Pulchritude

~Chapter Twenty Three~

She laid in bed, sweat dripping down her forehead. The Salvatore house was full of the people who had grown to like her. The people she had protected even though she had no reason.

They all knew that her time was coming very soon. The atmosphere seemed to reek of sadness. In the few weeks that Madison had been in Mystic falls, she had made an impact on everyone's life. Even if she didn't mean to.

For Bonnie Bennett, the witch who sat in the Salvatore living room still flipping through grimoires trying to find a way to save the strawberry blonde, Maddy had shown her that she could trust some vampires. Not all of them were bad. But it was for sure that she would never meet a vampire as unforgettable as Madison again.

For Caroline Forbes, the blonde vampire who sat beside Bonnie crying her eyes out with the thought that this was all her fault still running through her head, she learned that she could be strong and kind at the same time. Madison had displayed kindness multiple times while also showing that she wasn't going to let anyone take advantage of it. She helped Caroline realize that she was way more than just a pretty face.

Stefan Salvatore, who was sat outside the room that held a dying Maddy, with his head in his hands, had learned love was love no matter how hard it got. She had encouraged him to keep pushing through with his relationship between him and Elena. She kept telling him not to let the love of his life go so easily. If they wanted to be together, then they should.

As for Damon Salvatore, who stood in the parlor downing drink after drink with tears in his eyes. Maddy had taught him, love. He knew he would never love someone as much as he did Madison, not even if he was in love with Elena. He wasn't lying when he said no one could ever replace her. She showed him how it felt to really be loved by someone, even if he didn't deserve it at times.

And then there was Elena Gilbert, the human doppelgänger who was sat beside the dying vampire while crying. Madison had taught her that friendship can come from the most unexpected places. When she first met Maddy, she didn't think they would be friends. In fact, she thought that she could be a potential problem. But instead, she turned out to be one of the greatest friends you could ask for.

"I don't understand why you wouldn't tell anyone." Elena sighs, wiping away a tear.

"Because I wanted everyone to focus on the Klaus situation. I didn't need any of you checking on me all the time when there were more important matters at hand." She explains.

Elena shakes her head, standing from the bed. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"You're always telling everyone to put themselves first, but then when it comes to you, you're always putting yourself last," Elena explains staring down at Madison with her arms crossed.