The Imaginary Friend

Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.


The first person to complement my new hair was Sarah Salvatore. With her light caramel skin and straight dark hair, she was a beauty. She's the daughter of Zack Salvatore and his wife Gail. Sarah is such a nice person. Really phenomenal at photography too. It's one of her passions. When she goes to college she is hoping to get into Duke University. We have one class and lunch period together this year.

The school day went by with people complementing my hair to my face and then whispering about how much of an attention whore I was behind my back. Such was the life in a small town. It was getting on my nerves that people were STILL going on about Elijah and I's "scandalous relationship." The rumors were getting more and more ridiculous. One girl was whispering about how they heard someone found us fucking behind the Mystic Grill. Another was saying how I was pregnant with his love child and we were going to elope.

I was itching to go to my art class ever since Henrik told me Nik possessed Mr. Powtan. I was crushingly disappointed when I saw a substitute teacher writing her name on the board instead. What was Nik doing today? I was right earlier in the car, though. Elena didn't come to school today. She's also ignoring my texts. I'm sure she is still overwhelmed after her and Elijah's little chat, but I still wish she'd throw me a bone. I was really worried. Surely Nik didn't abduct her? Not before Elijah can tell him about the deal he made with Elena.

In the middle of art class I excused myself to go to the bathroom so I could talk to Henrik. I was lucky it was completely empty.

"Where's Nik?" I demanded. Henrik was leaning against one of the bathroom stalls.

"He's trying to gather as much information on the man he possessed and the doppelganger as possible today before coming in tomorrow." He replied. I let out an infuriated noise and threw my hands up.

I thought the day would crawl by, but the opposite happened. Before I knew it cheerleading practice was over and I was climbing into Elijah's car. Elijah closed the door behind me before getting into driver seat.

"How was school?" Elijah inquired, pulling out of the parking lot. I propped my feet on the dashboard and gave him 'really?' look.

"It was school." I replied and after a pause spoke again. "I was disappointed when Nik wasn't there."

"Were you?" He seemed surprised. "Why is that?"

"Him coming here will be nothing but trouble sure, but after hearing stories about a man from the time you were six you can't help but wanna meet him." I shrug. "Between you and me, I'm really excited about meeting Kol."

He quirked an eyebrow and shot me quick look of surprise and interest, so I continued.

"He seems like a funny and interesting person." I say. "You know, besides the dark cruelty he is capable of and enjoys."

"It's amusing how casually you say that." Elijah commented.

Why? If Henrik can see past the evil and still find redeemable qualities, if he can still see the person inside the monster, then so can I. Of course that's easier when they're just stories. If I saw him murder an innocent person before my eyes, would I still be so casual about it? Maybe, maybe not. When Elijah killed my attacker it was different, who would be upset about that?

It was then I noticed we were heading to my house and not his apartment.

"Why are we going to my place and not yours?" I tried to hide my disappointment but I didn't do a very good job.

"I am going to talk to Niklaus." He tells me. "I am truly sorry we aren't going to do our normal routine and spend the rest of the day together. You'll see me first thing tomorrow. This I promise you."

"That's alright." I shrug, pretending not to be resisting the urge to pout. "I understand."

"I am sorry." He repeats, not buying the flippant act. "I do enjoy our evenings together."

"It's okay."

That time I meant it. Elijah is such a charmer. He always knows just what to say. I almost wish I had a crush. Being in a relationship with him would be a girls dream. Sadly, even though he is charming and a looker, my feelings are platonic. Not sure why actually, now that I think about it.

When we pulled up Elijah turned to me. "Is Henrik in the car with us?"

Henrik perked up in the backseat.

"Yeah. He's right there." I pointed to Henrik's face so Elijah knew where to look.

"Would you stay with me today? I want you there when I talk to Niklaus." He requested.

"Of course." Henrik responded shooting me a curious look.

"He said yes." I told Elijah. He nodded at me with a pleased look. "See you in the morning."

"Enjoy the rest of your day."

15 minutes later I was pacing around my room bored out my scull. Coming to a decision, I put blood bags in my purse and headed out the door. This time I was bring two so I could sip on some blood while I tried to get Damon to talk to me. Then I was a blur through the forest. It took three tries to get the right tree. They all looked the same to me. As soon as I stepped through the doorway and the door slid shut behind me, I heard voices. It made me go completely still. A flicker of light shone through the doorway at the bottom of the long staircase.

"A vampire with a speech impediment." I heard a man sneer. "That's a new one."

"F-fuck o-off." I heard a thick Italian voice stutter back.

I frowned. It ticked me off that on top of being stuck in here, he was also getting mocked for something he couldn't control. I was glad I decided to bring two this time. Instead of drinking it, I will give the other blood bag to him.

"Gladly. Enjoy your stay." The human said with a sarcastic drawl. When he was off this floor, shutting the light off behind him, I was running down the spiral staircase. On my run I realized there was only one slow heartbeat. Where was Damon? I hope he's okay.

"Wh-what do y-you w-want?" I heard the Italian man ask, spitting the words out harshly. In a blink I was in front of the cage Damon was in last time. Only now, someone else was in his place.

"I am not here to cause you any trouble." I reassure him. The guy was really hot. He had deep dark chocolate eyes, lashes thickened with mascara, a tall and slim but muscular build, high cheekbones, brown hair styled wonderfully around his face, a dimpled chin, and full lips. "I found this place not too long ago. There was a different guy in the cell you are in now. I was coming back to give him more blood."

I pulled a blood bag out of my purse and tossed it to him. The pissed and suspicious look fell off of his attractive face when he caught it.

"Wh-who a-are you?" He asked opening the bag with manicured nails that were painted a pretty purple. They matched his thigh high boots and the silky vest he had over his tight white shirt. It was sad that such a sexy man was so clearly gay.

"Caroline Forbes." I responded opening my own blood bag. "What's your name?"

"Raf-fael W-waters."

"I love your accent." I blurt, unable to help myself. A smirk pulled at the corner of his smudged pink lips. "What part of Italy are you from?"

"V-venice." He stuttered cutely as I drank my blood. "C-can you g-get m-me o-out of h-here?"

"No, I really wish I could. There is a spell around the cell." I grabbed the bars with my free hand and immediately was thrown back into a stone wall. My hand burned like hell and I looked down to see it healing.

"Y-you d-didn't have t-to hurt y-yourself!" He exclaimed in horror as I picked myself up. "I-I be-believed you."

"I wanted to show you I wasn't trying to manipulate you. I really am sorry you're stuck in here. I'll work on a way to get you out."

"O-okay. H-how of-ften do y-you th-think you'll come h-here?" He asked in between large sips of blood. I picked up the bag I dropped. I was so lucky I already drank half the bag, so no blood got on the floor. I can't leave any evidence of my time here.

"As often as I can. I'll bring you more blood. Have you been a vampire long?"

Elijah has been trying to teach me to discern vampiric ages. I wasn't that great at it. If I didn't already know how old Elijah was, I wouldn't have been able to give you a specific age. Rafael seemed older than me but I couldn't tell exactly how much older. After focusing a little more, I could tell he was younger than Damon. By how much? Not a clue.

"Th-three years. Y-you?" He inquired politely. Wow, a lot younger then.

"Not even two weeks." I chuckle sheepishly.

"What in the bleeding hell?!" Henrik's surprised shout would've given me a heart attack if that was still possible. "Kol has a doppelganger? When the bloody hell did that happen?"

Surprise and disbelief flooded me. What?! Rafael is Kol's doppelganger?! I looked at him with renewed interest. Now that he said it, I realized Rafael did bear a resemblance to Elijah. How did I not notice that? It was striking.