𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐲 | 𝐭𝐯𝐝

-26-

Stefan and I went to the Mystic Grill and picked up some fries, then sat in the car. "So say Elena is definitely sired," I began. "--Which she is," Stefan interrupted. "Fine. So once we figure out how to un-sire Elena, do you think she'll come to her senses and you and her can go back to normal?" I asked. He swallowed a fry. "Maybe not normal. I don't think we'll ever be normal. I think we'll have to rebuild our trust and take time, but we'll make it." He said. "That's good." I nodded. "Is it true?"

I looked at him, confused. "Is Damon said true?"

I thought about it for a moment. For some reason, awkward tension didn't take over the atmosphere as I thought. "I think...I think it is." I ate a fry. "I didn't think I'd like you before I saw you again. I was so hurt but knew what I was getting into when I came back to Mystic Falls. I guess when I saw you again, I just remembered the guy I used to know. Now you're..." I looked over his face. "You're braver. Smarter. More agile. And you have better hair." I joked. He laughed. "You're compassionate, something I've always loved, and every day I'm here I'm reminded that you became that person on your own. You've evolved and it just...attracted me more." I sighed. He waited for me to continue.

"Everything in Mystic Falls reminds me of the old days. I wish I didn't leave. I find myself wondering what would be us if we didn't separate." I confessed, eating. "Have you thought of it?" I asked. He hesitated but nodded. "When I was in the cell... and I first heard your voice. I was...shocked. I was hit with the night that I pushed you away and then when I had my humanity back and all I wanted was you. I was devastated and angry. I just wanted you in that time," he turned towards me.

I imagined Stefan, kneeling somewhere quiet, maybe a house, and sobbing. "I wanted to hug you," I looked up at him, "touch you," He glanced at my lips. I gulped. "feel you next to me." He moved closer. "I thought about the times I would wrap my hand around your throat and pull you closer while my arm wrapped around your waist. You'd always smirk and place your lips to mine. You never wanted to admit you enjoyed it."

My breath was caught in my throat. I had butterflies erupting through my stomach and I seemed to cling onto every word he said. "I went days and nights, trying to keep my mind off of you but I couldn't. You had my mind twisted and all of those things slammed me in a single moment. I wanted to hold you and kiss you all over. Then I remembered..."

"Elena." I finished the sentence for him. Stefan nodded. "Elena. I couldn't stop thinking of you. And whenever I saw you sitting in that room upstairs and connected the dots, God I was excited. I couldn't wait to see you every morning. It took so long for me to try and convince myself that I needed to distance myself from you."

I frowned and grabbed his hands. "You never have to feel like that. Okay? Never. You don't have to distance yourself from me. I'm sorry." I shushed. He wrapped me into a hug. "I missed you."

His phone began ringing and he groaned, then answered and put the phone on speaker. "I talked to Tyler," Caroline told us. "And?" I asked while Stefan started up the car. "The sire bond exists because the hybrids are grateful to Klaus for relieving them from the pain of having to wolf out every full moon, and that's why they have to turn until they're not ruled by the pain anymore." She explained. He began driving to the Boarding House. "Right, but Elena's not a werewolf so what's the vampire equivalent?"

"Well, that's the problem. There isn't one."

Stefan paused. I grabbed the phone from his hand gently. "Hey, Caroline? Yeah, it's River. We'll get back to you." I sighed and hung up. He clenched his jaw. The drive was quiet.

-

We walked into the house and heard things flying in the library. I sped in and saw Damon throwing around books. "Hey hey hey, what did Shakespeare do to you?!" I scoffed. "Elena is sired. You were right, I was wrong. Happy?" Damon asked, rushing over to a pile of books. "No, I'm not happy. But what are we gonna do about it?" Stefan leaned against the doorframe. "Well, I'm working on it. Here." He grabbed a picture and threw it at Stefan. I waited to hear what was on it and how a picture would help the situation. "Remember that?" Damon asked. "New Orleans, 1942. What was in New Orleans in 1942?" Stefan crossed his arms. "Other than bourbon and beads...Us, Stefan."

"Oh yeah." He turned to avoid eye contact. "What was the name of that girl you used to hang out with?"

I grabbed a glass and poured a bit of the usual bourbon into it. "That was no ordinary girl. That was Charlotte."

"Charlotte?" I questioned. "She was crazy about me from the minute we met. So, of course, when she asked me to turn her, I did."

--- flashback ---

In a smoke-filled bar, music played loud and a man sang while playing the guitar. A girl with wavy red hair and hazel eyes, presumably Charlotte, entered through the doorway. She strolled over to Damon and sat down beside him. "Hi." Damon greeted his charms at work as always. "Hi." She smiled. "So, did you decide who you would like to have for dinner tonight?" He asked, twirling his drink around. She looked at the man singing. "Him. He looks tasty."

"That's a very fine choice, Miss Charlotte. I will go set that up. Now, if anyone tries to touch my drink, you show them no mercy, OK?" He stood up. Charlotte nodded and Damon went to talk to the man.

---

"When I came back, she snapped someone's neck for spilling my drink. She said to me, 'You said to show no mercy. I thought you'd be happy.' and that's when I knew something was up." Damon explained. "Damn, you really do have a charm, huh?" I scoffed in disbelief. Two people now have been sired to him. Those chances are slim. "She was sired to you, and I can only assume you took full advantage of that until you got bored of her, right?" Stefan accused.

"More like when she went all "Fatal Attraction" on me, then I had to make a clean break." Damon rummaged through a pile of pictures. "How'd you do that?" I stepped closer. He picked up a square postcard. He handed it to me and I flipped it over and saw "Valerie LaMarche, 920 Dauphine St" written. "Who the hell is Valerie LaMarche?" I turned to Stefan and handed him the note. "The witch that I found to help me break little Charlotte's sire bond." Damon took a swig of his drink. Stefan looked at him curiously and I just stood there like a child walking in during a family argument. "Pack your bags, baby bro. We're going back to Bourbon Street."

As Damon walked away, I followed. "Before you ask, yes, you can come." He sighed. "Well don't act too excited," I said sarcastically. "Wasn't planning on it."