Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. I do own the original characters made up for this storyline. Please support the original release. Thank you.
Writer's Notes: Thank you kouga, Navywife and Roxhall for your review! I'm excited for the next few chapters. We still have a little bit to go, but the next story to come up is Inside the Night, a Shadowhunters x Twilight crossover. As always, I appreciate all of you! Don't forget to follow, favorite, and review!
[1 Week Later]
Bella spent most of the week, working right after school and then she rarely saw Stefan, only when she got off from the Grille, he'd be there to make sure she made it home. Even Damon was scarce, not even coming to the Grille to get a drink and that was worrisome as well. It was Saturday now, her first real day off and she wasn't sure if she could last an entire day with Stefan. He had something planned for the two of them and she was nervous about it because of what happened with Damon a week prior.
Elena wasn't really helpful when it came to Bella's issue. The issue being, she was forcing something with Stefan, when she really had her mind somewhere else.
"Just tell Stefan how you feel. Edward broke something. If Stefan is reminding you of Edward, then just come clean." Elena said, as she lay on Bella's bed, flipping through a magazine. Elena spent a lot of time at Bella's house and since the whole Vicki thing, they had certainly grown close, closer than Bella and Caroline had gotten.
"I don't know. I don't want to… hurt him." Bella sighed and then bit her lip. "I did something bad though."
Elena raised a brow. "You kissed Damon, got really horny and almost slept with him?"
Bella's cheeks reddened. "How did you know?"
"Hmm. Because of the guilty look on your face. I get it. Damon is hot. Really hot. But so is Stefan. I can understand the appeal of Damon Salvatore. But Stefan is sweet on you. Doesn't Damon lurk around and do shady things around town?"
"He tells me he's not the good guy, but really, he does all the right things, or at least, for me he does. I know him and Stefan have this rocky relationship. That's why I'm afraid to say anything, because what could happen? Will it push Stefan over the edge? Stefan used to be a ripper, Elena. I just don't know if I can… deal with that." Bella admitted.
Elena closed the magazine and sat up in the bed now. "Well, ask yourself this. How does it feel when Damon has you in his arms, versus Stefan? Does your heart tell you what you want?"
"I get anxious when Stefan kisses me for too long. I don't know if part of it is because I have these conflicting feelings inside for Damon or if it's the Edward thing. I just don't know. How am I supposed to know?" Bella said and then looked in her closet. "It's semi-cold out right?"
"Yeah, 50s today. I'd wear a light sweater." Elena said. "I don't know. Perhaps it's just time to come clean about it all and hope for the best."
Bella grabbed her sweater and shrugged it on. It was her favorite sweater because it zipped up the front and it was a navy blue color. "Damon is intense too. Like when he's looking at me, I get so lost in the moment of just looking at him, that I honestly forget about Stefan entirely. Also… I sort of have a kink."
"Oh?" Elena said with a smile.
"I let Damon bite me."
Elena gasped, her eyes wide. "Get out. Are you serious?"
"Yes." Bella said, her cheeks reddening again. She turned and looked at Elena. "I slept with Damon that one time, remember, and it was just… so amazing. And then a week ago, I wanted him to bite me again. I thought maybe I would be put off by it because of what Edward did, but Damon… it was just… magical feeling."
"You don't have any marks. How have you covered it up?"
"His blood… it uh… heals."
Elena shook her head. "Blood sharing. That has to be a new level of intimacy. It has to mean something for them right?"
"I don't know. I haven't thought about it." Bella said, frowning. "I guess I don't know as much about vampires as I should." She said and there was a knock on the door downstairs. She sighed and trotted down the stairs. Stefan was coming by in another hour, for their planned date, so she wasn't sure who would be at the door. When she opened the door, she was faced with a man. He was extremely good looking. His hair was curled on his head, a dusty blonde color and his eyes were like pools of ocean water. His jaw seemed so perfect too. He was taller than she was and he was wearing a dark v-neck t-shirt, much like Damon wore mostly, and he had nice jeans on. "Can I help you?" Bella asked politely.
The man smiled, his lips turning up in a catlike grin. "Fascinating." He spoke, his voice lilted with a British accent.
"I'm sorry?"
"I do believe you are what I have been searching for."
Bella felt uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"
"Oh no, my dear, but you will. Perhaps I can come in, have some tea and explain." He offered.
Bella shook her head. "No. I don't think that would be wise. Who are you?"
"Klaus Mikaelson." He introduced and extended a hand.
Bella looked at his hand and then shook it cautiously. "Okay Mr. Mikaelson. I'm still confused, perhaps you have the wrong house?" She knew that this had to be the hybrid that Jasper spoke about a week ago. The one that would use her to break his curse, but she had to play this cool. Elena was just upstairs, and she didn't want to endanger anyone.
"No, I do have the right one. It appears you do know who I am though."
Bella swallowed. "I've heard the name. I assume Katherine told you where to find me."
"That would be a correct assumption. Don't worry, she won't be an issue anymore. Despite her willing to trade you for her freedom, I just… don't like her. So, she's no longer with us." Klaus said with that same catlike smile. "I do insist that I come inside for a chat."
"No. That won't be necessary. I'll come with you." Bella said, knowing that would likely be the wrong move.
Klaus smiled. "Either you are very brave or you're trying to protect someone. Either way, that won't be necessary. I know where to find you. I do have to warn you, try and disappear, there is no shortage of people I can rip hearts out of."
"What do you want with me?"
"I just need your blood. Come see me. Three days, my mansion is on the outskirts of the town, you can't miss it. It's the big white one. I believe we can achieve my goal in a civil manner. Don't you think?" Klaus said, tilting his head slightly.
Bella nodded. "As long as you give me your word you won't start destroying the patrons of this town."
"I give you my word Miss Swan." Klaus said and then he was gone, dashing away in a flash.
Bella blew out a shaky breath, before closing the door and going back inside. She ran a hand through her hair, and tried to think of what to do. She pulled her phone from her back pocket and called Damon.
"Hello." Damon answered quickly.
"Um. I need you. Now." Bella said and then hung up. She walked up the stairs, finding Elena still in her room.
"Someone important?" Elena asked, looking up at Bella when she walked back in.
"No, but I am going to finish getting ready for Stefan. Don't you need to go pick up Jer?"
"Right." Elena said and got up. "Remember what I said." She said. "I'll see you tomorrow." She said and left, leaving Bella there to wait on Damon.
Damon got to Bella's house in record time. He had to make a stupid excuse with Liz to get there. They bought that Edward was the vampire that was terrorizing the town, considering the animal attacks stopped completely now that he was dead, so for now, the Founder's council was handled. He walked inside the house, closing the door behind him quickly. "Bella?" He called to her and she came down the stairs.
"Did you drive?" Bella asked.
"Yes. I was with Liz when you called, I had no choice but to get here the slow way. What's going on?"
"Klaus Mikaelson."
Damon frowned. "He found you?"
"Well, Katherine pointed him in my direction before he killed her." Bella said. "I have to meet him in three days. I need you to take me to your witch. I have questions, and before I do- "
"You're not doing anything. You're staying as far away from him as possible." Damon interrupted her.
"Damon, I can't do that. If I don't comply, he'll start killing people in this town. Now, all he needs is my blood."
"And you believe him?"
Bella sighed. "I'm not sure what to believe. I need a witch that I can talk to that might know more about the curse. I can't go in blind. So, please."
Damon studied her, shaking his head a little. "This is insane and extremely dangerous."
"I know."
"I don't want you to die because of this town. There are plenty of places to hide you."
"Damon, this isn't up for discussion. I need to see the witch. Please take me to see her."
Damon swallowed and then he took a step forward and just leaned in and kissed her hard, his hands coming up to frame her face. He had to do it.
Bella leaned into him, kissing him back, her lips parting to allow him access and he growled a little, pulling back, leaning his forehead to hers. "Damon… I have to do this."
"Damn it, Bella." Damon muttered and sighed. "Okay. Come on." He said, then took her hand and led her outside to his Impala and got inside. "You're not doing this alone. I'm going with you to this meet."
"Okay." Bella agreed. "Just don't… don't smart off to him. He's an original vampire, right? Means he's the oldest thing walking this Earth right now and he can end you."
Damon was quiet. "Bella, I would die for you. You get that right?"
"Damon…"
"I am falling for you." Damon said and started the car. "No, we're not going to talk about that right now." He said and drove away from her house.
Damon pulled up at Sheila Bennett's house, shutting the car off and sitting there a moment. "This is Bonnie's grandmother. I know that you go to school with Bonnie and she should be a witch, but I'm not sure if she's privy to this way of life just yet. Sheila… I've known her for a while. She doesn't care for vampires, but will tolerate me because… well, I saved her daughter once upon a time." He explained. "She'll know more about the curse. A Bennett witch is one of the more powerful witch bloodlines there are. I'm sure she'll have all the answers you need." He said and then got out of the car, then went around to her side to open her door.
Bella got out, looking up at Damon as she did. Their gazes stayed captured for a brief moment, before she moved out of the way for him to shut the door. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet." Damon said and then the two of them walked up to the front door and he knocked. There was a few moments before the door opened. There was a woman, her chocolate skin, still bright with a sort of youth, but you could tell she was aged by the way the winkles creased around her eyes. Her eyes were a deep brown, and her hair was a lighter shade of brunette, and was short, to her shoulders. "Sheila." Damon said with a nod.
"Damon Salvatore." Sheila said, her eyes going from him to Bella. "You've brought a doppelganger."
"I did." Damon said with a nod. "We need some help."
"Of course you do." Sheila said and sighed. "Alright, come inside." She said and let Damon and Bella inside. "I'll make some tea." She said as they walked in the house. It was a simple house. Nothing was too cluttered, and the open concept gave Sheila a full view of her kitchen and living room. The only clutter was on the walls, of pictures of family. "Have a seat." She called as she went to the kitchen to steep the tea.
Bella sat down on the sofa, Damon next to her. They were silent as they waited, but Sheila seemed to hate the silence.
"So, you've come to see me and brought a doppelganger. What is your name, dear?"
Bella swallowed. "Bella Swan. I go to school with Bonnie."
Sheila set the water on to boil for the tea and she looked over at Bella. "Ah, yes, your mother was the one lost over the bridge."
"She was." Bella said, glancing at Damon briefly. "I apologize for dropping in like this."
"It's okay. An old woman like me, I rarely get the company." She said and walked back in the living room area and sat down across from Bella and Damon in the chair. "So, you've come for some help. What can I do to help?"
"Um. There's a curse, a hybrid curse, for an original vampire… Klaus Mikaelson." Bella started.
Sheila frowned. "So, he's here in search of a means to shatter the curse. I figured it would happen sooner or later."
"Yes, he said he only needs my blood?" Bella queried.
Sheila sighed. "Yes. That's part of it. There's an entire ritual. It involves the use of a vampire and a werewolf. There's also the moonstone and then of course the blood of a doppelganger. The only downside is, the spell to break the curse, needs a strong witch, and not just any witch. A Bennett witch."
"Oh." Bella said, blinking. "So… he'll be looking for you next?"
"Not likely. He'll be looking for my granddaughter. She's stronger than me. Yes, she does know what she is and she keeps it hidden." Sheila explained. "The stories of Klaus Mikaelson and his siblings are something of nightmares. I assume Klaus… was intimidating."
"Not really. He's charming." Bella admitted. "He was kind."
Damon frowned. "He was what?"
"Kind. I mean, he made threats, but he didn't try to force his way into my house or try to hurt me. He said that he was sure we could achieve this goal in a civil manner. Which makes me think that we should just give him what he wants to lessen the bloodshed." Bella suggested.
Sheila nodded. "It's a fair point. Though, I'd be curious why he wants to break his curse so badly."
"Likely to be stronger." Bella said. "I don't know much about the guy, but from what I can tell, he has an air of arrogance about him. I'm sure he has his own reasons, but still, to protect the people of the town, I believe it's just smarter to not fight him on this."
Damon shook his head. "I can't believe that you would risk your life for something like this."
"It's a risk worth it. Damon, there are so many things that can go wrong with me fighting him on something like this. Look at all the innocent human lives that are not afflicted by vampires. Do you think that they deserve to be slain by a pissed off original vampire because we wouldn't do one simple thing? Life is about compromise. We need to make-" her phone rang and it cut her off. "Oh… I forgot about Stefan." She said when she looked at her phone. She swallowed and answered. "Hey."
"Hey, I'm here at your house, but you're not here. Your Jeep is here. Are you okay?" Stefan's tone was worried.
"Something came up. I won't be home until much later. I'm sorry."
"Were you planning something today?" Damon asked lowly.
"Are you with Damon?" Stefan asked, the frown heard in his voice.
Bella sighed. "Yes, Stefan, I really can't talk right now. I promise I'll call you when I get back home." She said and then she hung up before he could say anything. She looked at Damon. "He had a date planned, I forgot in all the Klaus stuff."
Sheila smiled a little. "I agree with Bella. The situation can be much worse if we fight an original vampire on this."
"We could just… kill him or something." Damon suggested, skipping over Bella forgetting about Stefan's date plans.
Sheila shook her head. "If you kill an original vampire, you kill their entire blood line."
Bella frowned. "That's not good. What if they just randomly die one day?"
Damon snorted. "Original vampires just don't die. Something would have to kill them, which means, someone would have to set in motion a series of plans to even get close enough to kill them. Which is what I was trying to figure out, but if killing one means I go poof, then I'm not really that suicidal."
Bella sat there a moment. "So, we just give him what he wants. He wants my blood, we let him have some."
"The ritual itself is a hard one. I'll have to get Bonnie on board with this, which means… Damon, your secret will be exposed that much more." Sheila said, looking over at him.
Damon sighed. "Of course. Fine, as long as she can… not blab to Goldielocks, then I'm sure it'll be fine."
Bella shook her head. "Okay, then that's settled. Once the curse is broken, then what happens?"
"Klaus will have access to his wolf side. He'll be the first of his kind. It's likely he'll become unkillable at that point, which if we're preserving vampire life in general, is likely the best option anyways." Sheila explained.
"Right, but how hard is this spell or ritual?"
"It's… lengthy. Like I said, it requires a werewolf and a vampire. No specific one, but it's likely he'll sacrifice them."
Bella frowned. "That's not good. Can it be done without sacrifice?"
"Magic is a balance. You have to give before you can take. That is why vampire have the weaknesses they do. Vervain inflicts damage, prevents their psychic abilities. The sun burns their skin and a wooden stake to the heart is certain death. When something becomes truly immortal, magic tries and finds a balance for it. Which is why doppelgangers exist. Katherine's mortal life ended, which meant that once it did, you came to exist."
"Does that mean there are doppelgangers everywhere?" Bella asked.
"No. It's your bloodline." Damon said for Sheila. "At some point in time, blood from your bloodline had to be used for something. Because of that, your specific bloodline is just… doomed to replicate itself, in the invent of immortality."
Sheila smiled. "I'm impressed. Someone knows their doppelganger history."
"Well, when I figured out Bella was a doppelganger, I researched it more. I was curious." Damon said and glanced to Bella. "Still am." He said and then his phone rang. He sighed. "I'll go talk Stefan down." He muttered and left Bella there with Sheila.
The kettle screamed and Sheila went to retrieve the kettle to steep the tea.
"Thank you." Bella said.
Sheila smiled as she poured the hot water over the tea bags. "My dear, there is nothing to thank me for yet. This is going to be a hard mission. I suggest you tell him how you feel before you embark on this journey." She said and walked over with the tea then gave Bella hers.
"What do you mean?" Bella asked, accepting the tea.
"Damon." Sheila said with a nod and swirled her tea bag a little.
Bella looked at the cup in her hand. She could see the tea steeping, the elements of the bag releasing into the steaming water. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You can't fool an old witch like me. My dear, he's what you're wanting. Go to him, don't let fate pass you by."
"I'm not sure it's fate."
"Oh, but it is." Sheila said with a simple nod.
Bella didn't respond because Damon walked back inside then. He looked irritated, but she didn't ask. "So, the moonstone mentioned. Do you think he has it?"
"It's likely he doesn't." Sheila said.
"So, what if we retrieve the moonstone ourselves? Would that be useful before I go to see him in three days?" Bella asked.
Sheila thought it over. "It could. Klaus hasn't had a chance to form a solid opinion about you. He gave you his word, so you have to trust that. The stories of the Mikaelson's are as said: Mikaelson's will stay true to their word. Even in brutality, their word is something they have left of their humanity or enough of it, to tell no lie. Deceive, sure, by misdirection, or threats, but I believe Klaus will stay to his word."
"Okay, and if I bring him the moonstone, and myself?"
"He'll probably feel obligated to reward." Sheila guessed. "Though that is an old woman's assumption. Perhaps you should ask. Don't show all your cards at once. Find the moonstone, meet him in three days, then ask those questions."
Bella thought that was the better idea. She sipped the tea to test if it was good, and it was. "Where is this moonstone?"
"I'm sure it is in Georgia." Sheila said with a nod. "There's a werewolf, Mason Lockwood, that lives out that way. Last I heard through the grapevine, he would be in possession of it."
"Lockwood, as in the Lockwoods?" Bella asked.
"The very same." Sheila said, smiling.
Damon arched a brow. "That is interesting."
"Very." Bella agreed. "Thank you, Sheila. This really does help a lot."
"Of course. I'll handle my end with Bonnie. Convince her that she has to do the spell to help preserve humanity and then we'll regroup Monday night?"
Damon stood. "Yeah, Monday night. Come on, let's get driving so we get there in time and convince the wolf that we need the moonstone."
Bella stood, drinking more of her tea before setting it down. "Thanks again." She said and bowed a little, before leaving with Damon.
They got out to the car, and she looked at Damon. "Stefan is angry?"
"With me." Damon said. "Not with you. Though, I would call him once we're out of Virginia to tell him that you'll see him… in a couple days."
Bella sighed, thinking about Stefan. She didn't want to hurt him, yet, here she was, doing the one thing she didn't want to do. "I'll call him." She agreed, and looked out the window while Damon pulled away from Sheila's house.
They were both quiet for some time, before Bella spoke. "I don't want Stefan to get hurt in all of this."
"All of what? This Klaus thing?"
"No. In this… us thing. Damon, I obviously mean something to you."
"That's an understatement." Damon said and then shook his head. "Bella, I meant what I said. I am falling for you. I've done a lot of terrible things, especially to Stefan in retaliation of him forcing me to be this way, but the way I'm feeling now, about you, is probably the worse thing I've ever done to my brother."
Bella swallowed. "I know."
"I'm following your advice, to make peace with him. To turn over new leaves and try to reconnect, and I'm screwing it up at every turn. Katherine happened, granted she compelled him mostly, but still. Then… then we saw you." Damon said and looked over at you. "I came to Mystic Falls before he did. This was several months before you arrived. I was contemplating burning down the Boarding House, just because… of spite, really. I stayed around, and then I saw you, months later, when you arrived with your mom. It made me do a double take. I had my switch turned off. My humanity wasn't really there. I had binge drank through most of New Orleans before coming here." He continued. "But then I saw your face and I became confused."
"I don't understand."
"Because you and Katherine share the same face. I thought she was in a tomb under the old Fell's Church. So, how was it possible for her to be walking the Earth. But it wasn't Katherine, it was you."
"Oh."
Damon sighed. "Then I started turning my switch on, little by little. I had a plan to break open the tomb. I wanted to free Katherine from that prison. I just had to be patient, but then you… showed up and I just." He sighed. "The mission didn't seem so grand anymore. Stefan was here. It was like he sensed your arrival and he flocked to you like a moth does to the flame. Of course, I gave him a hard time. I did kill… a few people on the outskirts of town, just to stir up some problems. But then once I actually met you Bella… I wanted to do something for the long haul. I knew I had to be careful. I couldn't just feed, kill and be done with it, because here you were, this pristine human, reminding me that not all humans are bad."
Bella was silent as he spoke.
"I've done a lot of bad. That's why… I'm not the good guy Bella. I'm a nightmare, that wandered into your dream. That is why, Stefan is so clearly the better choice, because when he's stable, and not crazed by blood, he's the prince charming that rescues the princess."
"But you're the one that saved me." Bella finally spoke. "You saved me from Edward.
Damon was quiet. He did save her from being killed, but he hadn't saved her fully. "I didn't save you Bella… you saved me." He said and looked over at her.
"Damon…"
"I'm not going to lie and say I don't want you. I want to kiss you every time I see your face. I want to hold you and I want to pleasure you, so much, that it hurts me sometimes. I need to feel your touch and your lips against mine, like it's this burning addiction that I can't shake. I know that it will hurt Stefan. I know that sharing my blood with you, while taking yours, is a huge upset, because… it's more intimate than having sex."
Bella and Elena had talked about that earlier. What it actually meant to a vampire.
"It forms a connection… Bella. And I'm forever connected to you. I want so badly to just never return to Mystic Falls with you, but I know that somehow that would force you to hate me and I don't want you to hate me. Not now…"
Bella reached over and placed a hand over his hand that set on the gearshift. "Damon… Sheila told me I shouldn't… that I shouldn't keep it from you. That I should tell you how I feel. And the truth is, I can't look at Stefan and not think of what Edward put me through. Their eyes are the same to me and it's increasingly harder to be with him, because all I can think about… is you."
Damon looked over at her, stunned to hear those words, so much so, that he was stunned into silence.
"I want you… all the time too. I'm trying not to hurt Stefan and I've done things I can't take back now. I should make a clean break from him, so he doesn't get hurt by my actions, but I keep telling myself, that somehow, breaking his heart, means I'll be breaking his soul…" she murmured. "I don't want him to be a ripper, but he is. I don't want to set him spiraling because of me. I couldn't live with it."
Damon stayed silent, watching the road as they drove towards Georgia. He wasn't sure what to say. He couldn't offer any words of great wisdom, because he wanted to be selfish and tell her to just do it, but he couldn't. Because that would hurt her and he never wanted her to hurt.
They were both silent, soaking in the words that each of them spoke. It was out there now. Neither could take any of those words or feelings back.
