Title: And when I fall

Rated for: language, violence, future M chapter

Genre: Angst, Romance, Suspense, Horror?, Adventure

Fandom/Universe: Vampire Diaries / Supernatural / The Originals

Characters: Stefan Salvatore, Damon Salvatore, Alaric, Bonnie, Caroline, Tyler, Klaus, Rebecca, Elijah / Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Bobby Singer

Pairings: Damon / OC / Dean, Caroline / Tyler, Bonnie / Jeremy

Spoilers/Warning: Mentions of events on the shows and books.

Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries and all related characters belong L. J. Smith and The CW. No infringement intended. Supernatural and all related characters belong to Erik Kripke and OC's are all ME. No infringement intended. The Originals and all related characters belong to Outerbanks Entertainment, Alloy Entertainment, CBS Television Studios, Warner Bros.

Summary: She was looking for answers. He was just passing the time.

Status: In-Progress

Author's Note: Another peek because its been too long and I really want to post this before I somehow manage to lose this piece.

Again. I'm not following the show timeline or the books, I'm winging this one and did you all catch the premier of The Originals?

Oh boy do I have some ideas of where this fic is gonna go...

Chapter: Sweep Me Under

Sweep Me Under

Damon walks in as usual; feigning disinterest in the group assembled in the living room, ennui in pretty much everything as though he's seen it all during his 'long' years as a vampire. It's what they're saying that pulls him back into their midst. Instead of ignoring them all…

"I knew she was trouble." Caroline pulls out her cell phone and it only takes a second before all their phones are buzzing with an incoming text. "That's her."

"This is the Hunter?" Stefan flicks his eyes to where Damon carelessly stands leaning in the frame, neither in or out of the room. The picture is only a profile view but the brunette is unmistakably the same one Damon 'entertained' a few days ago.

"What?" Damon shrugs. They're anger doesn't affect him either way, at least not as much as any of them would care to. "So I knew what she was." Because he's not stupid and the things the girl picked up on… not to mentions the scent of gunpowder, oil and wolfs bane he caught on her clothes and hair… "It's not like she remembers anything- shame to." He smiles at the scowling faces and can't help himself. "I think I'm in the mood to look her up again." And its not just because of the fuss they're all going to make when he does bring her around once again.

"Damon." Stefan warns in that censorious tone of his that just grates.

"Maybe I'll even keep her around a little longer." Damon threatens with that cold smile of his that still doesn't quite make a sneer though it's what he intends. And its not an idle threat either, which surprises Damon just a bit. He can't admit to liking this Hunter girl-

Stefan sighs with resignation. He knows it's only Damon being Damon but he could wish his brother didn't always have to be so difficult.

"You could have told us there was a Hunter in Mystic Falls, Damon!" Caroline slaps her hands on her thighs in exasperation.

"I was busy." Damon replies smiling the insinuation as to how he was busy. He waves to the group intending to walk out the front door again and follow through on that non-threat he's just voiced-

"Damon," Alaric calls to the retreating vampire. "Leave her alone." He knows immediately that's not what he should've said. "If you…harm her…"

"What?" Damon walks into the living room, moving around the couch in his way- that predatory glint... He stops in front of Alaric, pale blue eyes unflinching as he stares at the mortal. "Are you going to kill me?" his voice is soft and smooth, without fear though he knows Alaric can be dangerous. But they've become friends of a sort…

Alaric sighs, eyes closing briefly, aware that everyone in the room can see his annoyance. "She's not alone, Damon."

"Huh," Damon steps back. That self-satisfied smile once again on his face. "She was when I brought her home."

"If she goes missing other Hunters will come to look for her." Alaric's warning doesn't dampen Damon's desire to go looking but it does raise concern with Stefan and Caroline. "Rheygne isn't … her family, they've only Hunted werewolves."

"Tyler." Caroline gasps in alarm.

"She's not here for Tyler." Alaric assures. "She's not Hunting werewolves."

"Then what?" Stefan questions. "Vampires? Why is she here?"

"She said you had answers." Carolineadds before Alaric can reply to all the questions.

"She's looking for the reason her brother is dead." Alaric replies quietly. He doesn't know how much the research will help but its going to buy them time. To do what, he has no idea but Alaric hopes it's to figure out a way to get Rheygne out of Mystic Falls unharmed. Before Klaus finds out there's another Hunter in town.

o0o0o0o0o0o

The silver hot-rod purrs to a stop alongside the curb. The brunette getting out drapes a leather satchel over her shoulder. All the notes and papers from the empty hotel room… the clues Theo left behind… the ledger from Alaric's 'friend'…
Rheygne steps onto the path, her eyes following the flow of students on campus. A part of her wonders what that would be like. Go to college; spend her days and nights studying, in class listening to lectures, running around a pre-determined amount of space- her mini domain… 'Confinement inside four walls no matter where I am on this campus.' A slight shudder goes through her picturing it. There's never really been a place she couldn't go or leave. There's a whole world out there… With things that need killing and few people able to do that.

Normal in the sense that others consider it is not what Rheygne is. Her world is sweat, pain and death. It's in her blood. … and maybe that's why Theo became a Hunter after all.

It's still a nice daydream, something to imagine could happen – in some alternate reality like a ScyFy movie. Rheygne utters a dry chuckle heading up the steps and inside the old building. It brings her memories of Theo, when they'd stay up watching the bad monster movies with usually bad acting on that channel. It was her favorite time with him.

The door has a shiny plaque next to it- removable, of course.

Professor A. Shane

Rheygne knocks though she knows he's inside and waits trying for patience but she's anxious to find out what it is the Professor knows.

"Come in." his voice is muffled but she opens the door and walks in ignoring the slight feeling of apprehension. There's nothing to fear from a teacher unless its detention.

He looks up from the stack of papers on his desk and offers a perfunctory smile. "You're not a student of mine."

"How can you tell?" Rheygne moves around to sit in the chair in front of his desk. She casts a quick glance around taking note of various objects- most of them original artifacts if she's going by look alone.

"I know my students." Shane assures and sits back in his chair, eyeing the girl. "You're not in any of my classes."

"How do you know I'm not just hiding in the back somewhere?" she studies him. "I could be sitting in the darkest corner of the room not making a sound."

"Are you?" Shane grins, almost uttering the laugh threatening to spill. He's finding this an amusing distraction from the papers on his desk that still need grading.

"No." she answers.

"How can I help you, then?" he watches her reach into the leather satchel at her side and pull out a tablet.

"I'd like to show you something." She swipes across the screen a few times before sitting forward and placing it in front of him.

"You know," he ignores the tablet still watching her. "You haven't introduced yourself."

"Funny," Rheygne leans on the desk, her arms crossed. "You haven't either."

"My name is on the door." Shane points out. He smiles and drops his gaze to the tablet.

Rheygne doesn't miss the way his mouth tightens, trying not to lose the smile as he looks at the image.

"Interesting." Shane glances up, taking the tablet in both hands and swiping to the next image. "Where did you get these?"

"What are they?" she counters instead. The fact he's asking her 'where' instead of 'why' only makes her cautious and she's not about to tell him she spent some of her time scanning all the papers Theo left behind.

"Is there any reason you're hesitant to answer my question?" Shane tries again though he's still looking through the images in her tablet. What he really needs to know is how this girl and the questions she's going to ask affect his plans.

"I don't know." Rheygne sits up, eyeing him. "Is there a reason you keep answering my questions with your own?"

Shane stops looking through the tablet and forces himself to relax and smile. "I can only answer your questions if I know what it is I'm looking at and where you managed to get these from." He slightly raises the tablet and waits.

"See, I already know that you do." She nods at the tablet still in his hands. "Asking me about them isn't why I'm here. I want to know what they are. And I can tell that you do know."

Shane sets the tablet down and thinks; what can he tell her without giving her anything? And he knows the girl is trouble he can't afford- not this soon.

"It's a brotherhood." He finally reveals, carefully watching her reaction. "The Brotherhood of Five, to be precise."

"Sounds old." Rheygne notes, eyes narrowed and wary. "What else?"

Shane gives a light shrug. "They are said to have been formed by a witch in the 10th century. They were meant to kill vampires."

"So…like Buffy, then." She gives a nod and by the twist of her lips gives away her displeasure at the news. His amused chuckle only makes her scowl.

"Why are you so interested in what these are?" Shane sets the tablet on his desk within easy reach of her.

"Why five?" Rheygne counters. "And who was the witch or has that been lost through the ages too?"

"What's your interest-?"

"Purely school related." Rheygne cut in. "I'm working on a paper but all this Buffy The Vampire Slayer krap is making it difficult to get a passing grade." She smiles tightly, pushing down her frustration. "I thought you could help me…maybe you know something else that doesn't come off like a Hollywood movie?"

Shane can appreciate the tall tale, he's done pretty well for himself in that regard though its been necessity if he wants to get them back. "This is the Hunters Mark." He pushes the tablet towards her and leans across the desk. "It was a tattoo that covered the right arm and spread across the torso- a map." He shrugs and offers a coy smile.

"To what?" Rheygne frowns at the screen but its not your regular map- not one she's used to reading.

"Well," Shane stands up drawing her eyes away from the image on his desk. "Treasure?" he shrugs looking amused.

"Yeah," Rheygne flops back in the chair rolling her eyes and looking very much like one of the many college kids on campus. "That helps so much, Professor." She sighs eyeing him. She knows there's more information here but she's not going about getting it the right way. "Maybe some facts can pull this out of fairy land. You could just point me in the right direction; I'll do all the leg work. I mean, its my paper…" she adds.

Shane looks around his office and waves his hand at all the shelves. Rheygne sits up, her eyes taking in the books in the shelves and on the side tables with an inward groan.

"You're welcome to look in my library." Shane smiles because if she really wants the information he can so easily give her this is where she'll find it. And having her close at hand will help to avoid unpleasant surprises. As long as Shane can keep her in the dark.

'Awesome.' Rheygne stifles the frown wanting to spoil the 'wide-eyed excited' expressions she's trying to hold on to. "So… anytime?"

o0o0o0o0o0o