𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 : 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬

Act I; the fury

PANIC.

Estella Delacour experienced an unfamiliar sentiment as she traversed the Mystic Falls Hospital's corridors, a strange vibrancy lingering within her abdomen. This stirred restlessness in her, and she distractedly picked at her nails, a sour flavor coating her mouth.

When she couldn't ignore the bubbling energy anymore, she began pacing on the marble titled floors, her shoes leaving a loud sound, in the otherwise quiet hospital.

"Hey—" began Jenna Sommers, her tired honey eyes glancing at Estella. "Sit down, you're making me dizzy."

Jenna Sommers was a very pretty young woman. With long wavy honey-colored tresses falling down to her shoulders, which were now tamed in a messy bun, a few strands framing her pale face, with delicate features that could make anyone swoon.

Jenna gestured to the seat next to her, and Estella complied, trying to swallow a hollow feeling developing in her chest.

The doctor that had been tending to Elena stood in front of her, his face devoid of any emotion, a chart in his hands, presuming Elena's. His gaze flickered between them, a gentle emotion entering his gaze as he read the expressions on both the girls' faces.

Suddenly, the brunette found herself enveloped in nostalgia, her doe eyes turning misty with memories.

It had been a sunny bright day, in the decades of the nineties.

Tiny and petite-looking Estella, freshly out of Australia, fiddled with her tanned fingers nervously as her big doe eyes regarded the playground where small children played around with each other, some jumping around, others playing on the slides while others were in the monkey bars.

Little Elena noticed her first; a chubby face twisted in nervousness, brown hair that fell to above her shoulder, and no one around her. She hurried to her, almost tripping over herself as she tapped the girl on the shoulder.

Estella jumped, a little startled as her hand rushed to cover her heart that beat erratically. Elena giggled at that and it made the little brunette smile.

"Hello, I'm Elena Gilbert. Wanna be friends?"

"The patient is in stable condition and she has just woken up—" The doctor started. Relief flooded through the brunette as she heard those words, but soon that emotion was replaced with overwhelming guilt at being so relieved when she knew deep down that her friend's parents hadn't been so lucky.

Estella's feet had a mind of their own, already padding away in the direction of the hospital room Elena was situated.

"Hey!—" The voice of the doctor was muffled as Estella slammed the door shut.

Oh, boy was it a horrible sight.

There lay Elena in her hospital clothes, snug under her covers, her face turning sickly pale. Vibrant brown eyes turned tired, slightly turning crimson under her waterline. Chapped, dry, flaky lips slowly broke out in a tired smile trying to reassure Estella she was alright.

"Ellie,"

Upon hearing Elena's tired euphoric vox, small pearls began to appear in the brunette's eyes. Elena was going to be okay, she repeated in her head, the previous fear and anxiety leaving her body.

"Elena," Estella said, giving her a reassuring smile as she blinked back her tears.

"Hey," Elena spoke sensing her best friend's emotions. "I'm okay, don't cry."

"Hey!" The doctor said loudly entering the room with a slightly annoyed expression. "Please do not—"

"Please let her stay doctor," Elena pleaded.

The doctor's eyes flickered between Elena and Estella  hesitantly and slowly nodded once he identified the desperation in the browns of his patient's eyes.

Estella sat down beside Elena, giving her a gentle embrace, trying to reassure herself that Elena was safe. The brunette tightened her hold on Elena, reminding herself that Elena was living and breathing and was not going to disappear into thin air that was desperately scaring her at the moment.

"Thank god Elena! You're okay."

The chirpy voice of Caroline Forbes led them to part, finding themselves looking at the joyful expressions on their faces, relieved their best friend was okay.

Caroline Forbes and Bonnie Bennet were the other two best friends of Estella and Elena. Caroline had a relieved expression on her face, as her blue eyes flickered between Estella and Elena. She sat down on the bed, putting her blonde hair behind her ear.

Bonnie's green almond eyes were filled with sympathy as she sat down next to Caroline. She put a reassuring hand on Elena's and her brown hair fell in front of her. She gently smiled at her.

"I thought after your parents—" Caroline stopped mid-sentence as Estella shot her a sharp look.

"M-my parents?" Elena stuttered as realization dawned on her. "Where are they? Are they okay?" She asked worriedly. Estella could hear the heartbeat monitor beep faster.

"Elena..." Estella trailed as Jeremy came next to Elena's hospital bed.

"Where are they? Jeremy! Where are they?" Elena asked, her brown eyes filling with tears.

"Elena...." Jeremy trailed as his brown eyes filled with tears too. "They...They didn't make it..."

"Jeremy, what do you mean they didn't make it?" Elena asked as she started to hyperventilate.

"Elena, I need you to calm down," Estella warned as she looked at the heart monitor.

The gravity of the situation hit her. Her parents who were always there in every step of the way, and who loved her unconditionally, who still had so many things to see were gone. "T-They didn't make it!" Elena sobbed. And what made it worse, Elena knew it in her bones. It was her fault. "I-I-I killed them! I killed them!"

And Elena's perfect life was shattered.