Salvation of a Salvatore Sister

Realities That Cannot Be

        I awake to a someone shaking my shoulder. The sensation brings me slowly back to consciousness as I flutter my eyes open and blink. A face appears in front of me. It is a concerned face with a crinkled forehead and worried lips. I blink again as my ears ring, pulling back in the sound of the space around me. "Lily! Lily. Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

Marcel continues to shake my shoulder until I grow annoyed enough to bat at him. This action seems to relieve him of some of the tension set in his posture. "Lily, what happened?"

With a groan, I prop myself up on my elbows and from there, I sit up. Rubbing my hands over my face and through my hair, I acknowledge the fact that I feel miserable. "Lily?" Marcel persists, his concern returning to its full force again. "Lily? Are you okay?" His hand reaches out for me, falling upon my calf as he stares at me with wide eyes. "Lily, what happened?"

"I-" I start to speak, but I quickly realize my throat is too dry and strained to accomplish such a task. Marcel notes this and runs to get me a glass of water. I take the time while he's away to carefully shift myself so I'm leaning against the bed. My head still pounds, my stomach still twists, and there's a twitching in my fingers in my left hand that I'll have to hide.

I don't know why I still feel this awful though. Sure, the herbs don't take away everything, but this...it's like their losing their effect.

"Here you go, Lily," Marcel mutters as he returns, offering me a glass of water. I drink it greedily. When the glass is drained, Marcel looks to me. He's obviously waiting for me to explain, but how do I do that? He sighs. "I called you like a billion times, Lily. At first, you not picking up wasn't too concerning, although a bit stress-inducing considering our current situation. But then, after awhile, I got nervous. When I arrived, you were passed out on the floor...with dried blood under your nose and mouth." His voice lowers as his eyes fleet away from me for a second. Processing his words, my fingers drift to my face. There, they glaze over the blood paths, chipping flakes of it away.

Damnit.

"So no more hiding, no more lying, Lily. Tell me the truth. Right now. What the hell is going on with you?"

His voice is strong, yet his lips quiver with fear. My eyes lower in sympathy of his confusion. Biting my lip, I glance back at Marcel. "Help me up?" He nods and stands, offering his hands out to me. I take them and allow Marcel's strength to lift my body to my feet. Once I'm standing, I feel the events of the episode rush over me, and I'm quick to find a seat on the edge of the bed. Marcel's eyes flag this motion with a worried caution as he frowns. I breath in deep. "I guess there's no pretending anymore, is there?"

"No. I want to know the truth, Lily. I can't just keep stumbling in on you like this. It's...it's terrifying! And to not know the cause...." He shakes his head. "If we switched positions, you would be demanding to know what was going on, so you can't expect me not to ask the same of you."

He's right. I know he is. There's no point in lying when Marcel has already seen it. "I'm dying, Marcel."

The words have gotten easier to say. As I've told everyone else in on my secret, I've accepted this inevitability. And if the herbs are truly losing their effects, then I don't know how much longer I have left. So, it's time to start tying up loose ends, make amends, and figure out how to say goodbye.

Marcel betrayed me. His actions almost killed me. I should be furious. I am mad, or at least I was, but now...I'm too tired to be anything. I don't want to fight anymore. I just want my family and friends. And Marcel is that, a friend, regardless of some of his more careless actions. He was there for me when I needed him, and that's all that matters for right now. So yes, I should probably feel the need to scream at him, cuss him out, but if I'm honest, the only need I feel is to find Klaus and fall asleep, wrapped in his arms.