Poison & Wine - Chapter XXXVII
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Elena and I stood by Meredith's side, watching as Alaric was preparing to be put into the MRI machine. It was the next morning, and we immediately came to the hospital when it was Meredith's shift.
"What are you looking for?" I asked.
"I don't know. A tumor, vascular anomalies, anything physical that might explain his behavior. If it's medical, I can treat it," Meredith answered, clicking some buttons.
"And if it's not?" Elena asked.
"Well, then we'll deal with that too." A technician slid Alaric inside the machine. I could see Alaric shift uncomfortably.
"When did you suspect him? That it was Alaric who was killing all of those people?" Elena asked her.
"It was after he told me about his ring. I remembered a story my grandmother had told me about Samantha Gilbert and her secret journal. I don't know if you know this, but we Fells are notorious busy-bodies," She answered.
"But then, why did you protect him?"
"Because I'm a doctor, I don't like to see someone hurt by something they have no control over. And because when he and I first met I felt like… I don't know, I-I just kind of want to help him," Meredith looked over at us with a small smile.
I smiled back. "Thank you for this, Meredith."
"No need for thanks, Andy," Meredith looked back over at Alaric and we could tell he was starting to panic. She spoke to him over a speaker, "Everything alright in there?"
"Yeah. Yeah, everything's okay," Alaric answered back. They finished with the MRI before he was sent to change and we girls went to look at the results. We were filled with disappointment at hearing nothing was wrong physically.
When we met back up with Alaric, he was in a regular hospital room still getting ready to leave. "Meredith says that everything is normal," Elena said as we entered.
"Yeah, well, everything is normal, because there is nothing wrong with me. I didn't kill Brian Walters, I didn't kill Bill Forbes, and I sure as hell didn't shove a hunting knife into my stomach," Alaric said, almost bitterly. Alaric looked down at the ring, which was the only thing he didn't pick back up. "Or I did and I've gone insane, just like your ancestor who—" He picked up the ring. "—wore that ring."
"Look, I'm gonna call Bonnie. The rings were made by a Bennett witch so maybe a witch can reverse the damage," Elena said.
Alaric pushed the ring towards us. "Take it. I don't want it anymore."
Elena took the ring and we both looked at Alaric. I nearly went to argue when Damon entered the room. "You ready to ditch this House of Horrors? Oh, you look terrible."
"Yeah, let me... let me check out of here," Alaric left the room. Elena gave Damon a hateful look and left too.
"She's so dramatic," I said to him before following them out. He followed me and we walked out of the hospital. He quickly went after Elena, leaving me standing there alone.
I watched as they had a heated conversation. I had never really given any more thoughts to them before as a couple, and now I was wondering if they would be good together. I wasn't sure; I'd have to see it first. The other thing that bothered me was the fact Stefan and Damon were siblings. It didn't seem right to have both these men – that are brothers – in love with you and choose one. Wouldn't you not choose either so you don't destroy their relationship?
I watched as Elena got into her car and give Damon another death glare before he turned and walked back over to me. "I know you may hate me right now for assisting in your Mikaelsons almost murder, but do you want to go with Alaric and I to that restoration fundraiser thingy for the Wickery Bridge?" He asked.
I stared at him a moment. Did he not remember that my parents died going off that bridge? I could hardly stand going across it. "Damon, I-I guess."
"Come on then," He put his arm around my shoulder and squeezed me just as Meredith and Alaric walked out of the hospital. "I'll be with you the entire time, don't worry."
"Ow," I winced. "I do still have a stab wounds, Damon. Can you please be careful?"
"Sure thing, sweetheart," He let go and placed a kiss on my head. What was he doing?
Meredith and Alaric got into her car while Damon and I got into my car. Damon tried to get me to him drive, but I refused to let him drive my car just like he does to everyone else with his own car.
When we arrived, construction workers were restoring the Wickery Bridge. The townspeople are there for the restoration fundraiser. We got out of my car and met up with Alaric and Meredith before hovering outside the crowd. Damon and I noticed Rebekah speaking to Carol Lockwood.
"Rebekah's up to something. She's been snooping around in places she shouldn't be," Damon said and I looked at him.
"What is she asking?" I asked, but Alaric cut in.
"Tell me again, why are we here?" He asked.
"Ric, the world can't stop just because you're an accidental psycho killer," Damon said, earning a glare and a punch to the arm from me.
"Do you have any tact whatsoever?" Meredith asked him.
Mayor Lockwood approached us. "Alaric, I'm glad you're here. Did you bring the sign?" Alaric was obviously confused, so she explained. "The restored Wickery Bridge sign. The history department promised me you'd have it today."
"I-I don't have the sign actually it slipped… it slipped my mind. I've been… busy," Alaric cringed slightly at his own words.
Mayor Lockwood was obviously disappointed. "Well, it's not an emergency. We'll just um – unveil it when the bridge is complete." She left then with a short goodbye to me.
"Get me out of here," Alaric pleaded.
"My pleasure," Meredith said.
"I'm gonna stick around for a bit," Damon said looking an unfamiliar redhead who smiled at him.
"Same," I said. I was curious to learn what he meant exactly when speaking about Rebekah being up to no good. As Ric and Meredith started to walk away, I asked, "Who is that?"
"Blast from the past," Damon said, grabbing my arm and dragging me with him. Damon walked over to the redhead while Mayor Lockwood was making a speech.
"Damon Salvatore, my favorite student," The redhead said.
"Sage, my hottest teacher. This is Andy Gilbert," He gestured to me before turning his attention back to her. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm just passing through," She said, eyeing me for a moment. Did she recognize me from somewhere or had she met Emmeline?
"Oh, come on, nobody just passes through Mystic Falls," Damon said.
Rebekah walked up to us. "Look what the cat dragged in."
"Easy there, Rebekah. You know she use to beat men for sport," Damon warned.
Rebekah went fazed. "She always was quite common."
"Rebekah. What a happy surprise," Sage said difficulty.
"What are you doing here Sage?"
"Well, I heard Finn was finally freed from that casket your rageaholic brother Klaus carted him around in," Sage answered her questioned and I flinched. So she knew Finn.
"Mmm, Finn, you just missed him. He left town and didn't tell a soul where he was going," Rebekah said, tilting her head.
"He probably went looking for me."
"Or quite possibly he forgot all about you."
"I doubt that."
"No? Cause he didn't seem to mention you. Sorry you came all this way for nothing. Have a nice life," Rebekah left then with a glance to me. My head had moved quickly between the two as they went back and forth. As Rebekah walked away I watched her with a frown. I didn't understand why she wouldn't speak to me.
"God, I hate that elitist Original bitch," Sage said.
"Careful, we got an Original groupie over here."
I stared at Damon, hurt by his words. Had he seriously just called me that? "Wow," I muttered before walking off from him. I went to the edge of the water and stared in the water. I didn't notice that Rebekah had walked up to me until she spoke.
"He misses you, you know," She said.
I jumped and turned to her. "What?"
"My brother, Nik," She exhaled as she looked out at the water. "He wouldn't admit it – especially to you – but he does."
"Well, that doesn't help anyone, does it?" I folded my arms. "He pushed me away, Rebekah, not the other way around. If he wants anything to do with me, he'll let me know, won't he?"
"But you won't have anything to do with him. He'll eventually come around – he listened to that voicemail a hundred times this morning, not even counting last night," She looked back at me and I felt myself blush slightly but I was angry as well. He had gotten it, but didn't call me back?
I exhaled and looked up at her with sadness. "Have you heard anything from Elijah? He didn't give me a number or any way to contact him so…"
Rebekah looked away from me now. "He continues to be his usual elusive self. I doubt we will hear from him anytime soon." She turned away from the water, still avoiding my gaze. "Give him a chance, Andy, and I know you won't regret it." She walked off then, surprising me completely. I hadn't expected her to advocate for her brother in that way, at least… but which brother was she advocating for?
I glanced around to see Damon making his way to me but I started to go toward my car. I was done with crap and just wanted to go home. "Andy, wait," Damon called but I ignored him as I got into my car and drove off.
When I got home, I noticed Meredith and Alaric in the dining room. She took his hand and put it in between both of hers. She smiled at him and he managed one back at her. I giggled which immediately drew attention to myself.
"Andy?" Alaric looked over at me.
I grinned as I moved past them and into the kitchen. "Oh, don't mind me. Please, continue."
"Where's Damon?" He asked instead.
"I ditched him after he called me an Original groupie," I got a glass and poured me some Apple Juice.
"Don't pay attention to him, Andy, it's not worth it," Meredith said.
"But it makes me feel gross, especially because he said it in front of that redhead Sage," I sat down at the table with them. "Plus, I had Rebekah tell me that I needed to give Klaus a chance and wait for him to come around again when he's the one who has been pursuing me and the one who blamed me for his mother trying to kill him."
"Klaus has romantically been pursuing you?" Meredith asked.
"Yes, he has," I took a sip of my drink.
"Which, if you didn't encourage it, he wouldn't be," Alaric said.
"I don't encourage it!"
Alaric gave me an 'oh really' look. "You went to the Mikaelson ball with him."
"As platonic friends."
"Do I need to bring up Portland or Homecoming?"
"I don't encourage it," I repeated, my tone low and dangerous now. "Besides, you guys let him kidnap me to Portland and none of you tried to get me back."
Right then Elena entered and Meredith excused herself to the bathroom. Alaric asked Elena to come join us so she took the seat beside me to my dismay.
"Listen, I want you two to have this," He said, pushing a pad of paper on it towards us. "This is a list of my bank accounts, passwords, where to find my will, and how to contact my family, just in case this doesn't go my way." I had never even thought of Alaric having another family other than us. It was his biological family, his parents and siblings. We had never spoken about his family now that I thought of it.
Elena pushed the pad back toward him. "No, no, no. Don't even think that way."
"Elena, I need to know that Andy, Jeremy, and you are going to be okay," Alaric said.
"We're all going to be fine," Elena was trying to stay positive, but that would hurt even worse if something bad happened in the end. Her phone rang then and she quickly answered. "Caroline?" She got up and walked away from the table to the windows.
Alaric pushed the pad toward me and I nodded slowly, closing my eyes tightly. I didn't want to think about any of this, I wanted to keep a positive attitude like Elena but that would be too difficult for me. Elena finished talking and walked back over.
"Good news? Bad news?" Alaric asked.
"Bonnie thinks that she can heal you with a spell," Elena said.
"Well, it's worth a try."
"But she needs something you wore before you put on the ring," Elena added. Of course there was a but, there always was. "Something personal."
Meredith entered the kitchen then. Alaric seemed to be combing his mind for something. "Well, there's uh – there's my wedding ring. It's at the loft."
"Okay, yeah, uh – that's a – that's a good idea," Elena nodded, obviously distracted by something else.
Alaric started to stand but Meredith pushed him back down. "I think it's better if you stay here with me."
"Oh, you and your tranquilizers," Alaric smiled small. "It's in the dresser by the kitchen. It's in a-an aspirin bottle, probably covered in cobwebs."
"Okay," Elena nodded, looking at Meredith before she left.
"Why didn't you go?" Alaric asked me.
I slowly stood up and lifted up my shirt to show the slightly bloody gauze. "I need to change this out and plus I'd rather not be stuck alone with Elena right now," I picked up the pad. "I'm going to be up in my room reading my Jane Austen. You kids have fun and come and get me when Elena returns."
Sometime in reading my book, I had dozed off. I was dreaming of Mikael and Esther both killing me with that dagger when I was jolted out of sleep by doors slamming.
I rubbed my eyes as I made my way to my bedroom door, but stopped when I heard Alaric scream in pain. I grabbed a stake from a hiding place in my room and crept toward my door. When I opened it, there was no sign of anyone. "Ric?" I questioned aloud. "Meredith?"
I realized how dumb I was the moment right after I said it. This was how the dumb people were always killed in scary movies because they always called out to the killer. I moved around the corner and closed my bedroom door behind me quietly. I crept down the hallway – watching my back, of course – and heard nothing else move throughout the house. I started going down the stairs when I was knocked down from behind, my leg landed right on the stake.
I cried out in pain and looked up to see Alaric slowly walking down the stairs. "Ric, I tripped down the stairs," I said, trying to make it seem like I hadn't felt him shove me. "What's going on? Where's Meredith?" This Alaric had cold eyes and didn't look right.
He bent down by my side. "Your parents would be so disappointed," Well, that was something I did not need to hear.
"Not as much as Jenna would be in you," I snapped.
"You're the one dating her killer," He then stabbed me in the same place Finn had days ago.
I muffled my scream. That hurt too much... I yanked out the stake in my thigh with a grunt and stabbed his side. I ran – more like I limped – as quickly as I could up the stairs. Halfway up he grabbed onto my leg but I kicked him as hard as I could in his face, hearing a crunch under my foot. I finished climbing the stairs then locked myself in my bedroom, collapsing on the ground. Everything went black before I could do anything else.
Esther shoved the dagger through my heart as Klaus stood outside the pentagram. Mikael stood by my side and shouted at him.
"Nobody cares about you anymore, boy!" Mikael shouted. I wanted to protest so badly, but I was too occupied with the pain of a dagger through my heart to do that.
I cried out Klaus and Elijah's names repeatedly, but no one came to help me.
I woke with a startle at sound of the doorbell. When it rung again and no one else seemed to be answering it, I sat up, gasping in pain. My torso was in pain and so was my head and leg. Standing, I used the walls and other objects around me as a crutch.
I went downstairs and to the front door to find Rebekah standing outside. "Rebekah," I yawned as I opened the door. "What can I help you with?"
"I need some of your blood so that witch friend of yours can unlink my siblings and I," She held out a vial and a knife to me. "Shall you or I?"
I sighed and took the vial along with the knife. I slashed across the already scar across my hand from Portland. I filled the vial in my hand up before closing it back up. "Tell Klaus you're welcome," I tossed it and the knife back to her before slamming the door and going to the kitchen; I patched up my hand before heading back upstairs.
Elena walked out of the bathroom. "Who was that?"
"Rebekah," I answered as I opened my bedroom door.
"What? Why was she here?"
"Well, she and I are acquaintances. She came to see how I was handling myself because, unlike others, she cares for my well-being," I lied as I looked over at her. "What's going on? Where is everyone?"
"Alaric's on house arrest after attacking Meredith and you," She explained. "Everyone's fine, though. Bonnie started to do the healing spell on you but you told her not to... that you wanted to heal normally."
I did? I didn't even remember that. I didn't acknowledge it as I turned away. "I'm going to work, see you in a while."
"Are you okay, Andy? I mean, you were attacked for the third time this month… and you were calling out for Klaus and Elijah all night," She walked closer to me. "Don't shut me out, Andy, we're—we're sisters."
"I can't talk about it, Elena, not now," I went into room and closed my door. Slowly I got dressed for work. Before I headed out, I decided to call Jeremy. He picked up on the third ring.
"Hello?"
"Jer, hey. It's me, Andy," I said as I sat on my bed. I almost burst into tears at hearing his voice.
"Oh, hey. What's up?"
"Nothing, I was just heading to work and wanted to check up with you. We've not spoken since you left, so…"
"Oh, sorry, I've been so busy that I didn't notice."
"That's good, Jer. I'll let you get back to… whatever it was you were doing," I wiped a stray tear away. We said our goodbyes before hanging up. It wasn't as long of a conversation as I had hoped, but it was good enough; I could actually let go of some of the guilt for Elena compel him because he was happy, or at least sounded like it.
I started to head to work and my thoughts had gone elsewhere. I was thinking of Jeremy and Alaric. What was going to happen to them? I knew Jeremy had worn the other Gilbert ring, so would he create another hunter ego like Alaric did? I got out of my car to head into work until I realized I wasn't at the Grill, I was at Klaus' mansion. I could only guess I was so caught up in my thoughts I wasn't paying attention to where I was headed.
Exhaling, I stared up at the windows, hoping to catch some glance of Klaus but seeing none. With disappointment I got back in my car and went to the Grill. When I got there, I noticed Elena was on her phone in the town square with Matt and Caroline by her side. Something didn't seem right so I limped over.
Elena hung up just as I reached them. We greeted one another before going back to their conversation from before I walked up. "Mr. Saltzman was like the most normal guy in town," Matt said and I cringed slightly at the topic.
"Yeah," Caroline said, sadness in her voice.
"Is it weird that Bonnie's not returning my calls?" Elena asked randomly.
"Is it weird that Klaus's brother is in the middle of town square?" Matt gestured over to Finn with Sage.
"That's Finn," I managed out with slight horror. Had he come back with Esther to kill me? And what was he doing with Sage? "I thought he left town."
Caroline pushed back her hair and listened in on Sage and Finn's conversation – or at least I was guessing that's what she was doing.
"Have fun," I muttered before going to the Grill.
Later that evening, Finn and Sage were sitting at a table together in the Grill, and they just happened to be in my section so I had to serve them. I was standing behind the bar on break, watching them. Stefan was sitting in front of me, obviously listening in on them.
Sage poured salt on Finn's wrist. She licked the salt off her wrist and shot the tequila and Finn did the same. Sage handed him a lime and he sucked on it. Finn said something that made Sage laugh. A man approached their table and greeted them before walking away. Matt walked up to their table to grab the glasses and Sage grabbed his wrist and said something to him. Matt nodded with a response before walking over to Stefan and I.
Stefan pushed a coffee cup to the side that Matt grabbed along with a coffee cup. "Since you're on break, I'll fix their drinks and have Alex deliver them," He said and I nodded okay to him. He walked off and I saw Stefan texting something.
I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something wasn't right. They were planning something again. I watched Alex, another waitress, placed two tequila shots on Finn and Sage's table. Stefan got up from the bar and started to leave. I followed him but made sure he didn't see me.
Stefan stopped and stares back at Finn and Sage, then walked out the door. I followed him around a corner. "What are you doing, Andy? Go!" Stefan hissed but I didn't move.
Finn and Sage walked around the corner to us and Stefan went to stab Finn, but Sage grabbed him and threw him down on the ground. The stake fell down the stairwell.
That was a white oak stake… that could kill Klaus and all the other Originals.
"Finn, the stake!" Sage yelled. Finn ran down the stairs to grab the stake and was about to grab the stake, when Elena and Matt burst out a back door.
Elena shot Finn in the stomach with the crossbow and Matt came in and stabbed him with another stake, directly in the heart. "No!" Sage screamed.
I screamed, falling to the ground. My heart felt like it was exploding and I began sobbing. My body felt like it was one fire and the pain was excruciating.
"Andy, come on," Stefan picked me up, but I wasn't moving on my own so he had to run away with me in his arms. Finn was dead. Were all the other Originals? I couldn't feel anything except what felt like a gaping hole in my chest.
We got to the Salvatore boarding house just as Elena did, so obviously Stefan wasn't running as quick as he could have.
"Andy?" Elena asked when she saw me. I stared straight ahead, tears streaming down my cheeks.
"She followed me out," Stefan explained as we headed into the house.
"Andy," Elena sighed. We entered the library and I was sat down on the couch where I curled up in a ball. "Hey," I heard Elena say. "How's Alaric?"
"He'll be okay. I gave him a bottle of Bonnie's herbs and he went home," Caroline responded. "Oh, did you guys kill Finn, did it work?"
"Nothing worked until I see Klaus' dead body myself," Stefan said and a whimper escaped my lips. They had planned to kill the Originals… even Elijah.
I suddenly gasped as I realized that I had given Rebekah my blood earlier. She said she needed it to unbind the Mikaelsons. They all looked at me as I sighed with relief. The others had to be alive.
A phone rang right then. "Bonnie. Where have you been?" Elena answered then there was a pause. "Klaus should be dead. They should all be dead, we just killed Finn… Okay, Bonnie, where's Damon? Are – are you okay? No, Bonnie just…"
I let tears fall from my eyes. They were okay. They were alive.
"What's wrong with her?" Caroline asked, probably meaning me.
"She is connected to them – the Originals, I mean… She feels the pain they do," Elena explained.
"Can Bonnie unconnect them?"
"No, it's permanent," I said as I looked up at them. "But not that you guys give a shit. Let's just kill someone and toss Andy to the side as usual."
"Where is Stefan?" I heard Elena leave the room without even bothering to answer her question.
"Andy?" Caroline questioned. "Are you okay?"
I sat up slowly. "I've got to go see Klaus. I need to make sure he's okay and apologize. He just lost his brother."
"You need to stay here," Caroline said and tried to hold me down, but I shoved her back.
"Don't touch me," I snapped. By the time I got to the front hall Stefan slammed the door and was gone. Elena flinched at it while Caroline and I entered.
"I miss well-adjusted Stefan," Caroline said. Suddenly, the door flew open and Stefan was thrown through it. Sage entered the house.
"Ding dong," She said. Caroline went to attack her, but Sage easily threw her to the ground. "I'm not here for you. I'm here for him and her." She gestured to Stefan and I.
Elena ran to the front door, but that man that was at the Grill earlier blocked her path. "I don't think so," He said. Sage approached Stefan.
"I had to kill him, Sage," Stefan said.
"Oh, you remember me," She kicked Stefan and he flew into a chair. "Good. Then you know I like to go all ten rounds." She started to move toward but fell down. She started to cough and her nose started to bleed.
"Sage?" The man questioned. Sage got up and threw a punch at me, but Stefan grabbed her fist and threw her to the ground. Sage was visibly getting weaker.
"Troy, help me!" She pleaded. Troy released Elena and rushed over to Sage. He started to cough up blood as well. "What is happening to me?" Sage asked before she and that man dropped dead right before us. I was moved back into the library by an obviously shaken Elena.
"She just died," Elena said as she sat down beside me.
"So, Sage and this Troy guy die within an hour of Finn," Caroline said as Stefan and her entered.
"But why? Were they bitten by a hybrid or…?" Elena asked.
"Hybrid bites don't look like that," I said in a monotone.
"Maybe Sage was so in love with Finn she just died of sadness," Caroline suggested.
"No, that doesn't explain Troy," I said.
"It's the blood. The bloodline. It has to be. Think about it: Finn turned Sage, Sage turned Troy. They're all part of the same vampire bloodline that originated with Finn," Stefan said.
Caroline glanced at everyone. "Wait, so when an Original dies every vampire turned from their bloodline dies along with them? Because that would mean…"
"If the Originals die, so do all of you. The entire vampire species would… it would be dead," I said, looking at Elena. "Meaning you guys can't kill the Mikaelsons." My tone was full of relief and I caught the bitter look Stefan sent my way.
We sat there a long moment before Stefan left the room. Moments later he returned with a duffel bag. "Caroline, go get your stake and Elena's. Now," Caroline left and I walked over to him.
"If you want Damon back bring me," I said to him. "Klaus will listen to me." I hope, anyways.
He nodded and looked over at Elena. "Stay here, we'll return with Damon." She nodded to him.
"You better not drop me off at Tyler's again, Stefan," I said jokingly but actually meant it. There was no way this time that I would stay away. We entered the mansion and Stefan led me to where he heard Damon Stefan and I entered the room Damon was strung up by traps, his shirt unbuttoned. I moved to go help him, but Stefan stopped me.
"This was much different in my head," Damon grumbled.
"Klaus, I'm here! Let's do this," Stefan called out. Klaus and Rebekah entered the room. I saw Klaus's reaction in his eyes when he saw me standing there at Stefan's side.
"Oh good, some heroes," Klaus said, trying to shake off whatever effect seeing me had. "What do you two want?"
Stefan dropped the duffel bag with the stakes at Klaus' feet. "We're here to make a deal."
"Stefan, what are you doing?" Damon asked.
Stefan ignored him. "Eight stakes made of white oak. The part of Wickery Bridge that you forgot to burn."
Klaus looked at Rebekah. "That's impossible," She said.
"Actually it's not. Finn is dead," Stefan and I flinched.
"You killed my brother?" Rebekah was now clearly upset.
Stefan looked at Klaus. "Damon in exchanged for the last eight weapons that can kill you."
"And how do I know there aren't any more left?" Klaus asked.
"Because there aren't," Stefan looked over at me. "Andy, tell him."
"I just found out about the stakes not even two hours ago," I wasn't going to lie to anyone. "I don't know how many there are."
"Let's be certain, shall we?" Klaus almost smirked before he walked over to Damon. "Leave."
"No," Damon said.
"Go on. Leave," Klaus stepped to the side.
"Nik, he's my play thing not yours," Rebekah said, her whining was irritating.
Klaus grabbed Damon by the throat and compelled him. "I said, go home."
Damon started to pull his wrists out from the snares, peeling the flesh off of them in the process. He screamed in pain. "Stop, Klaus!" I moved forward but Stefan grabbed my wrist. "Stop, you're hurting him!"
"Alright, stop, stop, stop, before you hurt yourself," Klaus said, relieving me from my own agony. "Well, seeing that he can finally be compelled. Now," Klaus grabbed him by the throat and compelled him again. "Minus the stake that's in my brother–" I flinched at his insensitivity. "–how many more stakes are out there that can kill me?"
"Eleven," Damon answered, glaring at Klaus.
"Eleven! Really?" Klaus turned back toward Stefan and I. "So, not eight then?"
"You really shouldn't have lied," Rebekah said to us.
"I'll get you the other three," Stefan said with difficulty.
"Yeah, that'll be nice. Or since you lied, maybe I'll just compel your brother to chew out his own tongue," Klaus grinned, his eyes flickering toward me.
"What is wrong with you?" Stefan questioned, voicing my own horrified thoughts.
"What is wrong with you?!" Klaus shouted. "Do you really have no appreciation for me? I have given you someone to hate, to loathe, a target for all your anger; so you don't have to turn it on yourself. I have given your life purpose, as your friend," Klaus laughed as he stared at Stefan. "I really think you should be thanking me."
Stefan suddenly rushed at Klaus with a white oak stake in his hand but Klaus caught his wrist. "Step down, or all three of you die," Stefan waited a long moment before he did. Klaus took the stake from him. "There. Now you only have to get me the other two."
I finally let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and my knees wobbled under me, tears streamed down my cheeks and I was barely holding on. I don't whose death I was dreading most in this room at the moment…
"This is ridiculous," Rebekah said and went over to Damon. She released him from his trap and I immediately ran to him and helped him stand. I saw Klaus approach Rebekah from the corner of my eye.
"What are you doing?" He demanded.
"I brought him here. I get to release him. My rules now," Rebekah looked down at me, I could tell she knew how I was feeling. "Bring us the stakes and they live. Take him as a sign of good faith."
"Thank you, Rebekah," I managed out through my tears. She gave me a short nod before picking up the duffel bag with the stakes and exiting the room.
"Bring us the stakes. All of them. Or I will rage a war against everyone you love," Klaus looked at me then. "I hope I am being clear."
"Crystal," I choked out before he walked out of the room. I punched Damon in the arm. "Damon, I hate you so much right now. Rot in hell."
"Why are you so upset? I'm the one whose beaten up," Damon struggled to get up but Stefan and I helped him.
"She experienced Finn's death, visually and physically," Stefan explained. "It wasn't a pleasant sight. And she's angry we tried to kill her precious Mikaelsons."
"Can we just get a move on?" Damon grumbled. "I'd rather not stay here a minute longer than necessary."
Once we got back to the Salvatores place, Stefan took Damon to get a blood bag and get cleaned up. I was going to wait until Damon was leaving and get him to drop me off. I was waiting in the front hall and Elena soon joined me.
"Hey," She said.
"Why didn't you tell me about the stakes, Elena?" I looked over at her.
"We knew that you would warn Klaus, Andy," She moved over to me. "You're neutral so we couldn't risk the plan."
"Elijah would've died," I said. "Don't you at least care for him?"
"None of them are good, and Klaus has ruined my life,"
Tears started racing down my cheeks. "You've mentioned that before…"
"Then listen to me when I say that you need to stay away from them," Elena grabbed my hands. "I can see the pain in your eyes. I don't want to lose you to this, Andy."
"I can't tell you I'm completely on your side because I would be lying," I closed my eyes tightly. "If you make me choose I'd hate you forever for it."
"I know."
I paused for a moment. "You should know that I gave Rebekah my blood to unlink us. I wasn't going to let them all be taken down so easily." Elena's widened slightly and I shrugged. "I guess Stefan, Damon, and Caroline all owe their lives to me in a sense, don't they?"
Damon walked in then. "Let's go, I want to get this over and done with."
I gave Elena a slight smile before leaving with Damon. I knew if I had to choose, it would be my family; it would hurt badly but I would. As we rode down the road, Elijah's words echoed in my ears. "You should not have to choose between your family and mine, Annie."
~ * • ° • ° • * ~
The End of Chapter XXXVII