"But these words people threw around - humans, monsters, heroes, villains - to Victor it was all just a matter of semantics. Someone could call themselves a hero and still walk around killing dozens. Someone else could be labeled a villain for trying to stop them. Plenty of humans were monstrous, and plenty of monsters knew how to play at being human."

~Vicious~

xXx

Marcella probably contemplated the consequences of her actions less often that what would be acceptable. Than she should have. Her father's arrival in Mystic Falls obviously wasn't derailed by how much the tracks had changed because of her influence. It's her fault, in the long run, that she's in the position. She shouldn't have gotten so careless. So thoughtless. Well at least, she thinks a bit sardonically, at least he hadn't grabbed Caroline.

Herself and Damon had done everything in their power to keep Caroline's transition a secret. To ensure her sister's safety. As she had always done. So perhaps there was at least a little good to this situation.

"You're awfully quiet." Her father speaks, for the first time in a while. Not what he'd been expecting she assumed. A piece of her couldn't help but to wonder what he had been expecting. What he assumed he'd see. What he had wanted of her.

Perhaps she wasn't quite the monster he had decided that she was. The idea alone seemed like a frivolous thought, ideal but unlikely.

All though, it wasn't like she currently cared what he thought. Or that it even would've mattered. Marcella had a rather complicated relationship with the man in question and she was well past the point of needing his approval. She raises her brow, despite the pain she felt, the burns on her skin, the hunger in her veins, she still managed to look resigned. Dignified.

She wouldn't let someone like him break her. Not this time. Never again. Marcella pushed an air of haulty confidence onto her tongue as she spoke, pushed away the stinging of her lips from the movement. The time to be a demure daddy's girl was over, now all she could be was herself.

"What did you expect? You know that I have nothing to say to you." That she hadn't said before, that would matter. That could change his mind. Make his see differently.

William Forbes believed all vampires to be monsters. He would only see what he wanted to see. Even if that meant putting his baby girl into the same category. In that moment, she was no longer his daughter. She hadn't been for a long time.

He was nothing more than a biological donnor. A giver of genes. But he wasn't her father. Her father coveted her very existence, was the one who breathed life into her very being, held her soul carefully, gently in his hands. Her father was Chaos and he'd never hurt her like this mere mortal had.

Bill Forbes was nothing but an insect when compared to Chaos. Just another insignificant spec in the universe. He could never compare.

"So you won't even try to dispute it then. You really have become a monster." At his words, something in her snapped.

Marcella laughed. Hysterically, inside all the pain she felt and it hit her. She no longer cared. Just like that a switch had flipped, her lips curled up in a dangerous grin. If he wanted her to be a monster than who was she to deny him.

It wasn't like she actually had to stay here. Stay bound. These confinement wouldn't hold her if she really wanted to leave. Now it seemed she'd humored him too long.

Her fingers curled into a fist knuckles turning white from the pressure. She could give him a monster. Just one pesky inebriator in the way to rid herself of, just one step. Marcella could do it, afterall caring only seemed to keep hurting her. It would be so easy.

It doesn't come to that point. Not yet.

The door of the dungeon cell flew open. Both of their heads snapped up in anticipation. Marcella expected her knight, his rage, his vigor, Damon would be determined to save her. She expected her partner, her king, his wrath, Kol would never let someone get away with harming her. It wasn't in his nature to just let go.

That was her. She was the kind balm, the forgiveness, the control over their chaotic extremes. But she didn't think she would this time. But to her surprise, who has come for her is not what either of them had been expecting.

Her rook and her bishop. Her solace and peace of mind. The best pieces and parts of her human life. Her best friend, her fiercest advocator.

It brought about a very good question though. When had her mother realized the truth? When had she figured it out?

Elizabeth Forbes stood with her eldest daughter the face of righteous fury etched across her face. A mother scorned. "You shouldn't be here Liz." Bill starts to say but is met by a single warning shot. The scolding bullet implants just at his feet he takes a jolting step back.

"Step away from my daughter." Liz commands, her very presence displaying the authority she had. Caroline flashed over to where her sister was tied, the younger girl's daylight ring nowhere is sight. Bill looked even further appalled. When had? How had? Impossible.

He'd only gotten the reports of his youngest. Of her strange erratic behavior.

"So… this is what happens when I leave, you let both of our daughters get turned into monsters." He sneered at his ex-wife a look of disgust over his whole face. Liz's eyes harden, as they drift over to both of her girls. She had once felt that way and she prayed that someday they would forgive her for those thoughts. The sheriff couldn't even begin to imagine a world where both of her daughters were dead.

At least this way she still got to keep both of them. Vampire or not they were still her girls. Still Caroline and Marcella. "The only monster here is you Bill. Caroline take Marcella home." Caroline doesn't have to be told twice and is gone before Bill can blink.

Liz doesn't holster her gun, she doesn't lower it. She starred her ex-husband straight on. If he dared move she'd shoot him. "You've lost your mind Elizabeth. They're monsters and you've just let them get away."

"Some advice William, if I were you I'd get as far away from Mystic Falls while you still can." Because Liz knew two very pissed off vampires who wouldn't hesitate to rip her ex-husband to shreds and she did not want to have to deal with that. She finally holsters her gun before walking away.

She needed to check on her baby girl. It had been too long since she'd done a good job at being a mother. That had to change.

…

She pulled the fluffy cover over her shoulders, burying herself deep within it's comfort. The emotional toll of the last twenty-four hours finally hitting her. Never in the entire time she'd been a vampire had she ever considered. Marcella had always thought herself above such impulsive thoughts, such childish desires. Further back she pushed herself into the pillows trying to clear her head.

Her mother and Caroline we're leaving her alone for the moment. It was apparent to them that she needed space. She'd gotten a call from her boys as they were still together checking in on her, Marcella didn't ask where they were or why they hadn't been the two to find her. It didn't matter. Not like she could blame anyone but herself for getting caught in the first place. Besides she knew that neither Kol or Damon would be letting Bill leave Mystic Falls alive.

So she didn't ask. Because she really didn't want to know. Plausible deniability if either Caroline or her mother ever asked.

Marcella brought her knees to her chest tucking her chin between them. She finally stopped to contemplate her actions. Her choices. Everything she's done since she's been here. Befriending Damon, meeting Niklaus, becoming a vampire, killing Katherine. All of it. Every last little detail, piece of the puzzle.

What could she have done better? Differently? How had they ended up here? In this gray area where things weren't right but they weren't so wrong either.

Maybe she really was a monster…

No.. That wasn't it. She shook her head, she knew better. Psychotic, a sociopath, sure… most definitely. But she wasn't a monster. Real monsters didn't care as much as she did. Her eyes widened, as she realized, that the real problem wasn't what she'd done. No the real problem was how much she really cared.

It occurred to her then, that caring had served as no advantage to her lately. Caring kept hurting her. It kept letting her down, taking her kindness for granted, her warnings as folly.

Marcella sat up straight. She let the blanket fall from her shoulders, pushed the rest of the cover from her body as she stood. The realization hit her hard.

If she didn't care so much, everything that had happened wouldn't have hurt this bad. Losing Niklaus' faith, his friendship. Turning her back to the rest of the original's who refused to listen to her. Refused her kindness, her advice. Marcella only wanted them to be safe, protected. It's what she's always wanted for her extended family.

She cared too much. She wished she hadn't.

The daughter of Chaos realized, that what she wanted then. What she wanted now was a part of her she'd tried to ignore. The selfish part she never wanted to come to light, the truth.

What she wanted was to not care at all. She wanted to be free of the harmful emotion. This human sentimentality that she held onto. Perhaps she wasn't a monster but in the end she wasn't human anymore either.

Maybe it was time to start acting like it.

Marcella stood quietly, she made her bed, folded and set the blanket at the edge. Every step deliberate, careful. She changed clothes ignoring the soft shades of pastel in her closet, deep hues of darkness wrapped around her being. Grabbed her purse, the flat iron, and the cameo choker Kol had given her after dying. A beautiful vintage piece of jewelry that doubled as daylight protection to replace the ring she'd lost.

Niklaus' ring, the gift he'd given her after the turn. She put all of it behind her as she applied a bit a eyeliner. Then she left. Through the window, quiet as a mouse. Marcella didn't won't to be followed.

Where she was going, she wanted to go alone. This was something she had to do for herself. It was time to stop being so controlled. So careful.

She didn't care anymore. Now she was going to be something other than just kind. Something less caring, less controlling, something more damning.

Now, now she would be selfish.

She would become the monster they tried to make her be all along.

XOXOX

I've put a lot of thought in how I wanted this to go, the path I want Marcella to take. I've considered her character from the very beginning to now, from human to vampire and it became clear to me that this was what needed to happen next. Because of my firm belief that good and evil/black and white aren't as simple as that this is what has to happen now.

Marcella has been nothing but kind this whole time, yes there are those she has been less than kind to but she's never been spiteful, never vindictive and were about to see those traits come to light. Because kindness once taken for granted turns a heart cold.

So a forewarning, if you thought things were about to get fluffy and fun then I sad to say that you are going to be dissapointed. Light thinks it travels the fastest but wherever it goes it discovers that darkness got there first.

Thank you so much for reading!

I hope that you liked this chapter and the ones to come!

A big thanks to all of you who have continued to read and review your support means the world to me!

Sincerely, La'Rae