Book One: Panacea (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Forty-Two

Diana takes a breath as she pulls the straighteners through her hair. Sat in front of a mirror. Behind her, Elena and Caroline going through their own little beautifying ritual for the stupid pageant. If Diana ever has kids, she is never putting them through this. Jenna appears behind her and plays with her hair a little.

"You okay?" Jenna asks Diana who nods a little in response. She knows that Jenna is only trying to look out for her. "Sorry about before....."

"I know, Jenna" Diana assures her and stands as she settles her necklace on straight.

"You're crazy smart..." Jenna adds. "And I don't want you to waste that, and I know your parents wouldn't have wanted you to waste it either" Diana kisses her cheek and smiles.

"This is what I need to do" Diana points out and picks up her dress bag. Jenna watches her sadly as she leaves the room to get changed.

...............

Diana enters a room to put her dress on, just off of the room that had been set up for makeup. Now she remembers why she hates these events. Amber is already here, she appears nervous.

"Are you okay, Amber?" Diana asks her, Amber nods a little.

"I hate being the center of attention. I get panic attacks." Amber admits.

"Do you need some privacy so you can change?"

"Actually I'm just- I'm gonna go get some air." Amber leaves and closes the door. Diana shrugs a little and hangs her dress up on the top of the mirror before she pulls off her shirt. She glances at the mirror and notices Damon's reflection behind her.

"Get lost, perv" She snaps at him as she shimmies out of her jeans.

"We need to talk, Watchdog" She rolls her eyes at the new nickname.

"Does it have to be right now?" she asks him, her hands on her hips.

"Normally I would have a completely different outlook of what I'm about to tell you but since it could really inconvenience me, I'll squeal."

"What are you talking about?" Diana asks him.

"Stefan's drinking human blood."

"What?!" She snaps and moves closer to him.

"Yeah, a month ago I would have rejoiced but with the council back on the alert, it is not a good time for Stefan to fly off the handle."

"I know he's been a little edgy but Elena said that was normal for him."

"He has a fridge full of stolen blood bank contraband in the house," Damon admits, Diana shakes her head. The door opens and Elena walks in before stopping when she sees them.

"Sit down" Diana tells her, Elena nods and does as Diana tells her. "When were you going to tell me about what's been going on with Stefan??" Diana asks her, Elena opens her mouth and then shoots Damon a glare.

"I told you to tell her" Damon admits.

"She's..."

"Yeah, I get it" Diana stops Elena. "I'm been a little spaced....after.....getting stabbed, but hey, I'm back now" Elena looks at her sadly knowing that she is not back yet.

"Look, Stefan has no idea what normal is, his entire existence isn't normal." Damon continues. "Normal to a vampire is drinking human blood but he spent all this time fighting it when he should have been learning to control it and now it's controlling him instead."

"I can't believe this. I mean, it's Stefan that we're talking about here." Elena comments.

"He's still a vampire" Diana argues.

"Yeah, and Stefan on human blood; he'll do anything, he'll say anything because he's not gonna want to stop. Trust me."

"This is all my fault; I'm the one who fed him the blood in the first place," Elena whispers just before Stefan enters, interrupting them.

"What's going on in here?" Stefan asks looking between the three of them.

"I was just filling Diana and Elena in on your extra-curricular activities," Damon admits.

"What are you talking about?" Stefan asks with a nervous laugh.

"I know about the blood, Stefan" Elena snaps.

"I'm uh - I'll be downstairs, drinking." Damon then leaves. Stefan turns to Diana.

"You think I am going to leave you alone with her in your state?" Diana asks Stefan, he gives her a look, she glares back at him. He turns to face Elena and smiles.

"I was going to tell you."

"When?" Elena asks him.

"I'm fine. I'm fine, the blood, it doesn't change anything."

"It's changing you." Elena points out.

"Why? Because I kept it a secret from you? Come on, Elena, look, giving the way you're reacting right now, can you really blame me for doing that?"

"Are you hearing yourself right now? You've been stealing blood and lying and you say that everything's fine? Everything's not fine, Stefan!"

"So what - so you, Diana, and Damon all of a sudden have everything figured out then?" Stefan asks.

"It's not about Damon. Or Diana. It's about what's happening to you." Elena snaps.

"I know and I'm telling you that I'm fine. I'm fine. Please, come on. Elena, I thought you...I thought you believed in me." Someone is knocking on the door. It's Carol Lockwood, she opens the door and looks in on the two of them.

"Diana, Elena, let's go. The line-up's starting."

"I just...we need a minute." Elena offers, Carol looks at both of them.

"You're not even dressed yet. Escorts wait downstairs, Stefan." He looks at Elena and leaves. Diana shoots Elena a look before she moves to her dress.

.............

The pageant escorts, Richard Lockwood, and a crowd of people are waiting for the girls below the balcony above.

"Miss Tina Fell, escorted by Bartholomew Whitmore." Richard announces. Tina walks down the stairs and meets Bartholomew at the bottom.

........

Upstairs Caroline, Diana, and Elena are waiting to be called down to join the others.

"Has anyone seen Amber?" Caroline asks, Elena peers over the balcony to look for Stefan.

"Do you see Stefan down there?" Caroline looks over next to her.

"Nope, just my boring fill in escort." Caroline answers.

"What happened to Matt?" Diana asks as she adjusts her dress slightly.

"They wouldn't let him out of work." Caroline answers with a sad shrug. She then turns to Elena. "Wait, what happened to Stefan?"

"I don't know, he just disappeared somewhere, I don't know. What am I doing? I never should have gone through with this." Elena rushes out.

"What do you mean?"

"I need to find Stefan, this isn't me, I'm not this person anymore." Elena complains and begins to leave, Diana grabs her arm and yanks her back.

"No, no, no way, no." Diana scolds. "If I'm doing this, you are going to be right there at my side" She states, Elena shoots her a look. "You think this is me anymore, Elena?" Diana asks her. "No...so suck it up. You're doing this because it was important to mom." They share a look, Elena nods a little.

"Miss Caroline Forbes and her escort Jeffrey Lockwood Hamilton." Richard Lockwood announces. Caroline looks at Elena and then goes down the stairs.

"Diana, you're next" Carol warns her. Diana nods a little and takes a breath.

"You look great" Elena assures her. "So.."

"Nope" Diana stops her. "I am not back with Derek, he just offered to escort me" Elena gives her a look, not really believing her.

"Miss Diana Gilbert, escorted by Mister Derek Lockwood." Richard announces. Diana smiles at Elena and then heads down the stairs.