My Story (Damon's POV)

Ch.36: American Gothic

It's a beautiful day, as Stefan and I get out of our car on the side of the road and walk towards my car, me carrying two large containers.

"If they so much as even scratched the paint on my car...," I start.

"Well, just be grateful Sheriff Forbes was able to track down the car after you let them, ah, you know—steal it from you," Stefan interrupts.

"Remind me to send her some mini-muffins. Do we really need 10 gallons of gas, or are you making me just lug this around as punishment?" I say.

"Well, they ditched your car after it ran out of fuel. You gotta fill it up. Got a hundred miles before we get to Willoughby."

"Yeah, well, I don't remember that name from the list of places I got from New York."

"Oh, the list? The list they stole from right under your nose, after you let your guard down? They'll be there. Sheriff Forbes tracked down the car they stole after yours," Stefan amusingly says.

"Screw the muffins. I'll get her champagne—if Elena is wherever it may be," I say, as I fill my tank with gasoline.

He smiles.

"Willoughby. Creamed corn capital of Pennsylvania. They'll be there. Let's just hope we get to them before they get to the cure."

"Ooh, silver lining: if Rebekah takes the cure, then she's mortal and we can just kill her right then and there."

"Ooh, dark cloud: Elena stays a vampire forever. Look, why don't you just table the revenge fantasies for now, and just keep your eye on the prize. Find Katherine, get the cure, get out before you get your neck snapped—again."

"Believe me, I learned my lesson. Elena without humanity is a stone-cold bitch, and I won't trust her until we get the old Elena back."

"Look at that. We're finally on the same page about something."

"Look at that," I agree.

Later that day, we're walking along the street, still in search of Rebekah and Elena.

"Something's not right. Katherine Pierce does not hole up in Hickstown, P-A.," I announce.

"Well, this is definitely the car they stole. We're in the right place," Stefan says.

"Points to them for their choice of vehicles," I say.

"So, let me ask you something. What happens when we find Elena? How do we get her back to Mystic Falls? I mean, she's not exactly gonna go quietly, and she has an Original vampire as her bodyguard."

"We do whatever we have to do. I don't care if we have to throw Rebekah under a school bus and wrap Elena up in a burlap sack. We do whatever we have to do."

"I'm serious."

"I am, too. I don't care what Elena wants right now. She's this close to going off the rails for good, and that ain't happening. She's a pain enough as it is."

"So, what happened to the guy who thought Elena should embrace being a vampire, let the chips fall where they may?" Stefan asks me.

"That guy got his neck snapped in New York and this guy is royally pissed off," I answer him, and start to walk away.

When we find them, they're sitting in a diner in a booth. Rebekah is seated next to Katherine, but Elena isn't there.