𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐲 | 𝐭𝐯𝐝

-24-

We were walking back out of the Salvatore house, Stefan with a bag over his shoulder while I carried my phone in my hand, when Damon stopped us. "Where have you been?" He demanded. "Out," I replied, trying to prevent Stefan from saying anything he may regret later. "Where are you going?" Damon watched as we walked towards the door. "Out." Stefan huffed. "Why are you two being so shady? Please don't tell me that you're still working with Klaus." His brother groaned.

"You obviously haven't heard. Elena and I broke up." Stefan snapped, slamming the door shut. Damon was in shock. He stood with an emotionless face for a few seconds. "Oh. Got it. Uh, well, I'll be quick then. So, apparently, if we want to find the cure, we have to find a vampire hunter who can kill enough vampires to reveal the map on the hunter's mark. Now, unless we want Jeremy to go all Connor two-point-oh, I suggest we find a different hunter." He said. "And...?" I opened the door.

"And I was gonna ask Professor Shane, but it turns out he's shadier than you are. Matt Donovan connected him and the Pastor through phone records. Apparently, the two were very chatty the day that the Pastor blew up the Council." Damon told us. "Ah, so you're gonna confront Shane, threaten him, possibly kill him, that sort of thing." Stefan double-checked sarcastically. Pure venom was laced in his voice. "Yeah, unless he tells me what he's up to." He put his hand on Stefan's shoulder. "What do you say? Should we tag team this?"

"Nah, I'd say you're on your own." Stefan was about to leave, but Damon stopped him. "Or we could just blow it off and go get drunk. Brother bond over some Tri Delts. If you, you know, want some quality time." He offered. "Let's not pretend like this isn't the best day of your life." Stefan patted Damon's shoulder and walked out. Damon looked confused. He turned to me. "Save me a beer," I told him with a sigh, then left.

-

We've been going around, looking for guilty or evil people to turn into vampires for Jeremy. I'm currently outside of the back entrance of a hospital. Stefan found a murderer that was currently guarded by cops.

Someone tapped on my window. I looked at Klaus and rolled the window down. "Are you following us or something?" I asked. "Just happened to see your car." He smirked. "Creep." I rolled my eyes but smiled. "You look stressed. Kind of like a zombie." He put his hands up and bent the fingers so they looked like claws and gritted his teeth. I acted offended. "Ouch! I'll look better after I get coffee or better yet, bourbon, in my system." I sighed, rubbing my eyes. "Were you up late?" He frowned, noticing how tired I probably seemed. I nodded. "Stefan woke me up at one in the morning and I got up early to make breakfast."

"Speaking of which, I should go before he returns. Make me a promise and keep my whole appearance a secret, pet, hm? He'll start a riot if he thinks I'm following you two." He asked. "I promise." I rolled up the window and he sped away. A few minutes later, Stefan returned with the unconscious man. He put him in the backseat and got back into the driver's side.

I looked at him and smiled. "What?" He pulled down his mirror. "Do I have blood on my mouth of something?" He frowned. "Nah, I'm just messing with you." I nudged his arm and he scoffed with a small smile on his lips. "You have something on your face, actually." I corrected. "What?"

"A smile."

Stefan looked at me for a while, now smiling largely. "C'mon, Rivvy." He said, putting his mirror up and beginning to pull out of the parking area.

A little while later, Stefan texted Jeremy to meet us at the Lockwood cellar. We chained up the man and waited. "How old is Jeremy?" I asked. "16? I think." Stefan replied. "This is heavy. He's 16 and having to murder supernatural species that even you and I didn't know existed at that age." I frowned. "It is what it is," Stefan grunted. Just then, we heard him walking towards us. We walked out of the room.

"What am I doing here?" Jeremy crossed his arms impatiently. "You have the chance to make your sister human again. You interested, Little Gilbert?" I offered, already knowing his answer. "You have no idea." He stepped towards us. "Actually, I do." Stefan walked back into the room. Jeremy began following him. I grabbed his arm. "Hey. Brace yourself, okay? If there is anything you aren't comfortable with, let me know and you're out. Got it?" I asked, maintaining eye contact. He nodded. "Good. Go on." I nudged him forward and followed him inside the room, then shut the door.

"Who is that?" Jeremy asked me, his eyes wide. "Oh, it doesn't really matter. All that matters is that you're a vampire hunter and he's a vampire. Well, almost." Stefan stepped in between us and took a knife from his pocket. He opened the blade, grabbed Jeremy's wrist, and cut it.

"Stefan!" I shouted. Jeremy yelled and Stefan dragged him by the wrist over to the murderer and made him drink Jeremy's blood. After a few seconds, Stefan released him and Jeremy backed away and towards me. "Stefan," I repeated. Why was he so aggressive all of a sudden?

The murderer's eyes were now ravenous. Stefan pulled out a wooden stake from his bag and held it out for Jeremy to take. "What is this? All so I can stake him?" His voice raised. I put my hand on his shoulder. "You think I want to do this, Jeremy? Look at me, I hate this, I don't want to do this. But your sister isn't supposed to be a vampire and we need to help her. Now, he's a murderer and he will gladly kill again, so do it, Jeremy. Kill him." Stefan told him. When Jeremy resisted, Stefan forced the stake into Jeremy's hand and walked over to the murderer.

He broke the chains from the ground and picked them up, holding the murderer by the chains like a horse. He slowly walked the murderer over towards Jeremy I stepped in front of him. "Stefan, calm down. We can do this nicely like we said we would or we can scare the poor guy." I said calmly. "Stefan, don't." Jeremy pleaded. "Do it, Jeremy, or I will rip the chains off for real! Do it!" Stefan yelled. "Hey!" I shouted at him. I turned towards Jeremy. "Do it. Okay? Think of Elena. This is a step closer to the cure for her. I promise if you need me to wipe your memory o-or something I will, but you need to do this." I said nicely.

Jeremy thrusted the stake into the murderer's heart. I stared at Stefan, both confused and disappointed. Why was he so rude? I know he wants this for Elena and for himself so he can have her back, but he was taking his frustration out on his ex's brother. Stefan dropped the chains on the floor. The murderer fell face-first onto the floor and Jeremy stabbed the stake through the murderer's back over and over again. He was so mad he had to do it and probably so upset. "Hey hey hey hey. He's gone, Jeremy." I told him softly. I bent down. Jeremy turned towards me, his face blank. He grabbed the stake from the body. Oh no. This is gonna be bad.

He stood up and faced Stefan. "How far did the mark grow?" He asked. Jeremy didn't answer so Stefan pulled out the drawing Jeremy made. "Show me on this drawing." He commanded. "Sorry, Stefan, but I can't trust you." Jeremy shot back, tightening his grip on the stake. "How far is it, Jeremy?" He asked again. No answer. "Answer me or I will make you answer me." Stefan threatened. "I'm not telling you anything," Jeremy repeated. I agree with him. Stefan grabbed Jeremy's shoulders. "What does the mark look like?" He compelled. Jeremy stabbed Stefan with the stake in the stomach and backed away. "I guess I can't be compelled anymore." He grabbed the duffle bag and walked out.

"I'll be in the car." I got up and glared as he pulled the stake out.

-

It was now night time. Stefan and I were on good terms again and drinking in the parlor when the doorbell rang. Damon went to go answer it and we followed. Elena was outside, carrying her luggage. She walked into the house. "I can't stay at home." She said simply. "Pick a room. I'll crash somewhere else." He told them. He grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the house gently. "I have a place. C'mon." I told him.

We went to the old apartment. "I haven't been here since I was forced into a barn full of vervain," I mumbled, looking around. I compelled the manager to keep this room on lockdown: no one in or out. Not unless they were with me. I sighed and walked into a bedroom. "Hey, I'm gonna go see Caroline. I'll come back later...don't hold up." He told me. I nodded and began picking up stuff laying around.

I turned on lights and made the place cozy again. Halfway through the bedroom cleaning process, Stefan called me. "Yeah?" I answered, putting the phone on my shoulder and holding it down with my head. I scrubbed the carpet. "Elena's sired."