Complicated ↠ Damon Salvatore [1]

44

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇
saving people, hunting things, the family business

IT was the day after the Sacrifice, and Echo has barley said a word to anyone. Not only had they lost Jenna, but they had also lost John. He had sacrificed himself for Elena to survive the sacrifice.

So, after a very sad funeral for both John and Jenna, everyone had found their way at the Boarding House. And by everyone, it was; Damon, Elena, Alaric, Caroline, Jeremy, and Bonnie. Stefan had given himself up to Klaus to save Damon who had apparently been bit by Tyler.

And while they all sat around in silence and sadness, Echo thought it over. After everything they have been through, after everything she has sacrificed for them, after losing some people, they all had the right to know who she really was.

"I have something to admit," Echo spoke up for the first time today and it shocked everyone, but they still turned their attention to her, awaiting what she was going to say. "And I know I will sound absolutely bonkers, and you'll probably hate me after what I'm about to say." She turned to Elena and Jeremy. "Especially you both."

"Echo..." Elena trialed off, giving her sister soft eyes. "You can tell us anything, especially after everything that we have been through."

Echo took in s shaky breath. "I relay hope so, because I consider you all my family, and if I were to lose you..." She trialed off before meeting Damon's eyes. "I would go out of my mind."

"I am not really Echo Elaine Gilbert," was the first thing that came out of her mouth which made them all stare at her in confusion. "Actually... my name is Echo Marilyn Winchester," she admitted and sucked in a breath as she awaited their responses.

"Like the Supernatural books?" Caroline piped in, her voice full of confusion and disbelief.

Echo grimaced at the name of the books about her and her family's life. "Unfortunately, yes," she admitted, gulping. "Like I said... it's crazy — unbelievable even. But, I am telling you the truth."

Elena spoke in a soft voice, "I don't understand. I mean... I don't think you're lying, because why would you say this if it wasn't true. But... how? How is this possible?"

Echo shrugged. "I don't know. The only thing I remember is seeing my uncle Castiel being stabbed by Lucifer. And then I launched myself into him, and then poof, I woke up here, in your Echo's bed."

"So, what? You possessed her?" Bonnie asked, standing up abruptly in anger.

Echo was quick to shake her head. "What I'm saying is... I don't know what happened. Maybe she existed already in this world or maybe when I came to — this universe created memories. I don't know. All I know is that this world is definitely a multiverse kinda thing."

"What — how do you know?" Jeremy asked, crossing his arms, and pursing his lips.

Echo looked him in the eyes. "This world... it doesn't have the monsters that my world did. I mean, it does, but a different kind. My vampires could go in the sun, but it would hurt them, but not kill them. Deadman's blood slowed them down, and you had to cut their heads off. Witches were... I guess pretty much the same because they're all bitches at the end of the day. And Werwolves, well, they eat hearts to live."

She continued, "and you don't have any of the other monsters from what I can tell so far. Wendigo's, Ghosts, Ghouls, Shapeshifters. I mean... I could go on forever." She paused upon seeing their faces. "And most importantly, you don't have Angels."

"Angels?" Damon scoffed. "You're saying that your world had all that and Angels?"

Echo nodded. "Yes." She turned her attention to Caroline. "You've read the books?"

"Only like a few chapters of the first books. It wasn't something I was into, so I didn't finish it," Caroline explained. "But... everything that has happened in those books, happened to you?"

"And more," Echo confirmed. "Chuck... more like God, didn't finish the books, so it stopped when my dad and I went to Hell... I'm pretty sure." She then cleared her throat to rid her mind of the memories of her 'vacation' in Hell. "But... anyway, wait... you believe me?" She cut herself off as she stared Caroline in the eyes with surprise.

Caroline shrugged as she got up and approached Echo. "I don't care if you're Echo Gilbert or Echo Winchester, you've been by my side since you got here. You protected me, you helped me, and you were nice to me. Either way — Gilbert or not — you are my best friend." She then pulled Echo into a much needed hug.

Echo took in a shaky breath and hugged the blonde back. "Thank you."

"Why are you thanking me?" Caroline asked as she pulled back to stare into her friend's beautiful brown eyes.

Echo voice came out shaky as she said, "I didn't think anyone would believe me, let alone still care for me after the truth came out. I was so scared to be abandoned... I—"

"You really think we would abandon you after everything we have been through together?" Elena asked as she stood up as well, and approached Echo and Caroline. "Just like Caroline said — Gilbert or not — you have been there for us — all of us — since you got here. You treated us — strangers — with love and care. You protected us like we were your real family. Who are we to give up on your when you need us most?"

"We're finally able to repay you for what you have done for us," Jeremy spoke up as he joined them, and they all group hugged.

Alaric came up to them as they pulled back from Echo. He placed his hand on her shoulder with a soft smile on his face. "You're still like a daughter to me, Echo. I'm here for you."

A tear escaped her eye before she turned her attention to the one person who she really wanted to tell her that he still cared for her. "Damon?" She asked in a weak voice as she found him staring at the floor, and not at him.

He looked up with an emotionless face before he marched up to her, and stopped just a foot away from her. A silent son escaped her as she looked into his emotionless face.

And then he pulled her into a hug, and she cried into his chest. "Thank you for not hating me," she whispered to him.

Damon smiled lightly before he kissed her forehead, and then rested his chin on her head. "I'm not gonna leave you anytime, little warrior."

"Okay, sorry to interrupt this cute moment, but I am for sure going to catch up on those books," Caroline commented which made everyone laugh, except Echo who groaned and buried her head in Damon's chest.

Even though Echo still missed her father and uncles, she was just happy to have found another family who were going to love and never leave her.

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𝑖 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑡, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑎 𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑟, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑥𝑡 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡. 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑥𝑡 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 '𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑒𝑠' 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑖 𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 𝑢𝑝. 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑤𝑎𝑦, ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑑𝑖𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑔𝑢𝑦𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑜 𝑔𝑖𝑙𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠??