Reborn in The Vampire Diaries/TO/Novel TVD With the World

-During the week before Samael's memory returned and as well the months following Elena's possession...

Caroline Forbes had always been an insecure girl.

From the time she was a little girl, she found herself constantly measuring up against Elena Gilbert.

Elena, the radiant Queen Bee of Mystic Falls High School -- not by arrogance or ambition, but by sheer presence.

Of course, the ever-kind, compassionate, and self-effacing Miss Gilbert never saw herself that way. Most people who encountered the two of them together would be quick to label Caroline as the archetypal Queen Bee, with all its glittering connotations. But Caroline knew the truth. Elena had always been the one truly chosen.

Elena was the one people instinctively felt more at ease with. Sure, they liked Caroline well enough -- she could charm them, hold their attention -- but in the unspoken court of public opinion, Elena was the one crowned better, kinder, more... everything.

She was the girl everyone secretly -- or not so secretly -- had a crush on. The one everyone longed to be with, the one who held the heart of the school's Golden Boy, Samael Lockwood.

In certain circles, he was known as the so-called "Alpha Male" of Mystic Falls High, and yet, there he was, utterly captivated, hopelessly tethered to her every whim. Wrapped around her little finger, as if she had spun the threads of his devotion herself.

Like many other girls, she once dreamt of having Samael's attention, of feeling his love directed solely toward her. She made countless attempts, hoping he might notice her, but each time he gently turned her away, his gaze always falling on Elena.

She couldn't understand why. She had known Samael long before Elena ever entered the picture. She was his first childhood friend, bound to him through the closeness of their families -- the Lockwoods, the prominent family in town, headed by the mayor. Her mother, the sheriff, commanded authority and respect, and her father was a trusted member of the Mystic Falls founder's council.

She was supposed to be the one with him, not Elena. And yet, it was Elena who had his heart.

Eventually, she resolved to accept it and move on. She tried with Matt Donovan, a handsome boy in his own right and Elena's first childhood friend. She thought perhaps they could find solace in each other, a way to heal from the loves they lost. But Matt's heart still belonged to Elena, and Caroline refused to settle for being anyone's second choice.

And so one day, she went out and made in some ways, the greatest mistake of her life.

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Caroline was out on a rare night of freedom, the kind that felt like a fleeting moment before reality pulled her back into its suffocating grip. The town was buzzing with the usual weekend energy -- laughter spilling from the bar, music pulsing through the walls, and people coming together in fleeting moments of connection.

Yet, she couldn't shake the ache in her chest. The scene around her felt like a blur as she watched Elena and Samael become more inseparable by the day, their bond solidifying in a way Caroline could only envy. It was clear -- at least to Caroline -- that they had become something more, that there something that brought them even closer than weeks ago when they first became a couple. 

She tried not to dwell on it, but every time she saw them together, every time Samael wrapped his arm around Elena's waist or Elena looked at him with that soft, undeniable affection, it stung.

The girl who once had all the attention, all the promises, now watched as the world spun around the two, around Elena, who now had a relationship she could never have with Samael. 

And so, tonight, she was determined to escape the negative thoughts, if only for a couple of hours. She slipped into the crowded night, trying to lose herself in the music and the chaos.

It was there, in the dim light of the local bar, that she first saw him. A man with the most beautiful blue eyes she'd ever seen. He leaned against the bar with his a smirk, looking as though he belonged in a world of his own.

His dark hair messy in that effortlessly perfect way, his eyes flashing with mischief as he exchanged words with the bartender. He exuded an aura that seemed to make the very air around him heavier, more intense, almost magnetic.

Caroline couldn't help herself. She found her feet moving toward him, drawn by a strange sense of curiosity and something she couldn't quite name. Maybe it was the way he seemed completely unbothered by the world around him, or maybe it was the fact that he was the one person she didn't have to compete with for attention, or more precisely, the one who didn't want anything from her.

When their eyes met, his smirk deepened, as if he had been waiting for her, unknown to her he did. She hadn't even realized she was approaching him until it was too late.

"Well, if it isn't Caroline Forbes," Damon's voice was low, smooth -- just like everything about him. His eyes flickered to the drink in her hand, then back up to her face with an appraising gaze. "What brings you out tonight? Running away from the lovebirds?"

Caroline stiffened, feeling the weight of his words in a way she hadn't expected. How did he know that? Did word spread that fast? Of course it did, silly her, wasn't she the queen of gossip itself?

"Is it that obvious? Who even are you anyway, to know about that?" she shot back, her voice a little sharper than she intended. Her attempt at playing it cool fell flat, and she found herself caught in the pull of his gaze, not knowing what it was about him that made her feel both seen and unseen in the same breath. 

Damon chuckled, his grin widening. "Damon Salvatore, it's a pleasure to meet you," he said, with a mock bow without getting up from his seat.

"You should know, you're not the only one who knows how to play the game, sweetheart. But, I'm not here to pry. I was just wondering how long it'd take for you to show up here looking like you were in desperate need of a distraction."

She arched an eyebrow. "And you're offering yourself up? As that distraction, I mean?"

He shrugged, leaning closer, his voice dropping just low enough for only her to hear. "If it helps you forget for a while, sure. But be warned -- I'm not here to talk about feelings. I'm here to make sure you're not wasting your night thinking about things you can't change."

His words hit her with an unexpected force. She wasn't sure if it was the bluntness, the weight of the situation, or simply the way he managed to break through her carefully constructed defenses with such ease, but something about him -- the way he spoke, the way he didn't expect anything -- made her feel less alone in a way she hadn't felt in months.

Caroline let out a quiet laugh, the kind of laugh that was both sad and self-deprecating. "You don't hold back, do you?"

"Why should I?" Damon replied, his voice a playful challenge. "Life's too short to dance around what's already obvious."

For a moment, Caroline found herself caught between frustration and amusement, the edges of her pain blurring in his presence. Damon might not have been the person she expected, but he was here, and maybe that was enough, at least for tonight.

And so she went with him, took him to her house and invited him in. Both her parents were out that day, her mother on Sheriff duties and whatever her father did as a member of the council.

At first, Caroline felt more alive than she had in a long time. The world seemed to fade away as she gave herself over to the moment, to the dangerous allure of Damon. She felt a rush, something she hadn't felt in ages -- until it all changed in an instant.

With a sharp, biting pain, Damon sank his teeth into her neck. A jolt of fear shot through her as she screamed out, the sound of her panic filling the room. She tried to push him off with all her strength, but he was relentless, his grip on her firm, his teeth deep in her skin. The sensation of his fangs drinking from her -- cold, intimate, wrong -- sent waves of terror through her, but she couldn't break free.

"W-What the hell are you?!" she cried out between gasps, her voice raw and desperate, her hands scrambling against his chest.

Finally, he pulled away, and Caroline gasped for breath, her heart racing. She scrambled off the bed, her body trembling as she backed away from him, eyes wide with fear. Her legs were shaky, but she managed to keep her distance as Damon's unsettling smirk never faltered.

"Vampire, blondie," he said, his tone almost casual, like he was simply offering up an answer to an obvious question.

Caroline's breath hitched in her throat, her hands trembling at her sides as she took another step back, her heart thudding loudly in her chest. "S-Stay away from me... you monster," she stammered, her voice shaking, her mind racing.

Damon just chuckled darkly, his eyes glinting with a predatory amusement. "Oh, come on. I didn't even bite that hard. I was being gentle." He shrugged, as if dismissing her fear with a wave of his hand. "Besides, I'm still the same guy I was a minute ago."

But Caroline was beyond listening. Her instincts screamed at her to run, and she didn't hesitate. She turned, her feet unsteady, but as she made for the door, the speed of Damon's movement stunned her. With a blur of motion, he appeared in front of her, blocking her escape. Her breath caught in her throat as a yelp of shock escaped her lips.

Before she could even react, Damon's hands shot out, gripping her shoulders with unnerving strength, his fingers digging into her skin, immobilizing her. The suddenness of it, the force, left her breathless, her heart pounding as she tried to pull away from him, but his hold was unyielding.

He leaned in close, his voice low, and dangerously soothing. "Don't be afraid of me," he murmured, his words dripping with an almost hypnotic quality. "Don't be afraid of anything I do to you."

Caroline froze, her body stiffening beneath his grip, her heart racing in her chest, but his eyes held hers with a power she couldn't deny, even if her every instinct screamed to run, to fight. His gaze was intense, almost mesmerizing, and for a moment, she felt her mind begin to cloud over with something darker than fear -- something she couldn't understand.

And that is how her hell began. 

For months, Caroline was little more than Damon's plaything. He took from her whenever he desired -- physically, emotionally, and even when it came to feeding. His hunger never ceased, and neither did his need to control. It was always at night, always when the shadows cloaked them both, as if hiding their twisted connection from the world was essential.

For reasons she couldn't understand, Damon always made her forget their nights, and compelled her to not find it weird nor to express to or tell anyone about her forgetfulness. He as well ensured that she would never bear any visible marks of his actions by feeding her his blood, masking the evidence of his feeding.

No matter how much he threatened her, how cold and cruel he became, Caroline couldn't feel the fear she knew she should. His threats to kill her when he grew bored of her, his viciousness during their encounters -- none of it seemed to break through the strange, numbing force he had over her. She wasn't afraid, but she felt... empty. A crushing heaviness inside of her that gnawed at her soul, a constant reminder of the hollow life she was living.

And then, one day, Damon compelled her to forget everything he had made her believe. He wiped away the previous compulsion and formed a new one, one ensuring her silence, leaving her with the bitter aftertaste of what had been. She didn't know what it meant, but she knew that he was gone -- until three days ago.

He came back. This time, it wasn't out of need or hunger, but out of some other twisted desire. Damon had come to blow off some steam. He compelled her again, washing away the last of her fear. They shared another night of darkness, his control over her unyielding. He took her again, as he had so many times before, drinking from her as if nothing had changed.

This time though, he was sloppy, not ensuring the disappearance of the result of his actions, nor compelling her to keep silent.

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-Present

The Bonfire was in full swing, the crackling fire and the buzz of laughter filling the night air. People gathered in clusters, a mix of warmth and laughter as the flames danced, casting flickering shadows across the crowd. Elena Gilbert, standing a little more composed than she had been for the past few months, watched the scene unfold before her.

The trauma that had weighed her down for so long had begun to not exactly heal, but be more distant, leaving her clearer, more grounded -- though a new problem of hers was that part of her still felt like it was struggling to catch up with everything she'd missed in her own life, because of it.

Samael, always by her side, stood with a plate of food in his hands, clearly enjoying the evening. They were a pair, inseparable and comfortable, and their bond felt stronger now than ever before. Caroline, however, was standing off to the side, her smile a little too tight, her posture a little too stiff.

Elena's eyes lingered on her, noticing the way Caroline seemed to withdraw from the group every time she came near. It had been happening for weeks now. Caroline, once always bubbly and chatty, was quieter, more distant. The rift between them had been there before --had always been there in some ways, simmering beneath the surface -- but it felt deeper now, more isolating.

Excusing herself from Samael's side, Elena made her way to the bathroom, hoping for a brief reprieve from the noise and the constant swirl of conversations. As she entered the bathroom, she was greeted by the mirror's reflection of herself, but it wasn't the reflection that caught her eye -- it was the markings on Caroline's back.

It didn't take long for her to piece it together. The faint, almost imperceptible marks, clearly from teeth, were visible just beneath the skin at Caroline's back, the clothing not hiding the skin completely. The sight sent a chill down Elena's spine. She hadn't seen anything like that before, not in all the time she had known Caroline. And certainly, not in the months since she and Samael had become so close.

Her heart started to race as she backed out of the bathroom, instinctively looking for Caroline. She found her standing near the edge of the fire, a drink in hand, laughing uneasily with a group of people. She approached slowly, unsure how to start. But something inside her knew she couldn't ignore this.

"Caroline," Elena called softly, her voice just a touch sharper than usual. The moment she spoke, Caroline's smile faltered.

"Hey, Elena," Caroline said, turning to face her, her expression quickly masking her unease. "You okay?"

Elena wasn't buying it. "What happened to your back?"

Caroline froze. A brief, fleeting moment of panic flashed across her face, and then she quickly looked away. The room seemed to close in on her, the firelight casting long shadows across the ground.

"What are you talking about?" Caroline said, forcing a laugh, but there was something too sharp in her tone. "It's nothing. Really."

Elena narrowed her eyes, her instincts screaming that something was wrong. "Caroline, I saw it. I-"

"Just drop it, okay?" Caroline snapped, the anger in her voice unmistakable. "It's none of your business."

The words stung, but Elena couldn't let it go. "What happened to you? Who did that to you?" she pressed, her voice softening, trying to reach her friend.

But Caroline was shaking her head now, her voice cold. "Nothing happened. It's nothing. Just forget about it, Elena."

Elena stood frozen, staring at Caroline, her gut twisting with concern. For the first time in a long time, Caroline looked so utterly unreachable. The anger in her voice, the refusal to explain, felt foreign, so unlike the girl Elena had grown up with.

How had she not noticed this? Was she that wrapped up in all that happened, that she forgot who she feared evil would happen the most to? The people she loved? One of her bestfriends?

Before Elena could say anything else, Caroline turned away, brushing past her. "I need some air," Caroline muttered before she walked off into the night, disappearing into the crowd.

Elena stood there for a moment, the confusion, the concern gnawing at her insides. 

She needed to talk to someone.

Turning back to the bonfire, Elena's eyes found Samael, still enjoying his food. She walked over, her steps quick, her heart racing. Without waiting for him to acknowledge her, she blurted out, "I saw something. On Caroline."

Samael paused mid-bite, concern flickering in his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Her back," Elena said, voice tight with worry. "There were bite marks. Like... like someone fed on her."

Samael's eyes darkened as his expression shifted from casual to focused. "What? Are you sure?"

Elena nodded quickly. "I saw them, Sam. She tried to hide it, and when I asked her about it, she just... shut me down. She said it was nothing."

Samael set the plate down slowly, his jaw tightening. His gaze flickered toward where Caroline had disappeared into the crowd, then back at Elena.

"You stay here, I'm going to check on Caroline," Samael told her as he put the plate down on a nearby table and made way with haste towards his childhood friend.

If what he was fearing was true, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. How could he have possibly let Caroline be victim to a vampire? Even though he these past months was very much focused and distracted by the immenent descent of so called dark gods, and having to constantly take care of Elena, he still kept an eye on Caroline to make sure, Damon, or anyone else didn't hurt her.

She was always her bubbly, kind, and happy self, these past months, nothing showing she was being hurt like in the show.

And yet, somehow, it still happened right under his nose.

"Caroline," Samael called out, his voice cutting through the crowd. She turned around, momentarily confused, but the fear in her eyes grew as realization dawned upon her. Elena had told him.

She tried to move away quickly, but Samael, with his larger frame, easily caught up to her without even needing to use his supernatural abilities.

"Care, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice soft but insistent. As he closed the distance, she turned toward him, and in that brief moment, Samael saw it -- the unmistakable bite marks on her back.

Fury blazed within him.

"It's nothing, Sam," Caroline stammered, her voice trembling as she forced a smile. "Elena's just being overly worried, like always. I'm fine. Just let me go home and get some rest. It's late."

Her words were rushed, and she desperately tried to avoid mentioning anything about Damon. She knew he was a vampire, and to her, Samael -- just a human -- couldn't possibly understand the gravity of it.

If he found out, there was no telling what kind of reckless confrontation would unfold, and Caroline couldn't bear the thought of Samael getting hurt, not for her. Not when he had so much more ahead of him, so much more than she could ever offer.

Before Samael could press further, a voice, smooth and laced with amusement, interrupted them.

"Hey, Sam," Damon Salvatore appeared with his trademark smirk, his tone playful but his eyes calculating. "Enjoying the party?" He stood a few feet away, casual but with an underlying tension that Caroline couldn't ignore.

She recognized it immediately -- Damon had figured out his mistake. His presence wasn't just an interruption; it was a warning, one that sent a chill through her spine. His message was clear: don't say anything.

Samael, however, wasn't blind to Damon's intentions. The vampire, in his ignorance of the Stand User's abilities, had no idea how much Samael's senses had been enhanced by The World -- particularly his sight and hearing, which rivaled that of any vampire, allowing him to easily pick up on Caroline's speeding heartbeat at the vampire's presence.

With a quiet, simmering rage, Samael grabbed Damon by the collar and, without hesitation, propelled him toward the woods. Caroline, frantic with worry, sprinted after them, desperate to keep up.

Samael shoved Damon violently against a tree, the force of the impact echoing through the night. Caroline's breath caught in her throat as Samael's hand shot out with terrifying speed, plunging straight into Damon's chest to grasp his heart.

"How dare you touch her?" Samael growled, his voice thick with fury. "I should rip your heart out where you stand."

"S- Stefan would n- never forgive you if you did. Y- You have him b- by your s- side for a reason. You need h- him. A- and so you n- need me, w- whether you like it o- or not," Damon stated, gritting through the pain, managing to sneer despite the situation.

The Stand User knew, deep down, that Damon was right. If he killed him now, he'd lose 'the trustworthy friend,' and without him, the Heaven ritual could not be completed. There was no time to seek a replacement for Stefan. He couldn't afford to lose him, not when the ritual's success depended on that bond.

Samael slowly withdrew his hand from Damon's chest, resisting the temptation to tear out his heart. But before Damon could even exhale a breath of relief, Caroline's horrified gasp filled the air. With brutal force, Samael ripped Damon's arm clean off and tossed it aside, sending Damon crashing further into the tree with enough power to leave a deep impression in the bark.

Samael's face was suddenly inches from Damon's, his voice a venomous hiss in the night air. "Never forget that you live because of your brother's love," he snarled, his eyes burning with fury. "You're here because of his mercy, and his mercy alone. But know this -- when that love for you fades, I'll make you suffer in ways so horrific, even Satan himself would shudder."

As Samael turned, ready to speak, he saw Caroline fleeing in the distance. Glancing down at his blood-soaked clothes and body, he realized he couldn't chase after her like this.

He sighed heavily, his voice tinged with frustration. "Stefan, I know you've been listening. I know you're here. Go after her. Make sure she's alright."

Without a word, Stefan, who had arrived earlier, not having interfered, when he saw Samael's hand in his brother's chest, fearing if he aggrevated the Lockwood even further his brother would die, immediately took off after the blonde girl.

The sight of Damon's actions having stirred something dark in him, a flashback to the torment Katherine had inflicted upon him. He couldn't even entertain the thought of Samael being in the wrong here. In fact, he was thankful his brother hadn't been outright killed.

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(Author note: It took me around three hours to have this done... Over 4000 words, this entire thing... I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.

Again, please, do comment how you found it. I put a lot of effort in it, and would like some comments about it. Like something opinionated. Something specific you liked or even disliked. 

Just some engagement, because I feel like with each chapter comments become less and less, and am wondering if its becoming boring and something undesirable for me to continue. Last chapter had only 10 comments, while the first one had 60.

Did something happen that made you guys dislike it?

Please do tell me if so, or if not, because I'm kinda getting mixed signals here whether to continue with this fic or not.

Well, please tell me, how you found it and if you geniunly still want me to continue it.

Bye!)