Part 30
Dreams are not real. . .
*But my God, this feels real.*
Elisabeth looked around at her surroundings. It was exactly as she remembered it, down to every last detail. He was so thorough. . .and so cruel. Why had he brought her here?
The Salvatore Gardens. Twilight. . .
It was a place where she’d known equal amounts of pleasure and pain. She knew every turn in the topiary maze, every twist of every vine and bush. All the flowers were like old friends to her. And yet even the gentle breeze that carried their sweet fragrances seemed to mock her. It was beautiful, but twisted. Memories of picnics with Isabella and Damon were overshadowed by images of Sebastian’s lifeless body lying next to the fountain.
She closed her eyes to the visions, willing them to go away.
They didn’t, and the stillness pressed in on her. Was he just going to let her stand here for an eternity?
“Hello Mother.”
She whirled around and a sob immediately choked her.
He looked exactly as he had the last time she’d seen him, dressed in his finest dark blue breech coat. His black hair crisp and wavy, falling down into his eyes, just like Stefan’s so often did. Head held high, the determined jaw pressing forward proudly, arms crossed comfortably over the powerful chest. All achingly familiar. . .
He regarded her curiously through narrowed eyes. Eyes that so closely resembled Damon’s it was uncanny. He appeared to be waiting for her to speak. After a full minute of waiting, he finally sighed.
“What, no words for me, Mother? No, ‘It’s good to see you Son’?”
She could hear the longing behind his mocking tone. Tears spilled down her cheeks. She finally found her voice and managed to get out the one word she’d been wishing for.
“Sebastian.”
All of her emotions were evident in the way she said his name. His disdainful expression melted at the sound of her voice, and she saw the tears in his eyes as well.
“You’re still beautiful, Mother,” he whispered rawly. “Always so beautiful.”
As her emotions overcame her, Elisabeth quickly closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him. After a moment, Sebastian’s rigid form yielded and he returned her embrace.
Elisabeth’s heart swelled. She held tighter as the sobs wracked both their bodies, unwilling to let the moment end.
“I’ve missed you,” she murmured into his neck.
Sebastian stiffened and she immediately knew she’d said the wrong thing. She cursed herself silently as he pulled away from her. She also knew what the next words out of his mouth would be.
“You didn’t have to miss me,” he replied darkly, echoing her thoughts. “You could have had me with you always.”
She gazed into his glittering dark eyes, thinking carefully about what she wanted to say. “Always. . .” she repeated. “A part of you has been with me always, Sebastian. Just because you died—“
“I did not want to die!” he hissed.
Elisabeth recoiled at the anger in his voice, then sighed. The age-old battle. She turned to look around the garden again. “Why here?” she asked him quietly.
“So you would remember.”
A grim smile took over her delicate features. “Sebastian, you underestimate me. I never forget.”
He moved closer to her, and reached a hand out to her cheek. It was a moment before she realized he was brushing away her tears. “Ah, but it is you who underestimates me, Mother. You did forget. You forgot my power, my determination, and most importantly, my promise.”
Her hand came up to cover his, so that he could not move away from her. “You’re promise to come back? Do you mean the prophecy?”
“You know I do.” Sebastian broke her grip easily and returned her look of astonishment with an enigmatic smile. “You are in my world Mother. Here, I am just as strong as you are. Stronger, probably.”
She ignored the self-satisfaction in his voice, and turned away. The large hedges seemed to be pressing in on her. She took a few steps toward the fountain and was surprised to feel a skirt rustling around her legs. Looking down, she saw that she was in a soft peach colored gown. The one she’d been wearing when. . .
Sebastian chuckled softly. “You see? I can do anything I want here.” He paused as she swung around to face him again. “I like you better like this anyway. 20th century fashion leaves so little to the imagination.”
Elisabeth crossed her arms and took a deep breath. “Explain something to me Sebastian. If you are so powerful here, and hold the present day in such contempt, why do you wish to be a part of it?”
He looked around thoughtfully, then met her gaze squarely. His black eyes were consuming. “Have you ever been alone—really and truly alone?”
She hesitated and imitated his action from a moment before. Beautiful as the gardens were, there was an utter stillness about them. She started to speak, but he cut her off.
“I have been alone in this dream world for four hundred and thirty-three years, Mother. . .hanging somewhere between life and death. I’ve had a long time to decide which I would rather have. I want to live—I’ve always wanted to live.” His tone became darker. “But you wouldn’t give me life.”
Elisabeth shook her head vehemently. “That is not fair Sebastian. What you asked for was death, not life. I didn’t want you making a decision based on some simpering blond fledgling that already had your brothers wrapped around her little finger.”
“I loved Katherine.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You didn’t even know her. You were in love with the idea of her—the romance of the life she represented. You wanted an excuse to oppose me.”
“Her life was the same as your’s!” Sebastian’s eyes flashed angrily. “I had no romantic notions about the life of a vampire. Did you think it was all because of her? No, I wanted it because I wanted to be with you. And her. . .and my brothers. I knew she would give it to them.”
Elisabeth sighed. “That she did, and then she pretended to kill herself. Not exactly the mark of stability.”
Sebastian frowned. “Katherine was flawed. I’ve come to realize that. But she is not the issue. I wanted the blood from you, not her. I wanted to bond with you, my protector, my friend, my—“
“Mother?” Elisabeth interrupted. “Because you know I’m not. It’s merely a title.”
He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his wavy hair. “You’re the only mother I’ve ever known. The only family I ever had.”
Elisabeth swallowed painfully, but she vowed to stick to her resolve. She approached Sebastian slowly, trying to radiate an icy demeanor.
“If you’re on such a familial kick,” she began coldly. “Then why have you been trying to kill Damon and Stefan?”
Sebastian was taken aback. “Kill them?” Shock was evident in his voice. “I have not tried to kill them.”
Elisabeth cast him a baleful look. “You kidnapped Damon, and now Stefan is missing. What have you done with him and Bonnie?”
“I needed Damon out of the way, and I just need Stefan,” Sebastian answered. His jaw was clenched. “He is my twin after all.”
Elisabeth took another determined step toward him. “Why don’t I think that it’s a happy little family reunion you have planned?”
He gave a wry grin. “In a way, it is. I told you mother, I will live. And I will live forever. And I will know love and be happy.”
Elisabeth felt her heart constrict. Every instinct inside her body was screaming at her to hold and comfort him. He was her son, even if not by blood. But he was speaking of the impossible. . .
“Sebastian, you are dead, you know—“
“Ah, but my prophecy. You translated it yourself mother. You know it applies to me.”
Elisabeth went over the ancient words in her head again. “The Spirit will gain flesh only on the night when the blood of the Power is shed by the Light. . .” Her mumbling broke off and she looked up at him quickly. “What are you going to do to Bonnie? She’s the ‘Power’ isn’t she? You’re going to kill her.”
Sebastian regarded her quietly. Finally he answered, “I’ll do what I have to do.”
Eyes widening, Elisabeth stepped up to him. “Sebastian,” she began as she laid a hand on his firm arm. “You can’t do this. Bonnie doesn’t deserve to die! She is a wonderful---“
“She is a means to an end!” He jerked away. “I need her power Mother. I need her to complete the transfer.”
“Transfer?” Again, Elisabeth turned her thoughts to the prophecy. Understanding washed over her. “Oh my God,” she whispered. She began to back away from him, a look of horror on her face. “That’s why you need Stefan. You’re going to take over his body.”
The light left Sebastian’s eyes. “I’m not proud of what I must do,” he conceded softly. “But at least I will live. And Stefan won’t die. We’ll be together.”
Elisabeth shook her head, trying to block out his convoluted logic. “You can’t do that to him, Sebastian! He is your twin brother! When he found out about you, he could only think of how much he wanted to meet you!”
“And meet me he shall,” was Sebastian’s reply.
Elisabeth put her hands to her temples. A sharp pain was beginning to form behind her eyes. She looked at her son in disbelief. “How could you think he wouldn’t be hurt by this?” she asked. Then another thought struck her. “And what about what you did to Elena? You killed the woman he is in love with.” She paused, remembering the news report. “Or did you?”
Sebastian’s face was frustratingly blank. “Soon, you all will understand. Stefan will be thankful for everything that I’ve done.” He gave a small grin. “Or have had done.”
*There’s another suspicion confirmed,* Elisabeth thought. Aloud, she said, “That girl that Matt’s involved with—Cecily. You’ve been controlling her.” It wasn’t a question.
Sebastian shrugged. “I needed physical help. The Forbes girl died to get everyone’s attention. . .Damon’s kidnapping, the fire. . .Cecily’s been very helpful.”
Elisabeth felt her anger rising. “Does she know what you have her doing?”
“No.” Sebastian gave her an icy look. “She blacks out, then wakes up remembering nothing.”
Remembering the look of pain on Matt’s face after Bonnie’s slap, Elisabeth asked, “Why her?”
He assumed another thoughtful look. “Cecily has her own issues, her own reasons for wanting to be a part of what I’m doing, whether she knows it or not—she has an agenda.”
“And what might that be?”
“Revenge.”
Elisabeth gazed at him. “You’re really serious about this whole thing aren’t you?”
He appeared surprised. “Of course, I thought that would be fairly obvious by now. Did you think I was playing around, Mother?”
“Why do you want to be a vampire?”
He sighed and looked at her as one would look at a five year-old. “I told you why. I want to live. I want to love.” He swept his hand out, gesturing to her. “Why did you become a vampire? Wasn’t it for love? That’s why you wanted the blood from Victor.”
Elisabeth froze at the mention of her sire. “This has nothing to do with Victor!” she snapped. “The situations are completely different.”
He held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. “Forgive me Mother. I did not mean to open old wounds.”
She snorted. “I think that’s exactly what you meant to do. That was your plan in bringing me here.”
He shook his head. “You were the one who called me. I merely chose the setting.” He stepped up to her and placed gentle hands on her shoulders. He looked at her seriously. “Soon, I will be able to touch you for real, Mother.”
Tears began to collect in her eyes again. She cleared her throat. “I can’t let you do this Sebastian. It’s wrong, and—“
He pressed a finger to her lips. “But you can’t stop me. I welcome you to come and witness my triumph, you know the time and the place. But again, I will not let you impede my plans Mother. I will live again.”
Darkness began to close in, and Elisabeth felt the dream dissolving around her. “No! Sebastian, wait! Please---“
But he was gone. As the gardens disappeared, she heard one final phrase.
“I am always with you.”
* * * * *
Part 31
