Twisted Love
Season Five
From Whom the Bell Tolls
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the vampire diaries character or story lines, I only own Grace.
The rich golden sun was barely stepping out over the dull morning sky, but that didn't mean much to Damon as he was already up and wandering around the master bedroom which he shared with his loving girlfriend. He was sat in one of his fancy yet incredibly comfortable leather chairs in the corner of the room with one of his brothers journals in hand skimming through the pages.
If he was going to help Stefan in remember his life before the crazed witch took away all of his memories then he would have to brush up on some of the history and facts himself. The older Salvatore was brought back to reality when he heard a soft groan from across the room and then. "Damon..."
He gazed over at the heap of thick satin covers that were pulled over Grace's tiny body as he told her in a soothing voice. "Go back to sleep." But it was too late and the little vampire arose from her slumber and for once she didn't seem that begrudge by it.
Slowly sitting upright in the sheets Damon couldn't help but smirk to himself when he saw the state that she was in, Grace's thick chocolate-brown locks were in a messy disarray around her face and her droopy eyes were thick with tiredness. "Not used to being up this early, sweetheart?" He purred.
Weakly the little Gilbert grabbed her phone from the bedside table making sure to unplug it from the charger and looked at the time on it, even the screen was too bright as she winced for a moment before her rich-brown orbs adjusted and she saw it was not even 5AM yet.
"Is anyone supposed to be used to being up this damn early." Dropping her phone between her legs Grace brought her hands up to her eyes and rubbed to trying and shake away the blurriness from her vision. "And... what are..." She couldn't contain her yawn. "What are you doing up this early?"
Letting out a soft sigh and shutting his book making sure to dog-ear the page that he had been reading the older Salvatore rose from his seat and crossed the room. Stopping at the foot of the bed and beginning to crawl up it towards his girlfriend he pecked her lips once before saying. "Promise you won't make a big deal out of this..." She creased her thin eye brows.
Then he cupped Grace's pretty face and pulled her near to him before bringing his lips down on hers, deepening the kiss he laid her back on the bed grabbing her wrists and pinning them to the bed too. Finally he pulled away with a look of satisfaction on his face before he continued with what he was saying. "I'm going away with Stefan for a few days – on our own."
"Wait, what?"
"A-ah. Let me finish." The older Salvatore clasped his hand over her mouth to cease her from speaking and she narrowed her sweet chocolate-brown orbs up at him. "He is my brother and I couldn't stop Qetsiyah from taking away his memories. So I have to try and help him now, I have to do all I can." He watched as the look anger faded away from her eyes and a look of pity replaced it, something he hated seeing. "Don't." He whispered at her.
Carefully the brunette reached up with her free hand and removed the hand he had clasped over her mouth so that she could finally speak, in a voice that was just as low Grace said. "Damon." He avoided looking directly into her eyes in fear of what he might see. "None of what happened to Stefan is your fault, you know that, right?" She knew how guilt could consume a person.
Quickly the crystal-blue eyed vampire tried to get her mind off of what she was saying by bringing his expert lips down on her sensitive throat, nibbling at it with his blunt teeth making her mewl as she continued to say. "I'm trying to talk to you, Damon." Her voice was nothing but a thick husk which made his insides growl with delight.
"We're not going to be gone long." Damon promised her in a solid voice as he pulled away from where he was suckling on her collar bone romantically. "Maybe a couple of days, maybe more, or less. I don't know." He was so unsure and that made her unsure and worried. "I'll call you and let you know how everything is going. I promise." It was those two words that finally made her nod her head.
Gazing into each others eyes for a long couple of seconds he finally said. "I love you, Grace. Always." The older vampire watched as a pure smile pulled across her light pink lips as she answered simply. "I love you, Damon. Forever." That was all that needed to be said before they connected in another passionate kiss.
The next couple of days passed so slowly and they were agony for both of the Gilbert girls. Unfortunately Damon hadn't exactly kept the promise he had made to his girlfriend with keeping them in the loop with what he was doing and planning and that only made a knot of worry grow in her stomach.
Grace had been trying to text and get a hold of him any way that she could but each time she had tried she got no reply. First she was confused and worried, but that soon washed away and turned into what felt like anger. He had promised that he would keep her up-to-date but instead he only sent her a text.
Upstairs in the Salvatore boarding house her twin sister was pacing around the bedroom that she had once shared with her loving boyfriend Stefan before he disappeared for an entire summer without word and then lost all his memories – two things which was not his fault. There was a sense of guilt growing in her because she had been mad at him for leaving, but instead he was trapped, calling out for her.
Nothing felt the same anymore, everything felt so foreign. Everything was beginning to slip from her grasp like tiny grains of sand seeping between her fingers. She was trying to hard to hang on but the longer Stefan was this way the longer she felt like she was losing the only thing that she understood. Her love for him.
Her life had been far from perfect before, it had been filled with death and was so grim and bleak. It was actually hard to remember a time when she was truly happy, that she actually smiled and it had not been forced. Most of the memories of those times that she did have were filled with him, with Stefan.
He was the one constant that she had in her life. The one good thing that truly helped her cope in her darkest times, he was there to rationalise the worst of situations, to protect her from anything that tried to hurt her, he was there to give her options and let her make her own decisions when others tried to keep them away from her. Now she didn't even have that. She didn't have him.
Just when she had been so close to getting back the only love of her life it was yanked out from under her too. That one tiny sparkle of hope that she had kept lit was diminished in those words that he had muttered before waking. "I have no idea who you all are." That moment kept replaying in her head over and over, like a record stuck on repeat.
"Elena." A soft caring voice said into the silence, the rich-brown haired vampire glanced over to see that her twin was standing in the doorway with a heartfelt look on her pretty heart-shaped face, she was mourning for her. "You can't stay up here forever." Grace stepped forward into the room, but she only felt as if she was intruding. "Maybe we can go to the Grill, I think they have that bell ringing ceremony going on."
Shaking her head the taller girls words came out a lot firmer and colder than she had originally planned for them to. "I don't want to go to some stupid town event. I want to stay here."
Licking her soft lips nervously Grace retorted in that same soft tone as before. "I... I know you do, 'Lena. I get it. I really do, but your problems aren't going to just vanish because you lock yourself away in here." She motioned to the room around her as she stepped a little further into the room. "You're gonna have to face him eventually. Who better to teach him about the love of his life than you. He's still Stefan."
"No, he isn't." Elena's voice was flat and defeated. "He's just what Qetsiyah left of him. An empty shell without any memories at all." She blinked a couple of times trying to block out the tears that wanted so desperately to hall. "He doesn't remember who I am. He doesn't remember Damon. He doesn't remember anything." She paused for a moment. "Without his memories who is he?"
A breathy laugh escaped her sisters lips as she answered. "That's an interesting philosophical question." Elena only looked over at her through hard eyes, clearly she wasn't in the mood for jokes or pondering pointless questions. The smaller girls smile dropped once more as she moved towards her sister. "Listen, you can take this out on me, or yourself, or Damon, or Qetsiyah, but it isn't going to make the problem go away."
Elena didn't move, she was as still as a statue. "You have never given up on Stefan before, don't start now. Not when he needs you the most, because we're gonna find a way to fix this, I promise you. Until then you're just gonna have to hold on to the safety bars and ride this out." Timidly she reached across and squeezed her sisters shoulder reassuringly.
It was then she crumbled suddenly, embracing her twin in a tight hug, thick tears pouring down her cheeks as Grace just help onto her tightly, hushing her and stroking her hair in an assuringly manner. The chocolate-brown haired girl could deal with this, at least her sister was showing emotion, that was all she was thankful for.
A couple hundred miles away from Mystic Falls the older Salvatore was flooring an incredibly expensive and equally fast car down an empty high-way going way past the speed limit that had been set, but clearly not caring at all. His amnesiac brother sat beside him in the passenger seat not fazed by the reckless driving and focusing on his old journals as if they would jog his memory.
"Jeez, I really can't win." Stefan finally muttered out coldly as he stood his head from side-to-side, his brother glanced over at him curiously. "I'm either obsessed with ripping peoples heads off for fun, or I'm obsessed with not ripping peoples heads off and just making myself miserable. There is no in-between." He announced as if Damon didn't already know the story of his darker side.
"Hold on." The forest-green eyed Salvatore said holding his hand up. "Listen to this..." He stopped on one page in particular and began to read aloud. "March 12, 1922. I blacked out for days. I woke up with in strangers blood in places I don't remember with women I don't recognise... I feel alive again.." Both him and his raven-haired brother finished the sentence together. "Okay. I think I've finally had enough of visiting memory lane."
He slammed the book closed and then threw it into the backseat of the car, Damon let a long pause fall between them before finally gathering up the courage to say. "So... you just remember nothing of before?"
Nodding softly the younger Salvatore replied in a saddened voice. "I know what time it is, I know what day it is, I know what year it is, I know that this car is worth a fortune and has a V8 engine and yet here I am reading that damn journal – written by me – and I remember absolutely nothing." Reaching down by his feet he grabbed a bag of blood and sipped at it timidly before scrunching up his face and adding. "And this... is this really supposed to fill me up? Because I just feel more hungry."
The icy-blue eyed vampire scoffed a little before answering. "Well, theoretically it is supposed to fill up a normal, adjusted vampire, but you're... you-"
"Ah, yes. My charming, insatiable alter-ego that was nicknamed... Ripper of Monterrey." He rolled his eyes gently before winding down the window about launch the bloodbag out of it but Damon caught his wrist before he could do so giving him a hard look. "I'm coping."
Correcting him in a stern voice he said. "You're vandalising. I'm not sure anyone would be too happy to find a half-empty bag of blood hanging out of a tree on their way to work in the morning-"
Damon was cut off by his younger brother making a soft noise of disapproval at the back of his throat before coming to his conclusion. "So, let me get this straight. We must have committed a fair few crimes tonight, right? Theft, breaking and entering. Oh, let's not forget those crucial facts that we're both vampires and I got this way by murdering my father – that's another crime to rack up on the list there, buddy." His brother threw him a hard look. "But the one thing that we draw the line out is littering?"
"Don't be smart." The raven-black haired vampire remarked with a tone. "If there's one thing I've learnt about you over the many, many years that I've know brother, is that you're a man of principal." Stefan creased his thick eye brows. "You're a good guy who has just had his mind wiped by a psychotic, vengeful 2000 year old witch."
Tapping his fingers against the dashboard for a moment he came back with. "Well, I'm willing to bet that crazy old witch can drive this car faster that you can." He mocked him before glancing over and watching the dial on the speedometer begin to gradually rise the more he kept talking. "So, I'm the fun brother and you're... you're the safe brother?" He patted him on the knee and that was what really threw Damon over the edge as he slammed his foot down on the gas pedal. "What are you doing?"
Letting his famous smirk pull across his features he kept his eyes firmly on the road as he answered. "You're really gonna have trust me here, Stef." There was no time for a response when suddenly he reached down and yanked up the E break and pulled the steering wheel all the way to the one side making the car roll and flip multiple times completely destroying the frame.
When it finally came to a calm halt both of the brothers lay there in the middle of the road surrounded by the flickering of flames and the carnage that was left of the car they had stolen from the dealership. Stefan leant up from where he was sprawled out in the middle of the road and ruffled his hand through his hair before saying. "Huh. Guess I was wrong. You are the fun brother."
Damon was a little further back that him laying down too staring up at the starry sky above them not bothering to look at the mess that was around them before he muttered out. "You're damn right I am."
Over at the Salvatore boarding house the sun was beginning to rise up over the morning sky and the little brunette was trudging down the stairs away from where her sister was hiding herself away in Stefan's room. Grace was speaking on her phone with Caroline who at Whitmore finding out what she could about Dr. Maxfield and seeing if she could dig up anymore information of Megan.
The chocolate eyed vampire couldn't help but feel an underlining sense of pity for her sister, leaving her up there in that room all of her own to reminisce all their memories. Elena and Stefan had shared so many fond moments up there and now that had all been wiped away by that crazy witch Qetsiyah to get back at Silas for something that happened over 2000 years ago. It must have been really hard for her.
The blonde questioned. "How is everything back there? How's Elena holding up since you all found out?"
"She's... she's been really quiet." The younger vampire answered simply as she reached the bottom of the stairs and then headed into the parlour room to make herself a drink to unwind. "She hasn't actually left the boarding house yet. I'm worried, Care. For both of them." Carefully she poured some bourbon into a glass and then moved to sit on the couch with her feet elevated on the coffee table. "And to top it all of the boys have been radio silent."
This confused Caroline. "Really? That... what's the last thing you heard from them?"
"Hmm, well let me think... If I remember rightly it was a single text saying 'nothing to worry about, everything's fine' which means God knows what in Damon speak." Then she took a sip of her bourbon.
A soft scoff came from the blonde as she replied. "I'll tell you what means. In Damon speak that means 'we're half way through devouring a troop of Girl Scouts, can't speak at the moment!'." This made Grace make a small noise of defence for her boyfriend. "Alright, alright. I'm kidding. Sorta. Although it isn't uncommon for victims of retrograde amnesia to turn volatile due to frustration or other heightened emotions."
As the blonde finished her high intelligent statement her friend went completely silent or a few short moments before finally saying. "Wait. What?" Then she pieced it all together. "Oh, no... Caroline Forbes, have you been obsessing over everything to do with amnesia?" She questioned keeping her tone low.
"Maybe." Caroline answered vaguely as the brunette stifled a laugh. "I mean, it's just basic chem, biochem, applied micro-bio and then just a couple seasons of Grey's Anatomy." She finished and Grace was absolutely gob-smacked to hear her friends dedication to the cause. "You still there?"
The slightly younger vampire replied. "Yeah, I'm still here. I guess you could just say that I was just silenced with awe, Care. That's..." She tried to think of the words. "That's actually really impressive, or really obsessive. I'm not sure which one, but... wow." Her voice was still filled with an edge of surprise.
Caroline only laughed, unsure whether she was grateful or offended. "I'll just take that as a compliment." The blonde retorted proudly with a slight spring in her step as she wandered down the halls of Whitmore.
Taking a moment and then changing subjects. "You know it hasn't been easy trying to impress Dr. Maxfield. I figured if I get good enough at all this stuff then maybe he can see some kind of potential in me and let me sit in on his classes, then I can try to get closer to him to find out why he was the one who signed off on your roommates murder."
Giggling the brunette answered. "Right. I see that Detective Forbes is on the case, so I expect it will be closed within the next 24 hours." Her voice was filled with a small amount of teasing before she heard her friend begin another conversation off the phone, holding the speak away from her mouth Grace could still hear.
"Hey, Jesse. Are you ready to go and study?" She quizzed and then said half-handedly. "Oh, hey Dr Maxfield." As if it wasn't a big deal for her to see him around the campus grounds, let alone his office.
The little vampire was quick to interrupt her, saying. "Wait. Wait. More surprises? Jesse? As in 'totally cute guy that was flirting with you the first day of college' Jesse?" Caroline giggled a little before explaining that he would be tagging along to the remembrance ceremony the little town would throw. "Wow, sounds like you're gearing up for a first day... one in a cemetery, but still a date."
"Uh, no." The blonde answered with a stern tone to her voice. "We're just going to be studying. It's study date. Not the word study." Her tone then transformed to a slightly bitter and sadder one which made Grace frown. "But whilst I'm there I better just ring a bell for me and Tyler because I think it's coming to an end... like for real this time."
A sad look spread across her face as the younger girl told her. "Jeez, I'm really sorry to hear that, Care. I was probably routing for things to work out between the two of you more than anyone." She explained simple.
In an even lower and more bitter town Caroline responded. "I guess it just another thing that we can thank Klaus for, huh?" If she was being honest she was probably just trying to get some kind of a rise from Grace who didn't answered. "That was something I've been meaning to ask you, by the way."
Playing dumb the brunette said. "What's that?"
"Have you hear from the abomination since he left to terrorise New Orleans?" The question was left hanging there for a few short seconds whilst Grace tried to rack her brain for an answer, she hadn't expected the question.
Avoiding answering the question entirely the brunette replied. "Why do you ask, Care?" Trying to keep her voice as level as possible.
"I'm just curious." Her friend simply lied right back at her, both of them were feeling a little awkward because of the subject, but the blonde finally said. "We'll talk later. I gotta get going with Jesse now. Bye." With that she hung up leaving them both a little flustered.
Looking across the room in the mirror at herself she saw that her cheeks were flaming a bright red as she let out a soft breath of air and shook her head. Things were beginning to get out of control, she could feel it. Something was wrong, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Bringing her drink up to her lips she took a long swig before slamming the empty glass down on the table.
Not long later that day over in the girl it was bustling with several people all ordering drinks and talking in little groups amongst themselves. A tall man wandered over to the bar with a drink in one hand before announcing. "To Uncle Steve." And then ringing the bell loud enough for everyone to hear before downing his shot of liquor in memory of his dead uncle.
Both of the Salvatore's were just sitting across the room joining in with the celebration and commemoration of the deceased relatives of all the towns people. "Woo." Damon breathed out as he slammed his empty shot glass back on the table. "I'm really glad that this town still celebrates this holiday. Always a good excuse for drinking heavily before noon."
Stefan smirked a little bit before saying. "Is this town always so upbeat when it comes to the morbidity of death?"
"Actually, this little tradition goes all the way back to the 1820s when the whole town – along with a lot of other people – were very worried about cholera, so sometimes they would even bury a body a tad bit before it was ready to be pushing up daisy's." Stefan seemed almost surprised by this information. "But now... it's just an excuse to get day-drunk." He explained as his brother nodded his head and took sip of his drink.
Just then a young girl wandered over with a tray of empty drinks as she began to gather up all of theirs placing them on the tray also to keep the table clear. She was very cute with short black hair tied back into a tuft of a pony-tail and minimal make-up on. Stefan wasn't looking at her face, he was focusing on her jugular pumping blood over and over, he was almost salivating just watching.
His brother was quick to notice the problem and said. "Uh, hey. Do you reckon we can get another round?" He questioned trying to get her to leave their immediate vicinity. She smiled and nodded at him before turning around and sauntering back over to the bar as the younger Salvatore followed her walking away.
Stefan's head jerked back in the direction of his crystal blue eyed brother as he muttered back. "What the hell just happened?" He was almost shocked by how hypnotized he was by the girl standing there in front of him. "That was you craving something a little more hardcore than just a blood bag."
"So... why don't I just give it a go?" He questioned leaning forward and lowering his voice to a low growl. "You spent the whole day convincing me what I am and now I'm completely convinced and what nothing more than to have a taste. Let me, Damon." He said and his brother was beginning to get concerned.
"Well... you see there's a slight problem with that, Stef. There are two type of people – sorry, vampires in our world, alright? Those that could handle having a little taste from that girl who smelt surprisingly good and then... then there's you, buddy." He gave him a sad smile as his brother signed heavily.
"Maybe you're right... but maybe..." He sat up again straightening his back. "Maybe the reason that I drained people of all their blood and then proceeded to rip their heads off was because killing our father made me have this terrible association with being a vampire and that was what made me drop off the deep end, but now I don't have real memories of that anymore – only what you've told me – but they aren't there anymore so maybe I won't rip peoples heads off anymore."
Damon gave him an unsure smile before answering. "That's a nice theory, but I think it would be best if we just play it on the safe side, hm?"
Just then the bell run again and they both picked up their drinks clinking them against one another's when suddenly a figure arrived best them with a judgemental look on her face. "You know, Damon when you told me that you were going to be filling Stefan up on everything he's forgotten in the last two centuries I didn't think you were going to be filling him up on booze too."
Stefan gazed up at her for a moment before asking. "I don't mean to be rude, but remind me of your name again."
"It's Grace." She replied simply. "I'm Elena's sister..." Still he looked confused before her eyes went straight over to her boyfriend who was sat there quietly sipping his drink. "You've been radio silent for God knows how long and you haven't even thought to mention Elena, or even me?" He shrugged and she grabbed the drink of his hand before pounding it down. "Okay then..."
Not long later that afternoon both Damon and Grace were sat in the packed bar with empty glasses in front of them. "I'm so glad to know that everything is going well, Damon." Her voice was thick with sarcasm. "And it is so great to know that you kept your promise and called me to keep me up to date with everything you're doing with Stefan. It really put mine and Elena's mind at ease."
"Don't you start with me, I was only looking out for my brother, doing what was best for him. You know where" He told her in a firm voice as she suppressed a huge growl. "What about you? Where's Elena?
Shaking her head she reached into her jean pocket and pulled out her phone looking down at the screen for a few moments before hitting a name and pressing connect. Her boyfriend was quick to ask whom she was calling and she answered in a firm voice. "Bonnie." He rolled his crystal blue orbs. "She's a witch and a witch did this to him, so maybe she can reverse it." She held her phone to her ear.
"Do you really I haven't tried that already? I mean seriously, Grace. This is me you're talking to. Don't you think that I want my brother back more than anyone?" Then he reached forward and snatched the phone away from her before pressing disconnect making her frown heavily. "Look, all I'm trying to do until then is let him find out who he is for himself. This is the first time he's been able to do anything for himself without having to deal with whatever guilt that comes with it. Are you going to take that away from him?"
Grace narrowed her chocolate-brown orbs. "Don't you dare try to turn this on me, Damon. You know that the moment he gets even a whiff of blood he's going to want to have a taste and then that taste is going to lead to ripping someone's head off. You have to be there to look out for him, yes, but you can't just let him..." Then something occurred to her as she looked around the room. "Where... where is he?"
The raven-black haired vampire gazed around then before sighing heavily and asking. "You don't see a cute little waitress anywhere, do you?" They both jumped up then and began to look around the bar trying to find them anywhere.
Just in the back room of the Grill the inky haired waitress was filling up two bottles of ketchup when some spilled against her pale skin on her wrist, groaning she whipped it lazily against her apron smearing it with the crimson red goo before heading across the room to the sink beginning to wash her hands.
Gazing up into the mirror at herself she was surprised when she saw the handsome man from outside standing behind her with a look of pure want in his brooding eyes. "Don't scream." He told her in a thick voice and then she couldn't. "I'm not going to hurt you, don't move. You seem like a really nice girl and you really are very pretty, but I need a taste. Just one taste."
He leaned closer to her about to sink his razor-sharp fangs into her throat when he was grabbed and launched across the room. The little brunette was stood over him with her arms crossed over her chest and a hard look on her face. "This isn't working out." She whispered shaking her head.
After the entire fiasco with the waitress Damon decided it would be for the best if he got his very hungry brother away from the intoxicated humans in the Grill. So instead the three of them headed to the cemetery, it was still filled with many humans but this would be a place where they could keep their eye on the ripper.
Wandering down the dirt path past people camped out on picnic blankets with bottles of wine and champagne Stefan looked at each individual tombstone before one in particular caught his eye. "Huh. What kind of a name is Honoria Fell?" He questioned creasing his eye brows.
"You know, I'd keep your voice down, little brother. You're kinda the one that..." He pulled his finger across his throat that filled it everything for Stefan as he rose his eye brows in surprise before just nodding his head and continuing to follow the couple towards a dark grey stoned mausoleum with the word 'Salvatore' inscribed onto it.
Pushing the door open Damon continued. "So, okay. I kinda dropped the ball on this, alright? I'll admit that. It was naïve of me to think I could take your to a bar and not have you attack someone, we're just lucky you were sneaky enough to do it away from prying eyes." His girlfriend shot him a look form across the room.
"Okay, so not lucky, but..." He paused shaking his head. "Yeah, it was lucky. The whole thing could have gone a lot worse, alright?" Crossing her arms over her chest she pursed a little. "Keep pouting, judgy-pants. We're got more important things to deal with. We're just gonna have to ride this all out until we can figure something out."
"So, why are we here?" Grace quizzed giving him a look. "At the Salvatore crypt, which is just overly creepy."
Stefan was wandering around look at all of the names. "Is there anyone here that I didn't kill?" He questioned glanced over his shoulder at his brother who remained quiet for a moment before he stepped forward.
"Well... we've covered our father... may he rest – oh I mean, may he burn in hell." He jiggled the bell that he was holding in his hand. "Oh and don't worry about Uncle Zach, that was my bad." Once again the bell rang and Grace closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head as her boyfriends bluntness. "But, uh, on the bright side out mother died of consumption." Another jingle.
"Isn't this just a light heartening event." She perched herself on the stone bench in the middle of the room for a moment.
Holding the bell out to her Damon asked her in a soft voice. "Anyone's life you want to celebrate?" Glancing up at him through those smouldering chocolate-brown orbs she was quick to deny and shake her head.
The older Salvatore was dragged away from the unhappy face of his girlfriend when his phone vibrated in his pocket, reaching in and looking down at the screen and reading a text from the Gilbert boy that read: 'I need to talk to you ALONE'
"Well, that's not suspicious." Damon muttered softly before sliding his phone back into his pocket and continuing. "Look, I need to go see a man about a witch. Can you handle this?" Swiftly Grace nodded her head agreeing. "Alright. Brother – this is for you." He handed him the bottle of bourbon he was holding. "Gracie – for you." He proceeded to hand her the bell.
"Well, this is depressing." Stefan said simple as his brother exited the mausoleum leaving the two of them alone. "I hope that your family history isn't as... deadly as mine." He chuckled slightly as he looked over at her waiting for her to tell her story. "Not that it's a competition or something."
"Well, let me think for a second." He paused trying to think. "My adoptive parents. My birth parents. My adoptive Gran. My biological Aunt. My twin sister and my cousin, but... both of those came back to life so I guess that doesn't count, right?" She creased her eye brows looking up at him and he shook his head.
"You have a twin?"
It felt weird explaining this to him all over again, frowning a little she answered. "Uh, yeah. Her name is Elena." His eyes brightened up a little at the mention of her name. "That was the other girl you saw when you first woke up." He nodded his head in remembrance at her. "You and her... you have a strong connection." She smiled.
"Right." He nodded his head softly. "And how about me and you? How do we know each other?" Stefan quizzed a look of interest on his face. "I mean, you're smart, you're cute and you've clearly been through a lot. What are we to each other?" He questioned.
"You're..." Grace paused for a moment looking up at him. "You're like a brother to me, Stef. You've helped me through some of the hardest times of my life. You... you were the first one who helped me wrap my head around vampires and what was going on with this town." She smiled. "And I think I should return the favour."
Looking at her he felt a strong urge to trust her before he just nodded his head and answered. "Okay. Do what you thinks best."
Wrapping her warm woollen cardigan around her shivering body Elena sulked her way down the stairs away from Stefan's lonely feeling room, she had decided it was time to get some fresh air away from the scent of him lingering on everything.
As the young vampire reached the bottom of the stairs she caught sight of her brother standing in the parlour room standing in front of the roaring fire place, phone in hand. Normally she would have checked that he was alright, but today she just didn't have the energy.
Hastily ducking outside closing the heavy front door behind her she was pulled to a halt when she came face to face with a black v-neck. Glancing up she saw Damon looking down at her for a few short moments before he finally spoke. "Afternoon, mopey. Glad to see you've finally stepped outside into the wonderful world." He gestured around him.
Watching him with black-rimmed orbs she asked in a soft voice. "How do you do it, Damon? How can you just joke around all the time? Your brother doesn't remember you and you're acting like everything is fine." She crossed her arms over her chest with genuine curiosity on her face.
His expression softened as he answered. "I have people that depend on me; people that emotions matter more than mine do." The older Salvatore paused for a moment. "You know, you'll find it amazing how quick a mood can spread in that house. Like how your sour mood spread onto Grace."
"I'm just-"
"Grace puts on a brave face for you. I put on a brave face for Grace. Time for you to buckle up and smile, Gilbert. Your family needs you." He stated before patting her softly on the arm and then stepping around her. "I need to speak with your brother about something. Carry on." He told her before stepping into the boarding house.
Elena sighed a little, she knew that all these people were putting on a brave face if not for her then for Stefan, but she found it hard to find something to smile for, even if it was fake. Stuffing her hands into her pocket she took off on a slow wander around the forest outlining the mansion.
Just across the other side of the little town at the high school both of the vampires were sat against a row of lockers with a large bag of chips and an even larger bottle of bourbon, sharing them both between them. "So you came walking, no sauntering down the hallway, hidden behind a pair of ray-bans and looking so mysterious." She giggled.
"Really?"
Snorting a little then taking a swig of her bourbon she answered. "Oh yeah! I swear the entire school was watching you that day and you just walked your way down the hall like you owned the place." They both laughed before she let out a soft sigh and looked down at the floor her expression flattening.
Stefan creased his eye brows before asking. "What's wrong?"
"Oh. It's just thinking back to those times... it makes me a little sad." She paused for a moment before looking over at him and saying. "Things were a lot simpler back then. Before everything went to crap." Closing her eyes she shook her head. "I've messed up a lot and I've hurt a lot of people in the process."
The younger Salvatore frowned before placing a sympathetic hand on her shoulder and telling her. "C'mon. You can't have messed up that bad. I mean, I've done some pretty bad things, my nickname is the Ripper of Monterrey." He chuckled a little but this got no reaction from the brunette beside him.
Then taking a deep breath she said. "Sorry. I am totally bringing down the mood, huh." She laughed gently, but her smile didn't reach her eyes. "So, over there." Grace pointed over to the boys restroom. "That is where you first met Elena."
"Elena." He said, he had no recollection of this girl, he had heard Damon mention her a couple of times and he knew that she was related to Grace in some kind of way, but he just couldn't put a face to a name. "Tell me about her. What is she like? What does she look like?" He quizzed and this made the little brunette smile.
Sliding her phone out of her jean pocket she rifled through her pictures until she finally found one of her and Elena posing in the mirror. "She's... she's beautiful." He muttered softly his eyes glued to the screen.
"Yeah, she is." The brunette nodded her head before locking her phone and placing it beside her. "Elena is – she's the most amazing girl that you'll ever meet. She's strong and brave and incredible selfless, but... but stubborn too." She laughed gently. "And you would have done anything just to see her smile, Stefan."
Looking up at her with those smouldering green orbs he asked. "Why isn't she here right now?"
"She's trying to cope, but is struggling. She just needs time to wrap her head arounds things, Stefan. It isn't easy for her either. I know you don't remember anything, but you're the love of her life." Grace tried to explain, but it was hard for her to tell him what her sister was thinking.
Just then the laughter of boys filled their ears, looking up the door at the end of the hall slammed open and in they all jogged heading straight for the boys locker room. One was trailing behind holding a wet flannel to his head and a painful expression on his face as he followed the rest of them.
A coppery scent came floating down the hall mixed with testosterone and sweat, but the blood was what really caught their attention. Both of them looked up suddenly at the boy like he was their next meal, but Grace was quick to resist standing up and proposing. "Hey. Why don't I show you something really cool." She held out her hand for him.
Closing his eyes for a moment and looking away from the boy he was quick to agree reaching up and taking her hand as she pulled him to stand and then she lead him down the hall away from the all too tempting smell.
With clear haste in their step they both slammed through the entrance doors to the high school stepping out onto the hard concrete and filling their senses with anything but the delicious smell of that football player. "So what did you want to show me?" He asked looking down at the brunette who took a couple of steps forward.
"You know, us vampires are kinda amazing." She began as she turned around to face him with a sly smile playing across her pink lips. "We can run faster than the human eye can see and we can scale the Empire State building in a single bound. Kinda amazing, right?" He nodded his head a little.
"So what?"
"So I think that I should teach you some of the basics." Grace said before grabbing his wrist and trailing him around to the side of the school, both of them stopped gazing up at the top of the building, it seemed impossible, but the brunette knew that it was all too possible. "I'll go first and then you can meet me up there."
With an almost concerned look on his face the younger Salvatore answered. "Are you sure about this?" He quizzed but then he felt a sudden whoosh of air and the next thing he saw her standing in top of the roof with a grin spread across her face and hands planted firmly on her narrow hips.
"How did you-" "Are you going to join me, Salvatore?" She giggled trying to keep her balance on the ledge. "Just... jump with everything that you have." He hesitated. "C'mon! It's fun, I promise!" Another giggle escaped her lips before he followed her instructions and leaped from the floor to be stood there beside her.
The younger vampire was right, it truly was exhilarating. Looking down at the ground he was amazed that he was actually stood up there, he had always believed what his brother had said about him being a vampire, but now he could feel it too. A power surging through his body, so strong and fast. This was who he was.
Pausing for a long couple of seconds she ran the tips of her fingers over the coarse material of her black jeans before she finally answered. "You were there when I became a vampire, actually." He glanced over at her interested. "Elena and Damon had gone out-of-town and we had gone to this party with our friend Caroline." He nodded his head as took a breath.
"It's kinda a long story, but, uh, it was getting dark and I went to go find my car and I had a small run in with a… with a werewolf." The younger Salvatore looked across at her with a small amount of surprise pulling across his features, but she didn't look at him only looked out over the car park her face blank. "My neck was snapped and... and then you took me back to the house."
Stefan couldn't think of anything to say so he made a small sound. "Oh." He decided it was time for a change of subject, back onto him. "How did I do it before? Handle being a ripper? Handle this craving? It just – it seems impossible." He informed her and she knew that feeling all too well.
"It is hard." The brunette agreed as she tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "You just have to find something you care for more than the blood." She paused for a moment trying to think of what she was saying, it hard explaining an addiction to an addict from an addict, but if anyone understood it was her.
Turning to look at him she continued. "Stefan, you were one of the most compassionate people I had ever met, you were strong and kind and caring. You always put everyones needs before your own, no matter how big or small, but... but it's going to be hard and there are going to be days when you think you just can't go on."
He chuckled darkly before muttering. "I'll be honest, you're not really selling this to me."
"I'm just trying to prepare you. From one addict to another." He watched her through those forest-green eyes even more interest now. "You just need to trust people. Trust Elena, trust Damon, trust Caroline, trust me." She shrugged her shoulders. "We're always gonna be here for you, Stef. Even if you have no clue who we are." They both laughed a little.
"You're one of the good guys and I'll prove it to you." With that she slid off the edge of the building landing firmly on her feet on the ground looking up at him and shouting. "You coming, or what?" He chuckled before following suite and jumping down after her and they both took off into the forest at supernatural speed.
It didn't take them long to reach their destination, stepping out of the leafy brush into the middle of an empty road Stefan was confused by where they were, but Grace knew. Approaching Wickery Bridge she had a sad smile on her face thinking about everything that happened it, the start of it all.
"This is it, Stefan." Pressing both of her hands to the railing and then looking over the edge at herself in the reflection of the water she continued. "A lot has happened here. I tried to kill myself, Elena's adopted parents died, Elena died, Matt almost drowned. It's... it's certainly a memorable place."
"Depressing too." He stood beside her looking down at the water also.
Pausing for a couple of beats the little vampire added. "But this is also the place where you saved Elena's life and Matt's life and where Damon saved mine. It's been a long road, but it always seems to take us back here." She chuckled darkly. "I guess our lives are one big proverbial bridge crossing."
Stefan nodded his head before muttering. "I suppose they are." He looked at her then saying. "I wish I remembered more about it. This is all so frustrating."
"Yeah." Grace muttered. "I can't imagine what you must be going through, Stefan. Everything has just been coming at you wave after wave and you've been dealing with it... you've been dealing with it so well." She smiled up at him. "Better than anyone of us ever would have. You're the strongest of all of us."
"Apparently not if I can't even handle being around humans for a few hours." A soft growl escaped his throat. "Maybe it's just the world trying to tell me something." This made the brunette crease her eye brows. "What if I just give up trying? What's the worse that could happen? I don't remember my life from before, why should I care?"
She racked her brain for an answer. "Because you do care, Stefan. It's who you are, it's in your bones." Grace explained giving him a pleading looking. "I've been where you are. Thinking that theres no hope, or nothing left to fight for, but there is always something to fight for you've just got to find it."
"And what if I don't want to find it? What if that person – the Ripper – is who I wanna be?" He muttered out coldly. "You keep telling me about this Elena and about the memories we share and Damon keeps telling me stories, but that is all they are to me stories about some compassionate guy who you keep telling me that I am."
Frustrated by his attitude she turned around for a moment staring off at the lake trying to find her words before saying. "Stefan, please. You don't want to be that person. Just think about what you're-" She turned back around and he was no longer stood there leaving her confused and scared. "Oh, crap." She whispered.
The taller Gilbert girl wandered back towards the Salvatore boarding house from where she had been on her walk clearing her head when she spotted Damon sitting outside leaning against the wall with a bottle of whiskey in hand as he stared out into the distance a vague expression on his face, approaching him Elena asked. "Long day?"
"Mm, you could say that." The older vampire then took another long swig from his bottle of bourbon savouring the taste in his mouth before swallowing still reframing from looking directly at her. "Just one time I wanted something to go our way, you know?" She was confused by what he was saying, not understanding where he was going with it.
"I wanted Stefan to go back to normal. I wanted Grace to be happy with me and go to college and not have to worry about anything. I wanted you to go back to Stefan and for the both of you to be happy and live your lives together." He let out a soft sigh. "I can't do it. I can't make these things happen-"
Elena cut him off saying. "It's going to be okay. We're gonna get Bonnie to come back and we're gonna get Stefan back to normal."
"You don't understand, it isn't going to work anymore." The older Salvatore growled out tightening his grip on the glass. "Bonnie can't help us-" Before he got to tell her the worse news his phone began to jingle in his pocket, fishing it out he looked at the screen to see the photo of him and his lovely girlfriend pop up. "Head inside, I gotta take this.."
Elena gave him a frown as she rose from her seat behind him and entered the house, standing he pressed answer and held his phone to his ear. "Hey, Gracie. What's up?" His tone was lower and almost defeated.
"I... I lost Stefan." He couldn't believe the words left her mouth, he asked quickly what happened and she stuttered back. "He kept saying things like 'maybe it was the world giving him a sign' and 'what if he was supposed to be a Ripper' I tried to talk him out of it, but... but before I knew it he was gone."
Closing his eyes and holding back his anger Damon quizzed. "Do you have any idea where he could have gone?"
Racking her brain the chocolate-brown haired vampire responded. "I think he went off in the direction of the cemetery." She took a short pause before saying. "Look, I'll meet you there alright?" She paused for a moment. "Damon... bring Elena with you." He asked her what she meant. "Bring her. Let her speak to him, she can help him, she needs to." He agreed and then both of them hung up taking off in the direction of the cemetery as well.
Across town a the Mystic Falls cemetery the moon had finally risen over the town and people were carrying around flashlights and lanterns so that they could continue to see even as the night drew on. Everyone was still celebrating the lives of their relatives and friends that had passed, but Stefan was among them looking for his next meal.
Snatching a bottle of gin from an unwatched basket lying on the ground he twisted the bottle off and took a long swig from it when a tall blonde girl suddenly stood there in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest and an almost confused look across her delicate pale features. "Stefan?" She quizzed.
"Hey. I know you..." The older Salvatore muttered out softly trying to place her face, then snapping his fingers he added. "You're my best friend; Caroline Forbes, right?" Her silvery orbs watched him for a moment before she nodded her head her blonde curls bouncing with each nod. "Grace was showing me photos of everyone earlier. That's how I knew, if you were wondering."
Caroline replied. "I was..." Then she gave him another confused look before saying. "What are you doing here, Stefan? Are you okay? You actually look a little-"
The older vampire finished the sentence for her. "Drunk? Yeah, that's because I am." He flashed her a gleaming smile then. "You know what? I am completely fine, Caroline. I'm hastily spiralling into a Ripper oblivion and I think this alcohol is helping me to get there even faster." A look of fear spread across her face as the words came from his mouth.
Just then the two were joined by a very calm and collect looking Jesse who was holding two red cups that were filled with an almost flat looking beer. "Hey Care, that guy who was hogging the keg passed out and I managed to grab us these." He grinned happily holding up the beer for her as she gave him an uneasy smile.
Stefan's eyes were prying the new boy up and down, looking at him as if he was a meal just pure hunger in his eyes. "Oh, wow. That's great, thanks Jesse." She nodded her head nervously as she went on to say. "I was wondering if you could give me and my friend here a few minutes alone. I just have something I need to talk to him about."
The college students eyes glanced over to where the younger Salvatore was watching him with a soft smirk on his lips. "That is probably a good idea, because I smell the blood from the paper-cut on your hand from here and I want nothing more than to rip off your entire arm and-"
The blonde cut him off with a feral growl of his name. "Stefan!" Then she turned to her new male friend and looked directly into his smouldering light brown orbs saying. "Go away, hide. I'll find you soon." With that he turned around and wandered away from them at a leisurely pace. "Look, I know that you're hungry, but this isn't who you are, Stefan. You don't drink from people, not anymore."
The older vampire let a soft sigh as he replied. "Yeah, a lot of people keep telling me that..." Stefan shook his head from side-to-side before he added. "Caroline, do you have any bloodbags? Please." There was a look of pleading in his eyes that really pulled at her heartstrings.
The blonde was quick to agree. "Yeah. Yeah, I do." Her silvery orbs lighting as she nodded her head once again. "They're in my car. Come with me." Spinning around she began to walk in the direction of where she had parked her car when she suddenly heard a soft whoosh in the air, spinning around she saw that he had vanished.
Not that long away in the small Salvatore crypt Jesse was stood inside holding his phone in his hand dialling the blondes number feeling overly confused and a little scared as to why he had decided to go in there, he couldn't remember why but he felt an overwhelming need to let her know.
Speaking to her voicemail he told her. "Hey, Caroline. It's me... It's Jesse." He paused for a couple of seconds before adding. "So, uh, I don't really know what's going on, and I don't understand why I'm here but for whatever reason I'm in some crypt... I just thought that you should know."
Turning around then he saw a threatening face staring at him in the low light of the candle lit lantern, zipping towards him in almost a blur he felt a sharp pain in his throat and was beginning to feel woozy as he felt a warm substance pouring out of the newly created holes. "There." Stefan muttered as he pulled away. "I stopped. I did it."
Clasping his hand over the wound in his throat the terrified college student. "Look, I don't know what you are-"
Answering his question the younger Salvatore answered. "I'm a vampire. Well, more specifically I'm a Ripper. Do you know what that means, buddy?" The human shook his head his eyes wide with fear clearly unsure of what this threatening man was speaking about. "That means I literally can't stop feeding until I tear someones head off, but look at you... your head is still clearly attached."
Jesse replied. "That's... that's great. Can I just... can you just let me go know. Please." He begged giving him a pleading look.
Nodding his head and pursing his lips."I really should let you go. I'm the good brother. I'm compassionate. I try and do everything right, but each time it's just not good enough." He growled out feeling an anger beginning to flare up deep inside of him. "But I still live with this hunger deep inside of me everyday."
"I... I'm sorry-"
"I don't know what stopped me from feeding before. People tell me it's because I was in love with this girl, but I don't even remember her because I got screwed over by a witch! Everyone is trying to tell me who I am, but I don't know who I am, or if that's the kind of person I want to be!" A tear rolled down his cheek. "I'm just confused."
Then without hesitation he flung forward and chomped into the college students throat once again tasting the sweet release of his blood flood his mouth once again.
Stefan continued to suckle the sweet life source from the young college students throat when suddenly the doors slammed open to reveal two silhouettes of women standing in the doorway, stepping forward it was revealed to be Caroline and a brunette girl that he assumed was his girlfriend Elena.
"Stefan!" She whimpered her eyes wide with terror as he let the boy go and he let Jesse drop to the ground with a loud thud, the blonde was over by his side in a moment checking what she could do for him. "Stefan, come with me. Please. I can help you. I want to help you."
The taller Gilbert girl was ready now, she knew that she needed to be there for him now because he had been there for her so many times before, his eyes filled with tears as she reached out and took his face between her hands looking directly into his smouldering forest-green orbs.
"You have to trust me, Stefan. Please." He closed his eyes allowing the hot tears to fall down his cheeks before he nodded his head, holding his hand firmly in her own she looked over to the blonde and muttered out. "I'm really sorry, Caroline." She only nodded back at them watching them exit the crypt.
Blood was seeping profusely from the wound as she bit into her wrist. "C'mon, Jesse. Don't give up on me. Please." She pressed her bloody wrist to his mouth allowing him to drink. "I'm so sorry I brought you here. I'm sorry I got you hurt. I'm sorry I let you kiss me... I'm... I... I'm sorry." She whimpered letting tears fall down her cheeks then.
It wasn't long before they all returned to the Salvatore boarding house, the couple were in the library sat close to the warm glow of the roaring fire. The younger vampire was speaking as he just sat there limply on the couch as she sat in front of him on the coffee table so that she could look directly into his eyes as she spoke.
The brunette tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear before replying. "I haven't been there for you, Stefan, but I am now and I'm going to help you through this. I was just... sad but I was being selfish when I should have been thinking about what you needed." Her eyes were filled with guilt and sadness.
The older vampire said. "How aren't you scared of me after seeing me like that? I was a monster, Elena."
"You were never a monster to me, Stefan. I could never be scared of you, not even when I first saw you... like that." She gave him a sad smile. "I knew that you would never hurt me, it just isn't who you are."
Elena scooted forward on the table then and took his hands carefully making him lean forward. "The first time that I ever saw you for what you are I..." Releasing his hands and moving them to cup his face. "I touched your face like this and I told you..." Giving him a meaningful look she said. "I told you not to hide."
He then took her face between his hands and leaned forward as they brushed their lips against one another before she pulled him closer and collided their lips against one another, electricity shot through them making them feel a need for each other like they've never felt before.
Two sets of footsteps entered the room them before a soft laugh could be heard, both of them pulled away from each other to see that both Grace and Damon were stood there with small smirk on their face as they watched them. The older Gilbert pulled away from her Salvatore and couldn't help the blush that pulled over her features.
"Sorry to interrupt." Grace giggled throwing her sister a teasing look before continuing to say. "Damon wanted to tell us all something..." She looked over at her boyfriend who had an almost sullen look on his face.
"Uh, yeah... Elena, do you remember earlier when I told you that Bonnie wouldn't be able to help us with Stefan?" The girl thought for a moment before nodding her head, the three watched him in confusion. "There's a reason for that. I'm really sorry." The girls knew that tone all too well. "Bonnie's dead."
"No, that... that can't be right... we've been texting her... we..." Elena whimpered shaking her head from side-to-side. "What?!" Grace hissed looking at him wide eyed, the older Salvatore looked at her with a sad expression as she shook her head trying to deny it.
The very next day they all decided it was time for them to say goodbye to their good-friend, she hadn't got a proper send off yet and they wanted to be able to do this one thing for her. Stefan sat and watched as his girlfriend tied her hair back into a smart looking ponytail, he could feel the sadness washing off of her.
"Are you going to be okay?" He asked in a soft voice as he tightened his tie.
"I don't... I don't know how to answer that question." The brunette replied as she looked at him through the mirror she was sat in front of. "Just when I thought that all of lives couldn't get any worse; just when I thought we had hit rock bottom we get another sucker punch." She shook her head trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.
Stefan stood up and walked over to her placing his hand lovingly on her shoulder. "I wish there was something I could do to make this all better... to take your pain away."
Her eyes found his once again. "Even when you have no memory you're still looking out for me, when it should be me doing it for you." Standing up and wrapping her arms around his throat he hugged her back tightly letting her sob into his blazer shoulder. "I'm never going to see her again, Stefan. She's gone."
"I know." He muttered kissing her head.
In the master bedroom the little vampire was trying to pull up the zipper on the back of her dress when she suddenly felt a presence behind her, looking up through the mirror Damon was stood there giving her a reassuring smile before he slowly pulled the zipper up for her, she nodded at him.
"Another funeral." Her voice was flat as she applied her faint lipstick. "Another one of us dead." She let out a stuttered breath. "Each time it hurts just as much, you know? All this time I thought she was alive, but..." She closed her eyes trying to stop the tears from falling buy one escaped.
Turning her to face him he dried away the fallen tear with his thumb ceasing it from travelling any further down her face. "I'm sorry, Gracie. If I could take the pain away you know that I would." He kissed her forehead a couple of times before just holding her in his arms. "I love you so much." Damon told her in a tight voice.
The sun was high in the sky but the air was filled with a brisk wind as they all approached a broken tree stump. Jeremy was already stood there holding a beautiful picture frame with Bonnie inside of it. That only made it more real for the girls who watched him place it down on top.
The blonde approached from where she was stood beside Matt with tears twinkling in her eyes placing down Bonnie jet black and crimson red cheerleading pom-poms on top before stepping back towards the human, she remembered all the good times that both herself and Bonnie had during their cheerleading practice.
He then walked forward with a whistle in his hand, holding it out and letting it unravel he was place beside the pom-poms, some of his fondest memories of the witch had been when they had both signed up to be lifeguards that one summer before the madness in Mystic Falls began.
As Matt stepped back placing his arm around Caroline's pale shoulders, next Elena stepped forward from where Stefan had been comforting her. Holding her hand out and scattering many white feathers over the stump she remembered the first time Bonnie had told her that she was a witch and to prove it she levitated some feathers for her. It had been one of the most amazing moments of her life and was so glad that she had experienced it with her.
Elena spun back around and stepped back towards Stefan reaching out and taking Caroline's hand across the gap between them. The little brunette was the next one to go, stepping forward and placing a simple picture down on the stump. It was from their freshman year of high school and it contained all of the girls.
Finally Damon walked up to the stump and placed his hand on his girlfriends lower back as he placed down the young witches grimoire, she had got them out of so many tight situations, Bonnie was always so selfness and kind to everyone, even him at times. The couple went and stood back in the circle with everyone else.
Jeremy had been watching from where he stood the other side of the stump on his own watching as each of them placed a memory of the lovely witch down for them all to remember together. Reaching out and picking up the hand bell from the stump
He began his speech. "We ring this bell in honour of Bonnie, in remembrance of her." Jingling the bell a couple of times he then set it down before feeling a strike of pain in his chest and saying in a broken voice. "I'm not sure of what else to say..."
The ghost stepped forwards resting her cold hand on his shoulder, he couldn't feel her but she could feel him and the thought was there. "Tell them all that I'm not going to leave them. I'm never going to leave them. I'll be with them now and forever." Her tips turned up as she looked at the group of people in front of her thinking of how much she truly loved them.
Jeremy repeated her words to the group and they all seemed suddenly surprised to know that she was there watching over them. "I saw you have a great time finding yourself this summer." Her eyes fell on Grace as she moved towards the smaller brunette who had tears trickling down her cheeks. "I saw you happy and in love." This time the witches eyes glistened with tears.
Damon squeezed her shoulder as the words continued. "I know you think that you'll never have a normal life and that you need to be there to protect everyone, but you don't. Everyone is going to be fine, you just have to trust them to find their own way without you." Bonnie smiled. "You need to go back to college and enjoy life to the fullest." She giggled gently.
Next she moved on to where Elena was stood beside her sister with her Salvatore comforting her. "Elena..." The girl took in a soft gasp as she waited for the words. "It's been a tough summer for you. You lost your boyfriend then you got him back and... and he doesn't remember you." Bonnie paused for a moment. "Just know that if I could I would do anything to help you. I wish that I could, but we'll figure out another way. I promise we'll work this out."
Elena crumbled then her face scrunching and the tears beginning to fall, Bonnie felt an overwhelming urge to hug her but knew that it wouldn't be worth it, she wouldn't feel it. Next the witch moved over to the blond boy with a small smile on her face. "Matt, I'm so sorry that you felt out of the loop this summer. You know that I would have sent you 300 emails if I could. I really miss you." He smiled through the tears.
The blonde vampire felt a shudder of fear when she heard. "Caroline..." She braced herself for her speech. "I watched you organise college and decorate that dorm room like your life depended on it." Both of them laughed then as tears travelled down their cheeks. "I know that you've had a hard time of it too and that college isn't everything you expected, but..."
The words stopped then as her eyes went straight through her to the brush that surrounded them to see it move and then Tyler stepped through. "Tyler." They all looked backwards then and Caroline's eyes brightened up as she sprinted over to him colliding into him with a tight wanting hug.
After their small moment they both stepped forward into the circle again and the hybrid laid a single white rose on top of their memories to Bonnie with a sad smile pointed at Jeremy who only nodded back at him. Bonnie moved back around to be standing beside the Gilbert boy looking at her friends.
Each of them was stood beside someone they loved more than life itself, Damon and Grace were in a tight embrace, Stefan was holding Elena as she sobbed and both Tyler and Matt both had an arm around Caroline. "This is good." The witch said looking up at Jeremy with a teary eyed smile. "This is all I wanted. I'll be okay. We'll all be okay." With that she reached out and took his hand lovingly.
Later on that day they had all decided to go to the Grill to continue their mourning. It felt nice for Jeremy to be able to share his grief with the rest of them and now that Bonnie was at peace with her friends knowing too it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
They were sharing a large bottle of expensive bourbon between them with a glass each Damon lifted his glass and said. "To Bonnie Bennett: the best damn witch I've ever known." They all agreed with sad smiles before clinking their glasses against one another's before returning to their conversations.
Caroline creased her eye brows looking down at Matt's bandaged hand asking him in a concerned tone. "What happened to your hand?" He gave her some half-hearted excuse to what had happened before she turned her attention to Grace as her eyes went down to her phone and she muttered that she would be right back.
The blonde watched as she wandered across the room and exited the bar letting the door close behind her, it didn't take her long to stand up and follow her out to see her eyes were down on her phone. "Grace..." The little vampire jolted looking up suddenly and tucking her phone behind her back. "We need to talk."
"Uh, about what, Care?" The brunette quizzed nervously.
"The other day when you let me borrow your laptop I opened it and... and your emails were open." The girls face when pale white as if she had seen a ghost. "I saw an email on there from... from Klaus." The girl opened her mouth to talk. "I know you're probably feeling a little lost, or whatever but you have to let him go."
"Care-"
The blonde quickly continued what she was saying without missing a beat. "That part of your life has passed you. How do you think Damon is going to feel if he found out that you were still in contact with him? Huh? He would be so hurt, Grace. And you know that yet you're still doing it-"
Grace growled. "Caroline." Her eyes were flashing dangerously dark. "I know what I'm doing okay? Don't act as if I don't know what I'm doing is wrong, because I know it is. Alright? Just give me time to work this out, alright?" Grace spat back at her before wandering away from the Grill.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you. Where are you going?" The taller vampire called in a worried tone.
The brunette grumbled back. "To think." With that she wandered down the road on her own shoving her arms through the sleeves of her cardigan when she suddenly heard footsteps closing in on her. "Caroline-" When she turned she saw Stefan standing there with a smirk on his face. "Stef-"
"Try again." Silas growled out before stabbing a wooden stake into her stomach making her call out. "Don't worry. I got you." He smirked as she fell unconscious into his arms he picked her up hauling her over his shoulder. "At least I got some leverage now." He said to himself before walking off into the darkness.
A/N
Hello friends!
I am so sorry that this took so long but I hope that it was at least worth the wait. Got some Drace, Stelena, Forwood, Beremy. I hope that you enjoy and that you're all having a wonderful day.
If you want to ask the real Grace Gilbert any questions about this chapter or her life in Mystic Falls with her Salvatore then head on over to ask-grace-gilbert . tumblr ask (just take out the spaces and ask away!)
If you want to follow me on my other blog for story updates, previews and anything else I like to post then go over to queenelenaqilbert . tumblr . com (once again just take out the spaces, I'm sure you know by now, but just incase)
If you want to see the outfits (or what Grace's dorm room looks like) then check out my polyvore page, my name is graciiieee
Answers and responses below:
Englishbiotch99: Hope you enjoy.
Adela: Hope this is good enough.
Chloe: Hope you enjoy.
Ggirl7: I hope that you enjoy this next chapter then.
bookworkultimate: I'm glad that you're enjoying it, hope you like this chapter.
Guest: Here's an update.
Skyscraper15: Wow, you finished it in two days. That's actually amazing, haha. I'm impressed. Glad that you're enjoying it all so far and I hope you like this next chapter.
LambertRatliffKoskinen15: I'm glad that you're enjoying the story so far, I hope you like this chapter too.
Nymartian: Yeah, I thought it would be a nice twist if Caroline got involved with the emails sent back and forth, she is very much Team Drace so she doesn't want Klaus to get involved again. Haha.
Nicole: Yeah, I understand what you're saying about Stefan and Grace, but it isn't going to be like that for them because it's a different situation and Silas never truly loved Sappho. Katherine will be making an appearance very soon to try and find her sister.
KikiXocluvr: Thank you very much, I hope you enjoy.
XxxRena: Yeah, Caroline is being her usual nosy self, haha. Which I love very much it causes a lot of drama, or more than there usually is.
Damon's Girl: Hey, Amanda. Glad that you enjoyed it and I hope that you enjoyed this chapter.
Hanna West: Glad to know, haha. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.
chloe: Glad to know, hope you enjoy.
grapejuice101: haha, yep. I'm happy I updated too. Hope you enjoy this chapter too.
winxgirl1997: Here's an update.
Ghostwriter: Glad that you enjoyed it. Yeah, haha I felt the same way. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Graciiee