A.N.: The dinner-party. Some unexpected guests.


Dangerous Beauty

38

Just Desserts


She greeted her guests in an elegant little black sheath mini-dress, her hair down and relaxed, wearing divine red Charlotte Tilbury lipstick, and dainty little kitten-heels from Zara with a bow over the toes that she had picked out while shopping with Caroline last time they went to the mall in Grove Hill. She looked elegant and incredibly beautiful, adult. They had strolled downstairs hand-in-hand, relaxed and content, to find Damon sampling the punch; he scowled at them in complete and utter confusion, the cogs churning behind those curious silver eyes Giulia had inherited. Caroline looked embarrassed as she slipped downstairs in a pretty purple sundress, Rose behind her in a floaty olive floor-length dress, and Giulia set a long-playing record on, checked her watch and retrieved her camera to take as many photographs as she could before her guests arrived, while Caroline drove off to collect her mother.

The first guests to arrive were Jenna and Ric, escorted by Jeremy, who had dressed up in darker jeans and a smart shirt; Giulia thought she saw Ric's influence there, because she certainly hadn't seen Jeremy wear that shirt before.

"Thank you for coming," she beamed, quelling her nerves. She wasn't worried about the dinner; everything was perfect. She was a little more anxious about what would happen after dinner. She knew from Ric that Damon had been given a silver-dagger with certain mythology about killing Originals attached to it; Giulia knew Damon would be using tonight as an opportunity. She had already found the dagger and given it to Elijah. With Kol still alive, Klaus now only had the two daggers; he wouldn't have a spare once he daggered Elijah. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Of course," Jenna beamed. "We wouldn't miss it, Ric told me the food looks insane."

"It is," Giulia said, surprised and touched as Jenna handed her a bunch of flowers. "But don't worry, you don't have to eat the tongue."

"I'm – sorry?!" Jenna blurted, looking alarmed, as Ric chuckled.

"Come on in," Giulia said, and Ric raised a goblet of rum-punch in salute to Ric, who looked like he stifled the urge to roll his eyes. "Just so you know, we do have spare-bedrooms if you both want to drink tonight."

"That's why we brought this handsome young guy," Ric said, clapping a hand on Jeremy's shoulder.

"See, me forcing you to drive the Beetle was good practice," Giulia beamed at Jeremy; they had taken a maiden-voyage in Jenna's Mini when Jeremy had received his full licence only last week. Her sweet little superhero seemed to have grown another six inches and his features were maturing; her little buddy was growing up. He was driving!

"Wait, you let Jeremy drive your Beetle and he didn't even have a licence?" Caroline blurted indignantly. Giulia loved her friends but there was no way she trusted them with something as precious as her Beetle.

"There were extenuating circumstances," Giulia said, raising her chin.

"She was wasted," Jeremy spoke up, and Giulia narrowed her eyes at him over her shoulder. Elijah strolled into the room, a goblet of punch in his hand, and smiled at the flowers in his arms.

"Pretty," he said softly. "Who are these from?"

"They're from Jenna," she said warmly, giving him a warm smile. He had been holding her together, whether he knew it or not. After what happened to her, she couldn't abide the thought of being touched – only by him. Only what he did to her, what he made her feel. She'd felt permanently like something was crawling all over her skin, fidgety and anxious, nauseous and a little dizzy; today was the first time in days she had been so entirely consumed by her work that she hadn't had time to feel anxious and off-kilter. She was so thankful to Elijah for being here, for helping her though everything – she knew she was a handful; she couldn't help it, but she was struggling, and didn't know what to do. She – she wanted her dad. But he wasn't here, and to lean on Elijah like that was crossing a line she thought it best she didn't cross. "Elijah, you know Jenna… You've sort of met Alaric Saltzman, and this is Jeremy Gilbert."

"I'm pleased to meet you," Elijah said courteously, shaking Ric's hand and then Jeremy's. He glanced at Giulia, wide-eyed, but smiled uncomfortably as Elijah took the flowers from Giulia. "I shall find a vase for these, excuse me."

"Thank you," Giulia smiled at him, leaning in to give him a kiss on the cheek, and Elijah winked subtly at her as he drifted off, leaving Jeremy confused and Ric frowning disapprovingly over his shoulder.

"So, are we fashionably early?" Jenna asked. "We were all kind of fidgeting to get over here."

"You're the first to arrive," Giulia chuckled. "Where's John?"

"Bringing up the rear," Jenna sighed, shaking her head. She looked very pretty in a dusty rose-pink dress that really brought out the strawberry in her hair, the flush in her cheeks. She looked annoyed, though. "We left him at the house, butting heads with Stefan."

"Let me guess, about the path forward," Giulia rolled her eyes, and Jenna pulled a face.

"I used to think college-applications would be the most difficult thing I'd have to get through with Elena," Jenna sighed. "That and birth-control. Guess neither's very applicable at the moment." Giulia gave her a curious look, and she sighed, shaking her head. "Got another call from one of Elena's teachers. Her GPA is not what she's clever enough to make it."

"Well, it would help if she stopped skipping class to have sex with Stefan while I'm entertaining guests," Damon said, slinking over and handing Jenna and Ric goblets of rum-punch. "The vanilla of it all put me off my drink."

"They've been – ugh! I don't believe this!" Jenna growled, frustrated. "What's wrong with having sex in the back of the car in the school parking-lot like I used to?"

"Stefan's Porsche isn't exactly Logan's mom's minivan," a syrupy voice teased, and Meredith, in heels and a pretty dress for once, not a white lab-coat or scrubs in sight, stepped over the threshold carrying a bottle of wine and a little box Giulia recognised instantly; the artisan chocolate-shop in Richmond Giulia herself had introduced her to.

"Hey, Meredith," Ric smiled, as she hugged Giulia, exchanging the chocolates and dessert-wine, before turning to give Jenna a grin and a hug. "You hung up the stethoscope, huh?"

"Just for the night, I thought I would," Meredith beamed. "I've been given strict instruction to set aside Dr Fell and just be Meredith for the evening; the calorie-intake and cholesterol levels of everyone around me are likely to give me a stroke."

"That's the spirit!" Giulia scoffed, shaking her head.

"Well, as you're not on call, let me get you a drink," Ric smiled. "Gotta warn you, though, this punch is making even me swoony."

"When have you ever been swoony?" Jeremy laughed, as Jenna hastily took her goblet from him, where he'd been sipping it thoughtfully.

"So, do you need me to do anything?" Jenna asked, smiling at her.

"Um, no, thank you; just enjoy," Giulia smiled, gesturing her into the great hall. "If you want, go take a look at the table. It's not finished yet, the hot savoury courses aren't cooked, but it's still something to see."

"I'll bet," Jenna smiled, sipping her rum-punch as she drifted toward the China Room. Caroline returned with her mother, who had just finished work: but it wasn't Sheriff Forbes who stepped over the threshold. It was Liz, in a jewelled little black dress, heels and a delicate shawl.

"Liz," Damon grinned, sauntering over. "I like a woman in uniform but I have to say, you look...smashing."

"Thank you, Damon," Liz laughed softly, letting out a breath of relief. She gave him a sweet smile. "I needed that." Giulia turned and raised her eyebrows.

"Whoa!" she let her jaw unhinge, a suitable response to Liz looking ten kinds of foxy. She cooed, grinning, "Sexy lady!" Caroline beamed with pride beside her mother, receiving a hug from Giulia.

"Okay, come on!" Caroline grinned mischievously, and Giulia smiled. "Come and see what Giulia found in the attic."

"Please don't let it be a body," Liz sighed, led by the hand by an excited Caroline into the great-room.

"Anyone would think we had gained a reputation," Damon smirked at Giulia, who smiled uncomfortably and went to get the door as the bell rang again. The Boarding House hadn't seen so many people not here for a raging high-school party in years. Even her parents hadn't gotten married or had a reception here: they had eloped in Florence and conceived Giulia there. She had been born in this house, in the huge bed in what had ever since been Damon's room. A pang shot through her, and she pasted a smile on her face, grinning at Sheila Bennett. As a courtesy to her, Giulia had extended an invitation to Bonnie; there was more than enough food. And when Stefan showed up, passive-aggressive, wheedling, tugging Elena along after she pouted long enough about being excluded, she'd have someone to bitch with in the corner. Both of them had dressed up a little more prettily than usual, Professor Bennett replaced by the activist lush Sheila.

"Evenin'," Sheila smiled warmly, and Giulia let her feel how she was feeling as she gave Sheila a hug, sighing softly. Sheila rubbed her arm, her expression sympathetic and knowing, and lifted Giulia's chin with a curled finger, winking. "It's gonna be okay, sugar."

"Well, come on in," Giulia said, and accepted the small gift Sheila presented her with. "Thank you! Everyone's in the great-room; help yourself to the punch."

"Oh, I will," Sheila assured her, and Bonnie ducked her head in a sort of polite, awkward acknowledgement, following her grandmother. True to her word, Giulia hadn't spoken to Bonnie since the night they realised Caroline had been turned. High road, Giulia sighed to herself.

She hid her grimace as John Gilbert appeared at the open doorway, sunlight spilling through it.

"Giulia… You look beautiful. These are for you," he said, handing her a truly pretty bunch of eucalyptus and coral peonies just starting to open.

"Oh, um…thank you," Giulia said, not expecting the flowers. John stepped over the threshold and glanced hesitantly into the great-room.

"Thank you for the invitation," John said, glancing at her. "I know I'm not the most-desired dinner-guest in town."

"It is what it is," Giulia said quietly. "You did what you did to protect Elena." She wanted to add that what her father had done, trying to keep Damon trapped long enough to desiccate him, was to protect the entire town: John's actions had put far more people in danger than he had bothered to consider when planning the vampire-massacre to protect one person. She could hear the friendly chatter, even laughter in the other room. "The others are in the great-room. Help yourself to punch."

Sticking to the high-ground proved very difficult when the doorbell rang next. Over the last few days, she had been struggling, but getting better; Elijah helped, and so did the knowledge that all but two of the werewolves who had come to town were now either dead, or on the run, most likely captured by Klaus for use in the spell. Giulia knew the pack slut, Hayley Marshall, had stuck around, and that had made her suspicious. Tyler had mentioned her in a few texts; she had dared approach him. And he had shut her down, completely uninterested. She was only a couple years older than them, apparently. Giulia hadn't seen her since, but if she was still around, she could anticipate how things would work. The only person in town she knew was Mason Lockwood, who had an accommodating sister-in-law still reeling from the premature death of her husband, and her teenage son who also happened to be a werewolf. But she wouldn't do anything even as bold as approach the Lockwood family without some assurance.

When she pulled the door open, smiling, she felt like she had been kicked in the teeth, no matter how prepared she had been for the possibility. Behind Tyler, Hayley Marshall pouted uncomfortably, gazing up through her lashes, chin tucked down. Carol, resplendent in Chanel as always, beamed at Giulia between her two boys, Tyler and Mason. They had both put on smarter shirts, and Tyler shot her an apologetic look, not even realising how much of an imposition it was that they had brought Hayley along, how dangerous. Mason had no clue; she doubted Hayley had told him what they had done to her. That wasn't the way to ingratiate herself with a well-connected family.

"Giulia," Carol beamed, looking…a little glazed.

"Hi Carol," Giulia smiled. "Welcome."

"I'm so sorry we're late," Carol smiled, and Giulia saw her hands shaking a little.

"You're perfectly punctual as always, Carol, you know that," Giulia smiled. Carol had kept her clocks wound ten minutes early since Tyler was a little boy, wanting to get him into bed that much earlier. "Are you alright?"

"I – the boys…told me," Carol said, with an uncomfortable smile, her eyes haunted. Giulia glanced at Mason and Tyler, who gave her an enigmatic shrug, giving her a grim smile. Carol gave her another huge hug, whispering, "Thank you." Giulia knew she meant for being with Tyler the night he had turned, for not letting the werewolf-pack get to him.

When Carol released her, Giulia said simply, "There's rum-punch."

"Thank God!" Carol blurted, gasping, and leaned in to kiss Giulia's cheeks before striding into the foyer in her precarious heels, seeking alcohol. Giulia glanced at Tyler and Mason.

"Hey," Mason grinned lazily, handing her some flowers. "Sorry, I brought an unexpected guest. I hope it's okay. Giulia, this is Hayley Marshall; Hayley, this is Giulia Salvatore."

"We've met," Giulia said briskly, levelling a look at Hayley Marshall in her clinging orangey-red dress and high black heels. Uncomfortable under Giulia's marble-hard gaze, Hayley glanced through her eyelashes at her, hazel eyes flitting away.


"What have you got there?" Elijah asked, peering over Caroline's shoulder as the adult guests Giulia had invited, whom Caroline and Jenna had been very good about introducing him to while Giulia greeted her guests at the door, laughed over whatever had been collected on the large coffee-table.

"They're photographs and albums Giulia and Tyler and I found in the attic," Caroline giggled softly, smiling at her mother gasping and poring over old photograph albums. "From when our parents were young."

"Ah, memory lane," Elijah smiled fondly. "Home of lost loves and questionable haircuts."

"Totally! Mrs Lockwood – look at your perm!" Caroline giggled, as the others laughed. Carol Lockwood had greeted Elijah like an old friend, slipped onto the daybed with a goblet of punch and sipped it, her heart stammering frantically, though she looked perfectly poised. A politician's wife, to her core.

"Caroline," Elijah said softly, and the pretty blonde glanced over her shoulder, smiling. "Would you possibly do me a favour?"

"Of course," Caroline beamed. He brought a small silver digital-camera out of his pocket.

"Would you take photographs during the evening? For Giulia," he asked, and Caroline beamed. She reached into her little clutch-purse and grinned as she pulled out a little purple camera. He chuckled, glad she had thought of the camera too. Giulia had put so much thought and effort into the evening, he wanted someone to document it for her. He glanced over his shoulder, and frowned. Caroline noticed him go utterly still, his focus drawn entirely to Giulia at the door; she followed his gaze and gasped, then seemed to…growl. In a blink, she was gone, appearing behind Giulia at the door like a sunny, golden avenging-angel.

She folded her arms tight over her chest, glaring at the girl on the doorstep. Tyler looked awkward, recognising Caroline's Mean Girl face, the take-no-bullshit flash in her eyes. She glared at Hayley in her cheap reddish dress, asking cattily, "Did you leave your shotgun behind?" Colour leached from her face, her eyes flitting quickly from Caroline to Giulia and back. "Yeah. I know what you did." Giulia tilted her head, not quite looking back at Caroline.

"I didn't touch her," Hayley said, raising her chin, her eyes still somewhere around their navels, rather than having the nerve to look them both in the face.

"You were there. You watched," Caroline glared at her, too angry to form eloquent sentences. "Just like you were there having sex in the next tent while your friend tortured me."

Giulia blinked, and glanced back at that, her eyebrows raised. "She was?"

"Yeah. I know, classless, right?" Caroline sniffed disdainfully. She glanced from Hayley to Mason, Tyler edging cautiously away. She sighed to Giulia, "I mean, if you're gonna go after a guy, I guess you should make sure his family has money."

"Go on. Try not to pilfer the silverware," Giulia said curtly to Hayley, Mason frozen, uncomfortable, in the foyer. She jerked her head into the great-hall and Hayley tucked her chin down and strode off as fast as she could, chasing after Tyler's disappearing back. Giulia frowned, turning to Mason, taking the measure of him. "Maybe if I cut it off, you'll stop thinking with it."

"What–?" he blurted.

"You know what I'm talking about – her, really?" Giulia said, frowning.

"She's not had it easy," Mason said gently.

"Her life is what she's made it," Giulia said curtly. She narrowed her eyes at the handsome, relaxed guy in front of her. She sighed heavily, shaking her head, wrinkling her nose in disdain, guessing; "You've already fucked her, haven't you? Mason!"

"They were our friends," Mason said, in explanation.

"Grief-sex," Caroline tutted, pulling a Caroline-face.

"They were sadists and murderers blaming everyone else for their own problems," Giulia said coolly. "You were better than they were, and you know it. And she'll take advantage of that. Go out with a nice girl, for once – take Caroline out on a date!"

"I'm sorry?!" Caroline blurted, wide-eyed, glancing quickly at Mason.

"Yeah! Take her to the beach for a surf-lesson," Giulia grinned mischievously.

"With the fish?"

"Or horseback-riding. She loves getting in the saddle," Giulia snickered, and raised a hand to her head as Caroline clipped her round the ear. "Ow!"

"For real, though, you can do way better than the pack's party-favour," Caroline sniffed, glancing sternly at Mason. "You know they held me in their RV, don't you? She was being screwed by two guys – like, at the same time – while Brody was tormenting me; it was really annoying." Giulia snickered.

"She did what she had to do to survive," Mason said calmly. The girls shared a look that said it all.

"Like get a job?" Caroline asked tartly. "I'm sorry, but you guys turn once a month at night; how does that stop you leading a productive life?" She had a point, and Mason knew it; she had been affected far more by her transition than Tyler had his. If she hadn't had Giulia, she'd have been destined for a life like Rose's, five-hundred years without the feel of the sun kissing her face. Giulia gestured Mason into the great-room, for now glossing over him bringing the enemy to her dinner-party; it was important she be here, anyway, to learn the way of things around here. Caroline frowned into the great-room, where Hayley cautiously accepted a drink from a dangerous-looking Elijah, simmering with anger. Caroline blurted, "There's no way I'd turn tricks to survive, that's so lazy… Okay, I know he's not actually our friend or anything, he's Carol's brother-in-law and Tyler's uncle – I guess he is Jenna's friend – but…you don't bring the girl who helped torture two of the other guests to a dinner-party and expect everyone to be okay with it. I mean… Do you think she's even that good in bed?" She glanced at Giulia, who wrinkled her nose, watching Hayley flirt subtly with Mason as he gulped down punch, laughing at the old photographs Caroline had thought it a good idea to bring out.

"My guess is, she let them do whatever they wanted," Giulia said, and Caroline wrinkled her nose, shuddering.

"Ew," she declared. "And Mason's into her?"

"His taste in women is questionable at best, the Katherine of it all," Giulia reminded her. "Oh well. A lid for every pot."

"God, why do all the sluts get the good ones?" Caroline sighed.

"Because they let them do whatever they want," Giulia smirked, and Caroline laughed, pulling a face.

"Yeah," she sighed. Giulia glanced at her, her expression guarded and thoughtful.

"He told you."

"Yeah, because you didn't," Caroline blurted, surprised how angry she sounded. Hurt, half-exasperated, letting off truth-bombs, Caroline tended to keep everything pent up until people just really had to hear it. She glanced over her shoulder; they were alone in the foyer and the other dinner-guests were distracted with vintage photographs. She glanced at Giulia, her expression stern. "You know what that Brody guy did to me – you came for me, knowing you were the weakest one there, you got hurt, fighting for me. You always do… You always put your neck out to help everyone else – it's…it's okay that you're human, you know? It's okay that you're vulnerable, that…you need us to protect you sometimes… And I'm sorry – am so sorry – that we've all forgotten that. We've all taken you for granted – but I promise, I'm never going to do that again."

She pulled Giulia, whose bright eyes were hard and glassy, looking like she was barely holding it together, into a huge hug, trying to put into that tight squeeze everything she was feeling. Giulia was the human, Caroline was the vampire; they just needed to stop acting like it was the other way around. Giulia was clever, and brave, and above all things unselfish; she conquered what was beyond her strength, just because she knew she could.

Giulia whispered something to Caroline she'd never heard Giulia admit: "I want him back."

"I know," Caroline said; she'd known it for months. Giulia losing her dad was the worst tragedy of everything they had all had endured. Caroline still had her mom and dad, her life – Giulia had made sure of it, giving her the daylight jewellery, helping her become who she was without losing herself to what she was – Elena had her little-brother, she had Jenna, she had Stefan and Damon fighting over and for her, when they were Giulia's family, and the reason Giulia was now an orphan. They had taken her father from her, Giulia had devolved ever since, darker, scarily intense and mysterious, secretive. She had no idea what her best-friend was up to. Caroline glanced over her Giulia's shoulder at Elijah, thinking that if Giulia had trusted Elijah enough to let her guard down and let him fall in love with her…he had to be alright. Right?

"I know you think there's no-one left to look out for you," Caroline said softly. "I know you're trying to protect me, you always have, since we were little…you were always my superhero… But just because your dad's gone doesn't mean you have to always be the protector, be the grown-up… I can do things now that you can't, and I don't want you to try to do them, because I can't…stand the thought of you being hurt again."

"I love you, Caroline," Giulia said, releasing her, glancing into her eyes. "I'll always try to protect you."

"And I love you, too," Caroline declared tearfully, frustrated. "You have to let me protect you too. It's not fair, you always getting hurt trying to protect everyone else…" Giulia gave an enigmatic shrug. She sniffed, shook her head slightly, and straightened her shoulders.

"Come on," she said softly. "That's everyone."

"I can't believe she dared come here," Caroline blurted finally, indignant as she watched Hayley flirt with Mason, laughing. Giulia shrugged, putting a smile on her face; she was too pragmatic to truly hold a grudge. She had bigger things to deal with.

But that didn't stop her striding over to Elijah, her expression lethal. Perched on the edge of an occasional-table while the others pored over photographs, Elijah smiled and observed, and watched her coming. He was aware of John Gilbert frowning across the coffee-table at them as he drew Giulia between his legs, her arms folded over her chest, hiding how upset she was, her back to everyone else.

"You told her," she whispered, her voice hoarse; he had been listening to her conversation with Caroline, half-amused by her friend, glad Giulia had finally admitted what she didn't dare cross the line by telling Elijah; that Giulia desperately missed her father. He sighed, tossing his hair out of his eyes; she wrinkled her nose delicately, raising her hand to push her fingers through his thick hair, pushing it out of his eyes. She wanted him to cut it shorter because he kept stealing her conditioner. He linked one arm around her waist, drawing her close, making sure he didn't spill his punch on the carpet.

"I did," he admitted on a soft sigh, stroking his thumb against her back. "Caroline could see you were struggling; she knew something was wrong. She thought…she asked if it were me you're frightened of."

"I'm not frightened of dick," Giulia said, scowling. Elijah chuckled at her colourful choice of phrase, reminded of Carafina. He leaned up to pepper dainty kisses against her jaw.

"Well, could you please tell Elizabeth Forbes that? I believe she is imagining me riddled with bullets," Elijah said softly, having noted Sheriff Forbes' sharp eyes on him more than once. "I imagine Caroline told her we are…what we are."

"Hopefully not in explicit detail," Giulia said, and Elijah fought not to roll his eyes, smirking.

"Hopefully not," he agreed. He took her hand, kissing the back of it, and smiled up at her. "You look exceptionally beautiful tonight," he told her. The red lipstick and her incredible fine eyelashes framing those glowing, mercurial eyes, her hair relaxed, the sleek mini-dress showing off her slim arms, her strong thighs, toned legs and her dainty little shoes… She was magnificent.

"Thank you," she said softly. Her phone went off, another timer, and she fiddled with it to turn the alarm off. He set his goblet down.

"What do you need me to put in the oven?" he asked; this was Giulia's evening, her friends and loved-ones. She should be out here with them, not cloistered in the kitchen. Not in that dress.

"I can –"

"Stay out here with your friends," he said gently, smiling. "I'll do the last things for you." She gazed at him for a moment, then smiled and leaned in to give him a tender kiss.

"Thank you," she murmured, and he was aware some of her guests had raised eyebrows, staring at them. "Everything's on the side, ready to go in the oven. My notebook's in there."

"Enjoy your guests," he said softly, subtly squeezed her ass and slipped away to the kitchen, where the decorated dishes were ready to have the cooked meats and vegetables added. He consulted Giulia's notebook and sketches, checked his watch, and put the sea-bass in the oven, removing the lamb and the duck to rest before he carved the cutlets and moved the whole duck to the serving-platter. He finished the red-wine and onion gravy for the lamb, warmed the other sauces and decanted them to gravy-boats, poached the vegetables and assembled every last thing Giulia had wanted.


"So, what, you're using Giulia to get at Elena now?" a voice asked, and Elijah licked gravy off his thumb, glancing up from the stove. "I mean, I guess she is the easier target, single girl living on her own, and all."

"Hello, Damon," Elijah said mildly, checking the peas. "You wouldn't happen to know where the colander lives? I'm afraid Rosemary must have put it away when she helped with the drying-up."

"How would I know?"

"You live here."

"I don't cook," Damon scoffed. "Must admit it's a little odd watching you…be domestic. The last time I saw you, you were shoving a No. 2 pencil through my neck."

"Well, you were quite rude," Elijah said politely. He glanced over at Damon. "Please do not make the mistake of ruining the evening for Giulia. More hard-work than you have ever done in your lifetime has gone into it."

"Oh, I know that," Damon scoffed, shrugging. "And I know Giulia would happily stab me in the eye with an oyster-fork if I made a scene out there…it's kind of where our relationship is right now."

"And whose fault is that?" Elijah asked mildly.

"Oh, I'm sure a lot of people would say it's mine."

"Including Zachary Salvatore, I'm sure," Elijah said, glancing at Damon, whose features, so like Giulia's but on a more masculine scale, smoothed into a familiar mask of perfect cheekbones and glowing, impenetrable eyes. "You could not imagine that killing Giulia's father would not have any repercussions for you."

"Stefan killed our dad and I got over it."

"The difference was your father also shot you and your brother in the back in cold blood," Elijah said, and Damon's eyes popped. "Yes. I've heard the story. Don't blame Giulia; it was your brother's friend Alexia who told me about the Salvatore brothers, years ago. She believed I might learn something from one brother's promise to the other to give him an eternity of misery for his actions." Elijah shrugged, finding the sought-after colander. He quickly turned out the perfect, huge round peas, adding a few nubs of butter, tossing them in the colander before pouring them into a tureen. He put a knife through a large new-potato to check they were done and turned them out into the colander, adding butter and sprigs of fresh mint before tossing them and adding them to another tureen.

"What are you doing here, Elijah?" Damon asked.

"Why don't you ask me the question you really want to?" Elijah smiled. He turned to face Damon, gazing expectantly at him. "What annoys you more, that you failed to kill me, or that you saw Giulia kissing me?"

"Technically, I did kill you, let's not pretend I didn't," Damon sniffed, smirking. "And, hey, if you want after Giulia, that's your prerogative, I'm a fan of the whole dating-your-dinner thing, too, on occasion. Simplifies everything, don't you think?"

Elijah sighed, the smile fading from his face. He removed the tin-foil from the lamb where it had been resting, pulling out the carving-knife, and shook his head. "That was the wrong thing to say, Damon." A flicker of contrition coloured Damon's cheeks, but he merely narrowed his eyes, watched Elijah neatly carve the cutlets from the rack of lamb, and scoffed, sauntering off.

For all his bravado, it was gratifying to Elijah that it nettled Damon to see the two of them together. He had listened to Caroline's conversation with Giulia about him telling her about the werewolves, but so far no-one had approached Giulia about seeing them kissing. Perhaps they were too well-bred to make a scene, especially in Giulia's own house. Either way, something had jarred Damon out of apathy; he had seen Giulia with Elijah, and whatever emotions were now churning in his gut with the expensive bourbon, it was the single indication Elijah had gotten from Damon that he still cared about Giulia. Giulia believed Damon had lost interest in any kind of relationship with her the moment he had killed her father, because he had ruined her. Elijah couldn't imagine anyone not wanting to have Giulia in their lives; but she wasn't a wide-eyed five-year-old anymore, and she would question Damon's actions. She wouldn't let him off light, and he had done the unforgiveable. Withdrawing from Giulia, knowing he could never earn back Giulia's trust, was Damon's own weapon of self-defence from being hurt by her loss. Giulia hadn't been ruined by Damon; killing Zachary Salvatore had ruined the only happiness Damon knew – Giulia's love and friendship.

He turned back to the vegetables, gravy and sauces, finishing everything for Giulia so she could enjoy her guests. He knew he was the outsider here. Much as Giulia believed she was alone, she had all these people to invite to her table, to enjoy time with. Some, he knew, were to keep up the farce; some she genuinely enjoyed. Others were expected to show up despite rules of politeness; and he could feel Giulia's anger simmering low, her jitteriness, at the sight of the werewolf Hayley Marshall on her doorstep. The nerve… But if it confirmed Giulia's suspicions, she would play the elegant hostess with impeccable manners.

Elijah was inclined to agree with Giulia that Hayley Marshall remaining in Mystic Falls without insurance of a protector was suspect. Mason Lockwood had heard nothing from Jules since she left town the night her friends were massacred. Too suspicious – nothing happened here in a vacuum; it was all connected, no matter how tenuous and abstract that connection.


"Oh my god, that's us!" Jenna gasped, beaming, as she turned a page in a photograph-album, and Giulia peered over her shoulder.

"Ah! Baby pictures!" Ric grinned mischievously. There was her mother, glorious and heavily-pregnant, with two small kids either side of her, grinning, the little girl with her arms around her waist, beaming from the bump that was Giulia. Tiny Jenna was adorable, strawberry-blonde and all eyes; Mason laughed at himself as a seven-year-old, his arm in a cast, missing several teeth, but undeniably cute.

"I remember that," Mason said fondly, peering close at the picture as others leaned over Jenna's shoulder to see. "What was it, like a Founders' Party our parents didn't want to take us to?"

"Gianna didn't want to leave the house, she was so close to her due-date," Liz spoke up, smiling at the photographs of tiny Jenna and Mason with Giulia's heavily-pregnant, extraordinarily-beautiful mother. It was jarring to hear that people in this room…knew her mother. She wasn't just a figment of her father's imagination, the only proof of her existence Giulia herself, Gianna Salvatore had once lived. She was real. She had a history, she'd had a life Giulia had never known anything about. "So instead of hiring a babysitter, she offered to have you two over. Mason, your mom had just passed away."

"I remember – I got that cast on my arm when I broke it, running away; I lived in a treehouse for three nights, until the ladder broke and I fell," Mason chuckled fondly. "My dad was so pissed, but Rich took me to the E.R. and bought me a milkshake after." Tyler raised his eyebrows at that; Giulia was sure his dad had never done anything like that for Tyler.

"What did she have us make? I'll never forget that dinner Gianna made," Jenna said, glancing at Mason. "You remember, she made it in a pot and we all sat round the table without plates, just eating out of the pot with a spoon."

"It would've been chicken cacciatore," Damon spoke up, "her favourite."

"That's right! With tomatoes and olives and mushrooms in it," Mason grinned.

"My mom never believed I'd eaten it," Jenna smiled fondly. "But Gianna had us make something, too, I remember the mess, and Gianna putting us in that huge tub with all those bubbles."

"Gnocchi," Giulia said, turning the page, aware how deadened her voice sounded, looking at photographs of other kids enjoying cooking-time with her mother. Because she had never been able to savour that. The next few photographs were obviously taken by Gianna, taking pictures of Mason grinning as he mashed potato, Jenna's little tongue sticking out as she stirred the stew.

"Your mom was a great cook too, you know," Liz smiled warmly at Giulia. "She loved having dinner-parties. Birthdays, holidays…she wanted us all over here, making noise. Think she planned to fill every room in this place with children." She gave Giulia a sad smile, hugging her shoulders, knowing better than anyone how Giulia felt about her mother, and her role in her mother's death. Damon gazed solemnly across the room at her, and Giulia fidgeted uncomfortably, Sheila's words about her being owed answers whispering through her mind.

Liz glanced at her, frowning softly. "Are you doing okay?"

"I'm fine," Giulia said lightly. Liz glanced over her shoulder toward the kitchen.

"Caroline told me…you're seeing Elijah?"

"We met last autumn," Giulia said quietly. "Before all the rest of this mess."

Liz sighed heavily.

"You don't approve because he's…a lot of things?" Giulia laughed softly. He was older; he was a vampire; he was an Original; he was manoeuvring to have Elena killed in a ritual so he could murder his brother…

"Oh, it's not that, honey," Liz smiled. "If he treats you well, and…helps you through all the rough things…makes you laugh… That's all any parent can ask for their kid. It's all I want for Caroline, and for you; someone who appreciates how…special you are… But you are your parents' daughter. You only fall in love once, and it's forever."

Her godmother, Liz knew her better than anyone still living. And Giulia respected her. And she knew that Liz was an authority on her dad, on the mother she had never known. She knew them all too well not to be accurate in what she told Giulia; and her concerns were…very real.

There was a reason Liz was the sheriff. She saw through things in a way other people couldn't.

"Giulia?" Elijah's soft voice cut through the chatter and laughter, and she glanced over her shoulder. Elijah winked subtly at her.

"Everything's ready," he said, nodding toward the dining-room. "If you want to take photographs before we all sit. I suggest we light the candles."

"I've got it," Bonnie spoke up quietly, glancing at Giulia with an apologetic smile. She stopped short at the doorway into the China Room. "Whoa."

"It's a bit much, isn't it?" Giulia said thoughtfully, smiling smugly to herself at the impressed look on Bonnie's face.

"It's…amazing," Bonnie said earnestly, glancing at Giulia. She then closed her eyes, took a breath, and golden light suddenly illuminated the entire room, candles flickering everywhere, making the gilt glint, sparkling off the crystal, bathing the food in bright golden light.

"Everyone, if you'd like to come into the dining-room, everything's ready for you," Giulia said, turning to beam at Elijah. The others followed her into the China Room, gasping and making comments appropriate to the level of hard-work Giulia had put into the spread.

"Wow!" Caroline beamed. "Okay. When I get married, I want it to look just like this!"

"You did all of this as a trial-run for the Historical Society dinner?" Carol said softly, wonder in her eyes as she smiled, wandering the length of the table, taking in the antiques, the exquisite-looking desserts, smelling the air as she passed the roasted lamb, the fragrant duck, the steaming gravy. Giulia smiled, taking photographs of the details. After circling the table, admiring everything, everyone sat down in front of their name-cards: there were two empty seats, and Hayley Marshall's appearance had evened out the seating-arrangement. Drinks were poured, and Giulia was coaxed to stand up by her seat at the centre of the table, favoured guests radiating from her and Elijah, sat beside her. He smiled up at her, as she stood, glass in hand, her arm draped around his shoulders.

"Hey," a voice said, and she glanced around, the others fidgeting, still gazing in wonder at the food she had created, the savoury, sticky-sweet scents in the air, the flowers mingled with the warmed, ripe fruit, the steaming gravies and the golden pastry, the tang of the wine and the warm scent of the sunshine as the sun set behind them. Stefan had appeared, holding hands with Elena, who looked pouty and disdainful, her sheet of dark hair shimmering around her face. She flicked her dark eyes to Giulia, then frowned subtly. "Oh. You guys are about to start. Sorry to interrupt." There was no apology in Stefan's eyes; he knew exactly what he was doing.

Giulia gave him a quelling look through her eyelashes, chin raised, challenging him. "I thought you would eventually show up with Elena," she said gently, using her wine-glass to gesture at the two empty chairs at opposite ends of the table, farthest away from her and Elijah – Elena next to John, Stefan next to Bonnie. Stefan had been raised in a time when etiquette was still important; he knew the significance of banishing them to the farthest seats from the host. "I left two places for you."

She saw right through him, and Stefan knew it. She hadn't wanted to invite Elena because tonight, as much as things were going to happen because of her, wasn't about her. Giulia had put in all the hard-work, this was something she had wanted to do, something she had wanted to treat her friends and loved-ones to, people she respected. He should have recognised it would be the height of ill-breeding to send them upstairs with grilled-cheese, the wicked witch in the situation.

"If you knew you were going to manipulate an invitation, you could've at least put on a pretty dress," Caroline scolded lightly, sitting opposite Elijah. Her expression as she raised her eyebrows at Elena was a proverbial slap in the face, accusatory and indignant on Giulia's behalf, recognising the ill-breeding in their underhanded behaviour. Elena flushed, taking her seat, and Stefan glanced around for the other empty seat, his glance flitting to Giulia before he set off toward the other end of the table. Elena sat uncomfortably, frowning at John, who poured her some lemonade; she draped a linen napkin in her lap and Giulia turned to the rest of her guests, clearing her throat subtly.

"I… I've been planning this project, this dinner, for months now, it was something that interested me last summer when I realised our town's charter was signed one hundred and fifty years ago," Giulia said, glancing around at her guests. "I originally started cooking all of this food as a trial-run for the dinner for the Historical Society, and I didn't know what to do with it all! And I decided it was an incredible opportunity to bring all of us together to just…enjoy each other's company, and appreciate that we are here. I look around and am reminded that…in the last year we have all suffered incredible losses, and at the moment we are all in…quite a considerable amount of danger." She glanced down at Elijah, whose features were solemn but warm, coaxing her on. "Now it's even more important than ever to know who your true friends are," she said, gaze lingering on Elena for a moment, Damon and Stefan; she beamed at Caroline across the table, "and to protect them. We have all gone through a lot, some more than others," she said, smiling at Tyler, whose mother smiled at him with sparkling eyes beside him; Giulia glanced at Caroline, and Liz, "and some of you continue to inspire me with your kindness and unselfishness every day. I am very lucky to look around and be able to count you all as people in my life that I love and admire; without you, my life would be poorer for it. So…this dinner is an opportunity for me to just say thank you. So, I invite you all to eat as much as you want; don't feel you have to try everything, I've already seen a few of you looking a little alarmed at the calf's tongue. Help yourselves; serve each other. Enjoy." To laughter from her guests, Giulia sat down, a little flushed.

It was wonderful. Everything she had been cooking over the last few days, she was finally able to enjoy. Everyone asked her about how she had cooked this, why she had made that, and Damon and Stefan provided a unique insight into the lives of the original Founding Families, the parties they had been invited to, the balls and dinners they had attended, their favourite food – Rose and Stefan squabbled over the calf's tongue, to Elena's wide-eyed disgust – and…it was lovely. A lovely evening, eighteen people sharing a culinary retrospective, listening to stories and admiring Giulia's research and cooking skills, her dedication to accuracy, laughing and joking, just…enjoying the intimacy of a shared secret.

Nobody commented on Elijah draping his arm around her waist as they rested between platefuls. They included Elijah in jokes and relaxed as they witnessed Giulia teasing him; Stefan and Elena remained quiet, Elena still burning from Caroline's scolding, Stefan contrite about trying to manipulate their way to the table; Carol was curious about Elijah, and he seemed to click with Liz, sat on his other side; and they learned a little of Hayley's history, her sob-story; Damon looked highly surprised when Rose told them Elijah had given her a daylight-ring; Tyler and Caroline talked about school; Jeremy mentioned the summer programme he wanted to attend in New York; Giulia got into a teasing argument with Elijah over him being a dessert-thief. She was surprised so many of the serving-platters emptied; wine continued to be poured, and for a little while it seemed everyone managed to forget themselves and just enjoy being in the moment. Caroline took a few photographs, candid ones, and the well-brought-up girl she was, she helped Giulia and Elijah clean away the empty savoury-course plates and serving platters on the cart, wheeling it straight into the kitchen to be cleaned up later.

"Alright," Giulia grinned, knowing this was going to be Elijah's favourite part, and certainly the prettiest part of the meal. She had loved the duck, and the venison pie, the asparagus-soup and creamed leeks, the stuffed tomatoes, the lamb had been succulent and delicious. She was a savoury person; Elijah, he was the sweet. She stood again, retrieving a silver cake-slice box from the server. "I hope everyone has some champagne."

"Veuve Clicquot," Carol beamed, impressed, as she raised her delicate saucer in salute. "Delicious."

"Well, I would like to ask Elijah; would you please do the honours and take the first slice out of the Charlotte Russe?" she asked, presenting him with the silver box, opening the lid. He lifted his dark eyes to hers, sharing an intimate look, and he took hold of the silver dagger and the cake-slice, standing to lean over the table to the dessert-stand. Giulia held her breath as he cut, biting her lip, anxious that it all held – she had had bad luck with the Bavarian cream – and noticed Damon's completely nonplussed look as he recognised the knife in Elijah's hand was not actually a cake-knife, but the silver-dagger he had been given by John – and hidden, in the library.

Damon stared at the knife, his gaze shifting, shocked, to Giulia, who raised an eyebrow tartly, before grinning at Elijah and hovering beneath his hands as he lifted the first slice of Charlotte Russe cake. It came away perfectly, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Some of the others applauded.

"If you can manage anything else, please help yourself to desserts. We have an assortment of blancmanges, jellies and cakes. Brandy-snaps and bonbons and stem-ginger; there are also homemade blackcurrant pastilles, a rhubarb-tart, and there is amaretto-spiked cream and mascarpone to go with the poached peaches; there is crystallised pineapple; help yourself to fresh fruit. All of the flowers on the desserts are edible; there are sauces and syrups dotted around, and fresh cream. Help yourself, let me know what you think. I know which recipes are going on my list to make again."

"Liz, what can I help you to?" Elijah asked, smiling, and everyone started helping each other pick out what they wanted. Giulia felt like she was about to burst, glad she had worn a dress with some give, and no underwear! She was warm, slightly fuzzy from the amount of alcohol, but it was a delicious feeling, she was…happy. There was a delighted hum of conversation and laughter, the silver-dagger continued to be used to cut slices from the Charlotte Russe piled high with fresh strawberries so ripe and red inside, they made even Giulia's mouth water. She helped herself to some petit-fours, a brandy-snap, some of the poached peach halves and a couple of bonbons and a chocolate; she kept eyeing Elijah's large slice of the Charlotte Russe, long enough that he sighed, smiled, and offered her a spoonful, feeding her. He chuckled, replaced his spoon with a kiss, and she smiled and licked her lips, running her hand through his hair affectionately.

"Okay, that's it, this is my favourite dessert ever," Jenna declared, practically licking her bowl; she had consumed at least four of the poached peach halves.

"Well, they were poached in sweet wine," Giulia laughed, and Jenna grinned as Ric teased her about her love of vino.

"Seriously, Giulia, they were delicious – everything has been delicious," Jenna beamed, looking a little flushed from the wine.

"The fish was perfect," Carol spoke up, beaming. "Those yellow cherry-tomatoes on the vine were…divine."

"And I've never tried tongue before," Hayley spoke up.

"You actually tried it?!" Mason laughed.

"It's never gonna be put in front of me ever again," Hayley shrugged, laughing. "Why not?"

"Well, I am gonna sleep so well tonight after that pie," Jeremy smiled proudly at Giulia. "It was amazing. And I haven't had Jell-O since I was about eight. Although it was weird to eat part of someone's face."

"Alice wouldn't have minded; she'd have thought you were handsome," Damon said, with a withering roll of his eyes, looking amused.

"Who was Alice?"

"Alice was my wife," Damon said, settling back in his chair with his champagne. "Pre-Katherine. Giulia's great-great-great – how many times? Great-grandmother. Needless to say my good looks survived the generations."

"I think actually Gianna can be thanked for them," Liz chuckled. "Or Doll – she was stunning until the day she died."

"Yeah, she was," Damon grinned lazily. "She was a bombshell. Kept me in my place, that's for sure. Kinda like Joshua. He was always my favourite, of all of them – all of my descendants."

"Wait, you and Giulia actually are related?" Tyler said, glancing at Giulia.

"Yup," Damon nodded. "Giulia's lineage traces back directly to me, and my son who was born to Alice in 1863."

"She was a sweet girl," Stefan said quietly. Giulia sipped her champagne; Alice had died giving birth to Damon's son and only child. Maids and a compelled guardian had raised him while Damon sought to protect him by leaving Mystic Falls, sending letters home, letting his son grow up believing he was merely working in New York, in Europe. Truthfully Damon had built a small trading empire, with which part of Giulia's fortune had been built before he eventually got bored, and sold it, passing the fortune on to his son.

"It's very strange to hear you talk about our ancestors as if you've just come from their houses," Carol smiled, elbows on the table, hands clasped. "You must miss them sometimes."

"Some," Damon admitted, with a shrug. "But that's life; people come in and out of our lives and leave impressions. Sometimes we're just lucky to have those memories, even if they make us morbidly depressed later, for a little while – 'til it doesn't hurt so much anymore."


When everyone had had enough to eat, Caroline helped Giulia carry the honeysuckle tiered stands out to the great-room, placing them on the table with the coffee-service for people to nibble at. Belt-buckles were loosened, and a lot of people groaned as they settled into the squashy chairs. Damon lingered thoughtfully by the Charlotte Russe, the silver-dagger covered in strawberry Bavarian cream, before he sighed, shook his head, thinking better of the fleeting thought, and followed everyone for some coffee. How had she known – how had she found the dagger?

Hayley approached her. Giulia watched her, guarded; she still wasn't comfortable with her being here, but she was too well-bred to make a scene.

"Hey," she said hesitantly, wringing her hands nervously. "I just…wanted to say thank you, for letting me stay, I know it's…weird, me showing up with Mason."

"That's the weird part?" Giulia asked coolly.

"Can I ask…? When you said you'd taken precautions to keep the moonstone hidden, what did you mean?" Hayley asked, and Giulia raised her eyebrow, sizing her up, things triggering in her brain, and she sighed.

"I took inspiration from Harry Potter," she said. "I am how the story would've gone if Sirius had been the Secret Keeper. We'd both die before we betrayed our friends… Did you leave with Jules?"

"I came back," Hayley shrugged. "I like this town, it's cute." Giulia gave her a chilling look as Hayley's eyes lingered on Mason. Giulia scoffed, shaking her head. They both knew exactly why Hayley had stuck around. And a self-absorbed girl like Hayley wasn't too stupid that she wouldn't recognise the danger in coming back – not when she had been party to what was done to Giulia, not when an Original vampire was around, not when werewolves were in short supply and a necessary ingredient for a sacrifice ritual.

"Where's Jules?" Giulia asked baldly.

Hayley's hazel eyes flickered, she set her jaw. "She left. You don't have to worry about her anymore." Giulia caught Elijah's eye; Tyler had told Giulia that he had seen Hayley talking to Luca, Elijah's younger warlock.

With Hayley and Jules the only survivors from their pack, it had seemed strange that Hayley had stuck around… She liked a protector, someone who would provide for her, without her having to do much besides, well, take what they gave her. Wherever they wanted to put it.

Giulia imagined, and Elijah agreed with her, that Klaus had managed to get to them. To Jules and Hayley, possibly before they had even left Mystic Falls. Werewolves were a precious commodity. Hayley was walking around, unafraid, despite knowing what she had done, and what would possibly happen should people learn of it. She was sticking close to Mason and trying to get in with Tyler. Plan B, Plan C…Plan D

It was important for more than one reason for everyone to be gathered at the house, to witness.

"Oh, I don't worry about people like Jules," Giulia told her. "They tend to get what they deserve."

Fresh coffee was poured and handed out, the 'kids' focused on the sweets still offered enticingly on the delicate, trembling stands, and they laughed and enjoyed the time-warp of looking through the old photograph-albums. Giulia sat pressed up against Elijah, head on her shoulder, with Caroline doing the same on hers, loosely clasping her mom's hand as Liz and Carol told stories, talking about Joshua Salvatore, about Mason's mother, who had both had an incredible sense of humour; Joshua used to like scaring the hell out of them playing hide-and-seek here as kids, he had been a bright flame all the moths had fluttered to, enigmatic, charming, an honestly decent person, but trouble, in the best way. A lot like Giulia, Liz said; but she had Zach's calmer influence, and Caroline asked if Joshua Salvatore was her almost-dad. If he hadn't disappeared, would Liz have married Joshua?

"Well, if he hadn't disappeared…you'd probably be brunette," Liz said, and Caroline looked stumped, as if the idea of her being brunette had never occurred to her. The vision Giulia got was a little eerie, and she wondered where Caroline would be in ten, twenty, one hundred years, how many lives would she have lived, how many adventures, lovers, hair-cuts. Listening to Damon and Stefan talk about their human lives, it was interesting to compare them to the people they were now, their flaws and their strengths, how they had evolved, and in some ways, struggled. But Caroline was neither burdened with resentment toward anyone nor stricken with grief, or addiction. She was Caroline. Giulia wondered what her future would hold.

As if sensing her concealed sadness, Elijah squeezed her to his side, pressing a kiss to her temple. She gave him a sleepy smile, letting him know she was okay.

She saw murmurs passed between Tyler and Mason, while Carol elegantly concealed yawns, and annoyance flashed across Hayley's face as Carol announced it was time for them to head home, a school-night; she had a busy schedule tomorrow and Tyler had school. Mason, who had been talking seriously with Liz for a little while, told her he'd give her a call in the morning, and the Lockwoods said their goodbyes, Hayley trailing after them. Giulia glanced at Elijah, who gave her a look. It was important Hayley had been allowed to stay and observe everything…but not this next part.

Hayley couldn't have any idea that Klaus' other spy had been discovered; she couldn't tell him what they had done to John Gilbert.


They waited a quarter-hour, Elijah giving her a look to confirm there was no-one lurking around the Boarding House to use supernatural hearing to eavesdrop. Then he strolled out of the China Room, the clean silver-dagger in his hands. He paused behind John's chair, as Damon stilled, and the others grew uneasy.

"Now, John, I do have a simple question," Elijah said, his voice so mild, twiddling the dagger in his hand against the tip of his finger. He drew blood, licking the blood off his finger. "How does a man like you come to acquire a rare supernatural artefact such as this silver-dagger?"

John glanced over his shoulder, looking highly alarmed.

"Oh, I know – it was supposed to be a grand secret, your ploy to have Damon killed to ensure Elena's safety in his attempt to assassinate me," Elijah sighed. "I'm afraid I have to disappoint you: Damon using the dagger on me would not kill him. A clever lie made up centuries ago to protect the Originals from coups. So, I ask you… Who gave you the dagger?"

"Isobel," John blurted anxiously. "A few weeks ago."

"Interesting," Elijah said, raising his eyebrows as he glanced at Giulia. "I must say I'm a little disappointed in Klaus. He should know better than anyone, lies are all in the details."

Giulia leaned forward, and whispered theatrically to John, "Isobel's desiccating. Has been since the night she left town." She patted his knee sympathetically, as John stared at her, terrified.

"Oh, don't worry, John, you weren't to know," Elijah tutted softly. "Giulia is so clever at concealing secrets." He winked at her. "Like the moonstone I know you overheard Hayley asking her about earlier."

"What's going on?" Stefan asked, frowning. Elijah glanced at Giulia, his expression mild, almost teasing.

"Would you like to do the honours?" he asked.

"I think so," Giulia nodded, sipping the last of her coffee. She glanced around the room, the curious, confused faces. "Klaus got to John."

"What?"

"That silver-dagger – Klaus keeps them close, he has for a thousand years," Giulia said, gesturing to the dagger Elijah was casually twirling through his fingers, his expression sombre as he watched candlelight flash off the blade. "There's only one way John would've ever acquired one, and that's directly from the source."

"That's ridiculous," John frowned. "I met Isobel at a café in Grove Hill after Stefan called me; she gave me the dagger."

"He has no idea Klaus got to him," Elijah said gently, as Damon stood, a predatory glare on his face, Jenna anxious on the daybed with Ric. The way Elijah stood behind John, it was almost protective, as if daring Stefan or Damon to attack in their anger and confusion. The brothers tended to fly off the handle without thought when there seemed to be danger posed to Elena's safety. "And there is only one way of telling how deeply Klaus' compulsion goes…" He glanced at Sheila, who nodded solemnly, rising from the armchair where she was sipping liqueur.

Before he knew it, Sheila's hands were on John's head, her eyes closed, and he was screaming in pain. To magically lift compulsion from someone's mind was painful, Sheila had assured her; the more a person had been compelled, the more it would hurt. And Klaus had been clever enough to conceal that he had even compelled John, who had no idea. John had been acting on Klaus' behalf for days and had no idea. But Klaus had made an error; he hadn't counted on Giulia knowing exactly where Isobel Flemming was – lying desiccated exactly where Giulia had put her months ago. He had built John's story on tenuous half-truths, and what John knew, which was that Isobel had left town and hadn't been heard from since, but she was also a research expert and had managed to find Katerina Petrova when Klaus had failed to do so for five centuries. He'd used John's faith in Isobel's talents as a research-expert to frame the story, because the others knew she was an expert on the supernatural too.

Something happened while Sheila did her work, he wasn't the only one to see it. In the candlelight, the sound of John Gilbert's anguished screams, the group of people watching, doing nothing to stop it, confused and agitated but waiting, expectant… Giulia slipped away with only Caroline noticing. Elijah glanced at her, and followed after her; he found Giulia, gasping and shaking, her hands trembling, her face pale, sweat dotting her brow, her knees weak, in the basement. Outside the cellar-door where she had found her father. In the anaemic track-lighting Giulia looked ill, her wide eyes, the hollows under her cheeks warped and exaggerated by the light, casting a greyish-blue tinge to her skin. She paced, anxious and upset, gasping, her heartbeat thudding against her ribcage, and she saw Elijah in the shadows and jumped a mile, having not heard him approach, her hands over her ears as John Gilbert's screams. He reached out, taking her hand, and gently pulled her to him, enveloping her into a hug with his whole body, wrapping himself around her; she trembled in his arms, gasping for breath as memories overwhelmed her.

"I'm fine," she blurted shakily into his shoulder.

"I know," Elijah said softly, squeezing her tighter. He held onto her, stroking her long hair, her back, soothing her, murmuring in her ear, giving her tiny kisses. Just holding her seemed to be the best thing, though, and she gentled in his arms, her heartbeat settling more steadily, warm and safe in his arms. He heard the movement, and glanced over. Caroline's fair hair glinted in the meagre, unflattering light, her features incredibly sad. He nodded her over.

"I shall make sure Sheila isn't wearying herself," he said, unwrapping himself from Giulia. He lifted Giulia's chin with his fingertips, gazing into her eyes, and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips, sighing into it, stroking her chin with his thumbs, and let Caroline slip in, taking his place to hug an upset Giulia.

John was a mess when Sheila was finally finished; she had drawn from Elijah after Bonnie voiced concerns that the spell was taking too long, taking too much of her energy. Blood dripping from his eyes, nose and ears, John panted, slumped in the chair, Damon tutting about blood on the carpet as he sipped his bourbon. Sheila sat down with a weary sigh, handed a new little glass of liqueur by Elijah, who turned to John, gently shaking the dazed man.

"Oh, god," John blurted, as he seemed to come into focus, shuddering and staring around at them with wide eyes, seemingly stunned to find himself there. "Oh, god!"

"Let's have a little chat, John."


A.N.: A bit different, huh? And did you catch the hint that Hayley's working for Klaus? Because, that's totally her. And it establishes a history between them for later stories.