Suicide mentioned in this chapter.
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Kai's words lingered in Aurora's head, how escaping this prison world is all he has makes Aurora think about her life before she got in the prison world. Her freshmen year when everything took a turn for the worse and everyone's lives changed for better or for worse.
"Elena are you okay?" Aurora says pulling her friend into a hug, "I'm fine Aurora, thanks" she says pulling out the hug. "Well we're all here for you" she adds smiling. Elena smiles and follows after Bonnie. Aurora walked over to Caroline and spoke to her, "This year is going to be a good one" her sister spoke, "Oh yeah?" Aurora says raising her eyebrows, "Yep. This is me manifesting for an awesome junior year" she says smiling at her sister.
Caroline's gaze goes over Aurora's shoulder and she turns and sees a guy walk, an attractive guy. "Wow" Aurora says watching the guy, "Dibs" Caroline quickly says, Aurora laughs, "You can't dibs guys Caroline, plus it already looks like Elena has dibs" Aurora says watching the two talk and stare into each other's eyes. "Who says you can't dibs on guys, I just did" Caroline says laughing, Aurora laughs at her sisters word. "Come on you've got history and I have economics" she says linking her arm with Caroline.
"Ugh with Mr Tanner, can he drop dead" Caroline says groaning and throwing her head back, Aurora hits her arm, "Don't say that" she says, Caroline turns and faces her sister, "Just because you're on his good side and he doesn't pick on you. Probably has a crush on you or something" Caroline says jokingly, Aurora's jaw drops, "Ew that's disgusting. He's like 40" she laughs, "What can I say, you attract older men Rory" Caroline says, Aurora rolls her eyes and laughs as they continue their walk to class
...
Elena, Aurora, Alaric and now Damon hiked through the woods to look for Stefan. Elena was hellbent on searching for him, and she asked Aurora and Alaric to come, but got surprised when Damon showed up and almost dragged Elena's ass back home, he ended up helping them search though. He almost got bitten but Aurora siphoned the hybrid until he collapsed, something that Damon was thankful for. "Thanks but I had him" Damon says awkwardly, "Yeah and when he bites you we just ask Klaus for another cure like opps?" Aurora says sarcastically.
Damon rolls his eyes, "No need for the attitude" he resorts, "Let's go before the moon rises or before we run into a hybrid and a ripper" Damon says grabbing Aurora's arm and vamp speeding away from the mountain and down to the car where Elena and Alaric were waiting. "Are you okay?" Elena says as soon as she sees Damon, "I'm great" Damon replies, Aurora rolls her eyes, "Thanks to me. You're welcome" she replies sitting in the front with Alaric. "I'm glad you're both okay" Alaric says driving off.
...
The Mikaelson ball, Aurora wore a red dress that hugged her body perfectly. She felt like a princess, everyone around her looked beautiful, Aurora looked at Caroline in aw as she chatted to Klaus. "You alright" Stefan says standing next to her, Aurora turns and faces him and nods, "Even though Klaus is the bad guy, Caroline looks happy. Something I wish I had" she mumbles sadly. "Forget that, come on let's dance" he says putting his hand out for her to take, she smiled and takes his hand and he leads her into the ballroom where a few others were dancing.
Aurora placed her left hand on his shoulder and held his hand with her right, he copied her and places his right hand on her waist, holding her close. "What's on your mind?" he asks as they sway to the beat, "Do you even care? Don't you have your humanity off or something?" she mumbles looking away from him. "I care enough to ask. So tell me" he says sending her a small smile. Aurora sighs, "It's just it seems everyone loves Caroline and I'm just the annoying younger sister. I feel in her shadow and she gets all the guys, and I get no one because no one looks my way when I'm around Caroline" Aurora rants trying to not cry.
"Hey, don't cry, Rory. You just haven't found the right one yet, one day you'll look at someone and just think wow, that's the one. And you'll be the happiest ever, it may not happen in high school, but you have college and the rest of your life to find someone. Don't be so rushed to settle down with just anyone" Stefan tells her softly, "How will I know when I've found the one?" Aurora mumbles, "You'll know when you look at them" Stefan tells her smiling, Aurora nods and leans her head on his shoulder as they continue to dance.
...
"So Liv do you have your eyes on anyone?" Aurora asks wiggling her eyebrows at her friend, "No the guys here all seem like dicks to be honest" Liv replies simply, "What about you? You got anyone special in your life" Liv replies the gesture except she's smirking. Aurora is hesitant to say, no one really knows she's with Enzo, she doesn't even know where she stands with Enzo. "There may be someone, but that's all you're getting" Aurora admits blushing.
"Come on! That's it? What's his name? What's he like? Come on Rory, spill the beans" Liv says giggling, "He's british, and tall, and one of the best things to happen to me" Aurora admits thinking about him. Liv's mouth widens, "You're in love" she says, Aurora shakes her head, "No, I'm not" she says lying to herself. Was she inlove with Enzo? If so she was totally screwed, she can only truly be with him if she became a vampire. Which would possibly mean losing her magic. You can't be both witch and vampire.
"There's a problem Liv" Aurora says quietly, "What could the problem be? He seems like the perfect guy. I'm happy for you" she says side hugging her friend. "He's a vampire, Liv" Aurora quickly says, Liv's smile drops and her mouth forms an O. "Well would you turn for him? Spend eternity together? Would you make that sacrifice?" Liv say wary. Aurora stops and thinks, she'd do almost anything for him, so yeah she would turn into a vampire for him. "Yeah I would" she says smiling. Liv smiles and hugs her again, "Whatever happens, I totally support you" she says, "Thanks Liv"
Aurora wiped the tears that were forming, she missed them all so much and she was starting to lose hope on ever getting home. There was one way out, the ascendant, the eclipse, and Bennett blood. She only had 2 of the 3, so the main way out wasn't an option, and who knew if there was even a way out. Why give the prisoner the key out of his prison? It doesn't add up.
Aurora thought back to 2 months ago when she thought it was only her, Bonnie and Damon. The plan they came up with if they lost all hope. The plan to just end it all. Aurora stood up from the couch after working on the ascendant and walking over to the liquor cabinet. She grabbed the bottle out. If we don't think we'll escape this place. We'll drown this bottle down then end it all. Their agreement lingering in her mind, as the tears rolled down her cheeks, she wasn't one for giving up, but now that only seemed like her only option.
She didn't want to be trapped here anymore, she didn't want to be here with Kai who's mood changes everyday she's always on the receiving end of his words. She keeps hold of the bottle and grabs the car keys making a bolt for the door. Kai's in the shower so he hopefully shouldn't hear the car drive off. She throws open the door and hops into the car placing the bottle in the passengers seat. She takes on last look at the Salvatore house, "Goodbye Salvatore house" she mumbles to herself driving away to her home.
...
Kai got out the shower and walked into the living room to see no sign of Aurora, the ascendant was together and fixed. Holy shit she did it he thought, "Aurora?" he shouts, them echoing through the house. No response. "Rora?" he shouts again walking around to see if she was nearby. She wasn't. "Come on Rora, we're not doing this again are we? Remember what happened last time?" he lightly threatens hoping she'll come out. She didn't. Kai huffs, "Fine looks like I'm-" he starts but looks at the open liquor cabinet, and definitely notices something is missing.
He runs outside to the door and notices the car is gone, "Son of a bitch" he groans putting his hands through his hair. She was gone. He looked over back at the ascendant, if she was to run why leave it behind. It's the only way out, unless she found another way out and was planning on ditching him. His jaw clenched, now he had to go into Mystic Falls to find her. "Jesus Christ Rora, you better not of ran away" he mumbled angrily walking his way into town, since Aurora took the car.
...
He walked down the neighbourhoods, no luck yet, but the sound of music coming from a house made him walk that way. Bingo. He walked up the steps and opened the door and the music was ten times louder, he couldn't even tell what the music was. Kai walked into the living room and saw Aurora dancing to the music, moving her hips to the beat. She turns around and makes eye contact with Kai, "Hey you" she slurs tripping on her own feet as she walks towards him. "You're drunk" he states.
"No my tolerance is so high you don't even know" she slurs laughing, "Dance with me" she says grabbing his hand put being sober he's able to pull out her grip. "No Rora, you're not thinking straight" he says, "You know you're like totally hot, and I'd like I'd totally date you if we meet in the real world, but like your kinda psycho, but that's kinda my type I think" she slurs trailing off. "Why are you drinking by yourself? Aren't you underage?" he asks ignoring her statement about him. She wouldn't be saying this if she wasn't drunk he tells himself, she giggles, "Because there's no one else to drink with, and why do you care?" she asks crossing her arms pouting.
"I don't care. But we're getting closer to getting out of this world and I'd appreciate your help" he states, Aurora scoffs and looks at the ceiling, "We're not getting out anytime soon. Neither of us have magic, face it Kai. We're stuck. You may not be able to die in this world, but in 60 years I'll be old and wrinkly and will just wither away" she mumbles sadly taking another swing, "Enough about the sad, let's dance" she says again pulling him closer to her. "Or we could skip to the good part, you and me, alone, no one around to judge, no one around to stop us. We can do whatever we want Kai" she whispers in his ear before giggling.
"You're not thinking straight. You're drunk" he says pulling away from her. He may be a dick who doesn't care or show emotion, but he wouldn't take advantage of a girl, especially if she wouldn't be saying this if she was sober. "I told you I'm- I'm not drunk" she stumbles on her words, "Am I not pretty enough for you?Do I not fit your standards? Is that it?" she slurs looking angry. "No, Rory, listen to me" he says grabbing her shoulders so she'd look at him. "You're not thinking straight. You wouldn't be saying this if you were sober" he says hiding his concern.
"Drunk words are sober thoughts. I want this" she whispers again stumbling on her feet as she walks into the kitchen where the bottle is finishing it. "Dang I'm all out" she mumbles sadly, "Good. Now let's go back home" Kai says walking towards her and grabbing her hand gently but she pulls away and yells. "No I don't have a home! This isn't my home! This prison world? I'm not supposed to be here. I'm supposed to be dead, I wasn't supposed to be given a second chance at life. I died and when you die you don't come back. I was ready to find peace and move on, but I get sucked into this world with my two friends and ended up meeting a totally hot psycho dude" she rants tears in her eyes, running her fingers in her messy hair.
"Think of this as a blessing in disguise Rora. You got another chance at living" Kai reasons with her, trying to not to smile when she called him hot again. "You know a few months ago, we made a deal, that if being here was too much and we lost all hope that we would drown the oldest bottle of alcohol in the boarding house, then end it" she trails looking at the bottle in her hand, "1942, over 60 years old" she slightly smiled before it was replaced by a frown. "I can't do this anymore Kai, and I know you don't care, so I don't understand why you're here and why you're speaking to me like any of this is okay" Aurora sniffs wiping her eye.
Kai's eyes slightly widen at what she was implying. She was going to kill herself. "Rora think about this" Kai says carefully, anything could make her break. "I have thought about this, for months now. I've only considered it now because I have no hope left, there's no way I'm getting out here, we don't have powers, there isn't a power source in the world for us to use so we can escape" she cries, "I'm done Kai, you don't even care about me, or anyone. I don't want to spend another miserable day in here, not when there's a chance that you could kill me in my sleep, and I'd rather off myself than die to you" she says her hands shaking as she opens a draw holding a knife.
"Okay okay, calm down. We can talk about this" Kai says putting his hands out, "We did talk. I talked, you stood there and you listened. You only care because I'm your way out, you need me to get out. I don't think anyone would miss me. Elena is probably happily with Damon, Caroline and Stefan are probably figuring stuff out, Bonnie is reunited with Jeremy, Enzo probably left Mystic Falls and found someone else, even Liv won't care, her brother killed me and made me end up on the other side, she won't turn against her best friend. I'll simply be a memory that people just think back to and forget" her hands shaking, her cries filling the room.
"Okay listen, I'm here, I somewhat care, you know why? I'm the only other person here, and I'm telling you to put the knife down. Who cares if they don't care about you, once you're out of here, move on with your life. Start fresh, you don't need them. But if you end it right here in your childhood home, you won't get that chance, you won't get the chance to start again, create a new person for yourself" Kai says slowly approaching her like she would break and snap any minute. Aurora's heavy breathes filled the room, "I know what you're feeling, and it doesn't get better I'm gonna be honest. But ending it won't end the pain, it'll only continue trust me. And yeah maybe I only care because you're my way out, but as literally the only other person here who will listen and know what you're feeling, I'm telling you it's not worth it" he says standing in front of her and slowly taking the knife out of her shaking hands.
"Am I broken" she says quietly, Kai sighs and puts a hand on her shoulder and looks into her eyes, "I think we all are a little broken, but getting through the pain just shows that we're stronger than it" he says, she nods wiping the tears on her cheeks again. "I don't wanna die" she says her voice breaking. "Okay, so how about we go back to the house, sleep on it and work out what you want tomorrow when you're more right in the head" he says slowly, she nods going to walk but she stumbles backwards making him catch her.
"Woah, you're okay. Easy" he says, "I'm sorry, I probably look so stupid and weak" she sobs leaning her head into his shoulder. Kai doesn't know why he was being so nice and understanding towards her, he didn't care about her, he could care less, but something in him made him want to help her, to understand her, to stop her from doing something she might regret. Her breathing slows down as Kai realised she fell asleep, "I'm so gonna regret this" he mumbles picking her up and carrying her to the car outside, the keys still in the ignition. He carefully placed her in the backseat so she could lie down before hopping in the drivers seat himself.
He turned his head to look at her peacefully sleeping in the back, teary stained cheeks, her hair a mess, Kai sighed and turned back around, "Definitely going to regret this" he says starting the car and driving back to the Salvatore house, their 'home' while they've been here. Kai saw a bit of himself in Aurora, not that he'd ever openly admit that. The broken part, the no one cares about me, I just want to end it all to end the pain. But over the course of 18 years, he's learnt that the pain is only temporary, and it may seem best to just off yourself, but in the end, you're just causing yourself more pain.
The drive back was short, he parked the car and got out and walked to the back door and opened and carefully lifted Aurora out, but she stirred awake as he was walking to the front door, "Why are you being so nice to me" she mumbles still intoxicated, "I don't know, go back to sleep" he replies quietly, "I'm sorry" she says again drifting off to sleep, "Don't be" he mumbles but she didn't hear as she went back to sleep.
He carefully walked inside and upstairs into the room she took residence in and placed her on the bed, he tucked a piece of hair the fell on her face. "Why am I being so nice to you" he mumbles before walking out of the room and downstairs into the living room where a bunch of grimoires laid, and he studied them, waiting for Aurora to wake up and hoping she doesn't remember anything.
...
A groan escaped Aurora's mouth, and a pounding headache followed, "Son of a bitch" she mumbled holding her head, her eyes widen at the sight of her bedroom, well Damon's but, it's technically hers. The memories of last night flashed through her mind, the drinking, the dancing, the words shared between her and Kai, the knife. She was at her weakest point last night, she was vulnerable and weak and showed that she wasn't strong. Kai saw her at her absolute weakest, there was only one other person who saw her at that and managed to talk her out of it, Enzo.
Kai managed to talk to her out of killing herself, she doesn't know exactly how because her memory is still foggy, but she remembers some of his words, the reassurance that it gets better over time and it's an ongoing fight. He was kind to her, he showed that he somewhat does care, even if it was only because they were linked. He still sat through her cries and rants and listened. He gave her advice that must've helped, but at what price? For him to see her weak? For him to use this against her in the future.
She shook her head and stood up and walked to the bathroom, the sight of her reflection wasn't pretty. Her hair was messy, she had bags under her eyes, her skin was pale, she truly looked weak and pathetic, just like Kai said to her one time. She couldn't hide in her bedroom forever, she had go downstairs where no doubt he was waiting for her to walk the down the stairs and talk about what happened, she recalls some of the stuff she said, like how he was hot and how she tried jumping into bed with him. She couldn't ignore that it happened, because it did, and she regrets it so much.
She fixes her hair in the mirror making herself look somewhat presentable, she washed her face with hot water to try return the color back to her cheeks. Once she looked somewhat acceptable, she walked the downstairs and waited for the moment she appears he jumps on her with questions. "Morning" Aurora says walking quickly past the living room where he sat reading a grimoire into the kitchen to grab a glass of water, "Actually it's the next evening. You slept like 16 hours" he states walking into the kitchen. Aurora nods and looks away awkwardly.
"Look Aurora" Kai says awkwardly, Aurora interrupts him, "Look, can we forget anything that happened yesterday, I don't want to talk about it" she mumbles walking past nudging his shoulder slightly and going back to her room upstairs wanting to be left alone, she knew if she even uttered a single word about last night that she'd just break all over again, and show Kai what he and she already knows, she's just a weak human being who can't handle pain.
She knew that, he knew that, heck everyone back home probably knew that, they see her as someone who cares too much, who gives up too easily, she's a liability in their evil plans to take down the villains. Aurora couldn't help that was who she was, she couldn't help but care too much, care for the wrong people and only get hurt in return. It happened with Tyler and Enzo, and now with Kai. She doesn't even know why she cares for Kai, a part of her just does, and after yesterday when he convinced her to not kill herself, that only increased.
She knows she can't care for him. He's the reason why she's still here, he grabbed her and trapped her, he's hurt her more times than she can count, yet she still tries to see the good in him when clearly there is no good in him. Kai can't and won't ever be a good person. Last night was a show of weakness on his end, he let his bad side down and actually showed that he cared. He wasn't going to do that again for sure. Aurora knew that, he wasn't a good person, just because he shows a sign of kindness once doesn't mean he's always going to be nice to her.
That was the one nice thing upon the hundred evil things he's done, and in the real world that doesn't even compare. Kai wasn't a good person she had to remember that if she was going to get out of here. Don't let your guard down, especially around your enemies. A knock on the door made Aurora move her head up and make eye contact with him, "Do you want any food.... it's late but" he trails off looking away from her. She shakes her head, "I think I might actually just go to sleep, thanks though" she says giving him a small smile.
"Yeah sure whatever, um I'm going off to bed as well. Just in case you wake up hungry, there's leftovers in the fridge" he says awkwardly, she nods, "Thanks. Goodnight Kai" she says getting under the covers and laying her head on the pillow, "Goodnight Aurora" he mumbles walking away from her door. They both have the same thing on their minds. Each other.
...
Authors Note
My heart broke for Aurora :( I love her so much. But here's the turn in their relationship that everyone was so waiting for, but will it last? Anyways this was probably one of my favourite chapters to write, the flashbacks were fun to write and the Aurora & Kai stuff too :)) I'm really enjoying writing this so I hope you're all enjoying reading it.
Much love, until next chapter.