Here's part two. More mention of character death. This part is mostly Jyler with a hint of Delena.

Remember, this bit happens before the previous bit.

Enjoy.

The Runaways II: Footsteps

Tyler knew he didn't have to sneak into the Gilbert house, but he did anyway. It was nearly two in the morning, but he knew it was unlikely that anyone inside was sleeping, and still he moved quietly as he unlocked the door and stepped inside, closing it just as quietly. He immediately noticed Damon, who had been in the kitchen, but moved into the hallway when he heard the door open. Tyler couldn't see what was in the glass he was holding, but he could smell the blood. Damon didn't say anything, and neither did Tyler. They exchanged a look. Tyler had never much cared for Damon, but few people in the world felt what he was going through, and Damon was one of them; even through the tough façade he wore, Tyler knew Damon had cared about Caroline.

Tyler quietly made his way up the stairs and into Jeremy's room. Jeremy was lying in bed, curled around a pillow, facing away from the door. To anyone else, it might have looked like he was sleeping, but Tyler knew better. He could hear his breathing, jagged, not slow and even as it would have been. And after how their day had gone, Tyler would be shocked if any of them slept for a long time.

He quietly kicked off his shoes and climbed into be behind Jeremy. He wrapped his arm around him, pressing their bodies together. He closed his eyes, hoping that, by some miracle, sleep would come, but knowing that it was an empty hope.

"You okay?" Jeremy asked quietly, a while later.

"No," Tyler said back. "You?"

"Not by a long shot."

They both went quiet again for a long while. There wasn't much to say.

"We could run," Tyler said. He'd been thinking about it a lot, even more lately.

"What?" Jeremy said, shifting so he could see Tyler's face.

"We could go wherever you want, anywhere in the world. As long as it's far away from here. Then we'll be safe. You'll be safe."

Jeremy laughed, like it was a joke. "I can't leave," he said. "I already tried that, remember? Besides, I can't leave Elena."

"She'd probably rather if you did leave. Then she'd know you were safe."

"But she won't be."

"Please, Jere," Tyler begged. "She's already killed Caroline, and Alaric, and Stefan. And my mom."

"What?" Jeremy asked, eyes widening.

Tyler closed his eyes.

"She-? You didn't say anything."

Tyler shrugged. Jeremy pressed their lips lightly together, then wrapped his arms tightly around the Hybrid.

"Please, Jere," Tyler whispered. "Let's just get out of here. I can't lose you, too."

"He's right, Jere," Elena's voice interrupted. "You should go. Just… get out of here."

"But what about you?"

"Damon and I will stick around… try to get a handle on the situation."

"But-"

"Don't worry, Kid," Damon said. "I won't let anything happen to her."

Jeremy wanted to argue, wanted to point out that there weren't many Vampires left in Mystic Falls, and Bonnie would make easy pickings of them, but deep down, he knew they were right. Eventually, Bonnie would take out the Originals, or the Originals would take out Bonnie, and it was better if he just got out of the way while they fought it out.

He found himself hoping that it was the Originals who won.

Part three is called 'Shackles' and tells about the craptastic day that lead to this point.