Underhand Attacks

Chapter 4

The weather was getting colder and you could see your breath in the air as you walked to school. You loved these cold, crisp mornings but they didn't half play havoc with your asthma. You felt in your bag, feeling the reassuring plastic of your inhaler and made a mental note to give a spare to Caroline or Stefan. You knew that their vampire hearing would enable them to hear you call for them and they could get to you quickly should your own inhaler go missing or not work. Thinking back to the peanut incident, you chuckled to yourself. After all, you thought, with your luck, that'd just be the thing to happen!

Stefan pulled up beside you as your walked on the pavement. 'Fancy a lift, Y/N?' he called through the open window. It wasn't far to school but you were starting to a feel a bit wheezy so you accepted gratefully. You hopped into the car, the door already open as if Stefan already knew your answer. 'How are you, Y/N? Sorry we couldn't meet up this weekend!' He and Caroline had been away that weekend. 'I'm good thanks, you?' you replied, relaxing into the seat and enjoying the warmth of the car. He nodded, 'yeah fine thanks.' He replied. 'You sound a little wheezy, you okay?' Suddenly remembering, you replied, 'ah yeah I'm fine. It's just the cold weather sometimes makes my asthma play up! Oh to be human, hey? Would you mind if I give you a spare inhaler just in case mine stops working?' Stefan smiled and agreed easily. Handing it to him, he slipped it into his pocket and you knew that he'd look after it. When you arrived at school, you thanked him for the lift and you went your separate ways to your classes. You had a history before lunch together so you'd see him there.

A week later and it was colder than ever. Man it was cold. Does this school even have heating? You thought to yourself as you wheezed down the hallway to Mr Saltzman's history class. Taking your seat at the desk across from Stefan and getting out your books, Stefan was slightly concerned to see a blue tinge around your lips. He grabbed your hands and studied your fingernails, noting the blue colour there too. 'are you alright, Y/N?' he asked. 'You're a bit blue!' he laughed lightly, but his jokes were masked by slight concern. 'I'm fine thanks, Stefan. Just a bit cold!' It was true, and he wouldn't notice the temperature as a vampire. He smiled, looking momentarily pacified. The lesson started and you tried to focus on Mr Saltzman's delivery. He was interesting and engaging, but you were struggling to give him your full attention as your breath intake was becoming increasingly difficult. Your lungs seemed to be starting to resist breathing in, and you were having to work hard to get any air in. You noticed Stefan looking down at his desk, concentrating hard on something. You realised that he was listening, focusing on the sound of your rattling, thin breathing. He looked up and mouthed, ' you okay?' to you. You nodded, knowing that if it got worse, you could just take your inhaler out and solve your problems pretty quickly. You started to feel in your bag for the inhaler, but were struggling to find it. You searched quickly, feeling your breathing become even more restricted as you fought back the panic. The inhaler wasn't in any of the normal pockets where you kept it. Black spots started to appear in your vision and you felt the room begin to shift to the side. Am I falling off my chair? You thought as the world began to fade away. You distantly heard someone calling your name, and waited to hit the floor. The impact never came.

Stefan noticed your breathing becoming more and more difficult. He focused hard, listening to you struggling and asked you if you were okay. He watched you start to search for your inhaler, his brows furrowing as you couldn't find it. It wasn't like you, you always had it to hand. He noticed your movements become slower, yet more frantic and noticed that you were starting to pass out. 'Y/N?' he said quietly, trying to get your attention. You started to slip to one side. 'Y/N?' he said louder. Mr Saltzman stopped talking and looked at you and Stefan. 'Everything okay?' he asked. Stefan sped suddenly to your side, managing to catch you just as you were about to hit the floor. Lowering you straight onto the ground, he cradled your head gently, noticing the blue tinge to your face, now darker and more wide spread than earlier. Mr Saltzman had run over to you both and dropped to his knees beside you. He grabbed your wrist, feeling for a pulse. 'Y/N? Y/N? Can you hear me?' His other hand was tapping lightly on your cheek, trying to wake you up. Stefan had one hand on your chest, feeling the sluggish, desperate throbbing of your heartbeat and your shallow, ragged breathing. Feeling in his pocket, he pulled out your spare inhaler, tipped your head back to keep your airway clear, and gave you two doses. Within seconds, he heard a shift in your breathing as your airways began to open. Just a minute later, your breathing was steadier and less painful, and you were starting to come around. Stefan gently sat you up and lent you against him, your back against his chest. He was breathing hard, the adrenaline starting to wear off. Mr Saltzman ran to get the school nurse. 'That's it, Y/N. In and out, nice and slow. Just keep breathing please', Stefan soothed. 'I'm texting Damon to come and get you, okay? I think you should go to hospital to get checked out.' You nodded, not yet able to commit enough air to speaking.

The nurse appeared at the door with Mr Saltzman, who looked as exhausted as you felt. 'Can you bring her to my room please, Stefan?' she asked. Stefan asked you quietly if you were okay to walk. You nodded and he stood up, before gently helping you to your feet. He pushed all your things into your bag and pressed the inhaler into your hand in case you needed it again. Leading you out of the room, he took you to the nurses office. Minutes later, Damon arrived, bursting through the door and running over to you, taking your face in his hands. 'Mr Salvatore, really!' muttered the nurse, indignantly before leaving the room so the three could talk. 'What the hell happened?' demanded Damon, his voice strained with panic; his eyes never leaving your face. 'I just had a asthma attack.' You whispered. This time, it was Stefan whose voice was slightly raised. 'Just an asthma attack?!' he said, 'you were dying!' his voice was shaking. Damon looked across at him with a pained look before staring back at you intensely. 'How could this happen? You have an inhaler!' You shook your head slowly. Stefan explained to Damon how you couldn't find it, but that he'd luckily had a spare one. Damon pulled you gently to your feet. 'Right.' He said. 'We are going to the hospital right now. Then we are going to get as many spare inhalers as I can compel the chemist to prescribe you and we are putting them everywhere. You will never not be able to find one again. Got it?' You nodded, exhausted from the whole experience. Damon steered you towards the door and turned back to Stefan. 'Thank you, brother' he said.