I'm always so nervous before uploading..! Thanks to LeaValdez23 and ahyeon for your comments :)
Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries, only my own characters and plots
I stayed in bed the next morning, just staring at the ceiling above me, unable to get up. It was like my mind was too heavy for my legs to carry.
The sun was shining, brightening up my room through the curtains. The day was new, but I was still stuck in the events of the past night.
I remembered telling Elena about Elijah and his family. Then, that was exactly what happened. I tried telling myself that the only thing I'd done was understand his... his character; that even if I'd pushed it more, nothing would've changed. I hated thinking in what ifs, yet, that was all I could do.
I knew that I'd doubted Elijah. But part of me hadn't. Part of me would always see the good before the bad in people.
''Honey, do you have work today?'' my mother asked and knocked softly on my door.
''No,'' I mumbled.
''If you haven't woken up yet...'' The door creaked open, and I knew she poked her head in. ''Are you awake?''
''No,'' I sighed.
''Are you okay?''
''Yes.''
''You're answering in single word sentences, honey, I know you're not.''
The bed sagged when she sat down. I could see her in the corner of my eye, but kept my eyes locked on the ceiling.
''Evangeline... talk to me.''
''I'll be fine.''
Mum sighed. I could practically see her pinching the bridge of her nose. She did that when she was frustrated; something I got from her.
''Do you want me to make you some breakfast before I go?''
''No thanks.''
She sat there for a while, but when she figured she wasn't going to get through anytime soon, she got up and closed the door quietly behind her. I could hear the front door slam shut, and the car start up as she went off to work.
Then the silence kicked in again.
My mind was flooded with thoughts of old letters on worn pages, the memory of Elena and John's dead bodies, the thought of Jenna's dead body, and the moment when Stefan and Bonnie came back, telling us all about what had happened. How Klaus had offered Elijah what he wanted most. How everything had gone wrong.
The only thing that felt right was that Elena hadn't become a vampire, but even that was bittersweet. A life for a life. I supposed there always had to be some sort of balance. It made sense. But that didn't make it any easier.
It felt like I was invaded by everyone else's feelings again, but I wasn't. I just cared. With everything that had happened, I wondered if I cared too much. Was all that caring just part of carrying everyone's else's feelings whenever they flooded? I couldn't separate which part of me was which. I mean, which part of me was me?
My mind just wouldn't stop. It felt as if everything had happened for nothing. Klaus wasn't dead. Klaus wasn't dead, because he'd offered Elijah his family.
I never liked the idea of killing. I hadn't from the start, but I knew that sometimes there was just no other option. I guess... sometimes you just had to become a villain – a better villain – to defeat one. No matter how much it hurt, or how wrong it felt.
When I thought of all the horrible things Klaus had done, the idea of killing him still didn't feel right. That feeling had to have something to do with my blasted compassion. There was so much of it in me. By now, my greatest bet was that all that had to do with what I was. It had to. Because, even at times like this, when my mind was fighting it – it was almost impossible to overcome. No matter how bad someone was, my heart told me that there had to be something good in there.
Elijah had been proof of that. Somehow, at least. It was strange. I mean, I'd seen him decapitate a man with his bare hands. But, as soon as we started talking... I learned things about him. Despite how closed off he had been, his love for his family had shone through clearly. He wasn't all bad. Despite his actions.
Did that make me overlook everything bad? No. But it was as if my brain was fighting with everything else in my body. With my heart. Like, my mind was me, and my heart was the supernatural part of me. My mind was telling me that it was okay to kill Klaus, and that Elijah wasn't good company. My heart was telling me to think of the good in everyone, and to work hard to bring it out of them.
I sighed. I needed a name to put on it. I needed one. But if even Elijah, who I knew was highly intelligent and had lived for a thousand years, couldn't put the pieces together and label me, then what chance did I have?
I could hear my phone vibrate on my desk. That would be mum texting me to make sure to eat something. I didn't check it.
How was I supposed to refuel from this? How were any of us? It had been like... like this massive build up that just ended in nothing. Nothing but heartbreak and sorrow.
The phone vibrated again; only this time, it didn't stop. I didn't want to pick up, but eventually, I did it anyway.
''Hello?''
''It's Elena.''
Her voice was almost a whisper. She sounded tired.
I wanted to ask her how she was, but somehow, it felt wrong. I could imagine she was in somewhat the same state as I... but probably worse.
''You shouldn't have to deal with this.''
''Nonsense,'' I said softly. ''Of course I'll be there.''
I heard her breathe shakily through the phone.
''I'll see you there, okay?''
''Okay...''
After hanging up, I managed to get myself sitting up. No matter how much I wanted to, I couldn't wallow forever. And right now, I needed to find something black to wear.
The weather had been on our side. It was quite beautiful outside, actually. The trees had started blossoming. Spring was well on its way. It was kind of poetic, I suppose... rebirth. But it felt far from that. And it should feel that way, no matter how bad it hurt. Right now, it should be okay to feel stuck, even though it didn't.
I stood next to Bonnie, watching as Elena placed roses on the ground. I could tell she was fighting to hold back tears, and when she walked to an already standing stone, the tears trickling down her cheeks fell down mine as well. The crisp spring air was heavy with sorrow.
Everything about the small ceremony was as it should be, but that didn't make it any easier. I stared at the ground, and all I could see was Jenna's vibrant red hair, how much she meant to her family, and to Alaric.
I didn't know John in the same way. I knew Elena had been angry with him. That she hadn't trusted him. In the end, he gave his life for her.
I drew a shaky breath, and tried to keep the tears at bay. I tried to keep myself together, for once. People should be sad at funerals, but... I kind of felt like I didn't have the right to be as sad as I was right now – because much of what I felt weren't my own emotions. It just didn't feel right, and I didn't want to unleash that on everyone else. I had to keep it together.
After the goodbye, everyone went back to their own places. That was probably for the best. I thought that, maybe, when I stepped through my front door, some of the tension would release – but it didn't. I still felt guilty for being so invasive.
When I got home, I was met by the familiar sight of my mother sitting in the kitchen with her coffee. She was scrolling on her phone, but looked up when she heard me.
''Are you feeling any better?''
I shrugged, pulling out one of the chairs and sitting down with a sigh.
''Why are you so dressed up?''
''I was out,'' I said. ''With friends.''
''That's good,'' she said. ''So, are you going to tell me?''
''I'd rather not,'' I said with a strained smile. ''What's for dinner?''
''Was thinking spag bol,'' she replied, keeping her eyes on me. ''Are you planning on bringing Elijah over sometime again?''
I winced when she said his name. What I wanted was just a moment of peace, not worrying about everything. Not thinking about everything.
''I don't think so,'' I said.
''Okay,'' she looked at me with sad eyes. ''I won't ask anymore.''
I went up the stairs and into my room to change out of the clothes I was wearing. When I had sweatpants and a t shirt on, I lay down on the bed again. Right back where I'd started this day. In my bed, thinking. Mind battling heart.
I had no clue where all this was going, or what was going to happen next. What Klaus would do. If Elijah would come back. Maybe it was dumb to think Elijah would still hang around. Of course, I didn't expect him to, or particularly wanted him to, but somehow all of that felt... unfinished.
Before, the not knowing was because everything was new. I supposed it still would be, but now I had more insight into what could happen. For all we knew, all hell could break loose.
A couple of days later, I found myself on a blanket in the town square with Elena, Caroline, and Jeremy. The town was putting on Gone With the Wind on a big screen someone had brought in. The film was already running, but I honestly didn't think anyone was giving it too much attention. Not even the girls walking around looking like they'd stepped straight out of the screen.
''Are we really doing this?'' Jeremy asked with a sigh.
''Yes, we are really doing this,'' Caroline said firmly. ''We are going to take a page from Scarlett. We made it through the war.''
Looking at all the Scarlett's around me, I wondered why they'd dressed up. I mean, there were an abundance of them.
''I know you guys went through hell, and my mum knows I am a vampire, so basically it's like Atlanta has burned,'' Caroline went on. ''And yet, in spite of everything, we persevere.'' Yeah, apparently Matt wasn't an oblivious human anymore, and Sheriff Forbes oversaw Mystic Falls' vampire count. Or something like that.
''All right.'' Jeremy sat down. ''What are we eating?''
''Something good, I hope,'' I said. ''I'm starving.''
''Of course,'' Caroline chirped, and opened the baskets she'd brought with her. ''Behold.''
We'd just dug into the food Caroline had brought when Stefan appeared next to us, a grave look on his face.
''Hey,'' he said.
''Hey!'' Elena smiled. ''Look who couldn't resist an epic romance.''
''Will you come take a walk with me?''
I watched the two retreat. I wasn't sure what it was about, but Stefan seemed more serious than usual. Caroline started talking to me, which brought my attention back to where it probably should be.
Elena didn't come back, but Caroline, Jeremy and I had a good time anyways. It actually felt quite normal for a while. The conversations didn't even stray into supernatural things, as they so often tended to do. Bonnie came after a while, and just when she joined us, Jeremy's phone went off.
I was too absorbed in the film right then to pay any attention, but when Jeremy raised his voice I couldn't help but hear.
''You keep doing this,'' he snapped. ''You left me behind before, and guess what? Jenna still died. Now I'm going to find my sister. You go ahead and try to stop me.'' He jumped to his feet and walked off in long strides.
Bonnie gaped at him, and I looked back and forth at the two of them in confusion.
''He's still mad?'' I asked her. He'd been a little distant when she showed up, and I guess he didn't take to kindly to Bonnie using her magic against him. He had been just as aggravated as the rest of us, just sitting and waiting through the night for any news.
''Yeah,'' she said, and looked away. ''I just wish he would understand.''
''Look,'' I began. ''He had to sit and do nothing while his sister and aunt... you know. I agree that he shouldn't have been anywhere near the ritual, but it's still fresh. He'll come around.''
''Yeah,'' Caroline nodded in agreement. ''He will.''
Bonnie sighed. ''Maybe.''
''How do you guys feel about senior year?'' I asked to change the topic. ''It's only a summer away.''
The smile that appeared on Caroline's face at the mention of senior was one of pure joy and excitement. ''It's going to be the best year,'' she beamed. ''It's going to be our year.''
Bonnie shrugged. ''I guess-''
''Hey!'' Caroline cut her off. ''I will have none of that.''
Our conversation drifted from there. Caroline was going on about all the events and parties that were going down, and I almost felt like I was reliving my senior year. I'd been excited about it too. Back then, it had felt like the final step before becoming an adult, almost. The stepping stone to the rest of the world. Now that I was a couple of years older, I realised that I still didn't quite feel like the world had opened up to me. At least, not in the way I imagined when I was eighteen.
We were chatting about all sorts of things, and everything was starting to feel a little less tense and a little more normal. That was, until I could feel something nagging at the back of my head, prickling, making the hairs on my neck stand up.
''Guys, I'll be right back,'' I said, standing up. I could vaguely hear Caroline ask me something, but I was so focused on trying to find the source of it to hear her clearly.
A jab in my chest confirmed my suspicions. Someone was slowly getting more and more terrified. I looked around the square, but everyone looked normal.
I walked a bit further away from the centre of the square, and that was when I saw it. He had her pressed up against a post. Fear rolled off of her in waves, and I ran to them as quick as I humanly could.
''Damon, you don't have to do this. Please stop. You're hurting me!''
Without a second thought, I pressed my hand to his bare neck and wished for him to sleep.
When he fell down at my feet, I shuddered.
''E-Ev?'' Elena stuttered in surprise.
''I felt your fear,'' I said, slightly out of breath. ''Are you okay?''
She looked from me to Damon. ''Y-yeah. He's sleeping?''
I nodded. ''I hoped it would work...''
''We need to get him home,'' Elena said. ''Could you get my car? It's parked just over there, on the other side of the square.''
I grabbed the keys from her hands, rushed to the side of the street she'd pointed at, and found her dark SUV.
As soon as I'd gotten the car back to where Elena had stayed with Damon's sleeping body, I jumped out and together we dragged him into the car. I don't know how we managed that, but at least he wasn't awake to feel any of it.
I looked at Damon's face. His forehead was shining with sweat.
''He's sick,'' Elena explained.
''A vampire sick?'' I frowned. ''I thought they couldn't get sick?''
''It's a werewolf bite,'' Elena replied quietly. ''It's deadly to them.''
''Is he-'' I stopped myself, remembering. ''Like Rose?''
''Yeah.''
''I should come with you,'' I glanced worriedly at him, recalling the symptoms of that bite. If hallucinations had him thinking Elena was... a blood bag, or something, then she shouldn't be alone with him. And I couldn't tell when he would wake up.
''I can handle it,'' she said.
''No,'' I shook my head. ''Look, he's going to be asleep for a while. I'll help you bring him home, and make sure he's not crazy when he wakes up.''
She sighed. ''I guess you're right. Come on, then.''
The drive to the Salvatore house felt like it took forever, even though I was going slightly above the speed limit. Elena was in the back, cradling Damon's head, and keeping an eye on him in case he started showing signs of waking up.
''Almost there,'' I mumbled to myself, gripping the wheel tightly. My phone vibrated in my pocket, that had to be the third or fourth missed call by now.
As soon as I'd pulled up in front of the house and stopped the car I got out of the driver's seat. Together with Elena, I half carried, half dragged, Damon into the house. I don't know how we managed it, but somehow we got him into his bed.
''He's still sleeping, right?''
Elena, who was sitting by his side, nodded.
''Good.''
I went into the ensuite bathroom, and grabbed a towel. I kept it under the tap for a few seconds, before going back to the bed. I handed it to Elena.
''Thank you,'' she mumbled, looking down at her hands clutching the wet towel like she didn't know what to do with it.
''I don't know what to say,'' I sighed, and sat down next to her.
''He knew he was going to die,'' she said, and used the towel to dab Damon's forehead. ''And I didn't know.''
''I don't think he wanted to hurt you,'' I said quietly. ''He cares about you, you know.''
''I know. I just...'' She sighed.
She was staring at her hands again, clasped on her lap. When I glanced at Damon's face, he still looked sound asleep.
''He's already had hallucinations,'' she continued. ''After that...''
My heart dropped when I recalled what had happened with Rose. As soon as her hallucinations had subsided, she got so much worse. ''I remember.''
''If he wakes up-'' I began, but Elena shook her head. She could hear where I was going.
''No, I have to talk to him.''
''Of course,'' I said.
People were never more vulnerable than when they were asleep. The mask that Damon usually put on was nowhere to be seen on his unconscious face. He looked more relaxed than I'd ever seen him.
''I'll go when he wakes up,'' I told Elena, taking a quick look at my phone. It had been awhile.
She pulled her hair over her shoulder, and that's when I saw the bloody mess on her neck. ''Is it still bleeding?'' I asked.
''I don't think so,'' she said. ''It's fine.''
''Let me at least clean it up,'' I insisted. I went to the bathroom again and came back with more towels. It was the best I could find; apparently vampires don't keep any antiseptic.
She hissed in pain when I began to wipe off the blood from her neck, but I tried to be as gentle as I could. The two small puncture wounds started bleeding a little when I'd gotten her neck clean again. I handed her one of the clean towels, folded together. ''Here, keep it pressed.''
''Thank you, Ev,'' Elena said quietly and looked into my eyes. ''Really.''
I smiled softly at her. ''No worries.''
Damon groaned, and my eyes immediately darted to his face. His eyelids were twitching more than before.
''Is he...?''
''I think so,'' I said, trying to prepare myself for whatever stage he was on. If he still had hallucinations, then I had to be ready.
''Elena?'' Damon croaked as his eyes fluttered open.
''I'm here,'' she said, and scooted up on the bed so that he could see her.
''I'm sorry,'' he said and coughed.
Standing up, I kept my eyes on them. Elena met my gaze and nodded.
''Call if you need anything, okay?'' I whispered. She nodded again, and I sneaked out of the room. I stayed just outside for a couple of more minutes, just to make sure he was himself again. When I didn't hear anything strange, I went downstairs.
I always tried to see the best in everyone. But somehow, I'd never been one to have a positive outlook when it came to being in bad situations. And this was a bad situation.
I don't know about the others, but I was still not really able to process everything. And to think, Damon had kept this to himself because of everything that was going on. Did Elena know exactly how much he cared about her?
Grabbing my phone, I sent a quick text to both Caroline and Bonnie. I had seven missed calls from the both of them now. Throwing a glance at the time, I figured I should probably stay until... Shaking my head, I tried to keep the bad thoughts out. I didn't want to think about it.
I felt kind of out of place in this house when I was alone – but that would probably be the case no matter what house I was in that wasn't my own home. But this was still different. This was were the one thing I really didn't want to happen, happened. Because Elijah had been so interested in finding my powers, it made no sense to me that he would just drop it. Not that I felt important in any way, but it was just odd.
When the front door suddenly opened, every muscle in my body tensed up, because I had no idea who it was. This house didn't feel strange being in just because of the whole Elijah incident, but also because I didn't feel safe. Since Elena had died, it could be anyone entering, right? She was listed as the owner, but when she died, wouldn't that have glitched the invitation-thing?
Heels clicked against the wooden floor, and then Elena passed me down the hall towards the stairs. Her dark eyes darted to me, but she didn't stop.
''Don't mind me,'' she said in a bored tone and walked up the stairs.
Because I hadn't met Katherine but one or two times, it took a while before I realised what had just happened. As soon as my mind had somewhat processed it, I rushed up the stairs, and when I came into Damon's bedroom I found him sitting up. His eyes were present, tired and slightly confused, but clear, and he had something dark on the side of his mouth.
''What just happened?'' I asked, staring at the both of them and probably looking perplexed as ever.
Elena picked up a small glass phial from the floor, and looked at it with a frown on her face.
''There's a cure.''
I walked over to her and took a closer look at the phial. ''Whose blood?'' I asked slowly.
''Stefan got this from Klaus,'' Elena said. ''Katherine said he exchanged it for himself.''
''Stefan... He-'' I stopped, struggling to get any words out, because I couldn't quite understand what I was hearing, exactly.
Elena stared at the tiny glass bottle she was squeezing in her hand. I turned my head towards the bed, and met Damon's blue eyes.
''Are you okay?''
He nodded, looking dogged.
''I honestly...'' I stopped again. ''I don't understand. What are we gonna do?''
The knuckles on Elena's hand were turning white, and her dark eyes seemed even darker than usual. She looked up at me, her eyes, filled with emotion, boring into mine and said:
''We get him back.''
So far, the storyline has been pretty consistent in following canon. I do have some special ideas planned, so it's not like the OC is just ''tagging along'' forever. I'm excited for when it gets there!
