Negosh

(A/N: Additional chapters are on patreon.com/TheGreatestHunter.)

"You...want to make a deal?"

He watched her, his eyebrows involuntarily rising, as he saw her look unsure for the first time as she seemed to get lost in a thought for a split second, before reverting back to her composed and polite manner. Initially, he only asked in order to throw her off and get a reaction, like amusement, from her. However, what he did not expect was for her to seemingly flashback and get caught in a moment playing through her mind.

'Is she thinking of one of my ancestors, perhaps? It was said that her and Johnathan Gilbert were close. Or could it be someth...else.' His thoughts came to a halt, as a scene occurred to him. An idea of what distracted her for that moment, appearing in his incredible mind, pulled out by the question he posed.

'Did she see?'

"That's correct, Emily. A simple deal. Not for protecting your family or even ensuring your belongings are returned to their rightful owners, since Bonnie is still unaware of her lineage and would more than likely not react well to the items, as of now. The deal I propose, is one that mostly benefits you." He told her. Her brow furrowing slightly in the beginning, but smoothing out as he continued speaking. Her silent stare indicative and all the permission he required for him to continue.

"But first, tell me, how much can you see from the other side?"

He waited for an answer. Unbothered by her continued silence, as he watched her think. Her no doubt high intelligence doing more harm than good as she shuffled through the reasons he would ask such a question only to come up mostly blank.

"I can see those connected to me." She said, after some seconds had passed. Her tone implying nothing, but he could tell there were things left unsaid.

He gave her a wry smile, like "why are you trying to play me?"

"Those. Does that include things? Items, perhaps?" Her brow furrowed again, but only a twitch that most would miss. His question letting her know that he knew that unspoken bit of her previous sentence.

"Correct. Why do you ask, Jeremy Gilbert?" Her tone and mannerisms making it seem as though she had not just been caught giving half-truths and she was still in control...as if she had ever been. Besides her flashy entrance, their interaction completely followed his pace. She was no negotiator. No doubt, Katherine handled making the deals in their time together.

"So, you saw what happened between myself and Carol Lockwood." He stated. Letting her know that it wasn't really a question, and her lack of surprise, letting him know that she had indeed already realized that he knew of her voyeurism.

"Indeed. Quite the spectacle." She said the first word in her same polite, somewhat monotone way of speaking, but the second sentence with an extra dash of nonchalance, like it wasn't much to look at. However, the way her eyes looked away from him the moment she said it told him so much more than any words ever could.

"Then, that is the deal, Emily." He told her with a genuine smile, like he expected her to accept immediately, and had to hold back the laugh that almost escaped at her confused look that showed more expression on her face than in their entire interaction. 'She is fun to tease.'

"Elaborate." She said, simply. Her eyes narrowing slightly, like she was about to give him a good scolding if he spoke some nonsense.

"Based on what you said, I can only imagine that you've spent the majority of your "death" watching the world go by around you, never really able to see beyond those few people and places where your items are stored or your blood flows. Now, I'm not sure just how many locations or events that is, but I am sure that nothing that happens in any of those places were as interesting to you as what you have seen in the short amount of time you've spent watching me through your talisman." He stopped and watched her. Waiting for her concession or denial and knowing that he was probably reaching with that last bit. She is long lived, after all.

"Go on," concession it is.

"My deal is, I will wear your talisman on my body as I go throughout my journey to protect this town. Protect my family. Protect my friends, Bonnie included. And along the way, I will show you things that you have never even been able to imagine." He spoke while projecting confidence into his eyes and voice, putting forth all the charm he had in his body to pull her in. "Damon is coming to open that tomb. Meaning, he will need Bonnie or Sheila, and we both know he is not the type to ask nicely. Bonnie is uninformed and uninitiated. Sheila is a drunk and her power is waning. Bonnie will grow and learn and one day she will be able to carry your legacy and probably surpass your expectations, but she's not yet ready. So, until she is, I will protect your legacy. And my deal is, you can watch me every step of the way."

He watched her mull over all he said. His mind and eyes boring into her beautiful face and brown eyes with a calm confidence, like he had the world on a string and no doubt in his heart.

Though, it's funny, being that only he knew just how important this deal really was to him, despite his seemingly casual stance.

He needed her far more than she knew, and it was solely for what he would ask for in return.

So, he waited for her to reach her conclusion and ask the question that he knew she would ask. Truthfully, the only question she could ask.

"What makes you think you can protect anything?"

Perfect.

"That, my dear Emily, is something that you will have to wait and see. Give me two weeks. If in that time I don't show you exactly how and why I am so confident, then I will hand the grimoire and the talisman over to Sheila and wish her the best in her endeavors..." He paused for a moment to see if she would object, but she remained silent. "However, in that time, and should we continue after, there is something you must do for me."

And thus, their stare-off continued. Her taking his measure and him silently admiring her face, since the rest was covered by a very old fashioned white dress that left far too much to the imagination.

And with time, naturally, she broke first. Definitely not a negotiator.

"You do realize, this entire agreement is contingent upon me wanting to watch you go about your life," she spoke, sounding far more modern than she had throughout the entirety of their conversation. Letting him know that she was both watching and learning throughout her "death". Voyeurism is known to be a journey through learning while watching.

He couldn't help the patented Gilbert smirk that played across his face in that cocky way.

"Well, based on the interest you took in watching me spank Carol into a quivering, orgasmic mess, I figured you and I shared similar interests and could get along with one another." He stated casually.

Then, watched her eyes narrow once again, but kept the amused look and didn't speak further, and she didn't refute. Her silence voicing volumes and was all he needed to know...for now.

"Besides, I know you're curious as to where I got my information and why I'm so confident. You want to know, and I want to show. But, only you, Emily." He spoke the last sentence, as his eyes took on a more serious light and the amused/cocky smirk dropped from his handsome face. "That is my deal. I carry your talisman. And I keep my word. And you block all eyes from being able to see me that are not your own."

He could see the surprise flash across her face, no doubt taken aback at whatever she saw on his own, as his gaze held hers, and kept it locked until she relented and gave her answer.

"It can be done. You keep your word and show me all you've said. And I will make it so no one can observe you, but only if you're careful. I do not know what you are going to do, but if you attract attention to yourself from certain individuals, then there is nothing I will do to block their sight." She spoke, telling him more than she thought and confirming a few of his thoughts. Especially with the use of the word "will", instead of "can". The situation on her side was definitely more interesting than he knew, or was ever shown on the show.

"As long as you alert me should anybody become aware of me, the moment they become aware, then that is good enough." He spoke, as he got to his feet, and placed the talisman slowly in his mouth, as he held her gaze and his hand to her, with the grimoire in his other. Though, she just stared at her talisman on his tongue, completely ignoring his gesture to finalize their agreement.

'That confirms it. Emily is a freak.'

When she realized she had been staring and immediately slipped the composed, polite bordering on indifferent, look back onto her face and reached out to take his hand, no doubt still a bit dazed, he watched as her hand went right through his, and couldn't stop himself from bursting out laughing. The talisman back in his hand and his eyes locked on hers as he open-mouth laughed in her face giving her a good look at his gorgeous uvula.

The embarrassment that showed so clearly, as she once again narrowed her eyes at him only made him laugh even more and even louder.

"Jeremy, what's going on up there?!" Jenna shouted from down below. No doubt wondering why her handsome nephew was impersonating a hyena and if he would require some help to escape his madness.

"Nothing, Jenna," he spoke, his laughter calming down to a small chuckle, as he continued to look the visibly annoyed ghost in her beautiful eyes. "Just making friends, that's all...Just making friends."