Chapter 21

This morning, Bonnie and I were trying to open the sealed-shut coffin. It didn't work. We've tried basically everything, and absolutely nothing. We decided not to stress about it too much and just head to school, where we found out Jeremy's moving to Denver, and that Elena asked Damon to compel him into doing so. Right now, Matt, Bonnie, Elena, and I were at Caroline's, waiting for her to walk in. Just then, we heard the door handle moving. We all hid behind the wall, and as we heard Caroline walk in, we jumped out and yelled surprise.

"Happy birthday!" Matt and I said with a smile.

"What are you guys doing here?" Caroline asked confused.

"Well you blew off school and missed our work of birthday art, so ..." Elena said taking the crown off her head and putting it onto Caroline's.

"Change into warmer clothes, we are going to the Falls. S'mores, camp fire." Bonnie said with a smile.

"Cake!" I said with a smile.

"Like when we were little." Elena said smiling.

"Except for the tequila!" Matt said with a laugh.

"Thanks, guys. Really, um, I'm just not feeling my birthday this year." Caroline said with a sigh.

"I'm sorry, what? You've already claimed your birthday as everyone's favorite day of the year." Bonnie said with a laugh.

"Even me." I said with a laugh.

"Yeah, and now, it's just a reminder that technically, I'm dead. Look, I didn't even like 17. And the only point to being 17 is to get to 18. It's a filler year. I'm stuck in a filler year. " She said with a pout.

"You're not stuck, Caroline." Elena said.

"Yeah I am, but it's okay. You know, it's all good, I'll be fine. But I just need some time to wallow in it." She said with a nod.

"Okay, well I think I have another idea." Elena said with a smile. Caroline, Elena, Bonnie, Matt, and I entered the Fell crypt.

"There it is!" Elena said opening the doors.

"This is creepy, even for us." Bonnie said, earning a nod from Matt and I.

"No, Caroline was right ... technically, she's dead. Sorry. But you don't need a birthday, you need a funeral. You need to say goodbye to your old life , so that you can move on with your new one. " Elena said causing Caroline to smile.

"Okay. Here lies Caroline Forbes ..." She started. Elena started putting candles on top of a birthday cake.

"Cheerleader, Miss Mystic Falls, third grade hopscotch champion." Elena continued.

"Friend, daughter, overachiever .." Bonnie added.

"Mean girl, sometimes, no offense." Matt said with a laugh.

"Ah, none taken." Caroline said with a smile.

"She was 17, and she had a really good life. So rest in peace, so that she can move forward." I said with a smile. Elena walked up to Caroline, holding the cake in front of her.

"That's what you really need. What we all really need. Amen, or cheers or whatever." Elena said earning a laugh from all of us. Elena reached for her pocket, but sighed when she didn't find anything.

"Dammit. I left the lighter at home." I smiled.

"Incendium." I whispered lighting the candles. Caroline looked at me and smiled.

"Nice, Myra! Okay, make a wish." Elena said holding the cake out to Caroline, who closed her eyes and made a wish. A little while later, we were all eating cake and drinking tequila. Matt took the bottle from Bonnie, but Elena snatched it from his hand.

"Ah-ah. I need it more than you do, trust me." Elena said taking a sip. I grabbed it from her and took a long sip.

"Woah..what's got you in a drinking mood?"

"Boy drama." I said taking another sip. Elena looked at me confused.

"I'll tell you later."

"Caroline, what are you doing?" Bonnie asked. We looked towards her and saw she was texting.

"What? Nothing." Caroline stopped texting, and held her hands down in front of her, trying to hide the phone in them.

"Okay, you're a bad sober liar. You're an even worse drunk liar." Elena said.

"I might have texted Tyler." She said looking down.

"Caroline ..." Elena said looking at her.

"What? I'm delicate." Caroline said sitting next to me. I sighed and wrapped my arm around her shoulder, allowing her to lay on me, which she did.

"Give her a break! You can't control what everyone does all the time." Bonnie said looking at Elena. My mouth widened. There was an awkward silence.

"Wow." Elena said with a scoff.

"Ouch, Bon." Matt said with a laugh.

"Sorry, I know it's Caroline birthday, funeral or whatever but, I just feel it's really wrong that you compelled Jeremy to leave town." Bonnie said to Elena.

"I'm doing it to protect him, Bonnie. I want to give him a chance to have a quiet normal life." Elena defended.

"He should be able to choose how he wants to live it, you're taking his choices away." Bonnie said angrily.

"Bonnie, you can't tell him." Elena said seriously.

"Why? Are you gonna compel me not to?" Bonnie shot back.

"You know, you guys are ruining a perfect funeral." Matt said.

"I'm sorry. I'm just gonna go sleep it off something. Happy birthday." Bonnie said to Caroline before she left. Matt and I were getting drunker by the minute, but unfortunately, we were out of tequila.

"Matt ..."

"Myra." He said back in a mocking tone. I leaned my head against his shoulder.

"Why are boys so complicated?" I asked with a pause.

"I mean.they're like Calculus. The most confusing thing ever and impossible to read and understand."

"Well, girls are like that too." He said rubbing my arm.

"I guess, but I just don't understand why he's ..." I trailed off with a sigh.

"Who?" Elena asked causing me to look at her. I looked at her, frozen, unable to tell her I was in love with her ex-boyfriend. Before I could get a word out, Tyler walked into the crypt. I straightened up and looked at him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to crash the party." Tyler said with a laugh.

"So don't." Matt said coldly. I noticed his fists firming up, so I put my hand on top of his so he would calm down. He looked at me and sighed.

"No, it's-it's okay." Caroline said to Matt.

"Hi." She said looking at Tyler.

"Can I talk to you for a sec? It's kind of important." Tyler asked. Caroline nodded and left the crypt with Tyler.

"Are you okay?" I asked turning to Matt. I know he loved Caroline, and it's hard for him.

"Yeah, I want her to be happy, you know? It's what I want for all of you guys, in the middle of this crazy life we ​​got stuck living." He said with a scoff.

"Is that how you see it? That we're stuck?" Elena asked.

"I'd say it's attached itself to you all pretty tight, yeah." Matt said with a nod.

"Bonnie is right, you know, I have no business messing in Jeremy's head. I just don't know what else to do. He is in danger here. I can't lose anyone else that I love." She said. I nodded and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Alright. Let's change this gloomy subject. Am I the only one interested in who Myra is falling for?"

"Yeah Myra..fess up." Matt said playfully shoving me. I smiled and looked down before sighing. I looked back up at Elena.

"It's Stefan, Elena." I told her causing her face to go blank.

"How long?" She asked clearing her throat.

"How long what?" I asked confused.

"How long have you had feelings for him?" She asked looking at me.

"Ever since Mason Lockwood attacked me on the full moon. He stayed with me that night, made sure I was okay. And I didn't say anything to anyone until Bonnie figured it out, the night she died." I explained.

"Wait, so you've liked him for almost a year?" She asked in shock.

"I don't just like him, Elena." I told her looking down. She sat up straight.

"Elena, I'm sorry. I was never going to do anything because I know you love him."

"It's okay Myra. You can't control who you have feelings for. I of all people should know." She said with a sigh.

"What do you mean?" I asked her intrigued.

"I hate to break this up, but shouldn't Caroline have been back by now?" Matt asked.

"Unless her and Tyler took off." I said with a sigh.

"No. No no no. I am not letting that happen." Elena said grabbing three flashlights.

She handed Matt and I each one, and we walked outside of the crypt looking for her.

"Caroline!" Matt yelled. After a while, we still couldn't find her.

"Great, we've been abandoned. Okay, we're going on a search party, I don't trust that she won't get back together with him." Elena said.

"Caroline!" I yelled.

"Come on, Caroline we don't have anymore drinks! Matt's being haunted by the Fell ghosts." Elena said playfully nudging Matt, who nudged me because of it. I nudged Matt back, who nudged Elena because of it. That was the last thing I remembered, until I was thrown against a hard surface and everything went black.

***time skip**

When I woke up the next morning, Elena told me everything that happened. How Stefan knocked Matt and I out and took Elena to his car as he sped down the road towards Wickery Bridge, and fed her his blood. He was threatening to turn Elena into a vampire so Klaus would make his hybrids leave town. Klaus eventually caved. He told Stefan he would send his hybrids away. Stefan stopped the car, with a crying and terrified Elena inside of it. She got out and he drove away. Then, Jeremy left. Denver. To live his new life. Of course I said goodbye, but it was hard knowing he might never come back. Bonnie and Elena left to go find Bonnie's mom Shelia, who Bonnie thinks can help open the coffin.

Now, I was at my house, alone, because my dad was getting drinks with his new lady friend, Dr. Fell. I was making something for lunch, cutting up some veggies, when I accidentally cut my finger. I winced in pain and dropped the knife out of my hand. I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my cut hand. I sighed and grabbed my keys, heading straight for the hospital once I got into my car. When I walked inside, I saw Dr. Fell.

"Dr. Fell! Wait aren't you supposed to be with my dad?" I asked.

"I was, then I got called in. What happened?" She asked looking down at the bloody towel on my hand.

"I was cutting some veggies and the knife slipped." I explained.

"Can you help me?"

"Of course, come here." She said. She took me into a hospital room, and I sat down on the bed.

"Myra.do you believe in vampires? I only ask because you're dad is on the council"

"Yeah." I said confused where she was going with this. She rolled up my sleeve.

"Okay. Well, I'm about to inject you with something that will heal your wound." She said getting a syringe ready.

"Vampire blood." I said with widened eyes.

"Yes." Before I could say anything, she injected it into me. I quickly pulled her hands away.

"You need to stay right here." I told her standing up and locking the door. I pulled out my phone and called Damon. After two rings, I heard his phone coming from close by. Dr. Fell looked at me anxiously. I opened the bathroom door and found Damon lying there unconscious.

"What did you do to him?"

"Vervain." She told me.

"He should be out for a while longer, but suddenly he woke up. Her eyes widened as she ran out the door.

"What the hell?" He asked groaning.

"Dr. Fell vervained you, then took some of your blood to heal patients, including me." I explained to him, helping him up.

"Come on let's get you out of here." I told him as we walked out of the hospital. I brought him to my car, and he got in the passenger's seat. I started driving to the Boarding House.

"How are you doing?" I asked taking a glance at him.

"I should be asking you that." He said looking at me. I looked at him confused before looking back at the road. Before I could say anything, he beat me to it.

"You might as well have a sign on your head that says 'I'm upset. Ask me why.' What did my brother do this time? "

"He told me he loved me." I told him. He didn't seem shocked at all.

"You don't seem surprised."

"Please. A blind person can tell that he loves you." Damon said with a scoff.

"Well, he told me he loved me, but he can't be with me because I remind him of all the pain he's caused me, even after I forgave him." I explained.

"And how do you feel about that?" Damon asked.

"All the pain he's caused you."

"I forgave him, Damon. And I know that isn't right since he's done some pretty terrible thins, but I feel like I deserve to be happy. After everything I've bee through, it's been hard to find joy in anything. But meeting everyone, you, Stefan, Elena, Bonnie, Caroline, Mat ... "Damon scoffed.

"He's not that bad. Trust me." I said with a laugh.

"Meeting all of you guys has made me happy. And not fake happy. But, happy happy." I said with a smile.

"Well, do you want my honest advice?" Damon asked. I nodded.

"Talk to Stefan again. Tell him how you feel instead of listening to his excuses."

"Thanks Damon." I said with a smile. He nodded and returned the smile. Just then, both of our phone's went off.

"What is it?"

"The coffins. We need to hide them." Damon said causing me to sigh. I turned my car around and headed for the Old Witch House.

3RD POV - Stefan and Elena

While Damon and Myra were dealing with the coffins, Elena was pulling the wooden pieces out from Stefan's chest at the barn, which was in the back of Bonnie's mom's house. Stefan continued to groan and scream in pain, so Elena stopped.

"I'm just trying to help!" Elena said in frustration.

"Just get it out, Elena, please. Just get it out." Stefan said in pain.

"Keep screaming, maybe I'll feel sorry for you." Elena said trying again. Then, she finally got it out. Stefan sighed in relief and looked at Elena.

"You've changed. Something is different about you. You're stronger. Tougher." Stefan told her.

"You're not the only one, who changed, Stefan. We all had to." Elena said.

"It's good though." Stefan said calming his breathing. "There's something I have to tell you. And it's not because I feel guilty, that it happened. It's because I feel guilty, that you don't know." Elena said pulling the last piece of wood from Stefan's chest. She paused before continuing.

"I kissed Damon." Stefan looked at her shocked, but then he sighed.

"Well, if we're sharing .." He stood up and looked at Elena, who stood up as well.

"I kissed Myra." Elena was surprised.

"Twice." He said walking away.

"Wait what?" Elena asked walking towards him. He stopped and turned around.

"What?" He asked.

"You kissed Damon, I kissed Myra. What's the problem?"

"She told me she had feelings for you ... I just didn't think ..." He cut her off.

"That I would have feelings for her?" He asked.

"No, that's not what I meant." She started.

"And I don't care if you kissed Damon. So you shouldn't care if I kissed Myra." He said getting in his car, and driving away.

**time skip**

"Well, at least we got one of them." I told Damon as we walked back into the Boarding House.

"Yeah. And we might have an un-dead original ally now." He said holding a silver dagger up towards me. My eyes widened.

"When did you do that?" I asked shocked.

"And which one?"

"First, I did it when you were telling those Lockwood workers where to put the coffin and it's Elijah. So don't worry." He said.

"Hopefully, Elijah will see what a back-stabbing nuisance Klaus is and we'll join forces. Because that worked so well the first time." I said sarcastically before looking at Damon. He rolled his eyes before grabbing two glasses and pouring us both a drink. He handed me a drink.

"Thank you." I said before taking a sip.

"Oh, you're still alive. I assume, that means Klaus didn't get his coffins." Stefan said walking into the room. I didn't look at him, but I felt his gaze on me.

"Don't look so happy, we were only able to get one of them out in time. The locked one." Damon said proudly.

"Probably a good choice." Stefan said.

"Yeah. You know, if you're banking on Bonnie's momma to open it, you're screwed. She doesn't have any powers." Damon told him.

"Nah, doesn't surprise me. Its been that kind of night." He said with a hint of anger in his voice. He was turning to walk away, when Damon spoke up.

"Is Elena okay?" Damon asked.

"I don't know Damon. You're the one that kissed her. Why don't you call her up and ask yourself?" Stefan said annoyed. I looked up at Damon, shocked.

"I take it you two had a heart-to-heart. And I take it, you don't wanna talk about it. Noted. So why don't we talk about this?" Damon said holding up the dagger he pulled out of Elijah.

"What did you do?" Stefan asked shocked.

"I just undaggered our friendly Original Elijah in hopes that he'll help us take down his brother." Damon said with a smirk.

"Whatever. I'm going to bed." Stefan said turning around.

"Wait." I said standing up. He turned towards me.

"Can we talk?"

"Yeah." He said surprised I wanted to talk to him. I turned to Damon.

"I'll leave you kids alone." He said taking his drink and walking out of the room. Once Damon was gone, Stefan walked towards me.

"What do you need to talk about?" He asked putting his hands in his pocket.

"Look, I know how you feel. You hurt me, and it haunts you. But, I want you to know that I don't care about that anymore." I stepped closer to him.

"I know you would never hurt me on purpose. I trust you Stefan, even after everything you've done." I said causing him to tear up. I walked up to him and wiped his tears.

"I will not give up on us, because what we have is worth it." I said looking into his eyes.

"I will be there for you. Even when things get rough, I will be there. Because I love you." He looked at me with sad eyes.

"I forgave you Stefan. All you have to do is forgive yourself." I said pulling away.

"And once you do that, you know where to find me." I told him, grabbing my bag and heading out the door.

I drove to Elena's, and when I opened the door, I saw my dad kissing Dr. Fell.

"Woah ... That's something I can't unsee." I said turning around.

"Oh, Myra." My dad said embarrassed. I turned back around to find them both blushing like crazy.

"You know Dr. Fell."

"Hi." I said waving my hand.

"Please, call me Meredith." She said with a smile.

"Okay, Meredith. Although you hurt my friend today ... I get why you do it. And I really admire you for it." I told her with a nod.

"Wow..thank you Myra." I gave her a smile.

"No problem, but just don't hurt my dad. Or I'll come after you myself." I told her jokingly. She laughed, and my dad gave me a smile.

"Alright, I'm going to talk to Elena. I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight Dr. Fell-I mean Meredith." I said with a smile. I walked up the stairs and knocked on Elena's door. A few seconds later, she opened the door.

"Hi."

"Hi." She said with a sigh.

"I think we need to talk." I said. She nodded and opened up the door further so I could come in. I walked in and put my bag on the floor. She closed the door and sighed.

"So you and Stefan huh?" She asked crossing her arms.

"Listen, you don't understand how many times I wanted to tell you how I felt. I had it in my mind to tell you, but then Jenna and John died, Stefan left, and I knew me telling you how I felt about Stefan wouldn't have helped. Everything I did was coming from a good place, Elena. And I know you must hate me right now, but- "

" I don't hate you. " She said. I looked at her surprised.

"You don't." She shook her head.

"No. I was mad and angry at first when Stefan told me you guys kissed, but then I thought to myself that I did the same thing to him. I kissed Damon, and it wasn't a one-sided thing either." She said.

"You like Damon?" I asked her with a smile. She nodded.

"But don't tell anyone. I just want to make sure these feelings are real." She said. I nodded.

"I'm sorry for making it seem like you couldn't come to me with this. I'm always going to be here for you, Myra. I love you like a sister. I could never hate you." She said with a smile. I smiled and hugged her. I pulled away from her.

"Damon? Really?" I asked as a joke. She rolled her eyes and laughed.