The Forgotten One (The Vampire Diaries)

Chapter Twelve

Liz had tasked Damon to write the eulogy which has him running up and down these walls with worry. He's currently sitting at his desk right now trying to figure out what to write. After he lets out another hard sigh, I take that as my cue.

"Would you like some advice?" I gently rub at his shoulders.

"I'll take anything right now." He leans his head back onto my belly.

"It's not about you. And I'm not saying it to be mean, I'm saying..." I run my hands through his soft hair. "Caroline is the most vulnerable she has ever been right now. This eulogy is about saying goodbye to Liz and reminding Caroline the kind of person she was. She was one of your best friends. Remember her as such. She's giving you the opportunity to say what was meant to be said to you the day your mother died. She's giving you your closure, Damon."

He swivels around on his chair to face me, letting his hands rest on the swell of my belly. After a moment, he nods. "I can do that."

The phone that Damon had gotten me last night pings. "It's Bonnie. She says she'll surprise you with a visit later. She's helping Caroline with the setup." He hums, listening. "She also said not to miss her too much."

He scoffs, pulling away and snatching the phone. "I hardly missed you. Damon." He speaks aloud his message to Bonnie. After handing me my phone, he gives me a soft smile. "Thank you for telling me exactly what I needed to hear. She's only letting me do this because I skipped out on my mother's eulogy. When it came time to actually say the words, I left. I couldn't." He sighs, exhausted. "I just don't want to let Liz down."

"And you won't." I lift his face with my palms. "Just be you, Damon. She wouldn't have been your friend if she didn't like the person you were...despite all the murder cases you brought to her desk."

"Damon, I'm worried about Caroli-Oh! Scarlett, you're back!" Elena enters the room. "I mean, I knew you were back, I saw Bonnie. I just-Anyway, I'm glad that you're here!"

"You are?" I give her a confused frown.

"Yeah." She nods, pursing her lips. "Uh, I heard about you being a Gilbert."

My brows rise in surprise. "Well, not really. Just for a little while. About a year." I correct. After an awkward pause, I bring up Caroline.

"Right!" She nods, rapidly. "I don't think she's handling this as well as she thinks she is." She glances at the unwritten eulogy. "You're not done yet?"

"He's getting there." I cut in before Damon could doubt himself. "He's got this." I kiss his cheek. "Now, should we discuss some things?"

**

"Wow." She whispers. "Mom and Dad really did that?"

"Yup. They just took me in without knowing the consequences." I toss a fry into my mouth. My mind wanders over to the other 'me' from the party video.

"What is it?" She tilts her head, tossing her straightened brown hair over her shoulder.

"You were a doppelganger, right?" She nods. "I think I'm one too."

Her mouth drops. "What gives you that impression?"

"Before I...died. Miranda was getting onto my ass about some party. She showed me a video that was sent to her. It had 'me' in it but, I wasn't even there. I was with you, actually. Whoever it was had my face." I look down at the table. "That's when they told me about finding me in the middle of the road a year prior."

"And you had no memory?" She frowns, sipping her drink.

I shake my head. "Nope. But if I am a doppelganger, why was she in town in 1992 but never again after that?"