LOST IN THE VAMPIRE DIARIES |DS [DISCONTINUED]

the point of no return

Chapter 10

THE POINT OF NO RETURN

"So, did Elena explain everything about...you know...Damon and Stefan?" Claire asked Bonnie awkwardly. They were in Bonnie's room at her grandmother's house. Bonnie was sitting on her bed while Claire was standing, trying to refrain from pacing. They were going to be late for school but who cared, right? After the day they had yesterday, could anyone blame them, especially Bonnie?

She was so relieved she could talk with both her best friends about what was going on but, at the same time, she wished Bonnie hadn't found out the way she did.

"You mean, that they're both vampires and that Damon is the one responsible for all those 'animal attacks'? Mr Tanner's death. Vicki."

"Vicki wasn't his fault. I mean, he did attack her but he didn't kill her or turn her. Someone, we don't know who, turned Vicki and then Stefan had to kill her because she was out of control."

Bonnie frowned, both angry and scared. "He tried to kill me."

"Yes and no." Claire replied. "Look, I get that you probably don't care right now but Damon was furious, though not with you. He was furious with Emily, who had possessed your body, so he attacked you because he wanted to attack Emily."

"So? Am I supposed to be okay with it?"

"No. I'm just trying to make you understand that it wasn't...personal. He didn't want to kill...you...I mean, let's be honest, he wouldn't have cared if he had killed you but...you don't have to be afraid of him, looking over your shoulder, because he won't try to hurt you again. He has no reason to."

"Reason to? Are you hearing yourself? Did he have any reason for killing all these people?"

"Well, yeah. They were food to him. And Mr. Tanner...well, he was angry at Stefan and Tanner was just there. Damon never does anything without a reason."

Bonnie looked at her like she was crazy. "Elena was right, when it comes to Damon you don't think clearly. How can you be friends with him? Knowing all that you know about him?"

Claire sighed. "I don't know. I guess, I see something in him that most people don't. There is good in him and he's shown it to me more than once. I know that it's difficult to understand, especially right now, after what he did to you but...I can't give up on him. There are so many people who hate him, even his own brother has basically given up on him. I can't do that. I won't. Maybe that makes me stupid or naïve but, I really think that he's worth it."

The phone rang for a few seconds but then, the usual message started: 'the number you have called is not available at this time. Please, try again later.' Damon cursed and hung up before putting his phone back in his pocket.

Claire was avoiding him. From the moment he had told her that he was leaving town, she had been avoiding his calls.

Damon had shown up at school the day after what had happened in Fell's Church – she was again in the company of that Matt guy – to tell her in person but Claire hadn't taken it well.

"What do you mean, you're leaving?" Claire had asked him, frown on her face and arms crossed in front of her chest.

"The only way I had to open that tomb has been destroyed. The only reason I came back to Mystic Falls is to free Katherine but now, there's no reason for me to stay." Damon looked into her eyes, part of him hoping she would ask him to stay, that she would convince him to stay.

"But I saw you inside that tomb. In fact, I dreamed about it last night, once again. That means that there must be another way to open it somehow. You can't leave now."