[Episode 22 - Founder's Day - 1]
The town bustles around with people of all ages. I walk along with Carol Lockwood as she freaks out "No, no, no, no, no! It's all wrong! The marching band should be in front of the Historic Society. Matt, get up on the float!" she almost hyperventilates.
I place a hand on her shoulder calmly "Mrs. Lockwood, it's alright, I'll handle this, you can check with the others, and there's still an hour left, this will beautiful... Breathe..." I smile.
Thankfully, she relaxes and walks off, probably finding a drink to accompany her voice "Boys, please put up chairs on the Founders' Float" I ask just as someone holds me and lifts me up from behind.
I yelp to be put down and when that does happen after a whirl, I look at Tyler "Hel-lo Mr. Lockwood. What say?" I curtsy and jerk open my hand-fan.\
He laughs "You look spectacular. Here to impress somebody?" I nod, motioning him forward and whisper in his ear "Everyone" We laugh and his gaze travels over my shoulder "Hey, that's Stefan and his brother right?" he asks. I follow his look and sure, Stefan's standing there all 1864-y with a modernly clad Damon "Yea. Why do you ask?"
"Nothing...." he trails off sheepishly.
"Tyler? What?"
"Damon suddenly came up to me the day before the dance that day and got all... in my face"
"In your face?" I ask, no one gets in Tyler's face and goes without a black eye. At least not humans.
"Yea, he was warning me to treat you right and stuff" he laughs. I stand smiling, shocked, Damon said that?
"What did you say?" I ask and he laughs "Girl, I'm like, I said it straight up, I'm not dating you, you're my best friend after Matt, and you're cool to be around" he amends as if he thought wrong about our friendship.
I chuckle "Three musketeers" we high-five and he talks about his mom's latest desperations. He tries to set his bow tie but evidently, he tied it, because the ribbon falls off the third second he tries to touch it. I laugh and hand him my fan "Here, I learnt to tie it in the morning"
"You're an angel"
"I know" I mock and concentrate on tying it. We need to get on the floats in approximately half-hour and being the awesome person I am, I left my watch and phone with Jenna.
"Um, Kat..." he whispers into my ear and I nudge him back, "What?"
"Stefan's getting ready to kill me" Tyler murmurs jokingly. My brows furrow as I try to look behind but Tyler stops me "Don't look. He'll know I'm talking about him" he'll already knows since he's a vampire but whatever, I oblige my friend and stay with my back to Stefan.
"How is he ready to kill you? Axe? Sword?" I mock. Tyler shakes his head as he steps back a bit "Neither, but his glare seems pretty weaponized"
I smirk, snatching the fan back from him "I'll see you later then, don't go all Bruce-Lee on anyone" I warn and turn as he walks away.
I see Stefan on the far end of the field and smile. I walk towards them and see his and Damon's faces go white when they see me. "I know I'm gorgeous, but you don't have to stare to prove it" I smirk but it drops just a tad bit when I see Elena send me a glare. I gather myself.
"So, I wanted to talk to you both..." Stefan begins.
"Yes?"
"And... Um..."
"And? Stefan!" I ask impatiently, I just gathered myself after a crappy Mombie day, nothing can be worse than that.
"John Gilbert is your father"
Okay, I take it back, it can be worse. "John? Is that even possible?" Elena asks incredulously. "He dated Isobel when he was a teenager and Isobel came to dad's clinic..." I trail off.
"You don't seem surprised" Stefan questions.
"No, the link was there, I just didn't pay enough heed..."
"My whole life I've never liked this man. I..." Elena trails off, still surprised.
"Sorry, I'm sorry. I just...I wanted to tell you before Damon dropped it on you on some typically inappropriate way..."
I snort as I look to Damon "How did you wanna tell us Smoldy?"
He starts smugly but my twin interrupts him "No, I'm happy that you told me Stefan, I just...I really hope that it's not true. What I am supposed to do? Do I just...confront him and say 'are you my biological father'?"
"I guess, we'll do it when you're ready..." I provide honestly.
"I'm never gonna be ready, Kat. I have enough problems with the family that I actually care about... Jeremy hates me, and why wouldn't he? My journal gave him every single reason to" she looks hopelessly angry as she casts me a look.
I shrug "He's just hurt, he's confused"
"He's never going to forgive me for Vicki, for taking away his memories, for lying to him" Wow, she's dramatising this without trying. If she really wants to talk forgiveness talk with our brother, she should give him a leeway and then yank him by the ear as she explained without dramatics.
"He's your brother, he'll forgive you. Just give him some time" Stefan amends.
▹▹▹
Fifteen minutes before the parade, we're all taking pictures. By we, I mean Bonnie (who's comfortably dressed in her normal outfit), Caroline, Elena and I (smiling our cheeks off), Matt (avoiding Tyler) and Tyler (who's trying to get back to normal buddy-ship with Matt) and Stefan (who stands as the only man with an accurate period look apart from Tyler's tie).
"Say cheese!" Bonnie prompts and we all get closer to our dates.
"O wait!" Caroline stops as she orders Matt to hide the cast "It's not era-appropriate"
"Should I get the Apothecary's roll of bandage then?" I joke as Matt rolls his eyes and follows the blonde's instructions. Once again, Caroline stops Bonnie "O wait! Tyler, get closer to Kat" she says with clear meaning.
Just because I told her about my feelings for Stefan, doesn't mean she has to play around with that. Tyler, however, comes closer with a smirk. They were in on it, little weasels. From the right, Matt stands behind Caroline with his cast hidden. Tyler stands next to her, hand on my waist, pulling me closer. Next to me stands Stefan with Elena.
I feel two looks burning into me from my right but smile nonetheless. Bonnie prompts for cheese, once and clicks a picture, then calls another time but just as she clicks, I hear a whisper beside me "Viv"
I look to Stefan as he turns his head to me and raises his eyebrows "Huh?"
"I heard you say Viv" I say.
"I didn't say anything" he frowns.
"No, I heard you" I insist as we all relax from posing.
"No" he shrugs as Elena talks to Bonnie "I heard you Stefan"
"No Viv, I didn't say anything" he declares.
I glare "Fine! With the hearing that I have, I probably misheard" I grit out angrily as I take Tyler's hand and stomp off towards Caroline and Matt.
"Now I want a single with Bonnie" she smiles. Tyler steps forward with hope, towards Bonnie, who's talking to Matt "Here, I can take it" she gives him the camera but Matt glares at him
"I'll be on the float" he states to the air and walks off.
"I said I was sorry!" Tyler frowns sadly.
"You made out with his mother-" Caroline starts. "-and then you beat him to a pulp. You're gonna have to do a little bit better than sorry Ty..." I reason. He sighs.
▹▹▹
Carol Lockwood announces the floats for the cheering crowd, I'm sure most of them don't even know what's happening "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our stunning Miss Mystic Falls Court and their handsome escorts...!"
I wave to the crowd as Tyler looks to me with a smirk "See? I am handsome"
"O yes, your mom said so" I point out and resume waving.
"This is Katherine Gilbert, Miss Mystic Falls! Aren't they beautiful?" she fawns through the microphone. We all smile and keep waving, I wonder how Anne Hathaway did it. I look around and see Bonnie cheering. I wave.
▹▹▹
I walk towards the Grill as I see Stefan and Damon almost at each others' throats "-you go with that little jealousy act again. What are the right reasons, Stefan? Enlighten me, please!" Damon smirks in the yellow and white street light. I rush forward to them.
"Well, see Damon, it's only real when it comes from your desire to do the right thing for nothing in return, and I know that it is an entirely foreign concept to you. I completely understand that you wouldn't get it"
"What's going on Stefan... Damon?"
"Nothing, Stefan's just getting snarky" he jerks off his younger brother's hold on his collar. I look between both of them as Damon walks away. Smiling sheepishly, I walk backwards and run to Damon. "Calm down Smoldy!"
"Calm down Kat? I'm perfectly calm" he shrugs and I hit his shoulder "Now, talk to me. I'm not Elena-"
"Don't take that name in front of me!" He grits out as he hits me back on the shoulder "O, so it's about the straight-haired twin! Spill"
But before he can talk, Anna walks up to us "You're still around?" Damon frowns.
"Jeremy was looking for you" I mention but she looks around, seriously panicked "There's something you need to know. The vampires from the tomb are planning an attack tonight"
"Wait...How do you know this?" Damon starts walking along and Anna and I follow fast.
"I went to them. They think I'm with them but I'm not. They want the Founding Families dead"
"When is this supposed to happen?"
She looks around again "When the firework start"
"John Gilbert wants to use that invention on them"Damon states with a pause.
"Then we can't be here!" Anna panics more if that is even possible.
"It doesn't work, it's been deactivated" I state with a relieved sigh, at least we have that out of the way now, Stefan and Damon are safe.
"Well, then a lot of people are gonna die" Damon's eyes widen as he realises that no matter what, there will be people in danger tonight, and two of them are whom he cares for.
"Where are they right now?" I ask hurriedly, maybe we can get to them before, bait always works. "They're already here"
"Anna..." I hold her by the shoulders "Get out of here, and take Jeremy with you, go to my home, be safe" I plead and she nods and runs off. I turn to Damon "We have to kill them..."
"Then we need some arsenal"
We run towards the Grill when the very one we wanted, came in our path "Ric!" Damon sighs gratefully. Seems like they've gotten buddy-buddy sooner than I expected. "Yeah?" he looks from his boot "You keep those little vampire darts in the car?" I ask and he frowns at us, I don't blame him "Yeah, why do you ask?"
I rush towards the car and dig out the potential weapons as Damon explains "Because this square is crawling with tomb vampires! I think we might need a stake or two"
"Yeah, got a few... But they're small. We'll make do" Alaric goes off with a few of his own stashed. We see Stefan and Elena walking and Damon tries to fill them in, with special sensual effects when it comes to my sister.
"What are you doing?" Stefan asks, his frown still not wiped off after their last encounter.
"Saving your life" I answer.
Damon holds Elena's hands to my unshown surprise "Fifteen words or less...Tomb vamps are here. Founding families are their target.... Get her out of here, now!" he orders Stefan. The younger Salvatore obliges but looks to me "Viv?" he asks with his hand extended. I back off with a shake of my head "Go on, I'll come on later"
Damon starts to leave and I follow but Stefan asks worriedly "Wait, where are you going?" I look over my shoulder "That's more than fifteen words, Stefan..."
As they go off, I smack Damon on the head, he scowls "Ow!" I scowl right back "Be less obvious next time!" he rolls his eyes and turns to me, stopping in the middle of the parking lot a few minutes before the fireworks start
"I never asked if you were okay with this"
I scoff and smile, pushing him in the opposite direction "Go". I rush off in the direction of the crowd while he checks the buildings.
I pull out my phone from my jeans and call Caroline, "Care, where are you right now?"
"At the Grill, why?"
"Listen to me, get out of there now, okay? Take Tyler and Matt with you, and get home safely okay?"
In the background I hear Mr. Lockwood shouting at Tyler "Please Tyler; I need you to go home, now. Take your friends with you"
"Caroline, listen to him, just get out of here, I'll meet you later okay? Love you, stay safe..."
"Wha-"
"Don't ask questions Care, okay? Just get out, I'll explain to you later" I hang up.
I stand around, counting the vampires I can recognise, or seem scowling so openly in the crowd. After a few minutes, the Mayor nervously walks up the stage and begins his speech
"For one hundred and fifty years, Mystic Falls has been the kind of town that everybody wants to call home: safe, prosperous, welcoming. And we have the Founders to thank for that. That's why I'd like to dedicate this evening's firework display to their legacy. Enjoy the show!" he smiles at the end and steps down.
I don't see any Fells around, and the only Founding family members out, are the Mayor and his wife, and me.
The first firework booms and I start going towards one of the tomb vampires at the end of the crowd, stake ready but then I hear a screaming screech and fall to the ground with a groan.
It hurts so much that I can't feel the deputies gather around me. I don't even feel the syringe plung into my waist roughly, I just feel the pain in my head and the burning going through my whole body.
Everything burns like it's on fire and when I open my eyes, I see uniformed men dragging me towards a building.
I try to squirm and fight but I'm weaker than a normal human. It's just a miracle that I didn't die. The men yank me on tighter and I see two vampires being dragged into the building back door. My Dad's old office.
I see them ask someone something and a familiar voice sounds "The basement, take this one too"
No. John. My father. I try to speak but I can't even get my throat to make a noise as the next thing I see shocks me more. Damon lies on the ground, ears bleeding and grunting. The vampire who always makes sure he's stronger than the others in the room, is now weak at my birth father's feet.
He's yanked up and the whole crowd, the middle of which houses me, descends down the stairs and thrown against pillars. I hit my head hard when one of the deputies pushes me down and I feel the darkness before it comes.