January 14, 2012
Mystic Falls, Virginia
The Salvatore Boarding Home
The room was quiet, the sound of steady breathing coming from the bed, which appeared to be lonely in the emptiness. Poppy had packed everything, so all of her belongings were in New Orleans. Sunlight poured in from the window, the thin curtain flowing a bit from the slight breeze of the open window.
Poppy opened her brilliant blue eyes, stifling a yawn as she turned onto her back, the arm that was once laying on her waist now laying over her abdomen. A smile grew on her face and she turned once more, face to face with the man she brought back from the dead. It felt strange, and new, waking up in bed with someone who wasn't her family. She liked it. She liked him.
"You're staring." Silas spoke, his eyes still closed, but the corner of his lips curling up a bit.
The Mikaelson-Salvatore smiled more. "How does it feel to be alive?"
"Well, after I get out and about I'm sure it'd feel amazing." The witch replied, pulling her closer to him. "But right now, I can feel you. I can feel your warmth, and your undead-life. On the Other Side I was just waiting for you to die but this is a lot better."
"Hmmm..." Poppy hummed in agreement, bringing her lips to his in a soft kiss and closing her eyes.
Silas smiled in the kiss. "Oh yeah, definitely better." He said in between quick and small kisses, pushing her gently so that her back was pressed against the comfort of the bed and he was hovering over her. He moved his lips to her jawline. "You deserve, like, ten awards."
"Yeah?" Poppy asked, her cheeks rosy. "What for? I mean I haven't really done anything with my life."
Silas placed a kiss on her cheek. "You are the strongest, bravest, and most beautiful woman I have ever met. Plus you died three times and came back kicking. Two times you have died to bring others back." He kissed her lips a slow and sweet kiss. After he stood up off of the bed.
Poppy looked over at him, flustered and her face hot from blushing. She sat up and adjusted her t-shirt. "Where are you going?"
Silas put on a shirt, which Stefan had given him. "I'm making you breakfast. Stay here, I'll be back."
Mystic Falls, Virginia
Town Square
The day was nice. Matt sat on a park bench, the people around him hanging around happily. Elena approached him from behind and place her hands over his eyes with a smile.
"Guess who?" She asked with happiness.
Matt smiled, faking his thought. "Hmmm. I wonder. Elena Gilbert?"
Elena moved her hands from his eyes and smiled more. "Yep" she said, kissing his cheek before laughing and sitting next to him on the bench.
"You're in a good mood!"
"Well. It's a good day! We're alive." The Gilbert said, looking around.
"Yes, we are. We're partying tonight."
"Yes, we are!" She smiled, looking at her lifelong friend.
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Matt asked.
"Are you still drinking vervain?"
Matt furrowed his eyebrows. "No. I wear this bracelet." He held up his wrist. "In case anyone needs my blood, remember?"
Elena sighed. "This is going to hurt me more than it's going to hurt you." She reached forward and grabbed the bracelet, wincing as she ripped it away from his wrist. "Ouch!"
The Donovan frowned, confused. "What are you doing? I need that!"
Elena stood up. "Long story short, I'm Katherine. Not Elena."
Matt shook his head. "Katherine is dead."
"Not exactly... While you guys were all playing drinking games, toasting to what a horrible person I am, I was plotting a way to passenger myself into Elena's cute little head.."
This was going to be one hell of a ride.
Mystic Falls, Virginia
The Salvatore Boarding Home
Poppy huffed, folding her arms over her chest in confusion. Furrowing her eyebrows, she looked around before leaving her bedroom.
"Stefan!" She called out. "Are you still home?" She asked, walking down the hallway. She bounced down the stairs and looked at the front door, where both Stefan and Caroline stood, waiting to see what she needed. "Good. I can't find my phone anywhere and if my dad called at all.." She trailed off, leaving the rest to their imagination.
"All right, well let's check Find My Friends." Stefan said, pulling his phone from his pocket and opening up the app. "It looks like you're at the Lockwood Mansion." He looked up at his sister, who clenched her jaw in frustration and balled her hands into fists, and took that as his cue to leave. "Listen, we gotta go meet up with Damon at the Grill." He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "Love you. Be good." He turned and left, shutting the door behind him.
Poppy groaned, stomping to the kitchen. She opened the fridge and grabbed a blood bag, which she tore open and began drinking with a stern face.
Silas looked over at her, flipping a pancake. "What happened in the ten minutes that I left you?"
"Tyler has my phone." She grumbled, pulling the bag away from her lips. "Which means I have to see him again." She furrowed her eyebrows, hearing the door open. "Why the hell-" she took a breath and set down the back.
Silas quickly set the pancake on a plate and followed her as she walked to the foyer.
"This is not an open house, people! There is a thing called knocking." Poppy said, expecting to see someone she knew. Instead she saw a man, about the same age as Damon, maybe older. He dropped a body sack on the floor, not caring about the blood on his lips. "Really? Who even are you?"
"Ah, you must be Poppy Mikaelson-Salvatore. I've heard a lot about you. My name is Lorenzo, but my friends call me Enzo." The man spoke with an accent.
Silas sighed. "Look, we don't want any trouble. Just take the body and leave."
"Typical Stefan."
"He's not Stefan." Poppy told the vampire. "You need to leave. I'm so not in the mood for this."
"I'm not here to bring trouble, darling." Enzo told her. "This is a gift for Damon."
"And what exactly is he supposed to do with a living person?" Poppy asked, folding her arms over her chest.
"Kill him?" Enzo stopped, looking at Silas with confusion. "I'm sorry, how are you not Stefan?"
"I'm Silas. Stefan is my doppelgänger." Silas said.
"I'm sure if you come back in thirty minutes Damon will be here." Poppy told him. "For now, can you put the body elsewhere?"
"Why?" Enzo smirked. "Is it making hungry? Surely you can have some, there's another in the car."
Veins formed under Poppy's eyes from the thought, and she swallowed the lump in her throat. The body bag looked tempting, and the blood smelled divine. Silas placed a hand on her arm as Enzo disappeared.
"Hey," he spoke softly. "This guy doesn't sound like good news..you already fed this morning you don't need more."
Enzo returned, dragging the body of a woman with beside him. He tossed her onto the floor. "Go ahead, she's all yours. Call it a gift from me, the visitor, to you."
"Poppy..." Silas warned softly, holding her hand.
"What's wrong, mate? Let the girl have a treat." Enzo looked at Silas, narrowing his eyes the slightest bit as Poppy pulled away from him and walked to the body. She knelt down and lift up the woman's head, baring her fangs and sinking them into her neck, losing control of herself.
Damon walked inside, his eyes widening a bit at the sight before him. Enzo sat on the couch, his feet kicked up and his head resting on the arm rest. His hand was placed on the top of Poppy's back, who sat on the floor next to the headless body of the women. Poppy had her face in her hands in guilt and shame. Nearby laid an unconscious Silas, a massive bruise on his forehead, next to a body sack.
"Enzo..."
"Hello, Damon. We've got a bit of business to attend to." Enzo greeted, standing up and patting Poppy's back, though he didn't really care.
Damon eyed the blood on Enzo's lip. "You missed a spot." He then looked down at the body sack, then walked to his little sister. He knelt down and cupped her cheeks, making her look at him. Her chin and lips were covered with blood. "Hey, sister." He frowned a bit, not wanting this kind of life for her. He didn't want her to be a vampire. He didn't want her to be a ripper. He grabbed a cloth from the table and began wiping the blood from her face, his eyes filled with concern and love.
"I didn't mean to I was just so hungry.." Poppy whispered, tears in her eyes.
"You can fix this." Damon said softly, looking over at Silas.
Poppy's bottom lip trembled and she nodded, standing up with her brother's aid and walking over to Silas. She knelt down and cupped his cheeks, healing him with her powers. She watched as the bruise faded.
Silas opened his eyes and quickly sat up, his eyes on Enzo, who had walked to the fireplace. He looked at Poppy, who looked worried.
"Silas-"
"It's okay," he assured her. "You can't control it."
Poppy sighed and helped him stand up, and the three of them looked at Enzo.
"God. I love a good fire." Enzo remarked, rubbing his hands together, holding them out in front of the fireplace. "Oh. That's so wrong, isn't it? Since you left me to burn alive in one."
"Didn't we already do this?" Damon asked. "You tried to make me feel guilty, I saved your life. We're even."
Enzo chuckled. "Hey, Poppy. Didn't your brother die in a fire, but not really? That must've been traumatic. I can relate."
"Thanks." Poppy said sarcastically, closing her eyes momentarily.
"What's in the bag?" Damon asked, changing the subject.
"More like who. Uh. Since you and I last spoke, I've done a bit of soul searching... had a trip to the barber... did a little research, which revealed to me that you killed almost every member of the Whitmore family in the years since you escaped, leaving just one alive each time to carry on the family name -- producing a whole new generation of victims for you to slaughter... exactly as you said you'd do back when you and I were cellmates."
"Poppy, Stefan said that your phone is at Tyler's. You should go get it." Damon said, not taking his eyes off of Enzo.
Poppy nodded. "Okay.." She walked to the door with Silas, a bit shocked and confused.
"Wanna stop and get a drink on the way?" Silas asked, holding the door open for her.
"Sure,"
Mystic Falls, Virginia
The Lockwood Mansion
Poppy got out of her car. "Stay here." She told Silas before walked to the steps, which she walked up. She clenched her jaw in frustration, unable to get past the threshold.
Matt, who was walking by with a few girls and alcohol, looked over. "Oh, hey, Poppy!" He smiled drunkenly. "Come on in!"
Poppy flashed him a smile. "Thanks, Matty!" She stepped inside and looked around, noting that it was a party.
"Get out." She heard with her supernatural hearing. She furrowed her eyebrows, listening.
"Just let me explain." Caroline spoke.
"No. Let me. Klaus killed thousands of people; Elena's aunt, an entire pack of hybrids - my friends- Caroline, he killed my mom."
Poppy narrowed her eyes, hearing a glass shatter. She sped up the stairs and stood behind the door, waiting for the right moment. She knew Caroline could handle herself, she just didn't want her getting hurt.
"I know, I know. I'm so sorry." Caroline whispered, and the floor creaked faintly as she stepped closer to him.
"Just stop. I walked out last time. Now, It's your turn. Go."
"No."
"Don't take another step, Caroline." Tyler growled.
"We were just-"
"I said LEAVE!" He shouted, and Poppy sped in, shoving him into the wall. Apparently Stefan had the same idea because he stood close behind, his eyes narrowed.
"You're drunk." Stefan told him as he fought against the tribrid.
"Get your hands off me." Tyler grunted, shoving her back a foot.
Poppy huffed. "What's the matter with you?"
Tyler smirked angrily. "You don't know? She screwed your dad."
"Yeah, I know." Poppy told him as Stefan looked over at Caroline, who had tears in her eyes. She placed a hand on her head from the look of disbelief on his face and left the room in embarrassment. "My dad isn't that bad." She stated before following Caroline out of the room.
"Do you tell yourself that so you can sleep at night?" Tyler asked, smirking as she left.
Stefan looked back at Tyler and drew his arm back, clocking him in the jaw. "You know, drunk or not, they don't deserve that."
Poppy stomped down the stairs, clenching her jaw with frustration. That seemed to be the mood that Tyler gave her that day. Frustration. Looking over at Caroline, she relaxed a bit and walked to her.
"Care, are you okay?" The Mikaelson-Salvatore asked softly, her fingers brushing against her upper arm.
Caroline looked at her, biting her lip. "I had sex with your dad...how are you okay with that?"
Poppy furrowed her eyebrows the slightest bit. "Because you're my best friend, Caroline. Yeah, Klaus is my dad, but he's also a one thousand year old vampire-werewolf hybrid." She let out a sigh. "Our lives aren't particularly normal, and he loves you. It's also pretty obvious that something was happening between the two of you. You both deserve to be happy."
Caroline backed away and grabbed her jacket. "I need to leave."
"Okay," the Original Tribrid nodded, watching as the vampire walked to the door.
"And I think you should leave town soon, you're a Mikaelson." Caroline stated before walking out the door.
"Caroline?" Poppy walked to the doorway of the mansion, the inner ends of her eyebrows tilting upwards. She frowned, not seeing her anywhere. The night was empty.
"Hey, Pops. Have you seen Donovan?" Damon asked, walking across the front lawn.
His sister looked over at him and shook her head. "Why, can't get in?"
"Nope." He replied, popping the 'p'. A small frown formed on his lips and he held his arms out. "Come here, baby.." He watched as she held back her tears and she sped into his arms, causing him to stumble backwards a bit. He held her close, resting his chin on her head.
"I wish you could come to New Orleans with me.." Poppy said quietly, closing her eyes.
"I would, but someone's gotta watch over the kids." Damon told her. "Are you leaving tonight?"
"No, I'll leave in the morning." Poppy pulled away and looked at him. "I was raised here, but," she took a deep breath and looked around. "I'm no longer wanted here. Plus, New Orleans is where I'm needed."
Damon opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut off by Elena.
"Damon!" She shouted, and the pair looked at her. Elena ran into his arms.
"What's wrong?" Damon asked, worried, and when neither of the, could see her eyes they flashed black. Elena was now Katherine. She pulled away slowly and with a confused expression. "What's wrong? Say something... please."
"I've been looking everywhere for you. We need to talk."
Damon nodded. "Yeah. I want to talk too. The message thingies on your phone... that was all me, in case you deleted them and didn't listen to them."
Katherine frowned. "I listened to every word."
"So you know how bad I screwed up? I wussed out, Elena. I bailed because I was convinced I'd ruin you."
"That's not what this is about, Damon."
Poppy backed away from them.
"I know. Just hear me out... just hear me out. You are literally the best person I've ever known and for me to think I could change you gives me way too much credit; and you... are not nearly enough. You are the best influence on me. I need you. You are the good.. And I need a little good in my life. Because without it, there's an awful lot of darkness." He reached his hand forward and placed his hand on her cheek, but she pulled away.
"That's a lot of pressure, Damon."
Damon frowned. "I know, Elena, but..."
Katherine cut him off. "No. No. It's my turn now."
"Yeah. Okay."
"I love that I make you a better person. I love that I make you happy, but I don't want to be the only thing that you live for. I don't want to worry about what's going to happen every time we get in a fight, or if we break up again. Or who you're going to take it out on."
Damon furrowed his eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"
"I know what you did to Katherine, Damon. She was weak and dying and you still tortured her."
"How is this about Katherine?" He asked.
"It's not, okay? It's about you. It's about you... about the person I can't change.. the person you really are. That person was right to let me go." She looked at Stefan, who walked to Poppy's side. "I'm sorry Damon, but it's over. We're over."
"Damon-" Stefan tried, frowning.
Damon looked over at him. "Come on, deep down, you gotta be enjoying this a little bit." He stated before walking away.
Poppy let out a sigh. "Can anything good happen tonight? Please?" She asked the air.
Stefan turned to face her, pulling a phone from his pocket. "I got your phone for you."
His sister looked at him and took it. "Thanks, Stef."
Inside, Matt walked to a table, grabbing the red plastic cups from it and putting them in a bag, he looked over at Tyler, who sat on the couch, super drunk.
"Hey." Matt greeted.
"You know what I realized tonight?" Tyler inquired rhetorically. There was a faint pause. "This is a big-ass-house. I live in a freaking mansion." He leaned back a bit. "My parents are dead..my best friend hates me.. the girl that I love slept with my nemesis and I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do with the rest of my life. Which, get this, lasts forever." Matt smirked faintly, but didn't say anything. "But I got a big-ass-house."
Matt walked to him and sat down. "Why don't we get out of it for a while? You know.. just go somewhere, be anywhere but here."
Tyler leaned forward. "Poppy put me through hell in New Orleans, man. She crushed me and just when I thought it was over, that she couldn't destroy anything else, or do anything worse," he trailed off, rubbing his eyes, which had tears in them. Matt frowned and pat his back comfortingly as his friend broke down.
Mystic Falls, Virginia
The Salvatore Boarding Home
"It's been a day." Poppy stated as she climbed into bed, sitting next to Silas, who was reading from a somewhat large book, which Poppy observed was Atlas Shrugged. "And I was only awake for half of it. Not even." She pulled the covers over her legs.
"If you saw Atlas, the giant who holds the world on his shoulders, if you saw that he stood, blood running down his chest, his knees buckling, his arms trembling but still trying to hold the world aloft with the last of his strength, and the greater his effort the heavier the world bore down upon his shoulders-what would you tell him to do?" Silas read aloud from the book, then he looked at her.
Poppy scrunched her nose in confusion. "What?"
Silas looked back at the pages. "This is another character speaking now.--I . . . don't know. What . . . could he do? What would you tell him?--Switching back to the first character--To shrug." He closed the book and set it down on the nightstand. "Page 455 of 1,168."
Poppy, still confused, began to lay down. She was tired, and she wanted to sleep.
"What I'm saying, Poppy," he turned off the light with a flick of his wrist and pulled the covers over their bodies. "is for you to shrug a load off. You don't need to be involved in everyone's problems."
She closed her eyes and moved closer to him, laying her head next to his. "Goodnight, Silas."
Silas kissed her forehead and held her close as they fell asleep, sending good vibes her way with his magic.
The building was abandoned, dull and tattered, but together they were working on bringing it back to life, witches and werewolves alike.
"It'll come together." Silas spoke, folding his arms over his chest. "Watch."
Suddenly, the building became more vibrant, and it was no longer worn down. It was alive and full of color. The werewolves and witches mingled with each other, not scared or tense.
Poppy thought for a moment. What was this place? This was her place. This was her pack, and she was the alpha. She had worked for months to put the building together with her people, Silas by her side. She smiled and twirled around, looking at the walls and the ceiling, which had a beautiful painting of a queen uniting witches and wolves. Quartz pillars held up the ceiling in support, their reflections smooth on the tile floor.
"Someone's happy." Silas observed.
"It came together." Poppy told him. "Of course I'm happy, I've been planning it for months."
Silas took her hand with a smile. "Let's go make a toast." He said, suddenly in a suit, and she was in a dress.
She nodded and followed, but stopped when she saw a blue light from behind them. Turning around, everything seemed to disappear except for the blue orb of light. Drawn to the light, Poppy's had began to glow blue.
"You're like me." A voice spoke from the blue light.
The blue light transformed into a girl, who's skin was a deeper color, her brown curls falling behind her back. Her eyes also were glowing blue.
"Are you-?"
"I'm a witch." The girl told Poppy. "I thought I held the most power, but it seems I have met someone with equal amount. Join me, Poppy Mikaelson. All of your dreams will come true. You'll be happy." The girl held out her hand, her palm facing the ground.
Poppy looked at her hand, then back at the girl's eyes. "What's your name?"
"You will learn in time. Come with me, you won't hurt anymore."
Poppy slowly raised her hand, her fingers reaching out to the girl's. A blue essence flowed around their hands, bonding them together. The girl smiled, looking at their hands. Poppy frowned, her skin becoming pale. Memories began to flood her mind, but not her memories. The girl's memories.
"You're not going to let me go." Poppy stated, looking at the girl, who looked back at her.
"Why would I?"
A soft breeze brushed their curls behind their bodies, coming from the essence that bonded their hands together. The girl smiled wickedly before the two seemed to be frozen in time, still as stone.