The old Salvatore boarding house loomed in the distance, the lights from the windows casting a warm, inviting glow into the night. Damon's car coasted slowly up the long driveway, tires crunching against the gravel with each turn of the wheel. He glanced at Aurora sitting beside him, her expression distant, her eyes tracing the outline of the familiar home they had both once known as a sanctuary.
Aurora's fingers lightly brushed the edge of the seat, her thoughts seemingly far away. She hadn't been back here in so long—too long, really. But tonight felt different. There was something about the air, the stillness, that pulled at her heartstrings.
Damon, ever the observer, noticed her shift in mood. He glanced sideways at her, a faint smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "You good?" he asked, his voice light but carrying a certain edge of concern.
Aurora didn't answer immediately. She simply nodded, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Yeah. Just... thinking."
Damon didn't push. He knew better than to pry into those quiet moments. Instead, he just gave a single nod and turned his attention back to the winding driveway. "You know, for someone who doesn't age, you sure have an old soul," he teased, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
Aurora's lips curled upward slightly, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "It's been a long time, Damon."
As the car pulled to a stop, both of them simultaneously looked up at the garden, where Zach was kneeling beside a row of roses, his hands gentle as he adjusted their stems. He hadn't noticed their arrival yet, but Sarah—who was circling around the corner with her new camera in hand—had.
Aurora's eyes lit up when she saw Sarah. The girl had always had a vibrancy about her, the kind that Aurora couldn't help but be drawn to. Damon watched her, amused by how quickly she seemed to brighten at the sight of her. Sarah, too, couldn't hold back her excitement when she saw the two of them standing there.
"Oh my god!" Sarah squealed, her voice high with surprise and joy. She dropped her camera, it swinging by its strap around her neck as she ran toward Aurora. Her face was lit with disbelief, a huge grin stretching across her face.
Aurora stood up, her posture straightening, her lips parting in a silent laugh as Sarah closed the distance between them. She didn't hesitate—arms wide, Sarah wrapped Aurora in a tight hug. "You haven't aged a single day!" Sarah exclaimed, almost breathless from the sudden burst of affection.
Aurora's smile softened as she returned the hug, her arms wrapping gently around Sarah. She chuckled, her voice light and teasing. "You haven't changed either, Sarah. Still as camera-obsessed as ever."
Sarah pulled away, still holding onto Aurora's shoulders, looking at her with wide eyes, disbelief still clear on her face. "How is it even possible?" she asked in wonder, her head tilting slightly to one side. "You look exactly the same!"
Damon, leaning casually against the car door with his arms crossed, let out a mock sigh, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at Sarah. "You know, some of us do age," he remarked, his voice dripping with amusement as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "But I'm still here, you know, holding up pretty well."
Sarah laughed at his teasing tone, raising her hands in mock surrender. "I didn't forget about you, Damon," she said, her eyes flickering toward him. "It's just… you both—it's like nothing changed. It's honestly kind of freaky."
Damon pushed off from the car, straightening his jacket as he made his way toward her. "You know, some people would consider that a compliment." His eyes sparkled with humor as he extended a hand toward her, which Sarah eagerly took.
Zach, still tending to the garden, looked up at the sound of their laughter. He straightened, wiping his hands on his pants, and smiled at the sight of Damon and Aurora. His expression softened, a warmth filling his eyes as he watched them interact. After everything, seeing them both here, back at the house, felt almost surreal.
He nodded toward them as they approached, his lips curling up in a subtle but genuine smile. "Didn't think I'd see the two of you back here so soon," Zach called out, his voice carrying across the yard.
Damon's smirk widened as he met Zach's gaze, his posture loose and confident. "We couldn't resist the charm of your perfect garden," he said with a playful wink. "Besides, someone has to make sure you're not killing off the flowers."
Aurora, standing just behind Damon, offered Zach a more subdued but no less affectionate smile. Her eyes glimmered with the familiarity of old friendships and the weight of what had brought them back here. "It's good to see you, Zach," she said softly, her voice filled with sincerity.
Zach nodded toward her, his gaze lingering for a moment longer. "You too, Aurora. It's been a while," he said, his smile slipping into something a bit more thoughtful. There was a kind of unspoken bond between them, built on years of unspoken understanding.
As Sarah chatted with Damon, asking him about his latest adventures with playful curiosity, Aurora lingered in her own quiet space. Her eyes flitted over the garden, a deep breath filling her chest as she allowed herself to momentarily forget the darker undertones of her return. For now, she could just be… Aurora.
Zach's voice broke her thoughts as he gestured toward the house. "Come on, I'll make sure there's something to drink inside. Let's catch up." His words were casual, but the warmth in his eyes made it clear that, despite the time and distance, nothing had truly changed between them.
Aurora's gaze lingered on the house for a moment before she nodded, the smallest of smiles playing at the corners of her lips. "Yeah," she said quietly, her words drifting between them, "let's catch up."
"And you would be happy to see your brother Jacob."