𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍:
Be warned, I'm with stupid!
(S2:E14 — Crying wolf)

"I MISS MY BEST FRIEND. Want to come here to Mystic Falls?" Genesis asks over the phone as Elliot chuckles.

"I thought Klaus was your best friend?" Elliot replies with his southern twang.

"Now, who told you that?"

"Klaus did."

Genesis rolls her eyes, "Of course he did, but you, Elliot Cresswell, my ride or die."

"You can be sweet when you want to be." Elliot chuckles, grinning.

"Only for you, Cresswell." Genesis teases as she plops down on the couch. With Rose raising an eyebrow at her, Genesis waves her hand in dismissal.

"I doubt it."

"You hurt me." Genesis pouts, tilting her head as she smiles.

"Tell Elijah to kiss those boo boo's away," Elliot replies as he laughs.

Genesis bites her lip, her voice low, "He can do more than kiss me."

Elliot groans, rolling his eyes. He and Genesis have had this sort of teasing competition with each other since they met, and sometimes he wins, and sometimes she wins. It's fifty-fifty.

"You win. I'll drive there by next week."

"Why not tomorrow?"

"I have a court hearing tomorrow."

"What's the case about?" Genesis asks curiously.

"Domestic violence and sexual harassment. My client's been captive for a whole year and abused." Elliot sighs heavily as he leans on his chair. Genesis frowns, then she says, "Win that case, will you?"

"I always win."

"Too cocky."

"But I am your best friend, am I?"

Genesis glances at Rose, "You might be up against someone." Rose furrows her eyebrows as she denies, "No, I am not."

"She's upping me because you share your men talk to Rose instead of me."

Genesis snorts, "The last time we talked, a dead body was reported missing."

Elliot hums, "He didn't deserve you."

"In your words, No one deserves you. You're too good for them." Genesis recites, and Elliot chuckles. "You are. You deserve everything."

"I deserve everything and more?"

"Exactly."

Genesis's eyes soften as she feels warmth. She smiles, "You give them hell in that courtroom, Elliot Cresswell."

"That's a promise." Elliot grins, ending the call.

Rose looks at Genesis with interest in features, "So, that's the elusive Elliot Cresswell that I've heard of."

Genesis laughs lightly, "Elusive?"

"Apparently, he only has his eyes on blondes."

"He does have a type." Genesis muses.

"Such a shame. I will have agreed if you set him up with me." Rose tells her, and Genesis chuckles as she lays on the couch, her hands on top of her stomach.

"I never asked him why he likes blonde women." Genesis pondered as she furrowed her eyebrows, "I should ask about it when the conversation fits it."

"Please do because I'll dye my hair for him." Rose wiggles her eyebrows teasingly, and she continues her crocheting. Yes, crochet. Rose picked up a new hobby to pass the time.

Genesis laughs, looking at Rose with a broad smile, picturing her with blonde hair. "I totally dig the blonde hair."

"He's famous in the vampire community, Elliot," Rose says, and Genesis nods. "He did make a name for himself."

"What I want to know about is why no human is questioning his age. He's been a lawyer since the '20s. The tabloids are littered with his name—but the photos are blurred." Rose looks at Genesis with a questioning look.

"He's Elliot Cresswell the second now." Genesis informs him, "Son of Elliot Cresswell." Genesis continues, "It's a good cover-up. And he has a witch that helps him. Every photo taken of him is blurred. And he pays the press not to take photos of him. And he has the whole courtroom compelled not to tell what he looks like."

Rose hums as she thoughtfully nods her head. "Smart and handsome. A dangerous combination."

Genesis sits up and says, "Don't let him hear that. You'll just boost his ego, and it's already unreachable."

Rose laughs, then Genesis's phone rings, Genesis sees the name on the screen, and she groans, answering, "Want to come with me to a tea party Miss Mayor is holding?"

"If I want to attend a tea party, Damon. I'll go to a nearby elementary school and play with the little girls and their imaginary tea cups." Genesis replies as she rolls her eyes.

"Snarky. Who ruffled your feathers?"

"You." Genesis deadpanned replies.

"I didn't do anything." Damon pitches his eyebrows together.

"Your voice isn't exactly what I want to hear so early in the morning."

"Elijah's here if you want to get a good look at his face finally," Damon tells her in a convincing tone. Genesis and Rose shared a look, a smile coming up to their lips.

"Fine. I'll be there." Genesis ends the call and looks at Rose, "Want to join me?"

Rose shakes her head, "I'm rather enjoying tormenting our captive." she chuckles. Genesis had bought her those little water guns, and Rose had been refilling it with the wolfsbane mixture and spraying Jules on the face.

It was entertaining when Jules saw Rose alive and well. It's as if Jules saw a ghost, her face went pale, and it was the most fun Rose had ever had in her five centuries of living on this earth.

Also, Rose plans to stay in the Salvatore Boarding house. Knowing Damon, he would never hide the dagger, it'll probably be out in the open, and from what Damon told her earlier when he called, Stefan and Elena are staying in Elena's family lakehouse.

The house will be empty, and she's free from coming in and out of the house because she's invited in. She can snoop all she wants. While Genesis makes sure that Damon's with her, and also reasoning that Rose doesn't want to come out of her house since the bite—it's a perfect reason, there will be no suspicions of Rose taking the dagger.

Genesis arrives at the Lockwood mansion, and luckily the owner of the house is right by the door to welcome her in. Carol took it upon herself to introduce Genesis, the writer who's visiting Mystic Falls.

"Genesis, this is Elijah Smith," Carol tells her as Carol gestures towards Elijah, who is looking at her with a warm smile and that affectionate gaze again. "Elijah, meet Genesis, one of Damon's friends. She had just arrived here in Mystic Falls about two weeks ago."

Genesis smiles at Carol as she nods, "Almost three." She corrects, and Carol gives her an apologetic look. Genesis puts her hand out for Elijah to shake—an act of them not knowing each other. "Nice to meet you, Elijah."

Elijah takes her hand, bringing it up to his lips as he places a soft kiss on her knuckle. He brings it down, "Certainly made my visit here a lot more pleasurable, Genesis." hand lingering—he never wanted to let go, but he did.

And Genesis bites her lip as Elijah's eyes focus on her plump red lip in between her white teeth. He tilts his head at her. He gives her a grin, tucking his hand into his pocket.

"I didn't know that writers are a flirt." Genesis teased as she looked at Carol, who found their conversation amusing.

"They could be when they found their muse," Elijah answers, looking at her in a way she couldn't describe—it is intense with hidden depths, and Genesis wants to unravel it all.

"Have you found your muse?" Genesis asks curiously as she teasingly raises an eyebrow.

"I did." Elijah answers short, his voice rich and full, "She's standing right in front of me."

Genesis internally releases a shiver. He's good at this, really good at this.

Carol releases an impressed hum, finger-pointing between Elijah and Genesis, "You two should go on a date." Carol suggests with a smile. Genesis then looks at Elijah with a soft laugh escaping her lips.

"What a great suggestion, Carol." Elijah smiles at the Mayor. Damon approaches them, giving Genesis a knowing nod as Genesis's eyes flickered to Elijah. "Can I speak to Elijah?" Damon looks at Genesis and Carol, "Privately, about his research, of course, I think I have some information that will be a huge help."

"Of course," Carol replies with a bright smile and nods. Damon and Elijah headed towards the study as Genesis looked at Carol, saying. "I'll get a drink if you'll excuse me, Carol." Genesis slips away. She did get a cup of tea before following Damon and Elijah in the study.

And Genesis closed the door shut as she strolled inside, her eyes landed on Elijah, who had Damon by the neck against the wall, and they both looked at her. Genesis shakes her head slowly, saying. "Please, don't mind me, continue." Genesis motions her hands toward them in a welcoming manner.

"You can't kill me, man. It's not part of the deal." Damon struggles out. Genesis watched silently, internally enjoying the show, but a facade was showing on her face, shocked with eyes wide.

"Silence," Elijah replies, his voice low, full, and most of all, threatening. He grabbed a pencil from the table and stabbed Damon on the side of the neck as he yelled out in pain. His hand went to the pencil as Elijah threw him on the table. Damon removes the pencil, putting force on his bleeding neck.

"I'm an original." Elijah says, taking a white handkerchief from his coat pocket and wiping his hand, "Show a little respect." He offers Damon the handkerchief, and Damon takes it from him forcefully, placing it on his neck.

"The moment you cease to be of use to me, you're dead. So, you should do what I say." Elijah warns with a mocking smile. He turns around and walks towards Genesis with a nod, "Genesis."

"Elijah." Genesis greets with a nod as Elijah exits the study.

Genesis places the teacup on the table and rushes towards Damon as she helps him, concerned. "What the hell was that?"

Damon groans as he wipes his neck, "That's what happens when you piss off an original.'"

"Well, obviously. What did you say to him?"

"I asked him something, and he got annoyed. Then I was held up against the wall and stabbed by a pencil." Damon explains, and Genesis rolls her eyes.

"Everything about you screams 'stupid!' Be warned, I'm with stupid!" Genesis exaggeratedly moves her arms, then places them on her hips, looking at Damon scoldingly.

Damon rolls his eyes annoyed, "Fine. Fine. I'm stupid, okay?" Damon grumbles out as he walks towards the door, "I'm going home."

Genesis follows him from behind as she takes her phone from her pocket, texting Rose, "Damon's going home. Did you get it?"

Rose replied in an instant, "I got it."

Genesis felt a smile form on her lips. This was all child's play for her.

───⊱⁜⊰───

IT'S A GOOD THING that Bonnie Bennett is finally listening to her brother. Simon told Genesis that Bonnie is at Luka and Jonas's apartment, learning how to control and advance her magic. And Simon also told her that Bonnie had finally confessed her feelings about her involvement with Elena.

Simon had summed it up for Genesis.

Bonnie felt guilty as a witch. Her duty is to protect people, but she was feeling emotionally and mentally drained from all the things that were happening—ever since their grandmother died, Bonnie felt herself slipping away from Elena.

She didn't understand how Elena could muster up a conversation with the man who killed her grandmother. Bonnie hates Damon Salvatore, and with Elena tolerates everything that Damon is doing.

Bonnie felt betrayed. That she needed to stop doing things for Elena when she knew Elena would never do the same thing for her. Because deep down all, Elena's action was all for selfish reasons.

Bonnie and Caroline went through shit as much as Elena.

Bonnie's grandmother died. Took advantage of her magic.

Caroline died and got turned into a vampire. Damon took advantage of her, sexually abused and harassed her became his human blood bag, but that didn't seem to stir Elena away from Damon, and continue to tolerate him.

But Elena's pain was acknowledged more.

She should be crying over boys, not over her grandmother's death, and she should be studying for exams, not scanning grimoires.

She should be getting enough sleep and not having sleepless nights because of night terrors. She should be living life to the fullest, not just merely surviving.

And Bonnie Bennett is so tired of it all. And she wanted no involvement with them anymore, she needed to be selfish, or she'll lose herself in the process—she told herself that she was too young for all of this.

She doesn't deserve to be in this mess.

None of them deserves to be involved in this Elena, Stefan, and Damon love affair and twisted road to a happily ever after.

So, Bonnie's placing her foot down, and prioritizing herself, and earning her brother's trust back.

───⊱⁜⊰───

"THANK YOU, ROSE-MARIE." Elijah gives Rose a grateful smile as Rose places the dagger and the glass vial filled with oak wood ash to his awaiting palms.

"It's the least I could do." Rose dismisses as she gives him a shaky smile, still feeling nervous around his presence. Genesis wraps an arm around Rose's shoulder, trying to assure Rose.

Elijah nods as he says, "I would like to apologize for your involvement with Trevor, but not for killing him." Elijah sighs, clasping his hands together, leaning forward, "I understand that he was your friend, your companion for all those centuries."

Rose shakes her head, replying. "No—no. It's okay. Trevor did that on his own accord. A friend would never have put their friend in danger. I have realized a lot since his death."

Genesis smiles at Elijah, and she feels Rose's tension disappear as she finally feels at ease. Then Rose says, "You both have treated me more as a family. And I'm grateful for that."

Genesis leans on Rose's shoulder as she teases, "When you're in this, Rose, there is no escaping."

"And that's fine by me." Rose laughs, and she notices the way Elijah looks at Genesis. It was full of warmth, adoration, and, dare she say, love?

Then Genesis fixes her position on the couch, "In important matters. Now that we have the dagger, we can assure Niklaus that the only threats in Mystic Falls are Damon and Stefan Salvatore."

Elijah nods as he removes his coat, placing it on his knee. "Damon and Stefan can be easily taken care of," He muses.

"We still need a vampire for the sacrifice." Rose reminds them, and Genesis smiles rather mischievously, and Elijah chuckles—he knows the meaning of that smile.

"I might know a gal who fits the category."

Author's Note:
— We're going full-mode villain here y'all. Also, I love Jenna, but she has to die. I already gave you Rose, so. Someone has to really die this time.