Surprising Lover (TVDxOC) (Complete)

The Simple Intimacy of the Near Touch

The is a series of knocks on the front door. Grace rushes to open the door. Bonnie is revealed behind it; dressed in a black leather coat and stunning silver necklace around her neck. She carries a large red and gold bag, a round container, and a dress.
"Bonjour."
"(she screams and hugs Bonnie) Ah! You're here! Ooh! How was Paris? How's Enzo? Tell me you ate all the cheese..."
"And drank all the wine. And bought all the gifts."
"What?"
"But don't open it now. Save it until Stefan comes back. The gift is kind of wedding themed."
"Thank you."
Grace focuses in on her necklace.
"That is so beautiful."
"Thank you. Enzo gave it to me on our last night in Paris."
"Mm."
"Yeah. It's filled with blood. (Grace looks confused and shocked) Enzo's. (gulps)"
"That's..."
"Morbid? Charming? (She mocks Enzo) 'A mere symbol of an eternity with you, love.'"
"That seems like one very specific symbol. Are you sure that's what it is? I mean, you don't want you to..."
"Don't worry, I'm not... I'm not turning into a vampire any time soon."
"Yeah, or ever, right? I mean, according to the Bonnie Bennett that I've always known."
Grace's phone rings; Bonnie sees that Seline is calling her.
"Why would psycho siren-nanny call you?"
"Apparently she and her sister are fighting."
"And we care because...?"
Grace answers the phone.
"What do you want?"
"My sister's on the warpath. The artifact that she's trying to assemble has the power to kill her. That's why she's after all three pieces of the bell. Lucky for you, I already stole the biggest part."
"Did you want a congrats in person? I mean, we're due at an event."
"You have something I need. I have something you need. I have the bell. You have the tuning fork. And together, we're like chocolate and peanut butter."
"Or peanut butter and garbage. (Bonnie snickers)"
"Hey, I am trying to make amends. I could've just as easily called Damon. He has the third piece of the bell, the striker."
"What's the striker?"
"It's an iron ball. My sister had him fetch it from the Maxwells. He doesn't even know what it is. Look, I am partially responsible for the damage she inflicts on the world. If I want to make good, that starts with killing Sybil."
"I'm just having a hard time taking you seriously because of everything you've done."
"You don't have to trust me. But I sure as hell am trusting you. With a weapon of terrible power."
"(she chuckles as Bonnie rolls her eyes) Well, I love a weapon of terrible power."
"Where are you going?"
"Miss Mystic Falls. Those of us who haven't burnt every single bridge we've ever crossed have obligations."

People are gathering inside the hall as classical music is playing in the background. Grace is seen in the foyer on the phone. 
"Hey, Grace. I'm here with Dorian."
"Tell me you still have the tuning fork."
"Uh, it's called "the Staff of Arcadius.""
"That's 'yes' in Nerdish."
"Bonnie and I are stuck at Miss Mystic Falls, but Seline just tried to call a truce with us to put together the bell."
"I don't like the sound of that."
"Me neither. But if she's still in town, it means she must've hidden the bell close by. Can you get a lead?"
"Yeah, we're on it. (he ends the phone call)"

Bonnie, Grace and Caroline are stood together in the main hall.
"Hey. Okay, those are the last names on the guest list."
"Perfect."
"Once the dance is underway, we can get out of here and find that striker. Hopefully Damon decides to answer his phone."
"Or we could ask him in person."
Stefan and Damon, dressed in suits, walk through the front doors.
"What are you even doing here?"
"I invited them. Don't worry. As long as I get what I want, I'll make sure they behave."

Stefan is at the Bar, fixing himself a drink as Caroline, Grace and Bonnie watch from a distance. Bonnie and Caroline leave and Grace approaches.
"So this is the new you, huh? Just slumming it at a pageant for hormonal teenagers?"
"As if you volunteering at this thing isn't a sad attempt to relive your glory days."
"And how would you know what that looks like? The year I won Miss Mystic Falls, you spent the day in the woods trying not to kill the prom queen."
"You're right. I have no idea why that was such a dilemma."

"Damon just took Sybil inside. If he's giving her that striker..."
"I think it's time we wrapped up this shindig."
"You two get everyone out of here safely. We'll take care of this and get the striker."
Caroline moves to make an announcement.
"Hey, everyone. Um, so sorry, but, uh, this year's pageant will have to be cut short due to a gas leak in the kitchen. So please exit quickly, and get home safely. Thank you all for coming."
Violet walks up to Caroline and Grace.
"So who won?"
"Um... it's a six-way tie. [Caroline attempts to compel Violet] Now, go home."
"No. No, we have to stay."
"Who told you, you have to stay?"
"The honorary judge, Stefan Salvatore."
"Stefan, what did you do?"
"I see we're down to our finalists. You may never win a beauty pageant again, but here's a little consolation prize. Whatever that is. You can go now. I know you're not gonna want to see this."
"You let them go."
"Why? You knew all along I'd have to kill people for Cade."
"Evil people and murderers. These girls are innocent, Stefan."
"Exactly. Such exemplary young women. They have no idea that the world is out to crush them."
Stefan breaks Violet's neck.
"No!"
"No!"
Stefan moves to Trudy, Grace attempts to stop him, though he easily overpowers her.
"Don't worry, she'll be back."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I gave each one of these promising young women a little taste of my blood."
"You're turning them?"
"You've inspired me, Grace. Who would have thought that a Miss Mystic Falls would become engaged to a servant of Cade? Look in the mirror. Vampirism is a one-way path to hell."
"Unlike you, I can control my bloodlust. Not all vampires are evil."
"No. But we're engaged, Grace. That means we're in this together. You're not just an innocent bystander if you let me kill for Cade. So unless you want to call the whole thing off, blood is on your hands, too."
Grace grabs a broken piece of wood and throw it at Stefan, striking him in the heart, killing him, albeit temporarily.
"See? You're good at this killing thing."

Later that night, Grace is watching over Violet, who stirs awake and who is now in Transition.
"Did... Did I win?"
"Well, the judge did pick you."
"I... I died. I remember everything. You're a vampire."
"And now, so are you. Well, at least, you're becoming one. You have 24 hours to drink human blood, or... well... that's the end. There's a way to live with this. I know it sounds bad, but you're alive. You're still you."
"Drinking blood? Killing people? That's... That's not me. I don't want this."
"I'm... I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but..."
"Please, please, just... kill me. Quickly. Send me to a better place."
"Okay. You want to know what I did after I became a vampire? I graduated. I went to college. I became a news anchor. There are downsides. Believe me. But the one very big positive is that life doesn't have to stop after you die."
"So... I... have to drink blood, like... (she hisses and makes fang movements with her fingers)"
"I can help you. Come here."

"Thought you'd have run for the hills by now."
"I told you. We're in this together. If that means the blood's on my hands too, so be it. For the next year, we do what we have to do to get you out of your deal with Cade. But we do it my way. No more turning good people bad. We stick to murderers and drunk drivers."
"You don't get it, do you? I'm not in this for a year. I'm in this until I decide that I'm done. Three years, ten years. Cade was right. This is fun. I don't want to quit."
"You and I had a deal, too. Remember? We were supposed to... spend our lives together. One day you're going to wake up and realize that... you don't even remember what happiness is. Not 'fun'... but happiness. Until then, just stay away from me."

Grace is walking home with Caroline.
"I have a question for you."
"I hopefully have an answer."
"When did you get Miss Mystic Falls?"
"1980's I came here with Stefan while Damon and Lexi were together without Damon's humanity."
"Oh wow."
"Yeah I know."