A/N: This is the third document that was deemed 'corrupted' and consequently deleted unceremoniously by my beloved laptop. Obviously, it's impossible to detect sarcasm on here, but by the time I was finished writing this note; it was practically dripping it.
I hope that this re-write does this story justice, and I hope that you enjoy reading it. Please review, and no flaming would be appreciated. Thank you :)
I don't own The Vampire Diaries. All characters (except for Grace) are owned by author J.L. Smith.
CARNIVAL CHAOS
"Damaged people are dangerous. They know they can survive."
~Josephine Hart.
Not sure what I was expecting when I woke up after an hour; but Bonnie Bennett standing outside my apartment door, wasn't it. She just stood there, awkwardly shifting from foot to foot and looking a little embarrassed.
"Hey Bonnie?" I stepped aside to invite her into the apartment. She stepped through and glanced around with interest.
"Wow! Is this really your apartment?" She marveled with obvious envy. Both Henrik and I looked at her strangely as I closed the front door. What was she doing here?
"Uh, yeah. Last time I checked." I replied. "What can I do for you?" I inquired politely, as I fastened on a large hoop earring to complete my nightlife outfit. After immerging from a nice relaxing shower; I felt refreshed and decided to dress up in a tight pair of denim blue hip huggers, a loose white t-shirt with a couple of black angel wings stenciled on the back, some stretchy black jelly bracelets and some black ballet flats. I had also shoved my long dark brown hair up into two oriental-style buns on both sides of my head, with two strands of my fringe hanging free around my face.
"I'd, um. I'd like to apologize for earlier this afternoon. It was a simple misunderstanding." Bonnie explained.
"You mean the 'static electricity' thing?" I asked, casually. Bonnie nodded. I waved a nonchalant hand. "Don't worry about it." I reassured her. Bonnie seemed to relax, but when I turned my back on her; I was anything but feeling casual. If anything, I couldn't help but feel strangely suspicious about her. "So how'd you know where I lived?" I queried, grabbing my black blazer and shrugging it on, before grabbing my purse.
Bonnie suddenly looked sheepish.
"Oh, uh. Elena told me." She replied. "Is that okay?" Bonnie looked worried, and I smiled.
"No, it's fine. Just caught a little off guard." I lied. It was so not fine. I actually felt a little peeved. I went around the apartment clicking on lamps, so I didn't end up breaking my neck when I finally got home from having fun at the carnival. Which reminded me… "Shouldn't you be at the carnival already?" I looked at her, curiously.
Bonnie nodded.
"I know. I just went home to get a change of clothes. The other ones I had on were dirty. That's the second reason I'm here too. I was wondering if you wanted a lift back to the carnival tonight. Since you're new in town." Bonnie offered. I was surprised, then suspicious.
"Uh, sure. That'd be great. Thanks." I replied. Bonnie smiled warmly at me. But despite this, I wasn't ready to lower my guard just yet. I walked over to the front door and opened it, allowing Bonnie to go through first. Then I deadlocked the door.
"Be careful, Grace. Something doesn't seem right." Henrik cautioned me. I nodded, blowing him a kiss and shutting the door behind me. I jogged down the stairs to where Bonnie was waiting patiently beside her car. I smiled at her as I slid into the passenger side of the car and pulled out my chap stick at the same time.
"So, Grace. How long have you known Elena for?" Bonnie asked, sounding protective as she pulled out and started driving towards the high school. I paused mid application and looked at Bonnie. She avoided eye contact with me. How is it that I'm being interrogated for a second time today?! I calmly capped the moisturizing tube and put it away, blotting my lips.
"And who put you up to this?" I retorted, as I put away my lip balm. Bonnie's face immediately went pink as she stiffened, looking surprised that she had been caught out this early.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She responded, aiming for innocent, and failing. I huffed.
"Pull over, Bonnie." I requested, gathering up my belongings. Bonnie looked at me with surprise, and slowed down but didn't immediately stop. "Where are you going?" Bonnie demanded. I glared at her.
"I'm not going to sit here and be demanded to answer questions I'm not prepared to answer, if you're not going to extend the same courtesy to me." I opened the door, the second Bonnie slammed on the brakes; looking at me with shock. I immediately got out of the car and spun round to address her again. "And I really don't care what you think, of me or anything else." I slammed the car door behind me and walked briskly in the direction of the school.
By the time I got to the carnival, it was already underway. But the anger I had for Bonnie's unexpected and unappreciated interrogation attempt had not gone just yet. I really hoped that this would not be a continuous thing every time I met a new friend of Elena's. So far the only friend of hers that hadn't done this, and that I haven't met yet was Caroline. But she was, as far as I was aware, still recovering from a car accident at the hospital. It made me seriously wonder how much of a delicate flower Elena was being made out to be, to have bodyguards dogging the every movement of a new person even associating with her.
I wondered around the fair, playing a few of the games; one of which I managed to win a cheap necklace with a wolf charm dangling from it. I thought it was cute and immediately put it on before setting off for the refreshment booth to get myself some fluffy pink fairy floss. I came across the 'Dunk the Teacher' attraction and was amused to see that it apparently was one of the popular attractions. But I figured it was probably because it was one of those rare opportunities for a student to get even with a teacher that had ever been a pain in their arse, without suffering any consequences.
To my amusement, the same teacher who had been a pig towards me when I first came over to help set up the game, was currently the latest victim of the tub. I had to stifle a laugh when the current shooter managed to get a direct hit on the target, and it sent the teacher – swearing and everything – splashing into the water below.
"Grace!" I turned on the spot, and noticed Elena striding over to me, looking a little tired but pleased to see me.
"Hey Elena, looks like the carnival's a huge hit." I commented, ripping off a piece of the treat in my hands and stuffing it into my mouth. "You alright? You look a bit stressed." I asked her. Elena waved away my concerns.
"Nah, it's nothing I can't handle. You wanna walk with me while I go and fetch some more prizes from the science club?" I nodded, falling into stride with her and giving her a onceover from head to toe, feeling a little concerned.
"Have you even stopped for a breather at all tonight?" I asked. "Maybe try a couple of games or maybe get something to drink?" I suggested. Elena smiled at me, gratefully.
"Next thing on my list of things to do." She promised me. "I also want to apologize for Bonnie's actions. She was out of line interrogating you like that." Elena apologized, looking embarrassed. I managed to suppress my rising anger.
"Don't mention it." I replied, a little stiffly. I followed Elena around the carnival, just walking and talking with her while she addressed or helped out with the various problems that were bound to pop up throughout the night. Eventually, I desired to head off on my own; plus I had spotted Damon standing and looking at one of the attractions. It seemed rather odd and curious to see him, of all people, hanging out at an event primarily targeted towards families, teenagers and young couples out on a date. I turned towards Elena who was talking with one of the volunteers. "Hey, I'll talk to you a little later. I'm gonna get a water." I told her. Elena nodded, but before I could take more than a few steps away from her, she grabbed my elbow.
"Oh, wait! I keep forgetting to give this to you." Elena reached into her pocket and produced a simple, but pretty plum coloured plaited leather bracelet with a star charm dangling from it, which she immediately held out and dropped into my hand. Surprised, I picked it up and held it up for a closer view.
"Thanks, Elena. What's the occasion?" I inquired, as I attempted to secure it around my wrist.
"It's for protection." Elena replied simply, as she reached out and secured the latch for me. I blinked. There was only one reason why Elena would be giving me something like this and calling it 'protection'. A vervain bracelet? I smiled gratefully, privately hoping that I wouldn't have a chance to test it out.
"I'm touched. Thanks again, sweetie." I told her, and pulled her in for a brief hug. "Now, I'm really parched." We both laughed as we broke apart. "See you a little later." I promised. Elena went back to the volunteer, and I waited for them to disappear out of sight before I walked over to Damon. This was partly to see what had caught and held his attention, and to see how he was going since he had dropped me off at the high school this afternoon. "Hey Damon." I greeted him. He merely grunted and nodded in response.
I frowned at this reply and immediately turned towards what had his undivided attention. It was an arm-wrestling competition that some of the teens had obviously organized and had approved by the teachers to run. I rolled my eyes. Boys… I thought and turned to walk off when I noticed Stefan making his way over to us, a calculating frown on his face; which was directed towards his brother.
"Hey Stefan." I greeted him. Stefan paused, looking at me strangely. As though trying to pinpoint where he had seen me before. "How are you feeling since the last time I saw you?" I inquired, indicating to his stomach; trying to jog his memory. A look of recognition passed over his green eyes and he gave a polite smile back.
"Fine, thank you." Then he frowned at me, looking a bit puzzled. "I'm sorry, I'm terrible with names?" He stated. I grinned.
"Don't worry about it. I'm Grace, nice to meet you under less stressful circumstances." I said, reaching forward to shake his lukewarm hand.
"Likewise." He reciprocated.
"Knock it off with the pleasantries, will ya?" Damon interjected, looking mildly annoyed. Stefan scowled at him.
"Damon, you're lurking." Stefan observed.
"Correction: I'm observing. Huge difference." Damon retorted, his eyes not leaving the match in front of us. Stefan glanced at what Damon was observing and snorted.
"More like obsessing." He insisted. I stepped between the brothers; attempting to keep the peace.
"How about we both agree to disagree, huh?" I suggested, terminating the argument. Neither brother commented. All three of us turned our attention back to the arm-wrestling match. A dark-haired teenager with an arrogant little smirk was currently facing off with another teenager, who looked like he was in some pain. Unsurprising, considering the angle that their arms were tilted in. Suddenly, the dark-haired boy slams down his opponent's arm to the table top and I winced.
"I really don't get you men. How exactly is this supposed to fun?" I asked, not bothering to disguise my disapproval. Both Damon and Stefan looked at me, but Damon seemed to be the only one amused by my observation.
"You know, I've never really gave it much thought." Stefan responded.
"Besides, you shouldn't knock it until you've tried it." Damon suggested, and I made a face at the idea.
"I'll pass. But thanks anyway." I retorted, crossing my arms over my chest. I frowned at the dark-haired student. Something did not seem right about him. "What is that kid's name anyway?" I asked.
"That's Tyler Lockwood." Damon replied, straightening up from his slouched position against the doorframe, and coming over to stand with me. "He's the late Mayor's only son and heir." He explained, sounding a little sarcastic.
I nodded.
"Right. Is there anybody in this town that you actually like Damon?" I asked, seriously.
"Apart from himself?" Stefan muttered underneath his breath. Damon smirked, apparently amused by his brother's comment, or at least tolerating it. I rolled my eyes.
"Seriously, are you guys twelve?" I rebuked the both of them, over the childishness. Damon leaned over to whisper into my ear.
"Well, you're not too bad. Does that count?" He replied to my question. Stefan turned to look at him with surprise and I looked over at him as well, seeing complete sincerity reflected within his blue eyes. I smiled.
"Thank you, Damon. That's very sweet of you to say." I told him.
Damon smiled at me. "You're welcome." Our attention was drawn back into the room when Tyler won yet another match. Damon raised a reluctantly impressed eyebrow.
"He's got strength." He observed. Stefan scoffed once again.
"He's a triple letter varsity athlete. Of course he has strength. You're reaching." He told him. Just then an older man with light brown hair and blue eyes strode up to the table. He was tall, looked like a suntanned Southern Californian surfer, and was extremely well-muscled; like he was serious weightlifter. I raised an eyebrow.
"I bet I can take you." He said to Tyler, with a cocky grin on his face. Tyler smirked back.
"Enter the uncle." Damon announced, just as Tyler's last opponent got up from his seat and his 'uncle' took his place. I frowned. I was getting the same strange feeling I was sensing from Tyler, radiating from his uncle.
"That's ridiculous." Stefan disagreed. I didn't reply, I was too busy studying the two Lockwoods engaging in their (pointless) match. Warm breath tickled my ear.
"You're drooling, Grace." Damon teased, and I pursed my lips in irritation. "Should I be jealous?" He questioned innocently. I elbowed him in the gut, earning a chuckle from Damon when I missed.
"You're so full of it." I retorted. Just then an arm hit the table, and Damon, Stefan and I glanced over; expecting to see Tyler collecting his accolades like before. To our surprise, the victor was actually his uncle.
"Wow, okay. That's new." I muttered. Tyler gets to his feet, accepting the defeat and moving to allow somebody else to have a go.
"Okay, he's the champ." He announces, pointing towards his uncle. "Who wants to go next?" Damon shoves Stefan forward.
"Stefan wants a go." Damon stated, as both Stefan and I looked at him with confusion. But Stefan must have seen something in Damon's eyes because he suddenly huffed and turned back to the group of rowdy teenage boys, and plastered on a fake smile.
"Yeah, sure, I'll … give it a shot." Stefan agreed and took Tyler's vacated spot. I turned and frowned at Damon.
"What are you planning?" I asked him.
"Just testing a theory." Damon replied, his eyes not once leaving his brother. "Get him, Stef!" He cheered. Stefan winced before giving his opponent a polite smile as he grasped his hand.
"My brother over there thinks I can beat you." I hear Stefan half-taunt, half-inform him. The elder Lockwood smirked.
"Your brother's wrong." He informs Stefan. The match begins and at first, they both seem to be evenly matched; with both putting in hard pressure. But then the match seems to turn in the Elder Lockwood's favour. Soon Stefan loses the match. He gets up from the table and wonders back over to us, with a pissed off Damon about ready to move in for the kill.
"You didn't put any effort in at all." He accuses Stefan, angrily. I noticed Stefan slightly flexing his fingers and circling his wrist a few times. This indicated that his opponent was stronger than or at least as strong as Stefan was.
"Yeah, actually I did." Stefan replied, wincing a little. Damon's anger melts away to pure astonishment, whilst my curiosity turned into suspicion. My intuition was apparently correct about this family. There was something was definitely funky about them.
"Come with me." Damon spoke up, and both Stefan and I followed him into the school, wondering down a nearby hallway. However, Damon immediately stops me. "Woah, woah, woah. Where are you goin'?" He demands me. I looked at him with confusion.
"What do you mean? You said to follow you, so I did." I responded. Damon shook his head.
"No, I meant Stefan follow me. It's too dangerous for you." He insisted. I made a face.
"I think I'll be fine, Damon. I can take care of myself." I reassured him, then tried to step around him to stand near Stefan. But Damon grabbed my arm a little forcefully. I winced.
"And I say no." He insisted.
"And how are you going to stop me?" I challenged him. Damon made a frustrated noise underneath his breath. I noticed Stefan's eyes widen in alarm.
"Don't you even think about it, Damon!" He warned him. But Damon simply gave him a withering glare before he turned and placed his hands on my shoulders and deliberately looking very close into my eyes.
"You are going to go back and enjoy the carnival. You are going to seek out Elena and hang out with her." Damon told me, using a firm and precise sounding voice. I watched fascinated as his pupils dilated, then I clenched my hand into a fist when I realised what he was attempting to do. Looks like I've found a way to test if Elena's bracelet actually worked.
"Are you seriously trying to compel me?!" I demanded, feeling royally offended. Damon looked at me aghast, before I raised my right arm into the air, showing both brothers the vervain bracelet Elena had given me an hour or so ago. Stefan smirked.
"Looks like Elena's one step ahead of you, brother." He told Damon, sounding smug. I scowled at Stefan.
"That's enough out of you." I admonished him, before grabbing a frustrated Damon's attention once again. "Listen, if I promise that I'd stay out of your way; will you both let me tag along? Who knows, I could be of some use to you." I suggested to them. Both brothers exchanged glances between them before Damon reluctantly nods. "Yay! I win." I cheered, earning a barely noticeable smile from Damon. Then he turns back to Stefan, completely serious now.
"Is he…?" Damon asked, referring to Tyler's mysterious uncle. Stefan immediately shook his head.
"No, no. It wasn't that kind of strength but it was more than human. If that makes any sense." He replied. I shrugged, as Damon looked even more irritated than he already did.
"Why should that be confusing? Would it really be that impossible to believe that there could be another supernatural entity out there stronger than vampires?" I whispered to them. Stefan considered the possibility while Damon snarled.
"What is up with that family? What the hell are they if they aren't vampires?" He fumed. Stefan smirked.
"Ooh, ah, maybe they're, um, ninja turtles!" He joked, earning an unimpressed and very unamused sneer from his brother.
"You are not funny." Damon declared, as I suddenly recalled what other possible supernatural entities the Lockwood family could potentially be. I grinned. Thank you, Henrik… I thought as I grabbed the brothers' attention.
"They could be werewolves." I pointed out, stopping a laughing Stefan in his tracks; and earning a deeper scowl from Damon.
"Don't you start, Grace." He scolded me, and I rolled my eyes. Something immediately catches Damon's attention, and both Stefan and I turn to see what it was. A young African-American man who looked my age or a couple years older was standing not too far away from where we were, repairing something.
"What? What are you up to?" Stefan asked, warily. Damon strolled over to the man, while both Stefan and I followed still trying to figure out what Damon was planning. He turns and looks at us sternly.
"This is reality. And there's no such thing as werewolves or … combat turtles." Damon stated firmly. Stefan rolled his eyes.
"I said ninja turtles, actually." He retorted and I sighed.
"Details, Stefan." I reminded him, and I indicated to Damon who had finally managed to approach the guy.
"Hey you!" Damon addressed him, rudely. I shook my head as the guy scowled at Damon, looking offended. I didn't blame him. Damon needed to work on his tact.
"I have a name." He told him, straightening up from the task he was attempting to fix and eyeing Damon cautiously. Good! This guy wasn't an idiot. It was just a matter of wondering what Damon needed him for.
"Yeah, I don't care." Damon responded brusquely, before he takes him by the shoulders and begins to compel him. Both Stefan and I reacted and came forward to stop him. But it was too late. "I need you to pick a fight with someone, a kid named Tyler Lockwood." He instructed the guy, who blinked back at him looking dazed. I was horrified.
"What?! Damon, no!" I protested. What was he thinking?! Stefan apparently agreed with me.
"Damon, don't do this." He pleaded. But Damon merely motioned us away with a brushing motion of his fingers, and an annoyed look on his face.
"It's just an experiment." He 'reassured' us, before turning back to his victim. "Get him mad, don't back down no matter what he does, okay?" The poor guy nodded slowly.
"I won't back down." He repeated back to Damon, mesmerized. Damon smiled, triumphantly.
"I know you won't." He tells him, releasing him and patting him on the back and sending him on his way. I walked over to Damon and scowled at him, disapprovingly.
"Probably because he can't. Damon, people are not your personal puppets for you to play with and manipulate for your own amusement." I reminded him, annoyed. Stefan came up beside me, equally angry.
"You do realize someone is going to get hurt, right?" He pointed out. Damon didn't look concerned.
"No, someone is going to get mad, as in rage." He explained to us. As if that was going to make what he had made an innocent bystander do seem harmless.
"Why?" I asked, feeling confused.
"What's that going to accomplish?" Stefan wanted to know as well. Damon huffed impatiently.
"That Tyler kid is incapable of walking away from a fight. Let's see who intervenes." He said. "Maybe it's the ambiguous, supernatural mystery uncle." Damon mused. He strides away from us both, causing Stefan let out a resigned sigh and storm off in the opposite direction to Damon, leaving me to decide who to follow.
I chose and chased after him.
"Damon, wait!" He paused mid stride down the school corridor and looked at me with hard eyes. "Think about it. Isn't there a better way to find out what's weird about the Lockwood family?" I tried to get him to change his plans. But Damon seemed unmoved.
"No, I'm good with the plan." He replied flippantly and continued walking. I huffed with frustration and took off after him only thud into somebody's back, bouncing off them.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't see you there." I apologized, getting to my feet and dusting myself off. The person didn't respond and I glanced up at them. Whoever it was, was a petite, blonde girl. She barely acknowledged that I had run straight into her and was focusing upon Damon who had turned around when he heard me apologise. He seemed to recognise her.
"Hey blondie, they let you out?" He asked rhetorically, before turning and continuing to walk away. I moved to follow.
"I remember." Her voice sounded extremely cross. Which wouldn't surprise me in the least, considering that it was Damon that she was angry with. Damon paused and looked back.
"What do you remember?" He asked her, tiredly. The girl's frown deepened.
"I remember how you manipulated me, you pushed me around, abused me, erased my memories, fed on me." The girl explained, walking towards him with slow, calculated footsteps. Something didn't feel right and I moved away from this girl and closer to where Damon was standing. This time the girl noticed, and her scowl at Damon turned into a glare. Damon sneered, obviously not getting the dangerous vibe I was sensing from her.
"You're crazy." He declared.
"Memories have been coming back, in pieces." She hinted and this time Damon took notice of what she was saying.
"You can't remember. It's impossible, I mean unless you're becoming a…" Then Damon's face went serious, and he looked at her with horror. I looked at him for an explanation, but faltered when the girl suddenly smiled. And it was not a pleasant smile.
"I have a message from Katherine." My eyes widened. "She said: "Game on."" The girl said finally standing directly in front of Damon, close enough that she could probably smell his cologne.
"Wait…" Damon started to say, but the girl suddenly pushed him with supernatural strength, which throws him backwards and makes him slide on the floor. I gasped with alarm.
"You suck." The girl tells Damon. I froze where I was and shut my eyes; thinking that I was next. But nothing happened. I opened my eyes and looked around for the girl. But she had already left. I immediately went straight to Damon's side and helped him sit up.
"Jeez, are you alright?" I asked him, a little freaked out. Damon nodded, muttering choice words underneath his breath as I assisted him. "Who was she?" I asked him. Damon rubbed the back of his head.
"Caroline Forbes." He responded, and my eyes widened in shock.
"Elena's friend?" I blurted out. Damon nodded. "What the hell happened to her?"
"She's been turned into a vampire." Damon replied, getting to his feet and then seizing me by the hand. "C'mon." He said, pulling in the direction he had been heading in before Caroline intercepted him.
"Wait! We've gotta tell Elena!" I protested, but Damon only increased his grip.
"That's who we're going to." Damon agreed.
Once we got outside, I suggested that Damon and I split up so we could cover more ground to find Elena. It didn't take long for me to find her, she was talking with a friend.
"Excuse me." I said to her friend, before pulling a confused Elena aside.
"Grace, what's wrong? Why do you look so upset?" Elena asked. I was about to reply when Damon arrived. Elena instantly went stony faced. I groaned in annoyance suspecting that Elena thought I was being harassed by Damon.
"What do you want, Damon?" She demanded, pulling me behind her to shield me. Damon ignored the tone, and the obvious gesture.
"I know I'm the last person you want to see right now, but I need you to come with me." Damon requested. I rolled my eyes and I attempted to soothe the anger I could see developing on Elena's face.
"We actually need your help, Elena. And Damon also meant please." I corrected him, giving Damon a look which he rolled his eyes at. Elena looked at me with shock because Damon and I were working together, before she turned and started walking away.
"Whatever it is, I'm not interested." She replied, but Damon flashed in front of her, causing Elena to jump in surprise and glower at him.
"Yeah, we need you to come with us right now, Elena." Damon insisted, firmly. Elena looked at me for the answers, but she looked resigned when she saw what I believed was a stricken look on my face and reluctantly stops what she was doing and followed us.
A few minutes later, Damon, Elena and I had commandeered a classroom, so we could break it to her gently that her friend was now a blood-craving entity.
"Alright then, what's so urgent that you needed to bring me in here?" Elena demanded, leaning against the teacher's desk and folding her arms across her chest.
"Caroline's been turned into a vampire." Damon blurted out. I scowled at him.
"Good job, Damon. Way to break it to her gently." I told him, sarcastically. Damon shrugged. It was obvious that he was still mad with both Elena and Katherine, because he hadn't even attempted to be nice about it. Elena's severe expression immediately dropped.
"What?" She whispered.
"How did this happen?" Stefan demanded as he burst into the classroom and came over to Elena's side.
"Well, I fed her blood and Katherine obviously killed her. A plus B equals…" Damon explained, patronisingly. I elbowed him in the side, but he easily sidestepped me and threw me a warning look not to try that again. I sighed.
"But why?" Elena asked.
"Because Katherine is a manipulative, nasty little slut." Damon told us. Stefan shook his head as he let this information sink in.
"And she said "game on?" I mean, what does that even mean?" He wanted to know. I shrugged, even though the question wasn't technically directed towards me.
"Sounds like she's playing dirty. But that's just my opinion." I suggested, getting an approving nod from Damon.
"But why Caroline?" Elena asked, upset.
"I don't know." Damon responded. Stefan started pacing the room, looking upset by the fact that Caroline had been put into this situation.
"Caroline must be completely out of her mind. She doesn't even know what's happening to her." He mused. But I shook my head.
"I doubt that for a second, considering what both Damon and I discovered when Caroline confronted him before." I told them. Damon nodded.
"All of my compulsion from the past started wearing off the minute she was in transition." Damon explained, and Stefan nodded in understanding.
"We have to find her." He told us. Again, Damon nodded and started for the classroom door.
"Yep, and kill her." He agreed. Both Elena and I jolted in shock.
"What? No!" I protested.
"You're not gonna kill Caroline." Elena growled at him. Damon turned on her, his eyes flashing in anger.
"She knows who we are. She's officially a liability, and we've got to get rid of her." Damon insisted. But it was three against one in favour of Stefan, Elena and myself.
"Damon, absolutely not." Stefan said, firmly.
"There is always another option. Death never is, unless there is no other choice." I insisted. Damon raked a hand through his jet black hair in frustration.
"Need I remind you, Elena and Stefan, of a tragic little story of a girl named Vicki Donovan?" Damon pointed out, causing both of them to flush with anger. "Caroline, of all people, will not make it as a vampire. Her mother is a vampire hunter." He reminded them. But both his brother and Elena wouldn't budge. While I wasn't in favour of Damon killing a poor innocent girl, who obviously hadn't intended on becoming a vampire on a technicality; we were getting nowhere fast. It was getting ridiculous. "Guys come on, we all know how this story's gonna end." Damon insisted. "Just flip to the last chapter and…"
"It's not an option, Damon. Grace is right about that; there is always another option besides killing." Elena said with a finality in her voice.
"No?" Damon questioned her, and Elena stubbornly glared him in the eye. I looked at Stefan for his reaction to Elena's opinion, and I was surprised to see that he had fallen silent, and was avoiding direct eye contact with his brother. Damon was shrewd enough to notice this. "Your silence is deafening, Stefan." Then he smirked, and I knew nothing good could come of it. "Wait, wasn't there a school carnival the night you staked Vicki?" I blinked at this. Stefan did what now? "I never had a town where history repeats itself. You know I'm right." Damon declared. Stefan raised his head from where he was staring at the floor and fixed Damon with a stony expression.
"We are not gonna kill her." Stefan agreed with Elena before leaving the classroom, with Elena close behind. But Damon stops her before she could step one foot out of the room.
"It's the only way." He tells her, firmly.
Elena simply looks at him with contempt before following after her boyfriend. I was the only one who hadn't made an attempt to leave the room, so Damon turned to look at me; that same defensive look he had when he believed that I was going to judge him not long ago, had reappeared. I got off the table I had perched on during the debate between the Salvatore Brothers and Elena (with my bystander input every now and then).
"And what say you, Grace?" Damon demanded. I maintained a poker-face and shrugged.
"Do what you want, Damon. You're going to anyway." I replied. Damon didn't respond to that, but looked a little hurt. He turned to walk away. "But know this, Damon. I'm going to fight to protect you from yourself. Even if I have to act as your conscience and remind you every now and then." I promised him. Damon turned and looked at me with astonishment, and opened his mouth to speak; but I moved quickly and disappeared from the room before he could.
Despite the stiff upper lip I had while I was talking to Damon, I was actually very angry. Not just with Damon, but also with Stefan and Elena for not working it out civilly with him. They just as stubborn and bad as he was. It was obviously a case of 'I'm right, you're wrong. And stuff everybody else' from both parties, and neither were about to budge. I had just walked outside of the school when I heard the sound of somebody crying in a nearby alley. Concerned, I followed the crying and came across Caroline huddling in on herself against the wall of the alley. She was obviously really scared and very confused about what was going on with herself.
I froze. I was about to turn back, when Caroline suddenly looked up.
"Hello? Who's there?" I swore to myself, and immediately turned back towards Caroline. I stepped out from the shadows, arms raised in the air in surrender. Caroline frowned at me. "You're that girl I saw in the corridor with Damon." She said. I nodded.
"Yeah, that's me. My name's Grace." I replied, a little nervously. I maintained my distance away from her in case Caroline was jumpy and not in control of her actions. "How are you holding up?" I asked her; being careful not to ask if she was okay. Because it would've been a stupid question, considering the present situation.
"I'm so damn hungry." Caroline replied, promptly. I gulped.
"Well, you seem to have excellent control right now, Caroline. Keep it up." I suggested urgently. She frowned at me again, this time suspiciously.
"How do you know my name?" She demanded. I smiled at her disarmingly.
"I'm a friend of Elena's." I told her. Caroline's frown deepened.
"You are?" Then her eyes widened in recognition. "Wait, Grace? Are you that pen-pal Elena told Bonnie and me about?" She asked. I nodded. "Oh God. They're gonna hate me." She started panicking, and that was the last thing we needed right this second.
"No they won't, Caroline. I promise." I reassured her. Caroline scowled at me.
"How do you know that? How can you promise that?" She asked. I drew in a deep breath before replying, knowing that my heart was thudding very loudly and pumping the adrenaline through my veins. Thus creating a very tempting target for Caroline's appetite and fraying nerves.
"Because I was with Elena only a few minutes ago. She is extremely worried about you, and is currently out searching for you with Stefan; so that he can explain what's going on with you right now." I explained to her using soft, soothing tones. Caroline relaxed for about a microsecond. Then her eyes widen as she saw something over my left shoulder. I turned and looked; and I swear my heart stopped. That same guy Damon had compelled to pick a fight with Tyler Lockwood was passing by, wiping his bloodied nose with a handkerchief. "Oh shit…" I muttered out loud, gaining his attention.
The guy looked at me strangely for a few seconds before turning his attention on Caroline.
"Hey, is everything okay?" He asked us both. I nodded frantically and moved towards him.
"Everything's fine. I've got it under control." I reassured him, trying to get him to leave before something bad happened. But sadly that was not to be.
"I'm so sorry." Caroline whimpered. Both he and I turned and looked at Caroline with different expressions on our faces. He looked confused and I felt fear and dread.
"What?" He asked. Then without warning, Caroline flashed behind him and bites him twice.
"No! Caroline, stop!" I yelled and made a foolish mistake.
I stepped towards them both and Caroline immediately reacted by shoving him aside for a split second and grabbing me by the shoulders, growling in my face like an animal. The next thing I knew; Caroline had thrown me against the wall, where I smacked the back of my head hard against the bricks. Stars clouded my vision, and I slid down the wall; cradling the back of my head and wincing from the pain. I glanced over to see what Caroline was doing and realised that she had seized the poor guy again and was currently sitting on his chest, ravenously drinking away at his neck like a person dying of thirst. I pulled away my hand and saw blood. But before I could register that I was bleeding, which was a very bad thing, everything started going dark…
A/N: Time to cut it off here. Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it.
Until next time. TTFN ;)