Note: I am so, so, so sorry for the long wait. My school and personal lives have been in a mess for the last few weeks and I just have had not enough time to write this fic or have been too tired and just drained to even think about it. But I trudged through and here you go!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries or any quotes borrowed/used in this story.
we're all weeping now, weeping because
"Here comes Frank and poor old Jim
They're gathering round with all my friends
We're older now, the light is dim
And you are only just beginning
O children."
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"I'll miss you."
"Of course you'll miss me; almost my entire visit you were a crazy Original groupie."
"Well . . ."
"Oh, come here."
Stephanie and Lexi embraced tightly, the blonde's chin resting on her friend's head. They clutched at each other, as best friends do, not wanting to let go. But eventually they had to, and they stepped back. Lexi picked up her solitary bag of belongings, hefting it onto her shoulder.
"Stay out of trouble," Lexi warned her with a pointed finger and an arched white-blonde brow. "Don't let Damon mess up your control lessons. If he goes too far –"
"Lex," Steph warned lightly. "It'll be fine. He's teaching Elena too and everything will be okay. Trust me."
"Alright," Lexi gave in. She frowned and her dark blue eyes involuntarily darted to the Salvatore Boarding House one last time, lingering. "How is he, by the way? That explosion that took out the Council members . . . Alaric was in there and I know he wasn't himself at the time, but . . ."
"But they were best friends," Stephanie finished grimly. The thought of losing Lexi like that, or Elena or Caroline . . . "I know. He's at the Grill now, more than likely drunk. Elena is beside herself as well . . . she thought of Rick as a second father."
"At least Jeremy's on his way home," Lexi said. "He'll help Elena keep her grip on her humanity. Maybe you two will mend bridges."
Stephanie pressed her lips together, disbelieving and more than a little uncomfortable. "Maybe, but I don't hold out too much hope for much more than a cordial relationship, if that, Lexi. I was terrible to him and I deserve whatever he throws at me."
"You know that's not true," Lexi reprimanded sharply.
"It is." Stephanie folded her arms under her breasts. "It's okay, though."
Lexi sighed. "At least give me one more hug for the road." She stepped forwards and they hugged once more. Stephanie closed her eyes and when she opened them again her best friend was gone, torn from her arms and vanished into thin air. She looked down at her phone, checking the time.
"School or bar?" Steph asked herself wryly.
It was a no brainer, really; Stephanie went to the bar.
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Damon sat in the Mystic Grill, twirling his bourbon in its tumbler and stared mournfully at the seat next to him. If he only closed his eyes, he could just imagine Alaric's gruff presence sitting next to him. It was early morning, but Damon had been there nearly since opening. Tired but determined footsteps trudged towards him and he didn't need to look up to see Liz Forbes as she slapped down a newspaper in the spot Damon was looking at.
"This seat's taken," He muttered but he looked at the paper all the same, reading the headlines aloud. "Faulty gas lines lead to tragic massacre at the Young farm." Damon tossed the paper away as Liz sat in the stool on his other side. He looked up at Liz with exasperation, "Really?"
"It's better than Town Council blown up; police have no suspects." Liz's eyes stared accusingly at him, "unless the perpetrator's sitting right next to me."
"Oh, you know I always take credit when I kill someone, Liz," Damon drawled drunkenly, "but even I'm not heartless enough to orchestrate my best friend's murder."
Liz winced but hardened her resolve. She leaned in close, nearly whispering into his ear. "The explosion was triggered from inside; this was not an accident."
"You say that as a bad thing, Liz," Damon said cruelly, "I mean, the Council is off our backs now."
"I grew up with many of them, Damon. They were my friends," Liz stepped back and slammed her hands onto the bar, shaking Damon's glass. She breathed harshly through her mouth.
Damon was kind enough to wait until she got a hold of herself to growl back, "Well, your friends tried to kill your daughter." Liz pressed her lips into a thin line and stepped back. There was a moment of tense silence. Someone cleared their throat and Liz and Damon turned their heads, both secretly glad for the interruption.
A man, someone Damon had never seen before, was standing between them, arms hanging at his sides. "Excuse me, Sheriff. I was hoping I'd get to speak to you for a moment. I promise it'll just be a second of your time; see, I'd like to talk about the explosion at the Young farmhouse."
"Well, Mister . . ." Liz trailed off significantly.
"Jordan," New Guy introduced himself, "Connor Jordan." Connor Jordan completely ignored Damon's presence, which hello, rude.
"Mister Jordan, are you one of the insurance agents?" Liz inquired. Damon looked up at the New Guy with a critical eye; he was an average height to tall black man with a shaved head and dark, serious eyes. He wore working class clothes and black leather, fingerless gloves. He caught Damon looking him up and down and waved with his fingertips.
Connor Jordan stuck one of those hands for Liz to shake. "No, no," He corrected with a sly grin, "I'm more of an independent contractor." Connor side eyed Damon, who returned the wave with his fingers. "Can we speak in private, Sheriff?" Connor asked.
"Of course," Liz nodded stiffly. "Just follow me."
As she led him away without as much as by your leave, Damon muttered, "Nice to meet you too, busy-bodied guy." He looked down at his drink and sighed when he heard another set of footsteps approach. It was just what he wanted; more company. Stephanie plopped down in the seat next to him, not Alaric's seat thankfully, and waved the bar tender over.
"I'll need to see some ID," The barman said flatly. "Shouldn't you be in school?"
"Shouldn't you mind your own business?" She snapped and then compelled him to get her a shot of vodka.
"Starting early," Damon observed dryly.
"Says the vampire who has been drinking since breakfast," Stephanie said pointedly and refused to look at Damon.
"Guilty as charged," Damon drawled and took another swig. "Aren't you picking up Jeremy from the airport? He's got to get home somehow . . ."
"I doubt he'd want to see me, of all people," Steph said sharply. "I thought you would go, since you were the one to call him."
"Maybe Kol can do it," Damon mused idly. "He's clearly a very well trained pet Original. I'm sure he will if Bonnie asks nicely." Stephanie rolled her eyes, which Damon saw.
He commented, "Good to know you're back to your self-righteous, moody teenager shenanigans."
"Drink your bourbon," Steph commanded and Damon saluted.
The barman returned with Stephanie's drink, which she threw back. "A tumbler of this please, instead of a shot glass." The man nodded, still glazed, and disappeared again.
"Don't turn into a slushy vamp on me now," Damon told her. "Aren't you supposed to be my good influence now that you're back on the right side of the tracks?"
"Hush, you," Steph muttered and Damon barked with laughter. He moved around in his stool, tired and drunk and just ready for the day to be over already. "Where's Elena?"
Damon waved a hand. "Around, somewhere."
"Damon," Stephanie glowered. "You need to be keeping an eye on her."
"Oh, look at the time," Damon exclaimed unenthusiastically. "It's time to pick up Jeremy from the airport."
"You're too late. I took a cab," A low voice said behind them, making the vampires turn around. Stephanie's brows arched as she took in Jeremy's form; he was taller and much more muscular, and he seemed to have a better presence than he'd had before - more confidence, maybe.
Instead of commenting on any of these things, Stephanie murmured, "Nice haircut."
Jeremy shuffled on his feet. "Uh, thanks." He looked to Damon with a slightly more aggressive approach. "Elena said you had something you had to say to me? And where is she?"
"Right, right," Damon lazily – drunkenly, Stephanie corrected in her head – stood up and laid a hand onto Jeremy's shoulder. "I'm breaking your compulsion. You're home. You have your own feelings and desires again. If you yearn to ever return to Denver, it'll be of your own free will. There, done. Can I have some more bourbon now?"
Jeremy blinked, stepped back a step. He eyes, before glazed, were now startling clear and more than a little angry looking. "Where's Elena?" He repeated.
"Why do you guys think I know?" Damon grouched.
"Because she's your girlfriend," Stephanie pointed out, "who you love and want to see transition into a fully functioning non-ripper vampire."
"Hey, we're not alone here," Jeremy muttered surreptitiously, "So quiet down with the supernatural stuff for a minute." Stephanie twisted around to see what the sudden urgency was and became eye level with a small, pale girl with hair as dark as pitch.
"Jeremy?" The pretty girl made her way towards them, smiling and waving a little.
Jeremy's face was colored with surprise. "April! You look great! How long has it been?"
The girl, April, shrugged a little and her eyelashes fluttered over her round, pale cheeks. "A long time, ha."
"Stephanie, this is April," Jeremy fumbled, "ah, Elena used to babysit her when we were younger. April that is." His eyes flicked back between the girls for a few seconds and he jammed his hands into jeans pockets.
"At least until my dad dropped me off at boarding school." April shrugged, but the smile was ever persistent.
"Your dad," Jeremy suddenly wilted as if remembering something. "April, I am so sorry. Are you okay?"
"Who's your father?" Stephanie asked gently. Damon sank lower into his seat, snorting into his bourbon.
"Pastor Young," April explained and instantly Steph and Damon perked their ears. "The faulty gas line accident was what killed him and eleven others of the Town Council. Or so everyone tells me, at least. And I haven't quite figured out what to say about that yet. Um. I'm just, you know, not much for grief, I guess." She flushed, which on her pale skin, was very obvious. "I just kind of stopped by because I'm avoiding registering at school." April shrugged. "There will be so many questions about how I feel and I just don't know what so about that yet either. So, I saw some kids over here my age, and thought, what the hay . . . I'm babbling."
"It's okay," Jeremy reassured her with a soft grin and Stephanie felt something squirm in the pit of her stomach. "I can take you – I've got to re-enroll anyway. I just got back from Denver."
"Why Denver?" April cocked her head.
Damon hummed as Jeremy leveled him with a sharp and lingering glare. "Family lives there."
"Oh," April nodded and then launched into a detailed story about something that had happened long before Stephanie and Damon had ever come to Mystic Falls, and Steph felt adrift.
"Do you guys want to be left alone . . . ?" Stephanie trailed off, unsure if her presence was welcomed. It was nice to see Jeremy, but also awkward because of where they had left things off. It wasn't every day that your girlfriend ran off with her ex to save her brother and then return only to kill you without knowing you'd come back. And this April girl was a ray of sunshine, which Stephanie normally would have appreciated, but with her current agitation about blood, it was rather unwelcome.
Clearly, Jeremy felt the same. "Yeah," He said, "I'll see you later, Stephanie." His tone changed from an awkward fumble to strangely formal in a matter of seconds. Steph tried to not let that bother her.
"Have fun, kids," Damon drawled, "I'll be here."
"Not for long," Jeremy predicted.
"Why?" Damon arched one sleek brow. Jeremy lifted an arm and pointed at a harried Elena scurrying towards them. Her brows were drawn into a deep furrow and her arms were crossed tightly across her midsection. She looked stiff and uncomfortable – Stephanie felt a pang of sympathy for her. Elena reached them and put a trembling hand onto Damon's shoulder.
"This seat is taken," Damon said preemptively even as he looked up at her, face softening. "But if Steph moves, you'll be fine to sit there."
"No one is sitting right here, and not the point," Elena snapped. She winced. "We need to talk. Damon. So, bathroom. Now." Elena pulled Damon off of his stool and dragged him away, pausing only to shoot April a quick hello, before leaving the remaining three bewildered. The new girl quickly got over her confusion though, as she turned big innocent eyes onto Jeremy. They left together and Steph heard April ask just who she was.
"Stephanie? She's my ex-girlfriend."
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"I really don't think destroying the furniture is the best way to relieve stress, darling," Kol drawled. He stood in the center of the living room while Bonnie smashed a number of glasses in frustration with her magic. The vases would magically combust and then seconds later, they'd glue themselves back together. Rinse and repeat.
"They were able to drug me!" She snapped, curly hair whipping about her face. Her lips were pinched into an angry frown and her dark eyes were boring into Kol's skull. Her hands were placed onto her hips in a stance of pure provocation; she wanted to fight someone, which was very clear. "They made me helpless and I couldn't do anything about it!"
"And they weren't even supernatural," Kol added offhandedly. He'd very quickly put the pieces together at the explosion the previous night; there had been twelve people in that "gas leak" – twelve humans killed. Put together with what Pastor Young had said . . . it was just like the witches so long ago had said – a sacrifice for Expression. Now if only he could get Bonnie to channel it . . .
Bonnie nearly roared at the mention that her assailants hadn't even been vampires or the like. "And they took Elena! Now she's a vampire; a blood sucking creature of the night, my best friend." She fell backwards onto her couch and buried her face into her hands.
"Vampires aren't all that bad." Kol offered, "And they kidnapped me too. Rather successfully as well, because of that absolutely nifty spell you've got on me." He arched his brows.
"I won't take it off," Bonnie said wearily. "You're a danger to everyone around you and probably yourself too."
"Forget about me for a second," Kol smirked. "I know it'll be difficult, seeing as beautiful and intelligent and fantastic I am, but try for a moment." When Bonnie looked at him, completely nonplussed and her fingers rose to attack him with a migraine, Kol hurried on. "Think about that gas leak last night, darling."
"It took out the Council," Bonnie stated flatly, "or at least the active members that took me out, including Rick." She winced at the mention of her history teacher. Kol saw that it hurt her to think about the man, and idly wondered what that Salvatore vampire was doing in his grief over the bum.
He moved on. "Right. And how many people did that explosion kill?" Kol prompted.
Bonnie shrugged. "I don't know, Kol."
"Twelve."
Bonnie looked at him askance. "Kol, why does the exact number matter? People are dead – people that attacked me and my friends and I'm furious about it, but they're still people nonetheless. They thought they were protecting the town from vicious vampires." She clenched a hand, thinking about Elena again.
Kol wasn't finished. "What requires twelve human sacrifices?" He asked shortly, frustrated she wasn't going where he wanted her to go with the line of thought he was providing.
Bonnie narrowed her eyes. "Are you trying to say that someone killed those people on purpose? For Expression? Because I think that's wishful thinking on your part."
"Come on, Bonnie," Kol prompted, annoyed. "A gas leak, really? Darling, that's the worst cover up I've ever heard of. It was an inside job. And I know who did it."
Bonnie looked up sharply and stood, jamming a finger in his chest. "Kol," She warningly, "what exactly do you know?"
"I stayed, after, and listened," The Original explained, "and that Pastor Young said some suspicious lark."
"What?"
"'We are the beginning,'" Kol said slowly. "Then the place blew up."
Bonnie furrowed her brows. "'We are the beginning?' What does that mean?"
Kol shrugged. "That, I don't know. As far as I do know though, is that it takes twelve human sacrifices for Expression and that Pastor Young had to have been the one to set off that explosion, killing them all on purpose. I don't believe in coincidences."
"Why would he do that?" Bonnie muttered. "Compulsion?" She eyed him suspiciously. "How do I know that you didn't compel him to do it?"
Kol rolled his eyes. "Come on, Bonnie, when did I have time to do that? In between the parts where they hosed us full of vervain?"
Bonnie sighed and rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Fine. Say you didn't compel them to do it. Who got the Pastor to commit suicide and murder eleven other people?"
"That, we've got to find out. Who – besides me – wants a witch to channel Expression?" Kol crossed his arms. "Don't you just love a mystery, darling?"
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Stephanie returned to the Boarding House to drink, convinced that her chances of running into other people and very uncomfortable conversations were a lot lower in her own home. Turned out, she should have stayed at the Grill.
Tyler Lockwood rushed into her house, eyes wild and hands pushing into his gut as he stumbled through her front door. He opened his mouth to say something, but blood dribbled out instead. Stephanie dropped her tumbler onto the bar and ran to his side, letting the hybrid use her as a crutch as she slowly moved him over to the couch.
"Lay right here," She murmured, "and don't move." Stephanie went back into the kitchen and rummaged through the cabinets until she found what she needed; the first aid kit that included tweezers. The front door opened and slammed again and when Steph returned to the living room, found Caroline sitting next to Tyler with his hand clasped into his.
"Help him, please," Caroline begged.
"Of course," Stephanie went to their sides and gently pushed Caroline out of the way. The blonde moved to stand across from the couch. "Alright, Tyler, I'm going to take off your shirt," Steph warned. "It'll sting." The hybrid nodded and Stephanie gently took the ends of his sweater into her hands and slowly pulled it up and over his head. His midsection was exposed then, and she could see the three bullets in his gut. Steph grabbed the tweezers and set to work.
She was extremely careful and removed each wooden bullet as delicately as she could, but both women still winced when Tyler grunted and screamed. "Sh, here," Steph handed him a piece of cloth to bite down on, and then continued her work.
Finally, Steph pulled out the final bullet.
"Please tell me that's the last one," Caroline begged and Stephanie nodded slowly, but her attention was focused on the bullet.
"These are especially designed," She said aloud, "The length, the width . . . if you were a regular vampire, you'd have been dead. You should count yourself lucky."
Tyler spat out the cloth that had rested between his teeth. "This guy knew what he was doing. He had these fingerless gloves that were steeped in vervain; he was searching for a vampire and he didn't hesitate when he found one."
"These etchings . . ." Stephanie narrowed her eyes and used a finger to touch the side of the wooden bullet. It burned straight through her skin and she snatched her hand back, shaking it.
"Are the bullets spelled?" Caroline asked and her head tilted in concern.
"I don't know, but they're certainly something . . ." Stephanie trailed off.
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"How did I get wrangled into helping with this?" Anna wondered.
"Because you're my girlfriend and a human and the Council's death was a tragedy," Matt offered. They walked around the church and between pews, placing down programs for the memorial that day. Matt was in dress pants and a button up maroon dress shirt. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows.
"Still doesn't explain why I'm here." Anna was in a short black dress, straight black hair pulled into a side ponytail.
"You're being supportive to me and pretending to care about those people who died," Matt explained and the dark haired girl nodded.
"Right." She rolled her eyes, but in the process, caught sight of someone unexpected. "Hey, look, it's Elena." She nodded towards another dark headed girl in an orange dress cinched around the waist by a thin belt. "She looks . . ."
"Unhealthy," Matt finished grimly. "But she's dead now, so . . ."
"No vampire looks like that," Anna corrected with a sharp head shake. She frowned. "She looks ill . . ."
"I'm going to go talk to her," Matt decided and strode off.
"Well, I guess I'll just wait here," Anna muttered to herself and continued to place down programs. She moved farther away from Matt and Elena and found herself next to a girl around her stature, only a little curvier. "Oh, sorry."
"It's fine," The girl said, shaking her head. "I'm just . . . thinking about what I'm supposed to say today."
"Oh, are you . . ." Anna trailed off.
"April Young," The girl introduced, "the daughter of the man who forgot to get his gas leak checked out. Yeah."
"I'm sorry," Anna said.
"Hey, what are you going to do . . ." April shrugged and then sniffled. "Am I in the way? I was just waiting for Jeremy to come back, but I can move."
"No, you're fine. I'll go," Anna excused herself and passed Jeremy who was on his way to sit next to April. She stuck out a hand and caught his elbow, surprising him. "Whatever you're doing with that girl, be careful. She's grieving."
Jeremy gave her an odd look. "Okay . . . Anna." He left her and she wasn't quite sure why she cared. It wasn't like she knew the girl or anything. She just knew how it felt to lose your only parent in the world. And it hurt to think about her still, and so she was sure April was having a terrible time of it.
When she found Matt again, he and Elena had parted ways. "Where'd Elena go?"
Matt shrugged helplessly. "She just ran off and yelled at me not to follow her. I didn't know whether to listen or to wait."
"Call Damon," Anna advised.
Matt muttered something under his breath and Anna wished – not for the first time – that she still had her vampiric hearing. "Yeah, okay." He pulled out his phone and dialed. Apparently Damon picked up on the first ring. "Hey, Damon, there's something wrong with Elena . . ."
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"Bonnie, are you home?"
Kol turned his head. "It's the Salvatore girl. Want to let her in?"
Bonnie brushed passed him to answer the door. "What do you want?"
"We have a problem," She said grimly.
"Besides the fact that Elena's a vampire and twelve people were just blown up?" Bonnie demanded. "What else could go wrong?"
"Tyler was shot by a man today," She explained and Kol perked up his ears, "with these bullets." She reached into her bag and pulled out a small cloth that she unraveled. Inside were three wooden bullets. "They burn to the touch and it might just be vervain, but . . . there's some strange writing on them."
Curious, Kol stepped closer as Bonnie examined the bullets and proclaimed they weren't magic. When he caught sight of them, his brows went up into his hair line. "Not magic exactly, but something close to it," Kol stated and both the girls looked up at him.
"Oh?" Stephanie asked.
"That's the sign of the Five," Kol explained, "Klaus and Rebekah know more about them than I do, but the gist is that they're these magical vampire hunters. They mean business. It's curious though, because I don't think they've been around for a very, very long time."
Bonnie looks at Kol, eyes hard and he notices the sharp contrast from her to Stephanie Salvatore; Bonnie is all sharp edges and Stephanie is folded into herself, but still somehow good. Guilty, but apologetic. Innocent looking. Bonnie looked like a warrior. Stephanie looked like a marionette whose strings had been cut.
"If the Five are here and alive, we're all – to use a term of the twenty first century – very screwed," Kol announced.
"You're full of crazy theories today, aren't you?" Bonnie asked, even as she invited Stephanie in and settled them in the living room to listen for an explanation. Even Abby crept down the stairs to listen.
"They're not crazy, and they're certainly not just theories," Kol scoffed. "I'm positive the Council was killed for an Expression sacrifice and I'm all certain that those markings are of the Five. The real question is whether it's a real Hunter that's using them."
"Tell us about the Five, then," Stephanie commanded, "And then explain to me what you just said about Expression."
Bonnie leveled a glare at Kol and so he began to talk.
"Well, in the twelfth century and before my lovely brother locked me up in a box, there was a witch that created this organization of vampire hunters . . ."
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Damon immediately went to the church as soon as he received Matt's hurried call. He found Elena in the bathroom. But it appeared that someone had beaten him there.
"Oh, it's you again," Damon said, eyeing the man from the Grill. "Do you stalk small town funerals or something?" He knocked sharply on the door and his hand tightened on the dress he'd brought for Elena.
"In a minute," She called Damon felt his heart constrict when he heard the pain in her voice.
"It's me," Damon murmured.
The door opened and the man leaned forwards. Elena poked out her head and took the proffered dress from Damon's hands. "Sorry, I spilled coffee all over my dress." She ducked back into the bathroom and sent Damon a wide eyed looked. He nodded at her. I'll take care of this.
"We have not met," The man said as the bathroom door shut again. Damon's phone vibrated. He glanced at the text from Stephanie. NEW GUY – DANGEROUS. DON'T TOUCH HIS GLOVES. I'LL EXPLAIN LATER. "I'm Connor . . . Jordan." Connor Jordan offered his hand.
"Damon . . . Germaphobe," Damon smirked. "Ready, Elena?" he called.
"Yeah, just a minute," She called back.
"So, what brings you to Mystic Falls?" Damon inquired lightly. "Bible salesman?"
Connor chuckled. "No, no . . . I'm in environmental cleanup."
"Oh," Damon flicked his eyebrows.
"Yeah, I heard you had a bit of an infestation."
"Huh," Damon nodded coolly. "I wasn't aware. I mean, I breath pretty easy."
"Uh huh."
The bathroom door flew open. "I am so sorry that took so long," Elena apologized and Damon's hand found hers. He squeezed in reassurance and she squeezed tightly back. He pulled her towards him.
"It's perfectly fine," Connor told Elena and Damon narrowed his eyes at the predatory look in his eyes.
"Well, I hope you enjoy your stay," Damon told Connor airily, "because we love visitors and the scenery is simply to die for." He put a hand to his mouth. "Huh! Funeral pun! Too soon?" Elena gave him a ghost of a smile and gently swatted him.
"See you, Mr. Connor Jordan," Damon said and brushed passed the man, hand in hand with Elena.
Once they were out of sight and hearing range, Damon asked quietly, "Are you okay?"
"That animal blood didn't go down very well," She admitted.
"I told you," Damon rolled his eyes.
"I just don't want to hurt someone," Elena said quietly.
"You won't, not if you let me help you," Damon stopped her and cupped her face in his hands. "The bunny diet isn't exactly a sure fire way to live. Look at Steph! She needs moderation and so do you."
Elena sighed.
"In the meantime, I have a solution," Damon began and his own heart began to race. He was excited and little bit nervous. They walked towards the church Sanctuary.
"What?"
"Just come on," Damon pulled her along, and dipped his fingers in holy water, crossing himself as he entered the Sanctuary.
"Damon," Elena hissed, "you're a vampire. That's – that's blasphemy!"
"Quiet down, trust me and forget about that," Damon urged.
"What is it?"
Damon and Elena found seats in the very crowded Sanctuary next to Jeremy, Anna, Matt, and Bonnie. On Bonnie's other side was Kol, being surprisingly well behaved. Stephanie sat next to Caroline and Tyler on the other side of the room.
Damon and Elena sat down.
"Drink from me," Damon whispered.
Elena furrowed her brows. "What?" She hissed. "Damon, we're in a church."
"It's a personal thing," Damon explained, "that vampires can do. It's like . . . vamp sex."
"All the more reason to not do it in church," She snapped and someone hushed her. She lowered her voice. "Explain," Elena demanded.
"Vampires blood share sometimes, when they really care about each other. Right now, since you don't want to drink from the vein and I don't have any blood bags, I thought this might be a good solution to your hunger," Damon suggested.
"Right now? Really?"
"You're starving because you refused to drink human blood," Damon snapped back, "and you're going to snap if you don't do something."
"I'll be fine," Elena turned away, "until the service is over."
"Elena-" Damon started, but Jeremy interceded.
"Let her alone, man." Damon rolled his eyes, but stopped pestering Elena. "Hey, Elena," Jeremy called quietly and Elena looked across Damon towards her brother.
"Jeremy! You got here, alright," She beamed. "I'm glad you're okay."
"You're not going to ignore the issue of you having him compel me," Jeremy stated flatly and Elena deflated. "But for now, I'll let it go. Just until after the memorial."
"Right."
"By the way, April was looking for you earlier," Jeremy said. "But I'm not sure where she went – she kind of just disappeared."
Across the room, Stephanie spoke quietly to Tyler. "What are you doing here?"
"Being sensitive to the community," Tyler whispered.
"Even with a Hunter after you? I explained about the Five thing, right?" She said shortly.
"Yeah," Tyler nodded, "but that won't scare me into running."
"And if he shows up, I'll kick his ass," Caroline smirked.
"You didn't listen to me at all, did you," Stephanie said flatly.
"What is this about hunters? And number fives? You never explained," Damon hissed. Their conversation was so low that no humans could possibly hear it, though all of the supernaturals did perfectly clear – as if they were all sitting together, alone.
"They're called The Brotherhood of the Five, actually darlings," Kol joined their quiet conversation. "That's the collective term to describe the first in a class of supernaturally gifted vampire hunters. It's all very complicated," Kol said, "but the hunters are dangerous. They're supernatural. And our new friend Connor Jordan seems to be one of them."
Kol was interrupted then, but it appeared as though that was all he was going to say on the matter.
"Before we begin the mass, we'd like to open the floor for anyone who wanted to say a few words," Carol Lockwood stepped up in front of the crowd and the supernaturals' conversation faded for the moment. "I know April Young wanted to say a few words for her dad . . . April, are you still here, honey?" There was a moment of silence, in which Jeremy looked around the Sanctuary for the girl. Carol continued. "Well, is there anyone else?"
Elena slowly stood.
"Come on up, Elena," Carol said.
"What are you doing?" Damon hissed.
"I need to say something," She said quietly and then went up towards the stage. Carol moved a little to the left and Elena took the podium and adjusted the microphone. She cleared her throat. "I'm sure that April wanted to talk today, but found herself nervous. I'm nervous too, actually." Was that her voice shaking? Was it from hunger? Grief? Fear of the new dangers in town? Fear from the fact that even though Klaus was gone, there was a new hunter and someone killing people in droves?
"The worst day of loving someone is the day you lose them." She heard a drip of something thick . . . and it smelled . . .
"Did you hear something?" Elena heard Caroline whisper.
"Blood," Tyler whispered.
"Nobody move. Don't turn around, it's a trap," Damon announced to their small listening supernatural community.
"The hunter is trying to smoke us out," Kol observed admiringly, "he's smart." His voice turned dark, "I'd appreciate it more if he weren't trying to kill us."
Elena breathed heavily through his mouth, "And . . . I . . . um," and suddenly Steph's arms were around her. The shorter vampire's arms were strong as they circled Elena, and Steph's footsteps were assured as she led her away.
"I got you," Her friend whispered, "come on, let's get you back sitting." The new Pastor's voice was soft in the background as he asked everyone to open their bibles.
"Stephanie, the blood," Elena gasped quietly.
"I know," Steph said grimly and she took Elena to Damon, where she passed off her friend into his arms. "Here, focus," She whispered as Elena stuck her nose into Damon's neck. "Breathe slowly."
"What's the matter with her?" Matt hissed.
"She's hungry and she hasn't fed," Stephanie murmured.
"Then get her out of here," Matt told her.
"We can't, there's someone watching us," Stephanie replied. Even so, her eyes swept the church, searching for the hunter to no avail.
"Here, Elena," Damon said and guided her face to an artery in his own neck. "This'll tide you over until we get out of church." Elena's face was already changing.
"Are you sure?" Stephanie asked him. "Have you shared before?"
"No, but it'll be fine," Damon hissed and Elena gripped him tightly; he gripped Elena's elbows in response.
"You know how overwhelming it is the first time," Stephanie shot back.
"We can handle it." Their voices were mostly background noise to Elena as her fangs slipped through her gums and then into the pale skin of Damon's neck. Blood gushed into her mouth and she drank hungrily – the only thing that kept her quiet was the pressing knowledge that they were surrounded by humans and an apparently supernatural hunter. A moment later, Elena felt something more than her hunger sated; she could actually feel Damon in her mind. It was a burst of pure Damon; spice and protectiveness and insecurity and love.
She was soon lost in him and felt herself open up and knew that he felt the same – he was lost in the sea of her thoughts as much as she in his.
Suddenly hands were gently prying them apart, a feminine voice apologetically saying that they were beginning to attract attention.
Elena came back to herself and felt full for the first time since she'd turned. She looked up at Damon's face, his serene face.
"What was that?" She whispered dreamily.
"Blood sharing," Elena was pleasantly surprised to find that his tone matched hers; happy and sated. "Like I said, vamp sex." She would scold him later. The wound on his neck healed, though a tiny part of her wished that some mark would be left – Damon Salvatore was hers.
"I feel like a voyeur," Kol complained and that snapped Elena back to the present sharply. They were in a church, surrounded by humans and a crazy hunter.
"Blood, I still smell it," Elena stated, "I think it's April."
"Then we need to help her," Jeremy joined their quiet conversation. "If she's in trouble, we have to help. She doesn't know about any of this supernatural stuff and I think it would be best if we kept it that way."
"We can't help her without exposing ourselves to the hunter," Stephanie explained.
"Excuse me," A voice interrupted at the microphone and everyone turned their heads. It was Tyler. "I would like to say a few words."
"What is he doing?" Caroline hissed.
"Giving us time," Steph realized.
"No, he's providing a distraction," Damon said just as a bullet tore through the air and buried itself into Tyler's chest. Everyone immediately screamed and the people scrambled, rushing to get out of the building in case the shooter came for them next. Damon jumped from his seat. "I'm going after the hunter."
"I'll come too," Kol announced.
"You can't help," Damon told him scathingly, "because of that spell Bonnie put on you. S what are you going to do?"
"Be your cheerleader, of course," Kol said cheekily.
"Right," Damon rolled his eyes and they quickly ran out of the sanctuary and went to locate the hunter. In the front of the room, Carol had dropped down next to her son while someone called an ambulance. Caroline sprinted to his side as fast as she could without being suspicious, and fretted. She ripped out the stake that pierced his chest from the gun.
Stephanie and Elena joined them after sending their human and witch friends out of the Sanctuary.
"I'm gonna find that bastard and kill him," Tyler choked out when Steph and Elena got to them.
"Damon is way ahead of you," Stephanie informed him and then turned to Elena, "I'm going after him." She chased after Damon and Kol, only to find them both riddled with bullets and lying on the cold, hard ground.
"Where' the Hunter?" She demanded. "And are you okay?" She leant Damon a hand.
He coughed, clasped her hand and let her pull him up. "He shot at us and would have killed me."
"But I saved him," Kol smirked, "so, you're welcome."
"Thanks, Kol," Stephanie said honestly and then repeated, "but where did the Hunter go?"
Damon waved a hand. "Off. Thataway."
"What happened back in the church?" Kol asked.
"They called an ambulance and they'll probably put Tyler in the hospital for appearances. Elena and Caroline are with him," Stephanie explained and they could hear the sirens. "Matt, Bonnie, and Anna and Jeremy left together."
The three vampires looked after the hunter's truck. His door was lying on the cement ground. "Do I want to know?" Stephanie asked.
"Got a bit enthusiastic," Kol shrugged.
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Night had fallen, and Matt and Jeremy stood at the bar in the Grill. Anna was behind the counter, and Matt about to join her. They had to pay the bills somehow, after all, and somehow the Grill was still open despite the memorial and then the shooting.
They'd found Elena and everyone after the fact and learned that April had been tied up and injured above their heads the entire time. Caroline and Elena had clearly been leaving something out, but they weren't saying a word about it otherwise.
Bonnie and Kol had disappeared.
"I didn't get a chance to ask," Matt said, "but how are you? Um, how was the flight from Denver?"
"Fine," Jeremy rubbed a hand across his face. "I can't believe Alaric's dead though. I mean – he was like a dad to us. And then apparently he went evil. And then he died. All while I was at Denver, because Elena thought I needed to be protected. I kind of understand and I miss the normalcy a bit but I'm also really pissed at her and Damon and Stephanie."
"Sorry, shouldn't have asked," Matt muttered.
"It's cool," Jeremy sighed. "I needed to get that off of my chest."
"Not to mention," Anna popped her head around the counter, "Stephanie's free from Klaus' compulsion and the big guy is desiccating underground right now. So, there's a plus."
"There's that, too," Jeremy muttered. "I don't know to say to her. I'm glad you're back, but I'm really confused about what I feel for you now?"
Matt and Anna shrugged.
Jeremy's phone buzzed and he looked at it. "Speaking of, I just got a text to meet her somewhere. Says to bring you guys too."
Matt and Anna exchanged glances. "Might as well," Anna said and then hopped over the counter. She and Matt clasped hands and went ahead. Jeremy looked at the guy sitting a couple of seats down and noticed his very expansive tattoo.
"Nice ink," He called and the man glanced up, surprised.
"Come on, Jeremy," Matt called.
Jeremy caught up to them, and Matt clapped a hand to his back. "I heard you back there; but Jeremy, that man didn't have a tattoo."
"Yeah, he did."
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Jeremy, Matt, and Anna went to the meeting place - the high school, ironically – and found that everyone else was already there. Everyone but Bonnie and Kol, that was.
"What are we doing here?" Damon asked as soon as the trio seated themselves on a picnic table.
"We're finishing the memorial we didn't get to have," Stephanie replied and began to hand out paper lanterns. "We've all lost so much, especially recently, we've all become numb to it. We joke about it, push it away . . . we need to just let ourselves grieve."
"So we're lighting paper lanterns?"
"Yeah. It's what we need to do," Steph said firmly.
"No, Stephanie, what we need to do is find Kol and make his ass tell us everything else he knows about the hunter, and then find the hunter, and kill him. We have more important things to be doing right now than this."
Steph ignored him and took a paper lantern and lit it. "This is for my Uncle Zach and for Alaric."
"This is for Vicki," Matt joined her.
"This is for my dad, and for Tyler's," Caroline said and lit hers.
"This for our parents, for Vicki, Jenna, and Alaric." Jeremy said and handed a lantern to Damon.
He lifted his hands. "No way. Not doing it."
"Damon, please," Stephanie murmured.
"Not tonight, Stephanie." He turned around and strode away to his car and everyone heard the door slam shut and then it sped off.
Anna took a lantern in his wake. "This is for my mom."
Elena took a breath and then a lantern. "So, this is for my mom, my dad, Jenna . . . everyone that we've all lost, everyone this town has lost . . . and for me, I guess." One by one, they let the lanterns fly away into the dark sky.
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.
"They're floating lanterns into the sky, can you believe that? Japanese lanterns are a symbol of letting go of the past . . . well, guess what? We're not Japanese! You know what they are, though? Children. They're all children, thinking that lighting candles or saying a prayer will make all of our problems go away. Or pretending that Elena won't end up like all the rest of us murderous vampires . . . they're all stupid and delusional." He took a sit of his bourbon. Adjusted his position on Alaric's headstone. "And I know what you're going to say. 'It makes them feel better, Damon.' Well, for how long? A minute? A day? What difference does it make? Because in the end, when you lose somebody, every candle, every prayer is not going to make up for the fact that the only thing you have left is a hole in your heart where that person used to be. And a rock. And a birthday card that I'm pretty sure spelled your name wrong. So thanks, friend. Thanks for leaving me to babysit. I'm stuck here taking care of the kids."
Damon sighed and stood, leaving the headstone behind.
"I miss you, buddy."
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"I want to do it."
Kol looked up curiously from his place on the couch. "Hm?"
"I'm tired of going to funerals. I'm tired of going to memorials. That text from Stephanie? She wanted us to have a memorial for everyone we lost. I'm tired of needing to do that, Kol. I'm just so tired of death."
"What, exactly, do you propose I do about that, darling?" Kol asked quietly.
"Nothing," Bonnie said flatly, "There's nothing you can do. But there's something I can do."
"What's that?" Kol could feel the anticipation crawling up his skin.
"I'm going to use the sacrifice to channel Expression," Bonnie announced. "And then I'll finally be strong enough to kill people like Klaus – I'll be able to help my mom by giving her magic back. I can protect myself. I can protect my friends." She whirled onto Kol, dark eyes flashing. "But, first, you're going to explain everything you know about the hunters."
Kol eyed her carefully. The hunters were dangerous and he'd been planning on sharing at least some of the information eventually, but if she thought he would only part with it for a trade . . . "What's in it for me?"
"I'll give you your magic back when I channel Expression," Bonnie promised. "But I refuse to remove the spell that keeps you from harming other beings."
It was the thing that Kol had wanted for centuries – the goal he'd been trying to reach this entire time – all traded for some information he'd have given – for the most part – freely. He could hardly contain his glee. "Alright, then. The first thing you need to know is about a man called Silas - Silas is an immortal witch, but temporarily put down and will stay that unless someone releases him. The second thing you need to know is that you should never release Silas. I've traveled with witches, darling, and most were of the same opinion; Silas is a force not to be trifled with."
"Why?" Bonnie wondered.
"He'll bring hell on earth," Kol warned darkly, "Just ask your mum about that. He wants to drop the veil to the Other Side for various reasons, which would release all of the dead supernaturals – and I mean every single one that has ever died since the dawn of time." Seeing Bonnie's horror, he nodded. "See? And you all thought that I was evil.
"There was only ever one coven that held Silas in high esteem. I made sure to get rid of them before they could raise him from whatever pit he's in.
Bonnie clearly disapproved of his killing, but she said nothing about it. "What else?"
"Qetsiyah. All I know is that she's his vengeful lover and the one who put him down," Kol shrugged. "She was a witch as well. It was one of her descendants that created the Five – they wanted to further her mission to make sure Silas was destroyed. And there's only one way to really kill him."
"So the Five only want to kill Silas? Then why attack Tyler and the vampires here?" Bonnie demanded.
Kol shrugged. "Therein lies our dilemma, little witch. Every other hunter has had a tattoo on his arm; this one, none. It proposes a certain mystery."
"What's the significance of the tattoo?"
"It's a map to the thing that can kill Silas," Kol explained. "No one knows what that is, exactly. The fact that we can't see the tattoo or that it's just not there is a strange thing. I'd have to talk to Nik or Rebekah to see if they knew anything."
"Well, we're not digging up Klaus," Bonnie warned, "and if Rebekah finds out what we did, she'll kill us."
"Elijah might know," Kol offered.
". . . he's loyal to his family and that's it," Bonnie shook her head. "No."
"Well, Finn's not welcome here, so I don't know what to tell you, darling," Kol said. "Anything else you want to know?"
Bonnie thought about for a long moment. "Are you going to leave as soon as I give you your magic back?"
That was certainly not what he was expecting. "Probably not. I've found that I like Mystic Falls. Although, if it's a requirement to give me my magic back, I'll gladly go."
Bonnie was clearly weighing her options; Kol could see the wheels turning in her head. He was a good source of information and he couldn't cause any more trouble now that she'd effectively "neutered" him. Finally, she came to a decision. "No, you don't have to go. But don't mistake this for affection; I still don't like you."
"Of course, darling. I would never."
"Then, let's get down to business. How do I channel Expression?"
Kol smirked.
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Tbc.