The Stars That Connect Us
A/N: The tomb vampires do NOT kidnap Stefan. They are still planning the attack on the founding families, but The Salvatore's only hear about it because Anna tells Jeremy. So, the Founders Parade appears to happen sooner. Also, Lexi is still alive.
Chapter 1: The Older Sister
Mystic falls.
The dreadful place. I never wanted to come back here. It holds too many memories. I scan the woods as I hear the horribly loud teenagers blast their music while getting piss drunk. I roll my eyes at their stupidity. I have the face and body of a young girl no older than Eighteen, but in reality I've lived 166 years. I'm a vampire, turned by none other than Katherine Pierce herself when I was 20 years old. While she and I may have had a…fling back in 1864…and I did love her then—or at least I thought I did, she's the reason my little brothers died. I hate her. I died that night too, but I didn't care because it was me. My little brothers, Stefan and Damon, unnecessarily lost their lives for her. She's the reason for their strained relationship and the reason Stefan and I became rippers. Tonight is the night Damon has set to open the tomb. I only just arrived back in town the night Stefan dug up our father's grave for the Bennett spell book. I knew exactly when the comet passed Damon would be back. He made the mistake of telling me 15 years ago, the last time we met. I hadn't seen Stefan in almost 35 years—the last time we had gone on a ripper spree. Imagine the surprised look on their faces when I came out from hiding and grabbed Elena from Damon's arms. Elena looked so much like Katherine, I had to hear her heart pound against her chest to believe that it wasn't her…
Flashback:
Stupid Damon! I curse in my head. I hope I'm not too late. Knowing Damon, he probably already opened the tomb and whisked Katherine away almost a month ago—before I even got the chance to drive a stake through her heart and watch her decay away. I should've gotten to this town sooner! Ugh. Stefan's here, somewhere. I've been avoiding him too…
I'm racing through the woods, following Damon. He enters the clearing…has he not opened the tomb yet?
I hide behind a tree and quietly listen to the situation.
"Well, what do you know? This is an interesting turn of events…" I roll my eyes at Damon's dramatics. Some people really never change…
I try to silently move closer to hear better. I think I hear Stefan say something with regret in his voice.
"So am I, for thinking for a second, that I could trust you." Damon sneers. Is this sibling rivalry ever going to stop?
"Oh. You're not capable of trust. The fact that you're here means that you read the journal and you were planning on doing this yourself." I hear Stefan say proudly. Wrong move, Stefan. This is impulsive Damon we're talking about. He's practically my twin in both looks and personality. I smile inwardly as I remember Katherine calling me Female Damon and him Male Mia.
"Of course I was going to do it by myself, because the only one I can count on is me! You made sure of that many years ago, Stefan. But you," I hear him pause. Who? Is he talking about me? Does he know I'm here too?
I lift my head up slightly from my hiding spot, just enough to get a glimpse of what was going on. I see Damon looking at something a bit further from my line of vision.
"You had me fooled." Damon says sadly. He's talking to someone next to Stefan.
I quickly, but quietly move to the next tree to my right. I see Stefan holding a girl in his arms. He's protecting her…? Are my two thickheaded brothers fighting over a girl, again? As if the first time wasn't enough!
I strain my neck to see this girl that has my younger brothers wrapped around her finger. My breath hitches and my eyes go wide. My palms become sweaty. I feel…excitement? And If I'm really being honest, I feel happiness…
Katherine…
My body freezes as I realize how I feel. I've convinced myself to hate her years ago, but now when I come face to face with her for the first time in over a century. I feel every emotion but hate. Every good emotion that made me fall in love with her back in 1864. What is it about Katherine that makes it impossible for me to hate her?
"So what are you going to do now? Because if you try and destroy that, I'll rip her heart out." Damon says menacingly. He wouldn't do that to Katherine…
I hear something…something that I should not be hearing with four vampires. A heartbeat. I follow the sound and my eyes narrow when I realize it's coming from Katherine.
"You won't kill her." Stefan says confidently. It's a dangerous game he's playing by calling Damon's bluff.
I see the terrified look on Katherine's face, and I feel my eyes squint in confusion. She isn't acting anything like the Katherine I remember. What the hell?
My eyes find hers automatically. She isn't looking at me, but I see all I need to.
That isn't Katherine. Her eyes are different. They're softer…kinder. Katherine's eyes only looked so soft when I would sneak into her room at night and drag her down to the waterfall in the moonlight. They were always soft, and unguarded around me…It's a subtle detail, and if I hadn't been so good at reading people, I probably wouldn't have noticed it. But the thing is, I don't miss much when it comes to people. Especially when it came to Katherine.
I see Damon nod his head in agreement. Then, with movement too fast to see with the normal human eye, he grabs the Katherine look alike, and holds her hostage with his arms.
"I can do one better." I see Damon lift his wrist to his mouth. He wouldn't dare!
He bites down, and pulls the girls head back to force his blood down her mouth. She struggling to pull away as her eyes are wide in fear. Her eyes begin to tear up as he presses his wrist to her lips. That's enough.
I speed over to Damon just before any blood can get past her lips. I twist Damon's arm behind his back to prevent him from feeding her his blood. I grab the girl, while Damon screams and launches at Stefan for the book. I have the girl in my arms, bridal style, as I watch my idiot brother, Damon try to take the book from Stefan.
I was in and out. I doubt either of them could make out who actually saved her because It literally took me 1 second to go in, twist Damon's arm, grab Katherine's human look alike, and speed her away. I've always been a fast runner, even as a human. Damon's distracting Stefan by trying to snatch the book. I glance down at the human in my arms, her brown doe eyes wide with curiosity. I can hear her heart pounding against her chest…such a beautiful sound…
"Why hello there," I say, smiling softly. "I'm Mia…Mia Salvatore. The older sister of those two idiots over there."
She stares at me in shock. Don't Stefan and Damon talk about me? I study her face, my mouth slightly agape as I stare at her in awe. She looks exactly like Katherine. It's fascinating…how can she look so much like a vampire who's centuries old?
She looks away from me, blushing slightly.
"Forgive me…it's just, you look an awful like—"
"Katherine," Her voice! She even sounds like her! "I look exactly like Katherine, right?" I shiver.
This was the same voice that could make my knees go weak with one word. The voice I told myself if I ever heard again, I'd kill whomever it belonged to; Katherine or not, I would kill them. I sigh at my weak resolve to grow to hate the woman who stole my heart…but it's about my brothers. She ruined their lives. She fed them her blood even after she promised not to.
"You do. Almost freakishly so…but I can tell that you are nothing like her. You're much more compassionate." I say, studying her face some more.
"You loved her too…" I hear her say sympathetically.
I chuckle sadly.
"That obvious, huh?"
"Just a little bit," She smiles softly. "It's the way you looked at me. No one looks at someone like that unless they love them. Since you're almost an exact female replica of Damon, but with bluer eyes and softer features, I'd figured you were their sister. It seems Katherine wanted all of you…I can't say I blame her, though, the three of you are extremely attractive." She says causally like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
I smirk seductively, "Glad to know you consider me extremely attractive, Miss…?" I trail off, waiting for her to tell me her name.
She shifts uncomfortably, but it's just the kind of uncomfortable I'm looking for. She's attracted to me.
"Gilbert. It…it's E—Elena Gilbert." I smile inwardly at her stuttering. She's a Gilbert, huh? Interesting.
"Well, Miss Gilbert, I'm flattered that you find me attractive along with my idiot brothers. Do I stand a chance? Do I stand a chance at winning your heart?" I ask raising my eyebrows in question.
"I…I…can't. I'm with Stefan. I love Stefan. I can't do that to him. I'm sorry." She says desperately. Although she didn't exactly say no…
No. I refuse to have a repeat of the 1864 fiasco with Katherine.
"Don't apologize, Elena. I haven't seen Stefan in almost 40 years. I had no idea that my quiet youngest brother captured your heart. So I'm the one who should be apologizing. I hope I haven't missed my chance for your friendship though." I recover smoothly.
She chuckles, "No you haven't. You saved me from whatever Damon was planning and I can't thank you enough, but besides that, you seem like you'd make a very interesting friend."
"So, we're friends?" I ask hopefully.
She laughs, "Definitely."
Her eyes lock with mine for a split second before we hear a tree fall. Shit!
"Elena, I have a plan. Help me convince Stefan to let Damon have the book. He's not going to leave until he does. He's too impulsive when he doesn't get what he wants, and he obviously has no problem killing anyone if he doesn't. He can get Katherine and leave town..."
"Won't you go too?" She asks sadly. It almost sounds like she'd actually be hurt if I left.
"No. I didn't spend the last 145 years obsessing over her. I'll probably always love her, but no. Katherine's done enough damage to my life."
Another crash. What the hell? Are these two going battle Royale in the woods?
I gently let Elena out of my arms and flash over and grab Damon's arm as he's about to stab Stefan in the stomach with a tree branch.
"I gotta say, 145 years of this shit does get a bit old, don't you think?" I say sweetly in Damon's ear.
I feel him tense, "You too?! Well isn't this peachy?" Damon spits out.
"Aww…I missed you too, little male version of me." I chuckle as I pry the branch from his hand, "Still as weak as ever, huh? Some things really don't change…" I tease.
"Obviously not. What are you doing here, Mia?"
"Well, I heard through the grapevine that my two younger brothers were back in our hometown and I thought, why not pay them a visit. I haven't seen Stefan in ages, and you Damon…I saw you what? 15 years ago? Where you openly bragged about how a comet, that would pass in 15 years, was the key to opening the tomb where our past lover is currently sealed."
"You remembered that? Damn you, Mia!" Damon yells. He begins to struggle but I hold him in place.
"Of course. Not every day your brother celebrates a comet that still has 15 years to pass."
"So let me guess, you're here to rescue Katherine?" I chuckle. No, foolish little brother. It's the exact opposite, actually.
"Yes. Why wouldn't I? It's been far too long…"
My eyes meet Stefan's who's backed into a tree. I blink one eye at him three times. I hope he remembers. Stefan and I made it up when we lied to an adult and wanted to let the other in on it.
He nods his head slightly. Good.
I see Elena walking up from the corner of my eye and my dead heart flutters. I let Damon go. "Give him the spell book, Stefan. Once Katherine is rescued we'll let her decide who she wants. Either way, with or without Katherine, we both leave town."
Damon reaches out for the spell book. I grab his arm again, "Also, you are not allowed to kill or harm Elena, her family, friends, or whomever she says while you're here, Damon. What you did earlier was desperate. It was disgusting, actually, that you'd stoop so low and force vampirism on an innocent teenager." I spat in disgust. Elena looks relieved at my words and mouths, "thank you." Which I nod my head and send a seductive smirk at her. She blushes and turns away.
"Fine. I won't harm a pretty hair on her or her loved one's heads. But when Katherine chooses me—and she will, don't go back to a Ripper again. I've had enough of that to last a lifetime between you and Stefan." My face hardens as I feel my anger rising. I see Elena staring with wide eyes. I didn't want her to know…yet. It's okay…I can handle this.
"I mean, I understand if you do, you know, go all ripper rippy. How long has it been since you've lost control? 30, 40 years? You must be dying to rip out someone's jugular."
I growl as my fangs protrude and I throw Damon into the nearest tree. I pick up the branch to stab him while he's down.
"Stop, Mia! It doesn't matter…please! You'll just regret it later!" I hear Elena's voice through my anger clouded mind. My arm stops in midair. I feel my fangs retract and the veins around my eyes smooth back to normal.
My hand loosens on the branch. I sped back to Stefan who looks relieved. I pick up the book.
I toss it to Damon without looking at him, "Hurry up and get the tomb open. Then I don't want to see you for at least another 145 years. I don't care what happens to you. Good riddance!" I yell to him. "They were wrong, you know, when they would say we had the same personality…I may struggle with my bloodlust when I get depressed, but I would never do what you did tonight," My voice trembles slightly. I push my tears back as I continue, "I would never taunt you if you struggled with being a ripper. I would never make you feel like shit over something you honestly couldn't help! But the most important thing is, I would never force my blood down anyone's throat! So yeah, tease me because I was a ripper, but you're the real monster, perhaps you and Katherine are perfect for each other after all." I speed away from them before I let my tears freely fall down my fast. I finally stop and lean against a tree when I'm certain I've gone far enough so they won't hear me cry. My legs give out on their own accord and I slide down the trunk of the tree, bringing my knees to my chest. I silently sob my heart out.
I shake my head. I have to stay focus and mentally prepare myself to kill Katherine. The fact that she's been in the tomb for over 145 years without blood will make her easier for me to kill. She'll appear to be mummified and will have little resemblance to the woman I loved in 1864. I'm going to try to beat Damon to Katherine. He can't see me do it. If he does…he'll attack me and I will probably have to kill him too. I don't want it to come to that.
My eyes narrow as I see Bonnie, and her grandmother descend down the steps to the tomb.
This is it.
Damon follows suit of them, dragging Elena by her arm. My jaw clenches when I see them. Why the hell is Damon dragging her like that?
I decide to stay hidden. I'll know when the tomb is open.
I hear Bonnie and her grandma chanting the spell to open the tomb. Suddenly, I hear stone clinking.
It's time…
I descend down the steps in a flash. Stopping when I notice Elena is missing.
"Where is she?" I demand.
I look between Bonnie and her grandma. My anger rising, because I think I know exactly what happened.
"He dragged her in there with him!" Bonnie says frantically.
I growl.
My vision is clouded with anger as I feel my fangs grow.
There's a loud scream and my heart sinks…Elena.
I dash inside the tomb, ignoring Bonnie's pleas to stay outside as I went.
Damnit!
I bump into someone during my anger fueled running. I growl as I quickly recognize them.
"Well isn't this a surprise. Mia Salvatore. You know…my mother got caught because of you." Anna says angrily as the veins form around her eyes.
I bare my fangs in response.
"Wrong sibling, Anna. I didn't sell you all out. My younger brother, did." I tell her through clenched teeth.
My anger is making it hard to think rationally at the moment.
I hear her chuckle, "I know it was Stefan who sold us out, but it was you who unknowingly made Katherine decide to keep us all there longer. She couldn't get away from you, she wouldn't leave you. But that all backfired didn't it? And my mother paid the price!" Anna says baring her perfectly pointed teeth.
I see red. How dare she talk about me and Katherine's relationship like she knew! She didn't know anything!
"I don't give a damn how close you and Pearl were to Katherine! You have no right to speak on our relationship!" I screamed. My anger got the best of me and I flashed in front of Anna holding a stake in my right hand.
"You should've been dead anyway…" I hiss, right before I go to stab her. Suddenly I feel a strong pair of hands wrap around my neck before I black out.
Stefan POV:
I run as fast as I could through the maze like tomb.
I need to find Mia…where is she? Elena is safe. Now I need my sister. My foot steps on something hard. Mia?!
"Stefan, Bonnie and her grandma are holding the tomb open for you…we need to hurry or you won't be able to leave!" Her eyes widen when she sees Mia, unconscious at my feet.
"Did Damon do this? Where is he? Stefan, we have to save her!" Elena kneels down and attempts to carry Mia. I quickly grab Mia from her.
"We need to find Damon, Elena. He's my brother too…"
"We have to hurry! I'll come with you!" We don't waste a second before we start running to find Damon. We reach the end of the tomb, and Elena flashes her torch for light.
"She's not here!" Damon screams as he throws a blood bag at the wall. He's lost all of his resolve…
His eyes land on Elena and for a second relief flashes in them. For one second he thought he was looking at Katherine.
"Damon. We have to go now. The tomb won't stay…please do it for me. We need you." Elena tries to reason with him. His eyes are broken. I can't blame him. 145 is a long time to love someone…
He reluctantly walks towards us. His shoulders slumped in defeat.
Mia POV:
I open my eyes to as I feel my bed weigh down like someone sat at the edge. My eyes feel heavy as I open them.
"You're definitely the only woman in history that somehow manages to still look like a flawless angel when they first awake." I hear a chuckle.
"Hmh, Katherine." I grumble as my body is fighting to make me stay asleep.
She giggles, "Mhm, did you miss me?"
"You know I did. But you've found yourself preoccupied with my younger brothers." I say rather bitterly.
"Of course! If I hadn't, everyone would be suspicious as to why I've been spending so much time with you."
"Whatever, Katherine. I'm tired and I want to finish resting." I say turning over in my bed.
"The sun is nearly high, Mia. It's improper for a lady to sleep—"
"Goodbye, Katherine!" I say sternly.
"Oh? Are you jealous of them?"
That's it.
I jump out of bed and stomp my way to Katherine who is now leaning on a nearby wall. Her smirk grew as my anger rose.
I wrap my hand around her chest and slammed her into a wall. My breathing is uneven.
Katherine looks surprised at first.
"Feel better?" She smirks seductively.
I swallow hard as I realize how aroused this is making me.
I look into Katherine's lust darkened eyes as my hands rest at the sides of her waist.
She chuckles darkly, "There's my Mia-blue. Always so aggressive with me." She hooks her arms around my neck.
My lips move to her neck without any hesitation. My tongue swirls around her pulse point before nibbling it.
Katherine gasps and my hands began to roam her body.
"Mia…stop. We really don't have time…" Katherine giggles in my ear.
"So what?" I mumble into her skin.
"Your father wants all of you to spend some time with him." She tries again between gasps.
"I don't care. Fuck them. I want you." I grumble.
She laughs softly.
"Tonight. You wanted to learn more about vampires. I'll teach you."
My eyes widen.
"Will you finally turn me tonight?"
"No. Not tonight. First, you must learn. I'll be a good teacher, if you are a good student." She winks at me.
"Of course I will. I would do anything for you, Katherine. Always."
The scene before me gets cloudy. My eyes refocused as Katherine's eyes still bore into mine.
"Kath…Katherine?" I say hoarsely. My throat burns from my lack of feeding.
"Mia. It's me. Elena." Not Katherine.
My eyes must've shown my disappointment because she quickly said, "I know. I'm not who you were expecting. I'm sorry."
"What happened? The tomb! Did Damon find Katherine? Where is she?" I try to force myself out of the bed but Elena holds me down.
"Mia, I need you to listen. You have to feed. You had your neck snapped by Damon and then he injected vervain in your system. Stefan went to keep an eye on Damon, but he said if you wake up that I have to get you a blood bag."
Suddenly, I get a whiff of Elena's blood. I hear her beautiful heart pounding in her chest. My fangs protrude through my gums.
"No need for a blood bag. You smell so good, Elena…we've become good friends…I hope that you like me enough for a taste." I bring my nose to the crook of her neck and take a long sniff.
"Just…a small taste…" She struggles a bit, but not nearly as much as one should. It's almost like she wants me to bite her.
My vision becomes blurry as my bloodlust takes control.
I pull back for a second to look at her face. I move a strand of hair out her face. "You're beautiful, you know…" I say to her just before I sink my teeth in her throat.
She gasps softly as my fangs pierce her skin. Her blood is nothing like I've ever tasted before. There's something about it that makes it special.
Suddenly my eyes snapped open and my fangs retract.
I recoil as if I've been burned. I look in horror at what I did.
Elena…she's holding her wound with her hand. Those beautiful brown eyes looking at me with concern.
"Elena…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me…I suck. I've ruined our friendship! I don't deserve you!" My breathing is erratic and my heart aches with grief.
"No no no, Mia. Please, it's fine. I enjoyed it. Don't hurt yourself! It'll be our secret. Okay?" I nod my head. She crawls over and gives me a friendly hug, much to my dismay.
"Here." I say as I bite my wrist. I offer it to Elena who drinks just enough to heal her bite mark.
"Elena? Tell me what happened the night the tomb was open. Where's Katherine?"
The sadness on Elena's face told me all I needed to know.
"She chose Damon, didn't she?" Why should I care? Katherine was dead to me many, many years ago. I don't care about her choosing Damon. They deserve each other!
"No, Mia, it isn't like that. Katherine…she was never in the tomb. We've been trying to find Anna and Pearl to see if Anna has seen her at all. Damon's really hurt from all this."
My eyes widen in shock, quickly followed by a dark chuckle. "Guess there really weren't any rules, right? No rules."
I stand up and gave Elena a hug. "I'm sorry, Elena. I won't ever harm you again." I whisper into her neck before I dash out of the window.
I need to find Pearl and Anna.
After hours of searching I finally found them…
"Anna." I say softly. I was always considered fast, even for a vampire. She didn't even hear me come.
"Mia. Why are you here? If my mother sees—"
"Isn't this a pleasant surprise. Mia Salvatore, the third person in the Salvatore tug of war. Although no one really knew that…" I glare at her. I never had a problem with Pearl until the last few weeks before they were caught.
"Pearl." I nod my head towards her before turning my attention back to Anna.
"Anna, can I talk to you. Alone?" I add once I see Pearl couldn't take the hint.
Anna nods her head to her mother, signifying her to to leave.
"Did you know Katherine wasn't in the tomb?" My straightforward question obviously takes her by surprise.
"First Damon, now you too. Yes, I knew." I feel my anger rising at her words. She knew.
" And you didn't think this was valuable information to—you needed the tomb opened for your mother." My anger is suddenly fading at the realization.
She nods her head, "I understand. Damon's distraught. He expected Katherine to be in that tomb. He waited 145 years to be with her again." I let out a deep sigh. This is so much harder than I thought.
"You want to know where she is, don't you?"
"Yes. I haven't been the best big sister to either of my brothers for 145 years. I think I owe Damon this much." Anna studies my face hard for a moment before she continues.
"If I tell you everything that I know, well at least what Katherine has said, you must promise not to tell Damon. Maybe not even Stefan either, okay?"
"I won't. I promise."
Anna takes a deep breath before she begins to talk. I'm more than curious now because it must be big if she made me promise to keep it from my brothers.
"Last I saw Katherine was in Chicago in 1983. We bumped into each other by complete coincidence. I wasn't exactly thrilled to see her but I knew my mother didn't blame Katherine for ensuring her survival. She has a lot more enemies than either of us. We talked for a while, basically playing catch up. Eventually we ended up talking about our time in mystic falls. She apologized for my mother. I accepted it and told her that I blamed you. She seemed genuinely confused as to why I would blame the wrong Salvatore, but then I told her why."
Anna takes a long pause.
Honestly, can she get any more dramatic?
"I told her that it was your fault that we didn't leave when people started to get suspicious. Katherine was so…intrigued by you that she didn't want to leave Mystic Falls. I brought up the fact that Damon had basically grown obsessed with her. She knew where Damon was…she didn't care. When I told her that I heard you were a ripper and had gone on a blood lust rampage just a few weeks before, I swear—this might be my imagination—but her eyes grew sad. Even if it was for a moment. She was sad about your struggles. I could tell. After that she kept asking if I heard anything else about you. She covered it up by saying that you were the only Salvatore that she had no clue where you were. Maybe she was telling the truth, but you didn't see her eyes, Mia. Your eyes don't look like that over someone unless you love them. Katherine may be a bitch, but she's not completely heartless. She know she was playing a dangerous game by keeping us in Mystic Falls longer, but she did it because she wasn't prepared to leave you."
I sit frozen.
Me? Katherine cared about me more than my brothers?
"She's a manipulative bitch, Anna. Thank you for answering my question, though." I stand to leave but Anna grabs my arm.
"Say what you want, Mia, but Katherine risked not only her life but 27 other vampires as well. Including me and my mother and we've known Katherine about almost 200 years before our time at Mystic Falls. That was never apart of the plan...she got caught, and had to alter the plan a bit all because of you. You don't do that for just anyone. Please know that Katherine isn't as heartless as you Salvatore's think." I glare at Anna for a second before I yank my arm out of her gasp.
"If she isn't as heartless as we Salvatore's think, then why has she gone 145 without a trace? Hmm, why would she pretend to be in a tomb? Katherine had 145 years to contact us to tell the truth. She didn't. Instead she pretends to be rotting away in some tomb under the Fell's church!" I scream as my face vamps out. My face tingles as the veins begin to form around my eyes.
Anna looks at Pearl, silently asking for permission to say something. I squint my eyes at their interaction.
"Something you want to tell me?" I growl impatiently. My tolerance is below 0 at this point...
"No...Anna told you she hasn't seen Katherine since 1983. I've been locked away in a tomb since 1864. I'm not even sure if she knows I'm out yet. I have some friends around the country that are keeping their eye out for her. She was a close friend of mine so i am confident that i know her patterns. I'll find her, and will let you know when i do." Pearl replies calmly. I nod my head. Pearl's got at least 500 years on me. She'll put up a good fight...not to mention Anna too. There's nothing i can do but accept what she's saying.
"Thank you. I trust what you're saying, and I apologize for being the true reason behind your capture. As long as you keep the tomb vampires under control then I have no problem with either of you. I'm happy you got your mother back, Anna. Take care..."
Before Anna could or Pearl could say anything, I'm already gone. I need to feed to regain my strength from being injected with vervain. That reminds me, I need to see Damon after I hunt. We need to have a chat.
Elena POV:
Deciding to take a drive while it's close to dark is simply amazing and peaceful. I asked Aunt Jenna before I left if I could be a few minutes late to dinner. I really just need to clear my head. This whole thing with Katherine was too much on Damon and Mia. I wondered had the roles been reversed and I was in a relationship with Mia, would Stefan really be over Katherine? Or would he be like Mia or worse, like Damon? Even though Mia tries her best to hide her feelings for Katherine, I can still she still loves her. Mia may be content with lying to herself about Katherine, but anyone who truly pays attention could see that Mia is still in love with her.
The disappointment in her eyes when she found out I wasn't Katherine told me everything I needed to know. Maybe if I had met Mia first, I would probably be in a relationship with her. My breath hitches in my chest as I realized I basically admitted to myself that I'm attracted to Mia that way. But who wouldn't be? Katherine was even back in 1864. Back when same sex couples were practically shunned with disgrace.
It's funny because from the moment I met her I could tell she was someone whom I'd always want to be around. I wanted to be close friends with her because I could feel a pull towards her...I'm not even sure I understand it myself, but i can feel some sort of connection with her. I'm glad i can be friends with her...
I slammed my foot on the breaks as I see someone in the middle of the road, causing me to snap out of my thoughts.
What the...?
I strain my eyes through the window of the car to see who it is. My eyes widen in horror as I realize it's Mia.
I quickly put my car in park and rush out of the car. The only sound that fills my ears is the sound of my feet and my rapid heartbeat. It's then I notice her eyes are closed.
She looks so peaceful.
"Mia! What's wrong?! Are you hurt?" My voice is shaking as my tears start to flow.
Suddenly her eyes snap open. She stares at the sky with a blank expression. "No. I don't feel anything." Her voice is monotone and holds no emotion.
"What happened?" I ask her, sinking down to my knees beside her.
"Nothing. I don't feel anything." She says simply. My eyes water with tears. Why is she acting like this?
Is it my fault?
"If this is about earlier, I told you not to worry about it." I say softly. My hand reaches to smooth her beautiful dark brown curls.
"Don't touch me. I told you, I don't feel anything. I don't need your pity, Elena. Go back to Stefan. I don't need any of you." I jolt back as if I've been burned. My chest tightens painfully as I fully process what she said.
"Mia I—"
"Elena, get away from her! Her humanity is turned off! She isn't herself, please!" Stefan's voice rings from behind me.
My eyes go wide as I stare down at Mia.
"Now now, Stefan. You don't think I'd actually harm our dear Elena, do you? She's safe with me. Or is it that you believe what Damon accused me of earlier?" I shiver as I suddenly feel Mia standing behind me.
"Mia…just leave her alone. None of this is worth turning back into a ripper," I gasp softly, is that what's going on? "Not me, not Damon, not Katherine, not even…Elena. You need to find you anchor, that's why I called Lexi." I hear Mia growl behind me.
"Why?! No…I'm leaving. Lexi can't help me if she can't find me." I feel a gust of wind and I turn to find an empty spot where Mia was just standing.
"Stef…you have to find her…she needs someone to—" I am suddenly distracted by another swish.
Mia is staring directly in my eyes. I blush and turn my head slightly. She smiles softly, "Elena…thank you. I'll be back one day soon, mmkay?" She says softly.
I shake my head, my eyes flooding with tears.
"I hope this doesn't end our friendship…I'm just too dangerous to be here right now. Don't worry. I'll come back real soon and I'll go to school with you. Me and Stefan both." She smiles gently.
"When…?" I manage to say through my tears. My vision is blurry so I wipe them away quickly. I couldn't see her face clearly…
"Few weeks possibly, I'm gonna call Lexi to meet me outside of town. I need a reminder of a good way to cope with my emotions. Stefan was right." She says and I glance over to Stefan only to find an empty spot.
"Where…?" I hear Mia chuckle.
"He's hunting close by. He trusts me enough to give us a little privacy."
"Mia…next time this happens let me help you, okay? We can get through this. What are friends for?" I give her a bright smile.
"Elena…It's so much more that happened today to make me halfway flip my humanity switch. When I get back, I promise I will tell you everything. I'm glad to have you as my friend. You mean so much to me…more than you'll ever know…" She said the last part so softly, I think I may have imagined it.
"Friends forever. Just hurry up and get better so you can come back to me, okay?" My voice full of confidence. Her eyes brighten up at my words.
"Okay."
What she does next made my leap out of my chest and soar into the sky. Mia's lips brushed, ever so softly, against my cheek. Something that could have been deemed as an innocent gesture, felt so much more intimate and special than a kiss fully on the mouth. Does she feel what I feel? Sometimes I wish...
Mia pulls me in for a tight hug, "Thank you. You have my number, call me if you need something while I'm gone, or even if you see you can't live with my charming nature…" She wiggles her perfectly shaped eyebrows.
I laugh and playfully punch her on the arm.
"Oww, Lena. You're so aggressive!" She pouts before bursting out in a fit of laughter.
"Of course I'll call you, but don't expect it to be because I miss your 'charming nature.' " I say as I pretend to scold her while using my pointer finger like she was a child.
"We'll see about that, Miss Gilbert." She says my name with an accent. My knees nearly turn to jelly.
"That was the best reaction…I should try that more often." Mia teases. The corner of her mouth curls upward into her signature smirk, that I've grown to enjoy.
"Just get better, Mia. I need you." I say before I can help myself. Anyone else would've taken that as an innocent statement of one needing her friend. But not Mia. She too good at reading emotions. Her beautiful blue eyes raise at my small, barely noticeable confession. I hope i didn't make things weird between us...
"With that being said…I almost don't wanna go now." Mia pouts again like a child. Just like that my worries faded away as I laughed at her pouting face.
"You have to. If not for you, then do it for me. I'll be here when you come back, okay? I promise."
"Okay. I'll do it for you, Lena…Thank you." She pulls me in for another hug. I wrap my arms around her tightly. I don't want to let her go…but Stefan. I could never betray Stefan. I'm not Katherine...I can't have a 3 them fighting over me. I won't stand for it.
"You're Welcome. Stay safe, Mia. We'll have so much fun when you come back." I mumble into her shoulder.
"I will, Lena. You stay safe too. Although, I'm sure my little brothers will protect you quite well…"
We pull apart from our tight embrace, my body suddenly becoming cold from the loss of contact.
"Goodbye, Mia…I'll call you every day to check on you." I tell her. My tears are threatening to fall again.
"Goodbye my Lena…I'll look forward to your call. Close your eyes…don't look at me. Just breath…"
She holds onto me for a second. I close my eyes, making my tears flow freely.
"That's it…now take deep breaths…" I breath in and out a few time before my hand goes limp from the lost of our entwined fingers. Then I feel a gust of wind across my face, making my hair move with the wind.
I open my tear filled eyes.
She's gone.
