SEASON ONE — EPISODE EIGHT
"𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙟𝙤𝙠𝙚"

‧˚꒰🍷꒱༘‧—

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'✦ ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹ CAROLINE THOUGHT IT'D BE BEST TO HAVE A GIRL'S NIGHT, and considering Nathan had to work, unable to look after Brooke as she was bed—bound, it worked out for everyone. The blonde had planned for Elena and Bonnie to come over later in the day, and she'd gone out to grab snacks, leaving Brooke alone in the Forbes household for an hour.

Brooke chucked the book she was reading aside on Caroline's bed, huffing in irritation. It'd only been a couple days since she was discharged from the hospital and she was already getting exhausted of the stupid routine they'd given her. She was sick and tired of walking with crutches, sometimes having to crawl to use the bathroom, always needing someone to look after her 24/7.

Life was already miserable as it is, she didn't need more misery on top of that.

With a roll of her eyes, Brooke sat up and slowly pushed herself to the edge of the bed, looking down at the dark oak wooden floorboards. She stayed in that position for a while until a small voice in her head just told her to do it, to take the risk, to achieve all of the things she wanted to — it sounded like her mother.

The brunette sucked in a breath before she stepped onto the floor, the wood cold under her sock—covered feet. The pain shooting through her frail body felt like a firework was lit in her stomach, but she didn't fall down as much as she wanted to, deciding to stand up properly instead. She would've screamed if not for the sound of Caroline entering the house downstairs, shouting from the rooftops.

"I'm throwing a party!" She exclaimed, hopping up the stairs and when she entered her bedroom, finding her best—friend on her feet, she paused, just staring at her with a look of shock, "You're standing! You're standing?" Caroline repeated herself, the second time in questioning and Brooke giggled, a grin spreading across her lips.

"Well, considering I missed the Halloween party... I'm actually glad I did— Anyway, I can go to this party you're planning so suddenly." She clapped her hands together and Caroline laughed loudly, jumping up and down on the spot in excitement. The two hadn't been to a party together in what felt like forever, something they usually did as a duo almost everyday.

"And I get to dress you up like a doll, yay!" Caroline rushed over to her closet, throwing it open and began to search through her dresses, picking out the perfect black top with ruffles at the shoulders and a pair of dark—blue jeans, knowing she had to wear something. loose around her stomach to make sure her bandage stayed on.

Brooke watched silently for a while until she felt the pain was too much, so she sat back down on the bed, holding onto her stomach as she did so, "Why are you hosting a party anyways?" She curiously asked, her hands propping her up on the bed behind her.

"Umm, because Damon asked me to." Caroline shrugged, acting as if it was the simplest thing to exist but the look on Brooke's face said otherwise. She was fuming with anger, she hated Damon with a passion, a burning passion that would never be replaced with anything.

"You spoke to him?" Brooke furrowed her brows, leaning forwards with an irritation Caroline could hear from afar. She knew mentioning him would cause this.

"Kinda." She replied, throwing the clothes onto the bed, playing dumb.

"Kinda?" Brooke mocked, tilting her head in annoyance.

"Yes, kinda. He just asked me to throw a party so that Stefan and his 'BFF' would come... I can't remember the rest of it." Her own eyebrows knitted together, her eyes glued to her light purple bedsheets, stuck in thought.

"His 'BFF'?" Brooke questioned, bringing Caroline back to reality and the aforementioned girl nodded enthusiastically, rushing back over to her closet to choose her own outfit. Brooke didn't respond, nor ask any further questions, now stuck in her own thoughts.

Stefan had only ever mentioned a few people from his past, and only one was ever his best—friend, she knew who it was... But why would the perky blonde return so randomly? Which special occasion was occurring? Stefan's birthday? She wouldn't be surprised...

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BROOKE WAS SAT AT A TABLE, swirling the ice around in her glass full of coke miserably, watching all of the teenagers stand around, laughing and smiling and in that moment, she wanted nothing more than to stand up and dance around to the loud music booming around The Grill.

Her eyes scatter around the room, searching for her best—friend and when she found her, she scrunched her face up in disgust, her wishes of standing up finally coming true. She abandoned her drink on the table, slowly making her way over to the bar where Caroline was speaking with Damon.

Brooke used things to assist her such as railings, empty tables and chairs and even people, who didn't really care. When she approached, she only managed to hear the end of their conversation, "Do you have my crystal?" Damon asked the blonde, whose smile never dropped from her perfect lips.

"No." She replied happily, shaking her head.

"Then I'm not having a good time." He stood up from the bar and brushed past her, heading towards the entrance of the restaurant. Brooke rolled her eyes, placing her hand on Caroline's arm, pulling her attention away from the man.

"Crystal?" Brooke questioned, leaning on the blonde for support but as if Caroline had lost all empathy in her bones, she walked away without a reply, causing Brooke to trip over herself. She was slightly glad she wasn't wearing heels, knowing that she would've fallen over quite a while ago.

Her face was about to hit the ground, her nose just inches away from the wooden floorboards when an arm was placed under her stomach, pain shooting across her body for the millionth time that week. She grimaced, her hair flying into her face as the person placed her back on her feet.

She met eyes with Stefan, but she couldn't process anything, the pain in her stomach too much for her to handle. It was bearable before, mostly because nobody had put pressure on the wound until Stefan had, her legs now unable to keep her upright, "Ow, ow, ow." She muttered, feeling her eyes begin to water and he quickly helped her onto a bar stool, his hands gripping her waist in order to lift her up, "Thanks."

"No need to thank me." He smiled softly, assessing her to make sure she was okay. It was no lie that he cared for Brooke, he knew that and he'd always admit it, but love was another story, a story he felt in the back of his mind yet he'd never speak it aloud.

She huffed, clearly irritated to the ends of the earth about everything and when she glanced back over at him, his eyes were already locked on her, "I thought you were staying away from me?"

He finally broke eye contact, his eyes now glued to his shoes awkwardly, unsure of what to respond with. Stefan shrugged, looking back up at her, "What was I supposed to do? Let you fall?"

"It would've been funny." She chuckled at her own joke, imagining herself falling face first into the floor almost making her choke on her own spit. Nothing was funnier than her own pain, nothing. Stefan tutted, shaking his head in humorous disbelief.

"I don't think—" Before he could finish, a loud voice erupted from beside him.

"Oh my, God! Is this the famous Brooke who was shot a week ago?" Lexi Branson's voice sounded in the air and Brooke's eyes widened at the sight of her. She was beautiful, like, really beautiful. A Goddess. Women like her were the reason for why Brooke knew she was bisexual, she was always too nervous to make a move on nervous women, though, that was always the issue.

"Lexi." Stefan warned, a small smile lingering on his lips as he stared at Brooke, watching as the girl was practically drooling, "Brooke, you've got a little..." He touched the corner of his mouth, gesturing that she was drooling and the brunette shook her head, a blush reaching her cheeks.

"Shut up. I indeed am the famous Brooke who was shot a week ago." Brooke reached her arm out, knowing if she stood up then, she'd collapse to the floor... consciously. Lexi took a step forwards and latched her own hand onto hers, the two shaking hands for a little longer than expected.

"I'm Lexi, you're so pretty, I need another drink." Lexi grinned and strolled away in a flash, causing Brooke's brows to knit together in amusement, her eyes landing back on Stefan.

"Wow, Steffy, you pick your best—friends well." She giggled, placing her hands in her lap and he nodded, deciding to take a seat beside her at the bar. After a few moments of silence, he opened his mouth, about to speak only to be cut off by Brooke, "Is it your birthday?" She rushed out, placing a guilty grin on her lips as she stared at him, wincing.

He closed his mouth, feeling like a fish underwater and he nodded, glancing down to his hands, "Yeah... But, don't tell anyone." He begged and as soon as she nodded enthusiastically, placing her fingers to her lips in a zipping motion, he let out a sigh of relief, glad she would keep his secret.

"Well, happy birthday. I would have gotten you a gift if I would've known." Brooke's eyes trailed over to her hands, a distant expression on her pale face when she spotted a black, friendship bracelet she'd been gifted from her mother years ago, a bracelet she loved. She untied the strings with ease and smiled wide, looking up from her hands to him, "Hold your wrist out."

"Brooke, it's okay—"

"Just do it." She rolled her eyes, watching as he reluctantly held his wrist out and she wrapped the bracelet around his wrist, tying it sufficiently at the ends, "My gift to you. Just don't lose it, please." She pleaded, a convincing smile on her lips and he nodded, admiring the string.

"Of course, thank you." He glanced over at the pool table, finding Lexi drunkenly attempting to play and he rolled his eyes, pushing himself up from the bar, "Hey, I'll talk to you later, just don't fall over again, okay?"

"I make no promises." She smiled, watching him grin, walking off towards the blonde vampire. As he departed, she turned towards the bartender, slapping the tabletop lightly, "Can I get a diet coke? My doctor says no alcohol for three months, I might die." She groaned, her social anxiety completely deteriorated.

"It isn't that bad, I've been sober for four years." A striking bartender she'd never seen before spun around and as if he was magic, he already had a diet coke in his hands, placing it in front of her.

"Woah, was that magic?" She joked, sipping on the dark soda by the straw and he chuckled, wiping one of the sides as he stared at her.

"Maybe." He flirted, winking at her before he strolled to the other end of the bar, helping another customer. She continued to sip on her drink, watching him make beers and shots when she almost jumped out of her skin, Caroline's face coming into view.

"I hate my life, I want to die." Caroline muttered, taking Brooke's coke from her hands and before she sipped on it, she furrowed her brows, "Is there alcohol in this?"

"Nope." Brooke replied calmly, popping her 'p' and Caroline groaned, handing her the glass back.

"Ugh, am I stupid? And shallow? And a waste of space?" Caroline questioned, dragging her hand down her face in sadness, she might as well have been crying on the spot. Brooke shuffled forwards carefully, placing her hand on the blonde's arm comfortingly.

"Caroline, no, who told you that?" Her brows knitted together, watching as a tear rolled down the girl's cheek and that was when she felt infuriated, all of her worries disappearing as she thought about someone hurting her best—friend, the second person she loved most.

"Damon... You know what, he's stupid, I hate him. Like, why did he even..." Caroline trailed off, looking over her shoulder only for Brooke to have disappeared and when she turned further, she watched as Brooke stomped towards Damon Salvatore, all of her pain dissipated, only fuelled by anger.

She reached the dark—haired vampire, she couldn't care less if he was supernatural, she couldn't care less if he didn't feel it, but he most definitely deserved it. She shoved his shoulder, causing him to turn around and she reached her hand up, slapping him across his cheek, causing the room to go silent, the only sound being the music playing in the background.

"Whoo!" Lexi cheered from the pool table beside Stefan, jumping up and down on the spot out of excitement.

"Call Caroline stupid again and I'll kill you, seriously." She gave him a piercing stare, a stare that somehow actually intimidated him yet when his scared demeanour showed, he quickly shut it down, throwing on a smug expression.

"What? Am I supposed to be intimidated? You know, for a girl who was shot last week, you seem to have quite a bit of confidence." He attempted to change the subject but Brooke wasn't having it, she curled up her fist and lifted it, causing Damon to flinch. She smirked, knowing, deep down, that he was afraid of her.

"I will not tell you again." She stood her ground, despite the height difference, she looked stronger than he did in that moment and she spun around, spotting Elena at the entrance, confused as to what was happening. Brooke approached her, the two crossing paths and Elena's eyes widened, pulling her back.

"Hey, are you okay?" Elena asked worriedly and Brooke forced a grin, nodding in response.

"Yeah!" Brooke smiled and strolled away towards the bathrooms, internally begging that they were empty and to her surprise, they were. She looked in the mirror for a few moments, just staring at herself, all of her insecurities bursting to life when she felt the shooting pain return to her body, and now it was unbearable.

The pain felt as if she was being electrocuted in her stomach only, as if her organs were being squeezed to dust. She collapsed to the floor, holding onto her stomach whilst she cried out for nobody in particular. Her brother was working, and Caroline was most likely flirting with a random guy outside of the Grill.

There was nobody around to save her, Elena couldn't have cared less about her, that was her assumption and neither could Stefan, she would never believe that people who never showed much care could possibly actually care for her. Actions speak louder than words, right?

Her crying out died down after a short while, she just sat there, waiting, longing, and even laughing. She wasn't going to die, that she knew, but if she was going to have to endure this pain for any longer, she wasn't about to act miserable about it, if anything, she was going to accept it.

A couple of minutes later, as if her guardian angel had arrived, Stefan rushed into the room, having heard her cries from a mile away. The intense pain had caused her to go numb, the crying had brought her to be exhausted, she couldn't speak, all she could do was grip onto his leather jacket sleeve as he carried her out of the bathroom bridal style.

As he walked through The Grill, Elena and Matt ran over, along with a few others, but those two were more persistent, "Where are you taking her? Is she okay?" Matt questioned, a look of concern on his face as he walked beside Stefan, who glanced down at Brooke, assessing her before he replied.

"I'm sure she's okay, I was just going to take her home." He explained before he came to a halt by the exit, turning to Elena, "I'll make sure she's okay." He assured the brunette, who stared at the side of Brooke's face worriedly. Hesitantly, she nodded, rushing forwards to help the vampire through the door.

Matt didn't trust him, he never did, but he had an odd feeling, a feeling that told him that Brooke would be safe with Stefan and that he'd never hurt her, though the reluctance to trust him still lingered, "Tell her to call me in the morning." He demanded from Stefan, who immediately nodded with a slight smile, heading towards his car.

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