Bound

Elena ran past Mikael's burning body and into Alex's arms. Alex held her and couldn't help the fear. Klaus had risen from where he had been on the ground, his wounds had already healed, and he was glaring at Alex and Elena. Elijah had made his way over and stopped so that he was in between them.

"Did you know about our father, Elijah?" Klaus asked.

Alex couldn't see his face, but she saw how his shoulders turned stiff. "Yes," said Elijah.

"And you didn't think to tell me that he was in town?"

Elijah shrugged. "Slipped my mind."

"And if my promise to spare your witch slipped my mind, what would you do?" Klaus marched towards them.

Elijah grabbed Klaus' shirt and held him back. "Don't touch her."

The brother's glared at one another, both of them deciding on their next course of action. Alex took their heated gaze as a moment to run. She grabbed Elena's hand and yanked her to her feet. She pulled Elena away from Klaus in the direction of where she had left her car, but it was no use.

Klaus tore Elena's grasp from hers and said, "A rather pathetic attempt, don't you think?" Klaus chuckled and held Elena against his chest.

"Let me go." Elena struggled against him.

"Calm down, Love. I'm not going to kill you, not yet anyway." Klaus stroked her hair and smiled at Alex. "Now, back to my original intention." He released Elena and shoved her onto the ground. "The reason I brought attention to myself today was so that I could speak with you, Alexandra."

Alex took a deep breath. She needed to figure something out. "What?" she spat at him.

"I have an issue. Full moon tomorrow, I have my doppelganger, I have a vampire and a werewolf, all ready to go. What I am missing are the moonstone and a witch. Now…" Klaus clapped his hands together. "It is my understanding that you took the moonstone from Katerina before you barbequed her, so I will need you to fetch it. And I also require you to do the voodoo to break the curse since you killed both of my witches."

Alex couldn't stop the laugh before it slid out. It surprised her as much as it did Elena and Elijah, both of whom looked at her like she had lost it.

"Something funny?" asked Klaus.

Alex bit her lip and thought. Here she was, alone. Klaus wouldn't risk Elena's life at this very moment, he needed her. Desiccating him was the only option she had, but getting through Elijah would prove challenging. It was ridiculous and impossible to get out of this situation. And there was no way in hell she would help Klaus. "It is actually." Alex shook her head and glared at him. "You can do whatever you want to me. I am not going to get that moonstone or help you break your curse."

Klaus frowned. "I wouldn't touch you," he said. "I would make those around you suffer. Perhaps I could find your little brother, peel his skin off layer by layer and then feed it to you. Or maybe I'll turn you into a vampire, you would be cut off from everything a witch likes you needs to stay sane. All of those connections to nature would disappear." Klaus strolled towards her like they were having a normal conversation.

Alex felt sick listening to him, but he was close enough at this point that she could touch him, she could reach out and dig her nails in. She glanced at Elijah who was looking at her, his expression so muddled it was hard to read.

"So…what do you say?" Klaus leant in, his breath touched her face.

Alex stood her ground. "No." She grasped his arm and dug her fingers into his wrist, her nails breaking the skin and finding the veins. Alex feels the power of her magic push into Klaus, and she starts to chant. To desiccate Klaus, she needed to stop a heart, why not her own.

Klaus cried out and dropped to his knees. "What are you doing?"

Alex grunted and smiled. "What is best for everyone." Alex felt as her heart began to slow, her power was draining, and she felt herself struggling to hold it in place.

"Alexandra, stop." Elijah sped over and caught her as her own legs gave way.

Alex kept her grip on Klaus' wrist. She wouldn't let him getaway.

Elijah grasped at her hand. "Alex, please. I can feel your heart slowly, stop."

As her heart slowed, Alex felt herself relax against Elijah. He had come from nowhere and had muddled everything up for her. Her emotions had been thrown into chaos and for a short time, once she had sorted herself out, being around Elijah had been some of the best moments she had ever experienced.

Alex reached her free hand up, and she touched Elijah's cheek. "I understand why you wanted your family back," she said. "I would do anything for mine."

Alex's magic faded, and she couldn't hold her eyes open, and she let the darkness consume her.


Alex felt warm. Wrapped in something soft and thick, she was content, so stay right where she was for as long as possible. She hadn't imagined that the other side would be as warm and cosy as she felt right now. It was almost like she was back home, waking up in the morning. Alex could even smell coffee. Alex stretched and opened her eyes. She frowned at her surroundings and flinched when a hand touched her shoulder.

Sitting up, Alex looked into James' eyes. They were filled with relief but hooded by dark circles. He sat beside her, a book in his lap and a smile forming on his face. "You're awake, finally."

"How?" asked Alex. She should be dead. Klaus should be desiccated, and she should be dead. Elijah couldn't have healed her and James wouldn't have had the time to start her heart again.

"The spell didn't work." James squeezed her hand.

"No, it had too."

James shook his head.

If the spell had failed that meant that Klaus was alive and kicking and that meant Elena was still in danger. "Where is Elena?" Alex pushed the covers back. She tried to push herself out of bed but collapsed as she tried to stand, her legs unable to keep her up.

"Easy," said James. "You are completely wiped out. You can't push yourself."

"I need to find Elena."

"She is fine. Downstairs with Stefan, Damon, Bonnie and Caroline." James helped her stand and get back on the bed. "I managed to keep her safe from Klaus, for now."

"What happened?" she asked again.

"I got there as your heart stopped. I quickly got to work and restarted your heart, but it didn't need much. The desiccation spell had completely taken effect when your magic broke and so Klaus didn't stay down for long. Once I was sure your heart was beating, Elijah put you in the car, I grabbed Elena and drove you both back here ASAP. I assumed that Elijah kept Klaus busy." James shifted in his spot and closed the book he had.

Thinking about Elijah made the knife in her heart twist. She understood the love that you could hold for a family. Her whole purpose was to keep Elena, Jeremy and Jenna safe, and Elijah wanted the same thing. However, in his case, he had to turn against her to do that. Alex didn't blame him, but it hurt. Seeing him pick Klaus hurt more than she ever thought possible.

Alex took a moment and laid back down on her pillows. She had no idea what to do. "How long was I asleep?" she asked.

"Thirteen hours. It's 9 am. I'm surprised you woke up so soon."

Alex squeezed her eyes shut. Could she be dreaming? Could her failure really be the other side tormenting her for her mistakes? Alex pinched her arm, and when nothing happened, she huffed. Even if it was all fake, the pinch would have done nothing.

"I received a call from Renee."

Alex sat back up and glared at him.

"She said somethings that I find hard to believe." James looked down at his book.

"Did she tell you that the Council syphons magic from witches, killing them to boost their own power?" Alex pushed the hair from her face. "Did she tell you that she threatened to do the same to me when I challenged the idea of it?"

James frowned. "She told me that you were in love with Elijah, and that is why you broke up with me?"

The words weren't what she expected. How would Renee know her feelings? And in love with Elijah? She had told herself it was love, now she had no idea.

"Do you love him?" James pushed.

"Would it matter if I did?"

"Yes," he said. "And not because I am jealous. And now because you are supposed to be a vampire-hunting witch who kills vampires not dates them. But because you told her before you told me." James stood from the bed.

"I never told Renee," said Alex. "I have no idea how she even knows."

"Renee has been in town for a month." James snapped.

"What?"

"She showed up a month ago and told me not to tell you. She said she was here to assess you for the Council, so I did the good soldier thing and kept my mouth shut."

"Renee has been spying on me?" Alex gripped the sheets and screamed. "Of course she fucking has." Renee knew she had been with Elijah, and no doubt knew that Elijah would eventually tell her the truth about all of it. The woman was more complicated than she had initially thought. "I'm sorry that I have kept so much from you." Alex reached out and grabbed James' hand. "Ever since I came back here, it all just went to shit."

James sighed. "I'm not angry with you. I have always understood how complicated things can get for you. Especially here. Tell me the truth though, besides Elijah, have you kept anything else from me?"

Alex shook her head. "No, have you kept anything else from me? Besides the witch syphoning."

James shook his head. "No. And I didn't know about the syphoning. Well, I wasn't a hundred per cent certain."

"I wasn't either, not until Renee flat out admitted it." Alex sighed and rubbed her eyes. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know. What you need to do though is rest." James grabbed the blankets and pulled them up and over her.

"I can't. The full moon is tonight, and if we don't put Klaus down, then Elena is dead," said Alex.

"I have an idea about that, but it's the last resort." James stood up and opened the book.

Alex reached out and took the book, the page was open to a binding spell.

"The spell binds two people together. If one of them dies, they will come back to life, and the other person will die in their place."

"So the second person's lifeforce is transferred to the first?" asked Alex.

"Yep. It's a simple spell, but it could keep Elena alive." James sat back down.

"Link me to her."

James frowned. "No."

"Yes. We are at the end. Link me to Elena. We can complete the damn ritual, Klaus will leave, and she can live in life in peace with him thinking she is dead. End of story."

"If Elena dies, then you would die. How do you think Elena would feel about that?"

"I don't care what Elena wants, I am doing this to keep her safe."

"Alex—"

"No! What if it was Sarah's life? What would you do?"

James sighed. "I would do the same."

"Exactly, so bind me to her!"