No One's POV
"Are you crazy? If Klaus sees you..." Caroline hisses, quickly walking up to Tyler as he walks into the Mystic Falls High School gym.
"What's he gonna do? Draw you another picture?" Tyler scoffs.
"Tyler, this isn't a joke!" Caroline scolds.
"I can pretend I'm sired if I have to. But I'm not gonna hide while he's macking all over you." Tyler rolls his eyes.
"Tyler, you do not need to be jealous of Klaus." Caroline sighs.
"I am jealous, but I'm also competitive. So hang on, I'm about to sweep you off your feet." Tyler gives Caroline a cocky grin before sweeping her onto the dance floor.
"Teach me some moves." Elena tells Stefan as she walks up to his side with a persuading grin.
"Oh no, no, no, no. I blacked out for most of this decade, remember?" Stefan slightly teases.
"Nice try!" Elena laughs, dragging Stefan onto the dance floor with only some protesting from the youngest Salvatore.
"Bonnie seems happy." Stefan comments, noticing Bonnie with her date.
"She's working on it."
"I've been meaning to talk to her. Apologize." Stefan says.
"Yeah, you should, although I wouldn't expect her to forgive you. Or Damon."
"Listen, Stefan, about Damon...We should probably talk about the trip to Denver." Elena brings up.
"I don't need to know, Elena. When all this is over, if you and I find our way back to each other, you can tell me if you want to. Otherwise, I don't need to know. I don't want to know." Stefan shakes his head.
"How can you be so fair about this?" Elena questions, looking up at Stefan.
"Because after everything I've put you through, I'm just honored to be your date tonight." Stefan answers honestly.
"We three need to talk." Damon suddenly appears.
"Sorry uh. Hey. Bonnie." Jeremy bumps into Bonnie on the dance floor while trying to follow the Salvatores and his sister, noticing they were once again going off to plan or plot something.
"Why are you still wearing your ring? Didn't Elena tell you?" Bonnie asks, looking concerned.
"Yeah, I know all about Alaric. When my sister stops hanging out with vampires I'll take it off." Jeremy brushes her off a bit brusquely.
"Ex-boyfriend?"
"Yep." Bonnie confirms.
"That's not awkward at all." Bonnie's date, Jamie, answers.
"If Alaric is sick then we need to find a cure. Something." Elena's voice can be heard in the hall.
"We tried medicine, we tried magic."
"Why don't we get him off vervain, compel him?" Stefan suggests.
"What? The guy that we know is gone. We're talking about someone who not only hates vampires, but vampire sympathizers. Which makes one of his most obvious targets: I don't know, you!" Damon waves his hand at Elena.
"What, you think he'd go after Elena?" Stefan looks slightly skeptical.
"So wait, what are you suggesting we do?" Elena questions.
"I'm suggesting that we put him out of his misery." Damon answers plainly.
"What!?" Elena nearly shouts.
"No, no way in hell!" Jeremy finally joins in on the conversation.
"Oh come on, It's what he would want. It's a mercy killing." Damon argues.
"You are out of your mind!" Jeremy argues back, looking upset.
"Jeremy..." Elena trails off, looking sympathetic.
"Jer, stop..." Elena trails after her brother as he stomps down the hall and outside of the high school, clearly upset about the fact they were talking about killing Alaric, a person who had taken them under his wing after their parents had died.
"This is Alaric we're talking about! He looked out for us. Now we need to do the same for him."
"No one is gonna hurt him." Elena tries to sooth, but her words are slightly patronizing, as if she was only trying to calm him but not truly going to stay true to her words.
"Hey. Hey...Look at me. I promise." Elena tries again, but Jeremy only continues to walk away from his sister.
"Elena!" Esther appears in front of Elena. "If you wish to help your friend, Alaric, I suggest you come with me." She replies calmly.
"Jeremy go inside and get Stefan and Damon, now!" Elena tells Jeremy.
"I mean you no harm. But willingly or not you will come." Esther replies gravely.
Elena is quick to follow, and a moment later when Stefan, Damon, and Jeremy appear Elena is gone; going to follow, the Salvatores suddenly are halted, as if an invisible line or glass wall had slammed them in the face, while Jeremy continued walking. Around the school a line of salt, infused with Esther's dark magic smoldered, preventing any supernatural being from leaving the school.
"What is it?" Caroline asks Tyler as they slow dance in the midst of the other high schoolers, noticing Tyler's sudden stiffness.
"Where've you been mate?" Niklaus questions, having pushed his way through the crowed, slightly irritated that he was at the dance to begin with, but Rebekah had asked him to make an appearance, and as much as he and Rebekah fought, he did love his sister.
"I just got back in town." Tyler answers defensively.
"That's funny, I don't recall giving you permission to leave in the first place. You don't mind if I cut in, do you?" Niklaus smirks.
"Yes! Actually we do." Caroline huffs.
"No, it's fine."
"Why do you always have to prove you're the alpha male!?"
"I don't have to prove anything, love. I am the alpha male. Come on, one dance, I won't bite." Niklaus offers, holding out his hand.
"You would've loved the 1920s, Caroline. The girls were reckless, sexy, fun. They literally used to dance until they dropped." Niklaus tells Caroline as they dance together.
"Hmpf, I don't suppose that ever happened to their dance partners." Caroline snaps back.
"You should be nicer to me. I'm leaving town tomorrow. I'd invite you to come with me but we both know you're not ready to accept my offer. Perhaps one day, in a year, or even in a century, you'll turn up at my door and let me show you what the world has to offer." Niklaus tells Caroline seriously.
"Hmpf!"
"You mark my words. A small town boy, a small town life, it won't be enough for you." Niklaus leaves Caroline in the middle of the dance floor.
"Rebekah, call me back immediately! I only came to this ridiculous dance because you begged me to and now you're nowhere to be found." Niklaus calls his sister, his phone held to his ear, and an irritated tone in his voice.
"What is this?" Niklaus looks at the line of salt that continues around the school; it quite obvious some magic was at work, magic that wasn't his Little Wolf's nor the Bennett's since she couldn't do much magic at the moment.
"Your mother is back." Stefan informs Niklaus.
"Brooklyn," Niklaus dials the familiar number to his best friend. "It seems I am in need of your assistance again…"
"What did you do this time, Nik?" Brooklyn sighs.
"I object to that statement, my Little Wolf." Niklaus objects. "I did nothing. I was a victim this time." He continues.
"Somehow… I highly doubt that." Brooklyn snorts sarcastically. "Now, what do you need?" She rolls her eyes.
"I'm trapped at Mystic Falls High School…" Niklaus offers. "A small salt ring issue."
"Did you crash the dance?"
"Rebekah invited me, love." Niklaus defends.
"Whatever, Nik. Not my problem. If you want to chase after the blonde cheerleader, best of luck…" Brooklyn says offhandedly. "Isn't the Bennett Witch there?" Brooklyn sighs, curled up next to Elijah back at the Mikaelson mansion, and Finn tucked up against her other side, finally calmed down from the fiasco with feeling Esther return from the Other Side.
"I do believe she is still compromised by the magical bracelet thingy…" Niklaus offers a bit offhandedly.
"Bracelet thingy…" Brooklyn deadpans. "The incompetence I deal with…" She mutters.
"Fine… I'll help you. But you owe me… As usual."
"Of course. Thank you, my Little Wolf." Niklaus tells Brooklyn, relived that his best friend was going to help despite the slight rift that had seemed to come between them lately.
