Chapter 1: Mystic Falls
(New first chapter. It now starts right at the end of the episode 'The Descent.')
Darwin sat in the Lockwoods living room, feeling very self-concious. He was a small person, and the house made him feel even smaller. Actually, almost everything in America made him feel small. Even this town. It was small by American standards, but rather large by Danish.
He had been in the country for three weeks, and he was already feeling horribly homesick. He had never been out of Europe before. He had rarely even left Denmark.
'What am I doing here?'
He thought for the 17th time that day.
He knew what he was doing here, though. He was looking for Kol, and he knew Kol had been born in this area more than a thousand years ago. Seemed like as good a place as any to start searching.
"You will be working with Jenna Sommers. Her sister, Miranda, used to keep the archives, until she and her husband died in a car crash last year, "Carol Lockwood told him. She was sitting in a chair across from him with her legs properly crossed. "And you will mostly be catalogueing old document, journals and maps."
Darwin nodded, tugging nervously at a lock of his long, brown hair. He was feeling completely out of place. He never mixed with the upper class. His preffered company were other college students and hippies. He was wearing his usual torn jeans and a WWF t-shirt. He figured he had to look shabby compared to Mrs. Lockwood in her neat tailor-made suit.
"Do you have any experience with that kind of work?"
"Yes, "he answered, "I spent last year working at my University Library back home. I was mostly catalogueing."
"In Danish?"
"Yes, and English. The catalogues were kept in both languages."
"Very good, "she sipped her tea, "You can start Monday. The Historical Society's archives are in the Library's basement."
She seemed friendly enough, but reserved. He wasn't sure if he liked her or not. Besides, he was quite eager to get out of there. He was starting to get hungry. And he was sure that 'stop the inflation, eat the rich' was just an expression.
"Have you found a place to stay?"
He shook his head. "No, I just arrived this morning."
"Well, there is the Salvatore's Boarding House, "she told him, "I know Damon Salvatore quite well. I could call him."
"Thank you, Mrs. Lockwood. I really appreciate it."
(Break)
Damon and Alaric were sitting side by side in their usual spots at the bar at the Grill. They hadn't spoken for quite some time. Alaric was thinking about Jenna, and Damon about Rose. They were just about equally depressed.
Until Rose had died, after losing her mind and going into a feeding frenzy, Damon hadn't really believed that a werewolf bite was fatal to vampires, even if he had told Caroline to stay away from Tyler Lockwood. Tyler, who had to have turned for the first time the night Rose was bitten.
"So, Elena made a deal with Elijah?" Alaric finally asked.
"Yes, "Damon confirmed, "but I'm not really sure, what kind of a deal. She's been very vague about it. Stefan wants to bring in Isobel now. Apparently Katherine said that she might know something."
"I know, "Alaric said, "I told him, he couldn't trust her. Not even when it comes to Elena. But I did give him her number for him, though I doubt she uses it , anymore."
"Well, it may be as good a clue as any, "Damon said, "Right now we have nothing. We have no idea how to kill Elijah or how to stop Klaus from sacrifising Elena. I don't even believe that the moonstone has been destroyed. Bonnie had help from that Luka and he and his father work for Elijah."
"It seems like were always knee-deep in some sort of supernatural crap, "Alaric remarked.
"Yes, but we make it through, "Damon tried to sound more optimistic than he actually felt, "So will we this time."
"If you say so." Alaric didn't really feel like playing along. "I'm guessing that at least one of us must be having some seriously bad Karma."
"Rock-paper-scissors who goes to Church?"
"I'd rather be at the bar thinking about Church, than at the Church thinking about the bar."
"I'll drink to that."
Damon's cell phone started ringing in his pocket. He pulled it out and answered. "Yes?"
"Hi, Damon, it's Carol Lockwood."
"Hello, Mrs. Mayor. How can I help you?"
"I have a young man here, who needs a place to stay."
Damon groaned. This really wasn't the time. "We're actually not taking in lodgers at the moment."
"It will just be for a couple of months. Or until he finds someplace else to stay. I assure you, he won't be bothersome."
"Fine, "Damon sighed, "I'm not home right now, but I'll call my brother and tell him that he'll be coming over."
"Thank you, Damon."
(Break)
Darwin rang the doorbell. Like everything else, the Boarding House looked encredibly large.
A young man aswered the door. "Yes?"
"Hi, I'm Darwin Havens, "He introduced himself, "Carol Lockwood sent me over."
"Oh, yes, come on in, "He stepped aside to let Darwin in, "I'm Stefan Salvatore."
"Nice to meet you." Darwin immediately liked him. He had a strong, but non-threatening presence. Kind of like his own.
"You look young for a college student, "Stefan observed.
"Er ... Yes, I was home-schooled."
Stefan led him into an enormous room. Darwin liked it better than the Lockwood Mansion. It was much less posh. "This is the parlour. Feel free to use it."
Darwin adjusted the shoulder strap to one of his bags. He was carrying all three of his laptops and his backpack. "Thank you."
"All the rooms have their own bathroom, "Stefan informed him, "The first door upstairs is to my brother's room, the third is to mine. Other than that you can pick whatever room you like."
Stefan went back into the hall and Darwin followed him, tripping over the doorstep on his way. He usually wasn't clumsy, only when he was nervous. And something about this town made him nervous. There was a black, metaphorical cloud of distrust hanging over it and a faint smell of vervain.
They went into the kitchen. It was a bit small for such a big house, Darwin observed. And so incredibly clean. He figured that not much cooking were taking place here. But that didn't surprise him, as only two bachelors were living here.
"You can use the kitchen, as long as you clean up after yourself, "Stefan said.
He opened some of the kitchen cupboards. There were a few kitchen things but no food. He reached for the door to the fridge.
"No, you shouldn't ... "Stefan began, but it was too late.
Darwin's eyebrows went up as he took in the contents of the fridge; Quite a few hospital blood bags and some bottles of blood. He turned around and looked at Stefan. "I'm guessing that either one of you is seriously anemic and needs daily blood transfusions or you are vampires."
AN: I hope this was a better start.