Gilbert Twins [1 - Twins Series]

15 - Stand By Me

Book: Gilbert Twins
Chapter 15: Stand By Me
Word Count: 4261

No one's POV

Ariana was pacing around her living room. Elena and Jeremy would be home any minute, and Ariana was desperate to patch things up with them. She was rehearsing what she wanted to say for the hundredth time, when the door opened as Elena and Nathan walked in, and Stefan entered behind them, carrying Jeremy's body.

"Hey, you're home! Listen, guys, I'm so--" Ariana quickly cut herself off when she spun around and saw Jeremy in Stefan's arms, his body wrapped in a blanket. "--sorry." She rushed forward, worry flooding her. "Jeremy!! Oh my god, is he okay?!"

"Um, you see...--"

"He's fine. He's wearing his ring." Elena cut Nathan off. Ariana sighed in relief.

"Come on. Let's get him upstairs." She muttered.

"Nathan and I will stay down here, shout for me when he's awake please." Elena said. Ariana nodded and hurried up the stairs with Stefan trailing behind her.

Stefan laid Jeremy down on his bed. Ariana sat down beside him and held his hand.

"God... I wish I was there, this didn't have to happen." Ariana frowned. "W-well, at least he'll come back... we'll just have to wait..."

Stefan looked down as if he was hiding something.

"Can I get you anything?" He asked softly.

"No. I'm fine. I'm just gonna sit here and wait with him until he wakes up." Ariana responded. Stefan felt guilt, like everyone had been feeling towards her. Noticing it, Ariana just shrugged it off and continued to hold Jeremy's hand.

"Okay..." Stefan left the room. Ariana spread a blanket over Jeremy and resumed holding his hands on top of his chest.

---

On the island still, Damon entered the campground, peeking into a tent. Walking a little further, he stopped and his eyes vamped out when he heard rustling in the trees.

"Unless you're a blonde, a Bennett witch, or a doppelgänger, I suggest you steer clear." He approached the shack and creaked open the door. As he opened it wider, Rebekah appeared next to him, startling him.

"Where are they? The cures?" She questioned. "I know someone has them."

"Yeah, someone. The Pierce twins." Damon informed.

"Katherine and Madeline?" Rebekah frowned in confusion. "The doppelgängers?"

"Yeah. Sneaky little bitches must've been spying on us for weeks. They killed Jeremy... or somebody did." Damon stated. Rebekah looked somber. "He killed your brother. Let's not with the fake sad face."

"I didn't say I was going to miss him. But I'm not heartless, he was Ariana's family. All she has left now is Elena. Without her, she'd have no one." Rebekah mentioned. "Ari's not going to survive this... she's lost too much, she was falling apart already. This is going to push her over the edge..."

---

Ariana was still sitting with Jeremy, smoothing her hand over his face and holding his hands. Downstairs in the kitchen, Elena was dumping a bucket of water into the sink and talking to Stefan, Nathan, and Caroline, who had arrived at the house a few minutes ago.

"How long has she been like that?" Caroline asked, talking about Ariana.

"Ever since we entered the house and she saw his body in Stefan's arms." Elena replied. "She hasn't said anything except that she's waiting for him to wake up."