The Vampire Diaries: Natalie Gilbert

100. Alaric Has Natalie

Natalie's POV

I saunter around the entire town, avoiding everyone's calls. My face is stained with tears that I'm constantly wiping away as they fall. I pull out my phone and press Caroline's number, waiting for her to pick up. "Lee! We've been looking everywhere for you! Where are you?" Caroline responds worriedly.

"Can you and the rest of the cleaning committee not show up at school? Please. I still need to finish cleaning out Ric's classroom. There's still weapons in there." I explain, my tone dull. "Lee, where are you?" Caroline asks again. "Care, please. Just let me go this. Plus, you'll have more time on your hands." I argue.

"Lee, I don't think you should be alone, especially now. Let me come with you. Please." Caroline pleads softly. "Will you tell anyone where I am?" I ask. "Nope." Caroline replies instantly and I sigh. "Fine, but if you tell anyone, I'll disappear again." I warn her. "I promise I won't. I'll see you there." She replies before I hang up the phone and run my hand through my hair tiredly.

******

I arrive at the school before Caroline does, heading straight for Alarics classroom. The second I enter the room, I gasp, clutching onto the doorway for stability as I feel wooden bullets laced with vervain fired into my abdomen. "You gotta be fucking kidding me." I groan, feeling pain spread through my veins.

I look up and I instantly freeze when I see Alaric standing front of me. "Ric?" I whisper. "Hey, sweetheart." He chuckles. My heart starts beating fast when I see the wicked glint in his hateful stare. The person I'm looking at isn't the man who's been like a father to me.

Dizziness suddenly succumbs me as a sharp pain fills my chest making my vision start to blur. "It's good to see you, Nat." Alaric utters, sharpness lacing his words. "Do you feel the vervain effect yet? I'm surprised you're still holding yourself up." He taunts. Groggily, I speed out of the room, struggling to pull out my phone. I need to warn Caroline before she gets here.

Unfortunately I'm too late, when I see Caroline and Rebekah rushing towards me. "Run. You need to run!" I tell them as I fall into Caroline who instantly holds me up. I feel my legs go weak making Caroline hold onto me tighter as Alaric saunters out of the classroom. "You're supposed to be dead." Rebekah mutters in shock. "I am." Alaric chuckles. "What did you do to Ali?" Rebekah asks in worry as she looks down at me. "Now...why would I tell you that?" Alaric sighs as me and Caroline share a worried look.

******

Stefan's POV

Concerned Natalie hasn't gotten back to me yet, I walk up to Alarics old room in the Gilbert house, hoping my girl is here. "Nat isn't here yet." Elena tells me as she paints Alarics walls a different colour. I sigh furrowing my eyebrows with worry. "I have left her over one hundred messages since this morning. Don't even get me started on the number of calls and voicemails." I utter.

"Her and Ric were really close, closer than me and Jeremy was to him. She'll come back when she's ready." Elena says softly. "I know, but I just don't have a good feeling. I feel like I'm going insane." I reply, checking my phone again. "I second that." Jeremy agrees as he walks into the room. "Somethings wrong. No matter how upset Natty is, she always replies to me. Even just a couple of words."

"See! It's not just me." I exclaim to Elena as I point to Jeremy. "Come on. We need to find her." Jeremy declares and Elena nods. "I'm in. Let's go find my sister." She says firmly, just as the doorbell rings. "I'll get it." Jeremy announces, jogging down the stairs as Elena pulls her phone out of her pocket and I follow behind Jeremy. Opening the door, Damon and Bonnie stand on the other side, Bonnie still wearing the same clothes from last night with a bloody wound on her neck. "We have a problem." Damon sighs.