"Well, that could've gone so much better."
"Remind me exactly why you followed me again when you were supposed to be watching Amara?"
"Because much like you, I was not convinced that killing Silas would make Stefan's...let's call them 'grievances' go away. Besides, Amara's out like a light, and Bonnie and Jeremy are here, so she's not in any real danger."
Once the two were in the foyer, Elena put her hands on her hips with a disappointed sigh. "She was today...we really screwed up with Stefan, Damon. And now he's killed Silas, and who knows how much this has traumatized Amara? Dammit..." She sat down on the couch with one of her hands resting on her forehead. Damon took the seat next to her.
"She listened to me," He reminded her, "When I asked her to stay alive tonight."
Elena looked at him with confusion for a moment, and then nodded in understanding. She took one of his hands and gripped it gently. "Another success in another day marred by failure...You did good, Damon. And I'm proud of what you did for Amara. I just wish I could have followed your example tonight." She smiled nervously.
Damon overturned his hand so that his fingers were intertwined with hers. "I know you're worried about him. I am too. And you're right, we did fail him over the summer- thank you so much for reminding him of that by the way-" Elena snorted and rolled her eyes in response, "But at this point, I'm not really sure if we can help him."
There was a pause, and then Elena said, "I know...that's what scares me...We're the worst."
Another pause for silence, another wordless comfort at the touch of their hands.
"Should we attempt Round 2 on him tomorrow?"
"I guess we're welcome to try, but I'm not sure how much good it'll do."
"Is that a yes?"
"That was an 'As you wish'."
Elena scratched the side of her head, "Alright then, now that we've got that covered, on to the next order of business: What are we gonna do about Amara?"
"That, right there, is the conundrum," Damon put both his hands on his knees with heavy exasperation, "I promised her I wouldn't ask any more of her if she stayed alive for the duration of the night. And correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't you the one who implied that Amara's life was forfeit after Bonnie became the anchor?"
"When did I-?" Elena was going to ask, but immediately stopped herself, already knowing the answer. He meant when she had suggested that Tessa do the anchor swap...Silas wants Amara to die, Amara wants Amara to die, so who, besides us, in the one person with the biggest stake against letting that happen?
Yep, she thought, I did say that, didn't I? At that point in time, she knew that Tessa would not let Amara die as long as she was the anchor. But she remembered when she overheard Tessa talk to Amara. She would make Bonnie the anchor, but after that? She would have killed Amara.
"I didn't...mean it like that..." She responded to Damon's earlier inquiry, "But you are right about one thing. I was only concerned with Bonnie coming back. I didn't even think about what would happen to Amara-
"Actually, no," Elena shook her head, "I take that back. I knew perfectly well what would have happened to her- either Silas or Tessa would have killed her, or she would have taken her own life- but I didn't care. As long as Bonnie's alive, right?" She looked at the floor, running her hand through her hair, before looking Damon in the eye, "I need to talk to her. When she wakes up, we'll make her breakfast, maybe I can lend her some clothes and-!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Damon stood up and gripped Elena's shoulders, "Slow your roll, Super Girl. Suicide Watch was one thing, but do you really think she wants full rehab now? Tessa's dead, she just witnessed my brother kill Silas, and I already promised her-"
"But you are not breaking your promise to her," she argued, "It's me breaking your promise, I'll be sure to tell her that you tried to stop me-!"
"Honestly though? What are you gonna do, Elena? Tell her that the world isn't so bad and she just has to give life another chance because how oh-so-precious it is? I don't see that working out for you."
"Damon," She put her hands on his forearms, and looked at him reassuringly, "Two thousand years of her life were wasted in a storage box. I, at the very least, want to give her another chance at a good human life."
Amara didn't remember falling asleep like this.
Her eyes were still closed, but nonetheless she was awake, and she immediately knew something was wrong. Something's not right, something is wrong, wrong...why am I wrapped in cotton? Why am I warm...?
But what probably scared her most was the noise, or rather the lack of noise. Why can't I hear anything...?
Her eyes flickered open and she bolted upright. She didn't recognize the room she was in, although she could assume it was within the sleeping chambers in the household. However, what she was currently lying on top of was more...extravagant than anything she has seen or touched in her lifetime. But why was I put here of all places...? Everything feels like silk...
"Oh, Amara! I didn't realize you'd be awake."
Amara didn't even realize that the door was open until a familiar voice spoke up, carrying a glass of water.
"Hi Elena," she meekly greeted her doppelgänger, who smiled warmly in acknowledgement.
"Hey," Elena responded, "I, uh, brought you some water." She walked over to the bedside and handed the glass to Amara.
"...Thank you," she accepted the glass, and sipped the water inside.
"No problem. If you're hungry at all, just let me know, and I'll whip you up something downstairs." After Amara had drunk her fill, Elena set the glass elsewhere. Elena had a troubled look on her face when she turned back to Amara. Before Amara could ask about it though, Elena started talking.
"Bonnie...my friend, I mean, came back last night..."
The words didn't register to Amara immediately. At first, she thought, "Why bring the witch up all of a sudden?" But she stopped herself, because she had already figured it out. The witch she had met the previous night became the anchor, and that is what the spell had been for. Amara placed her head on her hands. No, no, no...How could this- How could Qetsiyah knowingly hand that role over to someone else?! The pain of being the anchor...the agony of feeling every death...?
"She's the anchor to the Other Side now..."
No wonder I couldn't hear anything this morning...no wonder I didn't wake up in pain...Because it's been shoved on to someone else...!
Amara came so close to screaming, to shaking Elena's shoulders and demand why she would do that to her friend...!
But the way Elena had treated her last night, and the way she was looking at her right now with confusion and concern...it didn't add up. Would a person like her knowingly, purposely, have resurrected their best friend only to subject her to the burden of never ending pain for the rest of her life? It seems unlikely...maybe Qetsiyah purposely omitted that information from them.
Amara thought that maybe she could speak to the witch- or rather Bonnie, as her double had referred to her- about what she had personally gone through after being brought back and-
Elena put her hand on Amara's shoulder with a concerned look on her face. I guess she is waiting for me to say something...Does she really care...?
"Wow. I'm-I'm at a loss for words...After two thousand years of...hearing, seeing, feeling nothing except for the dead, I should think I am supposed to be happy...but I'm not."
"That's understandable..."
"Elena?" Amara looked at Elena pleadingly, "Please, I need your honest opinion...What should I do...?"
Elena said nothing, she just...stared at Amara with an unreadable expression. When she spoke again, her eyes softened, "Amara, I don't want to force you into anything, and in the end it's really up to you..."
Amara internally shook her head, she didn't want that vague answer. No, no, please I need someone to tell me what to do...I'm useless on my own...
Elena paused, "But I want you to understand...your life was taken away from you for two thousand years, and none of that was your fault. I think this is a good chance to start over in a new world, and in all honesty? You deserve that much..."
Amara sat up on the bed and averted her gaze to her lap. She was quiet for a few moments before coming clean about what was on her mind.
"A chance to start over...Is that even possible for someone like me...?"
Elena smiled warmly.
"I think it's at least worth a shot..." She stated hopefully, "What do you say?"
Truth be told, Amara wasn't sure it was an entirely good idea. She was sure Elena's heart was in the right place, but she was positive she was about to enter "The Twilight Zone", to borrow a phrase she heard on the Other Side. She was stepping into completely unknown ground, two thousand years later nonetheless, and unlike her deceased lover (God bless his soul), she didn't have mind reading abilities to easily walk among the modern society.
But in the very back of her cerebellum, there was a part of her that wanted to do it. The same part that believed Elena when she offered a fresh start, a human life that she gave up so long ago.
Amara looked at Elena with a look of absolute resolution.
"I...I never really wanted to die anyway. I-I want to do it..."
Elena's movement blurred before her eyes, and before she knew it, Amara was being embraced in her doppelgänger's slender arms.
"Thank you for trusting me..." Elena whispered softly against Amara's shoulder, but Amara heard her regardless. And she wanted to cry all over again.
When Elena released her, she had fully gone into planning mode.
"Okay, I still have some of my old clothes that I think will fit you until we can get you your own set. I'm going to show you how to work the shower and use some of the washes. Oh hey! Speaking of which Bonnie is going to get her hair cut today, would you like to get your hair done maybe sometime soon?"
Amara simply nodded. Although she didn't understand half of Elena's ramblings, getting her hair cut wasn't a bad idea. When she lived in Greece, women her age had cut their hair when they were in mourning. I need to properly mourn them before I can move on with this new life...
And speaking of Bonnie, Amara needed to discuss with her about what she agreed to in terms of being the anchor.
"...I would like that very much, t-thank you..."
"Okay! Now, just follow me into the bathroom and I'll show you how to work everything."
"Elena?"
The doppelgänger turned to her with an inquiring look, "Yes?"
My last question about last night...a terrible night without question, but I need to know...
"About last night..." Amara began shakily, "I want to know...the man who rescued me yesterday...the blue eyed man who knocked the knife out of my hand..." I want to thank him when I have the chance...
"Damon."
"Huh?"
Elena smiled at Amara earnestly as she opened the bathroom door, "His name is Damon."
Another long wait for this, but I hope it was worth it! Coming up: Amara in normal clothes, a fun game called "What does that do?", and prepping for Amara's first modern party!
Until next update!