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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"In the end, when you lose somebody, every candle, every prayer is not going to make up for the fact that the only thing you have left is a whole in your life where that somebody that you care about used to be"

Damon Salvatore, Vampire Diaries

UNDICI

Jaqueline = 18
Elena = 16
Jeremy=13

The next morning Jacqueline got up bright and early, groaning in pain as he muscles protested the movement. She quickly got dressed and grabbed a quick breakfast of toast and coffee before searching Elena's room for a change of clothes to bring to the hospital. The doctors had said last night that the pain medication would be wearing off today and Elena would be lucid enough to go home. Not to mention Jenna might like the morning to herself to get her own head together...

Knocking on Jeremy's bedroom door, Jacqueline stuck her head in to see Jeremy was sleeping. She crouched beside his bed and gently woke him up - the poor kid looked exhausted but she didn't want him to worry with not knowing where anyone was.

"Jeremy" She whispered shaking him a little until he opened his eyes

"What?" he groaned sleepily before he froze and tensed as if just remembering yesterdays events. "Jacqueline?" Jeremy panicked

"Hey, Hey" she quickly calmed him down, "Hey, Jer" she soothed rubbing his back as held tightly onto her before abruptly he pulled himself away. Jaqueline frowned but figured he was tiered of the emotional situations he had constantly been feeling for the past few hours.

"What's going on? Is Elena home?" Jeremy asked

"I'm going to take her some clothes and let Jenna come back here for breakfast and probably a shower or something" Jacqueline explained softly, "Do you want to come with me to the hospital or wait until I bring Elena home?"

"C-can I wait here?" Jeremy asked tiredly

"Of course you can" she assured, "I'll have my phone with me. Call if you need anything, Jer" she kissed his forehead. "I love you, Jeremy... get some more sleep, Kid"

And with that she left his bedroom and shut the door behind her before grabbing her phone and keys. Walking out the front door she sighed and climbed into the car, heading for the hospital. God she was hoping Elena wasn't too traumatised by the crash. The last thing Jacqueline had wanted to do was put Elena in danger and as if the death of their parents wasn't enough for Elena.. but she had to witness it too after almost dying herself.

...which reminded Jacqueline that she needed to start thinking of funeral plans.

Where the fuck does someone even start with that?

Pulling her car into the parking lot of the hospital, Jaqueline hoped that Jenna might be able to shed some light on how to even begin with planning a funeral. Cause she sure as shit didn't know how to approach that. She guessed that since Jenna's parents had past away already that maybe Jenna would know but Jaqueline didn't count on that too much.

This was one big clusterfuck!

With a heavy sigh she walked into the hospital and headed up to Elena's room where she found two doctors leaving. Jaqueline rose a brow at Jenna when she walked into Elena's room to see Elena was sleeping.

"They're just waiting for her to wake up again... we have to tell her that Miranda and Greyson didn't make it - they've got the paperwork started" Jenna informed her

Jacqueline nodded and set the bag full of clothes for Elena on the edge of Elena's hospital bed. Brushing hair out of Elena's face, Jacqueline pressed a kiss to her sisters forehead with a small sigh of relief. "Why don't you head back to the house? Take a shower, a nap, get some food and coffee? I can take it from here... it shouldn't be too much longer, right?" Jacqueline asked making herself comfortable on one of the visitor chairs next to Elena's bed.

Jenna hummed in exhaustion, "Thanks. I-I'll deal with the identification before I leave"

"Are you sure?" Jacqueline asked hesitantly, "I can do it myself?"

"I'm sure" Jenna nodded in confirmation, settling herself as she nodded her head. "I'll deal with that. You deal with Elena and then we should talk about funeral plans"

"I was gonna ask you about that" Jacqueline sighed

"Yeah" Jenna looked just as lost on the issue as she felt

"Call me if you need anything, Jenna, I'll call when we're on our way back to the house. Jeremy's still asleep" Jacqueline told Jenna just before Jenna walked out of the hospital room. She watched the woman leave and the door fall closed behind her and all Jacqueline could do was sigh.

As it turned out, Elena's body was exhausted from the water that had been in her lungs and the slight concussion that she might have gotten. It was 2 more hours before she even twitched in her sleep, but she was yet to wake up. Jacqueline wasn't sure of that was good or not cause she still wasn't sure how she was going to explain this all to Elena.

When her phone rang and an unknown number popped up, Jacqueline was quick to answer in hopes that it might be Enzo. "Hello?" she answered the phone and crossed her fingers.

"Hey, Jacq" Enzo said

Jacqueline smiled and let out a small breath of relief, "Hey, I'm glad you're okay"

"Me too" Enzo agreed, "Thank you, Jacqueline. Thank you for getting me out of there even though you put yourself in harms way to do it... I owe you my life"

"No you don't" She disagreed, "You don't owe anyone anything. Not anymore, Enzo. You can do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it" she smiled at the thought. The vampire had been her friend for years and he deserved to explore his immortal life to the fullest extent possible.

He deserved to have some fun.

To heal and live for himself not for survival and to get through the pain.

"Thank you" Enzo said again with more emotion in his voice than she had heard in a long time. "Now tell me, hon, what happened to Greyson and Miranda? Is everyone okay?"

Jaqueline sucked in a sharp breath and stepped out of the room, making sure she could see Elena but also that if Elena woke up; she wouldn't overhear anything. "As you know, Elena called them to town for my graduation. Elena called them to pick us up from a party - they'd just come back from getting more drugs for Miranda so she'd skip town again. Miranda was so smug about it... taunting me to react in front of Elena. She slapped me... and I guess, I guess my magic slapped her back"

"Shit" Enzo sighed, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine" Jacqueline confirmed, "Elena and I were in the backseat when the car went off the bridge. The magic... I don't understand it but I-it smashed the window. I pulled Elena out of the car and to the surface. She had water in her lungs and a minor concussion"

"Does she know what happened?" Enzo questioned, "Does she know about the magic?"

"No" Jaqueline sighed, "She's been out of it with medicine since the ambulance found us. Jeremy's devastated... I think Elena will be too"

Enzo sighed, "Especially after the confusion of seeing you two argue" he agreed. "But I know she won't be mad at you forever, Jacq"

"I know" Jaqueline sighed before she spotted the heart rate monitor rising and quickly saying, "Hey. Elena's waking up... I'll call you later, Enzo"

"Bye" Enzo said

Hanging up the phone, she rushed to Elena's side. "Elena?" Jaqueline questioned softly as her little sister started moving and sighed in the bed. A second later Elena's big brown eyes opened and she stared into Jacqueline's green eyes in confusion. "Elena" Jacqueline smiled in relief.

Knowing her sister was going to be okay and seeing it were two different things.

"Jacqueline?" Elena croaked out

Jacqueline nodded and immediately handed Elena a small cup of water from the bedside table so she could speak better. Her dry throat couldn't be too comfortable to talk with. Elena sipped the water down slowly with a permanent frown on her face.

"Elena..." Jacqueline stared slowly, "What do you remember?"

Elena thought for a minute before her eyes went wide and horror morphed across her face. "M-mom a-a-and D-dad?" Elena stuttered

"They didn't make it, Elena, I'm sorry" Jaqueline immediately held Elena as she dissolved into heavy sobs and tears of pain and loss. It hurt Jacqueline's heart to hear her little sister cry like that and she was willing to do anything to make it stop... to make it so Elena didn't feel that pain so badly. It would take time and hard work but Jacqueline knew Elena would get there eventually.

It wouldn't hurt like this forever...

Pulling out her phone she texted Jenna and Jeremy; 'We're on our way home'

The four of them were sitting in silence at the dinning table with warm mugs of coffee in hand and a plate of cookies that Jaqueline had baked to pass the time. After bring Elena home that morning, they'd all pretty much spent the rest of the day alone. That is until Jaqueline decided they should talk about a few things which is why they were sitting at the table awkwardly.

Jacqueline sighed, "First, I think it might be important for Elena to either talk to Jenna or a therapist about the crash" she stated knowing that Jenna - who's studying to become a psychologist - would at least have the knowledge to know if Elena was seriously traumatised or not.

Jenna nodded in agreement and looked at Elena, "It's not a bad thing to speak to someone. If you don't want to talk to me about it then I know plenty of people who would be welcoming and nice to talk to"

Elena hesitated but then sighed and nodded in defeat - she didn't look like she had the energy to fight them on it when it was so clearly 2 against 1.

Jacqueline nodded, "It's an option for you too Jeremy, we want to make sure your both dealing with this as best as you can" she spoke softly to her siblings who didn't react much to the statement. "Though, this is not to say that you can't talk to me or Jenna about it either, alright?"

"Whatever" Jeremy sighed

Jacqueline bit her tongue as not to snap at him for the tone - of course she hadn't done anything to piss him off but she understood he was dealing with a lot of emotions at the moment. So, she let it go for now.

"Uh, so, I'm gonna be staying here in the spare room for the summer break" Jenna cut in nodding in support to Jacqueline. "Jacq is in charge though... like she usually is-" the door bell ringing cut Jenna off and elicited a sigh from everyone.

"I'll get it" Jacqueline nodded and stood up to go answer the door, people had been trying to offer condolences all morning. They usually didn't try to make much conversation when it was Jaqueline who answered the door, and she was perfectly okay with that. Opening the door she breathed out in relief when she noticed it was Tyler and she pulled the younger teen into a tight hug. "Hey, Ty, C'mon in"

"Hey, Jackie" Tyler nodded sadly, much quieter today than he usually would have been but at least he knew them well enough to know none of them particularly would welcome the usual 'how are you? I'm sorry for your loss' statements.

...and coming from Tyler they would have known he didn't mean a word of it.

"Hey, guys" Tyler nodded at everyone as he took his own seat at the table and grabbed a cookie, trying for as much nonchalance as he could muster at the moment. "Hey, Jenna, right?"

Jenna rose a brow but nodded and snorted at the Tyler in amusement, "Yeah, you must be Tyler then?" Jenna asked and Tyler nodded. "You were right" Jenna said and turned to Jacqueline, "The kid fits right in"

Jaqueline chuckled a little as she nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah" before retaking her seat while holding back a sigh. "Like Jenna was saying.. she's gonna stick around for the summer break-"

"Why can't she just be out guardian?" Elena snapped and crossed her arms getting various reactions from the people around the table. Tyler choked on his cookie, Jenna almost spat out her sip of coffee and Jacqueline's face hardened to give away no emotion. However, Jeremy's eyes flashed with guilt but he stayed silent, showing that he too wanted to know the answer to Elena's question.

Jacqueline forced her voice to come out even as she looked between her two younger siblings, "Cause I am your older sister - I'm perfectly capable of looking after the two of you on my own. You don't have to worry about anything, I know what I'm doing"

"Like you knew what you were doing when you killed our parents?" Elena spat

Jacqueline sucked in a breath wondering if maybe she had been wrong in assuming Elena hadn't seen anything magic related?

"You said you wished she would die!" Elena continued, "You didn't listen to Dad when he told you to stop being a bitch to Mom! This is your fault! You took them away from us! He crashed because of you, Jacqueline!"

"Elena" Jacqueline's voice dropped to a stern and warning tone as she, too, stood from her seat and stared her sister down hard.

"Your the reason mom stayed away on her book tour all these years! I know it was you! Cause your an ungrateful bitch, mom even said so herself!" Elena spat but she wasn't nearly done. "Dad worked hard everyday to put a roof over our heads! Food on the table and you treated him like a stranger!"

"Sit the fuck down, Elena" Jacqueline growled and when Elena's didn't move Jacqueline grabbed her arm and forcefully sat her sister back down. Jeremy and Elena stared at her in shock but Jacqueline was too pissed off to care.

"Jacq-" Jeremy stared to protest but one look from his sister had him shutting up quickly.

"I get that your emotions are all over the place, I fully understand your grieving and hurt and traumatised" Jacqueline started, "But you don't get to say shit like that Elena. Cause if you let your emotions get the best of you, your gonna say something you can't take back. Your not a baby anymore, Elena. You want the truth so bad then wake up and take a look around!"

"Jacq" Jenna whispered nervously

"She wants to know, Jenna" Jacqueline shrugged uncaringly, "It's okay to love Greyson and Miranda. Your allowed to love the version of them that you knew... but you don't have all the facts, and that's partially my fault. Miranda was a drug addict since before Jeremy was born. There was no 'book' she was writing, it was an excuse to cover for her benders"

"Mom wasn't an addict!" Elena yelled in outrage before shaking her head fiercely, as if by refusing the statement then it would make it all not true.

Jacqueline gave Elena a disbelieving look, "Yeah, Elena, she was. And Greyson... when he wasn't living at Whitmore collage with his newest girlfriend - he was giving Miranda drugs and money so she would stay out of Mystic Falls. I was the one working, saving, occasionally stealing so that we could have food and a roof over our heads. Yeah, every month or so he would drop in with a stack of cash and spend an hour with you guys... but he was as shitty of a father as he was a person"

"Dad-" Jeremy stated but cut himself off with a defeated sigh, as if he couldn't deny the truth anymore. Jeremy undoubtedly loved Greyson - Jacqueline knew that - but it didn't mean Jeremy was blind to the fact that Greyson wasn't around and didn't bother attempting to be around more.

"Dad wasn't like that!" Elena yelled in complete denial.

"Yes he was Elena" Jenna cut in nodding in sad agreement, "You just didn't realise. I know he loved you and Jeremy despite not being around much"

"He did" Jacqueline lied outright but Tyler seemed to be the only one to catch the lie as he rose a brow. Jacqueline sighed and crouched down to be in front of Elena and Jeremy. "I took care of you when they couldn't. And yeah, I hated them a little for the hurt they cause me and the fact that they weren't there for either of you... but I don't expect you to hate them. You need to grieve the versions of them that you knew and got to see - but know, that I am still in charge here. Them passing away doesn't change anything in this house. You are not on your own"

Jeremy nodded with a heavy sigh, "I need some time to think"

Jacqueline nodded and let him go up to his room before pausing him, "I love you Jeremy, even if you don't like me right now... I still love you"

Elena was still spluttering in her seat as she stared at Jenna and Jacqueline, trying to comprehend how this could possible by true.

"Deep down, Elena, I know you know that I would never lie about something like this" Jacqueline started softly, "But if you don't like me right now because I told you the truth... then I can deal with that, but I love you, Lena. More than anything and you not liking me right now doesn't change that"

Elena leaned forward, a look of utter seriousness on her face as she stared at Jaqueline before saying, "I don't just not like you... I hate you"

Jacqueline nodded her head showing nothing but casual acceptance of Elena's feelings towards her at the moment. No matter how exaggerated those feelings may be - they were spoken to hurt Jacqueline and she wasn't going to let them take effect like Elena had intended. "That's fine, Elena" Jacqueline nodded in acceptance, "Now, why don't you go on up to your room and take a breather?"

Elena didn't seem to like the fact that Jacqueline wasn't upset or affected by her statement of hate and so she spluttered a bit before stomping up to her room with a screech on anger. They all heard Elena's door slam closed loudly with another yell of how much she hated Jacqueline.

Jacqueline sighed out a long breath as she sank into her chair and shoved a cookie into her mouth. It didn't particularly matter that she knew Elena only said those things to hurt her - it still got to her a little.

How could someone saying they hate you not?

Elena and Jeremy were 2 of the 5 people with the ability to actually effect her emotionally and Elena knew it.

Jenna snorted as Jacqueline shoved another cookie into her mouth. "For what it's worth - you handled that well. Stern but kind and understanding" Jenna nodded in appreciation. Coming from the 'psychologist in training' that was a compliment.

"Yeah" Jaqueline mumbled as she swallowed the cookie, "Probably cause I was left to raise them since I was 10... I know them better than they know themselves. I just - I wonder if to heal, if I might make it worse for them - for Elena especially. What if she needs time away from me to be able to control her anger and to understand her feelings... if me being their guardian prevents that, then am I doing the right thing?"

Jenna sighed and shrugged her shoulders, "From a psychological point of view - it could go either way. It might make it harder from them, especially Elena to deal with how she feels and to grieve when she's seeing you constantly. Or it might solidify in her mind that she'll always have you in her corner no matter how badly she treats you"

"Great" Jacqueline muttered snatching up another cookie to shove into her mouth, "So I could either screw them up more or make it better by letting them yell at me?" she rolled her eyes making Jenna and Tyler chuckle. Jacqueline just shrugged her shoulders and looked back at the cookies in appreciation. "God these cookies are good"

Nobody likes going to funerals.

It doesn't particularly matter how you felt about that person - it doesn't make attending the event any easier.

And an event it is indeed.

Everyone had shown up, and by everyone, Jacqueline literally meant everyone. All of Mystic Falls local residents crowded around the funeral grounds to bury Miranda and Greyson Gilbert. The mood was somber, of course, what else would one expect from a funeral?

A few women who Jacqueline had only briefly seen around town were crying openly while others comforted them. They were being comforted as if this loss was theirs. How close would someone have to be with their local doctor to warrant blubbering like that?

Jacqueline's eyes narrowed as she took in her surroundings...it really had been quite the turn out.

Greyson would be pleased that's for sure. A man so concerned with the Gilbert name and ensuring that it was as elite a name as any. How could this not please him?

An entire town mourning his death as if he had actually been important to them...

"Dr. Greyson Gilbert was a wonderful man...and an even better friend" Mr. Jacobs said as if he proud just to if known Greyson. "He will forever be missed"

Jacqueline didn't believe that for a second though.

People will be sad for a while, they'll walk past the Gilbert office and remember the man they once used to pass by regularly. Then before you know it, they'll stop noticing the empty office, they'll stop thinking of him soon after. They'll stop remembering what the man looked like or what his name was.

They'll forget sooner or later.

Because for all the tears and confessions of loss... Greyson never really mattered to them at all. Not in more than fleeting times of need. And so right now, everyone stood around looking disheartened and pained at the loss, because at the moment this was import to them. They participated in the funeral with tears and promises of remembrance as tradition dictates, they watched the caskets having flowers placed on it and greeted Gilbert family with kindness.

They all stood silently.

The only sounds were crying or hushed whispers of assurances.

Jacqueline wasn't a fan of that though; the silence that seemed to be more forced than from an actual need of it. She knew there would be specific instructions in her will to never allow such an event to happen. Though in the wake of her own death she doubted it would be a town event. Funnily enough, that didn't bother her as much as it was probably supposed to.

There was something about people showing up to mourn you when they don't mean it that left a bitter taste in her mouth. Idly Jacqueline wondered if that was because she felt no need to mourn herself and was still in attendance?

Nevertheless she was here to support her family.

This was an important part in gaining closure for Elena and Jeremy. Jacqueline could never deny them that just because of her own discomfort. Apparently this sort of thing helped people to move on after a loss - to show their love and respect for their loved one.

"The respected Dr. Gilbert and talented author Mrs. Gilbert will be missed" Another stranger declared as the woman chocked back a sob.

If only these people knew...

A part of her - one that Jacqueline recognised to be the more hateful and resentful part - wanted to tell these people who Greyson and Miranda really were. To tell them how they abandoned their kids. To tell them how Miranda never wrote a book, instead she had been on month long benders finder by her respectable husband. To tell them how Greyson had a string of girlfriend half his age during his marriage. To tell them Greyson had tortured a person and called it science for years.

And yet she didn't say anything.

Jacqueline for once had nothing much to say at all. Because she knew saying anything she thought would hurt her siblings and she wouldn't do that to them. But that didn't mean she couldn't spit in her parents graves in a more subtle way.

Jacqueline's lips pulled up at the side in the briefest of smirks before she quietly moved through the crowd. Her eyes locked in a certain 20 year old blubbering blonde collage student.

"Hi" Jacqueline greeted slyly

The young woman's surprise was even dent in her face and she tried to wipe away all evidence of her tears as quick as she could. "Uh, hi" the blonde cleared her throat. "I'm sorry for your loss"

"I'm sorry for your loss too" Jacqueline knew she sounded sincere, though it was anything but.

The blonde blinked, "M-my loss?" She stuttered

"Greyson loved you a lot" Jacqueline nodded sympathetically

"You know" the blonde whispered more to herself than Jacqueline. Though Jacqueline nodded anyway with a look of false sympathy.

"Yeah" Jacqueline confirmed and rested her hand on the blond woman's arm in a comforting gesture.

The blonde latched onto Jacqueline in a fierce hug and Jacqueline realised that no matter her fathers feelings - this woman truly did love Greyson. And that only gave Jacqueline more satisfaction in what she was about to do. Pulling back she looked at the blonde, "Kate, right?" The blonde nodded. "Why don't you come up to the front with us?"

The blonde, Kate, blinked in surprise before nodding happily. "Thank you"

"Oh, no, It's my pleasure" Jacqueline waved it off and watched the blonde take a seat beside her family. In the section that was reserved for only those who meant the most to the dead.

Jacqueline allowed herself to smirk.

Cause sometimes she could be a petty bitch and that was exactly what this was.

Jacqueline didn't know if there was an afterlife and she had never really believed that there was. But now, she found herself truly hoping her parents could see them now. It's a screw you only her parents would understand. Without a doubt the only thing Greyson loved about Kate was the fact she was young, convenient and easy. Actually, he probably loved that Kate loved him.

...cause Greyson was a sadistic asshole like that!

Miranda, even in her benders, always hated the fact Greyson didn't lover her anymore. Cause while Miranda might not have cared about much in the years leading up to her death; there had always been a special place in her heart for Greyson.

Jenna quickly nudged Jacqueline's shoulder and rose a brow at the blonde. "Who's that?"

Jacqueline's lips turned up at the side but she offered no answer to Jenna's question as she turned back to face the coffins. "She's my metaphorical 'fuck you'" Jacqueline finally whispered to Jenna who didn't look any less confused.

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