Sorry for the late update! ENJOYYYYYYYYY!

Chapter 21

It was hot.

A scorching, burning heat seemed to be ignited within my veins. It was like my blood was burning me from the inside.

I sat up in bed breathing heavily. My head was whirling, I couldn't see straight. I stood up slightly, but my body couldn't handle the weight causing me to collapse on the floor. I had the sudden urge to throw up. I slowly managed to crawl to the bathroom and made it just in time to vomit into the toilet before darkness consumed me once more.

"How is she now?" A voice whispered.

"Her fever won't go down. She's still burning up."

"Should we take her to the hospital?"

I struggled to say something but only a soft whimper escaped my lips. The heat was back and my insides were burning once more. I tossed and turned murmuring incoherent words. I could feel something cool on my forehead but it wasn't helping the heat at all.

"Make it stop." I cried softly scratching my arms. "It's burning."

I felt cold hands slowly pulling my hands away from my arms and placing them at my sides.

"She's hurting herself, she almost drew blood." The same voice whispered panic lingering on the edges.

"Maybe it's the blood you fed her, Damon." Another voice said. It sounded angry. "I told you not to give her vampire blood, her tainted blood is probably having a bad reaction to it."

"What if it kills her?"

I couldn't keep the voices together anymore. They started to blur together and I had the sudden urge to vomit again. Hands slowly pulled me up and I opened my eyes just in time to vomit into a bucket places in front of me before passing out again.

The night turned into days and days into nights. I lost track of time as I passed in and out of consciousness repeatedly. I could hear people whispering around me and cold hands on my forehead but besides that I couldn't remember much of anything. When I finally opened my eyes, the heat had dulled somewhat, but my insides still felt queasy.

I woke up feeling tired and weary.

"She's awake!" Someone shouted and I heard footsteps before Damon, Stefan, Bonnie and Caroline appeared into the room.

Elena sat beside me and held onto my hand. "How are you feeling Scar?"

I slowly sat up and rested my head on the headboard. "How long have I been out?" I asked ignoring her question.

"Almost a week." Stefan answered staring at me cautiously like I was going to pass out again. "Do you remember anything?"

I shook my head, "Not really. I do remember my insides burning and it was really hot." I looked around at my friends, "Do you know what caused it?"

I didn't miss the pointed looks in Damon's directions.

"It appears that vampire blood doesn't mix well with your blood type." Damon finally answered. "It caused a bad reaction in your system and made you sick. How are you feeling now?"

I shrugged. "I still feel tired and sick." I placed a hand on my forehead feeling to see if I still had a fever. "I still feel a bit warm too."

"I think most of your fever is down." Bonnie said. She handed me a cold water bottle. "Here, you could use a drink, you haven't ate or drank much since you've been out."

I took the water bottle from her and almost drowned half of it in one gulp. I didn't realize how hungry or thirsty I was until I saw water. Elena brought some soup and placed it on the tray at my side. My stomach grumbled as I reached for the spoon and eagerly ate some.

"Slow down, you might throw it all back up if you eat or drink too fast." Stefan warned.

I ate the soup as slowly as I could and handed the empty bowl back to Elena who placed it on the side table. "You should get some rest." Elena said pulling the blanket around me, "We'll be downstairs if you need us, okay?"

I nodded my head before drifting off to sleep once more.

When I woke up again I felt much better and wide awake but I also felt dirty. It must have been days since the last time I actually took a proper shower. I could hear voices downstairs talking and I was eager to get out of this bed, but first I had to take a shower or else I'd just drive everyone away with my smell.

I climbed into the shower and turned the heated water on. I was just getting used to the warm water and was rinsing the shampoo out of my hair when I suddenly had a heat flash. My insides burned and I felt sick to my stomach. I collapsed on the shower floor and reached on the handles turning the water to ice cold. Instantly the cold water pouring on my skin felt better. I filled the tub up all the way with freezing water and just laid there.

"Damn it, she's going to freeze to death, get her out of the water." A voice said. Arms wrapped around me pulling me out of the tub. I felt a towel wrap around me as someone carried me out of the bathroom.

I must have dozed off in the bath. I sat up in the bed I was placed on and looked around.

Caroline grabbed a shirt and sweats from my bag and handed them to me while everyone else crowded around the bed.

"When did you wake up?" Bonnie asked.

I pulled the shirt on over the towel and the sweats under the towel carefully so I didn't flash anyone. "A while ago, I guess." I said shrugging, "I felt dirty so I decided to take a shower."

"In cold water?" Damon asked raising an eyebrow.

"It was warm first, but then I suddenly had a hot flash and it felt like I was burning again so I turned it cold."

Elena felt my forehead, "But you feel fine now."

"The flashes will probably keep happening until the vampire blood gets out of your system, but it shouldn't be too bad now." Stefan said from the doorway.

My stomach grumbled noisily. I stood up about to make my way to the door when Elena stopped me.

"Where are you going?" She asked panicked.

I frowned at her. Didn't she just hear my stomach grumble? "To get food." I said slowly, "I'm hungry."

"I'll go get it for you." She said and ran downstairs, Stefan following her out the door. I frowned after her. What was wrong with her, she was acting weird.

"I should go too, I have some more books to research through." Bonnie said edging towards the door as well. "Feel better Scar, we'll see you later."

"I'll go with you!" Caroline chimed in staring at Bonnie with wide eyes, "I'm sure you could use the extra help. Bye Scar!" Bonnie and she practically ran down the stairs leaving me alone with Damon.

I stared suspiciously after them. There was definitely something going on here. Caroline never really offered to help anyone if it didn't involve getting ready or dressed up. She definitely didn't help with research and books. They both ran out so fast like they were trying to escape from me.

Looking up at Damon, I gave him a suspicious look, "Do you know what's up with them?"

He snorted, "What makes you think I would know what's up with your friends? I'm on my downstairs, need anything?" He asked walking out the door.

Did Damon just ask me if I wanted anything? Now I knew something was up, that or the world must be ending.

"What did you just say?" I asked him bewildered. But he had already left the room and disappeared down the stairs. Why had everyone suddenly left me as soon as I woke up?

Frowning, I walked to the closed door and opened it before walking out.

I collided with an invisible brick wall.

Taking a step back, I touched the doorway again and my hands came in touch with an invisible barrier. I started banging on the invisible barrier. What the hell was this? I couldn't even leave this room.

Realisation swept through as I realized why everyone had suddenly left so suddenly.

They were escaping form my wrath.

Apparently they still remembered my short temper. I had a bad habit of screaming and shouting and throwing things at people when I got angry. Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena had first class seats to my temper issues so no wander they left so suddenly.

"DAMON!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I heard something shatter downstairs. "If someone doesn't come up here right now and explain why I'm stuck here I will kill you guys!"

I looked up from the barrier to see Damon standing on the other side of it. His arms were crossed over his chest and he had a blank expression on his face.

"What the hell is this, Damon?" I asked angrily, "Why can't I leave this room?"

"Bonnie put up a protective barrier on this room while you were asleep last night. You can't leave this room and no one other than your friends can get in or out. The barrier will detect Klaus and any other unknown vampire and refuse to let them in."

"But what if I need to get out to get something?" I exclaimed. "You can't expect me to stay in this room forever!"

"You can leave this room but I or one of your friends has to accompany you. It's for your own safety, Scarlett." Damon said sounding sincere.

I curled my hands into fists as I felt the burning anger start. I would not let them protect me by keeping me locked in a room as they all risked their lives.

"If you don't let me out right now, I will stake you." I hissed at him in a deathly calm voice.

Damon didn't even seem affected by my threat. "Then I'm definitely not letting you out."

I let out a frustrated scream before grabbing the nearest thing which happened to be a hairbrush and throwing it at him. Unfortunately, it bounced back from the barrier and landed on my foot. I grabbed my foot in pain and rubbed it frantically while shooting a glare at Damon who was still leaning close to the door trying hard not to laugh.

"I am going to kill you." I grumbled at him.

"Is she calm now?" Asked a voice from behind Damon.

"She is so not calm and ready to murder whoever came up with this stupid idea if you don't let her out right now!" I screamed.

Elena stuck her head out cautiously from the side of the door. "Sorry, Scarlett." She said nervously.

"Let me out right now." I repeated this time while stomping my foot like a four year old who didn't get their way.

"I'm sorry, but we can't let you out just now." Elena said apologetically, "Until we figure out a cure for this, you'll be safer from Klaus in this room.

"Why couldn't Bonnie cast the spell on the whole house? At least them I could still walk around the house." I said crossing my arms over my chest and glaring at her.

"Bonnie tried, but it was taking too much of her power to cover the whole house and she needed to conserve most of it so she could try to find a spell that might cure the curse." Elena explained. "I really am sorry about this, Scar, but we're only trying to protect you."

"I get that Elena, but you're only putting yourself in danger by trying to protect me. What if Klaus kills all of you to get to me, huh? What then?"

If all of my friends died while I was stuck in this room doing nothing to help them, I would never forgive myself. I wouldn't put it past Klaus to hold one of them hostage while trying to get to me.

"Don't worry about us, it's not us that Klaus is after. Plus, I'll keep your friends safe." Damon said from beside Elena.

I scoffed at him, "Somehow I don't quite believe that."

"I have breakfast ready. But you have to promise not to jump me when I come inside to give it to you okay?" Elena asked. She picked up a tray with food on it and waited for my response.

"You're treating me like I'm some rabid animal that's going to attack you. Just give me my food already." I said rolling my eyes.

I watched curiously as Elena walked through the barrier like there was nothing there and placed the tray on the bedside table. Maybe if I could grab onto her and run out the door, the barrier would let me out. As I pondered the possibilities to escape, I could feel Damon and Elena's eyes on me.

I walked to the tray and grabbed a piece of toast before stuffing it in my face. "Happy now?" I said with a mouth full of toast.

Elena wrinkled her nose at my nonexistent manners. "Let me know if you need anything else."

I watched with envy as she walked outside the barrier and down the stairs. I couldn't handle being coped up inside this room for more than a couple of days or I would go crazy. Maybe the voices in my head would cause my craziness or maybe my claustrophobia would set in, whichever came first.

I stared at the doorway where Damon was still standing. "Are you going to stay there all day to keep an eye on me?"

"I'll be in the library. But if you hear the voices again just yell and I'll be here, okay?" He said. His voice sounded strained like he was trying hard to stay calm. "Please promise me, Scarlett."

I was surprised he said please. It didn't sound like that word even existed in his vocabulary. Maybe it was the soft voice he was using or the pleading in his eyes I could see, but I nodded.

"I promise, Damon."

He gave me one last look before disappearing down the stairs too leaving me alone stuck in a room.

I finished breakfast, and paced around the room already bored to death. Maybe boredom would kill me before Klaus or my craziness could. I shook my head at my thoughts.

'Gosh, Scar, your friends are worried to death about you and all you can think about are jokes about your death, really?' I thought to myself. I stopped pacing and stood near the doorway once again.

"Hello!" I yelled, "If someone doesn't come up here right now, I will seriously stab myself with this pencil!"

I didn't even have to wait a millisecond before Damon stood in front of me.

"Really?" He growled, "Don't you dare joke about this again, Scarlett."

"Well than don't leave me here bored to death, Damon!" I said crossing my arms defensively, "You've had your fun, now please let me out of here, I really can't stay here one more minute."

I was suddenly shoved against the wall with Damon arms tightly gripping my own.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Scar?" He demanded shaking me, "You're getting closer to death every minute. Klaus showed up here and nearly killed you! The only reason he didn't finish you is because he likes playing with his food before he devours it. We haven't found anything that could help you and I doubt we will." He gently held my face between his hands and lifted it up so my eyes met his worried ones. "We're losing a failing battle here, Scar, and all you can think about doing is making jokes about your death."

I closed my eyes tightly afraid Damon would see the tears about to escape.

"I've accepted the fact that I probably won live to see my next birthday, Damon." I whispered quietly, "But I really don't want Klaus to kill me, He'll kill all of my friends and wreak havoc everywhere, so I'd rather you kill me first before he does."

Damon's grip tightened on my arms, "There is no way in hell I'm killing you." He hissed his breath inches away from my face.

"What if there's no other choice?" I asked. I opened my eyes to look him in the eye, "I'm weak and selfish Damon. There is no way that I want to kill myself to save others, and there is definitely no way I can kill myself, I just can't. So if you want a chance to save everyone else, you're going to have to kill me before Klaus or that crazy voice in my head does because I can't kill myself."

"What if I don't want to save anyone else?" He muttered. His hand came up again to cup my cheek, "What if I only want to save you?"

I would be lying if I said that Damon's words didn't melt my heart just a little. But he probably only wanted to save me because I reminded him of Savannah. He couldn't save her so he was trying to redeem himself by trying to save me.

I watched silently and his lips neared my own. My heartbeat sped up and I knew he could probably hear it. His lips where an inch away from my own and I knew I wasn't going to stop him when the door banged open.

I leapt away from Damon almost as if I'd been shocked.

"Everything okay in here? It was too quiet, I thought something had happened." Elena said standing in the doorway staring from to Damon in suspicion.

"Everything's fine, we were just fighting as usual." I said running a hand nervously through my hair and shooting Elena an innocent look.

She nodded slowly still staring between us. "Okay, Well I thought I'd come and entertain you before you go crazy." Her eyes widened as she realized what she'd said, "Oh my God, I didn't mean that literally, I'm sorry! It was just a figure of speech."

"its fine, Elena." I said rolling my eyes, "I know what you meant, it's no big deal."

I watched as Damon left the room not bothering to say anything as he closed the door behind him. I didn't understand him at all. One minute I wanted to stake him, and the next he does or says something that makes me want to feel bad for him. I understood that He'd lost someone he loved, but I wasn't his dead ex fiancée. I was Scarlett, not Savannah. The only reason he was probably even trying to save me was because I looked like her.

I sat down on the bed suddenly feeling tired again.

"What's wrong?" Elena asked sitting next to me. "Did Damon do something? I can go ask Stefan to beat him up for you if you want."

"No it's not that." I chuckled, "I'm just worried about you guys. What happens if we can't find any cure for this?"

"Scarlett, don't you dare start thinking like that. If we're going to get through this, we need your carelessness and immaturity and your crazy plans to anger Damon. If you start acting like this now then there's no hope for the rest of us, so please promise me you'll act like the Scarlett I know and not this sob story Scarlett, okay?"

"I promise." I said smiling at Elena. She pulled me into hug her and I hugged her back tightly.

I only hoped I would be able to keep that promise.

IM REALLY SORRY about the late update! But my first semester of college has been pretty hectic and I've lost track of time. Can you believe its 2014!? I also hit a writers block and had no idea where to go with this story so sorry for the short chapter, but I'll try to make the next one longer. I'm not really sure where to go with the rest of this but I'll update as soon as I can! Hopefully you guys haven't lost interest in this story, Please read and review!

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