ELIJAH'S FACE WAS PINCHED with concern. "Perhaps we should go, Cassie." I could tell he wanted to talk to me. At least he was courteous enough to stay out of my head while I was upset.

I looked at him then shot my eyes to Damon. "Bourbon?"

He nodded and poured the drink without question. I noticed Elijah glance at his watch and frown. He obviously did not approve of my day drinking.

"If you have somewhere to be, Elijah, you can leave. I can find my own way home."

"Yeah. I can take care of Grimes here," Damon said.

Are you certain? he asked.

I nodded. I needed to be somewhere there were no reminders of Nik right now and home was full of them. Elijah bade his farewells and left with a last look over his shoulder.

"This will all be over tomorrow," I say to those left. "Just one more day." I knew my morose attitude wasn't inspiring any confidence in them but I didn't know quite how to pull myself out of it. After a bit of quiet conversation, Elena and Stefan got up to leave, Jenna followed behind. Damon took my empty glass and refilled it. "Salvatore, I need to get wasted today. Think you can help me with that?"

He licked his lips and smirked at me. "That just happens to be one of my specialties."

And help he did. By the time the sun went down I was well and truly drunk. And it was wonderful. I turned my phone off ages ago, not wanting to talk to Elijah or Nik and they were the only two likely to try to contact me. If it was an emergency they could always invade my head.

"If I didn't know any better, Salvatore, I'd think you were a little tipsy yourself."

He gave me that perpetual smirk of his. "Maybe I am. So what's this all about, Grimes? You drunk enough to tell me yet?"

"Just a bit of a disagreement with my boyfriend with psychotic rage issues. I'm sure it'll get better when his werewolf side is no longer dampened. Because werewolves are such rational creatures." I nodded before letting out a snort of laughter.

"He didn't…" Damon started then trailed off.

I was confused for a moment before I realized what he was getting at. "No. He didn't hurt me. Not physically." I sighed. "It's not really him I'm upset with anyway. It's me." I tried to think of a way to word it without telling him precisely what tomorrow would entail for me. "I gave him a present. I thought it was a nice present, a great present, but he never even said thank you. Never even really acknowledged I'd given it to him really. It just hurts is all."

"Well, if you ask me he sounds like a jackass."

"He certainly can be." Knowing it was past time for me to be heading home, I stood and put my glass on the table.

He stood as well. "You going to be okay?"

I took a deep breath. "Yeah."

"Come on. I'll walk you home." He started for the door.

"No. I'm fine. Big scary witch remember?" He looked like he wanted to argue. "I need some time alone, Damon. I'll be okay."

He walked me to the door and gave me a hug before I stepped out in the night. I slid my hand into my pocket and turned my phone on. I was at the end of the Salvatores' driveway before it quit chiming and vibrating. It began to ring almost immediately. I turned toward home and answered as I walked. "Hello."

"Just so you are aware, Niklaus is quite furious that he hasn't been able to reach you all day. And also, there is a distance limit on the mental communication apparently." Elijah's smooth voice ran through me, bringing a small bit of comfort with it.

"Is that all you wanted?"

"Are you okay, Cassie? I'm not sure I've ever seen you like this."

"Just celebrating my impending demise, Elijah. Why wouldn't I be okay?"

There was a stretch of silence. "Is there something you aren't telling me about tomorrow? You have your spell and my potion, I thought you said that would be enough."

"I might have overstated the abilities of my spell." I never would have made the confession if I hadn't had so much to drink.

"You need to tell Niklaus." He sounded sad. Maybe he'd miss me. At least a little bit. It would be nice to be missed a little.

Tears ran down my face and I sniffed. I'd been crying so much lately. I felt like such a baby. "He doesn't care, Elijah. He never did."

"How can you say that?"

"He's never asked me how I plan to come back. Not even once." I sat on the curb at the side of the road.

"You could drink some of our blood and come back as a vampire."

I chuckled. "Won't work. The Original witch bitch made sure of that. Untainted blood must be sacrificed. Did I mention that she really hates me? She's the reason I got stuck on the Other Side last time. I think she's also the reason you couldn't find me when they kidnapped us. She'll be happy to see me die. It's okay Elijah. This is what I was spared for after all. I'm just feeling sorry for myself."

"Let me come get you." There's a pleading note in his voice. I hung up without responding. I flip through the texts on my phone. All of Elijah's ask how I'm doing, if I need anything, can he please help me. All of Nik's are short where are you, call me, though the ones at the end were getting longer and more vulgar as he got more colorful with his language.

As much as he hurt me, he was still the one I wanted to see. I pressed the button to call him.

"Where the bloody hell have you been all day?" his accented voice growled at me. At least he wasn't infesting my uncle any more. I hung up. I started walking toward Ric's apartment. Either Nik was still there or Ric would be. Either worked for me.

My phone rang and I answered it. "Yes?"

"Cassie," he seethed.

"Niklaus." I needed another drink. The night air was sobering me up too much.

"What are you doing?"

"Walking."

"Alone?" He sounded concerned.

"Don't worry, hybrid. I won't die before I've served my purpose." I hung up again. It wasn't long before he fell into step with me.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" His voice was low and calm. Apparently, his concern for me had overridden his anger.

I shook my head but didn't answer. If I spoke I was going to start crying again.

"Cassie." He grasped my arm, drawing me to a stop and turned me to face him. One look at his furrowed brow and I started to sob. He pulled me against his chest. One arm wrapped around my back while his other hand held the back of my head. He made shushing noises while I clutched his shirt and emptied out my sorrow.

"I'm sorry," I said finally and pulled away.

He looped an arm around my waist and pulled me to his side as we continued to walk. "Now tell me what's brought this on, love."

"Only if you buy me a drink first."

He chuckled and I let him steer us down the street. I was surprised when we ended up in front of Ric's apartment. "Why here?"

"I compelled Katherine not to leave without my permission. Since then she's taken vervain so the best way to insure we don't lose her is to leave her here. Your uncle is passed out on the couch, though he should be right as rain in the morning and Greta and Maddox are at the house."

"All right. Ric's bourbon it is."

I followed him up to the apartment and immediately went over to check on Ric. He appeared to be sleeping peacefully. I got a pillow and blanket from his bed. I propped his head up on the pillow and covered him with the blanket after I took his shoes off. Katherine was sitting in a chair off to the side with her arms folded and a scowl on her face. I ignored her. When I turned to the kitchen Nik already had two glasses of bourbon poured.

I sipped at one and then led him over to Ric's bedroom. After closing the door, I cast my silence spell and sat on the edge of the bed. He sat next to me so our sides were pressed together. "Talk to me, sweetheart."

My shoulders slumped as I twirled the drink in my hands. "You once told me you liked that I didn't ask you for anything. I'm going to ask you for something now. I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to tell me the truth."

"All right."

"Do you even care that you have to kill me tomorrow?" My voice was quiet and broke on the last word. I felt stupid showing him my vulnerable side.

"Is that what this is about? Come here." He looped an arm around me and pulled me more tightly against him. He kissed the top of my head. "We can postpone if you wish. A month, six, I don't care."

I shook my head. "No. You've waited so long and you finally have everything you need. And I don't mind doing it. I'm not asking you to tell me you love me, Nik. I guess I just want to know you'll miss me if I don't come back."

He took the glass from my hand and sat it on the floor beside his. He tugged me closer until I sat in his lap. Looping both arms around me, he pulled me closer until my head was on his chest. I wrapped my arms around him. "What about Elijah's elixir?"

I didn't know Elijah had told him about that. "He wasn't entirely sure of it working the first time around. Now it's had five hundred years to sit around and lose potency."

"And your spell?"

"It's only effective about thirty percent of the time."

"You weren't planning on mentioning any of this to me?" He sounded hurt.

I shrugged. "I want you to be free, Nik. You deserve that."

He hugged me and chuckled. "I suppose it's just as well I have very little faith in anyone besides myself seeing to the things that need to be taken care of." His hand slipped into his pocket and dug for a minute before pulling out a necklace with a large oval lapis lazuli pendant. It was set in silver with a silver wolf howling in front of it.

He handed it to me and I ran my thumb over it as I looked at it. The magic in it buzzed along my skin. "A resurrection spell?" My eyes jerked up in surprise to meet with his.

He gave me one of his half smiles and pushed my hair away from my face. "You didn't think I was going to let anything happen to my girl, did you?"

I kissed him, trying to convey my gratitude through the gesture. He tangled his fingers in my hair and kissed me back as he lowered me to the bed. He pulled away only far enough to take off his jacket and drop it to the floor.

I laid a hand on his chest. "This is my uncle's bed, Nik."

"Then I'll try not to break it," he said with a wicked smile.

WHEN RIC WOKE THE next morning, I filled him in on what happened while he was out of it. Needless to say it wasn't the best start to the relationship between him and Nik. He left to go find Jenna and Nik and I ate breakfast. Afterwards, we went home to change. Fortunately Greta and Maddox were gone so it was just us and Elijah. Nik and I took a long, eventful shower together.

After we got out I checked my phone to find I'd just gotten a text from Ric asking me to meet him and Damon at the Grill for a drink. I showed the text to Nik and kissed his cheek. "I'll be back soon."

When I got the Grill, both men were sitting at the bar looking like their dog had just been run over. "What's up with you two?" I slid into the open seat beside Damon.

"Idiot here force fed Elena his blood. Now she's pissed at him," Ric supplied.

"Look, I screwed up okay? I panicked." He looked at me. "Can't you talk your boyfriend into postponing?"

I rubbed my eyes with my finger and thumb. How many times did I really have to go over this? "There is no reason to, Damon. Elena is not going to die and therefore will not become a vampire."

"Hello, sweetheart." Nik's voice came from behind me and I spun on my stool.

"Hello, Nik," I said with a smile. "Damon, Klaus. Nik, Damon Salvatore. You already met Ric."

"Klaus," Damon said with a sour expression. "I don't suppose you'd consider postponing for a month?"

"You can't be serious." Nik glanced at me. "Is he serious?"

I gave him a tight-lipped smile. "Of course he is, Nik. We can't risk having the precious Elena angry with us despite being told about a thousand time she'll be perfectly fine." I snatched Damon's drink and downed it before setting the empty glass back in front of him. "I'll wait for you by the door."

I could feel their eyes follow me as I walked away. Unable to resist I cast my spell for enhanced hearing. "I don't usually make a habit of allowing those who harm my family to live. I do so only at her insistence. She is correct that Elena will be unharmed at the end of the evening. However, to break the curse I do have to sacrifice a Petrova. Not that I expect any of you to care."

I dropped my magic as he made his way to me. I laced my fingers in his and he brought my hand to his mouth to kiss the back of it. I followed him out the door. We returned to the house so I could prepare for the ritual. I changed into the shortest pair of shorts I could find and a tank top before pinning my hair up on top of my head. I wore the amulet that held the power I'd drained from Bonnie. Nik and Elijah followed me out to the greenhouse.

I placed four stone bowls, representing the four elements, at the cardinal directions placing the herbs I'd mixed together days before in the appropriate bowls. "As our other witches are otherwise occupied or dead, I need your help. I'm going to cast my resurrection spell. When I put my hands flat on the ground instead of having them fisted, I need you to dump the bowls onto the ground where they are sitting." Both brothers nodded and moved to opposite sides of where I sat up.

I handed my blade to Nik. "I need you to slice my palms."

His jaw grew tight but he gave me a short nod.

I took a deep breath before holding my hands in front of me, palms up. Nik sliced across both of them with one movement, sending stinging pain flaring through me. I dripped my blood into the bowls before laying on the patch of grass in the middle of them. I closed my eyes and focused. The harsh scent of burning herbs soon filled the air. I began to recite the spell, drawing on the power in the amulet to help me cast a stronger spell. Once I had repeated the words three times, I placed my palms flat on the ground.

Clothing rustled as the brothers moved to do my bidding. Power radiated to me from each bowl as its contents were given to the earth. A crackle of energy surrounded me, made the hair on my arms stand up. Then there came a moment that felt like the air itself inhaled and released itself across my body. I opened my eyes and held up my hands. "Help me up."

Each brother grasped a wrist and pulled me to my feet. "You don't see that every day," Nik said beside me. I looked over my shoulder to see lightning bolts burned into the ground around the outline of my body.

"Does that mean it worked?" Elijah asked.

"Well, boys, let me put it this way. Between that spell, Nik's amulet and your potion, if I don't come back. The universe really wants me dead."