Hey guys! I got it out early for you! I hope it's good. ATTENTION! If any of you have any cool editing skills I would love if someone could make a cover for my story. I've tried and I'm just not skilled enough. Lily Collins is who I base Alex off of if any of you want to create something for me! Thank you and don't forget to review!
Season 1 Episode 13 Children of the Damned
"Rise and shine."
My eyes fluttered open, sore and puffy from the night prior from all of my crying. I had to blink several times before I could get my eyes adjusted to the light and blink away the blurry tears. I felt exhausted and my crying fit last night didn't help. The last thing I wanted to do was wake up, but eventually I slowly turned over with a groan. I screamed when I saw who it was, but I shouldn't have been the least bit surprised that he was standing there.
"Damon!" I screamed, pulling my covers over my chest. I had worn a white camisole to bed last night, feeling very warm because of my endless tears. I never imagined I would see Damon the next morning, and even though I was covered I felt indecent in front of him. He looked as handsome as ever, and quite amused at my screaming.
"Shhhh." He hushed, his long finger pressed to his lips. "Do you want to alert the whole town that I'm in your bedroom?"
I grimaced. I was definitely not in the mood for his flirting or anything that had to do with him at that moment. In fact, I wish I could just have a break, his constant innuendos and sexy come backs were not helping me get over him in the slightest.
"On second thought…." He trailed off and then smirked at me. I rolled my eyes. "Were you crying?"
I felt my face heat up a bit. I couldn't explain why I had been crying or I would be really embarrassed.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, changing the subject. He didn't seem to notice my sudden change of subject or he just didn't care. I watched him parade around my room, looking at all of my things. He found my sketch pad on my desk, looking through it with wondered eyes. I didn't have the energy to stop him. He froze found the drawing of him in his vampire form and swallowed visibly before he shut it.
"I need to fill you in." He said beginning to look at my book collection. I rubbed my eyes to get the sleep out of them.
"On what?" I asked, running a hand through my tangled hair. I bet I had bed head and bed head was not attractive.
"Stefan and Elena have joined my cause." He said with a smile. "We are getting Katherine out."
I nodded, even though I hated this whole idea. But I couldn't back out, not after I promised him that I would help him. Especially since Elena and Stefan have agreed to help as well. I couldn't let Damon know of my true feelings, unless I wanted him to think I was crazy and leave before I ever got the chance to say goodbye. I wanted as much time as I could with him. I wanted to remember everything about him, so I could remember him once he was gone.
"Ok." I said. "So what's the first step?"
"Elena is going to get the journal." He said, referring to Jonathan Gilbert's journal. "Then we need to find the grimoire."
"What is that anyway?" I asked, I had heard it so many times and I had no idea what it even was.
"It's a witch's spell book." He replied. "If there is a reversal to the spell, it's in that book."
"So, what do you want me to do?" I asked. I watched him go through my closet, shifting through a bunch of t shirts and furrowing his eyebrows. I was a little embarrassed to see him so comfortably going through my stuff.
"I need you to look pretty." He said, then he grimaced. "Do you own anything other than t shirts?"
"Yes." I replied and stood up. I wiggled myself in the space between him and my clothes. He stared down at me, eyebrows twitching at the sight of my skin on my chest. It wasn't exposed often. I felt my face heat up.
"We have another vampire to look out for." He said, sounding a little distracted. "It will most likely venture out. Maybe to the Grill. So keep your eyes peeled."
"And why do I need to look pretty?" I asked, arms crossed over my chest. He reached over me, grabbing something behind me and put it up to my chest.
"If it is a male, we need him to be distracted." He said, looking me over. "Wear this one."
"When did you become my fashion consultant?" I asked with a smirk. I looked down at the top he chose. It was simple, a deep blue v neck with short sleeves. I had only wore it a few times, usually opting for my signature t shirt.
"Wear shorts too." Damon said ignoring my comment. "He needs to be real good and focused on you."
"Why me?" I asked. He locked gazes with me. "Isn't there someone… sexier that you could choose?"
Damon stared at me for a long time before he chuckled. I waited, licking my lips as I stared at his. I wonder what kissing him would be like when I wasn't drunk. It would probably be even better than before.
"Underneath the t shirts is a body, Alex." He said. My lips parted. "You just need to realize it and use it to your advantage."
"I don't believe in using my body to get what I want." I said. I wasn't a piece of meat, I had more integrity then that. He chuckled again.
"Then you're the only woman who does." He said. "Now get dressed… unless you need my help with that too."
"I think I can manage." I replied, clutching the top to my chest. Damon stood there for a while before he winked and then he was gone. I sighed, looking at the top and then to my open window. I walked over to it, and with a short tug it was closed and locked.
I did as Damon said, kept a look out and tried to be as… distracting as possible. I didn't wear shorts like he said, I wore skinny jeans instead. I didn't know what I would have been able to find. The only thing I noticed was that our bartender was gone. Robert was having a fit about it. Apparently, Ben hadn't even called in.
I didn't find anything at all during my shift. No weird behavior from any customers, I wasn't even distracting. No one spared a second glance to me, which I was fine with but it still bothered me. Damon had been wrong when he said I could do anything with just showing off what little curves I had. I wasn't sexy, I wasn't beautiful.
I was average, and average wasn't good enough to get information out of people. How was I ever supposed to find out where this vampire was? They blended in so well with society, I hadn't thought anything was wrong with Stefan and Damon for a long time, but then I remembered something.
Stefan and Damon had daylight rings.
Those rings protected them from the sun. I wouldn't have seen the vampire this morning because they had to be in the dark or they would burn. I would have to pay close attention as it got darker.
"Alex!" I heard my name being called and looked over. Bonnie came rushing in, a big grin on her face.
"Hey Bonnie." I said. I looked out the window. The sun was just setting. It was game time.
"Guess who's on a date with Ben Mckittrick!" She said excitedly. I looked for Ben, no sign of him anywhere. I was guessing he was in the bathroom.
"I'm going to go out on a limb here and say…" I then paused. "You."
"Yes me!" She said. "We went to karaoke and it was amazing."
"That's great Bonnie." I said, but then something hit me. "You know he didn't show up for his morning shift."
"I guess he was just getting ready." She shrugged. I nodded. It could have just been a coincidence, that Ben had missed the day shift. He could have just slept in and didn't think it was worth it to come in late. I might have done the same thing if I were him.
"There he is." She said with a smile.
"Have fun." I said. She turned back to me with a cocked eyebrow.
"Oh, I will." She said with a wink. I smiled back at her as she met back up with Ben and the two got a table. I watched him closely, not seeing any sign of vampirism. He looked normal, but so did all the other vampires I had met. They looked human, until their face distorted into their true form.
I watched from afar, trying not to catch their attention. If Ben would look up, I would look away. I couldn't shake that… eerie feeling I got about all of this. Even if I was just being paranoid. It wasn't too long before Damon came in, Jeremy in tow. I wondered when those two had started hanging out. Damon caught sight of me and headed over to where I stood.
"Anything?" He asked, not even greeting me. I tried not to let it bother me. My eyes flickered over to Ben, but I mentally shook my head. No need to get Ben killed over my strange feeling.
"No." I replied. "Nothing out of the ordinary. When did you start hanging out with Jeremy?"
"Since he gave the Gilbert journal to Alaric Saltzman and since Alaric Saltzman lost it." He said. "Some girl named Anna showed interest in the journal."
"Anna?" I asked, thinking back to the girl I met at the dance. "You think she's a vampire?"
"You know her?" Damon asked me, a flash of confusion moving through his eyes. I nodded.
"I met her briefly." I answered. "At the dance. She doesn't seem vampire material to me."
"Everyone has vampire material." He replied. I shivered at his cryptic message. He then took a seat, ordering a drink from the bar. I waited for him to say something. He didn't. He was focused on everything else, a very serious expression on his face.
"So, what are you going to do with her?" I asked. He looked up. "Anna I mean."
"Kill her." He replied quickly. "I'm going to get any information she has and then she has to die."
"Why?" I asked him. I didn't like killing, even if this girl were a vampire. What gave him the right to take her life?
"Why do you ask so many questions?" He answered my question with a question. I pursed my lips.
"What if she's not a vampire?" I continued. "What if it's a false alarm?"
"I don't know Alex." He said. I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. It seemed to me that Damon was just taking this day by day. He would get small amounts of information and feed off of that until he got something useful. He was hoping that Anna would have information so that he could get into the tomb. If she didn't know anything, then he would be back to square one.
Suddenly, Damon lifted his head turning it to the side. I followed his gaze and there stood Anna, talking to Jeremy. She hadn't noticed us, she was too focused on Jeremy. Damon's head then shot back forward, so as to not catch Anna's attention.
"What?" I asked. "What's wrong?"
He didn't answer, he just downed his drink and turned to go. I followed behind him.
"Dam-" I began but he turned around and shushed me. With a fire in his eyes he walked out the door. I followed suit, my eyebrows furrowed. He was already halfway down the street, he must not have been using his vampire speed so I would be able to catch up.
"What is going on?" I asked him, running to keep his pace. His eyebrows were knitted together, and he seemed to be in deep thought. He shook his head as if he didn't believe something. I was growing impatient, afraid of what Damon had just witnessed to make him this stressed.
"I know her." He said finally. "Anna. She was alive in 1864."
"What?" I asked, not really believing it. If she was alive then… that meant that Anna was indeed a vampire. That also meant that she might have reason to get into that tomb as well, and she was now with Jeremy. I felt my stomach lurch.
"Listen to me." Damon said, turning and catching my shoulders. I halted to a stop, staring him in the eye. "I want you to go back in there and watch them like a hawk. Tell me if anything changes."
"What should I be looking for?" I asked.
"Just any strange behavior." He replied. "Tell me when she leaves."
"Ok." I replied. He released my shoulders and began to walk away. "Damon."
He turned, looking more than annoyed with me. I knew that I was asking too many questions and that he was busy, but I had to know. If I was going to help I had to be in the loop. I had to ask questions, and the more time spent with Damon the better for me. Or the worse… either way.
"She's not going to hurt me is she?" I asked. Damon considered my question before he came back over to me. He then cupped my face in his hands, making me look at him. I melted at his touch.
"You'll be fine." He said. "Just keep your mouth shut and she won't even know you are there."
I nodded. He gazed into my eyes for the longest time, seeming to be searching for something. I wondered if he was waiting for me to believe that I was really going to be fine before he left. He then smiled, something I had missed all night. It wasn't condescending or cocky. This was that smile that made my heart burst every time he let it show.
"Good work pretty girl." He said before he took off. I felt immediately cold while he was gone, shivering at the lack of contact. My arms erupted into goosebumps and I rubbed my hands on my skin to try and warm them up. I then ran back inside.
I watched as Jeremy and Anna played pool for a long while, smiling and flirting. It made me a little sick to know that she was a vampire, one that we didn't know her motives, and she was that close to Jeremy. I wanted to say something, protect him, but I didn't know how. I also noticed Ben and Bonnie, still talking at their table. I kept my attention split between the two, not really caring about my job at that point.
The first thing I noticed was Anna's departure. I searched through my phone, sending Damon a warning text. I didn't receive a reply, but I didn't expect one. After my message was sent, I then looked up. Ben stood in front of me, check in hand. I jumped a little, not expecting him to be there and then there was the fact I had never heard him approach. I forced a smile.
"Hey there Gilbert." He said and handed me the check. I took it, taking it to the cash register. I typed in the information, my hands shaking violently. Anna was gone, which I knew Damon would take care of. But Ben… I still had my suspicions about him.
"Where were you this morning?" I asked, not looking him in the eye. I could see him tense in my peripheral vision. He hadn't been expecting me to question his disappearance.
"Wasn't feeling well." He lied, I could tell he was lying because his eyebrow twitched. I ground my teeth, forcing myself to keep calm.
"You look fine now." I commented, sneaking a look to him. He looked very tense, very angry. I could feel my hands start to sweat.
"Yeah." He replied. I then handed him his change, our hands brushing. We stared at one another for a long while before he nodded to me. I hoped that he hadn't realized that I was suspecting of something. I hope my own paranoia just made him think I was strange. He turned and walked back to where Bonnie was standing. I looked away, grabbing another tables order. I took it to the table, setting it down gently before I returned my attention to where Ben and Bonnie previously were.
They were gone.
I rushed to the table, almost knocking over another server in the process. I looked at the table, picking up Bonnie's jacket. She had been wearing it when I saw her. I searched the room, finding no trace of either of them. I felt my stomach drop.
I searched for my phone, clicking send on the contact. I waited, listening to several rings before he picked up.
"What happened?" Damon's voice echoed in my ears. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah… I just… Bonnie…." I said looking at her jacket. "I think her date is working with Anna."
"She can set fires with her mind." He said. "She will be fine. I know where the grimoire is. I'm coming to get you."
"Ok." I replied in a shaky voice. His end went dead and I took in a shaky breath. I went to the back, clocking out and tossing my apron up on the hook. I grabbed my stuff and went outside, Damon already waiting for me. I hopped into the car and as soon as my door was closed we were off.
"Where is it?" I asked him. "The grimoire."
"My father has it." He replied. I swallowed. Damon's father wasn't a vampire. That meant that he was dead. That meant that we were going to his grave. I didn't know why he needed me, he could have done it on his own. In fact I was probably more in the way then anything. But nonetheless he was taking me with him. We didn't speak, I barely breathed. He was so serious, so focused. I couldn't bring myself to even look at him.
It was dark, very dark. I had trouble following him through the woods as we made our way to his father's grave. At one point, I stumbled, almost face planting, but he caught me, not letting go until I was upright. I was so thankful that it was dark, so he couldn't see me blush.
I wondered if this was sad for him, that we had to exhume his father for the spell. But then I remembered that nothing mattered more to Damon then him getting Katherine back. The thought hit me like a brick and made my chest hurt. As much as Damon pissed me off and made me uncomfortable, he had his moments. Most of the time, they were only for me to see and I treasured that he trusted that side of him with me. However, it only added to the heartbreak that would inevitably happen when he took Katherine and left.
I was surprised when I saw a light ahead. Nobody should have been out here, especially at this time. He stopped suddenly, and I almost ran into the back of him. He was staring at the light ahead and I saw his back turn rigid and his hands ball into fists. I knew then that he was more angry then surprised that we were not alone in this area. He rushed forward with vampire speed, and I tried to keep up, tripping over roots and such. I did eventually break through the tree line, standing behind Damon. I gasped when I saw the source of the light.
Stefan and Elena stood at a tombstone, the ground already dug up and I could see an open book lying on the ground. That must have been the grimoire.
"Well, what do you know?" Damon said, catching everyone's attention. "This is an interesting turn of events."
I could hear the betrayal laced in his voice. Both Stefan and Elena looked very guilty, especially Elena. I swallowed hard as I stood just behind Damon, who I could tell was on the brink of full blown dangerous. I shivered a bit, this Damon was the one that scared me. The one who hurt people and did things for his gain and his alone. I didn't know what he was capable of. Stefan pulled himself from the tomb, the grimoire in his hands. Damon eyed it before glaring back at his brother.
"I can't let you bring her back." Stefan said, his voice full of concern. "I'm sorry."
"So am I." Damon said regretfully. "For thinking for even a second that I could trust you."
Stefan winced, but quickly recovered.
"Oh. You're not capable of trust." Stefan said. "The fact that you're here means that you read the journal and you were planning on doing this yourself."
"Of course I was going to do it by myself, because the only one I can count on is me!" Damon said. I took a deep breath. "You made sure of that many years ago, Stefan. But you…"
He then looked to Elena who glared at him from afar.
"You had me fooled." Damon finished. Elena looked away, ashamed at herself. I shifted from one leg to another. I never thought that this would happen, that these two brothers would betray one another. I didn't think that Elena would either. I didn't even know whose side I was on. I promised Damon I would help him, and so far I had done everything he asked. Did that mean I was on Damon's side? Maybe not, considering I didn't want Katherine out of the tomb either. However, those were for selfish reasons where Elena and Stefan's were more likely for the safety of the town.
"So what are you going to do now? Because if you try and destroy that..." Damon said and he suddenly grabbed me. "I'll rip her heart out."
My eyes widened and my heart rate picked up. I was guessing he was only using me because I was closer than Elena was, and with Stefan's pure heart he would try to save me. Stefan's jaw set and I looked at him pleadingly. I didn't want to die, and although I fought against Damon I knew I wouldn't be free.
"You won't kill her." Stefan said. "You care too much."
"Is that right?" Damon asked, his arm tightening around my throat. "I can kill anyone I want."
"Look at Damon." Stefan said. "You can't kill her."
"I can." Damon replied. Stefan shook his head.
"Look at her Damon." Stefan repeated. There was a moment of tense silence before I was flipped around. His face was cold, and mean. This was the part of Damon that I hated, the part that frightened me to my core. Now, with his hand around my neck and those icy eyes on me I felt so much anger… and betrayal.
"Damon… please." I begged. He sucked in a breath, looking away from me for a moment. He met my gaze again, his eyes softening the slightest bit. That one gesture, the softening of his face, gave me a glimmer of hope.
"I can do one better." Damon said and then bit his wrist. He then shoved his wound into my mouth and the blood pooled into it. My eyes widened as the blood trickled down my throat.
"Damon!" Elena shrieked. "Stop!"
"Give me the book, Stefan, or I'm snapping her neck." Damon said, spinning me around to face my two friends. I stared at Stefan. I didn't want to die, but I didn't want to be a vampire either. I didn't want that life, and now my humanity was hanging in the balance. I didn't doubt that Damon would snap my neck, knowing I would come back. But I didn't want that. I didn't want to come back and the only thing I cared about was blood. I felt hot tears roll down my cheeks.
"Let her go first." Stefan said.
"The book!" Damon replied, becoming angrier.
"I'm not going to give this to you until she is standing next to me." Stefan said. Damon's arm tightened around my throat.
"Problem is, I no longer trust that you'll give it back!" Damon replied.
"Damon let her go!" Elena ordered but Damon didn't listen.
"You just did the one thing that ensures that I will." Stefan said. Damon was still for a long while. Stefan's eyes flickering from me to Damon. He then slowly set the book down, Damon watching every move.
"Ok." Stefan said, the book on the ground and his hands up in surrender. There was a moment of stillness, one of calm. In the next second, he took his chance, releasing me. I felt the pressure of his arm come off my throat and I turned slowly. Damon was staring at me, stoic and emotionless. I parted my lips, as if I was going to say something but I couldn't find the words. I felt the tears pour from my eyes as I looked at him.
I then felt Stefan's hand wrap around my arm and he pulled me back. I clumsily let him pull me back until I was far away from Damon. Elena enveloped my in a hug, squeezing me tight. But all the while I never took my eyes off of Damon. He watched me, his eyes icy and cold.
I wanted to believe that he had good in him, but his love for Katherine blinded him so much he would have turned me in a second if Stefan had made the wrong move. Every time I tried to let him in, he always gave me a reason to push him away. And yet I still had those feelings for him. The times when he made me laugh or he showed me affection… the way I felt when my heart skipped a beat when he smiled at me. I couldn't forget that.
Elena pulled me away from the scene, but I watched him as we left. Feeling so lost and so… betrayed.
She hated him. He knew that she must hate him by the look he was giving her. She looked so sad and utterly, betrayed. It made Damon sick to his stomach. He knew that everything they had accomplished, everything they had been through was now gone. She didn't trust him now, and he couldn't really blame her.
He couldn't kill her, he knew that as soon as he looked into her eyes. He cared about her, and he couldn't bring himself to kill her. But he knew he could turn her. He wouldn't even bat an eyelash. Unlike the last one, he would help her, make sure she was ok before he left. Because he did care. He just wanted that book more than he cared what she wanted.
He picked up the grimoire, holding it tightly in his hand. Although he felt satisfied that he now had the one thing that would get him his true love back, he felt very guilty and sort of... depressed. He would have to earn her trust back, it was gone now. He had evaporated any kind of relationship they had because he was selfish.
He regretted it now, threatening her life like that. He shouldn't have done it. He should have just taken the book and run, but no. No he had to go and scare the shit out of her and prove a point to Stefan. It felt so wrong now that she was gone. It felt so bad.
He growled in frustration, punching a nearby tree. He looked at his knuckles the scratches healing almost instantly. His blood dried on his hands and he rubbed it off. He took the book, holding it close to his side as he ran. He would come back for his car.
He ran all thr way through town, past the Grill and the school. He went through neighborhoods, houses dark as people tried to sleep. He could smell Stefan, although he wasn't there. Neither was Elena. There was one light on in the house and it was her bedroom. He peeked through, seeing her pace her room. She ran a hand through her hair, nervously chewing on her lip.
He debated going inside, talking to her about how he never wanted to hurt her. But he knew that it was useless. Right now she was confused and hurting. She was probably angry with him and he was the last person she wanted to see. So, he watched from afar.
She left the room for a while, returning in a towel and wet hair. He forced himself to look away as she changed, although he knew that she would never know. He had grown a respect for her, one he didn't have with anyone else. It was weird to him. Once she was dressed she turned out the light and crawled into her bed. He could hear her small whimpers and he knew she was crying. He closed his eyes, leaning against the side of her house.
She was full of his blood and although just a short time ago he claimed he was going to turn her, he wasn't going to let that happen now. He vowed to stay there all night, just to make sure that nothing happened to her while she was sleeping.
She eventually did fall asleep, the crying stopped and her breathing evened out. Once she was asleep, Damon cracked open the grimoire and searched for a spell to reunite him with Katherine.