[Episode 11 - Bloodlines - 2]

We enter BREE'S BAR off the highway and Damon compels me in because I'm underage. The people inside better not question my presence because if they do, they're gonna have an angry bitch in their way. I need a drink and one day without a headache. The bar is pretty empty and I see that it's only 11 in the morning.

Just as my gaze moves from my mobile screen, I see a woman, somewhere double the age of Damon's, look with wide eyes at the vampire. She jumps over the bar counter "No. No, it can't be. Damon. My honey pie!" She jumps towards him and holds him in a very harsh liplock and I stand there, whistling at the sudden PDA.

I raise my brows in amusement when Bree pulls away, only to be pulled tight against Damon. "Nice to meet you too honey pie" I wave with a very sweet smile. The couple finally breaks from their kiss and both of them look to me in annoyance.

"Alcohol or answers, Damon. I didn't come here all the way to Georgia to watch you make out with girls" Bree smirks, not at all offended by my words and jumps up on the counter "Listen up everybody! Here's to the man that broke my heart, crushed my soul, destroyed my life, and ruined any and all chances of happiness!" she gets down and pours shots, "Drink up!".

Damon waits for me to drink and I roll my eyes, gulping down my shot along with Bree. "So," she pours herself another shot and I snatch away Damon's alcohol before it reaches his mouth. He frowns playfully but the woman pours him another one "-how'd he rope you in?"

I chuckle and shake my head "I'm not roped, he's just staked". The already oblivious bar-owner ignores the second part of my words " Honey, if you're not roped, you're whipped. Either way, just enjoy the ride..." Damon wiggles his brows and I snatch his shot away again. This time Damon protests but I turn my back to him and down the shot.

Damon holds my wrists in a surprisingly gentle but firm grip, and mutters "You steal my shot one more time, I'm gonna lose it"

I smirk "Doesn't everyone know it..."

This is gonna be either a short day or a very long one.

"How did you two meet?"

"College"

I look at Damon with disbelieving eyes as he pouts "I've been on a college campus, yes-" Bree continues, putting down some burgers in front of me.

"About twenty years ago, when I was a sweet, young freshman, I met this beautiful man, and I fell in love. And then he told me about his little secret, made me love him more" her voice drops to a happy whisper "...Because, you see, I had a little secret of my own that I was dying to share with somebody..."

"She's a witch" I whistle. This day keeps getting more and more interesting.

"Changed my world, you know-"

"I rocked your world" Damon corrects with a smug smile. "He must have been good in the sack huh?" I ask and Bree nods a bit too enthusiastically "But mostly he's just a Walk-Away Joe. So, what is it that you want Damon?"

I go out to make some calls while Damon begs Bree for another way. First calls first.

My aunt picks up on the first ring "Where are you? Why didn't you call?" she bombards.

"Hey Jennie, I'm fine. Just helping Damon with something-"

"Damon?"

"Damon Salvatore. Stefan's brother. I'm in Georgia, I'll be back by tomorrow. I promise-"

"What! Damon - Georgia - Kat! W-what!"

"It's alright. He's just searching for a... family member. An old friend. And I said I'll help." I don't like lying but I leave out the car wreck part. I don't know how I'm going to explain it to her. It's not like I can say "A vampire stood in my way, making me wreck my car"

My confused aunt sighs "Kat...I'm, I don't think I'm okay with this. I was so worried about you. And I don't even know this guy. Come home right now" She states.

"Please... I'll even update with texts and calls..."

There is radio silence for one whole minute "Jennie? You ther-"

"Text me and call me as frequently as possible. I don't like this Kat. Not one bit. And you're grounded when you come home-"

I protest but she cuts it off "That's it. Don't forget, update. Every 2 hours"

She cuts the call. This guardian-duty hasn't been light on her and she's sacrificed so much for us. And here I am, letting her down. I'll make it up to her. Whatever way I can, be it being grounded or helping her take some time off from taking care of every need of 3 teenagers.

I call Stefan now. "Vivi, is that you-"

"I'm here" I grit out.

"Where are you?"

"You lied."

"-Not until I explain, please..."

"So, are you saying you didn't lie?"

"Just... tell me where you are, so that I can come get you-"

"How are we connected to Katherine, Stef?"

"I honestly don't know"

" And how can you prove that I can believe that?"

"It's the truth. I-- Listen..."

"I'll see you later Stefan" I cut the call and whir around only to see Damon standing at the doorway, somber and not at all like the usual Damon whom I want to stake or console. "You ok-"

"You're ex looks like me and my sister. I have supernatural powers, vampires are rotting underneath my town. I'm peachy!" I scoff. Damon raises his hands "Let's go have a shot. Or ten"

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I gulp down another bite of a very greasy and non-healthy burger "Let's just say that we're descended from... Katherine...What does that make us, part vampire? Is that why I'm supernatural?"

Damon steals another fry from my plate " Vampires can't procreate... But we love to try...." I roll my eyes, "If you were related, it would mean Katherine had a child before she was turned."

Needing a diversion, I ask the question long weighing on my mind "This nice act, any of it real?" He raises his brows as if to say 'What nice act? I'm always nice'. Knowing I won't get any real answer any time soon, I call out to Bree for another beer.

▹▹▹

I shoot off another message to Jenna, trying to sound as non-alcoholic as possible.

I see that the next round is ready "Ready....Go!" Bree shouts and I pocket the alcohol into my mouth and gulp it down faster than anyone.

Damon spills a part of his drink and I pout, trying to hide my drunken smirk "Aw, Smoldy needs a bib?" He does not seem as amused as I am. He glares at me "Sorry I can't unhinge my jaw like a snake to consume alcohol-"

Another woman interrupts him and mutters "Honey, you should be on the floor!" I shake my head and get up on the nearest table "I'm not even fully drunk, my tolerance level is like," I wink one eye shut and point to the roof "wayyy there!"

I jump and yell "Catch!" and Damon does.

I pat him and giggle as he sets me down on my wobbly feet. I feel a vibration in my pocket and shout to Damon over the yells and thumps of the others "I've got a call. I'll be outside-" I barrel my way out to the parking lot and take a gulp of fresh air. 

It's Stefan, again. Before I can answer the call, a strong hand goes over my mouth and it takes a while for my reflexes to kick in. Just as I elbow him and get out of his hold, I see Damon come out, probably in search of me.

"Damon no!"

But the vampire speeds upto a confused Damon and kicks him and hits him very hard with a wooden plank. I rush there and pull him off in anger "No!" I growl as he punches his way out of my grip. He rushes and pours gasoline all over the old vampire "Who are you?!" Damon grunts out, trying to push the other vengeful vampire away. "That's perfect! You have no idea..."

"What are you talking about? What did he do?!" I rush to him, jerking away the gasoline can from his hands.

I gasp as he confirms "He killed Lexi. What did she do to you, huh? What did she do to you?!" I stumble back, fingers quavering over my mouth.

Next, when Damon tries to stand up, the man hits Damon with a baseball bat "No!" I rush to him, taking a hold of his hand, he lets out a harsh breath "Lexi loved you. She said that, 'When it's real, you can't walk away'.... Don't, don't hurt him..." The man pauses for a second before taking out a lighter "I'm doing you a favor-"

"Lexi loved you! She was my friend! And she was good. That means you're good too. Be better than him. Don't do this... Please."

The man avoids looking at me but gazes at Damon with hesitant angry looks. He flashes forward and throws a weak Damon against the nearby tank. I rush forward only to see that the man is turning away and walking. "It wasn't for you" he states and I nod "I'm very sorry about Lexi. I care-" he just vamps out of the place.

I kneel down to a recovering Damon "You're alright?"

He nods, but I still understand the fix in his jaw and the look in his eyes. He grunts as he gets up. Handing me his Camaro's keys, he grits out painfully (I don't know if it's because of what he says next, or because of the vampire who attacked him) 

"Wait for me in the car." I take the keys and he points "Not a scratch on it, Kat. Not a scratch." I roll my eyes and walk away.

Bree made a mistake.

▹▹▹

That night, he's driving me back home when he murmurs "So why did you agree to come with me?" Still keeping my eyes closed against the cool window, I don't answer for a while. Just when it's long enough for Damon to think I'm asleep, I answer "I never exactly agreed"

"You didn't disagree either".

I sigh, knowing that I have to give an answer "Well, you're not the worst company in the world Damon"

"So, are we what? Friends?" I finally open my eyes and stare into the confused eyes "Like I said,you're not the worst company in the world. I'd settle for frenemy..." 

He doesn't answer and I see him look forward when we both know that he didn't need to pay attention to the road to drive.

We arrive at the Boarding House and I get out. Inching into the car through the window, I cross my ankles "I saved your life today" I point out. After a very hesitant pause, Damon accepts "I know." 

No 'thank you Kat' or 'I'm alive because of you Kat'. I scoff and make my way into the residence, throwing my next words over my shoulder "And don't you forget it".

▹▹▹

I make my way inside, only to be barreled into a hug by Elena and Stefan together. I pat my sister as we withdraw from the hug. Stefan sighs. I grit my teeth "You could have told me".

"I wanted to tell you-"

"I can handle the truth, Stefan. As crazy as it is, I can handle the fact that you are a vampire. And that you have a vampire brother. And that one of my best friends is a witch. I can accept the fact that the world is a much more mysterious place than I ever thought possible. But this...this lie, I cannot take. Why?" I ask. Elena is also serious and I look to her "He wouldn't say anything until you came..."

"You are not Katherine. You are the opposite of everything that she was-"

"Sharing a name and a face with her, your words are hard to believe Stefan!" I all but shout out.

"The first day of school. When we met. It wasn't for the first time..." He says to my sister and me. My face morphs into a frown as my sister asks "Then when was it?"

"May 23, 2009-"

"But that was-" my eyes widen.

"-the day your parents' car went off the bridge"