Try {One | Alaric Saltzman}

Fool Me Once

Stefan and Abigail approached the Salvatore Boarding House after spending the night, and most of the morning, searching for Elena. They faced dead end after dead end, falling into an anxious, disappointed silence as they turned to their last resort: Damon. They found him with ease, sitting in his office without an inclination that they were there.

"Anna took Elena," Stefan announced.

"Yeah." Damon pulled his eyes from the grimoire for only a second. "I got that from your six hundred voicemails."

Stefan took a step forward. "Damon, all night long, every single street in town, we've been searching."

"What if your blood hasn't passed out of her system?" Abigail asked from the doorway.

He smirked. "At least you know you'll see her again."

"Please," her voice cracked. "Just tell us what you know. You were with Anna; you must know where she is living."

"Nope. You can go." Damon turned back to the grimoire. "Really."

"You know, all I can remember is hating you. There might have been a time when that was different, but your choices have erased anything good about you." Stefan paused. "But see, I also know you have just as much reason to hate me. This all began with me. Katherine got taken away from you because of me. And I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," Damon droned.

"It's Elena, Damon," he pleaded. "If you know something, tell us."

"I mean this sincerely." Damon paused the same way Stefan had moments before. "I hope Elena dies."

He brushed past Abigail, knocking his shoulder into hers without an apology.

Abigail and Stefan were alone when he said, "He didn't mean that."

She wiped her tears away. "You know as well as I do that he means what he says."

Elena's name flashed across the screen of Stefan's ringing phone. He answered the call with a sigh, one Abigail knew wasn't good. Because it wasn't Elena calling. It was Anna.

Damon reappeared. "Go ahead, grovel again. Oh, wait... I don't care."

Abigail looked between them. "What's going on?"

"Anna has Bonnie, too," Stefan said without taking his eyes off of Damon. "She wants to meet one of us in the Square."

Abigail's breath sounded like a gasp, lurching her into saying, "Then I'm going with you."

"No, you aren't," Stefan said. "It's not safe."

Damon rolled his eyes. "She'll be fine with me."

"What if Anna tries something?" Stefan asked. "I can't let anything happen to you, too. I can't."

"Exactly!" It took less time to think of what she was going to say than it took to say it, "I have a place I can watch from, somewhere safe."

"Well then, Nancy Drew." Damon took a step toward the front door. "Let's go."

The way that Damon gripped the steering wheel reminded her of the number of times he had proven that there was a part of him to be feared. His sharp features were more pronounced when he clenched his jaw and the darkness behind his eyes came out in full force when he furrowed his brows. It was unsettling to watch him silently plot next to her, but she couldn't look away.

He could feel her eyes on him. "You and I are a lot alike, you know."

Her stomach turned. "I am nothing like you."