At home, I saw Stefan walking down the stairs with a bag over his shoulder.
Damon walked closer. "Where have you been?"
"Ah, you know, out," Stefan told him, walking past him and toward the front door.
"Where are you going?" Damon asked.
"Out," Stefan answered.
I walked into the foyer. "Okay, I see shady Stefan is back." Stefan stopped, walking toward us. "Please don't tell me that you're still working with Klaus."
"Please don't tell me that you're still planning on going on a date with Klaus," Stefan replied. I rolled my head toward Damon, knowing he had told Stefan, because I hadn't. Damon shrugged. "Sorry. You obviously haven't heard. Elena and I broke up."
Damon stayed silent with a blank expressionless face.
I raised my eyebrows, tilting my head. "Oh. Got it. Uh, well, I'll be quck then. So, apparently, if we want to find the Cure, we have to find a vampire Hunter who can kill enough vampires to reveal the map on the Hunter's Mark. Now, unless we want Jeremy to go all Connor 2.0, I suggest we find a different Hunter."
"Okay," Stefan said. "And?"
"And I was gonna ask Professor Shane, but turns out, he's shadier than you are," I told him.
Damon was shocked at the name that he spoke. "Matt Donovan connected him and the Pastor through phone records. Apparently, the two were very catty the day that the Pastor blew up the Council."
"Ah, so you're gonna confront Shane, threaten him, possibly kill him, that sort of thing," Stefan said.
"Yeah, unless he tells me what he's up to," Damon told us, clapping either of us on the shoulders. "What do you say? Should we triple tag team this?"
"Nah, I'd say you're on your own," Stefan told him.
I scoffed. "Speak for yourself." I looked at Damon. "I'll help you." Stefan started to walk away. I stepped in his way. "Or we ould just blow it off and go get drunk. Family bond over some Tri Delts. If you, you know, want some quality time."
Stefan grimaced and laughed. "Let's not pretend like this isn't the best day of Damon's life and your goal to keep this family together isn't falling apart."
Stefan patted us on the shoulders, walking out of the house.
****
I walked into Klaus' mansion. "Klaus, you ass! What the hell do you have my brother involved in now?!"
Klaus' voice came from behind me. "I'm pretty sure if Stefan didn't tell you himself, then that means you shouldn't know."
I turned to face him. "Uh-uh. We're not playing that game. Why don't you just tell me what you have Stefan involved in? Getting the Cure? Trying to find a Hunter to kill enough vampires to reveal the Mark?"
"You know, I have some questions of my own," Klaus told me. "I was wondering what time I should pick you up tomorrow."
"Okay, you suck at avoiding a topic, and how about a quarter to never?" I asked.
Klaus walked closer to me. "I was promised a date in return for one of my hybrids."
"Yes, a date," I told him. "Like to a movie where we don't have to talk and I can put at least three seats between us. Now how about we talk about the reason I came here that you're trying to avoid on talking about?"
"Fine," Klaus told me. "I'll tell you what I have your brother doing if you go with me to the Miss Mystic Falls pageant as a date."
"Are you serious?" I asked.
