Always And Forever | Elijah Mickelson

reunited

It took Celia 10 minutes and approximately 4 blood bags to even change from stone to skin. Her entire body felt like it was on fire as all her organs started working again once her veins started pumping the blood. Her heart frantically began beating again and she finally felt air hitting her lungs. It was then that she collapsed to the ground, not enough blood in her system to keep her upright.

Then she felt it. Something around her arm. Something strong and warm holding her tight. She moved her head towards the direction, hearing multiple cracking sounds as her muscles moved. It took almost every bit of strength she just gained to simply open her eyes but it what she saw was so worth it. It's the sight she had hoped for ever since she has been trapped inside that box.

"B-Brother..." she said or better tried to. Her lips, even though they were covered with blood, felt dry and to move her jaw hurt incredibly.

She opened her mouth to say more, to say more to the blurry image of her beloved older brother but her instincts took over when she felt blood close to her mouth again. Her face changed, the veins under her eyes popping out and fangs exposing themselves as she bit into whatever source of blood she was given. Could have been a human, an animal or something else. The predator inside her didn't care as long as it was fed.

She didn't know how much time passed, had lost a feeling for that a long time ago but soon enough she felt.... alive again.

And it was horrible.

All her senses came back at once. She could suddenly see clear, see the astonished faces of her brothers. She could feel the heat of the fire, could hear the crackling of the flames.

"Cece."

Her head snapped back to Damon and then to Stephan. The corners of her mouth moved upwards.

"I'm finally here," she spoke, utter relief washing over her, taking away any over-sensation she might have felt.

"Oh god," Damon said before he threw himself at her.

Celia gasped at the feeling of contact, the warmth, the smell, the sound of his heartbeat rushing over her.

"Brother!" she called out happily, clinging onto him.

She hadn't even noticed the tears that were streaming down her face, not until they forced her to blink.

That's when she noticed Stephan who was sitting in front of her and Damon, unmoving, blood all over his hands.

"Stefano," she breathed out, reaching out for him.

From afar Bonnie watched in awe how both Salvatore brothers, who she had only ever seen at arms length of each other, clung onto their sister, not caring that they were also hugging each other in the process.

"I cannot believe that I finally made it here!" she heard the girl say. Bonnie decided to step closer and upon seeing how weakened the revived vampire still seemed to be she lowered the flames.

The three of them exchanged more words of astonishment between them, ('I can't believe you're here!", "I'd never thought I'd see you again!") when finally Celia dropped the bombshell.

"Where are father and mother?" she asked Stephan, grabbing his shoulders while looking around them.

Both brother's stopped in their tracks and turned to look at each other.

"Mother and father?" Damon asked, reaching out to hold his sister elbow to steady her weak form.

"Shouldn't they be here, waiting for us? Or did they already move on?" Celia asked, her eyes still roaming around but catching nothing but flames. They hurt her eyes and she shut them tight, alarming Stephan.