Thanks for reviews, favs, and follows! *beam*
I was surprised there were so many readers who like this version of the story, to be honest. :)
And most of you were correct, the change was definitely Elena's eye color. xD (Of course, you will have to read to find out what color it was. :3)
Warning: I'm Deaf which means my English isn't perfect so~ *shrugs*
I don't own Vampire Diaries. None. Nope. Nada.
Enjoy! :D
Previously:
Mystic Falls
Hospital
Damon Salvatore quickly walks down the hallway while searching for Elena as fast as possible with worried and apprehension. He halted when he spotted a sleeping brunette girl on the bed. Damon instantly dart inside the room and checked over the teenager. He was relief that she looks physically safe.
From corner of his eyes, he noticed the tubes in her arm which he gently pulled it out and frowned at the tube that was pumping out her blood. He shakes his head, removed the tube away from Elena and leaned over with concerned.
The brunette furrowed her eyebrows as she shifted her head. Damon opened his mouth. "Hey…" he reached his hand to her cheek. "Elena…" he attempts to wake her up, want her to open her eyes.
After a minute or two, Elena fluttered her eyelashes open to reveal her eyes to Damon who stared at her in astonished, disbelieved and shocked.
"What the hell?"
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..
…
ENDANGERED
Chapter Two
"Altered"
…
..
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Salvatore Boarding House
Later…
Damon pours the alcohol in the glass cup while glances over to Elena who is staring at her hands on her lap quietly. She hasn't spoken one word yet the entire time when Damon carried her, took her in a car, and drove in his home. The older Salvatore brother had attempted to prop her for answers for a while, but it was useless. So, he ended up calling Bonnie and told her to come since she needed to check over Elena.
He went over to Elena, sat down on the couch as the brunette is sitting on an overstuffed chair while staring at her hands. "Hey, have some bourbon. It'll help you forget." Elena just shakes her head when Damon offered the glass of scotch.
Damon sighed heavily and held it close to her. He lowered his head to look at her face, but it was futile since her hair covered her face like curtains.
After a moment or two, the knocking heard which Damon assumed the petite witch had arrived. He stood up and immediately went to the entrance door. He opened and stared at Bonnie who looked worried. "You said there's something wrong with Elena?" Bonnie step inside and down the hallway before Damon shut the door.
"Yeah. And she has not said a word." The dark-haired vampire informed the tiny witch.
When Bonnie walked into the living room, she made a beeline to her best friend and bend down in front of Elena. "Elena… please look at me. It's Bonnie." Bonnie reached her best friend's hands and gently squeeze them comfortably.
Elena unhurriedly lifted her head and stared at Bonnie's concern green eyes. The petite witch gasped as her eyes widen. "Y-your eyes…" she trailed off in shock while Damon shakes his head with disbelief.
The brunette eyes are no longer warm chocolate-brown.
Bonnie is staring at the beautiful shade of bright honey-crystal orbs.
"Do you think it had something to do with that Original spell or something?" Damon speaks up while eyeing Elena.
"I-I don't know…" Bonnie shakes her head. "Elena, do you know why your eyes look different?" she asked, hope that it will help her with this situation.
Elena lined her lips. She knew why her eyes are now a different color, she had seen the view mirror in the car. She was stunned and amazed by it. Elena couldn't help but missed her own brown eyes, however, she is starting to warm up with beautiful new color because it's her own color. It belongs to her. It was a gift from her ancestor. And it would separate her and Katherine. Finally.
She wanted to tell them about her meeting with Tatia but she was startled when her intuition poked her. No. No tell. Don't. Not safe. Not yet. No. No. Elena blinked in surprise and wondered this is the first gift that her ancestor granted her. Elena recalled that Tatia's words that her intuition will never fail her. So, Elena decided to trust it and so, she shakes her head in response.
"I see…" Bonnie sighed with furrowed eyebrows. "…then I will look up in my grimoire. Who knows, there might be answers in it."
"Answers to what?" a familiar voice speaks out as all heads turned to Stefan who is leaning against a pillar at the edge of the room with her arms crossed. Damon turned around with caution while Bonnie gets up on her feet warily. Elena turned her head and stared at Stefan.
The vampire ex-boyfriend might happen to be her blood-relative. Elena grimaced at the thought of how much she kissed him, had sex with him a couple of times, and how intimated they both been together in a relationship. She shuddered with disgust and slightly nauseous. 'And I'm not the only one who experienced disturbing trauma.' She felt sympathy for her ancestors.
Stefan shoves himself away from the pillar into the room to the drink table. He grabbed a clean glass and pour himself a drink. "Anyone wants to tell me?" he raises his eyebrow as he glanced at Damon, Bonnie, and Elena. He paused when he saw her eyes. "…aren't your eyes brown?" he pointed it out, indifferently.
Damon and Bonnie glanced at each other then the witch crossed her arms. "I'm not sure why Elena's eyes looked like that. I just need to check in my grimoire and hopefully, I can find answers." Bonnie explained, calmly.
"Hmm…" Stefan hummed while observed Elena's blank face with unusual eyes.
The older Salvatore cleared his throat. "What are you doing here?"
"Last I checked, I lived here." The younger Salvatore glanced at his brother while lifted his glass to his lips. "Klaus is gone, but he asked me to keep watch on you—" he pointed his index finger at Elena with a quick glance. "—until he returns." He sips his alcohol calmly. "From now on, you're under my protection."
Elena frowned at him. She doesn't know if she trusts him because his emotions were completely shut off. She felt angry at Klaus for hurting Stefan and upset for Stefan. Elena missed the old Stefan, the vampire who never hurts anyone and always tries his best to protect innocents. She knew she loved him, despite that she still feels awkward and disgusted because they could be blood-related.
Stefan sipped another drink from the glass while Damon and Bonnie are eyeing the young Salvatore. "As long as there is no problem for Elena. Then we're all good." He steps back and raises his glass. "Carry on." He turned around and left the room.
"His humanity really was shut off." Bonnie muttered in disbelief, warily, and shocked. She turned around and stared at Elena with concern. "Are you okay?" she knew how much her best friend loves Stefan.
The brunette just nodded her head. 'No… but I will be.' She mused, quietly.
Damon steps up and holding the necklace with worried. "I stole it back." Elena stared at the necklace for a moment. Take it. Hold it. Elena reached the necklace and grabbed it from Damon's hand not unkindly. "Come on, let me take you home." Be careful. Be careful.
Elena shifted her newly honey-crystal eyes to Bonnie with pleading. Luckily, Bonnie caught it right away and turned to Damon with a lifted chin. "I'll take her home." The older Salvatore stared at Bonnie blankly then step back with surrendered hands indifferently.
Bonnie helps Elena to her feet, and they walked out of the building to the car. Once Bonnie is behind the wheel and Elena on the passenger seat. "Are you okay, Elena?" Bonnie stared at her brunette best friend with worried.
"…I will be." Elena whispered softly as she leaned her head against the window while staring at the view mirror. Her honey-crystal eyes shine by the moonlight. She couldn't help but admired the lovely color and it's rather fitting for her face.
For the first time, she is staring at herself instead of thinking of Katherine or Tatia.
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Gilbert Residence
Elena's Bedroom
Next Morning…
Elena's mind was chaos for the rest of the night. From all the information that Tatia informed her along with her experiences in her short period of life in the supernatural world. Her feeling is mixtures of all kind, both positive and negative. The brunette doesn't know what to do as she is completely confused, overwhelmed, and anxious.
The alarm goes off as it interrupted her mused and her gaze snapped at the digital clock on her nightstand. It was five-fifteen in the morning. She reached over and turned it off. Elena shoves her duvet away from her body in her usual pajama; tank top and shorts short. Elena climbed out of her bed to her vanity and stared at the mirror. She tilted her head at the bite scars that never fade away, not even the vampire blood heal it. She was lucky enough that Stefan's bites on her neck were healed when she drank Damon's blood. However, the bite scars from him never heal. The brunette touch the bite scars lightly and the image of— Klaus holding her from behind, lips on her neck, and fangs emerged and sank in— she shut her eyes and attempted to push it back in her mind.
Elena picked up the concealer and covers it out of habit. Then she starts her quick morning routine and changed her clothes to a black camisole, black calf-length leggings, a black sports sweater, and dark grey sneakers. She pulled up her hair in a high ponytail messily as she leaves her bedroom.
Her honey-crystal eyes lit up when she saw Alaric walking slowly toward the downstairs. "Good morning." The man just held up a hand while his other hand rubbing his forehead as if he seems to be having a hangover. Elena couldn't help but concerned for the hunter and her stand-in guardian as she followed him downstairs.
They head to the kitchen, Elena leaned against the back of the chair with her arms folded on top while she raises her eyebrow with slightly amused. Alaric auto-moves as his eyes is half-way open when he prepares for coffee. It took a few minutes for him to finally grabbed his mug, filled in coffee, and drank it all. He refilled it again and turned around.
The hunter blinked few times and frowned at Elena. "…your eyes." He didn't remember her having such unique eyes.
"I don't know how that happened. Bonnie is looking into it." Elena answered with slightly guilty for lying but she decided to follow her intuition. After all, there is a reason why her ancestor grants her that kind of ability. Besides, look at Katherine, her ancestor-vampire managed to escape from death many, many times.
Alaric hummed then sipped his coffee quietly.
"Ready?" Elena asked, curious after the hunter finished his coffee. Alaric stared at his empty mug for a moment then refilled it. Early morning with a hangover is not the best for him, especially that he promised to train Elena.
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.
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Woods
Later…
Thirty minutes in teaching Elena about how to fight against the vampires while Alaric gestures at the worn-out mannequin. He steps up to it and demonstrated with stake a vampire with a sleeve and two stakes in it. Alaric step back and pointed at it. "So the pressure of your punch ejects the stakes."
Elena adjusted the sleeve with mini stakes and step forward. "Easy enough." She rubbed her hands while stared at the mannequin. She tried to stab it, but the stakes stay in the sleeve. Elena frowned at it and tried it again, but it was a failure. No. Not strong. No. No. More strong. Her intuition poked her.
Her honey-crystal narrowed her eyes at the mannequin with thought. She rolled her shoulders back, feet spread, elbows in, and hit with her fist as hard as possible and jerked back. One of the stakes is in the stomach but the other stake is in her sleeve.
"Huh… not bad." The hunter praised her with impressment. "Not stronger but definitely have power enough to harm the vampire for a minute until it decided to rip your head off."
Elena turned her head to Alaric with a face. "Thanks for not sugar-coating it." She sarcastically said.
The hunter walks few feet away to the bag on the ground, he took an object from it and held it up to her. "You know what this is?" a tube with chemicals inside that Elena recognized it.
"A vervain grenade. I've used one before." She answered, casually.
Alaric nodded his head as he glanced at the grenade and at her. "Then you know the element of surprise—" he pulled the pin out of the grenade. "—is your only advantage when it comes to a vampire."
The hunter tosses it in Elena's hand as her intuition poking her nonstop. Throw. Throw. Throw. Throw. Elena instantly threw it in the air as far as possible from them. A second or two, it exploded.
"Nice reflexes." Alaric was impressed by Elena's quick act. "I did have my doubts about you when you asked me to train you. I know that Stefan hurt you. I know you don't want to go through a situation where you are helpless and scare. I understand that." Elena stared at him quietly. "You have shown me that you are serious about this, that you want to do this."
The brunette sighed. "Of course I do. I want to get stronger, smarter, and faster. I want to be able to protect myself. I'm tired of people risking their life for me. I don't want them to fight for me, Ric. I want to fight for myself." She said, strongly as she recalled how helpless and scared Tatia was when Elijah drank her blood, and how angry and sad when she explained that she was murdered. Not only that, Katherine runs for her life for five hundred years, always looking over her shoulders. They haven't fight. They ended up died and run.
Not Elena. She will not die nor run.
She will fight for her own battles.
Alaric watches how serious and determined to brighten up in her newly honey-crystal eyes. He found himself admired and confident in his step-daughter. "Good. I believe in you and I know that you can do pretty much anything. After all, you found a way to get out of the bed this morning." He half-smile at her proudly. "Now, let's continue…"
Elena's lips twitch with a small smile as her heart swell happily. 'Believe in me, huh?' it was nice, to have someone believe in her.
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.
.
Mystic Falls
High School
Elena is standing in the middle with Caroline on her left and Bonnie on her right. Caroline saw her eyes when she picked her up from her house. She complimented and admired Elena's eyes. Even mention that now it's easier to tell which apart between Doppelgangers. Bonnie also informed Elena that she couldn't find any information about it. Elena assured her that it was fine.
And now, they are standing in the parking lots while staring at the school building. They are finally seniors now. "Here we are. Senior year." Caroline said, cheerily.
"Anyone else thinks it should feel slightly more empowering?" Bonnie speaks up with a frown.
The blonde-haired vampire sighed. "Okay, so prank night was a bust. But we are accepting it, and we are moving on." Caroline attempted to be positive with a smile.
"You're right." Bonnie nodded her head and glanced at her two best friends. "I mean, why should I let the fact that my boyfriend is seeing the ghost of his dead girlfriends hinder this experience." She said, dryly as the three girls start sauntered through the parking lots.
Caroline beamed. "Yes! And why should I let the fact that my boyfriend was turned into a hybrid put a damper on an otherwise fabulous day."
Elena halted when she realized that today was the day she met Stefan. One year. "Today's our anniversary." She blurted it out as a witch and a vampire paused and turned to her. "Technically, Stefan and I met on the first day of school last year."
"Yeah. You win." Caroline made a face.
Bonnie frowned with concern. "Are you sure you want to be here?"
The brunette stared at her two best friends carefully. Her intuition nudges her softly. Safe. Trust. Love. Warm. Happy. Not alone. Safe. A slow smile appeared on her face. She may be overwhelmed, confused, and uncomfortable with the thoughts about Stefan and Damon. But at least she wasn't alone. She has two best friends who will always have her back. "Yeah. I have to be here. I want to be here. With you guys." They looked surprised. "I want to put it all past behind me and move forward. New year. New life. With my two best friends."
Bonnie and Caroline were pleasantly surprised, but they were proud as big smiles appeared on their faces. Elena steps forward and loops her arms in her best friends' arms. "Now, let take a step forward as seniors and enjoy our last year of high school."
"I totally agreed!" Caroline squealed with excitement while Bonnie nodded her head happily.
Three best friends walking toward the school building.
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Once they arrived inside the school, they separated in a different direction to head their lockers and prepare for their first class on their return first day of school. Elena ambled down the corridor in the direction of where her locker is located. Her phone chime which she took out her purse and saw the caller ID.
Elena's lips firmly together. She wasn't really comfortable being around the Salvatore brothers yet after she learned the truth. It was very awkward and rather disturbing that she had intimated with two brothers who could've been her blood relative. She shivered with disgust while walking down the hallway. She noticed she missed the call and briefly wondered if she let it go.
However, the stubborn Salvatore called her again, so she answered. "Yeah?" she reached her locker.
"You might not want to come here for a while." Elena isn't planning to, anyway. "We have a new housemate. Barbie Klaus." The brunette paused after she unlocked her locker and opened it.
"Rebekah?" Elena placed her bag inside the locker slowly as she recalled how scared the girl was when she saw her father abused her brother. And how angry she was when Tatia was fooling around with her two brothers, causes trouble for her family. "She's living with you now? Why?"
"She's stranded. Apparently, Klaus left her in the dust after I name-dropped Mikael." Elena shivered in horror when she heard the name. She never thought she would be hearing that name. She thought the man was dead. Her ancestor never mentions anything about Mikael, so she assumed the abuser was long dead. Elena wondered if there's more story to it.
"W-where did you hear that name?" Elena shut the locker and leaned against it on her back while clutching her phone.
"…I was away for a moment and learned about this guy when I tried to find a way to kill Klaus." The brunette closed her eyes. "Uh, I gotta go. A certain brother of mine seems to be—uh messy and I'm gonna have clean up." Damon hangs up hurriedly and Elena lowered her phone and stare at it confused.
Elena shakes her head and puts her phone in her pocket. She noticed her best friend puts up a flyer on the wall which says: "Spirit Squad Back-to-school Bonfire" which she has forgotten about it. She stander toward it with a fond smile. "I forgot about the bonfire."
Caroline whirled around with wide eyes. "You have to go. It's our first spirit squad event. And it sets the bar for the whole year." She begged her brunette best friend who smiles softly at her.
"Relax, Caroline." Elena assured the blonde-haired vampire. "I'll be there."
Caroline smiles with relief. "Thank you. It's just that—" suddenly Tyler arrived and kisses the blonde-haired beauty.
Elena raises her eyebrow at the show as she steps back. She glanced around with a clear throat. She waited for a moment until Tyler breaks the kiss and beamed at his girlfriend happily. "Happy first day!" he declared.
The brunette shakes her head while Caroline touches her lip with confusion. However, her honey-crystal eyes spotted something on Tyler's shirt. "Is that blood?"
"Oh my God!" Caroline muttered in shock then grabbed Tyler to the boys' restroom as fast as possible while Elena keeping her eyes out while following them in.
Elena immediately checked out the stalls to make sure no one is there while Caroline scolded her boyfriend. "Vampire one-oh-one, don't wear your breakfast to school!" she hit Tyler's shoulder not unkindly.
"Chill out. It was just a blood bag." The first Hybrid explained, calmly.
The brunette walked to them and listened quietly to her best friend and the boyfriend discussing. "From where?" Caroline asked, warily.
"Rebekah hooked me up." Elena and Caroline were surprised to hear that.
"Rebekah? And what are you even talking to her for?" Caroline asked, suspicious.
Tyler adjusted the strap of his backpack over his shoulder. "Klaus told her to keep a watch on me. Protect his new asset."
Elena narrowed her eyes at Tyler with thoughtful. True. True. It seems that her intuition could tell someone who is telling the truth. Good to know.
"His what?" Caroline snapped with bewildered. "Why are you amused by this?"
Tyler stared at her with curiosity. "I'm his first successful hybrid, Caroline." He doesn't understand why his girlfriend isn't happy for him. "Don't you think that's the tiniest bit awesome?"
"Oh, wow!" the blonde-haired beauty scoffed with disbelief while Elena quietly went to the machine and popped out the paper towels. "I cannot believe you just said that." Caroline shakes her head.
Elena cleared her throat. "I'm going to go." She hands the paper towels to Caroline who grabbed them not unkindly while staring at Tyler. "Good luck." Tyler glanced at her but paused when he saw her unusual eyes.
"Wait—Elena!" Elena paused by the door and turned her head over her shoulder at Tyler with confusion. Caroline crossed her arms exasperatedly as she slightly impatiently waiting. "Your eyes…" Tyler trailed off, confused and curious.
The brunette just smiles. "It's a mystery." She answered, simply then left the bathroom.
Elena glanced around while she heard the school bell rang. She walked down the corridor to her history class and greeted her guardian/step-father with a smile. Alaric smiles back and waited for all the students to arrive in his class.
Elena sat down in her seat and saw Caroline walking in with a relaxed face. She sat down next to her and they exchange smiles.
"You're in my seat." A voice speaks up near her as the brunette turned her head and saw Stefan which surprised her. Careful. Careful. Careful. Elena raises her guard up when Stefan saw her and smiles at her. He sat down next to her and greeted her with faux-cheerily. "Hey you!"
Elena narrowed her eyes at him warily. "What are you doing here?" she hisses.
"What do you mean?" Stefan raises his eyebrow at her. "I'm going back to school. Go Timberwolves." He mockingly said.
Caroline snorts softly as she frowned at Stefan.
Lies. Lies. Careful. Careful. Elena straightens up her spine with a disapproved frown. She didn't realize that people could lie to her so convincingly easily. The Doppelganger doesn't like this one bit. "Lair." Elena blunted, which surprised Caroline and Stefan.
Stefan stared at her then huffed with amusement. "Klaus wants me to keep an eye on you." Truth. Truth. "I'm just doing what I'm told."
Elena eyeing at him then jerk her head and turned her gaze to the history teacher who written 'AP AMERICAN HISTORY' on the blackboard in chalk. Alaric turned around and smiles politely at his students. "Welcome back, seniors. Let's turn our brain back on, starting with this country's original founders… the Native Americans." Before he could open his mouth, a feminine speak heard through the class.
"What about the Vikings?" Rebekah strolled in with a confident smile and takes a seat in front of Elena who was surprised to see the Original.
Alaric just smiles. "There's no evidence that Viking explorers actually settled in the United States." He explained professionally then observed Rebekah carefully. "Who are you?"
"My name's Rebekah. I'm new. And history's my favorite subject." The blonde-haired Original said, happily.
Elena and Caroline glanced at each other while Stefan just sighed.
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Later…
Elena has been running on the running track for half an hour while contemplative about her gifts from her ancestor. So far, her intuition seems to give her 'voice' to inform her about the possible danger, the truth and lies, and cautions. She didn't realize that her intuition would voice out so many people around her. She briefly wondered why her intuition wants her to be careful around the Salvatore brothers—besides the fact they might be her blood-relatives— she feels like there are more reasons to it. And the other gift which she has grown to love with her honey-crystal color, even though many people double-check and ask about her eyes.
The brunette mused was snapped out of it when her intuition pokes her. Careful. Careful. She glanced around and saw Stefan jogging up to her. Elena rolls her eyes as her shoulders stiff. "What do you want Stefan?"
Stefan raises his eyebrow at her. "I just want to keep you company. Is that wrong of me?" Elena just scoffed in skeptical. "You going to the bonfire tonight? Sounds like fun, right?"
"Seriously, Stefan. Please leave me alone." Elena turns around and runs in the opposite direction however, Stefan runs backward with her gracefully.
"You think I'm annoying now? Wait till homecoming. Hey, who are you bringing, by the way? I don't want to be weird."
Right. Right. Right. Right. Elena shifted to right while running as she avoids bumping the guy who just nods at her.
Elena continues to ignore Stefan, but it was useless, so she stopped and glares at Stefan with suspicion. "What do you want, Stefan?" she demanded while her chest heaving up and down. She has been running nonstop for a while.
"I'm the guy who's been assigned to protect a human blood bag. I mean, no offense or anything." The young Salvatore explains, offhandedly.
The brunette Doppelganger narrowed her eyes at him. "You are… very different." Stefan just shrugged his shoulders. Elena wondered if there's a way for him to be back to normal. No. Gone. Gone. Her heart sank. 'But the compulsion… if it breaks, he could come back.' Elena started to come up with a plan however, her intuition pokes her. Never return. Gone. Forever. "…what's happens if the compulsion breaks?" she blurted it out.
Stefan placed his hands on his waist with thinking. "Well—from what I know, if it breaks, then I just still be me, but more freedom." The young Salvatore simply explained.
"…it had to be your choice to whether you won't turn your humanity back on?" Stefan just shrugged with an annoying smile on his face. Elena rolled her eyes and turned around to walk away. If Stefan won't answer her then she will just ask someone else.
There's no way she is going to ask Damon. Forget that. She knew Caroline won't be able to answer her. And there is one available vampire in town she knew she could ask.
Rebekah.
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Mystic Falls
High School
Bonfire
Night…
Elena sauntered through the crowds of students and took out her phone from her pocket when she got the new message. She glanced at it then ignores it when she got another text message from Damon. The brunette doesn't want to deal with the older Salvatore, so she tucked her phone away. Her honey-crystal eyes glanced around with hope to spot a certain Original.
After a minute or so, her gaze found Rebekah who is drinking beer from the red cup while Stefan is talking to her. Elena made a beeline to them with unexpected confidence. "Excuse me." Elena arrived, picked up an empty red cup, and fill some beer in it.
"Elena, hi." Stefan greeted the Doppelganger with faux-smile. "What are you doing?" he is eyeing her and the beer in her hand.
Elena rolls her eyes at him then turned her attention to Rebekah who raises her eyebrow while drinking her beer. "I would like to talk with you, if that's okay?"
The blonde-haired vampire lowered her cup with a blank face. "What?"
"Alone, preferably. Away from this blood addict." Elena sent her faux-smile at Stefan who just looked amused.
Rebekah glanced at the two of them quietly then shrugged her shoulders. "Alright." Elena led Rebekah away from Stefan who just hummed with neutral-interested.
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.
.
After a moment, Elena and Rebekah sat on the logs, near the campfire while holding their beers. "What is it that you want to talk." Rebekah said, straight to the point while twirling the red cup with boredom.
"…can you tell me about how the whole compulsion and humanity works?" Elena asked politely as her intuition voiced out that she had to be polite and respect the Original.
Rebekah lifted her blue eyes from the fireplace to Elena with a thoughtful face. "You are asking if Stefan's compulsion break and have his humanity turn back on." She stated, knowing which Elena couldn't help but impressed with the Original's intelligence.
"Yeah." Elena nods her head.
"That depends. If his compulsion breaks off… his humanity won't return unless it triggers him." Rebekah explained, nonchalantly.
The brunette furrowed her eyebrows with confusion. "…can you please tell me about this humanity stuff? I don't understand it."
The Original studied the Doppelganger quietly then sipped her beer. "I am in a pleasant mood since you ask me so politely unlike those trollops' ancestors of yours." Rebekah said with a sneer and finished her beer. Elena was glad that she followed her intuition since something tells her that threatening this ancestor vampire or even a hint of disrespect wouldn't provide her an easy answer. Plus, it helps that she recalled seeing the human-Rebekah from her ancestor's memories.
"Humanity switch. It could be turned off however, not all emotions are blank." Rebekah set the red cup down next to her feet and cross her legs. Elena turned her body to her with attention. "As you know, vampires' feelings and emotions are heightened— pain to agony, sadness to depression, happiness to elation, and more. However, if humanity is turned off… then they become numbs to positive emotions. They became carefree and remorseless about their actions and impervious to guilty and conscience turning them into shamelessly calculating killers."
Elena carefully takes the information processing her mind. "Have you…" she trailed off, wondering if a thousand-year-old vampire turned off her humanity.
"No." Rebekah shakes her head as her gaze is on the fireplace while ignores the chatters, laughter, and noises from the distance. "Just my brothers."
The brunette raises her eyebrow in surprise. "Wait, Elijah and Klaus?" she shouldn't be too surprised about Klaus' emotions turned off—but Elijah?
"No and yes." Rebekah shifted her gaze to Elena. "What are they doing?" she tipped her head at the nearby area where other students gathered around with sticks and marshmallows.
Elena blinked by a sudden change of subject. Her honey-crystal eyes glanced over and hummed with understanding. "They are making s'mores." She answered.
"What the bloody hell is s'mores?" Rebekah muttered, confused.
The Doppelganger just stared at her in surprise. "You haven't tried it before?"
"No. I was daggered in a box for ninety years." The blonde-haired vampire defensive snapped.
The brunette could feel how irritated, awkward, and sullen that she has missed many decades inside the box. Her heart pulls empathically for her. "Here… let me show you how to make it." Elena set her half-filled beer red cup down on the ground, stood up, and grabbed few supplies while Rebekah was taken aback but watched her silently.
Elena returns with two sharp sticks and a bag of marshmallows, a pack of graham crackers, and Hershey's chocolate bar. The Original watch the doppelganger opened the packet and place a marshmallow in a sharp end of a stick. "Alright. The first step, we toast our marshmallow." Elena demonstrated to the blonde-haired vampire how to toast the fluffy treat by the fire.
The blonde-haired vampire followed with confusion. "I don't get it. Why?"
"So we can put our marshmallow in between two graham crackers with a chocolate bar." Elena explained happily. "It's basically a sandwich treat. And it's amazingly delicious."
Rebekah glanced at the brunette with curiosity. "You made it sounds like it was… the best thing ever to you."
"Ah…" Elena carefully twirling the stick around while watching her marshmallow toasting by the fire. "My mom taught me this when I was a little girl. I think I was like—six or seven? She called it Smile S'more. I was upset that day—I don't remember why but I knew that I was really sad. When my mom noticed that I was upset, she decided to teach me how to make Smile S'more. She taught me how to make my very own first sandwich." The brunette chuckled softly when she recalled how she made a huge mess. "I was such a messy little kid back then, sticky with white gooey along with melting chocolate and broken crackers. My mom laughed so much, and I couldn't help but laugh too." Elena smiles fondly as her eyes brighten up by the fire while Rebekah smiles with longing and sadness. "It was delicious. The best sandwich ever. And my mom looked at me, pointed at my face, and said… hey, there's your smile."
Rebekah giggled. "Your mom sounds like a very delightful person. She cheered you up when you were upset."
Elena nodded her head then pulled up the stick with the toasted marshmallow. She glanced over to the Original's whose marshmallow on fire. "Blow that out." Elena instructed the blonde-haired vampire who obeyed and frowned deeply at the black burnt marshmallow.
"How horrible." The doppelganger snorted at the vampire's comment.
"Don't be fool by it." Elena showed her friend to tear the burnt outer layer of the marshmallow of hers. "It's white fluffy gooey." She also took out two crackers and handed them to her friend. "Now, a chocolate bar on the cracker… then you placed it between the crackers and slide it out." The brunette showed her friend how to make a s'more properly.
After a moment, the girls got their sandwiches made. "And now we got our Smile S'more. Bon appetite." Elena took a bite from it and Rebekah eats it.
"Wow… this is really good." The blonde-haired vampire approved the treat.
Elena chews her food while nodded her head with a delighted smile. "It is." She agreed while half cover her mouth. Rebekah smiles and continues to finish her treat. "There's a smile." The Doppelganger pointed it out which made the blonde-haired vampire chuckled.
"I was not upset but—" Rebekah licks the melted chocolate from her fingers. "—thank you for teaching me. And telling me your story. I can tell that you really missed your mother."
The brunette doppelganger lowered her sandwich to her lap while her gaze stared at the fire. "I do miss her." She really does miss her mom and she was surprised that she didn't feel so guilty about it anymore. Of course, she wants her mom back but somehow… she felt better talking about her with Rebekah which is strange.
"…Elijah had turned off his humanity once but that was centuries ago." Rebekah decided to explain while Elena turned her gaze to her with surprise but attentive. "Nik and Kol never flip their humanity back on. They are special cases."
Elena frowned with confusion. "Who's Kol?"
"My brother. I have four older brothers." Rebekah clarified while Elena inwardly disbelieved at the thought of five Originals on this Earth. "Klaus is a Hybrid—" Elena held her sarcastic tongue as she knew since Klaus drained her blood to break his curse. "—and Kol lost his magic so it was hard for him."
"Magic?" Elena speaks up with interest.
Rebekah nods her head. "Yeah." She grabbed another marshmallow and toast it near the fire. "My mother was a witch. We all have magic. But Kol was a warlock, an excellent one. Very smart. But he lost his magic and turned off his humanity. And things became… bloodbath." She shakes her head. "It's a long story."
"I believe you." Elena assured the blonde-haired vampire as her intuition gently pokes her. Long. History. Long. True.
Rebekah hummed with a smile. "…I got to ask… I do not remember seeing your eyes that color." She tilted her head, carefully examined.
Elena just shrugged her shoulders while finished her sandwich. But the Original continues. "It suits you. Easy to separate you from other doppelgangers." Elena's heart swell, thank you Tatia as she mentally sends because she really doesn't want to be mistaken by Katherine or Tatia. "…and you are decent." Rebekah said with a smirk.
"…you aren't bad for an Original vampire." Elena commented with a soft smile much to Rebekah's pleased surprised.
Elena Gilbert would never think that she gets along with Rebekah Mikaelson.
And her intuition encourages her to.
