A life in the shadows

61

"Scandalous. Out all night?" Damon teased as they walked in.
"Why are you awake?"
"Couldn't sleep."
"Conscience keep you up? You aren't surprised, are you?" Matteo drawled.
"Lacey." He said.
"You more than just like her, don't you?"
"What?"
"I know you Damon. When you fall for someone, you fall hard and fast. Emphasis on fast."
"Don't be silly. I hardly know her."
"You guys have been texting ever since you met. Yes, I know about that. Don't lie to me." Matteo smirked. There was a long pause.
"Maybe I do."
"Maybe you do what..?"
"Maybe I do have strong feelings for her."
"And...?"
"Screw you." Damon turned to walk away. "This isn't funny."
"I think it's hilarious." Matteo laughed. His phone rang, it was an unfamiliar number. "Hello?"
"Is this Matteo Salvatore?" The voice on the other end asked.
"Yes."
"I'm afraid I have some bad news for you." The next few hours were a blur for Matteo. He rushed straight to the hospital, as fast as he could with Siobhan in the front seat, Damon in the back. Lacey had been in an accident, and the doctors weren't at all optimistic. He'd been called, since her adoptive parents were dead and she put him down as her emergency contact. By the time he got to the hospital, however, she'd been already declared dead.

They were all distraught. Lacey- she'd barely begun her life. Damon refused to leave her side, and had compelled the doctor to keep her in the room instead of moving her to the morgue. Matteo knew it wasn't healthy, but he didn't want her in the hospital morgue either. Matteo headed to the cafeteria not wanting to look at her body any more. A doctor caught him outside Lacey's room.
"Mr Salvatore?"
"Yes?"
"We have a few questions for you."
"Can't it wait? Lacey just died less than two hours ago. I can't-"
"I'm sorry. This can't wait. Do you know if Lacey wanted to donate her organs?"
"I can't do this." Matteo walked away.
"Mr Salvatore. She wrote you down as her father. As her family, we have to ask you these questions."
"I'm sorry, but I've known Lacey since she was a kid. And now you want to ask me if she wanted parts of her cut out, before I've had a real chance to grieve her?"
"These things have to be rushed."
"I know you're doing your job. Just please give me a minute to absorb it in."
"Of course." The doctor nodded, and Matteo walked away. In the cafeteria, Matteo had barely sat down before Kaia mind-grabbed him.
"I'm really not good company right now." He told her.
"I know. Matteo, Lacey is one of us. She's back."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Oh." He sighed. "Are you sure?"
"She's right next to me. She insisted I call you as soon as she woke up."
"Oh this is great news."
"She said you should donate her organs. She's got a new body now, and if it can help, then other people should get a chance."
"I will. I have to get Damon out of here." Matteo said. "She's really there? You're sure?"
"Matteo-"
"Right. Silly question. I don't know what to do. Just, thank you."
"With a role model like you, of course she'd be one of us." Kaia smiled at him.

When Matteo came back to reality, he was happier. Knowing it wasn't appropriate, he fixed his expression into one of sadness. He found Siobhan standing outside Lacey's room.
"Get him out of here, please." He asked her and she nodded.
"Damon. Siobhan's going to take you to Lacey's flat." He peeked his head into the room, before coming out to Siobhan. "Don't make any calls yet."
"Why not?"
"Kaia." He said, simply.
"Really?"
"Yes, don't say anything yet. I'll tell him after all this. He definitely won't leave if we tell him." He told Siobhan and she nodded. He walked into the room. "D, come on."
"I'm not leaving."
"I have to make the arrangements, and you shouldn't be here for that."
"I can't leave her."
"Go with Siobhan. You don't want to be here." Damon didn't budge. "Damon, go. I'm not asking you anymore."
"Fine." He spat and stormed out.
"Siobhan, he's gonna be extra rude, extra angry, extra self-destructive. Be careful with him?"
"Always." She smiled at him before rushing after Damon. Matteo looked down at Lacey's body and stroked her hair off her face. It was weird. Now that he knew she was alive and in a body that looked just like this one, it didn't seem right. It was as if he was looking at the body of her clone or identical twin. The doctor came in.
"I'm so sorry for my behaviour earlier, Doctor. I was too distraught. I've known her since she was a little girl. I practically raised her after her parents died. She was adopted." He didn't mention that it was her adoptive parents who died, or that he, himself didn't technically adopt her.
"That's okay, Mr Salvatore. It's only natural that you'd be angry. Do you feel up to answering some questions, yet?"
"Of course." He said.
"Did Lacey want her organs donated? It's just there's a time limit, especially with the heart. It's better if this question is asked first."
"Yes. She did. She was always one to make sure something good came out of anything bad."
"Right."

"So, I learned today that you named me your dad and as your emergency contact." Matteo nudged Lacey.
"Yeah..." she trailed off.
"I love you too, sweetheart and I'm honoured." He smiled.
"Yeah, yeah." She tried to brush it off and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"This is one of the best parts of being Fae." Matteo told her. He'd finished up with the doctor and got ownership of Lacey's body. He couldn't tell his brother that Lacey was fine or he'd insist to see her and that wasn't possible for now.
"Burning my body is supposed to be good?"
"I mean you could always bury yourself or send your ashes into space but you need to be cremated for that last one, but I think this is more symbolic. You can send your ashes to space if you still want."
"What's so symbolic about watching myself burn?"
"Because that is your human body. It's a way to rid yourself of anything that kept you down. You're free now. Literally. It's like you put any worries, bad feelings in there and watch it burn."
"Oh?"
"Well. It would be if you had no attachments to the human world, but you have Damon to look forward to. He's distraught."
"Really?"
"You can't see him for a little while though."
"Why not?"
"Because you need to learn to control your new powers, before coming to the human world."
"Matty, please. There's just so much-"
"I don't make the rules, sweetheart. Time will fly, and before you know it, you'll be back on Earth."
"Can you go tell Damon I'm alive, at least? He shouldn't have to be so upset."
"Of course. I'll come see you soon."
"Thank you." She smiled.
"On the other hand, you get to find out about everything I've been keeping secret from you."
"How much is there?"
"Just... know that I do love you and everything I haven't told you, I didn't tell you for your own protection." He said and her eyes widened, before turning back to her burning body. He kissed her cheek before leaving to go find Damon.