A/N: Just want to take this time to let you know that I've only written two chapters of this story, though I think there is more to be told. But for those of you who have witnessed the travesty that is the end of my Inheritance Cycle fanfic(rather, the LACK of ending...), then you know full well that I have a problem with multi-chaptered fics. But I like where I ended this one. Very open. So if you feel like you're going to be jipped...turn back now lmao. I promise I won't be offended. I just needed to get this one out of my head.

Disclaimer: Story title is actually the title to a song sung by Dionne Warwick, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. I don't own any of that. Nor do I own the Vampire Diaries.

Panic. That was all he could feel: that cold, sinking feeling in his stomach, coupled with the slither that laced up his spine. It took all that Jeremy had to keep from screaming at the top of his lungs and run as far away from this place and as fast as his legs could carry him. Which—he inferred, standing immobile in front of the open door to his house—could possibly be incredibly fast.

So he turned and ran. And as he ran, he knew he could run faster. But he wouldn't try it—wouldn't entertain that panic that made his fingers curl and twitch nervously.

He didn't know where his feet were taking him until he was standing in front of the Salvatore boarding house. He didn't know why he was knocking. He didn't want the answers to the questions that were plaguing him. So when he did knock, the sound startled him. Jeremy heard the footsteps on the other side of the door, and his head snapped up to meet equally startled green eyes.

"Stefan." God, Jeremy thought when he heard the breathy, cracked sound leave his lips. Was that really my voice? "Stefan, I…" Under Stefan's piercing, questioning, genuinely confused gaze, Jeremy forced the words out. "I can't get into my house." There. He'd said it. It seemed all too real now, but Jeremy's mind was still reeling. "I can't get into my house, and I… Stefan I'm so hungry." Stefan didn't say anything. His eyes made minute scanning movements, roaming over Jeremy's form. "Stefan, am I…?" Dead. But the word wouldn't come.

It was painful, standing there, waiting for Stefan to say something. Finally, "You don't…remember?" His brow was especially furrowed, and his face looked…haunted?

"No," Jeremy replied, gripping the doorframe to lean on it and calm his frustration and nerves. "Is that normal? To not know how it happened?" They were both skating around saying the actual words; specifically as to what Jeremy had become.

"I don't know." Stefan's short and unhelpful replies were starting to annoy Jeremy.

"Well who's been feeding me vampire blood?" he demanded. "Not many options there. I don't even remember how I died. I woke up in the woods without my ring, so what happened to it? What happened to me?"

Stefan stepped forward and put his hands on Jeremy's shoulders, looking him straight in the eyes. "Jeremy, listen to me. What is the last thing you remember?"

"I woke up in the woods—"

"No," Stefan shook his head. "No, before that. Before you woke up in the woods, what's the last thing you remember doing?"

Stefan watched him as he thought. Jeremy's mind was fuzzy with hunger, panic, and delirium. "We'd just gotten home."

"From where?"

"From killing Klaus." Jeremy watched the expression completely drain from Stefan's face. "Well…Elijah killed him. Damon helped. You and I got Elena away from Klaus. Bonnie did a spell…Klaus was dead and then we went home."

Stefan let his hands fall from Jeremy's shoulders. His eyes were distant and dark. "Jeremy, come inside." The look on the vampire's face made Jeremy's panic rise again.

"What's wrong?" he asked cautiously.

"Jeremy, you're hungry. Come inside, and I'll explain everything."

"What is there to explain? What aren't you telling me?"

"Jer—"

"No, don't 'Jer' me." Jeremy's throat was burning, and his hands were shaking. He knew what that meant. "What happened to me?"

Stefan pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "That night that you remember, after we killed Klaus?" Jeremy gave a nod. "That night couldn't have happened, Jeremy."

His throat was dry, but he licked his lips, anyway. "Why not?" But that panic that gripped him before was back, and it was strangling him.

Stefan was silent for a moment, but just before Jeremy exploded with questions, he said, "I watched you die that day."

Jeremy tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but it hurt to even breathe.

"Bonnie cast a spell that all of us thought would disable the daywalking rings. Do you remember that?"

He could only nod. Bonnie said that the spell would only work for a few minutes, but it would be enough time for Elijah, Damon, and Stefan to get in, kill Klaus, get Elena, and get out. She'd performed a spell to protect Elijah's, Damon's, and Stefan's rings so that they could still walk in the daylight for those few minutes, but any other vampire in the vicinity would be scorched by the sun.

"We found out that the spell worked on anything spelled by a witch, including…"

"My ring." Jeremy's voice was hollow and numb. He almost wanted Stefan to stop, but he needed to know more. "Then what?"

Stefan shook his head and averted his eyes like he didn't want to continue, but he did. "One of Klaus' vampires caught me by surprise when we finally found Elena. He attacked me, trying to get to her. You tried to stake him, but he was too fast for you. He snapped your neck before I could get to him."

It really wasn't all that hard to process. Jeremy had died before. This time, had been permanent. Well…mostly, anyway.

"I convinced Elena that you would be fine so I could get her out of there." Stefan continued, sounding pained as he spoke. "I really believed it, too. It wasn't until after everything was finished…Klaus was dead, his vampires either staked or burned to a crisp…and you hadn't woken up, so we began to think something might be wrong. Damon figured it out when we found Alaric."

Jeremy's heart was in his throat. "Alaric, too?"

Stefan nodded. "We buried you both the next week."

"Why do I remember coming home that night? I got ready for bed. I talked to Elena. Why do I remember all that if it never happened?"

"Probably the same reason why you didn't rise until after you were buried. The vampire that turned you was strong enough to plant those memories and delay the change."

"Then why don't I remember getting out of…" Saying 'my grave' made this too real for Jeremy. Despite being gung-ho about the vampire gig before, he wasn't ready. He didn't want to face this. "Why don't I remember getting out?" he said, praying that Stefan wouldn't make him clarify.

Stefan was silent again. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it; then he tried again. "I don't know. But there's something else you need to know, Jeremy.

Crap. More great news.

"That day, when we killed Klaus?" Stefan paused and seemed to gather himself before he spoke again. "That day was five years ago."

Jeremy felt his body go numb, and the burning in his throat was stronger than ever. He just stood there, slightly open-mouthed, and his heart was pounding.

"You've been dead for five years."

A/N: Yup, I'm cruel. Again, there will be one more chapter after this...maybe more...but don't hold me to it. If you'd be interested in doing me a huge favor and beta-ing this fic, though, your help would be much appreciated! Your job description would entail grammar/spelling checks, helping me to find those pesky plot bunnies, and just kicking me in the behind to get chapters written. I can seriously work...I wrote both chapters in about a week. I just need motivation. So yes, you would be responsible for helping me to keep on track. I would love you forever.

Much love~

Jeannie