Author notes: Mature rating for blood and violence in later chapters
Spoilers ahoy! I'm writing this story based on events after "Kill or Be Killed." If you haven't watched that episode (or others from this season), you probably want to skip this story.
I'm not LJ Smith, Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec or any of the other authorized writers for this book series/show. I'm just a fan who likes to take the characters out and play with them for a bit. I'll put them back when I'm done, though.
"What did Katherine mean?" Elena tossed her phone onto the bed and turned to face Stefan. "Why did she tell me to ask you to explain?" She studied Stefan's face when he didn't answer immediately. "There's something you're not telling me. What is it, Stefan?"
Stefan looked back at her in dismay. "The other night - when I was with Katherine - she didn't just threaten you." He reached out and placed his hand on her leg.
Elena pulled away as she slowly backed out of the bed. "Then who did she threaten?" She stared out the window at the golden pink sunrise. A year ago, she would have been able to simply enjoy the varied hues in the sky. Now, she was forced to realize every sunrise had the potential to be her last. She looked at the date on the calendar and her lip trembled.
Stefan shook his head. He didn't need to voice the answer. Deep down, Elena already knew who Katherine would threaten.
"Elena! Are you getting up? You're going to be late for school." Jenna's voice barely carried through the closed door.
Elena spun to stare at the closed door as she understood. "Jenna...and Jeremy."
Stefan reached out and pulled her to him. He watched as the color drained from her face. He gave a single nod.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Normally so strong, this news had pushed her dangerously close to the breaking point. Elena's breathing was coming in short gasps. "She can't touch them."
"Elena?"
"I'll be right down, Jenna." Elena fought to keep her voice steady. "Stefan, what are we going to do? She knows. She knows!" It was one thing when Katherine used the brothers in her twisted game, but now she'd gone too far.
"No one's getting hurt, Elena. We'll take care of it." He wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. "For now, you need to get ready for school before Jenna comes up here and drags you downstairs. I'll see you there." He looked at the dress hanging on the back of her closet door. "And tonight, we're still going to the masquerade ball." He brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear and leaned down to kiss her cheek.
"But Stefan, I don't know."
"Remember what I said the night of the carnival. We can't stop living. I'll see you in Alaric's class." He ducked through the window and jumped to the ground.
"Katherine knows?" Damon hopped off the porch swing and walked to Stefan's side.
Stefan felt his brows knit together in annoyance. "You were listening?"
Damon ignored Stefan's question as he let out a slow breath. "So last night was all a game." Damon shook his head. "She wanted to see just who would come to Elena's rescue."
"And we both did."
"That's going to be a problem." Damon drummed his fingers on his leg as he exchanged a worried look with Stefan.
Caroline heard footsteps on the stairs leading from the basement. Damon and Stefan hadn't returned, so only one person could be coming upstairs. She downed half a cup of coffee in one gulp and tried to relax. The steps came closer, and she thought it would be easier if she met her mother instead of making her search the house. Carrying her cup, she walked to the kitchen doorway. "Do you need something?"
Her mother held an empty plate and glass. She cringed as she looked at Caroline and then down at the floor. She never quite met Caroline's eyes. "No." Her mother's heart sped in her chest.
Caroline's face fell - her mother was afraid of her.
Sheriff Forbes looked anxiously around the room. "Is Elena still here? I thought I heard her last night." She seemed to be searching for human contact.
Caroline shook her head. "No one else is here. They had to leave. Damon told me to stay here and take care of you."
"He did?" Sheriff Forbes seemed surprised.
Caroline nodded as she shifted the coffee cup between her hands. "He didn't know if you'd need something."
Silence fell between the mother and daughter. They'd never had a close relationship - especially after Sheriff Forbes left Caroline's father - and this new situation was more than the two of them seemed able to handle. Still, she didn't want to simply stand there staring at Caroline. Sheriff Forbes finally asked, "Is that coffee?"
"Yeah." Caroline gave a half-smile.
"You drink coffee?"
"Mom," sighed Caroline, "you've been watching me eat and drink for over a week. You shouldn't be so surprised."
"I thought that was all an act. The way you've all stayed hidden." Sheriff Forbes flinched as she spoke of her daughter in the same breath as the other vampires. Saying it made it real, and she didn't want to think of what Caroline was.
"Coffee actually helps. It keeps me warmer."
Sheriff Forbes looked up sharply at her daughter. "Are you in pain?"
If Caroline didn't know better, she would have thought her mother had tears in her eyes. She couldn't, though, because that would mean her mother cared about her. She chewed her lip. "Not anymore." She closed her eyes and plunged on. "At first I was. Everything hurt, and I didn't know why. I didn't understand what was happening to me." She looked back at her mother and realized she was still holding the plate and glass. Slowly, she approached her and took the dishes. It was the closest she'd stood to her mother since she'd found out the truth. Caroline walked to the kitchen and put them into the sink.
Sheriff Forbes walked into the living room and sat on the couch. She stared into the fire as she thought back to all the conversations she'd had with Damon in this room. He'd said he was her friend, but that couldn't be real. She turned her head as Caroline stepped lightly into the room, and she looked up at her daughter. "Why did you do it?"
Caroline's eyes widened in surprise. "You think I did this on purpose?" She must have spoken louder than she'd intended. Her mother shrank back into the couch. Taking a steadying breath, she stepped back and leaned against the wall. "You don't understand me at all."
Sheriff Forbes balled her hands into fists to stop them from shaking. "Then tell me."
"Damon didn't mean to turn me."
Damon did this to you?" Sheriff Forbes face flushed with anger.
"I was dying. Vampire blood has healing properties. He told me he thought I'd be safe. Just a little bit and I'd be good as new." Caroline stepped closer and sat on the opposite end of the couch. "I think he did it for you. He didn't mean for it to turn out like this, though. That was Katherine's fault." Caroline's voice took on a steely edge.
"Who's Katherine?"
Caroline bent down and held her head in her hands. It was going to be a very long day.
The doorknob turned, and she immediately tensed. Katherine wouldn't come in the door, though. Would she? Caroline took a protective stance in front of her mother.
"Stefan!" Caroline sighed with relief. "I thought you were... Is everything okay?"
"Yeah." His eyes were fixed on Sheriff Forbes. "Damon stayed to watch the house while I came home to get ready."
"Get ready for what?"
"School, Caroline. We still have school." For now, it was more important than ever to carry out the ruse. "Damon will come home to stay with your mom."
"I don't need someone to watch over me."
Stefan looked sharply back at her. "He's not staying here to take care of you. I'm sorry, but you still can't leave. Not until the vervain's out of your system." He backed out of the room and jogged up the stairs.
"Stefan!" Caroline's eyes widened in alarm.
He froze on the stairs.
"What's wrong?"
"Do you know today's Elena's birthday?"
He hesitated - a look of confusion on his face. "She hasn't said anything."
Caroline shook her head. "Tonight's the masquerade ball; its always on Elena's birthday. When she was little, she hated it. Her parents were never home. They always had Founder's stuff to do." Caroline looked sternly at him. "Don't forget her birthday."