Merciful - TVD [2]

39

Days had passed and the night that Klaus killed the hybrids, it didn't end up being his only victim. He killed Tyler's mom that evening as well.

Mallory felt guilty, of course, for Klaus doing such a thing to Tyler. However, she knew that two years ago, if she had been in Klaus' position and someone like Tyler betrayed her, she would have most definitely done something like Klaus had to claim vengeance.

She and Klaus weren't all that different in that way. Mallory just had a better time at hiding that part of herself from those around her.

"Carol Lockwood always said that togetherness, in times of tragedy, leads healing," Sheriff Forbes addressed those sitting in the stands of the high school's gym during Carol Lockwood's memorial.

Mallory sat beside Tyler, who remained silent during the entire thing.

"That one community is stronger than a thousand of its members. But how does a community stay strong after losing its leader?" Liz continued on and Mallory sighed deeply, "And Carol was so much more than just a mayor. She was...an open-minded friend, and a concerned mother, taken from us too soon by a terrible accident."

"Screw this," Tyler suddenly muttered under his breath, unable to take it anymore.

Mallory looked up, watching as he stood up before leaving the scene. She was on the verge of chasing after him, but decided against it. He was grieving and he wanted to do it alone. She needed to let him do just that.

_____

That day at school, Mallory was walking through the hallways with Caroline. Caroline ended up getting a call from Stefan, which she was quick to put on speaker. "Hey, you're on speaker. Mallory's here," She told him before Mallory spoke up.

"You just missed the mandatory all-school assembly, you idiot," Mallory complained in an annoyed tone, "If I'm here, it means you need to be too."

"Well, that's because I'm at a Mandatory all-alone drinking party," Stefan retorted, an eye roll from Mallory.

"And you didn't invite me?" Mallory asked, letting out a large scoff.

"Seriously?!" Caroline exclaimed in frustration after hearing Stefan's words, "You decided to go on a ripper bender now?"

"My brother slept with Elena," Stefan stated in annoyance, "Kind of puts a little bit of a damper on things."

"First of all, you are not supposed to know that," Caroline complained while Mallory's eyes widened since she hadn't known, "Second of all..."

"Second of all..." Mallory spoke up, butting into the conversation, "Tyler is already spiraling, and he gets priority from me and Caroline by association."

"His Mother just died, Mal," Stefan argued in an annoyed tone, "What did you expect?"

"Well, maybe he shouldn't have been an idiot and listened to me. Perhaps then his mother wouldn't have died," Mallory retorted with an attitude, causing Caroline to stare at her in disbelief.

"Mal!" She scolded her friend as she stared at her with wide eyes.

"What, Care? It's true," Mallory complained as she sighed in a frustrated tone, "I sympathize with him, I do. I'm his girlfriend, after all. But how the bloody hell am I supposed to help him when he won't even talk to me? Instead, he's all angry and it doesn't help that everyone keeps referring to his mother's death as an accident, which is just a polite way of saying that she was drunk out of her mind."

"You think Klaus killed her?" Stefan suddenly asked Mallory scoffed.

"I don't think it, Stefan. I know it," Mallory replied with an attitude.