Damon was attempting to keep his cool -

Did the rescue of his least favorite former after school snack turned "best new vamp ever" go as planned? No. Did they need Elijah's pet witch or wizard - does gender make a difference in the title? Was this Hogwarts? Does he care? NO. The point was they didn't really need the help. Baby Brother Hero Hair would probably disagree.

Why would he ever think ripping apart MORE werewolves would - blah blah blah - but let Saint Elijah send in the mystical woo woo's to punish the hounds with mystical pain and suffering and that's fine. Is that fair? Does that make it OK? Apparently Baby Brother Hero Hair thought so, and of course Elena -

Could a vampire go blind from rolling their eyes? Because he might be in danger.

Abigail was gaining a newfound appreciation for the family tome - and her powers over it - so much so that she lost track of time. A Godsend and a blessing if there ever was one. It made her lose track of how long Caroline was waiting for rescue at the hands of people that she hoped wouldn't harm her, but there was a curse to her powers that allowed her to know that wasn't the case. These people wanted her to hurt as badly as they felt their lost comrade had - for nothing more than the fact that she was a vampire and that she had a tangible relationship to Damon and Stefan.

When news came, it didn't come from Ric or from Damon. The knock sounded as she was putting the finishing touches on her dinner. Dusk was overtaking the day, and she was thinking how strange it was that she hadn't gotten a call or text to warn her of a potential visit - rarely did anyone just arrive unannounced.

Making her way to the door, she contemplated who might be arriving and wondered if perhaps Elijah was finally making good on his nightly promises.

"Good evening, Miss Morgan," instead, standing on her doorstep, looking down at her and somewhat abashed, was Dr. Jonah Martin.

"Hello again, Dr. Martin," she wasn't as surprised as she could have been - it wasn't Elijah, but it was someone connected to him. "I just made dinner, won't you come in?"

They were seated at her kitchen table. Since he refused to join her, saying he was planning on eating with his son later, she chose to dine at her smaller table in the kitchen. He did agree to a glass of Damon's leftover bourbon, which he held between both of his hands, as if gathering some power from the cut glass of the tumbler. The overhead light glittered off of the honey brown of the liquor and she thought it looked strange in his hands, odd after seeing it in another's so often, but that was neither here nor there.

"Thank you," he finally took a sip from the glass, breaking her away from thoughts that she no longer wanted to be trapped in - and since she was free from them, she picked up her fork and chose to pick at her dinner, before it could grow too cold to appreciate.

"Why have you come?" There was a time that she wouldn't have dared ask such a rude question. It would have mortified her sensibilities as a hostess, but that was then and this was now - different time and different manners - and magic or not, Elijah or no - she barely knew the man sitting across from her.

He chuckled around the sip he was taking. Clearly she was growing into both her powers and her confidence.

"Why am I here?" He sighed, and Abigail realized that her question and his went far deeper than either might have meant. "Why are you still here?" He bartered.

It was her turn to laugh, not quite humorless, not as tinged in darkness, but not as light and musical as it once might have been either.

"I used to answer that question with 'this is my home' -" she took a bite of her food, chewing carefully as she considered how she'd answer it now. "It's still home," she realized, but not the only home she felt close to - Gloria's in Chicago flashed to mind and Marcel's in New Orleans came rushing forward too - "And I have people here that I care about -"

"And someone coming closer by the hour that you want to know more about," he finished for her. Another sigh and he sat back, keeping the glass in his hands. "The wolves are gone, the vampire is safe. All of the vampires are safe." She nodded, eating bit by bit, absently. "Are you sure -" he stopped and she stared at him, waiting, but he didn't say another word.

She studied him, he looked exhausted, not simply from using his powers but something else - something deeper. "Why are you in his service?" She didn't have to use Elijah's name, and she felt like it would have made him more uncomfortable if she had.

His attention went back to the glass, to the remaining liquid and she wondered if she should offer him more, but he shakes his head and sits the glass down on the table. "Why am I in his service?" It was as if he was searching himself for the answer, or trying desperately to find the best way to answer it. "You know there are others -" he looked up to see her watching him and she nodded her understanding, he meant Klaus and the other siblings. "My daughter is with - she chose his brother's side." Abigail's brow furrowed, trying to understand, but she had no idea what was going on with Elijah, Elena, Klaus and the rest - "You really have no idea?"

"What do you mean?"

And so, over the rest of Damon's bottle of bourbon, and finally convincing Jonah to eat something, Abigail learned precisely what was going on in her hometown - why precisely Elijah was growing closer and what part Elena was playing in the mess of it. At least as far as Jonah could piece together, and given that he was an incredibly smart man, that was a truly vivid picture.

While Abigail and Jonah were enjoying bourbon and dinner - fully platonically - in the Salvatore Boarding House Damon was in that huge bathtub filled with bubbles and a news reporter named Andie Star.

And he was confessing - again. Telling her about loving a woman that didn't love him back - problem was he couldn't decide if he fully meant Elena or Abigail anymore - Elena of course, Elena. Elena was the one. Why he wanted to be a better man - one who didn't kill people - which he also confessed to, for some reason. Jesus, was he bitten by a wolf too?

Finally he compelled her and begged for the distraction she was supposed to be - a distraction and dinner. GOD DAMNIT. Then why did he keep hearing her? And seeing her? Even when he - bit into, damn it.