Kol grabbed me by the neck and threw me away from him easily. I gasped as I hit a tree, knocking the breath out of me before I fell to the ground. Kol turned towards Elena and back handed her, making her kneel beneath him as blood ran down her lip and she spit out blood. "Now this is what I missed.. two people connecting." He stated in amusement towards us as I coughed, slowly getting up from the ground. I vamped towards him and swung, hitting him in the jaw. I backed away and turned swiftly around, going to kick him in the face but he grabbed my leg in his hands and twisted it. I yelled out in pain, hearing it break from under me as Kol laughed and let me fall to the ground. "It's lonely on the other side.. and I swear being invisible will drive you mad." He pointed out, tilting his head down towards me as Elena vamped at him from behind, kicking his feet out from under him. Kol clenched his jaw and vamped up before towards her, grabbing her by the throat angrily. "The way you couldn't see me standing in front of you.. Or feel the breath on your cheek as I whispered all the ways I wished for you to suffer." Kol whispering emotionlessly towards Elena as he held her in his hand while she squirmed from under him. Elena heavily breathed from within his grasp before I clenched my jaw and slowly stood up behind him..
"Why don't you keep wishing on that, cousin.." I stated emotionlessly towards him. Kol furrowed his eyebrows and looked over his shoulder at me before I pushed everything that I had in me, towards him. I screamed out and gasped as I felt the power go through me before Kol started yelling out in pain and dropped Elena, leaving her on the ground gasping as breath returned to her. Kol flew back, landing on the ground in front of me and I took a deep breath and let my hands fall to my sides. I breathed heavily and weakly towards him as my eyes narrowed and watched as he slowly got up from the ground, breathing heavily back at me.
"Alas.. Now my wish will come true." Kol stated with a chuckle towards me as he placed a smirk on his lips. I looked to the side of me and towards Elena who held her throat from the ground, before I turned back to Kol who vamped towards me. I clenched my jaw back at him before he quickly turned away from me and caught a stake that was aiming for his heart.
"How many times do I have to kill you!" A familiar voice yelled towards him in annoyance. I furrowed my eyebrows as Jeremy stood across from Kol, holding his crossbow in his hands. I groaned and held my stomach before I weakly fell to the ground as the draining of power overwhelmed me.
"Jeremy Gilbert." Kol stayed in annoyance towards Jer who held the crossbow threateningly towards him still. "Welcome back.." He added, nodding slowly as a smirk appeared on his face. "Now, what's that saying? Kill me once, shame on you.. Kill me twice, shame on—" Kol started before Stefan appeared from behind him and snapped his neck quickly. I watched Kol slowly fall to the ground in front of me and I scoffed softly, looking away from him in disgust.
"Let's leave it at that, shall we?" Stefan asked, breathing heavily in annoyance down at Kol before he looked towards me and furrowed his eyebrows as Elena hovered over me now.
"Mariana?" Jeremy asked loudly in concern before he ran towards me. I looked up at him as Elena furrowed her eyebrows before they engulfed each other.
"Jeremy." Elena whispered as sobs came over her and she pulled him tightly towards her. Jeremy sighed and ran a hand over her head before they slowly pulled away. I furrowed my eyebrows up at him as he hovered over me in concern. I slowly held a hand out towards him before I felt him... His touch. His warmth.. I slowly shook my head and felt my eyes glaze over before Jeremy carefully took me in his arms and I breathed out, gasping as I put an arm around him, holding him closely towards me.
"Jeremy.." I whispered, clutching him as tightly as I could while I cried. I felt his warmth and remembered the smell of him. "You're here." I stated in disbelief as more tears filled my eyes and I pulled him closer, letting the tears soak his shirt.
~~~~
"You need to get rid of Silas' body." Bonnie warned emotionlessly as she held herself in front of Damon, Stefan and I.
"Well, there's a slight problem, Medusa. Even though you turned him into stone, if he gets one drop of blood, he's back to his old mind tricks." Damon pointed out in annoyance, leaning against the back of his Camaro with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Alright, so let's do what we should have done to Klaus. Let's drop his body in the middle of the ocean." Stefan suggested and I nodded in agreement, folding my arms over my chest.
"Bonnie.." A voice said softly before we all looked to see Elena who stood behind her. "I—I don't know what to say." Elena stated quietly, sighing in some defeat before Bonnie stepped closer towards her.
"You don't have to say anything." Bonnie replied, giving a small shrug back in return.
"But I was so horrible to you." Elena countered as she started shaking her head and I tilted mine at her.
"You weren't you. I know what that's like.. I wasn't me for a long time." Bonnie pointed out as she gave Elena a small smile. "We can talk about that later.. You guys have some catching up to do." She added before gesturing behind Elena. Elena smiled as Jeremy walked over towards us and stood behind Elena, staring at Bonnie as silence fell over all of us.
"Thank you, Bonnie.." Jeremy whispered towards her, breaking their silence. Bonnie's breath hitches in her throat as she looked between Elena, Jeremy and I before she let the breath out.
"I'll give you guys as much time as I can." Bonnie reassured quietly before Jeremy grabbed her, pulling her towards him and hugging her tightly. Bonnie sighed from within his arms and I looked down in defeat before the two slowly pulled away. "But I have to go put the veil back up.." Bonnie whispered, staring up at Jeremy before walking away and I cleared my throat and turned towards Damon and Stefan.
"I should make sure Kol's body is somewhere safe until the veil goes back up." Stefan stated, putting his hands in his pant pockets and nodding at Damon and I. He turned away from us and was about to walk away but Elena stopped him.
"Stefan, wait—" Elena started and Stefan looked at her silently before he gave her a short nod and showed a small smile, making her tilt her head and smile back at him.
"Welcome, back." Stefan stated towards her and she smiled at him before he nodded at Damon and walked away from us.
"There's not enough time." Elena stated in defeat and I slowly nodded and looked at Damon who shrugged.
"There's never enough time." Damon replied quietly before Elena sighed and looked between us.
"Damon, Mariana, I'm sorry—" Elena started in defeat before I quickly cut her off.
"Don't worry about it.. We both have more important things to think about right now." I countered before gesturing my head towards Jeremy. Elena slowly nodded in agreement and looked over her shoulder at Jer who stood behind her. "We need to say goodbye.." I whispered as I stared at him only for him to give me a small smile in return. I sighed and walked towards him, as did Elena before he engulfed us and I buried my head in his chest. I sighed deeply and closed my eyes, trying to keep from crying but it was inevitable.. Just like him leaving was inevitable.
-Time Skip-
I laughed as I watched Ric and Jeremy devoured their sandwiches and moan as they ate. "No grease on the other side, huh?" Elena asked laughing a bit as she ate her fries.
"You have no idea how much I missed this." Alaric replied in amusement and grabbing the bottle of bourbon beside him as we sat in the cemetery. "And this." He pointed out before I grabbed the bottle from him. "No, hey—" he started in defense as I drank it and they al chuckled.
"Elena just got her humanity back and I didn't fail at losing mine.. Let us live a little." I countered in amusement as Elena drank from the bottle also. Jeremy laughed and went to grab the bottle but Elena pulled away from him.
"Hey, you wish." Elena scoffed, chuckling back at him and he rolled his eyes playfully.
"I'm dead. What are they gonna do, throw me in juvie?" Jeremy asked sarcastically and I smiled, shaking my head.
"Well, at least you'd have a place to live." Ric countered, looking at Elena who scoffed lightly and threw one of her fries at him. I chuckled and shook my head as I watched them joke with each other.
"You both suck." Elena stated in annoyance as she threw fries at Jeremy also and I chuckled, grabbing them from her.
"Hey, they just got back to the land of the living. They probably don't remember what pain feels like. Let's not wound them with a fry." I warned in amusement before Elena and I laughed loudly as Alaric and Jeremy smiled at us.
"There. Those smiles. I was worried we'd never get to see 'em again." Alaric stated, nudging Jeremy in the shoulder and I slowly nodded as Elena's eyes glazed over.
"I did some pretty terrible things." Elena admitted as she looked between Alaric, Jeremy and I, sighing deeply in defeat before Jeremy scoffed.
"Hey, no.. No crying today." Jeremy countered and Elena sighed, tilting her head at him. "If Caroline was right, then Bonnie is going to put the veil back up tonight with the help of the full moon. So we need a no crying rule." He pointed out and I shook my head back at him.
"But the crying's good." I countered with a smile as I looked back at Elena. "It means that she's feeling something and right now, I'm feeling something too." I stated and watched as they all looked at me with small smiled. "I'm happy." I pointed out with a small chuckle before Elena's phone started ringing and she pulled it out from her pocket.
"It's The Grill, it must be Matt." Elena stated, getting up and walking a few feet away before answering. "Hey, what happened? You went awol this morning." She said in confusion and I listened in, unintentionally as I smiled at Ric and Jer as we continued to eat.
"Hello, Elena.. You remember me? It's your old friend Connor." A voice replied through the phone and I furrowed my eyebrows as my face fell and I got up from where I sat as Elena turned to me with concern on her face.
"What do you want?" She asked emotionlessly into the phone, not moving her eyes away from mine.
"Us Hunters have a message from Qetsiyah herself.. We want Silas and we want the cure." Connor replied in a serious tone before I grabbed the phone.
"We don't know where they are, so I guess we can't help you." I pointed out in a bitchy tone as Alaric and Jeremy looked at us now, fully aware.
"Huh.. You know who's gonna need some help? Grandma and Grandpa Jones, in town for the big high school graduation.. along with auntie Sue and uncle Mark, matter of fact—everyone here at the Mystic Grill for graduation brunch." Connor pointed out and I furrowed my eyebrows as Elena folded her arms over her chest. "You either give me what I want, or they die." Connor threatened emotionlessly before I looked at Ric who gestured and mouthed towards me that he was going to get Stefan and Damon. I nodded back and looked away as he quickly left, leaving Elena, Jer and I.
"Please. Don't hurt anyone. I'll go find Silas and I'll get the cure." I reassured into the phone before I heard him slowly sigh.
"Good. Get it done." Connor warned before I hung up and turned towards Elena and Jeremy.. Both of them as they stared at me with furrowed brows.
~~~
I rose my eyebrow and knocked on Damon's doorway as he looked himself over in his mirror before turning towards me. "Hey." I stated, tilting my head at him and giving him a smile.
"Hey." Damon replied back with a small smile before he stood there, just staring at me. "I have something for you." He pointed out and I rose my eyebrow and watched as he walked towards his nightstand and took out a little chest. He opened the chest and took out a small case of some sort before walking towards me and opened the case and letting a smirk appear on his face. "Consider it a graduation present." Damon stated and I sighed looking down at it and slowly shaking my head.
"Damon, I can't taking that." I replied quietly, folding my arms over my chest as I looked between him and the case.
"Sure you can. Looks like it might be cherry flavored." Damon pointed out in amusement, holding it up towards me and I slowly sighed at the cure.
"I'm not saying that I don't want it—obviously I want it—but that's the only one." I stated and watched as Damon furrowed his eyebrows slowly. "There's only one cure and the hunters have made it pretty clear that they're willing to kill everyone in Mystic Falls to get it—and I know that if it were Elena instead of me, she would agree." I pointed out and watched as Damon sighed.
"Mariana, take the damn thing." Damon stated softly as he placed the cure in my hand and closed my fingers around it, making me sigh. "I want you to take it." He added with a small smile and I looked down at the cure in defeat before I slowly shook my head and handed it back to him quickly.
"I can't." I stated emotionlessly back at him and watched as he furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't care what you want me to do because I'm not sired to you, Damon." I pointed out with a small scoff as he looked down at the cure before the floor boards in the hall creaked.
"You gonna help a brother out, or are you just gonna lurk?" Damon asked in annoyance as he looked past me and I furrowed my eyebrows and turned to see Jeremy standing in the doorway.
"Look, Mariana. You're my sister and I love you the same as I love Elena.. No matter what either of you choose." Jeremy stated reassuringly and I showed him a small smile as Damon sighed in annoyance.
"How is it even when you're dead, you're the bane of my existence?" Damon asked sarcastically towards Jeremy before looking back at me. "Come on, Mariana, we don't need the cure for Silas, he's a calcified statue—" Damon started before he groaned in pain and I furrowed my eyebrows as he moved his left shoulder painfully.
"What was that?" I asked raising my eyebrow in concern and he shook his head back at me.
"Nothing." Damon answered, lying to me and ignoring my question, making me scoff and gesture at him.
"Take off your shirt." I demanded emotionlessly and he rose his eyebrow.
"Mariana, there are children present." Damon countered and I turned back to Jeremy who rolled his eyes.
"Fine." I stated in annoyance before pulling down the collar of his shirt over his shoulder, and I widened my eyes at a bleeding bullet wound. "Damon, why isn't it healed?" I asked in concern as I looked from the wound towards him.
"Because the bullet was laced with werewolf venom, okay? Hunters are dicks." Damon replied as he groaned from the wound and I slowly shook my head, letting him go.
"We need Klaus. We need his blood." I stated as worry washed over me and I turned away from Damon and ran a hand over my forehead.
"Klaus would rather see me dead—besides, he's is a thousand miles away sipping a hurricane on bourbon street." Damon pointed out sarcastically before I quickly turned towards him.
"That wound will kill you." I warned, breathing heavily as I felt my heart sink in my chest.
"What about the cure?" Jeremy asked from behind me and I furrowed my eyebrows, turning towards him.
"Jeremy's right." I agreed quietly, slowly nodding at his idea. "If you're human, the werewolf venom won't hurt you." I pointed out as I looked back at Damon in some relief.
"And here I was so moved by your speech about saving mankind." Damon replied sarcastically and I narrowed my eyes at him as he looked away and listened to something. "Sounds like the Vaughn's awake." He added with a fake smile before walking away from me and I scoffed following.
"Damon, wait." I warned angrily towards him but he ignored me as he grabbed his leather jacket and made his way down the stairs, towards the front door.
"Here." Damon stated towards the living room before he tossed the cure and the same hunter from the island caught it, furrowing his eyebrows.
"What the hell are you doing?" Stefan asked in confusion from where he stood beside Lexi.
"Digging up Silas." Damon answered in annoyance before he moved his way towards the door and opened it. "Coming Vaughn, or not?" He added as he owned the door and walked out. The hunter quickly nodded in agreement and walked out after Damon as I turned towards Stefan and Lexi. I sighed in defeat and looked between them and letting out a scoff, and looking back towards the door.
~~~~
"We have to do something. If those Hunter's give the cure to Silas—" I started as I paced in the living room before Stefan cut me off.
"They're not giving it to Silas. Wherever Damon has taken Vaughn right now, it's a stall. Because Damon hasn't had the time to bury Silas' body yet." Stefan replied, folding his arms over his chest and I rose my eyebrow at him. "And that's all you need to know right now." He added with a slight shrug and I sighed, shaking my head.
"Okay, fine. We're stalling the hunter's but Damon is still dying." I pointed out in annoyance at Stefan looked away.
"It was one bullet, and it was only laced. We still have a little bit of time. I will go to New Orleans myself and I will beg Klaus if I have to." Stefan countered in reassurance towards me and I slowly sighed.
"Then it's settled." Jeremy added and I furrowed my eyebrows turning towards him as he held my cap and gown in his arms. "You're going to your graduation." He pointed out and I scoffed at him.
"Gradu-no, Jer. I never even sent in my college applications. Elena, even with her emotionless ass has, along with everyone else.." I argued in annoyance, folding my arms over my chest again.
"I don't care. Mom and dad would kill you if there wasn't a photo of you and Elena together in your graduation get-up." Jeremy warned, with a small smile and I tilted my head at him.
"Jeremy, no. Not if you can't be there." I protested slowly shaking my head at him and he sighed back at me.
"Lexi will keep me company." Jeremy replied with a small shrug and I gave a small smile. "You're going." He added with a short nod before I walked towards him and he handed me my cap and gown.
"Lets go graduate." I agreed in amusement and he chuckled, nodding back at me before hugging me tightly.
~~~
"Where the hell is everyone?" Caroline asked in annoyance as she stood with Matt and Bonnie as I walked towards them and chuckled.
"We're here." I pointed out and gestured at Elena and Stefan who followed behind me. I looked at Bonnie before I pulled her towards me and hugged her tightly. "Thank you for today.." I whispered with a small smile before we pulled away and looked at Caroline.
"I can't believe it." Caroline stated as she looked over all of us and I rolled my eyes a bit. "We're actually all here. We're all here together!" She said happily before we all huckleberry and smiled at each other, but Tyler.. Tyler wasn't here. "Bonnie Bennett, are you crying?" Care asked in amusement as she looked at Bonnie and I smiled and put an arm around her.
"It's our last hurrah before you guys go off to college." Bonnie stated sadly as a few tears fell down her face.
"Before we go off to college!" Caroline corrected, nudging her playfully and I cleared my throat awkwardly.
"I kinda sorta missed the deadline, you know.. Busy trying to get an emotionless bitch's emotions back.." I pointed out in amusement as I looked at Elena who gave a sheepish smile. "Probably should have sent it in when you did." I added in defeat and looked back at Caroline who sighed.
"Well, the perks of being a vampire—we can go wherever we want to go. We can choose our own roommates! We could—we could get a quad room!" Caroline stated in excitement as she looked over Elena, Bonnie and I.
"I'm happy we're all here." Bonnie stated through tears as she smiled and grabbed Caroline's while I wiped one of her tears away.
"Awe! Group hug!" Caroline said and gesturing towards us all before Stefan quickly shook his head.
"Ah-I don't—I don't hug." Stefan countered in protest, making me roll my eyes back at him in annoyance.
"Get over yourself." I replied in amusement before I pulled him into the hug as Caroline and everyone else squished us, making me chuckle.
~~~
"Welcome parents, family and friends. What a beautiful day for graduation." The Mayor stated into the microphone as he stood on stage, in front of the podium as well as all of us before everyone applauded. "Thank you for joining us today, on this special day as we celebrate our graduates.. So let's get started." He added smiling wide before he started calling names.. To me, it was all just a blur. One by one all of my friends went up and retrieved their diplomas.. Bonnie.. Matt.. Caroline.. Elena.. "Mariana Gilbert." The Mayor stated after awhile and I took a deep breath. I walked across the stage and shook his hand. "Congratulations." He added towards me with a nod and I smiled back at him.
"Thank you." I stated, chuckling a bit. I smiled widely towards the audience, only to feel my smile drop as Kol sat behind Bonnie.. As well a few well known dead hybrids and witches..
~~~
"I would love nothing more than to get out of here before Vaughn comes back to life but Damon won't take the cure." Ric stated in annoyance from the phone and I rolled my eyes.
"Alright look, just hang on for a little longer, Caroline's calling Klaus again." I stated as I looked at Caroline who got off of the phone and looked at me, shaking her head in defeat.
"Mariana, we are past the point of Hail Mary calls. What do you want me to do, stand here and watch him die or force-feed him the cure?" Ric asked angrily through the phone and I looked at Stefan who watched me, listening to the conversation intently. "Mariana." Ric added again impatiently as we were running out of time. I opened my mouth to answer before I groaned in pain as a high pitched ring, echoed through the air around us. I saw Caroline, Elena and Stefan fall to the ground as did I, and looked up to see twelve angry witches standing before us.
"Remember us, Caroline? The twelve witches you killed for Silas?" A witch asked angrily, holding her hand above Caroline who groaned loudly, looking away and clenching her eyes shut. I groaned, slowly lifting my hand towards her before I saw her head come clean off and I gasped. A bloody cap landed on the ground across from me as her body fell to the ground and her head fell beside if. I furrowed my eyebrows and sighed in relief as we all slowly stood, turning to Klaus who held another cap in hand.
"There are plenty more of these to go around." Klaus pointed out, standing before al of us in a suit as he gestured at the cap in his hand. "Whose next? I can do this all day." He pointed out in amusement before Caroline gave him a small smile and he exchanged one of his.
-Time Skip-
I walked into Damon's room as he threw a towel on his bed and stood shirtless before me. "Hi." He said in a cheerful voice as he looked at me and grabbed a button up from beside the towel.
"Are you feeling better?" I asked, looking his shoulder and body over closely while he put the shirt over his shoulders and fixed the collar.
"Yeah." Damon answered, moving his shoulder easily and without pain as I walked closer towards him.
"So it's all healed up?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at the shoulder as Damon dropped his arms.
"Fresh as a daisy." Damon replied in reassurance, smirking down at me and I slowly nodded in agreement.
"Good." I agreed before I clenched my jaw and slapped him, hearing him groan. Damon slowly looked back at me and clenched his jaw before I scoffed, walking away from him in disbelief. I walked downstairs and into the library to see Stefan and Elena sitting in chairs, Lexi pouring herself a drink, while Alaric talked to someone by the fireplace. As I walked in, all eyes fell on me and the person Alaric talked to, turned to me and showed me a small smile.
"Mariana." She stated as tears filled her eyes and I furrowed my eyebrows, taken aback.
"Jenna—what are you doing here?" I asked, looking her up and down as she came towards me, before I looked at Elena and Alaric who exchanged a look.
"I was going to come after you told me about Jeremy.. But the house burnt down and I didn't know how much help I would be." Jenna pointed out as we pulled away and she put a hand on her belly that grew bigger in the last four months. "And then I got your message last night about Alaric and Jeremy—I came up here early.. Saw you and Elena graduate.. And spent the rest of the day with Jeremy and Alaric." She added, looking over her shoulder at Alaric who smiled towards her.
"I wouldn't have blamed you for not coming.. Stress can be a lot during a pregnancy." I pointed out quietly as I looked down at her belly and she chuckled.
"Yeah, well, apparently stress is all I have." Jenna replied sarcastically and I scoffed lightly in agreement as silence fell over us.
"Speaking of Jeremy.. Where is he?" I asked, looking over everyone before Alaric sighed and fell back on the couch beside Elena.
"He went to see Bonnie. He'll be back later, you know. Before..." Alaric answered, leading off quietly as he looked down at his hands and I slowly nodded.
"Right.." I replied, clearing my throat a bit before I looked at Elena who sat beside him. "Uh—Elena, can I have a minute?" I asked raising my eyebrow at her. Elena furrowed her eyebrows back at me before she slowly got up from where she sat and gave a short nod.
"Sure." Elena answered with a small smile before we walked out of the library and into the dining room. "So before you say whatever it is you're going to say—I need to say thank you." Elena stated with a sigh and I furrowed my eyebrows and turned towards her. "You stuck by me when I was at my worst. You believed that I was still in there—even after everything I put you through, you never gave up on me." She pointed out as she folded her arms over her chest.
"Well, you're my sister." I replied with a small smile and she chuckled a bit before I looked down. "And as such.." I added quietly with a sigh before I held out my hand towards her. "Here." I stated and watched her furrow her eyebrows down at it, taking it from me to reveal the cure.
"Mar—I don't know what to say." Elena whispered looking down at it before up at me in confusion.
"Look, you're not a vampire, Elena.. You can't deal with the bloodshed, the guilt.. You suck at being a vampire." I pointed out in amusement and watched as she chuckled, looking down at the cure again. "I'm your big sister and this is me looking out for you. I haven't done very well with you and Jeremy—but I'm going to start. And this is how I do that." I stated, gesturing down at the cure before I closed Elena's fingers over it. "You need to start your life.. Go to college, marry someone—have kids." I said with a small chuckle and watched as Elena's eyes glazed over. "You need to have kids—enough for us both." I whispered before a tear fell from her eye and I quickly wiped it away. "You need to live." I added quietly and watched as Elena slowly nodded her head in agreement before she took a deep breath.
"I'm going to go say my goodbyes to Jeremy while he is with Bonnie.. Are you coming?" Elena asked, putting the cure in her pocket as I slowly shook my head.
"Jeremy and I said our goodbyes earlier.. It's your turn." I replied with a small smile and Elena slowly nodded back at me before walking away. I took a deep breath and walked out of the dining room and into the living room where Damon stood. The fireplace in front of him lit up his features as he stood in front of it, glass of bourbon in hand.
"I wanted to apologize." Damon stated emotionlessly, noticing my presence but he didn't look at me as I folded my arms over my chest.
"Good." I snapped back, making him scoff and look at me.
"Let me finish. I said I wanted to... and then I realized that I'm not sorry." Damon pointed out in annoyance and I furrowed my eyebrows and looked away from him, breathing heavily.
"You would rather die than be human, and you expect me to be okay with that?" I asked in disbelief as I took a step forward.
"I didn't say you were supposed to be okay with it, I just said I'm not sorry" Damon countered emotionlessly and I tilted my head at him in annoyance. "But you know what I really am? Selfish." He stated as he stared at me and I furrowed my eyebrows. "Because I make bad choices that hurt you. Yes, I'd rather have died than be human. I'd rather die right now than spend a handful of years with you, only to lose you when I'm too old, sick and miserable and you're still you. I'd rather die right now, than spend my last final years remembering how good I had it and how happy I was, because that's who I am, Mariana—and I'm not going to change, and there's no apology in the world that encompasses all the reasons that I am wrong for you." Damon pointed out angrily and I watched him silently as my eyes glazed over. Damon sighed deeply and looked back towards the fireplace, making me scoff in annoyance.
"Fine. Then I'm not sorry either." I replied in defeat as I let my hands fall to my sides and watched Damon look back at me, furrowing his eyebrows as I slowly walked towards him. "I'm not sorry that I met you.. I'm not sorry that every single decision I made involving you—has made me question everything. You have made me question everything.. In death, you're the one that made me feel alive—like I am more than just a weapon to be used. You're not a good person but neither am I, Damon." I stated angrily as I furrowed my eyebrows at him. "You have made some terrible choices—yet, all of the choices that I have made, you weren't one of them. You will never be one of them." I added, stopping feet away from him as he stared at me silently. "I'm not sorry that I love you—and I will never be. Even after years, you will be the one thing I will never be sorry for. I love you, Damon." I stated, staring at him as he watched, slowly putting his bourbon down on the table next to him. "I love-" I started again before he cut me off, closing the space between us and meeting his lips with mine. I smiled into the kiss as he held my face in his hands and I grabbed his in mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, depending the kiss and pulling him closer towards me.. Not wanting to let go. Here. Now.. We were forever.
*Three Months Later*
'Hey, Bonnie.. I can't believe that summer is almost over and I feel like I've got nothing done.. Sounds like you're having fun traveling with your mom.
Elena still doesn't know how she's supposed to do this whole college thing without you but I told her not to worry about it. Caroline doesn't know either because she spent the whole summer designing the color pallet for her and Elena's dorm room..
All the while Tyler's been away helping some wolf pack in Tennessee. Matt and Rebekah have been sending post cards and I think they're in Amsterdam now.. Or was it Prague?
I can't keep track anymore these days.. And honestly? I'm not really sure I want to. Anyways, I miss you. When do you get back? I have no one to practice magic with anymore. Xo
Love, Mariana.'
I sighed sending it to her email before I looked up from my phone to see Damon walking towards me as he came from the hall. He walked into the living room and he sat beside me with a smirk. Damon chuckled and grabbed m, pulling me onto his lap and I laughed, putting my phone down. I smirked down at Damon before we started making out. He grabbed onto my thighs tightly as I tangled my hands in the back of his hair before the front door opened, revealing Jeremy. I cleared my throat, quickly getting up from Damon and the couch awkwardly. "Hey—I thought you left." I stated in confusion towards Jeremy who awkwardly looked between Damon and I.
"I did.. Five hours ago." Jeremy pointed out, furrowing his eyebrows at me before walking towards the kitchen.
"Well, there's pizza in the fridge—" I started but he was already gone and I sighed shaking my head. "Well.. That went well." I pointed out in annoyance and looked back at Damon who tilted his head up at me in amusement.
-Time Skip-
'Hey, Mariana. What's up? You guys have no idea how much I miss you. Jeremy's been telling me a lot through emails about how surreal it is to be alive now..
And I'm assuming none of you have heard from Katherine since Elena shoved the cure down her throat?
If Katherine digesting the cure from trying to kill Elena isn't justice? I don't know what is. I miss you guys.
I'm glad you're having a great summer.. P.S. have you heard from Stefan?'
Love, Bonnie.'
I furrowed my eyes, reading the email as I sat in the bathtub while Damon stood in front of the mirror, shaving his face. I put my phone to my lips, pondering where Stefan went after high school graduation, thinking of why I haven't heard from him in months.. Vegas? Portland?? I sighed shaking my head in defeat before I looked down at the bubbles I was in. "You okay?" Damon asked, coming over to me and sitting on the edge of the bathtub, looking down at me.
"Yeah.. I just have this feeling that something bad is about to happen." I replied with a small chuckle and he shrugged.
"Well, it is. Your sister and best friend are leaving for college tomorrow and you're not going with them." Damon answered and I rose an eyebrow and tilted my head back at him. "You're trading what could be communal showers and a meal plan—for this." He added sarcastically, gesturing around the bathroom and I rolled my eyes.
"And you." I countered, smirking at him before he leant towards me and kissed me softly, making me smile before he quickly pulled away.
"Now get out and get dressed—or don't." Damon suggested in amusement and I chuckled, shaking my head up at him. "So I can ply you with champagne and convince you to stay instead of join college like the others." He added with a smirk before he walked out and I chuckled, watching him go. I let my eyes drift back towards my phone as my smile fell from my face and I sighed.. I went into my contacts list and scrolled down before I found Stefan's name and just stared at his contact through the screen.. I rolled my eyes and put my phone on the small table beside the bath tub before I sunk myself into the water.
~~~
"There were issues at home. Ever since I lost my parents and uncle John, I've been acting out. Drugs, drinking. I was looking for attention so, I lit my house on fire and faked my own death." Jeremy stated emotionlessly before I slowly nodded, looking him over.
"Really stress the drug thing and I'd definitely say that the fire was just an accident, because there's crazy, and then there's—Well.. Elena." I stated in amusement from where we sat in the living room while Elena rolled her eyes from beside me.
"Or I could just not go back, considering my school already had a memorial for me." Jeremy pointed out in annoyance and I rolled my eyes, about to open my mouth before I heard a car horn from outside.
"Caroline just pulled up." Damon stated towards Elena as he put her suitcases by the door and I gave her a small smile.
"I—I can't leave.. I should stay. At least until Jeremy settles into school." Elena countered, furrowing her eyebrows at us as she looked between Jeremy and I, making me roll my eyes.
"You're leaving." I argued, standing from the couch as Elena looked up at me in confusion. "You're going to college. You're gonna drink cheap beer and protest things you don't care about.. And we are gonna take care of Jeremy." I pointed out as I gestured towards Damon and I, making him raise an eyebrow. Elena looked between the two of us before her eyes fell on me questioningly. "Mostly me." I nodded in agreement, reassuring her and moving behind Jeremy before I put my hands on his shoulders. "Trust me. You have nothing to worry about." I stated with a small smile, making Elena sigh and looked between Jeremy and I.
"Okay, well, at least Whitmore is only a few hours away, so if you guys need anything, just call—" Elena started before Jeremy got up and we both walked towards her.
"Hey." Jeremy reassured, standing in front of her, shutting her up as she sighed up at him. "We'll see you on laundry day." He smiled, making Elena laugh and hug him. I smiled and watched them as they pulled away and she turned towards me about to open her mouth before I cut her off.
"Before you make a big speech all about how much you love and care about your dear—big sister, Mariana—Walk out the door or else you'll miss packing and you'll never leave." I pointing at her in annoyance and Elena laughed a bit before hugging me tightly, making me chuckle. "Have fun, kid." I whispered towards her, kissing her head lightly as she pulled away. Elena walked towards the door and grabbed her luggage, giving a small nod to Damon before walking halfway out the door.
"Bye." Elena stated looking back at us and I waved at her with a small smile before Damon closed the door behind her. I turned to Jeremy who was smiling at me and I smiled back before I tilted my head, thinking to myself only to furrow my eyebrows.
"Yeah.. We're not doing this. Jeremy, go to school." I stated in annoyance and watched as he groaned in annoyance back.
-Time Skip-
"What? How the hell did you get another roommate?" I asked in confusion as I looked through the fridge for food.
"There must have been a mix-up at the housing office." Elena replied in annoyance and I rose my eyebrow, sighing in defeat and closing the fridge door.
"Compulsion. It's the ultimate unwanted roommate repellent." I pointed out as I started looking through the cupboards for snacks instead while Elena laughed.
"That's exactly what Caroline said." Elena countered and I rolled my eyes and closed the cupboards as I found nothing.
"Right, so just compel her ass out the door." I shrugged, walking out of the kitchen and down the hall.
"Mariana, what's the point in going to college if we're just going to recreate what happened in Mystic Falls?" Elena asked in annoyance and I sighed loudly.
"Look at you giving it the old college try." I stated sarcastically in boredom.
"Did Jeremy get to school okay?" Elena asked somewhat in concern and I rose my eyebrow.
"Yup. Showered, groomed—Damon even cut the crusts off his PB&J himself." I replied in amusement before I walked into the living room, only to stop dead in my tracks and tilt my head slowly at what stood before me.
"So what you're saying is, that me being here and you guys being there—you guys don't need me? At all?" Elena asked in confusion and I cleared my throat awkwardly.
"Uh, yeah. Exactly—Listen, I uh, gotta go." I stated quickly before hanging up the phone and narrowing my eyes.
"It's been a long summer, Mariana." She stated as she stood in front of me with knotted hair and worn out makeup. I slowly sighed, folding my arms over my chest as footsteps came towards us and Damon eyed her skeptically.
"Katherine." He stated through gritted teeth as we were both eyed her in disgust.
-Time Skip-
"You're gonna have to cut me off soon." Katherine warned, downing another glass of bourbon before pouring another soon after. "My tolerance is a joke now. It's just so.. Glorious." She added scoffing in annoyance and shaking her head.
"You're miserable." I pointed out, folding my arms over my chest at her as I observed her behavior only for her to scoff.
"Please. I'm Katherine Pierce. I'm a survivor." Katherine countered, rolling her eyes at me as I slowly walked towards her.
"You're a liar. Your hairs messed up. Your nails have chipped. You're a sad, miserable human being and you want me to turn you—so here." I stated biting my wrist and gesturing it towards her. "Go ahead. Drink up. I'll kill you, you'll bite the mailman and you'll be a vampire again." I shrugged as she just held my wrist, wanting to drink it but was hesitant. "Go ahead. Do it." I stated in annoyance and she scoffed.
"I can't, okay?" Katherine asked angrily and I rose an eyebrow. "No one's ever taken the cure before. If I die, there's a good chance I may never wake up." She added and I sighed taking my wrist back.
"That would be tragic." I replied sarcastically and watched as she rose her eyebrow at me.
"Deep down in that Gushy-mushy, Damon loving heart—there's a part of you that doesn't want me to die.. A part of you that would be sad if you lost your birth mother." Katherine stated and I eyed her carefully before looking away.
"What are you doing here, Katherine?" I asked emotionlessly before the home phone rang from beside us. I went to grab it off of the table between us but Katherine got to it first, answering.
"Salvatore residence." Katherine stated smirking as she answered and I rolled my eyes at her. "Hello, Principal Webber. This is Elena." She added, putting on an almost fake sounding voice and I sighed, folding my arms over my chest again. "Oh dear.. We'll find him." Katherine reassured with a small nod before hanging up and I furrowed my eyebrows. "So Jeremy's been expelled.. Elena will be cool with that, right?" Katherine asked raising her eyebrow at me and I scoffed in annoyance.
"Ugh—When I get back here, you're gone." I warned angrily as I turned away from her and walked towards the front door.
"Mariana, wait! There's someone chasing me." Katherine added worriedly, following me towards the door and I rolled my eyes.
"Then run, Katherine. Run far away." I replied in annoyance, walking away from her before she grabbed my arm, pulling me back.
"Mariana, you don't understand. I have enemies everywhere. What happens when word gets out that I'm a human? I can't protect myself! I'm weak, I'm slow—Do you have any idea what it's like to run in heels? I have blisters, Mariana! Just—please.." Katherine pleaded towards me. "Just—please.. Help me." She whispered in defeat and I furrowed my eyebrows at her.
~~~
Damon and I walked into The Grill and I looked around before I gestured my head towardsJeremy, who sat at a table near the bar. We walked towards him and I opened my mouth to speak before Damon cut me off. "One day. One day where you don't screw it up." Damon stated in annoyance at him as we made our way over to the table.
"Leave me alone, Damon." Jeremy replied emotionlessly as we sat next to him.
"You got in a fight? You're lucky that you didn't put one of those idiots in the ICU." Damon warned, rolling his eyes.
"Says the guy that once killed him." I countered sarcastically and watched as Damon rolled his eyes.
"In the privacy of his own home—away from prying eyes, unlike Jeremy who went all Hunter in the middle of a hallway." Damon replied, looking back at Jeremy again. "You got expelled, genius." He added in annoyance and Jeremy sat back in his chair.
"Does that mean I don't have to go back to school?" Jeremy asked smirking at us, as if he didn't even hear what Damon just said.
"I compelled Principal Webber into a very generous three-day suspension. If you're lucky, I won't tell Elena about this. Then you'll be in deep shit." I warned, putting my arms on the table in frustration as Jeremy sighed deeply in response. "Finish eating. Meet us outside." I added emotionlessly before Damon and I got up and turned around, only to see Stefan who stood before us and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Hello, Damon." Stefan greeted, smiling at his brother and I rose my eyebrow at him.
"Stefan.. Welcome home." Damon replied awkwardly, obviously taken aback as he slowly nodded at his brother.
"Thanks." Stefan stated with a short nod before they shared a kind of awkward hug and pulled away. Silence fell over us as the two stared at each other before I took a deep breath and exchanged a look with Jeremy.
"So? Anyone want a drink as much as I do?" I asked with a fake smile before walking towards the bar and grabbing a bottle of tequila from the shelf before pouring it into three shot glasses.
"Look, I know why you haven't called me all summer. But Elena's not sired to me anymore. Mariana and I are happy. It's time you found that, too." Damon stated with a nod and handing a shot to Stefan.
"Well, I'm over it.. I'm moving on. Cheers." Stefan reassured with a shrug and I slowly nodded, downing the shot as did he and Damon. "Katherine's living at hotel Salvatore." He added, looking towards me intently and I furrowed my eyebrows at him.
"How do you know that?" I countered, not hearing Damon tell him that and I sure as hell didn't either.
"Because I can read your mind." Stefan pointed out emotionlessly and I stared at him with a serious expression before he laughed and broke the silence between us. "I'm kidding. She called me first." Stefan reassured before looking at Damon who furrowed his eyebrows. "Remember? It's always been me first." He added and I rose my eyebrow at him.. Stefan is being a prick.
"Right." Damon replied emotionlessly, downing another shot before Jeremy came towards us. I smiled at him as he looked at Stefan and smiled widely before Stefan put a hand on his shoulder in greeting.
"Hey, Jeremy, looking good man." Stefan admired before pulling away from Jer who's smile slowly faded from his face and I rose my eyebrow as he looked at Stefan somewhat taken aback.. Like he just saw a ghost or something.
"Hey, Stefan, glad you're back." Jeremy finally replied as Stefan furrowed his eyebrows before giving a small smile and looking back at Damon.
"Alright, I'll uh, I'll—see you at home." Stefan pointed out, patting Damon's shoulder but Damon didn't look at him.
"Great." Damon replied emotionlessly before Stefan walked away from us and I furrowed my eyebrows at Jeremy who watched Stefan's back closely while Damon filled up an entire glass full of alcohol.
"Something's wrong—when he touched me, I felt a chill where my tattoo was." Jeremy pointed out in confusion, finally looking between Damon and I.
"What are you talking about?" Damon asked downing his glass, not really caring and I sighed in annoyance at him.
"Right before I died, Silas grabbed me and I felt the same thing." Jeremy warned carefully and I stared at Jeremy for a few seconds before narrowing my eyes.
"Silas is gone. Bonnie turned him into a big piece of rock, remember?" I countered, shaking my head at him.
"That was Silas." Jeremy countered, shaking his head at us furiously.
"That's impossible." Damon pointed out, eyeing Jeremy now, who looked to the side of him and I furrowed my eyebrows.. I felt a cold presence beside me and I looked at it in confusion, staring at what seemed to be nothing as Jeremy looked back at me.
"I'm a hunter. Our whole existence is to kill him. I know what I'm feeling, Damon. That—that was Silas." Jeremy whispered shaking his head at us and I observed carefully at how sure he was..
"I just watched him walk through an entire crowd of people who saw Stefan.. There's no way he can fool that many people at once. He's psychic but—no one's that psychic." Damon countered, still not believing him as I remained silent.
"What did he want?" Jeremy asked furrowing his eyebrows at us as his face held a serious expression and I rose my eyebrow at him before I came to realization. The cure.. Katherine.
"Damon." I warned, exchanging a look as he came to realization also before we quickly walked away from the bar and towards the exit.
~~
I up the steps of the house and listened in, hearing a quick and fast beating heartbeat come into my ears. I clenched my jaw and vamped inside only to catch Katherine in my arms as she ran into the hallway wearing nothing but a robe. Katherine gasped and looked at me in relief before I turned and nudged her towards Jeremy who came in with Damon behind me. "Get her out of here. Don't tell me where you're going. Don't tell anyone." I warned in a serious tone before Jeremy nodded in agreement and walked out the door. Damon stood next to me as I turned back down the hall and looked towards Silas who slowly came down the stairs. "God, you're slow. Guess vamp speed came with the upgrade." I scoffed, raising my eyebrow at him as he walked towards us in annoyance and threw a hand towel on the side table.
"Get out of my way and give me Katherine." Silas stated in annoyance and I rose my eyebrow at him as he stood in front of Damon and I now.
"First, drop the Stefan look." Damon countered, looking him over and Silas chuckled a bit. "What?" He added in annoyance.
"You might want to sit down." Silas replied with a smirk as he looked between both Damon and I, making me raise my eyebrow.