𝟐• 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 | 𝐓𝐕𝐃

TWENTY-TWO

Nearly Four Years from The Present

"Okay, people. We go live in thirty, so I need that media package done fifteen minutes ago. Where are my graphics and B-roll?" Caroline said, looking at the tablet in her hands. "Jamie, we're good on music, right?"

"Yeah."

"Uh, excuse me, Caroline." Caroline turned around to face her assistant.

"Yes, Tony?"

"Uh, your fiancé just called." Tony said.

"What? He knows I'm working." She said.

"That's why he didn't ask to talk to you. Um, he's being sneaky." He sheepishly said.

"But your paycheck comes from me, and you know how much I hate surprises. Spill." She said.

"He's curious to see what your schedule's like right before the wedding." He stated, making her look at him in suspicion.

"Why?"

"I think he wants to plan a trip to Mystic Falls."

"...But he knows we can't go back there." She said in concern, before realizing she spoke out loud. "Um, I will handle this later, Tony."

"Okay."

!

Present Day

"Aurelia," Stefan said into his phone. "I haven't heard from you, and I'm really starting to think that you're using me for random, hot make-out sessions, because we haven't yet been on a date..." He trailed off, realizing what he sounded like. "I mean, I'm not opposed to the idea, but please call me back." He hung up, and kept the phone in his pocket, before looking out the window of his car to look at one of the Heretics, Beau. He pressed his lips together, stepping out of the car, before leaning on the door. "Can I help you?"

The mute Heretic stayed silent, causing the Salvatore to roll his eyes.

"It's okay." He said. "I speak mute. Just communicate what you want with a series of grunts." He added, before yelling as he fell to his knees in pain. "AH!"

Lily walked towards him, shutting the car door. "You'll have to excuse Beau- he's not in the mood for glib jokes. None of us are, actually." She said, as Beau released Stefan from the spell. "I thought we had a deal."

"Yeah, we do. Otherwise, I would be at home, not out patrolling the streets to keep humans out of minions' fangs." He said.

"We found Malcolm in the Town Square last night, his heart removed." She said, making his eyes widen in surprise. "You didn't know."

"No, I didn't, because we didn't do it."

"I'm not here to blame you, Stefan. I came here so you'd understand why we did what we had to do." She said, making him frown.

His expression turned from suspicious to angry within seconds as a thought crossed his mind. "Lily, what did you do?"

"I'm sorry, but I had to." She said, making him growl.

"Lily, what the hell did you do?!"

!

Aurelia's eyes fluttered open to a burning pain on her wrists. She groaned, sitting up in the wooden chair she found herself on. "Ow." She said, before looking at her wrist, which were being bound to the arms of the chair with vervain-soaked ropes. "Ah, what the hell?" She asked, looking at Enzo.

"Sorry, love. This will only hurt for a second." He said, before she looked at him, furious.

"Why?!" She asked.