Glorious

Evelyn Lorelei Gilbert was done. She was just... done.

It had only been three months since the death of her parents, and she was so beyond angry she knew if she stayed inside another minute she would end up cursing someone. Probably Elena, she thought bitterly. It had hurt, when her twin had blamed her for their parent’s death, naively assuming her magic was the answer to all problems.

It had been a stupid fight, and they’d both said things they hadn’t meant but they would have gotten over it had Elena not decided to push further.

"If you had been there, they wouldn’t have drowned, they’re dead because of you!"

And those were words Evie would not forgive, could not forgive.

She had shared one of the most treasured things she had with her twin, opened her heart and let Elena see the core of her magic, only to have that show of love and trust spat back in her face not even five months later. Elena had known her greatest fear was not being able to save her loved ones. Had known what those words would do to her and said them anyway.

Evie had stomped out the front the door, just following the blind desire to get away. She walked for minutes before she realized it was a particularly cold night, shivering in her thin shirt. She had forgotten her jacket. She contemplated going back for it, but then decided it wasn’t worth facing Elena’s betrayal.

She was so caught up with shivering, though, that she didn’t see the shadow of a body, or feel the thick leather jacket settle over her shoulders until Damon Salvatore was right beside her.

"Day."

"Rory." And wasn’t that odd. No smirks, nor sarcastic comments. Just quiet understanding of the situation they found themselves in. Evie took a moment to look around and found she had walked to the bridge her parents drove off of, her arms resting comfortably against the wooden railing. Dark water underneath reflecting the image of the moon. Belatedly, she noticed the jacket draped over her shoulders was one of Damon’s favorites, the scent of vanilla encompassing the leather completely.

"How long are you going to be in town?" She finally asked, because talking about her problems had never been her idea of a good time.

Damon gave a noncommittal hum and intertwined their fingers in a rare show of affection. "For awhile, things to do, people to kill, the usual."

Half wanting to laugh, half wanting to cry, Evie chose the easiest option and leaned against Damon. Whatever anger had filled her at Elena’s betrayal vanished because she was so damn tired all of a sudden.

"It wasn’t your fault Rory." Her best friend sighed. Evie sucked in a deep breath, trying to find the strength to snap out something witty and banter with  the vampire, because that’s what they always did, what happened every time they saw each other since the met when she was six. Evie just found herself empty, a hollow feeling slowly growing and consuming everything she was. She felt her shoulders slump and, wanting comfort, she buried her face in Damon’s chest and curled into him, her hands grasping handfuls of his shirt.

"I’m never enough, Damon," She took another deep breath and forced her throat to work, to push the words past the burning and tightening that made her choke. "It will always be my fault." Evie felt Damon shift, heard the fabric ruffling as he wrapped his arms around her and brought them to the floor, sitting her sideways in his lap.

"It’s not your job to be enough, Evelyn." Damon let the words hang in the air before he flicked her nose. "Now quit being a Stefan and tell me what happened." Evie didn’t really know when Damon had gotten to know her well enough to read her as easily as he did, but she was grateful he had. The vampire had surprisingly become her closest confidant over the years and she couldn’t imagine anyone in his place.

Evie looked up, risking meeting Damon’s eyes. He seemed searching, one eyebrow raised and his gaze piercing. She swallowed heavily.

"I showed Elena the core of my magic awhile ago." Damon looked confused so she elaborated. "In my world it was a show of complete love and trust, it gives the person you show intimate knowledge of what makes you who you are."

Some part of Evie yearned to just curl up into a ball and sob. It had been years since she had felt the loss of the world she had been born to as strongly as she did now. The ache in her chest a steady searing pain that reminded her of everyone she had lost.

“I...” Evie licked her lips and shut her eyes tightly against the sudden onslaught of memories. “The only other person I’ve shown was my godfather.”

“I showed her a part of me no one alive has seen and she used it against me.” The smile she gave was manic, she knew, one that would have reminded her of Sirius had she been able to see it. “If my own twin is willing to betray me, who else is left in the world to trust?”

Evie wonders if she should resign herself to a lifetime of always hiding a part of herself away, never letting anyone in because she’s so tired of being hurt by the people she loves most. So tired of having to pretend to be someone she isn’t.

“Me.”

“What...” Evie trailed off, her mind blanking for a moment.

“Trust me.” Damon says, like it isn’t the last thing she expects him to say, because she does trust him, more than she should really, but she had never dared to hope that he would actually care.

“You have been my best friend for years, Rory.” Damon huffs, and she doesn’t hold back her smile. “Trust me.”

Evie has never seen Damon with a more earnest expression than the one he’s wearing now. The image of Ron and Hermione settles at the forefront of her mind once again, only this time it brings passion in place of grief. Family had never been restricted to blood before, the thought sounds suspiciously like Hermione, why would it be now?

“Okay.” Evie says roughly. “Okay.” And with Hermione’s voice still ringing in her head it seems to be a promise somehow.

XX

Evie floated through the next few weeks before school started up again, more happy than she had been in awhile. Most of her time was spent either hanging out with Damon or sleeping over at Uncle John’s. She found herself settling into the comfortable role of little sister when it came to Damon, her heart a little lighter after letting him in. Though the judging glares Elena sent her hadn’t stopped, it made the hurt she caused just that much more bearable and she couldn’t be more grateful if she tried.

Summer having ended the day before, Evie prepared herself to brave high school once more. Luckily having woken up early, she had time to make breakfast before she had to start getting ready. Setting out a plate of waffles and bacon, she hurried back up to her room.

In her last life, Evie had been forced to wear a skirt up until her 5th year, where she had just started refusing to change from the boys uniform until the adults finally gave up on the matter. Skirts weren’t made for battles and at that point in time she had enough experience to know they were a hazard.

That paranoia had carried over and no matter how much begging or pleading her female relatives had done they had only ever been able to get her into a form fitting dress that was loose enough to move in and was tight enough that it wouldn’t catch on anything. As a result, her closet consisted of a mix of jeans, shorts, and a variety of T-shirts, though she had been meaning to get a jacket.

Hurrying through getting ready, Evie didn’t notice the gift on her bed until she was slipping on her shoes. It was a familiar looking leather jacket with a big red bow slapped onto the collar. A sticky note on one of the sleeves caught her attention and she huffed out a laugh when she read it.

‘For my one and only partner in crime, 

So we can match.

-DS.’

The thoughtfulness of the gift filled her with fondness for her vampire. Evie realized this was the same jacket he’d worn when they’d talked on the bridge and couldn’t contain a smile.

“Toast. I can make toast.” Aunt Jena’s voice shook her from her stupor and she threw on the jacket before heading downstairs.

She was met with the sight of Jenna fiddling with the toaster’s setting and heaved a sigh. 

“You can burn toast, Aunt Jenna.” Evie teased, easing the toaster from the claws of her aunt. “I also made waffles and bacon already.” She gestured behind her at the plate that had been overlooked.

Jenna gave her a look full of relief. “You’re the best Evie.”

“I know.”

They both burst into giggles and Evie took a moment to appreciate the fact her aunt was starting to smile again. Her happiness didn’t last long as Elena was next to make her way to the kitchen.

“It’s all about the coffee, Aunt Jenna.”

Her twin ignored her existence except for the usual sneer in her direction. Evie didn’t really care much anymore, not really, she had accepted she and Elena would never have the same relationship, and that was... fine.

Jeremy popped out from around the corner with a yawn.

“Is there any coffee?”

Evie handed him a mug and grabbed her car keys while Jenna went back to rambled panicking. “Your first day of school and I’m totally unprepared. Lunch money?”

Evie grabbed Jenna’s shoulders and smiled warmly. “We’re fine, Jenna.” Jenna made a face, and she added, “Plus you have a presentation in a few.”

Jenna gave her watch a betrayed look. “Crap!”

As Jenna rushed out the door Evie heard Elena and Jeremy bickering behind her. It makes her want to bang her head against a wall. Repeatedly. Instead she plasters a smile on her face that makes her queazy and turns back towards the kitchen 

“J, are you riding with me or walking?”

Jeremy glared at her before storming out the back door, teenage angst wrapped so thickly around him it makes her snort. Elena is still in the kitchen, and still pretending she doesn’t exist, but Evie is too fucking tired to deal with bullshit.

“Do you need a ride Elena?” The question throws her twin off guard but she isn’t sneering so Evie must be doing something right.

“Bonnie’s driving me.” Elena says slowly.

“Okay, see you tonight.” 

“Yeah.” It’s tentative at best, and Elena looks like her face froze in between shock and disgust but it’s enough to let Evie know not all hope is lost.

XX

”Evie!”

Evie is tackled by the blonde menace she calls friend as soon as both feet are out her car. 

It sends her instincts haywire and she has to push down the urge to start firing off stunners.

“It’s so good to see you! I mean, I know we talked, like, yesterday, but still! How have you-“

“Care,” Evie interrupts the blonde’s gushing with a grimace she passes off as a grin. “It’s good to see you too, but I need to breathe.”

Caroline pulls back with a sheepish smile. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Caroline’s sheepish expression falls and it’s not long before she goes back to exited rambling. Evie waits for her to finish, gathering the important information from the gossip and listening attentively.

“I heard from Jess, Travers not Daniels, that there’s apparently a hot new student running around. His name is Stefan Salvatore, you know, like the founder.”

Evie’s phone buzzes not a second later.

‘BTW, my brother’s here. -DS’

Evie glares down at her phone because there was no way her jerk of a best friend hadn’t planned that. He lived to annoy her she was sure. 

“Evie, hurry up or we’ll be late!”

She let out a sigh, stuffing her phone back into her pocket and jogging after the blonde.

“Sorry, Care-bear.”

At the sound of the last bell for the day, which was mainly spent avoiding Damon’s creepy little brother, Caroline immediately snatched her up.

“Have you seen Stefan Salvatore?” Caroline demanded gleefully, smirking. “He is so hot.”

Nooo.

“Eh, he’s not my type.”

Caroline rolled her eyes, snorting.”You don’t have a type, you’re like, asexual. You’d start budding like a tree before going out with a guy.” She would be a magnificent tree. “You’ll help me get him, right?” She batted her eyelashes and Evie’s lips twitched upward. 

She needed a friggin’ medal for this.

“He won’t stand a chance.” She promised resigned, linking her arms with the blonde. Surprise flashed before a wide smile burst across her face.

“You seem happier.” In a rare moment of insight Caroline squeezed her arm. “Is your mysterious best friend back in town?”

Evie beamed. “Yeah, he’s sticking around for a bit.”

“Good.” Caroline’s smile turned hesitant and she bit her lip before blurting out, “Are you and Elena okay?”

“I mean, I know Elena and I aren’t that close but you’ve always been big on family and I don’t want to see you hurt.” Caroline rushed out before looking up at her. 

Evie stands still, shocked, before she wraps her arms around the blonde, holding her tightly. “Thank you for caring, Caroline.” They stay like that for a moment before pulling away, a light blush to Caroline’s cheeks.

“Well, yeah, I love you.” She gives an embarrassed smile and cleared her throat. “Now, what’s the game plan.”

Evie giggles and gives a shrug. “We’ll wing it.”

XX

The duo decide to go to the grill to catch up, Evie having seen little of the cheerleader over the summer, and take a quick detour to their lockers before leaving.

“Well, I mean there was this-“

“Hey, Care!” Elena interrupts the blonde looking frazzled. “Have you seen, Bonnie?”

Caroline shakes her head lightly and turns to Evie. “Have you?”

“No, but I think Matt has.” Evie gives her twin a brief look over, face pinched with worry. “You alright, Lena?”

The nickname slips out accidentally and they look at each other, stunned. Evie will most likely never forget the hurt Elena caused her, will always be a little distant, but it doesn’t stop her from loving her sister. No matter how hard she tries to convince herself otherwise.

Elena looks down, nervously twirling a strand of hair. “I was going to see Mom and Dad.”

When her sister finally looks back up all Evie can see is guilt. “Will you come with me?”

She considers declining for a moment, walking away and letting Elena drown in her emotions like she would deserve, she doesn’t, instead turning to Caroline and asking to push their plans back a little later before grabbing her sister’s hand and tugging her toward the cemetery.

They walk in silence, both lost in thought until they make it to the gravestones. Elena sits down in front of the headstone, rearranging the flowers surrounding the grave absentmindedly, and Evie wonders what she’s thinking about, hesitates getting closer in case she isn’t wanted there.

“I’m sorry.” Her twin chokes out quietly, not looking away from the wilting roses. “I... I blamed myself and it wasn’t fair to take it out on you.”

Evie listens impassively and lets the silence stretch on for a few tense minutes. Wants her sister to sweat and panic before forgiving her for the pain she caused and the memories she resurfaced, because she is allowed to be petty in this.

Elena takes on a familiar determined expression and looks at her with doe eyes and Evie cracks, mentally falters really, when she sees another face in Elena’s place, frizzy brown curls instead of sleek hair.

“I needed you and you weren’t there,” Evie starts, willing herself to maintain her expressionless mask. “and then you used my love for you against me.”

She holds Elena’s gaze with her own and waits for her to understand just how bad of a mistake she made. Only when she looks on the verge of tears does Evie continue.

“Never again, Elena.” Her sister sucks in a harsh breath. “There are no more chances after this.”

Elena nods her agreement and Evie finally allows a small smile. Happy that after three months they can finally get over everything and start to heal. “You should come to the grill with me and Care later.” Evie offers.

“...I’ll meet you guys there.” 

“Good.” Evie pulls out her phone and checks her messages. “I’m going to see Day for a bit so don’t worry if I’m a little late.”

‘I found something you need to see. ASAP.’ D.S.

Well shit.

XX

Evie dialed Damon’s number as she sped to the hotel, hundreds of different scenarios racing through her mind.

“Come on, come on. Day! What’s going on?”

“There’s a painting in my room that wasn’t there before.”

Evie frowned, confused. “Why is that important? Maybe someone moved it from another room.”

“Because I haven’t left! I turned around and it just showed up!”

“Okay, not good.” She tapped the steering wheel thoughtfully. “What’s in the painting?”

Fabric rustled in the background. “Some kind of wolf, a dog, and a deer with flowers in its antlers in front of a castle.”

Evie swallowed heavily. “Is there anything else?”

“Does ‘I solemnly swear I’m up to no good’ mean anything to you? It’s engraved in the frame.”

She lets herself fall silent, eyes glazing over, because those words have only ever meant one thing to her.

“Home.” She chokes out. “It means home.”

XX

Evie and Damon stood side by side and stared at the painting. It was a beautiful artwork, tastefully framed with some kind of thick dark wood, the castle lit up softly behind the three animals and the initials N.M. in the corner of the painting.

Damon turned to her with narrowed eyes. “You know something else.”

“It’s something personal,” Evie whispered gravely. “from my past life. It means someone else is here, in this world.”

She noticed something off about it and reached out a hand, only to have Damon grab her wrist before she made contact.

“How about we don’t touch the weird painting that showed up from no where.” Damon snarked.

“There’s something wrong with it.” Evie murmured, her focus never straying from the painted black dog. “It has some kind of magic around it but something’s missing. 

Damon rolled his eyes. “Like what, a warning sign?”

“No.” Evie realized with a gasp. “Like a key.”

She looked up at him, gesturing wildly. “There were things in the magical world that would only work with a password. My Dad and his best friends even made a map that would only show itself with the phrase ‘I solemnly swear I’m up to no good’, it’s not just something personal, Day, it’s a message.”

She turned back to the painting, butterflies in her stomach. “Mischief managed.”

The magic snapped into place and the painted animals turned to look at her, all three bowing their heads before the dog walked off into the distance. A moment later it trotted back with something in it’s mouth and bent its head out of view, a ring clattering to the ground in front of the painting.

The dog retook it’s place next to the deer and the painting froze once more.

Evie and Damon both stared a little disbelievingly before sharing a look.

“I’m too sober to deal with this.” 

Evie silently agreed but picked up the ring. It was a simple silver band with K.M. carved into the middle of it, but Black Family magic flowed off it faintly, seeping into her to connect with her core.

“The magic on this is old, a hundred years at least,” Evie noted, slipping the ring onto her finger. “Sirius was here, Day, and whoever K.M. is, he thought of them as home.”

“That’s great and all, but why did the painting only show up now?” Damon frowned. “And why did it show up here, with me.”

Evie had also begun frowning. “It shouldn’t have, the frame has a ward against muggles, it should have only been visible to someone with a magical core.”

They turned away from each other and back toward the painting and were greeted to the sight of a blank wall. Evie felt a shiver run down her spine and reached out for Damon’s hand, holding it tightly.

Neither said a word but the message was clear; Be careful.

XX

Evie walked into the grill, still a little shaken from the painting ordeal, and walked to her and Caroline’s usual booth.

Elena, Bonnie, Caroline, and, to her distaste, Stefan Salvatore were all seated comfortably.

“Are you going?” The ripper asked her twin.

Bonnie gave a cheery smile, answering before Elena could open her mouth. “Of course she is.”

Evie scooted in next to Caroline. “Who’s going where?” 

Caroline shot her a disgruntled look before smiling. “Elena’s going to the party at the falls tomorrow.” She looked between Evie and Stefan. “Stefan this is Elena’s twin and my best friend Evie, and this is Stefan Salvatore the new kid.”

Stefan smiled at her. “Nice to meet you.”

Evie nodded disinterestedly. “Likewise.” She turned to Caroline before the ripper could say anything else. “I was thinking, since I’m going to be helping Jenna tomorrow instead of going to the party, we could work on that ‘project’ tonight instead.”

Caroline’s face lit up and she nodded in agreement. “Great! Let me pay for my food and we’ll go.” She sent a flirty smile at Stefan. “It was nice meeting you, Stefan.”

The vampire looked uncomfortable but agreed nonetheless. “You as well.”

Evie and Caroline left quickly and decided Evie would spend the night at Caroline’s, both still wanting to catch up with each other. They spent the night watching a terrible romance movie and talking about Caroline’s plan to woo Stefan.

School was over quickly the next day and Evie helped Caroline pick out her outfit for the party before going to help Jenna clear out some of the junk in her dad’s office.

Evie was laying on the couch and watching TV in the living room when Elena and Jeremy stormed in, her brother rushing upstairs and slamming the door loudly.

She gave Elena a quizzical look. “Vicki was attacked by some kind of animal in the woods.” Elena took her jacket off and sighed. “She’s okay but whatever it was tore up her neck pretty badly.”

Evie jolted when she grasped that this was apart of one of Damon’s Master plans, remembering him mentioning something vaguely about making a problem for Stefan, and feeling guilty for not really caring all that much.

Evie hummed and fiddled with Sirius’s ring. “I’ll have to bring some flowers by.” She said absently. “I’m off to bed, see you in the morning Lena.”

“Night.”

Snuggled under the covers Evie watched the stars outside her window, a cool breeze blowing inside and lulling her to sleep, catching one last glimpse of the stars before she drifted off.

Evie opened her eyes and found herself facing a strange man with a manic smile.

“And who might you be, darling?”