A Mirror's Reflection

A/N: and here is chapter seventeen. I'll keep this short today^^ Thank you for leaving your reviews and enjoy the chapter. To my guest reviewer, to whom I can't reply to, I'm not planning on murdering the Originals, because I'll pretty much murder every vampire with that. And although the witches would make for an interesting story, I don't think one human girl would manage that in the first place.

Besides, I quite like the Originals. There are so many plotlines to work and play with when those vamps are around.

Anyway, enjoy!

o.O.o

Chapter Eighteen, Lethal White

Thanksgiving break passed in a blur and December the first started as a sunny, cold winter day. A faint breeze tempered the air, tousling my hair as I marched up towards the school. The weekend had been a bit unreal, without anything supernatural happening.

Grayson had cooked up Elena's favorite meal, chicken parmesan, and invited Jenna and Alaric to stay for what he called 'Family night'. The normality of it all had been a welcome reprieve for a change.

Without the job as a history teacher available at Mystic Fall's High School, Alaric had accepted a position at Whitmore College. It was only an hour away from Mystic Falls and, to Jenna's great delight, it was also the place where Jenna was trying for a major in psychology. It had made my heartache for my parents and their silly family dinners.

Hitching my leather bag up on my shoulder, I pushed inside the school building. The linoleum floors were gleaming from the dampness outside and the soles of our shoes squeaked over the ground. My eyes widening when I noticed Caroline's blonde hair. She looked frazzled and erratic, which, I suppose was understandable.

I remembered that newly transitioned vampires took the heightened emotions and heightened personality traits in strides. The younger the vampire the harder it all was to control. I could only imagine what an iron sort of control that girl had, for her to be around so many potential snacks so quickly after her turning.

I made my way over. "Hi Caroline," I greeted, smiling gently when Caroline turned a tad too quickly.

"Oh, hello Elena," she nodded.

"How've you been doing?" I asked, falling into step with her.

"I'm okay, I guess," she said and her blue eyes narrowed, "Though, I'm a bit peeved you're planning your death, Elena."

"For God sake, Stefan," I grumbled.

"So it's true?" Caroline asked horrified and I rubbed my fingers awkwardly over my face.

"Yes," I agreed and watched Caroline's face change expressions fast.

"It's not okay, Elena. It's not fair," she whispered, face settled on pensive and dejected.

"Life isn't fair, Care." I shrugged. "Just trust me, I have a plan."

The color drained from Caroline's face, paling so rapidly, I was worried, she would faint, and she grabbed my shoulder hard. Hard enough to bruise, hard enough to grind the bones together. I gasped, every muscle and tendon tense, and when the whites of Caroline's eyes turned red, I stopped breathing.

My front teeth clamped over my lower lip and I stood very still, frozen. My muscles were drawn taut, my eyes fixed on Caroline's.

It took a moment for her to gain control again. Breathing in deeply. "Why would you let someone kill you?"

"Because if I fight, that someone will kill everyone I've ever met."

"But Damon said—"

"Really, you've spoken to Damon?" I asked and couldn't keep the scorn and distaste out of my voice. "He's probably lying or changing the story to fit his agenda. I have it under control, I promise. Just keep out of it."