CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Nyx is sitting in Stefan's bed at the Boarding House and her knees are pulled up to her chest. She pushes her hair back, and Stefan looks at her from where he's laying. He rests his hand on her back, and she turns her head to look at him.

"Are you alright?" He asks, and she nods.

"Yeah. I was just thinking about last night — what happened to me and Elena." She tells him, and he nods. "You know that really painful witchy thing where they make vampires' heads feel like they're about to explode or something?"

"Yeah." He nods as he sits up. He tries not to look at the K that's still scratched into her cheek; he can't wait for it to heal. The only person that it bothers to see more than him, is her.

"It was like that, only...about a thousand times more painful." She says, and he wraps his arm around her, pulling her closer to him. "Anna told us that the angels wanted Elena to be human, and that we would be stronger together than I was alone."

"You think this has something to do with that?" He asks, and she shrugs.

"What else could it be? I mean, we've been human at the same time before, but not while there were angels harassing me." She shakes her head. "Whatever it is that they want from us... I just have this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that...it's starting. And I have no idea what it even is."

"We'll figure things out. We always do."

"This is different. It's not Katherine or Klaus, and we didn't technically get rid of Klaus, by the way. He knocked up some werewolf and then just skipped town." She reminds him.

"Have you talked to Cas any more?" He asks, and she shakes her head. "Maybe you should. He could have a few answers."

"Yeah, or another death threat to hang over my brother's head." The brunette scoffs. "I'm not going to Cas. Especially when he has his ass-hat of a sidekick with him."

"Well, it's only been a night since what happened with you and Elena. We need more time." He says, and she nods.

"Thank you. I couldn't have saved her if you hadn't been there." She tells him. "I was too terrified of all the unknowns, and I honestly didn't think I could do it just because I wanted to. You helped me save my sister."

"I'm always gonna be here for you." He says, and she smiles as she leans over and kisses him. He groans when his phone starts ringing. "I'm gonna kill Lexi." He says as he reaches for it, and she chuckles.

—

"I had Duke send over Colin's medical records. This head scan is from earlier this week." Jo says as they look at the scan of a cancer patient. Then she puts up another with significantly more red in it. "And this one...was taken right here ten minutes ago. See all that red?"

"Well, I'm not a doctor, but that guy is screwed." Damon says, and Nyx smacks his arm. He narrows his eyes as he looks at her.

"So, the blood didn't heal him, it sped up his cancer and killed him." Lexi says.

"So, now I have a stage ten cancer patient, which by the way, doesn't exist, who is beyond terminally ill and a vampire." Jo says. "Meaning all of his emotions are heightened, and he can't die."

"Hey, no offense, but can someone tell me why I was called down here to listen to the story of Colin the cancer vamp?" Damon asks.

"Such an ass." Nyx mutters, and Elena looks at her. She knows that her sister's frustration isn't actually with Damon at the moment, they're both just on edge after last night.

"Because Caroline had Lexi feed me her blood last night." Liz says as she walks into the room with her daughter, and everyone turns to look at them. "So, the same thing is gonna happen to me."

—

"How are you feeling?" Jo asks, and Nyx groans, annoyed by the question.

"Who cares how I'm feeling? How's Liz?"

"I will tell you all about Liz after you tell me what's going on." She says, and the annoyed twenty-year-old shakes her head.

"I'm tired of being coddled by my boyfriend and all of my friends." She tells her. "I just got a little dizzy. Okay? I haven't been sleeping well, and I just found out that one of the best people in my friend group is possibly going to die faster than we originally thought. Can we please focus on her?" She stands up, but Jo stops her from leaving.

"I think they're right to be worried." Jo tells her. "You and Elena both went through something very traumatic last night. She died, you brought her back, and then your heads... I want to run some tests on the both of you, Nycole. And I did the same thing to Caroline after we saved her, remember?" She says, and Nyx sighs.

"I've been having a hard time sleeping, I get a little dizzy, and sometimes I'm sort of nauseous. Which all lines up with the concussion that I just had." She says. "I am constantly stressed, and I miss my babies like crazy. My body's just taking a little longer to heal. I promise you, I'm fine, Jo."

"I'm sure you are, but let me run some tests anyway. Stefan's worried, Elena's worried, and I talked to Ric. So is he." She says. "If you won't do it for you, then do it for them."

"I agree, and you'll tell me about Liz?" She asks, and Jo nods. "Fine. Run the tests."

The doctor goes to get what she needs to draw Nyx's blood and then she comes back to the room. "Well, vampire blood is the problem, then giving her a full transfusion of human blood...might stabilize her condition." Jo explains as she draws blood.

"Might?" Nyx echoes.

"We're in uncharted territory here. This isn't just a medical problem, it's a magical one. I am doing the best that I can." She says, and Nyx nods.

"I know." She sighs.

After Jo's done, Nyx goes out to the waiting room and sees Damon. "You don't look so good." He says as she sits next to him.

"Gee, thanks." She says sarcastically.

"No, you look pale. Have you eaten anything?" He asks, and she nods.

"Stefan made me eat after we got back to the house last night." She tells him.

"What about this morning?"

"I was in the middle of pondering the angels and their plans for me and my sister when Lexi called Stefan. We didn't really have time." She sighs.

"Well, we should get you some food." He starts to get up, but she grabs his arm and he looks back at her.

"I know you're not a fan of my relationship with Stefan, and I've been mad at you for lying to me and keeping secrets, but... We are still friends, right?" She asks as she looks at him. "Because believe it or not, that still does mean a lot to me. And I've kinda lost a lot already, so..."

"My problem with your relationship with my brother isn't that it exists, it's that I found out through Elena and not the two of you." He tells her. "I was in love with you once, I'm not anymore. And I value our friendship too. So, yes, we are still friends, Nyx." He says, and she smiles weakly at him.

"Good. And I'm sorry that we didn't tell you ourselves. I wanted to, we both did, we just didn't know how." She says, and he nods.

"Hey, does he know about..."

"You and I making out in the kitchen in the prison world?" She nods. "No secrets. Kinda important to me."

"Good." He nods. "I'm gonna go find you some food before you pass out again."

"I didn't pass out." She argues, shaking her head, and he smirks as he stands up.

"Hey." Stefan walks over, and she looks up at him. "How are you feeling?"

"My arm hurts." She whines as she shows him where Jo drew the blood. "My boyfriend is being a massive pain in the ass."

"He's just looking out for you." He smiles as he leans down and kisses her.

Jo walks over to them then, and Nyx stands up as they both turn to face the doctor. "The transfusion didn't work." She says, and Nyx's hand immediately finds Stefan's. "But we're not gonna stop trying. I'll keep looking for anything that I can find."

"Have you told Caroline yet?" Nyx asks, and she nods.

"She took off. Lexi went after her." She tells them. "I'll find you after I get the results of yours and Elena's tests."

"I should call Sam." She says as Jo walks away from them. "He and Caroline have been close since she was helping me with the twins after I turned. He should be here for her. She won't call him herself, but..."

"Nyx..." He wipes tears from her eyes.

"They don't deserve this, Stefan. Liz is a good person, and Caroline... She's so happy and optimistic even in the face of everything we've lost. She makes everyone feel better all the time, and..." She shakes her head. "Liz is always there for everyone. She was there after my parents died. She lost her best friend, and she put us first. She's kind and she's selfless. She doesn't deserve to die like this — slow and painful. Young."

A little while later, Nyx and Stefan walk into Liz's room, and they both immediately stop when they see Kai. "What the hell is going on?" She questions as Stefan pulls her to him.

"He's gonna siphon the magic out of Liz, and then she should be fine." Damon tells them, and Kai places one hand on the sheriff's arm and his other on the side of her head.

"And he's doing this out of the goodness of his heart?" Nyx raises her eyebrows. "No, because he doesn't have one."

"Clever." Kai says sarcastically. "Now, be quiet so I can concentrate."

"I can't be in here for this." She turns around and walks out of the room, pulling Stefan with her.

Nyx's phone rings a little while later, and she pulls it out of her pocket to see that it's Carter calling. "Hey, is—"

"Where are Damon and Kai?" He cuts her off.

"I left them with Liz a few minutes ago. I don't know now." She shakes her head. "What's wrong?"

"I just woke up on the floor of Ric's apartment because Damon put a needle in my neck." He tells her. "He's gonna make sure that Liv and Luke merge tonight, but if that happens, I lose her. She's the best thing that's happened to me since my parents died, Nyx. I can't lose her, not like this."

"Find Liv, protect her. I'll look for Damon and Kai. Okay? I promise." She says and then hangs up the phone.

"Nyx?" Stefan grabs her arm before she can take off.

"We have to find Jo." She tells him, and they both go searching through the hospital.

It's a while before they finally find Damon, and he's not happy. But he just pushes past them and goes to compel a doctor to save Liz. They quickly start to follow them back to Liz's room, but then Cas suddenly appears directly in front of Nyx and Stefan.

"Hello, Nycole." The angel says as he looks down at her.

"Get out of my way." She tries to push past him, but he grabs her and the two of them disappear from the hospital.

"N— Nyx!" Stefan yells as he looks around.