Potential (Book Four, The Vampire Diaries)

Chapter 9__O Come, All Ye Faithful

At home, in the library, I sat on the couch, going through old pictures. 

Stefan walked in. "What are you doing?" 

"Going through old pictures of my parents," I answered. "Since Damon's not here to mock, I'll admit it to you. I'm feeling sentimental and nostalgic."

Stefan leaned against the back of the couch next to me. "It's okay to miss them once in a while, Nikki." 

"Yeah, I know," I told him. I looked at a picture of my dad and a pregnant woman other than my mom. Her skin was dark. I looked at Stefan. "This picture was taken in 1994. It was before my dad met my mom and had me." I looked at the picture. "So, I could never figure out who this woman was, and whenever I brought it up to Dad, he always made it seem like he didn't remember her. I asked him if she was an ex, but he just said that he didn't want to talk about it." I looked at Stefan. "You have any ideas?" 

Stefan looked as if he knew something I didn't, shaking his head. "Nope. None." 

I raised my eyebrows at him in confused suspicion, opening my mouth to speak. 

Stefan's phone ringing cut me off. 

Stefan answered. "Hey, sorry, I know I'm late. I'm at my house. Why? What's wrong? Well, she’s not here anymore. Damon took Jeremy to the Gilbert lake house with Bonnie so I guess her house is safe for her again. Hey, listen, I got Klaus to tell me a little bit more about this Hunter’s sword. You know that map in Jeremy’s tattoo? The sword decodes it. It’s literally the key to finding the Cure. Yeah, why? Uh, what do you think? What's wrong?" 

Stefan hung up, turning away from me. "I gotta go. Tyler and his hybrids are screwing up the chance to find the Cure." 

"Sure, and when you get back, I'm expecting to hear the story," I told him.

"I don't know the story," Stefan told me, walking out of the library, leaving me alone.

I scoffed, shaking my head, putting the pictures away. 

~~~~

Sitting in front of the fire place, I sat on the couch alone. 

Today, Damon had taken Jeremy to the lake house so that Shane could rewire his brain to stop his Hunter instincts from immediately killing his friends. Bonnie was there too.

Tyler and the hybrids wanted to put Klaus into someone else's body and bury the body in cement so that they couldn't get out, and Klaus would be gone for good. Tyler had offered himself, which didn't settle well for Caroline.

Stefan tried to stop him from taking down Klaus because he had the sword to lead us to the Cure.

Shane had already been to the location where the Cure was, so they didn't need Klaus. 

They had came up with the plan to put Klaus in Rebekah's daggered body and bury them. 

Hayley, the werewolf that had been working with them, had completely turned on them and set up the next sacrifice of 12 hybrids.

April Young knew about Caroline, and knew where Rebekah was. Caroline had tried to compel her, but she had been wearing a vervain bracelet, so it hadn't worked.

Stefan walked in with Caroline. 

 "Matt can't find April," Caroline told us. "I can't reach Tyler. This is a disaster." Caroline sat down on the chair. I remained silent. Caroline looked at me. "Is this you in crisis mode? 'Cause it's a lot more subtle than mine." 

 I shrugged, taking a drink of bourbon.

 "You know, I thought I'd be happier watching Klaus get led away to his slaughter, but for some reason, I can't help but feel kind of guilty," Stefan told us. 

"Yeah, you and me both," Caroline told him. "All day I've been trying to remind myself of all the horrible things he's done."

"See, that's the thing," I told them. "We've all done horrible things. And I'm sitting here, trying to figure out what makes us any better than him. And I think it's just that, we have family we can trust." 

"Yeah, you're right, Nicola," Caroline told me. "Trust is everything." She looked at Stefan hesitantly. "Have you heard from Damon?" 

"Yeah, he's still with Jeremy at the lake house," Stefan told us.

"Did he happen to mention where Elena was?" Caroline asked, avoiding his gaze until the end of the question, looking at him.

Stefan looked at her with a questioning gaze, walking closer. "Wait, why are you--why are you asking me this?" Caroline looked at him with a significant look. Stefan sat next to me in realization, looking incredibly upset. "They're together, aren't they?" Caroline looked guilty and sympathetic. I looked at Stefan, remaining quiet. "How together are they?" Caroline didn't answer, looking away. "Caroline, tell me. How together are they?" 

Caroline looked down at the floor, licking her lips nervously, still not responding.

Stefan didn't have to be told just how together Damon and Elena were. 

~~~~

Caroline was still sitting on the chair.

I was still sitting in on the couch.

Stefan stood next to an end table, pushing over one of the chess board pieces gently.

Stefan took the board off the table, throwing it across the room, pushing the end table across the room.

Caroline closed her eyes, flinching, starting to cry.

I didn't react, sympathetic for Stefan. 

Stefan breathed heavily in anger and pain, staring blankly at nothing, upset and angry that Damon had told him that he would set Elena free, but never had.