A/N: a million thanks to all the reviewers! People like you make my heart happy and encourage me to write.

Now, I have gotten a few comments about Sia beginning to look like a Mary Sue and that I have given her a few too many abilities. While I understand it may seem so, all I ask for is patience.

Remember, Nature always finds a balance.

Note: Neither Vampire Diaries nor its characters belong to me. I only own my OC, Artemisia.

Chapter 26

Previously, on Uncharted Waters….

I gave her a brief tour of the house, and then led the way upstairs to my bedroom. I swung the door open and flopped onto my bed, giving a sigh of relief as I went boneless. Rebekah eyed my antics with amusement, and took my bedroom in. I got the distinct feeling that she approved of the décor, given that it had a slight Victorian feel. She seated herself on the edge of the bed, smoothing down the duvet. She kept her eyes lowered, picking off some invisible lint. I narrowed my eyes at her, and asked, "What's the matter, Rebekah?"

She was silent for a few moments, before raising her head and saying, "Why the hell are you helping me and my family? And don't give me the crap about making a deal with my brother. It burns me to admit it, but the fact remains; you are much more powerful than an original vampire. Why are you pretending to be someone you are not?"

Now…

I stared at her, dumbfounded. I immediately wanted to refute her statement. However, her question kept echoing in my mind.

Why are you pretending to be someone you are not?

That hit a little too close to home. While I could feel that her question was aimed towards my tendency to keep my abilities cloaked, it ripped the shroud off of a deep-seated fear, one which I had locked away in one of the most isolated corner of my mind. One which I had no intention of ever seeing the light of the day. The fear of being rejected by the family I had come to call my own, because I had replaced their precious Artemisia. That they would find out that I was not the same person that they had grown up with.

I was internally hyperventilating; not wanting anyone to find out, for it might lead to me loosing the only people that had accepted me unreservedly, in present life or the previous one.

Some of my panic and fear must have had bled into my face, as Rebekah immediately backpedalled and said, hastily, "I'm sorry. I should not have had asked such a personal question. I did not mean to upset you."

I collected myself and shook my head, as if doing it would shake off the mind-numbing terror taken root in my mind. I smiled wanly at her, and reassured her, "No, it's alright. You had every right to ask me that question. To be honest, I myself hadn't realized that I was hiding myself. You just shocked me, I assure you."

"So why are you concealing yourself?"

I heaved a sigh and decided to go with a half-truth.

"I don't want my friends and family to fear me. I am also afraid that when they find out the whole truth about me."

"What do you mean? What truth? You can tell me, Sia. I promise I won't judge you or treat you differently. I mean, I am an Original, love. Believe me; I have done far more atrocious things than anything you can ever do."

I half-smiled at that, and said, "While I am not disputing that, I am concerned about the reactions from my aunt and my siblings. And even my uncle and Damon. They…..think that I am a supernatural hunter, and they admire me for that. But I have killed humans too. And I don't regret it. Does that make me a bad person?" I blinked back tears, stunned by what I had said, since I had not even admitted this to myself until then.

Rebekah's face softened, and she gave an empathetic smile. She said nothing, and just opened up her arms towards me.

The understanding and concern I could see in her eyes made me tumble over the edge and my face crumbled. I collapsed in her arms and started sobbing. Her arms came around to wrap me up in a protective embrace. Rebekah rubbed my back and comforted me as I fell apart in her arms.

Rebekah glanced down at the young woman in her arms and saw that she had fallen asleep, tear tracks still visible on her cheeks. She sighed. Times like these, she really did feel the weight of her years, reminding her that although she was seventeen in body, she had the experience of over a thousand years.

Though she had known Sia for a few months only, she felt an odd kinship towards the enigma that was Artemisia Gilbert. Perhaps it was the fact that she could see the attraction and curiosity that Niklaus felt towards Sia, or maybe it was the fact that she had always wanted a sister. Whatever the reason, Rebekah felt an uncharacteristic protectiveness towards the nineteen year old girl (for that's what she was; just a girl with an enormous burden on her svelte shoulders, under which she was slowly but surely breaking down), welling up inside of her. Rebekah vowed to do whatever she could to lessen the weight on her shoulders and protect her to the best of her abilities.

Buzzzzz!

Rebekah was startled out of her inner monologue by the buzzing of her phone. She sighed in irritation, for it could not be anyone but her bastard of a brother. She took out her phone and opened the message.

Where are you?
I need your assistance.
Call me ASAP

Nik.

She huffed, annoyed at the high-handed tone she could sense from the text. Carefully laying Artemisia down on the bed and tucking her in, Rebekah tiptoed out of the room and into the hallway. Dialing Klaus' number, she tapped her foot impatiently, as she waited for him to pick up. Finally, he did.

"What do you want?" she growled, irritated.

"What I want is for you and Artemisia to come down to the local high school with me. I want to introduce you properly to the Doppelganger and her little friends."

She grimaced and said, "I'll be there in a few minutes. Leave Sia out of this for a bit. She's sleeping."

"So? Wake her up, then."

"Nik, she cried herself to sleep in my arms. Let her be."

"What happened, Bekah?"

Rebekah could hear the underlying note of concern in her brother's voice. She smiled, knowing that her brother was smitten with the huntress. The smile slid off, as she remembered the reason for Sia's tears. She bit her lip, debating whether to tell her brother or not.

She then sighed and said, "She faced a few of her demons. That's all I am willing to say. If she decides to tell you she will."

"…Alright. I won't pry. Will the little one be okay?"

"I don't know, Nik. We'll have to wait and see."

"Fine. Now, hurry up and come to the school. I'll be waiting."

Click.

Rebekah harrumphed at the abrupt way Klaus had cut the phone call, but began to make her way to the school.

Bit of an introspective chapter here. More to come next!

A/N: Please review!

Until next time!