章 5: Night of the Comet
AN: How this chapter got so long I don't know but enjoy it. Its 13 pages on google docs. Also I'm going out of town Tuesday so consider this an early release if you want to.
Normally, I would have Tyler wake me up in the morning, but I kept having night terrors.
"Ughhh, stupid vampire, why are you showing up now?" I muttered, rubbing my head in frustration.
Deciding to shake off the unsettling dreams, I pushed myself to get up and have an early workout. If vampires were going to start showing up, I needed to prepare myself and get used to waking up early to train.
I wrapped my scarf around my neck, leaving a note for Tyler that I would meet him at school, and made my way to my favorite spot in the forest. Just as I was about to summon my scythe, I heard a voice behind me.
"Hmmm, what are you doing in the middle of the forest, little red?" the voice teased.
Startled, I turned around to face the source. "Ahhh, what are you doing here? And who are you anyway? I've never seen you in Mystic Falls," I exclaimed, the adrenaline from the surprise encounter coursing through me.
"Whoa, calm down, little red. My name is Damon Salvatore. I just moved back to Mystic Falls. And who might you be?" he responded with a smirk, getting closer.
"Hmmm, Salvatore? Are you related to Stefan by any chance? Oh, and I'm Ruby," I said, taking a step back.
"Yup, the one and only," he replied smugly.
"He never mentioned you," I mused, thinking back.
"We got into a fight recently," Damon revealed, his eyes filled with anger.
"Interesting. Well, I'm gonna go," I said, slowly backing away, keeping a watchful eye on him.
"Already?" Damon said, a dangerous smile playing on his lips.
"Yeah," I replied before turning around and running. However, to my surprise, he appeared in front of me, blocking my path.
"Of course, you're a vampire," I muttered under my breath.
"Oh, so you know what I am. I guess I can't let you live after all," Damon said, veins starting to appear under his eyes.
I knew I had my weapon, but something told me it wasn't the right time to reveal its existence. Instinctively, I focused on disappearing, and in an instant, I found myself outside the forest and onto the street.
"I did it!" I exclaimed, hopping up and down in excitement. "All it took was the desire to get away from a dangerous situation. Who would have thought?"
Feeling triumphant, I arrived at school early and decided to tinker with my new invention. I had been trying to create a better phone, but it kept short-circuiting. Lost in my tinkering, a pair of hands suddenly covered my eyes.
"Guess whoooo," a familiar voice chimed, belonging to someone I knew very well.
"Hmmm, Tyler?" I replied, smiling.
" *Scoff* Are you saying that my beautiful soft hands are like a man?" Caroline said, playfully shoving her finger at my chest.
"I'm sorry, I was just joking. Your hands are nothing like Tyler's," I said, nudging her shoulder.
" *Huff* you better be sorry. Anyway, let's go. Bonnie is waiting for us," Caroline said, grabbing my arm and pulling me along.
We meet up with Bonnie, and as she starts to recount what her Grams had told her, Caroline asks, "I'm confused, are you psychic or clairvoyant?"
"Technically, Grams says I'm a witch," Bonnie replies with a smile.
"My ancestors were these cool Salem witches. Grams tried to explain, but she was intoxicated, so I summed it up to her making things up," she explains.
"Well, I think it's cool that your ancestors might be Salem witches," I praise her family background.
"I guess, but I think it's more of a crazy family than witches," Bonnie says dismissively.
"Yeah, well, feel free to conjure up any lottery numbers to help me make some money, ayy," Caroline nudges Bonnie playfully.
"Please, if I could conjure up lottery numbers, I would be using them myself, not for you," Bonnie responds, playfully shooting down Caroline's request.
"Please, I would make you share some of that money," Caroline persists, teasingly.
"Oooh, we can use the money to buy a lot of cookies!" I exclaim excitedly, my mouth watering at the thought of all the boxes of cookies I could purchase.
"Yes, your majesty, we shall get you only the highest quality cookies we can find," Caroline says, while Bonnie playfully does a mock bow.
"As you should," I replied before we all burst into laughter.
After a while, I split from them and headed toward where Ty would be. I notice Jeremy walking out, clearly angry.
"Hey Ty, is everything okay? I just saw Jeremy walk away from you angrily," I say, reaching out to hug him.
"Yeah, Rubs, don't worry about it. Everything's fine. We just got into a small argument about a girl," he explains, patting my head reassuringly.
"If you say so," I agree, deciding not to pry further since it isn't any of my business.
—----
Caroline invited me to dinner with her, Bonnie, and Elena, but I told her I couldn't make it. Instead, I decided to find Stefan and ask him some questions about him and his brother.
As I neared the Salvatore Boarding House, I spotted Elena near the door.
'Huh, I thought she was with Bonnie and Caroline,' I thought to myself before approaching her.
"What are you doing here?" I whisper into her ear, causing her to scream and spin around to face me.
"Ahhhh! Don't do that, Ruby. You almost gave me a heart attack. I'm here to see Stefan. Why are you here?" She says, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, umm, I wanted to ask Stefan some questions about his brother," I say, avoiding eye contact. I tend to do that when I'm lying or saying half-truths. For some reason, I suck at lying.
"Brother?" She says, puzzled.
"Yeah, I ran into him, but I quickly left. So, I thought I should ask Stefan," I say, twirling my fingers behind my back and bouncing on my toes.
"Huh, I didn't know he had a brother," she says, with a hurt look.
"Yeah, I told his brother that, but all he said was that they recently got into an argument. So, I guess Stefan's still mad at him," I say, reassuring her.
She stares at me thoughtfully before saying, "Yeah, I guess you're right."
Then she turns around and knocks on the door, but when she does, it creaks open like in horror movies. She steps inside without a second thought.
"Are you sure we should be entering?" I ask nervously.
"Yeah, come on," she says, beckoning me to follow as we step into the Boarding House.
We walk in, and Elena starts calling out for Stefan.
"Stefan?" She calls out as we look around the house, impressed with the interior decoration.
Suddenly, a door creaks and Elena moves towards the direction of the sound.
'This girl doesn't fear anything,' I think, watching her get closer to the sound. Suddenly, a crow appears, causing both of us to scream. When we turn around, Damon is right behind us, just looking at us.
"Sorry for barging in. The door was... open," Elena says, turning around to find it closed.
Meanwhile, I'm freaking out. 'Why did it have to be him? Anyone but him.'
"You must be Elena, and you are Ruby. I'm Damon, Stefan's brother. Oh, little red you have to teach me how you did your disappearing act earlier," he says, narrowing his eyes at me, making me sweat.
"Yeah, I heard from Ruby," Elena says diffusing some of the tension.
"I bet you did. Please, come in," he says, guiding us to the living room.
"Stefan will be here any second," Damon assures us.
Elena looks around, her eyes widening in amazement. "Wow, this is your living room," she says.
Damon smirks mischievously. "Living room, Parlor, Sotheby's auction. It's a little kitschy for my taste," he remarks
"I see why my brother's so smitten. It's about time, I thought he wouldn't get over the last one," Damon continues, trying to drive a wedge between Stefan and Elena.
Elena's curiosity is piqued. "The last one?" she questions.
Damon catches himself and backtracks. "Oh, you guys haven't had the ex-girlfriend conversation yet. Forget what I said," he dismisses.
As their conversation unfolds, I start to lose focus, feeling like a bystander caught in the middle of their tense dynamic.
To break away from the awkwardness, I spot a glass on the nearby table and assume it's filled with apple juice. Eager to quench my thirst, I pick it up and take a sip, only to regret it immediately. A burning sensation spreads through my throat, and I start coughing uncontrollably, desperately trying to soothe the discomfort.
Elena rushes over, concerned. "Oh my god, Ruby, are you okay?" she asks, rubbing my back to provide some comfort.
Damon, ever the troublemaker, interjects with a mocking tone. "Ohohoho, little red drinking bourbon. Hello, Stefan," he taunts Stefan as he takes the glass away from me.
Stefan acknowledges our presence, seemingly ignoring Damon's antics. "Elena, Ruby, I didn't know you guys were coming over," he says, trying to maintain some sense of normalcy.
Elena, feeling guilty, responds quickly. "I know, I should've called," she apologizes.
Damon, unable to resist, interrupts again. "Oh, don't be silly. You're welcome anytime," he interjects, clearly enjoying the awkwardness.
Feeling out of place amidst their drama, I discreetly inch toward the door, silently deciding to talk to Stefan another time. Just as I'm about to make my escape, I overhear Stefan telling Elena off, making me feel bad for her. However, I know it's best not to get involved, so I continue my exit.
I wait for Elena to join me outside, feeling a little woozy from the bourbon.
Elena comes out of the house and notices my disoriented state. "Woah, are you okay, Ruby? You look a little out of it," she says, reaching out to hold me up.
I try to put on a brave face, moving my arms around erratically. "Yup, I'm fine, you see," I say, trying to convince both of us.
Elena realizes I'm not in the best condition and suggests, "How about we get you home?"
I protest, my voice pleading, "No! I want to go to Caroline's, pleaseeeee. I miss her."
Knowing that this is my first time being intoxicated, Elena agrees. "Yeah, we can go to Caroline's. Come on," she says, gripping my shoulder gently and leading me to her car.
We arrive at Caroline's house, and Elena walks me to her front door. I eagerly knocked, calling out, "Carolinnnnne, it's me, Ruby!"
I hear Caroline hurry to the door, unlocking and opening it. "Ruby, Elena! What brings you here?" she asks, a mix of surprise and curiosity evident on her face.
Elena goes on to explain my situation, "Ruby had some liquor at Stefan's house. Would you mind taking care of her? She wanted to see you, and I need to get home."
Caroline nods and takes charge, saying, "Of course, I've got her. You can head home, Elena."
"Byeeeee, Elena!" I shout, waving as she leaves.
Caroline guides me inside and asks, "So, why were you at Stefan's house?" with a warm smile, leading me to her room.
"I wanted to ask him about his brother," I replied, holding onto her for support.
"He has a brother?" Caroline questions, her curiosity piqued.
"Mmmm, yeah," I confirm as we both settle down on her bed.
Caroline can't resist her curiosity any longer. "What did you want to ask Stefan?" she inquires, giving in to my request.
I playfully responded, "I wanted to know more about Damon. But now, it's nap time," I say, gently pushing Caroline down onto her bed and snuggling into her neck.
—-
Caroline's POV:
As Ruby drifted off to sleep in my arms, a familiar sense of warmth and comfort washed over me. Her presence had a way of soothing me, offering peace to me whenever she was around.
Gently, I brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face, silently admiring the peaceful expression on her sleeping form.
Thoughts about Damon and his intentions for Ruby nagged at the back of my mind. Was he worthy of her trust? Would he appreciate her the way she deserved? My concerns mingled with a mix of protectiveness and uncertainty, creating a knot of emotions within me.
Ruby mumbled something in her sleep, a faint whisper that broke through my swirling thoughts. It was a simple mention of cookies, a lighthearted comment that momentarily distracted me from my worries. I couldn't help but smile, even as my mind yearned for answers.
Ruby was more than just my best friend; she was the anchor that kept me grounded. We shared countless moments of laughter, tears, and unwavering support. Together, we had weathered life's storms and celebrated its joys. I didn't notice that my heart started to beat faster just thinking about our time together.
With a soft sigh, I settled into a comfortable position beside Ruby, my eyes fixed on her slumbering face. I decided to meet this Damon, to assess his intentions and protect Ruby from any harmful intentions he might have for her.
The darkness slowly embraced me, as I whispered, "Goodnight, Ruby," surrendering to the realm of dreams.
—-
Ruby's POV:
I felt a soft, comforting sensation against my back, and a familiar scent of lavender filled the air. Wait, this wasn't my bed. My curiosity got the better of me, and I reluctantly opened my eyes to find myself nestled in someone's embrace. I turned to see Caroline's peaceful sleeping face, her golden locks partially covering her features.
For a moment, I simply gazed at her, captivated by her serene expression. But as I noticed her stirring, I quickly averted my gaze and pretended to be asleep, burying myself deeper against her chest.
I sensed a subtle change in Caroline's heartbeat, its rhythm quickening ever so slightly. Concern washed over me. Was she feeling unwell? I listened to her deep breaths and felt her hand gently caressing my hair.
"Ruby, Ruby, it's time to get up. Come on," she urged, shaking me lightly.
"I don't want to," I replied honestly, tempted to return to the blissful comfort of slumber.
"I guess you don't want me to make you my special cookies," she teased, knowing all too well about my weakness for those delicious treats.
"No! I'm awake now, so you have to make them for me," I declared, sitting up straight, eliciting laughter from Caroline.
"How do you not have a headache with the way you were acting last night I was sure you would have a hangover" Caroline questions me
"Hmmm I don't know I just don't feel sick I feel even better actually" I answer her shrugging my shoulders
(In this story when you unlock your semblance you unlock your aura at the same time so her aura helped her recover from the alcohol while she was asleep)
We both prepared ourselves for the day ahead, knowing that the night would bring the anticipated comet event in Mystic Falls. As we strolled around, I caught sight of Damon. Instinctively, I grabbed Caroline's arm and pulled her away, not wanting him anywhere near her.
"Ruby, what are you doing?" she questioned, confused by my sudden urge to move away.
"Damon's here," I hissed, making my distaste for him evident.
"Oh, really? Let's go greet him," she suggested cheerfully.
"What? No, why would we ever want to greet him?" I replied, feeling a need to keep her away from him.
"Huh? Don't you like him?" she asked genuine curiosity in her voice.
"Why would I ever like him? He's a man," I blurted out, unintentionally revealing more than I intended.
Caroline's smile grew even brighter, and she playfully nudged me. "Oh, so you're like that, huh?"
I was taken aback by her nonchalant response. "Huh? You don't find it weird that I like girls?" I questioned, unsure of how she would react.
"Nope. I've noticed the way you look at Bonnie. I just thought you might've been bi or something," she answered, side-hugging me. But as she mentioned Bonnie, I caught a glimpse of jealousy in her eyes, albeit fleeting.
No, I must have been mistaken. Why would Caroline be jealous of Bonnie? I dismissed the thought, convincing myself that it was just my imagination playing tricks on me.
—-
Afternoon
"I got you guys candles," Caroline tells Bonnie and Elena as we hand them their candles.
We continue to walk until I spot Ty. I quickly hand my candle to Caroline and dash straight to my brother.
"Ty!" I shout.
"Ruby, what happened last night? We got a call from Caroline, telling us that you were at her place," he says, looking at me with concern. I avoided his gaze, knowing exactly why I was at Caroline's.
"Well, Ruby here drank alcohol, thinking it was apple juice," Caroline says, making me gasp as she decides to spill the secret.
"*Gasp* Caroline, I thought we agreed to keep it a secret," I say, giving her a betrayed look.
"What? We never agreed to that," she says, looking at me with confusion.
"We did, in my mind. I guess I know who my true friends are," I say, pouting and turning away.
"I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?" she says, giving me puppy dog eyes.
"Fine," I say, then turn to look at my brother, who appears upset.
"Uh oh," I mumble to myself.
"You drank, Ruby," he tells me, his tone filled with anger.
"It was an accident, Ty, I swear," I say, feeling guilty as I meet his disappointed gaze.
"Ruby, you're too young to be drinking. I can't believe you would do that," he says, his disappointment evident.
"What? You drink, and you're only a year older than me," I whisper-shout at him, trying not to draw too much attention.
"It doesn't matter if I'm only a year older. You're still a kid, and you should know better," he scolds me.
"I'm not a kid, Tyler. My childhood ended the same day as my parents. I may act childishly once in a while, but I'm no longer a kid who needs to be told what and what not to do," I say coldly before turning to Caroline, who looks at me with concern.
"Thank you for holding my candle, Caroline," I say as I gently grab my candle and walk away.
3rd POV:
Caroline looked at Ruby's retreating figure, concern etched on her face. She was about to follow her when Bonnie grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks.
"Give her some time to calm down," Bonnie advised, offering a supportive smile to Caroline.
Feeling torn, Caroline hesitated but ultimately nodded, wanting to give Ruby some space to process her emotions. She watched as Ruby walked away with a sad face, her mind undoubtedly racing with thoughts and the feeling to chase her.
Ruby wandered for a while until she decided to go to the rooftop, where she could observe the comet in peace. As she made her way around the building, she could faintly hear voices growing louder.
Quickening her pace, Ruby ascended the ladder and reached the rooftop, only to witness a tense confrontation between Stefan, Damon, and a tearful Vicki. Without hesitation, she stepped forward.
"What do you think you're doing to her?" Ruby's voice cut through the tension, her protective instincts kicking in as she saw two men and a crying woman on the floor.
Damon turned his attention to Ruby, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Ruby. Did you know, Stefan, that little red here knows our secret too?"
Stefan was surprised by Ruby's involvement but still decided to warn her urgently, "Ruby, you need to get out of here now!"
Ruby's frustration surged, her usual bright demeanor gone. "You know what? I'm tired of people telling me what to do," she declared, running a hand through her hair, surprising everyone except Damon, who looked amused.
"I'm in a bad mood, so let her leave before someone gets hurt," Ruby continued, her gaze icy as she locked eyes with Damon and Stefan.
Damon, unfazed by Ruby's defiance, moved closer, taunting her. "And what are you going to do against us?"
A sudden change came over Ruby as a scythe materialized in her hand, its gleaming blade catching the moonlight. She sliced Damon's cheek with a swift motion, catching everyone off guard.
"Go!" Ruby shouted at Vicki, taking advantage of the momentary shock.
Confused and slightly frightened, Vicki obeyed Ruby's command, making her way to the ladder to get down the rooftop but Damon recovered from the shock and quickly whispered something in Vicki's ear before releasing her.
As Vicki questioned her surroundings, Ruby compacted her scythe, concealing it behind her back. Anger still radiated from her, and she focused her cold gaze on Damon.
"You should tend to your injury," Ruby said coolly to both Vicki and Damon, making Vicki look down to see her neck bleeding and quickly climbs down to get it patched.
Meanwhile, Damon's hand reached up to touch the cut on his cheek and winced in pain. His anger grew as Ruby's words sank in.
"Now, here's what's going to happen. If you so much as lay a finger on my family or even think about harming even one strand of Caroline's beautiful blonde hair, I'll ensure your 'immortal' life comes to a quick end," Ruby threatened, appearing in front of Damon with her scythe pressed against his neck, a small trickle of blood escaping.
Stefan looked at the exchange with a worried look, but never tried to attempt to intervene. He was a little scared seeing the intensity in Ruby's eyes and the seriousness in her voice compared to the bright shy person he met before. Then without a word, she disappeared leaving behind a trail of rose petals where she had stood.
Moments later, Ruby found herself in front of the Mystic Grill curled up (She already dematerialized her Scythe) in a ball as her emotions overwhelmed her. Ruby's chest tightened, and her breaths grew rapid and shallow. Panic gripped her as if the world around her was closing in.
"Ruby!" Caroline called out to Ruby in concern seeing her best friend have a panic attack just as she stepped outside the Grill.
"Ruby, you're okay. Just focus on my voice," Caroline reassured, her tone gentle and soothing. She reached out and placed a comforting hand on Ruby's trembling one, offering a lifeline of support.
But Ruby's senses were overwhelmed, her mind consumed by fear. Her heart pounded in her chest, and sweat coated her forehead. Every attempt at taking a deep breath felt futile as if she couldn't draw in enough air to sustain herself.
Caroline continued to speak to Ruby. She guided Ruby through a breathing exercise, trying to help her regain control.
"Inhale... exhale…" Caroline repeated the actions with Ruby as soon as she said the instructions.
Gradually, Ruby began to mimic Caroline's breathing pattern, attempting to regulate her own erratic breaths. With each deliberate inhale and exhale, she felt a sliver of relief. The tightness in her chest loosened, and the racing of her heart began to calm...
Ruby looked up, her expression a mixture of vulnerability and exhaustion. "Caroline... Can I stay at your house again? I don't want to go home," she said quietly.
Caroline's heart ached at the sight of her friend in distress. Without hesitation, she moved closer to Ruby, wrapping her arms around her in a comforting embrace. "Of course, Ruby. You can stay with me," she whispered soothingly.
Guiding Ruby towards her car, Caroline gently led her inside. She started the engine and began the drive back to her house, casting worried glances at Ruby every now and then.
During the journey, Ruby leaned against the window, her thoughts swirling with a mix of emotions. Caroline decided to stay quiet, Ruby would tell her what happened when she wanted to.
As they arrived at Caroline's house, Caroline turned off the engine and turned to face Ruby. "We're here," she said softly, her voice filled with warmth and reassurance.
Ruby nodded, offering a faint smile of gratitude. She stepped out of the car and followed Caroline inside. Ruby felt a sense of relief and tiredness as well as feeling a sense of safety being next to Caroline.
Caroline led Ruby to her room, where a comfortable bed awaited her. "Make yourself at home, Ruby. If you need anything, I'm here for you," Caroline said sincerely, her eyes filled with empathy.
Ruby nodded once again, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you, Caroline. I appreciate it."
Caroline gave her a reassuring smile before leaving the room, knowing that Ruby needed some time alone. But just as she was about to close the door, Ruby called out to her.
"Caroline, can you hug me like last night?" Ruby asked.
Caroline nods and she walks back to Ruby's side and climbs into the bed, wrapping her arms around her in a gentle embrace. "I've got you, you're safe now."
As Ruby settled into the embrace, Caroline held her tightly, providing a sense of safety and security. She gently stroked Ruby's hair. The room was enveloped in tranquil silence, broken only by the sound of their steady breaths.
Time seemed to stand still as Caroline held Ruby then Caroline started humming a soft melody, the same song that Ruby's mother used to sing to Ruby.
Ruby's tense body gradually relaxed, her breathing steadying as she surrendered to the embrace and the lullaby-like hum.
Caroline listened to the rhythm of Ruby's soft breathing. It became a gentle lullaby, soothing her weary mind. As exhaustion finally caught up with her, Caroline closed her eyes and let sleep take over.
In the quiet of the room, the only sound was the synchronized breathing of Ruby and Caroline, their bodies close together offering a sense of safety to each other.
As the night went on, the door creaked open, revealing Liz, Caroline's mother, standing at the entrance. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sight before her, but a warm smile quickly spread across her face.
"Goodnight, Caroline. Goodnight, Ruby," Liz whispered softly, careful not to disturb their peaceful slumber. With a final glance at the two, she gently closed the door, leaving them in the embrace of sleep.
AN:Remember that Ruby is 16 so she had a panic attack after being in a very tense and potentially life threatening situation
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