Back In Black ━ elena gilbert [3] ✔

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑛

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Hold On

Preston didn't sleep at all since the second that heart monitor said the number 'zero'. Preston was trying to help Caroline, then Damon with the eulogy, but she was no help. Caroline was now reading off tasks to the group, who were all at the Salvatore Boarding House.

"There are five days' worth of projects on here. We are going to do them in one. We can break the rules and cut through the red tape. Yeah, I expect my mom to be properly celebrated and buried by the end of the day." Caroline explained.

"Sure, Care, whatever you need." Matt responded, getting a nod of agreement from Tyler.

"Elena, you're coming with me." Caroline said.

Elena shrugged, "where are we going?"

Caroline grinned. "Casket shopping. Let's move." Caroline said.

Elena got up, quickly kissing Preston on the lips and murmuring a bye, then she followed Caroline.

Preston got a wave of nausea.

"What's wrong with you?" Tyler asked Preston.

Tyler furrowed his brows, then he grabbed the nearest vase, and held it for her as she vomited blood.

"I know we haven't seen each other in a while, but that doesn't seem normal for you." Tyler noticed.

Preston moved to sit on the couch beside Tyler, trying to grab the vase, but her hands trembled. Her palms started dripping in sweat, same with her forehead. Stefan looked at Preston once more, then he walked upstairs to get changed. Preston wasn't really sure where Matt had gone.

"Look, I know we're not best friends, okay. But what the hell is going on?" Tyler asked.

The blood stopped, and Preston lifted her head up, trying to catch her breath. She wiped the blood from her mouth with the end of her jacket sleeve. Preston moved the vase, grimacing at what was inside now. "I don't know." She answered truthfully. "Thanks for, you know, grabbing the vase and holding it while I threw up blood."

"Yeah no problem." Tyler replied.

Preston stood up, nearly losing her balance, still feeling a little weak. She slowly walked upstairs to her room to get changed. She started with her dress pants, then her white long-sleeved blouse, long neck tie, then she put her suit jacket on. She looked in the mirror, choosing to put her hair in a side braid.

When she stared into the mirror, looking at her own reflection, she saw the tears threatening to fall. "Not today", she told herself in her head, "not now."

Preston drove in her truck to meet Caroline at the place they were holding Liz's funeral. She saw Caroline standing there with her hair done and her black dress on. Caroline turned to look at her, and Preston recognised that look all too well. Before everyone started swarming in, Preston pulled Caroline into a hug. Not a pity hug, both of them knew that.

"How do I do this?" Caroline whispered.

"Just get through this part, tears or not, then, do whatever you have to do to ease the pain." Preston whispered back, pulling away.