Salvation (TVD Fan Fiction)

Chapter 28

3rd POV

Damon and Rhi stepped into the Grill, and were greeted by the sounds of Rihanna, thudding loudly on the speakers. The place was packed to capacity, and everyone was busy surveying the girl on Damon's arm. The stares ranged from congratulatory smiles to arrogant sneers from a select few. Damon felt a wave of nervousness roll off of Rhi, and gave her hand a soft squeeze to comfort her.

She's fearless enough to face off with an Original, but put her in a room full of strangers staring at her and she gets antsy? Damon thought to himself.

He led Rhi through the crowd, making his way over to Stefan's table. Stefan shook his head as he spied Damon carrying the oversized bunny.

"Happy birthday, brother," Damon said as he shoved the stuffed animal into the empty space next to Stefan.

"You're an ass," Stefan said, though the smile he gave Damon didn't match his insult. "Its nice of the two of you to finally join us. You put on quite the show out there," Stefan remarked, as he gestured out the window.

"Happy to be of service," Damon quipped. "Speaking of, Rhi, do you mind bringing me a drink?"

"Sure," Rhi responded without hesitation. She knew him too well to even bother asking what he wanted.

"Tell Joe none of that cheap crap he tries to pass off as top shelf to these kids, either," Damon called out after her.

He turned to look back at Stefan, and pressed his mouth into a hard line when he saw that his brother was staring at Rhi as she walked toward the bar.

"Problem, Stefan?" he asked with a tight, humorless grin.

"Chill, Damon. Just admiring the scenery. Its not like I'm trying to steal her away or anything," Stefan said.

Damon narrowed his eyes at his brother, but decided to let it go. He was determined not to let Stefan rankle his mood, and after all, it was his birthday. He had more pressing matters to see to, and he had sent Rhi away for a minute for a reason.

"You did do everything I asked, right?" Damon asked quietly under his breath.

Stefan barely managed to stifle a laugh at his brother's sudden change of thought. "Yeah, Damon. I took care of it. I told you already."

"Of everything?" Damon asked, desperate for some clarification.

"Yes! The radio is right where you told me to leave it. I did everything you asked me to, right down to the last damn candle! Now are you gonna tell me what you're up to?"

"And you're sure you were in the right place?" Damon countered. Honestly, he was thankful that Stefan had done him a favor, but he could really deal without the game of twenty questions.

"Do you really have so little faith in me?" Stefan asked him.

"You really want me to answer that?" Damon retorted.

Stefan shook his head at Damon as he pulled his phone out of his pants pocket, and punched a few buttons before holding it out for Damon to inspect.

"Happy?" Stefan deadpanned.

Damon scrutinized every detail the picture displayed, right down to the last pixel. He recognized the trees, so he knew Stefan had been in the right place. Damon smiled as he saw all the candlelit Mason jars hanging from the branches. All in all, there were easily fifty of them, and fortunately the candles were large enough that with the added shelter of the jars, they would stay lit for quite a few more hours. The picture on Stefan's phone had been taken while there was still some daylight out, and Damon knew the night sky would only make it more amazing. Suddenly overcome with his own delirium, Damon forced himself not to grab hold of Rhi and leave the party early. Instead, he snatched a nacho off one of the elaborately filled platters in front of Stefan.