A father's redemption

IV. New Perspective

"What the hell did you do to him, John?" Jenna accused, glaring harshly at John.

"What did I do to him?" John looked at Jenna in astonishment. Noticing Jenna's unchanged glare, John chuckled darkly. "Of course I did something. I mean it's got to be me."

"Cut the bullshit, Gilbert." Alaric snapped.

"I... Jeremy called me. Me! I'm here to help. So let me help him!" John explained, taking deep breaths to calm himself. Jenna scoffed, before snarkily remarking.

"You're not his parent, John. Don't start acting like one now after abandoning them for years. "

John shook his head, scoffing before rubbing Jeremy's shoulder. Whispering to him that he had to go, John went to stand up before Jeremy grabbed John by the sleeve, the back of his hand showing to Jenna and Alaric.

"Jeremy! What's on your hand?!" Jenna exclaimed, grabbing Jeremy's hand gently as she saw it was all red.

"I don't know. But Uncle John has it too." Jeremy looked up at Jenna with tears in his eyes.

"Has what?" Alaric asked as he looked down at Jeremy's hand.

"The mark. Uncle John has the same mark." Jeremy looked between all three adults. John's eyes were sad as he could tell the other two weren't getting it.

"Jer... There isn't anything there." Jenna explained softly.

"What?" Jeremy choked back a sob. "It's right there! How can you not see it?!"

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." John whispered to Jeremy before Jenna and Alaric kicked him out of the house.

The next day, with Stefan locked in the Salvatore cellar, Elena called Damon to discuss how to 'fix' Stefan. Elena hung up on him, scoffing at him. She closed her closet door and John was standing behind it.

"Sorry." John raised his hands in surrender.

"Uncle John. I didn't see you there." Elena replied.

"I thought we could talk. We haven't had a chance to catch up." John began.

"I'm actually just heading out, so..." Elena trailed off.

"Well, it won't take long." John explained.

"What did you want to talk about?" Elena asked.

"Well... I know you know." John stated, pointing at himself and then at Elena.

"Know what?" Elena asked, acting confused.

"It's really silly to keep pretending. What do you think your mother would say? If she knew you were dating a vampire?"

"Which mother?" She raised an eyebrow at John before turning round and leaving, John calling out after her.

"Miranda." Elena turned around, looking at John.

"What?" Elena asked.

"Leave the ripper to the vampires. He will drain you of your blood, Elena." John urged. Rippers were addicts, they would do anything to get their next fix and being a human in their presence just meant that she would be a potential next fix.

"No." Elena replied simply.

"What do you mean, no?" John asked perplexed. Did she not understand?

"No. You're not my dad. I don't have to listen to you." Elena stated before walking away. John stood frozen, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. John walked downstairs and noticed Jeremy, Jenna and Alaric sitting in the kitchen. 

"Um. I'm just going to say something really quick..." John stated, the others looking up in confusion. "Elena's adopted and I'm her birth father. Bye."

John sprinted out of the house and jumped in the car as the others froze in shock.

"WHAT?!"