I Will Always Find You...

Keeping a promise...

Keeping a promise ...

Stefan quickly located Damon and brought him up to speed about Melissa and what was going on. "Do you two actively seek out trouble or does it just find you all by itself? Because I've gotta tell you, it seems unlikely that it would just keep knocking at your door the way it does bro."

"Really? ... Bro... how much trouble have you been in Damon?" Stefan said rhetorically, "oh and by the way, I don't think Melissa likes you".

The group comes together and Damon eyes Melissa suspiciously, looking her up and down. When he catches Melissa's eye he starts to think Stefan may be right about her not liking him but that was odd considering he had never met her before, he didn't think he had anyway. He started trying to recall events from his past, recounting them as though this would in some way arm him against her and allow him to mount a defence about why she should like him. For now he would keep his distance and a cautious eye on her.

"Right" said Melissa, "let's go". They all headed back toward the car. "There's five of us" declared Damon, "the car's gonna be a little cramped."

"Maybe you should stay here Damon and we'll call when we need you" said Melissa, "Oh I don't think so", says Damon very calmly, "the fact that you don't want me to go is the very reason I am definitely going." His eyes were fixed on Melissa the whole time. She smiled a quirky smile, as though she might be reconsidering liking Damon.

Her smile intrigued Damon further and infuriated him at the same time. "Where are we going?" he asked Stefan. "Chicago...we're going to Chicago to get Tom".

Damon took a long look at Melissa in a last attempt to identify her before they left Mystic Falls. He observed everything about her and hoped he would trigger a memory. She stood approximately five feet and six inches tall; she had long, wavy, ebony hair. Her eyes were the deepest, sharpest blue. She had a slender frame, athletic and toned. Her skin was flawlessly olive and she had perfect teeth. "Hmmm...this girl was perfect", Damon thought to himself, "I would absolutely remember a perfect girl...Hey wait a minute, no one's perfect, something's definitely up here". His forehead wrinkled a little and his eyes closed slightly as he pondered what it might be.

"I'm taking my own car" said Damon, pulling Stefan to the side, "keep an eye out and be careful, I'll meet you there."

So, Bonnie, Melissa, Caroline and Stefan headed to Chicago, armed with nothing but each other. Melissa was quite calm, Bonnie was a little freaked and Caroline and Stefan were concerned for one another.

As they drew closer to Tom's resting place, Melissa became noticeably nervous, this put everyone else on edge and this brought about a rather rushed conversation that concerned somewhat of a plan. It was as if Melissa didn't care for planning, she just rushed off.

"Melissa" said Caroline impatiently "slow down, what are you doing? We don't even know how we are going to bring him back...what are we doing here? What are we supposed to do?"

Melissa realised she was being totally unprofessional and apologised to the group. "You're right she said, we do need some things. Can you find ten large pillar candles, scented with vanilla; I like vanilla...and Ginger root, Feverfew and a Lapis Lazuli stone.

"Ok, let's get this stuff and get moving, Silas may already be on his way" said Caroline. It didn't take the three of them long to find what they needed, not in the city. Melissa was totally preoccupied with the site where Tom was buried but we all assumed this was how she prepared for what was to come. The candles were placed around the grave and the herbs were mixed and prepared. "We have to dig" declared Melissa "to free him we must lay the herbs upon the body". Stefan got the spade from the trunk of the car and began to dig; it wasn't long before he reached the casket.

Melissa carefully opened it, her eyes welling up with tears. She placed the herbs so delicately over the body and the Lapis Lazuli stone on the forehead. The other three exchanged looks, wondering why Melissa was so emotional. "Are you Ok?" Stefan quietly asked... Melissa didn't seem to hear him; she was completely focused on Tom. She began to chant some dialect we couldn't recognise, we could barely hear her and her eyes shone. We took a cautious step back, away from the grave and it appeared in the darkness and the moonlight as though she were glowing. The wind picked up a little and it was harder to hear anything now. I took Stefan and Bonnie's hands instinctively and moved closer. When we were within reach Melissa stretched out her arms, one hand taking Stefan's and one Bonnie's. At that moment we were all connected and for a split second our eyes glowed the most brilliant blue.

In one powerful rush of adrenalin it was over. Melissa was leaning over Tom's body, holding his hand, his eyes fluttered open and he gasped, filling his lungs with air. His head turned slightly as he saw Melissa, I was expecting him to totally freak out. He wouldn't know where he was or who Melissa was. I felt I should move closer so that he could see me, thinking this would reassure him that everything was ok, although once I had thought that, I also considered the possibility that seeing me would freak him out, after all he hadn't had the best of luck when he was around us.

I stepped out from behind Melissa so that I could see his face, seeing him there was so strange...I looked back at Stefan to reassure myself and then back at Tom. A sudden realisation came over me and I thought to myself, "How could I be so stupid not to see it"? Tom wasn't distressed at all, he was smiling and Melissa was beaming through the tears that now fell freely onto Tom's face. She pulled him up and closer..."its ok" she whispered, "I'm here now".

"Lissa", Tom croaked. His voice still a little raspy... "Could you get some water please"? Melissa asked, but everyone just stood in bewilderment and amazement...Melissa turned around and repeated..."Water, please". Bonnie grabbed some from her bag and offered it.

Tom drank a sip from the bottle and pulled himself out of the grave with some help from Stefan and Melissa. He turned to Melissa, taking her hand so gently..."you did it" he said, "you found a way, just like you always said you would". She placed a hand on the side of his face, gently caressing his skin, "I said I would...if anything happened". She looked down and Tom said "Hey, none of this was your fault, remember that". He pulled her in close and they hugged tightly, as if afraid to let go in case they might not ever get each other back. When their embrace loosened and their eyes met, their lips found each other and their passion ignited once again.