I worry for Damon. After the revelation about Katherine, I'm fearful he will snap. What he has been working towards for the over a century and a half has turned out to be utterly useless. I worry it's only a matter of time before he breaks.

The Salvatore mansion pulsed with music, the bass vibrating through its walls. Felix entered to find the living room turned into a chaotic sorority party. A haze of blood and sweat hung in the air as barely dressed girls danced, their skin marred with bite marks. Damon, visibly drunk, staggered over to one of them, his fangs retracting as he wiped blood from his lips.

"How do I taste?" the girl giggled.

"Oh, so much better than your friends," Damon said, wiping his mouth. "Don't tell them. They might get jealous."

Felix stepped into the room with a disapproving glare as he moved to the sound system and flicked it off with a deliberate snap. The music died abruptly, drawing complaints from the girls.

Damon threw his arms wide. "No! Buzzkill Bob!"

Felix looked at Damon, who looked back at him blearily, a grin spreading across his face.

"Greetings," Damon said, raising a half-empty bottle of bourbon in mock salute.

Felix folded his arms. "This is what you're doing now? This is how you deal with your problems? Real bloody mature, Damon."

Damon's grin faltered, but he quickly recovered, flopping onto the couch with a casual shrug. "You're worried about me. That's nice. Don't be. There's no need. I'm fine."

"Are you?" Felix countered.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Damon shot back. "I spent the last 145 years chasing Katherine. I opened that tomb. Surprise! She wasn't there. But hey, at least I'm free of her now. No strings, no master plan. I can do whatever I want."

Felix stepped closer. "That's what worries me."

Damon smirked. "Relax. I haven't killed anyone in...what's it been? Too long," he sighed.

Felix let out an exasperated sigh. "Katherine isn't worth this, Damon. You're tearing yourself apart for someone who never deserved your loyalty."

Damon's eyes darkened. "Well that may be what you think. And it could be the truth. But let me deal with it my way." he paused as his voice went dangerously low. "My way is better than yours. You remember, don't you? Was it a village? A town? Maybe it was both? All those people who didn't have answers to where your one true love was? Yeah, at least I didn't go on a killing spree, looking for a ghost."

The words struck like a blow, and Felix's jaw clenched. "Don't pretend this is about me. I see what this is doing to you, Damon. You're drowning, and you don't even care."

"I care," Damon snapped, standing suddenly, his expression wild. "I just don't care about your advice."

Felix's voice softened. "You cared once, Damon. That's still in you. Don't let her take that away."

Damon stared at him for a long moment, something raw flickering in his eyes, but he quickly buried it under a shrug. "You're welcome to leave my pity party anytime."

Felix shook his head and turned to leave. Behind him, Damon collapsed back onto the couch, raising his bottle again as if to toast his own misery.

-

The Founder's Councils' fundraiser was filled with the residents of Mystic Falls. The Mystic Grill was packed with townsfolk as Felix walked in, invited to go since Stefan was going to be there and Damon was one of the bachelors in the raffle.

He had spoken to Stefan earlier, he'd gotten the rundown of Elena's complicated family history and how Damon had killed her birth mother who was most likely a vampire right now.

Complicated.

Felix scanned the room, looking for a familiar face, when he spotted Caroline speaking animatedly to Matt. He watched from afar, admiring her until she spotted him and called him over.

"Felix!" Caroline greeted. "You're here."

Felix nodded. "Well, Stefan and Damon were here and I didn't fancy being home alone. Can I get you a drink?"

Caroline smiled. "Sure, I'll come with you."

As the two made their way to the bar, a pair of middle-aged women intercepted them, their eyes gleaming with interest.

"Oh, hello there," one purred, leaning in. "And who might you be?"

Felix offered a polite smile. "Felix Montgomery ma'am." he replied, his British accent making the two women immediately attracted to him.

"Ma'am? I'm not that much older than you!" the other woman joked, placing a hand on Felix's sleeve. "You're not from around here, are you?"

Caroline, who was feeling incredibly jealous at the moment, quickly tugged on Felix. "Let's get our drinks."

Felix nodded, grateful for the escape. He smiled politely at the two older women before walking with Caroline to the bar.

When they got to the bar, Felix was greeted by looks from other older women, he felt uncomfortable and he could definitely feel Caroline's eyes on all of the women, and him.

Caroline crossed her arms. "You're popular tonight."

Felix rubbed the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed. "Not exactly the kind of attention I'm looking for." he paused. "What do you want to drink?"

"Just a coke is fine." she replied.

Felix placed his order at the bar, getting a coke for himself and for Caroline. He slid over the glass to Caroline who thanked him and the two of them began a catch up of what had been happening in their lives.

It was mainly Felix listening to Caroline, he liked the sound of her voice. It soothed him. He liked listening to her talk.

He even found himself laughing yet again, a rare occurrence. Ever since he had returned to Mystic Falls, he had only ever heard himself laugh around Caroline. She was the only person who made him laugh.

Caroline fidgeted with her glass before she turned to Felix. "You seem different today."

Felix tilted his head. "How so?"

She shrugged, trying to appear indifferent. "You're not broody or mysterious. Just...you."

"Maybe it's easier with you." Felix replied, not even realising what he had said.

The comment caught Caroline off-guard, and for a moment, they looked at each other and shared a silence that spoke a thousand words. But before either of them could address the unspoken tension, Elena arrived.

"Hey Care, hey Felix." she greeted.

"Hey." Felix smiled.

"Felix's already been hit on, like, 35 times," Caroline said with exaggerated and fake cheerfulness. "He's total cougar bait."

Elena arched a brow as she caught Caroline's expression. "Impressive."

Felix looked very uncomfortable. "More like embarrassing," he muttered under his breath.

Elena gave Caroline a knowing look, smirking. "I'll leave you two to it." She slipped away, leaving an awkward silence in her wake.

Felix quickly shifted the conversation. "By the way, have you checked on Bonnie?"

Caroline frowned. "I've been meaning to. After her Grams...it's been hard for her."

"She'll appreciate that." Felix said softly. "Grief changes people." he spoke from first-hand experience, remembering his own losses.

Caroline studied him, her mind was full of feelings and confusion. She knew he didn't want to lead her on but a part of her believed the boy definitely felt something back for her.

Maybe she would just have to be patient and play the long game.

He spent the rest of the night around Caroline, not even realising that Stefan and Damon had disappeared. In that moment, his full focus was on the blonde girl - every minute he spent with her made him feel more human and she was starting to make him feel like maybe someone like him was capable of loving again.

Maybe he wouldn't spend the rest of his eternity life a broken record, haunted by a love that consumed him.

The next day, Felix lounged in the chair in his bedroom with a glass of bourbon in hand. He was writing in his journal but felt uninspired. Everyone was out so when the quietness of the house was broken by the sound of the front door creaking open, Felix was immediately on high alert. He heard hushed voices in the foyer as he rose from his seat and made his way to the noise.

Anna's voice drifted into his room, sharp with irritation. "He's not here. He should be back soon."

Felix stepped into the hallway and stood at the top of the stairs, his brow raised. "Anna. Pearl. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Pearl turned at the sound of his voice, her expression immediately stiffening. "Felix. I was hoping to avoid you."

"And I was hoping for peace and quiet," Felix replied smoothly, his arms crossed as his looked down the stairs at them. "Seems neither of us gets what we want."

Pearl ignored his quip and crossed her arms. "Perhaps you'd like to know that the tomb vampires are out. We've set up just outside of town. A farmhouse."

His eyes narrowed. "Out, you say? I don't recall anyone handing out invitations to Mystic Falls' undead reunion. What went wrong? They're meant to be in the tomb."

Anna spoke. "Something must have gone wrong in your witch's spell, the seal was broken. And then Damon's exploded blood bag brought them back from desiccation."

"I see," Felix hummed, "if only Damon could have controlled his temper."

Pearl studied him for a moment, a flicker of recognition in her eyes. "I remember you from 1864. You hated Katherine."

Felix shrugged. "Hated is a strong word, but I suppose accurate. I mean she was a conniving, manipulative, bitch who was a massive pain in the arse."

Pearl looked at Felix. "She was my best friend."

"Well, what a best friend she is," Felix scoffed. "If memory serves, Katherine's schemes didn't end well for you either. She just had to have both Salvatore brothers, she just had to stay around for a bit longer. If she had just pissed off...well you wouldn't have been locked up in the tomb all those years."

Pearl's jaw tightened, but she said nothing. Anna placed a hand on her mother's arm. "We're here to see Damon." Anna said curtly, steering Pearl toward the parlour.

"By all means," Felix called out to them, "make yourself at home. No bloody manners..."

Felix watched them go before he left the house, he didn't want to be here when they spoke to Damon. So instead, he headed in search for the farmhouse the vampires were staying at.

The farmhouse was in the middle of nowhere, it was a smart location. Felix approached cautiously, his ears picking up on conversation within the building. He walked up and knocked, only to be greeted by a human woman.

He looked at her in curiosity, it was obvious she was being used to stop unwanted vampires entering and also as a blood bag. Just then, Alexander emerged from one of the rooms, noticing Felix.

"Felix." Alexander called out. "He's with me, Miss Gibbons."

The woman nodded at Alexander's words and turned to face Felix. "By all means then, come in."

Felix stepped in, crossing the invisible threshold that was no longer refusing him entry. "Smart I must say, a good way to keep out the unwanted visitors."

Alexander nodded. "Now I can only assume Pearl and Anna ran into you at the Salvatore house and told you where we were. What brings you here, mate?"

Felix could feel the eyes of the other tomb vampires currently residing in the house but he ignored them. "What's your plan here? I thought you were content with finding Anna and Pearl. Why haven't you left town?"

Before they could continue their conversation, Alexander quickly led him outside away from the prying ears of the other residents.

"You said you didn't want them out." Felix remarked once they were out of earshot.

Alexander sighed. "You think I want to stay? Believe me, I don't. There are better places to be than Mystic Falls. But Pearl..." He trailed off, his frustration evident.

"What does she want?" Felix asked.

"Pearl wants to reclaim Mystic Falls," Alexander answered, "rebuild, like it's still 1864."

"Well," Felix said plainly, "times have changed, the world has evolved. Perhaps it's time to move on. Surely you and Anna have more couples travelling to do? Or how does it work now that Pearl is back in the picture?"

Alexander shook his head. "Anna won't go against her, and I won't go against Anna. So here we are."

Felix's gaze hardened. "You're going to get yourself killed, you know that? This town doesn't take kindly to threats - especially supernatural ones. Stefan and Damon won't let you, not with Elena in the picture now. I won't let you either." Felix added the final part with a heavy sigh.

Alexander gave a bitter laugh. "Like I have a choice. I don't want to go against you mate, but something tells me we're not on similar paths."

"I don't want to see you dead, Alexander. But mark my words - this isn't going to end well." Felix turned to leave. "I'd get out of here soon if I were you."

-

Felix sat in the Salvatore living room, recounting his conversation with Alexander to Damon. Damon was sat on the couch with a drink as he listened with an irritated expression.

Stefan had just walked in the front door and Felix was ready to fill him in too but their conversation was interrupted by smashing glass. One of the tomb vampires Felix recognised from early had jumped through the window, glass shattering around him. He lunged at Stefan, slamming him to the floor and stabbing him with a shard of glass. Damon launched himself at Frederick, pulling him off Stefan, and throwing him across the room.

As Damon and Frederick grappled, another vampire, Bethanne, burst in. She lunged at Felix, who barely had time to grab a wooden chair. With a swift motion, he broke off a leg and drove it through her chest. Bethanne let out a choked gasp before crumbling to the floor.

Frederick, seeing his companion dead, shoved Damon away and retreated toward the window. His gaze lingered on Bethanne's lifeless body before he disappeared into the night.

The room fell silent, except from the heavy breathing of the three vampires. Damon glanced at Felix, then at Stefan, who was pulling the glass shard from his side.

"I recognise him..." Stefan said, "he was from the tomb."

"Well," Felix said, tossing the broken chair aside. "about that..."