(Picture of Hayden and Taylor)
Woods
It's morning. Stella is in the woods doing pushups as well as talking on the phone to Carlisle who is outside the Lockwood mansion, "What do you mean you're not coming? I don't need to remind you that your Mister Mystic Falls attendance record totally sucks"
Carlisle is walking down the stairs with a clipboard and preparing for the pageant. His phone is to his ear as he continues to talk to Stella, "Besides, you're a founding family member, by definition you have to be here"
He walks over to a table where someone is arranging some flowers. Carlisle grabs the flowers from her hands and rearranges them to his satisfaction. She walks away. "Eliot and I broke up. By definition, I don't need to be anywhere" Stella tells him.
"Did that sound as depressing to you as it did to me?"
"Oh, I'm not depressed. I just want to rip into someone's artery and feed until I can't breathe anymore" Stella stops doing pushups and lies down with her back against the ground.
"Well, you can't. As your sober sponsor, I am not going to let that happen. Try and sublimate"
Stella stares up at the sky in silence for a moment, "He said he has feelings for Demi"
"What?! He can't have feelings for Demi! She's...Demi. And you're...you. And I'm – revolted. You know, I'm gonna talk to him. I'm going to shake some sense into his clearly diseased brain"
"Yeah, well I don't know what good that'll do. Eliot's right, being a vampire really has changed him" Stella tells him.
"All the more reason you need to cure him," Eliot walks down the steps. Carlisle sees him and Eliot starts to walk over to him, "Look, I got to go. Be careful. And remember, there is sublimating and then there is insanity"
"I'll be fine. Bye" She hangs up. Carlisle puts down his phone and looks at Eliot.
Stella stands up. Colette rushes up behind her and grabs her in a chokehold, "In what world do the words "tell no one" mean tell your sister and every teenage sycophant in town?"
"The secret's safe. No one who knows about the cure will endanger us. Trust me, you know I want to find it more than anyone else" Stella manages to choke out.
"Well then, I suggest you find some more vampires for Jemma to kill before I'm tempted to offer you up as a victim" Colette releases Stella from her chokehold. Stella steps away and turns to look at her, "And try and keep this one to yourself, would you?"
**********
Salvatore Boarding House
Stella walks down the stairs with a bag over her shoulder. Demi intercepts her on her way out, "Where have you been?"
"Ah, you know, out" Stella walks past Demi and towards the front door.
"Where are you going?" Demi calls after her.
"Out"
"Okay, I see shady Stella is back" Stella stops and walks back towards Demi, "Please don't tell me that you're still working with Colette"
"You obviously haven't heard. Eliot and I broke up"
Demi stays silent for a moment with a blank, expressionless face, "Oh, got it. Uh, well, I'll be quick then. So, apparently, if we want to find the cure, we have to find a vampire hunter who can kill enough vampires to reveal the map on the hunter's mark. Now, unless we want Jemma to go all Connie two-point-oh. I suggest we find a different hunter"
"Okay. And?"
"And I was gonna ask professor Shane, but turns out she's shadier than you are. Macy Donovan connected her and the pastor through phone records. Apparently, the two were very chatty the day that the pastor blew up the council"
Stella nods, "Ah, so you're gonna confront Shane, threaten her, possibly kill her, that sort of thing"
"Yeah, unless she tells me what she's up to" She pats Stella on the shoulder, "What do you say? Should we tag team this?"
"Nah, I'd say you're on your own" Stella starts to leave again, but Demi stops her.
"Or we could just blow it off and go get drunk. Sister bond over some tri delts. If you, you know, want some quality time"
Stella grimaces and laughs, "Let's not pretend like this isn't the best day of your life" Stella pats Demi on the arm and walks out of the house.
**********
Lockwood Mansion
Carlisle is standing outside the house with his clipboard in hand. Three girls walk towards him with flower arrangements, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, stop, stop!" the girls come to a halt, "Those flowers go in the back as indicated by the floral chart that you guys had plenty of time to memorize" the girls turn around and walk off, "Yeah, thank you"
Carlisle looks down at his clipboard again. Colette walks up to him, "Now, how did I know I'd find you at the helm of the ship?"
He looks at her and then back down at the clipboard, "Go away. I'm busy"
"I was wondering what time I should pick you up tomorrow"
Carlisle looks up from his clipboard again and over at her, "How about a quarter to never?" he looks away again.
Colette moves closer towards him, "I was promised a date in return for one of my hybrids"
"Yes, a date. Like to a movie where we don't have to talk and I can put at least three seats between us"
"Well, surely the reigning Mister Mystic Falls won't hosting the party alone" Carlisle finally turns around and looks at her with his full attention, "And I assume you're not taking Taylor. Not after her indiscretions with her werewolf friend" Colette looks up at him with puppy dog eyes.
"Fine. If you insist on coming, meet me here. Two p.m." He starts to walk away, "Black tie optional" He quickly turns around and points at her, "And I already have a suit, so don't even think of getting me so much as a corsage, you understand?"
Colette looks down submissively and nods. Carlisle walks up the stairs, "I'll see you tomorrow, Carlisle"
**********
Apollo is preparing for the Mister Mystic Falls pageant. He holds up two ties, one dark and one light, for Carlisle and Eliot to pick from. "Light" they both says.
"Really? The Light seems a little safe" Apollo tells them.
"Safe is good when it comes to judges" Eliot assures him.
"He's right. Graham Lockwood had no tie his year and practically got laughed off the court" Carlisle tells him and Eliot smiles and laughs.
Demi walks into the room, "He got my vote" Eliot looks at her and appears to stop breathing. Carlisle throws a black object at her. It hits her in the chest, "Get out, lurker!"
"ouch" Demi says sarcastically, Carlisle walks over to her, "Where's professor Shane?"
"Check the judges' table" Carlisle starts to close the door on her, but Demi puts her hand up and pushes it back open. Carlisle starts to walk back towards Eliot.
"Dark one, definitely" Demi tells Apollo.
Carlisle has stopped in the middle of the room, midway between Eliot and Demi. He has his arms crossed, "We've already agreed that the dark one is a little bit too showy" He glances at Eliot.
"It's a pageant. That's the whole point"
Carlisle looks at Demi and places his hands on his hips, "Did you win Mister Mystic Falls last year? No. I don't think you did"
"Neither did Eliot and he wore light"
"Nobody cares what you think" Carlisle snaps.
"I care" Apollo says quietly.
"See? Apollo cares. Dark, right, Eliot?" Demi asks Eliot. Carlisle glares at Eliot.
Eliot looks at Apollo, "The dark one is pretty" Carlisle's face falls.
Demi smirks, "And my work here is done" Demi walks out of the room.
Carlisle looks back at Eliot, "Uh, what happened to thirty seconds ago when you hated the dark one? What happened to safe is good?"
Eliot looks at him with a glazed look over his eyes. He shakes his head and turns back to Apollo, "Whichever one you want to wear, Apollo" Eliot walks out of the room.
Carlisle watches him leave and turns around, confused, "What just happened?"
**********
Demi is walking down the stairs. Eliot is following right behind her, "Demi"
Demi stops at the bottom of the staircase and turns to look at him, "Still here"
There is a moment of silence, "We need to talk"
"Stella told me about the break up" Eliot starts to walk down the remaining stairs towards Demi, "I'd say I'm sorry but I'm not"
Demi and Eliot start to walk across the room together, "What did she say?"
They stop in the middle of the room and face each other, "Oh you know Stella, she kind of just went on and on about it and wouldn't shut up"
"So, she didn't tell you why?" Eliot asks her.
"Nope. But I'm sure it has something to do with you acting weird, so why don't you tell me?"
"You"
Demi stares at him, speechless at this revelation. They stare at each other for a long a moment. Professor Shane walks by, but stops when she sees Demi, "Demi Salvatore. Looks like we travel in the same circuit"
Demi and Eliot look over at her. Demi is not pleased that Shane interrupted her moment with Eliot, "Professor Shane. Just the girl I wanted to see"
Demi walks towards professor Shane, but looks back at Eliot. The two women walk out of the room together, but Demi gives Eliot one last look. Eliot stands in the middle of the room, alone now. Outside, Demi and Shane walk past the tables set up for the pageant.
"So, I'm in search for another hunter" Demi tells her.
"Hunter?"
"Mhm"
"With a capital H? Why?"
"Same reason anyone needs a Hunter. Loneliness, drinking buddy, or for golf" Demi says sarcastically.
"I thought you said you already had a potential" Shane reminds her.
"I did, but she ended up being a potential problem"
"There's nothing I can do to help you"
"Hmm, why don't you help me with this..." Demi stops and faces Shane, "Why are you here? What's in your little lesson plan there, professor?"
"You think too highly of me, Demi. I'm gonna go find the other judges" Shane starts to walk off, but Demi stops her.
"Hey, no pity votes for Apollo Young, okay? I mean, just because his dad blew up a house with a dozen people in it doesn't mean he should get a tiara. But you knew him, didn't you? Because I hear you two racked up a pretty impressive phone bill"
"If you want to know something about me, Demi, just ask"
"Okay. How did you convince the pastor to kill all those people?"
"Did you just accuse me of mass murder in the middle of a high school pageant?"
Demi smirks at her. Carol Lockwood is on stage, introducing the pageant. Everyone claps. Demi and Shane are still staring each other down, but Shane finally walks away, gulping down her champagne. Demi watches her walk off.
**********
Carlisle is outside, picking up empty champagne glasses from tables. He smiles at the attendees of the pageant and walks angrily over to a bus boy, "Hey, why am I bussing your tables?" He slams the champagne glasses onto his tray, "I said no empty glasses" the bus boy walks off.
Carlisle strides over to the orchestra, "Will you guys pick up the tempo?!" He snaps his fingers at them, "This is a pageant, not a funeral" He turns around and walks away.
Colette walks up to him, "And how am I doing?"
Carlisle stops and looks at her, "You're...perfect" Colette smiles, "Just so beyond annoying. I can't even look at you" Colette doesn't say anything.
Carlisle eventually looks at her again anyway. Colette looks over Carlisle's shoulder at Hayden and Taylor who are walking up the lawn towards the house together and holding hands, "They didn't waste any time, did they?"
Carlisle turns around and looks at them. He seems upset. Colette looks over at him. Carlisle continues to watch Hayden and Taylor, "Let's just get today over with" He strides past Colette.
**********
Carlisle is onstage and is about to introduce the contestants. "Hi, everyone, I'm Carlisle Forbes"
Eliot walks up the lawn to watch the introduction. Demi stands a few feet away from him and she looks over at him. Everyone claps, including Eliot and Demi. They exchange looks and Eliot takes a deep breath. Music starts playing for the introduction of the contestants. Eliot is clapping when Macy approaches him, "Have you seen Jemma?"
"She's probably up there with the escorts" Eliot and Macy look over at the escorts and try to spot Jemma.
"Yeah, Carlisle told me to wrangle the escorts. She's not here" Macy tells him. Eliot appears to be slightly worried, "Did she tell you about her nightmares?"
"What nightmares?" Eliot looks over at Macy.
"The ones where she kills you"
Eliot raises his eyebrows in surprise, "I'll find her, but..." Apollo starts to descend the stairs. Eliot and Macy look up at him. Eliot sighs, "Apollo's about to get abandoned"
"I got this"
"Okay"
Macy walks away. Apollo continues to walk down the steps but stops and looks around for Jemma. Carlisle also looks around for Jemma but keeps a large smile on his face. Macy walks up to where the escorts were lined up and holds out her arm for Apollo. Everyone applauds and Apollo breathes a sigh of relief. He walks down the remainder of the stairs with a smile and takes Macy's arm.
They start to dance. Demi watches them for a moment then looks over at Eliot. Eliot is still looking around for Jemma, but he catches Demi looking at him and he smiles. Demi looks back and watches the dance. Eliot stares at her for a moment longer and then walks out of the crowd. Carlisle quickly walks down the steps and over to Eliot, who is on his phone.
"Hey, what's with the last minute escort change? Where is Jemma?"
"I'm calling her right now" Demi walks up to them, "She's not picking up"
"Do the math. Emo teen, open bar, it's fine" Demi tells them.
"Macy said that Jemma's been having nightmares about killing vampires and she's been hiding it from me" Eliot reveals.
Carlisle looks surprised and worried. Demi shrugs it off, "Relax, I'm sure she's fine"
"I don't know. I have a bad feeling"
"If I'm not worried, you shouldn't be worried. Let it go. I'll go look for her"
"Okay"
Demi walks away.
"Okay, you go home, I'm gonna start asking around here" Carlisle tells Eliot.
"Maybe Demi's right. Maybe she grabbed a bottle from the bar and snuck off to the woods" Eliot shrugs.
"No, Demi is never right. Demi is sneaky and manipulative and rude, but she's never right. How can you not see that?"
"I don't know, but why do I think that you won't hesitate to tell me?" Eliot tells him.
"Fine, friend-tervention. I think your so-called feelings for Demi are really starting to cloud your judgement and I don't like it" Colette walks over to them and stands next to Carlisle, "And the thought of you two together really makes me want to barf"
"Easy, love, you're making a scene" Colette warns him.
"Wow, Carlisle, thank you for making this very difficult time so much easier" Eliot snaps before walking away.
Carlisle stands there with a blank look on his face, "How did I become the bad guy?"
Colette moves from standing next to him to standing in front of him, "Let's get you a drink. I'll tell you all about being the bad guy"
**********
Old Lockwood Cellar
Stella looks at Jemma who is examining her arm. The mark starts to spread. Stella walks down towards her, "How far did the mark grow?"
Jemma doesn't answer. Stela pulls out the drawing of Connie's mark, "Show me on this drawing"
Jemma turns around and looks at her, "Sorry, Stella, but I can't trust you"
"How far is it, Jemma?"
"I said I can't"
"Answer me or I will make you answer me" Stella threatens her.
"I am not telling you anything"
Stella grabs Jemma and compels her, "What does the mark look like?"
Jemma suddenly stakes Stella in the stomach. Stella yells in pain, "I guess I can't be compelled anymore" Jemma releases the stake from her grasp and grabs the duffel bag. She walks out of the cellar. Stella falls down on the ground and clutches at the stakes still in her stomach.
**********
Lockwood Mansion
Carlisle and Colette are walking next to the pond on the Lockwood property. Colette is carrying two glasses and a bottle of champagne.
"It's just, as his best friend, it is my duty to warn him when he's making a giant mistake, right? And now he's taking Demi's side on everything" Carlisle tells her.
"So, being a vampire's changed him?"
"But being a vampire only amplifies who you already are. It doesn't turn you into a completely different person"
"It's very peculiar" Colette smirks and looks as if she knows something he doesn't.
Carlisle looks at her, "What's that look for?"
"It'll all make sense eventually"
"Whatever, just – just hurry up and find the cure" Carlisle sits down on a stone bench by the pond. Colette places the champagne down next to him and looks at him.
"I'm working on it" Colette sits next to him and starts to open the champagne bottle.
"Would you ever take it?" Carlisle asks her, curiously.
"Now, why would I want to cure myself of being the most powerful creature on the planet? Hm?"
"So there's not one single moment in your whole life that you wanted to be human?"
Colette looks at him and pops the cork off the champagne bottle. She avoids the question, "How about you?"
Across the lawn, Taylor is walking past and sees Carlisle and Colette sitting together and drinking champagne. She listens into their conversation and hears them laughing together.
"Life used to be a lot easier" Colette stands up and pulls a piece of paper out from her jacket, "Don't you miss the days of being..." She opens up the paper and starts to read from it, "Chair of the Mystic Falls Beautification Committee. And the Director of the Policeman's Yearly Raffle"
Carlisle looks up at her with wide, horrified eyes, "Is that my Mister Mystic application?" He stands up and smacks the paper out of her hands, "Where did you get that?!"
Colette laughs and catches the paper. She continues reading, "When I am chosen I intend to redefine excellence," Carlisle runs his hands through his hair in frustration, "Now, I'm really enjoying your use of when here. It's very confident"
Carlisle looks at her and laughs sarcastically. "And above all, I promise to aspire, inspire, and perspire..." Carlisle has his hand on his hips and continues to nod and smile, clearly not enjoying this torment. Colette cannot stop laughing, "Obviously, we found a shortage of words ending in spire"
Carlisle tries to grab the paper out of her hands again, "Yeah, it's very funny" He continues to try to take the paper from Colette, but she keeps pulling it out of reach, "It's hilarious. Just—"
Colette holds the paper out behind her and away from Carlisle. She looks at him with an expression that clearly says try and take it from me. Carlisle stops trying and cracks a smile. He begins to laugh. Colette laughs with him and the two sits back down on the bench and continue to drink their champagne. Taylor stops listening and walks away.
**********
Inside the house, Jemma is sitting an empty room. She places one of the stakes and pushes it in to the palm of her hand until it begins to bleed. Eliot walks in the room. Jemma takes the stake away and looks up at him.
"Hey, where have you been?" Eliot asks her before he sees the stake in her hand, "What are you doing with that?" Jemma stands up, "Put it down"
"Connie was right. All I can think about is killing vampires" Jemma tells him.
"You're nothing like Connie"
"I want to believe that. And I know I don't want to hurt you, but everything inside of me is telling me to drive this stake through your heart"
"Why would you say that? It's me, Jemma" Eliot shakes his head.
"And you're a vampire"
"Yeah, but I'm also your brother" He gently grabs her wrist, "Jem, I would never do anything to hurt you" Eliot suddenly smells the blood on her hand. He turns it over and sees it. Veins start crawling towards his eyes.
Jemma looks at him, "No"
Eliot looks up at her and the veins start to go away. He backs up, "Get – get it away from me" He turns around.
Jemma strides towards him with a stake in her hand. He turns around quickly, grabs her wrist, and throws her to the ground. Realizing what he has just done, he walks over to her and kneels down next to her. He starts to shake her, "Jem, Jem, hey, Jem, wake up. Jem, please wake up"
Eliot continues to panic and shake Jemma. Suddenly, Jemma opens her eyes and stakes Eliot in the neck with the hidden arm cuff stake. Eliot gasps and clutches his neck. Jemma kneels down in front of him and raises the stake to finish him off. Macy walks into the room, "Jemma!"
"Get out of here, Macy"
"Jemma, you don't want to do this, okay. That's your brother! It's that stupid mark on your arm"
"Shut up, Macy!"
"Jemma, look at me! I'm human and I'm telling you not to hurt him"
Jemma hesitates for a moment, but looks as if she's still going to stake Eliot. Suddenly, Stella rushes into the room, grabs Jemma, and holds her against the wall. "Get her out of here, Macy!" Stella pushes Jemma towards Macy and she grabs her and leaves. "Come on. Let's get out of here"
Stella kneels down in front of Eliot. Eliot is trying to take the stake out of his neck. "Let me do it, let me do it, let me do it"
Eliot continues to gasp for air. Stella gently takes his hands off the stake and pulls it out. Eliot breathes a sigh of relief and continues to gasp for air. He finally catches his breath. Stella places her hand on his cheek and looks at him. He looks up at her and clutches her hand in his. They continues to look at each other.
**********
Taylor listens in to Carlisle and Colette's conversation again. Carlisle and Colette have stopped walking and are facing each other.
"I never answered your question; if I ever though about being human. Once, I was on a trek in the Andies, and a hummingbird flew up to me. It just hovered there, staring at me, its tiny heart was pattering like a machine gun. And I thought, what a thing, you know, to have to work that hard every day just to stay alive. To be constantly on the verge of death and how satisfying every day must be that it survived. And that was the only time I thought about being human" Colette confessed to Carlisle.
Carlisle smiles at her.
**********
Eliot walks across the yard. Stella runs after him, "Eliot, wait"
"I have to find Jemma. This shouldn't be happening to her"
"Eliot, wait. It's my fault" Stella grabs him by the arm and faces him. He stops and looks at her, "What are you talking about?"
"I'm starting to think that when a Hunter kills a vampire, the urge to keep killing gets stronger"
"Tell me that Jemma hasn't been with you this entire time" Stella says nothing and looks away, "Tell me that you haven't been making her kill vampires, Stella"
"We need the map to get the cure"
"If getting my humanity back means stripping Jemma of hers, then I don't want the cure" Eliot tells her.
"She's the only way to fix all of this"
"You mean me. The only way to fix me. You don't have to love me like this. This is who I am now. The old Eliot died when he went off that bridge. Let him go"
Stella is clearly upset by Eliot's words. Demi approaches them but stops a few feet away from them. Eliot and Stella look over at her. Eliot looks back at Stella and Stella walks away, hurt by Eliot's rejection. Eliot watches her go.
**********
Salvatore Boarding House
It's nighttime. Demi opens the front door. Eliot is outside, carrying his luggage. He walks into the house. Stella walks out of the parlor and they look at each other.
"I can't stay at home anymore" Eliot explains.
Stella nods, "Pick a room. I'll crash somewhere else" Stella walks out of the house. Eliot and Demi watch her leave.
**********
Eliot is sitting on the couch in the parlor. Demi walks over to him and hands him a drink, "Thanks" Eliot takes a drink. Demi sits down next to him, "I was being polite. I thought you hated whiskey"
"My sister wants to kill me"
"Welcome to the club" Demi holds her glass out to him and he clinks his glass against hers. They both drink.
"Jemma can't live with me, Stella wants to fix me, and Carlisle flat-out admitted that he doesn't like me this way. I think it's safe to say I'm not so great at this vampire thing"
"You want to know what I think" Eliot looks at her, "I don't think I've ever seen you more alive"
They stare at each other for a moment. Eliot smiles and laughs, "That dance that they did today kind of reminded me of when..."
"When we danced together," Demi smiles.
Eliot nods, "I wanted to dance with you today" He looks up at Demi.
Demi places her glass on the coffee table and takes Eliot's glass and puts it down as well. She stands up and offers her hand to him. Eliot smiles, takes it and stands up. Demi leads him over to the front of the fireplace. Demi takes his other hand and placing the other hand on his shoulder, while Eliot lowers his other hand to her waist. They start to dance and they place their heads together.
**********
Forbes Residence
Stella pours a shot for herself and Carlisle. They are sitting in the living room, talking to one another. "Eliot's right. I just – I need to let go"
"No, you're right, Stella. It's not pretty and it's not easy, but you can't give up on him" Carlisle tells her.
"Carlisle, he looked me in the eye and he told me to move on"
"He's lost. Okay, you and him, epic. Him and Demi, ugh, god. There's something wrong with him. Just promise me you won't stop looking for the cure"
"Colette won't let me even if I wanted to" Stella places her shot glass down and pours herself another one.
"Why does she care? She doesn't even want it"
"She wants to keep Eliot human so that she can make more hybrids"
Carlisle sits back into his chair and relaxes, "She's gonna need them. Taylor's almost got all of them unsired"
Suddenly, Carlisle looks as if he just realized something, "Oh my god" Stella looks up at him, confused, "Oh. My. God." Stella holds her arms out in a gesture for him to explain what he means.
**********
Salvatore Boarding House
Eliot twirls Demi around. He pulls her back in and kisses her passionately like he couldn't wait anymore.
**********
Forbes Residence
Carlisle stands up, still shocked by the discovery he has figured out, "I was trying to understand why Colette was so intrigued by Demi and Eliot. She said I would figure it out. This is what she was talking about"
"What are you talking about?" Stella asks him, confused.
"Think about it. Every time Eliot's had a problem, Demi's been the magic solution"
**********
Demi and Eliot are intertwined together in a heated make out session.
**********
"Today, Eliot was worried about Jemma. Who swoops in and tells him to relax? Demi. And he listens"
Stella still looks confused.
"When Eliot started feeding, who said that he could only drink blood straight from the vein?"
Stella seems to be realizing what Carlisle is getting at, "Demi"
**********
Eliot super speeds Demi into a wall so hard that he knocks a lamp over and breaks it.
**********
"And when he tried to drink from animals?"
"He couldn't keep it down"
"And blood bags?"
"Same thing"
**********
Eliot has Demi pushed against the wall. They continue to kiss and Eliot rips Demi's shirt open.
**********
"Name one vampire in the history of vampires who couldn't drink blood from a blood bag. Demi said he couldn't, so he couldn't"
**********
Eliot super speeds Demi into the wall next to the fireplace and continues to kiss her. He is holding her leg up to his waist.
**********
"Demi likes the red dress. Eliot likes the red dress" Carlisle continues.
"Demi says kill Connie and he kills Connie" Stella remembers.
"What if It's possible? Demi's blood made him a vampire, right?" Carlisle asks her. Stella looks up at him, "It's rare, but it happens. What if this is one of those times?" Carlisle sits back down, "What if this is really happening?"
**********
Demi and Eliot are still making out.
**********
Stella leans forward, "Eliot's sired to Demi"
**********
Eliot and Demi are now in Demi's bed with only their undergarments on. Demi is straddling Eliot and pushes him down on the bed. She kisses him. Eliot then rolls on top of her and kisses down her neck and chest. They kiss each other all over as they make love. The two of them not knowing about the sire bond.