Another chapter done. I'm a little scared because of the way that this played out. I genuinely didn't expect it but, you know what they say about stories; if you have to force it, it wasn't meant to be. This just flowed onto the screen before I could stop it and so I decided to go with it. Also means I don't have to watch the rest of the series ahahaha! Ah, I'm a dirty, filthy cheater and I accept this about myself. Shit's probably going to get messy soon, we'll see how well I keep up!

I will say this though; every time I youtube Enzo and Damon, I always feel like I haven't seen their reuinion yet. I mean, Damon and Enzo were besties, sharing a shitty shitty time together, and what does he do when he sees the man he thought he'd left for dead again? 'Enzo.' It's almost like he's saying 'aw feck, not you again.' Like what? Where's the apology? Where's the crippling relief? Where's any kind of emotional reaction at all!? It just made no sense. Damon is a messed up little puppy and in my completely uneducated opinion it stems from PTSD. Side effects for the condition can be impulsiveness, easily upset or aggressive, hypervigilance, irritability, self-destructive, recklessness, inability to trust easily, overwhelming guilt, anger, shame, sometimes dissociation and antisocial tendencies etc.! Am I ringing any bells yet? He had juts come back from war when he met Katherine and I'm pretty sure a scary face wouldn't trump the screams of dying men and the fear of gunfire and enemy troops, you know? Stefan, on the other hand, saw Katherine as the scariest thing he'd ever seen.

Thanks so much for the love I'm still getting! I'm genuinely surprised people have stuck around this long ahaha!

Chapter 15

"I'm the best student Hogwarts has ever seen!"

"Yeah, we got it," Jeremy replied absently as he watched the impossible in front of him.

Jeremy, Caroline and Enzo watched in awe as Lia made flowers bloom and dance, illusions of unicorns and hippogriffs appear, movies play in a floating ball of water and turned leaves into a table and chairs.

"I could totally make a daylight ring," Lia said smugly as she clicked her fingers, summoning her Luna Lovegood model wand and tucking it behind her ear. "I could make some kind of jewellery that makes you guys stronger or hear better or whatever I wanted, too." Lia sighed as she wrapped her arms around herself. "I'm just the best."

"Haven't seen you go full Siren Vanity in a while," Caroline laughed, flicking her hair over her shoulder as she tested out the newly-transfigured chair. Nodding her approval, she looked back at the witchy mermaid. "Is there anything you can't do?"

"Right now? Tear down the Other Side," Lia pouted, slumping into the chair next to the blondes. "I may have the power, but I have nowhere near enough knowledge on the subject. I just know Amara is the anchor. I don't know what will happen if I just straight up kill her, or if I have to remove a spell, and I won't know what that spell is until I either talk to Qetsiyah, find Amara or find Silas, though Silas might not know."

"Uh, please, as if you'd want to talk to Silas," Caroline scoffed. "He's the one that started all this. If he wasn't such a cheating asshole, there wouldn't even be an Other Side."

"Don't let Amara remain blameless," Enzo tutted, leaning back in his own chair and kicking his legs up on the table. "It takes two to tango, gorgeous, and she wasn't ignorant of his up-and-coming nuptials."

"Thank you, God, it's like everyone forgets that I'm the victim."

Everyone blinked at the new arrival who, like a good house guest should, started dishing out the cake she'd brought along.

"I mean," she continued, sitting in her own conjured chair between Lia and Enzo. "I get that I have flaws – who doesn't, right? – I like to wear the pants in the relationship, you know? But when I made Silas his god-damned immortality just like he'd asked, I didn't think he'd share it with my handmaid. The trust issues I suffer from now, God, not to mention the paranoia."

She slammed the cake server down on the table, causing the humans to jump.

Qetsiyah inhaled deeply, exhaling calmly before picking up the little dessert fork and bringing her cake closer to her. She took a bite, enjoying the chocolate and coffee flavour of the tiramisu before turning to look at Lia, who was already half way done with her serving.

"What do I have to do for you to leave the Other Side alone?" the woman asked calmy.

Lia blinked in surprise, removing the fork from her mouth and chewing slowly as she considered the woman.

"First, explain to me why it's important to you," Lia hummed around another bite. "I have my reasons for needing it gone, but we might be able to come to an arrangement."

"I want Silas to never find Peace with Amara. I want to torture him for as long as he's made me wait for my revenge," Qetsiyah declared passionately as she leaned closer, locking eyes with the terribly beautiful being in front of her. "I want the both of them to suffer eternally. I'm sick of watching the doppelgangers live their lives, no matter how gruesomely they seem to end. I hate seeing their faces, especially when they're happy."

"I see," Lia thoughtfully tapped her lower lip with her cutlery. "What I want is the return of magic to the earth," she admitted. "This planet literally pulled me here because it was dying, its energy source being stolen by the Other Side by the witches that die and don't leave their magic behind. In order for the Other Side to remain open for business, you need to empty the magical entities that cross over."

Qetsiyah blinked in surprise, not realising that she had done so much damage. "Huh, well, that sucks. About the world, I mean."

"Yeah, I know," Lia nodded emphatically as she reached for another slice of dessert. "This is delicious, by the way."

"I know," Tessa smirked as she took another bite.

"So?" Lia asked after a comfortable silence, vaguely amused by her friends as they watched on like they were observing a tennis match.

"Should be easy enough," Tessa nodded, twirling her fork around. "Of course, I'd still retain my power."

Lia scoffed. "Doesn't matter how powerful you are, darling, you're one witch. It's the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, that you're keeping trapped in your self-made purgatory. They need to either find Peace or be purged of their connection to the earth. They're dead and therefore cannot keep a symbiotic relationship going. The only time they seemed to use it is when their descendants borrow their power, and even then, they take it back. It's time for them accept their deaths and leave their living magic behind."

"I'm not stopping you, obviously," Tessa rolled her eyes. "But what does that mean for those that practice ancestral magic?"

Lia leaned forward in her chair. "Magic practitioners draw magic from the earth. They shouldn't be able to draw from anything else. The reason the so-called 'spirit' magic and 'ancestral' magic is so strong these days is because the earth is essentially running on fumes in comparison to the magic that has been taken to the Other Side. Drawing from the dead will be a thing of the past as soon as magic is restored to its rightful place with the living." Lia waved her fork around carelessly. "The dead witches can give their magic to their decedents if they want, I don't care. The point is, it needs to be returned to the earth, like, yesterday."

Qetsiyah nodded thoughtfully as she set her empty plate down. Lia clicked her fingers and instantly found the pitcher of lemonade she'd made and 5 glasses on the table.

"What happens to you, then? When the earth is all good again?" Tessa asked as she hummed at the taste of the cold beverage. "This is perfect, by the way."

Lia preened. "Thank you, and nothing, to answer your question. I'm here to stay. It would be counter-productive of the earth to send me back, not to mention a hell of a lot harder because I'm now tightly bonded to it. Bringing me here was like buying and building a house; expensive and time consuming but, once it's built it's yours and you can always save more money. Sending me back would be like trying to dig up the house, foundation and all, and moving it to a new location, after you'd renovated it and expanded it. Too much time, energy and money to even consider. I'm connected deeply to this planet, now. I'm not even sure there is a way to send me back."

By this point, Jeremy and Enzo had left to their game room, already yelling cheerful insults at the noobs online and Caroline was on her phone texting Elena, surprisingly, who was being a really good friend today. She'd started the conversation all by herself and still hadn't asked Caroline for a favour.

"I figured," Tessa sighed as she leaned back in her chair. "I didn't know what I'd do if you were adamant about tearing down the Other Side. I have to trust you at your word simply because I know I have no other choice. I couldn't fight you and there's no way in hell I'm strong enough to send you back," Tessa looked Lia dead in the eyes. "You know you've essentially become this planet's God, right?"

Lia blinked. "Really? Explain."

"I've been watching you for a while," the witch admitted, setting her glass down. "You bend reality to a degree. I didn't notice at first, but the magical signature is there. That Gilbert pocket watch? It was just that – a watch. But, because you 100% believed it was a compass, it wasn't a watch anymore."

Lia frowned as Caroline lifted her head from her phone with a raised eyebrow. "Come again?" the blonde asked.

"Yeah, I just realised how that sounded, too," Tessa pondered before trying again. "The Gilbert pocket watch came in two parts; the watch and the compass. The compass was an insert that was hidden in the Lockwood manor. If one wanted to use the compass, the watch face had to be removed and the compass inserted before it was able to operate as a vampire tracking mechanism. Because you didn't know that, because you believed it to be a compass, a compass is what you found. Of course, you didn't recreate the device, it simply altered itself to make sure you found what you expected. The mayor was a little scared when he went looking for the compass face only to find that someone had seemingly been in his most secure safe and had managed swap it with the watch face. By the sounds of it, you are cherished by this planet. It will protect you until it dies because, without you, it will die."

Caroline gaped while Lia bit her lip and tugged the ends of her hair sheepishly. Slowly, Caroline's gleaming eyes turned on her supernatural friend.

"You? As a Goddess?" Caroline sighed dramatically as she shook her head, hiding her smile with her hair while looking back at her phone. "Talk about the ultimate bragging rights."

"I'll be responsible as long as you build a fabulous shrine in my name," Lia flipped her hair over her shoulder, winking at Caroline.

"Oh, please, responsible, my ass. You get distracted easily and bored way too easily, not to mention you're basically bipolar so 'fair judgement' goes straight out the window on an off day. I love you, that power is gonna go to your head," Caroline sighed "I'll be the treasurer of our newly-created world-council."

Lia pouted. "Can't I play the tyrannical Goddess for just one day?"

Caroline laughed as Tessa wore a half smile at the bickering pair. A comfortable silence descended as the girls all finished their drinks, Lia the only one able to hear the profanity coming from the basement.

"You wouldn't want to give me a helping hand in forcing the cure down Silas' throat and killing him, would you?" Tessa asked hopefully as she set her empty glass down.

Lia laughed. "I'm going to say no at this time; however, I'll add it to my 'when bored' list. I'm sure it will be done soon enough."

Tessa rolled her eyes, standing from her chair before banishing it to wherever it had come from.

"Pleasure doing business," Tessa smirked.

"Feel free to bring cake again," Lia chirped before the witch disappeared with a laugh.

"Well, that certainly went a lot different to what I expected," Lia mused as she snapped her fingers again, clearing the table.

Caroline scoffed. "I have no doubt it would have if you'd been adamant about tearing down the Other Side. She doesn't care about those that are there, she only wants what she made it for. It may have happened 2,000 years ago but the pain of betrayal is obviously still fresh." Caroline sighed sadly. "She's the ultimate woman scorned and I can't say I blame her, especially with the whole 'I promise you forever, oh wait, sorry! I know I said forever, but I didn't mean with you, so, thanks for your hard work! Me and my actual love are going to live together forever now.' Regardless of how outmatched she was, she would have fought tooth and nail to get what she's waited a long time for."

"Yeah," Lia sighed heavily, looking in the direction of the Gilbert house. "She proved that when she stepped foot in this town to talk to me, now that two doppelgangers have found each other. Again."

"Wait, what?" Caroline gaped. "Who?"

"Stefan and Elena, of course," Lia rolled her eyes.

"Get out!" Caroline was shocked.

"Yeah, I didn't tell you?" Lia dug for her phone before pulling up the photo of Katherine. "Stefan was present both times the doppelgangers crossed paths. Meet the Salvatore's Sire, Katerina Petrova A.K.A Katherine Pierce."

"That's The Katherine? They're identical. What an asshole!" Caroline screeched, grabbing Lia's hand and dragging the phone closer to her. "Holy shit," she breathed. "What does that say about Stefan wanting to be with Elena?"

"They're both cursed?" Lia cocked her head to the side. "I think they're drawn to each other, because of something the Traveller's did?" Lia shrugged. "Regardless, unless Stefan's already told her, they're going to have a very big argument on their hands," Lia sighed. "I know she's your friend, so if it's any consolation, Elena is barely anything like Katherine. Kathy doesn't have a nice bone in her body from what I've heard. She loves herself more than anything, ever. She wouldn't have bothered with Stefan if it wasn't for the doppel-pull thing. I think."

"Yeah, I get that feeling, too. Still," Caroline frowned in worry. "I know you don't like Elena much, but no one deserves to have their heart hurt with that kind of information."

Caroline's phone chimed, dragging her attention away from the creepy photo. A second later her eyebrows shot up.

"Never mind, apparently," Caroline scoffed as she looked over at Lia. "Elena just said they're over."

"Vampire revelation didn't go so well, then," Lia nodded knowingly. "She's probably realised how dangerous this world actually is, especially with only a weak veggie-vamp as protection, or she feels guilty about letting Damon inside and realising the threat she's becoming to her family. I tried to warn her," the mermaid sighed, coming to her feel and stretching. Caroline followed the girl inside, looking back when she snapped her fingers to see everything magical disappear. Shaking her head in disbelief, she turned back to Lia.

"I think I'd like a set of earrings; one enchanted for hearing and the other for sight. I do not want enhanced nostrils, thank you. I still attend high school."

Lia beamed as she linked arms with Care, practically skipping to her room.

"Oh! You're gonna be so badass by the time we're done!" Lia squealed as she dragged the blonde into her Hufflepuff bedroom.

"Please," Caroline scoffed, flipped her hair over her shoulder as she settled on the bed. "I'm counting on it."

*TVDM*

Bonnie had stopped having dreams.

Something that she was immensely grateful for, especially with how refreshed she felt that morning, but her Grams was weary of.

"Emily hasn't completed her task," Grams said as she poured herself a coffee while Bonnie made herself some toast. "It doesn't make sense. I believe we should try to reach out to her, communicate with her, ask why she's left us with her unfinished business."

"I don't know, Grams," Bonnie frowned down at her toast as she spread her jam of choice. "I think maybe it's because we're making progress. She's probably happy that we're getting it back and feels no need to interrupt my sleep anymore. We might hear from her again after we have the talisman?"

Sheila hummed as she took a sip of her alcoholic coffee, accepting her granddaughter's logic. "If we haven't heard anything after we get possession of it, we'll call her."

Bonnie offered a tight smile while nodding her affirmation.

Meanwhile, across town, Damon was sitting in his favourite armchair, directly in the sun as he read the paper and fiddled with the Gilbert compass absently.

Stefan entered the room, a solemn frown on his face as he approached Damon.

"The paper's a bust," Damon's head lolled to the side to look at his brother. "There's nothing about that Logan guy in here."

"The news reported nothing about his absence, either. They've just straight-up replaced him," Stefan frowned as he dropped into one of the couches. "They've covered it up. He was dating Elena's aunt."

"Break-up text," Damon rolled his eyes. "An, 'it's not you, it's me,' kind of deal to fan her flames of rage rather than send her pining and looking for him. Classy."

"This isn't a game, Damon," Stefan snapped, glaring at his older brother.

The blue-eyed vampire scoffed, throwing the paper down as he launched himself from the chair. "No, Stefan, it's not. Why? Because Logan Fell had this," he waved the compass under Stefan's nose. "Now, what is the town's news reporter doing with a vampire finding device, hm?"

"If you're so worried, Damon, why don't you just leave town," Stefan leaned back, raising a challenging eyebrow.

"We should both be worried, little brother," Damon stared his brother down before turning on his heel and walking away.

"Where are you going, Damon?" Stefan demanded over his shoulder.

"I'm in the mood for a drink," Damon gave one last smirk before he pulled on his jacket and blurred to his car.

*TVDM*

Caroline and Lia were already at the Grill, waiting for their breakfast – or in Lia's case, her shake – to arrive, sitting in a booth in the middle of the restaurant.

"God, I can't believe what I'm hearing," Caroline squealed quietly as her attention was focussing on two guys in the back who, she'd just found out, were cheating on their girlfriends with each other. "I mean, go Gay Power, but ouch, break up with your beard that doesn't know she's a beard, you know?"

Lia blinked. "No, I don't. Why would anyone want to break up with their facial hair?"

Caroline gave the mermaid a deadpan look before straightening in her chair as she saw who'd just entered the building.

"Oh, dear," Lia sighed, smiling at the waiter who brought their order over. "That's a face I hadn't wanted to see yet."

Damon, seeing Snow White and Barbie, veered off his course for the closest barstool. He made sure to wear his most charming smirk as he prowled toward the girls.

Caroline sighed as she watched him. "Why are the villains always so hot?"

"Uh, A. I believe you've already asked that question and I answered appropriately, and B. he can hear you," Lia sang as the vampire slid in beside her.

"The eternal stud; a blessing and a curse," Damon's eyebrows jumped as he threw a salacious smirk toward the blonde. He turned his attention to Lia, dropping his arm across the back of her seat. "Now, you wouldn't happen to know the reason why Logan Fell had a little vampire finder on his person, would you?"

"Of course, I do," Lia sighed, rolling her eyes as she took a sip of her caramel milkshake. "The town council is still in full swing and someone was a messy eater on the way in," she clucked her tongue, a knowing gaze pointed at him.

"You do know sharing is caring, right?" Damon smiled thinly at the delicacy beside him, not bothering to hide his annoyance. "I would have appreciated the heads up."

"That's the thing, Damon, at the moment, I don't care. Not about you, and certainly not about your brother," Lia rolled her eyes as she took a sip of her drink. "I've already told Stefan to his face that he's not the good guy he likes to believe he is. You, on the other hand, know you're a bad guy. You've accepted that and you're not ashamed of it. While I could have tolerated you, your treatment of a certain individual in this town leaves a lot to be desired." Lia locked eyes with the stumped vampire. "I've known you all of 2 minutes and already I'd describe you as nothing more than a narcissistic fool who has serious PTSD and refuses to acknowledge it, instead, allowing yourself to be consumed by the impulsiveness and aggression, getting angry at any kind of sadness or guilt you feel and taking it out on others by tormenting them. How is Tina, by the way? Still suffering from nightmares? Still attending counselling because of her missing memories? Still too scared to look at anyone with blue eyes directly? Bruises and bite marks still healing, unable to show anyone even though she's desperate to? Did you think being with you would be a pleasure? Why? Because you didn't have a problem with Katherine being a vampire, you think it means your victims should feel the same? Tell me, Damon, why would you leave a victim to suffer like that? The supernatural are not out to mindfuck everyone they come across. It's bad for business. Tell me, how did you compel her? How did you make her stay with you?" Lia leaned in closer, her eyes holding eternal rage. "Did you compel her to sleep with you? To let you fuck her? Are you a rapist, Damon?"

"No!" Damon snarled, outraged at the accusation. "I did no such thing! I compelled her to ignore the supernatural, to be OK with me biting her, but she wanted me all on her own!"

"Really?" Lia wasn't impressed. "And you don't think her mind was compromised when she came to that decision? You're an idiot man, Damon Salvatore, and an even worse vampire, just like your Sire. Can you imagine what would have happened if I'd left you alone with Vicki? You'd fed her your blood, Damon, that was obvious. Don't tell me you wouldn't have killed her at some point during your little party; your impulsiveness is predictable. Did you even consider the fact that she is a drug addict? Did you think she'd thank you as she struggled not to gorge on her brother? Just like you thank Katherine, right? Like you thank Stefan, every day, for being what you are? Honestly, you shouldn't even be here. It's not fair that the pitiful you is running free. It should have been him." Lia spat. "What would he think of you now, Damon?"

"Who?" Damon asked through clenched teeth, trying to remember that he was not only in a public place, but he was the weaker of the two.

Lia's eyes burned. "Lorenzo St. John."

Just like that, Damon's anger vanished as he was sucker-punched by the sorrow that consumed him. He couldn't even demand how she knew the name as guilt consumed his very tongue.

"We'll be late," Caroline stated blandly, already standing and admiring her sparkly new rings as if the 150-year-old vampire in front of her wasn't having an emotional conniption. Lia nodded as she stood, exiting the booth by gracefully jumping over the table and walking along Caroline's chair before hopping down.

"Wait," Damon rasped, reaching out to grab the raven-haired teen. His arm was halted by a delicate hand, decorated by delicate rings, tightly locking his wrist into place. Lia turned around and put her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrow. His eyes widened as he realised he'd been stopped by the human girl. "What?"

"I have friends in high places," Caroline's eyebrows jumped smugly as a self-satisfied smile graced her features. "Don't call us, we'll call you."

He was left standing in the middle of the Grill, dumbfoundedly staring after the ridiculous pair.

He was nowhere near sober enough for this.

Lia and Caroline nodded at the mayor as they passed him at the front door. They jumped in Caroline's car and headed toward school.

Caroline couldn't contain herself anymore.

"Did you see me?" the blonde cackled. "I totally stopped him, one-handed, and I didn't even break a sweat! I was so suave! 'I have friends in high places;' get it?! Like, a God?!" she sighed dreamily. "I'm going to be stuck on this cloud of self-satisfaction all day."

"You were the baddest of the bad," Lia nodded solemnly. "I couldn't have done it better myself."

"Thank you," Caroline beamed as she pulled into the school carpark. "It's nice to know that I can at least defend myself if I happen to find myself in supernatural trouble. I'm sure Jer feels the same."

Lia gave Care's hand a squeeze before climbing out of the car and immediately linking her arm with the blonde's. "Anything for my favourite humans. I can totally make you immortal when you decide you're cool with it, too. You can have your very own mortal shadows!" Lia giggled as they skipped into the building.

*TVDM*

Damon was sat at the bar back at the boarding house. He'd stuck around long enough to hear the conversation between Carol and her husband before fleeing. He was boggled, lost in memories of a time he didn't want to remember, seeing a face he didn't want to forget while half way through a bottle of bourbon.

It was his biggest regret; not being able to save Enzo. He couldn't open the cell, the fire was spreading, and he was desperate. He thought if he could just focus, he could get them out of there. He tried to cheat his fear by turning off his humanity.

It backfired astronomically.

No humanity meant he didn't care.

He left Enzo to burn.

Eyes pinched, Damon downed the rest of his glass and reached for the bottle. He'd just set the bottle back down when there was a knock at the door.

Rolling his eyes, he shrugged and downed his fresh pour. Grimacing slightly at the burn, Damon stood and moseyed his way toward the foyer.

Swinging the door open, he almost closed it again. A face he never expected to see again looked up at him wearing an unimpressed mien.

"Annabelle, I'd say it's a pleasure, but…" Damon trailed off, raising an eyebrow at the short Asian forever-teen.

"Cut the shit, Damon, we need to talk," Anna scowled as she barged her way inside, following the fresh scent of Damon toward the liquor. Pouring herself a hefty drink and immediately downing half of it, she turned to face the annoyed man. "I want my mother."

"Tragic. I'm sorry for your loss. Nice seeing you. We should do this again in another 150 years," Damon rolled his eyes as he sauntered over to his own bottle, forgoing his glass entirely.

He hadn't made it halfway when he was suddenly slammed into the wall.

"God, what is with you ladies," Damon groaned, not even bothering to fight. "I get it, I'm hot, but do you have to slam me into everything I own?"

Anna's eyes narrowed. "You're talking about Kaliope?"

Damon almost flinched at the name, his emotions still in tatters after their one-sided conversation at the Grill. "You know her?"

"She's why I'm here," Anna admitted as she released him, leaving him to clear his throat and try once more to reach for his bourbon. "I know about the tomb. And I know there's another way to open it."

Damon was on her immediately, hands on her shoulders, trying to shake the answers out of her.

"How?"

"It doesn't work like that," Anna snapped, pushing him so hard he flew back a few feet. "Emily's grimoire holds the original spell and the counter to it. I need Jonathon Gilbert's journal to find out where it was hidden."

"I've been invited in to that particular residence," Damon admitted smugly as he headed for the door. "I'll let you know what I find."

"No, you won't, but that's fine," Anna rolled her eyes, finishing off her drink before she followed after him. "The spell needs to be done on a full moon, so I'll just keep an eye out. Regardless of whether that girl pulls through or not, at least there will be a backup plan."

Damon's eye twitched as he looked down at Zhu the younger and studied her face. He scoffed, incredulously as he figured it out.

"She scares you," he chuckled, strolling out the door.

"No, Damon. She terrifies me."

Damon's stride stuttered in surprise before he turned to look at the older vampire again, only to find her gone. Shaking head, he blurred over to the Gilbert residence, hoping that the old books wouldn't be too hard to find. Listening in and determining that no one was home, the blue-eyed vampire jumped up onto the second floor and in through Elena's open window, immediately getting to work.

*TVMD*

Lia checked her phone as it vibrated against her leg. She cackled quietly, a mischievous grin pulling at her features.

"Anna just text me telling me all about her attempt at subterfuge," Lia pushed the phone to Caroline as the teacher droned on about something that she really didn't care much for.

"Oh, my God," Caroline whispered, her eyes gleaming. "I love this. The compulsion you used? Genius."

"Well, I didn't want to kill her creativity," Lia smirked.

"Of course, not," Caroline raised an eyebrow at the cunning mermaid. "Just use it for your own gain."

Lia hid her giggling unsuccessfully just as the bell rang, letting her tinkling peals of laughter free.

"Hey."

Lia stopped laughing almost instantly, fighting the instinctive need to hide the talisman from view. She arranged her face into polite interest as she turned to face the young Bennett witch.

"Bonnie, lovely to see you. How are you?" Lia asked, watching at the girl couldn't keep her eyes away from the amulet.

"Good, thanks Lia. I was just wondering-"

"Hey, Bonnie!" Caroline pulled the girl in for a hug. "It's been too long since we hung out."

"Yeah, we'll have to fix that," Bonnie smiled before turning her attention back to Lia. She would not be distracted. "I was just wondering if we could talk about the necklace again?"

"Let's cut the work-around and feigned ignorance, shall we? You want Emily's talisman sooner than we agreed," Lia observed disinterestedly. "Did she contact you? Possess you, even? Honestly, dead witches hovering is just poor manners, wouldn't you agree? Who knows what they're looking in on? Everyone should be entitled to their own privacy."

"Uh, Lia, I think you broke her," Caroline muttered as she watched her wide-eyed, unmoving friend.

"If she can't handle this conversation, she's going to get herself killed as soon as the supernatural world knows there's a new Bennett witch in town," Lia raised an unimpressed eyebrow before going to walk away. She was shoulder-to-shoulder with the witch when she paused, turning her head to look Bonnie in the eye. "Tomorrow. I'll meet with you and your grandmother at the Grill after school. It will be the last time we speak of it."

Bonnie released the breath she didn't know she had been holding. Caroline patted her shoulder with a consoling look on her face before strutting off after the enigma.

"Thank me tomorrow's Friday, am I right?" Lia sighed, as she opened her locker, completely ignoring Caroline's scoff at her choice of words.

"Oh, please, I will literally dye my hair black before I start shouting 'oh my Lia.'"

The girls laughed as they made their way to the last class of the day, Lia wasting no time as soon as she was seated in texting Enzo.

Hey, meeting the witches tomorrow at the Grill, will go see Damon tonight.

Need to know his take on the talisman.

Xoxox

His reply was almost immediate.

Punch him in the throat at your first opportunity.

Lia cackled.

*TVDM*

Damon opened the door with a lazy head lol that immediately straightened at the sight of the deceivingly innocent Snow White.

"Damon, sorry for dropping by unexpectedly. I was hoping we could have a quick chat," Lia explained while dancing her way inside, immediately heading for the living room where she gracefully folded herself into Damon's favourite armchair.

"Great, make yourself at home. Care for a bourbon before you start tearing my soul a new asshole?" he asked sarcastically as he walked over to pour himself one.

Lia gave a saccharine smile while grabbing the pendant that dangled from her neck and holding it up to Damon. "I need to know the story behind this. The Bennett witches want it back and I'm not very willing to part with it."

"Don't," Damon immediately snarled, starting to reach for it before thinking better of it. "Don't give it to them. I don't trust them. I made a deal with Emily; I'd protect her family if she helped me save Katherine. She agreed and used Katherine's necklace to make a talisman that would act as a key during the next celestial event. The comet that helped lock them in there was the perfect event to help get them out."

"And have you held up your end of the bargain?" Lia questioned; her head cocked to the side as she watched on dispassionately as he threw back his drink, almost immediately pouring himself another.

"Well, the Bennett name still lives, doesn't it?" Damon snarked.

Lia nodded, coming to her feet. "Thank you, Damon. You've been very helpful."

"The meeting," Damon raised an eyebrow, his glass at his lips. "When is it?"

Lia raised a brow of her own. "You want to attend." It wasn't a question.

"It's about the tomb. I'm not prepared to jeopardise what I've waited 145 years for," the 'duh' was implied.

"After school tomorrow. If you get there first, order me a caramel thick shake with an extra swirl," Lia grinned cheekily before vanishing.

Damon rolled his eyes as he made his way back to his liquor cabinet. Something a little stronger should do the trick.