Mystic Falls Loner Club - A Vampire Diaries Fic

Chapter 24: Long Days pt. 2

Jeremy's POV

KJ's sitting cross-legged across from me on the living room floor as she helps me look for old family relics. I have a history paper that I want to start writing early about the history and record keeping of your family. "KJ, you really don't have to do this." She smiles and looks up at me. "Jer, you're not taking away my time and I promise you, I want to do this." I arch an eyebrow and ask, "You like looking through dusty papers and sneezing every couple of minutes?"

She laughs and tugs her sweatshirt sleeve over her hand, rubbing the end of her nose. "I just stopped sneezing a while ago. Now my nose is itchy again." I chuckle and move some old papers about the development of the land to the side and come across a notebook. It actually looks more like a journal. It's leather-bound and some of the pages are sticking out, along with a red tassel. 

"KJ, look." I watch her eyes look up from the stack of folders she was shuffling through and they widen as she looks at the journal. "Who's it from?" He opens it up to the front flap and I notice the writing is in ink from a quill and in perfect cursive. "It says Jonathan Gilbert." KJ brushes off her jeans and untucks her legs from under her, scooting across the hardwood to me. I can feel her breathe lightly as she reads the first page.

Her lips move as she reads the words out silently to herself and her eyelashes flutter as she blinks. I glance away from her and read the page myself.  "I'm writing this to confirm that vampires are in fact real and they do live in Mystic Falls. I met a kind woman named Pearl and she is one of them." KJ looks up at me as I finish reading and her eyes widen. "You all were a founding family. Just like my grandma." She sits back on her legs and collapses a little, sitting criss-cross applesauce instead of kneeling like she was before.

I sit back as well, putting the journal back on top of the folders and papers scattered across the floor and lean back until my back is against the couch. "I mean, my parents used to say that we would always be in Mystic Falls. I never knew it was because we were one of the families that founded it. Maybe an early relative moved and that's what started this but..."  KJ's staring into the kitchen but I can tell she's not thinking about what's in front of her.

Her mind is probably reeling now that she knows a better portion of this town's history. It's not like witches went out and hunted vampires but they still had to keep their identity a secret. And in doing that, they couldn't help the vampires. I think. I cross my hands over my chest and lean my head back onto the couch cushion.

KJ's POV

What should I ask Grams? Did we help the vampires ... well we obviously helped some of them because there are still some living here. That means that Damon's father was probably one of the founding Salvatore's.  My mind is reeling and I let it. It's not completely improbable that my ancestors on Grams' side of the family have been here for a while but I want to know why she didn't tell me when she explained that I was a witch.

"Jer, I'll be right back." He arches an eyebrow and sits up. "I'm fine, I promise." He still gets up and brushes off his jeans then runs his fingers through his hair. "M'kay. Do you need a ride?" I shake my head and say, "I need some air so I'll just walk. I'll be back though, I promise." I walk over to the door and pull Jeremy's Carhartt from the hook. "I am stealing your jacket though." He chuckles and leans against the stair banister. "I trust you to bring it back."

I smile and tug the hood over my head before slipping my sneakers on and walking out the door. I consider putting in headphones but since Grams lives a quiet 15 minute walk away, I opt not to. I tuck my hands into my pockets as I make my way down the sidewalk, looking both ways before crossing the street. I see Damon's impala driving down the street and I shield my eyes, watching him follow me slowly down the street.

He rolls down the window as he continues driving and looking over at me occasionally. "Are you just going to keep walking or are you gonna stop and say hi?" "I'll keep walking and say hi because I know if I get into that Impala, I'm not gonna get the answers I need about the founding families of Mystic Falls." Damon parks the car and says, "Well you're in luck because you're talking to one of the original founders of this town."

I press my lips together and reply, "I figured that when I saw your name on a document that was with the Gilbert family records." I walk to the passenger side of the car and open the door. "I'm only getting in so I don't look weird talking to you through your window." "I didn't even say anything." Damon rebuttals. "You were thinking it." He opens his mouth to say something then changes his mind. 

"Well what do you want to know?" I press my lips together and reply, "Nothing you can tell me. It's all questions about Grams. I guess the only thing I would ask you is why you're back in Mystic Falls after all this time. I mean, you have the whole world to explore and you can do just about anything because you have compulsion and money and not to mention pretty privilege." I see Damon's eyebrows arch at the end of my phrase then he responds, "Thank you for calling me pretty." I look out the window to hide my smile. 

 And I would say the reason I haven't left Mystic Falls is because as much as my brother pisses me off, this is the only place we've ever been.  Our whole family is buried here, our names are on the founding town document and even though we have to hide the fact that we're vampires from some people, it's not terrible to do because we've been doing it for so long." I press my lips together and put my hand over Damon's that was resting on the steering wheel.

He kisses it gently and asks, "What's this for?" I look over at him and say, "You're hiding the existence of vampires for the good of your family and other vampires. You promised to only feed on me to protect everyone and you've stuck to that." Damon looks away from me and sighs. "I wish I didn't have to."  "Hey, you didn't ask to be a vampire. You have a choice to feed on me or to feed on people through the city but you choose me. Which is fine because I asked for this. I can heal. Other people can't."

Damon nods before putting the car in drive. "Before you oppose, I'm driving you because you got in my car. It's weird for someone to talk through the window but it's more weird for you to get in then get out." I lean back in the passenger seat and pull on my seatbelt, not even wanting to argue.