I spent the rest of the morning pacing in my room. Elena was the Doppleganger. How could I not have known?
I knew when I first saw her that her resemblance to Katherine was extraordinary. There was no logical reason they would look that much alike......
Until now.
I was grateful to Elijah for coming to warn us. For more reasons than one.
If I was alone, I would've left 2 hours ago. I'd be in Europe by now.
But I had a duty to Elena....and Stefan and Damon. I couldn't just leave them to deal with Klaus on their own.
"Well, at least we'll all die at once," I muttered.
Damon strode in, uninvited. "Who's dying?"
I cursed, but internally decided that I had to tell him, and now was better than later.
I took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Look Damon, something's about to happen, and you have to accept that it's beyond either of our control, for now." I said, wringing my hands.
Damon stood still, his eyes intensely staring into mine. "The last time you said that was the day I asked you to marry me."
My cheeks flushed and my heartbeat quickened. I struggled to speak, and when I did talk, I stuttered, "That's n-not the p-point."
Damon smiled, barely, and slouched down in the chair by my desk. He smirked, "What do you need, Ana?"
I began, slowly, "Damon, I never told you the real reason I refused you."
His smile faded, jealousy flashing across his features. "You were in love with the Lockwood kid."
I winced, but brushed it off. "Only because I had to be."
"What?" he exclaimed, sitting up straighter.
"About a month before the proposal, I....had a visit from Elijah and Klaus Mikaelson, the Original vampires. They told me....."
I explained about their conversation with me. I wanted to tell him about the other encounters we'd had, but something inside me warned against it.
He was in shock. And when it comes to Damon, that means he was angry.
He walked around my room. "The Originals?"
I knew I couldn't stop his ranting, so I just leaned back on my pillows. "Yes."
"And that's why you didn't accept? Because of Katherine?"
I nodded.
He turned back around to me, and I gasped. His fangs were extended.....and his eyes.....
"Damon...." I said, carefully standing up by the wall.
He hissed and stalked over to me. My back was pressed flatly against the wall. He put his body against mine, his face only inches from mine. He breathed. I breathed. I could feel his warmth, his heat....it was intoxicating.
"I loved you, Ana," he whispered, the furious expression on his face growing.
"I loved you, too, Damon," I replied, my breathing getting heavier. Something about him triggered something inside of me, and it was becoming too dificult to fight back. My hand wrapped itself around the back of his neck.
His face softened, as it returned to its regular form. His hand rested on my waist.
His eyes filled with hope. "Do you still?"
---
1864
The stars were shining so bright, they seemed to be coming straight at us. I prayed they would, so I would not have to deal with what was coming.
The servers were about to come out with the meal. The new year had brought many different kinds of food and drink to the Salvatore table. There was ham, turkey, strawberries, champagne....only the finest.
My mother saw me, somehow, in the shadows. She approached me with the largest smile I had ever seen her wear. She took my arm in hers, leading me toward the throng of people. "He's going to do it during the toasts," she whispered. "In front of everyone! Isn't it exciting?"
I nodded, my smiling face not at all reflecting the absolute horror I felt. My mother left me to speak to another woman, and I found Stefan at the edge of the crowd. I politely requested to talk to him for a moment, and he, happily, obliged. I pulled him away from the people before I spoke.
"Stefan," I whispered. "I can't do this."
"What?" he asked, confused. "I thought everything was worked out?"
I shook my head, going over the excuse in my head. "I....met someone else."
"What?"
The pleading look in his eyes made me want to apologize right then and there. I wanted to tell him that I was going to marry his brother, and that this was all a sick game.
But it was. And I had to keep playing.
"His name is George Lockwood. He proposed to me a few weeks ago," I said, trying to make it convincing. "And I accepted."
It even sounded pathetic to me.
And Stefan's face fell, showing he heard it, too. "But that's nots right."
"Damon had no claim to me, and I had to accept my best option."
"No, you chose the wrong option!" he shouted, his face flushed with anger. A few heads turned our way and I hushed him.
"There's nothing I can do about it, my mother and father have already agreed," I pleaded.
Stefan's face turned red. "He loves you. This will kill him if he loses you."
I felt my eyes fill with tears, but I had to remain cold. It was the only way.....
"George and I are leaving. Tonight. He's taking me to Paris before the wedding. The decision has been made, Mr. Salvatore."
Stefan's face looked destroyed. I couldn't even imagine what Damon's face would look like when I.....
There was a loud crash. Everyone turned toward the tables in the back. A feeling, a sick feeling, entered my stomach.
I ran, rather unladylike, to where the sound had come from.
George Lockwood lay on ground, holding his bleeding nose. Damon stood over him, his fists clenched, glaring at him.
"Damon!" I screamed. His infuriated glare fell on me. I saw a mix of emotions flood his eyes.
Loss. Anger. Pain.
Love.
Dispair.
He turned quickly away, and started making his way toward the Salvatore house.
Nearly tripping over my dress, I raced after him. "Damon!" I yelled, again.
He stopped walking, then turned to face me. His posture was closed off and extremely defensive. He crossed his arms over his chest, and to my surprise, he laughed. Not the humorous laugh he'd always had with me. This was bitter.
"I can't believe I fell for it!" he exclaimed, still laughing hysterically. "The whole act you had set up.....really, it was quite brilliant."
"Damon....." I tried to stop him, but he held up his hand.
"No, I'm talking," he said. He sounded intoxicated, which he was.....on jealousy. And anger. "Making me fall for you, making me love you. Just so you could stab me in the back. Lockwood?!"
He was shouting at this point. Every word he said struck a needle in my heart. But, I stayed quiet, refusing to meet his eyes.
"Why? Why would you do this to me? Especially after....." His gaze softened, only for a moment, as he remembered. But, he went cold again. "I need an answer. Now."
I took a deep breath, and stared into his eyes as I spoke. I was afraid of inciting a worse reaction, so I spoke softly. "Look, Damon. Something's about to happen. I need you to accept that is beyond either of our control, for now."
He looked at me, half-crazed and half-desperate.
I sighed, my heart shattering as I spoke. "You're about to meet someone else, and you'll be happy with her. It's.....not meant to be. Not between us."
Damon's mouth set into a straight line, and he turned away once more. Nothing I said had changed him. He was only that much angrier. A wave of guilt rushed through my soul.
I called out to him. He stopped, but didn't turn around.
"I'm leaving for Paris tonight. I don't expect to return."
He kept walking.
---
I know it's been awhile....sorry! I got a little bored with it....but I should be good now. Just needed my inspiration back :) vote, follow and comment! I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER!!!! <3