Chapter 5: I will always pick you first.

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'Act normally.'

'He can't know we know about him.'

'No big deal, we knew this day was coming, right?'

I can't believe I said that to Caroline less than three hours ago. I was actually a big ball of nerves. Literally a mess. Especially since my French class, and guess who was there? Stefan freaking Salvatore.

I mean, the guy was a vampire, no? He was as old as dirt, he should've had the time to learn French before, right?

The bell rang, and I put my stuff in my bag, faster than I had ever done before. Thankfully, the guy was too focused on Elena to notice that I was trying to be as far from him as possible.

I had my next class with Caroline, and we agreed to meet up by her locker. I found her there, talking with Dana, a girl from our History class.

"Hey, Dana, ready for Tanner?"

"Oh, God, no, who is ready for a class with him, really?" She rolled her eyes and I chuckled.

Contrary to the majority of Mystic Falls' student population, I didn't really hate Tanner. I mean, the guy was a prick, but I found it amusing how he never sugarcoated any of his thoughts.

That being said, I hate having classes with him and totally think the guy never should've become a teacher. He sucked.

"No one, Dana, no one. We all dread these moments, like Gryffindor dread Snape's classes."

She laughed, "well, girls, I'll be on my way, I need to grab my books. Hope the paper helps, Caroline. Bye, Claire."

"You need to stop the Harry Potter reference, Claire. You will scare away any boys who want to date you."

I smiled, of course, everything turned around boys with my sister.

"If he can't stand a reference or two, I'm so not gonna date him," I replied, sticking out my tongue. "Paper?" I ask with a curious look in the direction where Dana left.

She took a paper out of her bag, "Dana works at the students' desk, so I asked her to find me a copy of Salvatore's file."

I blink, startled, I had forgotten about him for the time of the conversation. "Care, you—"

"You know me," she cut me. "I need to know everything about the new hot guy in school." She said with a smile, but her eyes were telling me that it was totally something she would have done. Even if we were not in the current situation. And I knew she was right.

"You're incorrigible," I smiled. "But you're my little sister, so I love you anyway."

"Aww, I knew that. Who, in their right mind, doesn't love me?"


I parked Caroline's car in front of the house. She gave it to me after class, choosing to go to the Grill with Bonnie. I wasn't in the mood for people right now, and I definitely wasn't in the mood for the discussion the girls will certainly have about Salvatore.

I closed the car and made my way to the door when I noticed that Mom's cruiser was on the street. That was odd, she usually worked at that hour.

I found her standing in the living room, wearing her Sheriff's uniform and a worried expression on her face, looking at the TV. "Mom? I thought you worked tonight…"

She turned toward me, surprised, shoving her right hand in a bag on the table. Trying, but failing, to hide the journal she was holding.

Caroline and I had read those journals months ago, they were from our ancestors, and about vampires.

I looked at the TV, turned on the news channel, and talked about the death of Darren Malloy and Brooke Fenton in an 'animal attack'. Oh, the Council was already suspicious?

"Claire? Didn't you go to the Grill with your sister?" She asked, turning off the news.

"I wasn't in the mood for people right now. I think I will just take a shower and call Enzo," I said with a tired smile.

"Where is he now? Spain, right?" She asked, grabbing the sports bag from the table.

"Yes, for one more week, I think. You're… going back to work?" I asked, a little disappointed, but not really surprised.

"Yes, I have to work, I just needed something here," she looked at me for a second. "I'm sorry Claire, I…"

I let the silence lengthen as I waited for her to finish her sentence, but she didn't. "It's okay, Mom, I'm not surprised."

I could see that my response hurt her, but there was nothing I could say—would say—to change that. Dad left almost a year ago and she was still processing it. I understand that, but we were her daughters, Dad left us, too. We needed our mother and she chose her work over us. I could live with that, I was used to it, but not Caroline, despite all her denial.

I made my way to my room without adding anything and, five minutes later, I heard the front door closing.


Two hours and a shower later, I grabbed my computer and sat down on my bed, in pajamas, to skype Enzo. He took his time to answer, and I used it to dry my hair.

"Hey, Gorgeous, how was your first day at school?" His voice was sleepy and I suddenly remembered the time difference.

"Oh my, you were sleeping? I'm so sorry! I can call back later if-"

"Don't worry, Gorgeous, I don't need much sleep anyway," he said, looking at me through the screen with narrowed eyes. "But you, you seem preoccupied, what's in your mind?"

I sighed, preparing myself for the coming discussion. "Remember when I said that Ann saw some things that will happen, in Mystic Falls, in the future?" He nodded and I let myself fall back on my pillows, bringing my computer with me. "Everything began when two vampires, two brothers came to town, and one of them was at my school that morning and the other will probably be here in no time."

"I'll be there in two days."

"No!" I almost scream, getting up and nearly breaking my computer in the process. "Enzo, you can't be in Mystic Falls right now, okay? The Council is on the edge, two people have died already, I can't risk them finding out about you. And... " I trailed off, not sure how I could say the rest.

"And what Claire?" He sounded nervous.

"Look, I don't recall everything Ann told me about your captivity, but… Enzo… The brothers, it's… It's Damon and Stefan Salvatore." I looked at him while all sorts of expressions crossed his face until determination settled.

"You can't expect me not to come, Claire! This man, you can't trust him," he said, closing his eyes for a second, and when he opened them again, I could see how much he was troubled. "You freed me from them, you saved me, I owe you everything. I need to come and protect you from him, Claire."

"No, you need to stay alive. If there is something I know about the Salvatores, it's that they will do anything to protect themselves, or what they consider as theirs. They wouldn't hesitate before denouncing you to the council." I looked at him with pleading eyes. "Please, Enzo, you'll have the opportunity for your revenge, I promise, but… Please, not now, give me just a little time before coming back."

He looked above the camera for a minute, his jaw clenched, before talking again. "How are Caroline and Liz?"

I sighed with a little smile, relieved, I knew he wouldn't let the subject drop completely yet, but at least he wasn't going to buy a plane ticket as soon as we cut the call. "They're fine. Mom still works day and night but we're used to it, now."

We talked for twenty more minutes, and I could sense that he wasn't pleased to stay away from Mystic Falls. I cut the call knowing that he needed some time to digest the news.

I sighed, again, looking at the windows. That's it, I was officially into a TV show.


Caroline came home with take-out while I was doing my homework in the kitchen. I stood to help her set the food on the table. "How were Bonnie and Elena?"

She didn't look up from the bag she was emptying when she answered. "They were okay. Elena came with Stefan." She sat and grabbed her box to eat.

I waited for her to continue, there was no way she hadn't more to say, but she didn't. "What's up, Caroline? Are you okay?"

She finally looked at me with a sad smile at the corner of her mouth. "It's stupid, really," she sighed, playing with her food. "It's Stefan… I wanted to see if he would be interested in me, you know? But he was so into Elena… And he was so rude about it— I asked him if he was coming to the party tomorrow, and you know what he did?" She put her hair behind her ear, annoyed. "He asked Elena if she was coming. I get it, it's always about Elena; she's perfect, she doesn't even try to be but… It's okay, I'm inappropriate, I know that. I'm not like her. Everyone picks her… she is Elena. It's always about Elena…"

I looked at Caroline with surprise, since when my little sister felt like that?

"It's not." She stopped playing with her food to look at me. "It's not always about her, Caroline. Everything I ever did, ever, was about you. You are my little sister. I will always pick you first." I got around the table and grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look at me in the eyes. "You deserve the world, Caroline. And, one day, someone would see it, and they would pick you first. You are not inappropriate, you're you, and if they can't see how wonderful it is, they don't deserve your love."

She hugged me tightly as soon as I finished.

"Thank you, Claire," she whispered. "I think I needed to hear that."

"Anytime, little sis, anytime."


"You know that I'm at this stupid party because of you, right?" I looked at Caroline with a glare, grabbing a beer. It's frightening how underage drinking was easy in this town.

"I know, it's because you love me!" Her eyes suddenly looked at something behind me. "Look like Stefan is here."

I turned to look at him, "I thought his opinion doesn't matter anymore?"

She smiled at me with mischief, "oh, it doesn't. But that doesn't mean I will let him flirt with Elena so easily."

"You're incorrigible. And remember, he doesn't deserve you."

She kissed my cheek and made her way to the poor guy. I'm almost sorry for him.

I sat in a corner, talking to some of my classmates, but I wasn't really a sociable girl and they didn't stay long with me. Caroline came back ten minutes later, a pout on her lips.

"That's not even funny, the guy disappeared as soon as I turned around!" Her offended face was too funny and I laughed at her, causing her to smack me on the arm.

"Don't be like that, you know it's funny!" I teased her with a smile.

"You're so troublesome, Claire! Come on, let's dance!" She grabbed my hand and pulled me into the dancefloor to dance with her.

I had to admit, that was fun. So, of course, something bad happened. We turned toward the woods, from where Elena and Jeremy were coming, screaming for help. "Oh my God, It's Vicki!"

Matt ran toward his sister when the information finally caught up, and I turned toward the last place I saw Salvatore. He looked shocked and walked quickly out of the crowd.

Soon Vicki was taken to the hospital and Caroline and I got in Bonnie's car—she was the one who drove us here.

"Do you want me to pass by the Grill? She needs a coffee to get sober, no?" She looked at Caroline, whose head was on my shoulder.

"No it's okay, thank you, take us home directly. Don't worry, even if Mom is still awake I will cover for her."

When we got home, Mom wasn't even there. Still working, I guess.

"Can I sleep with you tonight?" Caroline asked while I took off my shoes.

"Of course," I wasn't even looking at her, but I knew she hadn't finished talking.

"Do you— Do you think it was Stefan?"

I looked up, honestly surprised by her question. "Vicki?" I asked, and she nodded. "I… don't think so? He looked surprised and… Ann mentioned something about not controlling himself when he drinks human blood. She would be dead if it was Stefan. No, I rather think that— I think Damon is in town."

And what a terrifying thought it was.


I was sitting on the couch with a cup of tea between my hands when Caroline entered the living room.

"There was another, Care. 'Animal' attack, I mean. They found two dead campers this morning."

"So… It's official. He is in town too…"

"I don't want you at less than five feet from him, Care."

"I will try," she said with a chuckle.

"I'm serious Caroline, I don't want him to use you. Did you take your vervain?"

"It's in there," she showed me her coffee. "And in there," she grabbed her necklace. She looked at me and I was sure she could see how much I was worried. "I'll be okay, Claire. Come on, we have to go. Oh, and you remember that we have to give out the programs, after school?"

"Oh my, you're a despot, Care, you know that?"


"Caroline?" I asked with worry when I saw her wandering around the Place. "Sorry, Dana, I have to go see what's up with her."

"It's okay, Claire. See you tomorrow."

I waved at her and walked to Care, who was looking around her with a frown. "What's wrong? I can't let you alone for five minutes?" I joked, but I didn't like the expression on her face.

She rolled her eyes, "it's just Vicki, Jeremy can't find her and Matt is worried now. Did you know Vicki slept with Jeremy?"

"Yes, that was pretty obvious. The kid has been walking behind her like a lost puppy since this summer. Where is the last place she was seen?"

"The Grill, I think. She works there so she-" She looked down at her phone when he beeped. "Nevermind, they found her, they're at the Grill," she told me, grabbing my hand and walking us there.

"Who found her?" I asked, curious.

"Bonnie says it's Stefan," he replied, opening the door.

I suddenly stopped in the middle of the Grill, looking at Matt who was making another bandage around Vicki's neck.

"Care…" She looked toward me curiously. "Stefan found her…. Without her bandage…"

"Yea-... No… You think... His br-... He was…" She trailed off as Stefan entered the Grill, too. We shared a look before sitting at Bonnie's table.

"Hey, Bonnie. How is your Grams?"

"Hey, Claire! Still as drunk as usual but-" She was cut by Stefan.

"Uhm, have you guys seen Elena?" He asked, he looked nervous, probably about what his brother could have done to her.

I shook my head but Bonnie answered, "I think she went home," she looked at the poor guy's disappointed face and added. "I'm gonna give you Elena's cell number, and her email," she said, writing down the information. "She is big on texting, and you can tell her I said so."

She held out her hand and he grabbed the paper, and Bonnie suddenly froze for a second.

"You ok?" Stefan asked.

"What happened to you?" She whispered, before realizing what she said, she shook her head. "That's so rude. I'm sorry. Excuse me," she stood up and almost ran in the direction of the restrooms.

"Yeah, she kind of wigs out. It's like... her thing." Caroline said awkwardly, with a smile toward Stefan. When Stefan was out of the Grill, she turned toward me. "That was one of her witchy stuff?"

"I don't really know, I think so… Even if she doesn't believe her, her Grams is telling her she is a witch, maybe it's because her powers are activating?" I shrugged. "Go start the car, I will see how she is, okay?"

She nodded and we stood. I found Bonnie at one of the sinks, filling her hands with water to wet her face. "Bonnie? You okay?"

She jumped and looked toward me, a hand on her heart. "God, Claire, you scared me," she shook her head and turned off the water. "I'm fine, thanks. I just had this… feeling when I touched him."

"What feeling, Bonnie?"

She looked in my eyes through the mirror with concern, "It's stupid but… It's just how I imagine… He felt like… Like death." Then she smiled nervously and shook her head. "I'm probably just drunk, that's okay! Don't worry, I'll just go home now."

"Yeah… Okay…" I looked at her, wondering what I could add, before just waving goodbye and turning on my heels, taking the parking's direction.

I almost had a heart attack when I got there to find Damon Salvatore flirting with my sister.

"Caroline?" I almost-screamed and walked quickly toward them.

"Claire!" She smiled at me with her future-Miss-Mystic-Falls-smile, "This is Damon, he's Stefan's brother! He didn't tell me he has a brother! Did he tell you?"

"I didn't talk much with him, so no, he didn't," I turned toward Damon. "Nice to meet you, Damon. What did you want with my sister."

"He wanted a date tonight but, honestly, with all that stuff with Vicki, I'm not really in the mood, sorry Damon."

"No worries, it's okay…" He looked between us, puzzled, and his eyes landed on our necklaces. "Nice necklaces, by the way. They're... Identical..."

I grabbed mine with my left hand. "It's a present from our Mom, the Sheriff, something about an heirloom of the Forbes or something." I smiled politely at him, letting him know that we were the Sheriff's daughters and from a Founders' Family. If he hadn't already known, of course.

"Well, ladies, I think it's time for me to leave," he tilted his head toward us and took the Grill's direction.

When the door closed behind him I grabbed Caroline's hand but didn't dare to say a word, fearing that he was listening. We got in the car and made our way to our house silently.

"He tried to flirt with me the old way first," she began when she parked in front of the house. "And when I didn't respond the way he wanted, he tried to compel me to 'go together to your house'. I was telling him that I wasn't interested when you got there. I was… I was terrified, Claire."

"I'm sorry I wasn't here, Caroline. I'm so sorry," I clutched her hand as hard as I could. "But I'll not let him hurt you, okay? I'll never let him hurt you. I promise."


A/N: So, we're in the first few episodes... What do you think? For now, we stay pretty close from canon but things change in two or three chapters max, I promise!

Thank you to the Guest(s) for the reviews, to sam for reviewing almost every chapter and to fairytalesfantasies for your review (I tried to reply but your pm are disabled).

Thanks again to WinchesterGurl1967 who beta'ed the chapter!

Stay at home when you can, wash your hands, I hope you stay safe!

XxxX Miss Dragonish