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chapter twelve ━ i was just like you once
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❝ blood scattered on the floor ❞
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DEFINITELY NOT HOW she wanted to start her day. Melody had come to find out that Stefan was trapped in the tomb with Katherine. She had immediately gotten into her car and drove to the tomb to see him. When she did arrive, Stefan was sitting at the tomb entrance upon hearing her enter.
"You guys trapped her in the house?" Stefan questioned after Melody had caught him up the events that he missed.
She nodded. "Yep. Damon said it was for the best. Elena wanted to hand herself over to Klaus —and in the process — me as well because apparently, Klaus wants me too." Melody sat down criss-cross and then slide a bag to him. "I brought some stuff you might need: candles, lanterns, and human Bambi."
The brunette waved the blood bottle in her hand. Stefan crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the rock wall. "Give that to me and I'm just gonna have to share it with her."
Melody switched her gaze over to Katherine who was watching them farther back in the tomb. Her nose twitched when she shrugged. "Just snap her neck or something."
Katherine smirked. "I love your sass. But I'm surprised because Klaus will hunt all of you down and kill you if you mess with his little plan. However, he won't kill Melody."
The fairytale woman laughed slightly with amusement. "Trust me, if Klaus comes after me, I'll kill him myself." She looked at Stefan, her eyes softening. "After we take care of this moonstone business, we'll get you out of here."
Stefan shook his head. "Don't worry about me. Just stay safe."
"I will."
Melody looked at Katherine one last time before standing up, turning on her heel, and leaving. She made her way through the woods when she stopped suddenly. A twig snapped and Melody got the feeling that someone was watching her. She looked around, her brown eyes falling upon the area in which she heard it come from.
She took one step toward it when her phone rang, startling her. Melody rolled her eyes at her own paranoia and then answered her phone. "Hey, Ric. What's up?"
The teacher on the other line sighed. "We have a problem."
———
More and more complications seemed to be piling up by the second and Melody was already fed up with it all by the time the day ended. It turns out one of Mason's friends was in town looking for him. Damon, Alaric, and Melody had formed a plan to see if she was a werewolf. But the plan had backfired though it was revealed the girl was a werewolf.
Damon had left the Grill after the incident and went to the Gilbert house while Alaric just went back to his apartment. Melody went back to the Boarding House to find Rose in the library. She let out a sigh and walked down the steps. "I'm surprised you came back."
Rose turned to her and look apologetic. "I'm sorry. I really am. I thought that after I put you in danger—"
"Screw Elijah and screw Klaus. They can't hurt you, Rose. I won't let them."
The vampire wrapped her arms around herself. "I have nowhere else to go."
She smiled sadly, feeling bad for her. "You can stay here, you're more than welcome."
Rose raised an eyebrow. "What about Damon?"
Melody smiled. "Screw him too."
Rose smiled and laughed, Melody along with her. She felt for Rose, she really did. The vampire had run away from Elijah for years, to only gain her freedom and to witness her only family member get murdered. Melody couldn't imagine what it must have been like: hiding from the sun for years, running and never staying in one place for too long. But then you could see the world; however, Rose couldn't due to her not possessing a daylight ring.
It made her feel guilty because Melody tried to get the truth out of her when Rose didn't deserve that. She didn't deserve to be used. The vampire had been through so much and it would be wrong. The guilt filled her stomach every single time she saw her.
"Thank you, Melody. I really—"
A crashing sound from the living room interrupted her and the two exchanged a confused glance before exiting the library and entering the living room. They saw a window smashed and then a wolf standing nearby. Melody conjured a fireball in her hand. Before she could throw it, Rose flashed over, shoving her out of the way just as the wolf lunged.
The wolf pushed Rose on the ground and bit her shoulder. Melody threw the fireball and it hit the wolf. It ran out and through the window it came through, yelping from the heat. Once it was gone the brunette ran over to her fallen friend.
"Rose? How bad does it hurt?"
Rose sat up and winced. "Really bad."
Melody looked concerned but then the bite started to heal and she sighed in relief. "It's healing."
The vampire began to cry as she felt the wound heal over. "I thought a werewolf bite was fatal! I thought..."
The fairytale woman embraced her. "Sh, you're okay. Everything's fine."
And that's how they sat for while before Rose began to fall asleep. Melody led her over to the couch and then laid her down. All of a sudden, Rose yelped. The other female looked confused and then peered over at the vampire's shoulder to see the wound open once more and her veins around it were blackened.
The two looked at each other and went wide-eyed.
———
The next morning, Melody had woken up early to tend to Rose's bite. Damon had arrived late that night to see the scene and Melody had explained what happened. The truth was hard to deny: Rose was dying.
Melody got a blood bag from the basement and entered the library where Rose sat by the fire. Sweat covered her entire body. The brunette would be lying if she said Rose looked okay because she didn't. The wound had worsened, making its way down her back.
"I was born in 1450, that makes me 560 years old," Rose told her. Melody frowned and looked at her face to see that her eyes had sunken in, her complexion paler than last night. "So I can die. I've lived long enough."
The fairytale woman sat next to her. "Come on, don't say that. It's just a little bite, nothing major." She had lied and Rose knew it. Melody poured the blood bag into a glass. "You'll be fine."
Rose repeated what she had said in her head before she laughed humorlessly and replied, "Just a little, fatal to a vampire-werewolf bite? Definitely nothing to worry about."
"Well, according to a legend that I found, blood can heal." Melody extended the glass toward her. "So, drink."
She took the glass from her and then drank it. They both sat there silently for a moment before Rose spoke up. "Yeah, it does feel like it's working."
Melody smiled and nodded. "Good, let me see."
A sense of happiness flowed through her at the idea of Rose being healed. Guilt was also running through her veins because Melody thought it was her fault that Rose had gotten bitten. But the vampire had explained that if Melody were to get bit, Klaus would kill her.
Rose turned her back to her at the request. Melody pulled the jacket down to see that it had spread even further from the last time she looked at it. She felt dejected and struggled to find words.
"How is it?"
She felt bad for lying, but she found it hard to tell her. "Better." Melody looked over and saw Elena at the steps, gaping at Rose's wounds. "What do you think Elena?"
Rose looked over at the doppelganger and Melody gave Elena a look. The doppelganger finally responded with, "It's not bad."
Melody cleared her throat to rid of the tension and tried to be nice to Elena for Rose's sake. The vampire didn't need a screaming fest. "Elena, where's Stefan?"
"He left with Damon." Rose struggled to put on her jacket so Melody helped, gently easing it back onto her. "I need you to talk to them. They're convinced that they have to find Isobel but I think that's gonna upset Elijah."
The fairytale woman listened as she poured Rose some more blood. "I don't know. They have a good plan. I can't help though because I'm taking care of Rose and I'm going to need your help as much as I despise to say so."
Rose took the glass and turned to Elena, waving her hand in one motion. "It's not necessary."
Melody gave her a pointed look. "It is necessary, you're sick. And besides, Elena loves to help others." She went over to Elena and led her out of the room. "You're going to help, end of discussion."
They stopped in the living room and Melody cast a spell so Rose couldn't hear them. Elena looked concerned. "Is she gonna die?"
Melody nodded, biting her lip so she didn't show just how upset she was. "Yeah, most likely. The bite caused an infection and it's spreading by the hour."
"Like poison?"
She shrugged. "How am I supposed to know? I didn't even know vampires existed until a month ago. And the one werewolf I knew back at home? Her bite wasn't deathly at least I wasn't aware that is was."
Elena sighed deeply. "So what do we do now? Just wait?"
Melody took a step toward her and narrowed her eyes. "We help her. If there's even a slight chance we can help her, we take it."
———
After Elena had told Damon and Stefan that she was going to help Melody with Rose, the two had helped Rose to Damon's room. Rose sat down and Elena set the glass of blood on the bedside table. "I hate this. I'm a vampire, I haven't had a cold in five centuries."
Melody sighed. "Rose..." The brunette helped take off her jacket slowly and tried not to wince at the sight of the bite.
Rose continued on, "We don't get sick. When we die, it's fast and sudden and it's certainly not drawn out in illness."
Elena pulled the covers over the vampire. "You're not gonna die."
"Such a human thing to say."
The doppelganger looked around the room as Melody sat down on the bed next to Rose, rubbing the older woman's arm comfortingly. Rose strained to look at the woman in front of her but managed to smile. "You're lucky, you know." Melody looked confused. "No one's ever loved me the way you're loved. And no one's ever protected me like you are."
Elena began to explore the room and Melody shook her head, smiling in reply to Rose's comment. She didn't think any of it. She had gone through a rough time in her life where she felt completely alone. Yes, Regina was always there for her if needed, but Melody never truly felt the love of a parent; not after her father. "That's a lie."
"Trevor was my best friend. Nothing more. I spent all those years on the run from Elijah. I just never thought it was a good idea to set up roots. The whole idea of family is not exactly compatible with being a vampire." Melody grabbed the glass of blood. "Klaus will come and retrieve you someday. And something I've learned? You can't escape fate."
Melody nodded and then extended the glass to her. "Trust me, I know about fate."
Rose shut her eyes and let out a tired sigh. "I'm so tired." The brunette looked over at Elena and then motioned for them to leave. Elena got the message and the two got up to leave. They were exiting when Rose spoke in her sleep. "No, stop, wait. Tell them to prepare the horses."
Elena stopped and they both turned. "It's okay Rose. Just get some sleep. You'll feel better when you wake up."
"Trevor, don't be so stupid. You're never going to make it there before the sun."
The two exchanged confused looks and then Melody went wide-eyed. "She's hallucinating."
Rose suddenly sat up, gasping in pain. "Elena, Melody, I need more blood."
Melody hurried over and gave her the cup. "Here." She took the glass and then sat next to Rose as the vampire drank. It only lasted a few seconds before Rose then threw all of the blood up. "Rose, shh. It's ok." She snapped her head to Elena. "Get a wet towel, Elena. Now!"
The doppelganger hurried and ran into the bathroom. Melody rubbed Rose's arm but then the vampire flashed up as soon as Elena walked back in. The Gilbert stopped dead in her tracks and the two looked around confused.
"Where'd she go?" Elena asked.
Melody was about to reply when she saw Rose behind Elena. She yelled, "Elena!"
Elena spun around but was then pushed to the wall. Rose hissed with her fangs. "It's all your fault, Katerina. You Katerina, you did this."
"It's Elena. Rose, Rose! I'm Elena!"
Melody jumped up and pushed Rose away. Her heart was pounding, her mind becoming frantic as she tried to figure out what to do. Never had she experienced something like this before. But then again, never had she met vampires before. "Rose, calm down, it's okay."
The vampire then relaxed and her fangs disappeared. "Oh, my... I'm so sorry. I don't know what's happening to me. I'm sorry."
Rose's face was paler and more sweat clung to her body. Melody tried to calm her down as the vampire began to freak out again. "It's okay. You're okay."
"My mind, I'm..." Rose looked up at her with scared eyes. "I'm sorry, don't be scared of me."
"I'm not. I'm not, okay? Now you need to get some rest." Melody led her over to the bed and Elena held her chest to slow her breathing. "Sleep, Rose."
Rose laid down and shook her head, shivering. "I'm scared."
The fairytale woman tried to calm her down again while Rose panicked. She rubbed her forehead with the wet towel, caressing her arm gently. "I'm right here. I'm right here. I'm not leaving you."
"Here, where's here?"
Melody turned around to look at Elena. "Go get more sheets and blood bags. Hurry."
The doppelganger surprising listened and Melody turned her attention back to Rose. She knew that by the end of the day, Rose would be dead. And she couldn't stand watching as Rose slowly died. She was in pain and Melody wanted to help. "Damon's bedroom, you're in Damon's bedroom."
Rose looked around to room and she wriggled around the bed, looking dazed. "I want to go home."
Melody rubbed her arm still, smiling softly. "Why don't you tell me about it?"
The vampire smiled at the memory. "St. Austell, thirty kilometers south of London. With fields and trees and horses."
The brunette next to her began to dab the wet towel on her forehead. "You would've loved the Enchanted Forest then. There were plenty of trees, fields, and horses. And there was even magic."
Rose cracked a smile and shut her eyes. "When you live long enough, everything disappears. So much time wasted, I just wish I wouldn't have been so afraid."
Melody smiled sadly and kept the wet towel on Rose's forehead. She thought Rose was asleep so she got up and exited the room the make sure that Elena wasn't screwing her over. They met up in the library where the said girl was holding the sheets and a blood bag. A phone was to her ear and Melody knew she must have left Damon a message.
Elena hung up and turned to her. "Everything okay?"
"Well—"
There was a crash and they both turned. Melody sighed and they made their way toward the sound. "Rose?" They entered the basement and an empty blood bag sat on the ground. Both of them followed the trail to find Rose on the floor by the cooler of blood bags. Tons and tons of empty blood bags surrounded her. The vampire was making her way through another one.
Upon hearing them enter, Rose looked at them, her face even paler. She dropped the blood bag and slowly stood up. "Katerina."
"No, Rose." Melody pushed Elena out of the way and threw a box in the doorway. She and Elena ran up the stairs and went to the nearest door, only to find it locked. The fairytale woman cursed loudly and Rose caught up to them. Her fangs had appeared, making the two back up towards the window. "Rose, stop, stop, she isn't Katherine. This is Elena. And remember, you can't hurt me because Klaus will kill you. Right?"
Rose seemed to come to her sense but then growled and lunged, throwing Melody to the wall. The brunette hit the wall with a loud bang and Elena yelled. Rose went after her next but the doppelganger managed to get Rose down. She sprinted over to Melody and helped her up. "Melody, come on."
Melody held her bleeding head and held onto Elena as she guided them to Stefan's room. She set her down and then raced to the door. She locked it, then began to place furniture on it. Elena then opened the window, letting the sunlight in before going back over to Melody. "Are you okay?"
The female glared and then used her magic to heal her head. "Never better," she replied, her accent seeping through. "Thanks."
Rose had reached the door and tried to open it. The vampire called out, "Melody? Elena? I know that's you and not Katherine." She coughed and groaned painfully. Melody sighed sadly. "Guys?Please, I need your help."
Melody fought against her own instincts. She knew that if Mary Margaret and David were here, they'd be rushing out that door, ready to help Rose. But Melody knew that Rose was dangerous and that she could possibly even kill them from her hallucinations. So they were forced to stay in Stefan's room.
———
They had stayed there for hours. The sun had set and so they were left in darkness. Melody had turned on a few of the small lamps to at least create some light in the room. She had resorted to pacing because being locked up in one room for hours was driving her crazy. But the noises had stopped and she assumed Rose was asleep. "I think we should go an check. It's been hours and I don't hear a thing."
Elena looked up at her from where she sat against the dresser. She nodded and then stood up. Together, they moved the nightstand away from the door. Melody cautiously unlocked the door and then opened it. It created a squeaking sound which made them both wince.
When they peered out, Rose was no longer at the door. So they exited the room and made their way down the stairs and to the living room. Elena had a makeshift stake while Melody refrained from conjuring a fireball. She turned around and then saw that the main door was wide open. Elena followed her movements and they both slowly walked to the door.
There was a woosh and they both quickly turned to see Damon. They both sighed in relief and Elena lowered her stake.
"Are guys you okay? Where's Rose?" he asked.
Melody shook her head while Elena caught her breath. "We don't know."
———
They had gone to the high school when Liz Forbes called Damon, saying that they found a body drained of blood. It didn't take long for them to figure out it was Rose. So they made their way to the school and Damon went to find Liz while Elena called Stefan. Melody looked around at the groups of teenagers for any sign of the bitten vampire.
After Elena sent a voicemail to Stefan, Damon approached them. Melody turned to him. "Where the hell is Stefan?"
"My baby brother is not exactly my priority right now." He took out a stake from his pocket for Elena, considering that Melody had magic to use. "Take this." He gave Elena the stake and the three knew what this meant. "Come on, let's go."
He took them by the arm and led them away. But Melody burned him and glared, taking the lead in front of them.
They were looking around when they heard a girl scream. Rose was feeding on her and Damon stopped her. But she was too fast and rushed at him, pinning him to the ground. "Rose, Rose! It's me, it's Damon. It's Damon."
She relaxed and Melody and Elena ran up to the scene. Rose looked at the girl's body and then began to cry when she realized what she had done. The vampire looked absolutely horrified. "Did I do this? I never meant to hurt anyone. I never wanted to hurt anyone."
"I know," Damon told her softly.
Rose looked over at Melody and Elena who were watching. Melody tried so hard not to go to her and hug her. Rose continued to sob. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
"Come on, let's get you home."
She shook her head. "No, I don't have a home, I haven't had a home in so long." Rose cried even more and Melody turned her head away as she fought her own tears. "Oh make it stop, please make it stop! I hate it, make it stop!"
Damon picked her up and then walked away. Melody looked at Elena before following after Damon.
———
Trying to ignore the fact that Rose was in the next room over, dying, was something that Melody had found being a difficult thing to deal with. Her fairytale-self was screaming at her, saying that she should cry and that she should do something about. But that was the thing: she couldn't do anything about it.
Elena had gone home and Melody made her way to Damon's room. When she entered, Rose looked over at her with a sad look. "I'm sorry, Melody. I didn't mean to scare you."
Damon looked at the brunette, annoyed. "You shouldn't be here."
Melody didn't budge from her spot as she looked at Rose. Rose looked off into space as she spoke, "It's the worst part about it: the hunt, the need to kill, the thirst, the pleasure it brings you afterward. I wasn't meant to be evil. It hurts."
"Stop talking about it."
Melody walked closer to the bed and stood by it. Rose looked up at her. "You're beautiful, you know that? You're so lucky, to have a family that loves you and would do anything to protect you. You'll even have him. Klaus may be labeled as a monster, but they say that you will change that."
The Mills shook her head. "I don't believe in changing people. But what I do believe in is making the good parts of a person manifest. Everyone has a dark side and a light side. You just need someone to show you that."
Rose cracked a smile. "And that's exactly why you will be good for him. You're so kind and caring. But play hard to get, it'll drive him crazy."
They both laughed and Melody smiled tearfully. "Sure. Even though I have no idea what you're talking about."
"You will. You will soon enough."
Before Melody could say anything else, Rose started to hurt and she screamed. Melody backed away and looked at Damon. "What's happening?"
"Go!" he directed.
"Damon—"
Rose began to move around the bed in agony and Damon went over to her, holding her close to him. He looked at Melody who was having an inner struggle. "Just go. I got this."
She just nodded and then turned on her heel and left. She tried to ignore the screams as Rose began to die.
———
It was over. It was done. Rose was dead and the air that filled the Boarding House could only be described as complete and utter sadness. Melody knew that Damon was only covering up his feelings as he took Rose's body out of the house and to Liz Forbes. When he came back, Melody was sitting on the couch with a glass of scotch, another full glass next to her.
"I thought you would've been halfway to where ever you're from by now," he mused.
She shook her head and took a sip from her glass. "Well, you thought wrong."
Melody stood up and gave him the other glass. He made a face that she recognized as the one that covered up your emotions. "Thanks, much appreciated. I'm just glad it's over."
He took a sip and Melody shook her head again. "You're a terrible liar Damon Salvatore."
Damon set the drink down and looked at her with narrowed eyes. He was slowly breaking before her, she knew that. "Go back to your little fairytale town, Melody. There's nothing for you here."
"You don't think I know what you're trying to do?" she questioned, staring at him with unshed tears. "You're blocking yourself off because you cared about her. I did that all the time. My own father abandoned me and I spent years blocking myself off because I didn't want to get hurt again. So trust me when I say, I know how you feel."
He didn't say anything for a moment before looking around and then back at her. "What do you want me to say? That I cared about Rose? That I'm upset? Well, I didn't and I'm not."
Damon turned away from her, beginning to walk away. Melody scoffed, shaking her head, setting down her drink down as she stood her ground. "That's bull and you know it. Stop shutting down, Damon. It only makes it worse. Do you know how many times I thought about just taking my life? I couldn't deal with the pain anymore, but I survived through it. You can too."
He turned back to her and took long strides to end up right in front of her. "It's different for you, okay? I do feel and it sucks! What sucks even more is that it was supposed to be me. Jules was coming after me."
Tears filled his eyes and Melody then realized why he was upset. "You think you're the reason she died. You feel guilty."
"That would be human of me, right? But I'm not human. You want to talk about things getting better? You got everything you wanted back! You got your dad back!" He pointed to the door. "Get in your car and drive home. It's been a long night."
Damon licked his lips and Melody stood her ground still. "No." The tears got harder for him to fight and she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close. "I'm not leaving."
It took a second for him to return the hug and then to break down. He cried into her shoulder and Melody rubbed his back soothingly. They both fell to the floor in a crouch and Damon sobbed.
Melody wasn't going to leave. Not just because Klaus was coming. But because she had grown to care about the people in the town. If only she knew just how long they would care for her when they found out the truth.
———
This chapter broke my heart. But there was some Melody and Damon bonding! Thoughts on it? We're getting closer and closer to Klaus's arrival and I'm so excited!! I hope you guys have a great day/night and don't forget to vote on this chapter, comment your thoughts, and follow me for updates!
( credit : @pepperronys )