Blood Ties (A Jeremy Gilbert FF)

The drive back from Wickery Bridge is quieter than it should be. Stefan and Damon are ahead in their car, and Jeremy and I are in his Truck, the silence between thick and uncomfortable. I can feel Jeremy glancing at me out of the corner of his eye every so often, trying to figure out what's going on in my head.

Honestly, i'm not sure i know myself.

I keep seeing that vampire's face, the fear in her eyes, the desperate need to survive. It's too familiar, too much like the person i used to be. The weight of my choice to let her go is still pressing down on me. Damon's right. I probably should've killed her - she's dangerous, reckless, and too young to understand the consequences of her actions. But i couldn't. Something in me just.. wouldn't let it happen.

I glance at Jeremy, my gaze lingering on the determined line on his jaw, the way his hands grip the steering wheel just a little too tightly. He hasn't said anything about it - about me letting her go. But i know him. He's processing, probably running over the scene in his head, trying to decide if he agrees with me or not.

"You want to say something?" I ask finally, breaking the silence.

He looks over at me, surprised that I spoke first. For a second, he hesitates, like he's trying to decide if he should actually voice whatever's on his mind. "I was just thinking.." he begins, his voice careful. "Why did you let her go?"

There it is. The question i've been waiting for. I sigh, leaning back against the seat, staring out the window as the trees blur past us. "Because i've been her," I admit quietly. "I know what it's like to be newly turned and completely lost."

Jeremy nods, his brow furrowed. "But you had control. You didn't.. go around killing people."

"That's the thing, Jer," I say, shaking my head slightly. "I did. I just had someone to pull me back before it got too bad. She doesn't have that."

He's quiet for a moment, considering my words. I can feel the weight of his gaze on me, heavy and filled with things unsaid. "So, you're giving her a chance. Even though she might come back and kill more people."

"I'm giving her a chance because she might not," I say, meeting his eyes. "Because someone gave me a chance once, and I'm still here."

Jeremy doesn't argue with that, but i can see the conflict in his expression. He wants to trust me, to believe that i did the right thing. But i also know he's worried. Not just about the vampire, but about me. I can feel it in the way he looks at me, the unspoken concern that hangs between us like a shadow.

The truth is, i'm not sure i did the right thing. I'm not even sure i believe the words i just said to him. Mystic Falls doesn't reward second chances. It devours them. And yet, here i am, hoping this time might be different.

We pull up to the Gilbert house, and Jeremy parks the truck, but neither of us moves to get out right away. The silence stretches between us again, and this time, it's heavier. More charged.

I can feel the tension between us growing. It's been building for weeks, months even. Ever since i came back to Mystic Falls and we fell into this easy rhythm - this friendship that's slowly started to feel like something more. But neither of us has crossed that line yet, even though I know we're both thinking about it. Waiting.

Jeremy clears his throat, his voice quiet when he speaks. "You know, I don't blame you for what you did back there."

I turn to look at him, surprised by the softness in his tone. "You don't?"

"No," he says, shaking his head. "I get it. You saw yourself in her. You did what you thought was right. I can respect that."

The tension in my chest eases, just a little. Jeremy's always good at that - at saying the right thing, at knowing when to push and when to pull back. But there's something different in the way he's looking at me right now, something more intense, more.. personal.

Before i can respond, the front door opens, and Elena steps out onto the porch, her face lighting up when she sees us. She waves, and Jeremy waves back, but there is an awkwardness right now, a shift in the energy between us. Whatever moment was building just vanished the second his sister appeared.

"Saved by the bell," I mutter under my breath, earning a quiet chuckle from Jeremy.

We both get out of his Truck, and i put on a smile as we approach the house, but my mind is still buzzing, still stuck in that car with Jeremy, in that silence thick with things neither of us is ready to admit.

Inside, Elena is already bustling around the kitchen, making coffee. I try to act normal, to fall into the easy banter that we usually have, but there's a restlessness under my skin that i can't shake. Part of me wants to be anywhere but here, to find a distraction, something to take my mind off the mess i've made with Jeremy, with Stefan, with this town.

Elena smiles at me and we fall into a conversation as the front door swings open, and Damon strolls in without knocking - because of course, he does. He's grinning, but there's something off in his expression, something that makes my stomach twist with unease.

"Hello, ladies," he says with that signature Damon smirk. "And Jeremy." He gives Jeremy a mock salute.

"What do you want, Damon?" i ask, crossing my arms over my chest. I'm not in the mood for his games right now.

Damon's grin fades, replaced by a more serious look. "We've got a problem," he says, his tone shifting. "That vampire you let go? She's already killed again."

My heart sinks, the weight of his words hitting me like a punch in the gut. I knew this might happen. I knew letting her go was a risk. But hearing it out loud makes it real in any way i wasn't ready for.

"What do you mean, she's killed again?" I ask, my voice tight.

Damon shrugs, but there's no humor in his eyes now. "Found the body 30 minutes ago. Drained dry. Looks like your little charity case isn't as redeemable as you thought."

Guilt crashes over me, heavy and suffocating. I made the wrong choice. I let her go, and now someone's dead because of me.

"I'll fix this," i say, my voice low and determined.

Damon raises an eyebrow, clearly amused by my resolve. "Oh, i'm sure you will. But next time? Maybe don't let the psycho bloodsuckers go free, huh?"

I grit my teeth, trying to ignore Damon's sarcasm. This is on me, and i'll deal with it.

Jeremy steps forward, his eyes hard, his protective side kicking in. "What do we do now?"

Damon glares at him, then at me. "Now? We hunt her down and finish what you started."

I nod, already shifting into action mode. "I'll track her down. She can't have gone far."

"I'm coming with you," Jeremy says, his tone leaving now room for argument.

"No, you're not," I snap, turning to him. "This is my mess. I'll handle it."

But Jeremy shakes his head, his jaw set stubbornly. "I'm not letting you do this alone."

The room feels too small, too tense, as Jeremy and I lock eyes. Part of me wants to tell him to stay out of it, to stay safe, but another part of me knows I need him. That no matter what how hard i try to protect him, Jeremy is already in this, whether i like it or not.

Elena, who's been quiet up until now, finally speaks up. "You both need to be careful. This is dangerous."

"We will be," Jeremy says, glancing at her before turning his attention back to me.

I take a deep breath, nodding. "Alright, let's finish this."

As we head out of the house, i can feel the weight of my mistake hanging over me, a constant reminder that in this town, every choice has consequences. But i won't let this be the end. I'll find her. I'll make things right.

And Jeremy, as always, is right there beside me - whether i want him to be or not.