The Bourbon Diaries ✢ The Vampire Diaries FanFiction ✢ TVD FanFic ✢ TVDU FanFic

Chapter Three - Stefanie Salvatore

Present day

Atlanta, GA

There were going to be a few surprises when Stef reached her loft apartment in midtown Atlanta with Phoenix and Gabe in tow. Perhaps she would be better off not considering them as surprises, but merely additions to the many clashes she had with Gabe. It wasn't like it was his apartment she was leasing exactly---it was one of multiple properties owned by the Vampire Council that Gabe managed---but, being a friend of the family, he likely put a little too much trust in her maintenance skills. Or cleaning skills... or tidying skills... in fact, housekeeping of any kind. An unfortunate side effect of compelling witches was that it reduced her own witch powers while they were under her influence. So, with Raid and Adam compelled, she had to be very selective on how she used her remaining powers. Creating daylight rings for the Council? That was essential. Doing housework using magic? That was unfortunately not.

Luckily, she did have a secret trick for getting it done. At least, it was a secret she kept from Gabe.

As they rounded the concrete stairwell on the last flight of stairs to her apartment, Stef stopped, crouched down and nudged at a figure wrapped in a sleeping blanket on the floor, dropping a grocery bag alongside them.

"Bertha, what are you doing out here?" Stef asked.

A gaunt woman who looked twice Stef's age shuffled her arms from the sleeping bag, pushed a sleep mask from her face and held it out to her. "I borrowed this," she croaked groggily, rolling her tongue along the roof of her dry mouth.

"Fine, but why are you out here?" Stef repeated, ignoring the offering. "I said you can use the couch."

"Too noisy," Bertha explained, slipping the sleep mask back on so it rested against her forehead, the band separating her messy bleached curls from her long dark roots. She rolled onto her side as she spotted the familiar grocery bag that Stef regularly picked up for her. She took out the juice, uncapping it. "I need my own space, don't I?"

Stef raised her eyebrows. "The stairwell?"

"It's my own space, isn't it?"

Realizing that Bertha was about to start getting defensive, Stef sighed in defeat and reached into her faux-leather satchel. As Bertha gulped back the orange juice, Stef placed a portable charger in front of her and stood up. "It's fully charged. Watching Dark Dead Academy again tonight, I take it?"

Bertha grinned. "I'm still trying to figure out which of the Vaziri cousins you were into."

Stef narrowed her eyes, acutely aware that both Gabe's and Phoenix's were now widening. "The answer," she gritted tensely, "would be neither."

"Aw, come on," Bertha teased. "Growing up with two handsome young men like that? Raid so brash and rugged. Adam so groomed and mysterious---"

"Would you like me to change the Wi-Fi password?"

Bertha chuckled and took another sip of the orange juice, letting her eyes drift over Phoenix and Gabe. They lingered on Gabe, eyebrows raising in fascination. His no-nonsense business attire not quite matching his casual, hands-pocketed stance. His thick dark hair was locked into a primped preppy style, while his light stubble darkened his already-dark complexion. As the juice left her lips, Bertha ventured an observation, jutting the carton in Gabe's direction. "Speaking of 'groomed and mysterious'... dating this one, are you?"

"Absolutely not!" Stef scoffed.

"I'm old enough to be her father," Gabe declared.

Bertha's eyes remained on Gabe, her smile turning flirtatious. "Not old enough to be mine, but I could sure use a daddy."