you and me, forever.

17. Bullets

TW: violence, death

"Hi Katie," a tall, slender man was suddenly right behind her.

She tried to back away, running into her car with panic in her eyes.

"Do you remember me?" The man says plainly.

She looked at him, trying to calm down and think if she knew him.

"Y-you we're my lab partner a few semesters ago.." she questioned herself.

"Yes."

"Henry?"

"Ah, you do remember..." he smiles to himself.

"W-what are you doing here? How do you know where I live?"

"To be quiet honest, Katie..." he says, inching closer to her, trapping her between him and the car.

"I have been trying to see you for quite some time now..." he sighs, going to push a stray piece of hair behind her ear, making her shake in fear.

"I've been watching you..." He continues as her eyes widen, now completely paralyzed with fear.

"I thought after what happened with Vanessa and Brad, you would see that there are people who care about you, who would never hurt you like they did..." he says calmly.

"W-what do you mean?" She stutters out.

"But instead, you go to an ex boyfriend? Then an older player guy? Why can't you see that I've been here this whole time?" He says clenching his jaw.

"Henry I-"

"No." He stops her, grabbing her wrist harshly.

"Y-You're hurting me..."

"You hurt me, Katie. I sat there supporting you every day since we met. We talked every day in class, even the ones we had together past lab. But you didn't see me did you? You chose to ignore the good people in your life, so I had to show you..."

She was panicking now. It was him.

"Henry please don't do this-"

"But I have to, Katie. Even after I killed the people who hurt you the worst for vengeance, you still refuse to see me the way I see you..." he caressed her cheek, as she struggles against his grip.

"I barely k-know you, if y-you h-had asked me to s-spend time t-together we would ha-"

"NO." He slams his hand on the car, making her flinch.

"No. We wouldn't have. Because you are just as bad as them. Refusing to see the good in people. To give the people actually worthy a chance..."

He reaches into his pocket, keeping his hand there, while the other still gripped her wrist.

"Since you didn't come find me the months following Brad and Vanessa's death, I knew you didn't feel the same way about me. When you went home, I had fled to Michigan, waiting for the right time to find you. I have to end this, Katie. As much as it pains me..." he sighs again, pulling a gun out of his pocket.

"P-please d-don't d-do t-his...we c-can t-talk it t-through..." she pleads, now crying a steady stream of tears.

He held the gun to her neck, stepping away and aiming it at her chest, signaling that if she were to move, he would shoot.

"We can't...I need to get rid of the evil in my life, and that ends with me and you..." he says loading the gun.

"Goodbye my love, we can be together in the afterlife..." he says.

"DAMON!" She shouts, hoping he would hear and come out.

Before she knew it, she heard a shot, and couldn't see, move, or think. A searing pain radiated through her chest. Everything went black.

•••

Damon was smitten. He couldn't believe their conversation went as well as it did. He sat there in his excitement, not realizing how much time had past. He sat up, trying to see if she had parked outside yet.

Then he heard it. She screamed his name.

He went sprinting in his vampire speed outside, but when he got there, it had already happened. A dead man with a bullet through his head was in a pool of blood opposite of her. She was bleeding out of her chest, her body convulsing as the blood came pouring out.

He kneeled down next to her, checking her pulse to see it was weak. Her body started stilling. He bit into his wrist and tried to shove it into her mouth, but she didn't move.

"KATIE!" He heard Caroline shriek as she came to bend down on the other side of her, sobbing hysterically.

Damon stared at her lifeless body, numb with shock.

"I should've gone with her.." Damon choked out.

"I asked her to go out...it's my fault..." she sobbed again, Damon holding her over Katie's body.

"She's dead..." Caroline cried again, "my sister is dead."

That's when it hit Damon. His heart sank in his chest, he pulled away from the younger girl.

"Caroline... she isn't dead..."

"W-what?" She choked out.

"She has my blood in her system..." his eyes wide, staring at the temporarily lifeless girl.

"Oh my god" she sobbed, picking up her sisters head to put it in her lap, stroking her hair.

"How did this happen?" She weeped, asking over and over again.