7 New Deal
Both, Klaus and Jenna, had been sitting what felt like forever at the Mikaelson's dining table. Besides Klaus stood a pretty, young, compelled girl, who held her wrist out so Klaus could snack on her.
"I thought you said you were going to help me." Jenna was getting impatient.
After last night she had finally come down from her temporary power high and came back to the mansion. She wasn't sure how Klaus would react, but so far he was playing nice and they had a little chat, after which he said he would help her. Maybe he was scared of what Jenna would really do if he provoked her further or maybe he was just humoring her until he could get back at her. It remained to be seen.
"No, I said I would ask someone if they could help. I don't really think there is much I can do for you." Klaus said and added, "By the way, it's rude to watch other people eat."
Jenna rolled her eyes.
"Patience," Klaus smiled at her. It made Jenna nervous whenever he smiled like that and not in a good way, "Help is on the way."
And with that he leaned back in his chair and bit down on the young girl's wrist again.
xxxxx
"Explain this to me again." Damon said as he poured himself another glass of Bourbon. He couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. He rounded on Caroline, who sat on the couch in the Salvatore's Boardinghouse with almost everyone else present.
"Against your better judgment, you follow some questionable message left on your bathroom mirror and have not stopped once to inform anyone of your treasure hunt? And then you get yourself staked on top of everything else." Caroline nodded. "How did that happen?"
"I really can't tell you how it happened. First I talked and then Klaus got all weird and the next thing I know I'm on the floor with a stake stuck in my chest. At least he was kind enough to pull it out." Caroline recalled what happened and absently rubbed the stopped where the stake had pierced her.
"Explain the Klaus getting weird part." Stefan said and started pacing.
"Klaus looked my way, but it seemed as if he was focusing on something behind me. What he said about how everyone's dead and I, or whoever he was talking to, should just get over it seemed completely random because I had been talking about Jeremy."
Caroline sucked in a deep breath and finished the story for what felt like the hundredths time, "Suddenly someone staked me, luckily missing my heart. It hurt so much, but I admit it was different. It felt really cold where the stake pierced me, only for a moment, but I'm sure that's not normal. Because you know, I've been hit by wooden bullets before. That definitely felt different."
"If Klaus really hadn't been asking you to come…" Alaric looked over to Caroline for confirmation. Caroline threw her hands in the air, "He did seem genuine surprised that I showed up. I don't think he had been expecting anyone."
"…then there is someone else playing his or her game with us, or just with Caroline." Alaric finished his thought. Stefan stopped his pacing and turned thoughtful, "Or maybe with Klaus."
"Great, another enemy, just what we needed." Damon rolled his eyes and downed the last of his drink.
"Do you think maybe Katherine's back and playing games again?" Caroline shuddered. That was a scary thought. The last person Caroline wanted to see again was Katherine Pierce. But to her relieve Stefan reassured her, "There is no way Katherine would even consider coming close to this state as long as Klaus is still here. I think it's safe to rule her out."
Damon agreed with his brother. The front door opened and closed again with a bang. Someone was in a hurry.
"Has anyone seen Bonnie or heard from her?" Elena entered and scanned the people in the room, "We were supposed to meet earlier, but she never showed. I called her and I went over to her house, but I can't find her."
Everyone looked at each other with meaningful glances.
"Oh, she wouldn't…" Damon glanced at Caroline, unable to finish his sentence without pouring him another drink first.
xxxxx
Bonnie woke up with a start and a pounding in her head. She found herself in an armchair and she was definitely not at her house. The last thing she remembered was being on her way over to Elena's because they were going to try out a spell to locate the missing stake. Half way there she was ambushed by several hybrids. She took two of them down, but there were too many for her to handle on her own. One had gagged her from behind while another bound her hands together. After that everything went black.
"I see you finally decided to join us." It was Klaus. Bonnie held her head between her hands and tried to concentrate on what he was telling her, "I apologize for the way you were brought here. My hybrids were supposed to ask you here nicely, but that didn't work out, did it."
Maybe it was due to the pain in her head that she wasn't thinking clearly, but Bonnie tried to make a run for it. Klaus, being a lot faster of course, blocked her way.
"Listen up, witch. I'll make this really easy for you. You undo Esther's bonding spell and then you will be able to leave with Jeremy." Klaus took a quick glance behind Bonnie and received two thumps up from Jenna, who was watching the exchange from across the room.
"And to show you my good will…" Klaus turned slightly to the door and shouted, "Jeremy, you can come in now." Jeremy entered the room and took a seat. He seemed a bit out of it, as if he wasn't quite acting on his own accord.
"Did you compel him?" Bonnie walked over to Jeremy, but he didn't seem to even notice her.
She turned her back on Klaus and inspected Jeremy's wound on his neck. Jenna made her disapproval evident by the look on her face. There was nothing she could do about it, though. Except pick up a pillow from one of the armchairs and throw it at Klaus, simply because she could. It hit him in the back, making him turn and give Jenna a quick smile, before throwing the pillow back in the armchair.
"He's been here long enough for all the vervain in his system to pass. It makes things so much easier. He's instructed to stay here until I say otherwise. I also have his little magic ring, so I suggest you get to work."
Bonnie remained silent and went back to the armchair where she noticed her grimoire.
Rebekha chose this moment to enter the room and demand her brother follow her outside, because she had something to discuss with him before she left to have some fun of her own.
After Klaus followed his sister out of the room, Jenna went over to Bonnie and tried to read the titles of the spells over Bonnie's shoulder while she was flipping through page after page. Unfortunately not much of it seemed to be in English. So much for finding something useful.
"How's it going in here?" Klaus entered the room again and Bonnie straightened up, surprised. She hadn't heard him coming back, "I found the spell, but it requires blood from you and your siblings."
"I have the blood you need." Klaus informed her and Bonnie nodded. She started to set up candles on a small table.
Klaus watched her do it for a moment, hesitating. Jenna came up behind him and nudged him in the sides. Klaus threw her an irritated look over his shoulder, before he took a few steps towards Bonnie, making her look up at him.
"What do you know about ghosts?" The question seemed completely random to Bonnie, but she was going to play nice for Jeremy's and her own sake, "You need to be more specific than that."
"Let's say someone dies and they can't quite move on. What would one do in such a case?" Jenna unconsciously held her breath. Hopefully Bonnie would have an answer to this question. The witch turned thoughtful and really considered Klaus' question for a moment.
"I guess if someone is unable to move on then something's holding them back. Maybe they have unfinished business they need to take care of first or maybe they're just not accepting that they're dead. I really wouldn't know. I never encountered one." Bonnie said.
"That is her answer?" Jenna was not pleased with this outcome. Of course she had unfinished business. It's called living a full and happy life. And it wasn't as if she wouldn't know she was dead. She admitted that she had had a really hard time looking at her tomb stone last night, but who wouldn't? It was rather scarring watching herself get buried and mourned by everyone around her. Elena and Rick laying down roses was the single most heartbreaking thing she had ever seen and it was burned into her brain.
By now Jenna was off in her own world and paced through the room, "And to think that I staked Caroline for this. What a complete waste of time and effort. Me holding myself back, has anyone ever heard of anything more ridiculous? I'm the one who wants to get out of this mess." She was getting all worked up about this.
"I need the blood now." Bonnie informed Klaus and watched him nod and head for the door. Klaus was thankful for getting out of the room. Jenna was still going on and on about how she could not be blamed.
There was just one more question he needed to ask, "Do you think you could get rid of a ghost with a spell?"
Bonnie was getting suspicious of his questions, but answered none the less, "I don't think magic is the answer to such a problem. If a ghost or spirit is stuck, then in my opinion it's best to let them work it out by themselves. Mingling like that could end very badly."
Bonnie was satisfied with her answer, but still wondered where all the questions came from.
"But Esther is not a ghost. Her body's been preserved and that's why she was able to return to our world." Bonnie added, trying to figure out why Klaus was so interested in ghosts all of a sudden.
"I'll get you the blood now." Was all Klaus said before he left the room and headed over to another. He took his time in getting the vials containing his siblings' blood. Hoping Jenna would have maybe left, he made his way back to Bonnie.
No such luck. Jenna was waiting for him outside in the hall near the stairs.
"This is unacceptable. Make her tell you more. Have her do something." Jenna demanded and Klaus sighed and invaded her personal space, "Listen, I asked her and she gave you an answer. Just because you don't want to hear it, doesn't mean it's not true. If you're holding yourself back, then there is nothing left for me to do. This is your problem, not mine."
Harsh but true, Jenna thought and let herself plop down on the stairs. With her head in her hands, she started crying. It felt like it came all crashing down on her once again. She hadn't realized until now just how much hope she had put into Bonnie's answer and even Klaus.
Klaus tried to lighten the mood, "Yesterday you threatened to kill me and today you sit in front of me crying. Your mood swings are worse than my sister's."
She did not go for it, so he turned and started to leave, but after a few steps he stopped and walked back over to Jenna. There was something about a crying woman he couldn't quite ignore. It must be the last remnant of his human life, he thought. Klaus would never admit it to anyone, but sometimes it was not the worst thing in the world to be able to feel, no matter how many times he said the opposite. And of course he still needed that stake.
Klaus sat down beside Jenna, "Now, come on, no need to cry." Good thing no one else was here to witness him trying to comfort air. He didn't know how he would explain that one.
Jenna looked up at him, "I've been trapped on this other side for way too long now. All I can do is watch. No one sees me, no one hears me. Do you understand how frustrating this is? How alone I've been for the past months?"
It felt as if it was coming all out now. Everyone had a breaking point, even a ghost.
Alone.
He knew what being alone felt like.
"That's not entirely true. I do see you and I hear you."
Funny how soothing his voice could be when he really tried, Jenna thought.
"How about we make a deal?" Klaus started and made sure Jenna was looking at him, "I promise to find out how to help you and when I do you will give me the stake. You move on and I will destroy the stake. Then we're both happy." Klaus held up his hand and waited for Jenna to take it.
Jenna pondered his words for a moment. Could she really trust him to do that? He did look pretty sincere and she still had the stake. She smiled a teary smile at him and put her hand into his.
He squeezed it and she really wanted to believe him.
"Deal."
