Chapter 21
Date Night
The small town of Mystic Falls was a peaceful, quiet town. Kind of like the quiet before a storm.
Hermione was sifting through all the books she had acquired through questionable means about doppelgangers, when she came across a detailed drawing of their origin. Once she recovered from the shock, she set the book on the table in front of her in the library and went to go find Lei. Hermione found Leilani with Fred and George hovering over a cell phone. The cellular device had several runes that were carefully carved into it to harness magic instead of being attacked by it.
Fred picked up the device in one hand and had his wand in the other, “Lumos.” The tip of his wand lit up but his attention was on the cell phone. When it didn’t glitch or start smoking, Fred canceled the spell, “Nox.” The cell phone had survived. George brought out a second cell phone and started carving the same runes into it while Fred did the same for a third one. Hermione got Lei’s attention, “It seems you three have figured it out. However, I need to borrow Lei for a bit.”
Both witches left the twins working on the rest of the cell phones. Lei followed Hermione to the library, “What did you find?” Lei surveyed the various open books on the table and noticed they were grimoires, “How did you get these grimoires?” “Well…I may or may not have modified Madam Pince’s spell for retrieving overdue books. Instead of the books appearing here, the spell sends me an exact replica of whatever book or grimoire I’m trying to retrieve. All of these are grimoires that speak about doppelgangers,” Hermione was shutting some of the grimoires, so she didn’t see Lei smile. “That explains all the books that I know were in the Ministry and Hogwarts library. So? What did you want to show me?” Hermione handed Lei the book she was reading. Lei’s eyes widened before she set the book down, “I’ll be back.”
Damon was the first one to the front door, followed closely by Stefan and Enzo. He opened the door, his signature smirk adorned his face, “Hello, Lei. How are you this fine afternoon?” Lei tried to smile but it came out as a grimace, “Can you guys come over to my place? There’s something you need to see.” Damon nodded as Stefan gave a verbal response, “Of course. Is there something wrong?” Lei ran a hand through her hair, “Um, I’m not sure as of yet. It’s something you have to see for yourself.” The three vampires grew worried, so they went with Lei back to her home.
Inside the library, Hermione and Lei were explaining what they found. “When Lei told me about the conversation with Elijah about Elena, I did a little more research. And I came across a particular grimoire that speaks about the origin of doppelgangers,” Hermione had the book opened to the explanation with the drawing on the next page but was holding it to her chest. Lei took over for a moment, “What we’re going to show you may upset you.” She was looking directly at Stefan. He sat up straighter in his seat, “Why is that?”
Hermione took a deep breath, “There’s more than one doppelganger.” She set down the grimoire in front of Stefan, who read the entry out loud, “Doppelgangers, also known as Shadow Selves or Mortal Shadow Selves, were a supernatural occurrence that were created by Nature. After Silas and Amara became true immortals by consuming Qetsiyah’s immortality elixir, they violated the natural law that all living things must die. Nature found a balance by creating mortal shadow selves that could die. For this reason, doppelgangers have existed for as long as immortals, having been born and died in the place of Silas and Amara.” Stefan turned the page and just stared, wide-eyed, at a picture of two people who looked identical to his ex-girlfriend Elena and himself.
Damon and Enzo leaned over to see what had Stefan frozen in shock. Damon read further into the entry. He voiced out loud what he comprehended, “This Markos guy talks about how Silas’ and Amara’s doppelgangers are spelled to always find each other.” Damon sat back and thought about what happened to Stefan earlier that day, “That would explain your need to see Elena.” Stefan swallowed the knot in his throat. He didn’t know how to feel. Stefan felt angry, as well as hurt, knowing that his feelings for Elena may not have been real. He had woken up that morning with the urge to knock on Elena’s door and talk to her, like he had every day since he broke up with her. But Elena proved to be more like Katherine than he and his brother care to admit.
The silence in the library was making Stefan uncomfortable. He shifted in his seat before asking, “Is there a way to undo the spell?” Both Lei and Hermione skimmed over the entry again, reading through to the end and finding the spell. “Let us speak with Bill before we try anything,” Hermione took the grimoire and went to go speak to Bill. While she went to do that, Lei offered the vampires a drink.
Damon decides to try and ease the tension by making small talk, “So? How’s the Sanctuary?” Lei smiles a bit, “It’s doing well. The Hebridean Black is not as depressed since all five of her eggs hatched. In fact, all of the viable eggs hatched so we’ll be looking for somewhere to build a reserve because they will outgrow the space they’re in. And of course, Hans keeps getting out and coming back with new trinkets. Speaking of, I found this amongst his nest of treasures.” Lei pulls an expensive looking silver watch out of her pocket. Stefan reaches for it, “My Rolex. I thought I lost it.” He inspects it and sees it is still working and puts it on.
Hermione and Bill came back into the library, both had looks of concern. “After going over the spell and the entry in its entirety, we can undo it but there may be side effects,” Hermione informed everyone. “What kind of side effects?” Stefan voiced. Bill continued for Hermione, “If there are any other spells or enchantments, they would be undone as well. So, I’d advise you to take off your daylight ring just in case.”
The group had migrated to the dueling room as it is an open space that can handle the cleansing spells Bill was going to cast. Stefan was placed in the center of the now cleansed room after handing his daylight ring over to his brother. Damon, Enzo, and Hermione stood on one side of the room out of the way while Leilani placed runic crystals used for cleansing rituals around Stefan. These crystals will absorb the magic once the spell is undone, turning them black. Bill stood in front of Stefan, “Now, fair warning. This may hurt. We are essentially undoing a spell that is linked to your very being.” Stefan heeded the warning and laid down on the floor.
Bill nodded to Leilani for them to begin. Lei may not be a curse breaker, but she can assist with some of the spell work. When Bill started to cast the cleansing spells he knew from his position as a curse breaker, Stefan started to feel uncomfortable. The uncomfortable feeling moved throughout Stefan’s entire body. As Bill continued to cast spell after spell, that uncomfortable feeling became painful. Bill quickly looked to Lei, signaling her to join him in casting the final set of cleansing spells. Stefan could no longer hold back his screams of anguish.
Stefan’s screams echoed throughout the dueling room as the final spell was cast and the runic cleansing crystals have turned black. Stefan had lost consciousness from the pain once the spell was broken. Damon knelt beside his brother, “Is Stefan going to be okay?” Bill vanished the crystals before he answered, “He will be tired and weak for a few days. Nothing some food, blood, and rest can’t fix.” “Okay, I’ll take him home now,” Damon picked up his brother and left with a quiet and concerned Enzo following. While Stefan remained unconscious, his mind was a whirlwind of chaos. Locked away memories now fitted into their proper places. When Stefan wakes, he will never be the same.
The sound of jingling keys was heard as Elijah unlocked his apartment door. He stepped into the darkened apartment, “Niklaus. I see you have made yourself at home.” A small lamp was switched on showing a relaxed, smirking soon-to-be hybrid in one of the chairs Elijah brought from when he met Leilani. He couldn’t help it, they were something he would have in his home. “Well, when I originally decided to come to this town, I didn’t think I would run into you. Then to my surprise, you’ve been here long enough to acquire an apartment.” Niklaus leaned back into the chair, the small light casting a shadow over his now cold, hardened face.
Elijah moved to sit across from his brother in the other chair, “I assume you heard about the doppelganger.” Elijah didn’t see Klaus’ eyes widen briefly. “Actually, I came for another reason. However, I will be addressing that matter next. You wanted to discuss the whereabouts of our siblings?” “Yes, it occurred to me that I may have acted irrationally when you stated you killed our siblings. I have had some time to go over our last confrontation and I found it odd that you would so carelessly dispose of our siblings.” Klaus was stunned but he did not show it, “So, you figured it out?” Elijah turned to fully face his half-brother, “Where are our siblings now?” “Safe,” Klaus kept his face blank and gave a short response which irritated Elijah.
The Noble Original decided he had enough of his brother’s antics for one night, “If you will not disclose the location of our siblings then I’m afraid there is nothing more to discuss.” Elijah stood and left the room to retire for the night. He did not want to initiate a physical confrontation with his little brother when the situation called for civility. Elijah will approach his brother again at a later date. He was able to slightly relax knowing his siblings were not killed then thrown into the ocean to sink and rot.
Niklaus scoffed as he left to his own temporary home which was an apartment in the same building. He will send his witch to search the town for the Doppelganger. He did not want to announce his presence in case the Doppelganger was going to run. Another thought crossed his mind, “Where is Katerina?” He had reports of her arriving in this town and causing trouble but nothing more. It is like she vanished once again. He will be sure to ask Maddox to find out while keeping a lookout for the newest Doppelganger.
It has been a thousand years since Niklaus has been cursed and the newest doppelganger wasn’t the first on his mind. That thought hit him. His first thought was getting access to this witch and using her to break said curse. Even then, using her seemed secondary to just meeting her. And how did he know this witch was a “her” and not “he”? Klaus shook his head to try and organize his thoughts. First, he’d like to find this witch and see how powerful they really are. Second, locate the doppelganger and the Moonstone so he can finally break his curse, finally be and feel whole.
For now, Klaus closed his eyes and counted the minutes until he met the witch.
It took two days. Two days for Stefan to wake up. Damon had been pacing the entire time. His concern for his little brother was palpable. Damon would stop long enough to glance at his unconscious brother. A brother he swore to make his life miserable for all eternity, but he had come to realize Stefan ‘forced’ Damon to turn so he wouldn’t be alone. Stefan wanted or maybe needed his big brother. With that thought crashing around in his skull, Damon continued pacing. Enzo had to shove blood bags into Damon’s hands just so he would feed. When Damon felt the change in the atmosphere, he looked over to see his little brother slowly opening his eyes.
Damon sat next to him on the bed, “How are you feeling?” Stefan tried to clear his throat to speak but it felt like sandpaper. Damon got up and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, cracking the lip off then helping Stefan sit up enough to drink. After finishing half the bottle, Stefan was able to speak, “Very sore, tired still, and very, very hungry.” Damon looked and felt even more concerned, “Like human food hungry or I want to binge the whole town kind of hungry?” Damon waited on bated breath for the answer.
“Human food and maybe some A positive,” Stefan’s mind was reeling from all the lost, but now recovered, memories. Memories of a time he was best friends with two of the Originals during the 1920’s. A time he had blacked out for most of it due to his Ripper binge in Chicago. The memories of partying with Klaus and dancing with Rebekah. Even lessons where Klaus taught him some control over his bloodlust. When he lost those memories, he lost control again. Now that he remembers, Stefan knows the Ripper is a part of him, a part of who he is and he accepted that. That acceptance is what gave him control. So, yes, some A Positive alongside a greasy cheeseburger and fries sounds delicious.
Stefan voiced that to his brother, which is how the two of them found themselves in the kitchen grilling hamburgers and a couple of blood bags each. Of course, Damon kept a close eye on his brother waiting for the inevitable, but Stefan stayed relatively calm. Damon watched as Stefan downed the first blood bag but then slowly savored the second as the burgers were being grilled. Normally, once a drop of human blood hit Stefan’s tongue he would be guzzling every drop of blood within reach. So, needless to say, Damon is shocked but also relieved at the control Stefan has. The two sat in the kitchen enjoying their cheeseburgers and fries while talking about what happened. And that’s how Enzo found the brothers, laughing and eating as brothers should.
Now, Enzo on the other hand, took some time to get used to the idea he was no longer imprisoned. He accepted Damon’s apology after he threw Damon around like a ragdoll for a bit. Once he felt satisfied with the pummeling he gave Damon for feeling like Enzo was abandoned, the two of them went shopping for new clothes, and a cell phone. Damon patiently (which is normally unheard of) taught Enzo how to use the device. Enzo had seen enough of the crazy doctors use them but never close enough to learn himself. Thankfully he is a fast learner.
Once the food was eaten and the dishes cleaned the Salvatore brothers plus Enzo went over to the Evans’ household to discuss the doppelganger situation. Stefan was going to knock but Damon just strolled right in. “Damon, you can’t just barge in,” Stefan scolded his brother. “Says who?” Damon arrogantly gave a half-smile. Stefan and Enzo just shook their heads and followed Damon into the foyer. Bill ventured from the kitchen and approached them, “Oh good. You’re up and about. How are you feeling Stefan?” Stefan nodded, “I feel a lot better. More like myself and I don’t have the urge to visit Elena.” “Well, that’s good. Has there been any significant changes besides the doppelganger pull?” Bill asked. Stefan shook his head, “I have better control on my bloodlust. Other than that, nothing has changed.” That’s not entirely true, everyone can see Stefan is carrying himself differently. He seems stronger, more confident, and definitely less broody.
Bill just smiled, “Lei is in her art room. She’s starting on another portrait.” The three vampires jumped when a familiar disembodied voice was heard above their heads, “Lei is working on Moony’s portrait.” Bill looked up to see the scowl on Sirius’ face, “Did she barre you from the art room again?” “Yes. She said she didn’t need me pointing out every detail to her,” Sirius pouted and crossed his arms. Damon moved to head into the art room, “Okay. I’ll go let her know Stefan’s awake.” Stefan smirked seeing Damon in a rush, “Sure you are. You just want to see Leilani.” Enzo snickered, “Yeah mate, when are you going to ask her on a date? Because if you won’t, I will.” Enzo made to walk past Damon but was stopped. Damon’s possessiveness over Leilani was clear by the action and the look on his face.
Damon tried to hide his reaction to Enzo but was unsuccessful. Enzo smirked, knowing he and the others caught Damon showing feelings. Clearing his throat, “I’ll go talk to Lei. You guys go do whatever.” Damon vamp sped away from the three laughing men and one scowling portrait.
Damon quietly entered the room and leaned against the wall watching Leilani slowly dragged a thin, detail paint brush across the nearly blank canvas. “Afternoon, Damon. How are you?” Leilani asked without turning. He pushed away from the wall to stand closer, “Stefan is awake, but he seems different. It feels like Stefan and the Ripper are merging. He’s less broody and more in control. I’m just hoping he doesn’t let the Ripper dominate.”
Lei set the paint brush down and faced Damon, “And?” Damon took a deep breath, “And, I feel like I have my brother back. I spent the last 145 years tormenting him for forcing me to turn when I realized he did it because he didn’t want to be alone.” Lei nodded, “He didn’t want to lose his big brother.” “Yeah,” Damon spoke softly. Then he schooled his expression, “So? Do you feel up for a night out on the town with me?” “Are you asking me out on a date?” Lei teased. “What? No…Maybe?” Damon didn’t want to admit he was nervous. Lei gave him a genuine smile, “Sure. Let me go get cleaned up and then we’ll go. Anywhere in particular we are going so I know what to wear?” Damon smirked, “Something sexy.”
“Bare feet, overalls, straw hat it is then,” Lei said with a straight face. Which didn’t last as she couldn’t hold in her laughter at his appalled expression. “Very funny. I was thinking more along the lines of a nice, tight, short dress and heels. Dinner then dancing,” Damon recovered from her joke. Lei considered his suggestion, “Not too short.” “Fine. I’ll be waiting in the sitting room. The Fire whiskey is calling me,” Damon turned to walk out of the room but held the door for Leilani to leave first.
Leilani had surprised Damon. He has only seen her in a dress once and he thought she looked lovely. But tonight, she looks absolutely beautiful wearing a black, mid-thigh cocktail dress, black three-inch pumps, and a small clutch purse. Leilani made sure her wand holster could not be seen since she never goes anywhere without her wand. Damon drove Lei to the next town to an Italian restaurant for their date. The place was dim and cozy with a romantic ambience. Damon chose this place because the food was great, and the atmosphere was inviting.
The two had ordered their food and were enjoying themselves just talking about anything and everything. Damon thought he knew everything about Lei after being friends for so long, but he still learns something new. Like the fact Lei’s first true friend was a guy named Neville Longbottom who had lost his pet toad on the train ride to their boarding school. Damon laughed when Lei told him, “Trevor was just sitting on the stairs in front of McGonagall and Neville ran up after shouting his name. Minnie looked so done with us first years and we hadn’t even stepped into the castle yet.”
The rest of the dinner carried the same amount of energy until dessert. There they decided to share a Zabaglione, which in Leilani’s opinion is very gooey as well as heavenly. The two leave the restaurant and head to a dance club a few doors down. No point in driving and the short walk helped settle their stomachs before stepping into the hot, packed club. Leilani had warned Damon that she is not that great of a dancer. Damon smirks, “Just follow my lead.” Of course, Damon is surprised again when Lei dances just fine, not once stepping on his toes.
After a couple hours of dancing and a few drinks they decided to call it a night. The drive home was sat in comfortable silence. The both of them were thinking about the date and how they had a good time and wouldn’t mind repeating it. Leilani laughed to herself when she remembered the first time she met Damon, she almost set him on fire. Damon looks over at her, “What are you giggling about?” Lei giggled, “I was thinking about the first time we met and how far we’ve come.” She looked at Damon, “I’m glad I met you, even under the circumstances. And I had a really good time tonight.” “Me too,” Damon smiled before turning his attention back to the road.
“So? Where are we going for the next date?” Lei boldly asked. “Are you asking me on a second date?” Damon asked. Lei threw his words back at him, “Maybe.” Damon just shakes his head but agrees. He already planned on asking Lei on another date and he even knows where he wants to take her. “Well, my little snake charmer, the next date will be a little more casual and more fun.” Damon wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Lei snickered and lightly slapped his shoulder at his cheekiness. Once Leilani got home, Caroline, Hermione, Narcissa, and of course Sirius wanted to hear all about their date. Caroline practically made everyone’s ears bleed when she squealed after Lei said her and Damon were going on a second date. Damon was teased by both Stefan and Enzo until Damon had enough and slammed his door in their faces. He could still hear them laughing on the other side, he couldn’t help but smile.
AN: This chapter was kind of a filler. Next one will be the dinner party with everybody, and I mean everybody.
Should Elijah be daggered or not?
Zabaglione: Also known as Zabaione, this dessert is a classic Italian custard made with egg yolks, sugar and flavored with Marsala, a fortified wine that adds an immeasurable depth of flavor. Spoon it over fresh figs or berries, serve it alongside Amaretti, Biscotti or Savoiardi biscuits (aka ladyfingers), drizzle it over a chocolate flourless cake, or forget about plating it altogether and eat it by the spoonful warm from the bowl! Zabaglione is a delicious, simple, elegant dessert, and once you learn the technique, you can whip it up in a matter of minutes.