00: Day One of Twenty-Two Thousand, Give or Take

                                    

                                          
   It had been weeks since Elena fell into her sixty-year slumber. The first couple of days, everyone was lost. No one knew what to do, what to speak, or how to act. It was as if we were all lost without the presence of Elena Gilbert. To the town of Mystic Falls, that girl had died in the horrible accident that happened in Alaric's wedding. They had mourned her, celebrated her in a way by putting up her picture and accomplishments at the high school. So, each person that entered the high school would be greeted with a large smiling picture of Elena, a plaque of her name underneath, and her accomplishments listed below. 
                          
   I had helped Caroline and Bonnie coordinate everything, from the fake funeral with the closed casket too small get-together at the Salvatore home where kind words were spoken about the not-dead Elena Gilbert. There were several people that came up to me, grabbed my hands, and said that I was nice that I was now taking care of Caroline and Bonnie, since their families were gone and their best friend had died. Instead of ripping off their heads or scaring them, I forced a smile on their lips and thanked them for coming before leaving to another room. Damon stood by the window, hand in his pocket while the other held a tall glass full of bourbon. At that moment, he said that we should leave to Europe, away from Mystic Falls. It wasn't just me, Bonnie too decided to come. 
                          
   The three of us ended up grabbing Alaric and forcing him to come. He was still grieving, as one does when the person one loves most was killed in front of them. The man was basically half asleep as Damon and I dragged him out of bed, to the car, and even to the plane. Out of the three of us, it was Bonnie that looked most excited. She had never truly left the United States, not counting the time we went to Nova Scotia to search for the cure. This was a time for her to have fun, and at the same time grieve the loss of her best friend. 
                          
   It was how we ended travelling across Europe, drunk for most of the travelling. The only time Damon and Alaric were not drunk was when they woke up, one with a terrible hangover and the other with the little hangover vampires got after a night of binge drinking. I had drank several drinks in the beginning, but the taste got sour in my mouth so I stopped and drank anything else.
                          
   I leaned back on the chair and crossed my legs, watching Damon and Alaric chug down steins of beer while people cheered behind them. A bit o the liquid dribbled down their chin as they tried to drink fast. I made a face as they finished their beers and belched. That earned them more cheers from the people behind them.
                          
   "Halfway across Europe and they're still drunk," I said with a sigh, shaking my head. Bonnie sat in front of me, a three tall bottles of water in front of her along with a cup of green tea. She was writing on the journal Elena had given her, several pages in detailing our trip. 
                          
   She looked up and rolled her eyes. "They're both grieving so terribly."
                          
   "One actually is allowed the grieve." I glanced at Alaric. There was still a sadness to him whenever one looked at him, as if that sadness was pushed onto you. I looked at Damon, who was staring at the menu with furrowed brows. "The other is just a big baby."
                          
   "I heard you!" he called, lifting a finger and pointing it at me.
                          
   "You were meant to."
                          
   Alaric began to poke his cheeks with his fingers, a half-faded look on his eyes. "I can't... I can't feel my cheeks." He looked over at Damon. "What are we drinking?"
                          
   "No idea," Damon said as he continued to stare at the menu. "Can you read German?"
                          
   "That's Dutch," I corrected him with a roll of my eyes. 
                          
   He frowned in confusion and looked up, at nothing exactly. "Wait. Where are we?"
                          
   "Amsterdam," Bonnie piped up with exasperation, not looking up as she continued to write in the diary.