Again, sorry for the delay, but this chapter has been very hard to write for some reason. I had to throw a couple of early drafts, and combine a couple of pieces and I really, sincerely hope that the end result is fine.

Thank you all who comment and follow, I couldn't have done this without you.

And, without further due, I present you:

MIDNIGHT


(I own none of the characters)

New Year's Eve.

Jeremy looked over Paris where he sat on the roof of the house. It glittered subtly of lights in the dark. Early fireworks shot into the sky, exploded in colors. Somehow the sight made him feel even more lonely.

There was nothing to celebrate.

He cautiously peered over the edge of the roof. The ground was far below, a duvet of snow. The death would be quick, soft.

His heart quenched in anguish. What was he doing? What was he thinking? When had he reached the point when suicide seemed to be the way out? Not once during his sickness, not once during neither poverty nor famish, did he think of taking his life.

But now? Now he was developing into a monster.

He had two choices: complete the transformation and kill or die like he was but as an innocent soul. He didn't have to be a murderer. But there was a part of him, a bloodthirsty, vicious part that wanted to.

And that part sounded louder in his mind.


Stefan went across the stage to gather Damon's music sheets from the grand piano. They would not be needed anymore.

He felt sad that his brother was leaving, but as long as he and Elena were safe, he felt reassured. And Damon had forgiven him – Stefan's heart was finally at rest. It felt like he had his whole life searched for his elder brother's approval – and he had found it at last. Despite all his mistakes.

But as he headed back to the foyer, he froze.

Klaus.

The ancient vampire approached him loftily like a lion advancing on its prey. He was really in no hurry – he knew that Stefan couldn't outrun him.

"What do you want?" Stefan asked, trying to sound as hostile as possible, even though his stomach had basically frozen over.

Klaus gave him an ice-cold look. Through his calm a fiery rage could be seen.

"Your brother stopped me from going through with the sacrifice by killing Katherine." He gave a short, bitter laugh. "As if that would have stopped me. Look."

And from his pocket he brought out a vial of dark red substance.

Blood.

"I filled it up before her blood went cold. So it's still usable. But there are still pieces missing in this jigsaw. The human doppelganger for example. Isn't she called Elena or something?"

Klaus smiled, then his face became a mask of cruelty again.

"Where are they?"

Stefan shook his head. He took a step back, towards the piano. "I'm not going to tell you that. Nothing's going to make me tell you that."

Klaus' eyes glittered in the stage lights as he took yet another step towards Stefan.

"We'll see."


They stood on the street, waiting for a cab to arrive that would take them to Le Havre.

For once, it was such a soft night. Snow and early fireworks and people with cheeks red with excitement. Elena didn't even freeze in her thin coat; it felt like Damon radiated some new warmth tonight.

It felt cruel to abandon Jeremy so, but she had left him all the money she had earned from working in the theatre and a train-journey ticket to Southampton where their aunt Jenna lived. Hopefully, she would have enough sense to take care of him.

And if things went well in South America, she would come back and help him if he was having a hard time. Even though he had in a way betrayed her by voluntarily turning into a vampire. But she forgave him, she would always forgive him, because after all – he was the only brother she had.

"We'll stay in an inn in Le Havre until the departure of the cruise ship," Damon told her, tried to warm her further by taking her hand. "I've paid everything with what I earned from playing the piano, so we'll be fine."

We'll be fine. Three simple words that made her feel better than she had in weeks.

If only she had known that the world would come crashing down on her the next minute.


Jeremy quickly disappeared in the crowd as he moved through Paris. For the first time, the air smelt good. The thirst ravaging his throat increased. He knew he wasn't going to be able to stand much longer.

Somehow he ended up standing in front of a small hospital, which was bustling with life. There were surprisingly many wounded and sick during New Year's Eve. Firework-shooting that had gone wrong, pneumonic children, poor infected with lethal diseases.

He stepped inside.

There was a long, marble corridor through which many nurses and doctors rushed. Jeremy saw a nurse with a blood-stained apron. His jaw ached.

He slipped into a ward that was empty of staff and looked around. The people here were so heavily injured and sick they didn't even acknowledge his presence. It was kind of sad to know that they spent the New Year's Eve here suffering.

At the very end of the row of beds, he saw a girl that simply lay motionless and pale in her bed. When he came closer, she didn't stir. Just occasionally did her eye twitch a little. She had bandages all over her body and they were soaked with blood.

He felt his heart beating violently. He couldn't believe what he was doing.

It was as if he stood at the edge of an abyss, looking down into the deep darkness. If he fell, there would no more of this guilt or pain. He could ease his suffering and this girl's as well. Yes, it was the easy way out – but why look for a harder way?

With a jolt he remembered the slaughtered vampires in the tunnel. What was to make of that? Was it evil because the persons killed had been people once upon a time too, or was it good because that way there were a dozen dark creatures less in the world?

There was no one to answer that really.

Carefully he knelt by the head of the bed. The girl didn't react. Her eyes stared unseeing into the ceiling. He put his hand over her bandaged wrist. A pulse was there, but faint. Brittle.

He knew with certainty that there was no hope for her.

Somehow it was easier to then lean over her pearl-white neck. The heat of the blood seemed to strike him in waves.

And, closing his eyes, he struck.

As soon as his teeth punctured the skin, the blood overwhelmed him. First, it tasted like blood should taste; metallic and bittersweet. Then it turned aromatic and soft.

And finally, finally the clouds of release came rolling over him. The weight took off. There was no misery or pain or madness anymore.

It was beautiful.


Damon suddenly froze.

With a knowledge that sometimes graced him, he knew that Stefan was in danger, making the alarm bells in him ring.

He stared aghast at Elena, who stared equally shocked back. There was still fidelity to be seen in her face, calming her expression.

He didn't want to worry her and bring all the woe back, he'd rather let her go on believing that everything was all right, but he'd never forgive himself if anything happened to Stefan that he could've stopped, even if it would crush Elena's hopes of a better future.

"Come!"

He took hold of her hand and ran back into the theatre.

The danger seemed electrify the air, he tried to locate where it came from. His eyes fell on the doors to the auditorium.

Of course. Where else would anything happen?

He stormed in through the doors with Elena behind him.

The sight that welcomed him made him stop entirely. For a moment he just stood there, frozen, wishing it all way, wishing it wasn't true.

Up on the scene he saw Klaus and Stefan. Klaus was standing upright, holding something in his hand, while Stefan lay on the wooden floor. Damon could immediately see he was bleeding.

"Stefan," he cried, and ran to the stage, never letting go of Elena though.

But Klaus stood in their way.

"Hello, Damon," he said almost kindly. His eyes shifted over to Elena. "Hello, Elena. How nice of you to grace us with your presence."

"What did you do to my brother?" Damon growled back.

"I staked him," Klaus replied indifferently, as if speaking of the weather. "With a vervain-laced stake. He's not yet dead, but it's only a matter of time. Once there is too much vervain in his heart, he'll die."

Damon rushed forward, but stopped himself just in time. He realized what Klaus was getting at.

If he helped his brother, Klaus would kill Elena. If he stayed where he was, Elena would be safe, but Stefan would die.

Klaus brought a vial of blood out of his pocket and swung it in front of Damon like a pendulum. "Look here, Salvatore. It's Katherine's blood. Now I only need Elena's and the rest I've already got cleared."

He smiled. "So what's it going to be: saving your brother or protecting the doppelganger?"

Damon looked desperately first at Elena, then at Stefan. He felt like he was being ripped apart.

He would have to choose.


And that's a choice I hope no one never ever will have to make. Because really, who do you choose? Do you choose family or love?

It's impossible to pick one. You'd be heartbroken choosing either.

Anyway, so now I'll make it official: there are only two chapters left + Epilogue. No matter how hard it is, sooner or later you have to close the book and move on. I'm just happy I got you guys to support me.

Music of the day: To Build A Home (Cinematic Orchestra)

Other sad news: Apparently 3 main characters will die in the season finale of TVD and they're not going to come back and Season 3 will be darker and more serious. I don't know what to say truth be told. That someone's going to die makes me sad and I think I will be doing a lot of weeping during the last episode, but I also feel like TVD has taken a more serious, dangerous direction and has evolved into something more than just a teenage vampire drama.

Update coming soon to computers near you!

Goodbye and good luck,

CheeseSwiss