the only rule we need is never giving up

[restituted]

Who: Jeremy Gilbert, Tyler Lockwood
When: Summer 2013
Where: Mystic Falls, en route to Charlottesville-Albermarle Airport
What: Leaving on a jet plane.



"Thanks for the ride, dude." Jeremy tosses his duffel bag into the back of Tyler's Buick and climbs into the front passenger seat. Ready to once again leave the town of Mystic Falls behind -- possibly forever this time. Clipping his seatbelt into place, he studiously avoids looking into the side mirror at the Salvatore Boarding House where his sister waits to be interred.

Comments

[lockwood]

"Least I could do considering you're letting me come along with you." Tyler's left Mystic Falls so many times but this time feels much more permanent -- and right. He's not being chased out or leaving because he feels he has to, but because he wants to. Because he wants more out of his life than he's had so far.

[restituted]

"Somehow, I don't think this is what Elena had in mind when she told you to get the hell out of dodge. Are you sure you're up for this?" Tyler has the chance to go anywhere, to completely start over and try to live as normal of a life as possible. And yet he's willingly choosing to join Jeremy in his dangerous crusade.

[lockwood]

"I think I can handle it. Look, my life is never going to be normal so I might as well learn to embrace that." And if he can use his wolfness to help Jeremy in his crusade? Even better.

[restituted]

Jeremy nods once, accepting this answer without any further need for debate. After all, it's not his job to try and talk Tyler out of it, not if he's already made up his mind. "I feel bad leaving Matt behind. But it's not safe for him where we're going." Not that Mystic Falls is exactly safe either but it's better than the literal warzone his cousin had described.

[lockwood]

"Exactly. Besides, he's pretty set on the whole cop thing." Which is good for Matt, Tyler's glad his friend found a purpose. But it hadn't be the right fit for him, he gets that now.

[restituted]

Matt still thinks that Mystic Falls is worth fighting for. Jeremy isn't so sure that he agrees but at the end of the day it's probably for the best since there's no one he trusts more to look after Bonnie in his absence. "Now that we're away from prying eyes and ears, I can fill you in on the rest of the details."

[lockwood]

"Oh yeah?" Tyler can't help but sound curious, and more than a little interested. It's good to know what he's heading into, after all. "What are we getting ourselves into, exactly?"

[restituted]

Jeremy leans back in his seat, getting comfortable finally as they prepare to cross over the town border. "Have you ever heard of La Loba?"

[lockwood]

Tyler shakes his head a little at that question. "No. What's that?"

[restituted]

"If we're talking literally, it means 'she-wolf.' But it's the name of a character in an old Pueblo Indian legend. Also known as the Bone Woman. That's who we're hunting."

[lockwood]

"Sounds good and creepy." He's really not sure what to make of that, but he signed up for this so he'll find out first hand soon enough.

[restituted]

"You have no idea." Jeremy spends the rest of the ride filling Tyler in on all of the details he's gotten from Allison and Mr. Chris -- including La Loba's real identity.