"Hey, Bonnie, Caroline," Holly said as she catched up to them. The two girls had been walking on their way back to school. "Elena isn't here yet?"
"No," Bonnie said. "I thought she was going to come with you."
"Uh, no," she eyed Caroline through the corner of her eye. "I drove here by myself, I needed to turn in some books at the library."
"Ok, enough with the boring talk!" Caroline squealed as she clapped her hands together. "I got both of you a costume, yay!"
"Seriously?" Bonnie raised an eyebrow.
Holly saw Caroline's face drop and she said. "Really, Care you didn't have to trouble yourself, I was just going to wear my police costume from last year."
"You can't wear you police costume again, silly. At least someone is appreciative," she started playing with the strange yellow crystal around her neck. "Besides I want to have some fun! I can't remember the last time we had fun and I definitely need some Damon free fun."
Bonnie touched the necklace. "Is that the one that Damon gave you?"
"It's . . . pretty." Holly said uncertainly, though truthfully it was the ugliest necklace that she had ever seen.
"Yeah, believe it or not the cheap bastard gave me something," Caroline dropped the necklace into Bonnie's hand. "Here, toss it. Throw it away. Burn it. I don't care. I never want to see it again. Holly, what's Elena wearing?"
She shrugged. "She mentioned something about the nurse costume from last year. I think she was going with Stefan so who knows if they are wearing matching costumes."
"Maybe she'll go as a princess and Stefan as her shiny prince." Caroline said not too gently.
Bonnie raised an eyebrow as she closed her locker door. "Don't be bitter. It causes wrinkles. Besides it will be the three of us, we'll make it a girls' night."
"Why do we have to go visit Vicki again?" Elena squirmed as Holly practically dragged her towards the Salvatore estate later after school. "Besides I thought Stefan was handling it."
"He is handling it." Holly corrected her as she opened the door and both girls went in. "I just thought it would benefit him if we helped him out."
"Well, you're surely be more beneficial that me." Elena smiled as she greeted Stefan with a soft kiss. "Hey."
"Hey." Stefan turned back from Holly to Elena. "What are you doing here?"
"Holly mentioned that you needed some help."
Stefan looked uncomfortable. "She's doing fine. Really, it's just slower than expected. I'm trying to get her to control her urges with caffeine, let's just say it's taking a little bit slower than expected. Vicki?"
"Ugh, what do you want?" Vicki grumbled as she came down the stairs. "This sunlight things is a bitch, I want to go outside and I am so hungry."
Stefan nodded. "I'll get you more coffee."
Vicki nodded as she pulled out her phone.
Elena raised an eyebrow. "Who are you calling?"
"Jeremy."
Elena's frown deepened as she tried to take the cell phone away from Vicki. "You can't keep texting Jeremy anymore, Vicki. You're too dangerous, you could hurt him."
"I would never hurt, Jeremy." Vicki snapped.
"She knows that." Holly tried to calm both girls down, but they were still glaring at each other. "What Elena is trying to say is that she just wants you to wait a few more days until your hunger settles down, right Elena? And then you can see him I promise."
"What? No!" Elena shot back. "Holly, Jeremy is our little brother! I'm sorry, Vicki, but you won't be seeing him again. I won't risk you hurting him. So no, I don't care what Holly or Jeremy say. You're not seeing him anymore."
Vicki pressed Elena against the wall trying to strangle her. "Or what?" Elena squirmed. "Let's get one thing straight you perky, little bitch. You had my brother whipped for 15 years. Fifteen years and then you dump him. When I look at you, that's all I see. I'll see Jeremy whenever I want to see Jeremy and if you stand in my way I will rip your little head off."
Holly raised her hand towards Vicki. "Dimiserunt eam mane."
Vicki yelled in pain and she crouched down letting Elena go. "You little bitch! What did you do?"
"Go!" Holly told Elena trying to keep her voice from trembling. "Go! I'll follow you."
Elena raced outside.
Holly lowered her hand and looked at Vicki apologetic. "I'm sorry, but I won't let you hurt anyone I care about."
The sailor girl costume that Caroline had picked out for Holly was ridiculously short, it consisted of a short blue and white dress, a red ribbon at the collar, a sailor hat, white tights up to her thighs, and red heels.
Elena was wearing the nurse costume from last year and was straightening her hair. "How did you do that?" Elena asked as she put the straighter down. "That thing with Vicki? How did you manage to hurt her?"
Holly shrugged as she fixed her pigtails from under her hat. "I've been studying some spells, I didn't want her to hurt you. But Elena you have to be careful about Vicki, the slightest thing could tick her off-"
"All the more reason to keep her away from Jeremy," Elena peeked down the hallway where Jeremy was leaving message for Vicki. "Hey, Jeremy-"
"Elena, don't-"
Elena ignored her. "Listen, I know you're upset about Vicki and I know that she called Matt, but I really think you shouldn't see her anymore. She needs to get better and the best thing for both of you is for you to let her go."
Jeremy scoffed as he looked from Holly to Elena. "Yes, because we're such experts on letting people go, mind your own business Elena. Nice outfits."
"Hello, sail girl," Damon came from behind, spooking Holly and eyeing her costume appreciatively. "Need a sailor?"
"Aren't you a little too old for a high school carnival?" Holly asked as she and Damon walked towards the school. "And this sailor girl can handle herself."
"I heard." Damon replied. "Stefan mentioned that annoying little brain frying you did to Vicki. Smart."
Holly paused as she raised an eyebrow. "Do you want me to do it to you too?"
"And I thought we were besties," Damon wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Anyway, that is not why I'm here."
"Then why are you here?" she tried to take Damon's arm off, but he wouldn't budge.
"Well," Damon said casually. "Vicki escape and is currently running around the school as we know it. Opps, did I say that aloud?"
"What?!"