Lucas was reading a newspaper. He tried to do it calmly, but it was hard. Because he has a son, that son triggered his wolf gene, became a vampire and he had a huge crush on Damon Salvatore's daughter, who is a vampire. The one who turned him. He didn't even wanna get himself started on the Derek nonsense.
A hybrid.
Guy was a hybrid. He remembered back when he wished to be a hybrid. Those were undeniably fun times. They were also undeniably dangerous. He fell asleep staring at the newspaper.
-What's your dream?- she asked him.
-To live forever!- he laughed, one arm around her. She smiled and hugged him:
-We can, you know? Together. I'll get that kid's blood if I have to.
-You sure?- Lucas asked her.
-Of course.
-How are you so sure?
She put her hands on his shoulders.
-Because I love you.
-How do you know you always will?
-I just do,- she said. -After you stay a teenager for decades, you know when you'll love someone forever. How do you know you'll love me forever?
-Who said I knew I'd love you forever?
-I did.
-Confident.- he smiled and kissed her.
Lucas's eyes snapped open. He hadn't thought of that day for years. The day he accidentally became the person he hated most. Why dream of that, especially so precisely…
He turned around to face her:
-Strawberry. Not funny.
-Good,- she said. -It wasn't supposed to be.
-What are you doing here?
-I'm here to see you.
-Why?
-I'd just like to talk to you one last time before you die.
-Die?
-Yeah,- she smiled sweetly. -You're dying today.
-And how do you know that?
-It was my decision.- she giggled. He looked at her. She didn't change. Not even a little bit. The same pink hair and blue eyes. The same childish smile. She looked exactly the same as she did 20 years ago. He knew she would, but it was still strange. His son would always look the same, too.
-You look great.
-No!- she snapped. -You don't get to say that to me after what you did!
-I did what I did because I wanted you to have a good life! Because I didn't want you to spend the rest of your life, which is forever, being alone, crying over a man you thought loved you. Because I didn't want you to be like me!
-Well, I am. I know I'll never love again, and if I will… never as much as I loved you. So congratulations. I'm you. And you… are dead. At least you're going to be. Very, very soon.
-Strawberry, you deserve better!
-I know I do. But it's too late.
-For me, maybe. You'll live forever, Strawberry. You have forever to be happy. You could be happy one day. Killing me isn't gonna help.
-First of all, killing you is definitely gonna help. That'll actually make me happy. Happy to see that you never will be. Second, There are many reasons to kill you, and my happiness is only one of them. The other reason is… Maybe I shouldn't tell you… But, you know, you'll be dead, who will you tell?
-No one. I'll be dead. And I'd rather not hear the reasons for my death from my ex.
-Just more reasons to tell you. This is the first step in our revenge on your son for killing Derek.
-You're killing me to hurt Guy?!
-And also to hurt, well, you.
-Strawberry, don't to this. If you want to kill me so much, kill me. Don't hurt him with it.
-Oh, I don't care about him. I care about you. And that's the problem.
-So don't hurt him!
-You want me to convince Wendy and Poppy to keep him alive?
-Yes?
-Why would I do that? I hate you. And love you. And hate loving you. Why would I ask my grieving friends to keep your son alive?
-I know that I was a jerk, and… and…
-A fool, an idiot, a monster, a heartless…
-I get it. I know I was… all that, but don't take it out on him! He's an innocent child!
-There's nothing innocent about him! He killed my friend!
-You never cared about Derek! You called him a jerk, you were gonna leave him!
-With you. We were gonna leave together.
-I know, I remember. Please. Don't take it out on the last good thing left in my life.
-This is getting repetitive. I'm just gonna take out your life.
She lunged at him. Injected him with something she held in her hand. Wolfsbane. Bit into his neck. When she finally let go, he was motionless on the floor. She smirked and left out the window.
Lucas, once she was gone, reached for his phone and, with more struggle than anything ever took him, dialled a number he remembered better than his own name.
-Ella.