"Hey I looked for you at the party last night," Adam said after he sat down.
"Oh, sorry about that. Chastity said the same thing, I just...I got a little held up."
"I heard. Brian and I took off a little bit before that all went down. How is Vicki? Do you know?"
"The doctors said that with rest, she should be fine," I said leaving out the part where she woke up a little after getting patched up and said vampire. I didn't need people to think she was losing it. She was a little drunk, that's probably why she said it anyway.
"That's good," he said. "Really good. Anyway....are you going to see the comet tomorrow?"
"Of course, I helped organize the event," I said. "I'll probably go with Chastity and Bonnie since Elena's probably gonna be with Stefan."
"Oh, I almost forgot about that," he said with a grin. "How did your matchmaking work out?"
"Well he came over last night and they talked for a long time, so I'm hoping something will become of it," I said. "If not, then I'll just have to work my magic and make something happen."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So I was thinking something tomboyish," Chastity said. "You know, surprise people by being the opposite of what they would expect me, a blonde, to be. What do you think?"
"I think whatever you want to do would work," I told her. She was asking me about the outfit she was going to wear to see the comet tomorrow night. Normally she wouldn't worry about these types of things, but it was different since Jeremy was actually going to be there.
We walked around the campus toward the parking lot until Elena and Matt came into view. She and I walked up to them quickly and I hopped on Matt's back.
"Hey Matty," I greeted with a smile.
"Hey short stuff," he greeted with a clear fake smile. I let myself down and he turned. "I wanna thank you again for being there with me last night. It means a lot."
"It was no problem," I said. "I'm really glad she's going to be okay."
"Yeah," he said. "Anyway, I'm actually about to go back there now and see if she's awake. I wanna know what really happened last night. I'll see you later."
"Bye Matt, let me know what she says," I said as he walked away.
"You got it!"
"Give her a hug for me if you can!" Chasitity called after him. I looked at Elena who seemed a little down. I put a hand on her shoulder.
"You okay?" I asked her. She nodded and forced a smile.
"I'll live," she said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I think he's a grade A asshole," I muttered on the phone. Jenna called me after her conference with Mr. Tanner about Jeremy and it turns out he's not very supportive of Jenna being our sole guardian. Well that wasn't really his choice now was it?
"I can see why Jeremy doesn't want to go to his class," she said. "The man's not even my teacher and I felt intimidated. I can't imagine what people going in there must feel like every day."
"Well he's not my teacher, thank god, but I know he's been giving both Jeremy and Elena a hard time which just makes me mad," I said. "I really don't think teacher was a good job for him to take up."
"I think he'd do a better job as an interragator, he really knows how to put people on the spot," she replied. "Anyway, I'm gonna go and let you hang out with the girls. That is where you are right? You're not pulling a Jeremy on me?"
"He went to see Vicki this morning, nothing too bad," I said. "And yes, I am with Bonnie, Caroline, Chastity, and Elena. Say hi guys," I held out the phone for them.
"Hey Jenna," they all said.
"That was comforting, thank you Sam," she said.
"No problem, Aunt Jenna," I said.
"Let me know if you see your brother too. I have to have a few words with him," she said.
"Right," I said with a smile. I set my phone on the table after she hung up and sighed.
"Anyway, I was talking to Grams and she said the comet was a sign of impending doom," Bonnie said after I did. "The last time it passed over Mystic Falls, there was a lot of death. So much blood and carnage, it created a bed of paranormal activity."
"That's what my aunt said," Chastity said.
"Yeah and then you poured both your Grams and your aunt another shot and they told you both about the aliens," Caroline said sarcastically to Bonnie and Chastity. Both of them rolled their eyes at her comment. Caroline looked at Elena then. "So then what?"
"So then nothing," Elena replied.
"You and Stefan talked all night?" she asked doubtfully. "There was no sloppy first kiss or touchy feely of any kind?"
"Nope. We didn't go there," Elena told her.
"Besides I would have heard something," I added with a wrinkled nose. "Glad I didn't."
Elena elbowed me playfully with a smile while I smirked at her and took a sip of my iced tea.
"Not even a handshake?" Caroline asked. "I mean, Elena, we are your friends. Okay? You are supposed to share the smut."
"Gross," Chastity said.
"We just talked for hours."
"Okay what is with the blockage? Just jump his bones already!" Caroline said, clearly getting frustrated while Bonnie and Chastity looked at her with annoyance and disbelief. "Okay it's easy. Boy likes girl. Girl likes boy. Sex."
"Is that all you think about?" Chasitiy asked her. Caroline gave her a look.
"Profound," Elena said. Then she pursed her lips and started picking up her stuff.
"Where are you going?" I asked her.
"Where are WE going," she corrected me as she stood up. "I'm your ride. And Caroline's right, it is easy. If I sit here long enough, I'll end up talking myself out of it instead of doing what I started the day saying I was going to do. So come on."
"Blick I hope I don't hear noises," I whined as she took me by the arm and led me toward the car.
"Have fun!" Chastity called after us. One of us would be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Can you just do me a favor and try not to be too loud with the noises," I begged as Elena and I walked up the path to the entrance of the Salvatore boarding house. She rolled her eyes.
"I wasn't going to go there today," she said ringing the doorbell.
"Well either way," I said folding my arms across my chest. She smiled at me and knocked on the door when no one answered after she rang the doorbell. Er...chime....bells? Bells.
The door creaked open the slightest bit and Elena looked at me, confused. I shrugged and she poked her head in the house.
"Stefan?" she called stepping inside. I followed her lead, closing the door behind me. Inside the house was huge. Very modern, but had an old school aura to it. And by old school I mean....nineteenth century old school.
We walked further into the house, down the hall and Elena called Stefan again and got no answer again. Was he even here? A creaking noise came from behind us and we both turned around. The door was closed, wasn't it? How as it creaking? If that was even the door....
"Should we go?" I asked Elena. She didn't answer, she was still staring at the door. I looked and saw it was now wide open. I could have sworn I closed it. She stepped closer to it while I stayed in my place. How was it open when I closed it?
Suddenly a crow flew in, scaring the hell out of both of us. Elena turned and so did I, but into someone's chest. I gasped and took a couple steps back, my eyes meeting the brightest....no...iciest blue eyes I've ever seen. The guy in front of me was incredibly....handsome? No...hot? Sexy, for sure, mysterious. He had a dangerous aura to him as well and he seemed to be eyeing me with a lot of interest.
"W-we're sorry for barging in," I said quickly. "The door was...." I turned around and saw it was now closed. What the hell? "Open."
Elena looked at the door and noticed it closed too and her confusion showed on her face even more. I looked back at the man and he had a small smile playing on his lips, his eyes still on me with lots of...something. I couldn't put my finger on it. He then switched his eyes over to Elena.
"You must be Elena," he said to her. Then he looked back at me. "Which would make you Samantha."
We looked at him with wonder. How did he know our names? Who was he?
"I'm Damon," he said. "Stefan's brother."
"He didn't tell me he had a brother," Elena said.
"Well, Stefan's not one to brag. Please, come," he said leading us to the living room. "I'm sure Stefan will be along any second."
We stepped into the living room.....no. This couldn't be the living room? This room was bigger than the whole bottom floor of my house alone!
"Wow," I said.
"This is your living room?" Elena asked.
"Living room, parlor, Sotheby's Auction," Damon said. "It's a little kitschy for my taste."
A small silence fell for a moment as I walked further in, eyes going around the room in wonder. I felt eyes on me, but chose to ignore them since I figured it was just Elena.
"I can see why my brother's so smitten," Damon said suddenly. "It's about time. For a while there, I never thought he'd never get over the last one."
That got my attention and I looked back at him to see Elena looking at him confused- again.
"Nearly destroyed him," Damon continued looking at me now.
"The last one?" I asked for Elena since she seemed to be at a loss for words.
"Yeah, Katherine," he answered. "His girlfriend?" He looked at Elena and realization set on his face. "Oh, you two haven't had the awkward exes conversation yet."
"Nope," Elena said uncomfortably looking up at the ceiling.
"Oops well, I'm sure it'll come up now," Damon said looking back at me. I looked back at him for a moment, trying to figure something out. For some reason I felt like he intended to tell Elena about Katherine, I just couldn't figure out why. "Or maybe he didn't want to tell you because he didn't want you to think he was on the rebound. I mean, that's how Katherine felt when Stefan failed to tell her about Elizabeth."
"Elizabeth?" Elena asked.
"Yeah, the first love," Damon said casually. "Got his heartbroken by that one. Then Katherine comes along, steals his heart, and that one didn't end so well either."
I tilted my head the slightest bit at him. He was still looking at me when he told Elena that. Could he tell I was wondering why he told her? What was it about this guy that was so familiar too? Since I came face to face with him I couldn't help but feel like...I've been around him before.
"We all know how those relationships end," Damon continued.
"You say it like every relationship is doomed to end," I said.
"I'm a fatalist," he said to me. We stared at each other for a moment before I saw Stefan walk up behind Damon and Elena. "Hello Stefan."
How did Damon....Stefan barely made a noise and he didn't even turn around. It could have been their uncle Zach coming in for all he knew.
"Elena, Sam," Stefan said. "I didn't know you two were coming over."
"I know, we should have called," Elena said apologetically as she began walking toward him. "I just-"
"Oh don't be silly. You're welcome any time. Both of you," Damon said looking from Elena back at me. "Aren't they Stefan?"
Stefan just stared at his brother, almost glared, and didn't answer.
"You know, I should break out the family photo albums. Or some home movies," Damon said. "BUT I have to warn you both, he wasn't always such a looker."
"Thank you for stopping by, Elena. Sam," Stefan said. Then he looked at his brother with that same look from before. "Nice to see you."
"Yeah, we should probably go," I said rubbing the back of my neck. I could sense a lot of tension between the two brothers and it was honestly making me a little uncomfortable. Besides, it was obvious Stefan didn't want us around Damon for whatever reason. I looked at Damon. "It was nice to meet you, Damon."
"Yeah, it was," Elena agreed. Damon took her hand and kissed it lightly.
"Nice meeting you, Elena," he said. I walked up, ready to leave, when he took my hand unexpectedly.
"And it was great meeting you too, Sam," he said kissing the top of my hand, his lips lingering there a while longer than Elena's. I stared into his eyes for a while even after he let go of my hand when Elena cleared her throat, motioning with her head that we should head out.
I blinked and walked after her, stopping when she stopped in front of Stefan who was staring at Damon with hard eyes.
"Stefan?" Elena said. He didn't move his eyes or anything. "Stefan?"
He finally stepped aside to let us pass, and returned his eyes to Damon.
"Come on," I said to Elena when she didn't move. She walked with me to the door and we got out as quickly as we could. That...had to be one of the weirdest things I've ever been through.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-A third person POV, after Elena and Sam leave-
Damon whistled after the door closed, entertained with Stefan's cold eyes on him still.
"Great gal," he said talking about Elena. "Her sister, though, she's got spunk and she's even more breath taking up close. I like her. You, on the other hand, look pooped."
Stefan ignored the comment and stepped down into the room.
"Did you over-exert yourself today?" Damon asked. "Let me guess! Hospital."
"Someone had to clean up your mess," Stefan told him, finally talking as he walked more into the room past Damon.
"Well were you successful?" Damon asked. "Did the powers of persuasion work? Remember if you don't feed properly, none of those little tricks work."
"How long were Elena and Sam here?" Stefan asked.
"Were you worried, Stefan? Scared we may be doomed to repeat the past?" Damon asked chuckling. "Isn't that why you play your little game, 'I'm a high school human'?"
"I'm not playing any game."
"Of course you are. We both know the closest you'll ever get to humanity is when you rip it open and feed on it."
"What kind of game are you playing, Damon?" Stefan asked.
"Guess you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?" Damon asked with a smirk. He walked out of the room then, leaving Stefan alone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-Back to Sam-
"He's on the rebound for the second time, and has raging family issues," Elena said. We were back at home and she was telling Aunt Jenna about our visit to Stefan's place.
"Well at least it's an ex-girlfriend," Jenna said positively. "Wait till you date a guy with mommy issues or cheating issues or amphetamine issues."
I laughed a bit and set the hot fudge down on the counter after I thought I had enough on my ice cream.
"His brother seemed to take an interest in Sam," Elena said.
"Oh really?" Jenna asked with a sly smile while I rolled my eyes. "Older or younger?"
"Older," I answered. "Older than me. Older than Stefan."
"Was he hot?"
"Very," I admitted. "But there was just something about him. Something not very trustworthy."
"Well if he was telling you about things Stefan wouldn't even tell you, then I wouldn't call it UNtrustworthy," Jenna said.
The door opened and Jeremy stepped in, making Jenna go in mother mode.
"Jeremy," she said. He ignored her and started going upstairs. Jenna rushed toward him. "Jeremy, where were you?"
"More stoner stories, look Jenna I get it. You were cool. And so that's- that's cool."
I sighed in disappointment. He was high.
"Oh no- no, no no!" she chucked her apple at him, which made me snicker a litlte.
"Ow, why?! Why- why did you do that?"
"Listen up! Quit ditching class or you're grounded. No discussion," Jenna said.
"Parental authority, I like it," Jeremy said clearly not taking her seriously. "Sleep tight." He continued up the stairs while Jenna glared after him. Elena sighed and I shook my head. I really needed to get him out of that hole he's in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chastity and I were walking around the town square, handing out programs for the town comet event. It took forever to create these things since Caroline was over my shoulder disapproving nearly every thing I did. I finally just stepped aside and told her to do what she wanted. I admit I lost patience faster than usual, but that's just because I was still thinking about how things went at Stefan's house and I was worried about Elena.
From the sounds of it, Stefan was just on the rebound again but I didn't want to believe it at the same time. He seemed like a really nice guy and that was just Damon's side of things. I couldn't help but think that things were very different from Stefan's point of view.
"Would you like a program?" Chastity offered a program to a woman with her daughter as the walked to the center. The woman smiled thankfully and took the program. "So you met his older brother. Hot or not?"
"Definitely hot," I said. "Like I told Jenna though, there was just something weird about him."
"Well maybe I can see into it," she said. "You know how Bonnie's Grams has been telling her that she's a witch? Well I told my aunt and guess what she said?"
"You too?" I guessed with a smile as I handed a guy a program.
"Yeah," she said. "She said that my dad's side of the family is also descended from Salem. She said we're not as strong as Bonnie's line, but we're still pretty strong."
"And you believe that?" I asked.
"Why shouldn't I? There's so much I've predicted and it's like it comes to me in visions and stuff. And I could have sworn that I lit a candle up in my mind last night."
"And the evidence stacks up," I said. "You just might be."
"Oh relax, I don't really believe it," she said. "I think she's just trying to be as crazy as Bonnie's Grams."
"Maybe," I said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later Chastity and I were walking around with our candles and Olivia after all the programs were handed out. We met up with Bonnie, Elena, and Caroline. Elena walked into Matt and he ended up lighting her candle while Adam came over and lit mine up.
"Thank you," I smiled.
"You're welcome," he said. He looked at me and I smiled. "So...."
"Uh uh, don't even think about it Hanson," Chastity cut in. "You know you're not getting a second chance."
"Nice to see you Chastity," he said with a sigh. I noticed Elena then walk away and I was about to go by her when I saw Stefan right behind her. I stayed in place, knowing that they needed to talk about things and that if Elena needed anything, she would come by me.
I held my candle up a little more and zoned back into the world when Chastity and Adam's bickering got a little annoying.
"Okay guys," I said holding up a hand. "Let's just enjoy the night. As friends," I said with a sharp look at Adam. Then I noticed Elena walk away, leaving Stefan alone with a sad look on his face. "On second thought-"
"Elena needs you," Adam said knowingly.
"Go ahead."
"Promise not to kill him, Chas?"
"I'll do my best," she said. I sighed. That was the best I was going to get from her so I just walked away, stopping when I was about to pass Stefan.
"Let me talk to her," I said. "Things are just complicated right now and...I know she really likes you. Just give it a little bit of time."
"Thank you, Sam," he said with a small smile. I smiled back and continued after Elena.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I just don't know," Elena concluded as we came up to the grill where we agreed to meet everyone else. When I caught up to her, she told me about the small talk she had with Stefan and her doubts about having a relationship with him.
"Look you really like him, I can see that," I said. "And you deserve to be happy, but he just got here Lena. He said he's not really close to his brother and that Katherine and Elizabeth were a long time ago, so cut him a little slack. It must be hard for him to open up after two heartbreaks. It just sounds like you're a little scared about where this is going to go because you're so used to getting hurt, just like him."
"You're right," she sighed. "I just feel like I need a little bit more time before I go into anything."
"It's your life," I said. "If you feel like you need more time, take more."
She nodded and smiled at me. We walked inside and sat down at a table where Tyler, Caroline, Bonnie, and Matt already were with Chastity, Adam, and Adam's best friend Brian. We sat and talked for a while when Jeremy came up to us asking if we'd seen Vicki.
"You're her stalker, you tell us," Tyler said.
"I can't find her," Jeremy said freaking out and he had reason to. After what happened to her not too long ago, her disapperaring right now wasn't very comforting.
"She probably found somebody else to party with," Tyler said. "Sorry pill pusher, I guess you've been replaced."
"What's with the pill pusher?" Elena asked him.
"Ask him," Tyler told her. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at Jeremy expectandly.
"You wanna do this right now?" Jeremy asked.
"Are you dealing?" Elena asked him.
"She's never gonna go for you," Tyler said to Jeremy.
"She already did. Over and over and over again," Jeremy said to him, rubbing it in his face. Tyler's smirk vanished and Elena and I exchanged glances. He had sex with Vicki?
"Yeah right," Tyler said.
"You slept with Vicki Donovan?" Caroline asked in disbelief. Matt gave her a look. "I mean, Vicki Donovan slept with you?"
"There's no way," Tyler said.
"And I didn't even have to force her," Jeremy added. What was that a reference to? Was that what Tyler was doing in the woods with Vicki that night?
"What the hell is he talking about, Ty?" Matt asked Tyler.
"Nothing, man. Just ignore him, he's a punk," Tyler said bitterly. I could tell Elena was getting annoyed with this whole thing and she wanted to talk to Jeremy about that pill pusher comment, but all of this had to wait because Vicki was missing and given what happened before when she was alone, that wasn't a very good thing.
"You know what, let's just put all of this on hold and we all help find Vicki right now," I spoke up.
"Yeah I agree with Sam," Matt said.
"We'll check the bathrooms," Bonnie said as we began to split up.
"I'll check the square," Matt said.
"I'll come with you," Jeremy volunteered.
"Oh no, no, no," Elena said catching his arm. "You are coming with me."
"I'll look around here," I said. Elena nodded and walked away with Jeremy while I searched the grill for Vicki, hoping I wouldn't find her in the same state as before or worse.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Anyway, Bonnie gave Stefan her phone and email and bam! It happned just like that when they touched," Chastity said. Elena, Jeremy, and I had gone home after Vicki was found and I was sure she was okay. Caroline, Chastity, Olivia, and Bonnie stayed behind at the grill and now Chastity was telling me about how Stefan found Vicki and Bonnie freaked when she touched him because she saw and felt something bad and cold. Bonnie didn't tell Caroline, only Chastity because she felt like Chastity would understand better.
"That's werid," I said. "Especially since it's not the first time something like that has happened to her."
"I feel like it's the witch thing," she said. "I can feel it too."
"Are you sure that's what it is? I mean with everything that happened to Vicki, maybe you guys are just freaked out is all."
"No, I'm positive of what it is. I'm just not sure if I think it because I'm sane or insane," she said. "Anyway, I gotta go. Olivia's bugging me to get off the phone. I'll talk to you tomorrow?"
"Yeah," I said. "Tomorrow."
"Okay then. Bye."
"Bye," I closed my phone and set my phone on my dresser top and walked out of my room to get some water in time to hear Jenna break down about not being mom. I stepped in to Jeremy's room just as she sat down on his bed.
"This is just the fear talking," Elena assured her. "You're a little scared, that's all."
Realization crossed her face and she looked at me. I knew she was thinking about her relationship with Stefan then and I smiled a little at her.
"We all are," I said to her and Jenna.
"I have to go do something," Elena said. Jenna nodded understandingly. "But are you going to be okay?"
"Even if she's not I'm here," I said. Jenna smiled at the both of us and Elena got up with a smile, and left Jer's room. "Go get him."
"I will," she smiled. She left and I sighed, walking in and sitting on the bed next to Jenna.
"It's your mom," she said. "I feel like I need to be her to be successful with you, especially Jeremy."
"You don't," I said. "You and I both know that no one can replace her and you're doing a great job as it is. Jeremy...he'll make it through what he's going through. You did, didn't you?"
"Yeah," she said. "I did. Even when it seemed impossible. And I have your mom to thank for that."
"And Jeremy is going to make it through," I said. "He has us. He has you, he has Elena, and he has me. And we won't give up on him no matter what."
"I know we won't," she smiled. She wrapped her arms around me and kissed the top of my head. "I think I would die if you and Elena weren't here. I love you, Sammie."
"Love you too Aunt Jenna," I smiled. Jeremy would make it through this drug thing. Jenna would get her confidence up. Elena would work things out with Stefan and they would be happy. Then everything would get better. Right? Right.