Chapter 15
January 5th 2010
Evelyn sat up with a scream.
"Evie!"
Her bedroom light was flicked on and Othella came in, tying her bathroom tie as she made her way over to the bed. Michael stood in the doorway, looking disheveled but alert, in his hand was a shotgun.
"Cupcake?"
"Evelyn, are you all right?" Her grandmother asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. The girl was blinking at her surroundings like she had never seem them before, a lost expression on her face. "Evie, sweetheart?" She took her chin.
Slowly, Evelyn exhaled and then looked at her grandmother.
"Gran?"
"You had a nightmare, honey." She murmured and stroked the girl's hair from her face, frowning softly. "What happened?"
Evelyn shook her head and ran a hand through her hair. "I-I don't remember." She said after a moment and looked at her Gran. "I just felt...scared." Othella hugged her, stroking her hair soothingly, and frowned deeper. Ever since the night of Shelia Bennett's funeral, her granddaughter had been having nightmares. They had gotten worse since her father had shown back up a week ago with no explanations for his behavior. At least he wasn't drinking for the moment.
"Want some warm milk? It might help you sleep." She offered softly.
The girl shook her head. "No...I'm just going to try to go back to sleep."
"All right, dear."
"You-You need anything sweetheart?" Her father asked, but Evie just shook her head again.
"No. Goodnight." She rolled back under the covers, her back to them.
He sighed and turned the light back off as Othella came out of the room.
"Well, what do you expect? She's been worried about you for almost two months. She doesn't want to talk to you right now."
Michael just scowled.
"I've apologized several-"
"You left. And you promised never to do that to her." She snapped over his words. "You think your half-assed apologies mean anything?"
He looked away in frustration. "I was keeping her safe." The woman huffed. "Othella...It's her. There have been signs."
The woman froze. "No...She's not supposed to-" She shook her head. "You have to be wrong."
He shook his head at her. His face was grave. "I don't think so, 'Thella. Not this time." Mike shuffled in the hallway. "You haven't told her have you?"
"No, I wasn't planning too. She doesn't need to know that."
He nodded. "I agree. Maybe she'll never have to know about her."
Othella watched him walk back to his room and sighed.
Evie yawned and tried to focus on the book in front of her. It was no use. She was too tired. The porch swing creaked as its motion slowed and she used her foot to push off the ground and get it swinging again. She huddled in her hoodie and tried once more to read her book.
"Evie." A voice said in greeting.
She looked up to see Stefan on her porch. He was standing on the top step his hands in his coat pockets. His green eyes were focused on her.
"Hey, Stefan." She muttered and closed her book.
"How are you?"
She shrugged. "I've been better."
He studied her for a moment. She looked tired and her eyes had dark circles underneath them.
"Did you want something?"
He nodded. "I'm worried about Damon. Have you spoken to him recently?"
"No." She answered quietly and slung her unread book towards the other end of the swing and turned to face him, swinging her legs down to the ground. "Not since that night I left. Why?"
"Well, he's...I used to be able to read him." He shifted uneasily and pushed a hand through his hair, mussing his usually flawless style. That alerted Evie to just how he was feeling. He was worried.
"What's wrong with him?"
"Would you come see? Maybe you can help me talk to him."
She thought it over and then sighed. "Yeah. I'll come. I promised to check on him if you wanted me too."
"If you're not up to it..." He trailed off. "Are you feeling okay?" He had noticed her quietness. She wasn't as snarky as usual.
She shrugged vaguely again. "Nightmares. I'm all right." She stood and went to the front door, opening it slightly. "Gran, I'm going with Stefan. I'll be back."
"Be careful, dear." Her Gran replied and Evie closed the door back.
She dug the keys out of her pocket and headed for the car. Stefan followed after her.
"I appreciate this. I wouldn't ask, but I've seen how different he is around you." He said as he got into the car.
Evie smirked. Looking like herself for a moment. "Less of a maniac, right?"
He snorted. "Yeah."
Damon groaned as Stefan turned on the lights.
"Buzzkill Bob." He muttered against the girl's neck.
Next his music was cut off.
"Greetings." He called to his brother lazily. Not bothering to look in his direction.
"Can we talk?" Stefan asked.
"Yeah."
His brother rolled his eyes. "Without the Tri-delts?"
"Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of them." He smirked, leaning against one of his giggling companions. "They're really good at keeping secrets."
"Well, he looks normal to me."
Damon whipped his head around at the sound of her voice.
"Eves." He breathed lightly and released the girl in his embrace, letting her topple onto the couch. He blinked at her in shock, ignoring the huff of the girl he had dropped. It had been weeks since he had laid eyes on Evelyn or even spoken to her. He had half a mind to ignore her or demand she explain why she ran away from him, left him without a word of goodbye and to wake up alone. She looked like hell and was clearly exhausted. Dark circles were under her usually bright green eyes and she looked like she had lost a little weight. He could tell even though she was wearing an oversized college hoodie.
The girl turned to Stefan. "This is his version of coping? Half-naked sorority girls?" She eyed the girls with distaste and for a brief second Damon felt like a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar. Like he had cheated on her. He shook his head to clear the thought away. Why should be guilty? They weren't dating. They weren't even sleeping together anymore. He hated thinking about that fact too.
His brother shrugged.
Damon smirked at Evie. "Jealous?"
She snorted at him, shaking her head. "Not in the least, Bourbon Breath."
He almost smiled. He had missed her attitude.
Stefan sighed. "We need to talk, Damon." He eyed the girls. "Alone."
Evie sighed. "I'll herd them out the door."
After Stefan made his brother compel the girls to go home, Evie healed their bites and sent them on their way.
"Thanks for your help." Stefan said as she closed the door.
She turned around and rolled her eyes. "I said call me if he was bad off. This is...drunk and unfeeling Damon, not emotionally off the charts Damon."
Stefan sighed. "Look. I just wanted you to see him for yourself. You've been a better judge of him than I have."
Evie shook her head. "He's...still hurting. Katherine left a heart sized hole in his chest. This is, unfortunately, how he can cope without going on a murderous spree which I was surprised to find he hadn't done."
"I can hear you." Damon called in a sing-song tone from the living room and Evie snorted. "Stop lurking in the doorway."
She followed Stefan back into the living room.
"You're worried about me. That's nice." The older Salvatore said, leaning back against the couch cushions. Evie ignored his beckoning to join him and started picking up instead. Damon pouted and turned to his brother. "Don't be. I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" He slurred. "Spent the last 145 years with one goal, get in that tomb. I succeeded. Granted, Katherine wasn't in there to be rescued, but why dwell?"
"See?" Evie waved a hand. "Drunk and fine."
"Why thank you." Damon smirked. "I knew you find me attractive."
"That's not what I meant!" She scowled at him.
"It's so liberating not having a master plan because I can do whatever the hell I want." He told his brother.
"That's what I'm afraid of." Stefan muttered.
"Relax. I haven't killed anyone in," He sighed in thought. "-too long. And I even sent my sorority girls away." He pouted. "All for you, my Eves." He added flirtatiously. Evie looked up when she felt eyes on her.
She rolled her eyes. "Uh huh, yeah, right."
Damon grinned and turned back to Stefan. "So, I know this wasn't for just a pep talk." He poked him with a bottle of alcohol. "So, drink up. Spill it, brother." Stefan took the bottle from him and set it aside.
"There was a woman you might have known a few years back named Isobel in North Carolina at Duke."
Evie thought that was strangely specific but didn't ask.
"You wanna discuss the women in my past right now? Seriously?" Damon rolled his eyes.
"You killed her."
"What's your point?" He asked in annoyance, eyes back on Evie as she bent to get cups out of the floor.
"I just want to know if you remember anything about her."
"Oh, it's like a needle in a haystack, Stefan."
"Well, think hard. It's important." Stefan scowled.
Damon leaned in close. "Nothing is important. Not anymore." He whispered and then patted him. "Good chat." He sauntered off and Evie looked at Stefan.
"What was that about?"
"I'll tell you later."
Stefan left the house, leaving Evie dumbfounded.
"What the hell, Stefan!?" She screeched. "What did I need to come for? This wasn't urgent!"
"Keep it down, I'm drowning in my sorrows." Damon's voice drifted down the stairs.
Evie rolled her eyes. "So, sorry, Mr. Salvatore. Goodbye."
She blinked when he appeared in front of her, blocking her exit.
"Where are you going? You just got here." He asked her in a rush and she frowned as he swayed forward drunkenly.
"Stefan asked me to check on you and I did."
"So, you just came because of Stefan? You didn't want to see me?" He pouted, lower lip jutting out, and she smirked.
"You really think I miss your ugly mug?"
Damon smirked back. "You know you did. That's why you came."
Evie snorted. "Keep telling yourself that. Whatever keeps you from diving off the deep end." She shifted a bit. "How have you been?"
He shrugged. "Here and there."
She hummed and tried to go around him.
"You left."
Evie's mouth opened and closed before she spoke again. "I...What?"
"You left." He said, looking at her intently. "And didn't come back."
She shook her head. "We already talked about this. You-"
"Well, she's not here." Damon interrupted with a frown, waving a hand unnecessarily. "She's gone. Doesn't give a damn."
"You and I both knew I wouldn't stay all night."
"I didn't want to stop. Obviously, you did. So, how's that going for you?" He grabbed her chin, examining her face. "You look like hell, my Eves. You're not sleeping well either."
She slapped his hand away, ignoring how his touch had felt. She had missed him, but she couldn't sleep with him again. It was too dangerous.
"Is that what the drinking and the slutty girls are about? Other than She Who Must Not Be Named. You still can't sleep?"
"Doesn't matter. Go or stay." He started back for the stairs. She frowned at him.
"Why are you so pissed? It was a mutual agreement!"
"Does that ease your guilty conscious?"
"Ugh, you are so freakin' annoying!" She groaned loudly and stomped towards the stairs after him. "For your information, I've been a bit preoccupied. Some weirdo left a creepy ass note on my car the other night and then my dad showed up last week. And Shelia's funeral... Look, I'm sorry I haven't been by, okay?"
"What note?" He demanded, halting on the stairs. "From the same guy who sent you that flower?"
"How'd you know about that?" She scowled.
"What note, Eves?" He asked again.
She shrugged. "Just a weird note. Just some lines from some poem or something."
Damon frowned. "Did you tell your dad?"
"No." She snorted. "Do I look insane?"
"Well..." He trailed off teasingly and she stuck her tongue out at him. The humor went away. "I want to see it."
"See what?"
"The note."
"I burned it. and the flower."
Damon was still frowning. "Don't do that. Now we don't have evidence. And I can't help you."
"I didn't ask for your help." She said snippily. "I'm not the one who was lounging around with half-naked girls."
"That bothers you doesn't it?" He asked, a smile playing at his lips. "It bothers you to know that I've been sleeping around."
She scowled at him. "Does not."
"Does too." He replied and wiggled his eyebrows at her. "You can always reconsider."
"Oh, shut up. I've gotta go anyway. I'll be late."
"Late for what?" He asked, still lazily blocking her way. He wasn't so drunk now and she knew she had to go before she decided to stay there on her own. Or worse.
"I'm supposed to play tonight at the Grill. I've gotta go set up ahead of time." She said quickly.
"And that's all? You're still not trying to avoid me?"
She rolled her eyes. "Would I still be here blabbing to you if I was? I told you I've been busy. Stefan was keeping an eye on you."
"You care." He said almost smugly.
"Don't push it, Bourbon Breath. I tolerate you. Nothing more."
"Mmhm. Missed you too."
"Get out of the way, you crazy drunk and for god's sake button your shirt."
Damon just grinned, but moved out of her way just a bit, his arm above her head. She suppressed a shiver as she had to practically rub against his side to get out the door.
"Jerk."
He laughed and watched her leave.
Evie hopped down from the stand in the corner and looked over at the bar.
She spotted Alaric, her superhot History teacher. She debated going over there, but she did want to say hi to her teacher.
She went over to the bar, brushing her sweaty hands on her jeans nervously.
"Hey, Mr. S." She greeted and the man turned to her.
"Evelyn." He smiled and her heart beat faster. "It's nice to see you. What are you doing here?"
"Oh, just setting up for tonight." She said, nonchalantly. "Mrs. Lockwood is paying me to play for the charity raffle." She gestured at the corner stage and he glanced over before turning back to her with a raised eyebrow.
"You sing?"
"And play the guitar." Evie added.
"Are you that good?" Alaric smiled and she flushed red.
"Um...yeah, I guess."
He winked at her and she wanted to implode. "Guess I'll find out tonight."
"You will?" She croaked out before clearing her throat. He was nodding and taking another deep gulp of his drink.
"Yeah, actually I got roped into the auction. I look forward to hearing you." He nodded at her and she practically melted into the floor.
"So, guess I'll see you tonight?"
She nodded. "Yeah." She said stupidly and watched the man leave.
She failed to see Damon watching her from the corner of the bar, his eyes narrowed.
Evie opened the door to the Salvatore mansion and stepped in quickly.
"What's the emergency?" She called. "Salvatore?"
"Stop shouting in the doorway." He replied, calling from up the staircase. "Get up here."
He sounded fine, but he could be pretending.
She ran up the stairs and into Damon's bedroom.
"What's going on? Are you-"
Her questions were cut short by the image of Damon standing in the middle of his bedroom with a towel wrapped lowly around his hips. Water from a recent shower that hadn't dried yet, slid down his bare back in little droplets that she couldn't help but watch for a moment in her shock. Gaping she tried to find her words again.
"I-Uh...Towel!" She exclaimed and Damon grinned shamelessly as he turned in her direction.
"Lost for words? Knew it. You still like me."
She glared at him. "Put on clothes!"
"Okay, if you say so." He started to unwrap the towel and she screeched, turning her back to him. Snickering, he quickly pulled on his pants and found her checking to see if he was doing as she said.
Evelyn turned around and he grinned. She knew what he was smiling so smugly about. "Oh, shut up."
"It's not like you've never seen me naked before."
He went over to his dresser and poured a drink from the decanter into a glass. "Want a drink?"
"No, I want you to explain why every time I come over here you're half dressed!"
He shrugged.
Muttering under her breath, she glanced around the room. "So what's the big emergency? You don't look like you need help."
He waved a hand at the closet. "I can't pick a shirt."
"Are you serious!? I was in the middle of practicing for tonight and you want me to pick out your clothes!?"
"You don't have to practice. I've heard you play and sing." He said and then looked her up and down. "Like the outfit."
She shuffled in embarrassment, heat in her cheeks. She had forgotten the clothes she had pulled on before getting Damon's text. She hadn't changed because he had said it was an emergency. She had a skintight red shirt on that rode low and showed off cleavage. Her skirt was solid black and stopped mid-thigh.
"Not so much the shoes though."
She glanced down. Old, worn-out and holey sky-blue sneakers adorned her feet.
She looked back up in a scowl. "I can't run in strappy sandals and you said it was an emergency. These were the first things I grabbed."
Damon was facing the closet again. "So...you playing at the Grill tonight?"
"Yeah...why?"
"Because I'm going. I'm one of Mystic Falls most eligible bachelors you know." He grinned at her over her shoulder.
"Congratulations." She said sarcastically. "Are you still drunk?"
He shrugged. "Should buy a ticket. Might win a date with moi."
She rolled her eyes. "No, thanks."
"I could be persuaded to take you on one for free. Dinner and a movie."
Evie shook her head and went past him to the closet. "If I pick a shirt, can I go?"
"Got a hot date? What's your rush?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. The blonde snorted.
"No, I just have to finish getting ready."
"Gotta look good for the teacher, right?"
Evie froze and then slowly turned back around.
"What?" She asked sharply.
"I saw you." He said accusingly and Evie blinked at his attitude. "A few hours ago at the Grill. You were flirting it up with Alaric Saltzman."
"What the hell? Now you're stalking me?" She exclaimed and jerked a shirt out of the closet that she had been eyeing since she looked inside. "Who I speak to is none of your business." She turned and tossed the shirt at him,
Damon snatched it out of the air and slipped it on, not doing the buttons yet. "Could you be any more a teenager?" He scoffed. "Flirting with a teacher."
"What do you care?" She scowled at him. "Could you be any more of a drunken asshole?"
The vampire took her wrist when she made to leave. "Careful not to start anything with this guy, Eves. For one thing its gross and two..." He pulled her closer and she had to press her hands flat against his chest to keep from falling face first into him. "You're mine. My Eves." For a moment they stared at each other. The possessiveness of his words shown in his eyes and it scared her, but at the same time...
Evie shoved hard against him and he let go in surprise as she stumbled back away from him. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest.
"I'm not your anything." She snapped and started backing for the door. "Don't call me again."
"Evelyn." Damon said, but she sprinted out the door before he get another word out.
Elena rounded the corner. "What did you do to her? She looked upset."
He shrugged. "Apparently, I'm an asshole."
"I can see that." She nodded. "And you looked wreaked."
Damon gestured at his shirt. "Help me with the buttons?"
The brunette rolled her eyes.
Evie thanked the crowd before hopping off the little stage and heading over to where her friends were.
Caroline and Matt were at the ticket counter and they looked over when she approached.
"That was great Evie." The cheerleader told her and her boyfriend nodded.
"Yeah, it was fantastic."
Evie shuffled a bit before shrugging. "It's nothing."
Elena came up to the counter too and smiled.
"How's the raffle going?"
Caroline nodded. "Great!" She turned to Matt. "He's already been hit on, like, 35 times."
"Cougar bait." Evie smirked and dodged the jock's elbow.
"Impressive." Elena added and Matt snorted.
"More like embarrassing."
The cheerleader giggled and then turned her head. "Hi, Mrs. Donovan."
Evie blinked and muttered out of the corner of her mouth to Matt. "You're mother's back in town?"
"Apparently." He muttered back.
She was a thin woman, with long dark hair like Vicki's and a hint of alcohol covered her like a perfume. The woman barely glanced at Caroline who's face fell.
"Elena, honey." She greeted warmly.
"Hi, Kelly."
They embraced like old friends and Evie grimaced. The last time she had seen the woman, Kelly Donovan had her legs around her father's waist. A sight that still sickened her and gave her the creeps.
"Matty tells me you broke his heart."
"Mom." The jock hissed.
"Just kidding. Calm down." She laughed. "He found his rebound girl." Her eyes cut to Caroline who's face fell even further. Evie rolled her eyes.
"Here you go, sweetheart." She handed a handful of money to the blonde. "However, many that will buy."
"I just hope I don't get bachelor number 3." She made a face. "I dated him in high school. Not impressive." She leaned closer and whispered. "In any way." The teens shuffled awkwardly at that. Caroline handed her the tickets. "Very exciting."
Her eyes found Evie. "Oh, my god! Evelyn. I didn't see you back there, sweetheart! Come here." She hugged Evie against her and the girl looked for help. The others, except Caroline, were trying not to laugh. "It's so good to see you. You're so beautiful." She patted the girl's cheek, not seeing the cringe Evelyn made from having her scar touched. "I never understood why Matty was never attracted to you, but I guess he does have a thing for certain blondes."
"Mom." Matt hissed and the woman released Evie.
"Tell your dad not to be a stranger, you hear?" She said and wandered off.
Evelyn turned to Matt. "Aren't you so glad she's back?"
He snorted. "You could say that."
To avoid Elena, he went to the other side of the room. He spotted Evelyn closing up her guitar case. He had heard some of her songs and she was very good. She was talented and it was a distraction from the thought of killing Damon for murdering his wife and from having to deal with Elena. He went over to her and cleared his throat.
"Hey, I wanted to catch you before this thing started."
Evie turned her head and smiled. "Mr. Saltzman, so you didn't chicken out."
He laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "Was it that obvious?"
"A little." She admitted.
Laughing some more, he shrugged. "It's not my usual scene." He glanced at the little stage and turned back to her. "You're really good. When do you play again?"
"Next Friday. Less of cougar town." She grinned and he laughed. She loved to hear him laugh.
"I'll be there."
She gave him a slightly hopeful look and shifted. "Really?"
He nodded. "Of course. Do you take requests?"
Did she? Did she what? Evelyn mentally slapped herself. Focus.
"Sure." She replied and he grinned.
"I'm a rock fan myself. "Sweet Child of Mine"?"
"Guns N' Roses. Got it." Evelyn said and Alaric beamed. She felt lightheaded with all the attention he was giving her. She couldn't wait until the next week. She was going to play her heart out.
"Fantastic."
Alaric leaned against the table. "So...how are you? I don't get to talk to you much. And I heard about Bonnie's grandmother. You were close to her too?"
The girl shrugged. "Yeah, Shelia was like a second grandma. It's just hard to think about." She admitted. She felt at ease around the man and honestly it felt good to talk to someone who wasn't chatty like Caroline or dismissive like some others could be. He listened to her. He cared. She couldn't help but like him more for it.
"You look nice by the way."
A pink flush colored her cheeks and it made her prettier.
"Um, thanks."
He nodded and started to say something else when Carol Lockwood stood up on the stage.
"If I could have everyone's attention please? We're about to start the raffle. Bachelors please join me on stage."
"Good luck." Evie whispered and the man winked at her. She smiled goofily and practically skipped to a seat. She felt like floating off like a balloon. She certainly felt lightheaded enough to float.
As she watched the men get onto the main stage, she felt something off. Reaching down she checked her seat to make sure she wasn't sitting on gum or something equally gross. To her shock, her hand didn't touch the seat. Glancing down, she suppressed a shriek. She was sitting inches above her chair, hovering over the wood. She nervously checked to see if anyone else was seeing the levitation. She was in the clear. All eyes were on the stage. Swallowing, she willed herself back down to the hard chair. Once she settled, she stood up, heading for the bathroom to calm herself down and to test her newfound ability in private.
Evie hovered around the small space, floating with ease. She wondered about floating outside. Was it just floating or could she...fly? Flying had always been a secret dream of hers. Floating with the clouds and soaring above the ground. Could it be real? As much as she wanted to test it all out tonight, she was missing the raffle. She wanted to know, though it would hurt to see it, who got Alaric. And she was a bit curious to see who got Damon.
Damon. He was usually the person she went to about her powers. And part of her wanted to go show him, but the other part of her, the more practical part, was telling her to ignore that. to leave it be. They didn't have to do things together anymore, especially if he thought he could own her. That he did own her. Angry, she touched the ground again. She didn't have to show him anything.
She came back out to a slightly hushed crowd. Carol Lockwood had her microphone pointed at Damon.
"Any hobbies? Like to travel?"
"Oh, yeah. L.A., New York. A couple of years ago, I was in North Carolina, near the Duke campus actually. I think," He pretended to ponder and Evelyn frowned as he turned to Alaric. "I think Alaric went to school there. Didn't you, Ric?"
The History teacher gave him an ugly look. He was shaking with anger. She didn't understand. She looked out to the crowd to see Stefan and found him eyeing Elena worriedly. She followed his gaze in curiosity and saw Elena was watching the exchange intently.
"Yeah, because I'm pretty sure you're wife did."
Evie's jaw dropped. Why was Damon bringing up the man's dead wife?
"I had a drink with her once. She was-she was a great girl."
She saw Stefan start towards Elena who was frowning lightly at Damon.
"I ever tell you that? 'Cause she was-she was delicious." The vampire finished with a self-satisfied look. Evie gasped. Damon had killed the poor man's wife? And was rubbing it in his face?
She glanced over to see Elena near tears. Evie cocked her head in confusion as the distraught brunette hurried out of the Grill. Stefan followed her. she turned back to see the vampire on stage walk off.
He was lurking around the entryway and glanced at her when she approached him.
"What in the hell are you doing?"
"Don't like me interrogating your boyfriend?" He sneered.
"What is your problem? You killed his wife and then shove it in his face? Like you're so fucking proud?"
Damon shook his head. "You have no idea who that guy is."
"And you do? So enlighten me."
"He's a pain in the ass. He's here to kill me. Finally tracked me down."
She scowled. "Well, he ought too! You killed his wife!"
He started to speak when someone ran into Evie, bumping her.
It was Elena.
"whoa. Easy there. Buy a ticket like everyone else." Damon teased.
"Did you enjoy that-" She hissed at him, tears brimming in her eyes. "-rubbing it in to Alaric Saltzman?"
He looked confused. "What?"
"just as I was starting to think that there was something redeemable about you."
"Elena." Stefan said and shook his head.
"Am I missing something here?" Damon asked.
"Besides your brain?" Evelyn scowled.
Elena glared at him. "Did I forget to mention earlier when we were talking about my birth mother the one who gave me up?"
"Mmhm."
"Her name was Isobel."
"Oh, my god." Evie said aloud and Damon blinked. She could see the clear confusion and remorse in his eyes. She knew Elena didn't see it or was ignoring it.
"Go head. Reminisce about how you killed her." Elena spat and turned around to walk back outside. Stefan followed.
"You didn't know." She turned to Damon. "You had no idea."
He shook his head, still looking lost.
"She's not dead. She's a vampire."
"You turned her? please don't tell me it was because you were bored! Like Vicki!" She said lowly, frowning at him.
"Why do you care what reason? You just don't want me to hurt you boyfriend." He snapped at her.
"Stop it! He's a very nice man."
"Well, don't let me stop you. Go sleep with your teacher. He might need the comfort." He stalked off and she clenched her fist angrily. A vase burst across the room, startling people. Damon turned around, but she was gone in the crowd of people.
Spotting him getting off the stage, she made her way over to her History teacher.
"Evelyn."
She was trying to find Alaric in the crowd, but she couldn't see him anymore. She turned to find her father instead.
"I don't want to talk to you." Evie snapped and he sighed.
"I'm sorry, honey, I really am. I know my leaving was sudden and my coming home-"
"Is it coming home? Or a visit?" She demanded, frowning. "Because I don't know which one you plan on doing. And right now, I don't care." She hurried away from him and he frowned after her.
"Evelyn, come back here!"
She felt a panic rise up in her when she spotted his car parked down the street from the Salvatore Building.
"No, no, no! Oh, Mr. S. Please be okay!" She parked in the driveway and sprinted for the door.
She opened the door almost cautiously, afraid of what she would find. She had known that Damon's taunts would get results. A fight. And she knew that it would end up with someone dead. Part of her wished it was someone else's death.
It was eerily silent. The only sound was the fire crackling in the living room. Slowly, she walked towards the open space. Then she froze.
Alaric Saltzman, the super-hot Indiana Jones like teacher, was lying on the rug, blood soaking his shirt.
"No!" She cried and ran into the living room, going to kneel next to Alaric. "No!"
She glanced up to see Damon sipping his drink, sitting in a chair like the sadistic villain he was. He had sat there and watched the man die.
"What did you do!?" She shrieked at him accusingly.
"He came at me with a stake."
She glanced back down, feeling sickened by the blood and also from the thought that he was dead.
"Mr. Saltzman." She shook him, but he didn't respond. He was truly gone. "Oh, god!" Her heart felt like it was breaking in two. "No!" Tears went down her cheeks and she looked down at the man sorrowfully. "No...Alaric..." She felt sick, scared, and angry at the same time.
Damon sipped his bourbon again, not paying much attention to the girl who was shaking all over.
"Guy annoying as hell."
He finally noticed she hadn't moved from her spot, staring at the blood staining the carpet.
"Eves."
"You killed him."
Suddenly, he felt the air thin. He looked back at the girl to notice that she was visibly shaking.
"Eves?"
She raised her hand at him and clenched her fist. He started choking and it felt as though something were crushing his windpipe. She stood slowly, tears going down her cheeks. Damon dropped his glass and grabbed at his throat, eyeing the girl in front of him.
"You killed him! I hate you! I hate you!" She screamed and moved her hand so that he was hovering in the air. She clenched her fist tighter. Damon grunted.
"Eves, come on." He choked out.
"Evelyn!" Stefan ran in and tried to stop her. "Evie, stop it."
"He killed him." She whispered. "I hate him."
"I know, but this isn't the way. Alaric wouldn't want this."
Her lower lip trembled, and she let her arm fall. Damon slammed the ground and sucked in air, rubbing his throat and rolling to his knees to cough.
"I can try. I can try." She muttered to herself and went back to the man, holding her hands above him. "I can heal him. I can" She tried her best, but nothing made him wake up. His lung healed, but he was still dead.
Stefan knelt next to her and put his hand over hers. "You can't help him now. He's gone."
"No! no, I can wake him! I can!" She shoved him away and concentrated. Blood trickled out of her nose from the effort. She was tired after healing him, she didn't have the energy to try to bring him back to life. She didn't have the ability too. All around her, papers were flying around the room like a tornado was inside the room. Objects shook from the force.
Damon was still in the floor, eyeing them both. Evie, more than Stefan. She was on the brink of losing it. And he had caused it.
Stefan grabbed her arms, tugging her away from the body. The wind stopped. "He's gone. Let it go, Evelyn. You can't help him."
"Shut up, Stefan!" She screamed and flung him back with a hand. He fell onto the couch and when Damon stood up, she held up her other hand and twisted it. His neck snapped.
When that was done, she shakily got to her feet and headed for the front door quickly, almost at a run.
Stefan rubbed his neck and followed her, giving his brother a glance. He'd be out for a little while; his neck was still healing.
"Evie."
He found her emptying her stomach in a nearby bush and sighed.
"Evelyn."
She turned around slowly. Blood was still coming out of her nose and he frowned. She blinked slowly and then collapsed.
"Evie!"
When Damon came to, he found Stefan hovering over him.
"Oh, damn..." He sat up and rubbed at his neck. "Where'd she go?"
"I took her home. She passed out in the yard."
He frowned. "Her nose never bled like that before."
"I think she was very upset."
Damon shrugged. "He came at me. I just told him the truth. He didn't want to hear it."
Stefan scowled. "You didn't have to kill him."
"Isobel came to me. And if she's related to Elena, then she must be related to Katherine. Maybe Katherine sent her to me."
"Stop it! You don't have to keep looking." He snapped at his brother, irritated.
"It can't be a coincidence that she sought me out."
Stefan rolled his eyes. "What about Evelyn?"
"What about her?" His brother asked, pausing in the doorway.
"Aren't you concerned about how this is going to affect her? You said yourself that her nose has never bled before when doing magic. What if something's wrong?"
Damon scowled. "I never asked her to come here. She made the decision to walk in! What did she expect to find!? It's her own damn fault for trying to heal a dead guy!" He stalked off, leaving Stefan to clean up the mess. He heard the front door slam shut.
The vampire jumped when Alaric breathed in sharply. Had Evie brought him back to life?
Damon peered inside Evie's window. He hadn't been able to resist checking in on her.
The girl was curled in a ball at the foot of her bed, staring at the wall. Bloody tissues were in the wastepaper basket near the bed.
There were tears in her eyes and she was clutching hard at a pillow, pressing it closer to her.
Her bedroom door opened and her grandmother came in, holding a cup of steaming tea.
"Drink this, sweetie. You'll be back to your old self after a good night's rest."
Othella stroked the girl's hair when Evelyn made no move to get the cup.
"Please, dear. Drink the tea."
"Why did my nose bleed?"
"You were overemotional and tried magic you shouldn't." She said and frowned lightly. "What exactly were you trying to do?"
"I couldn't do it." The girl whispered, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I tried to help him."
"You didn't try to save that man who got hit by that truck outside the Grill tonight, did you?" Othella asked and sighed when the girl shuddered. "Oh, Evie. Your powers don't work that way. You may have healed his injuries, but dead is dead."
Evie let out a sob and her grandmother hugged her. "I know it's hard to watch someone suffer. You want to ease their pain. You've worn yourself out tonight. It'll be a while before your powers come back to you. And you need the rest."
"My head hurts." She said. "So much."
"I know, dear. I know. Drink the tea, you'll be able to sleep."
Evelyn drained the cup and then settled back down to bed.
"Try to sleep now." Her grandmother kissed her cheek, covered her up with the comforter, and then turned out the lights. "Goodnight."
"Night." Evie replied and then sighed as her door was shut. After a moment, she sighed again, clutching at her pillow.
Damon watched her until she fell into a restless sleep and then he left, pondering deeply about the night's events and the choices he had made.
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