Chapter Thirteen
Alexandra
I knock on the door. "Jer?" I ask. He opens the door. "Can I come in?" He lets me pass and I'm grateful. "Did you read them?"
"I did. Thank you Alexandra. I really appreciated it. I get why you did it too. Just fill me in on the things happening please. I love you and I just want you to be safe."
"Want me to explain what I know so far?" He nods. "Well, as you already know, we searched for Charlotte, Damon's long lost love, who wasn't in the tomb and now the vampires that were in the tomb are running around Mystic Falls, like Anna's mother, Pearl. Damon is over Charlotte, and we are trying things out. Oh and mine and Elena's birth mother is a vampire, Damon turned her. Uncle John knows about vampires and Damon and Stefan."
"Damon is the one that compelled me, right?"
"Yes. I was here that entire time. I was in the bathroom patching up my shoulder but I was here."
"I'm glad. Thank you for telling me. If I have anymore questions, can I come to you?" I nod.
"Don't tell anyone you know about this stuff. Elena and I were planning on keeping you in the dark to keep you safe but it didn't work." He nods. "Thank you for not getting terribly mad at me." I hug him and he hugs me back. "Alright we need to get to school."
Elena and I are sitting in history at the beginning of the period when Bonnie walks in a minute late. Bonnie's back. I turn and greet her with Elena. She ignores us. We turn back and Ric starts his lecture.
At the end of class, Elena and I catch up to Bonnie. We talk about the death and how they're dealing, till Caroline comes up and slyly brings up the pagent.
"Oh my goodness! The pagent! I forgot!" I exclaim. Elena looks at me with a sadness in her eyes.
"So are you two dropping out then?" Caroline asks, mock sadness in her voice.
"I'm not, 'Lena?"
"I think I might. You know mom always wanted you to do it."
"You too. Don't drop out please! Let's do it just for fun!"
"Fine." As soon as the word left her mouth, Caroline left with Bonnie. "But who's your date?" She asks me.
"Who do you think?"
"Right. Let's get to class."
In class, which is english the most entertaining class of the day because I want to be a writer, Damon texts me.
'How's school? (:'
'Boring. Guess what I just found out.'
'What did you find out Ms. Gilbert?'
'The Miss Mystic pagent is this weekend and I'm in it.'
'Would you like me to escort you?(:'
'Please?(;'
'It would be my pleasure to escort you, Allie.' I finished the day with a smile.
Practice was minimal but we still did it outside of the designated practices cause I can't, for the life of me, dance. Elena and I have our dresses picked out. Elena has a simple royal blue with straps that cross once in the back and mine is the same as hers just in black.
It's Saturday morning and Damon is with me in my room, with the door open because Jenna is paranoid that we are going to not dance and just make out when I am still tripping over my own feet.
"Damon, are you sure I'm doing this right," I ask looking at my feet, as we are moving. I've got the hand and nearly touching thing down. He lifts my face back to his and we start to move.
"You've got this."
"I really don't."
"You do. One more time and you can take a shower." I endure this one more time and then I can finally hop into the shower. I take my time. I calm myself and tell myself it's going to be alright and it's just for fun. It's not like this is a final I have to take. I get out and dry myself off and get my clothes on. I come out of the bathroom, towel drying my hair a little before putting my hair into two long braids.
I go downstairs where I'm sure everyone else is with my stuff. I wonder if Damon left. Probably so he could get changed and meet me there.
I open the door when Alaric gets here. "I heard you're driving." I say.
"Yeah I am. Your aunt put me up to it. Here, let me take that."
"It's alright, I've got it." He gives me a look and I hand it over. Uncle John walks in and says that he thought he was driving. "Nope," I say.
"We're going with Ric," Jenna says, backing my statement. "Jeremy can ride with you." She says and we leave.
When we get there, I don't run into Damon at all till Elena and I go to get changed.
"Hey, you can't be back here." I hear Elena say.
"We need to talk. You too Allie." I peak out from behind the folding wall.
"Talk. I can listen from behind here." He nods.
"Normally I would have a completely different outlook of what I'm about to tell you, but since it would really inconvience me, I'll squeal. Stefan's still drinking human blood." I peak out from behind the wall again.
"What?" I'm astonished.
"A month ago I would have rejoyced, but with the council back on the alert, it's not a good time for Stefan to fly of the handle."
"I know he's been a little on edge but he said that was normal." I slip my dress on, move my flat ironed hair out of the way and struggle with zipping it.
"He has a fridge full of stolen blood bank contraband back at the house. Stefan on human blood; he'll do anything because he's not going to want to stop. Trust me."
"Elena, can you please zip me?" She does and when she does, Stefan walks in the door.
"What's going on in here?"
"Just filling Elena and Alexandra in on your extra-curricular activities," Damon says, then is gone.
"What are you talking about?"
"I know about the blood Stefan."
"Elena, Alexandra, let's go, the line up is starting. Escorts wait downstairs Stefan," Carol Lockwood commands. We nod. "Elena you're not even dressed. Get dressed."
Elena and I are in the line up and we are close to going.
"Miss Amber Bradley escorted by Nathan Thomas." Mayor Lockwood announces. He announces everyone else and their dates. Till he gets to me and Elena.
"Elena what are you going to do?"
"Text Tyler." And I do. He says he'll step in for Stefan since he isn't here and is off on a bender somewhere. Not cool, Stefan.
"Miss Elena Gilbert escorted by Stefan Salvatore." Mayor Lockwood announces. She goes downstairs and Tyler takes her arm.
"You're next, Alexandra." Carol Lockwood says, faking her enthusiasm.
"Miss Alexandra Gilbert escorted by Damon Salvatore." I take several deep breaths to the point of light headed dizziness. I make it down the stairs and I take Damon's hand.
"What are we going to do about Stefan?"
"I don't know. Right now we are going to get through this." We stand back and I focus on Damon. I try to look confident and sexy and flirty at the same time, which is hard you know. Damon is flirting with his eyes and I smile slightly, my eyes locked on his. We come together and dance. "You look beautiful."
"And you look mighty dashing." He wants to laugh but he doesn't. He contains it.
When the song ends we step back from each other and I contain all of my excitement that I actually did it. I danced.
When it's time to find out the winner, I turn to Damon and throw my arms around him before I go up to stand with the rest of the girls. "I did it. I danced. For the first time ever! All thanks to you."
"It was you too. Trust me, you did fantastic!"
"Thank you for the exra practice." He smiles and I go up to the stage and stand between Caroline and Elena.
"Before I crown the winner, I'd like to offer a personal thank you to all of these young ladies for their efforts in the community," Mayor Lockwood announces. "So withouth further ado, it is my honor to announce our very own Miss Mystic Falls, Miss Caroline Forbes!" I turn to Caroline with my arms open.
"You won! Care I'm so happy for you!" I say as Caroline hugs me.
"Congratulations!" Elena says.
"I actually won!" Caroline exclaims. She turns to Mayor Lockwood and the crown and sash go over her head and rest perfectly on her.
I'm in the bathroom fixing my make up when Damon walks in.
"We've got a problem."
"Now?"
"Yes." I follow Damon out and we see Stefan draining the life out of some poor girl. "Stefan, it's going to be okay," Damon says as Stefan drops the human girl. Elena and Bonnie are right behind us. "Let me help you."
"No," Stefan grunts, and shoves Damon away. He is about to come for me when he falls to his knees in pain. I go to the girl and find a pulse. Damon is with me soon, helping the girl. Stefan zooms away and Damon calls Sheriff Forbes.
"Okay, you three didn't see anything, okay?" We nod. "Alright just stand off to the side, I need to go calm her down." We do what he says and soon the process is over and Elena and I are at the boarding house with Stefan and Damon. Elena and Damon discussed that she was going to use one of Alaric's Vervain darts on Stefan and lock him in the cellar downstairs.
When I hear the body collapse, I go downstairs to the cellar and open it for Damon. I stand off to the side, my dress still on, and wait for Damon in the drafty damp cellar.
He comes soon with Stefan knocked out cold thrown over his shoulder. He looks to Elena. "I want to do this, Damon." He nods. He sets him down on the makeshift bed and walks out, closing and locking the door.
"There's no guarantee that this will work."
"It has too." We are about to walk up the stairs when I turn.
"You coming?"
Elena shakes her head. "I think I'm going to stay down here." I turn back to face Elena. She slides down and sits facing the door.
" 'Lena, I'm going to change and get us some clothes from home. We are going to stay here for a few days. I'll be back." I turn back to Damon. "Please keep her safe." He nods.
I change and get clothes for a couple days for Elena and I. I grab her diary and my journal, who knows, maybe I'll want to write.
"And where do you think you're going, missy?" Jenna asks me.
"Stefan is sick and Elena wants to stay and take care of his for a few days and she doesn't want to be there alone," I reply. Plus Jenna would be more lienent towards her if she stayed with me.
"Alright. How long do you think?"
"A few days maybe more. It's pretty bad. That's why Tyler filled in for him at the competition today." She nods.
"Alright." I'm surprised that she's letting us get away with this. This is why she's our guardian and not John.
A couple days later, it was Monday and a break had started. I walked into the living room while Damon was looking at the device he got from Pearl.
"Ever figure out what that is?" I ask, picking up a couple jackets off the couch.
"Nope. Whatever it is, it doesn't work."
"Pearl didn't say anything about it?"
"She thought she was stealing the vampire compass, but that was a pocket watch. Johnathan Gilbert was a crazy scientist. Have you spoken to John lately?"
I shake my head. "Nope. And I hope I won't while I'm home."
"So will you be here again tonight?"
"Is it a problem that I'm sleeping in your bed with you? I can move to a different room or I can sleep with Elena in Stefan's room."
"Yes, it is a problem. You're a complete nuissance and you've brought me down to that girly level called cuddling. I blame you."
"But I thought I was supposed to go down to your level? What was that level again?" I say chuckling, placing my hands on his chest getting closer and closer.
"My good looks, charm, and my uncanny ability to listen to Taylor Swift."
"See, I'm one and two. I can't stand Taylor Swift."
"Yes because I don't hear you in the shower singing one of her songs, which one was it? Oh right, Fifteen."
"No, You Belong With Me. Shh, don't tell 'Lena. She'd kill me if she knew I stole her Taylor Swift album."
"So you do like Taylor Swift."
"Shh. Alright. I have to go. Elena's waiting in the car. Good bye, Damon. See you in an hour or so." I turn and leave without a kiss.
"I'm grabbing some clothes and so is Elena, she wanted me to ask you how Stefan is," I tell Damon.
"Extra broody, hold on." There's a pregnant pause, must be on the phone with someone else. "He won't eat anything." His voice makes me jump at first.
"He has to eat something. What's his favorite type of, well, you know."
"Type of what?"
"Type of animal blood that he prefers."
"Ew. Gross."
"Shut up. You're not helping right now."
"Hurry up. I have things to do, people to see. I can't just baby sit all night long," Damon complains. "Oh and he likes puppy blood."
"Puppy blood?"
"Little Golden Retreiver puppies with cute floppy ears. That's his favorite."
"Now I've got the worst mental picture. Thanks." I hang up before he can say some snarky comment.
I was just about to walk out of the room to meet Elena, when Uncle John stepped in the way, blocking my path. I ask him what he wants, in the nicest yet sarcastic way possible.
"I thought we could talk. We haven't had a chance to catch up."
"We were actually heading out," Elena says from behind him. My Savior! I walk past him and just as we were about to desend the stairs, he says something stupid.
"What would your mother say if she knew you two were dating vampires?"
"Which one?" Elena asks. "Our real mother is one herself, now go away John," she says with venom in her voice. I walk past Elena, pissed off that John would even bring her up.
We get back to the boarding house within a half hour, mostly because I'm driving and I was speeding the whole way there. I walk in and Damon tosses me some blood. I hand it to Elena who puts her bag down then goes to the cellar. I go to the couch with my bag and dig around for my journal.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Damon asks me, holding my arms still as I start to make a mess. I shake my head. "Allie, please tell me."
"I'm pissed off, okay?" I snap at him.
"I got that from the mess you're making. Elaborate please."
"John brought up my mom and Elena had to ask which one and then said some smart ass remark about it and I just don't like John."
"Okay, calm down." Damon pulls me into his arms and holds me. He rocks me softly and ever so slightly back and forth to calm me down. I sigh and wrap my arms around him.
He tilts my face to meet his and he bends to kiss my lips. It calms me down some more and I enjoy it this time.
Elena comes into the room saying, "He's saying he doesn't want to eat. He just wants it to be over," interrupting us.
"He's just beng dramatic," Damon says, pulling away from me. "He's not going to starve himself."
"Then why would he say that?"
"He feels bad about hurting that girl and almost hurting Alexandra. It's very typical Stefan martyr stuff. It will pass."
"Will it? Because he seems to be in a lot of pain."
"Yeah that will pass too, once he eats."
"I didn't mean physcial pain."
"I know what you meant, Elena. Look, are you two going to be okay if I have to run out for a bit? I have to go run an errand with the teacher."
"The teacher?" I ask. "Wait, Alaric? Are you two best friends now?"
"I don't have friends, Allie."
"You've got me."
"Other than you."
"That's better. Where are you going?"
"If it was any of your business, I would have told you by now." He puts his jacket on. "You should keep your sister up here. She shouldn't go down there by herself."
"Wasn't planning on it."
"I'll be fine," Elena argues.
"You know, you're very trusting of him given the circumstances."
"So are you. Otherwise you would never leave us alone with him," I point out. He chuckles.
"I won't be gone long." I nod and he leaves with a light kiss.
Elena ends up wandering downstairs to the cellar to talk to Stefan. I try to drag her up and she comes after a few tugs at her arm but she stomps up the stairs to Stefan's bedroom.
Damon comes in and is surprised to see me here.
"Hey," I say.
"I thought you'd be long gone by now." He picks my feet up from where they're resting on the couch, sits, and puts my feet down on his lap.
"Nope still here. Gotta keep an eye on Elena. She thinks it's smart going down to the cellar, clearly the only thing it's doing is aggravating Stefan. I'm trying to protect my sister, not bury her when he attacks," I say, writing in my journal quickly.
"Your sister will be fine as long as she stays up here. Don't worry about her, Allie. I'll protect her if he breaks out or she goes down there and he attacks." I look at him, sincerity evident in my eyes.
"Thank you Damon, really." He nods. "How was your errand?" I ask, changing the subject.
"Futile. Although I think I witnessed the teacher having an existential crisis."
"Alaric?"
Nodding, he asks, "has Stefan eaten yet?"
I shake my head. "That's what Elena was doing down there. She was trying to feed him when I came down and pulled her back upstairs. I thought you didn't care."
"Chalk it up to morbid curiosity."
"Well, he's getting there, but nothing. Lots of unwelcome guilt is rearing it's ugly face to him. It doesn't help that you've spent the last 145 years punishing him for Charlotte getting caught."
"Now this is my fault?" He asks, getting defensive. "Who's side are you on, Allie?"
"I'm not on anyone's side. It's no one's fault but you're not exactly innocent in all of this."
"In all of this important soul searching and cleansing of demons from Stefan's past, did you ever manage to get the rest of the story?"
"There's more?"
"That's an understatement." He explains how he was sitting at the quary in transition and how Stefan made him feed on an innocent girl to fully transition. "From the moment Stefan had his first taste of human blood, he's been a different person. Although, I suppose I should thank him. It's been a hell of a ride."
"My goodness, Damon." I set my journal aside and move my legs. I scoot closer to him and he keeps still. "Don't do this, Damon," I say when he's unresponsive. "Don't pretend you don't care."
"Stefan's gone!" Elena says, when she bursts into the room. I look at her and she's holding his ring. "He left his ring, it's almost dawn."
"I'll go find him," Damon says.
"No, I'll do it," Elena says. "It was my fault." I'm immediately uncomfortable with this situation. I go to her and look her in the eyes.
"Be careful," I tell her. "Don't do anything irrational. If dawn is coming, stand in the sun with his ring and call us. We will help." She nods and races out of the house. "I don't like this," I tell Damon when I feel his presence behind me.
"Neither do I."
Damon and I talk till, Elena and Stefan walk in the door hand in hand.
"Little boy lost." Damon says.
"I'm going to go upstairs with Elena," I tell Damon. He nods. "So tell me what happened." Elena explains what she did to get Stefan to cooperate. She learns that the quary that Stefan went to is where they turned, well Damon at least. Stefan fed off of his father when he went back home to tell him he was going to die, instead he fed and transitioned into a murderous vampire.
We sit in shock for a few minutes but snap out of it when Elena says that she's going to go to bed. I get into my shorts and a tank top when I get to Damon's room and I crawl into his bed. I'm still surprised Jenna is letting us stay here. If I were her, I wouldn't. Granted she was a teenager once too so she'd sneak out and she is trying to be the cool parent. I still don't get it, but I won't question her.
I'm laying on my side, my back facing the door in the middle of the bed, when Damon comes in. He strips out of his clothes, I know because I can hear them hit the hard wood floors. He's against my back, under the blanket, quickly. He's cool against my back but it feels good, he's comfortable.
"How are you?" He asks.
"Better," I reply. I feel him smiling against the back of my neck. I get goosebumps when I feel his teeth against my neck. "Damon," I warn. "We shouldn't be doing this."
"We've only just begun, Allie."