XI : Afraid to love

"How are you ?" Felix asked, intentionally avoiding pointing to the real problem.

It turned out that while I was worried about Caroline, Stefan had decided to deploy his first card in his quest for revenge against the hybrid. And this at the expense of my dear sister/cousin. I couldn't really ignore Milana's indifference to Elena's role in Stefan's plan.

However, I knew he screwed up. Great time.

He had literally bargained for Elena's life to bend the hybrid. I still couldn't believe he almost turned her into a vampire.

In truth, I wasn't really sure how I felt about Stefan's act. Was I mad at him for almost killing Elena or was I mad at him because he almost had realized one of my worst nightmares.

Yes, Elena as a vampire led straight to a disaster. Okay, maybe I was a little bit bitchy but it was partly because of Milana. That and the fact that I was still fucking mad at Elena for what she dared to do to Jer.

"Hey oh! Earth to Mila! " Hailed again Felix forcing me out of my thoughts.

I jumped slightly out of my mental bubble before briefly shaking my head. It was strange these moments of absence. It was as if Milana plunged me into a sort of abyss in which she transmitted all her emotions to me about the events taking place around me ... us.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." I sighed clearly far from being fine before I looked closely at the hybrid."You were saying ?"

"I was worried about the ice melting did you know about that?" Replied the brown at once with a sarcastic expression, immediately drawing me a placid look.

I shook my head as I leaned over the straw of my iced tea before taking a long sip, ignoring the intense brown eyes of the brown.

"These absences worry me more and more, Mil." He replied seriously this time.

I looked up from my batch of ice cubes to his honest statement before swallowing, straightening up to try to reassure him."Felix, I'm said fine! Just let it go!"

"This is precisely why I am worried." He insisted, stepping onto the side of his table before he crossed his arms over the top of the surface."Stefan almost turned your sister into a vampire and you're barely reacting. Not to mention that the psychopath of the town decided to play minds games with you."

"He doesn't play ... minds games." I replied immediately, emphasizing his salacious use of the subject before shrugging my shoulders."He only wants an occupation. "

"Reassuring."

I rolled my eyes, letting myself fall against the back of the seat before crossing my arms over my chest."I don't know what he's plotting, okay? For a reason that still eludes me, he wants my approval. It just has to do with Milana. I don't know-something ..."

I honestly wanted to agree with my words, but the simple feeling of Milana's objection under my skin was enough to remind me how much I still had to learn about the hybrid. He was right on one-point, mere dreams were not enough to describe a character who had lived through more than a thousand years. He had certainly changed.

I was fully aware of this, but Milana was still skeptical. A skepticism that had the gift of alleviating my fears about the original hybrid.

Not surprisingly, it was not long before I felt a warm hand cover mine leaving me to look at the object of my surprise before looking up to meet Felix's char orbs.

"You know I'm here, right?"

"Until when?" I finally explode in a deeply concerned breath causing a deep frown from the hybrid in front of me."How long before Stefan or Niklaus decide to sacrifice yourself to make a point in their stupid power war like they did with Caroline and Elena? Huh? How?"

I ended up taking a deep breath as I pulled my hand from beneath that of Felix before wrinkling my lips in an effort to contain my tears. Milana sincerely hated this weakness of body and mind. Another fact which had the gift of exhausting me more.

However, that was nothing compared to the look Felix was giving me right now. My fatigue, my anger and my frustration soon began to be felt again as I straightened up my chin with a slight coldness emanating more from Milana.

"Stop it!" I snapped suddenly before ignoring his surprised look.

A heavy silence ensued, just making me want to run away from the situation again. In fact, the urge to flee has been making itself felt more and more lately. The only thing stopping me was me and only me. And my love for the people occupying this damned town. It was certainly not Milana and her free spirit. Even Niklaus's presence wasn't enough to curb her desire to explore the world. She had been locked up for over a thousand years in a stone and now she was locked up in my body. even if she had extra freedom it was nothing compared to what she really wanted.

Unfortunately, her wishes were just another addition to the long list of my current concerns. And as if that were not enough, my phone, which was currently lying face down on the table, soon began to vibrate. It also caught Felix's attention, letting me read Bonnie's urgent text again.

I puckered my lips in another of my internal dilemmas before putting it down with more force than necessary.

During all this time I could easily feel the impatient gaze of the hybrid on me. A fact that I tried again to ignore in a last hope of keeping my temper in check.

"What? Why do you say nothing ?" Finally exploded Felix, allowing me to finally lift my eyes from my French toast.

I let out a weak sigh as a sign of surrender before frowning in boredom."It's Bonnie. Something about strange dreams from dead witches."

A new silence ensued before Felix shared his ideas with me with deep indignation."So? What the hell are we doing here eating damn French toast ?!"

"Why not ?" I replied in my turn by suddenly placing my cutlery with a crash on the side of my plate before finishing my mouth as I gave him a frustrated look."I want to enjoy every moment from now on."

"So, you're going to completely ignore the fact that Bonnie may need your help?" Felix asked immediately with a strange sense of judgment in his tone.

I looked up from my plate before giving him a deeper look in distrust."Why do you want me to help Bonnie absolutely?"

This time, Félix just rolled his eyes before answering with a certain panache."What? Are you going to suspect me now?"

"I don't know. Do you still drink the vervein that I prepared for you?"

Unsurprisingly, Félix gasped at my accusation before letting himself fall back against the back of the bench in which we were. He reduced the rest of his breakfast to lint as he pursed his lips in a straight line, frustrated before looking up at me."I see. You're suspicious of me after what Tyler did to Caroline."

"And she would be right." Intervened a new cold and detached voice that I would easily recognize among a thousand. I straightened up immediately at the sight of Stefan approaching sweetly our table with his narrowed eyes on Felix."I thought I was clear. I asked that all of Klaus' hybrids be out of town."

"What the he-"

"He stay." I interrupt Felix before he can start a fight with the younger brother Salvatore before I suddenly get up to speak with the unbearable and rebellious little cunt who had almost unleashed hell on Mystic Falls by transforming Elena."We need to talk."

I did not even give him time to recover from his surprise at my passive air as I passed him by tapping my shoulder dryly against hers before heading to the cash register to pay for our breakfasts.

Soon enough, the vampire's footsteps were heard behind me letting me recover the change while expressing my thoughts."I should kill you for what you dared to do to Elena."

"So, you do care about her eventually." Said the vampire with a hint of guilt in his voice.

To be honest, I still cared about her. I had perhaps decided to continue my way on my side that did not prevent the fact that Elena remained of my family. And this even if she had decided to take the role of the big manitou.

In response, I instantly let a disdainful scoff escape me before turning sharply on my heels to face him."I only care that she would have been even more unbearable. Can you imagine the crisis she would have gone through? And I'm not even talking about the abuse of pow-what?"

I raised my eyebrows at the lingering look of the vampire before laying with my hand on my hip impatiently as he seemed to be experiencing a certain epiphany."You don't really care that I used Elena. You only care about the consequence."

I immediately rolled my eyes to his point more than obvious before replying in a 'duh' tone."Of course ! It was probably not the best plan but detaching yourself from Elena and me and finally using her as a weapon against Klaus was not such a bad strategy. It was even pretty clever."

"If I didn't know you better, I could almost think you looked surprised."

"Well you have to recognize that your plans have not always been very successful."

Stefan raised an eyebrow that seemed incredulous at my impetuosity."Did I ever tell you how cheeky you could be?"

"I'm trying to do my best." I replied simply with a simple shrug and a small smile.

I had to admit that my conversation with the vampire almost reminded me of a moment of nostalgia. It was almost as if we had returned to the beginning of our friendship. It was really a shame that this almost reconciliation had to come at the cost of his humanity.

I paused in my return to this sudden discovery before swallowing by looking away simply to meet the suddenly understanding look of Felix.

Obviously, he had to use his super hearing.

I checked my jaw while swallowing before looking back at Stefan with impassiveness as he resumed with a slight smile identical to mine."I can see that."

However the brown/blond didn't have much time to reply as Félix appeared again by my side letting me take my eyes off Stefan to find that the hybrid now held my phone.

"Sorry to interrupt your start of the psychotherapy session, but it seems that Bonnie has decided to go to plan B." Said the brown with attitude before giving a sarcastic smile in my direction insistently."And by plan B, I mean the boring double."

"What the hell he means by that?"

I totally ignored the already annoyed question of the vampire before recovering my phone from the hybrid's hands simply to drop a curse at the sight of Bonnie's message warning me that she had revealed the coffins to Elena.

Almost instantly a new charge of energy came to my attention, leaving me to fully absorb Milana's clear-cut opinion that Elena was in contact with the people she once loved.

I immediately raised my eyes from my screen to give Stefan a new look totally under the influence of Milana's emotions. "I'm going to enter the coffin room. No matter the price."

"What the hell are you doing?"

I followed Stefan closely, preparing for the release of energy from the spirits of dead witches before suddenly pausing as I realized that I had just crossed the entrance without feeling any side effects. I even went as far as groping my upper body for any pain.

"Mila? What are you doing ?"

I immediately raised my head just to realize that the trio in front of me seemed to gauge me with deep suspicious frowns."What?"

"You were whispering a spell." Bonnie informed.

I amplified my frown at this more than bothersome new information before trying to act as relaxed as possible despite the mounting concern in my chest. I couldn't afford to become more and more absent. No matter how much I made peace with Milana I couldn't let an event like at the gym happen again.

At the sound of Bonnie saying my name, I turned back into the conversation.

"I want Elena and Mila to help me find her." Bonnie finished firmly.

"Find who?" Stefan and I asked simultaneously. I should have been more careful, I found myself again roped up in something that I wanted to ignore at all costs.

"I couldn't place her face at first. Then I realized."

Bonnie pulled a photo of her pocket and showed it to me. Stefan and Elena looked over my shoulder curiously. It took me several seconds to register that the women and the little girl on a rope swing in the picture were Bonnie and her mother.

I immediately glanced between the witch Bennett and her mother before I felt Milana's objection again join my reluctance. I was definitely not ready for the request of the coffee-skinned brunette. I had had enough family drama to last me forever.

Again I found myself in a dilemma with Milana. The latter seemed anything but invested in the mission let's find Bonnie's mother. Hence the fact that I literally had to fight an excruciating headache by rummaging through the piles of documents gathered on the women who could be Bonnie's mother.

"Los Alamitos?" Elena asked as she passed Bonnie the information of a woman with long, dark hair, a narrow nose and beady eyes.

Bonnie retrieved the information sheet before shaking her head in the negation."Too old."

"Honolulu?" Elena tried again, passing a new profile awaiting the witch's inspection.

Conversely, I was content to ignore Milana's attempts to get on the side of the decision maker and not the subordinate.

"I wish." Bonnie sighed, crossing her arms over the table before turning to Elena in frustration and impatience. "How many of these are there."

"I don't know. I instructed Mila to categorize-" Elena let her sentence hang as she turned to me with Bonnie simply to raise her eyebrows as she saw me with my head currently hidden in my crossed arms."Mila?"

I jumped in spite of myself in a seated position before gauging the duo in front of me with a dazed look before starting to search frantically through the few files that I had selected."Abby Bennett. Abigail Bennett…. Ab… Abby… Abs…"

"Are you okay, Mila?" Bonnie finally asked, letting me raise my eyes from my false research again just to frown defensively.

"If I'm okay? I'm marvelous." I replied dryly with sarcasm before delusively digging through the countless unnecessary searches before me."I mean ... that's exactly how I planned to spend my afternoon. After all, living with a Damocles sword named Klaus over our heads was not enough. Why not look for a way to piss him off while reopening old family wounds."

Bonnie looked down at the little brunette at the mention of 'old wounds' before feeling bored at the sight of the new argument coming up between the two Gilbert sisters.

"It's precisely because we cannot continue to live with the threat of Klaus that we're doing all this. He almost killed Caroline, Mila."

Bonnie hadn't really been used to this kind of shows. Growing up, Mila had always been a calm and discreet child. It was only when she finally got enlisted in the supernatural world that Bonnie realized that Mila was anything but what she had imagined. Seeing Mila about to say something back Bonnie quickly jumped in."Mila isn't wrong. It's surreal having to track down a woman who bailed on her own kid."

"You know, you don't have to, right? Let Stefan obsess over opening the coffin. It doesn't have to be you."

"Yeah! The Salvatore brothers are always ready to fight for us. Why bother, huh Elena." I intervened in spite of myself raising my eyebrows towards Elena with sass.

Bonnie immediately grimaced at the truthful words of the youngest Gilbert before trying to take on the role of the mediator. Again."The coffins spelled shut. That makes it a witch problem, so it does fall on me. I was bound to see my mother again sooner or later."

"And that famous day has arrived!" Suddenly a voice that I knew only too well causing me to freeze in spite of myself as the memory of the other night involuntarily resurfaces in my head."Abby Bennett Wilson. Monroe, North Carolina. Born in Mystic Falls Hospital. Graduated at Mystic Falls High. Blah, blah, blah. "

The vampire ends his ascent to our table by tossing the manila file on top of the table leaving Bonnie and Elena to rise in confusion and surprise. The witch retrieved the file in anticipation while I sat there hoping to make myself small.

"I figured a little compulsion would help speed up the research process."

Unfortunately my curiosity got the better of me as I finally lifted my head just to see Bonnie raise her shocked eyes from the folder to watch Damon murmuring in a mixture of anxiety and astonishment."This is her."

I got up in spite of myself to join the side of the witch Bennett before crossing my arms on my chest as a new sensation of cold crossed my column. It was as if Milana was sending me some kind of alarm signal.

"Yep! Road trip. I drive." Damon said brightly.

"No way!"

"Ha! No."

I immediately met Elena's gaze at our simultaneous response before shrugging my shoulders impassively."For once we agree on something."

Damon left his transcendent blue eyes trailed over me before turning lasciviously to Elena while glancing at me in his futile attempt to get a reaction from me."Want me to hang out in the back with you?"

"You're not going, Damon." Elena replied stern as I rolled my eyes with my lips narrowed in annoyance despite myself.

"Why? I'm the one who found her."

Becoming more and more annoyed with the vampire acting like a little whiny boy of three, I finally decided to intervene."Bonnie is going to see her mom for the first time in over fifteen years. Not only do I have absolutely no idea how you could be of any help but even worse, I doubt that the reunion goes better with a vampire in the mix. Witches, idiot."

"So what? Now that a temperamental little witch lives ... in you you think you're in a better position to attend the little convention?"Replied the vampire childishly.

I rolled my eyes again before containing Milana's frustration as I just replied in impatience."I'm not going."

"You're not?" Elena and Bonnie exclaimed in unison.

This time I frowned on the duo before resuming with more impatience."Does anyone listen when I speak? I just said that Damon shouldn't go. What do you think will happen when she realizes that Milana live in me?"

"Are you ashamed of your new best friend?" Taunted Damon.

"My new best friend as you say could rip your heart out without even blinking an eyelash." I in turn threatened somewhat fueled by Milana's ego and anger.

"I fret in my boots." Said Damon almost enthusiastically as he sat up taller so he was slightly looking down at me.

"What's going on with you two? You're being weird. Well, weirder than usual." Elena demanded, distracting us both from the tense silence that developed as we stared at each other.

Damon shrugged, standing up as he turned to Bonnie and Elena."We kissed. It's weird. Now she's pissed at me." I was literally speechless as the vampire turned to me insolently."Have a great trip."

Nevertheless, I found myself yelling at him in embarrassment and outrage as he headed for the exit."I'm not even going!"

As soon as the door shut behind him a heavy silence fell on our group letting me grin in the realization before closing my eyes in anticipation.

"You kissed?" Elena finally exclaimed.

"Yeah, I have things to do! Places to be. So… bye." I finally replied, hastily trying to follow the path of the unbearable vampire.

Honestly, this may not have been the best time to try to regain control over my life choices. However, I was determined to find a semblance of normality through this life of madness that I led on a daily basis.

Even my little interlude in New Orleans hadn't really been that ... an interlude. Not only because I had been surrounded by almost as many if not more supernatural creatures than here but mostly because I had spent most of my nights reliving the memories of my ancestor over 1000 years old.

Without offense Milana.

I was taking a break or rather Milana forced myself to take a break from my pencil stroke letting me look with a bored look at my hand currently frozen above my drawing book page. I puckered my lips in frustration as she had just spoiled two wonderful little hours of normalcy. I kept my eyes fixed on my hand frozen in the void in a fight of will before taking a sudden breath to try to calm the control of the witch in me. It was only when I felt Milana let the reins go that I let a little smile curl my lips.

Satisfied with myself, I looked up from my hand now against my leg before examining the Mystic park with a slight feeling of serenity. It's been a while since I've felt like this. I couldn't even remember the last time I really felt at home in this city.

"Don't tell me that you started writing to the little rodents of this town too?"

I almost instantly froze at the sarcastic question of the execrable vampire. I let out a deep weary sigh before lifting my chin with my eyes raised to the clear blue sky."My daily plague."

"Beep. It's not very nice." Scolded the vampire in a childish tone as he sat beside me on the bench. "Anyway, have you met Alaric's new psycho girlfriend?"

"Wasn't aware he had one. Nor I don't care for that matters."

"Ooh, so cold. Be careful, I could get used to this new character."

This time was enough to overcome my barriers of indifference. I didn't really care about the self-control that Milana was trying to impose on me when it came to the vampire. I could simply no longer ignore the elephant in the room or rather outside in the present case.

"How long are you going to pretend ?!"

"To pretend ?" The vampire repeated falsely, before turning his head casually towards me."Care to light me up?"

I took a deep breath before replying with impassiveness despite the slight tremor along my limbs."You kissed me. I pushed you away. And now, for a reason that I completely ignore, you decided to react completely contrary to your usual behavior."

His eyes narrowed as he growled."Would you prefer that I kill your brother again?"

I let an apathetic breath at his attempt to hurt me before swallowing by looking away slightly in frustration."Now it's more like you."

"Do I really stand a chance with Milana?"

At the sound of sincerity in his voice I turned slowly to him just to support his bluish gaze by swallowing again. I just looked at him for a moment clearly speechless before narrowing my lips.

"Why are you here? What do you want?" I asked, hoping to get him onto a more neutral topic.

Damon was obviously disappointed by my lack of response only he still contented himself with resuming with the intention of trying to understand Milana's mind. "You always knew where the coffins were. Why haven't you told Klaus yet?"

"Because he's the only one who locked his family members in these coffins." I replied honestly, a little too honestly before trying to drown the fish, shrugging my shoulders with a feigned nonchalance.

"So you want to punish him?" Damon exclaimed in disbelief before continuing with some mischief. "So Milana is the castrating type, huh?"

I rolled my eyes dramatically to his usual lasciviousness."I choose just the slightest harm. Believe me, the Mikealsons are much better in our hands than in his."

"Don't you find it strange that you still end up choosing the bad brother side each time?" Replied the vampire, suddenly changing the subject. "When I was on the wrong side, you were always there to play the role of the moral compass and when Stefan pretends to be the meanest of all, you ally on his side. Same for Klaus."

"I have to do something. If I'm not there, who will keep you in check."

The vampire let out a breath visibly amused by my conclusion before giving me a real fond smile."See? Now that's what I've missed."

"Damon."

"What? Right, Milana doesn't like hearing that kind of thing."

"Milana and I are one and the same person." I replied immediately, hoping to make him understand my point. A brief silence fell between us as I held his gaze with consideration.

Finally the vampire raised his hands in sign of surrender. "Fine. Milana and you ... the same person."

I gave an irritated look at the vampire before rushing to pick up all of my stuff in frustration."You're a dick."

"What? Are you running away now?" He hailed emphatically as he hastened to follow me with a slight tone visibly amused. "Don't you remember ? This bench, you who run away from me. And I'm following you through the park. This is the parade of Mystic falls all over again."

This time I was content to roll my eyes before replying while continuing to walk in front with boredom."Oh, you mean the time you ended up drooling in front of my sister in her dress semblable from Katherine? Indeed, it's always a repetition of events with you. "

"Ouch! Someone is very mean today." Replied the vampire immediately as he hurried despite my obvious annoyance. "Oh, come on, Mila. Where did the ingenious girl who pretended to be a pregnant woman just to get through the line faster. You were definitely more fun before."

I paused abruptly in my walk by immediately raising my eyes to the sky while pinching my lips to hold a deep sigh before turning sharply on my heels to face him.

"This same girl saw more than half of her family being decimated in the space of a year!" I replied curtly, suddenly stepping on him in indignation and excess of fatigue."And I'm not even talking about the fact that I had to face unimaginable pain to let my thousand-year-old ancestor steal my body! So, excuse me for being dreary and boring!"

I finished my tirade in a labored breath before looking away at the facades of the shop windows strewn on the sidewalk on which we had regained during our debacle before finally leaving a long sigh as I realized that the vampire was finally silent.

At least that was before he resumed with an impressed whistle leaving me to glare at him in irritation."Well, here. We finally come to the end of the problem. You're definitely more like you now."

"What-" I paused, frowning deeply in the misunderstanding. "Wait! Was that your goal? Exceed me until I crack ?!"

"Welllll ... I wouldn't go that far ..." The vampire dragged mischievously with a sly little smile before shrugging arrogantly.

I could quickly feel Milana's rage joining my indignation letting me shake my head on the vampire before pinching the bridge of my nose. I took a deep breath as I closed my eyelids to try to control Milana's urge to give the vampire an aneurysm before lifting my head to gauge him in impatience.

"For God sake's Damon what do you expect from me?"

"Be on my side!" Replied the vampire immediately with a slight underlying tone of frustration letting me pucker my lips at Milana's distrust.

"You and I both know you want more than that."

"I promise you that I will be on my best behavior. Word of scout." Added the vampire raising his hand in a scouting gesture letting my eyes squint more impatiently on him."I'm the good guy now. Remember?"

I shook my head clearly tired of his little games before crossing my arms over my chest as I turned on my heels again."Right. Until Elena or I do something again to tip you over to the other side."

"Would you come back to me then?" Asked the vampire immediately with an almost hopeful tone.

I immediately gave him a sidelong glance."Don't be so pathetic."

"You are the one who forces me to become so despicable." He defended with the intention of making me feel guilty. "Or at least that little nuisance of a thousand years old."

"Careful you're losing your touch." I snickered.

Damon shrinks his large stormy eyes over me letting me sense his affront."What does it means?"

God, it was in those moments that I couldn't help but share Milana's point of view on the vampire. He was so temperamental."It's means what it's means, Damon."

However, I had to admit that he knew how to be smooth. I hadn't even taken another step that he hurried to get ahead of me. I only realized too late that Milana had again gotten ahead of the situation as she used her own supernatural reflexes to stop me.

"Color me impress the little were-witch gave you some super reflexes." He commented with a slightly surprised look before gauging me more carefully as he resumed seriously."But tell me, which side is she on?"

"Not yours." I replied unconsciously before hurrying to reply at the sight of his scowl."Or anyone else to be honest. I'm only still in town because god alone knows that you would go straight to your death without me."

"True!" The vampire nodded sharply in a sudden burst of enthusiasm letting me immediately take a step back in distrust."Which is why I need your help to manage the current situation."

As much as I just wanted to ignore his request, it would seem that Milana was suddenly interested in what he had to say. I was not sure how I should react but part of me was suspicious of my ancestor's sudden turnaround.

"What are you going to do ?" I asked in some constraint and suspicious at the same time.

"How many times do you think we're going to be able to use the line 'we'll drop your family in the ocean' against Klaus?"

Unlike Milana, who seemed to be more worried about the future of the Mikaelson family, I suddenly found myself more interested in his innuendo."So what? What do you propose ?"

"Well knowing the psychopath I doubt that he will stay very long without replying. He will end up losing patience with the little game of my stupid and reckless little brother." Damon replied, gesturing for me to follow him."We need a new plan of attack."

I immediately crossed my arms over my chest as I stopped again in my ascent before arching an eyebrow in sign of question."Why do you want my help? Better still who tells you that I would like to adhere to your plan."

"Easy." Replied the vampire immediately, shrugging nonchalantly before counting on his fingers as he continued with panache. "For one : you live with his ex, two: you're the one who is most likely to have an impact on my chances of survival."

And for the first time since my return to Mystic Falls, I suddenly found myself smiling with all my teeth."You mean I'm the only one capable of holding you back in your stupid plans."

"That's what I said ?" Damon asked immediately with a false skeptical expression before he hastened to sparkle my broad hilarious smile.

"I guess nothing I say will change your mind?"

"Wrong." Chimed Damon."This is our plan. I will take absolutely everything you have to say into consideration."

This time I found myself squinting at him again in distrust."Where's the catch?"

"There is no catch. I just want you to trust me ... you and the ancestor who lives in you." He replied, raising his eyebrows mischievously to Milana's new nickname.

"You're not going to like what I have in mind." I replied in turn.

The vampire paused, analyzing me carefully before lifting his chin in slight darkness."Does this concern Klaus?"

"Stefan went on the wrong side." I said seriously, clearly deciding to make myself heard. I was still not convinced that he was going to really let me have a say in his plan."I have lost enough people to know that family is important."

Damon froze, giving me a scathing look in the objection."If it's a sick joke ..."

"Stefan must be arrested."

"Obviously if that allows the hybrid to get his family back in the process that makes you happy, right?"

I puckered my lips as I could again feel Milana's restraint before struggling against her control to admit the bottom of my true thought."I want to make him disappear as much as you do. He attacked Caroline and decimated my family."

"But…"

"Stefan almost killed Elena the other night." I remembered, confusing myself with my own scattered thoughts."The fact is that he must be arrested. Even if that means that Klaus must win in the process."

Damon gave me that famous look of adoration again before humming."You know that most adolescent girls your age see the world in black and white. They don't understand gray."

"Most teenage girls my age doesn't have to deal with rippers best friends."

"Touché."

"Remind me why I'm doing this again?" I asked as I walked through the empty space where the coffins were currently canceled. If it had been last year, I might still have been amazed by the magic but after spending a whole summer in cohabitation with Milana it had become a kind of habit. Which was probably worse.

"Mhm, mhm, this is not the time to run away little Gilbert." Damon said in a slightly authoritarian tone, letting me pause at the familiar nickname.

I had to admit that it was kind of nice to find this connection with the vampire. A connection completely deprived of attraction and feeling but a connection, nonetheless. It was strange to be honest but appreciable at the same time.

I quickly recovered from my surprise before leaning against one of the wooden crates nonchalantly."I'm not running away; I'm just trying to find a reason why I'm doing this."

"Isn't reducing the evil and saving everyone enough?" Damon suggested blissfully.

"I can't believe I let you convince me."

"This is my southern boy accent." Damon boasted arrogantly letting my eyes roll as I tried to ignore the energy of witches trying to suffocate me.

"You're a pompous ass." I insulted with disdain before taking a break in the middle of the square. I looked for a moment in the void where I could feel the energy of a particular coffin before raising my head with a sudden idea in mind."You did say that you would consider all of my proposals, right?"

Damon paused in turn before giving me a look of recognition, pointing to me."Mhm ... you have an idea."

I suddenly closed my eyes as I could feel Milana's cooperation before suddenly instinctively raising my hand."Revelate."

I could feel a rush of magic energy traveling down my arm before opening my eyes just to see the famous four coffins in front of us.

Damon let out a slightly impress whistle before arching an eyebrow."I have to admit that I'm not particularly used to seeing you on this side."

I tilted my head in acceptance before shrugging my shoulders with attitude."At least I don't have to turn every full moon."

I accompanied my statement by approaching one of the coffins before stopping next to the one I was interested in. It was incredibly shocking to know that I could predict who was inside without even having to open it. Nevertheless I ended up reaching for the handle before lifting the cover just for almost immediately feel this surge of attraction and longing at the sight of Elijah's desiccated body.

"Whoa, whoa, little Gilbert ! What are you doing ?" Damon suddenly exclaimed as he hastened to join me just to firmly close the coffin.

I raised my head just to contain Milana's annoyance as I held the vampire's wary gaze."Arresting Stefan will not be enough. We need an ally. Like you with Stefan, we need someone strong enough to keep Klaus in check."

"You can't be serious! Do I remind you that this guy betrayed us the last time we trusted him?"

I held back a sigh from his imbecility before crossing my arms over my chest with determination as I gave him a look of impatience."Do you have a better plan?"

"For what it's worth, yeah. What do you think about finally using these little carnival tricks on a larger scale? Certainly, your new bestie must be big enough to keep her ex-lover in control." Suggested the vampire arrogantly.

I left a scoff to his idiocy this time before giving him a wry look."Do you seriously think that Milana would like to deliberately attack Klaus?"

"Well ... I'm certainly no longer the man I used to be as a human. She must realize that her Romeo is certainly not a child of chord."

"Message from my new bestie : bad century, jerk."

"Oh ... split personality? The things you make me feel, Mila." Teased immediately the vampire letting me raise my eyes to the ceiling despite the amused little smile dancing on my lips.

"Anyway, you don't know what I saw." I said seriously."The Klaus of the Milana era and the Klaus of today are totally different. Nevertheless, there remains the Klaus of Milana's memories. She can never betray him to this point."

However, it was not long before I quickly regained control of my emotions as I again saw the sight of Elijah's body. I let my gaze persist for a moment on the dagger currently planting in his heart.

A fact that the vampire seemed fully aware as he picked up the thread in a visibly darker tone."And you ? Could you keep him in control?"

To be honest with himself, Damon was particularly anxious to hear her response. He had seen how Klaus acted in the presence of little Gilbert and even if he had decided to change tactics and respect her choices, he was not particularly eager at the idea of seeing the hybrid prowling around her. He was well positioned to know what kind of emotion a lookalike could arouse for people like him and Klaus. Certainly, Mila was not a double, but the simple fact that she was the offspring of the great love of the evil was enough to make him insecure again.

I immediately raised my head visibly taken aback by his request before feeling my throat tighten despite myself. I swallowed to try to get this strange feeling of compassion for the hybrid out of my chest before I looked away in an attempt to hide my show of emotion.

"Should I remind you of the list of people I lost the last time I tried to counter him?"

"So, I stroked a nerve."

I chewed my jaw at the vampire's rush towards me before quickly regaining control of my emotions."The fact remains the same. Elijah must be released."

Damon immediately left a growl in disagreement visibly about to argue that only the ring of his phone quickly changed the game. I sat up with little interest as the vampire rolled his eyes as he picked up his phone from the back pocket of his jeans before quickly frowning at the new message on his screen.

"What now?"

"Change of plan. We release Elijah. I keep the coffin locked and you get out of here as quickly as possible."

"Sorry what?" I exclaimed, frowning more in his bossy tone.

Damon finally let the growl he held back in annoyance at my obstinacy before gesturing to me to be agitated."Bonnie just told me that Klaus had discovered her little mission. He's about to find the coffins and there's no way I can leave you in the presence of him. Not in the case of a negotiation."

"So what? I only have a use to come up with the plans." I replied somewhat offended by the way the vampire underestimated me.

Despite the fact that I preferred to ignore my unwilling bond with Klaus I couldn't really forget the fact that I was very unlikely to be injured in his presence. Not that I will use this argument against the elder Salvatore. And again, I was not sure that I really wanted to be in the presence of the hybrid.

The truth was that he had managed to stir my curiosity with his act towards Caroline. Despite the fact that I didn't want to recognize it.

A fact that Milana was quick to point out to me. It was all about ego and stubbornness for her.

According to her, I was just not ready to accept the idea that the Klaus of her memories could also be the Klaus of now.

"And am I supposed to leave with a rested mind?" I said incredulously."Me being here with you is probably the only way to keep you alive."
I knew the vampire enough to know that he couldn't resist the hybrid long enough. He and Klaus were just a very bad combination of temperaments.

Rolling his eyes, Damon walked over to the coffin containing Finn before sitting on it without any consideration for the vampire inside."No, no. You being here is just a distraction preventing me from carrying out our little plan."

"Is this another way of making me understand that I represent a weakness for you?"

Damon sighed and brushed his hands off on his jeans as he stood back up."Look you already know how I feel about you. I've never had the right way to show it to you, but I've never felt anything so sincere. I don't want to lose what we may have had other times."

"Damon-"

"Shhh ... let me finish." He hastened to stop me as he suddenly grabbed my face between his cold palms letting me hold my breath as I supported his eyes in confusion and uncertainty."I know you're sure you don't feel anything for me except maybe affection but I know deep inside you that you still feel something. Otherwise you wouldn't be here. With me."

I could feel my heart skip a beat leaving me to swallow before feeling for the first time since my cohabitation the very effect of my own feelings. Not those of Milana mix with mine but only mine. And the truth was that I was always so unwaveringly afraid to love. So I suddenly found myself taking a new step back by looking away. I already knew what I would see on the vampire's face and I wasn't particularly seeing how I hurt the vampire. Instead, I just nodded weakly before grabbing the handle of Elijah's dagger.

I took a breath ignoring Damon's disturbing look on my profile before slowly removing the dagger from the heart of another memory from Milana's past.