Salvation of a Salvatore Sister

Half a Heart

        Two sets of brothers, dressed in black suits, walk side by side down the streets of the French Quarter. A procession follows with members of the supernatural community, humans, and a jazz band. With a sorrowful look, the members of the march stare ahead. One pregnant woman with deep brown hair and emerald green eyes wipes at the tears spilling down her cheeks.

From my spot along the sidewalk, I watch those I love dearly mourn my death. A horse-drawn carriage carries my coffin down the street, and Stefan and Damon trail behind it. A step away from them is Klaus with Elijah, who places a hand on his brother's shoulder. After the men comes Jess. Cami and Hayley walk beside her. Marcel and Davina trail behind. Other vampires and witches follow.

The jazz music floats through the air as I watch my friends and family try to hold onto their grief. No words are spoken, but I don't expect there to be much to say. After the march and a ceremony at St. Anne's, everyone returns to their lodgings for the night. Marcel leaves; his pardon up. Klaus, Elijah, my brothers, and Jess return to the Compound.

Jess had called the night of my death. She thought she was going to tell me about her date with Oliver. Instead, Elijah answered and had to explain what had happened. Before he could say much else, aside from offering his condolences, Jess told him she was coming and hung up. She arrived the next morning with tears already in her eyes.

I always imagined Klaus and Elijah raising their brows high when they met Jess for the first time. She would come in, a ball of energy as she always was, and they would look to me in confusion. I don't think either of them would've known what to do with her. But what I imagined did not come true. No, instead of her usual bright smile and pulsing personality, Jess was solemn and remote. Her face, one of stone, as she demanded to see me with no introductions. Without hesitance, Elijah directed her to the living room where my body was laid out in a coffin. Jess approached with hesitant steps, and Elijah took this as a cue to give her a moment alone.

The second Elijah was gone, she burst out in loud sobs.

"Why Lily? Why didn't you tell me! I'm your best friend, you should've told me."

"Why? Why? Why?"

It was crushing to see my happy, strong friend fall to her knees, broken. And I did this to her. I did this. But my guilt only increased when Elijah handed her my letter.

With a melancholy expression, she took it from him and stared down at her name scripted on the front. Dragging her finger across it, she sighed. "Let me guess, this is the part where she tells me the truth, just in words and not in person."

"I think it was her intention to protect you. She didn't want people to know. She was afraid of hurting them. She was afraid of hurting you."

Jess shakes her head. "Self-righteous, huh? That is-was Lily." Jess's frown deepens as grief shines in her eyes. "She always thought she could save everyone by keeping them as far away from her as possible. She only ever saw herself as a ticking time-bomb. She feared having anyone close to her in case it went off." A tear slips from Jess's eye. Elijah frowns at it.

Hesitantly, he places a hand on her arm. "I know it's hard to accept that she's gone. I can hardly allow myself to," Elijah takes a moment, blinking as he shifts his gaze to the ground, "but it's important to remember the good." He looks to Jess again. "It's important to remember the fondness in our memories of her. Liliana was not perfect. She made choices that hurt others. She had her secrets, but we still love her, do we not?" Elijah removes his hand from Jess's arm. "And I know that she cared a great deal about you. She always spoke very highly and affectionately of you." Silence follows Elijah's words as Jess seems to battle between staying strong or giving into the grief.