Part three of the episode 1 ramble. Triggers are marked from what I know. We’re about half way through the episode.
Part One
Part Two
word count: 1,820
@storieswrittcn
A/N: I know in the history class scene Stefan saves Elena from Will ‘Jackass’ Tanner but for the purpose of where this verse is going and how Lee’s character is it needed to be Lee.
Lee was laid back against the headboard of her bed, school books spread out in front of her with a pen between her teeth. She had changed out of her clothes once they’d gotten home from the Grill. She was lounging in a pair black sweatpants, a black tank top putting her tiger half sleeve tattoo on display, and socks. Her hair up in as much of a bun as she could get it. The vampire flipped through a few pages of a textbook that was in her lap. She had not missed high school. Not even a little bit. Lee glanced at her cell phone that laid silent beside her; she wasn’t sure if Katherine’s radio silence was a good or bad omen.
“You promised.” Lee looked up as her hearing picked up Zach’s not so happy voice. She took the book off her lap, tossed the pen, down and made her way toward Stefan’s room. Curiosity gets the better of her. The brunette leaned in his doorway, eyes landing on the newspaper in their distant nephew’s hand. He didn’t know she was there but Stefan did.
Stefan took the paper from his hands, reading over it quickly. “This was an animal attack,” Stefan shakes his head looking back at Zach.
“Don’t give me that. I know the game.” Zach stands his ground, defensive. “You tear them up enough, they always suspect an animal attack.” He’s not wrong. “You said she had it under control.” Stefan’s eyes meet her’s briefly over the man’s shoulder. Lee pushed off the door-frame and entered the room more, tongue brushing over her bottom teeth. Stupid, stupid human. “You said, you drink animal blood.”
“He does.” Lee comments, leaning in toward Zach, the words ghosting over his ear. He only jumps slightly but his heart pounds roughly against his ribs. Good. She doesn’t stop, coming to stand beside Stefan.
“And she does,” Stefan defends her. She had more control than one would ever suspect, it something done out of necessity. Lee couldn’t make a damn mess on the run or leave a trail. Neither bring up the fact it could be Damon. That’d just cause more panic from the man.
“If it’d been me, there wouldn’t have been a body to find. I can promise you that.” She dares their nephew to argue with her. Zach swallows roughly, looking away from her to Stefan--the safer of the two in his mind. Stefan turns away from him, doing what he had been doing before Zach charged into his room.
“Please, Uncle Stefan. Mystic Falls is a different place now.” He nearly begs, it’s pathetic to her. Stefan glances at Lee before turning his head to look at Zach once more, “It’s been quiet for years, but there are people who still remember.” Those words sound like a threat to Lee, but she knows what he’s talking about. Those people are the reason Lee was worried about Damon leaving the trail of bodies. But what does Zach know about all this? She’s going to have to do some digging later. “And you being here, both of you, it’s just going to stir things up.”
Lee gives Stefan a meaningful look that screams I told you so. Stefan shakes his head, at both of them. “It’s not my intention.”
Most of the evil in this world is done by people with good intentions, is the first thing to come to Lee’s mind. The second, The road to hell is paved with good intentions. She doesn’t voice either of these quotes.
“Then what is?” Zach asks. “Why did you come back? After all this time, why now?” How is Stefan going to explain this one? Oh I just want to get to know the girl who looks identical to the vampire psychopath I fell in love with in 1864. Lee snickers but swallows it down as much as she can. That’d go over well.
“I don’t have to explain myself.” Stefan contends.
Zach glances at Lee, “Then what about you?”
“I’m here because Stefan asked me to be.” Lee shrugs. That’s all their nephew is getting out of her. Then again that’s not even the true reason she’s here.
Zach sighs and looks between the two, “I know you can’t change what you are. But neither of you belong here anymore.” That Lee can agree on. This isn’t her home, isn’t where her heart lies. She has avoided Mystic Falls as much as she could for the last century and a half. She’d been given the world and hadn’t looked back.
Stefan actually looked hurt by the man’s words, “Then where do I belong?” For a nanosecond, Lee remembers Stefan hadn’t had the guidance she had when she’d woken up in transition...hadn’t had a partner to go through their new extended life with who already had so much experience. For an instant, Lee feels like a child again and feels for her lost older brother. But then it’s over. Lee remembers every cruel word or look, every time he brushed her aside or pretended she didn’t exist. Being alone had been part of the punishment for his treatment of her, a promise her lover had made good on.
“I can’t tell you what to do. But coming back here, was a mistake.” Zach turns to leave, tossing the paper down on the small ottoman of Stefan’s chair.
“Stef…” Lee starts, willing to play the feeling sister.
“Don’t. Just don’t, okay?” Stefan doesn’t look at her, instead looking where Zach had just been.
“Okay,” She says softly, she squeezes his shoulder before following Zach’s lead and leaving him alone. If only she’d stayed or hidden in the shadows instead of going to her room, she’d have seen Stefan go to the cabinet that held all his old journals to pull the one from 1864 out. She would have seen him open it to a picture of Katherine.
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Text [To My Heart:] What do you know about Zach’s connections to the counsel? He just made a veiled threat that Stefan didn’t catch.
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Lee’s pen moved across the notebook paper in front of her, she wasn’t usually one to doodle. But she figured a normal none attention seeking teenager shouldn’t be able to sketch/draw as well as she could. So here she was, ignoring the infuriating man who was her history teacher as she doodled. The Battle of Willow Creek, easy enough.
She could pass this class with her eyes closed. Her eyes did snap up as Mr.Tanner made a comment that got under skin. “Cute becomes dumb in an instant, Ms.Bennett.” She could see the embarrassment on Bonnie’s face. Lee felt her eyes narrow, a snarl tug at the corner of her lips. Wouldn’t be making comments like that if you didn’t have your tongue or if I ripped your throat out, would you Mr.Tanner?
“Mr.Donovan. Would you like to take this opportunity to overcome your embedded jock stereotype?” He gibed. What was this guy’s problem? Maybe Stefan would put aside his saintly act and help her hide the body.
“It’s okay, Mr.Tanner, I’m cool with it.” Matt didn’t even let the man’s words phase him. Good for him. A few students chuckled and a forced hmph left the teachers lips.
“Hmm. Elena?” Lee waited for it. What gibe would he send the brunette’s way. She glanced over at her brother. “Surely you can enlighten us about one of the town’s most significant historical events?” Lee bit the inside of her lower lip. His tone was demeaning, like he knew she would fail.
She tried to think of the answer, the vampire could see the wheels turning. Elena shook her head, “I’m sorry, I--I don’t know.”
“I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons, Elena,” The pen in Lee’s hand snaps. Thankfully it was so low on ink it didn’t get all over her or her desk. Oh, I’m snapping this guy’s neck. Fuck whether or not Stefan helps me hide the body. “But the personal excuses ended with the summer break.” The hurt on her face, the waves of it were rolling off of her.
“There were 346 casualties, unless you’re counting local civilians.” Lee states, a smug smirk on her lips as she leans back into the chair. Eyes daring him to question her. She feels the eyes of her brother and Elena on her, but doesn’t look away from the poor excuse of a man in front of her.
“That’s correct,” His eyes travel between Lee and Elena before settling on Lee. The vampire can see he isn’t pleased. If it’s because someone actually knew the answer or if it’s because she answered out of turn, Lee didn’t know or rightfully give a damn. “Miss…”
“Salvatore. Lee Salvatore.” Lee tilts her head a little. There’s a modest smile tugging at the corners of Elena’s lips, almost as a thank you.
“Salvatore.” Elena’s eyes go back to the asshole in front of the room. “Any relation to the original settlers here at Mystic Falls?” Lee really should have seen that one coming.
“Possibly. If they are, it's very distant.” She answers vaguely. Last thing they need is someone to find pictures from 1864.
“Well, very good. Except, of course, there were no civilian casualties in this battle.” Is he really trying to save face? A low dangerous laugh brushes past her lips softly.
“Lee,” Stefan warns, his eyes begging her not to do what he knows is coming.
Lee raises the hand from her side slightly to stop her brother. If Stefan is going to just sit there, that’s on him. Way to protect your girl, big brother. “Seriously?” She looks at the man in front of her in disbelief. “Where exactly did you get your degree?”
“Excuse me?” Mr.Tanner asks, his voice laced with anger.
“Lee!” Stefan says louder this time.
“Hush, Stefan.” Lee grounds out, her eyes never leaving their teacher. “Actually, there were. Twenty-seven to be exact. Confederate soldiers fired on the church, Fell’s church. They believed it was housing weapons. They were wrong.” Lee shuts her notebook that’s on her desk, knowing after this she’s either going to be thrown out into the hall until the period ends or she’s going to be sitting in the principal's office. This man is too petty to let this go. “It was a night of great loss. The founder’s archives are stored in civil hall if you’d like to brush up on your facts, Mr.Tanner.” The look on Elena’s face is priceless--it’s almost one she recognizes. Bonnie is trying her best to hide her amusement but failing. Stefan looks like he could throttle her. There are a few students chuckling. “I’ll just see myself out.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Lee grabs her satchel from the floor as she moves toward the front of the room and out into the hallway. At least he hadn’t told her to head toward the office.