ALMOST IS NEVER ENOUGH | TVD [2]

XXV • THE RAGER

twenty-five. the rager

Lockwood Residence

The Mayor and Tyler Lockwood, who has just come back home from his official discharge at the hospital after getting shot at the Catholic church in front of the whole town amidst the memorial service for the Town Council by the brand new alarming vampire hunter in Mystic Falls, walk into the large mansion through the unlocked main front doors. Two unfamiliar though skeptical young men are standing in the main foyer, as if awaiting for the pair to show up, and the hybrid immediately becomes suspicious.

"Who the hell are you two?" Tyler averts his skeptical gaze between them.

"Tyler, it's okay. They're here for your protection. Not only you, but your grandmother's going to stay here for the time being with us while your Uncle Liam and your Aunt Lia are still investigating about Ben's 'disappearance'. Don't worry, I'll take care of that." The Mayor assured him, knowing that her one and only nephew didn't just disappear in this town.

Tyler shakes his head a little in denial, "You're kidding me, right? What makes you think Grandma Val's going to be safe here with this hunter still in town? Oh, let me guess. That's Uncle Liam's genius idea. Yeah, not really." He doesn't really like the maternal side of his family, which would justify the reason why he doesn't really like to speak about, especially, his own cousin, considering his maternal uncle Liam seems to be a really judgmental man, who always considers him to have inherited his behavior from Richard. Unlike his late paternal uncle Mason, this one doesn't want to let his guard down even for his own one and only son. Benjamin McKittrick has been 'missing' in the woods for a year now and Liam, who's supposed to be the deeply concerned father, shows up unfortunately-- inexplicably one year too late. If he really does care about him, why didn't he show up much earlier?

The Mayor looks up at her own son in true offense, "Actually--"

"It was my genius idea, Tyler." The Original hybrid, impeccably alive and healthy, steps into the room from the parlor with another hybrid minion.

A genuinely tired sigh leaves the teenager, "They're hybrids...of course."

"I was halfway to Chicago when I heard from your lovely friend that you were attacked. I had hoped to leave Mystic Falls for good, but duty calls." He would do just about anything for the lovely Minerva Devon — protection.

"Huh. Nice to know you care." The Lockwood hybrid assumed with a shrug.

The Mayor nods gratefully at the Original, but awkward, "Thank you, Klaus."

"I don't, I did this for Minerva. I should have killed you for the little stunt you and your friends pulled. Stopping my heart, leaving me in a coffin to rot."