Chapter 1: Growing Pains
Chapter Text
A/N: Welcome back. Here's the fourth part to the Tangled saga. If you haven't already read Tangled Web of Love, Tangled Fate and Tangled Affair, I would recommend clicking on my user id and checking them out. You'll probably be a little bit lost without reading them.
So, without further nonsense from me...let's dive right in.
Growing Pains
November 7, 2010
Sitting dejectedly on the couch in the living room, Louise braced her elbows on her knees and covered her face in her hands. The Gilbert residence was blessedly, mercifully silent. Without a human in the house, she'd been able to get a handle on her bloodlust, but that had only made more room for her humiliation over the fact that she'd hadn't even been able to stay in the same house with her own family without wanting to drain them dry.
"Louise." Stefan's calm, soothing voice interrupted the turmoil of her thoughts. Jerking upright, the sharp scent of alcohol hit her before she turned and saw the offered crystal tumbler in his hands.
"What's this?" she asked, taking the tumbler.
"Bourbon." he replied, settling into a chair across from her. "It's Damon's favourite. I figured you might have developed a taste for it."
Eyeing the alcohol warily, she asked. "Are you sure? I mean, I haven't had anything to eat in...," she swallowed. She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten. "I mean, now's not the best time for me to get wasted and lose control."
"Your alcohol tolerance isn't something you have to worry about anymore, Louise." Stefan said, his mouth quirking upwards in a half-hearted smile.
"Oh," she said, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks. Vampire now, she reminded herself, turning the glass around in her hands. "Right."
Noticing her hesitancy, Stefan nodded. "Go ahead. It'll help take the edge off."
"The edge?" she repeated, assuming he was talking about the craving for blood that was still making her throat burn. "Seriously?"
"Why do you think Damon drinks so much?" he asked.
"You mean this never goes away?" she asked, her eyes widening as she stared at him, panicked over the idea that she'd have to deal with the crippling bloodlust on a permanent basis. "I'm going to feel like this forever?"
"No." Stefan promised. "No, it gets better, but it's going to take a while. Drinking helps."
Taking a breath, Louise licked her lips and took a tiny, hesitant sip of the bourbon. The familiar flavours exploded in her mouth, making her eyes water at the intensity. Swallowing, she felt it slide down her throat, reminding her of the blood she'd consumed a few hours ago. The alcohol didn't numb the craving, but Stefan was right, it did distract her from it.
"Louise."
Lifting her gaze from her contemplation of the bourbon, she caught his eye and raised a brow.
"I'm sorry that this happened to you." he said. "I know this isn't what you wanted."
Louise blinked, looking down at the rug. "Actually, it was." she admitted softly, without thinking. Stefan made a sound of surprise, prompting her to add quickly. "Not like this. Definitely not like this, but...turning...it was the plan. Our plan."
April 20, 2010
"Do you think about the future?" Louise asked Stefan. They were waiting for Caroline, Bonnie and Elena to arrive with the popcorn; the high school film club was showing The Notebook and all four girls had jumped at the chance to take a night off from crisis-management to eat popcorn and sob, and Elena had insisted on taking Stefan. Louise kept fiddling with her purse, checking to make sure she had enough packs of tissues to get through the film. Although, as Elena pointed out, one could never have enough tissues for The Notebook.
"Sure." Stefan said causally. "About what weapons I'll need to carry with me in case Klaus shows up, what books I should read next..."
"So not what I meant." Louise crumbled and Stefan knew that, wanted to avoid what she was really asking. "I mean you and Elena...what are you going to do about the whole vampire-mortal thing?"
"I don't know." Stefan responded. It's something they hadn't discussed, something they needed to talk about, something they were both afraid of.
He dreamed about it sometimes. Getting to spend forever waking up beside Elena would be amazing, feeling her toes curl against his leg, her hand on his chest. Travelling with Elena, getting away from Mystic Falls; he's pretty confident Elena would jump naked with him into the Trevin Fountain.
"You really love her, don't you?" Louise voice broke through his thoughts and he looked at her, tearing his gaze away from Elena. "You look at her and it's obvious to everyone. When you talk to her or even when you just mention her name..." Louise trailed off. "I want you to be happy," she added. "And she makes you happy. But Stefan, what if Elena doesn't want to become, you know, a vampire?" she whispered the last word.
Would any sane person want to become a vampire?
Stefan's throat tightened and he slid his hands into his pockets. "What about you? Have you thought about your future?" he asked, changing the subject around onto her. "About turning into a, you know, vampire? For Damon?"
"I used to think about the future a lot." Louise murmured. "Dream about it, I guess. And I have thought about turning, I mean there's been few almosts for me not to." she added quietly. Biting her lip, Louise turned to face Stefan, naked hope etched plainly on her features. "You might think I'm crazy. I know that forever is a really long time and I can't possibly know what the future holds, but Stefan, I do. I know it. I know that what Damon and I have is real. It's forever."
Taken aback by Louise's impassioned speech, Stefan stared at his friend in quiet awe. It was hard for her to imagine wanting to turn, but she'd stopped lamenting her fate long ago.
"I don't think you're crazy. I think you're lucky. You and Damon have the kind of love that everybody wants and you'd get to keep it. Forever."
Arms wrapped around Stefan's waist and Elena placed her chin on his shoulder. "Miss me?" she kissed Stefan's neck as he grabbed her hands, relaxing against her body.
"Ready to shed some tears?" Bonnie handed Louise a bunch of napkins along with a bag of gummy bears. "In case you run out of tissues."
"Like that's possible." Caroline muttered.
Elena nuzzled Stefan's ear. "Hope you're ready, Stefan."
"Yeah, going with us, to this movie? Very brave." Caroline smiled.
As they headed inside the auditorium, Elena tugged Stefan's hand. "You and Louise weren't talking about crisis stuff, were you? Because we're not suppose to talk about that stuff tonight."
"Yes, tonight is all about weeping." Stefan dodged Elena's elbow and kissed here. Yeah, he was completely whipped, going with Elena and her friends to see a weepy romantic movie, but as it meant spending time with her, he didn't mind. Not that much.
"You wanted to be a vampire?" Stefan asked, leaning back in the chair and gazing at her in disbelief.
"I wanted to be able to protect myself and my friends, my family," she stated, wanting to drop her gaze back to the floor, but maintaining eye contact instead. She tightened her grip on the tumbler of bourbon as she grew more defiant. "And I wanted to be with Damon. I love him."
"I know you do." Stefan nodded calmly.
Stefan tipped his head in acknowledgement as they fell into a companionable silence. Louise nursed her bourbon, realising with surprise that she hadn't thought about blood for a whole five minutes.
It wasn't much, but it was a start.
"I'm glad." Stefan said quietly, breaking the silence as her eyes darted back to his. "I'm glad that you completed the transition. I'm glad you're willing to do this for him." he continued, his gaze intense with an expression of genuine gratitude. "Damon needs...," he hesitated. "Damon deserves to have someone love him like that."
Taking a sip of her bourbon, Louise smiled. "He does deserve it." she agreed. "But I didn't want to turn for him, Stefan. I wanted to turn because of him. I want to be with him forever. And I need him just as much as he needs me."
Her hands were shaking slightly as she brought the tumbler to her lips and took a much greedier sip of alcohol. Louise had been a full-fledged vampire for a little over twenty-four hours and while Stefan was astounded by the level of control she was exhibiting, he could see that her control was precarious.
"Louise-"
"How's Elena?" Louise asked, glancing over her shoulder towards the stairs.
"Still unconscious." he replied. Elena hadn't really woken up properly since the accident, but when she does, they will have to break the news that she died with vampire blood in her system. "Have you gotten a hold of Damon?"
"Not yet." she said, sighing as she glared at her phone on the coffee table in betrayal. "His phone goes straight to voicemail."
A sudden gasp of air left Elena Gilbert's lips as she regained consciousness once more. Elena opened her eyes, expecting to see a dark canopy of stars overhead. Instead, she was temporarily blinded by a piercingly bright white light, and she immediately closed her eyes against the pain.
What the hell?
"Elena!" A familiar voice cut through her disorientation before she could do more than wonder. Prying her eyes open, she against the brightness as a white ceiling gradually came into focus. The bed she was laying on shifted as someone sat beside her. "It's about time."
"Louise?" she croaked, her voice little more than a ruined rasp as she turned toward the sound of her sister's voice.
"Yeah, it's me." Louise replied in a calm, soothing voice. "It's okay. You're safe."
Safe? Elena thought as her vision cleared enough for her to recognise the creamy vanilla coloured walls, rosy pink curtains beside her antique style white desk which held photographs, a lamp and various awards - all indicators that was back in her room. She knew the room all too well - every shadow, every creaky floorboard, every knot in the walls. Louise was right, she was safe.
But the question of how she'd made it to her room remained.
"Where's Matt?" Elena asked, lurching to a seated position with a knot panic tightened in her gut.
"You were in an accident." Louise stated as she steadied her with a hand on her shoulder. "Do you...do you remember what happened?"
Elena frowned, pressing a hand to her forehead as the accident replayed through her mind. "Oh my God. Matt is he...?"
"He's fine." Stefan answered and it was only now Elena noticed him sitting on the edge of her bed.
"Thank you." she whispered, closing her eyes against the torrent of memories that slammed into her with brutal force. After a moment, she opened her eyes and cringed again as the brightness of the bedside lamp caught her off guard. Other heightened sensations assaulted her - the softness of the sheets, the sound of Stefan's and Louise's shallow breathing and her own slowly beating heart. "I thought that I – how did you...?"
"When Jeremy brought you to the hospital before all this happened, your injuries were worse than anyone knew. Meredith Fell made a choice, she used Damon's blood to heal you."
"And when Rebekah ran Matt's truck off the road, you had vampire blood in your system, Elena." Louise added.
Elena's heart leapt to her throat, nearly choking her as she spike of panic cut through the haze. "Oh my God. Does - does that mean that I – am I dead?" Louise and Stefan didn't respond and that was all the confirmation she needed. She shook her head. "No, no, no, no! That wasn't supposed to happen!"
"Maybe it doesn't have to." Stefan said, as he moved closer to her, carefully taking both of her violently shaking hands. "I talked to Bonnie, she says she's stronger than ever, there might be something that she can do to help you." His voice was soft as he almost felt the scepticism rolling off of Louise from next to him.
"I don't think we should ignore that Elena is in transition as we speak, we don't have time to look for an alternative, we should just plan for-"
"We have all day before she has to feed, Louise. That's a day to exhaust every possible way out of this."
"There's no way out of this. You should know better than anyone." Louise said. Stefan gave her a pleading look, he needed her to believe, he needed her to stand by him with this. She shook her head. "We all know the drill, we've all been there, you feed or you die. There's no door number three, Stefan."
"I was ready to die." Elena cried out as the tears started to stream down her face. "I was supposed to die. I don't – I don't want to be – I can't be a vampire! If there's something that Bonnie can do we have to try."
"We will. We'll try everything." Stefan nodded slowly with a sure smile. Elena returned the smile before throwing her arms around him.
His arms felt like a safe haven. After everything that's happened in the past twenty four hours, there was nothing that Elena craved more than safety. Than to be held, wrapped in arms so tight that she won't feel the massive weight on her chest. A rapid heartbeat brought Elena back to reality; Stefan was that to her — her safety net. He has always been that, no matter how difficult things have been for the two of them .
Elena still felt like she was in a spotlight, however, with the way the lights peeking through the curtains were glaring at her. A grumble escaped Elena's lips, squeezing Stefan's upper body as she slightly tighten her arms around him . "I feel like garbage." she said honestly, nuzzling her face into his neck.
The doorknob to the Gilbert's front door twisted before it flew open to reveal the older Salvatore standing behind it.
Using her newly found vampire speed, Louise rushed to him, desperate to feel his lips on hers. For his warmth to spread all over her body as they embraced. The raven-haired vampire had barely stepped over the threshold when his girlfriend crashed into him. Before he could react, there was the sound of sizzling as the sun came into contact with Louise's skin. She quickly recoiled from him and rushed into the living room where it was dark, and her skin began to heal almost immediately. Damon was quick to join her.
"Don't worry. I came bearing a gift." Damon assured her. Louise watched as he pulled a beautiful, intricately carved silver band from the plush velvet box. He rubbed his thumb over the lapis lazuli stone, momentarily struck by the fact that those tiny blue gem could be spelled to protect them from the sun. Would be protecting her from the sun. Damon then moved to one knee and the brunette couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Louise, will you walk in the sunlight with me for all eternity?" he asked, and Louise was now grinning from ear to ear at his fake proposal. "Keep in mind there is only one right answer."
"Yes." She grinned even more if that was possible.
Presenting him with her left ring finger, he smirked and shook his head at the embarrassingly giddy sensation that swept through him. He knew it as silly to be so sentimental about putting the daylight ring on such a noteworthy finger. The ring was life and freedom for vampires- meaning so much more than an engagement ring or a wedding band - but Damon held his breath as he slid the ring into place anyway, releasing it only when he knew for certain that it fit.
Perfectly.
"Thank you." Louise breathed, taking a moment to stare at her hand and admire the ring in a new light. She got a better look at it now. It was smaller than either Salvatore brother's, beautifully crafted. It was well suited to her taste and Louise had to believe he picked it out a while ago. It was too perfect to be just something he had laying around.
"Where did you get it?" Her breath came out a little hushed and she knew her awe was showing.
He got to his feet, smiling. "I got this a while ago, just in case something like this happened. Always best to have contingency plans."
She continued to look at the ring on her finger. It fitted perfectly but she would expect that from him. He had an eye for detail often in placed where had had no right to pay such close attention. "Did Bonnie...?"
"Nope. The judgey little witch was better off not knowing." he told her. "But we can have her make you one, if you want something more modern." That pulled her attention away from the ring to him.
"No." She shook her head before rising on her toes and wrapping her arms around his neck. She kissed him, her soft lips feathering over his with reverence as his hands settled on her hips.
"Good." he murmured as they broke away, brushing extra kisses to the corner of her mouth and the tip of her nose. Damon wrapped his arms fully around her against him.
"What's this?" she asked suddenly.
"Huh?" he asked, without moving.
"On my ring." she said, shifting slightly and forcing him to look. He saw her adjusting the ring minutely. "It looks like...dates. Did you have this engraved?" He nodded as Louise narrowed her eyes and read the tiny print of the date aloud. "03.12.09" Biting her lip, Louise studied the date and Damon could tell by the way the colour drained from her face when she remembered the when. "Damon, this is...we weren't even together yet."
"Nope." he replied, taking her hand before he continued. "But we were together. In a bar. In Georgia."
"Oh." Louise breathed then grinned at him. "Our first road trip."
"Yup." he said, running his fingers over the tiny engraving. "Two very significant things happened during that trip."
"And what were those very significant things?" she asked, the grin evident in her voice.
"Well, I decided somewhere between your fifth and eighth beer, that any girl who could hold her liquor like you could, couldn't be half bad."
"Not half bad?" she repeated with a raised brow.
"Well, considering I was all bad at the time, that's actually pretty high praise."
Louise rolled her eyes, shifting her grip on his hand as she began to play with his daylight ring. "What's the other thing?"
"You saved my life." he said, vividly recalling the heat of the flames, the scent of the gasoline and Louise's anguished pleas for mercy. "For the first time."
"You'd already saved mine." she murmured softly, tugging his ring from his middle finger and slipping it on his ring finger where it spun around, just the slightest bit too loose. "You've never stopped."
"I never will." he answered honestly, sliding his free hand to lock around his waist.
"Neither will I." Louise promised, shifting to her back was now pressed to his chest. She held Damon's hand up so that his ring could catch the light. He looked at their hands, matching rings flashing in the sunlight that now beamed through the living room as her heart beat slow and steady in time to his. He'd never felt so deeply at peace and he marvelled at the face that this was his.
She was his.
Forever.
"I love you, Louise." he whispered, pressing a kiss to the soft spot just behind her ear.
"I love you, Damon." she replied back, turning her head to capture his mouth in a lingering kiss that promised more to come. Lacing their fingers together, her lips curved up in a smile and her beautiful eyes sparkled as she added. "Tomorrow, we'll get your ring resized."
"So, Elena's awake? How did she take the news?"
Louise let out a heavy sigh before she turned to face her boyfriend. "Ugh, it could've gone better." she shrugged. "Stefan got Elena's hopes up for a way out of becoming a vampire."
"What? There's no way out of it." Damon furrowed his brows with confusion.
"You known that. I know that, and Stefan knows that. But, for some reason, he's chosen to be delusional." Louise's irritation grew once Stefan joined them. "Way to get her hopes up for something that's never gonna happen."
"You know what, you weren't there the day Elena looked me in the eye and told me she absolutely never wanted this." Stefan bit back.
Damon gritted his teeth as he muttered. "Then you shouldn't have let her die."
"Woah, no." Louise stepped in. "Don't put that on him. He respected Elena's choice."
"Yeah, Louise, he did. And now the world has one more quarterback." Damon chuckled softly with sarcasm lacing his words. "Bravo, brother."
Stefan shook his head. "I made a choice that I will regret for the rest of my life. Now let me try to fix it."
"She's cheated death too many times, Stefan. It's either now or never. No magic is going to change that." Louise tried again to reason with the younger Salvatore. "She needs to feed on human blood and move on, it's as simple as that."
"It's never been as simple as that, Louise. How can you move on from death?"
"Easy. You don't die." Damon chimed in. "Or in your case, you don't let her die. But I guess it's too late for that so you're just going to have to suck it up." Stefan's entire face closed in on itself in pain. "Or, you know, you go for option number three; let the witch handle it. Glad it's not too late for that."
Louise shook her head. "Damon-"
"Oh, speaking of which, maybe you'll manage to kill her off too. I mean you're on a roll, brother. Why stop now?"
"Damon!" Louise scowled.
Elena looked herself over in the mirror - she was pale but sweat was rolling down her forehead. She tried to slow her breathing as it became heavy, bringing a hand up to rub the side of her face. She pulled her lips back from her gums to inspect if they had sprouted fangs yet. Her now intensified hearing could pick up the sound of the electricity running through the lightbulb and she peered down at it.
"Hey." A light knock came from the door and Elena whipped her head in the direction. "Relax. It's just me." Louise assured, her voice was caution. "Are you okay? How you feeling, 'Lena?"
Elena raked her fingers through her long chocolate brown hair anxiously letting out a shaky breath. "I-I'm fine." she hesitated. She couldn't concentrate as she looked around her bedroom once more.
"This me you're talking to." Louise smiled encouragingly as she stepped toward her sister.
"I-I'm on edge and I keep h-hearing things." She muttered as she looked in the mirror at herself once again. "W-What am I suppose to do?" Blood. Drink. Human. Blood. Suddenly, realisation fell across the doppelganger's face. "Did you - Did you feel like this?"
"Of course I did." Louise nodded slowly. "It was horrible. Everything hurt. Everything was brighter. Sounds were louder..." She bit her lip a bit as she looked at her sister with a sad expression.
Elena swallowed while she shook her head, a light scoff escaped her lips. "I just - I don't think I can do this." She pushed her top lip up to inspect her gums once again as they appeared to be more red and painful than before. "God! Why does my gums hurt so much?!" Elena breathed out angrily looking at her sister through the mirror.
"These." Louise answered as she pushed her fangs out letting her vampire side seep through.
Elena sighed a little and began to pace the room, massaging her aching temples carefully. "My head is pounding, I can't...This room..." She looked around and Louise wondered over to the window opening, the transitioning human quickly shielded away from the sunlight before the vampire closed it again.
"I'll, uh, I'll go get you a towel, alright?"
Elena closed her eyes for a moment hearing Louise moving majestically around the bathroom barely making any noise that a normal human would hear. Once she opened her eyes again, she saw Jeremy leaning against the doorway with a concerned look on his face.
She moved closer to him. "Jer!" Elena through her arms around him.
"Are you okay?" His voice full of concern for his sister as she slowly shook her head side to side. "First Louise and now you. I watched Vicki go through this, she was a mess. Her emotions were all over the place. All these old memories came flooding back."
"I'm fine. Elena assured him with a smile trying to ignore the burning light behind her, hearing it buzz loudly in her ear as she tried keeping it together. "I'm not Vicki."
"No, you're not." Jeremy confirmed with a small head nod. "You're you. You act like everything's okay so no one worries about you but you need help."
Elena glanced back at the lightbulb once again. "I said I'm fine, okay?" There was a hint of frustration in Elena's voice and Jeremy noticed it. Louise stood in the doorway of the bathroom, unseen by her siblings. "I – I'm sorry, I...Have you talked to Bonnie?"
"Yeah, she said when I was shot; she made some plea to the witch spirits to bring me back and they listened." Jeremy told her.
Elena creased her eyebrows. "Yeah, but the consequences were horrible."
"And what could be more horrible than you turning into a vampire?" Jeremy hissed as Elena's jaw went slack. Louise gulped, overhearing the conversation, still remaining in her hiding spot. "In the space of twenty-four hours, I've nearly lost both of my sisters. I don't need another one of them."
"We're gonna find a way out of this. Everything's gonna be okay."
"I hope so." Jeremy muttered before turning to leave.
Elena turned and looked at the lightbulb in the lamp. She strides toward it, ripped off the lampshade and crushed the lightbulb in her hand. She let out a heavy sigh. Just then, Louise walked back into the room, a small tear rolling down her face. She handed Elena an icy wet towel to place on her forehead, which Elena took thankfully before pulling her sister into a hug. "I'm sorry he said that..." she cried hysterically. "I'm sorry, Louise. He doesn't mean it."
The sunlight poured down over the front lawn of Klaus's family mansion. Damon and Louise materialised on the gravel path outside the house. Louise was tense and unblinking, her vampiric senses still fresh and erratic. She twirled the whit oak stake in her hand, the light catching the glint of her new daylight ring.
"You sure you're ready for this?" Damon asked her.
"She tried to kill my sister, Damon." Louise snapped. "I don't care how original she is — I'm not just going to let that slide."
Damon studied her with a mix of concern and admiration. He moved in closer, fingers gently brushing her cheek. "You've got the fire, sweetheart. Just don't let it burn you out."
She doesn't respond right away, her jaw set. She narrowed her eyes toward the house. "She's inside?"
Damon nodded. "She's not the hide-and-seek type. Just follow the sound of smug entitlement."
They pair walked up the few steps and pushed opened the front door, it creaked open slowly. Just inside, Rebekah stood in front of a table to scattered pictures on the floor. She looked up, clearly surprised.
"Well, this is bold." Rebekah smirked. "Didn't think you two would show your faces again after the little bridge incident."
Louise gritted her teeth. "You're not going to get away with what you did to Matt and Elena."
Rebekah let out a low groan and rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. Elena made her choice. I just gave her a little nudge... into immortality."
Louise's hand clenched and Damon sensed her boiling rage.
"We're not here to talk philosophy." Damon told her. "We're here to make sure you don't try anything like that again."
Rebekah scoffed. "And what are you going to do? Guilt me?"
"I'm going to put you down." Louise snarled.
Without warning, Louise vamp sped forward, yanking the white oak stake from her jacket and lunged at the older vampire. Rebekah caught her arm mid-strike, the stake inches from her chest. Her smirk smirk faded into irritation.
"You little idiot." Rebekah tutted.
With minimal effort, Rebekah flung Louise across the room. She crashed into a decorative column, shattering it. Damon vamp sped toward her but then wooden bullets laced with vervain came flying through the window. The her heart was pierced with an arrow. She gasped before her skin greyed and she collapsed on the floor.
Louise staggered to her feet, still a little dazed but grabbed onto Damon as he hauled her with him. They came to a stop near the tree line, catching their breaths. Louise was flushed, furious and trembling. "
"I had her. If they hadn't stopped me—"
"Correction:" Damon cut her off. "If she hadn't swatted you like a fly, you'd be dead and I'd be out one very irritating, very hot girlfriend."
Louise glared, but a reluctant smile broke through. "You still have the stake?"
Damon held it up, twirling it in his hand. "Never doubt me."
"She deserves worse." Louise sighed.
"She'll get what's coming to her." he promised her. "Just not when we're outnumbered by militia with Bible verses and vervain grenades." He bumped her shoulder gently and Louise leaned against him, eyes narrowing toward the house they left behind.
"Next time, I don't miss."
When Louise and Damon pushed open the door to the Gilbert house, the sight that greeted them set her stomach on edge. A lamp lay shattered across the floor, a chair knocked sideways, and books scattered as though someone had been dragged out in a hurry. The air still held the faint charge of violence, and Louise's heart sank.
Later, Liz and Meredith joined them in the living room, eyes sweeping over the disarray as they tried to piece together what had happened. Louise felt her throat tighten as she looked around — every overturned item screamed of Stefan and Elena's absence.
Moments later, Matt rushed in, breathless and pale. His eyes flickered over the wreckage before darting back to Louise and Damon. The words tumbled out quickly as they explained, Stefan and Elena had been taken — by who, they weren't sure.
Matt rubbed a hand across his jaw, searching for an answer, his mind already racing through possibilities. Finally, he muttered, "Maybe… maybe they were taken to Pastor Young's cattle ranch. It's out of the way. Remote."
The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the quick, unsteady beats of Louise's heart.
The gravel crunched under the tires of Damon's camero as it pulled up just far enough to stay hidden among the tree. The farmhouse stood in the distance - deceptively quiet, but fortified. A few armed Town Council guards patrolled the grounds. Louise was tensed but composed seated beside Damon, while Matt leant forward from the backseat staring at the property with narrowed eyes.
"That's it. That's the place." Matt said.
Damon looked towards Louise. "So, what's your plan? Flash the grieving girl card?"
She nodded as she hopped out the car and walked towards the house with purpose. Louise climbed the steps slowly, deliberately, her heels echoing on the wood. She wore an open expression, masking the storm of anxiety brewing underneath. She knocked once and soon enough Pastor Young pulled open the door, shotgun loosely cradled.
"Well. Louise Gilbert." The Pastor said, slightly surprised. "Your mother used to bring you by the church when you were knee-high."
"You knew my parents. You knew me. I'm just here to talk." Her expression changed. "I just recently lost a close friend of mine."
He eyed her for a moment before he stepped back slightly, tilting his head. "Alright. Let's talk."
"I'd like to." Louise swallowed as she hesitated. Her foot remained firmly outside the threshold.
Pastor Young smirked but doesn't say the words as he stepped aside. She tried to step forward, her breath catching mid step, but the barrier stopped her cold. She stumbled back, eyes wide. His eyes harden, no warmth left.
"Thought I wouldn't test you first?" he questioned coldly. He slammed the door in her face.
Louise stormed back, frustrated, growling under her breath. Damon leant casually against a tree, already formulating Plan B while Matt stood nervously next to him.
"He didn't invite me in. He knew what he was doing." Louise informed them. "He baited me on purpose."
Damon smirked a little. "Then we move to the fun part." He grabbed Matt by the shirt collar and began dragging him toward the house.
"Wait, what?! What's the "fun part"?!" Matt questioned in panic.
"You bleed. Pastor opens his door. I improvise." Damon informed him casually. Matt tried to back away but Damon was too fast. He vamped out before sinking his teeth into his neck viciously. The human boy fell to the ground, groaning in pain. "Yoo-hoo! Anybody home? Big, bad vampire out here." Damon taunted loudly.
The scream had drew attention and the door flew open and Pastor Young stood in the doorway, not stepping out. His eyes widened slightly seeing Matt on the ground, bloody and writing, Damon standing beside him red-eyed and feral.
"Let him go. The boy's innocent."
"Well, that's the point. Give me Stefan and Elena, he's all yours." Damon bargained as he grabbed Matt by the scruff of his shirt and picked him up. "Come on, Pastor. You know I'll kill him. I want to kill him."
"Go away!" Pastor Young ordered. "You are not invited in and I'm not coming out!"
Suddenly, a shot fired through the air and Damon hit the ground with a wooden bullet in his chest. Two officers came round the corner with their guns aimed at him nervously, as they approach him, one nudged his foot making sure he was down. Damon's eyes snapped opened and he grabbed the officer's arm, yanked him down and sank his teeth into his neck, draining him quickly.
Meanwhile, Louise launched from the shadows, intercepting the other officer with a feral scream. Her speed shocked hm and she slammed him to the ground, snarling.
"Get off me! Get—!"
Her eyes pooled red as the veins danced under her eyes and fangs were bared, hands gripping his arms hard enough to bruise — but something held her back. Her breathing slowed and she doesn't bite. She pulled away, panting.
"No. No killing." she muttered to herself.
The officer groaned beneath her, bloodied but alive. She kneed him once to knock him unconscious and scrambled back to her feet. Beside her, Damon wiped blood from his jaw as he moved towards her, impressed.
"That was hot." Damon smirked. "You didn't kill him."
"I almost did. I wanted to."
"You're allowed to want things. Self-control's the sexy part." Damon told her before he glanced around their surroundings. "They'll know we're here now."
"Good. Then let's finish this."
They shared a look, a glance of trust, before disappearing toward the barn, together.
Damon and Louise slipped into the dimly lit bar, eyes adjusting quickly. The air smelt of iron, sweat and vervain. Overhead, the flickering lightbulb casted a long, eerie shadow across the concrete walls.
There were three makeshift holding cells that lined the far wall; Elena, pale and trembled, slumped in the corner of one. Stefan, bloodied but alert, gripping the bars of his own cell. And Rebekah, caged separated, already mid-escape plan.
Rebekah got up and rushed towards the bars. The officer was startled and pulled out his gun but fell back towards the bars of Stefan's case. Stefan grabbed him and slammed the officer's head repeatedly against the bars until he started to bleed. He dropped the now dead officer on the floor in the direction of his lover's cage. Elena was still sat on the floor and she peer through the bars.
"Elena. Elena!" Stefan called out.
Elena saw the crimson liquid slowly spreading across the floor. Weakly, she pushed her hand through the bar, trying to reach the blood that was pouring from the officer's wound. She strained as she reached as far as she could, but still unable to get close enough to get the blood.
The blood slowly moved towards her and finally, she was able to dip her fingertips in the warm liquid. She placed her hand to her mouth and licked the blood off her fingers and immediately she started to regain colour in her face.
That was when Louise and Damon appeared, striding into the chaos.
Damon wore his signature. "Oh, good. Looks like we missed all the fun."
"You're late." Rebekah sneered.
"You're welcome." Louise deadpanned.
"I helped save your sister. You're welcome." The older vampire shot back.
"How'd you get in?" Stefan questioned his brother.
"Oh, you know... got shot, killed some guys, played dead. The usual." Damon said casually as he moved to open Stefan's cage after Elena then he moved to free Rebekah, albeit reluctantly.
Suddenly, there was sound of footsteps and shouting coming from outside.
"Time to go." Louise announced.
They moved quickly as Damon led the way out, followed by Stefan holding onto Elena. Louise followed, and Rebekah, as always, taking her time as she paused to glare at the mess they had left behind before she vamp sped out into the darkness.
The rest of the gang emerged into the night, the scent of smoke and gunpowder still in the air. Damon tossed aside a discarded weapon while Stefan helped a weak Elena steady herself. A few feet away, Matt limped from the behind a haystack, clutching his shoulder where Damon had bitten him earlier.
"Matt?!" Elena was horrified when she spotted him. She rushed to him and he flinched slightly, not from pain, but guilt. Elena turned back to Damon. "What the hell did you do?"
"I saved your life." Damon answered unapologetically. "You're welcome."
She stepped closer, livid. "You used Matt as bait!?"
"It worked, didn't it?"
Without warning, Elena slammed Damon against the side of the barn, rage and bloodlust boiling over. Her fangs flashed as she snarled. "You could've killed him!"
"Back off." Louise ordered as she yanked herself off Damon, shoving her backward with unnatural strength. Her eyes glowed red and her fangs were bared. Her voice was low, dangerous. "Leave. Him. Alone."
"That's enough! All of you!" Stefan chimed in, planting himself between the sisters. "We got out alive. That's what matters right now."
"Tell that to my puncture wounds." Damon said dusting himself off.
Louise's face returned to normal, her fangs retracting slowly and her chest heaved as she stepped back. She turned to her boyfriend. "You okay?"
"Always." Damon smirked. "Thanks for the save, tiger." Louise gave a brief, tense nod.
Stefan turned to the huma boy. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up before anyone sees us."
Louise gingerly adjusted her position on the gently sloping roof of the Salvatore Boarding House next to her sister. She pressed her toes against the shingles as she took in the view. It was better than she'd imagined - roofs and treetops all the way to the horizon with the nearly full moon glowing brightly in the star-studded sky.
She'd thought that she knew what her hometown looked like - but now, from a roof, it was like being in a different world.
The trees hid the streets below, covering the sights and muffling the sounds of civilisation. Moonlight played off of the leaves, turning them from green to silver all the way to the horizon. Here and there a rooftop broke through the canopy, challenging the trees' dominance over the skyline. Louise narrowed her eyes, identifying the spire of the church she'd sporadically attended with her parents growing up. Father away, she picked out the gothic central tower of the county courthouse. Leaning forward, she noted the rooftops of the landmarks she'd known all of her life - the water tower, the Lockwood estate, the old radio tower, she, Elena and Jeremy used to dare each other to climb when they were little - marvelling at the new perspective.
"Do you ever wish you could go back...tell yourself everything you know now?"
Louise paused, absorbing the words that flowed from Elena's lips, each one striking a chord within her. She couldn't deny the truth in her perspective; it resonated with a depth that she hadn't anticipated. Reflecting on her past memories and the way she had managed to survive them, a part of her couldn't resist the pull of wondering - what if she had known then what she knows now? Maybe she could have protected the people she loved. Just maybe, she could have saved them, shield them from the curse that seemed to hang over them.
The thought nagged at her, filling her with a restless longing for a different past, one where she could change her fate. "I think about it all the time." A soft sigh escaped her lips. "But would it really make a difference? Sometimes I wonder if we were always meant to end up here, no matter what we did."
"We're never gonna be normal again, are we? I had all these things I was gonna do. I can, you know, see them. I had plans, and they made sense. And I was...What the hell is normal anyway?"
The two sisters sat quietly next to each other for the next ten minutes, soaking in the silence. Soon Louise disappeared back inside and Stefan practically materialised out of nowhere next to Elena on the roof, but she didn't jump at all. She had been expecting him.
"What's going on in that beautiful head of yours?" he asked softly after a few minutes, keeping his gaze focused ahead on the subtle light forming low in the sky.
Elena sighed. "The whole Council knows who we are now." His mouth open to speak, she shook her head. "Everything's about to change."
"Yeah, I'm sure Damon has a revenge plan cooked up." He placed his hand on Elena's back. "We'll figure out a way to deal with that."
"You don't have to convince me that everything is gonna be okay."
"I know. Wish I could though. Wish I could just tell you that you'll never feel pain, that you'll never crave blood. But you will. It'll be the worst thing that you've ever lived through." Stefan didn't sugar coat his words as Elena frowned a little.
"But I'll get to live." She placed her hand on Stefan's shoulder with a positive smile on her face. "I'll be a sister and a friend and I'll be with you. Forever, if I want." They kissed softly on the lips before smiling at each other. "I'm gonna get through this. Just like we get through everything: one day at a time."
Elena dropped her head onto his shoulder in the gentle calmness of dawn. Stefan threaded their fingers together, her left hand in his right, and she decided that was enough of a talk for now. She had a lot to figure out, and hopefully at the end of it all her and Stefan would have their shot. She loved him, more than she loved anyone before him.
They were meant to be together forever. Nothing else mattered now she was home. Home was where she and Stefan were together.
Stefan reached into his pocket to grab the small object and he untwined his fingers from hers, holding her hand out still. He showed her the sparkling piece of jewellery and said. "Bonnie made this for you yesterday. Just in case." He slid it onto her right ring finger and rubbed his thumb over her knuckle beneath it, as if the thought of not her was unbearable.
"Daylight ring?" The silver ring was very simple, with the same blue stone as Stefan and Damon's ring held in place by four prongs.
"One day at a time, right?" Stefan suggested and she smiled in agreement with him.
Elena then grabbed Stefan's right hand where he wore the ring on his middle finger, and she held her hand to compare the two.
"Pretty good match, if I do say so myself." Stefan quipped, leaning his cheek against the top of her head that was still pressed against his shoulder.
"Perfect match." Elena practically whispered, but Stefan heard it loud and clear. He smiled to himself, and they sat in each other's arms as they watched the sunrise.
The dark blue, almost black sky slowly faded into a lighter blue, then as soon as the sun peaked over the horizon, brilliant streaks of pink and oranges marbled across the sky. The few clouds shined bright like a light bulb, glowing under the sun's punishing rays.
Stefan snuck a glance at the girl in his arms. Her permanently tanned skin glowed beneath the soft light and her glassy eyes shone with the promise of a new future.
She didn't know wat was going to happen next, but with Stefan by her side, she was ready for it.
Louise tapped her nails against the granite countertop in the kitchen, listening to the whirl of the microwave as she watched the digital numbers count down to zero for the second time. The scent of blood was thick in the air as she warmed a glass for Damon, making her mouth water and her gums ache. Self-consciously, she wiped her lips as two empty blood bags seemed to glare accusingly at her from the sink.
Her first attempt to make him dinner hadn't gone according to plan. She'd kept her cool until she'd opened the door to the microwave and the aroma of the blood had slammed into her at full force. The next thing she knew, she'd been guzzling the blood like she hadn't fed in days. A few drops had escaped the seal of her lips in her eagerness and she'd barely kept it from dribbling down her chin and onto her shirt. However, she wasn't able to stomach it and it came rushing back up her throat.
This time will be better, she promised herself as the timer dinged and the light inside of the machine blinked out. Blowing out a breath, Louise braced herself against the scent of the blood and pressed the button to release the door. Swaying on her feet as the aroma overwhelmed her senses, she closed her eyes and gripped the counter. I can do this, she thought, trying to focus on Damon. He was currently upstairs having a shower.
The surge of bloodlust waned eventually, finally allowing her to pick up the glass and close the door to the microwave. Moving with purpose, she distracted herself from the blood by paying careful attention to the way her bare feet connected with the tiles and then the hardwood floor as she made her way towards Damon's room.
The hand holding the glass began to tremble as she crested the first landing on the staircase. By the time she reached the door to Damon's room, she had to hang onto the glass with both hands to keep from spilling the contents all over the floor. Twin pinpricks of pain shot through her gums as her fangs descended and judging from the heat around her eyes, the black veins had surfaced.
Louise made her way across the darkened bedroom. Pulling his shirt over his head, Damon lifted his head as she approached. The weight of his surprised gaze made her cheeks flush with heat for reasons that had nothing to do with the blood and everything to do with him.
Jesus. Had his eyes always been that blue?
Holding her breath, she shoved the glass into Damon's chest. "Drink that," she said, her voice strangely altered by her elongated canines. "Fast."
He hesitated for only a moment before taking the glass and drinking the contents in a few large gulps. Louise sagged as the scent of blood faded and the all-consuming thirst eased. "Thank you." she murmured, keeping her head bowed as she waited for her fangs to retract and the heat to dissipate.
Reaching for her, Damon brushed the dark curtain of her hair over her shoulder and forced her to lift her head. Louise sighed, trying to meet his gaze and failing, her eyes instead locking on the hollow at the base of his throat. His thumb brushed over the delicate skin below her lashes, tracing the pattern of the veins that throbbed with greater intensity at his touch. Why do I feel self-conscious? she wondered. This was Damon - he knew her better than anybody and had always loved her, no matter what. Louise swallowed, closing her eyes briefly before finally meeting his gaze.
And getting lost all over again.
"Hi." He murmured softly, his thumb sweeping over her bottom lip in a soothing caress.
"Hi." She whispered back, her hands rising to lightly grip his waist. The heat around her eyes faded slowly, the veins withdrawing to again leave the skin soft and unmarred.
Something inscrutable flashed in his eyes for a moment, making her stomach flip and her breath catch, but it was gone before she could attempt to identify it. Running her tongue over her teeth, she noticed with relief that her canines had also retracted.
"You didn't have to bring me that." Damon said, continuing to lightly stroke her cheek with his thumb. "I could have done it myself."
"I'm testing my control." she replied, trying to keep her voice light, but failing miserably as she leaned into his touch, a pulsing desire for more replacing the bloodlust that had dominated her thoughts only seconds ago. "I didn't do very well." she admitted with a little laugh. "This was my second try."
A ghost of his usual smirk danced across his lips. "You've been a vampire for like a day," he pointed out, trying to pull his hand away. "You don't have to test anything yet."
"Yes, I do." she insisted, covering his hand with her own and pressing her cheek into his palm to prolong the contact. It grounded her at the same time that it sent her senses into a whirlwind. "I don't want to have to stay away from my family and friends."
"Good thing that half of them are vampires and werewolves then." he sneered before leaning closer and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You should get some sleep."
"So should you." Mimicking his earlier movements, she cupped his cheek, forcing him to look at her. "I guess vampires do need to sleep after all, huh?"
"Go on." he said, tipping his head toward the bed in his darkened room. "I'll be there."
Louise hesitated as she stared at him for a long moment. "Were you ever going to tell me?" she asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
"Tell you what?" he asked.
"You want a love that consumes you. You want passion, an adventure," she murmured, watching him carefully as she quoted his own words at him. "and even a little danger."
The compulsion.
She remembers, he realised with a start, his eyes widening in surprise. He hadn't thought about that night in years. "You remember." he stated.
Louise nodded. "One of the highlights of my transition. You were a stranger that told me you wanted me to get everything I wanted from life. So, why didn't you tell me, Damon? Over a year and it never crossed your mind to let me know that 'by the way, I compelled you this one time'."
"Honestly?"
"Of course."
"I forgot." he admitted, watching her eyes widen comically with shock.
"You...you're kidding me." she replied bluntly.
"Well...no." he said, shrugging awkwardly. "At first I didn't want to rock the boat and admit that I'd compelled you to forget something when you had no way of knowing if I was telling the truth. And after a while it seemed...insignificant."
"Insignificant?" she repeated, incredulous now as she stared at him "You don't think I'd want to remember the first time my boyfriend and I met?"
"Oh, come on." Damon replied, rolling his eyes.
Louise let out a heavy sigh. "I'm not mad that you compelled that memory away. We didn't even know each other back then." She bit her lip anxiously before she asked; "What were you doing on that road that night?"
Damon shrugged. "I had just got to town."
Her voice small, Louise asked; "Did you hear my parents car crash?"
He didn't say anything at first, before he sighed. "No. After I met you on that road, I headed to a motel to stay at so neither Zach nor Stefan knew I was in town."
"Why did you say all those things to me?" Damon watched her closely for a moment, wondering if his answer was really going to matter. "Was it because I looked like Vivienne?"
Freezing in his place, he realised that his lack of answer led her to assume the worst. It wouldn't have surprised her if the answer was yes, because he was obsessed with the evil vampire slut back then, but, the reason he said that had nothing to do with her.
"No. I told you those things because you needed to hear them. You told me you were bored and stuck in some small town. I knew it wasn't going to be enough for you just by the look on your face. Within the first few seconds of talking to you I knew you were nothing like Vivienne, and while your similarities did play a part in why I stayed, what I said was all based on you."
Louise nodded in understanding. She smiled to herself as she asked; "Do you want to know what ran through my mind that night?"
Damon cocked his eyes brow.
"I was only sixteen." she continued, "And I knew that you were older than me and more trouble than I knew how to deal with, but it didn't matter. I wanted to know what it would be like to kiss you - a stranger that I'd just met on a deserted road in the middle of the night." Damon closed his eyes. Every second of that night had been seared onto his brain in vivid detail. Louise had taken his breath away for reasons that had nothing to do with her uncanny resemblance to Vivienne. "I couldn't remember it when we met again, at the boarding house, but on some level, I felt it. " Louise smiled slightly. "I've always been drawn to you, Damon. Always wanted you."
Relief coursed through him as he smirked, reaching for her and pulling her closer so that he could claim her lips. His eyes flashed as they broke the connection.
Still grinning, Louise's warm brown eyes glowed with sincerity as she stroked the side of his face. "I love you."
"I love you too." he replied, meaning every syllable as he kissed her again.
So, what you think?
Chapter 2: Memorial
Chapter Text
Memorial
November 11, 2010
Jerking awake with a start, Louise lifted her face from where it had been pressed into the mattress and gazed, bleary-eyed around Damon's bedroom. Light peaked through the gasps of the heavy curtains, clueing her in to the fact it was after dawn. She was sprawled across the bed on her stomach, clinging to Damon's pillow, the sheets a tangled mess around her legs.
A glass of blood was on the nightstand, waiting for her.
"Dammit, Damon." Louise groaned, rolling onto her back and pushing her hair out of her face. Her daylight ring flashed in the early morning sunlight playing across the bed. Holding it aloft, Louise glared at it as if it were somehow to blame.
Damon wasn't there. Again. Just like he hadn't been for the past four mornings.
Another morning of waking up alone. Another ritual.
But at least he brings me breakfast in bed, she thought dryly, turning toward the offering on the table.
Her control had been improving. With Jeremy and Bonnie — until recently when Bonnie had been hanging around — she'd practiced lowering the volume of her heightened senses. She could now pick apart the layered notes of perfume instead of obsessing over the rich scent of blood; she could trace the threads of the Persian rug instead of staring at Jeremy's vein pulsing like an invitation.
Progress. Baby steps. At least she could hug her brother without killing him. That was something.
But solving one worry only left room for another.
Damon.
Something had been off with her boyfriend and Louise was having a difficult time putting her finger on it - let alone figuring out a way to fix it. He was everywhere with her in public, glued to her side. But behind closed doors, when she needed him most, he was gone. Physically there, yes, but emotionally — absent. Cold when she touched him, unmoved when she hugged him, withholding when she kissed him. The passion was there, she could feel it buzzing beneath his skin, but always just out of reach. Like he was deliberately holding her at arm's length.
The bigger things were not so easily ignored.
They hadn't made love since before she turned into a vampire.
She buried her face against her knees, groaning in frustration. As a human, the distance would've been bad enough. But now, her emotions heightened, her body alight with need — it was unbearable. The abstinence had become the elephant in the room, impossible to ignore.
A muffled laugh broke the silence, slipping under the door from down the hall. Louise lifted her head, listening without meaning to. Stefan's low murmur. Elena's soft giggle. The rhythm of their voices rose and fell, a private cocoon of intimacy from the safety of Stefan's room.
Louise froze. A pang pierced her chest before she could shut it down.
She shouldn't feel this way, not toward her own sister. But the envy coiled tight regardless, sharp and shameful. Stefan and Elena had found a rhythm, even in the chaos. They had warmth, touches, easy mornings tangled together. Louise wanted that with Damon, wanted it so badly her chest ached. Instead, she had empty sheets, a glass of blood, and silence where he should be.
Shoving the thought aside, she lifted her head and Louise ran her fingers through her hair, sighing. Her phone rang, startling her. Crawling to the opposite side of the bed, she picked it up from the nightstand and Caroline's name lit up the screen.
Louise forced her voice light as she answered. "Hey, Caroline."
"Did I wake you up?"
"No," she said truthfully. I've been awake for ten whole minutes.
"Good! I just wanted to make sure you and Damon were on for our lesson of the day."
Louise let her head fall back against the headboard with a muted thud. Today's lesson — immersion training at the Mystic Grille. Learning how to survive in unpredictable situations without killing anyone. Necessary. Tedious. Terrifying.
"Yeah, we're still on," she said, dragging a hand down her face as she swung her legs over the side of the bed.
"Awesome! I'll see you at noon. Bye!"
"Yeah, bye." She hung up, sighing as she padded into the bathroom. The phone clattered onto the counter, her gaze drifting to the mirror.
Her reflection stared back: dark eyes, olive skin, long brown hair. The same girl she'd always been. But nothing felt the same.
Not with Damon slipping further away. Not with envy pressing against her ribs at the sound of her sister's happiness. Not with everything that had changed in her life, except the one thing she wanted most — to feel his love the way she used to.
Twisting a tumbler of bourbon in a circle on the paper placement, Louise swallowed before glancing around the Mystic Grill. It looked exactly the same as it had when she'd been growing up, which at the moment, she found extremely comforting. It was easier to pretend that everything was normal in a place where everything had been normal.
"How's it going?" Damon asked, leaning closer, and making her shiver as the whispered question set her nerve endings on fire. They'd been there for twenty minutes and thus far, Louise hadn't needed them to prevent her from attacking any of the other patrons. Granted, it was noon on a Thursday during the school year, the Grill wasn't exactly the hot place to be.
"Okay." she murmured, turning her head to meet his gaze, her eyes automatically drawn to his lips. A flare of desire kicked up inside her, warming her blood. He was so close. She could still feel his fevered kiss on her lips from the night before and she wanted more. All she had to do was lean just a little bit closer and—
"Who got the strawberry pecan salad?" the waitress asked, looking pleasant, but bored as she surveyed their table of three. Louise gasped, her body tensing as the heady scent of human blood and the rapid beating of a human heart in close proximity took her by surprise. Her eyes burned and her eyes gums throbbed as she flattened her palms on the table top and tried to reign in the urge to feed, to kill.
A firm hand on her thigh distracted her, jerking her back from the edge. Damon's penetrating gaze pulled her back, reminding her to breathe and focus on other things - the sweet scent of strawberries mixed with the tang of the vinaigrette, the conversation between two bankers regarding dividends three tables away...
His hand on her thigh and the way each, individual finger was pressing into her flesh through the fabric of her jeans in a different way.
His ridiculously blue eyes.
"The salad?" the waitress prompted, holding the plate in one hand as she balanced the tray with the rest of the food in the other.
"It's mine." Louise said quickly, a different kind of heat rushing through her body as she wondered how long she'd sat there like an idiot, struggling to get control of herself. The waitress was kind enough not to roll her eyes right out of her head as she served them their food and hurried on to the next table. Closing her eyes, Louise sighed. "I've got to be the worst vampire ever."
"I'm pretty sure Stefan already claimed that title." Damon quipped flashing the signature smirk. Squeezing her thigh, he added. "You're doing fine."
"Absolutely." Caroline agreed, plucking a fry from Damon's plate and popping it into her mouth. "You're already better than any other vampire I know. I mean, it's been a week and you haven't killed a human yet."
"Seriously, Caroline?" Damon demanded, glaring at her.
"God, fine." she huffed. "You haven't killed a human. Period. End of sentence."
Biting her bottom lip to suppress a grin, Louise picked up her fork and took a small bite of her salad. She wasn't hungry, at least not for human food. Eating was strange — the flavours were all muted and the texture of the food seemed off somehow, duller around the edges. Her brain still told her to eat, but her body never craved it. Glancing out the corner of her eyes, she watched Damon attack his burger and wondered if her disinterest in human food was a newbie thing.
Deciding to ask, she washed down the bite of salad with a swallow of bourbon. "I have a question."
Suddenly, the front door of the Grill flew open, allowing a throng of at least a dozen humans to surge through the doorway. Immediately, Louise was assaulted by a colossal wave of sensation as the Mystic Falls High school football team claimed a handful of tables within fifteen feet of their booth. They were loud, boisterous and alive - their blood pumping through their veins at an impressive rate as the mouth-watering, rich scent permeated the air.
Louise's fork slipped from her finger, clattering to the table as she let out a throaty moan of desire.
"Louise." Damon cautioned, his hand once again on her thigh, but this time even the erotic sensation of his touch failed to penetrate the building haze of the bloodlust.
"Focus, Louise." Caroline whispered urgently, kicking her in the shin from under the table as her wide blue eyes darted between the football players and Damon.
Acting with frustration and need, Louise nearly bit through her lip in the effort it took to tear her gaze away from the tables. Starring at her food, she tried the familiar trick, focusing on the scents and sounds immediately surrounding her — strawberries and bourbon, Caroline's shampoo and Damon's cologne, the slow, steady beating of his heart, and the grip of his hands on her thigh.
"I'm okay." she choked out, as her eyes began to burn and her gums throbbed.
Caroline's lips pressed in a thin, disapproving line. "Damon, we should get her out of here."
"I'm fine." Louise insisted, glaring at her friend for discussing her like she wasn't in the room.
Caroline rolled her eyes.
Damon leaned in close, his nose brushing her head as he whispered for ears alone. "You don't have anything to prove."
Turning her head slightly, Louise closed her eyes and raised a hand to gently caress his face. Pressing her fingertips lightly against his cheek, she focused every ounce of concentration she possessed on him. His heartbeat became her heartbeat, his steady breaths were her breaths as the bloodlust began to recede. She did have something to prove. She needed to prove that she was in control, that she could function in the human world without destroying it.
"I. Said. I'm. Fine." Louise insisted through clenched teeth. Drawing a deep breath, she picked up her fork and deliberately took a huge bite of her salad, chewing furiously as Caroline and Damon watched. Swallowing, she immediately took another and then another until eventually, they both relaxed enough to return to their meals.
Damon kept his hand on her thigh, however, rubbing his thumb absently along the outer seam of her jeans.
Louise tried to relax as well, but the food tasted like ash in her mouth, and it was all she could do to choke it down as she worked heard to find flavour or scent or anything that would keep her mind off of the heady smell of blood. Gulping bourbon, and then water between bites, she waited for the ravenous hunger to fade as each bite and drink landed like a rock in her stomach.
Ten agonising minutes passed as Louise listened to the football player argue over drinks and appetisers. And studiously ignored them. Just focus, she thought, feeling the metal fork give slightly as she clutched it between her fingers hard enough to bend it. The sooner she learned to control the hunger, the sooner she could live a normal life.
The sooner she could get her life back.
Finishing the last bite of her salad, Louise washed it down with a gulp of water before leaning back against the booth. She covered Damon's hand with her own and held her breath in an attempt to keep the fresh blood at bay.
Four of the football players pushed away from the food-laden tables, walking right past Louise on their way to the pool tables. Seizing Damon's hand, she curled her fingers around his as each strong, healthy heartbeat rose up and around her in surround sound. Sensation slammed into her like a physical blow, making her canines descent and her stomach heave in a mixture of stress and debilitating hunger.
Damon whispered at her urgently, but Louise couldn't make out the words over the roar of the blood through the football players' veins. Between the group at the pool table and the ones still eating, she was surrounded.
She was drowning.
"I can't do this." she moaned, bringing a hand to her mouth as she lurched from the table. Utilizing her newfound speed, she blurred across the restaurant, pushing through the swinging doors that led to the kitchen. Bumping into waiters and cooks, she kept her head down as she opened the back door and plunged into the mercifully empty alley.
Colliding with the wall of the neighbouring building, Louise cried out in pain and frustration. Her stomach lurched as she bent over, bracing her hands on her knees and sucking in deep breaths of air scented with the putrid door of rotting garbage. Gagging, she felt scalding tears run down her cheeks as her body trembled.
The kitchen door flew open, slamming against the outer brick wall of the grill and causing Louise to gasp in a fresh wave of panic. If one of the cooks or waiters had followed her outside, she'd rip them apart. Her fragile control — if it had ever existed — was completely gone.
"Louise!"
Relief coursed through her as Damon's voice penetrated the blinding hunger. Forgetting the stupid pride that had brought her to this point, she tuned to him, half-blinded by tears and bloodlust, and collapsed into his arms. He held her as she cried out her frustration and fear, murmuring the comforting words. He kissed the top of her head, smoothing her hair off of her face, as she clung desperately to the solid strength of him.
Eventually, her hysteria faded, along with the thirst, and Louise felt her fangs retract as he heat around her eyes receded. Pressed her cheek to his shoulder, she loosened her grip on his shirt and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Drawing a shuddery breath, she said. "I guess I failed that lesson."
"You made it out of there without snacking on any quarterbacks." Damon murmured, pulling back just enough to tip her chin up. "I'd call that a win."
She shook her head, shame burning through her veins. "The waitress, the players — I lost it. I would have—"
"Stop." His hand cupped her cheek firmly, his thumb brushing away her tears. "You didn't fail. You've been a vampire for one week. One. Week. Cut yourself some slack." Her lips parted to protest, but he silenced her with a look. "There's no rulebook for this. We've got forever to figure it out, okay?"
Something in the way he said forever made her chest ache. She nodded, leaning into his palm. "Okay."
But when he stepped back, releasing her, the sudden loss of contact was like ice water on her skin. She stared at the foot of distance between them, and it felt like an entire world.
Later that evening, the parlour was dim, the amber glow of the fire licking shadows across the dark oak. Damon stood near the drinks cart, swirling bourbon in his glass, while Louise lingered in the doorway, her arms folded, tension making her shoulders rigid.
For a moment she thought about leaving, pretending she'd gone straight to bed. But the memory of her breaking down in that alley, clinging to him like he was the only thing tethering her to sanity, was still raw. And the way he'd pulled back after… like it had meant nothing.
"We need to talk," she said.
His brows rose at her tone. "About?"
"Where should I start?" she asked, arching a brow as she stepped into the room. "How about the mixed signals? The way you're glued to my side in public but the second we get home you vanish?"
Wincing at the blunt accuracy, Damon tipped his head in acknowledgement. "Okay, there's that—"
"What about the way you're not sleeping with me?" she pressed, her voice sharp. "Or the way you're never there in the morning when I wake up?"
Cursing under his breath, Damon clenched his jaw. He hadn't realised she'd noticed all of it. "Louise—"
"The glass of blood is sweet, but it's a lame-ass substitute for you." Her words cut clean, and she clearly had no intention of letting him deflect. "Do you have a problem with me being a vampire?"
He blinked at the abrupt shift. "Excuse me?"
"Do you not want me now? Do I just not do it for you anymore?"
"Are you kidding me?"
"Am I… am I too much like Vivienne now?"
His head snapped up, incredulous. "Are you seriously jealous of Vivienne right now?"
"I want to know why it's different with me." Louise's voice cracked under the pressure of holding herself together. "Why are the fangs and the veins around my eyes suddenly a problem for you when it never bothered you with her? Does it remind you of her when I let them show? Do you look at me and think of all the ways she screwed with your head back in the day?"
"Oh, don't be ridiculous, Louise. You're not Vivienne."
"Then what is it, Damon?" she demanded, eyes burning. "What is—"
He slammed his glass down with more force than necessary. "He turned you!"
The silence after his words was deafening.
"What?"
"Klaus." he clarified harshly. His jaw worked as if the name itself was poison. "It was his blood in your system. Not mine. His."
Louise stared at him, stunned, as his envy finally bled through.
Damon raked a hand through his hair. "Do you have any idea what that does to me? The fact that it's him in your veins, not me? That every time I look at you, I remember that it should've been my choice, my blood — our life — starting on our terms. But no. I let my guard down. I wasn't fast enough, wasn't smart enough, wasn't strong enough." His voice dropped, ragged. "And now every part of me hates that he has that claim on you."
"This wasn't your fault, Damon," Louise said, softer now.
He shook his head, stubborn. "I had two jobs, Louise. Two simple jobs. I was supposed to keep you happy and keep you safe. I failed both."
Her eyes welled, frustration laced with bitter disappointment. Two jobs? That's all he thought this was? As if their entire love could be boiled down to obligations on a checklist. She'd thought they were past this, past his self-destructive spiral of unworthiness. Apparently, they weren't.
"You can't do that." she declared, voice shaking but firm. "We can't do that."
"Do what?" he asked, bewildered.
"Reduce this to some scorecard." She ran her fingers through her hair, wincing at the tangles. "You have one job, Damon. Not five, not six, not two—just one."
His brows drew together. "What—"
"Your only job is to love me." The sorrow in her tone twisted around her anger. She closed the space between them in a rush, cupping his face between her hands, forcing him to meet her eyes. His expression was unmasked—raw, vulnerable. "That's it. Just… love me."
"Louise," he murmured, throat tight.
"I don't understand why you think you have to earn it," she whispered. "Love isn't a deal, or a contract. There's no bargain here. Do you believe that I love you?"
"Of course," he said immediately. "You tell me that all the—"
"Forget what I tell you." She pressed her palm against his chest, over his heart. "Do you feel it in here?"
"Louise—"
"Because I've always believed you loved me," she continued, eyes searching his. "Even before that night you said it, I knew. And I love you too. You deserve me, Damon. Not because you kept me safe. Not because you ticked boxes. You deserve me because I love you."
"Louise…" His lips pressed into a line, his glare full of self-loathing. "You died. Because of me. Because I failed, you died. I don't deserve anything if I can't—"
"I'm not dead, Damon!" she cried, tears spilling as she threw up her hands. "I'm alive, and I'm right here. I've been right here."
A long, aching pause followed. The fire popped, the only sound in the room. Louise turned, ready to leave, too emotionally raw to stay.
"Wait," Damon's voice cracked, stopping her cold.
She turned back slowly.
"You're right, okay?" He moved toward her, taking her face in his hands, brushing the tears from her cheeks. "You're right about how I've been acting, about blaming myself, about letting Klaus win because I'm a coward and an ass. You're right about everything. Except one thing."
Her eyes narrowed, searching his. "What's that?"
"I do believe you love me," he said softly, his gaze shining. "I've never doubted that. Not once. I just… don't understand why."
Louise stared at him, incredulous. "What do you mean, why?"
He winced, already regretting it. "Louise, no, that's not—"
But she barrelled on, words tumbling out, her voice breaking with urgency. "Even when I try to hide it, you always know when I'm upset. And you never try to fix it — you just let me be, and somehow that makes everything better. You listen. You pay attention. You challenge me. You make me feel alive. I don't know how else to say it. I love you because you're just…you. And you have to believe that you deserve it. You have to—"
"Louise," Damon finally interrupted, pressing his thumb against her lips to silence her. His expression softened, a faint smile tugging at his mouth. "Let me finish."
She held her breath, heart racing.
"You saved my life, Louise. As cheesy as it sounds, you saved my soul. From the day we met, it crept up on me, and I fought it — hard. But there was no escaping you. You made me want to be a better man, whether you loved me or not. So, I won't apologise for wanting to keep you safe. And I'll never forgive myself for not being able to save you." His brows furrowed, voice thick. "I don't know the magic words to get past this, but we will. I never meant to hide from you. I never meant to pull away. I just… didn't realise how bad it had gotten." He drew a breath, steadying himself. "I'm done, okay? I'm done letting guilt matter more than you. I love you, Louise. I need you to believe that."
Her chest ached at the rawness of his confession. "I believe it. As long as you believe there's no one who could ever love me better than you."
His lips curved faintly, a vow in his eyes. "Deal."
Her chest still heaved with ragged breaths, his promise echoing between them. Damon's eyes burned into hers, raw and desperate, but softened with something she'd only ever seen when it was just the two of them — unfiltered, unmasked love.
Louise didn't wait. She surged forward, capturing his mouth with hers. It was a kiss that was less about tenderness and more about survival, about reclaiming what they'd almost lost. Damon responded instantly, crushing her against him with a growl that reverberated through his chest.
The glass on the drinks cart rattled as her back slammed into it, his superhuman speed carrying her across the room in a blur. Her legs wrapped around his waist instinctively, fingers clawing into his hair as he deepened the kiss, drinking her in like she was the only thing keeping him alive.
She gasped against his lips, her senses overwhelmed—his taste, his heat, the feral edge of his control unravelling. Damon pressed kisses down her jaw, over the hollow of her throat, fangs threatening to pierce through but stopping just shy, his restraint and desire tangling together.
"Damon," she breathed, tugging his face back up to hers. The word was both a plea and a warning.
"Don't tell me to stop," he rasped, voice shredded with want.
"I wasn't going to."
That was all it took. In a blur of speed, they were against the wall, the plaster groaning under the impact. His hands roamed with urgency—her waist, her thighs, her back—like he couldn't decide which part of her he needed more. Her nails scored down his shoulders, tearing fabric, and the sound only spurred him on.
Every movement was laced with that dangerous cocktail of vampire strength and human vulnerability, their passion threatening to split them open entirely. The kiss was a battle, a surrender, a promise, and a punishment—all at once.
And neither of them cared where it ended, so long as it was together.
November 12, 2010
Louise stood by the island counter, stirring a mug of warmed-up blood. She grimaced after each small sip, swallowing slowly, painfully. The dark red liquid in the mug smelt wrong. Tasted worse. Her body rejected it, her stomach curled with nausea. She leant on the counter with one hand, breathing through her nose, willing herself not to gag.
"Rough morning?" A voice questioned, startling Louise. Stefan was leaning in the doorway, arm crossed, expression soft with concern.
She quickly straightened up, schooling her face into a neutral smile. "No. Just… this bagged stuff tastes like warm pennies today." She forced another sip. Swallowed. Her body immediately tightened again. She set the mug down too quickly, and it sloshed over the rim.
Stefan stepped further into the kitchen.
She forces another sip. Swallows. Her body immediately tightens again. She sets the mug down too quickly, and it sloshes over the rim.
Stefan steps further into the kitchen. "It gets easier." he assured her. "Bagged blood. Takes time. Especially if you've… had the real thing."
Louise offered him a tight smile, eyes flicking back down to the mug. "I'm fine, Stefan. Really." He nodded slowly, unconvinced, but doesn't push. "The sooner I figure out how to control the bloodlust the sooner...things can get back to normal." Stefan followed Louise out of the kitchen and into the foyer.
"What kind of things?" Stefan asked. Fidgeting, Louise dropped her gaze to the floor before glancing around the entryway in silence, prompting him to ask. "Louise? Is something...not going well?"
"No, everything's fine." she replied, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Caroline and Damon are doing great, I think. I mean, I haven't killed anyone yet, so that has to mean they're doing something right."
"Not killing anybody is a plus." Stefan agreed, as a sound at the top of the stairs drew her gaze, preventing him from pressing for more details.
"Are you ready to go?" Elena asked her boyfriend as she joined them at the foot of the stairs. She had a backpack slung over her shoulder and her smile was bright, hopeful. A spark of new-vampire eagerness in her eyes.
"Yep." Stefan replied.
"Stefan's teaching me the animal blood diet. You know, bunny boot camp." Elena informed her sister.
Stefan smirked, softly. "We're starting simple. Rabbits, deer. No people."
"You should come, Lou." Elena suggested. "Might be good to get out of here. Clear your head."
Louise hesitated. Something in her wanted to say yes — to act normal, to be around people who feel like home. But before she could politely decline, there was a loud snort followed by chuckling as Damon appeared behind Louise.
Damon shook his head. "Thanks, but I think she'll pass on this one. Don't try dragging her into your sad little woodland detox fantasy."
"Damon." Stefan said warningly.
Elena raised a brow. "You're still not on board with the animal plan."
"Nope. I say rip off the proverbial band-aid and let it bleed. You're a vampire, Elena. Be a vampire. Vampires eat people! It's part of the natural food pyramid. You don't have to pretend blood from a bunny is going to satisfy anything."
"It's not about satisfaction. It's about control." Elena said.
Damon scoffed. "Right. Because nothing says "control" like starving yourself on forest rodents until you black out and accidentally maul a hiker."
"The animal diet isn't as bad as some people make it seem." Stefan glared toward his brother.
"Damon hasn't stirred me away from the bunny diet if that is what you're implying." Louise stated.
"No, I haven't. We tried the bunny diet actually, and just like I knew she would, she prefers the real stuff." Damon told his brother. "It all come down to preference, brother."
Stefan did not give his brother a response as he grabbed his jacket and turned to his girlfriend. "Ready to go?" Elena nodded as followed Stefan out.
"Vampires eat people!" Damon called after them, causing the couple to halt in their stride and turn to look at him. "It's part of the natural food pyramid."
The late afternoon sun bathed the sprawling garden in a warm, amber light, catching on the edges of the leaves and making the air hum with the faint buzz of the insects. The air smelt faintly of freshly cut grass and roses from a long-forgotten flowerbed near the old stone wall
Louise sat slouched on the low stone ledge of the fountain, chin in her hand, looking like she was trying very hard to be anywhere but in her own head. Her hair caught the light of the soft glints, but her eyes stayed on the water, tracking the way it rippled lazily.
Damon emerged from the house carrying two glasses of bourbon. There was a bottle under his arm, half-empty already. He doesn't ask if she wanted some, he just placed the glass in her hand and settled beside her, one leg stretched out, the other bent so his arm could rest casually on his knee.
"You've got that look again." Damon commented. "The one that says you're replaying yesterday in your head and grading yourself like it's a pop quiz." Louise doesn't look at him, just swirled the amber liquid in her glass.
"I lost control, Damon. I—"
Damon interrupted her, light but firm. "You didn't hurt anyone. You just… sprinted out like you were auditioning for a vampire track team. Which, I have to say, was an impressive exit." That earned him the smallest flicker of a smile, which he pounced on. "See? There it is. That smile. Knew it was hiding in there somewhere."
She exhaled, leaning back against the cool stone. "I just thought I'd be better at this by now. It's been a week and I still feel like I'm walking on a tightrope over… people's jugulars."
Damon shifted so he was facing her, his tone softening, though the smirk still played at the edges of his mouth. "You are better at this. You're just not giving yourself credit. And newsflash, it's not all tightropes and self-restraint. There's a fun side. A great side." He tipped his glass toward her in a silent drink up.
"And what exactly is the fun side?"
"Oh, I don't know… the part where you can do this." In a blur, he was on his feet, vanishing from her sight, and then reappearing behind her in less than a second. She was startled, whipping her head around, but he was already leaning on the fountain with a smug grin. "Super speed. Never gets old."
She rolled her eyes, but there was laughter in it now. "Not fair, you've had practice."
"Then practice with me." He held out his hand. She eyed it for a moment, then took it, letting him pull her up. "We're going to race to the big oak at the edge of the property and back. Winner gets bragging rights and the last glass from this bottle."
"And if I lose?"
Damon laughed. "You still get a drink. I'm not a monster."
She laughed, finally, the tension easing from her shoulders. "Fine. But don't gloat too hard when I wipe the grass with you."
"Oh, sweetheart… gloating is the fun part."
They take off in a blur, wind whipping past them, their laughter mingling in the warm air. For the first time since turning, Louise felt a little lighter, and Damon, watching her grin as they skid to a stop, knew exactly what he was trying to do had worked.
The sun hung low, streaking the forest in a warm gold. A patch of grass opened up between towering pines, dappled with light, the perfect little clearing. Stefan dropped his backpack onto the ground with a soft thud. He took in the space with a satisfied nod.
"Here. This is it."
Elena followed, tugging her jacket tighter around her. Her eyes swept over the clearing, the stillness, the quiet hum of nature all around. "It's… nice."
Stefan smiled faintly. "It's perfect. Close to a stream, lots of cover… and far enough away from people."
They knelt side by side, unpacking the gear, a sleeping bag rolled open, the fabric whispering against the grass. Stefan pulled out a couple of water bottles and a flashlight, setting them neatly in place, while Elena set up a small blanket. When they were done, Stefan straightened, brushing dirt from his hands.
"Okay. Time to start."
Elena was a little startled as she too rose to her feet. "Start what? I thought we were… camping."
"We are." he told her. "And you're going to learn to listen."
She quirked a brow. "I listen."
Stefan let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "No. Listen." He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Close your eyes." She hesitated, but obeyed. The forest was still, just the occasional rustle of leaves above. "Now… let everything else fall away. Don't think about me, or the clearing, or the blanket. Just…listen."
At first, Elena heard nothing new, just wind through branches, the distant creak of a tree. But then, slowly, the soundscape shifted. The forest came alive.
There was the faint scurry of a squirrel far to the right. The crisp, the deliberate snap of a twig under something much heavier, a deer, maybe fifty yards away. The bubbling rush of water from the stream Stefan mentioned. Even the gentle thud of Stefan's heartbeat standing beside her.
Her eyes flew open, a breath escaping in amazement. "Oh my god… I can hear everything."
Stefan smiled at her in awe. "Exactly. That's what you need to focus on out here. You tune in to the animals, you learn their patterns… and you hunt without hurting anyone." For a moment, they just stood there, her wonder softening the air between them. Stefan brushed a stray hair from her face. "See? Told you you could do it."
Elena smiled, leaning in to kiss him. The golden light flickered through the trees around them, the moment both intimate and calm, two people wrapped up in their own little world.
Louise groaned and threw an arm over her eyes. "You're insufferable. How are you not tired?"
"Practice. And centuries of it." Damon swirled the dark liquid in the glass, watching the sunlight catch in its depths. "Besides, you're drinking the last of my 1865 Bordeaux, so I'd say you're the real winner."
Her arm slipped down, and she blinked at him. "You mean this is… over a hundred and fifty years old?"
"Hundred and sixty, technically." His smirk deepened as she sat up straighter. "Harvest was a good year. Napoleon the Third was still on the throne, Lincoln was still kicking, and I was still dashing."
Louise gave him a look, then took another sip, slower this time, as if suddenly aware of the weight of history on her tongue. "And you just crack it open after beating me in a foot race?"
"Victory deserves celebration. Besides…" Damon leaned in, voice dropping like he was about to tell her a scandalous secret. "…wine tastes better when you've actually earned it."
She shook her head, laughing softly. "You're ridiculous."
"And yet you're still drinking it."
Louise lowered the glass, turning it in her hands, thoughtful now. "It's… strange, you know. A week ago, I was buying cheap wine at the grocery store. Now I'm drinking something older than… practically everyone I know."
Damon watched her, his amusement dimming into something quieter. "Get used to it, Red. Forever is a long time. Little things—like this—they help."
She looked at him then, really looked, and for a moment the teasing energy faded into something heavier. She realised how close they were, the scent of oak and earth from the wine mixing with the leather-and-bourbon warmth of him.
Her throat tightened, and she handed the glass back, like putting distance between them. "I'll get used to it."
Damon took the glass without breaking eye contact, his smirk returning slow and deliberate. "Good. Now—" He drained the last sip and set it down in the grass. "Ten minutes. Race rematch. You're cooking me pancakes after you lose again."
Louise laughed, lying back down, her heart thudding harder than it should. "We'll see about that."
November 13, 2010
Soft dawn light filtered through the dense canopy, streaking the forest floor with pale gold. The air was cool, fragrant with pine, damp moss, and the lingering chill of night. Beneath a checkered blanket laid out on the ground, Elena stirred awake. Her eyes fluttered open to find Stefan already watching her, calm and steady, his lips curved in that small smile that always made her heart slow in her chest.
"Hi." she whispered, her voice still soft with sleep.
"Hi." Stefan murmured back. His smirk widened just slightly. "Ready to catch breakfast before we start the day?"
Elena chuckled, rolling onto her side so their faces were only inches apart. "I'm all ears. Just don't let me starve."
"Trust me," he teased, brushing a strand of her hair from her face. "I won't."
They rose quietly, their movements in sync without effort, and slipped deeper into the woods. The world around them was alive with sound, the faint rustle of leaves, the chirp of waking birds, the soft crackle of twigs beneath their boots. Stefan stopped suddenly, crouching low, and pointed toward a clearing where fresh tracks dented the earth.
"There." he whispered. His green eyes found hers. "Think you're ready?"
Elena inhaled deeply, willing herself to feel steady. "Yes."
"Good." Stefan's tone was calm, reassuring. "Just remember; listen, don't rush. Focus on what you hear, what you feel."
She nodded, her senses stretching outward. The forest sharpened around her, every heartbeat, every snap of a branch amplified. She followed Stefan's lead, watching first as he blurred into motion, fluid and precise, intercepting a deer. He restrained it with ease, feeding quickly, humanely, before letting it go.
Then it was her turn.
Elena leapt, startling herself with the speed of her own body. The deer kicked against her grip, eyes wild, and panic jolted through her veins even as her fangs pierced its skin. Warm blood rushed over her tongue, thick, metallic, instinctively repulsive. She gagged but forced herself to swallow, each drop hitting her stomach like lead. And then came the guilt, so sharp and overwhelming it eclipsed the hunger. The creature collapsed beneath her, weak but still alive. She staggered back, releasing it, tears burning in her eyes. The deer bolted, stumbling before regaining its footing, vanishing into the trees.
Elena doubled over, gagging violently. The blood clung to her throat, vile and wrong, and the act of hurting the animal broke her heart in two. "Oh God…" she whispered hoarsely, trembling. Her hand flew to her lips, smearing the red across her fingertips. She stared at it with horror. "What did I just—"
"Hey, hey." Stefan's voice cut through, soft and steady, grounding her. He stepped close, reaching up to wipe the blood gently from her mouth with his thumb. His eyes held nothing but warmth. "Don't worry, it'll heal. Bigger animals are resilient. You didn't kill it."
Her breath shuddered out, ragged. She looked up at him with wide, tear-brimmed eyes, desperation written across her face.
"You did it." Stefan said firmly, conviction anchoring every word. "I know it's hard. But you can do this."
Her lip trembled as she gave the smallest nod. Part of her wanted to believe him, needed to, but a louder part was drowning in guilt. Living like this forever, hurting something innocent just to survive…it was unbearable. And yet Stefan did it every day. He bore it with a discipline that felt superhuman, a quiet nobility that left her both awed and, if she was honest, resentful.
Because she couldn't imagine ever being that strong.
She blinked up at him, feeling love and admiration so fierce it hurt, tangled with resentment she hated herself for. She loved him more deeply now than she ever had as a human, loved him in a way that scorched her, but she also resented his strength, his control, his ability to shoulder this curse with grace she couldn't begin to mimic.
The conflict threatened to break her open.
As if sensing it, Stefan pulled her into his arms. His embrace was firm, steady, grounding her as if he could hold every fractured piece of her together. She pressed her face into his chest, sobbing, while his lips brushed the top of her hair.
"I know it doesn't seem like it now," he murmured, voice low and tender. "but it will get better. All of it will get easier. Trust me. Just… trust me."
The minutes blurred together, until finally her breathing steadied, her sobs quieting into small shivers. She pulled back, eyes rimmed red, and looked up at him. "Thank you," she whispered brokenly. Her lips curved, fragile but sincere. "I love you."
Stefan's smile softened, full of that unfailing devotion she craved. "I love you too."
They stood together in the stillness, the first rays of morning sun slipping through the trees, painting their world in gold.
Steam curled up from the bathwater, fogging the mirror and clinging to the tiled walls. Louise sat back against the porcelain, her knees drawn up slightly, her chin tipped toward the ceiling as if staring past the rippling surface of the water could offer her answers. The faint scent of bourbon lingered in the air, Damon's cologne, mixed with the sharp tang of soap.
The door clicked softly, and Damon stepped back into the bathroom, a towel draped lazily over his shoulders as he worked the damp from his hair. He stopped when he caught sight of her.
"You okay?" His voice was casual, but his eyes, too perceptive for her liking, arrowed just a fraction.
Louise blinked out of her thoughts and forced a smile, quick and bright enough to almost look real. "Yeah. Just… didn't sleep well."
Damon didn't look convinced. He moved closer, each step deliberate until he was perched on the edge of the bathtub. The porcelain dipped slightly under his weight, and Louise shifted just enough to keep herself from brushing against him.
"If you need anything; blood, bourbon, a pep talk from Dr. Phil—" His mouth curved wryly, though his eyes stayed serious. "you tell me."
Her smile faltered, just for a heartbeat, before she managed to keep it in place. "Thanks, Damon. I'm fine." The words were softer this time, almost swallowed by the low hum of the bathroom fan.
He studied her for another moment, like he was waiting for her to crack, to spill whatever was actually going on. But instead of pressing, he leaned down, brushing a kiss against her lips. It was warm, fleeting, gentle, for him.
When he pulled back, his hand lingered for a second at her jawline, thumb grazing her skin like he might say more. But he didn't. He stood, towel slipping from his shoulders, and left the room without another word.
The silence that followed was suffocating. Louise's smile collapsed the second the door closed. She stared down at her reflection in the water, her pale face distorted in the rippling surface. Her chest tightened with something heavy, unspoken.
With a sharp breath, she let herself slide lower into the bath, until the water closed over her ears and the world went muffled. The weight of it pressed around her, dulling everything. She exhaled a sigh that turned into a stream of bubbles, watching them float to the surface before she disappeared beneath.
Stefan had now moved on to the next part of his regimen: vampire speed. It was not going well. In the best possible way.
"I don't get why I can't do it on command." Elena complained, frustration slipping into her voice. "I did it yesterday."
"Because you smelled blood." Stefan said calmly, patient as ever. "That was purely instinct, purely impulse. You don't actually know how to control it yet — you're just reacting. But all you need is time to figure out how everything works. Think about it like taking your first steps."
Elena laughed, shaking her head. "So I'm a baby now, is that it?"
Stefan leaned close, brushing his lips against her ear. "Exactly," he whispered, and Elena's eyes fluttered. "Alright," he continued, sliding back into his serious voice. "It's like the starting line of a race. You just push off with every ounce of strength that you have, okay?"
"I was a cheerleader." Elena shot back, folding her arms. "I sucked at track."
Stefan smirked. "Just concentrate, okay?"
He stepped behind her, placing his hands on her waist, grounding her. Elena immediately forgot what she was supposed to be doing. All she could think about — all she could feel — was his touch. His grip was firm, but his fingers kept shifting, brushing lightly against her sweater, sending ripples of sensation through her body. Every nerve lit up, every sense sharpened, and all she wanted was his mouth on her. Everywhere.
She shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips. "I can't. All I keep thinking about is your hands on my body."
"Oh, okay." Stefan let go, stepping back.
"No! No, no, no." Elena startled herself with the sharpness of her protest. She grabbed his wrists and guided his hands back to her waist, her voice lower, needier. "I didn't say to take them off…"
A flicker of amusement glimmered in Stefan's eyes. "Mmm."
"It feels good," she admitted.
"Yeah?" His voice dipped, teasing. She nodded, biting her lip. "What does it feel like?" he pressed, deliberately skating his hand up and down her arm, his tone husky with mischief.
Elena shivered. "It feels like…like you're touching every nerve in my body."
Stefan's hand trailed up, cupping her cheek, his thumb brushing her skin. He leaned down, his lips grazing her ear, his breath hot against her. "Everything is heightened now…" he murmured.
Her heart was racing, her breath shallow. He was driving her insane.
"…touch…" Stefan pressed his lips to her neck, his teeth grazing her skin. Elena gasped, her knees nearly buckling.
Her hand found his, pressed it against her stomach, over her clothes. Her body arched instinctively toward him, desperate for more.
She turned, eyes wide, lips parted—and in a blur of movement, Stefan had her pinned against a tree. The trunk cracked under the impact, splinters raining down around them. Their mouths collided, urgent and hungry, as though the world itself was about to end.
Clothes became the enemy. Elena tugged at his shirt with ferocity she didn't know she had, cursing it for being in the way. Stefan's hands matched her urgency, stripping layers, baring skin, until nothing was left but heat, contact, sensation.
The forest rang with their gasps, their moans, the raw sound of passion unrestrained. Elena lost herself in it, in him, in the fire that roared through her veins. If she could have it her way, they'd never leave this spot, just stay here forever, wrapped in each other, never letting go.
Time blurred. She didn't know how long they stayed locked in that frenzy, only that at some point, everything slowed. The urgency ebbed, replaced with something deeper. Softer. Stefan's touch gentled, his lips lingered, his eyes held hers.
Elena felt tears sting her eyes. Not from pain, not from frustration — but from how deeply she felt him. He wasn't just touching her body; he was touching her soul. Stefan loved her. She could see it in his gaze, feel it in every caress, hear it in the way he whispered her name like a prayer.
It overwhelmed her, filled her, made her ache in the most beautiful way. This was more than passion. More than desire. It was love — pure, transcendent, eternal.
Louise paced the Salvatore living room, phone pressed tight to her ear.
"Hey, Care, it's me," she said, lowering her voice as though the walls might overhear her. "I, um — can you call me? I've been having some…" She dropped her voice to a whisper. "Adjustment issues."
She ended the call quickly, pressing the phone against her chest like she could smother the confession she'd just made. With a sigh, she tossed it onto the coffee table and plopped down on the couch, tugging open a crinkling bag of potato chips.
The crunch filled the silence, sharp and desperate. She reached for a second bag halfway through the first, piling the evidence at her side like a wall.
The front door creaked open and Stefan and Elena stepped inside, the sunlight catching on Elena's damp hair. They looked… happy. Almost glowing, like they'd returned from something more romantic than survival training.
Stefan's eyes immediately landed on the pile of empty bags. "Two bags of potato chips?"
Louise's hand froze halfway to her mouth. She gave him a guilty shrug. "They help with the cravings." His brow knit, concern flickering across his face, but before he could say anything, Louise waved the bag at him like a white flag. "So. How was camping?"
That was all it took to divert the conversation. Elena slipped her arm through Stefan's, smiling as she dropped onto the arm of the couch. "Let's just say… I'm sticking with blood bags from now on. No offense to Stefan, but killing Bambi's family isn't really my thing."
"None taken," Stefan said, lips quirking.
Louise chuckled weakly, reaching for another chip when her phone buzzed on the table. She snatched it up, glancing at the screen. "Caroline?" She answered quickly. "Hey, Care—" Her expression dropped. "What?!" She rose to her feet, pressing a finger to her ear as though she could block out the room around her. "Wait, slow down—" She turned back toward the hallway. "I'll catch you guys later."
Without another word, she slipped out of the room, her voice fading as she answered Caroline's rapid stream of details about the explosion.
Silence stretched for a beat before Stefan moved toward the cabinets. Elena tilted her head, watching him.
"What's that for?" she asked, as he pulled out a bottle of champagne and two slender glasses.
He glanced back at her with a half-smile. "This is from the year you were born. I think we should celebrate."
Elena blinked. "Celebrate what?"
"Your first feed," Stefan said matter-of-factly, crossing back to her. "I know it was disgusting, and traumatic, and it was horrible, but you did it anyway."
He set the glasses down, holding the bottle like a promise. "You survived it."
Elena gave a shaky laugh. "Well, um, I wouldn't say I survived it. It actually kind of made me sick."
"I choked it down for a month before I could stomach the taste." Stefan admitted, his voice softer now. "It gets easier." He held the bottle out toward her. "This, on the other hand, will go down like silk."
Their smiles matched in that small, fleeting way.
"You're so cheery." Elena teased, arching a brow.
"Yeah, because you're here, and you're alive—ish." Stefan said, his tone light, but his eyes deadly serious. "And you're gonna get through this." She nodded, swallowing back the knot in her throat. "So," he said, offering her the cork. "Would you like to do the honours?"
"Okay." Elena gripped the bottle and popped the cork. It flew across the room like a bullet. She screamed, laughing as the champagne foamed over her fingers. "Oh my gosh."
Stefan laughed with her, reaching to steady the bottle. "Careful."
She grinned helplessly as he poured the champagne into their glasses, bubbles fizzing between them.
They clinked the glasses together.
"Cheers." Stefan said. She leaned in, brushing her lips to his in a soft kiss that tasted faintly of champagne and relief. Then Stefan's phone buzzed sharply in his pocket. With a groan, he pulled back and fished it out. "Perfect timing, Damon," he muttered, answering the call. "Yeah, we just got back. What?"
The Mystic Grille was buzzing for during the day, clinking glasses, voices rising and falling in easy chatter. Louise slipped inside, the air heavy with scents that tugged at her hunger like threads unravelling in her chest. She forcing on finding Damon as she tried to ignore the way every thrum of a human heartbeat called to her.
Her eyes swept across the room until she spotted him. Damon was at the bar, leaning one elbow against the counter, a glass already in hand. Typical. He looked perfectly at ease, like nothing in the world could touch him.
She drew in a steadying breath and crossed the room.
"Seat's taken." Damon said without looking at her as she slid onto the stool beside him.
Her brow furrowed. "But there's no one sit—" She cut herself off when her gaze landed on the untouched glass in front of the empty stool. Ric's drink. A soft frown tugged at her lips, and she shifted to the other side of Damon instead. "Really? You save a seat for an imaginary friend now?"
"Not imaginary." Damon took a slow sip from his own glass, blue eyes glinting as he finally glanced at her. "Just dead. Makes for awkward dinner conversation."
Louise sighed but let it slide. "Did you set off the explosion that killed the Town Council?"
He rolled his eyes. "Am I wearing my "I Blew Up The Council" t-shirt, why does everybody keep asking me that?"
Her expression hardened. "Did you?"
He turned to stare at her incredulously. "Yes, Louise. Somewhere between helping you not spiral into a Ripper-y meltdown and making sure you didn't completely lose it, I managed to sneak away, crawl back over to the cattle ranch, track down the lunatic who tried to kill everyone we know, rig a gas leak in his house, and then light a match just for kicks. You caught me."
Her frown deepened, unimpressed with his sarcasm. She exhaled heavily. "Sorry. It's just — Caroline called. Said the entire council's dead. Nobody knows why the pastor would blow them all up."
Something in her voice cracked on the edges; tired, strained. Damon caught it. Without a word, he slid Ric's drink toward her. "I think you need this more than him."
Her lips quirked. "Won't he be mad I stole his drink?"
Damon smirked faintly. "He's a few in already. He won't notice."
She took a cautious sip, the strong liquor burning down her throat but blunting the gnaw of hunger clawing inside her. It was the smallest relief, but she clung to it. Damon's eyes narrowed.
"What's wrong with you? You've been weird all day."
"Thanks." she muttered flatly.
"Not the cute weird. The you're-keeping-something-from-me weird." His tone sharpened, watching her shoulders tense. "You gonna tell me what it is, or do I have to wait until you accidentally kill someone?"
Louise sighed, turning to face him. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out.
"Lou—"
Louise pressed her lips together, but the words tore out anyway. "I can't keep blood down."
That caught him. He blinked, still as stone, while she stumbled on.
"Bagged blood, animal blood — anything that isn't straight from the vein. It's like my body rejects it. I feel sick. Dizzy. Weak. I thought it was just a phase, but it's getting worse." She gripped his hand suddenly, her nails biting into his skin as she whispered fiercely. "I'm so hungry. I am about twelve seconds away from ripping into the nearest artery." Her face flickered, fangs bared as she leaned closer, desperate. "I think I need your help."
Damon didn't flinch. He only sighed, finishing off his drink in one swallow before standing. "You need to feed." He glanced around the room, his smirk returning as he gestured to the crowd. "Pick your meal. You've got Asian fusion, Mexican, or some good old American comfort food."
She recoiled instantly. "No. No, no human blood. I have to at least try to get through this without hurting anyone."
Damon set his glass down with a deliberate clink. "Fine. Come on."
Before she could protest, he took her arm and tugged her off the stool. The room spun as he cut a path through the crowd, Louise stumbling after him until they ducked into the bathroom. Damon shut the door, locking it with a snap.
Her brow knit. "What are you doing?"
He didn't answer just bit into his hand, blood welling bright and hot. He held it out to her. "Giving you what you need. Drink."
Louise froze, staring at the crimson pooling across his palm. "What?"
"You're a new vampire, Louise. You need warm blood from the vein. Maybe this will do the trick." His eyes caught hers, steady, unyielding. "Or not. But you won't know until you try. So…" His voice dropped, low and certain. "Just drink."
Louise grasped his hand and pressed her lips against the wound and sucked. Damon swallowed as the veins around her eyes protruded. She used both hands to grasp onto his hand and tilted her head to get a better access.
He pulled her against his chest in a tight embrace as they fell back onto one of the bathroom stalls. Damon sank into the connection, letting it build until it overpowered everything else. There was nothing in his world but Louise. Her scent enveloping and overwhelming his senses. Threading his fingers through her hair, Damon cradled the back of Louise's head as she swallowed another mouthful of blood. Suddenly she froze in his arms, her hot breath bathing his broken skin as the scent of blood pierced through the haze of desire.
"Louise?" Damon frowned, pulling back far enough to see her face. She was staring at his wrist, eyes wide.
"I..." she trailed off, squeezing her eyes shut as her body began to tremble in his arms. "I'm gonna hurt you...I'm not...Oh, god."
Damon's heart broke at the uncertainty and confusion in Louise's voice - even now, with him, she was fighting to stay in control. He didn't want her that way, he wanted her wild and uninhibited - the way she'd always been with him.
"Remember when you asked me if vampires could drink from each other?" he asked, impulsively ripping the sleeve of her top from her wrist to her elbow before she could say a word. The surprise moved brought her attention back to him and he held her gaze as he brought her wrist to his lips. Kissing the delicate skin, he parted his lips, scrapping the sharp points of his fangs across the pulse point until her breath caught and her chest heaved. She whimpered as he bit down, piercing the skin and tasting her blood for the first time since she'd turned.
Her blood was thinner, the flavour slightly muted, but it was till Louise - still everything that he remembered from the last time they'd been together. Her response was even better than the taste - her whimpers became moans as her blood coated his tongue. She writhed in his arms and clutched at him with her free hand in an attempt to drag him closer.
Long before he was ready, Damon relinquished her wrist, kissing her with bloodstained lips and teasing her mouth open so that she could get a taste of the warm, fresh blood. Blinded by passion and bloodlust, Louise returned the kiss, holding his face between both hands and nearly devouring him in her need. Pulling away so that he could look directly into her eyes, he licked an errant smudge of blood from the corner of her mouth and whispered. "We can."
Struggling to focus beyond cascading mass of desires and emotions swirling through her mind and body, Louise stared at Damon. Her wrist throbbed where he'd bitten her, each pulse travelling through her. A part of her brain understood that Damon was trying to tell her something important, but the words didn't make any sense.
We can? she wondered, her gaze tripping over his features, returning to his lips as her mouth watered to kiss him again. We can what?
Tipping his head, Damon presented his throat to her like an offering. Louise's eyes widened as she tried to tear her gaze away, but instead her vision narrowed until she could see the smooth expanse of skin and the pulse that beat slowly through his veins.
"Do it." he insisted, slipping his hand around the back of her neck and sinking his fingers into his hair. Tugging her closer, he murmured further encouragement. "Go ahead, Louise."
Licking her lips, she leaned in, ignoring the voice in her head that screamed out warnings - she'd never done this before, she didn't know what she was doing, she'd hurt him — and pressed her face against his skin. Nuzzling his neck with her nose, she inhaled. Her throat ached with thirst as she let instinct take over, placing an open mouth kiss on the spot where his shoulder and neck met.
She licked his skin, glowing with pride at the groan that escaped his lips. She could feel the length of his erection that she was pressing intimately against grown even harder as she placed the tips of her fangs against his flesh. This turns him on, she realised with amazement, her own desires so twisted up in each other she didn't know where the passion for Damon ended and the bloodlust began.
Making a decision, they became one and the same.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she bit down, feeling the skin give as her teeth pierced the skin and then the vein, staring in surprise as the first drops of fresh blood hit her tongue. Moaning as her brain registered the rich taste and the warmth, she took her a sip, sucking at first then building intensity as the erotic elixir slid down her throat.
It was different than the bagged blood — alive and electrifying as it spread throughout her body. Drinking deeper, she wrapped her arms around Damon's shoulders, threading her fingers through his hair and holding him closer. She wanted all of it — all of him — everything that he had to give.
The chapel was dim, its shadows deep in the corners, carrying the faint, lingering scent of old candles and dust. Rows of folding chairs stretched along the aisle, neat and stiff, like silent sentinels. At the front of the room, easel scattered around of photos of the Town Council members who had passed, names etched beneath their faces.
Matt moved between the pews, adjusting flower stands and straightening chairs with a practiced precision. Near the door, Elena and Louise lined the benches with programs.
Louise kept her distance from the gathering crowd, moving with a stiffness that even she couldn't entirely hide. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, her stomach roiling beneath the calm exterior she forced herself to wear. The earlier feeding from Damon had dulled the edge of her hunger, but only just.
"Elena," Louise said softly, forcing a smile, "don't let me near the organist. That guy's breath smells like mothballs and judgment."
Elena snorted, but her gaze never left her. "You sure you're okay being here?"
Louise shrugged, letting the words fall lightly. "Yeah. I'm fine. Really."
Matt approached, carrying another stack of pamphlets. "How are you feeling? A little strung out?"
Elena opened a pamphlet and ran a finger along the printed names. "I'm fine… I think. It's just… everything's heightened. The sight of all these names — of people who were part of our lives — it makes me want to cry for a week."
Matt's brow furrowed. "You didn't have to volunteer."
Elena's eyes didn't leave the pamphlet. "People died. People we've known our whole lives. So yeah, I did."
Just then, Matt nodded toward the front. A girl sat on one of the benches. April Young, dressed in a stiff black dress far too formal for her age, clutched a program to her chest like it was a shield.
"Elena?" Louise's voice softened.
Elena's breath caught. "April?"
"No way…" Louise whispered.
"She looks so grown up now." Elena added, marvelling as they crossed the room together.
April turned toward them, eyes bright but wet, her smile hesitant. "Elena? Louise?"
Elena's voice softened. "Long time no see. Not since…"
April swallowed, glancing at the floor. "Your parents' funeral."
They shared a gentle hug, careful not to overwhelm her.
"Are you going to survive this?" Elena asked.
April's hands tightened around her program. "They want me to speak. I guess all the kids who lost someone can. What am I supposed to say? 'I'm sorry my dad didn't fix the gas line?' But if I don't say anything… what if nobody does? My dad and I didn't always get along, but… everyone deserves nice things said about them at their own funeral. For my mum's funeral, everybody said these really nice things."
Louise stepped closer, her voice calm and steady. "You say what you want to say, or you don't say anything at all. And don't worry about your dad — everyone in this town loved him."
April's eyes shimmered with tears. "Yeah… until two days ago."
Louise gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Even still."
For a heartbeat, Louise's hand lingered on April's arm. Warm. Solid. Familiar. A small, human comfort.
And then—
A THUMP.
A heartbeat. Strong. Rhythmic. Too loud.
Louise's breath caught. The sound of April's blood pumping beneath her skin crashed into her senses like an alarm. Her stomach twisted. Her throat tightened. Her fangs ached to descend.
"I — I need a sec." she whispered, her voice tight, choking on the words.
Startled, April took a step back. "Are you okay?"
"Louise?" concern laced her sister's tone as she moved closer.
Louise stumbled backward, her hand pressed to her mouth. Her vision narrowed, her world reduced to the irresistible rhythm of a living heartbeat. She turned, making a beeline for the hallway, desperate for distance.
The hallway was empty, silent except for the faint echo of her own ragged breaths. Louise stumbled forward, the cold tile under her feet grounding her just enough to keep her from collapsing entirely. Her stomach twisted violently, the taste of Damon's blood still sharp and metallic on her tongue, now rebelling against her body.
She found the basement door and practically fell through it, shoving it closed behind her. The dim light flickered overhead, casting jittery shadows across the grimy walls. Her knees buckled before she even reached the toilet, and she fell to them, gripping the porcelain bowl like a lifeline.
A sick wave rolled through her, stronger than she expected. Her body convulsed violently, and red poured into the sink; Damon's blood, rejected, wasted, staining her hands. She heaved again, dry retches following, until only the echo of her own panicked breathing filled the room.
Her chest heaved, lungs straining as she clutched the edge of the sink, trembling violently. Her eyes were wide, bloodshot, glinting with hunger, fear, and shame all at once.
"Why… why is this happening to me?" she whispered, her voice shaky, almost breaking.
Her fingers shook as she splashed cold water onto her face, letting it run down her neck. The red in the sink swirled in the pale porcelain, and she caught her reflection in the grimy mirror above. Her face looked pale, fragile, wrong. Her fangs peeked briefly when she gasped, the hunger gnawing relentlessly at the edges of her control.
Blood smeared the white porcelain sink, droplets streaking the tiled floor like inkblots. Louise crouched beside it, her memorial dress ruined, soaked through with crimson. Her breathing was shallow, ragged. Knuckles gripped the edge of the sink until they ached.
"You're fine. You're fine. Just clean it up," she muttered weakly to herself, voice barely more than a whisper.
She turned on the faucet, desperate to rinse the basin. The water ran pink at first, then darkened, streaking the porcelain deeper red. A sharp rap at the door made her freeze.
"Hey… you alright in there? You've been in there a while." A man's voice called through.
Louise's stomach twisted. She glanced at her reflection: blood-slicked mouth, hollow eyes, red-spattered chest. No way she could pass for normal. Panic surged. She stumbled toward the door, but before she could reach it, another voice cut through.
"Whoops, my bad. Sorry to interrupt your little inspection routine." Damon drawled from behind the man. The man's eyebrows shot up, annoyance flickering across his face.
Louise exhaled, relief washing over her. She opened the door and took the dress Damon held out.
"Oh, Damon… thank God," she breathed. Her eyes flicked to the man. "Sorry, I — I spilt coffee all over my dress."
The man straightened, suspicion still written across his face and Louise, caught this look. Damon merely nodded, and Louise let it pass, closing the door behind her so she could change.
The man extended a hand to Damon. "We haven't met. I'm Connor. Jordan."
Damon merely looked at the outstretched hand. "Damon. Germaphobe." He glanced back at the door "Everything okay in there?"
"Yeah. Just a minute!" Louise waved him off as she placed the last of the bloody tissues into a bag, working quickly, heart still hammering.
On the other sister of the door, Damon and Connor sized each other up silently.
"So," Damon said finally, voice casual. "What brings you to Mystic Falls? Bible salesman?"
Connor laughed, shaking his head. "No, actually I'm in environmental clean-up."
"Oh?" Damon raised an eyebrow.
Connor smiled faintly. "Heard you had a bit of a pollution problem."
"Huh. Well, I was unaware." Damon replied, feigning innocence.
Connor tilted his head. "Hmm?"
"I breathe pretty easy." Damon said, shrugging.
By then, Louise emerged from the bathroom, wearing clean clothes. She smoothed the fabric nervously and faced Connor. "I'm so sorry that took so long."
"No problem," he replied, still assessing her.
"Well, enjoy your stay," Damon said, turning on his charm. "We love visitors, and the scenery is to die for." He gasped, hand to his mouth. "Funeral pun. Too soon? Sorry."
Louise gave a small laugh, relief finally softening the tension in her chest. Together, she and Damon stepped away, leaving Connor standing in the hallway, a faint smirk on his face as he watched them leave.
Louise's voice trembled, barely audible. "He saw me… He knows something's off." Her eyes darting back toward hallway, toward Connor.
"Relax," he said, his tone calm, grounded, anchoring her. "He thinks you're bulimic or hungover. Or human. That's all that matters."
Louise's lips parted, wanting to argue, wanting to say she couldn't fool anyone. But the air was crisp against her skin, biting at her, and she let herself be guided. Damon's hand was firm on her back as he steered her down a narrow path that led away from the murmuring guests gathering in the sanctuary.
They stopped behind a large oak, its thick branches swaying faintly in the breeze. Damon reached into his jacket and pulled out a discreet blood bag, warm and red.
Louise hesitated for only a second, the memory of the basement, the heaving, the shame, still pressing at her chest. But hunger was a stronger force. Her fingers shook as she ripped open the bag, pressing it to her lips. The warm blood slid down her throat, thick and metallic, desperate and greedy.
At first, relief washed over her, a burning warmth in her veins. Then it curdled, twisting in her stomach. Her knees buckled slightly as she gagged.
"No — no, not again. It tastes like...What's wrong with me?" He wiped the blood off of her chin. "I'm dying, aren't I?"
Dark eyes inspected her as his hand reached out and intertwined their fingers together. A sign of comfort. Immense warmth flooded inside of her when their fingers intertwined, a feeling she had longed for without even realising. "There's nothing wrong with you." he said, a statement one he needed her to believe. "We'll figure out a way. If you need human blood, if that's what it takes for you to survive...then so be it." His lips pressed together.
"No. No, I don't – I can't risk killing anyone, Damon. You can't let me hurt anyone...I won't be able to live with myself. This is already so much." Her hand squeezed his with strength. Her doe eyes glassed over, starving for what the monster inside of her screamed for.
Damon grabbed her by the shoulders. "You need to feed in order to stay alive, Louise." His eyes flickered back and forth between her own, thumbs gently massaging her shoulders, trying to distract her, to make her think about anything else but her bloodlust. "You can hurt them. Make them forget." He knew, it wasn't in her nature to hurt people. Even now, when she was supposed to be a monster, she still thought about everyone else but herself. "As long as you don't take a life, you'll be fine. But you'll have to accept that first." He looked at her firmly.
"I think I need to feed from the source, but I don't want to do it alone. I need you, Damon."
He studied her, silent for a beat, then spoke with gentle authority. "So, tell me. What do you want? What do you need without completely losing yourself? I need to know, Louise. I can't help you without your complete honesty."
Her confession came like a tremor, raw and shocking even to herself. "I'm hungry… starving for something that makes me feel so vile that when I taste it, I get the most intense rush I've ever felt."
Damon's hand rose, cupping her face tenderly. He watched her with quiet understanding, almost protective, as if he could absorb some of the torment for her. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, a voice cut through the air.
"There you are." Louise and Damon turned. Elena stepped down from the front steps, eyes narrowed, her tone light but probing.
Elena approached, tilting her head slightly. "What happened back there? You ran off like you were sick."
Louise's words tumbled out too fast. "It was nothing. I just got overwhelmed."
Damon's lips twitched in an attempt at a joke, a thin veil over the tension, but Elena didn't laugh.
She stepped closer, still eyeing them both, her expression sharp. "You sure? Because neither of you are exactly… subtle."
Before either could answer, the deep, solemn toll of the church bell cut through the air. DONG. Its resonance shook the quiet lot, reverberating through the trees and into the very ground beneath them.
Elena's voice, soft but certain, broke the moment. "Memorial's starting."
She turned and headed up the steps, her figure retreating into the shadows of the gathering crowd. Damon and Louise remained behind for a heartbeat, watching her go, the muffled murmurs of the town rising behind them.
Louise's voice was barely more than a whisper. "I don't know how much longer I can pretend."
Damon's gaze softened, and he reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "Then don't." he said quietly. "Just hold it together until we figure out what this is."
Louise swallowed hard, looking down at her hands. "What if it's not something I can fix?"
He studied her, dark eyes steady and unwavering. "We'll figure this out. Together. Starting with… don't die in church." She let out a breathy half-laugh at that, tension uncoiling just slightly. Damon's lips tugged into a small smirk as he nodded toward the church door. "Come on, Gilbert," he said, voice teasing but gentle. "Let's go mourn some councilmen."
Side by side, they walked back toward the church.
Elena quietly stepped into the main room of the church, the soft echoes of her shoes against the tile barely audible over the murmur of townspeople settling into their seats. She slid into a pew next to Matt and Jeremy, keeping her gaze low.
Matt glanced at her, concern etched in his features. "You okay?"
Elena gave a small nod.
Jeremy leaned closer, his voice gentle. "Hey… April was looking for you. She wanted some help with her speech."
Elena's eyes darted around the room. "Where is she?"
Jeremy shrugged. "I don't know."
At that moment, Stefan entered the church, his presence commanding attention despite his casual movement. He stopped near Tyler and Caroline.
"What are you doing here, Tyler?" Stefan asked.
Tyler straightened, jaw firm. "Being sensitive to the community's loss."
Stefan raised an eyebrow. "With a hunter out to get you?"
Tyler's expression didn't waver. "I'm not letting a hunter stop me from being where I'm supposed to be."
Caroline crossed her arms, a spark of defiance in her eyes. "Also, if he shows his face, I'm gonna kick his ass."
Stefan smirked faintly, then moved down a row, settling into a pew two rows behind Elena.
The church doors opened again, and Damon stepped inside, Louise at his side, their hands entwined. Heads turned; Stefan, Tyler, and Caroline all following the movement with curious, calculating eyes.
Damon dipped his hands into a bowl of holy water, letting droplets fall as he touched his forehead, chest, and shoulders in the sign of the cross. A small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"I don't know why that always makes me smile," he muttered under his breath.
Louise shook her head, offering a half-smile, her grip on his hand tightening slightly. They moved down the aisle together, taking a seat beside Stefan.
At the podium, Mayor Lockwood cleared his throat, preparing to begin the memorial. "Before we begin the Mass," she began, her voice carrying softly across the room. "We'd like to open the floor to anyone who would like to share a memory about our late friends on the Town Council. I know that April Young wanted to say a few words about her dad. April? April, are you still here, honey?"
A murmur of anticipation spread through the crowd.
Mayor Lockwood paused, then added, "Is there anyone else who would like to share a recollection or a memory about Pastor Young?"
The pews remained mostly still, a hushed silence falling over the church, broken only by the occasional shuffle of a program or the soft intake of breath from someone overcome by grief. Elena's gaze flicked toward the front, scanning for April, while Damon's hand remained firmly around Louise's, grounding her as they all waited for the young girl to appear.
For a long, heavy moment, no one rose from the pews. The murmurs faded into a tense silence, and the eyes of the congregation shifted nervously among themselves. Finally, Louise pushed herself up from her seat, the movement careful, measured, as though she were stepping into an entirely new world.
Elena and Stefan's brows knitted with concern, Damon's gaze narrowing slightly, but it was locked entirely on Louise as she made her way toward the podium.
"Come on up, Louise." Carol encouraged gently from the front, her voice carrying warmth through the quiet hall.
Louise stepped forward, each footfall echoing softly against the floorboards.
Stefan leaned toward Damon, voice low. "She doesn't look so good."
Damon didn't respond. His eyes were fixed on Louise, alert, protective, as she reached the podium and straightened her posture as best she could.
"I, uh…" Louise's voice trembled slightly, betraying the nervousness she tried to hide. "When I talked to April earlier, she was kind of nervous about coming up to speak. And… now that I'm up here, I'm kind of nervous too."
Elena glanced at Stefan, exchanging a silent look of shared worry. Damon's jaw tightened, his fingers flexing around the pew in front of him, a quiet reminder of the tension coiled in his body.
Louise's hands gripped the edges of the podium, white knuckles pressing into the polished wood. She lifted her gaze and let the words flow, steadying herself with the rhythm of her own voice. "I know… when you lose someone you love, it leaves you unsure of how you're going to live in this world. But all those things that they did to inspire you, to make you better, to make you laugh — those things…they can only live on in you now."
A hush settled over the congregation, heavy with emotion. Some heads bowed, some faces glistened with unshed tears.
Louise's voice faltered mid-sentence. Her senses screamed — an acrid, metallic tang filled the air. Somewhere, blood was dripping. Not faintly, not distant, but close, real, alive.
Caroline leaned slightly toward Tyler, her nose wrinkled. "Do you smell that?"
Tyler's expression darkened. "Blood."
Louise's breathing grew shallow, rapid, her chest rising and falling as the irresistible scent clawed at her. Veins seemed to pulse under her skin, crawling toward her eyes as the monster inside her stirred.
Damon's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and controlled, carrying over the ambient noise in a way only a vampire could. "Nobody move. Don't turn around. It's a trap."
The room froze, but Louise remained rooted at the podium, teeth clenched, hands gripping the edges as if holding herself in place could anchor her.
"I… um…" she started, voice trembling, barely audible. She drew a shaky breath, inhaling and exhaling, trying to calm herself, but the blood calling to her was growing stronger.
Elena appeared at her side, slipping an arm around Louise's shoulders. "Erm… what my sister is trying to say is…" Her words faltered under the assault of Louise's rising panic and the smell of blood saturating the air.
Damon moved quickly, stepping up and gently, firmly taking the struggling Louise from the podium. She pressed herself against him, leaning heavily, trembling with the effort of holding back her hunger.
"The worst day of loving someone," Elena managed to say, breath hitching. "Is the day that you lose them. And… I — I'm sorry." She panted, her words jagged as the scent of blood intensified.
Stefan moved beside her, arms outstretched. He wrapped one around Elena, a steadying presence. "It's okay. It's okay. I got you. I got you," he murmured, voice low and reassuring.
Gently, he led Elena off the stage and back to the pew. In the row behind next to Matt, Damon held Louise close, the tension of her struggle palpable even through his calm, controlled exterior.
The priest, unaware of the momentary chaos, stepped to the podium, his voice soft but firm. "Please turn to page forty-two in your hymn book. Let us join together in a song."
The congregation rose as one, voices lifting in unison, filling the church with the opening strains of the hymn. The song carried over the room, but Louise could barely hear it over the pounding of her own pulse and the sharp, metallic scent of blood in the air.
"Elena," Stefan's voice murmured at her side, calm and grounding. "It's alright. Just remember what we talked about. Focus. Push back. Come on… you can do this."
Louise's hands trembled against Damon's chest. "Damon… I'm losing it," she whispered, panic lacing her words.
Matt's voice broke through the murmurs, alarmed. "What's wrong with her?"
"She's hungry," Damon replied quietly, eyes scanning the room. "She hasn't fed."
Matt's brow furrowed. "Then get her out of here!"
"I can't," Damon said, his jaw tight, teeth barely hidden. "There's somebody watching us. And if I move now, I'm gonna go… old fashioned."
Stefan shook his head. "You do that, and you risk exposing all of us."
"Well," Damon muttered, voice low but lethal, "I think the risk will be slightly diminished when I… you know… rip his head off. You have ten seconds before I go old fashioned on the new guy."
"Don't do it, Damon. Please." Stefan pleaded.
Damon exhaled through his nose, counting under his breath. "Three… two… one… bye." He began to move, Louise still cradled in his arms, her trembling body pressing against his chest.
Matt held up his hands. "Wait. Louise… feed from me."
Damon and Stefan froze, eyes flicking between him and Louise.
Matt stepped closer, voice calm. "It's okay. Everyone will think you're just upset. Just feed from me."
Louise looked up at Damon, silently asking for permission. Damon's eyes softened, and he gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. Louise turned back to Matt, who gently guided her into his arms.
"It's okay. You'll be okay," Matt murmured.
She leaned in, moving his collar aside, and pressed her lips to his neck. The taste of life rushed into her, overwhelming, intoxicating, and yet stabilizing. To the rest of the room, it appeared as though Louise were simply crying on Matt's shoulder, leaning in for comfort.
Gradually, her breathing evened, the veins of desperation retreating as her hunger receded. She pulled back, face calm, composed, and quietly said, "Thank you."
She wiped the last traces of blood from her lips, and Matt subtly covered the small wound with the collar of his shirt, hiding the evidence from any curious eyes.
From across the room, Tyler moved past Caroline and made his way up the aisle. Caroline's brow furrowed, confusion flickering across her features, but she said nothing, letting him pass.
Louise's gaze returned to Damon, gratitude and relief shining in her eyes. For now, the monster inside her had been sated, and the chaos outside could wait. She pressed a hand to her temple, nostrils flaring. "The blood… I can still smell it."
Elena's eyes snapped toward the aisle. "It's got to be April. We have to help her." She moved to step past Stefan, urgency propelling her forward.
"Elena, we can't risk it," Stefan said firmly, blocking her path.
"I'm gonna do it!" Elena snapped, pushing against him.
Before the situation could escalate further, a voice rang out from the podium.
"Excuse me. I just wanted to say a few words about Pastor Young," Tyler said, calm but commanding.
Everyone froze.
Elena's hand lingered on Stefan's arm, her gaze flicking nervously toward Tyler. "What do we do?" she whispered.
Stefan gestured for everyone to sit back down. Cautiously, they obeyed.
Tyler straightened, clearing his throat. "Back in first grade, I was a brat who couldn't be bothered with team sports. Didn't care much about anything that didn't affect me. But he was the one who made me understand how important it is to be part of a team… a community… of giving yourself up for the sake of—"
A sharp crack echoed through the church. Connor's stake struck Tyler, and he spun violently, crashing to the floor. Screams erupted instantly as chaos swallowed the room. People ducked into aisles, stumbling over chairs, rushing for the doors.
Damon pushed through the panicked crowd, hands steady but eyes sharp, keeping Louise close. "Stay here," he ordered, his voice low and urgent before he disappeared into the crowd.
Caroline sprinted toward Tyler as Carol rushed to his side, panic etched into her face. Elena, driven by instinct, made her way onto the stage.
"Oh my God," Carol breathed, horror written in every line of her face.
Caroline dropped to her knees beside Tyler, yanking the stake free from his chest.
Tyler coughed violently, blood streaking his lips. "I'm gonna kill that bastard," he rasped, fury flaring through the pain.
"Damon's way ahead of you." Louise's voice, calm but sharp, cut through the chaos as she appeared beside her sister.
"Stay here." Stefan said urgently. "I have to help him."
He started to move, but Elena grabbed his hand. "What about April?"
Caroline's voice was firm as she nodded. "I got it. Go."
Stefan hesitated, then relented, rushing out with determination.
Carol pulled out her phone. "I have to call an ambulance—"
"He's fine," Caroline said tersely, keeping her attention on Tyler.
Elena slipped away silently, moving down the aisle, eyes fixed on the chaos unfolding outside the pews.
Carol's voice cracked with disbelief. "The whole town just watched you get shot. I'm calling an ambulance."
She hurried away, leaving Caroline kneeling beside Tyler. When Caroline looked up, Elena was gone. The church was filled with ringing echoes of panic, the lingering metallic scent of blood, and the faint hum of heartbeats racing with fear.
Elena raced up to the balcony, heart hammering, desperate to find April. The sight that met her froze her for a split second, her friend was slumped in a pool of blood, injured and terrified. But instinct took over faster than reason: her fangs slid forward, a hunger and rage blending in her veins, driving her toward the kill.
Before she could strike, hands shot out to stop her. Louise and Caroline intercepted her, strong and unwavering, holding her back from the brink. Caroline's voice cut through the chaos, firm yet guiding, a lifeline.
"This isn't the way," Caroline said, her grip steady. "You can control this. You have to control this."
Elena's breath came in ragged bursts, the urge to feed roaring in her chest, but she felt the restraint settle, slow and grounding. Caroline handed her the chance to make it right — compel April to forget the terror, the stabbing, the attempted attack by her babysitter, all of it.
With a trembling nod, Elena focused, letting her powers weave the shield of memory over April. The fear and pain ebbed from her friend's eyes, leaving only the frightened but safe girl she had always known.
The night air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of autumn leaves and the distant hum of streetlights. Damon swung the car door open, and almost immediately, Louise hopped out of the passenger side, her steps light but purposeful. Her fingers found his, and they walked toward Bonnie, who was just stepping out of her own car. The three of them moved together, a quiet trio against the darkened schoolyard.
"What are we doing here?" Damon asked, glancing between Bonnie and Louise, hand tightening slightly around Louise's.
"I don't know," Bonnie replied with a shrug. "Ask Stefan."
Up ahead, Caroline, Stefan, Elena, Matt, and Jeremy were already gathered at the picnic tables outside the school, small clusters of conversation and quiet murmurs filling the space between them. Paper lanterns rested on the table, their soft glow barely illuminating the group.
"Stefan," Damon called as they approached, "What are we doing?"
Stefan held a couple of lanterns in his hands, his expression serious but calm. Louise's eyes flicked to him, taking in the quiet determination in his posture.
"We're finishing the memorial we didn't get to have earlier." Stefan said, handing a lantern to Elena with gentle care.
Louise glanced at Damon, then at the lanterns, her stomach tightening. She'd seen too much blood today, too much death. but there was something grounding in this ritual, a small step toward normalcy.
Stefan's gaze shifted to Damon, earnest and unwavering. "We need to start healing, Damon. We've all lost so much, especially recently. I think… we've become numb to it. We push it away, make a joke out of it, ignore how we feel. We've never just let ourselves grieve."
Damon smirked, though it didn't reach his eyes. "So, you're lighting lanterns?"
"Yes." Stefan said simply, lifting one into the air as if the gesture itself carried weight. "We need to do this."
Louise squeezed Damon's hand, offering him a small, reassuring smile. She knew Damon's mind was never far from the next threat, the next problem.
"What we need to do," Damon countered, voice low. "Is find out who this hunter is and what he knows about the deaths of the Council. We have more important things to be doing than this."
Stefan shook his head slightly, resolute. "Not tonight, Damon. Tonight, we grieve. Tonight, we remember. Everything else… can wait."
Louise exhaled softly, leaning slightly into Damon as they watched the others begin preparing the lanterns. There was a quiet solace in this, a fleeting peace she hadn't felt all day. And for once, she allowed herself to step out of the chaos of blood and danger and simply be part of something human.
Damon scoffed, arms crossed, a wry grin tugging at his lips.
Stefan held his lantern steady, voice quiet but deliberate. "This is for my uncle Zach, my friend Lexi, and for Alaric." He flicked the lighter, the small flame catching instantly. The lantern glowed, trembling slightly in the cool night air, before he handed the lighter to Matt.
Matt's hands shook slightly as he lit his lantern. "This is for Vicki."
Caroline stood gracefully, taking the lighter from Matt. "This is for my dad. And Tyler's." She lit her lantern, holding it for a moment before letting it rest in her hands like a quiet offering.
Jeremy rose next, taking the lighter from Caroline. His gaze swept over Elena and Louise. "This is for our parents," he said softly. He looked toward Matt. "For Vicki, Anna, Jenna… and Alaric."
He lit his lantern and glanced toward Damon, handing him the lighter with a hopeful lift of his brow. Damon shook his head, refusing, and Jeremy sighed, passing it along to Bonnie.
"Damon," Louise said quietly, reaching for his arm.
"You stay." Damon replied firmly, his dark eyes meeting hers, then he turned and strode off toward the edge of the schoolyard.
Bonnie retrieved a lantern from the box, taking the lighter from Jeremy. She lit it, stepping next to Caroline. "This is for my Grams."
Stefan looked at Elena, encouraging. She rose gracefully, joining him. She lit her lantern, voice steady and filled with emotion. "This is for my mum, my dad, Jenna… everyone you've all lost. Everyone this town has lost."
Elena released her lantern, watching it drift upward, catching the stars in its glow. All eyes turned toward Louise, silently signalling her turn.
Louise inhaled sharply, gripping her lantern a little tighter than necessary. "This… is for our parents, Jenna, Uncle John, and Alaric. And for me, I guess."
She flicked the lighter, igniting the lantern's soft glow, and let it go. It floated upward, swaying with the wind, following the others into the dark expanse above. One by one, the rest of the group released their lanterns, a quiet constellation of memory and loss drifting toward the night sky.
Louise watched them ascend, chest tightening with the mix of sorrow and calm the ritual brought. She leaned toward Elena, voice low. "I'm gonna go find Damon."
Elena's brow furrowed. "Do you even know where he's gone?"
"Yes," Louise said simply, a small, determined smile tugging at her lips.
In an instant, she was gone, moving with vampire speed, a shadow among the soft glow of lanterns above.
Louise found Damon sitting alone beside a weathered headstone: ALARC SALTZMAN. The night pressed in around him, cool and silent except for the faint rustle of leaves. An old bottle of bourbon rested beside him, scuffed and familiar. Damon swirled it absently, the amber liquid catching the glow of distant lanterns, before downing a long, sharp swig.
"They're floating lanterns in the sky." he said, voice low and bitter, almost to himself. "Can you believe that? A Japanese lantern is supposed to be a symbol of letting go of the past. Well… news flash: we're not Japanese!"
He let out a short, hollow laugh that carried more bitterness than humor.
"Do you know what they are?" he continued, voice rising slightly with disdain. "Children. Stupid, delusional, exasperating little children. Like lighting a candle is going to make everything okay — or even pretending Elena and Louise are not going to end up just like the rest of us… murderous vampires." He shook his head. "I know what you're going to say: 'It makes them feel better, Damon.' So… what?"
He gestured vaguely at the glowing lanterns above, then let his hand fall to his knee. "For how long? A minute? A day? What difference does it make? Because in the end… when you lose somebody, every candle, every prayer… it doesn't fill the hole. The only thing you have left is a space where that person used to be."
He glanced down at the headstone, voice softening with a wry, sardonic edge. "And a rock with a birthday carved into it that I'm pretty sure is wrong."
He set the bottle down carefully atop the stone, like an offering, and leaned back, staring into the darkness beyond the lanterns' glow.
"So… thanks, friend," he muttered. "Thanks for leaving me here to babysit. You owe me big."
A soft crunch of gravel made him stiffen, hand twitching toward the bottle defensively. He relaxed slightly when he saw Louise approaching, calm but deliberate.
"Didn't feel like floating a lantern?" she asked softly, sliding down onto the cold stone beside him.
"I don't do group grieving," Damon replied, his voice gruff, but not unkind.
Louise nodded, settling beside him, the night pressing around them. Silence stretched, but it was comfortable, a quiet acknowledgment of shared weight and unspoken understanding.
"You miss him," Louise said softly, voice almost carried away by the night breeze.
"More than I let on." Damon admitted, eyes fixed on the lanterns still drifting faintly in the distance.
"Same." she murmured. A beat passed, heavy with shared memory. "You know… I think Ric would've liked the lanterns. Would've made some joke about how we better not burn the woods down."
Damon let a soft smile tug at his lips. "Yeah… that sounds like Ric." He turned to look at her. "You didn't have to come after me."
She leaned her head gently against his shoulder, a quiet anchor .
"You didn't have to be alone," she added, her fingers brushing his.
Damon responded by pressing a gentle kiss to her temple. Their hands found each others, fingers intertwining, steady and grounding. The bourbon bottle beside them caught the moonlight, a silent toast to the man they both mourned.
Around them, the night carried the soft hum of stars and the faint glow of lanterns, drifting slowly upward — a constellation of memory, fleeting but eternal. For a long moment, they needed nothing more than the silence, the shared grief, and the simple comfort of being together.
A/N: Poor, Damon and Louise...sometimes you just have to let the tension build until it explodes in the spectacular fashion. Louise continues to struggle with her vampirism.
Chapter 3: The Rager
Chapter Text
November 21, 2010
Staring at the ceiling and unable to sleep, Louise lay in Damon's bed, twirling her daylight ring around her finger. Tomorrow was the day — the first day back to school since she turned — and even though she'd spent every waking moment since the near-disaster at the Grille working on her control, she was plagued by anxiety.
What if's tumbled through her head, disrupting the peace of mind she desperately needed for school.
What if she hurt someone she cared about — someone she'd known since childhood?
What if she exposed them all — Caroline, Damon, Tyler, Stefan and Elena — to the entire town?
What if she put her friends and family in danger because she couldn't keep her bloodlust in check?
Whimpering softly, Louise closed her eyes and pressed her fingertips to her forehead - trying to silence her over-active brain by pressure and sheer force of will. She needed to sleep. Sighing, Louise rolled over onto her side, pillowing her head in her hands as she stared at Damon next to her on the bed.
Releasing his hand, she threw back the covers and sat up. Dangling her legs over the edge of the bed and covered her face with her hands and tried to get her thoughts from running wild.
"Can't sleep?" Damon asked with a low rumble in his voice.
"No." she replied softly, feeling the mattress shift as he moved closer.
"What is it, Louise?" he asked, trailing his fingertips lightly across the strip of bare skin between her pyjama pants and her cami, making her tremble. Sometimes she wished he didn't know her quite so well.
"Just thinking about school tomorrow." she said, closing her eyes as the words tumbled from her mouth unchecked. "I can't." Louise cried, shaking her head frantically as her mouth went dry at the prospect of being surrounded by so many tantalising human throats. "I'm not ready."
The mattress moved again as he pushed himself to a seated position behind her. She felt the weight of his gaze, compelling her to turn around, but she couldn't move. "Yes, you are." Damon argued.
"What?" Louise's stomach flipped. She turned her head slightly, catching part of his profile. "How can you...Did I imagine you being at the Grille the other day? I don't think I did. In fact, I know I didn't. I know you saw me nearly devour the entire high school football team." She turned enough to look at him over her shoulder. "Damon, how can you think that I'm ready—"
"Shhh," he insisted, taking her face in his hands and silencing her with the soft brush of his thumbs over her cheeks. "Louise, it will be okay. You're doing so much better than you realise."
She swallowed. "Really?"
"Yes." he said definitively.
Nodding, she lifted her free hand to cover one of his, letting her fingers curl around his forearm and glide up his wrist. His lashes fluttered as his gaze fell to the place they were connected.
November 22, 2010
Louise leaned against the cool brick wall in the shadow of the alcove, her arms folded tight across her chest. The morning sun hadn't burned off the autumn chill yet, and it prickled against her tights beneath her denim skirt. Her black boots scraped the stone as she shifted restlessly, waiting. Matt finally appeared, hands shoved into his pockets, a half-smile tugging at his lips.
"Kind of weird," he said, tilting his head. "Meeting you in mine and your sister's old makeout spot."
Louise scrunched up her nose instantly, groaning. "God, Matt. I did not need that visual."
He chuckled, shoulders lifting. "Just saying."
The moment of levity dissolved, leaving the weight of why she'd asked him here hanging heavy between them. Louise glanced away, shame flickering in her dark eyes. "Thank you for doing this. I can't keep anything else down."
"It's okay." Matt said simply, though his voice was softer than his easy smile.
"No, it's not." She shook her head, her voice cracking with guilt. "Elena didn't make Stefan save your life so I could turn you into a… a human blood bag."
"Louise," Matt interrupted gently. He stepped closer, close enough that she could hear the steady thud of his pulse — her senses sharpening at the sound. "Please. Just…" He exhaled and rolled up his sleeve, extending his arm. "Let me do this for you."
For a moment, neither of them moved. Louise stared at the veins beneath his skin, her throat tightening. Her fangs threatened to push forward, hunger gnawing at her control. She swallowed hard, then finally reached out, wrapping her fingers around his forearm.
Her lips brushed his wrist and then she bit.
Warmth rushed over her tongue, and the world seemed to narrow down to the thrum of his heartbeat, the flood of vitality filling her starved body. For a second, for a terrifying second, she wanted more. The bloodlust clawed at her insides, urging her not to stop—
But she did.
Louise ripped herself back with a gasp, her chest heaving. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, shaking her head.
Matt looked down at his wrist, flexing his hand as if to test the bite. "Was that enough?"
Her eyes shimmered with regret. "No." She fished a bandage from her purse, avoiding his gaze. "But if I had any more… I don't think I'd be able to stop." Carefully, she pressed the bandage to his skin, her hands trembling just enough for him to notice. "Here. Thank you."
Matt gave a short nod, his jaw tight, though he didn't say anything more. The shrill clang of the school bell broke the silence.
Louise slung her bag over her shoulder, hopped up onto the stone ledge, and leapt lightly to the ground. Matt followed more clumsily, landing beside her with a thud.
As they started across the school grounds together, he glanced sideways at her. "So… you really think school's the best place for you right now?"
"The hunter knows Damon's a vampire," Louise said matter-of-factly, tugging her jacket tighter around her. "And he knows I'm connected to him. Hiding at home would be more suspicious." She shrugged, then added more softly. "Besides… it's my senior year. I survived this long, there's no way I'm bailing before graduation."
They wove through clusters of students until something caught her eye; a pamphlet tucked under a windshield wiper. Louise pulled it free, frowning at the bold print: Mandatory Curfew: All Ages. 10 PM Until Further Notice.
She arched a brow, confusion shadowing her expression. "The town called for a curfew?"
Matt's smile faltered. "Tyler got shot in front of half the town, Lou. Everyone's a little freaked."
Louise exhaled sharply through her nose, crumpling the paper in her hand. "If only they knew the real story."
Her words hung heavy in the crisp morning air, the truth too dangerous to say aloud.
The hallway was alive with chatter and the metallic clang of lockers slamming shut. Matt gave Louise a small wave before breaking off toward his own class, leaving her alone for only a breath before Stefan and Elena appeared by her side. Louise quickly fell into step between them, their presence both grounding and suffocating — an odd combination she had yet to grow used to.
They entered the history classroom together. The air felt heavier here, charged with something more than stale chalk dust. Louise's eyes fell instantly to the chalkboard at the front of the room. The handwriting; looped and hurried, smudged at the edges was achingly familiar. Alaric's scrawl, still clinging to the board like a ghost no one dared erase.
Her throat tightened. Memories surged in fragments: Alaric leaning casually against his desk with a grin, challenging students to think, to question; the warmth he carried even on his darkest days. Louise sank into her desk, heart aching as if seeing his notes was reopening the wound of losing him.
Her phone buzzed in her lap. She glanced down.
'Not dead yet? Not eaten anyone? Gold star for you, love. Try to keep it that way. Don't make me play clean-up before noon.'
Louise bit back a laugh that bubbled in her chest despite the grief pressing in on her. Leave it to Damon to make her smile when everything else threatened to crush her. Her thumbs flew over the screen.
'Still alive. Still behaving. Even back in Alaric's class without Alaric. Bit of a gut punch.'
She tucked the phone away quickly, lifting her head before anyone could notice her slip into another world.
Elena sat stiffly at her desk, staring at the board. Her lips trembled. Stefan watched her closely, gaze softening with understanding.
"It's the first time we've been back in Alaric's classroom," he murmured, voice low and careful, as though saying it too loudly might shatter her.
Elena's laugh was broken, a brittle little sound. "First period, and I'm ready to bawl my eyes out."
Louise turned to her sister, ready to reach across the gulf of grief with words before the door swung open.
Rebekah glided in as though she owned the place. Her blonde hair caught the light from the window, her smirk already curled and sharp. She held a stack of flyers in her hands.
"Morning, everyone." she announced brightly.
"Morning, Bekah." a student near the front replied.
Elena's mutter was venom wrapped in silk. "Just like that, I'm no longer feeling sentimental."
Rebekah ignored her, setting a flyer down on a desk with a practiced flick. "So, I'm throwing a little anti-curfew party at my new house. Starts at fifth period and goes 'til whenever. Spread the word."
She made her way down the row, finally pausing before Louise. Rebekah's eyes glinted with that taunting gleam, the one that always suggested she was enjoying some private joke at everyone else's expense. "You're welcome to join, Louise. If you'd like to bury the hatchet."
Louise's brows arched. "That's a pretty enormous hatchet," she said dryly, plucking the flyer from her hand. The paper crinkled between her fingers.
Rebekah rolled her eyes, clearly uninterested in sincerity. "Well, I'm feeling generous of spirit." Her gaze darted to Elena, lips twitching upward. "Elena?" She extended another flyer.
Elena took it but her expression was icy. "New house, huh? Did your brother finally kick you out?"
Rebekah's smirk didn't falter. "He didn't kick me out. I left."
"So you left the only person on earth that actually likes you?"
Louise tensed at her sister's tone; sharp, brittle, edged with hurt that went deeper than it appeared. She nudged Elena's elbow gently beneath the desk, a silent reminder to breathe, to keep her cool.
But Rebekah wasn't done. She looked at Stefan, head tilting, blonde curls falling like a curtain around her smirk. "Well, your boyfriend liked me once," she purred. Stefan's jaw clenched. He lifted his gaze at her, a warning in his eyes. "Actually…" Rebekah's smirk grew sharper. "A lot more than once."
Elena's face went crimson with rage. Louise's stomach dropped, watching the anger coil tight in her sister's chest. She leaned toward her, whispering, "Don't let her get to you. That's all she wants."
Elena's fingers curled around her pencil, knuckles white.
"Why are you still in town, Rebekah?" Stefan asked suddenly, his voice a growl. "Don't you have anywhere else to go?"
Rebekah turned her eyes back to the chalkboard, deliberately, cruelly. "Well, history's my favourite class." She paused, lips curving with the cruel delight of someone about to twist the knife. "Actually, where is Mr. Saltzman…?"
The silence that followed was unbearable. Elena's fury was a living thing beside Louise, practically humming with heat.
Rebekah let the pause stretch, savouring it, before she delivered the final blow. "Oh, that's right." She leaned against the desk, smile razor-sharp. "I killed him."
Louise felt her chest tighten the moment Rebekah's words dropped like poison into the classroom air.
"Oh, that's right. I killed him."
The world seemed to lurch sideways. Alaric's chalk-scrawled handwriting was still ghosting across the board, neat but crooked in that way he used to half-joke about — Don't copy it wrong, kids, or you'll fail on principle. Her throat burned, not from bloodlust this time, but from grief she hadn't had the chance to let breathe. Ric had been her friend. He'd teased her, mentored her, cared. And now here was Rebekah — smirking about his death like it was a trophy.
It stung Elena, Louise knew, but for her it was different. Elena's pain was sharper, a wound ripped open. Louise's was deeper, marrow-deep, an ache of something she didn't want to believe she'd lost forever. She gripped her pen so hard her knuckles whitened. The part of her that was still human wanted to lunge across the desk and tear the smugness off Rebekah's face. The vampire part almost agreed.
When Elena snapped and hurled her pencil, Louise didn't stop her. The satisfying smack against Rebekah's cheek was almost worth the risk. But then the pencil was embedded in Elena's shoulder and blood bloomed across her shirt. Louise shot up halfway out of her seat, heart seizing with panic, before she caught herself. Students hadn't noticed yet. She pressed her lips together and sat frozen, watching as Elena ripped the pencil out, fury blazing in her eyes. Stefan was already moving, guiding her out with quiet urgency.
Louise sat trembling in the aftershock, biting the inside of her cheek until she tasted copper.
Her phone buzzed against her thigh. With shaky hands, she pulled it out. It was Damon again. Despite herself, Louise let out a breath of a laugh, a weak smile tugging at her lips. She thumbed a reply.
She slid the phone back into her lap, lifting her gaze, only to find Rebekah with her fangs in some poor girl's neck. Heather. Louise's stomach dropped.
Rebekah's compulsion was quick and cruel. "Go make sure Elena is okay in the bathroom."
Louise shot up. "Rebekah, no—" She caught Heather's arm, but the girl's eyes were glassy, her body unmovable against the pull of compulsion. Heather tugged free, expression slack, and drifted toward the door.
Louise swore under her breath and went after her.
The bathroom smelled faintly of bleach and iron. Elena stood at the sink, sweater stripped off, rinsing blood from her hands and shoulder. The water ran pink down the porcelain. She looked pale, furious, and weary all at once. Heather loomed behind her, one hand clamped to her own neck like she was staunching her wound. Louise leaned against the doorway, tense, unsure how to intervene.
"There you are." Heather said, her voice faraway, mechanical. "Rebekah sent me to see if you were okay."
Elena threw her tissues in the trash, snapping, "I'm fine, Heather."
Heather's eyes darted strangely, then locked on Elena. Her voice dropped into a chilling, almost childish whine. "I'm not."
Elena turned at Heather's voice, confusion furrowing her brow—until her gaze dropped. Crimson was seeping through Heather's fingers, dripping lazily down the side of her neck. The copper tang hit the air, sharp and heavy, and Elena's chest began to rise and fall in quick, uneven bursts.
Louise froze where she stood by the door. She could feel it too — the blood singing through the room, tempting, clawing at her newly sharpened senses. She clenched her fists, nails biting into her palms, forcing herself still. She didn't need Damon to lecture her again about losing control.
But Elena — Elena wasn't holding it together.
Her sister's eyes flickered with panic. "No, get — get away from me," she stammered, staggering back from Heather as though distance would dull the scent.
The bathroom door creaked open, and Rebekah's reflection slid into the mirror above the sinks. Her smile was poison-sweet. "What's wrong, Elena? Getting hungry?"
Louise's head snapped toward her, anger flaring hot. "Stop it, Rebekah." Her voice came out sharper than she intended, more a plea than a threat.
Rebekah ignored her completely. With languid grace, she brushed Heather's hand away, letting the blood flow freer, the scent richer. Elena whimpered, retreating another step, hand braced against the counter as if it were the only thing tethering her.
"But she's so delicious," Rebekah crooned. She dipped her finger in the wound and, with deliberate slowness, raised it to Elena's lips.
Elena slapped her hand away, eyes burning with fury. "You shouldn't be here. This is my school. It's my life. And I'm not gonna let you ruin it!"
Louise's throat tightened. She wanted to stand beside her sister, shoulder to shoulder, but her legs felt rooted. She could almost taste the blood in the air, and part of her hated herself for how much she wanted it.
Rebekah tilted her head, mock sympathy in her tone. "It's my school now. My life. Maybe you're the one who shouldn't be here."
Elena's lips trembled with the effort to resist, but her glare stayed locked on Rebekah.
"And," Rebekah continued, glancing toward the door, "I couldn't help but overhear that there's a vampire hunter roaming the hallways."
Louise's heart jolted. Connor. Damon's warning texts from earlier echoed in her head.
Rebekah's smirk deepened as she pressed her palm against Heather's wound, smearing blood across her fingers. "How inconvenient for you."
"Don't—" Louise started, but her protest was too late.
Rebekah reached forward and smeared the blood across Elena's face, dragging it over her cheek, her mouth, her chin. Elena's composure snapped and her eyes went red, veins tearing under her skin as a feral growl ripped from her throat.
"See you in gym." Rebekah purred, utterly satisfied with the chaos she'd stoked. "I think it's dodgeball day."
Louise moved quickly, instinctively placing herself between Elena and Heather, but Rebekah had already looped her arm around the compelled girl and tugged her toward the door. Heather's eyes remained glazed, docile as a lamb being led away.
The door swung shut behind them, leaving only the sound of Elena's ragged breaths and the metallic scent of blood hanging heavy in the air.
Louise turned to her sister, torn between her own trembling hunger and her desperate need to protect her. "Elena…" Her voice cracked, soft but urgent. "Stay with me, okay? Just breathe. You're not alone in this."
Louise sat at the table beside Stefan and Caroline, her fingers knotted together so tightly her knuckles had turned white. She watched Elena pace back and forth, her sister's agitation rolling off her in sharp waves that seemed to electrify the air around them.
Caroline leaned forward, voice calm and soothing. "It was a valiant first-day effort. No one will judge you if you want to go home."
"I don't want to go home!" Elena snapped, spinning on her heel. Her eyes were fierce, almost fevered. "I want to take the white oak stake and kill her. That's how mad I am. She made me murderous!"
Louise flinched slightly at the rawness in Elena's tone. She'd never heard her sister sound so… unhinged.
Stefan rose from his seat, the practiced patience in his expression not wavering. "How about we just leave the murdering to Damon?"
Elena whirled on him, her voice sharp. "And — and then do what? Ignore her to death?"
Louise's gaze flicked between them, chest tight. She understood Elena's rage — Rebekah had cornered her too in the bathroom earlier, whispering temptations and mocking her control — but she couldn't help envying how Elena seemed to channel it into defiance rather than trembling on the edge of weakness like she herself did.
Stefan sighed, soft but weighted. He stepped closer to Elena, lowering his voice. "Look, she's trying to make herself feel better. She knows that everybody hates her, so she's trying to hate harder. Tell you what — let's just skip the rest of the day. Go have some fun. I feel like this day is severely lacking in fun."
Elena stopped pacing. She glanced at Caroline, who offered her an encouraging smile. After a beat, Elena exhaled, reluctant but yielding. "Yeah. Okay, fine." Stefan's mouth curved into a smile of relief. "Then, we'll go to her party," Elena added, voice steadying with a hint of steel. "And show her that she can't intimidate me. I just have to go home and change first."
She waved to Caroline, then stalked off, determination stiffening her shoulders. Louise's eyes followed her until she disappeared into the crowd. Stefan turned back, brows drawn.
Caroline caught the look and murmured, "Does she seem a little off-balance to you?"
"Yeah." Stefan admitted, his tone quiet but thoughtful. "She's channelling all her emotions into rage. It makes her feel like she has purpose. I used to do that too when I was… you know."
Caroline tilted her head. "Ripper-you?"
He nodded once. "Yeah. She needs to come to terms with it, confront it, let it in, before she can let it go."
Caroline softened, smiling up at him. "You're good at this, you know that? You saved my vampire life, now you're saving hers."
They started walking together, drifting away from the table. Caroline nudged him with her shoulder. "You should write a book. Go on The View."
Stefan huffed a laugh, shaking his head. "Hm."
Louise rose slowly from her seat, brushing at her skirt as if the motion could ground her. Caroline looped an arm around hers with sudden brightness. "And you, Miss Gilbert, are coming shopping with me. If we're crashing Rebekah's party, we're doing it in style."
Louise blinked, startled. "Shopping? As in — the mall?"
Caroline rolled her eyes fondly. "Yes, the mall. Don't look so horrified. You'll survive."
Louise hesitated, her stomach clenching at the thought of weaving through crowds of living, breathing people with their hearts beating and their blood rushing. School had been hard enough. A mall would be suffocating. "Caroline, a mall has way more people than a school. What if I—"
"You won't." Caroline cut in gently, giving her arm a reassuring squeeze. "You'll be with me. And I'll make sure you're distracted by shoes and sparkly tops and overpriced accessories. You'll be fine."
Louise gave her a wary look, but Caroline's confidence was disarming, her warmth wrapping around her like a tether. Slowly, she exhaled and nodded. "Okay… I'll try."
"Good." Caroline grinned, victorious. "Because nothing says 'I'm not intimidated by you, Rebekah,' like showing up to her party looking fabulous."
For the first time that day, Louise managed a small, real smile.
Curling her fingers into fists to hide the tremors raging through her body, Louise sat in the passenger seat of Caroline's car, focusing every ounce of self-control on patience. The trees streaked past outside her window, a blur of gold and green in the waning sunlight. She was nearly home, just a few more miles until they reached the Mystic Falls city limits, and then only a few minutes to drive through town back to the Salvatore house.
She could make it.
She had to make it.
"Louise," Caroline said gently, breaking the tense silence in the vehicle. Glancing sideways at her friend, Louise noted the furrow of concern etched into the blonde's forehead, and the way she was chewing on her bottom lip.
Great. Here come the platitudes, Louise thought, pressing her head back against the seat in irritation.
"I don't want to talk about it." she muttered through clenched teeth.
"But you're beating yourself up over nothing." Caroline insisted, ignoring her explicit request. "Nothing happened, that sales clerk is fine."
No thanks to me, Louise thought bitterly. "I said I don't want to talk about it." she repeated, sharper this time. Her fists clenched so tightly her nails cut into the skin of her palms, sharp crescents opening against tender flesh.
The scent hit her immediately. Metallic. Sweet. Maddening. Her own blood. Her stomach lurched, her mouth watered, and the nausea twisted through her chest all at once. Uncurling her fingers with visible effort, she pressed her palms flat against her thighs, shutting her eyes and leaning back into the headrest. Despair warred with frustration as she fought the surge of bloodlust.
When was it going to get easier?
It was supposed to get easier.
To her grim satisfaction, Caroline said nothing else for the rest of the drive. She only pulled into the driveway, wordlessly handed Louise her shopping bags, and let her go.
Louise practically tore herself from the car, mumbling a hollow, "Thank you." that she forced to sound sincere. She was grateful, deeply grateful, for Caroline. She had kept her from making a horrible mistake today, one that could have ruined everything.
Caroline's hair danced in the breeze as she nodded once, softly. "Okay. I'll see you at Rebekah's party later, alright?"
Louise gave a jerky nod, slammed the car door with unnecessary force, and blurred up the path to the house. She didn't stop until she was inside, boot heel kicking the door shut behind her. Shopping bags tumbled to the floor near the stairs as she stormed straight toward the living room.
So stupid. So damn stupid.
The neat rows of crystal decanters gleamed invitingly from Damon's bar. Louise grabbed a tumbler and stared at the bottles, trying to decipher which one might hold relief.
"How the hell does Damon know which is which?" she muttered. Finally, she reached for a clear bottle, sniffing to be sure it wasn't gin, and poured herself a heavy glass. Vodka. Vodka was safe. She knew she liked vodka.
"I wouldn't. " came Damon's voice.
Louise jolted, nearly dropping the glass. Wide-eyed, she turned to find him leaning lazily in the doorway, his presence filling the room in that unshakable way only Damon could. She hadn't even heard him, he hadn't been able to sneak up on her like that in weeks.
"God, Damon." she stammered, the liquor sloshing over the rim and onto her fingers. She stared down at the glass as though it might explain itself. "You wouldn't what?"
"Drink that." He nodded toward her tumbler. "I don't know why the Russians love it so much. It's not going to warm you up."
"Oh." She licked her lips nervously. "What, um…what should I be drinking?"
"Nothing." he said dryly, strolling toward her with that maddening casualness. "You're underage."
Her lips twitched despite herself. He plucked the glass neatly from her fingers and tipped the contents back into the bottle with a raised brow. "Ambitious much?"
"I can hold my liquor." she shot back defensively.
Damon snorted. "Sure you can." He swapped bottles, poured a ridiculously small splash into her tumbler, and pressed it back into her hand.
She sniffed it suspiciously. "What's this?"
"Brandy." he replied. His voice was softer now. "Rough day?"
Her jaw tightened. "Didn't Caroline tell you?" she snapped, taking a gulp. The burn numbed her throat just enough to keep the ache at bay. "I'm surprised she didn't call you to tattle the second I got out of her car."
"I'll take that as a yes." Damon said with a smirk. "So what happened?"
"Nothing much." Louise said flatly, even as the words tumbled out. "I almost killed someone, that's all."
Damon tilted his head. "Ah."
"It was stupid." she fumed, tears brimming in her eyes before she could stop them. "I know better, Damon. The salesclerk cut his finger on a receipt. There wasn't even that much blood. But next thing I know, I've got him on the floor and Caroline's yelling at me to stop while she tries to haul me off of him."
"But she did haul you off of him." Damon moved closer, just enough for her to feel his body heat, though he didn't touch her. "Right?"
Louise nodded stiffly, bracing a hand on her hip. "Yes. But we had to compel the entire store to forget that they saw me vault the counter and attack him like some kind of psychotic vampire ninja."
Damon barked a laugh. "Psychotic vampire ninja? I wish I'd been there to see that."
"You think that's funny?" Louise snapped, anger sparking as she glared at him. "God, yes, it's hilarious that I almost tore a man's throat out today."
"You're a vampire, Louise." His tone was matter-of-fact, steady. "And you're fighting centuries of instinct. There isn't a vampire in history who's done what you're trying to do."
"So what, you're saying it's hopeless? That I should just accept I'm a monster destined to rip people apart?" She smacked his hand away when he tried to touch her.
"Louise, you're not a monster." Damon caught her shoulders firmly, forcing her to look at him. "What I'm saying is that it's hard. And you don't get to beat yourself up over almosts."
She pouted, stubborn. "That's easy for you to say. You never have almosts. You never—"
"Louise." Damon rolled his eyes heavenward with a frustrated sigh. "I've got a few years on you."
"Whatever." she muttered, sulking. Deep down, she knew he was right, but she didn't want to admit it. Not tonight.
"Hey." His voice cut through her spiralling thoughts, firm, commanding. He tipped her chin up with a finger until her eyes locked on his. She resisted at first, but the pull of his gaze was too strong.
"It won't change anything." Damon said quietly.
Her brow furrowed. "What won't?"
"If you kill someone." His words were blunt, but his eyes softened. "It won't change how I see you. Or how much I love you."
Louise blinked. The weight of his certainty pressed against the hollow of her fear, filling it with something warmer, steadier.
How does he always know?
The tears broke loose then, silently, and she all but collapsed into him. Damon caught her easily, wrapping his arms around her as she buried her face against his shoulder.
"I know you will," she whispered, clinging tighter. "I'm sorry for being such a pain in the ass."
A low chuckle rumbled through his chest, vibrating against her cheek. He kissed her temple, lips brushing tenderly. "I suppose I'll forgive you. This time."
"Gee, thanks," she mumbled with a muffled laugh.
And for a long moment, they just stayed like that — quiet, steady, together. The hunger and the shame ebbed beneath the comfort of his embrace, replaced by something far more grounding. No matter what else changed, Louise thought, she'd always have him. Damon Salvatore — her constant.
Suddenly, Louise sniffed, the metallic tang suddenly hitting her nose like a slap. Her stomach tightened. She pulled back from Damon, narrowing her eyes as her gaze darted to his shoulder. With a sharp tug, she yanked down the collar of his shirt. The fabric gave way, revealing a fresh smear of blood around a wound that had already begun to heal.
Her breath caught. "What happened to you?"
Damon only shrugged, the motion careless, as though the answer didn't matter. "Hunter mishap."
Louise's frown deepened. "You know he was at my school today?"
"Yep. Jeremy told me."
Her head snapped up, brows furrowing. "Why were you talking to Jeremy?"
"Don't worry about it." Damon's tone was quick, dismissive, like swatting at a fly.
But Louise wasn't so easily brushed off. "Damon," she warned, voice low. "Don't bring him into this."
He tugged his shirt over his head in one fluid motion, baring his chest, the muscles shifting under his skin. "Cherish the thought that he might actually be useful, Louise."
She opened her mouth to argue again, but her words caught when his fingers went to the belt at his waist, casually flicking the buckle loose. Louise's gaze betrayed her, slipping downward before she caught herself. Her lips twitched despite her irritation.
"You staying for the show or…?" Damon asked, voice lazy, that familiar smirk tugging at his mouth.
The click of a button opening, the faint slide of fabric as his pants loosened.
Louise tilted her head, eyes sparkling as she shot back, "Not in the living room."
In the next heartbeat, she had her hands tangled in his hair, lips crashing onto his, pulling him into the kind of kiss that left no room for second thoughts. Damon responded instantly, his arms sweeping her up as they vamp-sped towards the stairs, all heat and urgency.
But the fire cracked in half the moment they skidded into Damon's bedroom. Both froze, still clinging to each other, eyes darting forward.
Elena.
Standing with her back to them, rifling through Damon's drawers like she owned the place.
Louise was the first to recover, her voice slicing through the silence. "What the hell, Elena?"
Elena spun around, startled, guilt flashing across her face.
"Hope you plan on cleaning this up." Damon drawled.
"I need bourbon to get through Rebekah's party," Elena said, almost defensively. "Yours is better than Stefan's."
"Top drawer in the dresser." Damon supplied without missing a beat.
Elena blinked, confused by his cooperation. "…Thanks." She crossed the room, tugged open the top drawer. Damon, meanwhile, pulled a silver flask from his pocket, twisting the cap and taking a slow swig, all while keeping his eyes on her. "You keep alcohol in your underwear drawer?" Elena asked, brow furrowed.
Louise's lips quirked, already preparing a jab. But Elena had beaten her to it, pulling out a pair of briefs and holding them up, incredulous.
Damon deadpanned. "No."
Louise raised her brows, a wicked grin flickering across her face. "Comfortable, Elena? Holding my boyfriend's briefs?"
Elena, grimacing, tossed them back into the drawer before she shot a glare at her sister, but before she could answer Damon leaned forward, voice edged with suspicion now. "But you weren't looking for alcohol, were you?"
Elena froze, guilt scrawled across her face before she could smooth it away.
"Do you think I'd actually leave the last remaining white oak stake where any vampire could just walk in and take it?" Damon's voice had lost its humour, the smirk curling darker.
Elena's jaw tightened. She met his eyes, defiant. "I'm finding that stake."
The thumping bass of whatever pop track Rebekah had chosen for the night rattled the walls as Louise, Elena, and Stefan stepped through the doorway of the mansion. Teenagers and college kids clustered around a keg on the front lawn, red cups in hand, laughter spilling over the music.
Louise's eyes flicked over the crowd, her arms folding across her chest. Typical Rebekah. Throw a party like the world wasn't burning outside.
Inside, the foyer was warm and golden, chandeliers glinting against the polished wood.
"Wow." Stefan muttered, pausing as they crossed the threshold. "We didn't have to be invited in. I wonder who used to live here."
"Or who died here." Elena added dryly.
The three of them stopped, Elena's gaze locking on the blonde standing across the room. Rebekah. Smiling, radiant, like she owned the place. Elena's face hardened instantly, her eyes narrowing.
"You're fixating." Stefan said gently, noticing.
"No." Elena shot back, her voice clipped. "I'm just quietly hating."
Before Stefan could answer, a boy stumbled past, a half-filled cup in his hand. Stefan's eyes caught on it, and with barely a flick of his tone he compelled, "This is mine now." The boy blinked, blank, and handed it over. "Thank you." Stefan said smoothly, then turned, offering the drink to Elena. "Why don't you have a drink? It'll help you let go."
Elena hesitated, her fingers curling around the rim. She lifted the cup toward her lips, ready to sip when she froze. Across the room, April Young wandered nervously among the crowd, clearly out of her depth.
Elena lowered the drink immediately. "April's here. I'm gonna go say hi."
"Of course she is." Louise muttered under her breath.
Stefan only gave Elena a reassuring nod. "And I am going to find something a little stronger than beer."
Elena smiled faintly. "Okay."
They parted ways; Elena weaving through the party toward April, Stefan angling toward the bar set up near the back. Louise lingered for a beat, eyes flicking between her sister's stiff shoulders and Stefan's easy stride. Then she blew out a breath, lips curving into a wry smile.
"Well, I know which one of you is more fun right now." She nudged Stefan's arm, following him. "If you're going to get drunk, you're not leaving me behind."
Stefan glanced at her, a small laugh escaping. "You just got turned. I'm not sure 'drunk vampire' is the best look for you."
"Oh, come on." Louise raised her brows, a challenge sparking in her expression. "If Elena gets to pretend she's fine with a beer, then I get tequila. Don't be stingy."
Stefan shook his head, amusement tugging at his lips despite himself. "Fine. But if Damon finds out—"
Louise snorted. "Then he'll pout about how he wasn't invited, and we'll have to listen to him make another speech about 'responsible vampire behaviour.' Which, let's be real, is hilarious coming from him."
That earned a chuckle from Stefan as they approached the bar, where bottles of liquor gleamed beneath the dim lighting. He reached for one, sliding it toward her.
Louise raised her cup with a grin. "To bad ideas?"
Stefan clinked his against hers, the corners of his mouth softening. "To bad ideas."
And for a moment, as the burn of bourbon spread warm and easy down her throat, Louise almost forgot about Rebekah's smirk across the room or the weight of her sister's quiet rage.
Elena walked into the kitchen, the muffled bass of the party thumping faintly against the walls. At the island stood April, shoulders small and uncertain, her fingers tracing the rim of an empty glass. Relief spread over the younger girl's face the moment she saw her.
"Hey." Elena said warmly.
"Elena! Thank God, I know someone." April's smile was tinged with nerves, but it was genuine.
Louise trailed behind, her own cup in hand, leaning casually against the doorframe. She lifted the drink to her lips, pretending to be disinterested, though her sharp gaze flicked over April; nervous, jittery, clinging to Elena like a lifeline.
"I'm glad you came." Elena continued, reaching for a fresh cup from the counter. She poured and held it out. "Are you thirsty?"
April's grin grew wider, the tension easing from her face. "You know, you used to read me bedtime stories."
Elena laughed softly. "And now I'm giving you beer. Sounds about right."
April laughed too, though it cracked at the edges. She took the cup and swallowed a sip eagerly. "Mmm. If my dad could see me now."
Louise dropped her gaze to the floor, guilt tugging at her chest. April still carried so much brightness despite the weight she was under. Louise remembered that exact tone in her own voice, years ago, before everything got… complicated.
Elena's expression softened. "How are you doing with everything?"
April exhaled hard, almost rolling her eyes at herself. "I'm trudging through my denial phase. Dreaming up conspiracy theories."
Elena's frown deepened, but before she could speak, April spilled the words rushing in her chest.
"My first weekend home from boarding school, my dad smelled cigarette smoke on my clothes before I even walked in the door. He would have noticed a gas leak in the house." Her voice wavered, but her conviction sharpened.
Elena's brow furrowed. "So, you — you don't think that it was an accident?"
April's eyes darkened, steady. "I know there's no investigation, that everyone's calling it an accident. But, the shooting at the church? It just feels like—"
"Like something wicked this way comes?"
The smooth, mocking voice floated through the doorway before Elena or Louise could respond. Rebekah swept into the kitchen as though she'd been waiting for her cue, her silk dress gleaming under the light, a cruel smile playing on her lips.
"I know, right? It's like this town's cursed or something." Her eyes lingered on April with the kind of amusement one might give a doll left in the wrong room.
Louise straightened, shoulders tense, though she stayed quiet, watchful.
Elena's discomfort was immediate, her hand brushing April's arm. "Hey, April, why don't you go look around the house, and I'll find you in a little bit?"
April hesitated, clearly confused, her gaze flicking between them. "Okay…" she said finally, and slipped past Rebekah.
The air in the kitchen thickened the moment April left.
Rebekah turned, her smile tightening like the click of a trap. "Did I forget to uninvite you?"
Louise took a long sip of her drink, muttering under her breath, "Here we go…"
Elena's jaw tightened. "Did you blow up her dad's house to get revenge on the Council?"
Rebekah scoffed, rolling her eyes with practiced disdain. "I don't give a damn about some dodgy, middle-aged Council. You come into my house, throw around false accusations and then you have the nerve to drink my beer?"
Before Elena could react, Rebekah snatched the cup from her hand. With a smirk, she tipped it back, swallowing as though savouring the victory more than the taste.
Louise arched a brow, arms crossing. "Really, Rebekah? What's next? Pulling her hair?"
But before Rebekah could quip back, a faint, horrifying sizzle filled the air. Elena gasped sharply, jerking her hand back. Her skin smoked where the sun's light filtered across it. Her eyes darted down, her daylight ring was gone.
"My ring!" Elena's voice cracked, panic flooding her face.
Rebekah's smile widened, malicious and gleaming. She dangled the small silver band between her fingers like bait.
Elena blurred across the room, disappearing into the shadowed corner, clutching her hand. "Give it back!"
"Get it yourself."
With a flick of her wrist, Rebekah tossed the ring down into the sink. Metal clinked once before disappearing into the drain.
"No!" Elena cried, her voice raw with desperation.
Louise's cup slipped slightly in her grasp, bourbon sloshing over her knuckles. Her stomach dropped. The party's noise outside felt suddenly far away, muted.
This wasn't just Rebekah being petty anymore. This was dangerous.
Elena hissed as her skin sizzled, the sunlight licking cruelly at her exposed hand when she darted from the shadows. Rebekah only smirked, tilting her head like a cat playing with prey, before flicking the switch on the garbage disposal. The harsh metallic whir filled the kitchen. Then she turned on her heel and sauntered out, her blonde hair bouncing, the sound of her heels vanishing into the noise of the party.
"Elena!" Louise rushed forward, but Elena was already across the room, jaw tight, plunging her hand into the sink. The burning stench of scorched flesh made Louise gag, but Elena bit down on a scream, fingers straining until she caught the familiar coolness of her daylight ring. She yanked it free and jammed it back onto her finger, sagging against the counter.
"God, Elena—" Louise steadied her, wrapping a hand around her arm. "She could've killed you."
Elena's eyes were blazing, the fury in them near feral. She ripped open her bag, pulling out the white oak stake Damon had pressed into her hand earlier. Louise's eyes widened.
"Elena—"
But Stefan appeared then, blocking the doorway, voice calm but edged. "Damon give that to you?"
Elena's shoulders stiffened. "Yes. Reluctantly."
Stefan's gaze cut to the stake, then to Elena's face. "Elena, she's going to keep pushing—"
"She's not going to stop." Elena snapped, gripping the weapon tighter. "I can't just—"
Stefan interrupted her with a step closer, voice low, deliberate. "If you want to kill her—" he gestured toward the hall Rebekah had vanished down. "I'm not going to stop you. But you know what'll happen. It'll feel really good… for ten seconds. And then? Every vampire she ever turned dies. Tens of thousands of lives, Elena. Rage feels powerful—" He caught her eyes, holding them with his own. "But guilt? It'll eat you alive. I should know."
Louise swallowed hard, her own gaze flickering between her sister and Stefan. She could feel the heat rolling off Elena, the way she vibrated with fury, stake poised like she might actually plunge it into Rebekah's heart.
"Elena," Louise said softly, reaching to touch her wrist. "He's right."
For a long moment Elena stood rigid, then her shoulders slumped. With a sigh, she slapped the stake into Stefan's hand.
Stefan smiled faintly and held out his other hand to her. "So. We get on my motorcycle, and we get the hell out of here."
The tension broke, just slightly. Elena's lips quirked. She took his hand, letting him lead her toward the door. Louise lingered, hovering at the kitchen threshold, unsure.
On the porch, Rebekah leaned against a column, glass of wine in hand, a mocking pout painted on her lips. "Leaving so soon?" she drawled.
Elena stopped, turning to face her. "No. Not just yet."
She shoved her bag into Stefan's arms and strode straight toward the keg. Louise blinked, half-aghast, half-amused, as Elena flipped into a handstand, gripping the keg while the crowd erupted in laughter and shouts. Someone shoved the hose into her mouth, and the chant rose:
"Chug! Chug! Chug!"
Elena guzzled, cheeks flushed, before flipping back onto her feet, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Now I'm ready to go," she said, flashing Stefan a grin.
Louise caught Stefan's eye, gave him a small nod. "Go. I'll stay — Caroline should be here any minute."
He hesitated but didn't argue, leading Elena away.
Left behind in the pulsing chaos of Rebekah's party, Louise lingered at the edge of the room, the tang of alcohol on her tongue, her gaze drifting toward where Rebekah still leaned, watching them leave with that smug, unbothered smile.
The sky was painted in streaks of gold and rose, the last stretch of daylight spilling across the fields as Stefan's motorcycle tore down the open road. The warm breeze whipped around them, carrying the scent of cut grass and late summer air.
Elena tightened her arms around his waist for a moment before shifting, sliding her hands up to his shoulders. Her heart beat with the rush of adrenaline, of release. She straightened, balancing carefully on the narrow seat as the countryside blurred past in a haze of green and amber.
Stefan felt the change in her weight, instinctively tensing. He turned his head just enough to catch a glimpse of her in the corner of his eye. She was rising, daring the wind, the world, herself.
With a laugh — half reckless, half exhilarated — Elena stood tall on the seat, her arms thrown wide. Her hair streamed behind her, catching the evening light like fire. The sun kissed her skin, glowing warm against her face as she closed her eyes and breathed it in. The cool rush of air filled her lungs, the horizon stretched endless before her, and for one fleeting heartbeat, she felt unchained.
Stefan steadied the bike, his grip tightening on the handlebars. His jaw softened as he looked up at her — this girl who had carried so much grief, so much weight — and saw her laughing. Free. Alive. He reached one hand back, brushing his fingers against her ankle in a silent tether, a reminder that no matter how high she soared, he was still there, grounding her.
The road curved, and Elena finally bent her knees, lowering herself back down behind him. She wrapped her arms around his middle once more, her cheek pressed to his shoulder, laughter still spilling in soft bursts against the wind.
The sun was sinking, but for Elena, it felt like the beginning of something new.
Laughter and music spilled across the backyard as Louise leaned against the keg, red cup in hand, grinning as two of the football guys tried to one-up each other with drinking stunts. She let them shove her forward into the circle, good-naturedly rolling her eyes as someone shouted her name over the chant of "Chug! Chug! Chug!"
Louise tipped her head back and drank, the beer fizzing sharp and cold against her throat. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, flushed with the warmth of the crowd and the alcohol in her system. A sudden buzz from her phone pulled her attention. She fished it out of her pocket, squinting at the screen.
'Sorry, babe. Couldn't make Rebekah's "ditch-fest". I owe you big time. Promise.'
Louise sighed, thumb hovering over the keypad before she shoved the phone away. She was about to grab another drink when her vision swam. The bonfire blurred into streaks of orange and red, faces dissolving into smears of colour. She stumbled, one hand brushing the keg for balance.
Her pulse spiked. Something was wrong.
Louise pushed through the crowd and back inside the house, her steps unsteady. The thumping bass rattled through the walls, but all she could hear was the rush of her own uneven breath. She made it to the hallway mirror, bracing her palms on the table beneath it.
Her reflection swam into focus and then she saw them. Dark, spidery veins webbing beneath her skin, pulsing outward from her eyes.
"What the hell…?"
Her stomach lurched. She gripped the edge of the table so hard the wood creaked beneath her fingers.
"Louise?" She turned sharply. April stood in the doorway, her cup still clutched in her hand, her brow furrowed in concern. "You're… are you okay? You don't look—" April's voice faltered, her eyes flickering nervously to Louise's face. "You're not… well."
Louise jerked her head away, tugging her hair across her cheek to hide the veins. Panic clawed at her chest. She could feel the venom burning through her bloodstream, poison curling like fire in her veins.
"I'm fine. Just—too much beer." Louise strained.
April hesitated, stepping closer. "That's not what it looks like…"
Louise backed away, forcing a shaky smile, though her hands trembled. "Go back outside, April. Seriously. I'll be fine."
But her voice cracked on the last word, and she knew she wasn't convincing anyone.
Stefan's bedroom was dim, shadows stretching across the walls from the slanted glow of the bedside lamp. Elena shoved him back against the mattress with a playful smirk, straddling him as their lips met in a heated, hungry kiss. Stefan's hands came to her waist, pulling her closer, grounding himself in the press of her body.
When he tried to sit up to deepen the kiss, Elena pushed him down again with surprising force, her eyes glinting. A low laugh slipped from her lips, half-playful, half-thrumming with something darker. Her pupils dilated as her veins crept to the surface, and suddenly her fangs descended.
Stefan froze beneath her. For a moment, he thought she was teasing, testing the boundaries of this new life, making it… dangerous. But then the flicker of desperation in her eyes set off a pang of unease in his chest.
"Elena," he said softly, as though he could pull her back with just her name.
She leaned down again, lips brushing against his, but Stefan gripped her shoulders and rolled them in a blur of movement, pinning her beneath him. His mouth trailed from her lips down her neck, kissing her with a deliberate, controlled tenderness as though trying to soothe the edge from her wild energy. He pressed to her collarbone, then the other side of her neck.
And then he stopped.
Something wasn't right.
Elena lay back, panting lightly, her eyes bright but unfocused. Slowly, she tugged at her sleeve, pulling the fabric back to reveal dark, branching streaks marring her skin. The red-and-black veins crawled ominously up her forearm, pulsing just beneath the surface.
"Stefan," her voice cracked with fear. "What's happening to me?"
She yanked up the other sleeve, revealing the same angry markings racing along her arm. Her breaths grew shallow, verging on panic.
Stefan's eyes widened in horror. He sat back, every nerve alight with dread. "Oh my God…" His voice was low, tight. He forced himself to meet her gaze. "Damon said… the hunter — he had werewolf venom."
Elena's lips parted in a sharp gasp. "Oh my God."
The reality of it sank into the room like a stone dropping into water, sending ripples of terror between them. The venom was spreading fast. Stefan's mind raced, the image of every vampire he'd ever seen poisoned flashing before his eyes.
Then, with a jolt, he remembered.
Louise.
His chest constricted as the thought hit him like a knife. She was still at that party. She had been drinking. And if the beer had been poisoned...Stefan shot to his feet, panic clear in every line of his body.
"Elena…" He swallowed hard, torn between staying with her and the sudden, gut-wrenching realization. "Louise is still there."
Elena's frightened eyes locked on his. She didn't need to ask what he meant. The horror on his face said it all.
The party had thinned out, the hum of music muffled now behind closed doors and the occasional laugh echoing from another room. April sat with Louise on the couch, worry etched across her young face. She kept glancing at her phone like she expected it to deliver a miracle.
"Okay," April said, her voice soft but firm, trying to steady herself. "I called Damon. He's on his way. You just… hold on, alright?"
Louise forced a smile for the girl's sake, though her skin was pale and clammy, her veins burning with venom beneath the surface. Her head tipped back against the couch cushion. "Thank you, April."
Her vision wavered, blurring, until she shut her eyes in an effort to anchor herself. But when she opened them again, April was gone. In her place stood Klaus, smirking down at her with that infuriating, knowing glint in his eyes.
Louise's breath hitched. "Why am I… why am I thinking about you?"
The hallucination crouched before her, head tilting with wolfish amusement. "Because you can't escape it, love. You're a vampire now — reborn into a world that's raw, vicious, and honest. And deep down, some part of you knows… you're far more like me than you'll ever admit."
Louise blinked rapidly, shaking her head as tears pricked her eyes. "No. No, I'm not like you."
"Lying to yourself is such a waste of time." Klaus purred, his voice curling around her like smoke. "The hunger you crave..." He smirked. "Don't underestimate the allure of darkness. Even the purest hearts are drawn to it."
The sound of the front door crashing open ripped her from the vision. Klaus vanished like mist, replaced by April's startled gasp.
And there he was; Damon. He barrelled into the room in a blur, his eyes immediately locking onto Louise. "Lou!"
Relief and dread warred on his face as he dropped to his knees in front of her, hands cradling her face, scanning the creeping venom that marred her skin. He cursed under his breath, too low for April to catch.
Louise exhaled shakily, her eyes flickering between Damon and the space where Klaus had just been. Her body trembled against the couch cushions.
April pressed a worried hand to her arm. "She's not okay."
Louise gave a weak, shaky laugh. "Took you long enough."
Damon shot her a look that was equal parts fear and reprimand. "Not the time for jokes, sweetheart." His hand lingered against her cheek, thumb stroking once in a futile attempt at comfort.
April leaned forward, her voice cracking. "What's happening to her? She looks… she looks really sick."
Damon flicked his eyes to April for the briefest second, already spinning a cover story. "Bad drink. Somebody spiked the keg with something nasty. Happens more often than you'd think." He slid one arm under Louise, bracing to lift her. "She doesn't have the best tolerance."
April's face paled. "She's been poisoned?"
"Looks that way." Damon forced a tight smile, his tone brisk but deceptively calm. "Which is why you should probably head home. I'm gonna take care of her, okay?"
April nodded quickly, though worry lingered in her eyes. "Tell her… tell her I'll check on her tomorrow?"
"Yeah. Sure thing," Damon muttered, already focused back on Louise.
She stirred weakly in his arms, her head rolling against his chest. He stood in a rush, carrying her easily, the party dissolving into a blur around them as he headed for the door with single-minded determination.
Damon laid Louise gently across the back seat of his car, his movements sharper than his usual effortless grace. He slammed the door shut and was behind the wheel a second later, his knuckles white against the steering wheel as he gunned the engine.
From the back, Louise moaned, her head tossing against the leather. "Damon…" Her voice cracked, too soft, too weak. "It's… it's burning."
Damon's throat tightened. He glanced into the mirror, catching sight of the venom crawling higher along her veins. "I know. Just hold on. I've got you." His jaw flexed hard. "And when I find the bastard who thought spiking a keg with werewolf venom was funny — he's gonna wish he was never born."
Louise gave a broken laugh that dissolved into a cough. "That… sounds like you."
"Damn right it does," Damon muttered, flooring it.
By the time they reached the Boarding House, Damon all but tore her from the car, his arms locking around her limp frame. He kicked the door open, his voice booming through the hall.
"Klaus!"
The sound of footsteps was immediate, deliberate. Klaus appeared at the base of the staircase, wiping a smear of blood from his lips with casual elegance. Elena was behind him, with Stefan hovering protectively at her side, the venom already gone from her skin.
Klaus's gaze flicked to the bundle in Damon's arms. His expression shifted from mild curiosity to something sharper, interest. "Ah. Seems little Louise has had a taste of the same poison."
"Save the commentary and fix her!" Damon snapped, his voice harsher than intended.
Klaus tilted his head, amusement tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Someone's in a mood." He crossed the room in a blur, stopping before Damon. "Give her to me."
Damon's grip tightened instinctively, his jaw locking. He hated it, hated the thought of handing Louise over to him. But another groan escaped her lips, and Damon's heart twisted. With visible reluctance, he lowered her into Klaus's waiting arms.
Klaus cradled her with surprising gentleness, one hand steadying her back, the other tipping her chin. Louise blinked hazily, her eyes fluttering open. "You again," she whispered, her lips parting as though the hallucination had bled into reality.
Klaus's smile was soft, almost private. "Me, love. And fortunately for you, I've just the remedy."
He bit into his wrist without hesitation, pressing the wound to her lips. Louise resisted weakly at first, but as soon as the first drop touched her tongue, instinct took over. She latched onto him, her trembling hands clutching at his wrist as she drank greedily.
Damon's chest burned, his hands fisting at his sides. The sight was too close to intimate, too much like something that should never have happened. He took a sharp step forward. "That's enough."
But Klaus didn't move, his gaze fixed on Louise with an unreadable expression. "Easy, sweetheart." he murmured to her, voice low, soothing. "There you are."
Louise finally pulled back with a gasp, her veins fading, her eyes clearing. She slumped against Klaus's chest, still breathing hard. For a moment, she looked up at him with something like gratitude, something that made Damon's stomach twist.
Klaus smirked, glancing at Damon as though he'd noticed. "You're welcome."
Damon's voice was low, dangerous. "I said — enough."
Reluctantly, Klaus lowered Louise back onto the couch. Damon was instantly at her side, crouching to steady her, brushing damp hair from her forehead. Her eyes darted between them, confusion flickering across her features.
"I… I feel better." she whispered.
"Yeah, well, don't get used to him being your hero." Damon said tightly, glaring at Klaus.
Klaus only chuckled, the sound rich with amusement. "Oh, I wouldn't worry, Damon. She'll be just fine… so long as she listens to me."
The words lingered strangely in the air and Damon stiffened, his arm wrapping protectively around Louise.
Chapter 4: The Five
Chapter Text
The Five
November 23, 2010
Louise Gilbert was slumped over a table at the Grill. Her long, dark hair pooled around her, obscuring her face. Defeat slumped her shoulders, and surrender bowed her head. Every line of her body whispered those twin disasters. Without consciously deciding to do so, Klaus Mikaelson found himself sliding into the booth across from her.
"Whatever it is that's gotten you so down." he said, his voice calm, measured. "It cannot possibly be so devastating as all that."
Louise lifted her forehead from the table and stared at him. "I nearly killed Matt last night." she admitted miserably. "I wanted to kill him."
Klaus drummed his fingers lightly on the table, his gaze flickering with amusement and calculation. He didn't really know who Matt was, but the detail didn't matter. "Do you want to kill him?" he asked finally. "It might perk you up if you did."
In response, Louise hurled the saltshaker at him. He caught it neatly, rolling it under his hand with a casual flick.
She looked down, ashamed, and confessed before she even realised she was speaking. "I've been feeding off Matt since I turned."
Klaus paused. A suspicion crept in, and his eyes narrowed slightly. "Only him?"
Louise nodded, looking away.
"Dangerous arrangement." he murmured, his voice low and precise. "He must be as ensorcelled by you as all the rest."
"No." she said, frowning. "He's just — we're just friends. He knows I don't want to hurt anyone, so he offered."
Klaus's hand shot out, grabbing her arm. He was startled by how cool she was to the touch. "You're cold. You're not getting enough to eat from just the one vein. You'll either kill him or kill yourself trying."
Louise jerked her arm back, muttering. "It's the best I can manage."
"I could teach you." Klaus said, his voice smooth as velvet, carrying both a promise and a warning.
She scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping her. "You'd turn me into a ripper just to amuse yourself."
"I wouldn't." he said, straight-faced. "Scout's honour."
Silence fell for a moment, broken only by the faint clatter of dishes in the background.
"How do you deal?" she asked finally, voice trembling slightly.
"I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific," he replied.
"With… with everything," she said, struggling. "The murder, the bloodshed… the existential horror of what we are."
Klaus shrugged, as if the answer were obvious. "You're a vampire, sweetheart. There's no horror when the leopard devours the lamb. It's just… what you are, now."
Louise's voice rose, almost pleading. "Why don't you use blood bags?"
Klaus's grin widened, sharp and knowing. The kind of look that made her hate him and hate herself for ever giving him anything to read. "Surely you know why by now." he said. Louise blinked. "Don't you?"
Louis remained silent.
"Even though you haven't fed — not really — you understand the thrill. You can taste it." he said, leaning closer, his eyes gleaming. "The gateway. Human blood is more than just food. It is the gateway to viscera, to that part of vampirism that revels in destruction, that hungers for power and death. It is the piercing of the skin, the tearing of flesh." he said, voice intense. "The power of someone else's life between your fangs."
Louise pressed her lips together, shallow breaths betraying the stirrings inside her. She could feel it — the shift, the slippage. She was still herself, yet someone else was there now. Someone who whispered to leave behind the girl she had been, someone who understood the gateway and tempted her to give in.
"You're trembling." Klaus said softly, almost a tease. "Is it fear… or anticipation?"
"I — I don't know," she admitted, shaking her head. "Part of me wants to resist. Part of me…" She swallowed hard. "Part of me is curious. Terrified, but curious."
He leaned closer, his voice low, intimate. "That curiosity is the doorway, Louise. That pull, that hunger — it will always be there. And every time you resist, it grows sharper. Every time you feed, it calls louder."
Her chest tightened. "I don't want to hurt anyone." she whispered.
Klaus's smile softened, almost imperceptibly. "Yet you must learn. Not just to survive — but to embrace what you are, even if only a little. You can't fight the shadow inside forever."
Louise felt the truth in his words, and it scared her. But another part, a darker, dangerous part, thrummed with excitement. A part that wanted to see, to taste, to understand. The gateway was there, waiting. And she knew, deep down, that one day she would have to step through it.
"And if I fail?" she asked quietly.
"You won't." Klaus said, though the certainty in his voice didn't fully comfort her. "Because if you do, I will be there. Watching. Guiding. Waiting."
A shiver ran down her spine and Louise hesitated, her fingers nervously twisting in her lap. "No need. Damon… he's going to teach me." she admitted finally, her voice low.
Klaus's eyebrows lifted, a slow smirk forming on his lips. "Oh?" he said, but before he could add anything, Bonnie's voice cut across the room.
"There you are," Bonnie said, striding toward the booth with her usual determined energy. Klaus stood immediately, brushing off his jacket, and sauntered toward the bar, leaving his seat for Bonnie. She slid into it smoothly, eyes fixed on Louise.
"What were you two talking about?" Bonnie asked, leaning slightly forward.
Louise shrugged, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "Klaus being Klaus." she said breezily, deliberately vague.
Bonnie's brow furrowed, but she let it go. "Alright… but seriously, Louise — are you sure about this?" This being Damon teaching Louise how to control her newfound vampire instincts and feed responsibly.
Louise exhaled slowly, running her fingers along the rim of her glass. "I'm not sure about any of this, Bon. But I know I'd rather learn how to control myself now rather than when it's too late, don't you think?"
Bonnie's brows furrowed. "But Damon? Is he really the best to teach you? What about Caroline?"
Louise shook her head, a faint laugh escaping. "Caroline's been a pro at control since day one. Besides…" She faltered, then pushed through. "I know it's crazy, but I almost killed Matt last night. Damon had to rip me off him and then compel him to forget. Call it some 'seer doppelgänger curse' or whatever, but I can't drink animal blood. I can't drink from a blood bag. I can only drink from the vein."
Bonnie's expression softened, sympathy flooding her features.
"That's why Damon's the best person to teach me." Louise continued firmly, though her voice wavered. "He's my boyfriend. He knows me better than I know myself. So yeah, it's dangerous. But if anyone can help me figure this out, it's him."
Bonnie didn't argue; she simply nodded, accepting Louise's answer. "Okay. So… where's he taking you to do this?"
Whitmore, she thought. Damon had mentioned it with that teasing grin, the kind that made her both anxious and excited. "He was thinking Whitmore College." she said. "He was quite amused with the prospect of taking me to visit colleges like a normal person my age."
Bonnie's eyes lit up with recognition. "Caroline's been talking about Whitmore. I think that's where we're all gonna go."
"I guess." Louise said, her voice quieter. "I mean… it's close to home."
Bonnie smiled softly. "We'll just have to make a good impression on everyone there, so when we do go, we'll already have some friends."
Louise's eyes widened. "Wait — we? You're coming?"
Bonnie's grin widened. "There's a professor there who says he has some of my Grams' materials from when she taught there. I've been looking for a good chance to pick it up."
Louise leaned forward on her elbows, a sly smile tugging at her lips. "I predict a super fun college party in our future. Do you think Caroline will be jealous?"
Bonnie laughed, the sound warm and brief, before her expression shifted to something more serious. "Actually… I think Caroline and Tyler have been fighting. She called me in a flurry earlier, rushing out some nonsense, but I think I got the gist. By now, I speak Caroline like it's second nature."
Louise laughed softly at that, shaking her head.
Bonnie lowered her voice, leaning a little closer. "Apparently, when Tyler was in the Appalachia's, he met some girl there — Haley, I think — and they had a thing. Or at least that's what Caroline suspected. So she's been dealing with that on top of…" She glanced briefly toward the bar. "…on top of Klaus living in Tyler's house."
Louise's jaw dropped. "What?"
Almost involuntarily, her eyes darted across the room. Klaus was still there at the bar, languidly spinning his glass by the stem as if he had all the time in the world. His gaze flicked to hers, sharp and knowing, and Louise quickly looked away.
Bonnie edged closer, though her whisper hardly mattered with Klaus in earshot. "He's been feeding her lies about them to break them up. But this is Caroline, so… it's likely she was exaggerating."
Louise pressed her lips together, unsettled. She shook it off with a small sigh, forcing a smile. "We need to have a girls' night soon. I feel like I hardly know what's going on in your lives anymore."
Bonnie's eyes softened. "You've had a lot going on, Lou."
Louise dropped her gaze, fiddling with the edge of a napkin. "Yeah, but that doesn't make it untrue."
Bonnie reached out, covering Louise's hand with hers in a rare show of affection. "Then we'll make time. Promise."
Louise smiled faintly, comforted. But she couldn't shake the lingering image of Klaus at the bar, eyes glittering as though he knew exactly what secrets had just been spoken aloud.
The clearing in the woods was quiet except for the rustle of leaves and the sharp whistle of an arrow slicing through the air. Elena ducked just in time, the shaft grazing past her shoulder before embedding itself into the trunk of a pine tree.
She straightened, smirking at Stefan. "Damon offered to let me tag along on the Whitmore trip. Said he'd show me some tips on feeding. Control, too."
Stefan lowered his bow with a pointed look. "A little slow. I almost got you."
Elena tugged the arrow from the tree and twirled it between her fingers. "That's why we're not using wood ones for hunter defence class." she teased, before hurling it back at him. Stefan sidestepped easily, the arrow thudding into the ground where he had stood. Elena's smile widened.
"What about Caroline?" he asked, resetting his stance. "She's a genius at self-control."
"She's too good." Elena countered quickly. "She doesn't understand how hard it is. And you…" She hesitated, her voice softening. "Well, I know what being around too much blood does to you. I can't put you through that."
In a blur, Stefan vanished from sight and reappeared behind her, strong arms locking her against his chest, an arrowhead pressed to her heart. "So I guess that leaves Damon, huh?"
Elena didn't miss a beat. With a quick twist and a burst of strength, she flipped him over her shoulder. Stefan landed flat on his back, the air rushing out of him. Before he could move, Elena straddled his waist, the stolen arrow pressed firmly against the hollow of his throat.
"He's already teaching Louise." she said, cocking her head with a mischievous glint. "So what's one more newbie vampire? I wish it could be you, though." She leaned closer, pressing the tip of the arrow tighter against his skin. "Say it… or I'll snap your neck."
Stefan huffed a laugh despite the danger. "Fine. You wish it could be me."
"Exactly." Elena grinned, tossing the arrow aside. Stefan pushed himself up, and she slid easily into his lap, looping her arms around his neck.
"Bonnie's crashing the trip too." she added, casual but warm. "The professor who took over her Grams' classes — he invited her."
"Okay…" Stefan said slowly. "But I'm not sure feeding on strangers is gonna be any different."
"Maybe it will." Elena insisted. "They'll be the means to an end for me. They'll just be dinner."
Stefan raised a brow. "Don't name your food. Something Damon used to say."
"Listen to me." Her tone shifted, soft and certain as she cupped his cheek. "You're the one who's getting me through this. No matter who teaches me how to feed."
In an instant, Stefan had her pressed against a nearby tree, his hands braced on either side of her shoulders. "Whatever it takes." he said firmly, eyes locked with hers. "It's you and me, okay? We're in this together. Forever."
Elena's arms wound around his neck, pulling him closer. "Which is forever-forever now." she whispered, smiling. "Not metaphorically forever." Their lips met in a long, tender kiss. When Elena finally pulled back, she was glowing, a wide smile breaking across her face. "You have any more lessons for me?"
Stefan chuckled, brushing his thumb over her jaw. "Just be careful, okay? The blood, the feed… it's easy to get caught up in it."
"I will." Elena's voice was steady. "I promise."
Their foreheads met, a quiet vow sealed in the hush of the woods.
The car tires crunched against the gravel as Damon pulled into the front of the college campus. The autumn sun spilled across the wide lawns and red-brick buildings, painting everything in sharp, golden light. Damon killed the engine and slid out of the car, stretching lazily. Elena and Bonnie followed suit, stepping onto the campus walkway, eyes scanning the students milling around.
Elena glanced at Bonnie, voice low. "Are you sure you're okay with this?"
Bonnie shrugged, her hands stuffed in her jacket pockets. "If I could spell you guys out of wanting blood, I would. But I can't. So it's better you learn this now than during freshmen orientation. Trust me, it's… safer this way."
Louise tilted her head, a faint wry smile on her lips. "Assuming college is still in my future." she said, the humour thin beneath the underlying tension.
Damon rolled his eyes and clasped his hands behind his head. "Oh, stop with the pity party. If I can go to college, you can go to college."
Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "You went to college?"
"Sure." Damon said easily, the smirk twisting over his face like it belonged there. "Plenty of times. I always had a thing for sorority girls."
Louise groaned, letting her hand drop to her side. Elena and Bonnie exchanged looks of pure disgust.
"You're disgusting." Elena muttered.
"I know." Damon said, grinning, utterly unbothered.
Louise rolled her eyes, but couldn't suppress the little laugh that escaped her lips. Damon's irreverence was infuriating, yet somehow grounding.
Elena and Bonnie shook their heads and started walking, weaving through the campus crowd. Damon reached for Louise's hand, intertwining his fingers with hers as they followed. The gesture was quiet, reassuring, intimate without words. Louise squeezed back, letting herself feel a small measure of normalcy amidst the strangeness of being on a college campus as a newly turned vampire.
The classroom smelled faintly of chalk and old books, rows of students already settling into their seats. Professor Shane stood at the front, a laptop perched on the lectern and a projector casting slides against the wall.
"When I say the word 'witch,' what pops into your head?" he asked, eyes sweeping the room.
Elena, Bonnie, Louise, and Damon slipped inside, taking the back row. Damon dropped into a seat with casual ease, Louise following him, while Elena and Bonnie chose a spot together near the aisle.
"Halloween costume? Villain of a fairy tale? Maybe an ex-girlfriend?" Shane continued, flipping to the next slide. "Well, whatever image it is, it's probably not — Tanyell Soso of Montego, Cameroon."
Elena and Bonnie stared at the professor.
"Is that him?" Elena whispered, tilting her head.
"Yeah." Bonnie murmured.
"He's kind of…" Elena trailed off.
"Hot." Bonnie finished.
Elena smiled, and Damon's gaze flicked to Louise. She raised an eyebrow at him in agreement, and he rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath.
"In reality — or in this reality at least — witches appear across every culture in history." Shane continued, voice smooth and sure. "They're the architects of the supernatural; responsible for everything that goes bump in the night — from ghosts to vampires to doppelgängers."
Damon leaned toward Louise, voice low. "What is this guy, Witch-apedia?"
Louise snorted, hiding her laughter behind her hand.
"Shhh." Bonnie hissed, shooting him a warning glance.
Shane's gaze swept over the room. "Now, if you're a sceptic, you'd call that a coincidence. But if you're a true believer, you know there's really no such thing. It scares the crap out of us."
Louise leaned closer to Damon, whispering, "What if I'm a Ripper?"
"You're not a Ripper." Damon replied firmly.
"What if I am?"
"Well then." he said, tilting his head. "Pick someone, and we'll find out." He raised his eyebrows expectantly. Louise's eyes drifted across the classroom, scanning the students.
Her gaze settled on a boy slouched in the front row.
"Stoner guys are no good to grab." Damon murmured. "Too paranoid. And you don't want the extra buzz."
Louise scanned further down the row.
"Now, she is fun size — a tutor. Geeky girls are inherently suspicious of anyone who's nice to them." Damon said, placing an arm casually around her shoulder and pointing toward a little blonde girl in the middle row. "What you want is the little blonde, pretty girl. Self-absorbed, easily flattered. You just have to separate her from the pack and make your move."
Professor Shane's voice cut sharply through their whispering. "Am I interrupting you guys?"
Damon and Louise jumped slightly, turning to meet his gaze.
"Or is it maybe the other way around?" Shane added, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Louise flushed, muttering, "Sorry."
Damon leaned back, unbothered. "I was just saying how much I love witches."
Shane chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, you and me both, brother. Alright, listen, we should probably talk about the readings that none of you did."
Louise turned to Damon, a conspiratorial smile tugging at her lips. He caught it and smirked back, the unspoken thrill of learning and mischief passing between them.
The lecture hall emptied out fifteen minutes later, the fluorescent lights buzzing back to life as students packed their bags. A new reading assignment had been scrawled on the board, something only the actually enrolled students seemed to care about. Bonnie lingered behind with Professor Shane, already deep in discussion. Elena slipped away to answer her phone, Stefan's name flashing across the screen.
Damon, however, only looked amused. Free of their "chaperones," he leaned back in his seat and followed Louise's gaze. She couldn't tear her eyes off the blonde girl he'd pointed out earlier; the one still glued to her phone, thumbs flying across the screen as if the world around her didn't exist.
"She's young and healthy." Damon said smoothly, pushing to his feet. "She'll heal up like a charm. Just keep your eye on the ball, okay?"
Louise glanced at him, her lips pressing together. "It's not a game, Damon."
"Fine." he said, hands raised in mock surrender. "It's not a game. It's a high-stakes, dangerous manoeuvre." His grin widened. "Happy now? Just go. Like we practiced. That's all you have to do."
Louise swallowed hard, then slipped through the crowd until she reached the girl. "Hey!" she called out.
The girl stopped, lifting her head, brows furrowing. "Uh…hi?"
"You're in my Anthro class, right?" Louise asked, feigning a casual smile.
"Uh, yeah. I guess so."
"Perfect. I totally spaced and forgot to grab the reading list. Do you have it?"
The girl frowned, distracted, scrolling through her phone. "Sure. Uh — let me check."
Louise's hand shot out, gentle but firm, wrapping around the girl's wrist. Her eyes met the girl's, voice softening with the pull of compulsion. "This isn't going to hurt. Please don't scream."
The girl stilled, her breathing even. Louise's eyes flicked downward. On the screen of the phone was a picture; a younger girl with the same blonde hair, grinning, wrapped in her sister's arms.
Louise froze. Her chest tightened. "Who's that?"
"My little sister." the girl murmured, still under her sway.
Louise's grip loosened immediately. "Get out of here. Go back to class."
The girl nodded, tucking her phone away before walking back into the building.
Behind her, Damon groaned, exasperated. "What the hell are you doing?"
Louise turned, guilt written plain across her face. "I just…saw the picture and I—"
"Everybody is someone's uncle, or father, or camp counsellor, or bible study teacher." Damon snapped, his tone sharp with frustration. "Louise, you don't know these people. Why do you care?"
"Because I'm still me!" she shot back, her voice trembling with anger. "I still have the same feelings, Damon. I can't just turn them off."
Before Damon could fire back, Elena's voice cut in. "What's going on?"
She approached with her phone tucked into her pocket, curiosity flickering between them.
"Nothing." Damon said lightly, slipping back into his mask of charm. "Louise is just educating me on the importance of feelings."
Louise rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath that made Damon smirk.
"Alright, your turn." he said, pivoting to Elena.
Her eyes widened. "What? No."
"Yep." Damon insisted. "Time to test out those baby vamp teeth. Little feeding tips, free of charge." His voice carried just loud enough for Louise to hear, every word a pointed reminder. "Don't overthink it. Don't hesitate. Focus on the target, and when you're done — you stop. It's instinct. And you can stop."
Louise folded her arms, irritation bubbling in her chest. Damon had never explained it to her like that. With her, it had always been teasing, provocation, dangling temptation. Elena got…patience. Reassurance.
Still, she watched as Elena hesitantly approached a classmate lingering by the benches. Damon coached her, steady and calm. And then, miraculously, Elena did it — veins flashing, fangs sinking in. She pulled back a moment later, looking equal parts exhilarated and horrified.
Louise felt the sour twist in her stomach. Elena was praised for succeeding. Louise had failed.
Damon clapped Elena lightly on the shoulder. "See? Not so bad."
Elena wiped her lips, guilt shadowing her eyes. "It still feels wrong."
"Wrong is a relative term." Damon replied smoothly.
Louise didn't say a word. She only turned her face away, swallowing the bitterness that tasted sharper than any blood ever could.
Bonnie caught up to them, her expression a little distracted but lighter than it had been. Elena glanced over at her immediately.
"Did you talk to the professor?" Elena asked.
Bonnie nodded. "For a second. He found some stuff of my Grams' in his office, and he's gonna dig it up for me. Oh — uh, this." She pulled a brightly coloured flyer from her bag and held it up. The bold typeface screamed Kappa Kappa Murder: Annual Halloween Bash.
Damon's eyes lit up, grin sharp as ever. "Oh, nice. The answer to all of our problems. A frat party: douche central." He rubbed his hands together like a kid at Christmas. "Which is why," He cut his gaze deliberately to Louise. "You'll be eating very well tonight."
His smirk was unrepentant. Bonnie's face twisted with disgust. "That's vile, Damon."
"Correction: that's efficient." Damon countered. He turned back to the group, gesturing to the flyer. "So, what should we go as? Victims or killers?"
Elena rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."
Louise, however, hung back a step, her mouth pressed into a thin line. She could still feel the phantom warmth of the girl's wrist in her hand, could still see that picture of a little sister smiling on a phone screen. She didn't trust herself to answer.
Damon noticed. His smirk softened, if only for her. He leaned closer, low enough that the others wouldn't hear.
"Hey," he murmured. "Stop beating yourself up. You didn't screw up, you made a choice. Big difference."
Louise flicked her eyes to him, uncertainty and stubborn pride wrestling inside her. "Not everyone can flip the switch and treat people like…like walking blood bags." she whispered.
"Yeah, well," Damon said, lips quirking. "Not everyone's you. And that's not a bad thing, alright? So don't write yourself off yet."
Something in his tone, steady, almost gentle, cut through the noise in her chest. For a moment, the knot of guilt loosened. Damon straightened then, smirk snapping back into place for the others' benefit, as if the moment hadn't happened at all.
"Now come on." he said, tucking the flyer into his pocket. "We've got costumes to plan and frat boys to drain."
The four of them pushed through the front door into a sea of fake blood and loud bass. The "Murder House" theme was everywhere; chalk outlines on the hardwood floor, red paint dripping down the walls, half the party dressed as zombies and killers. A lanky college guy in a plastic mask popped up in their path.
"Hey. I'm Frankie, unassuming serial killer."
Damon flashed a quick grin. "I'm Jack." He tipped his imaginary hat toward the sisters. "And these are the two lovely ladies I just… Rippered." Elena gave him a shove, but Frankie only laughed and thrust plastic cups into their hands.
"Welcome to the Murder House. Bloody Marys are free until midnight. Enjoy yourselves." He wandered off into the crowd.
Damon sniffed his drink and lifted his hat in mock salute. "Well, hats off to these idiots." He plunked the hat back down, then spotted someone across the room. "Oh, look. Professor Creepy."
Bonnie followed his gaze. "His name is Professor Shane. And he's not creepy." She smoothed her hair and slipped her drink into Elena's hand. "I'm gonna go talk to him."
"You do that." Damon muttered, eyes already scanning the room for prey.
As Bonnie weaved her way toward Shane, Elena suddenly caught sight of someone across the crowd and excused herself, vanishing into the noise. That left Damon and Louise, hand in hand, standing at the edge of chaos.
"Inebriated sleazeballs all covered in blood." Damon said with relish. He gave Louise's fingers a squeeze. "Come on. Pick one."
Louise's gaze swept the room. Partygoers screamed with laughter, red Solo cups sloshing as they danced. Then she saw him. A frat boy, tall, smug, his back half-turned as he discreetly tipped a small vial into a girl's drink.
Louise's jaw tightened. "I think I found one."
Damon followed her line of sight and nodded approvingly. "Roofie guy."
"Mhm."
"Nice choice. Go get him."
Louise downed the rest of her cup, nerves sparking with anger and hunger. She moved through the crowd, deliberately brushing against him. "Oh — I'm sorry," she said, slipping another drink into his hand with a smile. "Drink?"
His grin was oily, practiced. "Sure." She pivoted away smoothly, knowing he'd follow. "I'll be right back," he told the girl he'd been targeting, already trailing after Louise. He caught up easily, leaning close. "Great party, right?"
"Yeah." Louise answered absently then she shoved him hard against the wall. His cup clattered to the floor. Her voice dropped low, thrumming with power. "You're not gonna make a sound."
His pupils dilated, body going slack.
And then she bit him.
The rush was immediate. Warmth, sharp and metallic, poured into her veins like fire and velvet. Every nerve lit up, her body humming with an electricity she hadn't felt since being turned. The taste was intoxicating — hot, alive, hers. It dulled the guilt, drowned out the noise. For the first time since her transition, she didn't feel broken. She felt powerful.
Somewhere behind her, Damon's voice cut through. "Now, remember — the idea is not to kill him."
She ignored him, drinking deeper, greedy.
"Louise." Still, she clung tighter, savouring the heat of him. "Step away from the ledge." Damon whispered urgently, closer now. "Louise!"
Finally, she tore herself back. Blood smeared her lips, dripping down her chin. Her chest heaved, eyes wild and bright. She looked at Damon as if surfacing from a dream. Turning back to the boy, she compelled softly. "Leave and forget about this."
He blinked, then staggered away into the crowd as if nothing had happened. Louise wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, then laughed breathlessly, exhilaration bubbling up.
Damon tilted his head. "Nice touch. How do you feel?"
She grinned, wiping the last of the blood, her eyes shining. "I feel good." Before she could second-guess herself, she tugged Damon closer and pressed her lips to his, hot and reckless, tasting of copper and fire. When she pulled back, her pupils were still blown wide, her voice low and insistent. "I want more."
Damon kissed her this time. He didn't hesitate, didn't second-guess. His mouth claimed hers with fire and hunger, and when he finally drew back, Louise braced herself for the usual smirk, the cocky I-was-right tilt of his lips. But it wasn't there.
Instead, his smile was soft—pride, happiness, something warmer that reached his eyes. Something that made her stomach flutter in a way blood never could.
"Let's get more then." he murmured.
Her breath caught, but before she could say anything, he slid an arm around her waist and pulled her back into the thrumming chaos of the party. Music pulsed through the floor, lights strobing red and gold. Damon kept close, his hands resting low on her hips, moving with her as she swayed instinctively to the beat. Together, they scanned the crowd like predators camouflaged in plain sight.
Louise tilted her head toward a brunette across the room — a girl teetering in a blood-stained French maid costume, candlestick prop clutched loosely in one hand. She was laughing too loudly, clearly already gone.
"What about her?" Louise asked, raising her voice over the bass.
Damon leaned down so his lips brushed her ear. "No. You don't want the extra buzz, remember?" His tone was teasing but firm, like a coach steering her away from a rookie mistake.
Louise nodded, eyes sweeping again. Then she caught sight of someone tucked against the wall — a lanky, twenty-something guy in jeans and a wrinkled shirt. He was cute in a quiet way, definitely not the centre of attention. His posture screamed outsider.
"Him?" Louise asked, a mischievous glint in her eye.
Damon followed her gaze and smirked. "He looks a little innocent. Thought you only wanted to hurt the soulless bastards who spike drinks."
Louise shrugged, lips curling. "I'll only take a little. Then compel him to think we made out in the closet or something."
That earned her a genuine laugh. Damon shook his head, eyes bright with approval. "Him, and a sexy woman like you? He'll never believe it." His smirk returned just enough to make her blush.
She rolled her eyes and shoved at his chest lightly. "Shut up."
"Go get him." he said, giving her a playful push in the right direction.
Louise glanced over her shoulder once, catching the way he was watching her with unmistakable pride, before weaving through the crowd toward her target.
Damon didn't waste time either. His gaze landed on a girl dancing with abandon in the centre of the floor, her skin glistening under the lights, head thrown back in laughter. Perfect. With a predator's ease, he slipped into her orbit, matching her rhythm, charming her without a word.
Still, even as he moved with her, his eyes flicked constantly toward Louise. She was leaning in close to the wallflower boy, her body language casual, disarming. Within seconds she had him under her thrall, guiding him toward a darkened corner. Damon couldn't help but grin. She was a natural.
Minutes later, their paths crossed again in the press of the dance floor, both of them looking a little more flushed, a little more alive. Louise's eyes sparkled as she bit her lip, the high of feeding written all over her face. Damon slid behind her again, his hand finding her waist like it belonged there, pulling her against him in time with the music.
"Look at you." he murmured, pride softening his words. "You're killing it."
Louise laughed, leaning back against his chest, her body buzzing with blood and music. For once, she didn't feel the weight of what she was. She just felt good.
The bass shook the floor, pulsing through the crowd like a heartbeat. Coloured lights spun across the ceiling, strobing red and white over Damon and Louise as they moved together, bodies pressed flush.
The blood burned in her veins, electric and heady, sharpening every sensation. Louise couldn't stop the laugh that spilled from her lips as Damon spun her, pulling her back against him. The world seemed sharper, brighter, louder, and Damon was the anchor holding her steady. His hands gripped her hips, guiding her in perfect time to the beat.
Feel so close to you right now…
The song throbbed around them, drowning out everything else.
Louise tilted her head back against his shoulder, her hair brushing his cheek. He kissed her throat, his lips still wet with someone else's blood. She turned in his arms, caught his mouth with hers, the taste of blood and whiskey and Damon igniting her senses.
"You're dangerous when you're like this." Damon whispered against her lips, smirking, though his eyes burned with the same dizzy thrill.
"Maybe I like dangerous." Louise breathed back, nails curling into his shirt as she pulled him closer.
Together they melted into the crowd again. Damon leaned into a guy who stumbled past with a grin too wide, and with practiced ease sank his teeth into the man's wrist, dragging Louise's hand there. She hesitated for only a second before Damon pressed her fingers over the wound. The hot rush of blood spilled against her skin. Damon caught her gaze, then lifted her wrist to her lips.
"Drink,. he coaxed, low, intimate.
She did. The taste slammed through her, sharp and heady, and her knees nearly buckled. Damon caught her around the waist, steadying her as his own mouth closed over the other side of the wound. They shared it, feeding together in perfect rhythm, until Damon pulled back, chuckling, his lips stained red.
"Now you're getting it." he murmured, his forehead resting against hers.
Louise's answering laugh was wild, exhilarated. "I feel — God, I feel amazing."
They kissed again, messier this time, blood smearing between them, their movements spilling into the music. Damon pressed her back into the crowd, grinding to the beat as the room spun and glittered around them.
And then—
"Lou?"
Elena's voice cut through the haze. Louise blinked, pulling back just enough to see her sister pushing through the dancers. Elena's eyes darted between them; Damon's red-stained grin, Louise's flushed face, the feral spark in her eyes.
But instead of anger, there was a small smile tugging at Elena's lips. Relief, even. "You're… actually having fun." she said, a little breathless.
Louise laughed, the sound reckless. "For once, yeah."
Elena nodded, though her brows knit together in quiet worry. She stepped closer, placing a hand on Louise's arm. "Just… don't lose yourself in it, okay?"
Damon shot Elena a look — half warning, half amusement — but said nothing. His hand lingered at Louise's hip possessively, grounding her even as she swayed with the music.
Louise caught Elena's eyes and, for a fleeting second, the wild hunger gave way to something softer. "I won't." she promised. But her smile, sharp and red-mouthed, made Elena wonder if her sister even believed it herself.
The song swelled, the chorus wrapping them all in pulsing sound, and Elena finally exhaled, forcing a smile. She didn't want to take this moment from Louise not when she'd been struggling so hard.
So she stayed close, letting her twin revel in the rush, while Damon's hands never once let go.
The crowd pressed in tighter, the music swelling as lights pulsed overhead. Louise leaned into Damon's chest, laughing at something he murmured in her ear, the blood still burning like liquid fire in her veins.
Elena lingered at their side, caught between awe and unease. Her twin was radiant — flushed cheeks, eyes shining, hair wild from dancing. She looked alive in a way Elena hadn't seen since before the transition. But there was a sharp edge too, a hunger Elena recognised because it mirrored her own.
Damon noticed Elena's gaze lingering. He arched a brow, smirk tugging at his lips. "What about you, baby vamp? You ready to stop pretending animal blood is working?"
Elena swallowed, nervously adjusting the red solo cup in her hand. "I… I don't know if I can."
Louise, still pressed close to Damon, caught her sister's eyes. "You can." she said, voice sure. "Trust me — it's the only thing that feels right."
Damon tilted his head toward a couple tangled up in the shadows of the dance floor. "Pick one. They'll never even know you were here."
Elena hesitated, watching the pair kiss sloppily against the wall. Her chest tightened with thirst. Damon's voice slid in again, low and coaxing: "Don't think. Just… feel."
Louise touched Elena's arm, gentle, encouraging. "You'll see. It's not about losing control — it's about finding it."
The hunger finally cracked her restraint. Elena stepped toward the guy, fingers brushing his shoulder as she compelled him to stay quiet. When her fangs sank in, hot blood spilled into her mouth, rich and intoxicating. Her eyes fluttered closed. For the first time since turning, she didn't feel like she was drowning.
Damon's smirk curved into something softer as he watched her feed, feeling a little proud. He turned instead to Louise, pressing a kiss to her temple, his hand still warm against her hip.
Elena pulled back, wiping her mouth, chest heaving. She looked both exhilarated and terrified. "Oh my God… it's—"
"Amazing." Louise finished for her, smiling wide. "Told you."
Elena laughed shakily, then glanced between her sister and Damon. "I get it now. Why you couldn't… stop."
Louise's grin dimmed for a moment, shadowed by the memory of almost killing Matt, but Damon's fingers tightened reassuringly at her waist. She steadied, smile returning.
Damon raised his cup in a mock toast. "Welcome to the dark side, Elena. Told you it was more fun."
Elena rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the smile tugging at her lips. She caught Louise's hand, squeezing it. "We'll be okay, right?"
Louise squeezed back. "We will."
Damon smirked, tugging Louise back into the dance with a look that promised he'd make sure of it.
The three of them melted into the crowd — Elena lighter than she'd felt in weeks, Louise wild with newfound freedom, and Damon at the centre, holding them steady in his own dangerous way.
Bonnie stood frozen at the edge of the dance floor, eyes wide, the bass rattling through her bones as she took in the sight. Damon's shirt was smeared with red, Louise's mouth still glistened faintly with blood, and Elena… Elena had looked euphoric seconds ago, now suddenly horrified as she backed away.
"Oh my God. Oh my God." Her voice cracked like glass. She shoved past the bodies pressing around them, pushing toward Bonnie, her face flushed and guilty. "I've got to get out of here."
She brushed past her best friend without waiting for a response, disappearing into the crowd.
Bonnie's gaze didn't follow her. It locked on Louise, sharp, accusatory, trembling with hurt.
Louise shrank back under the weight of it. For a heartbeat she wanted to laugh it off, toss her hair, wear the blood like war paint. But the shame was there, seeping in through the cracks of her high. She clawed at her skin with the corner of her sleeve, trying to scrub the crimson away. The fabric only smeared it further, streaks across her chin, her neck, her collarbone.
For Bonnie. Always for Bonnie.
But then something inside Louise stiffened, straightening her spine. Why should she have to cower? Bonnie had known this was coming; had warned her, had judged her, had tried to tell her who she was allowed to be. And yet here she stood, alive, powerful, her veins singing with fire. She wasn't going to apologise for surviving.
The realization flickered across her face, and Damon caught it. His hand tightened on her hip, steady and sure, reading her like an open book. His lips curved, but this wasn't one of his sharp, cutting smirks. It was quieter, protective.
"Bring around the broom, witchy. It's time to bounce." Damon said.
The words were casual, a quip tossed like a dagger, but his tone held an edge. He was already guiding Louise off the dance floor, his hand splayed possessively against her waist. Bonnie's lips parted, anger sparking, but no words came out.
Louise met her eyes once more over her shoulder. Not in defiance, not even in triumph just with a quiet, steel-edged truth.
She wasn't sorry.
The night air was cooler outside the fraternity house, but it didn't wash the blood from Elena's lips or the dread from her eyes. She stumbled across the lawn, wiping furiously at her mouth, smearing red into streaks. Bonnie kept pace just behind her, her face etched with worry.
Elena spun suddenly, desperation breaking through her voice. "Who am I? Why am I acting like this?"
Bonnie shook her head. "Because you listened to Damon. And Damon makes everything he wants sound like a good idea."
The words landed heavy, but Elena shook her head, her hands trembling. "I should be here with Stefan. I should be going through all this with Stefan."
A throat cleared behind them. Damon and Louise had followed, standing just beyond the glow of the porch light. Damon's expression was unreadable, but Louise stood tall, chin lifted in stubborn defiance.
"Guessing we should hit the road." Damon announced.
Bonnie whirled on them, storming forward until she was toe-to-toe with Louise, her eyes flashing with disappointment.
"I knew this was a bad idea." Her glare shifted to Damon, sharp and accusing. "You were supposed to help her, and you let her get completely out of control."
Damon scoffed, hands sliding into his pockets like the charge meant nothing. "She's not out of control. She was having fun."
It was Bonnie's turn to scoff. "This isn't fun. She's acting like a different person."
Damon tilted his head, his smile slow and dangerous. "She is a different person." he shot back. "She's a vampire. We're a predatory species, Bonnie. We enjoy the hunt, the feed, the kill. When the guilt gets too bad, we flip the switch and revel in it. That's the reality."
Bonnie's breath hitched, her fists clenching. "Is that what you want? For her to be like you?" she asked, her glare cold and steely.
Damon's smile faltered a little. "She already is like me." he said, then his eyes flicked toward Elena. "And you know what makes me able to drink my fill, leave someone breathing, and not rip their head off like my brother?" He stepped closer, brushing past Bonnie without hesitation. "It's that I can revel in it. I can make it fun."
His words hung in the air like smoke. Elena flinched, her lips parting as though she might say something but nothing came. She looked stricken, hollow, as if the high of the night had drained into pure horror.
Bonnie's focus returned to Louise, eyes full of betrayal.
Louise stood her ground, not shrinking back this time. Her jaw tightened, her chin lifted. "I'm not gonna apologise, Bon." she stated simply. "Why should I? Do you regret it when you eat too much steak? Feel sorry for the cow?" Bonnie's mouth parted, sick disbelief twisting her features, but Louise pressed on, voice firm. "I am what I am. And if you can't handle it, you'd better steer clear of me."
The silence that followed was sharp enough to cut. Bonnie's eyes shone not with tears, but with the sting of realising her best friend might no longer be the girl she grew up with. Louise let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding, the night suddenly feeling heavier than the rush of blood in her veins.
The ride back was suffocating in its silence. The kind that pressed against the windows and filled the car more than words ever could.
Damon drove with one hand on the wheel, eyes fixed on the road, jaw tight. Every so often, the corner of his mouth twitched, like he wanted to break the silence with some clever remark, but even he knew better this time.
Elena sat in the backseat, pressed against the window, her arms wrapped around herself. She looked small, almost fragile, her eyes trained on the dark blur of trees rushing past. Her lips were raw from where she'd bitten at them, stained faintly pink no matter how hard she scrubbed with the back of her hand.
Bonnie sat stiffly beside her, her body angled away, arms folded across her chest like armour. Her gaze wasn't on the road but on the reflection in the window, Louise's reflection. Every so often, her eyes flicked to her best friend, and each time Louise felt it like a blade pressed to her throat.
Louise sat in the passenger seat, fighting the urge to fidget. She stared ahead, posture perfectly still, but the weight of Bonnie's silent judgment made her skin itch. It wasn't guilt she felt — no, she refused to name it that — it was frustration. Frustration that Bonnie couldn't understand. Frustration that she even wanted her to.
Finally, Damon's voice cut through the quiet. "Alright, somebody say something before I drive us into a tree just for the drama of it."
No one answered. The silence returned, heavier than before.
Damon exhaled sharply through his nose and tapped the steering wheel with his fingers. "Fine." he said. "I'll say it. Tonight was fun. Messy, bloody, morally questionable fun. But fun."
Elena's head snapped toward him, her eyes wide, almost frantic. "Fun?" she questioned in disbelief. "I almost lost myself in there. If Bonnie hadn't walked in—"
"If Bonnie hadn't walked in, you would've learned how to control it instead of being yanked back by shame." Louise cut in, her voice low but firm.
Elena gaped at her sister, hurt flashing across her face. "You don't get it, Lou. I don't want to control it that way. I don't want to be like…" Her voice broke off, but the implication hung heavy in the air.
Louise's jaw clenched, her heart stinging despite herself. "Like me, you mean."
Elena looked away, unable to meet her sister's eyes.
"She's right, Louise." Bonnie's voice finally came, quiet but razor sharp. "You don't get it. You're revelling in it, and maybe that's enough for you, but it's not for Elena. And it sure as hell isn't for me."
Louise turned slightly in her seat, meeting Bonnie's reflection in the glass. "Then maybe you should stop expecting me to be someone I'm not." The words came out harder than she intended, but she didn't take them back.
The rest of the drive was silent.
The only sound was the hum of the engine and the steady thrum of Damon's fingers on the steering wheel, keeping time to a rhythm only he seemed to hear.
They dropped Bonnie off first.
She didn't say a word when she got out of the car—just a sharp click of the door and a tight "goodnight" that didn't sound like she meant it. She didn't look back. Not at Damon. Not at Louise. Not even at Elena. She just crossed the driveway with her arms folded and her chin up, like she was holding her spine together with sheer will.
No one spoke for the rest of the ride.
By the time Damon pulled into the Gilbert driveway, the tension in the car felt thick enough to chew. Elena didn't wait for him to fully park before unbuckling. She was out the door before the engine had even quieted, boots crunching against the gravel. She didn't slam the door but the speed and force of her exit made the car rock just slightly.
Louise didn't follow right away. She sat still for a beat, her eyes tracking her sister's retreating figure as it disappeared up the front steps and through the door. She didn't need super-hearing to know how fast Elena's heart was beating.
Inside, Elena found Stefan already in the living room, standing just beyond the threshold. He looked surprised, but only for a second. His face softened the moment he saw her. She froze in the doorway, the sight of him hitting her like a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.
"Hey." she said quietly.
"Hey." he replied, a small smile tugging at his lips. Then it registered. She blinked. "Wait, what are you doing here?"
He glanced over his shoulder, toward the kitchen. "I was just hanging out with Jeremy. We had a couple of things to talk about."
"Oh." She nodded, a little too fast. "Any news on the hunter?"
He shook his head. "No. No, nothing new." There was a beat long enough for the weight of the night to settle into the room between them. "So…" he asked gently. "How was it?"
She let out a breath that sounded halfway between a scoff and a sigh. "I learned how to feed without hurting someone." Her voice cracked. "It was awful." Stefan took a step closer, concern knitting his brows. "You were right," she went on, shaking her head. "I got caught up in it."
His expression softened, but he didn't say I told you so. "It'll get easier." he said instead.
"I don't want it to get easier." Her voice was small now. Barely holding together. "I can't live like this. Stefan, I'm feeling things that I don't — I don't want to feel. And I'm becoming someone that I don't — I don't want to be." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I don't think I'm gonna survive this."
He didn't hesitate. "Hey. Yes you will. I promise."
She shook her head, tears starting to gather. "No."
"Yes." He closed the space between them, his voice firmer now. "Hey." He reached up, brushing his thumb under her eye. "You just have to hold on."
That was it. The dam broke. A quiet sob escaped her as she fell into him. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, one hand threading into her hair, cradling her like he could physically keep her from falling apart.
She clung to him, eyes squeezed shut, breathing in the familiar scent of home.
They stood there like that her breaking, him holding her together while outside, the night air carried different truths. Damon and Louise climbed the last step onto the front porch and stopped.
The house glowed softly, yellow light leaking from the living room windows, casting a warm halo over the lawn. But the warmth didn't quite reach them. Out here, it was just the quiet rustle of leaves and the low hum of crickets, the cool wind brushing against Louise's hair.
Damon turned to her, expression unreadable in the dim porch light. For once, there was no smirk on his lips, no teasing gleam in his eyes. Just something quieter. Something he didn't wear often.
"I'm sorry about earlier," he said finally, voice low. "I should've had better control, knowing—"
Louise didn't let him finish.
"Don't," she said sharply, then softened. "No, Damon. Don't you dare apologise for anything."
He blinked, caught off guard.
"You were right." she continued. "We were having fun. Bonnie needs to understand that I'll never be that same human girl again." She looked up at him, her voice steady, even as something unspoken flickered in her eyes. "You didn't do anything wrong. I knew going into this that it wasn't going to be easy. When have we ever been easy, right?" A faint smile curved her mouth, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I knew what the risks were."
Damon stared at her for a moment, the corner of his mouth lifting into a small, proud smile — one of those rare ones that wasn't smug, just real.
He leaned in and kissed her. It wasn't rushed or heated. It was slow. Sure. Like he was tasting the certainty in her words. When they pulled apart, he didn't step back. He kept her close, his forehead resting lightly against hers.
"Time to get back to reality?" he murmured.
She let out a breath that could've been a laugh. "Unfortunately." Then, quieter: "Sometimes I wish I could just pick up everything and leave for a few weeks. Or even a month."
He arched a brow. "Only sometimes?"
She smiled, a little more genuine this time. "Okay. All the time."
He chuckled under his breath. "Now that, I believe."
Chapter 5: The Killer
Chapter Text
November 24, 2010
Elena woke in the soft spill of morning light and pushed herself out of bed, her movements heavy as though sleep had offered no rest. Crossing to her desk, she picked up the worn leather diary and curled into the window seat, drawing her knees close as she opened it. Pen in hand, she hesitated, then began to write.
"Dear diary, I know it's been a while. Too long. I didn't want to face these words, didn't want to put them down, because writing them makes them real. But I can't say them out loud either, so here I am again.
The thing is: I'm a vampire now… and I hate it. I feel hopeless, angry, scared. And most of all, I feel like I'm losing the girl I used to be. The one who could laugh with her friends, worry about school, and dream about a future she believed in. Now all I see is blood and hunger and the fear that one day I won't be able to stop.
Sometimes I wonder if it would be easier just to let go, to give in to it completely. But then I think of Jeremy. Apart from Louise, I'm all he has left, and I can't abandon him—not when he's already lost so much. I need to find a way through this, no matter what it takes.
What scares me most is that Louise seems to be… okay. More than okay. She's embracing it. She smiles when she feeds, she laughs when Damon teases her about losing control. It's like she's finally free of something that weighed her down as a human. And I envy her for that, even though I know I shouldn't. I don't want this life, but she—she's thriving in it. I don't know what that means for us, or for me. I just know I don't recognize myself anymore."
Her pen stilled. She stared at the ink, her hand trembling slightly. Elena snapped her diary shut at the sound of the door opening. Damon pushed into her room without knocking, his usual confidence filling the space.
"Excuse me?" she demanded, hugging the diary to her chest. "What are you doing?"
"Where's Stefan?" Damon shot back, his tone brisk, already scanning the room as though Stefan might have been hiding behind her curtains.
Elena blinked. "Okay, uh — good morning to you too."
"He's not answering his phone and he's not here. Which, you know, big deal, we've only got a killer vampire hunter on the loose."
"I haven't talked to him yet today." she said, carefully setting the diary aside.
"Hmm." Damon held out his hand, palm up. "Give me your phone. Maybe he's dodging me."
Elena sighed, pushing off the window seat. She rummaged through her purse, muttering, "Why would he be dodging you?"
"Oh, I don't know," Damon said, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk. "Maybe because of the whole 'getting high on blood and letting loose' situation. Not really Stefan's idea of a wholesome night."
Her head snapped up, eyes narrowing.
Damon arched a brow. "What? You think Saint Stefan's gonna clap his hands and say, 'good job, Elena, you and Louise had a blast turning the dance floor into a buffet'? Yeah, right. I figured you'd have spilled your guilty little guts the minute you saw him."
Elena pressed her lips together, avoiding his gaze, and kept digging for her phone.
"Ohhh." Damon drawled. "You didn't tell him, did you?"
"No, Damon." she snapped, shoving the phone into his hand. "I didn't tell him that I got high on blood like some crackhead. It was a mistake, okay? I wasn't myself. And besides — he's already got enough to deal with, trying to get me through this vampire stuff."
Damon scrolled through her phone and dialled Stefan's number, unimpressed. "No, I see it. Classic shame spiral."
"I'm not in a shame spiral." Elena insisted.
"Oh, you so are. Newbie vampire remorse — it's worse than a hangover. Louise doesn't seem to be losing sleep over it. You? Whole different story."
Elena crossed her arms. "I'm not in a shame spiral, Damon."
Stefan's voicemail clicked on, his voice calm and even: Hey, it's Stefan. Leave a message.
Damon hung up and stared at the phone. Elena's frown deepened as their eyes met.
"So," Damon said, his voice tight. "Either he's dodging both of us—"
"Or something's wrong." Elena finished quietly.
The silence stretched, thick and uneasy, until footsteps echoed from the hallway. Louise appeared in the doorway, tugging her jacket on, before brushing her hair from her face.
"What's with the long faces?" she asked lightly, though her eyes quickly darted from Damon to Elena, reading the tension.
Damon didn't waste time. "Stefan's not answering his phone."
Louise stilled, her brows pulling together. "He didn't come home last night?"
"No." Elena admitted, her voice sharper than she meant it to be. "And now he's dodging calls."
Louise stepped further into the room, arms folding as she leaned against the wall. "That's not like him." Her gaze flicked to Damon. "You think this has something to do with the hunter?"
"That's my running theory," Damon muttered, handing Elena's phone back. "Guy's been sniffing around, and Stefan's got a knack for putting himself in life-threatening situations."
Elena's chest tightened. "So what do we do?"
Damon smirked, but there was no humour behind it. "We find him. Preferably before he gets himself turned into roadkill."
Louise pushed off the wall, determination flashing in her eyes. "Then what are we waiting for?"
For a moment, the three of them just stood there—Elena pale and anxious, Damon restless and impatient, Louise bracing herself with that new, unnerving confidence she carried since turning. Whatever came next, it was clear none of them would face it alone.
The air inside the Lockwood Mansion was thick with tension, like a storm about to break. Damon stood with arms folded, pacing near the fireplace, while Elena sat on the edge of the sofa, her knee bouncing nervously. Tyler hovered close, jaw tight, and Caroline shuffled in a moment later, her phone clutched in her hand. Louise lingered by the window, arms crossed, eyes fixed hard on the floor.
Damon broke the silence. "So, we each take a different entrance; hit them at the same time."
The front door creaked open. Stefan walked in, his composure maddeningly calm. Elena shot to her feet, relief spilling out as she hurried over. She wrapped her arms around him before he even finished stepping into the room. Stefan's arm was already outstretched to receive her.
"Stefan!" she breathed.
"Where the hell have you been?" Damon snapped, cutting straight through the reunion.
"Coming up with a plan." Stefan replied evenly.
"Yeah, we have a plan." Damon fired back. "The plan is I'm gonna rip Connor's heart out and I'm going to feed it to him."
"That's not a plan." Stefan said. "We need to be careful. Connor has Jeremy — and who knows how many other hostages."
At Jeremy's name, Louise's head lifted sharply, her jaw tightening. "Then we can't sit around talking about it. Every minute we waste, he's in there with a psychopath."
"Hence, the open-heart surgery." Damon muttered with a sharp grin.
Elena glanced at him, voice firm. "Damon's right. Connor's strong, but he's not going to be able to take all of us."
Tyler stepped forward, still looking raw with fury. "I called in the hybrids to help too."
The tension shifted as Caroline entered, tossing her hair back, brisk and business-like. "My mum put squad cars blocking the streets. They're saying it's a faulty gas main. We're good to go."
"Good, great." Damon said, clapping his hands once. "No cops, no witnesses, no reason to wait around."
Stefan held up a hand, his voice cutting over the chatter. "All right, hold on — you're not all going." His gaze landed firmly on Caroline, then Louise and then on Elena.
Tyler scoffed. "He shot me like nine times. If we're killing him, I want in."
Elena stepped closer, her voice sharp with resolve. "He's got Jeremy. I'm going."
Louise bristled, cutting in before Stefan could argue. "You don't get to bench me either. He has my brother. I'm not sitting on the side-lines while Jeremy's life hangs in the balance."
Stefan sighed, jaw tightening. "Listen, nobody is going anywhere until I figure out what we're walking into."
Damon snorted. "Until you figure it out? Is that where you've been all morning? Out buying bossy pants?"
Stefan ignored him, scanning the room. "This guy is known for setting traps. We'd be pretty dumb to walk into one, especially if he has werewolf venom."
Elena's brow furrowed. "Does he?"
"He's had it before." Stefan admitted.
That landed like a heavy stone. Elena's bravado wavered, and Louise's arms crossed tighter against her chest.
"Fine." Damon finally said, throwing up his hands. "Fine. If you want to take some time to do recon, you get one hour. But we're gonna need some extra help. So where the hell's the Wicked Witch of the West?"
Caroline rolled her eyes. "She can't do magic."
"Really?" Damon shot back. "Well, call her. Tell her Jeremy's life is in danger. Maybe that'll bring her out of retirement."
Louise's voice was low but cutting. "You'd better hope it does."
Damon gave her a look but didn't bite back. Instead, he stormed toward the door, brushing Stefan hard with his shoulder as he passed. The sound of the slam echoed through the mansion, leaving everyone in uneasy silence.
Alaric's apartment felt emptier than ever, dust gathering on the furniture that hadn't been touched in months. The place smelled faintly of old whiskey and worn leather, a ghost of the man who used to live there. Elena stood at the loft window, peering through the blinds. Below, Stefan leaned against his car, phone pressed to his ear.
"Who was he talking to?" she asked over her shoulder.
Damon rifled through a chest of drawers like he owned the place, muttering to himself until he pulled out a handful of vervain darts and a miniature crossbow. He glanced up. "Bonnie, hopefully. Maybe she decided to make herself useful again."
He carried the haul over to the bed, dumping it beside a large folded map. He spread it across the table with a flourish. Elena moved closer, curiosity softening her worry.
"What is that?" she asked.
"Our way in." Damon replied, tapping the paper. "Courtesy of Alaric Saltzman's nerdy obsession with the Mystic Falls Underground Railroad."
"The tunnels." Elena realised, recognition flashing. "Like the ones in the Lockwood cellar."
"Yep." Damon snapped a quick picture of the map with his phone and tucked it back into his pocket.
Elena's phone rang then, slicing through the quiet. She put it on speaker. "What did you find out?"
Stefan's voice crackled through. "I can only make out the voices."
Damon leaned against the table, folding his arms. "How many hostages?"
"Three," Stefan answered. "But Elena… it's Matt and April Young."
Elena froze. "What?!"
Damon rolled his eyes. "Those two idiots. They're like danger magnets."
Elena's voice rose. "We have to get them out of there."
"I just need a little more time." Stefan insisted.
"Well, the clock's ticking, brother." Damon drawled.
"You know, I could do without the coloured commentary." Stefan bit back, and the line went dead.
For a moment, silence pressed heavy over the loft. Louise, who had been standing near the door this whole time, suddenly spoke, her voice firm, unwavering.
"I'm going in the tunnels."
Elena whipped her head around. "I'm coming too."
But before she could take a step, Damon reached out and snagged Louise by the wrist. "No, you're not. This guy doesn't know you guys are vampires. Let's keep it that way."
Louise's chin lifted, defiance flashing in her eyes. "Maybe that's the point. I can offer to trade myself in exchange for the hostages."
She tried to pull away, but Damon tightened his hold. His tone sharpened. "No. Best case scenario, you're a hostage. Worst case — he figures you out, and you're dead."
Louise wrenched her wrist free, anger sparking. "Stop treating me like I can't handle myself. You and Alaric trained me, Damon. You've been helping me practice for months."
She started toward the door.
"So what? Now you're gonna take on a professional killer?" Damon snapped, grabbing the crossbow off the bed. In a blur, he pointed it at her chest. "Bang. You're dead. Now what?"
The words were still hanging in the air when Louise moved — fast, furious. She slammed the crossbow out of his grip, spun, and had him on his back on the mattress before Elena could blink. Straddling his waist, she pressed the crossbow to his chest, her eyes blazing.
"Head shots don't work." she said, voice low, trembling only slightly. "It has to be the heart. So now…you're dead."
Damon's lips curled into a smile, his pride outweighing his annoyance. He pushed her hands gently, disarming the weapon so it no longer pointed at him.
Louise's mask of steel cracked, her voice breaking as she whispered, "My brother is the only thing holding me together right now, Damon. If anything happens to him…"
Damon sat up slowly, resting a hand against her jaw, his blue eyes locking on hers with quiet certainty. "We'll get him out. I promise."
The weight of it settled between them, heavy and binding.
Elena, standing by the window, swallowed hard. She crossed the room and touched Louise's shoulder gently, her own eyes shimmering. "We're going to save him. Both of us. He's still our Jer. He still needs us."
Louise nodded, covering her sister's hand with her own for a beat, trying to draw strength from the shared resolve.
Then Damon broke the moment with a flicker of mischief, leaning back and reclaiming the crossbow from Louise's grip. "Well, that was hot. Dangerous, but hot."
Louise shot him a glare, though the corner of her mouth twitched, betraying the smallest hint of a smile.
The blinds rattled softly as Elena parted them again, her worried gaze fixed on the Grill below. Louise lingered a few feet away, arms crossed tightly across her chest, her foot tapping against the floor as though the motion could burn through her fear.
Damon drifted to Elena's side, laying a hand briefly against the slats of the blinds. "Stefan's on his way. This will be over soon." he said, his voice smooth, but Louise could hear the brittle edge beneath it.
"Will it?" Elena murmured, eyes still on the street. "I mean, haven't we already been here before with Jeremy? Isn't this why we sent him to Denver?"
Louise's jaw tightened at her brother's name. Damon tried for levity. "We'll get him out of this, and then we'll compel him down to the Bahamas. Maybe he'll find an island girl."
Elena shot him a sharp look, but Louise caught Damon's glance a second later, directed at her this time. A flicker of reassurance, silent but steady. She exhaled, her arms loosening just slightly.
The door creaked open. Stefan entered the loft with his usual quiet urgency. "Did you find the tunnel map?"
"Got it." Damon said, spreading it across the table. "It was in his weapons drawer with seven stakes, some weird MacGyver crossbow, and the last remaining vervain in Mystic Falls. So how about we get this party started?"
"Not yet." Stefan countered. "Klaus is sending one of his men. He'll take the front, you and I can take the tunnels."
Louise frowned, moving to stand beside Damon. "Since when are we trusting Klaus with anything?"
Damon echoed her. "Yeah, since when did we team up with Klaus and the Lollipop Guild?"
"Connor has werewolf venom." Stefan explained firmly. "We need someone to draw his fire. The hybrids are immune, they're our best bet."
Louise exchanged a look with Damon, her unease written across her face. "How do you even know he has it?" she asked. "Why Klaus, Stefan? Why now?"
Stefan's patience thinned as he turned a vervain dart over in his hand. "Stop being paranoid."
Damon narrowed his eyes. "Start telling the truth. Why's Klaus involved? Did he compel you?"
"I am telling you the truth. This is the best way to get everyone out."
Elena finally broke in, voice strained. "Okay, what is with you two? We're wasting time."
"You know what, she's right," Damon snapped. "Screw your plan. I'll kill Connor myself."
Louise stepped forward with him, ready to follow but before she could blink, Stefan lunged. The dart slid into Damon's back.
"Stefan!" Elena cried out, rushing forward.
"Damon!" Louise gasped, her voice cracking. Stefan was already lowering him to the couch and Louise dropped to her knees beside him as his body began to slump. Her fingers clutched at his jacket desperately.
"I'm sorry," Stefan muttered, though his tone carried more resolve than regret. He reached into Damon's jacket, retrieving the phone.
Elena's eyes widened in shock. "Why are you doing this?"
Louise rose slowly, her hands trembling as they hovered near Damon's unconscious form. Her glare cut to Stefan like a blade. "You vervained your own brother. And for what? So Klaus gets to play hero?"
Stefan didn't meet her eyes. "Damon had the right idea with the tunnels." he said, unlocking the phone. "But I'm not going in there if I can't count on him to do it my way."
Louise let out a shaky laugh, disbelieving. "You think you can count on Klaus more than Damon? Are you kidding me?"
Elena's voice cracked, sharp with anger. "If you can't count on him? You just vervained him."
"He doesn't care about April or Matt." Stefan pressed, eyes on Elena now then flickered to Louise. "He'll get Jeremy out for you but then he'll go right after Connor, no matter who gets hurt."
Louise shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes. "He would never risk Jeremy's life. Damon knows what my brother means to me."
"Then I'm coming with you." Elena insisted.
Stefan turned, stepping closer with quiet determination. "You're not coming with me, Elena."
"You need my help." she pressed, eyes flashing with fear.
"What if Connor attacks and you have to defend yourself?" Stefan countered. His voice was calm, but insistent. "And what if you kill him? The guilt will wreck you."
Elena's voice broke, fragile but fierce. "You don't think that I — I'm afraid of that? Of course, I am. Stefan, I'm barely holding it together. If Jeremy gets hurt…"
Louise's hands curled into fists where she sat at Damon's side, still watching his chest rise and fall with shallow breaths. She couldn't bear to leave him like this, helpless under the weight of vervain but Jeremy was out there. Her brother. The thought gnawed at her.
Stefan cupped Elena's face, trying to anchor her. "I'll get Jeremy out, okay? I promise you."
Elena shook her head stubbornly. "No."
"Elena, listen to me, listen to me." His voice softened, coaxing her down from panic. And slowly, Elena's trembling stilled.
"This is the most important thing that I have ever asked you to do. I just need you to trust me. Please."
Louise scoffed under her breath, bitter. "You ask for trust after betraying your own brother?"
Stefan's eyes flicked briefly to her, heavy with unspoken guilt, before turning back to Elena. Elena, breathing hard, finally nodded. Stefan kissed her softly, an intimate, desperate promise sealed in silence. Louise looked away, throat tightening. When Elena's eyes opened again, Stefan was gone.
The loft fell quiet but for Damon's uneven breaths. Louise sat down beside him, brushing her fingertips lightly across his knuckles, her jaw set.
"Jeremy better come back safe," she whispered to the empty room. "Or Stefan's going to regret every damn choice he made tonight."
Elena's voice shook as she paced the loft, phone pressed to her ear. "Stefan, call me! There was an explosion at the Grill. I need to know what's happening!"
A low groan sounded from the couch. Damon stirred, head rolling against the cushion. Louise was already crouched at his side, her hand brushing his arm. "Damon, hey," she urged softly, leaning closer. "Can you get up?"
His eyes blinked open, dazed and simmering with fury all at once. "Ohh… where's Stefan? I'm gonna kill him." He pushed himself upright, only for the sunlight streaming through the half-open blinds to lick at his skin with sharp burns. Damon hissed, dropping back against the couch with a growl. "Damn it! Ow — ow!"
Elena rushed closer, eyes wide. "He took your ring? Why would he do that?!"
Damon rolled off the couch and hit the floor with a grunt. Louise rose quickly, bracing as he scrambled to the shadows.
"Because he's playing us," Damon snapped, jaw clenched tight. He shoved himself onto the arm of the sofa, away from the shafts of light. "All this stalling, getting hybrids, taking my ring — add it up." He looked between them, his eyes cold and calculating. "He's either made a deal with Klaus or he's compelled."
Louise's stomach tightened. Jeremy was out there with a hunter who'd kill him without hesitation. Without thinking, she moved toward the door. "Then I need to get in there."
"Louise, no!" Damon's voice cut like a whip. "This guy is dangerous!"
She stopped in the doorway and turned, her face a storm of fury and fear. "So am I, Damon!"
The rawness of it hung between them. Damon stared at her, torn between pride and panic, his lips parting but words failing him for a beat.
Finally, he pushed to his feet, his voice low, urgent. "Then you need to be smart. He doesn't know you're a vampire." His eyes locked on hers, hard as stone. "You get as close as you can… and you kill him."
Louise's jaw set, her hands curling into fists at her sides. For Jeremy she'd do it without hesitation.
Louise pressed her back to the wall, her ear tuned sharply to the heated voices inside the Grill. Stefan's tone carried steady but tense. "I can give you the truth. Just put down the gun and let Jeremy go!"
Her chest tightened, every instinct screaming at her to move, but she froze when a whisper of movement brushed at her side. She jumped, spinning only to find Elena suddenly there.
Louise's eyes widened. "What are you doing?"
Elena's voice cracked, urgent. "I'm not just standing by while Jeremy's in there. He's my brother too, Louise."
Louise swallowed hard, nodding once, her resolve mirroring Elena's. Without another word, she pushed the door open, the two of them stepping into the dimly lit Grill. Connor's eyes cut toward them, gun snapping up. He was cornered, feral in his defiance.
"Please!" Elena cried, her hands lifted in a desperate plea. "Don't hurt him." she begged, her gaze darting toward Jeremy.
Connor's arm swung, aiming the barrel at Jeremy's chest. "You come any closer, he's dead."
Jeremy's voice trembled, his eyes darting between them. "Louise, Elena — you guys need to get out of here!"
Louise's breath caught, her heart pounding in her throat. She stepped forward, her voice breaking with emotion. "He's the only family we've got left. Just — just let him go."
Connor barked toward Stefan, his voice echoing. "You hear that? Your girl and her sister are watching. I'll shoot the boy right in front of them! On the count of three! One! Two—"
Stefan emerged from cover, his hands lifted in surrender. Connor swung the gun at him but Louise couldn't hold back. She lunged. The shot rang out, echoing like thunder. Jeremy's cry tore through her as he crumpled, clutching his stomach, blood soaking his shirt.
"No!" Louise's voice broke as she slammed into Connor, tackling him to the ground. Fury surged, raw and unrelenting. She straddled him, hands at his throat, squeezing, choking, the sound of his ragged breaths filling her ears.
"Jeremy!" Elena's panicked scream split the air.
Stefan's eyes darted toward the flashing red light on the bomb. He didn't hesitate snatching Jeremy into his arms and diving behind an overturned table just as the explosion ripped through the room. The blast shook the Grill. Heat and smoke choked the air. Louise's head snapped up, dazed by the ringing in her ears.
"Jeremy?!" Elena's voice cracked, wild with fear.
That moment of panic was all Connor needed. His hands tore at Louise's, breaking her grip. He heaved, flipping her with brutal force, slamming her back into the broken floorboards. She gasped as he yanked her hair, pinning her, the sharpened wood of a stake rising above her chest.
But before it could fall, Elena was there, hands clamping around Connor's wrist, straining against his strength.
"No!" she shouted, pushing with everything she had.
Then Stefan was on him, a blur of motion, tackling Connor off Louise and dragging him out of sight in seconds.
Louise lay there for a beat, chest heaving, hair falling wild around her face. Smoke still curled in the air, broken glass crunching beneath her as she staggered up. Her eyes swept frantically, but Connor and Stefan were gone.
"Elena?" she rasped, spinning only to see her sister bent low over Jeremy, her wrist pressed to his lips. Blood stained his skin, his breaths shallow.
"Come on, Jer," Elena whispered, hand cupping his face. But as she looked down at the wound, the scent of blood filled her senses, her pupils dilating, fangs aching to drop. Her eyes flickered red.
"No—" Elena gasped, wrenching herself back, horrified. She stumbled away, her face twisted with shame. "I'm sorry—I…"
Jeremy groaned, hand pressing against his wound, looking up at her with pain but not fear. "Hey… it's okay. You don't have to hide it. I know you're not going to hurt me."
Elena's eyes filled with tears. "How did this happen, Jer? Why did Connor come after you?"
Jeremy's voice was weak but certain. "He said I was like him. Because I could see his tattoo."
Louise's head snapped toward him, her brows furrowing. "Tattoo? What tattoo?"
Jeremy swallowed. "His hunter's mark. It's invisible… except to me. Stefan and Damon didn't tell you?"
Elena shook her head, furious. "No. Wait — wait, who else knows about this?"
Jeremy grimaced. "That's the thing — I don't even know. Apparently, I was with Connor all day yesterday, but I can't remember. Someone compelled me."
Elena straightened, fury sparking hot in her chest. Her hands shook, but her voice was steady, cold. "I think I know who."
Louise exchanged a sharp look with her, her own anger simmering to match.
The tunnels were damp and close, the air heavy with dust and stone. Louise's footsteps echoed softly, though she moved with predator's caution, her ears tuned to every sound. Ahead, she could hear Connor's ragged breaths, the scrape of his boots as he searched desperately for a way out.
He turned a corner and she struck.
In a blur, Louise slammed him back against the wall, her hand tight around his throat. His eyes widened in shock just before she sank her fangs deep into the side of his neck.
Connor screamed, his voice echoing through the narrow passage. The hot rush of blood filled her mouth, rich and burning, and for a moment she almost lost herself. Then she tore away, gasping, her lips stained dark. She glared into his eyes, voice shaking with rage.
"Stay the hell away from my brother!"
She released him with a shove. He dropped hard to his knees, one hand clutching his bleeding neck. His expression twisted, equal parts fury and derision.
"Look at you," Connor spat, his words sharp and cutting. "So worried about your brother, when you're the biggest monster he'll ever meet. You, and your sister. She's no better. Both of you are nightmares wrapped up to look like family."
The words sank like barbs, but Louise held his gaze, her chest heaving.
Connor moved fast, too fast. From his sleeve, he drew a hidden stake and thrust it into her chest. Pain shot through her, white-hot, but she looked down, then back up at him, her voice low, steady, defiant.
"You missed."
In one swift motion, she gripped his head and twisted. The crack of his neck breaking echoed through the tunnels. His body collapsed heavily to the ground, lifeless.
Louise staggered back a step, her breaths shallow and rapid. The silence of the tunnels pressed in around her, broken only by the hammer of her own heart. She stared at Connor's body, the first life she had ever taken, her hands trembling, her throat still tasting of blood.
Her chest rose and fell, grief and rage mixing with the raw ache of survival.
She had saved Jeremy. She had ended Connor.
But as the reality sank in, so did the weight of what she had done.
Louise stood frozen in the silence, her breath uneven, the metallic tang of Connor's blood still burning in her mouth. Her eyes lingered on his body sprawled across the tunnel floor, the unnatural bend of his neck marking the finality of what she had done.
Her hands trembled, and she pressed them against her thighs to steady them, but the shaking only grew worse. Monster. His words echoed, sharp and cruel, gnawing at her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block it out, but all she could see was Jeremy's face; bleeding, terrified. If she hadn't acted, he might have died.
The choice had been no choice at all. And yet, the weight of it crushed her.
A faint scuff of footsteps reached her ears. She turned sharply, wiping the blood from her lips with the back of her hand. The shadows at the end of the tunnel shifted, and soon Damon emerged, his eyes scanning the scene with sharp calculation. Behind him, Stefan followed, his expression grim, while Elena trailed close, her face pale and tight.
Elena's breath caught when she saw the body. "Oh my God… Louise."
Stefan's jaw clenched, but his voice was careful, calm. "Are you hurt?"
Louise shook her head, though her voice cracked. "No… I—I stopped him."
Damon's eyes lingered on her, seeing the blood staining her lips, the tremor in her hands. He stepped closer, his voice lower, meant only for her. "You did what you had to."
Elena's gaze flicked from Connor's body back to her sister, worry and disbelief mingling in her eyes. Louise couldn't bring herself to meet it.
She just stood there, surrounded by the shadows of the tunnel, trying to convince herself that she wasn't everything Connor had said she was. Her chest heaved, each breath sharp and shallow. Her eyes darted between Connor's lifeless body and her own bloodstained hands as though the evidence of what she'd done was burned into her skin.
"I need to bury him. I killed him, I should—I should bury him."
Her voice cracked, trembling, frantic. She dropped to her knees beside the body, fingers clawing at the dirt floor of the tunnel as though she could dig the earth out with her bare hands. Stefan and Elena exchanged a heavy look, both unsure, both silent.
Damon stepped forward, his movements careful, and reached down to touch her shoulder. "Lou—"
But she shoved him back, tears blinding her. "No! You told me to kill him, so I did!"
The words rang through the tunnel, raw, broken. Damon froze, his face tightening with something close to guilt. For once, he had nothing to say.
Louise's hands shook as she pressed them to her chest, her sobs growing louder. "I—I killed someone. I—I killed someone."
Her voice cracked on the last word, splintering into despair. The sound echoed off the tunnel walls, filling the silence that none of them dared to break.
Elena stood motionless, her lips parted but no words coming, her sister's grief striking her into stillness. Stefan's jaw clenched, his brow furrowed, but even he seemed powerless in the face of her unravelling.
So they all just stood there, helpless, watching Louise collapse under the weight of her first kill.
Stefan pushed open the door to his room, loosening his tie as he stepped inside. Damon was already there, lounging in Stefan's chair like he owned it, a glass of bourbon in one hand and Stefan's journal in the other.
"How is she?"
Damon didn't look up right away, just swirled the amber liquid in his glass before answering. "Brooding. Angry. Guilt-ridden." he listed. "Refuses to let me within ten feet of her. You know, the usual post-traumatic first kill cocktail."
Stefan's jaw tightened. He glanced at Damon, then at the book in his hands. "Is that my journal?"
In one smooth motion, Stefan snatched it away.
Damon smirked, leaning back in the chair. "What? I had to pick through six locks to get it. Impressive paranoia, even for you." Stefan set the journal firmly back on its shelf, ignoring him. "I needed something to prop up your insanity anyway. You figured out how you're gonna explain to Klaus that you lost his shiny new hunter and a hybrid?"
Stefan poured himself a drink at the dresser, his tone flat. "He's on a plane. That means I get to breathe for another six hours."
Damon raised his glass in mock salute. "Well, you can count on me when he comes back to rip your head off. I'll make sure it's a clean kill."
Stefan gave him a dry look. "Thanks. Thanks for not saying anything to Elena—or Louise."
Damon's smirk faded just a fraction. "About what?" he asked. "About the magical cure we don't have, can't find, and may never exist? Yeah, I kept my mouth shut. You're welcome."
Stefan finally took a sip, letting the bourbon burn down his throat. "Elena doesn't need to know her sister might've just killed her chance at being human again."
"Alleged chance."
Stefan turned, his expression harder now. "I believe him, Damon. You didn't hear Klaus' story. I believed every word."
Damon moved toward the cart, topping off his glass. "Then I'll stay on the sceptic side of the room. Someone has to."
"So what's your next move?"
"Funny you should ask. I was hoping to join you on your little suicide mission to track down the rest of this Brotherhood of the Five. I mean, sounds like a vacation."
Stefan couldn't help the laugh that escaped. "A couple hours ago, you were ready to rip my heart out."
"That's because you were being a colossal pain in the ass." Damon replied sharply. Stefan smirked faintly and lifted his glass again. Damon, however, lingered, his gaze sharper now. "Tell me something. Why do you want to cure her?"
Stefan frowned. "What kind of question is that?"
"A legitimate one." Damon said simply. "Do you want to cure Elena because she's miserable as a vampire—or because you can't love her if she stays one?"
"I'll always love her." Stefan answered immediately, unwavering. "But she's not supposed to be this person. I don't want her to be."
Damon tipped his head, studying him. "Fair enough. But if I'm hitching myself to this fairy tale ending of yours, let's get one thing straight."
"What's that?"
Damon downed the last of his bourbon, set the glass on Stefan's desk, and leaned in just slightly. "I'm perfectly fine with Louise either way, brother. Vampire or not, she's still her. So if I do this, it's not for me. It's not for her. I'm doing it for you." He walked past Stefan without another glance, leaving his brother in the quiet hum of the room. Stefan stood there, drink in hand, his thoughts heavy.
Louise shut the door to her room with a sharp click, leaning her back against it as though she could hold the rest of the world out. The silence pressed heavy, broken only by the ragged pull of her own breath. Her gaze dropped to herself and for the first time, she saw the dark stains. Blood. His blood. The dead man's blood. It streaked her shirt, dried in uneven patches, clung beneath her nails.
"Oh God…"
A strangled sob tore from her throat. She stumbled toward the bathroom, yanking at the buttons of her blouse with trembling fingers. The fabric stuck where the blood had crusted, and she ripped it free in frustration, stripping down piece by piece until she was bare.
She climbed into the shower and turned the water as hot as it would go. The spray stung against her skin, reddening her pale flesh as she pressed her forehead against the cool tile. For a moment, she simply stood there, breath shallow, the roar of the water filling her ears.
Then she lifted her hands. Crimson smears glared back at her, stubborn, like the stains were burned into her skin.
"Get off. Please — get off…"
She shoved her hands into the stream, scrubbing furiously until the water swirling at her feet ran pink, then red, then finally clear. Still, she didn't feel clean. Not really.
When she finally stepped out, she wrapped herself in a towel, pulling on soft pyjamas like armour, like if she looked ordinary enough, she might feel ordinary. Settling into the window seat, she opened her diary, flipping to a clean page.
Her pen scratched shakily across the paper:
Dear diary,
Today I did the thing I was most afraid of. I lost control. I killed someone.
I don't know how to live with this. Everyone told me it would happen eventually, that I wouldn't be able to stop forever. Damon, Stefan… even Klaus. They said killing was inevitable. But knowing that doesn't make it right.
I took a life. I can still see his face. I can still hear the sound when his body hit the ground. What kind of person does that make me? What kind of monster am I?
Her hand faltered, smudging ink across the margin. She blinked because wetness had splattered onto her skin. A drop. Then another.
Louise frowned and touched beneath her nose, expecting blood. Nothing. Perfectly clean. But the droplets continued to fall, dark red and warm against her hand. She followed their path down, to the page of her diary where they bloomed in small circles of blood.
Her heart lurched.
She looked to the floor. A trail of crimson droplets stretched across the carpet, leading to the bathroom.
No.
Barefoot, she rose and followed them, each step heavier than the last. Her hand shook as she reached for the light switch. The bulb flickered once before illuminating the room and her breath caught in her throat.
Blood everywhere. Splattered across the walls, dripping down the mirror, smeared across the tiles. The smell of iron filled her lungs, sharp and suffocating.
On the mirror, written in long, dripping letters;
KILLER
Louise gasped, stumbling backward. No… no, no, no.
Her heel slid on the wet tile. She crashed down onto the floor, palms slapping against what should've been slick with blood. She forced herself up, heart hammering, and—
It was gone.
The floor gleamed, dry and spotless. The mirror reflected only her pale, stricken face. No blood. No message. Louise scrambled to her feet, staring around in disbelief. Her arms shook as she lifted them, expecting to see stains again. Nothing. Just clean skin. Her chest rose and fell too fast, each breath shallow.
What's happening to me?
Her reflection in the mirror looked back, terrified.
Chapter 6: We All Go A Little Mad Sometimes
Chapter Text
November 25, 2010
Louise lay sprawled on her bed, eyes wide in the dark. Her chest rose and fell too quickly, every attempt at closing her eyes met with a rush of Connor's face, his blood on her hands. Sleep would not come. Finally, she pushed the blankets away and swung her legs over the side of the bed.
The house was silent. Too silent.
She padded down the stairs, her bare feet brushing against cool wood. In the kitchen, she opened the fridge, grabbed the milk, and poured it into a glass. Setting it in the microwave, she pressed the buttons with shaky fingers.
The hum of the machine filled the air.
A voice cut through it. "Can't sleep?"
Louise froze. Her hand clenched the counter. Slowly, she turned, her pulse hammering in her ears. The room was empty.
The microwave beeped, shrill in the stillness. She jumped, clutching at her chest. Pulling open the door, she took out the cup. When she turned again, Connor Jordan was there. Leaning casually against the counter, arms folded. His throat bore the marks of her bite, dark against his skin. Louise gasped, nearly dropping the cup.
"You know it makes sense. Guilty conscience."
Louise shook her head. "You're not here. I—I've got to be dreaming."
Connor tilted his head, smirking. "And how do you know I'm not here?" He began to move toward her, slow and deliberate. Louise stepped back, each shuffle bringing her closer to the kitchen wall.
"Because you're…"
Connor leaned closer. "Go on. Say it."
"Because you're dead."
Connor's smile widened. "Yes. I am. Tell me, was that the first time you've taken a human life?"
Her breath hitched. "You're a ghost. That's it. You're a ghost. You're haunting me."
She raised her voice, calling into the empty house. "Jeremy! Elena! Jeremy!" She shook her head franticly. "You're a ghost. You're haunting me."
Connor stepped closer, his eyes darkening. "Can a ghost do this?"
He lunged, his hand locking around her throat. Louise choked, clawing at his grip. Panic surged as black dots threatened the corners of her vision. With a desperate grunt, she thrust her elbow into his stomach. The hold broke, air flooded her lungs, and she shoved him hard.
Connor flew back, crashing over the kitchen table, wood splintering beneath him.
But he stood again. He kept coming.
Louise scrambled to the counter, her hand finding the cold handle of a kitchen knife. As he approached, her terror exploded into instinct. She drove the blade into his neck.
The resistance. The warmth. The sound.
She pulled back, gasping. Her eyes widened.
It wasn't Connor.
It was Jeremy.
Jeremy's face — his real, human face — stared back at her in shock. His hand clutched at the knife wound in his throat as blood bubbled out. He staggered and collapsed. The knife clattered from Louise's hands.
"Oh my God!" She fell to her knees beside him, cradling his head, tears spilling freely. "Jer! Jer, no, no, no, no! Jer!" she cried desperately. "Please, wake up. Please, Jeremy! No, no, no!" Her shaking gaze caught his hand. The ring glinted faintly in the dim light. Relief crashed into her but it didn't soothe, it didn't stop the quake of horror inside her. "The ring. You've got the ring… oh God, thank God."
Still, her sobs broke through her chest.
Footsteps thundered.
Elena rushed into the kitchen. Her eyes landed on the blood, the knife, her brother sprawled on the floor and Louise crouched over him, frantic.
"What did you do?! What happened?!" Elena questioned in shock.
Louise's demeaner was wild and flustered as she pointed to the ring "It wasn't — I thought it was him, I thought — Connor — he was here!" Her voice cracked, raw. "He—he grabbed me, I swear! Elena, I swear he was here!" She shook Jeremy's shoulder. "He's wearing the ring! He's wearing it! He'll come back… he has to…"
Elena's face was torn between horror and fear, as she sank to her knees beside them, pressing her hand to Jeremy's neck, even as her eyes darted to Louise, confused and frightened.
The morning light filtering through the Gilbert house curtains felt too bright, too ordinary, for the weight of what had just happened. Jeremy lay sprawled motionless on the couch, pale, deathlike. Elena sat beside him, fingers threaded tightly through his, her eyes rimmed red but dry almost as if she'd run out of tears for the moment.
Louise couldn't keep still. She paced in tight, jagged steps in front of the couch, wringing her hands, glancing down at Jeremy every few seconds like she expected him to suddenly breathe again.
"I can't believe this happened." Louise muttered, her voice cracking slightly. "What am I even supposed to say to him when he wakes up?"
Damon, leaning against the doorway with arms crossed, tilted his head with that careless, too-cool tone of his. "Thanks for not ditching the family ring after it drove Ric crazy?" Both Elena and Louise snapped their heads toward him, twin glares sharp enough to cut. Damon only shrugged. "You should've called Stefan." he said a little more serious this time.
Louise stopped pacing. "I don't want to talk to him." Her jaw clenched, and she shook her head. "He compelled Jeremy to forget—God knows what—and now this."
Elena tore her gaze away from Jeremy, her voice soft but edged with the same sting of betrayal. "He's been lying to me. Hiding things. He's supposed to be my boyfriend, and he's just… keeping me in the dark."
Damon let out a sharp breath, shifting his weight. "You still should've called Stefan."
Louise spun on him, eyes flashing. "I don't trust him right now, Damon. And you know why."
The front door creaked open, breaking the tension.
Stefan stepped inside, his expression immediately alert as his eyes scanned the room. Elena stiffened on the couch, her hand tightening on Jeremy's. Louise froze mid-pace. Damon didn't move.
"Hey." The younger Salvatore greeted.
"P.S., I called Stefan." Damon said with a smug tilt of his head.
The air between all four of them thickened as Stefan crossed the room, gaze flicking from Elena to Jeremy to Louise.
"What happened?" Stefan questioned.
Elena's lips parted, her voice trembling as she answered, eyes darting to Jeremy's still body. "Louise… she — she thought she was fighting Connor. She was hallucinating. And Jeremy… he — he got in the way."
For the first time since she'd stabbed Jeremy, Louise forced herself to look at Stefan. His face, his calm, steady face, only made her angrier.
Stefan frowned. "Why didn't you call me?"
Before Elena could answer, Louise broke in, her voice hollow. "I just… I need to go upstairs. Shower. Get all the blood off my hands."
Her throat bobbed as she forced the words out, each syllable tight with shame. Without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked quickly toward the stairs, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Damon pushed off from the doorway and followed after her, his usual smirk gone, leaving Elena and Stefan standing alone by Jeremy's still body.
Jeremy still hadn't moved. Still hadn't breathed.
The silence pressed in on them all, heavy and unbearable. All was quiet except for the ticking of the clock on the mantel. Jeremy's still body seemed to dominate the room, even as Elena's shoulders rose and fell with barely controlled breaths. Stefan moved a step closer, hands slightly raised as if to calm her.
"Elena. Hey." he began gently and cautiously. "Listen, I know you're still upset about yesterday, and I get it, believe me—"
Elena's head snapped toward him, her eyes sharp, her tone like ice. "You've been working with Klaus. Doing God knows what. And don't you dare insult me by trying to deny it."
Stefan's jaw flexed. "Listen, it's not what you think, okay?" he said, his voice came low, almost pleading.
Elena let out a humourless laugh, shaking her head. "I don't even know what to think anymore." she said honestly. "But I do know this — I don't want to talk to you, and I don't want to be around you right now."
He reached for her then, desperation flickering in his eyes, and his fingers curled gently around her arm. "Please, just—"
Elena ripped her arm out of his grasp like his touch burned her. "No!" she snapped. She held her hands up between them, trembling, streaked faintly with dried blood. "This is my brother's blood, Stefan. My brother's. My sister stabbed him in the neck last night. So forgive me if I'm not in the mood to listen to you try to talk your way out of everything else."
The words hit him like a blow. Stefan flinched, his expression crumpling, though he didn't speak. His eyes flicked to Jeremy's body on the couch, then back to Elena, guilt and helplessness weighing down his features.
The silence stretched. The clock ticked on.
Then; Jeremy gasped, sharp and ragged, his body jerking upright like someone had ripped him from underwater. Elena cried out, rushing to him.
"Welcome back." Stefan said. "How are you feeling?"
Jeremy's eyes darted around, wide and panicked, as he pressed a hand to his neck where the wound had been. "What… what happened?"
Elena cradled his face with trembling hands, relief flooding her features even as tears welled again.
Upstairs, the air in Louise's room felt suffocating. She paced in circles, fingers tugging at the hem of her shirt, her breaths shallow and uneven. Damon leaned casually against the edge of her desk, though his sharp eyes never left her. He'd seen guilt eat people alive before, but the way it gripped Louise now, he could almost feel it radiating off her.
"You didn't mean to hurt him, Louise." Damon tried to reassure her. "It wasn't you. That ring of his? It's a miracle you didn't know you were cashing in on it sooner."
Louise shook her head. "That doesn't matter, Damon. I saw the light go out of his eyes. I felt it. It's still on my hands. I can't—" Her throat closed. She turned away, arms wrapped tight around her middle like she was trying to hold herself together. Damon pushed off the desk, crossing the room to steady her by the shoulders.
"Look at me." Damon instructed and her glassy eyes lifted reluctantly to his. "You're not going to drown in this. You're stronger than that."
"I don't feel strong. I feel… poisoned."
For a moment, Damon said nothing, his thumb brushing her shoulder before he released her. He smirked faintly, though his voice was softer than usual.
"Go shower. Wash it off. Trust me, it helps." He gave her a reassuring pat on the arm before slipping out, the faint click of the door closing leaving her alone in the quiet.
Steam filled the bathroom minutes later, fogging the mirror. Louise stepped under the spray, her fingers shaking as she scrubbed furiously at her skin, as though she could erase the memory.
But when she glanced down, crimson swirled down the drain. She gasped, stumbling back against the tile. Blood, thick and dark, covered her palms, splattered across her arms. She blinked hard, panicked breaths coming in quick succession.
When she lifted her eyes to the showerhead, the water ran clear. She let out a shaky breath, pressing her palms against her thighs. But when she dared to look down again; blood. Everywhere.
"No, no, no, no, no—"
She shoved the shower door open and stumbled out, dripping water across the tiles. Tugging on a sweater, dark jeans, and her knee-high boots, she dressed quickly, movements jerky, like if she stopped too long, the visions might catch her. She tugged the sweater hem down over her trembling hands and turned to the mirror, fixing her hair with shallow breaths.
Her reflection was not alone.
Connor stood behind her, blood streaked down his throat where her fangs had pierced him. His eyes locked on hers through the mirror.
Louise spun, her breath hitching.
"Would you like some?" Connor taunted. "You seemed to enjoy it when you drank from me."
Louise shook her head. "I wasn't myself. I was angry."
He touched the wound at his neck, tilting his head as he stalked closer. "Were you yourself when you snapped my neck with your bare hands?"
"You staked me." she restored sharply.
"Because you're a monster." The hunter snarled. "And monsters deserve to die. Admit it."
"No!"
Her voice cracked as she bolted out the door, slamming it behind her. She thundered down the stairs, her boots heavy against the wood, and all but collapsed into the kitchen. Damon was at the counter, rinsing bloodied dish towels in the sink, muttering under his breath.
"Damon…" Louise said breathless, panicked.
But when she looked at him, it wasn't Damon at all. Connor straightened from the sink, blood dripping from his hands.
"Decomposition starts in the first twenty-four hours." Connor said coldly. "I'm rotting in an unmarked grave because of you."
"No… no, that's not real." Louise muttered terrified as she backed away. "You're not real!"
"What's wrong?" Damon questioned. His voice cut through the haze, but her eyes were wild, unfocused. She stumbled backwards, then turned and ran, the sound of her boots echoing through the hallway. "Louise!" he shouted after her.
The front door slammed open, and she stumbled out onto the porch, gasping for air like she'd been suffocating inside.
The air was cool and for a split second she thought she was free of him. But then; two figures. Stefan stood in the yard, tense, his face shadowed by guilt. And beside her, before she could react, Klaus appeared in a blur.
He seized her by the arm, pulling her close, his voice smooth and chilling. "Got you."
And then, in a rush of wind, they were gone.
The door swung open again. Damon skidded onto the porch, scanning his surrounding, his chest heaving. His eyes landed on Stefan, standing frozen in the yard, empty-handed.
"Where is she?!"
Stefan said nothing, his silence an answer in itself.
The door groaned as Chris pushed it open, the hinges echoing in the cavernous hall. Klaus stepped in with his usual calm authority, his hand clamped firmly around Louise's arm. She yanked against his hold, boots skidding across the polished floor.
"Let go of me." Louise snapped.
"Certainly." Klaus said slightly amused. He released her at once, and she stumbled a step forward, catching herself. He tilted his head, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. "My apologies for the lack of windows. They're covered to preserve the art… and, of course, to prevent you from taking off your daylight ring and burning yourself to death in the sun."
Louise's chest rose and fell unevenly. She shook her head. "I'm not gonna kill myself. I would never do that."
"Oh, but you'll want to." Klaus' smile dimmed, his gaze sharpening in quiet remembrance. "I did. Problem is, I'm immortal."
Her eyes flicked up, searching his face for the truth. "You… went through this?"
Klaus stepped closer, shadows bending across his features, his voice almost reverent. "Yes, I did. For fifty-two years, four months, and nine days. I was tormented — in my dreams, my every waking moment. Relentless. Never-ending torture. It was the only period of my life when I actually felt time pass."
Louise swallowed hard, the weight of his words pressing on her chest.
"So you knew this would happen… if Connor died. That's why you got involved." She hesitated for second before she asked: "Did Stefan know too?"
"All he knew was that the hunter had to be kept alive. You should have listened when he said he had it covered, love." Klaus' lips curled, smug but not unkind.
Her jaw tightened, that nagging sting of betrayal cutting through her. "What else does Stefan know?"
Klaus only smirked, backing slowly toward the door, his eyes never leaving hers. "Well… that's one of life's little mysteries, isn't it?"
She shifted, crossing her arms, her voice shaking though she forced defiance into it. "How did you make it stop?"
Klaus stilled in the doorway, his back straightening. Slowly, he turned his head, regarding her over his shoulder.
"I didn't." he answered honestly. "Eventually… it just stopped. But the hallucinations—" He steps closer again, his voice lowering, intimate. "They tend to appear in strange forms. Sometimes cruel, sometimes kind. They know exactly where to cut the deepest."
Louise flinched at his words, memories of Connor's taunting voice echoing in her ears.
Klaus knocked twice against the wooden frame, and Chris appeared, ready to obey.
"Don't say I didn't warn you."
With a last lingering look at her, something unreadable flickering in his eyes, Klaus stepped out. The heavy door slammed shut, locking Louise in with her ghosts.
The Gilbert kitchen smelled faintly of coffee and old wood, the overhead light buzzing against the late afternoon gloom. Bonnie leaned against the counter, arms crossed tight over her chest, while Stefan paced near the table. Damon stood by the sink, hands braced on the counter, his jaw tight.
"You lost her?" Bonnie questioned exasperatedly.
Damon straightened, throwing her a sharp look. "'Lost' is a strong word." he said dryly. "We just technically don't know where she is."
Stefan pinched the bridge of his nose, pacing another tight line. "I'm more worried about what Klaus said about this hunter's curse."
Bonnie frowned, shifting her weight. "How does Klaus even know about this?"
Damon snorted, running a hand through his hair. "How does Klaus know anything? Guy's like a billion years old."
"He said it was a witch's curse." Stefan announced as he turned his gaze meaningfully to Bonnie.
Bonnie shook her head, regret etched across her face. "If I could help, I would." Her shoulders sagged, frustration clouding her face. "You know if I could do anything to help, I would. But I—"
"But nothing." Damon snapped, cutting her off. "Wave your magic wand, hocus pocus, begone hunter ghostus, whatever."
Bonnie's eyes narrowed. "The spirits won't let me do the magic I'd need to break the curse. They've shut me out. But…" She hesitated, then added carefully. "I can ask Shane for help. He knows everything about everything."
Stefan seized on it instantly. "Good. Do that. Meanwhile, I'll get Louise back."
Damon turned to his brother sharply. "You?" he questioned. "Marching into Klaus's mansion with nothing but a broody face and good intentions? That'll go well."
Before either could argue further, Elena, who had been silent by the table,, shoved her chair back, her voice cutting through the room.
"I'm coming too."
Both brothers froze, staring at her.
"No. Not happening." Damon immediately shut her down.
Stefan shook his head. "Elena—"
"Don't you dare tell me no." Elena snapped fiercely, stepping forward. "She's my sister. You expect me to just sit here while Klaus does God knows what to her? I won't."
Damon pushed away from the counter, closing the space between them. "It's Klaus, Elena. The guy who'd drain you dry if he thought it would give him a good afternoon. You walking in there is suicide."
"Then let it be suicide!" Elena said angrily, eyes shinning. "Because I'm not staying behind while she suffers. She was there for me when I turned, and now she's hallucinating Connor in some locked room. You think she wants Stefan or Damon to walk through that door? She wants me."
Stefan's expression faltered at the raw truth in her words. Damon looked away, jaw clenched, knowing she wasn't going to back down.
Stefan's face soften and he looked torn. "Elena, if Klaus thinks for a second he can use you against us—"
Elena cut him off. "Then let him try. But I'm going. End of story."
Silence fell, broken only by the low hum of the fridge. Damon swore under his breath, dragging a hand through his hair. Stefan looked at her, then at his brother, realisation dawning that Elena's mind was set.
The room Klaus had given her was too large, too empty. The pale walls seemed to echo with silence, and Louise sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the floorboards as though they might open up beneath her. Chris entered, a duffel bag hanging from his shoulder. He set it down without ceremony.
"Clothes. Toothbrush," he muttered. "Klaus said you're here until he figures out what to do."
Louise didn't lift her head. "Just… go."
He hesitated, glanced at her once, then slipped out. The door clicked shut.
Silence swelled again until it wasn't silence. Connor appeared near the dresser, arms crossed, his eyes fixed on her like a curse that wouldn't lift.
"I'm not leaving," he said. "I'll always be here, reminding you of what you've done. Tell me, Louise—how did it feel?"
Her breath caught. "It was horrible. The worst thing I've ever done."
Connor's expression sharpened. "That's not the truth."
"It is."
"You're lying."
Her hands curled into fists. "Fine! I… I wanted it. I wanted the blood. Does that make you happy?"
He leaned forward, his voice colder. "Do I look happy, Louise? I'm gone. My life is over." His tone twisted, cutting deeper. "You think apologies will change that? I'm dead. Did you know I had a family? A brother, parents."
"I am sorry," she whispered. "More than you know."
He took a step closer, and her chest tightened. "You've ruined more than just one life. You've carried that ruin from the start."
Her eyes stung. "Stop."
"Why should I? You carry guilt like it's stitched into your skin." His smirk curved into something cruel. "That's who you are now. You'll never escape it."
Louise squeezed her eyes shut, covering her ears. "No. I won't let you—"
The air shifted. Silence again. When she opened her eyes, Connor was gone.
But someone else was there.
By the window stood a young woman with a familiar figure, curls spilling over her shoulders. She turned slowly, her face a mirror distorted—Vivienne.
Louise's throat went dry. "Vivienne?"
Her look-a-like's lips curved into a knowing smile, eyes glittering. "You don't want to hear him?" she said, voice soft, lilting. "Fine. Then hear me."
Louise stumbled back a step, her heart pounding.
Vivienne's smile widened, sharp and strange. "Did you miss me?"
The room felt too large, the silence crushing in around her. Louise sat curled in the armchair, knees pulled up, hands pressed hard against her face. Tears streaked her cheeks in hot rivers she couldn't stop.
A familiar voice sliced through the stillness, smooth and taunting. "Don't you ever stop crying?"
Louise's head jerked up. Vivienne stood across the room, her curls bouncing as she paced with an infuriating grace. Her eyes were sharp, her smile sharper. She began to circle, slow and deliberate, like a predator testing the strength of its prey. "Poor Louise. Always the victim. Except now…" Vivienne's smile widened. "…now you're a killer. What does Damon think of the new you?"
Louise's breath hitched.
Vivienne leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "He loved me most when I was like this. A vampire. Strong. Untouchable. Don't you know? Damon has always had a thing for women who bite back."
Louise shot to her feet, anger cutting through the ache in her chest. "Shut up! Damon doesn't care what I am. He loves me — human, vampire, it doesn't matter."
Vivienne's smile twisted into something cruel. "The girl he fell in love with is gone, Louise. Don't you see? You're like me now… maybe worse."
Louise's voice broke as she shook her head. "I made a mistake. I can do better."
"You can't." Vivienne hissed, circling again, her tone low and merciless. "You're a vampire. And vampires kill. It will change you, and it will keep changing you, until every last piece of that sweet little girl is gone. Until all that's left—" she tapped her own chest, eyes burning "Is me."
Louise straightened, fury flashing through her tears as she stared Vivienne down. "I am nothing like you."
Vivienne's laugh was soft, mocking. She began to walk away, her curls bouncing as though nothing in the world could touch her. "I was you before you even existed. Damon in 1864, Klaus in 1492…" she glanced back over her shoulder with a sly smirk. "You always end up with my leftovers."
Louise's whole body trembled. "Shut up!"
In a surge of rage, she lunged. But instead of colliding with Vivienne, she crashed hard onto the bed. The covers tangled around her as she landed, gasping, tears spilling freely again.
She sat up slowly, hands clamped over her head, trying to block out the phantom voice still echoing inside her skull. Her chest heaved, her throat raw from sobs.
And when she dared to lift her gaze, Vivienne was gone.
Louise sat on the edge of the bed, her body shaking as she tried to hold herself together. The silence felt heavier now, pressing into her skull.
Then, without warning, Vivienne was back. She leaned lazily against the dresser as if she'd never left, curls spilling down her shoulders, that smile bright and merciless. "You were such a good girl when you were human," she purred. "Always willing to sacrifice yourself for your friends. Except…" she tilted her head, eyes gleaming, "…weren't they usually the ones who ended up getting hurt?"
Louise's throat tightened. "I never wanted that."
"Wanting doesn't change what happened," Vivienne snapped. She began to pace, circling Louise again, voice like silk and venom. "Bonnie lost her Grams because of you. Her mom was turned into a vampire because of you. You know…" her smile curved into something cruel. "She probably secretly hates you. Did you ever think of that? I bet she'd be relieved if you were gone."
Louise's lip quivered, her voice small. "I'm not gonna kill myself—"
Vivienne rolled her eyes, groaning theatrically. "Ugh, why not? Your very existence brings people nothing but pain. I mean, maybe you were worth it once, but not anymore. You're nothing now. Just a monster, Louise."
The words gutted her. Louise crumpled onto the rug, pulling her knees to her chest, arms wrapped tight around herself as sobs wracked her.
The lock clicked. The door eased open.
"Louise?" Stefan's voice. Calm. Gentle. He stepped inside slowly, his brow furrowing when he saw her trembling on the floor. "Hey."
Louise gasped, her wide, wet eyes snapping to the door. Relief flickered for an instant then terror. Because where Stefan stood, she saw Connor. Her heart lurched violently. She scrambled back, palms sliding across the floorboards.
"No, no," she cried, shaking her head hard. "Stay away from me. Stay — stay away."
Stefan lifted his hands in surrender, voice low. "Louise, it's okay. It's me. It's Stefan."
But she didn't see Stefan. She saw the hunter closing in. The mocking grin. The voice that told her she was a monster. Panic and rage surged hot through her veins. Her eyes darted to the bed. In one frantic movement, she lunged, dragging out the heavy lead pipe stashed beneath it.
"Louise, wait—"
She didn't wait. She rushed at him, pipe raised high. Stefan moved, catching her wrist mid-swing. His grip was strong, unyielding.
"Louise, stop!"
But her strength was wild, desperate. With a guttural cry, she twisted, throwing him backward with supernatural force. He slammed against the wall, the frame rattling with the impact. Her chest heaved as she stalked forward, eyes blazing with terror and fury. The pipe drove forward before Stefan could recover. Metal sank into his stomach.
Stefan's breath hitched, his face twisting in pain as the pipe lodged deep. Louise staggered back, horrified but still lost in the hallucination. And before Stefan could say another word, she bolted. She tore through the door, fleeing down the hall, sobs tearing from her throat.
Behind her, Stefan dropped to his knees, blood blooming against his shirt as he fought to pull the pipe free.
The Mystic Grill was quieter than usual, a low murmur of conversation rising from scattered tables. The bar glowed with warm amber light, polished bottles lined neatly along the shelves. Klaus sat on a stool near the end, a glass of deep red wine swirling lazily in his hand. He looked as though he belonged there, perfectly at ease, like the world bent itself to suit him.
The door opened, and Elena walked in. She shrugged off her jacket as she crossed the room, her heels clicking softly against the wood.
"Place looks pretty good." she said dryly, sliding onto the stool next to him. "Considering your hybrid got blown up in it."
Klaus's smile curved slow, amused. "Elena. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
She turned to face him fully, eyes hard. "I want you to give Louise back."
His smirk widened, a sparkle of mockery in his blue eyes. "Ah. They sent you to sweet-talk me. A bold choice, I'll admit. But I'm afraid I can't do it."
"Why not?"
"Because she needs my help."
Elena scoffed, rolling her eyes as she leaned an elbow against the bar. "Right. Your help."
Klaus sipped his wine, his tone smooth as silk. "Look, love, I won't burden you with the gory details. You've enough on your plate already." He tilted his head knowingly, a hint of mischief in his expression. "Being in a fight with Stefan, for example."
Her jaw tightened. "That's none of your business."
Klaus chuckled low in his throat, as if he enjoyed her irritation more than the wine in his hand.
Her phone buzzed on the counter, the vibration rattling against the wood. She glanced down. Three texts from Stefan lit up the screen in rapid succession:
'I lost Louise.'
'I need a vampire to kill. I'll turn someone if I have to.'
'Get an answer. Fast.'
Elena's breath hitched, but she masked it quickly, forcing a smile as she looked up at Klaus with practiced innocence. "So here's the thing," she said lightly, almost conversational. "I didn't just come here to try to get you to release Louise."
Klaus arched a brow. "You don't say."
"I came here to distract you," Elena continued, tilting her head with faux sweetness. "So Stefan could break her out. Which…" She gave a small shrug. "He did." Klaus's smirk faltered, the muscles in his jaw tightening. "And," she added quickly, hands folding on the bar. "Don't get mad, but then he lost her."
The words snapped something in him. Klaus stood abruptly, the stool scraping sharply across the floor. His fury radiated off him in waves as he turned to leave, the wine glass abandoned, scarlet liquid trembling in its bowl.
"Klaus." Elena rose too, her voice firm.
He spun on his heel, his eyes dark and dangerous. "Elena," he said softly, each word laced with menace. "You mean a great deal to Louise, and I try not to do things that might upset her. But if you don't stop talking, I will kill you."
The air between them went razor-thin.
He turned back toward the door, his long stride purposeful until Elena's voice cut through again.
"They figured out how to stop the hallucinations."
Klaus froze mid-step. Slowly, deliberately, he turned back to her, his eyes narrowing. "Okay," he said, voice low, measured, deadly calm. "You have ten seconds to tell me."
The night air pressed heavy against her skin as Louise walked down the deserted street, her boots striking the pavement in hollow echoes. Every step felt unsteady, like she was trudging through quicksand.
Flashes of memory clawed at her mind — her first night as a vampire, the taste of blood hot on her tongue, the wild music of the frat party thundering in her veins, the way she'd laughed with Damon before it all spiralled out of control. Faces blurred and flickered — terrified strangers, the way their bodies went slack when she fed, the crimson stains she couldn't scrub from her hands.
And then Connor. The way his eyes had widened in fury and pain before the light left them. His voice, accusing, was sharper than the memory itself.
"You made me your first kill," Connor hissed as he appeared at her side, his boots keeping pace with hers. His skin was pale, his eyes hollow, but his presence was solid enough to make her flinch. "You ruined my life. You ended it. And now? You wear it like a badge."
On her other side, Vivienne strolled casually, arms folded, a cruel smirk tugging at her lips. "Don't listen to him, Louise. He's only half right." Her tone was singsong, taunting. "The truth is, you ruined everyone's lives. And you know it. That's why you're walking toward the only thing that makes sense—your end."
Louise shook her head, tears already stinging. "Stop it… stop talking."
Connor leaned in close, his voice low and cutting. "You don't deserve to be here. You're a monster. You deserve to die."
Louise stopped abruptly, her chest heaving. The world around her tilted and when she lifted her head, she realised where she'd wandered.
Wickery Bridge.
The wooden beams stretched out before her, weathered and silent, the same place her family's legacy was already etched in tragedy. She walked forward slowly, the shadows of her tormentors keeping step, until she reached the railing. She clutched the railing, staring down into the dark water below. Her knuckles were white, her breath uneven.
Suddenly, Louise blinked against the darkness, her breath catching when she saw him standing there.
"Dad?" Her voice broke on the word.
Grayson Gilbert leaned against the railing, his posture as casual as if he'd been waiting for her. His eyes were warm, the same eyes she remembered from childhood, though something behind them flickered; shadowed, sharp.
"Hi, sweetheart." he said softly, a smile curving his lips. "Been a long time, hasn't it?"
Louise's chest tightened. "You're not real. You can't be here."
"Does it matter?" he asked, pushing off the railing to walk toward her. His footsteps echoed against the wooden planks. "I'm here now. That's what you wanted, isn't it? To see me again?"
Her eyes filled, her hands trembling at her sides. "I didn't want this. I never wanted any of this."
Grayson's smile faltered, his tone turning colder. "You always said you wanted to make me proud. To be strong, to take care of your sister and brother. And look at you now." His gaze swept over her, disapproving. "Is this what you think I wanted for you?"
Louise shook her head, tears slipping free. "I didn't have a choice."
"There's always a choice." he said sharply. "Your mother and I — we fought to give you a life. And in the end, we died on this bridge, because of you."
Louise staggered back a step, her breath ragged. "No. That's not true."
But he followed, his voice rising with each word. "You survived, but we didn't. And ever since then, you've brought nothing but pain to the people around you. To Elena. To Jeremy. To your friends." His eyes bore into hers, unforgiving. "You think you're better than what you are? You're not. You'll only keep hurting them."
Louise covered her ears, shaking her head. "Stop. Please stop."
Grayson's expression softened just slightly, though the shadows lingered. "I loved you, Louise. I still do. But love isn't enough to change what you've become. Admit it."
"I'm a monster. And I deserve to die."
"And you know exactly what to do." Grayson's gaze fell to Louise's hand. Louise's eyes followed and she lifted her had, staring at her daylight ring. Grayson met his daughter's gaze once again. He smiled. "That's right. The sun will come up and this will all be over. It's the right thing to do, Louise. You know it is."
Louise's vision blurred, her sobs ragged, as her father's image wavered before her.
"Dad—"
Louise's fingers trembled as she touched the lapis ring on her hand, the one thing tethering her to survival. The hallucination of her father's voice was calm, reassuring, achingly familiar in a way that made her chest ache.
"Sweetheart," Grayson said softly, standing behind her, his features cast in the pale wash of moonlight. "You don't have to fight anymore. You've been through enough. Just… let go."
Her breath caught, ragged. "I – I – I'm sorry. I...Daddy, I didn't mean to disappoint you."
Grayson stepped closer, his hand almost brushing her shoulder though she couldn't feel it. His eyes were kind, steady, the way they always were when she was a little girl scared of storms. "You didn't. You were everything I ever wanted you to be. But you died, and you were supposed to stay dead."
Her gaze dropped back to the river below. The dark water seemed endless, pulling at her, whispering promises of silence.
"I… I can't." she whispered, though her hand tightened around the ring.
"Yes, you can." Grayson's voice was firmer now, guiding. "Take it off, Louise. It's the only way to end this. End it before someone else gets hurt. "
Tears blurred her vision. She turned the ring on her finger, once, twice, then slipped it free. Her chest lurched as though she had torn away a piece of herself.
She looked back over the railing, the moonlight fractured in the rippling water, and with a trembling breath, let the ring fall.
The tiny splash below echoed louder than it should have, final and cold.
Louise gripped the railing again, staring into the depths as if the river might swallow her whole even from up here. She stayed there, motionless, watching the horizon. The edges of the mountains darkened against the sky, and slowly, faint streaks of pale light began to creep upward.
Dawn was coming.
Her lips trembled as she whispered into the quiet, voice breaking on the words. "I'm sorry."
The first rays of sunlight glinted against the water, creeping closer, and still she stood there waiting for the burn, for the release, for it all to be over.
Suddenly, she shook her head, tears blurring her vision. "I can't… I can't leave Jeremy."
Grayson's expression softened, almost tender. "You're not saving him by staying. Every day, you drag him deeper into this curse. He'll keep suffering because of you. If you really love him — if you really want to protect him — you'll let him go."
Her heart cracked open at his words. She wanted to scream at him, tell him he was wrong. Her chest heaved, every breath a sob. She squeezed her eyes shut, whispering, "I'm sorry…"
"Louise!"
Her head whipped around, startled, her father's image flickering like smoke in the corner of her vision. Damon's voice cut through everything — real, sharp, grounding.
"Damon?" She turned back to the realisation her mother was gone. She slowly turned back to look at Damon. "How did you find me?"
"Didn't take a genius to figure it out. Let's just go talk about this before you do something stupid, okay?"
Louise turned her head and Connor appeared. "The sun will be up soon. It's almost over."
She nodded her head and looked back out at the water. The sunlight was almost here, she could feel it like a promise of fire crawling up her skin before it even touched her. She looked down and Damon followed her gaze to her hand.
"Where's your ring?" Damon demanded. Louise doesn't answer. "Where's your ring, Louise?"
She motioned toward the water below them. "I tossed my ring away."
"Why would you do that?"
She shook her head before turning to face the owner of the voice. "To make the voices stop." she replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "But at least I get to see you before I die...even if you're not real."
He stepped closer to her. "I am real." he told her imploringly. Again, she shook her head. "If I wasn't real, why would you see me?"
"Because you're you." she smiled sadly. "Because you've saved my life or attempted to...repeatedly." Louise tacked on. "It's fitting, isn't it? That I'm seeing you one last time."
"And you believe death is the answer?"
"I've been cheating death since the day my father drove off this bridge." she whispered. "I've been living on burrowed time since then. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something."
"That's bullshit." he bit out.
"No it isn't. I failed as a human." It was an epic fail but not just Caroline's meaning but actually epic. "I've messed with things that I had no business being involved in. And this new life hasn't been any better."
Her transition was still so new, of course she would struggle. Despite the fact that she'd been involved with vampires for years; seeing them and being one was two completely different things.
"You're still young, Louise. There is so much you have yet to learn." he pointed out softy. "I can help you. We ned to get you inside."
Louise looked up at him as Connor stood behind her.
"It's almost time." Connor told her.
"What you're going through is a curse. We know how to break it, but we just have to get you inside." Damon said.
Connor was persistent. "Don't let him stop you. I know you want to, but you can't. Don't."
"It's too late."
"Damn it, Louise." he muttered. Damon looked over at the mountains to see the sun had inched it's what farther up in the sky. He rushed toward her, trying to grab her but she moved quick around him as she stood a good distance away.
Then suddenly, Connor disappeared. Louise glanced around wildly searching, as sense of clarity settled over her mind. "He's gone." she breathed.
"Who, Louise?" Damon asked, taking another step toward her.
"I was hallucinating." she said, relief evident in her voice.
"It's okay."
Her elation was short lived, however, as the first rays of the sun peeked over the far mountains. The skin on her cheek began to sting and sizzle as it burned. She looked to Damon, a new found terror in her eyes that was no doubt reflected in his own. "Damon!" she panicked.
He quickly glanced at the sun, glaring at its brightness. He stepped forward and grabbed Louise, wrapping his arms around her and leaped over the railing of the bridge. When they fell into the water, he kept an arm around her waist, holding her to him.
November 26, 2010
Louise blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight streaming through the curtains. The warmth across her face told her it was morning, though her body still felt heavy, drained, as though she hadn't really slept at all. She shifted slightly beneath the sheets, only then realizing she was in her own bed. Her gaze drifted to her hand; her daylight ring was back on her finger.
Someone had returned it.
"Fished it out of the river for you." came a voice.
Louise startled, her head turning toward the sound. Damon was sitting casually on the window seat, his blue eyes fixed on her, his posture deceptively relaxed.
"Little tip," he added dryly. "Vampires hate to swim."
Relief and disbelief mingled in her chest. "Damon?" she breathed, her voice rasping from sleep.
He tilted his head slightly, softer this time. "How are you feeling?"
Louise thought for a moment, pressing her palm to her temple. "Drained." she admitted.
"Do you remember anything?"
Her brows furrowed as she searched her memory. "Some," she said slowly. "It's like… like it was a dream, but I was watching it happen instead of actually being there." Her gaze dropped to the comforter, ashamed.
"Well," Damon said, pushing off the window seat and crossing to her bed. He wagged his finger in mock admonishment as he sat down beside her. "You know what they say about teenage suicide." His tone was sardonic, but his eyes were serious. "Don't do it."
A faint smile tugged at her lips despite everything.
"Seriously, Gilbert," Damon added, his voice dropping, edged with something that made her chest ache. "Don't ever do that to me again."
Her throat tightened. "I'm sorry." she whispered quickly, her gaze meeting his. "I just can't believe I almost…" The image of the bridge, the rising sun, the sheer terror of knowing she might actually die flashed through her mind. She shivered.
Damon's expression darkened. "You weren't yourself, Louise."
"Yeah, but if it wasn't for you…" Her voice broke. She reached out, taking his hand in both of hers, her thumb brushing idly over his skin as if grounding herself. "You saved me."
For once, Damon didn't deflect or joke. He only stared at her, silent, something raw flickering in his eyes.
"Thank you." she murmured.
"I will always save you, Louise." he promised, his voice low and certain. "Don't you know that by now?" Her smile trembled, but it held. She looked down at their intertwined hands, then back at him. Damon leaned closer, his presence warm, magnetic. "I can't lose you." he confessed.
Her heart raced, her world narrowing until there was only him and the depth of his gaze pulling her under. She leaned forward, closing the distance, and their lips met.
The kiss was soft, unhurried, but heavy with everything unspoken; relief, gratitude, longing. When they parted, they lingered close, their foreheads nearly touching, eyes locked with quiet understanding.
For the first time since the nightmares began, Louise felt steady. Safe.
Damon let out a long, exaggerated sigh, leaning back slightly on the bed. "I need to tell you something."
Louise raised a brow, suspicious. "Oh?"
"Because I know what you're thinking," he continued, voice low but edged with his usual sarcasm. "You think Stefan's been hiding something from you. Which, yeah, he has — but it's not what you think."
She blinked, curiosity piqued.
"Everything he's been doing, all the scheming, all the brooding…" Damon shook his head, as if he couldn't quite believe it himself. "He's been doing it for Elena. To help her." Louise stared at him, mouth slightly open. "And after he kills me for telling you this," Damon added, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "I want you to throw my ashes off Wickery Bridge. Okay?"
Louise couldn't help it, laughter bubbled out of her, soft but genuine. Damon's smirk widened, clearly pleased with the reaction.
"There may be a cure." he said suddenly, the humour dropping from his voice. His blue eyes locked on hers, serious now, hopeful.
Louise froze, surprise and disbelief warring in her chest. "A cure?" she whispered.
Damon nodded once, sharply. "Yeah.
Downstairs, the rays of sunlight stretched across the porch, gilding the railing and washing the yard in gold. Elena squinted, adjusting to the light as it glinted off the dew-soaked wood. Stefan sat beside her, shoulders slightly hunched, the soft morning warmth brushing his skin, lending a rare calm to his usually tense frame.
The night's silence had stretched long between them, and now, with the sun climbing slowly, Elena broke it.
"So… that's it?" she asked quietly, her voice carrying the weight of days of frustration. "You've been working with Klaus all this time and didn't tell me why?"
Stefan exhaled, the tension in his body easing slightly as he turned toward her. "I didn't tell you because I had to be certain it could work before I said anything. I've been trying… to find a way for you to get your life back. To stop being something you never wanted to be."
Elena's brown eyes narrowed, the early morning light catching the sharp lines of her face. "You've been trying to fix me?" Her voice shook slightly, equal parts disbelief and lingering anger. "By doing what you thought was right? Even if it meant lying to me and compelling Jeremy?"
Stefan nodded, meeting her gaze steadily. "Yes. I know it wasn't ideal. I know it upset you, and I hate that I hurt you. But everything I did, I did to give you a choice — to give you a way out of a life you never wanted."
Elena's chest tightened. Relief and residual anger pressed against her in equal measure. "And you think I'm supposed to forgive that? You were working with Klaus, Stefan. Klaus. You… put me in danger."
"I know," Stefan admitted, his voice quiet but firm. "It may seem impossible to trust me right now. But the cure… it's real. You could be human again. Free of all of this, free to have your life back."
Elena's chest tightened. "You… really think that's possible?"
"Yes." Stefan said, the sunlight catching the edges of his hair. "It's complicated, dangerous even. But I wouldn't have kept it from you if there wasn't a way. I promise, I would never put you through something you didn't choose."
She lowered her gaze to her hands, feeling the weight of everything they had been through. Days of tension, anger, and misunderstanding felt like a heavy fog lifting in the morning light.
"I… I didn't understand." she admitted. "I thought you were just… doing whatever you wanted, manipulating Jeremy, keeping me in the dark. I was so mad."
Stefan reached over, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I know. And I deserve that. But I was always trying to protect you, even if it didn't feel that way."
Elena's eyes softened, the anger melting into something warmer and fragile. She leaned closer, letting herself feel the rare comfort of trust. "So… we start over?"
Stefan's fingers found hers, intertwining naturally. "We start over," he said, a small, hopeful smile tugging at his lips. "One step at a time."
The morning stretched around them, golden and calm, as they sat together on the porch. The sun rose higher, spilling light over the yard and the house, symbolising a new day and perhaps, a new beginning for both of them.
HaniaKie on Chapter 1 Sun 24 Aug 2025 02:36PM UTC
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