Beautiful madness, Ch.7: Masquerade
Beautiful madness
Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners.
Chapter 7: Masquerade
Jeremy drifted in and out of consciousness, drugged and bound, catching fragments of conversations he knew they didn't want him to hear. His vision blurred as he fought to stay alert, his mind protesting every step of the way as he tried to keep his eyes open.
"Jeremy," Tyler said in a harsh whisper, "They're coming. Listen, listen! You have to stay awake. I don't know what it is they gave you but you have to be ready to run when they come and save you. Jeremy! Can you hear me?"
"Tyler…" Jeremy said in a slurred voice, unable to understand what he was being told, "Why…?"
"I don't have time to explain," Tyler hissed, "Jules and Brady will be back soon…I'm going to loosen the rope on your hands, okay? But don't try to escape, you won't be strong enough to fight them and they can't know what I'm doing. Just wait okay? They'll be here soon. Caroline will be here. I know it."
"What?" Jeremy asked trying desperately to process what Tyler was saying but he had already moved away, pretending to look bored as Jules stepped inside the room followed by Brady.
Jules went to Jeremy, lifted his face to look at his eyes, "The drug is wearing off, Brady. You think he can take more?"
"Sure," Brady said as he rummaged in one of the bags by the corner where he kept his weapons, "It doesn't matter anyway. He'll die soon enough with the rest of them."
"What are you talking about?" Jules demanded, suspicious, "That's not what we talked about."
"Do you really think they'll surrender the doppelganger just like that Jules? Are you stupid?" Brady challenged, "The only thing that this kidnapping has accomplished is that we get to kill off whoever is coming, meaning Elena is less protected wherever she is. So Jules, I'd get ready for a fight if I were you."
"Why do we even have to kill anyone?" Tyler interrupted, "If you're right, then Elena is vulnerable right now and we can just go get her…leave Jeremy here for them to find. By the time they get back to town, we'll already have her."
Brady rounded on Tyler, a menacing look on his face as he placed his hands roughly on the younger man's shoulders, "If you're afraid to kill, I'll tear you apart myself. Have you forgotten they murdered your uncle? We'll get to Elena when we get to her…and that's after we murder whoever's coming for her brother."
Tyler clenched his jaw but nodded just the same, watching Jeremy from the corner of his eye, still under the effects of the drug.
"What aren't you telling me?" Jules demanded, "This isn't like you, Brady. Tyler's plan is good. The pack is getting too small as it is and the less risk we take, the better we'll be for it in the long run. What is this about?"
Brady ignored Jules, straightened up and picked up a small syringe off the table, filled with clear liquid, intending to use it on Jeremy but he never made it another step. A loud gunshot rang through the air and he watched as Jules looked down to watch the blood blossoming from the hole in her chest before she crumpled to the floor, dead.
Brady howled in fury as he dropped to the ground, forcing Tyler to do the same before he crawled towards Jules' body, cradling it as angry tears cascaded down his face. For a few seconds, the occupants of the small trailer only listened to the melee the broke out outside. Tyler watched as Brady's eyes darkened, murderous intent clear on his face as he picked up the syringe and stabbed Jeremy in the chest with it. He watched as Jeremy's eyes flew open in shock before slowly closing again, his body becoming slack until he lay completely motionless.
"Jeremy!" Bonnie screamed from the door, "What have you done with him?"
Brady didn't respond but instead reached for a gun tucked underneath his shirt, aiming at Bonnie. But she was faster than him, and within a second, Brady was writhing in pain on the floor.
"Tyler, untie Jeremy now," Bonnie said in an eerily calm voice, "Go, or I forget we're friends and I make you suffer as well."
Tyler hesitated but went to Jeremy as he listened to Brady's orders amidst screams of pain, "Kill him! Tyler, kill the boy!"
"No!" Caroline interrupted, "Tyler, don't you dare hurt him. Please, this isn't who you are."
"What am I then?" Tyler asked her in a tortured voice, "You ask me to stay away then here you are asking me to do things as if our friendship still matters. But the way I see it you're still on the other side. Too much has happened, Caroline. This is who I am now."
"Then you suffer with the rest of your kind," Bonnie said, placing Tyler under her spell, his screams joining Brady's, "Move, Caroline, get Jeremy. Now."
"No! Bonnie!" Caroline said as she watched Tyler curl into a ball, images of when he first turned flashing in her mind.
"Oh what the hell, in case you missed it, I'm already done with the goons outside and Jeremy isn't looking so good. So, I'll make the decision here-kill both of them, chop, chop" Damon said as he walked towards Jeremy and untied him, "Caroline, get to it since you're the only one not busy around here. Or do I have to do everything myself?"
"I won't let you!" Caroline said blocking his way, kneeling over Tyler and taking him into her arms as he convulsed in pain, whispering to him, "Tyler, please, why won't you let me get through to you? They'll kill you. Please. I don't want to watch you die."
"Leave me alone, Caroline," Tyler said through gritted teeth, "Or kill me and get it done with. Save us both from the pain."
Caroline sobbed openly, tightening her hold on him as Bonnie continued to keep him under, "Why are you hurting me?" she whispered to Tyler in a small voice as her arms went all the way around him, as if trying to shield him from the witch.
"Just let me go," Tyler said gasping for air, howling before he continued, "Just let me go, Caroline, let me go."
Caroline felt Damon grip her shoulders, forcing her up, pulling her away from Tyler, "Move. He made his choice, Caroline and he didn't pick you."
"No-" was all Caroline could get out before the side of the trailer exploded, blasting her backwards even as Damon shifted around to shield her. They flew towards the wall with such force that she only had time to glimpse at the young woman standing outside with her hands raised to the heavens. With a half a scream caught in her throat, Caroline gave in to the darkness.
Elena sat up from her chair in the corner, taking the cup of blood by the nightstand, and went to Stefan's side as he thrashed about in his sleep.
"Stefan?" she said shaking him awake, helping him sit up in bed, "Drink this. It should help."
He nodded, though Elena noted that he seemed disoriented. She understood that though he has been taking human blood, he was still weaker than Damon but his slow recovery was beginning to worry her. Stefan handed her back the cup wordlessly and slipped back down under the covers, immediately closing his eyes.
Elena sighed as she placed the cup down, relieved at least that he seemed peaceful now. She ran a hand on his forehead, as she closed her eyes briefly, trying to control the helplessness that was driving her insane, making her restless and frustrated with the desire to do something to help. The fear was burning through her as she worried over her brother, her friends and Damon. Elena took a deep breath, trying to calm herself as the last name in her mind tied her stomach into knots, almost pushing her over the edge.
She moved away from Stefan, settling back on her chair, feeling guilt over her inability to put Damon out of her mind. Elena watched Stefan in silence, as she tried to ignore how her heart tried to keep from falling apart knowing the danger the other brother was in. Elena placed her face in her hands, concentrating on breathing as her mind ran away from her, speeding towards thoughts of the thousand ways Damon could be killed.
"Elena."
"Damon!" Elena said surprised, standing up and rushing towards him, stopping suddenly when she realized she was about to throw her arms around him, "What happened? Is Jeremy alright? Where is he?"
"He's fine. Resting," he replied briefly, unsmiling as he made his way inside, "No need to worry."
"And the werewolves? Tyler?" Elena asked even if she was afraid to hear the answer.
"How is Stefan?" he asked, ignoring her questions, looking at her as he waited for an answer.
"The same, which worries me, Damon…shouldn't he be better by now?" Elena asked, wrapping her arms around herself as she watched him, relief flooding her when she noted the absence of injuries.
He reached over and pulled back the side of Stefan's shirt, tilting his head as he observed something there that Elena could not see. She moved closer but he had already blocked her view, his blue eyes commanding her attention.
"Did you see something? What was that?" Elena asked trying to move past him to take a look herself.
"Not important right now, Elena," he said shaking his head, "I need you to answer a few questions for me."
Elena stared hard at him, trying to figure him out; unable to place exactly what it was in his voice that made her uneasy. "With everything that's going on, I hardly think now is the time, Damon."
"It has everything to do with what is happening, Elena," he said softly, "Please."
Elena blinked, confusion settling on her even as she nodded for him to continue. She watched him walk towards the window, his eyes unfocused as he looked outside while he spoke.
"If it comes down to it, will you be able to choose who you need to save…who you really can't live without?"
"I…" Elena started, the answer dying on her lips when she realized she didn't know what to say. He smiled when the silence stretched between them.
"Answer this instead, then," he said finally turning to face her, "do you love me?"
Her mouth fell open as the question took her by surprise, her instinctive answer to deny almost forming on her lips. But she snapped her mouth shut and stared back, wondering if he was serious in asking, "Damon…Stefan's right here, in case you've forgotten."
"Don't lie to me," he said, "Just tell me the truth."
"What good will it do, Damon?" Elena asked back, "It won't change anything."
"Maybe, maybe not," he responded, "But I need to hear the words just the same. Do you not believe in the power that truth brings? Yes or no, Elena?"
"I love Stefan," she said firmly and he shook his head at her.
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one I can give." Elena said insistently, "Damon, please let it go."
"I can't," he said simply, "It's time to lay all the cards on the table, Elena. Will you really be cruel enough to withhold the truth from me knowing we might not all survive whatever is coming? If it really won't change anything, then why can't you just tell me?"
"Yes," Elena whispered, "I love you."
He closed his eyes and drew his mouth into a thin line as he nodded in assent, brushing past her as he walked out, "The first question I asked…don't worry about it. It won't come to that. The choice will be made for you. It was never yours to make anyway."
Elena frowned in response, disturbed by his reaction to her confession and even more so with his parting words. She turned around to call after him only to find he was already gone. But she didn't have time to wonder about their conversation because Katherine's called out to her, uncharacteristically frantic.
"Elena! Get down here!" Katherine yelled.
Thinking that something had happened again, she tore out of the room, running until she found Bonnie, who was tending to an unconscious Jeremy. Katherine was on the other side of the room, forcing a semi-conscious Caroline to drink blood from a bag.
"A little help here?" Damon called out from the front door, followed by fits of coughing and a loud hiss, coupled with a few choice curses as pain lanced through him.
Elena turned towards him slowly, her eyes disbelieving the state he was in, knowing fully well he was perfectly fine just seconds ago.
"Elena, I'm about to keel over and you're just staring at me. Can you please get me a bag of blood because I might pass out on the way to the basement?" Damon said weakly waving a hand in front of her face, which she caught with hers.
Elena stared at the ring, clutching it tightly as her mind recounted the past few minutes, the conversation, and the man she spoke to.
"Oh no. Oh no." Elena said repeatedly, swaying on the spot, both her and Damon wobbling as she continued to hold on tightly to his hand, "This ring…wasn't on you when you were in Stefan's room. You weren't hurt. You asked who I would choose…if I loved you…you asked…No, no, no…."
"What? I can't take this off, Elena. Sun is still shining outside in case you haven't noticed and I just got here. What are you talking about? I never asked you any of those things? I wouldn't' dare and it's not as if I don't know the answer already." Damon said, bewildered as Elena's hands flew to his face, tracing it anxiously until he held them still with his own hands.
"Elena," Damon said steadily, "I have too many broken bones in my body for me to heal without drinking some human blood. I don't have enough energy to figure out the cause of your meltdown. You need to spell it out for me."
Katherine's gasp cut through their conversation, terror clear on her face, and in the blink of an eye she had pulled Elena to face her, "Where did he go? Answer me!"
"He left…I don't know where he went." Elena said with her voice shaking as Katherine let her go, "He just left after I told him…"
"Will someone please fill in the blanks here?" Damon interrupted harshly, "Who went where?"
"Klaus," Katherine answered in a hollow voice, "He was here and he pretended to be you. And Elena fell for it. Hook, line and sinker."