To whom it may concern
Today feels different. Scratch that today I feel different. Today I feel good. For the first time in a while I feel like everything's going to be okay. My parents are gone and it hurts but their are plenty of people that I love still here. Jeremy, Elena, Matt, Vicki Aunt Jenna, they're all here and they're all okay and they all need me to be okay.
I've just been too caught up in my own hurt to realize that. I told myself that my hurt was the only one that matter but after my talk with Jeremy last night and what almost happened to Vicki I realize I can't turn my back on the people that I love. I can't turn away the people who need me. That means no more burying my head in the sand and pretending that my problems are the only one that exists.
Yeah I've acknowledged the difference I saw in my siblings but up until I didn't really care. I was too wrapped up in my own guilt. But not anymore. I've made a vow to myself not to just be a different person but a better sister as well. Its what mom and dad would have wanted. And right now, it's what Jeremy and Elena need.
She closed out her book and went downstairs walking in to the kitchen on Jenna asking Elena if her latest fashion choice and if it made her look adult as in respectfully parental.
Elena replied with "Depends on where you're going."
To which Jenna answers "Jeremy's parent-teacher conference. Hair up or down?" She puts her hair up and Elena responds with "sexy stewardess."Jenna lets it down." Boozy housewife."
"Up it is." she affirmed with a nod and Lyssa sits her bag on the floor near the counter pouring a cup of coffee and watching in some amusement the exchange between her aunt and sister. Jenna added in "You're feisty today.
"I feel good," Elena respond "which is rare." Lyssa had a feeling her 'feeling good' had everything to do with Stefan and she was happy for her. She just wished her being so happy with the new guy didn't hurt Matt. "So I've decided to go with it." she shrugged."Fly free, walk on the sunshine, and all that stuff. Where is Jeremy?"
Alyssa wondered that herself. After the vow she made to be a better sister the first step she realized had to be to keep a better eye on her little brother.
"He left early. Something about getting to wood shop early to finish a birdhouse." Jenna responded but then came to a quick realization when she saw the look on the Gilbert girls faces. "There is no wood shop, is there?
"No." Elena answered with a small shake of her head.
"Yeah"
"Don't worry" Lyssa picked up her bag knowing exactly where to find her brother. "I'm on it"
Jeremy stands outside Vicki's room and watches as she sleeps. When a nurse spots him.
"You can't be in here, hon. Visiting hours don't start till 9:00." she informs him.
"I just. . .how is she?"
"She's lost a lot of blood."
"Yeah, but she's gonna be OK, right?"
"She needs her rest. So you come back later. Come on." She ushered him away from the room and he leaves the hospital disgruntled.
Alyssa pulled up just as Jeremy was leaving the hospital. She pulls up beside him and he turns surprise to see her.
"How'd you know I would be here?" he asked through the open window.
"Where else would you be?" she leaned over and opened the door. "Get in"
He readjusted the strap on his bag before stepping into the truck.
"Seat belt" she reminded him a and he sat his bag on the floor and strapped himself in. She put her signal and pulled out of the hospital parking lot. "Did you get to see Vicki?" She hadn't heard back from Matt yet but she was taking that as a good sign. "Do you know how she's doing?"
"The nurse said she lost a lot of blood"
Lyssa guessed that from the amount of blood she saw coming from the wound on Vicki's neck. "I wondered what kind of animal could attacking all these people" she learned that aside from that couple she saw on the news the morning before two campers were missing.
Jeremey made no comment and they pulled up to school ten minutes later.
Lyssa spotted Tyler less than a foot away with some blonde girl and from the way Jeremy slammed the door as he got out of the car so did he and he wasn't too happy about it.
Lyssa unhooked her seatbelt and scrambled out of the car after him. "Jeremey"
"Hey, Tyler. Hey, I'm sorry to interrupt" Jeremy approached Tyler. "I was just wondering how Vicki's doing, since you guys are so close. Is she ok?
"She's fine. Now get out of here."
"How bad is she?" he continued to prove a point. "Do they know what attacked her? Is she going to make a full recovery? Was she happy to see you? What room number was she in?"
"I'm gonna kick your ass."
"Yeah, you keep saying that, but when are you actually going to do it? Huh? 'Cause I vote for right here and right now."
Jeremy shoves Tyler and Alyssa finally reached Jeremy grabbing him back. "Jeremy let it go"
"Listen to your sister Gilber walk away. It's your final warning."
"No, this is your final warning, dick. I'm sick of watching you play Vicki. If you hurt her one more time, I swear to God, I will kill you."
Jeremy leaves looks at Tyler.
"Damn, that was like a death threat." Tyler turns to the girls beside him. "Did you hear that?
Alyssa looked at Tyler with a hint of disgust and follows her brother.
"Jeremy" she called after him but ignored her and kept walking.
Matt approached her after witnessing what happened between Jeremy and Tyler. "What was that about?"
"Its a long story. How's Vicki?"
"They're keeping her overnight to make sure there's no infection, but she should be able to come home tomorrow." Matt opened the doors and they walked inside.
"That's good news." They stopped at Matt locker and quickly put in the combination.
"Yeah"
"Did you get in touch with your mom?"
"Called and left a message." She leaned against the locker beside his and he shrugged off his coat and hung it inside the locker. "She's in Virginia Beach with her boyfriend, so. . .we'll see how long it takes her to come rushing home.
"If she comes rushing home" Kelly wasn't known to be responsible or parental and she doubted she would drop having fun to come home. Not even if her kids needed her.
Matt closed the locker and they started towards first period.
"I know, and now there's talk of some missing campers.
"Did she say what kind of animal it was that attacked her?" They passed by Elena and Stefan who were talking against the locker and Alyssa briefly acknowledge them before turning back to Matt.
"She said it was a vampire."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, she wakes up last night and mutters "vampire" and then passes out."
"Ok, that's weird"
"I think she was drunk." Matt dismissed the claim and they walked inside the classroom.
Lyssa thought that it was reasonable assumption being that Vicki would use any drug she could to escape her life, alcohol would be no different.
"I'm actually going back to the hospital after lunch. I want to be there when she wakes up, get the real story"
"Let her know I'm thinking bout her and I'll stop by after school".
"Yeah okay" he said at the start of the warning bell.
Alyssa waited around for Jeremy in the halls after last period thinking that he would want to go to see Vicki but she couldn't find him she began to check the usual spots he was known to hang out in during school hours but didn't find him in any of those places either. She decided to text him.
"Loose something" came the voice of the last person she wanted to see.
"Yes" she turned around and to face Tyler with look of annoyances. "My patience with you" he seemed to be amused. "What do you want LockWood"
"Relax I come in peace" she highly doubted that. "I heard you were looking for your brother and I came to tell you I saw him leave thirty minutes ago" she folded her arms and waited for the comment for the part conversation he said something that made her want to slap him. "I also wanted to apologize for what I said at the party the other night. It was out of line."
"Stay away from me and we'll call it even" she turned to leave but stopped to add. "Oh and stay away from Vicki. She has enough problems without you messing with her head. She's a good person who deserves to be respected and not to be used as a warm body to lay under" with that she turned and walked away.
Vicki is up alert and in good spirit when she walked in, something she was more than happy to see. She couldn't handle losing another person she cared about. She still hadn't completely recovered from the loss of her parents. The pain was still there but it was bearable.
She kicked off her shoes and carefully slid in to lay beside Vicki who greeted her with a smile and a 'hey'.
"You're in a good mood for someone who was nearly killed." she turned on the bed as much as she could and propped her head up with her hand. "Must be the pain killers they're giving you."
"They're prescribing me the kids stuff" she answers with a frown. "Nothing with an O in it"
"They must know your a pill popping junkie" she teased in a mock whispered and turned on her back to look the ceiling.
They spent the next minute in silence.
"Thank you"
Lyssa turned to her head to the side to look at Vicki.
"Jeremy said you were the one who saved me"
"We both did" she shrugged as if it was nothing. "I'm just glad I found you in time. You know I would loose it if anything happened to you"
She viewed Vicki as the big sister she always wanted and often wished she could be as close with her actual sister as she was with Vicki. She might have been completely messed up but she always had her back no matter what and Lyssa vowed the same.
"You know" they turned to the sound of Matt's voice and saw him with Jeremey standing at the door. "If Vicki wasn't my sister this would be really hot"
Vicki picked up the gelatin container and tossed it at Matt once he got closer.
Matt laughed it off and sat in the sat in the chair he spent the better part of the day in while Alyssa checked her phone which vibrated in her pocket.
"Elena needs me to pick her up" she said to the room standing up and slipping on her shoes. "You okay to get home" she asked Jeremy knowing he wasn't going to leave until they kicked him out.
Matt offered to give him a ride which he accepted and with a bye to Vicki and a promise to be there when she got discharged she left to pick Elena up from the grill.
"I'll just be a minute" Elena unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car to knock on the Salvatore door before going in.
She looked down at her phone after getting a text from Matt asking about Jeremy's relationship with Vicki.
She was in the middle of her reply when she saw a crow fly into the side of the house. It gave her a sense of deja vu "what the hell?" she took the key out of the ignition and unbuckled her seat belt getting out of the car.
"Elena" she called stepping into the Salvatore house And followed the voices she heard into the living room where she seen Elena with Stefan and slightly older guy.
The conversation stopped when she walked. She turned to Elena. "You said to give you a minute and it's passed. We really should go"
"Yeah" she agreed giving finale look at Stefan before turning and walking to the door. Lyssa followed behind her.
"He's on the rebound and has raging family issues." Alissa and Elena were back home and Elena was explaining to her and Jenna what happened when she went to see Stefan.
"Well, at least it's an ex-girlfriend." Jenna commented "Wait till you date a guy with mommy issues or cheating issues. Or amphetamine issues.
"Or a guy who can't decide if he wants to date you or your brother" Alyssa threw in which caused both Jenna and Elena to stop and look at her. "What" she shrugs. "It happens"
The front door opens and in walks Jeremy.
"Jeremy?" Jenna called and he stepped into the dining room. "Jeremy, where were you?
"More stoner stories? Look, Jenna, I get it, you were cool. And so that's. . .that's cool."
"Oh, no, no, no!"Jenna throws an apple at Jeremy.
"Ow! Why? Why. . .why did you do that?"
"Listen up! Quit ditching class or you're grounded. No discussion."
"Parental authority, I like it. Sleep tight." he walked upstairs to his room and
"I got it" Lyssa said sitting down the napkins and going after Jeremy for a little brother sister talk.
"She had you take her over to Stefan's?" Matt asked dubiously as her and Alyssa sat up blankets in the back of his truck so they could comfortably watch the comet pass.
"Yeah and it was really weird." She laid the blanket out flat so it could cover half of his truck. Matt stood across from her. "I'm in the car in the middle of texting you waiting for Elena to come out and bam a crow flies into the side of the house."
Matt looks at her with a raised brow. "I know like how crazy is that, anyway it really freaked me out because of what I told you happened after I left the grill the other night. So I go inside and Elena is in there with Stefan and his brother one she didn't even know he had. And apparently they have some deep seeded issues. And there's an ex girlfriend"
"What's Elena say about that?"
"You know how she feels about secrets Matt and he hid two and yeah I know they're still getting to know each other but him not telling her about his ex makes her think she's just the rebound girl"
"You think they're going to break up?"
"I don't think they were considered together technically and I'm not telling you this to give you hope that the two of you are getting together. Even if Stefan wasn't in the picture there still isn't a chance of the two of you getting back together. And it's not because of you, she's just changed."
"Yeah she isn't the only one." he looked pointedly at her before switching the subject back to Stefan. "So what do you think of the guy?"
"Stefan? I don't really know him but again neither does Elena"
"Sounds like it's not just a problem for Elena"
"Secrets always have a way of coming out especially in this town. I just don't wanna see Elena get hurt when it does, which is why I'm going to be keeping a closer eye out. It's a new vow I made. Being a better sister not just a different person."
"Yeah and how is that working out for you"
"It's hard" she sighed dramatically. "But wanna know what would make it better"
He quickly picked up on the hint "Burger and cheese fries"
"Yes please."
She watched him walk away before pulling out her phone to check on Jeremey.
"I like a girl with a healthy appetite"
Lyssa turned around surprised to see Damon Salvatore standing behind her. She hadn't even seen him walk up.
"I have a feeling that's not the only thing you like" she responded putting down the phone turning to him. "Damon isn't. Elena told me about you" she answered when he raised a brow.
"And your Elena's little sister."
"Alyssa" she corrected.
"I remember you from the other night"
"Now would that be when I walked in on you Stefan and Elena standing awkwardly in the middle of your living room or that whole hitchcock moment we shared in the square. Where did you go by the way?"
"I had something very important to intend to"
"Hmm" she turned back to the back of the truck to finish spreading out the blankets.
"So you and Blondie look pretty cozy" she turned back to him. "Is there a story there"
"Do you care?"
"Just making polite conversation"
"There's no story." She looked over her shoulder at him. "Were just friends"
"But you want more" he supplied.
"No." she stopped working and rubbed her hands together to get rid of the dirt. "Matts a nice guy but he also happens to be Elena's ex. That would be too complicated and little to close to home for comfort. You would know about that wouldn't you. You and Stefan both dated Katherine right. I mean it's pretty obvious from what Elena said."
"Yeah we did" he sounded a little resentful.
"So you know how messy that can be. I don't want to look at Matt and constantly be wondering if he's just using me as a replacement. I want to be the only one. If I were you I wouldn't give her a second thought. If she wasn't satisfied with just having you then she really isn't worth it" she reached into the truck to grab the pillows and when turned back he was gone.
"Well that was a complete bust" Alyssa commented coming back into the grill after being in the square for over an hour watching the slowly passing comet. "I expected it to be more flash"
"Its a comet that travels here once every 145 years how much flash were you expecting"
"I don't know I guess I expected it to be more romantic" she said as they started towards there friends.
"And you were going to watch it with me" he looked over at her with questioning eyes.
"Don't read too much into it Donavon." they stopped at the tables where Bonnie Caroline and Tyler were sitting. Jeremy walked over not long after.
"Hey, has anyone seen Vicki?" he was worried. They were suppose to meet up but she never showed.
"You're her stalker. You tell us." Tyler commented. Jeremy ignored him and continued.
"I can't find her."
"She probably found somebody else to party with. Sorry, pill pusher, I guess you've been replaced." it was Tyler again and Alyssa wanted nothing more than to punch him in the throat so he couldn't talk.
"What's with the pill pusher?" Elena turned to Tyler and Tyler turned to Jeremy.
"Ask him."
" You wanna do this right now?" Jeremey asked Elena who replied with
"Are you dealing?"
"She's never gonna go for you." Tyler continued and Jeremy said the last thing anyone expected him to say.
" She already did. Over and over and over again."
" Yeah, right." he said in disbelief but didn't look quite sure.
"You slept with Vicki Donovan?" this time it was Caroline who spoke and she seemed to mirror what everyone else was thinking."I mean, Vicki Donovan slept with you?
"There's no way." Tyler said again and Jeremy came back with
"And I didn't even have to force her into it."
"What the hell is he talking about, Ty?" Matt looked to Tyler for an explanation but Tyler waved it off saying
"Nothing, man, just ignore him, he's a punk."
Matt who was sick of the back and forth said " You know what, how about all of you shut up and help me find my sister?"
"We'll check the back." Bonnie volunteered and left with Caroline.
Matt and Alyssa went to check the square after Jeremy was held back by Elena after Tyler's pill pusher comment and ran into Stefan.
Matt and Stefan exchanged a few words over Matt seeing him in the hospital something Alyssa hadn't heard.
The conversation ended with Stefan promising to keep an eye out for Vicki before leaving and Alyssa turned to Matt for question on the whole Stefan hospital situation but he'd just promised to explain later.
They walked into the grill after searching the entire square to found Vicki seated at one of the tables looking slightly out of it. Vicki explained that she had took some pills and was a little out of it and Stefan found her wandering around in the square.
After Matt thanked Stefan for helping out Vick Matt took her home to sleep off whatever pills she had taken and Alyssa dropped Jeremy off home before heading over to Matt's to check on Vicki.
Matt was waiting for her on the porch when she pulled up.
She grabbed her bag and got out of the car.
"How's Vicki." She asked meeting Matt on the steps.
"She passed out the minute we got in the car" He lowered himself onto the second step Alyssa joined him. "I don't know what to do with her anymore" he confided in her sighing tiredly leaning back on the steps. "The drugs, and drinking and now she's hooking up with Jere."
"Yeah, I'm not going to lie Jeremy and Vick hooking up is a little weird" and something she didn't want to think about. "But he's still way better than Tyler"
"What's with the two of you anyway?" He turned to look at her. "It's like lately you're always at each other's throat"
"That's because Tyler's a jerk" She mimic his pose leaning on the steps. "Whom I stupidly dated and when things started to get serious he couldn't handle it and in a totally Tyler sort of way he was a dick about it"
"Tyler can be a real dick" she knew was Matt's way of saying he was sorry.
"Eh," She shrugged. "I just chalk it up to a lesson learned and a mistake that I will never happen again. I hope she does the same"
"You really care about her don't you" He always knew that they were close but he was starting to see how much Alyssa cared for his sister.
"Yeah, she gets me you know. We get each other, in a way Elena and I never could" it wasn't for a lack of trying.
"Okay that's it" he said standing helping her up. "No more talk about messed up siblings or exs or any of that screwed up stuff in our lives."
"Then what else are we going to talk about"
"There's a Rocky Horror show marathon on and cold pizza in the fridge. We could forget about how crappy our lives are"
She smiled and walked up the stairs. "I like the sound of that. I hope it's not more garlic and anchovy pizza my burps tasted like garlic for three days"
"Yeah I know" he opened the door for her to go in. "I had to be the one to smell it"
"Jerk" she shoved him stepping into the house and he chuckled stepping in behind her. "See if I ever be nice and let you pick dinner again."
"You know what would really go good with left over pizza" Matt asked once he returned with said item and two can soda's.
"Chilly cheese fries and a slice of chocolate cheese cake from the grill" She said pulling said items out of the bag.
"I love you" He said and she laughed at the serious look on his face and handed him his fries settling back on the couch with her pizza.
"Oh I love this one" She exclaimed taking a bit from her pizza which had Matt drawing his attention from her and on to the tv where they spent the rest of the night snuggled on the couch reciting the words from various shows.