While You Were Sleeping – Part V
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Amen, amen
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The purple journal sat offensively on the side table in front of her. Elena had been reluctant to even open it, both curious and terrified of the contents. It had been a week since she came back, and still, it hadn't moved from where she placed it.
Caroline let her stay with her until Elena was able to get back on her feet, and for that she was grateful, but her friend had her own life, and her own family she needed to worry about. So Elena packed up the little of what she had, items that her friends had saved for her, and she booked a ticket to San Antonio to see Jeremy. The only thing left in the room was that journal.
Dropping the bag back to the floor, Elena walked over to the side table, her fingers tracing the worn leather. She plopped down on the bed, and pulled the book into her lap. Starting at the beginning, Elena read each entry; some light hearted, some not. She spoke of Damon's troubles in coping, about becoming a hunter, falling in love with Enzo…losing Enzo. Elena found herself crying as she read the heartbreak her friend had been through. Then she reached an entry that started different than the others – with an apology.
I'm so sorry Elena…
I tried. I really did try to convince myself that whatever feelings I had were not real, but the truth is, that's a lie. They are very real, and I can't deny them anymore. I'm in love with Damon. I couldn't tell you when it happened, but all I know is that it's much longer than I cared to admit. So, there it is…the one thing I've been terrified of telling you; my biggest secret.
He doesn't know, and I think it's better that way. I don't want to burden him with this; our relationship is complex enough. Sometimes I think there are moments…when he looks at me and there's something unsaid in his eyes. Or maybe its just wishful thinking.
I tried distracting myself; I dated for a while, I even had a boyfriend…but I couldn't make it work. Somehow, even he knew my feelings for Damon before I did. I know this can't be easy to hear…but you should hear it from me. I'm sorry, and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. The last thing I ever want to do is hurt you, or betray you in any way…so you should know, that this stays between us. I don't intend on acting on these feelings and I will never stop trying to bring you back.
I love you…
Bonnie
Elena closed the journal, a tear falling from her cheek to the cover. Bonnie had always sacrificed for the people she loved, and to read that she was willing to do it again for her, not even knowing if she could bring her back, brought a sense of sadness for her friend. She was so loyal that she would deny her own heart to not betray her, and Elena was happy that despite her best efforts, she still got her happy ending. Elena could only assume that it had everything to do with Damon.
She imagined him baring his heart to her, forcing her to face the truth and stop hiding behind the wall she built around herself. She imagined it wasn't hard for him to break through to Bonnie, using that gentle and coaxing tone that was once only reserved for her. But that was a lifetime away…
With a deep breath, Elena knew that this was the right decision. She packed the journal in her duffel bag, and headed downstairs. She had to let go of the life she had, and start a new one – without Damon…without Mystic Falls.
…
Two Years Ago – 2042
The only sound that could be heard at the table was the clatter and clinking of the utensils on their plates. The awkward silence between the four of them was stifling. Bonnie couldn't stand it.
"So, Cain…Bailey tells me you're settling in nicely." She sipped her wine.
"Yeah! I'm really liking it there. When you spend most your life wandering alone, it's refreshing to feel like you have a place in the world." He smiled at Bailey, who returned it brightly.
Damon eyed him with a narrow glance, earning a squeeze on his thigh from his wife and a look that said be nice. "How did you hear about the school?" he asked cutting into his steak.
Cain dapped his mouth with the napkin. "My uncle. After I turned, he didn't really know what to do. I think the whole world of the supernatural freaked him out a bit. But once he did some research, he heard about this town and the school and thought it would be a good fit. He's a bit of history fanatic, I guess that's where I get it from." He explained. "This town has quite the story. Even this restaurant, if I remember correctly."
"Don't I know it." Damon mumbled, tight lipped. "It wasn't that long ago when this place was just a pile of rumble."
"Because of the travellers, right? They were taking over the town, and blowing this place up was the only way to get rid of them." Cain interjected.
Bonnie smiled impressed. "I guess you do know your history." She chuckled to herself. "Seems like yesterday to me."
"I heard someone drove their car through the front doors. I mean, what kind of lunatic does that?" he asked rhetorically shoving a bite of his food into his mouth.
Bailey winced, covering her eyes in humiliation while her mother snickered to herself. Bailey risked a glance at her dad who had put his fork down, folding his hands in front of him, his eyes hard and not leaving Cain's.
"That would be me." Cain choked, forcing himself to swallow down his food. "I'm the lunatic." Damon fixed him with a tight grin.
After a guzzle of water, the young vampire got himself composed. "Sorry."
"Don't be. I don't regret it for a second." He smiled at Bonnie, and she placed her hand in his. In retrospect, it was the moment that changed everything for him; put him on a track that led him straight to this moment. It wasn't a fast track by any means, and he was tested at every corner, but in the end, it led him to Bonnie, and the happiness that they had both desperately sought out their whole lives.
"How did you survive it?" Cain asked in disbelief.
"I didn't. Burnt to a crisp right over there." He pointed to a spot with his fork. "Then, I spent four months dead, stuck in a 1994 prison world with Bonnie, where I impatiently waited for her to get her magic back to send us home. It was a whole thing." He brushed off cavalierly with a flick of his wrist.
Cain blinked trying to make sense of everything unsuccessfully. "Never a dull moment around here, is it?" he teased.
"Nope." Bailey piped up. "Vampires, werewolves, witches…that's just a Tuesday. They faced the originals, immortals, sirens…the literal devil." Cain's head darted up to look at her. "Pretty bad ass if you ask me." She continued proudly.
The rest of the dinner went relatively well; with Damon not so subtly grilling him while Bailey flushed with embarrassment. As Bonnie and Damon excused themselves back home, they left Bailey with Cain on the condition he brought her home no later than eleven.
"So…" Cain leaned back in his seat, finally relaxing. "Did I pass the dad test?" he teased, a dimple in his cheeks.
Bailey let out a long sigh. "Your guess is as good as mine. I haven't really dated before…" she admitted uncomfortably. "This whole 'meet the parents' thing is new to me, and my dad…he's kind of over protective."
He shrugged. "I get it. This town isn't exactly Safeville, USA." He dropped his eyes from hers almost regretfully. "I'm not exactly the normal boyfriend." He glanced back up at her silence, to see the dreamy smile on her face. "What?"
"You're my boyfriend?" She was having a hard time hiding the excitement in her eyes.
Cain's eyes darkened, pinning her with a steamy look. "Do you want me to be?" She swallowed, only able to respond with a nod. He leaned in, capturing her chin with his fingers gently as he gauged her reaction. "Then I guess I am." He whispered, his lips a breath away from hers. He could tell she was nervous; he could hear her heart racing, but she didn't stop him as he pressed his lips to hers. He kept it tame, and after a few seconds he pulled back to look down at her, brushing back a curl. "I have been wanting to do that since the day I met you."
Her eyes were still closed, fluttering open to see the pleased smirk on his face at her reaction. "Me too." She whispered back.
…
Present Day – 2044
Damon woke to the feel of soft kisses on his shoulders. Rolling on his back he saw her beaming face, propped up on her palm. "Good morning."
He returned her smile blissfully, reaching up to cup her face, and pulled her down for a kiss. "Good morning. You're here…"
"For now." She whispered sadly with a weak smile. Her finger tips traced the angle of his jaw, the bridge of his nose, the pout of his lips. "I can't stay forever, you know that."
"Why not? Can't we just stay here? Trap ourselves in this moment?" He pleaded, grabbing her hand and kissing her knuckles.
She shook her head, letting the loose curls tumble off her shoulders. "You have a family to take care of. Our daughter…our boys; they need you, Damon. I know it doesn't feel this way now, but one day you'll be okay without me."
He released a heavy sigh. "You're right…it does not feel that way now." He mimicked her position, propping himself on his side, his eyes following his hand as it travelled up and down her hip and thigh. "But I like it here…I miss you, Bonnie. I miss us."
She pecked him on the lips sweetly. "I know. I miss us too. But this…" her eyes glanced around. "It's not real. And it's not moving on, it's moving backwards." She explained gently.
He fixed her with a disgruntled frown, annoyed that she was ruining the magic of the moment. "And how do you know that?" he grumbled.
She narrowed her eyes at him playfully, poking him in the chest. "Because deep down you know it. I mean, this is your subconscious after all. My hair would never look this good first thing in the morning." She teased with a chuckle.
"What am I supposed to do? How do I move on?" he asked with uncertainty. They had been meeting like this for weeks now, and he knew that it was only delaying the inevitable.
Brushing her fingers through his hair affectionately, she responded softly. "Come see me. Talk to me…tell me everything you never got a chance to say before. Start healing so you can help them heal." He nodded, knowing that their children were all struggling with the loss of their mother. "Leo is going to act out; try and test you…you need to let him know that even if I'm not here physically, he can still keep me close. Stefan will pretend he's okay…but he'll withdraw; try to isolate himself. You can't let him. And Bailey…" she let out a sigh. "She'll blame herself. She'll think that she could have stopped it, and bury herself in distractions to try and avoid the guilt…but you need to show her that this wasn't her fault." She bit down on her lip. "Don't let her do anything stupid."
Damon shook his head, pulling her closer. "I won't."
Bonnie pulled back. "Promise me, Damon…"
"I promise."
Damon's eyes popped open to an empty bed, and he rolled over and buried his face in Bonnie's pillow, hoping to catch her scent on it before it faded. The bright glow from his dream disappeared, and left him in the dark room alone.
But his wife's words still echoed in his mind, and with a deep breath, he forced himself out of bed, intent on keeping his promises. It was time to start the healing process.
…
Damon approached the stump in the middle of the woods somberly. Bonnie wasn't buried here, but he felt closer to her here than at the Salvatore plot. This place held a lot of meaning; it was where he realized how much he truly cared for her, how much he would miss her judgy little face as he placed her grimoire beside the pompoms and white feathers. It was where she fought for him; battling the hunter inside hellbent on ending his life. It's where he fully accepted his fate; willing to die, if only at her hands, and in this spot, in honor of her. It's where he told her he loved her the first time…not even knowing himself how deeply that love ran, or how far it would reach.
He placed Ms. Cuddles on the stump carefully. "Hey baby…" he whispered. "Don't worry, she's coming back home with me. I don't think Leo would let me hear the end of it if she got so much as a grass stain." His lips quirked in a little smile. Leo was like him that way; he liked everything neat and clean. He huffed a plume of cold air. "This is hard. You weren't supposed to go before me, Bon…that was the deal, remember?" he exhaled morosely, thinking back to that day in the bathroom, still wet from their shower, her skin flushed and silky under his finger tips. The way she spun in his arms, with a playful poke in the chest, telling him she didn't even want to think about her life without him in it. Now he wondered…how could he? It had been a month since she left him, and he was still struggling with navigating through his life without her. "You asked me once the moment I knew I loved you. At the time, I couldn't say if it was a particular moment, or a collection of them. But I've had a lot of time to reflect on it…and I have your answer. That night, at the armory. You risked your life for me…for the hundredth time, and for once I was trying to do the right thing and let Tyler rip me to shreds, if it only meant keeping him from hurting you. But you didn't listen…like usual." He scoffed ironically. "You almost died in my arms and I've never been more terrified of losing you. That's when it started for me. It happened so fast – three seconds…that's all it took, but in those three seconds I realized that I would risk it all for you." His hands played with the soft fur of the teddy bear. "So, for years, all I could do was bury those feelings so deep that you'd never see how much I truly needed you. Now, when I think about it…I hate that we wasted so much time. Wasted so much time fighting the inevitable…side stepping the elephant in the room so we wouldn't be burdened with our own guilt. Seems so trivial now…" He blinked away his tears. "We've been through it all; been to hell and back, gone from enemies to friends to lovers…you've given me the best years of my life. Given me three beautiful children…a purpose." He swallowed down the tightness in his throat. "And I can only hope that one day I'll get to see you again. But until then, I'll keep my promise to you. Save me a spot…wherever you are." The dark clouds parted above him, shedding sunlight on the stump in a beam of light and Damon found himself laughing as he looked up. Could it be a coincidence? Sure…but Damon was never one to believe in coincidences. "I love you, Bonnie."
The wind picked up, sending the fallen leaves swirling around him, and he knew she was telling him she loved him to.
…
One Year Ago – 2043
Bailey broke away from Cain's passionate kiss with a giddy smile. "We should stop." She said reluctantly.
"Uh-uh." He disagreed, peppering kisses down her neck, and groaned with a pout when she slipped off his lap to her side of his car.
She chuckled, wiping the bit of lipstick that smudged on his lips. "I'm sorry, but my parents are home, and my dad is 100 percent waiting up for me. Probably peeking through the blinds as we speak." She squinted, trying to see out the passenger window through the dark.
He let out a sharp sigh, shifting in his seat as he tried to get his libido under control. "He still doesn't like me, does he? Even after all this time." He grumbled.
Bailey turned back to him, caressing his cheek affectionately. "He's just protective of me. Trust me, it's not you."
Cain levelled her with a look that said he didn't believe her. "He won't even invite me in, Bailey. He doesn't trust me."
She laughed. "He doesn't trust anyone! I told you, it's a Salvatore house rule. No vampires can be invited in; it's been that way for as long as I can remember." She sensed his frustration and caressed his jaw reassuringly. "I trust you, and one day, he will too. But you have to earn it." She shrugged a shoulder. "That's just how he is." He nodded stiffly and she kissed him. "I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, of course." She was already opening the door when his hand darted out to stop her. "Hey…you do trust me, right? You know I'd never do anything to hurt you." He told her with an imploring slant of his brows.
It made her smile. "I know."
He nodded, brushing her hair away from her face. "Good, because I…" he paused, sucking in a deep breath. "I love you, Bailey."
Her heart swelled in her chest and she smashed her lips back to his urgently. It was the first time he'd ever told her that, and she'd been dying to tell him for months now. "I love you too." She whispered against his lips.
He grinned happily as she pulled away. "You should go…before we get too carried away and your dad comes out and stakes me for molesting his daughter in his driveway." He teased with a smirk, earning a playful slap to his chest.
"Cain!" she exclaimed with a furious blush. They hadn't gotten farther than heavy petting and kissing; not for his lack of trying and definitely not because she didn't want to. Because she did…badly. But she was waiting to make sure he was the one, and that she wasn't going to waste her innocence on someone that didn't truly love her…now she knew. "Tomorrow night. I'll come by around 7?"
His brows shot up his forehead. "Really? I mean…are you ready?"
She nodded. "I am now. Goodnight." She slipped out of the car, smiling back at him over her shoulder as she walked up the driveway.
Cain waited, as the door opened before she got there, revealing her father in the doorway. When the door closed behind them, he let a satisfied smirk pull at his lips, before driving off.
Bailey avoided her dad's eyes as she slipped passed him an up the stairs. Even though he wasn't a vampire, she still felt like he could compel anything out of her.
"Hey…" His voice stopped her as she headed up the stairs. "It's late. Later than you said you'd be." He stated in a soft but firm tone, careful not the wake the rest of the house.
She didn't turn back to face him. "I lost track of time, dad, sorry." If she faced him, he'd see right through her.
He chuckled, glancing down at the ground before looking back up to her rigid back. "I wasn't born yesterday, Bailey, I know what that means. I get it, you're a teenager...next year you'll be off to college and I'm going to have to accept that you aren't my little girl anymore." She finally turned, walking back down the steps slowly. "I just want you to be careful, sweetheart. I can't stop you from seeing him, or…" his jaw clenched. "Stop you from doing whatever it is you're going to do…" he trailed off uncomfortably.
"Dad…" she sighed, interjecting.
"But all I can do is be there for you when you need me to be." He concluded with a nod.
She smiled gratefully, coming down to the last step and hugging him. "Thank you. And for the record…no matter what happens, I'll always be your little girl." She winked before heading back up the stairs to her room.
When she was out of sight, Damon let out a tired sigh, relaxing when Bonnie came up beside him, emerging from the kitchen in her fluffy robe. He easily wrapped an arm around her, tucking her into his side. "How am I supposed to protect her from things she can't see?" he asked helplessly.
With a comforting smile, Bonnie leaned up and kissed his neck. "You have to trust her."
"I do." He huffed, his eyes narrowing. "I don't trust him. Why can't she date a nice, normal, non-vampire boy?"
Bonnie laughed. "Because she's a Bennett and a Salvatore. Normal is not in her genes. She's eighteen. This is her first love; and with that comes all the happiness and heartbreak and pain and sorrow that will make her stronger one day. We have to trust the process, and be there for her if it all falls apart." She patted his chest and kissed the side of his mouth. "Don't stay up too late. Leo has his Christmas concert, and I promised Caroline we'd help set up."
"Okay." He grabbed her arm before she could get too far. "Hey…I love you."
"I love you more."
Damon smiled to himself. He never expected his life to turn out the way it had. It was chaos most days; rushing to get to appointments and rehearsals and sports games, all while dodging supernatural attacks and mishaps. It was a wonder he and Bonnie got any time to themselves. But he always made time to let her know how much he loved her.
…
Present Day – 2044
It was quiet while the four of them ate dinner, Bonnie's seat at the head of the table absent. He made their favorite – seafood risotto, but they all picked at it somberly. Most dinners went this way, and he couldn't blame them. It was just another every day activity they had to do without their mother.
"I went to see mom this morning." Damon announced shoving a forkful in his mouth.
All eyes snapped up to look at him, all with similar expressions – surprise. "You did?" Stefan asked pensively, a deep frown to his brows.
So much like you, brother. Damon mused to himself. "Mhm." He nodded sipping his wine.
Bailey narrowed her eyes, an expression he was convinced she learned from him, trying to read his thoughts. "I thought you said memorials were just, and I quote – 'pointless rocks with derivative epitaphs.'"
He closed his eyes. Yes…he did say that. He really needed to check his cynicism at the door, lest his daughter adopted that trait from him as well. "I didn't go to the cemetery. I went to the stump." They had explained to them once the meaning behind it; a way all their friends honoured her with all their best memories; her pom poms, her grimoire, a handful of feathers and a lifeguard whistle. But it wasn't just that. It was their mother's favorite thinking spot…her place of peace. "I realized that it's not healthy for me to keep avoiding it, and by doing that I'm not setting a good example for you three either. We're all we got now…and mom wouldn't want us sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves." He levelled his gaze on each of them. "She's gone…but we aren't, so we have to live for her."
Everyone was quiet as they digested and made their own peace with it, until Leo spoke up in a tiny voice. "So…who's going to leave me notes in my lunchbox? Mommy always, she always writes little notes with, with funny jokes on them." He mumbled with a stammer keeping his eyes on his plate.
Damon reached out beside him, squeezing his son's shoulder affectionately. "I will, buddy."
Bailey smiled at her little brother, stretching her arm across the table to put her hand over his little one. "So will I."
Stefan ruffled Leo's mop of curls with a little side smirk. "Me too."
Damon met Bailey's eyes with a soft smile; a silent conversation was exchanged between them. He couldn't do this without her, and she acknowledged it with a subtle nod.
…
One Month Ago – 2044
Bailey took one last look around at the place that had been her home away from home for the last ten years. It was bittersweet. All the friends she made, all the lesson's she learned, it was time to finally start a new chapter of her life…as an adult; carve her own path, make her own choices.
She heard the clicking of heels behind her. "It never gets easier watching a student move on." Caroline started with a wistful sigh. "Especially one that I love so much." She finished pulling her into a hug. Bailey rested her head on her shoulder with ease. "Are you excited to go to Whitmore?"
The young witch pulled away. "Yes and no. I worry about my parents…or more accurately-"
"Damon." Caroline finished with an indulgent roll of her eyes. "He'll be okay. Although don't be surprised if you catch him checking up on you once in a while." She teased as they walked through the empty halls of the school. "Your father means well; I know it seems like he's controlling and strict at times…but it comes from a good place. He's come a long way, you know? The Damon I met over thirty years ago…" she snorted a laugh. "Well, let's just say he was a completely different person than who you know now."
Bailey nodded demurely. "Mom told me some of the stories. What he did to you…I can't even picture him like that." She dropped her head to look at her hands uncomfortably.
"Oh please…that's ancient history." Caroline shrugged it off with a wave of her hand. "We've all done terrible things; some more than others…but the good far out ways the bad." They stopped walking and Caroline turned to her, squeezing her shoulder gently. "He didn't love anything the way he loves you. His whole world changed the day you were born. So forgive him for being a helicopter parent sometimes."
Bailey smiled. "Thanks Aunt Caroline."
"Bailey!" She turned seeing Cain's grinning face coming down the hall towards them. "Hey, I've been looking for you everywhere. Hey Ms. Forbes." He shot her a charming smile before focusing back on his girlfriend. "Everyone's meeting at the falls for a little post graduation celebration. Totally innocent and alcohol free, I promise." He directed back at Caroline.
She laughed knowingly. "Right. Well, that's my cue. Have fun tonight." She winked at her niece, before walking away leaving the couple alone.
Cain wrapped his arms around her, pinning her with a heated look. "So…tonight, you, me, the falls…some irresponsible drinking with our friends making terrible choices, then tomorrow, I can have you all to myself."
Bailey pouted. "I can't tomorrow. My parents are going out of town for the weekend; I promised them I'd take care of Stefan and Leo while they're gone."
His eye lit up. "Even better. We can have the place all to ourselves." Seeing the hesitancy on her face, his shoulders dropped. "Really? Still? We've been together 2 years and you still won't invite me over?"
"I'm sorry…" Cain shook his head pulling away. "Hey…please don't be mad at me." She begged grabbing his arm.
He let out a sharp sigh. "Well, how do you expect me to feel, Bailey? You say you trust me, yet you let your dad control every move you make." He vented in frustration. "You'd think that after all this time, you'd be able to stand up to him for me."
She was stunned silent for a moment. Cain rarely got upset, especially with her. "I do! I trust you Cain, but he's my dad." He exclaimed helplessly. She'd been stuck between the push and pull between them for two years and it wasn't getting any easier.
"Can't you see that he doesn't want us together? The guy barely acknowledges me!" Cain threw his arms up.
"He just wants what's best for me." She tried to explain.
He scoffed. "Right…and I'm not it."
"I didn't say that!"
"You didn't have to! It's obvious. He doesn't think I'm good enough for you, Bailey." She dropped her head, knowing that what her boyfriend was saying was true.
When she looked up, she saw the dejected look on his face. "I don't care what he thinks. I think you're exactly what I need." She closed the distance between them, bringing a hand up to cup his cheek. "Okay?"
He nodded, offering her a week smile. "You love me, right?"
She beamed at him. "More than anything." She bit her lip in contemplation, the wheels turning in her head. "Okay. Come over…tomorrow night." She saw him light up and knew she was making the right choice. "But you have to wait until Stefan and Leo go to sleep because they will 100 percent rat me out."
He wrapped his arms around her nodding along. "Thank you. You won't regret this."
…
The Next Evening:
Bonnie and Damon walked to the front door, dressed to the nines; Damon in a black-on-black suit and tie, and Bonnie in a form fitting red dress and matching stilettos. It wasn't often they got to have a weekend to themselves, so when Damon bought tickets to the opera in Charlottesville, Bonnie jumped at the chance of a romantic getaway. "There's money for a pizza in the kitchen and the fridge is stocked with all of your favorite snacks. Also, Caroline said if you need anything you can call her." Bonnie rambled off as her husband helped her into her long wool coat.
Bailey rolled her eyes indulgently. "Mom…you don't need to worry. I think I can hold the fort down for a weekend." She met her dad's gaze and they shared a secret smirk at her mom's concern.
"I know you can." Bonnie told her with a proud smile. "But I'm a mom…" she shrugged a shoulder. "It's what I do." She kissed her daughter's cheek, before turning to Stefan and Leo and doing the same. She crouched down to her youngest. "Bailey's in charge, okay. All the same rules apply." She raised her brows pointedly. "So don't think you can try and weasel your way into staying up late and eating junk food all weekend."
Leo grumbled. "Okay…" He threw his arms around her for a tight hug.
Damon hugged Leo, fist bumped Stefan, and kissed Bailey's forehead. "And this goes without saying – no parties, no drugs, drinking or…anything else." He flashed his eyes in warning. "And definitely no-"
"Boys. Yes, dad I know." She finished for him with a roll of her eyes. She'd mastered the art of lying through her teeth. "Plus, I have every intention of binge watching 'New Girl' for the next foreseeable future."
Stefan rolled his eyes with a scoff. "So lame…"
She snapped her head at him before shooting her brother a sly smirk. "I'll be sure to play it extra loud for you."
"And I'll be sure to stay in my room." He turned to his dad with a flat look on his face. "If I die of starvation, you know why."
Damon chuckled. "Sooo dramatic! Okay, we'll see you in a couple days. Be good."
…
Later that night, Bailey sat on the edge of bed tucking in Leo just like their mom would have. "Thanks Bailey." He smiled up at her, blanket covering him up to his chin.
"You're welcome, chipmunk." She pinched his chubby cheek affectionately. "Want me to check for monsters?" He nodded eagerly and Bailey slipped to her hands and knees, making a big show of looking under his bed. Her head popped up. "All clear!" She got to her feet and whipped open the closet as if she would catch the intruder by surprise. "Nothing in here." She looked over her shoulder. "Safe from all the things that go bump in the night." Walking back to his bed, she leaned down to kiss his forehead. "Goodnight, Leo. I love you."
"Love you too." He waited until she flicked off the light, stopping her at the door. "Bailey…I'm happy I got you as a sister."
"I'm happy I got you too." She remembered the first moment she held him in her arms, and how she immediately felt a sense of responsibility to him. "Sleep tight." She closed his door, and paused at Stefan's peeking in the crack to catch him fully emersed in his video game with his headphones on and a plethora of chips, drinks and leftover pizza at his side. Good, he'll be in for there for the rest of the night.
Fixing herself up in her room, she let down her curls and applied a bit of lip gloss, glancing down at her phone when it buzzed. Cain's name popped up.
I'm here
With a trill of excitement, Bailey skipped down the stairs to the front door, grinning at her boyfriend on the other side. With a finger to her lips, she pulled him in kissing him soundly. "Hey…" she greeted breathlessly.
"Hey back. Wow…" he looked around entering the living room. "This place is massive."
She chuckled following him. "This isn't even the half of it. Come on, I'll show you around." She offered her hand, leading him into the parlor room. His eyes roamed the walls of books, fingering the spines as he passed them, genuinely intrigued. "This is probably my favorite part of the house. Some of these books go back to the early 1700's. First editions too."
He didn't avert his eyes from the books in front of him as he read the titles. "Anything older? Mr. Saltzman mentioned Damon having some ancient volumes." When she didn't answer, he glanced up with a smile. "Sorry, I'm nerding out, aren't I?"
She laughed. "It's okay. All the ancient volumes and relics are in my dad's office. He always said that 'he wouldn't be stupid enough to leave the original copy of the Holy Bible on display for anyone to see.'" She rolled her eyes. "I mean…if you believe in that kind of stuff."
"You don't?" He questioned flipping through a book.
"Not really."
He put the book back, walking over to her. "No? In a world where vampires and witches and werewolves exist? In a world where your own mother defeated the literal devil…you don't believe in God?"
There was something in his tone that made her squirm. "Well, vampires, witches and werewolves I've seen. It's not like God is out here making himself known." She retorted crossing her arms.
He shot her a little smirk. "Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist."
"I guess you're right. Hey, can I get you anything to drink? We keep a blood stash down in the basement for Aunt Caroline." My life is so weird.
He grinned kissing her forehead. "I'd love that, thanks."
Bailey headed through the house down to the cellar, stopping at the cooler to grab a blood bag. When she got back upstairs, she was surprised to see that the parlor room was empty. "Cain?" She looked around, heading into the kitchen. "Cain?" she whispered a bit louder. Where did he go? She left the blood bag on the counter as she moved around the house looking for him, and slowed as she heard shuffling and movement coming from the room at the end of the hall. She pushed open the door gaping at him. "What are you doing in here? This is my dad's office." His back was to her as he pulled books off the shelf, ignoring her as he flipped through them, dropping them unceremoniously on the desk beside him. "Cain! What are you doing? You shouldn't even be in here." She stormed in grabbing the books and putting them back.
"Do you have any idea what it's like to pretend to be a 19-year-old? I mean…it's bad enough I'm cursed to walk this earth as a vampire, but to go through high school…it's torture. And I spent almost three thousand years in hell." He scoffed ironically, finally glancing at her. He didn't seem put off by the shock and disbelief on her face. "But I think the worst of it, was pretending to love you. Don't get me wrong, we had fun…but you are just so naïve!" He reached out to caress her face and she jumped back as it burned, tears pooling in her eyes. Cain chuckled, dropping his hand, going back to rummaging through the books. "If I knew it would take this long to get an invite to this house I probably would have just jumped right to the killing." Bailey made a break for the door, but he blurred in front of her pinning her against the closed door and covering her mouth with his hand. "Hey now…let's not get ahead of ourselves alright. You wouldn't want anything to happen to your littler brothers, do you?" Her eyes widened and she shook her head frantically. "Good. Now be a good little girl, stay put, keep your mouth shut and no one gets hurt."
He pulled away from her moving back to the wall of ancient volumes back on the hunt. "Why are you doing this?" She whispered feebly, her back still flushed with the door. Tears had fallen down her cheeks as she watched the man she thought she knew, move around the room. He looked completely different to her now; his back rigid, a cold stony expression on his face, and eyes that looked much older than he appeared. "Who are you?"
He glanced at her over his shoulder with a crooked smirk. "I don't know if you'd believe me."
"Try me." Bailey tried to keep her voice even. Acting irrational right now was a one-way ticket to getting her and brothers killed. She needed to be calculated. She needed to know what she was up against, and the only way she could do that was to keep him talking.
He kept a close eye on her as he moved around the perimeter of the room. "Four thousand years ago, there were two brothers. One was the favorite. The shepherd, the younger brother, praised by all. And the other…was me." He shook his head, jaw tense as he continued. "I did everything to gain His favor, and He spat on me, while my brother could do no wrong. So…in a fit of rage I killed my own brother." He glanced back at her. "What can I say…I'm the jealous type."
Bailey blinked. "I've heard this story before…"
Cain laughed. Finally finding what he was looking for, and holding it up. "It's not a story if it's true. They took some liberties with the details, but for the most part they were spot on."
"No…" she breathed. "It's not possible." She could read the intricate scroll of the words on the cover. Holy Bible.
He approached her again, stopping only inches from her frightened face. "Oh but it is, sweetheart. See my brother Abel got what he deserved. Everyone thought he was innocent, that he was a martyr…but the truth is he was spiteful and arrogant and when God favored him over me he laughed in my face. Yet I'm the one that was punished!" he ground out angrily, ignoring her trembling form. "Marked. Cast out of Eden. Immortal and forced to live with my own sin for all eternity. Then I met Arcadius…and he offered me a deal. I help him start a revolution and he'd give me a spot next to him in Hell. I had it good down there, then your bitch of a mother had to go and destroy it with Hellfire and all of a sudden, here I am!" he swung his arms out grandly. "Living out my life all over again! A fresh new brand of torture I'm sure He," he pointed upwards for emphasis, "had everything to do with! I had to turn myself into a vampire just so I could live long enough to see this through."
Bailey panted as the reality of the situation became clear. None of it was real. The last two years thinking she was falling in love with him and he had a whole other agenda. Her heart broke as a fresh set of tears fell. "So, all of this…coming to the school, being with me…it didn't mean anything to you?"
His shoulders fell and he slanted his eyes sympathetically as he cupped her face. "Oh honey…of course it meant something. See, all of this…this is my ticket home." Her face crumbled. "Oh…you meant did you mean anything to me. No." Bailey wrenched her face out of his hands. "Now don't be a brat, Bailey. It's not attractive." He told her condescendingly.
She glared up at him bravely. "I'm going to kill you."
He chuckled. "You can try." He watched as her eyes narrowed and her nose bled with the effort of trying to put him down. "Your little brain pop thing doesn't work on me. You think I'd be dumb enough not to protect myself from your magic? I thought of everything." He stated proudly as he brushed his thumb over the blood and stuck it between his lips much to her disgust. "Mm…I knew you'd taste good."
She let out a shaky exhale. "What do you want from me, Cain? Just tell me so we can get this over with and you can get the hell out of my house." She finished stronger than she felt.
He canted his head. "But you invited me in, baby…I can come and go as I please now." He relished in the way her eyes shut in disappointment with herself. "Should have listened to your dad, I guess." He let out a huff. "What I want, is to go home. A Bennett witch was the one to destroy it, so I need a Bennett witch to re-create it. That's where you come in."
She scoffed. "You want me to send you back to hell? Great…got a stake?"
"Funny, but it doesn't work that way." He held up the Bible. "This is the only version that explains how Hell was created. They removed it from the new versions. It didn't take me long to figure out where in the world it was. And then when I heard about Cade's death I put two and two together. I thought maybe it would be at the Salvatore school, but when Alaric told me about the Salvatore's extensive collection…well, I knew I had to get to know you."
"Well sorry to disappoint but that's well above my pay grade." She tried to move around him, but he pinned her back to the door with a hand around her throat.
"I think you're forgetting the part where I don't give you a choice. See because if you don't…" he whispered, his lips a breath away from her ear. "I'll kill little Leo and Stefan right in front of you, and then…I'll make your dad watch as I kill you."
She shook her head through her cries. "You're a monster…how could I possibly let myself fall for you?"
"Don't blame yourself. I told you everything you wanted to hear. You were helpless to my charms…it's only natural." He grabbed her arm roughly, and pulled her into the middle of the room, forcing her to the ground and dropping the book in front of her. "Now you have until tomorrow night to figure this out before heads start rolling." His head snapped in the direction of the door.
She didn't hear anything. "What is it?" She prayed it wasn't her brothers.
"I hear something. Don't move." He stalked to the door, opening it and looking down the hallway left and right. There was no one there. He came back in the room and closed the door shut behind him. "Let's get started."
…
Stefan silently shut his door behind him, trying to control his erratic breathing and racing heart. His sister was in trouble, and he needed to do something about it. He rummaged through his desk frantically writing out a note before crumbling it up in his hands and sitting cross-legged on the floor. He closed his eyes whispering an incantation as it burned up in his palms.
…
AN: Soo sorry for the long delay. I had hoped that I'd wrap it all up in this chapter, but I think I need one more to finish this off. Hope the long chapter makes up for the wait! Did anyone see this big twist coming? Let me know your thoughts! Also, for anyone that does or doesn't believe in the Bible, remember this is just a story…everyone is entitled to their own opinions and I'm not in any way shape or form am trying to influence readers with this information one way or another. Thanks for reading! – Vanessa.