In revelation of tonight's episode, as to which I was severely angry at Elena's choice, I'm updating. I haven't updated in a while, because I've lost my feel for some of the characters. There will only be a couple more chapters, because I do want to complete this story. I've finally decided on an ending, and some will be pleased or maybe shocked. But I need reviews to get these chapters out quick. Some of you might be confused by this chapter, but read the end note.
Era woke with an arm around her waist. She glanced to her left and saw Jeremy. The memories of last night flooded back, and she frowned. It was one of sadness and regret. It seemed that she would never stop betraying the people she loved. Maybe that was her calling: destruction. Era glanced at the boy lying next to her. He was peaceful and unguarded when he slept. It was almost serene watching him. But they could never be. Even if Klaus was not in the picture; he would never accept her for who she was. She sighed. She would have to leave, find Klaus, and make him forget about the Doppelganger. Rebekah would probably be waiting for her, worried that she hadn't come home yet. The questions would come, and Era would have to relive every moment of last night.
She was a strong woman, but even she broke down every now and then. A hundred long years had passed, and not a day had gone by that she hadn't thought about Jonathan and what his thoughts would be of his fated death. Era got her answer, and almost wished she hadn't. He hated her, rightly so. She looked back at Jeremy and shook her head. The kid had saved her, came back for her. What kind of human did that? A stupid one, she thought.
"Take a picture. It'll last longer." He cracked an eye open and smirked at her. Era smiled a wry smile, and leaned her head against the wall.
"Some night, huh?" She said to him. He laughed out right.
"That's the understatement of the year." Jeremy got up and pulled off of his shirt. Era didn't bother to hide her stare. He glanced back at her briefly, and then stretched. She rolled her eyes at his teasing. Jeremy pulled out some basketball shorts and a t-shirt and threw it to her. She looked at him, confused. He gestured to her torn and bloodied costume that would never be worn again. Yet another reminder of what had transpired last night.
"Thanks."
"I'll just…uh…go make some coffee." He left her to change. She discarded the dress, and bundled it on the floor to be thrown away. There was no mark to prove that she had been stabbed in the chest, only dried blood. She quickly crossed the hall to the bathroom. Grabbing a cloth and wetting it, Era viciously scrubbed the evidence off of her skin. There would be no trace of her almost untimely demise. Afterwards, Era heard voices coming for the kitchen. Company had arrived. She skipped down the stairs and came into the room. Elena, Damon, Alaric, and Jeremy sat around the counter. There was a steaming mug of coffee prepared for her on the counter. Four sets of eyes connected with hers as she walked into the room. The vampire said nothing as she sat down and took a sip of her coffee.
"How are you doing?" Elena asked. Era wasn't fooled. The girl wouldn't have really cared if she had been staked. Her main concern was for a brother who would be hurting if she had died that night.
"Yes, we heard that you got a blast from the past last night," Damon said with a smirk. Era cocked her head to the side. The smirk didn't reach his eyes.
"How did yours go?" She countered. He gave her a nod as if to say 'touché'. There was something off this morning; A distance between the humans and the vampires. Even Elena had put the edge of the counter top between Damon and herself. "I have to get going. Rebekah will be worried about me."
"Are you going to thank them? Elena and Jeremy saved your life last night," Alaric snapped. This girl was ungrateful and prideful. Era turned back and smiled slowly.
"Thank you. I suppose, I am in your debt. Whatever shall I do about that?
She pretended to ponder for a moment. Her face became serious when she answered. "I'll talk to Rebekah, and get her to tell you some of their family history. That should settle it." Breaths were hitched.
"You'd do that?" Elena asked. Excitement pumped through her veins at the thought of some of their many questions being answered.
"Don't soil yourself in excitement. There is really nothing in there that can give you an idea to kill Klaus. Maybe afterwards you'll understand why trying to find and awaken Michael is such a terrible idea."
"Regardless, thank you," Elena said. Era glanced at Jeremy and nodded. She gave a nod goodbye and she left the house. She had no idea that the moment she left, papers were pulled out trying to be deciphered.
!
Rebekah was pacing back and forth in her room when Era walked in. The blonde tackled her in a hug and held her close.
"We came so close to losing you last night," She whispered. Era hugged her back with such ferocity that she thought she would break the older vampire.
"I'm fine. A little shaken, but fine. How did you guys know what was happening?" Rebekah let her go and sat down on the bed. Last night had been a time when she was so scared; she didn't think it was possible. She hasn't told Klaus, and she doubted that Era would want her to. It would only upset him. This was something that both vampires planned to sweep under the rug, never to be mentioned again.
"Jeremy's little ghost friend told him. I got worried when you didn't show up. I was about to go looking for you when they showed up, and told me what happened. I didn't know if I was going to get there in time. What do you know, I'm indebted to humans," Rebekah murmured. Era nodded. Never in all her time as a vampire had she ever been indebted to a human.
"I have an idea as to how to pay them back. Tell them of your family history." Rebekah looked like she was about to protest. "Not anything that could help them to figure out how to awaken Michael, just how you became vampires. This might sway them from trying to find and awaken Michael. Tell them what happened to your mother." Rebekah was silent for a moment before nodding. It would be painful, reliving those memories, but it was a simple way of repaying them for saving Era's life. It wouldn't do any harm. Era got up to leave the room.
"Are you okay?" Rebekah asked softly. Her sister was hurting. It read in her body. Her shoulders were slumped, and her hair lay limply down her back. Era turned back. There was no hint of a smile on her face, no mischief in her eyes. Rebekah wanted to kill the already dead human for that alone.
"Nothing a bottle of vodka can't fix. I'm going out for a while. I need to be alone, and it'll give you time to fill in Elena on what she's missing. Thank you for doing this. This is my debt you're repaying."
"It's my debt too. Klaus wouldn't survive your death, and I couldn't live without my sister," She replied. Era smiled at the girl who was her sister in every way that mattered, and walked out of the room.
!
The cemetery was quiet as Era perched on a head stone with a bottle of vodka in her hand. A cigarette hung loosely between her fingers. She had changed from Jeremy's clothes into a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Her hair was in a ponytail for she hadn't felt like messing with it. It was peaceful here. Today was a Sunday. There had been some visitors, laying flowers at their lost loved ones. Some gave her curious looks as they passed her. They were ones who were visiting loved ones long dead. The ones whose faces were immobilized by sorrow gave her no heed. They were too focused on their grief to notice the lone red head leaning against a headstone. She was just like them, they assumed; drinking her loss away with the half empty bottle in her hand. She tried not to think or feel. Era just wanted peace, which was something that she was never going to get. Last night would haunt her. She didn't know whose headstone she had taken up squatter's rights on, but it was worn and no flowers occupied it. She assumed it would be safe to occupy until she got ready to leave. There was a rustle in the grass beside her as someone sat down. Damon Salvatore had taken up residence beside her. Neither of them spoke for several moments.
"I already convinced Rebekah to talk to Elena. No need to follow me to make sure I followed through," She murmured.
"Not here for that. Was just walking through the graveyard and saw you sitting here. Thought you could use the company." There was no sarcasm in his voice. It was unusual. Era could almost smell the angst coming off him in rolls. Something was wrong. She wasn't going to ask, so she just tipped the bottle towards him in offering. He took a giant swig before handing it back to her. She offered him a cigarette to which he refused.
"Do you usually walk through graveyards in the middle of the day? Trying to remind yourself of your own mortality?" Era asked, not bothering to look at him.
"I come here when I want to think. Somewhere where I can be left alone. No one wants to bother a griever." Era's lips curved into a half smile. He was right about that. His phone went off. ELENA flashed on the screen. He huffed angrily and hit 'ignore'.
"Trouble in paradise?" She asked wryly.
"Wouldn't tell you of all people if there was," Damon said snarkily. Era offered him the bottle again to which he took.
"Who else are you going to tell. It's not like me and Elena are best friends who are going to trade secrets. Besides, I could use someone else's misery as a distraction from my own." Damon laughed at that. You had to give the red- head the fact that she was honest.
"Stefan is starting to act like his old self. He's still under Klaus's thrall, but he's not the 'ripper' anymore. And Elena…" He stopped and huffed angrily again. Era felt bad for the man. This girl was stringing him along, and he was hanging on to the human for dear life.
"And Elena is starting to question whether not she wants to be with you anymore," Era finished for him. He gave a short nod. "If I were you, I'd just leave. She obviously can't make up her mind of which one she wants. Make it for her. If it makes you feel any better, I'd choose you in a heartbeat, if it came down to you or Stephan. The nancy boy thing never got me going." Damon smiled for a moment. It was nice that someone would choose him over his brother. Granted it was a vampire on Klaus's side, but he'd take what he could get.
"Then why are you interested in Elena's idiot brother. He's more like Stephan." Era shook her head and took a swig of vodka.
"Jeremy reminds me of Klaus. I know, it's shocking. But you don't know Klaus like I do. Jeremy is determined to get what he wants when he wants it. He's fiercely protective of those he cares for. Believe it or not, Klaus does have a soul. He's a lot different than you believe." Damon had seen this that night that he observed them. Klaus was almost light hearted around her. Then why did she like Jeremy? Why was she stringing the boy along? He wanted to know the answer, so he asked it.
"I guess, that he reminds me of Klaus. And since I can't have the real thing right now, that I latched onto the only person who sorta reminded me of him…There isn't a choice to make for me, Damon. I know what I want." Damon glanced at her. Her face was so sad that he almost felt sad for her. This girl was amongst people who hated the love of her life. It couldn't have been easy for her. He would never admit it to Elena, but he respected Era. She knew exactly who she was, and never apologized for it. She changed for no one. He wished he could say the same for himself. Damon got up to leave.
"I'm still going to try and get rid of Klaus. This little conversation doesn't change that." He wanted to make that clear to her. She nodded.
"And it doesn't change the fact that I'll kill you if you do." He could respect that. Her voice stopped him from leaving. "You deserve better. If we weren't on opposite sides, I think we'd be amazing friends, painting the town red." Damon smile a half smiled and walked away. He'd never tell her that he agreed. Era watched him go, feeling lighter than she had earlier.
!
Era walked up the stairs towards Rebekah's room. She had to make sure that she was alright after her talk with Elena. It had to be hard bringing up memories that she wished she could forget. She reached the door only to hear soft sobs coming from the other side. Era felt a rush of anger towards herself and Elena. This had been a bad idea. She rushed through the door. Rebekah was sitting on the bed with her face in her hands. Tears ran down her cheeks. She rushed towards the blonde and wrapped her arms around her.
"It's okay. It's okay. What happened, Bekah?" Her voice was soothing and low. She petted Rebekah's head in comfort.
"It wasn't my father," She sobbed. Era's eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. What? Her friend sat up and glared at Era.
"Did you know? Did you know, Era?"
"Know what? What are you talking about?" She was entirely confused as to where this conversation was going. What had happened between the time she was gone to now?
"Did you know that Klaus was the one to kill my mother, not Michael?" Era's mouth dropped open. That wasn't possible. Klaus would have told her, right? What had that bitch, Elena, told her to make her think this? Era felt another rush of anger. This bitch was seeking to destroy her family. She was lying. She had to be lying.
"That's not possible, Rebekah. Klaus would have told me. Elena is lying!" Rebekah shook her head.
"She showed me proof, Era…Did you know?" It was Era's turn to shake her head.
"Of course not. There has to be an explanation for this. It can't just be as simple as this."
"What's simple is that my brother lied to me. He made me believe that Michael killed my mother to cover up his sin!" Rebekah was on her feet, pacing angrily. Era didn't know what to say. How could Klaus do this? Why had he not told her? These questions ran through her mind quickly. She tried to rationalize, but the only thing coming to her mind was anger. It wasn't anger at Klaus. She hadn't gotten that far yet. All she saw was the person who might have succeeded in tearing her family apart. Elena.
"I'm going to fix it. I'll fix it." She sped out of the room with only one goal on mind. Elena was in the house. She could smell her in the study. Elena was going to pay. The human was pacing in front of the fire, no doubt waiting for Damon and Stephan to get back so she could drag them along some more. Era tackled her, pinning her by the throat against the mantle. Elena's eyes bugged, and filled with confusion. Why was Era angry at her? She had only told the truth.
"You stupid bitch. How dare you try to tear my family away from me! I'm going to rip you to shreds. I'm sure Klaus will forgive me in time," She snarled. Elena started to truly fear for her life. She had never been expendable. There had always been people there to protect her. Her status as a doppelganger had protected her from Era…until now. There was a force from the side as Era was tackled away from her. Elena grasped her throat, trying to rub away the pain from the vampire's grip. She looked to see who had tackled Era. Stefan had pinned Era to the wall, but the thing that perplexed Elena was that she wasn't struggling. Her eyes were wide and pinned at the door. A man stood in the doorway. He looked to be in his late forties, tall, and an air of power surrounded him.
"Erana, you really haven't changed," The man said. There was a satisfied smile on Stefan's face as fear filled the red head's eyes.
"Hello Michael."
Okay, so there will be another chapter after this one. That'll be the end. I might update in a few days if reception is good. For those who are confused…No, Damon and Era are not getting together. I just love Damon, and think he and Era would be awesome friends. Jeremy is not in this much, I know. But he will be in the next one. Hope you all enjoyed, and please let me know what you think.