CHAPTER 27.5: Relationships Troubles
WARNINGS: damon, stefan, choking, blood, threats, mention of murder, mention of death, ig mason and his alpha-maleness?? if that triggers people (alpha-maleness makes me ill too dw), vervain poisoning 

THE NEXT MORNING, ELENA WAS GETTING ready in her bathroom. Bonnie had gone home earlier after her father called her with Athena dropping her off. Caroline, Lorelei, and Hayley had gone back to the Boarding House with Athena to get ready for the day. Jeremy was leaning against the doorway with his backpack thrown over his shoulder.

"I can't believe Tyler Lockwoods a werewolf," he said, crossing his arms.

"We're not sure about that yet," Elena argued immediately. "The only thing we're sure about is that Mason is."

"It should be easy enough for us to figure out," Jeremy shrugged.

"Us?" Elena paused, pulling her lipstick away from her lips, "there is no 'us'. I said that I wouldn't keep things from you anymore. That does not mean that you are getting involved in it."

Jeremy chuckled, shaking his head as he headed toward the doorway that led into the hallway. "By definition of being in this family I'm involved," he said, raising his hand and showing his sister his Gilbert ring.

Elena eyed it then looked at him directly, "this is dangerous, Jeremy. You have to stay out of it, okay?"

Jeremy sighed, "alright. Just saying." He walked past her and left the bathroom.

Elena sighed and walked into her room. She opened her closet and grabbed her jacket. When she closed the door, she saw Stefan standing there. She jumped, stumbling back a bit.

"Stefan," she muttered, breathing heavily.

Stefan gave her a sad smile. "I'm sorry. For everything. I was stupid and idiotic and... I was just scared that you were hurt—"

"You killed my friend," Elena cut off, frowning.

Stefan nodded slowly. "I know that, Elena. And I'm sorry. But I knew she would come back. She has on the ring—"

"Did you really know she had that on?" Elena cut off, glaring at him as she stepped back once more. Her hand went to the side of her dresser, her fingers wrapping around the knife Lorelei had magically stashed there.

Stefan looked at her, offended. "Elena... of course I did. I had already hurt Athena once. I wasn't going to do it again. I truly didn't mean any harm. I just knew that I wouldn't get to speak with you unless she was... out of the way," he said softly, sadly, and she eyed him suspiciously, searching for the lie in his eyes.

She didn't find one. She relaxed. Just a little. "Oh," she said. "You could've talked to me in front of her. You didn't have to put your hands on her."

Stefan nodded. "I know. I learned my lesson. I won't lay a finger on her again. I swear to you, Elena. She's your friend, she's Athena's daughter. She's off-limits. I will do whatever I can to make it up to you."

Elena let go of the grip on her knife, relaxing fully. She sighed and nodded her head, "okay." Stefan smiled slightly and moved to step forward. "Wait," Elena murmured, brushing past him and closing her bedroom door. "Okay."

Stefan smiled and gave her a kiss. She leaned into it, mostly because of the familiarity of the action. "Did Katherine hurt you?" Stefan asked as they hugged one another.

Elena shook her head. "No, she just brought me back here," she said honestly.

Stefan frowned and pulled back. They sat down on the end of her bed. "Weird..." he muttered, "obviously she doesn't want you dead. But if she doesn't want you dead, then what does she want?"

Elena frowned slightly. "I don't know," she shrugged.

Stefan frowns a bit as well.

"I don't think she wants me dead, Stefan. I don't think it has anything to do with me actually," Elena said, glancing at him.

Stefan tilts his head and looks at her. "Why do you think that? What aren't you telling me?" He asked.

Elena didn't respond. "If you ask for her... she will come."

"Elena, what aren't you telling me?" Stefan demanded. Elena looked at him, but still said nothing. She promised Lorelei she wouldn't say anything. And, for some reason, she didn't want to. "Elena—"

"I think it's time for you to go." Elena and Stefan both looked at the bathroom entrance. Bianca stood there, staring at Stefan. "Now," the Hybrid said firmly, glaring at the vampire.

Elena looked away from Stefan. The blonde man nodded, standing up. "I'm leaving," he told Bianca, raising his hands in surrender. He moved toward the slightly open window. He paused and turned back toward the woman, "I'm sorry about what I did. I deserved everything you and Athena did," he says seriously.

Bianca's face didn't change, not a twitch. Stefan gave her a tight-lipped smile and ducked out.

Elena sighed. "I'm sorry," she muttered, looking down at her hands.

Bianca hummed and sat down beside her. "He's your boyfriend. You're in love with him. I understand. Love makes us brush over some things that they do—"

"I didn't brush over it," Elena argued, her head snapping up as she glared at Bianca. The woman didn't look put off by Elena's anger, she merely listened. "She... she was in my arms. Dead. And he killed her. Right in front of me. Every time I look at him all I see is her dead eyes so please, please don't fucking say I brushed over it because I'm in love—"

Bianca smiled slightly at her which caused Elena to realize that she was going off on the woman.

She swallowed, "sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Elena," Bianca said, nudging her gently. "Don't let people push you around. If you're going to survive in this world... you need to learn to push back."

Elena nodded slowly, looking back down at her hands. "Could you... uhm... could you teach me how to, uh, defend myself?" She blushed a bit from embarrassment.

Bianca grinned at her. "Ma's figuring out a schedule. You, Caroline, Hayley, and Lorelei are gonna start training soon. Before the war," she shrugged.

"War?" Elena repeated, panicked.

"Most likely," Bianca said, "hurry up. Get ready." She started to leave.

"What do you mean 'war'?!" Elena shouted after her.

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CAROLINE WALKED INTO the hallway where her Mom was putting all of their things they were taking to the Historical Society Volunteer picnic. Apparently, anyway. Her mother hadn't told her anything about it. "Are you off today?" She asked, crossing her arms as she looked at her mother.

The woman wasn't wearing her uniform. She was dressed in black pants, a white tank top, and a pink button-up that was unbuttoned.

"The Historical Society Volunteer picnic is today. You're the one who signed me up," Liz said, giving her daughter a look. She and Caroline had been rocky since she cut their girls' day short to go to work.

Caroline nodded. "No, I know. I just assumed you'd bail," she said. And truly, she did. She and her mother may have been getting better, but she didn't expect everything to change overnight.

That's why she called Athena—who she may or may not have also signed up—and asked her to pick her up.

"Nope," Liz said, "I'm going to spend the whole day with my daughter."

Caroline's eyes lit up a bit, "really?" She asked hopefully. She would love to hang out with her mother.

"I'll bring my gun if it gets rough," Liz joked and Caroline hummed a bit. "Come on. Give me one day. I want to make it up to you for yesterday. I've been buried in work mode. I've barely seen you."

Caroline sighed. "Fair warning, I'm in a mood," she said. And yet, as she said that, her eyes lit up at the sight of someone walking up to the door. She rushed to it, yanking it open, "hi!"

"Hi, babe," Hayley grinned, pressing a kiss to her lips quickly. "You ready?" She asked. The door opened wider and Hayley froze at the sight of Liz. She wasn't expecting the woman to be home. "Sheriff Forbes! Hi, hello, uh—" She gave Caroline a small glare at the snicker that came out of the vampire's mouth.

"I'm guessing you're Hayley," Liz said, raising an eyebrow and placing a hand on her hip.

"Yes, ma'am. Hayley Marshall. It's nice to formally meet you. Caroline talks about you a lot, and so does Athena," Hayley blushed a bit and stuck out her hand, hoping it wasn't sweaty. Caroline slid her arm through Hayley's, linking their fingers and gently squeezing.

Liz shook her hand firmly, "nice to meet you too. All good things I hope."

"Of course," Hayley nodded quickly.

"Can you guys hurry up, pleaseeeee?" Called Lorelei from the backseat. She was sticking her head out the window, frowning at the three of them. Athena hid her face with her hand, shaking her head at her daughter.

Caroline shot the girl a look. "Come meet my mom and help her put her things in the trunk," she said.

"But, Caroline! We gotta beat—"

"Lorelei."

The witch huffed and got out of the car. She walked up to them, shimmying between Hayley and Caroline to make them pull away from each other. Hayley snorted, amused as she shook her head at the two of them.

"Don't act so excited about it," Caroline deadpanned.

Lorelei pulled down her sunglasses along the tip of her nose. "Grandma and Elena are gonna beat us and I'm gonna have to buy Elena food," she whined.

Caroline stared at her dryly. "I'll pay for it."

Lorelei beamed, "deal."

"Oh, bloody hell," Caroline heard Athena mutter to herself.

Lorelei turned to Liz who was watching the whole interaction with slight confusion. "Nice to meet you, Sheriff. I'm Lorelei Castillo. I live in the Boarding House," she said politely, holding her hand out for the woman to shake.

Liz shook it. "Nice to meet you, Lorelei."

"What car are we putting these in?" Lorelei asked as she slid past Liz.

"We?" Hayley frowned. Caroline gave her a look. Hayley nodded, "we." She slid past Liz too and picked up the cooler.

"You can just put it in my truck," Liz said, "thank you so much."

"No problem," Hayley shot her a grin before going to put the things in her arms down. Lorelei followed her.

Caroline watched them for a moment and glanced around. She was on edge anytime they were all together. Usually, they're attacked when they're in a group. It seems like she just waits for the other shoe to drop.

Liz eyed her carefully for a moment. "Is everything okay with you?" She asked.

Caroline turned to look at her mother, confused. "I'm fine," she replied.

"It's just lately... you seem different," Liz said, slight concern in her voice.

Caroline frowned, "I'm not different. I'm fine."

"I know you think I don't notice these things, but I do," Liz says gently, "what's going on with you?"

A hand touches the small of Caroline's back and the blonde instantly relaxes. Athena smiles at Liz, "hello, Sheriff. Nice to see you."

Liz nods at the Salvatore, "hello."

Athena presses a kiss to Caroline's head, rubbing her back gently. "Do you need help with anything else?" She asked. 

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HAYLEY, ATHENA, AND Caroline had let Lorelei go find Elena as soon as they got there. Crystal was around somewhere so none of them were too worried. It was also the middle of the day.

Lorelei paused when she noticed Stefan talking to Mason Lockwood. She crept a bit closer, straining her ears to hear the conversation.

"...the one offering an apology," Stefan said. Mason shook his head. "Look, my brother acted impulsively." Lorelei frowned. Damon must've taken that fucking silver knife.

Mason raised an eyebrow, "you think?"

Stefan nodded in understanding, "if you and Damon keep at each other's throats... somebody innocent is going to get hurt and I don't want that." Of course, he doesn't, Lorelei rolled her eyes. "You have family here, so I don't think you want that either. So what do you say we just, uh, quit the whole alpha-male fighting thing and just... call it a truce."

Mason pointed at him. "I made that same offer to your brother. He turned it down. With a knife." Lorelei rolled her eyes again. Mason was a wild card no matter how wrapped around Katherine's finger he was. He could out them all and then they'd be fucked.

"He made a mistake," Stefan shook his head, "I'm–I'm here to make sure that neither one of you makes another one."

Mason picked up a box easily, looking uninterested in what Stefan was saying. "Tell your brother to watch his back."

Stefan grabbed his arm, pulling him back. "Well, I'm guessing that he only has to worry about that during a full moon. Otherwise, you're not as strong. Am I right? Or you would'a killed Damon by now." Werewolf bites were still lethal in human form if they used their venom. But again, werewolves aren't as fast as vampires in human form so they'd have to catch them off guard to even think about using it. "There's one of you. There's three of us."

If it came down to it, her mother would not give a fuck if Damon and Stefan were killed. Not unless it directly threatened her family. And right now, it didn't.

"I think you're the one who needs to watch his back," Stefan said seriously.

Mason stayed silent for a moment, thinking. He steps back a bit, "if he comes at me..."

"He won't." Stefan held out his hand to shake on it. Lorelei shook her head, Stefan was an idiot if he thought he could control Damon. Mason shook it and then walked away.

Lorelei moved closer to Stefan and Damon—who had suddenly appeared behind his brother.

"You know my mom won't help you, right?" Lorelei raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she stared at Stefan.

Stefan glanced at her. "I'm just negotiating peace on Damon's behalf."

"I don't want peace."

"Nobody asked," Lorelei said without looking at the man. "Mason knows not to mess with my mom or her family. You two don't count."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Look, I know you're butthurt over the fact that my brother snapped your neck—"

"I couldn't care less," Lorelei interrupted, looking bored, "it happened. It's done. Besides, Elena's angry enough at him for me." She smirked at Stefan smugly. Stefan tensed a bit. "I'm just done with you two dragging my Mom into your messes when she has nothing to do with it. Besides, a handshake isn't gonna do shit. Mason still wants both of you dead and the second he gets that chance, he'll take it."

She walked away then.

"Where are you going?" Damon asked, knowing Caroline, Athena, and Hayley were the other way.

Lorelei turned around, raising an eyebrow. "To find Elena," she waved.

Stefan frowned a bit as he watched Elena hug Lorelei when she saw her. She was grinning, telling Lorelei that she had to buy her lunch for the day.

Damon whistled a bit when he noticed how close the two were. They had yet to separate, Elena's arms still resting around Lorelei's neck while the witch's hands were resting on the doppelganger's waist.

"I think you have some competition, Stef," Damon said, patting his little brother's back.

Stefan's frown deepened. 

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LIZ SMILED AT Mason when she saw him with one of the boxes. "Oh, thanks, Mason," she said.

"Hey, sheriff, you got a second?" He asked, looking over at her.

Liz gave him a look. "I'm out of uniform. Let's go with Liz," she smiled a bit.

Mason chuckled a bit, "alright, Liz." He stepped closer to her, lowering his voice. "I was hoping to talk to you about that council."

Liz gave him a look up and down before she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I know you and the other founding families have a secret council," Mason argued lightly, seriously.

Liz didn't look at him, continuing to put out the pastries. "If that were true, then you'd know it's a secret and isn't discussed with non-council members," she gave him a look.

"I know I rejected all that, but it's only because I wanted a life outside of this town," Mason said and Liz turned to give him her full attention. "Not because I was a non-believer. Look, I know vampires exist. And you have three of them living right under your nose."

Liz raised an eyebrow, mockingly. "Really?" She asked. Mason nodded. "Who would they be?"

He hesitated then. He knew Damon was close friends with Liz and he knew that Athena was dating her daughter. He glanced away and then met her eyes. "Athena, Damon, and Stefan Salvatore."

Liz looks thrown off for a second, shifting uncomfortably. "That's impossible," she argues, "I know Athena and Damon Salvatore. Do you know what they've done for this town?"

"I know it's a lot to digest—"

"No, no, no. I have watched him kill vampires. Athena has killed vampires. They're allies. They're part of the council," Liz denies.

"Think about it," Mason pleads, "when did the vampire attacks begin? When Damon and Stefan Salvatore moved to town? When Athena did?"

"They walk in the sun, Mason," Liz states.

"They've evolved. It's not 1864. They've figured it out, Liz," Mason argues, shaking his head.

Liz hesitates for a moment. "No," she says. She was not going to think this about her daughter's girlfriend. Who has protected her and loved her and helped her be a better mother. "Damon Salvatore is my friend. Athena is my daughter's girlfriend."

Mason glances away and sees the brothers walking together. Further away, he sees Athena helping put up a banner. He gets an idea instantly. "What if I can prove it to you?" He asked and she followed his gaze. Her eyes land on Damon and Stefan first before going to Athena. 

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"I'M SURPRISED SHE'S doing this. Suddenly, she wants to be Mother Of The Year just when I'm trying to... keep my distance. I know I have good control already, but I need more practice before I can be around her all the time," Caroline frowns as she, Lorelei, and Elena walk with paint buckets to one of the wooden structures that had a bunch of plants under it. "Sorry, I'm babbling," Caroline says when she notices Elena looking out of it, "you two probably don't want to hear about this."

"I'm listening," Lorelei shrugged, setting down the bucket of paint near one of the pillars.

Elena shakes her head a bit. She looks at her friend, "no. Sorry. Then what happened?" She asked, looking up at Caroline curiously.

"Well... I guess I was a bitch," Caroline says with a shrug, frowning a bit. She didn't want to be a bitch to her Mom. She loved her so much. She just didn't want to put her in danger, not until she had complete control over her new urges. "Are you alright? You seem out of it today," Caroline said instead, looking down at Elena in confusion.

Elena pauses for a moment. Then her eyes flick to Lorelei who was applying another coat of paint to the pillar. "I'm just... thinking, I guess," Elena smiled awkwardly at Caroline who caught the look.

Caroline raised an eyebrow at Elena, "about what?"

Elena stared at her for a moment, then seemed to understand what Caroline was trying to say. "Peaches," she said. 'Stefan', Caroline frowned slightly and nodded in understanding.

Caroline thought for a moment. "What about peaches?"

Elena dunked the brush down into the paint bucket and then continued to paint. She hesitated for a moment. "How long it'll take for a peach to rot."

Caroline dropped her brush from her shock and she fumbled with it for a moment before she was able to get a good hand on it.

Lorelei looked over at her with slight concern and amusement. "Are you alright?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

Caroline cleared her throat. "Oh, yeah, yes, honey. Just clumsy," Caroline gave her a smile even though her mind was still reeling.

Lorelei's brows furrowed as she glanced between Elena, who was avoiding eye contact, and Caroline who was just smiling at her. "Right..." she said slowly.

"Lori, ven a ayudarme," Crystal called from her place next to Hayley. They were helping paint a sign. [come help me.]

"Está bien, ya voy," Lorelei called back. Caroline nodded to her and Lorelei rushed over to help her grandmother and Hayley. [Okay, coming.]

As soon as Lorelei is far enough away, Caroline sinks down next to Elena who jumps at the sudden movement. "You're thinking about breaking up with Stefan?" The blonde hissed quietly, her eyes wide as she stared at her best friend.

Elena swallows hard and looks at her friend. "I mean, I don't know! I don't know! Caroline, what do I do? I think... I think I love him. I do, but... but what if I don't? And he's just, he killed Lorelei, Care. He was torturing Katherine in his basement. I don't know... what to think anymore. I don't know who I can trust. Who knows if Stefan knew what Damon was doing to you and did nothing to stop it, who knows what Stefan knew period. What... What do I do?" She asked, staring at her friend sadly.

Caroline brushes some hair away from Elena's face and then pulls her friend into a hug. She doesn't know what Elena should do. Caroline doesn't like Stefan, but Elena does. She wasn't going to tell her friend to just stop seeing him. Caroline knows that if Elena had asked her to stop seeing Athena and Hayley, she wouldn't have listened and it would've only driven a wedge between them.

Which did happen earlier in the year. They were better now and Caroline did not want to mess that up.

"I'm sorry I don't have the answers, 'Lena," Caroline whispers as her friend clutches onto her.

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ATHENA MAKES HER way over to Liz. She had noticed her talking to Mason earlier and she was a little worried about what it could be about. She knew Damon had tried to kill Mason stupidly with a silver knife and she had no doubt Mason wouldn't take that lightly.

"Hey, I saw you with Mason earlier," she said in greeting. Damon stepped up beside her, but Athena paid him no mind. Liz looked up at them. "What was that about?" Athena asked curiously and with a hint of concern.

"Oh," Liz looked down at the food on the table, "I, uh, I just asked him to help with the clean-up in the woods."

Damon tilted his head a bit. "That's what we're here for. Put us to work," Damon smiled a bit at his friend. Athena begrudgingly nodded as well. She may not like Damon, but now they had a common enemy (of course, one that Damon fucking created but).

"Should we go help him?" Athena asked, pointing toward the woods.

"Oh, no, no. You know what? I—He's—I'm sure he's fine," Liz stammers, shaking her head. Damon and Athena glance at each other.

"You okay, Liz?" Damon asked. "You seem really upset."

Liz glances between them for a second. "It's Caroline. We had a moment," she shrugged.

Athena shifts a bit, crossing her arms.

"Is there anything I can do?" Damon wonders, leaning closer to Liz a bit.

Liz lets out a breath. "No, Damon. Thank you." Damon nods a bit. "It's just horrible parenting skills paying off in spades." She walks away quickly.

Damon and Athena watch her for a moment, before making eye contact. "If she knows... I'm going to punch you so hard," Athena hissed then she walked away. 

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ELENA MET STEFAN'S eyes, the two of them staring at each other. Elena didn't know how to act around him. Not right now. She had so much going on in her head.

Caroline watched them for a moment. "Uh-oh," she murmured and Elena looked over at her, "longing looks are being exchanged."

Elena glances over at her boyfriend and then nods. "I'm gonna go talk to him," she decides, standing up and putting her brush down.

"Are you sure?" Caroline asked, glancing over at Stefan. Elena nodded, walking over to the vampire. Caroline huffed slightly and watched her go, crossing her arms. She was going to keep a close eye on them.

A body appears beside her, one she doesn't acknowledge. "What's her problem?" Damon asked, watching Elena and his brother.

"Don't worry about it," Caroline dismissed. "What do you want, Damon? You know I don't like you and I sure as hell don't wanna talk to you." She side-eyes him and then continues watching Elena and Stefan.

"Why are you being such a bitch to your mom?"

Her head snaps toward him. She glared at him, "you do not get to talk to me about my Mom or my attitude," she snapped. He looked down at her, frowning. "You don't even get to talk to me. You think 'cause I didn't let Athena kill you that I want to try and be friends with you? Huh?"

"No. I never said that—"

"You're thinking it," Caroline cut off, raising her eyebrows. He frowned a bit but said nothing. "I thought you were my friend, even after what you did to me. You weren't."

"I want to be."

"Yeah, you said that last time," Caroline scowled. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice..." She shook her head, "I won't be."

"Caroline..." Damon tried to grab her arm, but Lorelei intercepted, grabbing his forearm in a tight grip.

"Don't touch her," Lorelei spat, glaring at him. Damon nodded and she let him go. He dropped his arm. Caroline pulled Lorelei away from Damon, keeping herself between him and the girl. "You okay?" Lorelei asked Caroline.

"She's fine," Damon sighed.

"I wasn't asking you," Lorelei snapped. Damon raised his hands in surrender.

"I'm fine," Caroline told her gently, smiling at her.

Damon watched them. He wondered how Bellamy was doing and his little boy.

Caroline's eyes went back to Elena and Stefan. Lorelei followed her line of sight, frowning when she saw the two. Damon looked as well.

"I don't know if I can trust you right now," Elena says to him and Stefan turns his full attention toward her, his brows furrowed.

"I thought we were okay after this morning—"

Elena shook her head. "I never said that. I took in what you said. I guess I understood what you did. But it doesn't change the fact that it happened. Lorelei didn't do anything to you to deserve—"

"Are you forgetting that day when Caroline was in the hospital? When she attacked me? Tried to shove a knife through my heart?" Stefan cut in, frowning deeply. "You didn't seem all that worried or angry at her for that."

"I didn't know her then. And it was Cassidy, not Lorelei. She told me that if she were to have tried to kill you, she would've succeeded—"

"Oh!" Stefan said mockingly, "my apologies. You don't seem at all put off by the fact that she said that either. I'm your boyfriend, Elena. We love each other. Why aren't you acting like it?"

Elena frowned at him.

Damon looked over at Caroline who was watching the interaction intensely. Lorelei was getting some of the conversation, but not all of it. Elena and Stefan were talking too low.

"I love you, Stefan. I do. But there is a lot of shit happening in my life right now. Katherine showing up, my best friend getting turned into a vampire. My best friend almost being murdered by your brother. And then, there's you. Killing my friend, torturing somebody in your basement—"

"You're acting like Athena doesn't do the same things. I was tortured and you didn't even blink an eye. You were still buddy-buddy with Athena. I know I messed up—I know that. But I'd like you to act like you care more for me then you do some new girl who just showed up." Stefan glanced over at their audience as if he had just now noticed them.

Damon turned away, whistling lowly. Caroline turned her attention to the column she was—not really—painting. Lorelei on the other hand continued to stare at them, meeting Stefan's eyes.

Elena shifted a bit. "She's... I can't explain it to you, Stefan, but I care about her. A lot. She's my friend. I'm sorry that I didn't act more... worried or upset about what Athena did to you. I just... every time I close my eyes, I see Lorelei's dead ones staring back into mine. You did that. I thought you were the good brother."

"I am the good brother, Elena! Look, Damon has done a lot of stuff. Stuff that I would never do, okay?—"

"Didn't you kill Cassidy?" Elena shot back, glaring at him as she crossed her arms. He froze a bit. "You forced Athena and Damon to turn all those years ago."

"You don't understand the amount of guilt I have from that. I carry that with me every day. Damon has vowed to ruin my life because of what I did," Stefan argued, scowling at his girlfriend. That was a low blow. "Cassidy wasn't a good person. If anything, I did Athena a favor. Maybe it wasn't the right way to go about it... but it set her free."

Elena opened her mouth to argue but was yanked back by Lorelei. "Uh-uh. You're done," Lorelei said, holding onto the girl firmly. Elena snapped her mouth shut, frowning, but she nodded.

"Seriously?" Stefan said, staring at Lorelei with annoyance and anger. The witch cocked an eyebrow at him, looking unimpressed. "Elena," he said, turning his gaze toward his girlfriend.

Elena met his eyes, seeing the ultimatum. Him or Lorelei. Elena stared at him for a second, panic slowly setting in. Lorelei frowned a bit at the anxiety coming off the girl.

"Elena, breathe," Lorelei muttered into her ear, squeezing the doppelganger's wrists gently. Elena tore her eyes away from Stefan, meeting Lorelei's. She inhaled deeply, letting it out slowly. "Good," Lorelei said gently, giving her a small smile.

Elena glanced over at Stefan before looking away. "Come on. We have work to do," she said to Lorelei, moving to leave.

"Really?" Stefan asked which caused them both to pause. Elena looked back at him sadly, tiredly. She doesn't want to fight anymore. "I don't think I can do this anymore, Elena," he said.

Elena doesn't say anything for a moment. "I don't think I can do this anymore either," she said softly.

Stefan's eyes widen slightly. He thought if he said it out loud Elena would finally realize that it was him. That she loved him. Wanted to be with him.

"I'm sorry, Stefan," Elena said sincerely.

"Elena please..." Stefan said, sounding a little panicked and all heartbroken, "please don't do this."

"I'm sorry," Elena repeated and then walked away.

Lorelei stood there, stunned. She looked at Stefan briefly before quickly following after Elena, jogging to catch up with the girl.

Caroline was quick to go after them, worried. 

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"HELLO, MASON," ATHENA said as she walked up to him. He was standing near the lemonade table, drinking the cold beverage. "Working hard?" She asked as he turned his attention to her.

He nodded. "Just doing my part," he smiled sarcastically.

She smiled sarcastically back. "I heard you talked to Stefan."

Mason cocked an eyebrow. "I wasn't aware you two were on speaking terms," he said.

"We're not. Damon told me."

"I wasn't aware the two of you were on speaking terms," Mason repeated, smirking a bit.

Athena hummed, smiling. "Unfortunately, I have to be on speaking terms with at least one of them. Damon happens to be the one reeking of desperation."

"Ah. He wants to be friends with Caroline again, right?" Mason asked. Athena narrowed her eyes slightly. "Katherine... filled me in."

"Mm," Athena nodded.

Mason scoffed slightly, taking another sip of his drink. "Stefan's a nice guy. I'm unaware why you don't like him."

"Wouldn't say he's nice. Nicer than me and Damon? Yes. But nice? Eh," Athena shrugged it off, tilting her head a bit as she stared down at him.

"Nice is overrated."

"That's what I think," Damon said, appearing beside Athena and nudging Mason's shoulder.

Mason finishes his cup of lemonade. He nods to them, "you two have a good day." They both nod at him, smiling as he walks away.

"I wanna kill him so bad," Damon muttered, narrowing his eyes after him.

For once, Athena agreed.

"Please tell me... that you three were just bonding," Stefan said from behind them. The two turned around to look at him. His eyes looked red like he was crying. He also had an aura around him, one of deep sadness.

"What is the matter with you?" Athena scrunched up her nose, eyeing him with disgust.

Damon nudged her in the ribs gently, "Elena broke up with him." Athena's jaw dropped and she looked at Damon. "Mhm. Caroline and I witnessed it all. Lorelei was there too. It was crazyyyyy," he drawled, shaking his head.

Stefan glared at Damon harshly, looking ready to punch him in the jaw. Athena blinked, processing the information. "That is not what I was expecting to come out of today... why were you near my daughter and girlfriend?"

Damon suddenly looked scared. "I didn't do anything. I swear. I was just talking. Then we just watched the drama unfold. Honest," he said, leaning slightly away as Athena's fist raised.

When they were kids, Athena used to punch them both in the arms whenever they did something stupid. Or said something stupid. Or did anything she didn't like.

Athena narrowed her eyes at him. Then she relaxed slightly. He was telling the truth. She still didn't like the idea of him being anywhere near Caroline or Lorelei, but she couldn't do anything about it now. It was done.

"So, Stef," Damon said, turning his attention to Stefan when he was sure Athena wasn't going to punch him. He was wrong. A second later, Athena's fist connected with his bicep. "YOUCH!" He hissed, pouting as he rubbed the spot. Athena didn't blink an eye, looking like she hadn't done a thing. Damon rolled his shoulder and looked back at Stefan. "How does it feel to be me?"

Stefan glared at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, Elena wants nothing to do with you anymore. Caroline isn't talking to you. Athena doesn't like you. That's everything that's happening to me," Damon shrugged, grinning at his brother. "You're me."

Athena rolled her eyes slightly.

"Shut up, Damon," Stefan said, his forehead frowning.

Damon held up his hands. "With pleasure."

"Would you like some lemonade?" The little girl at the stand asked as she looked up at Athena and Damon, who were the closest.

"Thank you, sweetie," Damon smiled, taking the cup.

Athena smiled at her, taking the other cup. "Thank you."

The girl gave them a beaming smile before making another two cups to fill up the empty space.

"It's been so long since I've had lemonade," Athena muttered. Damon clinked their cups together and Athena gave him a dry look. They took a sip and in tandem, spit out the drink as it burned their throat.

From a distance, Liz watches them. Her heart drops, her face paling.

"What's wrong with you two?" Stefan asked, worriedly.

Athena coughs, grabbing her neck with one hand. Stefan helps Damon sit down at one of the picnic tables. Athena falls into the seat next to him.

"Vervain," Damon hissed through his dried-up throat.

Athena coughs up a bit of blood, spitting it into the lemonade. Stefan takes it from her for a moment, sniffing it. Then he hands it back.

Damon gives Athena a look. "Hurts," he rasped.

"No... shit," Athena grunted. Usually, vervain doesn't affect her much. At least not that small of an amount. But since she was weaker than ever, it was affecting her greatly. 

┍ ∞ ○ ∘ ɹǝʌǝɹoɟ puɐ sʎɐʍlɐ ∘ ○ ∞ ┙

ELENA LAYS IN Lorelei's arms silently as they sit down at the lake. Neither of them has spoken, just existing in silence. Elena had stopped crying a little bit ago, her eyes still a bit red.

Caroline sighs in relief when she finally finds them. She carefully maneuvers over the rocks until she's on the one the two girls are resting on. She sits down beside them, looking down at Elena sadly.

"How are you feeling, honey?" Caroline asks gently.

"Not okay," Elena replies, ripping apart a weed she had picked up. Caroline and Lorelei met eyes for a moment.

Caroline sighed a bit. "I'm sorry this happened."

"I think it was bound too," Elena shrugged off.

"Yeah. I think this is for the best," Caroline agreed quietly, brushing some hair out of Elena's face. "And I'm not saying that because of my feelings toward him. I..." Caroline shook her head a bit, "you deserve a lot, Elena. You deserve more."

"You deserve the world," Lorelei added, rubbing her hand up and down Elena's arm. Caroline nodded in agreement with that.

Elena looked up at Lorelei, moving her head a bit from where it was half pushed into Lorelei's thigh. Lorelei looked down, tilting her head a bit.

Caroline stayed silent even though she was silently screaming. She watched the interaction and kinda wished she had popcorn.

"What?" Lorelei asked, confused at what Elena was staring at.

Elena shook her head slowly, her eyes never faltering. "Nothing... you just look pretty."

Lorelei's brows furrowed, her cheeks turning a light pink. "Oh." Caroline shifted a bit and Lorelei looked over at her, frowning a bit when Caroline's features were blank. As if she had schooled them.

"What?" Lorelei repeated, flustered.

"Nothing! I didn't say anything. I was just... looking at the water. Elena is—is she leaving?" Caroline's eyes found her mother's figure. She was on the phone, walking toward her truck that she parked up on the hill.

Lorelei and Elena glanced at each other, both confused at what the blonde was talking about. "I haven't even moved, Care," Elena frowned.

Caroline glanced at them, her brows furrowed. "What? No, not you two dummies," she said, getting up and quickly going after her mother. Elena and Lorelei look over to see what she's looking at before quickly following her.

"What's wrong?" Caroline demands as she comes up behind her mother, Elena, and Lorelei trailing a bit behind.

Liz turns toward her, her heart pounding a bit. What was she gonna tell her daughter when this was all over? "Oh, nothing. I, uh... I just have something—"

"You mean work?" Caroline cut in, crossing her arms and cocking an eyebrow at her mother. "I mean, you surprised me. You lasted longer than yesterday."

"It's important," Liz argued.

"It always is."

Liz shook her head, giving her a look. "I'm sorry."

When Lorelei and Elena finally get to her, they have an uneasy feeling.

"Care, what's going on?" Elena asked her friend who was staring after her mother.

Caroline shook her head. "I don't know... Something's up."

Hayley jogs over to them at that moment, looking a bit panicked. "Hey. Athena and Damon drank some lemonade with vervain in it," she said.

"What?" The three chorus, staring at her in shock.

┍ ∞ ○ ∘ ɹǝʌǝɹoɟ puɐ sʎɐʍlɐ ∘ ○ ∞ ┙

DAMON ANGRILY WALKS toward the side of the bridge, unscrewing the cap of a water bottle Athena threw at him. Stefan follows him, glancing around. Athena was already leaning against the railing, washing her mouth out with her own water bottle.

Damon does the same, taking a mouthful of water and swishing it around. When he's done, he sets the water bottle down. "I'm gonna kill him," he growls.

Stefan instantly fights him on that, the two fumbling for a moment before Stefan pushes Damon back down onto a bench.

Athena sets the bottle down as well, wiping her mouth. "No more being nice," Athena said seriously and Damon nodded in agreement.

"No more give-peace-a-chance. He's dead," he spat, glaring at Stefan.

"Okay," Stefan muttered, nodding, "okay." He looks around for a moment, thinking. "I don't like it, but he's making threats. He could expose us. We need to put him down."

"Nice choice of words," Athena snarks, rolling her eyes. Not that she opposed it.

Damon looks at his brother, surprised. "Alright. Let's do it." He points at Mason who is disappearing into the woods with two trashcans in his hands. "Woods. Trash duty."

Athena was quick to go after him. She turns slightly, "come on," she demands. The two boys quickly followed her. 

┍ ∞ ○ ∘ ɹǝʌǝɹoɟ puɐ sʎɐʍlɐ ∘ ○ ∞ ┙

"WHERE ARE WE going?" Elena asked as she, Lorelei, and Hayley followed Caroline to a higher point. Hayley had suggested they go back to find Athena, but Caroline had quickly vetoed that. They needed to know what was going on before they went to Athena.

"I need to be able to hear better," Caroline explained to the three of them.

"Hear what?" Lorelei asked, "you think somebody did this on purpose?"

Caroline brushes the hair behind her ears, shaking her head. "Something's wrong." Hayley nods in agreement. She felt it too. Athena was in trouble. Caroline closed her eyes, straining her ears.

Elena glanced around. "Caroline—"

"Shh, shh," Caroline shushed. 

AN: ...i broke up stelena 🫣😬 how are we feeling about it?? also mason is so crazy for going after athena after katherine literally warned him not to do that very thing. men and their egos ig. btw athena has not forgotten anything that damon and stefan did, they just unfortunately have a common enemy at the moment that calls for a momentary truce. 

let's take a poll real quick!! say "i" or "✋" for the ship you like in my story:

stelena (stefan x elena obvi)

lorena (lorelei x elena) 

gotta show my girl elena some LOVEEE you know. can't just have two boys fighting over her.

do you guys think damon and klaus would be apart of the girls and have a gossip party?? 

edited:
finished: 01/15/24
wc: 7131