"The Salvatore name was practically royalty in this town. Until the war. There was a battle here—"

"The Battle of Willow Creek," Elena interrupted, hoping to cut the conversation short. Avery wasn't sure how Damon would react to that.

Instead, Damon seemed impressed, "Right."

"I know, we talked about it in class. Confederate soldiers fired on a church with civilians inside."

"What the history books left out was the people that were killed. They weren't there by accident," Damon spoke, circling Elena and Avery causing them to turn. Avery was sure that Elena didn't feel like prey in that moment, but she certainly did.

"They were believed to be union sympathisers," Damon continued, motioning to the girls to follow him over to the replica of Fells' Church. "So some of the founders on the confederacy side back then wanted them rounded up and burned alive."

Elena's face fell, but Damon continued, "Stefan and Damon had someone they loved very much in that church."

There was a pause, and Avery wondered whether there were a million thoughts rushing through Damon's head. His words were careful, but Avery was surprised Elena hadn't picked up on the emotion in his voice because the story he was telling was his story.

"And when they went to rescue them, they were shot. Murdered in cold blood."

"Who was in the church that they wanted to save?" Elena asked, curiosity lacing her tone. Avery didn't think Elena was a stupid girl, she must have wondered how and why Damon knew so much.

"A woman, I guess," Damon replied. "Doesn't it always come down to the love of a woman?"

His gaze was hypnotising, and if Avery didn't know any better she would've wondered if Damon was trying to compel them.

Elena interrupted her thoughts, "Look, I'm sorry that you and Stefan have this thing between you, but I can't get in the middle of it, Damon. I just...I hope you two can work it out."

"I hope so, too." Damon replied with a tight-lipped smile.

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

Avery wished she'd left that stupid founder's party. She'd shown her face, spoken to Mayor Lockwood, she didn't need to be there anymore.

But she stayed, because she knew something was going to happen. Stefan was going to try and take down Damon again and Avery didn't want anyone else caught in the crossfire.

So when Damon and Elena left the room to meet Stefan and Caroline, she followed them.

"What'd we miss?"

Avery watched cautiously as Stefan handed Caroline another drink, before turning to Damon with a glass in his hand, "We were just chatting. Drink, Damon?"

"No, thanks, I'll pass." Damon declined, his ice-cold stare boring into Stefan's own.

Elena watched the interaction. Avery could tell it made her uncomfortable, but watched as Elena took a breath to shake it off and turn her focus to Stefan, "Stefan, do you have another dance in you?"

"Absolutely."

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

Avery was feeling hot and feverish, her head pounding. She'd slipped into one of the Lockwood's many bathrooms and was resting her head against the cool tile of the bathroom wall.

Caroline entered soon after, approaching the vanity area. She was fidgeting nervously, fixing her make up and re-adjusting her shawl.

Elena entered not long after and stood next to Caroline.

"Hey." Elena greeted, popping open her clutch and reaching in to grab her lipgloss.

"Hey. So, how are things with Stefan?" Caroline asked curiously.

"Great," Elena replied. "Just great."

Caroline studied Elena in the mirror for a moment, "Really? Well, my radar must be off, 'cause I was getting all sorts of other vibes..."

Caroline lent forward to mimic Elena's movements, applying her own lipgloss. Elena watched her, before noticing something that Avery also saw.

"What is that?" Elena asked suddenly.

"Hmm?"

Elena was reaching for Caroline's scarf suddenly. Caroline pulled away just as fast, "Don't!"

But Elena had the scarf in her grip, lifting it away to reveal a horrific and vicious bite mark.

Avery faltered for a moment, moving towards the pair.

"Oh god, Caroline, what happened?" Elena gasped.

"Nothing, okay?!" Caroline panicked, pulling away from her.

"That is not nothing! Did somebody hurt you?" Elena asked again, a protective flare in her voice.

"No, okay, it's nothing... It's just...My mom would kill me." Caroline denied again, leaning back towards the mirror to continue re-applying her lipgloss.

Avery took the opportunity to surge forwards and pull down Caroline's shawl, revealing more bite marks.

"Did Damon hurt you?" Elena accused, her tone beyond disgusted. Avery couldn't bring her eyes away from the vicious marks, even as Caroline pulled the shawl back onto her shoulders to hide them from her view.

"No! Of course not! Just leave me alone. Okay, Elena?! God." Caroline hissed, pulling away from them and exiting the bathroom.

Elena watched as she swiftly left the room, then turned to Avery.

"Did you know?"

Her tone wasn't accusatory, just desperate. Elena wanted to know if Avery knew and the thought alone caused Avery to gag.

"God, no," Avery shook her head, but quickly regretted the action as hot acidic bile rose up her throat.

She turned just in time to empty the contents of her stomach onto the tiled floor of the Lockwood bathroom, Elena immediately moving to sweep Avery's hair back from her face.

Elena was startled, "Oh, my God. Are you okay?"

Avery was shaking and she blinked rapidly to get rid of the hot tears blurring her vision.

"Fine," She breathed, shuddering as she forced herself upright. "Sorry."

Elena's kind eyes swept over her face, before she was looping her slender arm around Avery's shoulders and escorting her out of the room.