After everything was settled with Pearl, I went to see my boy Jeremy Gilbert, who was standing in front of his house.
"I'm not giving it to you…" Jeremy was snapping at John Gilbert while I could see Anna behind the wall just watching. "You can leave."
"You don't understand, boy… I need the watch," John began with his pompous greater-good speech, typical of a second-rate villain. "It's for the town… you have to understand… that thing doesn't like you."
"Sorry… what's going on?" I stepped into the conversation. "I came because my friend invited me and I find him being oppressed… didn't like that."
"Bro… he's trying to take my dad's pocket watch," Jeremy said, irritated. "I've told him several times I'm not giving it."
"Listen, kid, you have nothing—" John tried to get aggressive with me and I just gave him that if you keep going… I'll kill you look and he understood. "I'll be back…"
It was a promise. He wouldn't give up on that watch anytime soon… and since the destiny I had already broken was supposed to happen, he would get the watch one way or another.
So it was better to solve the problem now.
"Phew, he's gone," Jeremy celebrated, lowering his guard. "Man… I have something to tell you."
"You're dating a vampire," I answered before he could say anything.
"How do you know?" He got defensive again.
"You're not coming out to compromise me, Anna?" I called, and Anna stepped out.
"Nik… what are you doing here?" she asked with a hint of fear.
"Man, how do you know her?" Jeremy asked.
I let out a short sigh and messed up his hair like he was still the kid who used to run around the Gilbert house with a slingshot in his pocket.
"I know a lot of people in this town, Little Gilbert," I said with a half-smile. "And you're still too young to think you know everything."
He rolled his eyes but didn't move away.
He never did when I did that.
Anna noticed. Of course she did. Vampires are great at reading bonds.
"Relax," I continued, looking at him more calmly now. "I'm not here to lecture you… just to make sure nobody messs with you."
"He wanted my dad's watch," Jeremy said, still irritated, but his voice no longer had the same tension.
"I know," I replied, extending my hand. "Give it to me for a second."
He didn't ask this time.
He trusted.
The watch fell into my palm and the hand started spinning because of Anna.
"Shhh…" I murmured more to the magic than to them, like calming a restless animal.
I slid my fingers through the internal symbols, pulling the spell out carefully — without breaking it, without leaving a trace.
The hand stopped.
I handed it back to him and closed his fingers around the object.
"Keep it," I said quietly. "Now it's only yours… the way it should've been from the beginning."
Jeremy opened the watch, turned it around.
"It doesn't—"
"It won't point at anyone," I confirmed. "No one's going to use this to throw you into a war that isn't yours."
He looked at me in that way he only did when he was trying not to show he was moved.
"Thanks…" it came out almost as a whisper.
I gave him a light tap on the back of the head.
"Hey… family doesn't say thanks."
The silence that came after was different — not heavy, not tense.
It was safe.
Anna was still watching, but now there was respect there.
"He'll notice," she said.
"Let him notice," I answered calmly. "When he comes back, he'll have to talk to me first… and I don't have the same patience you have for 'greater good' speeches."
Jeremy let out a low laugh.
"You're kind of scary when you talk like that."
"Not for you." I pulled him into a quick side hug, messing up his hair again. "For you I'm the guy who shows up whenever someone tries to screw you over."
He complained, trying to get free.
"Stop that—"
"Stay still and accept the affection," I cut him off.
Anna turned her face to hide a smile.
I stepped away and started walking toward the gate, but stopped before leaving.
"Jeremy."
"What?"
"She's welcome here," I said without looking directly at Anna, "but you're still the priority… got it?"
He nodded seriously this time.
"Got it."
That was the closest thing to a vow we needed.
"Now get inside," I pointed to the house. "Lock the door. If your uncle shows up again, call me before trying to play hero."
"You're the one who plays the hero," he shot back.
"No," I gave a crooked smile, "I play the annoying older brother who fixes the problem."
I walked to my car and got in.
One problem solved… now I'm going to see my beautiful girlfriend.
I parked in front of Caroline's house and before I even turned off the engine she was already at the door, in pajamas, arms crossed, tapping her foot on the ground like she was counting every second of my delay.
I smiled to myself.
I got out of the car slowly just to tease.
"Hey… I thought you were going to stand me up," she said with that pout she made when she was insecure… which in her head was a tough-girl posture, but in practice just made her cuter.
"The town tried to kidnap me…" I walked toward her. "But relax, I survived to come see my girlfriend."
"Girlfriend?" she raised an eyebrow, but she was already smiling.
"You want me to call you what?" I stopped in front of her. "Bossy blonde who pretends she's in charge of me?"
She tried to keep the pose.
Failed.
"You took long," she said more softly now.
I slid my hand to her waist pulling her closer.
"But I came."
The air changed.
Caroline always smelled like something sweet — shampoo, lotion, something that felt like home.
She put her hands on my chest.
"My mom is home…" she warned, but didn't move an inch away.
"I can be fast," I murmured near her mouth.
"Liar," she answered, already smiling.
I kissed her.
First slowly, just touching, feeling her relax against me like she'd been waiting for that all night.
She grabbed my shirt and pulled me back when I tried to move away.
"You think you can show up here with that smile and—"
I kissed her again, not letting her finish.
She slid her hands to my neck, rising on her toes.
I lightly pressed her against the wall next to the door.
"You're impossible…" she murmured between kisses.
"You like it."
She laughed against my mouth and pulled me closer.
My hands went down her waist and she held her breath when I reached the hem of her pajama shorts.
"Don't start…" she said, but she was already kissing me again.
"You're the one who was waiting for me at the door in pajamas."
"I was being cute!"
"You're being dangerous."
She pushed me lightly against the wall now, switching positions.
"Who said I can't be both?"
Okay.
That was new.
I held her by the waist and lifted her a little, just enough for her to wrap her legs around me.
She laughed softly, hiding her face in my neck.
"If my mom sees this…"
"She'll have to accept you have good taste."
"I heard that." Liz Forbes appeared at the door.
Caroline froze instantly.
I was still holding her in my arms.
Slowly — very slowly — I put her down like that would reduce the level of the scene.
It didn't.
Sheriff Liz Forbes was standing at the door, arms crossed, with that look of mother + town authority + woman who just got home from work and found a almost-son-in-law glued to her daughter.
"Good evening, Mrs. Forbes," I said in my most polite tone.
"It is not a good evening, Nik," she replied, but there wasn't that deadly ice from before… there was something worse.
Theatrical disappointment.
Caroline was red.
"Mom, I can explain—"
"I'm sure you can. I even imagine the speech being something like 'it's not what it looks like' even though I have perfectly functional eyes."
I coughed softly to hide the smile.
"Not helping," Caroline whispered, elbowing me.
Liz lowered her gaze to Caroline's hand still holding my shirt.
"Let go. Now."
She let go like she'd been shocked.
I raised my hands in surrender.
"I was starting to like you, you're the best boyfriend my daughter has ever had," Liz continued looking at me. "Polite, protects my daughter, doesn't drive drunk, doesn't look like a delinquent…"
"Pretty low standards," I murmured.
"NIK," Caroline whispered.
Liz narrowed her eyes trying not to laugh.
"But then I come home and find you two at the door, in a position from a movie I definitely wouldn't let my daughter watch."
"It was a vertical hug," I replied.
Caroline slapped my arm again.
"Enough," Liz took a deep breath, entering mother-speech mode.
"Do you have any idea what happens when two hormone-filled teenagers decide to 'make out' without thinking about the consequences?"
Caroline covered her face.
"Mom, please—"
"No, Caroline. I'm a mother. This is my moment. I've waited your entire life for this speech."
I stayed extremely well-behaved.
"Teen pregnancy is not a beautiful thing, it's not glamorous, it's not like in TV shows," she continued pointing at us. "It's diapers, sleepless nights, canceled college, and I am not raising another baby in this house."
"I can buy diapers," I said automatically.
They both looked at me.
"That didn't help," I corrected.
Liz took another deep breath, running a hand over her face.
"And the worst part is that I know you're a good kid," she said looking at me. "Which makes it impossible to hate you properly."
Caroline gave a small smile at that.
"But this," Liz pointed at us, "cannot happen at my door. Nor in my living room. Nor in my kitchen. Nor anywhere I can see, hear, or suspect."
"So… invisibility?" I asked.
"Nik!"
This time Liz laughed for real, shaking her head.
"I'm not going to shoot you," she said, grabbing her keys. "Which is already a huge step in our relationship."
"I'm glad to see the progress."
"But," she continued seriously again, "if you make my daughter cry I completely forget that I like you and go back to considering that option."
I nodded.
"Fair."
She opened the door.
"Lights on. Door open. Safe distance. And Caroline—"
"I know, mom…"
Liz went inside still grumbling about teenagers.
Silence.
Caroline looked at me.
"I want to die."
"She likes me," I answered.
"She gave the pregnancy speech!"
"But she didn't threaten me with a gun. That's basically a marriage proposal by Forbes standards."
Caroline started laughing, hiding her face in my chest.
"You're impossible."
"You're the one who lifted me first."
She pulled my shirt again, closer to the door, speaking softly:
"You owe me a kiss my mom interrupted."
I leaned just enough to rest our foreheads together.
"Door open. Lights on. Safe distance," I teased.
She rolled her eyes.
"Idiot."
I kissed her quickly anyway.
And this time we pulled apart before the sheriff's voice echoed from inside the house.
Total evolution.
--+++---
"Nik, Nik, Nik… today we have the Founders' Ball at the mayor's house," Bonnie burst into my room, jumping with excitement. "You're taking Caroline."
"The Founders' Ball…" I sighed in despair. "Bonnie… I don't want to."
"Nik, why are you looking at me like that?" she asked in a strange tone. "You look like you know someone's going to die. No… no…"
Her eyes widened as she remembered what I had told her.
"Caroline…?" she asked in fear.
"Yes… it's the day she gets into a car accident and dies and comes back as a vampire," I said, remembering the future of the show. I had destroyed the watch, but Caroline becoming a vampire was one of the most important points in the series.
"Then we don't go," Bonnie gasped, already taking off her fancy dress.
"No… if we don't go she might choke and die," I declared sadly. "Destiny can be cruel and if she dies from something without vampire blood…"
"She'll die for real," Bonnie argued. "What are we going to do?"
I grabbed a glass and used a spell to open my palm, letting the blood flow.
"Bonnie… you're going to give this blood to her somehow," I said, handing her the glass. "I'm going to make sure no threat gets near her."
"Okay…" Bonnie went back to fixing her dress and we left.
Night fell over Mystic Falls with that solemn air of ancient tradition — golden lights, classical music and secrets circulating between champagne glasses.
We went to pick up Caroline.
She opened the door spinning, already ready, the light dress swirling around her legs as if it had been made just for that moment.
For a second I completely forgot about destiny.
There was only her.
"You've been looking at me like that for ten seconds," she said, blushing.
"Because you look unreal," I answered simply.
Bonnie coughed behind me.
"I'm still here."
Caroline laughed and came to me, adjusting my tie with that automatic care she had when she got nervous.
"You're dancing with me tonight," she warned.
"I'm dancing with you all night."
And for the first time since I knew what was going to happen…
I let the night be just a night.
The Founders' Ball.
The hall was alive.
Laughter, spinning dresses, soft music.
But when I placed my hand on her waist and pulled Caroline to the dance floor…
the whole world disappeared.
She rested her head on my shoulder.
"You're weird today," she whispered.
"I'm happy."
She pulled back just enough to look at me.
"Like… really happy?"
"Like that."
We spun together slowly.
She laughed when she missed a step.
"I always mess up when I get nervous."
"You're nervous?"
"You're looking at me like I'm… important."
I ran my thumb across her face.
"You are."
Caroline lost her breath for a second.
And then she kissed me right there in the middle of the dance floor, not caring about anyone else.
That was the memory I was going to take with me.
I knew it.
Then came the light hours.
Conversations.
Photos.
Her resting on my shoulder.
Bonnie throwing me looks from across the hall asking now?
And me answering with a slight shake of my head.
Not yet.
Let her smile a little longer.
The exit.
Elena was very drunk.
Laughing too loud, holding my arm.
"Nik… you are officially the hottest guy in this town."
"Elena…" Stefan tried.
Caroline's expression changed immediately.
Bonnie appeared like an angel of logistics.
"I'll take her home."
I handed her my car keys.
"Be careful."
She understood everything in the look.
Plan in motion.
Tyler's car.
Caroline leaned against me in the back seat, our fingers intertwined.
"It was the best night of my life," she said.
And then—
The deafening sound.
A tick… tick… tick…
The watch was active… I had deactivated it… how was that possible… am I losing my mind… it hurts so much… Caroline I have to save her focus Nik—
The air changed.
Tyler tensed.
His hands tightened on the wheel.
"Tyler…" I said quietly.
His eyes turned golden.
Heavy breathing.
"I… am… not… okay…"
The car started to swerve.
Caroline sat up.
"What's happening?"
"TYLER STOP THE CAR—"
He lost control.
Headlights.
Impact.
Metal screaming.
Glass shattering.
Silence.
My vision blurred.
The world came back in fragments.
First the taste of iron in my mouth.
Then the smell — gasoline, smoke, blood.
Caroline was on her knees on the asphalt, her hands trembling over Nik's body.
— Nik… Nik… don't do this… — her voice came out broken, thin, like every word cut her throat.
His neck was bent at an impossible angle.
Eyes open. Empty.
She pushed his shoulder.
— Get up… stop playing… you promised… you promised you would protect me…
Sirens began to echo in the distance.
Tyler had been pulled out of the car by someone, screaming, confused, not understanding what he had done.
Caroline didn't see anything.
Only Nik.
She pressed her forehead against his, desperate.
— Somebody help him! PLEASE! — she screamed as red and blue lights flooded the road.
A patrol car door slammed.
Sheriff Liz Forbes ran.
Her world stopped when she saw her daughter covered in blood, kneeling in the middle of the road.
— Caroline… — her voice failed.
— MOM! — Caroline lifted her face, completely shattered — save him… please… he can't… he can't…
Liz dropped to her knees beside them, trained hands trying to deny what was obvious.
She touched Nik's neck.
Nothing.
Her silence said everything.
— No… no… NO! — Caroline grabbed his shirt — you're the sheriff… you run this town… do something!
Liz pulled her daughter close.
— Caroline…
— HE CAN'T DIE! — the scream tore out — I need him… I need…
Her strength ended there.
Her body gave out.
She fainted over Nik's chest, still holding his shirt.
The ambulances arrived.
Paramedics separated them carefully.
— We have a weak pulse here! — one of them shouted when checking Caroline.
Liz stood between the two stretchers being taken away, unable to choose where to look.
Hospital — some time later.
The corridors were too bright.
Cold and silent.
Caroline was rushed into emergency.
Blood.
Internal bleeding.
Liz paced back and forth, hands on her head.
— Save him… — she still heard her daughter's voice.
In another room, Nik's body was placed on a table.
Covered with a sheet.
No one noticed when his fingers moved.
First a spasm.
Then air entering his lungs like fire.
His eyes snapped open.
Pain came like a tsunami.
Hunger.
Burning throat.
Confusion.
He pulled the sheet off and sat up at once, breathing like he had run miles.
— What—…
The hospital voices were too loud.
The smells too strong.
Hearts beating everywhere.
POV — Nik
I was dead.
I remembered.
The impact.
The snap.
Caroline screaming my name.
I touched my neck.
Healed.
Vampire blood.
Transition.
Caroline.
I got up from the stretcher, stumbling, ripping the wires from my body.
The sounds guided me.
One specific heart.
Weak.
Irregular.
Desperate.
Her room.
I entered without knocking.
Caroline was lying in the bed, pale, full of bandages, hooked to machines.
Human.
Alive.
But fragile.
Her eyes opened slowly when she saw me.
For a second she just stared.
Like she was seeing a ghost.
Her hand trembled.
— Nik…?
My throat burned.
I didn't know if it was from the hunger…
…or the way she said my name.
She tried to sit up, ignoring the pain.
— You're alive… — tears started falling — they said… they said you…
I reached the bed in a second.
I held her face carefully, afraid she would break.
— I'm here — my voice came out hoarse — I'm here, Caroline.
She started crying for real now, pulling my shirt with the little strength she had.
— I thought I lost you…
I pressed my forehead to hers.
Her heart was beating.
Slow.
Human.
She hadn't died yet.
Destiny was still there.
Waiting.
But she was alive.
And so was I.
Only now…
…I could feel the fangs descending.
The hunger burning.
The monster awakening inside me.
I had no idea what was going to happen next.
Because the future I knew…
had just changed with me.