Beautiful Day
Session Summary
Episode 3.21 - Beautiful Day
Rive shows up at the Boyd-Townsend manor, seeming frazzled and on edge. She's apologetic for not returning everyone's calls, though she doesn't go in to details. Stefan fills her in on everything that's happened in the last 24 hours, including the loss of their friend Richard. It isn't all gloomy, however - he also tells her Chase and Geoff's good news. Rive (after reassurance that Geoff and Chase actually WANT to get married) heads for the apartment with a smile on her face to give them her congratulations. As she opens the manor door, the smile abruptly vanishes ?
* * *
At Chase and Rachel's apartment, preparations are fully underway for the upcoming wedding. Chase helps Geoff fix the latest scout-worthy knot he's made in the hand fasting cord, and expresses that she'd really rather not have a big throw-down with the Alumni at the ceremony that evening. Rachel agrees that she'll persuade Stefan to try a different plan. Chase also starts asking questions about what to expect that night. Rachel and Darla are cheerful and helpful, but Rachel is doing a poor job of hiding the fact that there are a few things she isn't mentioning.
* * *
Rive shuts the door again abruptly after spotting a too familiar figure lounging under a tree across from the house. When Stefan asks her what's wrong, she refuses to talk about it. There's a knock at the door. Seeing Rive's pained expression, Stefan moves to intervene, but Rive insists that she has to do this herself. He reluctantly retreats to the library, and reassures her that he and Nathaniel will remain close by.
Rive opens the door.
It's Kelly, Shannon's little sister. She has a very worried expression on her face and asks to come in. Rive steps aside, looking over Kelly's shoulder before she closes the door - no man in sight.
Kelly tells the crew at the manor that she fears Shannon has taken all her new knowledge of vampires and gone off into the tunnels to look for Richard. Kelly unwittingly told her lots of info after Shannon asked her to come over following Geoff's and Chase's visit. She mentioned the fifth floor library and the tunnel access from there, so she figures that's where Shannon went. Alarmed, Stefan, Rive, and Nathaniel take off after her. They call Rachel to let her know what's happening, but ask that she doesn't fill Chase in on her best friend's whereabouts quite yet.
At the library, it's clear that the space has seen a lot of use recently. Artifacts are missing from their cabinets and books from their shelves, the curtains are all drawn and there's a fire burning in the middle of summer. Stopping to let in the light, the trio moves to the bookcase that hides the tunnel entrance. Within, Nathaniel quickly picks up Shannon's trail despite the dim lighting and they begin to follow it.
Rive hasn't had much exposure to the library, and stories about its contents and their owner chase each other through her head. She suddenly realizes that one key component of one of the tales she heard from Chase was missing - the geode, which serves as the base for a collection of magical items that amplify magical power. She mentions it to her companions, which jogs Stefan's memory as well. His family told him when they were in town a while back that the crystal (one of the pieces that fits in the geode) given to his family for safekeeping had gone missing under their watch.
Uh-oh. Two down, three to go. And one of those three was at Cernunnos Grove headquarters. Make that TWO to go.
* * *
Shannon stumbles through dark tunnels wielding a shaky flashlight in one hand and a cross in the other. The beam of light catches a male figure up ahead. He smiles when he sees her, but the smile fades as he realizes that she smells familiar. Like that policeman. Then he grabs her. She tries to ward him off with the cross, but it's ineffectual and he knocks it out of her hand as she fumbles in her pocket for a stake. The vamp backs her against the tunnel wall.
* * *
Still moving quickly, Rive, Stefan, and Nathaniel hear the sounds of commotion up ahead. As they round the bend, they see a vampire with a helpless Shannon pinned to the wall. Stefan "distracts" him with a sword, but not before the vamp manages to drop some magical powder on the ground. Rive takes the stake from Shannon and drags her away from the action just as more action comes to them - the reinforcements the vamp just summoned with his little spell. Going into full retreat, the gang retraces their steps with a tunnel-full of vampires in pursuit. As they reach one of the forks in the path, they see someone they'd really rather not: St. Saul. There's a brief wind as Saul unfolds his wings, effectively blocking all exits. Stefan faces off opposite him, and the vampires in pursuit of the scoobies stop to take in the show. When Saul doesn't make a move towards him, he motions to the others and they slowly, slowly start to edge around the imposing demon. Stefan stays at the forefront while the others scoot around him and into the tunnel. As he is about to turn his back to Saul and follow them, Saul suddenly grabs his wrist. His touch is icy, icy cold, and sharp nails dig into Stefan's flesh. But there's something else in that grip - vulnerability, and Stefan smells it. In an unforeseen turn of events, Stefan flips the grip around and starts dragging Saul along with him. Saul breaks his grip and motions to two of his vampire henchmen, who begin to move forward, albeit somewhat incredulously. Stefan warns them to back off, and after a brief skirmish, they do. Stefan and Saul square off in the tunnel as Rive hauls Shannon back to the surface and Nathaniel keeps a watchful eye on the vampire horde ?
* * *
Darla, Rachel's mother, patiently re-re-instructs Geoff on the art of braiding while Chase tries (well, sorta) not to laugh out loud. She makes very sure that he completes at least three plaits by himself for the sake of the ceremony. Brandon wanders in and joins the festivities, giving Geoff the comfort of another male presence. They can't help wondering where their friends have wandered off to ?
* * *
Stefan and Saul trade blows in the underground. It's clear that while he's got demonic strength, Saul isn't much of a fighter. Sensing The Saint's weakness, the vampires almost move to get involved, but Nathaniel stands in their way. Stefan finally knocks Saul out just as Rive reappears, and the three of them take Saul hostage and head for the surface.
At the Boyd-Townsend manor. Rive, Stefan, Shannon, and Nathaniel get St. Saul locked up good and tight in a cage in the basement. They chain him to the wall for good measure. Then they call the braiding party, who bring themselves over to see the surprise "wedding gift."
They are discussing what to do when the phone rings upstairs. It's one of Bannon's flunkies, and The Big Guy wants to talk to them. Bannon offers them a deal: Richard ? for proof of St. Saul's demise. They agree to the terms, although the request surprises them. Bannon explains that Saul is standing in the way of progress towards the goal and must be eliminated. So, this is a handy way to do just that.
They all head back down to the basement, where St. Saul has awakened. After attempts to squirrel details of Bannon's master plan out of the demon fail, Rive steps in to do the dirty work. She stakes Saul through the heart and ? nothing happens. He looks up at them with a demented smile and announces that it isn't time. Unconvinced, Rive tries decapitating him.
That works just fine. In a cloud of dust, all that is left of the ancient Saul is a skeleton. The scoobies are very surprised by this, and do the first thing they think of - they pick of the phone to call Deaver. Luckily, even though it's some ridiculous hour in England, he picks up. He explains that really really old vampires sometimes leave a skeleton, and that it can be used to bring them back unless it is destroyed and/or buried on holy ground. The scoobies do both, taking lots of photographic evidence of Saul's demise before they do so (and keeping his crucifix for good measure). Geoff, Chase, and Nathaniel, Bannon's handpicked messengers, leave for the rendezvous. Chase instructs Stefan that she'll call him to let him know if the deal is "on" or "off" - at least, what they tell Bannon - as they have no proof Richard is actually still alive.
* * *
At the all-too familiar cave on the edge of town, the scoobies step into the shadowy coolness a few minutes before Bannon arrives with Marie, assorted minions, and Richard. He asks for proof ? and so does Chase. Proof that Rich is human, that is. Bannon says nothing. Chase scans the crew with a mirror, and Richard doesn't show up. Worst fears almost verified, she demands that Richard step out into the light. He begs her and Geoff to get him the hell out of here. But he doesn't move towards the mouth of the cave. Bannon orders him to go and shoves him forward. Scalded by the sun, Richard turns back around, vamp faced. Chase keeps a stony expression while she calls Stefan on her cell, telling him the deal is off. She turns to leave. Geoff can't take it, and looking upset and angry he turns to Nathaniel and asks that he dust Richard. He can't leave his best friend like this. Bannon and his followers fade into the darkness as Geoff looks Richard in the eye. "You bastard. You were supposed to be my best man tonight." Nathaniel does the dirty work and they take Richard's wedding ring with them back out into the daylight.
* * *
Stefan hangs up his phone and relays what happened to the others. Rachel then gives them all final instructions for the ceremony that night, and warns them that there will of course be "forces" out there that won't want the ritual to succeed.
When everyone reconvenes, Rive brings up the geode. The fourth piece, Brandon's ring, was stolen when he was mugged a few months ago. And the fifth piece was those onyx earrings of Simone's. Geoff grimaces but excuses himself to call her. When he gets back, he looks less than cheerful. He keeps the choice description of his character to himself, but tells them that she said the vampires wanted her earrings in exchange for releasing her that night she was caught in the tunnels. So Bannon's got all the pieces.
* * *
In the quiet forest at sunset, Kelly finishes a song with her guitar as the wedding ceremony begins under Rachel's guidance. The initial declarations of intent and the tying of the hand-fasting cord go without a hitch, and Chase starts her (hastily planned) vows. "Geoff, I promise you honesty. Well, unless its your birthday or something. And I swear to you that no matter what happens from here, we're going to face it together." She and Geoff are only aware of each other. Fortunately that's not the case for the rest of the wedding guests, and Nathaniel and Rive spy a small group of approaching enemy troops, including Gabe and Trisha.
The two fighters leave the wedding party and attack.
Nathaniel jumps Gabe. One of the other vampires detonates an air-become-fist spell that send both Gabe and Nathaniel flying in opposite directions.
Stefan joins the fray.
Geoff starts his vows. "Chase, I ?" He's momentarily distracted as a vampire who seems to float on the wind goes whizzing by overhead. "I promise to move out of here as soon as we can ?"
Rive throws Trisha to the ground, and without even giving her the chance to make a snarky comment, dusts her. [Yes, you read that correctly. Buh-bye, Trish. Finally.]
Geoff rapidly spits out the rest of his speech, "? And I promise to trust you. And I promise to be a really good husband. And I promise we can do this again next year if you want."
They hastily complete the "I Do"s. Rachel looks around, kind of distressed, and looks back at them. "I now pronounce you Man and Wife. Crap! I can't believe I just said that. I mean Husband and Wife ?"
Chase and Geoff join hands again, and Rachel smiles. "So mote it be."
There's a blinding flash of light that bursts forth from the center of the wedding ceremony. The flying vamp shrieks in pain and comes crashing to the ground, reeling away from the newly restored Sacred Ground. Rive gets to her before she wanders off and dusts her. Stefan tracks down the fourth of the combatants and makes quick work of him as well.
Nathaniel makes his way out of the woods, having lost Gabe. He arrives in time to hear the words ?
"You may now kiss the bride." And Geoff very happily does.
The guests leave the ceremony, headed for free beer at Lone Star. Rachel, Chase, and Geoff are the last at the site. Just as Rachel steps out of the circle, she awkwardly turns to talk to them. See, there's this last part of the ritual ? which has to take place in the circle to complete the sanctification. They have to ? you know ? be married. Like REALLY all-the-way married. So ? uh ? yeah. Chase starts howling with laughter and Geoff clearly still doesn't get it. So Rachel mutters it in plain English under her breath before making a hasty exit and telling them they have to jump over the broom when they leave the circle. She scurries off to the party, leaving Geoff and a still-giggling Chase in the twilight.
They show up for the party about 45 minutes later. Hey, some people stay for photographs, and some, well ?