This is it, the end of the story. The third and final installment will be out soonish... when I find the time to write it. I know not all of you are going to approve of my ending since its slightly cliffhanger-ish. But it was in the plan the entire time. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and read this story, it means a lot. It was one hell of a journey and I'm sad to see it end. Thank you to all the alerts and favorites and all the anonymous reviews. Every single one of them has made me smile Thank you so much... now on with the show.
Aurora woke up the next morning smiling. She had a chance at a reconciliation with Landon and that made this a good day. She couldn't hear anyone else out of bed yet, so she decided to just unpack her bag and start a load of laundry. She worked quietly so as to not wake anyone else in the house. She knew that her parents would have woken up the moment she got out of bed, but probably went back to sleep. Aiden would snap if she woke him up. It was a hobby of hers, one that she didn't have time for. She was a little jet-lagged and still on Italian time, but last night she had forced herself to go to sleep so she was at least somewhat lucid at a normal hour. She figured Aiden would sleep all day until it was time for work and then be up all night. He wasn't strong enough to fight his urge to sleep. He was after-all a typical teenage boy. Once her laundry was gathered up she quietly walked down the stairs, and to the basement where the laundry room was. Once the load was in the washing machine she turned it on and turned around to find her dad staring at her quizzically.
"Why on Earth are you doing laundry at 7:30 AM?" He asked completely bewildered. His hair was all tousled from sleep or her moms hands running through it she wasn't sure.
"I'm awake, I may as well get unpacked and my clothes washed from Italy. I want to enjoy the party tonight." She told him as she brushed past and walked upstairs.
"Are you sure you want to go to a party alone?" He asked.
"Landon might be coming with me if he's allowed. If not there will be lots of other people I know there." She said walking into the kitchen and pulling her beloved cocoa pops from the cupboard. Damon rolled his eyes but didn't comment. They would always disagree on suitable breakfast choices but there was no point in arguing about it this morning.
"Landon? When was this decided?" Damon asked.
"Last night. I called him to ask him to come and he said he'd ask his mom. I'm looking for reconciliation, I made a mistake in breaking up with him." Aurora admitted.
"No you didn't. He's not good enough for you. How's the jet-lag?" He asked.
"Manageable. The herbs you guys forced us to take really help." She admitted.
"If they helped where the hell is Aiden?" Damon wondered.
"He's a teenage boy. I know he's in there because I could hear him snoring when I walked past his room this morning." She told him.
"I'm pretty sure I would have heard him sneak out too." Damon allowed as they heard footsteps come down the stairs.
"Good morning." Elena murmured when she walked into the kitchen to greet her husband and daughter.
"Morning baby." Damon greeted her, kissing her gently.
"As much as I love the chick flick suitable moments between the two of you, I don't particularly want to see them." Aurora told them as she finally poured her cereal
"If you don't want to see us kiss then don't watch." Damon muttered as he kissed Elena again.
"I try not to. By the way if Landon calls, do not give him a lecture or anything. Just let me talk to him." She ordered looking squarely at her dad as she was saying it.
"Why are you looking at me? I am the patron saint of tolerance." He scoffed and both Elena and Aurora both burst out laughing.
"Yeah yeah it sounded odd to me too." Damon admitted. Everyone turned their heads to the entrance to the kitchen when they heard groans and stumbling usually befitting a zombie.
"What's all the noise about? I was sleeping." Aiden whined when he came into the kitchen and immediately poured himself a cup of straight black coffee.
"Your dad is apparently the patron saint of tolerance." Elena told her son, trying to stifle a smirk.
"Really? You're joking right? You are about the least tolerant person I've ever met." Aiden scoffed.
"I admitted that it even sounded strange to me. Now why are you so zombie-like? Trying to create a new trend in this house?" He asked.
"Damn jet-lag." He whined.
"Aurora is bright eyed and bushy tailed, why aren't you?" Damon asked.
"Because... while Aurora took your stupid herbs I tossed them every single day we were gone. What help is strange little leaves going to be in helping battle jet-lag?" Aiden asked, yawning widely.
"Look at your sister and then try to figure out the benefits." Elena instructed.
"Yeah yeah, she's nice and awake. Once I'm a vampire I won't have to worry about jet-lag anymore." Aiden noted.
"That hasn't been decided yet. You still have a few years to decide to be changed. You can't make that decision at 17." Damon told Aiden.
"I've made the decision and if my some odd chance my decision changes between now and when I'm 24, then so be it. I still
have time to make my final decision." Aiden argued.
"Yes you do, but we are not changing you at all until you're 24 and 100% sure this is what you want." Damon warned him.
"I know, but I'm going to take a shower. Hopefully I'll feel more awake then." He decided as he walked back towards the stairs. "Need more sleep. Need more sleep." He chanted as he walked up the stairs.
Damon, Elena and Aurora all burst out laughing as they listened to him walking upstairs.
"He really is insufferable isn't he?" Elena asked when they heard the shower start up.
"He needs sleep. This is all his fault though. He could have taken the herbs." Damon told them.
"I have just demonstrated again how I am the smarter Salvatore kid." Aurora spoke smugly.
"You take after your mom that is a good thing. Aiden takes after me, which is not necessarily a good thing." Damon admitted.
"Hey, you are a wonderful man." Elena told him kissing his cheek.
"I am now, but now Aiden needs to find someone like you to tame him like you did me." Damon told her.
"He will hopefully." Elena agreed.
"I'm sure he will. But I have to go. I've been gone for a month, I need to see what kind of disarray the council is in without me there." Damon explained as he grabbed the keys to his beloved Camaro and kissed Elena goodbye.
"Have fun saving Mystic Falls from incompetence darling." Elena called after him. He waved at them before he shut the front door and walked to his car. When they heard the car drive away Aurora sat down and ate her cereal finally.
"So when is Landon supposed to call?" Elena asked.
"When he knows for sure if he's coming or not." Aurora answered after she finished chewing a spoonful of cocoa puffs.
"Oh. Well I'll call you if I get to the phone before you. I'm not your father." Elena told her daughter grinning.
"That's good. If dad got to the phone before me or you, I'd unleash the Spanish Inquisition on Landon, scaring him off.
Again." Aurora laughed.
"That's true. I never imagined when I first found out I was pregnant with you and Aiden that your dad would turn out like this. So overprotective of you and under-protective of Aiden. It's a constant thorn in my side." Elena told her.
"I know, but I know it's because he loves me. Also I don't have the greatest track record for safety. Remember Samuel?" Aurora asked wincing.
"This is true. So what are you wearing tonight? It's an outdoor party so I don't want you to get cold. I don't need you getting sick." Elena asked.
"Jeans, flats and a cute jacket." Aurora answered knowing her mom would be cool with her outfit.
"Sounds good to me. You should wear the white jacket you got from your dad and I last year on your birthday. I have a blue scarf that would go really well with it." Elena suggested.
"Ooh mom you have this shirt that would go really well with that scarf and my jacket." Aurora recalled.
"Which one?" Elena asked trying to think up what she had.
"I'll show you." Aurora said grabbing her moms hand and pulling her to the stairs. Moments later they were in the spacious walk in closet and looking through racks after racks of clothes.
"This one." Aurora said of a black lacy top. From the breasts up it was solid black but it turned into lace at the shoulders and all the way down the back."
"Are you sure you won't be too cold in that?" Elena asked concerned.
"I'll be wearing my white jacket and your blue scarf." Aurora reminded her.
"Yes, that will look great. What about shoes. I think you should wear your black ballet flats with the bow on them." Elena suggested.
"Yes, those will look great. Do you have any dangly earrings I can borrow? All mine are too dressy for the occasion." Aurora asked. Elena walked over to the jewelry section in the closet and pulled open the drawer which was locked with a tiny key.
"These would work I think." Elena said of some gold earrings. They were casual enough to wear with a pair of jeans but dressy enough to wear with a dress. They either dressed up or dressed down an outfit depending on what it was.
"Yes, I like those. Thanks mom, I think I got the rest covered. I better go check my laundry." She said walking out of the room. Aurora absolutely loved her mom and dads closet. It was so organized and anything Aurora needed to wear was easily found.
While Aurora was downstairs, the phone rang and Elena answered it.
"Hello." She greeted into the phone.
"Hello Mrs. Salvatore, is Aurora there?" Landon asked softly.
"Yes she is. Just a second please." She said laying the phone down on the table as she called Aurora. Aurora rushed up the stairs two at a time with her basket of clothes in hand.
"Hey." She greeted when she picked up the phone.
"Hi, Aurora. I'm so sorry about tonight but my mom needs me to stay home tonight. My grandparents are coming to visit." He explained.
"Oh... well... that's fine I guess. I'll talk to you in a few days I guess." Aurora told him distraught.
"I'm really sorry about this Aurora." He assured her.
"I know. It's not really your fault." She sighed as she hung up the phone.
"Landon not coming." Elena clarified.
.
"Nope, his grandparents are visiting." Aurora said bitterly.
At 8:30, Aurora was ready to head out to the party. She walked down the stairs and appraised her look once more in the mirror. Her hair was done up in curls and partially pulled back to show off her earrings. Her make up was mostly neutral but with dark eyeshadow and mascara. Her outfit was perfect between the stuff she borrowed from her mom and her own stuff. Sometimes it truly was amazing having a mom who was pretty much the same size and physically almost the same age. She always has someone to borrow clothes from.
"I'm heading out mom and dad." She told them walking into the living room where they were watching a movie. "The notebook" was on the TV much to the dismay of Damon.
"You look great. Have fun tonight." Elena told her daughter.
"Be home by curfew." Damon told her smiling.
"Thanks, I'll see you guys later." Aurora said walking out of the house.
"Alone at last. Aurora is going to a party and Aiden is at work." Damon said softly turning to Elena.
"I am watching the movie. Leave me alone." Elena ordered turning her focus back to Noah and Allie.
Aurora parked her car beside a worn Civic and walked down the path to the party at the falls. She could hear the music and the cheering.
"Aurora, you're here." A very drunk jock slurred when he saw her.
"Hey Adam." She told him smiling politely. He pulled her in for a hug and she laughed smelling the beer on him.
"Aurora you so should dance with me." He said trying to pull her into the area that people were dancing in.
"Not right now Adam. Maybe later." Aurora laughed as she pulled away and walked to the bar.
"Want a beer? You look fucking incredible. Italy suits you." Tristan a guy in her trig class mentioned.
"No, no beer thanks. I have to stay sober. I'm driving home." She told him.
"You should have one beer. One beer won't do anything. It'll be out of your system by the time you go home." Tristan insisted.
"I can't. My mom and dad wold still smell it on me. They are very adept at stuff like that." Elena told him.
"Ah fine. You're no fun. I'll see you later Aurora." He said sidling away. Aurora walked over to a group of girls she was friends with.
"Hey, how was Italy?" They asked.
"Amazing. I want to go back so bad." Elena told them grinning.
"You're so tanned? Did you spend the entire trip in the sun?" Tara asked.
"Not quite but most of it. The house we were staying in had a pool in the backyard. I spent a lot of time in it." Aurora explained.
"It must be nice having filthy rich and young parents. My parents may have money but they don't do anything cool with it." Tara sighed.
"My parents are amazing." Aurora agreed as she took a drink of the Coke that Tara handed her.
"Cheers to the girls who aren't drinking." Tara said clinking cans with the other girls.
"To the designated drivers." Aurora agreed. The girls swayed to the music playing around them and drank their pops, always demurring when someone offered them booze.
"Senior year is going to be the greatest." Tara sighed excitedly.
"I know. I'm so excited to rule the school officially this year. It'll be so cool." Aurora answered glancing at her watch.
"What time is your curfew?" Another girl asked.
"Tonight since I'm at a party 11. My dad is a little protective at times. Not even my mom could talk him out of this one. If I'm just out with Lilah or someone else like that, then its midnight on non-school days. But since I'm at a party where lots of things could go wrong it's 11." Aurora explained.
"Well it's nice to know you have parents who love you." The girl said.
"I know. I'm lucky to have them." Aurora agreed.
Aurora glanced at her watch a while later and sighed.
"Well it looks like it's time to go. I'll see you guys soon." She said.
"Say hi to Lilah from us. It sucks that she got grounded." Tara called after her.
"Will do. I'll call her when I get home. Her orders." Aurora called behind her as she walked back through the party. Parties like that weren't usually her scene, but she had wanted to come to this one because it was her first one back from Italy. She made it to her car without too many issues. Not too many people stopped her, trying to get her to have a drink. She made it to her car in under 10 minutes which was pretty good.
"On my way home" She texted to her parents when she got into her car. Elena responded a few seconds later with a smiley face, letting her know that she approved of her telling her. It made it a lot less worrisome for her parents to know she was on her way. Any parent was more comfortable when they knew what was going on. The drive home was uneventful and Aurora was fiddling with her car radio when she saw a car swerving up ahead.
"What the hell?" She asked as she focused on the car ahead of her. She was nearing Wickery Bridge and hoped that whoever was driving gathered control before she got there. She had to get home, her parents were waiting for her. When she got onto the bridge, she realized that he wasn't going to stop swerving. The man in the car was obviously completely drunk, so Aurora pulled over as far as she could to the side of the bridge to give him more space. He swerved into her lane causing Aurora to have to swerve to the left to miss him. The car hit her and she lost control of the car. Time in that moment stood still as she hit the railing of the bridge, her car careening over the edge of the bridge. The last thing that happened before the world went black was her head hitting the steering wheel as the car plunged into the dark waters.
"Where the hell is she? She texted us 30 minutes ago saying she was on her way. I'm going to find her." Damon said getting up and grabbing his jacket and car keys.
"Relax baby. I'm sure she just got caught up with some friends. Things like that happen at parties." Elena tried to assure her husband.
"I'm still going to check." Damon said as he walked out of the door. The phone rang the moment he stepped across the threshold. He froze as he listened to the phone call, a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach.
"Hello?" Elena greeted.
"Elena, it's Liz. I'm afraid I have some terrible news." Liz said and Damon flashed into the room and stood before Elena
"What's wrong Liz?" Elena asked remaining calm.
"There was an accident on Wickery Bridge. Aurora was involved." Liz started.
"Is she alright?" Elena asked her eyes wide. She pulled the phone away from her ear slightly so Damon could hear more clearly. They both heard the front door open and Aiden walk in looking exhausted.
"I'm sorry, her car went over the edge." Liz said apologetically. Elena could hear the emotion in the Sheriff's voice.
"She's not dead. She can't be dead." Elena sobbed immediately.
"You might be able to save her. Just get here right now." Liz said before disconnecting the call.
"What happened?" Aiden asked.
"There's no time. We have to go. Aurora was in an accident. Call your grandparents and tell them what happened?" Elena ordered before pulling her son into her arms and sobbing.
"Elena we have to go." Damon state urgently.
"Is she going to be alright?" Aiden asked his eyes wide and filling up with tears.
"I don't know." Damon admitted.
"I want to come with you. She's my sister." Aiden said rushing out of the house at a very fast human speed. His parents followed him and climbed into the Camaro, speeding towards Wickery Bridge.
When they arrived, there were emergency vehicles everywhere. Lights were flashing and sirens wailing. The entire bridge was closed off, but Damon, Elena and Aiden were allowed through.
"Where is she?" Damon demanded when they found Liz. Liz pointed to a gurney lying beside the ambulance, judging by the fact that there was no one working on her, they had deemed it a lost cause. He rushed over and immediately ripped open his wrist pressing the bleeding gash to his daughters mouth.
"Drink god damn it." He frantically pleaded. He couldn't lose control, he kept his frayed emotions under the surface as he worked to save his daughters life.
"Drink." He yelled as the blood poured down her throat.
"Damon you did all you can. Do you want to take her home or to the hospital?" Liz asked coming to pull him away from Aurora.
"I want to take her home. I want her to be with her family when she wakes up." Damon said not able to tear his gaze away from his daughters still form. The accident was clearly big news as people started appearing seemingly out of nowhere.
"Okay, we'll bring her to your house in the ambulance to limit questions. I'm sure it'll be alright." Liz assured him with her hand on his back. Elena was sobbing, clutching her son with an iron grip as he hugged her back, knowing she needed the contact. Aurora was still, too still and Elena and Aiden walked over to where they were standing.
"I'm coming with her." Damon said as they put Aurora into the back of the ambulance with the help of the paramedics. Damon quickly compelled the medics to take her to the house instead of the hospital and climbed into the back of the ambulance with his daughter, clutching her hand in his. For the first time in his entire existence he prayed to a God he wasn't sure really existed.
"I'll drive you guys home. You're not fit to drive." Liz said escorting Elena and Aiden over to the Camaro. She ordered one of the deputies to escort her home so she could come back to the scene. By the time Elena and Aiden got back the ambulance was already gone. She flashed into the house and found Damon and Aurora upstairs in her bed.
"I thought she'd be more comfortable in here." He said his voice hoarse.
"Aiden you should go eat something and get some sleep. There's nothing more that can be done." Elena insisted, her voice weak.
"I want to be here when she wakes up." Aiden insisted.
"Aiden please. If she wakes up she's going to need blood. Lots of it. You can't be here. Just please. I can't lose you too." Elena begged, her eyes wide and filled with tears. Aiden nodded, hating to see his mom cry. He hugged her hard and went downstairs.
"She has to wake up, she just has to." Elena cried. It didn't matter at the moment that they had taken her choice away. It didn't matter that it wasn't supposed to happen until she was at least 24. All that mattered was Aurora opening her eyes and taking away their suffering.
"Still unable to give into the grief coursing through him he opened his arms and Elena darted into them. He rested his cheek on the top of her head as she cried into his chest. He could only imagine the turmoil she was going through. No mother should ever have to bury her child.
"It'll be okay Elena." He assured her, not too sure if he actually believed it or not. She cried harder until they heard the sound they were waiting for, a startled gasp coming from the bed next to them as Aurora's eyes shot open.