The Sacrifice

Kill or be Killed - 1

"This is all part of the historical society, continuing efforts to give back to the community. Thanks to the generous donation of the Fell family. We are now standing at the sight of our newest public park. Thank you to everyone who has shown up today to lend a helping hand. Thanks." Carol addresses to the public.

This was all for the new public park, in which everyone was helping prepare.

Mason is removing boxes from his trunk when Stefan and I walk up to him. We were doing damage control because apparently Damon stabbed him with silver, silver. Could he be more stupid, don't believe anything you read off the internet.

Mason turns to look at us both. "Stefan right? The other Salvatore" He then tilts his head at me.

"Ariel...Donovan right? Matt's sister" I nod and stretch a hand out. "Nice to meet you" He nods and shakes my hand. "Nice to meet you" He then looks at Stefan. "And you," He says, more hostile. Stefan nods.

"The nice one. The one offering an apology"

Mason frowns. "Not interested" I sigh and glance at Stefan. "Look, my brother acted impulsively"

"You think?"  Mason shoots back.

"If you and Damon keep at each other's throats, somebody innocent is going to get hurt and I don't want that. You have family here so I can imagine you'd want that either. So what do you say we just quit the whole alpha male fighting thing and call a truce?"

Mason points a finger "I made that same offer to your brother. He turned it down with a knife."

"Look Mason. Damon was just being Damon. He made a mistake. We're here to make sure neither one of you makes another one" I explain. Hoping to get to him.

"Tell your brother to watch his back." Mason says as he picks up a box and starts walking away.

Stefan catches Mason's arm.

"Well, I'm guessing that he only has to worry about that during a full moon. Otherwise you're not as strong, am I right? Or you would have killed Damon by now. There's one of you. There's two of us. I think you're the one that needs to watch his back." Stefan threatens.

You know for a peace negotiation that isn't exactly peace.

Mason scowls. "If he comes at me..."

"He won't." I promise.

They shake hands and Mason leaves carrying a box. Damon appears behind us, I have gotten unfortunatally used to him sneaking up on me

"What are you doing?" He asks.

"Negotiating peace on your behalf." I explain.

"I don't want peace." Damon complains.

"Consider it opposite day."  Stefan jokes.

"Stefan" Damon says and puts his hands on his brother's shoulders. "please tell me you don't seriously think a hand shake just solved our problem."

"No, actually I think that the first chance Mason Lockwood gets, he's gonna drive a stake through your heart and then through mine, all because you took it upon yourself to try to kill him. So thank you, because we don't have enough problems." Stefan says, slapping his brother's neck before leaving.

"So suddenly, she's in the running for Mother of the Year just when I'm trying to avoid her the most" Caroline shares as Elena, her and I walk to the water post. When she notices how quite Elena is she stops. "I'm babbling, you don't want to hear all this."

"Oh, no, sorry. Then what happened?" Elena says, snapping out of her trance.

"Well, I was a bitch which is par for the course with us" Caroline says as she paints the wooden board. "So, how are things with you and Stefan? Anything?" I ask because Elena is lost in her own thoughts.

Elena breaths out a sigh. "No, not since the fight. He's been pushing me away because he thinks that Katherine might get jealous enough to hurt me. I just don't know how to change his mind"

"You said that Katherine's dangerous. Maybe he's got a point." Caroline tells her as she bends down to her.

"Yeah, I know that she's dangerous-" I cut her off. "She is dangerous Elena. You weren't with her when she was locked in the cellar. She threatened you" I share.

Elena sighs. "I know that, and I know he's just trying to protect me but it feels like giving up and I just..."

"Just what?" Caroline asks.

"I just thought that we were stronger than that." 

We go back to painting and me and Caroline can't help but notice the longing looks Elena and Stefan were exchanging.

"Oh, oh. Longing looks are being exchanged." I playfully mock.

"I'm gonna go talk to him." Elena declares, setting her brush down.

"No, Elena. I think it's a bad idea." Caroline expresses.

Elena ignores Caroline's comment and walks over to Stefan.

"What's her problem?" Damon asks joining us. "Don't worry about it." Caroline and I say in sync. "Why are you being such a bitch to your mom?" Damon asks Caroline.

"Don't worry about it." Caroline retorts. She walks away and grabs her brush and I notice that both Caroline and Damon are listening into Stefan and Elena's conversation.

I stand next to them and fold my arms across my chest and huff in annoyance. Darn vampire hearing. We watch them separate and I grumble. I don't need to have vampire hearing to know they disagreed on something.

"Relationships are about communication" Damon says making me frown in confusion since I didn't exactly hear them. Stefan goes back to his work and I stand with Damon as Caroline turns to go after Elena.

"I hope you apologize to Mason'' I start, picking my brush back up. Damon scoffs and picks the brush Caroline had and starts to paint, making himself useful.

"And why would I do that?" He questions. "Because you tried to kill him Damon'' I say with a sneer.

"And if what Vanessa said about the werewolf bite is true I wouldn't want to be on his bad side" I explain. Damon smirks and turns to me.

"Are you worried about me?" He questions with a hint of laughter in his voice. "Of course I am" I respond. Damon laughs and flicks his paintbrush at me, staining my face with flecks of paint. I gasp and scowl, lifting my own brush, slapping it against his chest.

"Game on'' He says and I screech as he slaps my sleeve with his paint brush, leaving a streak of brown paint. "Ok, ok I give" I say before he can try again. I jump on his back and he locks his arms around my legs.

"Come on, the kids are planting, let's go"

"Seriously" He whines. I smack his shoulder. "Yes'' Damon then breaks into a run making me screech and tight my hold against him making him laugh.

"Don't do that again'' I say before smacking him on the head as he sets me down. We then start to plant a couple of plants and Damon excuses himself to get us some drinks. Stefan approaches me while I clean myself up.

"Where's Damon?" He asks and I point back with my thumb. "Getting us drinks'' I reply. Stefan frowns and turns me around.

"If getting drinks involves talking to Mason"