Episode 8: Stefan's Birthday

"There's nothing wrong with enjoying looking at the surface of the ocean itself, except that when you finally see what goes on underwater, you realize that you've been missing the whole point of the ocean. Staying on the surface all the time is like going to the circus and staring at the outside of the tent."

― Dave Barry

Mystic Falls, 1971

"Mandy!" My sister called my name. I was twelve, my hair was a mess of wild curls that flew behind me as I ran through the woods. "Mandy, come back here!" Sheila yelled after me. I giggled as I ignored her.

We were supposed to be picking herbs for Mama, but something was calling out to me.

The closer I drew to the something the more excited I got and the faster I ran.

I found myself in the ruins of Fell's Church. There was a woman there waiting for me. She wore strange clothes from a different era, but still I felt like we'd met before. Perhaps in a dream. Her name came to me like a whisper on the wind, Emily Bennett.

"Hello." She smiled down at me.

"Who are you?" I asked despite knowing the answer already. Perhaps I was wrong, or it was coincidence.

"I'm Emily. But you know that. We used to be friends, and now we're family."

"Why are you here?" I looked around at the ruins curiously, "Why did I come here?"

There was a darkness here, I could feel a powerful latent magic hidden beneath the earth.

"This is where it started. And this is where it has to end." Emily kneeled down and held onto my hands, "When the time comes, will you help me, Amanda?"

"How do you know my name?"

"We're family now. I knew you by another name too, Maggie."

"Mandy!" My sister's voice carried into the ruins. I turned back to see where she was and saw that she had caught up with me.

"Hey, Shei!" I smiled at my sister. She looked displeased.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" She asked exasperated.

"I was meeting my friend."

"Who?"

I looked back to gesture towards Emily, but there was no one there.

"Oh, she's gone now."

My sister came up and grabbed my hand, leading me back to town.

"Ma warned us to stay away from here, and I don't blame her; this place is creepy."

Mystic Falls, 2009

I woke up in a haze. Vicki Donovan had died last night and whether or not it was entirely my fault, I did have a hand in it. My sister was snoring lightly beside me, we had fallen asleep in her bed as we watched our favorite Halloween movie. It was such a normal thing, I thought it would help me forget about my guilt, but it didn't.

Untangling myself from Caroline's sheets, I got out of bed as quietly as I could. Although Care drank enough last night that I doubt thunder could wake her.

Stretching as I entered my room I didn't notice anyone else was there until I heard a cough as I started taking my shirt off. I pushed my sleep shirt back down and whirled away from my dresser. Casually laying on my bed was none other than Damon Salvatore.

"What are you doing here?" My face was red in a mix of anger and embarrassment.

"I think a better question is…" he said, raising from my bed and stalking towards me, "Why weren't you in your room?"

"No it's not." I said incredulously. Damon made it sound so suggestive. "Caroline and I had a sleepover. Get your mind out of the gutter. Now, why are you here?" I repeated. It was disconcerting that he could just show up in our house anytime, too bad there wasn't a way to uninvite a vampire.

Damon put on a charming smile. It really was disarming, but I wasn't going to let myself swoon. "I need you to throw a party at the Grill tonight."

"A party?" It was like the word punched me in the gut, "Vicki died last night and you want to throw a party?"

"You didn't even like Vicki," he scoffed.

"You don't know that!" I yelled. I stopped myself, taking a deep breath to calm myself before I started again more quietly, "Even if I didn't like her, that doesn't mean I wanted her dead." My voice and movements became more frantic as I continued, "And Matt doesn't even know, how am I supposed to see him everyday, much less at a party, and act like it's not my fault his sister's dead." Damon grabbed my arms, forcing me to stop my erratic movements.

"It's not your fault," he spoke firmly. "It's mine. I'm the one who turned her, remember?"

Of course I remembered, but I didn't understand why he didn't want me to feel at fault. I suppose trying to take all the blame aligned pretty well with his bad guy image.

"Why are you asking me anyway?" No one ever asked me to plan anything, at least not when Caroline was around.

"Caroline was my first choice. But you asked me to stay away from her."

"And you actually listened?" That was unexpected.

"I'm full of surprises. So party. Tonight. Mystic Grill."

"And why should I do anything for you?" I crossed my arms defiantly.

"I have a plan that will solve this town's vampire problem." I rolled my eyes, of course, ever since Vicki killed that vampire hunter he'd been worried about someone in town figuring him out. Damon winked, "And it requires you to host a big party."

"Since you're the vampire problem, does this plan involve you leaving? 'Cause I can organize a going away party."

"Very funny." Damon dead-panned. "No, it's more like a...birthday party. For Stefan."

"It's Stefan's birthday? What, is he finally turning sixteen hundred?"

"Someone is especially sarcastic in mourning," He commented. "And I want my crystal back."

"Well that sucks. Because it's not mine to give. Is that your big diabolical plan?" I mocked, "Throw a party to steal a necklace?"

"No." Damon teased, "If I told you my plan, it wouldn't be very diabolical, now would it?" He smirked. "So recap: Party. Crystal. Do it, or I'll just make Caroline do it."

Any trace of a smile I had vanished.

"Force Caroline to do anything ever again and you're toast, literally." I warned. "Why can't you just throw the party yourself?"

"Because then Stefan won't be there. Just do it. If not for me, to help protect my brother." It was almost like he was pleading with me.

"Fine." I said begrudgingly. "I hate you," I added weakly as I flopped onto my bed.

"Hate you too." He sang and then Damon was gone.

An hour or two later I was walking into my sisters room carrying water and tylenol.

"Hey Caroline," I said, "Time to wake up."

My sister grumbled something under her blanket.

"Did you bring me a magic potion? 'Cause I think I need one for my hangover."

"No, but I've got something just as good." I said, handing over the bottles of water and pain reliever.

"Want to throw a party at the Grill tonight?" I asked after she took the Tylenol.

I didn't want Damon to compel my sister anymore, but honestly I'm not really the go to party planner of Mystic Falls.

"You? Want to throw a party?" Caroline asked, nearly choking on the water she was drinking.

"Yeah, is that surprising?" My sister gave me a look that told me it was. "It's Stefan's birthday. He doesn't want anyone to know, but I figured we could throw a party anyway."

"Okay, so? We're not dating him. You don't even like him."

"So I'm trying to get to know him better, for Elena's sake. Besides, it's the perfect excuse to have a party!"

Caroline thought it over in her head for a moment. She smiled.

"Alright, I'm in."

That afternoon Caroline and I went down to the Grill to talk about using it as the party venue. Talking to the owner was all Caroline, she was much more charismatic than me. Elena was already seated at our usual booth so I joined her while Care handled business.

Elena looked distracted.

"Hey what are you doing here?" She asked, looking up from her soda.

"Caroline and I are planning a party here tonight," I said, trying to not sound as uncomfortable as I felt. "You should come."

"What? Vicki died last night." Elena whispered, echoing my earlier argument.

"And we're the only two mourning." I whispered back. Did I sound too callous? I didn't mean to, I was trying to get through this party planning without breaking down.

"Because we're the only two who know."

"Honestly, I think it's what Vicki would have wanted." I said, surprising even myself, "She loved to party, what better way to celebrate her life?"

"Okay, What did you want to talk about?" Bonnie said as she sat down, noticing me she added, "oh hey Charlie, did Elena send an emergency text to you too?"

"No. What emergency?" Elena's cheeks had gone scarlet.

"Not really an emergency…I went to see Stefan today—"

"Woo! So glad that is settled." Caroline interrupted, joining us in the booth. "The Party is on tonight and it's going to be epic."

"What party?" Bonnie asked

"Just the one Charlie and I are throwing. A little post-Halloween soirée. You should bring Stefan, Elena, it's going to be so much fun."

"Uh, Care, Stefan and I kinda broke up."

"What! When?" Caroline asked, shocked. It was news to me too, but I guess Elena couldn't handle all the vampire business after all. Elena and I shared a knowing look. "Did you know about this Charlie?"

"No, it's the first I've heard. What happened?"

Elena took a moment to gather her thoughts, and think of something Caroline and Bonnie appropriate to say.

"Uh… it was just hard, because you know he keeps a lot to himself. And then I went over today to try and talk to him and there was a girl there in a towel."

"That's a quick rebound," Caroline said.

"You don't know that," I interjected. "She could just be a friend."

"What kind of friend walks around your house in a towel?" Caroline challenged.

"The kind that just got out of the shower. It's not like they showered together." At Elena's pink cheeks I added, "You broke up with him, Elena. If you're starting to regret that you should talk to him now before it is too late and stop sending mixed signals."

Elena nodded, "You're right."

"And you should totally invite Stefan to the party. What better occasion to make up." Caroline suggested with a grin.

Afterwards, I stopped by the sheriff's station with a club sandwich from the Grill.

"Hey mom, I brought you lunch." I said as I entered her office.

"Thanks honey." She smiled taking the sandwich. There was a large box on her desk. Peeking inside I saw purple flowers. Vervain.

"What's with the box of flowers?"

"Oh just something one of the deputies dropped off to make the place smell better." My mom said off handedly, but it didn't sound right. She was hiding something from me. "Thanks for the lunch sweetie," she said, moving the box of vervain behind her desk.

It suddenly struck me; my mom knows about vampires. And most likely, so did all the deputies.

Stefan and Damon were in more trouble than I thought.

The party at the Grill started without a hitch. My sister and I observed our handiwork with pride. There were plenty of people, just as Damon wanted and they all seemed to be having a good time. Well… besides Damon. I found him sulking at the bar.

"You got your party, Damon. Aren't you happy?"

"Do you have my crystal?" He asked, a fake smile plastered on.

"It's not your crystal, so no, I don't."

His smile dropped.

"Then I'm not happy." Damon caught sight of a blonde woman entering the Grill and left me.

At first I thought he was going to try to pick her up. But from what I saw and the cold shoulder she gave, they knew each other already.

The blonde took up Damon's empty stool.

"So you know Damon?" I started.

"Unfortunately." She turned in her seat, looking me up and down. "How do you know him?"

It felt like the answer to that question was more complicated than it needed to be.

"He kinda used to date my sister and I'm almost friends with Stefan," I settled.

"Oh, hey! I'm a friend of Stefan's too. My name is Lexi."

"You must be towel-girl." I blurted out.

She shrugged.

"I've been called worse."

"So...if you're friends with Stefan, does that mean that you're a...you know…" I mimicked fangs with my fingers.

"So you know about the pointy teeth?"

"Yep."

"Wow, Stefan is not doing a good job of keeping this a secret is he?"

"To be fair, It's not his fault. I already knew. The boys think I'm a witch."

"And you disagree?" Lexi asked, picking up my unvoiced thought.

"I'm definitely supernatural, but I don't think I'm a witch." My time spent with Bonnie learning magic taught me that.

"Interesting. What else would you be?"

"I have no idea. Something with fire. How long have you known Stefan?"

"Oh, not too long after he was turned."

"Are you the one that got him on that bunny diet?" I asked curiously.

"It wasn't exactly my idea, but I guess I helped him get there."

Lexi compelled a couple free shots from the bartender. She handed one of the tequila shots to me.

"I believe I have you to thank for the party."

We clinked glasses and both drank the shots.

"Actually, it was mostly my sister. She really knows how to move a crowd." I gestured toward Caroline with my empty shot glass.

"I'll have to thank her as well. Is your sister like you?"

"No. Caroline is one hundred percent human. She thinks I'm a witch, but she doesn't really know anything about the supernatural."

"How'd she take it?"

"Well, I think. Actually, I'm not sure it's really processed in her mind that I'm…" I struggled to find the word.

"Different?" Lexi offered. "The love of my life was human. It took him a while to really come to terms with me too. But at the end of the day, love really did conquer all."

Lexi ordered another round of shots. She downed hers quickly, and offered the second one to me but I declined. I didn't want to get too drunk around Damon again. Shrugging, Lexi downed that shot too.

"So... if you and Stefan have been friends for like a hundred years, that must mean you've seen him have fun at least once right?"

Lexi laughed and then shared some stories I'm sure Stefan would have preferred for her to keep to herself. She told me about how he jumped into the Trevi Fountain stark naked, and their time backstage with Bon Jovi. Unfortunately, Stefan showed up before Lexi could share anymore embarrassing stories.

I found Bonnie standing by an empty pool table and asked her to a game.

"So I told Elena, well I showed her. What I could do." Bonnie said as she walked around the table looking for an easy shot. There wasn't one.

"Oh yeah? How'd that go?" I asked as Bonnie sunk the three ball at a particularly difficult angle. I couldn't see it, but I knew she used magic. "Cheater."

Bonnie shrugged it off, smiling wryly, "it's not cheating, it's a gift." She shot again, without magic and missed. "I think it really cheered her up about Stefan."

"I bet. I wish I could levitate things. Lighting a candle with my mind is only cool so many times."

"Maybe you will be able to, with practice."

Caroline came up to us in mild distress.

"Bonnie I've been looking for you. I'm totally sorry to do this I know it's so Indian giver and I know we're not even supposed to say that anymore but I need my crystal back."

Bonnie paused, leaning on her pool stick, "Why? You said you hated it."

"We agreed it was best to let it go Care." I reminded her.

"Then I saw it on Bonnie and I realize how great it is," Caroline explained, "and I've got three outfits I can coordinate it with so..."

"I can't give it back to you," Bonnie said.

"Well, I didn't want to tell you this but I'm your friend, when you wear it makes you look fat."

"Caroline!" I snapped, but she shrugged it off.

"I'm only saying it as a friend so…"

"I'm sorry Caroline, I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?"

"It's mine." Bonnie proclaimed.

"Technically it was Damon's," Caroline corrected.

"Wait, are you trying to get it back for Damon?" I asked. There was a dullness to her eyes, like she wasn't in control, she wasn't herself. How silly of me to think Damon would keep his promise.

"No," she denied. "Maybe, just…" Caroline reached for the necklace but it shocked her. She looked confused at her hand, "Are you wearing polyester?"

"You were really gonna pull it from my neck. What the hell is wrong with you?"

Caroline let out a frustrated noise and stomped away like a child having a tantrum.

"That guy has some serious pull on her." Bonnie commented.

"Yeah, I know. That's something I'm working on." I searched the crowd for Damon and found him talking to Caroline, as if I wasn't angry enough. I marched up to them just as Damon was walking away, I would have chased after him except Caroline turned around. Tears were threatening to spill and I knew my wrath on Damon could wait, my twin needed me.

I enveloped Caroline in a hug

"What did that bastard say?"

"I'm stupid and shallow and a useless waste of space!" She cried.

"He is literal toast," I mumbled. I pulled out of the hug only so I could look Caroline in the eyes. "You know that's not true, Care." We sat down at the bar, my sister grabbed napkins to wipe at her eyes. "Damon is an idiot, and you don't deserve to be treated like that."

"Then how do I deserve to be treated? Bonnie is supposed to be one of my best friends and she won't give me back that necklace. And I asked very nicely at first."

"Why do you even want it back? You didn't want anything to do with it when we gave it to her."

"Am I not allowed to change my mind?"

"Bad night?" The bartender asked.

"The worst. Can I get a drink? A cosmo."

"Sure thing, it's on the house." He said automatically. I had a feeling Lexi's compulsion was still working.

"Cosmo?" I asked, eyeing Caroline's pink drink.

"I don't know, they drink it on Sex and the City." Caroline drank half her drink in one gulp. Then she stared into her glass thoughtfully. "Am I shallow?"

"Do you really want the truth?"

"I don't mean to be. I wanna be deep. I wanna be, like...the abyss deep. But it's true, isn't it? I'm shallow, I am worst than shallow, I'm a kiddie pool!"

"You are not a kiddie pool. Listen to me," I placed my hands on either side of her face, so Caroline had to look me in the eye. "You are an ocean, Caroline Forbes."

"You're just saying that 'cause you have to, 'cause you're my sister."

"You're right, I am your sister. Which means I know you better than anyone else does, especially Damon. And I know that you are more than you appear on the surface, and sure you do have some shallow parts—"

"I knew it..."

"But—there are so many hidden depths left in you that have yet to be discovered."

My sister was drunk, really really drunk. And sad, really really sad. I was always there for her, but she needed more than just my validation now. I was going to have to give Damon a piece of my mind, and my fiery rage, for compelling her anyway and then making her cry. That would be later though, at the moment I was focusing on getting Caroline out of the Grill. She was stumbling everywhere even with me helping her walk.

Caroline fell into one of the booths as we passed by Matt's table.

"Oh hey!" Matt said, surprised.

"Sorry Matty." I apologized.

"I slim-I'm slipped. I slipped." Caroline slurred.

"Hammered, huh?"

"Well...a very nice but not handsome bartender was very kind to me tonight. Unlike the rest of the global universe. Are those curly fries?" Caroline asked as she grabbed one of the fries on the table.

"I'm just gonna get her some coffee, I'll be right back." I left Care in the capable hands of Matt while I tracked down a cup of coffee to help her sober up a little.

While I was waiting for the coffee Matt texted saying he was just going to take Care home. I glanced up to see him carrying her bridal style out of the Grill. I smiled knowing I could trust Matt to take care of my sister.

Since Caroline was safe and on her way home I felt that I could finally give Damon a piece of my mind. He was talking with Lexi at the other end of the bar, I figured Lexi wouldn't mind me interrupting to rip into Damon so I headed over. I stopped midway as I noticed my mom enter the Grill with several deputies and a shaken girl.

The girl was pointing towards the bar where Damon and Lexi were sitting.

One look at that frightened girl and suddenly everything made sense; the vervain that I've only seen at the Salvatore house, why Damon wanted a party at the Grill and why he specifically wanted Stefan and Lexi to come. He was going to solve the town's vampire problem.

I rushed over to them before my mom got to them.

"Lexi you should run." I warned.

Lexi glanced behind me and then with vampire super speed she was gone. I turned back to my mom, who hadn't noticed Lexi had disappeared yet.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" I asked innocently. Sheriff Forbes ignored me and turned back to her deputies.

"She's gone. Damn it! Search around town and proceed with extreme caution, she'll be more dangerous now that she knows we're after her." The other deputies left and my mom turned back to me.

"Honey, are you okay? Did you know the woman who was sitting here?" My mom asked, trying not to sound like she's interrogating me.

"I'm fine mom. And no I don't know who the woman was," I lied, "I was just coming over to say hi to Damon."

"Damon." She nodded. The motion cemented my thoughts on Damon's involvement with the vervain supply.

Sheriff Forbes then went to arrest the bartender for not checking ids; she likely ran into Caroline on the way in. I turned on Damon.

"What did you do?"

"I told you I had a plan to fix the Vamp problem and you ruined it!" He said angrily, under his breath.

"Your plan was to pin it on Lexi and what? Let her be staked?" I hit Damon in the chest, he didn't like that and grabbed onto my hand to keep me from hitting him again. I snarled, "That is low, Damon. She's your brother's best friend, how could you do that to him?" The temperature in my hands suddenly grew very hot and Damon released me before he got burned.

"Oh, so now you care about Stefan? That's new."

"Lexi is the only person I know who could get Stefan out of his 'episodes', Damon. I feel a hell of a lot safer knowing she's alive in case we ever need her help. Besides, he's your brother; don't you care about his feelings at all?"

"Did you forget the part last night where I said I have no remorse."

"I don't believe you. You loved Maggie, and you still do. And if I had to guess, somehow why you're here and everything you've done is in memory of that love. Someone who can feel so passionate about another person, they are capable of remorse. Even if they don't believe it themselves."