Mystic Falls, 2013
DS*DS*DS
"Felicity Salvatore."
Silence was palpable in the room; shaken faces were staring at Felicity.
"What?" Mixture of confusion and shock was evident on Elena's face. Her eyes were fleeting between Felicity and Damon. "How? There is no other living Salvatore."
"Well I am here, as you see." Blonde said. "But technically I'm dead. I died a lot of times, never stay that way for long but still."
Not getting anything concrete, young vampire turned to Damon to get answers from him. Not that he was better help. He just shrugged his shoulder and looked at Felicity, amusement lacing his features. Of course he had no intention to answer any of Elena's questions.
"Anyway," He raised his shot glass to Jeremy." Rumor has it, she burned down the entire city of Atlanta once."
"Well, that might win." Gilbert boy answered.
Elena and Caroline looked at exchange with bewilderment. They couldn't believe that Damon just dismissed their question like that. Bonnie was more intrigued about what Felicity might know about her family's history. But before any of them could ask anything Stefan come downstairs from deathbed of one Katherine Pearce.
"All right. Knock it off or take it somewhere else. You guys are being insensitive." He said looking at Damon and empty bottles on the table.
FS*FS*FS
When she heard someone coming down the stairs Felicity subtly moved to stand near the bookshelves and pretended to browse. She was just out from line of vision of anyone entering living room from that direction, but still get good enough view herself.
From a few photos Damon had Felicity recognized newest addition to their company as Stefan Damon's younger brother. She was eager to see brothers interact. Because from what Damon told her about his brother she knew that he resented Stefan, but still brotherly love was always present.
Newcomer chastised the group about their inappropriate behavior. But it Damon, fully immersed in his celebratory mood just had to try to rile Stefan in his twisted drinking game.
"Come on, Stefan. Don't let the sight of a frail, human Elena-look-alike cloud your memories of the manipulative psycho that she is."
Elena looked insulted and Felicity was no longer centre of attention. Damon extended hand with another shot to Stefan, who after moment of hesitation took it. Form everything Felicity heard about him, this action seem out of character for him.
"In 1864, Katherine moved into my home, she compelled me to love her, seduced my brother, fed us full of vampire blood and then started a war with the town that got us killed." His voice was grim, resigned.
"Exactly. Bottoms up." Damon thinking he won took the shot, Elena not far behind him. Felicity was not convinced, she heard unvoiced 'but' at the end of Stefan's statement.
"But, centuries before that, she was just an innocent girl that was shunned by her family. So for five hundred years, she lied and manipulated and did whatever she had to do to survive. And she did. She's a survivor, right? So that's the girl I will drink to today. Cheers." Felicity raised her own glass in solidarity even though he was unable to see.
Her eyes went to Damon and she saw change happen there as he decided. It was familiar look, one he got at times when he was determined to reach his goal at any means possible. She just hoped he wouldn't go too far.
"Please. One night of hot sex with her and you're brainwashed?" He said and waited with smug look for the reactions to come. He was not disappointed.
"What?!" Both Elena and Bonnie exclaimed. Shock and disgust was clearly written on their faces. Though in Elena's expressions were hints of hurt too. Interesting.
Felicity was equally surprised. She was not expecting that, not after everything Katherine did to Salvatore brothers. Well the one person who wasn't surprise was Caroline.
"Oh my... I forgot to tell you." Blonde vampire tried to explain. "You were kidnapped and hostaged and..."
Akward silence descended on the room. Stefan started to squirm under accusing gaze of his friends.
"Bottle's empty... I should-"
He tried to excuse himself from uncomfortable atmosphere in the room. But was too slow, because Damon grabbed empty bottle from his hands.
"That's why you never send a busboy to do a man's job."
Felicity felt someone else's presence in the room. She was unable to see who it was from her hideout near the bookshelves without revealing herself to Stefan. And now it really wasn't the time for that. But she didn't have to wait long to find out.
DS*DS*DS
Damon was getting tired from all of this. It was past the point in his patience scale. The game lost it charm and the kids were playing on his nerves. Top it off the booze ended. He always knew that he couldn't trust Mat with important jobs. So he stood up turning to Felicity. He was about to ask her to accompany him when he saw the person standing just behind his brother.
"Nadia... the devil's spawn. Caroline, did you remember to tell Elena that?" He asked sarcastically.
"I think my mind just exploded." Elena shook her head as to force her mind to digest all this new information for her. "Okay. Katherine's upstairs." She motioned to the stairs leading to the room where woman in question was resting.
"Actually, I'm here to see all of you. I found a way save my mother and I need your help." Latest addition to their company said with the thick accent. Her tone was demanding and still full of pain and sorrow.
But Damon was not having it.
"Uh-uh. No way. Even my biased brother knows I will kick his ass from here to Kentucky if he helps Katherine Pierce live one more day on this Earth. No volunteers."
He looked around at others making sure they would comply. Lastly he meets bright blue eyes, determination in them indicates that there would be no way dissuading Felicity from whatever she chooses to do.
"I'll help." Surprised Nadia and Stefan spined around to see Felicity coming out of her observers place. Others too were surprised. Appears they all, except Damon forgot she was still here in the light of new discoveries.
"Who-" Stefan started to ask but Felicity lifted her hand to stop him and turned to Nadia who stood frozen in place since she saw her. Her eyes wide from shock to see familiar face in Salvatore's Boarding house.
"Nadine, what did you do?" Felicity's voice is deadly calm. Those who knew her understood what she was in completely serious. It was even scarier than her famous loud voice. "I know you. You never leave things at chance. I taught you that. So I ask you again. What did you do?"
Nadia looked like chastised child not meeting Felicity's eyes when she reached at her pocket and retrieved old looking male ring with engraving of family's crest.
Gilbert's ring. The same one Matt was wearing. And now was clear why the quarterback didn't come back with refill.
FS*FS*FS
Felicity also recognized the ring and now was staring daggers at Nadia. Not wanting to dive into all of this with hot head she took deep breath and cleared her throat composing herself. She made a gesture as if to readjust glasses she forgot she didn't have, so instead she ran her hands trough her golden hair.
"Where is he?"
"I- I found that old safe Stefan spent the summer drowning in and buried it on this property. Without the ring."
She shook her head. They time were limited and it was not to be wasted. "Nadine, where did you bury him?"
"West side, near the property limits."
"Okay. You should go upstairs to Katherine. I'll talk to you soon." Others did not agree with this and tried to say something but Felicity didn't care and just shooed Nadia towards the stairs with meaningful look.
Once Nadia was out of sight she turned to the rest. She was greeted with disgruntled people.
"What do you think you are doing?" Damon charged to her. But Felicity was holding her own not even flinching. Her gaze catching his, asking him to trust her. Almost imperceptible nod was only answer she got, and she knew what later conversation with Damon was unavoidable.
"Damon, you stay here. And five of you go where Nadia said she left Matt. We don't have much time." When nobody moved she used her loud voice. "NOW!"