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Guest: Yes, someone absolutely needs to...but at the same time, he has his soft spots...occasionally.
Not much I have to say but I do what to do a shout out since it's chapter 30 and all. So I'm giving a shout out to a story I've highlighted before, which is, 'Stained with Sin' by, 'WriteToEscapeReality1309'. The reason for this is because the writer has recently started up this story again after struggling to do so for a while. So if you have time to give it a read and leave a review for this story then that would be very nice and kind of you, as all us writers love and appreciate your continued support – and I for one know you guys have been very kind with me, so thank you!
Chapter 30: The Dinner Party
Annoyingly, Damon had been right about the amount of time it had taken Scarlett to get ready. She'd only had only a handful of dinner party dresses that she thought were suitable, and only a half of those were good for fighting in. But those were the ones she liked – even if it wasn't a lot – and she didn't want them getting destroyed. But the ones she really hated she couldn't wear, as they'd restrict her fighting ability. She could alway fix that, but then it wouldn't look inappropriate, and she didn't have Sarah to help her fix it this time.
Reluctantly, she then picked out the dress she'd worn to the masquerade ball when they'd fought Katherine. It had been cleaned and stitched since then, and now looked as if had never been involved in a fight.
After that, she sat about doing what Sarah had done with her the few time she'd had to get dressed up for something. The easiest thing came first, the shower, which Scarlett spent as long as possible in. Then came the more tricky stuff like the makeup and the hair styling. Scarlett didn't do a lot of that, but she'd learnt some basics like how to apply foundation and so one. Enough to make her presentable – at least in Damon's eyes. Then she had her one moment of rebellion, leaving her hair as it was once it was dried. Scarlett was one who usually got lucky with how her hair turned out. It had a natural curl to it, but it varied in degree. Tonight it was missable, her hair looking fairly straight as she pulled on the black dress with a floral pattern along the bust.
A quick stop at the mirror to confirm she looked good – even if it was grudgingly – and Scarlett was then off down stairs to meet with Damon. She was already aware that some guests had arrived, namely Alaric, Andie and Jenna. Alaric was with Damon in the study, scheming more than likely, while Jenna and Andie set the table in the dinning room, linked to the living room via an open archway. Scarlett however, went straight for the study, to find out what was going on.
"This is a bad idea," Alaric was saying as Scarlett entered the study. Noticing her, he turned, nodding his head while adding a, "Hey," in her direction.
"Hey," Scarlett greeted in turn, joining both Alaric and Damon by the bar in the study.
"There's no such thing as a bad idea. Just poorly executed awesome ones," Damon continued on, before holding out a drink towards Alaric. "Here," he offered, but the history teacher just shook his head, hands firmly placed on his hips. Jaw tight and obviously not comfortable with what was about to happen. Scarlett imagined his discomfort stemmed from the same reason as hers, which was Jenna being in the house while they were trying to kill the Originals.
"I don't like the idea of Elijah being in the same house with Jenna," Alaric said, looking Damon straight in the eye as he did.
"Just Elijah," Damon couldn't help but tease, smirking until he realised Alaric wasn't as amused as he was. Scarlett herself could appreciate the jab, but under the circumstances, wasn't laughing either as she folded her arms across her her chest. Hitting Damon with her best, 'stop the bullshit' look. If Sarah wasn't here to do it, then someone had to keep Damon in check, and apparently that duty fell on Scarlett.
Seeing he wasn't getting the desired response, Damon let out a sigh as he relaxed, going ever so slightly serious in order to reassure Alaric. "Look, Jenna's perfectly safe. Besides, it's just a fact-finding mission. It's totally harmless." Scarlett perked up at that, sending Damon a raised brow which luckily for him Alaric didn't notice. Apparently Alaric hadn't been filled in on the real plan for tonight.
"Just a fact-finding mission?" Alaric asked cautiously.
"Yeah," Damon replied nonchalantly.
"So, no sneak attacks, no surprise plans. Nothing that's gonna put Jenna in harm's way. Okay?" Alaric said sternly, moving his arms from his hips and folding them as he stepped towards Damon, making sure the vampire understood him one-hundred precent.
"Scout's honour," Damon replied, holding up his hand in a mocking scout like salute. Alaric didn't seem convinced, until Damon started patting him on the shoulder, offering him one of his lazy smiles. Scarlett however, had been maintaining her skeptical look towards Damon – on Sarah's behalf. He wasn't acknowledging it though, to do so might then cause Alaric to notice and become suspicious. And before Scarlett could make up her mind on whether to speak up or not, Andie came in and announced her presence.
"Hey, Jenna needs help with the wine, could you help her?" Andie asked, to which Alaric sighed and nodded. Not because of Jenna obviously, he'd never object to helping her out. Damon was the exhausting one in his life, much like he was with everyone else. "Thanks," Andie said as Alaric passed her, leaving them alone in the study.
"So you're not telling him about the plan then?" Scarlett asked, deliberately not waiting long enough for Alaric to leave. Damon's eyes quickly widened in annoyance, looking to the door in case Alaric suddenly came storming back in. He didn't, which Scarlett had to admit she was disappointed by.
"You saw how he was, he's a liability like that," Damon hissed, one eye still on the door until he finally relaxed. Convinced Alaric wasn't going to come back, or that he'd heard what Scarlett had boldly said.
"Liability or not, he should know?" Scarlett argued.
Damon offered up another lazy, confident, smile as he shrugged in response. "Don't see the point. It'll be over by the time he finds out anyway. Trust me, it'll be fine," Damon waved off, taking a drink from the glass he'd originally offered Alaric. Scarlett replied with a very obvious eye roll as Andie came forward to stand beside her.
"Nice dress," she offered, to which Scarlett turned, ready to reply with a polite compliment of her own, only to see Andie wasn't wearing a dress. She was dressed nicely for sure, but it was casually formal kinda of smart dress code. She was wearing jeans after all and so was Damon. Realising this, Scarlett instantly began to send Damon the stink eye. The blue eyed annoy vampire had set her up. And she could tell that he knew she knew, from that big old smirk on his face.
"I'm going to kill you," Scarlett growled.
"Why?" Damon said innocently as he turned around to the bar, setting down his drink.
"For making me dress up like an idiot, that's why," Scarlett snapped, as Damon opened a box and pulled out a rolled up piece of cloth, unfolding it to reveal the dagger he'd had before, as well as its identical twin.
"Well, I think you look lovely," Andie offered sympathetically. Scarlett frowned at her, trying to work out whether it was genuine or just Damon's compulsion. In the end she decided to leave the woman alone, after all it wasn't her fault Damon was an ass.
"What are those?" Andie then asked, stepping forward to look over Damon's shoulder, at the two daggers on the bar.
"Desert," Damon answered with a grin looking back, before then uncapping the small glass jar of white ash that came with the daggers. Curiously, Scarlett watched from behind as Damon dipped each of the daggers into the white ash, before then storing the jar and cloth back inside the box he'd gotten them from.
"Both the Originals are stronger than me and Scrappy. Faster than us too. It's all about the element of surprise," Damon explained to Andie.
"Ah, that's too bad. I like Elijah. He's very old-school. Classy," Andie sighed out with a smile.
"As opposed to your current boyfriend," Scarlett said, grinning when Damon sent her an irritated look.
"Oh, I don't know. Damon can be classy in his own way," Andie said, stepping towards Damon as she wrapped her arms around his arm, smiling up at him. Yep, definitely compelled, Scarlett decided.
"I sure can," Damon agreed with his lazy grin, momentarily being distracted by Andie until he pushed her off. "Which is why you should encourage the gentlemen to take their after dinner drinks in here while you do coffee in the kitchen with the girls," Damon then explained, while hiding one of the daggers in amongst the bottles and glasses that lined the top of the bar.
"Hmm. That is a little too sexist for me," Andie protested lightly.
"And I don't drink coffee," Scarlett added.
Damon rolled his eyes, turning back around to point the other dagger towards Scarlett. "Well, that doesn't matter because, you, won't be having coffee anyway – 'cause when Andie and Jenna go to have coffee, you're going to have a privet discussion with Amelia in the living room, and then stab her with this," Damon explained, grinning as he flipped the dagger over in his hand, holding the hilt out to Scarlett. With a huff, Scarlett grudgingly took it.
"Where am I supposed to hide it?" Scarlett asked, staring down at the dagger in her hand.
"I don't know," Damon said with a shrug that reflected those words. "Stick in the fireplace, down the back of the couch, up your dress, I don't care. Just make sure it's nearby and that you can use it without getting caught," Damon said sternly.
Scarlett still had more complaints to make, more questions to ask, and more holes to poke in Damon's plan – but all that was put on hold when she picked up a scent. And that scent made her heart stop as she looked to Damon with her eyes wide in alert. "Damon," Scarlett growled in an angrily warning. "You didn't?"
She didn't end up waiting for the answer though, as she turned and ran back through the house towards the front door. When she got there Jenna had already opened it, revealing John and Jeremy, the former of which stepping in before he could be banished. Jeremy however, being the polite young man that he was, waited outside, hands in his hoodie pockets with an exhausted expression on his face. One would imagine that was because of his dear uncle, who he'd arrived with.
"Jeremy, what are you doing here?" Scarlett asked, eyes wide and in mild panic as Jeremy looked over with a sorry smile. Although the sorry smile was more for John than his arrival.
While Jenna then motioned him inside, having no problem with her nephew – and a definite problem with her brother-in-law – Damon then walked in stopping next to Scarlett with Andie at his back. "John. Surprise. Leave," Damon stated not so politely as he forced a smile.
"Sorry to intrude," John said, not that anyone believed him for one second. "But when Jeremy told me he was on his way out to a dinner party involving Elijah and Amelia, I decided I couldn't miss out on all the fun and games."
"Sorry, he caught me on the way out the door," Jeremy explained to Jenna, who he was stood next to. She nodded sympathetically, rubbing his shoulder until Scarlett stepped over, grabbing his hand and pulling him away from the crowd of people by the front door.
"Well, sorry to disappoint, John, but there's no games to night. Just a friendly dinner party," Damon explained with a plastered on smile, for which Scarlett imagined was for Alaric's benefit. But right now that wasn't her top concern, right now, that was Jeremy.
"What the Hell are you doing here?" Scarlett hissed once they were further away from the front door and stood outside the study. Away from – human – praying ears.
"Damon called me," Jeremy explained casually, as if Scarlett should have already known. "He told me about what's going down with Elijah and Amelia, and so I came here to help you guys," he explained with a soft smile, excited to be involved in some action again. Which was exactly what Scarlett had been worried about.
"No, Jeremy. No," Scarlett pleaded with him, placing her hands on his arms as she begged him. "Just leave, go home and I'll call you afterwards."
"No way," Jeremy protested firmly. "I'm not leaving you here on your own–"
"I won't be on my own," Scarlett cut in, as if that would be enough to sway Jeremy. "Damon will be with me."
Jeremy shot her a skeptical look that she couldn't really argue with. "Yeah, like that makes me feel better. Besides, you'll still be in danger, even if Damon's there to help you. And even then, you'll need all the help you can get if your going up against two Originals," Jeremy argued in a satisfied way, as if he knew he'd already won his case.
But Scarlett wasn't about to let this go, not after last time. Not after what had happened with Katherine back in the tomb. And that was Katherine. Elijah and Amelia were in a whole other league. "You do remember what happened last time you got involved in this stuff, right?" Scarlett said, folding her arms as she leaned towards Jeremy with a serious look. "Katherine almost killed you."
"Yeah, I remember, Scarlett," Jeremy conceded, lowering his head at one of his weaker moments.
"And you said you were going to stop doing this," she also reminded him.
However, at that Jeremy lifted his head and frowned. "I never said that," Jeremy countered.
"Yes you did," Scarlett hissed, certain that was what he had said that night.
"No. I said I was sorry for messing up and scaring you. I never said I was going to stop trying to help," Jeremy protested.
"Well, you 'helping,' is scaring me again Jeremy," Scarlett said softly, thinking her clear fright might be enough to make Jeremy stop, at least this time.
Unfortunately, luck was not on her side. "And how do you think I feel?" Jeremy asked, voice raising. "At least if I'm here I can see what's happening with my own two eyes, rather than waiting at home panicking the whole time because I have no idea what is going on."
"Jeremy–!" was all Scarlett got out in response – her own voice having raised to a shout – before Andie appeared from around Jeremy, grabbing Scarlett's arm.
"Sorry, but Jenna and I could use your help setting the table, Scarlett," Andie said with a forced smile, before pulling Scarlett along after her as they parted from Jeremy. Scarlett looked back to see if Jeremy would follow, but he was taking his out and running with it – metaphorically speaking – as he stood in the hallway rubbing the back of his neck. Part of her wanted to shout back after him, continue the fight, but that would draw to much attention to those not in the know. If she got another chance before the Originals arrived, she'd drag Jeremy out by force if she had too. He could hate her all he wanted for it, but she would be doing it to protect him.
For now though, she let Andie drag her along, down the hallway and through the living room – towards the dinning area. The gentlemen were all stood around the living room, having a civilised chat while Jenna stood awaiting Andie and Scarlett by the table. As they moved through the living room though, Scarlett caught Damon's eye, and purposeful growled in his direction. An act that she had no doubt he saw, as well as heard.
He was so going to pay for this later, Scarlett decided, before grudgingly helping Jenna and Andie with the table. As she did, Jenna picked up on her irritated aura, and asked what was wrong. Andie covered for her, explaining how Damon had tricked her into wearing her dress which she hated. It was true, but not the main reason Scarlett was enraged. Still Jenna was supportive and comforting, saying she looked good in whatever way she dressed.
After that Scarlett brightened up a little, more so that Jenna would stop asking questions Scarlett was in no mood to answer. Because if Jenna did ask the right question, Scarlett might just break and tell her everything. She really needed someone on her side, but Alaric didn't really know what was going on, Sarah was trapped somewhere and Elena and Stefan were off on their getaway.
A sigh left Scarlett's lips, wishing she and Jeremy could escape like Stefan and Elena had, even if it was only for a weekend.
Once the table was then set, Scarlett moved on to hiding the dagger, the one she was supposed to use on Amelia. Once the living room was relatively clear, she tucked it away in between two of the couch cushions, before standing back up to find Jeremy had been watching over her. She could tell he was going to point out how helpful he could be – and she was all set up to drag him out then and there – when the door bell rang. Damon answered it, finding Elijah and Amelia on the other side.
Scarlett cursed from inside her head, now it was too late to get Jeremy out, not without making the Originals suspicious. She knew she should have dealt with him first, rather than hid the dagger. Now all she could do was go along with Jeremy's presence and do whatever she could to protect him.
From the living room, she listened in as the Originals proceeded to warn Damon against making any move against them. Going as far as to threaten everyone in the house, despite the deal they had with Elena. Damon kept his cool though, and promised it was just a dinner party, before Jenna then walked through and the Originals warmly greeted her as they stepped past Damon and into the living room.
"Jenna. Wonderful to see you again," Elijah declared.
"Nice to see you," Jenna replied, greeting the two with a friendly hug that seemed far to unnatural after everything Scarlett had heard about the two Originals. They also looked, exactly as had been described to her. Elijah, dressed in a smart suit with hair combed to one side in a hair cut that didn't do the man justice. And then Amelia, dressed in a long black raincoat with trousers below and smart high heels – her blonde hair having been done up in a bun behind her head.
"You look incredible," Elijah added with a hint of flirtatious that made Jenna blush – and Jeremy and Scarlett share a gross and worried look.
"Thank you," Jenna replied politely.
"We really must thank you again for such a wonderful tour this morning," Amelia then spoke up, voice soft, yet just as diplomatic as her brother's.
"Yes, it was most helpful. Much like those files from the Historical Society," Elijah pointed out, referring to what they'd borrowed from Jenna some time back.
"Oh, yes, they were marvellous. In fact I might have to borrow some of them again," Amelia raved, like a tiresome house wife stereotype.
"Well, I'm glad I could help – and if you want anything else, just ask," Jenna said with a warm smile before then looking over to Jeremy and Scarlett who were stood next to her, both frowning. Jenna unfortunately misinterpreted this and proceeded with introductions, which wasn't exactly necessary but no one was about to stop her. "By the way, this my nephew Jeremy, and his girlfriend Scarlett."
"Lovely to meet you both," Amelia said with a polite handshake, which Jeremy and Scarlett both cautiously shook. Much in the way Amelia had become accustom too in this town – especially when those she was shaking hands with, knew who she truly was.
"Yes, Jenna has told us a lot about you. She seems very proud of you, Jeremy," Elijah explained as he took his turn to shake their hands.
"Well, that's good to know," Jeremy said cooly with a smile to his aunt who beamed back at him.
"And as we understand it, Scarlett, you live here?" Amelia asked for clarification, as she gesture to the building they were in with a finger.
"Yes," Scarlett answered carefully. Already feeling like she'd mucked up when Amelia's blue eyes narrowed on her.
"How did that come to happen?" Amelia asked, before Damon appeared from behind her, walking around to join Scarlett at her side along with Jeremy and Jenna.
"Oh, that's a long and, frankly, boring story. Best save it for another time," Damon said as he patted Scarlett on the shoulder, while hitting the Originals with another of his trademarked smiles.
"Oh, I don't know, I've always enjoyed a good origin story," Elijah admitted. "What about you, Damon? What sort of stories do you like?"
"I've always had a soft spot for murder mysteries," Damon shrugged.
"Agatha Christie?" Amelia asked, looking Damon's way.
"More like Miss Scarlett, in the library with the lead pipe," Damon replied, teasing grin at his lips.
Amelia frowned before glancing over towards her brother. "Cluedo?" she inquired.
"Yes, I believe that was the reference," Elijah conceded with a narrowed stare at Damon. Scarlett would have hit him, but she felt that would only draw more attention than Damon had already brought himself. So instead she smiled along with him, until Jenna suggested the move over to the dinning table where they joined everyone else. Shortly after Jenna and Andie brought through the meal, and the small talk began. Small talk that Scarlett stayed out of for the most part, while sending Damon various forms of glares and irritated looks – for a number of reasons. One being Jeremy sudden involvement, two being his idiotic plan (which he was practically telling the Originals about with his constant innuendos) and three being that he'd locked Sarah up. In future she'd know better than to go through with a deal she'd made with Damon. So far it was leading to nothing but trouble for herself and her loved ones.
"I hate to break it to you, Damon," Jenna said while refilling his wine glass. "But according to Elijah and Amelia, your family is so not a founder of this town."
Scarlett hummed while chewing on her mouthful. "Maybe we should stage a riot or something," Scarlett suggested, earning a chuckle from a few of those around the table.
"So what's the deal with the Founding Families then?" Jeremy asked, before putting a forkful into his mouth and chewing while Elijah answered.
"Well, as I mentioned to Jenna earlier, a faction of settlers migrated from Salem after the witch trials in the sixteen-nineties. Over the next hundred years they developed this community where they could feel safe from persecution," Elijah explained while those around him ate.
"Because they were witches," Jenna teased.
"Yeah, but there's no tangible proof there were witches in Salem," Andie pointed out.
"Andie's a journalist. Big on facts," Damon explained, before sharing a smile and a wink with his girlfriend. Meanwhile, Scarlett sent Damon another glare, but he ignored her before both went back to eating, and Elijah continued with his story.
"Well, the lore says that there was this wave of anti-witch hysteria. It broke out in the neighbouring settlement, so these witches were rounded up. They were tied to stakes in a field together and, uh burned," Elijah said with a haunting smile as he picked up his wine glass. "Some say you could hear the screams for miles, as they were consumed by the fire." Then the man completely changed tones as he pointed to a serving of something on the table and asked Alaric to pass it to him as he sipped his wine.
"I wouldn't repeat this to the Historical Society," Jenna laughed.
"Gives me a good idea about what to do to the Founding Families though," Scarlett mused, earning another round of chuckles, save from John, who glared her way. Much like Damon did with her however, she ignored him. Sharing a grin with Jeremy as she ate.
"Sounds a little like a ghost story to me," John spoke up, obviously not liking the bashing of the Founding Families, seeing as he was one of them.
"Well, every story has seedlings of truth to them," Amelia pointed out, a ghost of a smirk sent towards John as she placed her fork into her mouth. "I do hope our little tale hasn't offended you?"
"Not at all," John said casually, hands clasped together in front of him.
"Although if you did offend him, it would very much improve my evening," Scarlett spoke up again, making Jenna almost spit out the wine she'd been in the middle of swallowing.
"So, why do you two want to know the location of these alleged massacres?" Damon asked curiously, leaning forwards in his seat.
Elijah and Amelia shared a look, maintaining their smiles before they glanced around the table. "You know…a healthy historian's curiosity, of course," Elijah answered to the table, before he and his sister honed in on Damon.
"Of course," Damon shrugged in agreement, before he went back to eating his meal. While Scarlett glared at him and shook her head. He was far to loud for subtlety, he really was. To be honest, Scarlett was amazed that with each bold move that Damon made, the Originals didn't just kill him and the rest of them. Maybe their threat had been an empty one, or maybe they were just showing restraint on behalf of the deal they had with Elena. Either way, Scarlett couldn't see them letting much more of this get by before someone got hurt. Most likely herself and Damon.
"Is everything all right, Scarlett?" Amelia suddenly asked, snapping the girl from her thoughts as she turned to Amelia, humming as if she'd missed the question. "I asked if everything was all right?" Amelia repeated politely.
"Of course it is," Damon scoffed, answering for the momentarily startled Scarlett. "Why wouldn't it be?"
"Well, not that it's any of my business, but the young lady here has been sending you a number of glares throughout the meal," Amelia pointed out, worrying Scarlett as her eyes widened. If she'd noticed that little detail, how much else was she aware off. Did she know what they were planning, or had she just been really obvious with her glares? Scarlett wondered.
"Is there any particular reason for that?" Amelia inquired.
"Sure, I don't like him," Scarlett answered plainly, to which those in the know laughed, assuring Elijah and Amelia that this was a normal repertoire for the two of them.
"Yeah, I'm not too fond of her myself," Damon admitted with his usual grin and shrug. "I mean she pisses like a dog around here." A bit on the nose, in Scarlett's opinion, but she could play that way if he wanted to.
"Just wait until you see what I left in your bed," Scarlett cut in, before filling her mouth with another forkful as those around her laughed heavily. It may not have been appropriate dinner talk, but then again, most of the people around the table, were hardly the appropriate type. Or maybe it was just because she was making fun of Damon and everyone always loved to laugh at Damon when they got the chance. And like the charismatic man he was, he took it with a charming, forced, smile and a subtle glare towards Scarlett.
"Okay, not that I don't love insulting Damon, but maybe we can can it on the doggy and toilet talk?" Alaric offered, grin on his face in spite of his words.
"Agreed," Elijah said, after swallowing his bite. "Besides, I'm surprised Ms. Salvatore would allow you two to speak in such a manor." You should hear what we say with her around, Scarlett thought, never mind what she says about us.
"Speaking off, where is young Miss Sarah Salvatore?" Amelia asked, looking to Damon as if she knew he held the answer.
"Yeah, is she okay?" Jenna added with a frown. "I've been texting her all day but she hasn't gotten back to me."
"She's visiting an old friend," Damon answered smoothly, as if pre-rehearsed, which Scarlett wouldn't put past him. "I don't know why she's not answering her phone though," he said in well played concern. "I'll try her later and if I can't get her then I'll drive up and check on her." After that he answered all the questions that followed about Sarah's trip away, obviously having crafted an entire story in his head. A story he'd failed to tell Scarlett about, which only made him all the more lucky when no one asked her anything about this trip. It was probably for the best though, she had enough to worry about without trying to keep some made up story about Sarah straight. She was far more occupied with how she was going to get Amelia alone, so that she could kill her. And with Damon practically giving the game away with his obvious jokes, it would amaze Scarlett if neither of them saw it coming now. But surprise was all she and Damon had, so they'd better make the most of it, or else they'd all be dead by the end of the night.
It hadn't exactly been the weekend she was hoping for.
A nice quiet get away from everything, that was what Stefan had offered her. And during their get away – on the very first night in fact – they'd been attacked by werewolves. To no ones surprise it had been because of the sun and moon curse.
Tyler had connected the dots for Jules' werewolf pack about Elena and Katherine, who then decided to try and grab both the doppelgänger and the moonstone in one night. Tyler hadn't been aware of what the sacrifice really involved. He hadn't known they were going to have to kill Elena in order to break their werewolf curses. Once he'd learnt that, he'd let Stefan go and he'd killed the other werewolf, saving Elena.
She'd been grateful for that, and had hoped that would be the end of the drama, at least for their weekend away. But then Stefan had found out her dirty little secret. The one about how she truly intended to sacrifice herself, that it was part of her deal with Elijah and Amelia. Stefan hadn't been happy about that, and if their night hadn't already been ruined, that revolution certainly finished it off.
Elena had been grateful that Sarah had called her that night. She'd needed the reminder that she at least had one friend on her side, backing her decision and seeing her point of view. No one else seemed to understand, or even care about her choice. In any case, it helped getting off to sleep a little easier, and she'd appreciated that.
The next morning, Stefan was still sulking. In fact, he and Elena hadn't said a word to each other all morning. He'd made her breakfast, but then left to stand out on the pier before she could arrive and thank him. Elena had expected him to come back in at some point, but even after she'd eaten, showered and gotten dressed, he still hadn't come back inside. So while she waited, she'd curled up on the couch in the living room of her parents' lake house. Reading one of Jonathan Gilbert's old journals, that they'd found in a secret closet – along with a scary amount of vampire hunting tools that had belonged to Elena's parents.
The idea of a dramatic free and calm weekend really had been a pipe dream, Elena thought, before she'd resumed reading the journal. To her surprise, Stefan ended up featuring in journal, but in dates after his death. And the Stefan described in this journal was nothing like the Stefan Elena had known. Hers being an old mature and controlled vampire, while the journal described him as monster who's only desire was to take blood, at any cost.
When Stefan did finally come back in, he explained his initial few days as a vampire, telling Elena mostly about himself, until she started to ask about Sarah, and Damon. So he told her about what they'd been like as well. Oddly enough, Damon had been the best behaved out of all three, while Stefan and Sarah had been going on a rampage of sorts. That was, until they'd met Lexi, who started to help them adjust.
That had been when story time ended however, as Stefan found himself unable to continue after bringing up Lexi and her first few days with him and Sarah. Elena completely understood. She'd been his best friend after all, and it had only been a few months since her death. The wound was still fresh, and that void in his life would not be easily filled, or forgotten. So she'd let him leave it there, before they pottered about the lake house for the rest of the day. They didn't say or do much, not wanting to spark the looming fight over the fact that she was planning to sacrifice herself. So while Stefan had done odd jobs that needed done, Elena had remained on the couch with Jonathan's diary, skipping past the parts that involved Stefan – she'd decided he could tell her about those, when and if he wanted to.
The day went by surprisingly fast, and before Elena knew it, night had fallen and Stefan was walking back into the room, having done everything he could think to do. Thinking it best to break the ice fast, Elena said, "Johnathan Gilbert got crazier and crazier," as Stefan approached her. When he then stopped to lean against one of the wooden beams, Elena realised he wasn't going to be coming any closer.
It hurt her a little, but they were fighting, and truth be told if they weren't in the middle of their getaway weekend, she probably wouldn't want to be near him either. He wasn't listening to her, and was refusing to acknowledge her point of view on the matter, or how she felt about her friends and family being in danger because of her. When she'd told him last night, he'd thrown her decision back in her face like she was an idiot, and that had hurt.
He'd known it too, and that was probably part of the reason he was keeping his distance, to stop himself from hurting her again. He wasn't happy with her decision, but he didn't want to hurt her by arguing. So instead he'd avoided her and the topic, and kept himself busy. Was this how the rest of their relationship was going to be? Elena had wondered in a moment of panic. In the days leading up to her sacrifice, would Stefan just ignore her and pout over her decision, rather than spending that time with her?
"I guess that's what what happens when you spend your life obsessed with vampires," Elena sighed, dropping the journal down on the coffee table in front of her before then grabbing another of the Gilbert journals from the side table next to her. Ironically, she too was beginning to think she was going crazy with everything that was going on in her life. Maybe she was cursed?
Scratch that, she definitely was.
Sighing through her nose, Elena then began flicking through the pages of the journal in her hands, trying to find where she'd left off, having lost her place. When she did, she re-read the last line on the previous page before turning and frowning at what she read next. "He researched the Originals," Elena said quietly, but Stefan had heard her.
"You kidding," Stefan said in a somewhat empty tone. Despite that though, he did still join Elena on the couch, as she turned to hold the journal between them.
"Later in life, look," Elena said before she began flicking through the next few pages, holding her place while simultaneously looking ahead. "Pages and pages of questions and scribbles." She then stopped when saw a drawing of a dagger that took up a whole page, with various paragraphs written all around it. "What's that?" She asked, suddenly taken in by the drawing. There hadn't been any other sketches in the journal of this size, and it was taking up almost a whole page so it had to be important.
From one of the paragraphs around the dagger, Elena started to read. "The wood from one tree and one tree alone, an ancient white oak would bring death to an Original vampire. When the tree burned, all hope was thought lost…" Finished reading, Elena turned to Stefan as they both realised what Jonathan Gilbert had been doing. "He was trying to figure out how to kill an Original."
Licking his lips uneasily, Stefan stood as Elena went back to reading the journal with a new found interest and sudden hope. For what she wasn't sure, but she felt compelled to carry on reading aloud. "But the ash from the tree was save and witches forged a dagger to which the ash could be bonded. This alchemic bond provides the necessary poison…"
"Elena," Stefan said soberly, now stood up and pacing before her.
"I wonder if this is true. I mean, do you think this dagger actually exists?" Elena asked, still skimming the page until Stefan answered her question.
"I know it does." At that Elena's head had shot up, frowning as Stefan lowered his head before continuing with, "Because John gave it to Damon – it and another just like it."
Elena considered this for a moment, before looking back down at the journal and reading over what she'd skimmed, confirming it to herself and then to Stefan. "John gave Damon the weapon that's supposed to kill an Original." She paused, holding up the journal to show Stefan as she pointed to the dagger on the page. "Two daggers just like this one?" Stefan nodded, ashamed for having kept it from Elena. Although Elena wasn't as concerned by this as she then read aloud from the journal once more, "It must be brandished by humans alone, for it will bring death to all demons who wield it."
Before she could blink, Stefan had the journal out of her hands and was reading over the text Elena just had, confirming it with his own eyes. "John's trying to get Damon killed," Stefan then declared, throwing the journal down on the coffee table with the others before yanking out his phone and calling Damon.
"Wait, what do you mean John's trying to get Damon killed?" Elena asked, but Stefan only held his hand up to Elena, waiting for the phone ring. And just when he thought his brother had picked up instantly, it went to voice mail.
"Why is your phone off? Call me," Stefan snapped before ending the message.
"What's going on, Stefan?" Elena then asked, needing to know as Stefan let out a sigh mixed in annoyance, tension and dread.
"Damon's planning on killing Elijah and Amelia," Stefan answered as Elena stood up, an angry glare forming on her face. "Tonight," Stefan then added before Elena could ask when Damon was planning on doing this completely stupid thing.
"No. No, Sarah wouldn't let him. She wouldn't risk my deal with them," Elena protested, a fear forming in her mind that Sarah too might have turned against her wishes, leaving her all along with no one on her side.
And as if somehow knowing it was what Elena needed to hear, Stefan said, "No, she wouldn't," which then prompted Elena's frown to deepen. She stared at him, waiting for him to continue until he broke eye contact by looking downward. Elena said his name, prompting him to look back up before he then looked up past her, only for his head to then drop right back down before he finally continued. "Which is why Damon locked her up."
"What?!" Elena exclaimed in outrage. "Where? Where did he put her?!"
"I don't know," Stefan answered defensively, quickly lifting his hands up. "And for the record, I'm not happy about this either."
"But you were happy enough to sit here and not tell me about it!" Elena snapped. "For God's sake Stefan, she's your sister. And just because she sides me with over you and Damon, you think that makes it all right to lock her up?"
"No, of course not–" Stefan tried to say, but Elena was too angry to stop herself from continuing on.
"But you still did it, Stefan! And for how long has she even been locked up?"
Stefan grimaced. "Since last night."
Elena glared him in pure hot rage, so angry she didn't even know what to say until finally she did. "Has Damon even been to see her?"
"I don't know," Stefan answered honestly, shaking his head while continuing to avoid Elena's eyes. And for Elena, that was the last straw. She couldn't look at Stefan anymore, letting out a heated huff of air before storming off towards the bedroom. "Elena?" Stefan called after her, but she only responded with the slam of the bedroom door, before she frantically called Sarah. She had too, just to be sure, but as suspected she didn't pick up. After all, why on earth would Damon lock Sarah up and give her her phone.
But she had been the only one on her side, the only person she could truly talk to and the only one she wanted to talk to right now. And she couldn't. So Elena remained in her room, Stefan out in the living room, while she tried to subside her anger. Clenching and unclenching her fists over and over again, trying not to imagine how scared and alone Sarah was.
No, she wouldn't be scared. Sarah wasn't the type to get scared. She had fears yes, but she was brave and could protect herself. Just not from her devious brothers apparently. She was out numbered against them and so was Elena. Well not anymore. She was going back to Mystic Falls and she was going to help her friend, like Sarah had with her. And together they would stop Damon and Stefan from pushing them around.
And so, she started packing up hers and Stefan's things, throwing the suitcases onto the bed before throwing everything in at random, making no attempt to separate hers and Stefan's items. She was in a hurry, and she didn't have time to waste on arranged packing. Her friend needed her.
"Would anyone care for some cognac? I have a bottle that I've been saving for ages," Damon offered, the pre-agreed upon bait that he would use to lure Elijah into the study with. His blue eyes briefly met Scarlett's making sure she knew it was go time. She didn't acknowledge him with a nod – that would be too obvious – but from her look they both knew they were ready as Damon stood up from his seat.
"None for me thanks. Nine bottles of wine is my limit," Alaric said humbly, as he pushed his wine glass away.
"And his limit is zero, as he's underage," Jenna then added as she pointed to Jeremy who shook his head, while the adults among the group shared a smirk that could only be obtained with age. Scarlett offered Jeremy a sympathetic shrug, which he acknowledged, before everyone began to stand.
"The gentlemen should take their drinks in the study,' Andie announced, glancing around the room in a dazed fashion. It was a completely dumb thing to say, seeing as only Damon and Elijah were going to be drinking, but more so than that, it seemed even more obvious than Damon inviting Elijah into the study himself. In fact, had Damon directed him himself, it might have actually seemed more natural.
That however then marked another time the Originals seemed to ignore the obviously compelled woman. Anyone could see this was a setup, at least those in the know. John obviously knew from the suspicious way he looked at Andie. But somehow Alaric, Elijah and Amelia were all fooled by this. Scarlett didn't think so. She imagined Alaric was preoccupied with Jenna – worrying over her. But for Elijah and Amelia to be fooled like this meant they were either dumb, or insanely confident, to the point that they would let Damon enact his plan because they were so certain it would fail.
Suddenly Scarlett was feeling as if her and Damon's trap, was actually inside another trap set by the Originals. If it was just her she'd call it off, or at the very least re-think their strategy. However, Damon would never go for it. He was determined to get ride of the Originals, and he wouldn't be swayed so easily. He'd rather spring the possible trap, just so he could get to the confrontation that he seemed to enjoy so much.
"I have to say," Elijah spoke, drop his napkin down on his place at the table. "The food was almost as wonderful as the company."
"I like you," Andie said with a flirtatious grin towards Elijah, before the Original vampire followed Damon out into the hallway and towards the study. Now it was time for Scarlett to make her move on Amelia.
"May I help with the cleaning up?" Amelia offered, already reaching for her own plate and Elijah's.
"Actually," Scarlett spoke up, before Jenna had the chance to say yes to Amelia's polite request. "Could I have a word with you in privet about something."
"Everything all right?" Jenna asked, being the carer that she was. Even though Scarlett wasn't her responsibility, she still cared about her, and probably still would if – God forbid – she and Jeremy broke up. She might not be a mother, but she was definitely aunt.
"Yeah, I'm just wondering if Amelia can help can help me with some personal family history, being a researcher and all." Jenna nodded in acceptance off the answer, before handing off a stack of dishes she'd collected to John, ordering him to take them through to the kitchen while Andie held the door open for him. Amelia also handed off the plates she'd collected to Alaric who took them through the back. While that was going on, Scarlett looked to Jeremy, who asked with his hands if Scarlett wanted him to join her. She shook her head, and indicated for him to follow the others out. He didn't seem to happy, but then Jenna grabbed him, and regaled him about privacy while leading him out of the room.
Now alone, Scarlett lead Amelia over towards the fireplace – and the couch where she'd hidden the dagger. "So, what was it you wanted to ask me about?" Amelia inquired in her ever polite manor and sophisticated way.
Scarlett had already thought up a question prior to this, knowing she'd need a genuine one to both fool Amelia and lure her in. But now that she was stood alone with the Original vampire, she actually found herself curious as to what the answer would be. However, she still proceeded cautiously, asking first, "How much do you know about me?"
"In regards to what?"
"My supernatural side," Scarlett clarified.
Amelia nodded once, before answering with, "I know that your a werewolf, but your also not a normal one. That necklace around your neck gives you the added ability to control your change at will. Not only that but it allows you certain abilities normal werewolves don't possess, such as this partial change that I've heard about from Jonas. Your classic werewolf abilities also appear to have increased exponentially, such as your strength and your sense of smell. All now stronger than that of a normal werewolf. By that logic it's wise to also assume that your bite is just as toxic as it is without your necklace – which if removed, turns you back into a normal werewolf." Scarlett was a little dazed, finding out just how much Amelia knew about her. But at the same time, she wasn't all that surprised.
She recovered herself, straightening up as she nodded back at Amelia. "Just checking," she said, to which Amelia let out an almost missable grin. The phrase, 'knowledge is power,' never felt more true to Scarlett than right now. In the information Amelia had just supplied her with, she could see how strong Amelia was, simply by knowing her very strengths and weakness.
There was a pause, before Scarlett asked carefully, "Have you come across other werewolves before?"
"Yes. Me and my brother have encountered many of your kind throughout our lifetime." No specific mention of numbers, just a simple yes. This woman knew how to use information, and also protect it, as Scarlett was now learning.
"Which is long,' Scarlett said factually, in reference to Amelia's lifetime.
"Yes."
Another pause, hesitation about opening up. Asking the question she'd chosen out, the one she genuinely was curious about. She had to be careful, but she had to proceed. For Jeremy. "Have you ever come across someone like me?"
There was beat before Amelia answered, politely allowing the tension to build for a mere second before she answered with a surprising openness to her voice. "I assume your referring to your necklace, rather than yourself?" Amelia inquired specifically, which apparently made all the difference. Nevertheless, Scarlett answered with a nod of the head.
To that, Amelia stepped towards Scarlett, the two of them now stood in front of the couch that Scarlett had stashed the dagger in. All she needed was for Amelia to turn around and give her enough time to get the dagger out and stab her in the back. But she was getting uneasy, as Amelia stood so close to her, hand reaching out to gently hold up Scarlett's slim black crystal necklace, without removing it. The Original examined it, from in between herself and Scarlett, studying it for a moment, before saying, "It's very much like a daylight ring, isn't it?"
Nerves briefly getting the better of her, Scarlett found herself nodding a little too fast. "Yeah. We've made that comparison before," admitted Scarlett.
"Am I right to assume it only works for you? If for example you gave this to another werewolf…?"
Scarlett was already shaking her head. "I tried it during the last full moon. It didn't work. That was when we learnt it only works for me." Amelia nodded, brow lowering a little as she descended into a deep thought.
Then suddenly she let the necklace go. Stepping back half a step as her hands moved into her raincoat pockets, and the necklace bounced off Scarlett's chest, before coming to a rest in its usual spot, inline with her collar bones. "I'm afraid I must admit, Scarlett, I've never come across something like this. Nor has my brother. I've never even heard a rumour about it. What you've stumbled upon may very well one of the most unique and hidden items in the whole supernatural world. Do you mind if I ask where you got it from?" Amelia asked, having taking the bait and now fully involved in the conversation. Only problem, Scarlett was also deeply invested in the conversation, almost forgetting about the entire reason she'd started it.
"It was my mothers," Scarlett answered, unable to keep the sudden sadness from her voice, before realising she had probably just given away a valuable piece of information.
She remained calm however, granting Amelia time to ponder this before she then turned away in though, hand on her chin. And that was Scarlett's chance. Amelia was deep in thought, her back exposed as she walked a slow few steps away. She was beginning to pace, but she still had a ways to go before the fire place where she would inevitably, have to turn back around. Scarlett saw the whole thing play out in her head, ran a test run through her mind, and saw that she could do it.
Moving quickly, quietly, and unnoticeably, Scarlett reached into the couch cushion, pulling out the dagger, and took aim at Amelia's back. She had to get her straight through the heart, as if using a stake. Thanks to her training with Sarah though, she new exactly what to do and how to get the dagger expertly through Amelia's heart. Because as Sarah had lectured her, yes, there was indeed a right way and wrong way to kill someone. But thanks to all Sarah had taught her, Scarlett was ready for this, stepping forward and ready to stab Amelia with the dagger.
"Hey, guys," came the voice of Jeremy from behind Scarlett, making her what to scream. Not only had she been so tense that a pin dropping would have made her jump, but knowing Jeremy was in the room with them meant that if Amelia saw the dagger and what Scarlett was about to do, she'd go for Jeremy first. With that in mind, Scarlett some how found all the grace, speed and agility needed to smoothly fall back into her original place by the couch, turn around to face Jeremy and hide the dagger by holding it against the front of her chest, now hidden from Amelia's view as she too turned around.
Scarlett was pretty sure in that moment she was going to throw up from the motion sickness she was experiencing, though miraculously she managed to stay on her feet. She did however, easily find the extra strength needed to send Jeremy a wide eyed glare. Wisely though, he ignored it, acting as if all was fine. He was stood in the archway to the living room, connecting to the front hallway, and was now gesturing towards the dinning room archway. "Jenna said desert will be ready soon, so we should probably sit back down at the time."
Nodding with a friendly smile – but still obviously thinking about what Scarlett had said – Amelia began to make her way back towards the dinner table, unaware of the dagger Scarlett was still holding out of sight. She adjusted her hold on the dagger however, moving it to her side so that if Amelia turned around she still wouldn't see it. Once she'd done that, she hit Jeremy with another, even more wide eyed glare, making it clear he'd just screwed everything up for her.
Subtly pointing to the dagger however, Jeremy shook his head before stepping towards her and taking the dagger. He then brought out his phone, quickly typing something in before handing it over to Scarlett. Frowning, she took the phone to read the text Jeremy had drafted, yet not sent her, while he hid the dagger back in beneath the couch cushion.
You can't use the dagger it might kill you
Scarlett frowned even more, not understanding as she looked back up at Jeremy who was ready to meet her gaze. He answered her, 'what?' expression with his own, 'trust me,' look. Confused though she may be, Scarlett decided to play it safe, and go along with what ever Jeremy thought he knew for now, though she couldn't' see Damon being happy about this. She handed the phone back over to him, and once he deleted the drafted text – making sure the Originals could never find out about it – the two walked back over to join Amelia at the dinning table.
"Is there anything else you could tell me about your mother, if you're comfortable talking about her, of course?" Amelia asked as Scarlett and Jeremy sat down opposite Amelia. However Scarlett wasn't about to hand out anymore information to Amelia, much less personal information about her dead mother.
What she knew probably wasn't that useful to the Original anyway. Most of what she remembered was just memories of her mother being, well a mom. Looking after her, playing with her, taking her to things, feeding her. You know, mom stuff. "She died when I was young," Scarlett answered. "She never told me anything about the supernatural world. Up until her death, everything was relatively normal." The death it's self wasn't all that normal but Scarlett didn't feel like sharing that particular tale with Amelia of all people. Same went for the way her dad had treated her mom.
"What was her name?" Amelia asked, as people began to return to the dinning room. Jenna and John coming through the door that lead to the kitchen, and Damon, Alaric, Andie and Elijah entire through the archway.
Scarlett opened her mouth to answer the question, but Damon got in first with his usual rudeness mixed in with charm. "Sarah Salvatore," he answered, as they all began sitting back down, bar Jenna who remained stood by her seat. "Her mother is Sarah Salvatore," Damon repeated, a surprising amount of protection and pride in his voice. He played it off though, continuing with a smirk and his apparent carefree attitude. "Or guardian, or whatever the term is. Honestly I don't really care, she's just another mouth to feed in my book. Sarah insists she's worth the investment but personal, I don't see it." It was hard to tell whether the protective prideful tone was an act, or the half-arsed, 'I don't care,' tone was. Then again, that was in part what made Damon so good at lying. Even when he put the truth side by side with a lie, you still weren't sure which was which.
"Would that make Scarlett here a Salvatore?" Elijah then enquired, pointing a delicate finger in the direction of Scarlett before all eyes looked curiously towards Damon. The only present Salvatore.
Damon shrugged in the same uncaring way, and the tone was consistent too. But what he said did not match with the way he presented it, something which everybody seemed to notice, except Damon. "She already is basically. She's got everything but the name."
"Have you ever considered changing your name?" Andie asked with a curious grin, looking to Scarlett. Again though, Damon cut her off and answered for her.
"There's no point. We all know she's going to marry the heir to the Gilbert name over there," Damon said with a nod towards Jeremy who began to blush along with Scarlett, as the two shared a look and then sank into their seats. The grownups around them smiled – well, bar John, who seemed to clench his fist at the thought.
"How very sweet," Amelia said politely, though Scarlett could tell she didn't appreciate Damon's approach to the subject, in the way in which he embarrassed the young couple. Maybe Sarah had been right about not killing these guys, she thought. They could always help shut Damon up from time to time.
"And totally adorable," Jenna added teasingly, as she pinched Jeremy's cheek before he whacked her hand away, and a chuckle radiated through the room.
"Just wait until the Scrappy Gilbert babies start popping out," Damon continued with a grin, as Scarlett threw daggers at him with her eyes once more. It seemed they'd come full circle at this God awful dinner party.
"Okay, I think we've teased them enough," Jenna said sympathetically.
"I quite agree," added Elijah before looking to the couple. "And love is not something to joke about. At least not in my opinion."
"Really, cause I love making fun of it," Damon exaggerated with a roll of the eyes.
"Yeah, well, you're done for tonight," Jenna said in a factly tone, almost daring Damon to challenge her and see what happened. But with a grin, Damon raised both hands, motioning that he'd back off. Satisfied, Jenna then turned to the rest of the table and announced, "Desert's taking a little longer than I thought apparently, sorry. I usually just unwrap food." Everybody chuckled as Jenna made her way towards the door, before then looking back at Damon pointedly and saying, "Whatever you do, don't tell Sarah that I said that."
"My lips are sealed," Damon promised, as Jenna exited the room.
There was then a natural silence before Andie spoke up a little uneasily. "So…I know this is a social thing, but I would really love to ask you both some more questions about the work that you're doing here," Andie said to both the Originals, clearly fishing for an interview that she could use in one of her local stories.
"We'd love to answer, wouldn't we Amelia?" Elijah said with a pleasant smile as he looked to his sister sat next to him.
"Of course," Amelia agreed.
"That's great, thank you," Andie said with an eager smile, before looking over to Alaric. "Ric, could you do me a favour and grab the notebook out of my bag?" With a nod, Alaric stood up quietly, and walked back into the living room where Andie's handbag was.
"Elijah, did John tell you he's Elena's uncle-slash-father?" Damon asked abruptly, while glaring at John from the opposite end of the table. Scarlett briefly wondered what the reason for that might be, but then remembered it was John and there were more reasons to glare at him than not. Also there were a couple of really good reasons to kill him while they were at it.
"Yes, we're well aware of that,' Elijah answered, seemingly uninterested in whatever point Damon was trying to make.
"Of course, she hates him, so there's absolutely no need to keep him on the endangered species list," Damon added, in reference to the list of people Elijah and Amelia were to protect as part of their deal with Elena. Because even if John was a pain in the ass, to literally everyone he came into contact with, he was still Elena's family. And the deal was they would protect Elena's family and friends. Maybe it was time for a renegotiation, Scarlett thought while watching the conversation play out, eyes going back and forth between those that spoke.
"With all do respect, Damon, I think we'll check with Elena before we do anything – shall we say, too rash," Amelia said, forcing a smile towards Damon who forced his own one back at her.
"No, Ric, it's in the front pocket," Andie suddenly spoke up, staring past the Originals and into the living room where Alaric was fumbling with her handbag, still trying to find her notebook. "On the – You know what? Excuse me, guys, sorry," Andie said before getting up to get it herself and joining Alaric in the living room.
"What I'd like to know, is how do you two intend on killing Klaus?" John asked openly, staring intently at the two Originals who hardly seemed phased at all by his tough, protective, disciplined act. He was after all only human, and hardly on their level of intellect. Nor could he ever hope to have the experience that two ancient vampires had. On most of those fronts though, Scarlett and the others were all out matched. But still she watched, sat in her seat next to Jeremy, the two wisely remaining quiet while the grownups talked.
"Gentlemen, there's obviously a few things in need of clearing up so I'll explain on behalf of my sister and myself," Elijah began to speak, addressing the two men still at the table with him, both of whom were awaiting some serious and in depth answers. "We allow you to live solely to keep an eye on Elena for us. We also allow Elena to remain in her house, living her life with her friends as as a courtesy. And yes, I suppose it could be argued that it's part of our deal. But if you were to assume that as part of the deal, then one should also assume that should anyone on her list of loved ones try and interfere with our plans, then they would forgo the protection Elena has requested for them. And if those people on Elena's list were to become a liability, then me and my sister would have no choice, but to take Elena away."
"And you think we're just going to let you?" Jeremy snapped bravely, an underlying tone of anger to his voice, as all eyes snapped to him.
"What you have to understand, Jeremy, is that we don't wish to do what my brother has just said," Amelia interjected calmly from across the table. "We're just making sure that everyone at this table understand where they stand."
"Yeah, well, it sounds an awful lot like a threat," Jeremy stated plainly, before feeling Scarlett's hand grab his from beneath the table. He glanced over her, seeing her eyes wide, begging him to shut up and stop challenging two of the oldest vampires in existence. Right or not, he wouldn't survive a fight with these two. None of them would.
"Jeremy," Scarlett said lowly, warning him off as she squeezed his hand.
"That's because it is a threat," Elijah said equally plainly, the two Originals now staring at Jeremy from across the table, obviously not all that happy with his manners. Jeremy turned to face them, as did Scarlett, hoping to beg for mercy on behalf of her boyfriend – when instead both their eyes widened as Elijah and Amelia suddenly screamed. Each with a silver dagger now stabbed through their hearts and pointing out the front of their chests.
Everyone was out of their seats like a gun had gone off, which it more or less had. It was only then Scarlett noticed who it was that had stabbed each of the Originals. There was Alaric, stood behind Elijah with one dagger, and then Andie of all people stood behind Amelia with the other. Only she wasn't as confident or as comfortable as Alaric had been with the weapon.
That said, they had clearly worked, as they all watched the two Originals' skin turn grey. The standard throbbing black veins of a dead vampire appearing all over their skin before they both went limp in their chairs. Once they did, and they were truly dead, Alaric and Andie pulled their daggers from each of the Originals.
Still in shock at the sudden surprise attack – and it was most certain a surprise for Scarlett, as well as everyone else – everyone stood still as Alaric stepped forward and placed his dagger on the table, looking solely at Damon. "Now, get rid of them, before Jenna comes back with dessert."
"All right," Damon said without a word of argument, also stunned by what had just happened. His eyes then flicked over to a trembling Andie, who was still holding her own dagger. Staring at the blood that now ran along the blade. He seemed like he wanted to go to her, or at least that was the impression Scarlett was getting, but at the same time, he was hesitant to do so.
In the end he moved, but only because Alaric snapped at him. "Now, Damon," and with that, everyone started moving. Damon coming around to help Alaric lift Elijah out of his seat while Scarlett and Jeremy grabbed Amelia. John, observed, before actually doing something useful in consoling Andie, resting the dagger she had back on the table with the other. It was good to know he wasn't completely evil, Scarlett thought. But at the same time, she was pretty sure he was just doing it to get out of moving the Originals' bodies.
They moved as fast as they could. Damon and Alaric lead the way down to the cellar with Elijah's body carried between them – Damon at the head and Alaric at the base. Scarlett and Jeremy followed, with her taking most of the weight at Amelia's head, with Jeremy holding up the legs as they descended the stairs. Having been prepared, the door was already unlocked, so all Damon had to do was knock it open with his backside, before they all walked in and dropped the deceased Originals on the ground.
"You said there wasn't going to be any violence," Alaric mumbled towards Damon, though his eyes remained on the two Originals that they'd just finished moving.
Damon snorted. "Says the guy that did all the killing." He went to walk past Alaric, and towards Scarlett and Jeremy who were waiting by the door, but Alaric caught his arm and swung him back around to meet him.
"Hey, I took the shot because I saw an opening, not because I planned to do this with Jenna in the house. Now you can't lie to me like that. Any of you," Alaric explained angrily, sending Scarlett and Jeremy a pointed look briefly before going back to Damon. He did have a point. Even if Damon hadn't wanted to tell him, that didn't mean she and Jeremy couldn't. That had been a mistake, a mistake that had put Jenna in danger and one that Sarah certainly would never have gone along with. Scarlett was starting to release just how much of a bad influence Damon actually was.
And speaking of Damon, the vampire was already shrugging, careless as always, and about to turn away again when Alaric slapped his arm and he turned back around once more. "Hey, I am your friend, damn it. And you don't have any friends. So no more lying," Alaric said sternly, meeting Damon's blue eyes until the vampire nodded. Once again trying not to make a big deal out of something that obviously meant something to him.
"All right kids, back up stairs," Damon said as he turned back towards Scarlett and Jeremy, fingers pointing up at the celling. "Dessert time," he declared cheerfully.
"Can I at least get changed out of this stupid thing first?" Scarlett asked, gesturing to the overdressed dress she had on.
"No. Because you need to learn to dress up more and it amuses me to see you suffer," Damon said smugly as he turned Scarlett around and pushed her out the cellar with both hands on her shoulders.
"Hate you," Scarlett grumbled as Damon continued to push her up the stairs with Alaric and Jeremy trailing behind them.
"And I you," Damon replied, before giving Scarlett a little extra shove on the final step, sending her stumbling into the hallway before she turned around to glare at him. But Damon was already striding off towards the living room without even an acknowledgement to Scarlett. With a glare, she followed after him before entering the living room to find him tenderly hugging Andie by the fireplace.
"Are you all right?" Damon asked softly, breaking apart from the hug but still holding Andie's face in his hands, while hers rested on his, not wanting to lose his touch.
She nodded, but scared tears still pricked her eyes. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."
"Thank you for doing that," Damon said, which Scarlett personal found odd considering Damon had probably somehow compelled her into doing it anyway. But then a thought crossed her mind, what if he hadn't compelled her to murdered Amelia? What if that had been Andie's free willing choice to do so, to save them all from the Originals? Especially Damon?
"And for the record," Damon said in his smooth charming voice. His grin bringing a smile to Andie's small screen face. "You, are my personal hero today."
"Stop it," Andie said, cheeks blushing out of embarrassment.
"Not a chance," Damon said with a smirk. "That was totally hot," he added, making Andie chuckle, before he cut her off with a deep kiss that surprised Scarlett. At first she'd thought she was just a compelled bimbo that he used more so as a blood bag than anything else. But after seeing that little interaction, she was pretty sure she did see something else between the vampire and news reporter.
My God, I'm starting to sound like Sarah, Scarlett thought as she grimaced.
"You all right?" Jeremy asked, as he and Alaric entered the living room behind her.
"Yeah. Just having a pretty scary thought," Scarlett admitted, her grimace still in place as she turned to Jeremy.
"Should I ask?" Jeremy said with a teasing grin.
"I guess the Salvatores are just having more of an affect on me than I realised," Scarlett surmised, arms folding.
"Well, they are technically your family now, right?" Jeremy reminded her, which brought an uncontrollable smile to Scarlett's lips.
"Yeah," agreed Scarlett, before watching as Andie walked back over to the dinning table to join Alaric and John. "Excuse me a sec," Scarlett said to Jeremy before she marched her way over towards Damon who was still stood by the fireplace, watching Andie as she sat back down.
"All right. I helped you kill both the Originals, now tell me where Sarah is," Scarlett ordered.
Damon turned to her, one eyebrow lowered as he stared at her with mocking blue eyes. "Eh, what help? I think you'll find my girlfriend and my friend did all the work."
"Yeah, and if it wasn't for me and my boyfriend you'd still have an extra body to carry down stairs," Scarlett reminded him.
"Point taken," Damon conceded halfheartedly before nodding towards the door. "Come on, let's go and get her."
They turned to leave then and there, but didn't even make it out of the living room before Damon's phone went off. "It's Stefan, just give me a minute," Damon said as he answered, leaving Scarlett to huff in front of him as she almost instantly began to tap her foot impatiently. "Hey, Stef. Good news, our Original problem has just been…" Damon's cheerful voice trailed off, catching Scarlett's attention before she focused her hearing on the phone conversation.
"Did you use the daggers on them?" Stefan asked urgently.
"Of course we did," Damon scoffed in an obvious sort of way.
"Did you take them out?" Stefan then fired out.
"What?" Damon asked with a confused frown.
"Did you take the daggers out of Elijah and Amelia?!" Stefan repeated, voice raised.
"Yeah, why?" Damon asked.
"You need to put those daggers back in them right now." Before Damon had a chance to ask, 'why,' Stefan continued. "If you remove the daggers after killing them they come back to life. They'll only stay dead if the dagger remains inside them."
Damon's eyes shot to Scarlett's, both sets of blue widening as they released the same thing at the same time. Instantly both turned and ran back down the stairs, skidding to a stop in front of the open cellar door, only to find it now empty. "Damn it!" Damon shouted, before lifting the phone back up to his ear. "The well mannered twins are gone, Stefan."
"You lost them?!" Stefan shouted form down the phone.
"Well how was I supposed to know we had to keep the daggers inside them!" Damon shouted back. "It's not like these things came with an instruction manual." Damon's eyes then moved over to Scarlett, as he snapped his fingers at her and then pointed at the ground. "Yo, bloodhound, start sniffing."
"Don't bother, they'll be coming here," Stefan sighed out, already knowing how the Originals would respond to the attempt on their lives.
"To get Elena," Damon finished, before looking back to Scarlett. An idea having formed in behind his eyes. "Don't worry brother, we'll be with you soon. Until then, stay in doors and keep your windows locked tight." With that Damon hung up, before rolling his head towards the staircase. "Come on, Scrappy, we're gonna need your bone boy."