[*Chapter Twenty-Seven*]

Ayo! Another long chapter. Enjoy! 💜🖤

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Alaric Saltzman collected the photocopies from the printer and left the teacher's room. As he walked at a leisurely pace down the corridor, he heard a loud metallic clang resound further down the long hallway. He paused; to his knowledge, no one was at the school but him. When no more sounds came, he continued his walk to his classroom. The darkened hall sent shivers down his spine. Alaric could feel it; he wasn't alone. To confirm his suspicion, he heard a whoosh behind him and abruptly spun around.

When he didn't see anything, he called out, "Hello? Hello, someone there?"

Just as he expected, no reply came. Despite the alarm bells and his inner panic caused him to retreat, pausing at a locker next to the teacher's room. Opening it, he pulled out a bag and emptied its contents onto the teacher's desk, picking up an air-compressed gun, affixed to it was a wooden stake. Running back to his classroom, he halts in his tracks upon seeing Stefan inside; without hesitation, the teacher slots in a stake in the gun and fires, only for Stefan to catch mid-air.

"You shouldn't have done that," Stefan said, gesturing to the empty desks, "Have a seat."

Alaric eyes him warily and steps into the room but pauses, seeing Darcy waving mockingly from the teacher's desk, "Uh, what are you doing here?"

"Decided to accompany dear old Steffy here," she smiled sweetly and raised an impressed brow at his hunting gear, "Nice kit, by the way, consider me impressed."

Stefan shot her a look to be quiet. She grinned and mimicked, zipping her mouth and sat back in the seat, feet resting on the desk, "Be my guest, carry on."

Stefan turned back to Alaric once he had taken a seat. He motioned to his hunting gear, "What's this, compressed air? Did you make it yourself? Who are you-,"

"Jesus, Stefan, let the man breathe before you bombard him with questions." Darcy shook her head at her best friend's impatient self. Turning to Alaric, "We won't hurt you if you tell us who the hell you are and what you're doing here in Mystic Falls. Shall we try again? Who are you?"

Stefan couldn't help clap his hands sarcastically. He doesn't know how this one human girl can change his brooding ways. Once upon a time, he wouldn't stand for such things, but who would have guessed he would be standing in a classroom about to interrogate a teacher, yet but couldn't help banter and bicker with Darcy. What is this girl doing to him?

"Talk about hypocrite much?" he raised a brow in a challenge, to which Darcy stuck up her middle finger and stood up, rounding the desk. She took steady steps and perched on the desk in front of the vampire hunter.

"I'm a teacher." Alaric cut into their banter, eyes roaming between them restlessly.

Darcy shot the vampire a look; it was his turn to play bad cop.

"Are we going to have to do this the hard way?"

The teacher exhaled heavily, "I'm also a historian, and while researching Virginia. I...made discoveries about your town."

"Ah-ah! You forgot vampire hunter on the list." Darcy wagged her finger playfully, "come on, save the time and the hassle and spare the truth."

Stefan nodded, impressed. He expected her to come in here raving and shouting like a mad-woman; he got proved wrong.

"My wife was a parapsychologist--,"

Darcy darted forward, her hands shooting out wrapping around the older hunter's throat, and squeezed, "Hold on, wife! What about Jenna? I know you've got the hots for her. Now listen here, you—mmmm!"

Stefan's slapped a hand on her mouth, cutting off the foul abuse that was about to erupt, and pulled her away from the terrorized teacher/hunter. He picked her up and deposited her back at the teacher's desk, "Sit and stay." Earning a sharp glare, which he pointedly ignored and made his way back to Alaric, who was rubbing his visible red neck.

"She's feisty and strong for a little thing."

"Hmm. Back to business."

"My wife was a parapsychologist. She spent her life researching paranormal activity in this area. It was her work that led me here."

"Where's your wife?"

"Dead. A vampire killed her."

"Where's the Gilbert journal?" Darcy's stance went rigid, waiting for his reply.

Alaric shot him an unsure look, "What do you want with it?"

Stefan diverted his questioning, "Where is it?"

"It's on my desk."

Darcy stood up, her eyes passing over the table, unable to locate the journal. Her blood turned cold, and a pit formed in her stomach, "No, it's not." She spun back around and folded her arms, restraining herself from strangling him again.

"It was on my desk." Ric hurried over and shuffled through the scattered papers across the desk. He dropped the pieces and glanced between Darcy and Stefan, both crowded around him.

"It's gone."

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A little while later, the three spread out over the room, Stefan rested on the desk, Darcy stared out of the window, a troubled look plastered upon her face, and Alaric back in his usual teaching seat.

"How long have you been aware of me?"

"I learned just recently. What about your brother?"

Stefan's brows raised, he exchanged a look with Darcy as she crept closer, "You met Damon?"

"Who do you think killed my wife?"

Well, shit, Darcy thought, this isn't going to end well.

Stefan sat up, straighter, "Are you certain it was Damon?"

"I witnessed it."

Double shit.

"If you're here for revenge, this is going to end very badly for you," Stefan said as he pushed off the desk.

Darcy looked down at the hunter and elaborated further, "You won't have to worry about us because if Damon finds out...he will kill you. No questions asked."

The Protectress felt her heart clench at the pain that flashed through Alaric's eyes, and she couldn't help but feel for the man and inwardly cursed Damon.

"I just want to find out what happened to my wife."

Stefan looked at him, confused, "I thought you said that, Damon..."

"Yeah. I saw him draining the life out of her. He must have heard me coming, then he just...disappeared, and so did her body. They never found her body.

The duo exchanged another look, seemingly having a conversation without words, with hand expressions and head nods.

Stefan sighed gravely, "Damon can never know why you're here. He will kill you without blinking."

"I can take care of myself," Alaric asserted confidently.

Darcy snorted at his bullshit, earning a harsh glare, "I don't think so, buddy. We can help."

"A human?" he asked doubtfully.

"Nope, something better." She grinned smugly, "and not much different than yourself."

Alaric stared at her, confused. Darcy remained silent, letting him connect the dots, then his eyes widened with surprise, "Wait! You're a hunter, like me?"

Darcy applauded and smirked, "And something."

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(Third Pov, Elena, Damon, Jenna, and Jeremy)

While Stefan and Darcy were at the school, it was Damon's turn to figure out if he could trust his brother or not. Although knowing their history, he seriously doubts it, but his heart sparks with hope.

Damon leaned against the kitchen island, watching as Elena attempted to avoid his probing gaze as she busied herself with cleaning the kitchen.

"So, where's Stefan?" Though he already knew that from the earlier text he received from Darcy.

"He's missing family night, which I am enjoying immensely...Is it real?"

Elena feigned obvious, "Is what real?"

Damon narrowed his gaze at the back of her head; he knew she was playing him. Her rigid frame is a dead giveaway.

While their slowly reforming connection strengthens, he hopes that if Stefan is deceiving him, it will not fall back on them. The morning discussion with Darcy resurfaces. What if she's right and Katherine is not in the tomb? Does he even love her? He's not so sure, though his heart doesn't hurt at the thought of letting go; he still needs closure.

"Can I trust him?"

Damon observes intently as her frame winces, "Yeah, you can trust him."

Abruptly he vamped over to her and spun her around, "Can I trust Stefan." He repeated, paying no regard to her flinching away from him.

His enhanced sight traced how her eyes moved to the right before answering, "I'm wearing vervain, Damon. It's not going to work."

She's stalling.

Has she not learned anything from her sister or boyfriend? Does she not know they can smell it without being in a short distance? The necklace and the added ankle bracelet are a big giveaway. Still, they won't keep her safe.

One fast rip would all it take.

"I'm not compelling you. Now answer me. Honestly."

She allowed a smile to touch her lips before replying, "Of course you can."

Damon knew that smile, an all too familiar smile that Katherine worked off the back of her hand.

He knows Elena is lying. Deluding him, which means Stefan is also.

Damon knew he needed to amp up his game, make him think he's fallen for their lies. He sighed and turned back to the kitchen counter, grabbing a knife began cutting up the carrots, "There was a time when I trusted Stefan more than anyone." He could feel Elena's too curious burning the side of his face. He smirked inwardly.

"Well, trust breeds trust. You have to give it to get it."

The vampire chuckled at the irony.

There comes the point when someone breaks that trust too many times- it's unlikely ever to return. And there are only too many times you can let someone in before turning into a walking doormat. That, Damon, won't allow happening.

He decided to play to the following lost, lovesick puppy card. He sighed mournfully, "I just want her back. I'm sure you can understand that."

Elena scratched her neck, uncomfortably, "I can understand that you would do anything for her, yes."

His head shot up, pinning her with his sharp gaze, allowing the veins to surface under his skin, "Then you understand what I will do if anyone gets in my way."

Damon left with those words, allowing them to play on her subconscious, then jumped over the sofa and took a seat next to Jeremy, who was playing on the Xbox. Now on another mission, and hopes Darcy won't kick his ass because, with time, he can see himself caring for little Gilbert.

Elena's phone pinged in the background, Damon's ears twitched, hearing her fingers press on the buttons as she replied.

"Darcy and Stefan are on their way back."

"Good, about time!" Damon replied sarcastically.

"You know you can cut with the crap, right?" Jeremy said from beside him.

Damon paused and feigned innocence, "I don't know what you mean, Little Gilbert."

Jeremy chuckled and shook his head at his façade, "Come on. Who am I?"

Damon glanced at him, wondering where he was getting at but played along, "Jeremy."

He confirmed with a nod as his thumbs beat on the controller, "Right. Who's my older sister?"

Damon batted his hand, "Easy Peasy! That shall be Princess."

Jeremy paused the game and turned to him and arched a brow, fighting off the grin that desperately wanted to spread across his face but wanted to mess with the Salvatore vampire, "Princess, huh? You like Darcy?"

Damon began to nod but realized what came out of Jeremy's mouth and snapped his head to the side, "What? No... Pfft... Besides, she'll have me by the balls. Literally."

Jeremy sent him a mocking smile and a nod as if saying, 'Yeah, okay. Sure.' His phone buzzed in his pocket. He deftly ignored it and picked up the controller again.

"Who are you ignoring?" Damon said as he joined Jeremy playing the game.

The younger Gilbert sighed; there was no point in keeping quiet anymore. "Uh, this girl. Anna. She can be a bit pushy..."

"Is she hot?"

Jeremy snorted and shook his head, "Yeah, but that's not the point. She's uh... A vampire." He coughed and cleared his throat, keeping his stare fixed on the TV screen.

Damon froze. A vampire? Could it be the mysterious one working with Noah? It's got to be! "A vampire, you say? Do I know her?"

"Erm, not too sure about that," Jeremy replied as she shifted uncomfortably.

"Hmm, okay." He's going to have to check in with this...vampire. He can't have another wandering around and cause potential bloodshed. "Back to before, is she hot?"

"Yeah, but she can be super weird."

"Hot trumps weird, trust me."

"Yeah, I guess. There's weird, and then there's overall insistent and pushy." Jeremy sighed, running his hands through his already messy hair. "All because of a book," he mumbles.

Damon perked up and paused the game, "A book?"

"Look, I may as well tell you. I would rather not have my neck snapped. 'or my head bit off' "I was doing a history project for Mr Saltzman. Darcy had given me the journals that dad had given her before he died. When I handed the assignment in, he was curious about the journal and asked to have a read." he paused, assessing Damon for any signs of anger but frowned at the emotionless mask.

On the other hand, Damon was seething on the inside. He cursed himself inwardly. Darcy has said she didn't trust the history teacher. And for a good reason. Why didn't he listen?

Just then, the door opened, and Darcy strolled in with a scowl plastered upon her face. Stefan followed not far behind, mumbling something low; only Darcy could hear. By the eye roll, she responded, and the younger Salvatore vampire was trying to pacify her.

Elena went to walk over to them, but Damon beat her. He stood in her way with an expectant look directed at her older sister. Jenna looked at Jeremy to know what was happening, which he shrugged innocently in return.

"Well?" Damon asked. Stefan at him and gestured for them all to go outside. The four included Jeremy followed.

Elena shot her brother a confused look. She still wasn't too pleased he was involved. If she had it her way, she'd erase his memories. In her head, she would be making him safe and out of harm's way. Yet, Darcy thought differently and not only that, she wanted to tell Jenna too.

Once they stood outside, Jenna not so secretly with her ear to the door because she's Jenna and her typical nosey self. I still got to love her!

Darcy and Stefan filled them in on what had occurred at the school. The ebony-haired girl shot her brother look to speak up, to which he deftly switched his gaze away from her probing stare. Both brothers watched the exchange and silently asked each other what was that about? They both knew something, but what? Damon wondered if Jeremy would have spilt the beans before the hunter and vampire duo arrived and then cursed them for their terrible timing.

Damon threw his hands up, annoyed. "Well, who took it?" He paced back and forth, rubbing his face.

"I don't know," Stefan replied, watching his brother.

Damon spun around and looked at Darcy, "You know what? It's that teacher!"

Darcy shot him a sweet smile in response, "I told you I didn't trust him, but nope you had to be. Oh, it's fine, princess." She mimicked him and rolled her eyes playfully.

He stood silent and shrugged carelessly.

"What? Not going to deny I'm wrong?"

"Nope."

"Well, what do you know, huh? Dickmon giving in?" Darcy replied with faux shock, looking between the trio who was watching on with amusement.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now back to before. The teacher, there's something off about him."

Stefan shook his head, arms crossed as he leant against the pillar, "No, he doesn't know anything. Somebody got to him right before us." he said, nodding his head at Darcy.

"Someone knew it was there," Darcy said.

"I do." Jeremy let out a pent up sigh, receiving a reassuring look; she's got his back. The younger Gilbert looked up at Damon, "Remember the Anna chick?"

Damon nodded, "The vampire."

Elena and Stefan snapped their heads, "Vampire?" They looked over at Darcy, who had sat on the swing aimlessly swinging as she glanced up at the darkening sky. "Did you know?" Elena asked her sister.

"Yep," she replied, causing Elena to scoff and take a few steps until she was directly in front of her. "Well, don't you think it was important to tell us, no?"

Darcy hung her arms over the back of the swing and grinned up at her sister. "Nope."

Stefan sat beside her and nudged her left arm, making it slip off, "Why didn't you say anything?" he said, giving her a perplexed expression.

"And what? Have you all on Jer's case? No, not happening. He didn't know what what the sneaky vamp-bitch was up to. Her looks and innocent facade fooled him." She looked at her brother and smiled at the thankful smile he shot her. Darcy winked. She'll always be there, no matter how much he messes up. "Besides, I think he learnt his lesson, right, Jer?"

Jeremy nodded, "Yeah, I won't let that happen again. I'm sorry, guys."

"Hold on. Anna is the girl who happens to be a vampire." Stefan connected the dots, albeit slowly.

Jeremy nodded, "She wants to meet at the grill tonight."

Damon clapped his hands, "Perfect! I'll drive, come on." he said and clapped Jeremy on the shoulder.

The trio watched as they drove off towards the grill. "Aren't you going to go with him? If he gets to the journal before we do, then-,"

Stefan cut her off and pulled out a bunch of papers from behind his back, "It doesn't matter."

"What is that?" Elena asked curiously as her boyfriend while walking inside the house, shooting Jenna a confused look as she scampered into the kitchen and took a B&J tub out of the freezer. His eyebrows raised as Darcy darted passed him and began to wrestle her aunt for the ice cream. He exchanged amused looks with his girlfriend, who shook her head as the bickered back and forth.

"Jenna! Stop stealing my ice cream! It's mine!"

"Aww, come on! Just a little taste." Jenna pouted.

"Ha, no! A little taste ends up in a whole tub. I think not. Now give me!" Darcy yelled, wrapping her arms around Jenna, attempting to get the tub from behind her back.

"Elena! Tell your sister that sharing is caring!" Jenna whined when Darcy successfully snatched the tub out of her hands.

Elena raised her hands and shook her head, "Not getting involved, Jenna." She proceeded to shake her head, watching as Darcy pranced around their aunt, fully pleased with herself.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha!" Darcy sang and twirled the ice cream in Jenna's face, then yelped as the strawberry blonde launched at her, knocking them both on the floor.

Stefan slapped his hand over his mouth to stop the laugh from bursting out. He glanced down at the middle Gilbert when she tugged on his hand and nodded toward the dining table. He followed and sat beside her, sighing as she pinned her with an expectant look. "Well?"

Stefan laid out the papers. "What's all this?"

"It's a copy of the journal."

"How did you get it?"

Stefan glanced at Darcy as she finally stood up off the floor, pouting at the spilt ice cream on the floor. He fought off the smile and glanced back at his girlfriend. "Darcy managed to convince him... In her own special way." He shrugged it off when Elena raised her eyebrows, intrigued. "He lent us a copy."

"Did he?" Elena asked, to which Stefan winced.

"Uh, kind of?" He wasn't exactly going to tell on Darcy when she had the history teacher by the balls. Quite literally.

And he doesn't think Elena would be too happy about that. After all, they are on different spectrums.

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