A/N: Hello everyone. I got some good news! My arm is getting better and so I was able to sit down, get settled and write! I hope things stay that way, too!
Enjoy!
Chapter 23
"Stefan and Lexi... sitting on a tree... I think I'm gonna be sick!"
Damon sang off key under his breath and fluttered around on the branch to find a more comfortable position. His claws were cramping and he had never been more bored.
He had decided on stalking Bella once more, but with Stefan being busy with Lexi, what the hell was *that* about?, the task was all up to him. Not that he minded but tonight the vampire/human weirdo was busy spending the evening with the wolf and his mate.
Wasn't that a strange friendship? A wolf having a mate with a vamp for a friend. A vamp that acted human. A vamp that casually sold out the sparklies at the town council?
Damon raised a wing to rub at his little forehead. He was giving himself a headache. Could ravens even take an aspirin? He doubted anyone would believe he accidentally killed himself by taking an aspirin while in bird form.
- - - Memories of a Past and a Future - - -
The wolf, the vamp and the human were fooling around in the living room and Damon was bored to tears. Until the vamp headed for the kitchen. Bella reached the freezer door and took out the most delectable chocolate log Damon had ever seen.
"Now we're talking"
He breathed and flew closer to the window ledge. He had a thing for chocolate even as a human and it had only gotten worse when he turned. Bella ignored the birdie completely, cut the log into thick slices, served it in three plates.
"Hey, not fair!"
And then put ice cream next to it. On one plate, her own Damon guessed, she swapped the caramel sauce she put on the other two for a thicker cream and Damon's eyes bugged out as he breathed in
"Blood. She's pouring blood on the treat. Now that's my kind of a woman"
Damon forgot all about manners as he flew from the kitchen windows to the den ones and shamelessly drooled. He only flew away when he caught the wolf's eyes and the wolf was laughing. At. Him
- - - Memories of a Past and a Future - - -
The day dawned grey, the air heavy with moisture. Jenna was at the kitchen table, a sheet of paper in front of her, studying it intently.
"You look ready to take exams, aunt Jenna"
Jeremy joked, stuffing his face.
"Speak with your mouth closed, kid or I'll lose my breakfast"
Bella told him from her own seat across the table, her manner of eating a lot more civilized.
"Where is your sister?"
Jeremy shrugged. He had no clue and didn't quite care to get one. He chewed on his last potato pancake, eyeing the soft leather pouch next to his plate. It was funny how a pinch of some dried herb was clearing his head. He'd been wearing the pouch for a while now and, for the first time since he'd start using drugs, he'd been able to remember his dreams. Dreams filled with his family, of memories from trips, visits to the park, days when he'd visit his dad to the practice to play his nurse.
"Dad was supposed to be there today."
He said softly, the wetness in his eyes betraying just how young he really was. Bella gently touched his hands
"You're right, your dad was supposed to go to career day, but he's not here anymore. Jenna's not so bad, is she? Besides, would your dad agree to wear dominatrix incognito makeup?"
The joke worked in lifting up the teenager's mood but it also resulted in Jenna throwing a piece if bacon at her. Bella shrieked and then laughed as she let Barkley eat Jenna's bacon
"Hey!"
"You throw it, the dog eats it"
Jenna, realizing Jeremy had eaten her own pancakes after finishing his, and she had just tossed her bacon to the loud-as-fuck furball, put down her notes for career day and, following tradition, grabbed Elena's breakfast plate.
"Where is Elena anyway?"
She echoed Bella's earlier question. This time it was Bella who shrugged as Jeremy was once again lost in thought.
- - - Memories of a Past and a Future - - -
Career day went well. Jenna had been mobbed with one useless question after another. She was walking alongside Liz Forbes in search of an aspirin.
"If one more person asks why TV cops are glammed up and wearing heels and yet I look like a frumpy mom, I'll practice my shooting on them!"
Jenna laughed at the older woman's expression.
"I was asked whether we get it on with the pilots or first class passengers"
Liz's expression turned from outrage to shock
"Seriously? Remind me to text Zach if there's a herb for teenage horniness too"
Liz semi-joked. Jjenna nodded, still mostly amused.
"You've got to admit though, today has been a career day for the books. You with flights, me with police, Logan and the press, Mason and his pro-surfing instead of Richard."
"No medicine either. Jeremy was reminiscing about it this morning"
"I meant to ask, how are the kids coping?"
"One day they're better than good, the next Jeremy's a bubbling mess"
"And Elena?"
Liz probed when it was clear than Jenna finished
"I don't think she cares. She was devastated when I first told them but..."
The strawberry blond shared quietly. Truth be told, she had mentally began excluding the eldest Gilbert from her worry. It felt as if Elena used the Gilbert house as a bed and breakfast, detached from her family.
Neither of the two women noticed Logan Fell standing in the shadows promising Caroline Forbes to show her the TV station recording room that night.
- - - Memories of a Past and a Future - - -
Jenna, Mason and Bella were sitting on the floor playing cards when Mason's phone rang. He signaled the girls to wait as he reached in his butt pocket to retrieve it.
"Hello?"
Jenna put her cards face down and leaned backwards against the sofa, Mason was worse than any woman when it came to gossiping. He could talk for hours on the phone! Bella grinned at Jenna's dismayed expression and mimicked her friend, opting to take a long sip of her raspberry flavored soda water.
"Oh hey Liz. What's up?"
"Lil' Stefan"
Jenna quipped, remembering the hickey on the vampire's neck that morning during her career day speech. Bella snorted. Mason smiled at the women but his smile fell when Liz went on.
"What? When? Is she alright?"
Bella and Jenna exchanged a look alarmed
"Jen, wasn't your creepy high school-ex-turned-reporter called Logan?"
Bella asked quietly. Jenna nodded
"Why?"
Mason's baritone voice covered Bella's
"The teacher? Err, okay. I guess I can. I'll be right there."
He pressed the button to turn the phone off and reached for his beer.
"Logan's dead. He kidnapped Caroline, ran into Saltzman who apparently is a vampire hunter on his off hours, who helped Logan to slip and land on a stake"
Jenna blinked, her eyes big as saucers
"Logan's a vampire. Alaric is a vampire hunter? Why are all the guys I have crushes on turn out to be weird?"
Mason glared at his girlfriend. Bella, seemingly unfazed, quipped
"And I'm supposed to be the danger magnet!"