Chapter 2

Stefan stared out the window of his home while he waited for the pot of water he'd put on the stove to start boiling. He was making dinner for himself and his new girlfriend, Ivy-but his heart wasn't really in it. His heart hadn't really been in anything he'd been doing during the last three months.

Those first few weeks after losing Damon, he'd struggled to try and find a way to bring him back. He'd followed every lead Alaric had given him, but they'd all come to no avail. No matter what avenue he'd searched, he always found the same thing: nothing.

Eventually, he'd had to cut himself off from Alaric, and everyone else from his old life, because talking to them only reminded him of what he had lost. Damon had been his big brother-and now he was gone. And instead of clinging on to some empty hope of bringing him back, Stefan had decided to start over.

He'd gotten a job, and bought a house. He was seeing someone new. He should have been happy. But it was all a lie-just a desperate attempt to move on, to bury the all-consuming grief he felt at losing the only family he'd had left.

He sighed, turning away from the window and returning to his cooking. This was part of his effort to move on: doing mundane things like cooking dinner, trying to act like a human and not a vampire.

A little while later, though, he was interrupted by the sound of Ivy calling to him from the front hallway.

Lowering the heat on the stove, he rushed out of the kitchen to greet her, pasting a smile on his face. "Hey," he said in a forcibly welcoming tone. "You're a little early."

"Yeah, well, I ran into someone on my way here. He said he was a friend of yours and that he needed to see you right away," Ivy replied with a slight frown, stepping aside and holding the door open to admit her companion.

The last person Stefan expected to see walk through that door was Enzo-but that was exactly who came striding in after Ivy, arms spread in a gesture of exaggerated excitement.

"Stefan!" the British-Irish vampire crowed loudly in a tone of feigned camaraderie. "You are a hard man to track down! I wasn't sure if your new friend here would invite me in-but she said this was your place, which means open invitation for all your mates, right?"

He grinned, not seeming at all fazed by the fact that Stefan was glaring daggers at him. His focus was more on the fact that the other Salvatore was shacked up with some random tart instead of searching for his brother like everyone thought he was. That raised his ire exponentially; it would be one thing if Stefan had been alone and grieving, but he wasn't. He was playing human again.

Well, Enzo thought vindictively as he returned the younger Salvatore's distasteful gaze without flinching. I'll just have to put an end to that charade.

Knowing it would irritate Stefan even further, he made a beeline for the kitchen before the other vampire could say a word.

"Got any bourbon?" he asked cheekily as he passed Stefan, rubbing his hands together.

He sensed that Stefan probably wanted to stop him and demand to know what he was doing there-but, unfortunately for Stefan, Ivy was still standing in the room. Enzo knew she would probably be looking at Stefan with confusion and Stefan wouldn't want to alarm her by revealing that they were just about the furthest thing from friends.

Enzo couldn't stop his grin from widening at that thought as he entered the kitchen and began making a show of rooting through the cupboards. He knew Stefan would hear him and he knew that the younger Salvatore would be even less pleased about it.

So, he wasn't at all surprised when a hand fell on his shoulder and wrenched him around forcefully to meet Stefan's clearly fuming gaze.

"What the hell are you doing here?" the younger Salvatore hissed at Enzo in an undertone, eyeing the entrance to the other room, no doubt making sure that his girlfriend wouldn't overhear.

Enzo's grin turned into a fully-fledged smirk at Stefan's less-than-pleased expression.

"Now, Stefan, is that any way to talk to a friend?" he mock chided, shaking his head disparagingly. Letting out a cold chuckle, he added, "By the way, that's a great-looking girl you've got there. I can see why you've been with her, instead of searching for a way to bring your only brother back from the dead."

He saw Stefan's eyes darken at his words, but Ivy entered before he could make any kind of retort.

"So, Enzo," Ivy addressed the dark-haired vampire with obviously forced cheerfulness. "How do you know Stefan? He's never mentioned you before."

Enzo quickly altered his smirk into a winning smile.

"Oh, he probably didn't want to brag," he dismissed her last statement, throwing an arm around Stefan's shoulders in a brotherly manner, unconcerned when he felt Stefan tense. "But Stefan and I go way back. In fact, he invited me up here for dinner tonight; but obviously, he forgot to tell you. Do you mind? I'm starving."

Before Stefan could say anything to debunk his claims, Ivy nodded, smiling. "Of course not, if Stefan invited you. The more the merrier," she consented, turning to her boyfriend.

Stefan knew he was trapped as Enzo made his way over to the dining room table and planted himself in one of the wicker chairs. He couldn't kick Enzo out now, or else Ivy would start asking questions he didn't really want to answer-so he had no choice but to play Enzo's game.

"Yeah, sorry I didn't tell you. I must have forgotten," he apologized, still with that same forced smile on his face. "I'll go get the plates."

Enzo shot Stefan's retreating back a withering glance, then turned back to Ivy, swinging his boots up onto the chair next to him. The human girl was putting on a good front, but Enzo could tell that she was suspicious of his presence-and, moreover, of Stefan's connection to him, and that amused him. So, the girl wasn't an idiot-which begged the question of why she was dating Stefan when it was obvious she didn't know very much about him.

Well, maybe this dinner would help him figure it out.

Enzo watched Stefan coolly out of the corner of his eye while he ate, gaze following the other vampire as Stefan carried another bowl over to the dining room table. He could see how tense his presence was making the younger Salvatore-and, to be quite honest, he was enjoying seeing Stefan squirm. He didn't deserve to be relaxed-not with everything that had happened- and Enzo didn't intend to make things any better for him.

"Good stuff, mate," he commented sardonically as Stefan sat down beside him, glaring at him with narrowed eyes.

The Salvatore forced himself not to snap; he knew the compliment wasn't a real one, but, conscious of Ivy's presence, he acted like it was, acknowledging it with a slight nod.

"So, you didn't answer my question from earlier, Enzo: how do you know Stefan?" Ivy cut in curiously. Stefan had to force himself not to flinch at that; he dreaded what Enzo would tell her. The truth wasn't exactly something he wanted to hear-especially if Enzo was the one telling it.

Enzo could tell that Stefan didn't want him to answer Ivy's question-or at least, not honestly. Luckily for Stefan, Enzo didn't want to scare her off quite yet, so he answered with only a vague version of the truth.

"Well, we actually met through Stefan's older brother, Damon. We weren't too fond of each other at first, but, after a while, we became the best of friends. I even helped him through his recent breakup," Enzo said with false cheeriness. "I had no idea that he'd met someone new already. How did you two meet?"

He heard Stefan sigh and saw how uncomfortable the younger Salvatore was with the topic. Good, he thought viciously, staring holes into Stefan's face, making it clear that he expected an answer.

Stefan exhaled heavily and steeled himself to reply in as calm a tone as he could muster.

"Ivy's car was in the shop," he started, reluctant to give the whole story; but, knowing it would probably come out, anyway, he finished, "Where I work."

The smile on Enzo's lips turned faintly mocking.

"Oh, you're working in an auto repair shop now?" he quipped, eyebrows lifting at that news. So, not only had Stefan gotten himself a new girlfriend, but a job as well. And, while everyone had thought he'd been searching for a way to bring Damon and the witch back, he'd been messing with other people's cars. Enzo had to force himself not to ram his fork into Stefan's eye; he couldn't believe this.

Apparently oblivious to Enzo's anger, but sensing the other vampire's incredulity, he said, "It's relaxing."

A derisive chuckle spilled out of Enzo's mouth at that, and he lowered his chin, trying to muffle it. His amusement only grew, though, when Stefan's girlfriend asked in a predictably clueless manner, "Why, what did you used to do?"

"Oh, a man of all seasons, jack of all trades," Enzo piped up before Stefan could open his mouth, pretending to be enthusiastic. Then, getting tired of the false domesticity, he decided to give Ivy a clue, and, with his gaze back on her, added, "Oh, you have a lovely clavicle, by the way."

"Oh, thank you-I think," Ivy responded with a mix of surprise and gratitude, sweeping her hair back a bit uncomfortably at the strange comment.

Enzo couldn't hide his mirth at her obvious confusion at the strange observation, and he knew pushing the boundaries on this line of conversation would seriously piss Stefan off-which was why he did exactly that.

"Forgive me, I always notice a woman's neck. I'm a neck person." He turned to the vampire beside him, eyes gleaming. "So is Stefan, right, Stefan?"

"Not anymore," Stefan denied the comment quickly, barely even looking at him; unfortunately, that only served to spur Enzo on more.

"Well, that's silly. You can't just stop being a neck person," he commented, as if the prospect were ridiculous. And honestly, to him, the way Stefan denied his vampiric nature was ridiculous-which was really where he was going with this.

He had to suppress a laugh when Stefan practically jumped out of his seat, saying, "Who wants more wine?!" and then heard him mutter, "I know I do." He knew he was getting under Stefan's skin, and he liked it. He definitely wasn't going to stop-not just yet.

"I heard that, Stefan," he called out. Then, turning back to Ivy, he added, "I have supersensitive hearing, practically supernatural. Do you believe in the supernatural, Ivy?"

Ivy wasn't immediately forthcoming with an answer, appearing to have to think about it. "Uh…I never really thought about it," she said non-committally, lifting of her shoulders in a shrug.

Enzo nodded.

"Well, I myself, I'm a believer," he declared. "Had to get a witch to do a locator spell to find my buddy here."

He saw Stefan freeze at that and felt an immense sense of vindication. Ivy seemed content to just laught it off, but Stefan was definitely on alert-even as he continued going through the motions of uncorking another bottle of wine.

"So, Stefan," Enzo called over to him, deciding to change the subject a little. "Tell me. This house, very charming. When did you get it?"

Still not looking at him, focusing instead on pouring himself another glass of wine, Stefan responded in a casual tone. "About a month or so ago." That wasn't exactly right, but he didn't want to tell Enzo that.

Unfortunately, Ivy just had to correct him. "No, more than that, remember? We met two months ago, and you already had it."

Enzo narrowed his eyes, glaring accusingly at the back of Stefan's head.

"You've lived here for more than two months?" he repeated coldly as Stefan sat back down. "Well, no wonder it was so hard to find you. We all thought you were living somewhere else, and doing a different job-not auto repair." He sighed. "Obviously, there was some sort of misunderstanding-but perhaps this will clear it all up."

Ivy let out a horrified scream as he finally gave into his urge and stabbed his fork into Stefan's hand pinning it on top of the table. Enzo didn't care, though-he'd had enough of these games. He felt only satisfaction at seeing the pain on Stefan's face. He wanted to cause him pain-and not just physically.

Taking advantage of the momentarily paralysis of both Stefan and Ivy, Enzo got out of his chair and strode around the table, grabbing Ivy out of her chair by the neck.

"Oh my god!" Ivy cried out, freaked out by seeing her boyfriend get stabbed-and by the hands that were now on either side of her chin, holding her firmly in place.

Seeing the threat, Stefan angrily wrenched the fork out of his hands and got back onto his feet as well. "What the hell is wrong with you? Let her go!" he demanded vehemently.

"Okay," Enzo acquiesced carelessly-and he snapped her neck like it was nothing.

Growling low in his throat, Stefan launched himself at Enzo, intent on making him pay-but Enzo shoved him back, knocking him onto the floor.

"What kind of coward are you?" he hissed venomously, looking down at Stefan with what could only be described as disgust, and shaking his head.

"I asked Alaric where you were because I thought you were still looking for a way to get Damon back. In fact, that's what all of your friends thought. But, instead, you've been here, playing human with some girl while Damon is rotting in oblivion. What kind of person just gives up on his only brother?"

Despite being on his back with Enzo looming over him like a hunter about to go in for the kill, Stefan still managed to shoot him a defiant look.

"I don't have to explain myself to you," he spat acidly. He made to get to his feet, but was once again sent sprawling by the younger vampire.

"You're right, you don't," Enzo conceded softly. "And I wouldn't listen, anyways. Because there is no explanation for what you're doing-or rather, not doing. I can't see why they trusted you with this; I don't see why anyone would trust you with anything."

He paused to let out a cruel, disparaging laugh before continuing in an ironically conversational tone.

"You know, Damon once told me that he promised you an eternity of misery. And I remember thinking, well, what could his brother have ever done to inspire so much hatred. But now, I get it." He raked Stefan with a repulsed look. "You're not a brother to him. Brothers don't give up. So, every time I see you doing something that looks like you've done so, every time you try to start over in a life that's nothing but a lie, I will make you pay. I will be the one to bring you the misery you deserve."

Before Stefan could do anything, Enzo launched at him and snapped his neck, too.

Enzo exhaled heavily. He'd really been hoping to do this the easy way-but Stefan, of course, just had to complicate things.

Withdrawing a switchblade and a plastic tube from his pocket, he reached for Stefan's arm and slashed open his wrist.

Immediately after doing so, he positioned the plastic tube under the open wound and squeezed several drops of blood out of it before it closed up.

Putting the stopper in the tube, he slid it back into his pocket along with the knife, and, just before he left, he lowered his lips to Stefan's ear and whispered, "And I'll make sure Damon joins in on the fun when I get him back."

With that, he kicked aside Stefan's prone form and exited the silent house without a backward glance. He had what he needed now, and he pulled out his phone and texted Jo to let her know.

She texted him back only a few seconds later, telling him where to meet her-the Old Ferrel's Church a few miles outside of Mystic Falls-and he headed there straight away.

It was ironic that a spell like this would have to take place in a church, Enzo observed to himself as he entered the building where he and Jo were supposed to meet. Bringing back the dead wasn't exactly the holiest of rituals-and yet it was required to be performed in the most holiest of places.

Strangely, though, Enzo found himself more drawn to the dancing candle flames than to anything else in the otherwise unlit congregation room. The stained glass windows, the velveteen carpeting, even the jet-black altar positioned on the raised platform at the end of the hall paled in comparison to the unearthliness of those flames.

The bright green glow illuminated the stone walls and gave them a rather eerie appearance, almost as if they were covered by acid. Such was the manifestation of dark magic.

All around him, there were candles with the same phosphorescent flames burning at the end of the wicks; there was no other source of light. In the shadows was where the true power lay sleeping: it was that power that had brought him here, He wanted to use it, because it was the only thing strong enough to perform the ritual he needed to resurrect his dead best friend.

"I have everything I need," the woman standing behind the altar called to him, drawing his attention away from the candle flames. He turned around to face her, an eyebrow raised as she continued to speak. "That is, assuming you brought the final piece?"

A mirthless grin twisted the vampire's lips as he drew it out of his back pocket, holding it up for her to see.

"It's right here," he replied smoothly.

His companion grinned. "Good," she said, beckoning him to join her. "Bring it here. Then, we can begin."

Enzo hastened to join her on the raised platform, placing the crimson-filled tube into her outstretched hand as the clock overhead struck the next hour.

Taking it from him, and taking a deep breath, Jo closed her eyes and commenced with her spell.

"Spiritum oblivionis, et clamor meus ad nocationem," she began to chant lowly, pressing her empty hand to the smooth surface of the black stone. "Et aperuentibi portas et liberet eum qui habet hanc sanguis."

All around her, the candle flames began to roar. Acid green fire spread along the walls and formed a ring around them, bathing everything in a haunting glow.

"And now for the blood," Jo declared as the floor shook beneath their feet and cracks began to spiderweb across the surface of the altar. She unstoppered the tube and tipped it upside down so the dark red fluid inside spilled onto the stone.

Tossing the tube aside, she pressed her fingers into the crimson liquid and began to move them, painting a curved symbol into the center of the altar as she repeated her chant over and over again.

As the pitch of her voice gradually dropped lower and lower, the cracks in the altar grew steadily larger. Piece by piece, it began to melt into a swirling black hole at their feet.

An unearthly gust of wind roared through the chamber, snuffing out the candles and plunging the two inhabitants into complete darkness.

Jo stopped chanting, then, raising her hands on either side of her and focusing on the dark void before her. "Veni foras!" she called out, flicking her fingers.

Beside her, Enzo watched in mild bemusement as the shadows surrounding them came alive. The wind howled in his ears, and his vision was momentarily obscured.

As it slowly cleared, he was able to see the darkness coalesce into a distinctly familiar form that sprawled out, lying in front of him, and he grinned with a mixture of satisfaction and relief. The ritual had actually succeeded-and he finally had his best friend back.