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"They take their shots, but we're bullet proof. You know for me, it's always you."

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THERE'S USUALLY only so much pain someone can take until they pass out, but unfortunately the pain tolerance for vampires is quite high, leaving me laying helplessly in the middle of the dark forest with a giant stake in my chest, just below my heart.

I can no longer hear Damon's yelling as he searches for Joel, but I'm not sure if that's because of the amount of pain I'm in, or because Silas has gotten him too. I understand now why Kol was so scared of the thought of raising Silas, why Klaus the mighty Mikaelson out of all people winced every time Silas's name was brought up.

Someone who can read people's minds, and disguise themselves of anyone they please is nothing to fantasize over- it's to fear. I'm not certain about a whole lot of things at the moment, but one thing I do know for sure is that I'm scared as hell. I don't know who to trust if Silas can appear to be anybody. The only person I know for sure I can trust is James, seeing as we can communicate telepathically.

"James?" I call out in my mind. I try and shift upwards to get a better grip on the stake in my chest, but it's no use. With every inch I more, the more splinters that dig deeper into my skin, crawling their way closer to my heart. With every poke the slivers make into my heart, a giant shooting pain filled with a burning sensation shoots through my body, so bad that I start to feel dizzy.

"Blair, where are you? I can't find Joel anywhere," he replies back.

"It's S- ah- Silas. He -ow- tricked me into thinking he was Joel," I manage to say, struggling to concentrate in my mind while pulling out the stake. Although I fear the more I try, the worse it'll get.

"Where are you? I'm coming," James says.

"No, James you-ow- don't understand. Silas, he could trick you," I plead, not wanting him to get hurt.

"Blair, relax okay? I'm going to come find you. We'll think of a secrete word, one only we would know." James says calmly.

"It doesn't make a difference. He can read our minds," I say. 

"We'll figure something out. Now where are you?"

"Somewhere in the forest, just outside the dance," I say. I know I don't have to say more as I hear footsteps in the distance, a man like figure walking towards me. I fear for a split second that it's Silas, and the closer the figure gets the more fearful I become as I realize it's Joel.

"Stay away from me!" I yell, screaming at Joel.

He immediately holds his hands up in surrender, slowly approaching my limp figure as I lean against a tree for support. "Blair? Oh my god, are you okay? What happened!" he exclaims, bending down beside me, but I forcefully push him away.

"Don't play these games with me, Silas! LEAVE ME ALONE!" I bellow, baring my fangs. I'm too weak to do anything else.

"What are you talking about?" Joel questions, but before he can say anything more, James appears and harshly pins Joel up against a tree, holding him by his throat with every ounce of strength he's got.

"Back the hell off," James growls deeply, in a tone I haven't heard him use before. It's deep and threatening, and actually quite scary. I think I've only heard him use that tone on Klaus.

"What the bloody hell is going on!" Joel panics, staring at both of us in a perplexing manor.

"Who do you think we are, Silas!" I snap, inching my way up so I'm standing against the tree.

"What? You think I'm Silas?" Joel questions, his hands held up as James's arm is still pinned against his throat.

"You're not?" James asks seriously, loosening his hold on Joel slightly.

"No I'm bloody not!" Joel defends, looking at the two of us in disgust. Joel's constant use of the word 'bloody' is the only assurance I need to confirm that he is in fact Joel and not Silas.

"Wait," I moan. "It's not Silas. He uses too many profanities," I say, cracking a smile. James exhales deeply before releasing Joel who looks rather pissed.

"Jesus," he sighs, scratching his throat. "How do we know you're not Silas?" Joel asks, talking to James.

"Can you hear me?" I ask, talking to James in my mind. 

James turns to me suddenly. "Yes, I can," he says. 

"It's him," I say, looking at Joel.

"What about you?" he questions, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Are you kidding me right now? Would I really stab myself if I were Silas?" I scoff, my hand still on the stake that's lodged into my chest.

"Uh, yeah. It's called acting," Joel scoffs back, too busy entertaining his ego to realize I'm suffering just by standing.

James shakes his head at the two of us before walking to me and placing a hand on my shoulder. "This is going to hurt," he says sternly, and before I have a chance to question him he rips out the stake from my chest, pulling out all the little slivers along with it. I double over in pain while gripping my chest, groaning loudly to hold in the screams that threaten to slide up my throat as James embraces me in a hug.

As his arms wrap around my back I can feel myself healing, and his comfort helps distract me from the pain as my flesh heals. "I'm glad you're okay," he whispers into my hair.

I smile against his hold and close my eyes, savouring the moment. If I've learned anything in this life it's that you never know what's going to be thrown at you next meaning you need to take every free chance you have to stop and take a breath. Otherwise you'll be living on an endless track that circles round and round, repeating the same hell of this everlasting nightmare over and over. Although I've gotten past the anxiety of it all, it never hurts to receive a break every once and a while.

James releases me so we can all turn to Joel who is still standing there with his arms crossed stubbornly across his chest. "Oh Joel! I'm glad you're okay too!" James teases, roughing his little brother's hair up. Joel smacks his older brother's hand away before marching back to the dance, James and I following in his steps.

"So do we have a plan, or are we going to let Silas play with our minds?" James asks as we walk.

"He said he wanted the cure by midnight," I say, remembering everything Silas had told me before he stabbed a stake below my heart. 

"Well, that's a Christmas gift that's never going to happen," Joel comments.

I let out a light laugh just as a harsh wind blows through the trees, too strong to be natural. Lights flicker near by and some even burst as several car horns go off in the near by parking lot. There's only one explanation for the cause of all of this, only one person who has this sort of energy inside them: Bonnie.

"It's Bonnie, we have to find her," I say, worried that Silas has gotten to her. He did say he wanted her for his plan, as he was the one brainwashing her all along to learn dark magic. So the three of us sprint in the middle of the night to the source of the power near the parking lot only to find Bonnie standing there as the wind rustles around her, blowing her long brown hair all over the place. Even though I'm not close with Bonnie, I can tell she's struggling with herself, struggling to contain the power she possesses inside of her.

"Bonnie?" I yell, calling her out of her daze.

Suddenly all the tress stop swaying and the cars go silent as Bonnie slowly turns to the three of us, only me daring to step towards her. I hold my hand out in surrender, slowly walking to her. "Bonnie, are you okay? Is Silas here?" I ask calmly.

She has tears in her eyes and her hands are trembling so much that she clenches them into fists. "He's gone now," she whispers, but before she can say anything more Elena suddenly attacks her, feeding off of her best friends blood.

Before I can pull Elena off Bonnie, Elena drops to the ground in pain, clutching her head as if in a pain infliction spell. Bonnie is one of the strongest witches around as of right now, and I'm not one to step right in the middle of her anger even if it is directed at her emotionless best friend. However, as to be expected my brothers appear, Damon going to Elena while Stefan tries to calm Bonnie.

"Bonnie, stop. You're killing her," Stefan pleads.

"I know what I'm doing," she growls.

Her use of tone sends shivers down my back as she keeps her concentration on Elena who cries out in pain in front of her. I have no sympathy for Elena at the moment, only for Bonnie who tries so desperately to control herself, but her anger is getting the best of her. It's something I know the feeling of all too well.

"Damn it, Bonnie," Damon growls, holding Elena in his arms.

Elena screams in pain one last time before Bonnie backs away, releasing the spell. "Bonnie, wait!" I call, but she's too far gone, too caught up in everything to turn around. Tonight was supposed to be the night of their lives, a night to remember, but instead it ended up turning into another fight for survival. It's a sick routine this town keeps circling in, and part of me wishes it would stop for once so innocent people like Bonnie could live. I don't know why, but I find myself feeling rather defensive over Bonnie.

As Bonnie leaves, Damon injects Elena with vervain, making her fall limply to the ground. I assume it's part of their rehab plan for Elena's humanity, so I don't ask questions. Instead I sigh while clutching my chest to hide the giant blood stain from where Silas impaled me.

"Blair, where are you going?" James calls after me. I stop and turn around so I am facing him.

"Home," I say grimly, slightly disappointed that tonight did not go as planned. This was supposed to be our second date. Instead it turned into yet another freak show with the supernatural overclouding everything.

"Why? Our date isn't over yet," he says enthusiastically.

I chuckle a laugh. "No? I can't exactly go back in there with a giant gaping hole in my dress stained of blood," I point out, staring down at my ruined dress.

James takes my hand and holds it with two of his. "Blair Salvatore, this date is not over yet," he says seriously, and I can't help but smile. Every time he tries to be serious it makes me laugh. "Now, if you would do me the honours and follow me," he says, pulling me along with him towards his truck.

I don't argue despite how much my stubborn self wants to, because I know James is only trying to make me happy. The least I can do it let him, because I know time spent with him is time well spent.

∆ ∆ ∆

"Where are we going?" I ask, my hate for surprises showing through.

"Can't say," James teases, driving around town in his truck in the middle of the night. It's quiet, and peaceful, the complete opposite of what prom was like. I can't say that I'm hating our time together. It's nice actually.

"Weren't you supposed to give Joel a ride?" I ask.

"He said he'd hitch a ride with Stefan," James replies, looking straight ahead.

"Did you tell him to, or did he offer?" I question with a smirk, knowing James wanted to be alone with me. Having Joel third wheeling isn't exactly ideal for a date.

"Surprisingly he offered," James admits, just as he pulls into a plaza, specifically driving up to the burger joint.

"What are we doing?" I question, both curious and confused.

"We are doing something you have never experienced before. You may have missed a lot over a century, but that only gives me the pleasure of showing you what glorious things you have missed out on," James explains.

"And what glorious event have I missed out on?" I ask slowly.

"Fast food and drive thru. They sort of go hand in hand," he says, pulling up to a window at the side of the burger joint.

I furrow my brows in confusion with a smile on my face as I let him order. He then pulls up to a second window to pay and pick up our food which comes in two large brown paper bags. The smell radiating off the bag immediately hits my nose as soon as the bags enter the truck. It's a strong and distinct smell that I've never really smelt before, but to be honest it's quite a beautiful smell.

James drives the truck into an empty parking spot so we can dive into our meal. James opens the bags and pulls out two perfectly wrapped burgers before passing one to me. "Does this taste as good as it smells?" I ask, unwrapping the hot burger.

"Damn right it does. And if I may say, this has got to be one of the best creations of man kind," James comments, unwrapping his burger.

"I guess I'll have to test it out myself," I say before bringing the burger to my mouth and taking a bite. It's large and almost impossible to fit inside my mouth, but as soon as the hot and juicy meat touches my tongue, I can't stop. It's a mix of juiciness and fried goodness that makes it all that good, and I can tell just how the oil drips off of it that this burger is practically a heart attack in bag. Thankfully for vampires, this burger will have no effect on me other than a high of happiness once I finish eating it.

"This is delicious," I grumble in between a mouthful. Already I've eaten more than half of the burger in about three bites.

"Wait 'till you try these babies," James says, wiggling his eyebrows playfully making me almost choke on my food. He pulls out two containers of long fried sticks, passing one to me. "They're french fries, and you'll love them," he assures me.

I finish my burger and begin eating the fries, not able to stop myself. As I laugh with James as ketchup squirts down his white shirt underneath his tux, I can't help but think about how much James really makes me happy. I thought tonight was going to suck after Silas appeared, and I feel even worse knowing Bonnie is the one caught up in the middle of it, her special prom night being ruined too. Then I think about all the nasty shit I've been through as well and realize I deserve this happiness too, and for now I'll savour the moment, allowing myself to help Bonnie tomorrow, because only god knows how terrible she's feeling right now. Her best friend almost killed her, and Silas is trying to use her as a tool. I can only imagine what she's going through, but for now I put everyone else's problems aside and think about me for once. For once I think about what I need to be happy, and what I need is James.

"Damn it. They're gone," I frown, looking at the empty bottom of my french fry container. James casually hands me the empty brown paper bag, making my brows furrow in confusion but I soon realize the bottom of the bag is filled with stray pieces of french fries. "Hell yes," I smirk, eating them from the bag.

Just as I shove the last fry in my mouth, my phone goes off urging me to answer it. "Hello Elijah," I greet. "How's everything?"

"Everything is splendid here, but I'm just wondering how you're doing. Has anyone else mentioned the word cure?" he asks me.

"No, thankfully," I say, remembering earlier how I said if anyone else mentioned the word 'cure', I would take it from Elijah and hide it myself where I could control who gets it.

"That's great, now would you mind giving it back to me?" he asks in a polite manor, but I'm too confused to mock him for his kindness.

"What are you talking about? I don't have it," I say slowly, glancing over at James who is already looking at me, listening to the call.

"What do you mean? Of course you do. You came by an hour ago saying that someone had mentioned the cure, and therefor you needed to hide it. You told me Blair, you told me that if you demanded it than I shall give it to you," Elijah says, fear laced within his voice.

"No, Elijah I never did that. I've been with James the whole time, I-I," I freeze, realization already hitting me. There's only one person who could've fooled Elijah, and only one person who could have gotten inside my head to know exactly what to say to the eldest original.

"Oh god," I whisper, turning to James with fear filled eyes.

"Blair?" Elijah questions.

"It was Silas, Elijah. Silas tricked you, he tricked all of us, and now he has the cure," I breathe out, my fists clenched and my teeth bit down so hard on my lip that I draw blood. The taste sits on my tongue and I find myself wanting to crawl into my bed and never come out.

"Stop that," James says, pointing to the blood that's on my lips from the wound I've inflicted upon myself.

I sigh and lick it off, letting the cut heal while I lean my head back and glance out the window. The town is quiet,  yet terrible things are happening. James suddenly places his hand over mine and directs my gaze to him by gently placing his hand on my chin. "We'll figure this out. We always do," he says, before placing a gentle kiss on my lips.

That kiss is all I need to assure me that if there's anyone that can stop Silas from raising hell on the other side, it's the gang from Mystic Falls.

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[completed & edited: 09/08/2021]