-----------
-----------
The National - About Today
"Tonight
You just close your eyes
And I just watch you
Slip away."
"COME ON, HURRY UP, MISS GILBERT," Holden smirked at Elena as he climbed up a small hill. Elena groaned lowly as she held onto her backpack. "Nobody likes losers."
The two were taking a hike through the woods as Elena felt already drained from walking like a human being. "I'm tired," Elena groaned before climbing up. Holden extended his hand for her to take so she did and he helped her before pulling her into his embrace. Elena chuckled as he touched her cheek.
"It's your first summer as a vampire. I want you to remember it as a good one," he commented while stroking her rosy cheek. Elena leaned into his touch before Holden pulled away. "Let's go. If we're quick enough, which we are, we will be able to see the sunset."
Elena smirked as she followed after the love of her life.
Elena opened her eyes to stare into her dorm room's wall before sitting up. It's been four months and finally summer was over. The girl quickly got out of bed before changing and leaving her dorm room.
It didn't take long for her to appear in the cemetery, outside of Mystic Falls as she wandered alone through the woods. "Today will be a good day. Summer is officially over and I couldn't be more thrilled."
Elena looked around the crypt quickly before taking a step inside. She stopped at the entrance before nodding her head. "Sophomore year... I guess this is the year to pick a major and start carving out your path in life. So that's what I did. You're looking at the future Doctor Elena Gilbert."
Elena lit several candles in the crypt with a longing look on her face.
The other day:
Elena was dressed in khakis and maroon t-shirts along with another dozen students as they began their internship at a hospital. "Pop quiz," a doctor Josette Laughlin began as they all stopped. "Mr. Weatherly complains of chest pain and shortness of breath. Can anyone tell me what tests we run?"
A young male student lifted his hand up, but the doctor looked at Elena, who didn't look back. "Gilbert..."
Elena looked back at her with a frazzled look before quickly regaining her composure. "Uh... a pulmonary angiogram provides a clear picture of the blood flow in the arteries of the lungs, which is what we look for in a pulmonary embolism; a condition in which Mr. Weatherly's symptoms are common."
Jo nodded her head with pursed lips. "Good. Somebody's read ahead. Remember that. You'll need that in 3 years," she commented as Elena lost the proud look on her face. "Here's the bedpan you need to know about today."
The instructor handed Elena a bed pan without hesitation as she began to walk away. "Moving on..." Jo mused as she lead away the students.
"I was impressed..." a cute guy told Elena with a smirk as he walked away.
Elena shyly nodded before thanking and following after him.
"Ok... So maybe I spent the day observing, but at least we have unlimited access to blood bags. And trust me, we need all the help we can get."
Elena pulled out a small pouch containing spices and herbs from her pocket. She dumped them all into a small bowl before she began to crush them. "Some of us are still getting the hang of the whole 'drinking other people's blood' thing."
The other day:
Alaric emptied the contents of a blood bag into a cup at the front of the classroom. Elena then entered the empty room while holding onto her bag as she glanced at him. "Want some?" Ric questioned curiously.
The grieving girl shook her head. "That's alright. I had some on the way over. You know... this will never not be weird."
Ric raised both of his eyebrows up. "What? That some ancient witch turned me into a vampire, or that four months ago, I rose from the dead?"
Elena smiled almost barely. "That you're my college professor now."
Alaric mused before taking a drink of blood as the veins popped out under his eyes.
"In Alaric's defense, he couldn't compel himself a job back at the high school. Nope... the high school; the grill; the town square... thanks to the traveler's anti magic spell, everything in Mystic Falls was still off-limits to anyone with fangs. A lot of us haven't been back home in months. On the plus side, the crime rate is way down. Although I'm not sure Matt got the memo. I will say he's never been better. I think he can bench press more than Jeremy now, which is beyond freaky. Speaking of Jeremy... actually, let's not talk about my brother. Let's talk about Stefan.
Last I heard, he was chasing some lead to some witch that can contact the dead. We haven't spoken in months, which can only mean his search for answers to what happened has been all-consuming."
Elena took one match out before lightning it. She stared at the flame for a second. "He's grieving... He lost so much. We all did, but we're all getting through it in our own way."
Elena tossed the match into the bowl with the spices. "What can I even say about Izzie? She lost the most. She's grieving too and it's been hard. I'm trying my best to help but I don't know how long she will let me."
The other day:
Elena knocked onto Ric's flat before entering. Izzie was living with Alaric since she had nothing to do in Mystic Falls. Her mother cut all ties with her so Elena wanted to be someone like family to Izzie. Alaric apparently did too. "Izzie... I brought food," Elena said loudly while raising up a white bag.
She entered the kitchen to find Izzie sitting on the ground, her back leaning against the fridge as she cried loudly. Elena frowned deeply before slowly placing the bag on the table. She approached Izzie before sitting down next to her.
Izzie leaned into Elena so Elena hugged her strongly before shushing her.
"I wish there was a cure for this. For the pain she's been feeling. I wish I wouldn't feel it too."
Also the other day:
"I dropped out of Whitmore. Why should I support their stupid football team?" Caroline asked angrily through the phone as Elena walked across the Whitmore campus.
"It's the opening game of the season, Caroline," Elena told her seriously. "Time to come home."
Caroline scoffed. "I am home! I just signed the lease to my new apartment."
Elena chuckled. "On the border of a town that doesn't want you. That's not home... That's sad."
Caroline paused for a moment on the other end. "You don't even like football."
"No, but I like drinking in the parking lot beforehand," Elena said as Tyler came up behind Elena as he started to talk into the phone.
"Caroline, you're coming," he said as Elena turned to face Tyler with a small smile.
"Tyler, don't act like you have any ground to stand on. You skipped an entire year," Caroline hissed. She was annoyed by them.
Tyler rolled his eyes dully. "And you hounded me for an entire year! So here I am... Now get your ass back here."
Elena noticed Luke standing a few meters away from Tyler as the male witch pulled out a small pouch in his bag. Elena nonchalantly waved him off. "Caroline, I'm picking you up at 6 p.m. sharp tomorrow. Okay? Bring your school spirit. Bye!"
Elena then hung up the phone.
"She doesn't want to let go. I don't blame her... I don't want to let go either. I don't want to think that everything has changed and that I have to start over... the worst thing that could possibly happen actually did."
Elena suddenly smiled as she finished with the herbs. She picked up the cup and drank from it. "But I don't have to. Anyway... that was my day. How was yours?" Elena smiled before sitting down next to Holden.
He smiled at her softly. "I'm interested in the part where Ric is the professor in your college," he told her as Elena chuckled before she put his arm around her shoulders and leaned into him. Thinking that it was real.
ANOTHER DAY PASSED AS ELENA'S LECTURES ENDED. She was on her way to Izzie when she noticed Luke in the dorm corridor. "Luke, hey," Elena said before catching up to him.
Luke cleared his throat. "Hey, I gotta run, actually," he tried to avoid Elena but she grabbed his arm, a bit too harsh.
"Oh, no, I'll be quick. Really quick. I just... I've been really thirsty lately. Do you think it's because of the... you know."
"Are you asking me if there are side effects to the ancient psychotropic herbs I've been giving you, because there haven't exactly been clinical trials," Luke told her angrily.
The Gilbert girl laughed nervously. "Oh, obviously. I don't... I was just wondering if maybe you could, like, I don't know... Add something to the next batch?"
Luke glared at her slightly. "Yeah or maybe there shouldn't be a next batch."
"Luke, it was your idea that I see him again, remember? You were all, Hey Elena, I'm sorry that I wronged you. I'm sorry that I'm the reason your boyfriend is dead, remember?" Elena snapped as Luke sighed deeply.
"I am. I'm sorry. Something I made clear when I made Alaric's daytime bracelet, because you asked," he began to list all the things. "And when I went against my coven rules to get these herbs - because you asked."
"Right..."
"Elena, Izzie lost a lot too... But she never came to me, she never blamed me," Luke said seriously as Elena only shook her head while looking down. "She's living in reality and is dealing more healthy than you. It's time to return to reality."
Elena shook her head before suppressing a smile. "Luke, I'm fine. I'm okay, I promise. Just come by my place by 5, okay?"
"Elena..."
She cut him off as she began to walk again. "Thank you."
Elena then entered Ric's flat, which was a few blocks away from her dorm room. She saw Izzie sitting on a couch, watching TV. She looked like a mess as Elena sighed. "It's a beautiful day today. Why don't we two go out to a football game tonight?" Elena began as she walked over to the curtains before rolling them to a side so some sun would shine.
It hit Izzie's face but even then she didn't budge. Elena stared at Izzie with pursed lips before sitting down on an armchair. "What are you watching?" Elena asked before looking at the TV.
Some commercials were on so Elena raised her eyebrows up. Izzie still didn't answer so Elena had enough. She turned the TV off before sitting back. "Izzie... It's been four months... We gotta move forward."
"Oh," Izzie said lowly as Elena bit her lower lip. She wanted to help Izzie as much as possible but truth was, Elena was no better. She was just as heartbroken.
"I'll make a quick call," Elena then stood up and went to the kitchen. She dialed Jeremy but he didn't pick up so instead she decided to call Matt. Who answered instantly. "Why isn't Jeremy answering his phone?"
"I don't know. He's probably doing homework or something," Matt mused before he paused.
Elena scoffed under her breath as she saw Izzie slowly walking into the kitchen. Elena smiled slightly. "Doing homework? Put me on speaker, please," she asked Matt before he did as was told. "Jeremy, I know you can hear me. Get your butt off that couch and do something productive."
"Or what?" Jeremy questioned in a grumble. Bonnie was gone and he was broken. "You're gonna come here and make me?"
"Or I'll have the sheriff arrest you and drag you to the town border, where I will kick your ass myself," Elena snapped as Izzie rolled her eyes slowly. "Matt, a little help, please."
"Yeah, I'll deal with him."
Elena thanked Matt before hanging up the phone. She put it into her jeans pocket before looking at Izzie softly. "Hey, look who's up and walking," she mused. "So, how does my deal sounds?"
"Holden, Damon and Bonnie are dead," Izzie said lowly before glaring at Elena with her red swollen eyes. Elena hated hearing those three names so much. "How can you ask me to go to some stupid football game?"
"Izzie-"
"I know Luke has been giving you herbs to hallucinate Holden," she then admitted as Elena furrowed her eyebrows. "I'm not stupid. I've seen your deals. Does it work?"
Elena didn't know how to answer as Izzie raised her hand up to keep her quiet. "I don't want to know. It still won't be real... They're dead and they're not real. Leave and close the door on the way out."
"Izzie!" Elena exclaimed but Izzie just left the kitchen. "Izzie, wait!"
Elena grabbed Izzie's hand but Izzie pushed her off of her. Elena's eyes vamped out as she stared at Izzie angrily, with a need to attack. "Don't you see what these herbs do to you?!" Izzie raised her voice as Elena breathed in and out to calm herself. She was so hungry. "It's not good for you. Drop them, Elena... You've been a huge help to me even if I didn't show it. But just please... You either choose me or them."
Before the Gilbert could answer, Luke knocked on the door before walking in. "Hey," he mused quietly before glancing at Izzie.
"Hey. I thought you were coming over at 5," Elena told him, trying to sound casual as Luke stopped before glancing at Izzie once again.
"If it's about your drug deals, go on. I know," she hissed before sitting down on the couch as Luke widened his eyes before looking back at the drug abuser.
"Okay... Um... Elena, I can't help you anymore."
Both girls looked at him in surprise as Elena smiled in denial. "Is it because I told you that I was thirsty? It's fine. I can get more at the blood bank at the clinic. I work there. It's easy."
Izzie shook her head sadly before looking away. "Elena, you're going through this stuff like crazy."
"Yeah."
"I'm not a drug pusher," Luke admitted as Izzie turned back to look at the guy who made Holden and Damon get stuck on the Other Side.
Elena then took a few steps towards Luke. "No, you're my friend," she then grabbed his bag out of his hands as she began to search for anything looking like herbs. Izzie stared at a girl she couldn't recognize. "My friend in spite of the fact that my boyfriend got stuck on the Other Side."
"Elena, give it back to me," Luke warned but she just flipped the bag upside down causing books and other things to fall down.
"Because you decided to stop the spell that could bring him back. My friend that owes me," Elena continued talking. Izzie stood up before approaching Elena and snatching the bag out of her hands.
"Elena, stop!"
"No. A friend who cares about you and thinks you're living in denial," Luke commented as Elena clenched her jaw.
"I know you have more," Elena sneered before catching Luke's clothes. She shook him before pushing him into a wall. "Where is it?"
"Elena, stop!" Izzie shouted loudly as Elena stared at Luke like a crazy person.
"Look at you," Luke sneered back as Elena groaned angrily.
"Where is it? I need to see Holden, Luke, and I'm not asking," she sneered as Izzie then approached Elena slowly before touching her arm gently.
"Elena... Luke will bring you more, just please let him go," Izzie begged as Elena slowly let go of Luke and looked down.
Luke rolled his eyes before taking a small bag out of his jacket. He handed it to Elena, who quickly took it and began to leave. "Elena, wait-" Izzie didn't finish as Elena left the flat.
"Izzie, I just wanted to say that I'm-" Luke began apologetically but Izzie only shook her head.
"Collect your things and leave. Quickly," Izzie mused dully before walking away, leaving Luke sad.
ELENA WAS IN HER CAR DRIVING TOWARDS MYSTIC FALLS BORDER TO PICK CAROLINE UP. Holden was sitting next to her as Elena and him talked about random stuff. "I kind of want to set up Ric," Elena chuckled while glancing at her boyfriend. "With Jo from the hospital. I mean, we both know he has a soft spot for the sexy doctors type."
Elena glanced at him again as Holden smiled slightly, looking through the window. "How long do you think it takes somebody who came back to life before they can start dating again? And, are you okay?"
Holden glanced back at Elena before nodding his head. "I am fine. I love you," he smiled as Elena smiled back.
"So, like, 3 months?" she questioned playfully as Holden sighed before taking her hand, which was on the steering wheel.
"Why aren't you seeing Bonnie? Why just me?" he asked curiously as Elena smiled nervously before shrugging slightly.
"You know, if I had to drive around with everyone that I've lost, I'd need a school bus," she joked with a short laugh as Holden stared at her calmly.
The Salvatore then shook his head. "I know why. Cause she would definitely agree with Luke and Izzie. And you don't want anyone telling you the truth."
Elena sighed deeply. "Can we change the topic, please?"
"Okay. I'm dead. How's that topic?" Holden asked her calmly as Elena looked away from him. She began to drive a bit faster.
"Well, you were dead when we met."
Holden nodded before smirking slightly. "Okay. But I'm gone now," he said as Elena gripped her steering wheel while shaking her head.
"Why are you fighting with me?" Elena asked angrily as Holden furrowed his eyebrows before talking. "Don't say anything."
"Say what? How you're addicted to herbs, which makes you see me, who is gone," Holden scoffed as Elena rolled her brown eyes. "Which makes you insane."
"Sure," Elena snapped before turning the music up to clear him out of her head.
After a few seconds Elena looked at the backseat as Holden looked there too. "What do you want?" Holden asked her.
"I have no blood left," Elena sighed before she spotted a young brunette girl standing by the road next to her car. Elena stopped next to it before getting out of it. "Hey. Are you okay?"
"Depends," a girl named Sarah commented with a small smile. "Am I still in the Western Hemisphere?"
Elena nodded while staring at Sarah's neck. "Hang on. I can help."
"I'm sorry. I'm from New York and we're big on cell phone reception," Sarah smiled nervously as Elena mused uninterested.
"Where are you heading?"
Sarah smiled again. "Mystic Falls. My GPS died and then I started second-guessing myself-ahh!" Sarah began to scream when Elena bit her in the neck and began to feed. "Ahh!"
"Elena, don't overfeed. It's enough," Holden spoke from besides her as Elena pulled away slightly to look at him.
"I'm still hungry."
Holden glared at her. "You're gonna kill her, just like you nearly killed the last one and the one before that and the one before that," he snapped as Elena sneered loudly, annoyed at him. Because she knew he was telling the truth. "I said enough!"
"I got it, Holden! I'll let her go. I just... I need more," Elena snapped and was about to bite again but Caroline showed up.
"Oh, my god! What are you—" the blonde exclaimed as Sarah took her chance as she began to run towards the woods while crying.
"Caroline. It's not-" Elena then turned to see Sarah running away. "No!"
Elena used vampire speed but reached the border of Mystic Falls. Her arms began to burn in the sunlight as she shouted before pulling away. As Sarah got away.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?" Caroline snapped as she and Elena stood in the middle of an empty road. "Why the hell are you feeding on people?"
Elena avoided her eyes. "It's fine. I've compelled everyone else."
The blonde girl shook her head before realizing. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hang on. So you're the border-lurker?"
"The what?" Elena finally met Caroline's accusing look.
"Yeah, did you know my mom's been out looking for a vampire prowler?" Caroline sassed, knowing it was Elena already.
"The herbs... Luke's been giving me. They make me so thirsty," Elena then turned away from Caroline before putting her hands into her hair. "I am not thinking straight."
"Whoa, what herbs?"
Elena closed her eyes as she tried not to tear up. "They make me see Holden," she then turned back to look at Caroline, who changed her expression into a sorrowful one. "I can talk to him, and, and I can be with him, and-"
Elena then paused as Caroline approached Elena before looking at her sadly. "God, is this what you've been doing this whole time? Hallucinating your dead boyfriend?"
"I tried to grieve him, Caroline. Trust me, I know grief," Elena said as a few tears escaped her eyes finally. "I've got grieving down to a science at this point, and I tried. But every time I let it sink in that I'm never gonna see him again, I feel like I'm gonna die. And Izzie... I need to be strong for her too."
Caroline touched Elena's shoulders before frowning. "You don't. I get it, Elena. I do. But there are better ways to get through this."
"Like what? Like dropping out of school and having picnics with my mom, near the town border?" Elena snapped as Caroline knew that slowly Elena was breaking down. "Or maybe I could pull a Stefan and bounce from country to country, chasing some false hope that we're gonna find a way to bring Holden, Damon and Bonnie back. We're all getting through it. This is me, getting through it, okay?"
Caroline slowly shook her head. "Yeah but you're not getting through it, Elena. You're just pressing pause," she then sighed. "Look, I'll call my mom and she can fix all this. But you need to get out of here, go hide, okay? So just... go."
The Gilbert then got into her car before rubbing her face. "What am I doing?"
Suddenly, Holden appeared besides her. "I think it's time for you to let go," he whispered sadly as Elena glanced at him with a painful look on her face.
Elena closed her eyes then before she opened them again. Holden was gone so she started her car and drove away.
ELENA WAS IN HER CAR AS SHE WAITED FOR STEFAN TO PICK UP HIS PHONE. After calling him for what seemed like a hundred times he finally answered. "Hello?"
"Stefan, is that you?" Elena asked slowly. "I know it's been a really long time since we talked, but..."
"Elena, hey. What's going on?" Stefan cleared his throat suspiciously.
Elena only sighed, trying not to cry. "I need you to tell me that you found something. A witch. A guy who knows a witch who knows something. Anything. I need you to give me hope and tell me that you're gonna find your brothers and bring them back."
There was a long pause. "Not yet," was all he said as Elena furrowed her eyebrows.
"But how do you do it? How do you wake up in the morning?" Elena then began to cry as she pursed her lips. "How do you go about your day without falling apart? Tell me what you're doing to get through this, because I'm clearly doing it wrong."
Stefan sighed. "There's no right or wrong way, Elena."
"No, there's only forever. That's why I need you to give me hope. Because I don't think I can live forever without him," Elena shook her head as she sniffled.
"I can't. I gave up."
Elena paused in surprise as her tears dried off. "You just said that you were looking for them."
"I did. And then I realized it was pointless and that I needed to move on with my life, so... I stopped," Stefan commented dully.
The Gilbert became angry. "What do you mean you stopped?"
"I mean I said good-bye, Elena. I moved on. My brothers are gone. It's time for you to say to Holden goodbye too," Stefan said so Elena hung up the phone before openly crying in her car. Sadness took over because Elena knew she had to say goodbye to Holden finally.
IT WAS LATE ALREADY AS ELENA WAS IN THE CRYPT ONCE AGAIN. With shaking hands she drank the potion again before feeling Holden behind her. Elena breathed out before turning to look at him.
Holden saw tears coming down her face. "You're not real. It's just my head that makes me see you," Elena began as Holden nodded understandably. "Here I thought you'd argue with me..."
"So you decided to let go of me?" Holden questioned curiously as a lump got stuck in the back of Elena's throat. She wasn't able to answer him so instead she just nodded her head. "Okay. Finally."
"I hurt people when I see you, Holden."
"I know. Then why are you drinking this still?" he asked her angrily as Elena stared at him in shock.
"Because I need to thank you..." she trailed off, tears leaving her eyes like a waterfall. Holden furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "I need to see you one last time before you're just... gone. So..."
Elena then touched his cheek as he looked down at her. "I love you. Thank you for loving me in the best way possible that a person can imagine. I thought our love will last forever, Holden, but I guess it won't. So I have to let you go. This is the goodbye. I have to let go of you."
The girl then kissed the boy passionately on the lips before pulling away slowly to still see him there. "It didn't work, Elena. I knew it," Holden said sadly as she looked at his green eyes. "You can't let go of me even if you'd wanted to. How long will it take for you to run back to Luke, hm?"
Elena just shook her head as she looked away but he made her look at him. "Even if you let go... You will forever remember me, love. And I want you to live again," he said sadly. "It's gonna be an eternity of misery and grief... Agony."
"Holden, stop, why are you doing this?" Elena snapped pushing him a bit away from her.
Holden smiled then. "Because you have to let go. You know what will come after you do. You will feel agony forever," he said so Elena screamed loudly.
"No! Stop!" Elena shouted as she threw something at Holden but he wasn't there anymore. "Holden?"
He wasn't anywhere seen so Elena knew him making her angry was his way of helping her to let go. But even if she did let go, she didn't feel better.
Elena threw away all the candles before breaking a crypt's window as she sobbed before falling down on the ground as she lowered her head. Holden was gone and this time for good.
IZZIE WAS IN HER ROOM AS ALARIC KNOCKED ONTO THE DOOR BEFORE WALKING IN. "Hey there," the professor smiled slightly. Izzie was sitting on the bed's corner, playing with her chipped nail polish. She just didn't care anymore. "Sorry for not checking out on you today... Been busy."
"Why are you so helpful?" Izzie then asked as Ric looked at her with a small smile. "We barely knew each other and then you died and I lived."
Alaric nodded his head before shrugging. "I was dead, I know, but even then I didn't stop watching over Damon or Holden. And I saw how they cared about you. And in that process I started to care about you too," Ric smiled before Izzie nodded with a ghostly smile. "Someone wants to see you."
Izzie furrowed her eyebrows and then Elena entered the room slowly. "I'll leave you two alone for a bit. Elena, um, can we talk later?" Ric asked as he stood by the exit of Izzie's room.
Elena nodded so Ric smiled and closed the door. "Izzie..." Elena mused quietly before sitting down next to her. "I'm so sorry. I chose some herbs instead of you..."
"I mean, I'm not surprised. We're not even that close," Izzie commented dully as Elena quickly shook her head before taking Izzie's hand and squeezing it.
"Don't say it. You're like a sister to me. And I disappointed you so much..." Elena said sadly as Izzie teared up before returning the squeeze.
"No... You're younger than me, Elena. I'm supposed to be the strong one," Izzie said painfully. "But instead I drowned myself in agony leaving you no choice but to use the herbs so you'd feel better and take care of me. I realized that after I found out why you're so okay."
Elena looked down. "I'm sorry too, I guess," Izzie then sighed as she and Elena exchanged a glance. "We both lost men we love. It can't get any worse than that. But can we live forward already? I don't know."
"I don't think so too."
Izzie then smiled sadly so Elena brought her head down on Izzie's shoulder before the two close friends by soul sat there in silence, grieving over their losses again.
Izzie then fell asleep as Elena closed her door and walked into the living room to find Alaric sitting on the couch. "You wanted to talk?" Elena asked before sitting down on a couch.
"No. I just wanted your company," Ric smiled as she smiled back before nodding. The two were quiet as Elena watched Ric read some papers before she furrowed her eyebrows.
"Do you like being a vampire?" she then asked as she took her phone out slowly to see Holden on her lock screen, smiling. It was from the same hike day so she touched it.
Alaric saw her reaction to the picture in her phone. "Why don't you get some sleep? We'll talk about it tomorrow when that crap's out of your system."
"Because with all the funerals and the start of the year... We never really talked about how you're dealing with all this," Elena sighed deeply, ignoring his previous words.
Alaric looked at Elena. "You mean with me coming back to life? Well, moving away from Mystic Falls helped. And since my ex-girlfriend is happily married to a pediatrician up in Alaska, I didn't have any awkward reunions to handle."
Elena mused. "I meant the blood lust. The heightened emotions and immortality."
Alaric then stood up before moving to sit down next to her on the couch. "Honestly, Elena... I hate everything about being a vampire."
"Me, too. At least I did. Then one day, I discovered the good part," Elena told him sadly. "You know... The promise that love could be eternal. And I had that with Holden. Which means for the rest of eternity, I'm gonna have a hold in my heart where he's supposed to be."
Alaric frowned. "Trust me. It gets easier."
Elena nodded. "I know how death works, Ric. Trust me. I have done it. A lot. There's no such thing as moving on. It's a lie. So, if I'm going to be able to fall in love again, and make eternity bearable, I need you to do something."
The original vampire looked at her in confusion. "What?"
"You were created by the original vampire spell, which means you can compel other vampires," Elena breathed out sadly. "And since I can't take away my vampirism, I want you to take away Holden. I want you to compel me to forget that I ever loved him.
Alaric sat in silence as Elena touched her phone's screen once again before letting out a sigh.
Vote, read, comment.