2x15- The Dinner Party
Selene was in the living room and sitting on the couch with a book in her hand when Erik walked in with Jenna.
"Hey, sweetheart." He paused. "Jenna and I were going on a little history trip with Elijah, and we were wondering whether you wanted to join us." He nodded his head, giving a sign that he wanted her there.
*******
Elijah, Selene, and Jenna are walking.
"The old Fell property starts just beyond that fence," Jenna said.
"Ah, the Fells... one of the Founding Families." Elijah sighed.
"Why do you say it like that?" Jenna pondered.
"My research showed me that this area was settled almost two full centuries earlier. It was a migration of townsfolk from the northeast, um, it was Salem, to be precise."
"Massachusetts? As in the witch trials?"
"Which means the ever-lauded founding families... They didn't find anything." Elijah replied.
"Well, I bet it was the men who made a big deal about being founders back in 1860. Men are very territorial." Jeena said.
"Yes, they are." Eric rejoined them.
"Elijah, this is my...friend, Eric Maximoff." She hesitated, earning a frown from the father.
"Yeah, sorry I'm late. Where to next?" He asked.
"I'm pretty curious about the freed slave property owners. Some say, you know, the descendants of the slaves are the true keepers of American history." The vampire answered.
Well, I only brought the surveys. I got the list in the car. just give me a sec." She goes to her car, leaving the three alone.
"Eric Maximoff. So you're one of those people on Elena's list of loved ones to protect."
"So is my daughter and Jenna." He emphasised.
"You don't have to be jealous. I don't pursue younger women." He spares a look to Selene. "It's a joke, Ric, lighten up." He mocked.
"Right."
*******
Selene, Elijah, and Jenna rejoined Eric. Damon and Andie at the Mystic Grill.
"Hey, guys." Jenna greeted.
"So I hear you two had quite a meeting of historical minds today." Damon teased.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Jenna replied
"Well, as much as I'd love to continue this, I am dying for some sleep." Eric got up.
"No, you know what? We should continue this. Let's have a dinner party." Andie, Damon's girlfriend, suggested.
"Ooh, my girl. Full of good ideas. I'll be happy to host. Say tonight. Maybe?" Damon put his arm around her.
Selene sent Damon a warning glare.
"It's good for me. Jenna?" Andie asked.
"I don't know if tonight works..." Eric said, clearly uncomfortable.
"I'm free," Jenna added.
"It'd be a pleasure." Elijah agreed.
"Great," Damon smirked.
********
Selene, Jenna, and Andie are preparing the table for dinner.
"So what's going on with you and my dad? I feel like there's some tension." Selene raised her eyebrows.
"I don't know. I like him. It's more than like, and I want it to work, but I can't help but feel that he's hiding something from me. And then I've got John whispering things in my ear about him." Selene's smile was wiped off her face.
"Like what?" Andie asked.
"Things I don't want to believe. Things I don't believe, not if they're coming from John's mouth."
"Oh. Well, there you go, then. Trust is the key to any relationship. I mean, I am so grateful that Damon tells me everything."
"Anyways, what about you, Sel, any special man or woman in your life." Jenna wiggled her eyebrows.
The brunette suddenly grew nervous, not expecting the question. "Me... no, no, I'm single." Her mind flashed images of Nik.
*******
Everyone sat around the table for dinner. "I hate to break it to you, Damon, but according to Elijah, your family is so not a founder of this town." Jenna started.
"Hmm, do tell." He acted all interested.
"Well, as I mentioned to Jenna earlier, a faction of settlers migrated from Salem after the witch trials in the 1690s. Over the next hundred years, they developed this community where they could feel safe from persecution." Elijah explained.
"Hmm. Because they were witches." Jenna finished.
"Yeah, but there's no tangible proof there were witches in Salem." Andie countered.
"Andie's a journalist. Big on facts."
"Well, the lore says that there was this wave of anti-witch hysteria. It broke out in the neighbouring settlement, so these witches were rounded up. They were tied to stakes in a field together and, uh, burned. Some say you could hear the screams from miles around us. They were consumed by the fire. Could you pass the..." He continued.
"I wouldn't repeat this to the Historical Society." Jenna interfered.
"It's starting to sound a little like a ghost story to me." John input.
"So why do you want to know the location of these alleged massacres?" Damon asked.
"You know... a healthy historian's curiosity, of course."
"Of course."
********
The others start to get up. Damon looks at Andie. "The gentlemen should take their drinks in the study."
"I have to say the food was almost as wonderful as the company." Elijah compliments.
"Well, Selene did most of the cooking, Andie, and I just judged. She's exquisite."
Jenna picks up the plates and starts to walk out of the room. Alaric stops her. "Hey, Jenna, are you...are you okay?"
"Yeah, fine, Alaric."
Jenna leaves the room. John looks at Alaric and walks towards him. "I suspect this is my fault."
"What did you do now?" Alaric asks.
"I merely mentioned that you haven't been completely honest with her about your feelings."
"You son of a bitch!" Alaric grabbed John by his shirt collar. John grabbed his wrists and pulled his hands off of him.
"I think I've been very clear with you, Ric. I want my ring back." John walked out of the room. Alaric's phone started to ring. He answered it.
********
"Miss Star..." Elijah handed his glass to Damon, who drained it, and took Andie's hand. He twirled her around and they walk out of the room together. As soon as they leave, Damon smacked Alaric angrily. Alaric pointed down at the dagger. Damon didn't understand what he meant. Alaric walked over to a desk and wrote something down on a piece of paper. He handed it to Damon, who read it. The paper said, "The dagger will kill you if you use it." Damon angrily threw the paper at Alaric, and they walked out of the room.
Back in the dining room, Jenna poured coffee into a cup for John. Elijah and Andie enter the room.
"Sorry, guys, dessert is taking longer than I thought. I usually just unwrap food." Jenna apologized.
"So... I know this is a social thing, but I...I would love to ask you some more questions about the work that you're doing here." Andie began.
"I'd love to answer," Elijah replied.
"Great, that's so great."
Damon and Alaric entered the room. Damon sat down and glared across the table at John.
"Alaric, would you do me a favour and grab the notebook out of my bag?" Andie asked.
Alaric walked over to her bag.
"Elijah, did John tell you he's Elena's uncle-slash-father?" Damon informed.
"Yes, I'm well aware of that," Elijah answered.
"Of course, she hates him, so there's no need to keep him on the endangered species list," Damon said.
Damon looked back at him.
"No Ric, it's in the front pocket. On the...you know what? Excuse me, guys. Sorry." She got up to help Ric find her notebook.
"What I'd like to know, Elijah, is how you intend on killing Klaus?" John interrupted.
"Gentlemen, there's a few things we should probably get clear right now. I allow you to live solely to keep an eye on Elena. I allow Elena to remain in her house living her life with her friends as she does as a courtesy. If you become a liability, I'll take her away from you and you'll never see her again." The brunette threatened.
Andie came back with her notebook and sat down. "Okay. My first question is when you got here to Mystic..."
Alaric came up behind Elijah and stabbed the dagger through his heart through the back of his chair. Elijah screamed as grey veins followed up his body. Everyone at the table got up in shock. Alaric pulled the dagger out and placed it on the table. He looked at Damon.
********
Selene was walking to her bedroom, her ash-brown hair was now into two dutch braids, hanging on her shoulders. She had a small smile on her face, laughing at something Jenna said at the party.
Abruptly, she got a sharp pain in her head, like someone was stabbing toothpicks in her brain. Selene let out a horrifying scream, falling to her knees. Images flashed in her mind.
A dark book. A wolf. A woman surrounded by red magic. Niklaus. Elijah. Fire
The house shook, portraits fell onto the floor breaking, as a door opened. Eric ran through breathing heavily, panicked.
"Hey, hey." Eric wrapped her in a hug, as her screams finally died down.
She let out a cry, her head resting on his shoulders. "What happened?" He asked his voice soft.
"I-I don't know." She answered her voice shaking. They stood up, the daughter leaning on her dad, walking towards the couch.
Turning on the TV they watched "Brooklyn 99", grabbing some blankets, they got comfortable, watching until they fell asleep.
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