Mystic Falls
"You have reached the hottest Salvatore brother. Leave a message. Bye!" Damon's voicemail picked up and I sighed heavily before ending the call.
"No answer?" Elena asks as I slide my phone into my jeans back pocket.
"Yep," I grumble.
"We can stop by after the celebrations." Elena nodded her head towards the podium where Carol Lockwood was wrapping up a rather long-winded speech.
"Sounds good to me. Oh hey, look," I say pointing over towards the stage, "Alaric and Jeremy are here."
"I'm going to go say hi. Will you be alright alone for a few minutes?" Elena asked warily.
"Girl, go," I say pushing her softly with a chuckle.
I watched as she walked over to Jeremy, Alaric, and a dark-haired female who Jeremy was whispering too. As soon as Elena approached, the dark-haired girl said something to Jeremy and he chuckled. Something was peculiar with the way Elena talked with them. Almost as if she couldn't see the girl. I narrowed my eyes and I felt the wind stiffen around me.
"Hey, Bella!" Caroline called out and I turned my face towards her bell-like voice.
"Hello, Care." I smiled as she pulled me into a warm embrace.
"Hey Care," I say as I turn back to stare at Elena and company. "Do you know who the dark haired girl Jeremy is talking to is?"
Caroline looked up for a brief second before looking at me with an anxious expression. "I don't see anyone with him, Bells."
I turned to look at her and then quickly looked back to Jeremy. He stood alone but he looked like he was holding hands with the air. Jeremy can see ghosts. I slammed my hand to my forehead and groaned loudly. "Fucking perfect."
"Bells?" Caroline placed an uncertain hand on my shoulder.
"Caroline, can Jeremy see ghosts?" I ask bluntly while still staring at the boy.
"Yes." I heard Bonnie Bennett whisper. I turned around and saw the pain flashing across her face as she stared at Jeremy.
"Shit. Okay." I say and I pull the two girls over to some trees near the grill. "How long has it been going on?"
"Since I brought him back from the dead. My grams warned me that there were consequences to tempting and thwarting Fate." Bonnie sighed and a few tears began rolling down her cheeks.
"Hey, it's ok. Shhh." I say as I place a comforting hand on her back. "It's okay." I looked up and Caroline and we exchanged worried glances toward Bonnie.
"I tried to send Vicki away when he told me he could see her," Bonnie confessed through short bursts of air. "But he could see Anna as well." Sitting down on the grass, Bonnie cried heavily into her hands.
"So when you did the spell to send Vicki away, it didn't get rid of Anna?" Caroline guessed as Bonnie's sobs quieted.
"I wish!" Bonnie exclaimed and looked up. Her eyes were bloodshot and her mascara had begun running down her face. "All I did was block the magic that was helping Vicki get a physical foothold here. Jeremy's still got a direct line to the other side."
"As long as he wants to see Anna and she wants to see him, she will continue to be around." I finish Bonnie's thought with a frown.
Caroline snorted and tossed her hair back. "What a di…"
"Caroline, don't," I warn her as I continue to pat Bonnie's back.
"Okay, you don't think I can actually resist commenting on that!" Caroline lifted an eyebrow at me.
"There. You commented." Bonnie said with a tight-lipped smile at her best friend.
"Bonnie…" Caroline stuttered slightly.
"What do you want me to say, Caroline? I went against the balance of nature when I brought Jeremy back to life and now I'm paying the consequences." Bonnie's lip started to quiver slightly.
"Well," Caroline bent down so she was eye level with the witch. "I want you to say you're not okay with it."
"I'm a thousand times not okay with it." The girl sighed heavily. "I just don't know what to do about it."
Sighing, Caroline sat next to her friend and placed her head on Bonnie's shoulder. "It's ok. I'm always at a loss at what to do with guys too."
I was about to say something encouraging when the loud rumble of a car stopping near us cut me off. Looking over, I noticed it was Damon and he was waving toward us. I rolled my eyes and pushed myself up off the ground. Damon hops out of the car and makes his way over to us with a large grin on his face.
"Greetings Bells, Barbie, and Witchy," Damon says as he stops in front of me. "We got a problem."
"What's going on?" I ask while folding my arms across my chest.
Damon looked down at Bonnie. "I think you got your voodoo wires all crossed when you got rid of Vicki Donovan."
"What do you mean?" Bonnie asked as Caroline helped her up off the ground.
"Because I'm pretty sure I just got spit-roasted by Mason Lockwood's ghost," Damon growled angrily.
"What?" Bonnie gasped.
"And why do you think that?" Caroline demanded as she moved Bonnie closer to her.
"Maybe because he chained me to a chair and shoved a hot poker in my chest. Let's just say I'm having Deja vu." Damon snapped at the blonde.
"I thought you said that ghost couldn't physically interact with people." Caroline looked down at Bonnie who looked up at me with wide eyes.
"They can't." We both said together.
"Yeah, well, I don't have time for a vengeful Lockwood. When I kill someone, they're supposed to stay dead." Flashing forward, Damon snarled into Bonnie's face. "Whatever you screwed up, fucking fix it."
Mystic Grill
After Bonnie and Caroline took off to investigate the new ghost sightings, I called Elena and asked her to join me for lunch. If the ghosts of the past were haunting Mystic Falls, then there was one ghost in particular that we needed to see. We agreed to meet around 2 in the afternoon. I was reading one of Stefan's journals when she finally arrived. I set it aside and watched as she sat down.
"Thanks for meeting me, Elena." I smile towards her.
"Yeah, no problem. I kind of feel bad for ditching you during the Illumination ceremony." She chuckled softly.
"Look, I don't want to worry you but we have a situation." I leaned forward on my elbows. "Bonnie messed up a spell and ghosts are now visible."
Elena's brown eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly.
"Bonnie is trying to reverse it but before she does, there is a ghost we both need to find. To help Stefan." I looked over my shoulder just to make sure no one was listening.
"Lexi," Elena whispered softly.
"Mhmm." I agree as the waiter comes by for our food and drink order.
After the waiter leaves, Elena immediately leans forward again. "Do you think it's even possible to contact Lexi?"
"I don't know. I have an emotional connection with her and from what Bonnie says, we should be able to find her. However, we both have to want to see each other."
"Is there another way to find her?" Elena puts a smile back on her face as the waiter brings us our drinks.
"We may have to ask Jeremy to find her," I say before taking a sip of my iced tea.
"Ok. I'll call him." Elena nodded her head and pulls out her cell phone.
Twenty minutes later, Jeremy and Alaric are both squeezing into the booth with us while being caught up to speed about the ghosts.
"I don't know. I didn't have an emotional connection with her. I never even met her." Jeremy frowned as Alaric patted his shoulder.
"Can we just drop it, please?" Alaric whispered harshly.
"What's got your boxer briefs in a twist?" I say as I give him look that clearly says he has asked a stupid question.
"No, I can't just drop it, Ric." Elena snarled as she turned a steely gaze toward him. "I don't know what else to do."
"Don't you think we have a few too many dead vampires in our past to be sitting here thinking of them watching us?" Alaric grumbled before reaching for the glass of bourbon I had ordered him.
I felt the wind shift and looked away from Alaric. When I looked at Jeremy I could see him and a girl standing beside him. Her mouth was moving but I couldn't hear what she was saying.
"Jeremy," I say and pull his attention away from the dark-haired ghost. "Is Anna here right now?" I say not daring to glare at the ghost. Why couldn't I hear her but I could see her? The girl was shaking her head violently enough that I could see it in my peripheral vision. She wants him to lie. Huh.
"No, No." Jeremy stands up. "I'm going to go, uh." He looked up and towards the back of the grill where a waiter was going through a set of doors. "Check my work schedule." With that, Jeremy leaves as Elena stares at him with narrowed eyes.
"She was here," I mumble and Elena nodded her head in agreement.
"Hey, guys." I look up to see Stefan sliding into the booth next to Elena. "Who forgot to invite me to the family summit?" He asked with a wry smile. He looks over to where his journal is resting on the table, reaches over, and grabs it. Staring down at the leathery spine he chuckles. "Hmmm." He flips through the journal rapidly. "Wow! All these words." He looks up and into my eyes. "I forgot how much I used to care."
"I didn't," Elena says as she takes a sip from her drink gingerly. I can see her hands are shaking but I fight the urge to smile at her bravado.
"You know, Elena, it probably bests that you do not torture yourself with memories from the past." Stefan reaches over to her and gingerly moves the hair away from her neck. He begins to trace her veins as her breathing becomes more labored. "It's best we both just move on and accept things as they are."
"You don't have to be here, Stefan," Alaric growls menacingly.
Moving his hand away from Elena's neck, Stefan glowers at Alaric. "You know what, Alaric, you're right. I don't." He leans forward so that he is almost nose to nose with Alaric. "But Elena's here, and I look out for Elena." He leans back and places one arm over Elena's shoulders. I watch as she tenses and her hands begin to tremble violently. "Besides, there's going to be people everywhere tonight. So there's going to be lots to eat." Stefan laughs viciously before pulling away from Elena and getting up from the table. "Kidding, I'm kidding. Loosen up." He winks before walking to the bar.
"We can't drop it, Ric." I hiss and push the man out of the booth so I can get up. I threw two $20 dollar bills on the table and walk out of the restaurant.
Walking has always been a way for me to clear my mind and lately my mind was overly stuffed. I felt like I was going to explode with emotions. I ached to be with Stefan, to truly be with him, but he has cut himself off of his humanity. That is not the Stefan I know or love. He is Ripper now and I have to find a way to change him back.
"Kick his ass." A familiar voice rang out like a bell. I twirled around so fast and looked into the blue eyes that I had been missing since her death.
"LEXI." I squealed and threw my arms around her.
Like Lexi used to do, she caught me easily and we spun around for a few seconds. "How can this happen?" Lexi asked as we released each other.
"A witch made a mistake. I'm glad she did. I…" I felt the tears rolling down my eyes as I stared at her. She looked the same, golden kissed skin, long pencil straight hair, baby blue eyes, and that wide smile that stole my breath away.
"Shhh…" Lexi moved forward and placed a gentle hand on my cheek. "I know. I know." Her eyes shined with tears and we stood there for a few moments. Just the two of us, staring at each other. Unspoken sorrow radiating from each of us. "We have to stop Ripper," Lexi stated pulling me out of my dark thoughts of her death.
"I know. I know." I took a deep breath and smiled at her. "I really fucking miss you," I say one more time before squeezing her hand.
"Remember how I used to lock him up?" Lexi reminded me as we continued walking. Ripper detox was what she started calling it in the 80's. She would chain him up and torture him until his bloodlust was under control. She had a unique ability to get into his mind and make him feel as if he had been starved for days, weeks, months, or even years. A talent I have only come across one other time.
"Yeah but I don't know where I can do that here," I said pouting.
"The old City Jail would be perfect." Lexi beams at me and I laugh brightly.
"Fair enough. How o you wanna do this?" I say softly.
"I'll get him to the jail, you prep everything, and call Elena so she can help as well."
I gave her one last hug before racing off with a large smirk on my face.
An hour later, I was finishing setting up the basement cell when I hear the doors slam upstairs. I could hear Lexi and Elena talking back and forth about how to handle Stefan when he woke up. Elena opened the cell door and I smiled at her. She waived tentatively before frowning as Lexi tossed Stefan into a chair and quickly chained him down.
"Is that really necessary?" Elena's voice quivered with concern.
"Yep," Lexi said as she made a loud popping sound at the end.
"If he gets loose, then this will all be for nothing," I say with a reassuring smile.
"Bella," Elena scowled at me before looking at Stefan. "Lexi told me somethings and I worry why you are here."
Ah. Lexi must have opened up to the girl. I throw Lexi a knowing look and before turning back to Elena.
"Elena, I'm here because I care about Stefan," I say firmly. She crosses her arms and scoffs.
"Are you sure you're not here to steal him back." She snarled nastily.
"No, actually," I say as I sigh and lean against the cell. "I and Stefan are strictly friends now. Friends that have known each other far longer than your fling, girl." I say with a wave of my hand. I can see her puff her chest in indignation but I hold a hand up towards her. "I came here because he wasn't answering his calls or texts. Like clockwork, every Saturday he called to tell me about this week. He talked about you a lot." I murmur and I see her smile softly. "So whatever insecurities you have regarding me and Stefan, lose them. He loves you more than anything." I say firmly before walking out and slamming the door.
I let my memories cloud my mind as I made my way back home. Memories of Stefan and I in the gardens in the Chateau de Versaille, him handing me the beautiful bouquet of lilies and rose before getting down on one knee. The ring that slid on my fingers so easily as we whispered solemn vows that beautiful spring day in Paris. Every stupid fight we had afterward that led to us at the top of Bear Mountain. Stefan apologizing profusely as the tears stained my cheeks before I shakily gave him the ring back. He left shortly after while I stayed on that mountain for a few months. Agonizing over my past mistakes and wishing I had fought harder for him. When I finally came down the mountain, Lexi helped me adjust and eventually, my relationship with Stefan returned but only in the context of friends. That was nearly 30 years ago. I lamented as I came to a stop in front of the Salvatore Boarding House. Maybe Elena is right. Maybe I should go.
I stare at the house before turning to the woods. I made a terrible mistake coming back here. Walking into the boarding house, I felt my heart sink as visions of Stefan and Elena came to mind. Visions of Elena dancing through the halls while Stefan chased her, the pair snuggled up next to the fire, and one where he had her pinned against the wall while kissing her.
"NO! STOP!" I screeched out loud while clutching my head. "Stop. Stop. Stop!" I felt my back hit the wall before I fainted and the world went dark.
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