Chapter Twelve: Our Town
"Pink." Holly told Elena the following morning at school. Today was Caroline's birthday and they were decorating her locker to surprise her. "She will definably like pink glitter."
"Hey, sorry I'm late." Bonnie said as she rushed towards them. "I was busy."
"No, problem we just got here." Elena said as she took one last look at the locker. "How is it?"
"Perfect," Holly turned to Bonnie. "Now I have some bad news and I don't think that you're going to like it, but it's for the best."
Bonnie looked confused. "What are you talking about?"
Elena and Holly exchanged gazes. "Jeremy is leaving town," Elena explained. "He's staying with family friends in Denver until this whole thing with Klaus blows over."
Bonnie shook her head. "No, Jeremy will never leave you to handle things with Klaus all alone."
"I know." Holly stared at the ground guiltily. "Elena asked Damon to compel him so that I didn't chicken out."
"You what?" Bonnie snapped.
"It's for the best, Bon." Holly said as she looked at Jeremy who was emptying his locker. "And only for a little while, I know you and Jeremy haven't worked things out, so if you want to before he leaves-"
"Yes, Holly." Bonnie interrupted. "I get it."
Caroline couldn't believe that it was her birthday and she was unhappy. Her birthday was her favorite day, but ever since she had turned into a vampire, it just seemed fake, it wasn't like she was going to get any older and the thought was too depressing so she decided to not go into school today and deal with the happy birthdays.
She jumped short when Elena, Matt, Holly, and Bonnie jumped into the hallway carrying balloons and signs. "Happy birthday!" they shouted.
Caroline laughed. "What are you guys doing here?"
"Well, you ditch school and missed our fabulous artwork so we thought we'd bring your birthday party home." Holly handed her a pink balloon. "It's pink, your favorite color."
"So change into some warm clothes we're going to the fall." Bonnie smiled. "S'mores, campfire."
"And a birthday cake." Elena laughed. "Like when we were little."
"Except with tequila." Matt sing song as he showed them, the bottle.
"Thanks, guys really." Caroline said sadly as she let go off the balloon. "It's just I'm not really feeling my birthday this year. It's not like I'm going to age, I will be 17 forever, and I'm stuck in a filter year."
"You're not stuck, Caroline." Holly said. "I'm going to be 17 forever too and believe me it's not so bad, besides that doesn't matter it's still your birthday and we are determine to make it special."
Elena thought for a moment. "I have a better idea."
Elena stopped short when they came face to face with the Salvatore's family crypt. "There it is!"
"You brought us to a cemetery?" Holly snorted. "This is creepy even for us."
"No, Caroline was right, she's dead," Elena said softly. "So she needs a funeral so that she can say goodbye to her old life and move on with her new one." They walked inside and Matt and Bonnie started looking for candles.
Caroline took a deep breath. "Ok, here lies, Caroline Forbes-"
"Cheerleader, Miss Mystic Falls, third grade hopscotch champion." Elena smiled as she placed candles on the cake.
"Friend, daughter, overachiever," Bonnie continued.
"Loyal, strong, beautiful." Holly continued.
Matt smiled. "Mean girl sometimes, no offense."
Caroline shrugged. "None taken."
"She was 17 and she had a really good life," Elena said as she placed the cake in front of her. "So rest in peace, you need this to move forward, we all do. So amen or cheers or something. Bonnie?"
Bonnie closed her eyes and the candles of the birthday cake lit up.
"Nice." Holly smiled. "Make a wish, Caroline."
Caroline closed her eyes as she blew out her candles. Afterwards Bonnie cut the cake and they took turns passing the tequila bottle around. Elena playfully took it from Matt. "Believe me I need it more than you do."
Holly looked up from her cake. "Who are you texting, Caroline?"
"You're a bad sober liar, you're an ever worst drunk liar," Elena said. "Come on spill."
Caroline put down her phone. "Tyler."
"Caroline." Elena groaned.
"What? I'm delicate!"
"Give her a break," Bonnie snapped. "You can't control what everyone does all the time."
Elena frowned. "Ouch, Bon."
"Sorry," Bonnie responded, not sounding very sorry at all. "I know that it's Caroline birthday or funeral or whatever, but I just think that it's bad that you and Holly had Jeremy compelled out of town. He should choose how he lives his life."
Holly's mood darkened. "You're not going to tell him are you?"
"And if I do?" Bonnie narrowed her eyes. "Are you going to compel me not to?" the mood was quiet. "I think I'm going to head to bed, happy birthday."
Five minutes later, Tyler appeared and he stiffened. "Sorry, I didn't mean to crash the party."
"So don't." Matt snapped,
"No, it's ok." Caroline said. "Hi."
Tyler motioned towards the woods. "Can I talk to you for a second?"
"Sure."
Once Caroline and Tyler had left, Holly stood up. "Well, I'm going I need some sleep." She waved goodbye and headed towards her car.
Holly had just entered her car when she heard screams. Caroline's screams. Tyler. She vamp flash through the woods trying to find out where the screams were coming from. She stopped short when she saw Tyler pushing Caroline against a tree, ignoring her cries.
"Tyler, let her go!" she snapped as she pushed him away, ignoring Tyler's growl. She felt something sharp against her arm and Holly stopped short. He had bit her. "What did you do?" Holly shouted. "What the hell did you do?"
"Oh, crap." Tyler paled, "Holly, I'm so sorry-"
"Just get out of here, Tyler," Caroline snapped as she put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Let's go."
"It's not that bad really," Holly sighed as Caroline put an extra pillow behind her head. She was on Damon's bed and it was hard to ignore the purple-red bite mark that was on her arm. "Just a little nip."
"Yeah, a little nip that can kill you." Damon shook his head. "Remind me why I can't kill him again?"
"Because he's our friend." Holly emphasize. "Our hybrid, Klaus controlled friend. Can you give us a moment?"
Caroline nodded as she left the room. There was an awkward silence. "So how long until the hallucinations start?"
"In an hour or two." Damon shrugged. "Does it hurt?"
"No, it's just uncomfortable."
Damon frowned. "We need to call Klaus so that he can heal you-"
"No," Holly said sharply. "I don't want his help, and what's the point? He's just going to laugh in my face, no I don't want his help. I would rather die than drink his blood."
Damon ran a hand through his dark hair. "This is no time to be stubborn, Holly."
"I'm not being stubborn, I'm being reasonable."
"So, it's reasonable to fall over and die?!"
Holly leaned back against the pillow trying to hide the fear in her voice. "It's my choice, Damon."
The Salvatore door opened and Damon looked at Klaus, the only person that could save Holly and the one that Holly despised the most. "Took you long enough."
"Where is she?" Klaus ignored the sarcasm. "And why did it take you so long to call me?"
"Holly and I had a small debate about the meaning of life," Damon closed the door. "And I won when she fell asleep. She's in my bedroom."
Klaus nodded. "I would advise you to wait here mate. I need privacy."
"For what so that you can strangle her?"
Klaus cocked an eyebrow. "Privacy or no blood." When he didn't move he smiled. "Smart choice." He opened the door of Damon's room and frowned when he saw Holly on the bed, more asleep than awake and she was obviously running a fever.
"What are you doing here?" she murmured. "Are you here to kill me?"
"Do you really think I'm so much of a monster?"
"How is that even a real question?" Holly took a deep breath. "Damon called you, didn't he?"
"Yes, he did however mention your wish to die a dramatic death." Klaus said. "And I could respect your wish if you want."
Holly gave him a small smile. "Well, dying doesn't seem as much fun as it did an hour ago."
"It never is. I do apologize you were a casualty. Tyler was supposed to bit Caroline."
"Yes, that makes me feel better." She broke up into coughs.
"You're dying, here." Klaus bit into his wrist and blood poured out. Holly stared at it for a while before she started drinking it. Klaus rummage his hand through her dark hair which smelled like vanilla and cinnamon.
Holly pulled back. "Thanks Klaus."
"You're welcome, love. Anytime."
Holly rolled her eyes. "No, thanks." She brighten. "Damon."
Klaus scowled. "Well, it looks like I'm done here and not to interrupt the happy reunion, but Stefan does owe me some coffins."
Damon ignored him as he kissed Holly. "Don't you ever do that to me again."
His phone buzz and he frowned.
"Is it Liz?" Holly guessed as she put down the blood bag that he handed to her.
He nodded. "There's been a murder."
"You should go." Holly's voice cracked. "I should be telling goodbye to Jeremy anyway."
Damon kissed her cheek. "I'll be back soon."
Once Holly had changed clothes she headed downstairs to where Elena was waiting to say goodbye to Jeremy. "How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Not dead, sort off." She hugged her brother. "Goodbye, Jeremy be safe."
"You too." He stopped short when he saw Bonnie.
"I came to say goodbye," Bonnie said awkwardly. She hugged him and she mouthed at Holly over his shoulder-are you ok?
Holly nodded as she watched Jeremy leave, praying that they had done the right thing.
Liz and Damon looked down at Brian Walters who was dead, with a stake to his heart. "A hiker called him in." Liz said with her hands on her hips. "I thought he was a hybrid, but he was human. Brian Walters, medical examiner and Dr. Meredith Fell's ex-boyfriend."
"What's with the stake?" Damon frowned. "It's not like he was a vampire."
"I know, this was murder."
-End of Chapter Twelve-
