WHEN ERIN GRADUATED SHE ONLY HAD ONE CLOSE FRIEND. Carson was like a sister Erin, considering that Erin had always fought with her family. The two knew each other since they were toddlers and they were inseparable until Erin died.

Carson was somewhere in her twenties and she had been working in a florist shop in Mystic Falls. She was married to a guy from high school that Erin didn't remember. She was also seven months pregnant. Erin had seen her in the shop when she was walking around Mystic Falls, she had wanted to stop by and talk to Carson. She hesitated to do so because she feared that her reaction would be the same as her mothers.

Erin stood outside the small shop twiddling her thumbs. After talking to Damon, she realized that she had to take her own advice and that she had to be brave. She walked into the shop and the smell of herbs and flowers hit her. A small group of people were walking around looking at the variety of flowers.

Carson was at the register, wearing a dark green apron and she ringing up a customer. Carson smiled and waved at the customer when she left, after she finished she spotted Erin's backless figure and walked over. Carson tapped Erin's shoulder and Erin took in a deep breath before turning around. When Carson saw Erin, she froze in place until the realization hit.

Her eyes became wide and she studied Erin from head to toe. She then fixated on her brown eyes and opened her mouth slightly, "Is something wrong?" Erin asked.

Carson hesitated, "Uh, no," she started, "You just look like an old friend of mine."

"Who?" Erin asked, "Erin Sommers,"

Carson blinked, wondering if her eyes were playing tricks, "Y-yes, how do you know?"

"Because I am her," Erin said bluntly.

Carson scoffed, "This isn't a joke," she started, "She's dead,"

Erin rolled her eyes, "It's me, Carson," she started, "It's me, Erin."

Carson grabbed Erin's wrist and led her to the small break room where the customers couldn't go. Carson grabbed a chair and sat down on it, rubbing her belly.

"Erin," she started, her eyes were starting to look glassy, "Is it really you?"

Erin pulled out one of the chairs and sat down on it, "It is me,"

"H-how is this possible?" she asked looking up at her friend.

"I'm a ghost."

"I'm sorry, a what?" Carson asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"I'm a ghost, and I'm here on Earth because I have unfinished business. After that I find peace, and then I'm gone."

Carson licked her lips as she processed the information, "Ghosts aren't real," Carson started, "Did you fake your own death?"

Erin rolled her eyes, she kept blinking so that she wouldn't cry, "No," her voice cracked, "Look, they are real, just like the vampires, werewolves, and witches that roam in Mystic Falls. Plus, if I did fake my own death, wouldn't I look older?"

"Werewolves, vampires, witches, are you crazy?" she asked, "Erin, none of those exist."

"But they do," she started, "They're everywhere, you grow vervain and that is a vampire's weakness."

Carson scoffed, "Joey made me grow those stupid plants, he said it wards off evil and that it'll protect the baby, I let him grow it so he would stop talking,"

"He knows then," Erin started, "He knows about the vampires, please Carson, you have to believe me. What else would explain why I'm here."

Carson was silent for a while, the only sound heard was from the customers outside. Carson rubbed her belly as she looked to a space on the wall. After a minute or two, she looked at Erin with tears in her eyes.

"Is it really you?" she asked in a low voice.

Erin nodded, "It's me,"

Carson broke out crying and Erin immediately embraced her in a hug and rubbed her back, "Hey, it's okay, don't cry."

"H-how long do you have left?" she asked.

Erin let go of her and shrugged, "That, I don't know," she started, "It may be tomorrow or even months from now,"

Carson licked her lips, "I've missed you so much, when they said that you died, I was devastated and your mom," she started, "Oh God, she mourned you for a year, she was devastated that you died,"

Erin blinked, "I know, I saw her but she just shut the door in my face," she started, "But enough of that is it a girl or a boy?"

Carson laughed lightly, "It's a girl," she answered, "We're so happy,"

Erin smiled, "You should be," she started, "Do you have a name?"

Carson shook her head, "No, we're still figuring it out," she answered, "The thing is, it's a high-risk pregnancy and there's a high chance that she would be premature, so I might pop in a few weeks or even days."

"Oh my god," Erin mumbled, "Well, everything will be okay,"

Carson stood up and wiped her face, "Well, maybe we could meet up another day but I have to go, the customers are out there."

Erin stood up, "No, it's fine. Don't worry," Erin hugged her quickly, "Until next time,"

***

Erin walked out of the store with a six-pack of beer, she shoved the receipt in her jean pocket and walked towards Wickery Bridge. As she reached the bridge, she saw Damon sitting on the edge, swinging his feet back and forth over the ledge.

Erin smiled as she saw, she whistled to get his attention. Damon turned his head to see Erin and couldn't help but smile at the girl. Erin walked towards him and sat on the ledge next to him. She opened the box and pulled out two beers and handed one to Damon.

"So, Mr. Salvatore, how was your Thanksgiving?" Erin asked, opening the bottle with a bottle opener that was in her pocket. Damon simply used his strength open it.

"It wasn't as bad as I thought it would it be," he answered taking a swig of his beer.

"I told you so," she teased,

"Anyway," she started, "How's the supernatural stuff? What's going on?"

Damon scoffed taking another swig of his beer, "Katherine if a bitch,"

Erin nodded, "So, you've said before," she noticed, "What did she do know and before, besides turning you?"

Damon sighed, "Let's see, she played my brother and me, she played two other brothers, tried to kill all of us at least once, she's a manipulative bitch, and as of now she has the cure,"

"Cure?" Erin repeated, "To what?"

"Vampirism," Damon answered, "Whoever drinks it will become human,"

"And you want it to become human?" she asked confused.

"Never," he said, "I need it for Elena, she hates being a vampire,"

"Oh, okay," she said understandingly, "Why don't you want to become human?"

"It's boring, you have to deal with being an adult, obnoxious people, not to mention anything can kill you. As a vampire, I can compel or kill my way out of anything."

Erin pursed her lips, "Being human isn't that bad," she started, "Plus, it's more fun, the adrenaline of doing dangerous things even if you might die. But at least you know who has the cure, and you could do something about it."

"How do manage to find the positive in everything?" he asked.

"Let's just say it's my superpower," she winked.

"I bet you can't find anything positive in this cheap beer,"

"Actually," she said with a smirk, "It may be cheap but you always manage to come to this very spot with me and drink this cheap beer."

"I guess you won," he said with a smile,

"I guess I did," she looked at him with a smile, when Erin thought of him, she'd fear the day that he'd realize that she was just a mere ghost.