Chapter Eleven: What A Great Way To Start Off The Summer
3rd Person Pov
"What? What do you mean he's not coming back?" Caroline asked.
The gang had just found out that Stefan had left town with Klaus. Katherine had given them the news after she had, surprisingly, given the cure to Damon.
Elena is now with Damon. She felt bad for Damon. When she first heard the news about Damon, she felt bad for Stefan. Even though he and Damon never really got along, he was still his brother. Elena, on the other hand, felt different emotions for herself. Sad, regrets. He's dying and she knows it. She may not like Damon's tactics and his choices, and he may be a horrible person. A monster. But even he doesn't deserve to die. Not like this. But maybe there is a little part of her that does like him.
"You know, you should have met me in 1864, you would have liked me." Damon said, interrupting her thoughts as she is laying next to him.
"I like you now." Elena looked up at him. "Just the way you are" She whispered before she leaned in.
Their lips touched. So many thoughts are going through his head. Nevertheless he kissed her back. Her lips were soft and sweet but a little salty from her tears. There was a voice in Damon's head that told him this wasn't right. He knows who he loves and who he wants to be with. And that person isn't Elena. But Damon being Damon, he ignored it. Soon they let go and stared at each other.
"Thank you." He told her. "For being here." He closed his eyes.
"You're welcome." Elena softly smiled.
"Well, it me you should be thanking." A voice startled them, making Elena get out of bed and Damon to open his eyes. "I mean, I'm the one who brought the cure." Katherine said, showing them a vial of blood. "I thought you were dead." She said to Elena as she went over to Damon.
"I was." Elena replied.
"You got free." Damon said weakly as Katherine sat on his bed.
"Yep, finally." Katherine said before feeding Damon the cure.
"And you still came here." Damon said after he took the cure.
"I owe you one." Katherine caressed his cheek before leaving the bed.
"Where's Stefan?" Elena asked her.
"Are you sure you care?" Katherine asked.
"Where is he?" Elena asked her again.
"He's paying for this. He gave himself over to Klaus." Katherine told them. "I wouldn't expect him anytime soon." She added.
"What do you mean 'gave himself over'?" Elena asked.
"He just sacrificed everything to save his brother, including you." Katherine told her. "It's a good thing you have Damon to keep you company." She smirked at her doppelganger. "Goodbye, Elena." She walked off. "Oh, you may want to come clean about this little stunt to a certain blonde if you know what's best you for you." She told Damon. "You don't want to start off your relationship with a lie don't you?" She smirked before she vanished.
"So that's it? Stefan may or may not come back?" Bonnie asked.
"Looks that way." Elena replied.
"You okay?" Caroline asked her.
"I'll be fine." Elena lied.
Elena saw Katherine smirking at her. She knew what that was about. She knew Caroline still had some romantic feelings for Damon. It shouldn't matter anyway. She loves Stefan. She always will. What happened was a one time thing. They had a moment and it's over. It doesn't mean a thing. Nothing. Does it?
~A Week Later~
It has been a week since everyone heard the news of Stefan leaving with Klaus. It was definitely not the way everyone wanted to start off their summer. Nonetheless, everyone is off for the summer, leaving their worries behind.
Bonnie went to spend the summer with her dad. Although she cannot wait to get home to Mystic Falls. It's not like she doesn't like being with her dad, it's just, she thinks his side of the family it's weird. And that's saying something coming from a witch.
Jeremy started a summer off with a job at the grill. He's a busboy. Matt got him the job.
Jenna and Ric started their summer off in Jenna's bedroom. Well, their bedroom. Ric moved into the Gilbert Residence. He thinks it's best considering the whole sacrifice incident. Nevertheless, it seems like someone started their summer off with a bang.
Katherine and Alison started their summer off by traveling. And by traveling it means by tracking down Stefan themselves. So far they are doing a fantastic job. They haven't tried to rescue him but they have spotted him. Everywhere Klaus and Stefan went, they were there in the dark. Not the way Alison expected to start her summer off but where-ever her best friend went, she is there by her side. And plus she knows Katherine still had a thing for the younger Salvatore. And no doubt it goes the same for the younger Salvatore himself, even though he won't admit it.
Elena, on the other hand, instead of suntanning or going to the lake, like everyone else, started her summer off by tracking down Stefan, without knowing Katherine and Alison were doing the same but they are having better progress than she is. She had asked Damon for help but he would always tell her it's a deadend or if Stefan wanted to come home, he would be home by now, so she stopped asking him for help. Eventually she gave up looking for her boyfriend. Now she's just moping around, waiting for him to come back into her life and everything would be perfect again.
On that subject, the older Salvatore started his summer off by opening a bottle of Bourbon and on occasion he would bring home a lady or two from the grill and have his fun. But that happens only on days his kids are at their mom's.
Speaking of, Caroline didn't actually find a place for her and the Quadruplets, considering what everyone has been dealing with, when would she have the time? Anyway after her mom found out about her, Liz wanted to know her grandchildren. So they all live at Liz's place, or whenever they can. But usually they are over at the Boarding House when they aren't with their mom.
Speaking of parenting...co-parenting, Caroline and Damon had worked out their schedule of when they would get the kids. Caroline has them in the afternoon on Monday-Thursday. Damon has them in the morning on Monday-Friday. On Friday night-Sunday night, Caroline stays over at the Boarding House so they all could be together. I'm sure that would be done after Caroline graduates high school then they'll come up with a new schedule. For now this works. After her breakup with Matt, all her focus is on the kids. Her and Tyler are friends again but Caroline is confused with her feelings. Yes, she still has feelings for Damon but she's too angry at him for what she overheard that night. And there's Tyler. She has a little romantic feeling towards Tyler. It's not as big as she feels for Damon but she does feel something for him.
"Good morning." The raven stumbled into the kitchen to see the blonde at the table.
"It's 12 in the afternoon." The blonde told him not looking away from her phone.
"Huh, so it is." The raven chuckled to himself.
"There's some fried food in the fridge, if you'll like some." The blonde went up to put her dish in the sink.
The raven stumbled over to the fridge. He opened it and closed it a second after.
"Why the hell would you open it if you're not going to get anything out of it?" The blonde asked as she leaned against the counter eyeing his every move.
"I don't know." He made his way towards her.
He eyed her. He could tell she had come back from a run. Her blonde luscious locks up in a ponytail, she's in leggings and has a tank top on. Even looking like this, the woman standing in front of him is beautiful. He smirked, which the blonde noticed and wondered why he is smirking.
"What?" She asked him crossing her arms.
"Nothing." The raven replied. "It's um...it's just um…" Damon stuttered. "You're beautiful." Damon finally got the words out.
"Haha, you probably told those girls on your couch the exact same thing." Caroline told him.
"Yeah, but I didn't mean it with them." Damon told her.
"Mm-hmm right." Caroline said even though she could help but blush.
"I'm serious,Caroline." He pulled her closer to him.
He wrapped his arms around her waist. She had her hands on his chest. She could smell the alcohol and the girl he spent with the previous night on him. She almost wanted to gag at the smell of those two combined. She knew he had it rough since he heard the news. Even though she can't stand him at the moment, she still makes it her priority to check up on him at least once a day.
"Uh you should clean up and get those girls out of your house, I'm bringing the kids over later." She told him.
With that she left the boarding house and over to check up on her best friend.
Once Caroline arrived to the Gilbert residence she was greeted by the history teacher and the newly turned vamp.
"Hey Jenna, Ric." Caroline greeted them.
"Hey Caroline." They both greeted her.
"She still hasn't left her room." Jenna told her.
"Ok, I'll just go check on her then I'll be out of here." Caroline told them before making her ways upstairs.
"Hey Caroline." Jenna called.
Caroline turned to face the redhead.
"Please, just get her up." Jenna begged.
"I'll try." Caroline told her.
The blonde came into the brunette's room. Nothing changed the last time she came over to check up on her. She knew her friend hadn't been herself ever since Stefan left. She also knew that if she keeps on acting like this, it's not good for her health. So it's up to her to cheer her best friend up. She made her way over to the bed.
"Come on, Elena, you can't live your life like this. You have to get up and-"
"And what? Go on with my life?" The brunette asked.
"Yes, exactly that." Caroline told her.
"Caroline, I can't. Stefan is out there somewhere, with Klaus. He could be in danger." Elena pulled the cover over her.
"And what if he's not?" Caroline asked.
"Really Care? He's with Klaus. Of course he's in danger." Elena told her. "Now if you would please leave me to myself." She asked nicely.
"No." Caroline declined.
"No?" Elena asked.
"Yes, no I would not leave you to yourself." Caroline repeated. "Elena you can't keep laying under cover like the world is ending just because-"
"Just because what Care? Some guy?" Elena asked.
"Elena…" Caroline started to say.
"Please, Caroline. Just leave me alone." Elena said before covering herself under her sheets again.
"Fine but just so you know, laying under there won't help finding Stefan or bring him home." Caroline told her before she went away.
"Come on ladies, out. I'm having company later today." Damon told the ladies, getting them out of the house.
"Aww why can't we stay? Don't you want us to stay?" A redhead asked.
"Of course I do sweetheart but I can't. But I will see you soon." He told them before closing the door.
'Ok time to freshen up' He thought to himself.
He made his ways to his bathroom. He showered and refreshen himself. He made his way out his room but then something caught his eyes. He went over to his dresser and saw a picture. It was him and Stefan, in 1864, before Katherine came into their lives. It was taken right before he was shipped off to war. He had his arms around his little brother and they were both smiling.
Damon won't admit it nor show it but he cared for his baby brother. The real reason why he followed Stefan back to town was because he missed his brother. These couple months, their relationship had been better than ever. It's not completely restored but it's better. It's like before Katherine or Elena came into their lives. Just the Salvatore Brothers once again.
He can't take credit for it though. It's not like he was the one who put in the effort to better their relationship. Neither of them had.
"Where the hell are you Stefan?" He asked himself.
~New York, New York~
"That was fun wasn't it, mate?" Klaus asked before he dropped the limp body onto the floor.
"Why are we really here Klaus?" Stefan asked.
"Why is that important?" Klaus asked as he pulled another woman close to him. "Come on Rippah. I know you want it." Klaus took out a knife and sliced the side of her neck.
Stefan watches as the blood slides down her neck. He watches as Klaus bite into her. He tried to hold back. He really tried to. But seeing Klaus take her, he couldn't help it. Red veins pop out under his eyes and his fangs extracted from his gums. He vamp speed over to the woman and bit into the side of her neck.
"That's it, mate. The Rippah." Klaus smirked before he started to bite into her again.
Stefan pulled his head away from the woman. It was satisfying. Her blood tasted sweet. So so sweet. He wanted more. It doesn't matter anyway. Nothing matters anymore. He just needed it. He needed to feed fresh from the veins. Before he could dig back into the woman's neck, he saw a familiar figure by the window. At first he thought it was Elena. The figure became clear. Katherine.I t's Katherine. Why is she here? They looked at each other. It's almost like she's disappointed in him. Why would Katherine be disappointed in him for feeding from the vein? She's the one who wanted him to be his true self. A vampire. But the expression on her face said otherwise. Just by looking at her, he almost regretted what he had done. Almost.
End of Chapter