I'll Never Leave

Chapter 13 - Growing Pains

It was a hard day.

Ivy had just watched Alaric die for the second and final time. Watching him fall to the ground in confusion and terror. The look on his face as he became more lucid, etched into her mind. She couldn't escape his expression of recognising his daughter and knowing his fate. His eyes held a mixture of emotions; happy, sad, scared. She was glad that he was himself when he passed but it also broke her heart. She could feel the tears start to reappear replaying the scene in her mind.

The redhead was finally able to have the private time she longed for with her father. Knowing that Damon should be with the girl he loved. Like she did with Noah, she stayed with her father for some hours. Holding his desiccated body, not ready to leave. Telling him everything she didn't get to say when he was alive. Her dreams, her regrets and her promises for the future.

There was no time to mourn once she got back to the Gilbert house. She was bombarded by the realisation that Elena had died too. She found out that Meredith had given Elena Damon's blood to heal her of her haemorrhage. Ivy cursed the brunette doctor, knowing it was worse than she let on. Damon let Ivy know that Elena had yet to wake.

The redhead decided to stay downstairs. Deciding to let the experienced Salvatore brothers confront Elena about her vampiracy. She also wanted to keep an eye on Jeremy who had been feeling suffocated by the recent vampire activity. She knew that this wouldn't help the situation at all.

Jeremy informed her about the incident. She couldn't believe how similar it was to the death of their parents and how petty the blonde original was. The younger Gilbert explained that Stefan saved Matt first as per Elena's request. She had drowned in the process. When Stefan finally rescued the brunette from the sinking car, she was already dead. Stefan took her to the hospital, like any normal person would, hoping to bring her back. That was when the good doctor informed Damon that she had used his blood earlier in the day.

Elena had died with vampire blood in her system.

Ivy felt for Elena. She wouldn't wish this curse on anyone. Yes, they were able to live but they had to drink and possibly kill humans to survive.

As the redhead processed the information, she didn't notice Jeremy exit the room. However, she did notice a rather angry Damon storming into the kitchen. Her eyes followed as he grabbed the first bottle of alcohol he could find. He poured himself a drink, his go-to in times like these. After pouring his drink, he finally saw the redhead.

Ivy opened her mouth to ask how Elena was doing when Stefan entered the kitchen. Ivy saw Damon's shoulders stiffen again at the sight of his brother.

"Way to get her hopes up for something that's never happened in the history of vampirism." Damon reprimanded his brother.

"You know what, you weren't there the day Elena looked me in the eye and told me she never wanted this." Damon drank the contents of his glass in a single gulp. As he did, he silently cussed his brother at the mistake he had made.

"Then you shouldn't have let her die." Damon practically screamed at Stefan. Ivy took a step back in case the men got violent.

"I never meant for her to die. She asked me to help Matt first and I did."

"And now the world has one more quarterback. Bravo, brother." Damon poured himself another drink.

"I made a choice that I will regret for the rest of my life. Now let me try to fix it." Stefan's voice was laced with guilt.

"Hey!" The female vampire raised her voice, stepping towards the brothers. Both of their attention was on Ivy. Ivy's eyes were trained onto the green eyes belonging to Stefan. "She would be more in a state if she knew that you had chosen her life over Matt's." She turned her head to look at Damon. "You know; the guy she grew up with. Her first love." She was getting angrier as she tried to make her point. Damon rolled his eyes at her. "No one wants this life and if they do, they're sadistic." Isobel. "If you were in their shoes, you wouldn't do the same for each other?!" Ivy took a deep breath before continuing. "Just be happy she's alive." Ivy eyed the brothers before leaving the kitchen to go check on Elena.