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CHAPTER 12:
THE FIFTIES BITES
Guardian (noun): a person who is legally responsible for the care of someone who is unable to manage their own affairs, especially a child whose parents have died
"I think that someone is watching out for me, God, my guardian angel, I'm not sure who that is, but they really work hard."
"It is good to be scared. It means you have something to lose."
"Every fairytale needs a good old-fashioned villain."
"She'll make it out, but she's never the same. She's lookin' down, at the scars that remain."
Upon the passing of the two prescribed days, Snow was finally discharged into Logan's care. Throughout the entirety of her stay at the Intensive Care Unit, Logan only left her side for a change of clothes, Richard a close second, canceling all important mayoral duties for the span of her stay. Carol and Jenna were regular fixtures as well, though since they had mouths to feed and teenagers to take care of, they couldn't park by her bedside for long; the same for Liz Forbes, her added duty as Sheriff eliciting an apology for her inability to stay long. Her friends too, made a point to stop by before and after school, and even the Salvatore brothers weren't strangers to her bedside. Another regular visitor was Roy Dawson, his jovial smile and his wife's home-cooked meals touching her deeply. And… despite the horrible circumstances that landed her on that hospital bed, fighting for her life, and in immeasurable pain, Snow Silverstone secretly admitted she's never felt happier, the realization finally hitting her that she was very much loved and that her absence would be missed and profoundly mourned.
The subsequent three days were spent in Silverstone Manor, Logan temporarily moving in until Lucille and her daughters returned to town. Apparently, with all the suspicions circulating in regards to Lucille's strange absence from the hospital, she had become a person of interest in the investigation surrounding Snow's attempted murder – suspicions instigated by Carol and Jenna, both of whom harbored a deep aversion to the "hag!" for not only successfully integrating herself into their close-knitted community by marrying into one of Mystic Fall's foremost prestigious and prominent families, but mostly because of her disregard for Snow and the atrocious treatment she received at Lucille's hands. Unfortunately for Jenna and Carol, the main women spearheading the campaign to have her arrested, Lucille had taken her daughters to Hawaii for the week, none of them fans of the winter season, and had left town the moment school let out on Wednesday afternoon, which so happened to coincide with Snow's attack.
What irritated them the most was that it was a mother-daughter tradition for the odious trio – even when Stanley Silverstone was alive. Lucille would take her daughters to Hawaii on Snow's birthday and depending on circumstances, they would remain on the island for days up to a week. This arrangement worked well for Stanley and Snow, as it allowed them privacy and the continuation of their traditions. Jenna however, despite the week-long tradition, was adamant the timing was perfect for Lucille to get away with her reprehensible act, but Liz's hands were tied; she couldn't go around, blindly blaming selective townspeople on the basis of her deep disdain toward them, not without tangible proof, and upon checking the passenger manifest, the spotlight eliminated from Lucille, as it was impossible for her to be in two places at once.
Outside of Richard and Liz's investigation, new developing issues were suddenly made aware regarding Snow.
Shaken up by her near-death experience, the fact a killer was loose in Mystic Falls, and that a non-vampire had a vendetta against Snow for reasons unknown to her and everybody else, her movements were watched around the clock. Stuck indoors on bed rest, Logan had been willing to literally camp in her bedroom, a sleeping bag already prepared with the purpose of sleeping on the floor of her bedroom so that he would remain close to her side at all times, however that was until Caroline came up with the brilliant suggestion to have a marathon sleepover at Silverstone Manor – "Come on! The last time we had a sleepover there was when we were eight! I really think this'll do Snow some good. Plus, we should take advantage of the witch-bitch and her disgusting cows' absence!"
Naturally, as most of Caroline's ideas, her suggestion was considered a great one – Snow put the sun to shame with the face-splitting smile that materialized on her face when she descended the stairs to find the three girls camped out in her living room, three mattresses fastened together to make one large bed that'd fit all four of them, strategically placed in front of the large plasma television flanked by stacks of DVDs, and a mountain of junk food in between – "We're gonna slumber it!" Elena grinned toothily – and, under Logan's watchful gaze, not to mention his enhanced hearing, they were cocooned in safety. He ensured Elena, Caroline and Bonnie didn't skip school to appease the parents/guardians, however, the moment school let out, the girls religiously made their way back to the Manor.
Suddenly, the mattress dipped and a pair of strong arms wound around her, the concern in Logan's inquiry bringing her back to planet earth, "How're you feeling, honey?"
"A bit sore," she admitted easily, her hand hovering around the almost unblemished skin of her abdomen.
This eventually enlightened them to the aberration that revolved around Snow.
While mediocre compared to a vampire's healing factor, Snow was healing at an accelerated rate for a human. Following her awakening from surgery, the physical damage to her abdomen healed too quick to be considered normal until, five days later – today morning – the scarring of her abdomen was minimal. In fact, Logan postulated by nighttime or the next morning, there wouldn't be any lingering scar tissue. Despite the exterior of the stab wound, Snow nevertheless suffered from internal injury, any abrupt movement paining her – and that anomaly eliminated any vestige thought Logan and Damon had, that the miraculous transfusion had been laced with vampire blood, which inevitably cured her.
All in all, her enhanced healing alerted the group to the postulation that Snow might not be fully human.
Upon inquiry, Bonnie and her Grams vehemently insisted Snow Silverstone was not a witch – Sheila would have automatically sensed Snow as a fellow witch from the moment of her birth and that neither Selene nor Stanley were witches. Getting in touch with Sophie, while bemused by the oddity of his query, adamantly claimed that neither she, nor her coven, had cast any sort of spell on the girl, and that the nature of a healing spell was to instantaneously heal any and all injuries afflicting a person, and not result in a half-completed healing.
Consumed by terror that her attacker would return to finish the job upon discovering she had survived, irregardless of all the odds stacked against her that ensured her death, nobody brought it up, not wanting to further her concerns by shedding light that she might not be fully human. Snow already thought of herself a freak and a weakling because of her 'subservient' character and forgiving nature. Additionally, Logan and Damon simultaneously came to the decision to postpone informing her of the mysterious donor's identity, claiming the truth, which was that the man chose to keep his identity confidential. Logan didn't have the heart to break the news to Snow; while he knew Snow would be delighted at the discovery that her father was alive, there was no doubting the heartbreak the revelation would generate as, not only did Stanley abandon her, but he left her in an abusive and oppressing household while letting her mourn him to the extent that, despite the passage of years, Snow had yet to get over the depression of his death.
"Honey, won't you reconsider? Let me give you a drop of my blood, your internal injuries will go and that way, you can enjoy the dance with your friends. I'll be chaperoning," Logan cajoled, looking down at her with a fond smile on his handsome face. He wanted Snow to enjoy herself and act like the teenager she was supposed to be without death threats hanging over her head. When Logan finally decided to become the guardian Selene wanted him to be, he made a promise to himself to keep her safe and happy, therefore, he didn't want her living in constant fear, choosing to hole herself up behind closed doors and ignore the world.
Her lips pursed into a sad pout. "Uncle Logan, Lucille and the twins will most definitely be back sometime today." A breathy scoff left her, "There's no way Haisley and Paisley are going to miss a school dance. Not willingly. Not even for sunny Hawaii. So… you won't be able to stick around anymore." She averted his intent gaze, instead focusing on his fingers as she absentmindedly fiddled with them.
Tamping down the fury coursing through him, Logan forced a smile and with the middle knuckle of his index finger, tilted her chin up to meet his hazel eyes, "I know. Which is why you're sleeping at my place for the remainder of the week, I'm just waiting for Lucille to arrive so I can formally notify her." Snow's eyes instantaneously sparkled with gleeful delight at his words. He grinned, teeth on full display, "Now, please let me heal you with my blood."
If Logan had it his way, that-, that woman and her brats would be kicked out of the Manor and in the streets. Already vindictive, becoming a vampire amplified his worst traits, and Logan Fell found himself currently thirsting for vengeance more than blood. He had a plan, one that the calculating and ruthless Fell was taking his time to implement. However, if all went to plan, he estimated before Snow's eighteenth birthday and thus, the reading of Stanley and Selene's will, Lucille and her daughters would no longer be residents of Silverstone Manor, nor will they have access to the riches and valuables available with the Silverstone name.
Worst case scenario, if all didn't go according to plan, Logan vowed to murder Lucille and be rid of her toxic existence once and for all, rendering her daughters penniless orphans.
A line of wetness cascaded down her face, "What if my attacker finds me again? I don't want to be a vampire."
Gently carding a hand through her hair, Logan radiated utmost calmness with all the strength he could muster as the mere mention of his goddaughter's attacker risked him flying into a bout of uncontrollable rage, "Snow, it's just a drop. The lesser the quantity the sooner it'd be flushed from your system. By the dance, you won't have any blood in your system and besides-" wagging his eyebrows, he donned a charming smirk, "-I am not letting you out of my sight. I'm chaperoning, remember?"
Emitting a giggle, she nodded obediently. Relieved, Logan pricked his finger and allowed a few drops of his blood to dribble into a plastic cup. "The decision is yours. I'm not going to force you, hun."
Snow eyed the cup in contemplation. While the pain was more bearable than the previous day, Snow had been looking forward to attending the dance with her best friends. Decade Dances were Snow's favorite events in Mystic Falls High, and from the moment school began on September, she's been impatiently waiting for the first one. Staring intently at the crimson blob at the bottom of the cup, she nodded to herself, having come to a decision; she didn't want to be on bed rest anymore and she wanted to enjoy the 50s dance with her friends and go to school again – though she'd have to act in pain and purposely slow her movements for a while so as to not have the Council become suspicious of her swift recovery.
Hand trembling, she downed back her godfather's blood. The feeling was instantaneous; she felt tissue knitting internally and the pain decreased into a speck before finally, it was gone.
A smile broke out on Snow's face and she stared at Logan in wonder, "It's gone. I don't, I'm not in pain anymore. Thank you!" Arms extended, she lunged at Logan, embracing him tightly, to which the vampire gladly reciprocated, his lips lingering at the top of her head as he placed a chaste kiss.
The familial moment was broken by the telltale sound of a car approaching and then haphazardly parking by the driveway, his augmented hearing identifying Lucille's arrival while Snow remained blissfully unaware. Untangling himself from Snow's desperate grip, he placed a kiss on her forehead and smiled, ensuring it filled her with reassurance – he didn't want Snow worrying about her step-mother anymore, not while he's around. "Pack a bag, will you? Don't worry if you leave anything behind, I'll buy you whatever you need. I'll be having a little chat with your step-mom, 'kay?"
The usual sensation of uneasiness Snow experienced before any confrontations with Lucille had dissipated, Logan's presence in her life shrouding him with unbreakable safety. Nodded happily, she jumped out of bed, a bell-like laugh escaping her at the lack of pain and her restored mobility.
Descending the stairs, the relaxed, easygoing air encapsulating Logan was gone at the sight of that woman. "Madam Styne. It's been a while," he captured her muddy-green stare which were wide with unadulterated surprise with a baleful glare of his own. Similarly, upon seeing Logan Fell in her house, she banished her tittering daughters from the room with a stern glance. The twins grudgingly left, though not before they each sent Logan a yearning, star-struck gaze that had him inwardly shudder.
Sniffing in disdain, Lucille haughtily retorted, "It's Silverstone as you are well aware, Mr. Fell. I find myself confused and frankly, insulted at you and Mayor Lockwood's persistence to call me by my previous name."
"Do you?" he bit back sarcastically, a brow arched in mock disbelief. Reaching the landing, Logan summoned a necessary amount of tolerance to withstand the shrew before him as he crossed the distance between them. "The front you portray may work on most of the town, but not on me. It never has." Suddenly, he snapped, "Where have you been?!"
Her visage an ugly shade of maroon, she sneered, "I do not see why it is any of your business! You have no business here."
"Ahh, but I have returned." A Cheshire-like smile on his face that never bode well to those unlucky few who happened to be on its receiving end, he divulged, each word emphasized for his total audience of one, "For good." Maroon turned to a shocking pale of white, Lucille comprehending the true meaning behind those two innocuous words. "Your stepdaughter nearly died. Did you know that? She was attacked on her way home from school. Convenient your trip to Hawaii, wasn't it?" Logan's tone reeked heavily of condescension, the accusation clear in his flinty hazel orbs.
Rearing back as though she had been struck, Lucille spluttered in indignant rage, "Ho-How dare you!" Her complexion rapidly went through many shades, settling on a crimson flush of fury. "Are you insinuating that I had anything to do with the attempt on her life!? If I had known, I would have taken a flight back, but as you well know-" she sneered pointedly, her following dig specifically meant for the journalist, "-news in Mystic Falls is not broadcasted internationally or nationally."
"Ouch," he uttered sarcastically, a hand over his heart in mock offense. "You're saying you had absolutely nothing to do with the attempted murder on my goddaughter?!" a warning laced his tone, daggers boring into her skull.
Invading his personal space, Lucille poked him on the sternum, her nail digging into his royal-blue muscle-fit jumper with each prod and her lip curling in contempt, "I deplore your implication. I may not have treated Snow like I do my daughters, and I admit, I do not love Stan's girl, I never have. But I am no murderer!"
Silence ensued.
Whereas Lucille was tense, her face flushed and teeth bared, absolutely furious and defensive, Logan was the epitome of poise and nonchalance. Hands clasped behind his back, acute hazel orbs analyzed her, his handsome features smooth and placid. Toward the end of Lucille's heated defense however, his eyes narrowed ever so slightly, a reaction that couldn't be distinguished by the human eye. "No. No, Lucille, you're not. I believe you. You're no murderer," he finally uttered, observing her carefully with intent eyes. Appeased, she took a step away from him, an inaudible exhalation of relief leaving her. But Logan wasn't done. "You would never dare get your hands dirty," he sneered, taking a menacing step forward and covering the distance Lucille recently vacated. "You're not a murderer. No. Just a skilled liar and an even better negotiator."
If looks could kill, six feet under would be a kindness to Lucille, one she didn't deserve.
Splutters emanated from her, but before a retort could slip past her lips, Logan cut her off, "Back to the matter at hand, Snow will be staying with me for the remainder of the week. As her legal guardian, I'm doing the courtesy of notifying you, not that you'd care or even notice her absence, hmm." Bitterness and malice incorporated together to create a tone of contemptuous loathing that made Lucille flinch back in alarm.
At that moment, light footsteps permeated the air and a hesitant Snow appeared, a duffle bag over her shoulder and her large violet orbs fixated on Logan, purposely disregarding Lucille's presence. Giving Lucille another baleful glare, Logan sidestepped her and rushed over to Snow's side, immediately extricating the duffle bag from her hold and transferring it onto his own shoulder. Placing his other arm around her shoulders, he escorted her to the door, his glare not once detaching from Lucille's furious face.
Gritting her teeth, the bony woman forced her lips to spread into a smile – it looked painful. "Snow darling, I feel so terribly guilty I wasn't here in your time of need. Do forgive me," her motherly tone didn't fool anyone. Nevertheless, Snow grimaced and in a barely audible voice, whispered, "It's-, it's alright."
"No, no it isn't," Logan interjected in a harsh voice. "From here on out, all decisions pertaining to Snow, whatever necessities she might need, they will all be taken care of by me. I make the decisions, what I say goes. This is Snow's house and the house of her ancestors, and for that reason she will continue to live here. But make no mistake, I am her guardian and I will be monitoring you and your daughters closely, one step out of line and I'll make sure you no longer call this Manor home. Got it?!"
Rendered speechless, Lucille stuck to glowering at the formidable journalist as though she hoped the potency of her glare would end with his death.
Smirking nastily at the older woman, Logan ushered a timid Snow out of the Manor, "I'll be seeing you, Madam Styne."
"Knock, knock!" an exuberant feminine singsong voice seeped into the house's interior from the crack under the door.
Opening the door, Logan grinned charmingly at Elena and Stefan. The brunette promptly waltzed inside and, to Logan's surprise, greeted him with a quick yet tight hug, her returning grin dazzling and genuine. While Jenna had major issues with Logan Fell that spanned all the way back to when they were high school sweethearts to him 'ditching' town on her in present-day, Elena had no grievances with the journalist, slash, best friend's godfather.
Truth be told, Elena found herself growing inconceivably fond of her aunt's ex-boyfriend, feeling bad that Jenna had quickly moved on with Alaric Saltzman.
"And hello to you too, Princess," Logan chuckled, squeezing the brunette's shoulder affectionately. Elena rolled her eyes in good humor, playfully swatting him for the nickname. Still chuckling, his voice full of laughter, he called out, "Snow, can you invite Stefan!" He had signed the deed of the house over to Snow in order to keep unwelcome vampires from entering without permission and to act as a safe-house for his goddaughter. No sooner had he asked, did the barrier preventing Stefan entry collapse, allowing him to cross the threshold and join his girlfriend.
Pecking her boyfriend on the cheek and sticking her tongue out at Logan, Elena rushed to the room designated as Snow's new and improved bedroom, while Stefan shared a beer with Logan in the living room.
Peering around the door, Elena squealed her friend's name and flung herself onto her bed, strangling Snow in an almost suffocating embrace. Violet orbs shone with glee at the sight of her best friend; although they had seen each other that same morning, Snow missed her already. It was agreed upon by Elena and Bonnie that, their marathon sleepover would revolve around normalcy, a relive of the good old days before the Salvatore brothers strutted into Mystic Falls, toting around their dark secret, and therefore, they hadn't spoken a word of vampires or witches or evil lookalikes – especially since Caroline was regrettably, still in the dark.
The pleasantries out of the way, Elena broke into a lengthy speech, elucidating Snow on everything she had missed out on since Wednesday afternoon, beginning with the vampire that totaled her car to Damon rescuing her and forcing her onto a road trip to Georgia, all of which was initiated by her freak out over the fact that she lookedlike an exact replica of Katherine, culminating to Stefan informing her of his discovery: she was adopted by the Gilberts.
Snow, ever the avid listener, made the perfect audience, emitting the right sounds throughout Elena's tale, her expressive face morphing into a variety of appropriate emotions at each part. "Wow, Lena, just-, just wow! That's a lot to take in. So Katherine's basically your identical twin." All of a sudden, a trill of laughter escaped her and she smacked a hand to muffle the end of it. Sheepishly, she shrugged, though her eyes glittered with uncontained mirth, "Lena, you literally have an evil twin!"
And just like that, Elena's glumness regarding the entire Katherine matter was swept away by Snow's unique ability to look at the world. Forget rose-tinted glasses… it should be called Snow-tinted glasses, patented by the aforementioned bubbly teen herself. "Only you, Snow. Only you," she chuckled, head shaking fondly. "I'm not happy about it but…Stefan loves me for who I am, not because I look like her," she justified.
"Of that I never doubted," Snow's tone radiated utmost confidence. "I don't just see it, Lena, I feel it. From the very first day, whenever he so much as looks at you-" an blissful emotion overtook her lovely features and she inhaled deeply, interlaced hands hovering over her heart, "-I can't describe it. And anyways, while you and Katherine do look the same, it's your personalities that make you different. Stefan fell in love with you, Elena. Love is, it's a result of the entire package, not physical appearance. You cannot fall in love with somebody because they're beautiful or handsome."
Elena chuckled, "My best friend, the poet."
A mock scowl on her face, Snow playfully kicked the brunette off her bed. Landing on her derriere, after a moment of blinking, both girls burst into laughter, a veneer of moisture in their respective eyes. Recovering from their bout of humor, Elena jumped back onto the bed, her shoulder brushing the raven-haired girl's. "Hey, Lena…" Biting her lower lip, Snow tilted her head to properly gauge Elena's reaction, a small crease between her brows, "Do you think it's possible that… the vampire you ran over and my attacker are the same person?"
"No," Elena vehemently shook her head. "This guy's stalking me and a while back, he called my phone. Besides, a vampire doesn't use blades, and according to our resident vampires, you don't have a scent. There's no legit reason for a vampire to target you. Plus, Logan, Stefan, Damon, Mayor Lockwood and Sherriff Forbes are quite adamant he's human." She reached out for Snow's hand.
Lowering her gaze to their linked hands, Snow whispered, "That doesn't make me feel any better. All my life, I've never hurt anyone, why would this person try to kill me?"
The brunette embraced the dark-haired girl, tears running down her face at what their lives had become. Elena was being stalked by a vampire and Snow was being hunted by some assassin. Ten years ago, when they wondered where they would be in the future, this wasn't it. "I don't know, Snow, but I promise you we're going to find out. We're all looking into it. Everyone is invested in finding this sicko. We're gonna keep you safe," Elena's tone was firm, leaving no room for doubts or what if's.
Letting out a barely audible sniff, Snow brushed her tears away and gave the brunette a watery smile. "Okay, change of subject. How are you feeling with the fact you're adopted?"
In the living room, the vampires were immersed in a more confidential matter that consisted of incredibly sensitive information. Since the past five days revolved around Snow, and only Snow, barely leaving her side except for when the teenager performed her daily and nightly ablutions, Logan had yet to confide in Stefan of his and Damon's startling discovery…until now.
"Are you certain it's Stanley Silverstone?" hesitant to believe the disclosure, Stefan repeated himself for the third time; what with Elena wanting to find her birth parents and now Snow's supposedly dead father surfacing, not to mention the company of three vampires Logan briefly spoke of, one of which Stefan was positive, was stalking his girlfriend, Damon's revelation of twenty-seven vampires desiccated in the tomb and his simultaneous obsession with getting Katherine out, and an assassin running amok in Mystic Falls… to put it bluntly, they had a lot on their plates, and they needed to be a hundred percent sure before opening that certain door. They didn't need to invite more trouble, thank you very much.
Logan responded with a deadpanned look. "I'm positive. Stefan, I've witnessed his signature dozens of times and his ridiculous chicken scratch. Trust me, Stanley. is. alive!" he exclaimed in a forlorn tone, "Don't ask me how, but obviously he faked his death… Now there are two reasons someone would go through such a process: either he was in danger, or, as much as I hate to say it, he no longer wanted Snow in his life." His expression grim, Logan pointed out, "I, for one, prefer the first option."
"Or perhaps-" Stefan added pensively, "-Snow's life was in danger and this was the only choice he could think of." Resolute with the third reason he had come up with, he leaned forward, "Think about it, it makes sense. I mean, eight years he's presumed dead and all of a sudden he barges into town and donates blood to save her life. If he doesn't care about Snow, then why bother making the trip back and risk blowing his cover? He knew the possibility was high that someone might recognize him."
Finding holes in Stefan's theory, Logan pointed out, "Yeah, but if Snow's in danger, how does faking her death keep her safe? Fact is, right now, Snow is in danger, and hypothetically, I can see how faking her death would protect her but…" He trailed off with a one-shouldered shrug and drained back his beer. Huffing out an exasperated breath, Stefan mimicked Logan and tossed away his bottle as the latter returned with two more bottles.
"Bottoms up!" Logan saluted, raising his bottle and taking a large swig, Stefan mirroring him. Wiping his beer-stained lips with the back of his hand, Logan emitted an "mmhpphmm" noise with a mouthful of beer that aptly described a 'Eureka' moment, "Another thing, how in the ever-loving Hell did Stanley know about Snow's condition? Wherever he was, I doubt he was anywhere near Mystic Falls—"
"He must have been notified the moment she got attacked," Stefan interjected, forest green eyes widening in shock and visage dawning with realization. Logan scoffed out a mirthless laugh, "I don't know 'bout you, Stef, but I smell a witch and she fucking reeks!" The usually laidback and mischievous man currently possessed an emotionless expression and hard, flinty eyes as another realization slammed into him with the full-force of a mother-effin' tank – for the past two months, a thought had been niggling at his mind, constantly wondering why a coven of powerful witches were concerned and wholly invested in Snow's continued survival; it wasn't a farfetched thought that they weren't… that Stanley Silverstone was.
Could it be? Could Stanley have enlisted them to protect his daughter which ultimately led Sophie to him on that fateful night? Had he unwittingly returned to fulfill his duty as a godfather through Stanley's clever orchestration, all while he remained in the background, pulling the strings…
Lips compressed, Stefan, in slow motion, nodded his agreement, "He must have asked a witch to keep an eye on her. The only witches in Mystic Falls are the Bennetts. Bonnie's clueless, which leaves Sheila."
Honest to God, Stefan's head was about to burst with the incessant addition of unbelievable newfound knowledge. …Seriously, what was with the parents in Mystic Falls? Their drama almost surpassed that of their children's.
"I had high hopes of unearthing everything before I told Snow, but I've hit a wall. A brick one!" Obviously frustrated, Logan took a larger swig from his bottle, a deep golden trail cascading down the corner of his lips as a result of his haste. "I want our foundation to be built on trust, I'm not gonna start by keeping something this big from her." Dragging a hand through his hair, he let loose a long-drawn-out breath, "I'm going to let her know tomorrow. Tonight, I want her to enjoy the dance with her friends, be a damn teenager for once."
A smile flickered on Stefan's face, "You're good to her."
Raising his beer in another mock salute, Logan admitted, his tone solemn, "She's all I got left. Contrary to popular belief, while I still do love Jenna, I didn't come back for her. Miranda was Snow's godmother, so I entrusted her and Grayson with her, ditched town and convinced myself into a forced state of peace of mind, adamant she was better off with the Gilberts as role models. But now that they're gone, she needs someone to look after her, least 'til she's eighteen. Or twenty-one if she lets me. And I do not trust that hag carrying around the Silverstone name like she's a part of the family." An ugly, malicious shadow settled on Logan's face at the mere mention of Lucille.
Leaning forward, Stefan clinked the neck of his bottle with Logan's, "I don't either." He then grimaced, "From what I've heard, she treats Snow like a servant. I don't see the appeal of that…woman."
A winsome grin brightened the handsome journalist's face and he let out a cheerful "Aha!" before tipping the rim of the bottle to his lips, "Amen, brother!"
Brushing his knuckles against the door in a perfunctory knock, Logan entered Snow's newly refurbished bedroom, hazel orbs searching for his goddaughter. Due to the cancellation of Snow's traditional birthday dinner, what with her having spent her seventeenth birthday fighting for her life in an operating room, everybody pooled in their efforts to create Snow a gorgeous, comfortable bedroom; a safe haven – something the young girl never possessed.
Carol Lockwood and Caroline Forbes in particular were completely invested in making the room the definition of perfection, and together they worked like a couple of deranged women possessed. The men did the heavy lifting while the girls decorated – excluding the aforementioned deranged duo who barked orders around. In the end, the result was worth all the trouble and the large dose of Carol Lockwood at the sight of happy tears shining through Snow's violet orbs, her face radiating with exuberance.
Airy and bright, the room was spacious and modern with a tall ceiling, the color scheme a soft blend of lavender, cream and beige and thus, exuded warmth and comfort. A comfortable queen-sized platform bed was backed into an upholstered accent wall in cream flanked by a bookshelf and a matching nightstand table, and deep purple tufted ottomans decorated the room, one of which sat before the vanity table. A reading nook had been installed by the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the idyllic garden and the picturesque neighborhood, the drapes a deep purple. Also, simple lights were built into the walls – a design idea that prompted much controversy as Carol insisted on an extravagant chandelier which was immediately shot down by Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena, the three of whom knew Snow preferred simplicity as opposed to anything unnecessarily ostentatious. The room's furniture was light wood and the flooring a subtle shade darker. In the middle of the room, a large lush rug, its color a sophisticated cream, was laid out, and a vintage-looking fourteen-drawer dresser, each of which possessed antique bronze knobs, in light wood was backed to the wall, a floor-to-ceiling mirror to its right. Lastly, the room contained a walk-in closet and an adjoining bathroom.
"Jellybean?" he called out, voice permeating the empty room.
Living with a vampire was tantamount to a life without privacy. Due to his enhanced senses, Logan easily heard her rummaging through her room, mumbling noncommittally under her breath before she sequestered herself in her bathroom with a petulant huff. Immediately afterwards, he discerned her sniffling. Wanting to give Snow some semblance of privacy, Logan waited a short while before making his way to her room. "What's wrong?" he asked the moment she emerged from the bathroom, tearstains on her face.
Snow let out a wet chuckle. "I don't think I'm gonna go tonight. Because of…recent events-" and wasn't that a tame way of saying "because of my near-death experience", "-I didn't have time to get a dress. I-I've nothing to wear…" she trailed off sadly.
Knowing from her friends that Snow lived and breathed for the decade dances, the only events the high school threw that she looked forward to, he was glad he had taken Caroline's advice, the vivacious blonde truly an amazing friend and a life-saver. Approaching his goddaughter, Logan wiped the last traces of wetness with the pads of his thumbs and smiled, "Did you honestly think I'd have let you attend the dance with nothing to wear?"
Before Snow could process the meaning behind his words, he disappeared and promptly reappeared in front of her, two rectangular parcels in hand and he gently placed them on the bed.
Upon opening the larger parcel, her lips parted in shock and she lifted a hand to cover them. A beautiful knee-length, halter-necked red skater dress decorated with white polka dots was neatly folded within. "U-Uncle Logan, you-, you shouldn't have," stuttering in awe, her voice faint, Snow couldn't help but stare at the vampire in gratitude, her gorgeous eyes now sparkling with joy.
"Like I said before, Snow, I'm here now and I'm going to take care of you. Meaning, if Lucille won't be providing you with anything you need, you come to me and I will." A thoughtful crease suddenly formed between his brows, "Which reminds me, I want you to quit your job at the Grill. You won't be needing cash anymore." His tone was firm and unyielding, conveying how serious he was regarding this certain topic. Snow was a rich heiress of an influential family, she shouldn't have been cleaning after sloppy customers and serving them food in the first place – yet another black mark against Lucille.
She couldn't believe her ears. Snow felt like she was living a dream right out of the pages from her favorite fairy tales. Forget having a fairy godmother, Snow Silverstone had the best godfather in the world, and she thanked her dearly departed mother for choosing Logan Fell as her best friend and for trusting her future happiness and guardianship with him, regardless of the amount of time it took for the newly-turned vampire to wake up from his haze of bachelorhood and take up responsibility of her.
Having learned to rely on herself, for as long as she could remember – even when her father was alive – Snow took care of herself and her needs. To have somebody in her life now, relinquishing her of the role she adjusted to long ago, it made Snow tremble with shock, "I can't ask that from you, you being in my life is more than enough."
But Logan wouldn't budge, "I'm offering, Jellybean. Nothing would make me happier." His lips curled into a mirthful smile, "I must say, I've never begged a lady to let me take care of them but I would be greatly honored if you'd be my first. Let me take care of you, please?"
Giggling buoyantly, Snow gestured an agreement and threw her arms around him. Pecking the top of her head, he reached out for the second parcel and handed it over, "Come on. Open it." She gasped in awe; inside was a pair of white T-strap wedges, delicate beads cascading on one side. "Thank you, Uncle Logan," profound love laced her tone.
For the first time in…ever, Snow got to experience being dropped off to a high school dance by a parental figure, and her heart swelled to the extent it could've exploded from sheer happiness.
Parting from Logan, Snow skipped off to join Caroline and Bonnie by the edge of the self-created dance floor, each step zinging with jubilance. Greeting them with beaming smiles and complimenting each other on their respective outfits, violet eyes instantly sought out the remaining quarter of their quartet, a fond smile curving her lips the moment they landed on the gorgeous couple, Stefan dipping a joyful Elena without warning. "I want that," she murmured wistfully to herself.
Across the room, Damon, having instantly taken note of Logan's arrival, abruptly cut short his conversation with Alaric Saltzman, the suspicious history teacher who asked way too many questions for his liking, and made his way toward him. "Logan," he greeted laconically through gritted teeth, his jaw taut, obviously not having recovered from the nuisance that hit him whenever he stood within close proximity to the new vampire.
Hazels collided with electric-blues, and the former vampire smirked much like the cat that caught the canary. His tone mischievous and containing a singsong lilt, he responded, "And there's my favorite psychopathic V.F.F.!"
"V.F.F.?"
Smirk not wavering for even a second, Logan patted Damon's chest with the back of his hand, and with much relish, revealed, "Vampire Friend Forever, keep up, would ya?" Chuckling at the expression of pure rage on the older vampire's face, Logan fixed the lapels of his suit, completely unbothered, "Anyways, what can I do for you? I'm assuming you didn't come over for a touching tête-à-tête."
"If I could avoid you for the rest of eternity, trust me, I would," he sneered. Exhaling through his nose, Damon summoned up a bit of patience and imparted a crucial piece of knowledge, a forced smile plastered on his face, "Just giving a heads up, dick. The vampire stalking Elena might make an appearance here."
Like the speed of light, Logan's head whipped around to face Damon, his neck cricking in the process before his hazel eyes frantically searched the crowd for Snow, his entire posture relaxing when he saw her laughing with her friends. "Speak," he growled, dangerously solemn.
Despite the hardness of his eyes, there was a quirk to Damon's lips, "Posed as a pizza delivery guy last night. He's been invited in, so naturally, Saint Stefan says we have to kill him."
"Huh." Logan let out a low, long-drawn whistle, an eyebrow tipped upward, grudgingly impressed. His intent gaze fixated on Snow, he chuckled, his infamous grin coloring his lips, "Well, he gets points for creativity-" Damon blanched at the comment, inwardly irritated at the further proof they were somewhat alike, him having said something similar to Stefan and Elena. Shaking his head, Logan continued, "Seriously though, those Gilbert kids gotta learn vampire protocol. The art of silent invitation, just wordlessly open the damn door. Weed out the vampires."
Sarcasm hugging each and every word, Damon sneered, "Well not everyone can be as smart as you?"
Chuckling good-naturedly, Logan raised his glass of punch in the air, "Clearly."
At that moment however, a snide yet familiar voice interrupted their battle of wits, "Logan Fell, I cannot believe you actually stuck around. I honestly expected you'd have ditched town by now."
Turning to squarely meet his ex-girlfriend's furious pair of hazel eyes, Logan donned his most dangerous, most notorious smirk he possessed in his arsenal. It was panty-dropping, it was orgasm-inducing, it had the ability to enthrall, and it was downright sinful. It had the ability to lure any woman he desired in the span of a heartbeat. It was purely Logan Fell, patented by him and only him. In fact, once that special smirk graced his appealing lips, nobody was immune to their effects. It was the same smirk that lured Jenna into his web and into his bed. It was the smirk that got Jenna Sommers addicted to him. It was the same smirk that forced her to run away from Mystic Falls after he cheated on her with Monica Grace in her desperate attempt to keep her dignity intact as she knew, oh Jenna knew that, one look at that smirk and she'd be putty in his hands, shamefully forgiving him for his infidelity and returning to him.
Fortunately for Jenna, she had managed to achieve some form of immunity from that illegal smirk and so, she stood her ground, glaring at him, taking advantage of her rage to escape his allure. Unfortunately for her however, Logan's new and improved vision detected the faint flush of her cheeks and the extremely subtle glint of lust in her eyes.
"Jenna babe, always a pleasure," he drawled, his voice resembling molten chocolate and his eyes darkened, nostrils simultaneously flaring at the faint smell of her lust; too bad for Jenna, while before she would have succeeded in hiding the effects he had on her, that option was no longer available to her. Perhaps being a vampire wasn't so bad after all. "I came back for Snow as you are already aware. I'm sure Elena informed you of the afternoon she spent in my humble abode," he dropped his patented Logan Fell smirk to give her a mischievous grin.
Damon was torn between laughing and glaring – laughing because he instantly comprehended the mischief and mayhem Logan was brewing, and glaring because damn it, he could see himself actually liking the irritating vampire. Also, a concealed part within him envied Logan and his innate devil may care persona, unused to anyone surpassing him in the lady's man department. Seriously though, if he were attracted to men, that smirk would have won him over in a heartbeat, a fact that rankled.
Mouth agape, the fury in Jenna's eyes morphed into shock. "What? No, she, she didn't tell me. Why-, why would Elena be at your place?" she snapped, disapproval written all over her features and her stance.
Deciding to intrude, Damon stage whispered, "Snow's spending the week at Logan's."
"Yep," Logan emphasized, popping the 'p' for good measure and taking a sip from the – he winced – disgusting spiked punch. 'Jesus, don't kids have access to the good alcohol anymore?' he mentally stated his disgust. "You remember the bedroom we all worked tirelessly over for my goddaughter, don't you, Jenny?" he chuckled huskily.
Splotches of angry pink peppering her flushed cheeks, Jenna snapped, "Don't call me that!" Logan merely responded by raising both hands up, palms facing her in surrender, though his expression belied the gesture. Standing to her full height, her chest puffed out, Jenna glared daggers at her ex-boyfriend and his annoyingly charming and devastatingly gorgeous stupid face. "I don't like my niece spending time around you. And for that matter, Snow deserves better than you. Mark my words, you're a bad influence on her and one day soon, you'll disappoint her like you did everyone else!" she ranted, grabbing the opportunity to use him as an outlet to all the sadness and shame and heartbreak he put her through throughout the years.
"Just to be clear, when you say 'everyone', really you're alluding to yourself, aren't you," he stated wryly, dumping his drink in the potted plant on Damon's left. In the blink of an eye, any and all signs of mischief, joviality, good humor, and charm were erased from his visage, replaced by a vicious, almost animalistic sneer. Dropping the sense of cordiality he adopted despite her caustic demeanor and quelling the love and affection he held for the woman before him, he coldly articulated, "I truly do not give a flying fuck what you think or want, Jenna. Snow is my goddaughter, you hear me? She's under my supervision till I take my last breath. Selene was my best friend, she entrusted me to keep Snow safe. Better late than never, and I'm here now, that's all that matters. You, all of you failed to protect her from Lucille, it's my turn now; I'm stepping in. Furthermore, I'm not gonna let your grudge against me rob my goddaughter of her friends or her happiness. Snow will be living with me, and if you so much as think of making her uncomfortable or attempt to pit her against me in your selfish desire for revenge because I cheated on you back in high school, I promise I'll make you regret it. Get over it, if not for my sake, then for Snow. God knows she's been through so much already."
Resembling a fish flailing out of the body of water it belonged in, Jenna opened her mouth and promptly closed it, devoid of a retort. Lucky for her, Alaric joined them, standing protectively next to Jenna, a warning in his olive orbs. "There a problem here?" he demanded, loosely placing an arm around Jenna's waist.
His gaze flickered to the history teacher and settled on his face in palpable disinterest, subsequently giving him an offhanded once over, the transparency of his act forcing Damon to suppress a bark of laughter and Jenna to shoot him a glare, offended on Alaric's behalf. Hazel orbs capturing Jenna's once more, Logan coldly said, "No. Your girl was just leaving."
Flinching at the coldness of his tone, countenance, expression and in his eyes – the full package really – Jenna never having found herself on the receiving end of Logan Fell's infamous temper, she swallowed the lump from her throat and wordlessly pulled Alaric away.
Letting loose a whistle of surprise, Damon fixated the new vampire with a sidelong glance, "Whew. That was harsh. Aren't you in love with her or something…?"
Logan inhaled harshly, his flinty eyes following Jenna and Alaric's interaction. "I do. God,I do. But like I mentioned countless times, Snow comes first. Jenna has to trust me on her own terms, and if I keep walking around like I don't give a rat's ass, then no one will ever trust me around Snow," he retorted matter-of-factly. "It's for the best anyway-" he shrugged, absently dragging a hand through his hair, "-let her hate me, or be terrified of me, whatever. Let her stick with the teacher, better than being saddled with a vampire," he concluded with a large tablespoon of bitterness in his tone.
Not liking the fact that he was beginning to warm up to Logan Fell, Damon deflected, "The history teacher, Alaric Saltzman, I don't trust the guy. I got a fishy vibe from him." As he spoke, his electric-blue orbs bore a searing hole into the aforementioned teacher's back.
"Hmm. Unfortunately, whatever I say can be considered biased, so I'm gonna have to stay out of this one, Spike," Logan huffed, hazel orbs scouring the room for his goddaughter, having lost track of her throughout the spat of the exes.
Electric-blues flashed with annoyance, "Spike, really?!"
And the smirk reappeared. "Well, you're no Angel, that's for sure," Logan pointed out with a chuckle, his good humor returning with a vengeance at the chance to provoke Damon.
Torn between amusement and indignation, before Damon could counter with a scathing retort, a deeply troubled Stefan interrupted, his eyes wide and frantic, and his following words chilling Logan to the bone, a knot developing in the pit of his stomach, "Elena and Snow are missing and the vampire's around here somewhere! He made a move and managed to trick me."
"Let's go," Damon snarled.
Growling, his sclerae turned a quick red before they returned to their normal white, Logan was already on the move, "Very soon, Mystic Falls is gonna be short one vampire."
As Stefan cut into Damon and Logan's bellicose conversation with the dire news of their disappearance, Elena and Snow were busy running through the school's hallway for their lives. Together in solidarity and hands linked in an iron grip, the girls, distraught with fear, attempted to search for a safe area to barricade themselves in, at least until their friendly vampires came to their rescue. Though, on some deep level, Snow and Elena knew, as humans, there was no escaping the predatory species currently snapping at their heels
For a brief moment, gratitude flared through Snow, glad for Logan's forethought and his ceaseless coaxing as, if his blood hadn't healed her, she wouldn't have been capable of performing such strenuous activity and thus, undoubtedly would have held Elena back, consequently becoming a vampire's dinner. As quick as the thought struck her, fear followed, encompassing the raven-haired girl, terrified the blood had yet to leave her system and therefore increasing her chances of becoming an eternal creature of the night.
Snapped out of her inner thoughts by Elena's hand getting ripped out of her tight grip, Snow ejected a piercing scream when her best friend was hurled across the cafeteria and over a table. Looking around frantically, Snow itched with the desire to do something; she couldn't just stay rooted to her spot like an utter moron, Elena needed her help…
Just as Snow moved to join Elena's side, a sharp inhale left her at the prickles of pain in her abdomen and then hand, which strange enough, coincided with Elena defiantly shoving a pencil into the vampire's respective areas. Ignoring the unexplained oddity, desperate violet eyes scanned the room, almost immediately landing on a mop. She lunged for it and with a quick call of the brunette's name, threw it into her friend's possession. Grabbing it deftly, Elena brought it to her thigh and broke it in half. Unfortunately, Elena's kickass streak reached an end when she thrust it toward the vampire.
Displaying the fast reflexes of a vampire, he grabbed her hand, firmly stopping its movement and, his fangs emerged, went for her neck.
"ELENA!" Running to her friend's aid, Snow's shriek coincided with Elena's scream of utter terror.
Simultaneously, a pair of strong familiar arms she denoted with safety cocooned her, halting her in place, and the vampire was ripped away from Elena before he could bite her, an enraged Stefan shrouding his shaking girlfriend with his menacing form. Turning in the safety of her cocoon, relief shone vividly in her eyes at her godfather and though Logan Fell radiated a terrifying brand of murderous rage, his features contorted with apoplectic anger, Snow didn't feel a sliver of fear, nor did she feel intimidated by him.
A beckoning whistle on the other end of the cafeteria redirected her gaze to Damon, his stance, unlike Stefan and Logan, completely laidback. Unconsciously working together like a well-oiled machine, they strategically had the unknown vampire surrounded on all sides, offering him absolutely no hope of escaping unscathed. Lying through his teeth, Damon maintained a lackadaisical front, "Hey, dickhead. Nobody wants to kill you. We just wanna talk."
His body shaking violently in poorly concealed rage, Logan scoffed, his arms tightening a smidge around Snow, "Speak for yourself!" He then turned his glower at the smirking vampire, instantly recognizing him a member from the Three Little Pigs, "Head's up, you're a dead man, bud. No talking your way out of it. So don't even try-" suddenly, a sinister grin overshadowed his menacing appearance, "-or you know what, please do. Fight for your life, you pathetic prick."
'Huh,' Damon thought, raven brows tipping upwards, impressed. 'Apparently Logan is exceptional at provoking vampires into a rage… At least it's not just me.'
The second Logan concluded his degrading provocation, the vampire's cocky visage morphed into pure fury. As the violet-eyed girl smelled unappetizing, her scent reeking of the vampire who had ahold of her, he lunged for Katherine's lookalike, jumping over the table that blocked his path, his true face on full display. The reactions were instantaneous – Logan had a cruel grin of anticipation on his handsome face and Damon rolled his eyes at the vampire's foolishness, promptly tossing the improvised stake Elena fashioned from a mop, at Stefan, who deftly caught it.
It all happened in the blink of an eye, too fast for either Snow or Elena to comprehend. One split-second the unknown vampire was growling in outrage at Logan's words and the next, he had sank to the ground, a stake embedded in his chest courtesy of Stefan.
Snow winced and bit on the inside of her cheeks to stop herself from moaning out in pain. Thankfully, the ache in her chest subsided before anybody could notice her distress, especially Logan who had finally released her from his protective hold to approach the fallen vampire along the Salvatore brothers. Expression one of pure relief, Elena stuck close to Snow's side, their arms looped.
"Now you feel like talkin'?" Stefan snapped, a mocking quality in his tone. However, the vampire retorted by spitting a curse at him, only prompting Stefan to propel the stake deeper. His grunt of pain masked Snow's whimper from those with enhanced hearing, though unfortunately, not from Elena, her head whipping around to scrutinize her in mild confusion. "Why are you doing this?" the younger Salvatore inquired.
Inserting himself, Logan spoke up, "Come on, bud. Like I said, you're already a dead man, talking will make in quick and painless. So, tell us-" his arms were wide open, "-what do you want from Elena?"
Resigned, he spat out, "She looks like Katherine."
The atmosphere in the room changed at the revelatory confession. Dumfounded looks were exchanged and Elena felt like she had been doused in a bucket of iced water. For Snow's part, her head was pounding from the escalating tension in the room.
"You knew Katherine?" Damon demanded sharply.
Chuckling, the vampire mocked him, "Oh. You thought you were the only ones. You don't even remember me."
Clearing his throat, Logan employed an identical mocking tone, "If it's any consolation, I do. You're one of the little piggies trying to get into the tomb. Sorry if I went off-script, bud." Sarcasm at its finest, a smirk graced his face and the surrounded vampire growled – he had a feeling the plan to turn a Fell into a vampire would later come to bite them in the ass, but she stubbornly insisted it would benefit them, and in the end, Logan Fell went and allied himself with the Salvatores, and all because of one slip of a girl.
Leaning forward, Damon masked his desperation and, in a would-be casual, yet menacing tone, asked, "Tell me how to get into the tomb?"
Naturally, getting the truth out of the vampire wasn't easy. It took much persuasion through the infliction of a lot of pain, but every time he gave them something, it remained vague and incomplete, him obviously loyal to whomever he was working with. In the meantime, Elena's confusion skyrocketed at her friend's reaction to the torture, eventually chalking it off as Snow's compassion incapable of watching anyone in pain. Finally, the vampire revealed the key to opening the tomb would be located in a grimoire which could be found through Johnathan Gilbert's journal.
"Sucks to be you, buddy," Logan mockingly clicked his tongue. Gesturing at the stake with his chin, he addressed Stefan, "Since he's been psychologically tormenting your girl for days, I think it's only fair you do the honors."
Without any fanfare, Stefan ripped out the stake and, just as the vampire exhaled a short breath of reprieve, he forcefully plunged it straight into his heart, easily slicing through bone, muscle, tissue and fluid, effectively killing the vampire. Twice before Snow experienced such relentless excruciating agony, falsely conjecturing it was due to the bonds she had with Vicki and Lexi. Apparently not… Eyes slamming shut in anguish, Snow's feet wavered and she almost lost balance, the deep abyss threatening to consume her whole. Luckily, Snow took the precaution to clamp her hand over her mouth, muffling whatever painful sounds she involuntarily ejected. A multitude of blinking later, the unbearable sensation released her from its paralyzing grip and she finally opened her eyes.
Still under the misconception she previously arrived at, Elena sympathetically rubbed circles around Snow's back and addressed the others, "What do we… How are we gonna find the others now?"
"He had to die," an apathetic Damon stated bluntly.
A crease of sorrow was introduced to Snow's otherworldly visage, "But–"
Capable of compassion, Logan placed a hand on each girl's shoulder, expression kind and tone soft, "Girls, he was invited in. We didn't have much of a choice. Besides, he was a threat to you, Elena, and he wasn't going to stop, not of his own volition." His admission vanquished the mountain of guilt that sat on her conscience, and Elena nodded, the relief vivid in her soft orbs. Logan then turned to gauge Snow's downcast mien, entrancing hazel orbs bright with a mixture of concern and suspicion; contrary to Snow's belief, he had, in fact, noticed her many winces and flinches throughout the duration of their 'interrogation', though he had to give her points for effort, if he wasn't a vampire, from where he stood he wouldn't have noticed her discomfort.
Sighing inwardly, Logan decided to practice patience and wait for her to come to him on her own time.
Tongue coated with venom, a harsh voice spat down the phone with much vitriol, "You idiot! You good for nothing, useless, spineless failure!"
In a dark room, a brawny, barrel-chested man was splayed comfortably on his futon, the only source of light being a lamp on the console table. Upon hearing the many slights against him, he growled into the phone, "What are you on about!?"
"Snow Silverstone is alive. You have failed me!" the voice sneered.
Shock the main emotion on his face, the bullnecked man spat out, "That's impossible! I got rid of all the blood and dumped her in the river for dead. There's absolutely no way—"
His pathetic justifications were interrupted, the person on the other end infuriated, "God fucking favors her apparently; a miracle shone on that bitch! And where were you? I hired you to kill her you utter moron! You should have stayed close by as a precautionary measure!"
Repeating himself yet again, "I emptied the hospital of all the O negatives and erased their backup files as a backup plan, there's no fucking way she could have survived that!" Suffice to say, the hitman was not the brightest bulb in the box, him being good at assassinating purely because of his physical strength – the expression, "all brawn no brain" describing him to a T.
"SHE'S ALIVE!" Wincing, the hitman was forced to rip his phone from his ear, lest his eardrums got shattered. "You better think of a smarter plan, Alejandro! I want her dead, and soon, or else you can kiss every single penny I gave you goodbye!"
Huffing, Alejandro shuffled to the kitchen and withdrew a longneck from the refrigerator, "Okay, okay. Consider it done, just relax, would you."
"This is your last chance, Alejandro." And before the line ended, the voice snarled into his ear, "Don't forget, you're expendable, I can easily have you replaced. Don't. fail. me!"
Growling, the hitman slammed his phone into the table, smashing it. Downing the alcoholic beverage in one go, he proceeded to formulate another murder plot, ensuring Snow Silverstone wouldn't be able to walk away with her life.
"You really should go home, rest, get a clean change of clothes. I'm in the ICU, stuck in bed rest. Nothing's gonna get me here." – Snow Silverstone
"Snow does know where we get blood bags from, right? I mean, she can't be that naïve, can she?" – Damon Salvatore
Caroline Forbes: "Hawaii?! Right, how can I have forgotten. You know, the first time Lucille and the twins came back from there, I was honest to god surprised. I never expected them to come back, I thought for sure Lucille would have melted." Bonnie Bennett: "Uh, Care… The Wicked Witch of the West melted from "water" not "sunlight," you know that, right…" Caroline Forbes: "Who cares! Bottom line, she's a witch and deserves to drown!"
"You're after it, aren't you? The thing that killed Mom." – Sam Winchester
"Listen, Sammy, I also know what happened to your girlfriend. I'm so sorry. I would've done anything to protect you from that." – John Winchester
Caroline Forbes: "Oh my God. Logan Fell, channel 9, is that you?" Logan Fell: "I used to babysit you, Caroline Forbes. Don't mock me."
"I have given you an order. Now, you stop following me, and you do your job. You understand me?" – John Winchester
"Mystic Falls has been infected by one…" – Sheila Bennett
"Alright people! We have a lot of work to do and not enough time to do it. Get to work!" – Carol Lockwood
"Carol Lockwood and Caroline Forbes bossing us around… Guess it was nice knowing you guys." – Elena Gilbert
"Dean, if this demon killed Mom and Jess, and Dad's closing in, we've gotta be there. We've gotta help." – Sam Winchester
"I swear, if this wasn't for Snow, I'd've walked away like, four days ago." – Tyler Lockwood
"Dad is asking us to work jobs, to save lives, it's important." – Dean Winchester
"Rich, I got a free pass. Gotta keep Snow company. Good luck." – Logan Fell
Sam Winchester: "I don't understand the blind faith you have in the man. I mean, it's like you don't even question him." Dean Winchester: "Yeah, it's called being a good son! …You're a selfish bastard, you know that? You just do whatever you want. Don't care what anybody thinks."
"You're running back to your brother? The guy you ran away from? Why, because he won't pick up his phone?" – Meg
"He's my family." – Sam Winchester
"I brought some vervain for, um- for you and Jenna. And, um, I made this bracelet for Jeremy, few extra ones for friends. Logan got Snow covered. You can put it in jewelry, or you can even put it in food or drink, but as long as it's in you or on you, a vampire cannot control you." – Stefan Salvatore
"So, we've got a killer in Mystic Falls? What is this, Rosewood?!" – Caroline Forbes
"Logan Fell, the notorious womanizer and Mystic Falls' very own Casanova, babysitting four teenage girls? Have we entered an alternate universe or something?" – Carol Lockwood
Stefan Salvatore: "I get it. You're just bitter because one of us gets to be with the person that we love, and poor Katherine is just out of reach. Unless there's another way for you to get into that tomb. Is that what Bree said?" Damon Salvatore: "You're pathetic when you're fishing." Stefan Salvatore: "And you're transparent when you're deflecting."
"A first-person account of the Civil War? That's like, uh, porn for a history teacher." – Alaric Saltzman
"I'm with Stefan now. Matt understands that. He knows he has to move on." – Elena Gilbert
"You know, I can start fires with my mind. Fires kill vampires, right?" – Bonnie Bennett
"That's because we're predators, Elena. We hunt. We stalk. It's often as exciting as the kill." – Stefan Salvatore
"I don't think it's fair for Jenna to hate Logan. I mean, technically, he died. He didn't actually ditch town on her." – Elena Gilbert
"Your Dad was about to leave the office one night when this girl showed up. She was sixteen, a runaway, and about to give birth. He delivered her baby, and he gave her a place to stay, but a few days later, she disappeared. And there you were. Your parents were trying so hard to have a baby. It just wasn't happening. All Miranda ever wanted was to be a Mom." – Jenna Sommers
"I'll do anything to get you out of this town, even release Katherine." – Stefan Salvatore
"Why do I have to tell Logan? I don't even like the guy!" – Damon Salvatore
"So… one complication from 1864's gone. Noah. Thank God. He was a sleaze. But I hear a Fell got turned… call my interest piqued." – Katherine Pierce
"She survived the dance unscathed. But we really have to do something about the ever-growing vampire population. And with Damon Salvatore sniffing around for a way to open that damn tomb, and two Bennetts right under his nose, it's only a matter of time before they're all out." – John Gilbert
"I still wanna find Dad. And you're still a pain in the ass. But, Jess and Mom-, they're both gone. Dad is God knows where. You and me. We're all that's left. So, if we're gonna see this through, we're gonna do it together." – Sam Winchester
"Uncle Logan… I feel like I'm living a dream, one I don't ever want to wake up from. I guess, what I'm trying to say is…Thank you. For, for coming into my life and changing it." – Snow Silverstone
"Father, there's one loose in a little town in Virginia. Should I check it out?" – Meg
"I told Damon that I'd help him get into that tomb to get Katherine back. But it was a lie. I let him believe that he could trust me." – Stefan Salvatore
"Tell him I received revelation from The Spirits… it's nothing good. Josephine, we're all in danger." – Sheila Bennett
"It's gonna take a lot more than just a road trip and a rescue for me to forget who Damon is and everything he's done." – Elena Gilbert
"Get it out … Get it out … Get it out … GET IT OUT!" – The Spirits
A/N: How did you like this chapter?
(1) I wanted to finally show Snow/Logan bonding time. Aren't they adorable!? …I don't know about y'all, but I always loved Logan and hated his fate, I mean, one would think since he's from the founding families he'd have a bit more restraint… no? I think he fits in well with the Salvatores.
(2) Speaking of which, I enjoy writing the interaction between Logan and Damon. I'd always plan them to be short, but once I start, I get carried away. Writing Logan, period!, gets me carried away. This was a Logan-centric chapter – Logan/Snow, Logan/Lucille, Logan/Stefan, Logan/Damon, Logan/Jenna. Whew! But he's definitely a main character, and since he's the guardian of my OC, he'll be popping up, a lot! And I have so many plans for him. When I imagine Logan Fell, since I claimed his celebrity face Wilson Bethel, I get the Wade Kinsella vibe from him, so Logan's a mixture of my creation and a bit of Wade.
(3) What do you think about the plot revolving around Snow? I'm trying to deviate from Canon, and with a lot of TVD stories underway, my aim is to make each and every one of them unique. So yeah, there's a lot of mystery revolving around Snow Silverstone. And her father? Still a surprise!
(4) Some might be disappointed with my portrayal of Jenna in this chapter. I've two things to say: first of all, this is not a Jenna bashing story. I've mentioned this point before, because of Snow's character, bashing will be rare and kept to a minimum. Except probably for a certain few characters… but that's for later. Second of all, I'm a bit biased when it comes to Logan Fell – I adore him! And I adore my portrayal for him even more. So naturally, I'll keep defending him. But no, both Logan and Jenna have a point. For Logan, he was a player and still is an eligible bachelor – he's sexy and charming and a lady's man, but he's also trying to fix his wrongs and be a parent to Snow, so he cannot fix his past mistakes but try for the future; but in no uncertain terms does this mean he'll be some boring goodie-two-shoes. He's still Logan Fell, lady's man extraordinaire, he's just more responsible and smarter. Jenna on the other hand, is hurt – she loved Logan, they were high school sweethearts and he cheated on her, she ran away from Mystic Falls and when they finally reunite he 'skips town on her'; so naturally, she'd be hurt and vent at him, but her lashing out by bringing Snow crossed a major line for Logan.
(5) SPN Timeline: Scarecrow, complete!
Please share some feedback. I'd love to read your thoughts now that we're going through a major divergence from Canon. And please, if you're planning on giving me feedback that relates to updating my other stories, I do not need a reminder. None of them are abandoned!
R&R.