Connections - 16/24
Author's Note: Thank you guys for all of your comments!! You guys are amazing. I seriously dedicate this story to you. And ready for the surprise twist in this one?? This chapter is told from our favorite girl's point of view!
Who's our favorite girl? What's going on? Start me at chapter one!
“Is everyone… okay?”
Caroline Forbes slowly straightened as the smoke and dust began to settle. She could tell immediately they were no longer in the warehouse, even though they were all together. The armed vampire guards were nowhere in their vicinity, and as she gave a quick sniff of the air, she realized why. It smelled differently here, wherever they were-familiar.
“Jeremy, oh god, Jeremy,” she heard Bonnie sob.
She pivoted quickly, turning to see Bonnie cradling Jeremy’s lifeless body. A jolt of horror went through her at the wrong, twisted angle of his neck. She recalled the gut-wrenching cracking sound before they had all magically been yanked out of the fight; Bonnie’s terrified scream.
Alaric knelt beside them, beside Jeremy. He slowly placed a hand on Jeremy’s arm, and as Caroline watched in disbelief, Alaric, who had only drank himself into an empty stupor after Jenna’s death, looked like he was trying not to cry.
“Jeremy,” he said softly.
“Jeremy, no,” Bonnie pleaded.
Caroline felt a presence at her side. She looked up, finding Tyler’s stricken eyes on Jeremy’s prone figure. “Car,” he said, his voice low, “can’t you…?”
She forced back her tears, looking back at Jeremy, wrapped in Bonnie’s arms. She shook her head, frustrated at her own helplessness. She was a vampire-but what good was being a vampire if she couldn’t help cure people with her blood? Was being a vampire only good for eating people?
“It’s too late,” she whispered, feeling a tear trickle down her face.
She felt Tyler’s hand rest on her shoulder, a comforting, supportive gesture. She leaned into him, relieved for the connection, watching as Bonnie continued to sob and Alaric placed his hands over his eyes, as though consumed by grief.
“What about his ring?” Tyler asked, sounding frustrated.
Caroline felt a shrill of hope before it exploded with Bonnie’s tear-soaked words. “It won’t work,” she told them brokenly. “Death had him marked after I brought him back. He won’t let him go.”
Caroline watched as Alaric stood, surveying the room. She followed his eyes, disbelief flooding through her as she finally realized where they were. Alaric was gone in an instant, disappearing down the hallway.
She wanted to ask how they had gotten there, but she had a feeling only Bonnie and Lucy’s shredded, lifeless figure behind her would have the answer. She turned, her heart heavy with grief, as she heard the pounding of footsteps in the distance.
Elena appeared in the entrance to the living room, Damon right at her heels. Normally Caroline thought it was funny, sweet, and borderline annoying how Damon was always following Elena around like a protective bodyguard, prepared to shield her when she jumped into battle. But now she was grateful, as tears cascaded down Elena’s cheeks and she fell to Jeremy’s side, clutching him to her and away from Bonnie. Damon knelt at her side, a hand on her shoulder, lending her his strength.
“Jeremy,” Elena whispered. She trembled violently, her hands brushing his hair from his face, her fingers skittering over the odd angle of his neck. Caroline watched as Damon lifted Jeremy’s hand, looking at the ring on his finger.
“Will it still work?” Elena asked, her voice unsteady.
Damon looked up at Alaric. The man shook his head slightly, his eyes heavy. Damon slowly, reverently, set Jeremy’s hand down and moved his arm around Elena’s shoulders, keeping her steady.
It seemed to be all the answer Elena needed. She let out a sob, curling down over her brother. Caroline brushed the tears from her cheeks, grateful for Tyler’s arm anchoring her in reality.
She didn’t know how long they remained there, no one moving, listening to Elena’s tears. But slowly, Elena stopped crying, reluctantly unfolding herself from around her brother. She lifted her eyes to Bonnie, who was staring at Jeremy’s lifeless form, silent tears streaking down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry,” Elena whispered to her.
Bonnie’s gaze lifted to meet Elena’s, and then Bonnie’s stone-cold expression crumbled into a massive heap of hysterical sobs.
A loud gasp filled the room, as if devoid of air for a long time. Caroline’s eyes snapped back to the figure in Elena’s lap, staring in disbelief as Jeremy struggled desperately for air, his eyes wild as he looked around in confusion.
Caroline choked on her own breath, stunned.
“Jeremy?” Elena asked, breathless, as if scarcely daring to hope.
He winced as he struggled to sit up, Damon finally releasing Elena to help him. He looked around, wincing again as he rubbed his neck. “What…?” he started, then trailed off, his eyes fastened on empty air above him. They watched as his vision lowered, as if following someone, listening.
Anna and Vicki. It had to be.
“That was it?” Jeremy asked the empty space incredulously. “If that was all it took, why didn’t we just have Damon snap my neck?”
An uneasy wave of confusion washed through the room. Caroline shifted, watching as Damon frowned, his sharp eyes taking in everything in front of him.
“Jeremy?” Elena asked, peering into his face and then at the space in front of him. “What…?”
“Anna says I had to die to pay back Death,” Jeremy repeated, looking stunned. “But that because I died from a supernatural, my ring brought me back.” He looked up suddenly, as if stricken, his eyes widening. There was more silence in the room, everyone waiting, breathless. “You don’t have to go-“ Jeremy objected.
There was another moment of silence, and then Jeremy fell back, subdued. He stared at the ground for a moment, then looked up, an expression of sadness and affection on his face. “Will you send Jenna our love?” he asked. He looked up at Alaric, smiling slightly, and then looked back at the air in front of him. “And tell her Ric’s taking good care of us.”
Caroline watched as Elena placed a hand over her mouth, tears sliding down her cheeks. Alaric shifted, looking touched and heartbroken.
Jeremy’s head inclined, as if leaning into an invisible hand. He gazed straight ahead of him, his expression soft and tender. “I’ll miss you,” he said softly. “I never got a chance to tell you how much I loved you.”
Caroline felt another tear slide down her face, even as Jeremy looked over at Bonnie, who was crying silent tears of relief. Jeremy reached out a hand to her, squeezing the hand she placed in his. He looked back up at the air in front of him. “I’ll be okay.”
For a long moment Jeremy was still, staring in front of him. And then he turned, looking around at them. “They’re gone,” he said, his voice low. He looked up at Alaric, then at Elena. “They said Jenna’s doing okay.” He slid a long glance up at Alaric. “Apparently she and Isobel are bonding over things they have in common.”
Caroline watched as Alaric’s eyes widened in disbelief, and then a look of pain flashed across his face. And then he smiled, nodding. Elena let out a soft sob, wrapping her arms around Jeremy’s neck. He released Bonnie’s hand, hugging his sister.
Caroline slowly looked behind her, then again at the rest of the room. She cleared her throat, drawing everyone’s attention to her. “So… Now that Jeremy’s alive again… Can we talk about this?” She lifted her hand, thumbing back at the large crate behind her and Tyler.
Elena reluctantly pulled away from her brother, looking up at her, then at the others. “You brought back the original woman?” she asked, her voice uncertain.
They all exchanged uneasy looks. Elena was probably not going to be happy when she learned the truth of their mission-and why they had locked her in the cell in the Salvatore house with Damon. “Speaking of getting back,” Caroline offered brightly, looking over at Bonnie. “How did we get here, anyway?”
Bonnie’s gaze fell to Lucy’s shredded, bleeding body. “She brought us back,” she said softly. Caroline watched as Bonnie lifted her hand to the fireplace, which suddenly burst to life.
Caroline felt her heart drop into her stomach as Bonnie looked back at them, a small smile of relief gracing her features.
“And she gave me her powers.”
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Previous Chapter
Who's our favorite girl? What's going on? Start me at chapter one!
“Is everyone… okay?”
Caroline Forbes slowly straightened as the smoke and dust began to settle. She could tell immediately they were no longer in the warehouse, even though they were all together. The armed vampire guards were nowhere in their vicinity, and as she gave a quick sniff of the air, she realized why. It smelled differently here, wherever they were-familiar.
“Jeremy, oh god, Jeremy,” she heard Bonnie sob.
She pivoted quickly, turning to see Bonnie cradling Jeremy’s lifeless body. A jolt of horror went through her at the wrong, twisted angle of his neck. She recalled the gut-wrenching cracking sound before they had all magically been yanked out of the fight; Bonnie’s terrified scream.
Alaric knelt beside them, beside Jeremy. He slowly placed a hand on Jeremy’s arm, and as Caroline watched in disbelief, Alaric, who had only drank himself into an empty stupor after Jenna’s death, looked like he was trying not to cry.
“Jeremy,” he said softly.
“Jeremy, no,” Bonnie pleaded.
Caroline felt a presence at her side. She looked up, finding Tyler’s stricken eyes on Jeremy’s prone figure. “Car,” he said, his voice low, “can’t you…?”
She forced back her tears, looking back at Jeremy, wrapped in Bonnie’s arms. She shook her head, frustrated at her own helplessness. She was a vampire-but what good was being a vampire if she couldn’t help cure people with her blood? Was being a vampire only good for eating people?
“It’s too late,” she whispered, feeling a tear trickle down her face.
She felt Tyler’s hand rest on her shoulder, a comforting, supportive gesture. She leaned into him, relieved for the connection, watching as Bonnie continued to sob and Alaric placed his hands over his eyes, as though consumed by grief.
“What about his ring?” Tyler asked, sounding frustrated.
Caroline felt a shrill of hope before it exploded with Bonnie’s tear-soaked words. “It won’t work,” she told them brokenly. “Death had him marked after I brought him back. He won’t let him go.”
Caroline watched as Alaric stood, surveying the room. She followed his eyes, disbelief flooding through her as she finally realized where they were. Alaric was gone in an instant, disappearing down the hallway.
She wanted to ask how they had gotten there, but she had a feeling only Bonnie and Lucy’s shredded, lifeless figure behind her would have the answer. She turned, her heart heavy with grief, as she heard the pounding of footsteps in the distance.
Elena appeared in the entrance to the living room, Damon right at her heels. Normally Caroline thought it was funny, sweet, and borderline annoying how Damon was always following Elena around like a protective bodyguard, prepared to shield her when she jumped into battle. But now she was grateful, as tears cascaded down Elena’s cheeks and she fell to Jeremy’s side, clutching him to her and away from Bonnie. Damon knelt at her side, a hand on her shoulder, lending her his strength.
“Jeremy,” Elena whispered. She trembled violently, her hands brushing his hair from his face, her fingers skittering over the odd angle of his neck. Caroline watched as Damon lifted Jeremy’s hand, looking at the ring on his finger.
“Will it still work?” Elena asked, her voice unsteady.
Damon looked up at Alaric. The man shook his head slightly, his eyes heavy. Damon slowly, reverently, set Jeremy’s hand down and moved his arm around Elena’s shoulders, keeping her steady.
It seemed to be all the answer Elena needed. She let out a sob, curling down over her brother. Caroline brushed the tears from her cheeks, grateful for Tyler’s arm anchoring her in reality.
She didn’t know how long they remained there, no one moving, listening to Elena’s tears. But slowly, Elena stopped crying, reluctantly unfolding herself from around her brother. She lifted her eyes to Bonnie, who was staring at Jeremy’s lifeless form, silent tears streaking down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry,” Elena whispered to her.
Bonnie’s gaze lifted to meet Elena’s, and then Bonnie’s stone-cold expression crumbled into a massive heap of hysterical sobs.
A loud gasp filled the room, as if devoid of air for a long time. Caroline’s eyes snapped back to the figure in Elena’s lap, staring in disbelief as Jeremy struggled desperately for air, his eyes wild as he looked around in confusion.
Caroline choked on her own breath, stunned.
“Jeremy?” Elena asked, breathless, as if scarcely daring to hope.
He winced as he struggled to sit up, Damon finally releasing Elena to help him. He looked around, wincing again as he rubbed his neck. “What…?” he started, then trailed off, his eyes fastened on empty air above him. They watched as his vision lowered, as if following someone, listening.
Anna and Vicki. It had to be.
“That was it?” Jeremy asked the empty space incredulously. “If that was all it took, why didn’t we just have Damon snap my neck?”
An uneasy wave of confusion washed through the room. Caroline shifted, watching as Damon frowned, his sharp eyes taking in everything in front of him.
“Jeremy?” Elena asked, peering into his face and then at the space in front of him. “What…?”
“Anna says I had to die to pay back Death,” Jeremy repeated, looking stunned. “But that because I died from a supernatural, my ring brought me back.” He looked up suddenly, as if stricken, his eyes widening. There was more silence in the room, everyone waiting, breathless. “You don’t have to go-“ Jeremy objected.
There was another moment of silence, and then Jeremy fell back, subdued. He stared at the ground for a moment, then looked up, an expression of sadness and affection on his face. “Will you send Jenna our love?” he asked. He looked up at Alaric, smiling slightly, and then looked back at the air in front of him. “And tell her Ric’s taking good care of us.”
Caroline watched as Elena placed a hand over her mouth, tears sliding down her cheeks. Alaric shifted, looking touched and heartbroken.
Jeremy’s head inclined, as if leaning into an invisible hand. He gazed straight ahead of him, his expression soft and tender. “I’ll miss you,” he said softly. “I never got a chance to tell you how much I loved you.”
Caroline felt another tear slide down her face, even as Jeremy looked over at Bonnie, who was crying silent tears of relief. Jeremy reached out a hand to her, squeezing the hand she placed in his. He looked back up at the air in front of him. “I’ll be okay.”
For a long moment Jeremy was still, staring in front of him. And then he turned, looking around at them. “They’re gone,” he said, his voice low. He looked up at Alaric, then at Elena. “They said Jenna’s doing okay.” He slid a long glance up at Alaric. “Apparently she and Isobel are bonding over things they have in common.”
Caroline watched as Alaric’s eyes widened in disbelief, and then a look of pain flashed across his face. And then he smiled, nodding. Elena let out a soft sob, wrapping her arms around Jeremy’s neck. He released Bonnie’s hand, hugging his sister.
Caroline slowly looked behind her, then again at the rest of the room. She cleared her throat, drawing everyone’s attention to her. “So… Now that Jeremy’s alive again… Can we talk about this?” She lifted her hand, thumbing back at the large crate behind her and Tyler.
Elena reluctantly pulled away from her brother, looking up at her, then at the others. “You brought back the original woman?” she asked, her voice uncertain.
They all exchanged uneasy looks. Elena was probably not going to be happy when she learned the truth of their mission-and why they had locked her in the cell in the Salvatore house with Damon. “Speaking of getting back,” Caroline offered brightly, looking over at Bonnie. “How did we get here, anyway?”
Bonnie’s gaze fell to Lucy’s shredded, bleeding body. “She brought us back,” she said softly. Caroline watched as Bonnie lifted her hand to the fireplace, which suddenly burst to life.
Caroline felt her heart drop into her stomach as Bonnie looked back at them, a small smile of relief gracing her features.
“And she gave me her powers.”
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