Sorry for not updating yesterday! I've been sick so I've been sleeping and trying to get healthy. I hope you like this chapter. Something big happens in this chapter, and your questions are going to be answered. A lot of stuff! Don't forget to review! READ UNTIL THE VERY END! I promise it's worth it.

Season 2 Episode 19 Klaus

That next morning, I woke up a little disoriented. My mom was home, taking the late shift. She wouldn't admit it, but she was worried about me. She shook me awake, telling me I had visitors. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, padding down the hallway and into the living room. Sitting in the room was Elena and…

"Elijah?" I asked, blinking a few times just in case I was seeing things. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

"Elena thought that I could answer some of your questions." Elijah explained. I looked to Elena who was staring at me hopefully. I turned back to Elijah. "We must hurry if we are going to start."

"Yeah…" I said. "Let me change really quick."

I rushed back to my room, throwing on a clean shirt and some jeans. I didn't understand how Elijah was here, but I guessed Elena had something to do with that. I barely gave a goodbye to my mom before I followed Elijah and Elena to her car. She drove, Elijah in the passenger seat sipping on a blood bag.

I was a bit giddy, knowing that I would finally figure out this whole guardian and Klaus thing. I would have to thank Elena for thinking of me when she decided to do this.

"You look better." Elena commented.

"Where did you get the dagger?" Elijah asked, ignoring her comment. Elena sighed.

"I'll tell you everything. But we have to work together, Elijah." Elena said. "I need your word."

"Your ability to make demands has long passed." Elijah replied. Elena gave me an exasperated look. I couldn't blame Elijah for not trusting her. They did double cross him and kill him after he said he was going to help us.

"No demands. I'm offering you my help." Elena continued. "And in return, I want yours."

"And why should I even consider this?" Elijah asked. Elena opened her mouth but I cut in.

"Because I know that she wants your help." I said. Elijah looked at me with narrowed eyes. "You can trust me. I had nothing to do with them killing you."

Elijah scoffed and before I could even think I reached forward and grabbed his arm. Elena looked at me shocked, and Elijah seemed to do the same. I didn't know where the gesture came from or why I even thought that it was a good idea to touch him without permission, but it just felt natural.

"Elijah, you want to kill Klaus. So do we." I said. "You can trust us."

Elijah stared at me for a long time, never once shying away from the hand that was still on his arm. I was silently pleading with him to trust me. He didn't have to trust Elena or the Salvatores. But he could trust me, because I had no intentions of harming him in anyway. I just wanted Klaus dead.

Suddenly, Elena's phone rang, breaking us all out of our trance. She looked down at it and sighed. She looked back up to me and mouthed Stefan. She then clicked the answer button and held it up to his ear.

"Hey Stefan." She said. I couldn't hear the other end of the conversation, but I knew Elijah could. "Yes, I'm fine."

Another blurb of words I didn't hear.

"He's right here." Elena said looking up at Elijah. "No, Stefan, Elijah and I need some time alone."

I looked down at my phone, seeing a text from Damon.

Where are you?

I ignored it.

If you are with Elena I'm going to kill you.

Again I ignored it.

Dammit Alex.

"Elijah is a noble man, Stefan. He lives by a code of honor." Elena said, keeping her eyes on Elijah. "I can trust him. He knows that I'd be incredibly stupid to betray him again. By removing the dagger, I have proven myself."

After another text from Damon, I turned the phone off. I knew that he wouldn't like this, and my way of dealing with his anger was to not even talk to him. I knew that only made him angrier, but it was better to ask for forgiveness then permission.

"I'm not alone." Elena said. "I'm with Alex."

"What!?" I heard Damon scream from the other line. I saw Elijah's shoulders move slightly with his laughter. I rolled my eyes. Damon was always one for the dramatics.

"It's my decision, Stefan. Please respect it." Elena said. "And make sure that Damon doesn't do anything stupid."

"You want to talk about stupid!?"

"I'll be in touch." Elena replied, ending the call. Once it was done Elijah held out his hand for her phone. She hesitantly gave it to him and watched as he put it in his jacket pocket.

"Now, tell me what has happened while I was… incapacitated." He said. Elena bit her bottom lip and looked at me. Where do you even start?

"He's here." She said finally.

Elijah looked surprised when Elena said that. His eyes widened and he stared at her for a long time.

"Klaus is here?" Elijah asked. Elena nodded.

"He's taken over Alaric's body." Elena explained. Elijah didn't seem as surprised by that. He shook his head as if he should have seen that coming.

"Of course he has." Elijah said. "One of his favorite tricks."

"Well, what are his other tricks? What is he going to do next?" I asked. "You're the only one who knows him."

"Yes, I do." He said quietly. I guessed that Elijah was closer to Klaus then he first led on. He knew a lot about Klaus it seemed. "We can't talk here."

"Where to?" Elena asked, gripping the steering wheel.

"The Lockwoods." Elijah said. "I need a suit."


"Did she just hang up on you?" Damon asked. He tried calling Alex, but it went straight to voicemail. Of all the stupid things his girlfriend could do, she went and put herself in danger with an Original. He could feel his blood pumping from the anger that was rising in his stomach. But it wasn't just anger, it was also worry. Elijah was stronger than him, and that scared Damon, especially when it came to Alex's safety.

"She did." Stefan said looking down at his dark screen. Damon stood up.

"They've lost it." Damon said, running a hand through his hair.

"If anyone can get him to help us kill Klaus…" Stefan said, looking up at his brother. "It's those two."

"Bonnie's the way to kill Klaus, Stefan. He thinks she's dead." Damon explained. "We have a chance with her."

"She'll kill herself in the process." Stefan said. "Elena's looking for another way."

"And Alex is looking for answers." Damon said. He should have known she would pull something like this. "Come on, we have to go find them."

Damon made his way toward the door but Stefan stopped him with a firm hand. Damon narrowed his eyes and looked to Stefan and then down at Stefan's hand.

"No you need to back off." Stefan said. Damon's eyebrows shot up.

"What?" Damon asked. "This is Alex and Elena we are talking about."

"Look, I don't like this any more than you do. But we need to trust them." Stefan explained. "We gotta just let them do their thing."

Damon was shocked and annoyed at his brother's lack of regard for their girlfriend's safety. They had no idea what Elijah was capable of, and he was now alone with Elena who was useless in a fight, and Alex who was still training with an idiot. They had no chance.

"That might be your plan." Damon said. "Mine's better."

He tried for the door again, but Stefan stopped him.

"I said back off." Stefan ordered. The brothers glared at one another. "You have to trust her."

Damon gritted his teeth before yanking his arm away from his brother and walking up the stairs to his bedroom.


We arrived at the Lockwoods and it was weird to be there without a party or even going to see Tyler. No one had heard from him since he left. I wondered how his mother was doing. I guess I was about to find out. We followed Elijah up to the door and once he knocked on it we waited for someone to answer.

"Elijah, Alex, Elena! What are you doing here?" Carol asked when she opened the door. She looked down at Elijah's charred suit. "What happened?"

"I've had a bit of an incident, Carol." Elijah explained. "I'm hoping you could help."

"Well, I'm on my way to a meeting, so I-"

"It won't take but a minute of your time." Elijah said. I could see by the way Carol was staring at Elijah so intently, that he was compelling her. I furrowed my brows, the wife of the late mayor would most definitely be on vervain. So how was Elijah doing that?

"Of course." Carol said, stepping aside from the door. "Anything you need."

"Thank you." Elijah said, stepping through with ease. Elena and I followed not too far behind him into the mansion. It was a little creepy without both the mayor and Tyler in this big house. I wonder if Carol ever got lonely.

"Well, first things first." Elijah said. "I'm going to need a change of clothing."

"Well, we can try one of my husband's suits." Carol said, then she turned solemn. "I haven't boxed them up yet."

Although I didn't think that Carol and her husband were on great terms when it came to their marriage, I believed she was still upset over her dead husband. It had been a couple months, but the wounds still had to be there. On top of that Tyler went AWOL and disappeared. I didn't particularly like Carol, but I had a bit of sympathy toward her.

"Wonderful." Elijah said. I rolled my eyes at the word. Carol nodded and started to walk upstairs.

"How did you know she's not on vervain?" Elena asked curiously. She must have had the same thoughts I did.

"'Cause I'm the one who got her off it. Right before you and your friends killed me." Elijah said, looking at me for a split second. "Twice. If you'll excuse me. I'll be down in a moment."

Elijah then followed Carol up the stairs. Elena turned to me and sighed. I didn't think we were in any danger with Elijah, and I was anxious for answers, but going against Damon's wishes was starting to weigh heavy on my mind.

"Do you think this is a good idea?" I suddenly asked her. Elena furrowed her brows. "I mean… Stefan and Damon made it pretty clear they don't trust him…"

"But I do." Elena said. "He is a man of his word."

"Yeah…" I said. "It's just… Damon…"

"Damon can wait until you're done." Elena said sternly. "You can't always try to please him."

"I don't." I said defensively. "It's just… is it worth the fight?"

Elena made a face. I knew Damon was going to yell about this later, and then I would get mad and we would fight. But every time we fought, Damon and I always made our way back to each other. We always made up, and the make out sessions afterward were always oh so satisfying. But this was very much against what Damon thought was necessary. I knew he worried, and he hated when he wasn't in control. But this was my life, this was my past. I had to know, even if Damon got angry with me for it.

Carol and Elijah eventually emerged, Elijah clad in a clean suit that was without any kind of burn marks. I bit my lip, thinking of Damon taking a blow torch to him. Good thing originals couldn't burn to death. Elena and I followed Elijah and Carol into the living room, where Elijah sat on one love seat and Elena and I took the one opposite him.

"I have to get to that meeting." Carol said with a smile. "Make yourselves at home."

We thanked her and Elijah waited for the front door to close before he began to speak. I could feel my heart pick up speed. I was so ready to know what I was and where I came from. The more I knew about Klaus, the easier it would be to kill him when the time came.

"So I assume that the Martin witches are no longer with us." Elijah said. He looked between me and Elena, and I found that I couldn't look him in the eye. If we could have kept the Martin witches on our side, we would have been able to have the upper hand.

"No." Elena finally answered. "I'm sorry."

Elijah didn't look particularly sad, but he wasn't happy about it. Two powerful witches, dead and gone. I could see how we were getting in the way of his plans.

"And Katerina?" Elijah asked. "She would have been released from my compulsion when I died."

"Klaus took her." I piped up. Elijah caught my gaze. "We think she may be dead."

"I doubt that." Elijah said. When he saw my eyebrows furrow he continued. "Not Klaus' style. Death would be too easy for her after what she did."

The way he made it sound, it sounded like he believed Katherine should have never ran. But if I was Katherine would have I done anything different? Maybe I wouldn't have sacrificed so many lives to save my own, but I probably would have run myself given the chance. But Klaus didn't see it that way. Katherine ran, and she was to be punished.

"So you don't think that she should have ran?" I asked. "If given the same circumstance, would you do the same?"

"I have my own reasons for wanting Katerina to pay." Elijah explained, not answering my question. "There was a time... I'd have done anything for Klaus."

"Why?" Elena asked. "It seems to me like you hate him."

"I have anger toward my brother." Elijah said. "Klaus betrayed me."

"Wait a second…" I said. "Back up. What did you say?"

"You heard me correct Miss Gilbert." Elijah said ruefully. "Klaus is my brother."

I felt my gut lurch. It made sense now how much Elijah knew about Klaus. He grew up with Klaus. He was at Klaus' side for most of their existence. He held an unwavering loyalty to Klaus that is until Klaus apparently betrayed him.

"I… I can't believe it…" Elena said. Elijah grinned.

"I'm a little behind on the time…" Elijah said. "But I believe the term you're searching for is O.M.G."

"Funny." I snapped, getting a narrowed eyed gaze from Elijah. "Why didn't you tell us he's your brother?"

"I would have." Elijah said. "But your boyfriend killed me."

"Fair enough." I replied, crossing my arms over my chest and falling backward onto the couch. Elijah seemed amused at my behavior, although Elena was looking at me like I was crazy. For some reason, Elijah didn't scare me. I knew that he could kill me, but the way Elijah looked at me and the way he acted around me was anything but menacing. I just couldn't put my finger on it.

"I guess I should then tell you that we are not alone." Elijah said. "There are more like Klaus and I."

"There's a whole family of Originals?" Elena asked. I sat up at that. Honestly, the notion scared me a little bit. If there were more of these indestructible vampires out there, we could be in some trouble.

"My father was a wealthy land owner in a village in Eastern Europe." Elijah explained. "Our mother bore eight children."

"Someone needs a hobby." I grunted. Elena elbowed me while Elijah just chuckled. "But wait… that would make them human right?"

"Our whole family was. Our origin as vampires is a very long story." Elijah said. "Just know... We're the oldest vampires in the world. We are the Original family, and from us all vampires were created."

"Right, but Klaus is your brother." Elena said. "And you want him dead?"

Elijah stood up then, looking down at us. When Elijah entered a room, he demanded respect without even having to say a word. I wished someday I could do that.

"I need some air." Elijah said. "I'm still feeling a tad... dead. Come."

He gestured for us to follow him and we did so. He took us outside, where we could see the beautiful view of the Lockwood property. What I would do to live in a place like this.

"So as you've seen, nothing can kill an Original. Not Sun, not fire, not even a werewolf bite." Elijah said. "Only the wood from one tree. A tree my family made sure burned."

"That's where the white ash for the dagger comes from." Elena concluded. Elijah nodded.

"Yes. The witches won't allow anything truly immortal to walk the earth." Elijah explained. "Every creature needs to have a weakness in order to maintain the balance."

"Ok, you lost me again." I said. "If the sun can't kill and Original, then why does Klaus want to break the sun and moon curse?"

"Right. The curse of the Sun and the Moon." Elijah mused. "It's all so... Biblical-sounding, don't you think?"

He then broke out into a grin, followed by a little chuckle. Elena stopped in our tracks and looked at one another before we looked back to Elijah. He stopped, turning to us, still amused by something that I didn't understand.

"Why are you laughing?" Elena asked. Elijah chuckled lightly and I was losing my patience. I knew I had to be careful, Elijah's good demeanor toward me could only be stretched so far. But he was laughing and we weren't here for jokes. We wanted answers.

"Am I missing something?" I asked him. He let out a breath before he spoke again.

"Klaus was very good at recreating different cultural drawings." Elijah said. "Especially Aztec."

"Like the Aztec curse…" Elena said. "So Klaus drew the Aztec sketches about the curse?"

"Roman scrolls, African tribal etchings, and any other culture or continent we felt like planting in it." Elijah said.

I was still very confused. So Klaus was the one who put out the information about the sun and moon curse… but why?

"Easiest way to discover the existence of a doppelgänger or to get your hands on some long, lost moon stone is to have every single member of two warring species on the lookout." Elijah explained.

"So, it's not Aztec at all?" Elena asked. Elijah and I shared a look and in that moment I understood what he was saying.

"The curse is fake." I said, not trying to hide my irritancy as I glared at Elijah. "He made it up."

"What?" Elena asked, looking back to Elijah. He didn't seem ashamed in the slightest. Here we were, thinking there was some curse that would allow vampires to walk in the sun or have werewolves change their shape freely… and it was all a lie. We had been duped, and I felt so stupid for having believed it.

"Klaus and I faked the Sun and Moon curse dating back over a thousand years." Elijah admitted. I shook my head, biting my tongue so I wouldn't cuss him out. I felt used, like I had been a pawn in some little game.

"But if there is no curse-"

"There's a curse." Elijah said. "Just not that one. The real one is much worse. It's a curse placed on Klaus"

"Are you kidding me?" I asked, feeling exasperated at that point. "You made up one curse, how can we be sure you aren't making this one up too?

"I thought we were supposed to trust one another Alexandra." Elijah said. I bit the inside of my cheek. Elena squeezed my elbow, and the look on her face was encouraging me to listen to Elijah. He gazed at me with his dark eyes and I sighed.

"Sorry." I mumbled. Elijah's lips turned up slightly in a smile and I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"Klaus has been trying to break it for the last thousand years." Elijah said. "And you are his only hope."

I heard Elena's phone buzzing in his pocket.

"What is this curse?" Elena asked, ignoring the buzzing. I debated on turning on mine, but voted against it when I thought of all the obscene texts I probably had waiting for me from Damon.

"Your phone will not stop its incessant buzzing." Elijah said. "Answer it, please."

He handed Elena the phone and she took it. Clicking the answer button, and held it up to her ear.

"Stefan… what's wrong?" Elena said. "No. No, no, no, no. Okay, I'll be right there."

I felt the panic rise in my gut at the frantic way Elena was acting.

"Klaus went after Jenna." Elena said.

"What?" I asked, reaching for her. My guardian instincts could pick up on Elena's distress, and in turn it was making my anxiety spike.

"I have to go." Elena said.

"I'm afraid that wasn't part of today's arrangement." Elijah said. I looked back to him with an incredulous look.

"She's my family, Elijah. I have to." Elena explained. "I'll be back. You have my word."

"That mean's nothing to me." Elijah said. Elena looked at me panicked. I turned to Elijah, who was staring at me.

"I'll stay." I suggested. "She will come back for me."

Elijah looked between the two of us for a minute before he simply nodded. Elena hurriedly thanked him before she ran toward her car. I watched her fleeting figure, feeling my anxiety go down the further away she was from me and from Elijah. I slowly turned back to the Original in front of me and pushed my lips into a straight line.

"I'm sure you have your own questions for me." Elijah suggested. I nodded. "I thought as much. Go ahead."

I opened my mouth, but then shut it. Where did I even begin? There was so much information and so many questions I wanted to ask solely about my own connections to Klaus. It was a little selfish yes, but I had to know what I was and where I had come from.

"Klaus had the chance to kill me." I admitted to him. "I was afraid… I didn't have my guard up…"

"Did he harm you?" Elijah asked, surprisingly concerned as he looked me over. I shook my head wildly.

"That's what confused me." I said. "He could have killed me… but he didn't."

"I assure you that Klaus has no intentions of killing you." Elijah said. "Come, let's go inside."

I followed him inside, and we took our original seats in the living room. I waited for Elijah to continue his explanation. From the look on his face, he looked to be trying to find the right words. I forced myself to wait patiently.

"By now you must know that you are the guardian." He said, looking up at me. I nodded. "You are the one chosen to protect the doppelgänger."

"From Klaus?" I suggested. Elijah nodded. "Ok… so why wouldn't he want to get me out of the way. If I am the one who can protect Elena… wouldn't he want to kill me first?"

"Not necessarily." Elijah quipped. "It would be too easy for him to kill you if he had no personal connection to you."

"Ok…" I said. I fished in my pocket, recovering the photo that Isobel gave me. I placed it on the coffee table. "Does this have anything to do with it?"

Elijah picked up the picture, studying it. His expression softened then as he gazed at the photo. I was beginning to think I was interrupting something and wondered if I should give him a moment. After a couple minutes of him looking it over he gave it back to me. He sighed.

"I haven't seen this in years." He said. "We lost it."

"It's hanging in a museum now." I said. Elijah nodded. He then visibly swallowed, and I could see the pain in his face. Something inside of me wanted to reach out to him, to comfort him. I resisted the urge, not knowing where in the hell it came from.

"You are connected to Klaus." Elijah admitted. "The woman in that painting… that is Alissa."

"Alissa?" I asked. Elijah nodded. "Who is Alissa?"

"Alissa…" Elijah said, the name seeming to cause him great pain. "Was Klaus' twin."

I felt my heart sink. At first I wondered if I had heard right. Klaus' twin? I looked like Klaus' twin?

"Excuse me?" I asked, not knowing what else to say. How was I supposed to react to news like that?

"Alissa was Klaus' twin sister." Elijah repeated. "Inseparable those two…"

"Ok… so I look like this Alissa girl…" I said. "Your sister."

Elijah's jaw tightened as he looked at me. It made sense now, how fond Elijah seemed to be of me. I looked just like his sister, who I noticed he talked about in the past tense. I assumed that meant that she was dead.

"You don't just look like Lissa." Elijah said, causing my eyebrows to furrow. "You are the reincarnation of her."

"What?" I asked.

"You are Alissa." Elijah said. I sat there for what seemed like forever, just looking at this guy like he was crazy. He waited for me to respond patiently, but there was no words coming to mind at that moment. I stood up, starting to pace and running my hands through my hair.

"I know this may come as a shock-"

"You think?" I barked, forgetting who I was talking to. "I am not Alissa. I am Alex Gilbert. My mother is Lauren James, my father is John Gilbert. Elena Gilbert is my half-sister. Jeremy Gilbert is my cousin… I am not your sister."

"But in a way you are." Elijah said, standing and putting his hands on my shoulders. "Alexandra… you are the exact replica of Lissa."

"That doesn't mean we are the same person." I said moving out of his grasp. "Look at Elena and Katherine. They couldn't be any more different."

"You're an artist." Elijah said, making me stop. How did he know that? "Lissa was as well."

"Just a coincidence…" I said.

"You have a close relationship with your mother." Elijah continued. "Lissa adored our mother."

"That doesn't mean-"

"You're headstrong, stubborn…" Elijah continued, stepping toward me. "And you love a man who cares for himself more than you."

"Hey now." I said pointing a finger at him. "I like my boyfriend thank you very much."

"You would do anything for your family." Elijah said. "You would die for them."

"And let me guess Alissa did too." I concluded. "This is all coincidental. I am not your sister."

"In a way you are my dear." Elijah said sympathetically. "Your soul is that of Lissa's. You were just born under a different name at a different time."

"So… that's why Klaus didn't kill me." I said, changing the subject. "Because of his sister?"

"When the curse was placed on Klaus…" Elijah explained. "The witches needed to deter Klaus from going after the guardian. So, they recreated what was most important to him."

"Alissa." I concluded. Elijah nodded. "So… Klaus think's I'm his sister."

"You are bonded to Klaus whether you believe me or not." Elijah said. I looked down at my hands. I was absentmindedly wringing them trying to process all of this information. I felt like I wasn't myself anymore. If what Elijah said was true, that meant that I wasn't unique at all. I felt like I was just like every other guardian who had come before me.

"There is something else you should know." Elijah said. "Klaus is not only deterred by your looks… he has guilt resting inside of his heart."

"What guilt?" I asked. Elijah gritted his teeth, as if the memory caused him pain and he was keeping it together. I again had to force myself not to comfort him. Knowing the past he had, I didn't think I was ready for that step.

"Alissa is dead." Elijah said sadly. "Klaus tries to find any way to save the guardian while still sacrificing the doppelgänger."

I swallowed.

"But… this cannot be done."

"So… Katherine was right." I said, feeling my heartbeat pick up speed. "I will die trying to protect Elena."

"If it comes down to it yes." Elijah said. "And I have heard that losing the other half of the bond is excruciating."

"Damn." I muttered. "The bitch wasn't lying."

"I want you to be on your guard." Elijah said. He then reached forward, grabbing my knee. "Klaus can easily get inside your head. He will try to make you peacefully hand over Elena."

"Well that won't happen." I said shooting up from my seat. Elijah stood as well, reaching for me again. I let him, feeling myself calm a bit. "He won't get her."

"You have a split loyalty my dear." Elijah said. "Your sole purpose in existing is to protect the doppelgänger, but you still have ties to my family."

"I don't feel anything toward you…" I said bluntly. Elijah sighed.

"The loyalty Alissa felt toward Klaus… the love she had for him…" Elijah explained. "Those feelings can never die. Not even when magic is involved."

I took a deep breath. It sounded to me like I didn't have much of a choice. I felt like my life had been chosen for me, and my fate was out of my hands. I again felt like a pawn in some sick game. Even though Klaus didn't want to kill me, he wanted to kill Elena and I could feel the need to protect her rising with each day.

"I'm sorry." Elijah said. "I truly am."

I nodded. I believed Elijah. I didn't believe he had any ill will toward me, and I had a sinking suspicion because he thought I was the soul of his sister. Either way, I believed that he was really sympathetic to my situation.

"Elena is back." He said. It felt like it had been forever, but it had really only been a short time. Elena rushed back into the house and I stood, going to her. She looked shaken up.

"What's going on?" I asked her. "Is Jenna ok?"

"She will be fine." Elena said. "Klaus told her everything. She's pretty shaken up."

"Oh God…" I said. At this point, Jenna should know what was out there so she could be prepared. I just wished she didn't have to find out the way she did.

"Shall we continue?" Elijah said. Both of us turned to him and Elena went to sit on the love seat. I didn't think I could take any more surprises, so I sat down next to her and rubbed my temples.

"What did I miss?" Elena asked. I huffed. "That bad huh?"

"Worse." I said. "I am apparently the reincarnation of Klaus' twin sister."

"What?" Elena asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"Yup." I replied. Elena looked to me for more information, but when I didn't give her anything she turned back to Elijah.

"What is Klaus' curse?" She asked. I looked back up at Elijah. I was still curious as to what curse was placed on Klaus myself.

"My family was quite close, but Klaus and my father did not get on too well. When we became vampires, we discovered the truth. Klaus was not my father's son." Elijah said. Elena and I shared a look. Yet another thing Sarah and I had in common. Our birth father abandoned us. I was starting to feel sick.

"My mother had been unfaithful many years before. This was her darkest secret. Klaus is from a different bloodline." Elijah continued. "Of course, when my father discovered this, he hunted down and he killed my mother's lover and his entire family. Not realizing, of course, that he was igniting a war between species that rages until this day."

"A war between species?" Elena said.

"The vampires." Elijah said. "And the werewolves."

"So Klaus' real father was from a werewolf bloodline?" Elena said. I felt my fear prick in my gut.

"Yes." Elijah said. He must have seen the worry on my face. "Don't worry Alex. No guardian has shown signs of the werewolf gene."

I nodded, feeling sudden relief wash over me. I could deal with being a guardian. I could deal with being connected to Klaus. I could even learn to deal with the fact I was the exact copy, inside and out, of the late sister of both Klaus and Elijah, but I couldn't deal with being a werewolf on top of that.

"What does that make Klaus?" Elena asked. "A werewolf? Or a vampire?"

"He's both. A hybrid would be deadlier than any werewolf or vampire. Nature would not stand for such an imbalance of power." Elijah explained. "Therefore the witches, the servants of nature, saw to it that my brother's werewolf side would become dormant."

"That's the curse Klaus wants to break?" I asked. Elijah nodded. "He wants to trigger the werewolf gene."

"If allowed, Klaus would sire his own bloodline. He'd build his own race." Elijah said. "Endangering not just vampires, but everyone."

"Then why did you help him?" I asked, my anger rising. "If you knew he would kill a lot of people why would you let that happen?"

"I helped him because I loved him." Elijah said. I felt a twang of sympathy. "That's changed, now he must die."

"We have the dagger now." Elena said hopefully. "We can stop him."

"When a werewolf is wounded by silver, it heals. An Original can't be killed by anything but white oak ash on a silver dagger." Elijah said. "So you see the conundrum. The dagger does not work."

"So what this guy can't be killed?" I asked. I didn't see that to be possible. The witches made it clear that there was always a loophole, but from what I was given it didn't look like Klaus could die.

"There's one way to kill any supernatural species… at the hands of the servants of nature themselves." Elijah said.

"The witches." I said, looking to Elena. We both knew Bonnie was alive, and that Bonnie could channel enough magic to kill Klaus. However, Bonnie would die in the process.

"The curse must be broken during the full moon. When Klaus is in transition." Elijah said. "That's when he'll be at his most vulnerable. A witch with enough power... can kill Klaus."

"What if I told you that I knew a witch that could channel that much power?" Elena offered. I furrowed my brows. Sure, Bonnie could do it, but Bonnie would die. I knew that's not what Elena wanted, but we didn't have another choice.

"Then I would tell you there's one more thing that you should know." Elijah said. Elena and I watched him carefully, waiting for him to speak. "You don't have to die Elena."

"What?" I asked.

"The doppelgänger does not have to die." Elijah said. "I found a way to save Katerina's life when she was still human."

"You found a way to save the life of the doppelgänger?" Elena asked. This was good news to hear, I just didn't know how it would actually play out. How do you sacrifice someone, only to have them survive?

"Yes, Elena. I did. But unfortunately, Katerina took matters into her own hands first." Elijah said solemnly. "I believe you already know how that played out."

Elijah was silent then, and Elena and I waited for him to say something. He did not. He turned for the door and after a quick glance between Elena and I, we followed him out.


The car ride to the boarding house was also silent. The only time anyone spoke was when Elena invited Elijah into the house.

We stepped through, and Elijah stopped, looking as if he was listening to something. Suddenly, we heard a loud crash. Elena and I took off toward the sound, Elijah not far behind. We came to the study, where Damon and Stefan were fighting.

"Stop!" Elena cried. Both boys stopped at her voice. They looked up at us, both confused and still on edge from their fight.

"Now you've invited him in?" Damon asked, gesturing to Elijah. I could see the anger and worry in his eyes. He still didn't trust Elijah, and I could understand. But Elijah was a man of his word, and besides he had answered all my burning questions. I had to trust him.

"Elijah and I have renewed the terms of our deal." Elena explained. Damon made a face.

"Really?" Damon asked, not really needing an answer. Elena was going to do what she thought was right regardless of what Damon thought. He opinion didn't mean much to her, even if they were friends.

"The two of you will come to no harm at my hands." Elijah said, holding his hands up. "I only ask for one thing in return."

"What?" Damon asked.

"An apology." Elijah replied simply. Damon and Stefan shared a look before staring at the Original in front of them.

"A what?" Damon asked, disbelieving of what he heard. I gave him a look, but he seemed to ignore me. Stefan was the first to step forward. I could see the sincerity in his eyes, but when I looked back to Damon, his closed off body language told me he wasn't interested in making piece.

"I'm sorry for the part that I played in your death." Stefan said. "I was protecting Elena. I will always protect Elena."

"I understand." Elijah said, looking then to Damon who was sort of pouting. He made no move to speak and I felt my anxiety rise.

"The sacrifice is going to happen, Damon. Bonnie will be able to kill Klaus without hurting herself and Elijah knows how to save my life." Elena said. "I told you I'd find another way. And I did."

"Is that true?" Damon asked Elijah.

"It is." Elijah replied. Damon looked to Elena and then to me. We shared a long look before he spoke. I was pleading with him to listen this one time, but the look of anger quickly dissipated into one of pure betrayal.

"And you're trusting him?" Damon asked me, I could hear in his voice how much he wanted me to say no. But I felt nothing but trust for Elijah. He trusted me, and I believed him to be a man of his word.

"I am." I replied. No one else could see the tough façade fall but me. Damon didn't like my answer, but I held firm. I trusted Elijah, and I wouldn't change my opinion just for Damon's sake. There was a long pause before Damon set his jaw.

"You can all go to hell." Damon spat before speeding out of the room. I swallowed, feeling the sting of his words. You love a man who cares more for himself then you. That's what Elijah had said. But I couldn't believe that, not with how much Damon had sacrificed for me. But now… now I was seeing a new side. I benefited Damon… so of course he would save me. I tried not to let the doubt set into my mind.

"I'll talk to him." I said. Elijah looked at me as if he wanted me to stay, but I had to talk to him. I went out of the room, knowing that Damon would be in his room. I didn't even knock, I just walked in. "Damon…"

"I'm not in the mood Alex." Damon said, his back to me. I closed the door behind me, not taking his attitude to heart. He was annoyed that things weren't going his way. I had to take that into consideration.

"You couldn't just apologize?" I asked him, trying not to start a fight. "It was just a simple I'm sorry. You couldn't even do that?"

"I'm not sorry Alex." Damon said. "We killed Elijah for a reason."

"Because we needed answers." I tried to reason with him. "Elijah knows how to keep Elena safe."

"How do we know that's the truth?" Damon asked, turning to me. I could see the wildness in his eyes. I tried not to flinch. "How can you trust him?"

"Because he told me everything I had to know." I said. "He wouldn't lie to me."

"Do you know how stupid you sound right now?" Damon asked. "He's an Original. He can't be trusted."

"But he can." I said, reaching for Damon's hands. "I know he can."

"You are helping Elena write her suicide note." Damon said, pulling his hands away from me. He turned his back to me again and I felt my heart sink. For a while, it seemed that Damon's only objective was to protect me. Now it was all about protecting Elena. I knew that she was the one that we had to focus on right now, but I couldn't help but feel a little hurt at his switch in loyalty.

"She's going to be fine." I promised. Damon shook his head. "Damon-"

"Just stop." Damon barked. "You're willing to put all your trust in this guy you barely know and expect him to protect her? You're a moron."

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"You may be willing to risk Elena's life, but I'm not." Damon said. I furrowed my brows at him. Where did this sudden, hero like persona come from? I expected it from Stefan, but Stefan was Elena's boyfriend. Damon was mine…

"You know, it's starting to sound like you're…." I trailed off. I didn't want to say it, I didn't want it to be true.

"Like I'm what?" Damon asked, eyes wide and full of anger. I stood there for a bit. I couldn't look him in the eye and when I did I saw that he was still waiting for me to finish. I swallowed hard.

"Like you're in love with her or something." I mumbled. Damon stood there, staring at me for a long time. He didn't say a word, he just looked away from me. When he didn't deny it, I felt my heart crumple into a million pieces.

"I think you need to leave." He said. I didn't move. I couldn't. "Alex, you need to go."

"So is that it then?" I asked. "Damon…"

He said nothing, and it killed me. I bit my bottom lip, forcing myself not to speak anymore. He didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve any more words or tears. I turned and headed for the door. I waited to see if he would stop me, but he didn't. I walked out of the room dignified and without any words, but the tears were falling from my eyes.


Jace watched Alex walk out of Damon's room, tears falling from her eyes. He tried to stop her, but she pushed past him toward the front door. He turned back to Damon's room and felt an anger rise up in his chest.

He stomped his way to Damon's room, swinging the door open. The vampire said nothing, he didn't even move. Jace slammed the door behind him. Still Damon did not budge. Jace then ran up to him and shoved him hard, getting his attention.

"What did you do to her?" Jace asked angrily. Damon turned, his eyes red with anger.

"I need you to stop that." Damon warned, Jace still shoving at Damon's chest. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You know she was crying right?" Jace asked, shoving at Damon once again. "What did you do?"

Damon set his jaw, capturing Jace in a head lock with quick reflexes. The human struggled, but Damon was much stronger then him. He waited until Jace stilled before he spoke.

"Now, if I let you go will you promise not to hit me again?" Damon asked. Jace paused a beat before he nodded. "Good."

Damon then shoved him away and Jace almost lost his footing. He brushed himself off before turning his glare back to Damon.

"What did you do?" He repeated for the third time. Damon sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. Jace wanted to smack him for how little he looked like he didn't care.

"She thinks I'm in love with Elena." Damon explained. Jace furrowed his brows.

"Well, are you?" Jace asked. Damon immediately shook his head. "Ok… so why didn't you tell her that?"

"Because if she's mad at me… she will stay away." Damon said. Jace narrowed his eyes. "Tomorrow is the full moon. Klaus is going to try to do the sacrifice."

Jace nodded. Tomorrow was the perfect time for Klaus to try to do the ritual, but Jace didn't understand what that had to do with Alex being mad at Damon.

"Ok…" Jace said. Damon rolled his eyes.

"She's going to do everything she can to protect Elena." Damon said. "I'm going to try to find another way, but if worst comes to worst, the sacrifice will happen and Alex will die."

"But Klaus-"

"Are you stupid?" Damon asked. "Alex will die protecting Elena, despite what Klaus does. I'm trying to save both of their lives."

Jace stood there, staring at the vampire. If Alex stayed away, having no knowledge of the sacrifice… she wouldn't get the chance to save Elena. She wouldn't have to die.

"That's…" Jace began. "That's not a bad plan."

"Exactly." Damon said, his cocky expression returning. "I need you to keep her occupied tomorrow. Make sure she comes nowhere near this place."

"Well, I think you did that for me." Jace said. "She thinks you're in love with her sister."

Damon looked down. He obviously didn't like having to lie to Alex, especially about having feelings for Elena. Jace felt a smidge of sympathy for him.

"I'll keep her busy." Jace said and turned for the door. "Damon…"

"Yeah?" Damon said. Jace bit him bottom lip.

"What if she doesn't forgive you?" Jace asked. Damon shrugged.

"She will be alive." He said. "That's all I ever wanted."

Jace nodded, opening the door and heading out of the room. He hated to admit that Damon actually had a good plan at keeping Alex safe. Jace just needed to keep her busy so said plan would actually work.