She came to Mystic Falls a few weeks after Stefan and Damon rescued Elena from Elijah. Ironically, it was Rose who introduced her to them. Alaric, Stefan, Bonnie, Jeremy and Caroline were all silently waiting in the parlor of the boarding house, anxious but at the same time curious to be meeting that mysterious girl who knew more about the Originals, who had known their existence for a while now. But Elena was almost certain that she was the first person in the room to notice the strange interaction between the new one and Damon.
When Sophie, it was her name, a name as enigmatic as her beauty, joined them in the room followed by Rose, Elena, standing a few feet behind Stefan who was protecting her like a shield, could feel the girl's eyes staring intensely at Damon.
"Well, that's a great welcoming committee."
She had a lovely french accent, and a cascade of red hair was gently falling on her hips. Her green emerald eyes were almost as bright as Damon's blue ones, and Elena could not deny it any longer : the girl was gorgeous. She did not know why she was so annoyed by Damon's eyes drinking another girl, or by how she could feel like she was not the most important person in the room right now. She did not have any right on him, and should definitely not feel like she had any. Yet, she still felt a bit nauseous at the sudden silence. Even Bonnie, who had so many questions about the identity of the girl, was quiet as if to not disturb the staring contest between Damon and Sophie. It was undeniable that something was going on, a sort of connection, between those two, something that none of them could understand.
It was Stefan who interrupted the disturbing quietness of the room.
"Thank you for making it so quickly, Sophie. We appreciate any help you can provide."
"You're more than welcome… Stefan. Let's say that I, myself, am tired of running from that bunch of self-absorbed prats." Damon chuckled lightly, amused at the girl's audacity.
"What are you running from anyway ?" he said.
"Wouldn't you like to know" Sophie replied mysteriously, winking at him. She then turned her gaze to Bonnie. "You are the witch, right ? I could feel you from outside the house. You must be extremely powerful."
"Yes - how do you…?"
"Let's talk about everything tomorrow. So many things to tell, but right now, what I really need is to get some rest."
"Yes, of course, you must be exhausted. Paris is not the nearest city" Stefan smiled. "Rose ?"
"Follow me" Rose moved beside her to guide her to one of the guest rooms, but Damon was faster than her and already on top of the stairs.
"Take my room, I'm sure it will be more agreeable for you", he stated with a smirk. He followed her to the first floor, grabbing her arm. "Why do I feel like I know you from somewhere ?"
"Believe me, you don't. I never forget a face."
"Then why ?" He was confused, something that was not common for Damon Salvatore, except when it came to feeling, to his feelings.
"Goodnight, Damon. Everything will be crystal clear tomorrow. For everyone."
He nodded.
When Damon returned downstairs a few minutes after his interaction with Sophie, he was surprised to find Elena sitting alone by the fireplace, seemingly lost in her thoughts.
"What are you still doing here ?"
Startled, she lifted her eyes to find him observing her curiously from across the room. She was sure he could have felt her heart racing at the sound of his voice.
"I need to talk to you." She almost said it as a whisper, not meeting his eyes but knowing that his vampire-hearing would catch on her words.
"Where is everyone ?"
"Bonnie needed a ride, so Jeremy offered to take her home. Stefan and Caroline are out hunting. Listen, Damon -"
"Don't worry, I won't hurt the new girl, if you're worried about that. Her informations are too important anyway." He cut her.
Elena looked hurt. "That was not what I was going to say." Suddenly she was on her feet, making a move to leave the room, but he took a few steps forward, his breath tingling her own.
"What is it, then?" He looked almost dangerous, arms crossed, eyes black and mouth thin, waiting for an answer.
"I have something to tell you. I've been meaning to for a long time, but never got the chance to talk to you alone."
"Why Elena, are you finally going to ask me from where I get my charms ? Well, let's say that -"
"Enough Damon ! This is serious ! I've been thinking and thinking about it for a month now, and you're going to ruin everything by just -"
"Hey, hey" he said, alarmed at the watery sight of her eyes. Making her cry was not an option, even back then, it was never an option. He was just trying to defuse the tension. Gently grabbing her shoulders, he continued "Tell me. What is going on ?"
"I know what you did, Damon" she began, "and I didn't say anything because I was too respectful of your decision. But I can't, Damon, I can't deny it any longer."
"What…what are you talking about ?" Damon Salvatore was confused, for the second time in a day. What was going on ? He was completely lost.
"I'm talking about you, compelling me in my room, after I had a cup of vervain tea" she was now sobbing uncontrollably, her make-up a mess and her hair sticking to her face. "I can't pretend anymore, pretend I don't know how you really feel."
"I don't feel", Damon muttered, his eyes wide. "This is what my brother does. You have to understand…" The hands at her shoulders were now tight and forceful, but not enough to hurt her. Just enough to convince her that he was right, that it was the right thing to say.
"You're lying. I saw what happened with that girl. You felt something, and I'm too late."
"Too late for what, Elena !" His hands dropped her shoulders, tugging harshly at his own hair. "You don't know what you're saying. There are too many things going on right now, for you to think straight." She dropped her gaze to her feet, and the only sound remaining in the room was the crackling of the fire behind them.
"What is going on here ?" said a voice. Both Damon and Elena turned their heads at the same time, facing Stefan, looking confused. "Elena, are you ok?"
"No. Please take me home"
She left the room with Stefan without looking back at Damon. This was, after all, what he wanted.
"Wait, did I miss something or we really are in a True Blood episode ?" Damon said, balancing his glass between his hands.
"I must say I'm as confused as Damon here" Alaric added. "I've never heard that term before."
"Yeah, well, we thought werewolves were just Taylor Lautner's thing, and here we are" Damon muttered. "What about you, Judgy ?"
"With vampires, werewolves and witches, we can only imagine that some other supernatural creatures are around" Bonnie said. "Are you aware of others ?"
"I met one or two goblins, a pixie, oh, and I was once friends with a valkyrie. You don't want to cross them, trust me" Sophie said.
"This is insane" Stefan sighed, getting up. "So what exactly do you do ?"
"I can read minds. I'm immune to werewolves bites, and I can control them. And my blood is extremely irresistible for vampires like you" she looked intensely at Damon while saying that, then returned her attention to Stefan. "But apart from that, I'm your average supernatural being."
"Hang on, Sookie. If you're a fairy, then where are your pointy ears and your superpowers ?" Damon asked.
"I don't get it. I'm a vampire, but I don't feel like I'm attracted to your blood. No offense" Caroline interrupted, confused.
"That's because you've never tasted it. I can promise you that once you taste fairy blood, you can never have enough" she replied with a wink. "And as for the pointy ears... where's you cape, Dracula?"
Elena coughed from the other side of the room. "And, uh… what exactly is your link with the Originals ? How can you help us ? And why ?"
"Finally, useful questions. Well, you see, it seems that Klaus needs my blood for something. Probably for his own personal enjoyment. And he's been looking for me for a few decades now."
"But why you? Can't he find another… fairy ?" Elena was now alarmed. If Klaus was desperately looking for Sophie, and could smell her blood, he would probably get to Mystic Falls faster than they thought. Maybe her presence was not such a good idea, and she now wanted her gone for more than selfish reasons.
"We are not immortal. Klaus and the other Originals already drained almost all of my kind. We are only 5 or 6 left, so I've heard anyway"
"I'm sorry, Sophie. I really am. But your presence is not going to help us - what if Klaus finds you ? What if he already knows you're here ? He will find us ! "
"Don't think for a second that he doesn't know where you are. He will come when he will. You must be prepared."
"Elena. I know you're concerned, but Sophie is on our side. And she can help us by turning Tyler into an ally." Stefan said, lovingly caressing her forearms.
"And hand him to Klaus so he can hurt him, then hurt all of us? I've had enough, Stefan. All of this, it's all my fault. I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of me" She ran to the front door, feeling pathetic and useless, and irritated at the tears that would not stop falling from her eyes.
"Elena."
She turned at Damon's voice. She could still hear the others arguing in the other room. "I knew you would be the one to try and stop me."
"Stop you from what, exactly ? You were going to him, weren't you?"
"Eventually" She sighed, detaching her hand from the doorknob. "I have to end this."
"No, you don't. We have to end this. Your life would not be such a mess if it wasn't for us. I'm going to fix this, Elena, even if it means that I'm going to die." His voice was unusually breaking, and his eyes were vulnerable.
"You should go back." She whispered, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.
"You must know" he said desperately, urging her to look at him. "You must know that it was nothing. Just a blood connection. I must have drank a fairy's blood before. You... You're the only one that I…"
"I know" she said, wrapping her arms around him, her head resting firmly on his chest, as if she was trying to detect a heartbeat. "I know."
It was a bloodbath.
Jeremy entered the boarding house with Bonnie in his arms, and Tyler following him, severely hurt. Elena was glad her brother was ok, but she turned erratic when she caught sight of her friends. Caroline and Stefan arrived a few minutes after that and Elena was still in shock when she spoke to them.
"Where is Rose ?"
Stefan was silent, refusing to meet her eyes. "She's gone, Elena" Caroline replied, her eyes glassed with tears.
"And Katherine ? Alaric ? "
"Alaric is safe. Katherine... I don't know. I guess she took off."
Elena nodded, not surprised at the vampire's attitude. With the help of her cousin, Bonnie had successfully released Katherine from the tomb. It was a dangerous decision, but they all agreed they should get all the allies they could if they wanted to defeat Klaus. Katherine would likely help them or try and run as fast as she could the minute she was freed, and apparently she chose the latest.
She then started to think straight again, and felt her heart begin to race. "Where is he ? Where is Damon ?" she cried at Caroline, clutching her friend's shirt between her thin fingers. At the same time, Sophie and Damon entered the room. Sofie was safe, but Elena noticed that Damon had a weird walk. He was also even paler than the usual.
"Everything is going to be ok" he whispered, grinning like a maniac. "Katherine…he has her. It's over."
"I don't understand" Elena muttered, asking Stefan. "I thought Klaus wanted a human dopplegangler ?"
"Enter Bonnie", Jeremy smiled, settling the witch on the couch. "She turned Katherine human. She saved us all."
"She's going to be ok" Damon assured her. "I gave her my blood."
Elena was smiling at him, a genuine and warm smile, when it happened. Falling to his feet, Damon began to choke blood and to shake.
"What is happening ? Stefan !"
Stefan was too shocked to reply. He looked at Sophie. "He was bit by a werewolf. It seems that Klaus has his own army too."
"Is he… is he going to die ?"
"I'm not sure, the bite was not deep enough" Sophie assured her.
"I thought you gave them your blood this morning !"
"I did. But apparently not enough. Elena..."
"Give him your blood, again" Elena ordered. "Maybe you can heal him with your blood."
"I already tried", the fairy said with a faint smile. "It's not working."
"Then what ? We wait and do nothing ? Stefan, please !"
"I'm sorry, Elena. I don't know what to do."
She fell to her knees, her hands shakily caressing his face and hair. "How about human blood ? Did you try ?" she asked, looking at Sophie.
"No. It could work, but you would have to give him a hell of a lot to -"
"I don't care ! Cut my wrist" Elena said, holding out her arm to Stefan. "Hurry !"
"Elena… Think about what you're doing. He won't be able to stop."
"And you and Caroline will be behind me if anything happens. Now hurry up. Please" Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. She could not think about what she would do if he were to be gone. It was unthinkable.
In a second, Caroline was at her side, using her fangs to cut open Elena's wrist slightly. "Here" she said, her thumb caressing it slowly. Elena nodded and brought her hand to Damon's mouth.
"No… no" he managed to blurt out, turning his head to the other side.
"The hell 'no'" Elena whispered, putting her hand around his jaw to keep him from moving again.
Damon opened his eyes, his body hot and flustered. This is odd, he thought, turning to the other side of the bed to check the bandage covering his hip.
"Finally, you're awake" Elena said, smiling. She was leaning into him, her hand on his chest.
"How long have I been sleeping ?" he said, his brows furrowed, feeling like he'd been asleep for a week.
"More than a day" she whispered, her hand stroking him. He smiled at her touch, questioning her with his eyes.
"Why do I feel like... like I'm human ?"
"Fairy blood. It will only last a few days"
"What happened to me ?"
"You got bit by a werewolf. Apparently it was not deep enough... I gave you my blood. A lot of my blood."
"Wha-Elena !You could have died !"
"Shut up. I care about you, Damon.. I l-"
"Stefan, did he..." he stopped her, his eyes darkening.
"No. Caroline gave me some of her blood."
He sighed. "Why are we not dead ?"
"You would not believe it"
"Try me"
"Katherine saved the day. Bonnie made her human again, and handed her to Klaus. It was Katherine's idea. I don't know what is going to happen to her."
"What ? Does it mean that... that Stefan, Caroline and I, we can..."
"I don't know. Yet. It was a very powerful spell. If it wasn't for you, Bonnie would be... she would..."
He nodded.
"It was a stupid plan."
"It was yours."
"Exactly."
"We are all safe now."
"Really ?"
"Really. Damon…"
"Yes, what is it?" he said, using his elbow to propel up and look at her.
"Please don't ever leave me."
"I won't" he replied, kissing the crown of her head and keeping her close.