CHAPTER IX ―

ONLY FOR YOU!

𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃 being discharged from the hospital before the Founder's Party at the Lockwood Manor. It was something that was important to her family and she fully intended on going, even if Stefan tried to reason with her. Although he got her to agree they wouldn't stay the whole night, she did intend on making an appearance to die for.

"Are you sure we can't just stay home and enjoy the house to ourselves?" Stefan tried again, head lifted up as Brooke tied the tie around his neck. It was silver to match the silver dress Brooke had on. It was the perfect color for Brooke, silver with a black belt around with a flower to match. The black pumps she wore that were, surprisingly, under the normal heel length she wore, per the agreement with Stefan to go, matched beautifully. Brooke Sommers really was a beautiful marvel.

"No, Mr. Salvatore," Brooke chuckled, finishing up his tie and pulling it nice and snug. "Not too tight, right?" Stefan shook his head. "We're going. We had an agreement."

Stefan sighed, wrapping his arms around her waist loosely. Her arms followed suite, wrapping loosely around his neck. "Are you sure?" His eyebrows were raised, a playful look in his eyes. Suddenly, he began to tickle her and Brooke burst into a fit of giggles.

"Yes!" She squealed in laughter as he tickled her. "Yes! Yes, I'm sure!"

Stefan sighed, stopping his actions. "Well, alright." Holding his arm out, "I think it's time, Ms. Sommers."

With a smile, Brooke's arm wrapped around his and the smile on Stefan's face got wider as she spoke, "Why, thank you, Mr. Salvatore."

...

"Brooklyn!" Carol Lockwood cried in excitement and shock, rushing forward to embrace the girl as Brooke walked up the stairs to the Lockwood Manor, Stefan in tow. "You look just absolutely smashing!" Carol kissed the young girl on the forehead. "Beautiful!" Even though her son and Brooke weren't dating anymore, the young girl was like a daughter to her. The daughter she never had.

"Carol," Brooke smiled, hugging the older woman back. "thank you."

Carol chuckled, pulling back and taking a full look at the girl before her eyes caught a pair of eyes. "And who is this handsome, young man?"

Brooke flushed, turning around ever-so-slightly, gesturing for Stefan to step forward. Thank God he had. "Stefan Salvatore, m'am." Carol's head cocked gently, an approving smile and look on her face. "It's nice to meet you." He held his hand out to her.

Shaking hands, Carol looked back at Brooke. "I approve," she whispered, winking at her. The flush on Brooke's pale cheeks turned a deeper red. "You are more than welcome in, Mr. Salvatore. Please enjoy, both of you."

With that, Stefan Salvatore had been invited into the Lockwood Manor, not knowing that his older brother had already been there before himself.

...

Walking through the rooms, Brooke and Stefan had caught Elena looking at the Gilbert table. "Elena's parents?" Stefan asked. Brooke nodded, letting go of Stefan's arm to walk up to Elena.

"Hey," Brooke gently put her hand on Elena's arm, slightly startling the brunette. "Hey, it's just me, Lena."

"It's been so hard, Brooke," Elena swallowed harshly, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. "It's just been so hard without them here. I feel like I'm doing everything wrong."

Stefan slowly stepped away, deciding to give the cousins their time together.

Brooke frowned, pulling Elena down into a hug. "You aren't doing anything wrong, Elena," she muttered to then Gilbert girl. "You're grieving. There's no time limit on grief, it's everyday. It's constant. It's always going to be there, but everyday it gets a little easier. One step at a time, one breath at a time. One day, you'll wake up and you won't feel like it's crushing you anymore and then you'll know... you'll know you're okay again."

Elena pulled back from the hug after a moment, wiping away the tears that managed to fall. "I know you're right... it's just hard," she swallowed, her eyes meeting Brooke's. "Thank you, B."

Brooke smiled gently to her cousin, "Anytime, E."

...

"Wow, look! It's the original registry," Elena beamed. Brooke perked up and walked over, scanning the registry. "Isn't it cool, Brooke?"

Stefan swallowed, walking over to the two of them. He really hoped they just scanned it and didn't read it. "Sheriff William Forbes, Mayor Benjamin Lockwood," Elena mumbled."

Brooke frowned. "Damon and Stefan Salvatore?" She turned to Stefan in confusion, she didn't know why, but Brooke felt like something was seriously wrong.

"The Original Salvatore brother's," a voice said, the three of them turned to see Damon coming towards them with Caroline. "Our ancestors, tragic story, actually."

Stefan narrowed his eyes at Damon as he stepped closer to Brooke and Elena. "We don't need to bore them with stories of the past, Damon."

"It's not boring, Stefan," Elena smiled. "Brooke and I would love to hear about your family history." Brooke's frown deepened. This didn't seem right.

"Well, I'm bored." Caroline looked to Damon, "I wanna dance."

"Then go dance, Caroline," Brooke said.

"But Damon won't dance with me," she whined. Brooke pursed her lips as Damon shrugged his shoulders. "Could I borrow your date, Brooke?"

"I don't really dance," Stefan replied, stepping in for Brooke as he could feel the anger in her rise.

"Sure he does! You should see him," Damon smirked. "Waltz, the jitterbug, the moonwalk, he does it all!"

Caroline beamed. "You wouldn't mind, would you, Brooke?"

Before Brooke could answer, Elena did. "Actually, she would. Stefan was just about to take Brooke dancing anyways. Isn't that right?"

Before Brooke could say no, Stefan grabbed her hand and dragged her to the dance floor.

...

"You really can dance!" Brooke giggled as Stefan spun her around the dance floor, spinning her out and pulling her back in. Stefan smiled down at the strawberry-blonde.

"Only for you, Brooke."

The butterflies in Brooke's stomach almost made her want to throw up, but the beaming smile on her face kept it down. She had to admit, Stefan really knew how to charm her.

"Well then, Mr. Salvatore, you better give me your best moves!"

On the other side of the dance floor, Damon and Caroline danced slowly to the music. "Aren't they cute together? Look at them!" Damon sneered.

"Would you shut up?" He wasn't looking at them, he was staring at Elena dancing with her boyfriend, Matt. It was startling how alike in looks she was to Katherine, but personalities were worlds apart. He couldn't believe his eyes sometimes and the ache in his heart for her. He yearned for Katherine after all these years and here she was in front of him, but not actually her.

It irked Damon, how the world just seemed to continuously fuck him. Everyone had Katherine but him. He really just couldn't catch a break and now? Now he was going to fuck the world and take what he wanted, what was rightfully his to begin with... Katherine. He was going to do whatever it took to get her back.

...

Later in the evening, Stefan had told Brooke he was going to help Damon home since he was drunk and that he'd be by the next morning. Whilst she was disappointed, she wasn't upset. Family was family.

Beginning to walk around the Lockwood property she was familiar with, she heard sniffling and gentle sobs as she got closer to the tree that her and Tyler used to lay next to during the summer. As she got closer, she saw the familiar blonde sitting on the ground. "Caroline?!" Brooke rushed towards her and was startled at the sight of her.

There was bruises and bite marks all over her. "Oh my god, Caroline! What happened?!" Caroline cried harder as Brooke pulled her scarf off and saw bite marks all over her neck. "Oh Care!" Wrapping her arms around the blonde, she hugged her close as the Forbes girl clung to her. "It's gonna be okay, it's alright. I promise."

With that, the Forbes girl sobbed harder into her friend's shoulder and Brooke vowed to cut Damon's nuts off. Stefan had a lot of explaining to do.