Thoughts from Maggie - March 2022: Thank you for all your patience. Added a few more scene details and did a ton of proofing, so sorry this story was so bad. As I have gone through and reread... realized how many details didn't have much follow-through or explanation. I have added many details and story sidelines to help fill in where and how the plotline is getting to its end journey... Thanks for sticking with me... Maggie
Chapter 19 – The Growing the Brothers Coven
On cue, Ric walks in the door, "Ok, what's so important that I left my research." The twins leave the chairs "Daddy, are you going swimming with us tonight?" Ric looks up at Damon with an eyebrow turned up, "Well, we will have to see what Uncle D and Zio need to talk to me about." Damon gets up and pours a bourbon, then hands it to Ric. Ric takes it, "Am I going to need this?" He looks at Caroline, who smiles back with a comforting 'it's going to be ok' look in her eyes. Ric takes a swig of the amber nerve elixir, "Oh great, this isn't the start I was hoping for." Ric took a side chair from the living room, slipped it between Caroline and Josie. He takes Caroline's fork and starts eating off of her and Josie's plate, Stefan looked a little annoyed, not enough to get up and get Ric a plate. Even though Caroline was his wife, she was the mother of Ric's children, they were family just as Stefan was part of Ric's children's lives. Stefan took a deep breath, thought to himself, his amazing 'functioning dysfunctional' family.
Damon started the conversation "We should get this started. Since the theory is these creatures are after our (he emphasized 'our') kids' magic, it started Stef and me thinking about the Gemini Coven, specifically Lizzie and Josie being the only members of the Gemini Coven." Stefan took over, "I know that Caroline spends every spare minute researching the Gemini and other Covens, trying to find a way so the girls will not have to merge when they turn 22." Caroline sits up in her chair, Ric puts the fork down. Damon continues, "For months, the twins have been siphoning from Stef and me. We have been getting to know how the Gemini coven bonds work while they have been using our magic. We have come up with a few interesting theories, as the last 2 Gemini coven members in existence, the girls are siphon witches. Their blood is half-witch and half Ric, which gives them an amazing tolerance for booze and zero chance of ever absorbing the Gemini ancestry's power." Stefan takes over, "What Damon is trying to say, is after a merge, the winner will still be a siphon witch, a very powerful witch with the ability to channel the Gemini ancestry, yet still a siphon. The girls can only bring the Gemini Coven back to full power by passing it to the next generation of a full-blooded Gemini. The Gemini magic is at the brink of extinction without having another Gemini to mate with." Caroline is keeping up with the conversation, "There is no other Gemini, especially an indirect relative." She was thinking of Kai in the prison world. Damon answers, "No, that is where we come in. As High Priests of Gaian Nature's Magic, we can bring all covens back into the original club. We can absorb the Gemini coven into the element magic. The girls would become part of our coven, their magic would inherit the abilities of our coven, meaning as siphon witches, they would be able to use the elements as a power to siphon from. They would never have to borrow magic again, they would have their own." Damon looks directly at Ric, "The Gemini bloodline would be disconnected, Lizzie and Josie would not be connected to their ancestry line when they get older. They would not be able to summon Jo ever. They would no longer be Gemini Twins. They also wouldn't have to merge." Caroline and Ric look at each other. Stefan continues, "Gemini Coven decrees that the leader can merge the coven with another coven for the survival of the coven. Since the girls are too young to make that decision, you and Caroline can make that decision by proxy for them. Magically, Ric, your blood is the key to 'sealing the deal' as it were."
Elena speaks up, "This is a decision I do not envy either of you. I know that both of you are thinking of Jo right now, and Jo's connection to Lizzie and Josie. I remember the day that Jo found out she was having twins. When she told me, she was excited, and she was scared to death. It was the most scared I had ever seen her. She told me "one day they will be forced to merge, their magic will force them to turn on each other. Jo looked into my eyes and said how am I supposed to tell them that one day they are going to have to kill their best friend. Ric, I know you and Caroline, you both will keep Jo alive every day for the twins, all of us will. Each of us has special memories and loves Jo, the girls will never wonder how much she loved them and fought to protect them. Jo spent most of her life away from the Gemini Coven, protecting herself. I know she wouldn't hesitate to protect her girls." Caroline with tears in her eyes, "Elena's right, Jo would do anything to keep the girls from merging, anything."
Ric looks at his girls, he looks at Damon "They would be part of your coven, protected by your magic? And able to use your elements, how does that work? Kai? What about Kai's prison?" Damon nodded, "First, Kai isn't going anywhere, Bonnie's blood opened and closed Kai's prison, without it, Kai isn't going anywhere. Also, Kai came from Hell, the Gemini magic that was used to make the prison world stay frozen forever because the coven isn't there to remove it, open it or make it new. Kai is a NON-issue. Regardless of what you decide to do about the Gemini Coven, we will always protect the girls, they are Team Salvatore." Damon put his hand on Lizzie's head, she smiled when she looked up at him, Damon continued, "If the Gemini Coven was absorbed back into the Gaian Magical Community aka where it splintered off from over 2,000 years ago, the girls would be like Stef and me, they would have sibling elements, my best guess is Josie would be able to channel earth & wind and Lizmister would have fire & water."
Ric sat quietly looking at his children, he pondered their futures, he knew Elena was right, his wife Jo would want him to do anything, including removing any future access to the Gemini bloodline, including taking away their ability to ever conjure Jo, their biological mother. Jo would want her daughters to have a full and healthy life, anyway, they could get it. He looked at Caroline, she was amazing, she wasn't Jo, she wasn't worse than Jo, she wasn't better than Jo. Caroline was an amazing mother, just like Sheriff Liz Forbes. Caroline was loving, supportive, caring, and fiercely protective of everyone she loved, especially their girls. Ric knew, if Jo couldn't be the one to raise her daughters, she would have chosen Caroline, maybe in the chaos of the wedding she did.
Ric leaned over and kissed Caroline on the forehead, "You are the most amazing mother. Our girls are the most important priority in your life, you prove that every day, I never doubt that. Your heart is so big, you made room for me and Jo in it too." Ric paused, he looks at Elena, "Did you know she bakes a birthday cake for Jo every year, she helps the girls write notes to Jo. We put them in those Japanese Lanterns, light them so they float up to Jo. Just so the girls can wish her a Happy Birthday." Caroline tears up, "The girls have to know who Jo is, she is a part of them. She loved them so much, I have to do right by her." Ric looks into the eyes of the woman he hasn't quite shaken completely, no wonder he fell in love with her, how could he not. Ric looks into Caroline's eyes, the eyes of his daughters' mother, he sees the hope, her children will not ever be magically be pitted against one another. The hope that she would never have to stand by and watch as a battle take place or both die because of some ancient magical tradition that she hadn't figured out how to stop.
The Gemini merge was the pink elephant that Caroline feared and spent every moment she could researching, she tried not to concern him, she didn't realize he could still feel her presence when she whooshed in and out of the room while he was sleeping at the Armory. Right now, her eyes were filled with hope, the answer to the Gemini merge, was not being Gemini, she knew it, and so did he.
Ric turns to Stefan, "DO IT! " Ric said in a strong demanding voice. He continues in a softer tone as he turns back to Caroline, "Take the girls into your coven, make them safe. They have to be protected. Caroline and I need to have our girls safe. The Gemini left nothing to research. We have so little on the Gemini as it is." Ric looked at the brothers, "Jo would agree, she gave up her powers for life. She hoped that by giving up her powers, her siblings wouldn't have to merge. Promise me one thing, teach them. Teach them to respect their power, to control their powers. Given them the education that Jo and Kai never got. They are my life, Damon, my whole and complete life. With your Gaian Nature's Coven being the original source or coven of all magic, you can protect them." Damon put his hand on Elena's baby bump and looked at Ric with a nod of knowing exactly what he meant.
Josie looks up at Ric, "Daddy does this mean we are going to be Team Salvatore?" Stefan answers her, "Josie your Dad and Mom have been Team Salvatore since way before you were born, so my little siphon partner, you were born Team Salvatore." Josie smiles from ear to ear. Lizzie pipes in, "I told you so. You never listen to me Joz" Caroline takes control before the bickering war gets out of hand, "Ok girls if you are finished eating, we should wash up and get ready for the pond." The girls jump out of the seats and run for the stairs with Caroline following.
Elena gets up and walks over to Ric, she puts her arms around his shoulders from behind, "Jo is here with us, I know she supports your decision. It is the right thing to do." Ric pats her hands crossed over his heart, "I love you too. It is hard, part of me held out this crazy hope that one day they would be able to summon her and I would be able to see her again. Jo will be gone forever." Elena patted his heart again, "She has never left any of us, Ric, never." He puts his hand over hers in a gentle pat. He knows in his heart she is right, after all when he died, he never moved on, he stayed watching over everyone he loved. Somehow he couldn't put his head or his heart around something being different with Jo, she was different, she could find peace. He wanted her to find peace, Ric loved her that much.
Elena stood up, "I'm going to head upstairs myself to get ready." Bonnie tries to stands up, "I better head up myself, not sure I can find my feet with this big belly." Enzo objects, "That so-called big belly is my daughter, so careful how you talk about that amazingly baby bump', he gets up and extends a hand to help her stand. Enzo and Bonnie head up the stairs with Enzo's arm wrapped around Bonnie snuggling her close to him.
The three men, Ric, Damon, and Stefan are left at the table, Ric breaks the silence, "Caroline is gone now. Shoot straight! What are the chances this beast got something dangerous into Lizzie?" Stefan answers, "Honestly, we aren't sure. We have talked to Demetrius in detail. He has never heard of this specific creature. He told us of other types of succubus creatures, how they work and how to kill them. He gave us some insight as to how they can roam the earth relatively undetected. What he didn't know was, what triggers them, or what makes them active? This one is a bit different from the creatures he described." Damon leans in, "What we don't know is who this succubus is sucking for? That is our real question, we know they don't lead themselves, they aren't mission-oriented. Something or someone told them to attack. When they came after Lizzie, Elena, and Bon that made them Team Salvatore's Public Enemy #1. We aren't going to give it the chance to go after Josie or any of them again." Stefan nods his head yes.
Stefan and Damon head to the temple early to start preparing for the ritual, they leave Ric with the daunting task of getting everyone to the pond. Elena is the first one downstairs, she is wearing the plush robe, she found in the bedroom closet, with 2 towels in her hand, "Where's Damon?", she asks. Ric looks up and answers, "He and Stefan, headed over to the temple to get everything prepped and ready to go. As soon as everyone is ready we can head over too." They hear stomping little feet down the hallway to the stairs, Lizzie comes running down the stairs first in a bright rainbow suit with butterfly wings on her back, her hair is in pigtails, "Daddy, I'm a rainbow fairy. Do you like my new bathing suit?" Ric shook his head with the same enthusiasm he had for the 70-year-old Bourbon Damon gave him on his birthday last year. Elena was impressed. Josie was slower, more cautious down the stairs, she was wearing a white suit with a bathing cap with a unicorn horn coming from the top, and there was no doubt what magical creature she was. Bonnie and Enzo were next, "Enzo enough already, it is 100 degrees out, I'm not going to need another blanket. I can make fire with my mind if I need to." Bonnie rolls her eyes when she sees Elena and mouths the word MEN. Elena smiles. Caroline is the last down the stairs with her arms full of towels and blow-up rings, a big tote bag over her shoulder. "OH shit, we forgot the dessert." Ric grins remembering Caroline's sweet tooth during her pregnancy with the twins, "Nope, Stefan already packed it and everything we need for eating and serving. All we need to do is get the girls to the pond."
The sight of the pond at night was truly spectacular. The walking path to the Temple was lit by torches, from the end of the front porch you could see the glowing flames it was easy to follow. Stefan had lit all the torches and fire bowls in the temple courtyard. Damon had bloomed hundreds of flowers and plants to create the protection spell they needed for the ritual, it smelled amazing. Damon had the oils ready for the twins, he expressed more for Elena and Bonnie. Stefan was just finishing with the water in the pond when he heard the first sounds of the twins' laughter. The brothers both walked to the end of the edge of the temple entrance and watched as their family approaches.
Lizzie sees Stefan and starts running to him "Zio… Zio, I get the most magic, I was the one that had the ouchie. Tell Josie, she doesn't believe me". as she jumps into his arms. Stefan looks at Damon, who laughs "I'm not touching that one. I'm doing it one kid at a time, for this very reason." Josie isn't far behind, "Izzie, it doesn't work that way, we get the same magic, Mommy told me so." as she reaches Stefan, he kneels and puts Josie into his other arm, "This magic that Uncle D and I are going to be using it to protect both of you equally, it isn't like the magic that we play with. Think of it this way, you know how Daddy goes to the Armory to work and some days, you can't visit because he is working with dangerous equipment and some days you can visit." He waits for the girls to acknowledge with a nod, "During the days that you are visiting Daddy, he gets to show you lots are neat things, and some of those things you get to play with." Stefan looks into each of the girl's eyes one at a time, then continues, "Think of this magic as Uncle D and I like our work time, and our work is working on you. We had to work at making magic to protect both of you. Tonight we are going to use the magic so that it is yours forever and ever, always protecting you. Josie interrupted, "Cause we get to be Nature's witches like you now, not Gemini by ourselves." Damon takes Lizzie from Stefan, "That's right, you will have elements that you can siphon from to protect the family and yourself. Zio and I will teach you how to use them. But first, we have to do our big giant spell to make you part of our coven. Okie Dokie?" The twins nodded their heads yes.
Elena watches Lizzie in Damon's arms, she smiles, Elena knowing that Damon loves both the twins equally, she watches how Lizzie wraps him just a bit tighter around her finger than Josie, Lizzie knows how to pull as his heartstrings just a little bit more. She can't help smile at all the times that Damon retells a story about Lizzie doing or saying something that amused him or frustrated him. Damon had yet to figure out that he and Lizzie's personalities are closer matched, just like Josie and Stefan are more in sync. Elena can see how the siblings' chemistry and dynamics work within the pairs so clearly, it is no wonder why each twin has each brother wrapped around their little fingers.
Damon puts Lizzie down, when Elena arrives, he walks over and put his arms around her. Damon says in a hushed voice, "I hope you like the color, I know I'd like it when I get to take it off you." Caroline lightly hit him as she walked by, "Ewwww... Gross." Bonnie aims her comments towards her always inappropriate BFF, "I take it wasn't a PG rating. Damon, there are children present." Damon acting innocent, "What, I whispered, only the adults have vamp hearing, who shouldn't be eavesdropping can possibly hear an intimate conversation between husband and wife." Damon looked around at everyone, "Hello, I'm sensitive to age-appropriate behavior." Everyone turned and stared at him with a glaring look, including Elena. Damon spoke in a moderate tone, "Most of the time." Everyone laughed out loud at that statement.
Stefan put Josie down, who took off to chase Lizzie around the temple for a twin's game of tag. Stefan went over to join Caroline, "Damon and I create a meadow just outside the courtyard perimeter. It is a clear view, you will be able to see everything. There is a lot of magic that is going to be flowing through the temple. We aren't sure what effect it might have on you or Enzo, or even on Ric. This is the safest area for the 3 of you. I promise the twins are perfectly safe inside the temple, they are witches, and if these sucu creatures have marked Lizzie. Inside the courtyard is the safest place for them." Stefan sees the worry on his wife's face, "Care, I promise, I will keep our family safe, all of them." He wraps her in his arms, vampire or not, she still needed him to protect her heart and her girls.
Damon is touring the grounds looking for Ric, he stops outside the temple edge, as he is walking to him, he recognizes the large leather duffle bag that Ric is unpacking, "I haven't seen that much of an arsenal since you were out to kill me, your first vampire target." Ric didn't turn around, "Yeah, I put in the mothballs after I figured out it was better to drink with you buying the bourbon than using this stuff on you. Saved me thousands over the years in bar tabs. After a while, you and Stefan became the real weapons. I was the distractions with a few vervain grenades here and there, maybe a stake for backup. All this stuff just stayed deep in the closet." Ric paused with a deep breath, "I heard everything you said last night. I find myself in a familiar situation, one that I can do something about. You and Stefan protect my daughters! And I, my friend, I will protect you!" Damon slapped Ric on the shoulder, "Buddy, you got yourself a deal." as Damon turned to head back to the pond, Ric rolled out flash grenades, crossbows w/wood arrows, buck knives, double-barrel shotguns, electrical charges, animal traps, an arsenal to protect his loved ones.
Damon and Stefan called all the ladies over. Stefan and Damon squat down to be eye level with the twins, the brothers want to make sure they aren't scared and understand what is going to happen tonight. Damon started "Tonight's ritual has some very special parts to it. Zio and I are going to need your help." The twins shake their heads up and down, ponytails are wiggling with wild abandonment. Stefan "You know how after you take a bath, you have to put lotion on to make sure your skin doesn't get itchy." The girls again shake their heads up and down in agreement. "This time Uncle D and I are going to put this special oil on you before we get into the pond. This oil is going to help the magic stay inside your skin." Josie gets concerned, "Zio is it going to hurt." Elena decided to answer, "Not at all Josie, Uncle D has had to put it on me many times. It feels so soft and makes my skin so wonderful." Elena leans down just a little to whisper, "It tickles just a bit when he rubs it on too fast." Damon looks at Elena with his signature Damon's bedroom eyes, she is so glad it is dark enough no one can see her cheeks blush 'damn that man for still being able to do that to her'. Lizzie said with confidence, "I'm not scared of a little bit of oil." as she scoots closer to Damon. Damon grinned, "Of course not, after that, Zio and I are going to be making noise from our elements, that means the wind is going to blow, the water is going to be bubbling with big huge bubbles and the fires are going to be very high." Damon was trying very hard to use words that the twins would understand and not scare them at the same time. He feels Lizzie back into his chest even more, "During all this, it is important that you two girls understand where you have to stand." Lizzie turned her body so that she could look right into his eyes, Josie was staring at him as well, he had their complete attention now. "You both are going to be standing in the middle of Zio and me, you have to be very close to us, and our hands have to be touching each other like this." Stefan and Damon flattened their palms with fingers to wrists on top of one another and the girls are inside the circle that is created. "And you two are going be inside the circle just like you are now. Ready for your helping part?" Ponytails start wiggling. "Your hands have to lay in the middle of our hands like this." Damon takes one of each of their hands, he intertwines their fingers together in the ancient pledge of loyalty puts them between his and Stefan's palm. "Now that is what you have to do during the whole ritual. All four of our hands have to touch during the entire time. Do you think you can that and siphon our magic the entire time?" Lizzie's voice is unsure, "You aren't lying on the grass, I don't want to hurt you, remember we can't siphon you if you aren't laying on the grass, Uncle D." Damon hugs Lizzie, looks at Stefan, and Josie, "You are right, Baby Girl, but the temple is a special place where I have special powers. That means you can siphon as much as you want, without any worries of hurting either of us, you can't hurt me or Zio here, it's our magic home where our magic comes from. After today, my sweet little witches, the temple will be your magic home too. You will never have to worry about hurting anyone when you want to use magic, this will be your magical safe place."
Any doubts Damon had about absorbing the Gemini Coven were gone, it wasn't about Jo any more, it was about keeping Lizzie and Josie loved and secure. Something Kai said in the 1994 prison world came to mind 'everyone treated me as an outcast, I wasn't safe in my coven'. Kai was a siphon, his own coven didn't understand what a gift his magic was. Damon was determined that his nieces would not turn out like Kai, they would be loved and understand how amazing their gift is.
Caroline heard everything that Damon had explained to her daughters, the tears just flowed down her cheeks. At that moment, she knew they had made the right decision. Ric caught her attention, "Is everything ok?" Caroline wiped her eyes, "Yes, your friend is driving me nuts. Sometimes he says things that make me want to kill him. Then he does things that…Well, I want to just squeeze him forever. Damon is going to protect our girls. They are going to be saved, not just from whatever threat we face right now, but forever, Ric, forever. Our girls are going to be loved and happy being siphon witches. He is going to make sure of it. I didn't get it until right now. Vampire Damon was happy as a vampire, he was a psychotic asshole, but he was a happy psychotic asshole vampire. He was at peace with being a vampire, he could turn his bloodlust on or off, he was in control, he understood it. He was just talking to the girls, he understands their need to siphon, he is making it safe and secure for them to be siphon witches. They are going to grow up understanding their powers, they are going to be able to control them, and their powers aren't going to control them. Damn him!" Ric smiled and drew her into his arms, "I know… I know. No matter what he did in the past, he is going to worm his way into your heart until you forget that you are supposed to hate him. You are going to have to accept it, Damon Salvatore is impossible not to love. He makes like him, forgives him, trusts him, has faith in him." Caroline looks up at him, "I already did, years ago. I just paused for a minute to realize what a difference our lives are in 7 years. It makes you realize how much we have to protect." Ric releases her, "Speaking of that." Ric reaches into his pocket and opens his palm, "A gift from our local sheriff, for those of us without supernatural hearing. We are going to need to protect the surrounding area. Matt and Jeremy have the roads in and out of here covered. We have perimeter duty." Caroline picks up the soft earbud and puts it into her ear, "What is the range on it?" Ric answers, "It's a real high-tech one. Matt got it from his contacts at the FBI, 3 miles without a cell connection, he's got these set up, so you can say hi."
Matt responds, "Yes, Caroline, I can hear you. Let us know if you need backup. Jeremy and I are 2 minutes out." Caroline deepens her voice, "10-4" Ric gives out a hardy laugh, "Ok, Care, I'm going to take a look around the southwest side. When Enzo gets here, ask him to cover the northeast. We can meet and backtrack each other." Caroline glares at him with a murderous look, "Mr. Salzman, what exactly am I, chop liver? Give me one of those fancy weapons of yours, I'll take the northeast. Enzo can backtrack both of us. We can have a constant perimeter going. I'm their mother and a vampire. I don't sit on the sidelines, Ric." Ric throws her a crossbow and a leather shoulder belt with flash grenades and a few other gadgets, "Your right, no sidelines. Aim for the head only if you come across these doggie things." Caroline smiles, "10-4" as she straps the shoulder belt on and tightens the crossbow into her shoulder. They both head off in opposite directions.
Back at the temple pond, Stefan had the twin on top of the same rose quartz altar that Elena had been on. He was talking about his powers and how he controlled them. Stefan wanted to show the girls so they would not be scared or startled during the ritual, "Remember how Uncle D told you about the noise my fire makes? Ok, get ready here comes the noise." He reaches towards the fire bowl closest to the altar, making the flame erupt, extinguish, then erupt again. The girls start to giggle, Josie with pure amusement in her voice, "Zio, do it again, please?" He was hoping to get them used to the sounds, heat and light before the ritual, but he didn't realize that the flames were going to be an amusing distraction. Stefan decided he would try a new approach.
The sky lit up in flames that looked like giraffes, an elephant, rabbits, ice cream cones, and a race car. The twins started giggling, Josie asked for a Princess castle. Stefan wasn't too sure about what a Princess castle looked like, but he took a shot at it, apparently, Lizzie completely disagreed, she put her hand on his shoulder and siphoned, she waved her pointed finger at the flames, did a few circles and announced that is what a Princess Castle looked like. Stefan was impressed, he suggested a horse and carriage go with it, so he waved his finger across the front of the flaming princess castle and strolled a horse and carriage. Lizzie was smiling and adding a Hello Kitty and My Little Pony to the scene.
Josie wanted to play too, she put her hand on Stefan's shoulder and started to siphon. She waved her hand to the side of the princess castle, and nothing happened, she waved her hand more fiercely, and nothing happened. Damon and Stefan looked at one another, they knew what the cause was.
Damon immediately went over to Josie, took her little hand, and put it over his heart, "I have a surprise for you. Now close your eyes, little one, you have to relax and take a deep breath. Can you feel my heartbeat?" He waited for her to nod before continuing, "Good, now think about that heartbeat, feel that heartbeat in your fingers. That heartbeat is where my magic comes from. When you feel the magic, start to siphon it. Then, I want you to open your eyes." Josie closed her eyes, she was quiet, she didn't understand, she started to squirm, Damon held her tighter in his arms and put his hand over her hand on his chest. All of a sudden, Josie froze, she felt his heartbeat in her fingers, then in her hands, it traveled to her arms all the way to her own heart.
She opened her eyes all around the temple where flowers and pine cones were flying in the breeze, the trees had flowers that were opening, and vines were climbing up the trees and rocks with flowers opening, "Am I doing that?" Damon released her, "Yes, Baby with your heart, your beautiful heart." She throws her arms around Damon's neck, "I love you, Uncle D." Damon melted. Lizzie was always the one that he bonded with, she was outgoing and sassy, most like him in ways, Josie was reserved and empathetic, she reminded him so much of Stefan as a young boy. Josie tended to keep to Lizzie and Caroline, Damon never minded, he loved her just the same, he just figured she had her preference and left it at that. Right now with Josie's little arms wrapped around him, Damon was a big pile of mush, "I love you so much, my little witch, you are so amazing." She loosens her grip to look straight into his eyes, she smiles at Damon and tucks her head back into his neck. She whispers, "Auntie E says you don't want people to know you have a big, softy, mushy, heart. I promise not to tell anybody. Cross my heart, pinky swear." Damon couldn't handle much more, he kisses Josie's forehead and hands her over to Stefan, "Ok you little munchkins, Stef, you got these Twitches? I'm going to see where preggos are." Stefan takes Josie into his arms and cradles her, he smiles at Damon as he is walking away, knows his brother, too much real emotion still gets to him, he is better, Damon is still working on processing in. Stefan smiles, at least he isn't ripping people's throats out or having a Tri Delta blood party.
Bonnie and Elena are sitting talking as Caroline and Ric come from the first lap of perimeter duty. Caroline sits down with them as Ric continues setting up more defenses on the edge of the Temple. Bonnie watches Ric, "Is it my imagination or is Ric truly having fun?" Caroline looks towards Ric, "No, he is, he will not admit it, I know he was on the phone with Jeremy and Matt for hours last night and again this morning talking strategy and planning of weaponry. I know he misses it, the dangerous and adventurous lifestyle we lived. I also know he never wants the girls to live in fear as Jo did. I'm not sure we can do anything about that now. They are supernaturally born witches, it is in their DNA, period. We can't hide it, we can't hide them from it. We can't keep it, whatever it is, from touching them. Protecting them means accepting that the supernatural is going to be part of their daily lives. Teaching them to be the best damn siphon witches they can be. Damon was right. Damn him." Elena confesses, "I'm not thrilled that Jeremy is one of the 5, there is no denying he is happy. He is doing well and his hunter skills are developing at a faster rate out on the road than they did here in Mystic Falls. He thinks it has to do with suppressing them being around us, vampires that he loves. He says the byproduct of being able to love a vampire sister and understands there are vampires that are good. He has an unnatural ability to recognize a good vampire. He says there are more out there than we think. He keeps telling me it makes his job easier and I don't have to worry about him so much." Damon joins in the conversation, "Great next Little Gilbert will start a commune for all the pixie vampires." Elena responds in smartass kind, "He never killed you. I'm thankful that he has a hunter dimmer switch." Bonnie laughed at that one. Damon even chuckled at that statement, "ok, ok, Stef is with the twins. I have been sent to get the two preggos." Bonnie and Elena both frown at him, he knows they both hate that nickname.
The chairs are a little lower to the ground than the two ladies expected, the rounded baby bumps in their midsection have started to affect the way they do everything, getting out of these lounge chairs wasn't going to be graceful. Elena strains, "Damn it, 3 months left of this." Bonnie groans in agreement. Damon extends both his hands to them, "OK ladies on the count of 3, just remember, I don't have vampire strength anymore." His pregnant wife and best friend looked up at him with a glare that would have burst the blood vessels in his brain had he been a vampire. Damon takes a dramatic loud deep breath, "1. 2. 3 up you go..." and followed up with a dramatic heave he gently pulled Elena and Bonnie into the side of his body, holding them tight until he was sure they were steady in their standing position. Elena kissed his cheek, "If I didn't know better, I would be a bit upset." Damon whispers in her ear, "Yes, but you know better." He lets go for a moment, turns his body, and extends each of his bent elbows, "Ladies, may I escort you to the Ball?" Caroline laughs at all of them as they head to the temple pond.
As they walk down the pathway, Bonnie asks Damon, "You and Stefan think that the babies are in danger?" Damon answers honestly, "We think that you might be on the radar if that exists." Damon pauses "Bon, we honestly don't know, we aren't willing to take the chance. This cleansing ritual will make sure nothing has a chance to stick to the babies' magic." Damon felt Bonnie tremble, he let her arm go and wrapped his arm around her waist, "Nothing is going to happen to BonBon jr. Nothing!" The way Damon made it as a statement, made Bonnie relax, she laid her head on his shoulder as they walked. Elena heard the entire exchange, she took her left hand and rubbed her husband's upper arm, she knew he had put Bonnie's fears to rest for now.
Stefan has the twins sitting on the altar, Josie was giggling, "Zio, that tickles too much, my toes are covered, no more on my toes." Stefan putting more oil on her feet, "I have to every single toe, and this little toe, and this little toe, and this big toe." Josie continued laughing and wiggling, "No Zio... No more... No more." Damon turns his attention to the twins, "What's all this ruckus about?" Lizzie laughs, "Zio is trying to tickle us to death? Uncle D, you didn't tell the truth. You said it only tickled a little. The oil tickles 5000." Damon grabs her, "Wow, 5000, that much. Well, now it is my turn to put it on you. Let's see if it tickles another 5000 when I put it on." Lizzie cries and wiggles, "NO... No more. I have no more laughs inside me. Zio made them all come out." Damon smiles, "I bet I can find just a few more." He dips his hands in the oil bowl and starts with her shoulders, lifting her arms and putting his thumb on the sensitive part of her armpit and sending her into a laughing fit, "Opps, looks like I found a hidden tickle place." Josie starts giggling because Lizzie is. The brothers finished covering the twins with the consecrated oils, the twins put their arms around them, "Are we going to go swimming now?" Stefan smiles, "Almost, we have to put oil on Aunt BeeBee and Auntie E, can you stay with us on the altar, you can tell them what to expect, that way they will not be scared." Both the girls nod in agreement. Stefan motions to the ladies, "Bon, Lena, we are ready for you two."
Damon's mouth drops open as he watches Elena open her robe. She is wearing a blood-red black pinstripe bikini, it isn't exactly overly revealing, but my god did she have to pick something so sexy to wear, was his only thought. He watched her walk to him, time was in slow motion, each step she took was a beacon to his groin. He couldn't think about anything but having her body connected to his, his skin touching her skin, his lips on her lips. She looked into his eyes, Elena asked, "Damon, where should I stand?" He put his hand on her back, he felt electricity go through his body, he leaned down and smelt her skin, his blood was heating. Damon leaned into her, "You look amazing, I have no idea how I'm going to get through this." Elena realized she needed to do something fast, "Damon, Peanut is hungry." Damon looked down at her baby bump, it wasn't exactly what he had in mind, but it would ease up the direction Damon was going in. He lifted her onto the altar and dipped his hands into the bowl of oils. He rubbed the oils onto her baby bump with gentle and almost erotic motions sending magic to his child, the feeling of fatherhood and magic filled him completely. All the while a gentle breeze began swirling around the pond.
Stefan felt the wind change, he looked over at Damon and knew he needed to make a change, "Okie Dokie Bro, let me take over. Bonnie needs some BFF time. I'll finish my sis." Damon looked at Stefan, "What are you talking about?" Stefan's voice was almost comical, "Take a look around, if you don't calm down, you are going to pollinate all of Virginia." Damon and Elena look up and take in all of the surrounding areas, every tree and bush within eyesight is growing or blooming with flowering vines. Stefan added a bit of sarcasm, "You, my brother are having an overactive fertility moment and our brother bond is a little too bondy. If you know what I mean." Damon looks at Elena, then his crotch, then his brother, who nods his head, "Gotcha!" Damon walks around the back of the temple, the sound of leaves wrestling and wind blowing gets the notice of everyone. Josie was confused, "What's Uncle D doing?" Stefan laughs, "Taking a cold shower." The twins stared at Stefan with a very confused look on their faces. Damon walks back and stands in front of Bonnie who stares at him with one eyebrow up, "Are you ok now?" Damon glares at her, "Don't go there. Something about the sight of Elena, pregnant moonlight, and the magic, I don't know. It was too much, I guess. Bon, it was so powerful." He took Bonnie in his arms and lifted her onto the Altar. Bonnie thoughtfully, "You were channeling Gaia." Damon dipped his hands into the oil, went down to his knees, took Bonnie's feet into his hands, and started to massage, "Is this ok, not too hard?" Bonnie with a blissful tone in her voice, "Never ask a pregnant woman if massaging her feet is ok, always assume it is all good." As she puts her head back, breathing a little deeper. Damon let his mind wander as his hands did what felt natural, talking to Bonnie was as natural as breathing nowadays, "Channeling an ancestor would explain some of it, but Gaia is a mythical Greek god, not a direct ancestor as it were." Damon had made it up to her thigh, Bonnie put her hand on his shoulder, to steady herself, "What if Gaia isn't as mythical as you think. What if she is trying to let you know you have her power to tap into. Or that these creatures are from a time or place that we think of as myth." Stefan agrees as he is oiling Elena's back, "That is worth considering, we should talk to Ric about this. How many mythical creatures have the same features as our succu-buddy?" Elena is playing thumb wars with Josie sitting next to her, "This is just a thought if we are going to take myths as being real for just a minute. Let's play the 'what if game'. If Gaia is real, she would be a goddess for the good side, Damon and Stefan would be her heirs and the champions of good that have been effectively reborn to fight for her and the story of good versus evil gets a reboot. That would make her enemies our enemies." That statement got the brothers' attention. Elena continued as Stefan massaged the oils into her skin, "We could use the same mythology studies to find out what and who were her enemies to get a better idea of what and who could be the enemies of today. We know that magic always has to have a balance, so it makes sense that if Nature's magic has re-awakened after 1,000s of years in a way that has enough power to combine or strip a coven of its magic, wouldn't the opposite of nature's magic be looking for a way to destroy Damon and Stefan?" Bonnie takes a deep breath, "After this ritual, we should talk to Ric maybe he and Dorian can find something out about …"
Stefan laughs, Bonnie miffed, "Stefan, care to share what is so funny." Stefan grinning, "You honestly think that my wife, your best friend, isn't relaying everything we are saying to Ric right now, with Dorian on speaker." Elena smiles imagining the exact words coming from Caroline's mouth, "She is always 3 steps ahead." Elena continues, "All the magic we have ever dealt with has had limits, Bonnie, you can make fire and conjure wind using your magic, when you channel blood you can energize your power. The twins can siphon magic from all three of your magics. In Mythology, most of the gods and goddesses have roles or specialties. Why would these things attack Lizzie? She doesn't have her own magic or role. For that matter, I'm not a witch, why would they come after me? Bonnie is a powerful Bennett witch, they would know they couldn't get to her."
Stefan not paying attention to what his hands are doing, he is listening to every word Elena has said, he dips his hands into the oils again, and moves to her front shoulders and chest, "You might have something there. What if ..." Stefan was thinking an idea through, "They might be after something that the 3 of you have, not necessarily you specifically, the 4 of you. Elena and Bonnie are pregnant, they have active in-vitro witches, who can't control their magic, a source of immature magic. Lizzie and Josie are siphon witches, the last of the Gemini coven." Stefan looks at Damon as they exchange a brotherly worry as to what this means to the twins and unborn babies, not exactly paying attention to his hands, he lifts Elena's arm and rubs her underarm with oil, Elena giggling "Stefan, stop, that tickles." Lizzie commiserates, "Auntie E, Zio did it 2 times on me, it is part of the ritual." Stefan lifts Elena's arm again and repeats, "Yes, part of the ritual." Elena laughs again. Damon looks over at his wife as he hears the exchange, turns his attention to Bonnie, Bonnie gives Damon her best snake eye, "NO Damon don't...Damon, NO." Damon, with his classic Damon eye smirk, takes hold of Bonnie's waist, knowing she is more ticklish along her waistline, he squeezes gently with circular motion, sending Bonnie into a laughing fit, "It is part of the ritual, I have too." He declares, as she wiggles around trying to free herself from his grasp, he eases up when a tear starts down her cheek. The twins join in the laughter too. Josie's voice is filled with laughter, "This ritual is fun." Elena and Bonnie look at each other and roll their eyes.
All four of the ladies are covered in the consecrated oils. Each of the ladies is gently helped from the altar. Stefan and Damon lead them into the Temple pond, the blazing braziers light the entire area. Stefan is the first one into the water, his hands create mini whirlpools as he walks laps around the entire pond. Damon watches with a smug look on his face that Elena notices, "What's that face for?" as she puts her arms around his waist. Damon grins, "Stef… He has changed, he is so confident as a witch. Look at him with his powers, he wasn't like this when we did the ritual with you. I'm just happy for him." Elena leans into him, "You've changed too, for the record." Damon leans away from her, "How?" Elena has a devilish grin, "You'll figure it out." Damon looks at her and knows she is up to something, "At the moment, I cannot torture the answers out of you. I can promise you that I will be doing it in the near future." He ends the statement with a raised eyebrow. Elena's skin feels the tingles of passion, "Ok, Damon, knock it off. You need to give your son a bit of magic before we get into the pond. I have a feeling that being surrounded by Stefan's magic is going to put Peanut on Brother bond overload, which will make me dizzy. So time to juice me, Baby." Damon agreed, he turned his attention to Elena's baby bump, he laid both his palms on either side, closed his eyes, and felt his child search out his magic. Once Peanut found Damon's magic, he pulsed a strong current of magic into Elena for his son to anchor onto. It was hard to put into words how amazing it felt to nurture his son's magic, Damon knew fathers never got to bond with their children until they were born, Damon already knew so much about his son. He was impatient like him and loving like Elena, his favorite color was purple and he was completely in love with being a father. He felt Elena's hand on his face when he opened his eyes, he saw her big brown eyes staring into his, "You know it isn't playtime, we have work to do." Damon smiles, "Yes, Mom." Damon leans down close to her bump and whispers, "As soon as you come out, we will have playtime every day. And there's nothing she can do to stop it. FYI, I'm the selfish one, and she knows it."
Stefan is in the middle of the pond, his skin is glowing from the iridescences that his magical energies created, he looks around to see everyone watching him. "OK, the water is perfect, girls, come on in." Lizzie and Josie are thrilled, they get a running start and jump as high as they can reach for Stefan, just missing his extended arms hands, and splash, sputtering as their heads come out of the water. Stefan grabs the twins, "Oppss, I gotcha." Josie says laughing, "You did that on purpose." Lizzie lets go of Stefan, she swims around, trying to splash him and Josie. Damon takes a more cautious approach with Elena and Bonnie, he had created a natural rock stairwell using the quarry rock connected to the base of the waterfall that fed the pond earlier that day, he held their hands and guided them through the stairs, making sure each mom-to-be had secure footing with each step, he wasn't taking any chances with his precious cargo.
Once in the water, Bonnie felt wonderful, she floated around, "This is amazing." Both she and Elena were 6 months pregnant, each of them felt like whales, every task was harder to do, they talked daily about what type of clothing they had given up on that day, yesterday she gave up putting on underwear, she smiled, Enzo didn't mind at all. She felt hands on her back underneath the water, Damon stated, "It's ok, just me… shh, relax, I've gotcha, I've got a little magic for you and my goddaughter. Close your eyes, BonBon." She trusted Damon as much as she trusted Enzo and Elena, he was her lifeline for so many years. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, she relaxed and felt Sheila relax with her. She taught her daughter that Damon's magic was different but good and not to fight against it, to let it in, Stefan's magic was still a tough one. Bonnie still saw Enzo dying in front of her. She forgave Stefan, she even understood without all those events, she wouldn't have Sheila or Enzo, but the sight was burnt in her memory forever. Damon whispers close to her ear so that only she can hear, "Bonnie, it's over, you have to let it go. I love you, Enzo is here now, Sheila is here now. Stefan loves you so much, the real Stefan, not the Cade-controlled Stefan who took Enzo. You know that. Keeping that memory so vivid is going to fester, you have to let it go, release it forever. That memory will damage you, you know that." Bonnie opened her eyes, as their eyes met, they spoke to each other without words. Damon understood her heart, the years of loneliness that she endured without Enzo, time and love was the only magic that could overpower that memory. Damon blinked, he leaned down and kissed her forehead, "I love you, Judgy." He used one of the first nicknames he ever gave her back when they first met, back when she hated him, and regularly gave him brain aneurysms. It was a little reminder as to how far two people can come with a little forgiveness and a lot of love. She looked at him as a tear ran down her cheek into the pond, "I love you too, psycho vamp."
The twins were splashing around having the time of their life. Elena was chasing Josie around, while Stefan was throwing Lizzie in the air and letting her fall into the water. Damon and Stefan had talked earlier about the importance of getting the girls comfortable with the magically energized water, the longer they stayed in it the better. Stefan kept the magical current strong, each time he circled the pond he added a little bit more magic to the waters, soon the pond was glowing so bright that no one needed the torches to see each other. The twins had no idea they had been siphoning his magic for almost an hour. Even Elena could feel Peanut filling up on Stefan's magic as she floated in the waters of the pond. With her arms stretched out and her body feeling weightless, she felt amazing, light as a feather, and oh so relaxed. She wondered if her son was sleeping, or magically drunk on Stefan's magic when she felt very familiar hands touching her back.
Elena felt his breath on her neck and another hand wrap around her belly. She took a deep breath and leaned into the chest that was directly behind her head. Then the words softly vibrated the water over her ears, "You can't wear this bikini and expect me to perform a ritual undistracted. Seriously, Elena, what were you thinking?" as Damon kisses the side of her neck sending a shiver down her spine, directly to the place she doesn't want to be aroused at this very moment. She replies, "I was thinking, this is the only bathing suit that covers any part of my body since YOU knocked me up. My only other option was naked. So if you have a problem with option A, I can go with option B." Damon laughed out loud, she would never disappoint his wife, she would give as good as she got, her last statement, went directly to his cock and she knew it. He removed his hand and took a step back, letting her fall under the water. Elena came up out of the water, glistening with her hair slicked back and her lips shining, all of a sudden Damon realized that had been a very bad idea because Elena looked beyond sexy, a complete seductress, everything about her at that moment was his Kryptonite. He took a step towards her, his hands on both sides of her face, and crushed his lips on hers.
"Geezzz, Damon, AGAIN!" the sound of Stefan bellowing broke through Damon's passionate haze. His lips released Elena who was a little slower to recover, she leaned into his chest, breathing hard and heart pounding. Damon looked around, again the vines were growing around the trees and blooming at an unnaturally fast rate. He realized he had to find a way to disconnect his magic during passionate times. Elena peeked out from Damon's arm to see Bonnie smiling, thankfully the twins were completely engrossed in a game of who could splash the highest, while Stefan was just shaking his head with a smirk on his face. She looks up at Damon, "We should get the transfer done, I would like to get back to the cottage. I think that we need to take care of a few issues that have arisen." She looks down at his swimsuit. Damon looks down too, "Shit, Woman." Damon lets go of her, turns around, and walks over to the pond stairs. He walks behind the waterfall, a strong wind appears, the sounds of brrr coming from Damon, then the wind disappears, as Damon reappears, the sound of Stefan's laughter catches everyone's attention. Damon's voice is less than loving, "Shut up Brother", there are thin icicles hanging from his chest and swim shorts. Back in the pond, Damon decides it is time to get down to business, "Munchkins ready to have some fun with your Uncles' magic?" That gets Josie's and Lizzie's attention, both of them start swimming over to him, they climb into his arms, "Do you remember the way you need to put your hands when we start the ritual?" The twins nodded their heads up and down with enthusiasm. Damon smiles and kisses each of them on their foreheads, "We are going to practice before we start just to make sure Zio and I remember, ok?" Lizzie replied, "Uncle D, you are silly, of course, you remember." Damon smiles, "I know. I can't help it. I'm worried that Zio forgot, he's getting old you know." Stefan joins them, he extends his arms and motions for Lizzie, as she climbs into them, "Zio, Are you getting old?" Stefan laughs, "Not as old as Uncle D, he is almost 180 years old, now that is old." Lizzie's eyes open very wide, "Wowww, 180 years old. That is older than Mrs. Bailey at the Ice Cream Parlor, she was 58 last week, that is what she told the lady to get a free ice cream cone with 2 scoops. I wonder how many scoops Uncle D could get for free on his birthday." Stefan laughed, he loved how simple the twins' minds processed the facts about their supernatural lives. Stefan squeezed Lizzie, he was sure the twins would not turn out like their Gemini Uncle Kai, they were going to be loved and feel peace with their siphon abilities, he would make sure of it.
The brothers held each twin that matched their element, it was important to keep the twins siphoning the magic from the matching brother. Stefan looked at Bonnie and Elena "Ladies it will be a good idea for you to be as much under the water as possible, make the babies are completely covered. The magic in the water will keep them safe during the ritual. If your hands are in the water it will help to. Stay together, forming your own circle will create another power surge, an extension of sorts." Bonnie understood what Stefan was suggesting. With the twins in their arms, the brothers take their positions. Stefan squats down into the water so that Lizzie is submerged to her shoulders, she is sitting comfortably on this lap. Damon follows his lead with Josie. Damon holds Josie in one arm, "Stef, do you have a solid hold on Lizzie?" Stefan tilts his head to check Lizzie's position, "Yes, if there is too much shifting, I can anchor her with my legs." He pauses and looks at Josie's position, "You can do the same with Josie. We can keep them secure during the ritual, even if we stand and lock them in our arms." Damon nods his head in agreement, he smiles down at Josie's "Hey munchkin, you ready for all this magic stuff?" Josie looks up at him "You and Zio are going to stay here all the time, right?" Damon takes her face in his hand, "Absolutely, you are going to be right here in my arms the entire time. And Auntie BeeBee & Auntie E are going to be right there too. Everyone is here, not to mention Mom is right over there, you know how fast she can get to her girls." He points to Caroline and Ric, "I promise you and Lizzie are going to be just fine." Damon's words get Lizzie's attention, she looks up at Stefan, "Zio, I'm not scared like Josie. I just wanted you to know that. I'm ready for all the creepy sounds and magics. I can help you protect Josie with your fire magic, right?" Stefan smiles and kisses the top of her head, "Yes, my precious. As soon as we finish this ritual, my magic will be our magic. I will teach you how to siphon magic directly from the water and fire, then you can make fire castles all by yourself. When you get bigger, you and Josie will help protect the coven from bad creatures and people." Lizzie's eyes grow bigger, "When we get bigger like you and Auntie BeeBee, will we be real witches?"
Damon interrupts, "Lizzie" waiting for her to turn around and look at him, when he has both of the girls' attention, he continues, "Lizzie, I don't know where you got the idea, but you need to know this right now. YOU... ARE… A ... WITCH… Right now… just as you are. Just like Auntie BeeBee, Zio, and Me. You are a powerful amazing little siphon witch, baby girl. And today, both you and Josie are going to join our coven and become siphon witches in Nature's Coven. Don't ever think that you aren't a real witch. You, my precious niece, were born a witch from an amazing coven of witches who have a long history of keeping humans safe. The Gemini Coven is a proud coven with a history that you can be proud to honor even after you are a Nature's Coven. My little munchkin… What are you?" Lizzie smiles, "I'm a real witch." Stefan hugs her tight, "That's very right. A very proud real witch." Both of the girls smiled, they looked at each other, it wasn't something that their young 4-year-old minds could comprehend, it was still real, they were real. It was the way Damon had told them that made it real for them, their Uncle who they had to touch to make the magic work, had said they were witches, real witches, he used his 'it is' voice.
Stefan gets Lizzie's attention, "Lizzie, let's get ready now. Josie, remember how we have to put our hands?" Josie turns around to face Lizzie, Josie nods her head "Zoe, I won't be scared, Uncle D said I don't have to be." Stefan smiles "No, precious there is nothing to be scared about, remember my magic is going to make the water very bubbly, even more than right now, they are going to be tickling your skin. You have to try very hard not to move your hands from our hands. If you have to move your feet it will be ok, just little tiny movements, like tiny fish fins, moving around, but stay on our laps, ok?" The twins nodded their heads. Damon smiles, "Ok brother, let's get this party started" Damon and Stefan put their palms flat, the twins put their little hands in between, the brother gently enclose the twins' hands as they join their palms with one another. Immediately, their magic combines, the power is strong, neither one of them had done this since they had brought back Enzo, they hadn't realized how much their magic had grown since then. Each of them had gotten to know their magic better, what their elements felt like, how they worked, how to channel the energy of each element, the brother bond, and its power had become a constant and comfort, they knew it as well. The brothers looked into each other's eyes, they felt the power flow between each other, the corners of their mouths turned up, the brother bond was strong, they could feel each other's thoughts so clearly. Each of them was overwhelmed with the amount of power and control they felt over their magic. Together they slowly connected to the twins' magic. Damon sent a slow current into Josie's hand, Josie twitched. Damon whispered, "It's ok princess, it's time for you to siphon me, as much as you can, remember to start slowly like we have been practicing. You can do this." He could feel her start to pull on the current that he left for her to follow. She was timid with her siphoning, slow and cautious. Damon thought she siphoned exactly like her personality, quietly and carefully. Her siphon was only as strong as the current that Damon had opened for her, no more, no less. Stefan went to work with his twin, "Lizzie, feel the heat, come for it, baby girl, siphon it, come find it. You can take as much as you can. Remember, the fire can't hurt you, even if you feel the warmth, it will not hurt us." Lizzie loved siphoning magic, she loved how the magic felt both coming into her body and the way it tingle when it left. She immediately felt Stefan's magic come in through her hands, it was a soft and gentle warmth that traveled from her fingertips up her arms and then throughout her body. Lizzie pulled at that current hard and fast, and the water had a giant air bubble rising all around her, Stefan "Easy Lizzie, slow down just a little, just relax, let the magic surround you like a warm blanket, don't force it." He grinned as he felt her slow her siphon pull down, she relaxed her shoulders and leaned back into his chest. Stefan looked at Damon, each of them could feel that they had the twin's siphoning under control, the girls were using their magic without barriers. Damon nodded, silently telling Stefan it was time, each of the brothers used their magic and sent a spell into each twin, determined to find out if there was a darkness inside them, something that was implanted by the attack. Damon knew he had to be slow and gentle, Josie was unsure of the whole ritual, she would be scared if he overwhelmed her with his magical search. He let his search follow her siphon, gently expanding her current pathways. He was searching for darkness and showing her how much more magic she could absorb, more ways of bringing magic into her being. Josie felt a calmness come over her, she leaned back into Damon's chest, she yawned. Her eyelids slowly started to fall.
Damon immediately felt when Josie fell asleep in his arms, he realized that this sweet little one had exhausted her magical energies. This was a good and bad thing, it was good because now he could freely roam her searching for any dark magical matter, collect and expel without causing her distress, it also put her at risk since she was no longer siphoning from him. Damon looked at his brother, Stefan nodded back, fully aware of everything Damon was thinking. Damon immediately felt the change in Stefan, he knew Stefan was on high alert. Damon kept searching Josie, he felt the differences between his magic and the Gemini magic, he also could feel the similarities. As he gathered all of Josie's magical essence going deep into her mind and soul, he could see images of Jo conjuring or using her magic as a young girl. He focused on that scene for a moment, Damon hadn't realized how much Josie looked like her. Other images continued to filter through his conscious mind, he realized that the Gemini magical ancestry was playing backward in his mind, he could see each generation of the Gemini coven come into their power, each merge and going back even further, there was an image of Demetrius, Damon's own magical ancestor, that is when Damon felt it, knew it, the connection. Josie was now part of him, of Gaia's Nature Coven. All the images he had just seen, it was magic spells that were being absorbed, generations of magic that was being brought back into the Coven where it originally began. Damon could feel Josie's magical current as easily as he could feel Stefan's. Damon opened his eyes and looked at Stefan, knowing that he understood the process, he wanted Stefan to sense it too.
Stefan did sense everything that Damon and Josie had just accomplished. Stefan could feel a change, somehow the dynamic of the magical coven that he shared with only Damon had changed when it absorbed Josie, he responded, the thought filtered into his mind. I'm a high priest now, I'm responsible for Lizzie and Josie, and for their magic. Damon's ability to absorb Josie's Gemini ancestry was gentle and loving, Josie was nurturing and the protector of the two twins, in so many ways she reminded him of Damon before they were vampires when Stefan was a boy and Damon was his big brother who protected him at all costs. Stefan and Lizzie were on their own journey, Lizzie's magic was more aggressive and jagged, at least that was the best words he could come up with to describe what he was trying to navigate through. He understood this, she was emotion-driven, then a little volatile, Lizzie reminded him of Damon before Elena brought humanity back into both of their lives. Stefan kept diving into Lizzie's magical current, following in as he did, he found it, that beacon of darkness that he and Damon were worried about. He immediately pulled power from Damon, he strengthened his current, he used his magic to surround what felt like a thorny blob of black tar.
Stefan's actions immediately caught Damon's notice, sensing that Stefan had found something. Damon had to protect Josie, he closed his connection with Josie, now that she was completely part of the brothers' coven, he could cut off her ability to siphon from him as her High Priest. She wouldn't notice, she was sleeping, peacefully leaning against his chest. The one thing he couldn't do was break the Gemini twin connection, he couldn't let go of her hands, as long as Stefan was still connected to Lizzie, Damon had to help Stefan, with a boost from the brother bond. With Josie protected, Damon concentrated on Stefan, he quickly focused a power charge of magical energy from his earth element straight into Stefan. Damon heard Stefan take a deep breath, knowing that he felt the extra power that was just received, Damon knew that Stefan would know how and what to do with that power.
Stefan felt the extra power and strength course through his veins the second Damon released it. He directed it to incase the tar blob completely, as he went in search for more. Stefan knew he couldn't remove this foreign magic until Lizzie was part of his Coven, only as a High Priest could his magic overtake this dark matter that has attached itself to Lizzie's Gemini magic. As the images floated around her magical essence, he could see her Uncle Kai, and merge between her grandfather Joshua Parker and his brother, it was a particularly brutal magical battle. Joshua and his brother were the best of friends and the months leading up to the merge made them mortal enemies. It made both of them turn to dark magic to try and get an up hand on the other for the merge. In the end, Joshua won, not because he was stronger because his brother loved him more. Joshua knew his brother's love for him is why he had lived, his brother gave up, he lost the battle on purpose. Stefan watched the merge play out in the images, his thoughts sidetracked to his own guilt over his actions with Damon all those years ago, "NOOOO" was an image that came into his thoughts, it was Damon. Stefan smirked, Damon was making sure he stayed on the path. Stefan shook off the thoughts of guilt and held on to the overwhelming emotion of love that was being forced into his magic by Damon. Damon was force-feeding him all his protection and brotherly love right now, Stefan knew what Damon was doing, he couldn't help but feel it too. He went back to the Gemini images and searched for more of that thorny black tar, his mission saving Lizzie.
Lizzie was siphoning with gusto from Stefan for so long that she was exhausted. She leaned back into Stefan's chest, her hands were still locked between Stefan and Damon's, tightly clenching Josie's. She yawned, her eyes began to close.
With both of the twins slumbering, the brothers were able to combine their magic in a way that was stronger and faster. Since the twins were touching the brothers, Stefan spoke softly, "The girls aren't touching the ground at all, they are covered by water and their heads are laying on us. Can we try to cocoon them in our magic completely? Josie is assimilated to the coven, she wouldn't feel a difference from where the magic comes from. We have inundated Lizzie better and faster coming from all 3 of us. What do you think?" Damon nodded his head. The brothers inched together so that not just their hands touched, soon their feet, shins, knees, forearms, elbows, and the girls were touching each other. Damon closed his eyes, he concentrated on the winds around him, he pulled from their essence, he felt the rock beneath his feet, the essences of mother earth feeding his core power. He could put them into Josie, straight through every pore of her skin that touches him, then into Lizzie.
Stefan channeling both of his elements at the same time, he can feel his magical energies surging, the fires blazing throughout the temple. Stefan was experiencing something completely new with his magic, he was in complete control, this was something he had never felt like a vampire, oneness, a sense of the whole, purity with power. He had to admit, it felt great, in fact. His confidence in his ability to protect Lizzie surged, his magical power met Damon's magic with equal measure inside Lizzie together they searched for the darkness that had left its beacon inside her. It took less than 5 minutes to inundate Lizzie with their magic and find the entire dark beacon left behind after the creature attacked her. Stefan and Damon quarantined the beacon with a barrier spell. Stefan spoke first, "I don't want to expel this from her with a spell. I want to transfer the beacon into me. Maybe from there, we can transfer it into a magical containment. Damon, we know nothing about who sent it, who wants access to our kids." Damon thought about it, "We still need to convert Lizzie into our coven, she isn't safe by herself without Josie or us to protect her. Do you think we can keep the barrier up and convert her at the same time?" Stefan had newfound confidence with his magic, "I'm positive. Damon, you can feel it, you know. I'm good. I understand it. It's really mine now." Damon nodded his head "Ok, make Lizzie ours forever. I'll be the primary on the barrier spell. Just keep the brother bond intact." Stefan agreed with a nod, he drove straight into Lizzie's Gemini magic and followed it back, he absorbed each merge as they happened, careful to keep the focus on Damon and the barrier. Image by image of Gemini coven ancestry, merge by merge through the centuries passed through Stefan consciousness, at last, the final image, a person he recognized, his ancestor, Demetrius. At that moment, all of Lizzie's magical essence became crystal clear to him, he could feel her energies, he could pull and push them as if they were his own, he could feel Josie's energies as well, they reminded him of how Damon felt. He knew Lizzie was now in his coven.
Damon took a deep breath, "It's done, the twins are ours. They are safe." He was speaking to Caroline, knowing that her vamp hearing was working overtime as was her Mom worrying gene. Damon looked at Stefan, "Ready, I'll focus everything on the barrier pushing it towards you, since you have a direct connection to Lizzie, you pull fast and hard while the current is still flowing." Stefan looked at Lizzie resting on his chest. Damon felt Stefan's worry, he got Stefan's attention, "It will work. Even if she wakes up, she is strong, she can handle it." Stefan hoped she would be able to sleep through this, "I'll speed up the current, she and I have played games with her siphoning harder and faster. It might not startle her." Stefan slowly began to widen the current between them, he watched Lizzie carefully as he forced his magic stronger between them, watching as Lizzie didn't react at all to the changes. Stefan nodded to Damon, both brothers upped the current this time. Together they did the push/pull dance of getting the barrier out of Lizzie and into Stefan. The brothers let the current intensity settle for a moment, their eyes focused on the little one in Stefan's arms, watching for any sign of discomfort. The next push and pull on the barrier would mean Lizzie would have more of Damon's magic in her, than Stefan's. They hoped that Lizzie would not notice the difference of Damon's current enough to wake up. Damon got Stefan's attention, "Stef, let's start moving the beacon closer to you. It will be in a better position if we have to move fast if Lizzie wakes up scared." Stefan feels the heat of the barrier spell, moving towards him, he realizes that Lizzie is feeling it too. He puts another barrier spell around it, this one he adds a cooling effect, hoping that will add some comfort to Lizzie. The brothers immediately notice the twins both take a deep breath, as if they have fallen into a deeper sleep. Damon nods at Stefan, he hadn't realized that the barrier spell was causing the twins an issue, adding the second shield was going to make a big difference, Stefan made a big difference, Damon couldn't be prouder. They go back to getting the barrier closer to Stefan, the closer the barrier gets to Stefan the more Damon's magic floods Lizzie's body. Stefan feels Lizzie start to twitch, she turns her head to the other side and snuggles a little closer to Stefan's chest, as though she was in an uncomfortable position. Stefan leaned his cheek down onto her head, not breaking his handgrip with Damon, "Shhh, Baby girl, shhh" He said in hushed tones. It took just a few seconds for Lizzie to settle back down. Stefan's eyes meet his brother's, they nod at one another, time is of the essence, they focus on the barrier and increase the current again.
The brothers continued the push and pull of the dark beacon toward Stefan, as it approached the main magical opening that connects Lizzie to Stefan, Damon eased on his pushing part, Stefan immediately felt the change, "Damon, is there something wrong?" Damon frowned his eyebrows, "I'm thinking if this beacon enters your magical essence what type of damage can it do to us, the brother bond? We have these little ones to think about, they are completely attached to us now." Stefan has confidence in his voice that Damon has never heard before "Our magic is the strongest that exists right now, there hasn't been anything this strong since the Goddess Gaia. You have channeled her twice tonight, I am feeling it right now. I know this beacon is not transmitting, we have controlled it in Lizzie. Damon, we can control whatever magic that made it. That means it can't contact anything or one while inside of me." Stefan paused, "I agree, we need to get it out as soon as possible." Damon's thoughts are racing, "If I create a container from hematite agate, its magical properties will be able to contain whatever this stuff is. We'll have to bless the container, here in the temple. That will work for keeping it safe and away from the girls." Stefan agrees with the plan, he feels Lizzie starts to stir, "I think Liz is starting to wake up, let's get this stuff out of her. Now!" The brothers concentrate, they resume the push and pull of the thorny beacon towards Stefan. The mass of dark magical energy is where the brothers wanted it to be for the final push out of Lizzie. Stefan readies Damon, "On the count of 3, I'll open the current as wide as I can. Lizzie is going to wake up, she is tough, she can handle it. You push fast and hard. I'll keep the containment going." Damon looks around for Elena, "Len, the twins might be startled, you may need to be close by, do not touch us, talk to them, settle them, don't touch us. Not until the flames and wind die down. Ok!" Elena answers back, "I understand." Stefan starts the countdown, "1… 2… 3"
The winds howl into full force gales and the fire's flames blaze higher to the tops of the tree line, Damon knows that all of his magic is now inside Stefan, the brother bond is one. He looks at Stefan's face and sees a grimace, "STEFAN" Stefan replies "Keep going… I'm just nauseated, I think I know what Bonnie and Elena's morning sickness feels like. I can handle it. Whatever this is, it doesn't like me at all. Damon, you feel the difference too." Damon agrees, "I do, it was dormant inside Lizzie. It feels like it is fighting to live or breathe. Survival. Stefan, it's fighting to survive. It can't survive inside you." Damon shifts his legs, Josie starts to wiggle, "Hey there my Princess witch, time to wake up. Can you wake up Lizzie for me?" Josie rubs her eyes open more, looks around, she focuses on Lizzie, "Is Lizzie ok?" Damon uses a warm tone in his voice, "She is just tired like you were. Zio and I need you girls to go play with Auntie E and Bee Bee now, ok." Josie nods her head and loosens her hands from the grip of the brothers. The second her connection is broken from Damon, Josie falls back into his chest, she had been channeling his magic for so long, when she disconnected from his energies a rush of adrenaline filled her head. Damon and Stefan looked at Josie, Damon couldn't see her eyes, Stefan could, "Josie look at me, come on, you can do it, Josie, look at me." Stefan's voice took on a harsher tone, Lizzie started to stir, her hands moving from his grasp, she lifted her head from Stefan's body, and looked at her sister, "Joz, are you ok?" she reached over to her sister. Both the girls moved towards each other, the brothers took a deep breath knowing that there was no danger. Josie smiled, "I'm ok, my head was swimmy for a minute, it felt like when we spin and spin around and then stop. It felt funny." Damon rolled his eyes, his lovely niece scared the breath out of him, and she had fun. He was going to explain to her what the definition of 'fun' was, in the very near future.
Stefan motioned to Bonnie and Elena, "Ladies, come get the twins, Damon and I have a little more work. The girls are exhausted, please, keep them under the water as much as possible." The twins swam under the brothers' arms into the waiting arms of their aunts. With the girls now safe, Damon and Stefan concentrated on their next move. Damon watched as Elena took Josie into her arms, he smiled and winked at her, "They have had a lot of magic flowing through them. Watch them, this burst of energy will not last long. Keep them in the water until Stef and I are finished. You and Bon need to stay underneath too. I need to know all of you are safe for now. It will not take much longer." Damon looked at Stefan and noticed that he was turning a bit pale, "How are you holding up?" Stefan looked toward Caroline as he responded, "Care, I'm fine, the girls are safe now, you don't have to ever worry about the merge again, they aren't Gemini any longer. Almost done, just a little longer, honey." Stefan turned to Damon, "My wife has been worried about the merge since the girls took their first breath. Now, let's get this crap out of me, so I can get her daughters into her arms." Damon nodded, "One magical Fort Knox coming up." Damon closed his eyes, he focused on his feet and the layers of earth that lie beneath them. He went searching for what they needed.
Stefan stared at his brother for what felt like hours as the bile was rising in his stomach. This 'thing' that was living inside him was clawing at his insides trying to survive. He knew Damon was doing all he could, and only moments had passed, this 'thing' was getting stronger somehow, or he was getting weaker. Stefan was just about to close his eyes to draw from the fires when he saw the corners of Damon's mouth turn upward, then the brother bond spoke to him Got it. Bubbles started to appear between them from the floor of the pond, then a gentle warmth of the quartz rock beneath their feet began to heat up. Damon opened his eyes, "Little brother, ready to get that thing out of you." Stefan, looking very pale nods his head, "What's next?" Damon explains, "I'll bring the vessel up between us and form it around our hands. Once it is around us, we break half the connection, and push it out the other side together." Stefan looks at Damon, "What aren't you telling me?" Damon frowns his brows, "It's going to hurt… real BAD!" Stefan's reaction made Damon smile, "Shit! Supernatural always hurts like a mother-fried sandwich." Stefan was trying to be mindful of the little ears not too far away.
Caroline takes a deep breath as she hears Damon's words, the girls are safe, "Ric, the girls are safe. They are part of the Brothers' coven now. It's over, it's finally over. They have to stay at the pond for now, Elena and Bonnie have them. Whatever was in Lizzie is now in Stefan, contained in a barrier spell. Damon is creating some sort of magical containment for it now. I'm heading over there. Enzo, cover me." Enzo responds, "Ok Gorgeous, I'm 10 seconds away." Caroline vamps towards the temple pond leaping over shrubs and jagged rocks, she catches a few colors out of the corner of her eye. Her feet skid to a stop in the dirt, "Ric, Enzo, I've got something, 500 yards straight east from the twin magnolia trees, where we picnicked at last summer, just before the rock formations. There's something hiding behind a group of trees from the old Lockwood Walnut grove." Caroline sped up again, going around, she caught sight of 3 more colored shapes, the glowing colors were very dark magic. She rounded the back of the small grove, with her magical sight, the auras of her foe glowed brightly. Caroline whispered, "I count 4 of them. I'm behind 3 of them hovering in the background. They are just sitting here." Caroline crouched down and watched the 3 beasts as they stood in the shadows, every few moments, one would move its head from side to side, then another would look up to the sky. The middle creature never budged an itch always facing forward. Caroline kept scanning for the 4th creature, she hoped that Enzo or Ric had found it, it had been radio silence. She wasn't too concerned, that is how Ric operated when he was in the middle of a hunt. She stayed crouched down and silent, just watching these 3.
Damon took a deep breath, concentrating on the layer of hematite agate a few hundred feet beneath them. He feels the stone rising under his guidance, the pressure building under his feet. He also feels Stefan getting weaker, "Just a second more, Stef." As the words left his lips, up came giant heated pockets of steam followed by a long pillar of hematite agate. Damon gently formed the agate around their joined hands, careful to make sure they were sealed inside the stone. Once the stone was sealed around their hands, he got Stefan's attention, "You are still with me. Come on Stefan… Look at me, open those crap greens up, let me see them." Stefan tilted his head forward and opened his eyes, "You are such a dick. How come you take such pride in it?" Damon smirks at him, "Because you can't resist my good looks, style, charm, or ability to listen to Taylor Swift." Damon knew a quote from an old conversation they had years ago would make Stefan perk up. Stefan barely laughs with a labored breath, "You have to bring up that old badass shit at a time like this. I've got all sorts of evil magic from hell inside me and you have to remind me of the stupidest conversation we had in 150 years." Damon smiles knowing Stefan was ready for the next part, "Yepp'' Damon took a breath, "Ok Stef, get ready. Here I go." With all of his magical might, Damon floods Stefan's body with his magic, forcing the barrier down Stefan's arm. Stefan feels the mass moving through his body, across his chest, over his shoulder, and down his bicep, the burning hot sensation is overwhelming, he has lost control of his strength, he can't feel his limbs anymore. Damon can feel the last of Stefan's magic being pushed out of his fingertips and into the vessel, one side of the barrier is out of Stefan's body, he releases one of their connected hands and slowly pulls his hand out of the agate, sealing tightly as he slowly removes it. Once his hand is free, he grabs Stefan's arm pulling his hand free as he does the same to the agate as did with his hand.
With one side of their bodies free, Damon pulled his brother closer to him. Damon took a moment to manipulate the vessel, he knew this was a failure was not an option moment. He only had one chance at this, once the barrier was completely free of Stefan, he had to trap into the vessel. Making one side longer and more narrow, he would be able to force the barrier into the deeper part of the vessel and trap it faster. The vessel was ready, Damon got Stefan's attention again, "We are almost there. We have to do this part together. Tell me you have the strength, Stefan." Stefan opens his eyes, "Your magic is horrible, it is like eating rotten mutton. I can do anything to get it out of me. If this is you making good on an eternity of misery, I'm over it, I want out." The last statement caught Damon's attention, he knew Stefan could handle what was about to happen, "Ok little brother, take a deep breath and hold on, it's going to get bumpy." Damon closed his eyes and focused on his end of the barrier, he concentrated all of his power on creating a full line barrier. He could feel the force trying to survive to escape, it was stabbing against the barrier of his magic. He had to add another layer, a stronger force.
Damon and Stefan didn't notice the lightning strikes or the way the quarry had come alive as Damon tapped into the power of his magic to protect his brother. Elena and Bonnie held the twins tightly. Bonnie looked at Elena, Elena could feel the power coming from Damon coarsing through their child, she spoke to put Bonnie at ease, "We are safe, Damon is adding power to their spell. Stefan is weak from whatever is in him. Damon is doing what is right."
Damon feels the final struggle, with one last magical current, he pushes the entire barrier out of Stefan's body, pulling his hand and Stefan's out of the vessel at the same time, sealing the dark beacon completely.
4 crazed beasts emerge from the shadows, Caroline jumps on one breaking its neck in less than a second. Ric aims his pump shotgun and takes down another, while Enzo has a third's head in his hand. The 4th is in a battle with Caroline, the snarls and grunts coming from the creature made Ric laugh. Enzo asks, "Should we do something?" Ric responds, "I'm going to stay out of it. She has needed to blow off some steam for months. I'd rather her take it out on an evil creature from the underworld than me." Just as the last of Ric's words left his mouth, a loud 'crack' was heard. The men looked up to see Caroline with the last creature's bodiless head hanging from her hand. Caroline threw the head on the ground, "I'm so done with this. I want to see my girls." She vamp'd off. Ric looked at Enzo with the 'I told you so' grin, "Let's make sure these things don't come back to life." They proceeded to decapitate and remove the internal suction glands from each of the creatures. The research had led everyone to believe that taking away the ability to perform what they were built or created to do, was the way to keep them dead, sucking out magic was what they did, so the glands had to go.
Back at the pond, Damon has Stefan in his grasp, he uses his magic to pull fire from the altars and into Stefan's hands to energize him. Damon looked towards the girls, "It's ok, everything is safe. Stefan is safe, the beacon is out of him." Elena with Josie in her arms, came to Damon, "That was not fun. You create quite the creepy movie set out here. Lightning and thorn bushes growing everywhere." Stefan starts to stir, his head starts to move side to side, "Damn, now that's a hangover. Geez, Damon, did you have to use so much? Hell, you zapped me!" All of a sudden giant bubbles start coming from the bottom of the pond and the altar fire bowls begin to blaze, Stefan was strong enough to pull energy from the elements himself. He stood upon his own strength, his hands held giant glowing balls of fire.
Damon turned to Elena, gathering her and Josie in his arms, "Hello Ladies, how are two of my favorite ladies doing?" Josie was the first to say something, "Uncle D, I didn't like that part of magic at all. Am I going to have to do that part too?" Damon took Josie out of Elena's arms, "I truly hope not. That part of our magic is very powerful. It was able to take all the bad parts that were in Zio and put them into that jar. Zio and I used our magic to make you and Lizzie safe. It might have been a little scary, it ended up being a good thing. You know why?" Josie shook her head, Damon continued with a warm smile, "Now you are in our coven, and now you can help me put all these bushes and rocks where they came from. Do you want to help me?" Josie nodded her head in agreement, she put her hand on his arm to start siphoning his magic, Damon looked at her, "Josie, you don't need my magic, you have your own now. Hold your arms up Princess, high in the sky." Josie put them up, Damon continued, "Close your eyes, feel the air on your skin. Let your skin, every part of your skin feel the air. All the tickles you feel on your skin, that is energy for your magic." Josie's eyes widen, she brings her arms in front of her. Damon says, "Ok, let's try that little pile of rocks over there, we want to put it back in the ground. Very slowly think about them going back to where they came from. Think rock go back to your home. Can you do that?" Josie answers, "Uncle D, can I tell the rock to go back to its home and think about it at the same time? Or do I have to think it super hard only?" Damon smiles, "You have to think it, and you can tell it too, but thinking is just as important as using your voice. Before you use your voice, close your eyes and think about the rock going to its home, then you can use your voice to tell it to go home."
Josie shut her eyes tightly, her little nose crinkled up, she opened her eyes and looked directly at the rock formation, "Time for you to go home!" She pointed her finger at the formation, and slowly motioned downward. Her eyes brightened as the rock formation slowly followed her finger and disappeared underneath the soil. Her entire body was covered in goosebumps, she had shivers, Damon could feel that she had stopped siphoning from the wind while she was draining her magic. He would have to teach her how to divide her concentration as the next lesson. In the meantime, Damon got her attention, "Princess, here you need a little bit of my magic, take some, that was a big spell for you, my little witch. That is why you are shivering." He put her hand on his chest over his heart, immediately the warmth returned to her body, "Ok, we are going to do this together for a while, you can siphon from me and our elements ok. Follow my lead, we are going to make everything go back to their homes." For the next 10 minutes, Elena, Bonnie, Stefan, and Lizzie watched as the Earth & Air witches put everything back in place, they returned the landscape back to the way it looked, no one would ever know what just occurred.
Caroline stood there watching as Josie used her magic confidently. Her daughter wasn't scared, she was strong vocal, and happy, just like a 4-year-old should be. Her hand covered her mouth as the tears gently fell down her cheeks, she worried about Josie the most as a Mother. Josie was shy, quiet, timid, always taking a backseat to Lizzie. The little girl that Damon was holding in his arms, was not shy, timid, or quiet, she is fierce, powerful, and confident. She was telling, no demanding, the landscaping to mold to her command. Caroline was overwhelmed with happiness and pride.
Stefan felt Caroline's presence, his eyes found her at the edge of the pond, "Honey, take your clothes off and join us. It will do you good." Caroline did as she was told and stripped down to her bra and panties. As she stepped into the water, Lizzie jumped out of Bonnie's arm and swam to her mother. Once in Caroline's arm, Lizzie couldn't hold in the adventures she had just been through. The young witch then showed her mother with great pride her new abilities, by pulling fire from the altar bowl and holding a tiny fireball in her hand, "See Mommy, my nergies are fire and water, just like Zio. I can make fire do all kindza things. Watch me." Lizzie molds the fireball into an ice cream cone, then a wagon. Stefan pulled the fireball from Lizzie's hand, "Lizzie, we need to be careful, Mommy isn't fireproof like we are. Why don't you show her what you can do to the water?" Lizzie was so excited by that suggestion, "Oh yeah!" She jumps out of Caroline's arms and swims around in a circle, then back to her Mother. She wipes the wet strands of hair from her face, puts her hand in the water, closes her eyes and tiny bubbles start to appear. Lizzie opens her eyes and looks down at the water, she makes a big huff noise, "I made tiny bubbles, I wanted to make big bubbles." Stefan grinned, "Come here, princess."
Lizzie swam to Stefan, "Remember the water is your energy, you have to let the water or the fire fill your whole body with that warm fuzzy feeling before you start the bubbles. Try it again." Stefan sits her on his knee so that she is submerged in the water to her shoulders, he reminds her, "Close your eyes so you can feel the warmth all over your skin, just like when you siphon from me." Lizzie closes her eyes, her skin starts to feel tingly, soon the hairs start to stand up, she is pulling the magical energy from the water into her body, her back straightens. Stefan smiles, he sees, and feels Lizzie gathering her energy from the water, he wants to say something to guide her, to tell her how to bring it into her heart, let it flow through her veins until it fills every cell of her being. He knows that the magic's instinct has to kick it, that being part of the Brother's coven will physically guide the magic through her body, Lizzie has to discover each feeling on her own. He has done what he can, she knows she is safe with him by her side, she is free to do magic, he can't help feeling a fatherly pride swell from within his heart. Stefan watches her body as she absorbs the magic, he notices as she pinches her nose, that is her tale, she is controlling the flow of magic, another burst of pride upturns the corners of his mouth. Lizzie opens her eyes and points her index fingers at the water around her mother, giant bubbles come up around them, "Mommy, I'm making those… All of them… All by myself… I didn't take any of Zio's magic, not even a little." She jumps off Stefan's lap and swims straight into Caroline's arms, "Mommy, I'm a big girl witch now, I can get my own magic. I can protect you from the bad monsters." Lizzie points her fingers at the water again and more bubbles appear, Caroline is just beaming with joy as she looks into her daughter's eyes, "Look at you, that is amazing, I'm so proud of you. Remember you have more to learn, Zio is going to be teaching you lots of spells and you are going to have to listen to everything he says." Lizzie looks at Stefan and winks dramatically, "Yep, cause we are fire and water witches, right Zio?" Stefan laughs, "That's right."
Ric had arrived just in time to see Josie use magic to make the rock formation disappear, then laugh as she and Damon played at who could reduce bush, rock, and tree faster. In front of his eyes was a strong and vibrant little girl, not his shy, timid daughter who spent more time in her sister's shadow than anywhere else. He was in awe of what she was saying and doing. His eyes wander to Lizzie as she demonstrates her new powers to her mother in an equally excited voice. Enzo pats his back, "Looks like the girls got through everything without a scratch." Ric catches Caroline's attention, the wordless exchange between parents allows his lungs to take a deep breath. Her eyes tell him everything he needs to know, his daughters will be ok, both of them will be in his life for a very long time. Ric takes a look at Damon, he can't help when a genuine smirk ends up on his face, the thought of not being able to call him a 'dick' again run through his mind, he laughs and shakes it off, "Enzo, let's get these dead ass wipes out of my girls' eyesight. I want to get them to the Armory for some research and a bit of testing. Bonnie has a few theories about where they come from. I have a couple on what they are made out of that Dorian and I want to try out." Enzo nods with an answer, "Let me go tell my girl the plan, I'll meet you at the truck with our dead friends."
Enzo arrives at the pond and gets the attention of the brothers. Damon is the first to say, "Any trouble?" Enzo responds, "Nothing Gorgeous, Ric and I couldn't handle." Stefan turns to Caroline, she nods, "I'm fine, we took care of it, easy peasy. No one was in danger." Enzo gets Bonnie's attention, "Love, I'm heading with Ric to the Armory for a bit. You keep Sheila safe, I'll see you back at the Cottage." Bonnie answers, "Do you want me to come with you? I'm not needed here. Everything is done and we are completely safe." Enzo shakes his head, "You should stay with the brothers, just in case. We are fine, everything we have to move is already dead and dismembered."
One very happy Mother has 2 very tired 4-year-old newly anointed Nature's witches in her arms, Caroline whispering to Stefan, "No merging ever… Never ever... right?" Stefan moves behind his wife and puts his arms around his family, "Never ever…never… No more Gemini merging ever.. Not for our grandchildren or their grandchildren... Never again." Caroline leans back and rests against her husband's chest, she listens to his heartbeat, the steady, strong beat, it calms her. She closed her eyes and lets a single tear fall, takes a deep breath, and let's go of the fear she has had as a vampire, her fear of watching generation after generation of her children merge, this fear was a daily constant and so overwhelming that her amazing human husband had in a single moment taking that fear away forever. Stefan squeezed a little tighter, "Let's get these little ones in bed, they have had a big night."
