Chapter Five: A Dangerous Deal
The front door closed with a soft but final click.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
The warmth from earlier—the laughter, the sense of family—had thinned into something tense and brittle.
"John?" Jenna said softly, eyes wide. "You're… here?"
"Elena." John quipped.
Elena blinked, caught off guard. "Uncle John, hi," she said awkwardly.
John's gaze shifted toward Jeremy.
"Jeremy called me," he said plainly. "Said it was important I come."
Both women exchanged surprised glances. They were caught off guard by his sudden presence.
Jeremy frown faded then smiled faintly and nodded toward John. "I'll explain later. For now, let's just say it's… necessary."
John followed Jeremy up the stairs, both of them heading to Jeremy's room. Once inside, Jeremy closed and locked the door behind them.
---
Jeremy closed his bedroom door and locked it.
John raised an eyebrow. "Dramatic."
Jeremy turned to face him. "Necessary."
The room was quiet, the air heavy with unspoken history.
John leaned against the desk. "So. You texted me out of nowhere, drag me back into this town, and then acted hostile. Why?"
"Well, for one, I texted that I need to talk. Didn't expect you to show up here," Jeremy thought to himself. "And you just interrupted my time with the ladies."
"So, what did you want to talk about?"
Jeremy didn't hesitate.
"I know about vampires."
John laughed—a short, sharp sound. "Sure you do."
"I know about vervain," Jeremy continued. "Compulsion. The Council."
John's smile vanished.
The silence stretched.
"…Who told you?" John asked slowly.
"No one," Jeremy said. "I figured it out."
John straightened, eyes narrowing. "That's not possible."
"I don't need it to be," Jeremy replied calmly. "I need you to listen."
John studied him—really studied him now. The posture. The eyes. The confidence that didn't belong to a grieving, drug-addicted teenager.
"You're not bluffing," John said quietly.
"No."
Another beat.
"What do you want?" John asked.
Jeremy took a breath. "I want you to train me."
John scoffed. "Train you how?"
"To be a vampire hunter."
That made John laugh—a longer laugh this time—but it stopped abruptly when Jeremy didn't flinch.
"You're serious," John realized.
"Yes."
"You have no idea what you're asking for."
"I do," Jeremy said. "And I know you're the only one who can do it properly."
John's expression darkened. "This isn't a game."
"I know," Jeremy said. "That's why I'm asking you."
Silence fell again.
John turned away, pacing once, then stopped. "If you know even half of what you claim, then you know this path doesn't end well."
Jeremy met his gaze. "Neither does staying here unprepared." He thought, I know more than you do, actually.
John exhaled slowly.
"…You really are a Gilbert," he muttered.
After a long moment, he nodded. "Fine. I'll train you."
Jeremy didn't smile. He simply nodded back.
"When do we start?" he asked.
"Tomorrow. At dawn," John replied. "We leave town."
Jeremy blinked once. "Tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"Good."
John arched a brow. "You're not even going to argue?"
"No."
John studied him again, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. "…You've changed."
"I had to."
They went downstairs. John left, saying he had business with someone nearby.
After he left, the three gathered in the living room and got into a staring contest.
Elena was the first to break.
"…Why is he here?" she asked quietly.
Jenna exhaled slowly, rubbing her temple. "Jeremy?"
Jeremy turned to face them fully. "We need to talk."
Elena's arms folded across her chest, confused. "Huh?"
Jenna gestured toward the couch. "Sit down."
They did.
For a few seconds, Jeremy simply looked at them—really looked.
Elena pretended to be calm but was clearly curious about why her brother reached out to their uncle.
Jenna stared at him as if trying to dissect him.
Jeremy leaned forward slightly. "I called Uncle John here because I needed something from him. And because I needed to leave."
Silence.
Elena frowned. "Leave… how?"
"I'm going out of town," Jeremy said. "With him."
"'Oh,'" Elena said immediately. But then she felt anger, though she couldn't explain why.
Jenna took a deep breath and asked, "Why?"
Jeremy stayed calm.
"Mystic Falls is suffocating me."
Jenna's expression softened just a fraction. "Jeremy…"
"Every street," he continued, voice steady, "every room, every routine—it all reminds me of Mom and Dad. Of who I was when they died. Of who everyone expects me to be now."
Elena swallowed.
"I wake up here," Jeremy said quietly, "and it feels like I can't breathe."
The room was silent.
Elena's anger wavered, replaced by something else—something uncertain.
"You didn't say anything," she whispered.
"I didn't know how," Jeremy replied. "I barely survived last year. Drugs weren't the problem—they were the symptom."
Jenna closed her eyes.
"I need distance," Jeremy said. "A change in scenery. Somewhere I'm not Jeremy Gilbert, the broken kid who needs watching."
Elena's voice trembled. "So you're just… leaving?"
"No," he said firmly. "I'm choosing myself. For once."
Jenna looked at him carefully. "And John?"
Jeremy didn't hesitate. "He's a means, not the reason."
Elena frowned.
Jenna sighed, sitting down slowly. "How long?"
"A few weeks," Jeremy said. "Maybe a month."
Elena shook her head. "That's not—"
"I'll call," Jeremy said. "Every day if you want. I won't vanish."
She looked at him, really looked this time.
He wasn't defensive.
He wasn't running.
He was… grounded.
"…You've changed," she said quietly.
Jeremy smiled faintly. "I had to."
Jenna folded her hands together. "If I say yes," she said carefully, "it's because I believe you're doing this to heal—not to self-destruct."
Jeremy nodded. "I swear."
Another pause.
Then Jenna spoke, voice firm but gentle. "You go. But the moment I think John is dragging you somewhere dangerous, I come get you myself."
Jeremy smiled. "Deal."
Elena hesitated—then stepped forward and hugged him tightly.
"…You better come back," she muttered into his chest.
"I will," he said softly.
This time, it wasn't a promise made out of guilt.
It was a decision.
---
Later That Night
Jeremy lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
The house was quiet.
He'd done it.
He exhaled slowly.
"System," he murmured. "Status."
Host: Jeremy Gilbert
Race: Human
Age: 18
Location: Mystic Falls
Strength: 12
Agility: 11
Perception: 14
Endurance: 7
Intelligence: 10
Willpower: 11
Vitality: 72/100
Charm: 19
Stats Point: 10 (you can exchange 10 SP for 1 stat point.)
SP (System Points): 293
Skills:
Absolute Hit (Level 1)
Cooking Skills (Intermediate)
...
Shop: Available
The familiar interface flickered briefly—confirming what he already knew.
He had gained some system points from his exploit with Vicki last night.
"System, buy the regeneration skill."
He said.
He had noticed some useful skills in the skill tabs.
He wasn't ready yet.
But he had time.
And tomorrow—
He would take the first real step toward becoming someone who wouldn't be dragged by fate.
Someone who would be ready when Mystic Falls stopped pretending to be peaceful.
He glanced at his points.
"Well, time to go see Vicki again."
He said as he changed his clothes.