Chapter 9: Complications
Part 1
The late September sun warmed Elena's face and she opened her eyes. She saw Damon sitting in what looked like a very uncomfortable chair.
Perhaps Damon felt Elena's eyes on him because he opened his. When he saw Elena was awake he quickly sat up.
"How are you feeling?" he asked hoarse. "Can't believe I actually fell asleep"
"Can't believe you actually fell asleep in that chair" Elena said with raised eyebrows. "Why didn't you join me? There's plenty of room"
"I wasn't supposed to fall asleep" Damon said obvious. Elena wanted to comment on that when someone knocked and the door went open. They heard clicks and Caroline soon appeared. She walked quickly to the bed and embraced her best friend. "My poor, poor Elena" she said. "Why does everything always happen to you?" She let go of her and sank down on the bed. She heard something squeak and turned around. Damon had gotten out of the chair and rubbed his eyes.
"I'm going to leave you girls alone" he said.
"You don't have to leave" Caroline said, feeling a little guilty.
"No, it's fine" Damon waved his hand. "I'm going to grab some coffee" He walked to the bed, leaned forward and kissed Elena. "I'll be right back"
He walked out of the room and leaned against the door. He went with his fingers through his hair and sighed. A nurse walked by with a medicine car and walked into a room. "Time for your medicines, darling" Damon heard her say.
He raced to the car and kicked it, causing it to roll over and crash. The nurse ran outside and saw all medicines, pills and liquids, spread across the floor. She looked up and shrieked by Damon's expression. His eyes were wrinkled and red and fangs appeared. The nurse staggered backwards, but when Damon wanted to move closer he was pushed against the wall.
"Pull yourself together" Stefan said soft. "Elena can't use you like this"
Damon face turned human again and he let his shoulders hang.
"She's sick, Stefan" he said.
Stefan nodded. "I know. But they will make her better"
"It's not fair" Damon said difficult. "She's been through so much and now this? What's up with that? Why do the good ones always get punished?"
"Hey" Stefan said and he tried to grab his arm, but Damon struggled. "Hey, listen to me" Stefan attempted a second time, shaking Damon by the shoulders. "I can't guarantee that everything is going to be okay, but I need you to believe it. 'Cause if you don't, Elena won't either"
"She doesn't deserve this" Damon said angry.
"Who does?" Stefan asked rhetorical.
Damon looked up and pierced his stare in Stefan's. "I can come up with a few people"
Part 2
Rachel looked around her at the police station when someone called her.
"Can I help you, ma'am?"
Rachel looked up and saw Sherrif Forbes standing a few yards away from her. "Eh, yeah, I want to report a disappearance"
"Maybe we should talk about this in my office?" Liz offered and she guided Rachel to her office. "Have a seat" she said when she placed herself behind the bureau. Rachel sat down.
"Someone went missing?" Liz asked, staring sharply at Rachel.
Rachel, feeling uneasy, moved on her seat. "My husband, Gabe. He hasn't been home in a few days. We had a fight and he left and I haven't seen him ever since"
Liz nodded, while a deputy was taking notes. "And when did this happen?"
Rachel pulled her shoulders. "I don't know, a week or so?"
"And why didn't you come to us sooner?" Liz continued.
Rachel now scratched her left upper arm. "I…I thought he was just being stubborn. I thought he'd come back home, but he hasn't and he's not answering his phone" She looked up at the Sherriff. "I'm really worried about him"
The Sheriff got up. "We'll get to the bottom of this, Mrs. Lindy" she shook Rachel's hand.
Rachel walked to the door, but once there she turned around.
"Please find him, sheriff"
Liz nodded and Rachel left.
Part 3
Caroline was waiting in the doorway while Bonnie put on her shoes. They were going out for a walk in the garden.
"How's life in here?" Caroline asked casual.
" 's Okay, I guess" Bonnie said. "Little boring though"
Caroline scoffed. "I wish I could say the same" she mumbled.
"What do you mean?" Bonnie asked concerned.
Caroline shook her head. "Come on, let's go"
Five minutes later they were walking through the garden. Caroline whistled. "This place really is beautiful"
"Caroline" Bonnie said a little harsh. "I know you didn't just come over. There's something going on and I want to know what it is"
Caroline sighed and sank down on a bench. "Tyler has a girlfriend" she said. Bonnie blinked and shook her head. "Oh" she said. "I'm sorry, Caroline"
Caroline looked away, fighting the tears that were coming.
"That's not all of it, is it?" Bonnie said. Caroline shook her head and without looking at Bonnie she sobbed: "Elena is sick"
"Sick? Like the flu?" Bonnie asked, though she knew it had to be something much worse.
"No, not the flu" Caroline sobbed. "She has cancer"
Part 4
Tyler was lying on Veronica's bed, while Veronica was getting dressed.
"You could be wrong, you know" Tyler said.
"I don't think so" Veronica replied.
"Do you honestly believe every single supernatural is dangerous?" Tyler asked disbelieving.
"Yeah, I do" Veronica nodded. "Don't get me wrong, I don't think they can help it. It's just in their nature. But that doesn't mean we should let them get away with it"
"What about witches?" Tyler tried. "They keep nature in balance or something like that"
Veronica turned around. "Yeah, witches are great, as long as their power doesn't consume them…I know about your friend Bonnie Bennett, so I'd say witches are pretty darn dangerous"
Damn it, Tyler thought. How did she know all this stuff?
"You're quite convinced about this, aren't you?" he said defeated.
"They killed my friend" Veronica said bitter. "They will pay for it"
Tyler got off the bed and walked to the bed. "Well, if it means so much to you I will help you. Just tell me what you want me to do"
Veronica raised her eyebrows. "You'd do that for me? I know some of your friends are supernatural. Why would you fight them?"
"My life would've been a lot easier without them" Tyler replied.
Part 5
Jeremy ran through the hallway of the hospital. Stefan had given him a call to fill him in and he had also mentioned in which room Elena was 'staying'. Ignoring the reproaching of several doctors and nurses and other medical staff he opened the door and stopped to catch a breath.
"Jeremy, why aren't you at school?" Elena asked a little harsh.
"I was there" Jeremy said. "But then Stefan called me, saying you were sick"
Elena looked away. "He shouldn't have said that" she said grumpy. Jeremy walked to the bed and sank down. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine" Elena said annoyed. "I don't get why I have to lie in this bed all the time. I'm not getting better this way"
"Where's Damon?" Jeremy asked. "He should be here with you"
Elena looked back and frowned. "Hey, don't be so hard on him"
Jeremy sighed. "I'm sorry"
"He's with Stefan" Elena said.
"Okay" Jeremy nodded. "I can help you, you know" he said after a while.
"I know, but you're not going to" Elena said deadly serious.
"Why not?" Jeremy asked surprised. "If I can save your life, why won't you let me?"
"Because I don't want you to hurt even more than you already have! You've been through enough!" Elena explained angry.
"I'll be hurting a lot more if you're dead, Elena!" Jeremy fired back. "I didn't come here to ask your permission. This is something I have to do"
"Jeremy…" Elena said sad, but Jeremy cut her off. "Leave it, Elena"
Part 6
Bonnie stared upset at Caroline, when a shadow came over them.
"Can I join you, girls?" Keith asked. Caroline looked up and recognized him. "This is kind of private" she said sharp.
Keith raised his hands. "Hey, if this is about bloodsuckers and moonwalkers and wicked witches, I know all about it" he said with a wink.
Caroline quickly turned to Bonnie. "You told him?"
"He already knew" Bonnie sighed.
Caroline looked back at Keith. "Well, it's not about that, but it's still private"
"No, Caroline, it's okay. Keith's the only friend I have in here" Bonnie said. "He can know" She sniffed and dried her eyes. Then she lifted up her chin. "Our best friend is sick. She has blood cancer"
Keith gasped and covered his mouth. "I'm so sorry" he said shocked. "That's terrible. Seriously, if there's anything I can do…"
"Yeah, not to be rude or anything" Caroline said. "But I don't think you'll be of much help, being locked up and all"
"Why can't you give her some of your blood?" Keith suggested. "Vampire blood heals"
Caroline shook her head. "It doesn't work that way. Vampire blood heals cuts and injuries, but no diseases"
"Well, you're a witch!" Keith exclaimed. Bonnie looked around scared to see if anyone had caught the last word. "I'm sorry" he lowered his voice. "You're a witch, can't you do some juju on her?"
Bonnie heavily shook her head. "No" she said. "No, I told you, they've cut me off. I'm powerless"
"So, we're just going to mope here?" Keith asked.
"Wait" Bonnie said. "I'm not powerless. At least not completely" She looked up at Caroline. "You have a pen and paper?"
Caroline searched through her handbag and gave Bonnie what she asked for. Bonnie quickly scribbled something down and gave the notebook back to Caroline.
"You want me to go get some herbs?" Caroline asked frowning.
"Yes, and when you have them come straight back to me" Bonnie said sharp.
"Okay" Caroline said and she dashed away.
Part 7
Damon and Elena were lying on the hospital bed. Damon was holding Elena in his arms and they were staring at the ceiling.
"I really hope Stefan can talk him out of it" Elena said soft and sad.
"You can always, you know, compel him" Damon said. "I mean, let me or Stefan do it"
Elena lifted her head and looked at Damon as if she strongly considered it, but then shook her head. "No" she said and she lay back down. "I'm tired, Damon" she whispered.
Damon gave her a soft kiss on her upper lip. "Then sleep, princess, I'll be here watching over you" He looked up at the window. "I can take you home, if you want me to"
"I am home" Elena mumbled and she cuddled herself against Damon. "But this bed is killing me" Damon got out of bed and after giving her his jacket so she wouldn't be cold, he lifted her carefully in his arms.
"They won't let us walk away just like that" Elena sighed.
"Then we won't tell them" Damon said. He walked to the window and opened it. He looked at Elena. "Don't be scared" he said. "I got you"
"I'm not scared" Elena smiled softly and she opened her eyes. "I got you"
Damon stepped on the edge and jumped.
Part 8
Caroline walked out of the grocery shop and closed the door. She turned around and bumped into Tyler.
"Sorry" she mumbled and wanted to walk away, but Tyler called her.
"Caroline, wait up" he said.
Caroline held her steps, but didn't turn around. Tyler walked to her.
"Hey, I'm…I'm sorry for last time" he started uneasy. "I was a little uptight"
Caroline raised an eyebrow. "You didn't act uptight, Tyler. You acted like a jerk"
"I know, but I'm trying to explain myself here" Tyler continued.
Caroline shuffled with her left foot over the paving. She then looked up. "I asked you, I gave you a chance to tell me, but you just blew me off" she said annoyed. "Why would I listen to you now?"
"It's complicated, Caroline" Tyler said.
"Really? Because it all looked very clear to me" Caroline said sarcastic. "Look, I really have to go. Elena needs me right now"
Tyler sighed deeply. "What's wrong with her?" he almost added 'now' to it and Caroline didn't miss that.
"She's sick, Tyler. She has blood cancer" Caroline snapped. "So while you're being busy being complicated I'm trying to find a way to help her"
She pushed him aside and walked away.
Part 9
When Caroline walked behind the corner, where she had parked her car, she collided to someone. She sighed deeply. "Can't you watch were you're going?" she said annoyed, not noticing who she had bumped into.
"I'm sorry" Matt mumbled a little offended. Caroline looked up. "Oh, it's you" she said in some kind of apologizing way.
"Are you going somewhere?" Matt asked, nodding at Caroline's car. Caroline frowned her eyebrows; that was so none of his business. "Because I was actually heading to the hospital to see Elena" Matt explained himself. "I was wondering if maybe you could give me a ride"
Caroline shook her head confused. "Well, what happened to your own car?" she asked.
"Broke down" Matt sighed. "And you know, no insurance and all"
Caroline nodded. "I get it" she said soft. "Alright, we can take my car, but you drive" She searched for the keys and handed them to him.
"Eh, yeah, sure" Matt said, accepting the keys. "Caroline, is something going on? Something with Tyler?"
The way Caroline looked at him told him he was right. Matt rolled his eyes. "What did he do now? Did he hurt you? Because if he did you have to tell me and I'll break his neck" he said deadly serious.
"He didn't really do anything" Caroline said uneasy. "It just seems as if the old Tyler is back. The jerk version of him"
"Well, hey, I'm sorry" Matt said, pulling Caroline against his chest. "I know you care about him"
Part 10
Elena and Damon were lying on Elena's bed, Elena's head on Damon's chest. She was asleep, but Damon was wide awake. He was waiting for a phone call from the hospital to tell them they had find a donor. Though Elena would never want Jeremy to go through with it, Damon would do anything to make sure Jeremy didn't change his mind.
He was brought back to the real world when Elena's phone buzzed. He picked it up from the pedestal cupboard and answered it.
"What?" he asked.
"I did the test" Jeremy started careful.
"And?" Damon asked, though he could hear by Jeremy's tone it wasn't good news.
"We have the same blood type" Jeremy continued and Damon could hear him swallow.
"Cut to the chase, please?" Damon demanded annoyed and tensed.
"We're not compatible" Jeremy ended. "I can't be a donor. Something about-"
But Damon could no longer listen. He hung up and woke Elena.
She opened her eyes difficult and stared wondering at Damon. "What?" she mumbled tired.
"We have to go back" Damon said agitated.
"Why?" Elena mumbled, while Damon lifted her in his arms. He carried her out of the room and outside.
"I should've never taken you away" Damon said, mad at himself. "It was stupid and reckless. It was my biggest mistake ever"
"Don't be so hard on yourself" Elena said, her eyes closed. "I wanted to get out of there"
Damon sniffed. "Well, you're not getting out of there anymore"
He looked over his shoulder at the backseat, where he had laid Elena down. "Not until you're healthy again"
"So, what, you're going to lock me up in my hospital room?"
"And guard you with my life, if I have to" Damon said deadly serious. He started the engines and raced away.
