Ok. I'm exhausted from work. So I apologize if I missed any grammar/spelling errors during my read through. Blah. I don't understand how I'm even alive right now.


Avery gracefully made her way through the crowds just to get away from Damon. She was edging away from the main area of the party, hoping Kol would be able to find her easier that way. The music was getting faster and lively. The energy at the party was changing. While everyone became more enthusiastic, Avery stood in the doorway of another room. She looked out into the party with interest. It was almost like she was invisible to everyone else.

A girl, just entering the great hall, caught Avery's attention. She was beautiful and blonde, wearing a white glittery gown. It seemed as if she was trying to be discreet. It took a moment for Avery to register that it was Caroline Forbes. Even after all of her friends' pleads, Caroline still disobeyed them and decided to come to the ball anyway. Avery wondered what it was that drew the vampire. She didn't understand why Caroline had such motivation to attend the ball. Was it possible she felt something more for Klaus than anyone believed? Avery shook her head, telling herself that it wasn't important right now. What mattered was that she wouldn't be safe in Mystic Falls if anyone saw her and talked enough for Sheriff Phillips and his family to hear about it.

Avery was about to warn her to leave when someone wrapped a hand over her mouth, dragging her into the empty room she had just been standing next to. She tried to make any noise or movement that would catch someone's attention. But everyone was preoccupied and there were too many guests for her absence to be noted. The door was immediately slammed shut. Avery tried to look around, but the room was completely black. The only light was a sliver of moonlight coming in from the windows. She was pinned to a wall, finally able to face her captor.

"What the hell are you doing here, Ben?" Avery shouted as soon as his hand was removed from her mouth.

"I needed to talk to you." Sheriff Phillips said calmly. But he wasn't wearing his uniform. Instead, he was dressed in black jeans, dark boots, and a black sweatshirt with which he had the hood up. He looked so much younger, not like the sheriff of a small town. Avery tried to remember if there was any other time when she'd seen him out of uniform.

"Are you suicidal? You shouldn't be here. There is a mansion full of vampires and werewolves who want to kill you!" She warned. Even after the stunt he pulled last time, she still didn't want to see him hurt.

"You need to stay away from the original family." He stated roughly. "Your association will only cause you pain. I don't want to see you get hurt because you are stuck in the middle of this fight."

Avery shoved him off of her, annoyed by the lack of space between them. "Save it. I don't want to hear anything you have to say to me. I think it's time for you to go." She started walking toward the door. "I need to find Kol." She informed him, trying to bring him up to remind Sheriff Phillips that he was the one she loved.

"Good luck with that." He muttered darkly. Avery could immediately tell by the way he said it that there was a double meaning. Her heart started racing when she realized what was going on.

"What did you do?" She asked calmly. But he only smiled gloomily. "What did you do?" Avery repeated even louder as she shoved him. He wasn't going to answer her though. Her breathing was heavy now as she tried to think. As a sudden realization hit, she looked up at him. "This was all part of a trap. You grabbed me so he would come looking for me." She lurched for the door handle. He didn't bother going after her. But it didn't matter. The plan was through.

Avery felt like she was hyperventilating. The dress was now becoming a nuisance as she tried to fight her way through the masses. As she maneuvered through people, her eyes desperately searched for someone who could help. A minute later, they found Elijah who was walking away from her.

"Elijah! Elijah!" She shouted as she rushed in his direction. A human wouldn't be able to catch her yelling through the people and music. But he immediately stopped walking and looked right at her. He could tell just from her voice alone that something was wrong. Elijah was at her side in a split second. There were so many people that he didn't have to hide his vampire abilities.

"Something's happened to Kol. Sheriff Phillips is here. They tried to lure him by making it seem like they'd taken me." Avery was gasping for air as she explained the best she could.

"Stay here." He stated calmly.
But Avery wouldn't agree to it. "No. I have to help you find him." She could tell that he was getting ready to argue. "They won't hurt me, Elijah." Ben Phillips may have lost his way, but it didn't seem like he or any of his family would harm a human. They were after the supernatural, not their own kind. Finally, Elijah nodded his head, understanding that he wouldn't be able to change her mind.

The two of them walked to an empty hallway. Usually Elijah would use his hearing to find Kol's location. But with the music and conversation, mellowed sounds were impossible to pick up. Avery started to lose hope. The mansion was huge; there were so many rooms they could be hiding in. She had already lost track of the time since she had last seen him. They were probably too late. Avery wouldn't let herself think of what could have happened to him. What if they did find a way to kill an original? Was that it? Was Kol already dead?

But Elijah looked like he had thought of something suddenly. He started walking with a purpose through the hallways. Any guests would be too afraid of forgetting how to get back to the party to be so deep in the house. But Matt came out of nowhere. He saw the panic in Avery's expression right away. She grabbed him before he could ask any questions. "Go find Rebekah and Klaus. Grab the Salvatores. Just get help!" He could tell the task was dire and nodded before running away. Avery tried to keep up with Elijah's pace as she recognized he was heading toward an exit that lead to the outside estate. They were going in toward the place Hayley had smelled the scent. That was what Elijah had remembered. Whoever had been spying was probably trying to figure out how much visual anyone inside would have of that part of the yard. There were glass doors that lead to the area.

They were headed toward glass doors that lead to the area. Avery was somewhat hopeful when she saw shadows moving in the darkness. Someone had cut the outdoor lights. The beams from the party were the only things that made her able to see anything. Elijah sped his pace, and opened the door. Avery gasped when she saw Kol fighting half a dozen men. They were all dressed in black, making it easier to spot him. Their hoods were up and Avery saw that all of them had silver crosses on that shined in the moonlight

Kol was outnumbered, which shouldn't matter when it was an original against humans. But they seemed to be trained on how to fight a vampire and were armed with weapons Avery had never even seen before. Elijah had left her side to aid Kol, but more people had appeared out of nowhere. Avery realized they were coming from the surrounding forest. Just as she started thinking of a way to help, Kol gasped when a dagger was thrust into his heart. His body slowly started shutting down. He fell to his knees and collapsed to the ground, completely lifeless.

"No, no, no." Avery whispered as she felt hot tears already streaming down her cheeks. The men changed their attention to Elijah now. And she took advantage of it as she ran to Kol's side. His skin had turned a disturbing grey and veins stuck out strangely across his skin. Avery kept trying to tell herself he wasn't really dead. But he was so lifeless; she couldn't help but doubt the hope. She was too in shock to think of taking out the dagger. And a part of her was too scared that it wasn't what she was supposed to do. Avery's eyes raced across the scene, trying to put together what to do. Elijah was fighting off man after man at blurring speed. But Avery didn't believe he could keep it up much longer. She should try and find people to help.

But just as she was about to stand up and regretfully leave Kol's side, she felt a brush of wind. The dagger in Kol's chest had been removed. Avery's eyes shot up in just enough time to see Hayley hurl it in Elijah's direction. He had been momentarily distracted and the dagger drove straight into one of Elijah's attacker's chests as his back was turned. The man had another dagger in his hand, which was already extended and prepared to drive it into Elijah's chest. But he groaned in pain as the dagger stabbed his heart, causing him to fall to his death. For a brief moment, Elijah looked down at the body, a little stunned.

Avery looked back at Hayley to see her ripping off her mask. She raced over to Elijah's aid, killing two men instantly by grabbing both daggers in her hand and slicing their throats. Between her and Elijah, the rest of the hunters were killed in minutes. Just as Elijah ripped out the heart of the last assailant, Rebekah and Klaus rushed out the door onto the yard. A few steps behind, was the rest of the group. The Salvatores, Elena, Bonnie, Matt, Caroline, and Jeremy looked around, expecting more danger to come at any moment.

Hayley ignored all of them, rushing back to Avery's side. "Are you okay?" She asked quickly. There had been no time to see when she'd first arrived on the scene.

Avery shook her head as tears continued to fall. She couldn't stop them. The trauma and fear was forcing emotions on her that she didn't want to deal with. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why hasn't he woken up?" Her voice shook as she asked.

"Avery, he will be fine. I promise. It just takes awhile for him to recover." Hayley explained carefully. She was trying to handle Avery's hysterics and shock with ease. Avery nodded, trusting what Hayley said. Then Matt appeared at her side. She hardly felt him gently put his suit jacket over her shoulders because her thoughts were so scattered and worried. Her entire body was shaking uncontrollably and she didn't even notice.

"Come on, Avery. I'll take you home." Matt said softly.

But Avery immediately protested and shook her head. "No, I'm not leaving him. I have to stay." She gasped. Matt was torn on what to do. He glanced at Hayley who just nodded, telling him she would take care of her if she stayed. He stepped away, seeing that he was clearly not wanted. As he walked toward the door, Elena muttered something about him taking Jeremy home with her. Jeremy was about to protest but knew they would all be on the same page eventually.

Klaus grabbed one of the daggers from Hayley's hand. It was covered in blood. "I thought all of them were thrown at sea just like the stake." Hayley said darkly as she watched him observe it. A part of her wondered if he had hid them, keeping them around to threaten his siblings with. The prediction was the reason she pointed her anger at him.

"We did." Klaus said calmly. "These are different. They've created their own." He was somewhat stunned by it, never even considering the possibility. But he was the original hybrid and therefore they wouldn't work on them.

"This was their great plan? Dagger all four of you and then what, throw you in the ocean too?" Damon chimed in. He sounded unimpressed. All the talk of fearing this family and their plan was no better than any of his.

"It's too simple." Elijah stated. Avery looked down at his hands to see they were covered in blood. She would never be able to rid the images of him ripping out heart after heart and then tossing them to the ground as if they were nothing.

"If they were able to make those, who knows how many more they have." Hayley pointed out. Avery noticed how closely Elijah was watching her. It seemed as if he felt like another hunter would come out of the darkness, taking her away from him forever. But if Hayley hadn't come along, Elijah might be in the same state as his younger brother was now.

"What if that was just the first part?" Avery whispered. Everyone's attention focused on her. "They were going to dagger all of you, causing you to become desiccated and completely defenseless. Then they would actually kill you." The group was surprised by Avery's thoughts. She could be right.

"But with what?" Hayley asked the question everyone was thinking.

Avery hadn't figured out that part yet. And she didn't have the strength to dwell on it. Her eyes went back to Kol, who was still lost in between life and death. Hayley read the concern on her face. "They'll move him inside. Come on, let's get you upstairs." Hayley instructed softly as she gently helped Avery up.

"Get everyone out of here." Klaus instructed Rebekah. The rest of the group was preparing to leave. There was nothing else to do tonight. Avery glanced over to see Caroline and Klaus watching each other. They were impossible to read. And she didn't even know if she could call it a moment. But it was over before she could distinguish anything from it. Caroline quickly turned and followed her friends back into the mansion to leave the ball.

Hayley led Avery not far behind them, and led her to one of the more hidden staircases. Avery heard the music stop and then a fire alarm of some sort start. She could hear the slight panic as people interpreted it as a sign to leave. Rebekah must have set it off on purpose.


Kol shot up right. There was no peaceful way to wake up from the dagger. It was like coming up for air after nearly drowning. He gasped and then slowly calmed when he realized he was in his bedroom. The hunters clearly hadn't succeeded with their plan. Kol then heard her heartbeat, and glanced to the side. Avery was asleep on the bed next to him. She was no longer wearing her gown. An oversized sweatshirt and shorts were in its place. Her hair was now was cascaded across the bed in midnight curls from being in the fancy up-do earlier.

"She wouldn't leave your side the whole night." Kol turned his head to see Hayley leaning in the doorway. She'd must have heard him wake up from across the hall. "She said she didn't want you to wake up alone." Hayley added as she tossed him a blood bag. He caught it easily.

"What happened?" Kol asked softly, making sure not to wake her. But he was actually asking if everyone was all right without showing that he cared.

"Everyone is fine. Elijah and Avery came out just as you were daggered. I found all of you a minute later. These weren't just any humans, Kol. They're trained and they know how to fight vampires. I've never seen anyone last so long against our kind. They need to be taken seriously." Hayley urged. She hoped now that everyone had seen the damage the hunters could cause, the originals would start taking the danger seriously. She didn't want anyone else to get hurt.

"They trapped me at a moment of weakness. I was caught off guard." Kol growled. He refused to agree that their new enemy was a true threat.

Hayley sighed. "Well, maybe you should take it more seriously, Kol." She glanced at Avery who was still breathing heavily. "There are people who care about you…care if you get hurt. And I'm not just talking about her." Hayley was mature but sometimes she was just like him and Klaus: unable to tell people that she cared about them. Hayley had been just as scared as Avery; she only handled it differently.

Kol watched her carefully before she disappeared from the doorway. He glanced over at Avery who was lost in her sleep and pulled the blanket over her. She stirred a little. Gradually, her body signaled for her to wake up. Her eyes flickered open and immediately landed on Kol's. She instantly sat up at the sight of him finally being awake.

"You're okay." Avery gasped quietly. Her hand cupped his face, proving to her that he was all right. Kol grabbed it and held onto it. Avery quickly hugged him, holding on as tightly as she could. He froze for a second, not prepared for such a reaction. But then he embraced the contact. No one had ever been there for him when he awoke from being daggered. It never occurred to him how sad that was until she made sure it didn't happen.

"Avery, I'm fine." He whispered in her ear as she finally pulled away.

"I know. I was just really scared." She stated. "I don't ever want to see you that way again. I kept thinking you were dead, no matter how many times I told myself that you would wake up. It was horrible." Her voice was quiet and uneven as she was lost in her thoughts at how terrifying the night had become.

"Shh." Kol calmed her as he pulled her toward him. Avery gently laid her head on his shoulder and he held her close. "Just go to sleep." He ordered softly.

"You need to be more careful, Kol." She muttered faintly. "I can't lose you. I don't think I could do that again." He closed his eyes at her words. But she couldn't see it as her head rested against his shoulder. There had never been anyone in his life that would be so destroyed by his death. He suddenly realized that this was what it felt like to be loved.

"I won't leave you." He promised her. "I can't… not after everything. You've given me an actual reason to stay alive." Before her, he just wandered through immorality with no purpose at all. Then Kol thought about someone harming Avery to get to him now that the hunters' plan hadn't worked. "Nothing is going to happen to you." The very idea made his body tense.

Kol realized he wasn't actually saying what he wanted. If he couldn't keep all the promises he was making to her, he should at least tell her what she deserved to know. But he couldn't help but hesitated. His voice lowered and was filled with sincerity. "I love you, Avery." It lingered in the air, both of them absorbing the words. "And that's why I'm going to do everything in my power to keep anyone from destroying that. You're not going to lose me." He didn't need to hear her say it back. Everything she had already done for him was enough. But there was a beat of silence after Kol said he loved her. With her steady breathing, he thought maybe she had fallen asleep.

"I love you too, Kol." Avery sighed. It was if she was relieved that they didn't have to keep it to themselves any longer. She'd already known her feelings for him. But if they learned anything from tonight, it was that they couldn't live in fear. In this new world, nothing was promised or guaranteed. The only thing they were sure of was their love for one another. It was what they needed to hold on to.


Gah. so tired. review. can't think. whatever.