A/N: So, here's the sequel to 'Tangled Web of Love'. If you're new here then I strongly recommend that go read that now. And if you're here because you've read 'Tangled Web of Love' then welcome back and thank you so much for supporting my story and sticking with me until this far. So, here's the first chapter. Enjoy!
The Return
Inside the Gilbert's kitchen, after grabbing a bottle of water, John closed the refrigerator door. He is slightly startled when he sees who he thinks is his daughter, Elena but is really Katherine pretending to be Elena. "You scared me." John stated, startled by her presence.
"Sorry." Katherine replied before walking towards the sink to beginning mindless chores that she imagined her doppelganger would do.
"Is Jenna home?" John asked as he glanced over his shoulder into the quite house.
"She had to meet the fire chief about the building." The vampire told him, still keeping up her pretences. "She doesn't know the truth. They've covered it up."
"Yeah I know." John nodded. "How's Jeremy?"
Katherine's shoulders rose in a small shrug as she answered. "Holed up in his room."
"Can I help?" John asked with a small smile on his face as he moved towards the sink to grab some dishes.
The brunette's eyes caught the giant ring on his finger and a ghost smile pulled at her lips as she nodded. She passed him some cutlery before she gripped a large knife in her hand and brought it down on his fingers effectively removing his ring that brought him back to life after being killed by a supernatural species. Katherine shoved him back against the sinl.
John face painted with horror. "Katherine?!"
Katherine's eyes grew darker, the whites of them flooded with red and veins danced underneath. "Hello John, Goodbye John." She violently rammed the knife into his stomach before pulling out her phone and typing.
Moonlight was streaming through the curtains on Vivienne's nude body. Damon ran his fingers from her shoulder down to her hip, then back up again, taking in every detail of her olive skin. He couldn't belive she was here. 'Louise Gilbert' - the woman he had grown to love over the past year by his side like he had dreamed of. He nearly choked on the three words that automatically came to his mouth. He wouldn't say them...not just yet anyway.
His fingers played with the curls on her shoulder. After a moment her breathing became shallow and she shifted a little.
"You really aren't gonna let me sleep, are you?" she groaned as she grabbed a pillow and covered her face.
"Enough with the sleeping." he protested as he threw her pillow across the room and crawled on top of her.
"Yeah, like we've had any of that! Not that I mind." she replied with a hand on his chest. "I'm glad we've surpassed this friends thing but I need some sleep, Damon." It surprised her how well he was easily fooled. Maybe because he was so in love with this human girl, that he couldn't pinpoint the finer details that could tell Vivienne and Louise apart.
Damon silenced her with one finger. "I am too, Louise. You don't know how long I've waited for this." he whispered into her ear and she was thankful that he couldn't see the anger wash over her face at his statement. He cupped her breast with one hand while he kissed her neck slowly.
Vivienne wrapped her legs around him and shifted them both so he was now lying on his back. She leaned over but stopped at the sound of her phone going off in her jacket pocket on the floor. Talk about good timing. If he called her by doppelganger's name one more time she might actually blow her cover.
Jumping up, she fetched her phone. A small smile appeared on her lips as she read the message.
It's done. I'll be waiting. - Katherine.
I'm on my way. - Vivienne replied.
She began looking around for her clothes and a low groan escaped her lips as she stared at the rags that last night was a shirt. She opened a drawer and pulled out a black t-shirt.
"You won't miss this shirt, will you?" she questioned rhetorically as she pulled the fabric over her head.
Damon was behind now, grabbing her by the waist as he spoke into her neck. "Are you gonna come back to bed?"
"I have to meet up with my sister." she replied. She turned and stopped him from complaining with a kiss. "See you soon." With that she began to grab the rest of her stuff and left his room with a huge smug smirk on her lips. He first night back in town and she's already had Damon.
"I can't believe someone would take our stuff." Louise sighed as she made her way up the Gilbert's porch steps with Elena in towe.
"Are we sure we looked everywhere?" Elena questioned.
"Everywhere it would be." Louise replied, sticking her key into the door. She was exhausted and wired at the same time. She couldn't believe everything that's happened within the span of a day. Only this morning she was worried about the fact John is apparently her dad and now that pale comparison to the fact Caroline, Matt and Tyler were in a car accident resulting in Caroline ending up in the hospital. She needs to make sure Jeremy is okay before going to check on Caroline.
Louise entered the house behind Elena, the key stuck in the door and she yanked it free with one twist of her wrist before popping it in her pocket. She felt the pleasant air conditioning of the house hit her face and relishing in it as she leaned against the banister of the staircase.
"Jeremy? Are you up?" Elena called out. She was ready to make a second attempt at mending things with her brother. Stefan's pep talk at the grill of course helped.
A noise from the kitchen startled both brunettes, luckily Elena assumed Jeremy was in the kitchen for a late night snack and she wouldn't have to trudge up the stairs with her worn out legs. Louise and Elena both exchanged a look before they walked towards the light shining of the linoleum counters.
"Oh my God!" Elena's breathed as her and Louise froze at the kitchen entrance.
John's on the floor clutching onto his hand, blood; thick and dark seeping slowly across the hardwood floor and a bloody knife abandoned at his side. They moved quick, Elena grabbed a towel and try to put pressure on his hand, realising with a sickening feeling that his fingers are missing and there is second wound in his abdomen. While Louise grabbed the house phone which was thankfully nearby and quickly dialled 911.
"911, what's your emergency?"
Louise's voice shook as she spoke into the phone in panicked tone. "Hi, I-I need an ambulance to 2104 Maple Street."
John's eyes widened as he saw Katherine watching on behind the girls. "Behind you." he managed to get out in whisper.
"What?" Elena asked.
"What did he say?" Louise questioned, covering the mouth piece of the phone.
"Behind you!" John spoke much louder.
Both brunettes whipped around, terrified but whoever or whatever was there is now gone. Louise's instincts kicked in a she grabbed the knife at John's side, realising too late she just put her fingerprints all over the knife that just cut off someone's fingers. She quickly moved from the kitchen to the foyer, holding out the knife in front of her. There's a noise causing her to turn around but no one was there. Seconds later, the front door slams shut.
A vampire was in their house. That was clear as day. The speed was certainly inhuman. Louise looked towards the door and her eyes flickered towards the stairs and she froze.
"Oh, no. Jeremy!" She dropped the knife and raced up the stairs to find her little brother unconscious on his bed. She grabbed his shoulders and began shaking him with as much force as possible and calling his name. With every passing second she was panicking.
After what seemed like forever, Jeremy let out a loud gasp as his eyes flew open.
Stefan arrived at the Gilbert's household right as they were wheeling from the house on a gurney. He made his way up the stairs and to the youngest Gilbert's room where Louise was pacing back and forth, Elena was perched on the end of Jeremy's bed as Jeremy lay propped up by the pillows.
"What happened?" Stefan asked looking between the twins.
"He said that Anna gave him her blood and then he took these pills," Elena explained as she moved to show her boyfriend the empty bottle of pills. "A-And now...I-I mean he looks fine but then again so do you. So, I just - I don't know."
Stefan tossed the pills to the side and reached forwards to grab Jeremy's face. "Come here. Look at me."
Jeremy tried to jerk his head away from his grasp. "I'm fine, okay?"
"Dammit, Jeremy. Just let him look!" Louise snapped.
"I feel exactly the same."
"Should I call a paramedic up here? What should I do?" Elena questioned. Stefan looked at Jeremy intently, trying to determine whether or not he was in the transition stage. After a moment, he shook his head.
"No, he's fine." Stefan said and both the twins sighed with relief while a disappointed look crossed Jeremy's face.
"You mean I'm not a vampire? Damn it!" Jeremy cursed under his breath.
Elena turned to look at her brother in shock. "Don't say that Jeremy! Jer, why would you want that?"
With his brows knitted, Jeremy rose from his bed. "Did you hear about Anna, what happened to her tonight? She's dead." He looked over to Louise who bit her lip and sighed.
"Jeremy," Stefan rushed over to him and forced him back down onto the bed, his hands around his face to make him look at him. "Jeremy. Come here, sit down. I am very sorry about Anna, but it's very important that you listen to me right now. With every passing moment, Anna's blood is leaving your system. If you try to kill yourself right now, you could really die." The vampire could see that Jeremy wasn't paying attention, so he slapped the kid lightly on his face, just enough to gain his attention again. "Hey! Do you understand me?!"
"Stefan..." Elena trailed off - worried about the intensity her boyfriend was exhibiting on her brother.
"No, needs a good slap." Louise uttered, her eyes never leaving Jeremy's.
Jeremy nodded. "Yeah, I understand."
"Good." Stefan turned back to face the twins, frustration blazing in forest green his eyes.
"What about the pills that he took? Does he need to get his stomach pumped?" Louise looked towards her brother worriedly and Stefan shook his head.
"He didn't take enough to die so Anna's blood actually healed him of that."
Suddenly there was a knock on the doorframe of Jeremy's room and everyone turned to see a policeman. "Miss Gilbert?"
"We'll be right there."
"You two need to be at the hospital." Stefan insisted.
"But..." Elena nodded towards Jeremy's direction.
"No, no, no, I'll stay here with Jeremy."
"No, I don't need a babysitter." The youngest Gilbert protested from his seat on his bed.
"Yes, you do." Louise moved to grab her little brother by his chin, forcing him to look into her eyes. "The slap Stefan gave you was light. If you do anything stupid again, I won't hesitate into slapping you into next week. Understand?"
"Louise-"
"Understand?" she repeated.
"Yes." Jeremy breathed and Louise nodded as she pressed a small kiss on his temple.
The Gilbert twins found themselves running through the busy hospital hallways in search for a familiar face that would lead them to Caroline. They caught sight of their witch friend pacing just ahead and Bonnie immediately halted and turned to face them once she heard Elena's voice. "Bonnie. How's Caroline?"
"She's weak." Bonnie replied with a sorrow expression. "They don't know if she's going to make it."
Both the brunettes stood frozen at those words until Elena whispered under her breath. "What?" she asked in disbelief.
Caroline was one of their longest friends and to even hear a slight doubt from the doctors wasn't good. Louise sucked in a deep breath and ran her fingers through her hair. "Is there something that you can do?" The witch's eyes flicked to Louise, confusion written all over her face. "Like a spell or something?" she added.
"She doesn't know how," A new voice said, Louise looked up and beside stood Damon. His icy blue eyes already staring down into her chocolate brown ones before they flicked towards Bonnie. "Do you?"
"No, I don't." Bonnie agreed reluctantly.
"No, you don't because it took Emily years to learn a spell like that." The annoyance in his voice did not go unnoticed. Damon was furious with the Bennett witch for lying to them about the Gilbert device. However, since she did save him, he decided not to kill her.
"Well, I can take down a vampire, that spell was easy to learn." Bonnie resorted with a lethal glare of her own.
Damon granted Bonnie a sarcastic smile before he turned to Louise and lower his voice. "I can give Caroline some blood."
"No, no way." Elena immediately snapped not giving Louise a chance to answer.
"No, just enough to heal her. She will be safe in the hospital and it will be out of her system in a day, she will be better."
"No." Louise shook her head in protest. "Elena's right. It's too risky, I can't agree to that."
"Do it." The surprising agreement came from Bonnie which captured the attention of Louise, Damon and Elena as they all turned their heads towards her. It definitely came at a surprise considering she hates vampires but she's willing to risk one of her best friends, Caroline becoming one. "This is Caroline. We can't let her die." She looked towards the vampire. "Do it."
"If I do this, you and me, call a truce?" Damon proposed.
"No." Bonnie declined shaking her head and Damon frowned. "But you'll do it anyway. For Louise."
Damon didn't respond as he stared down at the witch who wore a winning smile. She had beaten him and he didn't like that one bit. Elena cleared her throat and grabbed Bonnie's hand to drag her way from the tension, leaving Damon and Louise alone.
"Listen," Damon began, gaining Louise's attention. "I know this is bad timing but we should talk about what happened tonight."
"Yeah," Louise agreed. "One of the tomb vampires got into the house and almost killed John."
Damon did a double take. That as certain not what he was expecting to hear. "What? When? What are you talking about? After you left my place?"
"I wasn't at your place." The brunette shook her head.
The vampire rolled his eyes. Why was she playing this came with him. "Come on, Louise, you know you were." He lowered his voice.
Louise furrowed her brows in confusion. "When was I at your house?"
"Really?" he questioned now a little irritated. "Earlier? In my bed?" he offered trying to drag her memory but it was useless. "We...you know, we exposed our feelings. Come on, we had sex, Louise." he hissed.
"What?" Louise asked, the immediate shock plastered on her face. She ran a hand through her hair. "You know what, Damon. I don't have time for this."
"Don't play dumb with me, Louise." Damon lightly gripped her arm as she went to walk past him. Louise gasped as everything began spinning and his voice started to fade out as she was pulled into a vision.
Vivienne straddled Damon's waist as she sat on him, hands placed on either side of his face, bringing his face closed and pressing the gentlest kiss on his lips. He pulled back from the kiss, he moved to tuck a curl behind her ear as he searched her face for - well he wasn't sure what for. He tentatively connected their lips once more, gentle at first before allowing it to grow more heated.
This time it was Vivienne who pulled away as she pushed him back, his back hitting the mattress with a bucking force as he was practically thrown. His breathing was heavy and laboured as his eyes darkened to see her body connect with his instant again.
Open kisses laced down his sculpted chest and torso causing a groan to escape his mouth. His eyes fluttered closed as he became mesmerised in the realisation that he was actually being intimate with 'Louise Gilbert'. When reached the bottom of his stomach she stopped before moving all the way back up to his chest. Her brown eyes peered up at him and his crystallised ones opened to stare right back at her, darkening as his heightened emotion of his hunger and desire for her came to life.
Vivienne's eyes fixed directly into Damon's as she slowly lifted her face from his chest. Hovering over him, she leant down, fusing her lips with his in a frenzied and passion-filled kiss.
Louise let out a loud gasp as she was brought back to reality, her eyes readjusting to her surroundings. Damon knew that look all too well.
"What did you see?" he questioned.
She shook her head. A light bulb went off in her head and suddenly everything started to piece itself together. Damon thought they slept together but she knew they didn't...but someone identical to her did. Vivienne. "Unbelievable." she muttered. Damon watched as Louise went through every colour of the rainbow until a furious bright crimson set in. "You slept with her?!"
Damon creased his brows in confusion but before he could say anything they were joined by Elena and a frustrated Jenna.
"Lou, did Jenna tell us she went to the fire department to fill out a report?" Elena questioned.
Louise turned her attention to her aunt, shaking her head. "No."
Jenna blinked at her in confusion. "Yes, I did. I told you both earlier." Jenna said slowly trying to get either twin to recall the conversation. Louise and Elena both exchanged a confused glanced before turning back to Jenna who sighed. "After Louise came back inside from talking to him," She shot a nasty look in Damon's direction then turned back to Elena and Louise. "I told you both, I was going to the fire department."
"No, Jenna, you didn't." Elena insisted.
"Yes, I did."
As the girls argued about whether Jenna told them where she was going, all the pieces started to fall into place. Louise and Elena weren't suffering from a bad case of amnesia - certain sisters were back in town. "You've got to be kidding me." Damon muttered under his breath. Vivienne is apparently back in town like years ago and her main source of entertainment was screwing to Damon. God, I should have known. Damon thought to himself.
Stefan stood over a sleeping Jeremy. He paced back and forth somewhat like a guard until he heard the creak of the door downstairs opening. The vampire left his post at his bed to go down the stairs to meet who he thought was his girlfriend as she walked through the door with a frown on her face.
"Hey! How was Caroline?" he asked as he accepted the embrace she instigated.
"Not good. But this is just what I needed." she murmured into his shoulder. She pulled away from the embrace, moving her head forward to plant a kiss on his lips. Suddenly, her head is being yanked by her curls and Stefan's fangs elongated in attack. With a loud growl, Stefan hurled her into the living room onto the couch and she was back on her feet in no time, facing Stefan.
"Katherine." Stefan snarled.
"At least one brother was fooled." Katherine wore a devilish smirk. Stefan immediately rushed over to her, his hand wrapping around her throat before he slammed her against a wall. He growled again but Katherine didn't flinch. "Feel better?"
Again, Stefan growled, flashing them across the room and her back pressed against the wall. He soon got distracted by the sound of the key inside the door. Katherine then took this opportunity to pull his am and twist it back so she flipped the younger vampire onto the floor. She grinned before she fled from the house.
Stefan fixed his arm as Louise, Damon and Elena walked through the front door and he rose from the floor.
Elena rushed to his side, putting her hand on his shoulder once he's fully standing and looked at him with concern. "Stefan? What happened?" she asked.
"Katherine and Vivienne happened." Damon stated.
Louise along with the Salvatore brothers had moved towards the kitchen while Elena went upstairs to check on Jeremy. Louise shook her head as she hugged her arms while leaning against the wall, Damon is leant against the kitchen bar and Stefan is pacing back and forth.
"Did Katherine say what she wanted?" Damon questioned his brother.
Stefan shook his head. "No."
"Her and her sister certainly know how to make an entrance." Damon murmured to himself and Stefan continued to pace.
"She said at least one brother was fooled." Stefan's eyebrows knitted together as he tried to figure that out. "What does that mean?"
Damon hesitated for a second before carefully saying; "Vivienne pretended to be Louise when I showed up earlier tonight." He couldn't help but frown at that. When he thought he had finally gotten somewhere with Louise but turns out it was Vivienne. Of course.
"Unbelievable how you of all people didn't recognise her." Louise scoffed, folding her arms across her chest. "I mean didn't you notice the change of clothing? Or maybe that fact she wasn't wearing my necklace?"
"I wasn't really looking at her clothes."
"Of course you weren't." Louise tore her gaze away from him.
"What does she mean?" Stefan questioned, his eyes darting between the pair. Louise looked over to him and merely cocked an eyebrow but before either her or Damon could reply the eldest Gilbert entered the room.
"I told Jeremy, I can't lie to him anymore." Elena announced meeting her twin's gaze.
"I'm glad - no more secrets" Louise nodded. Jeremy didn't deserve to be kept in the dark, never mind his memories getting erased especially not at the cost of him hating his sisters.
"Are you alright?" Stefan asked, as he moved to stand at his girlfriend's side.
Elena looked at him, dazed for a second. "No, I'm not alright. I thought that with all the tomb vampires gone things would get better."
"I know. We all did."
"Both Katherine and Vivienne were in this house," Elena suddenly realised as she looked around at everyone in the room worriedly. Stefan put his hand on the small of her back. "That means they've been invited in, what are we gonna do?"
"Move." Damon unhelpfully suggested. Louise shot him an unamused glare.
"Very helpful, thank you." Elena replied sarcastically, moving to sit at the table, leaning her elbows on it.
"Vivienne or Katherine wants you dead; there's zero you can do about it; you would be dead but you're not." Damon looked over to Louise. "And neither are you...so clearly they have other plans"
"Right and we need to find out what those other plans are and not provoke them in the process." Stefan said sending a warning glare towards his brother. "What happened tonight when you thought Vivienne was Louise?"
Elena perked up at this question, curious. Louise looked over to the vampire to see how he would respond.
"To risk another frown line encroaching on a very crowded forehead. We...had sex."
Silence filled the room. If a pin was to drop, it would echo. There was a mixed shock from both Stefan and Elena as they stared at the vampire. They were both trying to comprehend, to analyse Damon's statement.
"And you thought it was Louise?" "What do you mean you kissed?" Stefan and Elena's questions overlapping as they spoke at the same time.
"Well, you know, when two lips pucker and they go," Damon puckered his lips, making kissing noised. "And they take it further by stripping clothes-" In a blink, Stefan now stood where Damon had been and the eldest Salvatore now stood beside an annoyed Louise. "Don't be obvious, Stefan." he taunted.
From his stance, Louise noticed Stefan tense up, his muscles clenching as he was ready to charge at his brother again.
"Give it a rest, Damon." Louise sighed as she moved effectively placing herself between the brothers with her back to Damon. "He had sex with Vivienne, not me. We don't have time for this guys."
"Later." Stefan replied and Damon just nodded.
Elena rolled her eyes at the two brothers before she spoke out loud. "John must know something. There has to be a reason why Katherine tried to kill him."
"She's Katherine." Damon stated as he walked across the kitchen to the exist and spun around, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe. "She loves to play games like her sister and you're fooling yourself if you think you're going to find out what they been up to before either one wants you to know.
"No, actually Elena's right," Stefan intervened. "John could know something through Isobel. Your mother, she was in touch with both of them so maybe we can go to the hospital and get him to talk." he suggested.
"I've got a better idea." Damon mumbled.
"Enlighten us then." Louise suggested.
"I'm just gonna ignore the bitch." Damon smirked as he turned to walk out. "See you."
"Is that smart?" Elena questioned.
"If Vivienne thinks she's been ignored it will lure her out, she'll make a move."
"Yeah? And then what?" Stefan questioned sarcastically.
"Stake her, rip her head off and repeat for her sister. Something poetic. We'll see." Damon replied with nonchalance but Stefan wasn't fooled. He could see it perfectly in his brother's eyes. Vivienne's return had rattled him more than he was letting on.
"Damon isn't that much older than me." Louise stated. Well looks wise anyway she thought and the corner of her lips tucked up at that thought.
It was the next morning and while she sat in the kitchen having breakfast, her aunt Jenna was lecturing her about Damon. After witnessing Vivienne and Damon making out on the porch. Until now, Jenna had always emulated the role of the 'cool' aunt. Instead she was becoming more motherly as she nagged Louise on her 'poor decision making' and 'choice in men'.
"Louise, you're young - I get it." Jenna sighed. "But you can't let some pretty boy sway you merely on looks. You're still in school and he is a grown man. I just don't want to see you get hurt."
"Damon and I are just friends." Louise assured her.
"I've seen the way he looks at you. Whether you want to be friends or not, he wants more." Jenna explained. "I know his type. I've dated his type."
"We're friends." The brunette stated once again.
"I don't know. You two looked quite cosy the other night."
After her talk with Jenna; Louise headed to the hospital with Stefan and Elena to see John. The visit with him wasn't enlightening. He didn't have anything productive to say, only made it clear he'll be continuing on his hate-filled journey to end all vampires. His expression made it clear that he felt only disappointment towards his daughters and the feeling was mutual. Stefan ended up threatening him once both Elena and Louise had left the room - trying to get John to leave town and the girls were completely okay with that.
Even though John was in a foul mood, Caroline seemed to be doing much better. She was fast asleep when they had arrived at the hospital but Matt said she improved remarkably. The word he used was 'miraculous' and Louise, Elena and Stefan all exchanged looks at that word. Louise, nor Elena was on board with Damon giving Caroline vampire blood but seeing her sleep peacefully and healthy, it was all worth it.
"We just have to swing by home to pick up Jenna and Jeremy so we can go to the Lockwoods'." Elena told her boyfriend as they all walked towards the car. "Are you coming too?"
"I'm going to head that way right one, I have to find Damon." Stefan answered. Louise tried to ignore the quickened beat of her heart and focus on what Stefan was saying. "He's up to something; trying to figure out why the Gilbert device affect Tyler and the Mayor."
Vivienne Peirce wore a black shirt that hugged her body nicely. She fixed her blood red jacket that she paired with black skinny jeans, black heeled boots. Next to her, Katherine wore all black head to toe, with a pair of matching heeled boots. As they walked up to the entrance of the Lockwood mansion, their heels clicked against the pavement rhythmically. Tyler Lockwood immediately spotted them and came to greet them.
He grabbed Katherine's hand before he took Vivienne's in appreciation. He obviously invited them in, thinking they were the Gilbert twins. It was too easy.
Vivienne and Katherine separated for the time being to have a look around. Vivienne spotted Damon talking to Liz and Carol and decided to stay out his sight for now. She moved outside and stood on the front porch, looking out for her doppelganger. She flicked her curls from her face as she stared out at the lawn. The corners of her lips twitched into a small smirk. No one could see the vengeful excitement in her eyes.
A few minutes later, Bonnie Bennett rushed over to her, mistaking her for Louise. "Oh my god! Damon drives me crazy. He's walking around like he's some kind of hero for healing Caroline when it's his fault all of this happened in the first place." Everything came out her mouth like a waterfall and Vivienne resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
"I'm sorry Bonnie." Vivienne replied softly, eyeing the witch carefully. "What Damon's done is just awful."
"Okay, better. Hateful Damon moment over." Bonnie laughed and reached to touch Vivienne's arm. She immediately froze when she caught the same feeling of death just like the first time she touch Stefan. Gasping, her eyes widened slightly but she tried her best to keep calm. "I've got to find Tyler and pay my respects. I'll be back." Bonnie said, fear clear as day in her eyes.
"Okay." Vivienne smiled at her realising the witch had figured out she wasn't her doppelganger. She knew her smile was more of a menacing grin and she was perfectly fine with that as she watched the Bennett witch rush into the building.
Bonnie rushed into one of the empty room, fishing through her pocket for her phone. She quickly dialled Louise and Bonnie's mouth hung open upon hearing her best friend say she wasn't even at the wake as of yet. The witch hung up the phone and turned gasping seeing Katherine Pierce standing before her. Right behind her, Vivienne sauntered into the room, her steps confident but quite.
Katherine tilted her head as she eyed the witch then smiled at her. "We haven't officially met. I'm Katherine and this is Vivienne." she introduced. Vivienne flipped her long chocolate curls over her shoulder and smile almost kindly at Bonnie.
Bonnie glared at them, trying to look braver than she felt. "I know who you are."
"Of course you do." Vivienne giggled. The same one Louise had but this one was more deadly. Bonnie watched her carefully as she moved to the opposite side. Vivienne turned and pointed at her. "You're the best friend right? We've been putting all the pieces of Louise and Elena's lives together. Isobel said it was of a puzzle. I do know who Jenna and Jeremy are..."
"And I met that delicious ex-boyfriend Matt, who's sweet on Caroline." Katherine added with a bit of a giggle.
"And then there's you," Vivienne pointed. "the vampire-hating Bennett witch. Did I do good?" she questioned mocking her.
Bonnie attempted to escape the room but Katherine stepped in her way, tasking at her failed attempt. The witch turned but was face with devilish grin from Vivienne. Narrowing her eyes, starting her spell. Vivienne grabbed her head, rather surprised by the pain but it didn't last long. It was light a tiny headache, easily ignored.
"I've been around a long time Bonnie; you're gonna have to do better than that." Vivienne warned her before she snarled in irritation, grabbing Bonnie by the throat and slammed her against a wall. Her face morphed into her vampire self and she smirk maliciously.
Bonnie was quick to think on her face and the door flew open to expose them to the other guests. Vivienne's face immediately reverted back to human features.
"Nice." Vivienne nodded impressed. She then felt the presence of someone and just outside the doorway, she peered her head around. "Stefan. It's been too long."
"Vivienne." Stefan replied, his voice blunt. He turned to her sister. "Katherine."
"Stefan." Katherine smiled.
He returned his attention back to Vivienne who still had a hold of Bonnie. "Leave her alone."
"Okay." Vivienne shrugged releasing Bonnie and walked towards him, stopping once she was right in front of him. She smiled playfully at him. "Won't you keep us company?" Stefan looked between the pair of vampire sisters before he sighed, gesturing with his hand for them to precede him.
Katherine followed her sister out the main room, her finger tracing across Stefan's chest as she passed him.
"What are you both doing here?" Stefan questioned, his hand firmly behind his back.
"After the way you treated me last night, Vivienne and I thought that a public place would be less violent..." Katherine answered shrugging, seeing a smirk crawl on her sister's face.
"You're taking this a little far, don't you think?" Stefan questioned. "Elena and Louise could walk in at any moment."
"Mmm, but that's part of the fun, Stefan." Vivienne took a glass of champagne from a nearby tray and sipped the bubbly drink. "Damon's here, somewhere. Tell me, he's not mad at me, is he? It's not my fault he thought I was Louise - which I thought was ever so rude by the way..."
Stefan rolled her eyes and Katherine grinned at her sister. She picked up a cherry and popped it in her mouth but took it out once she saw Matt approaching.
"Hey guys." Matt smiled. Vivienne smiled, shaking her head slightly. Yet another person that mistook them for Louise and Elena.
"Hey Matt. I heard that Caroline is doing much better. Her recovery was practically miraculous, you must be so relieved." Katherine said, making a good impression of Elena's sympatric voice.
"I am. Thanks Elena." Matt nodded before leaving.
"Uh! His eyes are so blue!" Katherine gushed over the Donovan boy. Vivienne giggled along with her sister.
"You need to leave now."
Katherine pouted. "You're hurting my feelings, Stefan. Damon was much happier to see Vivienne, then again he thought she was your girlfriend's sister so..."
Stefan's green eyes narrowed into a glare. "I'm not doing this with you."
Katherine raised her hand a little, in attempt to calm him. "Okay, how about we don't have a couple's fight in front of all of your friends? Walk with me." She extender her hand for him to take it but he didn't.
"You, know this is awkward for me to be around, seeing as I have no date." Vivienne pouted, gaining the couple's attention. "So, I'm going to go." She batted her eyelashes, giving Stefan a smile. "Lovely to see you, Stefan. If you see your brother; tell him I said hi." Darting her eyes towards her sister. "Be good now, sister." With that there was a whoosh and she was gone.
"Just tell me what you're both doing here." Stefan questioned again.
"Maybe I missed you. Is that an acceptable reason?"
Stefan squinted his eyes at her, suspiciously. "What game are you playing?"
"Why, you want to play with me?" Katherine giggled, biting her bottom lip playfully.
"No rules, Stefan. Don't you remember? No rules."
Katherine walked past her before glancing her shoulder and held out her hand. Stefan walked right past her, ignoring her silent request to hold hands and Katherine rolled her eyes, dropping her hand and followed after him.
Elena pulled up at the Gilbert's resistant, while she stayed in the car, Louise dashed in the house and grabbed the sympathy casserole Jenna had made before heading back to the car with her and Jeremy on her heels. They were running late; the trip to the hospital took more time than she had anticipated.
"We're late."
"Thanks for the update, Jeremy" Louise said sarcastically, shooting a look towards her brother. Just as they reached the car her phone rang and it's Bonnie. She pulled the phone to her ear; "Bonnie, I know I'm late. I'm getting in the car now. I'll be there in five." Louise hung up before the Gilberts all jumped into the car and headed to the Lockwood's.
"Looks like the whole town has turned out." Jenna noted looking around at everyone attending once they made it to the front of the Lockwood mansion.
"Yeah. Well he is...he was the mayor." Elena grinned in her direction and her aunt slapped her arm playfully.
"Why don't they save it for the funeral?" The youngest Gilbert questioned.
"That's what people do." Jenna stated. "The Lockwoods were here for us when we went through this. It'll be quick; we'll drop off the food and pay our respects and go."
Jeremy nodded. "In and out? It sounds like a plan."
Louise spotted Damon on the front porch, drinking. What a surprise. The sun reflected off his eyes, making them brighter - something that she didn't imagine was possible - and setting them in contrast with his dark hair and clothing. He caught her eye and smiled slightly.
"You guys go ahead, I'll be right there, okay?" Louise told her family, shoving the casserole in Elena's hands. She didn't bother waiting for an answer as she walked towards the vampire. "Damon," She sounded a little breathless, even to herself.
"Louise," His eyes followed her up and down making her shift a little. "How did your trip with Stefan go? Papa John have anything to say?" He chuckled a little at his own joke and Louise couldn't help but smile too.
"We didn't learn anything new." Louise explained and sighed. "John refuses to trust us and Stefan ended up threatening him to leave town."
Damon raised his eye brows. "Wow. I didn't think he'd have it in him."
The brunette crossed her arms and eyed the vampire with her innocent doe eyes. "Anyways...how are you doing?" she asked, sceptically almost afraid to ask the question.
"Great, Louise. Walking on the sunshine, thanks for asking."
"Damon..."
"Louise." he resorted giving her a look. She frowned again, not amused at his theatrics.
"Damon, I'm serious." Louise stepped forward, her hand touching his arm gently. Damon brought his glass of alcohol to his lips and began drinking. "Talk to me."
Damon looked out at the people on the lawn and pursed his lips. "I had sex with you; I thought it was really you under the covers with me. Doppelgänger hijinks ensued. How do you think I'm doing?" he questioned with a sharp edge to his voice and turned to look at her.
"I think that you're hurt."
"No, I don't get hurt, Louise."
Louise looked at him with knowing eyes. "No, you don't admit that you get hurt. You get angry and cover it up and then you do something stupid." she told him as if she was laying out his next move.
His smirk disappeared as he tried to think of a comeback. Once he finally thought of one, a slight smile tugged at his lips. "You're scared." he stated. "You think Vivienne is gonna send me off the deep end, don't you?" When she avoided eye contact and didn't respond, he knew he was right. He put his finger under her chin, lifting it to make her look at him. "I don't need her for that." He let her go before turning to leave but he wasn't quite through yet. "You know, why - why is it such a surprise that I would want to have sex with you?" he questioned, clearly confused. "All we did before; those flirty little comments, kisses and longing touching.."
"That's not a surprise." Louise shook her head. Damon raised an eyebrow and focused his attention as she continued. "I'm surprised that you think I would just jump into bed with you. That you think I'm that easy, that you can get me that easily."
Damon swallowed and tensed. He went silent for a second before he responded. "Now I'm hurt." He turned but before he could make a dramatic exist Bonnie ran over to them.
"Louise!" The witch gasped.
"Bonnie, what happened?" Louise questioned, concerned.
"Katherine and Vivienne are here."
By the time they reached Stefan, Katherine had gone but not before she did some damage by stabbing him with an iron rod. Elena grabbed the tissues from her purse and dabbed at the wound to clear away the blood. The effort was wasted though. The wound practically healed before she could clean it thoroughly.
"I tried to track her but she's gone." Damon announced from behind Louise and she made a conscious effort not to look at him. Seeing Stefan's exposed torso, Damon cringed and closed his eyes. "Oooh, cover up, Fabio." Stefan pulled his shirt down. "We got a crazy ex on the loose." He smirked down at Elena. "You better watch out, looks like Katherine is trying to steal your guy."
Louise finally looked over at the eldest Salvatore only to glare at him. "Damon." she hissed.
"I'd watch out if I was you - Vivienne doesn't like competition." Damon grinned at her.
"That's not what's happening." Stefan told both twins confidently.
"Isn't it?" Damon questioned. I mean it's only fair since I went after the girl you try so hard to protect from me." He was trying to get at Stefan. Both the Gilbert girls looked between the brothers awkwardly and Louise cleared her throat, looking at her sister.
"Erm, Elena...we should go check on Jenna and Jeremy." Elena nodded, grabbing her purse and got up from the bench. "Let me know when Damon stops being an ass." Louise hissed and turned to leave. Elena sighed and followed after her.
Sure enough once both brunettes were out of ear shot, Damon turned to his brother. "So what's it gonna be huh? Fight to the death?" He got into a boxing pose, pretending to punch with his boxed fists and Stefan snorted. "Go ahead, make your threats, stake your claim."
Stefan looked up at him and shook his head. "I'm not gonna fight you."
"Why?!" Damon complained, dropping his hands as he returned to a normal standing position. "I'd fight me."
"Katherine and Vivienne are gonna try to play us against each other, you do know that right?" Stefan reminded him.
"Brother, don't you worry, our bond is unbreakable." The sarcasm oozed from Damon's statement.
"We need to stay united against them." Stefan said getting up from his seat on the bench. "So yes, as much as I would like to kill you, I'm not gonna fight you." He shook his head.
But Damon sought out a fight and he was gonna get one. "I had sex with Louise."
"Because you feel something for her," Stefan spun around, announcing the obvious truth. "Because you actually care and I'm not gonna let Vivienne come in here and destroy that part of you that is finally, after all of this time, willing to feel something." Damon turned his head to look eyes with his brother. Stefan stepped forward and continued talking. "She will try to break you, they will try to break us and how we respond to that will define us. It's our choice." A moment of silent passed. "So no, I'm not gonna fight you."
When Damon said nothing, Stefan brushed pass him and left.
"Louise. Lou - will you slow down." Elena called breathlessly as she finally caught up with her sister, grabbing her arm making her halt. "What going with you?"
"Nothing." Louise replied. She winched slightly at her defensive her voice sounded and knew Elena heard it too when she sighed.
"What's going on with you and Damon?" Elena asked, lowering her voice slightly as she leaned forward towards her sister. "It's clear you have feeling for him. And it's pretty clear he has feeling for you too."
Elena was aware the elder Salvatore felt something towards Louise. The look on his face at the sight of her sister gave away everything. The way he seemed to have eyes only for her sister when she's around. The small gestures like kind smiles that were reserved only for her, the look of care and kindness.
"I don't know." Louise said honestly as she ran her hand through her hair. Elena lifted a hand and gently rubbed Louise's arm in comfort. She could tell the situation with Damon was really getting to her.
"Bonnie was right. You're in love with him, aren't you?" Elena asked softly, wondering if her sister would trust her enough to admit something that she could see with her own eyes. Louise closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Was it obvious? If both Bonnie and Elena could tell, could Damon?
Opening her eyes, she met Elena's dark gaze but remained silence, the look alone answered her question. She waited for the inevitable tirade from her sister of reasons she shouldn't be in love with Damon. But they never came. Louise's eyes widened slightly as Elena pulled her into a tight hug. It last for a while and when Elena eventually pulled back, she reached up to cup her sister's cheek.
"I've never thought the best of Damon but if you can be in love with someone like him - he must have some redeeming qualities." she said with a small smile and Louise slightly smiled too. "And remember if you need to talk. I'm here. Always."
Later that evening, Damon entered the Boarding House, walked into the living room and went straight for his bourbon. He moved to go to his room, he felt a presence inside the house. He didn't even have to look to know who it was - he would recognise that scent anywhere.
"Very brave of you to come here." Damon growled as he turned to face Vivienne, sitting on the couch, her had on rested on the back while her feet were placed on the coffee table.
She shrugged. "I wanted to say goodbye."
"Leaving so soon?" Damon questioned pretending not to care but she could see right through him.
Vivienne titled her head. "I know where I'm not wanted."
"Don't pout." Damon chided. "It's not attractive on a woman your age." He moved the glass of bourbon to his lips and downed it, watching as Vivienne scoffed playfully.
"Ouch." Damon set the class he drained down on the table and turned to ignore his former lover to go upstairs but she stopped as she appeared in front of him. "What, do I not even get a goodbye kiss?" she taunted.
"Why don't I kill you instead?" Damon shot back. Vivienne just chuckled, she wasn't afraid and he could tell so he continued. "What are you doing here?"
"Nostalgia, curiosity, et cetera." Of course he would not get a straight answer. Vivienne wouldn't tell her plans to anyone - especially not him.
Damon shook his head. "I'm better at the enigmatic one-liners, Vivienne. What are you up to?"
"Trust me Damon, when I'm up to something, you'll know it." If he trusted anything she said, it would be that. Vivienne merely stepped forward and changed the subject. "Come on. Kiss me. Or kill me. Which will it be, Damon?" Damon tried to moved back but Vivienne was relentless. "We both know that you're only capable of one."
She inched closer towards his lips. She was getting under his skin. She was breaking all his carefully constructed walls and the wort part was she knew it. She knew it all. She knew how much he loved her. She knew he had missed her for 145 years and where he was the whole time. She knew how to get to him because knew him. Every part of him.
He turned and walked away but she rushed in front of him and knocked him to the floor. Damon landed with a thud and a light groan as Vivienne leaned on top of him. Her hands began roaming over his chest area that was covered with his black button down shirt. Her chestnut curls fell over them as she moved closer to him, her lips at his ear.
"My sweet, innocent Damon."
He gripped her neck and in a split second he's on top of her, his hand pressing into her throat. He stared down at her with murderous eyes. For a moment he could see the curiosity in her eyes and Damon knew he couldn't do it.
He did it anyway. Damon moved down to smash his lips against Vivienne's in a fiery and sloppy kiss. It had been so different to their earlier kissing being as he thought he was locking lips with Louise Gilbert. But now he knew he was kissing Vivienne Pierce. She kissed him back eagerly and purred under her breath. "That's more like it."
But he was weak and he couldn't stop no matter how much he wanted to. Vivienne pushed the weaker vampire against the wall, ripping open his shirt and clawed desperately at his exposed chest before quickly pulling her lips back to his. He threw her down against a nearby table, knocking a pile of books off in the process. His lips tasted her skin, moving to her chest then back up to her cheek. But he knew he had to stop - it couldn't be like this.
"Okay, wait," Damon pleaded against her jaw causing Vivienne's eyes to snap open. "Brief pause." With the strength she used to push him off her, he knew she was not pleased with the pause.
"I have a question. Answer it and it's back to fireworks and rockets red glare. Answer it right and I'll forget the last one hundred and forty five years that I've spent missing you. I'll forget how much I loved you, I'll forget everything and we can start over. This could be our defining moment because we have the time. That's the beauty of eternity." He stepped forwards and placed his hands around Vivienne's face, moving her dark curls. "I just need the truth, just once-"
"Stop." Vivienne placed a finger on his lips as she shook her head. "I already know your question and its answer." He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "The truth is...I've never loved you." The words hit him hard and stopped cherishing her skin. He stared at her speechless. "You were just a play toy for me, Damon."
Vivienne had never admitted it out loud but back in 1864, she had kept Damon around due to the fact she had grown fond of him - maybe even fell in love with him. He was a great cure for her boredom while her sister was off with the other Salvatore. Damon worshiped her, he was a good boost to her ego but that had all changed now he's besotted with her doppelganger. She had to burst his bubble, knowing how hot-headed and reckless he is, that would send him straight to Louise and he would end up doing something he will surely regret afterwards.
Vivienne did nothing more but release his hands and walk out the boarding house.
Louise nearly jumped out her skin when she saw Damon sitting on the edge of her bed. He was slumped over slightly and he was staring off into space at nothing. When he felt her presence he turned to look her way. No smirk graced his lovely face and his captivating blue eyes looked bloodshot.
"You scared me," Louise rasped, her hand placed over her heart to calm her rapidly beating heartbeat. "Why are you here? I didn't hear you come in."
"Just doing my art in the neighbourhood watch." Damon replied dully.
She really looked him over, his midnight black hair was dishelmed and his clothes looked jumbled. She knew he had been drinking from the strong scent of alcohol coming off him. She knew Vivienne's return played a part and what she had told him, about being surprised at the fact she would jump into bed with him. He looked in a bad way. She hated seeing him like this. The only other time she'd seen him this way was when he found out Vivienne wasn't in the tomb.
"Thanks for looking out for us - for me," Louise said gratefully, smiling at him.
"That's me. The trusted bodyguard." Damon drawled. "Calm in a crisis."
"You've been drinking?" Louise asked although it was more of a statement as she already knew the answer. The vampire held up his hand, making a gesture with his thumb and index finger. "And you're upset, that's not a good combination." She shook her head.
"No, I'm not upset." he replied in denial. "Upset is an emotion specified to those who care."
"I thought we were passed this, you can't fool me." Louise said. "You care, Damon. I like to think we're close enough friends so you can tell me anything."
"Vivienne came to see me." Damon said. Louise wasn't happy to hear this but she didn't say anything although she knew that her facial expression showed her displeasure. "Said she wanted to say goodbye."
"And?" she asked impatiently. She wanted to hear the rest.
"She asked if I wanted to kiss or kill her," he explained. "I tried, Louise. God, I tried to resist her but my control was useless when it came to her."
"What happened next?" Louise asked but she had a feeling she wasn't gonna like the answer.
"You should know what happned next." Damon said. "We started kissing and clothes were ripped off."
"My God, Damon, don't tell me you slept with her again?!" Louise questioned in disbelief. "After everything she's pulled and how she treated you."
"Don't be absurd, Louise. I'm not stupid."
"But you were gonna have sex with her?"
"I wasn't gonna go through with it." Damon said defensively. "It was just the heat of the moment." he explained but she wasn't convinced.
Louise crossed her arms over her chest as she stared at the vampire. "Then what happened if you didn't sleep together?"
"I just wanted to know the truth." he admitted. "I told her I'll forget the last one hundred and forty-five years I spent missing her and loving her. I'll forget everything and we could start over." Louise frowned. "And her answer was that she never loved me."
"Damon, I'm so sorry."
"Don't be. I'm over her." Damon said truthfully and from the look in his eyes he was dead serious. "That was the last straw for me. It finally opened my eyes to see her for who she really is."
"I hope you really mean that."
"Enough about Vivienne." he said. "Let's talk about us."
Louise shifted uncomfortable in her spot. "Let's not." she said nervously.
"We need to talk about last night." he said rising from the bed and taking one solid step towards her.
"There's nothing to talk about, that was Vivienne." she replied hurriedly.
"And you know that's not what I'm talking about." He took another step closer. "I wouldn't have believed it was you if there wasn't something going on between us." She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out and he continued. "Do you want to know what I said to Vivienne last night? What I thought was the one reason you could possibly understand what's going on in my head right now?"
Louise stood wordlessly knowing he was going to tell her no matter what she said.
"I know you care about me," Damon stated, still stepping closer. "Because you wouldn't have let Stefan go back for me. I know it wasn't Bonnie's idea and it sure as hell wasn't Elena's, to send my brother in after me. It was you." He took another step and now there was only inches between them. She felt the cold radiating off his skin. "I came by to say thank you, last night."
"You're welcome." Was all she said because right now her heart was beating so fast she couldn't think of anything else to say.
"I should have known it wasn't you, last night." Damon said, his voice dropping.
"Yes you should have because-"
"I should have known." he repeated, cutting her off. "Because whenever I'm near you, I can hear your heart racing. If you don't care at all why is you heart beating so fast?" he asked running two fingers over the point on her neck where her pulse jumped again at his touch.
She turned her head away as he leaned into her and his lips brushed past her cheek, his breath brushing past her ear and her spine went numb.
"Because you make me nervous." Louise stated, trying to keep her voice steady as possible.
"You're a liar, Louise. There is something going on between the two of us and you know it. And you're lying to me, you're lying to Stefan and Elena but most of all you're lying to yourself." As he spoke his words slid over neck as he leaned down. She tried to pull away but his hand cupped her face, half tenderly - half in a way that terriefied her.
"Damon," she whispered. "I-"
Without warning, his lips caught hers in the same gentle way he had touched Vivienne's the night before. Gentle enough to pull away but forceful enough to show he wanted to claim her as his own. He pulled back just enough so their lips still brushed as he looked into her eyes.
How could he have mistaken Vivienne for Louise?
She was warm, whereas Vivienne had been cold. She was delicate in away that made him want to protect her. Tender where Vivienne had been domineeringly controlling.
Still holding her face, Damon moved forward again and crushed his lips down onto hers and like before she didn't resist. He kissed her with such intensity and she kissed him back with urgency. He was igniting a fire inside her body. She could feel the walls she's been building around her heart falling down, she could feel herself getting lost in Damon - how he felt, how he smelt - when images of him and Vivienne flashed into her mind and she gasped dragging her lips from Damon's.
Her lips were slightly swollen and tingling from his kissing. He stared down at her, his icy blue eyes ablaze. He was reaching for her again.
"No, no. Damon don't." Louise said hoarsely and shook her head. "This isn't right." Her hands clapped down on both of his hands to hold him at bay. "Vivienne rejected you and you're upset. It isn't right."
"I told you, Vivienne means nothing to me." Damon pulled his hands from hers and moved to touch her face. To connect to her in anyway he could. "You care about me. You might even love me. I can prove it."
He smashed his lips against her and she struggled in his hold but he continued to kiss her fiercely. Holding her face and lips captive. Louise managed to pull away from him.
"Damon, no, no, no." She pulled his hands off her face and pressed them against his chest, holding her own over them. "I care about you - listen to me - I care about you. I really do. But," Damon clenched her hands on his chest, unwilling to let go - to let her go. "It's not right. You've barely just gotten over Vivienne. You're unstable at the moment and yes-"
"Louise, what's going on in here?"
Damon and Louise both turned to see Jeremy standing in the doorway.
Louise quickly tried to yank her hands from Damon's grip and he reluctantly let go. And there it go, his anchor holding him to the world - gone. There was nothing to stop what he was feeling. "It's noting, Jer. It's okay just go back to bed."
And that's when Damon snapped. "No, it's not okay, Louise." Damon sneered. He looked at Louise showing her the amount she had caused him for only a second before he turned to Jeremy. "He wants to be a vampire." Faster than the human eye could see, he was across the room and pinning the youngest Gilbert against the wall by the neck.
"No, Damon!" Louise shouted, rushing forwards. "Stop it!"
It was too late. His brain had reverted back to autopilot, back to the years of the non-feeling, cold hearted predator.
"You want to shut out the pain?" Damon growled to Jeremy. It's the easiest thing in the world. The part of you that cares just goes away, all you have to do," His rage was fast building. "Is flip the switch and snap!" With that he twisted his neck, feeling the clean break of the bone before stepping aside so the body wouldn't hit him.
"Damon! NOOOOOO!"
Damon watched as Louise dove to the floor by her lifeless brother, fussing over his arms, his legs, crying, not knowing what to do. He watched as his anchor to this world, his key to reality, his reason to care look up at him through her teary chocolate brow eyes that was now filled with hatred for him because what he had just done. It pierced through his heart and soul. The two things he thought could not feel anymore. She hated him.
The vampire turned around and left.
"Jeremy," Louise cried. "I'm so sorry." She looked down at him and stroked his cheek; her eyes roaming over his body until her breath hitched when she spotted his hand. She quickly grabbed his hand to examine the piece of jewellery that glistened on his finger. The Gilbert ring - the ring that brought someone back from the dead after being killed by a supernatural being. "Oh, you're going to be okay. You're going to be okay." She moved his head into her lap and pressed her lips to his forehead.
The youngest Salvatore brother appeared in the door with Elena who was dressed for bed. Seeing her brother dead on the floor, Elena let out a cry and dropped to the floor next to Louise.
"What happened?" Stefan questioned also moving to the floor.
"Your brother happened." Louise hissed.
"Jeremy...he has-" Elena gasped as she suddenly came to the realisation that Jeremy had vampire blood in his system. Her little brother would turn into a vampire in a short while.
Louise quickly shook her head. "The Gilbert ring." she whisper and showed her sister Jeremy's hand. Elena automatically sighed in relief, her hand clasping over Louise's that still held onto Jeremy's. Her brother wasn't dead, he would wake up as a human again and not a vampire.
"He saw the ring." Stefan reasoned, trying to defend the other Salvatore. "That's why he did it. He knew."
Louise shook her head. "He didn't see the ring. Trust me."
"It's Vivienne." Stefan tried again. Louise closed her eyes trying to block out Stefan's hopelessness of his brother's redemption. "She got under his skin. She undid everything that was good about him."
"There's nothing good about him. Stefan, not anymore." Louise uttered, still holding onto Jeremy. "He's decided what he wants. He doesn't want to feel, he wants to be hated, it's just easier that way. He got his wish."
"Lou," Elena whispered looking over to her twin.
Louise willed herself to look up at the pair with a river of tears merging together and falling off her jawline. "I thought there was something human, something redeemable about him. I looked and looked and just as I thought I found it, he goes and does this, proving to everyone else that he is nothing but a heartless monster."
Louise's mind was reeling from all of the events of the past two days, especially the past hour.. She had been so caught up in the moment she hadn't had time to journal at all. Now, she's curled up on her bed with her diary on her knees, her pen quickly scratching across the page as she tried to process it all.
D̶e̶a̶r̶ ̶d̶i̶a̶r̶y̶
Damon,
How could you? I hurt you. I know that. But, did you have to be cruel enough to hurt me through my brother? Did you have to be the monster I've forgotten was part of you? You killed my brother. Whether or not he came back from it, whether you knew he would or not, what you did is unforgivable. It should be. It has to be. I need it to be.
I don't know how I'll get through this and wake up like everything is still okay. I'm not. You didn't just kill my brother, you abandoned me - you cut yourself out of my life.
I'm not Vivienne, I never will be. Because she never saw you, how far you would go for the people you care about and she never really loved you. She cursed you with this existence, into darkness you can't seem to leave behind but I'll always be the one trying to save you from it. But you treated me as if were her - unbreakable and numb. I don't play games, especially not with the lives of the people I love.
You made me believe in you, that I knew you and that you would never hurt me. I trusted you.
And you know what hurts so much? Is that I still do, that even in the haze of it all my anger with you, I still understand you. It frustrates me that these tears are not just for almost losing Jeremy but because I can still feel your pain, the desperation from your kiss still lingers on my lips and it breaks my heart to know you will never completely heal from tonight.
You were right. I was scared Vivienne would send you off the deep end. You were right. You didn't need her for that because I managed to do that just fine.
I choose to hate you because it's easier not to feel - just like you said. I'd rather mourn the loss of you in my life than listen to that voice in me that wants to forgive you. I never should.
I hate myself because the truth didn't die with my brother and it's eating me up inside. I'll tell myself there's nothing good inside you. You don't want to feel. You want to be hated. It's easier that way. I'll believe it all or everything will fall apart and I'll betray the everyone I know because if I don't keep lying to myself, I know I'll forgive you. I know that I'll look into your eyes and feel like everything that shattered in my heart tonight is falling back into place. I'll have to accept why in this moment my hatred for you is so pure, why I'm afraid to look past what you did to me, to us.
The second I stop, you will have to know why.
I love you.
Louise sighed and stopped her pen for a moment as her head swarmed. She didn't know how long she stayed like that but time later she caught a shadow at her window. She dropped her journal and quickly rushed to shut her window. Moving towards her adjoined bathroom, she opened the door to her little brother's room as quite as possible and peaked her head through to see him sound asleep. A sigh escaped her lips before she closed the door.
The brunette then made it back to her room. It felt so cold. Turning off her main lights, she headed out the room and down the hall to her sisters room.
Louise carefully opened her door and stepped inside. After closing the door, she turned to see her sister surprisingly awake and staring at the ceiling. Sitting up in bed, Elena watched her sister, knowing instinctively she wanted to speak to her. She could sense the sadness and betrayal radiating off her.
"I...I don't think...I don't think I can be alone tonight." Louise said, her voice barely breaking the silence in the room. "Can I stay?"
Elena automatically nodded, moving over in her bed to make room. Louise walked towards the bed before getting under the covers. Elena turned to her side and stared at her sister's profile as she stared at the ceiling. Wanting nothing more than to comfort her, she reached out and slipped her hand into Louise's. Louise turned her head to face her, looking into the deep brown eyes that mirrored her own. Elena didn't say anything, she just smiled reassuringly.
Caroline Forbes sat in the hospital bed, her eyes closed and her body on the verge of rest. The television played in the background, muted for her comfort but the lights were beginning to bother her. She opened her eyes, rubbing them slightly as she shift around the covers for the tv remote. She grabbed it and raised it to turn off the tv but a shadow in her peripheral startled her. She narrowed her eyes towards the spot and almost expected to see nothing but instead saw the two faces of her best friends.
"Elena? Louise?"
Katherine titled her head to the side as she stared at the blonde human girl, smiling at her. "Hey Caroline."
"What are you doing here?" Caroline questioned. Judging by the dark halls of the hospital it was late.
Both Katherine and Vivienne walked over to blonde, standing on either side of the bed. Getting straight to the point, Vivienne smirked. "My name is Vivienne and this is my sister Katherine. I was hoping you could give the Salvatore brothers a message for us." Vivienne titled her head in a questionable fashion while Katherine just smiled sweetly.
"What are you talking about? What message?" The blonde questioned, her eyebrows creasing in confusion.
Vivienne's smirked dropped and a dead look filled her eyes. "Game on."
"What?-" Caroline began but was cut off when Vivienne pulled the pillow from underneath her head and pressed it over her face. The blonde's screams muffed as the vampire pushed down harder. Caroline kicked, screamed and flailed around as she struggled to breath. Eventually her hand moved to the side of the hospital bed and fell as the life left her body. She was dead - for now anyway.
Carefully, Vivienne placed the pillow beside Caroline casually as if the dead human was just sleeping. She looked over to her sister.
"Job done."
A/N: There is it, chapter one to Tangled Fate. What do you guys think? Is a good start to the second series. Drop a review! And as always you can check out my tumblr 'tangleddiaries' to see edits and sneak peaks to chapters.