I walked around the Salvatore house and moved toward the library where I heard small voices coming from. "How is it?" Rose asked in a worried tone as she sat turned away from me while Damon observed the side of her back that seemed to be rotting away.
"It's... better." He replied in an awkward tone, making me look at him skeptically. "Right, Mariana?" He asked, his eyes falling on me before Rose looked over her shoulder at me also.
"Um.. it's not bad." I lied in agreement and watched Damon nod down at her with a reassuring smile.
"Where's Stefan?" Damon asked, narrowing his eyes at me but I shook my head.
"Him and Elena left. Look, I need you to talk to him. He's convinced that he has to find Isobel because she might have research on Klaus but I don't think Elijah will like that very much." I pointed out in defeat as Damon filled up Rose's glass that she held, with more blood.
"No can do. I'm with Stefan on this one." Damon replied before he looked over at me and I narrowed my eyes back. "But if you could play nurse for a little whileâ" He added, making his way over to me after putting the blood bag down.
"It's not necessary." Rose countered from where she sat, cutting his idea off and Damon rolled his eyes.
"It is necessary. Mariana is a do-gooder. It's in her nature, she just can't resist." Damon stated sarcastically as he walked past me and out the library doorway, into the hall. Rose looked back at me silently, obviously in distress and I gave her a reassuring smile before following after Damon.
"Damon." I stated after him, making him stop at the door and turn to look at me. "Is she going to die?" I asked quietly before he sighed deeply and walked toward me.
"Probably." He answered in defeat and I furrowed my eyebrows. "The wolf bite from Jules caused some kind of infection. It's getting worse." He stated and I slowly nodded.
"Like poison?" I asked in confusion but he sighed deeply.
"I don't know, Mariana. I'm not an expert in the field." Damon pointed out in annoyance as he shrugged, obviously stressed about the situation.
"I'm sorry." I replied softly, staring up at him which only made him scoff.
"We come, we go. The sooner she dies, the better." Damon countered defensively and I furrowed my eyebrows. "It's gloomy as hell in here." He added before walking away.
~~~
"I hate this. I'm a vampire, I haven't had a cold in five centuries." Rose stated as she weakly got into Damon's bed and I slowly nodded at her, putting a glass of blood on the nightstand beside her.
"Just get in bed." I reassured as I started taking off the hoodie that she was wearing.
"We don't get sick. When we die, it's fast and sudden. And it's certainly not drawn out by an illness." Rose stated as I looked over the bite that had crawled from her shoulder down the side of her back.
"You're not going to die." I reassured her as she laid back in the bed and pulled the sheets over her.
"Such a human thing to say." Rose replied in amusement at me and I gave her a small smile. I tucked her in more and looked around Damon's bedroom at the painting on the wall, to the T.V hanging across us, before I looked at the bathroom that I could probably live in. "You've never been into Damon room, have you?" Rose asked me from below me and I looked back towards her.
"Uh.. I have. Just vividly.." I replied quietly before I sat on the bed beside her. "In all honestly, I figured Damon would have silk sheets or something elegant and arrogant like himself." I said in amusement and Rose chuckled as she looked up at me.
"You're lucky, you know?" Rose asked and I furrowed my eyebrows at her. "No ones ever loved me the way you're loved." She added and I scoffed.
"I doubt that." I replied with a small smile and she sighed.
"Trevor was my best friend. Nothing more. I spent all those years on the run from Elijah.. I just never thought it was a good idea to set up roots." Rose pointed out and I listened intently to her. "The whole idea of a family is not exactly compatible with being a vampire." She added and I took a deep breath and grabbed the glass of blood from the nightstand beside me. "Why are you so eager to give up?" Rose asked and I sighed shrugging.
"I'm not giving up on anything. Here." I stated reassuringly as I handed her the glass and she took it, holding it beside her.
"What do you call this whole deal with Elijah?" Rose asked quietly as she looked up at me again.
"I need to protect my sister. This is the best option." I replied and Rose furrowed her eyebrows.
"It's the easier option. Do you really think the moonstone was destroyed by your friend Bonnie?" Rose asked up at me and I slowly nodded, thinking about it.
"Well, Bonnie told me that she had the head of another witch.. Assuming it was Elijah's witch, no. I don't." I replied tilting my head back down at Rose who's skin was pale compared to her olive skin that it usually is.
"You really are determined to die, aren't you?" Rose asked quietly and I met my eyes with hers.
"For my sister.. Always." I said quietly and watched her sigh deeply in response, closing her eyes and I took the glass away from her.
"I'm so tired." Rose stated as I put the glass back on the nightstand. I looked back at Rose as she slept and I slowly got off of the bed and walked towards the door. "No, stop. Wait." Rose added from behind me and I turned back to her as she held a arm out towards me. "Tell them to prepare the horses." She stated, looking at me before her eyelids slowly shut again.
"It's okay, Rose. Get some sleep. You'll feel better when you wake up." I reassured her quietly before she smiled a bit.
"Trevor, don't be so stupid. We're never gonna make it there before the sun." Rose replied and I furrowed my eyebrows as she opened her eyes again and groaned loudly in pain before sitting up. "MarianaâMariana, I need more blood." She warned and I quickly went towards the glass on the nightstand before I gave it to her.
"Here." I stated reassuringly as she took it. Rose sipped a small amount of blood before she turned away from me and retched, coughing and gagging up the blood all over Damon's white sheets and I widened my eyes. "It's okay. Everything's going to be alright." I nodded towards her soothingly before I ran into the bathroom and grabbed a cloth, wetting it down. When I turned back towards the bed, it was empty. I furrowed my eyebrows as Rose was no where to be seen. I sighed in defeat and turned towards the door only to widen my eyes as Rose stood in front of me fully shifted. She grabbed me by the shoulders and pushed me against the wall, making me groan.
"It's all your fault, Katerina!" Rose stated angrily at me and I widened my eyes, gasping from under her hold. "You Katerina, You did this!" She added through gritted teeth.
"It's Mariana! Rose, it's Mariana!" I argued as I felt her nails dig into my shoulders and I winced.
"You traitor!" Rose yelled and I shook my head before I shoved her back from me, watching her fall to the floor across from me.
"I'm not Katherine!" I said angrily towards her, now breathing heavily. Rose furrowed her eyebrows, shifting slowly back to normal as she looked towards me confused and silent.
"Mariana?" Rose asked furrowing her eyebrows and I sighed, taking deep and calm breaths as she slowly got up from the floor.
"It's me. It's Mariana." I nodded reassuringly towards her and she gasped, shaking her head slowly back at me.
"Oh, my god.. I'm so sorry, Mariana. IâI don't know what's happening to me." Rose stated looking down at the floor in confusion and I slowly nodded.
"It's alright. You're gonna be okay." I stated as we both slowly over to the bed again.
"My mind, I'mâ" Rose started, cutting herself off as she put a hand on her forehead in defeat.
"It was just for a second." I reassured her, shaking my head as she sat on the side of the bed.
"I'm sorry. Don't be scared of me." Rose stated and I slowly nodded and folded my arms over my chest.
"I'm not. I'm not." I replied while she climbed into the bed again and I took the sheets in my hand. "You need to rest." I stated, covering Rose as she lay in bed again whimpering lightly.
"I'm scared." Rose whispered and I could tell she was losing herself again.
"You're not alone. I'm right here." I reassured her but she sat up quickly.
"HereâWhere's here?" Rose asked in worry but I put a hand in her arm gently.
"Damon's bedroom. You're in Damon's bedroom." I pointed out as she looked around the room slowly, breathing heavily and looking back at me.
"I want to go home." Rose whimpered, uncomfortably clutching the pillow under her.
"Tell me about it." I replied, tilting my head down at her comfortingly and she gave me a small smile as she thought about it.
"St. Austell. Thirty kilometers south of London." Rose whispered and I watched as she slowly closed her eyes again. "With fields of trees and horses." She added and I gave her a small smile.
"Sounds beautiful." I whispered towards her soothingly as she drifted off again.
"When you live long enough, everything disappears. So much time wasted. I just wish I hadn't been so afraid." Rose replied as she buried her head into Damon's pillow and I furrowed my eyebrows.
~~~
"I brought some clean sheets." I informed as I walked into Damon's room again, sheets and an extra blanket it hand. I looked up at the bed only to see that it was empty. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked in the bathroom but that was empty too. I slowly walked over to the bed and out the sheets and blanket down before I walked out of Damon's room and downstairs. I grabbed my phone from my pocket and dialed in Damon's phone number and put it to my ear as I walked slowly into the library. "Hey, it's me. I'm worried about Rose. I think you should come home." I stated in warning through the phone before I heard a clattering sound come from inside the house. "Rose?" I asked, looking in the direction of the basement which is where the noise came from. I hung up the phone and walked out of the library and down the hall to the basement door. I put my phone in my pocket and walked down the stairs of the basement cautiously. I saw an empty blood bag sitting at the bottom of the stairs and I rose an eyebrow before I walked down the hall to the freezer where Stefan and Damon keep the blood bags. Once I walked into the small space, I widened my eyes at Rose who was sat on the floor with five or six blood bags around her, eating them ravenously. "Oh, my god.." I whispered, looking at all of the blood that was spilt on the floor around her. Rose looked back at me, blood dripping from her mouth as she slowly lowered the half-empty blood bag in her hand.
"Katerina." Rose stated in a hushed voice and I slowly backed away from her as she started getting up.
"No." I whispered, raising my hand toward her but she vamped at me, shifting and throwing me back against the brick wall and I groaned, hitting my head against it. Rose growled and she vamped at me me again but I put my hand up to her. "No!" I screamed and watched her body fly back, away from me. I quickly turned and ran up the stairs and into the library, trying to go out the French doors that led outside but they were locked. Rose vamped up from behind me and I jumped, turning to her. "Rose! I'm Mariana! I'm not Katherine!" I exclaimed backing away from her slowly. "You're hallucinating.. I'm Mariana." I added, breathing heavily as I watched her look me over slowly and shift back to normal and I sighed in relief before she growled angrily at me, shifting back again. "Phesâ" I started but Rose tackled me to the ground and I screamed out in pain as I felt her bite into my shoulder. I angrily pushed her back with my hands and she flew back into a shelf of books. I looked above me to see a window that was covered with curtains and I clenched my jaw.
"Katerina!" Rose yelled out angrily, standing up from the books that fell on her and I looked back up at the curtains. Rose vamped towards me before I waved my hand and opened the curtains, hearing her scream once the sunlight hit her skin. I groaned, standing up from the floor before I ran out of the library and towards the front door. I put my hand on the doorknob and opened it before a pale and sweaty hand closed it angrily. "I'll kill you!" Rose yelled at me, trapping me against the door as her arms were steady on either side of me.
"I'm sorry.." I whispered, shaking my head at her and watched as she looked towards my neck, about to sink her fangs in again before I quickly dug my fingers into the side of her back where the werewolf bite was. Rose screamed out in pain and sank the ground. I quickly ran down the hall and up the stairs, towards Stefan's room. Once inside, I shut and locked the door behind me. I groaned down at my shoulder before I put a hand over it, to levitate the pressure. I waved my other hand towards a dresser beside the wall and moved it in front of the door. I quickly made my way over to Stefan's French doors that led out to a balcony and opened them, letting more light in. I sighed in relief and turned back to the door, hearing the knob jiggle and I widened my eyes. I flipped over a stool next to me before breaking one of its legs and grabbing the jagged piece of wood.
"Mariana? It's Rose." Her voice said from outside of Stefan's door and I watched it, holding up the stake as my other hand kept pressure on my shoulder. "Mariana, I know that you're not Katherine." She added before I heard her gagging and coughing on the other side of the door. "I need your help.. Please." Rose added in defeat and I slowly shook my head as I felt my eyes glaze over before I fell back onto Stefan's bed.
~~~~
I breathed heavily now.. Sitting on the edge of Stefan's bed and looked outside to see that it was dark now. I looked down at the stake that I had in my hand before I looked up at the door that silence had encased for sometime now. I clenched my jaw and weakly moved off of the bed, over to the door. I waved my hand slowly over the dresser, moving it away from the door before I stood in front of it, listening for any sounds on the other side. Once it was clear, I unlocked the door and I slowly put a hand on the doorknob. I opened the door to see that it was clear before I quietly walked out. I made my way down the stairs and into the hall, seeing no sign of Rose as I held the stake tightly in my hand. I cautiously made my way to the living room to see it empty but the front door was left wide open from behind me. I furrowed my eyebrows and felt someone come up from behind me and I quickly turned around but sighed in relief at Damon. "You okay?" He asked, looking over me in concern and I dropped the stake from my hand as it became too heavy to hold.
"Damonâ" I started weakly before my eyes became heavy and I fell to the floor from the loss of blood but Damon caught me.
"MarianaâMariana, here." Damon stated reassuringly as he quickly bit his wrist and put it to my mouth and I groaned, drinking it hesitantly. I sighed and pulled away as Damon slowly stood me up in front of him, his arms holding me up by my waist. "Mariana?" He asked worriedly again and I slowly nodded, looking at him before I ran my fingers over my shoulder, not feeling the bite wound there anymore, as well as the wound on my forehead. "Where's Rose?" He asked, looking around us on high alert.
"I don't know." I answered honestly, in confusion. He furrowed his eyebrows down at me before sighing in defeat. He opened his mouth to speak but his phone started ringing and he answered it.
"Hey, Liz. What's up?" Damon asked, not taking his concerned eyes off me and I looked away from him.
~~~~
"Elena, where the hell are you? Call me back." I stated, shaking my head and putting my phone back in my pocket. Damon came back over to me from where I stood in the parking lot of the high school. It was packed with most of the towns vehicles, considering they were having a barbecue held by the Booster club. "Hey, have you heard from them? Do you know what they're up to?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows at him as he looked cautiously through the crowd around us.
"Our smaller siblings aren't exactly my priority right now." Damon answered, looking down at me as he pulled something from behind his back. "Here. Take this." He added, handing me a stake and I quickly put it in my coat. "Come on, let's go." He added putting an arm around me before he walked us through the crowd of people as the party was now moving into the cafeteria.
"Where are we going?" I asked, noticing we were moving away from the crowd.
"I'm pretty sure Rose got loose and killed someone. They found a body. So Liz wants me to check the East side of the school while she checks the South. Now, not that I don't trust you enough to not have you by my sideâ" Damon started but he cut himself off and I slowly nodded.
"Yeah. I know." I stated quietly as his arm around me dropped and I quietly held myself as the cold made me shiver. We walked a few more steps before a stomach curdling scream broke out from the parking lot around us. I widened my eyes and looked at Damon who didn't hesitate before he vamped toward where it came from and I ran after him.
"Rose, stop!" I heard Damon yell from up ahead of me before he stopped beside a car where Rose was sinking her teeth into a blonde woman. I looked to the car next to her to see a man laying dead on a shattered windshield. Rose turned to Damon angrily before dropping the blonde on the ground and vamping at him, her hand wrapping around his throat. Damon quickly got the upper hand and took her to the ground, holding her down as she struggled from underneath him. "Rose! It's me, it's Damon!" Damon yelled down at her but she furrowed her eyebrows back. "It's DamonâIt's Damon." He said reassuringly down at her before she stopped struggling from below him, coming back to reality. "It's Damon." Damon whispered down at her and I watched as Rose slowly shifted back to normal, staring up at him as blood seeped out of her mouth. Rose slowly sat up and looked over at the blonde woman's body that was laying mere inches from them.
"Did I do this?" Rose asked in disbelief at herself as she came to realization and I watched her cry and lay back on the ground from under Damon. "I didn't mean to do this. I didn't want to hurt anybodyâI never wanted to hurt anybody." Rose cried as she looked up at Damon who slowly nodded.
"I know." Damon reassured her quietly. "I know." He repeated as Rose's cries became louder and she looked up at me.
"I'm sorry.. I'm so sorry." Rose stated shaking her head at me and I felt myself break at the sight of her.
"Come on, let's get you home." Damon stated, pulling Rose up gently as she sobbed, but she refused him.
"No! I don't have a homeâI haven't had a home in so long." Rose stated as tears ran down her cheeks and I looked at Damon who just stared down at her helplessly. "No, make it stop! Please, make it stop!" Rose pleaded as she squirmed from under Damon again. "Make it stop!" She added loudly, sobbing and Damon slowly nodded before he picked her up in his arms and started walking away from the parking lot quickly.
~~~~
I saw Damon come through the parlor entrance before I slowly stood up from the couch. "I thought you left." Damon stated, walking over to me and I shrugged.
"I did. But I came back to make sure that you were okay." I answered and grabbed a glass of bourbon from beside me, handing it to Damon once he stood in front of me.
"I appreciate the gesture. I'm just glad it's over." He replied, grabbing the glass from me and downing it.
"You know I don't believe that." I pointed out as he put the glass back down on the table beside us.
"Go home, Mariana." Damon sighed, gesturing at the door behind us. "Get some rest. It's a whole new day tomorrow." He added, looking away from me.
"Damon, I'm your friend." I stated, folding my arms over my chest as I shook my head at him.
"I'm well aware of that." He countered in annoyance and I tilted my head.
"And a friend usually knows when their friend is hurting." I pointed out, examining him closely.
"What do you wanna hear? That I cared about Rose? That I'm upset?" Damon snapped, making me furrow my eyebrows. "Well, I didn't. And I'm not." He added, walking away from me and I scoffed.
"There you go. Pretending to turn it off, pretending not to feel." I stated sarcastically and he turned back to me in annoyance. "Damon, you're so close. Don't give up." I added with a sigh of defeat.
"I feel, Mariana. Okay? And it sucks." Damon replied angrily and I slowly let my arms fall to my sides. "What sucks even more is that it was supposed to be me. Jules was coming after me." He added quietly and I saw regret and hurt flash over his face.
"You feel guilty." I whispered, looking him over slowly and he walked back over to me.
"That would be human of me, wouldn't it, Mariana? And I'm not human. You're one to talk about giving up. It's all you've done, is give up." Damon stated loudly and I folded my arms over my chest. "Go home. There's been enough doom and gloom and personal growth for one night." He added in annoyance as he gestured me toward the door again. I slowly nodded and grabbed my coat from the couch before looking back at him.
"Fine. I will." I agreed and watched him move to the side, making enough room for me to pass him but I just stared at him instead. I sighed up at him before I hugged him tightly, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. I felt Damon ease from under me before I slowly backed away and he stared down at me confused. "Good night, Damon." I whispered, looking between his eyes and his mouth slowly before I walked past him and out the door.
~~~~~
I walked into the house after I got back from the Salvatore's. I was about to go upstairs but Stefan and Elena came down the hallway from the kitchen. "You're home." I said quietly, nodding at the two.
"Rose?" Stefan asked and I slowly shook my head back at him.
"We called Isobel." Elena informed and I nodded at her, folding my arms over my chest.
"I know.. Did you find her?" I asked, looking between the two of them before they shared a knowing look.
"Not exactly." Elena answered, clearing her throat awkwardly. I rose an eyebrow at both of them before I saw John walk down the hall from the kitchen behind them.
"Hello, Mariana." He stated with a small smile and I tilted my head at him and looked over Stefan and Elena who stood away from him.
"Uncle John." I replied, looking back at him again and narrowing my eyes.
-Time Skip-
I walked into the kitchen as John stood behind the island counter, drinking coffee and watching the T.V. "Morning." He stated once I came in, turning the T.V off.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, placing my hands on the counter in front of him.
"Coffee?" He asked, ignoring the question and I rolled my eyes.
"We're not doing that. We did that last night. No more avoiding. So why are you here?" I pressed, tilting my head at him.
"I'm here to protect Elena, as well as you. That's all I can say at the moment." He answered vaguely and I sighed, folding my arms over my chest.
"Everything that I'm doing is to protect Elena. So don't think you can come in here and jeopardize that." I warned and he stared back at me in silence before voices started coming in from the hall.
"Oh, god. I'm late." Jenna stated hurriedly as she came into the kitchen and put her purse on the table before standing in complete shock at the sight of John.
"That's what you get for hitting the snooze three times." Alaric pointed out in amusement as he came in behind her, only to clench his jaw once his eyes narrowed on John as well.
"What the hell?" Jenna asked in confusion as she looked at me and I smirked in some amusement.
"Good morning to you, Jenna. Alaric." John greeted kindly as he nodded at the two.
"It's okay that I'm confused, right? Because we were not expecting you likeâever." Jenna stated in annoyance back at him.
"Well, I got in late last night. Elena let me in." John informed as he walked over to her slowly.
"You know, I'm probably just gonna take off." Alaric stated as he looked between John and I slowly, feeling the tension rising. Jenna watched him leave before she looked back at John and I.
"I'm still confused here." She pointed out and folded her arms over her chest. My phone vibrated from my pocket and I grabbed it quickly and furrowed my eyebrows.
'911. NOW. âCaroline'
"Well, I'm gonna go and be literally anywhere other than here. Bye." I stated in an amused voice before walking out of the kitchen and leaving them.
~~~~
I walked up to Caroline's house and walked in and into the living room to see Stefan and Caroline talking intently. "Okay. I'm listening?" I stated, breaking up their current conversation that I had walked in on.
"Tyler knows about me and Damon." Stefan pointed out and I quickly looked back at Caroline who immediately opened her mouth.
"He knows that Damon killed MasonâI didn't say a word." Caroline reassured quickly and I slowly shook my head at looked back at Stefan.
"It's that woman Julesâshe had a run in with Damon." Stefan informed Caroline, keeping her in the loop.
"Tyler was so upsetâthe look on his face, he was so betrayed." Caroline stated, shaking her head in defeat and I furrowed my eyebrows at her.. How close had her and Tyler become?
"Wow, this is bad." I agreed anxiously as I shook my head and ran a hand over my forehead.
"You're not going to tell Damon, are you?" Caroline asked nervously as she looked at Stefan who ran a hand over the back of his neck.
"No, he already wants to kill him. He thinks all werewolves should die." Stefan countered and I sighed in defeat. "And he's not wrong to think that. What if Tyler tries to retaliate, I mean, he had every right to. He can get himself killed." Stefan warned, looking between Caroline and I but I groaned in annoyance at him.
"Well, we're not going to let that happen." I stated before they both looked at me in confusion. "We have to get to him and reason with him before he does something stupid." I warned, looking between them.
"Mariana, you have to talk to him.. Just try to explain, okay? Tyler trusts you more than Stefan or I at this point. You always know the right things to say." Caroline stated as she looking over me worriedly and I slowly nodded, running my hands through my hair as I thought it over in my head.
~~~
I knocked on the Lockwood's front door and waited, stepping slightly back. The door opened and I smiled at Tyler who stood before me. "Mariana." He sighed in relief before I hugged him tightly, kissing his cheek as we went inside.
"How are you?" I asked, looking him over carefully before he grabbed my hand and led me into his father's study.
"I've missed you." Tyler replied, ignoring the question as we walked into the study. He sat on the couch and positioned me on his lap. I smiled down at him before I kissed him on the lips gently. I felt someone come up from behind me and I pulled away from him. "Mariana, look out!" Tyler said loudly before he stood us up and put me behind him as Stefan stood in front of us.
"I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to talk to you." Stefan pointed out as he looked down at Tyler emotionlessly.
"Then why did you break in?" Tyler countered defensively and I put a comforting hand on his arm.
"Would you have let him in otherwise?" I asked from behind him. Tyler turned to look at me in confusion and I took my hand off of him.
"Tyler?" Mrs. Lockwood yelled from somewhere around the house. I watched his eyes dart between the door and Stefan a few times before he rushed towards it only for Stefan to grab him and push him against the wall.
"Please, Ty." I whispered, shaking my head at him as he breathed heavily and angrily from Stefan's grasp.
"Tyler? I'm headed to the memorial." Mrs. Lockwood stated again and I silently looked at Tyler before I heard the front door open and close. Tyler groaned as he fought under Stefan before he looked at me for a few seconds, calming down before looking back at Stefan. Stefan let him go and backed away until he was standing beside me.
"Maybe we're getting off on the wrong foot here." Stefan stated while Ty clenched his jaw.
"What happened to Mason?" Tyler asked angrily as he stepped toward Stefan but I stepped in between them.
"Tyler, there's a lot for us to talk about." I stated quietly but he ignored me and looked straight at Stefan.
"Whatever you're thinking of doing, I wouldn't. Without a full moon, you're no match for me." Stefan warned and I sighed at the two of them.
"Look, about CarolineâNo matter what her flaws are, when push comes to shove, you're going to want that girl on your side." I warned and Tyler furrowed his eyebrows and finally met my gaze. "She's my best friend. And she's your friend, too. So stop being a dick to her." I added, shaking my head at him before he slowly nodded. I gave him a small smile and stepped closer to him comfortingly.
"I thought vampires hated werewolves." Tyler stated as he looked back at Stefan.
"That's some sort of idea left over from time. It doesn't have to be that way anymore." Stefan reassured as he leant against the desk. "We go to the same school. We have the same friends. We keep the same secrets. This can work, Tyler. This is your home, it's my home, too. I want this to work." He added, nodding at Tyler who slowly nodded back. I looked at Tyler, waiting for an answer before his phone started vibrating in his pocket. I watched him hesitate to answer it as he stared between Stefan and I, contemplating before he quickly pulled out the phone and answered it.
"Help! Help!" Tyler yelled into the phone and I grabbed it out of his grasp, watching him look at me in disbelief as I hung up.
"Who's number is this, Ty?" I asked, looking down at it his phone in defeat but he just clenched his jaw at me, not answering. "Dammit, Tyler! We're trying to protect you, why can't you see that?" I added angrily at him before I threw the phone on his dad's desk beside me.
~~~
"You wanna be friends, great. We're friends. Will you go now?" Tyler asked Stefan in annoyance and I scoffed at him.
"I don't know what else there is you want me to say, Tyler. I came back to this town because I wanted a life." Stefan stated as he sat in the chair across from Tyler who sat on the edge of the couch. "I wanted to exist where I could have friends and where I could build a family. I have that here. We can both have that." Stefan stated as he looked Tyler over, who was trying to ignore him. He shook his head and looked away from Stefan before my phone rang and I grabbed it from my pocket.
"Hey, Care. What's up?" I asked while I looked between Stefan and Tyler who both watched me, listening in.
"That depends. How badly do you want to keep her alive?" A woman's voice asked from the other side and I felt a chill crawl up my spine.
"Who is this?" I asked, shaking my head and looking between Tyler and Stefan in concern.
"Ask Damon. Where's Tyler. I mean, you'd know, right? You're his little vampire girlfriend." The woman stated in annoyance and I looked between Tyler and Stefan who were watching me intently so I put it on speaker.
"Jules." Stefan stated, grabbing the phone from me as his stood from the chair and stared down at Tyler in warning.
"You made a mistake, Stefan. I'm going to give you a chance to fix it." Jules countered from the phone, making him clench his jaw.
"Where is she?" Stefan asked angrily and I folded my arms over my chest in worry.
"Right here. Want proof?" Jules asked before silence came over the phone and I furrowed my eyes. "He needs proof." She stated from the phone as she talked to someone before I heard a gunshot go off and Caroline's screams that followed, making me widen my eyes.
"Hurt her again, and you're dead." I warned, quickly grabbing the phone back from Stefan.
"I hurt her again, and she's dead." Jules countered in warning. "Bring Tyler to me, the clearing by Wickery Falls. You have twenty minutes until she dies." She warned before hanging up and I scoffed, looking down at Tyler who furrowed his eyebrows.
"Call Damon." I stated turned to Stefan who nodded in agreement. I walked out of the study, hearing Tyler quickly trail after me.
"Marianaâ" Tyler started before I cut him off.
"This is on you, Tyler. Whatever they do to her, it's on you." I snapped, walking out of the house before he could say anything else.
~~~
Stefan, Tyler and I stayed back, scanning the area in front of us as we watched a dirty blonde and blue eyed woman stand in front of a camper as she looked out into the woods. "I know you're out there." She stated loudly before we walked forwards.
"Where's Caroline?" Stefan asked as he held Tyler by his arm.
"Locked up tight." Jules replied as she stood with her arms folded over her chest.
"Let her go and I'll release Tyler." Stefan stated cautiously. "Doesn't haven't to get any messier than it already has." He added and I watched as Jules remained silent. "I'm not your enemy, Jules." Stefan stated, shaking his head at her.
"It's a little late to be waving a white flag, don't you think?" Jules asked in annoyance at him.
"You need to leave town." I stated, stuffing my hands in my jacket pockets. "No one else has to get hurt." I added, shrugging at her.
"I'm not leaving without Tyler." Jules warned and I looked at Tyler who was remaining silent as he looked between Jules and I slowly.
"Tyler's free to make his own decisions. As soon as you release Caroline." I countered, tilting my head back at her.
"Mariana and Stefan. The peacemakers." Damon's voice called out from behind me until I saw him once he stood beside me. "Since he got here before I did, I'm gonna let him try his way before I resort to my way, which is a little bloodier." He warned in amusement at Jules. "So, give us Caroline." He added and Jules narrowed her eyes.
"Let go of Tyler." Jules responded emotionlessly and I rose an eyebrow at her.
"Give us Caroline. Without a full moon, it's not an even fight and you know it." I stated, taking my hands out of my pockets and leaving them at my sides.
"We'll take you." Damon added in agreement and Jules tilted her head at him.
"I'm not so sure about that, tough guy." Jules replied before she let out a loud whistle. I looked around as more than seven men circled us, carrying stakes or even flamethrowers in hand. "Let's try this again. Give us Tyler." She added emotionlessly and I clenched my fists as Damon looked toward him.
"You heard her. Go." Damon stated quietly to him and Tyler looked at him hesitantly. "Get over there." He added, gesturing Tyler to move. Tyler slowly walked over to Jules as the camper door opened and a bigger guy came out of it, standing next to her.
"Which one of you killed Mason?" The werewolf asked, looking between Stefan and Damon.
"Uh, that'd be me." Damon pointed out in amusement and I rolled my eyes at him.
"Boys, make sure that one suffers." The werewolf stated as he pointed at Damon with a stake in hand.
"We can take them." Damon said optimistically, looking between Stefan and I as the werewolves around us started moving forward.
"I'm not sure about that." Stefan replied doubtfully and Damon slowly nodded.
"Well." Damon sighed, narrowing his eyes at Jules before he vamped towards her while Tyler ran into the camper. Jules ran up the side of camper and landed behind Damon, running away from him as the others started going after him. A werewolf ran at me with a stake and I rolled my eyes at him, standing firmly.
"I'm not a vampire, idiot." I stated, twisting my wrist and watching his neck snap in the process. I turned around as another wolf came at me with a flamethrower and I clenched my fist out toward him before pulling my arm back to me and watched as his heart flew out from his chest and into my hand. I dropped it and grabbed the abandoned stake from the ground. I whipped around and narrowed my eyes on two werewolves who started coming at me. I threw the stake at one of them and watched as it landed in his neck, making his yell out. I looked at the other one as he drove the stake through the air but I dodged him and groaned in pain as the stake grazed my arm. I turned back around only to gasp as the stake for plumages into my stomach.
"Mariana!" Damon's voice yelled out and I met his gaze from across me in time to watch Jules shoot him in the chest with a wooden bullet.
"Damon!" I screamed out to him, now falling to my knees as I gripped the stake. I looked back at Jules who now held Caroline up against the camper, holding a gun to the back of Care's neck. "Tyler.." I whispered, my eyes falling in him as he stood beside Jules in shock and silence. Not moving, not retaliating. I winced as the werewolf behind me kicked me in the back and I fell face first onto the ground. I groaned, weakly turning over on my back to face the werewolf again only to hear him yell out in pain and drop to his knees while clutching his head. I felt my eyelids start to shut before more groans and gasps from the werewolves started coming from around me. "Damonâwhat'sâhappening.." I breathed out, my breaths becoming jagged. I winced and groaned in pain as a pair of arms picked me up from the ground. My eyes met Damon's and a tear escaped me as the pain of my wound overcame me.
"Elijah made a promise to Mariana. I'm here to see that it's upheld." A voice stated and I looked at it to see Elijah's warlock with his arms outstretched over all of the werewolves that now lay unconscious below us. "You need to go." He added gesturing to Damon who held me. Damon slowly nodded back at him and looked down at me before Caroline, Stefan and him vamped away.
~~~~
I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand after Damon gave me his blood in the car. "How you feeling?" He asked looking away from the road and at me with concern. I looked at my arm that was healing before I pulled up my bloody shirt and looked at my stomach that was now healed as well.
"All clear." I answered quietly, slowly pulling my shirt back down and looking out the window.
"Not until that blood's out of your system. Those werewolves better be lucky you didn't die tonight." Damon stated emotionlessly and I sat there in silence. Unresponsive. My phone started vibrated from in my lap and I jumped. Damon looked at me but I ignored him as I cleared my throat and grabbed it.
"I have every right to hang up right now." I stated emotionlessly as I answered it.
"Mariana, where are you? Are you okay. I was soâ" Tyler started from the phone before I cut him off.
"Yeah. You looked pretty worried from where I was standing. Or laying." I replied with anger in my voice as I felt my eyes glaze over.
"Marianaâ" Tyler started again but I cut him off.
"I almost died tonight, Tyler. Your little band of misfits almost killed me and Caroline. They tried to kill us and what did you do? Nothing. You did nothing. That's not what a friend would do, TyâThat's not what a boyfriend would do." I stated angrily as I felt a tear roll down my cheek. "But from here on out, you're neither of those things. I don't care if you're pissed off because I lied to protect you or because Caroline lied to protect youâBut after tonight, that's more than what you did for us." I snapped, hanging up the phone and letting a breath come out that I didn't know I was holding in. I put a hand over my mouth to keep me from sobbing and let silence fall over me.
"You don't have to be strong with me, Mariana." Damon stated quietly, breaking the silence and I looked at him. For a moment, I didn't say anything. I just watching his concerned eyes drift between mine and the road in front of him.
"Thank you." I whispered as another tear fell from my cheek. He quickly took his hand that wasn't steering and wiped the tear away gently, rubbing my cheek as he did. I smiled a bit and held his hand to my cheek for a few seconds before I noticed that we stopped next to Stefan. I got out of the car to greet Elena and Bonnie as we all met up outside of Caroline's.
"Mariana, my god! Are you hurt?" Bonnie asked, her and Elena rushing over to me as she looked over my bloodied shirt.
"I'm fineâI didn't get a chance to change." I answered simply, putting on a smile as they checked me. The five of us walked up Caroline's steps and Stefan knocked on the door. After a few seconds, Caroline opened it and looked over all of us.
"What is this?" Caroline asked furrowing her eyebrows at all of us as she stood in a robe in front of us.
"I was worried about you.. So I brought a little backup." Stefan pointed out with a small smile.
"After tonight, you could use some girl time, I'm sure. So could I." I stated reassuringly and stepped toward her. Caroline chuckled and slowly nodded a bit before she started crying and I slowly nodded down at her, bringing her closer to me.
"We're gonna slumber it." Elena added in, smiling at us.
"We haven't in ages." Bonnie stated with a small smile before we all hugged Caroline while she cried in our arms.
"I am going to ask if I can borrow a change of clothes though. I didn't really come prepared." I said jokingly as I broke away from them. Caroline looked me over and started laughing.
"I can see that." She said in a bright tone and I smiled. I looked over my shoulder at Damon who was watching me intently. I gave him a small smile and turned back to Care and hugged her tighter.