A/N Thank you for reviewing!
1960—LONDON
"STEFAN!"
Daniella cried out her frustration at the top of her lungs, putting weight behind her cursing by booting at the door. She kicked, struck, and even threw herself at the durable wood but to no avail. She only ended up bruised and even more incapacitated than before. She suspected it was because her brother had injected her with more vervain whilst she'd been knocked out.
She was too weak, and she despised being weak.
Daniella kicked the door again with all the strength the had, her brother's name ripping from her throat.
"Stefan! Stefan, let me out of here!"
Chest heaving from exertion, Daniella caught movement out of the corner of her eye and she snapped her attention to it. The reason for her imprisonment stood free at the other side of the door, gazing at her through the bars.
"That's not going to happen, i'm sorry."
Forcing out a strained laugh, Daniella glowered at him."Stop playing this game, and let me out."
Stefan shook his head with a half-hearted shrug.
"I won't. I won't let you act this way anymore, Dani."Stefan softly replied, narrowing his eyes at his weakened sister."You've done this for too long."
"You aren't the definition of a saint either."Daniella panted, struggling to sit up against the wall next to the mattress her brother had placed in there for her."I'm a vampire, I need blood to survive."
"Yes, but there are other ways of going about it."
"What? Eating bunnies like you?"She harshly hurled back, carding a hand through her mussed hair. A slow smile dangled at the corner of her lips when she saw him still at her words."I heard what you've been up to. Faking being your old self so that Damon would leave you alone. Something like this spreads like wildfire."
"Dani-"
"What? You think that just because my accomplice is on the straight and narrow, i'll suddenly reform?"Daniella spat out through clenched teeth, her bloodshot eyes billowing with outrage."Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is for me? When you were you, Stefan, you were a god."
"I was a killer!"Stefan hissed back.
"And now...now you're a laughing stock."Daniella coughed, trying to save her strength as she felt a wave of dizziness flow through her."You're just denying yourself happiness."
Stefan looked away from his sister and swallowed thickly, refusing to process her words.
"When do you feed me?"
"I..."The question drew Stefan out from his thoughts and he took a moment to ponder it before he replied."I'm not."
Brow furrowing, Daniella gaped at him."W-What?"
"Not until you're completely weak and then i'm going to start the process."
Stefan's mouth pinched when his sister froze. Daniella knew that the process was and, going by how her features contorted into something akin to fear, she knew the misery she was going to experience.
Daniella panted her brother's name though quivering breaths and she attempted to launch to her feet, only to fall on her hands and knees. Her eyes widened in horror before she crawled over to the door, looking up at her younger brother.
"Stefan, no."
"I'm trying to help you. It's because I love you, Daniella, that I have to hurt you."Stefan softly said, emotion in his voice and eyes glassing over. He took a step closer to the door, his palms bracing against it."But I promise that it'll be worth it. You'll thank me one day."
Scraping the palms of her hands against the floor when she tried to scramble to her feet, Daniella shook her head desperately.
"If you loved me, Stefan, truly loved me..."
Fingers curling around the bars, Daniella tried to meet his eyes."you wouldn't try and change me. I'm me!"
Stefan held up his hands and retraced his steps, turning and making his way to the exit. Stefan turned his back on his name being called after him, a heaviness in his chest as she helplessly kicked against the door.
"I'm sorry."
Daniella slammed her palms against the door with all her might, a series of punches follow afterward when it wasn't enough to abate her rage. She punched the wood until her knuckles tore and splinters embedded themselves in her skin.
"I will never forgive you for this, Stefan."
The little light that shined through the door was snuffed out when her brother shut it behind him.
"Never."
Daniella whimpered in fear for the first time in a century when she was abandoned and shrouded in darkness. Her feet gave way from underneath her and she offered up no resistance when she sank to the grimy ground below her.
"Stefan!"
PRESENT
Stefan needs you. Come to Mystic Falls asap.
"No turning back now, I guess."
Daniella expired a shaky breath from where she slumped against the door of her car, still staring down at the text she had received. She'd driven through night and day, thoughts solely of the text and the last time she'd seen her elder brother. They hadn't parted on the best of terms, and that was a vast part of her anxiety when it came to her return.
"Just get it over with."She mumbled to herself, pocketing her phone.
Daniella tore her eyes away from the Salvatore home long enough to snatch her jacket from the passenger seat and exit the car, eyes drawn back to the boarding house looming over her. She'd been parked outside of it for a good ten minute, mixed feelings bubbling in her stomach. She'd not seen her brothers in years, Stefan in three and Damon in seven. While she and Stefan spoke on and off, she'd not parted on good ways with her elder brother after they'd come to blows when they'd crossed paths in Rome.
"This better be an emergency."She muttered, holding her jacket to her chest protectively as she started off towards the large, wooden door.
Daniella worried her lower lip between her teeth and mustered up the courage to knock. She rapped on the door several times, arm quickly wounding around her bunched up jacket again. She then turned away from the door to scan the Salvatore grounds while she waited, eyes zeroing in on Damon's car.
As she allowed herself to feel nostalgic when her eyes studied the car, Daniella picked up on familiar, heavy footfalls trekking their way to the door. Damon had always had a particular gait and a weighty saunter that, as he wanted, garnered attention.
"I'm not buying what you're selling!"Daniella felt a familiar feeling of annoyed affection at her brother's tone and shook her head fondly.
She heard the door swing open and turned around just in time to catch the sheer shock on his face before he controlled it. Her breath caught in her throat at the sheer relief that overwhelmed the shock etched across his face and, going by how he tilted his head curiously, her expression was a reflection of his own.
"Daniella."He breathed in awe, his lips tugging up into the beginnings of a smile.
She shifted anxiously from foot to foot, leather protesting with how tight she was grasping her jacket.
"Damon."
"You, uh, showed up."He murmured through a relieved breath, still watching his sister curiously. She merely nodded, her brows furrowing together when his arms opened invitingly."C'mere."
Daniella arched an eyebrow at his breezy mood."Damon-"
"It's been years."Damon insisted, beckoning his fingers at her."Just come here."
She hesitated before eventually walking into his arms and allowing him to wrap his arms around her. She felt a wave of emotions hit her when she hugged her brother for the first time in decades. There had only been years gradually pushing the other away until they'd come to blows.
He'd changed over the years, she could tell but she wasn't sure if it was for the better. Instead of lingering on the thought, Daniella let herself relax in his embrace when he laughed cheerily and muttered to her about how much he had missed her voice.
"I missed you, too."
"I was a dick, I know." He stated when they pulled away a moment later, clearing his throat with a shrug."Well, more than usual."
Daniella imitated shrug, accepting the unspoken apology.
"You're you."
Damon grinned at her, nodding for her to enter as he stepped aside to let her pass. Daniella crossed the threshold for the first time in nearly two decades, rooting herself in front of the stairs and waiting for Damon to catch up.
"I've got someone you might want to meet."
She followed him into the front room, and she did a double-take when her eyes took in the figure seated in an armchair. Daniella's eyes rounded when the brunette shot to her feet, fingers a fidgeting mess as she played with them anxiously.
Damon smiled encouragingly at his sister, gesturing to the brunette across the room.
"Dani, this-"
"Katherine?"Daniella cut in interrogatively, heavily descending the stairs that welcomed her to the lounge. Damon lagged behind, leaning against a pillar and watching the interaction quietly.
"No! I-I'm Elena Gilbert. I'm her..."
The brunette shook her head with resignation."I'm Katherine's doppelgänger."
Daniella's already feigned smile faltered and she shook her head incredulously, tipping her head to the side questioningly at Elena. Her eyes peruse familiar features, started into doe eyes and tried to decipher body language and she quickly came to the conclusion that, despite their identical features, there was a lot that already separated her sire from the mirror image in front of her. Hopefully, anyways.
Willing herself to tear her eyes from Elena when she frowned curiously at Daniella, she mimicked the frown and redirected it to Damon.
"I've got a lot to tell you."Damon reasoned with a quick of an eyebrow, departing from her side to prepare some drinks."One of them is that, yeah, Katherine has a doppelgänger. And is one herself."
Nodding in confirmation when Damon lifted a particular bottle, Daniella's eyes returned to the human still stood across from her. She gathered her bearings long enough to force an amiable on her face, choosing to ignore Damon's amused scoff, it obvious to him just how fake it was. Luckily enough for her, it wasn't to Elena and she instantly relaxed at the sight of it.
"Oh, well. It's nice to meet you, Elena."
"You too."Elena said around a gentle laugh, offering Daniella a hand."Damon's been telling me a lot about you."
"He has?"Daniella's head snapped up as she reached out and warily shook Elena's hand. She breathed through the alarm that soared throughout her body and forced herself to maintain the smile.
"I've told some things about you."Damon chimed in knowingly, depositing ice in their glasses.
"You have?"She quietly inquired, looking over her shoulder at her brother, hand releasing Elena's. Her worry was almost instantly quelled when Damon shook his head firmly, reassuring her that their family secret was still buried and, thankfully, still theirs.
Laying her jacket over the nearest armrest, Daniella's scrutinizing gaze flickering between her brother and the doppelgänger.
"Are you going to tell me exactly why i'm here?"
Damon and Elena shared a look as the doppelgänger returned to her seat, dark eyes curiously watching them. Daniella shot her brother a look, silently urging him to come clean about whatever required her immediate attention.
Damon screwed the top back on a bottle and set it aside, grabbing their glasses from the table. Daniella met him halfway, murmuring a thank you when he handed her a glass.
"It's Stefan."
"I know, you said in your text."She whispered with a worried furrow of her brow and crossed her arms over her chest."Is something wrong?"
Damon grimaced with a hesitant nod, holding his hands up when Daniella's eyes glazed over with concern.
"It's a long story."Damon swept a hand in the direction of the couch, nodding for his sister to join him."Let's go take a seat."
SAN FRANCISCO—1918
"...smile the while you kiss me sad adieu when the clouds roll by I'll come to you. Then the skies will seem more blue, down in lovers lane my dearie..."
Leanne shivered at the singing and whistling coming from the stairs that led to her bedroom. She trembled fearfully underneath her bed when the strolling came to a stop outside her door. Daring to open her eyes, they grew wide in fear when she saw them saunter into her bedroom.
Lower lip quivering, Leanne shook her head desperately. No. Please, no.
She clutched her hand to her heaving chest, fingers holding tightly onto the cross that hung around her neck, her other hand covering her mouth to stop her tears from falling. On the floor beside the bed lay her dead mother, lifeless eyes boring into her, a bite in her neck that was still bleeding.
She curled up as tight as she could, hugging her arms around her knees and burying her face against them.
"...wedding bells will ring so merrily, every tear will be a memory. So wait and pray each night for me, till we meet again…."
A scream ripped from her throat when she felt cold fingers lock around her ankles and Leanne was pulled from underneath the bed, her nails scratching on the ground as she fought. Her vision went hazy when she was forcefully turned onto her back, her screaming drowned out by the demon's entertained laughing.
She begged, wished, and prayed that she would live through the night.
"Please..."She implored, a fresh set of tears streaking down her cheeks."please, don't hurt me!"
"It won't hurt that much, i'll try and be nice. Just for you."The demon looming over her cooed, fingers stroking themselves along her collar bone. His eyes honed in on her necklace hooked around her neck and he frowned, hooking his fingers around it."You won't be needing this anymore."
She gasped in horror when he tore the necklace from her neck and tossed it aside. Leanne quietly pleaded with him, holding her hands to her chest and trying to scramble away. He gave no heed to her pleading and, instead, seemed gratified by her frightened state.
She whimpered fearfully when he bared his teeth at her, pointed fangs extracting. Fisting his hand in her hair and moaning when Leanne cried out in horror, he licked his fangs at the sight of her throat.
"Stefan!"
Leanne rushed out a breath of relief when the demon stilled at the sound of the apparent familiar voice. He released her from his clutches with a murmur, and Leanne dropped to the floor. She twisted around to catch a grin crawling onto his face and clambered away from him when he turned around to look at the intruder.
"Daniella!"Stefan caroled through a laugh, throwing his arms in the air theatrically. He clapped his hands excitedly, beckoning her to make her way over to him."I haven't seen you-"
Daniella pushed away from the doorframe, raising her eyebrows in amusement when she noticed the fresh blood smeared across her fingers.
"..in a lifetime!"She chimed in with a wicked gleam in her eye, cocking her head as she scanned him from head to toe."You've come back to yourself then?"
"It was getting boring being good."Stefan dismissively responded, swiftly extending a leg to trip Leanne up when she made a break for it.
Daniella's hidden arm appeared from behind her back, a folded newspaper pinched between her fingers. She shook it open on her journey over to her brother, flicking through the pages and refolding it a second time. She then presented Stefan with the front page's headline, lapping at the blood coating her fingers.
GRIM REAPER LURKS OUR STREETS?
"You're not a hard man to find."She commented, handing her brother the newspaper and resting her forearm on his shoulder. He glanced at her curiously when he took the paper, upper lip curling up in distance at the bold words glaring back at him."The moniker is new, though."
He turned to press his lips to her cheek in greeting, hurling the newspaper onto the bed."Unwanted is what it is, but eminence is eminence, I suppose."
Daniella joined in on his hearty laughter, whirling around just in time for Stefan to sweep her up in a suffocating embrace. She wound her arms around her brother with a cry of his name, and the siblings staggered from side to side, blocking any feasible way for Leanne to get around them to escape.
Stefan released his sister with a melodramatic groan, tipping his head back with a bellow of relief.
"It's nice to see you haven't changed."
"And I never will. I just hope that you don't either, all right?"She wagged a scolding finger at him, jabbing a fingertip into his shoulder."I like this Stefan."
Stefan displayed his steadfast agreement when he reached down, tangled his fingers in Leanne's hair, and hauled the woman to her feet. She struggled, pleaded, struck his chest with her fists, and screamed for help. Stefan grasped the woman's cheek in one hand, bloodied fingers digging into her cheek.
"Care for a drink to celebrate?"He quietly asked, forcing the human to meet his eyes and smiling in pleasure when her eyes watered over at the sight of him.
Daniella stalked her way closer, sweeping Leanne's hair from her neck."Oh, you know i'd love to. The husband is waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Came out of his hiding spot when he presumed I was here to help."
Stefan's lips formed an interested 'O' as he trapped the human between them, his tongue prodding at his fangs. Leanne's lower lip wobbled one last time before she parted her lips and let out another, horrified scream.
"Happy birthday, Stefan."
Stefan beamed at his little sister, his blood-red eyes sparkling with mirth, an eery mirror of Daniella's very own crimson hues. The pair also shared a hungry grin, their fangs bared before they lunged for Leanne's throat.
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