The Fun Gilbert (The Vampire Diaries)

Chapter 4- Friday Night Bites

3rd Person P.O.V.

Jessica Gilbert gets up early to go for a run like she does most mornings. Having something else to do always made her forget her problem, it's like when she runs she leaves them in the dust. It usually works but for some reason, she can't leave this one problem in the dust. Her parents died when that car went off that bridge. Miranda died on impact but Grayson, Elena, and Jessica were all lucid until slowly they all passed out. Elena, then Jessica, and then Grayson. Everyone wondered how Jessica and Elena got out. Everyone knew Jessica was in that car but she was found so far from the accident people wondered about her even more than Elena. Jessica had heard all the rumors from Caroline, that she was at some special mental hospital in Europe although the reasons varied.

The two most common were that she had a psychotic break from surviving the crash, which could've been realistic if she hadn't stuck through a whole semester after their deaths, so there would've had to be something to push her over. Most people weren't smart enough to realize that though, and Caroline Forbes was more than happy to throw it in their faces. The other top reason was that Jessica was anorexic which just simply wasn't true. There's nothing more to say about it.

Once she finishes her jog, she goes home and showers. Unlike Jeremy and Elena, Jessica's room had its own bathroom like her parents' room that Jenna is currently occupying. After finishing her shower and getting dressed in some short white shorts and a red top, because red looks amazing on her as Caroline always says, she packs a bag for cheer after school, and finally goes to wake Jeremy. She knows he doesn't need to get up yet but she's going to get breakfast at the grill and hasn't seen Jeremy since getting back so she didn't get to ask if he wanted to go. Elena had already declined.

She walks into her little brother's room and sits on his bed, subtly shaking him as she whispers his name. Suddenly, he shoots up, looking at the clock. Seeing the time, he turns, ready to yell at whoever woke him up this early, only to see who it was. "Jess?" He questions.

"Hey JerBear, I didn't see you yesterday when I got home so I was wondering if you wanted to go get breakfast at the grill with me."

"In your death trap?"

"Oh whatever Jer, I don't see your car anywhere." He laughs before declining her offer. Before she leaves him to go back to sleep, she tells him something she's found herself repeating countless times since her parents' death. "Jeremy, I love you, and I know you are grieving and I won't judge how you choose to do that, but cut Jenna some slack, okay? She gave her life up for us. She didn't have to do that but she did because she loves us so at least attend Tanner's class. Screw everyone else but that asshole called her a bad guardian so just help her out a little. Please, for me." Jeremy grumbles a 'fine' before turning away but he's smiling, happy that his big sister is still proud of him and not trying to control him like Elena and also glad that she is just as empathetic as before the accident.

Jessica grabs her backpack and gym bag before heading to her car. She drives a 1989 Chevy Impala that's on pretty much it's last leg but she got it cheap and her dad said she couldn't drive on her own until she proved she was responsible and the deal was a car, he never said a good car. She pulls into the grill and gets some pancakes. Once she finishes her breakfast, she goes back to her car, having about 15 minutes to get to school, which gives her plenty of time to talk to her friends before class, only to find her car won't start. "Come on, not today. Please not today," she mutters, trying, again and again, to get it to start but it won't. She has no choice but to call a tow truck. She goes to the repair shop with the driver while they assess the damage. They say it should be ready by the end of the day so Jessica decides to skip another day of school because it's not like she needs it.

Meanwhile, at the school, Tyler and Matt talk while Tyler throws a football around with one of his friends. "Hey, 'd you hear Jessica comes back today?" Tyler asks, raising his brows suggestively.

"Yeah, actually, I did. From her, because we're friends and everyone knew anyway because God forbid the Queen of the cheerleaders miss the first real practice of the season." Matt says laughing. Tyler rolls his eyes.

"Hey, Jess and I are friends too, I've just been busy and haven't gotten around to talking to her in a while and she's been at practice the whole summer dude. She skypes. You think Caroline came up with those moves?" Matt goes to reply but Tyler spots Elena and Stefan and shifts the conversation to them, not wanting Matt to find out he asked Jessica out as well and got the same 'I don't feel that way about you and I don't want to ruin our friendship over a relationship I know won't work' rejection. Tyler tells Matt he should show Elena what she's missing before sending the football right at Stefan, whose back is facing them, instead of his football buddy, only for him to catch it, making Tyler angry.

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After school, Elena and Bonnie head to cheerleading practice. Elena invites Bonnie to dinner at her house to get her to bond with Stefan, but once Bonnie learns he's going to be there she tries to back out before quickly changing the subject. "Where's Jessica? I haven't seen her all day. Wasn't she supposed to be back today?"

"I don't know. She was gone before I left now don't change the subject, you're going."

"Fine," Bonnie concedes, before adding, "But seriously, where's Jess? She's never been late to practice. Is she not coming?"

"Bonnie, the team will survive without her for one practice," Elena jokes to hide her worry about her seemingly missing sister.

"I guess it's just weird. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're here since I didn't think you'd come, I just don't think I've ever had a cheerleading practice without Jess."

"I'm sure she'll show." Suddenly, a baby blue 1969 Chevy Camaro pulls up. The door opens and Jessica gets out. Then, Caroline is over by Elena and Bonnie whispering about some mystery guy but Elena doesn't really hear because she's too focused wondering what Jessica is doing with him, why she missed school to presumably hang out with him, and most importantly, what she whispered that caused a shocked look to appear on his usually emotionless face and a satisfied look to appear on hers. Elena notices Bonnie mention a mystery guy and Grill to Care and realizes they don't know who Damon is, so she speaks up. "That's no mystery guy. That's Damon Salvatore." Elena says.

"Salvatore as in Stefan?" Bonnie questions. Elena goes to reply but is cut off by Jessica, who has taken her place at the front of all the cheerleaders with Caroline taking her place at her side almost instantly.

"Okay, everybody. First, I want to say how much I missed all of you but you have to admit, I got one hell of a tan while I was away." Everybody laughs and Jessica continues. "Next, I would like to say that I'm sorry for being late but my car broke down this morning and I spent the entire day at the repair shop because they said it would be done in time for practice and it wasn't. Lucky for me," she says in a tone that implies she is anything but. "I ran into someone who was...nice enough to offer me a ride, so here I am. Now let's get started. Care," she says, giving Caroline one of her award-winning smiles which the blonde instantly returns, before beginning practice.

"Alright, let's start with the double pike herkey hurdler, what do you say?" Everyone starts doing it but Jessica quickly notices that Elena isn't into it and is messing everybody up.

"Elena, why don't you just observe today, you know, try the routines outside the group. It might be easier than trying to keep in time with everyone, okay?" Jessica asks, giving her a wink. Elena smiles and gives her a nod before going to watch the football boys to see how Stefan is doing, and it looks like he's made the team. Elena smiles, proud of Stefan, and Jessica smiles towards her sister, happy that she finally seems content.