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Stefan was asleep in the living room, he woke up when his book fell from his lap to the floor. He is then startled by a noise in the house, "Damon?" He gets up and looks around, he hears further disturbance before he is attacked by a Vampire with blonde hair and a teasing grin on her face. "Lexi?!" Stefan questioned making her smirk. "Hi," Lexi greeted. "What are you doing here?" Stefan asked her as she hugged him. "How could you even ask that?" Lexi questioned him with a shocked expression. "I missed you," Stefan told her as he pulled back from the embrace. "Happy birthday!" Lexi told him, he rolled his eyes but lead his best friend upstairs where the two made themselves comfortable in his room.

"Stop. I don't know, some freak shot at me with wooden bullets. I bail in under sixty. And why is a news reporter hunting Vampires?" Lexi asked with a chuckle. "I don't know who knows about us. That guy did, there could be others. Do me a favour, while you're here, please be careful," Stefan pleaded with her. "Why stay? I'm heading to New York for the weekend. Bon Jovi in the Garden. 'Wanted Dead or Alive', it's our theme song. It'll be a blast," Lexi replied to Stefan with a playful grin on her face. "Do you think he would actually remember us? That was a pretty crazy weekend, huh?" Stefan questioned his best friend. "We can make him remember us. Come on! Let's go, I mean, what's keeping you here?" Lexi asked him.

"I told you, her name is Elena," Stefan replied to her. "Let's hope she's better than the last girl you got all sprung over," Lexi told him as she held up the photo of Katherine Pierce. "You didn't even know Katherine," Stefan said as he took the photo from her hand. "Yeah, 'Cause if I did I'd kick her ass. Little bitch. Speaking of... where's Damon?" Lexi asked him. "Inflicting misery somewhere or with Cordelia," Stefan answered her catching the name. "And who is this mysterious Cordelia?" Lexi asked him with a smirk. He pulled out a polaroid picture of him and Cordelia, she had taken it during the first week of their friendship which had been weeks ago.

"Oh holy hell, she is hot. Damn," Lexi commented as she sat down looking at the photo, she grinned and looked up at Stefan, "Now that is a smile I've only seen a few times. She makes you happy!" Stefan smiled slightly before frowning, "We were close but then... Elena found out about Vampires and I... kind of ditched her." Lexi got up and slapped Stefan's shoulder, "Dude! A girl like this, you don't hurt them!" Stefan sighed, "She's not completely human, she's a witch of sorts." Lexi hummed at that with a nod, "So she'd fit in this life perfectly then." Stefan shook his head, "She's angry with me for a few things and she's got a friendship building with Damon." Lexi laughed, "She tamed Damon?! Oh, she's a keeper."

Stefan cleared his throat, "Look, you gonna be okay here alone? 'Cause I got some things I gotta take care of." Lexi shrugged, "It's not exactly like I can go anywhere. And you and Damon are the only ones with these nifty little daylight rings. I have a mood ring from '75, trade ya?" Stefan chuckled at that, "Doesn't work that way and you know it." She huffed but agreed with his words knowing he was right. "Hey Lex," Stefan got her attention again, "I'm really glad that you came here." She sent him a sweet smile, "What are we doing for your birthday? It's not everyday a guy turns a hundred and sixty-two years old." Stefan groaned at that, "Really?" She nodded with a taunting smirk, "Oh yeah!"

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Cordelia sat across from her mother, Liz frowned noticing how her daughter seemed slightly dazed and tired. "Honey, you're the last one I need to talk too," Liz told Cordelia, she had already interviewed Jeremy, Matt, Elena and Stefan in regards to Vicki Donovan who had 'disappeared'. "I don't really talk to Vicki, mom. But Jeremy came to me and told me that she was leaving town because she was tired of the reputation, she wanted something new and better; or at least to escape the watchful eye of her brother," Cordelia expressed to her mother before yawning. "Cordelia, how much sleep have you had?" Liz asked her. "Not enough... Can I go home?" Cordelia asked.

"Of course you can, sweet pea," Liz nodded, she hadn't seen her daughter so down since Penelope had passed. Cordelia leaned over and kissed her mother's cheek before she turned and walked out of the office, she headed down the hall and stumbled on her feet prompting someone to catch her. "Are you okay?" Stefan's voice pulled her attention to him. "Just... tired," Cordelia told him as she managed to stand up straight. "Do you need a ride home?" Stefan asked her but she stepped back from him. "I'm fine," Cordelia told him before walking past him, he watched her walk out the door before shaking his head and following after her.

"I'm taking you home," Stefan told her as he reached her at the bottom of the steps to the police station. "You've got more important things to do, Stefan," Cordelia replied to him, she took in steady breaths as she reached her car. "Cori, don't do this," Stefan pleaded, he hated being away from her but he had ditched her the day Elena found out; but she was his girlfriend at the time, he truly thought Cordelia could understand that. "You're overthinking this, Stefan. I'm tired and I want to go home," Cordelia told him. "If this is about Elena--" Cordelia cut him off, "No, it's not about Elena, Stefan. If I'm angry at anything, it's what you did to Damon but honest to God, I just want to go home and sleep!" Stefan stepped back, her eyes misty with power as she got in her car and drove away.

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Elena was sitting on the couch, Jenna walked over to her and sat down on the couch while Jeremy was writing behind them. "You're wallowing," Jenna spoke up. "So are you," Elena replied to her aunt. "My wallow is legitimate. I was dumped," Jenna informed her with a pout on her face. "Yeah. Well, Logan's a jerk," Elena told her. "You didn't get a brush-off e-mail say: 'I'm leaving town, see ya'," Jenna replied to Elena who frowned. "Wanna keep it down over there?" Jeremy asked them. "Why? What are you doing?" Jenna asked. "Homework," Jeremy answered her. "Since when do you do homework?" Elena questioned, confused. "I gotta finish this. I'm way behind and I have a quiz tomorrow so..." Jeremy trailed off to focus.

Elena and Jenna shared surprised glances before leaning over the couch to watch Jeremy. "What do you think? Alien?" Elena asked Jenna. "Some sort of replicant," Jenna replied with certainty. "He can hear you," Jeremy reminded the two. A knock on the door startled them, Jenna got up and opened the door to reveal a sleepy Cordelia. "Hey darl," Jenna greeted before stepping aside to let the blonde inside. "Jer home?" Cordelia asked politely. "Hey Cornflower," Jeremy greeted as he walked around the corner. "Hey," Cordelia half greeted. "You need to go to sleep," Jeremy told her before guiding her upstairs to his room. "I truly admire their friendship," Jenna told Elena as she walked by her, the Gilbert girl frowned; she didn't like Cordelia being around Jeremy.

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Stefan was pouting around the Salvatore Boarding House, Lexi approached him with an look of intrigue. "So this Elena girl. She'll come around, I'm sure of it. Have you had sex yet?" Lexi asked her best friend. "No," Stefan answered her. "Sex always works. I mean you'll rock her world so hard with your vamp sex, she'll be yours forever," Lexi expressed to him. "Yeah, but see, this isn't about sex or...or compulsion or any of our other tricks. She has to want to be with me on her own terms," Stefan argued back lightly. "Wow. That sounded all mature and grown-up," Lexi teased him. "I'm not getting any older," Stefan replied to her. Lexi opens her suitcase, picks up a blood bag and takes a sip before looking at Stefan, "Want some?"

"No. Thank you," Stefan answered her. "Relax I didn't kill anyone for it. This phlebotomist I went out with a few times, he's my supplier," Lexi explained before seeing Stefan's expression, "Oh don't judge, ok? Listen I tried the animal diet; lasted three weeks." Stefan shrugged, "It doesn't matter. Cause if I started again...I just don't know if..." Lexi nodded in understanding as she finished his sentence, "You could stop." He nodded before sending her a small smile, "Lexi, I'd never judge you." She smiled at him, "I'm just jealous of your restraint. I have none. I delight in hedonism. Speaking of which, what are we doing tonight?" Damon entered the room with a smirk, "Funny you should ask."

"Well, I wasn't asking you," Lexi told him. "There's a party at the grill. You'll love it. Banquettes, Tacky wait staff, All of Stefan's friends," Damon informed them. "Yeah, I don't want a Birthday party," Stefan told Damon. "Well, It's not for you. It's a party party. No one's gonna know it's your birthday. Angela's throwing it and I'm dragging Cordelia to it," Damon responded to him with a teasing smirk. "Damon, stay away from Cordelia," Stefan warned, Lexi perked up at the tone of Stefan's voice as he said that. "We're friends it's cool. It's important for the town to see us out and about like normal folk. We need to blend," Damon informed his brother before looking at Lexi's stock of blood, " I prefer mine at 98.6." And then he left.

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Cordelia had her arms crossed as she glared at Damon, she was currently sitting next to him at the bar of the Mystic Grill. "You can glare at me all night but you needed this," Damon told Cordelia who sighed and waved for Sam. "Hey, Cori," Sam greeted as he placed a strawberry milkshake in front of her. "Thanks, Sam," Cordelia replied before noticing his eyes landing on Caroline who was talking to Angela and Bonnie. "When will you just tell my sister how you feel?" Cordelia asked while Damon smirked and leaned forward, "You got a thing for the twin?" Sam laughed at Damon's comment, "Something like that. And I will the day you finally get a new partner." Cordelia rolled her eyes at that and focused on her drink.

Lexi made her way into the Grill, she spotted Damon talking to the bartender and a blonde girl who laughed at something he said, the bartender rolled his eyes before stepping away to serve another customer. She put the pieces together and realised that the blonde had to be Cordelia Forbes, so she made her way over practically pushing Damon away from the girl. "You must be Cordelia Forbes," Lexi spoke with a smirk. "And you are?" Cordelia asked as Damon rolled his eyes and walked away in search for Bonnie who had the necklace that Angela threw away. "I'm Lexi Branson," Lexi introduced holding her hand out, Cordelia smiled and shook her hand. "Stefan's long time best friend," Cordelia said.

"Wanna play some pool and get to know each other?" Lexi offered with a wink. "I'd love to," Cordelia answered before the two blondes made their way over to the pool tables. The two girls were laughing and smiling as they told each other about themselves, Stefan walked in and spotted the two as Cordelia snorted; covering her mouth making Lexi chortle. Stefan smiled at the sight, his eyes landing on Cordelia; admiring the way her eyes lit up as she talked to Lexi. "You two having fun?" Stefan asked as he walked up to them. "Lexi here is amazing!" Cordelia complimented before hugging Stefan, "Happy birthday, old man." Stefan laughed before hugging her back, his body relaxed completely in her hold; no desire for blood taunting him.

Lexi admired the sight but she noticed Elena and Damon looking their way, the blonde Vampire smirked slightly at the jealousy in Elena's eyes. "Thank you... And I'm sorry," Stefan whispered to Cordelia before pulling out of the embrace. "In order to receive full forgiveness, you owe me a years worth of strawberry milkshakes and movie nights every Wednesday night for the rest of whatever time we have in our lives," Cordelia demanded making Lexi and Stefan laugh. "Alright, that's a deal, Cori," Stefan told her with a smile on his face. "Good, now a game of pool while Lexi gets us drinks... 'cause Sam won't legally give me alcohol," Cordelia said before grinning at Lexi who laughed, "I got you." Stefan and Cordelia prepared a new game while Lexi went to the bar.

"So, what do you think of Lexi?" Stefan asked Cordelia as he took break, the pool balls rolling around the table. "She's amazing!" Cordelia answered him, "She's patient but funny and most of all, she's kind and supportive. A great friend to have." Stefan was happy to hear that, he watched as Cordelia took her shot. "She talked to you about what happened between us, didn't she?" Stefan asked her. "Oh yeah, called you an idiot and said that you're history with her duplicate is messing with your brain," Cordelia answered him, "But she also said that you really care about me and it'd be a loss for both of us if we lost each other." Stefan nodded in agreement with those words as Lexi and Elena spoke.

Lexi walked over with a smile, "Yep, I drank both of yours." Cordelia playfully whined before lightly pushing Lexi, however, upon skin to skin contact, her eyes dulled and a strange vision played through her mind; Lexi was dazed as a deputy lead her out of the Grill, Cordelia couldn't understand anything being said but she watched as Lexi tried to free herself and attempt to attack the deputies and her mother; Damon appeared out of nowhere and staked her through the heart with Stefan and Elena watching from around the corner. "Cordelia?" Stefan spoke as he and Lexi looked at her confused, "Are you okay?" Cordelia shook her head slightly before nodding and looking around, "I need to find Damon."

"You better not be doing what I think you're doing?!" Cordelia snapped out as she pulled Damon aside to talk privately. "What are you talking about?" Damon asked the blonde he saw as a little sister. "Oh, I don't know... spiking Lexi's drink with vervain and using her to get my mother off of the Vampire's trail," Cordelia sneered at him harshly. "How did you?" Damon questioned. "I had a damn vision, Dames. You can't do that, not to Stefan. Not to yourself," Cordelia told him. "Got any other ideas?" Damon asked her. "Actually... I just might," Cordelia answered him truthfully.

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Rosemary Speaks

Will Lexi survive? Or will she die?
What's Cordelia's plan?

So Stefan and Cordelia have made up?
Well, he has to pay up his end for forgiveness but they're all good,
How do you feel about that?

Elena feels jealous of Cordelia,
What may happen there?
P.S: I'm not trying to Elena bash, but it is needed for my plot.

Also, Jeremy isn't as heartbroken about Vicki due to her reveal about him and her real feelings, plus she tried to kill Cordelia and no one hurts his best friend and gets away with it.

See you in the next chapter!