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Cordelia leaned against the wall as Stefan stood in front of the cellar door that currently contained a weak Damon Salvatore. "Where is my ring?" Damon asked his brother. "Won't be needing it anymore," Stefan replied to him. "How long have I been here?" Damon questioned the two outside his cage. "Three days," Cori replied as she moved forward. "What are you doing?" Damon asked Stefan who sighed ignoring Cori's accusatory glare, "During the Dark Ages when a Vampire's actions threatened to expose or bring harm upon the entire race, they would face judgment. They sought to re-educate them rather than punish them."

"You know what will happen if I don't... feed on blood," Damon breathed out painfully. "You'll grow weaker and weaker. Eventually, you won't be able to move or speak. In a week your skin will desiccate and you'll mummify. A living corpse. Unable to hurt anyone, ever," Stefan expressed while Cori frowned, she wanted to stop Stefan but she had to let Stefan handle this how he needed to; Though she wouldn't actually let that happen to Damon. "So what, you're just going to leave me in the basement forever?" Damon asked Stefan with an angered tone.

"I've injected you with enough vervain to keep you weak. Once your circulation stops, I'll move you to the family crypt and then in fifty years, we can re-evaluate," Stefan answered him with the plan he had made even with Cordelia's objections. "I'm stronger than you think," Damon warned him. "You always have been. But you're not stronger than the vervain. And we both know it. I'm sorry. Didn't have to be this way," Stefan replied before closing the small hatch, he turned to Cori who was already walking up the stairs. "You're upset," Stefan pointed out as he followed her upstairs.

"You just locked Damon up like a rabid dog rather than trying to find another way of handling it," Cori replied as she grabbed her bag. "He's a danger--" Cori cut Stefan off, "To who? Who is a danger to other than yours and Elena's relationship? The same relationship that was formed within a few days of knowing each other... Oh, wait... She doesn't know you. Does she?" Stefan was taking aback by Cori's words, he hadn't expected such a reaction. "Maybe it's just me but my sister is my world. I'd never lock her up and I'd never put anyone else above her. Maybe that's something you and Damon need to re-evaluate," Cori snapped before walking out.

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"The sexy suds car wash is tomorrow. The football team and the band have committed. Well, not all the band. Just the ones who could pull off the bikini. I want, in your face, sexy. I mean, it's a fund raiser, for god's sake," Caroline spoke as she walked down the hall with Chelsea and Angela trailing behind her, an annoyed expression on Angela's face. "So Vicki Donavan, huh?" Cori asked Jeremy who sighed. "Elena told you," Jeremy replied making her laugh. "No, Aunt Jenna did actually," Cori laughed remembering the phone call she shared with the older woman who had complained about how terrible her nephew was at hiding things.

"Look, just remember what I told you, Jer. You can be more than just her toy," Cori said as she finished up in her locker, she looked over at Stefan and Elena with a slight frown. "And you crushing on my sister's boyfriend? You can do better," Jeremy responded though he hadn't expected it. "It's not a crush, Jer. He's with Elena so it won't be a crush. It's attraction simply because he has the 'Fab Five' and it's frustrating," Cori whined to Jeremy who laughed, he remembered when Cori made up the 'Fab Five' list. If someone was; 1. Beautiful 2. Had pretty eyes 3. Caring 4. Willing to Listen and 5. A little dangerous.

"Someone will come along and they'll complete that list in a way you never expected," Jeremy assured her, he knew it was tough on her after what had happened to Penelope. "Same goes to you, Jer. Don't waste your time trying to change someone who'll never change," Cori kissed Jeremy's cheek before she walked away leaving him to his thoughts, he really took in Cori's words and he knew she was right about Vicki Donavan and that's what sucked because he actually liked her. He shook his head and walked away as Stefan looked up at Cori's disappearing figure.

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"No friend discounts. No freebies. No pay ya laters. We are not running a charity here. No, we are not," Caroline ordered the girls, Elena and Cori both smiled at each other before looking back at the older Forbes. "No we are not," Elena repeated as Stefan showed up. "Hi," Stefan greeted Elena who smiled happily at her boyfriend, Jeremy had told Cori about the dinner. "Hey!" Elena greeted. "The event is called sexy suds, you know," Caroline told them causing Cori to laugh until her sister's eyes landed on her. "Oh, Care, please no," Cori pleaded but the look on her sister's face was enough of an answer.

Cori rolled her eyes as she unbuttoned her shorts and slipped them off before pulling off the halter top she had been wearing revealing her navy blue bikini. "Happy?" Cori asked Caroline who grinned and nodded. Cori scoffed a laugh before she turned to Elena and Stefan, the latter helping Elena with her shirt that had gotten stuck. "Ok, um--sorry. So not sexy," Elena told Stefan who smirked. "I disagree," Stefan told her before they shared a kiss, Cori walked away from the couple and immediately getting to work on the closest car. "Cori!" Samuel's voice caught her attention and she turned to see him leaning on his dirty car.

"So this is why you wouldn't wash it yourself, just waiting for this opportunity, huh?" Cori asked him as she walked over to him, he laughed and shrugged. "I was looking for Caroline actually," Samuel replied making Cori shove him. "Do you want your car washed or not?" Cori asked making Samuel move to the side allowing her to start cleaning the car. "So Elena Gilbert and Stefan Salvatore, huh?" Samuel asked as he looked over at the two. "Yep," Cori nodded before looking at the couple, "They're happy." Samuel shrugged, "I don't know. A lot of tension between them and not the sexual kind." Cori rolled her eyes at him.

"Oh, come on. I saw his eyes on you when you walked over and that is a man lusting for something that isn't his girlfriend," Samuel told her causing her to shake her head. "This coming from the one who has been in love with my sister for the past three years and hasn't made a single move," Cori replied to Samuel who mocked holding his heart. "I detest that, Cori. I'm working up to it," Samuel informed her, the two laughed together before Cori noticed Angela leaving the car park, a crow following behind her was evidence of Damon's work. She focused back on her task talking with Samuel in the process unaware of the forest green eyes that kept glancing at her.

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"Are you avoiding me?" Stefan asked as he moved to wash a car with Cori who shook her head with a small smile. "Just figured you and Elena were working through things and I needed to be at a distance," Cori told him before she noticed the ring on his finger. "Damon has one too, right?" Cori asked him, he chuckled lightly. "Daylight ring, but it, uh, has the family crest from the Italian renaissance," Stefan told Cori who smiled as she got a closer look at it. "It's Lapis-Lazuli, right?" Cori asked him receiving a nod in response. "I have a cousin in Louisiana who is obsessed with crystals and gems. Lapis is a binding agent for magic," Cori told Stefan.

"You aren't gonna continue avoiding me, are you?" Stefan questioned her as he watched her, she looked up into his eyes. "Wasn't avoiding you but anyway, if you are free tonight, we could hang out," Cori offered and Stefan was happy to do so. The two continued talking and Stefan hadn't even noticed that Elena had been watching before she left with Logan Fell, her steps taking her closer to an answer she wasn't prepared to know. Cori felt a new sensation course through her and she looked over to see a fire start setting ablaze to Tiki's car. Cori rushed over to Bonnie and took her hand in her own, "Breathe, Bon. It's okay."

"What just happened?" Bonnie asked as Stefan stepped up behind Cori. "You were in some kind of a trance," Stefan answered her. "Did I do this?" Bonnie asked as she looked from Cordelia's reassuring smile to Tiki's car that was burning. "I think so, yeah," Stefan replied honestly. "Nobody else saw, did they?" Bonnie asked the two of them, they shook their heads as Bonnie tried to process it. "Don't tell anybody. Please," Bonnie pleaded with them. "Bon, we won't say anything, okay? But you gotta talk to Grams and actually listen, okay?" Cordelia suggested. "Yeah, I can do that," Bonnie replied mindlessly before she walked away. "She'll be okay," Stefan assured Cori who nodded though she was still concerned.

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Cordelia stood with Stefan as he looked down at Zach's body, she sniffled and wiped the tear away from her face before she walked away from the body. A knock on the door prompted Stefan to grab a stake and place Cordelia safely away from the door however, it was Elena Gilbert standing on the other side of the door. "What are you?" Elena asked him but he stayed silent, "What are you?" Stefan frowned, "You know." Elena glared at him, "No, I don't." Cori looked down as she listened to them, she felt bad for Stefan but understood how Elena was responding to such a secret.

"Yes, you do, or you wouldn't be here," Stefan replied to her. "It's not possible. It can't be," Elena told him despite knowing the truth. "Everything you know... And every belief that you have is about to change. Are you ready for that?" Stefan asked her with a serious expression. "What are you?" Elena asked him harshly. "I'm a Vampire," Stefan answered her truthfully. "I shouldn't have come," Elena replied before she tries to run away but Stefan appears in front of her. "No. No. How did you do that?" Elena asked him. "Please don't be afraid of me," Stefan pleaded with her. "Let me go," Elena ordered him.

"No. Elena, there's things that you have to know and understand," Stefan continued to beg and it seemed to make Cori hurt, she couldn't understand why Stefan trying so hard to keep Elena in his life was hurting her when they were just friends and he clearly loved Elena; Maybe she should distance herself from him. "Let me go!" Elena screamed at him. "Elena, please!" Stefan cried out as Elena got into her car and drives away. "Stefan?" Cori spoke as she walked out and looked up at him, he looked at her, "I..." Stefan took off and Cori knew it was to talk to Elena, she lowered her gaze and sighed before leaving the home and closing the door, she felt conflicted.

Cordelia was lying on her bed staring up at her roof with a dazed off expression, she wasn't sure why her heart constricted when Stefan pursued his girlfriend after she learnt the truth. It's like everything around her had heightened since they met and she hated it, she felt horrible for clearly having feelings for someone's boyfriend. Her attention was taken by someone climbing into the bed next to her, she held out her hand and let them take it. "Welcome back, Dames," Cori muttered as she turned to look at him before sending a light electric shock into his hand, "But you could've left Zach alone." Damon smiled slightly at her before they stared at the roof in silence; Damon thinking about Elena while Cori thought about Stefan.

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Rosemary Speaks

Oh man... this was an exhausting chapter 'cause like... she falls first, he falls harder is definitely the goal here. Plus, I've introduced the fact that Caroline will have a significant other in the future of this book -- Samuel played by Alex Pettyfer.

Also, writing the Elena confronting Stefan scene with Footloose playing was amusing until Skyfall played and that made a little more sense.

How do you think Elena will respond when she learns that Stefan was honest with her but not his own girlfriend?

Cordelia is feeling conflicted, should she distance herself from Stefan or should she bury the feelings below?

Any extra thoughts, suggestions or questions?

See you in the next chapter!