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↳ 017, smells like teen spirit

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐄𝐅𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐍, like her joints and muscles were out of place. They felt as if they were all located in different spots, tight with pressure. Although it released the tension in the most magnificently brutal way, it was enough to bring tears to her eyes and when she looked at her hands after wiping them away, her fingers were bloody.

There was nothing she could do but wipe them away and bask in the fire until her clothes were burned away and she had to leave before someone saw her or the fire department arrived.

Her phone was gone so she had no way of calling Damon to pick her up on his way to the school or even the boarding house. She was left hiding behind a tree as her home burned the rest of the way, like she always wanted. If she couldn't have her home whole, she didn't want it all. She sprinted away, leaving her mess behind, and when she did get back to the Salvatore house, she was more than displeased to find someone pouring themselves a drink she didn't like.

"Stefan," she breathed, stopping on the stairs into the living room. He wasn't supposed to be here, he was supposed to be Klaus's pet, running around with him and adding more bodies to their growing list.

He turned and she would've thought he would have blushed or turned away at her indecent state but he grinned. He looked good, like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "You're hotter than I remember."

Her lips parted in a gasp. "Uh..."

"He turned off his humanity," said Damon with a growl as he walked in and stopped abruptly at the sight of her. "Colette, how many times are you going to come here naked?"

She scowled, holding her hand out for one of the blankets on the couch and he threw her one. "Where's Klaus?" Did she even want to know, though?

"Off to find Mikael."

"Mikael?"

Damon smirked. "Our key at stopping our whole Klaus mess and, apparently, his daddy."

She nodded, slowly. It seemed her past lover didn't bother to stick around to have their little chat like he said. "And...Stefan?"

"Here to protect Elena," explained her preferred Salvatore brother. "Klaus needs her blood for his hybrids, it's the only way for them to work."

"So, Tyler's alive?"

He nodded. He looked over her as she tightened the blanket around her shoulders. The fire had burned away out of her and she was colder than she realized and the back of her throat tasted of copper and burned meat. "Are you okay?"

She glanced over at him, brows furrowed as she sat down on one of the couches as Stefan drank from his glass behind her. "Okay with what? That Stefan's now a major douche or Klaus ran off without a goodbye?"

"You tell me."

She turned to face the fire. "I'm fine."

"Like hell you are."

"Where were you?" she asked, looking back at him with a curious gaze. "I'm sure Elena missed you."

"Ah, yes, do tell, brother," cooed Stefan, coming around to perch on the side of the couch. "Tell her all about how disappointed she was that you weren't there to save her. Tell her how she cried for you."

"God, you really are a douche," muttered Colette, glaring at the former golden boy.

"Takes one to know one, my darling."

Scoffing, she looked back at Damon as she said, "Seriously, when is he going to go back to normal?"

That night, she had dreamt of Naya. She dreamt the girl was standing next to her somewhere she couldn't exactly tell. They were talking but it was clouded over, like a fog in her ears. But Naya was there, smiling, and Colette felt as if she were struck somewhere. Like her chest was being compressed.

When she woke, she woke up late and forgot about her dream.

Her body ached like she had gone through a meat grinder. Even her insides felt like they were shredded and it took more effort than she liked to get to the bathroom and turn the shower on. She had to look at least slightly presentable, first day or school and all.

She was nearly done with getting dressed when she began to smell something off within the boarding house. Blood and lots of it, along with cheap perfume and bleach for blonde hair. She could even smell a musk that only belonged to Stefan as she realized last night. He smelled wrong with his humanity off, which was apparently some magical switch that vampires could turn off when they didn't want to feel anything anymore.

Colette was tempted the second Damon explained it all to her. To not feel, even for a moment, would be a gift. But she couldn't just take that all away, especially when she saw what it was doing to Stefan. He didn't care, so he drank as much as he could from the veins of pretty girls with no mind to whether they lived or not.

"Thinking of me?" came a voice from the doorway and she turned.

"Obviously."

Damon smirked, walking in as she fixed her hair. One of the Salvatore's many suitors had left a curling iron, amongst other things, so she snatched it up for her own. It came in handy, now that she truly had nothing to her name. "Aren't you supposed to be at school?"

"What are you?" she snapped. "My dad?"

"Damn, Klaus must've really done a number on you," he muttered, picking at the clothes she'd thrown on the bed. "I don't remember you being so persnickety."

"It's not that," she said, shaking her head. She looked good and she wondered if this was finally a turning point for her since her parents died. She knew it wasn't, when she took a good look at herself in the mirror.

"Then what is it?"

She turned, resting a hand against the sink as he watched her with raven eyes. She thought for a moment she would tell him what had happened last night but she stopped herself. Looking back towards the mirror with a shaky hand, she said, "Just don't want to go to school, that's all."

"It's senior year, that's supposed to be fun."

"What's more fun than agonizing exams and new murders?"

"New murders?"

She scoffed. "Isn't there always someone getting killed?"

"You've got a point," he muttered with a sigh. He stood, clapping his hands together with another sigh, this time exacerbated. "You ready to come see what our new roomie did to the house?"

"Want to bet on how many girls he's drained so far?"

"God, you're morbid."

"I bet at least three."

He smirked at her as they left the bedroom. "Five."

Colette didn't stick around long for Stefan to explain anything but was shocked to see Rebekah enter the home, carrying shopping bags. Seems Klaus had left her behind, too. Funnily, that didn't make Colette feel any remorse for the girl. They were in the same place it seemed.

"Don't let her take my room," said Colette over her shoulder to the boys as she left. She didn't wait for a response, which seemed like something she was doing more and more of lately.

As much as she didn't look forward to Rebekah being her new housemate, she didn't mind. The girl was tolerable, when she wasn't angry, and it seemed they could be friends. Colette was willing to look past the fact that she hated her brother but that was it, and besides, Rebekah would be a powerful friend.

Screw Tommy's warnings about the originals, it didn't matter to her. Not when nothing bad had truly happened.

You caught fire. You bled from your eyes. You're not okay, you're not fine.

It's starting.

There was nothing to explain why Colette suddenly burst into flames and didn't burn as everything around her did. She couldn't explain why when she cried, her tears were bloody or that when she spat in the sink that night, her saliva was red. She waved it off as some side effects to drinking Naya's blood even though she knew better.

Vampires don't have magic. They don't get powers from witches and that thought alone made her worried.

She didn't know why these things were happening but she couldn't stop to think. She had a nauseating feeling that something bad was going to happen today.

The drive to school was easy but the closer she got, the more she felt her nerves eat her up inside. She didn't know why she was so scared, but the idea of sitting in class when all she wanted to do was go back to the Salvatore house and curl up in bed sent her mind on a rollercoaster.

And it didn't seem this world was going to be kind to her as she pulled into the parking lot. Matt was sitting on a bench and when she got to the grass, he stood quickly. The concern on his face told her this wasn't a happy first day of school conversation. He had his phone gripped tightly in his hand by his side and he ran a nervous hand through his hair as he approached her.

"Matt?" she said, brows furrowing to mimic his concern. "What's goin' on? You look scared shitless. Is your schedule really that bad?"

He grabbed her arm and she glanced down at his grip but he didn't let up. "Colette, Naya was found."

Static built up in her ears and she nearly staggered backwards if not for Matt's grip. "W-what?" she got out between a wobbly voice as the white noise built up to a tremendous beat like a heart. He was speaking to her but she couldn't hear him, she couldn't hear a goddamn thing besides her treacherous heart beat. She felt her stomach begin to burn with the feel of acid and she leaned away and gagged into the grass and before she could stand, Matt wrapped an arm around her and walked her between the cars.

"Did you just throw up blood?"

She wiped at her lips and met his eyes, slowly. Her stomach clenched and she closed her eyes tightly, swallowing thickly in her dry mouth. "Where-where is she? How did–how did you find out?"

"Caroline told me," he said, waving his phone. "Her mom called it in, apparently Naya just walked right into the hospital. She's completely fine, a little dirty, but fine. They're saying she was just out there, unconscious from the wreck and confused." He took her by the face and wiped at her cheek with his thumb and she noticed the redness smear off on his skin. "When you didn't show up with Elena and them, we thought you must've already known."

"And she's saying she's fine? That she, what? Slept in the woods for a couple weeks?"

He nodded. "Said she was so dazed and dehydrated that she didn't have a clue of where she was. She found someone outside of town and they drove her here. Said it could've been retrograde amnesia."

Colette nodded, wringing her hands out and shaking them nervously. They were numb, both with anxiety and fright. "So, she's fine." When she had discovered Naya's little note, she didn't think she'd be coming home so soon. She thought she would have time to prepare.

"Cole, hey, I asked if you wanted me to drive you there now," said Matt and she registered that his hand was on her shoulder.

She shook her head, furiously. "No, no, I–" She looked past him and towards the school doors. "I have to get to first period."

"Colette–"

"No, I'm fine, I really just have to go," she muttered, pulling her water bottle from her backpack and taking a quick sip to get the metallic taste out of her mouth. She brushed past Matt with a hurried pace, her head spinning and her limbs feeling weak but she kept walking.

Naya was home. She was here. She was back.

Creator meets creation, finally.

Colette was horrified to find that Stefan was still attending classes as she sat down in AP American History with Alaric and she was even more annoyed to find that even Rebekah had decided to take up a high school education as well.

By the end of the day, Colette didn't even realize she had homework until she looked at the papers stuffed into her backpack in a crumbled mess. She was distracted. She needed to leave and get to the hospital but she was also avoiding it like the plague, procrastinating her visit by watching cheer tryouts as Rebekah showed off.

And seemingly made Caroline pissed, which wasn't a hard task to do.

"Saw you watching," cooed Rebekah as Colette left the stands with her homework. The other girl was wearing a bright pink tanktop and little shorts that, in a way, sent a joyful spark through Colette at the sight. "Like what you see out there?"

"Maybe try pulling an extra flip in there next time," said Colette as she slung her bag over her shoulder, clutching her history textbook to her chest along with her car keys. "It'd make Caroline even more pissed."

"You think so?"

She nodded. "Not like it'll be hard to piss her off."

"I can tell," she purred back. "Doesn't like it when someone's better than her."

"Most people don't."

Rebekah put her hands on her hips, walking with her the short distance to the fence so Colette could leave and get to the parking lot. "Will you be going to the bonfire tonight?"

Fuck. She'd forgotten and there was no way Elena or Caroline were gonna not let her go. "Yeah, you?"

The girl grinned, flipping her ponytail from her shoulder and Colette noticed little pink feathers in her hair. Out of season but stylish, nonetheless. "Maybe you can show me how to do one of those s'mores everyone is talking about."

"Yeah and maybe I'll teach you how to kegstand, too."

Rebekah nudged her. "You headed back to the Salvatore house?"

"Why? Does your highness need a ride?" asked Colette with a small smirk. It was easier here, talking with her than it was getting in the car and having to do something she really didn't want to do.

"Actually, I do. Will you wait for me to grab my bag?"

Colette nodded and as the girl took off to go retrieve her bag, she made eye contact with Caroline who was giving a 'what the hell' look and Colette shrugged and mouthed, 'I don't fucking know.'

Her phone buzzed in her back pocket and she took it out and looked back up at Caroline with a small smile.

Why the hell is that bitch talking to you?

She needs a ride back to the house, replied Colette.

Did you see her out here? Acting like she's a goddamn gold medalist?

Colette chuckled. On a scale of 1-10, how drunk do you think we can get her tonight?

11!!!

"You ready?" said Rebekah and Colette looked up from her phone and said, "Yeah," slipping her phone back into her pocket.

It was a surprisingly nice car ride and even more of a nice snack break in the kitchen at the Salvatore home. Drinking from blood bags wasn't necessarily Rebekah's choice of drink, since it was cold and not the warm she preferred, but it was nice.

Colette found that Rebecca's room was across the hall from her own and was nice, a lot nicer than Colette's but honestly, that didn't matter. All Colette really did in hers was sleep and shower, there was no point in sprucing it up when no one was ever going to go inside except for Damon.

But she didn't mind having another girl in the house who had the same vengeful mindset. Colette always was a fan of blondes.

She didn't go to the hospital. Instead, she procrastinated her day up until the bonfire where she got a ride with Stefan and Rebecca. It wasn't her ideal travel buddies but it got her there and it was easy to ditch them in the dark.

It was even easier to sprint back to the high school where she was meeting the other's about a way to get Stefan far away from them. It seemed that the other's didn't like his new douche attitude.

"I'll lure Stefan away from the bonfire," said Elena, leaning against Ric's desk, "then when he's distracted..."

"I'll shoot him," said Ric.

Damon frowned, he was sitting up in the windowsill looking bored as Colette leaned against the chalkboard. "Can't Bonnie just juju him or something?"

"I'm trying to keep Bonnie out of this," said Elena with a sigh. It was fair, since Bonnie usually always did most of the grunt work. Colette had heard a number of stories about the famed witch doing the dirty work for the vampires and Elena. "I don't trust that Stefan won't hurt her."

"And he won't hurt us?" asked Colette, frowning. "We all saw him knock Ric into the lockers, that doesn't mean he won't just..." She put her hands around her neck and made a fake choking sound.

"He won't," said Elena with a firm nod. "He knows if he hurts you all, it'll hurt me and what's worse than hurting Klaus's precious asset? Besides, Klaus specifically told him not to hurt you, Cole, he wouldn't directly go against his word." She looked towards the doorway. "Caroline, are you covered?"

"Yes!" said the blonde, she walked over to Colette and stood beside her. "I will make sure that the old Forbes jail cell is prepped and ready."

"We're forgetting a key player here," said Damon, still scowling. "Rebekah?" Elena turned to face him. "Wherever Stefan goes, the blonde ponytail tends to follow."

Elena sighed. "Which is why it's your job to keep her away."

"How?" scoffed Damon. "She's an original. Last time I checked, we were out of daggers."

Colette grinned. "Come on, Damon, you know how to keep her distracted."

"Do I, huh?"

"Flirt, dummy," said Colette. "Tell her how to make a s'more, brush her hair back from her face, smirk like you always do."

Elena nodded. "Charm her."

"Might have better luck finding the dagger," muttered Alaric.

"Are you ever not going to be mad at me, Rick?" asked Damon.

"Doubtful."

"Why can't Colette just keep Rebekah busy?" asked Damon, pointing to the girl. "She clearly likes her better."

"I'm sorry she thinks you're a dick and that she finds me fun," said Colette with another wide grin. "I can't help that I'm cuter than you."

Damon rolled his eyes and looked like he was going to say something when footsteps hit the tile behind them and Tyler's voice rang out.

"Sorry, I'm late. What's going on?"

Elena turned back to face him, resting both hands on the desk. "We need you to raid your mom's vervain supply enough to keep Stefan down for a while."

A strange look appeared on Tyler's face and he shook his head. "You can't do that to Stefan?"

"And why not?" asked Colette, crossing her arms to face the boy.

Elena's brows furrowed. "Trust me, Tyler, it's in his best interests."

"It's not in Klaus's."

Colette's smile fell from her lips.

"But Klaus is the bad guy, Tyler," said Caroline in an astonished tone. "Why are you acting like some freaky, hybrid, slave minion?"

From behind her, Colette heard Damon slide off from his seat, muttering, "Uh-oh."

"What?" snapped Alaric as Damon stood.

"Klaus made me who I am, Caroline," snapped Tyler, scowling at his girlfriend. "I owe him everything."

Damon came up to stand next to Colette. "Oh, boy."

Caroline whipped around, glaring. "Can we cool it on the commentary, please?"

"What is going on?" asked Elena and on the desk, Colette watched Damon slowly pick up one of the vervain needles.

Tyler held up his hands, frowning. "I'm...just gonna go."

Before he could reach the door, Damon sped up behind him and jammed the needle into Tyler's back. The boy groaned and dropped to his knees with a hard thud, falling over and onto his face. Colette was pleased to see the kid was unconscious and no longer able to run his mouth about his precious creator, Klaus. Something about hearing him say his name sent a horrible chill through her. She couldn't imagine being that loyal to someone, especially not Klaus. She didn't know what the man would do if she was tied to him.

Caroline raced forward, dropping to her knees next to her boyfriend as she cried, "What are you doing!?"

"He's been sired," said Damon, glancing back at Colette. Alaric snapped out a 'what' and Damon repeated himself. "Sired. He feels loyal to Klaus because Klaus's blood created him."

"Wouldn't that make Caroline loyal to Katherine, then?" asked Colette.

Damon shook his head. "It doesn't always happen, it's pretty rare, actually."

"Okay, but loyal how?" asked Elena.

"He'll seek acceptance from his master," explained Damon, looking down at Tyler as Caroline brushed his hair back softly. "It's rare but I guess not with hybrids."

"Dogs are loyal to their masters," muttered Colette and Caroline's head shot up.

"How do we fix him?"

Damon shook his head. "Get a new boyfriend."

Colette clasped her hands together, getting the room's attention. "Now that we have that out of the way, can we get back to our plan? Caroline can just take Tyler back to his house and we can carry out the plan, yeah?"

Elena nodded, crossing her arms. "Colette, you know what to do right?"

She nodded, bringing her hand to her head and saluting the other girl. "Help you get drunk and make Stefan worried about you."

"That's seriously all you're doing?" scoffed Damon and Colette narrowed her eyes.

"Why? Want me to flirt with Rebekah for you since you're so clearly worried your perfect charm might not work on everyone?"

He rolled his eyes. "It doesn't take much to provide shots and beers."

"Maybe you should help keep Rebekah distracted," said Alaric with a shrug. "Like you said, she likes you."

"She was pretty chatty with you after practice," said Caroline, looking up from her spot on the floor. "It wouldn't be hard to keep her out of the way if you two are actually having fun."

Colette crossed her arms. "You guys really want me to befriend psycho killer barbie?"

"You were friends with one before," said Damon with a smile. "How different is Rebekah from Naya, really?"

"God, fuck you, Damon."

"Come on!" laughed Damon as Colette left the room. He followed quickly behind, matching her pace. "You know I'm right."

"Yeah and I fucking hate it," she snarled back.

"Let's just keep little miss ponytail distracted together, okay?" he said, throwing an arm over her shoulders. "Then Elena and Alaric can do what they need to."

"I'll keep her drunk if you flirt with her," muttered Colette as they left and Damon smirked.

"Beer and marshmallows, what a perfect dinner we're going to have tonight."

The woods were lit up with string lights, the gazebo set up with twinkle lights that reflected off people's hair and eyes. It was beautiful out here and it made Colette nostalgic for the bonfire the year before. How she and Naya spent the evening chugging beers and running through the woods with some of the boys that used to follow Naya around like a puppy. That was all before Vicki was attacked, all before Damon struck.

"You okay?" asked Damon from her side as they walked down the steps towards the gazebo by the raging fire. He touched her arm and she looked over at him, wondering what would happen if they just left and never returned. If she never had to go find Naya in that hospital room, if she didn't have to put on a fake smile and charm some girl she knew would kill her in a heartbeat.

She nodded. "Yeah, just...thirsty."

"Go grab us a couple beers," he said once they reached the bottom. His eyes narrowed at something across the flames and he smiled. "Meet me over there." He pointed and she followed his arm, noticing the blonde girl sitting by herself roasting marshmallows.

They parted ways and Colette maneuvered herself through packs of teens until she reached one of the kegs. She was annoyed to find Stefan there, pouring himself a drink.

He looked up as she approached. "Colette."

She narrowed her eyes. "Stefan." She grabbed one of the red solo cups and began pouring herself a drink and once it was halfway filled, she brought it up to her lips and chugged until there was nothing left.

"Whoa," laughed Stefan, "slow down!"

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, frowning. "Not like this is going to do anything."

"Still," he said, shaking his head, "there's no need to drown yourself in beer when you can get something stronger."

"Like what?"

"Blood."

She rolled her eyes, filling her cup again and grabbing a second for Damon. "I'm not gonna to get blood drunk with you."

"Why not?" He smirked. "It's way more fun."

"Yeah, maybe for you."

He sighed, changing the subject and pointing to her second cup. "Who's that one for? Elena?"

She held up both cups and smirked. "Damon."

"Oh? So you're into Salvatore's now?"

"Why, jealous it isn't you?"

He gave her a small smile. "Maybe."

She rolled her eyes and turned away from him but before she walked away, she threw over her shoulder, "I'm sure Elena would much rather have your attention than mine, ripper."

"Hey–"

"See ya, Stefan."

Colette made her way back through the crowds, ignoring a small group of boys cheering on another as they did a keg stand. She could see Rebekah holding up a stick with a flaming marshmallow and Damon sitting beside her with one of his classic smirks.

She took a deep breath and put her game face on. "Wow, I leave you alone for one second and you go find someone hotter than me, huh?"

Damon turned at the sound of her voice. "Ah, drink for me?"

"Hell no," she scoffed, holding it out to the girl instead, "it's for the girl hotter than me."

Rebekah looked up from her burnt marshmallow and took the drink happily. "You here to save me from him?"

"Maybe."

"Then at least tell me how to roast one of these things," she sighed, waving the stick. "I've been through at least ten of them."

"No, you're just looking at it wrong," said Damon. "It's a little rough on the outside, but on the inside–"

Colette sat down on one of the benches closest to the girl since Damon took the seat right next to her. She reached out and took hold of the burnt layer of the treat and pulled it off before Damon could. She popped the burnt sweetness into her mouth, muttering, "I always liked them like this," she met Rebekah's eyes, "crispy, kind of wrong."

Damon rolled his eyes and held up the stick for Rebekah to eat the gooey inside. "I'm more of a fan of the warm center," he watched her eat the marshmallow with hooded eyes, "yum."

He reached over, grabbing the graham crackers and chocolate bars she had and began to help make her a proper s'more. As he did so, Rebekah leaned over to rest her hand against the bench as she looked at Colette.

"I really thought you'd be in a better mood here," she said with a pout. "Does spending time in the woods with a bunch of smelly, drunken teens not scream fun to you?"

Colette gave her a small smile. "It'd be more fun if we could get drunk."

Rebekah narrowed her eyes. "How many more beers do you think it'd take?"

"More than two," said Damon as he roasted a marshmallow. His gaze met Colette's over the little fire and she let her eyes roam his face and the moving shadows the flames casted upon him.

"Caroline and I bet we could get you drunk tonight," said Colette, looking at Rebekah. She rested a hand back to lean on as she crossed her leg over her knee, bouncing her foot with an eager look. "Too bad Caroline isn't here to fulfill her part."

"Get me drunk?" Rebekah asked with an amused look. "I'd like to see you try."

"You've been in a coffin for, what, fifty years?"

"Try ninety."

Colette grinned. "Then it shouldn't be that hard."

"Go get us more drinks then," cooed Rebekah as Damon finished up the s'more to a gooey perfection. "We'll see if you can get me properly drunk by the end of the night."

Colette stood, chugging what was left in her cup. "Don't have too much fun while I'm gone."

"Wouldn't dream of it!" called Damon as she left.

She made it back to the kegs and started to grab what was left of the beers in one of the coolers when a hand touched her shoulder. She turned fast, swinging the bottle as if in reflex and the boy threw his hands up and jumped back.

"Whoa, Cole, it's just–just me," stammered Dean and Colette lowered her arm and looked around with a cautious glance. Isaiah and Ryan weren't here with him, and thankfully neither was Tommy.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, there was no need for pleasantries.

"I came by to see if you were here," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Was going to go to your house but then, well, I remembered..." He squeezed his eyes shut as if in pain and Colette's brows furrowed deeply. "Came here to make sure you heard."

"Heard what?"

"About Naya."

She chewed on her lip.

"Can we just...go talk somewhere more private?" he asked, looking around and Colette nodded.

She put back two of the beers but kept her own. She didn't like going at this empty handed, she needed her weapon, she needed her booze. He walked her a little ways through the woods and as they went, she couldn't help but look back and watch as Damon and Rebekah continued their conversation and Colette could only hope she didn't get staked by some deranged Dean all by herself.

When they came to a stop and had enough quiet to hear the other properly other than the drum of music, Dean turned to face her.

"She was found," said Dean right off the bat. "She's in the hospital, you know the one, and no one can find her parents and–"

"Her parents are dead."

"Wh-what?" he asked but there was a hint of recognition in his eyes and she wondered if he really did know, that it was hidden from him just as it was from Colette.

"Her parents are dead, Dean," Colette repeated herself. "They've been dead for a while now."

"But-but–" He clutched at his head, scowling.

Colette reached out with one hand, steadying the boy and forcing him to look her in the eyes. "Tell me why you're really here."

His eyes glazed over and he spoke in a monotone voice. "To find out how much you know."

She took a sip from her beer. "Who sent you?"

"Tommy."

"And?"

He groaned but continued to speak. "Naya."

"Why does she want me?"

"You're special."

She rolled her eyes. "Not the first time I've heard that," she muttered, taking another drink. She swallowed thickly and continued her interrogation. "Are you here to hurt me?"

"I'm here to take you to her."

"Why?"

"She wants to see you," he whispered, pain flickering in his expression, "she misses you."

"Well," she sighed, "you can tell her to go fuck herself. I'm not going to see her."

Dean narrowed his eyes. "She said if I can't get you to go willingly, I'll have to use force."

Colette smiled. "You know if you touch me, I'll kill you, Dean."

"Doesn't matter."

"God, she's got you all twisted up in there," she snapped, taking her free hand and forcing him to look at her. She gripped his chin, keeping his eyes locked on hers and she snarled, "Do not allow her to do this to you."

"I don't have a choice," he whispered, shaking his head and before she could stop him, he was thrusting something into her gut and she sucked in a hard breath to stop her cry.

She dropped to one knee, clutching her stomach as it dug into her, sharp and cold. When he pulled back, he had a small knife in his hands. It wasn't a blade at the hilt but a long wooden stake and she cursed at him, wondering if the bastard thing left splinters in her as she snarled. She felt blood coat her hands but the wound was healing, slowly.

"She said the next one will go into your eye if you don't come with me," he said, his hands shaking. Colette could smell the primal fear wafting off of him, the stench so putrid that it was as if the boy hadn't showered in months.

"That won't stop me from running," she snapped. "This won't stop me from never seeing her again."

"She misses you, Colette," pleaded Dean. "She loves you!"

"And I hate her!" screamed Colette, wondering if someone nearby could hear her by the way her throat nearly went raw. "I fucking hate her!"

"You-you don't mean that."

"I do! I do! I do!"

"She's your best friend–"

"And she fucking murdered me!"

He took a step forward, holding his stake out in his shaking hand as he whimpered. "Just come with me, p-please."

"What will she do to you if I don't?"

"Kill me, kill my brother."

"Tell her I'm dead."

"I can't lie to her," he said, taking another step forward.

"Then show her the blood on your little knife," she whispered as he took the back of her head carefully into his hand. He let his fingers run through her hair as she looked up at him. This pain will do you good, my dear. This pain will make everything feel so much more real. "Tell her I refused you, so you had to get violent just like she said."

He nodded, raising the knife.

"I'm too heavy for you to drag away, anyway, Deany," she muttered. "You have no muscles on those bones."

He choked out a small laugh.

"Find me after you report to her, I can help you."

"Where do I go?"

"The old boarding house, you know the one."

He nodded. "God, I'm sorry, Cole."

"It's not your fault my brother's girlfriend is a monster."

"He's a dick, too."

"I know."

He raised the knife higher and in one swift moment, he closed his eyes and struck.

The pain was blinding. Colette saw red and then a numbing blackness and then a blinding white light as she felt the stake be torn free from her eye. Blood flowed freely down her face as she screeched, bending over to hold her face and to ease the pain but it wouldn't stop.

"She says there's something wrong with your blood," whispered Dean but his voice sounded distant in the roar of throbbing. "She says you'll need her."

She could barely open her eyes to see him clearly, the other one so full of tears it was blurry. She could taste her own blood in her mouth and she wondered what he meant. She tasted fine, she smelled fine, but not all monsters look rotten on the inside.

When the pain subsided and she could open her eyes, everything was blurry and red. She wiped away tears from her left eye and she noticed she was alone. She could still hear the music in the distance as she stood, clutching her sore eye as it slowly healed. Hobbling back towards the bonfire, she got a good look at the wound on her stomach.

It was partially healed. There was a puffy pink line about an inch long exactly where the stake had pierced her. She raised her hand up to her eye and winced. Was this similar to the night she watched flames burst out from her fingertips and all over her body? She had wiped at her face, all torn up in pain, and her tears were bloody.

She swallowed her anxiety and continued back through the woods until she reached the coolers. She grabbed herself a new beer and pressed the barely cold bottle to her eye as she walked back towards where she had left Damon.

She wasn't surprised to find him sitting all along.

"God, don't tell me your charm really didn't work on her," she muttered, plopping back down on her bench and cursing as she removed the bottle from her face. She took a long sip before Damon looked up from the fire to meet her eyes.

"What the hell happened to you?"

"Dean."

"That kid who used to hang around your brother?" he asked.

She nodded. "Naya's got him under compulsion. Fucker stabbed me."

He scooted down him bench to reach over and take her by the legs, pulling her closer. He inspected her eye, touching her cheek gently to turn her face towards the firelight. "Jesus," he muttered, "shouldn't this be healing?"

"You tell me," she sighed, reaching down to pull up her slightly bloodied shirt for him to see her little cut. "Last night, I cried blood."

"Colette." His voice was low and stern but there was something in his eyes and the way his smell moved from irritation to worry. "Why the hell didn't you tell me about that?"

She shrugged. "Got a lot on my plate right now, same with you. Didn't want to bother, that's all."

"Fuck," he muttered, shaking his head.

"What?"

"Maybe..." He shook his head again, rubbing his mouth. "Maybe this is your body rejecting the change."

"Impossible."

"I know." He touched her face, his finger delicately pressing right under her eye. "It looks better by the second but it shouldn't take you this long to heal. Are you drinking enough blood?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, I'm not thirsty all the time. Not like you."

"Let's get back to the house," he muttered, taking her by the arm as he stood. She chugged as much of her beer as she could before leaving it at the benches as she stumbled with him. "I can look at your eye better in some real light."

"Are you mad?" she whispered.

He looked over at her, brows furrowed. "Why would I be mad?"

She shrugged. "I left you with Rebekah and she obviously got the jump on you and I've been keeping secrets."

He sighed as they made it back to the stairs near the gazebo. "We all have secrets, Colette, and yours aren't as bad as some."

If only he knew your secrets will burn this town to the ground.

AUTHOR'S NOTE━━eeeee ok. naya.....she b here yall. shes coming.....

hope you all enjoyed this and let me know what your predictions are!!!!! also let me know what u think of rebekah+cole and damon+cole so far!!

vote/comment and ill kiss your hand like im courting you