You Are Worth Saving {COMPLETED ✔️}

Twenty-Five

Abby

Damon parks the car in front of my house. I look around and see Stefan's car and Alaric's car in the driveway. I turn around to Damon. I know what you're thinking. You think Damon and I did some stuff... But we didn't. I told him I am not ready and it seems like he respects that! Not that we didn't do anything at all... I mean, have you seen his lips? They are irresistible!

"Are you ready?" Damon asks. I nod, before I'd think again and ask Damon to get me out of here.

Before Damon leaves the car, I grab his arm. "Let's not make a big deal, okay?" I beg him. "About what?" he asks, genuinely confused. "About... us..." I say. "Why would I? We just kissed," he says, "I kiss a lot of people and I don't tell anyone about that." My heart feels crushed. Did he really say that? Am I really hurt?

Yes, I am. It meant something to me... But clearly not to Damon... I pretend not to be hurt. "Right, I just wanted to make sure," I say and get out of the car as fast as I can.

We walk to the front door and I knock, even though I got a key. But I don't want to search for it.

The door opens. Elena appears in the door opening and smiles thankfully. Without saying anything, she hugs me tight. I hug her back. I did miss her, I am still mad at her, but I missed her too.

When she let's me go, she smiles wide. "I am so glad you're okay," she says. I smile weakly and walk inside. When I walk into the living room, I see Stefan, Bonnie, Alaric and Jeremy sitting on the sofa. They all stand up when they see me. Jeremy walks towards me and hugs me, again without saying anything.

I hug him back as well, holding him longer than usual. I missed him by my side. Again, I am still mad at him, but I sure missed him. "I am so glad to hold you again," he says. "Me too," I admit. I hear a relieved sigh.

When we let go, Alaric walks towards me. Also he hugs me, even though he never did before. I hug him back. It kind of feels safe in his arms. Maybe because I am not mad at him...

When we let go, I see Elena standing besides Stefan and Bonnie. "I am glad you're okay," Stefan says. Bonnie nods, "me too... Jack was quite a freak." I smile and nod in agreement, "can't argue with that."

"So, Bonnie, are we good?" Damon asks her. Bonnie smiles, "yes. He burned as soon as he walked into the sun." Damon grins. "So he is dead now?" I ask. Damon smiles at me and nods, "he is dead." It feels weird to smile about it. He was still a human being... But on the other hand, he tried to kill me.

Elena looks from me at Jeremy. "Jer, why don't you and Abby get everyone something to drink?" She suggests. I look at Jeremy, who looks kind of worried. Then I look back to Elena. "No," I tell her. She seems like she didn't expect that reaction. "Whatever you want to discus, you can do it in front of me," I tell her.

Elena looks over to Damon, hoping he would help her. "Don't look at him, look at me," I demand. Everyone else is quiet. I know I act a bit harsh, but they have to stop with the secrets!

"Abby, I think it's best if you and Jer do the drinks, now," Alaric says. I cross my arms, "I think it's best if you all stop with all the secrets." Jeremy walks over to me, "no, Alaric is right."

My jaw drops. I lower my arms and feel completely alone right now. Even Jeremy is turning against me?!

"No," I tell him, "I have the right to hear what she has to say! It was awful enough of you to lie to my face. Don't go on behind my back!" Jeremy stays quiet and turns around to Elena. "She is right, you know," he says. Elena shakes her head, "no, she is not. And I am sorry Abby, but you are not ready to know everything."

I cross my arms again. "Well, I am sorry too, but Damon already told me everything," I tell her. Elena's eyes go wide, just like everyone else's. They all look at Damon. "She is right. It's time to involve her as well," Damon says.

I look at him the same time he looks at me. I see a small smile forming at his lips, what makes me smile too. "Thank you," I tell him.

"Damon, that is not your decision to make," Stefan says. "Maybe not, but it isn't Elena's either," he says. "I know what is best for her," Elena defends herself. "Yes, and look where that got her!" Damon says.

"I am trying to keep her safe!" Elena says, slowly getting angry. "I understand that, but she can't defend herself if she doesn't know what she is fighting against," Damon says. They are all talking about me like I am not standing in front of them, but I don't care. Damon is genuinely defending me.

Elena stays quiet. "I know it's hard for you, but it's not your decision to make," Damon says. "I hate to say it, but he is right," Jeremy says. He looks over at me and smiles, so I smile back at him.

I look back at Elena, who looks at me. Then she looks at Alaric and Stefan. "What do you think?" she asks. "Damon is right, you know? We can't keep making decisions for her, she needs to know," Alaric says. "We can still protect her," Stefan says, "no matter if she knows or not."

Elena nods, "fine." She looks back at me. "I am sorry that we left you in the dark," she says. A weight falls of my shoulders. "Thank you," I tell her. Then Jeremy walks over to me. "I am so sorry. I didn't want to put you in danger, so I thought it would be best to keep you in the dark," he says. I nod, "I understand... kind of. Just don't ever do it again, because it sucks!"

Jeremy smiles and nods. He hugs me again, this time even tighter than before. I hold him close to me and look over to Damon. He stands a meter away and smiles to me. I smile back and form 'thank you' with my lips. Damon smiles even wider and nods.

That evening, I sit with Jeremy in my bedroom. "I can't believe you rather stayed with Damon than to come home," he says. I smile at him, "I can't either. But in that moment it felt safe around him. He was honest with me and told me what I wanted to know." Jeremy nods, "I get it. I don't know if Damon told you or not, but I know how you felt."

I get confused, "what do you mean?" Jeremy sighs, "Damon compelled me to forget something too." "What? When?" I ask. "When Vicki died... I was there. Stefan killed her right in front of me..." he tells me. I put my arm around his shoulders. "I am so sorry, Jer... I didn't know..." I say.

"Elena asked Damon to compel me to forget it too," he says. I sigh, "why is that always an answer to her?" "Because she thinks it's the best option. She wanted to protect us by not knowing. But that is not the way to protect someone. That is the way to protect yourself," he says. I nod, "you're right. But why did she did it again to me when it went wrong with you?"

"I guess she didn't see another option. But there is now. From now on we are honest with each other," he says. I laugh, "I am not making a pact with you, if that's what you're asking." Jeremy laughs with me, "no, I won't."

Then he turns serious, "but I mean it. No secrets, okay?" I smile and nod, "no secrets."

"Am I still allowed in?" Elena asks. Jeremy and I look up. Elena stands in the door opening. She looks ashamed and worried. I sigh, "promise me to not ever do this again." Elena nods, "I won't. I am really sorry. I was just scared..."

I stand up and walk towards her. "I get it. It's a scary world out there, I understand that now. But we are doing this together, okay?" I ask her. Elena smiles and hugs me. "I promise," she says. I hug her too and reach out for Jeremy.

"I am done hugging for the day," he says. Elena and I let go and look at each other and then at Jeremy. We both walk over to him and pull him in a group hug. "No, please!" He begs. But Elena and I only hug him tighter.