[Paris' outfit for this chapter is at the top.]

꧁ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜɪʀᴛʏ-ғɪᴠᴇ꧂
ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜ

❝Have we met before? I feel like I've known you already.❞

♠

Seven Years Later

    VENICE. LONDON. BARCELONA. Maldives. Dubai. Bora Bora. Paris. In the span of seven years, the duo of Paris and Lucien had visited several dream places around the world. They've seen a lot, and they enjoyed it.

Paris was grateful that Lucien went with her. Though Lucien wouldn't have it any other way. Those seven years were the most alive and amazing he has been. Those seven years with Paris Althea Fell were the highlight of his thousand years of life.

But as they travel, vacation after vacation, they always come back to the U.S.

For seven years, Paris never stopped looking for the cure. According to Lucien, considering that he, along with some other witches, manufactured the upgraded immortality serum, the cure for the bite of an upgraded vampire (which they decided to call themselves instead of upgraded original vampires because it was too damn long) is unlike any other.

To cure their bites, they would be needing seven venoms from the seven original packs of werewolves. It was hard finding those packs around the world. It was why Lucien had to practically force Paris into taking a vacation in order for them to relax every now and then.

But after that vacation, they're back at wolf hunting.

Within two years, they were able to acquire six of the seven venoms, and it was hard to obtain them considering that a lot were after Lucien, which then means that they're also after Paris now since the rumors of the upgraded immortal duo spread like wildfire.

Ever since they've got their hands on the six venoms, they started looking for the seventh. Five years. It took them five years before they finally found the last living werewolf of the Malraux pack.

When Paris and Lucien were informed that the Malraux pack was hunted until they were extinct, Paris' heart felt like it dropped. She was so close to returning to Damon. But she never gave up.

The two had sources everywhere, and when they got word that they had eyes on the last living werewolf in the Malraux pack, Lucien and Paris just had to cut their vacation in Maldives short to get there.

Finally. They have all the seven venoms from the seven original werewolf packs. A witch used the venoms to create the cure and now, their next and final stop to their trip, is Mystic Falls.

Lucien stood still as he looked down at the tombstone he had made seven years ago before he and Paris started their adventure together. The tombstone he had made for Alexis.

He thought that burying her at the old cemetery would be a splendid idea. Mystic Falls was where he felt more at home, and he wanted Alexis to be there, too.

Every now and then, he would visit her tomb. Call him crazy, but he still talks to her. He likes to believe that she's still listening. She really is, in fact.

Lucien smiles as he looks at her tombstone before he hears a twig snap behind him, but he doesn't have to be alarmed or anything, he knew that someone was coming.

"How was Maldives?" Said the blonde and green-eyed vampire as he approached Lucien.

Lucien turns around to fully face him before he responded. "Incredible, as always."

"How's Mystic Falls?" Lucien added.

"A mess, as always." Stefan replied.

Lucien and Stefan stood still before they smile widely and gave each other a manly hug. The two were glad to see each other again. He has been in touch with Stefan, Alaric, and Damon. Exchanging how are you's and sarcastic remarks. Paris did the same. Though her and the others kept it a secret from Damon since he still doesn't remember her.

The two pull away from each other and Stefan once again spoke.

"What brought you back here?" He asked Lucien.

The older vampire opens his blazer and pulls out something from the inside pocket. His hand held a small container which has the cure for the bite.

Stefan's facial expression became serious as he looked at the container Lucien is holding.

"Is that-"

"Our holy grail."

Lucien smirked as he handed Stefan the container. He eyed the cure as he held it up before him, still in disbelief. After seven years, they don't have to rely on the dead witches anymore to keep Damon alive. They have the cure.

"Get ready, Stefan. I think it's time for a rather spectacular reunion."

♠

"Lucien? Oh my God! Hi!" Bonnie exclaimed, approaching the upgraded immortal to give him a quick hug.

"I brought fantastic news." Lucien said before he pulled away from Bonnie.

He turned to Stefan and holds up the container for Bonnie to see. Her eyes widened as she looked at the cure.

"That's the cure." She said.

"Yes, it is." Lucien answered.

The Bennett witch smiled widely at the good news. They can now cure Damon. Paris can come back now.

"Where's Paris?" She asked.

Lucien was about to answer when suddenly a voice behind him spoke and he never thought that he would be glad to hear his voice again.

"Well, I'll be damned. Are you homesick, Castle?" Damon greeted as he strolled in the living room with his usual smirk on.

"I just longed for the days I keep pestering you. Happy Birthday, Salvatore." Lucien said as he returned the smirk.

The two turned their smirk into wide smiles as they gave a manly hug.

"Where's your girlfriend? I thought Althea would be with you when you come home?" Damon asked as he pulled away from him.

As Damon and Lucien kept in touch, Damon only knew Paris as Althea, Lucien's girlfriend. Paris didn't want to be involved yet. She wasn't going to reveal her identity until she was sure that she got the cure.

"Oh, she's just out. Walking around. Enjoying the familiar air. We've been breathing foreign ones for a long time." Lucien responded.

"Well, you should invite her tonight. Caroline arranged a rave and for once I'm glad vampire barbie is still alive." Damon said.

It was moments like these that Lucien really wished was true. Moments where the people he cares about treat him like family, and now it's true.

"I'll certainly be there. But before that, I have a present for you." Lucien said.

Damon raises his eyebrows in surprise and looks at all of them with an amused grin until Lucien took the cure from Stefan and handed it over to Damon.

His face dropped at the sight of the container filled with the very thing he has been wishing for. He takes the cure from Lucien's grasp and looks at Lucien in disbelief.

"You found it." He muttered.

Lucien grinned before he replied. "I did."

Damon returns his gaze to the cure and he pushes his lips into a thin line, trying to suppress a wide smile from surfacing but he can't help it.

"Now, I forgive you for biting me." Damon joked.

Considering that Damon forgot about Paris, Lucien took the fall of being the one who bit Damon. Although he did hear of the infamous duo of Althea and Lucien. He can't help but wish he could also have someone like Althea, who would be with him through everything.

Damon removes the lid of the container and drank the cure straight. His face scrunches up as the taste wasn't exactly the greatest.

After swallowing the cure, he could feel like something is happening to him. A sigh leaves his lips before a smile appeared.

He was cured.

♠

Damon left the Salvatore House to meet up with Caroline regarding the rave happening tonight while Lucien remained at the house.

The upgraded immortal stood just outside the house with a glass of bourbon wrapped around his right hand.

Soon, Stefan joined him, his hands inside the pocket of his jeans.

"When is Paris coming back?" Stefan asked.

Lucien furrows his eyebrows but still kept his gaze in front. "She is back. She wouldn't miss Damon's birthday. She has missed it six times already." He replied.

Stefan, like Lucien, fixed his gaze in front as he replied.

"How do you think Damon's gonna handle it?"

"Handle what? Paris' return?"

"No. About you and Paris."

Lucien creases his forehead as he finally averts his eyes towards Stefan, his face wearing a puzzled expression.

"What about me and Paris?" He asked.

"Isn't she your girlfriend now?" Stefan asked.

Lucien's forehead creased even more if that's even possible due to what Stefan had said.

"No, she isn't. Paris and I never happened." Lucien answered.

Stefan looks at Lucien with furrowed eyebrows and thought for a moment before replying. "But the rumors-"

"Are just rumors." Lucien finished even though that wasn't Stefan was going to say.

A lot of people assumed that the duo are in a relationship. Which they are not. But that didn't mean that Lucien didn't try.

"So, within those seven years, the two of you never happened?" Asked Stefan again.

Lucien thought for a few seconds as he took a sip from his bourbon.

"I did try to pursue her. I tried to win her heart over and over again. But it's hard to do so when she's already given her heart to someone else. So, no, Stefan. We had a hell of an adventure. Those were the best years of my life. But nothing happened between us. She loves me, but not in the way I love her, and certainly not the way she loves Damon." Lucien explained.

Stefan continues to look at Lucien as his gaze remained ahead. Stefan could tell that Paris did change Lucien. The moment he entered their lives, he was nothing but trouble. But now, who would've thought that Stefan would treat Lucien like his own brother?

♠

Damon decided to walk instead of taking his car. Now, that he was completely cured, he feels energized. His wide smile can't seem to be removed from his face. It was his birthday and he just received the greatest gift. Little did he know, there was still something that awaits him, or to be exact...someone.

Damon strides along the sidewalk with a cheery attitude before his eyes landed on a girl in front of him. Her back was facing Damon, but still, he got this feeling like she's someone familiar. Like he's supposed to know her.

Damon continues to walk and follow the girl as she walks rather calmly. Her hair being brushed by the wind. Her skin being illuminated by the sun. He feels like he's drawn to her.

Suddenly, the girl stopped walking, or rather, Paris, stopped walking. A hopeful smile tugged on her lips as she felt the presence of the very person she's been yearning for.

She temporarily removes the smile from her lips as she turns around to face the raven-haired vampire.

"Can I help you?" Paris asked.

Damon's lips parted when she turned around. He was stunned by the beauty of the person in front of him. And everything became even better when he heard her angelic voice. He swore he knew her from somewhere.

"Have we met before? I feel like I've known you already." Damon asked.

His blue eyes looked straight into her green ones and he almost stammered as he did. Her eyes are so wonderful that Damon felt like he's being a creep for looking at her that way.

"Is that a new way to pick up girls or something?" Paris teased.

A smile made its way to Damon's lips as he looks down for a moment before looking back at her.

"It's not. Don't worry. I prefer blondes over brunettes anyway." Damon replied.

"Hmm. I don't think so." Paris said.

Damon raised an eyebrow as he looked at her in amusement. "Are you saying you know me better than I do?"

A small smile tugged on Paris' lips before she answered. "Maybe."

"Okay then. Who am I?" He asked.

The brunette vampire thought for a moment, all while maintaining eye contact with the raven-haired vampire.

"You're alone, and you hate it. You question your worth because, for years, you haven't found someone that would make you realize your importance. You feel like you're incomplete. You're longing for someone who would love you for who you are..."

As Damon takes in every word that Paris had spoken, he kept his eyes on her. He admired her beauty, her voice, her smile, the way her hair falls on her shoulders, the way she carries herself. He admired everything about her, and it confuses him.

"And I also know you very much prefer brunettes over blondes." Paris finished, her smile widening.

What confuses him more, is that he feels like this has happened before.

"I'm Damon." He introduced.

For seven years, Paris has been longing for this moment. For seven years she has been longing for the day she gets to tell him her name, and after seven years, she finally gets to tell him.

"I'm Paris."

The smile from Damon's lips dropped as he felt slightly light-headed.

"Are you like him?"

"So this is like... therapy?"

"You're a coward. You hide behind that facade of yours, pretending that you don't care about anything when in fact, you care about everything. You even compelled me to keep you company because you need someone you can pour out your feelings with because if you keep this act going, you're going to lose it."

"Come on, let's get you home."

"R-Ric stabbed you. And it already h-healed."

"I-I don't know what happened. I don't remember anything. I j-just woke up and saw all this blood, and I-"

"You're so hellbent on not letting our enemies hurt me that you forgot to include yourself. You hurt me, Damon."

"I know you call me Sherlock because you think I know everything. Everyone thinks I know the answers to everything, because I'm good at figuring things out. But it's not true."

"I love you, Damon."

Damon turns his gaze towards the girl in front of her. Tears gathering in his eyes as he finally remembered her. A wide smile appears on his lips and with that, a tear escaped.

Paris can't help but tear up herself. Every night before she goes to sleep, she imagines what it would be like if they reunite. But every scene that she imagined was beaten by this very moment. Nothing could beat this moment.

She has searched the whole world for her happiness, and it's clear, that her happiness never left its place. Damon is her happiness, and this time, no one, not an original hybrid, not a thousand-year-old vampire, not even a resurrected crazy witch, is going to take him away from her.

END OF PART TWO;
RADIOACTIVE

END OF DELICATE AND FRAGILE

♠

GUYS. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS. OH MY GOOOOD.

Thank you guys so much for choosing this story! I never thought that a lot of people would even enjoy this book so if you're one of the people who enjoyed Paris' journey, I APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH YOU HAVE NO IDEA. I can't believe the amount of love that this book has gotten and it REALLY warms my heart to see that people appreciated my work!

Again, I AM SO THANKFUL FOR ALL OF YOU. I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH! I'M HOPING TO SEE YOU IN THE NEXT BOOK!