Chapter 1
Dana yawned, sprawled out in her car seat like she owned it, watching her parents run around trying to get everything packed for her beach day playdate.
With the Gilberts......
Yeah those Gilberts.
She'd figured out pretty fast that she'd been dropped into the TVD universe, and when that clicked her brain had shifted straight into survival mode. Five months in now since her rebirth into this world, and honestly? It wasn't as bad as she expected.
Don't get her wrong waking up as a baby after the life she had was a whole thing. Everything she'd grinded for, gone,Her potential role as a leading actress, her independence, her life, Even her death, which she'd at least seen coming. But somewhere between her mother's laugh and the way her dad held her like she was the most important thing in the world, she stopped mourning what she lost.
She'd never had that before...not really.
In her previous life she was never wanted, never loved, never seemed to belong anywhere. It felt like the world just didn't want her around.
This was different.
"Elliot honey I'm gonna start getting in the car and setting Dana up — make sure to double check that we have everything please!"
Her mom's voice cut through the house before Dana felt herself being scooped up, car seat and all, and carried outside. The sunlight smacked her in the face the second they stepped out and she squinted hard until her eyes adjusted.
Then she spotted it sitting in the driveway
A burgundy Impala.
"...Damn."
Dana thought to herself.
Her mom buckled her into the backseat, and made sure she was secure, then settled into the passenger seat. A few seconds later her dad was behind the wheel and they were off. Two hour drive if Dana remembered correctly so why waste it being awake? The hum of the engine and the gentle rocking of the car did their thing, and she was out within a few mintues.
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She woke up to salt air and screaming seagulls.
Her mother Nia was already getting her out of the car, lifting the seat out and carrying her toward the beach while her father Elliot trailed behind hauling all of their stuff. It wasn't too far of a walk, the water already glittering past the sand as they got closer and then so did the Gilberts.
Dana's mood dropped immediately.
Look, she had her reasons. Multiple. The way they treated supernatural creatures throughout the show was genuinely sickening and she didn't need to elaborate on that. Then there was the passive neglect toward Jeremy, among a long list of other things. In short she hated their characters with a slight burning passion and she was comfortable with that.
But Miranda was holding a baby.
Small,Round cheeked completely unaware of literally everything.
Elena Gilbert, ladies and gentlemen.
Dana stared at her for a moment. She didn't hate Elena hate felt too strong, she was more neutral on the girl if she was being honest. She could genuinely understand Elena's point of view in a lot of situations that would've gotten any normal person killed, she'd give her that. But a lot of Elena's choices were things Dana disagreed with, and Elena had this habit of letting everything revolve around her, doppelganger status and all.
Though honestly? Most of that blame sat on Miranda and Grayson for how they raised her.
Right now though she was just an innocent baby, completely unaware of everything waiting for her down the line.
Dana could work with that.
Maybe with Dana's influence Elena could turn out differently as they grew up. But that was a big BIG maybe because Dana had way too many other things running through her head right now. Her future death being the main one. Sure, she could try to avoid the main cast entirely and live in total denial.
But she'd read enough reincarnation fics in her past life to know exactly how that played out every single time.
Fate had a way of pulling you in regardless of how hard you tried to sidestep it. So avoidance wasn't the move,she'd have to face it head on, take every step she could to prevent it or at the very least be ready when it came knocking.
Her thoughts got cut short as they reached the Gilberts and Grayson reached out to shake her father's hand. From what Dana had pieced together from her mother's earlier conversations (yes she was nosy, and honestly who wouldn't be, especially with how loud her mama talked when she was on the phone a home phone) this whole playdate had been arranged after her mom and Miranda bumped into each other at the supermarket. One conversation led to another and the rest was what landed Dana here.
Greetings went around,Then Grayson leaned down toward her with a wide smile.
Dana looked him dead in the face and made the most unfiltered, undisguised look of disgust she could physically manage on a baby's face.
Grayson blinked and laughed it off after a second she was probably just shy around strangers.
Sure.....it was definitely because of that.
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The beach playdate went on the way most playdates do. Dana sat in her mother's lap while baby Elena crawled over and started babbling at her like she was delivering very important news. Dana babbled back she had a role to maintain after all and okay, watching Elena's little face light up like she understood every single word was a little cute she would allow it for now. They spent some time splashing around at the water's edge, ate, did the whole thing. And by the time it wrapped up Dana had quietly made her decision, she'd try to nudge Elena in a better direction as they got older. Nothing controlling, just small things advice when it mattered. A nudge here and there whether it'd actually change anything was another question entirely, but it felt worth trying.
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Back home she was exhausted. She ate, got settled into her crib, and laid there staring up at the ceiling while her eyes got heavier by the minute, she was content, for now. But her brain was still running in the background like it always did cycling through everything she hadn't figured out yet, every move she'd eventually have to make to keep herself from her fate that was waiting for her. And maybe if things went her way she could keep some of her favorite characters from going down the roads they were always supposed to go down.
But she could only hope for so much.
Her life came first,she didn't want to die again not when she finally had something real to hold onto. Parents who actually loved and cherished her.
That wasn't something she was willing to give up.
Her eyes closed, and sleep came easier this time.
