My Story (Damon's POV)

Ch.39: True Lies

After a few days, we go on a road trip, not too long after she realizes that she can digest vampire blood still. I don't know what's stopping her from wanting to turn back into a vampire, though. She has nothing going for her as a human. Too many enemies, no friends, and barely any allies as far as I know. I usually know when she's lying and what she's thinking, but it seems that I've lost a little bit of my touch in the guessing what she's thinking category. The one thing I haven't lost touch with though, is having fun. We're going on an unplanned road trip so that we can be alone, but also so I can distract her from whatever's been bothering her. And maybe during the trip, she'll make the decision to turn back into a vampire. I'm not going to force her. Stefan did that to me centuries ago. I know what it feels like to have your will be taken away from you. If I did that to Katherine, she'd probably think of me as an enemy for all eternity. And Katherine's better off being an ally than an enemy.

"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you, or do I have to guess?" I ask her, as I continue driving.

"If I said it was a lot of things, would that be satisfying enough?" she asks me.

"I doubt it," I reply. Then my curiosity gets the better of me. "You can digest blood still. I don't get why you're not jumping at the chance to be turned back into a vampire. I thought you loved being a vampire. What changed?"

"I don't know what will happen if I try to turn back. Digesting vampire blood is one thing, but trying to turn back into a vampire is another thing. We don't know if it'll work. If it fails, I'm dead for good. It would just be easier to stay human with a supernatural bodyguard. I'd rather be human with enemies coming after me than to die trying to turn back into a vampire. Yes, I loved being a vampire, but I also lost myself as a vampire. I ran from Klaus too long and did too many horrible things. And I lost people along the way that I actually did care about."

"Enlighten me, then," I say.

"You heard only bits and pieces. I didn't tell everything. Turning into a vampire wasn't something that I wanted to do. I didn't know dying with vampire blood in my system would put me in transition. I just wanted to either survive or die rather than be taken back to Klaus. When I found my village and family the way I did after Klaus slaughtered them all, it was because I was already on my way to have some vengeance of my own for everything my father put both me and my mother through. I guess when I met you, that was what made me fall for you. You were always the wild one that never obeyed his father, like myself the first time I was human. I made you believe three years ago that I didn't love you. That was a lie. I had intel that Klaus was close, so I did the only thing I could to protect you. If he knew I loved someone that wasn't someone he cared about or loved, you would have been killed. I never toyed with your feelings. I loved you both, but it was always you. I know it's too late for the truth, but you should know it just in case. There's no guarantee how long my human life is going to last," she spills to me.

As I look over at her, unlike three years ago, I can tell that she's telling the truth. All this time, I thought she'd been playing with our feelings and toying with us. Instead, she was just trying to protect me by making me hate her. After all, Katherine knows just as well as I do that my sadness can easily turn into hate. Now that she's telling me the truth, that means I repaid her protecting me by hurting and trying to hurt her when she was a vampire. I didn't even go searching for her when she first became a human.

"Well, since you're being honest now, why tell me now?" I ask her, curious as to what the real reason is that she would tell me all of this.

"Because you should know the truth. I'm not gonna live forever, after all. Not anymore," she informs and reminds me. I guess knowing that she's human has changed her perspective. This is my chance to finally get the real truth. Something I've always wanted.