Hello, my lovely readers. Quick side note before the regular note. I wrote an opinion piece that I have posted on my profile page about what I call "The Hayley Problem." It's just my spin on why we have or may have problems with the character. I really want as many of my readers to read the article and tell me what you think if I'm really off base, spot on or somewhere in the middle.
It's time for the first visit from home. Are you looking forward for a little Klaorline with a side of revenge?
Chapter 32: A Little Bit of Home
Two months later, we were supposed to have visitors today. Walking around the courtyard, I was nervous. Caroline's birthday was two days ago. I had no idea whether she would actually come. She had told me she would come to see me during this weekend. She would be staying in another part of the school, far away from the boys.
Stopping in mid-step, I whirled on my foot and then grinned. She was standing five feet away from me. "Hello, Nik," she called to me and I came to wrap my arms around her.
"Caroline," I murmured, holding her to me tightly. There was nothing more I could want from the day other than to have her with me.
"I missed you so much. I got grounded because I egged your dad's car. I knew you wouldn't leave me," she told me. "And I have lots of pictures of Kol, Bekah and Henrick. Elijah brings them over when my mom isn't at home. Henrick tries to crawl about the house but we catch him. Hayley loves playing with him." I narrowed my eyes at the mention of Caroline's new pet project's name. It was better to not get into the Hayley problem with Caroline right now. I was simply relieved to have her there with me.
"Ah, are those your siblings?" Marcel called, coming to stand beside us.
"Marcel," Caroline exclaimed cheerily and then hugged him tightly.
"You must be Caroline," Marcel replied with a grin.
"Yes, I am," Caroline said and then squealed when Damon came up behind her and picked her up. "Put me down. You'll make me dizzy." Caroline shouted with glee as Damon spun her around.
"That's the point," Damon replied and then he sat her down on her feet and she began to stumble around.
"Damon," two voices yelled and we turned in that direction.
Elena came slamming into Damon, knocking him down. Stefan came running and threw himself on top of them. I laughed, then I yanked Stefan off his brother to give him a hug. "Nik," Elena cried out and then hugged me tightly.
"Look at that. You guys make me want to cry," Marcel was saying.
Caroline looked around, "Where's your family?"
Marcel shrugged and smiled at her. "My mom had to work. Other than that. There's just me."
"Oh," Caroline said, biting her bottom lip and then she wrapped an arm around his waist. "That's okay. Because this weekend you have all of us. Right?" She looked at Stefan and Elena.
"Yes," Elena replied with a nod. Her hair was growing out and fell to her shoulders now. It went bobbing about as she spoke. "I'm Elena."
"I know," Marcel said. "You're Damon's girl," Damon was waving his hands as Marcel spoke and then Elena turned to look at Damon who was groaning. "Sorry, man."
"I'm your girl?" Elena was grinning widely.
Damon shook his head. "No, you're just… ummm... like my girl… who is a friend…"
"Whose picture sits next to his bed," Marcel teased and Damon groaned, kicking the lawn as Elena placed he hand on his arm and kissed him on the cheek. He began to smile even though I knew he was cringing on the inside.
"I know where you sleep," Damon reminded Marcel who laughed it off.
"Uh huh," Marcel replied.
"Can we see your room?" Caroline asked us. Damon, Marcel and I looked at each other.
"Sure," Damon replied, looking around at the other people. He began to wave for each of us to walk off. Damon began to whistle as he followed us around the corner and into the main building. The minute we were sure we would not be caught Damon and I took the lead, running up the stairs toward our floor.
Looking behind me, I saw Caroline holding fistfuls of her skirt to keep from tripping. Once we were at the top, I took Caroline's hand and we hurried down the hallway. Damon jerked our door open and waved toward it. "Hurry," he whispered, looking around. Running inside the room, we sighed in relief when Damon closed the door.
"Oh, my God," Elena cried, running over to window. "It's so pretty."
"There's a picture of us," Stefan said, pointing at the framed photo of Elena, Damon and Stefan on Damon's nightstand. Damon tried to get to the stand before Elena could move to examine the other photo on the stand. He groaned when she snatched it up and giggled at the picture of the two of them making fish faces while Alaric took the picture.
Elena made a fish face at Damon. He came over and poked her cheeks, making the air deflate. "Hi," she giggled and Caroline grabbed my arm as we watched our friends.
"Hi," Damon replied and then kissed her lightly on the lips.
"Ew," Stefan said, sticking his tongue out.
"That is gross," Marcel said, laughing quietly. "So, what are we going to do today?"
"Get revenge on Galen and his group," I told them, smirking as Damon rolled his eyes.
"Nik," Damon began when Caroline turned to me.
"Who's Galen?" Caroline questioned me, looking concerned. I had not told her about what happened during our first day at the school.
"A bully," Marcel told her. "We need to stay away from them. Unless you want this whole weekend to become a nightmare."
"No, Marcel," I argued. "He hurt Damon and they are going to pay. No one hurts my friends and gets away with it."
Damon nodded slowly, "He's right. Galen, Conner and Alexander think they run this school. They even terrorize the older boys. It's time to put a stop to it."
"How?" Caroline asked us. I knew she would be in. This was just one of the reasons I loved her. She understood me and what I stood for. She would stand by me.
"We're going to have to do this at night," I told the group, looking at each of them. "It won't work if people are up and wondering around."
"But we'll be on the other side of the school," Caroline argued and Elena nodded. Stefan might be able to stay in our room but the girls would have to go past a certain hour.
"We know every part of this school," Damon replied.
"We'll find you," Marcel added and I smirked.
"All in?" I placed my hand in the middle of us and waited for the others. Damon placed his hand down first followed by Caroline, Marcel, Elena and then Stefan. "Good. Now, we have to prepare."
"What exactly do you plan on doing to them?" Marcel asked me and I grinned at him.
"Do you know that they knew that you were afraid of snakes the day that they placed one in your desk?" I questioned Marcel, placing my hands behind my back and beginning to pace.
"How?" Marcel looked confused as I paced.
"When we first came here, did you not wonder why they asked so many questions?" I shook my head with a mirthless smile. "Our guides, my friends," I whirled to look at Damon and Marcel. "Take the information that they gain from us the first day that we are here and then they give it to Galen and his friends. For a small fee, of course."
"They take money for this?" Caroline looked horrified, her face twisting in disgust.
"Oh, no, sweetheart. Not just money. They deal in personal favors as well. Like protection for instance," I cocked my head to the side as I spoke.
"So, once they're out of the picture, we take over," Marcel finished my thoughts.
"Simply put, yes," I replied.
Elena held up a hand and I raised my eyebrows at her. "Doesn't that make you them?"
I shook my head. "No, it makes us smarter," I told her but she still looked unsure.
"The only way this can work is if you put a stop to the bullying period," Caroline commented.
"Caroline," I began when she held up her hand.
"No, Nik, you can't become them. I don't like this place. What it's making you into," Caroline told me, focusing all her concentration on me and me alone.
"It makes me the person who is not going to be living in fear at this school, Caroline. You have no idea what it's like to live here. You weren't the one who was sent away. You didn't miss everyone's birthdays and your baby brother's first steps," I told her, fuming.
"He hasn't started walking yet," Caroline whispered. "And we missed you, too," she walked over and wrapped her arms around me. I felt silly as Caroline stood there, holding me. "It's okay, Nik. You'll come home soon and we'll do it all again."
I pulled away from Caroline and ignored the hurt look on her face. "You'll have to go. Someone might find you and Elena in here. Then we will be punished again." I did not want her in the room anymore because I did not her to continue talking. She was making me begin to question my plans. That could not happen. Caroline would not be here past this weekend. If she were maybe she would understand what I and my fellow students had suffered.
Staring at me warily, Caroline allowed Elena to pull her toward the door. Sitting down heavily on the bed, I moved my gaze from Damon to Marcel. "Are you ready?"
Marcel nodded but Damon looked almost as wary as Caroline had. Now that Elena was no longer in the room, he gave up the look of bravery. "You know the last time I did something to piss off Vaughan, I ended up covered in bruises. Not you."
Glaring at Damon, I stood and pressed my hand to his shoulder. "That is exactly why we must put a stop to their activities, Damon. Do you want to live in fear until we escape this place? That could take years for all that we know. Stand by my side, brother. I will not let you down."
"He's right," Marcel murmured. "You can't let Vaughan and his gang get to you. You have to fight fire with fire." I felt my lips twist upward as Marcel's gaze met my own. "Damon, man, you've got to stand up for yourself or they'll hurt you worse the next time."
Damon groaned and then looked at Stefan who had been silent for the time being. "Are you going to run home and tell daddy all about the trouble I've managed to get myself in this time?" He was sneering when he spoke.
Moving to stand closer to his brother, Stefan pulled out a necklace from his shirt. My eyes widened as I recognized it as the necklace that was supposed to keep Damon safe. That was why the gang had been able to hurt him so badly. He hadn't been wearing it because he had given it to Stefan. Tugging the necklace over his head, Stefan placed it in Damon's hand. "You need this more than I do, Damon."
Rolling his eyes, Damon threw his arms around his little brother and jerked him forward in a tight hug. "You are such a brat, Stef. I love you, kid."
"I love you, too," Stefan whispered back.
Pulling away from Stefan, Damon looked from me to Marcel. "Breathe a word of that and I will make Vaughan and his little buddies look like nothing."
"Swear," Marcel told him with a wide grin but I could see his fingers were crossed behind his back.
"Whatever," Damon snapped. "Are we going to get set up or what?" I smiled as we headed out into the corridor. Damon was right; we had things that we needed to prepare for tonight's adventure.
Six hours later, I tapped on the door of the room that Caroline and Elena were staying inside. When Caroline opened the door, I waved for the two girls to follow me outside into the empty hallway. I pressed my fingers to my lips to indicate that they had to be quiet. When we arrived back in my room, Caroline gasped to see Damon, Stefan and Marcel.
My friends had been transformed into ghosts or at least that is what we figured ghosts might look like. With the help of makeup and fake blood, they looked like murder victims. This would take care of our own victim number one.
"Caroline, I need you to go outside. There is a boy. His name is Alexander. You need to convince him to go out to the cemetery," I ordered her.
Caroline wrinkled her nose, "Why? And how do you know that he'll be outside."
"They're not the only ones who can bribe people. Alex likes to go outside and smoke. He thinks that no one knows about his little habit. But there are plenty of eyes and ears that roam these halls. That's why I'm coming with you for this part of the journey. To avoid unnecessary questions. And to make sure that you're not seen," I explained quickly.
Damon, Marcel and Stefan were moving out into the hallway, "Where are they going?" Elena asked quietly. "And can I help?"
"Yes," I told Elena. Pulling out a rubber butcher knife, I held it out to her. "Go with them. They'll tell you what to do," I watched them leave the room and sighed in relief. The plan was moving forward. Now, we just had to take care of Conner after this. My final target would be taken care of the following morning.
Placing my hand on the door handle, I eased it open as quietly as possible and then waited for Caroline to follow me out into the darkened hallway. She clasped my hand tightly and we began to walk down the hall through the darkest sections. Caroline gripped my hand tighter. I knew she was afraid of the dark so I placed my arm around her shoulders. When we were just outside the front door, I signaled for Caroline to stop. "Tell Alexander that your friend, Elena, wandered off and you have no idea where she is,"
Caroline nodded and then pushed the door open. I pressed my body to the side so that Alexander would not see me but I propped the door open just wide enough to hear the conversation. When Caroline repeated the story, Alexander chuckled and said that she should go back inside before she got caught.
"Please, she could be hurt," Caroline was beginning to beg. "I don't want her to get into trouble. What if something happened to her? Oh, please, help me," Caroline begged, her voice beginning to break. I peered into the darkness and saw Caroline's face becoming tear stained as she took the hand that did not hold a cigarette. "You're so big and strong and I'm so little. I'm scared."
Feeling a pang of irritation at the way Caroline was batting her eyelashes at the older boy I was about to step outside and call a halt to the performance when Alexander threw his cigarette aside. "I guess I can help."
"Oh, thank you," Caroline threw her arms around Alexander's shoulders and then winked at me with a broad grin. I slipped out from behind the door soundlessly and held it to make sure that it did not make a sound when it closed. Walking behind the two with three feet between us, I listened to Caroline's constant chatter that had Alexander looking for another smoke.
When they arrived at the gates of the cemetery, Alexander gulped, "I don't think your friend is in there."
"She could be," Caroline argued. "And you said you'd help me. Are you afraid?" Her eyes were wide and she was the picture of innocence as she swayed in front of the gates with her hands clasped behind her.
Alexander straightened his shoulders. "I'm not afraid of anything, he pushed the gates open and I smirked at Caroline who smirked back before whirling around and pursuing our prey. "Did you hear something?" she called, moving toward a direction where there was the sound of crunching leaves. Alexander hesitated before following Caroline in that direction.
"Help," a voice called and Caroline gasped when Damon appeared with his hand over his stomach and then he pulled back his hand to show a bloody wound. "I think someone stabbed me," falling over, Damon stared up at the sky. Alexander gasped in horror. He began to walk backwards when he almost stumbled over Marcel's body.
"Gee, man, you could watch where you're going," Marcel muttered, getting to his feet. Now, Alexander raised a finger and waved it at Marcel. "What is wrong with your head?"
Marcel placed a hand to a place above his right eye. "Ugh, I think she stuck that knife right through. That stings like a mother."
"I think that Elena is crazy," Stefan moaned, appearing a few feet to Alexander's right. He had what looked like multiple stab wounds.
"You're dead," Alexander moaned when Damon began to get up again. "But dead people aren't supposed to talk."
"Maybe we're ghosts," Damon suggested with a shrug and a grin. "What do you think?"
Alexander began to walk backward, toward the gate. "This is just too much. I'm having a nightmare and none of this happening." He ran into Elena who was now behind him. Whirling around, Alexander jumped back when he saw the knife. There was now some kind of sauce that was red in color and could be mistaken for blood in the dark.
Licking the sauce off the rubber blade, Elena grinned up at Alexander. "Do you want to play with me?" Her voice was low and her eyes were glittering like she was crazy. "I dare you to scream," she shrieked.
Taking off in a sprint, Alexander began to scream in terror as the rest of the gang followed him. "What are you afraid of?" Damon shouted after him. "We just want to play with you," Alexander's screams had most of the school standing on the front steps where he began to blabber about ghosts and girls with knives. Pointing behind him, he found that there was no one there but that there was a growing wet spot on the front of his pants.
In a nearby wooded area, the Mystic Falls gang were high fiving each other. One down. Two to go. I embraced Caroline with a joy that I hadn't felt in some time. It was good to have a visit from home.
And the MFDC is reunited at least partially. Let me know what you think of the chapter…
Don't worry, there is more revenge plotting to go in the next two chapters and Damon will be back to his fighting ways toward the end of the year. Right now, he's conserving strength while Klaus is taking the lead as the head of plotting revenge central.
One other thing to note is that I am going to attempt to start writing what year we're in to help readers be able to keep track of the ages of the characters. Unfortunately the TVD timeline seems a bit off since seasons two and three were the same year, right? So, I need to figure out what year we're supposed to be in which is confusing. If anyone would like to volunteer to help me figure this out I would be really grateful. Otherwise, I'll probably just make some stuff up.
Thanks for faving, following and reviewing to ferrylis, xXAncientBaneXx, Guest, heidiionaanita, pleasesaycaroline and elijahlover.
Peace,
LL