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Sempiternal
Chapter Twelve
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*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ
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                         The whole staff was silent as they watched the resurrected Carter Harmon walk slowly through the administration room and into the principal's office. Damon stood in the corner, his eyes glum. In the chair in front of the Principal's desk was Carter's mother. Her strawberry blonde hair was littered with grey, tied up into a loose bun. She was dressed in her favorite slacks and a nice blouse, yet the rose sleeves were stained with black. "M–Mom?" Carter practically gasped, feeling tears raid her vision. She stood slowly, turning to face her daughter even slower. Her eyes were glistening with tears, her eyes puffy and red. The teenager couldn't fight back the smile popping onto her face, and ran into her arms. Yet, her body was stiff once she made contact.

She pulled away, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Come," she told her quietly, looking to Damon. He really must have told her everything. The trio exited the Principal's office and through the hallway, until they were outside the school. Margaret stood in front of her car, her fingers wringing together as she stared at Carter with an empty expression. She didn't know how to feel. How was this possible? How was her baby back from the dead? "Please say something," Carter begged, looking at her with pain in her eyes. Margaret struggled to swallow the trembling lump within her throat, her eyes twinkling with tears.

"How has this happened?" she asked no one in particular, dropping her hands by her side, her fingers tightened into fists. "Are you one of him?" Carter bit her tongue, fighting back a sob. "This is all too much. I just– I don't understand." She directed her words toward Damon, her eyes narrowed in a glare. "Mom, its me. Its Carter," the trembling girl whimpered, reaching for her mother's hand. Margaret jerked her arm away with a surprised gasp. "Don't! Don't touch me, you... you monster!" Tears gave way, trickling down Carter's rosy cheeks. "You can't comprehend how difficult this is for me. I lost my daughter that night! I just... I need time to process this all. Please, just stay away."

Carter gaped at her mother as the woman walked off, slamming her car door behind her. She felt her heart beat hard against her chest, cracking each time just a little more. "Carter," Damon whispered, reaching forward for her face. She dipped her face down, wiping roughly at her tears. "I'm fine. I'm fine," she lied, sniffiling temporarily. She forced a brave smile, which caused Damon's eyes to show more hurt, and sympathy. His fingers pulled her chin, making her reddened green eyes look at him. "Let me take you somewhere, okay? Just you and me." She only nodded, walking into his strong arms. He smelled of vanilla and whiskey, a smell she had learned to love so much. "Thank you, Damon. For talking to her," she mumbled against his chest.

His chin rested on top of her head, his fingers combing through her hair. "It didn't go as I had imagined, and I'm so sorry," he spoke gently, pressing a long, sweet kiss to her head. "It's okay." She shuddered at the feeling of his fingertips grazing the skin behind her ear, her eyes squeezing shut. "C'mon." He pulled from the girl, slinging his arm protectively over her shoulders. He lead her toward his car, smirking as a thought crossed his mind. "You know, you could always go to an online school. Then college, and you're finished," he voiced, causing the girl to laugh. "Yeah, right. Be alone all day with you? I'd never get anything done." This time, he laughed, nodding his head. "Yeah, you're right. You sure wouldn't."

He was smirking, pulling the passenger side door open to his car. "M'lady." She sat down, instinctively buckling the seat belt across her lap. Soon, he was in the car with her and speeding away from the hellish building most students loathed so much. "Take me to the gym," she spoke up, staring straight ahead at the blackish-grey cement. He glanced over at the girl beside him, an eyebrow raised. "What? Are you going to bench press your problems away?" he asked teasingly, causing a small twitch to tickle at the sides of her mouth. "Seriously, babe. Take me to a gym. Help me blow off steam." He hummed in response, focusing those electric blue eyes back on the road. "If its going to be steamy, I'm in one hundred percent."

She let out a loud laugh, feeling that hurt wallowing inside bubble up like a soda pop. His smile caused her to laugh even more, her hand hovering over her lips to hide the ugly smile she sported. "Its not that funny!" he joked, although she could tell he enjoyed seeing her laughing rather than crying, or dying. It felt good to laugh; to get all that pent up emotion to just come rushing out. Or so she thought. Damon drove to the gym. The duo walked in, Carter bought some exercise pants from the front desk, and went to work. Damon simply watched, his eyes following her every station she moved too. She was angry. She was scared. She was depressed.

She lowered herself under the bar, her back hitting the cold mat. Damon walked over, looking down at her. "You okay?" he asked as she lifted the bar from its place and held it into the air. "Yeah," she lied, letting it out as a breath once she lowered the bar to her chest. He placed his hand onto the bar, keeping it from moving. "Damon," she warned, pushing against his strength. She failed dramatically, gasping for air when her arms fell limp. "I'm serious, Carter." He lifted the bar with no fight, looking down at the girl like a worried parent.

"I said I'm fine," she grumbled, sitting up from her position. He shook his head before tilting it to the side. "I think you're lying–"

"Damon, seriously. Drop it."

"Not until you tell me the truth."

"Damon–"

"Carter!"

"Stop!"

"What's wrong!?"

She let out a sudden shout, standing up from the bench press. "Stop!" she screamed, hands pulling at her fiery hair. "Tell me what's wrong!" She shoved against his chest, pushing him away from her. "I'm done, okay!" Tears pooled behind her eyes as she stared at the man in front of her. His eyes were wide as he watched her crumble right in front of him. "I've lost everything! I lost my friends! My father... My mother! Even my little sister!" His eyes glassed over, his jaw tightening. "I've got.. I've got nothing left." And just like that, it's like every bit of that wall she had built came tumbling down. A weight fell onto her shoulders, dragging her onto the ground like a feather.

"You have nothing left? What about me, huh?" Damon shouted back. "I'm here! You haven't lost me!" She felt the sobs push out, her whole body shaking. He stood a few feet away with clenched fists, tears trekking down his cheeks. "I'm here, Carter!" She let out another cry, feeling the aching deep in her chest. It felt like everything had been ripped away. "I can't.. I can't," she whimpered, gripping her shirt in her hands. "It hurts..." He knelt beside her carefully. She could feel his warmth radiating from his body. "Make it stop, please," she begged him, looking up at him through her blurred vision. He pulled her body into his, and held her there. He tried to hold her together, at least. He wanted to put her back together.

Suddenly, his phone began ringing, causing Damon to pull away only slightly. "Hello?" he spoke into the phone, his eyes never leaving Carter's. "I don't know if I can make it. Carter is– Wait, that's it? Okay. Okay, but Carter is coming, too. Yeah, okay. Bye." He pressed the end call button and shoved his phone back into his pocket. "There's a bonfire tonight at the school–"

"No, Damon. I'm not going."

"I'm not going without you."

"Then I guess you aren't going."

"Carter," he huffed, slipping his palm against her warm cheek. "Damon," she retorted, her bottom lip fallen into a pout. "Just come, and if you don't like it, Jeremy will drive you home. Okay?" she sighed loudly, resting her forehead against his. "Fine, whatever. But you owe me." He grinned softly, nuzzling his nose against her own. "Anything."

His lips met hers shortly after. They were soft and wet against her own, and his fingers trailed into her damp hair. It was warm and loving, like Damon himself toward his girlfriend. She gripped his face before sliding to the nape of his neck, pulling his face closer to her own. He obliged with her demand and deepened the kiss enticingly. His tongue grazed over hers, tangling and dancing to their own song. She was in love with this man, that was true. And she truly did want forever with him. No matter what it took.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

The gang all met in the history classroom before going to the bonfire. Elena, Alaric, Damon, Caroline, and Carter all stood in a circle while Elena explained the plan. "I'll lure Stefan away from the bonfire. Then when he's distracted..." Alaric piped up, a serious expression on his face, "I'll shoot him." Damon grimaced at the plan. "Can't Bonnie just ju-ju him or something?" he asked both Elena and Alaric, trying to keep Stefan from getting hurt. "I'm trying to keep Bonnie out of this. I don't trust that Stefan won't hurt her. Caroline, are you covered?" Carter looked toward Caroline silently, who stood beside her with a smile. "Yes! I will make sure that the old Forbes jail cell is prepped and ready."

Carter smiled back at her once Caroline looked back at her. "We're forgetting a key player here. Rebekah? Wherever Stefan goes, the blonde ponytail tends to follow," Damon voiced. His hand was holding onto Carter's, his thumb rubbing circles over the back of her hand. "Which is why it's your job to keep her away." On the outside she was cool and collected, yet on the inside she was punching Elena in the face. If Rebekah switched crushes for her Damon, she would go insane. "How?! She's an Original. Last time I checked, we're out of daggers." The strawberry blonde tightened her grip on Damon's hand, her eyes threatening to narrow into a glare. "So then preoccupy her with your charm."

Carter was about to fume. Damon is not free, or single. Why can't Tyler distract her, or Matt? They're both as charming. Maybe. "Might have better luck finding the dagger," Alaric stated. "I agree," the banshee added, raising her eyebrows. The door behind them opened, revealing Tyler. "Sorry I'm late. What's going on?" he asked, wrapping his arm around Caroline's shoulder. "We need you to raid your mom's vervain supply. Enough to keep Stefan down for a while." Tyler's expression changed drastically as he looked through the group. "You can't do that to Stefan," he told them. Caroline turned to face him, eyebrows drawn down. "Why not?"

Carter could sense the tension thickening in the room as Damon's posture straightened. "Trust me, Tyler, it's in his best interest," Elena told him, causing him to chuckle humorlessly. "Yeah. It's not in Klaus's." Caroline and Carter both looked shocked. "But Klaus is the bad guy, Tyler. You know, why are you acting like some freaky, hybrid, slave minion?" Caroline asked, moving away from him. Damon sighed, rolling his light blue eyes. "What?" Alaric asked. "Klaus made me who I am, Caroline. I owe him everything."

"Oh, boy."

"Okay, can we cool it on the commentary, please."

"What is going on?" Damon sneaks a vervain dart off the teacher's desk. "I'm just going to go." As Tyler turned to leave, Damon rushed behind him and injected the vervain into Tyler. The werewolf collapsed onto the floor near the door. "What are you doing!?" Caroline shouted at the eldest Salvatore, kneeling beside the Lockwood boy. "He's been sired," Damon stated. "What?" Alaric asked for the second time. "Sired. He feels loyal to Klaus because Klaus's blood created him." All of this was so new to Carter. It was all so interesting. "Loyal how?" Elena questioned him. Her brown eyes were narrowed in concentration.

"He'll seek acceptance from his master. It's really rare. But maybe not so much in hybrids." Carter looked over at Damon, who moved closer to her consciously. She curled into his side, wrapping her arm around his torso. "So, how do I fix him?" Caroline asked, her lips formed into a small frown. Damon shrugged his shoulders. "Get a new boyfriend."

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

Carter was left alone at the bonfire. Damon was charming Rebekah a few feet away, and she couldn't fight the nasty feeling of jealousy swirling within her stomach. She leaned against a tree, watching the two with a sort of grimace. "Carter," someone greeted, sliding beside her against the tree. "Toby," she responded with a small grin. "Is something wrong?" He sipped at the bottle of Bud Light in his hand. "How many beers is that one?" she redirected the conversation with a playful tone. "Ah, maybe my tenth? Eleventh? I don't know," he responded truthfully. Her eyes widened in amazement. "Werewolves have a higher alcohol tolerance. When we get drunk, we heal from it."

She nodded in understanding before tipping her beer back and finishing it. Looking back at Damon, she noticed him clutching his gut, a wooden edge poking out between his fingers. "Oh, my God!" she gasped, dropping the bottle as she ran to him. Toby trailed after, immediately helping Damon stand. "Who the hell are you?" Damon asked the wolf, who smiled at him. "This is going to be uncomfortable," he warned before jerking the stake out of the vampire's stomach.

"You're lucky I'm weak. I would have definitely killed you," Damon joked, using Toby as a crutch. "What happened?" Carter asked Damon, taking his face in her hands. "Rebekah realized I was a distraction–" His words were cut off when a flickering flame cracked in her ears. She could feel the heat surrounding her, and she could smell the smoke that invaded her sinus cavity. "Oh, God," she coughed. She was suddenly in a car. Alaric stood on the other side of the window attempting to break the window. She looked around the smoky car, pulling the visor down. She looked in the mirror to see Elena staring back at her. Elena was in the car. Elena was burning alive...

Carter blinked and blinked, finding herself looking back at Damon. "Elena! Elena's in trouble!" she exclaimed, grabbing Damon's arm and pulling him behind her as she ran. He struggled behind her, Toby helping him through the trees. She followed the smoke smell, ignoring Damon's grunts of pain as she sped through the woods. "Alaric!" she shouted, gaining his attention. Just as he looked up, the trunk of the car flew off the vehicle. Out came Stefan, dragging Elena out after him. Carter let go of Damon's hand and ran to them, dropping to her knees as her breathing began to calm. "God, Elena. Holy shit," she whispered, grabbing the girl's shoulders.

"Are you okay?" she asked, smoothing her dark hair back softly. Elena coughed, her eyes weakly looking back to the strawberry blonde. "Yeah, yeah. I'm.. I'm good, Cee," she mumbled weakly, smiling softly. "I saw you, you know. I was standing in front of Damon and suddenly... I saw you." Her lips began to curl in a relieved smile as Elena coughed below her, her own lips forming into a smile. "That's so cheesy, you dork," she told her, coughing as she tried to laugh.

At the boarding house, Toby and Elena sort of clicked. He helped dress the burn on her face before Alaric came to get her. Damon stood in his bedroom as Carter lay in his bed, staring out the window. "Hey, come to bed," she told him, dressed in one of his shirts and underwear. "I will, babe. But I've got to do something first." He walked over to the bed and gave her a sweet kiss before walking out his bedroom and down the stairs.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

AUTHOR'S NOTE;

this is one of the longest chapters i have
ever written.

but i've introduced a new possible
relationship!

get ready for some more drama. ;)

EDIT;

dec. 22, 2018

honestly, i'm living for darter/carmon's relationship.

also, her mother didn't exactly abandon her. carter is just expecting the worst.