#todd donovan

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Via Todd Donovan's Instagram Story (May 3rd, 2022)

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Mystic Falls: Bad Moon Rising: Ch. 21

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Mystic Falls Series Families Cont.:

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Mysic Falls: Bad Moon Rising Ch. 11

Hello, my lovely readers. Who is excited for #LegaciesSeason2! A new romance begins for one of the stars of this story. On with the show…

Chapter 11: Untrustworthy

                                                                Sandy

One of Sandy's favorite places in town was the public library. Her parents could afford to buy her most of the books she could ever ask for. But there was just something about walking into the library, to be met with Mrs. Jones, and to sink into a seat, in one of the quiet rooms, with a book, that she found comforting. However, with the presence of Jacob Salvatore—in her safe place—Sandy no longer wanted to be here.

"There's nothing here," Todd Donovan said, for the fifteenth time since he and Fanny arrived.

Peering at her best friend, Sandy noted Fanny's nose wrinkle as she nudged Todd with her knee, and then flipped a page. Fanny's wide brown eyes traveled over the pages, like she'd never seen them before. Sandy found this odd, because Fanny knew almost as much about Mystic Falls as the local historians did.

"Shut up, Todd," Sam grumbled, opening a fifth book, and chewing on a pen.

Artemis sat, her legs stretched over Sam's lap, flipping through a copy of Vanity Fair. Apparently she did not think she needed to help them research. Frowning at the girl, Sandy closed her own book.

"This is bloody useless," Jacob said, sitting another book aside. "All you read in these texts are lies," he informed the group.

"There's something here," Fanny argued. "You just have to read between the lines."

"Where?" Jacob demanded, sitting forward, and picking up a book about the 1800s. "This book is full of lies. Like this," Jacob flipped to a page in the book. 'There was a terrible fire that burned a group of people to death."

"Give me that!" Hope demanded. "I think I heard about this."

Sighing, Sandy got to her feet. "If you need me, let me know." She pushed her chair out, and then walked around the end of the table. Jos sat by the door and Sandy had to edge past her ex to leave.

Jos had been quiet since they entered the library, tugging at the bottom of her short blonde locks, and making notes on a piece of paper. Glancing at the notes, Sandy smiled at the words "I am so bored. I am so bored. Make this stop!" Her eyes were on the paper when she bumped into Jos' chair.

"Sorry," Sandy mouthed.

Jos glanced up at her, shrugged, and went back to pretending to read the book in front of her. Li sat with a book, open in her lap, and her cell phone inside the book. She seemed to be reading an e-novel.

Rolling her eyes, Sandy slipped out of the room and headed for the stacks. Todd might be right; this could be futile. Sandy believed that the real research lay in their parents' journals, diaries, and random items around their houses, that none of them ever took the time to go through.

"Are you as bored as I am?" Jos' voice made Sandy jump.

Turning around to face Jos; Sandy inhaled. "Yes."

"This is not doing any of us any good," Jos said, folding her arms over her chest. "I think that all we're doing here is trying to make ourselves feel better about the whole fact that we're probably going to die, horribly."

"Jos, we're not going to die," Sandy replied, firmly, taking Jos' hand.

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Mystic Falls: Bad Moon Rising: Ch. 11

Hello, my lovely readers. Sorry about the delay. North American weather is going down, and then up, and then down again. On with the show…

Chapter 10: Donavon House Rules

                                                           Todd

It could be worse. Todd had to believe that. He really did. Otherwise, he would not be able to get up in the morning. There are worse things in the world that hitting your dad in the head, with an iron skillet, and chasing your mom around, your own kitchen, with a butcher knife. Yes, there had to be worse…he just didn't want to find out what those things might be.

"The devil made me do it," Freddy said, spinning in Todd's chair.

"That's not a great excuse," Sam retorted, picking up Todd's football, fumbling it, and watching the piece of plastic drop to the floor. Yup, looked like Sam-o was still useless in all things sports-related.

"How's the shoulder, man?" Todd asked, leaning over and picking up the football.

Sam tilted his head to the side. "It still feels like my dad cut me with a meat cleaver, before trying to kill his whole family," he told Todd with a straight face before his eyes rolled to the ceiling. "Or, it hurts like hell, Donavon. How's the wrist?"

Holding up his wrist, Todd, examined the new cast. "Not so bad. Given the fact that my mom nearly broke it in half with a vase. I guess I had it coming, after I tried to give her a kidney transplant, without the transplant part."

"Man, am I lucky that my mom's a hunter," Freddy sighed, looking ashamed. "She's always got a knife on her. If she hadn't…"

"If she hadn't, she and my parents would be dead," Todd added.

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Mystic Falls: Homecoming Ch. 18

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Hello, my lovely readers. Birthdays never go quite to plan, now do they? On with the show…

Chapter 18: 15 Candles

                                                       Fanny

"Happy birthday, Ste-fan-ie Sal-va-tore!" Podette sang. Fanny yawned, staring at her glowing, sunrise-colored Podette as it hovered beside her. "You are fifteen-years-old today!" the robotic voice chirped at her. Blinking, Fanny looked at the digital alarm clock that told her it was 6:30 a.m. She had to get up and get dressed for school, like any other day of the week.

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!" a chorus of voices sang, just outside of her room as the door swung open to reveal her father, mother and brother. They wore those silly, cone-shaped hats on top of their heads.

Damon came over to her bed, setting a tray with her childhood favorite strawberry-topped, chocolate pancakes, with whipped cream, made to look like a happy face. "And many more!" her dad sang loudly while Elena clapped, a huge smile of her face.

"How's it feel, Fanny-cakes?" Damon asked, giving her a hug.

"Okay," Fanny said, picking up her fork and cutting her pancakes.

"Okay?" Damon cried, turning to Elena and Sam. "'Okay' she said. It can't just be okay! Okay is for something like getting your report card. This is your birthday!"

Fanny shrugged. "Yup," she mumbled, shoving pancake into her mouth.

Damon frowned. "O-kay! So you won't mind if your mom and I send back the new car that we bought…"

"New car?" Fanny's eyes lifted to her father's.

Damon's eyes sparkled. "Yup."

Picking up the tray, Fanny jumped off the side of the bed in her tank top and PJ pants. Fanny raced down the stairs, with Sam right behind her. She let out a scream when she saw the midnight blue Camaro in the driveway. "Oh, my God!" she shrieked, running back to her father and leaping into his arms.

"You like it?" Damon asked her.

"I love it!" Fanny screamed as Damon set her on her feet and she ran back to the car, looking in the windows. "Can I drive it?"

"You can drive, as soon as you get your Learner's Permit, and not without your mom, or me," Damon told her. "'til, Sam gets his driver's license."

Sam came over to inspect the car. "I can't believe I had to wait this long to get the car," he muttered under his breath; eying Fanny. She knew that he'd been disappointed that Damon made him wait for his big present—the car—rather than getting a new Podette.

"I promised, didn't I?" Damon asked them.

Elena clapped him on the back. "I've got to get to work," she said, kissing him on the cheek.

Elena came over and hugged Fanny. "Have a wonderful day. I'll be home, early, I promise, baby girl," she said, pulling back to smile down at Fanny.

Fanny tugged her mom back into another hug. "I love you, mom," she whispered into Elena's ear.

"I love you, too, so much," Elena cried, squeezing Fanny before letting go, and brushing Fanny's black locks behind her ears.

Fanny went back into the house and finished her breakfast, before grabbing a tank top and a pair of jeans shorts. It was supposed to be fairly warm that day. Nice. No clouds to ruin her day. She rushed through showering and putting on a tiny bit of makeup. Pulling her necklace—made in the shape of a baby crow - that her Aunt Bonnie made her—around her neck; she checked herself out in the mirror before leaving the house.

Sam was waiting for them beside the new car. "Want to drive?" Damon asked her.

"Can I?" Fanny asked him.

"Promise not to tell mom?" Damon inquired, holding the keys out of her reach.

"Yup," Fanny leapt upward, snagging the keys, and stuck her tongue out at Sam, who began to grumble while climbing into the backseat.

Damon sat in the passenger seat, and watched her as she carefully followed every instruction he'd given her in the past six months. "Slowly, ease off the brake," he reminded her.

"I know," Fanny replied, checking the rearview mirror to make sure that the neighbor's cat wasn't in their driveway, again. The car should stop itself, but the cars did not always do what they were built to do. Computer glitches, malfunctions and errors had caused many accidents. Fanny wanted this to go smoothly.

"Breathe," Damon called, patting her arm. "You've got it."

Grinning, Fanny glanced at Sam, who watched her with a smirk. "Good job, Fan, you didn't kill us. Yet."

"Shut up, Sam. You're jealous that you don't get to drive," Fanny retorted with a roll of her eyes. "Stop sign!" Damon shouted, and Fanny hit the brake, making them fall forward.

"Oops," Fanny cried, looking at her dad with wide eyes.

Damon shook his head. "Maybe I should take the wheel." Fanny got out, and got into the passenger side of the car. It was nice while it lasted.

When they got the school, other kids admired the car. "Nice," one boy said. "Way to go, Salvatore," one of them said to Sam.

"It's mine," Fanny told the boy whose eyebrows rose.

"It's ours," Sam retorted. "I'll be sixteen, in a couple of months, having to give that one a lift." He hooked a thumb at Fanny, who rolled her eyes and flipped her hair over her shoulder. Even her older brother could not ruin her high.

                                                             ~0~

Fanny could not wait for the school day to be over. Now that it was, she carefully choose a midnight blue dress, her favorite color, and ran to the staircase. She knew that there would be a special surprise party in her honor. She just had no idea where it would be hosted.

Sam came up the stairs, with a blindfold. "Ready?" he asked her.

"Yup," Fanny nodded, chewing at her bottom lip as Sam tied the blindfold and helped her down the stairs. "And to the left," he called. "And into the car," Sam directed her.

Fanny sat in the new car, and then heard the door closed. They drove for a short time before stopping, and Fanny reached for the blindfold. "Un-uh," Sam said.

"I can't believe that dad let you drive," Fanny muttered.

Sam groaned. "I've been driving for a month now. Just down the street, but it still counts. And out of the car. Follow my lead." His hands guided her forward. "Now, stop!"

Fanny reached for the blindfold. "Not yet," Sam cried, "In the door… And…Now!"

"Surprise!" voices shouted, and Fanny's jaw dropped when she took in people from the freshman through junior classes, on the stairs of the house, in the foyer, and spilling out of the great room. "Happy Birthday, Mandy!" some guy said, coming over and kissing her on the cheek.

Hope Mikaelson stood at the top of the stairs; coming down to greet Fanny. "Do you like it?" she asked Fanny. "I thought this is what most fifteen-year-olds would want. Everyone is here to worship you for the night," she winked at Fanny. "Thank me later."

Fanny looked around at all the strangers, and then she spotted Sandy…with Jos. Her eyes narrowed and she stomped over to Sandy. "Come here," she snapped, taking Sandy's hand and dragging her off.

Jos started to follow them when Fanny turned to glare at the other girl. "Give us a minute," Fanny growled.

When they found an inch to stand in, Fanny turned to Sandy. "This is my night. Mine. Just one night, in an entire year. Can you, please, make it about me and not her! Please!"

"Okay," Sandy nodded. "Just let me go tell Jos."

Fanny let out a hiss, and turned, walking away. She spotted Todd, standing by the drink station. Walking over to him; she smiled. "So, my birthday is being hosted at your house? Why?"

"I'm trying to make up for being such a dick," Todd told her. "Birthday girl special?" He offered her a plastic cup.

Taking the cup, Fanny stared into its depths. "Is this safe to drink?"

"It's Pepsi, and Sprite," Todd said. "Don't tell anyone. I mix half the drinks that way, and people act so stupid, thinking they're drunk. It's pretty funny." Grinning, Todd mixed another drink and handed it to a sophomore.

Shaking her head, Fanny headed over to where Freddy sat on a couch; looking dazed. "Drinking 'Todd's Birthday Girl Special,'" she teased him; taking a big gulp.

Freddy shook his head. "No. Just thinking."

Fanny plopped down beside him. "You do that?" she teased him.

Freddy gave her an evil look when Li came over, and fell onto the couch beside Fanny. "Fanny, did I ever tell you that I love your hair? It's so shiny!" Li began to toy with her hair and Fanny suspected that Li had had a "big girl" drink.

"Thanks," Fanny replied, pulling away from Li as Sandy came over to them.

"So, Jos, is going to just hang out. Is that cool?" Sandy gave Fanny her best puppy dog eyes.

"Fine," Fanny groaned.

"Cool!" Sandy took Fanny's hand. "Let's go dance!"

Fanny let her BFF pull her to the dance floor, in the middle of the room, and threw herself into the beat. Her arms went up and her legs moved as she allowed the music to move her.

"You're hot." A boy that Fanny never met before told her. He had a nice smile. A dimple formed to the left side of his face and his blonde hair fell in his eyes as he danced closer to her.

"Thanks," Fanny called to him.

"Want to go talk?" the boy asked her.

Fanny shook her head. "It's my party. I have to stay," she told him.

The boy grinned, and took her hand, pulling her closer. "It's your party, so you can do whatever you want to," he whispered into her ear.

Looking at Sandy, Fanny leaned toward her friend. "I'll be out back, if you need me," she told Sandy, winking and grinning.

The boy led Fanny outside. She gasped when he pulled her close and began to kiss her. "Oh! I don't even know your name," she cried.

"He said that didn't matter," the boy said, kissing her again.

"Who?" Fanny cried, pulling away.

"Jacob. Your cousin. He said he got you a present, but you had to meet him at the quarry," the boy said. He grinned again. "You really are hot."

Fanny felt her stomach pitch. "Oh, God," she cried.

Running back into the house; Fanny looked for Todd. He had a car. He could give her ride, but Todd was nowhere in sight. When she spotted Sam, she ran over to her brother, and gave him a hug, slipping her hand into his jacket. She removed the keys to the car. "Thank you, Sammy."

"For what?" Sam called after her, but she was already out of the room.

                                                           ~0~

Arriving at the quarry, Fanny felt a pit in her stomach open as she raced up to the edge. "Jacob!" she screamed when she spotted Jacob; feeding on Todd.

"He tastes pretty good for a boy," Jacob said, licking his lips.

"Let him go!" Fanny shouted, coming toward Jacob, wishing she had a weapon.

"Fanny, I told you 'I owe you one' and I always keep my promises," Jacob swore to her. "And don't worry about Todd. I'm done with him," he told her with a smile.

Her shoulders slumped, and Fanny let out a sigh. "He's alive?"

"Yes. What a pity," Jacob shook his head. "I don't think he's very nice boy, and he certainly isn't worthy of Hope. Or you, little cousin."

Fanny let out a scream when Jacob threw Todd over the edge. Running forward, Fanny stared at Todd as he bobbed on the surface of the water, and then he slipped under. "Why did you do that?" she yelled in Jacob's face.

"Do want you to fly, again, Fanny?" Jacob asked her.

"YES!" Fanny shouted at him, feeling her heart pounding in her chest.

"Right," Jacob cupped her face. "You are not afraid," he told her. She nodded, and sucked in a deep breath when he grabbed her before leaping off. She pinched her nose and closed her mouth.

Jacob let go of her, and Fanny had no idea where he went to. All she knew was that he was gone as the water tried to pull her down. Fighting back, Fanny swam underneath the surface, looking for Todd, and not seeing him.

When Fanny did spot Todd, she dove downward, and wrapped both arms around him. He felt like he weighed a ton, but she forced him to the surface, dragging him to the shore. "Todd! Todd!" Fanny shouted, beginning CPR. Don't you die on me, Todd! You owe me!"

                                                              Todd

Todd had been having fun at Fanny's party when some idiot told him that some guy cut his tires. Man, he would kill whoever did it. He'd stomped outside, ready to tear into someone; when Jacob freakin' Salvatore showed his face. "Come by to screw my girl, again, Fang Face?" Todd shouted at the vamp, stalking toward Jacob.

Jacob had grinned at him. "Yes. Not tha it is your business. And, unlike you, I did not, nor will I, as you so eloquently put it 'screw her.' I prefer to be gentle and sweet to my girl—the one you lost the moment it became clear that she could not trust you. You see, Hope Mikaelson prefers loyal men—not those who would lie to her— thinking her a fool and chasing after other girls." Jacob's words just made Todd angrier.

"You don't know shit about what Hope and I have," Todd hissed back.

"I know that you're using the wrong tense of the verb. You want to say 'what you had.'" Again, Jacob hit a nerve and Todd wanted nothing more than to knock him on his ass. "It does not matter because everything about you is about to be past tense."

Todd stopped, feeling confused when Jacob grabbed him by the neck, and then he felt like he was flying. The ground was no longer beneath his feet and Jacob's steel-like grip felt like it would take his head off. He supposed that is what Jacob planned on doing all along.

Finally, Jacob dropped him to his knees, and Todd let out a gasp. He felt like he might puke as he rubbed his neck. "What the hell, man? You took Hope. What else do you want?"

"I want you to understand the error of your ways, Todd," Jacob said, circling Todd. "I want you to understand that—if you live through this—which will be nothing short of a miracle, that you have been granted a second chance." Stooping in front of Todd, Jacob met his eyes, his own searing into Todd's, with hate that made Todd swallow. "Be a better man, Todd, or I will finish what I start tonight. And I keep my promises. Do you understand me?"

Todd nodded. Jacob grinned, patting him on the shoulder. "Good," he said, straightening up. "Let us begin, shall we?" Pulling Todd to his feet, Jacob sank his fangs into Todd's neck.

"Ow!" Todd shouted as Jacob continued to drain him. After awhile, Todd began to feel himself drifting away. It felt just like it did when that crazy, Tina chick, tried to eat him. Oh, man, had this become his life? Vamp attack, after vamp attack, until they turned him, or killed him?

"Hmm… Not bad," Jacob said, pulling back. "I might have made this last longer, if I didn't have other places to be, and people to deal with. So, I'll have to speed this up a bit," Jacob told Todd, who didn't have the strength to insult him.

Jacob sank his teeth in, and Todd felt himself sinking into oblivion. After that, he did not know what happened. He figured that he died and was stuck somewhere. Who knew where you went after you died? Todd suspected he wouldn't end up anywhere good.

                                                               ~0~

Monitors beeped along and Todd felt his eyelids begin to open, to take in his surroundings. "Hello, Todd," Elena Gilbert greeted him. "How are you feeling?"

Todd blinked up at her. "Not so good," he told her.

"Yeah. I thought you might not. But you're going to be okay," Elena told him, patting his shoulder.

"I am?" Todd looked around the room and realized that he was in a hospital bed. "How did I get here?"

"My daughter, Fanny, she heard some kids saying something about going to the quarry, to go swimming, and she knew what can happen. She found you in the water, passed out, and saved you." Elena watched Todd. He could tell she did not believe the words that she spoke, but she said them anyway.

"Is she here?" Todd said, trying to sit up.

"Wow!" Elena cried, moving him back, down onto the bed. "You can thank her tomorrow. Right now, you need to rest. Doctor's orders." She smiled before leaving the room.

After Dr. Gilbert left the room; Todd sighed heavily. He did not know what to be more shocked over—the fact that he lived—or the fact that Stefanie Salvatore overcame her fear of the quarry to save his miserable life. Why didn't Jacob kill him? What role did Fanny play in Jacob's game? Would he ever know the whole story? And what would happen if he failed to fulfill the promise that he made to Jacob? Jacob would kill him; that's what.

Rolling onto his side, Todd stared out the window. This sucked.

A light tap of his door made Todd roll over onto his side. Fanny's head popped into the room. "Hey," she called to him. "Are you awake?"

"Thanks to you," Todd called back, rolling over to look at her.

Fanny snuck into the room and walked over to his bed. She looked him over. "You're okay?"

"I'd be better if Jacob hadn't tried to kill me," Todd told her.

Her eyes darkened, and Fanny shook her head. "This is all my fault."

"Stefanie," Todd said. "Come on. Jacob's nuts. Who knows why he does the things he does. You have no control over what he did to me. Or what he does to anyone. None of us do."

Sucking in a deep breath; Fanny shook her head. "I told him I was trying to kill him, and he came after you."

Todd's eyebrows scrunched together. "Fan, you're probably one, of like, a billion people who have tried to end Jacob. He needs to not take it so personally."

Fanny let out a giggle, looking down at Todd, a smile appeared on her face. "Yeah. If only that worked."

Grinning, Todd held out a hand, waving for her to come to him. "Come here, kid."

Fanny climbed on top of the bed and buried her face into his chest. "I'm sorry, Todd."

"I'm a lot more sorry. For everything, Fan. I hope you'll let me make it up to you. Starting now," Todd said, pulling back and brushing her hair out of her face.

Smiling, Fanny snuggled up to him. "Sounds nice."

"Did I wish you a 'Happy birthday' yet?" Todd asked, stroking her back.

"Nope," Fanny replied sleepily.

Todd looked down at her. "Happy birthday, Stefanie Salvatore."

"Thanks, Todd Donavon," Fanny mumbled into his hospital gown.

"Did you make a wish?" Todd asked her, his lips pressed to her hair.

"I did." Fanny nodded and he felt her chin moving against his chest.

"For what?" Todd inquired, taking her hand and pressing his fingertips to hers.

Fanny looked up at him. "It doesn't matter, because this is better."

"Okay," Todd said, closing his eyes. "Your mom is going to come in here and kill me."

"Maybe," Fanny said, snuggling closer.

"Fan," Todd said. When she didn't answer; he peered down at her. A smile tugged at his lips as he watched the birthday girl sleep. "Sweet dreams, Fan," he whispered, kissing the top her head and fell asleep. He hoped that her next birthday was a lot less eventful, and that he lived to see it.

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Mystic Falls: Homecoming Ch. 14

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Hello, my lovely readers. I have good news, I completed Ch. 15 of the sequel and on either July, 3 or 5, you will be introduced to the new Mikaelson! On with the show!

Chapter 14: The Truth Bites

                                                         Fanny

No one else spoke in the Donovan's dining room for a moment. Fanny could only stare at Freddy. She could not believe what he just said about Jacob and Hope. No. Hope wouldn't do that. It's not that she was too nice to have sex with Jacob, it's that she would have to be insane to have done it, with him.

Todd let go of Sandy, moving to sit down before he turned on Freddy. Again, everyone tensed as Todd grabbed Freddy by his shirt collar, jerking the slightly shorter boy up from his place at the table. "What did you say about my girlfriend?" he demanded.

Sam also looked pissed off. Fanny wanted to scream at him. "Get over it! She'll never like you like that, Sammy!" But she didn't. She kept her mouth shut. She watched Todd shake Freddy, who jerked Todd's hands off of him.

"I'm not going to knock you on your ass, like I should, because this is your house, man, but don't touch me again," Freddy warned Todd. Freddy's glare made Fanny suck in a deep breath. His eyes flashed yellow for a moment before returning to their normal dark brown.

"Yeah! Sure," Todd ground out. Running a hand through his hair, he looked around himself. "I want all of you to get the hell out of my house," he ordered them, waving toward the dining room door. Sitting down in a chair, he placed his face in his hands, shaking his head.

"Before breakfast?" Li asked, looking at the others.

"Get out!" Todd shouted at her.

Li jumped, her dark hair flying in its ponytail before she shouldered her purse. "Fine. You don't have to yell at me," she snapped before striding to the door. "Does anyone have a car? I need a ride."

Freddy strode to the door with Jos, Sandy and Sam following him. "I'll drive," Freddy told them.

"Fan?" Sandy called to Fanny who stood between them and Todd.

"I'll get a ride from the Mayor, when he comes home," Fanny called back, not looking at Sandy.

Sam stopped. "Fan, you're not staying here," he said, striding over to her and taking her arm.

Fanny jerked her arm free from her brother's grip. "Don't tell me what to do, Sam," she retorted, stepping away from him.

Sam's mouth opened and then he closed it. "Fine. Don't expect me to cover for you." Stomping out of the room, her brother left her alone. The others followed him out.

"You should go with them. I want to be alone," Todd said dully, staring at the tops of his sneakers.

"We don't have to talk," Fanny said. "We can sit. Like we used to. Back at the quarry."

Todd stood up, towering over her. She could feel his anger radiating off of him as he moved to stand in front of her. "This isn't like at the quarry, Stefanie. This is my real life!" His words slammed into her and Fanny felt her lower lip wobble, but she refused to move.

"You're hurting. And you want someone to take it out on. Okay. Go ahead. I'm stronger than everyone thinks I am. Go ahead! Let me have it!" Fanny cried, staring up at Todd, watching his brown eyes reflect confusion, anger, uncertainty and pain. "Todd, just say it!" she cried, shaking a little.

"I hate you!" Todd yelled at her. "I hate your big, fat mouth! You're the one who caused this! You couldn't keep a secret for more than half a freakin' minute! You ruined everything! Hope hates me and it's your fault!" Todd finished, his body shaking now as he stared down at her.

Fanny nodded. She looked at the ceiling. She would not cry. She would not cry. She would not cry. No matter how much his words cut her; she would not allow it to show. Not this time around. "And you're a cheater. And a liar!" she told him evenly. "You lied to her. You cheated on her. You made me lie for you because you knew how much I liked you." Allowing her eyes to meet Todd's, Fanny sucked in a deep breath. "And I hate you, too," she told him.

Todd's eyes rounded and he looked like she'd just slapped him. "What?" His voice came out in a whisper.

"I. Hate. You," Fanny replied. She felt better now. The little part of her that he'd taken away—when she realized that whatever they'd had at the quarry was just another one of his hook-ups with someone before running back to Hope episodes—hurt a little less.

Maria walked into the kitchen, hips swaying as she held a tray laden with food. "Where is everyone?" she asked them.

"Gone," Todd said dully, his eyes still on Fanny.

"Where?" Maria asked him.

"Home. I guess. I don't know, mom." Todd looked away from Fanny. He walked over to the table and sat down.

Fanny crossed her arms and looked away from Todd. "Fanny, are you hungry?" Maria called to her, gaining her attention.

"Not really," Fanny mumbled. "I think I'm going to go sit in the foyer, until Mayor Donovan gets home; so I can get a ride home." She started to leave the room when Maria came over and rested a hand on Fanny's shoulder.

"Pancakes are comfort food. They'll take away the pain. I added chocolate to them," Maria told her with a wink. "I remember you like them that way." Leading Fanny over to the table, Maria placed chocolate pancakes on her plate and watched Fanny force herself to eat them. "What are you kids doing today?"

Todd shrugged. "Don't know."

Fanny stared at her plate. "I've got a project."

"When is your project due?" Maria inquired.

"Next month," Fanny mumbled.

Maria smiled. "Good. Then you're both free to help me with my pre-fundraiser work."

"Mom! I'm not really feeling it," Todd said, falling back in his chair and sipping a glass of milk.

Fanny looked up at Mrs. Donavon, too. "I should probably get home. My parents are probably worried about me."

"Nonsense. You two need to do something else. Be normal. You're human. You should enjoy your lives. You only live once," Maria reminded them before turning back to her breakfast.

Fanny continued to eat. Maybe she could run away from home and move to Europe.

                                                       ~0~

"Okay. Over there!" Maria called as Todd moved a painting from the left side of a wall in the ballroom to the right.

Fanny consulted the list that Maria had given her. "That table needs to be a little to the left," she called to a young mover. The man wiped away some sweat and moved the table. "That's good. Thanks," she called with a forced smile.

The mover walked away to join his fellow workers. Apparently fund-raisers took a lot of preparation. The fund-raiser would begin tomorrow evening, but Maria had a billion things to do beforehand.

"Thank you for your help," Maria said, coming over and squeezing Fanny's arm. "You are such a good girl."

"Thanks, Mrs. Donavon," Fanny said, smiling at Maria before catching Todd's eye. He looked away, moving to pick up another painting that students at Whitmore had donated to the cause. Whatever the cause was. Fanny didn't even know for sure. But she did know working was distracting her from her problems. She had not once thought about Sandy and Jos or Hope Mikaelson. If only she didn't have to think about Todd.

"Can I take a break, mom?" Todd called.

"Sure, honey," Maria called back. "You should both take a break. You've been so much help. I need to send your mother a muffin basket," Maria told Fanny.

Fanny nodded. She followed Todd down the hallway and into the kitchen. He removed a jug of lemonade and a plate of oatmeal cookies. "So…" he said, offering her a glass of lemonade before hopping on the counter. "You still hate me?"

"Yeah," Fanny said, taking a piece of her cookie and sticking it her mouth, wetting it before chewing, slowly, thoughtfully.

"Okay," Todd said, pulling his shirt off. "Man, you would think that moving paintings wouldn't be that hard," he groaned. "Ugh. I need a shower."

"That's nice," Fanny mused, ripping another piece of cookie apart and shoving it into her mouth.

"Care to join me?" Todd said and Fanny's eyes flicked upward to meet his. "I'm kidding," he cried, holding up his hands. "It's just a joke. I'll see you later." Todd walked by her and Fanny waited until he was gone before she shoved the rest of the cookie into her mouth and chewed rapidly. Ugh. Why?

Shaking her head, Fanny picked up her lemonade glass and took a long sip. Her phone let out a chirp. "You have a message!" it cried.

Fanny pulled out her phone and dialed her voicemail. "I owe you one, Fan Fan," Jacob's voice warned her, and she cringed, hanging up. Pocketing her phone, she grabbed a second cookie. She started to eat that one, too, with quick bites. Stress eating.

"You have a call," the phone told her.

Fanny pulled her phone back out and looked at the screen. Sandy's number. No, thank you. Letting it go to voicemail, Fanny placed it back in her pocket, and then left the kitchen. Maria was talking to another human woman. Their voices were hushed, but the other woman seemed anxious. Fanny concentrated, watching their mouths move. "Vampires," the other woman said.

"Salvatores," Maria replied.

The two women moved away so that Fanny could no longer spy on them. Narrowing her eyes, Fanny marched up the stairs and into Todd's room. Todd stood by his bed with a towel wrapped around his waist. "Changed your mind?" he joked when Fanny closed the door.

Glaring at him, Fanny crossed her arms over her chest. "What does your mom know about the supernatural?" she demanded.

Todd's eyebrows rose. "Huh? My mom doesn't know shit. My dad doesn't tell her anything. She's just a mom."

Scoffing, Fanny walked over and sat down on his bed. "I guess you don't know your mom as well as you think you do," she told him, feeling really angry.

Placing his hands on his hips, Todd came to stand over her. "What are you telling me, Fan?"

"Your mom was talking to some woman about the vamps in our midst, and she mentioned my family's name," Fanny snapped at him, folding her legs under her.

"No way," Todd scoffed, turning his back on her, going to his dresser before tossing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt beside Fanny. "If my mom knew anything; I'd know she knew."

"Well, maybe you don't pay as much attention as you should," Fanny snapped at him.

Sighing, Todd walked over to the bed. "Close your eyes."

"What?" Fanny cried.

"You want to see me naked?" Todd retorted. "'Cause I don't care." His hands went to his towel and he dropped it.

Fanny squeezed her eyelids shut. "A warning would have been nice."

"I did warn you," Todd whispered into her ear and Fanny moved backward while he chuckled. "Okay. I've got pants on," he told her.

Opening her eyes, Fanny glared at Todd who smirked at her as he pulled his shirt on. "Still hate me?"

"I'm beginning to seriously dislike your mom," Fanny retorted.

"Fan, I promise you, my mom is not a threat to your family," Todd told her, kneeling down in front of her. "Our families are friends. We're friends. You're safe with us."

Fanny watched Todd hold out his arms to her and reluctantly scooted to the edge of the bed to hug him. "You better be right," she grumbled.

"Are you ready to go down to be tortured with more mindless work?" Todd asked her, a smile lighting up his face and making Fanny's lips quirk upward. "Come on, Fan."

Fanny allowed Todd to pull her off the bed with one arm wrapped around her waist. She hoped he was not underestimating his mom.

                                                              Li

Walking into the Saltzman's residence—Li could feel more tension in her house. "Yay! More drama," she sighed. "I really need a shower and a change of clothes. This is so yesterday."

Jos didn't bother to respond to Li's comments. Instead, she trudged up the stairs, like Li hadn't spoken. "Josie, are you going to talk to me?" Li shouted after her sister.

"No," Jos shot back.

Li groaned and strode up the stairs. Her sisters seriously needed to get over ruining their lives or Li would have to find a new family to be a part of. How was she supposed to become Miss Mystic if Hope wanted to be with a guy who was killing off the population of their tiny town, and Jos wanted to be with a band geek? Or whatever in hell Sandy did with her spare time. Ew!

Stopping outside Hope's room, Li heard the sound of loud sniffles and then opened the door. Hope sat on her bed, her hands covering her face. "Hey, Hope-less!" Li called brightly. Hope-less was a joke they came up with when they were in their early teens. Whenever Hope got down, Li would tease her about being "Hope-less" and dragging them all down.

Hope's head moved upward and she held out her arms. "Li!" she cried, beckoning Li to the bed.

Li fell down on the bed, in front of her big sis, and wrapped her arms around Hope's waist. "What's up?" she mumbled into Hope's hair as Hope gulped.

"Mom is pissed at me for this whole thing that happened last night," Hope complained, sitting back, and jerking tissues out a box on her nightstand. "Where's Jos? I have to go kill her?" she asked, moving to climb off the bed.

"Hey! Hope! It's not all Jos' fault. You know who you should kill?" Li asked Hope, her eyes wide. Hope wiped her eyes and nose and shook her head. "Sandy Bennett-Gilbert! I bet this was all her idea. You know that Jos would never do something awful like that to you! We love you, Hope! You're our big sister!"

"Do you know what happened to me?" Hope asked, now her eyes were darkening, and Li drew back a little. That famous Mikaelson temper could take control of Hope, and then Li might go flying across the room. She was so not in the mood to get into a witch-off with her sister; especially when none of this was her fault.

"I heard that you got locked up with Jacob Salvatore," Li said, watching Hope's shoulders hunch. "And you…" Li trailed off, her eyes moving to the wall behind Hope's bed.

"And I…" Hope placed a hand on her hip. "And I what, Li?" she demanded, her voice rising in pitch. "What did I do?"

"Someone said you had sex with Jacob," Li added, closing her eyes, waiting for Hope to lose her temper and for things to start flying around the room.

Hope drew in a quick breath. "I did," she said.

"You did?" Li's eyes opened and she looked up at Hope, her eyes widening. "Was it good?" she asked and then held up a hand. Running to the door, she shut it firmly and then she leapt on the bed, grabbing a pillow, watching Hope. "Was it?" she asked, smiling in spite of how crazy this sounded.

"Like I'm telling you," Hope scoffed, walking over to her mirror and checking out the damage.

Li jumped off the bed and grabbed Hopes' shoulders. "Tell me. Tell me. Tell me!"

"Get your own, crazy vampire boyfriend," Hope retorted, pulling away and going to her closet.

Li walked backward, and fell on the bed, throwing her arms over her head, letting her hands dangle over the side. "I bet it was wild. Did he bite you? Did it hurt? Did you drink his blood? Oh, my God! Is he hot? I never got a good look at him last time he was in town!" Li flipped onto her stomach, cupping her face in her hands. "Does he look like his dad?"

"I don't know what his dad looks like," Hope said, pulling out dresses and then putting them back in the closet.

Li sat up. "I have an old photograph of him and my mom. You want to see it?" she enthused.

Hope paused, looking thoughtful. "Jake would want to see it."

"Be right back," Li hopped off the bed and ran out of the room.

Jos was coming out her room in a faded pair of jeans and a light tank top. "Where are you going?" Li asked her sister, noting her duffel bag.

"I'm going to Sandy's," Jos replied. "And then we're going to go hang out at the Grill. I might stay the night; if Dad says it's okay."

"I bet he wouldn't, if he knew you two were doing it," Li snapped, folding her arms over her chest.

"We're not. And it's not your business," Jos snapped, shouldering her way past Li, who let out a gasp of shock, rubbing her shoulder. "Don't wait up."

Gritting her teeth, Li went back into her room, and opened an old box, in the back of her closet. Inside the old box was a photo album with pics of her and Jos; when they were little girls. She flicked through it, until she found the pic from the wedding and pulled it out. Running back to Hope's room, she found Hope in a purple summer dress. "Wow! You look hot!"

"Thanks, baby sis. What did you bring me?" Hope inquired, holding out a hand. Li closed Hope's door and walked over to Hope. She handed over the photo and watched Hope examine it.

"He's got his dad's eyes. Sort of. They're not just green. They're blue-green," Hope said, going over to sit on her bed.

Li flopped down beside her. "Like the ocean?"

"Yeah. Like the ocean on a stormy day," Hope said, fingering the pic. "He's got his dad's hair. Like Sam."

"Is he tall?" Li looked at Hope, who nodded.

"He's pretty tall. Not as tall as Todd, but he's taller than me. And when he smiles... It's like… I can't describe it." Hope fell on her back, still looking at Stefan Salvatore. "He makes me want to slap him. And kiss him. And…"

"…do him until you can't stand up?" Li teased her, lying down and propping herself up on her elbow. "'Cause you've fallen for him in a day. Love at first sight! Oh, I wish I was you!" Falling onto her back, Li stared at the ceiling. "Maybe he has a brother."

"Nope. It's just him," Hope replied.

"How do you know?" Li retorted, eying Hope.

"Didn't Stefan die when he was, like, my age?" Hope turned her head to look at Li.

Li shook her head. "I don't know. Mom doesn't like to talk about him. She pretty much shoved all of his stuff into the basement—about three months after he died— and she stopped talking about him a year later."

"That's kind of sad," Hope said, looking at the photo. "They looked happy."

"They were. For awhile," Li said, she looked at the pic. Memories of her mother's sadness during that period of time washed over her. It felt like another lifetime. "Can I meet Jacob?" Li inquired, pressing her face into Hope's shoulder. "I want to meet your new lover."

Rolling her eyes, Hope set the photo aside. "You might when he comes back."

"He left!" Li shot upward, staring down at Hope. "Like, you had mind-blowing sex and he left! Ugh!" Flopping back down, Li buried her face into a pillow. "Vamps. Humans. All guys are the same. You think they'll call after you do it, and then they don't. Men suck!"

"Jacob does," Hope said and then giggled when Li sat up.

"Like your blood or…" Li's eyes glowed with glee.

Hope shook her head. "I'm not talking to you about this," she said, laughing. "You need to get a life, kid."

"I'm trying," Li whined. "I just wish it could be half as exciting as yours."

"You don't want my life," Hope replied, standing up.

"Really? Miss, all the boys want me, and I am ten feet tall, and my blood heals me, 'cause I'm part-vampire and I…" Li would continue, but Hope clamped a hand over her mouth.

"My life is not perfect," Hope said, giving Li a warning look. "It looks good on the outside, but I am a mess on the inside," she confided.

Hope removed her hand and walked to the window. "And I need to get out of here and do something fun before I go stir-crazy."

Li walked to the window. "Where are we going?" she asked Hope as Hope grabbed the tree branch outside her window.

"No idea," Hope said, climbing onto the limb and holding out a hand to Li.

"All the better. I love a little mystery," Li called as she climbed out of the window and nearly fell. Thankfully, Hope kept her upright. Li was ready to enjoy the new day and whatever adventures it would bring.

Thank you for reading, loving, reblogging and following. :)

Peace,

J