"Bring it On" - Commentary on TVD

What episode is this anyway?  Sorry, for some reason, this has seemed kind of like the season without an end - even though it's still just March.  I'll admit that while I still find myself theorizing and lamenting the "what could have been" and even probably "what should have been" of TVD (if the Originals hadn't arrived en masse to derail the show), I'm not nearly as invested in the show as I once was.

Which, I guess, is good...considering the fact that I've basically been on deadline for 12 consecutive months.  (That was tiring, and a good lesson in what I can do when I put my mind to it.)  But, it's also sad, because I really enjoyed having a bit of a diversion when times were more than just a tad stressful around here.

The one thing that hasn't wavered for me, though, is my love for watching Damon's love for Elena.  I'm not sure if I can really say it works in reverse...because so much of the time, Elena's love for Damon is muddled - mired in the realities of life as an overwhelmed teen (even when she was a vampire), mixed with conflicted feelings about loving Stefan too, and simply not wanting to be Katherine.

But Damon's love for Elena has never wavered.

He loved her when she was human.

And now he loves her as a vampire.  Just like he told Stefan - Damon loves her either way.  When Stefan's been hell-bent on "fixing" her (even when she really wasn't broken), Damon was still there, rock steady, unwavering in his devotion to Elena.

Now Elena's not really Elena any longer...or is she?

This new, emotionless (?) Elena is different.  She says what she thinks.  Her filter's definitely set on "off."  She's manipulative, and she's not hesitating to show Caroline exactly how she feels about her friend butting in where she didn't belong.  She's hungry.  She doesn't care.

Damon understands because he's been there.  His words were prophetic when he said she was a lot more like him than she was like Stefan.

Stefan cautioned her about turning into a ripper, but that's not the danger that looms ahead of Elena.

Right now, she's at risk of destroying everything and every relationship that she has left...and Damon knows it, since he's already walked that path.

He knows "his" Elena's still inside her, even though she's buried - at his request.  He's not willing to give up on her.   Unlike Stefan, he loves her because she's Elena, not because she's his favorite version of Elena.

And now we're tiptoeing into the world of spoilers........

Watching the clips of next week is painful.  While Damon resented Stefan's efforts to "fix" Elena earlier in the season, now he's treading those dangerous waters - because she is broken now.  And he's the one who did it.

Looking at the scene on the rooftop, candles are burning.  It looks pretty romantic.

He knows Elena loved him once, and those feelings were deep enough to form the sire bond, even if she'd never been brave enough to voice them.  He's trying to coax those feelings back...because, true or not, he thinks it's his fault that they're gone.

I'm really afraid of what's coming next.  I have a feeling we're entering rocky territory the likes of which the DE fandom has never seen...and that's saying something.  Elena isn't Elena right now.  She's more frightening than Katherine because she's not really holding onto anything - except her switch staying firmly "off."

If she has an inkling of suspicion that Damon wants to cure her, even if she doesn't want it, I'm very much afraid that she's going to do something that will have long lasting effects on Damon and Elena's relationship.

But Damon waited over 100 years for Katherine.  He's not going anywhere.  We're just going to have to wait for Elena to find that out.

New Project

I have a new semi-secret project.  (Semi-secret, of course, because I don't mind mentioning it...but I'm also not going to reveal too much about it.)

Right now, it's coming along swimmingly.  At four days in, I've crossed the 7,000 word mark.  That's not exactly record pace for me, but I'm pleased with my word count.  If writing as my alter-ego did anything, it taught me how to get a book in on deadline (and I hit wordcounts per day that I didn't think possible).

So, what can I tell you about this new SSP (you know, Semi-Secret Project)?

Those of y'all who know me well, know that I have a different candle for each book.

This book's scent is....Macintosh (from Yankee Candle Company).  Originally, it was going to be a different scent, but I discovered I was very allergic to it.  It isn't easy to type while sneezing.  So, Macintosh it is.

There is one scene that I bought a special votive candle for....True Rose.  Hmm, sounds romantic, doesn't it?  Hint...hint....

My playlist is still kind of evolving at this point.  I'll have to add to the list as the book goes on.  Right now, I'm noticing a heavy amount of Mumford & Sons.  Here are a few of my preferred writing songs for SSP.
-  Holland Road (Mumford & Sons)
- I Will Wait (Mumford & Sons)
- Hopeless Wanderer (Mumford & Sons)
- Kiss Me (Ed Sheeran)
- Shake it Out (Florence + the Machine)
- Just Give Me a Reason (Pink)
- It's Time (Imagine Dragons)
- Till Kingdom Come (Coldplay)
- New York (Snow Patrol)

And remember.....