chapter six.     dreams

season one—————episode four.

ELODIE STOOD IN A BUILDING SHE couldn't name, though something about it told her she had been her many times before. The sun was close enough for her to stand up a brush the star with her fingers. The air felt thick, but each time she inhaled she swore she saw it ripple like liquid starlight. The terrace she stood on felt soft and cool, though she couldn't tell if it was stone, cloud, or something else entirely. Around her, enormous marble columns rose into infinity, their surfaces etched with shifting patterns of vines and stars. Above, the heavens seemed to dance, constellations shifting and swirling, casting soft, ever-changing light over everything.

A gentle hum disturbed the space, like the harmony of distant chimes and rustling leaves. Elodie's nightgown brushed her legs as if moved by a breeze she couldn't feel. She glanced around, her breath catching at the vastness and familiarity of this place.

The air moved, thickening with the anticipation of an unseen presence. A warmth enveloped her, though the source was invisible. Elodie couldn't find anyone, yet something told her she wasn't alone anymore. The fear she could normally feel had been replaced by comfort. A presence that seemed ancient and boundless, as if the soul of the world itself was near, made Elodie feel comfortable.

A voice spoke, not aloud but within her, a melody of galaxies colliding, the rustle of wind through ancient forests, and the sigh of waves against the shore. "It is time for you, Elodie."

      She turned instinctively toward where the presence felt the strongest, but nothing was there—only the endless expanse of golden mist. Her heart raced, the truth in the voice stirring something deep within her. "Time? Time for what?"

The stars above seemed to brighten, their light cascading down to illuminate her. The voice spoke again, gentle yet laced with infinite power. "You will know soon enough my child. You are both our legacy and our salvation. You are the child of the stars, destined to restore balance—or let it crumble."

Her legs felt weak, and she trembled, reaching out to steady herself on the railing of the terrace. But the stone looked strange—its edges shimmering, almost liquid. Before she could make sense of it, her hand passed through the railing entirely, meeting no resistance. Her breath hitched as the world tilted. Gravity seized her, pulling her downward.

      A scream tore from her lips as she fell, her body weightless and twisting in the open air. The golden spires of the building above blurred into a streak of light, vanishing into the swirling expanse of colors below. The wind roared in her ears, but it didn't feel cold—it felt alive, buzzing with a strange, electric energy.

      She reached out wildly, grasping at nothing, her mind racing in panic. But as the fall continued, the terror began to melt into something else—an eerie calm, as though the very air whispered to her that this was meant to happen. The colors around her shifted and swirled, forming shapes that resembled constellations and galaxies. For a fleeting moment, she thought she could see faces within the light—faint, ethereal figures watching her with expressions of both sorrow and awe.

      Then, just as abruptly as it began, the descent slowed. Her body cradled by an unseen force, as if the air itself had caught her. She hovered weightlessly, surrounded by a vast, glowing expanse of stars. Her breathing steadied, though her heart still raced. She floated there, suspended in the infinite void, the remnants of her scream fading into silence. Above her, the golden building was gone, replaced by a sky of swirling galaxies that seemed to pulse with every beat of her heart.

      A voice, faint and distant, echoed in her mind. "You are more than you know, Elodie. You were forged to shine, to hold the power of creation itself. Trust in what you are."

      Begging for answers Elodie spoke, "what am I?"

      "All in due time my child," the voice said, its words fading. "Awake, and remember the truth."

      The words lingered, reverberating through her as the sky around her began to dissolve. The stars fading into darkness, the colors dimming and the sense of weightlessness gave way to solid ground beneath her.

      With a gasp, Elodie woke.

She glanced around the unfamiliar room, her memory lost on where she was. Friday night came back to her in a rush. The small meal she had eaten rushed up her throat, and Elodie barely made it to the bathroom.

"Ellie? Darling?" Lily was at the bathroom door, moving to hold back Elodie's hair. "Are you okay? This is the second night in a row this has happened."

Elodie nodded, finally finished as she rested her head on the wall behind her. Lily moved to sit down with her daughter. "Are you feeling okay? Did you do something you need to tell me about?"

Elodie's eyes went wide, red coating her cheeks, "gosh no mom! I think it's just a bug. I'm fine, I swear."

Lily watched her for another moment, before she nodded. "If you're sure. But you know you can tell me anything. And if you don't feel up to going to the founders party tonight, please just come home."

"No, I'll go. Don't worry," Elodie replied.

Lily sighed, pursing her lips as she ran a hand through Elodie's hair with a smile. "I love you."

Elodie nodded her head, repeating the sentiment before ushering her mother out of the bathroom. The rest of her morning routine moved quickly. But Elodie still needed to rush to get to the shelter, but thankfully Dalton was able to drive her. Her brother seemed okay given his football coach had just been murdered, but he never let up even with Elodie's pestering.

      Ben was the only one in the office, so Elodie busied herself in the back. Checking on each animal thoroughly before bringing Star to the front to collect some paperwork. Ben wasn't there, so Elodie sat in the front chair and began reading through the rest of Stars paperwork.

      When the kitten hissed, Elodie knew Ben had come back. She glanced up, and found him watching her from the hall with a smile. Elodie reciprocated the action and he approached the two. Jumping back when Star took another swipe at him.

      "She needs to be put down," Ben scoffed.

      Elodie frowned, feeling the vibrations of Stars purring. "I think she's just picky with who she likes. Don't take it to heart."

      Ben narrowed his eyes, "she clearly likes you."

      "Well I was one of the rest people to show her kindness," Elodie replied. "She just needed some love."

      The bell on the door sounded, and Elodie straightened. She glanced up and found Stefan standing at the door, his eyes on her alone. "How can I help you?"

      Stefan glanced at Ben, who had voiced that question, before centering his focus on Elodie entirely. "I'm here to pick Elodie up."

Elodie glanced at the clock, her eyes widening as she realized the party was only an hour away. "Oh my gods, thank you. I'll be right back."

Elodie scooped up Star, speed walking back to her cage where she kissed the kitten goodbye before heading back to the front. Ben stopped her before she could grab her bag. "Is that your boyfriend?"

Elodie blushed, "no, he's just a friend."

Ben nodded, "are you free tomorrow?"

"Um, I know I'm working but other than that, why?"

Ben stepped closer to her, "go out with me tomorrow."

Elodie swallowed, trying to step away only for the desk to hit her legs. "I, um, I can't."

"Why?"

"Listen Ben, I've got to go, I'm sorry."

Elodie rushed past him, not listening to a word he said after that. Guilt gnawing at her gut as she eased herself into Stefan's car. The silence lasted a few moments before Stefan broke it. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah? Why wouldn't I be?"

Stefan kept his eyes on the road, "because you've been biting your nails since you got in my car."

"How did you know to pick me up?" Elodie changed the subject.

"I'm taking Elena to the founders party tonight, and I assumed you would be going. And you would need a right home from work."

"And how did you know I would be working today?"

Stefan glanced at her, a smile drawing on his lips. "Why don't you drive?"

Elodie smiled at the change of subject, fiddling with her thumbs for a second. "My parents didn't really have the time to teach me, so I never learned. I have my license, I just don't know how to drive a car."

"Let me teach you."

Elodie glanced at him, "what?"

"Let me teach you how to drive," Stefan repeated, finally looking at her when they stopped at a stop sign.

"Why?"

"It's not safe to be walking alone." Was the response Elodie received.

Elodie thought over it for a moment, "Stefan, you and Elena are dating."

"And what does that have to do with anything?"

I want to be the one dating you, Elodie thought to herself, and I hate myself for even thinking that because your date my best friend.

"It would be weird."

"It would be a friendly gesture," Stefan shrugged. "That's all."

"And Elena would be fine with it?" Elodie questioned, biting at her thumb nail.

"Elena suggested it." She wouldn't have if she knew.

"Maybe," Elodie finally responded. "I'll see you at the party."

Elodie almost ran from Stefan's car. Rushing inside where she knew Caroline would be waiting. She was laying on Elodie's bed playing with the one stuffed animal—Bluey, a stuffed shark Elodie had since she was young—that resided on her bed. Elodie closed her bedroom door, locking it before flopping on the bed next to Caroline.

"I'm going insane, Care." Elodie spoke.

"And why is that?" Caroline questioned, twisting to lay on her side.

"I think I like Stefan, but it's horrible because Elena likes Stefan and they're even dating. So I can't do anything about it and I feel like I'm betraying Elena by even liking him and everything is just horrible and I don't even know what I'm going to wear tonight." Elodie complained.

Caroline pulled Elodie up to a sitting position, handing Blue over to the blonde before standing. "Okay, one: there is no harm in crushing on Elena's boyfriend, hell you had first dibs. But, you're not going to do anything about it, so there's no need in telling her about it. It's your first crush, trust me it will go away. Two: you do have something to wear because I brought you something from my closet because I knew that'd be what you told me as a way of getting out of this. So," Caroline shoved a dress into Elodie's arms, "put that on, do your hair all fancy and let's find you someone to wash away Stefan with."

Elodie sighed, before dropping the dress from her hands and hugging Caroline tightly. The two girls didn't say anything, neither of them needed too because the hug spoke wonders. Caroline pushed Elodie away after a while, sending her to the bathroom to change when she laid back on the bed. Her short blue dress was already wrinkled, so it didn't matter anymore, and she had tossed her knitted sweater to the side of Elodie's room somewhere. The one this she hadn't removed was a blue silk scarf she had wrapped around her neck, she didn't remember why, but she knew that she couldn't remove it.

"So you're really taking Damon?" Elodie questioned from the other side of the bathroom door.

"Yep, I'm not hiding him from anyone."

Elodie opened the door a crack, "and your mom isn't going to be mad?"

Caroline smiled, "she's going to be pissed. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

Elodie laughed, before stepping out of the bathroom fully. She was wearing a pink silk dress that reached midthigh—and was most likely not appropriate for the event—she had paired it with her favorite white heels, that boosted her five foot form three inches. Her hair was straight but she had pulled half of the top back with a white bow.

"You look so sexy!" Caroline squealed.

Elodie bit her lip, contemplating, "are you sure this isn't inappropriate?"

"Oh it most definitely is, but at least it will take the attention off me and Damon," Caroline paused for a moment before smiling, "oh who am I kidding, I want the attention on me. But you are not changing, we're already late!"

Caroline didn't let Elodie protest one bit, grabbing her by the arm and dragging her outside. Her parents and Dalton had already left for the Lockwood's, but Caroline's date had decided to pick the two girls up. Stefan's brother pulled into the driveway at an alarming speed—one that had Elodie questioning if she could walk to the Lockwood's in those heels.

      "Ladies," Damon spoke as he stepped out of his car, his all black suit making Elodie sweat. "Your chariot has arrived."

      Caroline giggled, pressing a kiss to his lips before taking his hand and climbing into the passenger seat. Elodie hesitated a moment longer before avoiding Damon's hand and climbed into the backseat. The drive there wasn't as awful as Elodie had thought it would be, Damon drove the speed limit and used his blinker and did everything a normal driver would do. She just couldn't shake the weird feeling she had in her chest whenever she looked at him.

      She entered with Caroline and Damon, but quickly abandoned the two when Caroline steered them right into her mother's line of sight. Elodie eased through the crowds in the Lockwood's home, a smile plastered on her face as she smiled and greeted the people she knew. Eventually the crowds eased as she made her way to the kitchen where she decided to stay for the length of the evening. Until it began to get crowded and she began to get antsy, so Elodie decided to take a walk through the items the Lockwood's had displayed.

      She didn't expect much walking into a much empty room, she noticed Caroline pulling Stefan out of the room. Most likely convincing him to dance because her date wouldn't. Elodie only wanted to look at the items—she knew her mother had loaned something to the mayor, and she wanted to find it.

      She didn't expect to find Elena and Damon making out. Both of which were in a relationship with different people.

      Elodie froze, swallowing harshly as she quickly stepped out of the room, silently as she could. She couldn't breathe until she had made back to the now thankfully empty kitchen. She sat at the table, crossing her legs as she buried her head in her hands. Her hands shook as she finally understood exactly what she had seen. She had seen Elena and Damon kissing. Elena, who was dating Stefan. And Damon, who was dating Caroline—her best friend. Gods, what was she going to do?

      "Elodie?" Bonnie's voice broke her trance as she glanced up. Her nail was bleeding from how much she had been picking at the skin. "Thank god you're here. I need to talk to you."

Elodie smiled, swallowing down the rest of her complaints as she glanced at Bonnie, "what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Bonnie swallowed, glancing around the room before pulling a candle closer to herself. She began squinting at it and a few seconds later, the candle had a new flame. Elodie gasped as Bobbie quickly below the fire out.

"When did you figure out you could do that?"

Bonnie blushed slightly, "about three seconds ago. I wouldn't have even told anyone if I hadn't found you here."

"Well, I'm glad I was here." Elodie smiled, grabbing Bonnie's hand. The brunette gasped, her vision being pulled away to one that wasn't her own. One that was eerily similar to the dream Elodie had been having. "Bonnie? Are you okay?"

Bonnie nodded, pulling her hand from Elodie's grasp as she glanced out the kitchen window. She stood, having seen Elena run away from Stefan on the dance floor. "I have to go check on Elena."

Elodie nodded, not saying anything else before Bonnie rushed away from the room. She dropped her head in her hands with a groan. Bonnie was the only person she could tell about what she had seen, but she didn't want to ruin Bonnie's view of Elena if she were to find out. Gods she just wished she could change the past so that she couldn't have seen that.

      A hand grabbing her shoulder had Elodie jumping, and the person behind her just laughed. "When did you get so jumpy?"

      Elodie didn't glance at her brother when he took the vacant seat Bonnie had been sitting in moments before. "When you decided it was okay to terrify a little girl with Halloween."

      Dalton sat up straighter, "that was years ago, and I gave you a fifty to not tell mom and dad about it."

      "It was two years ago, and it was a twenty." Elodie replied, lips pinched into a smile that was failing to hide her laugh.

      "Whatever," Dalton rolled his eyes. He glanced around the party, clearly searching for something or someone. "You came with Caroline right?"

      "Yeah, but I haven't seen her since. She was showing off her date to her mom," Elodie shrugged, her gaze focused on her hands which allowed her to miss the disappointment that laced Daltons figure.

      "Okay," he nodded, standing up.

      "That's it? You're leaving me alone?"

      "I'm going to find Tyler," Dalton gestured behind him, and Elodie nodded.

      Deciding it was time to find Caroline, she stood and headed outside where she hoped Caroline would be. People were dancing to the soft music playing through the Lockwood's sound system. The air was sticky, but cooled Elodie's warmer skin as she stepped outside. Elodie's gazed focused on Damon dragging Caroline away from the house as she struggled against his grip.

      Elodie began moving without thinking, following the couple away from the crowds and into the woods next to the Lockwood's house. She watched as Stefan left Elena in front of the fountain and was following the two as well. Elodie was well behind the two, but she could still see as Damon and Caroline stood facing each other as they spoke. Damon took a step away before walking to Caroline's back.

Elodie froze. She watched as time slowed as Damon lifted his head up, light catching on teeth sharper than she had ever seen before he forced his head into Caroline's neck. The two slowly fell to the ground and all Elodie wanted to do was run to her best friend, to do something. She watched as Damon dropped Caroline to the ground before stumbling away in a daze almost. Stefan approached his brother before the two disappeared from Elodie's sight.

Her feet found footing, and she ran as fast as she could towards Caroline. The blonde was bleeding from her neck as Elodie cried. Begging for her to wake, for someone to do something or anything that let her wake up.

"Come on, Care. Please, wake up." Elodie begged.

"What, where? Ellie?" Caroline slowly came around, her hand clasping her neck in pain as Elodie sighed.

"You're outside the Lockwood's home," Elodie spoke, "um, what do you remember?"

"I mean, I remember Damon being me out here and—and then, I don't remember. I think he bit me?" Caroline seemed extremely confused as Elodie slowly helped her stand.

Elodie was just as confused, even more so when she glanced at Caroline's neck to find no missing skin, no puncture wounds, nothing except a slightly red portion on her neck. She chose not to say anything, and instead helped Caroline walk towards the home.

"How did you find me?"

Elodie hit her lip, "I was walking, needed a bit of space and I found you. Gods above you terrified me, Caroline. I thought you. . .I thought you died."

"Can't get rid of me that easily," Caroline joked, but the tremble in her hands told Elodie everything she needed to know.

Elodie pushed, the two still far enough away from the party that they weren't noticeable and pulled Caroline into a tight hug. Caroline immediately began to sob into her shoulder, holding her best friend tighter than she would've in a normal hug. Even in her heels, Caroline still towered over Elodie by almost a foot, still she managed to burry her face into Elodie's neck.

The two stood in the dimly lit embrace until Caroline's tears dried up and she wasn't as shaky on her legs. Elodie decided a sleepover was the best thing for the two girls, not even one where they talked, just where they would be in each other's presence and that was enough. Elodie and Caroline caught a ride home with Dalton, where the boy was much more worried about Caroline's puffy eyes than the bit of blood on their dresses.

      Dalton even walked the two up to Elodie's room before leaving them alone. Amy other time, Elodie would've teased Caroline over her brother's obvious crush, but this time she chose to stay silent. They took turns showering before the girls climbed into Elodie's bed, watching reruns of FRIENDS as the two fell asleep. Neither of them speaking about the events of the night, thankful to just have each other.

      Elodie closed her eyes, excepting the same dream she had been having since the football game. This time it had changed.

      The sky was still tinted green from the comet shooting across the sky when Elodie came to. Her hands immediately fell to her hand, when someone else grabbed her wrist, pulling her from a lying position to a standing one. She met eyes with Stefan, who was staring at her terrified. Elodie glanced around, her breath hitching when she found Vicky Donovan at her feet, blood seeping from her neck.

      The person holding her clicked his tongue, "I can see why you chose her over Elena brother."

      Brother? Stefan had a brother?

      "She has no business in this Damon," Stefan growled, trying to reach out and grab Elodie only for Damon to yank her backwards. "Let her go."

      "See, you say she has no business here, but what I see is Elodie Starling is all you can think about. You wrote all about in her in that little journal of yours." Damon switched his hands, piling her hair into a pony at the top of her head before tilting her neck to the side. Elodie was crying at this point. "You see brother, you tend to get everything you want, it has always been that way. Kathrine, and now Elena. But, you don't really want Elena do you? So, what better way to take away everything you want by making it impossible to reach."

      She felt hot breath on her neck and a sob escaped her throat. She pulled and pulled at the hands holding her, begging escape. "Quiet." The command had her closing her mouth, though the tears never stopped flowing.

      "Damon, don't do this." Stefan pleaded. "Why are you doing this?"

      "Do I need a reason brother?"

      "You always have one."

      Elodie felt Damon smile into her neck, "you know why."

      Elodie braced herself for the death that was going to be bestowed upon her. Only to have Damon throw her away from him in a painful cry. His vision had disappeared, white filling everything he could once see, it fell away seconds later but with a momentary distraction had been enough for Stefan. He had run to Elodie, picking her up before depositing her in the hotel room he knew was hers.

      Leaving once he had finished, ignoring the gut punch he felt as he compelled her: "you will not remember any of this. You watched the comet, and came home."

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KENNEDY SPEAKS :

now we know what happened the night of the
comet!! but for some reason the compulsion
isn't working as well as it should ( even for
stefan ) on elodie. . .and the dream at the beginning!?
things are one step closer to being revealed!!

also happy holidays, thank you so much for the
love on this book. i couldn't have done anything
without your support <3.