03|FRIDAY NIGHT BITES

Gemma stands in front of Stefan's window, her arms folded across her chest as the sun beats down on her. Her eyes dart to Damon on the bed, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. "Don't you think that's a little invasive?" She questions, referring to the oldest Salvatore's insistence to read Stefan's diary.

"More invasive than him forcing me to become a vampire?" Damon snarks back.

Gemma turns away from the sun, gazing at Damon with a calculating stare. He meets her eyes, their orbs clashing. Footsteps nearing the door makes Damon look away, a smirk playing at his lips. "How were tryouts?" He begins as soon as Stefan walks through the door. "Did you make the team?"

Gemma shuffles forward and sits on the chair next to the desk, her hands clasping together in her lap as she watches her brothers interact.

"Very Emerson," Damon holds up the journal. "The way you reveal your soul with so many...adjectives."

Stefan rips the diary out of his hands, a tortured look on his face. "What are you doing here?" He demands.

"I've come to apologize," the Salvatore confesses. Gemma sits up straighter in her chair, her eyes widening at Damon's words. "I've been doing some thinking, some soul searching, and...I want us to start over— all of us. We need to put the past behind us. You're my little brother, and if you want to live a normal, happy human life, then I want that for you. Maybe Gemma and I can do it, too. We can learn to be non-living living people. Maybe there's hope for all of us,"

Stefan's looks at Gemma, his face questioning. Her lips part in surprise at her eldest brother's words but she plasters on a weak smile, giving Stefan a small nod.

Seeing their exchange, Damon snorts, a chuckle escaping his lips.

Stefan looks betrayed, "You know, it doesn't have to be this way, Damon."

"Of course it doesn't," he shrugs. "I saw Elena today, BTW. That means by the way. She was at cheerleading practice. She looked so perky in her little short shorts—"

Gemma gives her brother a look, her stare matching Stefan's.

"Just...simmer down," he tells them. "I didn't even go near her. I've got my own cheerleader now." He glances down at his watch. "Ooh, that reminds me, I gotta run. I have a date. Sweaty palms. Wish me luck."

"Good luck," Gemma wishes half-heartedly, lingering in Stefan's room after the exit of the oldest Salvatore.

"What are you playing at?" Stefan demands, a harsh glare aimed at his sister.

"I don't understand what you mean," she replies.

"I mean," he emphasizes. "That you were being genuine for a second. You believed every word Damon was saying about us becoming a family again."

The female Salvatore doesn't meet his eyes, "believe it or not, he doesn't share all of his little mind tricks with me."

"No," Stefan muses. "I guess he doesn't, seeing that he uses them on you too."

Gemma's head snaps up, her lips pursed into a tight line. "You don't know what the hell you're talking about,"

"Don't I?" Stefan counters, moving toward his sister with a pleading look. "He's afraid to be alone, Gemma. That's the only reason he's keeping you around! He doesn't need you, not like—" he gets choked up. "Not like I do, alright? I need my big sister, it's harder than I thought— doing all of this alone."

Gemma stands from her chair, arms hugging herself tightly as she feels emotion bloom in her chest.

"I don't know what happened to you when we were younger, alright? I'll admit it— I was busy with other things and other people and I shouldn't have been. I should've been there for you like I was there for Damon, I just—" he swallows thickly. "I didn't know how to be. You were such a complex person. There were so many layers to who you were— I never really wanted to take the time to figure out what made you, you."

"I know," Gemma mumbles.

"I'm sorry, Gemma. But I'm here now—I'm right in front of you and I'm your brother and I need you."

The female Salvatore gives him a look, her facial expression guarded. "I can't—" she struggles to find the words. "I can't just betray Damon. For a while— for most of my life, he's all I've had, Stefan. I can't walk away from him just because you're asking me to."

"But you can help him ruin my life just because he's asking you to?"

"I'm not helping him do anything," she snaps. "I'm just not interfering."

"He's dangerous," Stefan tells her. "He's killed innocent people and for what? To—to intimidate me? To bring me misery for the rest of eternity? Since when did that involve innocent people losing their lives?"

Gemma doesn't reply, but she keeps her stare aimed at Stefan, waiting to see if he'll speak again.

"You don't have to stop being apart of his life," he says. "I just want you to be apart of mine too."

Gemma nods wordlessly.

"Elena wanted me to invite you to dinner at her house," Stefan informs her. "I'd—it'd be nice if you came, Gemma."

"Yeah," she breathes. "Um, what do I— does she want me to bring anything?"

A small smile graces Stefan's lips as he gazes at his sister, "I'll give her your number, alright? She can—she can call you if she needs anything."

Gemma nods and shuffles past him, moving toward the door.

"Thank you, Gem."

The said girl pauses, lingering in the doorway. "We're family," she says, giving him a look over her shoulder. "It's what we do."

•••

Gemma sits at the table next to Stefan, across from Elena— awkwardly sipping her glass of water as thick tension unfolds over them.

"Did Tanner give you a hard time today?" Elena questions, her stare aimed at Stefan.

"Well," he smiles tightly. "He let me on the team, so I must have done something right."

Gemma leans forward, perking up as she looks between Stefan and Elena. "Football?"

Elena grins, "yeah, Stefan tried out for the team. Didn't he tell you?"

Gemma and Stefan share a look, the female Salvatore shaking her head. "No, it must've slipped his mind. That's great though, he always— he's always had a love for sports."

Elena looks between two two siblings, her eyes eager.

"You should have seen Stefan today," she says. "One of our classmates, Tyler threw a ball right at him, and..."

The dark skinned girl, Bonnie, cuts Elena off with a pinched expression, "I'm sure she's heard already."

Gemma gives the girl a tight smile, her eyes challenging. "I haven't actually, but he can tell me later."

Elena shifts nervously, "Why don't you tell Stefan about your family?" She asks Bonnie.

"Um, divorced." The girl replies awkwardly. "No mom. Live with my dad."

Elena scoffs, "No, about the witches." She leans forward in excitement. "Bonnie's family has a lineage of witches. It's really cool,"

Gemma raises her eyebrows, nodding slowly.

"Cool isn't the word I'd use," Bonnie mutters.

"Well," Stefan gets her attention. "It's certainly interesting. I'm not too versed, but I do know that there's a history of Celtic druids that migrated here in the 1800s."

"My family came by way of Salem,"

Gemma's interest is piqued, "really?" She drawls, "Salem witches?"

"Yeah," she nods.

"I would say that's pretty cool," Stefan tells her.

Bonnie raises her eyebrows, visibly warming up to the boy. "Really? Why?"

"Salem witches are heroic examples of individualism and nonconformity,"

The Bennett girl leans back in her chair, nodding stoically. "Yeah, they are."

The doorbell rings and the Gilbert looks up confusedly, her face contorting. "I wonder who that could be,"

Elena stands from the table to go answer the door, leaving Gemma, Stefan, and Bonnie to linger in the awkward silence. After downing the rest of her water, Gemma reaches over and grabs Stefan's, beginning to sip on it. Stefan side eyes her, prying the cold cup out of her hands and putting it back in front of him. A familiar voice reverberates through the house and the female Salvatore wastes no time in calmly standing from her chair and moving toward the door.

"Gem?" Stefan worries, right on her heels.

"Damon," Gemma interrupts Elena, her voice weak. "What are you doing here?"

The eldest Salvatore smiles, a flash of something bitter going through his eyes as he looks between his siblings. "Didn't know we were having a family reunion,"

Gemma sighs heavily, running a hand through her hair. "Damon—"

"I'm waiting for Elena to invite me in," he replies to her questions, giving the human girl a charming look.

Gemma feels Stefan tense behind her and she shakes her head, a firm expression gracing her features.

"Oh, yeah, you can..." Elena begins.

"No," Gemma snaps. Her chest tightens when she sees Elena flinch from her peripheral vision, the Gilbert gazing at her with wide eyes. "He can't stay— he can't come in. Can you, Damon?"

Caroline rolls her eyes and pushes past Gemma and Stefan, glancing at Damon over her shoulder. "Get in here," she instructs with a playful smile.

"We're just...finishing up," Stefan makes an attempt.

Elena smiles tightly, notice Gemma and Stefan's obvious hesitance. "It's fine," she pauses. "Just come on in."

"You have a beautiful home, Elena." He pipes up, his eyes boring into Gemma's as he steps over the threshold of the door.

"Thank you," she calls over her shoulder as she trails further into the house.

Stefan follows her, not wanting to be involved in Gemma and Damon's more than friendly conversation after the girl tried to keep him out.

"So," Damon slings a heavy arm around his sisters shoulders. "We're at odds now, are we?"

"He's my brother too," she mumbles pathetically.

"Mhm," Damon hums. "Where was your brother the first time Dad—"

"Damon," Gemma looks at him sharply, lurching herself out of his grip. Their eyes meet and she hardens her gaze. "If this is you trying to play nice, it isn't working."

"Gemma?" Elena questions, peeking around the entryway to the dining room. "Are you coming?"

The female Salvatore nods, not breaking Damon's stare. "Yeah," she turns with a faux smile. "I'm coming."

•••

Gemma shifts uncomfortably on the couch, her eyes cast downward.

"I cannot believe that Mr. Tanner let you on the team," Caroline gushes. "Tyler must be seething. But good for you. Go for it."

"That's what I always tell him," Damon chimes in with a seemingly encouraging smile. "You have to engage. You can't just sit there and wait for life to come to you. You have to go get it."

"Yeah, Elena wasn't so lucky today," Caroline drones. "It's only because you missed summer camp—" she directly addresses the girl. "God, I don't know how you're ever going to learn the routines."

Gemma squints at the blonde, her eyes piercing the side of her head. Bonnie opens her mouth to defend the Gilbert girl but Gemma beats her to it. "She'll be fine," the vampire voices. Her eyes drag down Caroline's slouched body and a bitter smirk graces her lips, "it seems like she has more the form for it than you do."

Elena coughs loudly, pressing the back of her hand against her lips. Bonnie smirks, ducking her head to hide her silent laughter.

"I guess we can put her in the back," the Forbes mutters, her cheeks flushed.

"You know," Damon starts. "You don't seem like the cheerleader type, Elena."

"Oh, it's just 'cause her parents died." Caroline blurts.

"You've got to be kidding me," Gemma grumbles under her breath.

"Yeah, I mean, she's just totally going through a blah phase. She used to be way more fun—" Caroline looks up and sees the put-out expression she's getting. "And I say that with complete sensitivity."

"I'm sorry, Elena." Damon sympathizes. "I know what it's like to lose both your parents. In fact, Stefan, Gemma, and I have watched almost every single person we've ever cared about die."

"We don't need to get into that right now, Damon." Stefan informs his brother stiffly.

"Oh," the oldest Salvatore breathes. "You know what, you're right, Stef. I'm sorry. The last thing I wanted to do was bring her up."

•••

Gemma tiredly shuffled into the kitchen, muffling a yawn with her elbow. Her fingers loosen around the grip of the wine glass as she moves closer to Elena. "Here's one more for you," she says.

"Oh, thank you."

Elena grabs the glass, letting out a soft gasp as it falls from her grasp. Gemma catches it easily, her form stilling when Elena instinctively puts a hand over hers to make sure the cup doesn't fall again.

"Nice save," Elena murmurs. The female Salvatore says nothing in reply, watching the Gilbert as she fidgets with the cup— obviously intending to ask something. "What's your opinion of me?"

Gemma's eyebrows shoot up, "does it really matter?"

The Gilbert's eyes dull and a frown graces her lips before she shrugs, her eyes darting toward the living room. "I am dating your brother."

"Right," Gemma nods. Her lips part as she gazes at the girl with an intense stare. "I like you just fine, Elena. You burn bright, and you know how to laugh. Stefan could use some laughter in his life. It's— it's been quite a while since I've seen that shine in his eyes."

Elena blushes, "Earlier, did Damon mean...Katherine?"

Gemma's lips twitch into a dry smile, "you're a curious little thing, aren't you?"

"Sue me," the Gilbert drawls.

The vampire breathes out a laugh. "Yes," she nods. "He was talking about the infamous Katherine."

"How did she die?"

Gemma's chest tightens, "In a fire." Her voice comes out raspy, "Tragic fire."

"Recently?"

"It feels like it was yesterday," the female Salvatore frowns absently, her eyes glazing over. "When you lose someone like that..."

"What was she like?" Elena wonders.

Gemma's eyes snap back toward the Gilbert and she blinks, feeling tears push behind her dark orbs. "Katherine was— she was very pretty, seemingly innocent. She had these wide, doe eyes that could get her anything she wanted." Her eyes flick around Elena's face and she snorts, "a lot like you probably could."

"That it?" Elena urges.

"Not even close," Gemma leans against the counter. "She was also very complicated and selfish and at times not very kind, but very sexy and seductive."

Elena hums, "So which three of you dated her first?"

Gemma chokes on air, her eyes blowing wide. "Excuse me?"

Elena cocks her head, "am I wrong?"

"Katherine was— she was my best friend," Gemma tells the girl. A smirk rises on her lips, "I'm not saying she didn't play her part in my sexuality crisis but no, we were always just friends."

Elena's lips part in shock and she leans forward, "sexuality crisis?"

Gemma blinks, "I'm very much into girls."

The Gilbert grins, nodding slowly. "Nice to know,"

The female Salvatore laughs, shaking her head. Caroline's shrieking laugh fills the silence in the room and Gemma cringes back, suddenly remembering her earlier words toward Elena. "You shouldn't, um, you shouldn't let Caroline bother you when she says stuff like that. It's hard, but— but at the end of the day, she's the one lacking something."

Elena snorts, "I wouldn't be too sure about that."

Gemma hums, folding her arms over her chest.

"So what's your damage?" Elena prods. "You have that tortured look twenty-four-seven."

"Maybe that's just my face," Gemma says wryly.

Elena makes a noise of disagreement, "I don't think so, Gemma Salvatore. Sooner or later, I'm gonna get those scandalous secrets out of you."

"I'll be counting on that, Elena Gilbert."

•••

NOT EDITED