Blood Sisters • The Vampire Diaries [1]

XXII. HOPELESS CHANGES OVER TIME

I sat beside my sister in Alaric's classroom, with both him and Stefan standing, waiting for Damon to come, waiting for him to learn the news that had just shaken my entire day ; Isobel was in Mystic Falls. Last night, she'd found Alaric at the grill, talked to him, said that she wanted to meet Elena and I, and I was terrified ; beyond words, beyond explanations.

"Damon, thanks for coming." Alaric spoke up, causing me to lift my head and find Damon walking into the room.

"Sorry I'm late. My dog ate my uh...never mind," he trailed off, noticing the uneasy silence of the room. "what's with all the furrowed brows?"

"I saw Isobel last night."

"Isobel is here?" Damon asked, turning to Alaric who nodded. "In town? Did you ask her about Uncle John? Are they working together?"

"No."

"No they're not?"

"No," Alaric clarified. "I didn't ask."

"What about the invention?" He was firing off questions at Alaric without a second's hesitation. Couldn't he tell that we were all shocked, too shocked to ask questions? I mean, this was my mother we were talking about, not just some random vampire.

"Didn't ask."

"Did she know about the tomb vampires?"

That was where Stefan and Damon were different. Stefan asked us how we felt, asked what we thought, gave us time to deal. Damon was being insensitive, and with what had happened between the two of us, I was a little surprised. Couldn't he at least pretend to care? And not just for me, but for Alaric. He was the reason that Isobel was a vampire in the first place.

"I don't know."

"Did words completely escape you?"

"No, I was a little too distracted by my dead vampire wife to ask any questions." Alaric finally snapped, saying what everyone else was thinking.

"What did she want?"

"She wants to see us, Damon." I spoke up, taking his attention from Ric to myself.

"Alaric is supposed to arrange a meeting." Stefan explained. "We don't know why or what she wants."

"You don't have to see her if you don't want to." Damon said, a softness overcoming his expression. Everyone was noticeably confused by his sudden sensitivity, not aware of what was going on between us - God I didn't even really know what was going on.

"We don't really have a choice."

"She's threatened to go on killing spree." Alaric pointed out, and I sighed, wondering how I could possibly be related to someone that would threaten lives if they didn't get what they wanted. It was enough to make me want nothing to do with her.

But, I was still curious, just as Elena was. I wanted to meet her, just to see what she looked like now, what she sounded like - I wanted to meet the person that decided I wasn't worth loving.

"Oh!" Damon realized, glancing around at everyone in the room. "I take it that's not okay with you guys.."

"I want to do it." I admitted, looking between my sister and the guys. "I want to meet her. If I don't, I know I'll regret it."