Wayward Hearts- Book 4

Part 39

 Damon woke to an intense heat in the room. The fireplace, long smoldered out, was now blazing like an inferno. Emma slept fitfully next to him. He began to worry that she would set the room on fire in her sleep.

"Em," he gently shook her as the heat began to become painful, the candles on the bedside table next to them began to melt, "Emma!"

Emma woke up, screaming almost hysterically and swinging her arms at whatever demon was visible to only her.

"Emma!" Damon fought to get his arms around her and pull her into his chest, "Hey, Emma, come on, it just me."

Emma let out one more shrill scream before seeming to wake up fully, her screams turning into quiet whimpers. The heat in the room finally dissipating and the fire in the fireplace calming down, the wood that was left was nothing but ash. Emma hid her face in her hands and began sobbing.

Damon pressed his lips together, just as mad at himself as he was at Dr. Maxfield. If it hadn't been for him making stupid, careless decisions, Emma never would have been in Wes's grasp in the first place.

He pulled her into his chest and ran his fingers through her hair in an attempt to calm her down, "It was just a dream."

Damon looked up when he heard his door open, it was his brother, Caroline was standing behind him. Stefan looked cautious at first but then concerned when he saw the state that Emma was in. He looked at his brother for answers.

Damon put his finger to his lips to let them know they needed to be silent before he waved them off. Caroline started to say something but Damon shook his head and Stefan grabbed her arm to cut her off. Stefan closed the door and walked with Caroline back downstairs.

Once they were in the library, she finally couldn't hold back anymore, "What was that?"

Stefan sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, "My guess, Emma has been putting on a brave face since she got back from Wes's lab. It's been hurting her more than she let on, and she just broke."

Stefan made them both a drink and they sat on the couch by the fire.

After a short while, Damon came down to join them and to answer the questions he assumed they both had.

"Hey," he said as he plopped down in a reading chair looking exhausted.

"Is Emma okay?" Caroline asked.

Damon shook his head, "No, but I got her back to sleep and messed around in her mind a little bit to keep the nightmare at bay for now."

"How long has this been going on?" Stefan asked.

"Tonight was the first time it's gotten this bad," Damon explained, "it was crazy. She was using her magic in her sleep. I thought the room was going to burn down."

Stefan nodded, "We could feel some of it down here too."

"That's...dangerous," Caroline looked at Damon in shock.

"Where have you two been anyway?" Damon asked confused.

Stefan and Caroline looked at each other, not sure how to explain.

Caroline took the lead, "Long story short; Stefan was being held by the Travelers for something and we just watched them commit a mass suicide of some kind."

Damon looked at them like they were crazy, but shook his head, "Emma mentioned they were up to something having to do with the whole town."

"One crisis at a time," Stefan said, putting the subject back on Emma, "until they make a move we don't know what they are planning. We need to focus on Emma, when they do make a move, she is our strongest ally."