The Cousin

Later that night the door bell rang.
“I’ll get it,” Elena smiled leaving Bonnie and I in the kitchen. I peered around the corner and saw that it was Stefan.
“Hey,” whispered Elena. “Thanks for coming. I wouldn’t have called if it wasn’t important.”
“I know that.”
Elena then walked outside, closing the door behind her. I looked over at Bonnie who was sitting on the couch watching TV. I frowned leaning against the door frame with Sakura leaning up against me for attention. I sighed patting her head when Elena came back into the house. Bonnie stood up.
“Well?” she asked.
“Stefan’s gonna talk to Damon,” she sighed. “But we’re not going to worry about that tonight. Tonight is girl’s night. I called Caroline and she’ll be over with food from the Grill in a few minutes.”
“Caroline, seriously?” asked Bonnie.
“Oh, come on, Bonnie. You know how Damon is. She just wanted attention and Damon was giving it to her so she did whatever he wanted.”
“Not to mention, he’s kinda scary,” I muttered.
Bonnie smiled at us, “Yeah I guess you’re right.”
The door bell rang and Elena smiled going to get it. Caroline stood there with a smile on her face holding a large paper bag. When she saw Bonnie though, her smile turned into a scowl. I frowned at her as she sat the bag down on the table and began getting the food out. Elena found the napkins and I grabbed four plates out of the cabinet. Bonnie smiled at Caroline but Caroline continued to look pissed. Elena gave her a look and Caroline finally gave in.
“I’m sorry. There, I said it. If you want the ugly-ass necklace, keep it. It’s yours,” Caroline said in a very Caroline way.
Bonnie looked nervous. “Will you hate me if I tell you I threw it away?”
“You threw it away?!”
“I know it sounds crazy. But the necklace was giving me nightmares. I had to get rid of it.”
“You could have just given it back to me,” snapped Caroline.
“Why? So you could give it back to Damon?” asked Elena.
Caroline sighed, “Screw Damon. Are we doing manicures or what? Who has their kit?” Caroline smiled.
“Mine’s in my bag,” said Bonnie.
“So, Elena, how long do you think this fight with Stefan’s gonna last? Is it like a permanent thing?”
“I don’t know, Caroline.” Sighed Elena.
Caroline scoffs, “Why are you such a little liar, Bonnie?”
“What?”
“Caroline,” scolded Elena.
Caroline then turned around with the necklace in her hand. The three of us stared at the necklace as Caroline walked over and dropped it on the table, “I thought you threw it away.” She hissed.
“I’m not lying to you, Caroline. I swear.”
“It’s true. Selene and I watched her throw it into a field,” said Elena as I nodded.
“Well then explain it.”
“Emily,” questioned Bonnie.
“Who’s Emily?” asked Caroline.
“The ghost,” Bonnie continued.
“Oh, the ghost has a name now?”
Elena held her hand up, “Caroline, please.”
“I wonder why she won’t leave me alone.”
“Okay, what is going on?” shouted Caroline. “Why am I not a part of this conversation? You guys do this to me all the time.”
Elena shook her head, “That’s not true.”
“Yes it is,” Bonnie said to Elena. She turned to Caroline, “I can’t talk to you, you don’t listen.”
“That’s not true,” snapped Caroline.
Bonnie sighed, “I’m a witch.”
“And don’t we all know it,” Caroline said in a snotty tone.
“See? That’s what I’m talking about. I’m trying to tell you something. You don’t even hear it.” Bonnie then turned and walked off into the living room.
Caroline turned to Elena and me, “I listen. When do I not listen?”
Elena sighed shaking her head. “She’s being serious, Caroline. She really is a witch. You need to go talk to her.”
“No. I--” Caroline began.
“Now, Caroline.”Elena said pointing to the living room.
Caroline huffed. “Fine.” She walked out of the room and into the living room. Elena and I inch closer to listen. “Bonnie? Look, it’s just not me, okay? I don’t believe in the ‘woo, woo.’ Heh,” Caroline chuckled slightly. “But if you do then, okay, I’m in. That’s all it takes for me to jump on board. Because I consider you to be my best friend. And I’m saying this knowing that Elena and Selene are in the kitchen listening to my every word. Look, I didn’t know how real this was for you. But I’m listening now. Okay?”
“Okay,” Bonnie whispered.
“Elena, Selene, you can come in now, we’re done,” Caroline shouted to us.
Elena and I smile as we walk into the living room seeing Caroline and Bonnie sitting on the couch and Bonnie holding the crystal. Elena sat down on the couch arm and I sat down in the chair.
“Well, there is just way too much drama in this room. So, what do you guys wanna do?” asked Caroline. We all shrug. “Huh!” she gaps. “I have an idea. Why don’t we have a séance?”
“Uh…” groans Elena as Caroline gets up and walks around the couch.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” frowns Bonnie. I frown as well.
“Come on. Let’s summon some spirits. This Emily chick has some serious explaining to do.”
Bonnie, Elena, and I all look at each other. “What could it hurt,” Elena finally asks shrugging.
Bonnie frowns even more frightened by the idea.
“Great! We’ll need five candles.” Caroline smiled. “Elena, where do you keep your candles?”
Elena stands up, “In the kitchen, I think.” She said as Caroline followed her to the kitchen.
Bonnie leaned forward looking at me, “Do you have a bad feeling about this?” I nod. “Me too.”
“Come on, you two! We’re gonna do it in Elena’s room,” Caroline shouted as she ran up the steps carrying three candles, with Elena following behind with two more candles and a lighter.
Bonnie and I stand up and quickly follow the other two up the steps and into Elena’s room. Caroline arranged the candles so that the four shorter candles surrounded the tallest one. She then closed Elena’s window and lit the candles.
“Okay, form a circle around the candles and hold hands,” she smiled sitting down.
Bonnie sat down next to Caroline and Elena on the other side. I then seated myself between Elena and Bonnie. We held hands in silence for a few moments.
“What are we doing?” asks Bonnie.
“I don’t know,” sighs Elena.
“Shh!” hisses Caroline. “Be quite and concentrate. Okay, close your eyes.” We close our eyes. “Okay, now take a deep breath.” We all take a deep breath. “Bonnie, call to her.”
“Emily. You there?” Bonnie asks in a bored voice.
“Really? ‘Emily, you there?’” Caroline mocks Bonnie. “That’s all you got? Come on.”
“Fine, jeez.” Bonnie takes another deep breath. “Emily. I call on you,” she says in a stronger voice. “I know you have a message. I’m here to listen.” For a long moment nothing happens. Then through our closed eyes we can see the flames brighten on the candles. We all gasp and let go of each other’s hands, throwing open our eyes and jumping back.
“Did that just--?” asked Elena.
“Yeah, that just happened,” Caroline says quickly. We’re all quite for a moment and then the room grows cold. Caroline gasps and rubs her arms.
“It’s just the air conditioning,” Bonnie says, nervous.
The candle flames then grow three times bigger and remain large.
“Ask her to show you another sign,” urges Caroline. Bonnie shakes her head. “Ask her.” Bonnie continues to shake her head. “Emily, if you’re among us, show us another sign.”
Nothing happens.
“See, it’s just not working,” whispers Bonnie.
We all start to calm down when Elena’s bay window flies open. The girls scream while I sit in horror. Bonnie stands up shouting, “No, I can’t. I’m done.” She pulls off the necklace and throws it on the ground. Then the candles go out. “Get the light. Please, get the light on,” Bonnie pleads.
Elena stands up, “Hold on, I got it.”
The light comes on and Bonnie stairs at the ground in front of her. “You guys, the necklace, it’s gone.”
“What?” Elena asks, “No it can’t be gone. Look around maybe one of us kicked it or something.” We then started to search Elena’s room but none of us can find it. “Okay, fun is over, Caroline. You made a point and I get it. Now give it back.”
“What? Well I didn’t take it,” snaps Caroline.
Something or someone moved outside Elena’s room. She and I both peer out into the dark hallway looking for the source.
“What? What happened?” Caroline asks turning around and looking out into the hallway.
“I don’t know. Nothing. Jeremy, are you home?” Elena asks walking over to her door.
“Um…Guys?” Says Bonnie.
I look over and see her walking slowly towards the bathroom. I frown seeing the crystal on the floor. I stop in the doorway and Elena and Caroline stop behind me. Bonnie picks up the crystal and then the bathroom door slammed shut on her and Bonnie screams from within the bathroom. The three of us bang on the door.
“Oh, my God!” screams Bonnie.
“Bonnie?” asks Elena.
“You guys, open the door!” yells Bonnie.
“Bonnie? Bonnie,” Elena yells more frantically.
“What’s going on?” cries Caroline.
“Bonnie!” shouts Elena.
“What-what’s happening?” asks Caroline as we continue to bang on the door.
“Try the other door,” Elena shouts to Bonnie. She then turns to us, “I’ll check the hall way.”
“Okay,” says Caroline as I nod.
“Bonnie!” I hear Elena shout in the hallway.
“Please!” cries Bonnie.
“Bonnie!” Elena shouts again.
“Open the door!” complains Caroline.
“Bonnie?” Elena yells as the lights begin to flicker on and off.
“Please open the door!” cries Bonnie. “Ahh!” she screams.
“Bonnie!” shouts Caroline as we bang harder on the door.
“Ahhh!” Bonnie continues to scream
“Bonnie!” Elena shouts running back into the bed room.
“Open the door!” cries Caroline.
The lights stop flickering and Bonnie stops screaming. We look at each other and then Caroline turns the knob and pushes the door open. Bonnie stands in the middle of the bathroom with her head in her hands.
“What happened? Are you okay?” asks Elena.
Bonnie lifts her head up and I knew instantly there was something off about her, just by her expression. “I’m fine,” she said in a monotone voice.
“Unbelievable,” scoffs Caroline as she crosses her arms over her chest. “You were totally faking it.”
“Caroline, come on,” frowns Elena.
“No,” snapped Caroline, “you scared the hell out of me.” Caroline then turns and walks away.
“Bonnie,” whispers Elena.
Bonnie shrugs in that monotone voice, “I’m fine. Everything’s fine.” Bonnie then walks out of the bathroom and towards the bedroom door.
“I can’t believe I fell for it,” growled Caroline.
“Are you okay?” Elena asks Bonnie again.
“I must go,” Bonnie says walking to the stairs.
“If she’s leaving, I’m leaving,” snaps Caroline.
“You guys can’t leave,” frowns Elena.
I watch Bonnie as Caroline continues to bicker. Bonnie walks different now. Like she’s from a different time…
“Oh. I can. I’ve had enough freaky fake witch stuff for one night,” huffs Caroline.
Bonnie stops two steps down and turns to Elena, “Thank you for having me. I’ll take it from here.” Bonnie then turns back and starts to walk slowly down the stairs. I follow after her.
“Where are you going?” asks Elena.
“Back to where it all began,” Bonnie continues in her monotone voice and then picks up speed down the steps.
“Bonnie,” Elena calls coming up behind me where I stood on the steps. “Bonnie.” I turn to Elena and mouth ‘Emily’ to her. “Oh, my God,” Elena whispers. “Emily!” she shouts as Bonnie reaches the bottom of the steps.
Bonnie whips around to face us, “I won’t let him have it. It must be destroyed.” Bonnie then turns and runs out the door.
Elena, Caroline, and I rush down the steps after her. “Wait,” calls Elena. We reach the door and it slams closed.
“What’s happening?” asks Caroline as Elena and I struggle to get the door open.
“I don’t know. The door, its not-“ The door then opens and Elena and Caroline scream as Jeremy stands in the door way.
“What the hell?” he asks walking past us and down to the kitchen.
“I’m out of here,” Caroline breaths running out of the house.
Elena ran a hand through her hair and then picked up her cell phone and dialed, what I guessed, was Stefan’s number. She held the phone up for both of us to hear.
“What’s wrong,” Stefan asked once he had answered the phone.
“It’s Bonnie,” breathed Elena.
“What happened?” His voice sounded urgent.
“Emily is possessing her. She said something…”
“What did she say?”
“She said, ‘I won’t let him have it. It must be destroyed.’ And then she just left.”
“Okay, where do you think she is?”
“I don’t know,” Elena paused, “Fell’s Church. By the old cemetery. That’s where she took Bonnie in her dreams. We have to help her, Stefan.”
“All right. All right. Just stay there. I’m gonna go find her.” Stefan then hung up the phone.
Elena grabbed her jacket and car keys.
“What are you doing?” I questioned.
She paused, “I’m not asking you to go with me if you don’t want to but my best friend is being possessed by a 150-year-old ghost. I’m not just gonna sit here.”
I grabbed my jacket. “She’s my friend too,” I smiled.
We both ran out to the car and drove out into the forest. When the road reached a dead end we hopped out of the car and went running towards old Fell’s Church. When we got closer we could see flames surrounding Bonnie, with Stefan and Damon watching.
“Bonnie,” cried Elena. She went to run to Bonnie but Stefan caught her.
Bonnie threw the necklace up into the air and it exploded.
“No!” shouted Damon.
The fire around Bonnie died down. I could see the true Bonnie return. She looked around confused. Damon growled and ran at Bonnie and then bit her. Stefan grabbed Damon and threw him off her. Stefan then lowers Bonnie to the ground. I glare at Damon.
“She’s alive, but barely. I can save her,” Stefan says as he pulled back his sleeve and bit his wrist. He then forces Bonnie to drink his blood.
I bent down and picked up part of a broken tree branch, prefect stake size, and start to inch closer to heart-broken looking Damon.
“Her neck. It’s healing,” sniffed Elena.
Damon’s eyes flicked over to me, finally noticing, how close I was. I lifted up the branch and went to stab it into his chest but he grabbed my arm. He growled showing his fangs before sinking them into my neck.
“Damon, stop!” shouted Elena.
I felt Damon being ripped away from me, Stefan held me as I struggled to stay standing. I glared at Damon.
“I hope you burn in hell,” I hiss.
“Here,” Stefan whispers holding his bleeding wrist up. I try to push it away but I was too weak. Stefan placed it to my mouth and I began to drink. When I felt strong enough I shoved it away, still glaring at Damon.
“Come on,” Elena whispers grabbing my arm.
Elena pulls me back to her car as Stefan carries Bonnie. He lays her down as she begins to walk up.
“I’ll be back,” he whispered before disappearing into the forest again.
Bonnie stands up with tears in her eyes, “Elena?”
“Are you okay, Bonnie?” Elena asks.
“I don’t understand, Elena. What happened to me? He attacked me and his face was like—“
“How do you feel? Are you okay?” Elena questioned.
“I’m fine. It’s just this blood, I don’t—“ She looks behind us and both Elena and I turned around.
“I’m not gonna hurt you,” Stefan whispers.
“What’s going on, Elena,” cries Bonnie.
“I’ll explain everything, Bonnie, okay? Let’s just get out of here,” Elena whispers to her. Bonnie just stares, horrified, at Stefan. “Bonnie. Bonnie, look at me. Trust me. He’s not going to hurt you.” Elena grabs Bonnie’s arm and pulls her over to the passenger side of the car, “Come on. Come on.”
Stefan looks at me, “Are you okay?”
I look at him dead in the eye, “Your brother deserves to die. To burn.”
He frowns, “I know what Damon did was wrong. But it was all because he’s in love with someone that doesn’t love him back. And he just lost her all over again.”
“That doesn’t give him that right to be a killer,” I hiss.
Stefan nods, “I know.”
“Selene, why don’t you wait in the car,” Elena whispered.
My hand tightened around the tree branch I still had in my hand, “I feel like vampire hunting.”
Elena shakes her head frantically, “No. No, Stefan will deal with Damon. You need rest.” She tried to grab the branch but I pulled it out of her reach. “Selene.”
“No,” I whisper. Elena goes to say something more but Stefan cuts her off.
“Go.”
“What?” Elena asks wide eyes.
Stefan shrugs, “Go ahead, Selene.”
“Stefan, are you crazy? He’ll kill her!”
Stefan shook his head, “No, he won’t.” Stefan nods towards old Fell’s Church. “Go. You won’t kill him. He won’t kill you.”
I shake my head trekking into the forest. “You’re wrong.”
“Selene, stop! This is crazy!” Elena shouts at me.
“Elena, he won’t kill her,” continues Stefan.
“But!”
“I know Damon. He won’t kill her.”
I walk out of hearing rang and search for Damon. I find him sitting on the fallen wall of Fell’s Church. I circle around him watching him carefully. He snorts.
“I can smell, Princess.”
I step out of the tree line. He looks over to me. I can see the hurt in his eyes. I frown.
“You won’t kill me, Princess. You’re too good for that,” he whispers looking straight ahead again.
Slowly I walk over to him, stake firmly held in hand. He doesn’t move or look at me. I get a food away from him when he finally looks up.
“Give me the stake, Princess,” he says holding his hand out to me. I glare at it. “Please,” he continues. I shake my head. “Trust me,” he whispers. I shake my head again. His eyes narrow, “Fine. But promise you’ll listen to me before you try to stake me.” I look at him for a moment and then very hesitantly nod. “Good,” he smiles. He pats the stone next to him. “Sit.” I perch on the edge of the stone, keeping the stake between us. “I didn’t want to kill Lexi. But I needed to gain the trust of the sheriff so that she believes Stefan and I weren’t vampires and so I could keep an eye on the council.” He looked over at me. “Believe it or not, I like Lexi. She made my brother the man he is today.”
“You torture your brother,” I hiss.
“Yes. But that doesn’t mean I hate him.” he looks out into the dark woods. “We’re brothers. We’re supposed to get on each other’s nerves. Play around with each other, you know?” He sighs. “I love Katherine. And she loved me. And Stefan. But she compelled him. Not me. My love for her was real. And all I wanted to do tonight was get her back. I bit Bonnie out of blind rage and revenge on Emily since she had broken her promise.”
“And me?”
Damon gazes over at me, “Anger. Depression. Heart-broken.” He reaches over and gently pushes my hair out of my eyes and then drags his fingers over my cheek. I knew that touch.
“You.” I whisper standing up. “You are the one in my room every night.” He frowns. “Why,” I whisper. He doesn’t say anything. I turn to leave.
“I pulled you out of the car.” I froze and turned to him. “You’re sisters were already dead. But you weren’t.” Tears formed in my eyes. “There was so much blood. I thought you were dead. But you still had a pulse. I used you’re scarf and tired it to help to stop the bleeding. I gave you some of my blood, hoping it would help.”
“Why?” I whisper, tears falling down my cheeks.
“Because I promised your parents.” I put my hands to my mouth. “They came and found me by contacting Zach. They knew about the attack. They just didn’t know when. You’re parents asked me to watch over you and you’re sisters.” My knees gave out and I fell to the ground. Damon knelt down in front of me. “You’re sisters were long gone when I got there. I thought for sure I had broken your parents promise. But you,” he whispered touching my wet cheek. “You were still alive.”
“Why—How did my parents even know? Why you?”
He chuckled, “You say that like a bad thing.” I stare at him. He frowns, “Zach told them about Stefan and I. They asked me because I wasn’t preoccupied.” I glared at him. “They wanted Stefan to have a chance with Elena,” he sighed.
“Why did you agree?”
“Because I owed your parents.” I frowned. “They saved my ass a few times when I was in a tight spot, before you were born. And Stefan guilted me into it,” he smiled touching my cheek again.
I leaned forward and rested my head on his shoulder. “You’re all bad,” I yawn with exhaustion.
He chuckled, “Come on, Princess. Time to go home.” Damon helped me up and walked me back to Elena’s car. Or at least where it was. I groaned.
“I told her we’d get her home,” Stefan spoke as he walked out of the trees.
“You knew,” I whisper to him.
Stefan nodded, “I knew.”
“Why did you act surprised then?”
“Damon wanted to tell you.”
I nod tiredly. “Upsie Daisy.” Damon says as he picked me up bridal style.
“Bye, Stefan,” I murmured just before Damon took off at vampire speed back Elena’s. Soon I was comforted by the safety of my bed. Damon pulled off my shoes and then slipped me under the sheets.
“Good night, Selene,” he murmured kissing my forehead.
I grabbed his arm, “Stay.”
“I can’t, Princess…”
“Please,” I whispered looking up at him.
He sighs but kicks his shoes off, “Move over.” I make room and he climbed under the sheets with me. “Only until you fall asleep. I don’t need Elena trying to stake me.”
I smile as I rested my head on his chest, “You’re a good person, Damon. Just a bad vampire.” He chuckles. “Good night, Damon.”
“Good night, Selene.”
And I slowly drifted off to sleep.