𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆: 𝐒𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐏!𝐧𝐤

...🌑...

𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓, 𝑀𝑌𝑆𝑇𝐼𝐶 𝐹𝐴𝐿𝐿𝑆

𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟎

𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐢𝐫.

My phone buzzed against my ear as I headed towards the cafeteria, intending to help Caroline with the Miss Mystic float for the Founders' Day parade.

"John's still here," Jenna's voice sounded exasperated.

"Let me guess, he's still being an ass," I replied, a small smile tugging at my lips despite the annoyance.

"Yep," Jenna confirmed with a sigh.

I opened my locker, the familiar creak echoing in the noisy hallway. "Elena was running late, but she should be there," Jenna added.

"Okay," I said, slipping my bag into the locker.

"Um, Damon was here looking for you," Jenna mentioned, her tone cautious.

I felt a pang in my chest at the mention of Damon. "Oh," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"I'm not trying to get involved in what's going on between you two. Just be careful, Selene. Trust me, guys like him have a track record of breaking your heart."

"Don't worry, Jenna," I assured her, though I wasn't entirely sure I believed it myself.

"Okay," Jenna said before hanging up.

I was just about to shut my locker when a hand grabbed my arm, pulling me away. I frowned, finding myself being dragged down the hall by Alaric. He led me into his classroom, where Elena and Stefan were already seated.

"What's going on?" I asked, sitting down beside Elena.

"Isobel's here," Alaric said, his expression grim.

My gaze snapped to his, wide with shock. "What?" I leaned back in my seat, trying to process his words.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway, and I looked up as Damon entered the classroom.

"Damon, thanks for coming," Alaric said.

"Sorry, I'm late. My dog ate my uh...never mind," Damon quipped, his eyes landing on me. The hurt and longing in his gaze made my chest tighten, but he quickly turned to Stefan and Elena. "What's with all the furrowed brows?"

"I saw Isobel last night," Alaric said.

"Isobel's here?" Damon asked, glancing at me before turning back to Alaric. "In town?"

"Did you ask her about Uncle John? Are they working together?" Damon continued, his questions rapid-fire.

"No," Alaric answered.

"No, they're not?" Damon pressed.

"No, I didn't ask," Alaric admitted.

"What about the invention?" Damon asked, his frustration mounting.

"Didn't ask," Alaric said.

"Did she know about the tomb vampires?" Damon tried again.

"I don't know," Alaric replied.

"Did words completely escape you?" Damon snapped.

"No, I was a little too distracted by my dead vampire wife to ask any questions," Alaric retorted.

Damon turned to Elena and me, crossing his arms. "What did she want?"

"She wants to see me and Selene, Damon," Elena said, her voice steady despite the tension.

Damon's gaze shifted to me. "You don't have to see her if you don't want to," he said softly.

I finally met his eyes, seeing the worry etched in his features. "I don't think we have a choice," I said quietly.

"She's threatened to go on a killing spree," Alaric explained.

"Oh! I take it that's not okay with you guys," Damon said sarcastically, earning an eye roll from me.

"I want to do it. I want to meet her. If I don't, I know I'll regret it," Elena declared, turning to me for support.

"Yeah, same here," I nodded, feeling the weight of the decision settling over us.

Damon and I locked eyes, an unspoken understanding passing between us.

Here goes nothing.

...🌑...

Standing outside the Mystic Grill, I took a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves churning in my stomach. Damon stood beside me, his presence bringing comfort and tension.

"I'll go inside with you," he offered, his voice low and determined.

"You're not allowed inside. It's one of her conditions," I replied, my voice steady despite my anxiety.

"I don't care, Sunshine," Damon insisted, the endearing nickname rolling off his tongue with a familiar ease that made my heart ache.

"I'll be fine, Damon," I said, mustering a small smile for his sake.

I grabbed the door and walked inside, leaving him behind, feeling his eyes on me until the door swung shut.

I moved past the tables, scanning the room until I spotted Elena. She sat alone at a booth, her face pale and tense. I slid into the seat beside her, glancing around. Stefan stood by the pool table at the back, his eyes never leaving us.

"Can you hear me?" Elena asked Stefan quietly. "Thanks for coming, I'm nervous."

I let out a slow breath, trying to tune out their conversation. My mind raced with thoughts of what Isobel's true intentions could be.

Why now?

What did she want?

A woman with long, curly brown hair and piercing green eyes entered, her movements smooth and deliberate. She placed her jacket in the booth before sliding across from us.

"Hello, Elena, Selene. You both look just like them. That's eerie," the woman said, her voice smooth and unsettling.

Elena's hand found mine under the table, squeezing it tightly.

"Them?" I asked, furrowing my brows.

"Katherine and Anastasia," Isobel replied, a smirk playing on her lips.

"You've met Katherine?" Elena asked, her voice shaky.

"She found me after I turned. Genetic curiosity, I suppose. She would be fascinated by both of you," Isobel said, her eyes locking onto mine. "Especially you."

I didn't like how she looked at me as if I were a puzzle she couldn't wait to solve.

"Is that how you can walk in the day?" Elena asked, eyeing the necklace around Isobel's neck.

"Katherine helped me obtain it," Isobel said almost casually.

"Who's our father?" Elena pressed, her voice stronger now.

"Not important. He was a teenage waste of space," Isobel replied dismissively.

"Can we at least get a name?" I added, my frustration bubbling up.

"A name would be nice," Elena echoed.

"It would, wouldn't it? You both ask a lot of questions," Isobel said, her smile widening.

"Why did you compel that man to kill himself after he told me to stop looking for you?" I demanded, my anger seeping through.

"Dramatic impact. I wish it would have been more effective," Isobel said coldly.

"Human life means that little to you?" Elena asked, her voice filled with disbelief.

"Means nothing to me. It's just part of being what I am," Isobel replied, leaning back in her chair.

"No, it's not," Elena said firmly.

"Not for every vampire," I added.

Isobel's gaze flicked to the pool table. "Your new boyfriend over there by the pool table? Stefan Salvatore. Why Stefan?" She turned her gaze back to me. "You must have been very convincing for Damon not to be here. I know he wouldn't have left your side otherwise."

I opened my mouth to respond, but Isobel cut me off. "Has he told you yet? It seems like Stefan told Elena."

"Told me what?" I asked, a chill running down my spine.

"About Anastasia?"

"Who is she?" I demanded, my voice shaking.

"The only woman he loved. She just happened to be Katherine's sister," Isobel revealed, her smirk widening.

My eyes widened in shock. Elena spoke up, breaking the tense silence. "Why did you want to meet us? Can't be to just catch up."

"Because I'm curious about you two. But the real reason is: I want what your uncle wants. Johnathan Gilbert's invention."

"You know John?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I used to spend a lot of time here when I was younger. John had a crush on me for years. He was the first one that told me about vampires," Isobel said, her tone almost nostalgic.

"So, what made you want to be one?" Elena asked.

"It's a very long list of reasons, Elena. All of which I'm sure you both have thought about."

"No," Elena said firmly.

I shook my head, agreeing silently. Being a vampire meant giving up my magic. I couldn't imagine that.

"That was your first lie. It's inevitable. You're going to get old, Stefan won't. Forever doesn't last very long when you're human," Isobel said, her gaze turning to me. "But you're not lying. It's the same way Anastasia felt when Katherine offered to turn her. But Anastasia turned her down."

I let go of Elena's hand and crossed my arms. "We don't have it."

Elena and I stood up to leave, but Isobel grabbed my arm, forcing me back down. "Sit down," she ordered. I glanced behind her, seeing Stefan start towards us but stopping when Isobel spoke again. "And tell your boyfriend to walk away. I want the invention."

"I already told you we don't have it," I said, my voice steady.

"I know that, but Damon does, and you're going to get it for me," Isobel insisted.

"He's not going to give it to me," Elena argued.

"Not you," Isobel said, turning her gaze back to me. "You. If you don't get it, then the blood will be on your hands."

Isobel stood up, grabbed her jacket, and put it on. "It was nice meeting you, Elena, and Selene," she said with a smile before walking out of the Grill.

Elena started to cry, and I blinked back tears of my own. The weight of Isobel's words pressed down on me, suffocating and relentless.

I got up, my movements sharp and angry, storming out of the Grill. I barely registered Bonnie's concerned look as I pushed past her, my focus fixed on the street ahead.

I crossed the street with purpose, spotting Damon and Alaric. Damon's eyes locked onto mine, and he immediately headed for me, concerned. But I didn't let him speak.

"Do I look like her?" I demanded, my voice slicing through the air.

Damon froze, confusion clouding his eyes. "What?"

"Do I look like her? Anastasia," I repeated, my voice trembling with anger and desperation.

His face fell, and he seemed to deflate. "Yes," he admitted softly, the word hanging between us like a death sentence.

"Were you ever going to tell me?" I demanded, my heart pounding in my chest.

"I thought I wouldn't have to," Damon said, his voice thick with regret.

I shook my head, the hurt and betrayal welling inside me, threatening to spill over.

Without another word, I turned and walked away from him, each step heavy with the weight of what I'd just learned. The realization that I was a ghost of his past love, a shadow he couldn't escape, cut deeper than any physical wound.

...🌑...

Walking through the parking lot of Mystic Falls High School, I couldn't help but notice the chaos of students building floats for the Founder's Day parade. Laughter and chatter filled the air, but I was too preoccupied to enjoy any of it. Just as I was about to head inside, an arm grabbed me, pulling me to a stop.

I raised a brow. "Look, Tyler, I can't help you with Matt."

Tyler's face was a mix of frustration and vulnerability. "I'm trying not to be a dick."

"You almost slept with his mom. I think you need to try harder," I shot back, folding my arms.

He sighed, looking down. "I don't want to be like him."

I softened at the admission. "The fact that you're saying that means you're not."

Tyler offered a weak smile before walking away. I glanced up and saw Matt watching us. Our eyes met, and he gave me a look that spoke volumes.

"He doesn't deserve you," Matt said simply.

I shrugged, trying to brush off the comment, and turned to head inside the school. I went to the science lab, where Bonnie and Elena were already deep in conversation, leafing through Emily's grimoire.

"Do you guys make up?" I asked, sitting down beside them.

They both nodded. "Yeah," Elena said, giving me a small smile.

"So, what's this about Gilbert's invention?" I leaned over the table, looking at a drawing of a compass on one of the worn, yellowing pages.

"That's the vampire compass," Elena explained.

Bonnie nodded. "According to Emily, Johnathan Gilbert never actually succeeded in inventing anything. Emily secretly spelled them all with magic: compass, rings, and the mystery device you told me about."

I frowned as Bonnie flipped to another page, showing a compass with gears inside. "Is that what Damon has?"

Elena nodded. "Yeah, but he only has the one piece."

"Emily pledged her loyalty to Katherine," Bonnie continued. "But she couldn't stand by and watch innocent people get killed. This was the only way she could think of to help. To let Johnathan Gilbert believe that he'd actually invented these devices."

I leaned closer, curiosity piqued. "What does it do?"

Bonnie's eyes scanned the page before she looked up at us, confused. "Are you sure this is what Isobel wants?"

"Yeah, we're sure. Why?" Elena asked.

Bonnie's face grew serious. "This is a weapon. Against vampires."

I exchanged a look with Elena, and both of us were surprised. My phone dinged, breaking the tension.

"I've got to go. Jeremy needs me," I said, getting up.

Jeremy's voice called out to me as I left the science lab and headed back into the parking lot. I turned and stopped as he ran to catch up.

"Selene! I need to say something, and I need you to tell me the truth."

His urgency caught me off guard. "Okay, but you're scaring me."

"Are you a witch?" His eyes bore into mine, demanding honesty.

My eyes widened in surprise. "Yes. But how..."

"I read Elena's diary."

"Jer, you shouldn't have done that."

"Why not? She lied to me."

"She's protecting you," I tried to reason.

"She compelled me to forget about what happened to Vicki."

"I know," I admitted softly.

"You didn't lie," he pointed out.

"Elena has her reasons. Even if you don't understand, you should respect them."

"I keep asking her if she's lying to me, and she says she isn't, but that's a lie," Jeremy said, frustration seeping into his voice.

I opened my mouth to respond when Elena's voice cut me off. "Hey, have you seen Stefan? I need to find him."

Jeremy turned to her. "No, not lately. Listen, do you have a second?"

"Yeah. What's up? What's going on?" Elena asked concern in her eyes.

"It's Anna. I've left her all these messages, and she hasn't gotten back to me, not even a text."

Elena went still. "Anna? I didn't know that you guys were still friends."

"We're more than friends. Look, something could be seriously wrong, and if you know anything, you've got to tell me."

"I haven't talked to her, Jer," Elena said, glancing at me.

"I haven't either, Jer," I echoed.

"Are you lying to me right now? Because I believe Selene, but you not so much," Jeremy said, turning back to Elena.

"Why do you say that?"

"'Cause that's what you do. Lying. You lie about everything. I know what Anna is, and I know that you know. So tell me, do you have any idea where she is?"

"No, but Jer...Jeremy, wait!" Elena called after him as he stormed off.

I sighed, starting after him, when a hand grabbed my arm, stopping me. I looked up, blinking in surprise as Isobel stood before me.

"Isobel," I said, trying to mask my shock.

"Why are you here?" Elena demanded.

"I'm your mother, Elena, and Selene. I want to be more involved in your lives," Isobel said with a smirk.

"I don't want you in my life," Elena retorted.

"Ditto," I added, feeling the anger simmering beneath my skin.

"I understand that. You both already have a lot of people you care about, but I've been studying. Let's see if I got this right," Isobel said, gazing at Bonnie. "There is the witchy best friend, Bonnie. Gonna stay away from that one."

She looked at Jeremy. "Oh...Elena's sad little brother Jeremy."

She watched Caroline. "And there's Caroline...obnoxious Caroline. I got all of my info from her, by the way. She had no idea who I was, and she wouldn't stop yapping. Oh..."

She looked at Matt. "And there's Matt, a friend, Elena's ex, yappy's future ex. Lots of connections there."

"Matt is not involved in this," Elena insisted.

"He's involved with you two, isn't he?" Isobel countered.

"Stay away from them," I said, feeling warmth pulsing in my veins as the wind shifted around us.

"Look, you shouldn't be here. You need to leave," Elena said, her voice strained.

"No, I have some friends here too. Look, you see that man over there, standing next to Matt by the Float? His name is Frank, he's very handsome, and he's also quite handy, and he'd noticed that the axles are a little rusty, which is very dangerous. So, all you have to do is apply a little bit of pressure and..."

I whipped my gaze from Isobel towards Matt and the Float. "No!"

My eyes widened as Frank jumped on the trailer above Matt. Matt's arm got crushed. Elena and I tried to run for him, but Isobel pulled us back.

"Get this trailer! Come on, guys, help me!" Matt shouted.

I watched as Tyler rushed to help him with some friends. They tried to remove the trailer. Stefan arrived to help lift. They removed the trailer. Matt got free, and Caroline rushed to see him.

"Caroline, call an ambulance," Stefan instructed.

I turned to Isobel, who smirked. "Why are you doing this?"

"I'm showing you how easy it is to hurt the people you guys care about," Isobel said.

"All for Gilbert's invention?" I asked, my voice trembling with anger.

"Hand it over, and all of this will stop," Isobel said smoothly.

"I told you, Damon is not going to give it to me," Elena insisted.

"Of course, he wouldn't," Isobel said, turning to me. "He'll give it to her."

"No, he won't," I said firmly.

"I think that you underestimate how much Damon cares about you," Isobel said with a knowing smile.

"He'll kill you before giving it up," I shot back.

"Is that before or after I kill your brother Jeremy?" Isobel's threat hung in the air, and I felt a wave of panic.

"Jeremy?" Elena called out, looking around frantically.

But Isobel was already gone, leaving us with the weight of her threat.

"Jeremy?!" Elena's voice echoed in the parking lot, filled with fear.

...🌑...

I leaned against the couch in the living room of the Salvatore Boarding House, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me. It was the last place I wanted to be, especially after that night, but here I was with Stefan, Elena, and Bonnie, waiting for Damon.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Stefan's concern was evident in his eyes as he looked at me.

I nodded, feeling everyone's gaze on me.

Leaving the boarding house that night had shattered my heart, but I couldn't abandon my friends now.

As I was lost in my thoughts, Damon walked in, his piercing blue eyes locking onto mine before shifting to the others.

"What happened?" Damon demanded, his voice tense.

"Isobel showed up at school today," Stefan replied. "She took Jeremy." Damon's frown deepened. "We need Jonathan Gilbert's invention."

"Absolutely not!" Damon snapped.

"Damon," I began, but he cut me off.

"I'm not gonna give the device to Isobel so she can give it to John, who will use it to kill me. I like being a living dead person."

Elena stepped forward. "But it'll be useless. Bonnie can take its power away."

"I don't trust her," Damon retorted.

Bonnie's voice was firm. "I can remove the original spell."

"John and Isobel will never know," Elena insisted.

"No, I'll get Jeremy in my own way," Damon declared, crossing his arms.

Stefan sighed. "Really? How are you going to do that? Because Isobel is a vampire, and Jeremy could be dead the second you walk in the door."

Damon turned to Bonnie. "Are you even up for this? No offense, you're no Emily Bennett or on the same level as Selene. Emily knew what she was doing."

Bonnie's eyes flashed with determination. "I've been practicing."

"I've been teaching her," I added, meeting Damon's gaze.

Damon looked at me for a moment before turning back to Bonnie. "It's not piano lessons, honey."

Bonnie stepped forward, undeterred. "What's your favorite book?"

Damon raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Name a book, any book."

"Call of the Wild, Jack London," Damon replied skeptically.

Bonnie turned to the library, and with a flick of her wrist, a book flew off the shelf and landed in Damon's hands.

"Great parlor trick," Damon muttered, looking at the book.

Elena's patience was wearing thin. "We're doing this, Damon. Now, give us the device. We're wasting time!"

Damon's eyes narrowed. "I don't trust you," he said to Bonnie. "I tried to kill you."

Bonnie's expression was cold. "Hmm. You're right, you can't trust me."

I pushed off the back of the couch and walked towards Damon, holding his gaze. "You can trust me, Damon."

He frowned, clearly conflicted. I steeled my nerves, knowing what I had to say. "Give me the device, and I'll help Bonnie unspell it."

Damon's eyes searched mine, his frown deepening. "What do I get in return?"

"Me," I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.

Damon's eyes widened in surprise. He walked until he was a breath away from me, searching my eyes for any hint of deception.

"Okay," he finally said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the silver compass. He handed it to me reluctantly.

"Thank you," I whispered, turning away from him to give the compass to Bonnie. "Ready?"

Bonnie nodded, pulling out Emily's grimoire and opening it to the necessary page. We moved to a table with candles, and Bonnie laid the device next to the book. I stood on the other side of Bonnie and held out my hands as I stared at the candles; my magic swirled and lit them in the blink of an eye. Bonnie gripped my hands, and I felt my magic stir and flow into me.

The lights flickered as the small gear lifted out of the compass, suspended between our outstretched hands, before falling back to the table.

"Done," Bonnie announced, picking up the gold gear and handing it to me.

Damon's voice broke the silence. "Great, now what?"

Elena looked determined. "Now we give it to Isobel."

I nodded, meeting my sister's gaze. But as I looked back at Bonnie, a sense of unease settled over me. Something didn't feel right.

...🌑...

I stood in the town square, the chill of the night air biting at my skin. Elena was tense and on edge beside me as we waited for Isobel. The darkness seemed thicker here, more oppressive, as if it held its breath in anticipation.

"Where is the device?" Isobel's voice sliced through the night, making me whirl around. She had appeared behind us, silent and menacing.

"Where's my brother?" Elena demanded, her voice steady but edged with worry.

"This isn't a negotiation. Where is the invention?" Isobel's tone was cold, almost bored.

I stepped forward, feeling the weight of the small gold gear in my pocket. "Again, where's Jeremy?"

Isobel's smirk was almost mocking. "Do you really think I came alone?"

Out of the shadows, a man and a woman emerged, their eyes fixed on us. I felt a pang of fear but pushed it aside. "We didn't either," I said, my voice firm.

Damon and Stefan stepped into the light, their presence a comforting contrast to Isobel's threat. Isobel glanced back at them, her smirk widening as if she approved of our little standoff.

"For god's sake, call home," she said, turning back to Elena.

"What?" Elena's confusion mirrored my own.

"Call home and ask to speak to your brother Jeremy," Isobel repeated.

Elena hesitated, then pulled out her phone and dialed. I watched her face closely, searching for any sign of distress.

"Jeremy, are you okay?" Elena's voice softened, relief washing over her features. "I'll be home soon, alright?"

She hung up, turning to Isobel. "You were never going to hurt him."

"No, I was going to kill him. Don't look for any redeeming qualities in me. I don't have any," Isobel replied, her eyes cold and unfeeling.

"But you took a risk with Damon. How did you know he was going to give it to Selene?" Elena asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Isobel's gaze flickered with something almost like sadness before it disappeared. "Because he's in love with her."

I blinked, the revelation hitting me like a punch to the gut. I didn't dare look at Damon, afraid to confirm the truth in Isobel's words. With a shaking hand, I pulled the gold gear from my pocket and handed it to Isobel.

Elena's voice was cold. "Thank you."

Isobel raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For being such a monumental disappointment. It keeps the memory of our real mothers perfectly intact," Elena said, her voice dripping with disdain.

"Goodbye, Elena and Selene. As long as you both have a Salvatore on each arm, you're doomed. Katherine was smart. She got out. But we all know you're not Katherine," she told Elena before turning to me. "But you might be exactly like Anastasia."

With that, Isobel disappeared into the night, leaving a silence heavy with unspoken words. I walked away from Elena and Stefan, heading straight for Damon.

"Sunshine..." Damon began, his voice softer than usual.

"Can you take me home?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded and pulled me into his arms. I closed my eyes as the wind whipped around us, and when I opened them, we were in my bedroom. I stepped out of his embrace, turning my back to him.

"Look—" Damon started.

"Is it true?" I cut him off, looking over my shoulder, my voice trembling. "Do you love me?"

Damon was a blur of motion, crossing the room faster than I could blink. His hand gripped the back of my neck with a firm yet gentle pressure, pulling me towards him. His lips crashed onto mine with an intensity that stole my breath away. I melted into the kiss, my hands instinctively clutching his leather jacket, feeling the cool, smooth material under my fingers.

Our lips moved together in a desperate, fervent dance. This kiss was different from any other.

It was raw, urgent, filled with a need that seemed to reverberate through every fiber of my being. It felt like something deep inside me was snapping into place, an unspoken bond solidifying between us.

When he finally pulled back, his piercing blue eyes searched mine, scanning for any hint of doubt or fear. His thumb gently caressed my cheek, a tender gesture that contrasted with the intensity of our kiss.

"Yes," he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion. "I love you."

Then, he was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving the curtains fluttering in the wind. I stood there, the weight of his words settling over me.

He loves me.