୧‿̩͙ ˖︵ ꕀ⠀ ♱⠀ ꕀ ︵˖ ‿̩͙୨
Chapter One

I. 'the road to recovery'

Nancy Gilbert's heart pounded against her chest the second she heard about what had happened to her friends. All of the hope she held onto that their town would be safe and rid of vampires after the Founder's Day event had vanished. Her opportunity to rid her family of the burden slipped from her grasp completely within minutes.

John Gilbert failed. She failed.

The anxious girl stormed through the doors of the hospital's emergency room while making her way to the ward where an injured Caroline was held. Upon entering the corridor, Damon informed her, Nancy's eyes fell on Bonnie, who seemed to be conversing deeply with Elena.

"Where is she?" Nancy's words came in heavy breaths as she glanced through an empty patient's room window, where her friend was supposed to be.

Hearing her older sister's voice, Elena turned to the dark-haired girl, their worried expressions mirroring each other's. "They took her into surgery."

"She's weak." Bonnie looked between the Gilbert girls with somber eyes, her voice dropping to a whisper, "They don't know if she's gonna make it."

"What?" Elena's chest heaved as she stared at the young witch in disbelief, only for the girl to pull her into a gentle hug.

Nancy stood there, her trembling hands clenching tightly into fists as she attempted to understand the information Bonnie shared. "No." She shook her head, denying any cruel thoughts about Caroline that crept their way into her mind, "Caroline's strong. She will make it through this."

"Is there something you can do?" Elena turned to Bonnie, hoping there was a solution to their friend's fatal injuries. Anything that would put her sister's mind at ease. "Like, a spell or something?"

"She doesn't know how."

Nancy's jaw clenched as he interrupted their conversation. A familiar voice that grated on every nerve in her body reached her ears, which was unfortunate enough to hear.

"Do you?" Damon strolled toward them with a knowing look, ignoring the glare from Nancy, which he had grown used to.

"No," The Bennett girl shook her head with slumped shoulders, knowing he was right. "I don't."

"No, you don't." The vampire folded his arms, appearing smug as he mocked Bonnie, "Because it took Emily years to learn a spell like that."

Nancy waved off his claims with a scoff before Bonnie could retort, which often led to an unnecessary verbal war. "Regardless— there must be something we can do to help." Her hand reached her chest as she spoke, soothing the ache that lingered.

"I can give Caroline some blood." Damon proposed with his attention now on the visibly distressed girl. At the first sign of disapproval on her and Elena's faces, he quickly added. "Just enough to heal her. She'll be safe in the hospital, it'll be out of her system in a day. She'll be a lot better than she is now."

"It's too risky, we can't agree to that." Elena shook her head and looked toward her sister for support on her stance.

"Nance." Damon lifted his brows, urging her to agree with his decision.

Despite their differences, he knew that the one thing Nancy Gilbert valued most was her loved ones. Nancy's lips parted to speak, but all that left was a heavy breath of hesitance as she weighed the option, or lack thereof.

"Elena's right," She eventually spoke, earning an eye roll from the Salvatore man. "It is way too risky. What if something happens?"

"Do it." Everyone's eyes fell on Bonnie with silence amongst them. "This is Caroline," She whispered to a silent Elena and then looked to Nancy, whose expression hardened, only encouraging her to state a point. "We can't let her die."

A smirk swept across Damon's lips as he noticed he had the upper hand. "If I do this, you and me, we call a truce?" He gestured back and forth to the witch and himself.

"No." Bonnie lifted her chin in defiance, ridding that infuriating smug expression off the vampire's face. "But you'll do it anyway. For Elena and Nancy."

Nancy blinked with raised eyebrows at her friend's implications. Even if she did not approve of it, she knew that Bonnie was right. Other than his brother, the one person Damon Salvatore would risk anything for is Elena. And she was sure he had his twisted reasons. However, Nancy didn't know why Bonnie also called her name.

Truth be told, she did not care to know.

As Bonnie walked away from them, Nancy turned back to Elena, "I'm gonna check on Jeremy. Keep me updated on Care, okay?"

"Of course," Elena nodded. But then her head shot out to brush against her sister's arm, stopping her from moving. "By the way, where have you been all night? I've been trying to call you and Jenna to get here sooner."

"I was at Tyler's," Nancy stared at her sister in bewilderment. "And Jenna went with Aunt Allison to the fire department to fill out a report," She continued, but her brows furrowed as she noticed the girl's thoughtful expression. "We told you this, right before we left the house."

"No, you didn't," Elena stated calmly, knowing that she would remember such a thing.

The older Gilbert couldn't help but scoff at the seemingly forgetful teenager. "Yeah, we did," She countered.

"Nance, you didn't," Elena insisted despite listening to her sister's definite words.

"Are you serious right now?" Nancy shook her head in disbelief, not understanding how her sister could forget a conversation that had happened only hours ago.

A sudden groan broke the suspense between the two girls, causing them to look at Damon, who had been observing all along. The irritation on his face made them realize that he knew exactly what was going on.

"You've got to be kidding me." His demeanor stiffened as he looked from Elena to Nancy before turning to head toward the exit. "We gotta go. Now."

To the Gilbert family's misfortune, Katherine Pierce not only harmed John Gilbert but also impersonated Elena in an attempt to trick Stefan. Luckily, the man saw through her act and did not hesitate to rid the house of her presence, even if it was by causing a fight that destroyed a couple of furniture.

The vampire doppelganger had been invited into their home. No matter what they do, no one can prevent the scheming woman from finding her way through the front door. Not when she had the face of Elena.

While Elena tended to their younger brother, Nancy sat at the edge of her bed, pressing an icepack onto a bruise that formed near his temple. Every time the boy flinched, she winced as though she could feel the sting of his injury herself.

"Tell me what happened," She demanded softly before placing the cold pack on the nightstand near his bed.

"Elena went nuts, that's what," Dylan groaned, and he closed one eye as though his sight was distorted. "Did she steal Jeremy's stash or something?" He mumbled as he forced himself to sit up. "I swear, the woman went full, Miyagi Do on my ass."

Nancy couldn't help but chuckle at his reference, remembering when he would practice his moves in their living room, which resulted in him regretfully kicking her mother's vase from the shelf. There was no doubt the boy watched too many karate movies.

Her eyes flickered across his thoughtful gaze, wondering what had occurred when she was not at the house. "What did she say?"

Dylan turned to her with a look of incredulity, "I'm sorry! I didn't have time to hear anything when she was bashing my freaking face into the wall."

Noticing the solemn expression on his cousin's face, Dylan sighed, shaking his head as he thought back to the earlier events. He knew that Nancy wanted answers. But how could he tell her the truth, his truth, when it would only make him sound crazy?

"I don't know, Nance." He muttered and propped his forearms on his knees. "When I looked at her, I didn't see Elena," Dylan began while turning to the girl who stiffened at his words. "She had this look in her eyes, like all she wanted to do was kill me. And when she grabbed me? When I felt her touch, I saw... darkness. It's like seeing an entire trailer to a horror movie, clear as day, playing out in front of me."

"You got a bad vibe from here, I understand." Her voice softened at the sight of how troubled she was. As she rubbed his back, her brows furrowed as Dylan shook his head slowly, making her realise what he meant. "Was it a vision?"

Dylan nodded in response. But seeing the look he got from Nancy, as though she pitied him, he scoffed and shook his head. "I know, it sounds insane."

"No, you don't," Nancy assured him. "In fact... what I have to tell you is much more insane," She admitted, causing the now interested boy to lift his brows.

A breathing chuckle escaped her mouth as she didn't know how to explain everything to Dylan. How to tell him that vampires and witches were real. How to reveal the secrets that she and Elena both agreed to keep from their family, thinking that it would protect them.

"I told Jeremy," Elena announced with a heavy sigh of defeat, earning the Salvatore brothers' attention. "I can't lie to him anymore."

Following behind her was Nancy, with a room-temperature ice pack in her hand. "I couldn't keep it from Dylan either. He's still struggling to process everything."

All their efforts to keep their brothers in the dark about the supernatural had gone to waste. John was stabbed, Jeremy attempted to overdose to become a vampire, and Dylan was attacked. The girls were thankful that no true harm was brought to Dylan, but only God knows what could happen in the future with Katherine Pierce roaming the town freely.

Damon's eyes flickered across Elena's form, which had not gone unnoticed by her older sister. With eyes narrowed in suspicion, Nancy walked into the kitchen while observing the vampire, before placing the ice pack back into the freezer.

"Katherine was in this house. That means she was invited in," Elena voiced her thoughts wearily while glancing between the brothers. "What do we do?"

With his hands on the counter, Damon shrugged nonchalantly. "Move."

"Very helpful. Thank you." Elena sarcastically retorted.

"Katherine wants you dead, there's zero you can do about it. You'll be dead. But you're not." He confidently spoke before turning to Nancy, who stood at a distance in the kitchen, clearly zoned out. "So clearly she has other plans."

"Right. And we need to find out what those plans are and not provoke her in the process," Stefan looked to his brother, who got the hint that he was patronizing him. After all, Damon Salvatore was most likely to go off the rails. "What happened tonight when you thought she was Elena?"

All attention was now on Damon, who tried, but failed to keep a smug smile off his face. "Risk another frown line approaching on a very crowded forehead," He walked around the counter while teasing his brother. "We... kissed."

And there it was. The signature smirk that made Nancy want to punch him across his face, especially in a moment like this. Her eyes flickered amongst everyone in the room, noticing how stern Stefan's expression had become. A stark contrast from his usually soft exterior.

"And you thought it was Elena?" Nancy chuckled, unable to hold back a laugh as her head shook, earning a deadpanned gaze from Damon.

"What do you mean, you kissed?" Stefan pressed on for clarity, the tick in his jaw nearly noticeable if someone were to look closely.

"Well, you know," Damon shrugged and folded his arms, his index finger pressing against his chin. "When two lips pucker and they go-" Before he had the chance to finish mocking the sound of a kiss, Stefan vamped across the room, aiming to attack Damon, who dodged just in time. "Don't be obvious, Stefan."

With his eyes set on Damon, Stefan marched toward him again. But before anything could happen, Elena jolted off her chair and pressed her hand against his chest to stop him. Nancy rolled her eyes at the scene as she let her arms fall to the side.

"My living room is not a playground, boys," She spoke, gesturing to the door. "Take it out there."

"Nancy, right. We don't have time for this, guys." Elena shook her head at Damon and gradually turned to her boyfriend.

"Later," Stefan nodded at a taunting Damon, who mirrored him in agreement.

"Okay. The bitch chopped off John's fingers and attacked my family," Nancy finally spoke as she leaned off the wall and strolled to where Elena stood. "But she left them alive. There must be a reason why she's doing this."

Elena nodded slowly in agreement as she looked up at her sister, "John must know something."

Damon rolled his eyes, thinking the Gilbert girls were naive. "She's Katherine. She loves to play games, and you're fooling yourselves if you think you're gonna find out what she's up to before she wants you to know."

Nancy couldn't prevent a scoff from leaving her lips, "Look, I'll talk to John, alright?" She placed a hand on Elena's tensed shoulder, gently massaging her muscles. "I'll find out whatever I can from him."

"I have a better idea," Damon quipped.

With her lips pressed together, Nancy whirled her head to the side, knowing he'll say something stupid as he always does. "Do tell, Salvatore. Enlighten us with your brilliance."

"I'm just gonna ignore the bitch."

Elena's brows furrowed, "I-Is that smart?"

"Is he smart?" Nancy followed up with a question of her own, earning an unamused look from Damon.

"If Katherine thinks she's being ignored. It'll lure her out. She'll make a move," He sent her a devilish smirk that held nothing but mischief.

"Yeah? Then what?" Stefan's tone held no enthusiasm as he questioned his brother.

"Stake her. Rip her head off. Something poetic. We'll see," Damon spoke as though he was discussing the fate of a stranger, instead of a woman whom he'd been pining over for over a century.

"Right..." Nancy drawled, the challenge in her tone stopping Damon in his tracks before he could make it out the door. "So you're waiting for her to attack an innocent person, or worse, before you can get your hands on her."

Damon whirled around, barely taking three long steps before he reached in front of Nancy. He heard the faint hitch in her throat at his sudden close presence that made her uneasy. The man's eyes flickered across her face, his lips tugging at the corners as shallow breaths left her mouth.

"Then tell me, Nancy." He lowered his head, knowing his brother and Elena were observing them. "What's your idea? Hmm?" Just as her lips parted to speak, he cut her off without giving her a chance. "You've got nothing. Because you don't know what that conniving little bitch is truly capable of."

He took a step back, which allowed Nancy to breathe. Damon pressed his lips together and swallowed harshly as the girl who despised him with every bone in her body was recovering from how close he was to her. It was as though she truly believed he would snap and kill her at any moment.

Who wouldn't?

After all, he was the reckless brother.

"You're right." Nancy managed to speak, her voice almost breathy. "I don't know Katherine. But what I do know is that I have to keep my family safe." Her eyes finally landed on Damon's, this time, without flinching. "So, the one thing I ask is that you don't do anything stupid to anger her."

Damon's eyes narrowed, his lips twitching as he nodded when the words he expected her to say were said. Though it failed to hold its usual bite, he responded. "Got it."

It was the memorial of Mayor Lockwood, being held at his mansion, and the Gilbert family was invited to pay their respect. While Jeremy seemed bored within two minutes, Dylan seemed impatient as his only concern at the moment was the well-being of Caroline. And Nancy? Her thoughts were focused on Tyler, not knowing what he must be going through.

Nancy also lost her mother and father barely one year ago. But just because you have that one thing in common with someone you care deeply for, it doesn't mean your grief will be the same. Not when Tyler had been mistreated by his father, unlike Nancy and her siblings, who were loved and cherished every day by their beloved parents.

"Looks like the whole town has turned out," Jenna observed with wandering eyes while carrying a warm tray of chicken casserole.

"Yeah. Well, he is..." Elena inhaled as she looked up from her purse, acknowledging her mistake. "He was the mayor."

"He was a dick," Nancy corrected as she walked behind them, resulting in a snicker from Dylan which transformed into a fake cough after their aunt glanced back at him with pointed eyes.

"She's not wrong," Jeremy shoved a hand into the pocket of his leather jacket, his pace unhurried. "Why don't they save it for the funeral?"

Jenna's lips tug into a wry smile as she shakes her head. "That's what people do. The Lockwoods were here for us when we went through this," She reminded her nieces and nephews, who couldn't care less for the deceased man. Stepping up onto the porch, she turned to the four teenagers. "It'll be quick; we'll drop off the food and pay our respects and go."

"In and out?" Jeremy smiled, continuing on his path toward the entrance. "It sounds like a plan."

At the corner of their eyes, Nancy and Elena noticed the lingering gaze that was all too familiar. They watched as he looked away and sipped his drink while staring out at the guests in the yard of the Lockwood mansion. Dylan followed Nancy's gaze, causing his own to narrow in distaste after what he heard about the vampire.

"You guys go ahead, I'll be right there, okay?" Elena assured the three who stood with disapproving looks, but eventually decided to allow them privacy.

Nancy couldn't help but glance back at the pair, noting the concerned expression on her sister's face. She did not understand why Elena showed him such kindness after everything he's done. After taking the life of their friend's sister and doing much worse to other innocent people. The fact that she was dating his brother, who couldn't control his blood lust and would leave his victims headless, only worsened her confusion.

Perhaps, she did not understand her sister at all.

"What's his problem?" Dylan muttered as they both strolled through the crowded mansion, watching as people stood with either pitiful or fake smiles while greeting members of the grieving family.

Smiles they knew all too well.

"He kissed Elena," Nancy answered with an unusual indifference, and the younger boy's brows shot up in surprise. "Well, at least he thought he did. It was Katherine," she explained, and he nodded, understanding that the man was sulking due to disappointment.

"The evil look-alike?" He asked, remembering the detailed events Nancy had explained to him the night before.

"Yep."

As they both wandered further into the venue, the cousins eventually parted ways— one heading into one of the rooms that held hors d'oeuvres and the other roaming endlessly in search of a certain boy.

Eventually, Nancy found her way into a room she hadn't dared to enter before. Mayor Lockwood's study. The two men turn their heads toward the doorway upon hearing footsteps, causing an awkward smile on her face as her eyes flick between them. Tyler's lips unknowingly tugged at the corners at the sight of her, while Mason simply sat there holding a flask, which could only be containing alcohol. And she didn't doubt it belonged to Tyler, who hated champagne and wine.

Sneaky.

"Hi..." She stepped in, her palms rubbing against her thigh, brushing against the soft fabric of her dress.

"Hey..." Tyler's softened voice was a contrast to the previously annoyed one he used with his uncle, and the man's brows lifted as he looked from his nephew to the young girl.

"Hi there," Mason stood up with a smile before respectfully holding his hand out to the unfamiliar teenager. "I'm Mason. Tyler's Uncle."

Her tensed smile softened as she accepted his gentle handshake, her gaze shifting to Tyler briefly. "Nancy Gilbert," She politely introduced herself with a curious expression. Her eyes brightened the minute she recognized his face, as she had once seen him in a family album shown to her by Carol Lockwood. "It's nice to meet you."

"So, you're the girl Tyler's been going on and on about?" He grinned upon hearing the familiar name, and Tyler rolled his eyes before dropping his head back onto the couch.

A nervous chuckle escaped Nancy's mouth, and the words slipped out without a thought, "I hope so."

Tyler's eyes snapped open as he heard that, while Mason clasped his hands together before turning to the sheepish girl. "Well, I'll leave you two kids alone... enjoy." He threw the flash toward his nephew, who easily caught it, before making his way out of the now-silent room.

With reddened cheeks, Nancy's eyes closed as she muttered to herself, "Oh my god." She breathed out as she walked to sit beside Tyler, who seemed to find amusement in her flustered state. "I'm so sorry, I totally embarrassed you in front of your Uncle."

"Nah, it's fine. He was messing with you, anyway," He chuckled light-heartedly, not bothered by anything she said that she may have found humiliating.

Nancy smiled softly as she turned her head toward the boy, feeling a faint skip in her heartbeat. "How are you doing?" She asked, her smile fading momentarily as if brought back to reality of his situation, and so did his. "It's a stupid question, I know."

Tyler shook her head and placed his hand on top of hers that was resting on her lap, "I'm alright." He responded to ease her worried mind. He knew that she hadn't meant to be insensitive. Nancy Gilbert was anything but insensitive. "That was actually the first genuine concern I was given today."

Nancy put her free hand on top of his that was holding her other one, giving it a small but affectionate squeeze. "I know," She murmured in acknowledgement, just how deep people's counterfeit emotions run at times like this.

After all, she once had to tolerate the fake smiles from those who would then happily feast on meals without truly caring about what someone would be feeling at such a grave moment. With his heart now warmed by her presence, Tyler turned his hand and slowly interlaced his fingers with her slender ones.

"I'm glad you're here."

"So am I."

Dylan left the Lockwood mansion as soon as he got the green light from Aunt Jenna. Everyone, including her, knew just how important it was that he visit Caroline. The boy's unspoken feelings toward the girl were not returned, with Caroline seeing him only as Elena's cousin, who only cared due to obligations. She assumed that if he shared no relations with the Gilbert family, he wouldn't spare her a glance.

Little did Caroline know that Dylan had his eyes set on her from the day he transferred to Mystic High School, after his mother left to go abroad for 'personal reasons'.

"Dylan!" A bright smile, accompanied by a surprised expression, appeared across Caroline's face when she noticed who walked in.

The boy felt his chest tighten at the sight of her. The girl they could have lost if it wasn't for Damon healing her with his blood. "Hey..." His voice was gentle, barely above a whisper, as he glanced toward the TV she was watching. "How are you feeling?"

"Amazing," She grinned and sat up on the hospital bed, her hands resting on her lap as she watched Dylan approach her. "Hospital food is horrible, but Matt brought me pudding cups. Thankfully, because I almost gagged at the sight of soggy broccoli and the mac and cheese that was so watery, I thought it was cheddar soup." Caroline wrinkled her nose and physically shuddered at the memory. "Which, now that I think about it... is even more disgusting."

Dylan's lips fondly twitched at the corners as he listened to the girl's ceaseless maundering about patient meals. He sat on the chair that accompanied her bed without removing his gaze from her. Her face would brighten when she spoke freely, her comfort and pure joy at those moments louder than the movie that played on the small TV hooked up to the wall.

Caroline's smile turned sheepish when she noticed how quiet the Sommers boy became, her cheeks reddened in embarrassment. "I'm rambling, aren't I?"

Dylan didn't mind listening to her rambling. The corner of his lips just slightly turned upward when he kept eye contact with her. His hazel eyes lingered on her, his head tilting just slightly to the side when he finally spoke again.

He smirked slightly, crossing his ankles as he leaned back into the chair he was sitting on. "You are. But I don't mind," He said while he fiddled with his fingers. His fingers twitched as he thought about holding Caroline's fingers in his- He cleared his throat and put his hands into his lap. "I came here for you, remember? You're free to talk my ears off as much as you want for the rest of the evening."

Caroline's eyebrows furrowed lightly as she studied him, the lips she was biting to the temptation of chattering, now slightly pouty. "Really?"

The girl didn't know why Dylan even bothered to entertain her endless chatter. Everyone else rolled their eyes and scoffed, either tuning out or blatantly expressing how boring she was when allowed to babble. They, even Matt, would sometimes refer to her as a control freak. Which was true, but it didn't hurt to hear less. However, Dylan, with his hazel eyes, only focused on her mouth. His smirk and tilted head made her nervous, like he was amused by how freely she spoke.

She fidgeted, the IV line tugging awkwardly against her skin. The scent of antiseptic clung suffocatingly to everything. Caroline's fingers clenched reflexively against the scratchy hospital sheets she had over her legs, fingers picking at a frayed hem as she searched for something—anything—to say that didn't make her sound absolutely ridiculous to him.

When her fingers twitched nervously, he reached out without hesitation, his palm warm against hers. The quiet, unspoken affection between them felt both electrifying and unnerving, like a summer storm crackling just beyond the horizon.

 "Really."

Meanwhile, Nancy sat on the chair beside her Uncle John's bed, focused on his bandaged hand, but still paying attention to the man as he was talking. Katherine had amputated the fingers on his left hand, yet the doctors somehow managed to perfectly reattach them with a clean cut, making it easier for them to fix. However, it may take a while, maybe months, until they're healed.

"Elena told me that my hatred is what will get me killed." John's voice was quiet while recalling the words from his daughter that sounded similar to a warning. "Maybe she's right."

"Maybe," Nancy murmured before her eyes met his. "But, you were only trying to protect her."

The man shook his head at his niece's attempt to relieve him of his thoughts, "Are you saying that to comfort me? Or to make yourself feel better?"

His suspicions weren't far from the truth. In fact, He was correct. 

Ever since Damon and Stefan Salvatore returned to this town, there has been nothing but pain, torment, and bloodshed. Yet they could not seem to show any signs of regret or sympathy for their actions, and Nancy could not fathom why.

Perhaps, they were soulless.

Maybe, they cared only for themselves.

So, intending to ensure the safety of her loved ones, Nancy had approved of John's plan at the Founder's Party celebration. They had the perfect solution to ridding the two vampires that crawled their way into her sister's heart.

When their plan had gone into motion, she had not expected Damon Salvatore to make it out alive. She was even more surprised when Bonnie chose to help Stefan rescue him from the basement engulfed by fire.

"I don't know how much longer I can handle this, Uncle John." Nancy's head shook, and a faint smile escaped her lips, expressing her exhaustion. "Katherine's back, two vampires come in and out of my house every day, while Jenna and Allison are clueless."
 
 "You have to be careful, Nancy." John reminded the distressed girl. "Do you remember what I told you before the Founder's event?"

Seeing her nod in confirmation, he proceeded to explain, wanting the girl to be aware of what she was doing. There is a secret door in a closet that leads to a room filled with items to protect oneself from vampires. The room was located in the Gilbert Family's Lake House. Nancy, along with her siblings, were the only ones who had their names on the lease, left to them by their beloved parents.

No one, besides Grayson and John Gilbert, was aware of that armory. But, seeing that Nancy was just as determined to purge their town of the destructive supernatural being, John found himself trusting her with this information.

"No one can know about what you're doing. Especially Elena." He sighed and lay his head flat against the pillow, the hospital ceiling being the only thing in sight. "Now that I'm leaving town, their safety is in your hands."

Nancy's brows knitted together, finding herself puzzled by his statement. "You're leaving?"

John spared a glance at the bewildered girl, nodding. "Stefan Salvatore fed me his blood. If I don't leave Mystic Falls..."

The Gilbert girl's chin lifted in comprehension, her gaze darkening. Stefan posed a threat to John, thinking that the man was the only obstacle in his path to a happy ending with Elena.

  Foolish idiot.

After knocking on the large door three times, Nancy stood outside the Salvatore mansion, waiting impatiently to see the man she loathed. Well, one of them. With a huff of frustration, she lifted her hand, her knuckles barely an inch from the door until it was swung open, and her eyes instantly narrowed.

"Came back to gloat-" Damon's words came to an abrupt stop when he noticed an unexpected presence. With a faint smirk, he leaned against the doorframe, his posture sloppy. "Well, well... if it isn't my least favorite Gilbert. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Where's Stefan?" She got straight to the point, her handbag hanging off the left side of her folded arms.

"Stefan," He repeated in distaste. The vampire rolled his eyes with a groan as he turned to walk back inside. "Probably out... hunting cute little bunnies. Or chipmunks. Oh, I know!" He turned to the human girl who followed him in, showing a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "He's playing hero to Elena."

Nancy's brows lifted as she observed the man, masking the unease she felt at the image he painted in her head. His words were slurred, his footsteps unbalanced. And two empty bottles of bourbon on the coffee table were a bigger hint at what was causing his behavior.

"Right..." She trailed off, her eyes glancing around, nowhere in particular. "And you're drunk and more mentally unstable than usual, so I'll just come back another time."

Just as she spun around to exit the room, Damon's brows furrowed with sudden curiosity. "Aren't you supposed to be with your boyfriend?"

Nancy's movements came to a halt, and she turned to look at the drunken vampire, who was suddenly showing interest in her love life with Tyler. "I just came back from visiting John," She informed, but held back any details.

"Right," Damon's tongue clicked against his cheek, his glass lifting in her direction. "Your partner in crime. Quite fitting, considering your intentions."

Nancy bristled at the man's remark, her irritation growing at the smugness in his words. She clenched her jaw, forcing her emotions to remain in check. "My intentions?" She echoed, her voice tinged with caution. "And what exactly are my intentions, according to you?"

"You're a Gilbert, aren't you? Always playing the part of the good girl, but I know the truth." Damon's voice lowered, his gaze narrowing as he continued. "You're just as scheming as your dear old uncle. You're just better at hiding it."

She flinched at his words, her heart skipping a beat as she was caught off guard. She didn't expect him to see through her carefully constructed facade. But she quickly composed herself, her expression hardening.

Nancy's fists instinctively clenched at her sides, her defiance evident in her eyes.

"You don't know a thing about me," she retorted, her words sharp. "I'm doing what I have to do to protect my family."

Damon let out a scoff at her excuse, "Oh, how noble of you." He chuckled before taking a swig of his drink, savoring the rich taste on his tongue. "Playing the hero, aren't you? Self-righteous and self-sacrificing. You're just as stubborn as Elena."

Nancy's patience was wearing thin as Damon continued to push her buttons. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her skin as she tried to keep her anger at bay.

"And you know so much about self-sacrifice, don't you?" She shot back, her voice sharp. "Considering you're the king of selfishness, I should be surprised."

Damon chuckled, but it held no warmth. "Oh, I never claimed to be a saint, unlike you humans. I admit, I'm selfish, and I do what I want, when I want. I don't pretend to be something I'm not. But you? You're just a hypocrite. Pretending to be the good girl, living in your little saintly bubble. But I see right through you, Nancy."

Nancy's eyes hardened, her gaze like cold steel. Damon's words hit her core, striking a nerve that she tried to keep hidden. He had a way of seeing through her, of exposing the parts of her that she kept hidden from everyone else. She hated how he was reading her so easily, as if she were an open book. But she refused to be backed into a corner, especially by someone like him.

When he continued to pour bourbon from what was the third bottle he opened in one night, her brows furrowed. "Haven't you had enough of that?" She changed the topic, keeping her distance from the man.

Damon held his forefinger and thumb a small distance apart, indicating that he had been drinking a little, "Not quite."

Damon raised his glass and took a large sip, downing the entirety of the liquid in one go. He then set the glass aside before his gaze shifted back to the girl. His eyes roamed over her, studying her every feature as he leaned against the edge of the table. He let out a short hum, mockingly tilting his head.

"You seem awfully intrigued by my drinking habits," he mused, his gaze never straying from hers. "Worried about me, sweetheart?"

Despite the condescension in his tone, Nancy remained composed, refusing to let his attitude get to her. She kept her voice flat and steady as she responded, "Far from it."

He noticed her discomfort, which drew a smirk to his face. "Aw, look at you." Damon mocked with a scoff. Damon pushed himself off the table and sauntered towards her, his steps deliberate and confident. He came to a stop directly in front of her, towering over her with an air of confidence. "So cautious. Afraid I'm going to bite you?"

Nancy rolled her eyes at his jab, but remained standing regardless. Despite the subtle hint of nervousness, she stood her ground and lifted her chin slightly to match his gaze. She may not be fond of his presence, but she'd be damned if she let him see her vulnerability.

"The only thing I'm afraid of," she retorted, her words dripping with an equal amount of mockery, "is your breath. You reek of alcohol."

Damon's smirk widened at her retort, clearly amused by her attempt to hide her uneasiness. "Oh, I guarantee my breath can be quite pleasant. When I haven't been drinking, of course."  He leaned in slightly, eyes flickering down to the little distance between him and her stilled frame. "You know, the more afraid you are, the more intriguing you are."

Nancy's irritation continued to brew as Damon's attempt to unsettle her persisted. Being in such proximity to him sent chills down her spine, but she refused to let it show. He took another step forward, leaving a small gap between them. The amusement was evident in Damon's eyes as they flickered across her face before they met her cold glare.

His voice lowered dangerously as he leaned closer. Nancy's breath hitched as their proximity decreased, but she quickly composed herself, refusing to give him the satisfaction he yearned for. 

"And I do love a good mystery."

Hi, my lovelies!

I'm gonna be honest; since most of
usncan be biased for our favorite
vampires, many of you may not be a
big fan of Nancy for a while.

Especially when, at the moment,
she is no different from John and the
man her father once was (which she
hasn't discovered yet since that plot is in s5)

It will take Nancy a while to warm
up to the Savatore brothers or
even accept them. Even if she
is in deep denial about it.

Regardless, I hope you do enjoy the
book if you continue to read.