A Dark, Forbidden Love >> TVD

eight

"Are you like okay? I heard about what happened with Klaus and the whole blood thing. Stefan was scared you were going to like die or something."

"I still feel rather weak but I'm better than I was yesterday. I will say Klaus isn't making any hybrids any time soon," I muttered as I filled out the application as I sat criss cross applesauce in the booth Caroline and I were sharing. We decided to meet up at The Grill after I had gotten dressed and made Damon leave. At least, I think I made him leave. I could feel the confusion radiating from her as I wrote in perfect cursive my full name.

"What do you mean 'Klaus won't be making hybrids', Cass? He has your blood and that's how he makes his hybrids."

"Damon," I let out a sigh as I placed the pen down to pop my fingers. "Spilled my blood out of the bowl Klaus had it in - " she began to protest with a deranged look making its way to her face. She never really liked the thought of Damon because she always thought he unnecessarily took matters into his own hands. " - Because I told him to, Care. I wasn't about to let Klaus win."

"But, Cassidy, do you not know what that means! You just - "

" - Put myself in a suicide mission, I know. Klaus will be on my tail and try to get me again and again and again. There's many solutions to stop it," I reply as I look back down at the application, filling in the What Would You Do To Help Mystic Falls Become a Better Place? Category. Hm, rid of the vampires? That's how I would make it better.

"Becoming a vampire would totally help your situation," Caroline muttered but I looked up at her with a look of disbelief.

"I am not becoming a vampire, Care. I was thinking maybe killing him or maybe putting a stupid dagger through his heart leaving him to rot in a damn box," I got so angry in that moment that I let the tip of the pen bend slightly letting ink smear in a big blob on my application.

xXxXx

"You're upset."

"Of course I'm upset, Avery. You broke a promise to me," Elijah swirled the bourbon in his glass as he stood in front of the island in the middle of the Lockwood Manor. Avery has lived here since her mother's death on and off with Tyler. She let her eyes wonder around the kitchen as she stood there with her hands in front of you body locked together.

"I talked to Cassidy today. I apologized for doing what I did. You don't think I feel horrible for that, Elijah? He threatened Tyler again. He wants to kill Tyler again. He will never let Tyler take a rest and before it's over Tyler is going to be running out of town again because of your brother again. I can't lose him again, Elijah, I refuse to let him go again," she took in a shaky breath as she took a single step forward to Elijah. "I apologized like I am apologizing to you now."

Elijah stopped swirling the bourbon in his glass then slowly turned around to face the huntress. He watched as Avery let her eyes water up out of anxiousness. He let out a sigh.

"Please, Avery, don't cry, darling," he took a step toward her as he placed his glass down on the island. He made his way to her, letting his fingers slide down her face.

"I'm .. I'm not crying," she let out a shaky breath as she eyes flutter shut leaning into his touch. Elijah smiled in response to this.

"You are one beautiful girl, Avery," she felt his lips slowly brush against hers letting her smile. He let his hand trail down her back as she let hers snake around his neck. He quickly picked her up and without thinking sped to the couch. "You're human, I forgot. Are you okay?"

"Perfect," she breathed leaning up to allow their lips to connect.

xXxXx

"Stefan?" I sat down on the couch in the middle of his living room as he stood at the bar making himself a drink. He had offered me one but I so generously turned it down. I got to thinking about what Caroline had said about being a vampire. He gave me a curious look as he walked to the chair across from me sitting where his forearms rested on his knees.

"Say something happened and I .. did become a vampire .. what would you do? I'm asking out of you being my best friend," I didn't make eye contact with him merely because I wasn't certain what his reaction would be.

"Why are you asking me this, Cass? Just last night you were scared you were going to become one. Don't tell me you're trying to."

"Of course not! It's just Caroline said something about the best solution to get Klaus away from me is becoming a vampire. I don't want to become a vampire. It's just .. what if something happens, Stefan? What if somebody is out there planning to turn me? What if Hanna does or Katherine or hell you or Damon?"

"I can tell you now me nor Damon are going to turn you," he got up from his seat and came to sit beside me moving hair from my face. He could see the idea scared me by the small tears that formed in my eyes. "Listen to me, Cassidy, that's not going to happen to you. You're not going to turn into one because the last thing I want to see is another person I care about go through the pain of receiving something they didn't want. You already have a gift you don't want and have to leave your life with. Dreaming deaths on a repeat of the people you love."

I looked away from his eyes to keep the water from falling out of them. He turned my face slightly to get me to look into his eyes.

"Cassidy, trust me."

"I trust you, Stefan, I do."

"But?"

"But she knows you can't keep a promise like that, Stefan. It's just an impossible promise especially for a life like her own. Don't make promises you can't keep, sweetie."

We both turned our heads toward the direction of the voice to see the one and only Katherine.

xXxXx xXxXx