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CHAPTER 7:
TAKING A BITE OUT OF HALLOWEEN
Gone (adjective): no longer present; departed
"Gone. The saddest word in the language. In any language."
"How can the dead be truly dead when they still live in the souls of those who are left behind?"
"When you're gone, the pieces of my heart are missing you. When you're gone, the face I came to know is missing, too. When you're gone, the words I need to hear to always get me through the day and make it okay, I miss you."
Cradling a mug of tea in her hands, eyelids dipped to a close, masking the pair of entrancing violets from view as she took a long sip of the calming beverage. The instant Snow stepped into the Gilbert's house, Jenna took one short look at her and gave her a pityingly "oh, honey!" before ducking behind the island that separated the kitchen from the rest of the house, and promptly bustled around. The next thing the sleep-deprived girl knew, a mug of steaming tea was carefully deposited into her hands as the older woman steered her into one of the plushiest sofas in the living room.
Emitting a forlorn sigh, Snow imbibed more of the now lukewarm liquid just as thundering footsteps descended the stairs, the Gilbert siblings' argument resonating through. Jeremy barely spared her a glance, merely mumbling a grouchy greeting as he stormed into the kitchen for his morning beverage. In contrast, Elena pinned her under the full force of her knowing, compassionate stare; a sympathetic sigh emanating from her, the brunette made a beeline to her friend and curled up beside her, patting her knee in commiseration, "Must be bad if you're having tea."
Defensive, Snow pouted, "What? Maybe I was in the mood for tea."
"Who're you talking to?" faking offense, Elena then let out a mild chuckle, chocolate orbs brimming with knowledge. "I've known you forever, and you, my friend, are a creature of habit. Coffee in the morning; afternoon, eh, depends on your mood. Night? Definitely tea and you're not picky about the type or flavor, either. The only reason you'd start your morning off with tea, is if you're stressed. So, spill, Snow Silverstone," concluding her speech, Elena relinquished the empty mug from her surprisingly tight grip and placed it on the nearby table.
Grumbling, the snow-kissed girl's explanation was summed up into one name, "Vicki."
And with that, both girls allowed the silence to engulf them. Snow laid her head on the brunette's shoulder who in turn, had the side of her face propped against the top of her head. Thoughts regarding the latest tragedy consumed them, attacking their conscience with no mercy – exactly one month had passed since Damon Salvatore killed Vicki Donovan and turned her into a vampire in a fit of, according to Stefan, boredom!, and while most of the denizens in Mystic Falls were starting to forget about the troublesome girl's disappearance, believing she was merely following in the footsteps of her flighty mother, Matt was confident that his sister would never abandon him. For the past month, Matt's been spearheading a relentless search for Vicki alongside Jeremy and Sheriff Forbes.
For her part, Snow hated lying – the fact that Matt and Jeremy were searching endlessly while, the entire time, Vicki remained safely ensconced behind the closed doors of the Salvatore Boarding House, didn't sit right with her, and despite Stefan's constant updates, lying to everyone and her incessant worry over Vicki's capability to survive vampirism had taken its toll on the soft-hearted girl and it was beginning to consume her every conscious and unconscious moment.
"….wait, shouldn't you be going to school?" Elena's patronizing comment snapped Snow out of her reverie. Blinking back to the present, Snow allowed the brunette to rearrange their seating position in order to properly confront her brother, the latter of which stood glaring at Elena by the front door. Too lost in her depressing thoughts, Snow had, apparently, spaced out on the beginning of the siblings' conversation, which quickly escalated into an argument. Unfortunately, the growing hostility between the Gilbert siblings was a development of Vicki's 'disappearance,' the antagonistic behavior Jeremy portrayed almost always a result of Elena's attempt to waylay him from pursuing leads on Vicki and simultaneously encourage him to continue life normally.
His expression one of potent disbelief, Jeremy's derision could be heard loud and clear, "What? You're kidding me, right?"
Unwilling to back down and completely prepared to risk her brother's ire to keep him safe and more importantly ignorant of the world's dark and terrifying secret, Elena said, "You shouldn't skip school. If they find her, we'll know. That's what cellphones are for." She needlessly waved her cellphone in the air.
Sighing, Snow grabbed the discarded and empty mug from the table and retreated into kitchen, wanting to avoid the tension. While Snow wholeheartedly understood Elena's reasons, the brunette's obsession with keeping Jeremy ignorant of the existence of vampires and of Vicki's subsequent transformation into one had blinded her from her the fact that he harbored intense feelings for Vicki, and, unlike them, Jeremy had no clue that the girl he was in love with was relatively safe and in Mystic Falls.
Despite having sought solace in the kitchen, Snow still heard Jeremy spit out, "Yeah, your lips keep movin'. I don't know why." The ensuing reverberation of the front door forcefully slamming shut behind him had the raven-haired girl whip around, startled. Soon after, violet eyes collided with a pair of apologetic chocolate browns.
"Sorry you had to see…and hear that," Elena looked utterly woebegone, planting herself with an exasperated huff on one of the swiveling bar stools by the island. Elbows propped on the island, the brunette proceeded to cradle her face between her opened palms and pout at her friend.
Snow smiled sadly, "It's nothing I haven't seen before." Which was true. Since her toddler days, the raven-haired girl had always been a recurring face in the Gilbert Household, treated and recognized as a member of their family, and therefore, she was no stranger to their sibling squabbling. Although, in retrospect, whatever dispute occurred between them had never been as bad compared to after their parents' death. The relationship between Elena and Jeremy started to heal after the reciprocation of Vicki's feelings; however, now with her disappearing, Jeremy was quick to anger and was always looking to start a fight, which was only fueled by Elena's apparent disapproval of their relationship. Ever since Snow and Elena discovered the existence of vampires, they were rarely seen apart and limited their interactions with Caroline and Bonnie, as they despised their constant need to lie to them, and so, Snow spent most of her days at the Gilbert's, and therefore had front-row seats to their constant bickering. Clasping the brunette's hands in hers, Snow adopted a considerate tone, "Lena, you know I'm with you one hundred percent, but... you gotta be more understanding. Put yourself in Jer's shoes. If someone you loved were missing, would you give up?"
Pout completely evanished, Elena's brows furrowed into a scowl – sometimes, it was so annoying when Snow made sense and consequently proved you wrong. "I just, I don't want him to spiral out of control because of Vicki," she retorted defensively.
"I know, sweetie, but he's in love," she patted her hand twice before pulling away to gather her cellphone and book bag. "And don't forget, unlike us, Jeremy doesn't know Vicki's okay… or well, as okay as one can be when one's forced to live under the same roof as one's murderer," she blurted out in one breath, culminating in a sharp exhale of breath.
Elena scrutinized her friend, "You want to see her, don't you?"
"I don't think I can spend another sleepless night worrying about her. If I do, I'll end up fainting from sleep deprivation," Snow rubbed an eye with a clenched fist, her countenance and the slump of her shoulders dog-tired. "I mean, Stefan's been great by updating us and so, so thoughtful, don't get me wrong, but…I need to see her for myself."
Laughing, Elena jumped to her feet, grabbed her purse and extended her hand out, her eyes crinkling in a smile, "Come on, then. To Salvatore's Boarding House we go."
Ironically, the duo skipped school – oh, if Jeremy could see them now – and in record time, Elena's car sat stationary on the sidewalk in front of the Boarding House. Climbing out, they approached the ominous-looking front door and tentatively knocked – from an outsider's perspective, the house's exterior was magnificent; perhaps to them its appearance looked ominous because they knew it was a vampire's lair. However, Elena's knuckles barely brushed against the door, when it flew open.
Standing before them was the very vampire Snow was most terrified of running into, and she clutched her friend's hand in a crushing grip. Perpetual smirk on his lips, Damon pierced the duo with intense eyes, his stare fixating a beat longer on Snow. Oddly enough, the split-second a frightened whimper escaped her, Damon automatically released her from his intimidating stare and settled on Elena, who met his scrutiny bravely, her chocolate orbs practically spitting fire.
"Is Stefan here?" Elena snapped before he could get a word in.
Eyes lazily drifting to Snow, he causally drawled, "Yep!"
In an effort to distract him from Snow, Elena abrasively snarled, "Where is he?"
Again, Damon released Snow from the full weight of his electric-blue eyes. Wholly focused on the brunette, his smirk relaxed into a lazy grin, and if he weren't a proud murderer, one who killed her friend out of boredom and snacked and abused her other friend for reasons still unknown to her, Snow would have admitted that he looked endearing – but currently, despite Snow not being the type of person to hold a grudge, she was stubbornly holding one of gargantuan proportion against Damon Salvatore.
"And good morning to you, little miss 'I'm on a mission'," was the vampire's responding quip, not the least bit affected by the amount of hostility the duo before him were radiating. In fact, he turned to smirk at Snow, baiting her, "It's been a while, expected you a month ago."
The raven-haired girl flinched and took a diminutive step back. Tightening her grip on Snow's hand, Elena fixated him with a vicious glare, "How can you be so arrogant and glib after everything you've done?"
"And how can you be so brave and stupid to call a vampire arrogant and glib?" Damon retorted, half-irritated, half-amused. Snow no longer held his interest, but the spitfire that's been doing all the talking.
Unafraid of the volatile vampire, Elena lifted her head, chin jutting out, and confidently stated, "If you wanted me dead, I'd be dead."
Feeling her anxiety rise, Snow tugged her hand, her voice a mere whisper, "Elena…"
Damon concluded the staring contest with a laconic agreement to Elena's astute observation, "Yes, you would."
"But I'm not," Elena's confidence skyrocketed, disregarding Snow's incessant tugging on her hand in an effort to silence her and her idiotic attempt to provoke the dangerous vampire. Electric-blue honed in on Snow's failed efforts before they lifted to smirk at the pair of terrified violets. Head inclined toward the stupidly brave brunette, Damon taunted, "Yet. You should listen to your friend more. She, at least, is familiar with the concept of self-preservation."
A spell of silence met his statement.
Giving off the impression that they were communicating telepathically, Elena and Snow maintained eye contact, all the while stubbornly ignoring Damon's piercing stare at the latter. Steeling herself, Snow finally found it in her to meet Damon's intimidating stare, her unexpected bravery surprising him and forcing him to maintain her entrancing gaze. "Where's Stefan?" she softly inquired.
"He's upstairs singing 'The rain in Spain'. Knock yourselves out," slipping on his black leather jacket, Damon winked at the soft-spoken girl before he strode past them and vanished from the premises.
Trading looks of uncertainty, Snow and Elena cautiously closed the door behind them and, arms linked, they slowly passed a number of barren rooms, the brunette quietly vocalizing Stefan's name. Suddenly, the vampire in question materialized in a blur, kind and concerned eyes flickering between them.
Not beating around the bush, Snow inquired after Vicki, sighing in relief when Stefan promptly gestured to the floor above, the upward curve of his lips instilling her with calm thoughts. Elena, however, didn't share her friend's sense of relief. "What happens now? Because my brother is out there searching for her with the rest of the town. What do I tell him?" she demanded, her attitude showing; her initial concern was Jeremy, nothing else mattered but his emotional, physical, and psychological well-being.
Stefan sighed; he looked exhausted. "I'm working with her, but it's gonna take time. She's a very volatile and impulsive personality. She's a drug user. I mean, all that's gonna play a part in how she responds to this," Stefan slowly laid bare the facts, not bothering to hold anything back from them; knowing Snow and Elena, and having grown used to their company, they wouldn't appreciate any of his attempts to downplay the reality of the situation and coddle them with empty platitudes.
"So she's a vampire with issues?" Elena emitted a sound that resembled a humorless snort. Fist planted on her hip, with her other hand, she wildly gesticulated between herself and Snow, "What are we supposed to do? Because we're both lying to everyone we care about. What's gonna happen to her?"
"I'm gonna keep her here with me until I know that she's safe," Stefan revealed firmly, his features weary. Truth be told, he was going stir-crazy, stuck in these four walls with a drug-addict newborn vampire with a penchant for moaning and groaning over the unfairness of her life, and his nigh-insensitive brother who had been strutting smugly throughout the house in the last month whilst waxing poetry about the benefits of human blood, as company. In fact, his only moments of reprieve where his phone calls with either of the human girls before him, and the rare visits he made to school in order to keep up appearances; though his attendance was spotty as he couldn't risk leaving Vicki alone with Damon.
On cue, Vicki vaulted over the banister, looking tired and irritable, "How long is that?"
"Vicki!" Snow squealed, clapping her hands together in exuberance before leaping forward. Seeing Vicki, all the worries and fears that clouded her vanished. Seeing the familiar violet orbs light up at the sight of her and hearing the genuine happiness in her quasi-sister's tone prompted Vicki's grumpy demeanor to transform into wholehearted delight, "Snow!"
The unlikely friends gathered each other in an almost suffocating embrace. Elena, scared for her kind-hearted friend's safety, moved forward to separate them if it weren't for Stefan's quick reflexes as he wound an arm around her waist, preventing her from getting on the bad side of the newly turned vampire with addiction issues.
Unaware of the turmoil occurring behind her, Snow happily cried out, "Vicki! I've been so worried about you. I wanted to call so many times, but you know how much I hate lying and Matt kept asking if I heard from you, and I didn't want to have to lie to his face—"
Cutting off the younger girl's ramblings, Vicki smiled sadly and with the pads of her thumbs, wiped her tears, "Come on little sis, I'm fine. Look I'm here. You know I hate it when you cry."
"I know," Snow let out a wet chuckle. "I've been scared for you."
While Stefan appeared slightly confused, he didn't share Elena's astonishment. Turning to meet his gaze, Elena asked, "How come Vicki isn't feeding from her?"
Despite knowing the answer, Stefan nevertheless stepped forward, his eyes, full of potent curiosity, flickering between the girls that had yet to disentangle from their embrace, "Vicki, do you feel out of control? There's no overwhelming urge to feed from Snow?"
Peeling her head back to gauge the newly turned vampire, unlike her reaction to Damon whenever he stood at close proximity to her, Snow appeared unafraid. On the other hand, Vicki glared at Stefan and scoffed, as though appalled at his assumption, "Of course not! Snow's like my little sister. Why would I?"
"You don't feel like your throat is on fire?" puzzled, Stefan resumed his scrutiny of Snow, reminding her of the Salvatore brothers' odd reaction to her the night Caroline and Damon crashed the small get-to-know-Stefan dinner party at Elena's.
Vicki frowned in thought, realization belatedly dawning on her. "Actually no… Huh, weird," she shrugged, brushing the oddity off.
Hesitantly, Snow asked, "Is something wrong?"
An unconvincing smile on his face, Stefan shook his head, "No, no. Nothing."
Deciding to let it go…for now, Snow allowed Vicki to link arms with her and, as they made their way to the dining room, the dark-haired girl recited everything the newly turned vampire missed during her one month stint in confinement, or vampire rehab – or whatever Stefan was calling it. In contrast, Stefan and Elena shadowed them at a slower pace, their features tight with concern and confusion, respectively.
"Stefan, what is it?" Elena whispered, chocolate orbs resolutely following her best friend and the new vampire, watching them like a hawk. Concealing a fond smile at the brunette's mother-henning tendency, he shared one of his concerns, "Last night, Vicki found Tyler and couldn't control herself. Around Snow however, Vicki acts human."
She couldn't comprehend why it was a cause for concern; to Elena, it was good news. "Isn't that a good thing?" her brows knit together.
"Yeah, yeah," shaking his head, Stefan forced a smile. "Just forget about it. I'm probably just being paranoid. Their strong bond must play a huge role, or something," he dismissed. Leaving Elena in the dining room with Snow and Vicki, he went to bring coffee. He returned almost immediately, balancing four mugs in a tray, which elicited a megawatt smile out of Snow, a tightlipped one from Elena, and a wordless grunt from Vicki.
Attempting to alleviate her mood, Elena teased her friend, "Look at you, your appetite's returned to normal, huh." Snow responded by sticking her tongue out and hugging the coffee close to her chest. "Real mature," the brunette snickered.
Smiling at their antics, Stefan focused on Vicki, "Coffee is our friend. It's the caffeine. It circulates through our veins, and it warms our body so we're not so cold to the touch."
Vicki lifted an eyebrow, observing the murky brown liquid in distaste, "Well, what if I wanna drink human blood?"
"Vicki!" Snow gasped, horrified.
But Vicki shrugged a shoulder in indifference, her expression artless, "What? It's an innocent question, Snow." The trio, however, didn't refrain from staring at her, prompting her eyes to roll aggressively in their sockets, "Sue me, I'm curious."
"You're going to have to learn to live with that urge and fight it on a daily basis one day at a time," Stefan imparted, tone solemn.
Exasperated, and more than a touch hostile, Vicki sneered, "Oh God! Don't start with that whole twelve steps thing. School counselor has been down that road, and it doesn't work for me."
Quashing down his irritation, Stefan prompted, "It can work. It's your choice, Vicki." He had lost track of the amount of times he repeated this exact sentence to the new vampire; he was trying to be optimistic, and if it weren't for Elena and Snow, and the promise he made them, he would've given up his fruitless endeavors to coach Vicki in the right path probably two days into her newfound vampirism. Vicki Donovan was stubborn and a drug addict, two unfortunate traits to be mixed together that followed her in the afterlife.
Unimpressed, Vicki folded her arms together, the sneer still painting her lips as she stared him down, "So you've never tasted human blood?"
"Not in a long time," Stefan rebuffed.
Curious, Vicki probed, "How long?"
This abrupt line of questioning and subsequent insight into Stefan's life undeniably attracted Elena's undivided attention and she found that she couldn't take her eyes off of the vampire that managed to gain her affection.
"Years and years," Stefan responded laconically. "I'm not proud of my past behavior."
The newly-turned vampire groaned into the palms of her hands before clutching at her hair, yanking on it slightly. "Does this sketchy feeling ever go away? It's like I have a massive hangover. This daylight thing is a bitch. I need more blood. Where's your bathroom? I have to pee. Why do I have to pee? I thought I was dead," Vicki rambled as she left the room in search for a bathroom. Despite the circumstances, Snow giggled into her hand, eyes twinkling at the older girl's retreating back.
Feeling awkward by Vicki's parting words, Stefan scratched the back of his head. Searching for a distraction, he grabbed the empty mug on the table that, five minutes ago, had been chock-full of animal blood, "I'm going to, uh… I'm gonna get her some more, all right. I'll be quick."
No sooner had Stefan utilized his enhanced speed and left the Boarding House, did Vicki re-enter, hair slightly unkempt and demeanor grouchy. "False alarm," she groaned, eyes fixated on the screen of her cellphone. She continued rambling as she blindly deposited herself on the chair she recently abandoned, "My body's feeling really funky. It's a good funk, but it's weird."
Overcome with a suspicious feeling, Elena, folded arms perched on the table, leaned into them, a flash of worry in her eyes as they flickered to Snow and focused on Vicki, "Who are you calling?"
"Jeremy," was Vicki's nonchalant response, wholly distracted by her cellphone. A zing of concern resonated through Snow, eyes wide on Elena, but she was too late. Elena's protective inclination toward her brother prompted her to forget that she was currently attempting to forbid a capricious, newly-turned vampire from doing something. "Vicki, you can't see Jeremy anymore," the brunette ensured her tone was firm and unforgiving.
Snow reached out to place a warning hand on Elena's arm, "Elena, don't."
"Oh come on, don't you start. I'm gonna see whoever I wanna see," Vicki sneered, glaring at Elena from beneath the shadows of her furrowed brows. Undeterred, Elena delivered a hypothetical, yet completely possible, scenario, "Even though you could hurt him?"
Warning lights flashed before Snow's eyes, a mantra of stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it! echoing loudly in her head. It was like watching a car accident about to happen, and wholly powerless to prevent it.
"I would never hurt Jeremy!" Insulted, Vicki gestured a hand toward a rapidly paling Snow, "I didn't hurt Snow!"
Sympathetic, yet adamant, Elena shook her head, "I know you think that but I can't take the risk. What about Tyler yesterday? You nearly hurt him. You're gonna have to let Jeremy go." Her brother's safety came before Vicki's needs. It was her duty to protect him, from everything and everyone. Scoffing, Vicki snarled, "Oh really? And how long have you been preparing the 'you're not good enough' speech? I'm assuming it predates the whole vampire thing."
The tension suffusing the air threatened to suffocate Snow. She frantically rubbed her temples, "Guys, please stop."
Ignoring Snow's pleas, Elena squarely met Vicki's glare, "All I'm saying is Jeremy is not getting involved in any of this. I mean it, Vicki."
The ensuing incident prompted a sharp gasp to leave Snow's parted lips and she abruptly shot out of her seat, the chair crashing to the floor in the process. Vicki finally snapped; before Elena could do so much as blink, Vicki had her pinned to wall, the air to her lungs blocked courtesy of the immovable hand curled around her neck. Snow felt Elena's fear wash over her and she quickly sprang to her best friend's side, attempting and failing to extract her hand from around Elena's delicate, totally breakable, human neck. "Vicki, please! Vicki, stop! Stop it, let her go," Snow cried, though just like her past experience with Joshua, she went ignored.
Hatred burned in Vicki's eyes as she glared daggers at Elena, and if looks could kill, the brunette would be dead…if the moody vampire didn't strangle her to death…or snap her neck with her bare hand. Shaking off the morbid image, Snow pleaded with her quasi-sister to release her best friend – to no avail. Snarling with potent rage, Vicki sneered, "Let's get one thing straight, you perky little bitch. You had my brother whipped for fifteen years. Fifteen years! And then you dumped him. When I look at you that is all I see, just so you know. And I'm going to see Jeremy whenever I want to see Jeremy, because I have some fun new toys to play with, and I won't think twice about ripping your little head off. You got it?"
And for the first time in her life, Snow feared Victoria Donovan.
Concluding her vitriolic speech – the correct term being threat – Vicki detached her hand from Elena's neck. Leaving the room, Vicki threw Snow an apologetic glance from over her shoulder but Snow only had eyes for her hurt friend. Rushing to Elena's side, Snow threw her arms around her in a desperate embrace. "Elena, are you okay?" Snow's concern reached the point of tears, sad orbs watching as Elena coughed and massaged her aching throat. "I warned you not to provoke her. She's got a short fuse, Lena," she lightly rebuked.
At that moment, Stefan arrived, a mug of animal blood in hand. Frantic, he absentmindedly left it on the table and approached the girls, pools of forest green traveling from a tearful Snow to Elena, her hoarse coughs and the fact that Vicki was nowhere to be seen, painting a pretty gruesome picture. "What happened?"
"She threatened me," came Elena's hoarse response, eyes squinting in pain as she coughed out.
Dragging a hand down his face, Stefan sighed, internally beating himself up for leaving them alone and unprotected with Vicki. He miscalculated – just because Vicki acted weirdly human around Snow, it didn't automatically make Elena immune. Stefan's mistake was his presumption. "She's on edge. Imagine every sense in your body operating at super speed. I mean, she's uncomfortable in her own skin. And then when you throw in her other issues…" Stefan trailed off, uncomfortable.
Desperate violet orbs locked on Stefan's sympathetic greens, "How long before it settles? Hours? Days? Weeks?"
Lips pursed, Stefan sighed, "There's no rule book."
"Well, how long before you learned to control it?" Elena inquired, hoping for the best.
"A while," Stefan vaguely offered. "But I didn't have anybody helping me. I had to do it on my own. The thing is, it's hard to resist certain people especially when you're new, and it's difficult to separate your feelings. Love, lust, anger, desire… it can all blur into one urge, hunger," he revealed ominously.
Tears flooded Snow's vision, "So then Vicki's screwed… What does this mean for her exactly?"
He tore his gaze from Snow, the mere sight of her crying making him want to rip somebody's head off. "It means that Jeremy can't see her, not now. She might not be able to resist him, and she could hurt him," Stefan warned them.
"If that's the case, how come she was able to control herself around me?" Snow blinked, confused. Elena nodded in agreement and both girls stared expectantly at Stefan. Gaze averted, Stefan succinctly said, "I don't…know."
Sighing, Elena accepted his response. Snow, however, could sense his dishonesty.
"Well, well, well, Cinderella finally grants us with her presence," the all brawn no brain twin, Paisley, sneered. Haisley, the elder Styne twin – by five minutes – known for her cruel and callous disposition, blatantly glared at Snow's arrival, dark orbs almost forming slits, "It was much better without you around, sucking all the oxygen from the house, Cinderslut."
Flinching at the latest name-calling from Haisley, the downtrodden girl emitted a sad sigh – hating the fact that she had to return to the house of her forefather's that was now infested with cruelty and darkness – softly closed the front door and turned to confront the twins. She barely managed to put a foot through the threshold before Haisley and Paisley recommenced their hounding. "What do you want?"
"We were waiting for you," Paisley let out an unladylike snort of laughter, forcing Snow to repress a cringe.
Sometimes, Snow Silverstone pitied the Styne Twins for their profound misfortune of having inherited every single ugly trait and facial feature from both sets of parents, leaving absolutely nothing good, beautiful or remarkable about them from the inside and the outside – even Lucille, with her consuming passion regarding maintaining social etiquette, constantly brushing up on the many changes in the rules, failed abysmally in training her daughters proper conduct, for she birthed a pair of stubborn Neanderthals. But those moments of pity were few and far between, because just when Snow began to sympathize with the two, they'd turn around and unleash their wrath on her.
Paisley's face was caught in a rictus between malice and unholy delight, letting Snow know that in her absence, the two had been up to no good, "Mhmm, in our duties as your loving sisters, we realized you had nothing to wear for tonight. So, we spoke to Mother about finding you a costume for the Halloween carnival."
"Right," the word was slowly enunciated, disbelief hugging her tone. Swallowing thickly, wide pairs of violets stared between her evil stepsisters, looking much like a baby deer caught in the headlights of a particularly unmerciful truck, "You'll forgive me if I have trouble believing that."
Uncomprehending Snow's political response, Paisley maintained the stupid grin on her face. On the other hand, Haisley glowered at the raven-haired girl, her retort cutting, "Don't be an ungrateful little shit, Cinderslut!"
Nodding dumbly, Paisley's grin morphed into a sinister smile, "Your costume's laid out on your bed, all pressed and wrinkle-free. And don't you worry your pretty little head over the price, Mother took care of it. Think of it as an early birthday present." Haisley, who had been nodding throughout Paisley's statement, growled at her twin's usage of 'pretty' and turned to glare at her.
Throwing them one last suspicious glance, Snow ascended the winding stairway, traversed the long halls and, trepidation exuding every fiber of her being, Snow grasped the doorknob to her room with sweaty palms and stepped inside. Crocodile tears sprang from her eyes at the sight of the dress on her bed.
It was a carbon-copy of the maid outfit Cinderella wore throughout the duration of the original 1950 cartoon, including the white apron and matching head scarf.
So cruel! …Their evil ways knew no bounds.
Having followed her, incapable of letting the golden opportunity pass and too excited over the prospect of capturing Snow's initial reaction to their latest tormenting technique, Haisley and Paisley barged into her room, cellphones in hand and aimed at her miserable form; the former snapped around a dozen pictures of the Silverstone Heiress while the latter recorded the scene, ensuring to hone in on Snow and the maid outfit. Their loud, bellowing guffaws pervaded the air, not the least bit affected by the hurt clouding the unique pools of violet. Locking their cellphones, the twins mockingly intoned, "See you at the party, Cinderella!"
Not a doubt in her mind, Snow knew, oh how she knew, that if she didn't wear the 'costume', Lucille would not only forbid her from attending the Halloween carnival, but she'd also extract the cash from her own hard-earned wages, and would probably swindle extra out of her. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Snow was given no alternative but to wear the humiliating dress.
Slipping on the 'costume' – "Because let's face it,' Snow thought to herself in self-denigration. 'I am their maid.' – Snow avoided gauging herself in any and all mirrors or reflective surfaces available throughout the Manor as she entered the foyer, halting abruptly at the sight of the step-monster and her evil spawns. The twins shamelessly broadcasted their glee as they raked Snow's appearance from her headscarf down to her dusty-brown flats. Lucille however, portrayed more tact and grace, her countenance impassive if not for the gleam of cruel pleasure in her eyes.
For Snow's part, she took advantage of her miserable state to quash her incredulity regarding the twins' atrocious costume choice. Haisley and Paisley had dressed up as princesses, their gowns, the style of their hair, and their excessive make up that reminded Snow of clown paint, completely uncomplimentary and, in Snow's personal opinion, merely highlighted the extent of their ugliness. However, Lucille wished to locate a suitor for each of her spawns and thus, wouldn't allow them to attend the carnival in anything commoner-worthy, or considered as provocative.
"Good. I see you made the smart choice. The costume looks absolutely darling," Lucille purred, the corner of her lips curling in a subtle smirk. "Think of it as an early birthday gift, a celebration to nearly seventeen years of life, hmm?" at her words, a wicked gleam could be seen in her eyes. "The party finishes after 12. Therefore, you have two choices, you either arrive at the Manor at 12 on the dot to sleep in your bed, or come after and make yourself comfortable on the lawn. I'll try to remember keep the sprinklers off," lie – she'd pretend to forget and everybody that currently stood in the foyer knew it.
Any response from Snow was cut off by the sound of the doorbell. Sharing startled looks, the twins excitedly sprang forward, skidding against the floor while they tugged at each other's dresses in their desperation to be the first to answer the door.
"Girls. Girls! Keep you dignity intact and answer the door like a lady would," Lucille clucked her tongue disapprovingly. She then sneered at Snow, "You, out of the way."
"Yes, mother," they answered glumly in unison.
Impatient, Lucille twisted a stand around her finger and coldly demanded, "Well, who is it?"
"It's for her," Paisley spat, practically green with envy.
Surprised at the unexpected instance as Snow's friends knew to never show up at her doorstep as they weren't welcome by Lucille – there was a reason why Snow never entertained guests and always hung out at her friends' respective houses – she ignored the three expressions of malicious disdain fixated on her and strode deeper into the foyer. Marveling the grand entrance, having been invited inside by the lustful twins, was Stefan. Despite her embarrassment in regards to her appearance, Snow beamed brightly at the vampire, unbothered by the fact that he had gained an invite as she trusted him wholeheartedly with her safety.
"Stefan, what is it?" Snow timidly closed the distance between them; she could sense something was troubling him greatly. Nevertheless, the smile he sent her was genuine, "I'm here to pick you up. Elena's heading to the party with Jeremy and she mentioned you wouldn't have a ride, so I volunteered."
Her complexion turned a rosy shade of red, "You didn't have to—"
"Excuse me, Mr…?" Lucille interjected brusquely, her voice excessively cloying. Turning her head a fraction to the right, Snow made a valiant effort to veil her rolling eyes, instantaneously recognizing her step-mother's bid to snag Stefan as a son-in-law. And while Snow sensed it to be fake, Stefan, ever the gentleman, responded with a disarming smile, "Salvatore."
An excess of greed suffused the air the moment the name "Salvatore" came out in the open. Lucille's eyes sparkled at the realization that the handsome man before her was part of the Founding Families. "Yes, Mr. Salvatore. I hope I do not come off as too forward, but a worried mother must. Would you accompany my precious daughters to the Halloween carnival?" her tone still sickeningly cloying, Lucille gestured grandly at Haisley and Paisley.
Too quick for the those in the room that were unaware of Stefan's status as a vampire, his eyes briefly collided with Snow's before he flicked past the Styne twins in disinterest and focused on Lucille. Rearranging his features into one of apology, Stefan grimaced, "Actually, Ma'am, there's something I'd like to discuss with Snow in private." His blatant rejection elicited looks of outrage, and jealous, the twins growled when Stefan winked at Snow and chivalrously held his hand out for her to take.
Giggling, Snow elegantly slid her dainty hand into his larger one. She barely managed to spare the scandalized trio a proper goodbye due to Stefan swiftly pulling her out of the Manor and past the majestic lawn. "Are you gonna vampire flash me there?" she inquired innocently, eyes wide with wonder.
He chuckled at her refreshing easygoing demeanor, "No, I thought we could walk and talk."
"About the real reason you chose to pick me up?" Snow added nonchalantly, glancing at him. She smiled at having surprised him, "You've been keeping something from me for a while now, and Elena was supposed to pick me up, regardless of whether Jeremy decided to come or not. So, one plus one equals… spill, Stefan."
Stefan's chuckles became a full belly laugh. In fact, since vampirism, he couldn't recall anyone but Lexi managing to prompt genuine laughs out of him… until Snow Silverstone. "Elena warned me nothing gets passed you," forest greens twinkled with unbridled mirth.
"Just call me, Mrs. Holmes," she giggled, skipping slightly.
His smile grew. "Okay. I was worried for you. For the past month, I've been thinking about what you said regarding your stepmother and stepsisters, and of how they'd not hesitate to invite anyone with a pretty face into your home. Some nights, when Damon'd leave, I feared he'd attempt to get an invitation, so I'd keep watch sometimes. That's how Vicki managed to get close to Tyler last night. I wasn't at the boarding house," he shook his head, and Snow clasped his hand, smiling kindly at him, her expression clearly indicating he wasn't to blame. Smiling, he squeezed her hand in gratitude. "Anyway, you were right. The twins, they uh, didn't even ask for name, just quickly invited me inside," his voice oozed with disbelief.
Snow rolled her eyes, "Told ya."
"Yeah, well… good news, now I've gotten an invite, if anything ever happens and you need me, there won't be a barrier preventing me from getting to you. So, if you ever need anything, you can always call me," the sincerity radiating from Stefan almost reduced Snow to tears as she profusely expressed her gratitude.
A comfortable silence ensued, blanketing them as they leisurely made their way to the high school. Pondering over a certain mystery that's been eating at her, Snow decided to take advantage of their privacy and current camaraderie, "Can you tell me why Vicki's unaffected by my presence?"
For a while, Stefan kept his silence and his gaze focused on the path ahead; and just when Snow believed her question would go on unanswered, he suddenly blurted out, "You have no scent."
She abruptly froze, prompting Stefan to stop alongside her, and for a while Snow stood immobile on the side of the road as she attempted to make sense of Stefan's baffled disclosure. Flummoxed, she blinked three times in succession. The violet-eyed girl then lifted her gaze to meet Stefan's, her raven brows crinkled in utmost confusion, "What do you mean I have no scent?"
Inhaling and exhaling, Stefan elucidated, "I mean, you have absolutely no scent. Every human has a-, has a distinctive scent, their blood is distinct. This scent is what makes it hard for a vampire to control their bloodlust, especially if they're young like Vicki, who has yet to practice control like Damon and I. You, however, don't have one. I smell your perfume, your natural scent; I can hear your heartbeat, pumping blood into your veins… but going on your blood alone, nothing." Detecting Snow's apprehension, he hastened to reassure her, "But it can be considered a good thing, it means you're unappetizing to vampires, which keeps you safe—"
Snow cut him off, "But the bad thing is there's something wrong with me. I'm not normal, am I?"
Head shaking, Stefan grimaced, "I'm sorry. That's why I didn't want to say anything. I didn't want to worry you, not until I managed to research what you are…"
"That's why you and Damon kept staring at me oddly at the beginning," it was like everything was slowly clicking into place, the puzzle finally complete.
He didn't know if he'd ever be unsurprised by her astounding level of perception. "Exactly. We've been vampires for a hundred and forty-five years, and you're the first human we've crossed that lacks a scent. You're an enigma…a conundrum."
Grumbling, Snow rubbed the nape of her neck, "Great. That's just what I needed."
Sparing her an apologetic glance, the duo finally reached the carnival. Choosing to split up in search of Elena, and in Snow's case, Bonnie and Caroline as well, they separated and pushed through the throng of partygoers. It didn't take long before she found Bonnie and Caroline, both of whom stood congregated around Tyler and a few Timberwolves, and after one drink, Snow decided to check on Elena. Ducking past a dozen lip-locked couples with roaming hands, Snow finally bumped into a nervous Elena and Matt, who looked surprisingly laidback. Unbeknownst to Snow, Vicki escaped from Salvatore Confinement, approached her brother, and chose to attend the Halloween carnival with Jeremy – in other terms, the calm before all Hell lets loose.
"We have to find Jeremy," was Elena's way of saying 'Hello'. Grabbing Snow's hand, she dragged her alongside her and down the hallways, all the while avoiding contact with the myriad of drunk teenagers. Raking their surroundings, their footsteps halted at the sight of Stefan and Vicki in an empty classroom, the latter glaring at the former as he attempted to make her see sense. Confused, just as Elena let out a breath of relief, Snow asked, "Why'd you let Vicki come here?"
"And hello to you to, Snow," Vicki retorted sarcastically.
Realizing something had happened, Stefan's brows furrowed, "What's the matter?"
"I lost track of Jeremy. I was worried," Elena revealed shakily.
Stepping into the room, Matt had apparently chosen to follow them, prompted by his concern over Elena. "What's goin' on?" he demanded, angry at Stefan's close proximity to his sister, especially after he had gotten rid of him earlier when he stopped by their house and ordered he leave them alone.
Trying to diffuse the surging dissent, Stefan maintained a calm tone, hands up, palms facing the angry blonde, "Hey, uh. Everything's fine."
Sly and cunning, a quintessential Slytherin in Snow's opinion, Vicki cried out, "Matt, he won't leave me alone."
Shocked to the core at the tactic Vicki chose to employ, Snow implored, "Vicki! Don't do this." Unfortunately, Vicki's manipulation tactic worked; as Matt went protective brother on Stefan, a disagreement escalated between the quarterback and vampire, and in the chaos she had astutely generated, Vicki vanished, leaving Elena and Snow to resume their frantic pursuit of Jeremy before the newly-turned vampire unwittingly sunk her fangs into him.
After having searched through the crowd and achieving no luck, they decided to check the deserted sections of Mystic Falls High, like the stoner pit, or—
About to pass the back entrance, Jeremy's familiar yell of alarm permeated the air. Without a second thought, the two girls barged in, stopping short at the scene before them. Vicki was brutally feeding from a cut on Jeremy's lips, her hands aggressively pinning him to the wall. Taking note of a wooden plank, Elena didn't think twice before grabbing it and running over to Vicki, her weapon of choice raised overhead. Emitting a grunt, Elena brought the plank down on Vicki's back, pushing her away from Jeremy.
Snow was hit with an infusion of courage. Jumping forward, she yanked Jeremy forward to the exit, finding the strength to push his unresponsive form through, when all of a sudden a piercing scream came from behind. Turning, violet orbs grew wide – in retaliation, Vicki had vamped out and grabbed Elena, throwing her backward into the nearby pile of garbage. Pulling Jeremy alongside her, Snow helped Elena to her feet, sagging with relief at Stefan's welcoming arrival.
Pinning a rabid Vicki to a bus, Stefan yelled, "Go. Get inside. Go!" The words only just escaped him when Vicki untangled herself and vanished.
Elena pushed Jeremy and Snow in front of her and toward the exit. As they were running out, Elena let out another scream. Vicki had grabbed ahold of the brunette, her fangs sinking into her neck.
"Vicki, no!" Snow cried, desperate for her friend to snap out of her bloodlust, but it was too late. Left with utterly no choice, Stefan pulled her off Elena and plunged a crudely fashioned wooden stake into her undead heart. "NOOO!" she yelled, eyes beginning to well up with tears.
Snow felt indescribable pain erupt from her heart, the location eerily where Vicki had been stabbed moments ago. Feeling faint, she collapsed into herself on the dirty, grimy floor, as slowly the pain started to abate. Vision blurred with tears, Snow clutched both hands to her chest as she greedily inhaled and exhaled the oxygen into and out of her lungs, the phantom, unbearable pain leaving an imprint on her mind. Distracted from the crippling affliction, Snow lunged forward to wrap Vicki's mummified form in her arms, hugging the lifeless body of her quasi-sister to her chest, the sobs she incessantly emitted turning into loud hiccups.
Time passed… and she was completely lost to her surroundings. Snow didn't know how long she sat on the grubby ground, her face pressed against Vicki's lifeless body as she cried all over her. She remained oblivious over the fact that Elena stuck by her side the entire time, sad eyes fixated on her crying friend and the body of a girl she had grown up with and knew all her life. Snow continued to cry, even when Damon approached them and uttered a flippant comment, "You two should go, I got this." Speaking about Vicki as though she were nothing but a sack of potatoes, and not somebody, a big sister, a friend, a daughter, a loved one…
Snow wanted to scream and rage and punch Damon Salvatore on every sliver of skin available to her – Damon Salvatore was the sole reason behind Vicki's death. Stefan may have committed the permanent killing blow, but his actions were borne out of protection, and not boredom. But it wasn't Snow…it wasn't her. She couldn't do that. Snow Silverstone was utterly incapable of harming anyone.
A complete contrast to Snow's innate disposition, Elena didn't have the same restraint. Angrily shooting to her feet, she took a step toward the volatile vampire and spat out, all the while gesturing wildly between Snow and Vicki's dead body, "You did this. This is your fault!"
"You confuse me for someone with remorse," Damon scoffed, although his eyes unwillingly softened when they paused on Snow's crying form and the vice grip she had on Vicki. Boldly, blinded by the rage consuming her, Elena lifted her hand, fully prepared to smack Damon in the face, but he was too fast for her and his hand flashed out and roughly grabbed it, stopping it before it could make its impact, "None of this matter to me. None of it."
Struggling to release her hand from his grip, Elena sneered, "People die around you. How could it be not matter? It matters, and you know it. Snow just lost someone she loved dearly, and she doesn't have much people in her life that cares for her. You did this!" And with that, she took advantage of her free hand and slapped him across the face.
Daggers in his eyes, Damon growled, "You need to leave. Your wounds are bleeding and you need to leave."
With one last glare, Elena turned to Snow's collapsed form and coaxed her into releasing Vicki's body, "Snow, you have to let her go. Come on, sweetie. Sleepover at mine tonight, okay. Come on."
Damon watched as Snow broke into desperate wails in Elena's arms, desperately attempting to reach out for Vicki. But Elena's hold was firm and Snow's struggles fruitless as she steered her away from the gruesome scene. Once she had a hysterical Snow in the passenger seat, Elena let a few tears slip as she cautiously drove home. No sooner had she reached did she storm over to Stefan, who stood by the front porch, Snow still cradled in her arms, "Where is he?"
"Inside," Stefan stated, eyes wide on the bawling Snow and full of sorrow. His expression contorted in agony, he flashed over and carried her in his arms, sitting her down on the porch-swing as Elena went to check on Jeremy. Blubbering, Snow lifted her red-rimmed eyes to Stefan's sorrowful gaze, "She's gone Stefan. Why do I keep losing people I care about?"
"I'm sorry, Snow. I didn't want this to happen. But you have Elena and Caroline and Bonnie. You have me. I'm not going anywhere," hesitantly, Stefan put an arm around her, and when Snow didn't flinch away from him, gathered her in a tight hug, allowing her to cry into his chest.
A few minutes later, Elena joined them outside and looked sadly at Snow. Her eyes then flickered over to Stefan, "Are you okay?"
"I, uh… I wanted to help her. But instead, uh… How's he doin'?" Stefan changed the subject, not wanting to think about Vicki and not wanting to upset the mourning girl in his arms.
The brunette sat on Snow's other side and rubbed soothing circles on her back, "He's a mess. I don't want him going through this again. He's just a kid."
Solemn, Stefan asked, "Elena, what can I do? I-, what can I do to help? I'll do anything."
"Can you make him forget?" was Elena's prompt retort.
Peeking at her friend from between Stefan's arms, Snow shook her head in obvious disagreement, "Elena, no…"
"Snow, it's the only choice. I don't know how he'll ever get past this. I just want him to forget everything that happened," Elena looked desperate. Grim, Stefan let out a sigh, "If I did it, there's no guarantee that it would work, because of who I am. Because of how I live. I don't have the ability to do it right."
"I can do it. If this is what you want, I'll do it," a voice intruded. Snow, Elena and Stefan turned, watching as Damon approached them.
Confident in her decision, Elena dipped her head, tone passive-aggressive, "It's what I want."
"What do you want him to know?" Damon appeared to be sincere, all levity and his repertoire of flippant remarks absent for the time being.
"Elena-"
Elena cut the raven-haired girl off. A part of her knew that, if she let Snow talk, she'd successfully prevent her from compelling Jeremy to forget by speaking sense. So she ignored her friend and focused on Damon, "I want you to tell him that Vicki left town and she's not coming back. That he shouldn't look for her or worry about her. He's gonna miss her, but he knows it's for the best."
Once Damon disappeared behind the threshold to compel Jeremy, Snow fixated her friend with her piercing gaze and softly imparted, "You're going to regret doing this one day, Lena. For a while, it'll seem like the right course, and maybe Jeremy will improve. But as time goes on, and he feels a part of him is missing something, it's going to come and bite you in the ass." Patting her twice on the thigh, Snow didn't wait for Elena's response, instead choosing to leave her with Stefan and make her way to Elena's room.
Sitting on the bed, Snow huddled into herself and cradled her legs to her chest, burying her face in her knees and crying softly into them. Which was the scene Damon walked in on. He stared at her sadly, a pang of regret coursing through him. "Do you want me to make you forget?" he sincerely put out the option. Snow however, adamantly shook her head, "I can't. I need to… No, I don't want to forget Vicki's last moments. If I do, I'll feel a sort of emptiness inside me, and I'll always wonder where she went and why she didn't tell me goodbye."
Damon nodded, his mouth parted, ready to say something… anything that would get her to stop crying, but no words came to him. Instead, he turned around and left the raven-haired girl alone with her thoughts and her tears.
CAST:
Kayla Ewell as Vicki Donovan
"It's time to celebrate the greatest holiday of all time: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CAROLINE FORBES!" – Snow Silverstone
"I don't know why you always act so surprised, Care. You've claimed your birthday as everyone's favorite day of the year." – Bonnie Bennett
"I hate lying to them, too, Snow. But it's not our secret to tell, and… we made a promise. Besides the more people in the know, the more dangerous it gets." – Elena Gilbert
Damon Salvatore: "Snow Silverstone's got to go. I need to get rid of her." Stefan Salvatore: "Why? 'Cause she brings out your humanity."
"Maybe you should get off your high horse, stop butting into my love life with Vicki, and look after your own. And while you're at it, stop telling me how I should be feeling, Elena!" – Jeremy Gilbert
"You on drugs!? Everyone thinks you're off on a bender." – Tyler Lockwood
"'Dude'? Really? 'Dude'?" – Damon Salvatore
"Being a vampire sucks, I already can't take the constant hunger. And you want to shove the remains of Thumper at me, really, Stefan?!" – Vicki Donovan
"I'm just a kooky lady that teaches occult at the university. No one really believes. They just poke fun. And let 'em. Don't let 'em know the truth." – Sheila Bennett
"Just when I think that weasel's grown up and accepted responsibility, he disappears off the face of the grid. Again." – Richard Lockwood
Snow Silverstone: "Elena, you totally danced with danger." Elena Gilbert: "When you say 'danger', do you mean it as a metaphorical concept, or are you alluding to Damon?"
"Come on. Can someone please be excited that it's Halloween? I just wanna have fun, you know, just some silly, fluffy, Damon free fun." – Caroline Forbes
"Don't be bitter. It provokes wrinkles." – Bonnie Bennett
"Look, for months after mom and dad died, I felt like crap, like "nothing really even mattered" crap. Now all of a sudden, I get these moments and things started to feel just a little bit better, and Vicki was in every single one of 'em. So you may not see it, but trust me. Keeping me away from her is not for the best." – Jeremy Gilbert
"Oh my God! Did you see Tweedledum and Tweedledee? They're here as princesses, like anyone would fall for that. Blind bitches look like Pennywise remade." – Caroline Forbes
"That bitch!" – Bonnie Bennett (about Lucille upon seeing Snow's costume)
"Yeah, you can't miss her. She's a vampire." – Matt Donovan (about Vicki)
"Oh, we had the founder's party, and anyone who arrived during the day was eliminated as a suspect." – Carol Lockwood
"Come with me. If you come with me, we can be together forever." – Vicki Donovan
"That piece of junk belonged to one of the most powerful witches of our family. Let me show you. There she is. Emily Bennett. Your great-great-great-great-grandmother. And there's your necklace." – Sheila Bennett
"You're a good brother, Matt." – Elena Gilbert
"Until we meet again…Rest in peace, Vicki Donovan." – Snow Silverstone
A/N: So we're finally finding out more about Snow in this chapter. Hope you enjoyed reading it. Also, since there's a month between episodes, I put some quotes of what happened in between, such as Caroline's birthday… think of it as deleted scenes.
Next Chapter, ANOTHER revelation! XD
R&R.