Circumstances

Pairing: OC/Rebekah

Summary: As much as everyone thought they knew, Jacqueline always managed to prove them wrong. People claim to know who she is, what she's done, what's she's been through - and yet none of them can see all of it. What happens when she meets a certain Original Vampire who sees every little thing about her. From the way she walks to the way she acts... but will Jacqueline allow her supernatural mate to see her past as if they experienced it themselves. Elena bashing.

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"Smiling doesn't always mean you're happy... sometimes it simply means that you are a strong person"

Elena Gilbert, Vampire Diaries

UNA

Jacqueline = 13 yrs old
Elena = 10 yrs old
Jeremy = 8 yrs old

The Gilbert family, for all the world to see, was a nice loving family. Mundane. Maybe even boring at times in their routines and social activities. Miranda Gilbert, a stay at home mom and author married to the towns esteemed Dr. Grayson Gilbert since they graduated high school. Their three children; eldest Jacqueline Gilbert, middle child Elena Gilbert and youngest Jeremy Gilbert were a part of the next generation of the founding families in Mystic Falls, Virginia.

As far anyone in the small town of Mystic Falls was concerned, the Gilbert family were pillars of the community.

Normal in every sense of the word.

At least that's what it looked like to someone who didn't know any better...

In the case of Jacqueline Gilbert, she knew this perception as it truly was; an assumption based on the lies built for the preservation of public images. It never ceased to baffle her how one individual could hold such importance in the weight of others opinions. It was a concept that she both understood and failed to understand on a regular basis. In some ways, she was no better... however she firmly believed there was a difference between allowing a façade to continue and constructing one.

After all, she wasn't the one pretending that she didn't rely on a stolen prescription of drugs to get through the day, now is she?

...that was all Miranda Gilbert.

The woman could pop pills like a true addict only dreamed of doing.

What Jacqueline knew she was guilty of, is using the facades of the people around her to manipulate a situation. As much as Jacqueline didn't particularly care what other people thought of her or her family, she still recognised the danger in her families secrets becoming public knowledge. If the Sheriff's found out that the Gilberts were basically neglecting their kids... well, Jacqueline wasn't sure what would happen to her family then. She didn't suppose she was ready to find out either though.

So Jacqueline had committed herself to cleaning up after Miranda.

As Jacqueline looked down at the women in question. She was forced to remind herself of why she was doing this to begin with; for Jeremy and Elena. 'Cause dealing with Miranda who's currently on the kitchen floor coming down from a particularly nasty high, wasn't even remotely close to what Jaqueline had wanted to be doing this afternoon.

Nevertheless, Jacqueline was committed to doing what she needed to do no matter how much she disliked it. And she was once again thankful for the façade of 'dedicated mother' that Miranda Gilbert had built around herself. Because Miranda's two youngest children were soon going to walk through that front door and the scene they would find could either maintain or alter their perception of reality. Jacqueline would be damned if her younger siblings were forced to face the monumental disappointment that was their beloved mothers drug abuse.

Adult problems weren't something children were supposed to be aware of.

Yet they had been forced onto Jacqueline until she bore the secrets as if they were her own.

Of course Jacqueline remembered her days of playing with toys and her friends, completely oblivious to anything else around her that wasn't an issue a child would understand. She never claimed to have been deprived a childhood and considering Miranda's drug habit's hadn't started until after Jeremy's birth, it was only in the past few years that Miranda's habits had become an addiction. There were nice times, of course, and Jacqueline held those close... but then she grew up.

Jacqueline got old enough to understand things, to see and hear adult things she shouldn't have.

Then all of a sudden, even those memories from before the burdens of adult problems, became tainted. Cause now that Jacqueline understood what was going on around her, she saw some of those memories for what they really were.

A façade.

Miranda taking her for a walk in the park on Saturday mornings? It had been a seemingly innocent gesture for a mother and daughter to go and do. It certainly had been something Jacqueline enjoyed in her childhood very much - after the birth of her two siblings, one-on-one time with her mother had been rare. However, it had been years later when Jacqueline realised what she thought was innocent on Miranda's part, wasn't.

With age and understanding Jacqueline had seen those walks in the park in a new light.

The fact that Miranda had always brought lunch to Dad when they knew he was busy in a meeting was no accident. Neither were the occasions mom happened to find a bottle of pills laying around somewhere - say, in the locked safe, for example. And said pills sudden disappearance was of course no less a coincidence than Miranda finding them in the first place.

Despite that haunting realisation - nothing changed.

No amount of effort on Jacqueline's part could ever make that happen either, and they both knew it.

Because for as much as Miranda Gilbert loved her children, she loves her drugs the same amount. Where Miranda needs her drugs, she doesn't need her children... no, the children need Miranda. That didn't seem to matter much to Miranda Gilbert though and Jacqueline's heart swelled with disgust so much so that she couldn't stand to call Miranda mom anymore. Gone was the parental love and guidance and in its place was a woman who would rather pick drugs over her children.

Nevertheless, Jacqueline was well aware of how much Elena and Jeremy loved Miranda.

She didn't want them to see what she has to see - at least not yet, not when it's preventable. Cause that's a heartbreak that Jacqueline knew one couldn't recover from. There was no coming back from the knowledge that the mother you love so much will freely admit that her drugs are more important than you. It's a betrayal that stings worse than anything Jacqueline had experienced before and she would continue along with Miranda's façade if it meant sparing Elena and Jeremy that same pain.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Jacqueline barked and quickly grabbed Miranda's arms to haul the woman to her feet.

Miranda only smiled still stuck in a haze from the drugs. "Jacqueline? No! No, leave me alone! I'm busy!" Miranda protested weakly

"Yeah" Jacqueline scoffed out a bitter laugh, "Busy getting High on the kitchen floor when your supposed to be picking up your kids from the middle school, like you said you would"

"I didn't say that!" Miranda pouted and then laughed a little as the drugs continued to take effect.

"Actually you did say that... in fact you promised that you would. Yet here you are, once again" Jacqueline sighed and forcefully dragged a clumsy Miranda up the stairs to her bedroom. Honestly Jacqueline was used to Miranda not giving a shit anymore but the way it was progressively getting worse and more frequent hadn't escaped her notice. There was no way of convincing Miranda to get help though and Jacqueline had tried for years with no success.

Dropping her mother unceremoniously onto the bed, Jacqueline sighed.

She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep this up and have it seem believable without worrying Elena and Jeremy?

How many times can one tell their siblings that mom had a headache before they start to get worried?

Even then, how many more excuses were left to for Jacqueline to use anyway?

Sure Elena and Jeremy are still young and more oblivious to what was really going on but Jacqueline didn't truly believe that these excuses were going to be enough to stop them from worrying. It's normal for kids to want to spend time with their mother and having a mother who's always conveniently busy or tiered was going raise suspicions and worry. If either one of her younger siblings outright asked - Jacqueline didn't think she would lie to them.

Kids need their mothers, plain and simple.

Jacqueline didn't know any of the answers to the many questions that plague her mind on a daily basis. How the hell was she supposed to know this shit in the first place though? Jacqueline was only a 13 year old girl at the end of the day... she wasn't an adult no matter how much adult stuff she participated in.

"What the fuck do I do with you, Miranda?" Jacqueline whispered not expecting an answer, heaving a sigh and physically straightened up Jacqueline worked on schooling her face.

It didn't matter that she was only 13 and out of her depths here. It didn't matter that this was a burden she wasn't quite sure how to handle. It didn't matter that Miranda didn't love her or their family enough to accept help. It certainly didn't matter that her father, Grayson, chose to remain in a forced state of ignorance on the occasion he was actually home.

None of that mattered.

Why?

Because Jacqueline wasn't going to let it matter, that's why.

She couldn't let any of that matter when it came to protecting her siblings. 10 year old Elena and 8 year old Jeremy are all that she can allow to matter, and they're enough for Jacqueline - her siblings are important enough for her to never allow herself to fail in the mission of protecting them. Even if she was protecting them from the people they love the most...

It was with that in mind, that Jacqueline quickly tucked Miranda into bed and headed for the front door again. Picking up the money that her father had left in the kitchen table for dinner, she made her way to the middle school. If Miranda wasn't going to pick Elena and Jeremy up from school then Jacqueline would have to do it herself - again.

Jacqueline arrived just in time for the end of school bell to ring and smiled a little when all the kids burst out of the building like the place was on fire. She could sympathise with that - just cause she was a decent B grade student didn't mean she felt anything but hatred for attending class. This being her first year of high school, it was significantly better than middle school but still sucked all the same.

One of the local teachers gave her a look of disapproval - knowing that she had to of ditched school early to be here already.

Jacqueline didn't mind through... she didn't mind that the residents of Mystic Falls labelled her as the 'bad' Gilbert, the trouble maker and black sheep of the perfectly little family. Cause in some ways that's exactly what she is. Jacqueline ditched school without a care all the time, she parties, dates, sneaks out at all hours, gets into fights, cusses like a sailor and steals. In no way would she consider herself a good kid, though Jacqueline didn't believe anyone was completely good or bad.

Jacqueline was just the only one privy to why she does what she does.

Sometimes it's as simple as the fact that she wants to do it. Other times it's because their father has been so busy at work he forgot to give her money for school lunches - obviously assuming that Miranda was lucid enough to do it herself - so Jacqueline occasionally steals the money from someone else. Ditching school early every afternoon is something she does to ensure her siblings never find their mother high on the kitchen floor like she had, only minutes ago. While there are reasons for some of the things she does - it doesn't make them okay to do.

It doesn't make it right.

But Jacqueline had decided a long time ago that she was okay with that... she was fine with being the bad kid if it meant the ones she cares about never have to make hard decisions.

"Jackie!" Jeremy yelled happily and ran over to her, jumping up into her arms.

Jacqueline smiled and spun them around in a circle making Jeremy laugh, placing him back down she ruffled his hair and kissed his forehead. Jacqueline loved her siblings but she and Jeremy were so similar it was hard not to secretly favour him sometimes. "How was your day, Jer?" She asked

Jeremy grinned and started recounting his day while they waited for Elena. Jeremy was currently going through the faze were him and his friends loved to annoy the girls and make trouble in class. "...and then the bugs crawled all over the desk. The girls screamed so loud and it was so funny!" He concluded

Jacqueline smirked - that right there, was her influence on Jeremy.

They could both be little troublemakers when they wanted to be and took amusement in most situations that others turned their noses up at. It was one of the ways in which they were the same. Unfortunately, it was something Elena didn't share with either of them and often got Elena huffing and puffing about considering Elena was a big rule follower. And that was why Elena rolled her eyes as she approached them and it came as no surprise.

"That's disgusting!" Elena wrinkled up her nose

"Which is why it's funny" Jacqueline pointed out chuckling

"Yeah Lena!" Jeremy nodded along still looking entirely too proud of himself for the little prank.

Elena sighed, "Where is mom? She was supposed to pick us up today?"

"I told her I wanted to pick you guys up instead. She gave me some money so we could get milkshakes on our way home. Sound good?" Jacqueline asked with a raised brow

Jeremy seemed to be more focused on the fact he could get a milkshake as he nodded eagerly. It came as no surprise considering Miranda had never really been as doting on Jeremy as she had with Jacqueline and Elena through the years. Of course, it was before the drug use but it also created a big difference in how Elena and Jeremy viewed their mother and the broken promises. Jeremy easily shrugged it off, favouring Jacqueline over Miranda anyway... whereas, Elena was disappointed and more easily noticed the growing distance between them and Miranda.

Which was why Elena frowned and searched Jacqueline's face for any hint of a lie.

Jacqueline was way too good at lying and hiding her emotions for Elena to find anything Jacqueline didn't want her to find, but let Elena search her face for any hint of a lie anyway. Finding none, Elena sighed and nodded before walking ahead with Bonnie towards the Mystic Grill. Jeremy grabbed Jacqueline's hand and the two chatted the entire way to the Grill to grab milkshakes.

Idly Jacqueline realised she felt no guilt for deceiving Elena and couldn't help but wonder if there was such thing as being too good at lying?

While she could ready every single one of Elena's tells, Jaqueline was unreadable to almost everyone she had ever met. There was only one or two people she had met that were able to vaguely read the emotions she was concealing. Jacqueline guessed it was very much like that saying; you can't bullshit a bullshitter.

Her own ability to read people and their intentions was uncanny.

...but it meant she wouldn't allow anyone to blind her to the truth again.

"I'm hungry!" Jeremy complained loudly as he stomped down the stairs. "And I don't want to do homework!" he was still pouting, as he had been for the past 20 minutes since they arrived back at the house. Miranda had been in the kitchen making herself wine-in-a-mug to take up to her bedroom to get drunk. Jeremy and Elena had soaked up the 5 minutes of attention that Miranda had given to them before the woman ordered them to go finish their homework while she 'worked' on her book.

"Well you have to do homework!" Elena snapped at Jeremy. "Mom said that we needed to get it all done" and folded her arms over her chest. Elena was very much a mini-Miranda... well, a mini Miranda from before the drug use. Elena still believed that Miranda hung the moon and stars and anything Miranda said was gospel to a 10 year old Elena.

"Mom isn't even going to help me though!" Jeremy huffed

Elena sighed, "If you paid attention in class then you wouldn't need help. Don't be a baby! It's just homework!"

"I'm not a baby!" Jeremy snapped at one of the worst insults that was ever likely to leave Elena's mouth... and to a 8 year old it was the same as if she'd cussed at him.

While Elena was naturally smart and interested in school and learning, Jeremy only liked school because it was time to hang out with his friends. Neither were stupid kids but it was clear that Elena was more interested in school and excelling at it than Jeremy was... at least right now anyway. Jacqueline would bet that Elena's persistence with school was because Miranda used to help Elena with her homework every night, at least, until the casual drug use because an addiction.

And with tonight's combination of drugs and wine there was no point in Jacqueline attempting to get Miranda to spend more time with Elena and Jeremy.

Hell Jacqueline would have been surprised if Miranda had been only starting to drink for the night! Shit she'd bet anything that their mother was already two mugs in at that point and on her way to being drunk...

Nevertheless Miranda had finished her drink while absently listening to her children's chattering. Then once she had been done, Miranda dismissed them to go do homework while she went to continue 'writing her book'. Reality was that Miranda hadn't written anything since before Jeremy was born. Being a writer was just some bullshit excuse for Miranda to stay home and not work. The truth is that Miranda had retired to her room for the night to get drunk. Leaving Jacqueline to figure out everything else because they weren't going to be able to rely on Miranda for it.

Jacqueline sighed as she walked into the kitchen to try and figure out what would be for dinner tonight. Thankfully their father had gone shopping yesterday.

"Jacqueline!" Jeremy cried out

Jacqueline looked up at hearing Jeremys upset voice and watched as he stormed into the kitchen. She easily noted that Jeremy seemed upset and judging by the guilty and busted looking Elena scrambling after him - Jacqueline figured she knew why.

Clearly their argument had gone beyond just homework.

Turning to face the two of them, Jacqueline's perfectly arched brow rose. A stern look crossing her face that ensured neither would attempt at uttering a lie to her face. "What happened?" She questioned evenly knowing the fact they neither could tell what she was currently thinking unnerved them more than obvious anger or disapproval would have.

Jeremy sniffled, "Elena's being mean and bossy again! She said Mom and Dad like her more than me!"

Jacqueline held back a sigh, she loved both of her younger siblings but they sure can do stupid shit sometimes. While Elena is a lot like Miranda in personality, Elena is a Daddy's girl through and through. Elena's personality only makes their father favour Elena over Jacqueline and Jeremy even more. While Elena didn't do it on purpose, she tended to do what most little girls would; soak up the attention of her parents. Only problem is, Greyson Gilbert doesn't spend much time with his kids anymore. Not since Miranda's addiction started becoming more frequent and he was unable to ignore it if he was around the house all the time. It didn't mean their father didn't love them, it just meant he usually managed to stay busy more often than not.

And of course that meant whenever he's around it's a battle for his attention - a battle Elena always wins.

Jacqueline begrudgingly understood though, she knew Elena missed their parents company during the weeks when they were both 'busy' and it wasn't intentional in leaving Jeremy out of the conversations. Elena just took what she could get from her parents and thrived under their praises. It was a natural thing for a child to do. It wasn't purposely an attempt at excluding Jeremy or hurting his feelings...

Nevertheless that was exactly what it accomplished.

Jeremy would try to get their parents attention but that would only make Elena fight harder to keep it focused on herself. It never failed to turn Jeremy into the wallflower of the family. He would be within distance of their parents but never centre of attention.

And Jacqueline feared it would cause Jeremy to resent Elena later on...

Especially, in recent years, when Elena realised exactly what she was doing and threw it back in Jeremys face when she felt like being a brat to him. It was a messy situation, one that neither Elena or Jeremy fully understood but it didn't mean that gave either of them the right to purposefully hurt the other.

Jacqueline's eyes flickered to Elena's and she watched her younger sister shift guilty. "Elena?" Jacqueline clicked her tongue in disapproval

Elena sighed and nodded her head, already knowing what it was that she had done wrong.

"Elena?" Jacqueline repeated more expectantly, her blank expression turning to one of annoyance at Elena's refusal to apologise. Everyone has flaws and one of Elena's biggest flaws is her need to be right. The need to justify whatever it was she had done to someone just because she couldn't see the impacts of her actions.

"But he wouldn't-" Elena started

"He wouldn't do what you wanted him to do?" Jacqueline guessed watching as Elena realised how bad her excuse was gonna sound. "And so you took him needing help with his homework and made it about something you knew would hurt him?"

Elena looked ashamed and it was answer enough.

"Apologise or you can do homework while Jeremy helps me cook" Jacqueline said simply before turning her back on the pair and going back to what she had been doing. Jacqueline didn't need to force the apology any more than she already was.

It was up to Elena now...

"I'm sorry for hurting your feelings Jeremy" Elena started, "I won't do it again"

Jacqueline rolled her eyes before refocusing her attention at the task at hand. They'd join her if they wanted to help with the cooking, though neither Elena nor Jeremy could be left alone with the task. Apparently Jacqueline was the only Gilbert who could actually cook without burning the house down.

"Yay!" Jeremy exclaimed as he bounced into the kitchen. "Mac 'n cheese with mince and broccoli!"

That certainly had Elena perking up.

Jacqueline cracked her neck as she finished washing the dishes and cleaning up the table from dinner and the days mess. Adding a few items to the growing grocery list she finished up in the kitchen quickly enough. Looking into the living room she could see Jeremy and Elena were still watching the movie they had picked out to watch before bedtime. It was a routine they all had. Jacqueline would clean up but and they would watch a movie before bed - as long as they had been good, of course.

She smiled a little as both of her younger siblings laughed at the funny line in the show.

It was times like these that she really remembered why she would continue to put up with Miranda's bullshit and try her best to be a strong and dependent roll model for them.

Even if neither of them realises it, Jacqueline had assumed the roll of 'mom' for years now. She helped them get ready in the mornings, makes breakfast, gets them to school, forges their parents signature to signs their school notes, picks them up from school, helps with their homework, takes them to the park to play with their friends, cooks dinner and puts them to bed. Jacqueline had taken on the roll as household caregiver whether she had intended to or not. She didn't need them to recognise what she does or to be appreciative for it... as long as they're happy and healthy she'd take that as enough compensation.

It didn't particularly matter either - it was what needed to be done and Jacqueline was the only one around able to do it.

Walking over, Jacqueline sat on the couch and watched the movie with them. As much as she wanted to be there for her siblings and make sure they have everything they need, she didn't want to give up the freeness and carelessness that life can be. Jacqueline refused to become one of those people who forget how to have fun and become all broody because their life isn't always sunshine and rainbows.

She was still allowed to have fun with her younger siblings.

And this was one of the ways she did that.

The three of them laughed and watched the movie together in pure childlike joy that people their ages should always possess. It was only when the movie credits rolled through that any of them realised it had been raining outside. Their laughter and attention had been focused on the movie.

Smiling Jacqueline stood, "Time for bed. We've got school tomorrow" she said stretching her back and hearing it crack as she did so.

Elena wrinkled her nose, "You don't even go to school half the time anyway"

Jacqueline sighed, "Sure I do" she disagreed knowing she was probably there at the very least half the time she was supposed to be at school. Most days she turned up in the mornings, it was just that she often managed to leave early.

Elena rolled her eyes but didn't say anything more as she walked up the stairs to her bedroom to get ready for bed. Jacqueline nodded at Jeremy who followed after Elena to his own room, rushing a little so that he could get to the adjoined bathroom before Elena did. Jacqueline rolled her eyes and thanked her parents again that she had her own bathroom attached to her bedroom.

Disappearing into her own bedroom, Jacqueline ignored the sound of Elena and Jeremy arguing over who gets the bathroom first. They had the same damn argument almost every night. Dressing in her PJ's, Jacqueline brushed her teeth and shuffled through her wardrobe for the next days outfit. Between having to make sure Elena and Jeremy were up, dressed, fed and ready for school - it didn't leave very much time for her to get herself ready. This was just one of the ways Jacqueline made sure that she was taking care of herself as much as she was her siblings... it would do her no good to forget her own needs when it wasn't necessary.

Sitting down at her desk she shuffled through her own homework, checking for notifications of upcoming tests or take-home assessments that needed to be completed. Jacqueline didn't often do homework but she always completed the work that went towards her overall grade.

Finding only one upcoming test for biology - Jacqueline pulled out the textbook and marked the chapters that focused on the current biology topic's content.

Work smarter, not harder.

Reading the material she took quick notes as she waited for Jeremy and Elena to be done getting ready for bed. Thankfully, they were still young and didn't take long in getting ready for bed... neither had complicated nightly routines yet.

"Jackie!" Jeremy called out from his bedroom

Jacqueline rolled her eyes and walked into Jeremy's room, finding him currently getting under his covers. She smiled and helped to tuck him into bed before kissing his forehead. "Night, Jer" she smiled and left the room after seeing his eyes already beginning to droop closed.

Walking into Elena's room, Jacqueline knew Elena didn't want someone tucking her in but she still made a point of saying goodnight to Elena as well. "Goodnight, Lena" Jacqueline spoke softly and kissed Elena's forehead.

"Night Jacq" Elena mumbled before snuggling into her pretty pink covers.

Jacqueline made sure the front door was locked after turning off all the lights. She popped her head quickly into her parents room and sighed seeing Miranda sprawled out on the bed, passed out for the night and snoring heavily. Shutting the door she couldn't stop the eye roll as she retreated to her own bedroom. She didn't have much more to say about Miranda's actions anymore, other than she was unsurprised.

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