Your last...

Chapter 3

"And then Elena gets up with mud dripping from her hair. She picks up some and then runs after me screaming 'I'm going to make you a mud monster now'.", Jeremy completed his story and the whole table erupted. Everyone was laughing so hard that dinner was forgotten.

It was another Saturday and Gilberts were at Caroline's house for dinner. Caroline couldn't remember when was the last time she had laughed that much or felt this carefree. Her days were amazing back in Mystic Falls. She spent all her time enjoying herself and connecting with the people she loved and cared about. The past month had been one of the best of her life. She felt like she belonged. She felt happy again.

Like today for instance, she spent her morning with Sheila. And in the evening her mother, Bonnie and she cooked together. It was a simple day, too simple to even be of significance. But she enjoyed every minute of it.

"Ohh, Caroline do you remember how we used to dress Jeremy up?", Bonnie said "With lipstick and tie up his hair like a girl? We even had a name for him...uhhh...what was it?" "Jenny!", Caroline said. She turned to Alaric and Shiela, "Your dad used to have an umbrella and get one of my purse. And he also sat with us for tea." "I did not do that.", a red Jeremy said. "Yes you do did. Infact you were the one who started that tea affair.", Bonnie said, embarrassing her husband even more. "Yes. I remember. I have a picture somewhere.", Liz said getting up to find the picture. "Seriously dad? What else did he do?", Alaric asked. "Daddy, will you play tea with me someday?", Shiela asked with big, pleading eyes. Seeing this Caroline and Bonnie, almost fell off the chair laughing. Jeremy ignored both the questions, looked at the two story-tellers and threatened, "You know I have stuff on you both too." He turned to his kids and said, "One time your mom, Caroline and Elena were having a slumber party and in the morning they all had their hair cut. The hair cut was so bad that they wore hat for an entire month untill their hair had grown back." "Wait that was you. We were at your house that night and late at night, you cut our hair.", Caroline said pointing her fork at Jeremy. "Please, don't cut my hair.", Sheila said softly. "Don't worry. I only cut their hair.", Jeremy said picking up his daughter and sitting her on his lap.

Liz returned with the photo, "Here you go." She showed the picture to everyone and the table started laughing again. Alaric took a picture of the photo. "Give me that.", Jeremy took it from his hand and shoved it in his pocket. "You are not showing that to anyone.",  he said using his best parent voice. Alaric just laughed, "This is ammo dad. If one more embarrassing story about my childhood is ever again narrated, this will be on the internet." "I always wanted you as a little sister.", Caroline said in all sincerity.

After dinner everyone sat together reminiscing a few more stories. A small yawn escaped from Shiela. "It's time to go.", Jeremy picked her up. "No. I want to stay with aunt Care.", she said in a sleepy voice. "She can stay, if that's okay with you two.",Caroline said. She really wanted to have Shiela all to herself. In just a month, that little girl had become a big a part of her life. Bonnie smiled at Caroline,  she knew how much Caroline loved Shiela. She nodded and said, "Okay, but don't be too much trouble to your aunt, okay?" Shiela nodded sleepily. Caroline took Shiela from Jeremy and made her way to her room. She carefully laid the girl on the bed, removed her shoes and covered her with the blanket. Caroline stood there just lookin at her, forgetting everything.

Liz called her urgently and she rushed out. She saw Bonnie on the floor, clutching her stomach. She reached her friend and asked the others, "What happened?" "We don't know. She looked at something straight ahead and then collapsed.", her mother explained.

The atmosphere of the house changed. The fire place blazed and the air started gushing in. Caroline turned to Alaric, "Take my mom. Go to your house. We will handle things here." Alaric nodded and quickly walked away with Liz. "I thought her powers were gone after she became  human again.", she told Jeremy. Jeremy said, "Yeah they were." He did not know what was happening either. The air was circling them. The bits and pieces of dirt, paper were flying here and there. The fire caught on to one of the curtains and started spreading to other things. Caroline and Jeremy were thrown away and both were pinned to the opposite wall. Bonnie stood up and started chanting something in Latin. After a minute everything quietened and the whole room freezed. the flames stopped flickering, the whirling objects were floating and Caroline could feel the air choking her. This lasted for around thirty seconds and then the wind gushed out of the windows. The fire danced with it and Bonnie rose two feet. She was just hanging in between the living room with her eyes closed. One look at Jeremy and he was about to start crying. This had happened too many times with Bonnie. Having the power was too much to bare and Caroline remembered back when they were all still in high school, Bonnie was the most vulnerable person. She couldn't imagine what Jeremy was going through.

Bonnie fell on the floor and the magical essence was gone. Jeremy rushed to her. The fire was sti

ll spreading and she used her vampire speed to get Shiela out of the house. Jeremy had gotten Bonnie out the house. Caroline looked at her house and the fire was spreading fast. She called the fire department and they arrived with the ambulance. Bonnie was being checked and Shiela was clutching onto her for dear life. The poor girl was crying and Caroline could do nothing to console her.

ll spreading and she used her vampire speed to get Shiela out of the house. Jeremy had gotten Bonnie out the house. Caroline looked at her house and the fire was spreading fast. She called the fire department and they arrived with the ambulance. Bonnie was being checked and Shiela was clutching onto her for dear life. The poor girl was crying and Caroline could do nothing to console her.