[*Chapter Thirty-Four*]

"Darcy!" Jeremy exclaimed, shaking his screaming sister as she tosses and turns, getting tangled amongst the bedsheets. Wet strands of raven hair clung to her tear-stained cheeks. He frowns down at her distressed face, causing his heart to clench. "Darcy, wake up. Please."

"Henrik," she mumbles, scrunching her face in a pained expression. "Henrik. Save Henrik!" She knocks Jeremy's hands away, clutching at her head as sobs tear from her raw throat.

"Darcy! Wake up!" His shaking turns vigorously as he begins to panic. Not knowing what to do, he lays back down on his bed and wraps his arms around her. "Please, Darce! Tell me what to do. What do I do?!"

"No, no, no! Ni-Henrik! Henrik! It hurts. Make it stop, please..." she sobs in her sleep, hands grasping her skull desperately.

"NIK! HELP ME...NIK!" Suddenly her eyes fly open, body flings upwards. Screams tear from her throat as blood seeps from her ears and nose.

"Hey! Hey, it's okay, Darcy... Shit, Jenna. Help!" Jeremy screams and shoots up out of bed, snatching the box of tissues off his desk and rushing back over. He tilts her head back, pinches her nose and places the tissue upon top. Tears he held back trail down his face. His frame shakes with sobs, hating seeing her in this pained situation.

His bedroom door bursts open, smashing into the wall. "What? Is everything ok..." Jenna's words trail off upon seeing Darcy. "Omg, Darce!" She runs over, ignoring the blood; she embraces her Niece and burrows her into her chest.

The strawberry blonde glances at her Nephew, worry clouding her face. "Another?"

Jeremy sighs, nodding his head sadly. He rubs his nose, gazing down at his trashcan beside the bed. Full of crimson-stained tissues. "Third one, tonight," he whispers defeatedly. Feeling worthless, knowing there's not much they can do to help Darcy, but let the phases commence. He gazes at his Aunt. "What are we gonna do? How do we help her?"

Jenna sighs, releasing an arm to wipe at her eyes, helpless. She felt like a failure. The one who was always there, ready with an encouraging hand. The one who was at her side when she, at times she couldn't be the perfect guardian. But that was okay because Darcy was always there, telling her she didn't need to be perfect. She just needed to be the beautiful Jenna they know and love. Now here they are, and she can't do anything but sit beside her and watch her suffer.

Suffer with what? They don't know. The past few weeks have been draining and emotional. Every night, Darcy's night became a ritual. Wake up. Screams. Agonising pain. Tears and blood. Then she would sleepwalk into Jeremy's bedroom, climb into his bed and cling onto him and refuse to let go. Not that Jeremy minded; they used to do this when they were younger.

However, this was much different. They thought the episodes had stopped, that was until a few weeks ago. She would wake up multiple times during the night, screaming in agonising pain and clutching onto her head. Blood would sleep from her nose and ears. And when Darcy would awaken from the terror, her head became a reel of flashbacks and hushed whispers, murmurs, warnings. Warnings that something was coming. Something they were not aware of or prepared for. Again, this has been happening for a few weeks and numerous times throughout the night. Leaving Darcy, Jeremy and Jenna mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted. Yet, come morning, it's like nothing ever happened. Everything was back to normal, and she was her usually awesome and sarcastic self.

A groan alerts them back to the present. The brunette boy and older woman glance down at the girl. Darcy blinks, fixing her sight on the two and observes their expressions. She moans, flopping down on the bed and throws an arm over her face. "It happened again, didn't it?" she whispers soullessly and begins to wallow in self-pity, then remembers the stress she's putting her family through. The raven-head removes her arm, peering up at them. "I'm sorry, Jer, Jen. I'm sorry for putting you in this position."

Jeremy denies and shushes her, twirling an inky strand around his finger. "Don't be sorry, Darce. You would do the same for us, " he sniffs with a slight smile.

"How can I not? Look at us. At you both. You're both crying and mentally exhausted. Because of me."

Jenna holds her hands. "Don't you dare, Darcy! Don't do this to yourself. You can't be sorry for something that can't be helped. We'll be here with you every step of the way. You would do the same, so let us. Let us help you, " she said. To lighten the atmosphere, Jenna grins and plugs her nose. "Though you might need a shower, you stink."

"Jenna!" Darcy laughs in disbelief, covering her face. "Get out, you evil woman!"

"Meow!" Jeremy whistles, "she got you there, Darcy!" he yelps as she dives for them, missing him as he leaps up and bounds out the room. Jenna was not so lucky. Darcy grabs hold of her foot and tickles her sides. She snickers evilly at the tears streaming down Jenna's face.

"No...S-Stop! Ahh, I'm going to...pee myself!" The redhead wiggles around desperately, trying to avoid more of her attacks.

"Should have thought about that before telling me I have a hygiene problem, " Darcy taunts, applying more pressure.

"No, please... Jeremy, help! The beast has caught me." She hears a laugh in reply. "Traitor!"

A light bulb goes off in Darcy's head. She grins like a madwoman and releases Jenna. Then she jumps off the bed and skips out of the room, leaving Jenna feeling utterly perplexed. "Oh, Jeremy! Jenna's gonna pee in your bed." She waits in the hallway and claps her hands hearing the pounding feet up the stairs.

"Works every time." She laughs to herself, walking into her room and gets ready for the day.

💜🖤💜

While at Mystic Falls High, Stefan and Elena hang at her locker, talking about the latest encounter with Damon. "Damon hasn't said a word to me. Every time I try to talk to him, he shuts me down. The only one he will talk to is Darcy. But that's like talking to a brick wall with her too," Stefan said as he adjusts his bag on his shoulder, leaning against the grey lockers.

Elena winces, looking down at her converses. She peeks up. "Do you think he's still trying to find Katherine?"

Stefan shrugs. "I don't know. He waited for a hundred a forty-five years only to find out Katherine couldn't care less. And he's got to hurt, right?" He snorts inwardly, knowing if Darcy were there, she would be dusting her shoulders, saying she told you so. Where is she anyway? Is she okay? Why hasn't she called me? Us? Why hasn't she been around?

"And it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy," Elena comments, knocking Stefan out of his thoughts.

The vampire clears the clouds forming in his mind. He heaves a tired sigh. "You have every reason to be upset with him. Have you thought any more about what you're going to do?" he ponders, readjusting himself, so he's standing with his hands tucked in the pockets of his leather jacket.

'Ugh, not you too,' she thought to herself. "About what? Isobel, the vampire birth mother related to my vampire ancestor Katherine, who screwed over your vampire brother? Nah... I haven't about it at all..." (Did she always bitch this much?)

"I'm sorry I brought it up," Stefan said, wrapping his arm around her and kissed her forehead. A frown hovers over his face, a peculiar feeling swelling up inside him. He steps back, standing at her side.

"It'd be nice if we could get through one day without having to deal with any of it: no vampire mother or brother, or hunter sisters, and witchy friends."

He fights the offensive look, raising a brow. What the hell am I then? "No vampires at all? And how is Darcy? I haven't seen or heard off her... since Damon and Ric...."

Elena turns rigid. Her thoughts begin to bend and twist. Why is it always her? Can't one day be about not her sister? Isn't enough at home with everyone fawning all over her? Why can't no one ask how her how she is? Isn't she the one with a mother being a vampire, and her boyfriend, too?

"Elena?" Stefan snaps his fingers in her face.

She blinks, startled. "Huh?"

"You dazed out there. Is everything alright?"

"Uhm, yeah. I was thinking about Darcy. She's sick. She's barely been able to get out of bed," she mutters, rolling her eyes.

"Is she okay? Has she recovered?" Stefan rambles, his mind whirling with anxiety.

Should she... Should she tell him? Darcy wouldn't mind, would she? They are best friends. So Elena spills. She tells him about the reoccurring nightmares, the flashes of people she sees, and waking up in bleeding in unbearable pain.

"It's horrible. I've never seen her in such pain before. Well, she used to have them when she was younger, but they stopped for a while."

Stefan nods, processing the information. Dreams? Flashes? People? Pain and blood? "And what, they just returned? A bit ominous, is it not?"

Elena looks at him questioningly, coaxing him to continue. "She had them as a child, possibly before she became a Gilbert. They happened to stop a few years ago, and now they're back. There must be a cause... Maybe a possible trigger?"

The Gilbert girl stays silent, regarding him with a thoughtful look. "Why are you reading into this too much? They are just nightmares. Maybe she hasn't left that childhood phase yet?"

"I don't know, Elena. They don't sound like 'childhood nightmares'. Put yourself in her shoes. Imagine how she feels. It would be traumatising and would drive a sane person insane. I will look into, maybe get Damon's opinion too."

"What, Wait?! No, not Damon. I don't want him anywhere near her, Stefan. He could hurt her, " Elena shoots him down.

Stefan looks at her bewildered. What's her problem? "Why? Damon won't hurt her. He cares for Darcy more than he admits. If he hears this, he will help faster than he can pour another tumbler of Bourbon."

"No, Stefan. I mean it—no help from Damon. Besides, we said no vampires today, apart from you. Can't we have a normal day as teenagers? Darcy will be fine. Jeremy and Jenna are with her. Come on! Just today, me and you?" Elena pleads, pouting.

Stefan hesitates; after hearing about Darcy, all the vampire wanted to do was speed over to their house and check for himself and see if she was really okay. He can't stand the thought of her in pain. But he knows if he declines Elena, that will be a headache on top. Elena's become clingy as of lately. Now Darcy hasn't been around much. She snaps up the opportunity... Not that Stefan minds, but it gets a tad bit suffocating... To the point, he can't send a text without her looking over his shoulder.

So, he plasters on a smile. "Alright, just us. A normal day as teenagers."

-

Wow, what an awesome welcome! Thank you so much for all of your comments and votes. Please keep them coming! I love when you guys interact. Let me clear a few things up. The title has changed... D.S & S.S. Yep, a poly relationship. But to get there, we have obstacles and family bonds to repair. Poor Darcy has her work cut out. There may be other interest in other series, but we'll see.

Also, welcome to the new readers! I hope you'll love Darcy as much as I do. You're in for an emotional rollercoaster! Sorrynotsorry.

Silent readers. I see you... Come out and say hi. I don't bite xD

PT 2 will commence soon with There Goes The Neighborhood. Hope to see you there!