Disclaimer: I own neither Twilight nor the Vampire Diaries.
Thanks to my pre-readers, Dark-Supernatural-Angel and TheSuperNinja'sCrabcakefor leaving me their thoughts and corrections on this chapter. All/any mistakes are mine.
Enjoy.
The world seems not the same
Though I know nothing has changed
It's all my state of mind
I can't leave it all behind
I have to stand up to be stronger
I have to try
To break free
From the thoughts in my mind
Use the time that I have
I can say goodbye
Have to make it right
Have to fight
'Cause I know in the end it's worthwhile
That the pain that I feel slowly fades away
It will be all right
I know
I should realize
Time is precious
It is worthwhile
Despite how I feel inside
Have to trust it'll be alright
Have to stand up to be stronger
-Within Temptation
.
.
"Hi, Tyler."
The teenager looks up, his eyes crinkling around the corner in confusion when he realizes his health teacher is sitting next to him…in a bar.
"Mr. Lefebvre," he greets back, trying to mask his discomfort.
"Please. We're not in class. Call me Jason." Jason orders a glass of gin.
Tyler starts pushing his tequila shot glasses away from him with his pinky, trying to be discreet, but the smirk on Jason's face informs him he's failed.
"Are you okay?"
Tyler rocks his head. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because you've been distracted lately, and I'm pretty sure I've noticed some cuts on you."
Tyler shifts his eyes to his fingers, twining them together nervously. The intensity of Jason's eyes burns into his left temple, and Tyler is forced to meet his teacher's eyes. He stays silent, but his confusion grows as he notices a flash of yellow go across Jason's eyes for a time so brief, that Tyler believes he's just been mistaken. But there's a jaded, knowing look in Jason's eyes and that makes him curious.
"I've just been adding some late night activities to my agenda," he replies in a monotone.
Jason chuckles. "Tell me about it." He sighs, and then gives a knowing look to Tyler once again, hoping he'd ask before the teacher spills.
When Tyler doesn't say anything and instead plays with a plain, silver ring on his hand, Jason starts, "You know, I saw you coming out of the woods one night." With that, Tyler's head snaps up, eyes looking panicked. "Tyler, I wouldn't go in there if I were you. There are dangerous animals there." While there is only a helpful statement from the teacher, the tone of his voice is entirely different—it's knowing, as if he knows just what kind of animals are in the wood, as if he knows just who, or what Tyler really is.
Jason downs his drink like a shot and stands up, putting a hefty amount of bills on the bar. He claps his hand heavily on Tyler's shoulder, leaning in to whisper, "I'm not the enemy, Tyler; I'm just like you. I can help." He straightens himself up before pushing the tequila shots towards the younger boy. "On me. Relax."
Tyler is left to his own racing thoughts. While the teacher had said many things his mind can concentrate on, the main thing left on his mind is: enemy. Jason knew of Caroline's nature; he knew and now Tyler knows that. He'd said enemy with such distaste, as if he was disappointed in Tyler for being around Caroline. Why's there a sudden feeling of disappointment in himself? One thing's for sure: Tyler is going to go see Jason. There are too many unanswered questions to pass this opportunity up.
The thought that Jason might betray him or is lying didn't even come up in Tyler's mind. He just knows he has to go. He races out of his chair to catch up with his teacher.
.
.
.
.
Her eyes open with a snap, and she closes them immediately, the bright glare of the sun burning like a thousand little pricks. She groans, her throat feeling like sandpaper. A strong, gentle hand moves behind her neck and lifts her head up, putting a cool glass on her lips. She gulps down the water greedily, the chilled liquid providing relief. The red color behind her eyelids disappears and she peeks through one open eye. She opens both fully when she sees Damon standing by the now-closed curtains, sending him a thankful glance.
"What happened?" Her voice sounds groggy, as if she'd just woken up from a long, restful sleep.
"You fainted," Stefan's worried voice rings above her head. She notices his posture, his hand under her head and his arms practically cradling her protectively. Her eyes roam around his face rapidly, noticing the worrying lines on his forehead and his signature furrowed brows. The last time she'd seen that furrowed brow was when Damon had done something wrong.
"Fainted?" she questions back cautiously.
"Yeah. We didn't hear anything until you'd hit the floor." Stefan's eyes are more troubled than before.
"How long have I been passed out?"
She doesn't get an immediate answer, but she does notice hesitant looks that pass between the three people in the room.
"A few hours," Stefan answers.
Her head falls back onto the soft pillow and she groans. There's lingering effects of the headache—silent throbbing in her left temple, but she can't remember much. She remembers walking to Stefan's bedroom after talking to Damon about something and then it's black. There's nothing there; no memory. There isn't even a memory of her reaching Stefan's room. Her mind is dark, black, as if her memories have been erased.
Her eyes feel heavy as the fatigue catches up with her. With Stefan's comforting hand holding hers protectively, she slips into a deep slumber, not feeling the sharp intrusions on her mind.
.
.
.
.
Elena wakes again; her fatigue still apparent to her, but there is something nagging at the back of her mind, as if she's missing something important.
"Hey," a soft murmur startles her, and she pulls the covers up to her chest, as if they'll protect her against any danger.
Bella lowers herself onto the comforter of the bed gently as to not frighten the younger girl.
"How long…?"
"A few hours." The answer is vague, and Elena doesn't ask her sister-like-friend to elaborate.
"Where's Stefan?"
The worry hadn't been as apparent on Bella's face as it is now—her frown deepens and her brows come together to form two parallel lines between her eyebrows. She says her sentence slowly, "He's still in the tomb, Elena."
"What? But he was just here, with you and Damon."
"It was Bonnie here with us, Elena. She hasn't been able to open the tomb door yet."
With her thoughts racing, Elena falls back onto the bed in a restless position, with Bella's soothing hand running through her hair, rubbing her scalp. The hybrid doesn't leave Elena's side until she's sound asleep.
.
.
.
.
Magic perhaps isn't the strongest thing in the world, nor is love. Maybe it's will that's the strongest. After all, isn't it will that unites two lovers? It was Katherine's will to live that let her betray any one she loved. Bella's never found her will crumbling for anything she's wanted; if she loved, her will rose to give her the most courage to overcome any difficulties.
It is that will that allows Elijah to send a message to Bella, without the means of magic, without the means of any technological devices. It is because of Bella's will that causes her footsteps to lead her into an abandoned warehouse just a little outside of Mystic Falls. She can't let anyone else die so she could live, so she could be happy. This isn't who she is; this never was. The only thing she'd known was love that helped her survive all these centuries; first came the love of her sister, and then her niece that grew in her own womb and then finally, the love of a family and an equal standing partner.
"Isabella." The greeting isn't warm, nor is it cold. It's said with indifference, and Bella's stomach tightens as she turns around to face her savior.
"Elijah," she breathes out, her face stoic, but her eyes are displaying her emotions: happiness at seeing a familiar face, gratefulness at still owing him and guilt at running away with the baby.
"I won't waste your time; I heard you've been busy." It's not curiosity, nor disgust in his words. The indifference in his voice renders Bella with more guilt as she imagines the things he'd gone through because of her selfishness; he's just another person to add to that growing list.
He continues without waiting for a response thankfully, "It's time to pay me back." A debt to a vampire is just like signing your soul to the devil; there's no way to get out of repaying it.
Bella stands with her back straight, her face blank. It's clear to her now that this is just a business call; she'd been unwise to think of it as anything else. In a twisted way, it eases her because it's what she deserves; she's wrong to want anything else.
"What do you want?"
"The moonstone," he answers, without missing a beat.
"Why?"
"You know why."
"I want you to tell me."
Her arms come across her chest in a defensive stance. She's never seen this side of him before—she's never seen him since her 'death' period. He's changed, yet he hasn't changed at all. His long brown hair has been cut short, enough to brush off towards the side for a sophisticated look; the tux looks ridiculously thick on him, but it grants him a vision of charm. His eyes…the warm brown eyes she'd been accustomed to, the brown eyes that she'd kept in her memory have been replaced by years' worth of pain and wariness.
Elijah takes a step closer to her, and then another and another until he's close enough for her to breathe in his calming aftershave. "Klaus went into hiding."
"So I've heard." Emily hadn't mentioned it, but laying out her vulnerable cards on the table in front of the original wouldn't be the smartest move.
"I need the moonstone to bring him out."
"You want the history to repeat itself, Elijah? I needn't remind you of what happened with Katerina, do I?"
His eyes harden. "I've ensured it won't happen again."
Bella's curiosity helps her reach within Elijah's mind, trying to figure out his next course of plan. She can't wipe the look of sheer shock from her face in time as she finds it silent. He couldn't have known…there isn't a way for him to know unless he'd been keeping tabs on her.
"You didn't think I'd be keeping an eye on you, Isa?"
She shrugs in response, her mind working a mile a minute.
"I'll give you the moonstone," she says back, ignoring his question.
One side of his lips quirk up in a small smirk. "You want me to tell you why."
It's a statement, and even now, after all this time, he knows her so well. Elijah takes another step closer to her, moving just a bit to circle around her, his tux-covered chest brushing the length of her arm. He moves around her again, so that he is pressed against her back lightly. He tilts his head closer to the side of hers, his lips grazing her ear.
"No one knows Klaus better than you do," he murmurs softly, his voice a mere hum. Bella doesn't react to his close proximity; it's one of his intimidating tactics—nothing more than an action to gain the upper hand. Elijah steps back to being in front of her when she doesn't respond. "It can lure him out."
"You mean it's your last hope," she counters.
He hesitates before sighing in agreement.
Bella stares at the man who taught her how to be a vampire. She remembers him as being anally moral, do nothing wrong, someone whose entire life depended on his family…yet the man that stands before her today is someone who is looking for revenge, something that has been wronged and in the processed, has become wise.
He needs the moonstone, and what does Bella need? Trust. Time. To repay the favor to Elena for her strength. Would it be a fair trade? Her mind is made.
"I'll give you the moonstone, if," she starts, "If you do as I say."
His appraising look is all the approval she needs before laying out her plans in front of him.
.
.
.
.
The fire is harsh to look at for Elena, as her headache from the previous hours is still present. Stefan's entrapment with her look-alike isn't helping calm her state of mind. There are fuzzy details in her mind, but there are black splotches more so. She's thankful because it'll prevent her headache from increasing, but she resents the darkness because she cannot understand what is happening.
Damon is standing by the tomb entrance, waiting for Bella. He's quiet; very, very quiet. She doesn't know how to comfort him; she's lost a friend before, she's lost loved ones, but everyone's grief is different, as are their methods of handling it. Damon's changed from before, there is no doubt about that; with a bitter feel at the pit of her stomach, she realizes that she doesn't really know the man she once convinced to trust her with just a few sentences. He's so different that she's completely in uncharted territory as to how to approach him to comfort him.
Stefan seems the complete opposite of him; he's exhausted, and Elena's not sure if it's because of being stuck in the tomb or his lack of sleep for some reason. He's leaning on the invisible force of the wall of the tomb, watching Bonnie with a small, hopeful look in his eyes.
Elena doesn't even bother looking at Katherine; there is no need. She can already guess the bitter vampire's expression.
The flames increase as Bonnie's chanting gets stronger, each word being punctuated with emphasis before she falls to her knees as the candles around her go out, blood dripping from her nose.
Elena hurries to her friend, wrapping an arm around her shoulder to help the witch up.
"I can't," Bonnie pants, her expression of defeat. "I almost had it, almost." x
"It's okay," Elena murmurs to her. It's not, but there isn't much they can do.
"What happened?"
Elena's head snaps to see Bella walking slowly into the tomb. The thought of asking where Bella was stays rooted in her mind; she doesn't ask. She watches as Bella stops near Damon, as if she's gravitating towards him unconsciously. It makes Stefan's distance even more noticeable.
"The connection broke," Bonnie says in a monotone.
Katherine releases an aggravated breath, and when no one so much as looks towards her, she huffs and ventures back into the dark cave.
Bella shrugs. "There's another witch nearby that would always love to help."
"She's not ready yet." Elena's thoughts are ranging, from questions to inputs about why Bonnie wouldn't ask for Angela's help. Bella had proven before of Angela's capabilities.
Bella doesn't miss a beat. "Why don't you try channeling Emily?"
The witch looks at her with a confused expression, so Bella elaborates, "She's your ancestor, Bonnie. She would be able to lend you the extra hand you'd need."
"But…but I can't do that," Bonnie stutters.
"Why not?"
"Because I've never done that before. There's nothing about it in the grimoire."
Bella approaches the duo cautiously, as if they were animals she didn't want to scare away. She extends her hand, and Bonnie grabs it after a few seconds of hesitation. Discomfort with the situation is clearly displayed on the witch's face, but one look at her pleading friend has her mind made.
With Bella's encouragement, Bonnie starts to chant again, her eyes slowly sliding shut. Elena, Stefan and Damon watch in amazement as the candles light up, the flames licking the ceiling of the tomb and staying as high. Three things happen at the same time: Stefan falls face first onto the thick dirt floor, Bella speeds away from Bonnie, breaking their connection to keep Katherine from leaving the tomb and all the lights go out, leaving behind just a cold wind.
The moonlight from the entrance of the tomb isn't enough for Elena and Bonnie to move safely, while the vampires' eyes adjust to the darkness; Damon grabs them both and leads them outside, coming back for Stefan.
"I'm just going to get this taken care of," Bella informs Damon as his eyes find her. He nods, grabbing his brother and leaving the place in a mere blur.
Bella turns back to Katherine.
"Hi, Bells."
Bella's eyes stay rooted on Katherine as she calls out softly, "Elijah."
The widening of Katherine's eyes and her surprised gasp is all Bella needs to hear before she walks out, her ears trying to block out her descendant's pleading voice to be let go of. She doesn't react as Elijah compels the vampire, and she doesn't react when he comes up behind her, his hands clasped behind his torso.
"Done just as you wanted; Jonas made sure Bonnie did not feel his aura." When she doesn't respond, he continues, "I do hope you keep your end of the deal, Isabella."
"I will."
He leaves, and she closes her eyes to brace herself against the impact that she's certain is coming.
And just as she predicted, little piercings start pounding in her head, as Emily's words start floating in her mind.
"You're treading a dangerous road, Isabella. You're only leading yourself to the heartbreak." If only this path is easy to leave….
With that, Bella decides she'll tell Damon everything; taking advantage of his grief over Rose to sneak out to meet Elijah doesn't sound respectable at all. He'll protest, but he'll trust her in the end—his trust is all that matters at the moment for her; it's his trust in her that will help her gather her courage.
.
.
.
.
Elena's hand rubs Bonnie's back soothingly. She's a bit surprised at how calm her friend is acting, after the tomb spell exhaustion, as well as the finding out she'll be able to channel her ancestors. It's a scary thought for even Elena to entertain in her mind: to have that much power…or at least access to that power.
Damon and Stefan still aren't back, but Elena doesn't worry. After starving in the tomb for the past few days, Stefan would need his fill. The dynamics of their relationship has altered, Elena realizes.
"I'm fine, Elena." She isn't hurt that Bonnie shook her hand off; she'd been coddling her friend for the past few minutes a little too much; perhaps to show her gratitude for trusting Bella for her sake.
She can't, however, stop the sarcastic remark to fall from her lips, "Yeah, I can see that."
Bonnie shrugs helplessly, unable to pinpoint her exact feelings and describe it. "I just expected something else, you know?"
Elena shakes her head, so Bonnie keeps talking.
"Do you remember when Emily destroyed the moonstone with her connection through me? I felt this sense of security surrounding me; I felt at home, and I knew she didn't want to hurt me. It's a little like the same feeling I felt around Angela, as if I can trust her just because of her relation to me through her witch side. But today? I felt the opposite of it all. I felt cold, chilled to my bone; there wasn't any sense of protection. Maybe I'm just over thinking this." Bonnie's lips are pursed, her eyes narrowed in concentration.
"Or maybe it's because you still don't trust Bella," Elena replies.
Rendered surprised, Bonnie doesn't reply; this had been the same reason she'd been trying to convince herself of, but she's certain this wasn't it. Bella had nothing to do with that feeling of dread that crept up on her in the tomb for once.
But it wouldn't hurt to talk to her, Bonnie thinks. Bella's powers are known to her, even if the hybrid herself didn't showcase them. Maybe, just maybe, Bella would be the one to save Elena in the end after all. If not for anything else but her friend's life, Bonnie would have to grab the friendly hand that Bella had extended to her weeks ago. She'd do it for Elena. Just for Elena.
.
.
Hiiiii. It's been awhile, hasn't it? I was hit with a bit of writer's block, but the amazing ladies on Bambi's Beloveds cheered me right up and gave me the encouragement (read: push and a kick to the shin) to finish writing this.
As always, reviewers get a lengthy preview of the next chapter. Leave me some love? It helps me write faster. I also give lengthy teasers on Bambi's Beloveds if you're interested in them. ;)