Another day, another class lecture. Having lived through most of the topics of discussion, I mostly zoned out when Mr. Tanner was talking. Nothing he was saying was new to me, or Stefan for that matter. His eyes were elsewhere in the class, much like my own. Every now and then I followed his gaze from beside him and caught him and Elena sharing fleeting glimpses at one another.
He never returned last night when he left to see her. I stayed at the Boarding house and cleaned up the shattered glass, all the while trying to calm down Zach. Damon never returned after his fight with Stefan, not that I was complaining. I don't think I'd know how to talk to him. Never mind explaining to him how I knew his brother, and that I was now living with him. Attempting to live a 'normal' life. Whatever that is.
"Are we bothering you, Mr. Salvatore? Ms. Gilbert? Ms. Dawson?"
Each one of us snapped out of our day dream, and just as Elena had opened her mouth to reply to a stern-faced Mr. Tanner, we were saved by the bell.
As the class emptied into the hallway, Stefan, Elena and I walked together as he handed her a book from his backpack.
"I brought it." He handed the book to Elena, "Told you."
She grinned from ear-to-ear as she held the book in her hands, "'Wuthering Heights' by Ellis Bell. You know, I can't believe she didn't use her real name."
Stefan shrugged, "All the Bronte sisters used pseudonyms. It was the time. Female writers weren't very accepted then."
"Where did you get it?" Elena inquired.
Stefan looked towards me and I gave him a knowing smile as it was I who gifted it to him many years prior.
"Uh, it was passed down. Through the family."
"Ah," Elena smiled and held the book back in his direction.
"You should keep it," I smiled at her and pushed the book back to her chest. "Stefan had loads anyway."
"Oh, no. I...but I would like to read it again," She smirked, "I promise I'll give it back."
"Okay." Stefan smiled happily.
A while had passed, and lunch break was almost over. Stefan and I wandered around outside before taking a seat on top of a bench by a large tree.
"Re-gifting my gifts now, are we?" I joked and bumped his shoulder.
He sniggered, "You know I'd never do that. She's just borrowing it."
"Doesn't matter," I smiled and grabbed a bottle of water from my bag, "It's just a book."
As I twisted the cap from the bottle, two familiar voices caught my attention from behind.
"I know, and now there's talk of some missing campers." Matt said exasperatedly.
"Did she say what kind of animal it was that attacked her?" Elena asked with concern.
"She said it was a vampire." Matt said in almost disbelief.
I felt Stefan's body go ridged beside me as I turned to face him. He was already looking at me, fear in his eyes as we continued to listen into the conversation for another few minutes.
"What?" Elena gasped.
"Yeah, she wakes up last night and mutters 'vampire' and then passes out."
"Okay, that is weird."
"I think she was drunk," Matt sighed, "So what's up with you and the new guy?"
I rolled my eyes as Matt continued to speak about Stefan in a jealous tone.
"Come on." I whispered to Stefan.
"Where are we going?" He whispered back and grabbed his bag from the bench.
"We're going to clean up after your brother." I moaned before we whooshed away to my car, and floored it to the hospital.
It was a game of cat-and-mouse once we got to the hospital. Stefan and I looked for Vicki's room on our own after we were given the wrong room twice. It didn't take us very long to find her at all. As we hid behind a door in the corridor, Matt came rushing out of the room, yelling for assistance as his sister yelled hysterically in her room.
"Go." I pushed Stefan into her room and closed the door over quickly as he grabbed her by the shoulders and began to compel her. I stood at the door and kept watch.
"It was an animal that attacked you. It came out of the night and jumped you. You blacked out. It's all you remember." Stefan said as he gazed into her eyes.
"It's all I remember."
"An animal attacked you. You blacked out. It's all you remember."
"It's all I remember." Vicki repeated in a dazed state.
Stefan walked her back to her bed and she lay down and dozed off once more.
"Come on," I motioned towards the door as I opened it. "They're coming."
I grabbed Stefan's arm and we left the room together, seconds before Matt returned with a nurse. As we were walking down the corridor, I looked back and caught a glimpse of Matt as he walked out of Vicki's room and looked straight at us. Luckily, the hallway was dimly lit as Stefan and I picked up the pace to evade him. Stefan turned into a bright and airy room as I walked into his back. Then the scent caught my senses.
Blood.
It was everywhere.
I rushed around to stand in front of Stefan and grabbed his face between my palms. His face was beginning to change at the sight and smell of the intoxicating, red liquid.
"Hey! Hey!" I whispered to gain his attention. Stefan looked down towards me, struggling to hold my gaze for longer than a few seconds. "You're okay," I cooed in a small voice as I looked around the room for an exit. "Come on!" I grabbed his arm and pulled him over to a large window, hidden behind a blue curtain. "Go." I ordered him out of the window. Once he had jumped, I followed quickly behind.
I stood behind a pillar on the street below as I saw Matt looking out of the window we had just escaped from seconds before. Any longer, and Stefan and I would have another body to compel.
We got back to the Salvatore Boarding house a while later and parted ways, Stefan went to his room to think things over and I went into the library to relax and flick through some books that had caught my eye the day before.
"Boring..." I groaned and rolled over onto my stomach and tossed the book onto the floor. This was the fifth book I had attempted to read since coming into the library, and so far, none of them have held my attention for more than eight pages. "Stefan?" I frowned as I saw him marching past the door. "Stefan!" I called and quickly got to my feet and ran after him.
To say I was shocked by what I saw would be an understatement.
I was on Stefan's heels within seconds, and now there was a stand-off on the entrance of the living room.
"I'm a fatalist. Hello, Stefan." Damon's thick, deep voice greeted us. His eyes all but lit-up once he saw me standing beside Stefan. "And Cordelia." He grinned wickedly.
"Elena. I didn't know you were coming over." Stefan said flatly. Never once breaking eye contact with his brother.
"I know. I should have called, I just..."
"Oh, don't be silly," Damon grinned, cutting her off instantly, "You're welcome any time. Isn't she, Stefan?" You know, I should break out the family photo albums of some home movies. But...I have to warn you. He wasn't always such a looker."
"Thank you for stopping by, Elena. Nice to see you." Stefan said coldly.
"Yeah, I should probably go. It was nice to meet you, Damon." Elena said lowly, her gaze still fixed on Stefan as he remained eerily still as he blocked her way. "Stefan...Stefan?"
Stefan took a step to the side and cleared the way for Elena to leave.
"I'll walk you out." I said, breaking the silence. I marched over to her and walked her down the hallway to the large door. Once the door was opened, Elena walked outside and turned to face me.
"What was that all about?" She wondered as she peered over my shoulder into the house.
I shut the door over slightly, breaking her gaze.
"It's nothing," I lied as I clung onto the door frame. The wood began to splinter under the pressure.
"It didn't look like nothing,"
"Look," I sighed, "It's not my place to say. If Stefan wants to tell you, then he'll tell you, okay?"
Elena pressed her lips together tightly at my snappy tone.
Even I found my tongue to be quite sharp.
"I'll...I'll see you later." She sighed before walking away.
I didn't reply as I shut the door and whooshed back into the living room where Stefan and Damon were stood.
"You, on the other hand, look pooped." Damon teased, "Did you over-exert yourself today? Let me guess...hospital."
"Someone had to clean up your mess." Stefan hissed back.
"Speaking of messes," Damon smirked as he looked at me. "What are you doing here?"
"I don't see how that's any of your concern, Damon." I shot back quickly.
His eyes lit-up as we began to speak to one another. It was like we were back in that bar in New York in the 70's. He seemed pretty much the same as he did back then. The two things that stuck out to me about his changing appearance was his stature. He had more muscle than he had back then. His hair was also different, shorter, less...unruly.
"Well, I want to know what you're doing here in Mystic Falls...with my brother." Damon's smile instantly fell as Stefan took a step in front of me. Shielding me behind his body as his brother took a sharp step forward.
"Again," I sniggered, "Not that it's any of your business, but, Stefan and I go back decades."
Damon pouted, "Isn't that sweet." He took another small step forward, "Tell me, Delia, who did you know first?"
"Enough of your games, Damon!" Stefan groaned in displeasure, "How long was Elena here?"
"Were you worried, Stefan? Scared we may be doomed to repeat the past? Isn't that why you play your little game, 'I'm a high school human?'" Damon ginned as he caught my wandering eye, "You've even wrangled little Cordelia into your mess."
"I'm not playing any games." Stefan said.
"Of course you are. We both know the closest you'll ever get to humanity is when you rip it open and feed on it."
"Quit it," I warned lowly from beside Stefan.
"What kind of game are you playing, Damon?" Stefan asked.
He half-smirked, "Guess you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?" He turned around and walked out of the house, leaving Stefan and I gob-smacked in his wake.
I lay on top of Stefan's bed as he took a chocolate coloured shirt from his dresser and began to button it up.
"What are we going to do about Damon?" I asked as I twirled my hair between my fingers.
Stefan sighed deeply, "I-I don't know yet."
The door to Stefan's room opened and Zach stormed in.
"What is Damon doing here? Why did he come home?" Zach asked in angst.
"'Cause I came home. He wants to make my life miserable. That's how he enjoys his." Stefan replied to his nephew.
"Well, he's putting us all at risk. This girl in the hospital could talk."
"She won't," I spoke up from the bed as I rolled onto my stomach, "We took care of her."
"You're sure?"
I remained confident in my reply, but Stefan wasn't so sure.
"I'm not sure, Zach." He sighed deeply, "I don't know how well it worked. I'm not as strong as Damon."
Zach's cheeks flushed crimson, "Then why didn't you let Cordelia do it, Stefan!?"
"There was no time!" Stefan yelled back.
"What happens if it doesn't work?"
"We'll deal with it." I spoke from behind them both as I lay on the bed, propped up my elbows.
Zach recoiled quickly, like he was repulsed by the both of us.
"Is she worth it? Uncle Stefan, this girl you came back for?"
Once Zach made his feelings very clear to the both of us, he left the room without another word on the matter.
Stefan finished buttoning up his shirt and turned to face me. I was already looking at him as our eyes met across the room.
"Are you coming tonight?" He asked flatly.
"What's happening tonight?"
"There's a comet passing over the town tonight. A lot of people are gathering in the Town square to watch it-"
"-And you're hoping that Elena will be there to talk about what happened earlier." I said, finishing his sentence.
His lips pressed into a fine-line, "Something like that."
I dipped my head and climbed off the bed, "Give me ten minutes to get changed." I said with a half-smile, "I'll meet you downstairs."
Stefan and I parted ways as I walked down the hall and entered my bedroom to change.
Once I was changed, Stefan and I met up downstairs in the parlour room. We left together shortly afterwards, and headed to the Town square.
The square was littered with people all holding candles, many of them lighting other candles with their own as they walked around chatting with one another. It was kinda sweet, actually. A woman approached Stefan and I and handed us a stick candle, shielded with a plastic cup to catch the falling wax.
"Thank you," I said as I took the candle from her. "You see her yet?" I asked Stefan as he looked around the crowd for the brunette.
"Not yet," He sighed. I tapped his shoulder to gain his attention, "Hmm?" he murmured.
I pointed through the crowd, "She's there." I said as I noticed her standing by a few of her friends.
Stefan began to walk in her direction but when he noticed I wasn't following he stopped and faced me. "Are you coming?"
I shook my head, "I think this is something just for you to do, Stefan. I'll hang around here."
He smiled at me before he was lost within the crowd.
I walked around for a little bit, listening to random people's conversations about their lives as I gave Stefan his space to chat with Elena. After what she witnessed earlier at the manor, I'm sure he had some explaining to do.
"Sorry!"
I stumbled as someone banged into my back with force.
"Watch where you're going!" I grunted as I fixed my hair. I looked up to see Matt standing before me, a smile on his lips. "Matt," I smiled, "Sorry, I didn't know it was you."
He chuckled lightly, "It's alright, I'm the one that walked into you." He looked down at my un-lit candle and tipped his onto my wick, lighting my candle. "There."
"Thank you," I smiled. "H-how's your sister?"
"Yeah, she's doing alright." He informed me, "Still a little shaken up, but doctors said she should make a full recovery."
"That's great."
I was glad that she was alright, and by the sounds of it, Stefan's compulsion worked as it should. So everything worked out as planed.
"You here alone?" Matt asked, snapping me for my little day dream.
I shook my head and pointed randomly into the crowd, "No, Stefan's here with me. I think he's talking to Elena somewhere."
"You're more than welcome to come to the Grill with us. Get out of the cold."
I thought back to what Stefan had said to me a day or so ago. 'This is the new beginning we've been searching for.' Maybe he was right after all.
"Sure." I smiled up at him.
"Matt!"
I turned around to see the blonde form the bonfire heading in our direction with her candle in hand.
"Uhh, this is Caroline." Matt introduced us.
"Yeah, we've met before." I smiled at her as she stopped in front of me, "Nice to see you again."
"You too!" She said overly excitedly. "Are you coming to the Grill for a drink with us?"
"Yes."
"Great, let's go." Caroline smiled and looped her arm through mine.
As I was tugged in the direction of the Grill, I looked back towards the crowd...Stefan was no where to be seen.
As Matt, Caroline and I entered the Grill, my eyes narrowed slightly as I saw Elena sitting at a table with someone who wasn't Stefan. The three of us walked towards the table as the brunette-haired boy smiled as we approached. Just as we got to the table, Elena's younger brother rushed up to the table.
"Hey, has anyone seen Vicki?" The younger Gilbert asked worriedly.
"You're her stalker," The boy beside Elena huffed, "You tell us."
"I can't find her."
"She probably found somebody else to party with. Sorry, pill-pusher, I guess you've been replaced."
Elena's face tightened as she faced the boy to her right, "What's with the pill-pusher?"
He arrogantly shrugged, "Ask him."
"Are you dealing?" She groaned.
"She's never gonna go for you." The boy said flatly.
Jeremy smirked, "She already did. Over and over and over again."
"Yeah, right." He sniggered.
A snort from my right caught my attention as Caroline interjected herself into the conversation. "You slept with Vicki Donovan?" She gasped loudly, "I mean, Vicki Donovan slept with you?"
"There's no way."
"And I didn't have to force her into it." Jeremy threw into the air and I swallowed hard.
"What the hell is he talking about, Ty?" Matt instantly turned his attention to the boy.
He quickly deflected the question, "Nothing, man, just ignore him, he's a punk."
Matt threw his hands in the air, "You know what, how about all of you shut up and help me find my sister?"
"We'll check the back," Bonnie said, referencing herself, Caroline and Ty.
Matt nodded, "I'll check the square."
"I'll come with you." Jeremy said as Matt rushed off.
I waited back until everyone was out of sight before I slipped out of the side door. I had to find Stefan. The feeling in the pit of my stomach was all kinds of wrong, and it was growing more with each second that passed by.
It wasn't long before I found Stefan wandering around outside in the square. I rushed over to him as fast as I could without tapping into my supernatural speed.
"There you are." I gasped as I grabbed his arm.
"What's wrong?" He asked worriedly.
"We have a huge problem, Stefan." I said quietly.
Just as I was about to fill him in on the matter at hand, Matt approached us from behind.
"Hey," He said.
"Hey," Stefan replied as I turned to face Matt.
"Have you seen my sister?"
Stefan's eyes flickered towards me for the briefest of seconds before he shook his head. "No, sorry."
"I can't find her. She's missing."
"I'll keep an eye out." Stefan reassured him before he gripped my arm and began to walk around Matt.
"Hey," Matt called after us, "I saw you at the hospital."
"Did you?" Stefan said as he stopped and faced him once more.
"What were you doing there?"
"Visiting."
"Visiting?" Matt repeated. "You know, Elena and I, we've known each other for a long time. We might not be together right now, but I look out for her. And I'll always look out for her."
My body instantly became ridged, and my blood ran cold as the screams of a woman penetrated my ears...followed by a knowing voice.
"Excuse us." Stefan said quickly as he tugged me to the left and away from Matt.
Stefan and I rushed over to a block of buildings and saw Damon standing on top with Vicki, threatening to drop her for the edge. We rushed up onto the roof top as Damon tilted her back once more.
"No! No!" Vicki screamed in fear.
"Shh, I'm not gonna drop you." Damon toyed with her as he smirked, "Not bad. Have you been eating bunnies?" The eldest Salvatore grinned as he took notice of our presence.
"Let her go." Stefan commanded.
"Shh. Really? Okay." Damon tilted her over the edge once again.
"No!" Vicki cried out.
"No, no, no!" Stefan yelled in panic, his arm stretched out in front of him.
Damon shoved Vicki off the edge and she fell at Stefan and I's feet as he hopped off the edge.
"Ugh! Relax." He groaned in annoyance with a devious smirk on his lips.
"What's happening?" Vicki asked in a delirious state.
"I don't need her to be dead, but...you might." Damon said as he approached his brother. "What attacked you the other night?" He asked her.
"I don't know. An animal." She groaned.
"Are you sure about that? Think. Think about it. Think really hard. What attacked you?"
Her eyes widened, "A vampire."
My eyes slowly closed and fluttered open softly.
The compulsion failed. I knew I should have double checked before we left the hospital that day.
"Who did this to you?" Damon continued to question her.
"You did!" She yelled back at him.
"Wrong!
"Don't..." Stefan sighed deeply.
"Come here." Damon grabbed Vicki on both sides of her head and began to compel her. "Stefan Salvatore did this to you."
"Stefan Salvatore did this to me." She repeated from her transient state.
"He's a vampire. A vicious, murderous monster."
"Damon, stop!" I yelled.
"Please, Damon. Please don't do this." Stefan pleaded with his brother to no avail.
"If you couldn't fix it before, I don't know what you can do now." Damon raised his left hand up to Vicki's neck and tore her bandage from her skin and shoved her into Stefan's arms.
"Aah!" She cried in fear and pain.
"Ugh! Your choice of lifestyle has made you weak," Damon groaned, "A couple of vampire parlor tricks is nothing compared to the power that you could have, that you now need. But you can change that. Human blood gives you that.
"No!" Vicki cried once more.
"You have two choices. You can feed and make her forget. Or you can let her run, screaming "vampire" through the town square.
"That's what this is about? You want to expose me? Expose us?"
"No! I want you to remember who you are!" Damon yelled.
"Why? So what, so I'll feed? So I'll kill? So I'll remember what it's like to be brothers again?" Stefan shook his head, "You know what, let her go. Let her tell everyone that vampires have returned to Mystic Falls. Let them chain us up, and let them drive a stake through our hearts, because at least I'll be free of you."
I cast my eyes downwards. The whole 'New beginning' that Stefan and I were supposed to have was about to come hurling down in a ball of fire. Much like the comet that passed above our heads.
"Huh. Huh. Wow. Come here, sweetheart." Damon said as he approached Vicki.
She cowered away, "No!"
"It's OK." Damon cooed as he kneeled down beside her and whispered something into her ear. The frightful look on he face quickly fell as Stefan and I shared a look of confusion.
"What happened? Where am I? Oh, I ripped my stitches open. Ugh..." She groaned as he held her hand to the open wound.
"Are you Okay?" I asked as I approached her.
She grinned widely, "I took some pills, man. I'm good." Vicki stumbled to her feet and left the roof top.
Damon grinned at us, "It's good to be home. Think I might stay a while. This town could use a bit of a wake-up call, don't you think?"
"What are you up to, Damon?"
"That's for me to know and for you to...dot dot dot." He smiled. "Give Elena my best."
Damon quickly left the roof top shortly after that and Stefan and both sighed.
"We need to stop him, Stefan, before he goes too far, and there's no way back next time." I said as we began to walk down the staircase at the back of the roof top.
"I know."
Stefan and I made our way back towards the Grill as he wanted to see if Elena was still there. We walked inside one of the other entrances at the side and were met by Matt and Vicki. She was sitting in a booth with Matt standing over her. He was applying a fresh bandage to her re-opened wound. He paused what he was doing as he saw us enter.
"She said you found her wandering around." Matt said.
"Yeah." Stefan replied after a moment of uncertainty.
"So, um, thanks."
Stefan dipped his head and walked around Matt, not giving him another look as he approached a table where Caroline sat.
I gave Matt a reassuring smile and placed my hand on his shoulder as I passed by and followed Stefan.
"Ugh," The blonde moaned as I listened to their conversation. "It's just so much drama. Ever notice how the druggies are the biggest attention whores?"
I rolled my eyes at her blatant insult.
"Excuse me. Hi." Stefan said in a small, soothing voice as we reached the table.
"Hi," Bonnie replied back.
I hadn't met her before, nor had we been introduced. I just knew of her from history at school and earlier on in this very establishment.
"Um, have you guys seen Elena?"
"I think she went home." Bonnie frowned, but her expression quickly changed as she began to scribble on a sheet of paper. "I'm gonna give you Elena's cell number and her email. She's big on texting, and you can tell her... 'I said so'."
"Thank you," Stefan said and reached out his hand. Once Bonnie reached up with the sheet of paper, and their hands connected, her eyes instantly snapped shut. She took a sharp inhale of breath and then her eyes flew open and she pulled her hand back.
"Are you okay?" I asked Bonnie as I walked closer to Stefan.
"What happened to you?" She mumbled before shaking her head. "That's so rude. I'm sorry. Excuse me." She grabbed her things quickly and dashed out of The Grill.
"Is she okay?" I asked the blonde.
"Yeah, she kind of wigs out. It's her thing." She said nonchalantly.
"Right..." I murmured as I looked at the door Bonnie had just bolted out of.
Later back at the Salvatore Boarding house, I was lounging on the sofa in the library reading a mystery book when I heard a knock at the door. My interest instantly peaked as I threw my legs over the side of the sofa and got to my feet. The floor boards made the slightest of sounds as my bare feet collided with the cool wood. Once I got to the hallway, I hid behind the wall and peaked my head round the door frame.
Elena was the one who knocked on the door moments earlier. Now she was standing outside on the patio with Stefan by her side, looking up into the night sky. I chose not to listen to their conversation...no matter how much I wanted too. Instead, I pushed myself off the door frame and whooshed up into my room. I threw myself onto the large bed with a loud moan escaping my lips.
The uncertainty of staying here was growing by the second.
Constructive feedback welcome. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
