A/N: First off, Thank YOU, new and old followers for paying attention to this story, it gives me warm fuzzies whenever someone reads this. Second off, no, I'm not dead or giving up writing this story. It was much worse- I got addicted to another fandom. Terrible shit, I know, but I couldn't help myself from planning...like three more stories whilst writing this one. I'm such a fucking idiot. Anyway, since it has been so long since my last update I'll be gifting you two chapters this week, I was going to combine them, but, I thought it'd be more enticing to read if it was split into two. I had been planning on updating sooner but I kept re-editing this chapter, which is kinda boring for the most part but I wanted to update this to let you guys know I'm not giving up on this story, I just really, really want to get to the more dramatic episodes and it's taking too long[sad face].
I hope you enjoy this, please leave a review, they give me butterflies. Also, please check out my Polyvore; randomfashionsxoxo, to see Nova's style, car, cat, face. EVERYTHING.
Nova woke up bleary-eyed the next morning at the usual time of; too fucking early to even be coherent.
Despite the fact last night should have been nightmare inducing, her dreams had been... tame in comparison to other nights.
Sighing heavily, she turned on her back and stared at her galaxy painted-ceiling, the colors where mesmerizing and momentarily distracted her from her thoughts.
Merlin was sleeping peacefully, on the pillow next to her, despite the fact she bought him a cat bed ages ago, she'd be pissed about the black cat fur on her pillows if she didn't shed hair like a cat herself.
Nova curiously turned her head towards the window; barely any sunlight came through the curtained window, clueing her in on the early time. Although she wanted nothing more than to fall back asleep, she knows that it'd take hours just to doze off.
Instead, Nova remembers the time she'd been at her worst; the week she'd had spent facing her aversion to fire.
The twins had just turned fourteen, they'd begun practicing Elemental Magic. Sadly, Fire was the first Element they learned to practice because it's the most important, not the mention the easiest to learn. Grams had first started them off by teaching them to light candles with an incantation, and then, later on, they had to try lighting them by pure will.
It'd been fine, she had been fine- until the spells became more nerve-wracking.
Then the time came where they had to try to ignite a small bonfire in the woods- the trick was that after they succeeded creating the flames- they had to try to stop the flames, and then try to reverse the damage done with Earth Magic.
Because its easy to destroy something, but it's harder to stop that kind of normally uncontrolled chaos and even harder to mend it.
Bonnie had been having a hard time reversing the damage the fire had done to the wood but had figured it out pretty damn quickly after a few failed attempts.
Nova, however, had started hyperventilating after she lit her bonfire.
The flames had been soaring high in the spring air, the warmth of the fire, the smell of the wood burning- had made her feel like she was back in her burning apartment.
She had zoned out, her mind had been in another place, in another life entirely; and her Magic had reacted to her distress by nearly sending the entire surrounding forest into flames.
Grams had stopped the flames right away, of course, and Bonnie had gently shaken Nova out her trance, taking care not to startle her.
They'd left behind a large scorch mark where it happened.
Grams had promptly canceled that training session until Nova was ready to start again. Thirteen-year-old Nova had been frustrated and angry with herself for being so frightened over an Element she could now learn to control.
After that disaster, it had been a rough week of waking up in gasps, drowned in sweat that seemed to go through the sheets, and every time she had gotten angry, fires started around her that Bonnie had to secretly put out for that entire week.
Bonnie had been worried, so had Grams, they'd tried talking to Nova, but they hadn't pushed her, much. And while they had been there for her, they had let her try to figure it out on her own.
She's pretty damn sure if she hadn't figured it out they would have pushed harder.
Nova had been stretched too thin that week, her nightmares are always disturbing- even the nondeath related ones- but she had learned to shake it off in the waking.
After one too many bad nights of waking up covered in sweat and the phantom taste of ash of her tongue, she had gotten sick and tired of being terrified of something that happened literally a lifetime ago.
Nova had summoned her inner Targaryen that week- she hadn't walked into flames and claimed herself unburnt and then give birth to dragons. But what she had done was go back to the scorched part of the wood, and practiced alone, late at night.
Not exactly one of her best ideas, given the fact she'd been an amateur at witchcraft- but she'd been having an off week.
What drove her to even try to overcome her fear was a mix of that stubborn trait that comes in spades with Bennett women, the desire to be powerful, and her overprotectiveness of her loved ones that just fuels the into to be more.
It was the latter that had made her swallow her fear and try again.
Nova's sure she had scared the shit out of Bonnie and Grams when she came back, a couple hours later, covered in soot head to toe.
She'd been praised for reversing the damage she'd done to the woods- and then immediately grounded for a month for sneaking out at night to do unsupervised Magic.
Nova sighed at the memories, playing absently with Merlin's tail as he slept on peacefully. She eyed him jealously as not even her softly playing with his tail woke him up- if anything it made her feline companion sink into the sheets more.
It was disturbingly ironic though; how after she got over her fear of fire, it became the easiest Element to produce.
She snorted at her thoughts, as she got up out of the bed careful not to disturb her feline companion, her eyes scanned the bookshelves, grabbing a book from her now over cramped shelvings before settling back into her sheets, her back leaning on the headboard.
It took her about fifteen minutes of just staring blankly at the first two pages of her favorite book to realize she couldn't focus on the words printed on the pages what so ever.
Nova's mind kept straying to what had happened at the Salvatore Boarding House.
It might sound horrible but instead of freaking out about someone dying in front of her- it was the way the person died that fucked her mind, that moment where she'd just blinked and then suddenly- Someone was dead, just like that.
It had reminded her of the fact she was in a different universe. Learning about Magic had only made her feel powerful, more solid and connected to this universe, connected to the Earth. For the most part, this universe has seemed almost identical to her old one, but it was moments like those that made this universe feel foreign; it was like playing the game 'Spot the difference', only the differences could very well mean life or death.
Because what if the differences go beyond what her old universe used to be, what if there were differences to the 'plot' she knows.
Nova groaned and despite wanting to throw something in frustration, she carefully lowered the book on her nightstand as she got out of bed, checking the time on her phone;
7:32, great, just early enough to avoid getting eaten by a Vampire.
Nova immediately stripped out of her pajamas and dressed in matching sports bra and running shorts before slipping on socks and her old Nike running shoes, her hair was already in two side braids, so she just grabbed her brand new touchscreen phone off the charger, some earplugs, and her well-worn phone armband on the way out of her room.
As soon as she was out the door and on the porch, biting air greeted her lungs, she welcomed the cold air that woke her up in a way only coffee usually did, and ignored the goosebumps forming all over her exposed body in favor of pulling her Skullcandy earbuds in and turning Pandora on her phone.
She tapped the station titled; 'Running Music', and almost instantly, 'Go It Alone' by Beck softly started through her earplugs.
After turning the music all the way up, she placed the phone band on her arm, and then- she took off, running as fast as she could from her thoughts. The only things she could focus was breathing in and out, the burning in her thighs as her feet hit the pavement, and the music that was so loud it made it hard to even think.
It was a comfort from her usual chaotic thoughts.
Nova's cell phone ringing in her ears stopped her pace sometime later, she flinched at the loud ringtone that was suddenly in her ears and ripped the earplugs out of her ears, slightly tripping on the oncoming pavement in the process. "Hello," Nova answered the phone gasping, she almost ended up kneeling over from the pain that went straight to her thighs.
"Nova, hey... are you okay? You sound..." Elena's concerned voice came from over speaker.
Nova was too busy gasping to hold the phone to her ear properly so she'd put it on speaker. "Like I'm dying?" Nova remarked dryly as her lungs proceeded in trying to kill her slowly.
Nova squatted wearily down on a nearby curb, her heart beat slowly calmed down but her legs feel like noodles, they're practically useless, she should have paced her self better-
But she's a fucking idiot, a nincompoop.
"Are you okay?" Elena sighed in exasperation over the phone.
Nova could practically feel the eye roll, it was audible, not literally, but it felt like it. "I'm fine, just jogging. What's up?" Nova asked absently, squinting in the sunlight she hadn't noticed before.
"Could you and Bonnie meet me at the Grill in twenty?"
Nova had tried calling Elena last night to check on her, she'd been slightly worried, more about her friend's mental state than anything else and had wanted to be there for her. She'd only received a very vague, 'call you later' text after two attempts of calling.
Nova figures this is the later the other teen had been talking about.
"Okay, will there be breakfast?" Nova asked seriously because breakfast is the most important meal of the day. She's also not completely sure if her stomach is cramping from the lack of food in it or because she skipped stretching before she started running.
"Yes, there will be food. It is a restaurant. I think that feeding hungry teenagers are at least one of its purposes." Elena answered her voice tinged with barely suppressed amusement.
"Ha-ha-ha," Nova laughed in mock laughter despite her amusement being genuine, she reluctantly got up off the curb, "I cooked last time, so you are totally paying."
Fucking hell, she thinks she left a sweat stain, on concrete.
Elena exhaled in amusement, hanging up with a final; "See you."
It wasn't exactly a promise of payment of the food she's suddenly craving, but it'll have to do. Nova sighed before pushing her phone back into the armband sticking uncomfortably on her sweaty arm and reluctantly started to run back home, taking shortcuts to get home quicker, not bothering to put the earplugs back in her ears.
Nova silently cursed as she cautiously opened the front door and it creaked. Fuck you too, you stupid old ass door, she thought as she glared at the object of her ire, but relaxed when no one came down the stairs.
Nova tiptoed up said stairs, skipping a particularly creaky step and continued tiptoeing past her father's room where she could faintly hear movement coming from within. Somehow, she's more afraid to interact with her very human father than she is of centuries-old Vampires.
Go figure, she thought wryly, moving into the bathroom noiselessly.
She yanked off her outfit and as soon as it hit the bathroom floor tile, she turned the shower on and not bothering to let it get hot, got into the lukewarm shower. Soon the water warmed and she simultaneously started to lather herself with her 3-n-1 shower gel while brushing her teeth- and dancing- don't forget her purposely terrible dancing as her phone softly played music from the bathroom's countertop.
She loves to multitask; even though she kind of sucks at it, she ends up almost faceplanting into the bathroom floor, twice.
Shower dancing, complicated stuff. Also completely worth it- if she ignored the moments she thought she was going to die, she could see the headlines now;
Teen dies by air guitaring into the shower.
She slipped into her room finding something to wear in record time; a zodiac wheel sleeveless tee, some ripped blue jeans with a thick black belt, thick black socks with grey aliens on them, and her old black and white converses that really need to be thrown away but have sentimental value. Nova was in a hurry, so she just unbraided her hair, sprayed a lot of dry shampoo in and brushed it into a half bun. Food and coffee were put over makeup, as always, so she just completed her outfit with jewelry and a leather hoodie jacket.
Nova quickly left her room for Bonnie's room, her shoes echoing in the hallway despite the extra care she took not to step on the creaky floorboards. Bonnie's bedroom is right across from Nova's own bedroom, it'd been painted by Nova, of course; the walls are a soft beige with dark green vines painted scattered across the room, the rest of the room was done in calming colors, like dark greens, honey brown, and different shades of greys. It always smells like Bonnie's favorite jasmine oil perfume and the potted flowers placed all over the room; just like Nova's room always smells like her favorite vanilla lavender lotion, her dried and potted flowers, and Merlin's personal cat shampoo.
Where Nova's room looks as though it's always a mess, even when Nova makes sure to clean it daily, Bonnie's room is effortlessly clean even with her knickknacks all around the room.
"...Bonnie," Nova whispered poking her sleeping sister, who didn't even stir, just continued snoring into her mountain of pillows. "Okay, I didn't want to have to do this," Nova lied to her sleeping sister, there was a grin on her face as she left the room.
She came back into the earth-tone bedroom quick as she left, only this time, with a glass of water and camera in hand, and her mischievous smile still firmly in place. "Last chance, Bonster." Nova whispered solemnly, not even trying to wake her sister up the normal way. She shrugged when she got only snores for a reply, mercilessly pouring the small glass of lukewarm water on Bonnie's head.
That definitely woke her up better than the soft pokes and whispers.
Bonnie gasped awake, shuddering as she sat up as water trailed down of hair and eventually on her shocked face.
"Wha-" Bonnie began to say only to turn her startled green eyes on her grinning sister, who has her camera in hand.
It was the shutter of the Polaroid camera going off that set Bonnie off- she lunged towards Nova, who, wisely, ran out of the room as fast as she could while bursting into giggles every few seconds.
"Oh, come on, Bon, it's a great picture," Nova joked as they sat down at an outdoor table at the Mystic Grill, waiting for the mysterious Elena to show up.
"Then why won't you let me see it?" Bonnie asked challengingly with a raised brow, placing her bag on the table.
The wind blew through Bonnie's still damp and now wavy hair and pulled out a few strands from Nova's messy bun.
"Because you'll burn it as soon as you set your eyes on it." Nova explained without pause, tugging her jacket closer to her body.
Bonnie didn't get the chance to reply because at that very moment Caroline sat in the chair front of them. "I see I wasn't the only one who got a very vague call from Elena this morning," Caroline remarked with a frown.
"Probably has something to do with the boyfriend," Bonnie answered to a now confused Caroline who didn't see the approaching couple walking up to the table behind her.
Or did they break up 'cause of the whole undead thing?
"Behind you," Nova said to Caroline, pointedly moving her eyes over Caroline's shoulder. Caroline's loose blonde hair whipped around her as she turned her head towards a stressed looking Elena and a brooding Stefan.
Stefan's brooding forehead is nothing new, Nova doubts it'll ever go away. In fact, it'll probably get more pronounced in the upcoming years, she can't and won't blame him for it, his undead life has been very... eventful. Elena's frazzled appearance has been making a regular appearance for the past few years, it's worrying. Nova would love to keep her family and friends safe and happy, living stress-free lives. But short of hoarding all of her friends and family in a spell protected bunker with bubble wrap armor like some paranoid-
Oh, well, short of pulling a Klaus and going batshit overprotective and possessive mode, Nova can't do anything but try to be there for all of them- and plot, lots of plotting of future plans that may or may not work.
"Hey," Elena sighed out with a weak smile in their directions as she sat down.
The three girls exchange looks but echoed the greeting.
Stefan silently dragged an extra chair to push in front of their now crowded table; the way his chair was placed, unfortunately, for him at least, put him directly under the gazes of all four girls.
Before anyone could say anything more, a waitress approaches their table with a bright smile that was so wide it had to hurt.
"What can I get for you guys?" The vaguely familiar waitress asked them with a smile. They get coffee all around and enough food to feed a few hungry teenagers. As the waitress leaves to go get their order, Caroline pounces on Elena with all the curiosity of the news reporter the blonde teenager inspires to be one day.
"So.. what's with the all the secrecy?" Caroline asked aiming a demanding look towards Elena. "There's.. something you should know." Elena responded as she looked towards Stefan in a silent question.
After getting a hesitant nod from Stefan; Elena began explaining everything to Caroline. Despite their teasing, if one of them asked Caroline to keep a secret, she would guard it with her life. Caroline doesn't deserve to be left out, to be excluded from what is becoming a big part of their lives, especially since the rest of them already know. Clearly, and thankfully, Elena feels the same way.
"Oh my god, wow. So... are you like Bella Swan now?" Caroline breathed out as she reclined back in her chair, subtly, not so subtly staring at an awkward Stefan.
Nova snorted in amusement, sharing an amused look with Bonnie as Elena glared halfheartedly at Caroline. Halfheartedly, because it's Caroline, and of course, she was going to bring up Twilight when learning that Vampires are real and two are in Mystic Falls.
Nova doesn't know how Elena got Stefan to agree to this 'confession' of sorts- but Caroline's taking this surprisingly well, although they'll most likely be freakouts, much, much later.
Once the reality of the situation sinks in, everyone freaks out.
Before Elena could reply to that, the waitress came back outside with their coffee and food on a giant tray. There was a basket stuffed with different kinds of breakfast muffins, two plates of their signature pecan waffles, with a side of bacon.
Nova latched her hands onto her coffee like an octopus, she also ignored the stares she was gaining from her obscene moaning as she took a long sip.
"Hi, my name is Elena Gilbert, I've been your best friend for a while now." Elena sassed towards Caroline's earlier quip as the waitress left them with one last slightly disturbingly bright smile.
Caroline huffed and rolled her eyes as she grabbed a muffin, Bonnie was content with her bacon and waffles, unlike Nova who grabbed two chocolate muffins to go with her plate of waffles. As everyone else dug into their food, Elena and Stefan stared at each other, it wasn't that romance novel stare- or the anime heart eyes, but it was the; 'I'm trying to look into your fucking soul' stare. Nova bit into a piece of bacon while watching feeling like watching she was watching a fucking soap opera, only with more death, and Supernatural bullshit, she thought dryly, watching the couple.
"You said you would explain everything. That's why I asked you to meet us here." Elena stated staring at Stefan blankly, trying to mask her emotions.
Elena's tight grip on her mug was a tell that she wasn't handling this as well as she would like, only her friends seemed to catch it though. Bonnie placed a gentle hand on Elena's arm to remind her that they're all here for her.
Elena relaxed slightly but continued, "When you Google 'vampire' you get a world of fiction... what's the reality?"
"I'll tell you whatever you wanna know," Stefan replied earnestly, his eyes mostly on Elena while he said this.
"I know you eat garlic," Elena spoke questioningly, leaning back in her chair. "Yes," Stefan replied simply, his eyes never stray from Elena's own eyes. The rest of them managed to stay mostly silent as they ate.
"And somehow, sunlight's not an issue," Elena stated, playing nervously with the tear in her jeans.
"He doesn't sparkle." Caroline murmured disappointedly into her coffee cup. Nova patted Caroline's hand absently, trying to smile consolingly, but it probably came off placating.
"It is- an issue that is," Nova spoke up, drawing everyone's attention towards her. "All it takes is a little magic and lapis stone, and voila."
Let it be never said Nova would ever be best friends with idiots; Elena and Caroline's gazes went straight towards the hand Stefan wears his Salvatore lapis lazuli 'family' ring, it was hard to miss.
"Crucifixes?" Elena asked after a moment of silence.
"Decorative."
"Holy water?"
"Drinkable."
Nova knows that Elena's asking Stefan instead of the twins because despite them both being a fucking Supernatural Encyclopedia with how much Grams taught them, Elena needs her undead boyfriend to answer, considering this is his secret.
"Animal blood keeps me alive. But not as strong as Damon, he can be very powerful."
Damon's name made her reluctantly pull herself out of her thoughts. Nova almost laughed at the thought of Damon being 'very powerful', but managed to keep it in last second. Sure, human blood made Damon more powerful than Stefan, but Damon's diet isn't the reason he gets away with half the shit he does, it's because he's clever, charming, and just a little bit devious. Well, he can be smart when he's not letting a woman lead him by his undead heart- and balls. The point is- people let their guards down around him despite the fact it's painfully obvious the guy is an asshole. Charisma, such a scary thing.
"He's the one who's been killing people. All those animal attacks- He was in my home- I was alone with him, we all were." Elena realized, caught between frightened and terrified. Stefan looked as though he wanted to reach out, to reassure her, comfort her, but he stilled his hand at the last moment. Caroline looked uneasy at the sudden reality that not all Vampires are Cullens and one had multiple chances to eat her.
And Nova sighed and resigned herself to having to explain, again, why Damon won't be hurting anyone she cares about.
Seven fucking hells, maybe she should tattoo everything she has keeps having to repeatedly explain, it's the same way for whenever she has to explain her extensive knowledge, she's sure it'll get even more complicated when she has to explain her being a reincarnated soul and all.
Fun shit.
"Damon won't be hurting any of you," Bonnie spoke up confidently, surprising them all in the process. But then again- Nova isn't the only one in their little 'group' who can be a little, okay, really overprotective. "Nova made sure of that," Bonnie answered the silent question that was in their friend's eyes.
"What-" Elena started to question at the same time Caroline opened her mouth, no doubt to ask some very similar questions.
"Doesn't matter, not right now, I'll tell you later." Nova waved it away, ignoring the inquiring gazes thrown her way from all sides.
She'd rather explain later, than outside where anyone could be eavesdropping.
"Promise," Caroline asked, but it was more like a demand.
"Promise," Nova replied sincerely, making sure to remain eye contact with her.
Elena and Caroline both relaxed at the promise whilst Stefan looked in quiet curiosity.
"I know that none of you have a reason to trust me," Stefan began to say, pulling everyone eyes away from Nova and towards him. "But I swear to you I'll do everything in my power to protect you- all of you," Stefan declared this more to Elena than the rest of them but his words rang with sincerity.
The thought of anyone trying to protect Nova didn't make her angry or wound her not so inner feminist side, it just amused her. The only people who've ever protected her are friends and family and the older she got, the surer-footed she got in this universe, in this life, the less protection Nova has needed over the years. She's not sure she'd allow anyone to protect her anyway, she knows how stupid it sounds, but she wants to protect the ones she loves, not the other way around.
Nova doesn't voice this just smiles placatingly when Stefan finally turned his gaze away from the somewhat relieved Elena and towards the rest of them.
"...But I need your reassurances that you won't tell anyone about what we are. There was a time when this town was very much aware of vampires. It didn't end well for anybody." Stefan continued hesitantly, finally broaching the issue he'd most likely been waiting to bring up since he arrived. She's honestly surprised he managed to wait that long.
"I've known for a while. I'm not going to spill now, my lips are sealed." Nova stated after finishing eating her last waffle. Stefan did that head nod thing that makes Nova look stupid when she does it, silently taking her statement with silent gratefulness.
"You've kept our secret. And in return, we'll keep yours." Bonnie spoke up next, trying to smile, but only came up with a lip quirk. Stefan did the nodding thing again, his eyes went to the practically mute Elena, but it wasn't her that spoke next.
"I won't tell anyone. If only because I'm like.. eighty percent sure I'd be eaten if I did, and not in a fun way." Caroline added the last bit underneath her breath but still managed to be heard by everyone.
Elena sighed in exasperation but didn't say anything, just started tapping her finger anxiously on her untouched coffee cup. Nova reached over and stole Elena's cup of coffee, ignoring the glare sent her way because coffee must not be wasted-
Even if it is cold and has too much sugar added, and wow, that is way too sweet. She made an effort not to spit it out, really she did, but when no one was looking, she spat the coffee back into the cup.
Sugar overload crisis averted.
Stefan cleared his throat awkwardly and despite his obvious reluctance with telling Caroline his secret, he answered genuinely; "Thank you."
Caroline nodded at him as though she was a queen granting him a favor, the dramatics of her friend made both twins roll their eyes affectionately.
"I... I don't know if I can promise that." Elena spoke up reluctantly when Stefan turned to the only one who hadn't spoken up. Nova would be shocked that it was everyone but Elena who promised to keep The Salvatore brother's super duper secret- If it wasn't for the fact that the rest of the girls while they like the eternal teenager, they hadn't told him their life stories, thinking they'd get the same in return, only to learn that he'd been hiding a few hundred years worth of skeletons in his closet.
"Elena...give me today, I'll answer any questions that you have. And when it's over, you can decide for yourself what you want to do with what you know. It'll be your choice." Stefan's pleading eyes must have convinced Elena because she nodded in acceptance of his request.
The maybe-not-a-couple anymore left together a few minutes later, Bonnie had tried to follow them, but as Nova pointed out- They'd been alone a lot of times in a lot more intimate settings and he hadn't killed Elena yet. Besides, if Stefan wanted to share his story with all of them he would have invited them along, he hadn't, she can respect that. Her lack of curiosity most likely has something to do with how she probably knows Stefan's story better than he does.
Bonnie had thankfully relented and sat back down; the three teenagers chatted idly for a while, but it wasn't long before they too left, each of them lost in their thoughts.
Nova started walking towards Grams house on tired feet, the elder Witch was more than likely at work but had given the twins both keys to the place years ago, and she didn't want to go back home to see if her father had managed to do his disappearing act yet. Grams' home was one of the only places where she could do Magic freely without the worry of being caught. Nova was unlocking the door when her phone rang, she rolled her eyes when she took it out of her jacket pocket to see it was, surprise, surprise, Damon.
"I'm bored." Was the first thing she heard when she reluctantly answered the call.
The second thing she could hear was music, a crash, and an obviously female giggle in the background.
"...You don't sound bored." Nova answered dryly, holding the phone between her ear and shoulder while opening the door.
Nova understands the plague that is boredom, but Damon sounds more drunk than bored, and him being bored isn't really her problem.
"Come entertain me." Damon ignored her reply and demanded something of her with the ease of someone who's used to getting what he wants.
Nova wonders if the Vampire will ever learn that while she's sexually attracted to him, and actually doesn't mind helping him, she's not going to jump when he tells her how high.
"One little problem about that, I'm not a prostitute. The only person who I'm willing to 'entertain' is myself, sorry." Nova replied in faux-apology as she toed off her shoes at the door. She moved into the living room, dropping down on the small rug in front of the small fireplace with a relieved sigh as her feet got much-needed relief, she lit the fireplace with a silent; Incendia. Once the flames roared to life in the fireplace, she threw her jacket on the couch, setting her phone on speakerphone before placing it on the table.
"Then what do I pay you for?" Damon sounded annoyed and drunk, definitely not a good combination for anyone in his vicinity.
"You don't pay me- at all. Dumbass." Nova added the last part under her breath, knowing he could still hear it, but not really caring. She absently lifted her palm towards the only bookshelf in the room, watching as the correct book flew off the top shelf, smacking against her palm with a soft thud. Nova's using the excuse that she would never be able to reach the top shelf for her laziness- it's a valid one, she is only 5'3.
"Have you found my ring?" Damon changed the subject none too subtly.
Nova has to restrain herself from rolling her eyes, it's honestly becoming a bad habit, and when she miraculously succeeds, she responded, "You didn't ask me to, so no, I haven't,"
The book was of the Magical variety, explaining all the different ways to break a spell that isn't your own, the only Magical books Grams bothers to hide are The Bennett's heirlooms. If someone ever saw the things they used for spells in the home- like the strings that hung their herbs in the kitchen window or the variety of crystals placed around the room- it'd be waved off as Sheila Bennett, being Sheila Bennett. Grams had became known as an old, slightly delusional, drunk recluse, they got three out of four right.
Grams is old and can't hold her liquor for shit- and the older woman barely interacts with anyone in town.
For good reason- they call Grams crazy, but everyone in this town is just as batshit.
"But your brother is getting it as we speak, don't worry." Nova spoke up after hearing him shush someone in the background.
Fingers and toes crossed that its just some random girl- and fuck, that sound a little shitty even if it was only in her head.
"Mmm, and if my baby bro decides he doesn't want to give it back?"
"You say that like you don't trust him." She returned in false confusion as she flipped to the page she had bookmarked last time.
"I trust him about as much as I can ruffle his perfectly gelled hair." Damon chuckled darkly, suddenly sober.
"It is perfectly gelled isn't it?" She hummed in agreement ignoring that she had toed into the minefield that is the Vampire brother's relationship. "You'll get the ring, I know," Nova spoke with meaning as she flipped through the pages.
Nova always tries to be careful with her words, despite how flippant they seem sometimes when she speaks, the words she uses usually has a purpose because before she had her Magic- she had her words.
Damon obviously got what she was trying to tell him, and, thank fuck, let it go.
Nova could hear the same female's voice again and bit her lip; Matt would never forgive her if he ever found out she did nothing to help his sister, they've been friends for years, known each other for more, she'd been a sucky friend in her old life, she really wants to try not be one in this one. "Who is that singing? Quite horribly might I add." She asked with resignation as she abandoned the book on the floor and walked towards the kitchen.
Plotting would be so much easier if she hadn't had years to get attached and started seeing everyone in this little town as people instead of just characters in a story.
"Why, jealous?" Damon asked, his teasing question summoned an eye roll faster than the Winchester brothers summon Demons.
"Just mildly concerned for the poor soul that has to interact with you. Especially when you're homicidal and moody." Nova replied while she put on the kettle and pulled out her favorite homemade tea, it was a mix of mint and dried lavender- she may have a small obsession with lavender.
"Ouch. That almost hurt my undead heart." He avoided the question with annoying ease, but the voice that pipped up again, this time closer, just confirmed it was Vicki Donovan.
"Damon, I wasn't just being my lovely sarcastic when I asked you to be careful," Nova announced suddenly when the voices slowed in speech, indicating the conversation was over.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Nova jumped when the teakettle whistled, turning the burner off before she started to methodically fix her tea as she weighed her choices carefully because just 'cause Damon trusts her, very reluctantly, does not mean she trusts him.
And it certainly doesn't mean she trusts this universe.
"This town is very small, and their ancestors- your best buds- were very bitter and small minded. They never forgot, and they made sure their children never forgot." Nova worded it carefully as she could, hopefully, it wasn't too vague.
She's getting really good at this vague thing though.
"Are you saying what I think you are?" Damon whispered harshly into the phone.
"Just- try not to draw attention to yourself." With that, she hung up and turned her phone on silent.
Hopefully, no one will die by the time she finished her pot of tea.
Halloween was coming up soon and as usual, Nova was one of the many suckers who got roped into helping Caroline plan the schools Halloween festival. This time she was helping with not only the decorations but the music. She was compiling the list on the upstairs computer in the twins old room when she got an S.O.S text from Elena; the four of them used to use S.O.S texts for simple things like getting out of bad dates, or that one time they had to help Caroline sneak out of the house.
Obviously, Nova rushed to The Gilbert's home, 'cause this town is going to get even crazier and for all she knows, there might actually be a sinking ship.
Nova skipped knocking on the door when she got there and just used the key that was hidden in the smallest flower pot. Not bad for a hiding space, but she's seen Elena use it when she'd been drunk enough to leave her key at a party.
"She'll be fine. It'll all be fine." Elena sounded like she was trying to convince herself rather than Jeremy.
Elena visibly jumped at the sound of Nova entering unannounced, but Jeremy just looked ready to run out the now open door.
Well, fuck a duck, Nova thought irritably, Jeremy is only over eager when it comes to Vicki, meaning someone didn't listen to her.
"Sorry. You S.O.S'd me." Nova stated questioningly, closing the door behind her before Jeremy could act on any of his ideas. Elena sighed calming down minorly, she waved Nova's half-assed apology off, turning to her brother.
"Uhm, Jer, could you go upstairs," Jeremy looked like he was about to protest, Elena continued, "Nova and I need to talk about... girl stuff."
Jeremy made a disgusted face, but left, stomping up the staircase moodily, like the teenager he is. It is a little amusing that he thinks they'd start talking about shit like 'girl stuff' in the living room.
What the fuck even qualifies as 'girl stuff' anyway?
"Girl stuff?" Nova questioned with an amused grin and raised a brow as she walked further into the house.
"Caroline and Bonnie will be here soon. But I need you to tell me what you did to make you trust Damon not to kill us." Elena ignored her friend's amusement with the way she got rid of her brother.
"Trust is a strong word..." Nova started to avoid the question but sighed at Elena's undeterred expression. "There's not much to say, he came into town, he started getting close to the people I love. I made sure he wouldn't hurt the people I love the only way I know how. Magic." Nova answered just as the doorbell rang.
Elena, having lived in the safe and welcoming version of Mystic Falls, opened the fucking door without checking to see who it was, only to then try to close the door when she saw it was Damon instead of their best friends.
Damon, lovely asshole he is, pushed back when Elena tried to shut the door in his face. "You're afraid of me. Congrats, it took you less than a month to figure out the family secret." He said in amusement as Elena finally gave up on pushing him out.
Nova came closer to the door, standing firmly by the nervous-but-trying-not-to-show-it Elena.
"Of course she's scared. I mean look at your face, you seem like the type to scare teenage girls for fun." Nova announced her presence, silently wishing he would just take the hint and go the fuck away.
Of course, Lady Luck fucking hates her and he doesn't get the hint- or doesn't care, probably the latter.
"No need to be rude, Bennett. I'm just looking for Stefan." Damon responded with a wounded expression, looking around the home as though Stefan was going to pop out of the woodwork.
If someone other than Damon had given her that wounded look she'd think they were hurt by her words. On him, he just looked like he was privately enjoying the little ways he could annoy the shit out of her since he can't kill anyone she cares about and his threats roll off her back.
"May I come in? Oh, wait- Of course, I can. I've been invited." He made a big show of stepping into the house.
Nova rolled her eyes at the dramatics, silently taking Elena's hand when the taller teen hurriedly stepped back from the gloating Vampire, dragging Nova with her as Damon strode towards them.
"I'm not going to kill you now-"
"He's not going to kill you ever, cause he knows he'd die if he did." Nova interrupted with an irritated frown on her face. She'd quite literally kill someone for some food and sleep right about now, she internally moaned. On the outside, Nova just stood silently in front of Elena as casually as she could without drawing attention to the action.
"Right. Where's Stefan?" Damon sighed out and rolled his eyes at Nova as though it was her being the asshole.
"He's out looking for Vicki," Elena answered with an accusing glare, pulling herself up tall and standing next to Nova instead.
First, Elena was scared, which she doesn't blame her for- but now she's challenging him, a Vampire- Nova changes her mind; All of them are fucking idiots.
"Don't look at me with those judgy little eyes. You should be thankful she got herself killed with my blood instead of without it." Damon looked mildly amused at the sight of a mere 'human' trying to go toe to toe with him.
Nova, though, ignored the showdown that has a certain tension to it that isn't all due to fear and intimidation, instead, she thought about what he just said;
'You should be thankful she got herself killed with my blood instead of without it.'
Nova doesn't have a perfect memory, can't remember small plot moments for shit, but she's good with words, and those words basically hint at- what he basically, probably unintentionally hinted at is-
"You didn't kill her," Nova mumbled bringing attention to herself as they finished whatever the fuck they were talking about.
"Who?" Damon looked confused and caught off guard as did Elena who hadn't even heard what Nova had said.
"You didn't kill Vicki, did you?" Nova asked trying not to roll her eyes at the sexual tension that'd been in the air.
Every single person in this town are horny fuckers, herself included.
"No. I have some standards about who I'd turn." Damon sounded haughty and offended.
Nova calls bullshit, he has little to none standards.
"If you didn't kill Vicki, how is she..." Elena didn't look completely convinced by Damon's 'innocence'.
Which, fair enough, Nova's pretty sure Damon hasn't been 'innocent' for centuries, if ever.
"A lady of the night?" Damon whispered jokingly, leaning in towards a nervous Elena and he smirked when his joke earned him a reluctant snort of amusement from Nova, who got a look from Elena.
You know, that look that asks; what the fuck are you doing?
Answer; she doesn't fucking know, story of her fucking life.
"Don't know, don't care. I'd try to stay out of her way- she looked a little...unstable." He answered nonchalantly, as he ignored the teen glaring daggers at him.
His words were a little ironic since he's more than a little unstable.
Nova's not sure if she's happy or wary that something else changed; she'll have to settle for both, seeing as somehow, without Damon snapping her neck for shits and giggles, Vicki still died.
This better not be some 'fate' bullshit, her least favorite bullshit.
"Tell my brother I'm looking for him," Damon walked towards the door, opening it to reveal Bonnie and Caroline, the latter fist raised to knock on the now open door.
He only acknowledged them with a mocking smirk as he moved past the startled teens without waiting for them to walk into the house.
"Oh- tip for later; be careful who you invite in the house." Damon mocked towards the Gilbert while walking backward off the porch.