starcrossed ➳ damon salvatore

nine.

TWO DAYS LATER: MID-AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING

CLAUDIA RETURNED TO MYSTIC FALLS after a full day of feeding in the neighboring state of Tennessee, a bit concerned. She wondered why no one had bothered to contact her to see where she was, and assumed that something bad had happened.

She hopped out of her car and walked to the entryway of the Gilbert home, deciding to see if Elena was okay first. She knew that while she had everyone protecting her, there was still a big chance that the human was seriously hurt. She knocked on the door three times, and after not getting an answer after two minutes, decided to walk inside, questioning the fact that the door was unlocked.

Claudia went to the upstairs portion of the eerily quiet house to find Stefan and Elena talking quietly on Elena's bed. Claudia breathed a sigh of relief; the girl was okay. She was sure of that now, and she could stop worrying. Claudia, however, was very shocked to see that Stefan had gotten out of the tomb.

"Claudia!" Stefan was the first to acknowledge her presence and went over to hug her. "Where have you been?"

Claudia smiled brightly, happy at the fact that Stefan was back and seemed okay. "I went over to Tennessee to feed. Damon told me a few days ago that the blood bank here was running low, and I didn't want to raise suspicion by feeding on someone here."

"You could just switch to animal blood," he teased in a sing-song voice. "It's safer and more ethical."

"Don't worry Stef, I didn't kill anybody, just fed. Although, there was this one tasty college boy and I really wanted to drain him completely. I'm pretty sure he was AB negative."

"I see." Stefan chuckled and nodded his head. Claudia noted the way that his shoulders went up and down and his brow furrowed when he laughed.

"How are you though? I'm sorry I haven't been in contact, I thought you were down in the tomb with Katherine, whom I don't want to visit for obvious reasons."

"It's all good."

"Mind me asking how you got out?"

"Ahem," Elena cleared her throat, and Claudia turned to the young girl. "I made a deal with Elijah to get Stefan out. That's all right, right?"

"I think so," Claudia replied, but she was honestly unsure of what Elijah's agenda was. What she knew for a fact though, was one thing in particular. "I don't think you have anything to worry about. Elijah is a man of his word. He doesn't go back on promises, and doesn't take them lightly either."

She reminisced on his promise to her that one day he'd win her heart all for himself and wondered if that day would ever come. Nonetheless, Elijah had never broken his word to her or anyone else, and she didn't think he intended to start.

"Have you talked to Danon?" asked Stefan, changing the subject.

The truth was, no, she hadn't talked to Damon since leaving him entangled with Rose a couple days prior. He hadn't reached out to her, nor had she reached out to him, and Claudia's stubbornness made her keep her distance from the Salvatore.

"No, I imagine Damon is somewhere hooking up with dear Rose." her voice had a hint of envy, which she tried to conceal, but was unsuccessful in doing so.

"What?" Stefan seemed confused. "Rose is dead."

Claudia was in shock. Dead? Last she saw Rose, she was alive and healthy, albeit crying hysterically.

"She died from a werewolf bite," said Elena. "She went crazy and started getting very sick and having hallucinations. Damon had to put her out of her misery. He's really torn up about it. He was here earlier to yell at me about something, but then he left." Stefan then proceeded to tell Claudia that Damon was angry because Stefan had brought Elena's birth father back to town to help them defeat the Originals.