Chapter 19
Gwen paced back and forth as she waited for Ric to return with the others, tapping her fingers along the top of the shelves that lined the wall under the windows in Ric's classroom. She squinted against the brightness of the sun, which seemed to be amplified by the white-painted cinderblock walls. It probably wasn't even that bright, she thought. She was just tired.
It had been a late night for her and her uncle. Once Ric had stumbled in and frantically recounted his run-in with Isobel, both had been too wound up to do much besides stress. They had considered reaching out to Elena given Isobel's threat of a killing spree, but had decided to wait until the next day. It was late and they had all had a long day. Plus, it wasn't as if Isobel was going to do anything quite yet. She had said she would give them some time. Though they were hesitant to put much stock into that promise.
Ric had insisted they both go to bed around one in the morning after a few hours of speculating. Well, she had certainly been in bed, she had maybe had a few hours of sleep before she had to get up and come to school to help Caroline with her Founder's Day float. Though it was a school day, the seniors and juniors were solely on campus to help with the celebration preparations. Somehow they got credit for it. Gwen did not really understand how it all worked; just another Mystic Falls tradition. Anyway, judging by the circles under Ric's eyes, Gwen guessed he had not had much sleep either.
"Practicing your drumming skills?"
Gwen paused and looked over to see Damon walking through the doorway, eyeing her with what seemed like concern. She forced her hand flat on the top of the bookcase. As soon as she did, however, she found herself looking for another way to relieve the nervous energy.
"Sorry, just stressed I guess," she mumbled.
"Care to share what exactly we're stressing about today?" Damon asked, leaning against her uncle's desk.
"It'll just be easier to explain if we wait for Ric to get back with Elena and Stefan."
"I don't know if I can handle all of this intrigue," Damon joked. His smile fell quickly when he did not get even the hint of a reaction out of Gwen. Awkwardly, he tried to reassure her. "Whatever it is, we'll handle it. You have to have some faith in our abilities by now."
"Yeah, I guess," she said noncommittally. "I just hope there are no casualties in the process."
Ric entered the room, followed by Elena and Stefan, before Damon could reply. Her uncle motioned for the other two to take a seat while he shut and locked the door. Elena sat in one of the desks while Stefan stood beside her. Their looks of confusion only increased when they spotted Damon and Gwen waiting in the classroom.
What's going on?" Elena asked.
"Isobel's in town," Ric said, folding his arms in front of him, "and she wants to meet with Elena."
Stefan and Elena tensed and shared a worried a look. Elena cleared her throat and asked, "What exactly did she say?"
Ric shrugged. "That was it: Arrange a meeting with you or she goes on a killing spree."
"I don't like it," Stefan said, taking a step forward as he hovered protectively behind Elena, who was nervously twisting a scrap piece of paper in her hands.
"No one does," Damon scoffed. He softened as he looked at Elena. "You don't have to see her."
Stefan's eyes narrowed, surprised by his brother's sudden sensitivity. Gwen watched as his confusion turned to concern when Elena returned Damon's gaze, and she tried to ignore the twisting sensation in her stomach. Stefan turned his attention to Gwen and their eyes met. She gave him a sympathetic smile. It was about time that he knew.
"She doesn't have a choice," Gwen said, interrupting all the intense stares. "It may be an awkward conversation, but we can't ignore her and put innocent people at risk. There were no attacks reported this morning. I think she'll keep her word as long as we cooperate."
Stefan and Damon were looking at her with wide eyes, but Ric and Elena nodded in agreement. Looking determined, Elena said, "Gwen's right. We need to find out what she's doing here after all of this time anyway. And… I want to meet her. I'll regret it if I don't.
"All right," Ric said in a resigned manner, not giving Damon or Stefan a chance to protest and flipping open his phone. "I'll make the call."
Isobel instructed that Elena meet her at The Grill in thirty minutes. She'd been explicit that Damon and Ric were not be with her, but hadn't mentioned Stefan. Using the loophole, they decided Stefan would be in The Grill in case anything went wrong, and Damon and Ric would wait outside. Gwen would stay at the high school and cover with the staff and any curious students. There wasn't much she could do, and she was still recovering from the weekend's events. Ric promised to call her once the meeting was over.
"Don't do anything stupid," she said as they parted ways in the main hall. Ric gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze in response as she turned toward the cafeteria. Elena's notes in hand, she forced herself to project a carefree attitude despite the tightening knot in her stomach. Everything will be fine, she thought to herself. It's just a meeting.
"Hey," Gwen said cheerfully as she sat down at the table with Bonnie and Caroline. "Sorry, I'm late."
"Where's Elena?" Caroline asked.
"She and Stefan are running an errand for Ric. They'll be back later," she said, the lie coming easy to her. "What did I miss?"
Bonnie was giving her skeptical once over, but couldn't press for details. She and Elena weren't really talking right now because Bonnie refused to be involved with vampire affairs any further. Still, Gwen wondered if she should try to tell Bonnie what was going on, especially since Elena was meeting her birth mother right now. That's something a best friend should be there for, right?
Caroline looked disappointed, but shuffled her sketches around so Bonnie and Gwen could look at them together.
"Our theme will be Southern class elegance," she said proudly.
Teasing, Bonnie said, "In other words, Gone with the Wind?"
"Oh yes, that's extremely fitting."
Caroline pursed her lips, pretending to be upset with them. "If you two are done, we have work to do."
The other two girls laughed as Caroline continued describing her plan for the float. Gwen did her bet to listen, though her focus often strayed to her idle phone that sat beside her on the table. The next hour was going to be the longest of her life.
Gwen struggled to open the heavy metal door while handling the oversized trash bag, but she managed to only drop the door on her hip once as she made her way outside to the dumpsters. The bag was not heavy, but it was overflowing with the bulky leftover material from Caroline's float which is what made it hard to maneuver. As she hefted it into the dumpster, she was in awe that had made so much trash. They still had some work left to do, but it could be finished tomorrow when they actually started building the float, especially if Stefan and Elena showed.
Adjusting her bag's strap back into place, Gwen pulled out her phone from her jacket pocket. The screen showed that she didn't have any missed messages. Everyone had been silent since Ric returned from the meeting — and that was hours ago. She supposed that should be a relief; it meant Isobel was still waiting for them to follow through on her demand. However, she would not be patient forever and Damon was already being resistant to her demands.
She turned around to cut back through the school so she could catch up with Caroline and the others. But when she tried to open the door it wouldn't budge. She had forgotten to prop the door open on her way out and it had locked behind her.
"Damn it," she muttered. She took her phone out and texted Caroline that she would meet them out front. As she was texting, she heard the sound of an approaching car but didn't give it much thought. The road that led back here was a dead end; it was likely the sounds she heard were carrying through the air from the main road, which was just on the other side of a patch of trees that bordered the back of the school. So she was a bit startled to see a black SUV blocking the road when she looked up from her phone.
A woman waved from behind the tinted window before rolling it down and leaning out of it. "Hello," she called, a large smile plastered on her face. "I'm afraid I got all turned around, and I'm running late. Would you mind helping me?"
Gwen nodded. "Sure, where are you trying to go?"
"I'm on my way to a coworker's house for a dinner party," she explained, reaching over to the passenger's seat to grab something. As Gwen approached the driver's side of the car, she could see it was a map. "My GPS has no idea where I am and I'm not great with maps."
Gwen took another step so she was right next to the car. There was an address written on a sticky note in the corner of the map. It was as she was getting a better look at the address that she was engulfed from behind by two strong arms. Instinctively, she tried to fight back but hit her head on the window frame.
It was as she was reading the address she was hit on her head so hard she fell to the ground. Dazed from the impact, the person who had grabbed her was able to get her hands behind her back and restrain her. When she regained the ability to fight back, she was slammed into the side of the car. The second hit left her too disoriented to fight back and she slumped against her attacker.
"About time," the woman snapped as she got out of the car and walked around them to open the door to the backseat. "Get her in there and keep her out of sight."
The man practically threw her on to the bench seat in the back before climbing in after her, roughly shoving her further to other side so he could sit comfortably.
"Use this to sedate her," the woman commanded before slamming the door. Gwen felt the man lean over her and then a wet cloth was firmly placed over her nose and mouth. She tried move away from the cloth, but he had her trapped in the corner. As her panic grew, she felt the car lurch forward and make a quick u-turn before speeding off. The fight left her as the chemicals she was breathing in began to take affect. In only a few minutes, she was completely unconscious.
When Gwen awoke sometime later, she noticed a few things right away. The first was that she didn't feel at all groggy from whatever they had used to drug her. The second was, unfortunately, the dull ache on her head from where it had made contact with the door. She reached up to check for an injury and was relieved to find that there wasn't so much as a bump. It was only sore. The third thing was that she was lying on a very fluffy white bedspread in a well-decorated room that she had never seen. Of all the places she could've been taken to, she never would have expected it to have been a picturesque bedroom that would've been perfect on any home improvement show.
"About time you woke up."
Gwen's back went rigid as those words were spoken. The voice was colder than she had ever heard it, but she still recognized it. She slid off of the bed, keeping it between them to ensure space, and turned about to face the speaker.
"Isobel," she greeted stiffly.
Seeing her former aunt was more jarring than Gwen could have anticipated. She looked the same as the last time Gwen had seen her. Though maybe that wasn't so surprising since it had only been a few years since then. Despite looking the same, there were some differences. Her clothes were clearly from some high-fashion boutique instead of the department stores she had frequented as a university professor. The biggest difference to Gwen was her eyes. Gwen remembered how people had been so drawn to Isobel, her included. She was once so full of energy and passion that it shined through her eyes. But all of that was gone. Now, they were cold and empty. That was probably more unnerving than knowing Isobel was a vampire who could easily kill her. Actually, maybe that was what made Gwen believe Isobel would kill if she thought it was necessary.
"You know, I thought you'd be happier to see me," Isobel fake pouted. "We used to be so close."
"Considering I can't remember what happened the last time I saw you and the hell you've put my uncle through, you couldn't possibly believe I'd even want to see you — let alone be happy about it," she said, sounding more confident than she felt.
Isobel smirked. "Oh I have missed your stubbornness. You know, some people would see that as flaw, but it can be a valuable asset in the right situation."
"What am I doing here?" she demanded.
"Like I said, we used to be so close. I was hoping to catch up." When Gwen continued to look at her with disbelief, Isobel sighed and gave up the act; her demeanor switching to detached and cold. "I came here for something and I don't plan to leave without it. You're here as leverage to keep certain parties in line."
"Certain parties?"
"The Salvatores," she clarified and then amended, "mainly Damon. He's the wildcard."
"And you think having me here will keep him in line?" Gwen scoffed, rolling her eyes. Damon wouldn't go along with someone else's plan if his own life depended on it.
"He won't be happy about it," Isobel acknowledge, looking amused, "but yes. My sources tell me you are one of two people in this town that he's close to. The other has her mission to get Johnathan Gilbert's device."
Whatever confidence Gwen had felt a moment before was quickly replaced by a sudden cold, sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something about Isobel's words unsettled her. She did her best to shove the feelings away; she had no intention of being used by Isobel.
Just like she had practiced with Bonnie, Gwen focused all of her energy on her former aunt for the aneurysm spell.
But nothing happened. Gwen could not even feel the power flowing through like usual. She attempted to light a nearby candle and still nothing happened.
"What the …?"
"Don't bother," Isobel said smugly. "Part of the concoction used to knock you out also bound your powers for twenty-four hours. That's why it was so strong. I couldn't risk you trying to magic your way out."
"How did you know?" Gwen asked, surprised for the first during this whole encounter.
"Like I said, I have my sources. Oh, and one more thing." With vampire speed, Isobel zipped across the room to stand in front of Gwen.
"You will not make any attempt to leave this house without my permission. Nod if you understand."
Gwen understood what was happening but was too slow to react. It suddenly felt light, as if she was no longer affected by gravity. She half expected to fall over but was surprised to find herself still standing and conscious. There was a part of her trying to stay in control, fighting the compulsion. It was during that fight that some corner of her mind realized her wristband was missing. That plus the loss of her powers must have made her vulnerable. Against her will she felt herself nod.
"Good. Now why don't we go downstairs and catch up?"
Though no longer compelled, Gwen knew she did not have a choice. Isobel had successfully trapped her. Begrudgingly, she followed Isobel out of the room.
Gwen sat at the table in the mansion's formal dining room while Isobel talked with her two minions. Well, she assumed she was talking, but she could have feeding. The door to the sitting room where the man and woman had been waiting was closed and Gwen couldn't even hear a murmur of words. Bouncing her legs as she waited, she looked around the main floor and listened for any other sounds. The house seemed empty except for the the four of them. She could try to make a run for it. If she was very quiet, she might even make it. If Isobel was feeding, she could be too distracted to notice.
Taking a chance, Gwen went to stand up — and found she couldn't move at all.
Frowning, she slumped back in her seat. Isobel's compulsion was surprising thorough.
It wouldn't have mattered anyway. Isobel came out of the sitting room a minute later, wiping her mouth which was set in a satisfied smirk. The door closed behind her with a sharp click and she set her sights on Gwen.
"Good, right where I left you."
"Like I could have go anywhere," Gwen said bitterly.
"You can't go wherever you want, but you can go anywhere in this house," Isobel explained, a hint of amusement in her words. "For example, you could have gone to the kitchen. Not that there's anything in there in the way of food. Think of it like being like a princess."
Gwen fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Pretty sure Belle was allowed outside."
Isobel shrugged. "I didn't say which one, and Rapunzel wasn't."
"Are you ever going to get to your point?" Gwen snapped. "I know I'm not here to debate fairy tales, and I know there's something else going on because you would have locked me upstairs if I was just leverage."
Isobel's haughty smirk turned into a pleased smile. "I forgot what it was like to have someone around that understood me."
"I'd care, but that's a consequence of abandoning your husband to become a monster."
"Is that what you think I am? A monster?" Isobel asked. Gwen watched her in the mirror of the large buffet as she circled the table, picking up a folder as she passed the smaller buffet at the other end of the room. When Gwen didn't answer, she pressed on. "I suppose that's fair. The things I did to Ric. Well, the things I've done — and I signed up for it all. But what about Damon and Stefan? Are they monsters?"
Isobel took a seat on Gwen's left, waiting for a response. Gwen avoided her gaze; her mind flashing back to the night she'd seen Damon attack the girl outside the Grill and then towhen Stefan had attacked her. She knew enough of their pasts to know they were far from innocent. But she could not see them as monsters.
"If you're judging us by the same standards, they definitely are," Isobel said, deciding she was over watching Gwen squirm. "But it's not that black and white, is it?"
Still refusing to answer, Gwen finally met her gaze.
"All right, all right," Isobel said, pretending to relent. "As you pointed out, you're not here to debate fairy tales."
"So what am I here for?" Gwen snapped, her impatience getting the better of her.
"You know, I was researching vampires and the paranormal long before I met your uncle or you. Legitimate contacts are rare, and they all tend to talk to each other at some point or another. And it gets around fast when certain subjects are being asked about. If you're … persuasive enough, you can convince some contacts to let you know when someone's asking around."
Gwen's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"
"That wristband you wear? I saw it years ago when I was helping your mom clean out the apartment. It was an accident. Your mom hadn't realized it was in the box we were going through. She took it away quickly, but I got a good enough look to know that the symbol actually meant something. I was curious, so I went home to my books and computer and started reaching out to people."
"And you learned that my father is the leader of an evil coven," Gwen cut in. "I know. Shelia Bennett did the same thing a few months ago. Gave me a file and everything."
"The difference is, I was no one when I asked questions, just a harmless grad student. Shelia Bennett is well-known scholar and suspected witch in the community. That made the wrong people nervous, and those people alerted their contacts to your family coven."
"Ok," Gwen said slowly. "What are you trying to say?"
By the growing knot in her stomach, Gwen knew what Isobel was getting at. Even Shelia had worried about her questioning arousing the interest of the wrong people. So much had happened since then in Mystic Falls that Gwen had forgotten Shelia's concerns and the threat that her father would come for her.
But she couldn't worry about that now. She had to figure out how to get away from her ex-aunt.
"And you're telling me this because?"
Isobel flinched, surprised — and maybe hurt — by the question. It was small. If Gwen had not been watching her, she probably would have missed the action all together.
"It never hurts to have someone owe you favor," Isobel said, recovering quickly. "Especially when that someone is a powerful witch."
Gwen scoffed. It wasn't that she didn't believe the explanation. She did; it sounded just like her aunt. But she got the feeling that was not the whole truth.
"Anyway, enjoy your reading material," Isobel said, sliding the folder over to Gwen as she stood up from the table. "I have a few more friends to visit."
With a final smirk she exited the room, leaving Gwen alone with the file. Though the compulsion was still in place, she was not going to jus sit here. Gwen was not good at waiting. She slipped the file into her bag, deciding to take a look around the house. There was no harm in looking around. There was always the chance she would stumble upon something useful.
Searching the house turned out to be a pointless endeavor. Isobel hadn't left anything personal lying around. Gwen had given up after about an hour. It was clear Isobel was only using this house as a temporary base; she wasn't moving in. That realization had given her some relief. If Isobel got what she wanted, then she really was planning to leave — hopefully for good.
She had been careful to avoid Isobel's minions during her search, but it seemed they were confined to their sitting room. She tried not to think about what they might be doing in there. To make sure she didn't accidentally hear anything, Gwen was camped out in one of the more isolated rooms upstairs with Isobel's file splayed out around her.
Where Shelia's research had focused on the history and lore of the coven, Isobel had taken a more contemporary approach. There was a family tree, which revealed she had two half brothers and a number of cousins, and documents ranging from property ownership to financial to criminal information. It was a lot to taken in. She was sure about one thing though: Gwen definitely did not want any of these people coming after her.
With a sigh, she glanced toward the clock. Upon seeing the hands straight up and down, her stomach growled as if it understood the time. Gwen frowned. She remembered Isobel had said there wasn't any food in the house. She supposed hospitality really wasn't a priority in a hostage situation. Still, the two compelled people had to eat, especially she was using them as living blood bags. Maybe there was something in the kitchen. After a moment of deliberation, Gwen decided she would at least see. She needed a break from the latest round of family secrets. She gathered the papers into an unorganized stack and placed them back in her bag.
The sound of pop music filled the halls and Gwen thought she may have heard people laughing. It was weird she hadn't noticed before; she must have been too engrossed in her reading. She hoped she could avoid running into Isobel and whatever she was doing. She did not want to be a witness to whatever "fun" was going on downstairs. As she neared the landing, she heard a loud thud that sounded as if something large had been slammed into the wall. Maybe what was going on downstairs wasn't exactly fun.
" — threaten the people I care about. Going after Elena? Bad move. You leave her alone or I will rip you to bits because I do believe in killing the messenger. You know why? Because it sends a message."
Gwen was looking down at Damon, who had her aunt pinned to the ground. She didn't have to see his face to know the anger in voice was real. She had heard that tone before; it usually preceded him doing something rash. He hadn't noticed her, but Isobel had. She smirked.
"Careful, Damon," she said, smirking, "my niece might do something rash if you kill me."
Gwen watched as Damon stilled and followed Isobel's gaze to her at the top of the stairs. He balked, his grip on Isobel loosening enough for her to escape him. Gwen's eyes narrowed. Why was his shirt halfway unbuttoned?
"Gwen? What are you doing here?" he asked, finally finding his voice.
"We've been catching up," Isobel said smugly. "Isn't that right, sweetie?"
Rolling her eyes, Gwen said, "Yep, lots of catching up."
Damon turned his gaze back toward Isobel, glaring. "Come on, Gwen. Let's go."
Gwen was about to say she couldn't when she realized something was different. The force that prevented her from moving earlier when she even thought of leaving was much weaker now. The concoction that suppressed her powers must be wearing off. She suspected she could walk out the door with very little effort. But she did not move.
"She can't," Isobel said, her smirk deepening. "She's compelled." "That's not possible," Damon said, though he looked back to Gwen for confirmation.
"She found a way," she said, folding her arms in a show of contempt. "Bound my powers or something."
"Let her go."
"No," Isobel said flatly. "I need all the leverage I can get to make it out of this town without you or Stefan trying something. Just keep this in mind as you make your next plan: If something happens to me, something will happen to my very human, very vulnerable niece. Or does she not make the list of people you care about?"
Damon's jaw clenched as his hands balled into fists. He was too close to the edge.
"Just go, Damon," she said. "I'll be fine."
"I can't just leave you here," he snapped.
She sighed; his stubbornness getting on her nerves. Obviously, she was fine and would remain so as long as Isobel got what she wanted. It was also clear from his reaction no one realized she had been missing. It was pointless to panic now. Besides, she didn't want Isobel to know the potion and compulsion were wearing off. That might make Isobel desperate. It was better to keep the status quo for now.
"You have to," she said.
He stared at her; his growing frustration evident on his face. Finally, with a sound that sounded almost like a growl, he spun around and walked toward door, which he slammed closed a few moments later.
"Well," Isobel said, looking pleased, "that should speed things up."
Gwen rolled her eyes as began walking down the stairs. "What's there to eat in this place?"
A few hours later, Gwen and Isobel were in the town square, waiting for Elena and the Gilbert device. Gwen shivered in the night air, wishing she had grabbed her heavy coat that morning. Of course, it was not as if she had not planned to be part of evening hostage exchange when she left for school that day.
"They better not try anything," Isobel warned.
"You'd know better than me," Gwen muttered.
"You're right, I do them better. That's why I took you. With Elena threatened and you captured, I knew Damon would be too torn to do anything no matter how big of show he put on. And look, two hours later and I'm going to get what I want."
"Lucky you."
"Oh, don't be bitter," Isobel said, pretending to admonish her. "You get be seen as another damsel in Damon's little triangle instead of the useful sidekick."
The comment shook Gwen, momentarily breaking her composure. "I don't know what you mean but I'm not a damsel or a sidekick. And there's no triangle."
Isobel laughed. "Don't be so defensive; I get it. He's the mysterious bad boy. But that's about it. He's only ever been obsessed with Katherine so the transference to Elena makes sense. You're new and different, but I don't know if that'll hold his attention long. Honestly, you are better off forgetting all about him. He's not that good."
Leave it to Isobel to deliver that blow and end it with the cringiest statement. Gwen had heard Damon's threats to Isobel earlier and seen how he had been looking at Elena lately. She knew his feelings had transferred to Elena. She was trying not to think about her own feelings in all of this because she knew one thing: She did not want to be apart of anyone's love triangle.
"Ah, there's Elena," Isobel said. "And she's with her entourage."
Gwen turned to see Elena flanked by the Salvatore brothers striding toward them. Thank god, Gwen thought. She just wanted this night to be over.
"Do you have it?" Isobel asked as the group came to a stop a few feet from them.
Elena stood slightly in front of the brothers, who were both glaring at Isobel. Damon caught her eye and raised an eyebrow, as if asking if she was all right. She gave the smallest nod and turned her attention back to Elena and Isobel.
Her hand shaking slightly, Elena pulled a small golden object out of her pocket. It looked like an old watch or compass from what Gwen could see.
"Give it to Gwen."
"Why?" Elena asked brow furrowed.
"I don't owe you an explanation. Give it to Gwen."
Gwen held out her hand to take the device. Hesitantly, Elena dropped it into her open palm. Her eye's briefly met Gwen's, clearly wondering what was going on. Though she had not said anything about the potion wearing off, Isobel had guessed what had had happened when Gwen had not been able to perfectly mimic being under compulsion on their drive to the square. Now she was assigned to evaluate the device for any tampering.
"You know I don't know what I'm looking for, right?" Gwen reminded her. "I haven't seen this device before. I don't even know what it's supposed to do."
"You don't need to know any of that," Isobel said annoyed. "Just make sure it's still enchanted."
Gwen thought she saw the others tense out of the corner of her eye, but could not pay attention to them. Instead, she closed her eyes and focused on the device. There did seem to be a familiar humming of magic in the device, but beyond that she could not tell anything about it.
"Seems fine," she said, holding the device out to Isobel. "Am I free now?"
Isobel took the device from her, studying it. "Yes, you can go."
Gwen hitched up the strap of her bag and set off. Elena mouthed 'sorry' as she passed but Gwen just shook her head in a way that she hoped said "don't worry about it." It was not Elena's fault that her birth mother turned out to be a murderous vampire. She avoided the brothers' gazes as she passed them. She didn't need to be apart of whatever showdown they had planned.
"Just remember what I told you," Isobel called after her. "You're better off."
She crossed the square quickly, motivated by the cold and her desire to be as far from Isobel as possible. As she walked, she dug her phone — which Isobel had only returned to her when they arrived for the exchange — out of her bag so she could let Ric know she was safe. The clicking of the plastic phone buttons was the only sound she heard besides her own footsteps. She tried to not let the eerie silence of the night get to her; it was just her nerves.
She was only a few blocks from when a sudden chill ran down her spine. A second later, a tall figure appeared out of nowhere.
"Damn it, Damon!" she yelled, clutching her heart. "Couldn't you have given me a warning?"
"Sorry, I wanted to make sure you were ok," he said, matching her pace. "You just took off."
"Well I was kidnapped for hours without anyone realizing it. Can you blame me?"
Damon, for his part, had the decency to look ashamed. "We thought you were working on the parade. What did Isobel mean when she said 'you're better off'?"
Gwen didn't answer, only half-pretending to sulk as she thought about it. There was a lot behind Isobel's remark; more than she wanted to get into.
"Who knows? She likes to be cryptic and cause problems," Gwen deflected. "I would have expected you to know that given your history with her."
He cleared his throat, but remained silent. Speechless for once. They turned onto her street with Gwen feeling oddly satisfied by his reaction.
"Anyway, as you can see, I'm fine. My powers are back, too. So you really didn't need to supervise me on my short walk home."
"Just making up for earlier failings," he said, though his sarcasm was sounded forced. For a moment, Gwen felt like she should reassure him. But she didn't. She was hurt and taking out on him, even though there was a part of her that knew she was being unfair.
"Anything else happen today that I should know?" she asked, breaking the silence.
Damon shook his head. "No, you were at the center of all of today's excitement."
"Lucky me," Gwen muttered. Her home was in view now, but she noticed the lights were off and the driveway was empty. Her uncle must still be at the school.
"Do you want me to wait?" he asked, noticing the empty house.
She smiled, but shook her head. "No, I'll be fine. I'm super witch again, remember?"
He chuckled, watching her ascend the porch steps. "How could I forget?"
"Good night, Damon," she said, opening the door. He was still at the bottom of the porch when she closed the door, giving her a nod good night.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Gwen crumpled against it and slid to the ground. She was exhausted, emotionally wiped from everything that had happened. She was a little relieved Ric was not home yet. It was nice to be in a safe place and have a moment to herself. Gwen could only imagine how her uncle would react once he got home. She was not ready for the panicked concern that was coming her way.
Her phone rang, startling her. She glanced at the screen but the number was unknown. Sighing, she answered it.
"Hello?"
"It's done," Isobel said, sounding bored. "He has closure. He will move on."
"Good."
"What? No, thank you?"
Gwen could picture the fake pout and rolled her eyes. "How about I delete this phone number and never tell anyone about this conversation?"
Isobel sighed dramatically. "I guess that will have to do. But Gwen," she said, her tone serious, "you need to look after yourself. Don't put yourself in a position to rely on anyone to save you, especially a Salvatore."
Unease bubbled up inside of Gwen. But it was not because of indirect mention of Damon. It was because she was starting to think Isobel was right.
"Good-bye, Isobel," she said and ended the call.
AN: Yes, I'm back. I had a lot going on but I have not abandoned this story. However, FFNET is not a reliable platform anymore and I am considering deleting my stories from the site and only posting on AO3 going forward. I will post a note if/when I make this change.
