A/n: !!TRIGGER WARNING!! There's a mention of a suicide attempt at the beginning of this chapter. It's not explicit, but if you'd rather not see it, skip down to after the italicized "The rest of the world can burn up along with all the fucks I give."

*

Quiddity: def. the inherent nature or essence of something

Chapter 26: Deals Are Made, Consequences Are Paid.

I tried to kill myself once.

The darkest of thoughts consumed my mind after a few years of living here. I believed that my prior life must've been completely choked with karmic negativity because this was the most infernal existence ever.

I was taking care of toddler!Bons all the time, and it's unfortunate, but she wasn't much in the way of conversation back then. I saw her more as a chore that needed to be managed effectively along with my other ones. I felt completely alone, taking care of not only Bonnie, but also making sure Grams ate and drank water between her 'out' sessions.

In the other timeline, Grams seemed to be a much more reliable figure, someone that Bonnie could depend on when she was older. Bonnie needed her.

I'm going to guess that Grams had come to that conclusion at some point in the first timeline, after the realization that Bonnie wouldn't be able to live without her pulling it together, because she never did for us. There was an extra 'adult' there. I was self-sufficient by four, able to speak, walk, talk, cook, and bring Grams her whiskey. Not to mention, I watched Bons like a hawk, it was almost like having a built-in babysitter.

I was so alone those years.

And one night, when I was ten, I finally lost it when Bons failed her Science Fair project when we had spent over six hours on it last minute, the night before it was due. I downed three bottles of miscellaneous pills and went to sleep, hoping I wouldn't wake up in the arms of another mother.

Ten years.

I know I gloss by it a lot, pretending it wasn't a big deal to me, but it was. It wasn't easy for me to get here. I worked my ass off in those martial arts courses. I have hustled since day one to save the people I care about the most.

And then, one day, when I was eleven, Caroline Forbes asked me if I have ever been genuinely happy.

I didn't have an answer.

She pulled me out of that dark place. Caroline and Bons are the ones who got me to actually make 'friends' with people I had already considered friends. The ones who wanted to join the cheerleading squad in high school, and we four Mystic Falls vixens would run this stupid town. After graduation, we'd all travel the world together. It would be me, Caroline, and Bons together forever with occasional visits from Elena.

The thing is, it was the first purely happy thing I've ever wanted for myself. The only thing I've ever wanted. And I decided then and there that I would do anything and everything to achieve that dream, with or without Elena.

And if that was selfish of me, why should I care?

The rest of the world can burn up along with all the fucks I give.

So, as we all sat in the living room of that foreclosure, I held that dream tightly in my mind. A way of grounding; a way to not panic at the obvious change in plan. Because, Bonnie's horrified face at the idea of Elijah somehow knowing a past incarnation of mine isn't even close to how badly I'm freaking out about this.

"Dahlia?" I ask. Wait a second, isn't that the name of their aunt or whatever?

Yes, you wouldn't believe how much his mother hated me for it.

Oof, unfortunate. Does that have anything to do why we're reincarnating?

...

Radio silence.

Well. That can't be any good.

Oh, well. Things to panic over later on.

"What is the meaning of this, Katerina?" Elijah asks with a sharp turn to face her. The woman herself stood besides Isobel, arms crossed defensively and eyes giving away nothing. I had to admire the balls on Katherine Pierce: 'the baddest bitch of them all.' To not only get Elijah Mikaelson to come to you after evading him for 500 years, but to also have the backbone to stare him dead in the eye and make demands? It's the type of crazy that I can admire, because not only is it smart; it's brilliant.

She smiles coyly at him, batting her dark, mysterious eyes.

"It's a gift, Elijah. A peace offering. I was tired of running from you and your brother, thinking of ways to get out of it, when I remembered something a little birdie told me while you and Klaus tried to lure me in for the ritual. A little secret about your oh-so-elusive family beginnings— In particular, the name 'Dahlia', and how I'd never be able to take her place. Crazy, the things you find out when the little sister is jealous of you."

Rebekah talked about me? And what did she mean about that? Dahlia asks in my mind, and I mentally shrug, completely clueless. Elijah's stance stiffens further, his gaze intense and nearly angry.

"I see. And what else do you plan to offer for your freedom? You surely know that this isn't enough to atone for your running away," he eloquently speaks, adjusting his cuff links as he does so, and I know I'm pretty close to a panic attack, but that is hot.

"Easy," she replies, clasping her hands together as she saunters closer to him. "I have lots of little birdies out there, Elijah. Heard through the grapevine that you and Klaus are on the outs again. I'll help you kill him if you let me go."

They were obvious enough about it that she heard? Were they still fighting over the same thing?

Bonnie's hand squeezes in repetition twice on my hand, catching my attention and making me look at her through the corner of my eye.

"Let's go!" She mouths urgently, trying not to catch Isobel's attention.

I shake my head slightly but firmly. It was important that if Elijah was here early, everyone was informed on the Klaus situation promptly so that I could properly prepare for it.

And by that, I mean that I don't want Elena captaining our ship.

No offense to her, this has nothing to do with my personal opinion. It's the fact that Elena is too moral to be the one making the decisions here. She's actually too good of a person for the job. Elena Gilbert is a young girl who has just recently discovered that the world isn't such a nice place, and not everyone is a good person. However, because she's young, she thinks that 'not good' is the same as 'evil', and she judges her problems based on those beliefs. It's completely fine to think that way, but it's a bit simplistic when it comes to spooky politics.

None of the vampires that I have ever met or will ever meet (that I'm aware of) are who I'd classify as a good person, besides Caroline. Stefan's a ripper; Damon's a sadistic prick; Katherine is Katherine; Elijah doesn't care about murdering someone; Klaus is Klaus; Rebekah is a sadistic bitch; Kol is Kol; etc., etc.

So, we can't judge our sides based off of how 'good' one side is. The way things were looking, I was probably going to be assigning myself as squad ambassador, otherwise it'd be Bonnie. Caroline isn't a vampire, and until it's something she wants, I'll be defending her neck, so she's not applicable. Katherine wouldn't be good—Klaus would kill her. Elijah and Klaus clearly can't be in the same room at the moment. Elena's weak, Damon is going to be all weird about KitKat, and Stefan is Stefan.

So, up to the Bennett witches to save the day yet again. Maybe we could tag team it?

You're doing so well, Alessia, Loretta whispers in the back of my mind, and it's oddly comforting. Don't worry, soon you'll have all of us to help you.

All?

All is well, Alessia. Focus, they both whisper.

"And you believe that you'd be able to assist me in that endeavor? You've been running from him your entire existence," Elijah coldly analyzes, and I see the fox-like glint in Katherine's eyes sharpening.

"Yes, actually," she smirks darkly, secrets nearly dripping off her lips, "I've arranged the perfect scenario for you to be able to. I have the moonstone on its way here with a perfectly useable werewolf taking care of it, a Petrova doppelgänger sitting nice and pretty, and there's a little vampire in this town no one will miss that I can retrieve easily.

"Invite Klaus here. Trick him into coming. Let him think you've set up the ritual for him. That'll give us plenty of time to figure out how to get rid of him, or at least trap him until we can," Katherine says, like she's annoyed she has to spell it out for him.

"Wait a minute," Bons cuts in, making every person in the room turn to her, Isobel in particular looking rather unimpressed. "What does this have to do with us?"

Isobel's eyes harden, and I tense up as she turns more towards my sister, a darkly amused look on her face. She turns to look me in the eye, sensing my glare as she replies to Bons, "Children should remain quiet when the adults are speaking. We wouldn't want to hurt any of you."

Wait.

Wait, wait, wait.

Does this bitch think I'm scared of anyone in this damn room?

I arch a brow at her, not amused in the slightest. I might not have anything to take Elijah down, and Katherine might be able to escape, but I would at least kill four vampires in this room. Big question mark on who out of the seven, but Isobel can bet her ass she's gonna be one of them.

She raises hers in challenge, turning back to Bonnie, and I'm ready to go whenever. In fact, the moment one of her guys moves towards Jeremy, I'm on her.

"Ossox."

Several of Isobel's bones twist and snap painfully, making her collapse to the floor in pain. Screaming, she thrashes as the spell threads through several of her bones, shattering them into pieces over and over as her vampire body continues to try and heal the damage. Rolling my eyes at her caterwauling, I see that Bonnie has just magically snapped the neck of the vampire that ran after Jeremy.

Holy shit.

Bonnie's gaze is firm and unflinching; not nearly the look of shock I assumed she'd have at committing her first liable 'murder.'

Probably need to chat about that one, later.

I see Jeremy pull out the stake from his hoodie, twisting it tightly in his unpracticed grip nervously, and I'm just glad that I don't have to protect him at this very moment.

Isobel looks rather pathetic screaming on the floor as I look on with indifference, before I glance up at KitKat and Mr. Original. It's strange, Katherine doesn't move to save her lackey, watching her wriggle like a worm with nothing more than a look of slight annoyance.

Cocking my hand on my hip, I keep it up for another ten seconds before muttering, "Stallia," and letting the off-switch bitch tremble as her body heals, holding her gaze with mine.

"Let me make it abundantly clear. I don't give a fuck who you are or why we're here, but I think you've forgotten who you're talking to," I say, walking slowly around her, and I cheerfully realize that Katherine and Elijah are still being kind enough as to not interfere— instead, watching with keen interest.

"Allow me to introduce myself to the parties who are unaware; my name is Alessia Bennett. Co-captain of the Mystic Falls Spirit Squad, powerful witch, and all-around bitch," I drawl on, glancing down at my nails as Isobel starts to stand up. "And I was raised with the concept of respect being given when respect is earned."

I pause, tapping my forefinger on my chin thoughtfully as an idea strikes me.

Dwelling on the thought for a moment before deciding to roll with it, I kick Isobel hard in the stomach as she attempts to sit up, heeled toe curling painfully in her still-healing muscles. Walking away, I roll my eyes at how big of a baby Elena's mom was being.

I didn't even kick her that hard.

Katherine suddenly breaks out in a slow clap as her lackey starts to stand on her own two feet, looking rather like she caught something she wanted in her KitKat trap.

"Oh good, you're not boring. It'll make for a more fun working relationship," my eyes meet her dark ones, and she winks, making me involuntarily groan.

"Ugh, can't you guys just say what you want? I don't think any of us has all day. I'm like 99% sure Damon knows where this place is, anyway," I mutter off, irritated that I'm even here, that this is even my life.

"You make an excellent point, Alessia," Elijah says with a bit of forced effort. The thought is respected however, and I soften up a bit at him. Isn't his fault we're stuck here, anyway. "The reason you were all brought here is to extend a business arrangement. Your friend, Elena, is in grave danger from one of the oldest supernatural forces to exist. If you help us, I assure you that she will be under my protection."

"Who's after Elena?" Bonnie and Jeremy ask at the same time, concern etching their features. Bons looks at me, olive eyes terrified for her friend, and I internally roll my eyes that I'm going to have to really protect Elena over the next couple weeks.

Because if Elijah is here now, odds are Klaus will be in town for the next full moon. With or without Elijah's invitation.

Katherine decides to helpfully add, "Your little friend is another identical knot on the string of Petrovas through history that can be used to end his curse. If she dies, it gets broken, and this guy becomes the strongest supernatural creature on the planet. A hybrid."

Blinking in faux-surprise, I hear Bonnie gasp besides me, her probably realizing just how dangerous things were going to get, like the little genius she is.

"What exactly does that have to do with me and Bons?" I ask, crossing my arms a little bit at the chill from the air conditioning. If only they had grabbed my sweater that was on the float. Sigh.

"Well, essentially, Alessia, we require a powerful witch's assistance with luring him here," Elijah elaborates, walking forward through the room as he continues, "A witch is essential to breaking the curse. Therefore, it would be much more enticing to him if he knows that there's a practiced Bennett witch preparing to do help him do so in Mystic Falls."

Oh.

Well, he's not wrong, Dahlia whispers in my mind, Klaus is a paranoid man. He'll still be suspicious of Elijah's sudden change of opinion towards him, but decidedly less so if he knows that all of the ingredients to break his curse are in town.

Isn't it a bad idea to have all of the ingredients in town, though? Loretta chimes in, significantly louder than Dahlia.

She makes a good point, Dahlia decides after a moment. Klaus could easily take the ingredients if he just tells his brother that he didn't drop their siblings in the ocean, among many other things. He could very easily break his curse on his own and not give Elijah the chance.

True.

But, that's not my problem. The only thing I'm worried about is Bonnie making it through okay. Whether or not Elena dies isn't any of my concern, and I could give less than two shits about Klaus becoming a hybrid. Good on the guy, it must suck having a part of yourself locked away for a thousand years.

The question is: What could Alessia fuck up if she does something wrong as the witch participant?

Well, duh, obviously I'm not letting Bonnie do the spell. She's making great strides and I'd even consider her a prodigy in her own right, being fairly close to what I'd consider an intermediate witch after only a couple of weeks of training. However. She's very much a green witch, and she didn't have much practical experience. Bons is extremely gifted, but there's only so much you can do well based purely off of talent.

It takes practice, and I've had a lot of that.

Taking a glance at Bonnie, I can tell that she can tell exactly what I'm thinking. Glaring something fierce at me, she sharply shakes her head, looking warily around at the room full of vampires. But, my mind is already made up.

I'd have to play both sides of the fence to keep Bonnie safe. Fuck the consequences.

Smiling, I turn to Elijah and extend out my hand.

"Of course, I'll need some more details, but this Bennett witch is at your service. Even if it's for Elena Gilbert."

*

Numbers and contacts were exchanged briefly before the impromptu 'meeting' was over. The vampires all left the house, leaving me, Bons, and Jeremy to stand there briefly in silence.

That had been a little crazy.

The lights are on within the pristine foreclosed house, and I can't help but think the place feels very eerie without much sound. Or at least that's what I thought before Bons started yelling.

"What the hell were you thinking Alessia?!" She bellows, and I wince slightly at not only the volume, but the pure fury-fueled fire glowing bright in those olive eyes.

Raising my arms in mock-surrender I sheepishly smile, "It's fine, Bons. I'm the only seasoned Bennett we've got at the moment. Don't you want to save Elena?"

Smacking my arm, she glowers darkly at me. "We have no proof of what they're saying! One of them is Katherine. You know? The girl who manipulated and lied to Damon for like a hundred years?! They're lying."

Getting a bit annoyed at how stubborn she's being, I roll my eyes, snarking as I walk out of the living room, "And what if they're not, Bons? You're going to risk her life over a maybe?"

Turning to the door, Bons is hot on my heels as Jeremy follows behind awkwardly. We had a long walk home, and I was tired.

Bons, however, doesn't drop the subject for later.

"You can't just do stuff like that without talking to me, Lessy! We're family; families talk to each other!"

"Ours clearly doesn't, Bons! I'm pretty sure we're exempt." I bite out, and the moment I say it, I regret it.

Deep hurt marks Bonnie's face as she stops walking, and I quickly turn to apologize. "Bons, I— that wasn't what I—."

I'm cut off by the sound of cars pulling into the driveway. Spotting Damon's baby blue baby, I'm suddenly greeted to an eyeful of Damon himself in front of me. His eyes are wild, and angry, and I don't quite understand why, but he tugs me roughly into a hug.

Oh yeah, we were kidnapped. Ha.

My heart pounds when I realize that Damon's never actually hugged me before, making my face flush in an innocent way at the sudden contact. The hug is broken as quickly as it forms, Damon instead pulling away to look over me with the eye of a mother hen. "You good?" He asks, scanning my face deeply for any sign of damaged goods.

Nodding, I grimace inwardly that I have to be the one to tell him I'm working with his ex-girlfriend to save the girl who looks like his ex-girlfriend.

"Damon, we need to—," I'm cut off by a firm, familiar voice call from the opposite side of the car, the person getting out of the car quickly to look at me.

"Alessia Marie Bennett."

Blinking, I look at her, and a small part of me buried very deeply inside is happy to see her. It also explains the chills from earlier.

"Oh, joy. You brought Grams."

*

No one spoke as we drove Jeremy back home to Elena's waiting, and effectively doomed arms. No one spoke when we drove back to the boardinghouse after. Oh, no.

The shouting match started about ten minutes after, while I was in the middle of informing the Salvatores of my recent business relationship. Rolling my eyes as I take another sip of the sweet tea in my glass, I call out in-between Bons and Grams shouting, "It's not that big of a deal! You're all being irrational."

"Alessia," my Grams snaps, glaring at me from where she stood in front of the couch. "This is serious, child. Can't you be mature for once? This could be life or death!"

Bons stands across from her, hands clenched tight as she heatedly glowers at Grams. "Wonder where she got it from," she snaps, and I look up at her, offended.

"Hey!" I yell, mouth dropped open at just how rude that was.

Groaning, Damon moves from the spot he's been occupying against the far wall, walking forward to refill his glass. "Can't you do this in your living room? This isn't Jerry Springer."

"I'd love to," I say with a sickeningly sweet smile, crossing my legs primly, before glancing venomously at Grams, "If me and Bons had a living room. Speaking of which, Grams, how's empty-nesting? Does it feel strange this early?"

Grams looks like she wants to smack me right across my mouth, but she doesn't move; instead, she's content with trying to melt my brain with her glare. A few moments of silent ring. Well, almost silence. Stefan Salvatore sits at the other couch besides it's corner table, spinning a coin along its surface while staring deeply into the fireplace, brows deeply furrowed.

The sun has started to set, flooding the beautiful home with the lights of a spectacular sundown. Golds, reds, pinks, purples. Truly, I wish I was in a better mood to look at how pretty it is, but it just makes me more mad that I'm mad right now.

"Why are you even here, anyway?" Bonnie finally asks, crossing her arms defensively. "You said we were on our own."

Grams' dark eyes switch to a slightly passive, almost apologetic glint, frown marring her aging face. For a moment, for a split moment, I miss her. I miss how she used to smack my hand when I'd try to swipe brownie batter. I miss how she used to teach me how to deal with my thick, kinky hair. I miss everything that made her my Grams, flaws and all.

"I've come to regret what I said that night. You girls are my grand babies. I could never stop caring about you," she says quietly, looking earnestly at Bonnie and I.

Something about it pisses me off even more.

"That makes it even worse!" I snap, finally standing and yelling at her, and everyone looks at me slightly shocked. I was never one to yell in a fight, and I don't think I ever have in front of them. This was me at my most emotionally exhausted. "You left us there! You knew what it did to me and Bons when mom left! You knew! And you went and did it anyway, to hurt us."

Pausing, I realize that I have a tear already midway down my cheek. Wiping it off roughly, and frankly embarrassed at this weak show of emotion that I didn't authorize, I pull myself back together. Slowly changing my face back to its emotionless slate and sharp eyes, I fiercely stare her in the eye, daring her to say that I'm wrong. "And you have the nerve to call me 'immature?'"

"I know, I know, and I'm so sorry, Alessia, Bonnie," she replies earnestly, eyes watering. "I adore you both. I've put you both through so much and I'm so sorry, girls, but you know I'm sick. I'm getting help, and I'm getting my shit together. I did the tracking spell for the Salvatores, not only because I wanted to save you, but also because I want us to be a family again. Please."

I want my heart to stay hard, but it doesn't.

"Please, babies," she begs, extending her hands towards us warmly, and I just want her back. I want everything to be normal for ten fucking minutes. Tightening my jaw, I stay there when Bons breaks, rushing over to Grams' waiting arms.

I want it. So badly.

But is it a good idea..? I hear Lettie ask somewhere in my mind. Is now a good time?

Who cares?

And that's all it takes. I slowly walk over to Grams, who's holding a weeping Bonnie tightly in her arms, comforting her as she whispers in her ear and kisses her forehead. Her small, warm hand reaches down and grabs mine tightly, and I smile, knowing I made the right decision. Things would be much more easy to control from home base, anyway.

"Good riddance," Damon says, completely unenthused with our emotional harping. "Now, get out of my living room already and quit being noisy. I don't care if you leave, just shhh..." he finishes with exiting the room, and Bons smiles brightly at me.

"Let's go pack our things?" Bons asks, gesturing over to the stairs before glancing over her shoulder at the younger, pensive Salvatore. "No offense, Stefan, but I miss my bed," she says, and he just waves his hand at her in response, warm smile on his handsome face letting her know not to worry about it.

Smiling, I run upstairs to pack first, Bons yelling and quickly following behind. With both of our luggages, someone had to sit in the back of Damon's car with them, and that unlucky S.O.B. is whoever has their luggage in last.

*

I fold up my last pair of underwear, glancing around the now effectively empty guest room. It's a shame that I have to leave the lap of luxury, but this room was never my room. It didn't have my lava lamp, or my rose garden in the backyard; it just couldn't compete.

Hearing a quiet knock at the door, I glance up and see Stefan, who's green eyes were very serious.

"You need help with something, Stefano?" I ask lightly with a smile, in an excellent mood now that my familial karma was restored to its rightful place.

"Yes, actually," he replies lowly, looking at the ground rather than at me. "I was wondering if I could get your advice on something?"

Raising my eyebrow, I glance at the vampire again momentarily, then take a seat on the edge of the guest bed, patting the spot next to me.

Smiling wryly as he walks over, silly smirk on his face, I can't help but ask with a giggle, "Need another bedside talk, man? Two in a month is a little absurd."

He chuckles slightly, sitting besides me and making the bed dip slightly to the right. Then, he sighs, and the way it sounds.. it's just so tired.

"Alessia, have you ever been in love with someone?" Stefan starts off, and I can't help but wonder where the hell this is going.

I have, Lettie says.

Me, as well, Dahlia sighs dreamily. And isn't it lovely?

He wasn't asking you two.

"I don't know, honestly," I say quietly, playing with one of the silver rings on my fingers. "I've always thought that I might not be capable of loving someone. And before you get it in your head, no, it's not from the daddy issues. It's from Alessia issues."

Stefan's face then twists in confusion. "'Alessia issues?'"

Nodding, I glance up at Stefan and his pretty green eyes in a way that lets him know that I'm actually being serious with him. "Yeah, dude. Sometimes, I look at myself in the mirror, and I hate who I see. Not necessarily in a physical way, but I just don't like me in any variety of packaging. I don't really understand why anyone would willingly choose to keep all this, ya know?" I ask, gesturing to the grande hot mess that is Alessia Bennett.

Stefan's face is blank for a moment or two, forest green eyes wide and unblinking. There's a beat of silence, and then his entire handsome face morphs into something I'd expect if he was looking at someone who wasn't mentally well.

"What? Alessia," he pauses, almost seemingly frustrated. "Trust me. No one has ever had any trouble with not being able to love you. Everyone loves you."

Turning sharply to him, I see his pupils expand slightly when I glare at him, "That's not the same, Stefan. You know that. I know that. Loving someone is entirely different than being in love with someone. People love me because I make them feel better; I make them laugh. But no one's in love with me. I'm the weak comedy relief in my own romance movie."

Rolling his eyes, Stefan looks at me like I'm the idiot here.

"Alessia. Trust me. No, you're not," he says firmly, eyes meeting mine earnestly, and I once again fall down the forest green rabbit hole.

It's just like the parking lot after Mr. Tanner died. The air is thick and heady like lightning will zip through it any moment. My heart is pumping at a rate that has to be noticeable, and that fact makes me flush even brighter as his eyes bore into me. How does he even do that? Take your breath away and make you feel like the only girl in the world.

God, his eyes are mighty fine. Strong emerald ellipses with occasional flecks of amber and brown, giving them dimension, they were like wormholes attached to his head. They absorbed any and every thing in their path, and then if your gaze was caught in it, all you thought of was about how lovely they were.

The sudden rap against the door makes us both snap out of it, Stefan quickly standing from the side of the bed where we had been a lot closer than originally intended. Bonnie peaks her beautiful brown head in with a smile, not suspecting anything whatsoever.

"You almost ready to go, Lessy?" She asks, and I smile and nod in reply.

"Of course! Give me like five minutes."

She smiles again, closing back the door in place, and I let out a sigh of relief. That was close. What the hell was I thinking?! Quickly zipping up my luggage, I do that weird 'smile, not-smile' thing to Stefan awkwardly before bounding down the stairs and out the door to discover Bonnie's suitcase in the car already there. Huffing, I shove mine in the back and hop in the backseat, angry at myself.

Whatever the hell that was needs to stay the hell away from me.

*

Sharp pain.

That's all I feel, is a sharp, burning pain roaring through my chest.

My eyes open slowly, but everything is dark and blurry.

Where am I?

What's happening?

Coughing, I feel something wet and copper-y splat against my lips. My hands shake from the effort, but eventually, I'm able to raise my hand through the limited darkness to touch my lips. Pulling back, I freeze when I can barely see the deep ruby glint of blood.

My eyes adjust further. My room? Why was I in my room?

That's right. Grams. We went home with Grams. Why am I in pain?

Liquid makes me choke further as I try to breathe, and I taste something very sour at the back of my throat. The pain in my stomach sharpens again, and I reach forward to clutch it, but instead only feel hard plastic lodging outside my skin.

Blinking further, the darkness in my gaze recedes further, and I'm oddly enough reminded of when I was first born in this world. How ironic.

I can now fully see the black knife handle twisted into my gut, and I try to scream, but all that comes up his more coughs and gagging. I see a hand attached to the knife, and my eyes water heavily when I recognize it.

That small, wrinkly hand.

Grams stands above my bed, face blank, and eyes completely black. It's horrifying, and I wish I could scream when she twists the knife further into my stomach, but all there is is more blood to cough up.

Am I going to die?

Is Grams going to kill me?

Bons.

Who would take care of Bonnie?

Raising my bloodstained hands weakly as Grams lifts the knife once again, I feel tears run down my cheeks as I reach out to my grandma. "G-Grams.." I cough out, "P-please, no... Bonnie!..—!"

"Abomination," she whispers, face emotionless.

The knife twists once more in my stomach, and all I see is black.

*

A/n: I know you probably hate me for taking so long, but here it is! I know it's another cliffhanger, but every episode of Vampire Diaries ends on some sort of a cliffhanger, so I hope you'll be forgiving. I hope you enjoyed it, and sorry for how late it was, I started another book! It's a Klaus X OC called I'm Not Sure If I Even Like You.

Thanks for all of your likes and comments!

Happy Valentines!

*