With a disappointed look on her face, Grace grabbed her bag and got out of the estate. Should Damon tend to the mess in the kitchen if they simply left her alone without asking her to come. It already had gotten dark and it got colder and colder. Grace shivered and rubbed her arms to warm herself. Her steps quickened as she wanted nothing more than to get home and into her cozy warm bed after taking a hot shower.

But then the lurking feeling of being watched consumed her. She stopped and looked around but saw only the dark woods across the street. Immediately she remembered all those animal attacks and quickly turned around only to be stopped by Elijah, who suddenly had appeared on the street in front of her.

She didn't know why, but she all of a sudden felt frightened by his sight. Never had she felt like that in his presence. But the way he looked down to her had changed. His dark eyes were cold, filled with rage that was on the surface, ready to break through. Grace surely didn't want to be close when that happened.

"Elijah...what are you doing here?"

Taking a step back, she uncomfortably looked around. Yes, why was he here? They all had vanished from the dinner party and Grace had thought he was with the others.

"I'm so sorry, Grace. Never had I thought...I never wanted to get you involved in this."

For a short while his chocolate depths seemed to melt, but unfortunately not for long. Grace felt fear creeping up her spine and she took more and more steps back, her instincts driving her. But Elijah didn't let her out of his gaze and followed her.

"W...What do you mean?"

She was all alone with him here. No house was in sight as the Salvatore estate was located a bit farther away from the town. No one would hear her scream. To be honest screaming was the last thing she thought about right now. She was so confused. Grace had learn to trust Elijah and now he seemed like a completely different person.

"You have to come with me, Grace."

He held his hand out to her and Grace stopped walking and looked at the hand he offered her. She realized the seriousness of the situation. Elijah was trying to kidnap her.

"No."

Now it was her voice that was cold. Bravely, she looked directly into his eyes. She wouldn't show him her fear.

"Grace, please. I don't want to do this. But it's necessary."

It was a grotesque scene. The man she had a deep crush on stood in front of her, all in his business suit, looking damn attractive as ever, trying to convince to go freely into the probably violent unknown.

Grace shook her head and did the only thing she could to right now. She ran. All the sport she'd been doing helped with her getting quite fast, but he was faster. Within a split second he appeared in front of her. It was inhumanly fast.

"I'm sorry."

He grabbed her upper arm and pulled with her. Fear was about to consume her, she feared for her life and she couldn't believe how dumb she was to trust Elijah Smith.

They drove through the night silently. He hadn't hurt her, but forced her into his car. Grace stared out of the window, trying to concentrate on a way to escape from this.

"Where are we going?"

It was the first thing she said since Elijah had grabbed her. He didn't spare a glance and stared on the road.

"To find your sister. She's in your families' lake house if I remember right."

Grace shook her head, tears crept up to her eyes. She told him where Elena had went today. It was all her fault.

"What has she gotten herself into?"

She tried to hold back the sobs. Hearing her pain, Elijah looked at her. His hand hovered over hers, but he decided it was inappropriate to touch her.

"Grace, I...it's not your fault. I have no choice. They didn't leave me a choice."

Her hands clenched into fists. She felt her nails digging into her flesh. He actually sounded like he really pitied the situation. It was nearly funny.

"I asked you what is going on here!"

All of a sudden, she hissed at him as an answer. She couldn't hold it back anymore. Loosing control always had been something she hated.

Elijah stayed silent for a second. It was his time to find humor in the situation. He would've hurt or even killed every person who spoke to him like that immediately. But not her. She was special. He would never touch her that way.

"No one around you is who you think they are. Not even your sister. Not me. I'm one of the monsters that was lurking in the shadows of your nightmares. A creature that people tell tales about to scare their children. I'm a vampire, Grace."

Again Grace reacted completely dysfunctional. She broke into hysterical laughter which turned into sobs by the time. Grace felt her mascara burning in her eyes and smearing dark shadows under them.

She couldn't believe what he said. He must be crazy. Mental. Completely off the rails. Ill. But he then told her the whole story about her sister being a doppelgänger, of the Salvatores being vampires, too. Of Original vampires and a sun and a moon curse that was actually a hybrid curse that his lunatic brother wanted to break. Bonnie being a witch. Tyler Lockwood being a werewolf. Alaric and John being vampire hunters.

It was all too much for Grace, but in a strange way it made sense. All the secrecy her siblings and their friends kept right in front of her nose had a reason. It was real. She wasn't crazy.

"That means I'm leverage so you'll get to my sister?"

She pulled her legs onto the seat and hugged her knees close to her to get warmer, not caring if she ruined the expensive car's seats. An eerie coldness had gotten to her. Elijah immediately reacted and turned the heat of the air conditioning up.

"Her friends tried to kill me at the dinner party. That's why everyone left. They just did it the wrong way. You know, I'm one of the first vampires to ever exist. I'm quite more resilient than them."

He still motioned with his hand when he talked. He was still the charming man she got to know. But now he spoke of vampires and other supernatural creatures and he was kidnapping her to get revenge.

"Why don't you kill me? It would be a fitting message."

She said with a calm voice. It may sound crazy, but it was what she would do in his position. Elijah's head shot around and his dark eyes bore into hers. She returned the gaze tiredly.

"I would never hurt you, Grace."

He peaked her interest with that and a new spark flamed in her eyes. Hope. Hope that she would get out of this alive. But also curiosity.

"Then I'm a really bad leverage."

Her forehead sunk back onto her arms. She stopped thinking about ways to get out of this. Never could she fight him. He was undead, god knows what could stop him.

"The point is, they don't know that I wouldn't hurt you. They think I'm just using you to get what I want."

Grace closed her eyes.

"Aren't you doing that right now?"

Long silence erupted and Grace waited for his answer. This question wasn't meant rhetorical. But she gave him time to think.

After seconds that felt like forever Elijah sighed and finally spoke.

"No."

This little word changed a lot of things. Things that Grace thought much about the past few days. But before she could say anything else, he stopped the car in the middle of a wood. Grace knew this place. It was close to the lake house. She was quite happy that she didn't have to say anything else, it was getting too complicated.

Elijah got of the car and opened her door before she could get out. Again he held out his hand for her, but she ignored it. He knew that she wouldn't try to flee. She was smarter than that.

"Listen, Grace, I won't hurt you, nor your sister. We'll get her out of this, away from the danger the Salvatores are causing. I tried to let her live her life, but she and her friends couldn't stick to a rules. But she'll have you if you want to come with us."

Grace looked at him speechless. Was he serious? She snorted and shook her head unbelievingly.

"So you can sacrifice her on a bloody altar? No, thanks. Right now I can't to anything, but believe me Elijah, I will find a way to stop you."

She said her words calm and slowly, right in her face. But deep inside her she was surprised by her bravery. When it came to her family, she wasn't a coward.

"I found a way to spare her life in the ritual, without getting her turned into a vampire. Please, Grace, I need you to trust me. I know I don't deserve it and for that I'm deeply ashamed, but…"

Grace lifted her hand to stop him from talking.
"...you have no choice. I will not trust you, but I'll shut my mouth for as long as I see it possible and won't intervene."

Without waiting for his response, she walked ahead, knowing exactly where she had to go. Elijah seemed satisfied with her answer as she heard him following her.

They reached the driveway of the lake house shortly after. The house was dimly lit, a red old-timer stood in front of it. They were here.

Grace stood back and watched Elijah. He was focused, like he was trying to listen to something. Bending down, he grabbed a handful of small stones from the path. When he stood back up, he played with the stones in his hand and Grace asked herself what she was planning to do.

All of a sudden, he threw the stones against the wooden door and it shattered to pieces. Grace's eyes went wide in shock, how could he be so strong? She never would stand a chance against him.

"You know, I might not be able to enter this house...but I'm a very patient man. I'll wait you out."

He raised his voice. Grace remembered something from ancient occultism. Tales, that told that creatures of the night couldn't enter a home without getting invited in. Which meant he couldn't get into the lake house...but their home in Mystic Falls was a whole different story. She herself invited him in.

Elena stepped in front of Elijah, but stayed safely behind the doorframe. Her doe eyes fell onto Elijah, but they widened when she saw Grace, who stepped closer when she saw her little sister, but was stopped by Elijah's arm stretching out in front of her.

"No, no, let her go! She hasn't done anything to you! I know they shouldn't have done what they did, but she doesn't know anything."

The younger Gilbert started to panic. Elijah grabbed Grace by her wrist and pulled her close to him. It must've looked horrifying to Elena, but Grace wasn't afraid anymore. Deep inside her, she trusted Elijah to not hurt her.

"Oh no, she does know now. The deal is off."

Elena's eyes shifted to Grace who gave her a death glare. When this was all over, she would leave. She couldn't trust her own sister anymore. But she needed her older sister for her protection so this was a matter she had to think about. What was sure is that she was beyond mad and disappointed in Elena. Never had she thought that she would keep something like that from her. Grace could've helped.

"I'm renegotiating."

She saw that Elena pushed the guilt washing over her away for now and tried to stay strong.

"You have nothing left to negotiate with."

Grace noticed that his grip wasn't bruising her. He kept his promise, he wouldn't hurt her. But his voice told a different story.

Elena ripped her older sister out of her thoughts when she shocked her by pulling a sharp knife out. Her face didn't show any sign of fear. She was so brave.

"I'd like to see you lure Klaus into Mystic Falls after the doppelgänger bleeds to death."

Elijah didn't seemed to be impressed. He just rolled his eyes, thinking she was bluffing.

"Stefan won't let you die."

He said confidently.

"No he won't. He'll feed me his blood to heal me and then I'll kill myself and become a vampire just like Katherine did."

It was a point where Grace didn't understood anything at all and just concentrated on Elijah's reactions. This affected him, but he still played it cool, making sure that he was in control of the situation. He surely was someone not to be messed with while negotiating. Grace feared that Elena underestimated him.

"Promise me that you won't harm anyone I love. Even if they've harmed you."

To be completely honest, she could understand Elijah's reasons. She saw the hole smeared with blood in his usually neat suit. He had been offering a deal to protect Elena and they were trying to kill him. Couldn't they use their heads for a second? With that stupid move, they lost a powerful ally. Even Grace figured that out, even if she didn't understand half of it.

Elijah's fingers squeezed Grace's wrist but not in a hurting way. It showed her that he was actually struggling, like something inside him seemed for assistance from her. Over the past weeks they had worked perfectly together, Grace felt this connection, too.

But the pokerface was quickly back on his face and he looked at Elena unaffected.

"I'm sorry, Elena. I'm going to have to call your bluff."

This was a dangerous game from both sides and both of them knew this exactly. A game with high stakes at a high price. Elena risked everything. She took a deep breath in and stabbed herself with the knife.

Elijah and Grace jumped forward, Elijah being stopped by and invisible wall. Grace tried to grab her sister, but she pushed her away hard and she stumbled back.

„NO!"

The Original and the girl screamed in unison.

"Yes, yes you can have your deal! Let me heal you."

Elijah said desperately.

"Give me your word!"

Elena groaned and Grace tried to reach her again, but she was pulled back by Stefan who she tried to fight. But he was also too strong.

"Elena!"

She yelled with tears in her eyes, afraid for her sisters life, not knowing that she easily could be healed.

"I give you my word."

With that Elena stumbled forward and into Elijah's arms. But then everything happened too fast for Grace to understand. Suddenly, Elijah groaned in pain and his skin turned grey before he fell backwards. Stefan rushed to Elena and bit into his wrist and offered her her blood.

Grace stood there frozen, the shock taking over her. She couldn't hear anything. After a while, she took one step after another and broke down on the porch. But not next to her sister. She fell to her knees beside Elijah. Her hands touched the black veins that covered his face's skin. He was dead. He looked so dead.

She didn't knew why that made her break down. Tears flooded her cheeks and she looked down to him in horror. Elena yelled her name, but she didn't really notice it.

Shortly after she was grabbed by two strong hands that pulled her up. Grace tried to get free, but his grip was like iron.

"Grace. Gracie. Calm down."

Damon's eyes bore into hers and she felt her body doing something strange, something she didn't want to. She relaxed.

"You will forget everything that happened after the dinner party. We had a nice evening and you went home. You drank a little bit too much and immediately went to bed. You'll just remember that Elijah left town after the dinner."

Grace's eyes fell shut and she went limb in Damon's arms. No one was sure if she was unconscious or if it was the compulsion.