Last Chapter Charlie was killed by Klaus, what will happen next?
Hope you like where the story is going :D
Chapter 20
Mystic Falls, Winter Ball 1863
Charlotte and Damon were dancing at the Lockwood Winter Ball. The room looked amazing decorated with candles and many Christmas decorations.
The lace train of her lilac gown moved beautifully as she did. And her loose red curls gently framed her porcelain face. Damon looked handsome in black dress robes.
"I'm glad you're home, I worry when you're away at war," Charlotte said as she held her right hand up towards Damon's. They continued round in a circle, doing the same dance as every other couple.
He smiled at her. "You shouldn't worry; I will always come back to you." He leaned forward and gently kissed her cheek.
"Damon, we're in public," Charlotte said, trying to cover a giggle. "No touching, Mr Salvatore, those are the rules."
Damon laughed, lifting his left hand up as Charlotte did the same. "I guess that means later I may need to steal you away to my room," he smirked.
Charlotte just giggled as they went around in a circle again.
Damon then glanced to the far right corner of the large ballroom. Charlotte followed his gaze and her eyes stopped on Katherine. She wore a silk blue gown and her dark curls pinned up on her head. She was walking towards Damon and Charlotte with a huge grin on her pretty face.
She stopped in front of them. Charlotte instantly grabbed Damon's hand, holding it tightly in her own. She felt the need to protect him in front of Katherine... or to show Katherine that he belonged to her. Pearl had warned her that Katherine was trying to win Damon's affections; both Pearl and Annabelle had seen them together. And by 'win' Charlotte knew that meant compulsion.
"Look who's found her dancing feet," she laughed at Charlotte. She turned to Damon. "Hello, Mr Salvatore," she said in a fake sweet voice.
"Enjoying the party, Miss Katherine?" Damon asked with a small smile.
"No," she said pouting like a small child. "I have no one to dance with."
"Dance with my brother," Damon suggested.
"Stefan is busy mingling with your father's colleagues... Maybe you could give me one dance?" Katherine continued with a giggle.
"Sorry, Katherine, I'm here with Charlotte. She's my fiancée; I must be faithful to her." He looked at Charlotte and smiled.
Katherine nodded, putting on a fake smile and walked away.
Damon raised his hands as did Charlotte and they began their dance again. As they continued dancing, Damon looked over at Katherine several times.
Eventually Charlotte couldn't take it no more. "Stop it, Damon," she whispered, annoyed.
"What?" he asked innocently.
"Staring at Katherine."
"She's alone, I just feel sorry for her is all."
Charlotte stopped dancing and pulled him to one side. "Really? That's all? Because Pearl told me she saw you and Katherine together three nights this week."
"Don't start with this again. Don't you trust me?" he said, looking hurt. "Aren't I simply allowed to talk to another woman? Katherine just wants a friend. She's hurting, she's just lost her family in a fire; she said she feels comfortable talking with me. I was there for you when you were going through the same thing. I'm just being a good friend, nothing more. I love you, Charlotte." It was clear Katherine had compelled Damon to say these things.
"I trust you, Damon, of course I do, but I don't trust Katherine. You don't know what she's like."
"And how do you know what she's like? She hasn't even been in town two weeks. Don't judge the girl based on your own jealousy, Charlotte."
"I've been so stupid; she's messing with your head already. How could I let this happen?" Charlotte whispered to herself.
"What do you mean by that?" Damon demanded.
"I just know her, okay, Damon. She's dangerous," she said begging him to understand.
"Really? Then tell me, how do you know her, Charlotte?"
Charlotte looked at him, her eyes pleading. She didn't know what to say, she couldn't exactly tell him the truth.
"You know what it doesn't matter. Your reason for hating her is nothing more than jealousy," he scoffed. "I'm going home, goodnight, Charlotte." He walked away heading out the ballroom.
Charlotte stood alone, fighting back her tears. Every second Katherine was manipulating Damon, taking him further away from her. She looked around the room and noticed Katherine was gone.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her wrist tightly. She turned to find Katherine.
"Is jealousy getting the better of you, Charlotte," Katherine scoffed. "I swear me and Damon have done nothing but talk."
Charlotte pulled her wrist from Katherine's grasp. "Save it, like always you won. You proved that I'm not willing to use compulsion on the man I love," Charlotte said close to tears.
Katherine just smiled darkly.
"Sorry I'm not the monster you want me to be, that I want everything to be human and real," she said mockingly. "You've ruined yet another of my relationships. You're a true vampire. Congratulations, Katherine."
"It's for your own good, Charlotte," she smirked. "I only want you to see that we can make humans do whatever we want. There's no such thing as something real when you're a vampire, how can you feed on them if you don't erase their memories afterwards?" Katherine giggled.
Charlotte shook her head in disgust.
"Don't worry, at the moment Damon isn't my number one target. I've got my eye on the little brother; baby Stefan seems very taken with me."
Charlotte ignored her and began to walk away but Katherine grabbed her arm again. "One thing you said did bother me though. You told Damon I was dangerous. And dangerous in this town instantly leads to vampire. All it takes is for Damon to say that one little word to his father and I'll be on the vampire watch list." She gripped Charlotte's wrist tighter. "But I'm warning you if Giuseppe Salvatore did become suspicious of me, I'd make sure he knew about you too," she said her eyes glaring.
Charlotte once again pulled away from her. "Don't worry, I don't want to play the game Katherine, it's over. I'm done," Charlotte sobbed.
"What do you mean by that?" Katherine demanded.
Charlotte didn't answer and headed through the crowd of dancers and left the ballroom.
She left the Lockwood Mansion and headed back to the Salvatore house. She held back her tears all the way there; did she really have the strength to leave tonight? Deep down she knew leaving was for her own benefit more than for Damon's, she didn't want to hurt anymore. But maybe Katherine was right and she was just fooling herself... How could she have a relationship with a human?
She headed straight upstairs and to her bedroom. She grabbed a few simple dresses and a spare pair of shoes and undergarments, putting them in a small suitcase. She then went to Damon's room and took some money from his secret box. Also in the box was his pocket watch. She decided to take that too.
She sat down on the bed and took one final look around the room. This was it; she was really going to leave him. She didn't want to play Katherine's mind games, she couldn't take it anymore and hopefully if she left Katherine would too. It would be better for Damon and Stefan; they could have a normal human life.
She headed back downstairs and opened the front door. However, as she stepped through it she didn't find herself in the Salvatore grounds, she found herself in the 21st century Grill. How was that possible?
She looked down at herself; she was wearing, skinny jeans, black heels and a red blouse. She looked around the room and suddenly spotted a modern day Damon sitting at a table... with Katherine... No it was Elena.
He was holding her hand in his, trailing his thumb across her palm. He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed it.
"This will happen eventually," a dark voice said behind her. She turned to see a modern day Katherine wearing her signature curls, a tight black t-shirt, jeans and heeled boots.
"It's only a matter of time," Katherine continued. "Damon fell for me and soon he will fall for Elena. She does look like me after all."
"He didn't fall for you, Katherine," Charlie snapped. "You compelled him to. There's a difference."
"Maybe so," Katherine laughed darkly. "But he still felt something for me, I could sense it. He may not have acted on it because of you but he had feelings for me. I just gave him a little extra help," she giggled.
Charlie looked back over at Damon and Elena. He kissed her gently on the cheek. Charlie felt sick.
"Elena on the other hand, is kind and pure and the forbidden fruit. Damon, well, he's a vampire now; he's not the innocent faithful human he used to be. And before, you came back to town; Damon was totally obsessed with Elena."
"Elena is with Stefan," Charlie snapped. "She would never hurt him."
Katherine shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe... maybe not."
Charlie watched her heart aching as Damon kissed Elena gently on the mouth.
"But I loved both of them and she does too. She's just lying to herself. Denying her real feelings."
"You're wrong, Katherine. Elena is not you."
Katherine giggled darkly. "We'll see," she smirked and headed towards the door.
Charlie followed Katherine out The Grill, and once again found herself back at the Salvatore home in 1863. She was wearing her ball gown again. What was going on? This was the night she had left... she never came back... This wasn't her memory...
She suddenly heard voices coming from the entrance hall. She walked to the door and looked around the frame. Damon and Katherine were laughing together as they took off their coats.
"Thank you for walking me home, Mr Salvatore," Katherine said as she placed a soft kiss on his lips. Charlotte felt like she had been punched in the stomach.
"No worries, Miss Katherine, I couldn't leave such a lovely woman alone so late at night."
"Well, thank you again," she smiled lightly. She turned away from him and her gentle smile turned into a malicious smirk. Katherine started up the stairs.
Damon stood there a few moments but finally followed her.
Katherine stopped at the top and waited for him. Charlotte hid at the bottom of the staircase listening.
"I'm sorry, you had a fight with Charlotte, I didn't mean for that to happen," Katherine said with a fake smile.
"It's not your fault, Miss Katherine, Charlotte, she's been acting strange for a while... ever since I proposed to her in the summer."
"In what way has she been acting strange?" Katherine asked, trying to sound innocent.
"I think she has some sort of secret, a part of herself she's ashamed of," Damon answered. Damon reached up and placed his hand on the side of her small face. "Not like you, Katherine. You tell me everything."
Katherine giggled. "Well not quite everything, Mr Salvatore. I think we all have things about ourselves we'd rather not share."
Katherine's eyes then fell to his warm pink lips. This made Damon feel uncomfortable. "I must be going. It's late. No doubt Charlotte will be home soon. I can't stay mad at her for long. I love her," he smiled to himself.
Damon took Katherine's hand and gently placed a kiss on it. "Goodnight, Miss Katherine," he said and walked away.
Charlotte heard his door close and decided to follow him. She had to apologise for their fight earlier. She headed up the stairs but suddenly stopped when she heard Katherine's voice again. She hid behind the banister.
"Damon, wait," Katherine shouted. He opened his door. "I don't think Charlotte is coming back."
"What do you mean?" Damon asked confused.
"She said some things to me after you left the ball, I don't think she was ready for such a committed relationship, I think she was scared of getting married so young and you're away all the time," she said in a fake sympathetic voice.
Damon's heart was slowly breaking as he stared at Katherine. How could she say these things to him? "No," he said, not wanting to believe her words.
Katherine leaned forward and pressed her lips to Damon's. Damon instantly pulled away from her.
As Charlotte watched from the stairs she wanted to kill Katherine... yet, was any of this real?
"What are you doing, Katherine?" Damon demanded. "I love Charlotte. I know she can be strange at times and I don't always understand her, but I cannot hurt her this way."
"Yes you can," Katherine said her voice dark as she began to compel him.
Damon looked directly into her eyes, unable to look away.
"Charlotte Dubois was a nasty little bitch, she left you heartbroken... you will forget about her... she will be nothing more than a mere memory. I will be here for you and soon you will learn to love me."
Damon blinked out of the trance and smiled. "Thank you for being here for me, Katherine."
Charlotte now understood why Damon never came looking for her, Katherine had compelled him to forget. Charlotte never even said goodbye... After Damon was turned all of Katherine's compulsion would have worn off... yet she had still left him, that's all he would have known. She'd blamed Damon all these years, when really, it was her own fault.
"Katherine looked into his eyes again. "You're welcome, Damon. Now kiss me," she commanded.
Damon leaned in and kissed Katherine Deeply. Charlotte really had lost him...
Present Day
Alaric's Apartment
Charlie woke up with a gasp. Her eyes snapped open as she looked around the room. She'd been lying on the floor, she didn't recognise her surroundings. Where was she? It was now light out. What time was it? How long had she been asleep?
She turned to her left and saw Elena kneeling beside her.
"You okay?" Elena asked... but her voice seemed off.
Charlie just looked at her wearily and unsure.
"Did you enjoy your dream?" she smirked. "I think I did a good job. It seemed so real didn't it? It's always fun manipulating people's memories for my own amusement," she laughed darkly. Charlie instantly realised she wasn't Elena this was Katherine...
Charlie was across the room in no time glaring at Katherine. Katherine gave her a sly smile.
"You made me dream that didn't you? You twisted what happened at the winter ball in 1863."
"No, Charlotte, that happened, you just didn't stick around to see it. You ran off, scared and pathetic, all it would have taken was a drop of your blood and a snap of his neck and you could have had him forever. I compelled Damon to forget about you, you could have easily compelled him to remember again. You're just weak."
Charlotte instantly ran across the room and pushed Katherine, pinning her to the wall.
Katherine just giggled and effortlessly pushed her off. "Good to have you back," she smirked.
"Wait a second, I'm a vampire again, how did that happen? Where are we?" she said confused.
"One little word, Charlotte... Klaus," Katherine said with no emotion in her voice.
Charlie suddenly remembered everything that had happened... Damon feeding on her, then giving her his blood, Alaric's apartment, Klaus in Alaric's body... he killed her...
"Oh, my God, Klaus, where is here?" Charlie asked frantically.
"Relax, Charlie, he's out playing Alaric for the day. Do you really think I'd be this nonchalant and messing with your dreams if he was here?" Katherine giggled.
"Wait a second, how did you get inside my head, Klaus killed me... surely you thought I was dead?" Charlie asked confused.
"Yes, at first I thought you were dead. I mean, you weren't moving and he snapped your neck good... But come on, Charlotte, Damon Salvatore is your boyfriend, I knew he must have done something to protect you, he just wouldn't have allowed human you to be so vulnerable. And surprise surprise you woke up."
Charlie just glared at her.
"Your body began to twitch about an hour ago, so I thought I'd give you a little present and remind you of the mistakes you made back in 1863... I slipped the thing in about Elena just for fun," Katherine said with a sly grin.
Charlotte took a deep breath and sat down on the couch, putting her head in her hands. "You were right Katherine; I was just a coward back then. I didn't want to fight with you..."
Katherine's smirk disappeared. "So, you're not even mad at me for compelling Damon to forget you... for making you feel you had to leave him?" She was clearly disappointed about this.
Charlie shook her head. "No, I'm not. It was my own fault. I could have compelled him, I could have turned him, I could have just stayed to protect and watch over him but I didn't... I left for my own selfish reasons because I was sick of dealing with you, I was sick of being hurt..."
"I'd tell you that I'm sorry... but that would be a lie," Katherine said sarcastically.
Charlie gave a small laugh. "I wasn't expecting you to."
Charlie suddenly spotted her phone on the floor. It must have fallen out of her pocket. She picked it up and moaned. It was dead. She sighed and put it back in her jacket pocket.
She lifted her head and looked Katherine over. She was still wearing Elena's ripped purple dress, her hair was matted in several places and blood was dried down her leg, her wound already healed.
"What the hell did he do to you?" Charlie asked.
Katherine gritted her teeth. "He's making me pay for running all those years ago. Torturing me... I can't leave this place; he's compelled me to stay here."
Charlotte just nodded and stood up from the couch. "Well, I'm not compelled to stay, so I'm leaving before Kalaric comes back and kills me again."
She headed to the door but Katherine instantly appeared in front of her blocking her path.
She grabbed Charlie's wrist tightly. "No you can't leave me here, Charlotte, please..." Katherine begged. Charlie couldn't believe it, Katherine actually sounded scared.
"He may have compelled you but I can't be. Why would I stay when I don't have to?" Charlie scoffed. "Besides, Katherine, if I stay in here with you, there is nothing I can do? If I leave I can get some help." She pulled away from Katherine's grasp. She sighed deeply. "As much as I hate you, Katherine, I promise I'll get you out of here." And in an instant Charlie had disappeared leaving Katherine alone in Alaric's apartment.
After hunting in the woods and draining three rabbits, Charlie was now sitting in her car outside the boarding house. She took a long deep breath and released it slowly. Was she really ready to face Damon yet? She was angry at him for feeding on her then giving her his blood but she was also angry at herself for hating him so much when really he had saved her life. She got out the car and came face to face with haunting blue eyes that stared worriedly down on her.
"You okay? Where the hell have you been? No one has heard from you since yesterday afternoon," Damon said.
Charlie groaned annoyed. "Stop caring, or pretending or whatever. I'm not in the mood," she growled, walking towards the house.
Damon grabbed her wrist stopping her. "You're mad?" he asked his eyebrows furrowing.
"Not at all, Damon, I love being almost drained to death by my boyfriend, forced fed his blood, kidnapped by Klaus who is somehow using Alaric's body and then killed by him," she said mockingly.
Damon looked at her confused. "What? Wait a second, you're a vampire again? And Alaric's body... and Klaus is here? What the hell, Charlotte?" he demanded.
"Yep, I'm a vampire again, you got your wish. Conveniently for you Klaus killed me so you didn't have to... also word of warning, I've just fed so I wouldn't mess with me," she said glaring at him.
"What?" he shouted. "Klaus is in town, using some witch juju on Alaric's body and you're still holding that against me... I saved your life for god's sakes. Without my blood you would have been dead," he said raising his voice even further.
Charlie sighed. Damon was right, yes, he may have snapped and fed on her but he didn't really mean to hurt her... besides, she'd made many mistakes herself over the last two centuries. "Okay, you're right. I'm sorry. Your blood saved my life. So, thank you."
"That's it, no more arguing, you're just gonna let me win."
Charlie nodded. "We've both made mistakes Damon. You didn't mean to hurt me, just like I didn't mean to hurt you when I left in 1863." She smiled slightly.
"Charlotte, just shut up," Damon said with a slight smirk. He suddenly pulled her to him kissing her deeply. Damon's tongue trailed her lips begging for entrance, which Charlie instantly permitted. They kissed for several moments when Charlie suddenly pulled back.
"Oh, my God, Elena and Stefan, we need to warn them about Klaus being in Alaric's body," she said frantically. "Where are they?"
"At school..." Damon trailed off. "If he's in Alaric's body..."
"We have to warn Elena, I'll call her," Charlie said panicking. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and groaned. "Damn, my cell is dead. Give me your phone."
Damon had his phone in his hand, when Stefan's red car pulled up.
Elena instantly got out the car and ran to Charlie. "I'm so happy you're okay," Elena smiled and she pulled Charlie into a hug.
Charlie hugged her back. "I'm glad you're okay too."
"What are you doing back so early it's just after lunch?" Damon asked as Stefan joined them.
"Um, we think Klaus is in town," Stefan said. "He compelled a girl to tell Elena he's going to be at the dance tonight."
"Stefan, he is in town," Damon said with no emotion.
"What?" Elena demanded.
"Yeah, he's got Katherine, he compelled her to be you, ticked me to go to him... then he killed me."
"Then how are you alive? How did you escape?" Stefan asked confused.
"You still don't know, Stef?" Damon said with a slight smile. "Charlie is Elijah's daughter, she's part original, she can't die."
Charlie was glad Damon had left out the whole thing of her being human, she didn't want Stefan or Elena to know... anyway, it didn't really matter anymore. She was a vampire again.
"What? I don't understand how can he be your father?" Stefan turned to Elena. "Did you know about this?" he asked her.
"Yeah, I've known since the day Brice held us hostage, I'm sorry I didn't tell you but it wasn't mine to tell, I thought Charlie might have told you herself."
"Look, guys, we really don't have the time to waste filling Stefan in on Charlotte's complicated lineage," Damon said butting in. "Charlie, tell them the best part about Klaus," he said with disdain.
"He's somehow using Alaric's body, must be some kind of spell or something. Meaning he must have a pretty powerful witch on his side."
Stefan growled. "You mean, today at school that wasn't Alaric, it was Klaus?"
"Yeah, he didn't try anything?" Charlie wondered.
"No, I thought Alaric was acting a little weird but I didn't think much of it," Elena said.
"Now I'm really worried, he must have some kind of plan, he's testing us, making us wait," Damon said in a bitter voice.
"Let's get inside we need a plan, I'll inform Bonnie," Stefan said taking out his phone.
They all headed into the house, but when Charlie tried to step through the door she was stopped by some sort of invisible wall...
"What the hell?" Charlie demanded as she tried to push past the invisible barrier. "Why can't I get in?"
A huge smirk appeared on Damon's face. "You need to be invited in."
"What? Why?"
"This is no longer the Salvatore Boarding house; it's the Elena Gilbert Boarding house," Damon laughed.
Stefan and Elena laughed too as they watched Charlie struggle from the other side of the door.
"What?" she asked annoyed.
"Elena now owns the house. That way, vampires can't enter unless they're invited in. It's kinda a save house," Damon said still clearly amused by Charlie's frustration.
Despite everything that was happening Stefan, Damon and Elena found this a little funny.
"Okay, I get it, now please let me in," she begged.
Elena smiled gently. "Charlie, will you please come into my house."
Everyone was gathered in the Salvatore living room. Bonnie had now arrived.
"So, I say we go to the dance, and we take him down. I mean, Bonnie has the power now," Damon smirked.
"Really, Damon? That's your plan? He's in Alaric's body? Klaus has ensured that we can't hurt him, he knows we can't kill him without killing Alaric also," Stefan said.
"No, Damon is right... well sort of," Charlie added. "We need to act as normal as possible. He can't find out that we know he's possessing Alaric's body, or that you've seen me. He's gonna be pretty angry when he gets home and I'm not there. I'll stay hidden and you guys need to go to the dance tonight, that's the smartest thing to do."
"I guess that makes sense," Stefan said approvingly.
Bonnie nodded. "It'll buy us some time to think of a plan, if Klaus really is possessing Alaric's body then we can't harm him severely without harming Alaric."
Elena turned to Bonnie. "Isn't there some kind of spell to force Klaus out of Alaric's body?"
Bonnie bit her lip unsure. "Um, probably but a spell like that would be complicated. And alone, it would most likely be impossible for me to override his witch's spell, even with this extra power. Body possession is heading into darker magic."
"So, what's the plan, just sit back and let him play us all just because he's in Alaric's body?" Damon said annoyed.
Charlie rubbed his arm soothingly. "I guess if he did try to harm any of us we could do a little damage to Alaric's body, no doubt his witch will heal him."
"Agreed, if he becomes a real threat, then we take action. Alaric would want it that way," Stefan said.
Damon and Charlie were now sitting on Damon's bed; Charlie had showered and was wearing just a t-shirt and underwear, her hair still wet. She was leaning against Damon's side, her head lying on his shoulder.
"I'm not safe anywhere am I? I mean, he's in Alaric's body he doesn't need to be invited in..." she whispered.
"He can't hurt you, Charlie, you can't die," he said gently.
"No, but he can torture me, cause me pain..."
"I won't let him," Damon said staring into her eye's intensely.
"Damon…" she began but was cut off by a kiss.
Damon pulled her onto his lap and continued kissing her deeply. He rolled on the bed pulling her with him and hovered above her. But just as Damon was about to kiss her again, there was a knock on the door downstairs.
"Ignore it…" Damon whispered against her lips.
Charlie giggled and kissed him again.
"Damon? Stefan?" a male voice shouted from downstairs... Alaric's voice.
They instantly pulled apart. Damon was on his feet.
"Oh, my God," Charlie whispered, immediately scared.
Damon kissed her forehead. "Don't worry, I'll go get rid of him." He left the room.
Charlie stood against the door listening.
"Damon, there you are? Sorry, I'm late, did I miss much?" Kalaric asked with a fake smile.
"Not too much. I've asked to be a chaperone at the dance tonight. Klaus made his first move, compelled a girl at school?" Damon said trying to play it cool.
"Really?" Kalaric said with no emotion.
"Uh huh, and we're planning on taking him down tonight," Damon smirked.
A dark smile suddenly appeared on Kalaric's face. "Right enough with the small talk, I know you know the truth and I know your little girlfriend is alive and here."
Damon growled.
"Don't worry; I'm not going to hurt her. She's no longer a problem, she's stuck as a vampire now. She can't harm me. I'm just warning you, I wouldn't try anything stupid." He turned and headed back to the front door. "See you at the dance tonight," Kalaric shouted as he left.
The sixties dance next chapter… :D What will happen?
Hope you like it :D