CHAPTER 25.5: Got you good
WARNINGS: blood, violence, animal abuse?, damon, stefan, matt, jealousy, mentions/references of past abuse & rape, slight underage flirting

"WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO with the rabbit?" Caroline asked as she and her girlfriends trekked through the woods. Hayley seemed to be feeling much better, standing a bit away from them and jumping from tree to tree.

"Chast it, catch it, kill it," Athena said, ducking a bit when Hayley jumped over her head. Caroline blinked, watching her girlfriend fly through the trees like she was Tarzan before focusing back on her other girlfriend.

"One, isn't killing cute, defenseless animals the first step in becoming a serial killer?" Caroline asked, cocking an eyebrow at the redhead who gave her a narrowed look.

"You do realize who you're talking to, right?"

Hayley landed beside them making Caroline jump a bit and Athena snicker. "You skipped over serial killer and went straight to vampire," Hayley playfully nipped at the blonde's neck, grinning as Caroline shoved her away with a groan.

"Fine," she said, knowing that Hayley was right and continuing, "and two, I will not kill a poor bunny. They're so cute and I will not eat a bunny like Stefan because I do not want to be him. And, everybody is at the swimming hole and I want to go because Bonnie hates me and I want some semblance of normal and I'm kinda freaking out, okay?" She finished in a breath, huffing.

Athena blinked at her for a second before looking at Hayley. The brunette met her eyes with wide ones of her own, shrugging her shoulders.

"Don't—look at each other, you dicks. I'm dead and everything is heightened," she crossed her arms in annoyance. Athena smiled slightly at the woman, amusement dancing in her eyes. "What?" Caroline spat.

Athena chuckled softly, "when somebody becomes a vampire all their natural behaviors get amplified as well," she says. Hayley's eyes widened, shaking her head quickly at Athena. Athena glanced at her, but ignored the warning.

Caroline's brows furrowed, confused. "What do you mean?"

Athena coughed a bit, "I mean, as a human I was a very... curious and very protective person. I wanted to know everything about the world, I wanted to keep my family and friends safe. And as a vampire, all that got... multiplied... by, like, 30," she smiled innocently at the dark look on Caroline's face.

Caroline blinked, taking in a deep breath, a contemplative look on her face. "So, what you're saying, is that now I'm basically an insecure, neurotic, protective, control freak... on crack?" There was a dangerous look in her eyes that made Athena feel as though she was in danger.

Hayley took a slight step back, scratching the back of her head and looking anywhere else but at Athena who was looking at her for help. Athena cleared her throat and looked back at Caroline, "I wasn't... that's not... I wouldn't... I wasn't gonna say it—like that," Athena coughed.

Athena barely had time to blink before her girlfriend was lunging at her. "Oh, my God!" Hayley shouted as the two vampires clashed. It was quite a sight, to see two enhanced beings zipping through the forest—into trees, the ground, rocks—while standing completely still. "Girls!" She snapped and they both froze, slowly turning to look at her. "Come here," Hayley demanded.

They were both in front of her without a second thought. Athena pushed Caroline's head a bit almost resulting in the blonde being knocked over. Caroline snarled and smacked her hand away, elbowing the redhead hard in the stomach. Athena grunted and gave Caroline a side-glare.

"Enough," Hayley said, smacking them both on the head, "we are not going to spend this relationship doing whatever the hell that just was, understood?" She glared at them both.

Caroline at least looked apologetic, nodding her head as she scuffed her shoe on the ground. Athena sighed and scratched the side of her head, "sorry," she said to both of them. She kissed the side of Caroline's head, letting the blonde sink into her, "I didn't mean to insult you or anything, baby. I was just trying to help you understand why you're feeling what you're feeling."

Caroline huffed and nodded against the redhead's chest. Hayley smiled, satisfied. She moved to go back to her tree jumping by Athena snagged her waistline and yanked her back into the two of them.

"Oof! Athena!" Hayley grunted with a huff but leaned into both of them. 

┍ ∞ ○ ∘ ɹǝʌǝɹoɟ puɐ sʎɐʍlɐ ∘ ○ ∞ ┙

"THIS BOX TRACKS Katherine's arrival to Mystic Falls in April of 1864," Vanessa says as she walks back over to where Elena is waiting by a small table. She sets down the box in front of the girl and Lorelei slides over to see.

Elena frowns a bit as she runs her fingers over the folders, journals, and papers stuffed into the box. There were small things of vervain stuffed into the corner. "Is this it?" She asks, glancing up at the woman.

Lorelei tilts her head at the journal but doesn't think much of it. Katerina Petrova always kept journals, but her mother had said that Katherine stopped after 1800 because people kept using them to track her.

"All that I'm aware of," Vanessa says slightly apologetic with a shrug.

Lorelei hums and raises her eyebrows. Elena glances over Vanessa's shoulder at where Damon is rifling through a box in another room. She then grabs a small plume of vervain and hands it to the woman.

"Here," she says and Vanessa takes it.

The woman looks up with a slight smirk, "does vervain really work?" She asks quietly. Elena nods.

"Nope! Not at all," Damon says from the other room. Elena rolls her eyes and Vanessa makes a face, glancing back slightly at the man.

Lorelei rolled her eyes and leaned closer to Vanessa, "it does. Burns 'em. Quite fun when they're unsuspecting," she whispered with a playful smirk. Vanessa grins slightly, glancing at her from beneath her lashes. Elena glances between them.

"Funny," Bellamy says without looking up from some paperwork.

Lorelei grins.

"Can... they hear us?" Vanessa asks, looking back and forth between the two girls.

"No," Bellamy stage whispers.

"That would be creepy!" Damon adds in the same tone.

Elena makes a face and Lorelei grunts in annoyance at the two men. "Can they read minds too?" Vanessa asked, raising an eyebrow as she glanced over at Lorelei only this time.

"No, you know, if you wanna see her naked all you have to do is ask," Damon says as he turns around to face the three women.

Vanessa's cheeks turn red and she looks away from Lorelei. The witch scoffs at the man, but there a smug smile on her face. Elena's eyes flare dangerously, both at Damon's words and Vanessa's reaction.

"No," Elena says, voice firm as she glares at Damon who raises his hands in surrender, spinning back around. "That, he can't do," she reaches into the box and grabs the journal, "he is very capable of being a first-rate jackass," she stage whispers.

Damon glances back at them as Lorelei snickers a bit. 

┍ ∞ ○ ∘ ɹǝʌǝɹoɟ puɐ sʎɐʍlɐ ∘ ○ ∞ ┙

THE PARTY IS filled with teenagers and alcohol, music, and stupid teenage activities. Caroline breathes in the fresh air, grinning as she looks around at everyone. Hayley sits in the trunk of the SUV, tearing into a pack of Twizzlers. Athena was leaning against the trunk, staring out at the party.

A truck glides down the dirt road and Athena's eyes flick toward it, meeting those of Mason Lockwood. They keep eye contact until Mason has to look away to drive safely. Athena continues to watch the truck.

"Why are you looking at him with your serious vampire look?" Caroline asked distractedly as she stuffed her towel into a bag.

Athena frowns, slowly turning her head to look at Caroline. "My—what?" She asked, bewildered, "my 'serious vampire' look?"

"Mhm," Hayley nods in agreement, "your face kinda tightens and your eyes squint a bit."

Caroline snaps and points at Hayley without looking away from what she is doing.

"So, you're saying I look... constipated?" Athena blinks, frown deepening as she imagines what her face must look like.

Caroline looks at her, raising her eyebrows. "I mean, I wasn't going to say it like that, but..." She smirks.

Athena stares at the two of them for a second before walking away. Hayley bursts out laughing while Caroline giggles. The blonde grabs the bag as Hayley jumps out of the car. They close the trunk and follow after their girlfriend, linking their fingers together.

Athena stops at the keg in the back of Matt's truck. She sighs heavily at having to interact with him and he rolls his eyes.

"Aren't you a little old for this party?" Matt asked as he filled up a cup with their cheap beer.

Athena cocked an eyebrow, "adult supervision. Here to make sure nobody dies. Tyler also invited me. Besides, I'll take any opportunity to make out with my girlfriends like a teenager again as I can," she smirks at him.

His jaw tightens and he thrusts the beer out. She takes it, throwing it back in a sip. She holds it out, smirking even more.

"Another."

Matt snatches the cup away and Athena can hear his teeth grinding together. Usually, she doesn't stoop to this level with teenagers of all people, but this one has done more than enough to deserve it. If she can't kill him, may as well torture him.

"Hey, Matt," a girl says as she walks up to them, "can I get one too?"

"Hey, Aimee. Sure, you can," he says, his posture relaxing just a bit as he gets another cup. He fills it up and then hands both cups to the two women, Athena's a bit more forcefully.

"Thanks," Aimee smiles then she turns to Athena who was just about to walk over to where her girlfriends were setting up. "You know, Salvatore, you're missing all the fun in the water," she said, a bit flirtatiously.

Athena pauses mid-turn and then slowly turns back to the girl, blinking. "I didn't bring a swimsuit... so..." She lies, tipping the full cup toward her, giving her a strained smile.

The only reason she drank it the first time was to piss off Matt. It was the first and final time she was going to drink the cheap shit these kids got.

Aimee looks her up and down, "too bad. May have to strip then." Athena's eyes widen, blinking owlishly. Why the actual fuck does she draw in horny teenagers?

Caroline suddenly appears, taking the cup of beer from Athena. "Caroline, hi, hey, hi Caroline," Athena says, turning toward the girl with nothing short of relief. Anything to get out of this situation. Caroline takes a quick sip of the beer before leaning up to kiss Athena soundly.

The blonde pulls back, wiping a bit of lipgloss off her girlfriend's lips with her thumb before turning to Aimee. "Go find someone single to stalk, Aimee," she said, the compulsion coming easily to her now that she's gotten used to it.

The girl straightens and then walks away.

Athena hums and slips her arm around Caroline, pulling her back over to Hayley. She drops down beside the werewolf and Caroline settles beside her.

"Did you just compel her?" Hayley asked quietly, raising an eyebrow at Caroline.

The blonde scrunched her nose, "she deserved it."

Hayley nodded, kissing Athena just as soundly as Caroline had. "Yeah, she did."

Athena groaned, licking her lips and staring out in front of her. "We are not going to make it through this party if you two keep kissing me like that." 

┍ ∞ ○ ∘ ɹǝʌǝɹoɟ puɐ sʎɐʍlɐ ∘ ○ ∞ ┙

ATHENA GROWLED WHEN she saw Stefan talking to Matt at the boy's truck. Hayley and Caroline were both in the water, having a blast with some other people. She got up and made her way to the man.

She grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him away from everyone. "What the fuck are you doing here?" She snarled, glaring darkly at the man who shrunk away.

He raised his hands in surrender. "Relax, Athena. I'm just here to make sure that Caroline is adjusting okay—"

"One, do not tell me to relax. Two, my girlfriend is adjusting perfectly well with the help of me, her girlfriend, and Hayley, her girlfriend. And three, fuck you," she snapped quietly.

"Athena," he sighed, looking tired, "come on. I'm—"

"If you say you're sorry to me, I'm going to rip your head from your shoulders," she snarled. He gulped and closed his mouth. "Just stay away." She walked back over to her blanket, sitting down, silently fuming.

┍ ∞ ○ ∘ ɹǝʌǝɹoɟ puɐ sʎɐʍlɐ ∘ ○ ∞ ┙

DAMON COMES UP behind Elena who has been sorting through the same box for a little over a half hour. "Any luck?" He asks quietly.

Elena shakes her head. "There's nothing in here about Katherine that we don't already know," she says frustratedly.

He tsks. "Ah, man, you know, it's... it's a bummer we're not friends anymore. Because I can tell you what I know," he says, sighing and shaking his head.

Elena pauses in her search and slowly turns her head toward the man. "Now who's manipulating who?" She asked boredly. He smirks.

"Hey, guys. Check this out," Alaric says. All of them make their way over to him, Vanessa, and Lorelei.

"There's no record of werewolf mythology in Mystic Falls," Vanessa says as she holds out a book, "but here are some records of some of the lesser-known legends."

"Everything from Scandinavian skin-walkers to the Marechal de Retz," Lorelei says, crossing her arms.

Vanessa points to something on the page for Damon. "Tonartsliitsii Metslii," she says.

"Which roughly translates to 'The Cruse of the Sun and Moon'," Lorelei says, reciting the words that her mother used to tell her all those years ago. "It's Aztec," she fills in when Alaric begins to say 'Native American', "it's an origin of the werewolf curse traced through Virginia."

Elena looks over at her, but Lorelei doesn't look at anybody as she speaks, seemingly lost in a trance.

"Short version; the Aztecs were plagued by werewolves and vampires about 600 years ago. The creatures terrorized the countryside, made farming and hunting impossible until an Aztec Shaman cursed them making vampires slaves to the sun and werewolves servants of the moon," Lorelei explains. She gestures to Damon and Bellamy, "as a result, vampires could only prowl at night and werewolves could only turn on a full moon."

"And whenever the moon crests in the sky," Vanessa continues, looking thoroughly impressed with Lorelei's knowledge, "whoever's unlucky enough to fall under the werewolf curse turns into a wolf."

"Can they control the transformation?" Damon asked, raising eyebrows at the two of them.

Bellamy gives him a dry look. "If it were a choice, it wouldn't be called a curse," he drawled. Damon looks back at him and smiles sarcastically.

"Werewolves will attack humans but instinct and centuries of rivalry have hardwired them to hunt their prey of choice... vampires," Vanessa explains.

Lorelei clicks her tongue. That was true for most of the packs. Only a select few let vampires in or have vampire allies. One or two packs in Asia don't even hunt vampires anymore.

"Well, if werewolves were hunting vampires, I would know about it," Damon said, leaning on the table.

"Not if there's a small amount or... if they hadn't been around yet," Lorelei cut in, thinking about Mason Lockwood.

"Hundreds of years ago vampires hunted them almost to extinction," Vanessa supplied as well.

"Not true," Lorelei denies, shaking her head, "they got the ones they could find. Most were hidden by a sector of people called The Killers from any vampires trying to attack them. There are many packs around the world that are thriving. Plus, you can't kill something passed through bloodlines unless you severe it."

All of them—except for Bellamy—looked at Lorelei like she'd grown three heads.

"How do you know that?" Alaric asked.

She side-eyed him for a moment before looking forward again, "Athena's a history buff. All of this is in her library," she explains, "plus, she has tabs on all of them."

"Okay, but why would vampires even want to do that?" Elena asked.

"To protect themselves," Vanessa replied.

Damon nods in understanding and agreement.

"Werewolf bites are fatal to vampires," Bellamy explains, "they felt threatened because they weren't exactly immortal. So, they tried to take it out of the equation."

Alaric, Elena, and Damon now look worried at this new information.

"Oh," Damon says.

┍ ∞ ○ ∘ ɹǝʌǝɹoɟ puɐ sʎɐʍlɐ ∘ ○ ∞ ┙

EVERYBODY IS PACKING up the party. Tyler wanted them out of the lagoon before the moon reached its peak. Athena had told Tyler it was for the best earlier today when he told her what Mason had asked of him.

Hayley left a little bit ago to join the wolves from the pack in their transformation. Caroline had been a bit disappointed, but she had let her go with a parting kiss, telling her to be careful. Athena had kissed her too and told her to do as Luther said.

"Hey, I'm... I'll be right back, baby," Caroline said and Athena paused from where she was rolling up their blanket. "I want to go talk to Matt real quick."

"Caroline, I don't think—"

"No, wait, hold on," Caroline murmured with a sigh. "I've known him since I was a kid, and I'd like, at some point, if we could be friends and move past this bizarre bullshit."

Athena glanced back at Matt, frowning. She didn't like this, not at all. "Alright," she muttered, pressing a quick kiss to the blonde's lips. "I'll be at the car." Caroline nodded and they went their separate ways.

Caroline leaned against the truck, her arms resting on top of it. Matt looked up and his eyes widened at seeing her. "Caroline—"

"Shut up," the blonde raised a finger. "You're gonna listen to me." Matt swallowed and then nodded. "The shit you said to me and my girlfriends on Founders' Day was fucking ridiculous. We both did messed up shit during our relationship. You do not get to play the jealous and burned ex-boyfriend. Just be my friend, dude. Or let's be nothing if all we're gonna do is hurt each other. You've been one of my best friends since we were children and yet... you're acting like a complete stranger with a vendetta."

Matt sighed. "Can we take a walk? I just want to talk! I swear! I just kinda want this to be a private conversation," he said, raising his hands in surrender.

Caroline eyed him then glanced over at Athena who was watching Stefan closely. She then looked back at Matt with a serious look in her eye, "you try anything and I'll kick your ass."

Matt grinned and nodded, walking toward the woods. She sighed and followed.

Athena raised an eyebrow as Stefan looked at her with worry in his eyes. He quickly walked over after ending the call and she sighed, wondering what was going on now.

"Look, I know you hate me and all, but Elena just called me. She said werewolf bites are fatal to vampires. Which means—"

"I know that," Athena drawled, rubbing between her eyebrows, "I live with werewolves, I've studied them. I know what they do." She looked over to find Caroline and straightened up when she didn't see her girlfriend. "Dammit, blondie," she muttered. She turned to Stefan, "go home. I have shit to do. Don't come out until the sun is up. He will be hunting vampires because he's a lone wolf."

She brushed past him, tuning into her girlfriend's scent easily.

"So, you do care about me," Stefan said softly.

Athena scoffed and without turning around said, "I care for Elena. Unfortunately, you're still her boyfriend." Then she went after her girlfriend. 

┍ ∞ ○ ∘ ɹǝʌǝɹoɟ puɐ sʎɐʍlɐ ∘ ○ ∞ ┙

ELENA PICKS UP a picture of Katherine. She stares at it for a moment, noting the uncanny similarities. They were identical. "Hey, um, have you done any research on doppelgangers?" She asked Vanessa, looking up at the woman hesitantly.

"Well... the word means a lot of different things to different cultures," Vanessa says, leaning back in her chair, "but typically a doppelganger is a living, breathing double of oneself."

Elena licked her lips, "did Isobel have anything that'd explain the link between me and Katherine?"

Vanessa pointed to the mess of papers Elena had been sorting through. "That's all she had on Katherine, unfortunately." Elena turns toward Damon who quickly looks away, snapping the book closed. She sighed defeatedly, looking back down at the pages.

Lorelei hesitates, but in the end, doesn't say anything. She probably shouldn't anyway.

"I can tell you that doppelgangers usually torment the people they look like. They try to undo their lives. It's not exactly uplifting," Vanessa says with a small shrug.

Lorelei purses her lips, brows furrowed to stop herself from saying anything. Bellamy gives her a sharp look since he knows what she's thinking.

Elena glances between the two of them, seeing the exchange. She points the picture of Katherine at Lorelei threateningly. "You know something," she states, slowly moving toward the girl whose eyes widen.

"What? Me? No. I don't know anything about anything," Lorelei argues, shaking her head quickly.

"Lorelei, you tell me right now," Elena demands, reaching to grab her but the girl jumps out of the way.

"I don't know anything, Elena!"

"You're lying!"

They begin a game of chase, Lorelei sprinting out of the room with Elena close behind. Bellamy groaned to himself, knowing Lorelei would break.

"Elena!" Lorelei yelped, dodging a pillow that was thrown at her as she leaped over a table. The doppelganger pauses on the other side of the table, the two facing each other. Elena's breathing a bit heavily while Lorelei seems completely unaffected. The witch raises her hands in surrender, "I don't know anything."

Elena narrows her eyes, holding a book up that she snagged from the desk. "Swear on it," she said, "swear on your grandmother's life! That you know... nothing."

Lorelei stares at her for a moment, silent. She opens her mouth and then snaps it closed.

"Lorelei!"

The witch grimaced and backed away from Elena as she came around the table. "Look, I'd love to tell you everything I know, but technically, it's not my story to tell. Plus, all I know are myths! Who knows if it's true?" She says and Elena gives her a dry look. "Okay, yeah, you're right. They're true, but—"

"Tell me right now or I'm going to steal your knife for a whole week," the doppelganger threatens, setting the book on the table and quickening her footsteps.

"Okay, rude! Why does it gotta be my knife, love?" She whined, dodging Elena's grabby hands for her knife. Lorelei's back hits a wall, "shit."

"Those are your two options, love," she mocks, holding her hand out. She wiggles her fingers and raises her eyebrow.

Lorelei shakes her head. "Elena, this is messed up, dude. You're asking me to go against my morals—" Elena gives her an even drier look than before "—or give up my most prized possession."

"It's for a week," Elena deadpans, "and you let me touch it before! It's not like I'm gonna go throw it into the lake or—or melt it down."

"Before, my mother possessed my body to try and kill your boyfriend. I really wasn't able to give consent!"

"Lorelei!"

"I can't tell you, Elena."

"Give me the knife," Elena makes a grabby hand motion, stepping slightly forward. Lorelei narrows her eyes and shakes her head. "Knife, now!"

Both of them startle when the knife shoots out of its sheath and lands in Elena's hand. Lorelei stares at it with unsurprised eyes and a 'fuck' look on her face. Elena's jaw drops as she stares at the knife with horror.

"What the—"

Lorelei covers Elena's mouth with her hand, eyes wide. "Shh, shh. Shut up," she hisses, glancing around to make sure Damon, Bellamy, Alaric, and Vanessa haven't come out to watch them. She then meets Elena's eyes, muttering a silencing spell. "Just forget about what just happened."

Elena gives her an outraged look, saying something against the witch's hand though it came out muffled. Elena smacks it away with her free hand, "I can just forget about it! Your knife flew into my hand when I asked for it!"

Lorelei groaned, "listen, listen. I can't tell you anything. I made a promise a long time ago—"

"Excuse me?"

"But! But," she holds up a finger, keeping a firm grip on Elena's bicep to stop her from pulling away, "I can tell you this. If you ask for her... she will come."

Elena paused, staring at the girl blankly. "Who?"

"You know who," Lorelei mutters, glancing away and taking back her knife. She sheaths it again. Elena swallowed and backed up a bit. "Don't say anything. To anyone, alright? Nobody knows, not even Athena," She explains quietly, gently turning Elena's face to look at her. She can see the quiet fear working up in the doppelganger's eyes. "Elena, love, calm down. It is fine. Everything is fine. I know this is all very scary—a year or so ago you were nothing more than human and now you have a vampire look alike, a vampire boyfriend, and are thrust into the supernatural world. But there are so many people who are going to protect you, okay? Even if they are all at odds."

Elena inhales a shuddering breath, holding onto Lorelei's wrist tightly with both hands to ground herself. She stares into the witch's eyes, silently asking a question that she can't say out loud.

Lorelei nods once, firmly. "I will protect you," she promises. Elena nods and wraps her arms around the brunette's neck. Lorelei hugs her back, running her hand up and down the girl's spine to hopefully soothe her. Elena relaxes into her touch. 

┍ ∞ ○ ∘ ɹǝʌǝɹoɟ puɐ sʎɐʍlɐ ∘ ○ ∞ ┙

DAMON CATCHES LORELEI'S arm before she can follow Elena and Bellamy to his car. She turns back to Damon, eyeing his hand and then looking up at him. He clears his throat and takes his hand away.

He holds out a book to her and Lorelei recognizes it instantly. "Give this to Elena for me?" He asked as she took it gently. "I saw you eyeing it when I grabbed it earlier. You know, don't you?"

Lorelei doesn't look at him as she traces the spine of the book, brushing her thumb over the word 'Petrova'. "I know more than you probably do," she admits with a sigh. "Why aren't you giving this to her? I'm sure it'd be one step into her good graces... you know, after you stop going all fucking rapist, stalker on her best friend."

Damon takes it in stride, knowing he deserves that and much more. "She doesn't feel... safe with me. I can not blame her. I'm not going to try and buy her back. I'm going to work for it," he says.

Lorelei eyes him, humming. She then walks away without another word, sliding into the back seat with Elena instead of the upfront with Bellamy. He doesn't bat an eye and starts making his way home.

She holds out the book to the surprised girl. "You didn't dig deep enough," she says as Elena takes the book.

Elena reads what it says on the spine. "'Petrova'," she looks over at Lorelei, not getting it, "I saw this on the shelf."

"Katherine came from Europe. Originally. Petrova was her real surname. Katerina Petrova, the survivor," Lorelei filled in, leaning her head back against the seat and relaxing into it.

"I thought you couldn't tell me anything," Elena raised an eyebrow at the girl.

Lorelei turns her head to look at her, head still pressed against the headrest. "I can't tell you what I know, but I can tell you what I know," she said with a smirk.

Elena rolled her eyes, "how very cryptic of you."

Lorelei winked at her and then looked forward, closing her eyes. 

┍ ∞ ○ ∘ ɹǝʌǝɹoɟ puɐ sʎɐʍlɐ ∘ ○ ∞ ┙

"A LOT OF what I said that day was me. The blackouts... they haven't... it was one of the times that I said something to you that I was speaking. Present," Matt said as the slowed to a stop in a spot in the woods. "I still hate Athena and think she's too old for you and totally psychotic—"

"You really are not helping me not want to punch you," Caroline interrupted, crossing her arms and leaning back against a tree.

Matt gave her a strained smile, "right. Well, Caroline, look. I still love you. And I was really hurt and I took it out on you terribly." Caroline stared at him incredulously. "All that stuff with Elena, it didn't mean anything. She was grieving and I was—there—"

"So, what? You took advantage of Elena's feelings in that moment?" Caroline demanded, glaring at her ex-boyfriend. "Elena didn't need a boy trying to get into her pants, Matt! She needed her friends to help her grieve her parents."

Matt opened his mouth to argue but heard something. "Did you heart that?" He asked, looking around.

She ignored him, "I can't believe you. I actually thought that we could be friends again, but you just keep adding shit to the reasons to hate you list!" She stormed towards him, pushing her finger into his chest. He grunted in pain, stumbling back a few steps. "You are right up there with Damon, I swear—"

"Ouch," Matt winced, holding his hand up. His wrist was bleeding, cut pretty deep for a slip. "Sorry, I'm a klutz." He looked up at Caroline who was now much closer. He raised an eyebrow as she gently caressed his hand, slowly extending it so she could see it clearly. "Caroline? What is it?" He asked, "what are you doing?" He was pretty freaked out now that she was licking up the blood. Then she bit into his skin. "Caroline! Caroline!"

She yanked backwards, breathing heavily. She inhaled deeply, blood around her mouth and her eyes turning black as the whites of her eyes were dark red.

"What the hell? Your face!" Matt said in panic, trying to back up even though his back was to the tree. Caroline hissed, grabbing a handful of his hair and yanking his head to the side. She sunk her teeth into his neck, drinking mouthful after mouthful of his blood.

Athena appeared, yanking Caroline away from the boy. As much as she'd love to see Matt Donovan dead, it was going to look weird if his sister died earlier this year and then he dropped dead too.

"Caroline, baby, baby!" Athena said, grabbing the girls throat and making her look up, into her eyes. "Stop, stop," she whispered and Caroline stopped struggling against her instantly, her eyes slowly going back to normal and her veins receding. Athena wiped away the blood that dripped down her girlfriends chin with her thumb.

"Shit. Oh, my God."

"No, no, no. Honey, you're fine. You were hungry. You got a smell of blood and your hunger took over. He's alive, he's fine. Now, I need you to listen to me," Athena whispers hurriedly, tearing Caroline's eyes away from Matt's groaning form. "You and me, we need to get out of these woods. Right now."

A deep growl came from somewhere around them and Athena knew they were running out of time.

"What was that?" Caroline asked, trying to listen closer.

Athena pulled back a bit, looking around. She could see it zipping around them, hear it stalking them. She clenched her jaw and turned to Matt. "Stay down, kid. Don't move," she told him seriously. If he heard her or not, he didn't acknowledge it, just lying down on the ground tiredly. She turned back to Caroline, "you and me, we're gonna run. Okay?"

"It's Mason, isn't it?" Caroline asked and Athena nodded. The blonde swallowed and nodded.

"Ready? As fast as you can, you run." Caroline nodded determinedly. "Go!" Caroline took off and Athena was right behind.

They had only been running for a couple of seconds before Caroline slid to a stop, having sensed something or someone. "Wait," Caroline said as Athena appeared beside her.

"Honey, we do not have time to wait. We need to go. Right now! That thing can kill you and I am really not taking any more chances with that!"

"But the ring—"

"Will save you, but I'd rather you not know the effects of a wolf bite," Athena said.

"Hey! What are you two doing?" Both of them whipped around to face Tyler. He was coming out of the Lockwood cellar, looking defeated and annoyed.

"Really, Tyler?" Athena gave him a dry look, "what are you doing down there?"

Before he could respond, Caroline yelped, getting knocked to the ground by the wolf. Tyler rushed down the steps, terrified for his friend. She holds it back as much as she can, but the wolf is quite strong, stronger than she expected. It snaps its jaws in her face, saliva dripping and going everywhere. "Athena!" Caroline cried out, terrified, a sob working its way up her throat.

Athena snarled and lunged at it, throwing it off Caroline and positioning herself in front of the two. The wolf shook off the hit, growling and snarling at her. She stared it down, moving with it as it tried to find a way around her.

"Back down!" She demanded but the wolf just lunged at her. She met it halfway, the wolf snapping at her while she tried to get her arms around it. Her fangs slid out, catching the wolf's leg. It cried out and snapped down hard on the flesh of Athena's stomach. She yelled in pain.

"ATHENA!" Caroline shouted, panic in her voice.

Before she could do anything, another body threw itself at the wolf, knocking it away. They threw what looked like dust at the wolf and it started whining and whimpering, bashing at its nose with its paws. A foot connected with its snout and the wolf howled, running off.

Tyler and Caroline both stare at the woman who is sitting on Athena's waist, her hands resting on her thighs. Athena was writhing underneath her, dry heaving. The woman quickly raised herself onto one knee, turning Athena over and away from the two just when the Heretic finally coughed up blood.

"Gross," the woman wearing Elena's face grimaced, rolling her eyes, "it's been 500 years and I'm still taking care of you," she muttered.

Athena threw her hand up, hitting Katherine in the upper arm.

"Shit!" Katherine winced in pain, grabbing hold of it, "I just saved your ass and this is how you repay me?!"

Athena just groaned, shaking as a cold sweat broke out down her back.

Caroline shot forward, sending Katherine into a tree ten feet away. She brushed her girlfriend's hair away from her face, meeting her eyes. "I'm alright," Athena reassured her.

"Ugh," Katherine snapped her arm back into place, sitting up and staring at the two dryly. "Why are you two so hostile? I just saved your asses. Seriously," she shook her head and stood up, groaning a bit as she shook off the hit.

"You killed me," Caroline said, glaring at her.

Katherine rolled her eyes, waving her hand disinterestedly. She walked back over as Caroline helped Athena stand up. She grabbed the redhead's shirt, pulling it up and batting away Caroline's hand.

"Nothing I haven't seen before, blondie," Katherine said as she got a good look at the wound. "Got you good. This is gonna suck," Katherine sighed, walking over to Tyler who was staring between the three, terrified. "You won't remember us ever being here. You were going about your business," she said to him then walked back over to the two. "I already took care of Matt. Let's go."

"Um, no—" Caroline shook her head, tightening her grip on Athena who was leaning into her tiredly. "You are not coming with us. I am not listening to you—"

"Oh, can it, Barbie. I'm here to help, not pull any tricks," she said seriously, wrapping Athena's arm around her shoulder. Caroline hesitated but then looked up at her girlfriend's face. Katherine smiled when the blonde said nothing else. "Let's go."

┍ ∞ ○ ∘ ɹǝʌǝɹoɟ puɐ sʎɐʍlɐ ∘ ○ ∞ ┙

JENNA CLEANED UP her table, looking at the empty seat across from her. Memories of laughter and warm nights, sitting at the dinner table with family. She missed her wife more than she could ever verbalize, even think.

A knock came from the doorframe leading into the kitchen and she turned, eyes widening in surprise when she saw Alaric. "Ric, I—I wasn't expecting you and Elena till later," she said, checking her watch. "Wait, why are you here? Elena drove with Bell—"

Ric pulled her in, kissing her soundly. She froze, startled at the move. He pulled back and she continued to look at him with wide-eyes. "You know, I should have done that this morning," he said. He smiles and leans in again which snaps Jenna out of her stupor, placing a hand on his chest.

"Um," she pushes him back a bit, wiping her lips, "I... think. I need to think."

"Of course. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come over and just assumed. I..." Alaric smiles and nods his head, backing away, "take all the time you need." Then he leaves.

Jenna breathes out, closing her eyes. "What the fuck?" She says incredulously, to no one. She turns toward the table, leaning against it. "What the fuck."

"Di certo non volevo vedere quello," said an all-to-familiar voice from the backdoor. Jenna shot up, spinning around to face the woman. She was leaning against the doorway, arms crossed in a black jacket. Her hair fell in curls around her face face, beautiful as always. "Mi dispiace che ci sia voluto così tanto tempo. Sono andato a trovare Davina." [I certainly didn't want to see that... I'm sorry it took so long. I went to see Davina.]

"Bianca," Jenna breathed, her throat dry and her heart pounding. She has never seen anyone so beautiful. She shook her head a bit though she never tore her gaze away from the woman. "You... you don't have to apologize. I—You're here." Tears slowly build up in Jenna's eyes as she gasps out a breath.

Bianca smiles, that all too charming smile, and crosses the room in quick strides, scooping the phoenix off the ground and into her arms. Jenna wraps herself around her, clinging to her like she would disappear the second she let go. Bianca holds her just as tight.

"Non lasciarmi mai più," Jenna whispers seriously into the womans ear. [Don't ever leave me again.]

"Mai," Bianca promises. [Never.]

She pulls back slightly and kisses the love of her life like she was dying and needed her to breathe. 

┍ ∞ ○ ∘ ɹǝʌǝɹoɟ puɐ sʎɐʍlɐ ∘ ○ ∞ ┙

"LORELEI TOLD ME you gave her the book," Elena said, stuffing said book into her bag. Lorelei grimaced and continued to walk away. "This doesn't mean that things are back to the way they used to be, Damon. You tried to kill my best friend and did horrible things to her even after you said you were sorry," she said.

"I know, I understand," he said honestly, "I just... I need to know if... if our friendship is completely off the table or if I have a chance?"

Elena stares at him for a moment. Then sighs, "Caroline's been my best friend for years. Since we were kids. And, clearly, she only has me right now. So, I'm choosing her. Our friendship... is her forgiveness for you. Right now, that means our friendship is completely over."

Lorelei turns slightly from where she is standing a couple feet away. She doesn't seem shocked by the admission, just sympathetic.

Damon nods slowly. "Well, I guess you and Katherine have a lot more in common than just your looks," he said, stepping back. Elena swallows, a heavy feeling settling in her chest.

As Lorelei gets closer, Damon walks further away.

Lorelei stops beside Elena, watching Damon disappear into the darkness. Elena grabs her hand, linking their fingers together. Lorelei looks down then back up at the doppelganger. Elena isn't looking at her, just staring out. So, Lorelei squeezes her hand and guides her in the house.

"Jenna?" There was a thump which caused both of the girls to tense.

"Yep, yeah, what?" Jenna calls from the kitchen, her voice sounding huskier than usual.

Lorelei slowly turns to look at Elena as the taller girl slowly does the same to look at Lorelei. They come to an agreement when Elena nods. "We're going to bed. 'Night," Lorelei says then they both run up the stairs and into Elena's room.

"Gross," Elena gags, scrunching her nose.

"Gross," Lorelei agrees. 

AN: shit is gonna be crazy this act tbh. idk if you guys will like me very much for a couple of chapters 😬🤭  just a warning for you guys! :)

finished: 11/26/23

wc: 6916