Replaceable [Damon x OC]

Chapter 15

"Slow down," Damon had gotten up from the couch, a concerned look on his face as he listened to the Gilbert on the other end of the line, "what happened?"

Her breathing was heavy as she felt her chest constricting, "I, I don't know! I'm cold?" she sounded one second away from crying, "and then something touched me, and I was alone in the bathroom," she explained quickly, her words running together, making it difficult for the vampire to understand her as she tried to calm herself down. "I think I'm going crazy," she admitted in a whisper as she slid down the wall in the bathroom.

Damon started to try and shush her over the phone, "Aelynn, everything is fine, you're going to be fine. You're not crazy."

The Gilbert girl gave him a wet laugh. She had a hard time believing him as she closed her eyes tightly.

"Can you just come pick me up?" She asked after she had been silent for a minute or two.

There was some shuffling on the other line before she heard the rattle of keys. "I'll be there soon," and then the line was dead.

_ _ _

The next thirty minutes were a blur. Only when she was sat in the living room of the boarding house did her brain start to register her surroundings. The fireplace was going, there was a knitted blanket over her, and Damon was looking at her arm where the handprint was now very much visible. She noticed how his forehead was scrunched as he looked over her, moving her arm around as he looked at the print. How his touch was gentle. How he didn't speak as he let her calm down. She knew her heartbeat was probably so loud he couldn't hear anything else.

Then Damon looked at his phone and straightened himself out. "I have something I need to go do," his tone was whimsical and somewhat unsure.

Aelynn gave him a nod and looked towards the fireplace as Damon gently squeezed her shoulder before he left the home all together. As the minutes turned to hours, she ended up getting herself off the couch and walking driving herself home. She hadn't even realized Damon had driven her in her own car to the boarding house until she saw her keys.

Sister

Where are you?

Lynnie

headache, left school. Meet you at home.

She hated how easy it was to lie to her sister. However, she knew that Elena would be irate if she found out that she had spent time alone with Damon. She could hear the lecture in her head as she drove home, Aelynn, he's dangerous. You need to stay away from him.

Sister

We're having a sleepover with Bonnie tonight

Aelynn leaned her head back as she pulled onto the street and parked her car. That was one of the last things she wanted to do. She wanted to be alone and do some research on what the hell was happening to her.

When she walked in, the house was quiet, which she was thankful for. She went into her room and set down her stuff. She also sent a quick text to Damon telling him that she had left and thanked him for helping her out today.

She changed from her school clothes, which ironically were never really worn to school, and opted for sweatpants and a long sleeve shirt. She felt the need to hide the handprint from Elena and Bonnie, not wanting to have them fret over her issues.

Aelynn then walked from her room to the kitchen, jumping when she saw Elena and Bonnie in the living room. She hadn't heard them walk in.

"Jesus, you guys came in quietly," she stated, putting a hand over her chest.