I looked out Elena's window quietly as Damon sat on the windowsill beside me and Stefan on the bed beside Elena. I heard a gasp and I turned to see Elena quickly sit up in bed and looked around her in confusion. "Stefan?" She asked towards him, breathing heavily.
"Hey. I'm right here." Stefan reassured her, placing one of his hands on top of hers, calming her down. "You've been in an out for hours." He stated and she furrowed her eyebrows.
"What happened?" Elena asked, shaking her head and Stefan looked over his shoulder towards me. I rose an eyebrow before I cleared my throat and turned towards her.
"You were in an accident." I stated towards her and she looked away from me as she tried to remember.
"Oh, my god. Matt, is heâ" Elena started worriedly before Damon cut her off.
"Alive? Ask Stefan. The hero." Damon replied emotionlessly and I watched as Elena looked at Stefan expectantly.
"He's fine." Stefan reassured her and she sighed deeply as relief washed over her.
"Thank you." Elena stated towards Stefan before she shook slowly shook her head. "I thought that IâHow did youâ" She started in confusion before I cut her off.
"He didn't, Elena." I whispered towards her and she furrowed her eyebrows. "When Jer and I brought you to the hospital before all of this happened, you injuries were worse than anyone knew.. And Meredith Fell made a choice. She used Damon's blood to heal you." I pointed out and Damon nodded from beside me.
"And when Rebekah ran Matt's truck off the road, you had vampire blood in your system, Elena." Damon added quietly. I stared at Elena quietly as her eyes glazed over and she was taken aback.
"Oh, my god.." Elena whispered looking at me before at Stefan in confusion. "Doesâdoes that mean that Iâ" She started before she cut herself off and I folded my arms over my chest. "Am I dead?" Elena asked loudly towards us and we remained silent, making her shake her head quickly. "No.. no, no, no. ThatâThat wasn't supposed to happen!" She stated angrily and Stefan shook his head.
"Maybe it doesn't have to. I talked to Bonnie. She said she's stronger than ever, there might be something she can do to help you. Mariana can, tooâshe's descended from Esther's original bloodline. You might have optionsâ" Stefan started before Damon cut him off.
"No, the only thing that going to help, is for you to feed and complete the transition." Damon stated in annoyance and I sighed at him.
"We have all day before she has to feed, Damon. That's a day to exhaust every possible way out of this." Stefan argued looking at him and Damon scoffed.
"There is no way out of it, Stefan. We all know the drillâyou feed or you die. There is no door number three." Damon stated in annoyance towards his brother.
"I was ready to die!" Elena said loudly and I looked at her as she shook her head. "I was supposed to die, I don'tâ" She started before she cut herself off by sobbing. "I can't be a vampire.." She whispered looking towards me and I furrowed my eyebrows in defeat. "If there's something you can do, we have to try." Elena stated and I slowly nodded back at her.
"Okay.. Your choice, Elena." I whispered back at her quietly before looking down at Damon who sighed in annoyance.
~~~
I sat at the table quietly and watched Damon grab a glass from the kitchen cupboard before he poured bourbon into it as Stefan came in. "Way to get her hopes up on something that's never happened in the history of vampirism." Damon pointed out in annoyance and turning towards Stefan emotionlessly.
"You know what, you weren't there the day Elena looked me in the eye and told me that she absolutely never wanted this." Stefan countered angrily and I sighed, getting up from the table.
"Then you shouldn't have let her die." Damon pointed out unphased and I furrowed my eyebrows at him.
"He never meant for her to die, Damon. She asked him to help Matt get out of the truck first and he did." I stated furrowing my eyebrows at him.
"And now the world has one more quarterback." Damon replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes and I folded my arms over my chest.
"I made a choice that I will regret for the rest of my live. Now, let me try to fix it." Stefan stated narrowing his eyes at his brother before walking out. I narrowed my eyes at Damon who looked away from me and downed his glass of bourbon.
"Why are you pushing this?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows at him and he scoffed, turning away from me.
"Why aren't you?" Damon countered in annoyance and I watched him silently as he sprawled his hands out on the counter in front of him.
"She's my sister, Damon. And right now she's hurting." I whispered, feeling my eyes glaze over and I watched as Damon turned towards me, staring at me quietly.
"What if that were you, Mariana? It could have easily been." Damon stated emotionlessly towards me and I stared quietly back before I shrugged.
"Then I would live with it." I answered with a small sigh and he furrowed his eyebrows towards me slightly. "Because Jeremy needs me.. And so does Jenna." I added, shaking my head. "But right now, Elena needs me.. So I need to be here." I pointed out, tilting my head towards him. "And I need you." I whispered quietly and watched as Damon sighed deeply and nodded. He kissed me reassuringly on the top of the head and I sighed deeply from under him. We pulled away and I leant against the counter behind me, pressing my palms on it before I winced, quickly pulling my palms away. Damon furrowed his eyebrows down at my still wounded palm, thanks to Esther and I slowly sighed and looked up at him.
"You regretting that you didn't let me heal it?" Damon asked sarcastically and I rolled my eyes. He slowly nodded and grabbed the now empty glass he drank from. I watched as Damon but his wrist before he dropped some of his blood into the glass and handed it to me. I sighed down at it before I looked up at him while he looked back at me expectantly. I slowly shook my head and looked back down at the glass before raising it to my lips.
~~~
I watched Elena bite into the sandwich that Stefan made her before she furrowed her eyebrows and slowly ate it hesitatingly. "It's disgusting." Stefan observed as he leant against the kitchen island and Elena shook her head back at him.
"No, it's um.." Elena replied looking at the sand which in confusion as he sighed slowly nodding.
"Disgusting." Stefan pointed out and Elena quickly nodded.
"Yeah, I'm gonna puke." Elena replied gagging and coughing the sandwich into a napkin and pushing the plate away from her before shrugged and ate it instead. "I'd never thought I'd be saying thisâbut I can't stop thinking about blood." She added sighing at Stefan who slowly nodded.
"I should have saved you first." Stefan stated and turned away from Elena who furrowed her eyebrows at him. "You shouldn't be going through this right now." He added and she sighed as he poured himself some bourbon.
"No, if you had saved me, then Matt would be dead. What do you think I'd be going through then?" Elena countered in annoyance towards him and he leant against the counter and avoided eye contact with her as he drank his glass of bourbon.
"Stefan, listen to meâyou did the right thing." I stated shaking my head towards him as Elena got up from the stool she sat on at the kitchen island. "You did what you always do, you respected her choice." I added furrowing my eyebrows at him.
"And what am I supposed to do if you and Bonnie can't find a way to help her?" Stefan countered towards me and I sighed as Elena furrowed her eyebrows standing in front of him. "Because then she has another house to makeâeither let herself die or become a vampire." He added looking away from us.
"Well, then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it!" Elena said loudly towards him and he sighed at her while she chuckled a bit. "Oh, my god.. Did I just say 'cross that bridge'?" She asked and I rose an eyebrow as she laughed hysterically.
"You're laughing. I'm pretty sure you don't actually think that's funny." Stefan stated tilting his head towards her and she laughed more, nodding her head slowly.
"IâI can't stop though." Elena stated as her eyes glazed over from the laughing and Stefan slowly nodded.
"Your emotions are a bit heightened today." Stefan stated standing in front of her as Elena laughed into her hand loudly.
"A lot heightened." I corrected and folded my arms over my chest and watched as Elena's laughs turned to sobs and Stefan held her to him.
"Hey." He whispered as her head rested against his chest. "It's okay." Stefan whispered as she wrapped her arms around him, shaking her head as her breathing calmed.
"I'm sorry.. Iâ" Elena started before she cut herself off and Stefan pulled away from her and grabbed her face in his hands gently.
"Listen to me. No matter what happens, I'm here for you. I can help you." Stefan reassured her quietly and I stared between the two silently as I ate the rest of the sandwich Stefan made.
"Yeah, I-Iâ" Elena started again and pulled away from Stefan before groaning lightly as the sun from the kitchen window hit her eyes and she moved away from it.
"Why don't you go back upstairs where it's dark? Stefan and I will clean up." I reassured her and Elena slowly nodded at me before she looked at Stefan again and walked out of the kitchen. I put my now empty plate into the sink as Stefan leant against the counter in defeat. "She's going to get through this." I stated furrowing my eyebrows at him and he watched as he slowly nodded towards me.
"Yeah.. I hope so." Stefan replied and I gave him a reassuring smile before I put the tomatoes, lettuce and ham back in the fridge as a knock came from the door. I rose an eyebrow as Stefan went towards it before I heard the door get kicked in and I furrowed my eyebrows. I walked into the hall in confusion to see the towns reverend there while men in deputy badges surrounded Stefan and held guns towards him.
"Stefan? Mariana?" Elena asked coming down from the stairs and I held my hand up towards her.
"Elena, don't move." I warned shaking my head towards her and narrowing my eyes at the reverend.
~~~
I sat beside Elena at the table inside the reverend's home as he put a kettle on the oven. "Still want to be a writer?" He asked Elena who anxiously chewed her nails. "I remember how'd you read your short stories to my daughter when you babysat. She still loves writing because of you." He added walking towards the fridge and taking out a bowl.
"Why did you bring us here?" I asked looking away from Elena and at the reverend, changing the subject.
"My deputies can watch out for us here. No vampires have been invited in." He reassured as he stood before Elena and I as she watched the clock emotionless. "Look, girls, I know it sounds crazy but it was your parents years ago that advocated having an emergency plan for this. I never thought we'd actually have to use it." Reverend pointed out with a small sigh and I heard Elena groan lightly as the sunlight coming threw his window hit her face and she shielded herself with a hand. "Elena?" He asked furrowing his eyebrows towards her. "Is she okay?" Reverend asked looking at me and I cleared my throat and slowly nodded.
"Where's Stefan?" Elena asked up at him, recovering herself and he sighed deeply.
"Where he can't hurt you." Reverend reassured and I furrowed my eyebrows at Elena who looked more pale than before as she shook her head.
"He would never hurt us. Me. You have no idea what you're talking about." Elena replied in some amusement as she folded her arms over her chest.
"Well, I know that wherever you and Mariana go, Salvatore vampires seem to follow." Reverend stated before he turned back towards the fridge and I rolled my eyes at him, making Elena smile a bit. "You hungry?" He asked us and I looked back at him.
"No." Elena and I both stated quickly as he pulled out some sort of platter and grabbed a knife.
"So we'll hold Stefan until Damon comes searching for you three." Reverend stated as he grabbed plates and I furrowed my eyebrows as he started getting what was in the platter. "Then we'll use Rebekah to lure her siblings back into town." He added and I realized what he was cutting was steak and I looked at Elena who sat beside me uneasily. "You'll give us the White Oak stake, and then.." Reverend stated putting a piece of stake on a two plates before putting them in front of Elena and I. "We'll execute the entire vampire race." He added as Elena stared down at the piece of shake in front of her, breathing heavily. "Something wrong?" Reverend asked furrowing his eyebrows towards Elena who looked up at him emotionlessly.
"We've recently went vegetarian." I stated, covering her and pushing the plates away from us and grabbing Elena's hand from under the table. Reverend narrowed his eyes down at us emotionlessly as Elena held her head, trying to zone out all of the noises around her.
"Are you sure she's okay?" Reverend asked looking between us before the kettle on the stove started whistling and Elena quickly got up from the table.
"I need to get out of here." Elena stated breathlessly before she quickly walked out of the house and I ran out after her.
"Elena!" I yelled, and watched as she ran down the porch and towards the dirt road in front of us as we were literally in the middle of nowhere.
"Grab 'em!" Reverend yelled from behind me and I furrowed my eyebrows towards him before I widened my eyes and looked back towards Elena who tried to shield her face from the sun as it kept blinding her.
"Elena!" I screamed towards her in warning as a deputy stood in front of her. Elena furrowed her eyebrows and moved her hand from her face before the deputy hit her in the face with his gun, knocking her out. I growled angrily and ran towards Elena before I gasped and felt skin from my stomach tear as wooden bullets were shot into me. The deputy that knocked out Elena came towards me and I slowly shook my head as tears escaped from my eyes. "We're notâ" I started before he hit me in the face with his gun also and I groaned, falling back.
~~~
I gasped, waking up and furrowing my eyebrows around me to see I was in some sort of barn. "Mariana?" A voice asked from around me and I looked across from me to see Rebekah sitting in a cell as I sat in one also.
"What happened?" I asked, slowly shaking my head and groaning in pain as I sat up before I looked down at my stomach to see dry blood stains..
"They thought you and Elena were vampires so they stuck you in here." Rebekah answered weakly and I furrowed my eyebrows from where I sat.
"Mariana?âStefan?" Elena's voice asked weakly from the cell beside me, groggily waking up and I looked towards the voice it didn't see her as a wall separated us.
"I thought I killed you." Rebekah stated in annoyance towards Elena, who ignored her.
"MarianaâElena, Are you okay?" Stefan's voice asked weakly from somewhere on the opposite side of Elena and I weakly crawled towards the cell door that kept me from escaping.
"IâI got shot. They shot me with bullets." I stated quietly and furrowed my eyebrows, lightly putting pressure to my healed stomach.
"Oh, my god." Elena whispered breathlessly from the cell beside me and I slowly shook my head.
"Can you dig then out, Mariana? Are you strong enough to use your magic and remove them?" Stefan asked calmly, breathing heavily from the vervain that seeped into the barn through the vents.
"The bullets removed themselves, Stefan." I replied emotionlessly and looked towards Rebekah who furrowed her eyebrows at me as I noticed the bloodstains along her white shirt. "Elena.." I whispered, looking at the wall that separated us. "I had Damon's blood in my system." I stated, clearing my throat a bit and looking down at the palm of my hand that Damon healed this morning.
"Marianaâwhat does that mean?" Elena asked in confusion and I heard her voice break from beside me. I slowly shook my head as my eyes glazed over slightly and I became silent for a moment.
"I died, Elena.." I answered quietly and looked back at the wooden bullets before I shook my head. "Stefan, she didn't feed." I warned, changing the subject quickly, seeing Rebekah furrow her eyebrows at us.
"I see what's going on here.. You both died with vampire blood in your system and neither of you fed.. and you're probably not going to feed now that you're locked up in here." Rebekah pointed out in some amusement and I narrowed my eyes towards her angrily. "That is a problem." She added with a small smile and I scoffed back at her.
"Just ignore her." Stefan replied in annoyance towards Elena and I but Rebekah sighed.
"Has anyone done the math or shall I? I'd say Elena has less than three hours to feed before I get to watch her die all over againâBut Mariana.. I sure will be sad to see you go." Rebekah stated quietly, tilting her head towards me and I slowly shook my head and looked away and from her.
"Mariana, can you unlock your cell? You're in between the transition.. So you still have your magic." Stefan stated from the other side of Elena's cell and I furrowed my eyebrows at him. I slowly pulled myself up from the floor and stood, looking at the lock on my cell door. I gestured my hand towards it slowly and concentrated. I saw the lock jiggle weakly before I groaned in irritation and breathed heavily, shaking my head.
"I'm too weak, Stefan.. I can't." I whispered in defeat and looked across from me at Rebekah who rose an eyebrow before I avoided her eyes and sighed, sitting back against the cell wall.
~~~
I leant against the wall as I heard Elena breathing with weak and jagged breaths from the other side of it. "Elena." I whispered towards her and she groaned back at me weakly.
"Elena, what's going on?" Stefan asked her in worry as I heard her breath hitch in her throat.
"StefanâI'm out of time." Elena whispered weakly back at him and I furrowed my eyebrows as I listened to her. "I'm dying." She stated breathlessly and I shook my head.
"Elena, stay with me." I stated loudly, putting my head against the wall as I heard her gasp lightly and I groaned. "Stefan." I warned in defeat before I heard the sound of feet shuffling from a few cells down from mine.
"Hey!" Stefan's voice yelled out angrily through the barn and I furrowed my eyebrows. "Anyone? Hey!" He yelled again, making Rebekah groan from where she sat against the wall inside of her cell.
"Will you shut up?" Rebekah asked in annoyance towards him and I narrowed my eyes at her.
"You think we're afraid of you?" Stefan asked loudly, banging against the bars of his cell. I heard the barn door open and I furrowed my eyebrows and looked towards it to see a deputy come in, holding a hand over the gun that was holstered.
"You want more vervain? Keep it down." The deputy warned in annoyance towards Stefan as he stood in front of his cell.
"Listen to me.. Elena's going to die if you don't let her out of here." Stefan warned in a heavy breath as I slowly stood up from the floor and looked towards the deputy from in between the bars of my cell. I watched as the deputy looked from Stefan and towards Elena who sat on the floor of her cell, leaning her head weakly against the bars. I sighed in defeat down at her, noticing she was more pale than hours before.
"Sorry. Not my problem." The deputy replied emotionlessly as he looked back at Stefan and I scoffed.
"She's innocent. Let her out." I stated angrily towards him and the deputy looked at me for a few seconds before he scoffed and walked back towards the barn doors.
"Let her out!?" Stefan yelled loudly back at the deputy, slamming himself against his cell bars forcefully. The deputy grabbed his gun quickly and shot Stefan in the stomach, making me widen my eyes at his groans before I heard his body fall to the floor.
"Stop!" Elena protested weakly at the deputy who looked at her for a few seconds before he looked away.
"I said, LET HER OUT!?" Stefan yelled out again, his voice echoing through the barn. He vamped angrily towards the bars of his cell before the deputy shot him again and I winced, hearing Stefan fall to the floor groaning in pain again. I shook my head as the deputy walked out of the barn and I heard Stefan move his body across his cell floor weakly. I heard his breathing increase harshly as he gasped and groaned loudly, digging the wooden bullets from out of him.
"Elena.. Are you still with us?" I asked worriedly towards her, sitting back against the wall. I put my ear to it and listening closely to her breathing from the other side.
"Yeah.. I'm still here.. I'm okay." Elena reassured me quietly, wheezing as she breathed and I slowly shook my head as I heard how hoarse her voice was.
"No, you're not." Stefan argued in a heavy breath. "I can hear your breathing." He pointed out and I slowly nodded in agreement as I felt my eyes glaze over, listening to her. "Damon was right.. You should have fed this morning. I'm so sorry." Stefan whispered in defeat and I looked at Rebekah through the bars of our cells to see her listening intently.
"Don't be." Elena replied through her heavy breaths. "You had hope.. That's all I wanted you to have.. and you had it." She whispered reassuringly, her breath catching in her throat.
"I love you so much." Stefan stated in sorrow towards her and I felt my eyes glaze over at the two as Elena's breathing became more jagged.
"Do you know why I was even on that bridge?" Elena asked weakly and I tilted my head back against the wall. "I was coming back for you, Stefan.. I love you." She whispered and I slowly shook my head at her. "And no matter what happensâit's the best choice I ever made." Elena stated quietly before she gasped weakly. "Godâit sucks that I can't see you right now." She whispered in annoyance and I heard Stefan sniffle from his cell.
"I'm smiling." Stefan reassured her in amusement and she chuckled, wheezing back at him.
"Me, too." Elena whispered quietly before she gasped as the vervain filled her lungs more, making her more weak.
"Elena.. Stay with me." I stated, shaking my head in worry towards her as I placed a hand on the wall. "Pleaseâstay, okay? You can do it." I reassured calmly but I was so not calm. I heard a gunshot come from somewhere outside of the barn and I furrowed my eyebrows. I slowly stood and held on to the cell bars as the barn door opened and two deputies came in, both holding herbs of vervain. I looked across from me towards Rebekah who stood in her cell also. Rebekah gestured her eyes towards the guards and I smirked, nodding at her softly in agreement.
"I got this. Bring the other one in." The deputy who shot Stefan stated towards the other one. They nodded at each other before one of them left the barn as Rebekah groaned from within her cell.
"Excuse me? Hello, sir?" Rebekah asked in a groggy voice and coughing loudly, leaning back against the wall. The deputy loaded and cocked his wooden bullet gun before he walked towards Rebekah's cell and stood in front of it.
"I thought I told you to shut up." The deputy stated angrily at her and Rebekah shook her head at him.
"Here's the thingâmy family, weâwe have money. Castles, apartments, jewelry. Just name your price and let me out." Rebekah bribed as she coughed and breathed jagged breaths towards the deputy. The deputy rose an eyebrow down at her and tilted his head, slowly walking closer towards her cell.
"I'd much rather watch you die." The deputy replied emotionlessly. Rebekah growled and vamped towards the cell bars, fully shifted and angry. I watched in amusement as the deputy gasped and stepped quickly back from her, pulling out his gun. Stefan reached his arms through his cell bars and grabbing the deputy his throat and slamming him into the bars over and over again, cracking his skull before letting him fall to the floor to bleed out.
"Elena! Elena!" I said loudly towards her cell as the man lay in front of her. I heard Elena groan weakly before I saw one of her hands work it's way through the bars of her cell and towards the pool of blood formed around the now, dead deputy. Elena gasped and groaned in frustration as her arm strained, not being able to reach the blood. I furrowed my eyebrows and stepped away from the bars, slowly gesturing my hands towards them. I breathed heavily as I narrowed my eyes towards the bars, letting my anger wash over me as I remembered Esther and Klaus in the back of my mind.. As I remembered and pictured everything that they have done to me.. To Elena. To Alaric. I yelled out angrily and let my eyes glaze over as I pushed all of the energy I had in me towards the bars. I closed my eyes and heard the bars strain before the sound of metal hitting gravel came into my ears. I opened my eyes and saw the cell bars laying beside the dead deputy. I sighed in some relief and quickly walked out of the cell and grabbed the deputy by his neck, pulling him towards Elena's hand. Elena sighed deeply in relief as blood surrounded her fingertips before she drew her hand towards her. I looked down at the deputy and took a deep breath, grabbing his wrist and raising it towards my mouth. I smelt the blood from under me and I closed my eyes and bit into his wrist, tasting the coppery liquid run down my throat. I felt my eyes shift and my fangs extend before I pulled away and narrowed my eyes. I slowly stood from where I knelt and looked at Elena who stood from inside of her cell also, no longer pale or weak. I furrowed my eyebrows as I felt stronger, yet the same. I felt the air around me.. I felt the dirt below me.. I felt it all.
"Mariana?" Elena asked furrowing her eyebrows at me in confusion and I looked at her and took a deep breath, shaking my head.
"Stand back." I warned looking between her, Stefan and Rebekah as I now stood in front of them. They all looked at me in question before they did as told and I extended my arms outwards from me. I clenched my fists tightly and groaned before I pulled my arms together, letting them cross over one another. I watched as the doors from all of their cells broke open and I furrowed my eyebrows. "What the hell?" I asked shaking my head down at my hands in disbelief as Rebekah slowly walked out of her cell and narrowed her eyes at me.
"That's.. impossible." Rebekah whispered in confusion and I looked up at her.
"I know." I replied back at her, shaking my head before I heard a commotion from outside, come into my ears. I looked towards the barn doors curiously before I vamped towards them and out of the barn. I saw Matt laying weakly on the ground in front of the Reverend's house with a bite wound on his neck while Damon stood above him, a foot on his throat.
"It should have been you!" Damon said through gritted teeth as Matt put his hands around Damon's boot, trying to put him off but he couldn't. I clenched my jaw and vamped towards Damon angrily, grabbing him by the collar of his leather jacket and pushing him back into the side of his Camaro.
"Leave him alone!" I growled, shifting angrily at him and Damon furrowed his eyebrows down at me, completely taken aback.
"Mariana?" He asked looking me over slowly as I let him go and shifted back to normal. I looked over my shoulder towards Matt who ran towards the barn and I sighed in annoyance. "Howâ" Damon started before I turned back to him and held up the palm of my hand.. I watched Damon furrowed his eyebrows at my palm, remembering this morning before I folded my arms over my chest slowly.
"You were going to kill him." I stated emotionlessly, changing the subject and Damon narrowed his eyes at me before he looked away.
"Yep. Guy just doesn't want to die." Damon replied sarcastically and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Why can't you just accept that it was Elena's choice to save him? Why aren't you seeing that?" I asked shaking my head at him in annoyance and he scoffed.
"Because you would have made the same choice, Mariana." Damon stated emotionless and I furrowed my eyebrows at him, taken aback. "If it were you in that truck and you drowning.. You would have asked to do the same." He added angrily and I slowly nodded.
"And would you have?" I countered, tilting my head at him and he narrowed his eyes back at me. "If It were me in that truck.. And you at the bridge last night, and I begged you to save Mattâ" I started before he cut me off.
"I would have saved you. In a heartbeat, no question." Damon answered emotionless and I slowly nodded at him quietly.
"That's what I thought.. And Matt would be dead because you wouldn't let go." I stated furrowing my eyebrows and he scoffed. "Matt would be deadâ" I started angrily before he cut me off.
"But you wouldn't be. And you would have gotten to grow up and have the life that you wanted; the life you deserve, Marianaâand I know I didn't use to get that, but I do now." Damon replied angrily and I furrowed my eyebrows. "I wanted that for you, Mariana, and I would have gladly given it to you and let Matt dieâbecause I am that selfish." He added harshly and I stared at him in disbelief before he became silent and stared at me, softening a bit as he did. "But you already knew that." Damon whispered and I took a deep breath and stared back at him, backing up slowly.
"Elena made her choice.. And I made mine." I stated quietly and watched as he stared back at me in confusion. "I am right here.. And I'm dead." I whispered, feeling my eyes glaze over a bit and he sighed, gently putting my face in his hands. "I'm a vampire.. And I didn't even have to think about it." I stated, furrowing my eyebrows and looking away from him as he held my face. "I didn't want to think about it, Damon. I couldn't think about having doubts from being able to watch over Jeremy.. Be here for Elena... Meet Jenna's baby." I whispered, slowly shaking my head before I looked back at him. "I still have a lot of things to say to you.. And I couldn't say them if I was gone." I whispered and Damon gave me a small smirk before he kissed my forehead gently and I closed my eyes.
"Well.. Then I think we should get you home.. And get you something to eat." Damon replied quietly and I rose an eyebrow at him as he pulled away.
-Time Skip-
"You're making a big mistake." Damon warned with a sigh from where he sat at Stefan's desk while Stefan packed a bag that sat on his bed.
"No, I'm not. If I can get Elena used to animal blood right out of the gateâ" Stefan started before Damon cut him off.
"You're reaching." Damon warned, tilting his head at Stefan as I stared down at the daylight ring that sat on my middle finger.
"Maybe she'll to bypass all the things that we went though." Stefan finished in annoyance as he grabbed a few more things from his closet.
"Delusional." Damon replied looking towards me and I rolled my eyes back at him and went back to look down at my ring.
"Maybe she might actually have shot at this." Stefan stated shrugging as he packed more clothes into his bag.
"Wrong, you're just wrong, Stefan." Damon countered in annoyance and I sighed deeply.
"She won't be able to handle it if she hurts someone, Damon." I pointed out emotionlessly, looking up at him from where I leant against Stefan's bed frame. "Her compassion is her Achilles heel and everything is magnified right now." I warned shaking my head and Stefan gestured at me in agreement.
"Then you better hope she's not a fan of Bambi." Damon replied sarcastically and I sighed, folding my arms over my chest as Damon stuck a knife into the desk and sighed. "She needs human blood, Stefan. From the vein." He added and Stefan scoffed.
"Oh, come on. You name me a vampire that didn't kill at least one person when they were new." Stefan stated angrily towards Damon and I looked away from the two as Damon got up from the desk.
"You name me one who went on the bunny diet and didn't kill dozens." Damon countered emotionless and I looked up at the two again.
"If she kills someone, she will crumble. How much pain do you think she can take before she shuts off her humanity switch?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows at Damon.
"It happens to the best of us at least once.. and we get over it, Mariana. In a hundred years or so." Damon replied in annoyance and I rolled my eyes.
"I think I'd like her to skip that part." Stefan replied walking towards his desk to get a few things while Damon walked towards his bag and started pulling things out.
"She can't learn to control the bloodlust if she's never actually experienced the bloodlust. Ask Mariana." Damon stated gesturing towards me and I sighed in defeat at him.
"What are you doing? Cut it out." Stefan stated sighing towards Damon who continued to pull things out of his bag and put them away.
"It's like a cheat. Like giving a kid a calculator before they know math." Damon stated, ignoring Stefan as he went to it more things away. Stefan sighed and grabbed Damon by his arm emotionlessly, making Damon stop from in front of him.
"I said stop." Stefan warned before Damon grabbed his arm from Stefan and pushed him back. I groaned and vamped between the two quickly, putting a hand on both of their chests, separating them.
"Why don't you both just stop?" I asked in annoyance towards them before footsteps came in from beside us.
"Whoa. What's going on?" Elena's voice asked and I looked at her as she stood in the doorway, furrowing her eyebrows at the three of us before I dropped my hands.
"They're just having a disagreement about the process. Right, boys?" I asked folding my arms over my chest at the two who narrowed their eyes at each other and Elena sighed.
"You're still not on board with the animal plan." Elena stated towards Damon as Stefan packed again quickly.
"Nope. I say rip of the proverbial band-and and let it bleed." Damon countered as he watched Stefan before his eyes moved towards Elena. "You're a vampire, Elena, be a vampire." He added in annoyance and I sighed as Stefan grabbed the bag and walked towards her.
"You ready to go?" Stefan asked, changing the subject and Elena nodded back at him. The two walked towards the door and I looked at Damon who rolled his eyes.
"Vampires eat people. It's part of the natural food pyramid." Damon stated and I sighed as Elena and Stefan looked back at him. "Trust me. You're going to be miserable." He warned and I shook my head and stood in front of Elena.
"You're going to do fine." I reassured her with a small smile and she slowly nodded back at me and looked towards Damon again quietly before her and Stefan walked out of the room. "What the hell is your problem?" I asked turning towards Damon who rolled his eyes at me.
"She's a vampire, Mariana. A new one at that." Damon replied going to walk past before I put a hand on his chest and pushed him back.
"So am I, Damon." I stated emotionless and he sighed looking down at me quietly. "Elena is my sister and I know what she can and can't handle more than anyone." I warned, shaking my head up at him. "And I know what I can handle." I added and he rose an eyebrow down at me.
"Well.. How about we test that theory?" Damon asked and I rose an eyebrow back at him. "You hungry?" He added with a small smirk and I chuckled back at him.
~~~
I watched as Stefan pulled out another wooden bullet out of Tyler who groaned and arched his head back in pain from where he lay on the couch inside of the library. "Please tell me that's the last one." Caroline sighed in defeat as Stefan examined the bullet with the pliers he held it with.
"These were specially carved." Stefan stated furrowing his eyebrows at the bullet and I rose an eyebrow and leant over his shoulder, examining it also. "The length, the width. If you were a normal vampire, you would be dead." He added shaking his head towards Tyler.
"This guy knew what he was doing." Tyler stated as she shook his head. "His gloves must have been steeped in vervain. He was looking for a vampire and he didn't hesitate for a second when he found one." He added and I sighed looking over his bloody torso.
"These etchings.." Stefan whispered examining one of the bullets before he touched it with his fingers and groaned as it burnt him, making me wince at the burning sound.
"Are the bullets spelled?" Caroline asked looking at them from where she stood behind Stefan who sat on the couch next to Tyler.
"I can't tell." I replied, putting a hand over the glass full of the rest of the of the bullets. "They're something." I whispered, furrowing my eyebrows and looking between Tyler, Stefan and Caroline in defeat.
-Time Skip-
I walked down the aisles of church benches and put brochures on every seat. "Hey." Matt stayed coming towards me and I gave him a small smile. "How are you doing? I meanâI just talked to Elena and she.. She looks a little strung out." He stated quietly and I sighed looking around the inside of the church but not seeing Elena and I cleared my throat, looking back at Matt.
"Well.. Our emotions are all over the place. Everything's heightened.." I pointed out and looked down at one of the brochures I held in my hand. "I mean, I look at all of the pictures and faces of the dead council members.. And it makes me want to cry for a week." I pointed out furrowing my eyebrows at him.
"You didn't have to volunteer." Matt countered, slowly shaking his head and I scoffed.
"People died, Matt. People we've known our whole lives.. So yeah.. I did." I replied with a small shrug. I saw a girl out of the corner of my eye as sitting alone on a bench at the front of the church.. I examined her dark hair, fair skin and blue eyes before I furrowed my eyebrows. "Is that April Young?" I asked and watched as Matt turned and looked at her also.
"Yeah.. Reverend Young's daughter." Matt answered and I sighed deeply before I walked away from him and towards her. As I walked closer to her, she looked up at me and I gave a small smile.
"Hey." I whispered quietly before I sat on the bench beside her and I tilted my head, looking over the black floral print dress she wore.
"Hey." April replied with a weak smile, holding a brochure in her hand tightly. "Long time no see. Not since.." She added and I slowly nodded.
"My parents' funeral." I agreed quietly and she gave me a small nod.
"Yeah." April replied and I sighed before I hugged her gently, rubbing her back reassuringly.
"Are you going to be okay?" I asked once we pulled away and she chuckled dryly.
"They want me to speak." April pointed out and I furrowed my eyebrows at her. "I guess all the kids who lost somebody can.. But what am I supposed to say? 'I'm sorry my dad didn't fix the gas line?'.." She asked in defeat and I sighed, shaking my head at her. "But if I don't say anything then.. I mean, what if nobody does? My dad and I didn't always get alongâbut everyone deserves to have nice things said about them at their own funeral, right? I mean, at my moms funeral, everyone said some really nice things." April stated furrowing her eyebrows as her eyes glazed over.
"You day what you wanna say.. Lr you don't say anything at all." I reassured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "And don't worry about your dad. Everyone in this town loved him." I added with a small smile and she sighed, looking away.
"Yeah. Until two days ago." April countered in defeat and I slowly nodded.
"Even still." I stated quietly, holding onto April's hand tightly before the sound of a heartbeat came through my ears and I furrowed my eyebrows. I looked down at her hand and towards her wrist.. Feeling my hunger take control before I gave April a small smile, shaking my head. "I'm sorry. Iâ" I started before my cellphone vibrating cut me off and I furrowed my eyebrows and grabbed it from my dress pocket. "Elena?" I asked, standing and walking away from April. "Where did you go? The service is going to start soon." I warned with a small sigh before Elena's sobs came through the phone.
"Mariana.. IâI got blood all over my dress. IâI need help. I'm in the downstairs bathroom. Iâhurry." Elena replied quickly and I slowly nodded before I hung up with her and pressed the speed dial button on my phone and put it to my ear, hearing it ring.
"Hey. I'm on my way soon." Damon stated through the phone and I shook my head.
"I need you to do me a favor." I replied in defeat and walked towards the front of the church.