A/N: sorry for the inexcusable delay. I must have written and re-written this chapter five times. It's not edited but it's here. Future chapters should come much faster.
***
After a long beat of silence, Caroline frowned. "What? It was just a joke."
"No, it was an idea," Stefan said.
"A great idea," Damon added.
Lucy rolled her eyes. Normally she'd try to talk them out of it, but to be honest, Mason deserved it. "Have fun I guess," she said grabbing Caroline's hand. "'We're going to get some lunch. I'm starving."
She didn't wait for a response as she dragged her blonde bestie to her car. Caroline kept her eyes on Lucy but didn't say anything until they were pulling out of the drive. "You're seriously okay with this?"
Lucy shrugged. "He almost got our boys killed. He got me shot. Yeah, I'm good with it."
Caroline studied her for a moment longer before nodding in agreement and turning to look out the window.
They were nearly through with their quick lunch when Lucy's phone rang. Stefan. "What's up?" she answered.
"Bonnie and I are meeting at the well on the Lockwood property. We think that's where Mason stashed the stone," he said.
"We're trusting witchy again, why?"
He sighed. "Not now, Lucy. I need you to come home to make sure Damon doesn't get carried away."
Lucy rolled her eyes and hung up the phone. Why Stefan thought she was the person for this job, she had no idea.
"I'm going to meet Stefan and Bonnie," Caroline said as soon as they stepped outside and she was gone before Lucy could even respond.
Annoyance flared through her. They were supposed to stay together for safety but whatever. Lucy had been in a mood most of the day. She didn't like being out of the loop. And she hated having to get up to help Caroline with her pet projects. The blonde better be glad Lucy loved her so much.
With a sigh, Lucy started her car and drove home. Screaming greeted her when she walked in the door. Entering the living room, she saw Mason Lockwood chained to a chair while Damon shoved something in his face. From the looks of it, it was wolfsbane. Jeremy Gilbert stood nearby watching everything. She shook her head in slight disbelief.
"Damon, what are you doing?"
He looked up in surprise. "Hi Sweetheart. I'm just trying to get some information out of wolfie here. I need to know what Katherine is up to."
She snorted. "Probably hiding from my uncle. You can't just torture people, Damon. It's rude."
Jeremy huffed a laugh and she gestured in his direction. "And what is baby Gilbert doing here?"
The teenager scowled. "Don't call me that."
Damon's gaze narrowed in annoyance. "He keeps putting himself in the middle of things. Thinks its his business. It isn't."
"Aren't you a vampire?" she asked. Just compel the idiot kid to leave them alone.
The corner of his lip curled in amusement. "Vervain." Damn it. That meant they couldn't eat him either. Not that the thought had even crossed Lucy's mind.
Her gaze flicked from her boyfriend to Jeremy. "Go home, little Gilbert. This isn't for you."
When he hesitated, she scowled. "Now or I'll call your sister and you'll have to deal with her being glued to your ass."
He rolled his eyes and put up his hands. "Fine. Geez."
Her eyes trailed him until he was gone.
"Great. Could you let me go now?" Mason said, breaking the quiet.
Damon backhanded him, making the chair rock. "What is Katherine up to? Why is she in town?"
"She's here for me, okay?" the werewolf yelled. "She came with me. She loves me."
"Well, that's a lie. She's been lurking around town and interfering long before your brother died. Sorry, Mason, but it seems as per usual, the bitch lied," Lucy said.
The wolf scowled. "Don't call her that."
Lucy shrugged. "Okay, what would you prefer? Heifer, cunt, harpy, hussy, slag, cum-dumpster, jealous pathetic self-centered troll? I'm sure I can keep going if you need more options."
Mason sneered but wisely kept his mouth shut.
"Where's she staying? That's all I want to know. Then I can ask her these questions." Damon was doing his best to sound reasonable. He wasn't fooling anyone.
Mason shook his head. "Look man, I'm not telling you anything. I love her."
Damon patted his shoulder and leaned down to talk to him. "I know you do. I've been there. But see, the thing about Katherine is she can't love anyone. She's going to end up ripping your heart out. Maybe, I'll do it for her."
A moment later, he held the wolf's heart in his hand. Lucy blinked at him. "Was that really necessary?"
"No." He shrugged. "But it will piss Katherine off."
***
Damon had just finished rolling the werewolf's body up in the tarp when Stefan appeared moonstone in hand. He was followed by Caroline, Lexi, Bree and Lee, Lexi's boyfriend.
Lucy was immediately tackled onto the couch by Lexi. "Lucy!"
"Sexy!"
Damon rolled his eyes though he still wore his typical smirk. "Hands off my girl, Lexi."
She stuck her tongue out at the other vampire and tugged Lucy into her side, keeping an arm around her shoulders. "All this hassle is over that?" Lucy asked, gesturing to the moonstone.
Stefan hummed in agreement. "Apparently."
She nodded as she sent off a text. She received a response almost immediately. "Elijah says he's waiting on you and to bring the stone."
The brothers exchanged a look before racing off up the stairs.
Lucy patted Lexi's leg before pushing herself up to pick up Mason's wallet and phone that Damon had left on the floor. The phone rang just as she grabbed it. The contact information was nothing but a heart emoji. Hmm.
"Mason's phone. Can I help you?"
"Who is this?" The voice unmistakably belonged to one of the doppelgangers but Lucy doubted Elena had Mason's number.
"Who is this?" she asked back.
"His girlfriend."
"You know, Katherine, for someone with a boyfriend you're awfully possessive of your exes." No sooner had the vampire's name left her lips than both Salvatores were at her side. Damon pulled the phone from her hand.
"Don't piss her off," Stefan hissed at his brother.
Lucy blinked at him in disbelief and gestured to the body at her feet. "A little late for that don't you think?"
"Hello, Katherine," Damon all but purred.
Lucy frowned at no longer being able to hear the other side of the conversation. Bree smirked and wiggled her fingers toward the phone. Suddenly, Lucy could hear everything. She smiled in thanks at her favorite witch.
"Where's Mason, Damon? I won't ask again."
"Calm down. He's right next to me. Of course his heart's on the other side of the room." Lucy elbowed her boyfriend in the ribs. That was mean. Funny...but mean.
"How dare you," Katherine snarled.
"Well, now you can just leave town, can't you? Bye. See you later. Don't come back."
"Do you honestly think I don't have a plan B? or a plan C or...well, you know how the alphabet works."
"A plan for what?" Lucy asked, knowing the vampire would be able to hear her.
"Wouldn't you like to know," Katherine answered. "Stay out of my way. All of you. I'm warning you."
With that she hung up the phone.
"Bitch," Damon muttered before slipping the phone into his pocket. Lucy handed over the wallet so he could take that as well. He pulled Lucy into his arms and gave her a sweet kiss. "We're going to help your uncle. We'll be back as soon as we can. Behave."
"Yes, because I'm the trouble maker. Besides you got me babysitters. I'll be fine."
He hummed in agreement and gave her one more kiss before pulling away. The brothers headed toward the door until Lucy's voice stopped them. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
Damon turned back to her, his brows lifted in question.
She gestured to the body at her feet. "Take your mess with you."