Veronica hummed, rocking Hope back and forth as she sat on the couch.
It was currently June 25, her husband and the rest of the pack being cursed four months ago. Despite visiting Alex during every full moon in the bayou, it was no secret she missed seeing him everyday.
Although months had gone by and Veronica had gotten better mentally, her heart still ached for the child she lost. The brunette barely visited the compound, not wanting to run into Klaus. The only way she got Hope was when Elijah dropped her off at the apartment on the days she took care of her.
The knock on the door brought Veronica out of her daze. Slowly standing up with Hope asleep in her arms, the banshee made her way to the apartment door. As soon as she opened it, Veronica felt her blood run cold.
"Ah, so this is the daughter you've been keeping locked up like Rapunzel."
"What the hell are you doing here?"
"Language! There's a child present." Damon sarcastically spoke, walking past the stunned brunette.
Veronica watched as the vampire pushed a few of Hope's toys to the side before sitting on the couch. After making himself comfortable, Damon looked to the hybrid and flashed a smile. Biting the inside of her cheek to keep herself calm, Veronica closed the door before making her way over to sit beside him on the couch.
"Mind if I hold her?"
"Yes."
"You're acting like I've never held a baby before."
"Have you?" Veronica asked, raising one eyebrow in question and irritation.
In response, Damon shrugged before leaning back and resting against the pillows.
"I have some news to share. You might not want to be holding your daughter for this."
"Why should I trust you?"
"Veronica, seriously. Do you really think I'll harm your child?"
Swallowing her pride, the brunette hesitantly passed a sleeping Hope to Damon, who immediately straighten and held the child in his arms.
"Now, what is it?"
"Elena." The vampire sighed, staring down at Hope and not meeting Veronica's gaze. "We were at Jo and Alaric's wedding two days ago-"
"Wedding? Who's Jo?"
"You miss out on a lot of names when you suddenly ignore your family."
Rolling her eyes, Veronica allowed Damon to continue.
"This sociopath, Kai; who's Jo's brother, showed up at the wedding and went crazy. Killed Jo and put Elena into some kind of coma."
"Coma? What are you talking about, vampires can heal."
"She's not a vampire, Veronica. She took the cure."
The brunette stared at Damon, her mouth slightly agape as the information blocked all other thoughts in her head. The sometimes faint whispers were suddenly gone and replaced by the words that were just spoken to her. Although she essentially broke off from everyone in Mystic Falls, she didn't think that would mean it would last forever. Eventually, Veronica wanted to reconcile with her sister and her friends. However, no matter how distant they were, she never assumed they would keep a secret as big as Elena becoming human again from her.
"Two days." The brunette whispered, "This happened two days ago and I'm just now finding out? Why didn't anyone call me?"
"This wasn't news that could be said over the phone. Besides, we were a bit preoccupied saying our goodbyes and wrapping up-"
"Goodbyes? Damon, you're talking as if she's not going to wake up."
Damon hesitated, noticing the distressed look on Veronica's face before letting out a sigh.
"She's not going to. Anytime soon, anyways. She's somewhat linked to Bonnie. When she dies, Elena wakes up."
The banshee stayed silent, not sure what to say. Feeling awkward in the minute of silence that's passed, Damon decided to bring up a new topic.
"So, where's your husband? I'd like to meet this Alex guy before I have to head back."
"You just missed him." Veronica bitterly laughed, recalling how two days ago she met him in the bayou.
The same two days ago when her sister was put in a coma that would keep her asleep for decades.
"Well, when will he be back?"
"In a month."
"A month? Are you two fighting or something?"
The brunette shook her head, hesitating for a moment before telling Damon the truth about everything that's happened.
Growing up, Jeremy always told Veronica she was the worst at telling stories. She would always get off topic, getting distracted and side-tracked easily. Although Veronica tried her best to stay on the topic, she often trailed off. She knew Jeremy was scolding her from beyond the grave for what was happening now.
Veronica had started explaining from the very beginning. Making sure to include every single detail from when they stopped talking up until where they were now. She didn't miss Damon's eye roll every time Klaus was brought up. What would once annoy her in the past made her a bit amused now.
"That was..."
"A lot, I know." Veronica laughed. "I'm sure you have your long stories about everything that's happened in Mystic Falls."
"I do, but none of it matters. It's all in the past now."
≛ ≛ ≛ ≛ ≛ ≛
After Hope woke up and Veronica fed her, Damon suggested they spend some more time together before he left. The brunette thought it was a weird feeling. The two hadn't spoken a word in months yet when they saw each other again, everything went into a rhythm. They were back to bickering and poking fun at the other.
"We're not bringing my daughter into a bar."
"Come on, you said you know someone that works there!"
"Yeah, her name's Cami. But I haven't spoken to her in ages!"
"That's an often occurrence for you, huh?"
"Shut up."
Damon smirked, clearly having fun getting a rise out of the brunette. Ignoring his smug face, Veronica kept walking, purposely rolling the stroller wheels over the vampires foot.
"How's everyone else doing? Alaric, especially."
"He's dealing with it as best he can. You can't really get over losing an almost wife and kids in one day. I'm sure you can understand what he's going through." Damon said, "Jeremy's been keeping him company. He's pretty lucky to have missed the wedding."
At the mention of her younger brother, Veronica halted in place. She turned her head to stare at the vampire with wide eyes.
"What did you just say?"
"Jeremy's been spending time with Alaric. Why is that such a big deal?"
"Jeremy's dead, Damon. What are you talking about?"
Damon's eyebrows furrowed for a moment, confused as to why the brunette was convinced her brother was dead. After a couple seconds of thinking, it clicked.
"Elena never told you."
"Told me what, Damon? If you're joking this isn't funny."
"I'm not joking. Bonnie brought him back after their graduation." The vampire explained, "Elena was still kind of pissed you stopped talking to everyone but I assumed she would've told you. Now that explains why you never came back."
"My brother's alive." Veronica whispered to herself, a small smile forming on her face at the thought of finally getting a second chance with someone she loved most in the world. However, the smile dropped from her face as her mind wandered off. "How come he never came to see me? Why didn't he reach out?"
"I don't know, Big Gilbert." Damon said, the brunette rolling her eyes at the old nickname. "Maybe he thought you didn't want to see him."
"He's my brother, of course I want to see him! What did she say to him that made him think that?"
"Look, don't be upset at Elena-"
"Save me the pity speech, Damon. I don't care how in love with her you are, she didn't tell me our brother came back from the freaking dead! She's lucky she's in a coma or else-"
"Veronica!"
"Oh, please. What is she going to do? Cry about it? Keep some more secrets? Wake up from her magical coma?"
"You're emotional, I get it, but you need to calm down before you say something you'll regret."
Veronica clenched her jaw, her right eye twitching slightly in annoyance. Despite feeling many different emotions about Jeremy being alive, all of them were blocked out by anger for her younger sister. Even though they weren't talking, how could she keep something like this from her? She had went this whole time believing her brother was gone and with their family in the afterlife, but in reality he was alive and thought she didn't want to see him.
"I think it's time you go. I'm sure Mystic Falls wouldn't mind you retuning early."
"Veronica-"
"Go." The brunette said, turning around with the stroller. "Tell Jeremy to call my new number when he gets back. Matt has it."
Not waiting for a response, Veronica walked down the streets of the French Quarter and back to her apartment. Despite it only being the late afternoon, she had enough of the day already. All she wanted to do was lay in bed with Hope and shut the rest of the world out.
≛ ≛ ≛ ≛ ≛ ≛
Veronica was seated on the bed, Hope playing with her stuffed animal while sitting on her lap as they watched a children's show on an iPad.
It was now seven in the evening, the brunette gone the past hours with no word from Damon or Jeremy. She was beginning to grow anxious, wondering if maybe the real reason Jeremy hadn't talked to her was because he didn't want to. As she watched the young girl with a monkey companion and a purple backpack read a map, her heart suddenly stopped as their faces came onto the screen. She was receiving a facetime from an unknown number. With a deep breath, Veronica answered the call.
"There's my big sister."
Veronica beamed at the sound of his voice, a tear falling from her eye as she stared at the face displayed on the iPad.
"I can't believe it." The banshee whispered, "You're really alive."
"I am." Jeremy smiled back. "Is that my niece? God, Roni, she looks just like you."
Veronica laughed and nodded, bringing the iPad closer to the two so Jeremy could see them more clearly.
"This is Hope. I can't wait for you to meet her one day."
"And I can't wait to see you again."
The brunette smiled, completely overjoyed.
There was no doubt a lot of catching up to do, but none of that mattered right now. All Veronica cared about was talking to her brother and relishing in the fact that he was alive.
hi
I feel bad for making Elena out to be a bitch in this book, because I actually like her, but I can't help it!
It's weird how I don't really like Damon in the show but it's so easy to write him. He and Veronica have such similar sarcastic attitudes that it's fun to write them together.
Also, before I go into season three officially, should I do one last chapter of Veronica during the summer before I start the season? Please let me know!!!
As always, thank you so much for all the votes and comments. You guys are beyond amazing :)
xoxo