𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐲 | 𝐭𝐯𝐝

-28-

"Look at the bricks, Stefan!" I said, looking at the brick road we were walking on. They were wet from previous rain and sparkling under the glowing lamplight. They were beautiful. I've missed New Orleans more than I care to admit. "They're bricks!" Stefan said with fake enthusiasm. I scowled. "I've, uh, really missed New Orleans. Horrible memories, especially since this is the place we last saw each other in 1922, but good beer and dancing? Nothing could really go wrong here...except for in 1922. That's a discussion for later." I walked further ahead and turned so I walked backwards to face Stefan.

"Yeah Stefan, what were you thinking when you sent her away to be with darling Rebekah?" Damon smirked cockily. Stefan rolled his shoulders back in discomfort. "Can we not talk about this, Damon?" He asked. "I'd actually like to hear that because I can sure tell you what was going through my head." I crossed my arms and tilted my head sideways a little. "It was anger controlling me. I'm sorry." He apologized. "Any regrets afterward?" Damon continued. Stefan was quiet.

I turned back around. "Here we are. Corner of Bourbon and Dumaine." I looked down the other road this one intersected with. I wasn't happy anymore. "There's no way she's gonna be in the same spot after seventy years." Damon denied. "So what are we going to tell Elena?" Stefan sighed. "I was hoping we wouldn't have to tell her anything," Damon mumbled. "Y'all want any drinks?" I jumped in.

"Well, we can't just lie to her." Stefan scoffed. "Okay well you two argue and I'll be over there." I walked up the steps to someone's door and sat down. They argued and Damon began walking away. "Want a drink or not, River?" He yelled. I sped towards him, just after someone tackled him to the ground. I threw the person off and helped him up. "What the hell just happened?" I asked. "She kissed me." Damon panted. I looked at the redhead. Charlotte.

Stefan stopped behind us. "Damon, I always knew you'd come back for me. I must have counted literally every brick on every building in all of New Orleans." She was smiling ear to ear, twisting a piece of her hair around her finger. Damon looked taken aback and turned to look at Stefan. Stefan was horrified. "Literally every brick?" I checked.

Damon looked away, ashamed. Charlotte wrapped her arms around Damon's neck, but Damon tried to back away from her. "Uh, Charlotte, uh. Ha. Please tell me you had a full life and that you've done something other than counting bricks." He pulled her arm off of him. "Of course I have, I'm not crazy." She giggled. "Then why are you still here?" I asked her. "You know when someone breaks up with you and there's a song that reminds you of them? First, you hate it. But then it brings back all the good memories of them. Counting the bricks is my song and I've been playing it for decades." She said, putting her head on Damon's shoulder.

"That's a really long time stuck listening to the same song," Stefan commented dryly. "Yeah, heh..." Damon scooted away from Charlotte but kept their hands intertwined between them. "Well you know, in the plus column, you know New Orleans better than anyone in the world. Which is really nice, because we need your help finding someone."

"Or something. A bar? No? Okay." I sighed. "Oh oh oh! I know a bar!" Charlotte chirped. "Great. Tell them what they need and you and I are going to said bar."