"You ok?" Mary asked Matt when he took a nasty dive from his chair. When she was sure he was ok she laid down. She curled into a comfortable little ball and closed her eyes. Falling fast asleep she left all her troubles behind her. Her dream was an odd one. All her friends were grotesque clowns dancing about. Not circus clowns, but more like the marionette jesters she had seen in the antique shop in the mall. They danced wildly about in water. There was no shore, only shallow water. Mary was dressed like them, but she did not dance like they did. Then she realized there was an extra clown. This clown had no face. The faceless clown twirled to her and held out his hand. It was strange, almost like someone had taken an eraser and rubbed out his face. She stared down at the offered hand. She wasn't sure if she should take the hand and dance or if she should run from this mad festival.
Caroline woke up. The sun shone through her curtains. She rubbed her eyes. She felt the necklace to make sure it wasn't snatched during her sleep. She stood up and stretched her back. She walked into the bathroom and brushed her teeth then put on her robe and went downstairs where she could smell sausage frying in the pan. She heard her mother's voice and her father's usual morning runting. She walked into the kitchen. Her father sat at the table in his suit sipping coffee and reading the paper. Her mother flittered about the kitchen.
"Morning sweetie." Her mother said.
"Morning mom dad." She said as she stood there dumbly. She watched as her mother loaded a plate with sausage, bacon, eggs, toast, fruit, and ham. She set it down on the table with a big glass of milk.
Her mother smiled. "Sit and eat. You need your calories. You are eating for 2 now. Or 3 or if we are lucky 4!" Her mother giggled and rubbed Caroline's belly. "I'm gonna be a grandma." She hummed. Her father grunted.
"Did you think about what I said last night Caro?"
Caroline shifted her food around with her fork. "Yes dad." She looked at him. "What do I do?"
Her father put down his paper. "Dr. Rhyzek, our family doctor will see you and deliver the baby or babies. Gestation for us is only 5 months. But women rarely show the first 4 so no one will think twice when you deliver when you do. The doctor is one of us."
Caroline set down her fork. The doctor?? "Who else dad. Who else is one of 'us'?" Her father looked at her and nodded.
"The mayor and his family. The principle of the high school. Most of the higher police officials. I told you we owned this town. Tyler's father is the current alpha. I'm second in command. When we can no longer run this town. It will be you that takes over. Tyler will be dealt with. Put on a leash...if you will." He chuckled. Caroline just sat there. Did no one in Fell's Church ever suspect a thing? They didn't know their lives where ran by wolves? Honoria Fell did. All her life. Her friends. Everyone. No one ever thought. They all just lived and either left or stayed forever. How was this secret concealed?
Caroline got dressed in a light peach cotton summer dress that fell just above her knee and had flowery-shaped straps that fell off the shoulders. She slipped on a pair of white flat sandals and headed off to the boarding house. She needed to come clean with her best friends. All of them. And she wanted to give Katherine's necklace to either Stefan or Damon. Preferably Damon since he was less apt to give it back. He wasn't as whipped. She walked through the door of the house. Greeted Mrs. Flowers. Then looked at the woman as she teetered around her kitchen humming. After scanning the woman. She flew up the stairs and knocked on Stefan's door.
Bonnie walked into the woods and for the first time noticed how alive the place seemed to be. It was nothing like the feeling in the clearing when the undead soldiers walked again filled with unrest, it was more peaceful. Placing her hand on one of the trees she felt the roughness of the bark against her fingers. "It's nice to know some times that life does go on even when you feel like your world is ending." She told the tree in a hushed voice. 'Oh god, now I'm talking to trees.' She thought sadly and began to wondered which of the sisters was the crazy one.
Taking her hand away she walked further in the opposite direction of the cemetery. Some times she hated living in a small town because everything was so close, but then again everything being so close had it's advantages, like when she used to walk to school and it took her only a matter of minutes or when her mom wanted her to go get something from the store when her dad had the only car when she was younger. Memories of her childhood flashed before her eyes, her growing up with Mer, Elena, Matt and Caroline. She could still picture all five of them in these very same woods trying to sneak a peek at Mrs. Flower's. In small towns there was always gossip, some called her crazy others smart for keeping to herself, then there were the one's that said she was a witch.
Bonnie had yet to see any proof to the last but she knew that the old woman wasn't your average run of the mill senior citizen. Bonnie couldn't even picture Mrs. Flowers waiting in the line for a discount coffee or a senior special at the diner. She did however notice how well the elderly woman took to Stefan's strange ways and Elena's sudden reappearance the first time. 'She's probably decided to just stay out of the way this time.' Bonnie decided as she walked on, leaving the boarding house to resemble a small spot of color through the trees. She knew she shouldn't walk far but Stefan's room was too confining and her sister's eyes looked too haunted. "Why can't this be just a phase she's going through like wearing lime green nail polish?" She asked herself softly as she stopped to sit on a nice size tree stump.
She knew she should be taking the whole thing seriously but part of her wanted to laugh at her ridiculous bad luck. She felt more relaxed than she had at the boarding house, a slight warmth crept over her in the shadowed part of the woods, almost as if she were lounging in a warm bath. Closing her eyes she envisioned her bed back home, and longed to go to sleep. Thoughts of her bed brought back other memories but none of them had to do with sleep. Standing up quickly she startled a small bird near by as she kicked a pinecone with all of her might. Once again the tension was back in her neck.
Damon stepped out of the shower, wrapping the fuzzy white towel around his mid section. He wiped the steam from the window with the palm of his hand, and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He grabbed the brush from the counter and ran it through his hair a couple times before dropping it back down. A few moments later, he exited the bathroom, and sat down on the edge of the bed. Bored, and having nothing else to do at the time, Damon sent out a message with his mind. He shielded it so that no one but it's intended would hear it.
"Miss me yet, Bonnie?"
The sound of his voice in her mind startled her and she whipped around looking for him but he wasn't there. Did she miss him? Well yeah who wouldn't but she wouldn't tell him, let his ego get a little prick to it. Tapping into her blossoming powers she concentrated on his face and sent out a message to him. "Miss you? Now why would I do a thing like that? The thought of you hadn't even crossed my mind."
Inside she was shaking, she was always a terrible liar and he would probably see through her little mental show of indifference. Walking out of the woods she found herself in the park near the swings. Sitting on one of them she began to swing side to side and wondered if she would get a response.
Damon smiled as Bonnie answered him. "Because I am heaven on earth." He chuckled. "Well maybe that's not the best description, but you get my point. I just thought that after what happened earlier, you would just be beside yourself with anticipation at seeing me again." He smirked, and knew that his words would echo his slight hint of sarcasm. Hell he was good, he knew that. Didn't need centuries of women to tell him that. "Sister of yours still loony?" He asked, wondering briefly if he may have hit her a bit too hard.
She stopped rocking the swing the moment Damon mentioned her sister. A wave of anger passed through her but quickly diminished. She couldn't fault him for his comment about her sister, Mary was kind of on the nutters side. *No, she's calmed down somewhat.* She refused to answer his 'Heaven on earth' comment because hell on earth was more like it, usually. The way he mentioned their moment of whatever you want to call it irritated her somewhat. 'Just like a guy.' Pushing up off the swing she walked further into the park, catching a few glimpses of parents with their children. *She woke up a hour or so ago, cleaned herself up and I retied her hands. Stefan, Matt and Elena are there at the boarding house with her right now.*
She almost wanted to ask him where he was but fought the urge, if he didn't want to be around them it was his choice. *Don't know where Katherine is but Caroline's got her ring so I don't think we'll see her till after the sun goes down.* She wasn't looking forward to the next encounter with the psycho, because she was probably going to want a little payback for the boo boo Damon had so obligingly bestowed upon her. Kicking another pinecone in her way she kept walking through the park. Stiffiling a yawn she looked at the sky, it had to be past noon. "Man I'm tired." she said softly and smiled as a little girl ran in front of her and scooped up a pinecone. Bonnie watched wide-eyed as she threw it at a boy nearby hitting him right on the forehead. 'Ouch, that had to hurt.' Shaking her head she walked on. "Kids." She knew she was that age once but why she did the things she did then she did not know.
"Then perhaps you should take a nap." Damon replied to her thoughts of being tired. "Interesting things happen when you're asleep. I'll be by later. Much as I hate it, we do all need to do something about Katherine. " And almost as an afterthought. "And Caroline." He sent her a gentle mental caress with his mind. "I'll be there in a couple hours. Be careful." He let his voice/thoughts take on a joking air when he said that. Best not to let her think that he actually wanted her safe. Well safe from anyone but him.
Bonnie immediately relaxed when she felt the slight feeling of be caressed then tightened back up at his sarcastic tone when he told her to be careful. "Always." she sent back to him and decided to walk home. She'd call Stefan at the boarding house when she got there. Somebody had to be there just in case her parents got home and saw the broken window. They really didn't need for her parents to call the cops. That would alert the town that something weird was going on again.
She made good time to her house, glancing at people as she walked past their houses. Some were mowing their lawns while their children played with the water hoses, other just trimming their hedges. Walking up to the front door she unlocked it and stepped inside. Pushing the button on the answering machine she smiled as her mom's voice came on the line, they were visiting her sister that was in college in Richmond then going to Virginia Beach for the week. Bonnie vaguely remembered hearing them mention the trip. Picking up the phone book she found the number for a glass/window repairman and dialed the number, told them her address and asked them to come by the next day.
With all that done and over with she wearily made her way upstairs and stripped down to the bare necessities, opting to replace her bra with a pj tank top. Collapsing on the bed she grabbed the phone and dialed Stefan's number. Her eyelids were heavy as she listened to the ringing on the other line. 'C'mon guys I know you're there.' She smirked as she realized the radio was still playing music but the candles had burned out long ago. She was tempted to find the remote for the stereo but decided to let the music play, it's soothing melodies were helping to make her drowsy.
"Meredith is it really you?", he called out as if to talk to her. "I...I don't know how to help you or Mary because I don't even know what is wrong with you. Where are you?"
"Yes! It's really me!! Damn!! Nobody seems to know what's wrong with me. I'm right next to you...kinda dancing about, but that's beside the point. Do you think it might have something to do with my grandfather's vampire attack?? Maybe that's what's gone suddenly wrong with the whole town. Mary was possessed...by something. And she/it let Katherine get away. Bonnie's not doing so well with any of it."
Alaric felt his head start to spin.
"Alaric, hunny?? Are you okay?? You look kinda...queasy...you're not going to pass out are you??" Meredith took a step back, as though he'd really hit her, but kept contact with his head. 'Please, Alaric, oh, please don't pass out!!'
Alaric raised his head and listened to her voice inside his head. "Mer is it really you? My God, how are you able to talk to me?". He stood up and paced around the room keeping his eyes on her
body. He sat down on the bed and thought rationally. "I am not sure if this had anything to do with your grandfathers attack. I think there is a lot more going on here than we know. Look,
is there any way for me to help you come back?"
"If I knew how to get back into my body, don't you think I would have done something about it by now??" Meredith groaned in frustration..."I'm sorry, Alaric...it's just...I'm so...CONFUSED!!!"
"I'm sorry Mer. I didn't mean to upset you at all, I just want you to get better. Do you think that if I spoke to Stefan or Damon, that they would know what to do? Maybe Bonnie will know?"
"I tried talking to Damon about getting inside Mary's head...he blew me off cuz I told him to not hurt Bonnie. Stefan might know what to do, but he's weak right now...and very worried about Elena. Incidentally, have you seen her? Anyway, I also tried talking to Bonnie - that's how I got here - and she flipped through this nifty little book. Then she stopped. I don't know what's going on." Meredith looked like she was going to burst into tears, and her voice reflected that. "Alaric, I really need a hug, and I can't get one!!!"
Tyler had lazed around the house milking his injury to his parents chagrin. The maid was already about to call it quits. He finally decided to leave his room and join his parents. Who until now how kept him out of the loop. He walked into the den. Where his father sat watching a rerun boxing match. His mom was at her weekly golf game with the social club. He sauntered into the room wearing his pjs.
"Morning pop. Who's fighting?" he asked casually as he sat down. His father was calm. Too calm.
"No one good." His dad said as he shifted his weight. "You and I have to have a talk son." His voice grew a little gruff but Tyler rolled his eyes and sighed. A spoiled brat indeed.
"What dad....did Harvard withdraw my scholarship?" He asked hoping that's what this was about. His dad sniffed and snickered.
"Hardly but you wont be going to Harvard." He said. Tyler grinned uncomfortably. He knew his dad was serious.
"Wh..what? But dad..."he quibbled.
"Don't but dad me... Do not do that. Why didn't you tell us about your lycanthropic cycle started?" He said flatly like how you ask about the weather. Tyler looked at his dad and his eyes widened slightly.
"How did you know?" He murmured. His father stood up and stretched. When he looked at Tyler his eyes were yellow. Tyler jumped in startlization. "Oh my god!" His father laughed and he got real close to Tyler's face.
"Welcome son. Now why don't you call Caroline...your fiancé." That wasn't a question or suggestion. It was an order. His father walked out of the room laughing. Tyler broke into a sweat and his heart beat really fast.
Caroline poked her head in her door when she felt Damon's voice in her head telling them he'd be there soon. At least she won't have this dumb ring anymore. One less thing to worry about. She opened the door wider and walked in shutting it behind her.
Stefan watched wide-eyed as Bonnie left the room in some sort of strange mood that he couldn't quite place. He was going to probe her thoughts when he stopped himself and thought about Bonnie's privacy. He just let her go. She should be safe for now. Instead he went to Mary who was lying on his bed and he approached her to see if he could sense any strange things with her. He turned as Caroline entered the room and stood up. "Caroline. Nice to see you again. How are you feeling?" He looked her up and down and saw that she had Katherine's necklace with her. He didn't mention it though. Her temper lately had been quite unpredictable. A few minutes later the phone rang. Stefan stood up and answered it. "Hello?"
Caroline smiled slightly at Stefan. "I've been better." She eased into the room and took a seat in a chair. "How are you?" She looked at Elena. "And you? Where have you been?" She didn't mean to sound rude but Elena's needed presence had been lacking in the past 24 hours. And frankly Caroline was tired of everyone trying to play a victim. Elena needed to get over herself fast and step up to the plate with everyone else.
Elena shrugged. "I guess it was returning to life jitters." She ran her fingers along the slightly dusty edge of the windowsill. She sighed and crossed her arms across her chest. "Seems like Fell's Church is getting turned upside down again. Only this time, I'm not exactly sure what's doing it. We know that Damon isn't possessing Mary, and judging from the look on Katherine's face, it isn't her either." She shook her head again and turned towards Stefan. "Who is it?" She mouthed
Bonnie's eyes snapped open as Stefan answered the phone on the other end. "Stefan, hey it's me Bonnie. I'm at home. I had to take care of a few things here. Lucky for us my parents are going to be gone a week or so. I'm having a repairman come and fix the window my sister busted up." She paused and looked toward her window and the up to the ceiling. "I'm tired and I need some rest, so I'm going to take a quick nap here then I'll head back to your place. How's she doing?"
"It has to be Klaus." Caroline answered Elena. "He has been roaming around in my head. No one else we could know is that nutty. He's screwing with Mary. He's screwing with everyone." She sat silently after that.
Elena sat down on the edge of the window. "Klaus, Katherine, back at the same time, seems to horrible to be true." She felt the shiver run through her body as she remembered Klaus's torture from beyond. She couldn't really feel anything he had done to her, it was all emotional, she pitied poor Mary if that was what was happening to her. Katherine and Klaus she could care less about, but she did feel bad for poor Mary. The older girl wasn't choosing to act this way.
At least Elena hoped like hell that she wasn't...
Damon got to Fell's Church a lot quicker than the normal person. It just wasn't in him to do the speed limit. One of the only things he wanted to do in the unlife that he hadn't had the chance to do yet was get behind the controls of an army jet. He loved the rush of adrenaline that flowed through him when he pushed his car to the limit, and the chance to achieve a hundred times that was enticing. He slowed as he entered town and rolled to a stop in front of the boarding house. He sensed the group upstairs, noting with a slight smirk that Elena had decided to rejoin them, and that Bonnie was conspicuously absent. He hit the alarm on the car and walked upstairs. "How's the head?" He asked Mary, a hit of amusement evident in his tone.
Stefan spoke into the phone. "Mary is fine right now, Bonnie. I'll keep an eye on her though. Take it easy and I'll see you when you get here later", he replied to Bonnie and hung up the phone. Stefan listened as Elena spoke to Caroline, answering the girl's question about where she had been. When Elena had finished speaking he turned to her and spoke. "That was Bonnie on the phone. She is at home resting right now. She wants us to keep an eye on Mary". Just then Damon entered the room and addressed Mary. Stefan was glad to see that he was here and not with Bonnie. Something had been going on between them. It had been obvious. He just hoped that his brother had been behaving himself. He unconsciously walked over to stand beside Elena and put his arm around her. "Well Damon, any ideas what might be going on with Mary?", he asked his brother.
Hanging the phone up Bonnie covered herself with the sheet and curled up in a little ball. The entire twenty-four hours had been tiring and she quickly drifted off to sleep. She dreamt of her sister and the haunted look in her eyes and then of Katherine walking around among the living.
Caroline watched Damon walk into the room. Such arrogance. She could smell it all over him like heavy perfume. She ripped the chain from her neck. She stalked up to Stefan and Damon.
"Here. One of you take it. Which ever of you is least likely to hand it back to Katherine." She dangled it in front of them. "I would keep it in my father's safe but I'm not ready to reveal to my parents that I still hangout with vampires. Vampires and wolves don't exactly have a great past in comradely even if some of you imitate us." She said deadpan and waited for one to take it.
Mary listened as they talked about her as if she weren't in the room. Suddenly she felt like a small child. It was like when her parents would talk over her, when she was smaller, about something she would not understand. She sat up and cleared her throat. "It's not a he. It's a they." She looked around the room. "Do not assume what you do not know, that is dangerous in this game." Turning narrowed eyes on Damon, "Just so you know my head is fine." Her
tone was short and cold.
Damon grinned and snatched the ring from Caroline's hand. "Brings back such sweet memories, doesn't it." He chuckled and let the sunlight reflect off of the blue stone, the flecks of gold glittering slightly. "Care to place it on your finger, princess, let it match the other one." He taunted Elena, tilting it in her direction.
Elena felt her eyebrows draw together, but the sharp retort died on her tongue. "I don't want it." She said turning her head from him. The strange power Damon used to have on her wasn't there anymore. At least not willingly. She honestly didn't know what she would do if caught alone and he turned his powers on her. But she wasn't going willingly, not anymore.
"Suit yourself." He said winking, and slipping the ring into the pocket of his jeans. He dropped the chain onto the table beside the bed. The silver didn't help the vampires much, and Damon had little need for a feminine chain. "Glad to hear the heads okay." He directed towards Mary. "But just remember that I can hit a hell of a lot harder than that. And next time I won't take your sisters feelings into concern when I attack you."
"Wait a minute..." Elena said pushing herself up off of the sill. "First off, what do you mean when the they imitate you?" She asked Caroline, "Your not like Tyler." Then she turned her attention on Mary. "They, you mean you know who's inside you or whatever you want to call it."
Caroline snapped her head towards Elena. She smiled almost viciously yet oddly warm. Her eyes the glimmered a golden yellow. Wolf's eyes. "I'm not?" Her eyes went back to normal. She took a step near Elena. "Elena I consider you probably my best friend in the whole group but while you were off in your 'woe is me' funk. .A lots happened." She walked over to the window. "Not only am I exactly like Tyler. I am carrying his baby or babies. We aren't sure how many yet." She wiped her finger on the window and drew it back dirty. She casually wiped it on the sill. "Turns out that Tyler didn't know his family's real heritage. Thought Klaus gave him the secret but he was wrong. The Smallwoods, the Forbeses, the mayor's family, assorted others. All belong to a pack of wolves and adult hormones trigger the lycanthrope. My pregnancy triggered mine. I'm not sure how Tyler triggered his. Personally. I'd rather not know." She went and sat down back in her chair. "Turns out this town has belonged to the pack for nearly 200 years. Honoria Fell suspected it. Interesting that these vampires have been here this long and couldn't figure it out. I guess the pack is just that good." She smirked at Damon.
In her sleep Bonnie had began to toss and turn as visions of Katherine were replaced with images of Damon hitting her sister with the rock, then it changed and his was in her bed. The smell of him was all around her on the sheets and she woke with a start, a slight sheen of sweat on her skin. Flinging the covers off of her she stared up at the ceiling and realized there was no way she was going to get any rest. Quickly running a brush through her hair she searched from something to wear. She slipped on a black pair of shorts and a traded her pj top for a gray tank. Slipping the ring she bought the other night off her finger she slid it into her pocket and looked around for a decent pair of shoes. Spotting a pair of keds she put them on omitting the socks.
Quickly making her way down stairs she grabbed Mary's keys from the table, stopped in the kitchen for muffin and headed out the door. The drive to the boarding house was short and she noticed Damon's car first then Caroline's. "Look's like the gangs all here." She murmured softly and got out, locking the car door. She made her way quietly into the boarding house and up the stairs to Stefan's room. Leaning against the doorframe she glanced around the room, her gaze falling on her sister and then on Damon. "Nice of you to join us." she said softly from her spot at the door.
"I don't know who they are. I just know it's a they. I think there's three," she shrugged. "It's very disturbing to hear voices in your head and none of them is yours." She seemed to close back into herself when the others began to make snide remarks to each other. 'No hope here.'
Alaric felt a pang of sympathy for her. "I could give your body a hug if you want me to Mer. I know it's not the same when your in it but, it's the best I can do", he hugged Meredith's lifeless body. "As for what's going on with everyone, I am not sure. I have not seen Elena since the crypt or anyone but Bonnie for that matter. Maybe I should take your body to Stefan's, he might know what to do".
Without waiting for a response, he lifted up her body and took it to the car. He drove as fast as he could to the boarding house and carried her to Stefan's room. He walked in and looked around the room for a place to put her. Not seeing anywhere, he stopped. "Look, somebody has got to be able to help her", he said.
Stefan stepped to her side and opened her eyes to take a look at her pupils. "What exactly happened to her?"
"I don't know. She is speaking to me from outside of her body somehow. She seems to be having some sort of out of body experience and I don't know how to get her back into her body!", he started to become frantic.
"Okay Alaric. We are going to see what we can do". He turned to Bonnie. "Bonnie do you know any way to help Meredith? Maybe you can go into a trance and find where she is to bring her back?"
Meredith had to run to keep up with Alaric. When they finally got to Stefan's room, and Stefan started "checking her out," she wondered if he could do anything about it. After Stefan asked Bonnie if she could go into a trance, she walked to Stefan and asked, "Stefan? Do you know how to inhabit another's body? I think I could help Mary...and then I'll come back. Maybe the reason I'm like this is because I was meant to help Mary."
She stepped aside as Alaric pushed his way into the room and leaned up against the wall near the doorway. She looked on as Stefan checked Meredith's eyes and then proceeded to ask if she could help. She thought back to the book at her house and shook her head. "I looked through my book, well half way through it, and didn't find anything. I've heard of people having out of body experiences when they are close to death but Meredith didn't die. From what I can tell she's just been hanging around each of us. She spoke to me in the woods after you took Katherine to the crypt and then I felt her presence again when I drove to her house to check on Alaric. I don't need to try and trance to talk to her, she seems to be able to communicate very well without my help." She looked to her sister and gave her a questioning look. "Do you know anything about out of body experiences Mary?"
Mary nodded thoughtfully. "I have heard of trauma induced OBEs. None, however last this long to my knowledge. I would say her state is more like," she paused a moment, "comatose. Perhaps if her system were shocked it would pulled her back into herself. You know, like an adrenalin rush or something like that. In a comatose state the body is running at the bare minimum for the simple fact it doesn't need to use so much energy; basically is slows down. We have a medication like that at the hospital, it's basically adrenalin in a syringe."
Bonnie grinned and looked at the guys, "Anyone care for a recon mission to the hospital?" The thought of any of them sneaking into the hospital, playing secret agent, was kind of funny and she had to suppress and giggle. "I know it's illegal to steal but if it's the only thing that'll work then I say we do it." She looked at her sister and shook her head. "I can't let you go though, I know you have the access and all but what if you wig out again. You do that in the hospital and they'll commit you." Her tone was grave and weighty. "I'll go with someone and take your card to get in. I'll be as discreet as possible and if someone gets a glimpse of me, maybe they'll think I'm you. That is if luck is on our side. Plus I think I have a vague idea of where the stuff is kept."
Elena nodded. "What about if that's not what is wrong with her?" She asked Mary. "It won't hurt her will it?" She turned towards Bonnie. "I'd offer to go with you, but seeing a dead chick walking, even in the hospital is bound to wreak havoc." She gave her friend a little smile, boy she sure had come out of her shell. "But Stefan or Damon should go with you. That way if you got into trouble.." She shrugged, "well you know."
Damon lounged against the wall. "I'd be glad to offer my services." He said leering at the members of their little group. "In fact I would have to say I quite enjoyed myself the last time Bonnie and I were by ourselves." He winked at Bonnie, then stared at Elena, as if challenging her.
Elena narrowed her eyes at Damon, but she knew that saying anything to him was utterly useless. "Or how about you?" she asked Caroline. "You seem to have sharper senses and everything now." That Tyler's baby is growing inside you, she added in her head.
Meredith listened to everyone talk around her and got frustrated. In her frustration, she screamed, "Excuse me!!! Will someone please answer me?!?!? Does anyone here know how to inhabit a body...besides the things inside Mary???" When she was done, she looked at the faces of everyone around, and realized that they had heard her. (OOC: Is that allowed?) 'Maybe, if my emotions get strong enough, the more people who can hear me.'
Bonnie smiled, blushing slightly as Damon mentioned the last time they were 'alone' together but her eyes widened as she heard Meredith's voice echo through out the room. She looked at the motionless form that was Meredith and quirked a brow. "You don't have to shout. We are trying to help you you know. Since you are a bodiless spirit you can try the whole 'Ghost' thing like Patrick Swayze and go into their body but why would you want to do a thing like that?" Just the thought of being in someone else's body was just icky sounding to her. She hated it when someone took her over when they were uninvited it, it had this whole feeling of invasion to it. She figured Meredith was trying to figure out a way to help Mary but Mary seem to have control of her senses for the moment.
Meredith watched Bonnie's blush, and blushed herself. Directing her attention towards Bonnie, she said, "Bons, I really need to talk to you. I kinda, accidentally walked in on you and Damon. But, I left quickly. I didn't need to see anything." Then, redirecting her attention to everyone in the room, she said, "I could try the Patrick Swayze thing, but I don't want to be in her body, per se...just her mind. I want to see what the They in Mary's mind want. I want to know if they'd be willing to make a deal. Mary, no offense, may have everything under control now...but what about in five minutes, an hour, a coupla years? Will she be as calm then as she is now?? That's a risk I'm not willing to take. We need to 'cure' Mary and then we'll figure out what's wrong with me."
Mary nodded. "There are some risks. Most treatments involving the heart do. It could stop the heart, that is why you would also have to get another medicine that would have to be injected directly into the heart to start it back up it she dose arrest. You've seen it in the movies. you have to pound it into the chest basically to penetrate the breast bone." Upon noticing that most the news struck the wrong cord with the group she spoke up again, "But the odds of her arresting in this state are extremely slim. There is one teeny problem though. Your recon mission is mission impossible. you'd have to have the doctor's keys to the medicine cabinet of
all medicine cabinets. Unlike the ones on TV it's not a glass cabinet or an easy to break into type thing." She sighed and looked at Bonnie, "I'm talking storage room type thing that you have to sign into just to turn the key. Last thing a hospital needs is meds that are unaccounted for."
Bonnie paled as Meredith mentioned walking in on her a Damon. She felt the need to bolt out of the room, out of everyone's sight. She kept her gaze away from Elena, she didn't know if her friend had figured out exactly what she and Damon had did when they were alone but she was in no mood for a reproving look from her best friend. When Mary finished telling them about the requirements for getting the drugs she couldn't help but grin. "Sister dear you have to remember exactly who just volunteered to go with me."
She looked at Damon, "I'm sure he can use his 'power of persuasion' to get us the key." Her confidence in him surprised even her and she looked away, back to her sister. 'It's one of his many talents.' She almost blurted out but stopped herself in time. "Now that we've figured out a possible way of bringing Meredith back I'd like to talk about what's going on with you Mary. Exactly who was controlling you earlier?"
Stefan listened as everyone voiced his or her opinion on the matter of Mary and Meredith's conditions. He turned to Bonnie who was going to go to the hospital. "Do you want me to go with you to the hospital as well? My powers are still at their peak since my last feeding." He glanced over at Matt in an appreciative way.
After listening to what Mary had said, Meredith felt nauseous. She started wobbling and had to grab onto the chair for support. In the back of her mind, she was only mildly surprised that it worked, and that her hand didn't go right through. 'Go into arrest? Pound it into my chest?'
"Uh-uh! There is no way I'm going to agree to that! I'll get back in my body my own way...Please, Bonnie!! Please don't try to play nurse on me. If anything, let a doctor do it! That's it! After we fix up Mary you can all troop down to the hospital and tell the doctors what to do to me. How's that?"
Meredith quickly tried regained her composure. "Odds are extremely slim...that means that there is still a possibility of me arresting. No thank you!"
Matt had been leaning against the wall just watching what was unfolding. He listened to Mary attempt to explain her psychic problems or possession. Whatever. Then Caroline gives lovely news on baby and the town full of wolves. Then watched as if separated, everyone decide how to help Meredith get back inside her body. Matt felt more and more out of place. He wasn't one of the girl's club, he wasn't a vampire, he wasn't psychic. He was just matt. He listened to them concoct a plan to put an adrenaline shot into Meredith's chest. Then he spoke up.
"We can create a diversion. Then during the distraction, Damon can "chat" with the stray nurses, find a key, Mary can sneak in to get the drugs." He looked at Caroline. "You can be the lookout for Mary." And then he turned and looked at Elena and Bonnie. "I need you to take me to the hospital. I'll be the diversion." He grinned. "It's better then trying to go into a bored clinic and have to deal with an entire staff with nothing to do other then watch for drug thieves."
Mary looked up at Meredith. It was odd, she could see her, or rather a shadowy her. "Don't be so dramatic. I know what I am doing. I am a nurse, remember?" She gave Matt full attention as he laid out his plan. It gave everyone a job. "Yes," she agreed. "That sounds like the best plan. I'll be able to pick out the right drugs and the proper gauge in hypodermics in no time. No offense, but I don't think it would be a wise thing to turn HIM lose on hospital staff. I hate to say it, but he should have a babysitter." Mary wasn't going to lie. She did not trust him. What if he got bored and just left them? What if he decided he wanted a snack? He could not be trusted.
Bonnie straightened up and glared at her sister as Mary remarked on how untrustworthy she found Damon. "I think Damon has earned our trust, well mine anyways. Katherine would have killed me if Damon hadn't have been there. You weren't so worried about trust when you were out having dinner with him now were you? It's amazing how quickly some people change their tune when they find out the truth about someone. If we're going to figure out what's wrong with Meredith and defeat Katherine, yet again, we're going to have to stick together and trust each other. It's the only way." Her voice was cold and a bit distant as she looked upon her sister.
Turning away from Mary she walked to the door. "You all decide what you want to do, I'll go along with it. I've got to get something to drink, maybe some more grape juice or something." Quickly she made her way down the stairs and to the empty kitchen. Bracing her hands on the counter she bowed her head. She couldn't help the anger she felt towards her sister at that moment. 'Sure he's probably playing with my mind and my emotions but he's been there for me whenever the going go tough. And yes he does tend to get bored with us and go off somewhere but that's Damon, that's what he does.' Giving a soft growl of frustration she pounded one fist on the counter and shook her head. "Get a hold of yourself girl, this won't help anything." She told herself in a calm soft voice.
"Yes it is amazing, amazing how being in bed with someone will change your point of view." A sneer peeled across her lips.
Mary glared at Damon, "If only she knew how little you value her. If you think our game is odd, your game is another matter. You'd more likely bring the entire hospital staff down on us just for a good laugh." Her face lost all _expression, "We are not a toy."
'Here is our challenge'
Meredith turned to Mary, a distrusting _expression on her pretty face. "Mary, you may be a nurse...but you're not exactly you at the moment. And I'm not being dramatic...just honest."
Damon cocked an eyebrow at Mary saying he needed a babysitter. It was on his tongue to remark that she'd probably like that job when Bonnie burst in taking up for him. His eyebrows drew together as another remark started to lash from his mouth. He didn't' need a human sticking up for him, but before he could get it out, Bonnie stormed out of her room.
"What is this, attack Damon day?" He sneered at Mary. "Maybe I knocker you a bit too hard with that rock." He said pushing off of the wall and starting towards Mary. "What I do is none of your business. And as for not trusting me, you're right on the mark with that one. But you have to ask yourself Mary, what in all this do you really know."
"Damon stop." Elena said softly from the window. She stood and came to stand beside him. "I have to admit, Mary, you don't know a whole lot of what happened last year. But when it came down to it, none of us would be here with out Damon." She looked over her shoulder at Stefan, for strength. "He could have left his brother, your sister, and Meredith and Matt in the woods that night and let another vampire Klaus kill them all, but he didn't. He came through for us, for all of us. And the fact that he's still here says a lot for him." She gave Damon a short disapproving look, biting her lip. "What Bonnie chooses to do with him, is her choice. I'm certain that he wouldn't use his powers to seduce her."
"Oh come off it." Damon said in anger. "I don't need you of all people sticking up for me. I could care less what happens to your little friend there." He said with a flick of a wrist towards Meredith. How do they know that as soon as you get away from them to go into where the medicine is or whatever the hell you plan on doing you don't take off and go crazy again?" He drew closer to Mary, his fangs elongated into points. "You just remember that what ever I do, I choose to do. I don't have voices in my head choosing for me."
His eyes burned with anger, and Elena felt the power welling up around him. You didn't need any supernatural senses to realize an explosion was coming. She backed away from them, the reaction to take cover over riding her senses. "Stefan, I think he's going to kill her." She whispered in a panic. As a second thought she looked towards Caroline. She needed to get out of the way, if she was pregnant she could really get hurt...
Mary's glare was unwavering. "We - I know more than you think. I know of Klaus, and I know of you. They told me." Her gaze grew colder at Damon's mention of voices in her head. "I did not ask for the company," she snarled. She rose to her feet, not even thinking that her hands were still bound. The hairs on the back of her neck, she almost felt charged with static. She was not about to back down. There was so much left to be done and if he thought he could over run her then she would serve no use. "Do you not remember how you were a little doll down in that crypt? Choose your ground wisely."
Stefan quickly stepped in between Damon and Mary. "Come on guys. We have enough problems right now that we don't need to be at each other's throats. Mary, maybe it is best that you stay here as a pre-cautionary measure. I will stay here with you. We can come up with a plan to locate Katherine. She cannot be allowed to roam the streets of Fell's Church. She will kill everyone in sight, if she hasn't already. We cannot forget about her, she is a serious danger to us
all."
Bonnie could hear the argument from down stairs and she felt the tension in the house. "What are they arguing about up there?" Pushing away from the counter she walked to the base of the stairs and paused. When she heard Mary's comment about Damon's weakened state back when he was Katherine's prisoner in the crypt she bristled. "Oh you've gone too far." She said softly, she could just imagine Damon's anger toward her sister. She hoped it was just the people in Mary's mind talking. Forgetting about her need for a glass of juice she stalked back up the stairs and came in when Stefan placed himself between her sister and Damon.
Looking at Damon she sent him a message, she could feel her connection to him receding, his blood in her veins slowly becoming non-existent. 'I know you probably want to rip her throat out but it wouldn't solve anything. Relieve stress yes but she's still my sister, I can't let you do anything to her no matter how crazy she is right now.' When she spoke out loud it was in a calm, clear voice, "If we're going to go to the hospital we should do it now. Meredith I don't think you can help my sister with the demons in her mind and you'd be more useful back in your body. We're just going to have to let them play their little game and stop them before they succeed in whatever it is they're trying to do." She turned to Elena and gave her a small smile. "I'm glad to see you've snapped out of it."
Mary began to laugh inwardly as she heard Bonnie's mental conversation with Damon. The one thing stronger than a blood bond is that of family (the blood that never drains away). Mary's eyes narrowed as she sat back down, "Don't stick up for me. I don't need your help if your only concern is the vampire who views you as a happy meal." She crossed her legs and chuckled. They all thought she should be worried about frustrating Damon. At this point in time she could care less about Damon. He was one of the smaller pawns in this huge game of chess.
"What makes you think that she's going to get the correct medicine for her?" Damon spat turning away from Mary and Stefan, the anger inside him reaching the boiling point. "Seems to me like she's got it in her mind to grab something that will either keep the girl like that or kill her." He turned back around. "Is that is Mary?" The sound of her name came out like he was mentioning something disgusting. "After what you saw in the crypt, do you really think that she's out to help you?" He walked to the edge of the room, standing next to where Elena had sat earlier. He ran a hand through his hair, fighting his predatory reflexes.
Elena looked over her shoulder at him. "He does have a point." She whispered in Stefan's ear. She didn't want it to look like she was siding with one brother over the other again, but Damon did bring up a point that none of them had thought of. She looked at Bonnie. "What do you think?" She asked. Maybe since it was her sister, and Bonnie had psychic powers, she might be able to push the decision in one way or the other.
Then there was the point of Katherine. Yeah, they did need to figure out what to do with her, but what else was left. Heck they had killed her and she came back. And as of Caroline suggesting it was Klaus, it couldn't be, Mary had said there was three. Klaus worked alone. Wouldn't be Damon, he wouldn't be here fighting against himself. And Katherine seemed as confused as they did, and again why would she fight herself. They had seen what happens when Katherine tortured someone through their mind. Elena's eyes blinked as she thought of poor Vicki, no Katherine wasn't using Mary, if she was Mary wouldn't be as sane as she was now. Elena almost laughed at that, Mary sane... Not hardly.
Damon looked over his shoulder at the people in the room. Maybe not now, but Mary would eventually get hers. Hell he had it bad for Elena and he conjured up an ice storm to let her freeze when he wouldn't do what he wanted. Mary would learn you didn't play with Damon. He turned back towards the window, his black eyes taking on a slight reddish glow. She didn't know what was about to hit her...
