16

We were touching up the last minute fixes on all the floats. Tyler walked up in a world war 2 inspired army outfit. I looked at him shocked. He put his hands out and smiled. "Strut it soldier boy." I said as he walked over and pushed my arm. I laughed as I went around painting last minute things.

"It sucks that you aren't dressing up." He said as I shrugged.

"It is what it is. I'd rather wear this then a corset." I responded. I was wearing a gray t-shirt and dark blue jeans.

I looked past him and saw Elena coming over worried. "What's up?" I asked nudging my head to her.

"We need to talk." She babbled looking at me as I nodded.

"Okay. Let me go put this up. The float's ready to move." I explained looking to Tyler.

"Alright. See you later." He replied as I smiled and walked away with Elena.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I put the paint up.

"Stefan thinks our dad might be my Uncle John." She sighed lightly.

"Damon told me the same thing. I was hoping our father wouldn't be as disappointing as mom was. No offense." I said wiping my hands off with a rag.

"None taken. I was hoping the same thing. When did you talk to Damon?" She asked curiously.

"He walked me home after that night." I replied not wanting to think about it.

"You think what she said was true about him loving you?" She asked crossing her arms.

"I'm at too much of an emotional wreck stage to think about that. There are worse things on my mind." I shook my head. "You look great by the way. Very vintage and princess-y." I smiled lightly pushing my hair back.

"Thanks." She nodded lightly. "Well if you want to talk to him let me know. We'll do it together."

"I will." I nodded lightly. "Have fun on the float." I waved as she walked away.

Soon enough it was time for float time. I saw Bonnie and I went to stand next to her. "Hey." I began as I stood next to her.

"Hey." She smiled lightly to me as we watched. "I can't wait for the miss Mystic float." She stated as I nodded.

"Yeah Caroline said she's been working day and night for the past week to make it perfect." I smiled.

"Guess who was up with her." Bonnie sighed as I chuckled.

"I know we haven't talked much and all but I really appreciate what you did with the device. If you didn't then a lot of people would've died." I explained to her.

"I know. I'm sorry for not talking to you. That night at Elena's was crazy." She shook her head as I nodded dramatically. "Anyway, I'm really happy Elena's got a sister. She's always talked about wanting one so I'm glad she got one." Bonnie added.

"Me too." I smiled. "Look there it is!" I announced as I saw Elena and Caroline coming in. The mayor announced them as they rode by. We waved and they waved back. All the sudden my vision was blocked by Damon as he waved to them.

"Really?" I commented annoyed as I crossed my arms. "I'm trying to watch the parade."

"Oh sorry was I in your way?" He smirked looking at me as I rolled my eyes.

"What do you want Damon?" Bonnie asked looking at him.

"I just want to watch the parade." He shrugged lightly. Bonnie started to walk away but Damon went after her. I didn't move but Bonnie didn't get to far before Damon caught up.

I couldn't hear exactly what they said but Damon thanked her for taking the power from the device. He also said he owed her. He walked over to me and I looked at the floats.

"I almost can't believe what I just witnessed." I looked at the floats. "Damon Salvatore thanking someone." I looked up to him.

He rolled his eyes. "You annoy me I don't know why I talk to you." He sighed.

"Because you find me attractive?" I asked curiously with a mischievous smirk.

He raised his eyebrow. "I'm going to the grill."

I found Tyler after the parade and congratulated him on the float. We were both a little upset that this was the only time it would be used but it kind of was fun to make. I saw Caroline and she was having a great time despite constantly telling people to fix things.

I walked around the fair ground area of the parade and saw Damon and Stefan in front of Jeremy. "Is everything okay over here?" I crossed my arms lightly coming up behind Jeremy.

"Leave me alone Elena." I heard Jeremy say as I sighed.

"Yeah wrong one turn around." I smiled fakely to him as he realized. "Look, I know you are technically not really my brother but I feel like I should be somewhat protective or something." I shrugged lightly. "And why are you pissed at Elena?"

"Why don't you ask them." He retorted as he started walking away. I looked at him angrily and grabbed his arm. "I don't know how things play in your life but you don't get to get all pissed at me. I didn't do anything wrong." I explained with my eyebrows furrowed.

"Fine. I'm sorry. I gotta go." He replied genuinely as I let go and he walked away.

"That seemed to have worked a lot better than whatever you did Stefan." Damon noticed as I looked at him.

"What are you trying to do here Damon?" Stefan asked looking to Damon.

"He was being a punk." Damon shrugged.

"Elena's relationship with her brother is none of your business so stay out of it." Stefan insisted as I raised my eyebrows.

"Oh I forgot there was only one do-gooder role. I'm sorry." Damon chuckled.

"Get over yourself." Stefan replied.

"What did I miss?" I asked my arms crossed looking to Stefan. From the looks of it he was jealous of whatever Damon was doing with Elena but I wasn't exactly sure that they were doing anything.

"Stefan's mad that I'm being nice to Elena." Damon replied smiling to him. "What is it that makes you so angry?"

"I don't trust you Damon around anyone. That's what makes me angry." He replied as I looked to Stefan surprised. "I don't trust that you'll just casually be friends with Elena without wanting something from it."

"What is it that I'd want exactly Stefan?" Damon asked. Stefan better be wise with his next words.

"I know you Damon. You do things for personal benefit so that is enough for me to worry." He responded before walking away.

"What happened between you two?" I asked confused. "Were you always this tense?"

"No but it's been for a long time." He nodded.

"Is he... jealous?" I asked confused.

"I think he's worried I'd hit on Elena or something. As if she would leave his side. She's stuck on him like glue." He replied as I nodded. It didn't sound like she wanted to be with him.

"Hmm." I sighed thinking that it might be Katherine who made them so tense. "Well I'm gonna go enjoy the festivities." I replied as I went around.

Eventually I ended up at the grill with Tyler. We finally got the chance to play that pool game. I only had to hit one more ball in before the eight and I was set up to win. Tyler shot in two of the four he had left and he was going for another.

He concentrated as he looked at it. "Don't mess up." I whispered quietly as I looked at him. He hit the ball and messed up.

"Okay that's your fault." He pointed at me with a smile. He looked over at Matt and then back to me and his smile faded.

"Look you messed up okay but he's your best friend. He'll come around, he just needs some time." I reassured as I looked to Tyler.

"I already apologized a million times." He replied.

"Well then I don't know what to tell you. You just really suck." I sighed as I was aiming to hit another ball.

"That's not really helping." He looked at me his head tilted as he leaned on his pole.

"I was joking. And besides I know you'll make up. Like I said, time." I repeated as I hit the ball in.

"Shit." He mumbled quietly as I smiled looking up to him, but then I noticed his dad walking over.

"What are you doing here? I told you to go home." The mayor questioned.

"I decided not to." He replied as I looked at his dad. What a party pooper.

"If I tell you to do something you do it." The mayor insisted as he grabbed Tyler.

"Get off me." Tyler spat getting out of his grip.

"Is the force necessary?" I asked angrily.

"Mayor, is everything okay?" Caroline came in stopping a soon to be word war between the mayor and I. Matt came up behind her.

"Tyler please go home. Take your friends with you." He asked sincerely.

"Why what's going on?" Matt asked for the rest of us.

"I can't explain. All of you need to get home. Now." He replied as I looked at him confused.

"Yeah okay." Tyler nodded. "Take my car. It's out back. Caroline, Matt, you go with him." He said as I walked with them outside. I didn't want him knowing my name anyway.

"Hey I'm gonna go to my dad. I don't live far so I'll walk." I told Tyler. The odds were most likely that this was vampires.

"Okay. I'll see you later." Tyler nodded.

"Bye Emma." Caroline waved with a smile.

I quickly called my dad. "Hey where are you?" He immediately picked up.

"By the grill why?" I asked confused.

"The tomb vampires are planning an attack. You need to get somewhere safe now." He demanded as I started walking towards the front. I hung up as I saw Damon from far away and other people headed towards me.

"Katherine." A man stopped in front of me and smiled.

"No." I shook my head looking at him. It was dark. He couldn't really see my face.

"I've waited a century for this." He reveled as he got a stake out and all the sudden it was in my stomach. "Don't worry. Next time it'll be in your heart. For now you can suffer." He boasted as I fell on the ground.

The last thing I saw was Damon looking over me.

-----------

I took a deep breath and my dad was above me. I was on the bottom of a stairway. He looked at me relieved. "Emmie." He breathed as put me down and hugged me and I hugged him back. "What the hell happened to you?" He asked worried. "I was helping Stefan when Damon carried you over to me. He never said what happened."

"I just finished talking to you and then a tomb vampire saw me. He thought I was Katherine and he wouldn't let me explain. He stabbed me and then I blacked out." I shook my head lightly. My shirt had a wet blood stain still on it.

"Where is everyone else?" I asked curiously.

"They went to find Damon." He replied. "All the vampires started dropping."

"I have to go find Elena to make sure she's okay. Then I need to help find Damon." I explained to him.

"Since when do you care about Damon?" He asked looking at me confused.

"He's saved my life twice now. I owe him. And besides that, he's my friend." I nodded. "Ill see you later."

I started walking away when I called Elena. "Emma you're okay?" She asked through the phone.

"I'm fine. Where are you? Is everyone okay?" I asked worried.

"Damon is stuck in a fire room. Stefan and I are heading their now." She explained as I started to get worried.

"Elena you have to save him." I insisted not giving my words much thought.

"Stefan's going in now. We will get him out Emma." Elena reassured. She hung up and I didn't know what to do. Why was I so worried if he died?