ALMOST IS NEVER ENOUGH | TVD [2]

II • THE HYBRID

two. the hybrid

Rosie Kartwright's Residence, Damon's Bedroom

A genuinely frustrated and tired Damon is removing all the notes, maps, and newspaper cuttings from the big closet and listening to the television news, "Whether suicide, or a tragic accident, WPKW News has lost one of its shining stars. Field reporter and weekend anchor Andie Star was discovered..." How could his own brother do this to him? Did Klaus compel him to do so? Absolutely not. He did it to give him a warning to let him go, by using his mind compulsion on his innocent girlfriend to end her own life. Stefan is definitely gone this time, he was right; he's turned into a Ripper. To him, his brother's innocent girlfriend was only collateral damage of no use. Although she did offer the aid necessary in order to track his whereabouts. Therefore, it wasn't an accident or even a suicide, the answer is Stefan.

Rosie steps into the excessively spacious room without even a knock, which Damon mentioned in pure annoyance, "Just can't stay away, can you?"

"You've been ignoring me, like a child." Rosie judged as she watches him.

"Yeah, well, a child who's busy dating a dead fake girlfriend and all."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Rosie asked in pure sympathy for the woman; how could Stefan do that to her? To an innocent woman. He's a Ripper again? Although if he really doesn't care anymore, then why did he call her? Klaus must be the one to force him to do so to get Damon off their tails.

Damon fakes a smile, "Happy birthday, Rosie. Stefan killed Andie. Cake?"

A genuinely tired sigh leaves her at his sarcasm, "He called me, Damon."

He finally looks at her in pure disbelief, frowning, "What?"

"Stefan called me last night." Rosie informed him as a clarification.

"Well, what'd he say?"

"He didn't say anything, but it was him. I know it, because I asked Sheriff Forbes if she would trace the call's origin. It came from Tennessee." Memphis. Therefore, hope is restored, after all. She knows that it would.

"Where he's binge drinking on the country folk. We went through this, Rosie. Stefan's gone. I don't mean geographically." Damon hopelessly throws the research documents into the unlit fireplace as she closely watches him.

"If he was gone, he wouldn't have called." Rosie pointed out the truth.

He lights a match and throws it into the fireplace, which starts burning.

****

Alaric Saltzman's Residence

The young thirty-four-year-old man is in his big queen-sized bed and is then awoken by loud knocking at his apartment front door, "Go away, Damon!"