Guys why didn't you tell me I forgot to upload?!
"Klaus are you sure that this is the best thing for her? She hasn't been in a good place right now, and taking her out of the state could only make things worse." Jana said skeptically as she watched Klaus haul another bag into the trunk.
"That," He started as he slammed the trunk shut and turned to face Jana. "Is the exact reason that she needs this. Something familiar might be just the thing she needs." Jana narrowed her eyes.
"I might agree with you if you were taking her anywhere else, do you know how much anxiety she has had over that place?" The brunette asked, placing a hand on her hip. Before either of them could say anything else, Rebekah appeared at the top of the staircase with Eden's hand in hers as they descended the steps slowly.
"Did you at least tell her?" Jana asked. When the hybrid said nothing, the oldest Martinez scoffed in disbelief.
"I swear it's like you don't even know her sometimes." Klaus smirked, turning to face Jana.
"Or I just know her better than you." He suggested, walking forward to meet up with his sister and the mother of his child. He gave Rebekah a grateful nod before turning to face Eden.
"Are you ready to go love?" Eden looked up at him, a sad smile on her face.
"Almost." She answered quietly. In the midst of Eden's pity party, Klaus had been extremely patient with her and though she did despise being treated as a child by being told to stay in bed, she was grateful for him all the same. Jana pulled Eden to her, wrapping the bigger girl in her small arms and squeezing her lightly.
"Be safe okay, tell everyone hi." She whispered in her ear, placing a quick peck on her cheek before pulling away and then smiling at Rebekah. Klaus wrapped an arm around Eden, guiding her to the car and helping her inside before turning back to Jana.
"Do me a favor and make sure that things run smoothly while I'm gone. Wouldn't want anyone making a grab for my power while I'm gone now do we?" Jana rolled her eyes.
"I'm not your snitch pendejo, you have Marcel for that." Klaus smirked, opening the door to the driver's seat and turning back to face Jana.
"Well how about I grant you a simpler task then eh? Take care of my big brother for me, make sure that he doesn't get himself into any trouble while we're gone." Jana let out a snort, turning on her heels and walking away.
"Goodbye Klaus." She called back to the now smirking hybrid as he shut the door to the car and pulled off down the road.
* * *
Eden had never particularly been one to complain when it came to long car trips. She found the scenery relaxing and in her younger years, she would have taken some shots on her camera. There was also a never-ending stream of new music that showed her the various tastes of what her companions were listening to as well as showing them what she liked. Not to mention the fact that she got to try out new foods at the vast selections of diners that was strewn throughout the countryside to keep her happy.
Pregnancy had manged to turn all of that into her worst nightmare.
Eden constantly had to go to the bathroom and while Rebekah and Klaus tried to put on brave faces about it, Eden could tell they were as irritated with her bladder as she was. Klaus had even made the mistake of muttering about it, to which she blamed their daughter and the father for ever impregnating her to begin with. Not to mention the fact that every time she ate, it felt like she only wanted more food and twice Klaus had to stop at a gas station to pick up her new cravings in the form of sour gummy worms. With all this in total, Eden saw that what should have been a fourteen hour trip turned into a seventeen hour one before she saw where she was.
"Mystic Falls?" She whispered in disbelief as she saw the telltale welcome sign when they drove past it. She whipped around to face Klaus, her eyes wide with worry.
"I thought we could get back to your roots, you've been in a bit of a slump." Klaus said leisurely, his blue eyes still on the road. Eden shook her head, sitting back in the seat. Her heart was racing a mile a minute and even without their vampire hearing, Eden was sure that Klaus and Rebekah would be able to hear it.
"I can't face them Nik, I'm not ready." Klaus glanced over at his beloved, upset to see her in such a state over people he didn't deem worthy of her anxiety. In hopes of calming her, Klaus placed a hand on her leg and squeezed it lightly, delighted when he felt Eden relax under him.
"Relax Eden, I'm sure they'll be ecstatic to see you." Rebekah said in a bid of support from the backseat and while Eden didn't believe it, she stayed quiet. They drove the familiar roads through the town square and while Eden was feeling a bit nostalgic, the closer she got to the Salvatore Boarding House, the bigger her nerves got. Before long, they were pulling up to the long driveway that extended to the big house. Klaus put the car in park momentarily before he groaned and Eden sent him a curious look.
"What?" She asked, glancing in the rearview to see that Rebekah had the same bleak look on her face as Klaus. Klaus sighed, sitting back in his seat.
"It seems that we have stumbled upon another day where your friends have managed to get themselves killed." At this, Eden's heart began to pick up once more, so fast that Klaus started to think the girl was going to have a heart attack.
"What happened?" The brunette was completely on edge by this point, and if someone didn't tell her what was happening, then she was going to pass out from the anxiety. Klaus glanced at Rebekah, sighing before he turned back to Eden.
"It seems that our old friend Katerina had a daughter, and that daughter has hidden your Quarterback friend somewhere on the property." Eden's heart dropped as the color drained from her face.
"She did what?" Eden asked stupidly, her voice just above a whisper and if not for the fact that Rebekah's face looked just as upset as Eden assumed she looked, then she might not have believed him.
"He's buried somewhere here, underneath the property. I'm guessing that he doesn't have much time left." Klaus said idly, looking out the window thoughtfully.
"Please," Eden whispered, turning to face Klaus. "I need you to find him, make sure that he is safe." Klaus made a face, ready to argue, but when he saw the look on her face, he thought better of it, and instead nodded.
"Rebekah and I will find the Quarterback, you go inside and wait for us." Eden nodded, sending a small smile to the Mikaelsons before opening the door and sliding out of the car.
After Eden had shut the door behind her, she heard the car back out and then pull away. With a sigh, she began walking up the long driveway to the house. She didn't have to walk for long before she was able to hear the sound of footsteps and vague voices coming towards her. In a panic, she slipped behind a tree and listened to the voices, trying to see who they belonged to.
"Is no one gonna comment on the fact that Stefan slept with Katherine? I mean that's kind of a big deal." Was the first sentence that Eden was able to make out, and she had no trouble recognizing the high pitched voice as that of Caroline's. In shock, she wondered how much had she missed in her time of being away. She thought that everything was good between Stefan and Elena but seeing as he'd slept with her doppelganger, there must be something else she'd missed.
"Does it matter? We've all slept with our fair share of bad choices." Eden's breath hitched in her throat. It was Jeremy who was talking now.
"No offense taken." She heard from Bonnie Bennett next. Eden smiled lightly. At least in her time away, Bonnie and Jeremy had managed to make things right with each other. She liked the effect that Bonnie had on Jeremy and hopefully it was helping him become a better man in Eden's time away.
"How am I the only person on the planet who is not having scandalous sex?" She heard from Caroline, who sounded much closer than they had previously been. Eden guessed that they were only a few feet from her by this point. "Even Eden was having scandalous sex before she left." The blonde muttered as they easily walked past her, not paying the brunette any mind. Taking a breath, Eden squared her shoulders and figured that it was now or never when facing her friends.
"Well, I wouldn't necessarily call it scandalous sex, but it did get the people talking." She said loudly, causing the three of them to halt their steps and turn around.
There was a tense silence that surrounded the group at first, none of them knowing what to say to the other as Caroline placed her hands to her face to cover the gasp that had escaped her throat. Bonnie stared, wide eyed and in complete shock as she took in the girl who'd run away so many months ago, standing in front of her with a wide smile. Jeremy, was the hardest for Eden to read, his face was neutral, his arms stiff as they stood by his side and if Eden didn't know any better, she would have thought that he wasn't breathing.
Caroline was the first to move; using her vampire speed, she moved quickly in front of the girl and wrapped her arms around Eden before engulfing her in her arms.
You're really here." She whispered in Eden's ear, squeezing her lightly. Eden winced quietly, feeling Caroline pressing against her bump and hoping that she didn't pay any attention to it. When she pulled away, Eden saw that Caroline had tears in her eyes.
"Where have you been? Where did you go? You had everyone so worried about you." The blonde rushed out all at once as Eden saw Bonnie walking forward slowly.
"I was in Florida for a little while, I needed some time to get away." Eden answered truthfully. Bonnie had now reached her and was now watching the brunette as though she were going to break if she touched her. Eden smiled at the witch as well, holding her arms out and pulling the witch in for a gentle hug, hoping that she didn't get a feel of her belly either, as Eden couldn't take another witch prophesying her baby's fate.
"We've missed you Eden." The witch told her when she let go. Eden smiled, shrugging her shoulders.
"I'm sorry for running away like that, I know I must have had you all worried. Rebekah told me what happened later that day, and I feel so selfish for ever leaving." Bonnie shook her head.
"You had every right to Eden, no one blames you." Bonnie said in assurance. Eden hummed, finally turning her eyes on the last person in front of her. Jeremy still hadn't moved since Eden had made her presence and while she knew Bonnie and Caroline wouldn't be as hard, she wasn't really ready for Jeremy trying to berate her aga-
Before she could process what was happening, her old friend had pulled her to him and crushed her in the most intense hug she'd ever felt. Against her own wishes, Eden pulled back some to make room for her stomach, but nevertheless, she hugged him all the same.
"Don't ever run away like that again E, no fight is worth losing you." The young Gilbert said into her hair as he hugged her. Eden nodded, tears now sliding down her face as she pulled away.
"I'm sorry Jeremy, I should have told you about Nik and I." Jeremy shook his head.
"I should have been more accepting. I didn't know what you meant to him until I saw what it was like for him to not have you." Eden let out a small snort and Jeremy gave her a curious look.
"Did you know, that he was alive?" The hunter asked. Eden nodded, placing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Yeah, I do. And I'll explain everything later, but right now, Matt is the person who needs to be found. So everything else can wait." Eden wiped the tears from her face, sending the trio another smile.
"What will you do until we find him? Unless you want to come with us?" Bonnie offered, but Eden shook her head.
"I can't, it's a long story but I promise I'll explain it when everyone is back." In truth, Eden's feet were killing her, and she really just wanted to sit down.
"Damon and Katherine are the only ones inside the house, but don't worry, Katherine will be dead soon." Caroline explained, a giddy smile on her face, and while Eden was intrigued on why, she didn't question it.
"Alright, I'll see you soon." Without another word, Eden turned her back to the group and began making her way towards the front door, only to have the door opened for her moments later as she came face to face with Damon Salvatore.