A Dark, Forbidden Love >> TVD

twenty-one

Everything went in slow motion as I ran up the walkway to the porch of our house that was surrounded by a white picket fence. Damon called after me but I wasn't listening because I knew exactly what was going on and right now I wasn't listening to anybody. I ran onto the porch and threw the door opened and was immediately greeted with something being shot into my neck. I choked on my breath as I brought my hand up to the small wooden bullet in the side of my neck. I pulled it out as I heard a grunt and thudding upstairs.

"Jeremy," I muttered as I started to go up the stairs.

"Cassi! Cassi, wait!" Damon called after me as he followed my steps. I stopped at the top of the stairs right as Avery was flown out of the room. I knitted my brows. That couldn't have been Jeremy unless he got some super strength mysteriously. I watched as Avery got back up with a stake tight in grasp and ran back into the room. I heard a gag then a choking of the breath and everything went in slow motion again. As soon as Damon went yo grab my hand I whooshed into the room and watched as Elena leaned over with her hands on the stake.

"Elena?" it came out inaudible as I could literally feel the smirk coming off of Avery. She let go of Elena as she broke the stake in half and pushed passed me but I wouldn't take my eyes off of my sister. I heard Damon let out a breath behind me as we watched Elena began to go down. I whooshed over, catching her before she went to the ground all of the way.

"Elena," my voice cracked. "Where's Jeremy?" I took in a breath as I tried to keep from looking at her. "Damon, call Jeremy!"

I watched as Elena's hands started to desiccate, slowly making its way up her arm and that's when it just started to hit me. I sat her up against her bed and squatted across from her as she managed to get her eyes to mine.

"Cassidy," she breathed. I shook my head as I hid it while I began to take unsteady breaths while tears flooded down my face. This was all my fault. I looked back up to see that the desiccation was almost all the way through her body. I watched as she slowly closed her eyes and her head lolled to the side slightly.

"Elena?" I choked out. I lightly shook her but got no response as her body continued to topple over. Tears escaped my eyes as in the back of my mind it began to come clear what was going on here. "Elena!"

I heard a gush of air behind me and stomps running up the stairs. I shook my head aggressively as I went to shake her again, but I felt arms go around my waist to pull me up and away. I shook my head as I let out heavy sobs that turned raspy from the excessive crying. I tried to free myself from the arms but I couldn't find the strength in me to break free from them. I heard Jeremy whisper a no as he shuffled into the room as Damon pulled me out of it. I screamed as I grabbed the doorway to stay in the room.

"Cassi," Damon said helplessly in my ear as I could hear the sadness in his voice. I could hear the breaking in his voice at what was going on in front of him. My fingers slipped from the door and I allowed Damon to carry me down the stairs to the couch. I sat there looking at my hands as I couldn't get control of my crying. Damon put his arms around me and brought me into his chest as I felt it shake a little bit. I heard the front door get thrown open.

"Cassidy! Elena!" I heard Caroline scream. Just as she screamed there was a this upstairs and a male scream. I stood up from Damon and looked at Caroline who looked at me concerningly. "Cass?" she whispered.

"I .. I have to go up to, Jeremy," I looked down at Damon as a sob forced its way out of my chest. He rubbed my hand before allowing me to make my way up the stairs and that's when I could vaguely hear Caroline ask Damon what happened.

I shuffled into Elena's room where I saw Jeremy holding her close to him as he leaned back against her bed with his face in her hair. I choked on air as I brought my hand to my mouth leaning against the doorway. He looked up and we locked eyes before we both looked to Elena again and I knew exactly who we needed to call.

"Jer .. why don't you come down - "

" - I'm staying right here," he quickly interrupted me with the most serious look. I let out a shaky breath as I turned around to nearly run into Caroline who quickly put her hand over her mouth.

"Oh my god," she whispered as her eyes immediately welled up with tears. I had to go back downstairs before I saw Care cry. She always made me break.

I pushed passed her and downstairs to Damon and grabbed his phone out of his hand. I sniffed as I wiped the tear from under my eye and swiped through his contacts before coming in contact with the name. I clicked on it then pressed the phone to my ear as Damon gave me a curious look. I waited as it rang then there was a voice on the other line.

"Damon, I'm a little busy right now, bud. I can't grab a drink with you right now," I heard the laughter in his voice that was about to go away. He was having such a fun time wherever he was while doing whatever it was he was doing. I took in a shaky breath as the image of Elena popped into my head. I suppressed from letting anymore signs of a mental breakdown being obvious right now. With the long silence, he knew something was wrong. "Damon?"

"Tell him you're not me, Cassi," Damon whispered quickly as he sat up straighter on the verge of standing up. I held my hand in front of him as I took in a deep, shaky breath.

"It's not Damon," I said quietly with an unstable voice as I watched Stefan walk inside with a deep breath. He pursed his lips as he could already tell what might've happened.

"Cass? Are you okay?" his voice went from laughing and happy to serious and concerning. He had always been there for us since for as long as I can remember.

"I need you, Alaric."

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