Asher and i were sat at the grill, i was on my phone not paying attention when another chair scraped out, Liz sitting with us. "I see you and your new... partner in crime are back in town." She states.
"Wow, you have eyes." I hum, not looking up from my phone screen.
"Okay, well, then I'll get right to it. Did one of your blow up the Young farm and kill the council?" Asher and i share a look, laughing. "This is a serious matter."
"If i was going to kill someone, i wouldn't blow it up, i like making it messy." I smile. "Not my style. But, maybe you should ask Damon." She hums, smiling, "Asher, let's go." Asher and I stood up, starting to walk off before i stop.
"Oh, Liz, just a heads up, next time i see Caroline about to be tortured to death, don't expect me to save her."
==================================
"Wow, i finally got you alone without your lap dog." I look up seeing Damon, "Where is he anyway?"
"Why, jealous?" I smirked, Damon gives me a look, and i roll my eyes, "He got hungry." I smirked.
"He can't go around killing people, Alina." Damon snaps.
"I think he can because you are not his father," I smirk. Damon rolls his sitting on the bench next to me. "Why are you here?" I ask.
"I can't come to see an old friend?" I hum, nodding, looking away. We sat in silence for a few minutes until he sighed, "Stefan is trying to teach Elena how to be a vampire, he's putting her on the bunny diet."
"Okay, cool." I nodded, not really caring.
"And you don't even care." He huffed.
"Yeah, you're right, i don't." I smiled. "I guess it's hard loving someone who doesn't love you back." I say with a fake pout. "I mean, i would know, but..."
"I did love, i still do." Damon sighs.
"Damn, you love two people who don't love you back, that sucks." I laugh. "Just imagine the hot vampire sex."
"You're no help." He huffed. I shrug, looking back at my phone.
"Sucks to suck, Salvatore."
================================
Damon had invited me to have a drink at the Grill with him, and how could i refuse. But right now, i was in the bathroom. I fix my hair, hearing my phone ring. "Hello?"
"Where are you?" Asher huffs, "This town is boring."
"Tell me about it. I'm at the grill with Damon." I tell him.
"The Ex?"
"The ex." I confirm. "He invited me out for a drink, and i do love a good drink." I hum. "Anyways, where are you?"
"The next town over, mind telling me why your face is plastered everywhere?" He asks. I give off a little laugh, staring at myself in the mirror.
"I killed at least thirty percent of the town," I say nonchalantly. "Anyway, I'll be back at the motel later tonight, have fun," I say hanging up. I walk out of the bathroom and back towards the bar, seeing Liz talking to Damon.
"Unless the perpetrator's right next to me." She sighs.
"Oo, i get to hear this speech twice today." I smile. "How fun." Liz's face hardened, frowning as she looked between the two of us.
"Was this an old dynamic duo team up?" She glares. I look down to Damon and he drops his jaw.
"Well, don't look at me. I always take credit for killing people." Damon smirked. Damon looked back to Liz, seeing the look on her face, his expression changing, "Seriously, stop looking at me like that, Liz. If i was going to kill ten people, i wouldn't blow 'em up. I'd have a dinner party."
"Thank you!" I huff, taking a drink from my glass.
"The explosion was sparked from inside. This wasn't an accident. And coincidentally, it happened to be the day after you came home."
"You say that like it's a bad thing." I laugh. "The council's dead Liz, it's a win. They can't expose Caroline anymore now." I smirk.
Liz gave us a glare, "I've known some of the council since i was a kid. They were my friends."
"Well, your friends tried to kill your daughter." Damon scoffed. "Who's the new guy?" I look around, acting like I'm cracking my neck, seeing some guy walking up to us.
"Excuse me, Sherrif. Hi, i was wondering if i could speak to you for a minute. It's about the explosion at the Young farm." Damon and i shared a look before i looked back over to the new guy.
"I'm sorry, Mister..."
"Oh, Connor Jordan." He introduced. I noticed the leather gloves on his hand, i furrow my brows tilting my head,
"Are you with the Insurance Investigators?" She asks, shaking his hand.
"No, no, I'm more of an Independent contractor." He said, he looked over, Damon and i sending him small smiles. "Uh, can we speak in private?"
"Sure." Liz nodded.
"Thanks." Liz glances back at us before walking away with him. Damon and i share a look.
"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Busyboy guy." I let out a little laugh, Damon, turning his chair back over to me, "What are you thinking? Germaphobe?"
"Worse." I huff, "Vampire enthusiast."
"Should we call it in?" I wave my hand, Damon picking up his phone, then putting it on speaker and laying it on the bar.
"Ah, perfect timing, Damon." Stefan huffed.
"Guess who I'm with?" He asks in a sing-songy voice, Stefan hums, "Alina Gilbert."
"She's willingly hanging out with you?" Stefan asks shocked.
"I'm shocked too, Stef." I hum.
"Anyway, are you guys back at the house?" Damon asks.
"Yeah, we just got back."
"Well, guess who just questioned us about the latest tragedy?"
===================================
"Did you two do it?" Elena questions sliding into my seat.
"That seat's taken," I smirk. Elena huffs, moving over to the otherwise of Damon.
"Did you set off the explosion that killed the town council?" She questioned, sitting in the other chair.
"Are we wearing out 'I blew up the council' T-shirts?" Damon asks looking over to me and i shrug, "Why does everyone keep asking me that?'
"Well, did you?"
"No." Damon and I snap at the same time. "Sorry, E, but i like to watch heads roll, in an explosion they all just go everywhere." I pout.
"Anything else?" Damon hums, taking a drink.
"Actually yes." Elena nods, "Something's wrong. I can't keep any of the animal blood down." She whispers, looking around.
"Well, there's a shock." Damon scoffed.
"I think i need your help." Elena frowns.
"Of course you do." Damon hums. "And just in time, sister dearest returns home, what better mentors." Elena slightly narrows her eyes at him. "Pick your meal," Damon smirks.
Elena gives us a look and i smile, "Come on, Elena, you got Panda Express, Del Taco, McDonald's." I smirk looking around the bar at all the people.
"No." Elena argues, shaking her head, "No human blood. Stefan's right. I have to at least try to get through this without hurting anyone."
"God, you're boring." I huff. "I'm leaving. Thanks for the drink, Love." I smirk, downing my drink and then walking out of the grill.
====================================
I walk into the Salvatore house, looking around. "Hello?" I look up, seeing Stefan, "Alina... what are you doing here?"
"I'm bored." I shrug.
"I thought you were with Damon."
"I was." I nod, looking around, this place hasn't changed at all. "And then Elena came, and i got bored." I reiterate. "So, what have you been up to?"
"Well, i was looking for you." He sighs. I quirk a brow and he sighs, "You're my best friend and i didn't know if you died, or... i just didn't know what happened to you."
"Sentimental." I nod, "I appreciate the gesture." He watches me for a second and i frown. "What?"
"Why'd you choose Chicago? Out of all the places you could have gone, why Chicago?" He asks, crossing his arms. I shrug not knowing why. "Is it because it reminded you of Klaus?"
"Do you realize that if i wanted to be reminded of Klaus, i would've gone with Rebekah," I tell him with a tight smile. "I went to Chicago because it's where i had fun, where we had fun." I scoff.
"When did you turn your humanity off?"
"After a few weeks there." I shrug, "I told you, I felt so much... that i started to feel nothing at all." He frowns watching me, then suddenly the door bursts open. We both look over, Caroline holding up Tyler.
"Tyler?" I frown.
Caroline's eyes go wide as she looks at me, "Alina..." Stefan took Tyler from Caroline, moving him over to the couch, Caroline wrapping her arms around me. I stand there awkwardly, patting her back. She pulls away, frowning. Stefan clears his throat, Caroline looking over to him, Stefan shaking his head. "Your humanity... it's still off." She frowns.
"Aw, don't look so sad." I pout, "That's no fun."
=============================
I dig the pliers in deeper into Tyler's back, Tyler grunting. I stare at the bullet for a second, frowning. I hand it over to Stefan, Tyler letting out a breath. "Please tell me that's the last one," Caroline says softly.
"These were specially carved. The length, the width. If you were a normal vampire, You'd be dead." Stefan tells him, examining the bullet.
"This guy knew what he was doing. His gloves must have been steeped in Vervain." Tyler starts.
"Gloves?" Tyler nods, "Did his name happen to be Jordan Connor?"
"I think so." He nodded. "He was looking for a vampire and he didn't hesitate for a second when he found one."
"These etchings..." Stefan went to touch the bullet before i grabbed his hand.
"Don't touch that." I say quickly, "They're soaked in Vervain."
They all give me confused looks, "How do you know that?"
"Because i ran into him in Chicago." I state, "He tried killing me in Chicago. I knew he looked familiar but i couldn't;t put my finger on it." I explain. "The bullets are spelled with something, i don't know what though."
===============================
"I'm surprised you're actually going." Asher scoffs as he watches me. I turn to look at him, rolling my eyes. "I thought the plan was to get here, figure out what was going on, then leave."
"The hunter's here." I tell him, his face falling. Asher and I had run into Connor back in Chicago, he had tried to kill me and Asher was bait, this was before i turned off my humanity, i saved his life. "I want him dead before we leave so he can't follow us."
"You mean so he can't get to Elijah and his family?" He sighs.
"Exactly." I nod, "Klaus is my sire and i have no idea how I'm still alive but i am." I state, "And if it has something to do with the Original family, i don't want them killed, i like my life."
"I like my life too, you die, i die." He nods, "So what do you need me to do?"
"I want you to find out who the hell this Jordan Connor guy is, and then i want him dead." Asher nods, heading back out, "You look good by the way."
"I always look good." I laugh.
===============================
I walk up to the church with Stefan, seeing Elena rush away from Damon, who's picking up a blood bag and shoving it into Elena's purse. He looks up, seeing Stefan, groaning. "Oh, Great."
"What's in the bag, Damon?" Stefan glares.
Damon scoffed, looking over to us, "Mid-service snack." He shrugs, "Church always gets me hungry. The whole Blood of Christ thing, you know." Stefan gives him a look, Damon sighing, "I brought it for Elena."
"You're really that intent on having your way?" Stefan scoffs.
"It's not my way, it's the only way." Damon snaps.
"If she hurts someone, she'll be desperate to turn the guilt off." Stefan snapped back. "Maybe even desperate enough to shut off her humanity."
"Then, i don't know, maybe she shouldn't have become a vampire? It's what we do, we drink blood, we kill, oh well, get over it. She turns off her humanity, oh well." I huff, "You guys act like she isn't a big girl, it's time for Elena to do things on her own." Damon and Stefan both look down at me.
"She's not like, Alina, she's not a-"
"A ripper?" I smirk. "You mean she's not like us, Stefan."
"We can't let her be anything like either of us." Stefan whispers.
"Well god forbid she's anything like Alina or I, right?" Damon glares. "Alina's right, she's going to go off the rails eventually anyway, Stefan. You used to say the same thing about Alina, look at her now."
"She wishes she could be like me." I scoff.
"She's strong. If we help her, she can survive." Stefan snaps.
"She's starving, Stefan. She hasn't been able to keep blood down for days." Damon admits.
"What are you talking about? She told me she was fine." Stefan frowns.
"Well, she lied. Your four-legged protein shake was bust. The Juice box was a no-go. She can't even keep my blood down." Damon's face falls slightly as i let out a little laugh, looking away.
"She drank from you?"
"Oops, did i say that out loud?" Damon looks over to me for a second, frowning then walking away.
"You let too much bother you." I sigh, taking his arm and leading him into the church.
Stefan and i walk in, stopping in the aisle, seeing Tyler, "What are you doing here Tyler?"
"Being sensitive to the community's loss." He stated in a 'duh' tone.
"With a hunter out to get you?" I chuckle, "Thank god you're good at football."
"I'm not letting a hunter stop me from where I'm supposed to be. And last time i checked, he was after you too, Alina. And yet here you are."
"Also, if he shows his face, I'm going to kick his ass," Caroline adds, looking over to us. I hum, nodding, Stefan leading us over to an empty pew.
"Before we begin te mass, we'd like to open the floor to anyone who would like to share a memory about our late friends on the town council," Carol announces. "I know that April Young wanted to say a few words about her dad. April?" Everyone looked around, looking for April, "April? Are you still here, honey?" After a moment of silence, Carol sighs, "Is there anyone else who would like to share a recollection or a memory about Pastor Young?"
My eyes widen as Elena stands, "Come on up, Elena." Carol encourages. The door opens and i look over, seeing Damon, she sits next to me and i sigh,
"She doesn't look so good," Damon whispers.
"Well, maybe you should have told me she was rejecting all food sources." Stefan snaps lowly.
"Jealousy's beneath you, Stefan." I hum, watching Elena.
"Oh, bit me." He scoffs.
"Glady."
"I, um, when i talk to April earlier, she was kind of nervous about coming up to speak, and..." Elena let out a nervous chuckle, "Now that I'm up here, I'm kind of nervous, too." I see Stefan and Damon share looks out of the corner of my eye, as i watch Elena. "The worst day of loving someone is that day you lose them." I watch Elena stiffen and i frown.
"Do you smell that?" Caroline whispered.
"Blood," Tyler whispers back.
"This is gonna be good," I smirk.
"Nobody move. Don't turn around." Damon whispers, all the vampires in the room listening in. "It's a trap."I watch Elena as she stars breathing heavily.
"I, um..." She takes a deep breath and i frown.
"Alina, do something," Caroline begs.
"Don't, he knows who you are," Stefan whispers.
"He won't expose himself right now, there are too many people." I quickly get up, making sure Connor can't see my face. I walk over to Elena, taking her hand.
"It's okay," I whisper, walking her back over to Jeremy and Matt as the Pastor started to speak. She clings onto me and i frown.
"The blood. Alina, the blood, i can smell it. There's so much."
"Relax." I snap. "Push it away. You're my sister, you can do this." I whisper, i mean, come on, she has to be able to do something?
"What's wrong with her?" Matt whispers.
"She's starving," I smirk, hearing Matt's heartbeat rise.
"So then get her out of there."
"We can't." I hum, "There's a hunter watching us."
"I'm going to go rip his head off now." Damon hums.
"I'll come with you," I smirk.
"You two do that, and you risk exposing all of us." Stefan snaps.
"Well, i think the risk will be slightly diminished when we, you know, rip his head off." Damon deadpans.
"Stefan, I'm losing it." Elena mutters, gripping onto me tighter.
"You have ten seconds before Damon and I play exterminator," I smirk.
"Don't do it, Alina, please," Stefan begs, making me smirk. Him telling me not to kill Connor makes me want to do it more.
"3,2,1, let's go." I start to let go of Elena, Matt grabbing my hand.
"Wait, wait, wait, Elena. Feed from me." I look over to Matt, a quirked brow. "It's okay. Everyone will just think your upset. Feed from me."
"Look at you, Matty. Taking one for the team." I sly pass Elena off to Matt who wraps an arm around her, whispers to her. I smell his blood as she feeds. I see the look on Matt's face and clear my throat. "That's enough, you don't want to kill him."
Elena pulls away, whispering a 'Thank you'. She turns back, facing the front. "I'm okay. But the blood. There's so much. It's got to be April. We have to help her."
"Elena, we can't risk it." Stefan whispers.
"Then I'm going to do it." Elena snaps, i grip her wrist, Elena letting out a grunt at how tight I'm squeezing her wrist.
"Can you for once listen and not do something stupid." I snap. She glares at me and i let out a little laugh.
"Excuse me." I look up, seeing Tyler. "I just wanted to say a few words about Pastor Young."
"What do we do?" Elena frowns.
"You? You do nothing." I smirk as we all sit back down.
"Back in first grade, I was a brat who couldn't be bothered with team sports. I didn't care much about anything that didn't affect me. But he was the one who made me understand how important it was to be part of a team; A community, of giving yourself up for the sake of-" A gunshot rang through the air, everyone yelling. My eyes meet Damon's and he gestures for me to follow, I quickly stand up, rushing out the door with him.
We see Connor trying to rush into his truck, starting the engine. I appear in front of his truck, His eyes going wide, Damon ripping the door off and pulling him out. I hear multiple gunshots, and i quickly grab his gun, snapping it in half. He kicks his leg out, causing me to stumble back, Connor moving on top of Damon a stake in hand.
"Damon! Alina!" Connor runs off, and i groan, sitting up, Stefan running over to us.
"Ow." Damon groans. Stefan helps me up, then helping Damon up. He then punches Damon in the face, letting him fall back to the ground. "What the hell was that for?" Damon groaned.
"You know what." Stefan glared. I let out a laugh, Damon glaring at me.
"Maybe you shouldn't have fed Elena your blood," I smirk.
=================================
I frown, walking up the school's lawn with Damon, Bonnie also just getting out of the car. "What are we doing here?" Damon asks.
"I don't know. Ask Stefan." Bonnie huffs.
"Stefan, mind telling me what the hell we are doing?" I huff, crossing my arms. I furrow my brows seeing him pulling out lanterns.
"We're finishing the memorial we didn't get to have earlier. We need to start healing, Alina. We've all lost so much, especially recently. I think we're numb to it." He smiles, holding out a lantern for me to take. I take it frowning, "We push it away, we make a joke out of it, Ignore how we feel. It's time to just let ourselves grieve."
Everyone silent for a second before i let out a laugh, "So you're lighting lanterns." Damon scoffs.
"Yeah, yeah. We need to do this." Stefan nods.
"No, what we need to do is find out who this hunter is and what he knows about the death of the council," Damon argues.
"Exactly, we have more important things to be doing right now other than this. We need to get this hunter crap over with so i can get the hell out of town." I snap.
"No, not tonight we don't," Stefan says shaking his head.
"No one's making you stay here." Elena glares.
"You're right. No one is." I smirk, turning on my heel, walking away.
===========================
"Where have you been all night?" Asher laughs as i walk into the motel suite. I give him a look huffing.
"With my old friends, they're lighting lanterns," I say with fake enthusiasm. "Did you find anything out about Connor?"
"No more than we already know, he hardly exists." He huffs, "Have you told your friends what we know?"
"Nope, and i don't particularly plan to." I smirk, "I mean, hell, i won't kill Connor myself, I'm not an idiot."
"So how are you planning on getting him killed?"
"Damon and Tyler are nothing but trigger happy when it comes to killing Connor, and compelling someone to hit him with a truck, repetitively doesn't sound too bad either."
"You are worse than, Katherine." He laughs.
"That is the nicest thing you've ever said to me."