Book: Control
Chapter 6: Lost Girls
Word Count: 3727
It was 1864 and Amelia Salvatore stood with her back straight and a polite smile on her lips. The carriage pulled up in front of her and her brother. She waited patiently as the door was opened and a silk glove covered hand popped out, grabbing a hold of a servants hand and being helped out.
"You must be Miss Pierce." Stefan commented as the beautiful girl stepped out, looking between the siblings.
"Please, call me Katherine." She replied, eyes sparkling. Amelia felt her heart skip a beat.
"What are you?"
Amelia stood still as she processed what Elena had just asked her. Elena knew. She had figured it out, somehow she had figured out what Amelia was and she didn't know whether to be impressed or annoyed. A bit of both. "You already know, don't you?"
Elena shook her head in denial, "no, I don't."
"Yes you do, Elena." Amelia started carefully. Elena looked like she was about to run any second so Amelia knew she had to watch what she said. "You wouldn't be here if you didn't."
"It's not possible. It can't be." Elena mumbled quickly and backed up, radiating fear.
"If I tell you this, you can't unhear it and you won't forget it. Everything will change... are you sure you want to know the truth?" Elena was silent and Amelia could see the gears in her head turning.
Finally she said, "what are you?"
"...I'm a vampire."
It was like Amelia had just said she had killed Elena's puppy. The usual bright and happy eyes were now staring at her with horror and fear. "I shouldn't have come."
"Elena, wait!" Amelia sped around Elena and stopped her before she could run away, which, yeah, probably wasn't the best idea since now Elena was even more scared and horrified. "Please don't be scared of me. I would never hurt you."
"No. No. How did you do that?" Elena yelled, nearly tripping as she backed away again. "Let me go!" She screamed, moving around Amelia to get to her car.
"Elena..." Amelia turned and watched Elena get in the car, deciding it was best to let the girl go for now. She was freaking out and she wasn't going to get any explaining done now. What was she going to do?
"Amelia! You have to go after her! What if she says something? You have to explain." Stefan was the one yelling at her now. "Go!"
"I'm going!" Fuck me, what is going on? She went straight through the forest, speeding as fast she could until she reached Elena's house, jumping up the side of the house and going through the open window. This was going to freak Elena out even more but what else was she supposed to do? She had no idea what Elena was going to do.
It wasn't long before Elena came rushing into the room, visible tears on her cheeks, her eyes widened when she saw Amelia standing in her room, "wha--"
"Please just let me explain and then if you never want to see me again, I promise you won't." Amelia held up her hands, hoping to convey that she really wasn't that scary.
"All those animal attacks, those people who died..." Elena trailed off, lip curling back and looking at Amelia in disgust.
"No! That wasn't me or Stefan. That was Damon." Elena didn't look like she believed her. "I-I drink human blood but I drink from blood bags, I don't hurt people but Damon does! I'll explain everything to you, but please, Elena, do not tell anybody."
"How can you ask me that?" Elena sneered, seeming to get some of her confidence back.
"Because this is dangerous for you and my family. You can hate me all you want but I need you to trust me. Trust that what I'm doing is for the best." Amelia begged.
"Just go. Just go, please." Elena snapped, backing away so her back was pressing against the bedroom door. "Go. If you mean me no harm, then you'll go!"
Amelia nodded, going back out the window she had come in without a second thought.
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Amelia was rather surprised when Elena had texted her to meet her at the Grill. She honestly thought Elena would never want to see her again. Maybe that would still happen after the talk they had, Amelia was going to try everything to make that not happen. "You said you would explain everything. That's why I asked you to meet me here. When you Google vampire you get a world of fiction. What's the reality?"
Amelia nodded, interlocking her fingers as she rested them on the table, leaning forward slightly. She was going to be a complete open book with her, whatever she wanted to know, she would tell her. "I can tell you whatever you wanna know."
"I know you eat garlic."
"Correct."
"And somehow, sunlight's not an issue." There drinks arrived seconds later and Elena played with the straw nervously. She was putting on a confident act but on the inside, she was terrified. Who wouldn't be when you find out the girl you liked ate people?
"We have rings that protect us." Amelia answered, holding up the ring she had had on for other a hundred years now.
"Crucifixes?"
"Decorative."
"Holy water?"
"Drinkable."
"Mirrors?"
"Myth."
"You said you don't kill to survive."
Amelia nodded, "I take blood bags from the hospital. I tried Stefan's bunny diet but... it really didn't mix well with me. It was totally gross. I don't know how Stefan keeps it down." She paused when she saw Elena's non amused face. "Uh, Damon drinks human blood as well. He can be very powerful."
"And yet you let him get involved with Caroline?" Elena accused, glaring at her heatedly.
"Damon is a child. Forcing him to do something is ten times worse then if you let him do it, believe me."
"He was hurting her!"
"He was feeding on her. He was able to take away her memories of being bitten using a form of mind compulsion. She never knew what was happening to her. If he wanted to kill her, he would have and I know that's not okay. None of it is but controlling my brother is impossible."
"Are there any others, aside from you and Damon?"
"Not in Mystic Falls, not anymore."
"Not anymore?"
"There was a time when this town was very much aware of vampires and it didn't end well for anybody. That's why you can't tell anyone. It will put my brothers in danger."
"I can't promise that." If she couldn't then... Amelia and Stefan would have to leave Mystic Falls again. She didn't know exactly where they would go or even if they were going to stick together.
"Give me today to explain and I will answer any questions that you have and when it's over, you can decide what you want to do." I'm just hoping you're going to choose what I want you to choose. I really don't want to leave...
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"What are we doing here?" Elena asked as the two walked through the woods, coming closer to the place Amelia had called home a long time ago.
"I want to show you something." They were getting closer and nostalgia was hitting Amelia like a truck. This was one of the only places where she had memories of her being human. Such a boring and wonderful life.
"In the middle of nowhere?"
"This... didn't used to be nowhere. Used to be my home." It was so run down now. It had been a while since she had been here. She didn't make it a habit to come.
Elena glanced around, "it looks so..."
"Old?" Amelia laughed. "It's because they are."
"Wait." Elena's eyes widened as she realised she hadn't asked a specific questions. "How long have you..."
"I've been eighteen years old since 1864."
"Oh, my god." Elena gasped in shock.
"Hey, you said you wanted to know." Amelia held up her hands in defence as Elena glared at her. "I won't hold anything back. I promised you. Half a century before the boarding house was even built, this was my family's home. Damon, Stefan and I... we were all born here. The Salvatore siblings, best friends."
"Wait. Where did you learn this game?" Stefan laughed loudly as he threw the football back towards Damon.
"Camp outside Atlanta. One of the officers picked it up at Harvard. Catch." Damon threw it back but Amelia jumped in the way and caught it before her brother could.
"Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't play as well brothers." She smirked, throwing it up and catching it again. "Please let me join?" She pouted.
"But what if you get hurt?" Damon tilted his head to the side, walking closer to try and take the football out of her hands but she dodged him.
"Wait a minute. Wait a minute. What are the rules? What are the rules?" Stefan called as he saw Damon and Amelia fighting for the football. "Guys?"
"Who needs rules?" Katherine came strolling out, hands behind her back and looking as elegant as ever. "Mind if I join you?"
"Of course you can." Amelia responded quickly, blushing when they all turned to look at her.
"Uh, well, you could, uh... you could get hurt. My brother likes to play rough." Stefan chuckled nervously as Katherine stood close to him. Amelia turned away with a frown, not knowing exactly what feeling she was getting by seeing them so close.
"Somehow, I think that you play rougher." Katherine grinned mischievously, walking over to Amelia and snatching the football out of her hands and running off.
"Why are you just standing there? That is a girl who clearly wants to be chased. If you don't do it, I will." Damon called to Stefan as he chased after her. Amelia sighed as she walked over to the steps of her house and sat down on the steps, resting her chin in her fist as she watched her brothers chase after the girl.
"You knew Katherine in 1864? Damon made it seem like..."
"Damon was trying to make you think that... I was still heartbroken. He likes to make my life a living hell and he could see that you were making me happy and he wanted to ruin that." She frowned, running her hand over one of the cracked pillars.
"All because you loved the same women 145 years ago?"
"She wasn't just any girl."
"Ha! I win. What's my prize?" Amelia heard Katherine exclaim in excitement. She stood back up and walked over to them, wanting to see what they were talking about.
"What would you like it to be?" Damon smirked.
Amelia smiled excitedly, "they extended your leave?" She wanted Damon to stay for as long as he could. It just wasn't the same without him being there. He always came up with cool stuff for Stefan and her to do with him, though most of the time it ended with them being in trouble... which was not good. At all.
"I was simply having too much fun to return to battle."
"Your commitment to the confederacy is inspiring." Stefan walked over to him and pulled him into a hug. Looks like Amelia wasn't the only one happy about this.
"Well, this works out wonderfully for me." Katherine interrupted, bringing all the attention back to her.
"How's that, miss Katherine?"
"Now I'll have both of you here to keep me entertained. First and foremost, I'll need someone to escort me to the founder's ball." Katherine gave a quick glance towards Amelia, smiling when she saw the other girl looking at the ground, seeming to be upset that she was only talking about Stefan and Damon.
"With pleasure." "I would be honoured." Stefan and Damon answered at the same time, looking at each other.
"The smart and kind Salvatore brothers both coming to my rescue. How will I ever choose?"
"She chose Stefan. He escorted her to the ball at the original Lockwood mansion." Amelia explained as they walked through the courtyard.
"The first founder's party... where you signed the registry."
"That night, after the party was over, she came to me and... it was when I realised I wanted her and she wanted me to. I didn't care that I had gotten something that my brothers wanted. I didn't even care if it hurt them. I only knew that I wanted her." That night was the first time she had kissed a girl and it was with someone who she had loved.
"So they were upset."
"Yeah they were but the thing is, with Damon. He doesn't get mad. He just gets even." She smiled sadly. "That night it turns out, she had been with him as well. She had been with us all that night."
"So he stole her from you, who stole her from Stefan, is... that right?" Elena asked having an adorably confused expression on her face.
Amelia laughed, it did seem confusing when she said it out lout but still, it wasn't that simple. "Turns out she wasn't ours to steal."
Amelia sighed as soft kisses were left down her neck. She tangled her hands in the curly hair and smiled softly as Katherine made her way back up her body and kissed her lips. She rested her hand on Katherine cheek, "I will always love you."
Katherine shook her head and laughed, "forever is a very long time, you know."
"As long as we're together, it will never be long enough." Amelia said truthfully. She wanted to be with Katherine together. Even if they would never be able to get married or walk together outside as a couple.
Before she could say anything else, a pain erupted in her neck. She cried out, bringing her hands up and trying to push Katherine off of her but she was to strong and she could feel herself losing consciousness, "Katherine... stop..."
Amelia felt her eyes slowly open. The light blinding in from the open curtains, indicating it was the next morning. She snapped forward as the memories from last night played through her head. Katherine, teeth, pain... her eyes. "Wha..."
"Good morning." Katherine greeted as if nothing were wrong. Amelia's breath picked up and she filled with fear, moving back on the bed to get away from the girl. Katherine sighed, "you're upset."
"Your face, it was like a demon."
"But you're not afraid." Katherine said quickly, trying to get Amelia to look her in the eyes but Amelia kept thrashing, making it extremely difficult.
"Get away from me! Get away!" She screamed and Katherine knew if she let it go on, someone would hear and come in.
She grabbed a hold of Amelia's face roughly, looking her straight in the eyes as her pupil dilated, "it doesn't change the way you feel about me. You will not tell anyone." Amelia's breathing slowed and her face went slack. "Shh. We will go on exactly as we have."
Amelia nodded obediently, "yes. We will go on."
Katherine placed her hands on Amelia's cheeks and gently kissed her forehead, "you have no idea of the future I have planned for us, Amelia... You, me, Stefan and Damon. No rules."
"She could control my mind and Stefan's and Damon's. She compelled each of us to keep the secret from the other. She wanted all of us to be together. Forever. Didn't work out that way, but... me and my brothers got stuck together. Whether we like it or not." She pulled out Damon's ring. Stefan had given it to her because she was stronger then him and could hold off Damon better.
"Is that Damon's ring?" Elena gasped.
"Stefan took it from him, but I have to give it back." He had called Stefan and threatened that if he didn't get his ring back... he was going to kill Elena.
"No, don't, Amelia. Keep it hidden." Elena said urgently, grabbing her hand and enclosing it with the ring inside.
"If I don't then he'll do anything he can to hurt me and Stefan... and that includes hurting you. I won't let that happen." She said with conviction, the ring feeling like it was burning in her hand. The thing Damon wanted so much and would do anything to get back.
"The mind control... you said Katherine used. Do you ever do that to me?" Elena crossed her arms, hoping the answer would be no. She didn't think she could forgive her if she did compel her.
"No." Amelia said immediately. "That necklace, it contains an herb called vervain. It protects you from being compelled. I wanted to protect you from Damon. Elena, you should never take that necklace off... because no matter what happens you'll know that you were free to make your own choice."
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Amelia and Elena made their way into the Gilbert house, only to see Vicki freaking out of Jeremy and Matt, "what's going on?" Elena asked, rushing forward.
"She's really messed up." Matt answered, voice worried and concerned for his sister.
Oh no... Amelia stepped forward, eyes tracing over the girl, "Elena, back up." She knew exactly what was happening. "Everything's gonna be fine. Guys, take her up to bed. Shut the blinds. She's gonna be okay. Come on. Come on." Matt and Jeremy took the girl upstairs.
"You know what's wrong with her?" Elena questioned. "What is it?"
"She's transitioning."
"Transitioning to what?"
"A vampire. Damon must have gotten to her. She's new. She hasn't completed her transformation yet."
"H-how does she do that?"
"She has to feed on human blood."
"And what if she doesn't?"
"She'll die. She may only have a few hours."
Elena looked at her harshly, "she's upstairs with him right now."
"It's okay." Amelia tried to calm her down. "She doesn't know what's happening to her yet."
"So when is she gonna know?"
"Right now, she doesn't remember anything. A part of her is still human, but slowly, the deeper she gets into the transition, the memories will start to come back, and then she'll know she has to make the choice."
"The same choice you made?" Elena voice held so much venom and hurt flashed through Amelia's eyes. She cleared her throat and looked away. Yeah... her choice.
"Vicki!" Matt shouted as Vicki bounded down the stairs and straight out of the front door, quicker then ever, she was gone in a flash.
"She was fine, and then she just... she just freaked out." Jeremy said helplessly, looking like a lost puppy.
"I'm gonna go look for her." Matt grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. "Call me if you hear anything."
"I can track her." Amelia said to Elena quietly. "I'll call Stefan. We'll find her."
"Go."
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A gunshot rang throughout the air and Amelia followed it straight away, her and Stefan had split up. She knew that was a bad idea. He always get into trouble without her. The scene she saw made her blood run cold, Vicki was on the ground, drinking Logan Fell's blood as Stefan was hunched over in pain.
She sped over to him and knelled down, not bothering about the blood that spilled onto her shirt before digging her fingers in the wound, digging the wooden bullet out, "you idiot! Don't get shot again!"
"It's wood." Damon entered the area. "They know and if anyone's gonna kill you, it's gonna be me. My ring." He held out his hand for Amelia. "Hand it over. I really don't feel like killing the girl you're so infatuated in."
"If you even think about hurting her, than I swear to god Damon... I will never forgive you." She narrowed her eyes, growling. "And that's a long time in our world, isn't it?" She scoffed and took out the ring. "You want this? Well you better go find it." She used all her strength and threw it into the tress. "Go fetch."
"Real mature little sister." Damon rolled his eyes before speeding off after it.
Amelia leaned back down, helping Stefan sit up. "You can't die on me. I can't handle Damon on my own." She said gently. "What are we gonna do Stef?"
Stefan frowned, "I don't know Mia. I really don't know."
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Amelia was back at the Gilbert house, walking up the pathway and seeing Elena sitting on the steps, waiting for her. "You're bleeding." Was the first thing she said.
"No, it's okay. It[s Stefan's." She paused, taking in a deep breath, knowing what she was about to say would hurt the girl in front of her. Why couldn't I have been there in time? "I couldn't stop her."
Elena tensed, really hoping she wasn't saying what she thought she was saying, "what does that mean?"
"She fed, and then I lost her." Tears immediately came to Elena's eyes and she brought her hand up to rest on her forehead in shock. "I'll take care of it. I'll find her and I'll help her. I will make sure that she does not hurt anybody, Elena. I promise you."
"What do I tell my brother and... and Matt?"
"We'll come up with a story."
"You mean we'll come up with a lie." Elena snapped. "I gave you today just like you asked. And I understand that you would never do anything to hurt me, and I promise I will keep your secret, but... I can't talk to you anymore, Amelia. I'm sorry. I... I just can't..."
Elena walked away from her for what felt like the hundredth time and in that moment, Amelia really felt like she had lost her... and that had hurt more than she expected it to.
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Authors Note: I don't like explaining scenes. I mean like, ask question, answer, ask question answer. I'm just really trying to stick with this story because I know some chapters are a bit boring to write because I do a whole episode in each chapter but other chapters are really fun to write and the small bit of Amelia in 1864 was really fun to write and now that Elena knows, it's going to pick up from here, so excited for that :)