Chapter 9: Betrayed

The warmth of the sun shined down on me as my feet rush past tree after tree. I skipped and jumped over fallen trees as laughter bubbled up within my chest. "Hurry Serena!" A voice called out from behind me, followed by a burst of laughter. My own laughter followed suit.

"Don't fall behind Bekah!" I shouted back as my dress fluttered around my legs and my bare feet pushed off the earth as I continued to sprint through the woods. Suddenly I found my feet being lifted off the ground and a shriek of laughter escaped my lips. Arms wrap around my waist and I w as pulled into a warm embrace.

"Found you, Darling." I made a humming noise in the back of my throat as I pushed myself further into his embrace.

"You found me, Kol."

My eyes slowly adjusted as I woke up. The memory I had relieved had been clear and crisp, and yet, all I received from it was nothing but the sight of trees and the sound of voices. It was frustrating, but I couldn't help but curl up and smile at the feeling of warmth pulsing through my chest. I was getting closer, I just knew it.

The memory replayed in my mind as I wandered through the crowd of teens working on floats and dressed in period clothing for the Founders Day parade. Caroline had recruited me to help out with setting up for the parade, but it was hard for me to focus when all I could think about was the past. As much as I wanted answers, there was a small part of my mind that reminded me that these answer we're only going to cause me pain. Because the rational part of my mind reminded me that these people, whoever they were to me, were long dead by now.

"Jer, please." The sound of my sister's pleas caught my attention and pulled me from my own thoughts. I turned away from the float I had been helping paint and spoted my siblings walking through the crowd.

"Just don't! You can't fix this that easily." Jeremy stopped and glared at Elena. I felt for my twin in that moment as her lips turned down in a frown. She had thought she had been doing the right thing when she had Damon erase Jeremys memory, but it was now coming back to bite her. "Something like this doesn't just get fixed."

Jeremy stormed away from our sister and I left behind the painting to approach Elena. "I'll talk to him." I squeezed Elenas shoulder and the two of us locked eyes before I went after Jeremy.

"Hey, can we talk?" Jeremy paused in his steps at my question and turned to face me.

"I'm not going to forgive her. So you can just forget it." He went to walk away but I reached out and grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Listen, I can't make you forgive Elena. But you have to understand, she did what she did because she thought it was the right thing. She was just trying to protect you." I did my best to explain Elenas actions. "I can't say I agree with what she did, and I'm sorry I didn't try harder to stop it from happening."

"Why didn't you, because you're not really my sister? Because you're not really Elenas?" I knew he only said those things because he was upset, but it still hurt to hear. I had always considered Jeremy and Elena to be my family, even if my blood connection to them was complicated, even more so now that the fact that Elena and I had been adopted was known.

"Oh." I took a step back, he obviously knew the truth now. Jeremy's eyes went wide as he tried to take back his words. "Please, don't. I get it, really I do, but Jeremy, you'll always be my brother, even if you don't see me as your sister."

"Ah, Serena, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that." Jeremy rubbed at the back of his neck in frustration as he looked away from me. "I read Elena's diary, and she wrote that you were different, that you're not really human or something like that. She wrote that it was complicated, but that you weren't really related to us somehow."

"Well, she's not exactly wrong. I was born as her twin, I'm just not sure how much of a blood relationship we really have. Granted, I'm not sure what I even am." I admitted and crossed my arms over my chest. "I mean, look at me Jer, can you even see any similarities between me and Elena. But besides that, I still consider her my sister, and you my brother."

"Do you even know what you are?" Jeremy asked softly.

"No. I don't know exactly. The only things I have to go on are the memories of my past life and the things I can do." I shrugged my shoulders and let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry. About what I said." Jeremy started. "I know you care about us, Elena and I. I can't imagine not knowing who I am, so I'm sorry about that too."

"It's okay, little brother." I reassured him. "And I'm sorry too, for not stopping Damon that night. I should have done something. That was your choice to make, not theirs."

"Thanks, sis." Jeremy and I smiled at each other. "I uh, have to get back to my float. So I'll see you later." I waved bye to Jeremy and watched my brother head back into the crowd. It wasn't much, but it was start. I knew it was going to take time for him to forgive Elena, but he deserved that time. He needed to sort out his thoughts and grasp the fact that fiction just became truth.

The floats were finished up and the parade was set to start. With my part finished I headed into town to watch and mingle with the crowd. Granted, I wasnt a fan of the crowd part, but I found that being outside among the towns folks was easier than being inside a crowded enclosed space. So I spent my time out on main street while the Mayor and his wife made announcements on the stage located in the center of town square.

"Ah, there you are, little sister." Damon threw an arm over my shoulders and pulled me in close as the two of us walked down the street. The sun had finally set and the fireworks were set to start soon. I had been searching for Caroline after she sent me a text, bribing me with french fries, to watch the fireworks with her and Matt.

"I was wondering if you were going to show up. Not paranoid about the device being used anymore?" I asked as the two of us made our way toward the Grill.

"Nah. With Jonathan Gilbert's invention now useless, I figured it was safe enough to enjoy today's festivities." Damon admitted and I laughed lightly at him. He was right, it was a lot less stressful knowing him and Stefan could no longer be hurt by the device.

"So listen." Damon stopped walking and took his arm off my shoulder so I could face him. "There's something you should know. I put the pieces together and came to the conclusion that good old Uncle John is actually Daddy John."

My mouth fell open, "Oh." I paused as I thought about it for a second. "I guess that makes sense, huh?" The clues had all been there, but my thoughts had been far too preoccupied recently to really put them together. "Wow, never really liked the guy. And to think this whole time he was actually our real dad."

"Yeah, just one big mixed bag of daddy issues to go through." Damon sassed and I rolled my eyes at his remark. That was definitely one bag I didn't plan on opening. Grayson Gilbert's memory was all I needed in this lifetime. He was more of a father then John could ever be. Damon's eyes left mine and glanced over my shoulder. "You're still around?"

I turned around so I was standing beside Damon and saw that it was Anna he was speaking to. "Anna." I wanted to tell the vampire that I was sorry about her mother, I heard that Pearl had been killed, no doubt it was the councils doing. But I held my tongue and said nothing.

She sent me a nod before looking back at Damon. "There's something you need to know. The vampires from the tomb are planning an attack tonight."

"How do you know this?" Damon asked the vampire standing before us while my eyes glanced around at the crowd mingling around town square. This wasn't good. I couldn't feel anything coming from the crowd, but that didn't the vampires weren't already here.

"I went to them." Anna admitted. "They think I'm with them but I'm not. They want the Founding Families dead."

"Oh no." My eyes went wide and I looked up to Damon.

Damon in turn glanced down at me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "When is this supposed to happen?"

"When the fireworks start." Anna answered and I felt panic begin to rise up inside me.

"John Gilbert wants to use the invention on them." Damon said aloud as we shared another look.

"That was his plan all along." I added.

"Then we can't be here." Anna shot back and Damon shook his head at the panicked vampire.

"It doesn't work, it's been deactivated." He told her.

"Well then a lot of people are gonna die." Annas spoke and I felt a shiver run down my spine.

Damon pulled me closer to him as he glanced around. "Where are they right now?" He asked Anna.

"There already here, Damon." Anna's answer made me slightly sick. We stood no chance against a large group of vampires, not out in the open like this.

"Get out of here." He said to Anna before turning to me. "Go find Stefan and tell him to get you and Elena out of here. I'm going to go find Ric."

"Okay, be careful." I rushed from Damons side in search of Stefan and my sister. I spotted the two by an ally near our dad's old practice and hurried up to them. "Stefan, you need to get Elena out of here, now." I grabbed Elena by the arm and pushed the girl into Stefan's arms.

"What? What's going on Serena?" Elena asked as I glanced around frantically for any sign of Jeremy.

"It's the tomb vampires, there here and planning an attack on the founding families." I quickly explained and went to leave when Stefan grabbed me.

"Where are you going? Serena, you're a part of a founding family." Stefan pointed out.

"I know, but I have to go fine Jeremy. I'll follow after you guys as soon as I have him." With that said I pulled my arm out of the vampires grip and went searching for my little brother. The last place I had seen the teen was near the Grill so I headed across the street for the restaurant. But the second I stepped through the crowd an ear shattering ringing sound broke through the noise of the celebrating party.

I found myself clutching at the sides of my head as I collapsed to the ground in agony. The sound was unbearable and I gritted my teeth and curled in on myself as the ringing ricocheted in my head. My head felt like it was going to explode, but through the pain I felt myself being lifted off the ground and hauled away from the street. It was hard to tell where we were going and at some point I found myself passing out from the pain.

My head was pounding by the time I felt my body being placed down on a hard surface. The ringing was no longer there, but now I had the leftover pain to deal with as I tried to open my eyes and see where I was. Everything was blurry but I was able to make out a familiar figure standing over me.

"John?" I croaked out and winced when a putrid smell hit my nose. The smell was strong and made the ache in my head worse as the fumes filled what I could now tell was a room.

"Serena?" I turned my head and found Damon laying beside me. I could make out the look of utter fear and desperation etched out on his face. "No! No! No! Don't do this to her! Don't do this!" His eyes shifted from me to John still standing above me. Hatred and anger filled his gaze as his eyes pierced through the haze of my mind.

"Wha- what's happening?" I mumbled out as Damon shifted and pulled his body as close to mine as he could get. He reached his arms out and tugged me even closer so my face was pressed up against his chest.

"Don't do this John! She isn't a vampire! You're making a mistake!" Damons shouts reached my ears as well as the sound of something splashing against the concret. That putrid smell from before grew stronger and I buried my face even further into my brother's chest. Gasoline, the smell was gasoline.

Then the heat came. John, the man who turned out to be my real father, was leaving me to burn. A sob escaped my lips as Damon held me close. I could feel the heat from the flame lick at my back as pure panic seized my body as the voices from the past came to the forefront of my mind. "Mother! Help me, please! Don't let them do this!" The memory of my pleas made my throat close up as sob raked through my body. I couldn't believe this was happening, again, another parent was going to let me die.

"No, no, no, no. Please, don't let this happen." I muttered as the smoke filled the room we had been placed in. All I could feel was pure heat as my mind was pushed back into a memory I had hoped to never have to relive. "Make it stop. Please, make it stop." I pleaded with no one as my eyes stayed squeezed shut.

"Hold on Serena" Damon's voice was only a brush of air against my ear as I looked out among the crowd of bystanders. "Don't breathe in too deeply. Just hold on." All their eyes were empty and blank as they watched me burn.

"We find the accused, Serena Smith, guilty of witchcraft and sentence her to burn until dead."

"No! Mother please help me!" I mumbled into Damon's shirt as the heat grew and I could only whimper in pain. The air grew cooler, but I couldn't bring myself to open my eyes as I cried in agony.

"Serena! Come on little sister, wake up! Serena!" Damon's voice sounded so far away as the roar of the flames grew louder and the memory of smoke filled my lungs.

"Serena. Wake up, Elskan."

My eyes snapped open and I gasped as I took in a breath of cool air. My heart was racing as I looked up at the starry sky above me and not the face of the dead as they watched me burn. A sob of relief escaped my lips and brought my hands up over my face. I felt my body being lifted off the ground and curled into Damon's arms as his familiar energy wrapped around me.

"I'll get her home."

I remembered nothing but being placed into bed and wrapped up in my blankets. A gentle kiss was placed on my forehead as my body sagged against my mattress and my mind fell into darkness. I was drained and sleep came easy enough as my body, and mind, just gave up consciousness. I welcomed the dreamless sleep as I gave into the dark and curled in on myself.

I had no time perception and had no idea how long it had been since I had closed my eyes when frantic yells pierced the darkness and I found my sister shaking me awake. "Serena! Wake up, a vampire was in the house. They attacked John!"

I found myself wrapped up in my comforter on the bottom step of the stairs as EMTs and cops filtered in and out of the house. John had been taken to the hospital and was in less than great condition and I can't say I felt any kind of sympathy for the man who had left me to burn earlier that night. I wasn't in the mood to care and huffed at the fact that I had been woken up at all.

"Hey, I'm going to head to the hospital." Elena kneeled down in front of me and gently placed a hand on my shoulder. "Caroline was in an accident earlier. So Stefan is going to stay with you and Jeremy. Just in case."

I nodded my head to let my sister know that I heard her, but in all honesty, my mind was muddled and all I wanted was to go back to sleep. Stefan ended up leading me back up stairs where I soundlessly collapsed back into bed. I closed my eyes hoping for more of the same dreamless sleep I had gotten earlier, but fate had other ideas as I found my eyes opening to the sight of a familiar clearing.

Leaves from the trees flitted around us as the wind shook them from their branches and I sat snuggly against my mother's front as we watched the trees around us sway. "Do you see it, my little one? The connection between us and the earth." I squinted at the world around us, trying to see what my mother saw.

"I don't see anything Mama." I frowned and turned my wine colored eyes up at my mother. Her matching eyes smiling back down at me.

"One day, my little one, you'll be able to see it, to feel it." My mother promised me as she held me tightly and we both sat at the base of a familiar oak tree. Its leaves followed each other down to the forest floor and I searched the air for any sign of the connection my mother spoke of.

"One day, my little one."

I woke up to the sun greeting me as it's light shone in through the windows. It wasn't often that I dreamed of the woman who must have been my real mother. It was hard to deny the fact that we were clearly related. Even in my older memories of the woman, I could tell that we shared a lot of similarities. Her hair was longer, and her olive toned skin had this warm glow to it. But it was her eyes I first noticed when I dreamed of her for the first time. We had the same exact, wine colored, eyes. I prayed with all my heart that I would one day get to remember her clearly. I wanted to know her so badly, it hurt.

But right now wasn't the time to mull over my memories from the past, right now I had other things to worry about. A part of me wanted to believe that last night had just been a horrible nightmare, but I knew better. John had actually left me to burn. He lit the match and walked away. But it wasn't just him I found myself seething over. I had placed my trust in Bonnie, again, and she lied to me. She lied to all of us. I doubted that she knew the device would affect me like it did vampires, but she had still lied to me after I stuck up for her, and I ended up almost burning alive because of it.

Once I was dressed I walked into the kitchen and found Elena sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in front of her. "Hey, good you're up. We, uh, need to talk."

I sat down in the chair across from her. "What is it? What happened?" I asked and Elena shifted in her seat.

"We found out who the vampire is from last night." She paused and took a breath. "It's Katherine. She's here, in Mystic Falls."

I stared blankly at my sister as her words ran each other in my head. Katherine was here, in Mystic Falls. My spine went stiff and fear filled my stomach. She was here. "What-" I cleared my throat, "What are we going to do?" Elena frowned at my reaction

"I don't know." She answered. "But that's why we need to get as much information on her as we can get." Elena paused. "That's why we're going to see John." I gave her a sour look and she shook her head. "I know, I know. But he has to know something and we need answers."

I let out a long sigh. "I don't want to see him again," I paused and looked at my sister. "But your right. We do need answers." Our eyes connected and I could see the apprehension in her gaze, but she nodded her head.

"Alright." It grew quiet between us and I could see Elena thoughts running through her head. "How are you doing? Do you want to talk about it?" I looked down at my hands and twisted them together. Last night had been a living nightmare for me.

"I don't know." My words were quiet and sounded as unsure as I felt. "Last night had been my worst nightmare come to life, and all I can see when I close my eyes is John walking away as flames rise up around me."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Elena had walked around the kitchen island and as soon as she was beside me, she wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tightly. "I'm sorry." She whispered again.

Stefan picked us up from the house and drove us to the hospital and let us know that Damon was at the Lockwoods for the Mayor's wake. Mayor Lockwood had, strangely enough, been affected by Johnathans invention and pulled from the crowd when the device had been turned on. He died alongside the other vampires, the ones from the tomb, who didn't escape the flames.

I kept close to Elena and Stefan as we walked into the hospital. The last time I had been here was after the accident. I hated the things I felt when I was here last time, and those feelings seemed to only grow more intense now. It felt like I was walking on a tightrope, if I leaned too far to one side, I would be pulled down into the abyss. It was here that the never ending cycle took place, it was the balance that controlled us all. Life and death.

I stayed back while Elena and Stefan walked into John's room. I couldn't bring myself to step inside, I didn't want to see him. I positioned myself against the wall next to the open door that led into his room.

"John?" Elena's voice reached my ear and I heard the slight intake of a panicked filled breath. "I'm Elena. I'm not- I'm not Katherine. I'm not her." She reassured the man.

"We know she did this to you." Stefan spoke up.

"Where is she?" John asked them. My body tensed up at the sound of his voice and I had to close my eyes and take in a breath to keep myself composed.

"You tell us." Stefan added back.

"I don't know." John admitted to the two.

"You're a little too weak to play tough guy." Stefan spoke up. "Why don't you just sit back and answer a few questions?"

"Please, tell us why she's here. What does she want?" Elena pleaded with the man for answers. But there was no answer.

"She'll try again." Stefan brought up. "We can't help you if you don't confide in us."

I heard John scoff at the vampire. "In you?"

"In your daughter then." Stefan shot back at the man.

"My daughter should have driven a stake through your heart by now." John spat at Stefan and I flinched. "I never spoke to Katherine directly, she never trusted me. So either kill me or get out because I can't stand the sight of you with my daughter." I clenched my eyes closed and hissed at John's words. He had no right to say that to Elena, or act like Stefan was some monster that my sister needed to put down. Like he had tried to do to me.

I pushed myself off the wall and stepped into the room. John's eyes went wide at the sight of me and I only offered the man a blank look. "Enough." My vice was quiet but I knew the three other people in the room heard me. "You have no right to say those things to her. Elena and Stefan have done more to keep our family safe than anything you've ever done." My words were harsh and cold as she left my lips. "You left me to die last night." My words were a mere whisper on my lips.

I turned my back on the man but didn't leave the room. "Sorry, Dad, but I'm not the monster you think I am." I left the room after that and headed down the hallway. I couldn't stand being near the man. All I saw when I looked at him was his figure walking away and Damon begging him not to leave me to burn.

I ended up asking a nurse where Caroline's room was and she pointed me in the right direction. I softly knocked on the door before I heard a quiet answer and I opened the door. "Hey there, how are you feeling?"

"Oh hey!" Caroline smiled brightly at me. She had been in bad shape last night and if it hadn't been for Damon giving her his blood, she wouldn't have made it through the night. "I'm actually doing great. Now if only my mom and everyone else believed me and I could just go home." Her words made a small smile grace my face as I rolled my eyes. Of course she wouldn't be doing well sitting still in a hospital.

"I know Care, but it's best you just take it easy and listen to your mom and the doctors." I said and Caroline let out a huff at my words. "I'm serious Caroline. Just, take it easy. I promise, life will go right back to normal once you get out."

Caroline sent me a sincere smile. "Thanks, Serena." I sent the smile back to her.

"I'll see you around Caroline." I waved goodbye and left the room. I had promised her that life would go back to normal, but the pit in my stomach told me that I had lied to her. Things were never going to go back to normal, not for us at least.

Elena and Stefan had planned to go to the Lockwoods for the wake and I had the two drop me off at the house. I was in no mood to mourn for a man I hardly knew and I needed time alone. My thoughts were a jumbled mess of emotion and past memories. I needed a chance to just get away from everyone, clear my head. While they didn't agree that I should be left alone, I didn't let them talk me out of it. If Katherine wanted me dead, she would have done it last night, or at least that's what I told myself.

I knew I was taking a risk by leaving the house and heading out into the woods. But there was only one place I wanted to be, and going there was worth the risk. This place felt sacred to me, like no one could touch me here, not even Katherine. It held memories and feelings, ones that I craved. I needed this place.

The old oak stood tall and proud as I gazed up at it. It's branches casted the clearing in it's shade and I took a seat right at its base so I was leaning back against its trunk. With eyes closed, I let out a breathy sigh and felt the invisible weight resting on my shoulders dissolve. It was peaceful here, like a piece of nirvana cut out just for me. Here I felt free of worry. Here I was closest to the never ending balance of nature that flowed all around us. There was no pretending, no worrying, and no consequences. Here, I was safe.

I sat curled up against the base of the oak tree with my eyes closed as the warmth of the winter sun radiating over me. The peacefulness of the woods and nature itself soon pulled me under its tranquil grasp.

It was the sound of running water that pulled me from the haze I fell into. I was surrounded by trees and close by was a small creek that cut it's way through the woods. I was alone and my hands were covered in dirt. My small hands dug at the earth as I pulled mushrooms from the soil. It was peaceful as I foraged for the edible fungus and lost myself in my own mind and daydreams.

It was the sudden sound of a twig snapping that pulled me from my thoughts. My head snapped up and I shot to my feet. "Who's there?" My voice was soft as I spoke. "Come out." I knew I was young in this memory. The sound of my voice and the size of my hands told me that much. I heard leaves crunch and a figure come out from behind a tree.

It was a boy, one who looked only slightly older than myself. He had a mop of dark brown hair on his head and the deepest shade of brown eyes I had ever seen. I knew those eyes from somewhere, but I couldn't think of when I had seen them.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." The boy stood on the other side of the creek. He had a quiver filled with arrows on his back as well as a bow clutched in his hand. "My name is Elijah." He bowed his head and a small smile curled up at the corner of my lips.

"My name is Serena. It's nice to meet you, Elijah." The boy's face broke out in a smile and I felt a comforting warmth spread in my chest at the sight.

I woke up to see the trees around me bathed in the light of the fading sun. Even with the light blinding me, all I could see were those deep brown eyes. I knew those eyes seemed familiar and it was because I had seen them before, in a blurry memory I had once before. The warmth I felt in my memory still filled my chest as I thought back on the little boy. Elijah. This was the clearest any memory from my first life has ever been.

I sat against the oak tree as I replayed the memory over and over again in my mind. I didn't want to lose the warm feeling in my chest, because I knew that once I left the clearing, the ache would return full force. But the sun was starting to set and I was losing light. I didn't like walking through the woods at night, so I gathered my bag and left the safety of the oak trees clearing.

My walk back to where I parked my car was an uneventful one. It was a quick drive back home and before I knew it, I was walking up the steps of the front porch. The lights were on inside and Elena's car was parked out front. Jennas wasn't there so I figured it was just Elena and Jeremy who were home. I pushed open the front door and stepped inside.

"Damon! No!" The sound of my sister's screams had my feet moving before I could even process what she was screaming about. I raced up the stairs and came skidding to a stop. My eyes found Elena sobbing over Jeremy while Damon stood just outside the door. My throat closed up and my body froze at the sight and the lack of energy coming from Jeremy.

It was obvious to me that Jeremy was dead, but it was hard to grasp that fact. I looked up at Damon who still stood hovering over Elena and the dead body of our brother. "What did you do?" Damon looked away from my siblings and our eyes met. He looked distraught and shocked by his own actions. I could tell there was something wrong with him.

Damon said nothing and before I could even open my mouth, he was gone. I turned my gaze back to Elena and slowly moved so I was kneeling on the other side of Jeremy. "His ring." Elena croaked out. I glanced down at Jeremy's hand and saw a familiar ring sitting on his finger. I felt my body sag in relief at the sight of the magic ring. He was going to be okay.

There was a sudden change in the air and I looked up to find Stefan standing behind me. He stepped around Jeremy and placed a comforting hand on Elena's shoulder. "He saw the ring. That's why he did it." Stefan did his best to reassure Elena on his brother's motives, but I could see it in my sister's eyes, Damon had broken her trust.

As for myself, I didn't know how to feel. I knew Damon was going through something with Katherine showing up in town. But to kill Jeremy? That wasn't something he could just do. Damons actions had my thoughts reeling and my emotions running high.

Jemery woke from the dead with a start as life flooded back into him. The boy gasped for breath and Elena sobbed in relief as she held him close. A wave of relief washed over me. I stood up and walked away from the others as my mind whiled with thoughts. I remembered Stefan telling Vicki that a vampire's emotions were stronger than a humans. They felt more and in turn had less control of their actions when it came to losing control.

I could only imagine what Damon was going through, what he was feeling. He was hurt, and confused. He was lashing out in hopes it would make the other emotions he was feeling go away, and I had a feeling that what I had to say to him was only going to make it worse.

A/N: I've been working real hard on the next few chapters and I'm actually happy about them. Here we can see the changes happening in the Gilbert family when it comes to Serena. She knows shes the outcast, but she loves her family. But will that be enough for what comes next?

Post days are Mondays! Thank you all for the support. Feel free to ask any questions and leave a review.

Stay safe everyone.