'Dear Elena,
It's Christmas.. Merry Christmas for the fourth time, Sis. Our fourth Christmas without you. Stefan is here with us this Christmas and it might be our final one with him.. To get the girls back, he made a deal with the devil. At midnight, he has to leave his life behind.. Even though he just pledged it to Caroline forever..' I wrote in my journal before I got up from the parlor chair and walked into the kitchen to see Stefan making food for tonight's dinner party. "I thought Caroline agreed to cancel." I stated before I sat at the island and ate a carrot that he was cutting for a salad.
"Yeah, but she's been planning this Christmas Eve dinner forever so we.. are going to do it." Stefan said shrugging before Caroline came in wearing her robe.
"Well, it's not about my plans, it's about.. Us. And your deal with Cade." Caroline stated folding her arms over her chest and I rose my eyebrow at the couple.
"I think our last day of life as we know it should be a little bit less depressing than that, don't you?" Stefan asked smirking at Caroline before standing in front of her and I looked away from them and grabbed another carrot. "So today, we are going to do what normal people do on Christmas. We're going to eat more than we should and we are going to drink until our friends and family seem somewhat normal." Stefan stated and Caroline laughed before they kissed and I sighed.
"Well, we might want to get all the alcohol in the country because that is going to take a lot." I replied and they both eyed me and I rose my eyebrow. "I'm sorry. Did I speak truth?" I asked rolling my eyes at them.
~~~~~
I heard a knock on the door as I stood in the living-room and turned towards it before Caroline, in her red dress, opened the door and the she gasped happily. "Merry Christmas, Mommy!" The twins said before they hugged Caroline and Care crouched, laughing hugging them.
"Mommy!" Freya added happily and I furrowed my euebrows as she ran towards me before I gasped and picked her up.
"Hi, pumpkin." I replied kissing her head and smiling. I furrowed my eyebrows at Ric and he sighed shrugging before Caroline looked away from Freya and I and back at the twins.
"Oh, Merry Christmas!" Caroline said happily before she stood awkwardly. "Let me help you take your jackets off." Caroline added as Ric came inside and shut the front door.
"I'm afraid we're not going to be able to stay very long." Ric stated and I furrowed my eyebrows at him.
"What, why?" I asked putting Freya down and walking towards them as the twins hugged me excitedly.
"This is our last day with them for awhile." Caroline added quietly and I nodded before I looked down at the girls and smiled softly.
"I take it you haven't spoken with Matt." Ric replied and I rose my eyebrow at him.
"No." Caroline and I said confused as Ric walked into the living-room.
"Is Seline coming to dinner?" The twins asked happily before Caroline and I eyed them curiously.
"No, honey-" Caroline started before Stefan came from the hall and stepped in front of the girls.
"Hey, I thought I heard you three. I have your Christmas presents upstairs." Stefan stated smiling at them and they laughed loudly.
"Yay!" They all said before following Stefan but Freya quickly hugged me again before following also and I smiled before Caroline and I turned towards Ric.
"They're asking for Seline?" I asked scoffing and Ric nodded in agreement.
"I know." He said in annoyance as he took off his coat.
"But she kidnapped them." Caroline added shaking her head as I crossed my arms over my chest.
"I guess they didn't register the danger." Ric replied and I rose my eyebrow at him. "They just keep asking for her, ever since we've got them back." Ric added and Caroline furrowed her eyebrows.
"Well, I don't want them thinking that she's safe. Who knows when she's just going to show up. I, uh. I'll talk to them." Caroline stated before Ric shook his head.
"No, I'll talk to them." He replied and I rose my eyebrow at the tension between the two.. "Once we leave." Ric added and I cleared my throat.
"But we're supposed to have Christmas together first." Caroline replied scoffing at Ric but he was silent. "What is it, did something else happen?" Caroline asked eyeing him confused.
"Look, I think you'll need to sit down for this." Ric replied looking mainly at me and I rose my eyebrow at him confused as I walked towards the couch before the front door opened quickly.
"Ho, Ho, Ho." Damon's voice stated and I looked at him to see Sybil on his arm. "Merry Christmas, Ric." Damon added smirking at him and shutting the door behind them.
"I killed you." Ric whispered shocked and I widened my eyes at him.
"You what!?" I asked angrily looking at Ric as I now stood in front of him.
"Yeah, he and Matt took a whack at me." Damon replied coming from the door. "They even buried me. I can't tell you how hard it was to get all of that dirt out." Damon said laughing a bit and I narrowed my eyes at Sybil before I looked back at Damon. "I know, I know. Christmas just got merry." Damon added smirking at us.
"Excuse me." I said fake smiling before I quickly walked into the kitchen and pulled out my phone, turning the faucet on and dialing in Bonnie's number before she picked up on the fourth ring.
"I'm sorry, I know we're late." She said on the other line and I shook my head.
"Thank goodness. Don't come. It's Damon and he's here with that psycho American Idol reject." I stated angrily and quietly. "Enzo cannot be around her and don't even get me started on what Matt and Ric just tried to pull." I stated before I grabbed the eggnog from the fridge and some glasses.
"What do Sybil and Damon want?" Bonnie asked emotionless and I scoffed at her.
"To ruin Christmas, I don't know." I replied in annoyance before I slowly sighed. "But they promised to leave the girls alone and I don't want a war.. For Stefan's sake." I said shaking my head as I poured the eggnog into five glasses. "I just hope that they leave soon." I added and put cinnamon sticks in the glasses to complete them.
"Well, what about the tuning fork?" Enzo asked and I was guessing I was on speaker.
"She stole it from us." Bonnie replied on the other line also.
"Yeah, well, let's steal it back." Enzo replied and I rose my eyebrow at him.
"From where, for all we know, it's in the trunk of her car." I replied shaking my head at him.
"It disrupts her psychic power and it hurts like hell. She won't be carrying it around with her." Enzo replied in annoyance and I slowly nodded in agreement. "It's probably stashed where she's staying." He added and Bonnie sighed.
"We have no idea where that is." Bonnie pointed out and I nodded at her and rose my eyebrow.
"I can try to find out." I replied biting my bottom lip and Bonnie laughed a bit.
"She's not going to just tell you." Bonnie stated and I smirked a bit.
"She might.. Let me call you back." I stated before hanging up and grabbing a very old bottle of whiskey from one of the cupboards behind me and pouring some into one of the eggnog glasses and smiling evilly. I put all of the glasses on a platter before I walked out into the parlor to see Damon sitting on the couch as Sybil sat on a chair in the corner and I handed her to eggnog that I spiked. "Eggnog?" I asked before I looked at Damon and lazily handed him one. "I didn't have time to poison it." I added in annoyance before putting the tray down.
"Well you already poisoned the bourbon with milk and cinnamon, so." Damon replied and I rolled my eyes at him as Caroline and Stefan came into the room.
"Ric's gonna stay with the girls for awhile." Stefan stated nodding at me and Damon scoffed.
"You don't have to hide 'em, I'm honoring the deal." Damon replied in annoyance and Stefan eyed him carefully. "We work for Cade. Munchkins go unharmed." Damon added and I folded my arms over my chest.
"Well, Ric's not exactly in a trusting mood right now and uh.. Neither are we." I stated nodding at Stefan who gave Sybil and Damon a fake smile.
"My sister kidnapped them, I saved them from a life of serving Cade when I cosigned Damon's plan. So put away your umbrella, Mariana.. I don't need your shade. A simple thank you will suffice." Sybil replied and I rose my eyebrow at her as Stefan and Caroline eyed me waiting for me to do something before Caroline cut in.
"Thank you." Caroline stated and we all looked at her confused. "She's right.. You can't fault one sibling for the sins of the other." Caroline added looking at Damon and I smirked a bit. "Right?" Caroline asked looking back at Sybil.
"I appreciate that." Sybil said smiling but Caroline was being fake and I knew it..
"Stefan, why don't you come with me and we'll go get some of the old, family tree ornaments, huh?" Damon asked and I looked back at Stefan who was eyeing Damon carefully. Stefan looked at Caroline and I for an answer. Oh, come on, Stef." Damon added getting up from the couch. "I'll tell you why I'm here." Damon stated smirking and Stefan sighed nodding a bit. Damon walked towards me before he put his glass down on the small table behind me and I felt his breath on my cheek as he eyed me. "Hmm." Damon said before he walked away and I closed my eyes taking a deep breath before I felt Caroline grab my hand in reassurance.
~~~~
"Mm.. This is going to be a killer dinner. Are the other guests on the way?" Sybil asked as we stood in the kitchen.
"Let's hope so." Caroline replied emotionless as she wore a apron and I smirked at her.
"Oh, goody. I can't wait.. I haven't had a Christmas Eve dinner in-ever." Sybil replied as Caroline sighed standing in front of a turkey that was on the island. She started cutting it before Sible grabbed the knife and fork from Caroline. "Let me help. Besides, you wouldn't want to get turkey juice on that gigantic rock on your finger." Sybil stated before putting turkey meat on a plate loudly and Caroline looked at the engagement ring on her finger. "So? When's the wedding?" Sybil asked before she tore the turkey and put more meat on the plate.
"It was supposed to be in June but-" Caroline started before Syblil cut her off as she cut the turkey violently.
"Oh, that's right. Cade.. hmm. Don't worry, a vampire like Stefan will be really good." Sybil replied and I rose my eyebrow at her as she tore the meat off more and more. "He can probably kill twelve people in two seconds." Sybil added laughing and Caroline gulped before Sybil broke a bone off of the turkey and I rose my eyebrow at it. "And still be home in time to draw you a bath." Sybil smirked before chewing on the wish bone in her hand.
"Thrilling." Caroline stated sarcastically and Sybil smiled at her.
"So, what's your favorite part about Mystic Falls so far?" I asked changing the subject as I rose my eyebrow at Sybil as she rose her eyebrow thinking about it.
"Hmm.. Huge houses with big pools. You know I love the water, and it's not like I have to pay the mortgage or anything." Sybil replied and I slowly nodded at her and poured more eggnog into my glass.
"It's hard to find those around here." I stated looking at her and she slowly nodded.
"Actually, there's a little neighborhood outside of Grove Hill called the Pond Estates.. Weirdly though, there's no pond." Sybil stated chuckling and I laughed shaking my head fakely. "I know, right?" Sybil asked laughing and shaking her head. "Anyway, it's filled with rich, sleazy men that'll give up their whole house for a song." Sybil stated smirking at Caroline and I and I rose my eyebrow at her.
"That's so funny. Men can be so predictable." I said shaking my head before nodding at the two. "I'll be right back." I added before walking out of the kitchen.
~~
"It's called The Pond Estates. It's a neighborhood outside of Grove Hill." I added into the phone.
"Okay, we'll look it up." Bonnie replied on the other line and I rose my eyebrow at her voice. "You guys okay?" She added and I rolled my eyes.
"It is insane around here. Sybil wants to be Caroline and I's bestie, The twins keep asking about Seline, Freya keeps calling me her mom and I'm pretty sure Stefan is just off hiding somewhere." I stated in annoyance and Bonnie sighed on the other line.
"It's times like these that I wish Elena were here. At least she would straighten everything out. If you couldn't she would and if she couldn't you would." Bonnie stated and I slowly nodded and sighed at her.
"Yeah, I know the feeling.. Trust me." I whispered and thought about it. "I've been thinking about her all day. It's like she's here but she isn't.. God, I just want my sister back." I whispered and shook my head before I sighed. "I better go back and join the party. They'll wonder if I just left or something." I said before I hung up. I walked towards Stefan's room after I walked out of mine before I sighed opening the door. "Stefan-" I started as I saw him laying on the floor and I widened my eyes as his skin was grey and veins covered him. "Stefan!" I yelled and ran towards him before I saw a star tree topper laying beside him with his blood on one of the jagged edges and a voice came from behind me.
"Relax, he's not dead." Damon stated emotionless and I clenched my jaw at him. "Have you seen Ric, because if that's what's holding up dinner-" Damon started before I vamped at him but he grabbed me and held me towards the wall behind him.
"What did you do?" I asked angrily at him and he looked at me.
"I killed him. I mean, technically he is dead. But he'll be back." Damon stated and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Ric staked me and I came back. Same dileo.. Big man requested a meeting." Damon added before letting me go and I eyed him carefully. "I mean, what was I going to do?" Damon asked turning away from me and I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Fight." I replied and he froze. "Fight for me, Damon." I stated angrily and he slowly turned towards me. "You're still in there and I know it." I whispered slowly walking towards him. "And you know that I love you.. Forever and Always so fight, Damon." I whispered before I looked down at Stefan. "Fight for Stefan.. And for me." I added before I walked away from him. I walked down the stairs before I walked towards the living-room and saw Sybil hanging more ornaments on the tree.
"Do you like these ornaments?" She asked not turning towards me and I slowly sighed.
"Nope. Not even a little bit." I replied grabbing a whole bottle of wine and drinking from it and she smirked at me.
"Hey, surprise, surprise." A voice stated and I rose my eyebrow before I turned and saw Matt come in with a older man behind him.
"Matt, I thought you said you weren't coming." I said confused and he eyed Sybil who was on a ladder behind me.
"Well, apparently the Mystic Grill wasn't enough for this guy." Matt replied and I rose my eyebrow looking at the older man.
"The holidays are special. I convinced him he should stick around for the people that he loves." He replied and I took it that this was Matt's father.
"Which is a hell of a lot more than I can say for you, Peter Maxwell." Damon added coming from the hall and I narrowed my eyes at him as he eyed Matt's father.
"Ohh.. We've been waiting for you." Sybil stated from behind me and I sighed nervously.
"Well, Damon's alive, as you can see. Bonnie and Enzo are late and Stefan's dead! Merry Christmas, I've got gifts." I stated sarcastically before I rolled my eyes and drank the entire bottle of wine I held before Caroline came in with worry on her face.
"Stefan's dead?" She asked with no emotion and I slowly nodded.
"Yeah, I'm gonna need another bottle." I whispered sighing before walking out of the room.
-Time Skip-
"Let's make sure we all get back to the spirit of Christmas. At the heart of it, which is forgiveness." Caroline stated as she held presents in her hand as we all sat in the living-room. "So, Matt." Caroline stated handing him a present and he rose his eyebrow. "Peter." She said handing Matt's father one before turning to Sybil.. "And my mother taught me to always be prepared.. for anything." Caroline stated before handing one to Sybil and she smiled.
"Thank you." Sybil replied and I grabbed another present that was on a nearby coffee table and I turned to Damon.
"And this is for you." I stated and he eyed me confused. "I know that deep down, you're still in there and that the future you is going to ask for everyone who you have hurt these past months.. For forgiveness. This is for that guy." I stated and handed him the small bag before he eyed him and nodded putting it down next to him before he stood in front of the tree.
"Anyway, I'm sure all of you are asking yourselves why I barged in tonight. Relax, I come bearing a gift." Damon stated smirking at all of us. "Now, unfortunately, I'm only going to be able to give it to the most despicably evil person in the room and that's going to be a tough decision." Damon stated and I narrowed my eyes at him. "But tonight, one lucky little elf is going to get an all expense paid, one way trip, straight to hell." Damon stated and everyone became quiet. "Meaning, I'm going to kill one of you." Damon stated and I widened my eyes at him. "Let's eat." He said happily before smirking and raising his glass.
~~~~
"It's really quite simple." Damon stated as he turned a knife in his hand and we all sat at the dinner table. "I assess the evil in people. So if they are wicked, immoral, corrupt, foul, nefarious, etc, I kill them." Damon stated shrugging as Caroline placed another pan of food on the table loudly.
"These are the au gratin potatoes, Stefan made them. They're a Salvatore recipe." Caroline stated and Damon rolled his eyes.
"Hey, where the hell is Ric? Where is he, reading the dictionary to those girls?" Damon asked in annoyance.
"You are not going to kill Ric." I stated warningly at Damon. "Or anybody else. We are just going to sit here and enjoy this nice dinner just like Stefan wanted." I stated slowly sighing and Damon rolled his eyes as he ate before he plunged the knife down on the bread plate and everyone looked at him nervously.
"What? I was just breaking some bread." Damon stated and Sybil smirked at him.
"Why are you doing this?" Matt asked angrily at him.
"It's kind of his job." Sybil replied as Damon passed her the stuffing.
"To murder innocent people?" Peter asked eyeing her.
"Look who's talking about murder." Damon stated looking at Matt who furrowed his eyebrows at Damon.
"I never killed-" Matt started before Damon cut him off.
"Oh, yeah? Your old flame Penny is pretty dead as a door knob-" Damon started before Matt slammed on the table and stood up angrily.
"I never murdered anyone!" Matt stated angrily at Damon and I put my hand over Matt's as he sat next to me.
"Matt." I warned and he looked down at me. "Please." I whispered and he took a deep breath before sitting back down next to me.
"I mean, at least Ric looked a little torn up when that stake went into my heart." Damon stated drinking his red wine. "And you looked pretty psyched." Damon stated and Matt narrowed his eyes at him. "But I forgive you, Matty. You've had a lot of tragedy in your life." He added looking at Peter before sighing. "Here's the thing, Ric was just doing the parental thing much like he is doing upstairs right now. Do I want to kill him, yes but that's personal. This should be principle-" Damon started before I cut him off.
"It's all personal, Damon." I interrupted and he looked at me before Sybil opened her mouth.
"What about this Peter fellow." Sybil stated eyeing him from across the table. "I've heard so much about you." She added smirking.
"Back off." Matt warned Sybil and I looked at him.
"Or what?" Damon replied and Matt turned towards him and I sighed looking away.
~~~
"I told you. I gamboled away lots of money, I cheated on my taxes, for sure. I don't know what else you wanna know." Peter stated angrily at Damon as were all finished eating and still sitting at the table before Ric walked into the dinning room.
"Well, look who decided to join us." Damon stated eyeing his old bestfriend. "I was just asking Peter what's the worst thing he's ever done." Damon stated nodding at Ric.
"Oh, well mine was not making sure that you were permanently dead." Ric replied and I sighed at him. "I see you're wreaking havoc as usual." Ric added sitting at the end of the table.
"Damon, stop this stupid game." Caroline added and Sybil smirked at her.
"Oh, but humiliating public confession is so much fun." Sybil replied in amusement and I shook my head at her.
"You left your son, you abandoned your family and your answer to the question 'what's the worst thing you've ever done' is 'uh, I guessed I gamboled and cheated on my account of my dishonesty'." Damon stated angrily looking at Peter.
"I was a kid." Peter replied and I sighed at them.
"Well, unless your last name is Pan, you haven't been a kid for a long time." Damon replied in annoyance before he picked up a large, silver set knife. "So, explain to me the last 20-plus years." Damon added eyeing Peter.
"It's none of your business, Damon." Matt replied before Damon slammed the knife into the table a centimeter away from Matt's middle finger and I widened my eyes.
"Enough-Enough! This has gone way too far. You do not need to answer him." I stated angrily at Peter before I looked back at Damon before Damon vamped at Peter and grabbed him from the chair before putting a knife to his throat and we all quickly stood and looked at him.
"Yes, you do and quick." Damon stated before sliding the knife over Peter's cheek and he groaned in pain before Damon looked at Matt. "Next cut goes a couple of inches lower." Damon stated holding the knife to his throat.
"What are you going to do Donovan, kill me again? Let's hear Papa's story while he still has some vocal chords." Damon stated smirking and I clenched my jaw at him. "Last chance. What kept you away for more than 20 years?" Damon asked whispering in Peter's ear as his eyes glazed over, looking at Matt. Damon let Peter go before taking a step towards Matt and about to cut his throat and I widened my eyes.
"It was shame!" Peter yelled and Damon froze. "It was shame, okay? Just look, I was ashamed." Peter stated and Matt looked at Peter confused. "Kelly was pregnant again and I-I couldn't come back and be another toilet scrubber in this town." Peter stated as Damon looked at him now. "I had.. I had to get out." Peter whispered as he looked at Matt who was shocked at him. Hurt.
"Wow.." Damon stated standing in between Peter and Matt. "It's worse than I thought." Damon stated and I narrowed my eyes at him. "He didn't have a reason at all." Damon stated and I looked at Sybil who had excitement in her eyes as she sat at the table delightfully eating. "Ladies and gentleman, we have a winner." Damon stated before putting his arm around Peter as Matt slowly sat back down at the table.
"I think it's my turn for an interrogation." Sybil stated wiping her mouth with her napkin and getting up from the table.
"I think you're right." Damon replied before he gestured for Peter to follow Sybil into the kitchen and Peter did. Damon sat at the table again as did everyone else before Peter yelled from the kitchen and Matt turned worriedly. "I wouldn't." Damon warned him before I heard the front door open and I rose my eyebrow.
"Excuse me." I stated standing before I walked towards the door but saw it closed and I furrowed my eyebrows. I heard a high pitched sound and groaned clutching my head.
"Mariana?" Ric asked worriedly coming towards me as dod Caroline and Matt. I looked up at them confused as Damon vamped passed me with Sybil in his arms and I sturned towards him but he was already out of the house. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked back at everyone as Bonnie, Enzo and Peter came from the kitchen. Peter was fine as was Enzo, while Bonnie was breathing heavily and Enzo was looking at her with worry.
"What happened?" Caroline asked and I sighed shaking my head confused.
"You didn't hear that? It was so loud." Bonnie stated and I nodded in agreement as she looked at the fork and I furrowed my eyes at her. "We're all connected.. The witches. Sirens." Bonnie stated before turning to me and I eyed the pitch fork that Enzo had in his hand slowly.
~~~~
I watched as the twins and Freya opened their presents and I smiled at them as I sat on the couch and Caroline sat in the chair. "Thank you mommy and daddy!" The twins and Freya said happily and I smiled at them before Freya came towards me and sat on my lap holding a present.
"What's this?" I asked smiling at her and she smiled up at me.
"It's for you." She replied and I rose my eyebrow before I unwrapped the present and I took a deep breath at the picture.. It was of me and her. I was holding her after when she was a baby and it was our first Christmas. "I love you, mommy." Freya whispered and I looked at her and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Frey-" I started before I slowly sighed and held her closer towards me. "I love you." I replied before I kissed her head. "Now, go play with your sisters." I added and she nodded before getting down and running towards Josie and Elizabeth. I got up from the couch and walked towards the kitchen. There was a mess that needed cleaning and no one else was going to do it. I heard footsteps come in behind me and I knew who it was. "When are you and the girls leaving?" I asked not looking at him.
"Soon." Ric replied emotionless and I nodded as I started doing dishes.
"Do you know where you're moving yet?" I asked looking out the window to see it start to snow a bit.
"I'm thinking somewhere warm maybe.. But no. Haven't decided yet." Ric replied and I slowly nodded at him.
"Stefan left." I stated scrubbing a plate. "As did Damon, I guess." I added before I put the plate in the dishwasher. "I didn't mean to confuse Freya, Ric." I stated and silence came upon us. "She-" I started before Ric cut me off.
"-Is right." Ric replied and I furrowed my eyebrows. "You're as much her mother as Caroline and Jenna are." Ric stated and I slowly sighed. "More, even." He added and I smiled a bit and scrubbed one of the plates more. "Caroline said you gave Damon a present." Ric stated changing the subject and I scoffed at him.
"Yeah, and if you killed him permanently, he wouldn't have taken it with him." I replied and I slowly sighed looking at Ric.
"What was it?" Ric asked as he sat at the island in front of me and I slowly looked down at the rag that was in my hand.
"My engagement ring." I replied and Ric furrowed his eyebrows at me.
"He-" Ric started but I cut him off.
"No." I whispered and looked back towards the window. "No, He didn't but he didn't hide it well either.. He hid it in his underwear drawer. The one I looked through for the white oak stake when Elena was hell-bent on killing Rebekah.. The one he hid the cure in so I wouldn't find it." I laughed and looked down at the sink as my eyes glazed over. "And the one that he kept the engagement ring in before he decided to desiccate for three years." I whispered and traced my pointer finger slowly over my ring finger.
"What were you hoping to accomplish?" Ric asked and I sighed and looked at him.
"The ring was his mother's." I replied and Ric rose his eyebrow at me. "Lily gave it to Damon before she died.. She wanted to be on good terms but Damon.. Is-" I started before Ric cut me off.
"Damon." Ric sighed and I laughed looking at him and nodding.
"If the ring he was going to propose to me with doesn't turn back on his humanity.. Maybe it being Lily's will." I whispered and turned back to the sink before I put more dishes in the dishwasher.