episodic | this is a chemistry lesson

Most are. Some breeze by. I always make at least one appearance.

( It comes with being the only Salvatore in town. )

You'd think working would be an acceptable excuse.

( He finishes his drink and lets the bartender know he could have another with a nod. )

Want one more?

[She nods, because why not? She's having a good time.]

Sure. Why not?

[She'll probably wind up crashing in town and going straight to the airport.]

And you would think, but I bet they likely assume you enjoy such things.

Of course. I'm the quintessential guest. I make the best smalltalk. And you should see me in a suit.

[Oh, she's certainly picturing it.]

I guess I'll just have to leave it to my imagination. I probably won't be sticking around long enough to attend one.

Right. You veered off course.

( He takes another sip from his drink. )

Should you be interested, I have my own collection of whiskey back at my place. Fire pit. It's quieter. Did you have a place to stay the night?

[That is tempting, a handsome stranger offering to entertain her for the evening. But is it the smart thing to do? Yet to be determined.]

I assume there's some kind of hotel here?

B & B. We don't host many out-of-towners. Most know someone who lives in this town. There's talk of adapting a luxury hotel-slash-spa. It's all talk.

( Tyler Lockwood isn't selling his family's house. Lotta red tape there. That, and, it's his. )

B & B's are cute. I love a good B & B.

[Plus, you know, trying to be a smart person.]

They have their appeal. Small number of rooms. Free HBO.

( Or, is that just motels. )

The minibar in a B & B can go a long way.

Sounds like my kind of place.

[But she's not ready to go check in quite yet.]

It doesn't, not from what we've discussed but I'm not about to say what's your speed. It's cute, it's quaint. And they still might check you in.

( He drains his glass and sets it back down, offering her his piercing blue eyes. )

If you'd like, I can walk you there to make sure they have a room open.

[She weighs her options again, finishing off the last of her second drink, before turning to slide off the stool.]

I take it its not far if we're walking?

Two corners. Four street lamps.

( She can hold her phone in her hand the entire time. He doesn't say that, though. )

[She reaches into her purse to pull out cash to settle her tab, before glancing out the window.]

Will I get into trouble if I leave my car parked here?

( He'd fight her paying, but that's forceful. He knows she can afford it. )

Not overnight. Maybe after a month. Maybe not even that.

Okay.

[She turns to face him with a small smile when she finishes.]

Let's take a walk.

( Okay. He waves to Brady, the bartender, holds open the front door and begins the shortest walk possible. But, more time with Lydia is nice. He hasn't had this in a long time. Just a nice conversation with mutual interest involved. )

Nice rental.

( Not a bad car for a rental, too. They either give you someone out of - well, a human price range - or something completely generic. )

What do you do back in Boston, Lydia?

Teach math.

[Because that really is the simplest answer.]

I'm working on my doctorate at MIT. By day, I try to enrich young minds, and by night I stare at numbers until the proofs start to make sense.

Or, until the sun rises and you teach more youths.

( Make no mistake, despite his joke, his eyes make it clear, he respects her work. )

You find it rewarding.

I do. Math has always had a way of making sense when nothing else does. There's no ... room for interpretation. The math either adds up or it doesn't.

[She shrugs.]

And teaching it to kids who equally love it is very enjoyable.

Yeah? I was never a math guy. I get it. It's straightforward. My life, math was the least of my worries.

( He's more street smart. )

But, we need people like you. With math comes societal progress.

Yes it does.

[And she seems pleased that he recognizes that. That is, up until they're passing by the town square, and her attention is drawn to the empty space.

It's been a while since she's felt like she was walking into a graveyard, a place where death is sure to happen, she just isn't sure where or when. It's not enough to take her out of the moment, but it is enough to draw her attention and slow her steps, looking out into the park space as though she's looking for something she can't find.]

( He's seen it personally over the century, he can say it.

He slows down when Lydia does, giving her the second as she -- zones out. )

Everything alright there?

( He gets a real witchy bent from this, and wouldn't that be a coincidence. )

Lydia?

[She blinks when he says her name, coming back to herself and shaking her head, trying to come back to herself. Then she looks up with a small smile.]

Sorry. It's been a long day. I'm starting to turn into a space case.

It's okay. Long drive. Weather. My company. You're bound to have a reaction.

( Let the record show, he would like it to be a favorable one.

Damon successfully walks her the two blocks out from the square to a charming never before heard from Mystic B & B.

Inside, Damon sees the light and someone at the desk. )

Looks like they're still booking.

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