Book Three: Ineffable (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Outside of the hospital, Jeremy walks with Diana and Alaric as they head towards her jeep. Meredith had agreed for them to return during the night shift for Alaric's tests, just so there are less people around and they can do them off the books. Diana would have preferred that they were done now, so she didn't have all day to worry about it.

"So the ring brought you back to life, but it didn't heal you." Jeremy states, Alaric nods. "Does that mean it's broken?"

"I don't know. It's never happened like that before." Alaric admits as he holds onto Diana's hand. "I guess I have Damon's blood to thank for the fact that I'm still walking."

"He said to say you owe him a drink." Jeremy points out.

"That's funny. I'd rather have head trauma." Alaric admits, they share a look.

"Jeremy...you okay?" Diana asks her brother.

"Why wouldn't I be? I shot a hybrid in the back and chopped his head off with a meat cleaver. Typical Sunday, huh?"

"You can talk to me about this stuff. You know that, right?" Diana assures him.

"What could you tell me that I don't already know? This is the way things are. It sucks but...I just gotta get used to it." Jeremy then walks away, Diana sighs a little.
"We have to do something" She tells Alaric who hums in question. "I know what I have to do" He frowns at her, she looks up at him.

.............

At the Gilbert house, Alaric and Diana go up to Jeremy's room. The door is open, and Diana knocks on the doorframe and sniffles a little.

"Hey" She greets, Jeremy looks at her. "Can we talk?"

"Ahh, what did I do now?" He asks her.

"I've been thinking about what you said earlier. About how we should pack up and go..." Diana starts.

"Di, I didn't mean any of that." He assures her.

"But you were right. You shouldn't have to give up a normal life- just because of me or Elena"

"What's going on?" Jeremy asks her. Damon enters the room.

"Your sister thinks we should have another one of our talks." Damon tells Jeremy as sits down on the bed at Jeremy's side and starts to compel him. "Here's the thing, Jer. You're gonna go out of town for a while- a long while. You're gonna stay with some nice family friends in Denver, you're gonna be at a new school, you'll meet new girls, living girls. You're going to drink a few beers, take an art class. You do whatever you want."

"Tell him he's gonna leave Mystic Falls behind and never think twice about it." Alaric adds, Damon looks at Diana; she nods in agreement.

"You're gonna leave Mystic Falls behind and never think twice about it. You're gonna have a better life, Jeremy." Diana is crying, Alaric touches the small of her back and curls his arm around her, she leans into his side, he kisses her head.

...........

Diana sits on her bed as Alaric brushes her hair, he'd offered, how could she say no to him after the day they've had. He sets the brush down and then pulls her hair back to tie it up. He leans closer and kisses her neck before pulling back.

"You don't have to come to the hospital with me" He whispers, she nods.

"Yes, I do" She argues as she turns to him. "Together" he nods and kisses her softly. "We'll figure this out" she whispers against his lips as he pulls her closer to him. She wraps her arms around him as he buries his face into her neck. "We have to" She adds as she threads her fingers through his hair.