Episode 9: Girl's Night

"I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then."

-Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Mystic Falls, 1971

I was Amanda again, still 12 years old.

Emily and I were walking in the forest, she was leading me somewhere away from town.

"Where are we going Emily?" I asked.

"You are going to help me aren't you?" She asked.

"Yes, of course" I replied. "But I still don't understand what I'm helping you with."

We approached an old abandoned house. It was the house my big sister always told me to stay away from. The one all the neighbor kids said was haunted.

As Emily took me into the house I could hear a hundred different intelligible whispers. I followed Emily to the basement and with each step the whispers got increasingly louder until we reached the center of the basement; there was silence.

"This is the site where a hundred witches were burned at the stake." Emily informed as she circled me. "This is the site where I was burned at the stake." She stopped walking and stood before me, staring at me with intent. "Are you willing to help the Bennett witches? The family you were born to in this life?"

I nodded, unsure of what she meant, but knowing in my heart that whatever it was, it was what this life was intended for.

"Good." Emily replied. "Because this is the place where you will burn too."

She was right, for the next thing I knew I was engulfed in flames. The fire didn't hurt as I expected it too, but still I knew I would burn until I was nothing but ash.

Mystic Falls, 2009

Damon was avoiding me. Almost a month after the party at the Grill and I hadn't seen nor heard from him. I knew he was still in town though, because I still felt eyes watching me whenever I tended to Maggie's grave. Once, I even saw a figure standing at her grave when I entered the cemetery, but by the time I reached it the man was gone. It had to be Damon.

He hadn't been showing up much in my dreams lately and I was almost able to forget about him during Thanksgiving break, but then my mom mentioned him over dinner and I was forced to remember he existed and how he'd hurt Caroline. Maybe he was steering clear of me to avoid punishment.

Meanwhile, Caroline was still fighting with Bonnie. That amber crystal was putting a strain on our girl group. Elena's been trying to bring us all together to fix it, but they were both so stubborn.

"Hey." Matt said as he passed us on the way into school.

"Hey." Caroline replied, clearly disappointed. She stared at his back as he continued on his way, as if she was expecting something more. She'd gushed to me that when Matt had taken her home after the Grill party she left completely wasted that he had stayed the night and cuddled with her in bed (It was totally G-rated, she said), but he'd snuck out before she woke up. I'd jokingly offered to roast him, but she claimed it wasn't necessary. But after seeing the same look of disappointment every school day since then, I was starting to reconsider.

"You should say something." I said.

"Seriously, all I get is a 'hey'? What is that supposed to mean?" She said.

"Not to me! You should say something to him," I clarified. "And please, make it better than that. Because 'hey'? Just means hey, it's just a greeting. The same one he's been saying for years."

My sister's cheeks were red from blushing in embarrassment.

"Okay, you're right. If I want something more I have to do something about it. I'll talk to him today, after school, on my terms. No 'hey's about it." There was a renewed confidence in her eyes and I knew Caroline could handle whatever happened between her and Matt. No roasting necessary.

That evening Caroline, Bonnie, Elena and I were at the Gilbert's making dinner; like we used to before all the supernatural stuff came into our lives. However, this time the tension was thick, especially between Caroline and Bonnie. Caroline was still mad at Bonnie for refusing to give back the necklace, even though she really didn't have to since we gave it to her. Elena and I each gave Caroline a look egging her to make the first move.

Finally, Caroline sighed and turned to Bonnie, "I'm sorry. There. I said it. If you want the ugly-ass necklace, keep it. It's yours."
Bonnie looked guilty and sheepishly replied, "Will you hate me if I tell you I threw it away?"

Caroline looked annoyed.

"You threw it away?"

"I know it sounds crazy, but the necklace was giving me nightmares," Bonnie explained, "I had to get rid of it."
"What kind of nightmares?" I asked, concerned.

"You could have just given it back to me." Caroline said.

"Why?" Elena interrupted, "So you could give it back to Damon?"

"Screw Damon." Caroline said, "Are we doing manicures or what? Who has their kit?"

"Mine's in my bag," Bonnie pointed it out.

I searched Bonnie's bag for her kit while Caroline changed the subject of conversation to Elena and Stefan. My fingers caught on a chain and I lifted it to reveal the amber talisman Caroline and Bonnie were fighting over.

"Uh… are you sure you threw it away Bon-bon?" I asked tentatively, showing the rest of the group the necklace in my hands.

"Why are you such a little liar, Bonnie?" Caroline said angrily, snatching the necklace from me. Elena and Bonnie stood shocked at seeing it again.

"I'm not lying to you, Caroline," Bonnie swore.

"It's true. I watched her throw it into a field!" Elena added.

Caroline was obviously frustrated.

"Then explain it." She demanded, arms crossed.

"Emily." Bonnie said suddenly.

"Emily Bennett?" I clarified.

"Who's Emily Bennett? Your cousin?" Caroline asked, confused.

"A ghost," I clarified.

"I wonder why she won't leave me alone." The fact that Bonnie was speaking exclusively to Elena and me now upset Caroline very much.

"What is going on?" She burst, "Why is it that I'm not a part of this conversation? You guys do this to me all the time."

"That's not true." Elena denied.

"Yes it is." Bonnie corrected, "I can't talk to you, Caroline. You don't listen."

Caroline gasped. "That's not true."

"I'm a witch." Bonnie said flatly.

"Yeah. We know. So is Charlie. I get it, Everybody's part of the witch club, but me."

"Does Caroline know…?" Bonnie lead on, unsure how to finish. She didn't know how much I told Caroline, which if I'm being honest wasn't as much as I should have told her.

"I told her I'm a witch." I clarified, "Well, I showed her." I demonstrated by putting my palm out and letting a small fireball ignite, just as I had the first time I showed Caroline.

"Look, whatever is happening to Charlie is obviously not normal. And if you believe in this stuff too, Bonnie, then... I'm on board." Caroline said, "And to prove just how on board I am with this, I have an idea...Why don't we have a séance?"

"I don't think that's a good idea." Bonnie said nervously.

"Come on. Let's summon some spirits. This Emily chick has some serious explaining to do."

We set up for a seance in Elena's room. None of use were sure how to go about starting, so Care took the lead prompting Bonnie to call out to her ancestor. After a couple of half-hearted attempts we got a sign: the candles flared up all at once, for a moment hotter and brighter than before.

"Charlie, was that you?" Care asked.

I shook my head. "Wasn't me."

"It's just the air conditioning." Bonnie explained dismissively.

We asked for another sign and after a brief moment of bated breath where we were certain nothing was going to happen the windows burst open. Startled, Bonnie wretched the necklace from her neck and threw it to the ground and at the same moment we were plunged into darkness. When Elena got the lights back on the necklace was gone.

While searching for it, Bonnie got trapped in the bathroom. Emily's work no doubt. Bonnie was terrified and screaming for help. Then she went silent and the doors opened.

Bonnie stood in the middle with her head in her hands. She was wearing the necklace again.

We asked her if she was okay and Bonnie insisted she was fine. But as she was leaving the bathroom I caught her eye and I saw that it wasn't Bonnie in there.

I held Elena back as Bonnie and Caroline left the room.

"That's not Bonnie," I said.

"What do you mean?" Realization struck Elena, "Oh my god! Emily." Emily was already halfway down the stairs when we left the room. "Are you okay?" Elena hesitantly asked our possessed friend.

"I must go." Emily replied.

"She's leaving. I'm leaving." Caroline stated, clearly over this night. The seance and then Bonnie being trapped by magic really shook her up. She grabbed my hand and pulled me along with her. "Let's go Charlie."

"You guys can't leave!" Elena cried.

"Right, we haven't even done the manipedi's yet," I added.

"So?" Caroline complained, "I've had enough freaky witch stuff for one night."

"Thank you for having me." Emily said, "But, I'll take it from here."

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Back to where it all began," she said cryptically. Emily dashed down the rest of the stairs.

"Emily, wait!" I called after her, she turned only briefly to reply.

"I won't let him have it. It must be destroyed. You know where to meet me." And then Emily was out the door.

Elena and I rushed after her, but the door was spelled shut. It only opened when Jeremy opened it from the other side.

"Finally!" Caroline pushed passed him, done with the night. She called back, "Charlie come on!"

"I'm going after Bonnie." I told Elena, "Call Stefan, she's going to the old church."

I arrived at the old ruins of Fell's church just in time to see Emily impale Damon on a tree branch with Bonnie's magic. Involuntarily, my heart clenched in fear at the sight, but I pushed the feeling down. It wasn't anything he couldn't heal from.

"Maggie." Emily nodded toward me.

"Emily." I nodded back, then turning to the vampire I asked, "Damon? What are you doing here?"

"Oh, just hanging around," he bit out sarcastically. "Mind helping me down?"

"Uh… I think that's more a job for Stefan." I replied.

"Are you here to help me, Maggie?" Emily asked. I knew she wanted to destroy the necklace, and for that she would need my help to do it.

"I promised you I would." I picked up a long stick and helped her carve out a large pentacle in the dirt.

"Charlie, don't." Damon protested. "You have no idea the level of backstabbery you are assisting right now."

He tried to pry himself off the tree, but the branch piercing through his stomach made it difficult for him to move on his own.

Soon enough Elena and Stefan arrived. Stefan pulled Damon off the tree. Damon dropped to his knees from the pain as the hole in his stomach began to heal.

"This is why I feed on people," Damon muttered.

Emily greeted Stefan and then with prompting explained why the necklace had to be destroyed, why the tomb couldn't be opened: in order to save Katherine she had to save all the vampires that were in the church.

"I don't care about them. I just want Katherine." Damon said.

"I knew I shouldn't have believed a single word that comes out of your mouth." Stefan said, frustrated, "This isn't about love, is it? This is about revenge."

"The two aren't mutually exclusive," Damon countered.

"Damon, you can't do this," Stefan said.

"Why not? They killed 27 people, and they called it a war battle. They deserve whatever they get."

"27 vampires, Damon. They were vampires." Stefan argued, "You can't just bring them back."

"This town deserves this."

"You're blaming innocent people for something that happened 145 years ago."

"There is nothing innocent about these people, and don't think for a second it won't happen again. They already know too much, and they'll burn your little grandwitch right next to us when they find out. Trust me."

"Things are different now," Emily insisted.

"Don't do this," Damon begged.

"I can't free them." Emily said firmly, "I won't."

She grabbed ahold of my hands as we stood in the center of the pentacle. I could feel her magic latching onto my soul, channeling its energy. Together we chanted, "Incendia!"

The flames ignited along the form of the pentacle, creating a fiery wall between us and the others.

Damon begged us to stop.

Unfazed, Emily tossed the necklace into the air, where it exploded, destroying the necklace for good. Emily's spirit departed from Bonnie's body almost instantaneously and her body fell into my arms. The flames around us died down.

A few moments later Bonnie recovered from her possession, looking confused. She had no recollection of what just happened.

Furious, Damon rushed forward, biting into Bonnie's neck before anyone could stop him.

With strength I didn't know I had, I pulled Damon off.

Bonnie crumpled to the ground, faint. Before I could yell at him, Damon ran off into the woods.

Stefan kneeled down to check Bonnie's pulse. "She's alive, but barely. I can save her." He bit into his wrist and let the blood flow into Bonnie's mouth. The wound on Bonnie's neck immediately began to heal.

Bonnie came back to consciousness soon after her neck healed. She was confused and horrified, and it was probably a good thing Stefan and Damon weren't around at the moment.

"I don't understand, what happened to me?" Bonnie said in shock, "He attacked me, and his face was like…" she couldn't find the words to describe it and gestures towards her eyes.

"How do you feel? Are you okay?" I asked, rubbing circles on her back.

"I'm fine. It's just this blood. I don't…" Bonnie froze up as Stefan walked back into the clearing. I put myself in front of her, partially blocking her from Stefan's view. Bonnie was gripping to my arm from behind.

"I'm not gonna hurt you." Stefan put is hands up in surrender.

"What's going on,Charlie? Elena?" Bonnie said, looking to Elena for answers.

"I'll explain everything, Bonnie. Okay? Let's just get out of here." Bonnie wasn't moving, her grip on me grew tighter. Elena tried again, "Bonnie. Bonnie, look at me. Trust me. He's not going to hurt you. Come on. Come on." Finally, Bonnie let go of me and followed Elena, she walked like a skittish kitten past Stefan.

"Where did Damon go?" I asked Stefan after the two had walked out of sight.

"You should stay away from him, Charlie. Damon is dangerous to be around." Stefan warned.

"I know, but he's not dangerous to me. If you won't tell me where he is I'll just find him myself."

I found Damon sitting in front of Maggie's gravestone, one of the forget-me-nots I planted in his hand.

"Stefan thinks you want to save Katherine because you still love her," I said. Damon didn't respond, his stare unwavering at Maggie's gravestone. "But that's not true. You don't want to save Katherine...you want to kill her."

Damon looked up, "How did you know that?"

"You told me. Remember? At the dinner party, you said if you ever saw her again you'd kill her yourself."

"You remember that?" He sounded surprised.

"I remember everything about you Damon. Honestly, I probably think about you too much, but I can't help it. We have a history...even if you won't acknowledge it." Damon was staring at me and it made me nervous, I rambled on, "Is Maggie the reason you want to kill Katherine?"

"Yes. She got between me and Maggie and now the only woman I've ever truly loved is dead." He was looking at me, but I felt like he wasn't seeing me.

"But she's not, Damon, not really. She lived on. Just... as someone else."

"You're not Maggie." Damon said stubbornly, "Emily might think so, but you're not."

"You're right, I'm not Maggie. I've lived many different lives since her. Each life has brought about some change, but that doesn't mean she's not still a part of me."

"So what does that mean? You're in love with me, you want to date me? What?"

"No!" I said quickly. I couldn't after everything he'd done to Caroline, to Bonnie. Even if I had to push down tender memories of a time long past. "I don't know… I just don't want you to feel like you're alone or that you have to avenge Maggie's death, because you don't. I mean, is it worth it? You've used, abused, hurt, killed people in the name of your revenge. Is it really worth ruining the lives of other people? Is that what you believe Maggie would have wanted?"

Suddenly, Damon loomed over me. I took a startled step back. His hands caressed the sides of my face and before I could react his lips were on mine. It was intense and passionate and before any other thoughts crossed my mind I was kissing Damon back.

I was the one who broke the kiss.

My mind and my heart were out of sync. I was left feeling confused. Damon looked to be in the same boat.

"You're not Maggie." He repeated, but his hands still held my face, his thumb stroked my cheek.

"You know you aren't the same person Maggie fell in love with either." I said, my hands reached up and covered his. "You've changed too."

Almost reluctantly I removed Damon's hands from my face. This couldn't happen again.