Adelaide opened the front door, only to be greeted by a cacophony of loud noises echoing from the living room. Her brow furrowed with confusion as she turned to Elena and Stefan before rushing into the room. "What's going on?" she demanded, her eyes darting between Jeremy, Matt, and Vicki.
"She's really messed up," Matt replied, his voice tinged with concern as he watched over his sister.
"Adelaide, back up," Stefan interjected, moving to shield Vicki as he gently cupped her face. "Vicki, look at me. Focus," Stefan urged, his voice a calming presence amidst the chaos. "You're going to be fine. Everything is going to be fine," he reassured her.
"Guys, take her to bed, shut the blinds. She's gonna be okay," Stefan instructed Matt and Jeremy. With a shared nod, Matt and Jeremy carefully led Vicki out of the room, leaving Adelaide alone with Stefan. As their footsteps faded upstairs, Adelaide turned to Stefan, her eyes searching his for answers.
"You know what's wrong with her?" Adelaide's voice wavered as she questioned Stefan.
Stefan met her gaze with a solemn nod before speaking softly, "She's transitioning."
"Transitioning into what?" Elena's voice cut through the tense atmosphere, her brow furrowed in confusion.
Adelaide stared at Stefan, and by the look on his face, she knew it could only mean one thing. She didn't care much for Vicki, but she never wanted that to happen to her. She shook her head before she spoke, "A vampire."
"What?" Elena said in shock as she looked between her sister and Stefan.
"Damon must have gotten to her. She's new. She hasn't completed her transformation yet," Stefan explained.
"How does she do that?" Elena asked with a worried look on her face.
"She has to feed on human blood," Stefan said as he looked between Elena and Adelaide.
"And what if she doesn't?" Elena questioned.
Stefan stared at Elena as he answered, "She'll die. She may only have a few hours."
Adelaide looked up at Stefan with fear in her eyes. "She's upstairs with Jeremy right now."
Adelaide moved to go upstairs to check on her brother, but Stefan grabbed her arm. "It's okay. She doesn't know what's happening to her yet," he reassured her.
Adelaide folded her arms across her chest, a perplexed expression on her face as she questioned, "When will she?"
"Right now, she doesn't remember anything," Stefan answered calmly. "A part of her is still human, but slowly, the deeper she gets into the transition, the memories will start to come back, and then she will know she has a choice," he explained, his tone measured.
"The same choice you made?" Elena probed, her eyes searching Stefan's face for a response.
Stefan didn't reply to Elena's question, and a thick tension settled in the room, suffocating Adelaide as she sat down at the dining room table. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, trying to process everything she had learned over the past month. Bonnie and Sheila were witches, Damon was a vampire, and now her brother's girlfriend was turning into one. The weight of these newfound revelations pressed down on her chest.
Adelaide jumped out of her chair when she heard Matt's panicked yell for Vicki. Adrenaline surged through her veins as she quickly made her way towards the hallway, catching a fleeting glimpse of Vicki running out the front door before it slammed shut behind her. Confusion and concern etched deep lines on Adelaide's forehead as everyone rushed after Matt into the front yard, their footsteps echoing in the tense silence.
"What happened?" Adelaide inquired, her voice edged with worry.
"She was fine, and then she just... she just freaked out," Jeremy explained, his voice tinged with bewilderment.
"I'm gonna go look for her. Call me if you hear anything," Matt stated firmly before sprinting towards his pick-up truck and speeding away in search of Vicki.
Stefan moved closer to the sisters, his voice low and urgent as he whispered, "I can track her."
"Go," Elena nodded, her eyes reflecting a mix of concern and determination.
Adelaide and Elena were cleaning up the mess Vicki had made when she tried to eat everything that was inside the refrigerator. Elena handed Jeremy a plate and a cup before Jeremy spoke up.
"Maybe we should check in with Matt," Jeremy suggested, concern evident in his voice.
Elena shook her head. "He will call us when he finds her, Jer."
"But what are we supposed to do in the meantime?" Jeremy asked, feeling helpless.
"We wait," Adelaide said calmly, moving around the kitchen with purpose. "We're supposed to wait."
"I don't know what's wrong with her," Jeremy confessed, his eyes reflecting sadness and worry.
Adelaide paused in her task and approached Jeremy, squeezing his shoulder reassuringly. "Vicki will be okay," she said with a comforting certainty,
As the three siblings worked together to clean up the mess, when all of the sudden the doorbell rang, Elena's heart skipped a beat. She glanced back at her siblings, Adelaide and Jeremy, who were curiously looking at her. Sweeping her long brown hair behind her ear nervously, Elena made her way to the door, her siblings trailing close behind.
Upon opening the door, her eyes widened in fear as she saw Damon standing confidently on the other side. Before she could react, Damon pushed the door open.
Adelaide shot a glare at him, instinctively stepping in front of her younger brother, Jeremy. "Jeremy, go upstairs," Adelaide commanded, her voice unwavering as she kept her eyes locked on Damon. Confused, Jeremy hesitated for a moment before reluctantly obeying his sister order and disappearing upstairs.
Damon's smirk widened as he taunted Adelaide, "Are you afraid of me?"
Adelaide held her ground, her voice steady as she retorted, "I'm not afraid of you."
Damon's dark eyes flickered with amusement, a knowing glint shining through. "I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess. Stefan finally fessed up," he remarked casually, a hint of mischief lacing his words.
Adelaide's jaw clenched, her tone firm as she issued a warning, "You're going to stay away from my family."
Damon held his hands up in surrender. "Hey, there's no need to be rude. I'm just looking for Stefan. May I come in?" He smirked as he stepped through the door. "Oh, wait. Of course I can. I have been invited in," Damon said as he walked inside the house, and he smirked as he saw Adelaide pushing Elena behind her.
"We can cut to the chase if you want. I'm not gonna kill either of you right now. That wouldn't serve my greater agenda. So..." Damon trailed off before he questioned, "Where is Stefan?"
"He's out looking for Vicki," Elena told him from behind her sister.
Damon rolled his eyes at the two girls. "Don't look at me with those judgy little eyes. She´s gonna thank me for what I did for her."
"Did you thank Katherine?" Elena asked.
"Mmm," Damon mumbled before turning his back to the two girls. "Got the whole life story, huh?" he questioned.
"We got enough," Elena spoke as she tried to move from behind Adelaide, but Adelaide wouldn't budge.
"Oh, I doubt that," Damon said as he turned back to the two sisters. "Tell my brother I'm looking for him." Damon walked out of the door before turning back around and smirked. "Oh, a tip for later, be careful who you invite into the house."
Adelaide was laying in her bed, scrolling through her phone when she heard a creak from her bedroom door. She looked up to see Elena standing there, her eyes glistening with tears.
"What's wrong?" Adelaide questioned, concern lining her voice.
Elena took a shaky breath before speaking. "I told Stefan I couldn't be with him."
Without hesitation, Adelaide sprang out of bed and enveloped her sister in a comforting hug. "You're going to be okay, Elena. I'm here for you."
Elena's voice wavered as she asked, "Why does it hurt so much?"
Adelaide squeezed her tighter. "Because you care about him. It's okay to feel this way, but I promise it will pass."
Elena hesitated before bringing up another name. "Tyler?"
Adelaide nodded. "Yeah."
"Can I sleep in your room tonight?" Elena's vulnerability seeped through her words.
Adelaide smiled softly. "Of course, come here." She led Elena to her bed and they curled up under the covers, Adelaide keeping her sister close.
The next day Adelaide pulled up to the Salvatore boarding house, the gravel crunching under her tires as she parked. She took a deep breath before stepping out of her car, the cool night air sending a shiver down her spine. Elena followed closely behind.
They made their way to the front door, Adelaide's heart pounding with each step. She raised her hand and knocked. After what felt like an eternity, the door creaked open, revealing Damon standing there, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips.
"Is Stefan here?" she questioned with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"Yep," Damon answered nonchalantly, his smirk widening.
"Where is he?" Adelaide pressed, her patience wearing thin.
Damon continued to smirk, enjoying Adelaide's frustration. "And good morning to you, little miss on a mission."
Elena, who had been standing behind her sister, stepped forward, her eyes narrowed. "How can you be so arrogant and glib after everything you've done?"
Damon raised an eyebrow, amused by Elena's boldness. "And how can you be so brave and stupid to call a vampire arrogant and glib?"
Feeling protective, Adelaide placed a hand on Elena's shoulder and pushed her slightly behind her. She locked eyes with Damon, her gaze steely. "If you wanted us dead, we would be dead."
"That's true." Damon acknowledged, a hint of amusement in his tone as he met Adelaide's gaze.
"But we're not." Elena's voice piped up from behind her sister, her voice tinged with equal parts fear and determination.
"Yet." Damon retorted with a smirk, his eyes gleaming mischievously.
"Until then." Adelaide declared, her jaw set in a steely resolve as she took a step forward and circled around Damon, leading the way into the dimly lit house.
Elena followed closely behind her sister as they made their way through the eerie hallway, the air heavy with tension. As they reached the heart of the house, Elena called out for Stefan, her voice echoing off the walls.
"Yes?" Stefan's voice drifted down from the top of the grand staircase, his figure appearing like a specter in the shadows.
"Where is Vicki?" Elena inquired, her voice laced with urgency as she scanned Stefan's face for any sign of trouble.
"She's upstairs." Stefan replied, his expression troubled as he descended the stairs with cautious steps, his eyes flickering between the sisters.
Adelaide rubbed her forehead in worry as she questioned, "What happens now? Our brother is out there searching for her with the rest of the town. What do we tell him?"
"I'm working with her." Stefan explained. "But it's going to take time. She has a very volatile and impulsive personality. She's a drug user. I mean, all that's going to play a part in how she responds to this."
"So, she's a vampire with issues?" Elena questioned. "What are we supposed to do? We're lying to everyone we care about. What's going to happen to her?"
"I'm going to keep her here with me until I know it's safe," Stefan explained.
"How long is that?" Vicki questioned as she made her way down the stairs.
Stefan sighed. "We can talk about that later."
"Hey, Vicki. How are you doing?" Elena asked the newly turned vampire.
"How am I? You're kidding, right?" Vicki huffed.
"Let me make us some coffee," Stefan said before he quickly turned and made his way towards the kitchen, leaving the three girls standing there with confused looks on their faces. The rustic aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, easing the tension in the room.
The three girls stood there staring at each other, and with each passing second, Adelaide grew more nervous as she saw Vicki glaring at them with an intensity that could rival a thunderstorm. "Thank God," Adelaide whispered under her breath as she saw Stefan walking back into the room, holding four steaming cups of coffee.
"Coffee is our friend." Stefan began, his voice calm yet authoritative. " It´s caffeine. It circulates through our veins and it warm our body so we´re not so cold to the touch."
As Vicki looked at Stefan with a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty, she questioned him, "Well, what if I want to drink human blood?"
Stefan regarded her with a calm expression, knowing this conversation was inevitable. "You're going to have to learn how to live with the urge and fight it on a daily basis, one day at a time." he explained, his tone gentle yet firm.
"Oh, god," Vicki groaned, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "Don't start with the whole 12-step thing. The school counselor has taken me down that road before, and it just doesn't work for me."
Stefan paused for a moment before responding, his gaze steady. "It can work, Vicki. It's your choice."
"So, you mean to tell me you've never tasted human blood?" Vicki inquired.
Stefan was quiet for a moment before he spoke, "Not in a long time."
Vicki furrowed her eyebrows in curiosity, "How long?"
Stefan hesitated, stealing a glance at Elena before looking down and mumbling, "Years and years. I'm not proud of my past behavior."
Vicki sighed before she questioned, "Does this sketchy feeling ever go away?" She moved her fingers to her temple as she continued, "It's like I have a massive hangover. This daylight thing is a bitch."
Vicki suddenly stood up from the table. "I need more blood. Where's your bathroom? I have to pee." She looked over at Stefan in confusion. "Why do I have to pee? I thought I was dead," Vicki said as she quickly left the room.
It was silent for a moment before Stefan stood from the table and said, "I'm gonna go, uh, I'm gonna get her some more. All right. I will be quick," before he left the room.
Stefan had barely left the room when Vicki bounced back in, her energy palpable. "False alarm," she announced, her eyes sparkling with an unexplainable excitement. "My body's feeling really funky. It's good funky, but it's weird," she added before sauntering over to the dining room table, grabbing her cell phone along the way.
Elena arched an eyebrow as she watched Vicki dial a number. "Who are you calling?" she inquired, crossing her arms.
"Jeremy." Vicki replied nonchalantly, her eyes fixed on the screen of her phone.
Elena's expression hardened. "Vicki, you can't see Jeremy anymore." she declared firmly, rising from her seat at the dining table.
Vicki scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Oh, come on, don't you start. I'm gonna see whoever I wanna see." she retorted, her tone defiant.
Adelaide, sensing the tension in the room, interjected softly, "Vicki, you have to understand, you could hurt him."
Vicki turned to face Adelaide, her gaze softening. "I would never hurt Jeremy." she insisted, her voice filled with conviction.
Adelaide placed a comforting hand on Vicki's arm. "I know you believe that, but the bloodlust...it can control you. You need to learn to control yourself first before seeing Jeremy again."
Elena decided to ruin everything. "You're gonna have to let Jeremy go," Elena told Vicki with determination in her voice.
Vicki glared at Elena, her eyes flashing with defiance. "Oh, really. How long have you been preparing the 'you're not good enough' speech? I'm assuming it predates the whole vampire thing," Vicki commented sarcastically.
"All I'm saying is that Jeremy is not getting involved in any of this. I mean it, Vicki." Elena said, her tone firm.
Vicki chuckled darkly. "Or what?" she questioned with a wicked grin. In a sudden burst of aggression, Vicki pushed Elena up against the wall, her grip tightening around Elena's neck.
Adelaide ran towards Vicki, her heart pounding in her chest. She could see the anger in Vicki's eyes as she approached Elena, her sister, who was defenseless against Vicki's hold. Without a second thought, Adelaide grabbed Vicki's arm, trying to pry her hands from Elena's neck.
But Vicki, fueled by her newfound strength and fury, effortlessly pushed Adelaide across the hall. Adelaide's body collided with the hard surface of the wall, causing her to groan in pain. She struggled to stand back up, refusing to back down.
"Let's get one thing straight," Vicki's voice was cold and cutting, "you little bitch. You had my brother whipped for fifteen years, and then you dumped him. When I look at you, that's all I see, just so you know."
Adelaide pulled herself up from the ground, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and determination. She knew she needed to do something to divert Vicki's attention away from Elena. A dangerous and reckless idea formed in her mind, and despite the potential consequences, she forged ahead.
"Jeremy is just using you, just like Tyler," Adelaide boldly proclaimed to Vicki, her voice steady despite the chaos unfolding around them.
Vicki's eyes widened in disbelief, her grip on Elena loosening slightly. "Oh, boy," Adelaide muttered to herself, bracing for Vicki's reaction.
Vicki's expression twisted with anger as she shoved Elena away, focusing her attention solely on Adelaide now. "Jeremy would never use me, he loves me!" she declared, her voice tinged with desperation.
Adelaide met Vicki's gaze intensely. "And Tyler? He doesn't love you either," she retorted, a mischievous grin playing on her lips.
Vicki's eyes narrowed, a flicker of doubt crossing her features. "He cheated on you, with me." she reminded Adelaide, her tone challenging.
Adelaide held Vicki's gaze, her own eyes unwavering. "That may be true, but deep down, he still loves me. And he will never love you," she stated confidently, the words laced with a hint of superiority.
Vicki squeezed Adelaide's neck a little more before dropping her and quickly left the room. Adelaide gasped for breath once Vicki had finally let go of her and looked over to see Elena holding onto her neck.
"Are you okay?" Elena asked in concern, helping her sister off the floor. Adelaide shrugged, "I had to do something, she was hurting you." Elena wrapped her arms around her sister tightly, needing to ensure Adelaide was okay.
Finally, Stefan entered the room and saw both sisters holding onto their necks. "What happened?" Stefan questioned.
"She threatened me." Elena explained. Stefan promptly moved the two girls outside onto the porch.
Stefan's voice held a hint of concern as he spoke. "Imagine every sense in your body operating at super speed. I mean, she's uncomfortable in her own skin and then when you throw in her other issues." He trailed off, a troubled expression crossing his face.
"How long until she settles? Hours, weeks, days?" Elena's voice was laced with worry as she questioned him.
Stefan shook his head solemnly, "There's no rule book for how long it could take."
Adelaide, who had been listening intently, interjected with a curious tone, "Well, how long before she learns to control it?"
Stefan paused, reflecting on his own struggles, "It took me a while, but I didn't have anybody to help me. I had to do it on my own." His gaze flickered to Elena and Adelaide, a sense of determination in his eyes.
"The thing is." Stefan continued, "it's hard to resist certain people, especially when you're new. It's difficult to separate your feelings—love, lust, anger, desire. It can blur into one urge, one hunger."
Elena furrowed her brows in confusion, "What does that mean?"
Adelaide, ever perceptive, translated Stefan's words, "What Stefan means is that Jeremy can't see her. She could hurt him without realizing it."
Stefan nodded in agreement with Adelaide's explanation, a shadow of worry crossing his features.
"Our worst nightmare," Elena muttered under her breath, her eyes reflecting a mix of fear and determination.
"I'm not going to let anybody get hurt," Stefan vowed, his voice firm with resolve.
Elena turned away from Stefan, her eyes tired and filled with an unspoken weight, and addressed Adelaide, "We should go."
"Elena." Stefan's plea carried a tinge of desperation.
"Stefan, there's only so much I can take," Elena stressed as she walked towards her car, the distance between them growing with each step.
Adelaide cast a sympathetic look towards Stefan, giving him a small smile before following after her sister, the heavy silence hanging in the air.
Adelaide made her way into the kitchen with her sister walking slowly behind her. She saw Jeremy on the phone, tension evident in his furrowed brow as he paced back and forth. She only caught his side of the conversation.
"You gotta call me back Vic. I don't get it. What's going on with you? Just... Call me back," Jeremy muttered anxiously before abruptly ending the call.
Ignoring the sense of unease that crept up her spine, Adelaide plastered on a smile as she addressed her brother, trying to steer the conversation away from Vicki. "We should all hang out tonight. Have some fun, just the three of us," she suggested.
Jeremy, looking puzzled by Adelaide's sudden enthusiasm, raised an eyebrow. "The school is having a Halloween party tonight," she added.
"Cool... sure. Sounds fun. Can't wait," Jeremy replied.
Adelaide sighed before she looked towards her sister for help as Jeremy started to walk out of the kitchen. " Jeremy wait." Elena called out. "I know you´re upset about Vicki. I hear she called Matt. But you can´t be with her. She needs to get better. The best thing you can do for her isto let her go."
Adelaide shook her head. Of course, leave it to Elena to say something to make Jeremy mad. "What dose that even mean, let her go?" Jeremy questioned, frustration written all over his face. " Oh, sure. Since we´re such experts in letting people go, right?"
Elena turned to Adelaide for help, but Adelaide just shrugged her shoulders. She was not going to get involved in his conversation.
" I know you may not see it, but trust me, Jer. It´s for the best." Elena said softly,
Jeremy made his way towards his sisters as he spoke. "Look, for months after Mom and Dad died and you being in a coma, I felt like crap. like nothing really ever mattered. Now all of a sudden, I get these moments, and things started to feel just a little bit better, and Vicki was in every single one of them." Jeremy sighed as he turned towards Adelaide. "I know she hurt you, and for that, I'm truly sorry, Addy, but keeping her away from me is not for the best. Trust me."
Jeremy stomped out of the room, heading up to his bedroom. Elena sighed and looked towards Adelaide sadly. Adelaide smiled back at her sister as she stated, "Don't worry about him. When the time comes, we will be there to protect him." Adelaide looked at Elena and smirked. "Now get ready, we have a Halloween party to get to."