Chapter Twenty

I stared at them all with wide eyes. She couldn't be serious. The dream was long, I got that, but a coma for almost a whole week? What was she trying to pull? A prank? "Elena, what in the hell that Satan rules are you talking about?"

Everyone sat down quietly as Elena started to explain to me what was going on. "You disappeared when Damon came back and I thought you went back to your room to sleep. But when I went home, you weren't there, so I just assumed you were with someone else, like Caroline or Tyler or Matt. So, the next day, you still didn't come back and I assumed that you wanted to get away for a while since all the drama was crazy and consuming. I tried to call your phone but you didn't pick up and that's when I started getting worried. Then, while Damon was thinking of a plan, he found you in one of the spare rooms. You've been in a coma for a while after he took you to the hospital and then officially declared that you were in comatose."

I stared at Elena for a second, wait for her to say that she's just kidding. That they're all playing a joke because I, of all people, couldn't fall into a coma. It just didn't work that way; at least, that's what I thought.

"Courtney, say something," Jenna begged.

Instead of saying anything, I ripped the cords from my body and tried to get up. Stefan was the first (since he was a vampire) to try and stop me from getting up. He gently pushed me back, but forceful enough to actually push me back. I repeatedly tried to get up, but Elena, Jenna and Stefan all stopped my attempts. I guess I was just too weak. I finally gave up and just groaned.

"I have to get out of here. I'm not lying here while everything is going on. I'm getting out of this hospital with your help or not."

"Courtney, you have to stay a little longer, alright? They need to run tests." When I looked at Stefan, Tom came to my mind. How is that even possible? Stefan didn't have any children (that I knew of), so that wouldn't make sense unless they were cousins or something. Maybe Damon had children? No, it had to directly come from Stefan, not his brother.

"I need to tell—"

"Tell who what?" Elena inquired, suddenly interested. I wanted to get up so I could go talk to Katherine, but I had a feeling they weren't going to let me be any time soon, so that was crossed off the list. I would tell Tyler, but he had no idea of the whole thing about vampires. I just couldn't deal with Caroline or Bonnie, Elena would look into too much, Stefan was just not on my good side at the time and Damon wouldn't listen. It was almost like I needed to talk to the guy himself; Ryan. He was dead, wasn't he? He died when we were first together so that meant if I just thought of seeing him, he'd appear. That was how it worked with everyone else, wasn't it? Elena suddenly suggested, "Sure, tell me about your dream." This broke me out of my daze to actually look at them.

"I'm actually feeling tired," I lied, lying farther back down into the hospital bed which was oddly comfortable.

"You were just fighting to get up," John protested, not believing me for a second.

"You're right! I'm not tired. I just want to see my doctor," I demanded, dropping the whole tired act. I just woke up from almost a week of sleeping, it's not like I would go back to it five minutes after waking up.

"Okay, I'll go get him," Jenna offered with a smile. I smiled back at her because she was actually doing something I wanted. She got up to go get the doctor and Elena and Stefan bombarded me with questions and answers.

Elena said, "John's our father!"

Stefan asked, "What did you dream about?"

Elena said, "We made a deal with Elijah, but then stabbed him with the dagger to kill an Original but only as long as it's in his heart."

"We know who Klaus is and Elijah wanted to make a deal with Elena to keep her away from Klaus so he doesn't use her in a sacrifice."

"Elijah wants his brother dead."

They all stopped talking when Jenna came back with the doctor right behind her. Meredith Fell was standing behind Jenna with a clipboard in hand. It was about damn time for them to come because I was annoyed with everything they were just shouting at me. It's not like I could hear everything they said, especially when they're saying it faster than needed and all at the same time.

"Courtney, I understand you want to get out, but you need to stay overnight. We need to run some tests and see why you went into a coma. You look pretty fine to me, honestly, but we can't be totally sure by the whole thing." Meredith opened her mouth to say more, but all I heard was nothing. Did she really think I would stay here? Hell no, I was getting out as fast as I could. I wasn't going to wait no whole night.

"Okay," I said neutrally. I really hope I'm strong enough to perform the compulsion spell because that would seriously suck if I couldn't. Then I'd probably stay in the hospital. "I guess I'm stuck here for today."

"I'm sorry, Courtney, it's just procedure," Meredith sighed, but I waved her off. "And also a part of procedure, you guys need to leave. I need to have her alone when we do the tests. So you have to go in a few minutes."

"Alright," Jenna nodded grabbing her things. Elena, Stefan and John followed her actions and agreed. "Courtney, I'll come pick you up tomorrow."

John corrected, "We'll come pick you up." Jenna rolled her eyes at John and kissed me on the forehead. John winked and Elena did the same thing as Jenna and Stefan just stood by the door awkwardly. I tried not to feel like it didn't hurt that he was standing by the door and not over here trying to make me feel better, but he wasn't mine to feel bad about. He was my sister's and I needed to respect that no matter how much it hurt me to. Stefan was completely and forever Elena's and I just had to deal with that.

I didn't say anything, all I did was nod. They walked out with nothing else to say, except Meredith. "I'm sorry you can't go home, now," she apologized. I ignored her and just stared at my hands. I wasn't strong enough to complete the spell, so I needed some kind of outlet.

"Meredith," I called out, when she was about to walk out the door. "Could you get me some water?"

"Sure," she agreed with a smile. She walked out the door quickly to go get my water. I was thankful the staff was so caring and quick to get you what you wanted. It was something I really admired about my little town's personality; the kind people. It was just too bad it had rotten people like Katherine and I living in it. Mystic Falls is way too innocent, although, the name is kind of asking for it…

Meredith came back with the water a few minutes later. She handed it to me softly and said if I needed anything, I only needed to call. I nodded and started drinking so she could see that I was fine. When she left, I stopped drinking and put my hand in the water. Focusing on the power of the water, it felt like I was drawing power from it. I felt more regenerated and more powerful since I was able to draw power from normal earthly things.

As soon as I took my hand from the water, I dried it off and then called for Meredith again. She came back looking flustered. "Okay, there's something in my eye and I need you to look at it," I lied smoothly, blinking my right eye continuously. Meredith looked like she was annoyed, but she followed my request anyway and got close to me. She stared into my eye. "Compulsion est amicus tuus," I whispered to myself and Meredith's eyes went blank. "Now, get me out of here."

I walked out of the hospital with a big smile on my face. I was finally out of that hell and my first stop was the Salvatore household. I was going to visit Katherine first, but I decided that I needed to talk to Stefan. He was the one who took a chance with me and then walked all over me when he went running back to Elena. What an asshole, I know.

I thought of standing in front of the boarding house and there I suddenly was, walking up the steps. Instead of knocking on the door like I should have, I just walked into the house like it was mine.

"Salvatore, get your ass down here before I come up and pound it myself," I yelled up to him, making myself comfortable on their couch. It was a nice place by the hearth, even though it wasn't lit. I could just think of lying here with some tea in a mug with your boyfriend and you just talk as you hear the crackling of the fire. You could fall asleep next to them and it'd be so peaceful.

Damon was in front of me instantly after I called up to them. "What did I do?" he inquired, while pouring himself a drink across from me.

"Nothing, exactly," I said.

"Then you're calling for Stefan?" he questioned before taking a sip and I nodded. He looked confused (I couldn't blame him), but he didn't ask any more questions. All he did was walk up the stairs with his glass and seconds later, Stefan was there.

"Courtney, I—"

I put my hand up to stop him. "Yeah, yeah, save it, Salvatore. It doesn't matter because you're coming with me." I got up from the couch, grabbed Stefan's arm and dragged him behind me as I walked out the door. I called up to Damon just in case, "Damon, don't follow us! And we're not doing what you think we're doing!" Then Stefan and I were out the door, walking towards the woods.

We stopped when we were about ten feet into the woods outside their house. I leaned on a tree with my arms crossed. Stefan looked regretful and worried. "Courtney, I know everything has been hectic and I didn't get to see you much after I got out," Stefan started, but he didn't get to finish.

"Stefan, you are a certified motherfucker." I shook my head at him. "You told me that you had some kind of feelings for me, then you kissed me, slept with me and next thing I know, you're running off to Elena again. Way to break my heart."

"Courtney, I know that I hurt you—"

"Hurt me? When I saw you two together, kissing on Elena's bed, I wasn't hurt. I was fucking destroyed! It felt like you took my heart and then shit all over it. And you didn't even care. You continued to kiss Elena when I walked out that door and didn't give two shits about what you were doing to me. I know that I'm not always the most lovable person because I'm all sarcastic and mean-funny, but seriously? Do I really deserve to have my heart broken?"

Stefan sighed and looked down at his feet. I thought he would try to apologize and beg for my forgiveness, but instead he got defensive. "You knew that we were taking a chance when we slept together. You knew that we couldn't be together because it would break Elena and she'd—"

I yelled, "She'd what, Stefan? Go running to Damon?" Stefan looked guilty yet angry at the same time. Apparently, he didn't like it when someone talked about Elena and Damon together, even though that's how it was going to end. "Because it's so horrible for Elena to be with someone, but you. So let's make sure that Elena stays with you and only you even though she could be happy with Damon. Because Damon doesn't deserve to be happy with Elena."

"Courtney, it's not like that," Stefan denied firmly. I didn't listen though; I just rolled my eyes.

"Everything has to go your way, doesn't it? Stefan's got to have this; Stefan's to go to have that. If Stefan doesn't get what he wants, the world will end. Well, suck it up, Steffers because—"

I was interrupted by the feeling of lips on mine. They were moving violently, yet slowly. I guessed it was the asshole Stefan (since he was the only one with me) who was trying to make everything better with his stupid soft lips. (Honestly, I was feeling a little bit better. Mind you, all he was doing was kissing me.)

I let myself indulge myself with the bliss of Stefan's lips. You get three seconds, Courtney. One, two, three. I pushed him away from me firmly and put on a scowl even if I really wanted to smile. My emotions were all over the place. I wanted him to kiss me more, hold me and tell me that I was the one, but at the same time I wanted to tell him what an asshole I thought he was and continue to be mad at him. After the kiss, I had the emotional range of a pregnant woman.

"Stefan fucking Salvatore, you do not get to do that to me!" I yelled, not even caring if someone heard us. "You do not get to kiss me, break me and then kiss me again while I'm screaming at you. Are you that selfish?"

"Courtney, I'm sorry!"

I screamed back, "I know you are." We both took a breath and stopped yelling at each other. I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream at him even more (but my voice was fading from all the yelling). I wanted to break something or throw my pillow around. But most of all, I wanted someone to tell me that I wasn't just something they could use and then throw to the side. I wanted someone to tell me that I was number one to them and that they'd do anything for me. Because I would do anything for the people I called friends, but it felt like Elena would always come first before me.

Stefan started to say, "Courtney…"

I put my hand up and softly asked, "If you break a plate and say sorry to it, is the plate fixed?" Stefan said nothing, but I could tell, by his eyes, that he was saying 'no.' "Exactly. You can't just break my heart and then say sorry."

With that, I walked away from Stefan and left him in the woods to think about our fight. As I walked out of the woods, I found Damon standing with his arms crossed and a frown on his face. When he saw me walking towards him, he opened his arms. I finally got to him and I wrapped my arms around his neck tightly and his arms were around my waist, securely.

"What was that all about?"

I mumbled into his ear, "I made the mistake you did. I wanted something I couldn't have."

"Courtney, Stefan, really?" he mumbled back.

I pulled away so he could see me nod my head. (It was weird because he's taller than me and I had to stand on the tips of my toes.) He shook his and guided me towards the door of the boarding house.

I sat down on the couch as he poured me a drink.

"No, we're going to my room," Damon said, and I followed him up. I sat on his bed, which was made up. I looked at my surroundings and concluded that they looked exactly the same as when I was here with Rose. "Courtney, what the hell were you thinking?"

I voice cracked many times as I spoke, "That's the thing: I wasn't. He just came into my room, claiming that he had feelings for me and then he totally just kissed me and I kissed him back. We had a little fun, he got stuck in the tomb and then went running back to Elena. So basically, I took a chance on someone I knew I could never have."

"I knew there was something freaky going on between you two," Damon murmured quietly to himself. I agreed with him since he did give me that knowing look when we walked in the boarding house together after we had our "fun time" together. He returned to his normal loud voice. "Okay, so you love him. He doesn't love you. He loves your sister and your sister loves him."

I added, "And you love her."

This time, Damon didn't deny it at all. "So we're all in love with someone that is never going to work out, Stefan vampire, Elena human, and we are all trying to protect Elena at the same time. You know what we need to do?"

"What?" I asked.

"What we—" he gestured between him and me. "–really need to do is become friends with benefits, Courtney."

I started laughing after that. It was funny that he thought I would sleep with his bitch ass. He must have been kidding. Then I realized he wasn't.

"You're serious?" I asked incredulously.

"I want Elena. She has Stefan. You want Stefan. He has Elena. So that just leaves you and me alone…for each other."

"You know in that movie, they become attached, right?"

"But we are in love with two other people," Damon argued. "And I really need someone to talk to."

I laughed. "Then talk to me as your friend. Damon, I'm not going to sleep with you."

"But why?" he whined. "I want to sleep with you. We don't need to have feelings. You can come over, we can do the dirty and then you can go back to mourning over Stefan. Sound good?"

"Yeah," I agreed and Damon sighed in relief. Then I added, "Except for the part where we do the dirty."

"Courtney Gilbert, I want you really badly," he deadpanned, staring at me right in the eye. I mocked his actions with exaggeration.

"Damon Salvatore, you only want me because I look like Elena. I'm not going to sleep with you if you don't actually want me for me."

"Oh, but I do. I want those sexy curves and I want to run my hands though those sexy waves," he growled seductively and I played along. "I want to see what's under that shirt. And what kind of animal you are in the bed."

"I can tell you this," I said just as seductively, "I am much more aggressive than Elena could ever be." Damon grabbed me by my waist and pulled me close.

"Then kiss me." He leaned in to kiss me on the lips and I just turned my head.

"But you see the thing is Damon, I don't want to kiss you." Damon groaned at his failed attempts to get me to be his "friend with benefits."

Believe me, I found Damon very attractive, but I just couldn't. Sure, Stefan was dating Elena, but I knew it would never last. I just shipped Delena too hard. I wasn't going to sleep with my sister's future husband. Even if I had to compel them to love each other, I would. Damon was the bad that Elena's life needed. He was the adventure to her story. The Jack to her Rose. They were perfect for each other; opposites do attract, you know.

"Courtney, kiss me."

"No."

"Kiss me."

"No."

"Kiss me."

"Fucking. No."

"Kiss me, woman."

"No!"

"Courtney Gilbert, I swear I will compel you to kiss me."

"No, you won't," I denied. But I underestimated Damon's motive.

He looked into my eyes and said, "You will kiss me."

And I motherfucking did.

Compulsion still worked on me even though I was a supernatural occurrence. But the worse part wasn't the kiss or the compulsion.

I motherfucking liked it.

He didn't have to compel me to do the rest.

"I am so going to hell," I groaned after laying in the bed next to Damon for a few seconds. "I slept with Stefan and now you? Both the brothers? Ugh, I'm turning into her."

"Don't worry, you're way cooler than Katherine. Plus, you are just a bit more muscular than her." Damon assured me, wrapping his arms around my bare waist. He growled playfully, "I like that." He kissed me roughly and I kissed back just as aggressively.

"I know. I work out. I'm sexy and I know it."

"And I know it too."

"Damon, how often are we going to do this?"

He shrugged. "As often as we want."

"So we can do it again right now?"

"Come here, baby."

Awkward and short chapter, I know. But I don't know how to feel right now. I saw Divergent on Saturday with my friend and I was so in awe. Before, I thought Divergent was just a second rate Hunger Games, but I was so fucking wrong. I wish I could have updated before Saturday because I was reading the book Divergent all day yesterday because I was addicted. I finished it and now I'm on the second book. I'm so obsessed, I looked up the dates when the other two movies in the series will release and I marked it on my calendar. Now I'm like thinking only Divergent and this other book, The Fault in Our Stars.

So, to fuck us up, the put The Fault in Our Stars trailer just before they played Divergent in the movie theaters and I was like, "Waaatt?" The guy who plays Caleb in Divergent plays Gus in The Fault in Our Stars with Shailene Woodley who plays Tris and Hazel in TFiOS. I was like, "What the actual fuck? Why the hell would they do that? Now the whole movie I'mma be thinking about how they should kiss, but they're brother and sister."

Anyway,

THEY'RE FINALLY MAKING A MOVIE FOR THE FAULT IN OUR STARS. I MOTHERFUCKING LOVE THAT BOOK, IT MADE ME CRY LIKE A BITCH, BUT I STILL LOVE IT. THANK YOU GOD FOR MAKING A MOVIE BASED OFF SUCH A FUCKING AMAZING BOOK. TFiOS! TFiOS! TFiOS! TFiOS! TFiOS! BITCHES, I CANNOT FUCKING WAIT UNTIL IT COMES OUT. WHEN THE TRAILER PLAYED, I CRIED BECAUSE I FUCKING LOVE IT SO MUCH. BUT SERIOUSLY THOUGH, THIS MOVIE WILL HAVE ME CRYING LIKE A FUCKING BITCH. I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A CUP JUST FOR MY TEARS.

That is all.

Katherineismikaelson.