~ Bringing out the dead – Conversations & Consequences ~
Disclaimer: I do not own TVD only the twisted plot.
I'm trying to publish this story as fast as I can but there is a lot of emotional stuff to go through to pave the way for what is to come. :) Enjoy the ride!
And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now
And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
'Cause sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight
(…)
Yeah, you'd bleed just to know you're alive
(…)
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
Goo Goo Dolls -"Iris"
As she heard the door of the boarding house finally close behind the Salvatore brothers, Elena leaned her head against the cool wall and sighed frustrated. Caroline had been so focused on the conversation that she hadn't been looking at her friend since it started. As she turned around, Caroline could see that Elena was deep in thought, arms wrapped tightly around her chest and a deep frown marking her forehead. What they heard was nothing more than they all suspected but it was still a hard truth for Elena to hear. Caroline looked at her friend expectantly, keeping silent to allow Elena to absorb it all.
After a couple of minutes Elena pushed herself from the wall, a million thoughts crowding her head as she walked slowly back to the car. Caroline followed her silently. A plan was forming in the back of Elena's mind, but the guilt was taking center stage as she rehashed the amount of pain and hurt she had unwillingly brought upon the Salvatore brothers. Next to the stabbing guilt was joy. Joy at knowing that Damon loved her, that what he wanted was not just to piss his brother or take her body for a ride. No, Damon loved her! The idea sent butterflies soaring in her stomach and a small smile to play on her lips. As she thought about Stefan's words the smile faltered a little and she couldn't quite make out how she felt about it... As she pondered things over during the quiet ride home, Caroline kept giving her nervous sideways glances but Elena was too lost in her musings to care.
Elena hadn't realized until this point that she was in love with Damon. Once she let the idea in, it took hold of her heart and she knew it was the most absolute truth of her life. She had been so focused on rescuing Stefan, staying alive, kicking vampire sorry asses and protecting the one's she loved that she hadn't seen it happen. Somewhere alongside their bickering, their plotting, their teasing and bonding, Damon had made its way into her heart. Elena marveled at the fact that instead of being annoyed at finding she loved him that she felt elated, at peace and complete.
What about Stefan though? She had loved him, she had adored him… but so much had happened since their high school crush. The gentle boy that she met and fallen in love with, the one that healed her wounds and made her smile again, that Stefan was probably gone… She had seen a glimpse of the old Stefan in his eyes as he lay on the floor of the barn at Bonnie's mom house as she told him she had kissed Damon. The pain there was a reflection that he still had feelings for her… Despite going back to being the ripper, of almost drinking her dry, of scaring her to death with the Wickery bridge stunt and all the evil Stefan nonsense, he still loved her…But did she…was she, capable of loving him back? It would be like starting again because this Stefan was someone she didn't know at all…
A part of her brain practically smacked her in the face at the idea of loving them both, being with them both. She never had wanted to be like Katherine but… they both loved her and they said that they couldn't survive if she chose one of them. Elena didn't think she could survive the guilt of making a choice either. Knowing she had hurt one of them would eat her up slowly inside. She could choose to leave both of them, but what good would that do? They said that they couldn't move on, she knew she wouldn't move on either so… you would have two miserable vampires and a very miserable human. Not a satisfactory solution… The thought of being with the both of them sounded wicked and very self serving. The logistics of it alone were certain to give her a lifelong headache… but it had to be better than a lifelong heartache, right? It was all so complex and frustrating! However, the facts were: 1. Stefan and Damon loved her; 2. Elena loved Damon; 3. She had loved the old Stefan; 4. None of them were able to move on; 5. Elena and her human blood were at the mercy of Klaus' caprices; 6. Klaus would haunt Elena her whole life using her blood to create a hybrid army; 7. Damon, Stefan, Bonnie, Caroline, Jeremy, Alaric and everyone else she loved would be under constant treat because Klaus would never leave her in peace.
Elena was wrenched out of her musings as she saw the sign for downtown Mystic falls. As they were about o turn of the highway, Elena's plan collided with her determination and the love she felt for the vampires. Resolution and a sense of purpose kicked into high gear and it all clicked into place in her head - Elena knew exactly what she had to do.
"Don't turn here Care."- she placed a pleading hand on her friend's arm - "Take us to the witch mansion, now."
Caroline frowned in confusion and gave Elena a nervous look.
"Please Care, it's important." - Elena pleaded.
With another look at her, Caroline nodded and continued driving.
"Bonnie!" - Elena suddenly gasped -"We forgot about Bonnie!"
"Call Bonnie." - Caroline immediately commanded her phone.
The phone rang a couple of times and the tension in the car was palpable. On the third ring a sleepy Bonnie finally picked her phone up.
"Caroline Forbes, do you know what time it is?" - Bonnie snapped angrily.
"Geez! Good morning to you too Bonnie!" – Care replied slightly annoyed. It had been a long night and she wasn't in the mood to be bullied.
"Sorry Bonnie, it's my fault." - Elena piped in trying to avoid a fight- "I tried to call you a couple of times yesterday and you didn't pick up so we were worried, Bon."
"Oh..." - Bonnie cleared her throat embarrassed -" Yeah, sorry... I was running errands for Damon and Stefan in the cave. Bad reception you know." - Bonnie laughed nervously trying to lighten the mood.
If she had seen Elena's seething expression of rage as she found out that yet another secret mission had been hidden from her, Bonnie would not dare laugh. Trying to hide how she felt, Elena kept her tone casual.
"Yeah, my phone never works either when I hide in my bat cave."
It was Caroline's turn to roll her eyes at Elena.
"Anyway Bonnie, we are heading to the witches' mansion. Do you think you can meet us there when you get up?"
"The witches' mansion?" - Bonnie's confused voice echoed -"Su-sure I can meet you there. But why? Is there something wrong?"- panic was clear in her voice.
"The situation is under control." – that earned Elena a confused glare from Caroline – "I'll explain when you get there. Gotta go now." - Elena snapped back and hung up the call as soon as the words were said.
"Guess Bonnie is not the only non-morning person!"- Caroline quipped frowning -" That was downright rude, Elena!"
"It was that or bite her head off for keeping another Salvatore brother's Machiavellian plan from me."
Elena sighed. Caroline looked at her, worry etched in her blue eyes.
"Are you ok sweetie? That conversation was a lot to take in." – she said cautiously.
"Yeah it was…This has to be the longest night of my life!" – Elena groaned – "First your dad gets attacked, then Alaric, and I have to stab the only family I have left so he can live- how twisted is that? Then your dad passes away, Alaric returns from the dead and tells me that another stupid plan is going behind my back. Damon, Stefan and Bonnie decide this night of all nights to ignore my phone calls, so we have to go on a rescue mission. Then, I have to hear how my ex-boyfriend and his brother not only love me but cannot live without me. Then of course, the cherry on top was our formerly missing friend Bonnie. I cannot believe that she was taking part in yet another "let's keep this from Elena" plan." – Elena huffed – "So yeah…it is a lot to take in Care and I am royally pissed."
"Well…It is not all bad right?" – Caroline started, trying to be her best sunny side up version – "The boys love you, so that's good and…almost everyone is safe…" – her voice faltered.
"Oh Care, I'm so sorry." – Elena reached for her friend's hand – "I am being such a self centered bitch that I almost forgot you lost your dad today." – Elena said placating –"Do you want to talk about it?"
Caroline bit her lip and shook her head slowly keeping her eyes on the road as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Well, you know that I am here when you do want to talk." – Elena added quietly and they reverted back to being silent as both girls thought through the events of the night.
.
.
.
Back at Elena's house, Alaric opened his eyes as the morning light filled the living room. He felt like he had been dragged through mud and hit by a truck after having a hangover from hell. He slowly lifted his stiff body from the couch and looked at Matt's sleeping form awkwardly curled in the armchair. Trying to keep one foot in front of the other, Alaric slowly made his way up the stairs to check on Elena. He tried to ignore the new decor as he passed smear after smear of his own blood in every surface.
As he reached Elena's bedroom he leaned against the door frame and groaned in frustration as he held the bridge of his nose.
"Of course she didn't make it back." - he berated himself feeling mortified that he had let her go by herself.
Alaric reached for his phone and called Damon, swearing out loud when he heard the voice mail. He called Elena, then Caroline, same result every time. Feeling very angry, Ric returned to the living room and shook Matt awake. Minutes later they crammed into Alaric's car and were on their way to the boarding house.
I Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Reviews are always *very* welcomed! xoxo
