Chapter Three: Aftermath

A/N: Thanks guys for the reviews/alerts/favs guys, they're honestly my motivation :)


Jeremy didn't bother to wipe the tears in his eyes as he knelt down. Bonnie lay on the ground, her hair sprawled and her expression slack. She was so still and he almost couldn't find it in himself to reach out to her.

If she hadn't just spoken to him—hadn't just said her goodbye—a couple minutes ago, he could convince himself that this was all a dream. A really horrible, messed up dream and he would wake up any time soon. Bonnie couldn't be gone. She couldn't be dead. And to think that she had died to save him—to bring him back to life.

He held the back of his hand to his lips, choking on his silent sobs. This was unfair. He would rather stay dead than have her trade her life for his.

"Jeremy?"

He turned at the voice and faced Elena; he noticed her eyes were red already and her voice had been hoarse. He didn't hold back this time when another flood of hurt crashed through his heart and his tears flowed down his face. He didn't say anything. He just turned back to Bonnie—his Bonnie—and listened as Elena gasped, rushing to her fallen friend.

"Oh my god, Bonnie!" she cried, "What happened? Jeremy, what happened?!"

He heard his sister's voice fading into the back of his mind as he stared at Bonnie's face. She was gone. And the thought that it was his fault left him numb.


There was a buzzing in the distance that grew closer and louder.

Damon opened his eyes.

He breathed in.

The sunlight filtered through the window and the open curtains. After taking a moment to wake up fully, Damon sat up. It was eerily quiet and it unnerved him. Since when was the world so quiet? And where the hell was he?

His eyes squinted as he got to his feet, and his toes curled at the cold hardwood floor. The place looked familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. The plain but somewhat frilly white curtains. The comfortable but faded bed sheets. The white walls and the plain empty vanity on one side of the room.

He flung open the door to the hall and suddenly realized that he was at Liz's house.

"Oh, you're awake," Caroline said, standing in the hall in a pair of short shorts and a tank top.

"I am," he frowned, moving towards the living room and seeing Jeremy and Elena asleep on separate couches, "what the hell happened?"

"You don't remember?" she asked as if he should know. As if something big happened. Her expression only made him want to shake her and tell him already.

"Of course I do," he rolled his eyes, "No. Why in the world would I be asking then?"

Her expression dropped into a frown and flatly she said, "No one can get into your house cause you took the cure."

"What?!"

Caroline snorted at his expression and headed to the kitchen. She shushed him as she passed by, "Keep it down. It's six in the morning."

The day before, Vaughn, Alaric, Stefan and the cure. He suddenly remembered it and he felt a little sick. That's why it was so quiet, and why it did feel a little bit colder than usual. What the hell did he get himself into this time? Human. How could he live human? He looked to his hands as if they had changed but in all honesty they hadn't; not the feeling, not the touch, nothing. The only distinctive thing he knew would happen now is that he'd grow old, and he would be weak until he died.

He swallowed the lump in his throat at the thought. After he became a vampire he never once looked back or even thought about growing old. Who in their right mind would want to grow old? He shook his head of those thoughts. He wasn't about to start now. He would find a way out of this.

"Damon?" Elena got up, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she rushed forward and hugged him, "You're okay."

"Of course I am," he smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes.

She noticed his expression, "I'm sorry, I know you never wanted this."

"Why are you apologizing? Stefan gave it to me, and I was dumb enough to take it," he breathed, "Where is Stefan anyways?"

Elena looked around with a yawn, she was still tired, "He's not here?"

He shook his head.

"Sherriff Forbes said that he had left to drop off Silas," she frowned, running her hand through her messy hair, "what if somethings happened?"

Damon shook his head again, "No. That can't be. He probably heard what you told Ric about Klaus. He's most likely off brooding somewhere."

He chuckled, nothing could've happened to Stefan. Everyone threatening their lives from going back to normal were gone and Silas had been incased in cement. He was confident if something had, they would've heard of it already.

"Wait, you heard that?" she paused, pertaining to her confession with Alaric about Klaus' late appearance.

"Yes, unfortunately."

She looked down, as if it were her fault and his face scrunched up apologizing for his tone, "It's not your fault. If anything it's Klaus' fault for not picking up his phone."

"So you're okay with this?" she asked and he wished she hadn't.

"Ask me again later."

There was a short silence that filtered in with birds chirping outside. Damon frowned at the metaphorical way Elena twiddled her thumbs. It was like she didn't know what to say. At least nothing that wouldn't warrant an uncomfortable response from him. It was almost as if she saw him like he was different. And he was. Sort of. Though he was the same in personality, this was new territory for them.

She was just getting used to him being human, after all it was probably as obvious to her as it was to him. Hell, he still had to start accepting what he was now. Unless he found a way out. He shook his head, determined as he refused to raise any hope, and mentally he moved on from his thoughts.

"So, Barbie tells me you guys can't get into the boarding house? How about we go fix that?" he suggested. Even if it were only six in the morning he didn't want to go back to sleep and he doubted that Elena did either. With a nod, she made her way to the kitchen to say goodbye to Caroline. Jeremy was left on the couch as Elena insisted he get some well-intended rest.

Her car waited for them outside and they drove towards the Salvatore's home.

"Not to infringe on being rude but Jeremy? Wasn't he-?" he made a slicing sound as he motioned across his neck with a finger.

Elena's expression dropped and she nodded, "Bonnie brought him back."

"Our little witch has some tricks up her sleeve?" his brows raised, "Maybe she could've found a way to heal me without the cure."

She bit her lips and Damon narrowed his eyes.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked softly, her whole demeanor finally getting to him. Initially he had thought it was because she had just woken up, but now he could tell it was something else.

She shook her head, turning the car right and then sighing. She didn't say anything and he had a feeling that this included tears. Damon was never good with tears, but this was Elena, he couldn't not ask.

"Elena?"

When the car parked into the driveway she got out and immediately he followed, almost scoffing at the way she was trying to avoid him. He stopped as she reached for the door, "Really? What are you going to do? Barge through your invitation?"

When she stopped he stepped towards her and noticed her shoulders. She was crying and he almost cringed at how to deal with this. Almost. No matter how many women Damon Salvatore had had around his arm he'd never had to deal with crying. At least not really. It was either compel it away or run away, and he couldn't do either with Elena.

He would've ran over to her and wrapped her in his arms but he didn't. So from where he stood he let out a breath that sounded almost like a sigh, preparing his next words, but Elena shook her head and spoke, "Bonnie's… Bonnie's dead, and I'm sorry, Damon but I just—I kind of want to be alone," she turned her head but still didn't meet his eyes, "I need to think."

His heart dropped but he understood.

"You're invited," he muttered and she heard because in the next second she was gone and the front door hung open. Instinctively, reaching out with his ears he heard the thumping of his heart and the distant sound of birds and nothing else. He couldn't tell if he was angered or disappointed or just plain frustrated.

He couldn't think of a worst time to be reminded of how human he was than right then.


A few hours later Jeremy sat outside in the terrace of the boarding house. After waking up and having breakfast served to him at Caroline's house, he had been picked up by Elena and promptly left alone to ponder his own thoughts. He didn't want to talk to anyone. And he had shown that by speaking only when spoken to.

Though he wasn't willing to talk to anyone he did want to speak to one person: Bonnie.

But try as he might, she wasn't answering. She wasn't responding to any call he signaled out whenever he was trying to talk to the dead. And he didn't feel any ghost-like presence around. He felt horribly normal and it scared him. How was he supposed to talk to her then? How were they supposed to communicate? The thought that he would never be able to talk to yet another person that he'd loved and lost scared him so much, and he had no idea what to do.

"Bonnie, please," he begged, closing his eyes. A small breeze shifted through his hair and when he opened them he could tell he wasn't alone. Hopeful, he turned, only to have his eyes land on Stefan. His expression was eerily blank.

"Jeremy," he said and for a second the young man almost thought he was a ghost.

"Stefan," he greeted, though he didn't know why he felt the sudden need to be cautious around him. No, that was the hunter in him, he was still projecting those must-kill-vampire thoughts and he shook his head.

"I need you to do me a favour," Stefan said, patting Jeremy on his arm before glancing to the door that led back into the house, "tell Elena and Damon that I'm leaving town."

"Why don't you tell them yourself?" Jeremy frowned, gesturing to the boarding house, "They're inside."

"I know. It's just… I'd rather not say goodbye. It's too hard."

Goodbye? Leaving? Hadn't Damon just turned human, and hadn't Elena just lost a friend? Jeremy never knew Stefan to be one to abandon the people he cared about.

"Where are you going?"

Stefan shrugged, "I don't know. But I'll return as soon as I can."

Jeremy looked towards the house, his sister was inside and he knew she would kill him if he just let Stefan leave without saying goodbye in person, if at all.

"Stefan, I don't think-," he trailed off seeing that the vampire had vanished. With a frown, Jeremy looked around. He was nowhere in sight, but Jeremy didn't make a move to get up. Stefan was probably long gone by now, and doing anything wouldn't stop him. Without thinking about it his thoughts shifted back to Bonnie.


Klaus carefully stroke his brush over a curve of paint on his canvas. Lightly, with his wrist he imitated the line, going over it again and again until he was satisfied. When he was done he stepped back, taking in the entirety of his painting.

With a sigh he placed his brush on the table with his paints and rubbed his hands, ineffectively dusting off dry paint. He had been in Mystic Falls for only a day and already he was bored. The quaint little town he had been born in was starting to lose its appeal on him and he itched to get back to New Orleans. There was Marcel, and with him his new challenge; his new goal. Though before leaving the place he would soon call home Elijah had reprimanded him, forcing him to make nice with their baby sister in order to get her to come as well. That's why he had come back. Well that and Caroline, he knew graduation was just around the corner and he had a gift for her. One he knew she would much appreciate.

He paused, suddenly hearing Rebekah waking up.

The next second he was at her door, watching as she stirred. She was still in her torn up clothes from the day before, but he had already washed off most of her blood. When her eyes opened they moved to him instantly like a magnet.

"Rebekah, love," he spoke, coming into her room, "how are you feeling?"

"Like I was mauled by nine hybrids who were looking for you," she said, assessing herself and sitting up. When it hit her that Klaus hadn't been in town just days ago she frowned, "What are you doing here, Nik? Making plans to ruin more lives?"

"Why the opposite actually. As bad as you think of me, I do have a heart, dear sister," Klaus replied, though only mildly offended.

She scoffed, "Well you can leave now. No one wants you here and Elijah tells me you have other matters to attend to. No doubt to serve your current decade's goal."

Klaus frowned at that. Was that it? His life's wishes, only small meaningless goals to her? Rebekah always was one to act spoiled. If the attention wasn't on her she would ignore you, and claim your intentions wrong. He groaned, "Okay, don't say I never tried. Elijah forced me to come here to mend things with you but it seems that's impossible at the moment."

"You tried?" she asked, incredulous, "You've spoken but two sentences to me and you've tried?"

"I saved your life!" he retaliated.

She narrowed her eyes, "I would've been fine, Nik. I didn't need your help!"

"Oh, I think Matt Donovan would've disagreed. And as I'm sure you know, he isn't like us," he pointed out and then breathed. This wasn't going to get anywhere and despite himself he knew he still needed to extend the same invitation Elijah had given her, "Rebekah, love, I didn't come here to argue. I came here to ask you to come to New Orleans with me."

"No. I'm going to say to you what I told Elijah and it's that I owe you nothing," she emphasized, "Family means nothing to you, and nothing will change that. Not this child and not anyone."

The corners of Klaus' lips turned down but she continued on, "You once told me that I meant nothing to you. That I was nothing to you. Well you know what, you are nothing to me. Not now, and never again! So if you're done pretending to care, run back to that new town of yours because you're not getting anything from me."

Klaus swallowed, blinking. He didn't move though, and it wasn't because he was too shocked.

"Leave!" she shouted, thrusting her finger towards her door.

With one final frown, he blurred away, not bothering to shut her door. Rebekah could be so dramatic. Nothing she said she meant—though in the back of his head he knew she may mean at least some of it—and even so she would come to her senses sooner or later. And when she did maybe then would he apologize also.

'After all, we have all of eternity to forgive and forget,' he thought, heading to his car.


Two days. Two days since high school had officially ended.

And Klaus. He hadn't left Caroline's thoughts since graduation—no, his words hadn't left her thoughts since graduation. When she had gone to drop off her gown he had appeared to her, offering to walk her home in light of recent events but also to give her a gift. One she hadn't expected him to give so willingly.

She was constantly surprised by him but she knew it was only because she held no expectations of him.

"My gift to you. Tyler is free, he can return home."

Tyler could come back. She had almost cried at that promise, while at the same time also skeptical that he was actually serious. It wasn't until his following words did she feel like he meant what he said.

"He's your first love, I intend to be your last."

It was her assurance that Tyler was safe, but they also gave new light to Klaus. Caroline always knew that he had fallen for her, or at least he claimed to, but she also always thought he could never really love her. In his own twisted way maybe, but not the right, selfless way. Not the way love should be. And despite her initial knowledge of how he was, he had proven her wrong and she couldn't help but be grateful. She may not love him back, but she had to admit that he was slowly taking steps to help her begin to even consider thinking of him in that way.

"Caroline?" Elena spoke, breaking her from her thoughts.

The blonde hadn't realized that she had already gotten out of her car and went into the boarding house, too lost in her thoughts. Later, she settled, she would somehow find a way to look for Tyler. Pushing her thoughts aside, Caroline's expression immediately softened at the sight of her friend.

"Elena," she hugged her friend tightly, "Are you okay?"

Her own words reminded her of all the times she had asked the exact same thing the summer of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert's passing. She almost shivered, how was it that they kept losing everyone they loved?

Elena shook her head and wiped a tear from her cheek. She asked, "How about you? Are you okay?"

Caroline sighed, she didn't want to shake her head. She didn't want to indicate anything. Bonnie was gone and as much as it hurt Caroline had yet to shed a tear. She wasn't dwelling on it. She didn't want to. And if she wasn't so concerned, she wouldn't have checked on Elena because she knew that all the open mourning would remind her more of her friend. And of everyone's loss.

She pursed her lips and thankfully Elena got the message. Subtly, she steered their conversation.

"Jeremy's a wreck. He hasn't talked to me, and he doesn't think I know what he's doing but I do," she said, pulling her friend so that they moved towards the stairs and eventually to the room Elena had claimed. Elena frowned, worried, "he's trying to talk to Bonnie, and his disappointment has me thinking she hasn't answered. I mean what if Bonnie's moved on?"

Caroline nodded, that was possible wasn't it? She couldn't bear to think her friend was stuck in the supernatural purgatory of things. Though, having been around while the veil was down indicated that she had to be on the other side.

"If she hasn't answered maybe she has moved on," Caroline said.

Elena sighed, eyeing the other vampire, "I know that's just wishful thinking, Care. You don't have to pretend like its right," Caroline apologized with a look, and the brunette continued, "I just wish Jeremy doesn't hold on to anything like he did with Anna."

They shared a look and something suddenly occurred to the blonde. She gasped, "Oh, speaking of Jeremy, my mom's working on a cover story to explain his sudden resuscitation."

"Resurrection?" Elena corrected.

"Yeah," her brows lowered, unfazed, "And she's helping Mr. Bennett with the umm… funeral."

They both became quiet as they sat on Elena's bed. It seemed funerals were the new special Mystic Falls events, and neither liked that change. It wasn't appealing, nor was it a happy occasion. Caroline frowned. It seemed even in the light of happy ending like graduation, new beginnings only came with tragedy.


Matt parked his truck and looked to the ominous Mikaelson mansion. From where he sat it looked abandoned, like no one was living there but he knew one person who did. After the incident at the yard a couple days before he couldn't bring himself to stop thinking about the blonde Original, and in all honesty he had no idea if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

What had she confessed before she kissed him? Do the thing you're most afraid of? Did she really care about him like that? Could she care about him like that? After everything her family had put his friends through he couldn't stop from seeing them as anything but monsters. But at the yard, her actions spoke for themselves. Rebekah had gotten hurt, and though she didn't "officially" risk her life, since Originals can only be killed in certain ways, she had basically done just that, if not better. And all so that he would have a better chance to live and see another day.

She could've left. Heck, she should've left but she hadn't. Once Klaus had rescued him and his friends, he had picked up his sister and vanished. Matt didn't know if he should've come any earlier but he figured a couple days were enough for Rebekah to heal, and hopefully see to it that he didn't run into her vicious older brother. And a couple days gave him time to fully assess his loss over yet another friend. He hadn't fully mourned but he would be lying if he said what happened to Bonnie didn't open his eyes at grabbing opportunities that appeared to him.

Matt got out of his truck and rang the doorbell, taking a deep breath as he did so. He was here to check up on her, but he also felt a little nervous. What do you say to someone who saved your life and may as well have died through the process?

After a few minutes he reached up to press the button again but the door swung open and Rebekah's face told him she never expected to see him there. At all.

"Matt," she greeted, half confused and half surprised.

"Rebekah," he smiled, nodding, "I um… I was just coming to see how you were doing after... well you know."

She smiled, breaking out of her daze, "Thank you. I'm good, how about you?"

He nodded and a short silence hung over them.

Her smile slowly disappeared as she spoke, "Look, I know we were under duress and all. So… whatever plans we were making…," she bit her lips, trailing off.

"No," he said automatically and she nodded, understandingly. He shook his, "No I meant, no," how would he proceed with this? After everything she had done for him and the fact that he knew she really was trying, he still couldn't find it in himself to see her and not associate her with her family. But he also didn't want to not be… friends with her. Because whatever feelings she'd confessed with that kiss at the wrecking yard, that's how he saw her or at least that's how he should start.

"Mystic Falls is roaming with vampires and the supernatural. After that incident, I know that I want to keep my life supernatural free… and that includes my love life," he sighed, stating the rules he had felt himself bend towards after witnessing the lives of his friend the past couple years. She nodded and looked just about to say goodnight and close the door when he continued, "But you're my friend and… whatever happens on the road, stays on the road…"

"I'm sorry but are you saying that you would, you would want to go?" she asked, not being able to hold in her sudden smile.

"I'm saying I've never set foot outside of this town and I think it's time that I start truly living. You did promise to be my tour guide."

A short laugh broke through her smile and he couldn't help but return it. She nodded, "Okay."

Moving aside to invite him in, he stepped through the threshold without a second thought. He could keep her company in her big lonely mansion, just as much as she seemed she would keep him company anywhere else. Though his thoughts were still a little jumbled he felt as if he could trust Rebekah. She earned at least that.

And as of then they had a long trip ahead of them. Though it may be selfish, he couldn't wait to get out of Mystic Falls and temporarily leave behind all the baggage that came with such a small town.


It was dark.

Katherine blinked, squinting through the mass of black before her. There was nothing, even as she tried to reach out. She couldn't breathe and she felt stationary—like a statue.

Slowly, she heard the sound of splitting stone, cracking louder and louder in her ears. But what was more puzzling was that she felt it on herself, like she was cracking open. Rigidly she felt herself break free and light began to filter in through her lids. It was so bright it hurt, but she reached out. She got to her feet easily, feeling whatever was encasing her shedding away.

Without her own accord Katherine began to walk, the darkness becoming engulfed by the light and soon she was at a meadow. The grass was tall and three kids ran around in the middle chasing each other. Two girls and a boy. None of them looked any older than ten years of age. The boy had a stick in his hand and he roared, while the other two laughed at his antics.

Katherine narrowed her eyes, moving closer still.

A look of concentration came over the little boy's features and he thrust his hand holding the stick into the air. A small burst of fire exploded from the end of it, disappearing as quickly as it came. Katherine watched as the two girls clapped, grinning to one another. The boy jumped from the rock he stood on and pointed the stick to one of the girls.

"Okay, Irina, you try," he smiled. Though as the girl reached for it they all paused, turning to look at Katherine with wide eyes.

"Oh no," one of them breathed. Katherine took one step back. Getting to their feet they ran towards her, fear in their eyes. The little boy ran directly at her but instead of tackling her, he ran through.

She gasped.

Katherine breathed as her eyes fluttered open.

'What was that?' she thought but an instant hallow ringing in her head made her wince and she reached up to her temples, her dream momentarily forgotten. She heard and felt the clatter of metal as she massaged her head. Her fingers felt stiff and she noticed her breaths were slower and longer than usual but that wasn't what caught her attention the most. It was the chains around her wrist and puzzled, she glanced at them and then around the room.

"What the hell?" she muttered, her eyes dropped to the cold concrete floor, the metal door and most importantly the various potted vervaine plants on the shelves that lined the walls of the room. Her eyes narrowed, but the dried blood on her hand reminded her of what she remembered last. She was at the school. With Elena. And she had been just about to tear the ungrateful whore's heart out when… her mind went blank. What had happened?

Katherine couldn't remember, and the suffocating atmosphere she was in wasn't helping any. She pulled at the chains, noticing how the other end of them were barred into the wall just above her head. Placing her hands on the floor she pushed herself up, only to fall back down like lead. She was too weak to get up. No matter how tolerant she had become of vervaine, breathing it in for however long she'd been there couldn't be good.

The door creaked open and a man stepped in. He was handsome with short blonde hair and deep brown eyes.

"You're awake," he commented, pulling up the only chair in the room and sitting on it.

She felt the need to back up and melt into the wall as she held his gaze because despite its common colour they were hypnotizing. And in them she could feel he held cruelty.

"Wh-," she coughed, her voice rough, but that didn't stop her from sounding any less malicious, "who are you?"

He held out a bottle of water, placing it on the floor in front of her.

He smiled, "In truth, by my appearance, my name would be Silas."

She eyed the bottle of water but didn't move, she narrowed her eyes at the stranger and at his words. So this was Silas, but what was that he said? By his appearance? What did that even mean? He stared at her silently, doing nothing to indicate any further explanation.

"What the hell do you want then?" she asked, her gaze dropping, "what am I doing here?"

A slow smile spread across his face, and it was a moment before he responded, "You intrigue me."

"What?" Katherine frowned and he stood, kneeling in front of her as if to take a closer look.

"Your existence," his voice was husky as he leaned in and she moved back, her head hitting the wall. As if she wasn't already having a hard time breathing. He eyed her and then tilted his head, "You're the same and yet you're different. I can tell."

Different? The same? She bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from asking. 'What the hell is he going on about?'

Leaning back, he stood as a smile graced his face. He smoothed her hair as he spoke, walking away.

She flinched, as the door shut behind him, his last words echoing on the concrete walls as if she had said anything aloud to begin with, "All in due time, Katerina."