Angel rubbed her eyes. Her head was fuzzy, as she tried to sort out the raging emotions that flickered throughout her fragile being. She didn't know what to do.

She had to go see what Kol had done to Ronnie, even if she was frightened of what she would come upon.

Ronnie and her were never that close, at least they weren't in Angel's opinion, but he was considered a friend of hers. He never showed her any ignorant contempt that the others in this horrid town had. He never judged her for her ways, and he never tried to force her into anything.

Ronnie was the closest thing she had to a friend at the moment, so she couldn't abandon him. Especially since whatever happened to him was her fault. Kol did what he did because of Ronnie's relationship with Angel. 

Her hand ran over her face, while her heart banged against her chest, as if taunting her that it was still beating. 

Not knowing was driving her crazy. Angel should be dead, but she wasn't. She never died; her body fought against the poison the pills were creating, and it won. How? She did not know, and she despised that.

The blonde shook her head, causing her whitened blonde curls to bounce. She shouldn't be thinking about this now. She had to go see Ronnie.

Throwing on a hoodie and boots, she grabbed her keys and began to walk to the door. She suddenly stopped as her tired gaze landed on her brother's door. He had not come out since the incident, nor had he made a sound.

She hesitantly walked to the large door and raised her fist, but didn't knock. She didn't know if she should. Angel was aware of the fact that she scarred her brother. She never meant to, of course. She just wasn't thinking. The overload of getting her emotions back and witnessing her sister be slaughtered was too much, and it enabled her to think logically and empathetically.

It just hurt too much. She felt like was suffocating under the feelings of isolation and misery. Angel had thought that her death would not faze anyone. Death was a part of life, and everyone in this little town had more important matters than mourning the blonde. They had better things to do with their time.

Taking a deep breath and willing her courage to bubble out of hiding, she gently tapped her knuckles against the door. Her response was silence.

"Jeremy," she began, "please open up."

He ignored her.

"Come on, answer."

Silence.

"Fine," she grumbled, "I'm going out. I love you."

More silence.

Angel nodded, while biting the inside of her cheek. This was to be expected.

As she turned around to leave, the door swung open.

"You say it now?"

Her brows raised at his chocked voice. Her eyes filled with guilt and grief as she saw her baby brother's tear-stained cheeks and blood-shot eyes.

He looked like she did the previous night.

"What?"

He scoffed. "Now you say you love me? After I found you on the bed surrounded by all that shit? What the hell is wrong with you! Why would do that to me?" His voice raised with every sentence.

"I--" She stopped. What do you say to that? "I'm sorry."

"Were you planning to fucking leave? Was it all I fucking joke? You were gonna leave! You were gonna leave me! Just like everyone else!" A fresh batch of tears were streaming down his face, and he couldn't stop them no matter how hard he tried.

She quickly shook her head. "No, I-- God, Jeremy. I'm so sorry, I-- I just..I just don't know anymore." Her shoulders sagged in defeat, while her legs unconsciously moved towards her brother, and her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. She pulled him to her and held him while he cried.

"Elena hasn't moved back," he whispered. "Do you think she will?"

Angel shrugged, while laying her head against his chest. "I don't know. She loves you, though. So much."

"You turned her."

Angel froze, but didn't let go of him. She wouldn't lie.

"Yes, I did, but--"

He cut her off. "I've always been on your side, Angel. I know you're not selfish, and I know you always put us first. I believe you--that you did it to protect us."

Angel winced as relief flooded her body. Jeremy didn't see her as a villain, and that was new. It felt good. She held him tighter, as her breathing and heartbeat began to steady. "Thank you," she murmured.

He rested his chin on top of her head. "I'm sorry nobody ever puts you first."

This caused the blonde to shake her head and pull away. "No," she muttered. "No, that's not right."

His brows furrowed in confusion. He reached out to her in concern. "Are you okay?"

"Of course! I just have to go."

Angel turned around and briskly walked to the door.

Jeremy scoffed, following her to the door. "What makes you think that I'm going to leave you alone after what happened?"

Angel rolled her eyes. "I'm fine. I regret what I did, I'm thankful I'm alive, and I just want some fresh air."
Her lies were smoothed over to sound like the truth. She said what he wanted to hear.

Jeremy didn't believe a word of it. Angel was a gifted liar, but he knew her too well. He had learned how to lie from her, after all. 

"Bullshit. I'm going with you."

Angel huffed. The little twerp never let her get away with anything. She flipped him off, as he smiled smugly.

They loaded into her car and drove far out.

--------------------~~~~~~~~~

"Where are we?"

Angel ignored his question and walked into the familiar bar. The lights were off, and that was never a good thing.

"Ronnie," she called out cautiously, while shielding her taller brother as best as she could. "Ronnie, are you her--"

A loud crash sounded behind her. "No! No! Stop!" She rushed over and tried to pry the feral looking Ronnie off of her brother. Ronnie's eyes had black veins stretching beneath them, and she could see his veins latched onto Jeremy's neck.

In a matter of seconds, Angel was thrown against the wall. Her eyes turned determined. She couldn't lose another sibling. With a hiss, she flung her old friend into the bar and ran to her bleeding brother. Placing a hand over his neck, she chanted foreign words. His wound soon closed, but he was still hazy from the loss of blood.

"Ronnie, stop!" She stood between the starved vampire and her dazed sibling. The vampire charged at her, and she fought back all she could. She didn't want to hurt Ronnie, but she had to protect her own.

As the fight continued, Ronnie's attacks became more hectic and unstable. Before she could comprehend it, she was pressed up against the wall with a hand on her throat. With a flick of her wrist, the vampire was flung off her, and she slid to the floor.

Why couldn't she just have a peaceful day?

A loud bang echoed out. Her eyes widened slightly as the door was ripped off its hinges, and in strode a furious Elijah and Kol.

Elijah walked to Angel, while Kol snapped the young vampires throat.

"You imbecile​," Elijah hissed at his brother, while helping Angel off the ground.

"How was I suppose to know the guy had business with vampires?"

Angel huffed in realization. Ronnie had been getting fed vampire blood by his clients. Did he actually already know about the supernatural?

Her brows furrowed as another thought popped into her head. "Are you two stalking me," she asked.

The bickering originals promptly rolled their eyes.