The summer of 2010 seemed to pass by without notice. Stefan and Poppy were tagging along on Klaus' journey to create hybrids along the east. Stefan was pushed to be a Ripper, and he tried with every fiber of his being to not rip Poppy's head off whenever he craved blood. Klaus spent time trying to earn Poppy's forgiveness and love; buying her things, taking her to places, making her favorite breakfasts, throwing her parties, teaching her to do her magic, etc. The first month she had only called him 'Klaus'. She was still mad about what he was doing to Stefan, but she slowly began to understand. He always spoke about Stefan as if they were old friends. Perhaps they were. She realized he was doing all of this for family and for love. That's when she began calling him 'Dad' again, and began to smile with him. She didn't want to waste her time being angry.
June 12, 2010
I Don't Know Honestly
Some Hotel
"All right, now all you have to do is bring the flower back to life." Klaus told his daughter softly.
The two stood in a hotel by a table, both looking at a dead sunflower. Poppy nodded, holding the sunflower in her palms. She closed her eyes, feeling the power flow from her arms and into the flower. The shriveled state of the petals began to turn yellow, and were rejuvenated.
"That's it, love, just a little bit more." She heard her father say.
Poppy gave it a little more power, but then felt it shrivel up again. The power that flowed through her was then dark, but it felt amazing.
"No, stop!" Klaus exclaimed, taking the now dead flower and setting down.
Poppy opened her eyes and frowned, watching as her black veins returned to normal.
"You need to stop doing that." Klaus said, looking at her.
Poppy looked at him, letting out a sigh. "It's not like I'm trying to."
"Dark magic isn't good for you, Pops." Stefan spoke from the bed, reading a book.
Poppy looked at him, her face transitioning to a look of annoyance. "I told you, I can't help it. It just happens."
"Well, I guess we'll have to try again." The Original Hybrid told her, placing the wilted flower back in her palms.
Poppy huffed. "Dad, we've been at this for an hour."
"And we're not stopping until you get it, or until you can't do it anymore." He replied. "Now. Again."
Poppy sighed, closing her eyes. She rejuvenated the flower, and tossed it onto the table when she felt the dark magic return. She opened her eyes, huffing when she saw her dark veins. She walked to the bed and grabbed the car keys from next to her brother.
"Where are you going?" Stefan asked.
Poppy slipped on her shoes. "I'm going to the gas station to fill up the car. We'll need it for tomorrow."
Klaus sighed. "Might as well get us dinner while you're out." He told her, placing money in her hand with a cocky smile.
Poppy gave him a playful glare as she stuffed the money in her pocket. She opened the door. "Love you!" She told them as she walked outside. She dropped her smile and walked down the hall to the exit. She walked to the car and got in the driver's seat.
"Why do you resist it?" A voice asked.
Poppy flinched, startled. She looked in the passenger seat, seeing the witch from The Other Side. She had started taking herbs so she could see her, since they talk a lot. She rolled her eyes and started the car.
Like I Said, I Don't Know
Her Car/A Gas Station
"Because it's not good." Poppy told her.
The witch looked at her. "But it's magic, you shouldn't resist it."
"But it's not good." Poppy repeated, pulling out of the parking lot and driving into the street. The sun was beginning to set below the horizon.
"Why? Because your father and brother told you so?"
"Because it feels incredible and it's addicting, it kills and its against everything I stand for." Poppy spoke, staring at the road.
The witch let out a sigh, watching her as Poppy pulled up to the gas station. Poppy parked and got out, stepping closer to the gas pump. She paid, then picked the type she wanted. She opened the small door and began pumping gas into the vehicle.
The witch walked to her, brushing her hand against the girl's neck, moving her hand aside. Black veins began to show against Poppy's skin where her fingers were. She tilted her head, closing her eyes as she felt the addicting feeling of the dark magic.
"Give in to it." The witch told her before walking away.
Poppy swallowed, forcing the feeling away. She finished pumping the gas and shut the door. She turned, her eyes widening when she was face to face with Damon. She gave him a tight hug, then pulled away.
"Damon, you can't be here." She told him, as he looked at her neck with concerned eyes.
"What was up with your neck? Are you sick with some witchy thing?" Her oldest brother asked.
Poppy shook her head. "No. It's none of your concern, now leave." She told him, narrowing her eyes.
Damon frowned. "I came here to rescue you."
"I don't need rescuing." She said.
"Poppy, look at yourself." Damon said. "You have some witchy thing going on, and you look scared."
"Damon, if Klaus sees you here, he'll kill you." Poppy told him.
He gave her a sigh. "If that's what it takes to make sure you're safe, then I'll gladly die."
Poppy shook her head. "Go back to Mystic Falls." She got in her car and drove away.
I Don't Know Once Again, Only Underlined This Time
The Hotel
Poppy woke up the next day, laying in bed next to Stefan, who was holding her in a protective brother way. They had become close again during the summer, the way they were before Elena came along.
Stefan was already awake, staring at the ceiling.
Poppy let out a silent yawn, and sat up, the arm around her moving to rest on the bed. She stretched her arms and got out of bed, walking to the window to look outside. The mornings were usually quiet, no one really said anything.
"Where's my dad?" She asked Stefan.
"He went out to get breakfast before you woke up." Stefan told her.
"I saw Damon last night at the gas station." She told him, walking to her suitcase and grabbed a bottle of herbs.
Stefan sighed. "Did you tell him to stop following us?" He asked, looking at her as she put some herbs into a glass of water.
"Yeah," she said, taking a drink of the herbal water.
"Is that your 'I see dead people' witch potion." Stefan sat up.
"Yup. She's starting to annoy me, though." Poppy told him.
"Does she have anything to do with the dark magic?"
Poppy nodded. "She wants me to give into it."
Stefan stood up and walked to her, cupping her cheek. "Just tell her to go away."
"It's not that easy." She said as he took her drink, finishing it for her.
"Then I guess it's time for me to talk to her."
Poppy rolled her eyes and walked to the window. "Good luck." She said as the witch walked to the front door. Poppy opened the door, letting her in.
Stefan looked at the witch as Poppy walked to his side. "So you're the witch she's been seeing?"
The witch nodded. "I see she shared the herbs with you."
"Yes, and this is the last time she'll be taking them. You're not good for her, you need to leave, whatever your name is." He said.
"My name is Esther." The witch stated, watching as Poppy's eyes widened. "I'm Poppy's grandmother, so no. I'm not leaving."
Poppy took Stefan's hand, suddenly filled with fear. Stefan frowned, giving her hand a comforting squeeze.
"What do you want with me?" Poppy asked.
Esther walked to them. "To fix my mistakes." She said, followed by a few words in Latin.
Poppy let out a noise of pain, her knees giving out. She fell, but was held up by her brother as she cried in pain. Esther left the room as Poppy held her hands to her abdomen.
"What'd she do?" Stefan asked, worried.
"I don't know- ah!" She responded, crying out in pain. Stefan brought her to the bed and laid her down. He looked at where her hand was, which was covered in blood.
Veins formed under his eyes, and he swallowed. "Poppy, I-"
Poppy looked at him, confused until she saw the blood on her hand. She lifted her shirt, seeing a large gash. "Oh my god- Stefan, you have to leave-" she spoke, taking deep breaths. "Get my dad."
Stefan nodded, moving away from her and leaving quickly.
Later, Poppy stood in the steamy bathroom, her breathing short and quick. Klaus had healed her after Stefan told him what had been going on. She held a towel around her body, her brown hair dripping with water. All she could think of was the night at the opera house, where Mikael had tried to kill them all. She stepped to the sink and gripped the edges of it tightly, her knuckles white. She pulled away and got dressed. When she finished and sat against the walls in a corner, hugging her knees to her body. Esther couldn't get her if she was in there.
"Poppy, love, please let me in." Klaus spoke from the other side of the door, his voice full of concern.
Poppy shook her, not wanting to open the door. "No-" She closed her eyes, beginning to feel light headed.
"I won't let her hurt you." Klaus told her.
Poppy took a few deep breaths, unlocking the door with her powers. Klaus opened it and stepped inside, kneeling in front of her. He cupped her cheeks, looking into her blue eyes. "I'm not going to let her hurt you." He reassured her.
Poppy hugged him tightly, nuzzling her face into his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her protectively. His heart broke a bit at the thought of her being scared.
"You don't have to go through this alone, little flower." He told her.
He picked her up and brought her to the bed, laying her down. "We leave tonight." He told Stefan and Poppy, leaving the room.