Chapter Three: Nobody Knows

Tell me why I gave up the believing
That lying is the only way for me
I gave up a lot of dreaming
It took some time but now I finally see
The lights are on but no one's home
Am I the only one who feels alone?

~Celeste Buckingham

It had been two weeks since Nilin's little breakdown, which resulted in Damon being hurled into a tree. Under any other circumstances, the incident would have been hilarious. But, really, it was more of an eye opener. They had been going through the weeks without much problem. Nilly's transition had gone smooth, things were good, they were all happy for the most part. Everybody had been living in a state of aware ignorance.

After what happened, they're vacation on cloud nine was over. They came to the realization that they were dealing with something that just might be a little over their heads. Nilin was thrown back into the world of caution, similar to the one she woke up in.

Tip toeing around her, double glances to make sure she was okay, and the constant hugging, everybody hugged her. Nilin didn't enjoy it. So she kept her mind off of it and herself busy. She rarely had time to sit down for more than a moment, and that's how she liked it.

Her day started from the moment she opened her eyes. Wake up, get ready for school, play the part of the cheery niece and cousin and hopefully not be late for Psychology. Then she had classes until three o'clock, after which she'd usually stop by the bookstore where they'd continued their research and whatever homework Nilin could fit in.

From there she ended up back at the boarding house, though Damon no longer played that game with her. He told her that she should focus on her studies— that they'd pick up once she was on break again. Of course Nilin didn't believe that was the true reasoning, but she didn't say anything. She didn't want to have a repeat of events anymore than he did.

But that also meant that Damon kept her entertained in other ways. And not like that, ew, jeeze… okay, maybe a little like that. But usually he'd help her with her school work, take her hiking, rent a movie, anything that was normal and simple. Nilin didn't know how, but Damon was spot on again with what she needed. He knew exactly how to handle her.

This kept up until Nilly would fall into her bed exhausted, both mentally and physically drained. She was lucky when she got a few hours of sleep in before she got up and did it all again.

Some days she thought this constant movement and pull on her attention was a good thing. It kept her mind off things she didn't want to think of. It left her far too tired to put off sleep and it gave her days a goal to accomplish. Other days she feared that the continuous buzz of busyness would soon turn her numb, her own daily does of Novocain. Still she got up each day of the week and went on with her life.

Finally, it was Friday. This Friday, only being half a day, she was done with her classes by noon. Like most days Nilly caught up with Shellie, getting a ride to the bookstore. When they got there they found Mags munching on a sandwich. "Uh, don't eat too much. You'll ruin your appetite for your date later," Nilin said, snatching a chip.

Magnolia rolled her eyes at the pesky brunette. "We're going for coffee," she explained with a mouthful. Nilin shrugged, leaning her elbow on the counter. She tried to grab the pickle from Mags's plate but Magnolia smacked her hand away. "Get your own."

Nilin mumbled something incoherent, as Shellie pranced over with an old looking book in her hands. "Will you two knock it off?" she complained. "Oh and Mags, make sure you bring mints. Coffee breath, nah-uh, not attractive."

"Thanks for the tip, Shells. I'll keep that in mind," Magnolia said, taking another bite. "What's with the book?" she asked.

Shellie seemed to remember that she was holding the dusty thing. "Oh, I just found it in the back of the store. I thought I'd look through it, see if there's anything useful in it," she explained. "Who knows?"

"You don't have to read that entire thing, Shellie." Nilly said, taking the book from her. "We've been researching for almost a month now. If we haven't found anything yet, I doubt we're ever going to." Since the incident with Damon, the two of them had been going mad with getting answers. Nilin had an overall sense of guilt sinking deep into her. She didn't need answers when they interfered with her loved one's lives.

"But what if we do and it's beneficial." Shellie asked, putting a hand on her hip.

"And if you don't?" Nilly asked. "You would just be wasting all this time."

"It's not wasted time if we're trying to help you, Nilly. Anything is useful if it makes this whole thing easier." Magnolia said, coming around the counter. She looked at Nilin questionably. "What's with the sudden lack of interest?"

"I feel like we're going around like chickens with their heads cut off," Nilly shrugged. "We've tried to get my memory back and nothing has worked, which gives us nothing to work with. Either way we go about this, it's pointless."

"This is not pointless, and you're not alone, Nilly. You've got us," Shellie said, smiling sweetly as she placed a hand on Nilin's shoulder.

Nilin took a step to the side, making Shellie's hand fall. "Do you really want to be tailing me around for the rest of your lives?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Magnolia and Shellie looked at her, a slight frown on their faces. "You make it sound like a burden, or something," Shellie said.

"Well, it sort of is, isn't it? I mean, what kind of livelihood is that? Why wouldn't you want to be with your family instead?" Nilly said, shrugging her shoulders slightly. The room seemed to grow silent. That's when Nilin realized something. "You don't talk about you're past a lot, do you?"

"It's not particularly an enjoyable one," Mags shrugged, taking a seat behind the counter.

"You know my history book isn't much better," Nilly said, a sad smirk on her lips. "You don't have to say anything," she continued. "I understand, I was just making an observation."

"No, you're right." Shellie said, coming over to take a seat next to Mags on another stool behind the counter. "We know most of your past, you should know ours. It's only fair." Mags seemed a little hesitant before she nodded her head in agreement.

"Might as well get it all out now," Mags said. She got up from the stool heading towards the stairs and up to the second floor.

Nilin followed, when she got up there she saw Mags with what looked like a photo album in her hands. She flipped to the page she was looking for as she sat down on one of the couches.

Then she held the book out towards Nilly, pointing at a picture. Nilin took it and sat down on the other couch. She looked at the picture. It was a young Magnolia and Shellie, smiling with their arms around each other. They looked so different. The Magnolia in the picture had long hair that fluffed up with frizz and had framed glasses perched on her nose. Shellie wore her hair in two long braids that were tied off with pink hair ties and butterfly burettes. Her big grin was filled with brackets and wires.

On Shellie's lap was a little girl with the same brown hair and hazel eyes as Shellie. The little girl looked around four in the picture. Magnolia had her other arm around a dark haired boy with a cheesy smile.

"Her name's Marie, she's about fourteen now, and that's Robert. He'll be sixteen next summer." Mags said with a smile. "He's my brother and Marie is Shellie's little sister. They live with Shellie's mom back in New York," she explained.

"We haven't seen them in a while, not since we left." Shellie said, coming over to sit next to Magnolia.

"Why'd you leave them?" Nilin asked, her eyes still casted down at the smiling children. The four of them looked so happy and young.

"It's what we had to do." Magnolia said solemnly. "Being a Servitor is not only dangerous for you but for your family. It was a matter of time before we lost someone else."

"What do you mean?" Nilly asked, closing the photo album and looking up at Magnolia. "Who'd you lose?" she questioned.

"Servitors are coveted for their gifts. It's like we're collectables and when a Servitor isn't easy to collect, well, they're disposed of." Shellie explained. "I got my powers from my father, he was like us. He was taken away when I was five. I haven't seen him since."

"My mother was a Servitor, like her brother, Shellie's father." Magnolia said. "She and my dad died when I was ten and my brother was four. Hunters came for my mom after they saw her using her gift. My dad tried to protect her, they just killed him. When she refused to go with them, the hunters killed her too. Our grandmother raised us till I was old enough to take care of Robert myself."

"We came to Mystic Falls two years ago, leaving Magnolia's brother with my mom and sister. We took over this book store." Shellie added.

"We slept up here on these couches for a year," Magnolia said with a little laugh, looking at Shellie. "Basically living out of here until we had enough money to rent the place we live in now."

"But why move here?" Nilin asked, her cheeks were slightly damp with tears. She wiped the wetness away with the back of her hand. Why was she crying? She didn't understand why this upset her so much. The story of her friends caused her to feel her own phantom pain.

"Other than the fact that Shellie saw this exact moment almost three years ago, it was a new start." Magnolia said with a smile on her face.

"Wait," Nilin stuttered. "You saw this, right now. With me?"

"Yup," Shellie nodded. "Though, it never made sense till now. We didn't have anywhere to go, either. We saw ourselves here and it was our only plan, so we went for it."

"And look where it's gotten you," Nilly smiled slightly.

"It got us somewhere good. We left one family to find another one." Magnolia said with her eyes lit up. "We wouldn't change anything."

"Why didn't you guys tell me any of this?" Nilin said, sitting up from the couch. "We could have bonded over terrible childhoods and dead parents."

Magnolia laughed, rolling her eyes. "If that's your way of making friends it explains why you have so little."

Shellie smacked Mags. "Be nice," she hissed. Magnolia just pulled her hair, causing Shellie to yelp. Lee-Roy appeared from behind the couch, barking at them. Nilin was laughing so hard it hurt.

"Hello? Magnolia?" Rider called from the first floor. The three girls shot up from the cushions and they cut their laughter short.

"Be right there," Mags called back before she turned to Nilly and Shellie. "You two will stay up here until we leave, got it?" she ordered, wagging her finger at them.

Shellie and Nilin rolled their eyes, giving an unenthusiastic, "Fine."

"Good," Mags said. She fixed her clothes, scrunched her hair a bit and took a deep breath before scurrying down the stairs. That left Nilly and Shellie grumbling as they flopped back down on the couch.

They heard them talking for a little and then the chime of the door as they left. Shellie had gotten up and walked over to the window that over looked the sidewalk. "Awe, he brought her flowers," she blubbered. "That's so sweet."

Nilin made a mental note to tell Jeremy that flowers were the way to Shellie's heart. "I hope she has a good time on her date, Mags was so nervous," Nilin said as Shellie came back over and took a seat.

"I know, she spent an hour trying to figure out what to wear. I've known her my whole life and never have I seen her so concerned over what shirt matched with what pants." Shellie laughed. "She'll be fine though, Rider is a sweetheart."
"It's about time Magnolia's getting some," Nilin grinned.

"Yeah," she chuckled but then stopped, realizing what Nilly had just said. "Ew, oh god, gross she's my cousin, I don't want to think of that."

Nilin just shrugged, laughing at her reaction. "So," she sighed after a while. "Any other tricks you've come up with for jogging my memory?"
Shellie looked up at her from behind the magazine she was peeling through. "Nothing that doesn't involve spirit magic. You know how I don't like that stuff," she said, wrinkling her nose.

Spirit magic was what Shellie and Mags considered Bonnie's abilities to be. From what Nilin understood, it's just a different brand of the same product. Or like real sugar vs. Splenda, everyone had a preferred sweetener. Different taste, same effect.

Nilin sighed. "It's just so frustrating. All I know is what everyone else has told me, and that's only three hours of the three days I was gone."

"Well, what is the last thing you remember?" Shellie asked, sitting up. She crossed her legs in front of her, which was always a sign that the girl meant business.

"Um," Nilly took a deep breath trying to recall anything. "I don't know, it's like the memory is right there and all I have to do is reach out and grab it but I can't."

"Okay, let's rewind then," Shellie started. "Do you remember your dad's funeral?" she asked. Nilin nodded her head. "Do you remember going to your house back in Lee County?"

Nilin nodded her head again. "Yeah, that's where I got this," she said, showing Shellie her pendant necklace. "That's also where Christian showed up."

"Right, and what about the party at the Lockwoods, when he attacked you? Can you remember that?" she asked.

"Barely," Nilin sighed. "After that things get hazy. I know I spent time at the boarding house, but I don't know how much. Then there's something about a graveyard or a road or something—" her voice cut short suddenly as a pain tore through her skull. It felt as if her forehead had cracked in half.

Nilin grabbed her head, folding over on the couch. An image started to play out behind her eyes. She was seeing herself standing in a room at the boarding house, it was her room, the one she stayed in. She was crying for some reason, tears silently dripping off her chin.

She watched herself bend down and pull something out from under the bed. It was a red makeup bag, Nilin recognized it. Then she was placing it on the bed and opening it. She pulled something out, it looked liked one of Alaric's vervain darts.

Suddenly Nilly's eyes shot open as she sat up quickly, nearly slamming heads with Shellie. Shellie was kneeling in front of her, trying to get Nilin to say something. "What happened?" she asked. "Nilin, look at me. What was that?"

"Oh my god, Shellie what did I do?" Nilin asked, her voice shaking. "That's one thing no one has yet to tell me, Shellie," she said, shaking the other girl's shoulders. "How'd I end up with Christian?"

"You don't remember," Shellie said quietly, the look on her face somber. She didn't say anything for a moment, but her eyes did start to water.

"Shellie, I need you to tell me," Nilin pleaded. "What did I do?"

She had to take a shuddered breath before she answered Nilly. "You and Damon were at the boarding house alone, you had been staying there for a week or two by then. He came downstairs to find you staring out a window. Damon said you started going on about something, you got really upset over it. So he tried to calm you down…" she trialed off.

"Then what?" Nilly pushed. "Then what, Shellie?"

"He was holding you, when… when you jammed a vervain dart in his back." Shellie revealed. "Damon was down in seconds, and you walked out of the boarding out. That was the last time anyone saw you till the meadow."

Nilin was shaking. She couldn't remember any of this, but it felt true. It felt like a forgotten dream. She had done that to him, she had stabbed Damon and he's never said anything. He's never mentioned this at all. "I can't believe it," she mumbled.

"We think you got the dart from Alaric, stole it from his stash at some point," Shellie explained.

Nilin nodded, "Yeah, I remember that. It was the night Christian attacked me at the Lockwoods. I took one from a bag Alaric had and hid it."

"Hey, listen," Shellie said, turning Nilin's head to look at her. "You did what you had to do, no one blames you. Damon's not mad at you for that."

"How can he not be?" Nilin asked. "That was such a horrible thing for me to do, why would I do that?" she cried.

"You don't remember anything building up to that morning, you won't understand till you do," Shellie explained.

"How do I get my memory back? How'd I just remember that?" she wondered.

Shellie shrugged. "I don't know, maybe nobody does. This could just be your minds way of protecting itself."

"I don't want protection," Nilin said. "I want to know."

"And maybe that's why you did what you did," Shellie said, looking at her closely.

Author's Notes:

I thought it was about time to get some back story on my other OC's. Plus a few people had requested it. Shellie and Mags have become bigger characters than I originally planned, so they needed a little more depth. Also, bringing back that important event that happened in the first story. Tell me what you guys think! I wanna hear from you, three chapters in already. Thank you all for reading and spreading my story around. I recently found out that I even got a shout out on Twitter, which is pretty freakin' awesome. So thank you again!
I'll see you all soon. Don't forget to Favorite, Follow & (especially) Review!

RLS

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Nobody Knows by Celeste Buckingham

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