The anticipated sip of amber liquor never passed her lips.

Rebekah snapped her head to the side, eyes narrowed as she prepared to deliver a tongue-lashing to the unfortunate soul who dared to yank her drink from her hand. Elijah raised his brow, his own ire fanned by his sister's vindictive actions. He watched her acidic reply die in her throat as she realized he was the one perched on a bar stool next to her.

"E-Elijah," she stuttered. She faintly cleared her throat, composing herself and making a lame attempt to feign indifference at his presence at the Grill.

This only fueled his anger, and he took a swig of the bourbon before setting it down with a resolute thud. "That's all you have to say?"

"I did what needed to be done." The set of her chin was an open challenge, a reminder of their departed brother's stubborn mindset as well. This was why his fair-haired siblings were often thick as thieves.

"And now Elena is dead after I promised to keep her alive."

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "I'm so sick of the knots everyone twists themselves in over this bland girl. So what? People die every day."

Red flashed before his eyes, her blasé indifference enough to send him into a rage. She was fortunate he refused to fly off the handle in a public establishment. His teeth were clenched as he leaned in, his voice low so no one else could hear the menacing edge that meant there was hell to pay.

"You purposely went against our agreed-upon plan and my word. You rendered it all invalid with your ridiculous jealousy. And you sit here before me, gloating. Do you understand that you stole her life? How can you show any pride in these deplorable actions?"

"Your agreement went out the window the moment Alaric staked our brother and turned him to ash before my eyes!" She snatched the glass back, giving him a derisive side glance as she finally took a sip. "Maybe you're satisfied to run again, but Elena Gilbert is no more important than our family."

"I did this for our family, Rebekah! And now you're saying I put her before you? Niklaus?"

"Yes, I am." He stared at her, mouth agape, but she didn't waver. "The truth hurts, doesn't it? You allow yourself to be manipulated by these damned Petrovas, and we all suffer for it. First Finn, now Nik... I refuse to be next."

She waited on his rebuttal, but he only let out a deep sigh. He couldn't wholly dispute her claims. Yes, he had admired Elena. He allowed her humanity and grace to enchant him - to get under his skin. Perhaps that made him pathetic as Rebekah had called him. But the darkness of the world needed to be tempered by compassion, and he couldn't sit silently as Elena's innocent life was extinguished. And for that event to occur at the hands of his siblings was his worst nightmare.

But there lie his conundrum, because he never wanted to lose his siblings either, even if they didn't often see eye to eye. Still, Elena hadn't played a direct or willing role in Klaus's death. That blame rested squarely on Esther's shoulders, and he knew those in Mystic Falls would be gunning for Rebekah now that she took matters into her own hands.

"You may find yourself on the wrong end of the white oak stake if you don't apologize," he said somberly. "Or even if you do."

She snorted. "As if you care. It's not like you'd mourn me anyway."

Her stool scraped loudly across the tile floor, earning glances from the other patrons of the Grill. She grabbed her jacket and purse from the backrest, throwing them over her arm as she started to walk away. He caught her bicep, and she glared at him.

"Let go. Before I cause a scene."

He loosened his grip, wary of her temper. "Where are you going?"

"Not to see the Salvatores," she replied. "I'm going to live my life, Elijah. And I suggest you do the same. Don't mope around Mystic Falls over what's already done. Damon and Stefan can take care of that."

His gaze narrowed, but she only smiled before walking away.

"Goodbye, brother," she called once she reached the door. "And you're welcome."

He gave a second's consideration to chasing after her and forcing to apologize, but he knew she was long gone once she passed through the exit. Rebekah had no immediate plans to show her face after that parting shot. He had to pick his battles, and his current choice was to make right by the Salvatores, if that was at all possible. He realized the loss of Elena may be insurmountable, but he had to try. He didn't want to spend eternity looking over his shoulder, not with the white oak stake still in play.

Elijah smoothed his jacket after he stood, and he placed a twenty dollar bill on the counter. The irony wasn't lost on him that his sister had been sitting on Alaric's self-designated stool.

oOo

The voices wavered in volume between shouting and despair and quiet concentration. One moment she felt like she was sitting in an isolated tunnel - the next a deafening hurricane. Her head was pounding in time to her pulse, and her vision blurred too when she could bear to open her eyes. Somehow this was worse than drowning... And why hadn't she died? She thought for sure she'd be seeing the light and the tunnel described by so many - not Damon's face. That was a shock to her system. She didn't want to be saved, dammit. Why were they always trying to save her? Didn't they see she was the root of the problems?

"...of course Meredith's not answering her phone! I swear to God, I will tear that hospital apart-"

"And what will that help?"

"Nothing, Stefan. Nothing. But maybe it'd make me feel better!"

"Go ahead and say it. You blame me. You would've saved her first. You would've let Matt die-"

"Yes! I would've let her hate me, so she wouldn't be like this right now. But you can't bear for her to be angry at you, so now she's dead. And that is your fault, Stefan-"

"Stop." Elena felt like she was on sea legs, and she couldn't do much more than stand without her head swimming and the light coming in at all odd angles. Objects jumped out at her and receded, and she had to force herself to breathe. But she had commanded their attention, even if she wasn't physically able to wedge herself between the feuding brothers.

Those blue eyes zeroed in on her in a way that made her stomach flip, and snippets of a memory came through...

It's because I love you that... I can't be selfish with you... why you can't know this.

Damon - he had made her forget something.

And right now, she could say nothing. Everyone's emotions were already set at high and on a collision course. That would bring the tension to nuclear levels. What Isobel had said was true, and they all knew it and tiptoed around it, but he had said it to her out loud at one point.

Sometime.

She didn't know when.

Still, hearing the echo of his words in her mind made them real, and if Stefan ever found out it would be so much worse. But that's what it was... why Damon was staring at her. He was angry, but he loved her, and he hadn't yet lost her. She focused on keeping her knees from buckling as the silence drew on a little too long.

"It's not Stefan's fault," she declared, crossing her arms. This was the part she needed to brace against because the top was about to blow from the dark-haired volcano. "He had enough time to save Matt and me but... I wanted to save all of you."

And there was the subtle shift of realization in both blue and green gazes.

"Elena -" Stefan started, but Damon was already moving in on her.

"You did this on purpose?"

If anger could make someone levitate he would have cleared the atmosphere by now and gone straight out into space. But he didn't get it, because she was always his priority in spite of the bigger picture.

Because he loves you, she thought, and she choked down a sob as she pictured what the aftermath would have been if she didn't wake up. What it still might be if she didn't turn.

"He wouldn't have stopped." She stared at Damon, as calm as she could while the urge to feed distorted the world around her.

"So we would have left town! Instead you killed yourself. And don't lie, Elena. You didn't think you were coming back."

"You're right. I didn't."

Damon made a disgusted noise as he turned away, but Stefan still stood watching her. And she was transported back to their hike before the sacrifice, when she tearfully confessed she never wanted to be a vampire. His face now mirrored his crushed expression then.

The six a.m. sunlight starting to filter in the windows made the room too bright, blown out like a daydream. She was momentarily distracted as the tiniest particles she'd never seen before danced and shimmered, and that's what she was certain she was suspended in. A dream.

She wasn't really going to have to make this decision, the one Stefan wanted to beg her to make yet didn't want to force her will. The thought of going on without her was making his brow weary, his inner turmoil of wanting her to turn but not playing out on his face. She wouldn't have to tell him that she didn't think she could do it, potentially sending him over the edge when he had to sit by and watch her die a second time. Her drowning mind was playing tricks on her... in a few seconds her imagination would go black and this would all be over. She'd be free.

Except everything turned sharp with the screeching of brakes outside. They all turned in the direction of the doorway, and she recognized Jeremy's panicked voice yelling Stefan's name.

She felt the blood drain from her face, and Stefan looked thankful to have something else to focus on, a situation to fix. "I'll talk to him."

He was out in the foyer before her brother barreled inside, and Elena sunk down into the couch cushions. She was suspended in the nightmare of witnessing what she had forgotten about in the cold watery depths. Jeremy. He would have been alone - completely alone. The irony was that she killed herself to kill Ric, their guardian. And that left no one to pull him out of this the way he needed. Unless...

"Matt was in an accident. They said someone died. Elena was with him. I know she was. I'm the one who carried her to the truck, Stefan!"

Damon sat down next to her with a sigh of silent reassurance, even if he was mad at her.

"I saw Ric… He came to say goodbye. But he couldn't die unless... she's dead, isn't she? My sister is dead!"

The way Jeremy's voice cracked then - Elena winced.

"I can't do this... but I have to," she whispered.

"I know."

She bit at the inside of her cheek as she looked up at him, the urge to cry overwhelming her. There were a thousand things she wanted to say. Elena wanted to pretend Damon didn't get it, but the problem was that he did. The difference was, he wouldn't let her off the hook like Stefan.

"You need to see something. But you have to promise me you won't freak out."

"What are you saying?"

She couldn't prolong the torture anymore. But Jeremy was no less horrified to see her materialize in front of him.

"Elena," he breathed, and his chest started to heave. "No, oh no, no..."

That was when she finally lost it. She clutched at Jeremy's trembling form, her arms circling around his neck as she tried to comfort him. But he was in shock, his mind overloaded, his arms stiff at his sides.

"I'm so sorry, Jer," she sobbed. She could smell the salt of her tears and the iron in his bloodstream when she burrowed her chin against his shoulder. She forced herself to ignore it, even though the vampire blood in her system was singing out.

Within moments, his hands were on her shoulders wrenching her away frantically, his eyes wide as his mind rolled forward. "Did you turn?"

"Not yet, but I can't leave you-"

"No, no - Elena, goddammit! You can't do this! You can't be one of them." Her shoulders rocked as he gripped at her, trying to make her understand. Damon was on edge in her periphery, ready to intervene, but she silently willed him to stay put. "You have to promise!"

He stood there, everything in his being hinged on her agreement. The moment she shook her head, Jeremy shouted again, his hands gripping at his hair. Elena worried he might literally tear it out.

His back faced her now, and she forced an authoritative tone to her voice. "I am not leaving you. I owe it to Mom and Dad, and Jenna, and even John-"

He whirled around. "They wouldn't want you to be a vampire! John died to keep you human."

That was the kick in the gut, his way of turning the argument. Her shoulders fell, defeated. But he didn't look pleased with himself. He looked devastated and terrified. He was losing his human sister either way. And that was why she knew she had to turn. He could be furious with her, but she couldn't willingly die if he was left behind.

"I know. They'd hate it." Tears started to fall again, and she rubbed them away. "Still, if it means the difference between someone being here for you... Jer, there's nothing worse than being alone."

His mouth opened and closed. She couldn't imagine everything he'd thought of saying, but she knew it all held the capacity to wound her. Ultimately, he only shook his head, muttering, "I - I can't."

He backed towards the door, keys in hand. Jeremy was leaving her.

"Please - we need to talk about this!"

"I can't be the reason you do this."

He turned to grab the door handle, but Damon was there, blocking him. "You're not done."

"I've heard enough for today."

"Just... let him go, Damon." Elena felt her heart in her throat, worrying about his propensity for impulsive violence. She wouldn't let herself breathe until he stepped to the side.

Jeremy didn't even look back.

oOo

Who knew Ric enjoyed barbecue so much? I'd say that's medium-well.

"It's not funny. I don't even know if I can salvage you."

Bonnie sighed as she stood over the coffin, the smell of charred skin and hair making her stomach churn. She forced herself to look. He wasn't completely burned beyond recognition - just partially.

Now's not the time for insecurity, little witch. I'm anxious to return to my body.

"Believe me, so am I."

Anyone who stepped inside the tomb would think Bonnie Bennett had officially lost her mind. But she did what she had to do, to save her friends and her mother. She hated Klaus Mikaelson with all of her being, but in those moments when Ric was closing in, she had to save him, too - by making him jump into her body.

It was a little different than the spell he'd used to possess Ric a few months before. This time, he couldn't take over without her consent. She controlled him, kept him safe from harm until she could sneak back into the storage locker and wheel his body out. Surprisingly he'd been relatively quiet, despite holding the upper hand here. Maybe he worried her temper might banish him somewhere worse.

She gripped at the white oak stake and yanked it from his chest. She stumbled backwards from the force, and it clattered to the ground.

Don't lose that.

"I know. I'll be keeping it."

We'll see.

"Yeah, I don't think so. You want out? I get the stake."

So give it to Elijah.

She considered it for maybe a millisecond... "No. Then you know where it is. And Rebekah too - you guys are like the Olsen twins of revenge."

His chuckle echoed between her ears. The Olsen twins... never imagined I'd be compared to a pouty pair of teenage girls.

"Oh, you've got the pouty part down. Now shut up. I need to concentrate."

He complied, and she dug the scrawled spells out of her pocket. One to reverse the effects of fire (after she'd heard how both Mikael and Finn had gone up in flames), the other to move him back into his proper form. She could have dragged the Bennett grimoires along with her, but they were too precious to risk having them in his presence. The Martins' interest in her magic had made her protective of it. She knew how easily it could fall into the wrong hands.

Bonnie next pulled a water bottle and hammered silver bowl out of her bag, and then she sat on the cool ground. She set rose quartz and hematite stones inside and then doused them with the water. She needed to heal his skin and infuse him with blood to circulate. This was the only way. She'd chosen large crystals from her collection, but she didn't know if it would be enough. She eyed the white oak stake... maybe she could draw on its energy.

What are you doing?

"Maybe we won't have to fight over this after all," she muttered, throwing the stake inside the bowl too. She blocked him out before he could protest. Then she sat cross-legged and she closed her eyes. Klaus was where she needed him - trapped inside a bubble in her mind, ready to leave. And she was going to get him there.

Bonnie began to chant low, the Latin phrases rolling off of her tongue as if it were second nature. As she became more practiced, she barely needed to look at the spells beyond the first few words - her body and mind took over, and she imagined that magic was as much part of her DNA as her greenish eyes and dark hair. She felt heat against her face, humid air, but she refused to open her eyes until she'd chanted seven times - once for each chakra.

It felt like a sauna by the time the last few words were uttered, but she slowly opened her eyes and looked in the bowl. Nothing left but rusty ash and a film of condensation. She scrambled to her feet with nervous anticipation - this was one of the biggest spells she'd performed yet. Alone, no less. She peered over the side...

It had worked! She couldn't help reaching forward to touch his unmarred skin. No illusions here - he looked perfectly alive or undead or whatever.

Bonnie could feel the exhaustion of power seeping into her muscles and mind. Normally she would stop now, take the time to pace herself. But she knew she couldn't truly rest until this was done. She took a moment to sip some water and stretch. This was the less taxing of the spells anyway.

Once she was certain she'd mustered enough energy, she placed her hands over Klaus's stilled heart and closed her eyes again. His anxiousness spilled over, washing through her. She took a deep breath to reassure them both. "Almost done. Just like I promised."

Within five minutes, she felt him shift under her hands. She opened her eyes and he was standing next to her, looking down at himself in awe.

"See? I knew you were more than capable."

She gave a satisfied shrug, not wanting to preen under his compliment. "What can I say? I work well under pressure."

He chuckled again. "That you do, Bonnie Bennett. And you took care of the white oak stake problem."

"Yeah, but... we have an agreement. I brought you back, you need to behave. I have other ways to take you down if you decide to 'slip up.'"

"Of course," he answered, bowing before her smoothly. His theatrics made the hairs on the back of her neck prickle, and she tried to shake off the ominous cast to his tone. "And now, if you'll excuse me... I have siblings to attend to."

She was alone again before she could make him give her his word.


LastDayOfTVD is the pen name of the writing team of NotEnoughPotter and LastDayOfMagic.