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CHAPTER 8:
FOUND AND LOST
Truth (noun): that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality; a fact or belief that is accepted as true
"Some people who've experienced immense loss develop a defense to more loss. It's an instinct to push people away before they leave us."
"Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth."
"Everyone parts with everything eventually, my dear."
"I'll take the pain, give me the truth, me and my heart, we'll make it through."
"Lenaaa! I'm horrible at lying, and you know it!" Snow, feeling quite petulant, hissed as she dragged her feet. She and Elena stood right outside Mystic Falls Police Station, the former's anxiety threatening to make a hasty comeback at the mere thought of performing the task that lay ahead.
That morning, Snow, bone-tired and depressed, her eyes red-rimmed and puffy from the amount of tears she discharged the other night and lack of proper sleep, was awoken by a similarly bleary-eyed Elena, mumbling incoherently about something in relation to Sheriff Forbes, Vicki, and the Station. Simultaneously falling back to sleep, Snow's cellphone was the next to ring, and ring and ring… and went straight to voicemail. In fact, it wasn't until Jenna stepping into the room and forcing the curtains open, explaining Sheriff Forbes called demanding their appearance along with Jeremy's at the Station for questioning regarding Vicki's spontaneous disappearance, for the second time, did Elena and Snow promptly get out of bed, the reminder of the Halloween carnival and its horrific cessation jolting them awake like an ice-cold shower.
The events of the other night slammed into Snow like a freight train, the thought of no longer seeing Vicki Donovan, or hearing her quasi-sister's voice, or being hugged by her, of no longer spending time with her during work hours at the Grill… the stark reality had Snow huddling into herself in the bathroom corner, consumed by an anxiety attack. Elena, thankfully, having had experience with Snow's anxiety, sat right there with her, kneeling on the bathroom floor, gripping her hands tightly as she acted as her stabilizer. "Breathe with me, Snow… in, hold it in, count to four… and out. Iiinnn… hold it, feel it in your chest, down to your belly, count to four, and out. That's it," the brunette cooed, keeping the smile on her face. "That's it, sweetie. Good, great…and out."
Immediately afterward, a sympathetic Jenna joined them, chamomile tea in hand.
Mechanically, the best friends got dressed, quickly gulped back their respective morning drink – coffee, black, for Elena, and two cups of chamomile tea for Snow – and climbed into the car with Jenna and Jeremy, his silence and lack of emotion regarding the entire situation creeping Snow out, shivering internally at the aftereffects of compulsion; looking away, her lips compressed in a thin line, pitying Jeremy for having his free will and his memories taken away against his wishes. To Snow, an individual's memory and their free will was extremely important. However, to play devil's advocate, she understood Elena's reasons and couldn't completely fault her for the actions she took to maintain Jeremy's emotional stability.
Which led to where they currently stood, Snow staring at the foundation in front of her will ill-veiled horror. She had always been a terrible liar; in fact, she was known by most denizens of Mystic Falls for her inability to string together a mediocre lie – a white lie alone was a miracle in Snow's books – let alone a fabricated, exaggerated, bold-faced lie. And to top it off, Snow possessed an expressive face, her eyes the first to give everything away and her thoughts displayed for everyone to see.
Snow Silverstone was an honest person by nature, full stop.
Arms linked in what can be considered a death grip, the pair of best friends stepped into the Station, heads dipping politely in acknowledgement at a few officers that caught their eye, some of which knew them throughout their childhood, especially since they were part of the Founding Families and best friends with the Sheriff's daughter.
"Yeah. I know," Elena huffed, warily scrutinizing their surroundings for a sign of any eavesdroppers before meeting the pair of terrified violet orbs that had yet to lose their redness from all the crying done the night before, and a bit in the morning. Suffice to say, Snow was postponing the waterworks to after their appointment with Sheriff Forbes. "I've been thinking about it, and I think I found a loophole. Don't lie per say. Just… cover the truth with a lie. Like, uh, be vague, disguise your words. You're a wordsmith, Snow. Your words have power; you can easily turn a lie into the truth. You can do it, I have faith in you."
"Snow Silverstone," the Deputy called out.
Startled, Snow almost crushed Elena's hand. Wincing, the brunette slowly disentangled her fingers from the raven-haired girl's surprisingly firm grip, "Breathe in, and out. You've got this, Snow." Pulling her into a brief, reassuring embrace, Elena lightly shoved her toward the Deputy. From over her shoulder, frightened eyes collided with swirls of chocolate, prompting the brunette to flash her pearly whites and lift both thumbs up. The instant Snow disappeared into Sheriff Forbes' office, Elena lifted a hand to her forehead and grimaced, "Oy-yoy-yoy…"
Stepping in, Snow was greeted with a tight smile from Sheriff Forbes, "Snow, hi." Responding with a tentative smile, Snow hesitantly deposited herself in the chair situated before the desk. Leaning forward, hands clasped together, her demeanor professional, the Sheriff prefaced, "Okay, I'm going to ask a couple of questions. All standard procedure, I assure you. I know you were close with Vicki and it's hard, but I want you to answer to the best of your ability, alright?"
Disregarding the mini freak-out currently occurring inside her head, Snow thickly swallowed and nodded, sitting on her hands in an attempt to conceal and prevent her shaking hands.
The Sheriff kicked it off with, "When was the last time you saw Vicki?"
A breath slipped past her; the first question was an easy one. Technically, the last time she saw Vicki – tears, tears go away! – was after Stefan plunged a wooden stake in her heart. She had cradled her mummified form and after that, Damon apparently dealt with her body; probably ditching her in some unmarked grave – 'Annnnd swallow back those tears. Snow Silverstone, under no circumstance are you gonna mess this up! Pull yourself together,' she mentally chastised herself, pinching her inner thigh in the process.
"I last saw her at the Halloween carnival," Snow admitted in a soft voice, which was technically true.
Having expected her response, Sheriff Forbes nodded, "Did she tell you or perhaps her brother where she was going?"
Damn, damn, damn… wait, what did Elena say? Cover the lie with a truth or disguise it. Okay, she can do this. Vicki hadn't told her she was going to the Halloween party; in fact, Snow knew nothing about Vicki's escape from Casa el Salvatore until after she reached the party. So the honest answer would be…no. No, Vicki didn't tell her she was going anywhere. Shaking her head, Snow said, "No, Sheriff Forbes. I briefly saw her at the party, and it was so crowded, we barely spoke."
That part was true – no form of conversation occurred between them, unless Snow's one-sided one where she kept yelling at Vicki to stop sucking Elena and Jeremy's blood was considered a conversation.
"Is there anyone I can talk to that may know what happened to her prior her leaving town?"
Only Damon knew of Vicki's location. "No. I mean, Jeremy or Matt would probably know," Snow shrugged.
"I heard from Matt that Stefan Salvatore was around Vicki a lot before she disappeared. Do you have any idea why?" was the next inquiry.
Okay, this was an easy question. Ignoring the whole vampire thing, theoretically, Stefan had been trying to help her… part of the reason was because Vicki was involved with Jeremy and Elena was scared, so Stefan involved himself.
…It was only a tiny fib, barely considered a lie.
"Vicki and Jeremy are really close and Elena was worried about her brother. So since Stefan experienced something similar, Elena asked him to step in and help," while Snow delivered her words, she nodded along. Stefan did experience her situation before… he went through the whole transitioning into a vampire phase, as well as controlling the irrational need for human blood.
"Can you tell me what her behavior like those last few days before she left?"
Finally a question that can be answered with complete honesty… editing the vampire part, of course. Clearing her throat, Snow collected her thoughts, "She was very sketchy. Her behavior erratic and moody, like she was coming down from some major partying."
"Any signs of aggression or violence?"
Damn! Yes! Yes, a hundred times yes. Major signs of aggression and violence; she threatened Elena and almost strangled her at the Boarding house. Then, she attempted to suck Jeremy dry at the party, and subsequently threw Elena around like a rag doll before sinking her fangs into her neck. But how could she spin the truth? …When Vicki saw her, her face brightened up immensely and she was very hyper and kind, and showered her with hugs, so… no. Vicki hadn't shown aggressiveness or violence toward her.
"No," came Snow's laconic response as she dug her fingernails into her inner thigh.
A blonde eyebrow rose. "So you believe Vicki really has left town?"
She died, so yeah, not in Mystic Falls anymore.
"Yes," Snow nodded, confident.
Interrogation completed and given permission to leave, Snow, her vision clouded with the beginning formation of tears, ran outside, her surroundings completely disregarded, and the cacophony of voices reduced to white noise. Leaning against a random car that sat stationary in front of the Station, Snow frantically gulped in lungfuls of cool fresh air of November. Tears cascaded down her face as she struggled to breathe.
It hadn't even been a day yet; however, knowing that this time she was gone for good, Snow missed Vicki terribly.
All throughout the interrogation, Snow focused obsessively on rearranging the lies into truths, thinking of nothing but Stefan's safety and keeping his status a secret. Now though, Vicki featured her every thought. Vicki Donovan – her friend, her quasi-sister, a girl who cared about Snow. She was never going to see her again… the investigation would go south because Vicki Donovan wasn't a missing person, she wasn't a runaway… She was dead.
Familiar arms engulfed her bent form, prompting Snow to sink into her friend's embrace, struggling and failing to keep the tears at bay. Elena didn't bother asking if she were okay; that much was obvious. Now that the interrogation was done and reality had settled in, Snow was grieving. Turning around to properly embrace the brunette, Snow smiled softly at a concerned Stefan, who had followed Elena out, worried for Snow.
"Thank you," Stefan spoke up sincerely, cutting into the silence that shrouded the hugging girls. "Elena told me how hard it is for you to be dishonest, so thank you, for doing this. And again, I'm sorry about Vicki. I really did try to help her."
Extricating herself from Elena, Snow reached out softly patted him on the shoulder, "You're my friend, Stefan. Of course I'd protect you."
Stefan's responding smile fell at Elena's next words, "I can't do this Stefan. Every time I look at Matt or Jeremy, all I think is that Vicki is never gonna come back. Around you people get hurt and people die. I can't just-, it's too much…" She broke off as her words evoked Snow's sobbing.
Furrows crowded the vampire's forehead, highlighting his pain, "Why don't we go somewhere and talk about it?"
Her head turned back and forth in rejection, "No, Stefan you have to stay away from me." She gently led Snow away from Stefan, "Come on, Snow. Let's go back to my place." And allowing herself to be dragged to the car, Jenna and Jeremy sitting inside and waiting for them, Snow shot the miserable vampire an apologetic look and a brisk wave, her hand forming a half-arch.
Leaning against the door, Snow, her motion deliberate, closed it with her back as she leveled Elena with a disappointed stare, violet eyes possessing an almost penetrating quality. Releasing a long-drawn-out sigh, the raven-haired girl joined the brunette on the bed, the corners of her mouth turned down. Elena slammed her lids shut and let out a semi-irritated breath, sensing Snow's incoming lecture in five… four… three… two… one— "You know, Elena. What you said to Stefan, it wasn't fair. The people who got hurt and died were because of Damon. Stefan isn't his brother; he had nothing to do with it. None of this is his fault and the fact that you're holding him responsible for his brother's actions is unfair and quite harsh of you. He came to Mystic Falls to experience some semblance of a normal life. And Stefan can't be blamed for Damon's presence here, either." And concluding her impressive speech, Snow allowed her head to fall back onto one of the many plushy pillows decorating Elena's bed, blowing away the errant strand that landed on her face.
Huffing, Elena imitated Snow, two heads, one pillow. "I know, Snow. God, I know," she produced a noise that sounded a mixture of a groan and a scream, the upper half of her body lifting from her resting position before slamming back down on the bed. "It's just, I need. time! I need space, so I can think about…all this."
"You up?"
The familiar voice's sudden suffusion into Elena's bedroom that's ambience was the epitome of doom and gloom evoked joyous exclamations from the two girls as their gazes collided with a pair of hazel-greens by the door, their best friend more than happy to reciprocate with a bright grin of her own.
"Bonnie!" Squealing, her grievous state lightening at the sight of Bonnie, who likewise, had been avoiding the two girls for reasons hitherto unknown, Snow lunged at her, arms practically strangling the caramel-skinned girl in an embrace. Head thrown back, Bonnie emitted a bubble of unrestrained laughter before joining them on the bed, "Why haven't you any of you called me back?"
Eyes averted, Elena apologized, Snow automatically echoing the sentiment.
Eyebrows furrowed, Bonnie studied her friends in slight concern at their odd behavior, "What's wrong with you two? And don't say nothing. I know you, something's definitely up."
"I'm tired of thinking… of talking I-"
Hazel-greens narrowed in official concern, Bonnie cut through Elena's incomprehensible babbling, "Can I get a one-line version so I can at least pretend to be helpful?"
"I've been depressed about Vicki," Snow revealed softly, making a huge effort to be as honest as possible without accidentally blurting out the existence of vampires. Lying to Sheriff Forbes about Vicki's fate was nothing compared to her difficulty with keeping secrets from Bonnie and Caroline. Her entire life, Snow never kept anything from her three sisters.
Bobbing her head, Elena solemnly added, "Stefan and I broke up."
Gasped at the two, Bonnie did a sad shake of her head, "I'm so sorry. Are you two okay? Right, stupid question." Sighing, she fixated her wide apologetic eyes on them, her bottom lip extended in a pout, "I know I've been kind of MIA when you two needed me the most. I suck."
Snow immediately brushed the apology off; she had nothing to be sorry for. They did! "Don't say that. I'm certain you had a good reason, Bon," she patted her hand in a kind gesture.
"Shush, Snow. Let her make it up to us and get our minds off of everything," Elena giggled good-naturedly.
A mischievous smirk colored Bonnie's lips, "Just remember you asked for it." Closing the window, she reached over and grabbed a pillow from Elena's large pile, and without warning, ripped it open with her bare hands, emptying it of all its feathers.
"Hey!" Elena yelled in mock outrage, profoundly surprised by the non sequitur.
Snow, too, displaying confusion, asked, "Um, Bon, whatcha doing?"
"Be patient," Bonnie scolded her friends, her tone lacking any bite. She then stared at them, completely solemn, her eyes reflecting the gravity of her next words, "I need to swear the both of you to secrecy."
Elena pouted, "It's kind of a bad week for that kind of stuff."
Forearm extended and hand colliding against Elena's arm in a playful smack, Snow smiled at the caramel-skinned girl, "I promise."
Reciprocating her smile, Bonnie's stern gaze settled on Elena, "Swear, Elena, 'cause I'm not supposed to be showing you guys this."
"I was just kidding. I swear," Elena grinned, chocolate orbs twinkling as she ducked another playful blow from Snow, immensely proud of herself for distracting the kind-hearted girl and making her laugh.
Vibrating with excitement, Bonnie did a little jump, bouncing on the bed, "There's no windows open, right?"
Her good mood truly was infectious as Snow found herself beaming from ear to ear, "Well, there was, but you just closed it."
Rolling her eyes half-heartedly in amusement, Bonnie proceeded, "There's no fan. No air conditioning." Elena and Snow shared a look, feeling as though there should be a drum rolling somewhere in the background.
"None. What are you doing?" Elena's confusion surged, a drop of amusement in her orbs.
Her derriere wiggling on the bed, Bonnie made herself comfortable, eyes flickering from girl to girl, "Grams just showed me this. You're gonna love it. You ready?" She couldn't wait to share her secret with them, and to see their initial reactions, and to be able to confide in her best friends again. Although she hated that she had to keep it from Caroline; while she loved the blonde to death, and would die for her without blinking, Caroline Forbes had a habit of being close-minded in regards to anything… not considered as normal. But according to Grams, Snow would accept her secret wholeheartedly.
"Bonnie, what's going o— Ouch! Snow!" Elena scowled at the aforementioned girl while she rubbed her poor, abused arm. Unrepentant, Snow scolded her, "We'll never know if you keep interrupting."
Lifting her hands, Bonnie moved them in a slow swaying motion from right to left and back again, the entrancing movement an emulation of a dancing wave, and suddenly a feather levitated. Eyes wide, Snow swiped a hand out underneath the levitated feather in a slashing motion, searching for any transparent strings. When she didn't find any, a bubble of childlike laughter sprang from her plump lips and she clapped her hands together in exuberance. Spurred by Snow's reaction and the wonder in Elena's eyes, Bonnie's hand rose a level higher and several more feathers levitated, dancing in circles around the three girls.
"It's beautiful!" Snow gasped, nearly rendered speechless.
A wide dazzling smile on her face, Bonnie cried out, "It's true, Snow, Elena. Everything my Grams told me. It's impossible and it's true. I'm a witch."
Elena let out a laugh, "I believe you."
"We both do," Snow beamed, wonderment vivid on her features.
"It's weird huh? After all this time joking about being psychic, I really am a witch…" Quite unexpectedly, Bonnie looked uncertain, shrinking into herself, "You don't think I'm a freak now, do you?"
Not having to think about it, Snow scoffed, head rapidly shifting in negative, "Of course not! You're special. You have a gift, Bonnie, one that I'm sure you're meant to do wonderful things with."
Bonnie smiled at Snow, extremely touched by her words and the sincerity with which she said them. "You always know what to say. I love you, Snow," she gently squeezed her hand, crinkled eyes brimming with a veneer of happy tears. Breaking the touching spell between them, Elena hesitantly inquired, "Bonnie, your Grams asked you to keep all this a secret, why did you tell us?" Since Snow was keeping secrets alongside the brunette, she didn't miss the sliver of guilt laced in her words.
"You're my best friends. I can't keep secrets from you guys," Bonnie stated as though it were common sense, and when she looked away, Snow and Elena traded identical expressions of guilt, their stomachs dropping at the horrible predicament they had gotten themselves into.
Oh, if only they stayed ignorant and minded their own businesses…
Announcing her imminent departure, Snow took advantage of not having to trek the thirty minute walk to her house and had Bonnie drop her off on her way. While Snow loved spending every moment of her day around her friends and if given the opportunity, would totally move in with all three of them, bouncing from home to home – she practically lived at Elena's having been inducted an honorary Gilbert due to the deceased Miranda Sommers-Gilbert's status as her godmother. However, on this particular day, the soft-spoken girl needed some alone time in order to mourn Vicki Donovan. Therefore, she parted from a somber Elena – who quite vocally begged her to stay – and gladly accepted Bonnie's offer to drop her off. Thankfully, Lucille wasn't at the Manor upon her arrival and the evil stepsisters were apparently out shopping for a last-minute party Caroline was throwing at the Grill, which gave Snow the solitude she needed to grieve.
Snow spent the afternoon painting her nails a brooding purple while she listened to depressing songs on YouTube. Once done, she sank into her bed, not bothering to pull up the thin sheet that according to Lucille, passed as a blanket, and sang along each and every sad song that played on shuffle, her eyes locked on the ceiling as the room slowly darkened, signaling the sun's descent and the moon's rise. However, her melancholy was interrupted by the doorbell and her unexpected visitor. Surprise colored her features when, for the second night in a row, Stefan stood before her threshold, a small smile on his face.
Vehemently taken aback, Snow's lips spread into a passable smile, "Stefan, this is a nice surprise. Come in, come in. What's up?"
Letting out a chuckle, Stefan sheepishly rubbed the nape of his neck, his awkwardness endearing her to him and prompting her smile to become genuine, "I know this is very unlike me, and the timing is completely inappropriate, but I came to ask if you wanted to go to the party at the Grill."
"You're right on both counts. Why the sudden change?" Snow tilted her head, confused.
"My best friend's in town and she wants to meet you and Elena. Plus… it's my birthday, and Lexi is forcing me to go," a smile graced his handsome features when he spoke of Lexi, his tone one of fond exasperation.
Any and all thoughts of turning him down dissipated. She had all the time in the world to mourn Vicki, but Stefan only turned… one hundred and something once. "Okay, first of all, happy birthday! I cannot believe you saw me this morning and didn't bother telling me. Shame on you, Mr. Salvatore!" she playfully rebuked him, prompting his smile to widen. "Second of all, yes, I'd love to celebrate with you and meet Lexi!" She then frowned and looked down at her bare feet, sweatpants and baggy shirt. Her cheeks flushed and she flashed him a sheepish smile, "Uh, let me just change. Make yourself comfortable, I'll just be a quick mo."
Laughing, Stefan promptly accepted her invitation.
Entering the Grill, Stefan gently clutched her elbow and led her through the frenzied throng toward a beautiful willowy blonde by the pool table. On the way over, Stefan provided her a brief summary about Lexi and their close friendship; Lexi Branson was a three-hundred-and-fifty-year-old vampire who happened to be his best and oldest friend, and didn't like feeding from humans, preferring blood bags instead, which is why she acted as a great counselor whenever he "fell off the wagon" – Lexi's words, not Stefan. All in all, she sounded like a wonderful person…vampire?, and Snow was both, excited and nervous to meet her, and not just because Stefan made her seem awesome, but because she'd officially be the oldest individual she met in her life, which was downright intimidating.
Her concerns were put to rest at the wide smile on Lexi's face reflecting unbridled joy at the sight of Stefan. Her hazel-green orbs then widened when they connected with Snow, focusing intently on her eyes, "Oh my God! I had a feeling when Stefan mentioned his friend was a Silverstone." Snow found herself on the receiving end of a bright, extremely fond smile, "It's you… you're Selene's daughter."
It wasn't a question.
Bewildered, Stefan threw his best friend a look that screamed 'why hadn't you mentioned something before!?' On the other hand, Snow reared back slightly, not used to hearing her mother's name being casually dropped in conversation. Even the adults in Mystic Falls avoided bringing her up. "Um, yeah. You, you knew my mother?" desperation laced her words, her eagerness for information regarding her deceased mother palpable. When he was alive, her Dad never spoke about her, prompting the hole inside Snow's chest that yearned to know about the woman who gave birth to her, grow. Selene Silverstone became a taboo subject in Mystic Falls and eventually, Snow learned to stop inquiring about her.
"I did. I saved her life once from a nest of rogue vampires when she was eighteen. And ever since, we kept in touch… Up until fourteen years ago, when she passed away. I would recognize you anywhere, you have her eyes and her bearing," Lexi elucidated, her mouth stretching into a sad smile.
The raven-haired girl cocked her head in confusion, "Wait, how'd you know, we just met."
"Stefan told me all about you. Selene was the same. Her heart was so big, and pure, and she was such a kind and caring soul. Her heart was big enough for everyone, and if I'm right, you share the same Achilles heel," Lexi's tone morphed from matter of fact to conspiratorial, her smile never wavering. "The ease and willingness to forgive," the blonde vampire stated after a suspenseful silence. Stefan chuckled at the veracity of Lexi's deduction and Snow sheepishly studied her feet, her cheeks flushed.
Thrilled at the closely-guarded insight, and ecstatic she shared attributes she believed to have been major flaws in her character, with her mother, Snow whispered, her voice heartfelt and genuine, "Thank you. I, I don't hear much about my mother, I was three when she died and no one likes talking about her."
Eyes bright, Lexi clapped her hands together, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet, "Well, Snow Silverstone, I can tell we're going to get along amazingly, and I have a lot of stories about Selene that I've been dying to share." A hunger slammed into deep pools of violets, desperate and aching to build a connection with her mother, even if it was through Lexi's tales. Stefan mentally patted his shoulders; he had a feeling introducing the two would be good for Snow. He detected the sadness that clung to her since Vicki's transition and consequent death was starting to dissipate. "Now, I'm gonna go to the bar and get us drinks. It's Stefan's B-day today, and we're getting him drunk," Lexi whispered conspiratorially into her ear, prompting a bell-like giggle.
His eyes rolled half-heartedly, "I can hear you, you know."
"I know," Lexi shrugged before bouncing off to the bar. She was still in hearing range – vampire ears – when Snow stated, "I like her." And when the hyperactive vampire returned, she decided to leave them for a while, having spotted Elena amidst the crowd, arms crossed and elbows propped on a table as she leaned into them looking immensely overwhelmed. Despondent chocolate orbs brightened when Snow appeared in front of her, "Hey! Stefan mentioned you'd be here. Are you enjoying yourself, Snow?"
Bobbing enthusiastically, Snow, too excited for small talk, blurted out, "Guess what, Lexi knew my mother. She knew her!" Mouth agape, Elena – intimately aware in regards to Snow's desperation to gain knowledge about the mysterious Selene Silverstone – grabbed her hand in hers and pulled her closer, silently gesturing for her to elucidate. "Apparently, she saved my Mom from a couple of vampires and they've been friends ever since." A nervous laugh darkened Snow's happy exterior, "If we're gonna be technical here, if it weren't for Lexi, I wouldn't have been born."
Aghast at the mere thought, Elena snapped, "Don't talk like that, Snow!" She then sought the two vampires out, observing as they drank shots and played pool, "Lexi is nice. I like her."
That afternoon, after Snow left with Bonnie, Elena threw caution to the wind and followed her gut, which concluded with her entering the Boarding House and being confronted by a towel-clad Lexi – who, admittedly, stared at her strangely, like she was looking at a ghost or something... Initially, she felt her self-esteem drop, and her jealousy reared its ugly head, prompting her to flee the premises. It wasn't until Stefan stopped by and explained the situation, did Elena feel extremely foolish. Stefan mentioned he'd be stopping by Snow's and after her friend texted her, claiming she'd be attending the party, Elena immediately got dressed and headed for the Grill, lying to herself that her only reason for going was to spend time with Snow. Lie!
"Me too! She told me she's got many more stories about my mother! I'm so thrilled, I can't wait to hear them," she squealed in excitement. At that moment, Stefan joined them, genuinely smiling at the vivacious brunette, "Hey, you came."
Clearing her throat nervously, Elena spared him a small smile, "I couldn't miss your hundredth and… whatever birthday. Plus, Snow—"
Tuning out Elena's transparent attempt to utilize her as an alibi for attending the party, alarmed violet eyes intensely scoured the rowdy room as a large dose of fear slammed into her, the potency of the sensation almost crippling her. The cardinal feeling of conviction that originally shaped the fearfulness consuming her was brushed away as she desperately sought after the subject radiating the profound emotion. The effects on Snow was strong, intoxicating and suffocating and, without realizing, she reached a hand out to stabilize herself, blindly gripping Stefan's forearm and thus, beckoning his and Elena's concern. Their combined attempts to grab her attention, the sound of her name inaudible, failed when she finally laid eyes on the subject of her unfathomable fear: Sheriff Forbes and her deputies were leaving through the backdoor, a pale Lexi dragged alongside them.
"Oh my God!" she gasped, her other hand clenching around Elena's wrist.
Beyond concerned, Elena asked, "What? Snow, what's wrong?"
Tugging at Stefan, her mouth parted, Snow pointed at the scene and almost staggered at the fresh onslaught of fear that enveloped her. Without another word, Stefan frantically shoved his way through the crowd and out of the Grill, irregardless of the deputies waylaying him. Sticking close to him, Snow and Elena flanked the vampire just in time to gain front-row seats to Damon driving a stake into a tearful Lexi's heart, killing her…
To muffle her scream, Snow shoved her fist in her mouth, front teeth biting into the knuckles till she tasted blood. Like a puppet on a string, she dropped to her knees, her other hand flat on her chest as an excruciating pain pierced her heart, the organ itself drumming thunderously against her breastbone. It was an exact replication of last night with Vicki – the pain, the tears, the heartbreak, and she just stood there, powerless to stop it. When the pain abated, she couldn't comprehend the meaning of time as, in a trance she shakily got to her feet and opened her eyes, squinting through the wetness to lay her sights on Lexi's previously bright hazel-green eyes staring blankly at the heavens.
And she knew… Lexi Branson was dead. Another life, gone, because of Damon.
Without them realizing, Snow left Elena to comfort Stefan, locating Damon her only mission. Finding him leisurely making his way out of the Grill, she quickened her footsteps, "Damon!"
Damon, while he discerned somebody following him, the lack of smell followed by the sweet melodic voice allowed him to identify his current stalker. Smirking lazily, he stopped and turned, only to find himself taken aback by the tearstains that marred her snow-white complexion, though he deftly concealed it. "What can I do for you Snow Silverstone?" he looked incredibly smug, the arrogance and the pride he felt over his accomplishment wrapping around Snow like a straitjacket.
Fresh tears fell down her face like rivulets. "Why?" she whispered.
The perpetual smirk didn't falter, despite his bemusement, "Why what?"
"Why'd you have to kill her? What did Lexi ever do to you?" the raven-haired girl demanded, clenching her hand into a fist.
One eyebrow tipped upward. "What's it to you, what are you the moral police? You don't even know her," he scoffed, a sneer replacing his smirk as he glared down at her. The amount of morality the girl possessed was sickening. For fifty-one years, he traversed the country as an emotionless vampire, but being in her presence shook his sturdy hold over his off-switch, and he didn't like it. Unfortunately, whenever he conspired to kill her, in order to free himself of the adamantine chains of his slowly emerging humanity, he faltered. She must have one hell of a guardian angel protecting her.
Lips pursed, Snow inclined her head. "That's true. But when I spoke to her tonight, I found out a couple of things, you want to know what?" her voice was soft, almost an inaudible whisper.
Expelling a large breath of pure annoyance, Damon, after rolling his eyes, snapped, "What?" He stubbornly stomped on the guilt that flared within him when the meek girl jumped in fright because of his nasty tone and his abruptness. While he despised what Snow Silverstone stood for, and the effect her soft nature and infallible kindness had on him, he had never, not once, visibly portrayed his feelings to her, always donning a winsome mask in her presence.
"She knew my mother. She saved her life once and if it not for Lexi, I wouldn't be here," Snow revealed softly, her tears a silent stream of angst. "She promised that she'd tell me stories about her. I never knew my Mom, and my Dad stopped talking about her altogether after she died, and soon enough, everyone in this town followed his lead. Are you happy Damon? Now I will never know!"
Damon's smirk dropped. Despite his conflicting feelings about the girl, he never intended to hurt her, and the fact that he was the cause of her pain, of her tears, again, killed him, "Snow–"
Her loud hiccup cut him off, "I have no one in my life, Damon. No one! My mother died when I was three, my Dad was barely around, my stepmother and stepsisters treat me horribly. Then my Dad died when I turned nine. Only Caroline, Elena, Bonnie and Vicki were constant fixtures in my life. Grayson and Miranda were like second parents to me and they died. You nearly killed Caroline, you turned Vicki which led to her death… and, and now, now you killed someone that had the potential to become someone important to me… someone to tell me stories I have been wishing to hear since I was a little girl. And you took that from me? Do you hate me or something? Did I, did I do something to you?"
He gaped at her in shock once she had let everything off her chest, rendered speechless. In theory, she got on his nerves because she was inadvertently awakening his humanity, and while he, at times, hated her for that, he was incapable of hurting him. "Snow, of course not, I don't hate you," but even to him, his words sounded weak.
"Then why do you keep taking people from me? I barely have anyone left," Snow cried.
The vampire took a step toward her, attempting to comfort her, but Snow instantly recoiled away from him. "Just, just leave me alone, Damon. I can't take it anymore, being around you hurts. It hurts… death hurts me!" and with that, Snow turned her back on him and ran, creating a large distance between them, and leaving him to watch her retreating back, severely conflicted. In the recess of Damon Salvatore's mind, the chain wrapped around his humanity weakened.
CAST:
Arielle Kebbel as Lexi Branson
"Dad's on a hunting trip. And he hasn't been home in two months… and counting. Dad's missing and I need you to help me find him, Sam. He just, he upped and vanished, said he'll be in touch. Two months I've been working my own gigs, waiting, then finally, I get this voicemail yesterday." – Dean Winchester
"Dean…something big is starting to happen…I need to try and figure out what's going on. It may… Be very careful, Dean. We're all in danger." – John Winchester
"He's just deer hunting up at the cabin, he's probably got Jim, Jack, and José along with him. I'm just going to go bring him back." – Sam Winchester
"What are we doing for your birthday? It's not everyday a guy turns a hundred and sixty-two years old." – Lexi Branson
"I'll miss her but…I think it's for the best." – Jeremy Gilbert (about Vicki)
"You can trust Snow. You must trust her. She's worthy of our secret." – Sheila Bennett
"We've exhausted every other option. We have to consider the vampire may be walking around during the day. Right in front of us." – Elizabeth Forbes
"Look dungeon boy I'm done being your little slave girl." – Caroline Forbes
"I'm just jealous of your restraint. I have none. I delight in hedonism." – Lexi Branson
"You and Dad still running credit card scams?" – Sam Winchester
"Damon, stay away from Caroline." – Stefan Salvatore
"I think we need to lace Caroline's plumbing with vervain, let her shower in the stuff so Damon can't compel her anymore." – Snow Silverstone
"It's my day. And that guy that jump naked in the Trevi fountain and got drunk on the torch of the statue of Liberty, that guy can take a break from all of his worrying for one night and go to a stupid party. So quit your whining and go get ready." – Lexi Branson
"I have no desire to tie Elena to Katherine. Ok yes, yes the resemblance is what drew me in. But that's it. Katherine and Elena may look the same on the outside but on the inside they are completely different." – Stefan Salvatore
"Oh my god! You're in love with her." – Lexi Branson
"It's not the first time she's run off. Turns out Vicki's just like our mother; I can't count on either of them. Thanks for trying." – Matt Donovan
"No, you are the only stupid thing here. And shallow. And useless." – Damon Salvatore (to Caroline)
"You're really serious about this, aren't you? You think you're going to become some lawyer? Marry your girl? Does Jessica know the truth about you? I mean, does she know about the things you've done?" – Dean Winchester
"To Dad? And his crusade? If it weren't for pictures I wouldn't even know what Mom looks like. And what difference would it make? Even if we do find the thing that killed her, Mom's gone. And she isn't coming back." – Sam Winchester
"Elena, I took away the suffering." – Damon Salvatore (about Jeremy)
"The love of my life was human. He went through, what I imagine you're going through: denial, anger, et cetera. But at the end of the day, love really did conquer all." – Lexi Branson
"Snow's really big on fairy tales. And true love. And soulmates. I think you'll be really good for her. The fact you knew her mother, and have stories to tell, those are just bonuses." – Elena Gilbert
"That's true. I'm shallow, I am worst than shallow, I'm a kiddie pool! God, where's Snow when you need her to make everything better." – Caroline Forbes
"I have a diabolical master plan." – Damon Salvatore
"Everywhere I've been, pain and death follow; Damon follows me. No more." – Stefan Salvatore
"You saved my life. I'm sparing yours. We're even. And now we're done." – Stefan Salvatore
"I wish ghosts exist, that way I can see everyone I've been robbed of." – Snow Silverstone
"We got work to do." – Sam Winchester
"It's coming." – Emily Bennett
"It's almost time." – Sophie Deveraux
A/N: Sorry for killing Lexi; her death had to happen. But this is Mystic Falls, and from what we've seen, death isn't permanent, so you never know what might happen. And so, more revelations occurred and we got some insight into the mysterious Selene Silverstone. What's happening to Snow? Only time will tell!
Also, as you can see from the quotes, we've finally kicked off Supernatural! I'll explain more in later chapters, but for now, a head's up, the timeline of Supernatural is going to be very different. For example, the ending of Season 1 corresponds with that of TVD S1. So, in other words, S1 of SPN occurs in the span of a month, not a year like in Canon. Details will be explained later.
R&R.