A Choice

Alex leant against the hood of her rental car. She had driven out of town to meet Renee on some back road so that they could talk face to face. The pending conversation was going to be difficult and possibly hazardous, so keeping a reasonable distance between Renee and Mystic Falls was a good idea until Alex knew what would happen. It is possible that Alex could talk through everything she had found out about the Council, and they could walk away with a plan that would benefit everyone. Alex was stupid, though. If the past five years had taught her anything, it was that the Council and Renee didn't compromise. They stuck to their rules and beliefs, and no one was above them.

The outcome would no doubt end in the form of violence. Witch against witch. Alex, for the first time in five years, wouldn't have the backing of the Council anymore, and that terrified her. What was she without the Council?

A car appeared on the horizon, and Alex pushed off the vehicle. Her hands were tucked into her jacket pockets, and her magic was buzzing. She had no doubt that Renee would be able to tell something was off, Renee always could know precisely how she was feeling at any time. In the beginning, it had unnerved her. After a few months, it was comforting to think that Renee cared so much that she bothered to consider. Now, it freaked her the fuck out.

Alex wanted to be anywhere else but on that road. Her plan had been to spend the evening with Elijah and Elena at the bonfires. She and Elijah were supposed to spend the time as a new couple, learning about one another. Instead, Alex had lied to everyone, slipped away and driven out here to confront her mentor. It was possible suicide, but she was hoping that Renee actually cared about her and that it wasn't bullshit this whole time.

Renee's car stopped, and she climbed out. Alex let out a sigh of relief, she was alone. That would make things a little easier. Renee smiled and said, "Alex, it is good to see you."

Alex frowned. She may not have accused Renee over the phone, but Alex thought that Renee should have already worked out that something was wrong. Keeping her voice clear on their brief call had been tricky, her emotions had overwhelmed her.

"I am sorry to hear about you and James." Renee walked closer. "James said that you finally realised that you didn't love him as much as you thought."

Alex wanted to scream. James had always shared a little too much about their personal relationship with Renee, then again, Renee was his mentor and friend also. "I have come to realise many things since coming back here."

Renee hummed. "Yes, returning to one's roots can do that."

"As you know, Elijah Mikaelson introduce himself to us. He was very forthcoming about my grandmother, Nadia." Alex observed and noticed Renee flinch at the mention of Nadia's name.

"The events that led to your grandmother's dead were unfortunate. However, she did betray her own kind." Renee slid her hands into her coat pocket and smiled a tight smile.

"Betrayed her own kind?" Alex spat the words. "She only betrayed the fucking Council because they were draining witches of their magic. Killing them in the cruellest sense possible."

"Those who were siphoned were those who didn't deserve to have magic." Renee's forced smile was replaced by a harsh glare. Her body visibly tensed, and Alex felt her magic flare. Renee's power had always been strong, and it used to scare her when it would flicker with her anger.

"I expected you to at least deny it. But you aren't even ashamed about it, are you?" said Alex.

Renee said, "No. The Council have made decisions to benefit us all. Those who are loyal are rewarded with strength. Those witches were nothing but traitors against nature. The gift they were given was removed and given to those who did deserve it."

"You are so fucked up. How many witches have you killed for your sick obsession with power?" asked Alex.

Renee smiled, and it sent chills down Alex's back. The smile was as sick and twisted as those she had seen on the faces of vampires driven to extremes by their bloodlust. It was vile, and it made it clear that Renee was a monster in her own right. "I lost count." Renee shrugged her shoulders. "But I can add you to my list if you'd like?"

Alex tensed and pulled her hands from the warmth of her pockets. "I'm not afraid of you. And if you think I will just let you steal my power, you have another thing coming."

Renee shrugged. "I don't have to kill you. Accept what you know is right and we can continue on like nothing has changed. And if you succeed in killing Klaus, the Council could reward you handsomely. I am sure the Bennett witch who spends her days no doubt fornicating with those monster has a bountiful amount of power that could be easily transferred to you."

Alex shook her head. "You will leave Bonnie out of this."

Renee shrugged. "It's up to me, Alexandra."

Alex's phone rang, and she jumped. Pulling it from her pocket, Elena's name flashed on the screen.

Renee said, "Go ahead, answer it. I'll wait."

Alex kept her eye trained on Renee and answered. "Elena, I can't talk right now."

"Klaus is here."

The words froze Alex. "What?"

"Elijah saw him and chased after him. He told me to call you. Where are you, anyway?" said Elena.

"I am dealing with some witch stuff. Are you at the town square?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, I'm with Bonnie."

"Get to the closest home, asap. I will be there soon." Alex hung up.

Renee was still smiling at her. She said, "Go ahead. We can finish our conversation later." Renee turned and walked back to her car. "I will grab a room at the hotel. Come find me when you have made up your mind."

Alex stood frozen in her spot until Renee drove away. Everything was fucked. There was no way Alex was going to go along with the Council's fucked up ideal, and Alex knew that Renee knew she wouldn't. It was possible Renee simply wanted to get her to dispatch of Klaus and then would deal with her later. She couldn't focus on that, though.

Klaus had made his appearance, and Elena needed her.

Alex jumped into her car and tried to call Elijah. Three times she rang him, but he didn't answer his phone. Fear clouded her chest, and she felt like she was suffocating. Her mind filled with worry that maybe Klaus had killed him or hurt him. There was no doubt that Klaus wanted to break his curse and she didn't think he would let anyone, not even his brother get in his way.

After getting Elijah's voicemail again, she rang Mikael. He didn't answer either. Alex threw her phone onto the passenger seat and screamed. Fucking originals couldn't answer a damn phone! She tried to calm herself down, her magic could get out of hand when she was upset. She reached for her phone again after taking a few breaths and dialled James.

He answered. "Alex?"

She hadn't spoken to him since she had ended things. Alex had called Sarah and had her relay information or requests. Until now, she had been too scared to ring him. "James, Klaus appeared at the bonfires. Elena was there with Bonnie and Elijah. Elijah chased him, and I can't get a hold of him or Mikael."

"Okay, I'll get Sarah to do a tracking spell. What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"Find Elena and get her out of there. Back to my home, or Bonnie's."

"Okay," he said. "I will message you when I find her."

"Thank you," Alex said.

There was a brief silence, and she could just picture James' face. He would no doubt be pushing his own feelings down to help her, the woman who had broken his heart.

"Alex, no matter what has happened. I will always be here for you." James sighed. "Be careful, okay."

"I will." Alex hung up and wiped the stray tear that appeared on her cheek. Things used to be simple. Kill vampires, that was all she had to do. Now she was jumbling an ex-boyfriend, a new romance, a sister, vampires, crazy witches and her own stupid emotions. This was just fucked!