...

In the coming months word swiftly spread about the destruction of Lily's major Eternal mining site, about the Silveren Captain's presumed death, and the whole continent was in turmoil as it was starting to rearrange its power structures.

While Caroline, Alaric, and Abby eventually stayed behind to deal with the bonds, trying to work on that cure they had promised, Enzo, Bonnie, Rebekah and Marcel set out to use Alaric's method on the other mining sites as well. At the same time, they had to make more and more trips to wherever someone reported an Eternal wound, or sightings of an Eternal Weapon. A lot of people were beginning to get uprooted because of their efforts and followed them back, lost and without direction.

In a way it was fascinating to see these confused stragglers come to look up to Bonnie and Enzo for some form of guidance, as if they alone had the key to making a better future, and while they stepped up to the task, Enzo a little more reluctantly than Bonnie, it came with a price.

When one morning a handful of Eternals with their families surrounded Enzo and looked up to him so hopeful as if he was the savior of them all, the role model they had always needed, he once again felt overwhelmed at the people's sudden trust and hope in him. Bonnie had to smile at how uncomfortable he was about the added responsibility, but when she watched as he snapped at them, she gently tugged at him, pulling him to the side briefly, locking gazes.

Breathe, she told him. They just need someone to be their leader, and it might as well be you and I. It won't be like this forever…

I don't want to be their freaking leader. He seemed equally exasperated and pouty like a small child, making her look at him with a half smile on her face.

Resting a hand on his chest, she shook her head.

This is not about what we want, Enzo. Not anymore. We don't want our bond gone, but we're here to help the others get rid of theirs. - We don't want to be the ones doing the guiding, but who else is going to? With your mom gone, someone has to fill the power vacuum before worse people take advantage of it.

Bonnie. He sighed, looking at her wearily, but she could see that he understood, that he saw her point. And yet, he was still troubled by the memory of his own mother becoming corrupted by too much power until she had become an unrecognizable person. What if the same happened to him?

It won't, Bonnie assured him.

You don't know that, he retorted. But she did, she was sure of it.

"You are not your mother, Enzo," she said out loud, "You had all the chances in the world to turn into someone just as vile. As an Eternal you were in a position of power yourself. But you chose not to do bad with that. You chose to get Saltzman out, to keep him alive despite your orders and to do something good with him. To do this." She pointed at the people talking quietly among themselves, oblivious of their reluctant leaders' struggles.

He looked at her then, unconvinced but a little more accepting, and her smile grew. "If you do happen to go over the rails, you got me to rein you back in. Alright? Right here." She softly tapped his temple before lightly kissing his forehead, feeling at least some of his tension dissipate.

Riding off into the sunset together would simply have to wait a little while longer...

...

The city wasn't Rebekah's favorite, so she was glad for all the errands she could run, all the trips that took her and Marcel to other places, away from the people, the walls, and the stuffy feeling of being incarcerated.

But she also liked being close to her brother again and at least Mystic Falls was nothing like the town she had grown up in. There were trees here, and parks, and it was almost bearable.

Almost.

"Bekah!"

She jerked her head in the direction the voice had come from, seeing her brother jog toward her. With a last tender stroke, she finished wiping down her horse, a task she had started after her latest run to get Saltzman more supplies, and she whispered a few words of thanks into the animals mane before turning around to face Enzo.

"Hey," she said, smiling when she noticed how relaxed he seemed - no, not just seemed. Ever since the worst was over, ever since he had gotten her out and away from the tower, ever since they had left Lily behind for one last time, he had been a changed man. As if a burden had left him and he was able to breathe again; and she understood the feeling all too well.

It surprised her, occasionally, how well she herself had dealt with Lily's demise, with their last meeting. She had always anticipated killing her one day, making her pay in the worst of ways, not even so much for abandoning her children, but for what she had done to Enzo, and to their people.

When he had pulled her away and with him, however, she hadn't fought. She probably could have, she was small yet very lithe and could have wiggled out of his grasp quickly. But all fight had left her, and despite her initial confusion and frustration about that, she now had an idea why.

Deep down, she had never wanted to go through with her dark plan. It had seemed like the one thing that kept her going, that fueled her every move. Everything she had done had always been so that she could pay Lily back.

But that was not really her purpose in life, it couldn't be. She needed to find something better to live for, and she knew she had actually long found it.

"You doing out here, big brother? Thought you're too busy being the 'Captain son' these days." She chuckled softly at the way he looked at her with annoyance. He really didn't like the moniker people were using for him as if it was a title, or a job description.

Ignoring her little jab, he asked, "You got a minute?"

She smiled at him, nodding. "For you always. I'm done here anyways and Alaric mentioned he could use a hand with the converter. Walk with me over to the house?"

Enzo grinned. "You know you could just sit back and relax a bit too, right? Every so often?"

With a weary sounding sigh, she nodded. "Yeah, but what would be the fun in that? Besides, all this work doesn't do itself, and I can't in good conscience let only you and Bonnie play the saviors here. Someone needs to make sure that we don't forget about the foresters, either—"

"And who better to do that than you and Marcel," Enzo finished for her, rolling his eyes, but smiling. "I know."

Going on their way, walking next to each other like they had done so often in the past, Rebekah found that it almost felt like those times when Enzo had had to guide her back after one of her little runaway stints to the forest or the lakes, or anywhere outside the city limits. She shot her brother a glance that he reciprocated with a small smirk.

"Feels familiar, doesn't it?" he asked, clearly sharing her memories and she realized it didn't necessarily take a mind bond to read someone else's thoughts. She and Enzo shared a connection of their own, and knowing that comforted her.

Concentrating back on the rough road under her feet, she smiled to herself. It felt so good to be near him again.

"So, why are you here, Enzo?"

"Just wanted to check whether you're doing alright. I haven't seen you around much since…" He swallowed, still having trouble talking about it. But she knew.

"Since we left her behind to die?"

"Yeah." He didn't look at her, or anywhere, his shoulders a little more tense then before, and she couldn't help but gently nudge him. Maybe she shouldn't have worded it so harshly. But it was the truth.

"I'm okay, you know?" she told him quietly. "If you are…"

He did look at her then, really taking her in, and she smiled an open smile at him, waiting for his reaction.

"I am," he muttered, "Today…" He paused, his gaze still fixed on hers, and eventually she nodded at him, understanding.

Today. Today they were all alright, and when tomorrow came, they would re-evaluate. It was as simple as that. And as complicated.

She swallowed and forced herself to not allow the tears that were threatening to flood her eyes to come just yet.

"We'll be alright, Enzo. As long as we got each other," she whispered, and he smiled at her again, laying an arm around her shoulders and pulling her in.

"Yeah..."

Tomorrow would come and there was no knowing how they would feel then. But Rebekah felt hopeful, as hopeful as she had never felt before. Enzo had saved her soul that day in the tower, and Marcel had been there to pick up the pieces to put her back together.

So, let tomorrow come. She was ready.

...

...

Alaric's kitchen looked spotless yet again as he took it in, leaning against the sink. He absently grabbed a dish towel and rubbed his hands dry, then tossed it behind him, never taking his eyes off the guest that had sat with him while he had cleaned up.

Now the man carefully stood up, raising an eyebrow at him.

"You've really become quite the home maker, Alaric."

He made a face, grinning. "The things you do—"

"I don't know who you're playing and why," the man interrupted him, clearly unimpressed with Ric or anything he could potentially say. "But you're not fooling me. Like I said to you before, I know you took some metal before you set that site on fire and I know you'll continue to do so elsewhere. I'm just not sure your 'friends' know that, too, and what your agenda with them is."

"Julian..." Alaric sighed, suddenly weary and tired of his guest.

The man waved him off dismissively. "This used to be our business, Alaric. Ours. Wehad a shared agenda, remember? Use the metal to arm the Neutral Zone, the foresters, the impure, the deformed, all those neither the Golden nor Silveren care about. We've shipped a lot of metal West, but we're not there yet. Now you destroy what we need, but take some for yourself?"

Alaric sniffed, then smiled. Slowly, he walked over to the table and let himself drop onto one of the chairs. "My friend, I'm not trying to work against our mission, I'm trying to continue it."

"Are you? Because I didn't see you send that metal out. All I see is that you surround yourself left and right with Silveren and Golden now."

"Don't you see what I'm doing? I'm taking away their advantages over us! They'll be our equals, or lesser. We'll soon be the only ones with access to such deadly weapons. All I need to do is try and get Abby Bennett to teach me the procedure so that we can have our own super soldiers."

Julian frowned at him, his brows dark arches over his eyes. "I don't know, Alaric. Is that really what you are doing here? Because if not, if you're lying, I'll have to find my own way into one of the remaining Eternal sites and do it myself - before you destroy them all. We need this, Alaric."

"Trust me, my friend. One last time..."

Alaric smiled winningly, leaning over the table extending a hand. Julian scrutinized him for a long silent moment, then he finally nodded, shook the proffered arm and got up. Ric forced himself to stay calm, but inwardly, he felt a huge weight shifting, and he took a deep breath. That had been too close...

...

He had barely touched the handle of the kitchen door to let Julian out into the cold night, when Abby appeared right in front of him, her face flushed and angry, and Alaric pressed his lips together in frustration as he tried to usher a suspicious Julian past her.

"Alaric." Her tone was a little too high, and he quickly lifted a finger.

"Just a minute, Abby. I'll be right with you," he addressed her, then shot Julian a glance. "You'll find your way from here, I'm sure?"

The man nodded, then went on his way as Ric turned around to face the doctor. He tried grabbing her arm, gently guiding her to the kitchen, but she fought him off and he grimaced. This night was not going as smoothly as he had hoped.

"What the hell was that about, Alaric?" She was seething, and he ran a hand over his forehead, massaging it briefly. He was tired of all these confrontations. They were tedious and time consuming. And exhausting.

"How much did you hear?"

"Enough." Abby's mouth was a pale line in her face, her whole expression, her posture tense. His mouth suddenly felt dry and sticky. He needed a glass of water, but Abby didn't seem to be willing to let him go anywhere, even if it was just the sink. Fine. He slumped his shoulders, sighing.

"I'm not going to deny anything, if you were wondering. Our plan really is to arm the Neutral Zone, to gain an advantage over the rest of the continent—"

"Alaric. I thought we fought on the same side. Against war!" Abby was glaring at him so angrily that it pained him. He really did like her, probably more than was good for him.

"That's true."

"No, it's not. You were using us. You are using us. These kids, they want to believe you so desperately, but you... you don't earn their trust at all. You are arming people in the Neutral Zone? What for if not war? I..." She began stammering, very obviously distraught. The pain in her face made him wince in sympathy, but she didn't notice it. She also didn't know that she wasn't the only one who had started to think of the kids as her responsibility. They were his now, too... Stupid feelings. The thought made him close his eyes briefly before he could focus again.

"I don't even know what to do with you now," Abby continued, "Or with them. What do I tell them?"

"Nothing." Ric suddenly put his hands on her shoulders, and this time, she didn't shake him off. It was as if deep down she still knew he was on her side. It was his chance. "You do nothing. Listen, tomorrow Enzo gets his last treatment. Tyler already got his. It didn't work a hundred percent, but close enough. Abby, these kids are finally free to do whatever they want. Your daughter, Bonnie, and Enzo, they already have a ton of support behind them. Rebekah and Marcel, with their connection to the free people, they'll bring in more. Once we crack the bonds with Caroline's help, we'll have all the support we need—"

Abby didn't let him finish. "You just told that man that you have been arming masses against us all. You said you want to learn the procedure from me!"

Alaric visibly deflated, rolling his eyes at himself. "I shouldn't have said that."

The beautiful doctor stared at him coldly. "Oh?" she questioned in a mocking tone.

He had to try and explain. Rubbing his forehead, his hair falling into his face, he looked openly at the woman in front of him.

"See, Julian is a good man. But he is a warrior. The kind of man that needs a bone every once in a while. Contrary to what I told him I have no intention of learning your Eternal practices, but I do intend to make sure that no one has an advantage anymore. Abby..." He swallowed, really craving that stupid water. And her understanding. "I know you won't trust me, but you can. All I ever said was true. But I believe it takes more than destroying what those in power have to prevent another war. They'll still have all the weapons, while the rest don't have much. We - I want to change that. But I want to change it with you."

"How can I believe anything you say? Alaric..." She sounded so jaded. It pained him. "You wouldn't need Eternal metal to arm anyone. Regular materials would work just as fine." She paused, her mind working. "I have played the double game, too, you know?"

Abby had crossed her arms, almost hugging herself. But there was something in her eyes now, an involuntary openness that gave him hope. She did have no reason to trust him, but it was Julian who he was playing, not her.

"I know," he quietly said, dropping his gaze. "I have played that game all my life, Abby. It's hard to remember you have to come clean to someone eventually. But I am being honest with you. All I need is for Julian to get off my back and finish the initial plan. See, it's not just him. There's a whole group of people who think like him. If I can appease them for now, they'll not come taking control of one of the remaining mining sites. Because, frankly, that would be a disaster."

Abby's eyes widened. "You should have probably started with that," she flatly told him and he nodded, making a face before breaking into a smile.

"Yeah. I guess. Why don't we sit down in there and talk about it," he suggested, pointing to the kitchen and much to his relief, she finally nodded.

"You better have some damn good arguments if you want me to believe you and not go to the others right away," Abby said, waiting for him to lead the way, but he was frozen on the spot, staring at her. "Ric?" She frowned at him, when he suddenly leaned forward, cupping her face and kissing her.

...

Yes, it was going to be a long night.