A/N: Here's the next chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries.
Chapter 2:
"What do I want?" Katherine asked. "Nothing whatsoever. I only came to visit you, Damon. It's been so long…"
She approached him, placing a hand on his chest.
Damon just stood there in disbelief; like was she really going to stand there and claim she had missed him? After all these years? Yeah right.
She raised an eyebrow at him. "I can see that I've hurt you in someway. Pray tell what I have done so that I may alleviate the tension between us. I do so want to be good friends again."
Her hand ran down his chest and back up again.
"You've got to be kidding me, right?" Damon blurted out, usually a master of his emotions, until someone really pissed him off. "Let's start with the fact that you've let me believe that you were locked up in that tomb for over a hundred years. Do you know what I've been trying to do for those hundred years? I've been trying to get you out!
"And then, I do manage to get the tomb open, and guess what? You're not there! And instead I release twenty other vampires who hate the town, not to mention Stefan and me.
"And that leads me to the real kicker, you've known all along what I've been trying to do and never so much as sent a postcard from whatever hell hole you've been crawled up in to say, 'Hey, don't worry about me…'
"Pray tell, is that enough to cause the tensions between us?"
His breathing was coming out harshly as Katherine looked at him calmly. He had no clue what she was thinking and he realized he never had.
Suddenly, he found himself pressed up against the wall with Katherine's black eyes boring into him. Her hand was at his throat crushing his larynx.
"Listen, you snivelling, pathetic excuse for a man, you were fun, but the moment passed when your father began to hunt us down. Now, whenever I look at you or your soft brother I only see him. So, forgive me if I didn't feel like finding you to jump your bones," Katherine gritted out.
She slammed him against the wall once before abruptly letting him go. Damon caught himself quickly not wanting to fall in front of this Elena doppelganger.
Exasperated, Damon asked, "So, why the hell are you here?"
She was turned away from him and he couldn't tell how mood-swing-Katherine was going to react.
"Call it nostalgia," she said sweetly. A voice that used to entice him, now only made his ears want to rot like a cavity. "But I wanted to see Mystic Falls one last time, before…"
She trailed off and Damon didn't like the sound of that "before."
"Before what?" he asked suspiciously.
She turned around; her eyes weren't only dark, they were bloodshot, a sure sign of how bloodthirsty she was. "Before, I and thirty or so other vampires annihilate this whole town," she paused, seemingly enjoying Damon's outright shocked look. "You see, we vampires aren't ready for the world to know about us. And this town is getting a little too close for comfort. In fact, thanks to you and your idiot brother there's quite a few people who already know. I thought it was only fitting to start with your little girlfriend."
Damon lunged at Katherine, pinning her to the opposite wall in the same manner she had done to him.
She laughed at him. "Monkey see, monkey do," she murmured.
"You, stay away from Elena!" Damon growled out.
Katherine rolled her eyes at him. "Please, my so called ancestor is not even half the woman I am. I think its only fitting for me to be the only one with this beautiful face."
He slammed her against the wall, having no intention of letting her go. "Stay away from her!"
"Please, what are you going to do?" Katherine scoffed. "As we speak, I've got a small army of vampires heading to her house."
It was Damon's turn to laugh. "You think that's going to work? Your lackeys need to be invited in. Elena's not an idiot."
"No, but she's a sentimental fool and I have a secret weapon," Katherine replied secretively.
"Isabelle? Elena wants nothing to do with her. She won't let her in," Damon assumed.
Katherine's eyes shone at Damon with the glee she felt at how wrong he was. "No, not Isabelle…someone more dear and near to Elena's heart. Someone she's been missing grievously."
"No…" Damon murmured, as realization dawned on him. "You won't get away with this. I'll stop it."
He let go of Katherine, but before he could take a step he found that his leg was suddenly numb.
Looking down, he found a syringe poking out of his left thigh.
The last thing Damon saw was Katherine's evil grin as she said to him, "Parting is such sweet sorrow…" before she laughed and he passed out.
Jeremy felt so exhilarated; he felt so alive. It was ironic, he had never felt so alive before in his life and he was dead.
He wasn't just someone that could be used to make their boyfriend jealous. He wasn't just Elena's little brother. He was someone now. He was a vampire. And he was ready to let the world know exactly what Jeremy Gilbert was really capable of.
"Slow down there cowboy," his companion and enlightener said to him. "We'll get there soon enough."
Jeremy spun around quickly. "How can you just walk so casually? I feel like running and jumping and… and dancing…"
She gave him a familiar indulgent smile. "Practice," she murmured. "Now slow down."
Jeremy watched his saviour walk quickly ahead of him. "You really are Elena's mother aren't you?" he whispered, not thinking she could hear him.
Isabelle turned around, her face hardened. "No Jeremy, your mother is Elena's mother," she said coldly.
Jeremy shook his head. "No, I mean biological—"
She cut him off, her voice coming out harsh, "No, Jeremy, biology doesn't make a mother."
He wondered why she was so reluctant to acknowledge Elena as her daughter, but he felt that there was no more talking to her on the subject.
He shrugged and continued his fast paced walk. He really just wanted to get home and tell Elena he was sorry. And let everything go back to normal.
Jeremy and Isabelle continued their silent walk and finally he saw the familiar sight of his home.
"Look Isabelle, it's where I live," he said happily. He ran ahead.
"Wait, Jeremy," he heard Isabelle yell at him.
Jeremy didn't heed her words. He continued to run up the steps. As he reached for the door handle he felt something blocking his way. Like an invisible force field. He tried a couple more times and then turned around searching for Isabelle for answers.
She was climbing the steps behind him. He didn't really like the pitying look on her face.
"You can't go in Jeremy," Isabelle answered his silent plea. "You need to be invited in."
"But, it's my house," Jeremy protested.
Isabelle shook her head sadly. "The dead own nothing."
Jeremy looked at her in disbelief. "Elena will let me in!" he told her firmly.
He turned to knock on the door, but was stopped.
"Wait Jeremy, before you see your sister there is something I must tell you. Something you must do for me."
She'd helped him fully change into the glorious being he was now. Of course, he'd help her.
"Ok."
Elena had cried herself out. She was done with tears. She physically had no more left in her. That could have been due to the fact that she hadn't drunk or eaten anything in over 24 hours.
She didn't want to, but she felt her stomach was eating itself and she was starving. So she opened up the door, bracing herself for an ambush. But no one was there. She hadn't expected her Aunt Jenna, because she was grieving in much the same way that Elena was, but she had definitely expected Stefan to be out there.
The fact that he wasn't slightly hurt, even though she had sent him away.
Elena put that out of her mind, not wanting anything right now but to stop the growing pain in her stomach. Though, she suspected that food would not do the trick.
When she got to the bottom of the stairs she could now hear some clattering going on in the kitchen. For a fleeting moment she had the image of her brother, making himself a sandwich, oblivious to everything going on around him except the music coming from his headphones.
But that could never be, because her brother was dead. Elena blinked back the tears that she'd thought she'd run out of.
Making her way to the kitchen she saw that Stefan had never really left. It had been him making the noise in the kitchen. He was cooking.
He turned around when he heard her enter and gave her a sad smile.
"Hungry?" he asked simply.
She nodded. She took a seat at the island. Silently, Stefan continued to cook. Once he came to place a comforting kiss on her cheek.
Finally, he placed a hefty bowl of spaghetti and meatballs in front of her.
"Eat," he told her.
She did. Stefan sure knew how to make a good bowl of comfort food.
Stefan watched her for a couple of minutes; when he seemed satisfied she was eating he turned around and poured another plate.
"I'm going to take this up to Jenna," he explained. "You ok down here?"
She nodded. Truthfully, she wasn't sure how she'd ever get the image of her uncle's—no dad's—body, so brutally butchered out of her mind. But she couldn't have Stefan glued to her side forever.
Elena ate fervently, letting nothing but the ache of hunger fill her mind. It was a blissful five minutes, pretending nothing was wrong. But it ended when she heard the doorbell ring.
She sighed. They'd managed to avoid having people come to give their condolences, but the news had to get out sometime.
Elena waited, hoping Stefan would come down to get it. But at another ring he still hadn't come down. Jenna must have been worse than she thought.
Elena stood up taking her plate of food with her for some reason. She reasoned she'd look through the peep hole and decide whether she had the strength to deal with whoever it was.
Reaching the door, she took in a deep breath and peeked out. The second she did the plate in her hand dropped and spaghetti and glass went flying everywhere.
"Jeremy," she shrieked.
She fumbled with the locks on the door, silently cursing her betraying eyes for tearing up so quickly.
With a hard yank, the door came free and she was face to face with her little brother.
"Elena," he said in a simple greeting, giving her the smile she so missed.
"Oh my God, Jeremy!" Elena shouted, throwing herself at him, hugging him ferociously.
"Whoa, Elena," Jeremy said, catching her weight effortlessly.
She pulled away from him to stare. "Jeremy, how are you… What happened… How could this…"
She started so many questions unsure of how to finish any of them.
"Yeah, I know," Jeremy said sheepishly. "But first can I come in?"
She laughed. "You even have to ask?"
She held the door wide open for him, but he continued to just stand there. "Jeremy, come in!"
Elena noticed some tension eased from his face and he stepped through the doorway. "Thanks sis."
Suddenly, there was a rush of footsteps and the next thing Elena knew was Jenna standing at the foot of the stairs, staring wide eyed at her nephew.
"Jeremy?" she murmured quite demurely. "Is… Is that you?"
He laughed. "Yeah, Aunt Jenna, it's me."
And then as fast as she'd rushed down the stairs she was now falling to the ground.
"Jenna!" Jeremy said in alarm.
He was at her side in a flash, just in time for Stefan to witness Jeremy's quick burst of speed.
"Let's get her to the couch," Stefan said quickly.
Elena briefly wondered why Stefan didn't seem so surprised to see Jeremy before her gaze settled on her brother and she felt a surge of happiness.
They successfully moved their passed out aunt to the living room. Elena wanted to hug her brother but Stefan grabbed hold of her arm.
"Jeremy, why don't you go get your aunt a pillow and blanket to make her more comfortable," Stefan suggested.
Jeremy looked at Stefan and nodded in acknowledgement. He left the room.
"Stefan—" Elena wanted to protest.
"Kitchen, now," Stefan said firmly, no room for argument.
Isabelle stood watching the house at a safe distance. She was waiting for her signal, patiently. It was only a matter of time before she'd be inside. And then she'd go through with Katherine's plans. Or Isabelle's version of Katherine's plans.
Katherine wanted to eliminate all the residents of Mystic Falls for some old debt that had to be paid back. And for some reason she wanted to begin with her daughter's family.
She would go in; she'd kill, but not Elena. Somehow, Isabelle was going to make sure Elena got out alive.
When she'd given up Elena it wasn't only to later kill her at her own hands.
"Isabelle," came the deceiving sound of her daughter's voice.
Isabelle didn't turn around. "Katherine," she replied calmly.
They stood there watching the house in silence until Katherine decided to break it.
"You aren't going to back out now are you?"
Isabelle raised her eyebrow at her. "Really Katherine, after everything I've already done, you're asking me that now?"
Katherine shrugged. "She is your daughter."
Once again she was shaking her head. "No she's not. And even if she is, this wasn't the life I wanted for her. She knows too much."
Katherine nodded. "Good."
And it seemed like she was done and had believed every word Isabelle had spoken.
"But," Katherine continued. "Just in case…"
Isabelle looked around as people—no vampires—started to appear from there hiding spots.
Looking at the 15 or so vampires, she wasn't sure if she hid her surprise and shock quickly enough.
"Stefan, what's going on?" Elena asked him once they were inside the kitchen.
Stefan wasn't exactly sure how Elena was going to take the news he was about to give her. But he had to do it.
"Elena isn't it weird how Jeremy just showed up on your doorstep?"
Elena gave him a strange look. "No, I think it's a miracle."
He let out a sigh. This might be harder than he thought. "Elena, come on. He was dead, now he's here. Think about it Elena."
She continued to look at him strangely and he waited for her to put two and two together.
"No," she gasped out. "It's not possible."
"Aunt Jenna," Jeremy whispered.
He hadn't meant to frighten his family, but he had been so happy to see them again.
"Jenna," he tried again, he saw her eyelids flicker. She was coming to. "Jenna, wake up."
"Jeremy…" she murmured. "Is… are you… here?"
He smiled. "I'm here."
She smiled back. "I was having the worst nightmare…"
She trailed off, realizing it wasn't really all a dream.
"Jenna," Jeremy whispered. "I need you to do something for me."
Well that's the end of this one. Hope you enjoyed it and the little cliffhanger.
Thanks for the reviews: emmettismymonkeyman; beatrizlins61; and RaeSmile22.
I'll try to update soon!
