Charlotte Pierce | Damon Salvatore

Chapter Nineteen

"Still giving me the cold shoulder?"

Damon didn't bother to even turn around his head to look at Charlotte or answer her question. The lights flickered as Bonnie continued chanting a spell in front of Klaus' coffin. Everyone in the boarding house held their breaths expectantly. Suddenly, the flames that burnt the excessive amount of candles that surrounded them died and Bonnie stumbled backwards. Jeremy ran to help her and held her, scared that she would fall.

"The spirits are restraining me."-She explained.-"They want Klaus dead."

They all remained quiet; unsure of how to approach the tacit truth. Bonnie finally gathered the courage to confront Charlotte.

"I'm sorry, Char."

"I know, Bon. It's fine."-She shrugged, making the issue seem so unimportant it made Damon fume.

"Yeah, Bon, it's not like someone is dying."-Damon snapped bitterly.

"Damon..."-There was Stefan with that tone once again. That damn tone.

"Bonnie is trying her best."-Elena defended the witch, just as he expected, just as predictable and boring as always.

"Oh, shut your fucking mouth, Gilbert."

Elena's eyes almost fell off their sockets at the tone and rudeness of his words. He never spoke to her that way before.

Damon ignored them and picked up Charlotte in his arms and carried her to her old bedroom. She simply stared at him while her weak hand reached to brush his hair (which was a lot messier than usual) off his face. He seemed indifferent to her soothing touch. He continued to put new sheets and tuck her in without speaking a single word.

"Please say something."-She begged.

"I'm too angry."

"I don't care. I came to the world as an exasperating creature and, apparently, I'm leaving as one."

He became stiff and crossed his arms, pissed off.

"It was a joke. Lighten up."

"You're hilarious."-He commented sarcastically, glaring at her as if he were considering whether to snap her neck again or not.

"Is this how we are going to spend my last days?"-She asked quietly and he shook his head. He was so mad at her, yet terrified at the possibility of losing her.

"Why do you care?"-He finally snapped.-"You were planning to kill yourself! I didn't even deserve a goodbye or an explanation. You didn't bother to talk to me then, why do it now?"

"Because I'm scared, Damon."-She accepted, her voice fading into broken sobs.-"I don't want to die."

"I thought..."

"Nobody wants to die."

The walls he put up to protect himself collapsed as he sat next to her and watched her sniff while hugging herself.

"I know you think that I just gave up, that I don't care... But I do. It's just that I don't want to get my hopes up. It would hurt too much. If I accept it, at least I can be prepared to lose this fight... And to lose you."

"You're tired. Get some sleep."-He said, refusing to think too much about her words.

"Stay with me."-She asked, taking his hand. It was embarrassing to need him so badly, to feel so vulnerable in his presence. He would probably make her beg for it, but it didn't matter, she could handle the shame as long as he stayed.

Surprisingly, he didn't refuse. He lay down next to her in the bed and she smiled so brightly, so happily at the simple gesture that his heart tightened.