slipped out of the closet without anyone seeing him and ran to history class. He didn't think Caroline had cracked him that hard but his butt was stinging and he was tempted to rub it as he ran.
Tyler didn't have his books or anything. He slipped in when Ric was lecturing about the Civil War and found his old seat empty. Ric continued without interruption. Tyler's mind raced to thoughts of Caroline. Was he forgiven? Did she really just smack him? Did he try to have sex with her in a closet? His face was still burning, but he'd let Caroline do weird shit to him if she forgive him...within reason.
"Am I boring you, Tyler? Welcome back, your friend here says you had Polio," Ric joked.
"Mono," Tyler smirked. Ric, of course, knew what happened with him becoming a hybrid.
"That sounds more likely. Now is there a reason you have failed to bring any materials and were 15 minutes late?" Ric pressed.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Tyler sassed.
"How about you tell me all about it at detention tonight?" Ric retorted.
"But Uncle Ric, it's Friday!" Tyler fumed. His backside ached and he shifted in the chair.
"Want to make it two hours? I can call your father and let him know you will be late," Ric threatened. Other kids in the class made some ohhing and ahhing sounds. The old Tyler would have looked around and made note of who to beat up later, but this Tyler just gave in.
"No, sorry, Mr. Saltzman. That's won't be necessary. Can I go to my locker and get my books?" Tyler asked in a contrite tone.
"You have two minutes. Hurry up," Ric warned.
"Thanks," Tyler said getting up. When Tyler was in the hallway, Ric stopped him to talk privately.
Ric said, "Tyler, I'll drive you home after."
"I'm sorry, Uncle Ric. Caroline and I were fighting and I was trying to make up with her. I didn't mean to be late. Do I really have to have a detention today?" Tyler implored.
"Tyler, this is about the fourth time you've been late. I know it's right after lunch, but that's not excuse. Next time, you're late, I'm sending you to the office. The same rules apply to you as anybody else," Alaric said sternly.
Tyler nodded glumly, "I'll get my book."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Damon couldn't believe it.
"Our mother died in 1858 of consumption. Our father sent her away and Stefan and I never saw her again," Damon said with conviction. Damon knew how Stefan was always tortured by the fact that he never got to say goodbye. But that was life with Giuseppe Salvatore, he had probably wanted to avoid an emotional scene.
Kai countered, "She did die in 1858, but with vampire blood in her system. A nurse at the sanatorium befriended your mom and tried to heal the TB with vampire blood. She told us that she tried to see you, but she was so hungry that she almost killed your brother. That freaked her out and she took off for Europe. There, she fell into the bloodlust and became a ripper. When she returned, members of my coven, the Geminis trapped her in the 1903 prison world as punishment for her many crimes."
"A ripper! My brother was a ripper. That's why he is so careful now. I remember after she died, Stefan swore that an angel that looked like our mother visited him. Maybe it is true," Damon breathed.
"I relived the day October 31, 1903 with you mom and her freakish family for years, over and over again. I mean, I can't say she didn't try to make up for her past. She did, but maybe too much. We all had to be perfect. She had so many damn rules. I almost would have rather been alone in the room my family locked me in than listen to another one of her lectures on manners," Kai articulated.
"Yup, that sounds like Mom. No elbows on the table, boots in the house, or slouching. But why didn't she ever find us after we got turned. She left us with that bastard father of ours. He literally shot us dead right here in Mystic Falls. I guess the old prick was right, this town was lousy with 'demons', his word for vampires. She never came back for us," Damon said bitterly.
"She did, I think. But she was too dangerous at that point. I also think she sent another siphon to check on your brother. A Valerie? Does that ring a bell?" Kai asked.
"Yes, that letter. My brother sent me a letter when I was injured in the war, the Civil War, and he mentioned her. So if this is all true, then what the hell does my mother want now? We were turned Vampire in 1864 and in all that time she never crossed our path," Damon spat.
Klaus interceded, "Damon, can we ever know the true motives of women? As Elijah will attest, our own mother had us murdered to make us immortal never realizing that we would forever be tortured by blood lust and a lack of humanity. That was her on a good day."
"Niklaus, I don't know if it was that simple," Elijah added.
"I suppose not. But who are these others you speak of, Kai? This family?" Daman wondered.
"Other siphon vampires that she collected. They obey her every wish and seemed to worship her for teaching them how to survive. I am not sure what they want here. I mean, I assumed it for her to reunite with her natural children...," Kai proposed.
Elijah frowned, "Damon, are you sure she made no attempt to contact you? It does seem peculiar that she wouldn't attempt to reunite with you boys before this."
Damon shook his head, "I'm sure. Our mother was an angel to us. Stefan and I mourned her for years. Now I think of some of the odd things she did, but she was a battered woman under the thumb of a bully dressed up in a fine suit. This has to be more going on. Stefan and I will tighten up security. We've put the boarding house in Elena's name, so they won't be able to get in that easily."
Elijah nodded, "That's a start. Do you want the number for our security company. We've gone through a few, but this whole compound is wired and under surveillance. Armed guards can be here in minutes if we are attacked again, as well as the Strix, who protect me."
"Nah, I prefer to protect our place the old fashioned way. I'll call up Ric and Bonnie in the middle of the night and yell at them to get their asses over while I drink bourbon and wait. Stefan hates electronics and doesn't trust technology," Damon admitted.
"Damon, this is no joke. As Kai can attest, the Gemini coven is extremely dangerous and motivated. They even got one of Bonnie's ancestors to spell those prison worlds. Who knows what they will do to get your mother back? Also, we don't want them to know that we have the Parker twins and Kai. His twin Jo is supposed to merge with him in a few years and they will do anything to see her succeed," Elijah stated.
"If they come for you, kill them. They imprisoned me for the crimes of my twin and sold my other sister to the Guerreras to make an alliance with them. Every leader we've ever had in our coven has had to absorb his or her own twin! Do you know how fucked up that is?" Kai attested.
Elijah flinched at the language, but Kai was too worked up to notice.
"Yeah, everyone in this room was either killed by their parents or almost killed by their parents. Nice families. Well, I'm going to go make some traps and see if I can find out if anyone has seen dear old mother. Can't anyone in this town ever just rest in peace?" Damon mused walking out.
"Kol, you've been awful quiet," Klaus said.
"Nik, it's just we have Rachael, Dana, and Kai here basically blocked from doing magic. If this Lily Salvatore and her so called family attacks, would it be better if they can siphon too?" Kol wondered.
"Kai has barely been here a day. But maybe you have a point, Kai, how do you feel about it," Elijah asked.
"I lived with these people for years. They were pretty dull, proper almost. Like I really can't imagine them attacking me, but I don't feel like Lily is coming here to see her sons. There was this dude she would always rave about, Malcolm, but I don't know anything about him," Kai concluded.
"Malcolm, hmm, we can look into that. Thank you, Kai. You have been a big help. I need to call Camille. Oh, excuse me, Ric is calling me back," Klaus said answering his cell phone.
Kai and Kol left the room.
"He what? Oh, bloody hell...No, Ric, you keep him there after school then...Okay...Tell Tyler he can forget about going out tonight after all...Yes, you and Jenna are welcome to come for dinner. Elijah is mouthing that we're having Italian. 7pm. Okay, Ric, and tell Tyler that...tell him that I love him and I'm not angry...Yeah, I know. Thanks, Ric," Klaus ended the call.
Elijah asked, "What now?"
"Tyler was late to class for the fourth time and Ric is keeping him after school for detention. Brother, this pregnancy and becoming a hybrid at nearly the same time is too much. I'm going to need to meet with the sheriff and mayor and work out a plan," Klaus said rubbing his temples.
"Well, make sure that Tyler and Caroline are involved. It is their children after all. I know they are young, but it's still their decision where they live," Elijah preached.
"But he's my son. I want him here with us," Klaus declared.
"I know, Niklaus. I do believe that he needs to be here, too. He's not ready to be out in the world by himself. Vanessa has made turning look easy, but god, remember our first few decades! We were wrecks. Who knows how the wolf nature interacts with vampirism. For Connor, Erik, and Penny, I think they do well with the structure of being here. For Tyler, it's different, he pushes the limits of the rules and bristles against authority. He fights it," Elijah remarked.
"An alpha does that. I suppose that is what scares me. That he'll lead his own pack and leave. Do I try too hard to impose my will upon him? To be be his alpha? Is that why he rebels?" Klaus wondered.
"I don't think you do, truly. I think it is when you, when we, give him leeway that he feels insecure and acts out. It could be the pack genes, too. Look at the Guerreras, they were bred to fight enemies, to be fierce, but to obey their alphas. Who knows what traits Tyler's pack had? Cunning? Emotional control? Loyalty? It is interesting that all the mayors of Mystic Falls have been Lockwoods since the founding," Elijah maintained.
"Yes, I never thought about it. Well, at any rate, I need to see if Camille is coming this weekend," Klaus said as Elijah excused himself.
Mystic Fall High School
3:15 pm
"Jer, I'm not riding the bus home," Tyler said getting his stuff at his locker.
"Why?" Jeremy asked looking at his phone.
"I got detention. Uncle Ric is driving me home after," Tyler admitted.
"You're shitting me," Jeremy said looking up from his phone.
"I wish, bro. I'll explain later. Just tell Connor that...we're still on. He'll know what I'm talking about," Tyler said heading down to Alaric's room.
"Okay, man," Jeremy said. What the hell was Tyler up to now?
Erik came up behind him, "Hurry up. We don't wanna miss the bus the first day we take it, do we?"
"So what are Connor and Tyler up to tonight? Did Matt say anything to you?" Jeremy asked.
"To me, no. Why? Is there a party or something?" Erik asked. He kept hearing about these big parties kids had around here, but had never been to one.
"I'm starting to think there is one and we weren't invited," Jeremy said as they jogged to make the bus home.
"Do you think your sister or her friends would know? Why do you ask them?" Erik suggested.
"Yeah, that's not a bad idea," Jeremy smiled.