"What are you doing here?" Elena asked as she tensed at Klaus's presence.
Klaus looked her over for a moment before deciding to respond. "I was just curious as to what everyone was up to. Small town, small talk you know."
Elena crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him in response.
"The similarities between you and her are eerie…" Klaus said with a smile. "Truthfully, I came to see if you were here since it's rare you are away from the dear Salvatore brothers."
"Why did you need to see me?" she asked, sneaking a quick glance to the house to see if anyone inside noticed them outside.
"Oh, I'm not going to hurt you if you're worried. I wanted to ask if you were aware of the little understanding I made with your boyfriend and your boyfriend wannabe," he asked with a smile. "You know, the whole if anyone kills Katherine, I kill or do whatever I want with you."
"What?" Elena asked thrown off guard.
"Ahh, still in the dark then. Yes, you see I don't like the fact that everyone seems to be teaming up to kill Katherine. I can't have that. So it's either leave her alone or I take you and the town out," he said simply.
"Why can't you just take her and go and avoid any confrontation," Elena said angrily. "I don't know why she's here, but I want her gone. People are dying or worse around her and it has to stop and I guess…" Elena said swallowing, "if it means that I have to die too then so be it."
Klaus's eyebrows shot up in surprise at her response. "Very brave of you…heroic really. Tell you what, you come with me and I'll get Katherine out of town and make sure no one you care about is harmed, including your dear Salvatores. I give you my word"
"Because your word means something," Elena said stonily. "I can trust you just about as much as I can trust Katherine…you were her maker after all. She had to learn her bad personality traits from someone."
"Who said she picked them up from me?" he said coyly. "Besides, I've yet to do anything wrong, right? I helped save your life instead of letting you bleed to death in the woods. So trust me when I say I'm trustworthy."
Elena stared him down a moment trying to figure him out. From what she knew of him from Katherine, he was persuasive yet ruthless when he wanted to be. Going with him wasn't an option, not when they were so close to figuring out how to fix the problem.
"I'm not going anywhere with you. But if Katherine doesn't back down, there will be consequences," she said strongly. "This has to end."
Klaus got real close to her face then to stare at her closely. "I think you should change your mind about coming with me. It's really a good choice. No one is harmed and who knows, maybe I won't kill you and I'll let you go after some time."
Elena stared at him as his pupils turned dark. She nodded her head and was about to respond when the front door opened behind her and she heard Stefan call her name.
"Think about it," Klaus whispered as he shot away into the distance.
"Elena, are you ok. Look at me," Stefan said urgently as he looked her in the eyes, which looked distant.
"Whatever he just told you, it's a lie," he said harshly, shaking her a bit.
Elena shook her head and focused on Stefan. "So he was lying when he said that if you kill Katherine, he'd retaliate by killing me and the town."
"No. That part was the truth…but whatever he was compelling you to do…Let's get inside and get you some vervain and we can talk. I don't know why I didn't give you any sooner," Stefan said worriedly.
"Alright," Elena said still thinking about things. "But I think that I should just go with him so that he takes Katherine and leaves everyone alone."
"So that's what he was telling you," Stefan said, dragging her into the house. "Elena, believe me when I say we will figure this out without anyone else getting hurt or killed, ok?"
Nodding her head absentmindedly, Elena followed Stefan into the boardinghouse.
"So what's with all the mystery and witchiness?" Damon asked as Bonnie looked at him in confusion.
"Should I be surprised you're here?" Katherine asked as she looked Damon over. "You have an annoying habit of showing up when you're not wanted."
"Oh I don't know about that. The last time I showed up we had a bit of a fun time, didn't we?" he said with grim smile. "But moving on, what are you doing with my witch friend here?"
"I wasn't aware she was a friend of yours," Katherine responded. "As such, it's my business and I'll be leaving once she hands over the book."
"Don't do it, Bonnie," Damon said stepping between her and Katherine. "Now explain to me what's going on. What did you promise and what's so special about tomorrow night?"
"You're really starting to remind me of someone I rather hate right now," Katherine hissed. "All you need to know is that me and Bonnie have an agreement—an understanding if you will— that doesn't concern you. It doesn't involve death or murder or anything sinister."
"Oh I highly doubt that when it comes to you, Katherine," Damon said lightly. Then without warning he snatched the book out of Bonnie's hand and leapt out of reach of both of them.
"Damon," Bonnie yelled out in surprise.
"Go ahead, take it. Just don't be surprised if she drops dead when she doesn't follow through on her promise," Katherine said, placing a hand on her hip.
"Now we're getting somewhere," Damon said with a smirk. "So you don't do what the bitch wants and you push some daisies? And here I was thinking you were smart."
"You don't know what you're talking about or what's involved, Damon. All you need to know is that I have it under control," Bonnie said angrily. Then using her power, she summoned the book out of his hands and back into her own before he could do anything.
"I see your parlor tricks work," Damon said with a frown. "Katherine, are you sure you want the Girl Scout version of a witch here pulling out the big spells?"
"I don't have much to lose if she doesn't succeed. IF she fails, she's out of the way and if she succeeds, then I get my way and leave. It's a total win-win, Damon. Just go with it, "Katherine said testily. "Besides, who better than a Bennett descendant to help me out."
"I say you just take the book and leave town and find someone who won't murder us all by a spell misfire," Damon said snarkily.
"I trust that when her life and the lives of other are on the line, she won't fail," she said with a grin at Bonnie as she yanked the book out of her hands. "I'll be on my way now. Rest up for tomorrow, Bonnie; you're going to need it."
"I want the book," Bonnie began again, but Katherine ignored her plea as she walked away from them, but not before getting some last words in.
"Don't think you'll get away with your attitude and your inability to keep our little deal to ourselves," Katherine said threatingly. "If it's one thing you learn from me, it's that I get what I want with no questions or demands made." And with that she disappeared.
"Just let her go. Maybe she'll trip on a branch and stake herself on the way out. Then you'll be out of the woods," Damon said, narrowing his eyes at Bonnie.
"What are you even doing here, Damon," she said turning to him annoyed. "I was close to getting the book until you showed up."
"Why are you even consorting with Katherine, Bonnie? That's the biggest question. Why should any of us trust you? What are you up to?" he said, tilting his head at her.
"If you would have just stayed at the boarding house, I would be explaining this all to you," Bonnie said in frustration as she walked back to her car.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't aware that I'm supposed to know what the dear Bonnie is up to 24-7. I wasn't part of your little failed spell circle. All I know from Elena, who was gnawed on my Caroline by the way, is that you were off to meet Katherine to give her a spell book," Damon said, holding Bonnie's car door shut. "So humor me a minute because I'm tired of wasting my time seeing what everyone is up to."
"It's Emily, ok Damon. She wants to bring Emily back," Bonnie said finally. "At the full moon tomorrow night, I'm bringing Emily back and it's going to work. And when it does….our problems will go away," she said with a grim smile.
Jeremy wasn't paying attention to the time as he idly sketched in his notepad, thinking of wolves, but apparently Jenna was counting down the minutes.
"She has 30 seconds till she's through that door in time," Jenna said from her pile of paperwork. "Then I'm going to go angry aunt on her."
"I'm sure she's just really involved in what she's doing," Jeremy said lamely. He knew that Elena said to stall her, but it was a bit easier said than done.
"Her project…I'm so sure," Jenna said, rolling her eyes. "I mean, I haven't seen her since the hospital. It's not like her to just not be around. Part of me is worried about her like something's wrong. And the other part of me is angry that she couldn't find the time to stop by. I don't ask for a lot Jeremy, but I'm still your guardian…your family. I deserve more."
"Jenna, you know we care about you," Jeremy said, tossing his pad on the couch and getting up. "I just think that Elena's had a lot to deal with since you've been in the hospital. I mean, she had to step up and watch over things here, not to mention watch over her basket-case brother."
Jeremy was trying to go for the pity routine in hopes of starting up a long conversation with Jenna. Elena would owe him big, he thought miserably as he waited for Jenna's analysis of him.
"You're not a basket case. A pain in the ass sometimes, yes," Jenna said with a smile, "but you're not crazy. You just need to figure things out and find something stable that makes you happy."
"And the fact that you brought up your craziness makes me think you're stalling," Jenna said, exhaling a loud breath. "I'm calling Elena."
"I'm not…."
"Save it, Jeremy," Jenna said with a grin. "You can at least tell her you tried. She's late and I'm not letting it slide."
Throwing her pen down, she grabbed her cellphone and scrolled through her contact list till she found Elena's number. She turned her head away to ignore Jeremy's furtive glances and attempts to dissuade her. After the fourth ring, she heard the phone pick up.
"Elena Ann Gilbert," she said, not waiting for Elena to begin talking. "You were supposed to be home 5 minutes ago," she said angrily. "And I seriously doubt you're working on a project right now."
"Oh," came Elena's concerned voice. "I'm so sorry Jenna I lost track of time. I was really busy. Can I make it up to you? Meet me at the grill and we can have a big I'm sorry dinner?"
"I don't know if you can win me over that easily," Jenna said impatiently. "I want you home."
"Please," she tried. "Just us girls alone. I will tell you everything, including what I was actually up to tonight. I'll even buy."
Jenna sighed and looked down at the papers she was going over. "Alright, but you are so not off the hook...and you're grounded for a week regardless. I know I'm not your mother, Elena, but I'm only looking out for you like she would want."
"I know, I'm really sorry," she said. "Meet you in?" she said, letting the time hang
"10," Jenna said with a sigh. "And you better be there or I will call in the National Guard and drag you home."
"Ouch, ok. Meet you in 10," she said hanging up the phone.
"So what's the plan?" Jeremy asked in confusion.
"I'm meeting up with Elena at the Grill and she's going to tell me what she was up to. And then I'm dragging her home and she's not leaving for a while," Jenna said with determination.
"She's actually meeting up with you at the Grill?" Jeremy asked in surprise.
"Is there a reason she can't?" Jenna asked, putting her hands on her hips. "If you know something I don't, you better tell me because I'll be really angry if she's standing me up or…"
"No, no. Go. I just didn't…never mind. You want me to come with?" he asked.
"Nah, it'll be just us girls," Jenna said, grabbing her coat. "See you later."
"Alright. Have fun," Jeremy said with a smile that quickly dropped as she left the house.
Sorry I took so long to update. I had another fanfic to work on and I promised to update soon so I made it a priority before updating this story. And I have to get into the groove of daily updates again. Hopefully that will happen soon. Anyways, enjoy and review. Title is by Sara Bareilles from her new album, which is amazing. Cheers.