"Stay with me," Caroline ordered the girl in the next cage to do, as she stared across at her, watching as Payton kept slipping in and out of unconsciousness, the pain, wounds and lack of blood she had consumed taking over her, "Payton! C'mon keep your eyes open."
"Caroline.." Payton managed to mumble, wrapping her arms around her legs holding on to herself for dear life.
"No don't you dare," Caroline yelled across at her, her ears pricking up slightly when she heard talking and fighting commencing outside, hope flickering over her that Stefan had come now to rescue them, "I am not surviving this by myself, you have to stay with me."
"I can't..." Payton choked out, closing her eyes shut and fighting off any tears of weakness that she so desperately wanted to leak, "I deserve this."
It was true. She believed she deserved to be punished for not trying hard to save Mason, as well as making her first kill what transformed her into this horrible monster. She was ready to give up and let fate be done with her now like Jules and Brady wanted all those months ago.
"No you don't," Caroline disagreed, "no one deserves this."
"Yes I do," Payton panted back, flickering her eyes back open to look at Caroline, "I never tried to save him."
"Of course you did," Caroline argued back with her, before a light tired sigh escaped her lips, she didn't like how defeatist Payton was acting, she usually so strong and tough, they had really hit her down low "just keep talking to me. Why do they hate you so much?"
"They always have, more so when I turned," Payton began to explain to Caroline through heavy breaths, "They wanted to kill me. Now Mason's gone, I guess there is there chance."
"No, Stefan is coming for us. I know he will. He'll save us." Caroline reassured not only the girl she was with her, but also herself that they would make it out of this alive.
"He doesn't know I'm here," Payton was quick to answer this time, "They'll make sure I stay with them. You don't stand a chance."
"Yes we do," Caroline huffed saddened by how Payton was behaving, "please don't..."
Before Caroline could continue on her speech of encouragement, the camper van door flung open, the sound of the commotion going on outside got louder, meaning Caroline's hopes of being saved were becoming more likely now help had arrived.
But she hadn't expected to see Tyler there. Caroline knew it was going to be a hard job trying to get him to listen to her after he had been so angry with her lately over the Mason thing, likewise with Payton.
"Tyler!" Caroline shrieked at the guy, somewhat relieved to see him, he slowly wondered over to the two girls, his face read horror and confusion to see them in this state, he had no idea whether to save them or keep them there for their own punishment for lying to him, "Tyler? Please? Tyler?"
Staring back at the two girls, Tyler felt a huge amount of guilt come over him and in no time he was racing over to Caroline's door to get her out of there. He couldn't just leave one of his longest school friend's trapped inside and continued to be tortured. It was just so wrong.
Breaking open the latch, Tyler helped Caroline climb out of the cage and once she was up, moving about again she felt her body start to heal itself more, she turned back round to face Payton wanting to go help her out, but Tyler had stepped in front of her not wanting Caroline too.
He could forgive Caroline overtime. But he felt that with Payton he could never trust her again. The closest person to Mason had lied to him and he knew that now Mason wasn't ever going to come back, he wouldn't even want to get to know Payton from what Jules had brainwashed into his head.
He saw the girl as a dead end to him and he knew Jules and Brady felt the same. Now Mason was gone they could do what they had always wanted and strangely Tyler would let them.
"What about Payton?" Caroline asked worriedly, looking between Tyler and Payton who were staring each other off.
"Just go.." Payton told the girl, not wanting anyone to fight her corner for her.
No." She shook her head, not wanting to leave her alone in that awful confinement.
"Go!" Payton snapped back at her.
Caroline looked at her shocked and a little hurt by how she was acting. She knew the girl was seriously giving up now and she knew she had to try make the girl see sense. All she could do was walk away and make Payton desperate to be saved.
"Tyler," Payton spoke up once Caroline had gone off outside, if these were her last moments then she needed him to know how honestly sorry she was for lying to him, but most of all for not saving his Uncle, "I'm so sorry."
Suddenly she burst into tears, the agony she was in from her physical torture, but also the emotional pain of losing Mason and everything that had happened hit her hard and fast. She couldn't hold back anymore.
Looking back at her shocked, Tyler found his stomach drop in surprise at how broken this girl was and how stupid he was to believe that she could have honestly been responsible for his Uncle's death.
He could tell she could never have done this to him. He saw how in love the two were and Payton was clearly choked up about losing him. Tyler knew he couldn't hold a grudge forever and had to try help the girl.
"I can't..."
"I don't expect you too.." Payton told him, a light smile forming on her lips, her eyes slowly fluttering closed again, giving into the darkness that wanted to consume her up.
"No, I can't let Jules do this to you," Tyler said to her, scared for not only his own future, but now hers when she looked so beaten down and like she was going to die any second, "You loved Mason. I know you wouldn't hurt him."
Bending down to the cage she was in, he broke the lock just like he had done with Caroline's moments before and squeezed through the cage, he grabbed hold of her wrists, trying to pull her through the gap in cage to get out of it, but he knew it was going to be a struggle when she was in such a state.
Once she was out the cage, Tyler slowly let go of her hand's and Payton found her body sinking back down to the ground, her vision going blurry and everything around her began to spin, Tyler's figure now becoming a jumbled piece in her eyes and a concerned expression fell on him.
Backing away from her, he began to freak out when he heard her begin to gasp for air, knowing she was getting much worse and he had no idea how to save her. Spinning around on his feet, he knew he had to seek the help from the others, whether that was Jules or Caroline was another story, he needed to get some help for the dying girl and fast.
Everything since Tyler had gotten her out of the cage had been one huge blur from slipping in and out of unconsciousness, something inside of her just was holding on and fighting with her to not completely be drawn into the darkness that she was just wanted to go to get rid of all the awful feelings she felt.
Her body was carefully pulled up from the ground and carried out of the camper van, through in the woods, passing by the bodies of the fallen wolfs and those were who down but would wake soon, it wasn't long until her body was being propped up against a tree stump and a cut open wrist was being shoved into her mouth for her to drink.
Her eyes slowly began to flash open when she felt the blood pour into her mouth, the vampire fangs she had grown to put up with sunk into the skin where the blood was coming from, despite the pain she was in all over her body from her wounds, she could still feel her face turn into her inner demon.
There were three figures in total in front of her, those who belonged to Caroline the girl who had also been saved that day, Stefan Salvatore the guy she had befriended since coming to this town and was trying so hard to patch things up with her, as well as Damon Salvatore who happened to be the one Payton was consuming the human blood from their wrist.
As much as she hated him right now and would find it disgusting to be drinking human blood from the vampire who killed Mason, as well as killed humans for his own enjoyment, all she needed right now was the blood and lots of it for her to keep herself alive, as well as minimise the pain she was in and get her strength back up.
Once she had enough of the blood, she pushed Damon's wrist away from her and leaned her head back down onto the trunk. Payton closed her eyes again, breathless from the panic that she had filled her body since being captured and from drinking all the blood from Damon so hungrily.
Standing back up, Damon winced slightly at the amount of blood and the bite marks Payton had left in his arm, whilst Stefan came in front of her, looking down at the rips in her clothing were her wounds were now slowly starting to heal, causing a sigh of relief to fall from both Caroline and Stefan to see she was going to make it.
Now she knew she was healing and the pain was slowly subsiding, Payton allowed her body to drift off into a light slumber, the exhaustion coming over her and taking control, but this time she knew she would wake up afterwards, she just hoped that the others wouldn't mind getting her home safely.
Smiling over at Stefan in amusement at Payton falling asleep, Caroline hopped up onto her feet, shortly before Stefan copied her and Damon bent down to pick up Payton's sleepy body, ready to carry her back to Stefan's car, whilst his brother made a phone call to Rick to let him know what had gone on with his daughter that day.
Once they got back to the car, Damon took off to go take of some other business, leaving Payton asleep in the back of Stefan's car, whilst Caroline and Stefan climbed in the front, Caroline wishing she could go to sleep just like Payton had so easily.
The physical and emotional affects still very much real for the teenager as well.
That became apparent when Stefan dropped Caroline off home first. He could see that she had been beaten by what had happened today, but she was trying to hide it well. Stefan wanted her to know that she didn't have to put up a front with him. She could be honest with how she was struggling.
When Payton woke up from her slumber, she could see the conversation going on between Caroline and Stefan from her spot in the back. When she saw Stefan turn away and Caroline close the door up, Payton's eyes rolled down to her own body, taking a look at her healing wounds that were pretty much now gone off her.
But just like Caroline. She was still feeling it all. She could feel the hurt, the pain, the despair, the worry and the fear still fighting away at her.
And again like Caroline, she wanted to hide it well because that's what the old Payton would have done. She planned to be just like her. Payton needed her back, especially after tonight. She was done with being weak and moping in self pity.
Getting back in the car, Stefan turned his head round to see a now awake Payton, a small smile fell on his face to see her looking back at him, "Hey sleepy. You're awake. How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Better," She informed him with a tight lip smile, "thanks."
Pleased to hear that, Stefan nodded his head to the seat beside him, "you wanna come sit in the front?"
Nodding back at him, Stefan pulled the passenger seat forward so she could climb out the back and then jump in the front. He went to help her into the car, but she gave him a disapproving look, "I'm fine."
Accepting that she didn't need his help, he got himself back comfortable in the drivers side and began to start up the engine. Once she was in her seat and belted up, Stefan began to drive away from Caroline's and headed for the centre of town, where Payton was staying with her Dad at his apartment.
As they accelerated down the road, Payton felt her phone buzz in her jeans pocket and she went to grab it out, presuming it would be some worried message from her Dad needing to know she was ok now and would be coming home soon.
But it wasn't.
Instead it was from Tyler. An incoming call from the wolf. Payton as much as she wanted to thank him for helping her out of the cage, she couldn't help but shift the blame to him and also feel too tired to want to lash things out tonight.
It was best for her to just forget about him and what had happened until a later date. For now, she hit the decline button and stuffed her phone back away, ignoring the curious look Stefan was giving her from the corner of her eye.
Meanwhile, after Payton didn't answer his call, Tyler groaned to himself and tossed his phone into his pocket. His footsteps came to a hault along the woods area, right where he had been only an hour before and now he was back going to the people who he felt like he only had left now.
Raising his fists up, he knocked lightly on the door of the camper van and waited for someone to come let him in. After a few moments, Jules appeared at the door and welcomed him into the van to talk to them, "Hey come on in."
Entering the van, he closed the door behind himself and turned to look at Jules and Brady, an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach but he didn't understand why he felt this way exactly.
"I'm sorry about your friends," He told them sincerely, taking a seat down and referring to the members of the pack who had died that night after fighting with Damon and Stefan, "It's not always like this, is it?"
"No," Jules looked over at her boyfriend, "Is it, Brady?"
"No man," Brady added looking back at Tyler, "You're living in a vampire county that's all. It's way better than this."
Nodding his head slowly back at him, Tyler continued on his conversation with the two, "Mason didn't tell me anything about it. He was gone. Dead I guess, before he could help me."
"I don't get what Mason was even doing here in the first place." Brady commented.
"His brother died, you know that, Brady," Jules stated like she was pointing out the obvious, "and Payton saw it as a chance to go see her Dad who also happened to live here. They saw it as a good time to go there and be there for their families."
"Yeah but why was he stupid enough to stay and get himself killed." Brady said bitterly.
"You know how he acted because of Payton," Jules continued with a harsh tone in her voice, "he would have done anything for that girl."
"Yeah but it was all because of that rock," Tyler added casually, "the rock he was trying to find."
"What rock?" Brady asked leaning forward with confusion.
"A moonstone." Tyler informed him.
Brady turned his head round to face his girlfriend in disbelief, who shrugged helplessly back at him in her defence, "I had no idea."
"What?" Tyler asked after noticing the strange behaviour from the two.
"A moonstone?" Brady repeated, "Did he find it?"
"Yeah."
"Where is it now?" The older questioned more.
"I couldn't tell you." Tyler informed them honestly with growing anxiety flooding through his veins.
Did they know more than Mason had been letting on about this rock? Why hadn't his Uncle informed his friends about his real reasons for coming to town?
Around ten minutes later, the red 1963 Porsche Karmann Coupe that belonged to Stefan Salvatore pulled up outside the apartment block that Alaric Saltzman lived in, as well as where his daughter Payton was staying in for her duration of time in this town.
Stefan turned his head to look over to the exact girl beside him in the passenger seat, who's head had now turned to look back at him after she had glanced up at the apartment window to see a dim light on, signalling her Dad was home and probably waiting for her.
But all she wanted to do was hide and not face the world. She didn't want to face her Dad and have some lecture about staying out of trouble. She didn't want him to quiz her more about Jules, Mason and her life before she came to Mystic Falls.
All she wanted was to climb into bed and sleep. She just wanted some form of normality for just one moment. It was all she ever did want these days.
"Are you going to be ok?" Stefan asked, as he shut off the engine and focused his attention on her worriedly.
"I'll be fine," She assured him, though she didn't even know herself is she ever would be again, but what she had been through tonight however horrific it had been, it didn't even compare to the pain she felt about losing Mason, "I've been through worse."
Staring back at her, he could feel she was putting her guard up with him again and he so desperately wanted to break that down. Stefan wanted her to open up to him and be honest with him. When she had first got to town they had become friends quickly, but now it was like they barely even knew each other.
Stefan hated the guilt and sorrow he felt every time he looked at the broken girl.
Leaning his hand across, he laid it on her shoulder and lightly squeezed it, wanting to make her feel comfort, but also aware that he was there for her if she needed him. He hoped they could be friends again one day.
In his eyes, as well as Alaric's, Payton was someone they had to look out for now, especially when they knew she had enemies the same as them like Katherine and Jules. They had to stick together. Plus she was a vampire. He didn't even know if she was coping with all of that since he understood that she was fairly new to all of this still.
Looking down at his hand, a light sigh escaped her lips and she adjusted her position on her seat, feeling uncomfortable and weird for how he was acting with her. She didn't deserve all this niceness he was giving her after what she had done with Mason and lied to her father.
They all should have hated her.
Removing his hand awkwardly, Stefan laid it back onto the steering wheel and looked out the front windscreen, but Payton kept her eyes on him trying to figure out what his game was and why he was so amendment to hatch things over.
"Why do you do that?"
Hearing her ask that, Stefan slowly trailed his head back round to face her with a confused expression falling on his stern face, he didn't know what she was talking about, "Do what?"
"Be so kind to me," She answered like it was obvious, before a light scoff escape her lips, "you should hate me, Stefan."
"Why?" He asked, unsure where this was going.
"Because I went against all of you with Mason," Payton explained to him, causing Stefan to pull his head away slightly, "I lied to my Dad what I was and I know how much you all support him," another sigh fell from her lips but this time it was more frustration, "why didn't you kill me the day you killed Mason?"
"Because your Alaric's daughter," Stefan answered quickly and honestly, which caught Payton by surprise, "and you fell under Katherine's trap."
"But I wanted that moon stone for me, Stefan," Payton continued on her confession, "I wanted to go against all of you to get it, so I could become human again. Please explain to me how you could trust me?"
"Because despite all of that you're a good person," Stefan informed her sincerely, causing her eyes to widen slightly at his words, she had never expected him to think that highly of her when all he had got from her was bad impressions, "We all know that. Mason made a mistake and sadly he paid the price. But you didn't,"
Payton felt her head slowly start to fall slightly at what he was saying, the constant reminder of what happened to Mason was back again and she felt her heart sink at the fact that he really did pay the price for what he did,
"You were just going after what you want," He continued on, pausing to look at her and when she looked back at him he finished, "to be human. We can all relate to that."
"Really?" She asked surprised by all of this and how understanding he was, he was definitely the nicer brother of the two, "You mean that?"
"Of course I do," Stefan assured her, sending her a small smile, "I wouldn't lie to you."
Slowly nodding at him, she glanced back up at the apartment and then back on him, knowing it was time to get out of there and leave this conversation for the day, since she didn't really know how to respond to that.
Because she couldn't assure him she wouldn't do the same back because she knew the trust was already broken the moment he found out about her lies to him. But also she didn't know how to respond to someone being so nice to her because the last person who had was Mason and look where that had got him.
"I should probably get going," Payton proposed, unbuckling her belt off her body and grabbing the door handle to get out, "thanks for coming to the rescue and taking me home."
"That's ok," Stefan responded in a soft tone, "Anytime."
"I'll see you soon, yeah?"
She didn't even know what came over her when she said that, but the words fell from her lips so easily, that it even caught her off guard how forward all of a sudden she was being. Just a few moments again she had been shoving him off and now she was suggesting them seeing each other again, like it was just so easy for her to forgive him and Damon for the Mason situation.
When Stefan nodded back at her, she knew it was her time to leave and so she did, she climbed out of the car and closed the door behind her. Stepping onto the pavement, she watched Stefan drive back off down the road and her eyes trailed over to the other side of the road where a familiar face was now approaching her.
"Should I be concerned as to why you just got out of Stefan Salvatore's car?" Matt asked her mischievously, looking to where Stefan had just drove off and then back onto his friend.
"Don't even go there." Payton told him, folding her arms across her chest as a breeze fell over them.
As Matt got closer to her, it was then he could take in her appearance, the messiness of her hair, the smudging of make-up around her face, the holes in her clothing, but thank god the wounds had healed and disappeared or she would have had a lot of explaining to do.
"What happened to you?" He asked worriedly, slipping his hand's into his jacket pocket and joined her on the side walk, "Are you ok?"
"Yeah I'm fine," She assured him, more so again herself, before a nervous laugh followed suit, "just got a little bit messy and had an accident. Seriously nothing to worry about."
"Ah ok," He wasn't convinced, but decided not to press any further, she would tell him when she was ready to, "where are you headed now?"
"Why?" Payton raised her brows up at him, "What are you suggesting?"
Matt couldn't help but chuckle back at her, "Nothing! Just could do with a friend right now."
"Why?" She asked him, sad to hear that he might not be feeling so great, "What's going on?"
"Just Caroline drama," Matt huffed, causing Payton to swallow harshly thinking back to earlier on with Caroline and all the awful things that happened to the poor girl, she didn't need relationship drama too, "I think something is definitely going on between Tyler and her now."
"No! No way, Matt," Payton shook her head, not wanting him to think or even believe that because it was far from the truth, "c'mon you know they wouldn't do that to you."
"They already have," He replied sadly, "I asked her where she had been tonight, totally blue me off, made up some story that she had to be there for Bonnie and she was with her for the night, but the funny thing is Bonnie was sat right in the Grill, clearly not with Caroline."
"Oh Matt," She sighed back, knowing full well where Caroline had been all day and why she had stood Matt up, but she couldn't assure him of what when he still had no clue about the supernatural, "Do you fancy having your old roomie back for the night?"
Looking back at her, a small smile grew on his lips and he nodded, "I wouldn't mind that at all."
"Great!" Payton beamed back, happy to get away from everything and just be around normality, that right now was Matt.
He had no idea about what had really happened to Mason, nor why she had been with Stefan tonight, that her and Caroline had been held hostage by a pack of werewolves. It was so great to be around him because he was so oblivious to everything which meant for just one moment she could act it.
Just as she was about to link her arm through his and begin the walk back to Matt's house, her phone began to ring in her pocket and a frustrated sigh came from Payton.
Retrieving her phone out of her pocket, she looked down to see her Dad calling and she brought the device up to ear to answer the call, "Hey, Dad."
"Payton," Alaric responded back, she could already hear the worried tone in his voice, "Where are you? I thought you'd be back by now."
"I am," She sighed, flickering her eyes up to the window of the apartment, "I'm right outside, but I'm not coming in."
"What?" He asked confused.
"Because I'm going to Matt's for the night," She informed him, "I just want to get away from everything."
"Do you really think that's best after everything you went through today?" Alaric questioned her concerned why she was making a stupid choice, "From what Stefan told me, Damon had to save your life. Do you really think it's a good idea to go to Matt's house where you'll be unsafe?"
"And you think staying at home with you will keep me any safer," Payton fired back at him, causing Matt to raise his brows up at her and she shook her head with a nervous smile, "Please just trust me on this and let me remind you I'm twenty one, please let me go do what I want with who I want."
"I just don't want Jules or anyone coming..."
"They won't," She assured him, though she didn't even know it herself, another worry to add to the list that she brushed off, "Please stop worrying. I'll be fine, Dad. You should be enjoying your night. I'll see you tomorrow, ok?"
"Fine, Payton," He huffed giving into his daughter, though he knew it wouldn't stop his worries regarding her safety, "I'll come pick you up tomorrow. Text me when you need me."
"Of course," Payton answered, beginning to tap her feet impatiently and wanting this call to be over with already so they could get going, "Good night, Dad."
"Good night, Payton," Alaric bid her goodbye, but not forgetting the thing he hadn't told her in a while, "Love you sweetheart."
"I love you too, Dad."
Ending the phone call, Payton ignored Matt's amused expression on his face, knowing he was finding her Dad's protectiveness and the love you's from the father and daughter too sweet right now, as she slipped her phone into her pocket and joined arms with the teenager.
Matt went to make a comment about it, but Payton brought her finger up and prevented him from speaking, "Don't! Don't you dare go there..."
"I wasn't even going to say anything.." Matt chuckled in defence.
"You better not."
Looking back at him with a glare, Matt laughed more at her behaviour, causing Payton for the first time in a while to break out into laughter and nudge his side with her own, starting their walk to Matt's house for the rest of the night, beginning the first touch of normality she would experience in days.
But it was short lived when she arrived back at Matt's.
She had done a lot of overthinking on the way over there about everything that had happened lately and comparing how she felt, as well as to what happened when she was at home and in Mystic Falls, Payton knew what her next move was going to be now she had done all she could in this town.
Payton was going to go back home. She was going to rebuild her life and get away from the horrible events that had occured. She prayed she never had to come back, but hoped she could stay in touch with her Dad and Matt. The two people who had been there for her more than ever.
In terms of Stefan, she knew she couldn't completely forgive him for the pain he had brought into her world. Things were too awkward and tense for her to think about working on that before she left. She was ready to go and wouldn't use another person as an excuse to stay.
She had come to help Tyler. Payton had tried her hardest, for some of it had worked, where as others had gone wrong. He didn't need her anymore though. Plus she had come to resolve things with her Dad, which thankfully now were on a lot better terms and she felt she was ready to leave him in the state it was.
Payton didn't need to stay in the town that caused her so much grief.
Coming through into the living room at Matt's house, Payton took a seat down onto the couch and snapped her round to Matt who was now walking through, a bottle of scotch and two glasses in his hands.
"Since when did you have that?" Payton asked surprised and a little unsure she could be around underage drinking after last time she was it involved the swimming mall.
"Since like ever," he smirked back at her, taking a seat beside her and pouring the both of them a drink, "thought we could both do with one."
"You read my mind." She smiled over at him, taking the now filled glass from him and downing the contents in one.
Once the liquid hit her, she pulled the glass away and laid it down on the coffee table in front, before swallowing it down harshly, the liquid stinging the back of her throat due to the harshness of the drink, the vampire inside of her not even liking the bitterness of alcohol.
Seeing her down her drink so fast, Matt leaned forward toward's her concerned about her from how she was acting, as well as wondering what she had been up to all day when he had seen her leave Stefan's car and look like she had been beaten up or something.
"Hey, Payton," Matt broke the silence between them, causing Payton to turn her head slowly to look back at the teen, "What's going on?"
Staring back at him, she felt her chest slightly that he had recognised her odd behaviour, there was no hiding it now and Matt was somehow she felt she could confide in out of everyone in this town, even her Dad she felt like she had to watch what she said, but Matt was different, he didn't judge and even if she said something she shouldn't, a little compulsion never hurt anyone.
"Just everything," She sighed, leaning her body down against the back of the couch, "Mason, all the drama since being here.."
"Tel me about it," Matt sighed, leaning back with her, their position very much like the other night when they got talking, he could relate to how she was feeling, "it's crazy, huh?"
He turned his head to look at her, she gradually looked over at him too, feeling her eyes beginning to sting with tears, everything hitting her all over again, "I hate it here. I can't stand to be here. It hold's too many horrible memories."
"Payton," Matt flashed her a tight lip smile, seeing her face turn from him and she bit down on her bottom lip she was trying to stop herself from expressing how she felt, "what are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking..." she paused, rolling her tongue over her dry mouth, before she took a deep breath, "I'm thinking that I need to go back home."
"We were just there?" He asked with raised brows.
"I mean home, home," Payton looked back at him once again, tears covering her eyes now, "Back to Florida."
"Oh."
Matt felt slightly disappointed to hear her words. Just like the other day when she had told him she was moving back in with her Dad. He didn't want her to leave him then, all alone in his house with no one to talk to or come home to. He'd only just then got over that and now she was telling him she was leaving town too.
They hardly knew each other, they hardly were friends, but he already felt like he could trust her and that after a few months he could see them being great friends. But that was unlikely to happen if she was going back home, leaving him alone again to face this awful town and not having someone who wasn't apart of this mess as such.
If only Matt knew the real reason. If only Payton could keep her emotional mouth shut.
"Everything's just too much, the break up with Mason, stuff with my Dad and everyone is still tense," Payton began to ramble to him, fighting off the tears, but it wasn't long before they soon fell from her eyes and cascaded down her cheeks, "I can't be dealing with this much drama. I miss my old life."
Seeing her cry like that, he laid his glass down beside hers and went to grab hold of her face to make him look at her, but she suddenly confessed something that made him freeze in shock,
"Mason's dead!"
"What?" Matt blinked surprised, slowly looking over at the broken girl, "Since when?"
"Since we broke up," Payton sighed, wiping the tears from her face, though more continued to fall, "we didn't break up, Matt. He died. I lost him."
Rubbing his lips together, Matt wrapped his arm securely around her back and pulled her into him, she sobbed onto him, just letting out everything that had built up again, as well as the shock and fear with what happened with Jules and Brady earlier coming out.
"How did this happen?" He asked her, rubbing his thumb up and down her back softly.
"He got involved with the wrong people," She began to inform him through her cries, "it was a mistake, a stupid mistake. He got himself involved in trouble he shouldn't have, now's dead and I'm paying the price for it."
Feeling hugely guilty and sorry for the girl, he pulled her closer and continued to rub her back, hating seeing her this way again, but completely understanding the pain she was going through and why she had been acting so negative lately.
It all made sense now.
When Payton felt her head hit neck, her eyes slowly travelled up to his neck that was on display from where his work t-shirt didn't cover it, Payton felt her heart begin to pound in her chest, reflecting the pulse coming from Matt's chest right now and she had to try her hardest to stop herself from giving into those vampire cravings.
This had not happened in so long. The urge to drink from the vein was happening right now with someone so innocent and so not deserving of what Payton wanted to do. She was blaming the emotions she was feeling, as well as drinking from Damon earlier on who had been consuming human blood.
No wonder her cravings were back and with the mixture of over crazy emotions she was feeling for every dramatic event that had occurred lately, she wasn't thinking straight, the common sense voice was telling her to back away, but the other voice inside of her was telling her to just go for it and enjoy it, give into her inner demons and what could make her feel amazing for the first time in weeks.
Opening her mouth slightly, Payton found her crying starting to die down slightly as she listened to the voices and her face slowly began to change into her vampire form. She was so close to digging her fangs into Matt's neck, not even thinking about what she was doing and the risks involved, as well as the consequences of her actions.
OR THE FACT IT WAS MATT SHE WAS WILLING TO HURT.
Unexpectedly Matt turned his head to look down at her after he had heard her crying suddenly come to a stop, just as his eyes met with Payton's, she quickly leaped up onto her feet and covered her face with her hands, the shock at what she was about to do to poor Matt hitting her hard.
She prayed with every inch of her life that Matt hadn't seen her face properly and wasn't aware what she was going to do to him, but because that was mean a lot of explanation and she didn't know if she could even face him now after what she was going to do.
Payton felt so stupid. She felt disgusted. It was so unlike her, but was the whole reason she stayed off the human stuff and kept to her usual diet. The whole reason she told Mason to stop feeding her the human blood he had gotten from the local hospital for her to drink to help her recovery.
This was what happened to her. She wanted to feed on innocent humans like Matt. Matt who had been wonderful to her since arriving in town and a proper friend. He didn't deserve this.
"Payton," Matt slowly rose to his feet, confused and surprised by how she was acting, "what's wrong?"
"I can''t. I'm sorry."
She kept her back to him, covering her face, hoping it was back to normal now at least and that she could try herself down so the next time she looked at him, she didn't want to rip his head off and drain him from blood.
"It's ok," He assured her, not realising the real reasons why she was hiding from him and had backed off, "you don't have to put up a guard with me. We're friends."
"Yes and that's exactly why I can't hurt you." She responded, not even realising what she was saying, but it screamed truth in all sense.
"You're not going to hurt me." Matt said confused and a little humble she cared enough.
Laying his hand down on her shoulder, he slowly turned her round to face him and then laid his hands over hers, trying to remove them from her face. After a few attempts, she slowly turned to face him with a worried look on her face, but thankfully it resembled no vampire.
"See." He smiled at her, before he wrapped his arms around her pulling her into an embrace.
Burrowing her face into his chest, she shut her eyes tight and tried to keep herself in control of her cravings. She ignored the pounding of his heart. She ignored the feelings of wanting to consume blood. She ignored it all.
She knew she could do this. She knew she could overcome this. But she also knew she couldn't consume human blood ever again, even if it was from another vampires vein. It was so wrong and destroyed her.
After a few moments, Payton broke away from Matt and sent him a small smile, appreciating his help and also relieved she had gotten through that. He returned the gesture, before leading her back over to the couch and putting his feet up onto the coffee table, handing her over his original glass with alcohol in it.
Taking it from him, she sat back down and slowly sipped on the liquid, using it as another method to put a halt to those cravings. A good twenty minutes had passed, the two sitting in silence, Payton trying to stay in control and Matt giving into the slumber that had took over his body.
Turning her head to look at the sleeping man beside her, she lightly sighed at how content he looked and how she wished she could shut herself off like that sometimes. Downing the remaining drink in the glass, she got back up from her seat and grabbed the notebook and pen that was sat on the coffee table.
Going through into the kitchen, she laid the glass down into the sink basin and took a seat up the table. Putting the pen to paper, she began to write out a long note to Matt, one that she was going to hide in a secure place, one that she hoped he would find one day and open when the time was right.
It was the whole truth. The truth about herself. The truth behind her real reasons for coming to town and how Mason died. The real truth about what happened to her that day with Jules and Brady, why she looked such a wreck and why Stefan had dropped her home.
It was all in that one letter along with an apology of not being honest with him sooner and thanking him for everything he had done since she had come to this town, from joking with her, building a friendship, giving her a place to stay and somewhere to vent how she was feeling.
She was glad she had him in her life, even if it was only brief and happened to be one of two things that would make her stay. But she knew she had to go. She had to leave and go back to Florida.
Folding up the note, she hid it in a safe place, where she knew Matt wouldn't look anytime and maybe one day would find when he was ready to, when fate told him to and dragged him to it.
Checking on him one last time, she headed toward's the front door and stepped out into the night sky. She breathed in the fresh air and began her journey back to Alaric's apartment, hoping he wouldn't mind her returning so late at night, but it was best if she was away from hurting Matt.
It was best she got away from it all.
Climbing up the steps within the apartment building, Payton wondered over to the door that went through into the place that she had been living in on and off since arriving in Mystic Falls, which now was going to be the place she visited now her trip was coming to an end.
Getting the spare key Alaric had given to her out of her jacket pocket, she stuck it into the lock and quietly opened the door. As she door came to more, she jumped slightly when she saw Alaric sitting on the couch, a book on his lap and he was dressed in his sleeping attire.
"Payton." He spoke, surprised to see her returning back for the night, when he had thought she was staying out for the night with Matt.
"Hey Dad." She greeted him softly, closing up the door and then coming over to join him on the couch.
Alaric was so relieved to see his daughter home and in one piece. When he had got the call from Stefan earlier that day to tell him what had happened to Payton and that Damon had been the one to save her by giving her his blood, panic and worry had washed over him, along with a huge amount of anger.
One that no one had told him that she was in danger in the first place, but also that she had been put into this horrible situation from Jules and Brady. He was so ready to walk out the door, weapons in tow and kill those bastards for even laying a hand on his daughter. But he knew it would only make it worse and by the sounds of it everything was fine now. She was safe and better.
But seeing her now in front of him, he felt a horrible feeling about what had happened to his daughter over the past few months and he felt guilty he had hardly been there to help her through any of it.
He could see how broken, emotional and worn down his daughter was. He had never seen her look so washed out. It made him feel like a failure of a father for not being around for her more, right from her growing up as a young girl to now as an adult, he knew he couldn't let it continue that way.
If he had had lost her today, he would not have been able to live with himself. She was his only family, his flesh and blood, he could not lose her to such evil. He already had without knowing, but he wouldn't let her slip away just like that now.
Sitting down beside him, Payton shrugged off her jacket and glanced down at the wound that had healed on her shoulder, but the rip in her clothing was still very much real, including the stains of blood that covered her t-shirt sleeve.
Alaric's eyes fell on the stains along her body and felt his stomach drop at the realisation of how awful this torture must have been. All she had been through with losing Mason, turning as a vampire and now she had been through hell that day.
"How are you feeling?" Alaric questioned.
Looking over at him, she decided to be honest and shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know."
"That's understandable," He assured her, closing up his book and laying it on the arm of the couch, "you've been through a lot today."
Nodding back at him, she took a deep breath in before she confessed the same thing she had to Matt earlier on, the whole reason she had come back to see him, as well as to collect her stuff.
"I'm going home," She told him quietly, fearful of his reaction, but more because she knew she would break bringing everything back up, "I don't know if or when I will come back. But I can't stay here."
Alaric felt his stomach leap again, in another bad way and he felt the same disappointment Matt felt. He didn't want her to go. He didn't want to let her out of his sight ever again. But he knew he couldn't do that. She wasn't a little girl anymore, she might be his little girl, but she was grown up now, she had to make her own choices in life.
It was her choice to go back to Florida so he had to stand by her decision and support her however much he wanted to beg her to stay with him.
"I can understand why you want to leave." He finally responded to her news.
She could see he didn't take to the news well and it hurt her more than anything, but despite that she knew she couldn't stick around even if he wanted to. It wasn't good for her. It was too hard. She had to go home.
"I can't stay around here and be reminded of everything that went wrong," Payton explained to him, feeling the tears begin to fall from her eyes once again, "it's too painful to be reminded of what happened to Mason. I need to get home, start rebuilding my life and keep busy."
"No I get that and I agree it's what's best for you," Alaric assured her, it was painful for him to see her cry, "I'm not going to lie and say I'm not disappointed you're leaving. Because I am. Hugely. But I know you don't want to be here and you need to get back to a good place, which isn't in this town."
"Exactly," She nodded back to him, wiping away her tears as new ones fell, "I think I've out run my stay in Mystic Falls. I came back for two reasons. One to help Tyler and two to resolve things with you, both which were achieved."
"They sure as hell were." Alaric smiled back at her softly.
Laughing lightly, she lent forward in her seat and fought off the next set of tears, "Dad, I am so sorry. I am sorry for lying to you about turning into a vampire and about Mason. I should have told you about him the moment it happened. But I was terrified and telling your Dad your a vampire isn't exactly the easiest thing to say."
"Payton," Alaric sighed, moving over to her and grabbing hold of her hands, squeezing them gently, "Please don't apologise. It's ok. I've forgiven you and we're moving forward. Please don't worry."
"I just want you to know that though," Payton explained, "I am so grateful to have you in my life, Dad. I will love you forever, ok?"
"Payton," He couldn't how sweet she was being right now and how her emotions were still heightened from turning into a vampire, "I love you too, sweetheart. I'm always going to be there for you."
"Even when I'm all the way down in Florida?" She asked with raised brows.
"Even then." He assured her with a smile.
Returning the gesture, she burst into more tears and pulled him into a warm embrace, needing her Dad to hold her one last time for her remainder of her stay in town, before she headed home to be alone.
After a few minutes, Alaric slowly pulled himself away from his daughter, but kept his hand's on hers, "Are you sure you're going to be ok going back there?"
"I think so."
Did she really though? Could she face going back to the place what held so many memories of living with Mason? Could she go back to place where they were attacked in their own home and she found herself facing debt?
But it was giving her a chance to move forward with her life, face up to things that weren't the same anymore and try build her funds back up. She had plans to get herself back on her feet. Now was the time to go do it.
"And with the whole vampire thing?" He asked curiously, not knowing how she was coping with it all, "Are you ok with keeping in control?"
Swallowing harshly, she forced away the uneasy feeling in her stomach and found herself sugar coating the topic, "I'll be fine. I'm managing. Don't worry."
"If you need me though for any reason, I'm only a phone call away and I can get in my car within the hour to come rescue you from anything." He told her.
"Thank you," She smiled at him lightly, "but I'll be fine. The only reason you'll be coming down will be to visit me. Please promise you'll visit."
"I promise, Payton." He chuckled lightly.
"I should probably get on the road then if I want to make it back by morning." Payton suggested, slowly rising to her feet and going over to the bed where she had kept her duffel bag with the things she had brought over for her stay.
Getting up from the couch also, Alaric wondered over to the fridge and retrieved the blood bags, before he went over to the door with her to hand them to her, "Maybe you should take these. I won't be needing them."
Looking down at the human blood secured tightly in those bags, Payton felt her breathing get heavy and she pushed them lightly away from her, "I can't. I'm not a massive human blood drinker."
"Ok..." Alaric was slightly confused, but somewhat relieved to hear this, "If you're sure."
"Yes." She told him sternly, slipping on her jacket and then handing him back the spare key he had given her weeks ago.
Taking it from her, he laid it down on the kitchen counter behind him and then turned to open the door for the two of them to head outside. Looking around one last time at the apartment in front of her, she went with her Dad outside and over to he rental car parked against the road side.
Once they reached her car, she retrieved the keys and unlocked the vehicle, as Alaric took the bag from her and put it into the back of the car for his daughter. Once he had done that, he turned to face his daughter.
Smiling at him lightly, she pulled him into another hug and squeezed him tight, trying to savour the moment, afraid of when the next time she would see him will be and if he would even be able to survive in this supernatural crazed town.
"Please promise me you'll stay out of trouble and not get yourself killed." Payton proposed, ending the embrace between them and giving him a hard look.
"Of course," He promised her, more so himself that he would try stay out of trouble, "I promise."
"Good."
Bringing his hands up to her face, he brushed a few strands of hair out of her face and smiled down at her happily, "I'm so glad with regards to the circumstances that you turned up at my apartment that day. I've loved having you around again, Payton."
"I've loved being back in your life."
"I'll see you soon, sweetheart."
"You better."
Opening up the car door, she went to slip inside the vehicle, but her Dad pulled her back, noticing the tears in both of their eyes, knowing this goodbye was hard because of everything that had been through together recently.
It had tested their relationship but they had made it through.
"I love you, Payton."
"I love you too, Dad."
Squeezing his hands back, Payton finally was able to break from his grasp and get herself into the car. Closing the door behind herself, she wiped her tears and wound down the window of the car, so she could at least talk to him as she got herself ready to drive off.
"Have a safe journey back." He told her.
Smiling back at him, she put the keys into the ignition and started up the engine. For one last time, she looked back at her Dad, before she slolwy began to drive away from him, the apartment, the centre of the town life, the people who were fast asleep in their homes, out of the town where she lost everything, but also gained her Dad back and a friend.
But now it was her time to return home for good.
Or so she hoped...
Author note: Another really long chapter, but one I really hope you all enjoyed reading. I feel like a lot happened in this part. Stefan saved the day with the help of Damon and Tyler. The two had a deep conversation. Payton and Matt had a moment also. Then Payton and her Dad had one. All the feels or what?
Special thanks to RHatch89, LMarie99, HPuni101, tooclosefortety and Adela for reviewing the last part. I'm so pleased you all wanted Stefan to save Payton and he did so hopefully that's met your hopes for the story haha. Please let me know your thoughts on this part as I love reading them so much.
Thank you all!
I really hope you're excited for the next part,
guiltypleasurexo