The Tragedy of Being a Whitmore
Season Two, Chapter One: The Return
February 25, 2010 (continued)
They both groaned as her phone began to ring, not wanting the moment to end. Amelia regretfully pulled away and searched for her phone, seeing that Liz was calling her. Amelia frowned and answered saying, "Hello?"
She tried to pull away from Damon as he playfully kissed down her neck. When she froze in shock as Liz told her that Caroline had been in a bad car accident, Damon finally pulled away from her, wrinkling his forehead.
"I'll be right there." She promised, ending the call and standing up. "Damon, we have to get to the hospital."
"I know, come on." Damon replied, opening the door to his car for her.
When they finally arrived to the hospital, Amelia was in near panic mode. After she had spoken to the receptionist, Damon grabbed her arm and pulled her away. "You need to get control of yourself. You're starting to make me freak out." Damon warned her.
Amelia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Sorry." She was so stressed out that she had begun projecting.
About ten minutes later, Amelia finally caught sight of Liz who looked to be almost in tears. They made eye contact from across the hall and Amelia took off running to her. As soon as she wrapped her arms around her foster mom, Liz began to cry. "Sh, sh, it's gonna be alright. Everything's gonna be okay." Amelia falsely promised, not knowing how bad the situation was. She concentrated on trying to soothe her.
Liz nodded into her hair and sniffed before pulling away. "They just took her into surgery. She has some internal bleeding."
"Is she gonna be okay?" Matt asked from behind her. Amelia was surprised. She hadn't noticed him in her angst.
Liz nodded, trying not to break down again. "They're going to do everything that they can."
Amelia sat between Liz and Damon, worrying about Caroline. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but it felt like forever to her. She couldn't stop jiggling her leg. She listened to Matt and Tyler explain what had happened, as Tyler began apologizing profusely. She heard the grave news of Mayor Lockwood's passing, and Tyler left shortly after that.
She was surprised when Bonnie walked right up to them. "How's Caroline?" Bonnie asked.
Matt shook his head. "She's not good, Bon."
"What happened?" She heard Bonnie say as she sat down next to Matt.
"We were driving and Tyler heard this noise, and he got-."
"A noise?" Bonnie asked.
"He got like this migraine or something. And he lost control of the car. And, I thought that Caroline was fine… And then - and then she wasn't so…" Matt shook his head, trying to pull himself together.
Amelia's breath caught in her throat as she realized that Tyler had somehow been affected by the Gilbert Device. How is that possible? Amelia thought, frustrated. Tyler's not a vampire…
Amelia realized that because Bonnie had lied about deactivating the device, Caroline was seriously injured…
She flinched as Damon set his hand on her bouncing knee before he stood up and walked away. Amelia watched in concern as Damon spoke to Liz before he hugged her.
She stood up as Elena approached her. "Amelia, how's Caroline?" She asked her.
Bonnie walked over to them. "She's weak." Bonnie said.
"They-they don't know if she's going to make it." Amelia said, refusing to look at them.
"What?" Elena asked in shock. Amelia stood rigid as Elena wrapped her arms around her. She spoke to Amelia and Bonnie. "Is there something that you can do? Like, a spell or something?"
"I-I-I don't know." Amelia stuttered. "I only know one, but it's a weak spell. I could try to learn a stronger one, but Sheila always told me that because I have to access my powers through my talisman, I'm not as strong as other witches. It's like… Like some of the energy is lost in transmission, or - or something."
"She doesn't know how… Do you?" Damon strode up to them, looking at Bonnie.
Bonnie shook her head. "No… I don't."
"No, you don't, because it took Emily years to learn a spell like that." Damon taunted.
"Oh, yeah, well, I can take down a vampire. That spell was easy to learn." Bonnie glared at him.
"Guys, guys, just stop okay! You're not making this any easier." Amelia threw her hands up in the air before tugging at her hair, feeling fed up.
"I can give Caroline some blood." Damon volunteered.
Elena immediately shook her head. "No, no way."
"No, no, no, just enough to heal her. She'll be safe in the hospital and it'll be out of her system in a day. She'll be better."
"It's too risky, I can't agree to that." Elena said, as if it was her choice alone.
"Do it." Bonnie said confidently. "This is Caroline, okay? We can't let her die. Do it." Bonnie advised.
Ultimately Damon looked to her for the decision.
Amelia panicked. "I-I-I don't know…"
"This is Caroline we're talking about." Bonnie convinced her and finally she nodded reluctantly.
Damon looked to Bonnie. "If I do this, you and me, call a truce." Damon negotiated with Bonnie.
"No." Bonnie said smugly. "But you'll do it anyway… for Amelia."
Amelia refused to look at them but she heard two pairs of foot steps walk away.
"Uh - all right, I know this is probably the last thing you want to do right now, but we should talk about what happened tonight." Damon said trying to get her to look at him.
Amelia continued to stare at the floor. "Yeah, one of the tomb vampires got in the house and almost killed John." Amelia blurted out what Elena had told her earlier, trying to avoid the subject.
"What-what-when?" Damon stuttered. "What are you talking about? After we left?"
Amelia nodded her head. "I guess."
Damon frowned. "You're acting like nothing even happened… Really? Earlier, on the porch? We were talking, all cathartic, feelings exposed. Come, on we kissed, Amelia!" He whispered, annoyed.
Amelia turned to walk away from him. "Look, I don't have time for this, Damon." She shook her head and flinched when he grabbed her arm.
"Hey, if you want to forget it happened, fine. But I can't!" Damon said to her quietly.
Amelia pulled away from him and went to sit by Elena. She couldn't deal with her crappy love life when her sister might be dying.
"Elena? I came as soon as I got your message." Elena's aunt, Jenna Sommers appeared. "How is John?"
"Where have you been?" Elena asked her worriedly.
"At the fire department. I had to fill out a report. I told you earlier." Jenna emphasized.
"No you didn't." Elena wrinkled her forehead.
"Yes, I did. Right in the kitchen before John's accident!" Jenna argued.
"No, Jenna, you didn't." Elena disagreed.
"Yes, I did! You had just come off the porch - you were kissing Stefan for Christ sake's!" Jenna argued.
"I-I haven't even seen Stefan for a while now." Elena shook her head.
Amelia noticed that Damon had a funny look on his face. "Ohh… Mmm… you gotta be kidding me."
Damon took off and Amelia followed him. "Damon! Where are you going?" She called after him.
"I have to tell Stefan." Damon said simply, not stopping.
"Tell him what?" Amelia asked, confused.
Damon briefly paused. "That Katherine's back in town." He said before turning around and leaving her in the hallway speechless.
When Amelia woke up, she realized she had fallen asleep leaning on Matt's shoulder. She rubbed her eyes wearily to see Damon crouched down in front of her, a look of concern in his eyes. "Can we talk?" He whispered to her.
Amelia nodded, and he took her hand, leading her down towards the noisy vending machines. "Katherine's back." He told her simply.
"Yeah, I got that by our vague conversation when you left earlier…" Amelia trailed off, feeling annoyed. They were both quiet for a moment. "Well? Did you reunite with your true love yet?" Amelia mocked angrily, refusing to look at him.
"I - what?" He asked confused.
Amelia scoffed and tried to walk away but he grabbed her wrist. She glared at him, sending a small burst of power at him, forcing him to let go. "Don't touch me."
They stood heatedly next to each other for a moment before Damon burst out into obnoxious laughter. Amelia watched him, becoming more angry and confused. He leaned his hands on his knees before standing back up. "Whew!" He chuckled.
"What's so funny?" She muttered irritatedly, kicking her shoe.
"Amelia Whitmore… are you jealous?" Damon chuckled.
Amelia forced herself not to blush. "Uh, no. Why would I be?" She asked rhetorically.
Damon chuckled before moving to stand in front of her. She refused to look up at him until she couldn't stand it any longer. They made eye contact for a moment before he spoke. "I'm going to drive a stake through Katherine's heart." Damon emphasized slowly. Amelia began to feel more stupid the more he spoke. "I hate the bitch. Wish I'd never met her."
Amelia frowned, feeling her neck grow warm. "I-I'm sorry." She mumbled, looking at the vending machine.
Damon chuckled and the pair walked quietly along the hallways of the hospital as he chatted with her, trying to keep her mind off things. Eventually, she fell asleep next to him in the waiting room.
When Amelia woke up that next morning, she was so relieved to see Caroline healthy and almost back to her normal self, that she threw her arms around her sister and began to cry. Caroline had to practically shove her out the door so she would go to Tyler's dad's funeral. Amelia changed into a black dress back at the house and mostly followed around Liz quietly until she sent her away so that she could talk to Carol Lockwood and Damon in privacy.
When the trio finally parted ways, Damon joined her and they quietly socialized together. She was surprised when she saw Elena walk in by herself. Her hair was curly, and she was wearing a leather jacket that she hadn't seen her wear in years.
She didn't have time to approach her when she head Bonnie's voice. "Did you know the Gilbert Device affected Tyler Lockwood?" Bonnie asked them.
Damon munched on hors d'ouevres. "Well, I know it took the mayor down." He said causally, chewing on his food.
Amelia frowned at his poor manners. "Don't you wanna know why?" She asked.
"Yes, Amelia, I would love to know why a non-vampire was tortured by the vampire torture device that you let John Gilbert use against us!" Damon snapped at her.
Amelia blinked, feeling hurt, and walked away from them. "Ugh, Lia!" Damon groaned, but she didn't turn back until she heard Damon groaning in pain as Bonnie gave him a witchy migraine. "Oh, you were saying?" She heard Bonnie ask him innocently before walking away and looping arms with Amelia. Before Amelia could ponder if she should comfort Damon, or scold Bonnie, she was being dragged towards Elena.
"Oh, God, Damon drives me crazy!" Bonnie ranted to them. "He's walking around like he's some kind of hero for healing Caroline when it's his fault all this happened in the first place."
Amelia pulled away from her. "Uh, no, Bonnie, it's your fault. Don't think that I've forgiven you." She said angrily.
Elena shook her head. "I'm sorry, Bonnie, what Damon's done is just awful."
Amelia scoffed. "You're seriously siding with her after she almost got Stefan and Damon killed? And she did get Mayor Lockwood killed. If it weren't for Damon, Care might not be with us either!"
Elena frowned and said nothing as Amelia stomped off.
She heard Bonnie say, "Better, hateful Damon moment over," as she walked away.
She ended up talking to Matt for a little while before they spotted Stefan and Elena walking together. Amelia frowned. Elena seemed to be walking strangely, and Stefan was rigid. And, was Elena wearing heels?
"Hey, guys." Matt said drearily, walking over to them. Amelia followed.
"Hi, Matt, Amelia. I, uh, I heard that Caroline was doing much better. Her recovery was practically miraculous." Elena hinted boldly. Amelia frowned, thinking it was strange that she would make such a comment in front of Matt. "You must be so relieved."
Matt nodded. "I am, thanks, Elena." He said before walking away.
"That's not Elena." Stefan warned Amelia.
"Ugh, his eyes are so blue!" Elena said dreamily.
"You need to leave, now, Katherine." Stefan advised her.
"You're hurting my feelings, Stefan. You were much happier to see me last night." Katherine winked at him. Amelia came to the realization that Jenna must have seen Stefan and Katherine kissing at the Gilbert's home. Had Katherine been pretending to be Elena last night? Amelia hoped that was the case.
"Katherine, I'm not doing this with you." Stefan warned as Katherine popped a cherry in her mouth.
"Ugh, Stefan, you are so rude! You didn't even introduce me to Damon's witchy little girlfriend." Katherine turned to her, pouting. "Men," She scoffed. "No manners. Walk with me?" She told them.
"Just tell me what you're doing here." Stefan persuaded her.
"Maybe I missed you. Is that an acceptable reason?" Elena… No, Katherine flirted with Stefan. It was all so confusing.
"What game are you playing?" Stefan glared at her.
"Why, you want to play with me?" Katherine purred, moving closer to him.
"I don't know." Stefan shook his head. "How can I play if I don't know the rules?"
"No rules, Stefan, don't you remember?" She asked him coyly.
Amelia saw Damon and left them, wanting out of the confusing conversation.
"How're you doing?" Amelia asked him casually, leaning up against the post, trying to figure out what to tell him about her encounter with Katherine.
"Great, walking on sunshine, thanks for asking."
"Damon…" Amelia sighed.
"Amelia…" Damon mocked.
"Don't shut me out - we're close enough, now. I really want to know how you're doing." She insisted.
They were quiet for a minute.
"I'm sorry… I shouldn't have said what I did." Damon said, looking off into the forest.
Amelia frowned. "Then why did you say it?"
"I don't know, Amelia, maybe because I'm a tad bit upset that you're pretending nothing happened last night!" He said harshly. "I kissed you. You kissed me back. Now you're acting like nothing happened."
Amelia groaned. "How am I suppose to act?! Any minute now you're going to go crawling back to Katherine and I'll be left sitting in your dust wondering what the hell happened!"
Damon pulled at his hair. "You're being so insecure! I care about you, okay? You, not Katherine. How do you think I'm doin'?"
Amelia paused, trying to think of something to say. "I think you're hurt."
"Hmm. Oh, I don't get hurt." Damon denied.
"No, you don't admit that you get hurt." Amelia said back, smartly. "You get angry and cover it up and then you do something stupid."
"You're scared." Damon realized. "You think Katherine's going to send me off the deep end, don't you? I don't need to hurt for that…" He said starting to walk away. "You know, why - why won't you talk to me about what we did last night?"
Amelia took a deep breath. "Because I know it wasn't real, Damon."
Damon clenched his teeth and nodded. He glanced away and raised his eyebrows before looking back at her. "Now I'm hurt." He said before turning and walking away.
Amelia watched him go sadly, wanting to call out to him, but her pride wouldn't let her. She finally caught up with Bonnie and the real Elena a few minutes later. She listened to Bonnie tell her terrifying encounter with Katherine before Bonnie left them to go find Stefan. When they finally found him, he was bleeding all over the lawn.
Elena cleaned him up. "Are you gonna be okay?"
"Yeah, it'll heal." Stefan said.
"That's not what I meant." Elena said.
"I was trying to figure her out. I was playing along, I let her get to me." Stefan explained.
Damon's smug voice appeared behind them. "I tried to track her, but, she's gone. Ooh, cover up, Fabio. We got a crazy ex on the loose. Better watch out, looks like Katherine's trying to steal your guy." Damon taunted the couple.
"That's not what's happening." Stefan denied.
"Isn't it? I mean, it's only fair since I have my own make out buddy now." He said winking at Amelia.
"Damon!" Amelia chastised him, turning red. "I'm not your make out buddy…" She mumbled.
"All right." Elena groaned, pulling Amelia away from them. "Let us know when you guys are done."
Amelia let her lead her away, but she was worried that Damon and Stefan would do something stupid. "You're awfully trusting of them." Amelia muttered to her.
Later that evening, Amelia and Elena were painting their nails together. Elena had finally given up on pestering her about Damon and his comment.
Amelia blinked, and when she opened her eyes, she was looking into the Salvatore Boarding House. Damon was on the floor and Elena… No… Katherine? Was laying on top of him, her hand on his neck…
"My sweet, innocent, Damon…" Katherine said as she cuddled up to him.
Damon blurred as he flipped her onto the ground, his hand on her neck. There was a moment of violent tension before Damon shoved his lips to hers. Amelia watched in horror as they made out.
"That's more like it." Katherine purred before she blurred and shoved Damon against a wall, ripping his shirt off.
Out, I gotta get out… Amelia thought frantically.
Damon and Katherine moaned as they kissed each other, their hands roaming each other's skin…
"Okay, wait, brief pause." Damon hesitated. Katherine looked at him, irritated, before shoving him off of her. Damon reached a hand towards her. "I have a question. Answer it, and it's back to fireworks and rocket's red glare." Damon said desperately. "Answer it right, and… I'll forget the last hundred and forty five years I've spent missing you. I'll forget… how much I loved you. I'll forget everything and we can start over." Damon promised her. "This can be our defining moment, because we have time." He said, moving towards her with his arms spread out wide, hopeful. "That's the beauty of eternity. I just need the truth, just once." Damon stroked her face, pleading with her.
Katherine closed her eyes and held out her hand. "Stop." She whispered. "I already know your question. And it's answer. The truth is… I've never loved you." Katherine told him coldly, shaking her head. "It was always Stefan." Katherine pushed his hand off her face and walked out of the Salvatore Boarding House as Damon stared where she had been tearfully, and heartbroken.
Amelia gasped as she was sucked back into her body and she was surprised to feel that her face was wet with tears.
Elena frowned. "Lia, what's wrong? Are you okay?"
"I-I-I just need to be alone for a minute." She said, slamming the bathroom door shut and climbing into the hot shower. Amelia felt so numb, she could barely feel the hot water hitting her cool, pale, skin.
She must have stood in there for at least a half an hour, unable to process what she had just seen, before Elena pounded on the door. "Amelia?! Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm getting out now." She called back dully as she dried off and changed into a pair of Elena's comfy pajama pants and a tank top.
Elena observed her for a while, trying to get her to talk to her before she finally gave up and got in the shower herself.
Amelia focused on reading for her english assignment, not allowing herself to feel, when she felt the cool breeze of an open window flutter her hair. She held her breath as she realized Damon was sitting next to her.
"What're you doing here?" She asked him dully, trying not to care.
"Just doing my part of the neighborhood watch." He responded, equally dull.
"Thanks… for, um, looking out for us." She said obligatorily, feeling the need to be polite even though her heart felt like it had been ripped out and stampeded by elephants.
"That's me, your trusty bodyguard. Calm in a crisis." Damon said smoothly.
Amelia paused as she smelled alcohol on him. "Have you been drinking?"
Damon made a hand signal motioning that he had only had a little, but Amelia was pretty sure that he was drunk. "And you're upset. That's not a good combination." She stated.
"No, I'm not upset. Upset is an emotion specific to those who care." Damon lied.
"Come on, Damon, that's a lie. You care."
Damon looked at her, a passion in his eyes suddenly. "You're surprised that I'd care for you? You can't imagine that I'd choose you over Katherine?" He asked her.
"Damon…" She interjected.
"That what we've been doing here means something?" He continued, his voice rising in volume. "You're the liar, Amelia! There is something going on between the two of us, and you know it. And you're lying to me, and most of all, you're lying to yourself! I can prove it." He said standing up and moving close to her.
Damon leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. Amelia shook her head, frustrated, and pushed him away. "No, Damon! Whatever was going on between us i-i-is over! I saw what happened with you and Katherine, Damon, so don't… don't preach to me about liars!" She yelled at him, the hurt evident in her voice. "What's wrong with you?!"
Damon looked so downtrodden. "I'm sorry, Amelia, I'll do better next time." He tried to kiss her again and she backed away.
"No, no, no, Damon. I can't… I won't be your second choice." She said confidently, feeling horrible inside.
"Amelia, what's going on in here?" Jeremy stepped into the room at the same time Elena walked out of the bathroom.
"Nothing, Jeremy, it's ok. Just - just go back to bed." Amelia gestured to him, trying to back away from Damon, but he wouldn't allow her any space.
"No, it's not okay, Amelia. He wants to be a vampire." Damon said, getting a dangerous look in his eyes before speeding over and grabbing onto Jeremy's head with both hands.
"No, Damon, stop it!" Elena cried running over to him.
"You want to shut out the pain? It's the easiest thing in the world. The part of you that cares, it just goes away! All you have to do is flip the switch and snap!" Damon said darkly… dangerously before snapping Jeremy's neck and letting him fall to the floor.
"Damon!" Amelia yelled, tears of shock forming in her eyes.
"No!" Elena wailed, kneeling down next to her brother.
Amelia sank to her knees and heard Elena's cries, but they sounded like they were coming from under water. She made eye contact with Damon for what seemed like forever before he finally walked away.
She felt someone tugging on her arm. "Amelia! You have to save him, please, do something! You - you have to think up some - some spell, Amelia, please!" She begged her through her tears.
Amelia shook her head, panicking. "I-I don't know any."
Elena hugged Jeremy's chest and cried before suddenly sitting up and grabbing his hand. "Oh-oh, my God… John's ring…" She laughed in relief, pulling Amelia into a hug.
A while later, Stefan showed up. "He saw the ring, that's why he did it. He knew." Stefan tried to convince himself.
"He didn't see the ring." Elena denied, holding Jeremy's dead body.
"It's Katherine, she got under his skin. She undid everything that was good about him." Stefan paced.
"There's nothing good about him, Stefan, not anymore. He's decided what he wants. He doesn't want to feel - he want's to be hated. It's just easier that way. He got his wish. I hate him, Stefan!" Elena cried.
"Sh, I know, I know." Stefan crouched down next to her as she stroked Jeremy's hair.
Amelia flinched in surprise as Jeremy gasped and sat up. "Is he okay, Stefan, is he okay?" Elena asked frantically, hugging her brother tightly.
Stefan groped his face. "He's okay." He decided and a huge tension in the room was lifted. "Shh, you're okay."
"Damon killed me. Damon killed me." Jeremy repeated.
"Shh, you're okay." Elena said, holding him to her. "Oh, God." She cried in relief.