𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | 𝐃𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐄 [𝟐]

𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐍𝐄

"Elena. Stop worrying about the damn hunters, they'll be gone once Bonnie puts the veil back up. Now, take it." The Evans witch told Elena, who suddenly shook her head.

"Look, Elena—" Jeremy's voice carried as he appeared in the doorway. "You're my sister, and I love you. No matter what you choose."

The doorbell ringing caused Riley to roll her eyes. "Okay. I'm gonna go answer that, and let you guys talk it out." The strawberry-blonde sighed heavily and wandered down the staircase. As she opened the front door, she came face-to-face with her grandmother. "Oh, my God! Grandma, what're you—"

"—It's your graduation, isn't it?" Gwen anxiously asked, almost as if she were worried she had gotten the date wrong. "Where else would I be?" Riley let a smile sweep across her lips as she ran into the arms of her grandmother.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

After the news she had just been given, Riley was definitely not in the right state of mind to stand up and graduate. Stefan had told her that Damon had been taken by Vaughn and that he had been shot with a bullet laced with werewolf toxin.

"Klaus, now is not that time to decide that you are over me. I'm gonna call you every ten minutes until you get your ass here to save Damon's life." Caroline grumbled into her phone and left Klaus yet another voicemail as she and Riley walked toward Bonnie who was standing in her cap and gown all on her own.

Riley's eyebrows furrowed at the lack of their friends that had shown up. "My boyfriend's dying and I still bothered to show up." The strawberry-blonde's eyes drifted to her grandmother, who was seated in the stand with the other students families. "I'm only doing this for her. She came all this way to see me Graduate, I can't let her down."

"Don't worry. Ric's on it. He'll make sure Damon's okay." Bonnie spoke toward the panicked Evans girl just as Matt ran over to them.

"I'm here." Matt yelled from behind them as he pushed his cap onto his head.

"Where have you been?"

The human shrugged with a deep breath. "Oh, you know, making plans for the summer, dodging death by a vampire hunter."

"Where's Elena?" Bonnie asked again, with slight concern in her voice. "We can't do this without her."

"I'm here." Elena smiled to the four of her friends as she and Stefan strolled over to them. She headed straight for Bonnie and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you for today."

"I can't believe it. We are actually all here. We are all here together!" Caroline excitedly cheered.

Riley's eyes drifted over to Bonnie, who appeared to be tearing up as she listened to Caroline's speech about how they all were graduating together. "Bon, are you crying?"

The Bennett witch looked down in sadness. "It's our last hurrah before you guys go off to college."

"Before we go off to college."

Elena awkwardly screwed her face up and looked toward her friends. "I kind of— sort of, missed the deadline. You know, being an emotionless bitch."

"Well, the perks of being a vampire— we can go wherever we wanna go. We can choose our own roommates. We could— we could all get a room together!" Caroline continued to excitedly press on about their college experience. "Aw! Group hug!" She yelled out as every bundled into a hug apart from Stefan.

"Uh, I don't— I don't hug." The Salvatore frowned with disgust as the strawberry blonde scowled toward him and yanked him forwards.

"You do now, because I need it." Riley shakily breathed. She could help but let her mind drift back to Damon. She knew the only way to save him was for him to take the cure, she she hoped that he would. "I love you all, so much."

"Welcome, parents, family, and friends. What a beautiful day for graduation." Mayor Hopkins began the ceremony while the graduates all waited beside the stage. "Thank you for joining us on this special day, as we celebrate out graduates. So, let's get started."

Riley took a breath as she stood behind Matt and in front of Caroline. She felt the blonde's hand against her shoulder. "He'll be okay. I promise, Riley."

She nodded back with hopefulness in her heart as she watched her friends, one by one, all head up onto the stage. Then, it was her turn. "Riley Evans." As her name was called, she headed up to Bonnie's father and shook his hand. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." She beamed a fake smile. Sure, she was happy, of course she was, but none of this meant anything to her unless Damon was okay.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

After the events at the Graduation, Klaus agreed to give Damon some of his blood in order to save his life. Riley was at first skeptical, given the Hybrid never really did anything out of the goodness of his heart, but then she realized why. It was because Caroline had asked. The group of supernaturals then headed back to the Boarding House to wait for the veil to be placed back up, and all of the ghosts could safely go back to the Other Side.

"I'm so proud of you, sweetheart." Gwen breathed out as she and Riley stood outside the Salvatore house. Gwen had to get back to Georgia, and Riley it was probably best. She didn't want her grandmother witnessing Alaric and everybody else disappearing into thin air. "I'm so proud of the woman you've become. And, d'you know who else would be proud? Your parents."

Riley wiped the tears from her eyes as Damon made his way out onto the front porch with the intentions of saying goodbye to Gwen.

"Leavin' so soon?" Damon raised an eyebrow to the woman as he stepped beside his girlfriend. "There's plenty of room if you feel like staying a few days."

"I appreciate that, but I should be getting back." Gwen nodded, a small smile on her lips as she looked at Damon. "You know, Damon, if you hurt her again, I swear I'll cut off pieces of you that you'd rather keep."

Damon couldn't hide the smirk that had formed across his lips. Riley was so much like her grandmother, and he saw it now more than he had ever done before. "Oh, I believe you."

"Good." Gwen tightly wrapped her arms around Riley's petite frame one last time, then placed a kiss against her cheek. "Good luck at college. I expect regular updates!"

"Of course." Riley vigerously nodded as Gwen stepped backward and opened the drivers door of her car. The woman waved one final time before she got inside and turned on her engine. Riley looked up at Damon, noticing he was smiling down at her. "What?"

"Jokes on her. Even if she did cut it off, it would probably grow back." Damon shrugged with a chuckle. "Who knows."

"Shut up." Riley scoffed and shoved Damon lightly in the direction of the front door as they walked inside.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───