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.

...

"I'm protecting the innocent. If I step on a few toes in the meanwhile, so be it"

Gemma Teller-Morrow, Sons of Anarchy

OTTO

Jacqueline = 18 yrs old
Elena = 16 yrs old
Jeremy = 13 yrs old

Jacqueline was shuffling through the mail and notifications of the bills that are due this month. She knew she would need to pay them today, she'd rarely been late in her payments and she worked enough to take care of most of the bills on her own anyway. Though she often used Greyson's account to pay the bills instead.

She knew Greyson didn't care anyway, he never did.

Greyson's apartment at the University was free as a part of his working with Augustine and he never did anything other than work.

Jacqueline was happily taking advantage of the money while she has access to it because she was well aware that with taking custody of her siblings, came a stop to Greyson's money. It was for that reason that she had waited in talking to Elena and Jeremy. If she could hold it off until after her graduation then she could up her working hours to full time... maybe even get a second job instead. Then she'd be sure she wouldn't need money from Greyson.

However, Jacqueline thought that making sure Greyson has to pay child support was fair enough to try and get a court order approved.

It would both give her that little bit of extra money as well as both embarrass and punish Greyson for his neglect.

The asshole had thought nobody would mind him living across town and never bothered to hide the fact he wasn't returning home for years now. However, being a step ahead, Jacqueline had made sure to document everything she would need in order to prove the neglect of both Greyson and Miranda. She had also made sure she could prove that she had been caring for Elena and Jeremy for years now and could continue to do that despite her only have turned 18 a short time ago.

...there was no way that any reasonable court would refuse her application.

Of course, there was still a few things she needed to figure out in order to make that work - knowing they would have to move out unless Greyson handed over the deed to the house. Which Jacqueline didn't think he would do after she dragged his name through the mud. However, it was another reason that waiting to mention it to Elena and Jeremy sounded like the best thing to do.

She had to have a plan first.

One that she could put into place immediately once those papers were filled out. Cause if Jacqueline thought she was hated in Mystic Falls now, well saying anything bad about a founding family member would only worsen everything. She knew and fully expected people like the sheriff or the Mayor to try and get involved which was why she needed to be 10 steps ahead.

It wouldn't work if she wasn't!

And this not working wasn't nearly close to being an option here...

If Jacqueline failed then she would be forcefully run out of town and then there would be nobody to look after Elena and Jeremy. Jacqueline couldn't let that happen to them and she couldn't risk that her failure might make things worse and escalate the situation. At the moment none of them were in danger - well maybe she was if this magic situation turned bad - but Elena and Jeremy were safe even if their parents didn't care about them. But they, like any other kids, needed a guardian who actually looked after them. Jacqueline had always been that for them and she wasn't going to stop now just because she was 18 and able to leave.

She refused to abandon them.

"Jacq?" Elena appeared in front of her with a small frown

Jacqueline was startled out of her thoughts and looked up at Elena with a small smirk as she greeted her younger sister. "What's up, Lena?" she asked wondering why her sister was frowning all of a sudden.

Elena relaxed, "Nothing. You were zoned out.."

"Oh" Jacqueline realised then shrugged her shoulders before gesturing to the papers spread out across the table front of her. "I was working the math out in my head" she offered as explanation despite the fact that she hadn't been doing math... rather plotting against their parents and making a mental 'to-do list' in her head.

"What is this?" Elena frowned before taking a closer look and seeing the bills for the house; water, gas, electricity. "Why are you paying the bills?"

Jacqueline snorted as she looked at Elena with amusement dancing across her face at the stupid question. "What do you mean why am I paying the bills? You can't very well live in a house without paying bills, Lena" she rolled her eyes and chuckled at her younger sister

"No - I mean" Elena continued and shifted on her spot watching as Jacqueline returned to the computer and transferred the money to complete the payments. "Why are you paying them? Doesn't mom take care of the bills?"

Jacqueline softened as she realised what exactly Elena was confused about here. Sighing she looked back at Elena and shrugged hoping to play it off as no big deal, but the older Elena got, the more she tended to realise that even though Jacqueline said it was no big deal... sometimes it is. It was annoying as fuck but also made Jacqueline a little proud of Elena at the same time.

...Jacqueline just hoped it wouldn't come back to bite her in the ass.

"Miranda is in Denver with her cousins" Jacqueline added the unrelated fact but hoped she that Elena would take it as an explanation.

She didn't enjoy lying to her siblings which is why Jacqueline tried to do it as rarely as possible. Instead she would state a fact, or a truth, that often didn't have much relevance to the situation... but for someone unaware of the real situation, could be taken as an answer anyway.

Elena nodded slowly and looked thoughtful for a while as she stood there watching Jacqueline finished settling all this months bills. "Mom's been working on her book for 4 years now... and even before she went to Denver she was going on plenty of trips for research. So, why doesn't Dad just do the bills like he usually does?"

Jacqueline sighed, "Cause Greyson doesn't usually do the bills. That was always Miranda's job, Elena" she explained waving a hand in the air as if she could bat off Elena's questions while simultaneously making her answer become of no significance. "If Greyson even knew how to pay the bills I'd be surprised"

Elena sighed still watching with narrowed eyes as if she was reading far more into this than what she was letting on.

It didn't exactly comfort Jacqueline this time when Elena stopped asking questions.

...She could still see the gears turning in Elena's head and Elena's silence wasn't inspiring confidence in Jacqueline.

"Did you just get back from having breakfast with Matt?" Jacqueline asked changing the topic to something she knew had always distracted Elena. Matt had been Elena's best friend since they were babies and inevitably became Elena's boyfriend when the two were 14. Though according to Elena, their attraction had started when they were 13 and both had been too worried about loosing a friend to act on it.

Nevertheless Jacqueline was glad that Elena was one of the lucky women to have gotten that fairy-tale romance... just like Elena had always wanted. And despite the apparent sloppiness of Elena's first kiss, it had been with the person that she loved deeply. It had been special and like one of those scenes from the movies that Elena and most teen girls were always so obsessed with.

Elena sighed and slumped down into a chair beside Jacqueline - the action was so unlike happy-in-love Elena that Jacqueline immediately turned her attention to her younger sister.

"What's wrong?" Jacqueline asked expectantly as she raised a brow at Elena, now curious about whether or not that relationship was going as well as she had thought it was.

"It's Matt" Elena sighed, glancing at Jacqueline hesitantly. "Or - or maybe it's me"

Jacqueline softened at the sight of her sisters insecure and ashamed expression. Grabbing Elena's hand in her own Jacqueline nodded, "I don't know what's going on but I do know that - eventually - everything will be okay. I'm on your side no matter what, Elena. You can tell me anything" she assured

Relief filled Elena's eyes as she nodded and bit her lip in anxiousness. There was a second where Jacqueline thought that Elena would say nothing, but then, the dam broke and Elena was spilling everything that was happening between her and Matt. Jacqueline had always seen Elena happy when talking about Matt but it hadn't escaped her notice that when talking to Jacqueline about her friends and her social life - that Matt had been brought up less and less lately.

Which was why everything Elena was confessing made sense to Jacqueline.

"...and, and he want's this big life! This life that he's already planning out and working towards getting for himself - for us! But, but, but I don't know if I want that! Jackie! I don't know what I want and - and I don't know what to do about that- or -" Elena quickly cut herself off

But Jacqueline knew what Elena had been about to say and chose to speak the words her sister couldn't. "And you don't know if you want Matt either"

A few tears slipped down Elena's face as she nodded, her face filling with shame but also relief at getting it all off her chest finally. "Yeah" Elena muttered, "I don't know what to do Jacq!" she whispered helplessly

Jacqueline raised her hand and wiped the tears away from Elena's face before giving her sister a sympathetic smile. Jacqueline let a look of strength and determined confidence appear on her own face knowing that if Elena saw the lack of doubt, that Elena would be able to draw strength and assurance from that.

"You need to tell Matt" Jacqueline said making Elena's eye snap to hers in panic, but Jacqueline only continued talking. "You need to tell Matt that you're not ready for all those big, life changing commitments. Explain to him that your only 16 and you want to have some fun and live life before you start thinking about the future"

Elena was silent for a second before she began nodding in agreement with Jacqueline.

"I just don't want to hurt him" Elena whispered guiltily, "He's still my best friend - I still love him"

"I know you do" Jacqueline smiled, "And maybe one day you and Matt will find yourselves together again. But what's going to hurt more, Lena? Pretending to want the same thing that he wants or being on your own for a while?"

Letting her words sink in with Elena, Jacqueline stood and kissed her sister on the forehead. "Just think about it, Elena. I'll be here for you no matter what you decide to do"

Elena smiled, "Thanks Jacq"

Jacqueline nodded and headed towards the kitchen with coffee in mind and maybe some lunch as well. Only she was stopped by Elena's voice.

"Jaqueline!" Elena spoke up, once again hesitant only this time Elena had a more thoughtful look on her face.

"Yeah?" Jacqueline rose a brow expectantly as she observed her younger sisters change in demeanour with curiosity

Elena stared at her with an almost confused smile on her face, "You're always there for me and Jeremy... you always look after us. Despite the stupid things you do sometimes, it's never gotten in the way of you being there when we needed anything"

Jaqueline was a little confused about why Elena was pointing this out but she nodded regardless. Maybe this was just Elena's emotional thankyou or something?

"I'll always look after you Elena" Jacqueline assured the younger girl before she turned and walked into the kitchen. Something about what Elena had said felt odd and a weird sense of dread sat in her stomach that she couldn't explain.

Hearing the front door of the house open, Jaqueline stuck her head around the corner doorway and smiled when she spotted Tyler walking in like he owned the place. She quite enjoyed a having another smartass around the Gilbert house. And for as much as Tyler was in this house, one would think he actually lived here.

Jacqueline had made a good decision in looking out for Tyler 4 years ago!

Jeremy and Tyler were practically brothers now and with the way that Tyler and Elena bickered... one would think they were siblings as well. Though Jacqueline wasn't fool enough to think that Tyler and Elena did anything but tolerate each other with some begrudging care for the other if it came down to it.

Jacqueline wasn't particularly bothered by it though... it made for entertaining times in the Gilbert house.

"Hey, Ty" she greeted him with a smile as she pushed the tray of cookies into the oven.

Tyler smiled, "Hey, Jacq" he nodded and took a seat on the stool behind the kitchen island table. There was something about the way he was watching her though, that let her know something was wrong. If it were an emergency she was sure he would have spat it out already but there was defiantly something bothering him.

"What's wrong?" Jaqueline asked and made two mugs of coffee knowing it was likely to be a conversation requiring some listening and advice to be given.

"How do you know somethings wrong?" Tyler sighed and rolled his eyes unsurprised that she had known instantly. Jacqueline was always good at reading people and while it took a little while to see around Tyler's more... destructive tendencies, she managed just fine.

Tyler was a lot like her in the way that he didn't allow himself to be seen as vulnerable even if he was feeling vulnerable. He didn't show emotions other than indifference, amusement and anger but that didn't mean he didn't feel the other emotions. Tyler didn't care about much - the part of him that had been betrayed and hurt in the past prevented him from having that ability to easily care for someone or something... but it wasn't impossible. Tyler was loyal when it came to the people he does care about but that didn't mean he always went about showing that in the right ways - regardless of his good intentions.

... which is why its fair to say that Jacqueline had a good read on Tyler.

Jaqueline just gave him a look and shrugged her shoulders in response to the same question that he always asked when this sort of thing happened.

Tyler sighed, "Look... Jaqueline. I really appreciate everything you've done for me, Y'know, and I'm not trying to overstep or anything" Tyler said looking rather uncomfortable with the discussion. "It's just... whatever is going on with Miranda and Greyson - shit! Even John... maybe you should explain it to Elena and Jeremy"

Jaqueline squashed the urge to stiffen or react at all to Tyler's words that she knew couldn't be as random as they seemed to be at the moment.

Instead, she raised a brow at Tyler and hummed thoughtfully, "What's made you bring this up now?" she asked curiously, "You've never paid any mind to it before... what changed?"

"Elena's been asking questions" Tyler admitted, "She's been asking me and Jeremy questions about why you would be paying the bills or why you sign permission notes and why you buy groceries and cook every night"

Sighing she nodded her head and took a seat next to Tyler having dreaded this day for years now. Of course, she had always known that they'd figure it out whether she wanted to tell them or not. The while reason she hadn't told them anything was because she didn't want them to be so young and having to attempt to comprehend why one's parents don't want them or love them anymore. She had been 13 and it had messed with her head and she hadn't wanted the same for them.

...at least now they're both older than she had been and they both have someone who does care to replace a missing parent.

It was more than Jaqueline had.

"I never had a problem with them finding out the truth eventually" Jaqueline told Tyler who looked surprised by the admission. "I always knew that they would find out the truth and I accepted that a long time ago, Tyler. It's just... Elena and Jeremy were so young at the time. I was still a kid too. It crushed me and I'd barely managed to keep my shit together and step up - it'll be easier to understand for them now they're older and now that they have someone who will be there for them"

Tyler nodded his agreement, "Elena will probably be mad for a while but I don't even think Jeremy will care"

Jaqueline hummed knowing that was most likely going to be the case because Miranda's spiral had began after Jeremy's birth and that was also why Greyson started distancing himself from the family. Jeremy had never gotten to really form the same bonds that Jaqueline and Elena had with their parents.

"Probably" Jaqueline shrugged, "I was hoping this conversation could wait until after my graduation..." she sighed in irritation

"Why?" Tyler raised a brow, "What happens after your graduation?"

Jaqueline smirked, "I was going to ask Jeremy and Elena if I could file for custody of them. I've been preparing for gaining custody for years. I have evidence of Miranda's drug use, Greyson's abandonment and I also have evidence that I've been managing to look after them for years. No court would deny my application after I find us a place to live and have both Elena and Jeremy on board with it"

Tyler looked shocked for a moment as he realised just how much she had planned for this already. "Wow" he said nodding in agreement, "You really were prepared for this" he smirked

She chuckled a little and shrugged, "I was waiting until after my graduation so I can get a full time job or maybe two jobs. Then I found this little house that an old man is about to sell. His wife died and now he's moving in with their kid - he's willing to sell for a cheaper price but it'll be at the end of the month... just in time for me to graduate, get another job, and file for custody"

"Holy shit" Tyler laughed

"Yeah... holy shit" Jaqueline agreed

"Well, I was just warning you that Elena is getting suspicious and so she's probably gonna bring it up sooner or later" Tyler said shrugging, "Though I guess with your graduation being in 2 days she might hold off until after then... but I guess you'll of told her already so - this was basically pointless" he concluded

Jaqueline smiled, "Thank you, Tyler" she nodded at him appreciatively for the way he had tired to do right by all of them. "You are as much of a part of the family as Jeremy and Elena... you deserve to know the truth as much as they do"

Tyler hid a smile poorly, "Thanks. It means a lot. I, uh, A few years ago I came over and I accidently overheard Greyson and Miranda talking - It wasn't hard to notice that even before then you were the parent in the house... I just didn't know why until then"

"I know" she nodded having suspected years ago that he had witnessed and understood the implications of Greyson handing over pills to Miranda. "You never mentioned it so I assumed you either knew and planned on ignoring it or you missed it"

Tyler chuckled, "One day I'll get something past you"

Giving him a look she rolled her eyes, "No you won't. I'll just let you think you got it past me"

.

.