The Finale of No Turning Back! :D I seriously think this is the longest chapter I've ever wrote in my life lol.
So so sorry it's taken me so long, I've had so much going on with my family.
But I hope you enjoy it!
Last chapter was the sacrifice, Jenna died and Klaus became a hybrid.
Elijah betrayed them leaving with Klaus.
Charlie told Klaus she'd go with him if he promised to leave her friends alone. Will he hold that to her?
Stefan found out about Damon's werewolf bite.
How will Charlie react when she finds out?
…"Have you told Charlotte?" Stefan added.
Damon shook his head. "No. And I want to keep it that way... at least for a little while longer... I will tell her."
Stefan stayed silent.
"Look, you want to do something for me?" Damon asked. "Keep this from Elena, last thing she needs is another grave to mourn over."
Damon then walked away, leaving his brother speechless…
Chapter 28
Damon headed back to the boarding house alone. He needed some time to think about what he was going to do. He took off his suit jacket throwing it onto the couch and headed upstairs.
He walked into his room to find Charlie sitting on the edge of his bed. She was still wearing her black dress from the funeral but she was barefoot and her hair now loose.
"What are you doing here?" Damon grumbled. He kept his back to her, heading straight over to the desk. He picked up the bottle of whiskey he'd left there earlier.
"I think there's something you need to tell me," she said, standing up from the bed.
"I thought you were going back to Elena's for tea and scones," he mocked as he poured himself a drink.
"I was until I overheard the end of your conversation with Stefan."
He slammed the glass down onto the table, turning to face her. "You heard nothing."
She shook her head unamused. "Don't do that, Damon. I'm 260 years old and I've been drinking human blood. I know what I heard. So don't lie to me. What do you want Stefan to keep from Elena and me?" she asked raising her voice.
"You know my brother, he's always been one to over exaggerate."
"Don't blame Stefan. You're the one who told him not to say anything."
"And I said that for a reason, Charlie. I don't want you to know," he scoffed.
"You said the last thing Elena needs is another grave to mourn over..."
"It meant nothing, Charlotte," he yelled.
"Of course it meant something... and look at you... you look terrible," she shouted.
"Thank you," he said with the barest glimmer of a smile. "You on the other hand look beautiful. Your anger suits you."
"You're unbelievable. Stop deflecting, Damon. There's obviously something wrong with you... vampires don't get ill... unless..."
Damon turned away from her.
"Oh, my God. It makes sense now. The other day in the woods... Tyler bit you, didn't he?" she demanded.
Damon didn't answer. He remained silent, staring out of the window in front of him.
Charlie let out an angry sigh. "Damon you shouldn't have helped me. A bite from Tyler wouldn't have hurt me. Only Klaus can kill me and you know that."
"Well I did help you. I saw Tyler attacking you and I lost it. Sorry for wanting to protect you," he said bitterly. He poured another drink, downing it in seconds.
"Damon," she whispered. Not knowing what else to say. What could she say? Nothing was going to make this better.
"But here we are. You can't help me this time." He slammed the glass down onto the table.
"Don't say that, Damon. There has to be a cure. Stefan and Elena won't just let you die. And neither will I. Don't give up without a fight."
He finally turned to face her. "Then what's the plan, Charlotte? I mean, look at this." He yanked up his sleeve exposing his bite.
Charlotte held her breath as she took in the severity of Damon's wound.
"What are you going to do about that?" he said harshly before quickly pulling his sleeve back down.
"I don't know. But there has to be something. Vampires have existed for thousands of years. Someone out there has to know some sort of cure."
"So what? Are you gonna run to daddy original for help? Oh wait, he already betrayed you," he scoffed.
"Why are you being like this? I love you and I just want to help you. Besides, I wasn't talking about him..." She sighed deeply. "But maybe he does know a cure. I could go talk to him..."
"Great. You do that, Charlotte. You run to uncle Klaus and daddy Elijah, get bitten yourself and die. Awesome plan," he said, clapping his hands sarcastically. "While you're there you might as well tell them Elena is alive too."
Charlie shook her head annoyed. "Then what else do you suggest? Because I'm not just gonna sit around and watch you die."
Damon shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing. Maybe it's just my time," he said with no emotion.
He then left the room, leaving a bewildered and frightened Charlie alone.
Mystic Falls, Fall 1863
Damon glanced at his reflection in the mirror. He was dressed in a black suit and bow tie with his dark hair slicked back.
Tonight was the annual Mystic Falls autumn dance, held at the Lockwood Mansion.
Damon had only returned home earlier that day, he was tired but he wanted to be with Charlotte. His father didn't approve of this decision, but he didn't really care.
Charlotte was his fiancée and the only thing he wanted was to be married to her and start a family.
He was straightening his tie when there was a knock on his bedroom door.
"Come in," Damon shouted.
"Looking smart, Damon," Stefan said as he entered the room.
"Thank you. You don't look too bad yourself," Damon smirked.
"Is that a compliment, brother?" Stefan laughed.
"Maybe."
"Well, thanks," he smiled. "Anyway, I came to tell you Charlotte is waiting downstairs for you. I'm going to ride with father."
"Give my regards to father," he mocked.
Stefan sighed. "Father means well, Damon."
"No he doesn't. It's all about what he wants. I won't be his little lapdog anymore."
Stefan just nodded before leaving the room. And Damon soon followed.
Damon couldn't wait to see her. He knew she'd be the most beautiful girl at the party. But more important, she was his.
He took a deep breath and headed downstairs.
He glanced out the window and noticed Charlotte waiting for him just outside the front door. She was stunning.
Her gown was emerald green, nipping in at the waist before flowing over her hips. The bodice was low and tight and showed off her delicate pale skin, and her red hair cascaded down her back in beautiful scarlet ringlets. The green necklace he'd given her earlier matched the dress perfectly. He smiled to himself.
The second he opened the door Charlotte's eyes caught his own.
"Damon!" Charlotte breathed, lifting her skirt slightly as she walked towards him.
"Wow, Charlotte, you look amazing." He gently kissed her cheek before offering her his arm. Together, they turned and walked towards the carriage, where the driver stood with the door open.
The road to the Lockwood mansion was filled with many coaches of all shapes and sizes. Despite being tired Damon felt a thrill of anticipation. This was the first time he and Charlotte had officially been to a party together as a couple.
They slowly made their way up to the mansion. The driver stopped the horses and let them out. Damon laced his fingers with Charlotte's and together they walked through the open doors of the mansion.
The high-ceilinged dining room had been cleared of all furniture, and the candlelight lent a warm mysterious glow. Flower garlands hung from the ceiling, and the marble floor was perfectly waxed. A band played in the corner and couples were already dancing.
He squeezed Charlotte's hand and she smiled up at him.
"Let's dance," she said, tugging Damon towards the large dance floor.
He wrapped his arms around her tiny waist, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She looked up at him and their eyes met. In this moment Damon realised how right it felt being with her.
"I still can't believe you're back," she smiled.
He smiled back at her; a smile she knew well and loved. It was one of familiarity and tenderness but also sexy, and it got to her every time.
"And I can't believe how beautiful you look tonight," he said softly.
She laid her head against his chest as they danced, and he pulled her closer. Damon sighed with happiness, enjoying the moment. He'd missed her so much. He would be lost without her.
"Damon," a voice said, interrupting them.
Charlotte instantly pulled away from Damon feeling slightly embarrassed. Caught up in their own little world together they'd forgotten they were in public.
Damon turned towards the voice and found Thomas Fell and his wife Honoria.
"Mr and Mrs Fell," Damon smiled. "It's good to see you."
"Yes, we'd heard you were back. Much to your father's displeasure that is."
"Father will realise that this is for the best. I can start my life with Charlotte now," he said grabbing Charlotte's hand for emphasis.
"Well, if that's what you want," Thomas said gruffly.
"Of course it is," Damon snapped.
"It's fine, Damon. Thomas means well," Honoria said softly. "Miss Dubois is a lovely young lady. And very beautiful. I've enjoyed the time I've spent with her in your absence."
"And who knows, maybe soon we'll be blessed by a beautiful baby Salvatore. Give your father something to be proud of," Thomas added.
Thomas took Honoria by the hand and they headed back across the ball room.
Charlotte felt a stab of guilt in her chest. She would never have Damon's children...
She remained still, avoiding Damon's gaze for several moments.
He gently touched her shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"Fine," she said to him, trying to reassure him despite the fact she felt so guilty.
"You sure?"
"Of course," she lied, trying to smile.
Through the crowded dance floor, Damon spotted his father, Jonathan Gilbert, Thomas Fell and the rest of the Founders whispering furiously in a far corner. He sighed deeply. He didn't trust any of them.
Charlotte noticed Damon's angry expression.
"You okay?" she asked, gently rubbing his arm.
"No," he whispered huskily. "Let's go home."
"What?"
Damon's expression softened, his famous smirk appearing instead. "Let's go back while we have the house to ourselves."
Charlotte giggled as he grabbed her hand and pulled her across the dance floor. She quickly grabbed the side of her skirt with her free hand. Everyone was looking at them but neither of them cared.
Hand in hand, they snuck out through the kitchen, much to the confusion of the servants, and exited out the back door of the house.
They sprinted into the dark night, oblivious to the cold air and burst out laughing at the fact they'd just run out of the social event of the season.
Their coach was tied near the Lockwood stable. The driver nowhere in sight.
"After you, Miss," Damon said, lifting Charlotte by the waist and placing her in the passenger seat.
He then got up onto the driver's seat and cracked the whip. The horse immediately started towards home.
Damon smirked at her. They had an entire evening of freedom in front of them and it was exciting. Everyone was at that party. No father to worry about, no Stefan, no one. Just hours of uninterrupted bliss.
"I love you," Damon yelled, the heavy wind muffled his words but Charlotte heard him perfectly.
She stood up in the coach, her long red curls whipping wildly around her face. "I love you, too," she shouted back before collapsing into giggles on the seat.
The second they reached his room, Damon pulled the dress off her slim shoulders and, seized by his passion, gently ran his lips against her neck. He continued up to her jaw line and eventually to her lips.
After several kisses they pulled apart, staring at each other for a moment before he lowered his face to hers and captured her lips with his again.
This time he was in no hurry to end the kiss, and when she opened her mouth underneath his, he didn't think twice before taking what she was offering him. It felt so good, felt so right as his tongue slid along hers.
She moaned into his mouth as their kiss turned into something slightly more heated.
She lay back on the bed, arranging her hair on the pillow. Her deep red curls against the white fabric were mesmerising.
Damon lay down next to her, tracing the curve of her chin with his index finger as he put his lips to hers.
Present Day
Charlie woke up alone. She barely remembered falling asleep. The empty bottle of scotch on the bed beside was probably the reason why.
Still wearing her black dress and yesterday's makeup, she decided to freshen up before she dealt with the day ahead of her.
She had a quick shower. As the warm water fell down her back, she smiled to herself, thinking back to the night her and Damon snuck away from a Lockwood party. A time when their relationship had been fun and carefree. She wondered if they could ever get back to that.
She then dressed in blue faded skinny jeans, a loose white blouse, gray cardigan and gray ballet flats. She left her red curls cascading down her back and added some simple makeup.
She started downstairs when she heard the front door open. She ran and hid behind the nearest doorway and waited. There was still a chance Klaus or Elijah could come back for her.
She sighed as Damon walked into view and took off his jacket throwing it onto the couch. He looked so… broken. He'd completely given up. She'd never seen him this way before.
Charlie remained hidden as Damon headed over to the liquor cabinet and grabbed a bottle of bourbon. He poured the amber liquid into a tumbler and took a large gulp. He groaned as pain shot through his arm.
He walked over to the window and opened the large red curtains. Sunlight flooded into the room and the warm rays covered his skin. He took another swig of his drink before setting it down onto the table.
She watched, confused, as Damon continued to stare out of the window. He wrapped his fingers around his ring and Charlie realised what he was about to do.
Damon looked at the ring for a moment, twirling it in his hand before dropping it to the ground. His skin instantly began to burn.
Charlie suddenly knocked him to the ground away from the sun's harmful rays.
"Get off me!" Damon shouted trying to shove her off of him. It was useless; she was too strong for him.
She then slammed him into a wall making sure he was out of the sunlight.
"You're not doing this," she yelled back.
"Just did," Damon mocked.
Stefan then entered the room, a puzzled look on his face.
Damon turned towards him. "Stefan understands. He knows what happened to Rose."
Charlie furrowed her brows. "Rose?"
"She was a vampire, Damon cared about her. But she was bitten by a werewolf and things didn't end well for her," Stefan replied. He turned directly to Damon. "I do understand why you'd want to do this but I don't care. You're not dying today."
"And I didn't know Rose so I don't care either. I'm not losing you today," Charlie added before speeding down to the basement with Damon. She threw him into the cellar and locked the door.
Stefan immediately joined them.
Damon glared up at Charlie and his brother. "So what's the plan, Superman and Lois Lane?" Damon asked his voice full of sarcasm.
"We're going to find a way out of this."
"Oh right, a miracle cure." Damon said with no emotion. "Good luck with that one."
"I've got Bonnie looking for something," Stefan told him.
"You have?" Charlie asked, hope filling her eyes.
Stefan nodded.
"Always the hero, Stefan." Damon replied. "And I know you'll do everything you can to help, Charlie. But both of you just tell me goodbye, get it over with." Damon suddenly groaned in pain and began to cough up blood.
Charlie put her hand over her mouth as tears began to form in her eyes. She couldn't believe she was watching Damon suffer like this.
"Lie still. Conserve your strength," Stefan ordered. He then turned on his heel and left the cellar.
Charlie looked at Damon with tears rolling down her face. "I love you. I won't let you die," she whispered before following Stefan back upstairs.
She slowly walked into the living room and saw Stefan sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and quietly sat beside him.
After several moments of silence Charlie spoke. "Do you really think we'll find a cure?"
Stefan looked up at her. "I don't know. But I have to try. I owe that to him. I'm the one that made him turn..."
Charlie held her hand stopping his words. "No. I owe it to the both of you. In 1861 if I'd never got on that boat to America... Katherine wouldn't have followed me to Mystic Falls... It's my fault."
Stefan shook his head. "You didn't turn us, Charlotte. You never once fed from us. You never compelled us. All you did was fall in love with Damon. Nothing is your fault."
Charlie gave him a small smile. "It's not your fault either, Stefan. You don't need a reason to want to help him; he's your brother, that's enough. And like you I love him. I'll do whatever it takes to save him."
Soon after, Charlie and Stefan joined Bonnie at the abandoned house. Stefan believed they could contact Emily through Bonnie, he hoped she would know a cure for Damon.
"How are you?" Bonnie asked Charlie. "First Elijah betrayed you and now Damon... I'm just so sorry."
"I'd be lying if I said I was okay," Charlie said with little emotion.
Bonnie smiled weakly. "I'm going to be honest. I'm not sure this is going to work."
"Just try. Please, Bonnie," Charlie pleaded.
"You've done a séance before, right? Contacted Emily Bennett. Maybe one of the witches will know a way to help Damon," Stefan said.
Bonnie nodded. "Okay. But let's just hope they want to."
Bonnie then closed her eyes and began to chant a spell. Hushed voices soon filled the air around them. Bonnie remained frozen.
"Bonnie? Bonnie?" Stefan said his brows furrowed.
Bonnie suddenly opened her eyes. "Emily," she said, Emily's voice coming from Bonnie's body. "Why have you come here, Stefan? Charlotte?"
"We need your help. We need to know if there's a spell that can heal a werewolf bite," Stefan told her.
"No. Nature ensures a balance to everything," Emily replied.
"That's a lie and you know it," Charlie said raising her voice.
"Is that true... or are you just saying no because it's Damon?" Stefan asked.
"Perhaps it is his time to die," Emily told them.
"No. You don't mean that," Charlie cried.
"No. That's not balance. That's punishment," Stefan snapped.
"I will not give you what you want," Emily said.
"Emily, please," Charlie begged. "Tell us. I can't lose him."
"So you're saying that there's an answer to give?" Stefan added.
Bonnie stared at them blankly.
"Please, if you know something, just tell us. Help me save my brother," Stefan pleaded.
Bonnie suddenly screamed and fell to the floor.
"Bonnie!" Stefan said, instantly crouching beside her. Charlie did the same.
"They don't want us here. They think I'm abusing their power," Bonnie told him.
"They know something. There's an answer. They just don't want to tell us," Stefan replied.
"I heard them say a name," she admitted.
"A name?" Charlie frowned.
"What was it?" Stefan asked.
"Klaus."
Charlie and Stefan exchanged worried glances.
"So, what are you going to do now?" Bonnie asked them.
"I think we should tell Elena everything," Stefan replied.
"Then what?"
Neither Stefan nor Charlie answered but Bonnie could tell by their faces what they were thinking.
"You're really going to go to Klaus?" she deduced.
Stefan nodded. "I have no choice."
"I'm coming too," Charlie said firmly.
"No. Charlie, are you insane? Klaus is a hybrid now. One bite and you're dead," Stefan told her.
She shook her head. "I don't care. It's Damon we're talking about here. And Klaus is my uncle. He'll listen to me. He has to."
While Stefan headed to the town square to talk to Elena, Charlie decided to check on Damon. She had to see him before she went to find Klaus, she knew deep down there was a chance that Klaus could kill all of them.
As she walked downstairs to the cellar, she could hear Damon muttering to himself. The hallucinations must have already started. She'd never seen the effects of a werewolf bite for herself before but Stefan had told everything that happened to Rose. And it didn't sound good.
She looked through the small window of Damon's cell door. He was lying on the ground, sweat covering his face and his eyes were glazed over.
"I think Stefan will be company enough," Damon whispered his voice weak.
Charlie looked at him curiously. She had no idea what he was talking about.
His next word stung right through her chest. "Katherine…" he muttered affectionately.
He was hallucinating about her. Charlie felt a small jab of jealousy but quickly pushed the feeling away. She didn't have time to think about Katherine right now, not when Damon was so ill.
"Damon?" Charlie whispered into his cell.
Damon looked up at her, his eyes so far away. He was still deep in his dream. "Charlotte?" he asked. He suddenly seemed confused.
"Yes, it's me," she said gently.
"I'm so sorry. I won't betray you, Charlotte. Not ever. It's you I love, not her."
Charlie realised Damon was mixing reality with fantasy but she answered him anyway. "It's okay. I love you too, Damon… I forgive you."
"You do?" he asked as his pale eyes began to close.
"I do," she said close to tears.
Seconds later Damon fell into a deep sleep. Charlie quietly entered the cell and crouched down beside his weak body. She brushed his hair from his sweat covered face. She hated seeing Damon so helpless.
Leaning down, she pressed a light kiss to his lips. She pulled back slowly before glancing at his arm... It really wasn't good.
"Damon?" a voice suddenly shouted.
Charlie instantly jumped to her feet. She spun around to see Alaric.
She left the cell and joined him outside the door.
"He isn't good, Ric," Charlie said holding back her tears.
Alaric nodded and to Charlie's surprise he pulled her into a hug. "He'll be okay. It's Damon, he has to be."
After informing Elena about Damon's condition and their plan to find a cure, Charlie and Stefan headed to Alaric's apartment in the hope of finding Klaus.
They entered and saw Katherine sitting on the bed.
"Hello, Katherine," Charlie said sarcastically.
"Two days, I've been waiting. I'm supposed to be free of Klaus' compulsion by now. He's supposed to be dead," she snapped getting up from the bed.
"We ran into complications," Stefan explained.
"Complications?" she asked.
"Doesn't really matter. We just need to find him. Do you have any idea where he might be?" Charlie demanded. She didn't have time to explain things to Katherine, she needed to help Damon.
Katherine suddenly grabbed them both and slammed them against the wall. She put a finger to her mouth telling them to be quiet. They then heard the door open.
"Klaus, you're back. Look who decided to come for a visit." Katherine moved away from the wall and dragged Stefan and Charlie with her.
"You just keep popping up, don't you?" Klaus said staring at Stefan with distain. He then turned to Charlie. "Hello, my little niece, do you have a death wish too? Then again you did try to make a deal with me."
Charlie glared at him and Klaus laughed.
"We need your help... For my brother," Stefan said.
"Well, whatever it is, he's gonna have to wait a tick. You see, I have an obligation to my brother that requires my immediate attention."
Charlie's eyes went wide. Brother? Was Elijah here too?
Elijah then walked through the door, his eyes avoiding Charlie's confused gaze. "You understand how important family is, or you wouldn't be here. My brother gave me his word that he would reunite me with my own," Elijah said to Stefan.
"So, that's why you betrayed us?" Charlie suddenly yelled. "You really believe that Klaus will give you your family back?"
"I'm sorry, Charlotta. But Klaus gave me his word. They're your family too remember."
"You may be my father but I will never be part of your family," she shouted.
Klaus smirked. "That's a little harsh."
"Charlotta, please. I know you have every right to hate me, but Klaus promised to reunite me with them. I want you to meet them too."
"And so I shall, brother," Klaus smiled darkly. He then stabbed Elijah with a silver dagger straight through his chest. Elijah fell lifelessly to the ground.
Charlie screamed. "You liar. He trusted you." She shoved Klaus with all her might and he slammed into the wall behind him.
Klaus straightened himself up and a sly smile covered his face. "I suggest you behave, young Charlotta, or you'll be joining your father," he said now inches from her face.
Charlie took a step back from Klaus. She knew he was serious.
"Good girl." He then turned to Stefan. "Now, what am I going to do with you?"
Before Stefan could react Klaus drove a stake into his back. He immediately fell to the floor in pain.
Charlie remained silent. She knew interfering would only make things worse.
"Do you feel that? It's scraping against your heart. The slightest little movement and you're dead," Klaus said darkly.
"He's just trying to help his brother," Katherine said quietly.
Charlie looked over at Katherine surprised. She couldn't believe she was trying to help Stefan.
"The witches said you had a cure. Make me a deal. Just give me the cure, and I'll do whatever you want," Stefan breathed, finding it hard to speak through the pain.
"Trouble is I don't know if you'd be any good to me the way you are now. You are just shy of useless," Klaus smiled pouring himself a glass of blood.
Stefan lay on the floor, trying to catch his breath as his body started to heal. Klaus sipped his blood as Katherine and Charlie looked on afraid.
"I heard about this one vampire, crazy bloke, always on and off the wagon for decades. When he was off, he was magnificent. 1917, he went into Monterey and wiped out an entire migrant village... A true ripper. Sound familiar?" Klaus smirked.
Charlie looked over at Stefan, his eyes caught hers and she could see his shame flash in them. She'd heard stories about Stefan in his ripper days...
"I haven't been that way in a very long time," Stefan said quietly.
"Well, that's the vampire I can make a deal with. That is the kind of talent that I can use when I leave this town," Klaus told him as Stefan stood up.
"Katerina, come here," he instructed.
Katherine cautiously walked closer to him. He took her arm in his hands eyes as his face began to change and eyes became yellow. He suddenly bit her.
Charlie gasped. He'd actually bit her... What if he bit her next?
"Aah! Aah! No. No. No. No," Katherine pleaded.
Klaus smiled darkly and bit his own wrist. He shoved his blood into Katherine's mouth. Her wound immediately healed. Katherine relived she wasn't going to die, cowered into a corner.
"You want your cure? There it is," Klaus smirked. He looked over at Stefan, then at Charlie.
"Your blood is the cure," Stefan replied.
"Gotta love Mother Nature," Klaus smiled. "Now... I think the three of us need to have a little talk. I have plans for both of you."
"What do you mean?" Charlie asked.
Klaus ignored her and walked over to the kitchen. He grabbed a knife from the counter and sat down on a barstool. "First, Stefan."
Stefan slowly walked towards Klaus.
"You want to save your brother? How about a decade-long bender? I have big plans for you when we leave this town," Klaus said as he cut his palm with the knife and dripped his blood into a vial.
"I'm not like that anymore," Stefan told him.
"Well, that's too bad. You would have made a hell of a wingman," Klaus smirked as he began to pour the blood down the sink.
"Wait," Stefan shouted.
"Now that's more like it. I want you to join me for a drink."
Klaus threw him a blood bag. Stefan stared at it for several seconds before he took a small sip.
"Finish it. All of it. You do everything I say, and I save your brother. That's the deal," Klaus instructed.
Stefan immediately drank the rest of the bag. Once he was finished Klaus threw him another one.
Charlie looked over at Katherine, their eyes met for several moments but Katherine quickly turned away. She was done trying to help them.
"Again," Klaus demanded.
"Please don't do this to him," Charlie suddenly said.
Klaus was instantly in front of her a dark smile covering his face. "How rude of me, Charlotta, I'd almost forgotten you were here."
He turned towards Stefan, tossing him two more bags. "Drink it and when you're done, start on these two."
Klaus then turned his attention back to Charlie. "I see the way you look at me. With confusion and uncertainty... But you are right. We have met before. We were both just different people back then..."
"I don't know you," she snapped. "Not until recently when you came into my life and hurt a lot of people I care about."
He gently stroked her cheek. "But you do, Charlotta. We met around 90 years ago in Chicago. I'll let you figure out the rest."
She shook her head. "The only vampire I met in the 20s was a guy named Nik..." she trailed off.
Klaus' smirk widened.
"Oh, my God. Your name is Niklaus... That was you, wasn't it?"
"Clever girl," he smiled. "So if I was you, I'd do exactly what I want because you never did pay me back for helping you. Technically you still owe me."
Stefan looked over at them, blood still dripping from his mouth but he tried to keep control of himself. "You knew Klaus in the 20s?"
Charlie nodded. "I did. I just didn't know it was him. He was known as Nik back then. And it's a part of my life I never want to relive."
"What did he do for you? What does he have on you?" Stefan demanded.
Klaus laughed darkly. "That's a secret she will never tell."
Charlie dropped her gaze to the floor. The 1920s hadn't been a good time for her. After she'd found out Katherine had turned both brothers, she'd done a lot of things she regretted... and until now she'd pretended that it'd never happened.
She slowly looked up at Klaus. "I don't understand. How did you remember me? I went by Lottie in the 20s. Did you know I was Elijah's daughter then?" she asked Klaus.
"I knew of your existence, just not that it was you at the time. Brice informed me that Elijah had a daughter that was a threat to me in the early 1800s. But it didn't take me long to figure out it was you. I couldn't compel you, your slight French accent, your past with the Salvatores, and you knew Brice and Katerina. Soon after you left Chicago, I went looking for Brice. I showed him your picture and he confirmed it."
Charlie nodded. "So what do you want from me now then?"
Klaus smirked. "Nothing."
"Nothing? I don't understand."
"I want nothing... yet. No doubt if I take you with me you'll try to undagger Elijah and I can't have that, nor can I have you knowing where the rest of our family are. For now I want you to leave, continue your boring life in this sad little town. I'll come for you when I'm ready for you."
"What about Damon? How do I know you'll cure him?" she demanded.
"That's for Stefan here to decide. If he does exactly what I say, Damon will get his cure tonight. I promise." He turned back to Stefan, tossing him yet another blood bag. "Drink."
Stefan immediately grabbed the bag and began to drink the blood. Charlie got the feeling Stefan was beginning to enjoy it now. He greedily gorged the blood.
"Now Leave, Charlotta," Klaus said with his back to her.
Charlie looked at both Katherine and Stefan apologetically before disappearing from the room.
Damon was stumbling through town searching for Charlie. He suddenly stopped in front of a statue, his bite making him hallucinate again. In front of him was Charlotte, dressed in the green gown she'd wore to a party in 1863.
"Charlotte?" he whispered.
"Damon!" a voice shouted.
Damon turned towards the voice and saw Jeremy running towards him.
Damon looked back at the statue where Charlotte had been seconds before... she wasn't there. He then looked back at Jeremy's confused face.
"Where's Charlotte? I need to see Charlotte now," Damon said weakly.
"Let's just get you out of here first. Come on."
Jeremy grabbed Damon's arm and flung it behind his shoulder, supporting most of his weight. He headed towards the Grill. Jeremy grabbed his phone from his pocket and dialled Charlie's number. She immediately answered.
"Jer, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine but I'm with Damon at the Grill. He's not good, Charlie. Where are you?"
"I'm almost at the town square. I'll meet you at the Grill. Keep Damon there."
Damon turned around and saw Liz with her gun. As Liz pulled the trigger Damon fled out of the way and the bullet hit Jeremy straight through the chest.
"Jer? Jeremy? I heard a gunshot. Jeremy what happened?" Charlie asked frantically but she received no answer.
She ended the call and rang Elena.
"Is everything okay, Charlie? How did things go with Klaus?" Elena demanded.
"No time to explain. Where are you?"
"I'm on my way back into town. I've just had to break out of the police station. The sheriff is after Damon."
"Great, another problem," Charlie said sardonically.
"What do you mean?"
"I was just on the phone with Jeremy and I heard a gunshot. You have to get to the Grill, Elena. Find out what happened. I'm going to look for Damon."
"Oh, my God."
"Can you do that for me?" Charlie insisted.
"Yeah, I'll go. Just find him, Charlie. Please."
"I will. Don't worry," she said before hanging up the phone.
Charlie ran desperately through the town square trying to find Damon. She stopped and looked around still seeing no sign of him. She then heard a voice behind her.
"Charlotte," Damon whispered. He was so weak he could barely get his words out.
She turned around and saw Damon. Her eyes took in his appearance and she gasped at the sight. He was pale, sweating and completely dazed. She quickly ran up to him and grabbed his shoulders, supporting his weight.
"Oh, my God, Damon. Come on, we need to get you out of here. We need to hide you."
"Where are we going?" Damon asked still dazed as Charlie dragged him across the square. In his mind it was 1864 and he was running through the woods with Katherine.
Damon tripped doing the same in his daydream. He almost fell but Charlie grabbed him in time. "Hey, hey, you're okay, Damon. Look at me."
He looked up at her and he seemed confused. "Charlotte?" Damon breathed. "You came back."
She gently rubbed his arm. "It's me, okay. Relax. We need to get you out of here."
Still thinking it was 1864 Damon suddenly pinned her against a tree.
"Please don't be mad, Charlotte. I know what this looks like. But I thought I'd lost you forever. Katherine told me you'd left me and you weren't coming back. I love you. I want to be with you," Damon mumbled still hallucinating.
"Hey, look at me. Everything is okay. I don't care about Katherine. I only care about you," she tried to calm him but Damon was still dazed.
"I know in a way I've betrayed you. But you have to trust me. Please believe me. That I want you not her," he begged as he held onto her upper arms tightly. "Don't be mad." He shook her hard with the little energy he had left.
She gently pushed against his chest, not wanting to hurt him but he was holding on pretty strong. "I'm not mad. I do believe you. Now let go of me so we can go home."
Damon continued to stare at her with glazed eyes. His mind still lost in the past.
"Please snap out of this, Damon. Katherine isn't here. She doesn't matter. I love you so much. Come back to me."
Damon suddenly stopped shaking her and let go of her arms. He pulled away dazed and confused as he looked up at her. "Charlie?"
"Yeah. I'm here. Everything's okay. You're going to be okay."
Completely exhausted Damon fell to his knees. Charlie knelt down in front of him and pulled him against her. He rested his head against her chest and she wrapped her arms around him. She held Damon for several seconds allowing him rest before she pulled him back to his feet with her arm around his shoulders. "Come on, we've got to get you out of here."
Charlie took Damon back to the boarding house. She managed to get him up to his room and onto the bed. She grabbed a small towel and soaked it with cold water before sitting beside him on the bed. He didn't look good, sweat was dripping down his face and he was breathing heavily.
"Shh," she soothed as she dabbed the wet cloth on his forehead.
She heard him whisper her name. "Charlie?"
"It's okay, Damon, I'm right here."
"I don't want you to see me like this."
Charlie grabbed his hand. "I'm here until the very end. I'm not going anywhere," she said firmly. "You're crazy for thinking I'd actually leave you."
"Get out of here!" He cried out in pain, lifting his hand up to his chest. He started to cough frantically.
She climbed onto the bed trying to soothe him. "It's okay. It's okay."
"It's not okay, Charlotte. It's not okay," Damon repeated weakly. "All those years I've blamed Stefan. I've blamed Katherine. I've even blamed you. But no one forced me to love her. It was my choice. I made the wrong choice... Falling in love with you again showed me that..."
"Shh," she breathed, holding him close.
He looked up at her. "Tell Stefan and Elena I'm sorry, okay?"
"Don't talk that way," Charlie said. "You're going to be fine." She rocked him in her arms.
"This is even more pitiful than I thought," Damon whispered.
"There's still hope," she said, tears forming in her eyes.
"I've made a lot of choices that have gotten me here. I deserve this. I deserve to die."
She looked directly at him and shook her head. "Don't say that. That's not true."
Damon's eyes were now half-closed. "I do, Charlotte. But it's okay. 'Cause if I'd chosen differently I wouldn't have found you again. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for everything I've done. I know I've hurt you..."
She gave him a small smile. "It's okay, I forgive you." She took his hand tightly in her own and lay beside him putting her head against his chest. She let out a small cry. "I love you so much."
"You need to know how much I love you too," he said weakly. He could barely keep his eyes open now.
"I do," she cried into his shirt. "Just don't give up yet. Stay with me." She felt as if her heart was almost breaking in two.
She slowly leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on his mouth. She could feel his lips smiling beneath her own. She slowly pulled away not wanting to let go of him. "I love you, Damon. Never forget that. Promise me that you'll never forget that," she whispered as the tears fell from her eyes.
Damon managed to open his eyes slightly to look at the woman he loved. "I promise you."
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that this has happened to you."
Damon smiled and put a finger to her lips. "Just kiss me." He slowly pulled her to him and seized her lips with his own. He wrapped his arms around her holding her to him. He was using the last of his strength but it was worth it.
Charlie slowly pulled away, and held his face in her hands. She kissed his forehead.
Damon twitched his mouth again before shutting his eyes completely.
"Thank you. I never deserved your love but thank you for giving it to me," he whispered.
"You're welcome," she sobbed. She knew this was it... he really was dying...
"Well, it's me you should be thanking," a voice said behind them.
Charlie turned her head and saw Katherine leaning against the doorframe. She walked towards them as Charlie got off the bed.
"I mean, I'm the one who's brought the cure," she added, holding up the small vile of blood Charlie had seen earlier.
Katherine sat on the edge of the bed beside Damon.
Damon used what little strength he had left to look up at her. "You got free," he stated.
"Yep. Finally," she said feeding him Klaus' blood.
"And you still came here?" Damon asked in disbelief.
Katherine smiled lightly and touched his face. "I owed you one." She then turned to Charlie. "I owed both of you." She stood up from the bed.
"Where's Stefan?" Charlie asked her.
"Why do you care?" Katherine smirked. "Your boyfriend is safe now."
"What happened to Stefan?" she insisted. "For Klaus to hand over that cure... Stefan must have given him something in return."
Katherine sighed and held up the vile. "He's paying for this. You were there when Klaus offered him that deal. He gave himself over to him. I wouldn't expect Stefan anytime soon."
"So he's really just left town with Klaus?"
Katherine nodded. "Yeah. He just sacrificed everything to save his brother, including Elena," she explained.
"Oh, my God," Charlie breathed.
"Don't worry. Maybe you and Elena can both share Damon now," she winked. "I don't think Damon would mind."
"You're unbelievable," Charlie glared at her.
Katherine just laughed. "Goodbye, Charlotte. She started to walk away but stopped at the doorframe, turning back towards her. "I'd be careful, Charlotte. When Klaus wants you, he will come looking for you. If I was you, I'd get the hell away from Mystic Falls before it's too late. Because once Klaus has you, there's no turning back." She tossed the vile to Charlie before speeding out of the room.
Charlie stared after Katherine with her mouth open. Katherine was right. Klaus had her exactly where he wanted her. Waiting... always wondering when he would come back for her...
She suddenly heard Damon groan and immediately turned towards him. He started to sit up now. Damon met her gaze with wide eyes and both of them didn't say word.
Damon got up from the bed and pulled Charlie into his arms. "We'll get him back, don't worry. I'll get Stefan back, no matter what I have to do."
Charlie shook her head. "Klaus should have taken me not him... but he's torturing me. Making me live in fear. I have no idea when he'll come back for me. Two years time... five, ten, fifty... Katherine's right, I should leave town, not only am I in danger but if Klaus comes back I'm putting Elena in danger too. I'm putting all of you in danger."
She took his arm and looked at it. The bite was slowly healing. She gave a sigh of relief.
Damon cupped her face in his hands. "I won't let Klaus take you or Elena. And we're not leaving our home. Not for Klaus. Not ever. We'll get Stefan back and we'll find a way to kill that hybrid dick. I promise you."
Charlie laughed despite the situation; Damon was more like himself already.
Damon smiled and kissed her lips. "I love you, Charlie. No one is taking you from me. Never again. I won't make that mistake again."
She smiled back. "I love you too." She took a deep breath. "Can you do something for me?"
Damon nodded.
"Just hold me."
Damon lay down on the bed and pulled her into his arms. She put her head on his chest as he began to stroke her hair. And they just lay there, pretending that nothing else mattered but the two them, not Elena, not Elijah, not Stefan, not Jeremy, not even Klaus. No one. Just them.
Tomorrow all their problems would still be there...
The sequel isn't far away I promise you :D I have so much planned for it!
So what did you think?
Are you glad Charlie didn't leave with Klaus?
Are you glad she was with Damon and not Elena?
Do you think she'll try to save Elijah?
Would you like to know what Klaus did for her in the 1920s?
Any ideas you have for the season 3 storyline just let me know :D
The sequel is Called Blood Red Lies. I'll try to have it done as soon as I can.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter :D