CHAPTER SIX
LOST GIRLS

"What are you?" I repeated, my tone was harsh and strained.

Stefan's jaw clenched as his dark eyes surveyed my face. His head bobbed slightly, letting out a breath before saying: "You know."

"No, I don't." I replied.

"Yes, you do, or you wouldn't be here."

I shook my head quickly. "It's not possible. It can't be."

Stefan took a few steps forward, but it caused me to take my own steps back. "Everything you know, and every belief that you have is about to change. Are you ready for that?" Stefan asked.

"What are you?"

"I'm a vampire," Stefan said simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

My mouth became agape, as I tried to find the right words to say. I began to slow back away from him as I spoke: "I shouldn't have come."

"No, please, please." Stefan pleaded as he followed me. "Please, Elektra."

"No!" I shouted, running away from him and to my car. I was almost to my car when Stefan suddenly appeared right in front of me - blocking my path. "How did you do that?"

"Please don't be afraid of me."

"Let me go," I commanded through my panted breathing.

"Look, Elektra, there's things you have to know." Stefan said, placing his hands on my upper arms, trying to keep my still.

"Let me go!" I yelled and ripped myself out of his hold and scrambled my way into my car. I peeled out of the driveway and sped down the road until I reached my house.

I sprinted up the porch steps, unlocked the front door, and made my way upstairs into my bedroom. I stood in mine and Jeremy's bathroom, my hands on the counter, my chest was heaving up and down heavily as I tried to regain my breath. I turned around and opened the door that led out of the bathroom and into Jeremy's room.

Jeremy was quietly listening to music, and watching the television. I sighed, closed his door and paced my way back into my own bedroom. I needed to tell Elena, but I just couldn't bring myself to go into her room and tell her that her boyfriend was a vampire.

I sat down on the edge of my bed and kicked off my converse before I lied flat on my back, staring at the ceiling. My lying down didn't last long, before I quickly stood up and began to pace along the length of my bedroom. I was beginning to take off my jacket when a familiar voice sounded suddenly in my room.

"Elektra."

I gasped, seeing Stefan standing behind me. I immediately sprinted over to the door. I got the door about an inch open when Stefan closed it with his hand. A shaky breath escaped my lips as I pressed myself against the wall.

"I would never hurt you. You're safe with me."

"All those animal attacks, those people who died...?" I asked openly, turning myself around so that I was facing him.

"No," Stefan denied, shaking his head. "That was Damon."

"Damon?" I repeated, tears welling up in my scared eyes.

"Yes. I don't drink human blood. That's not how I choose to survive, but Damon does. I'll explain everything to you, but I beg you, Elektra...do not tell anybody."

"How can you ask me that?" I asked.

"Because knowing this is dangerous for so many reasons," Stefan replied. "You can hate me, but I need you to trust me."

"Just go..." I whispered faintly. "Just go. Please, go. If you mean me no harm, then you'll go."

"I never wanted this."

I turned away from him and opened my bedroom door, but when I glanced back - he had vanished. I rushed over to my window-bench and closed the open window, making sure that the lock was latched shut. I slowly sunk down on the bench, letting a sob escape my lips.

✥ ✥ ✥

"You said you would explain everything. That's why I asked you to meet me here." I said to Stefan. Him and I were sitting at an outside table at the Mystic Grill. "When you Google 'vampire,' you get a world of fiction. What's the reality?"

"I can tell you whatever you want to know."

"I know you eat garlic."

"Yes," Stefan said, nodding his head.

"And, somehow, sunlight's not an issue?"

Stefan was about to answer when our waitress approached, setting down our cups of coffee. I nodded to her as my thank you, before I looked back over at Stefan.

"We have rings that protect us." Stefan explained, bringing his hand up, gesturing to the large ring on his middle finger.

"Crucifixes?"

"Decorative."

"Holy water?"

"Drinkable."

"Mirrors?"

"Myth."

"You said you don't kill to survive." I said, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Animal blood keeps me alive, but I'm not as strong as Damon." he replied.

I shrug sarcastically. "And yet, you let him get involved with Caroline?"

Stefan sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Forcing Damon not to do something is much more dangerous, believe me."

"He was hurting her," I reminded him.

"He was feeding on her. He was able to take away her memories of being bitten using a form of mind control. She never knew what was happening to her. If he wanted to kill her, he would have."

"Is that supposed to make it okay?" I asked.

"No. No, none of this is okay, Elektra." Stefan replied. "I know that."

"Are there any others, aside from you and Damon?"

"Not in Mystic Falls, not anymore." Stefan said.

"Not anymore?" I repeated, confused.

"There was a time when this town was very much aware of vampires...and it didn't end well for anybody. That's why it's important that you don't tell anyone."

"I can't promise that."

"Elektra, give me today. I will answer any questions that you have - and when it's over, you can decide for yourself what you want to do with what you know." Stefan said. "It'll be your choice."

I nodded.

The two of us end up in the car. Stefan said that he wanted to take me somewhere, so I allowed him to direct me where to go as I drove. We drove deep into the forest, surrounded by thick trees and various shrubbery.

"Stop here," Stefan said.

I put the car in park and the two of us got out of my car. "What are we doing here?" I asked, staring at the area around me.

"I want to show you something."

"In the middle of nowhere?" I asked, confused.

"This," Stefan began, gesturing around us. "Didn't used to be nowhere. Used to be my home."

I crossed to where Stefan was standing. I stared at the large piles of red-brick and stone that were scattered across the leave and dirt strewn ground.

"It looks so..."

"Old? It's because they are." Stefan said, referring to the large eroded pillars in front of us.

"Wait." I said, becoming confused. A house wouldn't look like this unless it had decades upon decades of erosion. "How long have you...?"

"I've been seventeen years old...since 1864."

"Oh, my God," I mumbled, my eyes falling to the ground.

"You said you wanted to know. I'm not going to hold anything back." Stefan explained, but when I didn't say anything he continued: "Half a century before the boarding house was even built, this was my family's home. Damon and I...we were both born here. The Salvatore brothers, best friends."

MYSTIC FALLS, 1864
VERITAS ESTATE

Damon and Stefan Salvatore stumble out of their house on Veritas Estate. Damon was gripping an elliptically-shaped ball, made of brown leather, underneath his right arm. Stefan was chuckling as he struggled to catch up to his older brother.

"Wait, where did you learn this game?" Stefan asked, him and Damon running down the porch steps and onto the front lawn.

Damon ran a ways away from Stefan before he said: "Camp outside of Atlanta. One officer picked it up at Harvard. Catch," and with that, Damon tossed the leather-ball into the air.

Stefan grunted slightly when the heavy ball landed in his arms. "Wait, wait. What are the rules? What are the rules?" Stefan asked, chuckling as Damon ran at him, trying to catch him.

"Who needs rules?" a voice asked suddenly.

Both brothers stopped and turned, seeing Katherine and her twin sister Beatrice. The identical twins were wearing similar light-purple day dresses, their dark curls were pulled back into loose buns, and they both had hats resting upon their heads.

"Mind if we join you?" Beatrice asked the brothers, as her and Katherine walked down the porch steps.

"Uh, well, you could, uh - you could get hurt." Stefan said to Beatrice, but briefly glanced over at his brother. "My brother likes to play rough."

Beatrice and Katherine both chuckled at Stefan's protectiveness. Katherine smirked over at Damon before Beatrice said to Stefan: "Somehow, I think that you play rougher."

Beatrice inched herself closer to Stefan, before suddenly snatching the leather-ball out of Stefan's hands and sprinted off, Katherine following her suit. Damon chuckled as he moved to stand next to his brother.

"Why are you just standing there? Those are two girls who clearly want to be chased." Damon said. "If you don't do it, I will." Damon pointed out, breaking out into a full sprint.

Stefan shook his head, running his hardest to catch up.

"You knew Katherine and Beatrice in 1864?" I asked. "Damon made it seem like..."

"Damon was trying to make you think that I was still heartbroken. He saw that you and Elena made me happy, and he wanted to ruin it." Stefan explained, making his way to stand right in front of me.

"All because you loved the same two women, one-hundred and...forty-five years ago?" I asked, doing the mental-math.

"They weren't just any women," Stefan replied.

MYSTIC FALLS, 1864
THE LOCKWOOD MANSION

Stefan, Katherine, and Beatrice were running through the garden maze. Stefan chasing after the both of them made the twin sisters' giggle. Beatrice pushed herself harder, enabling her to reach the statue first.

"Ha, I win." Beatrice boasted, a triumphant and sexy smirk on her lips, approached Stefan. "What's my prize?"

"What would you like it to be?" A familiar voiced asked.

The three of them turned to see Damon sitting upon a bench. Stefan smiled at the sight of his beloved brother, a smile that Damon gladly returned.

"They extended your leave?" Stefan asked.

"I was simply having too much fun to return to battle." Damon replied, standing from the bench and approaching his brother.

"Your commitment to the Confederacy is inspiring." Stefan told his brother, while they both engulfed each other in a brotherly embrace.

"Well, this works out wonderfully for us." Beatrice announced, staring at the brothers.

"How is that Miss Beatrice?" Damon asked.

"Now we'll have both of you to keep up entertained." Beatrice said. "First, we'll need someone to escort us to the Founder's Ball."

"I would be honored," Stefan said.

"With pleasure," Damon said, removing his cap and bowing toward the sisters.

"The smart and kind Salvatore brothers both coming to our rescue," Katherine replied with a small grin.

"How will we ever choose?" Beatrice asked quietly, her and Katherine walking side-by-side through the maze and to the house.

"Beatrice and Katherine made a deal that only one of us could escort them, and they chose me." Stefan said. "I escorted them to the ball at the original Lockwood mansion."

"The first Founder's Party," I replied, mentally putting the pieces together. "Where you signed the registry."

"I didn't care that I had gotten something that my brother wanted. I didn't ever care if it hurt him. I only knew that I wanted them. There was something about the two of them that just drew me in." Stefan admitted, I nodded my head as I sunk down to sit upon a marble bench.

"So he was upset."

"That's the thing about Damon. He doesn't get mad. He just gets even." Stefan explained. "What Damon wants, Damon usually gets. Now, I didn't know it at the time, but turns out that night...after Beatrice was with me, she had gone to Damon, and at the same time Katherine left Damon, to be with me."

"So, he stole them from you, not the other way around?" I questioned, becoming extremely confused.

"Turns out they weren't ours to steal. They could control my mind, and Damon's. And they compelled each of us to keep the secret from the other. They wanted all of us to be together. Forever. Didn't work out that way..." Stefan said, bending down and picking up something he had stuffed in a log. "But, Damon and I, looks like we're stuck with each other." he unwrapped the object, revealing a ring. "Like it or not."

"Is that Damon's ring?" I asked.

"I took it from him, I have to give it back."

"No. Don't, Stefan." I replied, walking over to him. "Keep it hidden."

"Elektra, if I don't give it to him, he'll retaliate in the only way that he knows he can hurt me." Stefan said, staring down at me.

"And how is that?"

"By hurting you and Elena," Stefan replied sadly.

Stefan and I had decided that we should be getting back, it was getting late and I knew that Elena would be worrying about me. Wondering where I disappeared to all day. Stefan escorted me to my car and opened the driver's side door for me.

"The mind control you said Katherine and Beatrice used." I said, and Stefan nodded for me to continue. "Did you ever do that to me or Elena?"

"No. The necklace that Elena wears, it contains an herb called vervain. It protects you from being compelled." Stefan said. "I wanted to protect you two from Damon's influence, especially you. But I also wanted to protect you from me. Because no matter what happens after today and no matter how you feel about me...you'll know that you were free to make your own choice."

So much had happened in one day. I found out the true story behind Stefan and Damon, and even the story behind Katherine and Beatrice. Vicki had turned into a vampire, all because Damon had nothing better to do. And the best by far, was when I sat Elena down and explained everything.

Now, Elena and I were driving to the boarding house to find out what's going on with Vicki. When Elena and I got to the boarding house Elena parked her car and we got out and proceeded towards the front door. She rang the doorbell and it was Damon Salvatore who had answered. He smiled widely at us.

"Is Stefan here?" I asked.

"Yep," Damon replied.

"Where is he?" I pressed.

"And good morning to you, Little Miss I'm-on-a-Mission."

I sighed heavily in frustration as I crossed my arms over my chest. "How can you be so arrogant and glib after everything that you've done?"

"And you can you be so brave and stupid to call a vampire arrogant and glib?"

"If you wanted me dead, I'd be dead." I shot back.

"Yes, you would." Damon assured.

"But I'm not." I said and gave him a grin of triumph.

"Yet."

Elena rolled her eyes, getting annoyed with mine and Damon's bickering, "Where is Stefan?"

"He's upstairs. Singing 'The Rain in Spain', knock yourselves out."

Elena and I closed the door behind us and walked into the kitchen to see Stefan and Vicki were in the dining room drinking coffee.

"Coffee is our friend. It's the caffeine. It circulates through our veins, and it warms our body so we're not so cold to the touch." Stefan explained to Vicki.

"Well, what if I want to drink human blood?" Vicki asked with raised brows.

"You're going to have to live with that urge and fight it on a daily basis, one day at a time."

"Oh, God. Don't start with that whole twelve steps thing." Vicki grumbled. "School counselor has been down that road, and it doesn't work for me."

"It can work. It's your choice, Vicki." Stefan pressed.

"So, you've never tasted human blood?" Vicki arched a brow as her green eyes searched Stefan's face.

Stefan pursed his lips for a moment, "Not in a long time."

"How long?"

"Years and years. I'm not proud of my past behavior."

Vicki groaned. "Does this sketchy feeling ever go away? It's like I have a massive hangover. This daylight thing is a bitch. I need more blood. Where's your bathroom? I have to pee. Why do I have to pee? I thought I was dead." she finally finished and left the room - not a single one of her questions were answered.

"I'm going to, uh...I'm going to get her some more. All right, I'll be quick." Stefan said and then left the room as well. Leaving Elena and I alone for a few minutes before Vicki made a re-appearance.

"False alarm. My body's feeling really funky. It's a good funk, but it's weird." She murmured as she sat back down and started messing with her phone.

"Hmm, who are you calling?" Elena asked.

"Jeremy," Vicki replied.

"Vicki, you can't see Jeremy anymore." I told her.

Vicki rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, don't you start. I'm going to see whoever I want to see."

"Even though you could hurt him?" I asked as I crossed my arms.

"I would never hurt Jeremy." Vicki shouted.

"I know you think that." Elena took a few steps closer to Vicki, "But I can't take that risk. You're going to have to let Jeremy go."

Vicki stood up and glared at Elena before she snapped. "Oh really? And how long have you been preparing the 'you're-not-good-enough' speech? I'm assuming it predates the whole vampire thing."

Elena shook her head. "All I'm saying is Jeremy is not getting involved in any of this. I mean it, Vicki."

"Or what?" Vicki challenged then grabbed Elena's throat tightly and slammed her into a wall. "Let's get one thing straight, you perky little bitch. You had my brother whipped for fifteen years. Fifteen years and then you dumped him. When I look at you, that is all I see, just so you know. And I'm going to see Jeremy whenever I want to see Jeremy. Because, I have some fun new toys to play with and I won't think twice about ripping your little head off. You got it?" she spat before tossing Elena to the ground then ran off somewhere in the house.

"Oh, my God, Elena," I gasped, kneeling down helping her stand back up. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Later that night, I was in the kitchen eating an apple. Jeremy was opening the fridge, leaving Vicki another voicemail. I rolled my eyes at his consistency. I was propped up on my elbow on the island counter, in the middle of the kitchen. Elena then walked in, and I swear I felt the air tense around us.

"Hey." Elena greeted to both of us.

"Hi." I said with a mouthful of apple.
Jeremy turned around to look at her, but turned back to continue pouring his drink.

"So, do you guys want to hang out tonight?" she asked us.

I nearly choked on my apple. I began coughing and lightly tapping my chest.

"We could go to the Halloween Party thing at school, it could be fun." She continued, shrugging. Jeremy stopped pouring his drink, and turned to look at her.

"Cool, sure, sounds uh, sounds fun can't wait." Jeremy said with no enthusiasm, he started to walk out of the room. I giggled quietly, but Elena sent me a glare. I held my hands and the apple up in defeat.

"I know you're upset about Vicki." Elena said. I rolled my eyes and scoffed. "I heard that she called Matt, but you can't be with her, she needs to get better. The best thing you can do for her, is to let her go." Elena said in her motherly tone.

"What does that even mean? Let her go? Okay sure, because were such experts on letting people go right?" Jeremy spat to Elena.

"I know you may not see it, but trust me Jer, it's for the best." Elena said to Jeremy. He rolled his eyes and then stalked towards her.

"For months, after mom and dad died, I felt like crap. Like, nothing even mattered crap. Now all of a sudden I get these moments and things start to feel a little bit better, and Vicki was in every single one of them. So, you may not see it, but trust me, keeping me away from her is not for the best." Jeremy said to Elena.

I saw Elena's eyes shift to the floor, Jeremy looked at me and then walked out of the room, leaving Elena and I in silence.

When I was finished with my apple I threw it away and went up to my room. I grabbed the devil-lingerie that Caroline bought and shivered. I am starting to dislike that she knows me so well down to what my size is. I went into the bathroom and took a long relaxing shower.

When I was finished I dried off and put on the undergarments. I then started blow drying my hair in attempt to make it look sexy. I did my makeup and when I was finished I went into my room and started dressing in my costume. I twirled myself around in front of the mirror. Damn did I look hot.

Elena and I were walking with each other - heading towards the haunted house, she was dressed as a nurse. Same as last year, of course, her and her last minute put togethers.

Jeremy was walking a little behind us, so I stopped for a minute and then grabbed a part of his black hoodie, pulling him along as we walked.

We walked inside the school to see it covered with black-light colors, it was dim and foggy, with strobe lights flashing. It was kinda cold too, so I shivered. I looked across the room and saw Matt, motioning to us to come over, when we didn't, he just shook his head and walked over to us.

"You went with last years' costume too, huh?" Matt asked Elena.

"Yeah, I didn't know that I was coming till an hour ago." Elena admitted.

"Me neither." Matt responded. "Ah, a devil. I can see it." Matt grinned at me - referring to my costume. I laughed and hit his shoulder.

"Ha ha, very funny." I said to him, he chuckled and turned to Jeremy.

"And you're going as...you?" Matt said to Jeremy. Jer rolled his eyes and walked away.

"He's not talking to me right now, we got into a fight." Elena said to Matt, her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, I got into it with Vicki too when she got home. I'm trying not to smother her tonight, but part of me didn't want to let her out of my sight." Matt said to us. Elena's eyes widened as did mine.

"She's here?" Elena and I said at the same time.

"Yeah, you can't miss her. She's dressed as a vampire." Matt replied.

My eyes widened, panic and horror settled into my body. "Where did Jeremy go?" I asked, my breathing becoming heavy and strained.

"Elektra, what's the matter?" Matt asked, concerned.

"I...I've got to find him," I said to him, grabbing Elena's wrist and we pushed our way through the crowd, leaving Matt lost and confused.

Elena and I had searched everywhere for Vicki. We should've found her by now, even my random accident. Suddenly, I felt Elena yank on my elbow. I whipped around and saw Stefan and Vicki.

"Thank God," I breathed out, as Stefan approached us, Vicki in tow.

"What's the matter?"

"We lost track of Jeremy. We were worried." Elena said.

"What's going on?" Matt asked, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. His older brother protectiveness showing.

"Everything's fine." Stefan assured a worried looking Matt.

Vicki yanked her arm out of Stefan's hold. "I told you to quit bothering me."

I immediately shook my head at her dramatic tactics. "No, Vicki, don't do this."

"Matt, he won't leave me alone," Vicki mumbled to her younger brother.

"You need to back off, man." Matt warned Stefan.

"Matt, it's okay," Elena said.

"No, it's not okay." Matt denied, and stepped toe-to-toe with Stefan. "What the hell is your problem?"

"Stefan," I called out, glancing behind me to see that Vicki had vanished. "She's gone."

I grabbed Elena's wrist and we began to frantically run around looking for the vampire in question. We had decided that the only place we hadn't looked was outside. We ran out back, the cool air felt great against my hot skin.

I heard Jeremy screaming, I ran forward and grabbed a large piece of wood. We ran around to one of the buses and saw Vicki about to feed on Jeremy's carotid artery.

"Vicki, no!" I screamed.

Vicki threw Jeremy to the ground and moved to lunge at me. Elena and I both raised our boards and hit her. Vicki grabbed Elena by the throat and threw her into a pile of wood. She then turned to me and lifted me up by my neck - her nails digging into my skin, drawling blood.

She tossed me, and I went soaring through the air, and my back and head hit a brick wall - hard. No matter how much pain I was in, all I knew was that I had to keep my brother and sister safe, no matter what. I staggered into a standing position, and saw Stefan pinning Vicki against a bus. She was struggling and snarling to get out of his grasp, until she finally shoved Stefan off of her and she disappeared.

"Vicki?" Jeremy called out.

She was nowhere to be seen. Stefan then started checking underneath all the buses for her.

"Go, get inside!" Stefan ordered us.

Elena grabbed Jeremy's hand and started pulling him towards the door, she tried to grab mine but I pulled it away. I touched the back of my head, wincing when I did, when I looked at my hand there was blood smeared all over my hand.

I finally caught up with my senses and ran after Elena and Jeremy. They were at the door when Vicki appeared out of nowhere and pushed Elena and Jeremy out of her way so she could have me. She bit deeply into my neck, I let out an ear piercing scream from the pain I was feeling. Abruptly, the pain ended, I opened my eyes to see a sharp piece of wood being torn through Vicki's chest. Stefan was standing behind her - and soon yanked the stake out. Vicki was gasping in pain, her fingers twitching.

"Vicki!" Jeremy yelled.

I looked at Vicki's face to see a few tears escaping her green eyes, and her face turning gray covered with large veins.

"Vicki! Vicki!" Jeremy yelled over and over again, as Vicki dropped on the cement dead. I looked over to Jeremy to see him crying, and being held back by Stefan. But Jeremy was putting up a fight, he was thrashing and yelling out.

I stood there with Elena looking down at Vicki's body. Elena was holding her shoulder wound, while I held my bleeding neck.

"Get him out of here," I ordered Stefan.

Elena then dropped to her knees next to Vicki, I did the same. We cried together, looking down at her body. We didn't move or speak, we just continued to stare at Vicki's motionless body. I heard footsteps from behind, and decided to turn and look, it was Damon.

I didn't know what came over me, but I ran up to him and hugged him. I cried into his jacket softly. His arms wrapped around me in a comforting way. And for those few seconds I felt safe, and I felt like someone actually cared.

I then let go, and backed away to see Elena, standing up glaring at Damon.

"You two should go, I got this." Damon said referring to Vicki's body.

"You did this! This is your fault!" Elena said through gritted teeth.

"You confuse me with someone with remorse." Damon said looking down.

Elena pushed Damon as hard as she could, he didn't budge. She then tried to slap him but he caught her hand in mid-flight.

"None of this matters to me. None of it." Damon retorted as he narrowed his eyes at Elena.

"People die around you, how could it not matter? It matters and you know it!" Elena shouted angrily and then slapped him across the face with her other hand.

Damon stared at her with anger filled eyes, he moved a little forward and she cowered back. I simply stayed in the same spot, not wanting to get involved. Damon then took a sniff of the air, and made an 'mmmh' sound.

"You two need to leave. Your wounds are bleeding, and need to leave." Damon said, his voice getting darker with every word.

Elena backed away slowly, her eyes never leaving his; she grabbed my arm trying to pull me away.

"Goodbye, Elektra." I heard Damon say. I turned to look at him, but saw no one there, not even Vicki's body.

"Goodbye, Damon." I mumbled to the wind.

I didn't say a word to Elena, while I leaned against her body for stability and I stumbled to the parking lot with her. Before we made it to the car I heard Matt's voice.

"Elena! Elektra! Hey, have you seen...whoa, wh-what happened?" he asked when he saw the state I was in and the blood running down my arm and side.

"I'm drunk and some idiot got me with some fake blood. Elena is going to drive me home so I can shower and go to bed." I explained. Elena nodded in agreement.

"I - I can't find Vicki. She totally bailed on me."

I closed my eyes and let the migraine give me pain so I had an excuse not to look at Matt. I couldn't face him. "We don't know where she is." Elena told him.

"Is this what I'm in for, a lifetime of worrying about her?"

"You're a good brother, Matt." Elena assured him softly while continued to support my body.

"Yeah, maybe she went home."

"Maybe."

"Okay," he said then left.

Elena dragged me to the car and helped me to the passenger seat. When she got in on her side she broke down into tears again. I held her hand and sat fighting my own tears. I was a little sad about Vicki dying, but what I was really upset about was that Jeremy had witnessed it.

When Elena calmed down she drove us home. I let myself out and slowly stumbled up to the porch where Stefan was waiting for us.

"Where is he?" I asked.

"He's upstairs." Stefan told me.

Elena and I went inside the house to talk to Jeremy. When we entered Jeremy's room, we saw that he was huddled on his bed with his knees pulled against his chest. I could hear his sobs all the way out in the hallway.

I slowly sat down on the bed in front of him, while Elena stood next to the bed. I placed my hand on his shoulders, watching the tears roll down his face. "Do you understand what happened tonight?" I asked.

"No," Jeremy whispered, looking up at me. "I don't understand. I mean, I know what I saw, but I don't understand."

"She was going to kill me." I said softly.

"Now she's dead. Vicki's dead." Jeremy mumbled. My own tears were rolling down my cheeks, the look on Jeremy's face caused my chest to ache.

"I'm so sorry, Jer. I'm-"

"Just make it stop." Jeremy cut me off. "It hurts."

"Shh, it's okay, it's okay." I soothed, wrapping my arms around his neck, pulling him into my embrace, while his arms shakily wrapped around my waist.

"Why does everybody have to die on me?" Jeremy whispered into my ear. Jeremy's grip on me tightened as his sobs became harder.

After Jeremy had calmed down, Elena and I had finally worked up the emotional stability to walk outside onto the porch, where Stefan still waited. I now had a blanket wrapped around my shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Elena asked him.

"I, uh, I wanted to help her." Stefan said, approached Elena and I. "But instead...how's he doing?"

"He's a mess," I replied, sobbing. "I don't want him to go through this again. He's just a kid."

"Elektra, what can I do? I - what can I do to help? I'll do anything." Stefan begged.

"Can you make him forget?" I asked him.

"Elektra..." Stefan replied, slowly shaking his head.

"Stefan, please. I don't know how he'll ever past this. I just want him to forget everything that happened."

"Elektra, if I did it, there's not guarantee that it would work. Because of who I am, because of how I live. I don't have the ability to do it right." Stefan admitted, solemnly, shaking his head slightly.

"I can do it," A voice said from behind us. "If that is what you want, I'll do it."

"It's what we want," Elena answered, turning back to Stefan.

"What do you want him to know?" Damon asked.

"Elektra, do you want to forget?" Elena asked.

"I am only agreeing to compelling Jeremy, it won't work on Elektra over here anyways. Even without vervain." Damon replied. "That night when I tried to compel her and it didn't work, I thought she was wearing vervain, but then I remembered that I didn't smell any vervain."

"Okay, I want you to tell him that Vicki's left town. And she's not coming back. That he shouldn't look for her, or worry about her. He's going to miss her, but he knows it's for the best." I said, my voice cracking.

Damon nodded, turning away from us and entering the house. I went and sat back down on the porch swing, tuning out Stefan and Elena's conversation. I just stared up at the moon, wishing that these past months had just been some horrible nightmare.

"It's done." Damon's voice interrupted my thoughts. I nodded and just sat there.

"Come on, Elektra." Elena said quietly, I stood up and walked towards the door. Elena barged in and left me for a second.

I pulled Damon into another hug and whispered. "Thank you." And then let go before going inside.

✥ ✥ ✥

not edited.