"What did you just say?" Elena whispered shaking her head slowly, unable to comprehend what her brother had just said.
"The vampire that did this thing is Damon Salvatore. Surely you remember that arrogant dick," her brother stopped with his hand on the doorknob waiting for her to realise who he was talking about.
"I remember him," she swallowed heavily feeling the bile rising up her throat. "It's just—are we sure that he did it?" she asked weakly hating how pathetic she sounded but she couldn't believe that what they were saying was true. It couldn't be.
"The girl identified him, honey. It's him," her father chimed in matter of factly and she felt a surge of anger shoot through her.
"And we're just going to take her word for it? She was in shock; she had just watched her dad die! Maybe, just maybe she saw wrong!" she snapped whirling around to look at her dad who looked taken aback his brows furrowing together.
"He's a vampire!" Jeremy shouted back heatedly letting go off the door and walking towards Elena who was shaking her head at him sadly.
"So that means he deserves to die? Because he's a vampire? Jer, you're hurting after mom. I understand but all this hatred is going to eat you up." She watched as her brother stopped in his tracks at the mention of their mother his entire body becoming rigid.
"That's enough," her father said softly his brown eyes etched with the sadness and grief they'd carried ever since their mother had died.
"I'll wait in the car," Jeremy mumbled walking through the door and slamming it behind him making them jump.
Her father walked towards her until he stood in front of her, he tilted her chin upwards whilst brushing his thumb across her cheek affectionately.
"What's going on?" he asked softly his gaze fixated on hers making it hard for her to lie, but there was no way she could tell him the truth either. She wondered if he would be so understanding if he knew that she had been sleeping with the enemy. At the thought she jolted a sudden memory stirring in her mind, filling her with a fragment of hope. Damon had been with her last night which was when the attack had happened, and if he was here then there was no way he would have been able to do the killing.
"What?" her dad asked watching her closely with a perplexed expression.
"What time did it happen?" she asked pulling away from him suddenly her big brown eyes watching him pleadingly. "The attack dad, when did it happen?" she pressed urgently when he gave her a blank look.
"6 AM why—" he started but Elena was already heading for the door.
"I'll meet you in the car, I just need to pop in to see Mrs Jones," she called out and with that she ran through the doors resting her hope on this one piece of information.
….
Elena knocked on the door rapidly glancing at the windows impatiently. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon she muttered under her breath shifting her weight from one foot to the other whilst glancing back to see if her dad had finished loading up the car yet. Elena felt her heart hammering so hard against her chest she was sure it would explode through her ribcage at any moment. She had never felt so afraid in her life. Letting out a deep sigh of defeat she slammed her hand against the door once more before leaning against the door so that her forehead was against it. Just as she was about to straighten up and leave, she heard movement behind the door.
"Mrs Jones?" she called out knocking once more.
The door creaked open and out popped out the head of the elderly woman who was wrapped in a towel indicating that she had just came out of a shower.
"Where's the fire dear?"
"I'm sorry to disturb you ma'am, I just wanted to ask you a very important question. What time did you see Matt leaving my house last night?" she asked stumbling over her words in her eagerness to get it out. The woman looked confused momentarily before staring into the distance clearly deep in thought. Elena's heart continued to hammer against her chest as she held her breath waiting for the answer.
"It was around the time I take my medication which was approximately 5.15 AM," she said after a moment giving Elena a warm smile. A wave of nausea washed over her as she came crashing down off a high. Of course, I mean she had been completely stupid to think that it was going to be so easy.
"Why?" Mrs Jones added now concerned.
"No reason, thank you and I'm sorry to have interrupted you."
Elena said her goodbyes and walked back to the car feeling hopeless. He had killed an innocent man, she concluded. She had thought that he had stayed the entire night, but he hadn't. He had left much earlier than he had promised to. She clung to her stomach feeling incredibly stupid and angry.
…
For the entire length of the journey to the Council room where the hunters were to meet Elena sat in silence her mind working on over-drive. The sick feeling at the pit of her stomach as if she had been punched in the gut remained and she felt at a loss, Damon could have done this and if the little girl identified him to be the killer then he had to be. She shook the thoughts out of her mind and stared out of the car window absently whilst chewing on her nails nervously. The atmosphere in the car was tense, her father drove in silence his jaw clenching and unclenching whilst Jeremy fiddled around with the weapons in his lap. For a moment she let her mind wonder about what would happen to him if they caught him – well when they caught him. They would kill him of course she thought bitterly, there was no option number two. She wondered if she would be capable of delivering the killing blow and if she would do it if she were to be assigned the case.
"You okay back there?" her father called out and she turned to catch his concerned frown in the rear view mirror.
She attempted to smile back at him reassuringly but it felt flat and never reached her eyes. "I'm fine," she lied and whilst her father nodded, she was certain that he didn't believe her. Occasionally she would catch a glimpse at him staring at her in wonder as if trying to read her and she would try to look deep in thought. There would be a reasonable explanation for what had happened she thought but even she didn't believe herself.
Elena walked into the room full of hunters among with her father and brother feeling as if she was having an out-of body experience. She listened, dazed as they recounted the events of what had allegedly happened a part of her still refusing to believe that this was all happening. Elena's eyes scanned the room of hunters who were gathered around the table prepared to discuss how to tackle the case and when to kill the vampire in question. Her eyes fell on Caroline whom she hadn't noticed up until now; she wore black skinny jeans, her black leather hunter boots that reached her knee with stakes tucked into the pocket compartment, her blonde hair was pulled tightly back. An acute sense of nausea passed over Elena as she remembered how on a normal occasion she would be standing beside her friend wearing matching clothing, chattering among themselves about the excitement of the possibility that they may be given the case. In that moment, Caroline must have sensed eyes on her because she turned to catch Elena's gaze her expression turning into one of concern mixed with sympathy but instead of feeling reassured Elena felt a twinge of anger – she didn't need pity. As the hunters became discussing various details of the event they brought up the image of the victim. Elena stumbled backwards covering her mouth to stifle a gasp; she stared horrified at the image on the screen. It was the man from the night before, the one who had been compelled to enter her house, the one she had sent away healthy and confused. In the image he was wearing similar clothes but his body had been mauled badly. Gagging, she turned away from the image struggling to gasp for air as her airways became restricted.
"I need fresh air," she mumbled to her father before stumbling outside and closing the door behind her. She bent down placing her hands on her knees and began to take deep breaths in to calm herself down. This wasn't happening she told herself as she was overwhelmed by a million different emotions. Standing upright she walked over to the far wall of the building and leaning against it she slid down until she was sitting cross legged on the cold ground feeling the coolness of the concrete and brick against her body. Closing her eyes, she let her mind drift off elsewhere away from this crazy town, away from this insanity that had become her life. She imagined herself as the girl she used to be, not the girl she had become—not the girl who would fall for vampires. The sound of the door clinking open brought her back to the present, her eyes springing open to see Caroline walking towards her with her hands knitted together in front of her.
"If you're here to tell me I told you so don't bother," Elena whispered leaning her head back against the wall and closing her eyes in an attempt to shut the rest of the world out. She was greeted by silence aside from the sound of movement beside her. Opening her eyes she turned to look at Caroline who had taken a seat on the ground beside her. Silence filled the air aside from rustling of the trees and the sound of a few dogs barking in the distance.
"Who's been assigned to kill him?" Elena whispered after a moment as she clenched her jaw in anger and frustration
"Elena—"
"I need to know," she said firmly brushing the back of her hand against her cheeks.
"I honestly don't know. I walked out after you, remember?" Caroline replied tentatively.
"I'm sorry Caroline, I screwed it all up."
Caroline shuffled closer to Elena taking her hand into hers and clasping it strongly. "Don't. It's not your fault."
"Yes, it is. My dad was relying on me to keep a lookout for what the vampires are doing because he's so grief ridden he busies himself up at work so much so that he barely has time to sleep let alone do anything else. He left me in charge. I was supposed to sort everything else out and I let him down!" she said tugging at her hair as she said the final part. She didn't feel like crying—she felt numb.
"Hey—" Caroline pulled her closer towards her but Elena pulled away struggling against her best friends grasp.
"I don't even know who I am," she let out a bitter laugh shaking her head incredulously. "I was so stupid, I betrayed everything I believed in and for what? For who? I'm the reason that guy is dead. I'm the reason a little girl is left fatherless!" she continued her voice raising and becoming more hysteric with each word as she still moved away from Caroline's touch.
"I've let her down Caroline," her voice broke as she punched out at the concrete wall in frustration and anger her knuckles bleeding where she grazed her skin. "I've let mum down, she was the one person who believed in me no matter what and I've destroyed her legacy. He deserves to die. I hope Damon di—" she finally stopped struggling and allowed her body to slam into Caroline's as a loud sob escaped her lips, Caroline pulled her into her arms wrapping her hands tightly against Elena's small body.
"Shhhh, it's not your fault," Caroline whispered as a singular tear escaping her eyes and leaving a damp trail down her skin.
Author's note: It's been too long guys, I'm sorry. Lost inspiration with this story for a while but I figured I owed it to those who read it to at least complete it so this is kind of a long update to try and make up for it. Do leave reviews pleeeeaseeee, thanks guys :))
