Fix You

Chapter 16

"I see your finally done throwing your tantrum." Damon says, venom poisoning his tone as he leans against his car. I stare at him blankly for a long moment, contemplating taking a page from Kol's book, and just hauling off and punching him in his smug face.
"You don't get to call my reaction to my own blood choosing to let me die for some girl a tantrum. Frankly, I think the way I handled was more generous than either of you deserved." I fire back crossing my arms over my chest and fixing Damon with a cool stare.
"I take it Stefan couldn't peel himself away from the bitch long enough to pretend that you're a united front against this." I remark and Damon's face darkens.
"Don't call her that." He snaps and I roll my eyes.
"You're right, bitch is far too kind of a description for her. Anyways, was there a purpose for your visit other than to harass me? Because I'm still in the middle of my 'tantrum' and would rather not have to entertain you." I say, making sure to use air quotes around tantrum.
"So I'm not allowed to check up on my sister now? Is that strictly a job for the Mikaelsons?" He asks and I roll my eyes.
"Why does everything have to come back to them? They're my friends, Damon. They're allowed to be concerned."
"Sometimes you treat them like they're your family. They just put you in danger, Serena. You could have died." Damon says, fear leaking into his voice.
"They weren't the ones who pulled the trigger on that one. If I had died it would have been because the two of you chose a girl over your sister again." I snap at him and his face falters like it's all coming back to him.
"At least this time, I might've gotten the easier way out." I snap again and his face crumbles.
"I'm sorry." Damon says and I shake my head.
"It's a little late for sorry. This is the second time the two of you have done this to me. And I don't know what language I have to tell you that you deserve better in, but clearly you don't listen. She's stringing the both of you along, just like last time. The only difference is our father isn't here to kill the three of us when he finds out." I say, barely keeping my voice steady.
"And the reason why I'm so close with Niklaus is that he understands things in a way you and Stefan never will. I know the things Giuseppe did to you were terrible too. I don't deny you that. But it was different between the two of us." I say and suck in a deep breath between my teeth.
"What do you mean?" Damon asks, and I know he's remembering the worst of it.
"He never sent me to finishing school like he told you and Stefan. There's a locked off door behind some shelving in the attic of the old house. They call them disappointment rooms now, but that's where he kept me. Starved me and left me in isolation until you started asking too many questions. He forced me to write letters about my 'schooling' and all the while I was literally above your head." I say and Damon's face practically pales.
"Did Stefan know?" He asks and I shrug.
"If he did he never let on. It was hard for him too. He saw what was happening to us and did everything in his power to stay in Giuseppe's graces." I stay, looking down at my feet.
"I'm so sorry that I've been a terrible brother to you. I should have protected you better." He says and I shrug.
"I mean, somewhere along the line, you did. Even if it was indirectly. I wouldn't still be here if it wasn't for you. I would have died that night and actually be in my headstone-less grave." I say, softening to him despite the anger I still feel. I can't hold on being angry over things he never knew about.
"Do you and Klaus have a relationship?" He asks after a long moment and I laugh loudly.
"No. We don't. He's essentially like a third brother to me. He would never cross that boundary. He was just there during some darker times I've had after we all had to go our separate ways." I answer and he nods, almost like he doesn't believe me. 

"If I had wanted Niklaus I could have had him a long time ago." I tell Damon as I rip my bag from the car. I sling it over my shoulder as my phone pings loudly in my pocket. 

"What about you and Kol?" He asks and I roll my eyes. 

"Why do you care so much?" I ask, shifting from foot to foot now uncomfortable with this line of questioning. 

"I need to know which Mikaelson to go after if he breaks your heart." Damon says in an attempt to sounds brotherly.  I blink at him for a long moment. 

"You'd have to beat me to it." I say and he laughs.

"What happened to my quiet little sister?" He asks, only half joking, somewhere in his tone is thinly veiled concern.

"I think I've spent far too much time being quiet, don't you think?" I shoot back at him as I walk towards the door to my house.  

"Anyways, I have some business I have to take care of, I'll see you around, Damon." I call over my shoulder and let the door glide shut behind me.  I type out a fast text to Katherine letting her know she's officially off the hook for my plan, any sort of confidence I had early draining from me. I can't make them see the light so it's time I stopped involving myself in their drama.  It's not done me any good before.