A/N: Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed the last chapter and are ready and pumped for this one.
I don't own The Vampire Diaries. All characters except for Grace belong to author L.J Smith. This story belongs to me.
Like always the rules apply, please review but no flaming! And please continue telling me what country you come from, unless you've already done so in a previous review.
Happy reading :)
TRIPPING DOWN MEMORY LANE
"Every time I open the drawer, it's a trip down memory lane, which, if you don't turn off at the right exit, merges straight into the Masochistic Nostalgia Highway."
~Sloane Crosley.
End of Flashback.
Mikaelson Mansion.
Night.
(Grace P.O.V)
All I could do was just sit there beside Nik in the backseat of my own car and take in the story that the three of them had just told me. I stared at them, not really comprehending.
"I'm sorry, I must've gone spontaneously deaf all of a sudden." I stated, frowning a little. "Are you basically telling me that Esther did a bunk?" I questioned them.
"Yes, she did." Kol confirmed, just as irritated.
I grimaced in annoyance, "Oh, great. That's just perfect!" Elijah indicated and started to slow down. I glanced around outside the window and realized that during the explanation over what happened while I was punching 'zeds', we had arrived back at the mansion. "What's going to happen now?" I asked, as Elijah parked the car and killed the engine.
"There's not much we can do I'm afraid." Elijah confessed. "We have no idea where she and Finn had retreated to."
"So, you're just going to give up? Run for it, and probably ditch Nik in the process?" I guessed, and when nobody refuted my claim, I scoffed in disgust. "How very brave of you." I immediately unbuckled my seat belt and clambered out of the car to stomp angrily towards the front door. However, I hadn't fully recovered from being chloroformed yet and was still unsteady on my feet. Twice, I nearly fell flat on my face and the second time I stumbled; Nik caught me.
Had I been in the right frame of mind, I would've noticed the looks of concern on all three brothers' faces. I had been so hoping that Esther would've been taken out tonight so I could have piece of mind. Instead, I was forced alongside the rest of my family to fall back and regroup and wait for another opportunity to put Esther down for good. And after all that I had been through and what Nik and his siblings had been through, that next opportunity could not be soon enough.
"Sweetheart calm down. What's gotten into you?" Nik demanded, as I moved away from him and continued walking inside the mansion, only to have a serious Kol blurring into my path to stop me from going any further.
"Yes, Grace. Your reaction to our mother's disappearance is very unlike you. Please tell us what is wrong." Elijah insisted.
"The fact that you're all acting like it's completely hopeless now that Esther has escaped. It's not just you that she's screwed over or threatened, you know." I growled, heading straight for the living room and bypassing Rebekah who appeared looking anxious with a sober-faced Henrik on her heels.
"Where the bloody hell was everyone?" She demanded, angrily.
"Not now, Rebekah." Nik stated, firmly. Rebekah took one look at our faces and immediately mellowed while Henrik made a beeline for me.
"Grace, are you okay?" Henrik asked, concerned. I shook my head no, which immediately caused Nik to come over and grab me by the shoulders.
"For God's sake, Grace, what the bloody hell is wrong!?" Nik yelled, swiftly losing his patience like I was.
"Easy, brother." Kol piped up, for once with no hint of joking around in his voice.
"I can't tell you, I'm sorry." I whispered.
Nik growled.
"Can't or won't?" He demanded.
"I have a reason why I can't tell you why I'm reacting the way I am, but I cannot tell you because Esther placed a whammy on me that prevents me from fessing up." I told him, and Nik looked confused.
"What did she do?" He insisted, harshly.
"Mother tortured her. She still is, technically." Henrik piped up, looking grave, and all his siblings looked at him in horror. "I was there when she cast it."
"Mother tortured her?" Rebekah parroted, looking sick.
"Why didn't you stop her then?" Kol glared at Henrik, as Nik's eyes flashed yellow in his anger and grief, as I made a beeline for the wet bar and poured myself a generous glass of bourbon.
"Because it happened too fast for me to act!" Henrik retorted, defensively. "It happened on the night Nik broke his curse. Grace had been knocked out and kidnapped, and at the time I was still in non-corporeal form, so she and I were linked. I was summoned to the Other Side when I could sense that she was in trouble." He explained.
"You died!?" Nik looked at me in anguish. I set aside my drink and came over to him to place both my hands on his face to calm him.
"No. I was unconscious." I responded, reassuringly. "I remember that night. I was about to enter my apartment when something moved out of the corner of my eye, distracting me, and I followed it to investigate. Next thing I knew, some sort of powder was blown into my face and when I woke up, I was looking at Nik's blood-streaked and worried face." I clarified, and Nik's eyes widened in recognition before he pulled me close.
"Henrik implied that something happened in between that. Care to elaborate?" Elijah requested.
"I can't." I whispered, looking fearful when I remembered what Esther did before I helped Nik break his curse. Henrik stepped up.
"Like Grace said before, Mother placed a whammy on her that will cause her extreme pain if she even mentions her involvement in helping to break Nik's curse." Henrik explained.
"What sort of whammy?" Rebekah demanded, getting angry.
"If I reveal the truth, it will feel like somebody is stabbing me repeatedly in the head with a knife." I replied, feeling vulnerable.
"Sounds like a magical aneurysm." Elijah realized, sounding disgusted.
"And mother calls us 'monsters' and 'abominations' when she does something like this to an innocent person?" Kol spat.
Nik smoothed back my hair from my face and kisses my forehead, before looking pointedly at Henrik.
"What was it that Mother was so desperate to hide?" He asked, fiercely. Henrik swallowed, and looked at me for permission. When I nodded, he steeled himself and thought back to that night a few months ago when Esther first revealed the truth to us.
"On the night Mother first cursed you, and Grace burst in to stop her, Father and Elijah; the ritual had already been seemingly completed. But according to Mother, it hadn't been, at least not entirely." Henrik stated. "Apparently, the ritual would only be completed when mother gave thanks to the spirits of the witches who lent her their powers to place the curse on Nik."
"That's right. It would've been extremely disrespectful if she hadn't." Kol confirmed.
"And because Grace had interrupted before she could give thanks; when Father stabbed Grace to death and spilled her blood, and Nik kissed her leaving traces of her blood on his lips, she unknowingly became part of the ritual." Henrik explained.
"What?" Rebekah blurted out.
Henrik nodded, "It seemed that Mother had realized afterwards, that Nik would be seeking to find a way to break his curse and would find the necessary ingredients to do so. However, if Grace had not been reincarnated like she was—"
"Our brother would never have been able to break his curse, because Grace's blood was one of the key ingredients, he required along with Elena Gilbert's blood. He would have had his werewolf heritage locked away for eternity, without knowing that Grace's blood was a key ingredient." Elijah concluded, grimly.
Henrik nodded, solemnly.
"So, what made Mother simply recruit somebody to hand over Grace to complete Nik's ritual?" Rebekah asked, confused. "Why not just kill her to stop Nik having any chance of breaking his curse?" She added, ignoring the protesting growl that Nik uttered at the mere suggestion of my death at the hands of Esther.
"Guilt maybe? Or another cog she required for her plans? Who knows? Maybe we'll never know." Elijah shrugged. "But it has become very clear that Mother has gone too far and must be found and stopped before it is too late." He vowed.
I looked up at Nik's face and nearly flinched back when I saw how ferocious and bloodthirsty, he had become in such a short length of time.
"Nik?" I called out to him, fearful.
Rebekah, Kol, Henrik and Elijah looked over and immediately went on guard when they realized that their brother was shifting into hybrid mode, and I was locked tight in his protective embrace. His normally blue-green eyes were now sinister golden wolf's eyes, and his upper and lower fangs were jutting out between his lips in a vicious snarl. Kol and Rebekah looked like they were about to come over to help extract me from Nik, so I didn't get hurt in his rage; but Elijah immediately stopped them.
"Don't!" He warned, looking concerned. "He's just learned that his fiancée had been threatened once again, and that he had been betrayed by our mother. Removing Grace from him at this point in time would be folly."
Kol looked at him aghast. "But he's going feral, aren't you at all concerned that he could maim Grace?" Nik let out a low, threatening growl at the suggestion.
"He won't harm her. Right now, Grace is his main source of comfort." Elijah said, confidently.
"How on Earth do you know that?" Rebekah demanded, still looking alarmed.
"After Henrik was killed, I did some research on werewolves whenever I had a spare moment. I felt that it was the most sensible thing to do to prevent something like what happened to our brother, from happening again." Elijah stated. "Come on, let's give them some privacy."
He indicated towards the entrance to the living room, and both Kol and Henrik immediately headed for it without question. However, Rebekah hesitated.
"It's okay, Bekah. I'll be alright." I reassured her. But still, she didn't budge. It looked like she wanted to say something else.
"Rebekah." Elijah's no-nonsense voice called out, and Rebekah reluctantly turned and strode from the room. Elijah smiled and nodded at me before also leaving. I turned my attention towards the love of my life, who looked like he was struggling with his negative thoughts and was shaking like a leaf. I immediately led him over to one of the couches and made him sit down on it.
"Nik? Nik, look at me." I asked him, gently. His glaring golden eyes swiveled round and locked onto my brown ones, and I had to stop myself from instinctively flinching back out of fear. I slowly raised my hands and placed them on his slightly unshaven face again, stroking his cheeks with my thumbs, soothingly. "I get that you are angry, I am too. But I need you to come back to me." I whispered, urgently.
There was silence for several seconds before Nik eventually spoke.
"First, you died by Mikael's hands. Then, you finally come back into my life only to have your life threatened again by my Mother, who placed a dangerous whammy on you that could potentially kill you again if you tell me the truth about her involvement in solving my curse." He cut himself off and started shaking again in his rage.
"Breathe, Nik. Just focus on your breathing." I urged him, trying to calm him down.
He slowly obeyed.
"I want to go out and find her just to rip her apart piece by piece with my wolf, then find a way to bring her back so I can rip her heart from her chest like I did the first time. Because that is what it felt like when I learned that you could potentially harm yourself by telling me the truth." He confessed with a snarl.
I pressed my forehead against his.
"I know you do." I whispered, still stroking his face with my thumbs. "Come back to me. I need you to come back to me." I urged. Slowly, Nik's blue-green eyes returned and his upper and lower fangs receded back into his gums. He reached up and pulled my hands off his face and held them firmly in his own.
"I can't lose you again. Not again. The last time that happened ... it almost killed me." He almost whimpered and my heart went out to him. "Please don't leave me."
"I won't." I buried my head into his neck. "I will always be here for you, Nik. Always and forever." I promised him, faithfully. He let out a sigh of relief and sagged into me, hugging me close, and we remained like that for what seemed like several minutes.
"Nik? Grace?" I looked over Nik's shoulder and saw a very anxious Rebekah standing in the doorway. I shook my head at her.
"Now's probably not the best time, Bekah. I've only just managed to calm him down." I told her, firmly. Rebekah bit her bottom lip, but stubbornly walked into the room against my advice.
"I know, but this is important. It's something Nik needs to see." She insisted. Nik immediately pulled back, fixing his sister with an annoyed glare.
"This better be good." He stated. I got up to give them privacy, but Nik wrapped his hand around my wrist and tugged me back down; only this time to sit on his lap. I immediately started to protest but stopped when I saw the warning scowl on his face. "You were saying, Bek?" He requested as he wrapped his arms securely around my waist.
Rebekah almost smiled at us. "I hated you when I learned you killed our mother. But I realize now that after a thousand years together as a family, you're the only one who never left me."
"Well, aren't we a pair." Nik observed, impatiently. "Now what is it that you needed me to see so desperately?" He requested. Rebekah pulled out her phone and held it up so that both Nik and I could see the video on it. It was a video of a terrified but determined Elena who was glaring defiantly at the screen.
"Bragging about your skills as a torturer?" Nik guessed, sounding annoyed. "If that is all you're showing me…" He reaches up and takes Rebekah's phone and looks at the video.
"No, Nik. Look at the images on the wall behind Elena." My eyes zeroed in on the ancient drawings on the stone wall behind Elena. "The natives told the story of our family history, look at the images on the far wall." She urged, seriously.
"What is it?" I asked, trying to see what Rebekah was talking about.
"A native worshiping at the Great White Oak Tree." Rebekah clarified.
"But I thought you burned that tree to the ground?" I said, frowning in confusion.
"We did." Nik confirmed, also frowning and looking at Rebekah for an explanation.
"Look at the markings that precede it. That's the native calendar." Rebekah instructed and Nik focused back on the video again, only this time his eyes widened in horror.
"This can't be right." He muttered, squeezing me in his anxiety.
"What's going on?" I asked, wheezing a little from Nik's powerful grip. He immediately loosens his arm, allowing me to suck in a few deep breaths.
"It's another White Oak Tree." My sister explains, looking really scared. "Three hundred years after we fled back to the Old World."
"Oh, my God…" I muttered, feeling the blood draining from my face.
"There must have been a sapling, a new tree to replace the old. That tree could kill us. It's not over, Nik." Rebekah declared. I instantly got up from Nik's lap, wobbling a little on my unsteady feet and walked towards the entrance. "Grace, where are you going?" Rebekah was immediately alert.
I didn't turn to face them.
"To bed. I'm still not feeling very well, and I think I've also reached my quota on the bad things that have happened today. I'm going to bed." I declared, hobbling over to the staircase and holding onto the banister with all my strength before looking at the incline with dread.
On second thoughts I'll sleep on the couch. My legs are useless at the moment, and I don't think I can make it up without face-planting—' I let out a startled yelp when I was unceremoniously swept up off my feet, into some strong arms. I stared at Nik in surprise and at Rebekah who had followed her brother out of the living room and was observing us with an amused smile on her face.
"Don't argue, Grace. I could see that you were struggling to even walk out of the room." Nik defended his actions. "Besides, I think you had the right idea; and I'm not letting you out of my sight tonight." He vowed, and I mentally gave in. I was too wiped out to give a shit, and instead laid my head against his shoulder and wrapped both arms securely around his neck.
"Whatever you say, Nik." I said, closing my eyes and smiling contentedly as he traveled slowly up the stairs with Rebekah following on silently. When we made it to our shared bedroom, Nik shifted my weight in his arms as he reached out to open the door. "Have a goodnight, Bekah. Love you." I murmured groggily from over Nik's shoulder at my sister who darted forward and planted a kiss on my forehead.
"You too, sister." She smiled tiredly before heading further down the corridor and into her own room. Nik chuckled, and I looked up at him frowning a little.
"What?" I asked, a little warily.
"Nothing." He replied, a little too quickly before stepping into our bedroom and kicking the door shut behind him. He then proceeded to walk towards our large bed. "Come on, sleepy. Bedtime." He teased, smirking as he cooed down at me and sat me down on the edge of the bed to remove my shoes.
I glowered halfheartedly at him.
"Do I look like I'm five to you?" I bitched, without any venom behind the words and yawned before I pulled back the covers, slipping between them and curling into a ball.
"Not at all. That would be creepy." Nik joked back, kicking off his own boots and removing his jeans before joining me underneath the covers and cocooning around my body protectively. We both relaxed, just listening to the sounds of our slow, even breathing. I was just about to drift off when Nik suddenly spoke up. "I love you, Grace."
I smiled and reached over to interlock our hands together.
"I love you too, Nik. Sweet dreams." I slurred sleepily.
Mikaelson Mansion.
The Next Morning.
I was the first to wake up the next morning in our room, and for once it was at a reasonable time. I was feeling much better than I did last night, and my legs no longer felt like they had been replaced with Plasticine. Sitting up a little, I looked over my shoulder and smiled when I saw a very peaceful Nik, still in deep slumber behind me. His arm that had been cradling me close like a steel trap as we drifted off together, was now draped limply across my hip.
Trying not to jostle him, I turned over and lay back down just observing him in his sleep. Eventually, I was unable to ignore the call of nature and had to get up. But before I did so, I smoothed back a stray dirty blonde curl from Nik's face and leaned in to give him a gentle good morning kiss. After that, my morning routine was pretty straightforward and I was out in record time, gathering up my shoes and purse; as I intended on heading out for a walk after a quick spot of breakfast, and didn't want to endure Nik's wrath if I woke him before he was ready to greet the day.
I headed down to the dining room and found a fully dressed Rebekah already sitting at her place at the large wooden dining table, sipping from her usual glass of blood. The table itself was laden with fresh breakfast delicacies such as fruit, muffins, dishes of butter, preservatives and other spreads, and little cooling racks full of freshly cooked toast.
Emma blurs right in front of me, all smiles.
"Good morning, Grace!" She chirped, brightly. "How are you today?" She follows me over to the table and pulls out my chair for me as I sit down.
I smiled back.
"Good thanks, I had a restful night's sleep." I responded. "May I have some O.J. and a cup of tea, please?" I requested. Emma nodded and zipped off to the kitchen as I grinned over at a pleasant, but still slightly off looking Rebekah, sitting opposite me picking at her platter of fresh fruit and staring into space. "Are you alright, Bekah?" I asked, cautiously.
"Pardon?" Rebekah refocused, and blinked at me in confusion before realizing who was talking to her and smiled a little. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" She asked, a bit flippantly.
"I figured you'd still be dwelling on the possible reappearance of the White Oak Tree. My mistake." I responded, shrugging a little and thanking Emma when she returned with my juice and tea. Rebekah scowled at me, before resuming to eat her breakfast. I glanced at the other vacant chairs, already knowing why one was bare, but questioning where our other brothers were or Jeremy for that matter. Elijah, as I recalled, was a notorious early riser.
"Have the others woken up yet?" I asked, curiously. Rebekah glanced up at me before angling her head slightly, presumably reaching out with her advanced hearing to the bedrooms upstairs.
"Kol is still sleeping. Lazy oaf. As is Nik; but you already know that." She reported, "Jeremy I believe is having a shower, and Henrik is playing video games, and I think Elijah left early this morning." Rebekah immediately returned to her meal.
"That's weird. Does he usually do that? Nick off somewhere without letting you know where he's going?" I asked her, sipping from my tea.
"Not often." Rebekah replied. "But when he does, it's usually for a good reason." I nodded, then reached for a couple of pieces of toast, the butter and strawberry jam. "What are you up to today, sister?" Rebekah randomly asks me, and I blinked at her in surprise.
"Going for a walk after breakfast. Probably might go and catch up with Damon too. Why?" I asked her, curiously.
"May I tag along? I have some business I need to attend to in town … and I wouldn't mind catching up with Damon also. If that's okay with you?" She asked, a little shyly.
I smirked playfully, "I bet you do." Then cleared my throat when Rebekah scowled at me. "I don't see why not. Anything I can do to help you with your business?" I asked her, trying to be helpful.
"Not right now. But you can come along if you want." She said, smiling at me. I nodded chewing away at my toast, but I couldn't help but wonder what Rebekah was up to.
A Mystic Falls Neighborhood.
Day.
A few minutes after breakfast was over, Rebekah requested that I wait for a few minutes while she zipped upstairs to retrieve something. I nodded and went to wait outside for her; calling Damon to make sure that he was available for a visit.
"This is Damon." His familiar southern drawl answers almost immediately.
"Hello, Damon. How are you?" I greeted him, warmly. I lean against the pedestrian access gate, waiting patiently for Rebekah and content to just talk with Damon until she showed up.
"Grace? Is everything okay, are you okay?" He sounded concerned, and I smiled.
"I'm great. Had a pleasant night's sleep, and that seemed to get rid of the nausea I experienced when you saw me last night." I reassured him, and I heard him exhale a relieved breath.
"Don't scare me like that. I thought something went down, because you only call when something bad happens." Damon babbled, dropping the serious tone in his voice before changing topic. "What can I do for you then?" He asked, returning to his usual 'charming' lovable self.
Note the sarcasm.
I glanced up when the front doors opened and out stepped Rebekah who appeared calm from a distance but considering that she had business she needed to deal with in town; appearances could be deceiving.
"Nothing special. Just wondering if you're free for a chat and a catch up since what happened last night happened?" I asked, politely.
"Why you asking? People just usually rock up and make their plans in person." Damon sounded genuinely confused and I rolled my eyes, earning a questioning look from Rebekah when she finally made it to me.
"Because it's called 'good manners', Damon. It would be extremely impolite to just 'rock up' anywhere without calling first. You could be busy with something else." I pointed out, tartly.
"Uh, right. No, I'm not too busy. I guess we could meet up at the Grill later. I've got a couple of things I need to take care of." Damon responded, sounding a little bit awkward. I chuckled out of amusement, as Rebekah rolled her eyes when she realized that I was talking with Damon.
"Urgent? Is everything okay with you?" I asked, curiously.
"Uh, Alaric was arrested last night. I've been summoned by Liz to help sort it out." Damon explained, sounding like he wanted to do anything but that. "Then I'm gonna attempt to save St. Stefan from himself."
"Shit. The Alaric thing sounds serious, the Stefan thing … I'm not sure I'm gonna mess with. You know him better than I do. Is there anything you need help with the Alaric thing?" I asked, trying to be helpful since he had lent his assistance last night.
"Nah. I'm good. I'll just meet ya at the Grill later, probably with Stefan in tow." Damon dismissed me, not unkindly. I glanced at Rebekah, who was starting to look a bit impatient with me but also a little bit curious. Probably about the Stefan thing.
"Do you mind if Rebekah tags along? We're both feeling a little uh, despondent today and need some cheering up." I explained.
"Why? I thought you said nothing was wrong?" Damon sounded alert again.
"Oh, there's plenty wrong, but nothing that we need to deal with right now." I replied vaguely.
"Still not hearing the why." Damon retorted.
I sighed, "Bekah and I can explain more when we see you at the Grill. Can you wait that long?" I asked him, a little peeved.
"Sure. It's not my story." Damon replied, and I heard a car horn in the background.
"Where are you?" I asked, waving Rebekah ahead when she started getting angsty, and I followed through the gate and out onto the street.
"Walking through Town's Square. I'm on my way to the Police station." Damon responded. I could picture him standing in the middle of the sidewalk with his phone firmly attached to his ear or standing in the middle of the park just outside my old apartment block. "Gotta go. I'll see you at the Grill about 1:00ish." He rattled off distractedly before hanging up before I could say anything else. I pulled my phone from my ear and looked down at it, taken aback.
"Nice talking to you too." I muttered dryly, before shoving my phone back into my pocket and focusing upon Rebekah.
"Nice chat?" Rebekah asked, a little annoyed.
"I suppose." I replied, hooking my purse strap higher on my shoulder as I walked briskly to keep up with Rebekah's determined strides. "Why are you in such a hurry, where are we going?" I asked, half-curious and half-concerned.
"I'm supposed to be meeting the Mayor at the Grill at approximately 12:30. But I'm not in any hurry, I'm looking forward to spending some time with my sister before that meeting. Like we used to, long ago." Rebekah replied, smiling nostalgically at me.
I grinned, "Works for me." I hooked my arm through hers; something I also used to do back when Rebekah was human, and I was Gráinne. "I think I know just the place to reminisce too." I told her, earning a genuinely excited smile from my sister.
I led Rebekah towards a place I hoped had remained somewhat untouched by both man and time. As we approached the spot I had never shown anyone, not even Nik, I held my breath; praying that no idiot had tampered with the natural beauty.
"Oh, wow! Grace, where'd you find this spot?" Rebekah sighed, sounding impressed. We were standing upon a natural cliff-face with a spectacular view of an 80-foot tall plunge waterfall surrounded by fragrant greenery. The waterfall shot over a rock face, sending the spray of water two hundred feet into a valley below.
"I found it a thousand years ago. I went for a long walk, and managed to stumble upon this waterfall quite unintentionally." I explained to a stunned looking Rebekah. "Of course, I saw it from a different angle. But years of growth has made it impossible for us to go see it where I originally first saw it." I added, before turning and smiling at my sister. "So, do you like it?" I asked her, feeling hopeful that it would somewhat cheer her up.
"I love it! Thank you so much for showing it to me!" Rebekah gushed, pulling me into a rib-breaking hug.
"You're welcome, but you're smothering me." I warned her, and she immediately let go. "Come on, we've got a couple of hours to kill before you have to get to the Grill to keep your meeting with the Mayor."
I led Rebekah to a nearby meadow that was awash with colorful wildflowers as vivid as the ones we used to relax in during our childhood. We spent the next few hours just laughing and talking together like old times, and just like the old times we created flower crowns or reclined on our backs just watching the clouds passing by in the sky.
Anything to help distract us from what we were likely to face soon.
Mystic Grill.
Day.
Rebekah and I arrived in record time at the Mystic Grill and spotted Carol Lockwood sitting at a table, with some paperwork and nursing a cup of coffee. My sister made a beeline for the Mayor while I headed for the bar and ordered myself a drink, as I waited for Damon to show up and Rebekah to be finished with whatever business she had with Carol.
Earlier, back at the meadow, Rebekah explained to me that she was looking for some information about the White Oak Tree that we just learned had regrown about 300-years after the Mikaelson's left America to return to Norway, and then their spontaneous trips around the world searching for Katherine to break Nik's curse. Apparently, Carol Lockwood was the head of the Preservation Society and was the person to speak to about the likelihood of a White Oak Tree growing somewhere out in the woods.
Suddenly, Damon and Stefan walked into the Grill and I glanced down at the time on my phone: 1:00pm. I grimaced, and looked back at the pair, nodding and smiling a little painfully at Damon. He had mentioned that Stefan was likely to be with him when he agreed to meet up with me here. But I wasn't going to complain, as Rebekah had tagged along with me as well. Admittedly, it was because she had her own reasons for being here herself. But it would be a bit hypocritical if I kicked up a fuss.
"Hey guys." I greeted both brothers as they approached the bar, after Damon had eye-flirted with Rebekah as he passed through.
"Hey." Damon greeted me with a hug and a peck on the cheek and took a seat on the stool next to me, ordering a bottle of bourbon to share while Stefan barely acknowledged my presence and took a seat next to his brother. I raised an eyebrow at the rude greeting. "So, what's the story with Rebekah talking with Carol?" Damon questioned me, indicating with his head towards the table where the two women were sitting.
I shrugged, sipping from my Sprite. "I have no idea." I lied, eyeing Rebekah who was observing Damon and Stefan calculatingly right after asking Carol a question. "Whatever it is, must be important and has something to do with you two though." I surmised.
"What makes you say that?" Damon asked, dubiously.
"Because Rebekah looked right at you after asking Carol a question just before." I responded like it should've been obvious.
"Right. Well, don't mind us; we're just sorting out some issues of our own." Damon told me, and I nodded; pretending that what he said didn't interest me at all and turned back to the counter to set down my drink.
Suddenly, my phone buzzed, and I frowned and dug it out from my pocket squinting down at the screen.
'I know you're lying to me about what Rebekah is talking with Carol about. Are you gonna come clean?' – D. I glanced up at the back of Damon's head, scowling at him in annoyance.
'I'll reveal mine, if you reveal yours.' – G. I hit send, then winced when I realized at the last minute what I had just sent. This was not going to end well.
My phone buzzed, 'Is that so? Won't your fiancé have a thing or two to say about that?' Damon texted back. I glanced up at his face and noticed a very subtle amused smirk flicking up at the corner of his lips.
My fingers flew over the buttons on my phone.
'Cute. Very cute. I'm also deadly serious, smartass. I won't tell you a thing about what Rebekah and I are up to, if you're not willing to fess up about what's going on your side of the war.' I hit send and placed my phone on the bar, just as Damon suddenly flicked open his phone and casually skimmed over my message.
His smirk instantly drops, and he sighs before answering.
'Alright, touché. Calm down and don't get your panties in a twist. Fair's fair, I'll fill you in.' He responded, his text sounding a little defensive.
'Thank you.' I quickly texted back.
Damon flicked shut his phone before he turned to grab his usual bourbon from the counter. He made quick eye contact with me and nodded once before turning back to face Stefan and sipped at his drink.
"So, what does a medical examiner, Bill Forbes, and Alaric Saltzman have in common?" Damon asked Stefan, loud enough that I could overhear their conversation easily, but not so much that it was obvious that he was raising his voice. I frowned, wondering what Damon meant by the question. Even more so when Stefan started randomly tapping his ring on the counter and giving me looks when he thought Damon wasn't looking.
He swallowed hard; like he had a very large lump stuck in his throat.
What the hell?
"Come on, knock it off." Damon admonished Stefan, referring to the random ring banging his brother was doing. The younger vampire immediately grabs the bottle of bourbon and pours himself a drink. "You know," Damon casually observes. "Quitting cold turkey after a ripper binge might not be the best approach." He pointed out, as my eyes widened in horror when I finally put two and two together and realized that Stefan was attempting to distract himself from his thirst. I turned and looked at Rebekah in a panic. She also looked concerned, as I was literally a happy meal with legs being dangled in front of him. "Every time you play that all-or-nothing game, you eventually leave a trail of bodies. So, I'm thinking, now is a good time to pay our old friend moderation a visit."
"They were all on the Founder's Council, Damon." Stefan immediately responded, sounding irritated. "That's what they all have in common."
I frowned, completely confused.
"But why them? Huh? Brian Walters and Alaric weren't from founding families." Damon mused. "I mean, hey, if you're gonna slaughter council members, go A-list. At least in 1912 they killed a Salvatore—"
"Really?" Rebekah strolled up to us, grabbing their attention. My sister deliberately stood between the brothers and me and took my hand in hers, trying to calm me down as I was probably a nervous wreck. Especially when I realized how much danger I was in. Not that I wasn't able to defend myself should Stefan decide to take a chomp out of my neck, but it was always nice to have somebody stronger than they were as back up. "Which Salvatore would that be?" Rebekah asked them casually.
I glanced around and realized that Carol was nowhere to be seen.
"Rebekah, nice of you to drop in unexpected." Damon greeted her.
"I had something to discuss with Mayor Lockwood. Don't change the subject." Rebekah retorted sternly.
"Zachariah Salvatore." Stefan reluctantly revealed, eyeing Rebekah and I suspiciously.
"Your nephew?" I piped up, taking a sip from my Sprite to calm down my nerves. Damon looked at me with concern. He had obviously noticed that I was suddenly very uncomfortable in Stefan's presence once I worked out what the ring banging meant.
"Well, our father knocked up one of the maids during the Civil War. She had a son." He explained, not really disguising his disgust with his father's conduct. "But as far as everyone else knew, Stefan and I were dead. Family name had to go somewhere." He shrugged.
Rebekah nodded, "And, uh, your family owned the logging mills back then?" I raised an eyebrow at her for the question, as did Damon and he leaned around Rebekah and looked at me for an explanation. When I shrugged looking just as confused as he felt, Damon looked back at Rebekah.
"What's with the questions?" He asked, suspiciously.
"Grace and I are just researching the town history. We grew up here after all." Rebekah responded, a little haughty as she turned to the bar to grab a glass for herself. I quickly grabbed my phone and texted Damon.
'Rebekah discovered that a tree that she and her brothers burned to the ground shortly after they were turned into vampires, grew back 300-years later after they returned to the Old World.' I explained hastily and sent the text. Damon immediately read my message and frowned at me.
'What's wrong with that?' He texted.
'The wood of that tree will kill them. Rebekah told Elena and I once, that Esther used the tree in her ritual because of its substantial age. While it gave them their 'unlife', it is also the only wood capable of taking it from them as well.' I explained, darkly.
Damon's eyes widened when he read that last part of my message and looked up at me with horror. Rebekah returned her attention back on Damon, who recovered and managed to slap on a 'fake leer' on his face.
"You know, you don't have to disguise your true motives Blondie-Bex." Rebekah made a face at the nickname Damon bestowed upon her. "If you want more sex, just ask for it." He added, with a saucy wink. I knew that Damon was extremely worried; as he only made vulgar jokes like that to disguise how he was really feeling. It wasn't hard to pick up on a fact like that if you've spent enough time around him.
Rebekah smirked nastily, "Not enough liquor in the world." She then reaches over and grabs the bottle, pouring herself a drink.
Damon grinned.
"Oh, come on, it was too good for you to be this hostile." He flirted. Suddenly, Stefan grabbed his glass and the bourbon bottle and moved further away from Damon, Rebekah and me.
But mostly me.
Damon rolled his eyes at his brother's behavior, "You'll have to excuse my little brother, he's jonesing for some O-positive."
"I'm not jonesing!" Stefan denied from across the room, where he was sitting. Damon sighed and shook his head, as Rebekah takes the seat Stefan had been sitting at before he moved.
"Grace told me what you both are doing." Damon mutters underneath his breath to a surprised and slightly suspicious Rebekah.
"Did she really?" Rebekah scowled at me, but Damon intercepted the accusing glare.
"Hey, none of that. I'm not gonna stab you in the back, literally or figuratively. I'm on your side." Damon insisted, and Rebekah mellowed but didn't look any less suspicious of him. "Don't worry, I'll help you and Grace in any way I can." He promised. "I just have to help my brother first. As you've both probably noticed, he's not dealing with going cold turkey very well." Rebekah eyed Stefan, who was shooting back glasses of bourbon rapidly.
"Decidedly not." Rebekah agreed, before turning back to Damon and narrowing her eyes at him. "If you are lying to me, I'm going to pull out your rib cage and wear it as a hat." She threatened and smiled sweetly at him, and Damon smirked.
"Nice imagery." He complimented her, and Rebekah scoffed.
"Let's just return to the matter at hand." She suggested, and immediately fell silent as Stefan returned looking slightly more in control, but still eyeing me with a hungry stare.
"So, did they ever catch the killer?" Rebekah asked, getting back on point and trying to divert Stefan's blinkered attention away from me.
"Sorry, killer? Did I miss something here?" I cut in, wishing to satisfy my curiosity, much to Rebekah's frustration as both brothers' eyes clapped onto me; something that she was obviously trying to avoid due to Stefan's condition. And I'm sorry for that, but I needed the extra information to understand.
"There have been a series of random murders recently. That's why Alaric was arrested this morning; they believe him to be a possible suspect." Damon explained. "And, nope. Wrote it all off on vampires." He answered Rebekah's query as I nodded and fell silent, not wanting to miss any other important piece of information that the three of them might reveal.
"Maybe it was a vampire." Rebekah suggested, as Stefan immediately glowered at Damon accusingly.
"Yeah, yeah, maybe it was a vampire, Damon." Stefan mocked his brother who threw him a sharp warning look not to push his luck.
"Don't think for a second you didn't cross my mind too, brother." Damon warned him. "But these murders weren't your style, were they? Plus, there were no other vampires circulating then." He stated.
Stefan looked lost in thought, "Well there was one other vampire. Remember Sage?" Damon instantly grinned, earning a jealous pout from Rebekah that she immediately attempted to hide when she realized what she was doing.
"Ohh, right, Sage." Damon swipes the bourbon bottle from off the counter and takes a swig from the bottle. I nudged him hard in the ribs, causing him to choke a little on the liquid and turn and glare at me. I indicated towards a sulking Rebekah before he could swear at me. Damon's eyes immediately widened, and he became contrite.
"I knew a Sage once. Trashy little thing." Rebekah was extremely sour, and I didn't blame her. Damon could be tactless at times, intentionally or not.
"You really think it was Sage who was killing all those Founders back then?" Damon wondered as Stefan shrugged, nonchalantly.
"The town questioned every grown man in Mystic Falls. It probably never occurred to them that a woman could have done it." He replied.
"Who's Sage?" I asked, drawing the attention from all three vampires. Damon glanced at Rebekah who stubbornly avoided eye contact with him, before sighing.
"She was my mentor. Kind of like how Lexi was to Stefan; except Sage taught me all about the nature of being a vampire and how to have fun with it." Damon said, causing Rebekah to snort at that.
"Yeah, I bet she did." She groused.
Damon ignored her, "Stef and I first spotted her here in Mystic Falls back in 1912 when she was beating the shit out of men in boxing matches. She was offering $100 to any man who thought that he could beat her in a match." He reminisced.
"Did you go up against her, then?" I grinned and Damon shook his head, killing my buzz a little.
"I wasn't like I am now, back then. I still acted like the proper Southern Gentleman my mother had raised, and Stefan here was trying to lecture me on how to live my life." He glared at Stefan resentfully, and the younger vamp rolled his eyes.
"I was trying to make amends for my actions. To give you some piece of mind." Stefan insisted.
"No, you were giving me a boring lecture. Thank god I ignored you like I did." Damon retorted, evenly. "But that's when Sage and I first talked face-to-face. She made some assumptions, which I refuted. Then she shoved that $100 bill she was offering to the other gents down my pants and went on her way." Damon smirked at the looks on Rebekah's face and my face.
"Down your pants?" I repeated his words, disbelievingly.
"Told you she was trashy." Rebekah muttered into my ear as she stole back the bottle from Stefan and took a drink from it. I rolled my eyes, then flinched when I saw Stefan starting to look a little bit edgy. Rebekah commandeered the bottle and was starting to finish the last dregs of the bourbon. "So, uh, tell us more about your old relatives. I heard they tore down half the woods to build this town." She recounted to them as the bartender walks over to us and places down a bottle of whiskey, before moving away to serve another customer.
Rebekah reaches for the bottle, but Damon grabs it first.
"Easy there. It's been a hoot and a half but it's boy's night and you weren't invited." He tells us, before walking off with the alcohol and Stefan following behind with two glasses. Rebekah and I looked at him, taken aback. At least, we were until my phone suddenly buzzed with another text message. I tugged it free and opened the new message.
"That thing has been buzzing all afternoon. It's becoming irritating." Rebekah eyed my phone like it was a particularly nasty bug that needed to be squished.
"It's Damon. He's telling us not to disappear and just play along." I relayed before looking up at her, mildly exasperated with how Damon was handling the situation. Rebekah scoffed with disbelief.
"Play along? He can't be serious, after how rude he is being? He's got some nerve." Rebekah scoffed.
"I agree that he needs to grow up a little more, but he is keeping us in the loop for the most part. I mean, how are we going to find more information about the White Oak Tree if we just leave?" I asked, and Rebekah paused to think this over. Eventually, she let out an impatient sigh.
"Fine. But this better be worth it." She warned me, before we both strode over to the dartboard, where Damon and Stefan had relocated for their 'guy's night'.
Damon was shooting darts, while Stefan sat at a table not too far away watching him.
"So, let's just say Sage was killing everyone in 1912." Damon hypothesized as he got a bulls-eye. "Who the hell is doing it now? It's not that psycho, Dr. Fell. She's a woman." Both Rebekah and I bristled at the sexist comment. "There's no way she could stab three grown men." He throws a dart, which Rebekah catches in mid-air before it could make its mark. I sauntered to stand in front of him, folding my arms across my chest.
"Rebekah and I are making an effort not to feel insulted by that last comment you just made." I informed Damon, who eyed me with annoyance.
"Agreed. That comment was a bit sexist. A woman could easily kill a man, with the right motivation." Rebekah pointed out.
Stefan glared at the both of us.
"You both don't know when to give up, do you?" He questioned, rhetorically.
"Easy, Mr. Grumpy. Don't take your frustrations out on us." I scolded him as I took a seat at a table next to the one Stefan was sitting at.
"He's on a master cleanse. Trying to be a better man and all." Damon pointed out, earning a glare from Stefan. Rebekah pouted in disappointment.
"You know, you were a lot more fun in the '20s." She said, as Damon came over and placed a hand on her shoulder which she immediately shook off.
"Don't rile him up." He urged. Damon picks up the whiskey bottle and pours himself yet another glass. "He's testy when he's being self-righteous."
"I'm not being self-righteous, Damon. I'm just not interested in slaughtering innocent human beings anymore." Stefan corrected him, as Damon snorted at the explanation and Rebekah and I exchanged disbelieving looks between us.
"And the innocent human beings appreciate this." I quipped, earning an amused grin from both Damon and Rebekah.
"I agree, my mistake." Damon pulls out a well-used leather journal which Stefan immediately bristles at Damon when he sees it. "You used to be self-righteous." He reminds him, before turning the page in the book and beginning to read. "‛Dear Diary, Damon has lost his way. Though I have pulled my own life together, he continues to waste his.'" He quoted to a steadily reddening Stefan.
Rebekah grabs the journal from Damon and starts reading from it too.
"E tu, Rebekah?" I scolded her, disapprovingly.
She ignores me, "Ouch." Rebekah fakes a look of sympathy at Stefan before she too reads. "‛His bitterness consumes him. He is nothing but blackness and vile.'" She snaps the journal closed and turns to look at Damon with a raised eyebrow as she winds the strap around it securely. "I think Nik made friends with the wrong brother." She mused, before slamming the journal against Damon's chest and taking a seat beside me.
"Hardy har har." Damon retorts, sarcastically.
Stefan, surprisingly enough, was holding onto his temper remarkably well.
"Well, this is fun." Stefan stated, dryly.
"If I'm being honest, you didn't seem like much fun either, Damon." I pointed out, earning a small smile from my best friend.
"I wasn't. The woman I was in love with was stuck in a tomb and she wasn't getting out for a hundred years. I wasn't having any fun at all." Damon admitted. "Something that Sage didn't hesitate to point out to me either."
"She always did like to poke her nose where it wasn't welcome." Rebekah stated, pulling a nail file from out of nowhere and starts filing her nails.
"You said that Sage was your mentor, what lessons did she teach you?" I asked, genuinely curious even though it was about Damon snuffing out innocent lives a hundred odd years ago for practicing purposes.
Damon shrugged.
"That most of the time, women weren't just for food but sometimes for pleasure." He responded, playing with a lock of my hair. I batted away his hand, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. Rebekah reached over and placed her hand over mine where I had rested it on the tabletop. I glanced up at her concerned face in surprise, before smiling a little. I was only slightly disturbed by Damon's frank description, but not enough to stop grilling him for more information.
"That explains why you sometimes feed on sorority girls." I recalled and Damon grinned and nodded.
"Can't disappoint my teacher, now can I?" He asked me, and I nodded, then hesitated.
"Can you be more specific?" I asked him, curious. This time Damon hesitated, his grin falling slightly.
"Are you sure you want to know?" He asked me, and I rolled my eyes at him before making myself comfortable in my bar chair, folding my arms across my chest and crossing my legs giving him a pointed look.
"I wouldn't have asked if I couldn't handle the facts. Go right ahead." I responded, and Damon continued to hesitate which caught Stefan's interest. It was obvious that he believed that Damon had never put somebody else's interests or feelings before his own, as he normally just charged on ahead not really giving a shit.
Naturally, Stefan couldn't help but comment on it.
"I'm surprised, Damon. This is a strange change from you. It's almost human." Stefan mocked his brother and Damon reacted like Stefan's words merely bounced off him like a rubber bullet.
"Scary isn't it?" Damon countered. "But in all seriousness, that particular day Sage brought me back into that tent we had previously observed her whaling (somewhat unfairly) on a bunch of clueless idiots and told me to observe the crowd for a potential candidate." Damon explained.
"Candidate?" I raised an eyebrow.
"It's a better term for 'victim' or 'prey'." Damon supplied, and I made a face.
"Oh. Sorry I asked." I said.
"But not just any sort of prey. Sage taught me how to spot the differences and choose accordingly." He continued his explanation and I frowned at him, not understanding. Rebekah huffed impatiently at Damon who was apparently taking too long to explain himself for her liking.
"What he means, sister, is that he divides them into two groups: those who are hungry for attention and seek out the adrenaline rush that comes from being in danger, and the ones who button themselves up and shy away, but secretly crave the danger and seduction." She summed it up for me and I looked at my sister and Damon with horror. "Which definitely sounds like something Sage would say, to a 'T'."
Damon looked surprised that Rebekah knew exactly what he was talking about.
"How do you know Sage?" He asked, interested.
"She was obsessed with my brother Finn, over 900-years ago." Rebekah replied, bored.
"What? Creepy suicidal guy?" Damon blurted out without thinking, earning a dirty look from Rebekah for his less than flattering description of her eldest brother, despite how accurate it really was. I, on the other hand was suddenly inspired by this new information about my more reclusive, and quieter brother-in-law.
"Finn found love, huh?" A 'eureka' smile spread across my face. "Fancy that." Damon looked like he wanted to ask me what I meant by that, but Stefan distracted him by tapping his ring again on the tabletop.
"You're doing it again." He informed Stefan, who immediately gets up from the table.
"Alright, you know what, I need to, uh, I gotta get out of here." He walks away from the table fast.
Rebekah confronted me.
"Fancy what?" She asked me, as we both watched Damon and Stefan move away so they could talk privately and I tried to ignore the way Stefan still wouldn't keep his eyes off me in his obviously growing hunger that alcohol apparently couldn't keep at bay.
"That Finn managed to find love. Because, no offense Bekah, but I had always been led to believe that Finn was asexual, as he always kept to himself unless he was doing chores, practicing his sword-fighting or helping Mikael maintain your house and livestock. He never seemed to be interested in any of the girls in our village." I recalled, sheepishly.
Rebekah chuckled, "Believe me. That was what we had always thought as well." I blinked at her in astonishment; fully expecting her to get defensive on behalf of Finn. "But when Sage came along, it was like he'd seen the light somehow and thought the bitch hung the moon. Sage was the only person that could keep him from his unhealthy obsession of ending his existence after we spent our first century as vampires, so he changed her so they could be together forever." She told me, a little bitter.
"So, how long was it before Nik daggered him for the next 900-years?" I asked, curious to hear this part of their history that I had missed out on since being dead for the last thousand years.
"Not very long. Like I said before, Sage was the only thing that stopped Finn from offing himself. This was one of the times that our family unanimously agreed that daggering was the only solution to the problem." Rebekah explained.
"Then why did you all make a big deal out of it when you all gained up on Nik the night Elijah and Damon released Kol and him from their coffins?" I demanded.
"Because we hadn't expected him to keep Finn in there for 900-years." Rebekah told me, flatly. I nodded but didn't say anything else. It wasn't my business and sticking my nose any further into it was likely to land me in serious problems, even though sooner or later their problems would become my problems, once I married Nik. "You still haven't answered my question, by the way." She reminded me.
"My apologies. But I had to make sure before I did." I explained. Rebekah nodded, but narrowed her eyes impatiently at me. "What if, hypothetically, we made an attempt to locate Sage and brought her back here to Mystic Falls for Finn; do you think that might make him change his mind about suicide to get rid of you all?" I asked Rebekah, casually.
Rebekah shrugged, "Possibly. But you'd have a hard time locating her."
"Why's that?" I frowned.
"Last I heard, before I was daggered; Sage is known to be elusive. When she wants you to find her, she'll make herself known." Rebekah told me, and I deflated. So much for my idea. "It's too bad, though. Your idea had a lot of potential." She tried to complement me despite how flawed the plan was. Then frowned. "By the way, how are we linked? We never drank the champagne." She questioned, probably remembering back to when Kol had been daggered and how it affected the rest of them.
"I've been mulling that over myself." I replied, uneasily. "I think you were probably linked when you unintentionally licked the residue off your lips at another point during the night." I theorized. "It's the only solution I could come up with, that had the most potential."
"Wonderful." Rebekah growled. "Not looking forward to revealing this to Nik or Elijah. They'll have a field day with this." She stated, sarcastically. I glanced up and saw that Damon and Stefan were in the process of leaving the Grill.
"Quick! We gotta go." I said, getting to my feet and snatching up my purse. Rebekah followed without hesitation and we managed to make it out of the restaurant before we could lose sight of the brothers.
Outside the Mystic Grill.
Night.
When we got outside, we saw that Stefan was walking on ahead while Damon lagged, looking very concerned for his brother. Rebekah sidled up to him, also looking at Stefan, except with apathy instead of concern.
"So, he doesn't want to drink human blood?" Rebekah appeared just as mystified by this as Nik did. Damon didn't smile or make a sardonic quip. I also lagged, but mostly because all of this went over my head; I didn't have the slightest clue where to start.
"Ah, he's an eternally guilty conscience." He confirmed, grimly.
Rebekah made a thoughtful face.
"Funny. When I knew him in the 20s, he didn't have any conscience at all. One of the things I liked the most about it." She recalled with a slight smile, then frowned at Stefan's back with disapproval. "He can't possibly think he can survive without feeding."
Damon smiled without humour, "Oh, on the contrary. He's determined to live his life pursuing one extreme or the other. He's a stubborn one, my brother." He then sighed heavily, before looking at my sister with a plea on his face. Not that he'd admit that it was there, of course. "Uh, I think I'm gonna need some help with this one." He admitted.
To our surprise, Rebekah nodded.
"What can I do?" She asked.
I watched in silent horror as Damon scanned the streets around us, before eventually singling out a woman getting out of her car nearby. He looks at Rebekah, then at me with an apologetic glance before rushing over to the oblivious woman; charming smiles and all.
"Don't!" I called out, but was immediately hushed by Rebekah who gave me a warning frown.
"No lasting harm will come to her, Grace. We're just trying to get Stefan to stop denying to himself what he craves." She explained to me. I continued to frown at her in protest but had no choice but to watch.
"Hello." Damon greeted the woman, who eyed him cautiously.
"Hi." She responded, nervously. Stefan turned and looked suspiciously at them while Damon beamed at the unlucky woman.
"This may seem very forward but you're just so pretty." He fawned over her, and she foolishly relaxed and seemed to let down her guard.
"Thank you." She smiled. Stefan rolled his eyes and continued walking as Damon leaned in, deliberately looking unblinkingly into the poor woman's eyes as his pupils dilated.
"Please don't scream. You're about to have a very, very bad night." He promised, unapologetically, before he bites into her neck and begins feeding on her. I winced, realizing that even though it went against everything I stood for, I had to stay where I was. This seemed to be the right move, as Stefan had immediately stopped walking when Damon stopped talking and rushed over to his brother to pull him away from the compelled woman.
"Damon, stop!" He yelled, frantically. Damon immediately drops the woman and I darted forward to catch her before she could crack her head open on the sidewalk.
"Oh, shit…" I muttered, fearfully, looking for something to stop the blood flowing and was unceremoniously relieved of my burden by Rebekah. Damon strolls unhurried over to my side and extends a hand to help me to my feet, while keeping his eye on Stefan the entire time.
"Sorry, brother. It's dinner time. Have a bite." He encourages Stefan who looks appalled by the idea, but at the same time not really opposed either. Damon turns to look at me. "Are you okay?" He asks me, no bullshit in his tone.
I frowned at him.
"No!" I snapped back, earning an approving smile from him.
"Good. At least somebody is being honest to themselves." Damon praises me, before looking pointedly at Stefan as he pulls me behind him for protection.
"What are you doing?" Stefan demanded.
"It's called tough love, Stefan." Damon responded, squeezing my hand for a split second before letting go and starting to pace after making sure that he and Rebekah shielded me from Stefan. "You're not gonna survive this cold turkey thing, you never do." He stated the cold harsh realities to a stubborn Stefan. "It's time to get that monkey off your back."
"No!" Stefan sounded tortured.
"Feed, Stefan. Or I'll let Rebekah have her way with her, and you'll know she'll kill her." Damon ordered him, sternly.
"You know I will." Rebekah agreed.
"Then her blood will be on your hands. Or, you could just have a little drink, save her life." Damon shrugged. "Come on, Stef. You were the one that said you didn't want any more innocent lives slaughtered. Save her." He urged. "Go on, have a bite. I snatched, you eat, I'll erase. Hell, I'll even heal her for you." Damon bargained.
Stefan's eyes lingered over the oozing trail the blood was creating down the poor woman's neck and I could see the temptation in his eyes and literally underneath his skin as the blue-black veins started appearing and disappearing underneath his eyes.
"Why are you doing this? You know what blood does to me." Stefan pleaded almost pathetically.
"Because you let it control you. You always have." Damon replied. "I'm just here to help you learn how to fight it."
Rebekah let out an impatient huff, "This is rubbish."
My sister instantly extends her fangs and moves in for the kill, only to be knocked aside when Stefan rushes in to save the woman. However, he immediately sees and smells the blood running down the dying woman's neck and bites her and feeds. Rebekah grins triumphantly; her bluff paying off.
Damon waves a dismissive hand in our direction.
"I got it from here. You can go now." He requests, wiping the smile from Rebekah's face as she looks at him, appalled.
"Are you sure?" I asked, tentatively.
"Positive. Take your sister and scram already." Damon orders me, and I react like he had slapped me.
"You're a real arse, you know?" Rebekah informed him, protective, as she noticed the hurt expression I probably had on my face when Damon told us to bugger off.
"So I'm told." Damon didn't appear to care.
"If it wasn't for me, you'd still be coaxing Stefan to take the bait!" She snarled.
"And your assistance was appreciated." Damon retorted, still fixated upon Stefan.
"Assistance!? You!" I stepped into Rebekah's path and put my hands up to stop her.
"Forget about it, Rebekah. Let's just go. We've got other things we need to worry about, remember?" I stated, and Rebekah immediately mellowed and nodded, giving Damon one last hateful glare before turning and walking off. I also turned to look at Damon, feeling disappointed with him.
"Keep it up, Damon, and you'll probably lose her. She won't tolerate your insolence for long. Rebekah's not the most patient person." I reprimanded him angrily, before following my fuming sister.
A/N: That's all folks! The next chapter should be out soon! Remember, review and don't forget to tell me where you're from unless you've already told me before.
TTFN xx