Star Light

Chapter Two: Settling In

Summer had passed without a hitch, I got hired on with NASA as one of their designers and was making six figures. My Mentor and I were in communication about finding ways for me to continue my doctorate degree while out in Virginia. With everything settled on the business end of things, I turned my attention to the guardian side of things, which I had come to the conclusion that I was absolutely terrible at. 

Over the summer a whole slew of things that I could only class as strange had started happening. 

Jeremy had been acting strangely (like he saw things no one else could - schizophrenia crossed my mind). Elena was hanging out with Damon, who was quite clearly in love with her, more often. Alaric was a bonafide drunk. Elena had grown obsessed with tracking down and finding Stefan.

Why was that last one a concern? Because Stefan was with Klaus, and Klaus sure the hell did not need to know that my baby sister was alive and kicking. 

This left me with a lot of shit to take care of, no ideas, and zero time to figure it out between a full-time job and making sure that the house is running. 

How did Mom and Dad do this? 

On one of my few days off, I was found sitting at the kitchen table waiting for Jeremy to come downstairs. This was one of the only things I could handle; going crazy wasn't supernatural. 

There was a quick succession of thumps as my sixteen-year-old brother came rushing down the stairs at the smell of the bacon filled breakfast I had made for the pair of us. Elena was at the Salvatore Boarding House - which was my next stop on this rampage. "Bacon?" Jeremy asked hopefully as he looked at me. 

"Yup, and it's all yours," Jeremy reached for the plate, but before he could get his grubby hands on a single piece of the heaven filled meat, I pulled the bacon back. "If you tell me what the hell has been going on. And no lying, believe it or not, I am one hell of a detective, and I know when people are lying." 

For a moment, I was scared he was going to do that thing he did with Elena and just scoff at me and walk away. His face flushed with annoyance, then fear, before finally, he sat down with resignation. "Fine." I did a silent cheer inside my head and straightened my back. "But you can't tell Elena," 

"Deal," I said without hesitation. 

Jeremy sighed, he looked exhausted. His eyes had dark circles under them, his skin was pale, and his hair was lackluster and limp. I was almost worried that he might have gotten back on drugs or was dying of cancer or something. "I've been seeing Vicky and Anna." 

I blinked once, twice, thrice, then opened my mouth to say something. After realizing I had no words, I closed it again. I repeated this process a few times before the words I wanted to say came to me. "How is this? Jer, have you been doing drugs?" 

"No! No, I'm clean. I don't know how this happened, but ever since Bonnie brought me back to life I have been seeing them, and I can't stop it." 

For a hot second, the idea crossed my mind to abort the mission and leave it be. I understood space, physics, science, and explainable. Magic? I was out of my depth.   "Okay, so this is a witchy thing? Have you told Bonnie yet?" Jeremy looked at the ground. "Jer! She is your girlfriend, she deserves to know! Also, if it hasn't escaped your notice, Bonnie is a witch! She can help with this."

"Just- just let me deal with this, okay?" Jeremey said, giving me one of his I've-got-this-so-back-off looks. Deciding it is better to not argue, I merely nodded my head with a sad sigh. 

"Can I have the bacon now?" 

After my failed attempt to get Jeremy to accept help or at least ask for some help, I turned my attention to Damon. Alaric had Elena out learning how to kill vampires, so that left Damon utterly alone in his big house.

It was a massive house by the way, totally ostentatious and completely him. Exactly where I would expect he would live. I paused at the door, should I knock? Probably, but then again - he doesn't knock when coming into my house. 

Before I could decide, the door opened, and Damon's compelled girlfriend smiled brightly at me. "Hello!" 

Well, it isn't her fault that her fake boyfriend is in love with my little sister and is playing with her emotions. Might as well be nice. "Hello, a pleasure to meet you, I'm Europa Gilbert." I greeted, offering my hand to shake. 

"Andie Starr, trust me the pleasure is all mine." She said charmingly before walking away, yelling a quick farewell over her shoulder. 

"What are you doing here?" A voice asked me in an arrogant tone that only Damon Salvatore could ever master. 

I turned to look at him and sighed. "We need to have a chat," I said, pushing past him and inside the house. 

"Sure, come on in." Damon sassed me as he shut the door and looked at me warily. "What do you want?" 

"I want to know what you are going to do about your love for my little sister who is hung up on your brother," I told him as I poured myself and him a drink. When I turned with the glasses in my hands, he was standing right there. Suddenly we were staring eye to eye. 

Huffing, I shoved the drink to his chest and walked to the couch in his living room. "I have no idea what you're talking about." 

"Don't lie to me. You know exactly what I'm talking about and you know what I'm going to say about it." I said, taking a sip of the bourbon in my hand. 

His eyes sharpened on me angrily. "Who do you think you are? You weren't there for her, you can't tell her who she can and cannot love." 

"I won't tell her who she can and can't love Damon, all I'm asking is that you stop pursuing her. She is seventeen! You were twenty-five when you were turned. At the very least wait, however, I'm not so certain you should go after my sister at all." 

"And why is that?" He was on his feet now. 

Too bad two could play the intimidation game. Setting my drink down, I stood up also and started speaking, my voice soft and quiet. "You killed her brother, tried to turn her into a vampire, used her best friend to open a tomb for a woman who wasn't there, killed her brother's girlfriend, and you have used Elena more than once for your own gains. You hurt people, Damon! What's worse is you say it's for her, then you put her in a bad situation, caught with grief and guilt because she is the reason you do what you do! It isn't healthy! You're giving my little sister a bloody guilt complex!" I ranted at him, moving forward with every word. 

Damon sputtered slightly. "That's not true, I love her." 

"I believe you, that's my problem. When you love Elena, you become volatile. If she says anything that upsets you, you retaliate with violence. That's why you killed Jeremy that night because she pissed you off. Then you go and play with her emotions, force her to forgive you and continue to do the same things. It's a never-ending pattern." I told him softly. Then I looked him in the eyes, his eyes held pain, and for a moment I almost regretted this. "I'm asking you to leave her alone. For her own good." 

Then I turned on my heel and made for the door. "And what if I don't and she chooses me?" He asked me from where he stood. 

I paused in my steps. "Then I will support her, I will be happy for her, and when you do something to hurt her I will be there to put her back together again," I told him before finally leaving the house and stepping into the sun. 

When I got in my car, my phone rang. "Hello?" I asked, answering the cell. 

"Hey, I'm in a bar in Tennessee. Can you spare a minute, I think I have something that might help you with your Thesis." One of my friends said from the other end. 

"I think I can. Be there in a bit." 

Ending that call, I called Alaric. "Hello?" He answered, slightly out of breath. 

"Ric, can you watch the kids for me? I need to go and get something from Tennessee. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important." 

"No problem. See ya." 

"Bye." Closing the call, I set my phone down and tore out of Mystic Falls for a much-needed break.