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𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄 𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 arriving back at the Salvatore house. They had stayed over at Elena's for a good while before returning and Colette was pleased to know Damon told the other girl about his plan to save Stefan.

Inside the boarding house, Damon gave her a bag of blood to take with her for now. She was happy to say she really wasn't that hungry and was more tired than she realized. While she gathered her things to leave, she was pleasantly surprised to find both her phone and small purse. She hadn't even realized she'd brought a purse with her that night of Elena's party but was happy nonetheless.

She looked through her phone as Damon drove her home and she wasn't shocked to see missed calls from her parents and even a few from Tommy, which made her stomach sick. How the hell was she supposed to act normal around him once she got home?

What made her skin burn and her stomach churn were the missed calls and texts from Naya.

12:01 pm. Where the hell are you?

12:50 pm. Didn't you hear? My car is totaled. Call me back soon!

1:30 pm. BITCH CALL ME

4:15 pm. I know you're hiding out somewhere, call me as soon as you see this.

8:09 pm. I'm starting to get worried, call me.

10:57 pm. Colette Copeman answer your goddamn phone right now

12:07 am. Cole, pls im sorry. call me pls. i miss u. i need to know ur safe

3:36 pm. cole, im so sorry and i know you're scared but pls call me ok? we can work this out. we can talk! call me!

"What, did little miss popular get a bunch of texts while she was out werewolf hunting?" asked Damon as they pulled into her neighborhood.

"Naya's looking for me," she muttered, shaking her head.

"Don't tell me you're already backing out against your little vendetta?"

"Hardly," she scoffed. "I'm more nervous that she's gone to my parents about what happened." Colette shifted in her seat, looking through the texts from Tommy as she said, "I'm scared Tommy's going to be home and he'll know something's different."

6:45 pm. Hey mom is pretty worried, you haven't texted since noon. you gonna be home for dinner or what?

7:05 pm. Cole???

"Different how?" he laughed. "Like you're dead?"

"Shut up," she snarled as he laughed harder.

"You'll be fine," he murmured as he slowed to a stop a few houses down from hers. "Just act normal, well, as normal as you were before."

"Dick."

"Just explain that you stayed with Elena for the past two nights, I don't know, Colette. If you're that worried, just compel them."

"Compel them?"

"You know, control them with your mind."

She frowned. "How the hell do I do that?"

"Concentrate on what you want them to do, stare into their eyes," he explained, glancing out the window and towards her home. The front porch lights were on but there wasn't a light inside, everything was eerily dark. "Your folks have been living with a vampire already, what's one more going to do?"

"Damon," she murmured, following his stare because the house was strangely dark. There was always a light in the hall when she'd get home late, or even one in the kitchen but everything was black.

Everything looked empty.

"I'm afraid of Tommy."

He was quiet.

"I'm afraid of Naya."

Was she, though? Or was she more afraid of what they could do to the people she loved?

She wasn't afraid of a little blood, that was more than apparent now. But what she was afraid of was finding her world falling apart around her. That was something she wouldn't be able to handle.

But hadn't becoming a vampire done that already? The dying, the anguish, the agony? Hadn't that changed everything?

The death of a parent would be worse. The death of a friend.

"She's not going to be in there," said Damon, trying to reassure her but she shook her head.

"Tommy can invite her in."

"Well."

She shot him a glare and reached for the door handle. "I just have this horrible feeling I'm going to see something I'm not going to like when I go inside."

"I'll stay here an extra five minutes."

"Listen for my screams."

"Will do, parrot."

Colette got out of the car and let the door shut loudly behind her. The night air was cool but not cold enough to draw goosebumps. Could she even get goosebumps anymore? She shook that thought from her head and continued up the sidewalk and towards her home. Her home was just a few houses down, close enough for her to still see well inside the darkness.

She was going to be grateful to be able to sleep in her own bed but as she crept up the front steps and pulled her key from her bag, she felt fear creep up her spine like a caressing, dead hand.

She knew it was only her own paranoia but when she opened the door, she could smell something wrong. She could smell rot, just like she could smell blood. It was overwhelming and swelled up in her nose and down her throat like a hand forcing the remnants of something she once loved deep into her core.

Stepping into the home, she was horrified to find there wasn't anything to stop her from entering. She had been afraid there would be that stupid invisible forcefield keeping her out but she could walk in just as easily as she always could. That was just the second worrying thought and it got worse when her hand found the light switch and the dark was pulled out and away like a blanket.

There was something horrifying in finding the walls painted in blood like a vibrant, beautiful artistic sunset. It was inherently wrong but was gloriously beautiful and it struck Colette in the gut like someone driving their fist into her liver.

She stumbled back, unable to find the breath to even scream. When her back hit the wall, everything came crumbling down and her knees buckled.

There was no red. There was no horrible smell. Everything was as it always was. Clean and perfect and smelling of home and of their laundry detergent.

Colette ran a hand through her hair, letting out a long breath to steady her racing heart. It was just another compelled memory coming back to her, now that she knew what had truly happened to her when she'd forgotten things.

But why was there blood? Who had come here and painted their walls with gore?

She got to her feet, using the open door to keep her steady before letting it shut almost silently behind her. From the window, she watched Damon's car drive past and even saw him give her a little wave before continuing down the road. Watching him leave didn't make her feel better, it only made her stomach coil with what these hidden memories meant and why they were still crawling back to her.

Clutching her bag to her chest, she turned the lights off and slowly walked up the stairs. She couldn't sense anyone in the house besides her sleeping parents and she was grateful. Colette didn't know what she'd do if she saw Tommy or even Naya.

When she reached her bedroom, she closed the door so softly she barely heard the click. Inside, finally truly alone, she opened her purse and pulled the blood bag free. She had never held one in her hand before, she'd never even donated blood before to know. She opened the top and brought it to her lips.

She was more hesitant than she'd been when she devoured Naya. It had been different. The hunger had been different.

She gave it one long suck, pulling the liquid into her mouth like a small pool of ambrosia. It wasn't warm, not like it would be straight from the vein. It was cold and she almost liked it better this way, like it was some refreshing smoothie after a workout. She pulled the bag from her mouth and swallowed thickly before closing it and hiding it back inside her purse. She'd have to find a place to store it tomorrow.

Maybe she'd buy a mini fridge for her room.

Kicking off her shoes, she sat down on her bed and continued to look through her messages. She wasn't shocked to find a few from Nik.

1:51 am. Dinner tomorrow?

5:10 am. you haven't texted once tonight. you're okay, right?

10:23 am. love, i'm not the one to religiously worry over a girl but you are okay, right?

5:44 pm. Colette?

She instantly began to craft a message back. She hadn't thought he would've worried over her but since the night of her birthday, the tension between them was almost heavenly.

Nik!! i'm so sorry my phone died and i've been w a friend all day. how about dinner this weekend?

She was happy to see him text her back almost instantly. She waited a moment to look at it and when she did, her heart skipped an unnatural beat.

Afraid I'll be in Chicago this weekend

Her phone chimed and another text rolled in.

glad to see you survived the party, although i will admit you scared me for a second. thought you must've died.

Only from alcohol, she texted and sighed to herself. If only it had just been alcohol, then she wouldn't be sitting in the dark sucking blood through a straw. She wouldn't be fearing for her life because of her best friend and brother.

Maybe, if it had just been alcohol, she wouldn't have to live while her parents grew old and died.

honestly think the hangover today nearly put me in the grave, she added.

Seems like you love tempting the fates.

the fates must love me them.

The fates had a lot more in store for her, she knew that based on the aching memories. She had witnessed more death than she had ever known. It made her think how many more memories were stolen from her over the years and how many of them would eventually find their way back.

The more she sat thinking, the more the horrible creeping feeling of something wrong seeped into Colette. It started in her stomach, as most things did, and it was hot and cold and left her fingertips going numb.

"Please just forget this, okay?" Naya begged. "Please just forget you ever saw this, Cole."

Blood on the floor. Blood on Naya's hands. Blood on the knife.

"Cole? Please, I love you, okay? Just remember that–"

"Are you done?"

It was Tommy's voice from somewhere behind her. It was always Tommy's voice.

Colette dug her hands into her blankets like claws ready to shred. She felt the unsettling feeling leave and the warmth that had spread within her vanished with it. She knew Naya had killed her parents, well, she'd killed her father. There was no true proof whether or not Naya had killed her mother but Colette remembered the pair had always been close. They had loved each other, Naya had loved them both.

How could she kill her father? How could her father supposedly kill her mother? Didn't they all love each other? Hadn't Colette felt that love at every family dinner she was invited to? Every brunch?

Her phone dinged and it took her out of her trance.

Perhaps you should ask the fates whether or not you'd like a night out with me in Chicago this weekend?

She smiled and her worries melted away. But aren't you there for work?

I'm always working, love. that doesn't mean I can't make time for you.

She laid back on her bed, resting her head against her pillow as she texted, looks like i'm going to Chicago.

That night, she fell asleep thinking of him and she dreamt of gore, but there was only one she remembered when she woke up.

She woke to sunlight from all corners. It blanketed her like something heavy. She rolled over, reaching out to pull her blanket back on top of her but stopped when her fingers dug into something damp.

Opening her eyes in shock, she found herself not in her bed at all like she thought. Her hand that had been searching for her blanket was covered in the soft soil she laid in. She was in the woods and instead of last time, she was still fully clothed.

She took in her surroundings. This wasn't somewhere she would recognize but it wouldn't take her long to get back home, thanks to vamp speed. Getting to her feet, she was disappointed to find herself barefoot. Patting down her sides, she groaned.

She'd left her phone at home but from how high the sun had risen, it was only early morning and yet, the sun was still hot and feverish against her face.

Colette began her trek home, choosing a direction and following it until she began to hear the sounds of cars. She didn't know how she'd gotten outside. The only thing she remembered was falling asleep and waking here, like she had in her blood drunk haze the night she'd died. Was this all connected to her roaring memories? Or was this just a fluke, something as normal as sleepwalking by accident?

She looked at her hands as she walked. The only thing underneath her nails was dirt, so it was safe to say she didn't kill anyone.

That she knew of.

She was home five minutes later, walking up her porch steps and opening her front door that was always unlocked during the day because her parents never truly knew boundaries. It seemed that the animal attacks last year didn't scare them. If only they had known the truth behind them like she now did.

Vampires. It was always vampires.

The house smelled like bacon and she was surprised to find both Adam and Stella fluttering around the kitchen. There was a nervous, almost painted jitter to their movements as if they were forcing themselves to cook and move.

"Colette!" Stella gasped out, the pan in her hand clattering into the sink as she clasped both hands over her mouth. Colette could smell the shock coming off the woman like thick clouds of pollution.

Adam moved first, crossing the kitchen to the living room in two long strides before encasing her in a crushing hug. He gripped the back of her head, fisting her hair, his breathing sharp and short. He pulled back only to look at her face, brushing the hair from her face with sweaty hands as he let out a wet laugh.

"Thank god you're safe," he breathed before pulling her back into him.

She looked over his shoulder, brows furrowing as Stella doubled down in tears. "Uh, what's going on? I was just at Elena's house, you guys."

"You didn't hear?" asked Stella in a small voice as Adam finally released her.

Colette shook her head. Hear what?

"Honey, Naya's car was found the other night," Adam said, speaking for Stella who was shaking her head with her face contorted as if she might sob once again. "There was a lot of blood found at the scene and they said..." He shook his head, placing a hand on her shoulder. "The blood came back as a match for Naya and–"

"And you, baby," said Stella, gasping. "The blood was a match for you."

"Okay?" said Colette with a frown. "But I'm fine, I wasn't in an accident."

Lying came easy for her now, like a second skin. What was the point of the truth if it didn't get you what you wanted?

"Honey, there was a lot of blood," said Adam, guiding Colette towards the kitchen table. "Naya's body hasn't even been found yet and–"

"What?" gasped Colette, falling back into one of the chairs. "What do you mean her body hasn't been found? She's been–" She stopped herself and let out another gasp, shaking her head.

Play the part they want to see.

She forced tears to her eyes. "Mom, dad, what happened to Naya?" She got her bottom lip to tremble as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"The police think that–"

"Don't tell her that," snapped Stella before Adam could finish.

"Don't tell me what?" said Colette, looking between the two. "Someone just tell me what happened, tell me all of it!"

Adam sighed and rubbed his forehead. He looked towards his wife before sighing again and looking at his daughter. "The police didn't find a body at the scene, the speculated that an animal could have dragged her off."

Colette's lip parted. There was no animal, she knew that. The only beast that lurked back by the cars was Naya whenever she might've awoken. "So is she...is she..."

"Naya's dead, honey."

"But she could still be–"

"There was too much blood at the scene, the car was completely totaled," said Stella with a sharp look towards Adam. She always believed that half truths were better than full. Something about keeping the peace, keeping the innocence for as long as she could. "No one could have survived that."

"And you guys thought I was–?"

"At first, no," said Adam as Stella came up to stand behind him. He wiped at his face and Colette was pleased to see tears rimming his eyes. "You texted us before the car was found but we still feared for the worst."

Colette bit down on the inside of her cheek, her mouth filling with blood as more tears filled her eyes. "And the police? Do they know I'm okay? That I wasn't even involved with the accident?"

Stella nodded, brushing her hair from her flushed face. She had bags under her eyes and a weariness in his face that told Colette she hadn't slept for a while and if she did, it was only for short increments. "We told them what you had sent us but because we hadn't seen you, well, we thought someone else must've been texting us." She shook her head, forcing a smile. "It all seems so silly now because look at you! You're fine!"

"But Naya–" She choked on a half sob, content with the fact that she could get herself worked up so easily. Naya didn't deserve any real tears. "Naya's dead! How could she-she be dead?!"

"She might not be," said Adam and Colette didn't miss it when Stella hit him on the back, narrowing her eyes.

"Don't get her hopes up," whispered Stella in a hard breath before looking up and softening her gaze upon her daughter.

Colette knew Naya wasn't dead. Not dead in the way her parents were thinking. The girl had texted her at all hours. She was as dead as Colette was.

Heart beating but nothing left to care about. Not really.

"Is there going to be a search party for her?" asked Colette, wiping at her cheeks. "Are the police going to even look for her?"

"They were thinking of one this weekend," said Adam. "They wanted to do one tonight but it's supposed to rain–"

"Rain doesn't matter," snapped Colette, standing. "She's out there and we're doing nothing!"

"It's not safe out there," said Stella, reaching out to touch Colette and she flinched back, scowling at her mother.

"It's not safe out there for her."

Look at the little actress you've become. Spin your lies and tales. Cry like the character you've become.

"We'll talk to the neighbors." Adam stood, going for his phone on the counter. "We'll get a party together to go looking this evening."

"The sooner the better," said Colette. She glanced at her parents as Adam searched his contacts and Stella stood by his abandoned chair. "Why do you think my blood was at the scene? I wasn't even in the car."

"I don't know, sweetie," murmured Stella, stepping forward and this time Colette allowed her to touch her face. She cradled her head and smiled at her, warm and soft, like a liar.

How do I trust you? How do I know you both haven't been corrupted like I once was?

"I'm just so happy to see you home."

Colette nodded and allowed her mother to hug her as she thought of how nice it was going to be to tear into Naya and then Tommy. She couldn't wait too shed a little blood.

Colette stood by the edge of the road, looking down the small ravine where the twisted metal guardrails trailed down into the gully. There were still scraps from the car littering the ground that was now slick with mud from the soft trickle of rain.

She looked behind her as more cars rolled up and she recognized the car of the sheriff. Thank god for Sheriff Forbes. It made Colette wonder where Caroline was. It was Friday, surely the daughter of the sheriff would be here searching for her missing classmate.

She also wondered where Tommy could be. She could see Dean, Isaiah, and Ryan gathered by some of the parents. Colette didn't want to speak to them. She hated that she could even smell them so close. They all reeked of Tommy, or corruption.

It was the smell of beer that flavored their air that she hated. They were probably drunk or tipsy. They didn't care.

To be fair, Colette didn't either but she expected more.

"Cole, hey," a voice came from behind her and she turned. Matt strutted over, hands in his pockets and the hood of his rain jacket nearly covering his eyes.

"Matt." She smiled, thankful to see someone she didn't hate. "Thanks for coming out."

"I heard about what happened," he said, shaking his head as he looked down off the road. "I can't believe it."

Colette nodded, shifting into her mournful character easily. "It's hard to believe she..." She shook her head. "That she could be gone."

"We'll find her," he murmured, his hand going to her shoulder in a reassuring gesture.

She ignored the way her skin crawled. It wasn't like she disliked Matt, she was actually somewhat fond of him and his boringness. She liked that there wasn't anything special about him, that he could be just a person she could speak with. But something was changing within her the more she stood there with him and all of the people who were so strictly human it was near sickening.

How many of them have been compelled? Controlled? Changed?

"They're going to separate us into groups," Matt said, interrupting her from her thoughts. "Come on, hopefully we'll be together."

She nodded and muttered something along the lines of "uh-huh" as she trailed after him. Sheriff Forbes was directing groups towards different quadrants she'd marked off on a map of the area. Colette watched as both Adam and Stella and a group of other parents head off towards the opposite side of the highway and when the sheriff reached Colette and Matt, she was surprised to see grief in her eyes.

"Colette, honey, how are you doing?" asked Liz Forbes, reaching out to touch the girl's arm gently.

"I'm okay," said Colette in a near croaking whisper.

"We're going to do everything we can to find her," Liz said, glancing at Matt before handing him a flashlight and a whistle. "Blow this if you find anything and we'll come your way. And Colette?"

She had already begun to walk off and she turned, raising a brow.

"Can I speak to you for a moment?"

She nodded and walked back to the sheriff, stepping off to stand near her car as Matt waited for her near the broken guardrail.

"I wanted to ask you about that night," she said, looking over at her with a critical, soft eye. "I know you and your parents both say you weren't in the car but, dear, you've got to understand how that doesn't make sense."

Colette shifted on her feet. "I wasn't there, I don't understand the problem?"

"We found your blood at the scene," said the sheriff, "and a lot of it."

"It wasn't mine." She held out her arms and did a little spin as she said, "See? I'm completely fine."

"Colette–"

"I was with Elena and Damon, they can vouch for me," said Colette, feeling a nervous chill trickle up her spine and neck. She felt as if she could trust Liz, but she couldn't say for certain. What would she do if she knew the truth behind the accident? Would the manhunt stop and Naya's secret betrayal go unnoticed by the town? Or would she continue to search in hopes of an arrest? Or, potentially, a killing? "I'm really sorry, sheriff, but I need to get out there. I can't stand to think she's still here and waiting for help."

Liz Forbes nodded and as Colette walked away, she caught a glimpse of her pulling out her phone and she had no doubt she was calling Damon.

She had a feeling the sheriff would be a new ally but would she really allow Colette to go off and kill Naya? And Tommy? Would a law abiding citizen truly allow such an act in her town?

"You ready?" asked Matt.

Colette turned with a nod. "Ready as I'll ever be." She offered him a small smile as he stepped on the decline and she followed suit.

The ground was wetter than she had thought and her boots slid through the mud but she stayed standing. She wouldn't allow herself the embarrassment of falling. Matt used the trees off to the side to move down and she ignored the help and continued down. She needed to see the place for what it was.

A death trap.

An open grave.

Even in the rain, Colette could tell some of the trees had been burned. The car had erupted in such fevered flames, she shouldn't have been shocked to see the scorch marks against the trunks and the half hanging branches.

"God," whispered Matt once he'd reached the bottom. It was still light out enough that they didn't need the flashlight Liz had handed out but he turned it on anyway, pointing out the grooves in the rocks beneath their feet.

Had they been claw marks from dragging herself away? Or had they just been made from the car and the impact?

Colette stepped over broken glass, stopping before the small stream. She could tell the farther it went out towards both her left and right, the water was deeper. It trickled with a stronger flow and she wondered if she had crawled out a little further, would she have drowned before her wounds took her?

She rubbed the side of her face, phantom pains shooting and dancing through her skin. It was only from the trauma. She knew she couldn't be hurt still, not with the magic inside her healing every aspect of her body time and time again. It saved her from age, it should save her from pain too.

The area was the same as it was that night, save for the gore and the car and the fire. But other than that, it was as if the gods had reached down and pressed pause. The toe of her rain boot touched the water and through the rubber she could still feel the chill.

"Which way do you think she would've gone?" asked Matt, coming to stand beside her as he looked around.

Colette looked back, picturing where the car had been. "I would've thought she'd gone to the road," she said, motioning up back towards the highway. "But it's been raining so much, all her prints would've, well, melted away with the mud."

"If you were Naya, where would you go?"

To hell? To torment some lonely child? To find Colette?

"She would've gone looking for me," she whispered, turning away from the highway and back towards the direction she was sure she had gone in that night in her haze.

"But you weren't in the crash."

"You don't get it," she muttered as he followed her. "She'd always go looking for me."

She stuffed her hands into her pockets and continued down the path she was imagining in her head. Matt didn't need to know she was actually there that night and he didn't need to know that Naya was fine, hiding somewhere and plotting. He didn't need to know anything besides the fact that Naya could be alive and she could be out here.

They searched for hours, up until the night crawled in and the air had gone slightly cold with the rain now coming down in thick sheets. The sheriff told everyone they'd continue in the morning and that was that.

Colette knew they weren't going to find anything but she couldn't help but be slightly disappointed as she drove home. There had been that sliver of hope they'd find her somewhere in a cave or in a ditch, barely clinging on to life and Colette would've been the one to discover her. To kneel in the dirt and clasp her hands around her throat and dig an old branch into her chest.

It all would've been so much easier that way.

When she got home, she checked her phone for the first time that evening. She scrolled through its contents, finding a text from Damon saying he and Elena were going to go find Stefan this weekend. It made her happy to realize that Elena was still hoping everything with Stefan would go alright. She hoped things would go back to normal for them, that the other vampire would get his head out of his ass and return home.

She found a few texts from Stella saying they had dinner waiting for her at home and then finally, a text from Nik.

Heard about your friend. I don't know whether to send my apologies or congratulate you.

She grinned. She was lucky to find someone with the same mind as her, to feel that same pride at the thought of Naya finally being gone.

Perhaps a congratulatory drink when I get to Chicago?

A few minutes passed and she heard her phone buzz.

I'll give you more than a congratulatory drink when you arrive.

She parked her car outside her house and got out, still smiling as she jogged up the steps. It was only when she got inside did she feel the true shift in energy and smell. Her contentment stalled and spun out as she stared into the kitchen and at who was sitting at the table with a plate of spaghetti in his hands.

"Cole, hey," said Tommy with a sly grin as Adam sat down at the table and Stella came over with a plate of garlic bread. "Thank god you're home, we're about to eat and I'm starving."

Shit.

AUTHOR'S NOTE━━the return of TOMMY!! what do you guys think's gonna happen w him being back in the picture and def knowing about colette's transition? any theories?? 

also....def get ready for some nik + cole in chicago moments....but ... it's gonna b sure awkward when...damon and elena....are there too.....

as always vote/comment, let me know what you think so far and ill kiss u. i really will.