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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"Better the hard truth, I say, than the comforting fantasy"

Carl Sagan

DUE

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

Jacqueline wanted answers and she wanted them now. After the harsh truths she had learnt in her short life, she found it nearly impossible to fully trust anyone. The fact that her own father was seeming more and more suspicious over the past few months was concerning. Trusting people was hard enough when she wasn't already being given reasons not to.

...Though Jacqueline supposed that she didn't trust anyone at all.

Sure, there were a few people that she would do anything for and people who she knew wouldn't want anything bad to happen to her. That wasn't what she doubted though. She doubted that they were willing to go to the same lengths for her as she'd go for them.

And who was she to expect that from someone else?

Jacqueline was a big personality and she knew that. She wasn't normal, that much was obvious. She could be crude, harsh and a bitch more often than not but she was comfortable and confident with herself and her personality. It might be enough for her to make peace with - but that didn't mean others felt the same.

Her view on the world is different to those around her.

There wasn't a particular point in time where that had started, rather it had always been that way, only increasing over the years. Jacqueline supposed she had a warped sense of morals in that regard... but she wasn't too concerned.

It wasn't like she was psychopath or anything!

...She just wasn't all that opposed to beating someone's ass for pissing her off.

Which was why it didn't take her long at all to realise her father had just lied to her face. Whatever this 'new clientele' business was, something about it didn't make sense and she wanted to know why. Jacqueline wanted to know what it was that he could possibly be hiding?

Of course the obvious things like a girlfriend or another kid had crossed her mind. Maybe even an addiction to something?

But looking at her father now she knew that wasn't it. Whatever his secret was is bigger and darker than that. Cause the look gleaming in his eyes as he read over his notes was enough to send chills up her spine. While her father might not be around much anymore she still held some love and respect for the man who'd had a hand in raising her. Jacqueline was sympathetic since she knew he avoided coming around so that he didn't have to face his wife's strung-out state.

However, this wasn't that and she could tell.

Something was wrong.

Horribly wrong.

And whatever was going on, her father was at the centre of it.

So, Jacqueline devised a plan. One that would reveal the truth of whatever her father was up to and lying about. Jacqueline wasn't sure if she could steel herself enough for the reveal and she could only hope it wasn't too bad. Nevertheless, Jacqueline snuck out of the house and into her fathers doctor practice at 8pm that night.

Jacqueline had always found it odd that Dad had patients all day and then more after dinner...

Now that she really thought about it though, Jacqueline had never heard of anyone visiting the doctors at night. If something needed immediate attention at night, they went to the hospital. Which was why she knew if something bad was happening it would be during the time her father spends at the office at night.

Like she suspected, her father walked into the downstairs area of his practice not long after she'd hidden there.

A cup of coffee in hand, Dr. Greyson Gilbert was smiling. His smile never left his face, not when a groaning and out-of-it looking man was dragged in by two nurses. His smile never left his face when he tied the man to the table. And it certainly didn't leave his face as he picked up one of the scalpels and cut into the very much alive man.

The smell of blood filled the room and Jacqueline felt sick instantly.

Her father was- no!

The beloved man who dedicated his life to helping families was capable of a cold brutality that most couldn't even imagine. It was like a scene from a horror movie and Jacqueline had to blink a few times to make sure it wasn't her mind playing tricks.

Unfortunately it wasn't her mind.

Never was there a day in her life that she would have been relieved to of been considered crazy.

The man strapped to the workbench was screaming hoarsely in pain. His body convulsing under the pain of being cut open and prodded. The squelch sounds coming from the 'operation' was enough to churn ones stomach. Blood pooled on the table as the man's abdomen was cut open and disected right before Jacqueline's eyes.

How this man was still alive after all of this?

Jacqueline held her breath and willed the bile rising in her throat back down. For every second that past, every second her father taunted the man as he cut him open, was another second her hatred grew for her father. She had always thought her mother was a piece of work... turns out that Greyson Gilber was no better. Jacqueline watched the scene like one would a crash on the side of a road; in horror but unable to look away.

Briefly she wondered how long this had been happening?

Was this the first person her father had done this too?

And what happens when the man eventually dies from the torture of being operated on so brutally?

Will his death be covered up or reported as an accident?

And how would one explain such a death?

Green eyes locked with pained brown ones and it was as if time had stopped. Jacqueline continued to stare into the deep brown eyes of the man who would inevitably die at her fathers hands. She couldn't look away as she watched from her hiding place. Her heart pounded in her chest and her stomach continued to churn. It was a shock when something happened and the mans eyes grew black veins under them, fangs protruding from his mouth and an animalistic hiss left his mouth.

Jacqueline didn't know what to make of the discovery... but it was clear that this man wasn't human.

Had her father turned this man into something not human?

Or maybe that was why her father had found cutting into him so easy?

Regardless Jacqueline could now only see her father in a new and strange light. Sure, he hadn't been winning any father of the year awards from her, but he hadn't been bad. Now though... Now, Jacqueline was feeling very much similar to the way she'd felt when she found out about her mother's drug use. The realisation of Greyson's true intentions became glaringly clear and she could never un-see them. She could never go back to the point when she didn't know of what he spends his time doing each day. Jacqueline quickly realised she couldn't even access the feelings of love she'd felt for her father only yesterday.

It was disheartening to say the least.

And it left Jacqueline wondering that if both her parents were able to hide such major things, what could others be hiding?

How could she ever trust anyone again?

The two people supposed to love and care the most in her life had betrayed her and failed in their responsibilities. What did that mean for everyone else? If the two people in the whole world who're supposed to love and protect you couldn't care less than what does that say about a stranger? What does it say about a friend she might meet? How could she expect someone else to be true to her when her own parents couldn't manage it?

Slowly the screams faded and Greyson - who she could even bring herself to acknowledge as her father anymore - left the room.

All was silent.

"Are you real?" The man or whatever he was asked hoarsely

Jacqueline blinked at the question and stood from where she'd tucked herself under the desk. "Are you?" She shot back once again hoping that this all might not be real.

"Uh-" he blinked as if he wasn't particularly sure of the answer anymore. "I think so... the pain is real, so, I must be real, right?"

Jacqueline nodded and came to stand a shorter distance away from him. "I guess" she hummed a little distracted by the way his chest and organs were healing themselves at rapid speed before her eyes. "Did Greyson do this to you?" She asked

"Make me a vampire?" The man questioned blinking at her as if he expected for her to disappear any second. Jacqueline looked up at him and eyed him expectantly. She hadn't known exactly what he 'was' but she supposed a vampire made sense. "No" he answered, "No. Dr. Gilbert didn't turn me into a vampire... that was someone else"

Jacqueline nodded, "How long has this been happening to you?"

The man shrugged this time before sighing. "I don't know. What year is it?"

"2000" Jacqueline supplied holding her breath a little as she waited and dreaded his reply. How long had her father been doing this to him?

The mans face screwed up in a grimace, "5 years I've been here... but I was at another Augustine facility before this for since the 60's"

Jacqueline sucked in a sharp breath, "What's your name?" she asked instead, still unsure on what to say at the moment. He looked surprised at the question, as if he hadn't been asked for his name in a long time. Jacqueline supposed maybe he hadn't had to use his name in years.

"Lorenzo" he answered and the accent was more prominent in the pronunciation of his name. "But I go by Enzo too"

Jacqueline nodded and gave him a small smile. "I'm Jacqueline"

"Jacqueline" Enzo repeated as if testing the word before he smiled and nodded. "Nice to meet you"

"Enzo..." she trailed off unsure of how the man, or rather the vampire, could be smiling at a time like this. "What can I do?" She asked with determination

Enzo blinked then smiled sadly, "Nothing" he shook his head. "They'd find me and kill me... this is safer for now"

Jacqueline didn't like that answer but at the end of the day she couldn't force him to do shit all. Enzo clearly had a better grasp of the situation than she did and if he thinks what would happen if she helped him was worse... who was she to disagree?

"Okay" She nodded with a small sigh

"How old are you anyway?" Enzo asked a little too conversationally for her not to be unnerved, though she didn't show it.

Her mask was steadily in place.

"13" Jacqueline told him and took a seat on the bench. If she couldn't let him out, the least she could do was entertain and distract him. "How old are you?" She shot back making Enzo grin widely.

Waking up the next morning Jacqueline popped the pop tarts into the toaster and started up the coffee machine. She still wasn't sure how to deal with the knowledge of the supernatural yet. Jacqueline had been meeting Enzo and keeping him company every other day for a month now already.

And Enzo had explained it all.

From vampires, to witches, to werewolves and even the existence of succubus.

They were all real...

What had only further added to her shock and subsequent belief was that Enzo had allowed her into his mind. Being in his weakened state he said it was easy to let a human into his mind instead of the other way around. Enzo had said that for her kindness he would show her how to protect herself against all of those supernatural's.

Jacqueline wasn't stupid though.

She realised pretty quickly that while he had done exactly what he said he would - he made a point of showing her that each of those supernatural's could all be good as much as they could be bad. That they were as 'human' as she was most of the time. That they could live great lives and find great loves or occupations. That they weren't all heartless monsters, just as some humans were heartless and others weren't.

Jacqueline suspected he only showed her that because she admitted to being the Dr. Gilbert's daughter.

Enzo wanted to make sure she didn't let her fathers warped ideas blind her to the truth.

Jacqueline happened to agree with Enzo though, even before he had said anything. If her life had taught her anything it was that people weren't always easily defined as good or bad. Usually people - supernatural's now included - were a combination of both. Thinking someone was only capable of one or the other was a naïve view point.

Sighing, Jacqueline pushed all those thoughts to the back if her mind.

At the moment she had more important shit to do than contemplate the wonders of life and concepts of good vs. bad.

Knowing Miranda wasn't going to be making breakfast for them anytime soon, Jacqueline set about the kitchen in preparation. She made pancakes like she usually did every morning. Someone has to do it and if it wasn't her then nobody was gonna eat.

Munching on her pop tart she walk upstairs and pounded on Elena's bedroom door. "Wake up, Elena!"

"Ugh!" Elena screeched as she always does. "Leave me alone!"

Rolling her eyes Jacqueline flung open the blinds and yanked the blanket away from the bed. "Get up" she snorted in amusement before she left the room. Sure, there was plenty of nicer ways to of woken Elena up...but Jacqueline had never claimed to care if her way was nice or not.

Walking into Jeremys bedroom he shot up out of bed before she could do the same to him. "Elena's screeching already woke me up!" Jeremy answered her surprised look with a proud smile on his face

Jacqueline smirked widely, "Your learning fast, Kid"

Jeremy beamed at the compliment and bounded down the stairs for the first serve of breakfast. Elena grumpily following the after Jeremy, screeching her protests at him taking all the chocolate chip pancakes.

With a small chuckle escaping her lips, Jacqueline wandered into her bedroom to get dressed for the day. She was going to have to walk Elena and Jeremy to the middle school which meant they had to leave on time if she intended to get to her own school on time. After showering, Jacqueline jumped into a pair of tight skinny jeans that showed off her developing curves nicely. Jacqueline didn't look like her mother but it was clear as day that in the next few years Jacqueline would be stunning. Right now she was pretty, as her body grew and formed a more womanly shape.

It was a noticeable enough change already though...

Many boys had begun to comment on it and plenty of girls had complained. Because things such as beauty and appearance mattered to the majority of people now. At the ages of 13 it was an important topic of discussion.

Jacqueline didn't particularly care what others thought about how she looked though.

Of course, Jacqueline dressed in a way that she herself enjoyed looking, but the opinions of others had never mattered much. Jacqueline refused to be one of those people who bent over backwards for someone else's acceptance and approval. If someone didn't like her and was brave enough to say it - they'd be eating their own teeth.

And that was that.

Finally dressed in jeans, a simple tank top, a black leather jacket and studded healed boots... Jacqueline was ready for the day. Only pausing to add silver hoops to her ears she combed sprayed product in her long black hair. Jacqueline's hair was different to that of her parents; it was black and fell naturally in tight curled ringlets. Jacqueline loved her hair and it was her favourite part of her appearance no matter how much others say she would look better if it was straightened. Nobody could make her feel bad about herself if she didn't let them.

Jacqueline was too prideful and stubborn to allow another person from this podunk town to influence her actions.

Maybe it was why she was so easily attracted to Bradley Jenkins? Either way Jacqueline didn't take much pause to contemplate it when Elena's screeching reached her ears again. "What's wrong Elena?" Jacqueline asked appearing in Elena's bathroom.

Elena had fat crocodile tears falling from her eyes as she stared in the mirror, a hairbrush hanging limply in her hand. "It's all wrong! My hair is too messy and I can't fix it! I hate my stupid hair!"

"Then cut it off?" Jacqueline suggested with fake helpfulness already having anticipated Elena's reaction.

"No!" Elena screeched even louder as she stared at Jacqueline in horror. "I love my hair! I'll never cut it off!"

Jacqueline had known her comment would snap Elena out of her little dramatic pity party. "Then just brush the tangles out, Elena" Jacqueline shrugged

Elena was the favourite out of the three siblings and it was a fact that had never been attempted to be hidden. Greyson adored his little 'Lena. Not to mention that whenever Miranda was lucid enough, Elena is Miranda's twin, personality wise. It was fair to say that Elena could be a bit of a brat and slightly more dramatic during the times she didn't get constant attention from their parents.

And Jacqueline just couldn't find it in herself to be all that mad about that.

Though it didn't mean she couldn't recognise the irritating behaviour though, and it was because if that, Jacqueline had learnt how to snap Elena out of it.

"I will!" Elena huffed, "leave me alone now. I need to get ready!"

Jacqueline turned and left the room smirking to herself at how easily she prevented that temper tantrum.

"Hurry up guys. We need to leave!" Jacqueline yelled half an hour later

Jeremy came bounding down the stairs already ready for school. Jacqueline threw an arm over his shoulders and kissed his forehead as they waited for Elena. "Elena?!" She yelled

"Coming!" Elena screeched

Jeremy winced, "Why do girls screech like that, Jackie?"

Jacqueline gave him a look and shrugged, "Dunno. But I never screech" she pointed out

Jeremy nodded, "That's cause your too cool!" He said and she couldn't help but smile at her little brother before they were interrupted by Elena stomping down the stairs.

"Im ready" Elena sighed and didn't wait for them as she left the house. Elena was starting to enter that stage in the almost-teen years, where anyone who isn't her friends are uncool and wasting her precious time. Shit, and this was just the pre-teen stage... Jacqueline winced getting the feeling that teenage Elena wasn't going to be much better than this.

God it was gonna be a hell of a next few years!

Jacqueline rolled her eyes and shared a quiet laugh with Jeremy. It was clear that Jeremy was still in the 'girls have germs' stage that all 8 year old boys seem to go through. Jacqueline didn't mind though, cause she happened to be too cool to have germs.

She just wasn't particularly looking forward having to take care of two teens!

Cause Jacqueline knew that she wouldn't be able to leave Jeremy and Elena in the care of their parents after she turns 18...

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