13. The Devil is Damned

                                    

                                          
It's the next morning and I'm outside sitting by the lake. The sun is barely rising. Someone comes sits next to me and I know it's Ileana. I left late last night and I just got back a couple of minutes ago. 
                          
"What are you doing up so early?" I asked her and she smiles a small smile.
                          
"I'm a morning person." Ileana said as she sat down next to me. "You?"
                          
"I was already up. I just got back from... uh, um... I just had a few things I had to do." I told her. I didn't need anyone knowing where I was. "You okay after yesterday... you know with Klaus and everything?"
                          
I haven't talked to her about the whole Nik incident when he came to the bayou last night. I didn't know what to tell her or what to tell Jackson.
                          
"I'm fine. Jackson is still in pain. And I..."
                          
"I am so sorry." 
                          
"It's okay, really." Ileana said and I give her a look because I knew it wasn't. In her point of view, it's my mother's husband beat the crap out of my future husband. What am I supposed to do? I hated being put in a position where I don't know what to do. "I mean it's not but... I want to turn."
                          
"Ileana..."
                          
"Like today." She says taking me by surprise because I hoping it'll be like in a week or in a couple of days. "I've thought about it. I've thought about it a lot actually. I want to do it not only for Hope and the wolves but for Jackson too. After what happened yesterday..."
                          
"I understand."
                          
"You do?" Ileana asked and I nodded. 
                          
"You want to protect the ones you love."
                          
"Today's the ritual thing. I was hoping I could turn tonight."
                          
"I have no experience in planned turning. Usually, when someone turns into a vampire it's unplanned." I said and she smiles. "We'll do it tonight."
                          
"Are you sure you're okay with this?"
                          
"I will be." I smiled as she lays her head on my shoulder. We sat in silence for a long while as we watch the sunrise. "Things get worse before they get better. Things will get better."
                          
"So tell me. How did Klaus propose to you?"
                          
"Well, it was a casual day for the both of us. It was about 6 in the morning. I was in bed and he was standing in front of the bed painting me like he usually did and he popped the question. I never thought about marriage and I knew it was a big commitment."
                          
"And you ended up saying yes."
                          
"I did and I'm glad I did." I smiled and she returns the smile. 
                          
Nik and I had our ups and downs over the years and we've always managed to work things out whether he was in the wrong or I was. These last few days have been rocky between him and I. I haven't even been home in the last few days and I barely talk to him.
                          
"Tell me about Jackson. How this whole romance came to be?" I asked and she lets out a sigh as if she's relieved that I asked that and she tells me how they ended up together.