T i m e l e s s {book one}

➖chapter twenty-three➖

Caroline and Davina, reluctantly, are trying to get the burn mark off the floor when the front door opens.

"Hey, you're home. We were just trying to get the burn mark off the floor..." Caroline trails off as Stefan and Elena enter with Jeremy's limp body.

Davina gapes at them before shaking her head. "I think that's my cue to leave." She's about to head out when Stefan grabs her wrist.

"Wait. Please. We're going to bring his body up, but then we can talk." Davina looks at him and sighs.

"Fine..."

"Okay. Let's get his body upstairs." Stefan and Elena carry Jeremy up as the other two stand by the door, still stunned.

"I...Jeremy, he's..."

"He looks dead," Davina says outright. When she sees the look that Caroline shoots her, she just shrugs. "I know it sounds bad, but I don't care. He took part in Kol's assassination, so this is like an eye for an eye."

"But Jeremy was her last living relative," Caroline reasons. "I understand what you're going through, but you should take into consideration with what she's going through, too."

"Just because her brother died doesn't mean I'm going to suddenly be her friend again," Davina snaps. "It doesn't mean I don't still hate her, but...I will try to just...be here. For support." Caroline nods just as Stefan descends down the stairs.

"We three need to talk."

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Stefan and Davina are talking while Caroline's using the faucet to drown out the conversation.

"Look, Davina, I know you're still upset about what happened with Kol...but try to see things from her point of view-"

"Are you seriously preaching to me about how that wasn't her fault? Even Jeremy's death has something to do with her."

"Davina-"

"No, stop. I know it was her idea to kill Kol, and all because of the cure. Now, Jeremy is dead because you all went after the cure. Can't you see that everything going on is happening because of what she wants?"

"We all wanted the cure. I get that things may never be the same between you two, and that's fine. For now, though, it would be nice if you could just...help her out."

"Help her," Davina repeats, almost disbelieving. "Just like she helped me, huh?"

"Be the bigger person when it comes to this," Stefan reasons. "Kol did things to us, and we retaliated by killing him. Not too bright on our side, and you're suffering because of it. Jeremy's dead now, and she's going to feel the same things you felt when Kol died. Anger and sadness. I'm just asking to show her a little empathy, and then you can go back to hating her."

Davina bites her lip before sighing. "Fine, because this totally won't make my dead boyfriend roll in his grave. Or jar, in this case. Isn't Elena in denial, though? She thinks the ring is going to bring him back to life when it isn't."

"Elena feels grief more powerfully than anyone else. I think denial is the only thing protecting her from letting it all in," Stefan explains.

"But she can't stay like that forever," Caroline points out.

"I know, but I don't want to be the one to break her out of it."

"I will," Davina muses.

"No, not until we know that Bonnie is safe, not until we can get Damon over here to-"