Chapter 9
Caroline was irritated. She was a Junior at Mystic Falls High and the President of most major committees and Cheer. The only reason she didn't attempt student council, believe me, she thought long and hard, was that Caroline knew Cheer had a greater chance of giving her a full-time scholarship than being President of the student council.
Especially with the amount of volunteer committees she was a part of. Someone so inter-connected to nearly everyone in her small town. Both young and old, there was very little Caroline could hear firsthand or couldn't dig up with the press of her phone.
Somehow, the school erupted into whispers, and all the fingers and eyes pointed toward Caroline and her friends. "What the bloody hell is going on?" Caroline muttered to herself, quickening her pace against the crowds of students just after the last bell.
That's when she saw a few of her fellow team members walking towards the door out of the main office. "Hey!" The blonde called, running up to them. Caroline noticed the way they paused their conversation, sharing a silent conversation.
"Hey, Caroline," Her cheer mates greeted. Caroline rolled her eyes at the way they not so subtly glanced past her. "Jane, why is the entire school pointing and whispering? Is there a new scandal I need to worry about?"
The pair shared another look; it was like dealing with Elena and Bonnie. Only Caroline needed to speak at half-speed for these two to catch on. "We didn't wanna bother you… I mean, you and Bonnie are the closest to Elena…"
"The rumor's about Elena?" Caroline pushed gently, making sure her eyes held only curiosity. "The most exciting thing Elena's done is quit Cheer." Inside, Caroline tacked on besides starting to date a freaking vampire.
The pair looked nervous; Sarah, who had been quiet so far, said, "It's just last night Elena was seen with Stefan and one of the older members of the new family, the Mikaelsons?"
Jane nodded, "I thought Stefan and Elena were a thing! I didn't know she also dated older men."
Caroline could only blink before she managed to speak, only for her to look up at the door and point, "Was it them?"
The pair turned to find a tall, well-dressed man with dark brown hair, styled with his hair split apart, some hair falling into his face. Much like a 90s boy band if Caroline dared to mention it to him. Maybe she'd introduce the concept to Kol? "Why, Caroline. It's lovely to see you again," came the smooth voice of Niklaus's second older brother, Elijah.
A brunette with loose curly hair was by his side, clothes that Elena would never wear, at least to school. Caroline couldn't see her face, but the woman had a similar build, hair color, and skin tone; the blonde could see how her classmates could mistake them for each other at a distance.
Hearing Elijah greet someone, the brunette slowly turned around, and suddenly Caroline was face to face with someone who was not Elena but had her face. Caroline's mouth opened in shock as the brunette smirked, glancing at Elijah.
"Elijah," Caroline greeted with a smile, glancing over at the brunette. "Meet Jane and Sarah. They are in Cheer with Rebekah and I."
"Charmed." Elijah nodded his head in greeting. "Katherine and I were just going to talk to the administration about Kol and Rebekah's papers. Seems as if there was a delay according to their last school."
Jane and Sarah nodded as if they knew anything about switching schools; they glanced at Caroline, saying. "Care, we are going to head out. Do you need a ride?"
"I brought my car," Caroline answered automatically. "I'll see you soon."
Once they were gone, the woman, Katherine? Said, "So, this is the cheerleader that turned the big bad wolf into a puppy?"
"Elijah, what the hell is going on?" Caroline asked in a high-pitched, nervous voice. "How the hell do you have Elena's face?"
The woman's face twisted into a sneer, "Technically, she has mine. I was born first, after all." Something about the phrase made a chill go through Caroline. Taking a moment to observe, Caroline's eyes immediately spotted the woman's necklace with a familiar stone.
"Who are you?" Caroline found herself asking.
The brunette offered her a smile, "Here, I thought small southern towns taught manners. I'm Katherine. Katherine Pierce, it's a pleasure to meet you, but this meeting is sorely lacking."
Caroline looked up to see Elijah offering her an apologetic smile when a snarky voice interrupted, "I'd mind your manners, Katerina. Caroline is far higher on this totem pole than you," Rebekah's charming voice barely hid the threat that even Caroline sensed was there.
Elijah glared at Rebekah, who chose to walk up towards Caroline and throw an arm around her—looking down at her nails in boredom. "Katerina, despite my sister's rude behavior. Caroline is a part of this family now. You two will need to find a way to get along."
Katherine, or Katerina, as the Mikaelsons called her, looked distinctly displeased at the notion. Crossing her arms, the brunette openly examined the blonde. Caroline felt like fidgeting but was only stopped by Rebekah's arm around her shoulders. She could feel the vampire tighten her grip just so.
Finally, Katherine sighed, "I can see why you caught Klaus's interest. He does love to destroy innocence." Turning towards Kol, who slowly walked up, "Have the two miscreants finished detention?"
"I've sorted it out." Elijah stared down at his two younger siblings. "What compelled the two of you to get into a fight?"
Rebekah scoffed, "And allow them to talk about our family? It's not as if we killed them."
"No, we simply played a little rough. Not a single broken bone." Kol grinned with teeth.
Katherine laughed, "Mikaelsons and your pride."
Rebekah sniffed, "At least we have something to be proud about. How is life on the run? Ironic how a human influence has given you a chance to save your life."
"Not here," Elijah murmured before turning his attention towards Caroline. "Caroline, we would like to invite you over for a family dinner. Finn and his paramour have returned as well."
"We need you to ensure Niklaus won't try to murder them before you," Kol interrupted.
"I'm working at the carwash this afternoon, Rebekah remembers the cheer team volunteered. When's the dinner?" Caroline asked.
"Tomorrow night it is, then." Elijah nodded his head toward Caroline. "I look forward to seeing you then, Caroline."
Knowing that Elijah would hear no matter what, Caroline turns towards the remaining Mikaelsons, "Who the hell was that?"
Rebekah groaned as Kol chirped, "That was Katerina Pierce, one of your friends' ancestors. They are known as doppelgangers, repeatedly reborn with the same face. We are certain they do not share a soul, however."
Rebekah snorted, "They share plenty of personality traits to doubt that theory."
Kol smirked, "You only did that because you hated Tatia."
"Tatia?"
"The original doppelganger that we managed to, unfortunately, meet in our long lives," Rebekah said scornfully. "The bitch played Nik and Elijah against each other. Despite already having been married and having a child of her own. She was the star of the village despite her interesting past."
"She is also the one whose blood mother used in her ritual," Kol informed Caroline, interested in seeing how long it would take Caroline to connect the dots.
"Tatia…blood..ritual," Caroline muttered as the two vampires turned her around. Kol allowed Rebekah to take the lead as they had a car wash to get to.
"Don't worry too much about it. Nik has long since gotten over the chit," Kol said, not missing the narrowing of Caroline's eyes. Kol hummed to himself despite the glare he was receiving from his sister. If Nik and Care had any chance of making it, Kol honestly doubted if his brother could have a lasting relationship. The whole hybrid ritual secret needed to be told. And if, in doing so, he unleashed Caroline's insecurity well, then it served his brother right. His brother was too fond of keeping things to himself, and in the end, Kol knew that would lead to the end of their family.
XXX
"Bonnie?"
Sheila Bennett took one look at her granddaughter, and her heart broke, automatically opening her arms to allow her granddaughter a bit of comfort. Her cheek pressed against the softness of Bonnie's hair, swinging her grandbaby in her arms as Bonnie cried out her name softly. Sensing no one around, Sheila offered her home to her granddaughter, absently making a note to call her son-in-law.
No matter how annoying and insufferable she found the man. He was still Bonnie's father, and her daughter left Bonnie in the care of both Sheila and her husband.
"Grams, what's happening to me?" Bonnie asked, her hands shaking as she sipped tea on her grandmother's couch. Not answering immediately, her grandmother took a moment to stare at her grandchild. The Bennett line was strong and had always been, but Sheila Bennett couldn't help but be afraid of what she sensed inside her granddaughter.
Shelia Bennett sat down opposite her granddaughter with a look of great pain on her face. Bonnie Bennett had the strength of the entire line in her frame, the same stubborn determination Sheila had found in grimoires of ancestors long dead, but not the wisdom of learning magic from a young age nor the ability to learn from her ancestors from said age. With little to temper her magic with the knowledge of her family, how was Sheila to prepare her now? How would she keep her safe when Sheila sensed danger in the air?
"Grams?" Bonnie asked again, carefully placing the cup down and reaching a hand to touch her grandmother's knee. "Is something the matter?"
"Bonnie, I've failed you." Shelia shook her head, her tone telling Bonnie to stay quiet. "I should have tried harder to talk sense into your father! What happened to your mother turned him away from magic. He threatened to keep me away from you if I tried making you believe your heritage."
"Grams, what the hell are you talking about?" Bonnie asked in confusion, a sense of knowing flooding through her. Her body was telling her that her grandmother was trying to tell her something important, but Bonnie couldn't place the name. "I know you and Dad don't get along. You are too much of a free spirit for him, Grams."
Grams leaned in, grasping Bonnie's free hand with her own. Bonnie met her gaze with curious eyes, "Bonnie, I need you to listen to me. Listen to me. Mystic Falls is going to get a lot more dangerous. I can feel it."
"Grams, you are scaring me. What's so dangerous about Mystic Falls? Mrs. Lockwood?" Bonnie laughed, "You and I know she only cares about people's thoughts. Caroline? She may be a future Mrs. Lockwood in the making, but you and I know she is much stronger than she looks."
"Bonnie, you aren't listening. There are beings out in this world that will use you. Your talents and use your friends against you. I've felt them enter this town. You need to start believing in your heritage and train your magic," Sheila stressed, easing when she noticed the way Bonnie shrank away.
"You've always talked about the supernatural. You've even tried telling me I was a witch. Magic isn't real, no matter how much you try to convince me otherwise."
"Everyone knows I'm a witch and that it is absurd. It's all about hiding in plain sight, child. I chose my profession to allow my witchcraft to be a well-known quirk. It allows me to help without people truly suspecting the things they feared as a child are real," Shelia informed her granddaughter. "Your father hates magic and blames it for your mother leaving."
"I thought mom just walked away," Bonnie said in a small voice, watching her grandmother out of the corner of her eye. Sheila sighed, quickly explaining how her mother watched Bonnie play with her friends when a strange man appeared when she was younger. Sheila kept the information to a bare minimum, not wanting Bonnie to relive that pain.
Bonnie frowned, "is it true then? Did she leave because of magic? Did Dad kick her out because she was trying to protect us?" Her brain couldn't help but replay what happened at the carwash and her weird feelings around Stefan.
"I've told you as much as I dare. I disapprove of how your mother handled things, but yes, her magic was a part of why she left. You must understand how your mother reacted… magic is such a huge part of you as a witch; your father feared what using your magic would do to you. He was afraid that he would lose you to it," Shelia admitted.
"She's my mother," Bonnie insisted, leaning forward and looking at their clasped hands.
"I know. Abby should have at least explained herself to you," Shelia murmured. "You have to be careful with your magic, Bonnie. After today, it's clear we need to begin training. Focusing your power will be difficult, especially given the strength of your magic. Increasing your ability to focus so magic can't hijack your emotions again."
"Hijack my emotions?"
"Untrained witches, especially teenagers," Grams gave Bonnie a stern look, " are capable of great magic, but untrained, your emotions can get the better of you."
"We will practice magic? Like real magic?" Bonnie asked in excitement, jumping up from her seat. Shelia couldn't help but smile, remembering the days of her youth when magic was new and exciting. The excitement never dwindled, but the dangers and warnings of her ancestors had shielded her from her dumber ideas.
"You need to know what your magic feels like first, be able to call it, and stop it at your command. Small spells that can help build control," Sheila said softly. "The first step is to know your history and why we must not tell anyone about us."
"But that's so boring!" Bonnie complained. "I already know about Salem, Grams."
"Bonnie, do you think just witches exist? Other supernatural creatures exist. I've felt them coming into town. It's more dangerous than ever to be a Bennett witch, and you must understand that" Grams scolded.
XXX
It was her.
Damon never forgot a face; after his transition, his talent turned into more of a curse. Damon was sure the Sage that mingled with the new family in town was the vampire that taught him how to feed correctly. He made it fun and not a complete chore he had for eternity.
Why was such a feisty woman choosing to be in a small town like Mystic Falls? Despite being a hundred and forty-five years older, the town hadn't changed much. The founding families still walked around town as if they owned it. The Lockwoods were the most arrogant of the lot, with the Fells coming to a close second.
Once upon a time, Damon's father could have been seen as the worst of the lot. Ladies, in particular, wanted to marry up into a family founding. Daughters of such families were expected to marry within the founding circle or to a family that brought more wealth to the area. Now, it was less about wealth collecting and far more about maintaining an image of what they thought their history was. It was a small town with dreams and ideals that hadn't evolved past preserving the status quo.
Which made Damon wonder just what Sage was up to?
The dark-haired elder Salvatore spent hours searching for an appropriate time to pull the familiar redhead into a conversation. After many hours of pretending to listen to some cheerleader complain about being voted second in command instead of Caroline and catching many pretty ladies into a dance, his eyes stayed on Sage. He watched her converse with the Gilbert girl's blonde cheerleader friend, Caroline. The one he didn't manage to make into a tool to torment his brother.
He waited until Sage placed her hand on the man's shoulder, whispering that she would be back. Damon had to hold back a smile when she winked at him on her way towards a more secluded area on the Lockwood estate. He wondered why she was in this god-forsaken town; she would hardly fit in.
Sage was hardly a low-profile vampire.
Sure, the redhead kept a low profile in human circles, only interacting when necessary. But within the supernatural society, Sage always made sure to make a loud entrance, hence why it was odd that she was here, in Damon's opinion. A place where an entire tomb of vampires was trapped inside a church by a powerful witch. There she was, a beautiful, proud woman standing tall in a flattering dress bordering on indecent.
"Sage?" He called. "I never took you for a small-town vampire."
He stepped forward before leaning against the wall, standing only a few inches from the woman he had known years ago. The redhead raised a delicate brow, "You would be right, Damon. I'm surprised you recognized me."
"I didn't take you for partying with humans," Damon snorted.
Sage smiled Chesire-like, " No, I don't usually give humans the time of day. Caroline, however, I find to be an exception to the rule." She sipped wine, curious to see if he would spot the opening.
"The blonde?" Damon looked skeptical. "What are you doing here, Sage? I'd hate for our objectives to intersect in an ugly manner."
"I'm afraid they might intersect, but I doubt they will interfere with each other," Sage admitted. "Still looking for that lost love, Damon?"
"She's locked in a tomb underneath the church," Damon told Sage with fire in his eyes. Sage's heart twitched, knowing who his heart belonged to and that she had never belonged to him. "I've found a way to unlock the tomb. I just need to buy my time for the comet."
Sage smiled at Damon, " And what did I teach you? Have you been enjoying your eternity?"
Damon offered her a dark grin, "It's much more interesting now. The blood tastes sweeter when they crave danger."
"Just be careful if you leave crumbs," Sage warned. "I've heard the town has had an increase in animal attacks. You're doing; I take it?"
Damon sighed exasperated, "Now you sound like my brother."
Sage's mouth twitched, "I'm all for having fun, Damon. Just ensure your snacks do not hurt other vampires in the area."
"I guess my temper has gotten the best of me lately, " Damon reluctantly admitted. "It is nice to have a friendly face around. You know my business. What brings you to town?"
"I'm reuniting with a lost love," Sage said with a smile. "I do hope you take care to be careful, Damon. Vampires far older and stronger than you have made Mystic Falls their home. I know this is your hometown, so do be careful."
With her warning given, Sage offered Damon one last flirty smile before nodding her head towards the door. Damon watched her go with a shake of his head. That was one fine sample of a vampire woman; too bad she was taken by a vampire whose family were giant dicks. Damon sighed, kicking his foot against the ground.
"I'm hungry," He murmured, walking back towards the party. His eyes met with a perky cheerleader. Damon's lips turned into a charming smile as the young woman giggled. Oh, she would make for a lovely distraction, indeed. He only had to wait five minutes before the giggling young thing walked up to him, making seductive eyes at him.
Inwardly, he rolled his eyes; the young didn't see what they looked like, did they? Those ridiculous looks were not as endearing as the media made them out to be. "What's your name?" He asked, deepening his voice just slightly.
Her shoulders shivered. This would be easy indeed. Damon barely gave her any attention as she gave him her name. Taking his offered arm, Damon smirked over at Stefan as he escorted her to a more private place.
XXX
"What is this?"
Rebekah grabbed her science textbook, closed her locker door, and barely glanced at her brother when she responded, "The Lockwood boy is throwing a Halloween Party. Caroline talked to us about it, remember? Annual party so Tyler can show off his rich status, etc."
"How dreadful having the same party every year. Why haven't you decided to throw one, Bekah? You are the one that likes being amongst the kiddies," Kol questioned, staring intently at the flier. Rebekah decided that she did not like the look on her brother's face and grabbed the flier.
"Have you forgotten our fun-sucking older brothers are in town," Rebekah snapped. "Do you think anyone would stay once they see Finn?"
Kol stepped before his sister and grabbed the flier, "Yes, Finn is a stick in the mud; what else is new? He will simply stay in his room until Sage has had enough and drags his ass out. I knew the redhead was good for something. I say we hold a rival Halloween party," Kol declared at the end of his rant.
Rebekah looked thoughtful for a moment, sighing, "If Nik or Elijah get pissed off, I am blaming it all on you."
"Elijah just told me to fit in more. What's more teenagery than a party?" Kol's wide grin gave Rebekah the chills.
"Hey guys," Caroline said as she approached them in the hall. It was still a passing period, "did I hear something about a party?"
Kol wrapped his arm around her shoulders, giving them a tight squeeze. The blonde's smile turned into a knowing smirk, "Will I need to play blonde distraction?"
Kol turned his head towards her in thought, "Possibly." Having the same class as her, Kol gently pushed her into walking, calling back to his sister, "Bekah, be a dear and figure out the invites?"
Kol cackled when Rebekah gave him the bird. Caroline glanced at the youngest Mikaelson male, giving him her soon-to-be patented look. Kol's brown eyes looked down at the blonde and offered her a cheeky grin.
"She is going to murder you," Caroline sang softly, starting to walk slightly ahead of the dead man walking.
"She's a little late for that," Kol chuckled. "Besides, if she were going to kill me, Rebekah would have done it when I poked a small hole in our water bucket so that by the time she came back, it was empty."
Caroline's eyes crinkled in glee, "What did she do instead?"
"I conveniently found holes in my clothes in the most inconvenient places. Mother was furious at us," Kol chuckled. Having never met the woman but knowing what she was willing to do in an attempt to protect her children, Caroline shuddered.
"Still making her do all the work? When is this party anyway?" Caroline asked as Kol pulled the classroom door out for her once they reached the classroom.
"Halloween, of course," Kol's grin only widened at the shocked look on her face.
"Tyler's party is on Halloween."
"I know," Kol said flippantly. "Having the same party every year seems so boring. Your classmates must be starving for something fresh."
"Tyler is a top-rated football player," Caroline hissed as the duo took their seats. "I know you're a thousand and some years old, but Kol! What were you thinking?"
"Elijah wants us to be more involved in the community. A party will go a long way in building trust. Don't worry, Caroline, no one at school will be on the menu; we feed away from the town even if we don't kill them." Kol sensed some of her worries. They never really discussed the Mikaelsons diet.
Caroline understood that vampires do not need to kill to get their life's blood, but vampires often drink to kill. Since they had returned to town, Caroline was curious about how they were feeding but was too afraid to ask.
"I... I didn't know," Caroline, suddenly a bit shy, whispered. "Nik only went over the basics. No one's mentioned how you guys were feeding, so I thought it impolite to ask?"
Kol glanced around the room. The teacher was still not inside, and no one was paying them any mind. Bonnie Bennet was in the class but was talking about Elena with the blonde football player. Chuckling, Kol squeezed the blonde's hand, "I'm sure my brother would prefer if you directed all your questions to him. Not even one of my siblings would deny your questions."
"It's strange, I guess. I'm so used to being told I'm over-thinking and a control freak that I feel like my words are never heard," Caroline admitted. "Your family are the only ones who don't make me think I'm wasting my breath."
Kol smiled genuinely at the blonde, "You are the most interesting human any of us have met in a long time. But seriously, will you play distraction for Nik?"
Caroline's eyes narrowed, "you just thought of something even he wouldn't approve of."
"Will you?" Kol prompted again, not bothering to deny it.
"As long as I know what you are planning," Caroline nodded. "I like being fully informed of what I'm sticking my neck out for."
"My parties in the past have tended to get on the wild side, "Kol grinned. "It's Halloween, so why not use our giant paint supplies for impromptu face painting!"
"You want to use Niklaus's paints?" Caroline gaped at him.
"He hogs all the paint."
"No one else paints!"
"Caroline, please," Kol begged, almost magically enlarging his eyes to look like a puppy.
Caroline groaned, "Fine, but I'm not stopping him from threatening to dagger you. Or pull out your intestines."
"You heard that argument, did you?" Kol giggled in a way that made their classmates look in their direction.
"You lot argue rather loudly," Caroline muttered as the bell rang and the teacher began roll call.
XXX
During the Car Wash
After ensuring Bonnie headed home, Stefan ran into Elena, who looked disturbed about something. When she looked at him, Elena looked at him like she didn't know him. The longer he went knowing the brunette, Stefan knew it was only a matter of time before his half-answered questions would stop satisfying her curiosity about him.
The fact that he was responsible for her worry tore at him. Would the fact that she knew him emotionally offset the secrets he had kept from her? Stefan doubted it when she finally figured out the number of things he had kept a secret from her. He was on borrowed time, and he knew it.
Returning to the boarding house, the quiet surroundings didn't bother him. After his transition, the Salvatore family remained small, particularly in fear whenever he and his brother made themselves known to the descendants of their half-siblings. Thinking that his great-something nephew was out of the house, Stefan quickly grabbed his keys. Stefan opened the door and frowned at the instinctive feeling of uneasiness that settled in his stomach. He shook his head, thinking it must be about all the secrets he kept from Elena.
The bronze-haired vampire stuck his keys back into his jacket pocket, his enhanced hearing to check for signs of life in the house. It was always better not to scare the living Salvatore in the house in case he was home. Stefan and Damon had kept their living descendants informed of their existence for over a hundred years, mainly if they needed to return home. As shocking as it had been to discover the length of their father's infidelity, it turned out to be Salvatore's saving grace. All the town knew the original Stefan and Damon Salvatore had died that night along with their father.
Stefan shrugged it off without hearing anything before using his enhanced senses to check on his brother. Doing so alerted him to a second heartbeat near his brother's cell. Zach. Stopping in his tracks, Stefan focused on Zach's heartbeat. His nephew assured him that he knew how to handle a weakened Damon, but Stefan questioned how well-prepared the town was. Outside of an occasional Salvatore visit, the town had not had a severe vampire problem since the 1864 disaster. Zach's heartbeat was deep within the halls; looking towards the door where Damon was housed in the cellar basement, the door was cracked open.
That was when a third heartbeat gave itself away to him. Cursing, Stefan raced into the basement, using his speed to reach the holding area. Praying he was not too late, Stefan landed past the stairs just in time to see Zach tackle an unknown teenage girl away from Damon's cell. He vaguely recognized her from the cheer squad when he watched them practice getting a longer look at Elena.
"Run," Stefan told the girl who landed on the ground closest to the door, who looked around in confusion before getting off her knees and running towards the door. Stefan quickly grabbed his great-something nephew and pushed him away from the door, holding it open. Zach groaned from his spot on the floor.
"You alright, Zach?"
"Fine, I think. I'll be bruised for a while, but nothing that can't heal on its own," The man moaned, carefully getting back onto his feet. Stefan didn't have time to reply as Damon's arm snaked around the door, gripping his wrist. The younger brother cried out in shock as his brother nailed him to the floor.
Stefan used his legs as logs to pull his upper body weight forward, hands wrapping around his brother's neck. It was an attempt to get the older Salvatore to release his grip. Stefan grunted, "Damon, stop! Katherine isn't in the tomb!"
Damon's face slackened, "What the hell are you talking about?"
Stefan's amount of force knocked them to the side where Stefan could climb on top of his still weakened brother. Zach groaned from the sidelines, still catching his breath, wary of getting into a fight between two supernatural creatures.
"I saw Katherine with one of those older Mikaelsons… She's alive, Damon, and has never come for us."
Damon, drawing up his strength, managed to headbutt his brother into letting him go again, gaining over his brother. Chuckling darkly at the unsteady way Zach tried to get up, Damon smirked at Stefan. "I wouldn't do that, Zachy. You see, you've locked me up for days. I'm starving. See you later, brother."
With that, Damon rushed out, Stefan knowing he most likely would feed before he started looking for his daylight ring. Zach looked at the younger Salvatore and said sarcastically, "Good plan, Stefan."
The vampire puffed angrily, "Zach, he still doesn't have his daylight ring."
He watched the last human, Salvatore, run his hands through his hair. Stefan felt for the man, growing up knowing that your vampire descendants randomly popped into their home. All Zach's life, he had seen the Salvatore brothers pop in and out, often with destruction in their wake.
"My concern is what he will do to get it back," Zach finally said.
XXX
Mystic Falls High
"Enough is enough already!"
Caroline barely noticed the loud banging of her locker opening with her forceful energy. The blonde had foolishly thought everything would be okay. First, it was discovered that her best friend was also dating a vampire. Something that Caroline couldn't help but wince at the hypocritical nature of her criticism; after all, didn't Nik hide his true nature from her when they first started going out? It wasn't as if Caroline didn't understand the need for secrecy that she understood.
What pissed her off was the cryptic messages Rebekah and Niklaus would sometimes give when Stefan was brought up. The teenager had a past, something Kol would chuckle about, but Nik kept the vampire from spilling the beans with one look. Then Caroline discovers that such a thing as a doppelganger exists, and her best friend is one of them.
To top it off, she learned that Stefan had met Katherine before.
Besides the family dinner, the weekend had become a disaster, where she learned much more about Stefan, Damon, and Katherine's past. Now, Matt's sister has disappeared mysteriously; all her loser friends are dead in the woods. Elena is constantly looking ill the last few days, avoiding spending too much time with her boyfriend. The blonde was sure that Elena was finally aware of her boyfriend's secret. Caroline continued her rant, focusing on her annoyance with Elena and Stefan's avoidance fest, with Bonnie by her side, as the Bennet witch waited as the blonde collected her things.
Nik would interject whenever the conversation steered to how Katherine met the originals. Her boyfriend hid something, and all the vampires she knew kept the secret. Glancing over at Bonnie, who offered her an exasperated smile. The only bright spot was that her mother had been out on the hunt all weekend. She hovered and tight-lipped whenever she had a spare moment, which meant Caroline knew she was safe.
Caroline wanted to do the last thing when she walked into school: deal with the tension between Stefan and Elena that had been building since the Founders Day party. Knowing about Elena's likeness to Katherine and their ancestor helped create vampires that made Caroline's gut squeeze, which had yet to dissipate. "They are driving me crazy! Just make-up already! What the hell happened over the weekend anyway?"
Bonnie shrugged, "I was with my grams once the car wash was over. Elena's been rather tight-lipped about the situation, especially once Vicky's disappearance got out."
Caroline frowned at the reminder of Vicky. Bonnie offered her a weak smile, "You know, Vicky. She's always been out there; she probably got lost in the woods because she was high."
"Yeah. I'm just worried about Matt," Caroline sighed, closing her locker. "Have you seen him?"
"He's out looking for Vicky. I overhead the office, and he called himself out." Rebekah's voice came up from behind. Bonnie jumped slightly, earning a light smirk from Rebekah, who winked at the witch.
Bonnie's nose twitched as the familiar dark energy the young witchling was starting to associate with all the new town residents tickled her skin. "Nice to see you, Rebekah."
"Bonnie," Rebekah chirped. "I can't help but be curious about what's got the both of you so worried?"
Caroline turned to her vampire friend and said thoughtfully, "Vicky Donovan has gone missing. A bunch of kids she usually hangs out with in the cemetery were found dead."
Suddenly, the bell rang, alerting the teenagers to the urgent need to enter their classrooms. Rebekah looked deeply at Caroline, sensing that there was more to the story than the public record. Besides, while she didn't care for the little Donovan, her blonde brother had been kind to Rebekah, much to Kol's annoyance.
"How horrible! That's Matt's sister, isn't it?" Rebekah wasn't even lying; she did not truly understand the loss of a sibling. Rebekah wouldn't wish that pain on anyone. Especially the sweet human boy who had been nothing but kind to her. He didn't even make it blatantly obvious he wanted her body.
The two girls nodded, "We all grew up together, but Vicky has always been…." Bonnie paused, trying to find a kind word for the girl whose destiny they had no idea about.
"Vicky has always been a terror. She's a right bitch most of the time" Caroline couldn't keep it in.
"Caroline," Bonnie hissed. "Haven't we talked about this?"
"Vicky Donovan is a bitchy little girl with daddy issues the size of Texas. Everyone knows it and jerks like Tyler abuse it, and it doesn't matter that she has a brother like Matt. Any good thing she has, Vicky has a habit of doing something to fuck it up," Caroline ranted. "I don't hate the girl, Bonnie. I hope she is okay, but we can't turn her a saint."
Bonnie sighed, exasperated, before tugging on the blonde's arm, "Come on, Care, we have class before you get us all into trouble. See you later, Rebekah."
Caroline turned back to her friend and waved with a shrug, "I'll eat lunch with you, Bekah?"
Rebekah's smile returned, "Of course."
Waiting for the duo to get out of earshot, Rebekah slipped her phone out of her purse and pressed a familiar dial. "Kol? I think we may potentially need to change our party plans. Our beloved brothers will be home this evening, won't they?"
XXX
The plan had been simple, with Katherine now out in the open; the former doppelganger must be explained away. It had been decided that Sage and Katherine would be sent to the Gilbert house, intent on inserting themselves into the Gilbert household. A possible lost relative was not rare in small towns, especially in cities with old families and traditions. Sage would play a supporting friend, familiarizing herself with the Gilberts' scents and being invited in.
They had to be able to get to her in case of an emergency.
Finn sighed, recalling how Nik originally wanted himself invited in. Still, when Katherine pointed out he had no dealings with the Gilberts, Caroline was already suspicious enough after meeting her. The shit-eating grin the brunette had given his younger brother caused him to shiver in remembrance of her ancestor.
"Katerina is right, Niklaus," Elijah had chimed in softly. "You saw how curious Caroline was and ordered us to keep quiet about the ritual. If you get involved with Elena Gilbert, it will cause trouble between you and Caroline."
Surprising all his siblings, Niklaus looked thoughtful before deciding that a second person was needed; he couldn't send Katherine alone. Having popped up at Finn's request once he was alerted to the more significant issues within the town, Sage suggested a female companion. The redhead smirked when his younger brother doubted her.
"People always underestimate women. Even other women. They will be less suspicious of another woman even if we can't win over her trust. If she is worth anything, that is."
With introducing Katherine out of the way, the main concern was ensuring the doppelganger's safety and collecting the remaining ingredients. Katherine informed them that the moonstone was in the Lockwoods' possession.
"I have a way of getting it back and ensuring a wolf for your little ritual," Katherine crossed her arms. "Does this satisfy my end of the deal?"
"I thought you held the moonstone."
"Things got complicated," Katherine shrugged her shoulders. "I assure you. You will have your hands on a real moonstone within two months."
Niklaus gritted his teeth but forcibly nodded, "Elijah, do you trust her information?"
"Admittedly, she gave me the impression of having the moonstone in possession. I can guarantee we will have our hands on the moonstone shortly," Elijah answered curtly. His eyes never wavering from Katherine. Finn could tell something about Katherine's plan that gave Elijah pause… from Katherine's past, most likely using another man to do her bidding.
"Fine," Niklaus nodded, "we have two vampires in town and can always get another. We must ensure Elena doesn't meet an unfortunate end until then." It didn't need to be said that Caroline could not find out. Until Elijah could have the elixir, he ensured for Katherine that that was Niklaus's plan.
With Kol and Rebekah watching over the girl at school alongside Caroline, Sage, and Katherine on a mission and Elijah and Niklaus dealing with the family business, today was supposed to be relaxing. As much fun as it was to watch Caroline question their family about the past, plans, and motives, Finn looked forward to the quiet.
The day started quietly enough in the library, his siblings' footsteps echoing around the house. Soon enough, Finn found himself alone. Then, around ten, a knock disturbed his peaceful atmosphere. Opening the door, two grinning humans, a man, and a female, arrived with a large truck in the background.
The man thrust a clipboard into Finn's hands before brushing past him into the house. Annoyed at the man's insolence, Finn glanced over at the clipboard to find receipts, at least twenty with large amounts written into their family accounts.
"What is this?" Finn stalked up to the man, towering over him. The man stopped barking orders at the suddenly dozen or so people in the Mikaelson house to glance at the man barely.
"That is what you ordered, Mr. Mikaelson." The man rolled his eyes. "For your Halloween party."
For the first time in all his years of existence, Finn wished he could simply rip the human's throat out. "Who ordered all this?"
"It's on the order form, Sir. A Mr. Kol Mikaelson." The man glanced over at the man. "I take it you are not Kol Mikaelson."
Fin could feel a headache starting, reaching his hand to touch his forehead, "my youngest brother."
The man laughed knowingly, "Your youngest siblings are teenagers."
"That obvious?"
"Teenagers are always trouble. I must apologize, Sir. We are unable to return any of this. It is rented out for the night. We will return for it tomorrow, but there is a no-cancelation policy within 12 hours of the rental appointment."
"Set up in those rooms over there," Finn pointed down the hall. "I need to inform my siblings of our upcoming social calendar."
XXX
"It appears we are having a party," Finn's monotone voice came over the threshold, making Elijah twitch in amusement. Walking into their home, Niklaus and Elijah watched as various workers appeared to be finishing work.
"I don't recall sending out invitations," Elijah said good-naturedly as Niklaus walked toward where all the commotion was happening.
"Kol has decided that we are having a Halloween party."
"Not Rebekah?" Niklaus chuckled. "I wonder who Kol is trying to get a rise out of this time. A party isn't the worst thing he could have done."
"No, I do believe his worst to date would be the massacre he created by hiding behind the civil war," Elijah shook his head amusedly. "If I'm not mistaken, he took out an entire troop yet remained undiscovered."
"If we are reliving my best moments. I believe the 1820 fire was a particular masterpiece and a delicious one at that," Came Kol's booming voice as a quiet Rebekah walked up behind him. "I cannot let the travesty of this town not seeing a Kol Mikaelson party stand any longer. Caroline's birthday party does not count; that was Rebekah's."
"Will this house remain standing?" Niklaus questioned his little brother with a twerk of the lips, his eyes observing Rebekah closely. "Rebekah, you are quiet. What's the matter, your latest human toy dump you?"
"Vicky Donovan has gone missing after her friends were found dead," Rebekah informed her brothers, crossing her arms. Her voice was quiet as she continued, "The only other vampires in the area are the Salvatores. They are going to make the town aware of vampires once more."
Niklaus chuckled, "Oh yes, one of Katherine's attempts at escaping me. One of her more clever ruses."
Rebekah rolled her eyes in annoyance as Kol made a gagging sound at the look that crossed Elijah's face. "Brother, I beg you, don't think of her like that around me. I'd rather keep my blood down, thank you."
This time, Elijah rolled his eyes, "What sort of party are the two of you planning?"
"A Halloween party, of course," Kol's grin was so broad that an average person would safely call it manic. Despite the warning signs the elder brothers saw, all three knew what a disaster a bored Kol could be.
Niklaus sighed, "I put my foot down at blood slaves; as delicious as they are, we must keep a low enough profile. Needing to compel so many would be cumbersome."
Kol grinned, "It's a high school party, brother. I'm sure my guests will bring all the amusement we need."
Finn muttered, "Just tell me the day so I don't have to witness your shenanigans."
"Trust me, brother, you are not invited." Kol barely managed to dodge the fist that came his way. Elijah watched as Kol dodged another punch, and his younger brother called out another taunt. Niklaus yelled to go outside; they had just finished the bloody house. Turning towards their sister.
"Why do you care about this, Vicky Donovan?"
"I don't," Rebekah denied. "It's just stupid of us to allow the Salvatores to continue acting as they are. They are going to draw attention."
Elijah looked thoughtful, "do you think they will place the doppelganger in danger?"
Rebekah scoffed, "That little devil has those idiots wrapped around her finger without them knowing it. Damon is focused on his goal, but I see how he keeps glancing over at her. He wants her, and now Stefan knows about Katherine."
Niklaus glanced over at Elijah, who confirmed it. "She came with me when Rebekah and Kol got into trouble at school. The younger Salvatore looked shocked to see her."
"Which means sooner or later Damon will find out about it," Niklaus hummed.
"The question is, what shall we do with this Salvatore problem?" Elijah posed the question primarily to himself but loud enough for his siblings to hear. The Mikaelson's paused in thought.
"This town has had a past with vampires previously, correct?" Finn asked his siblings, sending his question mostly towards Elijah.
"Yes, Katherine was almost captured and locked in a tomb below a church in 1864. She managed to use it to hide her escape. It took us a while to retrace her trail after that," Elijah answered; Kol pursed his lips in thought.
"That means the humans probably left something for their descendants. I'm sure a few humans in this town are in the know, most likely prominent members such as the Mayor, perhaps even gifted tools to help in their cause. I heard Katherine's old Bennett witch had turned against the vampires, meaning only a Bennett witch could undo her lock."
XXX
As it turned out, everyone in Mystic Falls High was excited to see what kind of party the Mikaelson siblings could throw. After her birthday and finding her Miss Mystic Falls dress, Caroline zeroed in on finding the perfect Halloween costume. Once it became clear that Kol and Rebekah together would ensure the entire school would know Mikaelson's name and her connection to it, the blonde worked her magic on her boyfriend.
"Caroline, I'm a little old for Halloween, right?" He had teased. Yet Caroline would not be deterred; finally, she had someone by her side who Caroline knew would dress up with her. Logically, Caroline knew that Nik had seen thousands of Halloweens. For a family of vampires, the holiday was not a fun idea. Except Kol and Rebekah saw it for a fantastic time, it could be.
Elijah and Finn agreed that their house would not become a murder scene. Nik loved parties, so he hardly needed to be convinced, especially after seeing how much Caroline got into it. The problem lay with costumes. It was only until Caroline discussed the positives of a couple's costume in detail.
Honestly, Caroline was pretty sure she had him when she mentioned a toga and how she was going as his date. For a thousand-year-old vampire, he tried to put on an air of old money and class, but at heart, he was still very much like any other man Caroline had ever met. Even the teenage kind.
Hence, Caroline entered with Niklaus, his Ares to her Aphrodite. Nik wore a toga made of linen so fine that Caroline could never afford it. Next to him, Caroline wore a light, white toga-like dress. It was held together by a single strap on her shoulder. The linen fell against her legs so soft she forgot she was wearing anything. Out of the corner of her eye, Caroline saw Tyler take out his frustrations on his teammates wearing his football uniform. Figures he would be a lazy ass. She threw Rebekah a knowing look, but the vampire shrugged.
"Kol loves to annoy people. It's better to let him have this; the alternative is messier," The original sister warned. The original was wearing what looked to be a vintage flapper dress.
"Just what kind of trouble did he get into?" Caroline hesitantly asked, remembering how he had first reacted to her. The moment it was clear who her boyfriend was, Kol cut back on the flirting and murderous comments. They appeared, but it was much more cordial; there were lines the siblings would not cross. Nik squeezed her middle before mumbling about needing to check on Kol.
Caroline was sure Kol loved crossing them, but having just woken up from a century of sleep probably made the idea of pissing off an older brother less appealing. However, it had been months since he had awoken, and Kol, she could tell, was the wildest of the bunch.
"Well, there was the harem phase," Rebekah counted a finger. "Then there was the early 1700s when Kol preferred to trick unsuspecting women into Elijah's bed. During our first one hundred years, he would throw woman at Finn's feet."
Blue eyes widened, hands going to the mouth, and Caroline blurted out, "What exactly did he do to you?"
Rebekah's mouth twisted into a disgusted look, "he preferred to seduce anyone I was interested in away from me. He would simply compel them into ridiculous situations if that didn't work. In contrast, a polite lady, I couldn't risk being seen with them or risk family honor."
"Suddenly, I understand why Elijah and Niklaus answered with Poke the tail on the Kol for their favorite childhood game," Caroline shook her head.
"Try watching him go through puberty." Rebekah's nose twitched. "Unbearable, the lot of them."
Trying to keep her laughter in check, Caroline scanned the room, eyes narrowing on a tiny brunette who looked to be studying the place. Elena went without a costume, meaning she was even easier to spot than usual. Following Caroline's lead, Rebekah tried to keep her tone neutral, "Elena looks miserable. Perhaps you should go save her from herself."
"Won't hate me for leaving you alone at your party?" Caroline teased, but her blue eyes held concern. The blonde didn't want to leave her friend in a lurch, especially in a middle-of-high school party that would give the Mikaelsons a superb or rueful reputation after stealing Tyler Lockwood's limelight.
Rebekah sighed, "Go check on your friend. Just make sure you stay within eyesight of my siblings or me."
Caroline saluted, "Yes, ma'am."
"Bitch."
"Hag," Caroline smirked as she walked off towards Elena.
XXX
Bad things always happen when he stays in one place for too long. His brother made sure of that. Stefan punched the gate outside the Mikaelson mansion, his eyes narrowing on his brother's back. His dark-haired brother glanced over his shoulder with a smirk.
"Glare any harder, and your face will be stuck that way. Elena will hardly find the cross-eyed look attractive."
"I think she has more things to worry about. Such as the baby vampire you let loose onto the town. A vampire that will likely go straight for her brother," Stefan retorted, increasing his speed to walk beside his brother. They kept it to a human pace as human teenagers started to arrive.
"Don't be such a negative Nancy, Stefan. She is just trying to let loose. You remember how the transition is." Damon shrugged off the concern, his eyes scanning for signs of the loose cannon he had turned.
"She could hurt someone, Damon," He hissed, grabbing his brother by the arm. Damon raised his free arm, reaching over to grab the wrist on his other arm.
"I wouldn't touch me, brother."
A nervous-looking Elena walked over to them as the Salvatore brothers engaged in a stare-off. "Have you found Jeremy? Vicky?"
It was only to comfort Elena that Stefan disengaged his stand-off with his brother. "Not yet. I promise we are going to find them."
Elena glanced over at the mansion, "I haven't seen them, but Caroline and Bonnie are on the lookout for Jeremy. I just told them that we got into a fight, and I said something stupid."
Stefan looked relieved as Elena assured him she hadn't told anyone his secret. "Thank you, Elena."
Not knowing how to respond, Elena felt a twinge of guilt and awkwardness. A part of her was still wary of everything he had told and kept from her. Hell, Damon had almost gotten his hands on Caroline! Elena knew the blonde would have latched on to the elder Salvatore like catnip if it weren't for her boyfriend.
"Listen, I'm going back inside. Call me if you find him, okay? We will talk later," Elena said goodbye, squeezing Stefan's hand. Her eyes met with Damon's blue ones, and she flinched at the concern she saw.
Damon waited until Elena was far from hearing range, "Looks like you have a big promise to fulfill, little brother."
"Damon… Vicky… she's." Stefan struggled to find the words. From what he observed, Vicky Donovan was an out-of-control teenager, doing everything she could to grab attention. It hardly made for a good transition into immortality.
"I know. The chit has no self-esteem, but that does mean one thing. We know of three people she would even want to be near. Her brother, that blonde jock, Tyler Lockwood and Jeremy Gilbert."
Tyler was pissed that someone else decided to throw a party. Stefan groaned, "That makes it easier… He no doubts will show up here to cause trouble."
The two brothers quickly crossed the rest of the yard when Damon spotted a familiar flash of red from a window. "Steffy, do you recall a pretty redhead on the arm of one of the Mikaelsons?"
"Yeah, so?"
"She was the one who taught me the pleasure of feeding," Damon smirked over at Stefan as his eyes widened. What would a vampire as old as Sage do in this little town? With the Mikaelsons to boot. Did that mean the Mikaelsons were vampires as well? Stefan hadn't noticed any daylight jewelry on any siblings besides Caroline.
"Wait… she's Sage? Are you sure?"
Damon rolled his eyes. "Looks like we don't need to worry about being invited in. The Sage I know never hangs around humans."
"You think the Mikaelsons are vampires," Stefan said, repeating his previous thought out loud. The two brothers kept walking as they reached the front door; no one greeted them. Sharing a look, Damon took a confident but slightly hesitant step towards the threshold. When the barrier popped up, Damon looked confused, leaving Stefan to sigh and roll his eyes.
"So much for not needing an invitation," Stefan muttered under his breath, earning an icy glare from his brother. Luckily for them, they noticed a familiar blonde head coming there; Caroline was wrapped in the arms of Niklaus Mikaelson when they saw the two at the door.
The couple looked at each other. With her arm wrapped around his waist, Caroline tilted her head over to them. Niklaus glanced over at his once friend and the brother who caused him nothing but trouble. While he didn't necessarily feel like letting them into his home, he could always reset the boundary when everyone went home.
Leading his little human love towards the door, he greeted them with a cheerful smile. "Good Evening, gentlemen. Why are you standing by the door? Wouldn't you like to come in?"
Knowing that was her cue, Caroline put a giant smile on her face and said, "Yes, come on in."
Caroline almost laughed out loud as their shoulders visibly relaxed as the Salvatore brothers stepped into the house. Initially, when Elijah and Nik had presented the deed to the house, she was shocked. True Niklaus filled her in on the intricacies of being a vampire, including how one must be invited in. She hadn't considered what it meant if the person on the deed was dead.
"Have you seen Elena?" Stefan immediately asked. His question triggered her memory of how freaked out she was earlier in the night when she first saw Elena. Had she found out about vampires? The way Stefan was fidgety, and the truth that Elena was looking for her brother and Vicky made her stomach drop.
Why was Stefan nervous? Sensing his girlfriend's panic, his arm squeezed her middle gently. "She stopped by earlier, isn't that right, love?"
"Yeah. She was looking for Jeremy and said they got into this huge row. I feared he was off doing something stupid like looking for Vicky alone."
"We saw her outside, but she came back in. You didn't see her come back?" Stefan continued his questioning, scanning the room. Caroline felt her heartbeat jump; just what was going on?
"We will send her your way if we see her. Please try to enjoy the party," Niklaus said, ending the conversation and dragging Caroline away before she tried to strangle one of the young vampires.
"What the hell is going on?" Caroline hissed.
Niklaus kissed her lips, "I promise I will find out."
XXX
A.N: Thank you all so much for your support! All right, guys. What do you guys think?