when the party's over | elena gilbert

05|YOU'RE UNDEAD TO ME

Gemma lingers outside of the cellar, her arms folded across her chest. Her lips press into a thin line when Damon groans in pain, the sound reverberating through the small space.

"He's awake," Stefan tells Zach. "He's weak, but it's probably best to stay out of the basement."

Gemma begins to protest but Stefan cuts her off.

"He's Damon," he reminds his sister. "I'm not sure how dangerous he still might be."

"He's locked up and doped up with vervain," Gemma narrows her eyes. "There's a metal door separating us. I'm not sure he's much of a threat."

"I heard that," Damon rasps. "Not true, Gems. I'm very much a—" he erupts into loud coughs, his body wracking with the force.

"I'm sure you are, princess," Gemma snarks back at him.

Damon's response is a loud, over dramatic cough in the direction of the door.

"Don't antagonize him," Stefan sighs.

"You're going to school?" Zach questions Stefan.

"Came here to live a life," Stefan shrugs. "It's about time I get back to that. And Elena, if she's still speaking to me."

"Why haven't you called her?" Zach wonders.

"Yes, Stefan," Gemma goads. "Why haven't you called her?"

"What am suppose to do, feed her another lie?" He glares, "I hate lying to her. I'm not good at it. She already thinks I'm hiding something."

"Well," Gemma looks at her nails. "She's not wrong."

"Aren't you supposed to be supportive?" Stefan asks, folding his arms. "Isn't that was siblings do?"

Gemma looks up, her eyebrows raised. "Now," she grins. "Where'd you get that idea? The Hallmark channel?"

"What choice do you have?" Zach breaks Gemma's moment of teasing. "You came here because you wanted to live as normal a life as you could. You knew this was going to be a part of it."

Gemma rolls her eyes, letting her arms fall limp at her sides. "Way to kill the mood, Zach." She looks at the imaginary watch on her wrist, clapping her hands together when she's finished. "It's time for my evening drink."

"It's like, ten o'clock in the morning," Stefan calls after her, his voice echoing through the cellar.

"It's five o'clock somewhere,"

•••

Gemma sits at a lone table, glass of Bourbon in hand with the bottle not too far. Her hair falls around her face, the girl thankful for the shield (of some sorts) when she sees Elena Gilbert walking through the doors of The Grill.

"Oh, please," Gemma silently groans when the Gilbert's eyes search the restaurant, meeting the green orbs of the brooding vampire. "No, no, no—"

"Gemma!" Elena cheers, strutting up to the table with a wide, surprises smile. "I didn't know you were coming."

The female Salvatore downs the last of her Bourbon, her eye contact with the human unflinching. "Neither did I," Gemma replies. "What exactly is it that you didn't know I was coming to?"

Elena blinks, "I'm meeting Stefan."

"Right," Gemma nods.

"So," Elena puts down her purse and slides into the chair across from Gemma. "Drowning your nonexistent sorrows, are you?"

"That I am, Gilbert,"

Elena drums her fingers on the table, cocking her head as she studies the vampire.