[DADDY ISSUES]

be the light.

    WHEN JULIETTE FINALLY MADE IT to work, with a few minutes to spare, she immediately turned her phone off. Deciding that an hour of work without drama would be good for her.

However, thirty minutes into her shift, Jenna and Alaric had come for lunch. Juliette had to be their waitress because they were in her section, much to her dismay.

When she walked over to the table, Jenna gave a side glance before staring down at the menu. Juliette looked over to Alaric who just shrugged. The blonde let out a sigh as she spoke, "Look Jenna, I wanted to tell you that John was her father but it wasn't my place, she should have told you earlier."

Along with a few other things.

Jenna looked like she was thinking over what Juliette said before she finally turned to her. "Why didn't she tell me? Does she not trust me?"

"She does trust you Jen, it's Elena, I don't understand half the things she does." Juliette shrugged, tugging at the strings on her apron. "I agree she should have told you but everything has just been so hectic lately so I kinda understand why she didn't."

"I can't believe it. Elena is my sister's husband's brother's daughter and her mother is my boyfriend's deceased wife. You can't make this up." The aunt shook her head. Yeah, you definitely can't make that up.

"It's definitely a little overwhelming," Alaric replied.

"And of course, it happened to us," Juliette added, causing Jenna to agree as she took a sip of her alcoholic drink, Juliette definitely thought of having some too, but decided against it because she wanted to keep her job.

But it was very tempting.

Jenna and Juliette both let out a groan as they noticed John had entered the bar and was seemingly making his way over to them. "Hey, you guys. Do you think I can join you?" He announced as he stood next to Juliette, who took a step away from him, not wanting to be too close.

"Do you have to?" Jenna mumbled as she once again picked up the menu.

"Yeah and do you also have to be in here while I'm working?" Juliette added.

"I guess I don't have to, do either of those things but I might as well."

No, you shouldn't might as well.

"Look who's here," John mumbled as Damon and Elena walked through the door, the former did not look very impressed at the sight of John, but the latter stopped him from walking over to them, obviously trying to talk sense into the vampire.

But before Juliette could witness John and Damon talk, her boss told her to stop chatting and work so unfortunately she had to go back to serving people.

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AFTER A WHILE, JENNA and Alaric left, the former wishing her luck with John as he decided to stay in the grill. Juliette never understood John, he knew that Elena was his biological daughter and stayed in her life, but was a dick to her and everyone in the Gilbert Family.

Wouldn't you want to be on your daughter's good side when she finds out?

John was just a pain in the ass in general, it was like he went out of his way to annoy people. If he carries on being like that, Elena and the rest of the Gilberts will continue to be distant and resentful, further breaking the family bonds that were already so fragile.

Juliette had a feeling that he wouldn't learn from his actions but she was willing to give him a chance.

Whilst she was cleaning a table, that the previous people left extremely dirty, Juliette noticed that Damon was talking to John and it didn't look like a friendly chat.

So she decided to make her way over there. Damon's voice was low and menacing as she approached, "I don't see that magic little ring on your stitched finger. So if you know something about Klaus, you better start talking, or I will kill you in your sleep." Damon threatened.

"Is that any way to convince me that you and I are on the same side?" John replied,  turning his head as he noticed Juliette had joined them. "Juliette."

Juliette sighed as she wiped her hands on her apron. "Look, I get it you guys hate each other, but please, if you are going to have a testosterone showdown, can you at least do it without scaring my customers away? It's hard enough keeping this place clean without having to mop up vampire drama too." She raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two men. "I'm serious."

"It's okay, I was just leaving." John said, giving her a small smile before looking back to Damon, "I need to know that I can trust you, Damon, that I can count on you. Then we'll talk."

John walked away, leaving a tense silence in his wake. Juliette looked at Damon with a knowing smile. "You know, for a centuries-old vampire, your people skills are severely lacking."

Damon chuckled, the tension easing. "And yet, I somehow manage to charm everyone. Including you."

Juliette rolled her eyes playfully. "I don't think so. I'm going on break so please, don't kill or hurt John while I'm gone." She pointed her perfectly manicured finger at him.

The vampire raised his hands, "Yeah, Yeah, I won't, Juju." As Juliette passed by him, she made sure to nudge her elbow into his stomach.

The blonde grabbed her jacket and made her way through the back door, sitting on the steps. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as she placed her head into her hands.

She was exhausted from working for 6 hours and with John being a dick. Sometimes, Juliette, in moments like this, wished that she never came back to Mystic Falls.

The reason she came back was to help Elena but she never planned on staying, it had been around 7 months since she came back. She never really wanted to stay for this long, but then Jenna told her to get a job at the grill because that would help 'settle her'

But Juliette didn't want to be settled, she only planned to help Elena with whatever she needed help with and then leave and go back to Kentucky to carry on with her life there. But after she helped Elena solve one problem, another one would soon arise and that's how it has been, forever grounding Juliette in the town she hated.

The thought of leaving and not telling anyone crosses her mind more than it should, but she knew that if she did that, she would forever lose the rest of her family and she couldn't have that. She has lost too many people in her lifetime.

Juliette just wanted a peaceful life but it looks like she wasn't getting that any time soon.

"Juliette."

A sudden voice startled the blonde, making her scream and jump to her feet. She looked over her shoulder to see Elijah standing there. "Why do you always have to scare me, you idiot?" she exclaimed, clutching her chest as her heart pounded wildly.

"I do not mean to, Juli." Elijah chuckled as he descended the steps. Juliette sighed turning away and crossing her arms over her chest.

"What's wrong?" Elijah asked.

"Nothing," Juliette replied, curtly.

"Something is wrong. Tell me." Elijah insisted, his eyes narrowing with concern.

"No, nothing is wrong," Juliette said, her voice tight and unconvincing.

"I can always tell when something is up with you," he spoke softly, stepping closer to the blonde, his gaze unwavering.

"Oh, can you now?" She retorted, raising an eyebrow, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she turned her head slightly to avoid his piercing gaze.

Elijah sighed, grabbing her chin and gently forced her to look at him. He tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear, "Yes, I can. You have that look."

Juliette's eyes flashed with irritation. "What look?" She scoffed, staring into her eyes as his thumb began to slowly caress her cheek as he stared deeply back into her eyes.

"The one where you're trying to hide something but failing miserably," He replied, his voice softened.

She bit her lip, the walls she'd built around her emotions beginning to crumble. "It's nothing. Just... a lot on my mind."

Elijah took another step closer to Juliette, still caressing her cheek. "Tell me. Tell me everything that is on your mind, Juli," he whispered, his voice soothing and comforting.

Juliette gazed up at Elijah, her eyes softening as they locked into his, a warm and tender light filling them. A gentle smile plays at the ends of her lips, a mixture of confusion and affection. Elijah's entire face seemed to relax, exuding a serene and peaceful joy.

At that moment, her expression spoke volumes, conveying a deep, unspoken connection and unwavering devotion. It felt like a thousand years passed as they stared at each other, Juliette's hands had somehow found their way up his chest and their lips were inches apart.

Suddenly, Juliette seemed to be dragged back into reality. Her eyes, which were once full of warmth and affection, turned wary and distant as she took a step away from the vampire.

Tears brimmed her eyes as she looked away from him. She couldn't allow herself to do that; she couldn't let him in. Juliette wouldn't let him in. Because if she did, if she bared herself to him, he would ruin it.

He was the bad guy! He was the guy that had tried to kidnap her and Elena. Why was she giving in to her desires? Why was she betraying her family?

"Juliette?" Elijah spoke first, trying to step closer to the girl but she just took another step back, distancing herself from him.

Finally, she looked at him, "Why do you keep doing that?" She demanded, a tear sliding down her cheek as she shook her head. Why did he keep making her question everything, including herself?

Before Elijah could even speak, Juliette's phone began to ring, breaking through the tension. The blonde sighed as she turned away from the vampire, feeling slightly embarrassed by the whole encounter as she answered the phone.

"What's up, Elena?" Juliette spoke, wiping the tears that had fallen. She couldn't believe she allowed herself to be so...vulnerable in front of him.

"It's Caroline, she got taken by Jules," Elena replied, panic evident in her voice. All thoughts of herself immediately left Juliette's mind, instead fixed on her best friend.

"What? When?" Juliette's voice was urgent, her eyes wide with distress.

"Like fifteen minutes ago, Stefan and Damon are already on the way there to get her. They just want Tyler back." Elena explained, her words rushed and filled with anxiety.

"Oh, so they kidnap Care to get him? Stefan was just trying to explain everything to him, trying to help him." Juliette said she was filled with frustration and annoyance. Her fist clenched at her side, everything weighing down on her.

"Look, we will go-" Juliette began.

Elena cut her off, "John won't let me go, he's acting all fatherly and won't let me go and I doubt he will let you go too."

Juliette groaned, thanks John! "Okay well, call me if you hear anything from Stefan and Damon?"

Elena agreed before hanging up. Juliette swore as she took the phone away from her ear, slightly turning around to see Elijah with his phone in his hand.

"What are you-" Juliette was going to ask.

"I'll get your friend back." was all he said before he sped off.

Leaving Juliette alone in the dark alley.

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Another chapter in the same week?!!?!?!?? I am slaying rn.

20/07/24