https://66.media.tumblr.com/dea71bcb98aadbcee0680dc48f022604/tumblr_inline_pha94okN4y1t8himi_1280.gif.
A FEW DAYS LATER
I was revising my notes, just making sure all the information was correct, concise and clear before I handed the leather-bound book over to the scooby gang at a later date. In the last few days Bonnie has been trying her hardest to find a spell that could send me to a more preferable plain of this reality, my failing faith propped up by the rules of a prison world and my mind convincing me this is just my version of that. Maybe that's why I showed up with the necklace, I was meant to go find Adie or Angel and help them with something.
'That or this is just all one big fuck up that you're clinging too tightly to.'
I shook my head of the miserable thoughts, switching the song I was listening to and setting the journal aside. I stared up at my bedroom ceiling with a blank expression, trying to envision how Adie or Angel would have impacted this world if they'd appeared here-- My daydreaming quickly cut short when my left headphone was plucked from my ear by a raven-haired pest.
I twisted around, sitting up and removing the final connection to my music, raising a questioning brow at the disturbance, "Yes?"
"Grab your jacket, we're going to The Grill," a raise of my hand closed the door before he could leave.
"Don't I get a say?" I probed when he turned back to face me.
He released a heavy sigh, "You spent several weeks complaining and trying to persuade Bonnie to take down the barrier on this house--Then you spent six months scheming to create a master plan that would allow you to escape Kol's elaborate cage system. You're free now, yet all you've done is sulk around this house--" He held a judging finger up, halting my attempted interruption. "Exercising on the front lawn doesn't count."
"I know where I am here," I defended weakly. His arms folded across his chest, eyes daring me to continue with further lies, a sigh struggled in my lungs. "Fine. I guess--... every time I leave my shelter something bad happens, and I haven't got the energy right now for anything else to go wrong..."
"Nothing bad's gonna happen. We're just gonna go to The Grill, grab a bite to eat, maybe play some pool. Just an ordinary day for two ordinary humans..." I scoffed at his smirk.
"Aww, you care about me," a smile took over with my teasing.
His eyes narrowed in a playful manner, "Tell anyone and I'll make sure something bad happens."
"Aww, look at whittle Damon acting like the tough guy--" I narrowly avoided the jacket pelted toward my face.
"You've got five minutes to be in the passenger seat of my car before I'm leaving!" His figure vanished behind the corner, laughter freely spilling from my lips as I decided to stop being a nuisance and started getting ready, slipping my journal back into my duffle bag before hurrying after the immortal.
-TIME SKIP-
I laughed, stuffing another handful of curly fries into my mouth, "I'm being serious!"
"And I completely believe you(!)" The roll of his eyes was teasing as he bit into his burger.
"No, you don't! I'm serious though, there are actually people who do that," I tried to drill the concept down.
"What(?)-- There are actually people who dedicate hours altering and twisting my life for others to read?" Although his raised brow showed he was doubtful, I didn't miss the spark of intrigue in his eyes.
"Yes, it's called fanfiction. Though I don't know why they choose your show in particular--I mean, the characters aren't even that interesting. Especially the vampires(!)" His eyes narrowed in a playful warning, "What(?)" I found myself laughing, "You already know you're not my particular cup of tea."
"Only because you prefer blue boxes and slipstreams--"
"Slitheens--why is it so hard for people to get the hang of that?" I shook my head, remembering Adie always getting confused with that particular 'Doctor Who' villain.
"Whatever..." his hand waved the subject off as his bourbon was sipped, "Back to these books, are there any about me?"
"Of course you'd ask that--what(?) You want an ego boost(?)"
"Just curious," he shrugged nonchalantly, I took the chance to roll my eyes.
"Yes. Actually, I'd say you get the most written about you, probably because you're the original bad-boy from the very beginning of season one--and fangirls adore a bad boy..." I found myself explaining.
"Can you blame them(?)--Just look at me, I couldn't resist either," I snorted with his comment, setting down my drink and coughing slightly.
"Don't make jokes when I'm drinking--" I coughed again, the smile refusing to leave my lips, "You could have killed me(!)"
"Har-de-har(!)" He ignored my fit, finishing his burger and motioning for Matt to give him a refill.
"Hey, Madison," my fellow blonde greeted with a smile, momentarily ignoring Damon's request.
"Sup, Matt," I offered a wave in return, slurping at my water and throwing the odd remaining chip in my mouth. "I see they're working you hard, you in late tonight?"
"Nah, I get off in a couple of hours so it ain't all bad."
Another thought entered my mind, "Excited to start your cop training?" A confused expression briefly crossed his face, "Caroline told me you wanted to be the next Sheriff," I explained briefly.
"Well, until that day comes, busboy--" The ice in Damon's glass was rattled, "I think it's best to stop slacking on the current job."
Matt simply scoffed in response to Damon's words, familiar with the vampires' harsh edges. "Dick," was muttered while the drink was poured, Matt offering me a small nod before leaving to attend to another patron.
I twisted my body to offer my undivided attention to the blue-eyed Salvatore, "You know, you don't always have to be a dick to people who don't look like Elena."
His eyes narrowed, "I'm being nice to you..."
My lips pulled upwards in response to his attempted deflection, "But that's only because I know your deepest, darkest secrets. That and a sense of nostalgia makes you wanna be nice to me...--Hey, I'm totally judging," I held my hands up in defense. "But to be honest, you're already the reason his sisters dead--do you really have to rub salt in the wound and put him down everytime you see him(?)" I hopped down from my stool, aiming for the cluster of tables positioned in a shady corner.
"Where are you going?" I turned back, walking backward in a continuation to my destination.
"You promised me a game of pool," I reminded him, "Two 'ordinary humans', remember?" My wink forced his glass to be collected as he followed after me.
-TIME SKIP-
"You don't have to be a sore loser about it," I smirked.
"I'm not being a sore loser, Madi," I snorted when his grip on the steering wheel tightened.
"Yeah, okay(!)" A mocking tone entered my voice, "Look, maybe if you spent a little less time on your phone than you would have beaten me--"
"I did beat you."
"Does once out of eight games really count?" I raised a brow, grinning when I successfully gained his silence. I decided to cool it on the teasing, turning up the radio and rolling down the window of the car--closing my eyes so the wind could cool me down, moonlight streaming in to create a white glow in front of my closed lids. I felt the car come to a halt and frowned, knowing we weren't at the Boarding house yet. Re-opening my eyes revealed a familiar porch, the scooby gang all ready and waiting. I faced Damon, confused to be met with his own expectant gaze, "What's going on?"
"Why don't you get out and see," I narrowed my eyes in suspicion, exiting the vehicle hesitantly and approaching the gang in a deliberately slow manner.
Only when I saw Bonnie holding my necklace in one hand and her grimoire in the other did I understand, "Is what I think is happening actually happening?"
"I found the spell, Madison. And although I can't promise it will work--"
"I don't care, I'll worry about that when it comes to it." I grinned, leaping to hug the witch-- "Thank you so much!" Her smile only gave me more hope after I pulled back, my grin dropping when I remembered-- "I-I need my bag, I have something I have to give you guys before I go!"
Elena popped into view--my sealed duffle in her hands, "We thought you'd want it."
"Then you know me too well already," I stole it from her grip, resting it on the porch chair and creating a small crack in the zip. Slipping the white oak stake into the inside of my jacket pocket without causing too much suspicion, I pulled the journal from its hiding place. "Here," I offered it to Caroline, not fully trusting any of them besides Bonnie with its secrets, but understanding the witch's hands were already full. "If this works and I get to leave, that book has everything I know about your future and how to prevent it. I'd focus particularly on the section where you guys go off to college." I offered Elena's defeated look an apologetic shrug, "Sorry?"
"No, no--don't be," she quickly refused, "Thank you for this, for keeping us safe even though you may not be here..." I sensed it before it happened, actually sad to say bye to the girls when I was tackled in a four-way hug.
"Anytime," I pulled back, offering Matt and Jeremy a nod-- "Good luck with remaining the only humans in this bat-shit crazy town(!)" Laughter was pulled from their lungs before I turned to Stefan, offering my hand for a firm good-bye shake, "Thanks for helping with this."
He smiled in return, "Thanks for saving our lives..."
I finally turned to Damon, "Don't make this sappy," he complained.
"Funny(!) I was just about to say the same thing to you," I stopped in front of him, the pair of us seeming in permanent refusal to make the first move until he held his arms out, my body automatically welcoming him in a hug. I held my breath slightly, finally feeling my eyes threaten tears because I knew I'd miss him the most--miss our friendship the most... "Thanks for caring..." He squeezed me tighter in response, my throat beginning to hurt in my struggle to keep the crying at bay. I pulled back, releasing a shaky breath and patting his arm before facing Bonnie once again. "What do you need me to do?"
"Walk through that door the third time I chant the spell," The grimoire was handed off, a knife produced to slice at Bonnie's palm--Bennett blood combined with what remained of Stefan's on the mystery necklace I hoped was the cause of pulling me here. She handed it to me, "Think of your friends and keep this on your neck; just to keep any trace of a connection strongly tied to only you."
"Gotcha," I was incapable of behaving squeamish as I latched the chain around my neck, only just frowning at where the attempt would take place-- "Why are we doing it here exactly?"
"It's where you showed up," Bonnie shrugged. "It's all we've got to run with, honestly," I nodded with her answer, 'makes sense...' "--You ready?" Bodies cleared a path with Bonnie's words.
"As I'll ever be."
I watched the witch hold up her hands, closing her eyes--a chill running down my spine when she focused. "Sangiema meam et nos mundo carcerema," a harsh wind picked up around us, blonde shards of my hair attempting to stab my eyes while a tickle developed in my throat. "Sangiema Meam Et Nos Mundo Carcerema," I began coughing as the porch light smashed and the wind only grew harsher. My throat began to feel constricted with the couple of steps I struggled to take forward, gripping the handle of the front door tightly-- "Sangiema Meam Et Nos Mundo Carcerema!" Lightheadedness hit me, memories flashing to when I first touched the necklace and passed out to appear here. I shoved the door open in my woozy state, a bright light blinding me as I felt myself falling forward...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo_efYhYU2A... (Shallow By Lady Gaga + Bradley Cooper)
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Thanks For Reading x