Hey, guys! Merry early Christmas! Tomorrow is a big day for me and my sister, it's the first time I and my sister will cook the Christmas meal entirely by ourselves and I fear we will mess up or not get along or our parents will grow impatient with how long it takes.
I hope everyone is having a safe and as fun as of a Christmas you get and feel like you need.
With this chapter I suggest you listen to this to get you in the spirit: Christmas Music From Another Room | Christmas Ambience | Crackling Fire, Falling Snow.
Enjoy!
Be Somebody
Chapter 15: Alternative Family Christmas
Nansia attempted to sleep for about thirty minutes with no success when she turned to look at Hope who was awake still and marveling at the night sky, mountains, stars, and trees.
They were driving to Atlanta because they wanted to take the scenic route to show Nansia around and Hope didn't particularly like planes and to that Jeremy agreed since he wasn't a big fan either. Furthermore, it was way too expensive in comparison to driving and less fun according to Bonnie who was too cheery since she loved Christmas.
Nansia remembered the story Penelope had told her that Bonnie had been trapped in this astral plane called the Prison World for over a year and she had spent an entire Christmas on her own preparing to commit suicide since she couldn't handle the isolation anymore. And that is why every Christmas Bonnie makes a huge fuss about it, she either arranges school excursions or personal trips just like now.
Nansia had asked Penelope how she knew about it since it sounded like a too personal experience for a third party that wasn't that close with Bonnie to know. Penelope said that Bonnie had taken this experience and told it in a school meeting after a student had tried to commit suicide with Hope's blood in his system turning him into a hybrid two years prior.
Remembering these words Nansia turned to look at Bonnie who was driving while listening to the radio playing softly some upbeat rock music and she drummed her fingers on the steering wheel.
She looked genuinely happy to be here which made Nansia feel less guilty for making them drive through the night to be in Atlanta by early morning.
Hope watched Nansia looking around the car and tapped her knee to gain her attention and then whispered;
"You okay?"
"Yes, just thinking about how this reminds me when I was younger and during the summers my parents would pack us up and we would tour entire Greece in three months to see our friends and family. How we would visit my maternal grandmother's hometown, where she grew up during the 1940s and where my great-grandpa had a wine shop and a shoe repair shop, anyways, dad wouldn't allow us to sleep at night but the entire day we would be out in the neighborhood playing and running around with our friends while mum and dad would pack and sleep. Once we would return dead tired we would have a bath and eat something before we would climb the car and we would drive through the night for twelve hours. It was before Greece created the Ionian Highway Road which reduced the travel time from twelve hours to seven hours with many bathroom stops and emergency stops and it's way more relaxing to do this distance now." Nansia whispered to Hope with a fascinating and fond tone while a small smile played on her lips as she spoke.
Hope listened with fascination too since Nansia didn't reveal easily anything about her 21st century life. She was more open about her 22nd century and so on life but nothing about her family.
"That sounds nice. You used to play out in the streets?" Bonnie's voice made both girls jump and Bonnie chuckled at their reaction.
"Yes, I was born in 1999 and what I'm referring to was early 2006...meaning about 22 years ago since it's 2027 now...shit...I just realized this!" Nansia said as she tried to recall the year and realization dawn on her and she was surprised.
Bonnie raised her eyebrows in amazement.
"So, technically you are 29 years old now?" Bonnie asked a little surprised and Nansia laughed.
"No, I'm 19, 5 years old but since at 15 years old I dimensionally time jumped at 2149 where I spent 12 years there I was 28 years old by the time I was cryogenically put to sleep for 125 years and when I woke up I was technically 152 years old or at least I should be but since I was frozen in the state of 28 years old and continued aging in the normal speed the moment I was unfrozen but I didn't get the chance to age as I said and I felt again this dizzying feeling and I fainted only to wake up back in my bed reliving the same day I lived before I went to 2149 and I was again 15 years old yet I had all these memories of that life. So, technically I should be 156,5 years old which I'm not...I might be 28,5 years old mentally though...but there is nothing new considering I always acted older than I was." Nansia said while whispering and with a calculating tone as she tried to do math in her head.
She was never good with math and that hasn't changed no matter how long it has been or how many times she was being taught the same thing over and over again, sometimes given these examples she worries that she might be actually dumb and not as smart as she gives herself credit for.
Hope's eyebrows shot up and so did Bonnie's from the review mirror.
"That's so cool!" Hope whispered-exclaimed and Nansia looked at her raised eyebrows herself now.
"Your dad is Klaus Mikaelson and his family was the first immortals and you think I'm cool for probably being 156 years old instead of 28 or 19?" Nansia asked with an incredulous tone which made Bonnie chuckle and correct the auburn-haired girl;
"Historically Amara Petrova and Silas were the first immortals so your family is the first immortals, Nansia."
Hope hearing this chuckled and raised her eyebrows and folded her hands to her chest challengingly towards Nansia who sighed and raised her hands in surrender.
"I don't know my family history that well yet so cut me so slack, alright!" Nansia said in surrender and both Bonnie and Hope chuckled.
Now Jeremy was around his 134th dream by now so he didn't listen to any of this awesome banter.
"So, why are you spending Christmas with Elena this year?" Nansia asked Hope and Hope's playfulness toned down. Nansia tone was a little too accusatory than she wanted it to sound but it was too late to take it back.
"Lizzie and Josie invited me, they told me that Elena told them they could." Hope said with a guarded shrug as she pulled her tablet out.
"So, you're not visiting New Orleans this year?" Bonnie added as she watched Hope from the review mirror but her tone was much gentler.
"Um...no I was thinking to go for New Years' but I don't want to miss any cool activities now that Nansia is celebrating for the first time and we don't know if we are getting to celebrate any more Christmas." Hope said with an emotionally natural tone and her eyes drifted towards Nansia who was looking at her studying her.
"Well, thank you for being here." Nansia said as she reached out for Hope's hand and gave it a squeeze.
Then Hope smiled and said that she would try to get some sleep which left Bonnie and Nansia awake but they had nothing to talk about so silence ruled over the car as Nansia quietly watched the night turn into dawn.
Salvatore Household: Atlanta: A Month Ago:
Damon and Elena both were working overtime because the bistro/cafe place was getting too many clients due to the holiday rush and Elena got so many patients because of holiday dumbassary.
When they had any free time Elena would create a to-do list for the holidays with stuff that needed to be done before Nansia and the others came.
And every day more things were getting checked off. Then one day on Elena's day off as she was cleaning the guest rooms for Nansia, Lizzie, Josie, and Hope when her phone rang and it was a FaceTime request with Jeremy's number.
She accepted and saw Jeremy looking horrible.
"Parenting sucks!" He said as he kept walking and Elena saw the view of familiar woods from her teen years.
"Why?" Elena asked with a low chuckle at the end because of Jeremy's statement.
"Nansia is missing for the past two days and only one day two I realized that?! What sort of parent does that? I also fear that she might be gone...like back to where she came from without her consent..." Jeremy said scared and Elena's kidding mood vanished as panic rose in her chest.
She couldn't be gone! They didn't have time to meet one another! To spend Christmas together as a family! To show her how a real family looks like!
"I'm sure she's somewhere, can't Bonnie or any other witch in the school do a tracking spell?" She asked desperately but Jeremy shook his head negatively.
"We…well the girls, Hope, the twins and Penelope tried that on the first few hours of Nansia being gone but it came up fruitless, so what's the point." Jeremy said in utter defeat as he slammed against a tree since he was out of breath.
Elena's mind raced at a speed of light when Jeremy's phone vibrated and made a sound and Jeremy seemed to read something when he sighed;
"The search is done they didn't find her…but there is one place I didn't look!" Jeremy said stressed as he started to walk again and the video chat ended.
Elena remained where she was for about ten minutes before she tried to restrain her dark thoughts from taking over and remained hopeful that Nansia would be found and she would be fine.
She went back to planning the hopeful best Christmas ever because she wanted to keep her mind busy so it won't drift to the dark theories they were forming in the back of her head.
Time Skip:
Damon, Elena, and little Stefanie were eating dinner and they had just told her about Nansia and their Christmas plans and Stefanie was bouncing up and down her chair from excitement when Elena's phone rang.
It was Jeremy and he was crying on the phone telling them how they found Nansia but she left them because she was kidnapped by the eldest son of Malivore and tortured and Nansia felt betrayed because no one told her about it and that they were yet again searching for her.
Damon and Elena called Bonnie and asked if they could do a tracking spell which Bonnie answered they were already on it.
Two hours later Nansia was found yet again collapsed in the Old Mill from the blood loss in her back and the stab wound which seemed to be patched up perfectly yet the stitches were torn.
Elena having heard of this had gone to hers and Damon's room and hid in the closet and cried feeling guilty for dragging the poor girl in a supernatural war that was still going on just because she might be a Petrova and that for now, she was an adopted Gilbert which was equally as dangerous.
Damon found her and hugged her as she continued crying. He, himself had teared up at the description Jeremy gave them and the photos they received from Alaric as Dorian and a doctor and old colleague of Jo's who knew about the supernatural was checking her out.
Stefanie didn't know what was going on until she stole her dad's phone and saw them, she was horrified yet for some reason she was sure this person would survive it.
For the following weeks, Damon and Elena were regularly updated with Nansia's condition and improvements. They were beyond thankful for that.
Quick enough Christmas holidays rolled over and the Salvatore family found themselves waiting for everyone to arrive.
First to arrive was Caroline who had flown from London and then Alaric and the twins who also flew from Mystic Falls to Atlanta. It was late noon when Nansia, Jeremy, Hope, and Bonnie arrived.
Lunch was a busy affair with catching up and eating delicious food and making an activity plan and elected each person's Secret Santa.
It was late in the afternoon when Elena and Nansia had sneaked away for coffee in the busy center of Atlanta and they also did their Secret Santa gift shopping. It was that time that Elena found the courage after hours of shopping and hearing Nansia's happy Christmas memories from Greece that she asked about her kidnapping.
In complete shock, Nansia smiled and said that she was saved by someone who the spirits had sent from the future to remind her not to give up. Elena for a second was reminded of future Stefanie but when Nansia told her it a male she smiled and asked for more details.
Nansia was smart enough to give her a fake name because she had a feeling she knew who Ryan Clarke was at this time being, Malivore's minion.
"His name is Brian Clarkson and he's gorgeous! He told me we meet for the first time in two years and we will start dating on New Years' Eve 2048…so in nineteen years or so…honestly, I can't wait to meet him. He made it sound so beautiful!" Nansia gushed and Elena smiled happily as she sipped her chocolate.
The two girls were about to head out of the mall they had chosen to spent their evening in when Nansia's eyes caught a familiar figure in the crowd looking at her smiling kindly and waved at her.
There it stood Ryan Clarke dressed in a blue Oxford jacket and matching colored scarf and gloves and black jeans and shoes, he had grown his facial hairs and he wore a very familiar watch, from those two last details she realized it was a future version of Ryan and not a present version.
"Elena, I saw something I would like to buy for you, I'll meet you at the parking lot, okay?" Nansia asked Elena too excitedly and Elena smiled and nodded but before she could open her mouth to say to Nansia that she didn't have to buy her any present Nansia had runoff. Elena was left behind shaking her head laughing as she walked to the parking lot completely unaware.
Nansia run to the bookstore she saw Ryan standing in front of and searched for him through the aisles and saw him standing in the Arthur Clarke section and Nansia chuckled.
"Maybe this is too much?" Nansia asked laughing as she pointed out the author's name.
"Nope, he was a great friend of mine that is why I took his last name, to honor his memory." Ryan said shrugging and Nansia gaped at him.
"Shut up! You've met him? He's my step-dad's favorite author!" Nansia exclaimed chuckling and Ryan smiled and then grasped her hand and brought her closer to him and he kissed her passionately and Nansia accepted it with no resistance.
"So, how much has the future changed?" Nansia asked once the kiss and embrace ended and her tone was a little anxious.
"Um…in comparison to the one I was living when I left the first time around and now nothing really has changed much besides the fact that I was in love with you, according…to well future you, longer than the first time around." He said with a kind smile and love in his eyes.
Nansia gulp because she longed all her life to be looked at like that and now she was from somebody that wasn't hers yet and she felt as if she was the other woman in her own relationship….shit!
"I'm sorry I'm gonna leave you pining over me for longer this time around." Nansia said truthfully and Ryan smiled.
"It's nothing if the reward is how my life…our life is. From when I come from you are currently pregnant with our first child you're 25 weeks long and you look wonderful. You've been worrying about parenthood but I'm sure you are going to be amazing!" Ryan said smiling as his eyes watered and Nansia's mouth was left open.
"I can have kids?!" Nansia asked excited and Ryan looked at her worried.
"What do you mean?" Ryan asked with a tone that showed he didn't like the sound of this.
"I mean because my period cycle was never steady and I went over 10 months with no period I drew the conclusion I had polycystic ovaries syndrome which makes conceiving very hard. I went to three different gynecologists and all told me that I should lose my virginity first and come back for a ultrasound, I never went back to them. The ultrasound they did over my belly they couldn't find my ovaries and that worried them." Nansia said seriously and Ryan let a sigh of relief.
"I know that! You scared me that it might be something new! After our first time you went to a doctor Elena introduced you to and you find out that you indeed have polycystic ovaries syndrome and when and if you want kids you could try normally at first but then IVF was the second choice and adoption the last choice. You conceived the normal way, you cried when you find out and I jumped so high I broke our living room's ceiling lamp with my head." Ryan said smiling and then he hugged Nansia who started to sob from happiness. He gently kissed her head and whispered soothing words to her as she squeezed him in thanks.
"Why are you here though?" Nansia asked after her crying session was done.
"I wanted to check in with this current you and let you know that Stefanie and I are doing great. I have memories of us being friends that I didn't the first time around and I want to thank you for that. Also, I know you haven't opened the cheat book and I'm proud of you." Ryan said smiling as he held her in his arms enjoying it for as long as he could.
"I can't wait for us to be together." Nansia said after a small silence and when she realized she voiced her thought out loud she blushed and Ryan chuckled.
"We will just remember that. And again I'm sorry for what I will do that doesn't mean I love you any less." Ryan said with emphasis on the words "love you any less" as he turned Nansia's body to face him and looked at her in the eyes.
Nansia nodded not saying anything since she didn't know what Ryan would do and if she could remember this in comparison to the hurt he will cause.
Then Ryan remembered what he had heard Nansia say to Elena;
"Now, you need to go, get this book she will love it!" Ryan said quickly as he looked at his watch and then grabbed the book that said "Breakfast At Sea by Charlotte Holliston" and gave it to Nansia who briefly red the back cover and liked the premises.
"Thank you." Nansia said as she made a move to go to the cashier when Ryan grabbed her and twirled her around and planted a last passionate kiss on her lips and Nansia had to hold back a moan because they were in public.
"I love you! Good luck and Merry Christmas!" Ryan whispered to her as he rested his forehead on hers and then peaked her lips on last time before he walked away. To be honest he forced himself to walk away.
"Get me a vanilla and chocolate Oreo cookies ice cream!" Nansia yelled over the crowd and Ryan turned and chuckled as he took his hands out of his pockets and did thumbs up in order to confirm that he heard her.
Random people looked at her and she smiled and said;
"What? I have pregnancy cravings!" Nansia said smiling and the woman before her congratulated her and Nansia nodded in thanks.
At least future her was.
She paid for the book and rushed to the parking lot to find Elena talking with none other than Hope, she froze at the sight and Hope looked at her with a playful smirk.
"Elena, do you mind if Nansia and I remain at the mall for an hour more and take the bus home?" Hope asked Elena who nodded and wished to have fun with the girls as he climbed her car and drove off.
Unknowingly to both girls, the moment Elena was on the highway she dialed a number she had on her phone since her High School days, Rebekah Mikaelson-Gerard's number.
"Mikaelson-Gerard residence?" Rebekah's voice boomed from the car's speakers.
"Hello, Rebekah, It's Elena…am I calling at a bad time?" Elena asked as hesitantly as she stopped at a red light.
"Elena? My god, it's been years! No no! You called just in time, I was back from the office! I have my own fashion magazine you know. What is it? Did something happen to Hope?" Rebekah's happy rambling that turned to a worried rambling was heard in the car.
"No! She's fine! She's with Nansia at the mall shopping for Christmas. I wanted to ask if you and the rest of your family are free on New Years, I want you to come for New Years Eve activities and the party at night as a surprise, Hope is my Secret Santa, and Bonnie let me know she felt sad that you didn't ask her to come to New Orleans this year." Elena said on the phone and Marcel's voice was heard instead with;
"We did send her an email asking her if she wanted to meet us in the second week of holidays since this week we are flying to Paris for Christmas. Of course, we want her here, she's my sister and my wife's niece! She's family!" Marcel's voice boomed from the phone.
"Oh! I didn't know that…" Elena said uncomfortably because it sounded like a miscommunication.
"No matter we want to come, thanks for the invitation, Elena, but for my siblings, I would let you know tomorrow." Rebekah said on the phone with an excited tone.
"Great! I can't wait to catch up!" Elena said excitedly before ending the call and paying full attention to the road.
In the mall, Hope was smirking as they roamed it as she kept her eyes open and searching the crowds.
Unknowingly to Nansia, Hope had taken the bus to the mall too for Christmas shopping when she passed by a bookstore and saw Nansia kissing an unknown man in a blue Oxford jacket and wanted to know everything.
"Why are you dragging me through the mall Hope? The truth please because my feet are killing me!" Nansia whined as she was being dragged around.
"I saw you with your secret boyfriend! I thought you were into girls but I'm glad that you found someone new, now spill!" Hope exclaimed as she stopped and turned around to face Nansia smirking.
Nansia's eyes became big like saucers. She saw her with Ryan! SHITTTT!
"Um…Hope I bet I'm not the only one dressed in these clothes. I don't have a boyfriend. I just broke up with Penelope a month ago! It's not right." She said trying to cover up everything.
Just then as if the Spirits pitied her a woman dressed in exact same clothes as Nansia walked out of the very same bookstore she had minutes ago and she was holding hands with a guy that had the same jacket Ryan had and he looked a lot like Ryan if Nansia was being honest.
Hope watched it and look dumbfounded at Nansia who smiled.
"See?" Nansia asked her rhetorically and Hope just scoffed and grabbed Nansia hand and dragged them to the scheduled bus stop.
Phew!
Nansia silently thanked the spirits as they waited for the bus.
It was past 10 pm when they arrived and they quickly walked inside and Elena and Damon smiled and both girls went to their rooms when Elena and Damon called Nansia down to the kitchen to ask her what they needed to buy from the supermarket tomorrow.
Nansia made a list with the things she needed for tomorrow's bonfire and Lizzie rushed inside the kitchen with her tablet in hand and declared;
"I'm making a Christmas playlist what songs do you like and what songs you don't?"
Everyone nodded and Nansia grabbed the tablet and typed a song on YouTube and the speakers around the house started playing Greek folk Christmas songs. Damon and Elena with Lizzie and Caroline looked at her with raised eyebrows.
"The song we are currently listening to is an Eastern Thracian folk Christmas song describing the pregnancy of Saint Mary. The next one is going to be a Chian folk song, from the island of Chios, that wishes that Santa Clause…well more like Saint Vasilios and Saint Dimitrios will protect the Navy, the people deserted in faraway islands, the fishing boats all around the seas and the people of the Greek islands to be happy, healthy and in peace and not hungry. I lived in Chios when I was three years old up to the point I was six years old. Then the song after that it's a Central Macedonian folk song about New Years' and good spirits. I also love Cretan folk Christmas songs but I haven't heard a specific one I can choose." Nansia exclaimed as she pulled up a map of Greece and showed them the places she put them to listen to songs from.
"That is great! Thank you for sharing this with us!" Caroline said as she nodded and smiled as she went back to wrapping the presents.
"How many times have you moved?" Josie asked from her corner of the room where she was reading a book in the armchair.
"Um…I don't count the move from Dublin to Greece because I was a newborn…so we have Lamia twice, Chios, Kilkis, Lesvos, Giannitsa twice, Thessaloniki so we have eight times by the time I was 18 years old." Nansia said smiling and Damon whistle in amazement.
"I had visited Lesvos a couple of years ago for a merchandising festival." Damon said with a fondness in his voice.
"Yeah! The Hellenic – Turkish Merchandise Festival it happens every year and it's hilarious because contrary to popular belief the common Turkish people don't hate us or want war with us they want peace. We used to joke about what each government's higher-ups wanted and what we wanted…the little people and how opposite it was. I remember I sat behind a Turkish man and my friend Polly and I were discussing the latest airstrike Turkey did to us and how it was pointless to set roofs on fire of people who barely were making by due to 2008's economic recession and because she was half Australian in decent…meaning that her mum was born in Melbourne by 2nd generation Greek immigrants in Australia and her mother fell in love with her dad and followed him in Lesvos, she made a racist comment about the Turkish culture and the man turned to us and protested to us in perfect Greek. We were stunned after that my friend Polly apologized and he apologized for his country's behavior then we ate Baklava together with his family and ours….well, hers, my dad was patrolling the city, and mum was with my sister at home." Nansia said smiling with a sad glint in her eyes.
"Are you still friends with Polly?" Elena asked suspiciously as she noticed the sad glimpse.
"No, I can't be friends with a dead person…there was this earthquake in 2017 that disappeared an entire village off the map…my ex-best friend Nicky was with the rescuing squad and she found her dead body buried under Polly's paternal grandmother's house and her body was shielding a family picture from the 1880s the time her family immigrated from Alexandria in Egypt to Lesvos. Behind that picture was pretty much all the family's money…she died protecting hers and her sister's dowry. Nicky saw terrible things that year while helping unbury the dead and she never recovered…she became a shadow of who she was then she started having survivors' guilt because she was also trapped and not hurt during the earthquake that is why she joined the rescuers…I never forget her voice on the phone calling me from Polly's phone which I have been blowing up since I learned the news. Her sister was two years younger than her and took it pretty hard and hit the drugs and dropped out from training for the Olympics and moved to Athens and cut ties with everyone until one day I was in college when I heard my name being called and turned and saw her on the ground begging for money and very much pregnant. I helped her out of the streets and now she's living in the house next door to my aunt's with her son and daughter, twins, Polly and Andreas after her grandpa and sister. I'm the godmother of Polly and Nicky is of Andreas. She's doing well working as a fitness instructor and AA sponsor after getting clean for her kids." Nansia said with a sad tone but close to the end, her tone changed to a hopeful one as she resumed writing in the list and stopped staring at the window and the neighbor's Christmas lights.
"I'm sorry for your loss, Nansia." Caroline said truthfully as Elena rushed to hug her tight silently crying.
"Thank you. Polly visited me in my dreams though just like my grandparents, she helped me accept her death…I wasn't able to visible grieve for her because my mum has been very cruel that period that I had to step up my game and be even more agreeable slave for her and at night I was too exhausted to cry and I felt guilty for not grieving. I managed to grieve her when I left for Italy a year later yet I was grieving four more deaths, my grandmothers, my grand-aunt, and my Internet best friend Vasia. I remember I walked into a Catholic church…a big no for an Orthodox…it's forbidden to walk into a Catholic church but it was raining and I had just learned of my grand-aunt's passing from my little sister who called me to let me know during the Grieving Coffee ceremony so I needed somewhere to cry. I remember the Priest saw me sobbing and trying to muffle my sobs with my jacket's sleeve shoved in my mouth when he talked to me giving me a piece of very good advice and directions to the nearest Greek Orthodox Church. I spent an entire night in the church during a wake because it was a Saint's remembrance day and I light a couple of candles said a few prayers and just cried. The priest asked me why I was grieving so deeply and I told him and he hugged me. When I returned to the Boarding House the Head Nun asked me why I missed dinner and a bunch of Erasmus activities and had to explain all over again. They were thankfully understanding." Nansia rambled as she kept writing down the list of things avoiding looking at anyone.
"Okay! Happier topic!" Lizzie exclaimed as she clapped her hands and everyone nodded as they let the Greek Christmas playlist playing and later in the afternoon while Damon and Nansia were messing in the kitchen trying to whip up some dinner the playlist changed to classical Italian Christmas songs paying homage to Damon's origins.
It was late in the night as Nansia fell on her bed in one of the guest rooms and then took the chance to check her phone since the mall and she found a text by present Ryan;
Texts:
Ryan: Hey, girl! I hope you are having a great time there. And since It's Christmas I decided to go on a trip too, I decided to go to Prague. I'll send you pictures if you sent me!"
Nansia: Prague huh? It's so cool! I'm glad that you chose to enjoy the holidays! Do you have Instagram? Or Messenger? Because I don't think it's possible for me to send you pics and not eat all my data.
Ryan: I have both! But I suggest we don't follow each other because your friends will see it and might get the wrong impression. But I can keep an eye on your feed or we can message each other, they don't see that. My username is RyanC.
Nansia: Yeah, we should do that. Mine is VNansiaSAG. Don't ask how I came up with it…I tried to put all my names into the handler…it sucks but I need 3 months so I can be able to change it.
Ryan: Nice! I text you first when I woke up! Good night!
Nansia: Goodnight, Ryan! Stay safe and have a wonderful trip!
Ryan: *Smiley face sent*
Texts Ends:
Nansia smiled when next she received a message request on Instagram and Messenger and she smiled answering back with a picture of her on the bed with a crossed eyes and tongue out. And received a similar one from Ryan then she got a video chat request from him and she accepted and signaling him to be quiet as she searched for her headphones in her bag.
Ryan waited while lip-syncing to the song playing on his radio causing Nansia to laugh at him and he just shrugged not bothered by becoming a ridiculous fool.
Then she found them and Ryan gave her a thumbs up.
"So, how was the trip?" Ryan asked and she smiled as she started explaining to him how the ride was. She spent the better part of the night talking and exchanging how their trips are going so far since he's been on a plane the entire time to Prague.
She fell asleep talking to him and Ryan remained a little watching her with a small smile and realized something that scared him, he was growing attached to her and the thought of what his father could do to her both directly and indirectly, specifically to her friends that would cause emotional hurt to her. It was that moment that he realized that he must help Nansia to speed up their search for a way to unlink him from Malivore so that he can start making up to Landon's friends so he can keep Nansia safe and kill him so he can start living for once. With those thoughts circling his head he fell asleep too forgetting to close the video call.
At some time during the long night, Nansia's phone died and Ryan's overheated and shut down.
She woke up by Lizzie knocking on her door. She opened the door with her hair all over her face and she had morning breath. Which was the cause for Lizzie to cough and back away in disgust which got the message across for her and she went to get freshen up.
During breakfast, Elena announced that those who hadn't Christmas shop yet could go and the rest will help to cook for the bonfire.
Nansia after breakfast was cleaning to dishes when Stephanie showed up;
"Want to play?" She asked as she raised her hand and showed her the Barbie dolls and she laughed.
"I have years to play but sure!" Nansia said as she dried her hands and followed her to her room and they played for four hours.
"You are very well at making stories!" Stefanie said smiling.
"Thank you! I used to write plays and short stories at school in Junior High I got into a writing competition but my story didn't win because it wasn't great…but I do try to write as much as I can. You are great at dressing them." Nansia said smiling as she looked at the Barbie doll dressed as a proper businesswoman.
"That is how auntie Caroline dresses as." Stefanie said proudly and Nansia laughed.
Then both girls went downstairs when they saw Hope and Lizzie dancing and jumping around yelling;
"We won!"
"Who won?" Nansia asked and Hope shoved a piece of paper on her face with Poker scores and she saw Caroline and Bonnie looking defeated while Josie was laughing at the whole ordeal as she typed on her laptop.
"Congratulations so what was the game against; Generation Z and Alpha VS Millennials?" Nansia asked smirking and Stefanie laughed at them
At that question, Caroline and Bonnie mocked and offended gasped and then they started to laugh too.
Elena and Damon joined them as they had just returned from a grocery run adding some things Nansia had listed for them and they saw them laugh and in a questioning look to Hope and Lizzie who started explaining to them about the Poker game.
An hour later the kitchen looked like it was hit by a Master Chef hurricane since they were foods everywhere, pots boiling and things in the oven baking and microwave beeping.
When Nansia was yet again felt as if her senses were failing her, she was supposed to whisk the eggs together when instead of seeing the egg yolks spinning around she saw hands and a car engine and duct tape, the hands were working on repairing the car.
She felt terrified and instantly tried to command her hand to reach out to someone, someone to help her get her sight back!
And she did she grabbed onto Josie's hand.
"I can't see…" She seriously and Josie looked at her confused and worried.
"What do you mean?" Josie asked worriedly.
"I see a car's engine and male hands working on it with duct tape? I can't see my hands whisking the eggs." Nansia said worried and on the verge of tears and panic.
She fell cold hands touching her when and turning her around and that was it she burst out crying.
"I want my sight back!" She cried and she felt more cold hands on her face.
"Honey, it's Elena, you gonna be okay! Bonnie, what is wrong with her? Look at her eyes? Her eyes are icy blue and hazy!" Elena's voice said in worry and fear.
She then felt a warm hand on her eyes and then she felt her eye-lids forced shut and she felt her eyes being in pain she cried even more from the pain but suddenly the sight of male hands fixing the car was starting to flicker in and out focus as black was all she could see.
She opened her eyes again slowly as the light flickered in them and she looked at them and she could see them!
"I can see!" She exclaimed loudly and she hugged Bonnie.
At that moment she dawns into a realization…it was the first time in years she felt as if she was in a family that she didn't have to be the caregiver and she could accept care without feeling guilty or forced more than obligated to give back when she didn't feel like it.
"How long has this been happening?" Bonnie asked her in a very stern and worried tone as she looked at Nansia.
"Um…it happened one last time a couple of weeks ago…I don't know what is it but I was preoccupied with getting ready for Christmas and Winter semester and all that so I pushed it in the back. What is it?" Nansia said worried too as she looked at Bonnie in hope for an answer.
"No, I have to research it…" Bonnie said deep in thoughts when Lizzie looked at Nansia with squinting eyes. As if judging her or realizing some plot hole to the story.
Time thought was limited so soon everyone went back to cooking by sundown the last dish was washed and the bonfire was getting prepared.
When the night sky started glimmering the fire was full going while Nansia was dragged by Elena in front of it to give a speech since the bonfire was also attended by the neighbors of the Salvatore household.
"Hello, everyone, and Merry Christmas to you all! Um…my name is Nansia Gilbert and I'm the adoptive daughter and as a new member and not from around here my adoptive aunt Elena was kind enough to ask for any traditions I would like to add to the Christmas festivities. For those who don't know, I'm from Greece originally and Elena and Jeremy are actually my aunt and uncles many times removed due to the fact our families separated…well more like immigrated from Greece to the US many years ago. So, me being here is my attempt to mend broken bridges and reunite our family. With that said, in Greece and more specifically in Central Macedonia where I grew up mostly there was this tradition of lighting huge bonfires around the town and drink, dance and eat around them as a way to keep evil witches and spirits away and bring cheer and good omens the celebrating weeks ahead. During that bonfire, if you weren't in a churchyard and you didn't fast you get to eat various meat-related foods but if you were fasting and in a churchyard you get to eat delicious hot bean soup and good wine…oh yeah alcohol such as local wine, Ouzo, and Tsipouro were a must in all occasions! We danced to traditional folk music for hours on end. In recent years I used to go to various bonfires in one night staying for a few hours at each of them, we also had fireworks and the whole done smelled of fire. It's a tradition I love the most during Christmas. I hope you all enjoy it and the food we made, we tried to keep it as authentically Greek as we could. Enjoy and thank you for coming, it is very nice to meet you all!" Nansia with a wide smile as the knee-length red dress and her hair was braided and pinned back with green pins, she wore light brown ankle boots and she had a black jacket on her so she wouldn't get cold.
She wore a golden necklace with a heart shape is given to her by Hope out of the blue today and her angel wing-shaped and the crescent moon necklaces too not going anywhere without them, she wore a black leather bracelet given to her by Jeremy since he overheard her talking to Elena about New Years being her name day but he knew he couldn't wait to give it to her in a week and he saw how well it would match with today's outfit he gave it to her as a Christmas present.
Every neighbor of Elena got to meet Nansia as Elena in a way paraded her before them. They were impressed by how well she spoke English and with an almost American accent. They asked her various questions about her home life in Greece and how her parents felt about letting her go. They were surprised when she revealed to some she was half Irish being born in Dublin and her biological dad being a native Irishman that wanted nothing to do with her. They asked her if she planned on looking for her bio dad but she made it clear to them that her dad was her step-dad since he raised her for 18 years of her life and she owed him a lot, he could have refused to adopt her and sent her off to live with her maternal grandma forever since mum seemed to want her step-dad more than her but instead her step-dad put his foot down and demanded of her mum to be more motherly towards her and that they were a family from now on.
No matter how that changed when her half-sister came into the world.
It was well into the night when the bonfire party was in full swing as Nansia strolled down the backyard when she saw how the door of the front yard was ajar and squeaking to the winter wind. She walked across the house to go close it when she saw a gift wrapped in a baby blue wrapper and an orange bow on it, her two favorite colors! She looked around to see who dropped it but the street was empty or so she thought her eyes caught a movement in the shadows of a man walking away with his head down and hands in his long jacket's pockets.
"Hey! Sir! You dropped your gift!" Nansia yelled after them as she ran behind them and caught up to them. The man startled he turned and looked at her.
Identical eyes as her locked with hers and Nansia almost had a heart attack, she had seen pictures of her biological dad when she was 17 years old and she was cleaning her parents' room and she found a photo album that wrote "Summer 1999" on it with a black marker and she saw her mum and this man standing next to her they look uncomfortable but they seemed happy, her mum looked heavily pregnant.
She had turned the other page to see a picture of her mum holding two newborn babies instead of one, a boy and a girl, she looked exhausted but happy. She had read underneath "Baby Thomas-Michael and Baby Vasiliki-Athanasia Antoniadou born Saturday 15th of May 1999 at 2:20 am in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin." It was that day that she realized that people weren't insane when they told her or accused her of killing her twin. She remembered asking her grandma the following Wednesday after that event about her twin and she learned that seconds after this picture was taken, she and him were taken to be checked then later they were told that Thomas had died from complications in his heart because during the labor Nansia had kicked him in the chest while she was being choked by the umbilical cord around her neck. She had cried for hours apologizing to her grandma for causing her grandson's death and from then on she became angry and hateful towards herself because she had already killed too many people in 2149 and onwards and learning that she had now killed her own twin was too much! She blamed her bio dad and herself, she got into physical fights at school and shut down in general. She didn't speak and allowed her mother to belittle her even more, she started to self-harm too.
In those nano-seconds, all these scenes flashed before her eyes as she met the identical eyes like hers and the man looked nineteen years older than the picture but he looked the same….the man before her looked exactly like her bio dad! It couldn't be… She was in a different dimension for Christ's sake!
"Um…you dropped this…" Nansia tried to say as she forced her mouth and brain to come up with a sentence as she gave him the present.
"Um…thanks!" The man spoke with a thick Irish accent that made Nansia look at him suspiciously.
"No, problem, sir. Merry Christmas!" Nansia said as she made a move to walk but she couldn't move because the man was holding her upper arm.
"Um…yes?" Nansia asked confused and suspiciously.
"You keep it, you found it and you keep it, it's yours now." The man said with even more Irish accent evident in his voice with every word spoken as he forcefully gave the present back.
"I don't…you bought it for someone else…they should receive it." Nansia said confused as she wiggled out of his grip and then returned the present.
"You keep it. Good night and Merry Christmas." The man said quickly with a short and forced nod as he pushed the gift one more time towards her and he started to walk in a quick pace.
"The fuck?" Nansia mumbled confused as she was left behind and she studies the box and the retreating back of the odd man.
"NANSIA!" Lizzie's voice made her turn and saw the blonde witch run towards her with a concerned look as she touched Nansia's arm and looked at the man's back.
"What was that about?" Lizzie asked confused and took the box out of Nansia's hands and studied it.
"He…he gave it to me…he…um..dropped it at first….Lizzie this can't be happening…um…this man looked exactly like my bio dad…only older…we even had the same eyes…could…do you think there is a chance to find the parallel me? And in…and in consequence my parallel bio dad? Maybe it was him?" Nansia started rambling as Lizzie studied her and the gift and then grabbed Nansia's hand and slowly guided her back to the house.
Nansia allowed being guided as million things run through them, memories of all the horrible things she thought of herself and of her bio dad, all the horrible things she was told by her mum.
She didn't realize when Lizzie forced her to sit on her bed in the guest room.
"Nansia, how are you feeling?" Lizzie asked as she sat on the ground crossed legged and studied her face worried.
"Confused and hurt….tell me Lizzie could parallel me have a better life? Maybe that is why he looked so spooked, I mean how unreal it is to meet your own daughter but not being your daughter because she must be at home with her brother and mother…maybe sister too. I bet the present was for her and it happens to have both the same favorite colors…of course because we are parallel…which means that actually, we shouldn't have the same likes." Nansia said in a rambling manner as Lizzie listened to her intently and then put a comforting hand on the girl's knee just then Nansia burst out crying which caused Lizzie to jump to her feet and be by her side hugging her.
Nansia sobbed in Lizzie's arms as Lizzie tried to comfort her and looked at the picture of Saint Vasilios near Nansia's nightstand. She eyed it suspiciously trying to recall if Nansia already owned it or it was new and from whom but drew blank.
"Nansia, I'm sure your brother is watching over you and he's proud of the woman you've become and as for your bio dad, he made the wrong choice by leaving you! He missed out on you becoming a warrior because of all the hurt you went through!" Lizzie said to her as Nansia sniffed and blew her nose in a tissue that she had in her sleeve.
"Where did you get that?" Lizzie asked confused as she pointed to the tissue.
"My sleeve? Grandma used to put tissues in her sleeves to have when she needed them and couldn't get one…I guess I got that from her." Nansia said as she looked at the tissue and then her sleeves and showed Lizzie her extra one.
Lizzie nodded in appreciation and amazement.
"Neat!" She said and Nansia chuckled.
"Will you help me find the parallel me and her family? I just want to see them…Even though social media I don't mean to go to Greece or Ireland." Nansia asked Lizzie in a hesitant tone as both girls remained in silence for a while after the tissue comment.
Christmas music was heard from the backyard as the girls remained on the second floor of the house.
Earlier This Evening: General POV
A man stood at the far back of the crowd of neighbors listening to Nansia's speech about the bonfire and tears fell down his eyes as he quickly tried to hide them by wiping them away.
He's been watching the Salvatore Household for a day since Nansia's arrival prior to that he's been watching the school from time to time the past few months.
He walked out of the house just as Elena Salvatore guided Nansia to meet the first neighbor of many neighbors. He walked to his rental apartment a couple of streets down from where he was and searched through his drawers for a specific item.
He found it, a small guide book about Irish folklore and he grabbed the wrapping paper and started quickly wrapping it his mind flashing back to the time he purchased it, seeing Nansia talking and kissing this unknown young man, he remembered the protective thunder he felt inside him after realizing who the man was but he held himself….it wasn't the time or place for that. He's walk down memory lane was abruptly stopped by his phone ringing;
"Yeah?" He said as he pressed the green phone and put it on speaker.
"Hey, dad! Mum was wondering when you are returning from your work? Should she put a plate or can we start eating now?" A voice of a young man's voice with thick Irish echoed through the apartment.
"I know that work is important to you, dad but you and mum came to New Orleans to see me this Christmas to spend them as a family and you are running off to God knows where. It's not nice and makes mum sad!" The same voice said again after a few seconds of silence from the man's end.
He never stopped wrapping the book up while the young man spoke.
"It was an emergency, Declan! I will be there I promise! Start eating without me for now but don't you dare start eating dessert without me! You know my line of work is never done. I'm sorry I upset your mother, son. I'll make it up to her." The man said with a truthful tone.
"You better, dad! Don't be late!" The young man from the other line said with a defeated sigh as he hangs up.
The moment the phone call ended the man looked at the giant family photo ahead of himself, a woman with dark red hair and bright blue eyes and of a teenager with dark hair and contrast vibrant blue eyes identical to the woman's eyes.
Underneath the huge photo, there was a smaller frame of a woman holding newborn twins and the same man looking younger and happy.
He grabbed that frame and traced it with his fingertips before kissing it and then returning to the present.
He quickly got dressed and locked the door behind him as he walked towards the Salvatore household and left the present in the front yard started walking away forcing himself not to turn and look.
He was ready to disappear into the shadows when Nansia stopped him. After their short debate of sorts, he walked away leaving the present in her hands. Once he was out of reach and one with shadows he lifts his sleeve revealing an odd-looking wristwatch, he started pressing things on its touch screen, and in nano-seconds he was gone…disappeared.
Salvatore Household: Present:
Lizzie had given her word in helping Nansia find her parallel family when Jeremy found them and urged them to return to the party. The two girls walked with Jeremy back and they tried to have fun. Around 12 am the neighbors started departing one by one leaving the supernatural gang alone and finally free to be themselves, Caroline brought her blood bag, Damon and Elena finally relaxed their posture and Jeremy and Alaric brought the Bourbon bottle and glasses. Hope and Stefanie brought more Melomakarona and Courampies out and Josie with Lizzie used their magic to bring some lounge chairs around the slowly burning out bonfire. Nansia was busy throwing away half-eaten food and preparing the first load of dishes in the dishwasher with Bonnie's help.
Once the first load of dishes started being washed Bonnie and Nansia joined the rest around the bonfire and started sharing their experiences from the night.
It was well past 3 am when everyone was sound asleep while more dishes were being washed when Nansia woke up screaming in Greek;
"NO PLEASE NO!"
That made Elena and Jeremy burst into her room while Nansia was on her feet backing away from her bed breathing heavily as she looked at her hands and tried to wipe them on her PJs. Her eyes frantic and wide as Jeremy attempt to get her attention by putting his hand on her shoulder, she turned to look at him and her eyes reflected true terror ass he exchanged a look between her hands and him.
"There is too much blood. It's everywhere." Nansia said terrified as she looked at her hands and then at the bed and Jeremy.
Elena lights up the room and looked at the bed but saw nothing. By now Damon, Alaric, Caroline and Bonnie were also up and in her room.
"Nansia, it was just a dream. A bad dream." Jeremy tried to comfort her but Nansia backed away.
"No, it happened for real…I…was back there…" Nansia said disorientated as she backed away from Jeremy and sat on her bed not removing her eyes from her hands.
"Where were you?" Damon asked her in a soft tone and worried.
"I was back there…fighting the Rippers to get to Mountain Weather...to save my friends…Lexa betrayed us…and I killed everyone…we killed everyone…Jasper was right….we are the disease." Nansia said with an ashamed tone as she looked at her hands.
"I took someone's head off with my sword…I pulled the leaver and radiation killed them…I became Death…Indra was right to call us Wanhedas…" Nansia said as she hid her face in her hands and quietly cried.
"What are Rippers and what does Wanheda mean?" Caroline asked suspiciously.
"Rippers were Cannibals…former humans forced to be addicted to a drug that caused bloodlust." Elena answered instead of Nansia and Caroline looked at her confused.
"How do you know that?" Caroline asked Elena and Elena walked up to Nansia and hugged her.
"She told me the first time we talked about her time in the future." Elena said as she rocked Nansia back and forth and rubbed her back. Nansia kept sobbing.
"So, Wanhedas?" Caroline asked again and this time Nansia raised her head from Elena's embrace and answered;
"Wanheda means Commander of Death, destroyer of worlds…Clarke, Bellamy and I were nicknamed like that by the Grounders after the genocide in Mountain Weather, it was mocking title but so true…Clarke took it in stride, Bellamy in shame and I tried to not kill anyone else to prove them wrong…epic fail." Nansia said as she tried to keep her voice steady.
Caroline was briefed by Alaric on who Nansia was but it was completely different hearing it from the phone and then experiencing it. She was still trying to wrap her head around it.
Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoy this chapter! See you in the next one!