Chapter Seven

"You're a what?" Ella asked.

"A vampire," Caroline repeated.

Ella felt her legs give way beneath her and before she knew what was happening, Caroline was at her side, holding her up. The blonde led her light headed friend to the sofa where she sank down and dropped her head into her hands and took a deep calming breath. When that didn't work she took another and another and another. Her heart was racing and logic told her that it couldn't possibly be true, but still Ella believed her.

"I know it's a lot to take in," Elena told her. She sat beside the shaking girl and put a hand on her shoulder. "When I first found out about Vampire I totally freaked out, no one would blame you if you did the same."

"Are you...?" Ella looked up at Elena, fear shining in her brown eyes.

"No, I'm human," Elena assured her.

"And you?" the stunned girl looked up at Bonnie.

"I'm not a vampire," Bonnie smiled weakly. "I'm a witch."

"I knew there was something different about you," Ella breathed. Glad to have that mystery solved at least. Caroline's secret was something else entirely. Ella looked up at the best friend she'd ever had and shivered. She felt Elena's around tighten on her shoulder and it gave her strength. "Do you...do you kill people?"

"No," Caroline shook her head. "I drink from blood bags, it's no ideal but it stops me from hurting anyone."

Ella could feel that Caroline was telling the truth and that she posed no danger to her. In fact she could feel that Caroline was as afraid as she was. "Why are you scared?" she asked.

"What?" Caroline looked surprised and confused.

"You're afraid, I can feel it," Ella whispered, looking down at her hands.

"How?"

"I don't know."

"Bonnie?" Elena looked up at her friend.

"I don't know what to tell you," Bonnie shook her head. "They first day we met I felt something from you, but I have no idea what. Whatever it was it was powerful."

"I felt something from you too," Ella admitted, looking up at the young witch. "You're so powerful, it was almost overwhelming."

"Isn't there any way for you to touch Ella again and sense what the power is?" Caroline asked.

"I could try," Bonnie shrugged. "I'm not sure it'll work, especially if it's something I've never come across. My Grams left me a lot of old books, maybe I could do a little research and we can try it again tonight after the dance."

Ella nodded slowly. She could tell that they were all worried, but none more so that she was. Since they were all being honest she thought she'd better voice her concerns now. It would be better to get them out in the open instead of bottling them up.

"I'm scared," she whispered. Caroline dropped onto the couch beside her and put and arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. Elena never took her hand away from her shoulder and squeezed it again reassuringly and Bonnie crouched in front of her, placing her hands on her knees. "What if..."

"What?" Caroline pressed and Ella paused.

"What if I'm not...good? What if whatever Bonnie sensed, whatever's going on with me is something bad?"

"I wish I could tell you not to be afraid," Bonnie told her. "What I can tell you though is that no matter what is going one, we're all here for you. We'll get through it together I promise."

"Bonnie's right," Caroline smiled. "You're one of us now."

"We're here for you," Elena agreed.

Suddenly Ella didn't feel alone anymore, she felt safe and loved because she could feel the sincerity in their words and it made her feel strong. "Thank you," she whispered. "You have no idea what that means to me. I love you guys."

"We love you too," Caroline responded.

The three girls beamed and Ella was pulled into a group hug which quickly turned to laughter when they tumbled to the ground. It felt good to laugh, her fears weren't completely gone, but Ella felt better knowing that her friends would all be there for her no matter what was going to happen.

They laughed for a while longer then Bonnie and Elena left to get a few last minute things done for the dance. Caroline however decided she would stay with Ella for a while longer before she had to go and finish up with the decorating committee. They chatted about nothing in particular while Ella fixed them some breakfast. Ella asked questions about being a Vampire, like how she could walk in the sun and a few other questions she came up with.

Caroline explained everything and again reassured her friend that she'd be there for her no matter what. Slowly, Ella felt her nerves begin to calm and the fear she hadn't realised she'd felt began to ebb. It was then that she remembered the fear she had felt from Caroline earlier.

"You never did answer me," she said. They were sitting at the kitchen table with the remnants of their lunch sitting in front of them.

"Huh?" Caroline looked up, confusion marring her pretty features.

"Earlier, I asked you what you were so afraid of, you never answered me."

"Oh...that," Caroline smiled shyly. "I was...I thought that maybe you'd be afraid of me. I was scared that you wouldn't want to be, you know, friends anymore."

"Really?" Ella asked, her eyes widening in surprise. "Wow. I won't lie Caroline, I was scared and confused. Vampires aren't supposed to be real, they're the stuff of nightmares, they're evil and they kill people. Then there you were, looking sad and I could feel your fear and your sincerity and I knew that you wouldn't hurt me."

"I wouldn't," Caroline agreed vehemently. "I love Bonnie and Elena they've been my best friends since I was a little girl, but it's always felt like the two of them were best friends and I was kinda like the outsider. Now though I have you, it's like I finally have a best friend to myself. We're a group, but it no longer feels like I'm the third wheel. I didn't want to lose that."

Ella was beaming, she felt so unbelievably happy at Caroline's words. "You have no idea what hearing you say that means to me. You're the best friend I've ever had, in fact you're the first friend I ever had. Like you said earlier, no matter what we're in this together now. Vampire or not your my friend and that won't change, I promise."

Caroline gave a small laugh and wiped at her damp eyes. "Ok," she said. "Enough of the mushy stuff. I should get going to school to finish decorating for tonight. Do you want to come?"

"Yeah," Ella nodded. "I'd love to."

TBC...

Has there ever been a school function that went according to plan in Vampire Diaries history? Will this be the first, or is it set to end in disaster like every other?