11|BLOODLINES

Gemma blinks, her eyes blurring against the dark streets. She decided to take a walk after her conversation with Elena. She felt like she was suffocating in that house, having to listen to Elena's giggles and Stefan's soft, whispered words. It wasn't long before the girl was stopping in her tracks, the sound of metal crashing resonating through the air.

She pauses for a short second, her eyes slipping closed as she listens for a heartbeat.

She hears what she's looking for, and so much more.

Gemma's eyes snap open and she clenches her jaw, releasing a heavy sigh as she uses her vampire speed to get to wherever Elena is. She makes it to the wrecked car in no time, appearing at the side of the Gilbert's window. Elena lets out a defeaning shriek, causing Gemma to wince and glare at the girl.

"You're always getting into trouble, aren't you?" Gemma muses.

"Gem?" Elena croaks, opening her eyes. Her brown orbs fill with relief and her body visibly slumps. "Thank God you're here."

"Mm," Gemma studies Elena's position in the car. "You look stuck, Miss Gilbert."

"It's my seat belt," the girl explains. "I can't get it."

Whenever Elena starts struggling, trying to get out on her own, Gemma quickly stops her. She taps the girl on the cheek, gaining her attention rather quickly. "Listen to me," the female Salvatore gazes into Elena's glassy eyes with a frown. "If you struggle, it's gonna hurt more. I need you to relax and stay still. Let me do this, Elena."

Elena nods and Gemma flashes her a tight smile. "Okay," she sighs. "Put your hands on the roof, okay?" Elena does as told, sending Gemma a questioning look and the vampire nods, murmuring a small good as she reaches in past the girl to rip the seat belt. "You ready?" Elena hums and Gemma quickly tears it, catching the human and pulling her out of the car before the broken glass can do any damage. She hauls the girl up with her, one of her hands gripping Elena's waist and the other grabbing her jaw to redirect her swimming gaze. "Are you okay?"

"Uh—huh," Elena mutters.

Gemma narrows her eyes, letting the girl go all at once, but quickly having to scoop her up whenever she sways to the side. "I'm sure," she says wryly. "Listen to me, Elena—" she forces the girl to look at her again. "Focus, look at me. Keep looking at me, okay?"

Elena moves her face closer to Gemma's, sorrow filling her features. "I look like her."

Gemma's blood runs cold, her breath leaving her. "What?" Before Elena can reiterate, she faints into Gemma's arms, leaving the Salvatore vampire scrambling for answers. She holds Elena still with one hand while slipping her phone out of her pocket, dialing a familiar number.

"Baby sis, what can I do for you on this fine evening?"

Gemma pauses, looking down the road. "Um," she swallows thickly. "You up for a road trip?"

•••

Gemma sits in the backseat of Damon's car, an open book propped up in her lap as Elena's limp form leans against her; the girl still passed out from her earlier accident. The human begins to stir and the female Salvatore straightens up, closing her book softly.

"Morning," Damon chirps from the drivers seat.

Elena sits up, her eyes darting from Damon to Gemma; a questioning gaze present. "Where are we?"

"You want a peach, peach?" Gemma drawls, smirking down at the girl.

Elena squints before scoffing, shaking her head. "There's no way..." she trails off, cradling her head in between her hands before meeting Gemma's eyes, her stare frantic. "Georgia? No, no, we're not."

Gemma pauses, "okay, we're not in Georgia, Elena. Happy now? We're in Oz."

"I—" Elena stammers. "What?"

"You don't have any broken bones," Damon pipes up. "Gemma checked really well."

"But my car..." the Gilbert's eyes widen. "There was a man, I hit a man but then he got up! Who was that?"

Gemma frowns, "that's what we'd like to know."

"Where is my phone?" Neither vampire replies and Elena strengthens her tone, "We really need to go back. Nobody knows where I am. Pull over."

Gemma side eyes her with a dry smile, knowing that her brother isn't going to pull over anytime soon. Damon had his mind set, and it wasn't as if he enjoyed Elena's company. The female Salvatore wouldn't put it past him to reach into the backseat and compel the girl to sleep the rest of the way.

"I mean it, Damon!" Elena snaps, "Pull over."

Damon hums nonchalantly, glancing out of his window with a blinding smile. "It's such a beautiful day, don't you think?"

"Gemma," Elena begs the girl. "I don't feel well, please tell him to pull over."

Gemma gazes at the girl, searching her expression. When Elena's face seems to get more pale by the second, she nods once and taps her brothers shoulder. "Pull over."

Damon does as requested and Elena wastes no time in scrambling out of the car, bending forward and pressing her palm to her stomach as if she'd been feeling sick. Gemma slips out of the backseat and rounds the car, ducking her head to meet Elena's gaze. "Hey," she starts. "You okay?"

Elena breathes deeply, nodding with an uncertain expression.

"If you're lying, don't," Gemma advises. "If there's something going on internally and we don't know about it, you'll die before sundown."

Elena straightens up, "thanks for that, Gem."

The woman hums, shoving her hands into her pockets.

"We have to go back," Elena says again.

"Oh, come on," Damon stands beside his car with a grumpy expression. "We've already come this far."

"Why are you both doing this? I can't be in Georgia. I wrecked my car. I have to go home. This is kidnapping."

Gemma raises her eyebrows, "is it? You're not restrained, Elena. You can leave anytime you'd like."

"We're miles away from home, Gemma!" Elena exclaims, "I couldn't make it back on foot even if I tried."

"Well," the girl mocks Elena's pout. "Looks like you're stuck then, yeah?"

"You're not funny," the human glares. "You can't do this. I'm not going to Georgia."

Gemma nods, motioning to the open road with a blank expression.

"You know," Damon starts, glowering. "You don't have your magical little necklace. I can very easily make you...agreeable."

Elena gives Gemma a look full of doubt before squaring her shoulders, "what are you trying to prove, Damon?" Before the man can answer, the shrill sound of a ringtone cuts through the air. "That's my phone," Elena realizes.

"Mm," Damon nods. "It's your boyfriend. I'll take it." He pulls the phone out of his jacket pocket and answers it with a sly smile. "Elena's phone."

"Where is she? Why do you have her phone? Is she okay?"

Elena shuffles closer to Gemma and opens her mouth to speak but the female Salvatore shakes her head, tapping Elena's cheek with a distant look in her eyes.

"Elena?" Damon mocks. "She's right here and yes, she's fine."

"Where are you? Let me speak to her."

"He wants to talk to you," Damon tries offering the girl her phone.

Elena hesitates before rejecting the device with a wounded look on her face.

"Yeah," Damon sighs. "I don't... I don't really think she wants to talk to you right now."

"Damon, I swear to God, if you or Gemma touch her—"

"Don't worry about me, brother," Damon smirks. Stefan tries to protest but he cuts him off with another him. "You have a good day. Mhm, bye now."

"Look," the Gilbert starts up again whenever Damon hangs up the phone. "No one knows where I am. Can we just go back?"

"We're almost there," Damon says vaguely.

"Where is there?!"

"A little place outside of Atlanta," Damon replies. Elena gives him a skeptical look and he groans, giving Gemma a glance that says i'm done, you deal with her before slipping back into his car.

"Here's the deal," Gemma begins. "We can really, honestly take you home if that's what you want—"

"Which it is," Elena cuts her off.

"But," Gemma glares at her. "How often do you get a mini vacation from your life with two vampires? Take a time out, Miss Gilbert. Your sad life and your problems will be waiting for you when you get back." Elena bites the inside of her cheek and Gemma takes that as a sign to continue. "Let yourself breathe, Elena. Be anyone else for five minutes, okay? Five minutes."

"Am I gonna be safe with you?" The Gilbert relents through a heavy sigh.

"Without a doubt," Gemma promises.

"You promise not to do that mind control thing with me?"

"Yes."

Elena searches the vampires eyes, "can I trust you, Gemma?"

Gemma swallows thickly. "Yes, Elena. You can trust me. Now get in the car."

Elena heaves a heavy sigh and turns to get in the car, meeting Gemma's eyes over the top of the vehicle as the vampire does the same.

•••

"Where are we?" Elena asks, looking out the car window at their surroundings. She makes a sound of disapproval as the car comes to a stop outside of a place named Bree's. "You brought me to a bar? Guys, I'm not old enough. They're not going to let me in."

Gemma glances at the girl, shaking her head to herself. Something she's not proud of is that she forgets Elena's age quite often. The Gilbert's been molded and aged by her life experiences; and it makes her seem much more mature than she actually is. The female Salvatore looks away, falling still under Damon's knowing stare.

"Sure they will," Damon answers.

Gemma slides out of the car and waits for Elena to idle up closer to she and Damon, giving the teenager a reassuring look over her shoulder. She lets Damon enter the bar first, a tight smile rising on her lips whenever Bree lets out a loud gasp.

"No," she cries. "No, it can't be! Damon, my honey pie!" The witch hops over the bar counter and grabs Damon's face, planting a wet kiss on his lips. She pulls back and winks at Gemma, "nice to see you again too, jewel."

"It's—" Gemma cuts herself off when Bree turns on her heel and walks behind the bar.

"Jewel?" Elena murmurs, pressing her arm against Gemma's side.

"She can't remember my name," Gemma fills her in. "I think it's on purpose, but it might just be the old age." She raises her volume near the end, sending a pointed look to the dark skinned woman.

Bree rolls her eyes, grabbing a bottle of Bourbon and setting four shot glasses down on the bar. "Listen up, everybody! Here's to the man that broke my heart, crushed my soul, destroyed my life, and ruined all and any chances of happiness!" She pours the liquor into the shot glasses and Gemma moves forward, not wasting time in throwing hers back. She feels Elena's gaze on the side of her face but she ignores it, keeping her eyes on Bree. "So," the witch starts, sending a curious look to Elena. "Which one of these tall, dark and handsome Salvatore's roped you in?"

"I'm not roped in," Elena says. "Actually, I'm dating their—"

"Honey," Bree pours the human a shot. "If you're not roped in, you're whipped. Either way, just enjoy the ride."

"Okay," Elena smiles awkwardly. "So, how did you three meet?"

"College," Bree grins.

Elena giggles, her eyebrows shooting up as she turns to Gemma. "You guys went to college?"

"I actually attended," Gemma admits. "Damon's just been on a college campus for fun."

"About twenty years ago, when I was a sweet, young freshman, I met this beautiful man— and his sidekick—"

"Sister, but whatever," Gemma interrupts.

"And I fell in love," Bree disregards the woman as she shares she and Damon's story with a wistful stare. "And then he told me about his little secret, made me love him more. Because, you see, I had a little secret of my own that I was dying to share with somebody."

"She's a witch," Damon whispers.

"Changed my world, you know," Bree smirks.

"I rocked your world."

"He's good in the sack, isn't he?" Bree asks Elena. "But mostly, he's just a Walk-Away-Joe."

Elena turns to Gemma and clears her throat, shifting awkwardly on her feet. "I'm gonna step outside and make a few phones calls."

"Okay," the woman nods. "Do you need me—?"

"No," Elena immediately denies. "No, I'll be fine."

Gemma watches the girl go with a deep frown, turning to the witch with a huff. "Bree, I think I'll take a real drink now."

"Yeah, yeah, you know where the Bourbon is, Jewel."

"For shit's sake."

•••

Gemma shuffles outside with her hands in her jacket pockets, softly trudging up towards Elena as not to interrupt the girl's phone call. She doesn't mean to listen to the Gilbert's phone calls but, well, Elena's right there and she looks upset so— Gemma tilts her head to the side and listens in, her eyebrows raising when she hears the tense tone to her brothers voice. "Just tell me where you are, so that I can come and get you."

"How am I connected to Katherine, Stefan?"

"I honestly don't know."

"And I'm supposed to believe that?"

"It's the truth," he pleads with her. "Listen— I—"

Elena hangs up without hearing his explanation, spinning on heel and meeting Gemma's eyes as if she knew the woman was there the whole time. By the disappointed look, she did know Gemma was there.

"Are you okay?" Gemma wonders.

"Don't pretend to care," Elena grumbles. "I know you're gloating inside."

Elena tries brushing past Gemma but the Salvatore doesn't let her, reaching out to gently pull Elena back by her upper arm. "What—" Gemma shakes her head, confusion swelling in her chest. "What in the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh, come on," Elena scoffs out a laugh. "It's no secret that since the day we met you've assumed I wasn't good enough for Stefan."

Gemma reels back, "what?"

"You're hot one minute and cold the next, you're always icy when it comes to me and Stefan. I mean, Gemma, if you don't like me, just say so!"

"It's not you who's not good enough, Elena. It's him, it's us."

Elena's eyes widen, "why would you say that?"

"Stefan was selfish with you," Gemma confesses. "So very selfish. He wanted to stay and get to know you and because of that, you'll always be apart of our world now."

"What's so bad about that?" Elena mutters.

"You're human, Elena. You're delicate and your blood is warm, and so are you. Your heart beats and you feel with every part of you. You have humanity and you care for people selflessly. That's something we don't have."

"So it's the humanity of it all?" Elena arches an eyebrow.

Gemma shrugs, "guess so."

"If—" Elena pauses. "If you could go back to being human, would you?"

"No," Gemma says stoically, her eyes hardening. "I don't think I ever want to be human again. I was dealt a bad card as a human, Elena. Humanity is what ultimately caused my death, so—" she clears her throat. "So, no. I don't think there's a thing in the world that'd make me choose that kind of weakness."

Elena frowns, "you just made humanity sound so beautiful a second ago. I don't understand."

Gemma gives the girl a strained smile, "you won't. Not for a while."

Elena rolls her eyes. "You're so vague," she grumbles.

"That's how our relationship works, you see? I ramble about vague things and you think yourself insane trying to figure them out."

"I'm glad you have us all figured out, Miss Salvatore."

Gemma smirks, and nods toward the bar. "After you, Miss Gilbert."

•••

A glass of Bourbon sits in front of Gemma, the vampires hands cradling it gently as she listens to Damon and Elena converse about Katherine.

"Let's just say that I'm descended from Katherine..." Elena pauses, "does that make me part vampire?"

Gemma snorts, "vampire's can't procreate." Her eyes flick up to Elena and she peers up at the human girl. "But we love to try."

Elena raises her eyebrows, "are you flirting with me, Miss Salvatore?"

"I don't flirt," the woman hums. "I just say what I want."

Elena giggles before her eyes flash with an indecipherable emotion, her lips tugging down into a frown. "Did Stefan think that he could use me to replace her? D—do you?"

Gemma straightens up, "no, of course not. I distanced myself in the beginning because you looked like Katherine. Stefan's reasoning was just kinda creepy if you ask me," she mumbles.

"Come on," Damon interrupts them, grabbing the stray pickles off of Elena's plate. "What? You don't like pickles? What's wrong with you?"

"How can you even eat? If technically you're supposed to be—"

Damon whispers, "Dead?" He laughs, shaking his head. "It's not such a bad word. As long as I keep a healthy diet of blood in my system, my body functions pretty normally."

"And you, Gem?" Elena's voice takes on a scolding tone. "I haven't seen you eat since we've been here."

Gemma shrugs, "some need food more than others."

Elena pauses, swallowing thickly before glancing between the two siblings. "This nice act. Is any of it real?"

Befor either vampire can answer, Bree bumbles up to Damon and Gemma to refill their drinks. She hands Damon a beer with a sultry, here you go and simply gives Gemma a stray bottle of Bourbon; tired

of refilling the girls drink ever ten minutes.

"Thank you," Damon drawls.

"I'll have one too," Elena pipes up.

Gemma halts in her movements, her glass of Bourbon stalled in the air. Her eyes widen at the human girl and she shifts on her stool, turning her body toward the Gilbert. "Hm?"

"Time out, remember?" Elena reminds Gemma. "For five minutes? Yeah, well that five minutes is going to need a beer."

Bree smirks and sets a beer down in front of the girl. "There you go."

•••

Gemma leans against the bar, her leather jacket having long been shed and her eyes hooded as she surveys the scene before her. Who knew Elena Gilbert had it in her to be so wild and free? She blinks a few times when she sees Elena's lips moving, the doe eyed girl talking excitedly in front of her.

"Huh?" Gemma hums, moving closer to the girl.

Elena laughs, "we're taking shots again, Gem! Come on."

Gemma turns to face the counter as Bree gives them the shots, "Ready... go!"

Gemma throws back her shot quickly, nearly choking on it whenever she sees Elena already done with hers, the human girl doing a little dance out of glee.

"That's three!" She cheers. She aims her gaze toward Gemma and pouts, reaching up to thumb away the drop of liquor in Gemma lips. "Aw, do you need a bib?"

Gemma looks at the girl in disbelief, "you're insane."

"Sorry we can't unhinge our jaws like a snake to consume alcohol," Damon snides.

"Whatever," Elena rolls her eyes. "All right. Who's next? Another round, Bree."

"Honey," a drunk woman next to Elena slurs. "You should be on the floor!"

"I am not even drunk," Elena cries. "My tolerance is, like, way up here." She jumps as she reaches toward the ceiling to show the woman exactly what she means.

"All right," Bree gets the shot glasses ready again. "Here you go."

Elena turns to Gemma, grabbing the woman's hands with a sly smile. "You ready for this, peach?"

"You can't steal my nick name!" The Salvatore shouts with a grin, her eyes shining.

"I can and I did," Elena says smugly. "Come on, Gem! Maybe you'll even beat me this time."

"You're on, Gilbert."

•••

The female Salvatore would be lying if she said her vision wasn't swimming, along with her head. Her eyes lift to meet Damon's gaze and she grins, sluggishly sitting up as her brother moves closer to her. "Having fun?" She questions.

"No more than you," he smirks.

"Hey," Bree brings their attention to her. "Where's your girl, jewel?"

Gemma doesn't respond verbally, her shoulders stiffening as she sits at full height to look around the bar for Elena. Her chest tightens with anxiety as she fails to come up with an answer, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. "She was right back there," she murmurs. She tries to stand but stumbles in her steps, waving Damon off when he grabs her arm with a concerned look. "I'll be fine, I'm gonna go look for her."

"Yell if you need help," he jokes.

Gemma brushes past him and trails outside the bar, her jaw clenching whenever she sees Elena's phone on the ground beside the door. She picks it up, frowning as Jenna's contact shines up from the recent calls list. She closes her eyes and listens, her orbs popping open whenever she hears the shaky breaths belonging to the Gilbert. Gemma follows the sound, her body slumping in relief when she finds the girl sitting on the steps of an electrical ladder. "Elena, what—"

"Gemma, no!"

Before the woman can react, a searing pain shoots through her abdomen and she crumbles to the ground, a cry of pain escaping her lips. She has the spare time to look into her attackers eyes for a short second before he brings the plank of wood down onto her again. She groans in pain as she tries to push herself off the ground, the vampire sweeping her feet out from underneath her.

Gemma glances up, shaking her head frantically when Elena tries to rush to her side. "No, no, no! Stay there."

The female Salvatore splutters as gasoline is poured over her head, her chest heaving as the scent fills her nose. She coughs on the taste of it, her eyes watering heavily.

"No!" Elena begs, tears filling her eyes.

Gemma lies on her back, her hands clutching her ribs. "Who are you?" She grunts.

"That's perfect!" The man laughs dryly. "You have no idea."

"What are you talking about?" Elena exclaims, "What did she do?"

"Her brother killed my girlfriend!"

"What does that have to do with me?" Gemma pants, "I'm not my brother!"

"You were supposed to protect her!" He yells, "she promised she'd be safe with you?"

"I don't understand," Elena breathes.

"My girlfriend went to visit Stefan and Gemma, and Damon killed her. She swore Gemma would watch out for her! Got it?" He tightens his grip around his bat and swings it down on Gemma, the woman letting out a guttural sound whenever her ribs creak and crack under the pressure.

"Lexi?" Elena realizes, moving forward in order to distract the man from Gemma. "Lexi was your girlfriend? She told me about you. She said that you were human."

"I was."

"Lexi turned you?"

"If you want to be with someone forever, you have to live forever," he says.

"She loved you. She said that, when it's real, you can't walk away."

"Well, that's a choice you're not going to have to make."

"Don't," Elena almost lurches forward but lingers back at Gemma's half ass stern look. "Don't, please, don't hurt her."

The man lights a match, hovering over Gemma. "I'm doing you a favor."

The female Salvatore grimaces whenever she takes a deep breath, the pain in her ribs spreading over her chest. Her eyes meet those of the pained man, acceptance washing over her. She wasn't scared to die, she never was. If anything, death sounded peaceful. It sounded like finally going home.

Elena's pleading brings her out of the intense gaze she'd been holding with the man, the human moving forward in an attempt to connect with the man. "Lexi loved you!" Elena tells him, "And she was good! And that means you're good too. Be better than Gemma's brother. Don't do this. I'm begging you! Please."

The man pauses for a long second before grabbing Gemma by her bare arms, throwing her roughly against the side of the building before visibly surrendering. Gemma gets onto her knees, slumping over onto her hands as blood fills her mouth. Out of the corner of her eyes, she sees Elena sprinting over to her and she scrambles back, unwilling to let the girl see the emotion on her face.

"Gem," Elena breathes, falling onto her knees in front of the girl. Despite Gemma's wary look, Elena's not scared to get closer; straddling one of the woman's legs to see her injuries up close. "What happened? He—he's new, isn't he? How—?"

"I don't," Gemma lets her head loll back, blinking up at the stars. "I'm not the strongest when I don't feed."

Elena frowns, "you haven't been?"

Gemma rolls her lips, her hands twitching whenever Elena thumbs at the gash across her forehead. "No," she admits. "I haven't been."

"Why not?"

Gemma feels vulnerable; naked, under the Gilbert's stare. She shifts nervously, not being able to move much under Elena's weight. She finally shrugs with pursed lips, ignoring the human's narrowed eyes.

"I thought we were done with secrets, peach?" Elena whispers.

Gemma meets her eyes, "there'll always be secrets, Elena."

The Gilbert sighs heavily and stands up, offering Gemma a hand. The vampire hesitates before accepting the hand, letting Elena lace their fingers together as she limps back to Damon's car.

•••

Gemma leans against the window with her book in hand, her eyes skimming across the words. She'd read the book hundreds of time but it was familiar and not unnerving, so she'd find herself going back to it more often than not. She moves to turn the page but Elena makes a soft noise, stopping her in her tracks. "What?" Gemma glances at her.

"I wasn't finished reading that page," Elena frowns, looking up at Gemma from the middle seat.

Gemma settles back in her seat and lets Elena finish reading, rolling her eyes whenever she feels the human's gaze on the side of her face. "What?"

"So, why did you bring me with you?"

Gemma gives the girl a small smile, "I've had worse road trip companions, Damon being one of those, so—"

"Incorrect, but go on," Damon interrupts.

Gemma scoffs before looking at Elena, taken aback by the intensity in Elena's eyes. "You should give yourself more credit. You can light up the room when you want to, Miss Gilbert."

"Seriously?"

Gemma stares at the girl before realizing she wants reassurance. Humans, she thinks to herself. The vampire always did think it's best to seek validation from yourself instead of others, but she's been in Elena's shoes before. She won't judge.

"Like I said, you're not the worst company in the world."

"I used to be more fun," Elena says gently.

Gemma smirks, "You did okay."

"I saved your life!" Elena cries, exasperated.

Gemma nods, "I know."

"And don't you forget it!"

Gemma shakes her head, "never, peach. Now, can we get back to the book? This is my favorite part."

Elena falls silent and settles down against Gemma.

And if she keeps turning the pages in order to hear Elena's soft voice time and time again, then that's her business.

•••

not edited.