I won't even bother apologizing for my tardy update because it's really not even okay.
"You know I don't like it when you interrupt my beauty sleep," Damon said as he lazily sauntered into the parlor. The other vampires were already gathered around the fire discussing possible ways to rid themselves of Alaric.
Rebekah rolled her eyes at him. "You can return to your slumber. We're capable of doing this without you."
"Doubt it," Damon replied and turned his attention to the glasses and bottles of liquor on a table behind the couch.
"What if we use the girl to our advantage?" Klaus suggested.
"What if we cut the crap and plant a white oak stake in your chest?" Damon shot at him.
"She could play to our advantage," Elijah said quietly.
"Some of the people in this room actually see her as something other than an advantage or means of making a freaky little army," Damon said before taking a long sip of the drink he had prepared for himself. He winced a bit as the liquid seared his esophagus. He had been a little sloppy and his drink was a little too strong. Dealing with these idiots, it might be exactly what I need, he thought.
"You're absolutely right," Rebekah said with only half of her usual sarcasm.
"Really?" Damon raised his eyebrows.
"Yes. She means absolutely nothing to me," Rebekah smirked.
"Okay," Stefan threw his hands up. "Can we at least try to be civil? Please?" He took the silence that followed his question as a reluctant 'yes' and continued, "He obviously wants Elena. Why? We don't know, but maybe she'll preoccupy him long enough for us to strike."
"No," Damon said flatly and finished off his drink.
"There are five of us," Klaus pointed out, "We can protect her."
"Suddenly you're interested in Elena's safety?" Damon laughed and uncorked the bottle of Bourbon and poured himself another drink.
"I'm interested in eliminated Alaric because surprisingly I don't like the idea of someone being able to kill me," Klaus smiled humorlessly.
"We won't be sending Elena in blindly," Elijah cut in, "We'll be monitoring the situation. If she get put in any danger, we step in and detain Alaric. We don't understand what he's after other than killing us but this could definitely give us a clue."
"This really isn't much of a plan," Rebekah said crossing her arms over her chest.
"Unfortunately not," Stefan said watching the fire intently as if it were going to crack under pressure and reveal Alaric's schemes.
"When do we ever have a solid plan, though? And when do things really work out the way we plan anyway?" Damon pointed out.
"Make the call. Let her know how we're going to go about doing this," Klaus gestured to Stefan.
x~x~x~x~x~x
"I know. It doesn't sound very safe, but I promise you Elena, I won't let anything happen to you," Stefan's voice coaxed in Elena's ear. She moved the phone to her other ear and pinched it between her head and shoulder. She used her free hands to toy with her hair. It was a subconscious sign of her anxiety.
"Don't worry about me Stefan," Elena replied quietly, "I just don't want you or Damon getting hurt trying to do something chivalrous."
Stefan laughed and it almost sounded genuine if it wasn't for the slightly crazed pitch of it. "Elena. Chivalrous?"
Even though she knew that he couldn't see her, she rolled her eyes anyway. "I understand the danger that I'm getting into."
"Danger?" Katherine looked over at her twin. Her expression was neutral but her eyes shifted around Elena's face as if the answer to her question was hidden there.
Elena half shrugged at her and turned to look out the window. "I'll be fine, Stefan."
"I love you," was his answer.
Elena's natural response would be to reply "I love you too" but for some reason she held back. She watched the scenery flash past on the other side of her window. She turned to the woman in the driver's seat. Katherine had returned her attention to the road. Elena could tell that she was trying to maintain a cool exterior but her jaw was clenched and her knuckles were turning white from gripping the steering wheel too tightly. She had been perfectly fine until Elena mentioned the potential 'danger' she was getting into.
"I'll talk to you soon," was Elena's response and she hung up. "Are you okay?" she asked Katherine quietly.
"Yeah. I'm perfectly okay," Katherine replied. There was a subtle edge to her voice. It was quiet for a few moments before Katherine turned to her twin, "Elena, I could turn this car around and we could just…drive. We don't have to know where we're-"
"Katherine," Elena interrupted, but Katherine continued.
"Where we're going. We can just drive. Hell, we might end up in Mexico. I've never actually seen Mexico before."
There was something almost childlike about Katherine right now. Her eyes were bright with possibilities and hope. Elena almost felt cruel for denying her. "Katherine I have to do this. Alaric's got Jer. He wants to murder everyone I hold dear. For once I'm able to do something."
"Offering yourself up for slaughter isn't doing something Elena. You're not helping anyone by getting involved. I think it would be better for Damon and Stefan and the originals to just sort everything out on their own."
"You're not thinking of anyone else but yourself!" Elena accused.
"Maybe you should spend less time thinking about everyone else and more time thinking about yourself," Katherine hissed, "You don't have to be a martyr Elena."
"I have to help!" Elena rarely raised her voice and her doing so shocked both of them. The rest of the car ride was accompanied by an uncomfortable silence.
x~x~x~x~x~x
Katherine pulled into the school parking lot and killed the engine. The two were still for a moment. Elena opened the car door silently and prepared to get out. "Wait," Katherine reached over and grabbed her arm. Elena turned to face her.
"I'm going to do this, Katherine," she said calmly.
"I know," Katherine replied. She leaned forward and closed her eyes as her lips met Elena's. At first Elena's lips were still, but soon she was returning Katherine's kiss. It wasn't like their other kisses. This wasn't passionate so much as sweet. There was no lip biting or silly tongue tricks. It was full of emotion and as they separated once more, they both felt a small sense of longing between them.
"I'll be fine," Elena said quietly scanning Katherine's face. Katherine was skilled at assuming an emotionless mask but her eyes always gave away her true feelings and right now her eyes read fear.
"I know," Katherine whispered, "If anything happens, you'll be protected."
Elena smiled and got out of the car. She walked briskly to the backdoor of the school and tried the handle. It was unlocked. She slipped inside and let the door shut behind her. The hallway inside was lit, but desolate. Her own footsteps echoed loudly. She realized that she had no idea where she was going. She paused before realizing that Alaric was probably in his classroom. She quickened her pace. She dreaded seeing the new Alaric in an environment that old Alaric loved. It would be like seeing Satan in a church house.
She slowed as she approached the classroom and she prayed that it would be empty. She tried the handle and it twisted easily. She pushed the door open slowly, half expecting to be attacked. The sight before her was sickening. Alaric was perched on the edge of his desk wearing a grin that would have been carefree if it weren't for the obvious blood lust in his eyes. "Hello, Elena," he said pleasantly, "please, take a seat."
Elena then noticed Jeremy who was detained in one of the desks in the front row by a thick string of barbed wire. It was wrapped around his middle, wrists, and ankles and he struggled against it which caused gashes to open up in these places. Duct tape prevented him from speaking. He was bleeding heavily but still appeared alert. "I'm fine right here," Elena said hollowly.
"SIT DOWN," Alaric boomed.
Elena swiftly obeyed, taking the vacant seat next to Jeremy's. He looked over at her, his eyes were wide and fearful. She smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring way. "It's going to be okay," Elena whispered.
Alaric scoffed and Elena turned to him. "She's lying," he told Jeremy flatly. "I told my wife the same thing after she was mauled by that freak show Damon Salvatore. I knew it wasn't going to be okay, but hell I said it anyway."
"We are going to walk away from this," Elena said. She wasn't talking to anyone in particular, but it sounded a lot more probable when she said it aloud.
"Jeremy might. You won't" was Alaric's reply.
Elena's veins turned to ice, "Why not?" she asked shakily.
"Well, because I'm going to do what should have been done the minute those filthy, blood-sucking, murderers the minute they showed up in town," Alaric smirked.
"Murder them?" Elena raised an eyebrow. She was surprised by her own cheekiness.
"Yes," Alaric said haughtily. "And unfortunately, like every one else, I need your blood." Elena shook her head and Alaric laughed. "I don't need your permission Doppleganger. I only used Jeremy to lure you away from the protection of your friends. You have no say in what happens from here."
"How are you going to kill everyone?" Elena asked. She was surprised that she was able to keep her voice even.
"I'm not revealing my plans to you. You just keep quiet and cooperate. Come on now." Alaric offered a hand to help her to her feet. She looked at it for a moment and then looked up at his face and shook her head. Alaric pouted, "No? Oh well." In a split second he had Elena hoisted up on his shoulder and was carrying her like a firefighter carrying a victim out of a burning building. Elena thrashed and beat his back with her fists.
"Put me down!" she yelled.
"Someone needs to be detained." Alaric set her on the floor and she scrambled up and threw herself down the hall. Unfortunately, Alaric had the gift of super human speed. He had her ankles bound and she toppled to the ground, hitting her chin on the tile. It split open and blood was now pooling beneath her face. Alaric forced her wrists behind her back as well and tied them there. He then flipped her over and slapped duct tape over her mouth. She wriggled and mumbled and tears were spilling down her cheeks due to the pain in her chin. Alaric set her back upon his shoulder and made his way down the hall.
x~x~x~x~x~x
Stefan heard the commotion in the hallway and moved toward it. He wasn't sure if the situation had escalated or not. All he had heard was Alaric and Elena's yelling. Then he smelled it. It was faint and sweet but it was unmistakable. Elena's blood had been spilled. He took off at full speed down the hallway. Rebekah and Damon were already wrestling with Alaric. Elena was curled up on the floor. He ran to her as Damon and Bekah wrestled with the undead vampire hunter. He ripped the tape from Elena's mouth.
"Stefan," she breathed.
"I'm getting you out of here," he said. Behind him, Elijah and Klaus had joined in the fight.
"Jeremy," she said urgently motioning toward the door to the history room. Stefan stepped inside and immediately got to work on freeing Jeremy.
"Thanks," Jeremy mumbled trying to wipe the blood from his wrists.
"Jeremy, I need you to take Elena and get out of here," Stefan instructed.
Jeremy nodded and swiftly left the room. Stefan followed him and sprang to join the fight.
x~x~x~x~x~x
"Tear him apart!" Damon shouted. He took ahold of one of Alaric's arms. Bekah had a hold of the other. Elijah and Stefan had his legs. The four tugged in opposite directions and the limbs tore themselves from Alaric's torso which fell to the ground.
His head wailed in pain until Elijah stamped on his neck. The head detached from the torso and lulled idly on the ground.
"Now what?" Bekah asked, viewing the limbs with disgust.
"Keep them separated. Burn them I guess. Sink them in different oceans, maybe?" Damon offered.
"So you don't think he's dead?" Stefan asked.
Elijah shook his head. "He'll probably be able to reassemble himself first chance he gets."
"Good job, team," Damon said with a smirk of satisfaction. His expression quickly fell.
"What?" Rebekah asked, noting his obvious change in demeanor.
"Where's Klaus?"
Once again, thank you ALL for following this story and for the supportive comments and for just being amazing