Chapter Forty-Nine: Put Your Lights On

Hey now, all you killers put your lights on, put your lights on
Hey now, all you children leave your lights on, you better leave your lights on
Cause there's a monster living under my bed, whispering in my ear
There's an angel, with a hand on my head. She say I've got nothing to fear
There's a darkness living deep in my soul. I still got a purpose to serve
So let your light shine, deep into my home
~Santan

Five card board boxes later, Nilly was exhausted and her room was completely barren. The only thing left in it was her furniture. Some sheets and pillows were thrown on her bed and her stereo was sitting lonely on an empty nightstand. She even spent a half an hour untangling her white lights from the footboard of her bed. Now Nilin laid half way on the bed, her legs dangling off. She laid on her back, one arm thrown over her eyes to block out the light. Just as she was beginning to feel the tendrils of sleep sink into her she heard someone come into her room.

Elena came and plopped down on the bed next to her. "What time is it?" she sighed Nilly turned her head to look at her cell phone. "Almost one in the morning," she answered.

Elena mumbled something as she laid down next to Nilin and closed her eyes. Nilly had to be grateful for her sister. Elena had done most of the packing while Nilly was wandering in her own head, going through all her little forgotten knickknacks, and shedding a tear or two. Elena was probably the only reason they finished tonight. Soon they'd be all packed up and heading back to Mystic Falls .

Nilin sat up, throwing a white blanket over Elena. "Be right back," she sighed, getting off the bed.

Elena replied with a mumbled 'Mmhm' as Nilly left the room. She looked up the hall, her room being the one all the way at the end. Her father's room was shut, the way it was most likely to stay, and so was the guestroom. Well, Mildred's room, the one she's been staying in for years now.

It being closed meant she was probably sleeping. Nilly placed a hand on Mil's door gently as she walked past, silently thanking her and saying good night. She took the steps down stairs slowly and stopped at the hall closet before the family room. She pulled out an arm load of blankets and two pillows.

She continued into the dark family room slightly confused. It was empty, so was the kitchen. Nilly placed the pillows and blankets on the couch to flick on a light.

"Damon? Stefan?" she called, walking out into the hallway again. She went into her dad's office, which was just as dark and empty. Nilly placed her hands on her hips, walking out of the room and closing the door behind her. There was no one around at all.

Stepping back into the kitchen she noticed the back door was unlocked. Her eyes scanned the empty yard before she opened the door and stepped out on to the patio.

The air was a bit chillier than usual, signaling that summer was on its death bed. Nilly rubbed her bare arms as she looked across her yard. "Damon?" she called again, her voice shaking in the night air. "Stefan?"

Nothing made a sound, silence. Nilin bit her lips as she wrapped her arms around herself tighter. She went to step off the patio when a breath tingled the back of her neck. She spun around quickly and let out a muffled scream from the hand that clamped over her mouth. Her scream cut off quickly once she noticed who the hand belonged to.

"Shh, you're okay." Stefan said in a harsh whisper and Nilly let out a hitched breath against his hand. "You need to get inside though," he urged removing his hand and prodding her through the back doors again. Once in the house he shut the glass door, drawing the blinds.

"What happened? Why were you out there? Where's Damon?" Nilly asked in a raspy tone, trying to keep calm and quiet. She was failing at both.

"It's okay, everything's fine." Stefan said, a hand on her shoulder. "We were just checking outside, Damon thought he saw something in the woods."

Nilly heart sank and she asked. "Was there anything out there? Why hasn't he come back yet?"

"I'm not sure," Stefan said slowly. "Damon went after something and I stayed closer to the house. Then I heard you calling." Stefan's story was cut short by the back door opening and closing forcefully, making the glass rattle.

"Oh, thank god." Nilin breathed, leaning on the counter as Damon stood in front of them, seething. His hair was wind blown, his stare deadly. Nilin had never seen his eyes so dark before. A small part of her was frightened. This was a brutal contrast from the Damon she had seen in her room a few hours ago.

"The bastard got away," he nearly growled and Nilly flinched.

"He's here?" she asked, shaking. "He was here and you went after him by yourself?" Her volume raised form zero to sixty in no time. This second she shouted, Nilin knew Elena heard.

And sure enough, there she came nearly flying down the stairs and into the kitchen. "What? What happened?" she gasped.

Nilin ignored her as she continued her furiously onslaught on Damon. "What the hell Damon? What where you thinking?" she yelled.

"That the dick, who was dumb enough to try and kill me, was in strangling distance!" he shouted back.

Nilly gaped at him. She couldn't comprehend what he was saying. Her head began to feel a little fuzzy and her stomach was working its way up her throat. "I don't feel so good," she groaned, bracing her arms on the counter and dropping her head. It rolled back on forth on her neck as she waited for the nausea to pass.

"Nilin?" someone questioned. She just lifted a hand, motioning for them just to give her a minute.

"Can everyone just stay inside the house tonight?" she asked edgily, not picking her head up. "Just sit and stay." She was rocking back and forth on her heels, a calming movement.

"Nilly, you're safe here. We'll keep watch all night," Stefan said. Nilly didn't know whether it was meant to consol her or Elena, but it helped.

"This 'we' crap is getting real tiring, brother. Speak for yourself." Damon sneered. "I'm going back after him," he announced angrily as he started for the back door again.

"Wait!" Nilly called, her hand out stretched. "Wait, just wait," she said again. "Not tonight, please." Damon stopped his march out the door, but kept his back to her. "Damon," she said his name softly.

Nilly mentally kick herself for the way she sounded so needy. It wasn't like she was, or anything, she was just doing her job in keeping everyone safe. She could see him caving, to her surprise.

He lingered at the doorway for a moment and finally took a step back. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and dropped her hand back on the counter.

"Nilly's right," Elena spoke up. "There's nothing we can do tonight. Let's just go to bed," she said, her voice revealing how tired she was. Nilin saw Stefan go over to Elena and wrap his arms around her waist. Nilly looked back to Damon, catching his dark eyes, and nodded a thank you.

"I need to show you guys something," Nilly sighed, languidly pushing off the counter. She had been contemplating her next move for a while and now seemed like a perfect time. Leaving the kitchen, she went into the hall closet again. This time she moved a wooden panel from the wall and pulled out her stash. Nilin meekly walked back into the kitchen, placing the items on the counter top.

Three pairs of eyes widen as she looked down shyly at her stash. Five stakes, perfectly sharp, a mass of the familiar small purple flowers of vervain and one very long, sharp looking knife laid in front of them.

"You know, just in case." Nilly shrugged innocently.

"Yeah, just in case." Elena mumbled distantly as if trying to comprehend all this.

"Way to go, Buffy." Damon joked arrogantly. Nilly placed her hands back on the counter, leaning into them.

"It was a precaution. If he ever got into the house again, I'd be ready." Nilly defended, wanting to slap the grin off Damon's face. Instead she rolled her eyes and motion to her stash. "I thought this might come in handy. The rest is back in Mystic Falls ."

"The rest?" Elena questioned with a jerked eyebrow.

Nilin inwardly groaned. "Yes, the rest," she confirmed, frustrated. "You think I'd leave here without some sort of protection?" she rhetorically asked, taping the charm on her bracelet.

"No," Elena remarked. "I just didn't expect this," she exaggerated by gesturing to the knife. Nilly shrugged it off, gathering the rest and dumping it into an empty kitchen drawer. She ran her fingers through her hair several times, and let out a breath.

"Do you think he's going to try to get in?" she asked, her voice soft and wavering.

"He can try," Damon snorted, a dark grin on his face that sent shivers down Nilly's spine. She rubbed her upper arms vigorously to get rid of the goose bumps. She began to feel the lump in her stomach that came with the anxieties.

"Nil, you okay?" Elena asked, eyeing her closely.

"Yeah," she tried to smile. "Just tired."

Elena came over and wrapped her arms around Nilly and engulfing her in a hug. "Come on," she urged lightly. Nilly nodded, keeping the small smile plastered on her face more for their benefit then hers.

Before she followed Elena, Nilin opened the kitchen drawer again, slipping one of her sakes into the pocket of her sweatshirt. Elena and Stefan didn't seem to notice, they head started for the stairs. But when she looked up, Damon's eyes were on her. He raised his eyebrow.

She gave him a small shrug. "Good night, Damon," she whispered and continued out of the room, feeling his eyes on her back the whole time.

Author's Notes:
Its Friday. Fridays are the most amazing day of the week, don't you think? I hope you guys had a wonderful week. Here's an update for you, Chapter 49! Wooo! I really hope you like it, its kinda short but let me know! Love you guys!

Favorite, Follow & Review
RLS