Book Two: Aquiver (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Twenty-One

Back at the Gilbert house, Diana sits on the couch staring at the wall when Alaric walks towards her. Damon decided he was going to deal with Mason's body and gave Alaric the green light to take Diana home. Not that it hasn't been awkward. The drive over. Them waiting for dinner with Jenna. She's not really interested in being nice right about now.

"Here" Alaric holds out a bowl of soup to Diana who raises an eyebrow at him.

"I don't eat any more" she counters. He lets out a breath and gives her a look. She takes the bowl from him.

"So how does this new you thing work?" he asks as he sits next to her. "You don't eat....do you sleep?"

"Keep going till I burn out" She admits. "Pass out for a few hours, then wake up and do it all over again....well, that's how it's been the last few days" She looks at Alaric. "And it's not like I've done this before" Elena walks downstairs and into the living room to join them.

"Where is Jeremy?" Elena asks.

"Oh, he went straight up to his room. He said he wasn't hungry." Alaric answers, Elena looks at Diana and then at Alaric.

"How is she?" Elena asks.

"Not deaf" Diana mumbles. "I am fine" She comments and shoots Elena a look. Elena shrugs a little and then looks at Jenna in the kitchen, she is on the phone with someone.

"Who is she talking to?"

"I don't know." Alaric answers as Jenna walks towards them.

"Of course, I understand. Elena, it's for you." Jenna hands her the phone.

"Who is it?" Jenna shrugs but doesn't say anything. Elena takes the phone and places it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hello, Elena." Elena looks at Alaric who looks questioningly at her.

"Katherine." Elena greets, Alaric's eyes widen slightly.

"Did you enjoy your little rendezvous with Stefan this morning? I will always know, Elena. I will always be one step ahead of you. When are you gonna figure that out? Do you know how easy it was to get inside of your house? To replace Aunt Jenna's vervain perfume, to convince her to stop drinking her special tea?" Elena looks over at Jenna. Alaric wants to know what's going on, but Elena puts her hand up, gesturing to him to hold on. Diana listens to the conversation.

"No." Elena whispers.

"Jenna's been my little spy for days now. But unlike you, Jenna actually listens to me. So when I suggested that the world would be a much better place if she were to just..." Jenna holds a knife into the air and aims it at her stomach. Diana holds out her hand and quakes the knife from Jenna and then rushes forward as Jenna dives for the knife. Diana kicks the knife away and grabs Jenna's hand to stop her reaching for it.

"Help me!" Diana shouts and Alaric and Elena hurry to her. "Grab her arms, I need to get to her head" She tells them. Elena and Alaric grab an arm each. Diana holds Jenna's head and concentrates. "Look at me" She orders, Jenna's eyes flicker to her as she obeys. "Good girl...Jenna, the world is not a better place without you in it" She tells Jenna. "You are loved and you are needed...don't ever try and kill yourself again no matter who tells you to. And never stop drinking your special tea no matter who asks it of you" Jenna nods in her hands, Diana lets her go and falls onto her backside. Alaric crouches at her side.

"I knew you were in there somewhere" Alaric whispers in her ear, she looks at him. They share a look. He smiles at her before he helps Elena with Jenna, getting her to her feet.

"Get her to bed" Diana tells them. "She'll be tired" She lets out a breath and closes her eyes.

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

"Jenna's sleeping" Alaric tells Diana who nods a little and scratches at her neck. He moves closer to her and takes her hand and turns it palm up, her hand is already healing but it is likely going to scar. "How does this feel?" he asks her.

"Like I burnt my hand" She answers and gives him a look, he nods and looks up from her hand. "Why do you still look at me like that?" she asks him.

"Because I love you" he tells her. "That hasn't changed in four days" she shrugs a little. "And that doesn't change simply because you are struggling right now..."

"I'm not struggling, Ric, I'm evolving. Darkness is my path now..."

"Maybe it's not so black and white" he argues. "Whatever you are now, there is still the old you in there, somewhere....I've seen her" she sighs and looks away from him.

"What does it matter?" She counters.

"It matters because you can still fight that darkness" He tells her.

"No, I can't" she argues. "This is what I am now, there is no going back" Elena walks down the stairs and runs her fingers through her hair, she glances at Alaric and Diana, Alaric glances at Elena and then pulls away from Diana.

"Why would Katherine hurt Jenna?" Alaric asks.

"Because she's trying to send a message. That she could get to anybody." Elena answers, she starts to cry and turns away. Diana glances at her and then sighs.

"Come here." Diana tells her and takes Elena's arm to pull her into a hug. "It's gonna be okay."

"No, it's not."

"She's gonna pay, Elena. I don't know how but that bitch is gonna pay." Diana shares a look with Alaric. "I'll make damn sure of it" She promises.