"Children of the Damned"

Cera is played by Holly Marie Combs. Please enjoy and review!

Sitting at her vanity, Chris was brushing her long caramel brown hair out as she stared at her reflection, dark rings under her eyes from lack of sleep.

She was worrying about everyone around her with all these new vampires from her past life making an appearance.

Damon had also told her that Stefan had agreed to help him open the tomb to get Katherine back and the girl was unsure of whether or not she wanted the vampiress back.

The answer was hidden in Emily's grimoire and the location was inside of Johnathan Gilbert's journal, but Chris didn't know where it was.

As she set the brush down and grabbed two black plastic chopsticks to fox her hair into a bun, her eyes look up and she gasps when she sees Cera standing behind her, a smile on her face.

Turning around, Chris looked the woman over and then blinked to make the image fade, but when her eyes opened, the woman was still there.

"What's going on here?" she asked.

Cera simply smiled at the girl who stood up and cautiously walked up to the woman, holding her hand out to see if the woman was really there.

The woman held her hand out as well and the two brunettes touched the tips of their fingers, tears appearing in their hazel eyes.

"How is this possible?" Chris whispered.

"There's so much I should have taught you. But don't worry, my baby. I'll be watching over you. Just follow your heart and instincts. They'll lead you down the path you need to follow." Cera said.

Chris nodded at that as Cera leaned down and kissed the girl's forehead before she then faded away in a swirl of white lights that resembled fireflies.

When she was gone, Chris placed her hands over her mouth as she felt Alexandra's sorrow fill her at seeing her mother again and Chris could sympathize.

"What is happening?" she whispered to herself.

Wiping away her tears, Chris sniffled as she turned to the mirror and saw Allie was staring back at her and she was sobbing her eyes out.

Shaking her head to rid herself of the image, she looked back and saw herself staring back at her with confusion and fear.

"God, what is going on with me?" she groaned as she slid to the floor, hands tangled in her hair.

Standing back up, she got changed into a pair of jogging pants and a black tank top making sure her necklace was around her neck and grabbed her i-pod.

Tying her hair up and placing her shoes on, the girl then went downstairs and found Elena, Stefan and Jeremy in the kitchen with boxes strewn around the floor.

"What's going on here?" she asked making everyone look up at her.

"Oh, we were just trying to find Johnathan Gilbert's journal." Elena explained.

"Have you seen it?" Stefan asked.

"I don't have it. All I have are Alexandra Gilbert's journals." Chris informed.

"Actually, I did a history paper on it. I gave it to Mr. Saltzman to check out." Jeremy explained.

Elena and Stefan shared a look at that while Jeremy turned his attention to his younger sister.

"So, where are you going?" he asked.

"Oh, um, I was going to run." She said.

Jeremy and Elena both looked surprised at that since the girl hated running unless it was necessary.

Stefan on the other hand was worried in case the vampire that was working with the one he and Damon had killed was out there.

"Uh, are you sure that's a good idea?" Stefan asked.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry. It's just a run around town. I've been feeling a little agitated lately, so I felt like running might help calm me down." Chris explained.

"Hey, I'll go with you." Jeremy offered making everyone look at him in shock.

He also didn't like running or any form of exercise whatsoever, so him offering to go out running with his sister was a surprise.

"You're sure?" Chris asked.

"Yes. Just let me change and I'll be down soon." he said as he went upstairs.

"I'm gonna go get the journal back from Mr. Saltzman. Be safe. Both of you." Stefan said.

"Okay. We will." Elena nodded.

Stefan the quickly ran off to get to the school while Chris went to the fridge and took out a bottle of water to drink while Elena watched her.

"What's been going on with you?" she asked.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it." Chris shook her head.

"It's not nothing. Look, if you're worried or scared about what's going on, then just tell me." Elena stood up and walked over to her sister.

"No, we have your issues to deal with right now. They're real and dangerous. Mine can wait. Like always." Chris muttered the last part.

"What does that mean?" Elena asked.

Before the caramel haired girl could answer, Jeremy walked into the kitchen dressed in blue jogging pants and a white wife beater.

"So, you ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah, come on." Chris said as she followed him out the door.

The two siblings ran outside and started off their jog down the street, both silent as they went on.

After ten minutes of running and walking through the forest, Jeremy decided to break the ice.

"What's been going on with you? You've been acting so weird lately." Jeremy said.

"You wouldn't believe me. You'd think I've gone insane." Chris said.

"Chris, I'm your brother. You can trust me. I won't laugh. Now tell me what's going on." Jeremy said.

Looking up at her brother, Chris saw that he was giving her the puppy dog look that he never knew when he was using it.

It just seemed so natural for him to use it without evening trying or realizing it.

She knew she couldn't tell Jeremy about the vampires even though he had a right to know, but why couldn't she tell him the truth about herself.

"I recently discovered that I'm the reincarnation of our great-great-great aunt Alexandra Gilbert. I know this because these strange dreams and nightmares I've been having are about her and her life." She explained.

Jeremy stared at her for a few seconds in confusion as he saw that she had honesty in her hazel eyes and he knew she wasn't lying.

"That can't be possible. I mean, reincarnation isn't real." He denied.

"Jer, she was mauled to death by a wolf." She told him making him freeze.

"And you're terrified of wolves." He realized.

They both kept silent at that.

(Later…)

"This is insane." Jeremy breathed as he stared at the picture of Alexandra Gilbert.

Once they had both gotten back home, Chris showed him the journals and photographs that she had kept and he was looking them over.

"It's true. I was Alexandra in a past life. Apparently burning a person's body allows their souls to be reborn into the next life." Chris said as she sat next to him on the floor.

"So you remember everything that happened in your past life? Wait; does that include your death? Is that why you were screaming in your sleep the other night? Because of that?" Jeremy asked.

"Yeah. I was dreaming about my death or her death. She was only 15." Chris said as she rummaged around through the box.

"Same age as you." her brother said.

Finding another photograph, Chris pulled it out of the box and saw that it was Cera Ayden dressed in a green dress with a wide smile on her face.

Jeremy stared down at the picture and saw that the woman had the same high cheekbones that he and Chris shared along with the same pink lips, hazel eyes and brown hair.

"Who's that?" he asked.

"Johnathan Gilbert's first wife and love, Cera Ayden. She was also Alexandra's mother." Chris explained.

"Ayden? Isn't that your middle name?" Jeremy asked as he took the picture from her hand.

It was true; Chris had been given the name Christina Ayden Gilbert because her mother said that the name Ayden belonged to one of the Gilberts' ancestors.

Jeremy had gotten the middle name Alec from one of their ancestors as well, from a man who happened to be their great-great-great grandfather which would make him Allie's younger half-brother.

"Whoa, take a look at this. She's wearing your necklace." Jeremy announced.

"What?" Chris asked as she looked at the picture.

There around Cera's neck was the gold locket she was currently wearing and that Johnathan had given to Allie.

"I can't believe it." she whispered.

"That necklace must run in the family." Jeremy said as Chris took the necklace off of her neck making Jeremy glance at her in confusion.

"What are you doing?" he asked as he saw her place the necklace on the vanity.

"I've been hallucinating. I keep seeing Cera. I saw her at school and this morning. I actually touched her. Either I'm losing my mind or she's a ghost and is coming back because of the necklace. Either way, I don't think I can keep wearing it." Chris said.

"But that necklace is important. It's the only thing left you have of her. Remember, you used to be Alexandra meaning Cera is your mother." Jeremy said as he walked over to the desk and picked up the necklace.

"You can't deny it. If Cera's trying to see you, then it's for a reason. She loves you and she wants you happy. All moms do. So keep the necklace." He said clasping it around her neck.

Touching the locket, Chris felt a warm tingle fill her body and she smiled as she hugged her brother.

"Thanks, Jer. I'm happy I can talk to you about this." She said.

"That's what I'm here for." Jeremy hugged her back and kissed the side of her head.

Afterwards Chris had showered and changed into a light pink sundress and walked down the stairs, being welcomed by the scent of something being cooked.

As she sniffed at the air, she was sure that it was either spaghetti sauce or lasagna sauce that was being made and she walked over curiously.

"My father never approved of anyone I dated. Which only made me want them more, of course." Damon's voice was heard.

Glancing inside, Chris found that Damon was the one cooking while Jenna sat on the lower cupboard attached to the floor sipping wine from her glass as she listened to him talk.

"What about you?" Damon asked Jenna.

"There were a few guys. Logan isn't the only loser I've dated." Jenna grinned.

"They ever find him? Is he still missing?" Damon asked as he cut a tomato.

"He's not missing. He's in the Bahamas working on his tan. Very entitled, that one. Marches to his own drum. He's a Fell. They're all snooty." Jenna said as Damon refilled her glass.

"Hello, Chrissie." Damon drawled as he went back to work cooking.

Knowing she was found out, the girl stepped into the kitchen as her aunt turned to her with a smile.

"Damon, not that I'm unhappy to see you, but why are you here?" she asked standing next to her aunt.

"He decided to come meet the family and cook us dinner." Jenna explained.

"Gives me a break." Chris commented.

"You the only one here who can cook?" Damon asked as he dumped some of the cut up vegetables into the pot on the stove.

"Grayson, her father, taught her. Miranda couldn't even made toast. Elena can't cook without blowing up the kitchen and Jeremy prefers making mac and cheese. Mostly we order out or go to the Grill." Jenna informed.

"Well then, it's a good thing I arrived. We are having lasagna with garlic bread." Damon smirked at Chris.

"Hey, that's Chris' favorite. How did you know that?" Jenna asked.

"I'm her BFF. It's in the handbook. Just like Chrissie knows that my favourite meal is…" Damon trailed off.

Searching her memories, Chris felt her lips pull up into a half grin.

"A medium rare steak with a side of vegetables served with bourbon." She recited from memory.

The amused twinkle in his icy blue eyes made the girl blush and her heart swell with pride that she remembered this.

"Well, I'm impressed. Not even my best friend from high school knew this stuff." Jenna smiled mischievously as she glanced between the two.

"What's going on here?" Elena demanded when she walked into the room.

"Hey, where have you been? We're cooking dinner." Jenna said.

"Is Stefan with you?" Damon asked.

"Um, he'll be here soon." Elena said as she stared at Damon, annoyance clear in her amber eyes.

(Later on…)

Jeremy had come down and everyone ate dinner, Damon talking and laughing with everyone but Elena as she sent him wary looks.

When everyone was finished eating, they cleaned up and then went off to either grade papers or play video games.

Damon and Chris were finishing up the dishes, the girl washing while Damon dried them as Elena was in the other room with Jenna.

"I spoke with Elena." Damon said suddenly.

"About what?" Chris asked.

"About whether or not I can trust her and Stefan to help me free Katherine." He said making her stop her washing.

"Why do you doubt them?" she asked.

"Because I doubt Stefan will want Katherine back or to release 27 vengeful vampires. I want her back. Don't you?" he asked.

"I do." Chris said immediately.

Sighing, she set the dish down and then turned to Damon as he looked at her.

"I'm not sure why I said that." She said confused.

"A part of you still loves Katherine. She never did anything bad to you. She loved you like a sister. Katherine wanted the four of us to be together forever." Damon told her.

"I know. She told me. The reason I was out in the woods that night, when I was killed…I was walking to clear my head. I was weighing the pros and cons of becoming a vampire." She confessed.

"That's why you were outside? Chrissie, you should have stayed inside or come to me, Emily, Pearl, anyone of us. You shouldn't have been outside alone." Damon scolded.

"I know and I'm so sorry I hurt you all by dying so early. I don't even know where that wolf came from. All I know was that I saw George Lockwood in pain and I ran off because he told me too and then I heard a wolf. Next thing I know, I'm being attacked and I heard Katherine calling for me. I didn't mean to hurt you." Chris told him.

Damon pulled her into a hug and kissed her head as she clung to him.

"I didn't want you to die. If you died, it should have been long after I did." He whispered into her ear.

She nodded at that as she stayed in his arms for a few seconds longer before pulling away and forced back the tears she felt burning her eyes.

"Anyway, I'm gonna go kick your brother's ass on the X-Box." Damon smirked as he strolled into the living room.

Shaking her head at that, Chris went back to work washing the dishes as the boys played the video game on the TV while the girl went back to work.

After she finished up, the doorbell rang and Elena went to answer it making Chris walk over along with Damon.

When Elena opened the door, Stefan grew wary at the sight of his brother with the Gilbert sisters which confirmed Damon and Chris that he was keeping a secret.

"Well?" Damon asked.

"I went to get the journal back from school, but it was gone." Stefan said as the group walked out the door.

"Who took it?" Damon asked as they stood out on the porch.

"It's that teacher. There's something off about him." Damon said.

"No. He doesn't know anything. Somebody got to it right before me." Stefan crossed his arms.

"Who else knew it was there?" Damon asked.

Stefan glanced over at the window to see Jeremy on the couch which made Damon look over as well and then headed inside.

"No. Damon, leave him out of it." Elena said.

"Why? What's the big deal?" Damon drawled.

"Damon." Elena chided.

They all walked inside and went over to Jeremy.

"So I heard you found a really cool journal from back in the day. Who else did you show it to?" Damon asked as he sat on the arm of the couch.

"Huh?" Jeremy asked distracted with his game.

"Don't ask questions. Just spill." Damon said.

"You're kidding me, right?" Jeremy asked in disbelief.

"Jer, this is important. Who else knows about Johnathan Gilbert's journal?" Chris asked.

"Why is everybody so obsessed with that thing?" Jeremy asked.

"You know why I want it, Jer." Chris said making him look at her and nodded in understanding while everyone was confused.

"Who else did you tell?" Elena asked.

"Mm, just that girl Anna." Jeremy shrugged making Chris pale.

"The hot, weird one?" Damon asked.

"Yeah." Jeremy nodded.

"Wait? Who is Anna?" Stefan asked.

"That's what I wanna find out. How do you know her?" Damon asked as Elena's cellphone rang and she went to answer it.

"I just know her. She wants to meet me at the Grill tonight." Jeremy said as Elena answered her phone and moved up the stairs for privacy.

"Perfect. I'll drive. Come on." Damon clapped Jeremy's shoulder.

"Oh. Okay." Jeremy agreed as he stood up to follow.

Damon kissed Chris on the temple and then pulled Jeremy out the door while Stefan went to follow Elena up the stairs.

Going back upstairs, Chris sat in her room rummaging through her incarnate Allie's old belongings to look over the journals, photographs, clothing and jewelry that was kept in the boxes.

Curiously, she found a large journal that was the size of a text book that was dark green in coloring and was worn from age.

Her hands tingled with pleasant warmth from the feel of the worn book and she felt that it did belong to her and she was meant to find it just like she did when Damon gave her the locket.

Look it over, she found that on the front of the thick book were five circles that were intertwined together.

Turning the cover open, she found an inscription on the hard cover and read the cursive writing on it.

"This journal is written by the Ayden sisters; Shannon, Monika and Isa. This book contains our family lineage and we hope that our children and their children will add to this book over time. Remember that your love will guide you through your darkest times." She read.

Looking at the inscription on the bottom of the page, she found the date for when the book had been written and her eyes went wide in shock as she touched it.

"October 31th, 983 AD. What the hell? How did this book last so long?" she asked as she then turned the page.

The first page unfolded and she found that it was a family tree for the Aydens and saw that it was only females who had the last name Ayden while the men all had different last names.

Scanning the names and dates, she finally found Cera's name and saw the date of birth was February 13, 1831 and died June 29, 1853.

She saw that Cera had two older sisters named Charlotte and Cora, and she had two younger sisters named Cassidy and Caitlin.

Finally, she found that the five sisters had one daughter each; Charlotte had Bethany, Cora had Paige, Cera had Allie, Cassidy had Kelsey and finally Caitlin had Farrah.

Reading Allie's date of birth, Chris took in a sharp breath as she saw that the girl was born August 1, 1849.

August 1st was also Chris' birthday which made the girl shake in confusion at how this was possible.

Not everything should have been the same between her and Allie that they would also have the same day of birth.

Folding the family tree up, Chris closed the book and then hid it under her mattress so Elena, Jenna, Jeremy, Damon and Stefan didn't find it.

Deep down, she knew that the book was far too important and she would talk about it with someone when she was ready.

Standing up, she walked down the stairs when she heard a creek behind her.

"Jeremy, is that you?" she called.

There was no answer and she then shrugged it off as she went towards the stair, but she was grabbed from behind as someone covered her mouth and hit her over the head making her black out.

To be continued…