Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.
A/N: Thank you for the reviews. Sorry this took so long to update! Things people need to know when reading this (especially those unaware): the 'boarding house' and 'Ms. Flowers' are two things I have used for my own purposes. Stefan and Damon's home is always referred to as the 'boarding house', but in this story, it is truly a boarding house for which people pay rent to live in and such. Nothing to do with Stefan or Damon. And I just had to use Ms. Flowers because she simply reminds me of a little old lady. Enjoy!
Two
It was a long drive back to Mystic Falls, since both brothers had fallen into a broody silence when AJ asked about Elena's wellbeing after the party the previous night. She'd been answered with a short and gruff, "She's fine, just worried about you," from Stefan, when she realized Elena was, presently, a touchy subject. Figuring it had something to do with the brothers' vying for her attention (Okay, so she admitted to herself that there was hardly any contest, because Elena loved the whole 'good vampire, no human blood' Stefan thing) she dropped the subject completely, though she still worried. What if Elena had been the one taken, instead? Would they still have been lucky enough to all get out, unscathed?
Frowning down at her bloody arm, she realized that she was nearly unscathed. However, it hadn't been anyone back in that house who did this to her. Katherine was a sneaky, conniving, heartless bitch, and AJ would make sure she'd get payback. Revenge wasn't really her thing unless she had good enough incentive to pursue it. Since Katherine was a risk to Elena, that was all the incentive she needed. No one hurt her friends. Not if she could help it.
Glancing up, she realized that they were entering Mystic Falls finally. It was a comfort to see the familiar place she'd called home for years now and even more so when they drove up Stefan and Damon's long drive. Elena had been pacing back and forth outside, her eyebrows knitted together with concern. Upon seeing headlights pull in, she turned and faced the car, her face alight with relief. When the car came to a cessation, AJ hopped out.
"Oh my gosh," Elena murmured, heading over to her best friend and hugging her. "I swear, the next time we go anywhere, I'm having you tell me exactly where you're going and when you're going to be there."
AJ smirked, pulling back from Elena. "Gee, Mom, that sounds like a fantastic idea. Do you want to plant a tracker in me too? Connect me to the satellites to see my every move?"
"Well, if you're insisting," Damon commented with a smirk. He was leaning against the car with his arms crossed over his chest, keeping his distance. Stefan had come to stand beside Elena, his hands in his pockets.
AJ rolled her eyes. "You wouldn't do that. Wanna know how I know? I'd totally kick your ass if you did."
"Yeah, well, after tonight? You should be kissing my ass, sweetheart." Damon shoved away from the car and started strolling towards the front door. Stefan looked after him, a small frown on his face. "Are you guys coming in, or what? I hear there's a party inside."
"There's going to be something inside," AJ muttered as she turned to follow him in, with Stefan and Elena on her heels. "We need to talk about some things." They entered the house and headed towards the living room where Bonnie and Jeremy were waiting apprehensively. Upon seeing AJ and the Salvatore brothers walk in, relief spread across their faces.
AJ's eyes immediately landed on Bonnie, who she walked up to and pulled into a hug. "Thank you for the message," she said gratefully. "I would have lost my mind without it, and probably would have done something really stupid."
Bonnie smiled. "Maybe not something really stupid, but at least marginally." Then she grew serious. "I know how your flight or fight instincts turn on quickly, so I figured you'd want to know they were coming to get you."
"I really appreciate it," AJ said, giving her another grateful smile.
Jeremy looked between everyone, his eyebrows furrowed together. "So that's it?" he asked dubiously. "AJ's safe now? Everything's okay?"
AJ nearly snorted. She crossed her arms and went to the middle of the room, pressing her lips together. "I wouldn't exactly say safe, I guess," she said. "But, more importantly, neither is Elena."
The room immediately went silent. Damon was the first to speak up from his place at the liquor cabinet. "What are you talking about? We killed that vampire. He seemed to be the only threat."
"Yeah, he seemed to be. But that wasn't what the other vampires told me. He was an Original. From the first family."
Stefan and Damon exchanged worried glances, whereas Elena and the others looked confused. "What's an Original?" Elena asked, crossing her arms.
Stefan answered. "An Original is from the first family of vampires," he said grimly. "They're the oldest vampires in the world, or so I've heard."
AJ nodded. "And the Sun and Moon curse? Yeah, the moonstone isn't what breaks it. You do," she nodded her head at Elena, frowning. "You're the one that breaks the curse. The moonstone only binds it."
"But… how can I break the curse? What does that mean, exactly?" Elena looked fretful, and Stefan immediately put an arm around her.
Sighing, AJ looked down. This was the part that gave her chills. "Rose said that you're the doppelganger. A Petrova doppelganger. Katherine was the first, but since she turned herself into a vampire, she's useless. But it's your blood that breaks the curse. You… have to be sacrificed."
Elena looked perturbed, but remained composed, as she always did. "How can you know that Rose was telling you the truth?"
"I can't," AJ shrugged sadly. "Except that she called me something, too. She said I was the Warrior—the only one who can prevent the sacrifice. That's why they took me—to offer me up to an Original, probably so I'd be killed; therefore, I wouldn't be able to prevent anything. Anyway, I'm pretty sure she was telling the truth. The Original that came, Elijah, confirmed that I was the Warrior. He wanted to know why they didn't bring you along, as well. Oh, and he also wanted to know about the moonstone. It sounds to me like she was telling the truth. At least it seems like it."
Elena said nothing. She watched the grave look on Stefan's face, and knew that it had to be true. "So… what are we going to do about it?" She finally asked, looking around.
"We'll keep the two of you," Damon gestured between Elena and AJ with his drink, "safe. Elijah's dead, so I don't think there's anything to worry about, though. It's not like he can go telling the other Originals what he knows with that coat rack shoved through his heart."
AJ cringed at the imagery. Again, that strange feeling returned to her—one she couldn't quite put a name to. "Still, shouldn't we assume that Rose and Trevor weren't the only ones who knew about this? I mean, they're the ones who kidnapped me. Not Elijah."
"But Elijah was the one who wanted you," Damon reasoned. "And you said earlier that they only took you so they could be pardoned. I hardly see Rose catching the attention of another Original to give up your whereabouts when she only just got away from them."
AJ thought this over a moment, and decided to keep her mouth shut. "Yeah," she said in a weary voice. "You're probably right." Then she looked over an equally weary Bonnie, Jeremy, and Elena. "You guys should really head on home. It's late—I'm sorry you stayed up waiting for us to get back."
Bonnie stood, going to hug AJ once more. "Don't be sorry," she said with a small smile. "We're just glad you're okay." She said her goodbyes then, and departed.
Elena stayed a moment longer with Jeremy hovering behind her. "Are you sure you're okay, AJ? You could stay the night at my house, if you want. You know, like old times."
AJ gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Elena. Take Jeremy and go home. I'll see you guys soon."
Elena nodded. She paused, glancing at Stefan for a moment, before she headed for the door. Jeremy gave AJ a small wave on his way out, and the door shut behind him.
Crossing her arms over her chest, AJ sighed. Both Stefan and Damon were staring at her expectantly. "I didn't want to say this in front of Elena—not yet, anyway—but I really don't think she should be left alone. Not after what I heard, today."
Stefan's face fell grim. "Well that's going to be a problem since she doesn't exactly want me around, at the moment. You know we're taking a break."
AJ gave him an understanding look. "I know, and I'm sorry to bring it up. But I know Elena—she'll come back to you. She loves you. As for keeping her safe… I don't know. That's why I wanted to stick around. We need to come up with a game plan."
Damon raised his hand in the air, like they were sitting in a classroom. There was a broad smirk on his face. Sighing, AJ said flatly, "Yes, Damon. Please speak."
His hand lowered. "I've got a game plan for you. Both you and Elena can stay here for a while, and have one of those slumber party nights you see in movies. Complete with the panties, the pillow fights—"
Shooting him a dirty look, AJ huffed. "I'm serious Damon. We need to think—"
Suddenly, a figure zipped through the room at vampire-speed, catching their combined attention. AJ stepped aside immediately, aware it was probably the smartest idea. Stefan and Damon straightened up, and Stefan quickly went for the large stake kept in a small box by the liquor cabinet. He held it, ready to plunge it at whoever else was present.
"Who's there?" His voice reached out into the rooms surrounding the living room. A figure peeked out from an archway leading into the foyer and stepped into view.
"I'm not here to hurt you," Rose said, stopping in the archway.
Stefan didn't move. "Then why are you here?"
"Lexi once told me that your one of the good ones," she said directly to Stefan.
"You knew Lexi?"
Rose stepped into the room more, nodding at Damon and AJ. "Look, Trevor was my best friend. For five hundred years, I have lived with one person, and he's gone. I don't want to run anymore because I don't have anywhere else to run to."
Damon crossed his arms, his eyes narrowed. "What makes you think we can help you?"
Rose regarded him indifferently. "I don't need your help. But I think you need mine. Elijah may be dead, but this isn't over."
"That's what I've been trying to say," AJ muttered under her breath. She scowled at Rose, who she only thought of as the vampire that'd kidnapped her.
Stefan looked at Rose seriously. "What do you mean it's not over?"
"It isn't over," Rose stressed the words. "The Originals. They'll come for her," she gestured towards AJ. "For the doppelganger, too. They have to because they're doing it for him."
Stefan's expression held doubt. "For who?"
"Klaus." It'd been one simple word, but one that rattled AJ's spine.
In the tense silence that'd saturated the room, Damon was looking at Stefan, widening his eyes in question of whether to listen to Rose or not. Stefan looked dubiously between Rose and Damon. Leaning against the wall, AJ hadn't looked away from Rose.
"Who's Klaus?" Although AJ wasn't too keen to find out they had an even bigger problem than Elijah, ignoring it altogether would be more damaging. If she'd believed Rose earlier, then she could at least allow the vampire to explain herself now.
Rose looked to the floor, an image of pain and fear held in her eyes. "You may want to sit down for this. And the doppelganger—she should be here."
Since Elena had been sent home for the night, it was agreed that they'd meet again the next morning. AJ had arrived first, shooting suspicious glances at Rose until she decided that, if the vampire hadn't tried to harm Stefan or Damon—their only real protection from whatever else wanted them—then she could most likely be trusted.
Elena had arrived fifteen minutes later, none too thrilled at being called back to the Salvatore house after just leaving it the night before. When AJ explained the 'Rose situation' she'd become more willing, but not very enthusiastic. AJ figured it was because of the situation with Stefan, but Elena would have to suck it up for the time being. Now they sat around the blazing fireplace; Stefan was sitting on the arm of a chair, Damon leaned against one across from him, and AJ and Elena were seated on the couch. All eyes were on Rose, who was pacing back and forth before the fireplace.
"Okay, you have to understand that I only know what I've picked up over the years. So I don't know what's true, and what's not true. That's the problem with all this vampire crap. But Klaus, I know, is real."
"So who is he?" Elena asked, her arms crossed over her chest. She kept her eyes on Rose, averted from Stefan.
"He's one of the Originals," Damon said, raising his eyebrows almost comically. "A legend." AJ gave him a dirty look. "Hey," he said, "She stayed here last night. If she'd stayed with you, then maybe you could have heard more of the story." Huffing silently, AJ refused to admit he was right.
Stefan looked between the two, irked. His eyes rested on Elena once more. "He's from the first generation of vampires."
"Like Elijah?" AJ inquired.
Rose groaned, her hands planted on her hips. "No. Elijah was the Easter Bunny compared to Klaus. He's a foot soldier. Klaus is the real deal."
AJ stifled a fit of giggles from Rose's comparison, earning a disapproving look from both Elena and Stefan. She straightened up on the couch, regaining her composure. From his place leaning on the back of a chair, Damon rolled his eyes.
"Klaus is known to be the oldest," Stefan reformed Rose's meaning for Elena and AJ.
Elena held up a hand. "Okay, so you're saying that the oldest vampire in the history of time is coming after AJ and me?" she asked incredulously, looking at AJ for concurrence. AJ shrugged, her only concern for Elena.
"Yes," Rose answered, smiling at Elena's understanding at the same time Damon said, "No," he stood and crossed to stand in front of the hearth, "if what they're saying—I mean, if what she's saying is true—"
"Which it is," Rose cut in matter-of-factly, in her snippy British timbre.
Damon shot her a dirty look. "And you're not just saying it so we won't kill you," he muttered.
"Which I'm not," she said with exasperation, planting a hand on a cocked hip.
Damon shrugged, returning his gaze to Elena. "Then we're looking at a solid maybe."
Elena took a deep breath, letting it out shakily. Putting a hand on her friend's arm comfortingly, AJ glared at Damon.
"Look," Stefan said optimistically, moving to sit on the arm of the chair beside Elena, "Elijah is dead, right? So no one else even knows that the two of you exist." He looked at Elena reassuringly.
"Not that you know of," Rose butt in again.
Damon scowled. "That's not helping." Rose looked like she wanted to say something to him, but she settled back into a seat.
"I've never even met anyone who's seen him," Stefan said, leaning close to Elena. "So we're talking centuries of truth, mixed with fiction. I mean, we don't know what's real. For all we know, he could just be some kind of stupid bedtime story."
"If he scares vampires," AJ muttered with a sardonic tone, "then I wouldn't necessarily call it stupid."
"He's real," Rose insisted. "And he doesn't give up." She stood, making her point valid. "If he wants something, he gets it. If you're not afraid of Klaus, then you're an idiot."
"All right," Damon said, wiggling his fingers as he gave Rose a hard look. "We're shaking. We get your point."
Elena sighed sullenly, pushing off the couch. She headed back toward the foyer, leaving AJ behind with the vampires.
"Where are you going?" Stefan asked, frowning after her.
Pausing, Elena turned back to him, and AJ recognized her determined-made-up-her-mind expression. "School," Elena said decidedly. "I'm late. Are you coming, AJ?"
AJ held still a moment, tossing this over in her head. Finally, "I might catch up with you later. I don't know how I feel about school today."
That allowed Elena to crack a small smile. "Something I figured you'd say." She spared a glance around the room before she turned back to the foyer.
Beside AJ, Stefan rose to his feet. "Uh, let me grab my stuff," he said quickly. "I'll go with you."
"That's okay," Elena said coolly, keeping her distance from him. "I know where it is." As she walked away, Stefan looked to the floor, and a muscle flexed in his jaw.
Damon turned to Rose. "She's in denial," he said in a faux-quiet voice.
Stefan crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing at his brother. "Shut up, Damon."
Looking at the stiff faces in the room, AJ stifled a laugh. "And," she said in an amused tone, "that is my cue to leave, lady and gentlemen. I guess I'll make it to school after all." She made a face. "Damn."
Having pulled into the school parking lot, AJ stared morosely ahead. Her classmates were all around campus, heading in towards class or chatting before the bell rang. Saying that school was her least favorite place to be was a major understatement. She outright loathed it, but mostly because she couldn't seem to avoid a detention slip anytime she showed up.
When she spotted Bonnie ahead of her, her misery alleviated slightly. She watched as Bonnie dropped her books, laughing at herself as she bent down to grab them. Before she could, Jeremy slid right up behind her, picking them up for her. AJ cocked an eyebrow, smirking. That was new.
With great reluctance, she pushed the car door open and hopped out, pulling her crossover bag over her shoulders. As she headed over to Bonnie and Jeremy, she saw how easily they interacted with one another, how different it was to Jeremy's usual brush off and Bonnie's usual distance.
"Hey guys," she said, managing to sound cheery even as the ugly brick of the building caught her eye. They broke apart from each other with guilty looks, making AJ's suspicion rouse even more. "What's up?"
Jeremy relaxed and smirked. "Well, look who decided to show up for once. Is Damon paying you to come to school, again? I was shocked you even made it a whole week for that."
AJ shrugged. "That was different. There was money involved, and I was in serious need of some new boots. Damon's careless with his money."
"That's true," Bonnie murmured, still flustered and red in the face from being caught.
"So is Stefan still… you know?" AJ inquired.
Jeremy looked guilty. "Yes. That's why Elena isn't here. He's still in the tomb with Katherine."
"It's not your fault, Jeremy," Bonnie reassured him. She returned her gaze to AJ. "We still haven't figured a way for him to get out, without chancing Katherine's escape, too. But we'll figure something out. I know it."
AJ nodded. "Yeah, there's no reason to worry Jer. Everything will turn out fine."
Jeremy only looked half-reassured by their attempts.
"Hey, excuse me," a boy called to them, looking lost as he approached the small group. "Do you guys know which way is to the office?"
A smile broke out on Jeremy's face. "Well, you could ask AJ, here," he joked, gesturing at AJ. "You're always down there, aren't you?"
Rolling her eyes, AJ sighed. "Only when I come to school. Anyway," she turned back to the newcomer, "It's through those double doors, straight ahead, quick left, and then your first right. You must be new." He had dark skin, dark eyes, and cute lips, AJ noted, her eyes raking over him.
"Yeah," he said. "I am. It's kind of hard to hide it."
AJ snorted unladylike. "Imagine getting sent to the office in every class on your first day. That makes it even harder."
He gave a small smile. "I'd bet. My name's Luka." He extended his hand.
AJ took it, smiling at the formality of the gesture. "You already know I'm AJ. This is Jeremy and Bonnie."
Lucas nodded at Jeremy, but when his eyes landed on Bonnie, they remained transfixed. "Hello, Bonnie." His smiled broadened, and the look they shared was like they shared a secret.
Bonnie's eyes twinkled. "Hello," she murmured.
AJ and Jeremy exchanged looks. Jeremy cleared his throat. "Actually, Luka, I was just headed towards the office. You can follow me if you want."
Luka still seemed lost in Bonnie's eyes, but gave a perfunctory nod. "Yeah… yeah, sounds good. It was nice meeting you Bonnie." He tore his gaze away from her and followed Jeremy to the school.
AJ smirked. "Gee, it was nice meeting you, too, Luka. Oh right. I'm not even here. The new kid only has eyes for you," she nudged Bonnie lightly.
"What are you talking about?" Bonnie shifted, hiding a smile.
"You know what I'm talking about. Which brings me to my next point. Things could get a little contentious, what with two testosterone-driven boys vying for your attention."
"Now I really don't know what you're talking about," Bonnie brushed off the comment as she hefted the books in her arms and started off to the school entrance.
AJ rolled her eyes. "Sure, sure. Just you remember that when they're going all gladiator on each other in the middle of the cafeteria. You can't have both of them, Bonnie!" she shouted after her friend with a grin.
Bonnie threw an exasperated look over her shoulder. "I don't even know Luka! And why aren't you coming? We're going to be late. You know Alaric hates it when you skip."
Looking dubiously up at the school, AJ drew a deep breath. "Fine. Maybe this will get me some points so he'll lend me one of those wicked crossbows."
The school day seemed interminable. Each class brought on a new level of boredom for AJ, unless she shared it with at least one of her friends. She didn't think the end could come quick enough, and when it did, she eagerly returned to her car.
Upon pulling in to the rounded driveway that was cemented before the two grand doors leading into the town's boarding house, AJ noted an extra car present. Jenna's jeep. Pulling her bag over a shoulder, she headed to the entrance, pushing through the heavy old doors to the house.
It'd been three years ago when she first arrived, at fifteen. Rain had poured from black skies, making her hair frizz and curl. She'd been a complete wreck, both emotionally and physically, and yet Ms. Flowers had welcomed her with open arms. Hardly any advent-residents to Mystic Falls truly stayed at the boarding house. It was mostly filled with Ms. Flower's extension of elder widows, who were all very kind and surprisingly bawdy at times. Still, it was home for AJ. A place of solace when she'd had none.
Now as she entered the foyer and placed the strap of her bag on a hook near the door, she saw Jenna digging around in a closet under the staircase.
"Hey Jenna," AJ greeted, leaning against the wall. "What are you doing? Ms. Flowers around?"
"AJ," Jenna gritted out. "It's good to see you. Mind taking this?" She held out a box filled to the brim with yellowed papers. AJ crossed the room to alleviate the other woman's burden. Surprised by the weight the box held, she got a firmer grasp on it. "Ms. Flowers let me in before she left to pick up some things. She said to tell you something about not sneaking out tonight. She seemed pretty placid about it, though."
AJ frowned. Jenna was like family to her; like an older sister. "Let me guess, you don't find it as… oh, what's the word I'm looking for…"
"Appropriate?" Jenny supplied, brushing dust off her sleeves as she gave AJ a pointed look. "No. Where do you go, anyway?"
"The ever-present question," AJ commented dryly, lost in her own thoughts. When she caught the look of confusion on Jenna's features, she straightened up. "Just out. I find the night refreshing."
"Right," Jenna said disbelievingly. "Sure. Listen, I know I may not be the coolest person to talk to, but I understand you've been through a hard time, and this sort of rebellious nature is common—"
"Jenna, there's no need," AJ reassured the older woman with a smile. "As to the unvoiced question of my sanity, I happen to have retained all of my marbles. No worries."
Jenna looked sheepish. "It wasn't your sanity in question. More so, the method of your madness, as Elena puts it."
"It's so great to know my best friend talks about these things," AJ said sarcastically, and added as an afterthought, "She and I are going to have to have a talk. I don't want everyone knowing how different I am."
Jenna let out a short laugh. "Oh, no one has to be told that." She reached back into the closet to pull out objects resembling rolled up scriptures. AJ spotted maps on them.
AJ cocked an eyebrow. "So what are you doing? I can promise you nothing of value is kept in any of the closets in the house. Ms. Flowers is paranoid of even me."
"Imagine that. I got roped into helping the mayor—"suddenly Jenna's eyes widened with realization, and she pasted a perfectly sweet smile on her face. "And by roped, I mean I'm perfectly eager to participate." Jenna pushed back to her haunches and shut the closet door before standing up.
Frozen in shock, AJ immediately suppressed any reaction from crossing her face. She was certain he'd seen something, though, by the smugness she could read in his eyes. It was Elijah.
"Hey," he said, in that kind manner he'd used before. A brief image of headless Trevor passed through AJ's mind. "I'm Elijah."
AJ's mouth was clamped shut. She could only imagine the huge splinter of wood Damon had impaled Elijah with, leaving him dead and decaying. But his face. His face had been strangely grey, when other vampires, like Lexi, had immediately disintegrated. This wasn't right. This couldn't be right.
Jenna was unfazed as she settled more boxes on a table behind her, only looking a little embarrassed at Elijah. "I'm sorry—I completely forgot you were there. Excuse our girl-talk." She turned to AJ. "Elijah's in town doing research on Mystic Falls. He's a writer."
AJ recovered quickly. "How interesting."
He remained smiling as he approached her, extending his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
She had to refrain from flinching away from him. Taking his hand carefully, her eyes never left his. The strange feeling went through her again; one she couldn't place. This is an intimidation tactic, she told herself firmly, but couldn't help but internally cringe at the thought of him killing everyone she knew. Her heart began to run a marathon. "You, too," she managed to say in a normal voice. She couldn't ignore the red lights going off in her head, the urge to shove Jenna out the door to safety, but it wouldn't do any good. She had to settle for whatever game he was playing, and play it twice as good.
His hand left hers. Jenna was speaking again. "Ms. Flowers wouldn't mind if he stayed and went through these things, would she AJ?"
AJ let a single moment of hesitation pass. "Well, I don't know, Jenna. You know how she can be."
Jenna raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure that if she hasn't gone off on you for leaving in the middle of the night, then she wouldn't mind some extra company."
"Like I said," AJ shrugged innocently, "you never know. One minute, she's kind and forth-coming, the next, it's like I've checked into Hell's Hotel, and she's the devil. It even scares me. Just a warning."
Jenna gave AJ a firm look, surely one to be reprimanding for her rudeness and nonsensical ramblings, but AJ just smiled sweetly.
"I can have someone pick it up tomorrow," Elijah said easily. "It sounds more convenient."
Smiling at him as he headed to the door, Jenna pinched AJ's arm when she passed her.
"Ow," AJ said, rubbing at the reddened crescent moon etched in her skin. She really just wanted to laugh.
"Thank you so much for inviting me in, Jenna," Elijah said pointedly. AJ's heart nearly stopped. Any humor or satisfaction she'd felt fled her, her face wiped blank at this realization. His eyes caught hers. "I hope to see you again soon."
As if that wasn't foreboding enough. The moment the door shut behind him, AJ placed the box she held on the floor and darted up the stairs, headed towards her room. With her phone already in hand and her heart thudding against her ribcage, she used her speed dial to call Damon.
As if on cue, Elijah was there, leaning casually against the banister.
"Hello?" Damon answered, sounding bored. "AJ?"
With a dark gleam of satisfaction in his eyes, Elijah raised an eyebrow. How much did she think she could tell Damon before Elijah silenced her, and probably returned downstairs to kill Jenna?
"Damon? Oh sorry, I must've used the wrong speed dial," she lied.
"Are you sure?" Damon asked, disbelieving. She could even detect a hint of worry in his tone.
She laughed lightly. "Yes, of course. See you later." Before he could say anything else, she hung up.
"That was a wise choice," Elijah said in his rich voice, his eyes roaming her up and down.
AJ crossed her arms, refusing to be intimidated. "Okay, points for the home invasion and all, but why are you here? I thought you were dead. I clearly remember seeing you dead."
"Time for a chat," he said, looking pointedly over at a door without a handle.
AJ's eyes widened. "That slimy witch of a woman," she growled under her breath, crossing the hallway to inspect her door; the vampire's presence briefly forgotten. Ms. Flowers would of course remove the handle with the lock in it so AJ couldn't sneak out the window again. The last time she'd snuck out, Ms. Flowers had been pounding at the door, threatening her, quite futilely, with punishment. "She only needed to ask." Closing her eyes, she gathered her composure. She looked back at Elijah. "Well come on, then," she kicked the door open sulkily, gesturing for him to enter. "I don't have an eternity to wait around."
Elijah's eyes narrowed at her brusqueness as he passed her and the threshold of her room. His gaze roamed around curiously, like studying the artifacts in a museum. AJ, too, glanced around, noting that it was less than pristine. Her guitar was out by the window and several multi-colored picks littered the floor around it; random books sat atop her desk and nightstand, even on the ground; the occasional article of clothing was strewn about carelessly. But hey, it was a teenager's work of art.
Unabashed, she closed the door. Though it'd hardly keep anything out, it'd at least keep their voices in.
"So it wasn't enough to lead us to believe you were dead, but now you want to kill me in my own room, too? Quite the dramatic touch. Are you that bored with your perpetuity?" She paused a moment, thoughtful. "At least keep the blood off my guitar. It cost more than my funeral probably will."
He was leaning against the far wall next to the window, arms folded over his chest, expression grave. "Your humor is lost on me."
AJ rolled her eyes. "I prefer practicality. Now seriously, why aren't you dead? You sure looked dead, except for the lack of disintegration and all. I'm going to assume that's why you aren't a corpse anymore."
In some minor way, Elijah appeared vexed. "Would you like to know why I've come, or what prevented me from dying?"
His tone clearly ended with a rhetorical question, but AJ just shrugged. "Why not both? I mean, if I am going to die, you could at least give me the whole superfluous speech about how it's come to be this way, what you plan to do next, and so on. I don't see the harm. Except, well, in those movies, the person in my place tends to live. But whatever."
His vexation remained; however it was more prominent in his eyes. His gaze was steady, almost unnerving. "You aren't going to die. I've come to make you a deal."
"A deal?" she quirked a disbelieving eyebrow. "You aren't here to decapitate me, drink my blood, kidnap me and proffer me to this Klaus vampire, threaten me relentlessly, or anything like that?" She'd counted off her fingers, and now stared at them perplexingly. "None of the above?"
"As I said," he enunciated. "I'd like to make you a deal. I have not come to harm you."
"And if I don't believe you? Because last time I saw you, you seemed . . . less than life-preserving. You know, what with Trevor's head flying through the air and all."
The side of his mouth quirked up in the faintest ghost of a smile. "Trevor was a special case. My reasons for seeking you out were not to take you to Klaus, nor to harm you. It's quite the opposite, in fact. You're too invaluable."
AJ was baffled. "Not according to Rose. I believe the adjective she implied was expendable. Very expendable."
He sighed. "Such is not the case. Rose may know more than most do, but that does not mean she understands what she knows. It is true, however, that your life is in danger."
"Please," AJ waved a hand in the air flippantly. "Tell me something new. My life is the essence of danger."
He raised an eyebrow. "So you're not willing to make a deal, then? To preserve yourself from falling fated to Klaus's devices?"
Giving him a frank look, she crossed her arms over her chest. "No offense, but you're the last person I'd go to so that I may ensure my own safety. I've got it covered."
"So I'm sure you'll have it covered when he decides to slaughter your family, friends, and whoever else may get in his way? When he takes you against your will and forces you to cooperate or kills you when you don't? You have no need for any help, whatsoever? How strange. To me, you look only like a girl. A powerless girl."
AJ scowled. "And here I thought you said I was invaluable. I wouldn't call that powerless. You don't know what I'm capable of."
"Apparently," he commented dryly. "And yet I know much more about your current predicament than even you do."
"Fine." She tried to keep the petulance from her voice. "Then why don't you fill me in? If you really want to help, you could start by doing that."
"Klaus is not a thing to make jokes about," he started, resting more of his weight against the wall. He'd predicted her acquiescence. "He is searching for you. And the doppelganger. If I can find you, do you think he can't?"
"I think you can't take all the credit for finding me. Rose and Trevor. . ."she stopped with a frown, slowly realizing that her point was hardly the one she meant to make.
Elijah gave something of a smirk. "So you see my point. Rose and Trevor, though old vampires, could still locate you and give the information to me. If two vampires could manage that, what do you think Klaus could manage? He is the most feared and hated of the Originals. Those who fear him are desperate for his approval. So if word spread that the Warrior was discovered, alongside the doppelganger, as well . . ."
"Then any vampire that wanted to please Klaus would do as Rose and Trevor did for you," AJ connected the dots without inflection. "Wait—Warrior. Rose told me that I'm the only one who can stop Klaus from sacrificing Elena because I'm… that. Is that true?"
"It's very true," Elijah confirmed. "Which is why you are in danger. Klaus wants the doppelganger, because only she can break the curse. But you have the power to stop him, which is greatly hindering. So you can see the problem."
"Rose meant I was expendable to Klaus, then," AJ thought aloud. An involuntary shiver went down her spine as she imagined a vampire ripping her apart in rage.
"Yes. Which brings me to this deal I'd like to make. You may live your life normally, go about things the way you usually would. Let me worry about Klaus. But these suicidal tendencies of yours must cease. They're quite bothersome, but not incorrigible."
AJ stared at him in mute surprise for several moments.
"Your demeanor," he explained with grim amusement. "It delineates how very careless you are regarding your very own life."
"As if you've known me enough to know that," she muttered under her breath. Rolling her eyes, she said, "So you want him lured out, and you want to use me to do that. Because that doesn't sound like a colossally disastrous idea. How exactly do you expect it to work?"
"Like I said, leave that to me."
She pursed her lips. "But why? What's in this for you? Is it different if you break the curse, instead of Klaus? More beneficial for yourself?"
"I have no plans to break the curse," he said vaguely.
AJ stared at him, searching his dark eyes. "I still don't know if I can trust you. Or what, exactly, the terms of this agreement are. I'd rather my friends be safe than myself."
"Then the terms will include that I ensure your friends safety, as well as your own. You will help me lure out Klaus, and then I will kill him."
"It can't possibly be that simple." AJ shook her head, pensive.
"I give you my word, AJ," he said sincerely. The sound of her name on his lips brought on her a terribly strange effect. Instead of a menacing, false kindness, this sounded true. "I am a man of my word. I won't go back on it."
"But how will you manage to keep everyone safe?"
"A friend of yours—Bonnie, I believe—posses the gift of magic. I have friends with similar gifts."
AJ stared hard at the flooring of her room, biting her lip in concentration. She knew nothing about Klaus—only that she should be afraid, when really, she wasn't. It was simply a name that happened to be mentioned by more than one person. Names didn't scare her. Nothing did. Nothing except the idea of Elena getting hurt—any one of her friends. This was an offer of protection against that by an Original himself. One whom she knew nothing about. He didn't owe her a thing, especially not safety for her and her friends. And yet…
Meeting his gaze, she nodded. "Fine. Deal. But there's something else I'd like for you to do. Two things, actually."
"Oh, I had no doubt you'd make an extension to this agreement."
"One," AJ began, utterly serious. "I'd like for you to get Stefan out of that Godforsaken tomb. I couldn't possibly imagine having Katherine maundering in my ears twenty-four seven."
"Simple enough," Elijah agreed after a pause. He looked almost wary when he asked, "What's two?"
"Two," AJ looked towards her door, scowling. "I'd like a new handle and lock for my door. ASAP."
She wasn't sure how to discern the look on his face. Amused, aggrieved, annoyed. Possibly a mixture of the three. Sticking her chin out defiantly, she made it known that this was definitely part of the deal.
"Also simple," he added, his tone inflectionless.
A smile imbued her face; one genuine and true. "Thank you," she said. "I dread the reason why you're really doing all this, but I appreciate it nonetheless."
He nodded shortly, standing straight. She could tell he wasn't used to receiving thanks because he looked almost confused.
He made his way to the door, so AJ assumed Jenna had left. Before opening it, he looked back at her. He could see the dubious look she was trying to hide. "There's no need to doubt my word. I will keep you safe, as well as your friends."
AJ opened her mouth and clamped it shut again, before finally saying, "I know."
He was frozen a moment, surprised. She'd said it with such trust that it nearly struck him speechless. Who exactly was this girl? He left, then, accompanied only by his thoughts.
Thoughts? I really appreciate reviews!(-:
