𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 // 𝘀.𝘀 & 𝗻.𝗺

𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒕

"Why am I still with you?" Stefan asks. "We had our fun, your hybrids failed. I mean, don't you want to move on?"

~

In the bar Gloria is singing another song while a waiter is pouring champagne on a champagne tower. Rebekah is dancing with a man but is looking at Stefan who is at the bar, drinking with his friends. She stops dancing and joins Stefan and his friends.

"Sorry to crash the fun, boys, but some of us actually came here to hear the music. Not you."

"I am so sorry, sweetheart. Are we offending you?" Stefan says smugly.

As his friends laugh, Rebekah reaches in and touches his face gently, "It would take a lot more than a baby face like this to offend me."

"Ahem. Hey, hey. You ever going to tell me your name?"

"Sure. When you earn it. Now do Gloria a favor and stick a sock in it," with that, she goes back to the dance-floor and continues dancing with the man.

~

In the present day, Klaus, Audrina, and Stefan enter the bar. It's dim, quiet, and empty.

"Looks familiar, doesn't it?" Klaus says.

"I can't believe this place is still here," Stefan says.

"You got to be kidding me," Gloria gapes.

Klaus smiles. "So a hybrid walks into a bar... says to the bartender..."

"Stop. You may be invincible, but that doesn't make you funny."

"Gloria," Audrina grins, "it's been so long."

Gloria nods, "Yes, it has."

She looks at Stefan and says, "I remember you."

"Yeah," Stefan nods. "You're Gloria. Shouldn't you be..."

"Old and dead?" she finishes. "Now if I die, who's going to run this place, huh?"

"Gloria's a very powerful witch," Klaus tells him.

"I can slow the aging down some. Herbs and spells. But don't worry, it'll catch up to me one day," she explains. "I never thought I'd see the three of you here together again," Gloria says. "What brings the three of you here?"

"Stefan, why don't you go and fix us up a little something from behind the bar?" Klaus suggests.

"Yeah, sure thing," Stefan agrees. "Audrina, why don't you help me?"

She rolls her eyes, "fine," she mutters.

Once they're behind the bar, away from Gloria and Klaus, Stefan grabs her arm and pulls her to the side.

"Hey! Stefan, are you crazy?"

Stefan leans in, his voice low and intense, "What the hell are you doing here, Audrina? Why did you agree to join Klaus and I?"

Audrina pulls away, maintaining a calm exterior. "My bad, I forgot that I had to get your permission before I could do what I wanted. How stupid of me."

Stefan narrows his eyes at her, a mix of suspicion and concern on his face. "Since when do you just casually hang out with Klaus and play nice?"

"Things change, Stefan," she replies. "People change. Clearly."

"Are you in love with him?"

Audrina nods slowly, laughing, "So that's what this is about. You're jealous."

"I'm not jealous," he says all too quickly.

Audrina smirks, her eyes locked with Stefan's. "Sure seemed like it. Jealousy, Stefan, is an interesting color on you."