"fucking shit, this is disgusting."

—

Jenna had a boyfriend.

This wasn't a surprise to Eden, who'd always known her sister to be boy-crazed, but she hadn't actually met any of them. Miranda deemed which of Jenna's boyfriends were worthy of meeting Eden, because she was so much younger and they both wanted her to have a good perception of men, but none of them made the cut.

So when Jenna introduced Eden to her boyfriend, Alaric Saltzman, Eden didn't really know what to think.

For one thing, she was impressed with Jenna's ability to find the perfect specimen of the opposite sex. Alaric was a looker.

For a second thing, she didn't like the name Alaric. It was stupid. Sounded like a seasoning.

For a third thing, he was very nice. Very charming. And very much in love with Jenna.

Not that Eden said any of this. She was just happy to be introduced. To observe. Jenna was smitten with the man, who couldn't take his eyes off of her the entire dinner.

"...and that's when I was reminded of just how much I regret becoming a teacher."

Eden and Jenna burst into laughter at Alaric's punchline, Eden shaking her head at her future brother-in-law. (Because if Jenna didn't marry him one day, she'd force her into a dress and push her down the aisle.)

"Ric, I'm going to buy you three more bourbons because no one should have to deal with that," Eden replied with a laugh. "I'm serious, what kind of kid brings a cat to a history presentation about World War II?"

They all laughed again and Alaric traced the thin scratch on his hand from the memory. Jenna grabbed his hand with a shy smile and he glanced at her face with an equally shy smile.

Eden was going to burst with how adorable they were if they continued.

"So what about you, Eden?" Alaric asked. "I hear you went to a pretty fancy boarding school. Did you like it?"

Eden nodded, trying to push the more positive memories to the forefront of her mind, a fond smile pulling at her lips. "Yeah, it was nice. We were sorted into different houses based on traits we believed we aligned most with and my house became like my family. We played soccer competitively and my best friend was the star of the team."

They did not, in fact, play soccer. They played quidditch on flying broomsticks and hit different balls in the air through hoops while Harry, who was the star of the team, tried to catch a small golden object that zipped through the stadium at a hummingbird-like speed.

But Alaric didn't need to know that.

Alaric's eyes glittered with excitement. "Really? Were you on the team, too?"

Eden shrugged. "I was for a few years, but I dropped out in my sixth year. I was taking more courses and wanted to focus for my exams."

Alaric nodded in understanding. "So you were a good student then? Wish you were one of mine," he joked, exchanging a glance with Jenna. "We could use some brains in class. Bonnie's really smart, but she's been going through a lot of family stuff and hasn't been coming in."

"I keep hearing about Bonnie," Eden nodded in remembrance. "Elena's best friend, right?" She looked to Jenna for confirmation.

"Yeah, Bonnie and Caroline. They've been best friends forever, though I think it's always been more Bonnie and Elena or Bonnie and Caroline than Elena and Caroline or Elena and Bonnie and Caroline."

Alaric looked a tad confused by her words but Eden nodded in understanding.

"That's how it is with my friends too. We're all really close, but it would never have just been me and Hermione or me and Ron. It's me and Harry and Harry and Ron and Harry and Hermione. Harry's like our glue."

"I love Harry," Jenna gushed to Alaric, who raised his eyebrows. "He's such a sweet kid. Eden and Harry have known each other as long as I've known Eden. They met on the street in their neighborhood as kids. She thought he looked lonely and brought him flowers."

Alaric and Jenna shared a laugh, smiling at Eden, who shrugged with a smile.

"He was lonely and he almost cried when I gave him the flowers. Fennels and white clovers, they grew in my yard with my mom's garden. I picked them thinking they were prettier than the vegetables and brought them to him. He likes to give them to me on my birthday every year as a reminder."

Jenna gushed, resting her head on Alaric's shoulder. "They're so cute, right? Tell me they're not adorable."

"It is cute," Alaric agreed. "You two never got together?"

Eden shrugged, taking another sip of her water.

"No," she explained honestly. "I had a crush on him when we were kids, but I grew out of it around third year. It just...it wasn't like that. Besides, I think he was always destined for Ginny."

"Ginny?" Alaric asked.

"Yeah, Ginevra's her name, but she'd beat up anyone who called her that. She prefers Ginny. She's Ron's little sister. A year younger than us, she's been in love with Harry for as long as she's known him and he started liking her a few years ago. They were meant to be."

"And you?" Alaric asked curiously. "Anyone tickle your fancy?"

Jenna snorted at his weak attempt at humor.

"No," Eden shook her head, shifting a bit in her seat. She wouldn't think about Fred. She refused to. "Just didn't work out for me that way. Maybe there's someone in Mystic Falls for me."

"Matt's a good kid," Alaric replied seriously, though his eyes were playful. "Used to date Elena, right Jen? But I think he'd be good to you."

Jenna burst into laughter, shaking her head at Eden's raised eyebrows.

"No," she said immediately. "Baby-faced Matty could not handle Eden."

"Handle me?" Eden asked with a grin. "What's that mean?"

"You're a handful," she teased. "You're a picky eater and you have to be stimulated in a conversation or you won't get anything out of it. And you hate a guy with bad fashion sense. That's probably the only reason you and Harry didn't work out."

Eden chuckled. "Fair enough, he's had the same shirt for seven years."

—

"So," Jenna dragged out after Alaric dropped them off. "What do you think? Do you approve? Do you think Miranda would?"

Eden nodded immediately. "That guy is so into you. He's sweet too. I like him."

"And he's hot, right?" Jenna gushed.

Eden smiled at her sister. "So hot."

"Eden!"

Eden looked away from Jenna, to Elena who was standing at the top of the stairs with a serious look on her face.

"Come here," Elena was waving towards Eden frantically, her eyes wide.

Jenna glanced between the two in confusion. "What's going on?"

Eden shrugged. "Beats me," she replied when Elena went back into her room. "I'll figure it out though. You going out again?"

Jenna shook her head. "No, but I'm probably going to cram, I have a paper due at tomorrow...and I haven't started it."

Eden laughed at her sister before heading upstairs and into Elena's room, a curious look on her face. "What's up?"

"Close the door," Elena said immediately.

Eden's eyebrows furrowed but she nodded, complying.

"What's up?" She asked again.

"I'm adopted."

Eden blinked in surprise,  mouth falling open. She could have predicted a million reasons as to why Elena was upset, but this was not one of them.

"Oh."

"My birth mother is here and I'm freaking out. I — you have some experience with this."

Eden's head tilted. "Not exactly, no. I'm not adopted."

"Right, but you basically are," Elena shrugged her words off. "Your mom's dead and your dad basically forced my mom into your life."

At Eden's offended look, Elena winced.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. It s just...my parents are my parents. I don't trust Isobel, I don't even think she's going to be this amazing person to meet or anything but," Elena looked away, a small shrug on her shoulders. "I have this urge to impress her, you know? Make her like me? She didn't like me enough to keep me when I was a baby, maybe she'll like me more now that I'm older."

Eden's heart broke for her niece and she walked forward, pulling the younger girl into her arms tightly and hugging her close.

"Don't worry about her," Eden said gently. "Your mom loved you. Family doesn't have to be what you're given, it's what you choose." Eden pulled back, tapping Elena's chin lightly. She remembered a similar conversation with Harry when he discovered Sirius was his godfather.

"Jeremy, Jenna, me, we love you. And we're here for you. Your parents loved you too. Miranda would've done anything for you. You were her daughter. You're my niece, blood or not, okay?"

—

Eden stood across the street from the grill in between Alaric and Damon, leaning back against the wall.

"I still can't believe you know about all of this," Alaric glanced at her. "How are you so comfortable with it?"

Eden shrugged, not willing to tell a Muggle such secretive information. Even Damon glanced away. Everyone knew the Statue of Secrecy. Unless you were immediate family or a supernatural creature yourself, there was no confessing the truth.

As much as Eden liked Alaric, she wasn't about to jeopardize her magical abilities for the sake of easing his curiosity.

"I've met vampires before," she said with a hint of finality, leaving no room for further questions. He got the hint.

"We should be in there," Damon changed the subject, nodding to the grill.

Eden rolled her eyes. His love for Elena was irritating, at best. She still didn't like the dark-haired vampire, who stood turned away from her, speaking around her as though she weren't even there. She'd much rather stand outside with Stefan, at least Elena's actual boyfriend was kind and devoted to Elena.

She didn't like Damon's obsession with her niece. He stared at her like a token to win, a prize rewarded at the end of a long journey. Stefan watched Elena with hearts in his eyes, like she'd created the universe and brought him back to life. Damon looked at her like something to gain.

"No, Isobel made it clear we're not to step a foot inside."

Eden hadn't spoken to Isobel, she'd only watched the back of her head enter the Grill a few moments prior. Dark hair and pale skin. She didn't look much like Elena, but then again, neither did her supposed father, John Gilbert.

Eden preferred Greyson Gilbert over John and wished he'd lived instead of Elena's biological father.

"I'm not going to kill her in a crowded restaurant," Damon rolled his eyes.

"I might," Eden muttered. "She made Elena cry at the thought of her. She tries to hurt her and she's dead."

Both Alaric and Damon glanced down at her in surprise but Eden didn't say anything else. It was true. Eden had killed before, when situations called for it and she didn't have another choice. But she'd do it again to protect her family, just as she had before.

"You're not going to kill her," Alaric said firmly. "Either of you."

Eden shrugged, not replying, her hair blowing into her face as the wind picked up. She brushed back a piece of it, looking to Damon, finding him watching Alaric curiously.

"She ruined your life and you still want to protect her?"

"She's my wife," Alaric defended. Eden's nose crinkled in distaste. Isobel to Jenna was heaps above his previous standards and she hoped he'd tell Jenna the truth. Otherwise, she would. "I looked for the woman I married but she wasn't there. Whoever that is, she's cold and detached."

"Yeah, she's given up her humanity."

"Yeah, see, I don't get that," Alaric shook his head at Damon's crass response. "Stefan has his humanity, he's a good guy. And you're a dick and you kill people but I still see something human in you. But with her there was...nothing."

"You can turn it off, like a button you can press. I mean, Stefan's different. He wants the whole human experience. He wants to feel every episode of How I Met Your Mother, so he shuts his feelings out. The problem is, as a vampire, your instinct is not to feel. Isobel chose the easier road - no guilt, no shame, no regret. I mean, come on, if you could turn it off, wouldn't you?"

Damon's question stirred something in Eden and she frowned, thinking of everything she'd lost. Remus, Tonks, Sirius, her sister, her parents, Colin, Fred...the lives she'd taken, the torture she'd endured — as much as it hurt, as much as it burrowed deep inside her lungs and refused to let her breathe, she wouldn't take it away. She wouldn't give up her pain. It wouldn't be kind to the memories of those she lost and those whose lives she'd taken. They all deserved to be remembered, even if it tore her apart.

"You haven't," Alaric countered.

"Of course I have," Damon smirked, but Eden knew it was a lie. "It's why I'm so fun to be around."

"That's complete bullshit," Eden remarked, glancing up at the man. "You're in love with Elena and you care about Ric. If you didn't have your humanity on, Isobel would be dead and so would half the town." She patted his arm gently. "Keep dreaming, bub." Glancing at Ric, she gave him a half-solute. "I'm starving, if Isobel has a problem with me getting a burger, she can very well fuck off."

—

Eden leaned against the back of the sofa on the couch in the Salvatore Boarding House, sipping on a glass of whiskey. She'd taken to spending most afternoons there drinking Damon's whiskey since she couldn't drink any at Mystic Grill.

Glancing at her phone, she saw a text from Harry.

pls call me when u can. urgent !

Eden's head tilted, looking over the text in mild concern, stomach somersaulting, but she pushed the fear away. It was probably nothing. Probably good news. She had to stop thinking like that. It was fine. They were all fine.

"Just hear me out," Elena was pleading with Stefan and Damon.

She wanted to get the device from Damon and give it to Isobel, which was the entire point of their meeting earlier. When Elena left the Grill in tears, it took everything in Eden not to run to the vampire and hex her into oblivion.

"I'm not gonna give the device to Isobel so she could give it to John who is going to turn it to kill me," Damon countered, staring at Elena as though she'd grown an extra head. "I like being a living dead person."

"But it'll be useless," Elena argued. She glanced to Eden, before switching her gaze to Bonnie. "Bonnie and Eden can take its power away."

Eden's eyebrows raised and she watched with wide eyes as all four heads turned to her.

"You'd do that?" Damon asked disbelievingly.

"No," Eden said immediately. "I didn't even know about this plan until Elena walked in here. I'm not doing any magic, sorry to disappoint."

"Doesn't matter," Damon shrugged. "I don't trust either of them."

"Feeling's mutual, asshole," Eden snarked.

"I can remove the original spell," Bonnie spoke up finally. Eden observed her carefully. Dark hair and eyes, mocha skin and a sweet disposition. In another world, she might've asked her out. "And I'd love your help, Eden. Elena says you're a witch too."

Eden nodded. "Did she?" Eden glanced at her cousin. "Elena, that's a very big secret. It's not mine to tell people and it sure as hell isn't yours. It's fine to tell this group of people and Jeremy, but you don't tell anyone else. I will make that decision. Do you understand me?"

Elena had the good nature to seem chastised, before she looked to Damon again. "John and Isobel will never know."

"I think they'll notice when the vampires aren't dead," Eden spoke up, wrapping her arms around her legs. "Just saying. Might be a problem."

"No, I'll get Jeremy my own way."

Eden's eyebrows furrowed. "Wait, get Jeremy?"

Stefan spoke up with a nod. "Yeah, Isobel and John took him in exchange for the device. Elena, you didn't tell her?"

Elena looked sheepish. "Sorry, I didn't want you to get hurt."

Eden raised an eyebrow. "Says the human dating a vampire."

"I can take care of myself, Eden," Elena said seriously. "I have since before you got here."

Eden snorted. "Stefan saving you every time you're in trouble doesn't mean you save yourself, Elena."

Before Elena could say anything else, Stefan spoke to Damon. "How're you going to save Jeremy? Because Isobel is a vampire and Jeremy could be dead the second you walk in the door."

"That's where witch bitch comes in."

Both Bonnie and Eden looked at Damon in offense. "Witch bitch?" They asked at the same time, sharing a small smile.

"Yeah, the wand-waving one," Damon smirked, glancing to Eden. "You're going to help me save Jeremy."

"I very much am not," Eden said hotly. "You can trade the device and get him back. No harm done."

"Yeah, not happening."

"Better than putting our eggs in one basket," Damon shrugged, looking at Bonnie. "Are you even up for this? I mean no offense, you're no Emily Bennett. Emily knew what she was doing."

"I've been practicing."

"It's not piano lessons, honey."

"What's your favorite book?" Bonnie asked him seriously.

"What?" Damon sneered.

"Name a book. Any book."

"Name a book..." Damon shook his head. "How about Call of the Wild by Jack London?"

Bonnie turned and looks to the bookshelves lining the walls of the room. A book flies off the shelves and into Damon's hands. Damon looked down, unimpressed.

"Jack London," Damon reads. "Great parlor trick."

Eden repressed a laugh, disguising it as a cough.

"We're doing this, Damon," Elena speaks up firmly. "And we're doing it my way. Now give me the device. We're wasting time."

Damon looks at Bonnie seriously. "I don't trust you. I tried to kill you."

"You're right," Bonnie agrees. "You can't trust me."

"But you can trust me," Elena speaks up, giving Damon a meaningful look.

"Fucking shit," Eden swore, looking between the trio with mild disgust. "This is disgustingly soapy. Are we in a teen drama or something? Fuck, just give her the device and be done with it."

Bonnie smirks at Eden's words, but Damon, Stefan, and Elena are too caught up in their weird staring contest to notice. Damon watched Elena carefully, handing her the device before glancing at Stefan. Stefan watched him seriously.

"Eden," Elena speaks again, tearing her eyes from Damon and Stefan. "You need to help with this."

"I don't need to do anything but get another glass of whiskey," Eden countered.

"Jeremy's in trouble," Elena said again as though it would change the way Eden felt about her magic.

"Give Isobel the device and he won't be."

"That's not an option," Elena shakes her head. "Bonnie's strong enough to do it herself, but we need your help."

"No."

Elena frowns. "Why? Your family's in danger. Jeremy could die. And you don't even care."

Eden looked down for a moment, contemplating her next words, but flashes of green and red covered her vision. Her phone buzzed again and she glanced down, seeing another text from Harry.

Elena didn't get to speak about Eden's family. She'd lost everything for them, done everything for her family. Elena was being selfish. Elena wasn't making deals. Elena was fighting a battle when there was none.

"Don't say that to me," Eden said firmly, her voice low and dark. She looked up with a haunted gaze, Fred's lifeless body crossing her mind. She could see it clear as day. Sirius falling into the veil, Remus and Tonks' lying still on cots in the Hospital Wing, she could feel the tearing of her skin from curse after curse, the shake in her hand from countless crucios. "Don't ever say that to me."

"It's true," Elena insisted, though her tone was softer. "Stefan and Damon are my family too. I need them safe. I can't let Jeremy die and I can't let them die either. Please, help Bonnie. I know you can."

Eden stood then, walking towards Elena with a narrowed gaze.

"You have no idea what I can do," Eden started. "Bonnie just performed a wandless accio, which I'm sure was a latin incantation she picked up in a grimoire. I could do that with a wand in my sleep. That device should stay active. If it's so important they live, Stefan and Damon can leave town. Take all their vampire drama with them."

"How can you say that?" Elena asked. "You have the power to help and you won't even use it."

Eden's hands clenched into fists and she took a deep breath. "Don't say that to me."

"Then help us."

Eden watched Elena for a moment, taking in the pleading, defiant look in her eyes. The false sense of hope and firmness of her shoulders. Elena believed this was the right decision. That this would save everyone she cared about. Eden couldn't hate her for that.

"You do whatever you have to do," Eden said, glancing to Bonnie. "But I will not be using my magic. If Isobel doesn't take the deal and threatens Jeremy again, let me know. I'll deal with her. But I will not help you ruin the only agreement you have on the table. Don't start fights you can't win, Elena."

Elena shook her head, looking away from Eden's gaze. Eden stepped back, moving past Elena and Stefan to the door. Resting her hand on the handle, she turned again, looking to Bonnie.

"Don't let them make decisions for you," she said to her. "If you believe in something, don't let Elena change your mind. Not if it's for the greater good."

And with that, Eden left.

—

When Eden returned home, surprise flickered on her face at Jeremy's lighthearted expression. He was perfectly fine. She laughed to herself. Of course he was.

"Hey," Eden spoke up, entering the kitchen where Jeremy, Jenna, and John stood around the latter, who was holding a towel to his head. "What happened to you?"

"Hit my head," John responded evenly, glancing at Jeremy then Eden. "Where've you been?"

"Are you my keeper?"

"You're a minor, you—"

"—Don't parent me, John, I'm your sister-in-law, not your kid."

"You might as well be. How old are you again?"

"Old enough to smell the heaping pile of bullshit you try to pretend is normal conversation."

"Funny," John snarked.

Eden smiled coldly, attention turning to her sister and nephew, who were both smirking at the conversation.

"You okay, Jeremy?"

Jeremy nodded. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

Eden shrugged. "Just making sure. Jenny, you good?"

Jenna nodded. "Great, well," Eden looks between the trio. "As entertaining as this is, I'm in dire need of a nap. See you all in the morning."

They bid her adieu and Eden trudged upstairs to her and Jenna's shared room. Pulling out her phone, she pressed Harry's contact and held it to her ear.

"Hey," she greeted when he answered on the first ring.

"Where are you?" Harry asked.

Eden frowned, nerves twisting in her gut. "I'm in my room. At the Gilbert house. Why, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Hesitation. Fleeting, small, only for a moment—but Eden caught it.

"What, Harry?" She asked more firmly, fear lacing her voice. "What's wrong?"

"Dolohov's been sighted in the States."

—

okay bear with me ik it's a little slow rn but i promise it'll pick up. and dolohov and eden's history will be revealed, but feel free to drop your theories. he's going to play a big part in this story uwu, but not in a good way loll. also ik it seems like she blew up at Elena for no reason, but she has a ton of trauma and just throwing it back in her face without knowing anything is a trigger for eden, so stick with it. i can't wait for season two gah.