Elena, Bonnie and Jeremy went back to their hotel, while Damon and Spike decided to lurk around the city. Last time Damon had been in NY it had been when Elena turned off her humanity; and Damon had wanted to show her a good time; and last time Spike had been in here, it had been five years ago. The duo had been so deep in conversation about their misfortunes, including the story of Katherine and the infamous tomb lie, that they didn't realize they were standing on the same spot where they had met decades ago…
Damon straightened his jacket and punched this punk, but to his surprise Spike started laughing maniacally, instead of getting angry, before returning the blow. But to Damon's surprise, despite Spike being slightly less strong than he was, he was more agile and seemed to be trained in martial arts. The fight didn't last long because Drusilla stepped in, grabbing Damon by his left ear.
–That's not very nice, –she said in that creepy tone, let Damon go, and continued, – we are all here for the same: fun and lots of blood.
Damon stared at her for a moment, then asked, –How did you know all those things about me? –
–Dru is… special, – Spike replied, – she can see things.
Damon rubbed his chin, –Hm, so she's like a psychic? – He asked.
Drusilla smiled wide, – Don't worry, pretty boy, you'll return home.
Damon was intrigued, –How is it possible? Vampires can't have psychic powers, witches lose them if they are turned.
–Maybe in your world, but not in ours. Dracula wields gypsy powers, he can transform into bat and into smoke, –Drusilla replied sing-songly, with her eyes closed while caressing her neck and chest.
Spike rolled his eyes in annoyance, he hated it when she brought up his name.
Damon looked at them skeptically, –you're joking, right? Dracula? – He asked, almost chuckling.
–Oh, I bloody wish she was. That bugger tried to make her his bride in the 1890s. And he still owes me money, –Spike replied, his expressions full of anger.
A couple of hours later, the trio were in a dark alley, feasting on blood and enjoying the muffled screams of their victims. Damon was certainly enjoying the company of these two.
–It surely changed over the years, – Spike said, almost to himself.
–Indeed, but it still is… –Damon replied, but before continuing, he noticed a slight movement out of the corner of his eye.
Spike noticed Damon tensed, –what is it, mate? – He asked.
–Someone is following us, –Damon whispered, and then noticed the shadow super speeding away. –Vampire, – he said before speeding after their stalker.
Damon intercepted the vampire, grabbed them by the neck and pushed them against a wall. It was a young woman.
–Why are you following us? – He asked, but the woman merely stared at him. Damon squeezed harder, –tell me why are you following us or I'll rip your heart out, – he insisted while his free hand turned into a fist, ready to strike at her chest.
–I was curious, –she replied, showing a slight hint of fear.
–Curious about what? And don't get cryptic on me, I'll still rip your heart out if you do, – Damon insisted.
–About how someone I knew from another place is here, – she replied, trying to break Damon's grasp off her neck.
Damon slowly loosened his grip, but still was wary, –Spike? – He asked.
The woman nodded as she detached from the wall and moved away from Damon, who now could notice her red hair.
–Is it just your kitty cat curiosity, or you have a hidden agenda? – Damon asked, ready to throttle her again if needed. He continued, – So, you two had something and you followed him here?
–What? No! I was walking in that burger joint when I suddenly saw him, at first I thought it was someone who looked like him, but then I eavesdropped your conversation, then the brunette mentioned his name, and the conversation about witches and portals, so that pretty much confirmed it was the Spike I knew back in my dimension, –she explained.
Now Damon understood what she meant by "knowing someone from another place", and put the final piece together.
–You were a Slayer, weren't you? – He concluded.
The woman opened her eyes in disbelief, –how do you know about Slayers? – She asked, alarmed.
Damon shook his head, –Long story, I'll send you the podcast.
Spike was itching to know what was going on, Damon had rushed after their stalker a good while ago, and wasn't back yet. He didn't know whether to worry or what, and he was regretting not having gotten a cell phone when Damon told him to. Uh, why would I want a cell phone? Bloody useless... Good job, Spike, he mentally mocked himself.
He hated not being able to sense vampires, it was an advantage that had always helped him in the past. And now he felt exposed, vulnerable, and he didn't like it. But on the other hand, he was slowly gaining new abilities; only he wished they would finish manifesting already.
–Sorry, princess, I'm not going to tell you anything. I don't trust you, –Damon told the woman.
–Why not? – She insisted, – I already told you, I'm just curious.
Damon didn't know what to do, surely Spike would be thrilled of seeing her, considering the dreams the blond vampire had been having; but Damon was not going to expose Spike. What if she was lying? What if she wanted to harm Spike, and worst of all, what if she ended up hurting Elena, Bonnie and Jeremy?
–You are stronger than me, you can easily kill me if I try anything, –she retorted.
Damon considered it, but first he needed to hear the story of how she was even here.
Spike was about to take off in hopes of finding Damon, when he spotted him turning the corner.
–I was beginning to think you left for the hotel to spend some alone time with the missus, mate, – Spike joked while smoking a cigarette.
–Hmm, tempting, but no. I caught up with our stalking vampire, –Damon paused, he wasn't sure how to break it to Spike.
–And? Did you get him? Did you kill him? – Spike asked, anxiety showing in his tone.
–Her. I caught her, and no I didn't kill her. – Damon explained the easy part, now to the hard one. –Remember how you were yapping about a redhead looking at you in the bar? Yeah, you were right.
Spike felt his jaw drop.
Damon gestured with his hand, –Step into the light, sunshine. And remember, you attempt any trick and I'll… –he made a cutting motion with his forefinger over his neck, then pointed at her.
The girl stepped from the shadow, –It's been a while, Spike, –she said evenly.
Spike was speechless, how was this possible? Of all the scenarios he had pictured when he heard she had disappeared, presumed dead, this was the last he imagined. And what it was even more mesmerizing was that she was the type of vampire he was turning into.
–You know what, how about we do this at a bar? In case you try anything, –Damon suggested.
She rolled her eyes at him, –I already told you, I don't have any hidden agenda, – she insisted.
Once back at the bar, the two men sat at either side of her. Damon wanted to be close to her in case he needed to stop her from running away.
–I don't know what to say, –Spike was finding it hard addressing her, considering he had tried killing her in the past, not to mention the fact that he had been dreaming and thinking about her for the last couple of months.
–How about we start with a name? – Damon was quick to impose as soon as he noticed Spike was rendered speechless.
–Scarlett, – she replied dryly.
Spike frowned, –weren't you called Rose, pet? –He asked.
–Weren't you called William? –She retorted, raising an eyebrow at him. Spike didn't smile, though he really wanted to.
–My turn, –Scarlett said glancing at Damon, as if silently telling him 'Don't interrupt me or I'll get angry'. She turned her attention back to Spike, –What the hell are you doing here?
–Almost a year ago, I was in the Mother Country, minding my own business, when I heard some strange chanting in a back alley, went to take a look, next thing I know, I see this bloody brilliant light and suddenly I'm back in the Mother Country but there was something off about it. That's about it, –Spike explained.
–How come you're not murdering any innocents? –She blurted with a big, sarcastic smile on her face.
Spike felt the question like a massive, cold slap on his face. Ouch, he thought. Damon almost chuckled, but refrained to.
–I got ensouled about a decade ago, – Spike replied.
Damon could see she was surprised, as though she didn't know that was even possible. After Spike told her about Angel, she was even more surprised. Spike then proceeded to explain to her the changes he was going through; though Damon was not sure his friend should be giving such information to her. Damon was surprised when she told them what happened to her.
After getting a call from Elena, Damon motioned Spike to go. He could tell that Spike didn't want to, but he wasn't going to leave him here alone with a former Slayer who may or may not have a grudge against Spike, but then again, maybe Spike wanted to be alone with her.
–I may know someone who could know a thing or two about portal magics, –Scarlett told them, and then asked, –any way I can get in touch with you?
Damon gave her Bonnie's cell number. Bonnie could take down any vampire if she had to.
Once they were back at the hotel, they asked Elena, Bonnie and Jeremy to meet them in Spike's room to tell them about the encounter.
–So another vampire and a witch crossed over there in 1987, he healed her when some nasty demon injured her, said demon then killed her; then she completed the transition, and when the witch figured the way back here, she came along? –Elena asked incredulously.
–Pretty much, –Damon confirmed.
–Ok, but what I'm trying to grasp here is that the witch knew the required magic to go there and to come back, so that means that particular magic still exists, –Bonnie couldn't hide her excitement.
–But she never returned, –Elena pointed out, –she chose to stay here. Why?
Both Damon and Spike shook their heads, –she wouldn't say, – Damon added.
While the group kept talking about Scarlett and portal magic, Spike came to a conclusion: even if they found a way, he didn't want to go back, this place truly felt like home.