A/N: I do not own The Vampire Diaries

Ryssa screamed, she had never been in so much agony in her life and she felt as if her body was splitting in two.

"Breathe, Ryssa!" Amanda encouraged from beside her, gripping her hand as the contraction hit. She started with the breathing exercises and after a pain filled moan, her sister copied her. "That's it, you're doing great."

"Where's..Trent?" she gasped out and Amanda wiped her sweaty brow with a washcloth and smiled.

"Probably terrorizing the nurses and pacing," she teased and winced as Ryssa squeezed her hand hard as another hit. She only had a few centimeters left before her niece would be brought into the world, and Ryssa had declined any form of pain control. Amanda for one thought that she was insane but let her sister decide what she wanted to do. Poor Trent was going crazy, and the only reason he wasn't in the room was because Ryssa had hollered at him to get out.

"I shouldn't have yelled at him," the witch muttered under her breath.

"Ah, he won't hold it against you. It's because he's a guy and the male gender sucks."

Ryssa let out a laugh and tried to slow her heart rate. Her baby was about to be born, two weeks early. Amanda had stayed by her side the entire pregnancy, along with Trent's frequent visits. Both her siblings had been sure to keep her as healthy and occupied as they could. At home a pink room with a crib and toys waited for the newest Jackson member.

"Alright Ryssa, here we go," the doctor said as she entered the delivery room. "On the next contraction, I want you to push."

"Hear that?" Amanda whispered in her sister's ear excitedly and Ryssa gave her a tired smile. "In just a few minutes you'll have your daughter in your arms."

Ryssa tensed and clutched Amanda's hand as the contraction started. "Push Ryssa, come on sweet pea!" Amanda encouraged and watched as her sister strained to do so. The pain subsided as the contraction ended and the doctor looked up at them.

"Almost there, I can see her head. Give me the biggest, hardest push that you can, Ryssa."

With what felt like an hour later, there was a loud cry as a pink and bloodied baby was given to the nurse to check her vitals. Ryssa glanced at Amanda with a pleading expression and her sister released her hand and went over to her new niece.

"She looks beautiful, little sis," she gushed as she gazed at the baby now being cleaned up and wrapped in a blanket. The nurse held her out to Amanda and she gladly took the newborn, carrying her over to Ryssa. "Ryssa, meet your daughter."

The witch beamed with exhaustion as the bundle was placed in her arms, gazing down at the tiny face with big blue-green eyes just like her own. "Hello my darling, I'm your mommy." The infant studied her face with great concentration and she rocked her gently. Almost as soon as she started, her daughter drifted off to sleep and she touched her soft skin with one hand.

Her daughter had her fair skin, her eyes and the same dark hair. The only part of James she noticed was the nose, but otherwise, she was the mirror image of her mother. Amanda smiled as Trent entered, running a hand through his hair. She looked up at her siblings and held out her other hand to them. Trent went to one side of the bed to get a glimpse of his niece while Amanda flanked her other side.

"Trent, Amanda," she began. "I'd like you to meet Emmelin Nicole Jackson, the newest member of our family."

Damon allowed Ryssa at least an hour before he gave Trent the address to his sister's house and sent him on his way. He didn't like to admit it, but he had really only one friend, and adding Ryssa to that number was mainly so she wouldn't attempt to kill him. That and he respected the witch; she was tough and had been through hell and still stood. It would be a lot easier than a temporary truce that teetered on the edge whenever they disagreed. Sooner or later, the ritual would happen and they needed her too much to make her an enemy.

Trent knocked on the door of the house his sister's friend had directed him to and waited. It was pulled open and he found himself facing a very colorful looking Ryssa who'd clearly been painting. She left the door open and walked away without saying anything, not bothering to tell him to get lost again. He glanced around the mansion with raised eyebrows, surprised she was living in a place like this. The walls were mostly white, in what could only be the living room was a couch and a tv and the foyer opened to a wide staircase that she'd disappeared up. He followed, peering into the rooms as he went. It looked to have at least four, yet only two had beds. He found her in one of the bedrooms and watched as she rolled dark red paint onto the wall, ignoring him.

"Are you going to talk to me?" he asked.

"Nothing to say, big brother."

"Please don't be this way, Ryssa. You don't have to be the stoic one around me, I don't buy it."

"I don't care what you buy," she muttered and lowered the brush. "You came to see me, I'm still in one piece, mission accomplished. Now go back to Richmond."

"I'm not leaving."

"Damn it, Trent!" Ryssa threw the roller into the pan and whirled on him. "I can't, don't you understand? I can't grieve, I can't feel anything at all!"

"That's not true, you're just hurting."

"My daughter is dead, big brother. My sister is in a coma. Of course I'm hurting." She glared at him, refusing to admit that his presence was irritating her. Good old Trent, always there to save her.

"Then let it out! You're fighting your emotions and it's not healthy," he pleaded.

"I don't give a damn about what's healthy. All I care about is painting this room and making it through the next five minutes."

"It'll get better, Ryssa, I promise. You'll grieve and let go and then it won't hurt so much."

Ryssa's eyes widened as she had an idea and smiled very slightly. Trent seemed to take it for a real smile because he came closer. "It will get better, and I know how."

"What do you mean?" Trent watched her, alarmed by the look in her eye. Before he could react, she mentally threw him against the wall, knocking him out and looked down on him with disturbing calm.

"I'm going to become a vampire."

"Mama, look what I found!" Four year old little Emma called to her mother as she ran toward her, one hand covering the other. Ryssa looked up from her book to regard her daughter as she approached. It was a warm summer day and they were at the beach, taking advantage of a day off of school and work at the museum.

"What's that dearest?" she asked and gasped as Emma opened her hands to reveal a small handful of shells. She oohed and aahed appropriately as they looked at the shells, Emma's shoulder length brown hair falling into her eyes.

"Aren't they pretty?" Emma said and Ryssa nodded in agreement. "Can we take them home with us?"

"If you want to, sure. Just make sure they're clean." She observed Emma examining her treasures with happiness, smoothing her hair behind her ear.

"Here mama, you have this one," her daughter said and handed her a seashell. Ryssa took it and thanked her then sighed with contentment as the little girl darted off to build a sandcastle.

Tired from her day at the beach, Emma slept the whole way home and as her mother tucked her in. Ryssa turned the night light on and gently shut the door and called Amanda, asking her to come over so she could run to the store. Emma had a birthday party at school the next day for a classmate and she'd agreed to send her with cupcakes, only to remember that she hadn't bought the mix.

As soon as her sister came over, she went to get her groceries, choosing to walk instead of drive. She was about a block and a half from her home when she sensed someone nearby and paused, studying her surroundings with caution.

A figure stood across the street in the dim glow the street light gave off and she was about to quicken her pace but before she could take a step, the person was in front of her, his fangs sliding into her neck. She tried to cry out but her mouth was covered before she could. Ryssa felt her body getting lighter as the vampire drank from her until he was pulled away and she tossed aside into the grass.

Blinking, she raised her gaze just in time to see the newcomer jerking what looked to be a heart from the vampire's chest and heard the thud of both the body and heart dropping. She tensed as the killer came toward her, only to breathe a relieved sigh as he crouched and she got a good look at his face. Somehow Elijah had found and rescued her just in time and she said nothing as he bit into his wrist and accepted the blood he offered without question.

"Elijah…" she whispered as he helped her up. "How did you—"

"I had business near here and thought I'd drop in," he answered and gave her a slight smile.

"Well, thank you," she smiled back and hugged him.

"Where are you going?"

"Store, forgot to pick up something for—" she hesitated as it occurred to her that she didn't really want to mention Emma to the Original. It would only lead to questions she didn't want to answer. "—work."

"Care for some company?" he inquired, choosing not to comment on the pause between her words.

"From you? Always," she smiled and listened to him talk about his search for his brother. She tried to answer his questions about her life with as minimal information as possible. If he noticed though, he didn't call her on it.

After she had gotten what she needed, he walked her home once more and she stopped when they reached the porch. "I'd let you in, but I'm sort of tired," she lied and he eyed her closely. For a moment she worried that he'd catch her in her lie but he didn't.

"Of course. I want you to forget about the vampire attack and seeing me tonight, Ryssa. I'll return for you in a couple of years," he compelled then kissed her hand and disappeared with a whoosh of air. The witch unlocked her door and went into her home to start on her daughter's cupcakes for school, not even remembering the visit.

Ryssa walked into the Boarding House with only one short knock and entered the library to find Damon sitting on the couch drinking something. The vampire smirked at her in greeting and raised his glass, offering her a drink.

"I want to become a vampire."

Damon stared at her, his eyebrows furrowing. "Aren't you supposed to be sharing and caring with your brother right about now?"

"No. He wants me to grieve." She stalked toward the liquor and poured herself a whiskey and wandered over to the fireplace. "I don't want to grieve. I don't want to hurt."

"Hence the sudden desire to become a vampire?" he drawled and she nodded. "Sorry, can't help you."

"What? Yes you can, turn me."

"Then you'll lose all of your witchy powers and Stefan and I are back to square one on saving Elena from Klaus."

"I can help you with Klaus as a vampire," she argued.

"Nope, not going to happen."

Gritting her teeth, she downed her drink and set it on the mantle then lashed out with her magic, throwing him off the couch and into the banister. He groaned and got to his feet but she continued her attack, throwing him against the wall next.

"I'm not turning you, Ryssa!" he growled and she glared at him.

"Fine, just remember that you asked for this." She watched him grab onto his head in pain as she used her powers, forcing away the guilt. That was the whole reason for this, she thought furiously. She didn't want to feel the guilt. Guilt for leaving her daughter behind, for not being there to hold her as the last breath left her body. She vaguely felt tears coursing down her cheeks as she hurt Damon and stopped, her concentration broken by the realization that she was crying.

Seizing the moment while she was distracted, he blurred behind her and put her into a headlock until she'd passed out and let her fall to the floor, panting. Stupid witches and their magic tricks. He stumbled over to his drink and swallowed it with one gulp as his phone rang.

"Trent, just the person I wanted to talk to," he greeted the man as he answered.

"Have you seen my sister? She knocked me out and I can't find her."

"Funny you say that," he remarked dryly as he crouched and lifted her hair from her face. "I have an unexpected house guest right this moment." Damon gave him the address and moved Ryssa to the couch, waiting till he came to collect her.

The vampire listened with some annoyance as she came to not long after and narrowed his eyes at her when she sat up and turned to him.

"You're an idiot," he informed her and she glared. "You're human, Ryssa. You're supposed to hurt. You're supposed to grieve when someone you love dies. Do you really think Emma would want her mother to become a vampire just to avoid it?"

"Shut up! You know nothing about what I'm feeling," she snapped as she jumped to her feet. Damon was on his before she could blink and threw his glass against the wall.

"You know why I won't turn you? Because you're of no use to me as a vampire," he shot back and she clenched her fists. "You made a deal to help us. You promised to help Elijah. Now you want to become a vampire to get out of feeling things?"

"He lied to me!" she yelled. "He told me that he'd never compelled me and he lied!"

"So not my problem, witch."

"Argh!" she screamed in frustration and Damon ducked as the windows shattered with the force of her magic being unleashed. He rushed over to her, gripping her arms and she fought him, but he didn't budge.

"You have to feel, Ryssa. You're strong, you can get through this. But you have to let it in," he urged.

"I can't," she sobbed and he pushed away the flash of sympathy that stirred in him at the sight.

"She wouldn't want you to do this to yourself," he said softly, looking into her eyes. "Let it go."

The door opened as they stood there and Trent entered to see Damon holding onto his sobbing sister. He wasted no time going to her side and the vampire gladly handed her over to his care and watched as the man carried her out.