Hey guys! So I know the last chapter was crazy right? Alex leaving with John! Didn't expect that huh? Many of you thought that Alex was kidnapped, but that's not the case. She left on her own terms. This will all be explained this chapter. Don't forget to tell me what you think! Also just for future reference, I know you guys are excited about new chapters, but you just have to remember that I have things other than this story that I have to do. So if I don't get a chapter out at the beginning of the week, or I don't update twice a week, I'm not doing it on purpose. I have been pretty consistent with updating at least once a week, and I hope you understand that I can not always update early in the week. Ok, rant over!
Season 2 Episode 8 Rose
"Alex… it's me… Damon… call me back."
"This is the twentieth time I've called you… give me a call back."
"Seriously? This shit is getting old Alex. I need to talk to you."
"Pretty girl… I need to know that you are ok… please… call me."
I shut the phone, slamming it on the table. I then ran my shaking hands over my face and through my hair. I wanted so bad to call him back. I wanted to tell him that everything was ok and that I was going to be back soon. But I couldn't just yet. I would, soon, just not right now.
Ring.
"You really need to shut that off." John said, bringing me a cup of coffee. I took the mug in my left hand, setting it down on the table. I glared at the phone, Damon lit across the screen.
"He's just worried." I told him. The phone eventually stopped ringing. It took everything in me not to answer it every time he called.
"Why don't you talk to him?" John asked. I took a sip of my coffee, the burning liquid scorching my tongue. I swallowed.
"Because he wouldn't approve of this. What I'm asking you." I admitted. "I need to figure everything out."
"I told you that I would teach you how to kill a vampire." John said. "But that doesn't mean you can just pack up and shirk your responsibilities."
I scoffed. He chose now to act like a dad.
"I'm probably going to be fired anyway." I shrugged. "I've been calling off way too much. And I can get Elena to help me with school."
"And your mother?" John quipped. I cringed. "You just packed up and left her."
I hated how she looked at me when I told her I was leaving, and who I was leaving with. The pained face she had was almost enough to make me forget this crazy plan. Almost.
"I told her I needed to take care of some business." I said. "Besides, when did you start caring about my mother's feelings?"
John winced.
"Ok I deserved that." John said. I scoffed. We were silent for a while before I leaned forward a bit, catching his attention.
"I'll be out of your hair in a week." I said. "Tops."
John made a face, gulping his coffee. I sat there, thrumming my fingers against the mug. I knew that I sprung this on him but what else did he have to do? Besides, he offered before he was chased out of town, he should keep up with his promises.
"One week." John said. I nodded. He then sighed and sipped again at his coffee. "You should get ready."
"For what?" I asked as I watched him stand.
"We have a lot to do and very little time." He said and walked out of the room. I licked my lips following behind him. "I wish you would have come when that thing was off."
I looked down at my cast. At the time I hadn't really thought about being injured and how it would affect my training.
"Sorry." I mumbled. "I didn't really think it through."
"Obviously." John mumbled. I rolled my eyes. He was rifling around in his medicine cabinet. When he found what he was looking for he pulled it out and handed it to me.
"What is it?" I asked rolling the vial around in my hand. The liquid inside was red and stuck to the walls of the vial.
"Vampire blood." He said. I looked up at him surprised. "I keep it for emergencies."
The blood would definitely speed up the healing process. I bet in mere minutes it would be fully healed. Although I wasn't too keen on the idea I figured that if I was going to get anywhere, I had to be healed first. I snapped the cap off the vial, preparing myself mentally. After a few minutes of hesitation I knocked it back and swallowed the red liquid.
"I haven't talked to her Damon." Caroline said. "Sorry."
Damon huffed, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against Caroline's doorframe. He had been trying to get a hold of Alex all night. He didn't get much out of Lauren. She said that she just packed up and told her she was going to see John. Damon didn't understand, and of course he couldn't until Alex called him back and told him what the hell was going on. Why would she go to the man who had abandoned her before she was born and then tried to kill Damon? Didn't make much sense.
"She's fine." Caroline assured. "She's with a trained vampire hunter."
"Who hates me." Damon added, remembering how he almost burnt to death at the hands of Alex's father. "Who knows what anti Damon propeganda he's drilling into her head right now."
"Alex is a lot tougher than that." Caroline said. "Don't worry."
Damon set his jaw. On top of the mystery of Alex's surprise visit with John, Tyler Lockwood had accidently killed someone last night. That meant he had sparked the curse and now he was a full werewolf. Just Damon's luck.
"What happened last night?" Damon asked Caroline who was getting ready for school. He needed to focus on something other than Alex.
"Well, Matt was drinking and he attacked Tyler." Caroline began. "But I broke up the fight and knocked him out."
"You're a tough one Blondie." Damon smirked. She ignored his comment.
"So then Sarah attacks Tyler and he pushed her away and she tripped and she fell and she hit her head." Caroline finished.
"Does Matt remember anything?" Damon asked.
"No, he thinks he blacked out but I think they were both compelled by Katherine." Caroline said. "That's why I covered for Tyler and said it was an accident."
The theory was plausible. Damon had killed Mason which set Katherine off. If she compelled both Matt and Sarah to pick a fight with Tyler so that he would snap and kill them, that would trigger the curse and he would be a werewolf. That way she would have a new werewolf and the moonstone. But what did she need them for?
"Where is your mom?" Damon asked.
"Leading the search party for Aimee Bradley." Caroline answered. "They haven't found her body yet."
"Oh, teens today and their underage drinking. Tragic." Damon said. The poor girl never stood a chance against Katherine. "Wait, did you see Tyler's eyes turn yellow?"
"They were more gold with amber highlights." Caroline said. Damon rolled his eyes. "Can he turn into a wolf now?"
"Only on a full moon but now he has increased strength and who knows what else." Damon said. "I wonder how much Mason told him. Does he know about us?"
Caroline was texting, smiling at her phone.
"Hey! What did you tell him?" Damon said getting her attention. She put her phone down.
"Nothing, really. I don't think he knows much of anything." She said. "He seemed really freaked out and honestly, I felt kind of bad for him."
"Don't feel bad for him." Damon said. "He's a werewolf. A bite from one of them can kill you."
"He's still Tyler." Caroline replied. "I'm late for school."
She pushed past him but he followed. He walked outside with her and watched her throw her bag into her car.
"Caroline!" He called. She turned. "If she calls or anything-"
"I'll let you know." She replied. Damon nodded and watched her get in her car and drive away. He pulled out his phone and tried calling Alex again.
Elena woke up in the arms of a stranger. He had a cap and sunglasses on so she couldn't really see him. She was weak, still sore from the injuries she sustained from the day prior. Her arms and legs were tied together and she could not get free.
The man who took her put her down on a couch. The house looked old and vacated for a very long time it seemed. He began untying her bounds.
"What do you want?" She asked weakly.
"Shhh." He hushed her, throwing the ropes away.
"Please, I'm hurt." Elena said. His eyes travelled up, landing on the bloodstain on her shirt.
"I know." He said, his face transforming. "Just a taste."
He leaned in with his fangs exposed and Elena tried to move away, ready to scream.
"Trevor!" A female voice said. Elena looked up to find its owner. "Control yourself."
The male vampire, Trevor, stood up and walked by the female.
"Buzzkill." He muttered, leaving the room and the two girls together. This woman had short spiky hair. She was tall and lean, dressed very fashionably. She stared at Elena, her eyes full of wonder.
"Oh my god, you look just like her." She said. Elena shook her head. Even put away Katherine was still causing Elena trouble. She guessed that it would always be like that.
"But I'm not." Elena said. "Please whatever you-"
"Be quiet." The female commanded. But again Elena didn't listen. She wanted answers and she wanted them now.
"But I'm not Katherine." Elena said, ignoring the woman's order. "My name is Elena Gilbert; you don't have to do this."
"I know who you are, I said be quiet." She said.
"What do you want?" Elena asked, fear in her voice.
"I said be quiet!" The woman yelled and smacked Elena across the face. She hit her so hard that she fell back to the couch and went unconscious.
I threw my arm around in a circle, not finding any sign of the break. John had sawed off my cast and now I was free to move. I should have done this from the beginning, but when Katherine was around I could have been turned into a vampire at any moment. I had thought about it, how much easier it would be if I became a vampire, but then again I wasn't ready for that. It was inevitable, if I were to stay with Damon. But I had a few more years before I had to make that decision.
"Alright." John said. "Let's start."
He took me out the back. He had been staying in the Gilbert lake house since he left. The place was nice, right on the lake too. He had a nice big space cleared out in the backyard for us to train in. He had weapons of all sorts; guns, bows, so many different one's I didn't know where to start.
"We will start with just a stake." John said. I kind of sighed, wanting to try the air gun out first. "This will most likely be your best way of killing a vampire unless you are previously prepared."
I nodded and grabbed my stake out of my back pocket. I held it in a clenched fist in my newly healed right hand. I had the point facing out, ready to strike. John sighed and approached me.
"Your form is all wrong." He said. "Your legs need to be shoulders width apart."
He kicked my legs out a little more.
"Your back needs to be straight." He continued, pushing me in a straight position. "And your arm shouldn't be so far above your head."
I lowered it. He looked over my new stance and nodded. He then took his former place. He had his hands folded behind his back and his feet barely apart. I stood there for a few minutes, waiting for him to say more. He just stood there, watching me. My stance was starting to hurt, and I wanted nothing more than to go back into a normal position.
"Now what?" I asked impatiently. He dropped his hands to his sides.
"Come at me." He said, gesturing with his hand. I furrowed my brows.
"What? No-"
"The only way you are going to learn is if you practice." He said. "Now, attack me."
I hesitated. I wasn't much of a fighter, and the idea of attacking him scared me. However, I knew that I had to try. I would never get anywhere if I didn't try. So, I ran toward him, stake at the ready, pointing it right to his heart. I let out a sort of battle cry as I ran to him, a noise I had no idea where it came from.
When I got closer I realized that he had been standing still for a very long time. He was letting me win. This made my anger rise because I thought he was going easy on me. However, I was proven wrong when by the last second he grabbed my arm twisted it around my back and pushed me forward to the ground.
"What the hell?" I asked, spitting grass out of my mouth. I rolled back over to see him smirking down at me.
"First of all, that screaming thing has to stop." He said amused. "They will hear you coming a mile away."
"Dully noted." I replied, grunting a bit at the blow I had just taken.
"Second, you were holding the stake too high." He said. "You're aiming for their heart, not their head."
"Anything else?" I barked. I didn't like being criticized especially by him about something I knew nothing about.
"A vampire is going to be faster than me." He said. "At the speed you were going a vampire could have killed you in a second."
"This is my first time!" I shouted at him. He chuckled and held out his hand. I took it and he hiked me up. I brushed myself off, spitting another piece of grass from my mouth.
"Alright." John said. "Again."
Stefan was beyond worried about Elena. He had no idea where she was and there was no sign of her. He couldn't get into contact with her, he couldn't find any trace of her. His only option was to talk to Katherine, who was now locked in the tomb. However, he knew Katherine wouldn't talk to him without an incentive.
"Bonnie." Stefan said. "I need you to lift the spell."
"I can't Stefan." The witch replied. "Even if I wanted to. It took both me and my Grams to undo it the first time."
"But I can still talk to her right?" Stefan asked.
"Yeah but Damon's right." Bonnie said. "She's not gonna tell you anything, not without something in return."
"I know but Bonnie I have to do something." Stefan pleaded. "I have no idea who has Elena; I have no idea where she is."
Bonnie sighed. It looked as if there was no other option. Everything they had worked to do would now be for nothing because Katherine was the only one who could give up any kind of information. But then Bonnie remembered a spell.
"What if there was another way to find her?" Bonnie asked. Stefan's eyebrows furrowed.
"What are you talking about?" He asked. Bonnie grabbed the grimoire from her bag and flipped through it.
"The location spell." Bonnie said. "The one my Gram's used to find me when Anna took us."
She flipped through the pages until she found it. Bonnie's eyes scanned the page and then nodded. She closed it and looked back up at Stefan.
"Go find Jeremy." Bonnie said. "I'll take care of everything else."
Stefan nodded and took off to find Elena's brother. When he found him and told him what was going on, he gladly followed Stefan to the empty classroom Bonnie had set up in.
"How does this is work?" Jeremy asked looking at the map of Virginia and the candles on the desk.
"I'll use your blood to draw energy for the tracking spell." Bonnie explained. "You're blood related; it'll make the connection stronger."
"We've got to clear out of here in 10 minutes." Stefan said. "I've got weapons. Alaric stocked me up."
"You ready?" Bonnie asked Jeremy. He nodded. Bonnie then took his hand and sliced open his palm. He winced but allowed the blood to fall onto the map. After several drops fell Bonnie closed her eyes and used her magic. The blood drew across the map, leading a trail to Elena's location.
"There." Bonnie said pointing to it. "She's there."
"That's 300 miles away." Jeremy said.
"No Bonnie." Stefan said. "We need a more exact location than that."
"That's as close as I can get." Bonnie said. Stefan sighed. It would take forever to find Elena with this broad of a location.
"We can map it, aerial view will show us what's around there, help us narrow down the area." Jeremy said.
"Perfect." Stefan replied. "Call me with anything you find out."
"No, I'm coming with you." Jeremy insisted. Stefan grabbed his shoulder.
"No Jeremy, you're not." Stefan said.
"I'm not just going to sit here." Jeremy said. "You can't do this alone."
"He's not."
All three of them looked to the door where Damon stood. He looked remorseful at his brother and stepped inside of the classroom.
"You're coming with me?" Stefan asked hopefully.
"Of course I am." Damon replied.
Stefan smiled and then he and Damon prepared for their rescue mission.
"You know what? This is the last time I'm calling you. I just thought you should know Elena is missing and me and Stefan are going to look for her. Call me or don't. I don't care anymore."
I felt my heard sink at the last message. I listened to it four times hoping that I heard him wrong. I took the phone away from my ear, sweat from mine and John's work out sitting on my phone screen. I wiped it off, dialing the number I had grown accustomed to dialing.
"Elena!" I yelled when the phone went to voicemail. "Elena… Shit…"
I hung up the phone and dialed Damon. His phone went straight to voicemail. I sighed, now knowing how it felt to not get an answer when you are freaking out.
"What's the matter?" John asked walking into the kitchen. I was up and already packing up my stuff.
"Elena's missing." I said. "I have to go."
"Wait a second." John said, catching me. "Just… calm down."
"I can't calm down!" I yelled. "I never should have left. This was a bad idea."
"Alex just wait a second." He said, stopping me from packing. I looked into his eyes, waiting for him to say something. "You running out on a wild goose chase is not going to help Elena at all."
I opened my mouth but nothing came out. He was right. I had no information, nothing but just the fact that she was gone. If I went back I would just have to sit around and wait anyway.
"The best thing for you to do is to wait here." John said. "Someone will call."
I nodded, sitting back down in my chair. I felt awful, so awful that I hadn't been there for her. Instead of running off with John to learn how to kill a vampire, I should have been with her and Damon helping them kill Katherine. I might have even been able to save Elena, or at least help. I felt so useless just sitting here.
"Drink some water." John said. "We need to get back to work."
"How can you even think about training when your daughter is missing?" I asked him. John sighed and sat down across from me. He placed a bottle of water in front of me and I just stared at it.
"I know that Stefan and Damon will handle it." John admitted. "And besides, I have a daughter right in front of me who needs me right now."
I said nothing, glaring down at the place mat. When I asked the question I hadn't expected an answer like that. Although I was worried about Elena and I wanted all of the information I could about her whereabouts I had no other choice but to wait. I had the chance of a life time to learn how to fight for myself and keep myself and the people I love safe. I had to take that chance.
"Ok." I said grabbing the water bottle. "Let's do this."
John smiled at me and stood as well. We headed back outside to our second round.
Damon and Stefan were driving to the town where the spell said Elena was. Damon was driving his knuckles white against the wheel.
"Alaric sure likes his weapons." Damon said. "What the hell is that?"
"I don't know, it's a vervain bomb or a grenade launcher or something like that." Stefan replied. "How much further?"
"About 80 miles." Damon replied. He had to stop looking at his phone. He had angrily turned it off after his last message. It took everything in him to not pick up the phone and call her again.
"Who do you think took her?" Stefan asked.
"Someone from Katherine's past." Damon answered. "She said she was running from someone. They got the wrong girl."
"Thank you for this by the way." Stefan said. Damon rolled his eyes.
"Can we not do the whole road trip bonding thing?" Damon said. "The cliche of it all makes me itch."
"Fine." Stefan said. "No bonding. But I do have a question for you."
Damon set his jaw, gripping the wheel. He would have done anything other than go on a rescue mission today. He would prefer finding Alex and bringing her home. Although he knew that she was not in danger while Elena was, Damon wanted Alex back while Stefan wanted Elena back. He assumed that if in the same situation, Stefan would help Damon find Alex.
"I'm going to regret saying go for it." Damon muttered. Stefan chuckled lightly.
"Why did Alex go off with John?" Stefan asked. "It's not like they have a special relationship or anything."
"I was asking the same question baby bro." Damon replied. He had racked his brain for hours. Sure, he was her father, but from what Damon understood she couldn't stand him, especially after his little stunt last time. But then again, who was Damon to tell her she couldn't go see him if she wanted. John wouldn't hurt her, Damon knew that. In fact, she was much safer with John then she was here at the moment.
"She hasn't called you back?" Stefan continued.
"Nope." Damon replied.
"And that bothers you." Stefan concluded. Damon rolled his eyes and he put on a façade that was emotionless.
"Why would you say that?" Damon asked. Stefan licked his lips and then picked up Damon's phone. He turned it on and scrolled through recent calls.
"Let's see, the last 50 calls are for Alex." Stefan teased, scrolling through Damon's phone. Damon rolled his eyes. "Did you leave her that many messages?"
"So what?" Damon asked, ignoring Stefan's question. "I'm worried. No big deal."
"See, that's where you are wrong brother." Stefan said. "You are letting your humanity show."
Damon gritted his teeth. He had prided himself on being this heartless, cold, vampire who showed no emotion at all. But that went out the window when he opened his heart to Alex. At first, it was just Alex he showed that side of him. But now Stefan was seeing it and it bothered him.
"Damon, I'm proud of you." Stefan finally said. "You aren't letting Katherine's influence control you anymore."
Damon didn't respond. The thought of Katherine made him want to break something. He was just glad she was locked up in that tomb forever. That way she couldn't mess up anything with Alex or hurt anyone anymore. She was finally gone.
"Do you love her?" Stefan asked. Damon again didn't respond. "Damon, do you-"
"I heard you." Damon spat. "I don't need to answer that."
"You're right." Stefan replied, looking out the window. "None of my business."
The conversation stopped there, which left Damon alone to his thoughts. He hated road trip bonding.
I ran toward John, stake in hand but I didn't see him bend and catch me over his shoulder. He then flipped me and dropped me to the ground. When my back landed on the ground, all the wind was knocked out of me and I had to choke to fill my lungs up.
"Too high again." John said. He said something else but I blocked him out, rolling onto my side. I was going to be sore tomorrow, I just knew it.
"Alex, are you even listening?" John asked me, sounding more and more like a father. I forced myself to sit up, wincing at the pain.
"Can we please just call it a night?" I asked. "I'm exhausted and I need to try to call Damon again."
"Don't give up now." John said. "You are making progress."
"You call me getting thrown on my ass progress?" I asked. John chuckled pulling me up to my feet. I had bruises and cuts all over my body. I had never worked my muscles this hard before. I was beginning to regret this.
"You will get it." John said. "Once more."
I took a deep breath but nodded nonetheless. I stepped back about five feet. John stood there, ready for my attack. I closed my eyes breathing in until my lungs were full. I then let it out and raised my stake. I took off, running on the balls of my feet. John ran toward me too, charging with his hands at the ready.
When I was close enough I jumped out of the way. He continued on his path, halting and turning back to me. I jumped when he started to run and went to his left. I used the force of my elbow to hit his shoulder blade. He went lopsided and I took my chance. I then pointed the stake to his heart, not pushing it through.
John looked up at me, surprise and a small amount of pride in them. I smiled. All day I had been losing, and this one time I finally got the upper hand.
"A little sloppy on the return, but overall not bad." John said standing up straight. I nodded, panting at the amount of effort it took to do that. "Alright, you deserve a good night's sleep."
"Thank God!" I said and he chuckled, letting me go inside to rest for tomorrow.
"We're getting close." Stefan said. "Jeremy said there's an access road just past mile marker 6."
Damon nodded, reaching into the back seat to grab a blood bag. He popped it open and started drinking from it like a straw. He looked back over to Stefan and smiled. Stefan looked away.
"If you want some, just ask." Damon said.
"I want some." Stefan replied.
"Ah, that's so sweet." Damon mused. "You're gonna be all big and strong and save your girl but don't worry, I've got your back. It'll be fine."
"I'm not joking. I've been drinking a little every day." Stefan said. "I'm slowly increasing my intake and building up my strength."
Damon made a face. Ever since the dramatic fall of Stefan off of blood, he would have bet that he would never touch the stuff again. But it made sense. Human blood made a vampire stronger, and Stefan needed his strength.
"Does Elena know you're drinking blood?" Damon asked. Stefan took a sip from the bag and handed it back to him. He swallowed slowly, as if he didn't want to answer this question.
"I've been drinking hers." Stefan admitted. Damon opened his mouth but then shut it. He didn't peg Stefan and Elena for that kind of couple.
"How romantic." Damon said. Stefan chuckled.
"Coming from the guy who met his girlfriend because he just wanted to eat her." Stefan said. Damon couldn't fight the smirk that popped up on his lips.
"Touché." Damon replied. Stefan chuckled again.
"So, is that what you are?" Stefan asked. "Is she your girlfriend?"
Damon set his jaw. He didn't like talking about this with anyone. Not that he was ashamed of Alex that was the last thing he thought. However, the closer he and Alex got the more she could be used to hurt him. If he publicly announced their relationship then she could fall prey to Damon's many enemies.
"I guess so." Damon said with a shrug.
"I thought you didn't like labels." Stefan mused.
"Don't turn this around on me." Damon said. "Remember the days when all you lived for was blood? You were the guy who ripped someone apart just for the fun of it."
"You mean when I was more like you?" Stefan retorted.
"Ouch." Damon winced. Then they fell silent again.
I had waited, called, waited some more, and called a few more times before I had finally fallen asleep. I was actually sleeping pretty good when my phone finally rang. My eyes shot open and I jumped up grabbing my phone off the bedside table. I flipped it open and pushed it to my ear.
"Damon? Damon is she ok?" I asked frantically. I hadn't looked at the ID, but I assumed it would be him, or at least I hoped it would. I needed to hear his voice.
"I'm fine." It was Elena's voice. "I'm ok."
I let out a strangled breath, the tears forming in my eyes.
"Thank God." I said, swallowing. "Thank God you're alright."
"A little sore… but I'll be ok." She said. I felt a sudden wash of relief come over me. Elena was home and Elena was safe. I couldn't be happier.
"What the hell happened?" I asked her, sitting up and leaning against the headboard. I had been so worried all day. It wasn't fun being out of the loop.
"I'm apparently part of the sun and moon curse." Elena explained. "A Petrova Doppelgänger."
I furrowed my eyebrows. When I said nothing she continued.
"To lift the curse, they have to sacrifice me." She said and I could hear the fear laced in her voice. I was no longer relieved now that I had heard this information. Now I was even more worried.
"Who took you?" I asked.
"Two vampires. Rose and Trevor." She answered. "They were going to give me to Elijah, an original vampire."
"An original?" I repeated. "What does that mean?"
"I have no idea." She replied. "But enough about me. Why the hell are you with John?"
I knew that was coming. I sighed, trying to come up with an answer she would understand. But then I realized that she wouldn't. No one could understand, barely I could understand.
"I need his help." I said. "Listen I'm really tired-"
"I don't care what it is ok?" She said. "Just… talk to Damon."
I swallowed, picking at the string on the end of the blanket. She was right, I had to talk to him. I had to try and explain myself to him. He deserved that much.
"I will." I replied.
"Good." She said. "Talk tomorrow?"
"Yeah." I answered. The phone call then went dead. I stared at the screen for a while. I was afraid to talk to him now that I was thinking about doing it. How was I supposed the make him understand? I knew he wouldn't like it, and I couldn't blame him.
I picked his name out of my contact list, took a deep breath, and then clicked send. I held the phone up to my ear with shaky hands. It rang three times before someone picked up.
"Elena's ok." He said immediately. I was a bit taken aback by his tone, but I should have expected it. I would be pretty salty too if he disappeared and then never answered my calls.
"I know." I replied. "She called."
"Ok." He said simply. Neither of us spoke and I felt my pulse begin to rise. I didn't even know where to begin with this. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Speak from your heart.
"Damon…" I began. "I'm sorry."
"You disappear to go see the man who tried to barbeque me, tell no one and you're sorry?" He asked. I could hear the annoyance in his voice and my mouth became dry. He had every right to be upset with me.
"I was afraid you would try to stop me." I replied lamely.
"Well you're right about that one." He asked. I shook my head. "Where are you?"
"I can't tell you." I told him. I heard him huff in the background.
"You need to get your ass back here." He said. "It's not safe."
"I'm perfectly safe here." I replied. "John will protect me."
"Right cause he's so tough and strong right?" Damon asked. "Katherine chopped off his fingers!"
"You wouldn't understand." I said. There was a long, painful pause that I wanted so bad to break. But he did it for me.
"You broke your mother's heart you know?" He asked. I winced thinking of my mother's face when I told her I was leaving. She looked totally betrayed, but she didn't stop me. John was my father after all and I knew that she wouldn't have told me to stay.
"I will be back in a week." I said. "But I have to do this."
"Do what?" He asked. "What are you doing that is so damn important that you had to pack up and disappear?"
I had planned this, what I would say to him. I had practiced it over and over in my head. But now I was drawing a blank.
"John is teaching me how to fight vampires." I said carefully. I heard nothing on the other end, which caused me anxiety. "Damon-"
"Why do you need to learn that?" He asked. I furrowed my brows.
"It's a nice thing to know." I replied. "I need to be able to defend myself."
"I can protect you." Damon said. "You don't need to know that."
"Yes I do!" I practically yelled. "Damon, you can't protect me all the time."
"Yes I can." Damon replied. I ran a hand through my hair. I knew that he wouldn't like this, and I knew that he couldn't understand my reasoning. But this was important to me.
"You wouldn't understand." I repeated. He fell silent again and it lasted for several minutes. I felt tears fall from my eyes, but I didn't wipe them away. I wanted so bad for him to hold me, to believe that he could protect me for the rest of my life. But he couldn't promise me that, so I had to take measures into my own hands.
"I want you to come home." He said seriously and evenly. I swallowed, biting my bottom lip. I knew that he wanted to protect me and that he wanted me to never have to learn this. But I had to do it, or I would never feel safe again.
"I'm not coming home Damon." I said. "I'm sorry."
"Alex… If you don't I'm coming to get you." Damon warned. I set my jaw firmly, not letting myself back down this time. I knew Damon well enough that he would try on his threat, but he didn't know where I was. He couldn't make me come back.
"Goodbye Damon." I said and hung up the phone before he could persuade me otherwise. I turned the phone off and placed it on the bedside table. Tears brimming in my eyes, I laid back down to fall into a deep sleep.
Damon dialed her number again, the call going straight to voicemail. He tried three more times before he angrily threw the phone at the wall, the pieces shattering all over the place. He was panting, huffing out his anger. He sat down on the edge of his bed and held his head in his hands.
He knew that she was afraid after what Katherine had done, but she had been attacked plenty of times. Katherine's attack must have pushed her over the edge. He understood why she believed she had to do this, but he didn't want this life for her. He didn't want to thrust the responsibility on her. The idea of her fighting off a vampire made him sick. She was fragile, and that's how he wanted her to stay. He didn't want her to have to protect herself, he wanted to do that himself.
"Dammit Alex."