Chapter 38: All Or Nothing

Sorry Guys! I promise I'm not quitting on this story until it's done which wont be too much longer now, but I'll try to get it done as fast as I can for you. Hope you like this chapter. REVIEW!

Serena was getting weaker by the hour now. After pulling her little stunt, Lilu made sure of it so that she wouldn't dare do it again. She'd crossed her limit and he wasn't going to be lenient anymore. They'd broken their vow and the deal was off. She laid there in bed tied with her hands and feet tied to the bedposts by rope soaked in Lilu's blood which was something that was worse than vervain if it touched your skin. Consuming it was one thing – then it was a drug ten times worse than vampire blood – but on skin it was like acid. Her wrists and ankles were nearly burned down to the bone and his blood was also now in her system to keep her compliant. Unfortunately, it also made her want him all the time and whenever they had sex it only made her weaker. She was dying.

He came in with Lilitu, who had a guest. Since she was unable to go back to her own hiding place, she decided to stay there with them. And her new mate would stay with Serena as insurance.

Serena opened her eyes enough to see who the second man was. Once she saw him, her eyes flew open angrily. "How dare you!" She shouted to Lilitu who was holding Tyler's hand as if they were sweethearts. Tyler was completely lost in her spell, he looked like a zombie, but a happy one because he didn't know any better. "What the hell do you think you're doing taking him?"

"Keeping my end of the bargain." She replied. "It was your brother who broke the deal, Serena, so now it's time we do what we came here to do. Mate."

"Tyler, don't listen to her, please. Snap out of it!"

"He can't hear you, Serena." Lilitu laughed. "Not really."

"Tyler's going to stay in here with you." Lilu said as he came over to sit on the bed with her pretending to be concerned for her well being as he caressed one of her sore wrists. "I am sorry for this, my love, but you left me no choice. However, I know you are stronger than you look, and you're also very conniving so no doubt you're cooking up something right now in that beautiful little head of yours."

"So Tyler is my babysitter?"

"More or less."

In other words he wasn't just to keep her from doing something stupid and pushing Lilu over the edge, but to bring her around to their side. Tyler was completely loyal now, well almost. Once they mated he would be. And until then he was to try to convince Serena to be Lilu's forever so he would never have to lose her again. Granted they couldn't be mates, but she could be his mistress.

"I'd rather die." She stated which took the smile completely off of his face and his eyes burned red.

"Then we won't have a problem. You'll be dead by tomorrow."

Lilu got up and left the room, but her and Tyler stayed. Serena knew why and she wished she didn't. He had whispered something to her on his way out, but it was in a frequency she couldn't quite hear. She didn't have to hear it though, to know what they were up to. Tyler turned to his master with lust filled eyes and backed her into a wall. Serena shut her eyes and turned her head not wanting to see this. She knew Tyler was beyond her help and it hurt. She couldn't help but cry when she started to hear Lilu moaning.

Caroline hadn't left her bedroom. She hadn't even moved from the window. When no one had heard from her and she wasn't answering her phone, Bonnie decided to go find her since Elena was gone and unavailable. Bonnie knocked on the front door of Caroline's house and no one answered, she rang the bell, and still no answer. Yet when she turned the knob it was unlocked proving someone was there. Caroline heard Bonnie coming but still she was frozen to the spot by the window where that bitch had taken Tyler.

Bonnie walked in to see Caroline in a heap on the floor. She didn't look good at all. She looked hungry too, which made Bonnie pause. She didn't want Caroline to lose control by being so close.

"Caroline." She called from the door.

Caroline lifted her head to look at her crying, "Bonnie."

Seeing her best friend in such a state, Bonnie no longer cared about getting bitten. She ran to her and embraced her in a hug.

Caroline cried into Bonnie's shoulder. "She took him!...Tyler's gone, and I couldn't stop her."

Bonnie had an idea who took Tyler, but she didn't want to be right. "Who?"

"That evil demon bitch!" Caroline spat. "She – She came in here and put her mind control on him and he left with her!"

"Oh god."

"It's my fault!"

"No…" Bonnie quickly disagreed. Caroline was a vampire, sure, but no match for one of the demon twins. Even the Originals were having a run for their money. Caroline wasn't even a year into being a vampire, where they had a thousand. She didn't stand a chance. Neither did Tyler. Bonnie started to wonder how they were going to win this fight. Sebastian was still off his rocker a little, he was finally starting to come around after getting her blood out of his system, but he was still fairly weak because Serena was probably dying. And if one twin died, then they both died. They were running out of time, not only because of Serena, but because the old man was coming back. She suddenly felt the pressure on her shoulders. Nathaniel had been coming down hard on her for her help with the magic in order to protect Elena and the others. This was as much as her fight as anyone else's and now one of her friends had been kidnapped. Beforehand she could kind of brush it off because Serena wasn't really anyone of importance to her – they didn't know each other. Tyler was a different story. And if something happened to him, Caroline would – she didn't even want to think about it.

"Come on." Bonnie helped Caroline up off the floor. She couldn't just leave her there. "We have to tell the others."

"They can't help!" Caroline spat pushing Bonnie off now that she was standing on her own. She wobbled a bit, but she was on her feet. "Their own sister was kidnapped and have they gotten her back yet? No! How can they help Tyler!"

"Then don't trust them, but at least trust me. I'm in this too. I've searched the Grimiore from cover to cover, I know the spell that can save him. But I can't do it alone."

Caroline thought it over for a moment. She trusted Bonnie, and Bonnie knew that. And frankly if Bonnie's boyfriend had just been kidnapped she wouldn't trust them either because as she said they hadn't even been able to save their own sister yet. But then again, Serena didn't want to be saved because of Elena. So their hands were tied. But Bonnie knew they wouldn't let an innocent like Tyler go without a fight. She trusted them enough to at least do that.

Caroline agreed and Bonnie helped her out of her bedroom. But first Caroline needed something to drink.

"Wait or me in the car." She said pushing Bonnie forward towards the door while she stopped. Bonnie looked at her curious as to why. Then it dawned on her. Caroline was weak, she hadn't eaten all night. She needed blood. So Bonnie silently walked outside. It wasn't something they could talk about, since Bonnie was still uneasy about the whole vampire thing. Caroline turned around and went to find her stash hidden away in the cooler.

The girls didn't have to go all the way back to the mansion. Elijah was in town. He was actually visiting the mayor's house. Caroline wanted to go there first to get something of Tyler's that Bonnie could use to track him, but was surprised when she walked in the door to see Elijah standing there talking to her by the stairs. He seemed to have been there for only a moment.

Tyler's mom turned her attention from Elijah to Caroline quickly curious as to why she was there. Surely, she knew Tyler wasn't home.

"Mrs. Lockwood, I'm sorry I didn't know you had company."

"Caroline, what brings you here? Tyler's not home."

"Oh, I know. Um, he's at the Gym. He forgot something, and asked me to grab it. I'll just go get it."

She hurried away before either of them could ask questions, but she hinted to Elijah that something was wrong, even though she didn't have to. She quickly went up to Tyler's room, and into his bathroom. Bonnie needed something like a hairbrush or toothbrush for her spell. She found his toothbrush inside his mirror and stuffed it into her pocket. Then she grabbed a bag and stuffed it full of clothes to fool his mother. Soon Mrs. Lockwood came up the stairs, and Caroline could hear her coming so she hurried even faster. They met at the door.

"Did you find what you needed?"

"Yeah, I got it. Thanks."

"Tell Tyler we're having guests for dinner. I don't want him to be late."

"No problem." Caroline put on the biggest fake smile she could to try and seem like nothing was wrong when just hearing his name made her want to break down into tears again. She rushed back down the stairs and out the door. She met Elijah again at Bonnie's car. He came out of nowhere as soon as she opened the opened the door. His hand held it in place.

"Something happened." He said before she could ask.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Caroline lied as she threw Tyler's duffle bag into the backseat.

Bonnie sighed with frustration. She got out and stared at the two of them from over her car's roof. Elijah may have earned to be distrusted in the past, but this was different. "Stop lying, Caroline." She said, then turned to face Elijah. "Tyler's gone."

"Bonnie!"

"The demon took him."

"Is that true?" He asked Caroline.

She nodded not wanting to admit it.

He took a deep breath to try and stay as calm as possible. He didn't like it anymore than they did. The town was already in shambles, hence his dinner invitation with the Mayor. He was supposed to bring Serena, but that obviously wasn't going to happen unless he could get her home by seven. He'd rather deal with his brother right now than this.

"Meet me at the house." He ordered before vanishing again.

Elena's phone rang which startled her. She hadn't heard from anybody since Serena called during her hide and seek adventure. She hoped it was Serena calling back to say she got out of there, but instead the Caller ID said Caroline. Caroline didn't want to give Elena anymore reason to worry, but she deserved to know and honestly Caroline just needed someone to talk to while they were walking through the woods to get to the house. Since Bonnie couldn't run like a vampire, it was a long walk.

"Caroline?"

"Sorry to bother you, I know the last thing you need right now is more bad news when you're supposed to be in hiding, but I had to tell you."

Elena suddenly went pale and it caught the boys' attentions. Stefan was standing beside her and Damon was sitting on the couch in the other room watching the news. That was the last thing Elena wanted to see. The death toll was spiking and kids she'd known her whole life were going insane. It was too much. "What happened?"

Hearing Elena's tone, Damon quickly muted the TV to listen in on the phone conversation.

"Tyler's gone. But don't worry Bonnie has a spell. We're on our way to the mansion right now, and Elijah says everything will be fine, so it will be, right?" She said quickly just to get it out.

"Tyler's gone?" That's all Elena got out of that whole speech Caroline just vomited up. "As in gone?"

"Yes, Elena. He's gone." She said forcefully. Bonnie stopped looking back but Caroline waved her off and urged her to keep going.

"Caroline…"

"Don't pity me, please, because I really don't want to cry right now."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"You're there for a reason, Elena. You're the one that – whatever he is – wants, so no."

"There must be something."

"I just had to tell you. I'm freaking out…Can we really trust them?"

"I believe so. He has Serena, Caroline, and they'll do anything to get her back and to get them out of town."

"Including sacrificing one of us to do it?"

"Elijah wouldn't let that happen." Elena said. She didn't know much about the others and they didn't know her, but she knew Elijah. She didn't think he would sacrifice Tyler's freedom and his life in order to get Serena back because frankly he knew Elena better than he knew his own daughter. So if it came to that Elena could always make a deal with him…again.

"Why do you trust him so much? He tried to kill you, Elena. He went back on his word to kill Klaus and look what happened because of it."

"But he didn't kill me, and Klaus is dead. I'll talk to him."

"You're sure you can trust him?"

"It's worth a shot."

They agreed and Elena hung up the phone. Damon quickly got off the couch to put in his two cents on the matter. "Hold it, are you really going to make another deal with Elijah? He's an original, Elena. He has his own motives, haven't you learned that yet?"

"Serena's his daughter. One that his father has made clear he is to protect at all costs."

"Yeah, to make up for lost time. Remember, he has amends to make. He will do what he has to in order to get Serena back home safely. Tyler means nothing to him."

For once the brothers agreed. Elijah couldn't be trusted with this. Tyler and the rest of the town were collateral damage that family was willing to pay if it meant saving their own skins. Serena may have had her heart in the right place by trying to protect Elena but they didn't have to honor that.

"And what do you think Serena will do if they let this town die because of her. I'm the reason she's there in the first place. If they sacrifice Tyler than her sacrifice for me means nothing! I can't let that happen!"

Damon still disagreed. "If Bonnie says she has a spell to get him back then I say we trust her. Not Elijah."

Stefan nodded too.

Elena wasn't having any of it though. She wasn't going to sit there and do nothing. She never did. Sacrificing her life wasn't exactly new for her and she had a feeling it wasn't new for Serena either. They had that in common and it felt like a bond of some kind. She wasn't going to let them soil her sacrifice by letting Tyler become someone's plaything. Damon held out his hand for her phone and she gave it up, but what Damon didn't know was there was a phone upstairs in her parent's old bedroom. She barged off pretending to be mad at losing the argument but she snuck upstairs to use the other phone.

She called Bonnie.

"Elena?"

"Bonnie, I have an idea. Please just trust me."

Bonnie took Elena's advice and when they got to the mansion where Elijah was waiting she delivered the message. She didn't like it, but she trusted Elena.

"Elena wants to make a deal."

He nodded seeming surprised, but intrigued. He knew no one trusted him, so it was surprising that Elena would be the one offering the deal.

"She trusts you to make the terms of the agreement, the only stipulation is you have to save Tyler's life. Caroline fears that you and your family will just let him go so that the demons will leave."

"Unfortunately, Tyler is only one victim." He replied calmly. He was somewhat surprised that Elena trusted him so much, but under the circumstances he understood. "Lilu has yet to kidnap a girl of his choosing because Serena still lives. So even if we were to sacrifice your friend as you think we would they wouldn't leave yet. So there'd be no point."

"Maybe not today, but what about tomorrow, or the day after? Mystic Falls is dying, and so is Serena! And you're not any closer to saving her than you were yesterday! We can't afford to wait any longer!" Caroline burst out. She'd been silent until that point, so Elijah was caught off guard by her outburst. She seemed so upset that she didn't want to have anything to do with him and his family, as if it was their fault her boyfriend was taken. In a way it kind of was, since the only reason Lilu came here was because Serena was here. But he knew all along Caroline didn't trust him, and honestly it didn't phase him at all.

He sighed. "It seems your friend's kidnapping has brought us an opportunity. We have been unable to find where they're hiding. So do your tracking spell and when you've found them, tell me." He finished then headed towards the living room to check on his son.

Bonnie and Caroline followed. "What about your deal with Elena?" Bonnie asked. Caroline huffed and didn't say another word because all she wanted to do was scream.

He turned around to sit down on the couch getting comfortable beside his son who was growing weaker by the hour like his sister. He looked down at him with sympathy, a look Bonnie had never seen him give before. His children were growing on him. Sebastian was barely conscious, and he was bleeding from his nose as well as one of his ears. He was half covered with a blanket as he leaned over onto a pillow that rested on the arm of the couch. He had a wet cloth in his hand pressed to his bloody nose while his ear bled freely, occasionally he would wipe it off on his sleeve which was covered in blood.

"A deal is not needed. My father has made it clear that we must get Serena home before he arrives, which would be tonight. He is to accompany me to the dinner with the Mayor and so is she as a sign of good faith and well being. Then we will leave this town for good and you and your friends can live however you please with all of this in the past like a bad dream."

"Good." Caroline said sternly.

Bonnie was about to leave but she hated to see Sebastian like that. She wasn't sure why, but he seemed so innocent compared to his father. And it wasn't his fault that Elijah was his father. You can't choose your parents. She knelt down in front of him. "Is there anything I can do? A spell, something to weaken your connection to her so you don't have to suffer like this?"

He smirked slyly as he opened his eyes that were identical to his father's. "I would rather die than not be connected to my sister. So, no."

She didn't understand why he would want to suffer on her behalf, but to each his own. So she left the room to go get ready to do her spell with Caroline.

When they left, Mara walked in. She had a plan of her own but had kept it to herself until now. Time was running out and they had no other options. Serena wasn't going to let anyone help her anyway, but she would never expect her mother to make the next move due to her situation with Katherine.

"Elijah." He quickly stood seeing her. She wasn't supposed to be up. "I know a way we can get our baby girl."

"If it involves you, I don't want to hear it." He replied sternly and sat back down on the couch facing away from her.

"Elijah, please." She pleaded softly as she got down on her knees beside him. She reached up taking his hand in hers and held it tightly. "They were right. You and the boys are no closer to getting her back, and she doesn't want you to. She would never expect me to do anything."

"For good reason."

"I am the one he wants."

"No."

"I wasn't finished."

He groaned, but he listened.

"You know the myth, if you lay with one of them eventually it will kill you. Serena is dying, and so is Sebastian. I cannot sit here and watch my babies die, Elijah, I won't. If I go to him and offer myself in Serena's place – "He start to object but she held up her finger to stop him. "Let me finish. If I go, and I let Katerina free while secluding my own soul, then she will die, not I."

"Leaving you with an empty vessel to live in, is that what you're getting at?"

"Yes. But the main point is the fact that I can save our daughter's life, or does that matter less to you in comparison to my well being?"

"I lost you once because I was a fool and did nothing, I'll be damned if I do it twice."

She came to sit beside him then by resting on the arm and leaning over him. Her arm wrapped around to his shoulder and she rested her head on his. "Even if I am wrong, which I never am – " He laughed at that. "If I die, as long as she is safe that's all that matters. Once she is strong again they can kill Katerina and I can come back. I am only a spirit, after all, I have that freedom. Or I can continue to wait for you forever on the other side, it's up to you. But either way I am going to find him and do what I must to free Serena."

As much as he wanted to say no, he knew he had no choice. Mara's mind was made up and even back when they were married he never could change her mind. And with the twins' lives hanging in the balance nothing could change it. He sucked it down, pride and all, and nodded giving her permission. They only had until six, and it was already after noon.