The Tragedy of Being a Whitmore
Chapter 21: The Sun Also Rises
April 28, 2010 (cont.)
"So, that's what a werewolf bite looks like." Katherine Pierce commented, looking at the discolored veins and infected skin on Damon Salvatore's arm.
"Yup." Damon agreed glumly.
"It's not that bad." Katherine said optimistically.
Damon sighed. "Will be." He thought of Rose, and how it hadn't looked 'that bad' at first.
"So that's it? You're just… going to die?" Katherine asked.
Damon glanced over at her. "Well, that depends. You know anything about a cure?" He asked.
Katherine looked up to meet his eyes before looking at the floor, shaking her head.
"Me either." Damon told her, walking away and putting on his coat.
"A hundred and forty-five years… No last goodbye?" Katherine asked.
Damon shook his head. "You don't get a goodbye." He thought about all of the time he had wasted on her. Then, he thought about Amelia Whitmore.
Katherine suddenly appeared in front of him. "No. Don't leave mad."
"Us ending up on good terms isn't exactly on my bucket list, Katherine." Damon emphasized, trying to move past her.
"Klaus made me call Jenna to lure her out. There was nothing that I could do. I didn't have a choice." Katherine explained, trying to make him understand.
Damon glared at her. "That's why I gave you the vervain: so you had a choice."
"It was her or me. I chose her." Katherine emphasized.
Damon rolled his eyes. "I helped you. You owed me. Now when Klaus dies, you're going to walk out of here without a scratch and Jenna dies. Somehow, you're the only one that wins. How'd that happen?" He asked.
Katherine shook her head. "I didn't let love get in the way." She said quietly.
"Enjoy an eternity alone, Katherine." Damon responded, heading towards the door.
"What are you going to do?" Katherine inquired.
"I'm going to offer myself as a replacement to Klaus." Damon replied. "This happened because of me."
Katherine frowned. "What, you really think your precious little witch is going to let you do that?" She scoffed.
Damon shook her head. "It's not her choice. I'm going to die anyway."
"He won't take you." Katherine said loudly. "He saw your bite, he said that your blood is impure. I'm sorry, Damon. But Jenna's dead, there's nothing you can do about it."
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"Oh, my head." Jenna Sommers groaned, keeled over on the cold, hard ground. "What's wrong with me?"
Elena Gilbert leaned over. "Do you remember what happened?" She asked.
"You called me. You were so scared." Jenna explained before seeing the reluctant look Elena gave her. "Ah, I should have realized that it wasn't you. The second I walked out of the house, someone grabbed me. A vampire."
"Klaus. It was Klaus." Elena explained.
Amelia fell to her knees next to the family - her mind was reeling.
"He made me drink his blood. And I don't… I don't remember anything after that. Where are we - what happened?" Jenna asked, looking around.
Elena took her hands in her own. "We're at the quarry. He brought us here."
"Why don't I remember anything?" Jenna asked.
"Jenna, do you remember… when I told you how someone becomes a vampire?"
"Yeah, if you die with vampire blood in your system, it's… Oh, God." Jenna realized. "He killed me."
"Jenna, listen to me. Everything's going to be okay. I'm going to get you out of here."
"I'm a vampire?" Jenna asked, confirming her suspicion.
Greta chimed in. "And I bet you're hungry."
Amelia looked up at her, feeling lost and defeated. She was surprised when Elena stood up and began running at her. Greta lifted her hand and Elena went flying back landing hard on the ground.
Amelia stood up angrily, walking several paces towards Greta. She paused in surprise as Greta moved her hand again and circles of fire lit up: one around Jenna, and one around Elena.
"How can you do this?" Amelia demanded angrily. "We used to be friends, Greta! Your father was friends with my parents. He used to babysit me. We grew up playing together, for Christ's sake! Luka always got so mad when we wouldn't let him play dolls with us, remember?"
Greta laughed at her before turning to Elena who was trying to find a way out. "Don't bother trying to get through. I spelled the circle. You're trapped. No matter what you do."
"Greta… please, just - just let Jenna go. Use me instead." Amelia offered, feeling horrible.
Greta looked over to her as she cut her wrist with a rock. "This is the price you paid, Amelia. Just say the word and it'll be Caroline over there instead." She reminded her.
Elena and Jenna looked at her in shock, realizing that Jenna's life had been traded for Caroline's.
Amelia clutched her chest as she started to sob, but she stayed silent. Was it possible for silence to be this loud?
Greta offered her wrist to Jenna. "Drink it." She ordered.
"Jenna, don't!" Elena begged.
"I can't." Jenna said, looking at her wrist hungrily.
"Let her go! Hey, no!" Elena cried as Jenna bit into her wrist and sucked the blood down greedily.
"That's enough." Greta said, pushing the vampire off of her. "Amelia, come."
Amelia shakily wiped the tears from her eyes and followed after the witch numbly, refusing to look at Elena or Jenna.
"Jenna, hey. It's going to be okay." Elena promised. "Jenna, hey, look at me. It's gonna be okay."
Jenna looked over at her, with blood on her face and black veins under her eyes, she was almost unrecognizable.
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"The sacrifice is completed in stages until the full moon sets." Elijah explained. "First the werewolf is killed, then the vampire. Finally, the doppelgänger. Once Elena dies, the curse will be broken. Klaus will become hybrid."
"And Amelia?" Stefan asked, worried about his friend.
"I believe Klaus has taken her to perform the ritual. She will not be harmed – he values his witches." Elijah said.
"So, when do we attack?" Alaric asked, hoping his student would be okay.
"Elena's death will activate his dormant werewolf side. He'll be vulnerable during the transformation. That's when Bonnie comes in." Elijah continued.
"And you're sure Bonnie will survive this?" Stefan confirmed.
"If she can deliver him to the brink of death, I'll finish the job myself." Elijah promised.
Stefan's phone began to ring and he put it up to his ear. "Damon." He answered.
"You're not going to like what I'm about to say." Damon replied.
"Cut to the chase. Is the sacrifice happening or not?" Stefan asked.
"It's happening. I tried to stop it, but it got… complicated." Damon said.
"We're sticking with the original plan. We're meeting Bonnie right now." Stefan told him.
Damon sighed. "He's got Jenna, Stefan."
Stefan was dumbfounded. "What?" He exclaimed, glancing at Alaric.
"He got Katherine to lure her out of the house." Damon explained.
Alaric felt his heart race as he realized something was wrong. "What is it? What's wrong?" He asked.
Damon continued. "He's going to use her as the vampire in the ritual."
"Oh, my God." Stefan whispered.
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"How are you feeling?" Elena asked, looking over at her aunt.
"I feel like myself… only not. Everything is brighter. The fire's hotter. Part of me is terrified but there's another part of me that doesn't want to feel anything." Jenna explained.
Elena took a deep breath. "Vampires can turn off the part that's human. That's the part that hurts." She explained.
Jenna nodded. "I'm gonna die, aren't I?" She asked, tears forming in her eyes.
"No!" Elena said harshly. "Jenna, I'm not going to let that happen. I don't care what I have to do."
They looked up as they heard someone yelling in pain.
"What's that?" Jenna asked.
"That must be the werewolf." Elena realized, watching as Greta led a tall, thin woman over to them.
"What's happening to me?" She asked, having fallen onto the ground.
Amelia stood stonily next to Greta. "We cast a spell to slow down your transformation. Your insides are trying to tear themselves free." She explained harshly, not feeling bad at all that Jules was the werewolf that had to die. She thought about when Jules had captured her and Damon. She had tortured Damon right in front of her, and there had been that man who had touched her…
Greta waved her hand and another circle of fire engulfed Jules.
"Greta, witches are supposed to maintain the balance in nature. It's your duty to them, to keep this curse sealed." Elena called out, trying to save her aunt.
"My duty is to Klaus! The New Order." Greta called back.
Amelia felt a chill and looked over to see Klaus approaching. "Glad to know I still have a dance partner." He said in his British accent, a smile on his face. "Has Damon's witch been behaving?"
Greta folded her arms and looked Amelia up and down. "For the most part." She replied.
"Good, wouldn't want to have to involve poor Caroline, would we?" Klaus threatened, resting his hands on Amelia shoulders.
Amelia flinched and refused to look at him but said nothing.
Klaus chuckled and turned to Elena and Jenna. "Hello, my lovelies. Are we ready?" He asked.
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"Come on, get in here!" Caroline shouted, opening the doors to the Lockwood mansion. Matt followed her inside and she locked the doors behind him, catching her breath.
"Do you see anything?" Caroline asked worriedly after a few minutes.
"We're not safe here." Matt responded. "If that thing wants in, it's getting in." He reloaded his gun.
"How did you even know what I was?" Caroline demanded. "I compelled you to forget!"
"I was on vervain." Matt explained. "I faked forgetting so I could spy on you. It was your mom's idea."
"Wait, my mom knows?!" Caroline shouted. "Oh, my God. You told her. Th-that's why Amelia got sent away. God, Matt you ruined her life!" Caroline was quiet for a moment as she realized he wasn't going to respond. "Well, what'd she say?"
Matt peered out the window. "Your mom hates vampires. She grew up hating vampires. She'll probably always hate vampires. And Amelia's just lucky she wasn't burnt at the stake." He replied.
"Well, what about you?" Caroline asked.
"What about me?" Matt replied.
"Where does this leave us?" Caroline asked.
Matt shook his head. "Stuck in this house. Trying not to get mauled to death by our friend."
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Damon set his glass of Bourbon down as he heard knocking at the door. "Heard ya!" He called out, as the person continued to knock. He stumbled on his way to the door, feeling a wave of dizziness and nausea wash over him. He pulled his sleeve up and saw that his wound was getting worse.
The knocking continued and he opened the door to see Jonathan Gilbert. "Great. I was just thinking about getting a bite to eat." Damon jibed, only somewhat sarcastically.
John ignored him. "Elena hasn't returned any of my calls for days. I need to see her." He demanded, walking into the vampire's lair.
Damon shut the door after him. "Well, you're a day late and a daughter short, John." He replied.
"What are you talking about?" John asked, turning around.
"Klaus has her. Sacrifice goes down tonight." Damon stated.
John gawked at him. "How could you let that happen?" He asked. "You were supposed to keep her safe. Wasn't that the sum total of your plan - to keep her safe?" John demanded.
Damon scoffed. "Keeping Elena safe isn't my job. I'll always protect my brother. Elena is more of a… byproduct. Besides, she is safe, supposedly. We fed her a five-hundred-year-old witchy-resuscitation-potion with maybe no expiration date." He explained.
"You what?!" John asked.
"When Klaus kills Elena in the sacrifice, she will come back to life. Maybe." Damon said callously, beginning to walk away. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw John trying to attack him, so he shoved him into a wall. "You do not want to mess with me right now." Damon promised him.
"My little girl might die because of you vampires." John spat.
"I know, John. Trust me, I get it. It actually gets worse." Damon said.
"How could it possibly get any worse?" John whispered.
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Jules screamed in pain, clutching at her stomach.
"I've got the moonstone." Klaus said, taking it out of his pocket and handing it to Amelia. "I spent five hundred years looking for this. I hate to part with it."
"And you're trusting me with it?" Amelia asked incredulously.
"Who better to trust than someone who's desperate?" Klaus asked smugly.
Amelia looked up at the sky. "The moon has passed its apex." She commented.
Greta smiled at Klaus. "Remember everything you need to do?" She asked.
"I remember." Klaus promised.
Amelia took a deep breath and dropped the moonstone onto their platform. She joined hands with Greta and began chanting, a fire burning beneath them.
Jules continued screaming in pain. She looked up at Elena. "Everything I did… I was just trying to help Tyler." She promised.
"Are you Jules?" Elena realized.
"I didn't want him to be alone!" Jules groaned.
"Shall we?" Klaus asked.
Amelia and Greta released hands and Greta took away the circle of fire from Jules' enclosure.
Jules' eyes flashed to an orange color, and she began to run, turning into a blur. Amelia blinked and suddenly Klaus was on top of the werewolf, his hand on her throat as he shoved her to the ground.
A tear fell down Jules' face as Klaus reached inside of her and ripped her heart out.
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"Which one are you reading?" Bonnie Bennett asked from the candlelit room in the witch house.
Jeremy Gilbert glanced over at her. "Emily Bennett's has a section on spells she did for my ancestor, Jonathan Gilbert." He told her.
Bonnie leaned in closer to him. "Yeah, I think she had a thing for him." She joked.
"There's something on a resuscitative spell she was working on." Jeremy said.
"I saw that too, she just didn't explain what it did, exactly." Bonnie said.
"Well, maybe Jonathan wrote about it in his journals. You know, I can have Stefan bring them." Jeremy replied.
The front door creaked open.
"Someone's here." Bonnie whispered.
A moment later, they saw the light of a flashlight, and then Alaric came down the stairs.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" Jeremy asked.
"Elijah and Stefan are upstairs. You mind if I have a second with Jeremy?" Alaric asked.
"Sure, yeah. Of course." Bonnie agreed, feeling nervous as she left them.
"What's the matter?" Jeremy asked warily.
Alaric took a deep breath. "Jeremy… something's happened to Jenna."
Upstairs, Bonnie was in disbelief. "Why did he take Jenna?" She demanded.
Stefan sighed. "Katherine told Damon that Klaus tricked Amelia into making a deal with him to save Caroline." He explained.
"What? Caroline?" Bonnie asked. "Is she okay?"
"Klaus was going to use Tyler and Caroline, but Damon rescued them. Amelia doesn't know that - she's performing the ritual." Stefan said.
"Then we need to go. Now. Before Jenna's been sacrificed. I can kill Klaus myself." Bonnie insisted.
Elijah watched the exchange silently.
"Bonnie, if you use that much power, you'll be dead. We've already been through this." Stefan told her. "It's not an option."
"Neither is letting Jenna die. M-maybe if Amelia helped me…" Bonnie said, trying to figure out a plan.
"No." Elijah chimed in. "My sister's not strong enough - not without full access to her powers… However, Stefan would agree with you about Jenna."
Bonnie looked over at Stefan as he stepped forward. "We're going to offer another vampire. One that he'll want more. Me."
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Amelia and Greta were chanting together as Klaus squeezed the blood from Jules' heart into the fire and pool of blood that boiled beneath them.
"Tell me it's working." Klaus demanded.
Amelia was beginning to feel tired from the spell. "It's working." She replied quietly.
Klaus looked to Greta for confirmation and she nodded.
Jenna looked over at her niece. "The day that the lawyers called to tell me that I was going to become your guardian, you know what my first thought was?" She asked.
Elena tore her eyes away from Amelia and shook her head.
"Isn't there someone else who can do this?" Jenna asked, laughing.
Elena sighed. "Jenna, there was no one else who could have gotten me and Jeremy through all of that."
Jenna shook her head. "It's just the thought that I almost passed up taking care of you."
"But you didn't." Elena insisted, crouching down. "You put your entire life on hold to help us."
Jenna was silent for a few moments. "Look around, Elena. I failed you." She said quietly.
"No." Elena disagreed. "You didn't. I failed you. I'm so sorry. Listen, being a vampire, intensifies your guilt, but it also makes you stronger and faster. You can fight back. I'm gonna get through this. I'll be okay. I need you to believe that. Promise me, when you get the chance… run."
Jenna nodded.
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"You don't think I killed him, do you?" Matt asked, his paranoia growing.
Caroline shook her head from her spot on the couch. "No, no. It takes a lot more than a wooden bullet to kill a werewolf. He's still out there somewhere." She was quiet for a moment. "Do you think my mom wants to kill me?" She asked at last.
Matt looked over at her, letting the curtain fall out of his hand. "I don't think your mom knows what to do with you." He said.
"Yeah, well, I don't really know what to do with me, either." Caroline chuckled.
They looked up as they heard a noise.
"What is it?" Matt asked, taking a few steps away from her.
"Wait." Caroline called, standing up. Matt raised his gun. "Don't - don't shoot!"
"What the hell are you doing?" Matt asked, watching her as she ran toward the set of doors.
"Give me your jacket." Caroline told him, looking out the window.
"What?" Matt asked, confused.
"Your jacket - take it off." Caroline demanded.
Matt shrugged out of the jacket and handed it to her. He followed her out the doors as she laid the jacket on Tyler who was naked and back to human form.
"Hey." Caroline soothed. "Hey."
Tyler looked up at her, sweaty and gasping. "Caroline."
"It's okay." Caroline promised, running her hand through his hair.
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"Bonnie did a locator spell. They're at Steven's Quarry." Elijah called over to Stefan.
"I'll head over there first and you follow with Bonnie when it's time." Stefan said.
"Just as the moon hits its final phase." Elijah agreed. "She's to stay hidden until then. He cannot know that she's alive."
Stefan nodded, walking away from him.
"You're very honorable." Elijah called out to him.
Stefan turned and was quiet for a moment. "Are you? Because this whole plan is, um, it's contingent upon your honor, Elijah." He asked, looking him in the eye.
"I won't fail you." Elijah promised.
"Klaus is your brother. I know I've wanted to kill my brother a thousand times. I've never been able to." Stefan replied.
"Well, Klaus was not my only brother. I had siblings. Parents. I had a family. Over the centuries, Klaus hunted them down, one by one and he took them from me. He scattered them across the seas. Where their bodies couldn't be found." Elijah explained.
"You want revenge." Stefan realized.
Elijah was quiet for a moment. "Sometimes there's honor in revenge, Stefan. I won't fail you."
"And Amelia? Will he kill her if he finds out who she truly is?" Stefan asked quietly.
Elijah contemplated this for a moment. "No, I don't believe he'll kill Freya. She poses no threat to him as she is right now… She is not an Original vampire. As of right now, I believe he is merely interested in her. He has always been intrigued by witches."
They were silent for a moment.
"I will not fail you." Elijah vowed solemnly.
"Please end this." Stefan requested, walking away.
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"I brought the Gilbert journals." John Gilbert told them, carrying a large box down the stairs. "I think I know the spell you're talking about."
"Where's Damon?" Bonnie asked.
"Upstairs. Alaric wanted to talk to him." John replied.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Damon was furious. "He did what?!" Damon exclaimed.
"He wasn't going to let Jenna die." Alaric explained.
"We have a witch. Bonnie kills Klaus. No one has to die!" Damon argued.
"Except for Bonnie." Alaric emphasized, crossing his arms.
"God, Stefan, damn it!" Damon yelled, punching a hole in the wall.
Alaric looked at him warily as he noticed Damon seemed to look unsteady… almost ill.
"Hey, are you okay?" Alaric asked.
"I'm fine." Damon lied. "Well, that's my brother for you. Always cleaning up my messes."
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Amelia and Greta held hands as they chanted.
Klaus approached Jenna. "Hello, Jenna." He said.
"Let her go." Elena pleaded. "I understand that I have to die, but she doesn't!" The flames surrounding her rose up higher as Greta listened to them.
"Elena, don't." Jenna whispered.
"No, Jenna!" Elena turned to look at Amelia and called up to her. "Amelia! I thought we were friends!"
Amelia paused her chanting and but didn't step away from Greta. "We are. I'm so sorry, Jenna, Elena." She apologized.
"I can't leave Jeremy without a family!" Elena cried.
Amelia shook her head, refusing to cry again. "I have to protect my family, too, 'Lena."
Elena tugged at her hair, feeling desperate. "Liz and Caroline aren't your family! They sent you away! Jenna is your friend, Amelia, please!" She begged.
Amelia wrapped her arms around herself. "Elena, please, just stop." She pleaded, her voice thick with emotion.
Elena looked over at Klaus and then back up at her. For a moment, Amelia was terrified that Elena would tell Klaus the truth about her. That she was his sister. "You're just like him! You're a monster!" Elena sobbed. She turned to Klaus. "I followed your rules, I did everything that you asked. I didn't run. Please."
"Well, well." Klaus drawled. "I don't recall you being on the guest list." He looked up and saw Stefan Salvatore looking down at him from the hill.
"I'm here to talk." Stefan said calmly, glancing at Amelia who looked rather upset.
"Very well then." Klaus decided.
Amelia blinked, and suddenly Klaus was standing next to Stefan. "What can I do for you, Mr. Salvatore?" He asked.
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"We found something in the Gilbert journals." Bonnie said.
"Jonathan journaled the story of a mother who called upon her services. The woman's baby was sick - dying. Emily cast a spell that would bind the woman's life force with her child." John Gilbert explained.
Damon glowered at him. "Skip to the save Elena part - I want to get Amelia and my brother back."
John continued. "Well, the child died, but the mother's life force flowed through her, restoring her to life."
Jeremy chimed in warily. "We already know Elena's going to come back to life."
Damon let loose a sarcastic, boisterous laugh. "Really? You're going to put your faith in some five-hundred-year-old potion?"
John took a step forward. "No. That's why Bonnie's going to perform this spell."
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"What's going on?" Jenna asked, wishing she could hear Klaus' and Stefan's conversation.
"I-I don't know." Elena stuttered. She was quiet for a moment before she slowly turned to her aunt, coming to a realization. "You can hear them." She whispered.
Jenna looked at her, unsure.
"You can hear anything." Elena assured her. "J-just focus on them." She instructed, pointing to the vampires.
Stefan Salvatore took a deep breath. "You don't need to kill Jenna. I'll take her place." He offered stoically.
"Oh, I don't know. I rather appreciate the symmetry of three women, three goddesses… sacrificed at nature's altar." Klaus sneered, smirking at him.
Amelia Whitmore's heart was racing as she hurried over to the pair. "Use me, Klaus. You can turn me." She offered confidently, forcing her hands not to tremble.
Klaus paused and turned to her, a mischievous smile growing on his face.
Amelia blinked and he was suddenly standing right in front of her. She flinched in fear at first, but held her ground as she lifted her chin.
Klaus' smile grew and he began to laugh. "Oh, my sweet. There's not enough time to turn you before the sacrifice is over. Besides, we had a deal, remember?"
Amelia thought about Jenna and how it was all her fault she was there. She forced the tears in her eyes not to fall.
Klaus brushed her hair out of her face. "Perhaps you will have your time - but not today. There have been many rumors about you, Amelia Whitmore… and once I've reached my true potential, I will begin pursuing them." He promised.
From down below, Elena looked from the trio back to her aunt. "What are they saying?" She asked.
"I can't - I can't make it out." Jenna said, shaking her head in disappointment.
"You can do this. Just relax. Focus." Elena instructed.
Stefan stepped towards Klaus, forcing him to put his attention back to him. "Don't play games with me. You'll get what you want." He persuaded.
Jenna stared up at them, her mouth gaping in shock. "I can hear them. I hear Stefan." She told her niece.
"What are they saying?" Elena asked anxiously.
Klaus smiled at Stefan, refusing to step away from Amelia. "You're quite the hero, aren't you? I've heard that about you." He said.
"Just make the trade." Stefan demanded. "Me for Jenna. Leave Amelia out of this."
Jenna gasped, "Oh, my God." She muttered.
Elena stepped forward. "What is it?" She demanded.
"He wants to take my place… a-and I think Amelia offered, too." Jenna stuttered, feeling horrible.
Elena felt tears form in her eyes as her whole world crashed around her.
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Caroline Forbes shut the door behind her quietly and turned to face Matt Donovan - her sort-of/sort-of-not-boyfriend.
"How's Tyler doing?" Matt asked quietly.
Caroline whispered, "Sleeping. He should be better by morning. He just… he needs some rest."
"Good." Matt nodded, exchanging a look with the vampire. "So, this is your life now, huh?"
Caroline chuckled, "Never a dull moment." She agreed.
They were both quiet for a moment and then Matt stood up.
"You know," He began, "These last few days with you have been so great, and fun. And so… Caroline. I-I thought that I might be able to get past this whole vampire thing." He admitted.
Caroline stepped forward and wrapped her hands in his shirt. "But you can." She pleaded, whispering. "Matt…"
Matt moved away from her. "I don't - I d-don't know if I can, Caroline."
"Matt!" Caroline pleaded, following after him.
Matt turned around. "I get it. This is your life now. You know what my life is, Care? My life is an absentee mom. And a bunch of bills to pay, and school, and a job. A-and it sucks sometimes. But it's my life. And… I think that I just want to live it without all of this." He admitted.
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Bonnie stood with her eyes closed, chanting an incantation with her hands held to Jonathan Gilbert's head.
SNAP, SNAP, SNAP! Damon snapped his fingers at his least favorite witch. "Come on, Bonnie, we got a hybrid to kill." He complained.
Bonnie opened her eyes. "It's done." She stated simply.
"That's it?" Damon asked in disbelief. They exchanged a look and Damon began heading towards the door. "Let's go."
"I'll be back soon." Bonnie promised, pausing next to Jeremy.
Jeremy was confused. "Wait, what do you mean?" Bonnie gave him a look. "No, I'm coming. I need to be there. I need to make sure you guys are okay." He demanded.
"And who's going to make sure you're okay?" Bonnie asked.
"I've got my ring." Jeremy reminded her. "Look, I'm not taking no for an answer."
Bonnie sighed and leaned up to kiss him. A moment later, she stepped away and he began falling to the floor. John, who had been expecting this, lowered him into a chair. "Easy, easy." He muttered. "Go. I'll stay with him." John promised.
Bonnie gave Jeremy one last longing look before following Damon, who was looking at her rather impatiently, up the old, creaky stairs.
"It's time." Elijah stated.
"All right." Alaric agreed, starting to follow the group of supernatural out of the house. "I've got weapons in the car."
"Bonnie's the only weapon we need." Elijah stated calmly.
"Ahh!" Alaric groaned in surprise as he ran into an invisible barrier at the door. "Bonnie! What is this?"
Bonnie turned back to look at him. "I can't put anyone else at risk." She explained.
Alaric was astounded. "I can't stay here with Jenna out there!" He insisted.
Bonnie apologized, "I'm sorry."
"You can't do this!" Alaric pleaded. "Damon!"
"Sorry, buddy. She's right." Damon called to him.
Alaric watched as they walked away. "No! You can't do this. Bonnie! Bonnie…?! Urgh!" He yelled.
TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW
"Elena…" Jenna muttered.
"I have to do something." Elena said, pacing. "This can't happen. None of it."
"Quite the predicament." Klaus called out to her, approaching with Stefan and Amelia in hand. "All this talk about preserving family, and here's Stefan, granting your wish."
"Stefan…" Elena whispered, shaking her head.
"It's okay." Stefan promised, nodding to her.
"Well? Who's it going to be, Elena?" Klaus asked, gesturing between Jenna and Stefan.
Amelia watched, feeling distraught.
Elena had tears in her eyes. "No." She cried.
"Oh, don't worry. It's actually not your choice." Klaus assured her.
Klaus became a blur and he drove a wooden stake into Stefan's back.
"Ahh!" Stefan yelled.
"No, Stefan!" Elena screamed, watching her boyfriend fall to the ground.
Klaus smiled at her. "I have other plans for your boyfriend. I want him alive. But for now…" He trailed off, snapping Stefan's neck and rendering him unconscious.
Elena gasped and Klaus turned to look at Amelia. "Well? So quiet, this one… tsk, tsk." He circled the witch, looking her up and down. "So, Ms. Whitmore, who's it going to be? Sacrifice Aunt Jenna…? Or… sweet, little Caroline?"
Elena felt tears fall down her face as she realized the choice her friend was making.
Amelia made eye contact for the first time with Elena that night and felt tears well up in her eyes again. "Why are you doing this." Amelia stated through gritted teeth, her fists clenched.
"Oh, I already know the answer, love." Klaus told her, smirking. "I just want to hear you tell them."
Amelia swallowed as Elena shook her head, pleading with her. "Don't." Elena begged.
"I'm so, so sorry." Amelia whispered, turning to Jenna. "Jenna, I'm so sorry." Her voice broke as tears welled up in her eyes.
Klaus cleared his throat, waiting for his answer.
Amelia felt her heart break. She felt so out of control. She could feel their shock and horror and sadness pouring into her. Could feel Klaus' apathy. She was too worked up, herself. She couldn't put up her barriers and block out their emotions. It made her feel even more out of control. "Jenna. I choose Jenna. Caroline is my sister." She choked out.
Klaus smirked at her and took her hand, leading her over to the altar.
"Whenever you're ready, my sweet." Klaus told her.
Amelia sobbed as she locked hands with Greta and began the chant. She could barely make out the words, and focused instead on pouring her energy into Greta to channel.
She held her eyes shut as the ring of fire disappeared from around Jenna.
"No." Elena cried.
"Your turn." Klaus said, smiling at her.
"No, Jenna, no, no!" Elena cried.
Greta glared at the doppelgänger and caused the fire to soar up closer to her.
Amelia opened her eyes, and watched Jenna. She owed her that much. If this was the choice she had to make, she respected Jenna enough to be brave.
"It's all right, Elena." Jenna promised, she turned to look up at Amelia. "I forgive you, Amelia. It's okay." She turned back to look at her niece. "I know what I have to do."
Elena pressed her lips together, tears rolling down her face.
Jenna became a blur and she sank her teeth into Greta, trying to take the witch out. She drank her blood greedily, but Klaus quickly pulled her away, stabbing her through the back with a stake.
"Ahh!" Jenna screamed.
"No!" Elena gasped.
"Jenna…" Amelia sobbed, watching helplessly beside Klaus. She didn't even notice Greta standing up and cursing out the vampire.
"Jenna, no…" Elena sobbed, unable to catch her breath.
Jenna tried to sit up and looked at Elena, tears falling down her face.
"Just turn it off. Jenna. Turn it off. You won't be scared anymore." Elena promised.
Klaus flipped Jenna over so she was laying on her back. He reached his hand back, and staked her through the heart.
"No! Jenna!" Elena screamed.
Jenna gasped before turning still and gray, lying dead on the ground.
Amelia felt numb as she chanted with Greta, getting to the final stage of the sacrifice. She didn't even notice Stefan wake up and begin to gasp.
Stefan looked around and saw Jenna lying on the altar dead, with a stake through her chest.
"No." Stefan mumbled.
Greta poured blood into the boiling cauldron.
"I'm so sorry." Stefan whispered, making eye contact with his girlfriend from the ground.
Elena put a finger to her mouth. "Shh." She whispered. "Are they going to kill him?"
"Yes." Stefan mouthed back to her.
A moment later, Klaus approached her. "It's time." He said.
The circle of fire disappeared from Elena and Klaus held his hand out. Elena ignored him and stood up on her own, walking up to the altar. She refused to look at Amelia as she stared at Jenna's body.
Stefan groaned as he tried and failed to stand up from the ground.
Klaus gripped Elena's face and forced her to look at him. "Thank you, Elena." He told her sincerely.
"Go to hell." Elena whispered confidently.
Amelia watched, feeling cold as Klaus bit into Elena's neck gently, and sucked every last drop of blood from her body. Amelia wasn't sure she believed in God, but in that moment, she prayed that the elixir would work and Elena would survive this. She had never wanted anything more in her life.
"No." Stefan whispered, watching the final sacrifice.
Amelia caught Elena's body and gently lowered her to the ground as Klaus dropped her. She looked up at him, frightened by the black veins beneath his eyes and the blood smeared across his face.
The fire shriveled up and disappeared as the sacrifice was complete. The curse had been broken.
Klaus reveled in his new rush of power. "I can feel it. It's happening." He looked up at the full moon and yelled in pain as his bones began to crack and become deformed - he was transforming. "Yes! Yes!"
Amelia was terrified by the mix of fangs and yellow eyes that stared her down. She had a sense of deja-vu as she remembered this moment from a nightmare…
Klaus screamed as he was thrown backwards and Bonnie appeared. A fire roared back to life in the cauldron and Greta watched on in confusion.
Amelia watched in horror as Damon appeared behind Greta. "Damon, no!" She yelled.
He snapped her neck before flickering his eyes to look at her darkly. Amelia felt her stomach sink even further.
Amelia stumbled backward and fell over onto her butt when he suddenly appeared in front of her. "Easy, it's okay. C'mon." Damon soothed, helping her up. Amelia stiffly followed him and watched him pick up Elena's body.
Klaus screamed in pain as Bonnie continued chanting. "No! You were dead!" He yelled.
Fire roared up in a broad circle around Klaus, lighting up the clearing.
Damon set Elena down next to Stefan, the two lovers creating a striking picture.
"Wake up, Elena!" Stefan begged.
Amelia pulled the stake from Stefan's back and he groaned in pain.
"I need you to get them out of here!" Stefan pleaded.
"What about you?" Damon asked.
Stefan glanced back at Klaus. "I'm not leaving until he's dead. Go!"
Amelia helped Damon pick Elena up again, and followed next to him, stumbling. "Damon, wait, I should help Bonnie." She whispered, her thoughts sluggish.
"No." Damon stated firmly. "You're too weak. Bonnie's got this, c'mon."
Amelia followed him numbly, thinking about a time when she had been stronger than the newer witch. She had never hated her unreliable powers more than she did in that moment.
After they had left, Elijah appeared next to his brother. "Elijah?" Klaus asked in shock.
"Hello, brother." Elijah greeted. "I see you've met Freya." He commented casually, thinking about how he was about to kill him. "Ah, how she does resemble our dear sister."
"What?" Klaus asked, wide eyed. "That Deveraux witch? How is that possible?!" He demanded.
Elijah's only answer was reaching into Klaus' chest and gripping his heart.
"In the name of our family, Niklaus…" Elijah began.
Klaus interrupted him. "I didn't bury them at sea!"
The confident look was immediately wiped off of Elijah's face. "What?" He whispered.
"Their bodies are safe." Klaus insisted. "If you kill me, you'll never find them."
"Elijah!" Stefan called, approaching hurriedly. "Don't listen to him."
"Elijah." Klaus begged. "I can take you to them. I give you my word… brother."
"Do it or I'll take you both out." Bonnie threatened, suddenly unsure of the situation.
Elijah turned his head to look at her. "You'll die." He tried to call her bluff.
"I don't care." Bonnie threatened, wondering if this was all for waste.
"I'm sorry." Elijah told them sincerely.
"No!" Stefan and Bonnie cried, stepping forward as Elijah grabbed Klaus and disappeared into the night.
TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW
John Gilbert sat in the dusty room, pen and paper in hand as he wrote his final letter. Sunlight streamed through the window above him.
Alaric sighed. "We should have heard from them by now."
Jeremy looked up from the journal he was reading. "Did you read all this?" Jeremy asked, feeling horrified.
"I did." John promised.
"So, you understand what happened to the child's mother after the baby was brought back to life." Jeremy clarified.
John refused to look at him. "She saved her daughter. She found peace."
"John…" Jeremy trailed off.
John stood up and handed the folded letter to his nephew. "I need you to give this to Elena for me." He requested.
Jeremy reluctantly took the letter.
"And, also, this." John told him, taking the ring off his finger and handing it down the line of Gilbert's.
"Oh, hey, what's going on?" Alaric asked, starting to realize something was wrong.
John sighed and looked at the two men… He was so proud of the man that Jeremy was becoming. "Take care of each other." John asked. "Please."
They looked up as they heard the sound of the door opening upstairs. "I think they're here." Alaric said excitedly, racing up the stairs to greet his girlfriend.
Amelia shut the door behind them as Damon set Elena down on the dusty couch. "If you don't come back, I'll kill you, so, don't do it." Damon threatened, trying to lighten the mood. He could feel Amelia projecting her sullenness. He knew that she must be really upset - she usually had very good control over her powers.
Amelia sat down next to Elena's body and took her cool hand in her own, trying to warm it up. She refused to look at Damon, but she could feel him staring at her. "Amelia-," He started.
"How is she?!" Jeremy asked as the boys piled up the stairs.
"We don't know yet." Damon admitted.
Alaric took a deep breath. "What about Jenna?" He asked.
Amelia attempted to swallow the lump in her throat. Damon looked over his shoulder and shook his head tentatively. "I'm sorry, Jeremy." He said.
They didn't see John Gilbert gazing at them from the doorway. He turned around and walked outside. John took a deep breath of fresh air, relishing in the smell of the trees, the dirt, and the morning dew, one last time.
Amelia tensed up as Elena sat up and gasped to life. "Elena." Damon exclaimed, helping her sit up.
"Hey!" Jeremy whispered, feeling overwhelmed as he sat down next to his sister.
Elena looked around wildly and pulled her hand back away from Amelia. Amelia's face grew weary as she observed the expression on her face and the emotions radiating from her core. She nodded and stood up, walking away from the girl.
"How do you feel?" Jeremy asked her.
"I feel fine." Elena said, watching as Amelia walked away.
Out of sight, John Gilbert took his last breath and collapsed to his knees before falling face-first onto the cold, hard ground.
TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW
Caroline huffed as she sat down next to Tyler who was still naked. His only covering was a knitted blanket. "Hey." She greeted quietly.
Tyler sat up tentatively, groaning in pain. He flung the blanket off his torso, leaving it only to cover his lower half. He observed his wound.
"Ooh, yeah, you got shot." Caroline told him. "But it's healing!" She said, trying to be optimistic.
Tyler groaned in pain again and slowly readjusted himself so he was sitting up straight.
"You were right." Tyler said, looking at the blonde. "I shouldn't have come home."
"No, you just… should have never left." Caroline corrected. "And you shouldn't leave again."
"You're… kidding, right?" Tyler asked. "This is the second time I've tried to kill you." He reminded her.
"Well… no friendship is perfect." Caroline admitted.
Tyler glanced over at her silently before they both began to laugh.
They quieted down and Caroline took a deep breath. "Matt… broke up with me." She admitted slowly.
Tyler shook his head. "I'm sorry." He apologized, feeling the slightest glimmer of hope, but also feeling bad for his friends.
"Yeah, well, you know, instead of just bailing on me again, you could just say… 'Thank you, Caroline, for taking care of me, and I'm sorry that I tried to chow down on you again.'" She joked.
They exchanged a look and began chuckling again; however, Caroline's laughter soon dissolved into broken sobs. She tried to pull herself back together and catch her breath as Tyler wrapped an arm around her. "Hey, come here." He soothed, pulling her close. "Oh, easy." He groaned as she leaned into his gunshot wound.
"Oops." Caroline whispered, readjusting herself so she was leaning against his smooth chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.
They were both quiet for a moment.
"Thank you, Caroline… for taking care of me." Tyler told her gratefully.
"You're welcome." Caroline mumbled into the blanket, her thoughts whirring.
TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW
"We all set?" Stefan asked, readjusting his tie.
"Yeah… Plenty of room in the Gilbert family plot, and I compelled two of the gravediggers to do the dirty work." Damon explained, smoothing out his black, dress shirt. "How's she doing?" He whispered.
Stefan grimaced. "She lost the only parents she had. She's in shock."
Jeremy lightly tapped on Elena's door, watching her put on her earrings. He had just put on his suit, and his sister was wearing a black dress.
Jeremy entered and his eyes flickered to her rough ponytail - there were stray pieces of hair everywhere.
"I'm almost ready." Elena sighed.
"Yeah, take your time." Jeremy agreed.
Elena took a deep breath, looking up at the picture of Jenna on the side of her mirror. They were quiet for a moment before Jeremy spoke up. "John wanted me to give you this… and this." He told her, handing her the letter and the other Gilbert ring.
"Jeremy… I'm so sorry." Elena apologized. "I'm so sorry that you've lost so many people."
"I still have you." Jeremy reminded her.
Elena swallowed and nodded, stepping forward to hug her brother.
Jeremy eventually released her and left the room, allowing Elena the time she needed.
Elena walked over to her window seat and slowly sat down, taking a deep breath before opening up the letter. It read:
Elena,
It's no easy task being an ordinary parent to an extraordinary child. I failed in that task. And because of my prejudices, I failed you. I'm haunted by how things might have played out differently if I'd been more willing to hear your side of things. For me, it's the end. For you, a chance to grow old and someday do better with your own child than I did with mine. It's for that child that I give you my ring. I don't ask for your forgiveness, or for you to forget. I ask only that you believe this: I love you, Elena, as I've always loved you and always will.
John.
TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW-TBW
Amelia Whitmore hovered behind the group of her friends at the cemetery, feeling out of place.
Damon glanced around like he was looking for something and eventually his eyes met hers. He gave her a small smile and glanced at Elena and Stefan before casually stepping away and joining her in the back of the group. She tried to give him a small smile, but it wavered and she looked away. He reached out and took her hand in his, interlocking their fingers. She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.
Elena stepped forward and laid a rose on each grave as her friends and family stood behind her.
Stefan and Jeremy stood directly behind her, with Caroline and Bonnie standing behind them off to the side. Alaric was also there, but he was sullen and mostly silent.
Elena paused slightly before moving to her parent's graves and laying a rose on each of theirs as well.
Bonnie took a deep breath and teared up a little as she thought about everything her friend had been through.
The group was silent as Elena cried over her parent's grave.
Elena stood up and exchanged a glance with Alaric, shaking her head as tears fell down her face.
Alaric stepped forward and laid a second rose onto Jenna Sommers' grave.
Amelia took a deep breath and tentatively approached Elena, but Elena backed away from her, shaking her head tearfully. "I-I can't… not yet." Elena said. "I'm sorry."
Amelia felt tears well up in her eyes but swallowed them back, nodding as she walked away.
Damon watched her leave and stepped forward to join her, but Stefan interceded him.
"We're going back to the house." Stefan told his brother.
Damon sighed. "I think I'll skip the coffee and tea cakes."
Stefan sighed as well. "Damon, she needs us right now, all of us."
"But Amelia doesn't, huh?" Damon asked snidely, peering back at his brother who remained silent. "She's always been there for Elena. Amelia didn't have a choice, Stefan. Klaus tricked her." He said, annoyed.
"I know, Damon, she just needs some time." Stefan replied.
"Then what's the plan, brother? The curse is broken. How does one go about killing an all- powerful-wolf/vamp and his two-faced older brother?" Damon inquired realistically.
"I have no idea." Stefan admitted.
Damon turned around to face him, and spoke. "We need to get an idea. Fast."
Stefan shook his head. "I'm not going to let Elena lose anybody else." He promised.
"I wouldn't make any promises, brother." Damon told him, rolling up his sleeve.
Stefan glanced down wondering what he was talking about. "What's that supposed to mean?" He asked.
"Tyler Lockwood bit me." Damon admitted. Most of his forearm was purple and the veins were discolored. "It's actually more of a nip, really, but, there it is."
Stefan stepped forward in shock, and grasped his bothers arm, examining the wound. He looked up at his brother in a whole different light. "We'll find something." Stefan promised quietly. "A cure."
Damon shook his head. "There's no cure, Stefan." He told him hopelessly.
Stefan leaned in closer. "We kept Elena alive, right?" He reminded him. "We found the way when there was no way… Hey, I will do this."
Damon leaned in, raising his eyebrows. "You want to do something for me? Keep this from Amelia and Elena. Last thing they need is another grave to mourn." Damon's eyes drifted off toward another familiar gravesite, and the blonde witch who knelt there. He knew they belonged to Michael and Marcella Whitmore.
Stefan watched as Damon walked away, feeling desperate.
