VII : I have questions

"So, it's true? The Lockwoods are not aware that there are tunnels under their properties."

"It's true." Ric nodded as I accelerated to overtake Elena with a deep sense of discomfort.

I hated to hide that kind of thing from Felix and I hated going to a cavern. It reminded me too much of the dreams plaguing my mind all summer long. Even more so when I recognized the cavern into which we were currently sinking a little more with each step. It was the cave in which the villagers of Milana village and the Mikaelson gathered during the nights of full moons to protect themselves from the threat posed by the werewolves of the time. Not that Ric or Elena knew that.

I shook my head at my own thoughts before accelerating the pace behind Alaric by intentionally containing me to exceed him since I knew this place as my pocket.

"You know Ric, when you offered me this job as an assistant, I didn't think it would involve trips to a cave." I said with slight sarcasm as I kept a hold on my flashlight to move forward in the darkness.

I could see Ric bend his head with a breath in agreement as he kept the head of our little procession. "If it reassures you, it was not what I had in mind when I offered you to accompany me to my class. And keep your lamp down, the bats hate the light."

I did just that blowing under my breath before rolling my eyes stopping as Elena's voice panicked behind us at the mere mention of small critters.

"Seriously?" I said impatiently since I was impatient to see this place again. "You live with vampires. Bats are the last of your worries."

However, a murmur suddenly echoed around us, just letting out a more boring eyebrow than anything else as my sister spun on her feet in a jolt just to light up Damon's satisfied face.

Elena immediately hit the vampire after lowering her flashlight. "It's not funny, Damon."

I immediately rolled my eyes deciding to just leave them to their useless discussion as I passed Alaric.

"Wha-Mila." I heard the professor calling after me as I entered a new opening before his distant voice made my eyes roll. "Would you mind speeding up? My student apparently took the lead on this tour."

I drowned their voices by habit just as I raised my lamp a little higher towards the opening before leaving a strange smile on my lips as I ventured into the cave with a totally fascinated expression. I could not believe I was really in this place after more than a thousand years. I had dreamed so much of this place. It was almost unreal to find myself again between the walls of this cave after so many years. I could also feel Milana fidgeting inside me just in the simple atmosphere around me.

Without losing a second, I stuck the flashlight between my lips as I rushed on the drawings engraving in the stone with a deep sense of nostalgia and sadness.

"What ... hey, can we know how you knew where our destination was?"

I simply ignored Damon's question as I raised my fingers to retrace Milana's own personal engravings just as Elena and Ric came in their turn.

These last two seemed visibly still unaware of my reaction as Elena illuminated the drawings in confusion. "What's all this? "

"As far as I can tell, it's a story." Ric answered, making me pull the lamp off my lips, shaking my head at their ignorance. It was sometimes exhausting to know everything. "To use simple archaeologist jargon, I would say it's a very, very old story."

"Dating from the tenth century and telling the story of Originals. And Milana. These are her drawings." I finally said pointing the drawings of my ancestor with nonchalance receiving immediate glances shared by the trio. "What? Did I forget to tell you that I already knew everything about this cavern?"

A long silence followed my statement as I watched Alaric and Elena blink their eyes open-mouthed before Damon exploded in a frustrated breath. "Oh, I'll kill you!"

"Can't do. Pest barrier." I snickered as I illuminated him with my lamp before pointing to each picture to explain the story. "The cycle of the moon. A man, a wolf, ergo ... "

"It's about werewolf. "

"And yes, it's the cartoon-like Lockwood diaries." Damon commented sarcastically, totally ignoring what I had said before. "They were precursors."

I gave him an incredulous look before pinching the bridge of my nose as I took a step-in sign of withdrawal. These idiots were far too deep in their stupid plan to kill Klaus to see the biggest picture here.

"I don't understand." Elena whispered, turning to me, proving my point again. "I thought the Lockwoods had settled here at the same time as the founders in 1860."

"That may be the case, but werewolves have been in the area for much longer." Acquiesced Alaric, signing the engravings with his lamp before turning to me."Tell us what you really know. Didn't you say that these engravings came from Milana?"

All the attention finally arose on me letting me give a tense look at the trio as I crossed my arms on my chest before giving a look annoyed on Elena to her intervention. "How could you know? It's…"

"Long story short, I dream of life going from Milana since the beginning of summer. I am like a kind of person outside in every passing of her life. Starting from an early age until ... well her death. Currently, I'm what is called a genuine source of information of Originals." I explained absently as I walked towards the Viking names written on one of the walls of the cave. "Every full moon, the villagers of this village gathered here to avoid the threat of the shapeshifters aka werewolves. Milana, Finn, Elijah, Klaus, Rebekah and Kol have engraved their names on this wall. Well, Rebekah, Klaus and Rebekah to be more exact."

I ended up turning to the trio simply to arch an eyebrow at the sight of their silent expressions riveted on me.

Finally, Ric awkwardly cleared his throat with slight embarrassment. "Well, so are all our assumptions."

"Hey, June Moon, what do you know about Daddy Original?" Damon immediately resumed with his blue eyes narrowing intensely on me as he seemed to think.

I gave him a visibly unimpressed look at his geeky reference before feeling a slight shudder at the mere mention of the Mikaelson's patriarch. "Mikeal? He's the most savage and barbarous man I have ever seen. If you think Klaus is evil, you've seen absolutely nothing."

I could see the impact of my tells on Elena as she immediately turned to Damon and Ric swallowing while the vampire rolled his eyes visibly ignorant, "Please, there is no worse than Klaus."

"There are those who are transformed by evil and those who are born so." I had been passionate since I really knew who the Originals were before pointing out the scriptures on the walls. " This family ? They have been transformed by evil. You have no idea what you are talking about."

"Oh, because you know. "

"As a matter of fact, yes." I replied with annoyance at the legendary nonchalance of the vampire. "But I don't really know why I'm trying to explain myself here because you're only going to do what you want. Including helping to make matters worse ... "

I retraced my steps during my explanation before passing Damon without a glance at the vampire until the confused voice of Alaric stopped me. "Mila, where are you going?"

"Without offense Ric but this time I have nothing to learn from you." I answered directly without an ounce of tact before shrugging my shoulders. "So, I will pass on the moment you form a plan to fail."

I ended with a bittersweet smile before shaking my head as I walked up the hallways forged in the stone until I regained natural light. As in my dreams, I literally barricaded my eyes with my hand to get used to the change in brightness. A new feeling of gratitude swelled in my chest as Milana realized I was not going to participate in their plan to put an end to Klaus. Maybe I had a reason to hate the guy after what he did to Felix but I knew he was just a product of abuse and bad luck by his own parents.

With that thought in mind, I took the wheel of my SUV before heading to the city hall of Mystic Falls. I had a vampire to feed anyway. I was not long in arriving in the basement hiding under the city hall with one hand squeezing around the strap of my backpack. I did not know the creaking of my sneakers against the stone stairs before stopping in front of the metal door. I pulled the latch to open it before instantly meeting Stefan's gaze as he lifted his head weakly. He let out a long exhausted sigh since he had been here for several days now before looking at me silently as I removed my bag and dropped it at my feet.

I kneeled to pull one of the bags of blood before lifting it in full view to test him. Unsurprisingly, Stefan immediately began to struggle against his bonds with his black veins emerging under his eyes, almost black bloodshot.

"What are you doing ? Mila, what are you doing? Give it to me. Hey, Mila. No! "

I immediately put the pocket in sight before shaking my head affably on the vampire."You have a serious problem, my friend. "

He continued to struggle, letting me grab my bag and put it on my shoulders before crossing my arms over my chest with a worried look at the vampire. "Lexi said you had to get rid of desire. Clearly, you still have some control problem."

"So, what ? Are you going to let me wither here?"

"Not quite." I asked before I took out a bottle filled with a blood mixture from the pocket of my bombers. "Here, not strong enough to give you back your strength but a little more powerful than your usual sock juice."

I took the straw pair before opening the bottle to drive the straw before approaching slowly and cautiously towards the vampire. The latter looked at me intently as I approached before changing again to the tantalizing smell of blood. I hesitated at the last moment at the sight of his vampire face before taking an imperceptible breath as I felt the weak thrust of Milana. I let the vampire reach for the straw, letting me watch with a sense of disgust as he uttered grunts throughout the process. The bottle was emptied before I could really understand allowing me to take a step back in bewilderment before shaking my head again on the vampire. The latter let out a long sigh as he licked the blood on his lips.

The veins under his eyes soon disappeared as he again focused his green eyes on me. "Elena knows you feed me?"

"She's too busy plotting to kill Klaus."

Stefan immediately frowned at me at my statement. "Why are not you with them?"

"Well, for starters they never listen to me. Then I don't really have the heart to look for problems right now. My first best friend is high on a frenzy of blood and locked up here with me." I gave Stefan a look to prove my point as I leaned against the nearest wall. "And the second is currently living a hybrid life while he always hides his nature from his mother. Klaus is not in town and although the risk of him coming back to get Elena's blood is very likely, I prefer to handle the most imminent problems for now. The sense of priorities is the key, Stefan."

I could feel the vampire's watchful look at me all the time during my explanation before he caught my attention with a laugh. "So, that how it's felt like to be with you in your little solo missions? I never realized until now but you always did things on your own after what happened between us. I understand a little better now. You don't care about the situation if it doesn't involve those who really means for you."

"Am I wrong ?"

"You're probably the most considered in this city, Mila."

I gave a smile to Stefan's statement before pushing me off the wall. "Thanks for the compliment but I'm still not going to free you. Not yet, at least. "

Stefan was silent for a moment as he watched me letting himself rest against the back of his chair before nodding his head in concession."You look like her, you know. Lexi. You are really like her."

"Minus the appreciation of torture." I said with a slight smile on my lips clearly relieved to see a brief glimpse of the vampire I knew for a while. "You'll be fine, Stefan. You're good. With a slight malfunction but which doesn't suffer from a slight defect or two. Take me for example. Once a human and now a host for my hybrid ancestor. We're all destined to fall into the dark side from time to time. You just must go back once you've reached the limit."

"You really think so, huh?"

I shrugged my shoulders on the doubted vampire's face before removing the straw from the bottle as I was about to leave the blond. I gave him one last look before closing the door by putting the latch back in place.

Stefan was on the right track. I was convinced of it.

I let the stereo distract my thoughts away from my mind as I soon reached the high school parking lot with the intention of recovering Felix. I could see most of the students wandering outside since the weather was fine. I watched a group pass by the hood of my car before shutting down the system as I removed the key from my car once parked. I readjusted my bomber with my hood over it before making my way outside completely ignorant of some Original chatting with my sister not far from me.

Elena POV

The plan was simple.

She had to approach Rebekah and find a way to trick her into a sense of false friendship so that she could give them the information they needed to kill Klaus. Alaric had initially offered to listen to what Mila had to say but Elena was not very confident since she was still hiding a lot of things from them and Damon just did not seem ready to talk with her sister. Not to mention that the chances that she agreed to give them anything was very slim. Mila was not particularly involved in Klaus' destruction and that was what worried Elena. He had taken as many of them as he had taken from her, and yet she didn't seem to hate him. Clearly, this Milana exercised some kind of hold over her little sister in one way or another. Hence the reason she did not want to involve her more.

Unfortunately, Rebekah did not seem particularly pleased with the idea of cooperating leaving Elena to resort to a final threat."I'll ask Mikael when we wake him up."

It immediately stopped the blonde in place as she composed her frightened expression in a doubtful smile. "You try to bluff me. You don't know where he is. Nobody knows it."

"Oh? And who is rotting in Charlotte's old cemetery?" Elena answered with confidence.

It's unleashed a chain reaction from Rebekah as the blonde hastened to step on Elena to threaten her seriously. "I warn you if you wake Mikael, we are all condemned to die. "

"So, tell me. "

"Why are you interested?" The original blonde asked in frustration and impatience.

"Why you forbid me to wake him up?"

Rebekah remained motionless as she watched the look-alike with a deep sense of tearing her head here and there. She could not believe she had to explain to this idiot why it was a bad idea to wake up the only person who had tortured her family for over a thousand years.

She really did not have time for that.

"I have to go back with the others. "

Stefan POV

Despite his poor condition, the small dose that Mila had provided him earlier was enough for him to hear the brief discussion between his stupid brother and Elena. He could not believe they were trying to make a deal with Rebekah. Once again, it was Mila who was right. He knew from the beginning that he should have always stuck next to the little brunette Gilbert and still, he had stuck to Elena's side for all this time, forgetting even his friendship with Mila.

As things had changed well.

"You know, if Elena and you have planned to keep me here for the next ten decades, maybe I can skip routine visits."

"I'm not convinced by Lexi's detoxification." Damon announced in his usual phlegm, letting Stefan follow his approach as he entered the cellar where he was currently being held. "But Elena thinks it will weaken you and awaken your humanity."

Stefan immediately left a scoff already regretting the presence of Mila compared to all the others before rolling his eyes with sarcasm. "We should all be listening to Elena. That's right, she's good advice. Her plans are always successful." He held Damon's gaze for a moment before turning his eyes away in annoyance. "Why are you here? "

"What a question ? It's family day for the vampires in cure. I'm just visiting my little brother."Damon said pulling on one of the chains hanging from the ceiling before walking behind him to put his hands on his shoulders. "I thought we could spend some time together. To strengthen the fraternal bonds. So how are you, Stefan? I would have imagined that you'll be more ... dry and weak."

Stefan let out a laugh at the vampire's obvious ignorance of Mila before giving him a look over his shoulder by intentionally omitting the visit of the youngest Gilbert. "You know ... Klaus may be determined to keep Elena alive, but that doesn't mean she's safe with Rebekah."

"Your nose is growing longer. Did you ever say it was not nice to lie?" Damon replied, standing up as he supported his gaze. "Klaus manipulates you to protect Elena. If you thought she was only a quarter of a second that she was in danger, you'd come out the big game."

"You grilled me. You grilled me, you're too strong." Stefan agreed with a smirk before raising his head as Damon headed for the exit leaving Stefan looking sly."Congratulations. You can leave now."

"You really have to give up."

"To tell the truth, I live an absolute happiness." Damon hummed at a disagreement before heading back to his brother to stand over him before he tore off his chains, leaving Stefan to gauge him in surprise. "What are you doing?"

Stefan remained motionless in his chair as Damon headed back to the exit. "I don't care about Lexi's plan. It's time to quench your thirst."

Mila POV

I slowed down with a deep frown as I saw the boarding house through my windshield before instantly glancing at Felix in the interrogation. "Why did you bring me here? "

I was foolish to think that Felix wanted to use his GPS for anything other than setting me a trap. Obviously, he had his own agenda and I should have guessed right from the moment he asked me to follow his phone without discussion.

"Felix, is it Damon? Elena? "

"Rebekah." The brown gave me a grip on the steering wheel as he had the audacity to act sheepish. "Mila, try to understand. She helped me and she swore she didn't want to hurt you. Something about Milana and all that."

I cut the engine rolling my eyes to his excuse before detaching my belt in resignation. "I can't believe you let yourself be dragged by her."

I snapped open the door before ignoring his attempt to reach me as I accelerated my step towards the boarding house.

I entered without knocking since I was not really in the mood just to stop at the sight of the show before my eyes. "What the hell?"

"Perfect ! The only one we really expected."Rebekah exclaimed as she withdrew from the hypnotized blonde's neck to give me a broad smile with her fangs coming out as Elena panicked me in her deer eyes. "Choose a dress, Mila. "

"Uh ... Mila is not really in that kind of thi-"

"The Red one." I replied nonchalantly, ignoring my sister's bewildered gaze as I descended the few steps before crossing my arms over my chest as I turned to the blonde in boredom."Can we know why you're charging Felix with your chores now?"

Rebekah contorted her face again with a scoff at my question before forcing the girls to leave the room. "He rats me out. I can't say that I'm surprised."

The brown had the audacity to look guilty as the blonde gave him a look before turning to me again under the eyes of my sister uncertain.

Conversely, I raised an eyebrow expectantly disliked being summoned as a kind of maid at her service.

However, I was quick to roll my eyes as she dismissed Felix condescendingly before ordering Elena and I to follow her upstairs. My sister immediately turned to make me shake my head before signing the fleeing back of the blonde to sign her to show the way.

Unsurprisingly, Rebekah paused in Stefan's room letting me in, in my turn just to let me fall back on the antique bed while the blonde gave me a curious look as she began to delve into his drawers.

Elena, on the other hand, contented herself with leaning against the entrance with her usual expression of martyrdom. "We shouldn't be here."

"You're kidding, of course, though. You're not going to make me believe that you've never wanted to come and search." Objected Rebekah pulling out Stefan's underpants making me roll my eyes as she showed it to Elena. "He wears boxers. It's a funny change from the 1920s."

I just ignored their little pikes in the hope of getting a reaction from each other as I readjusted on his bed enjoying the familiar smell of Stefan. Even though things had definitely changed, the smell remained the same and it was certainly pleasant.

"You're really not funny."

I blocked the light with one arm on my eyes and made a simple grunt in agreement."The story of her life."

"Mila on the other hand." Beks at once re-entered the bed, letting my arm fall in surprise as I felt the bed plunge under a new presence.

I frowned on the blonde as she gave me a broad smile before standing up against the headboard. I met the bored look of my sister leaving me to focus my attention on the blonde.

"You know that you are adorable in this little top." Beks commented, reaching for my hair.

I narrowed my eyes on the blonde before slamming her hand away from me causing a broad smile of the blonde. "Watch it, vermin. "

"That was exactly what she was telling me when we-"

"When you watered her during your laundry chores." I interrupted her with a slight smile in her memory while Rebekah just kept quiet as she watched me intently. "If I remember correctly, you were always the one who finished the most soaked."

Rebekah gave a bored groan before throwing her smooth hair over her shoulder. "Because you ... she cheated all the time. "

A heavy silence fell on us as I lowered my smile to her mistake before Elena cleared her throat in impatience. The blonde and I immediately turned our heads in her direction with similar expressions of annoyance.

One fact that Elena seemed fully conscious but she decided to ignore as she stepped into the room. "One day Elijah told us that your father owned land in Europe. How did you land here?"

"Lijah." Gasped Rebekah, widening her eyes before turning back to me."How did it go between you and him? I mean ... Milana and he were ..."

I winced at the more than graphic memory that suddenly reappeared in my mind before ignoring my sister's almost jealous expression as I gave Rebekah a look. "Lijah has always been noble and kind to me. A bit like he was with Milana."

"Mhm ... always the good brother, my Elijah." Hummed Rebekah with a hint of disappointment in her tone before turning to Elena as she moved considerably closer to me until her shoulder touched mine. "My parents had just started a family when the plague hit their homeland. It took away a child. They then decided to flee to prevent their future offspring from suffering the same fate."

"Under the guidance of Ayanna. "

"You remember of Ayanna? "

Elena immediately turned to me, leaning her head in disbelief. "You already know their story?"

I gave an angry look at the brunette leaving me to lift my hand to her in annoyance. "That's what I'm saying to you."

"So, you know how they came." Elena realized before widening her eyes in memory. "This is this ... Ayanna?"

I narrowed my eyes to her disrespectful use of her name before straightening up with boredom. "This Ayanna as you say was like a mother to Milana. I would advise you to show a little more respect for her history and theirs."

Unsurprisingly, Elena looked shocked at my explosion as Rebekah widened her smile at my sister in jubilation.

"My mother knew this witch in touch with the spirits who had heard of this mystical land where all the villagers were in good health. And where all had received the gifts of speed and strength. That's what drove my family here. Where she has integrated with this population."Rebekah explained before pointing to me. "Shortly after our installation, Ayanna discovered this little girl lying naked in the woods. My father has ... strangely experienced a direct connection with this little girl. He proposed to adopt her in our family. But Ayanna wanted to keep her and since she was the one who helped them find a new land ... "

"So ..." Elena paused as she quickly connected the dots before focusing her surprised gaze on me. "Milana ... was one of the first werewolves."

I just ignored her as I pulled my phone out of my jeans pocket to distract myself from this unnecessary conversation in my eyes. I already knew all that.

"For us they were only our neighbors. And no one knew what Milana really was. She had developed the gift of magic long before we learned her ancestry. We lived in peace with them for more than twenty years. Period during which my parents took the opportunity to have other children. Which I was part of." Objected Rebekah suddenly taking my phone to open my camera before taking a picture of us.

I instinctively hid my face with a grimace before pulling my phone again out of her hands."Seriously? "

"To hear you, everything was normal."

The blonde emitted a slight humming calling me leaving me to give her a worried look." This was the case. Once a month they took refuge in the caves under the village. The wolves were screaming all night and in the early morning we would go back home."

I found myself strangely holding her hand as she took a sudden expression that I knew only too well. That of mourning and remembrance. It was strange to think that I knew the slightest meaning of her expressions, but it was as if I had known her all my life. And in a sense, it was the case. I knew Rebekah.

Obviously my gesture caught the attention of the two girls on our tied hands as Rebekah smiled slightly as Elena frowned as she threw back and forth between us.

There was a moment like Rebekah just watched our clasped hands with a feeling of nostalgia written all over her face before she looked back at my sister. "One night, a misfortune has happened. Klaus, my youngest brother, Henrik, went out in secret, and watch the men turned into animals."

"It was forbidden." I nodded with my folded pleats before shaking my head in a feeling of guilt belonging to Milana. "She really wished she could do something to stop it. If she had arrived earlier ..."

"She couldn't have done anything." Objected instantly Rebekah as she used her free hand to cover our joined hands. "After all, she too was in phase."

My sister's puzzled gasp instantly interrupted our silent exchange as I turned to her. "Milana was ... she was-"

"A hybrid of its own kind. You didn't connect the points already?" I interrupted her in boredom. "Anyway, little Henrik paid for it with his life."

"After that peace with our neighbors was only a distant memory." Rebekah said as she tightened her grip on our hands to keep some kind of support."And Milana had to stay hidden while my family and I spent our last hours as a human."

The vibrations emanating from Elena's phone take our trio out of the heavy atmosphere as Elena picked up her phone letting the blonde clear her throat.

"You should answer. It's probably Damon who's trying to hear from you."

I gave little importance to the phone conversation just as the blonde by my side as she turned to me leaving a sigh. "Well, how do you plan to get dressed for dance?"

"Yeah, I don't do dances." I asked with a grimace collecting a sharp look from the blonde."What? it has nothing to do with the fires and the great festivities of the time. "

Rebekah rolled her eyes before jumping out of bed to stand before handing me her hand down to my turn. I did not struggle anymore as I took her hand before letting myself be pulled into a standing position. Only our attention was soon focused again on Elena at the mention of Stefan. Damon had let him out. I rolled my eyes as Elena hung up before taking out my phone to call the other brother Salvatore. I did not know the duo behind me as I was listening for tones while waiting for the call to connect.

"Hello? "

"Stefan. How's your freedom?" I asked at once, ignoring the feeling of piercing eyes from the holes in my back.

I could hear the music of a bar and the boring voice of Damon asking his brother why I was calling him and not him. "I think Damon wants to renew the fraternal bonds. He expects me to crack."

"Obviously, that will not work." I said knowingly before rolling my eyes with a sigh. "Fine. Have fun. Try not to pull too much neck on your way."

"Word of scouts. "

I hung up on the ripper's cruel response before turning on my heels just to meet my sister's judgment. "Have you lost your mind? How can you tell him that?"

"I really don't see how you can be a sister." Intervened Rebekah with a critical look at Elena."Milana didn't really like the original double. "

I suddenly felt the deep desire to defend myself as I gave her a sarcastic look as I steered towards the different shelves of Stefan."Please, Tatia was a shrew who thought herself above everyone else because she had a child of a warrior who died in battle. She thought she was all mighty."

"Mhm, you seem jealous." Taunted Rebekah letting me shake my head, turning my eyes away just to meet Elena's seething gaze.

Clearly, she did not like my peace of mind with the original before she sat at the table before giving a look at our duet. "Well, have you finished rehearsing your memories? Can we go back to your story?"

"She reminds me a bit of Tatia." Rebekah commented, signing my sister before joining Elena as I narrowed my lips to hide my smile as she picked up a photo of Elena and Stefan."Sincerely, I don't see you together."

"That doesn't surprise me. You have no idea who he really is."

Rebekah let out a tense smile as I immediately turned my back to contain my sharp comeback. She was acting high and better than everyone else but the truth was that she did not know Stefan either. She knew who was in love with her. Whoever would do anything for her but it was not really who he was. Rebekah was right on one point, she looked surprisingly like Tatia.

"I know who he is." Rebekah insisted, unlike me, letting me glance them over my shoulder before returning to one of Stefan's old diaries."Stefan is a vampire like me. We are part of a race of predator. We don't have time to worry about little humans and their miserable little lives."

"Hey, I take offense to that."

"You're not human, Mila."

I bent my head with a humming okay, letting me roll my eyes at the sight of my sister's outraged eyes on my back.

However, I was not long in tightening my grip on the edges of the diary as Elena defiantly resumed. "That's why earlier you organized this parade. Because you don't care about the homecoming."

"Clearly you didn't understand anything about her threat."I surprised Elena by my choice of side while Rebekah folded her arms on her chest happily at the sight of the expression open-mouthed of the look-alike. "You should go, Elena."

However, Rebekah turned to me, letting me shake my head in the objection. "She didn't even hear half of the story."

"You don't want to tell me. You're bored to death so you make fun of me. Find a nice girl you can hypnotize. That way, it will remind you of your friendship with Milana."

It was pathetic. And worthy of an attempt to bully high school. But I knew Rebekah was touched. She had talked about Milana after all. And I could also feel her boiling under the surface.

I was resting the diary knowing full well that I was going to regret it before turning to Rebekah. "You don't have to hypnotize me. And I will voluntarily stay with you."

"You're not serious, Mila?" Elena exclaimed at once as she paused in her attempt at manipulation to look at me in disbelief and annoyance."Is it Milana who forces you to do that?"

I let out a huge sigh clearly tired of her negative assumptions about my ancestor before pinching the bridge of my nose. I took a long time to control my breathing before resting my aggravated eyes on my sister."You really don't understand anything. You seek so much to relieve your conscience that you're ready to throw stones at anyone. You're blaming Klaus because you're looking for a culprit for Jenna's death when you're the only one to blame. It's your decisions that have brought us here. And you want to know the truth about Milana? Yes, she lives in me. And yes, I feel each of her emotions. But I'm the only one in control. So, stop talking about her when you don't know anything."

I could see the tears flowing behind her sparkling brown eyes but I totally ignored them as I gave Rebekah a look before heading to the exit. I slammed the door of Stefan's room without a word before hitting down the stairs clearly deciding to get out of this house. I certainly did not need to be judged by Elena today. Nor any other day.

I immediately took my phone out of my jeans pocket on the way as I turned on my app to find Stefan. I climbed quickly in my SUV as the application soon found the vampire letting me ride already annoyed at the sight of the location on my screen. I stuck my phone in his port as I put the contact before I rushed to put so much distance between the boarding house and me. Or rather between the people occupying the house and me.

I could not deny that reliving Rebekah's memories had disturbed me somewhat. And I did not even mention Milana. She was definitely worried about the original blonde and she felt really helpless. At this point, I could easily feel her pleas for me to support Rebekah. It was for this reason that I had taken her hand earlier. Certainly, it was primarily dictated by Milana's emotions, but it was of my own accord that I had supported her. I did not feel hatred or even judgment against Rebekah.

That I was sure.

With this revelation, I decided to focus more on Stefan now. I could always see Rebekah again later.

Unfortunately, a glance at my phone and the map was soon replaced by a picture of Elena flashing on my screen. I immediately rolled my eyes as I pulled one of my hands off the wheel to immediately disconnect her call attempt. I then looked back at my windshield as I passed a new speed in frustration.

Unfortunately, Elena tried again to join me, just letting the sound of my radio go to drown out the ringing of my phone. I left a relieved smile as her call went offline again. Honestly, after my two attempts at ignorance, I honestly thought she understood the message but when I saw her picture flashing again on my phone, I knew she would not give up anytime soon.

I sighed irritably as I bent down to accept the call before turning down the volume of my radio in annoyance. "When I tell someone to go in hell, I want them to do exactly that, Elena. Let me-»

"Listen to her, Mila." Ric interrupted me, indicating that I seemed to be on loudspeaker.

I cocked my jaw as I contemplated the pros and cons before glancing at my screen. "One minute."

"Mila-"

"59. 58. 57-"

"Alright, alright. Are you aware of how Esther died?"

I frowned as I focused on my driving before giving a look at my phone. "Milana was already dead at that time. But if I had to make a guess, I would say that Mikael kill her."

"She doesn't know either." I heard suddenly Bonnie's voice waking up a bad feeling of Milana along my veins.

I gave a sudden blow of wheel, slowing down at a pace before parking on the roadside as I took my phone in hand. "What's happening ? Why are you telling me about Esther's death?"

"Mila, the hybrid killed the original witch. Not Mikael. Klaus."

I stood for a moment in silence as I could feel the pain intensify on Milana's side as I ignored the tear sliding suddenly down my cheek. It was where I knew that Milana and I were two different entities. Better yet, that's how I knew who was really in control as I felt more anger than the original witch. I had learned to appreciate the witch during all Milana's dreams. She had been an important person in her life. She was first her tutor and then her mother-in-law to finally become her executioner.

I tightened my grip on the phone as I clenched my jaw before taking a dark breath. "Why are you telling me that? I don't care who killed Esther. Milana trusted her, she saw her as a mother and she locked her in a pebble. She can only blame herself if she's dead."

"Mila, you can't ignore that. It's ... Klaus killed his own mother." Elena insisted, letting me imagine her agitated aura as she tried again to rally me to her lost cause.

I shook my head in my own objection before reminding myself of Bonnie's presence."No matter what you expect, it doesn't concern me. You should do the same, Bonnie. You are a being of nature."

With that, I did not wait a second more to hang up before throwing my phone unceremoniously on the passenger seat. I sat motionless in my seat for a moment as I let the news enter my brain before I suddenly felt myself drowning in Milana's grief. Evidently, she had killed him but it seems that she understood her act. Of course, she was a witch first and Esther had explained the importance of the balance of nature. Not to mention that she could not stand what she was. Milana saw herself as an abomination. And she hated lying. In her eyes, it was only a matter of time before she was unmasked and killed.

So Esther's death touched her personally. Me, I could not help but hate the woman. She was nothing more than a hypocrite who had hidden Milana's identity by marrying her to one of her children before returning her jacket once her adultery had been discovered. She had deprived Klaus of his true nature and had murdered Milana to make herself feel good.

Honestly, if it really had a culprit in this story, it was not even Mikael or Klaus. No, it was Esther who had destroyed the lives of her children and Milana's and mine at the same time. All that had happened during those last thousand years was the fault of the witch. She had created the Petrova doubles. Without her, Klaus would already be a hybrid and Katherine would never have become what she was today. And more than that, he would never have returned to Mystic Falls. Maybe he could have had a happy ending with Milana since she also revealed her true nature.

Although I doubted it, the marriage was sacred at that time and she still had feelings for the elder.

I just could not stop the cry of rage from leaving my lips as I realized all that. I kicked my fists violently on the center of my steering wheel as I let Milana's pain assail me before I felt the numbness. I slowly raised my head to catch my breath before turning on the ignition as I suddenly turned around.

The drive to our family home was short-lived as I was soon parking in our driveway with a deep feeling of emptiness in my chest. I knew it had more to do with Milana's feelings, but I decided to give her that moment. She could not go on like that if I did not allow her to externalize her feelings from time to time. I knew the feeling well enough to know that it was getting worse.

I locked the door on my way before climbing the steps of the porch heavily in a feeling of heaviness along my limbs. I put the keys in the bowl on the furniture of the entrance before removing my bomber on the way to my room. I also fold the latter as I entered my room before placing it on the top of my dresser.

However, it was before the surprise arrival of some jubilant vampire. "We have Mikael. And Barbie Klaus is on the way to join our cause. This leaves only a ridiculous little detail to settle."

"Ah yes ? And what is it, Damon?" I asked in total indifference as I just opened my first drawer to get my pajamas for the night."Let me guess, Stefan. That's why you released him? unless it was a simple act of selfishness to recover my dear egocentric sister."

"Mhm, do I feel jealousy?"

I rolled my eyes as I flanked my drawer before turning on my heels to face him. "I had a long day. And I am currently in a very bad mood. You don't want to stay here."

I stuck my locks of loose hair behind my ears as I just decided to put on my pajamas of last night when the vampire suddenly found in my way. I did not have time to make the slightest objection that he gently took my face between his hands before frowning slightly as he observed the remaining wet trace along my cheeks.

"Mhm, mhm, you cried."

I swallowed as I put my hands on hers before holding his wrists to support his intense blue eyes. I remained silent as I lost myself for a moment in the depths of his stormy blue-gray eyes before suddenly lowering my head as I took a step back. The vampire lowered his hands to his side as he watched me for a long time in an internal conflict.

He swallowed hard before asking the first question on his mind. "I know you fed, Stefan. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because the Lexi method dated a bit." I explained relieved that he did not ask a more personal question before going around to recover my Pj's. "And that was not the solution this time. He didn't choose to turn his emotions himself. And obviously, you agree because you've released him yourself. Now if you allow."

I showed my clothes as an explanation before quickly returning to the bathroom without giving him time to answer more. I clicked the locks in place for insurance before stopping in front of the mirror to catch my breath. I took a moment to lean on the sink as I thought back to the feeling that his contact had given me. It was totally different from the thrill I had once felt. To tell the truth, it was more guided by a feeling of sadness now. Sadness for the fact that I could not offer what the vampire wanted. I assumed we were definitely missing out on our luck.

I raised my eyes on the mirror at this thought before leaving a faint smile on my lips. It was not a sad smile but a resigned smile. There was absolutely nothing I could do to change my feelings for Damon. And this time there was absolutely no interference from Milana. She was far too painful at the moment.

Finally, I took off my clothes to change into my wide check cotton trousers green fir and midnight blue before completing the whole with a beige long-sleeved T-shirt. I donned a pair of fuzzy socks for comfort before tying my long hair in a braid on the cob as I made my way to my room just to take a breather at the sight of the vampire lying with his arms behind his head on one side of my bed.

"You're still here." I sighed as I finished my braid with an elastic to hold the tips before stopping on my side of my bed to pull my blanket.

"And yes. I'm like these pests. Impossible to get rid of it."

"It's you who said it." I said pointing at him before slipping under my comforter without a hint of embarrassment.

I repositioned myself on my pillow to face him before taking a moment to observe him. In this way, it was a kind of test for me. Of course, Damon was undeniably beautiful to me. He had that flawless alabaster skin that was perfect with his black hair almost as dark as coal. His nose was long and straight, blending perfectly with his square jaw and his pinkish lips like a strawberry candy. And then there were his eyes. It was probably what made me capsize to be honest. They were the part I liked most about him.

Obviously, there was more than just his appearance. Damon was, for lack of better words, a complex character that one couldn't help but want to dig.

"Should I feel all giddy that you look at me with such intensity?" The vampire suddenly snorted with a malicious shrug of his eyebrows making me smile in spite of myself. "And she smiles. I think it's the first time I've seen you smile since you came back."

I felt my smile turn into a frown at his statement before feeling my throat dry out as he suddenly took my hand to tie it with his. My eyes immediately passed between our hands now attached to his chest before stopping on his uncertain look.

"You shouldn't do that. "

"Why ? Because mama grandmother Gilbert feels embarrassed by so much contact?"

I gave a flat gaze at the vampire before taking my hand off and hiding it under my pillow."She's not really able to dictate anything if you really want to know."

"Mhm, right? How does it work anyway?" He asked with interest as he ignored my rejection by readjusting himself on his pillow. "Is she constantly talking to you? Like some kind of Jiminy?"

I was looking pensive as I was looking for a way to explain to him how I felt before shaking my head. "It's not like that. It's more like an impression. As if ... she was my shadow, you see? Some of her feelings are stronger than others. Sometimes they are so strong that she can momentarily take control but it's never for long. Sometimes her feelings are enough to make me understand what she thinks. If I have to make a comparison, I'd say she's like a twin."

"Mhm, not sure baby Gilbert likes her." Damon commented making me crease my lips in agreement before raising my eyes to him at his question. "And those dreams. Can you explain to me."

I immediately squinted suspiciously this time as I watched him with my lips in a thin line."If you try to get info-"

"I'm just trying to understand who you are now." Quickly defended the vampire, raising his hand before giving me a smirk. "Do you want a pinky swears?"

This time, I just rolled my eyes as I sank deeper under my comforter to warm me. "You are horrible."

"I know." Maliciously muttered the vampire against the crown of my head before surprising me as he placed a chaste kiss on my forehead before putting his chin on top of my head. I stood frozen for a moment before simply closing my eyes for this time."I thought I was going to go nuts without you."

I opened my eyes in spite of myself to his confession murmuring in the darkness of my room before licking my lower lip in hesitation. "You ... you had Elena."

"It was not the same. It will never be the same." He confided, rubbing my back gently, letting me shut my eyelids again in a sudden sense of fatigue. "Elena is ... she kept me calm and in control all summer, but that was it ... I felt like I was under an invisible leash. There was not a day when I did not want to go to your room and be able to tell you all the frustrations I had during the day. Just tell you about Stefan. And hold you in my arms like now."

I took in each of his words with a deep sense of guilt as I realized he still seemed to hold on to me. I knew he did not deserve that kind of thing. Clearly, I had left him an ounce of hope before leaving. And I sincerely thought that I was able to return his feelings only things had changed and I was unable to explain it without involving Milana in the board. She did not influence me but she was not for nothing in my turnaround. It was just ... I had all these dreams and maybe some of me had discovered what I really wanted.

I was not ready for this kind of relationship. Milana was my age when she was forced to marry to protect her secret and the pain, she had felt loving Klaus. It was to want to tear one's heart out just to ease the pain. She had loved him with all her being and I was not sure I could indulge in such intensity for now. At least not for Damon anyway.

"I know ... I know I said that Milana had no control over my emotions but ... Damon, things have changed." I finally confessed in a barely perceptible whisper if it was not for his hearing enhanced. "You said yourself that I was not ready. And I don't want to hurt you. But I don't think I'm ready for you. To receive and give back your love. It may be selfish on my part but I don't want that love if I can't give it back."

I could feel his eyes burning intense holes in my head as he watched me in intense silence and weighing on our shoulders. Only, Damon surprised me as he suddenly resumed his caresses along my back.

He laid a new kiss down my crown before keeping his cheek against my forehead as he let out a long sigh. "I would like to say that I don't understand. Damn, I'm pretty sure I don't want to understand but ... I do. I know because I know you Mila and I know you don't want to hurt me. That was never your intention. That's ... that's why you managed to reach my undead heart. But I also know that ... god ... you're frustrating."

I burst out laughing despite my heavy eyelids before laying my hand flat on his chest covered by his usual black designer shirt. "Is it now that you notice?"

"Nah, you've always been a source of boredom for me. I knew it from the first day." He objected as he took my hand resting on his chest to hold her against his heart. "What I mean is that ... I think I can manage to have you by my side ... even if it's not the way I want it to be. For the moment. After all, I waited more than a hundred and forty-five years to find Katherine. I can wait for you."

At this revelation, I suddenly raised my head to be able to look at him with a deep frown."I'm human, Damon. You may have waited all this time with Katherine but you know that I will eventually grow old. I don't want to impose that kind of thing on you. Who knows what you would do to my death? This city will probably be a bloodbath."

"Look who took the big head." Damon gasped with a hint of bitterness in his quiet laugh."You could almost believe that you have any impact on my behavior. Or even that I care about you."

I rolled my eyes at his statement sticking perfectly to his vampire villain style."Leave the threats and the inhuman side for Klaus, you want."

"Now I know you're not Milana." He said with pride before making a sudden pause. "Wait, in those dreams, you didn't see the moments between ..."

"I am tired. You should sleep." I said quickly as I could suddenly feel the red rising to my cheeks as I hid my face in his side.
Damon immediately sounded disgusted at the mere thought before turning to me."Argh, don't tell me you saw them do the deed."

"Damon." I exclaimed, trying to hit his chest just to throw him an annoyed shine as he grabbed my hand flying.

He held my gaze with a small smirk before shaking his head. "So, you saw them. You're not as innocent as I thought."

"Can we just move on?" I gasped in embarrassment and annoyance.

Until now Milana had been silent throughout our conversation and I was rather relieved of her absence. It was certainly easier to manage Damon without having to suffer her repulsion.

"Tell me about her. Milana I mean." The vampire suddenly asked.

"Why ?"

I felt Damon nonchalantly shrug his shoulders as he turned on his back to look thoughtfully at my ceiling as I straightened slightly to rest my cheek against his solid shoulder. I knew it was pretty private but I was comfortable like that with the vampire. "She could have taken full possession of you. I only want to know the girl who lives inside the girl I love."

"Damon." I immediately received an apology from the vampire before playing absently with the buttons on his shirt. "She was a good person, Damon. And very powerful. I have felt so much power since she allowed me to do magic. It's nice to be able to defend yourself to be honest. And Ayanna, she is Bonnie's ancestor. She raised Milana. She was a happy kid for the time I suppose. She is more malicious and confident than me. She seemed so free. Until she unleashes her curse."

"Right, she was also a little wolf. How is it possible?"

"I don't really know. Normally, when you become one or the other, nature removes one side. It balances the species which makes Klaus and Milana two sub-exceptions among the exceptions. She could still practice magic after her transformation. It's what changed her. She became more temperamental, more ferocious. She had tantrums that could rival those of Niklaus."

"Niklaus, huh? "

I rolled my eyes to his sharp tone before quickly bringing my hand to my lips at the sensation of a yawn forcing my lips apart. "I prefer that to Klaus. And it's his name."

"You're not going to have a change of heart suddenly, huh? "

I could feel the jealousy and worry in his tone making me shake my head against his shoulder as I felt the fatigue getting stronger and stronger. I left a new yawn before just closing my eyelids.

The omnipresent feeling of calm and serenity of deep sleep hovered behind my eyes as I struggled in one last moment of lucidity. "As long as those I love are safe, I will not get involved."