"Nothing is with me now but a sound,
A heart's rhythm, a sense of stars"
- W. H. Auden, Compline
In which Charlotte Salvatore wakes after a 145 year slumber and is thrust into a supernatural world before she can cope with the modern one.
(THE VAM...
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tw: assault
"Klaus," Charlotte groaned out as they passed yet another exit sign to a town, the sun setting around them.
"Nik," he corrected, now out of habit.
"Please can we get out of this car, my legs aren't going to work any more. I don't think I'll be able to straighten them ever again."
They had now been on the road for at least eight or nine days. Occasionally they'd pull into a town and she'd follow along dejectedly as Klaus and Stefan questioned people. Sometimes they wouldn't stay long, while others she'd be tugged back to the car as Stefan stayed behind to talk alone. They didn't discuss what was happening and after the school she hadn't witnessed any of it, but even without supernatural hearing she could often still hear the screaming still from the car.
"That's because you curl up," he snapped back, "if you sat properly it wouldn't be a problem."
Reproachfully, Charlotte dropped her legs to the ground shuffling up so she was straight, Stefan stirred in the back, woken by their argument. They drove a little while longer, Charlotte eventually curled her legs up again, eyes widening in surprise when not long after, Klaus turned the indicator on, pulling off to an exit.
'Welcome to Five Lakes' the sign read, it appeared as though there wasn't any specific reason they were here, instead it was just luck they chose this town. Driving around a little, they eventually pulled in to a hotel. Stefan walking ahead to compel them rooms as was now the norm.
It was several hours before they left the hotel. They had a room each, Klaus at the end of the corridor with Charlotte and Stefan either side. They'd all collapsed into their rooms, Charlotte ran a bath and lay in it until her fingers shrivelled up and the water began to turn cold. She liked watching the steam billow as she first got in, reminding her of her brothers bath when she was first revived, the relief and happiness she felt.
Sadness filled her each time she thought of Damon, and she slid underneath the water with him on her mind. She knew really that she was happy she was with Stefan, knowing that she'd be more worried if she'd been left behind, following the trail of bodies she knew they were leaving. But knowing that didn't mean she didn't miss Damon nor make it easier.
She'd thought that in coming back to life that they'd all be together, that they could all pretend their life was as it was a century ago when they were all human. Instead she was tagged along on the road trip from hell watching her brother torture himself as payment for her other brothers life.
Charlotte was laying on the bed, watching the tv when there was a knock on her door. Klaus and Stefan were there and they were going out apparently, out to have 'fun'.
She didn't particularly want to be a part of the fun that she presumed would be happening but she did wanted to be able to relish her time out of the car so she tugged on her boots and followed along.
