50 chapters. You guys know how insane that is, right? This is by far the longest single...anything I've ever written. Being able to stick with it is in no small part due to your encouragement and kind words and messages and alerts and everything else. I wish this was a flashy, uber dramatic chapter to mark the occasion, but we're just keeping on like we always do, exploring the crazy, complicated relationship between these two people. Thank you for all your support. Let's see where this ride keeps taking us, shall we?
Elena wanted to burn this bridge to the ground.
Every inch of Wickery Bridge was drenched in memories. That railing had been transformed into a mass of splinters by their out-of-control minivan that May night. That patch of pavement where the billboard stood, crowing about the restoration of this "priceless local landmark," had once been bathed in red and blue and amber flashing lights as ambulances and police cars illuminated the night, flashlights casting lances of light into the murky waters below. And beneath the pile of reclaimed lumber were tire tracks, scorched rubber marring the roadbed where Stefan had slammed on the breaks, saving her from a watery grave and an unwanted rebirth.
Let this motherfucker burn.
But no, she was here with these Mystic Falls luminaries to celebrate the resurrection of this evil place with lemonade and cookies and people who applauded politely and smiled and talked about how this grand endeavor was saving the past for the future. Elena wanted to scream and ask what was wrong with them, how they could want to save this place of death and despair. But they didn't know. None of them knew the evil of this bridge. Except for Damon, who tightened his grip on her hand. "You don't have to be here. Go wait in the car; I've got to talk to Carol but we can blow this joint in ten minutes," he offered quietly.
Tempting to run. Tempting to hide. But she had to face this place. And being here was better than being back home with Ric and Meredith. The doctor had come to the boarding house and refused to leave until she explained everything. She'd reached the same conclusion about the Mystic Falls serial killer, had known for some time that it was Ric. Locking him up was an unnecessary precaution, she'd promised. She could help him. They were wary (Ric most of all), but she convinced him that an MRI was in order, could show her what had changed within his mind and see what they could do to fix it. So the two of them had headed for the hospital while Damon and Elena came to do their duty as Founding Family members. It was all about keeping up appearances, after all. Elena would smile and murmur nonsense about how her parents had loved the historical heritage of Mystic Falls; Damon would write a check. Then they could get back to picking up the pieces.
"I'm fine," she said, her tight smile revealing the lie. Damon just slid her arm through his and led her into the fray.
Carol Lockwood popped into their path, eyes widening as she saw Elena arm-in-arm with an unexpected Salvatore. But that veil of Southern gentility slid over her and she smiled. "Damon, Elena, so glad you two could make it. But where's Alaric? I was expecting him, he was supposed to bring the restored sign. Everyone is so excited to see it. Did he send it with you?" she burbled.
Damon could play the game of manners as well as anyone, when he chose to. "Oh, Carol. I'm so sorry. Ric just hasn't been feeling like himself lately, and wanted me to send his regrets. He says he'll have the sign ready for you by the time the reconstruction is complete. I know how sorry he is he couldn't bring it today," Damon said, all wide eyes and bashful contrition.
Carol sighed. "I understand. Things have been a little crazy for all of us. So long as it's ready for the unveiling, that'll just have to do." She smiled then, brilliant and bright as a toothpaste commercial. "Well, I'd better get this party started, hadn't I? You two enjoy yourselves."
The instant Carol's back was turned, Damon dropped the good boy act and rolled his eyes. "A fucking sign is her number one priority in a town full of Originals and hybrids? When are we having elections for a new mayor, anyway?"
"They tried, no one else wanted the job," Elena said.
"Democracy at its finest. Anyway, let's get out of here." He froze, his eyes locking on someone standing on the fringes of the crowd. Elena followed his gaze to a pretty, red-headed woman. "Elena, go wait in the car."
"Who is she?" Elena asked. There was no way she was going to go sit in the car like some passive girlfriend while Damon dealt with whoever this woman was. He seemed startled, even shaken to see her.
"A blast from the past. And a dangerous one at that. If I promise to explain everything to you, will you please go wait in the car?" Damon asked.
"What, do you want me make you a drink and fetch your slippers, too, Damon? I'm not a damsel who's going to hide while you deal with the big bad whatever. Besides," she said hotly, nodding over his shoulder. "It's too late."
Damon whirled to face the approaching red head, stepping protectively in front of Elena. Who was this woman, and why did she have Damon so spooked?
"Damon Salvatore," the woman purred. "My favorite student."
Oh, Elena did not like this bitch already. Not that gleam in her eye or that suggestion in her voice, not the way she looked Damon up and down and licked her lips. Maybe she should have waited in the fucking car.
"Sage. What brings you back to Mystic Falls?" Elena couldn't see Damon's face, but she could hear the smirk in his voice, practically picture the mocking way his eyes ran over Sage's body. Good. Perfect. Because Elena needed one more woman to be jealous about.
"Just passing through, thought I'd stop by and see my star pupil." She leaned around Damon to get a better look at Elena. Elena did her best to stand still and meet her eyes, not to flinch or squirm under that invasive gaze."Looks like you're still following my lesson plans. You always were a quick study."
"That little slip of a girl? Come, Sage, surely even someone with your limited faculties can see he's only with her because she looks like Katerina," a new voice said in round, plumy tones. Rebekah. This day just kept getting better and better. Elena hated this bridge. All she needed to complete this nightmare was for Katherine to show up. It wouldn't even have surprised her anymore.
"Easy, Rebekah. Sage used to beat men for sport," Damon said, his voice light even as he pushed Elena behind him again. This time, she didn't argue. Caught between two powerful, bitchy vampires with torches for Damon was a bad, bad place to be.
"She always was quite common," Rebekah replied drily.
"Hello, Rebekah. Believe it or not, the resemblance wasn't lost on me. But this one is human, which is so much more fun." Sage smiled up at Damon. On a human, it would have been a sweet, pleasant smile, but on her lips it became a twisted, wretched thing. "Why don't we go back to your place and see just how much fun she can be? You know what they say: Three's a crowd, but four's a party." Something cold clenched inside Elena. She knew Damon would never let these two hellcats get their claws into her, but the very thought of being at the mercy of those ancient, vicious vampires (for there could be no doubt about what Sage really was) ranked right up there with becoming Klaus' human blood bag on her long list of nightmares.
"What are you doing here, Sage?" Rebekah asked with an impatient toss of her head, blonde hair flying.
Sage sighed. "You never were any fun. I'm here because I heard Finn was finally free from that coffin your rageaholic brother carted him around in," Sage said.
"Finn? But Finn tried to k— Ow!" Elena cried as Damon stomped on her foot.
"Finn headed out of town with Esther like a good mama's boy," Damon said smoothly. "Haven't heard from him since. Have you, Rebekah?"
"No, and good riddance. He didn't tell a soul where he was going. And you know, he didn't seem to mention you at all," Rebekah said, relishing the words.
"Probably went looking for me," Sage said. She didn't seem at all bothered by Rebekah's taunts, cool as a cucumber.
"Or, quite possibly, he forgot all about you. Sorry you came all this way for nothing." Rebekah turned and started to stalk off, but paused, glancing back. "Oh, and Elena? I'll be seeing you. I haven't forgotten about your Homecoming gift." Rebekah disappeared into the crowd.
"God, I hate that ugly, elitist Original bitch," Sage muttered. Elena decided maybe she could like this woman after all. "But three's still a pretty decent party. What do you say, Damon? Do you remember what women are really for?" On second thought, never mind.
"Maybe another time," Damon said, turning to watch Rebekah's retreating back. "Right now, I'm more interested in what the elitist bitch is up to. She's been snooping around me for days."
"You didn't tell me that," Elena said. What did Rebekah's "snooping" entail, exactly? Elena still remembered the looks they'd shared, fingers sticky with marshmallows, or how they'd danced together, the way Rebekah had gazed up at Damon with heat in her eyes. She knew Damon had assured her he wasn't a fan of blondes, but Rebekah was accustomed to getting what she wanted.
"We've been a little busy, Elena, I was gonna get to it," Damon said, shooting her a not now look. Elena bit her tongue. Fine, not now. But later.
"Don't tell me you've forgotten everything I taught you," Sage said. She was obviously amused by the brief lover's spat, her eyes darting between the two. "What, has hanging around with this human made you forget what you are? Get inside Rebekah's head and take what you want."
Huh? What was she talking about? Damon couldn't compel another vampire, let alone an Original. And it wasn't like vampires could read minds, right? But then, she hadn't known they could walk in dreams either, prowl through the corridors of the mind like ghosts. Maybe this was one of those less-publicized vampire tricks Damon had told her about.
"I can't," Damon said. "She's too strong."
"But I could," Sage said with another one of those oily smiles. "Rebekah may be an Original, but she's still a girl." Contempt dripped from the word. "You find her weakness and exploit it, and I'll walk right in."
For a moment, Damon actually seemed to be considering her words. "Damon," Elena said, a warning note in her voice.
Sage laughed, and it set Elena's teeth on edge. "Oh, look at you. She's got you on a short leash, doesn't she? Tell me, do you let her keep your balls in her pocket like Katherine did? Are you still spoken for?"
Elena looked up at Damon, expecting him to snarl and reach for the woman's throat, but he just smiled. "Good to see you again, Sage. I hear they have cage fights down by the river on Friday nights. Probably gonna have to do more than flash your tits around to win now, though. C'mon, Elena, we've got a psycho teacher to save."
Sage's mocking laughter followed them, carried on the breeze. "Poor puppy. If you change your mind, you know where to find me."
Neither of them looked back as they walked away from that fucking bridge.