On Your Marks

Chapter 2:

Elena stepped into the morning sun ready to meet Caroline and go to school. Caroline waved from her car as Elena walked slowly, trying to delay the amount of time she'd have to spend with little miss control-freak. She opened the door and sat down. "Morning," Caroline began nervously. Elena turned to her and smiled falsely. Caroline took the hint and started the car while Elena rummaged through her bag to find her mirror. "So, have you studied for Mr. Chavez's Spanish test?" Elena didn't reply, she was too focused on deciding whether her shade of lip gloss matched her blazer. "Elena," Caroline said louder.

"Huh?" Elena uttered, not turning her gaze.

"The quiz, Mr Chavez, first period..." Caroline replied.

"Oh," Elena began as she placed her mirror back in her bag and turned towards the window, "I think I'm just going to skip it."

"Elena you can't skip it, it counts for thirty percent of your grade," reminded Caroline.

"So, I'll just make it up next week or something, Hey Care' could you-"

"But you won't make it up next week, will you. Not with the way things are going," Caroline snapped.

"The way things are going?" Elena mimicked, turning quickly to meet Caroline's gaze.

"You know what I mean, Elena. You're not yourself without your emotions, and you'll regret all these decisions you're making right now when you flip your switch," Caroline said.

"Says who? You? Damon? Stefan? Wait I bet it was you and Stefan. You two are becoming quite the power couple with Tyler on the run from Big Bad Klaus," Elena retorted.

"Stefan and I- We all just wanna' help you," Caroline breathed.

"Y'know what'd really help me, Care'?" Elena replied sincerely. Caroline tore her gaze from the road and met Elena's. "If you'd drop me off at the stoner pit. I'm starving and could use the extra buzz."

Caroline slammed on the breaks in the student parking lot. She ripped her keys out of the ignition and turned her body to face Elena's. Elena seeing this went for the door handle only to find Caroline had locked it. "Earth to Elena!" Caroline began, "how long are you going to keep this up?"

"Spare me the drama Caroline and open the door," Elena replied in a calm tone.

"You're putting everybody who loves you at risk acting like this, Elena!"

"Caroline open the damn door."

"No, not until I get something through your thick skull," Caroline refused.

"Fine," Elena tore the car door open without a care towards being discreet. The alarm sounded loudly, echoing throughout the entire lot. Elena stood out and ruffled her hair before bending low and turning to Caroline. "Hurry up Care'. We have a test remember?" she smiled before strutting towards the school.

Stockton, CA. Northern California Women's Facility.

Damon watched through the meshed fence of barbed wire. The yard was laid with chipped old concrete, the remnants of washed yellow paint still visible with a squint. The tables were littered with worn playing cards and tobacco and the sound of multiple disputes whistled in the air. The women wore an array of bandanna's, but all wore white vests and pale dark blue loose trousers. The guards patrolled around the court where women played basketball to pass the time, while others watched from higher, keeping a close eye on just what was being played for in those card games.

He'd compelled an officer into letting him in and giving him an access all areas pass, he walked through the thin alley the guards and visitors used that separated the yards with meshed fencing. "43019 comin' out!" hollered a balding black guard. A door made an ear drum shattering buzz until it opened all the way to reveal a women. Her long curly brown hair hung over her face for a moment to protect her eyes from the bright California sunshine. With a movement of her head, her hair retreated to her shoulders revealing her face.

Damon smirked with a single corner of his mouth and grabbed a guard, "I want to talk to that girl, no questions asked. Think you can set that up for me?" he compelled.

"Sure, sir, if you'd follow me," The guard offered.

Faith took off her pale blue jacket and fixed her white vest. She leapt from the floor grabbing a bar and began her daily work out. Slayer instincts kicking in, she whirled her legs around, her feet colliding with the face of a woman sporting a nasty looking knife. The woman fell back to the floor and Faith dropped from the bar. "Okay," she began, "ya' got my attention, what's your beef, Deb?" Debby got up and grabbed the knife in her hand. Faith stepped back a little. "You really ought'a think twice-" Debby lunged with the knife and Faith dodged multiple attacks before grabbing her by the shoulder elbowing her to the face, knocking Debby away. "Or not," Faith stammered.

"Nothin' personal," Debby mumbled through bloody lips. Growing tired, Faith went for Debby, giving her multiple blows to the face and stomach. "I really need the money," Debby managed to call out before Faith put her out cold with a dumbbell.

"For a nose job?" Faith retorted.

"Come on break it up," an officer called to the crowd of women who surrounded the fight. The women dispersed back to their deals and games.

"Hey hey hey self defence- she attacked me, Eddie," Faith announced, holding her hands up to shoulder height.

"Yeah I saw the whole thing," Eddie replied. "Get her to the infirmary," Eddie ordered the other officers.

"Wait you saw?" Faith asked.

"Hey, caught us by surprise. I mean who'd be crazy enough to try t'take you out," Eddie admitted. "Also before I forget, you got a visitor here to see you."

Faith walked through the many barriers to get to the visitors hall. Although she could count the times somebody had been to see her on one hand she'd never gotten through all the security so fast. She walked past the other inmates whispering dirty things to their partners through the phone and the cheesy couples holding their fingers up to the glass together. When she finally reached her seat the sight of her visitor took her back a step. She cautiously sat down in the chair and held the phone to her ear. Her visitor did the same. "They told me my lawyer was here to see me," she began, "you my lawyer now, D?"

"Hey Faithy, never thought I'd see you in the big house, how ya' doin'?" Damon replied.

"Five by five, although never thought I'd live long enough to see you payin' me a visit."

"Yeah well desperate times," Damon breathed.

"And what could be so desperate that you're sittin' here talkin' to me?" Faith asked curiously.

"There're things goin' on and I'm kind've at the end of my rope," Damon edged.

"If you're beatin' round the bush tryin' to ask for my help here, D, I'm kind'a caught up at the minute. Maybe come back in a few decades when my parole comes up," she stated, "if it's that serious you have to come knockin' on my cell the last thing you needs me in the mix."

"What happened to that gothic give em' hell I don't care slayer chick attitude?" Damon asked.

"Not that girl anymore, D. Simple as that." Faith snapped back.

"Yeah well she was a lot more fun," he replied.

"Is that about the it? Cos I was just in the middle of schoolin' my way out of dishes duty tomorrow morning."

"Hate to pull this card on ya' Faith but you owe me remember? Time to pay up," Damon snapped back.

"Like I said. Nothin' I can do," Faith smirked.

"C'mooon, you're saying you don't want to get out of this place? To breathe fresh air and get your hands on something evil an' nasty?"

"There's plenty evil nasty's on this side of the glass trust me," she replied.

"Fine," Damon said calmly. He hung up the phone and Faith did the same. She began turning back towards the bulk of the prison when she caught sight of Damon walking to a guard. She turned back.

"Damon what're you doing?" she asked, knowing he could hear her without the phone. He turned and winked at her before looking a little to intimately into the eyes of the on-duty guard. The guard nodded and Damon patted him reassuringly on the shoulder. The guard opened the main door and grabbed Faith by the arm.

"You're free to go ma'm," he announced. Faith shrugged off his grip on her arm. "Ma'm I said you're free to go," he said in a louder tone and gripping her harder.

"Let go of me, Lewis," Faith said, ripping his hand from her arm and turning his back on him. Suddenly, she heard him drop to his knees. She stopped dead in her tracks at the sound of his gun clocking. She turned around to see it pointed at her.

"Really? You did your hocus pocus on him to shoot me if I don't go with you?" Faith said loudly at Damon. The other inmates and their relatives watching in awe and confusion.

"Not exactly," Damon smiled. Lewis turned the gun towards his own throat and stared deeply into Faith's brown eyes.

"You're free to go ma'm," he repeated dully.

"You gotta' be kidding me," she sighed.