I own nothing but my own words.

Chapter 18: Landon Doesn't Live Here Anymore

"Think anyone's home?" Hope asked as Clarke pulled along the sidewalk across the street from Seylah's old house, wincing as the morning sun nearly blinded her. Clarke had sunglasses, but she had never bothered to pick any up. She probably should.

They had left southern Kansas at the crack of dawn, and since they didn't have to pull over to deal with the evil bunnies, they just switched back when it seemed like they were all dead. Driving on through, they had made it to Lawrence in a couple hours.

"There was no indication anyone lived there besides her when Triad searched the property," he said, putting the car in park and studying the outside for any differences.

The field report of searching Seylah's house hadn't been written before Triad's memories were wiped, mostly because they thought they had time. There had been no scheduled absorptions and who could guess anyone would ever willingly jump in? Only he had retained the knowledge, and he wasn't going to report any of it—not when he finally figured out his father's mission for him.

"You know," he said with realization, "This is where we first met… Jessica."

Wrinkling her nose, she said, "Since the next time we met you remembered that horrible name, it must've made some kind of impression."

"Some kind," he agreed warmly.

She shifted and nodded, but she wasn't sure anymore how to respond to these kinds of moments with him. They had been happening more and more frequently. Was he flirting with her? If so, it wasn't blatant flirting. He was just bringing up things that had happened between them and giving them a positive spin. It made her think on some of their crazier moments fondly now that she knew him better.

Just then, there was activity at the house. A woman came out tugging along two little kids in backpacks with a man following and locking the door behind.

"Do you think that's her family?" Hope asked.

"Doubtful," Clarke shrugged.

As they approached a vehicle, Clarke undid his seatbelt and opened his door.

"What're you doing?"

"Gonna ask a few questions," he said, tossing his sunglasses on the dash and climbing out. "Stay here."

He closed the door and walked away quickly.

She watched him approach the man and engage him in conversation.

He was really good at that, getting things done. He had created a cover to show the entire world, one that got him what he wanted or where he needed to be. He wasn't like that with her though. He never pretended to be anything he wasn't. He was unapologetically himself, and he seemed a lot happier for it than when she had first met him.

Shaking her head at her thoughts, she felt a charge in the air before a message arrived from Lizzie.

Reading that Landon—which meant Seylah as well—had three relatives who were currently in Mystic Falls actually disappointed her a little. She had been excited to do something other than fight monsters. But, she really should just focus on her given task and let everyone back home see what they could do since they didn't have the same problem as her.

Lizzie had ended the message with the number from her new burner phone.

She looked up when he opened the door and climbed in.

"They bought the house nearly a year ago," he replied before she could say anything. "They're not her family" He grabbed his sunglasses and put them back on.

"I know," she said, holding up the note. "Why didn't you wear the shades to talk to him?" He was usually very cautious about other people seeing his face.

"You don't approach a man when he's alone with his family without a visible friendly face. It'll make him feel threatened." He took the note from her and read it quickly. "Mystic Falls? That's highly suspicious."

"I know that too," she said.

He folded the note and put it in his jeans pocket. "No one should've remembered Seylah until the memories were returned a month or so ago. So no one should've known to sell it."

"And even then, how would they know to go to Mystic Falls? Why would they go to Mystic Falls?" she frowned down at his pants. "That's my note."

"The number is for emergencies," he said, starting the car.

"God," she rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Sometimes you are really annoying!"

"One of my finer traits," he smirked.

Jed reigned in his werewolf power and kicked the ball to Ethan as gently as possible. It still zoomed to him a little too quickly, but fortunately his new friend could handle it.

Ethan got in front of it, stopping it with a foot on top, then took a moment to show off some fancy footwork before shooting it back to Jed.

Jed easily took control and kicked it up in the air so he could bounce it off one knee, then the other, before spinning around to kick it up again from behind. Spinning back around, he let it fall to the ground before returning it to Ethan.

"Nice one!" Ethan said, accepting the volley back to him. "You should try out in spring."

Jed shrugged. He wasn't allowed to try out for any teams here. Doctor Saltzman had been very firm on that. The sports teams were for human kids. He didn't want Jed to accidentally hurt any of them, or have the unfair advantage. Jed was bummed about it, but he was here for a mission, not to play sports with humans.

"I am," Ethan said. "I'd go for wrestling too, but, you know, can't." He held up his arm with the cast on it.

"When's it coming off?" Jed asked.

"Not sure," Ethan shrugged like it didn't bother him, but it did.

"It's not healing the way it should, apparently," Ethan continued and frowned. "It looks like something is out of place? I hope they don't have to re-break it."

The annual football game with the Salvatore School had already cost him enough. He didn't want it to take away the rest of his senior year too. Plus, while he was there for his team on the sidelines, he still felt distanced from them. Some of them, like Dennis, sneered at his support on and off the field. Since he no longer held his same status on the football team, guys like Dennis were less likely to follow his lead when it came to treating others with respect. It had caused fights that led to detention, something he had never been involved with much before coming to this school.

Befriending the new kid had made things a bit easier. Jed was cool.

"That sucks man," Jed said. "Who's your doc? Doctor Salvatore is a pretty good one."

"She's the one we just saw, but we were seeing a different one before," he said. "Mom's really pissed."

"I bet."

Ethan kicked the ball back to Jed, and they did that back and forth for a few rounds, nothing fancy this time.

"So…"

Jed looked up.

"Josie." Ethan said. "You interested?"

"Josie?" Jed asked with a laugh. "No."

Ethan nodded.

"She's nice and all though," Jed said.

"She seeing anybody?" Ethan asked.

Jed shrugged. "Who knows?"

"Think she'd be into it if I asked her out?" Ethan asked.

Again, Jed shrugged. "She swings both ways, so you definitely have a fifty/fifty shot."

Ethan nodded.

"You gonna ask?" Jed asked.

"Thinking about it," he said.

"Cool," Jed said.

"Last girl I thought about asking out kinda disappeared," Ethan said. "She transferred to your old school and I never heard from her again."

"Oh, Hope," Jed said. "Yeah, don't waste your time there. She's definitely taken."

"Figures," Ethan said, slightly disappointed. He should've tried when he had the chance instead of playing coy to get her to make the first move. "You got a girl? Or a guy?"

"I've got my eye on this girl at my old school," Jed replied. "She's a bitch, but a hot one." And if Kaleb could stop trying to move in on his territory, he might actually be able to continue what he started on Hope's bed. Sorry, Hope!

"Maybe we could make it a double?"

Jed laughed out loud. "Alyssa would rather eat nails than go anywhere with Josie. Bitch, remember?"

Ethan laughed. "Sounds like a real keeper."

Jed shrugged. She wasn't such a bitch when he was making out with her.

"I'll just ask Maya instead," Ethan said. "Maybe she and Jade would want to."

"Or, just ask Josie out alone?" Jed suggested.

"I don't know that much about her," Ethan shrugged. "Figured this way we could break the ice with people we know."

"Here they are now…" Jed said, nodding across the front lawn.

Josie, Jade, and Maya were coming to meet up with them. Class would start in a few minutes, but they had gone across the way into town for iced coffees and breakfast smoothies before the first bell rang.

"Bring me anything?" Jed called.

"A hot steaming cup of dog poo," Jade called back sweetly.

"My favorite!" he called back, knowing she was teasing him about being a wolf.

Of course the girls had brought them something. Jade and Josie were sort of stuck with Jed, and Maya got along with Ethan well enough she would get her big brother something if he asked.

Josie walked over and handed Jed his hot chocolate. "Here. Extra marshmallows."

"The best, man," Jed exclaimed. "Thanks."

Jade was carrying Ethan's smoothie. "Here. She had her hands full."

Maya had a mouth full of brownie. She waved the hand with the brownie at Ethan while holding up her other hand showing her iced coffee.

He took it but looked down at it suspiciously. "There isn't any animal feces in this, is there?"

Jade laughed. "No, just fruit, yogurt, and the kale and whey you asked for."

Ethan took a drink as they all started walking to the entrance before heading to class.

Josie hung back a little, watching Ethan.

He didn't do anything differently. She kept waiting for him to maybe stop and look at his cast like he realized the arm had miraculously healed, but he didn't.

If anything, he just looked down at the drink strangely before shrugging and continuing on to class.

Jade fell back into step with her once they got inside and whispered, "Anything?"

"No… did you even put it in there?" Josie asked, not understanding why it hadn't worked.

"Yes," Jade insisted. "One smoothie with a vamp flavor shot."

"I think you're lying," Josie whispered back, glaring at her.

"Why? Because it took so long to convince me?" Jade glared right back. "I wouldn't have agreed if Maya hadn't said they might have to do surgery to re-break it. But I did agree. I put it in there!"

"Yeah, oh kay," Josie said, still glaring.

"Maybe the blood was at the top and has to make its way down?" Jade offered. "He'll drink it, just needs to finish it first."

"I hope you're right."

"I don't get it," MG said, frustrated. "How come Jade can pass the test on the second try and I can't when I've been trying for weeks?"

"She's older? She's been vamping longer? She knows what it's like to turn off her switch?" Lizzie listed, exasperated. Would MG ever let it go? "Take your pick."

"I'm one year older than her though," he said.

"In actual age, yes," Lizzie said. "You're seventeen, she's sixteen. But she's been sixteen for at least ten years, if not more. You've only been seventeen for, what, two or three years now?"

"So you're saying I might not figure this out for ten more years?" MG asked.

"No," Lizzie huffed. "I'm saying that you need to chill so we can concentrate on finding Frodo's relatives. I want to see where the other Hobbits live."

Those three lights on the map had been on the move since Lizzie conjured them that morning. Two were currently at Mystic Falls High, so she had to abandon the search for those. She was going to look for the other one. Her father trusted her to proceed cautiously in her search. Of course, given that Seylah was completely human, they figured her family members were too so there shouldn't be any danger.

She brought MG along just in case and because, well, it was MG and she had been attached to him at the hip lately. Josie aside, he was her best friend, even moreso than Hope. He supported her through all her crazy schemes and accepted her for herself, even before she took the steps to try to be a better person. When he nearly died, she had been confronted with the horrible possibility of not having him in her life and that just wouldn't do.

While she knew he always had a thing for her, it hadn't changed anything even when she was pursuing other guys. He didn't need to be with her to be there for her. He just looked past those feelings and helped her, never complaining or asking for more than she was willing to give.

She knew it was crazy to pursue anyone else when she had someone she could communicate with so well already, she just wasn't sure she would ever have other feelings for him. She couldn't force herself to, that wouldn't be fair to him or her.

For now, she was just happy to embrace his friendship more than she had before and be grateful for what she still had. Hope's blood was to thank for that.

"The third light is on the move again," MG said, holding up the map.

"Great," Lizzie sighed and signaled to turn left. "Just a quick U-turn and we'll be on our way. Hopefully we get this over with fast. I have a test later. Dad may not mind me or you missing so much class to help save the world, but I, for one, just want to get it over with."

"We could make it up when Hope does?" MG suggested.

Lizzie scoffed. "Yeah, right. She's missed so much class, she'll probably have to repeat the entire year. That I do not want to do."

"I'm sure Doctor Saltzman will work with her," he said.

"Let's just hope she gets through all of this so she's around to fail senior year," Lizzie said. "And hopefully we don't get to commiserate with her in summer school."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," he insisted.

"Keep that positivity going strong, MG," Lizzie said with a smirk. "That's the spirit!"

"Where are we anyway?" MG looked around as the street turned into a country road, with forest on both sides and no other cars around.

"There are some houses out here somewhere," Lizzie said.

They followed the light on the map until she pulled over on the side of the road.

"Right here?" MG asked, glancing down at the map again and back up.

"No, silly," Lizzie said. "The map shows that we need to get out and go through those trees right there. Just make a straight line for a bit, and voila, 'our precious' shall be revealed."

Shaking his head at another Lord of The Rings quote, he got out and waited for her to join him.

She led the way with him following closely behind.

"Keep your ears pealed," she said.

"I am," he said.

"Do you see anything yet?" she asked.

"No," he said.

They continued on a bit more through the woods.

"Um, hey, Lizzie?" he finally asked.

"Yeah?"

"Isn't it weird that Landon's family member is, like, in the middle of nowhere?"

"You mean, like, middle-earth?" she whispered.

"We're not taking a trip to the Shire, Lizzie," MG said.

"Surely not!" Lizzie said quickly. Trips to the Shire were reserved only for Josie or Hope or whoever the garden gnome had successfully roped into falling for him that week.

"Shh," MG said suddenly. "I think I hear something."

Pausing, they both listened and eyeballed the trees around them.

"Hello!" Lizzie called out suddenly. "I've found your long lost oompa loompa! And I really hope you're not a bad egg."

"And I really hope you two can explain why you're at my active crime scene," Sheriff Mac stepped out from behind a tree with a gun trained on them.

MG moved in front of Lizzie immediately. "We were just, you know, taking the scenic route."

"You have five seconds to tell me the truth," the sheriff demanded.

"So, here's the thing," Lizzie said, glancing at the map. "I think we're here looking for you..."

The sheriff raised an eyebrow.

"You wouldn't happen to have an international spy for a cousin or a sister… or a bushy headed bird for, oh, say, a nephew, would you?" Lizzie asked.

The sheriff stepped back and lowered her weapon slightly.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, you know," Lizzie accused. She had seen the slight look of recognition on the sheriff's face even though she was confused. "Ha! Wait 'til I tell my dad!"

"Put your foot on the break and move the gear shift into drive," Clarke instructed.

Hope did as he said. She remembered this part, sort of. It had been a long time though, so it was probably best he start from the beginning.

"Now, ease up and it'll start moving, then use the gas pedal to pick up speed," he said.

She did it with more confidence than she probably had, but they were in the middle of a pretty empty parking lot. Since they didn't have to track down the blood ties, Clarke had suggested he teach her how to drive while they waited for the next monster to attack.

"Not too hard on the gas," he said when she started picking up too much speed. "Ease up a little."

"Good," he said when the speed leveled out. "Now, break when we reach the other side."

She came to a full stop as requested.

"Keep your foot on the break, and move the gear shift to reverse."

She did that and waited.

"Now ease your foot off but turn the wheel to the right a few times as you back up. Stop turning and break again when you're facing that store," he pointed to their left.

She did and grinned when the car's rear went to the right and she found herself facing in a completely different direction.

"Now move the gear back into drive and ease off the break while you turn the wheel to the left a few times this time."

Now she was facing back in the direction she had come from.

"All there is to it," Clarke said.

"Should we switch back then?" she was a bit disappointed. This was the first time they were doing anything that didn't require running for survival and she didn't want to stop just yet. Also, she kind of wanted more practice now.

He shook his head. "Go that way and turn right onto the main road. Might as well make sure you get used to it in case you have to take over again."

Nodding, she drove slowly up to the exit.

"Make sure you pick up speed once you're on the road," he said. "Look for the speed limit and don't go more than five above. You don't have ID and getting pulled over is the last thing we need."

She eased onto the road, making sure no other vehicles were approaching first, and then she was doing it! Driving on the open road in a low stress situation this time.

"I can't believe it's been three years since I last did this," she said.

"Considering you were driving illegally then, kind of ironic you're driving illegally again now," he said.

"My mom and her boyfriend were teaching me to get me ready for the test when I was old enough," she explained.

"You mean your uncle?" he asked.

"No…" she remembered telling him that Mom had fallen for Dad's brother. "Uncle Elijah had put part of The Hollow in him too, remember? He couldn't be around me, and since Mom was the one raising me, he couldn't be around her either—or the rest of the family for that matter."

Clarke couldn't imagine what that must've been like for the man, having to stay away from everyone including the woman he loved.

"So he asked my brother to compel him to erase all of his memories," she explained, while stopping at a stop sign. She knew the signs well, even if she hadn't used them herself in years. "He had everything wiped clean, including the promise of always and forever."

"But isn't that your family's…" He trailed off. He didn't want to give anything away about the Sphinx, but he did recall her telling him about the importance of family by using that phrase. And since when did she have a brother?

"It means everything to us," she said, easing off the break again and crossing the road. "It's the greatest legacy they could've left me. And it meant everything to him. He knew he wouldn't be able to stay away from any of us unless he forgot."

"Sounds bleak," he said. "Forgetting everything like that. His own permanent death, like the memories being wiped from the world of those in Malivore. But in reverse."

"If he had known what would happened after that, he never would've done it," she went on. "She died senselessly. It was my fault, but he could've saved her if only he had remembered her. When he did get his memories back, he would only blame himself. If he hadn't died with my father after that to save me, he would've tortured himself until the day he died for his mistake."

She cleared her throat as the emotions threatened to choke her.

"He was the last person I drove with though, 'til now," she finally said, smiling slightly. "The night of my first full moon. I got to drive his Bentley," she boasted.

"Nice," he replied.

She looked at him, realizing he knew more about her past than anyone else and she didn't really mind it. In fact, she felt completely comfortable telling him all of these things. She hadn't told him all the details of her mother's death, but she felt like she could do so without fear he would judge her for the hand she had in it.

"Hope! Watch out!" he yelled, cursing and grabbing the wheel to turn towards him as she drifted into the next lane.

She looked and realized it was too late to avoid a collision with the car coming in the opposite direction.

Tossing out her hand, she used magic to push the cars apart at the last second.

Somehow, miraculously, they didn't hit anything.

"Maybe you should pull over," he said, grabbing hold of the handle at the top of the door.

"I'll focus, I promise," she said, heart still racing.

Just then, a small rock flew out of nowhere and bounced off the top of the vehicle. Then another came out and pelted the hood, another at the passenger side door.

"Monster?" he said, looking around.

She looked in her mirrors, searching.

"That's so strange," she said. "We haven't seen anything all morning and then…"

"You know what…" Clarke considered, in deep thought now too.

"Is it my imagination or…" she said, thinking back through all of the monsters she had faced starting with Pegasus. The winged horse had shown up right after she sent a fire message to Aunt Freya.

"The monsters always show up right after—" he started.

"I do magic," she finished.

"Did you really have to bring them in?" Alaric asked, settling into the seat across from Mac at her desk.

"They were at my crime scene," she said. "Standard procedure."

"Right." He winced knowing Lizzie probably wasn't too happy to be sitting in a police station right now. He had only seen her in passing, but she looked annoyed.

"I just brought them in for questioning, Ric," she said. "I'm not holding them."

"That's a relief," he said.

"They insist they were looking for me anyway," she shrugged. "So once you give me permission to talk to her—"

"You?" Alaric asked, shocked. "But…" He distinctly remembered passing out when Josie returned all of the Malivore memories. If she was the long lost relative of Seylah and Landon, she should've passed out too. Something didn't add up here.

"Yes?"

Leaning back, he stared at her. "So what brought you to Mystic Falls?"

Blinking at the change in conversation, the sheriff was momentarily sidetracked.

"Your file said you moved here from Richmond, right? You said the city?" he asked.

"Yes…" she answered slowly.

"Really though?" he said skeptically.

"I don't see how where I lived before has to do with anything."

"Were you living in Richmond a year ago too," he stated, not actually asking. "Because I don't think you did. I think you lived in Kansas. Either in Lawrence or somewhere nearby."

"Why don't you just ask me what you really want to know since you seem to think you have all the answers," she said, frowning.

"Does the name 'Seylah' ring any bells?" he asked.

Mac sat up straight and leaned forward suddenly.

"A gong, apparently," he said, seeing her reaction.

"Do you know her?" she asked. "Have you seen her?"

"No, but I know where she is," he said. "How do you know her?"

"She's my sister," she revealed.

"Yeah, but how do you know her?" he asked again.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you," he sighed. She was hardly the type to believe in things like this, given her reaction to knowing that supernaturals existed. That's why he had Kaleb erase her knowledge of them.

"Try me," she said firmly.

Taking a breath, he explained as easily as he could, "There exists a place where all who enter are forgotten from the minds of everyone they've ever met."

"Where is this place?" she asked.

"You believe me?"

"I believe something has happened to my sister twice now," she said. "Something that took my memories. If she's in this place, how do I get her out?"

"You don't," he said. "We will, or at least we'll try. We need your help though."

"Anything," she said. "I just want to find my sister."

"Is that what brought you here?" he asked. "Because I don't know of anything linking Seylah to Mystic Falls except for—"

"I'm searching for my nephew," she said. "When I got my memories back, I realized the child Seylah gave up all those years ago was actually family. There's only so many babies with his name left on church steps. I traced him to foster homes in Richmond, and then to Mystic Falls. The trail ran cold here. I know he had a job at the Mystic Grill, but his last foster family has no idea where he went. I don't suppose you know where I can find him too?"

"About that…"

Swiping the keycard, Hope swept into the room in front of him.

"My driving's getting better, isn't it?" she said over her shoulder. She tossed her travel bag on the table.

"You didn't kill us, if that's what you mean," Clarke said. She had actually done pretty well.

Since they figured out how to avoid the monsters for a while, he let her drive around downtown Lawrence so she could get some practice. He was still a little wary of the monsters, so it worked out because they could test the theory about her magic luring them in. None had given chase, giving them space to breathe for once.

He put his travel bag on the suitcase rack, then went over to the bed closest to the front door.

She rolled her eyes at him then took her leftovers bag and put it in the mini-fridge. "Your leftovers are in the fridge," she said, slamming the door shut.

They actually had dinner at a restaurant for once since they didn't have to worry about monsters attacking them in public. He had teased her, mentioning he felt like they were on a date, and she had kicked him under the table. It didn't hurt though, and she had smiled down at her plate. She was doing that more often too. Smiling at him. He felt like things were finally shifting in the right direction. He was still doing his best not to push her, no matter how hard it was—literally.

There had been a whole lot of smiling over dinner. It was nice to relax their guard for once.

"Those are yours," he said, pulling the pillows out from under the comforter so he could bring them to the other bed.

"Yeah, but they always seem to be missing when I wake up," she laughed, grabbing the art brochure she picked up. She came over and flounced down on the bed he was trying to pull the pillows off of.

Deciding one bed was as good as the other, especially since they now knew they were never attacked at night because she didn't do magic while she was sleeping, he stacked the pillows he pulled out back on that bed.

"Gotta do something while waiting for you to wake up," he said, shrugging.

She flipped through the brochure. "The art was okay here," she commented.

While driving, she had noticed the Spencer Art Museum and insisted they go. Figuring they both deserved an afternoon off after weeks of being on the run, he agreed.

"I wish now we'd gone to those underground tunnels in Oklahoma you were talking about," she said, pouting down at the brochure.

"Next time we're there," he promised, walking around to the other bed to grab more pillows. He always made sure he was at least comfortable while sitting up in bed next to her all night.

"Riiiight," she said, eyeing him under her lashes.

She knew he would never backtrack to a place they'd already gone. If they went there again, it wouldn't be while monsters were chasing them. He smirked at her look.

"And you're sure your father didn't absorb Satan, right?" she asked, changing the subject suddenly.

He laughed out loud at that while he carried the other pillows back over and tossed them next to her.

"I told you; I'm sure."

The rock throwing monsters turned out to be imps. Imps were considered to be the devil's helpers. They were small creatures much like pixies. Also like pixies, they were mischief makers. Throwing rocks, stones, and then boulders increasing in size all at once were their form of attack that morning. She had easily deflected them.

He told her legend said an angel once turned an imp to stone for causing trouble in a newly built cathedral. So, she used her magic, without a spell, and actually managed to turn them to stone.

"Evil bunnies, imps..." she said. "Do you get the feeling like something worse is coming? I mean, they can't all be that easy."

"There's always something worse," he said. "Whatever comes, we'll deal with it."

She tossed the brochure on the night stand.

"I'm taking a shower," she said.

She got up, grabbed her toiletries bag and her pajamas which always consisted of his shirt and her shorts, then headed to the bathroom.

That infernal shirt.

He had really hoped the longer they were on the road, the less it would bother him, but no.

Every single night she wore it, putting it on right after she showered. She always made sure to toss it in the load when she did laundry. Not a damn night went by without him seeing his shirt stretched across her chest.

He stifled his enthusiasm and went back to fixing up the bed.

When she was freshly showered and wearing the shirt, she crawled into bed next to him and looked at his sketchpad.

Seeing the drawing, she asked, "What exactly have you been working on?"

"A history," he said, turning the book to shade something in. "Of me."

"Why do you draw it?" she asked. "Why not write it out?"

"Because a picture is worth a thousand words, in a thousand different languages," he explained.

She nodded.

"If I draw it, anyone in the world can see it and understand," he continued.

"Would you want them to?" she asked.

"If I'm not around anymore, yeah," he said. "Without it, there's nothing to prove that I ever existed. Talk about lonely, I've been on this earth for over eight hundred years and no one even knew."

"I do," she said.

"Yeah," he smirked at her. "You do. But you don't know everything."

"Can I read it when it's done?" she asked.

"Maybe," he teased.

She poked him.

"Maybe I should make one too," she said. "Not a history, but like a book about all of this. Hope and Clarke's Epic Adventures, or something."

He looked up at that, startled. Hadn't she had a dream of a memory of seeing her mother after she died? Something about stories of adventures?

"What?" she asked, seeing his face.

"Nothing," he said, shrugging and going back to the drawing. "You should do it."

"Maybe I will…" she trailed off. "Tomorrow we should get me something to draw in." She yawned and lay down, flouncing her pillow.

"Tomorrow," he agreed.

After explaining to Mac about Landon as delicately as possible—to which she was extremely skeptical—she agreed to give up some blood so Lizzie could use it to link to Seylah in the pit. She had also agreed to let Lizzie project her into the pit so she could find her sister and ask her to find Malivore's body.

They were going to do it tomorrow.

She also gave some helpful pointers in trying to locate Landon's body. While still skeptical, she went along with everything he said and she told him to look for clusters of monsters instead. If Malivore was focused on taking out his enemies, he must be keeping monsters near him to act as protection.

He had to agree. With all the monsters him and the boys fought, he had never once seen any of them working together.

With the new theory, Alaric studied the locator map, scrutinizing all of the tiny white lights of monsters in Mystic Falls. He had Lizzie make another one using a larger map of the town instead of the entire country. It was easier to see whether the monsters were gathered or not.

"Most of the monsters won't congregate together," he told the guys. "We're looking for any so close to each other they're probably in the same room.

The guys studied the map with him until Rafael pointed. "There."

Alaric squinted and saw three tiny lights dotted together deep in the woods, near the falls. "Looks like we know where we're going."

"Stupid question," MG raised a hand. "But, what are we going to do if we actually do see Landon? I mean, Malivore."

"If its Landon," Rafael corrected fiercely, "We'll get him and take him home. Put him in one of the cages beneath the school until we can break Malivore's hold on him."

"Man, you need to give that up," Kaleb said. "Malivore isn't controlling him like the monsters in the pit. Malivore is in him. It's not Landon."

"Yeah, okay," Rafael said flippantly, clearly choosing to ignore his words.

"It wasn't Landon, Raf," MG said, not for the first time. "He just sat there. He didn't say anything, gave no warning. He was waiting patiently before Clarke shot him. He tried to blow her up. He wanted her dead. That wasn't Landon."

"I don't believe any of that either," Rafael denied. "Since when do any of us trust Clarke? You don't know what really happened. You said yourself it was a blur."

MG shook his head, exasperated.

"We're just going to go and see what we can find, okay?" Alaric placated the situation. "If it's Malivore, we'll do what we can. If it gets too heated, we all run. Got it?"

All four of them nodded.

"Good," Alaric said. "Let's go."

"Suit up," Jed elbowed Rafael while tying a bandana mask around his mouth and nose.

Rafael shook his head but followed suit. The wolves couldn't turn off their breathing like the vampires, so they needed something to protect them if poisonous fumes happened again. He wasn't sure a folded bandana would really do the trick, but he would just go with it at this point.

Each of them grabbed a weapon from Alaric's private collection too.

Alaric drove them toward the falls, stopping when they were close enough without giving themselves away.

They spread out but kept within hearing distance and descended into the area near the falls. They knew from the map that the place they were looking for was probably behind the falls, in a deep cavern. They had brought along flashlights to help everyone see better.

Alaric went in first. He reared back and swung when he sensed something coming at him in the darkness.

Hearing a shrill cry, he moved to the side, trying to see.

There was some dim illuminating source inside the cavern as well, but the boys coming behind him shown a brighter light on the entire area.

They all stumbled back, taking in the giant creature with multiple heads in front of them. It was sitting in a pool of water that must have formed over time from the caverns and falls.

"What is that!?" MG cried out.

"Does it matter?" Rafael asked. "Just kill it." He pounced forward and cut off one of the heads before springing back again.

"Don't!" Alaric called out, but it was too late.

As the head Rafael cut off fell to the ground, the new stubby neck grew back and in its place were two heads where the last had stood.

"When you cut off a head, two more grows in its place!" he told the gang. By his calculations, this was a hydra, and it looked like one of the legends of this thing had gotten the head count correct. Nine. Eleven now, since he and Rafael had both removed a head.

"Then how we supposed to kill this thing?" Kaleb said.

"You could just let it kill you," a voice said.

They all looked to the new source while being wary of the monster.

"Landon," Rafael said with relief.

"That's not Landon," Alaric said firmly.

Rafael didn't care, he tried to pounce around the hydra blocking his way, and very nearly made it to his destination when something else came out and stopped his movement.

This couldn't be a creature. It looked more like a man—a very strong, muscular man who appeared quite intimidating. Rafael tried to get around him, ducking when a fist was thrown at him.

"Rafael, get back!" Alaric said with dawning awe and horror. It wasn't a man, but it was the son of a god.

MG and Kaleb were trying to avoid hydra heads without cutting them off, using the flat of Kaleb's sword and MG's club to knock the heads back, causing pain but not truly damaging the creature.

"If I'm right," Alaric called out. "I think that's Hercules."

Kaleb looked up. "He's making them work together? That's cold, man."

"Got it, just take out the heel then," Jed said before he ran after his alpha, wanting to protect and help him.

"That's Achilles!" Alaric hollered. "Stop! We don't know how strong—"

It was too late, Hercules punched Jed in the face and he went flying.

Alaric couldn't do anything to stop it. If Jed hit the cavern wall he was flying at with that kind of force, it didn't matter how much strength and power the wolf had, it would kill him.

Seeing what happened, MG vamp sped to get between Jed and the wall in time, bracing himself for impact but determined to keep Jed from being smooshed. It worked, kind of. Jed would live to see another day, but MG would probably have lost his own life if not for Hope's blood.

Both of them were knocked out though, leaving the team down two.

Alaric had to do something; he had to take out the source somehow.

Rafael was still trying to get around Hercules, using all of his defensive maneuvers to avoid getting hit. He was desperate to get to Landon.

Kaleb had to cut off another neck when things got too hairy.

Seeing the spray of blood, Alaric walked over and dipped his crossbow in it, coating the arrow as best he could. He couldn't get a clear shot at Hercules with Rafael being there, but he could get a shot at Malivore. He didn't know if hydra blood would kill him permanently or just kill him until the phoenix rose again, but, either way, he had a clear shot at him so he took it.

Hercules stopped fighting with Rafael and stepped in front of the arrow to protect Malivore at the last second.

Rafael, seeing his opponent drop to the ground, looked from the arrow back to Alaric. "You aimed that at Landon! It could've killed him!"

Malivore shrugged and left, walking into a different cavern opening.

"Raf," Alaric said. "It's not him. Come help us with this."

"I need to get Landon!"

Rafael left to go after Malivore and Alaric wanted to follow, but he couldn't.

Kaleb was the only one fighting the hydra at this point and he needed his help. The creature was slithering up out of the pool of water too. If any of those heads reached MG or Jed…

Alaric ran over to Jed, checking his pulse while he took off the bandana. Relieved to feel it, he grabbed MG's club and wrapped the bandana around the top of it.

"Doctor S?" Kaleb cried out. "Little help here!"

Fortunately, Alaric carried a lighter wherever he went. He lit the bandana that hadn't gotten too wet from the falls. "When I say so, cut off a head!"

"But—"

"I'll burn the stump before it grows back," Alaric said. "Hurry before this burns out!"

Meanwhile, Rafael was running after Landon.

"Landon! Landon!" he called, spotting him. "C'mon man, I know it's you. Just come with me. I can help you!"

Malivore stopped and turned back to the boy. He could call out any number of monsters to take care of this wolf, but he was curious.

"I was with you before," he said. "In the woods."

"Yes," Rafael nodded, wondering how he should approach to get the upper hand. If he could just capture Landon somehow, they could bring him back. He had always been stronger than Landon, even before the wolf was triggered. He could do this. He just had to get a hold of him. "We went camping. That was the last thing we did before all of this. You remember. That's good."

"He went out alone, but it was me who came back," Malivore said. "You think I'm still him. It's why you're here. Why you don't attack."

"I don't understand," Rafael shook his head.

"My son has served his purpose," Malivore said. "Landon doesn't live here anymore."

"No!" Rafael refused to believe that. "Landon, you're just saying that because it's what he wants you to say, you can't be, he can't be—"

Rafael cut himself off and jumped at Landon, trying to put his arms around him and subdue him.

The wings made of fire swung out, burning his arm, making him cry out and fall back.

"I could kill you," Malivore said, floating in the air now. "But you're not the wolf I want."

As he flew up in the air through a hidden over pass in the caves that took him up and out into the night sky, Rafael could only stare up at him, clutching his arm.

He couldn't deny it anymore.

That wasn't Landon.

His brother was really gone.

He was lying between her stocking covered legs again.

Her sweater gone, he had just succeeded in unhooking the clasp on her bra.

He made eye contact with her as he reached up her shoulders and slid the straps down, caressing her arms gently before pulling the material off and out of the way.

She moaned when he lowered his head to her breasts once more. He started at the top side of one, running his lips down across her skin, circling around his target but never actually finding it—teasing her, taunting her.

She finally reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, tugging him to where she most needed him at that moment. He gave in easily, his hot mouth making her groan until she arched her hips up suddenly against his.

"Oh my God, Clarke, yes…"

He pulled back and she whimpered at the loss. He gave her a look, letting her know of his displeasure.

With understanding, she reached out with her other hand, grasping his head with both now before pulling him toward her other breast.

"Please, Ryan," she insisted.

Smirking his pleasure now, he gave her what she wanted, paying equal attention to the other.

She moaned, gripping and running her fingers through his tousled short locks as she basked in the pleasure his mouth was giving her.

Her hips began moving gently against his. As the pleasure intensified, she started running her legs restlessly against his, searching for something.

He pulled back and reached down for the zipper on the side of her skirt.

Despite everything, she stayed his hand. He gave her a questioning look, and she shook her head. She wasn't ready for that.

Nodding, he slid back up her body, resting even more perfectly between her thighs. She arched again, moaning his name when she rubbed herself against him, "Ryan…"

He pulled his hips back slightly, then pressed forward, their clothes creating the most incredible friction for her. She cried out in surprise at how good it felt.

"You like that?" he whispered.

Arching her hips was her only answer.

Placing his arms down on either side of her, he began moving with increased fervor against her. He maintained eye contact the entire time.

The restlessness became frantic so she bent her knees and planted her feet on either side of him, making her body arch up against him more forcefully. The position change made him fall down gently on top of her.

He burrowed his face into her neck, his lips finding her skin before he bit down gently and soothed the delicious ache with his tongue.

Their hips moved together, the intensity rising, growing, until it became overwhelming—too overwhelming.

It was too much!

She wasn't ready for any of this.

No matter how amazing it felt, she had to stop.

She had to stop now.

She shook her head abruptly, struggling frantically, trying to find the surface.

She finally woke.

She lay as still as possible, trying to control her breathing, praying she hadn't made any noises to give her away like last time.

When the pressure between her legs became too awkward for her, she finally forced herself to get up and go to the bathroom. Her back to him, she didn't have to look in his direction at all.

She could see him on their bed in the mirror as she passed the second empty bed. He was still drawing in his sketchbook, looking at the page and seemingly completely undisturbed by her movements.

Relieved, she had just put her hand on the bathroom door to begin closing it behind her when he spoke, still looking down at his drawing.

"You know," he said. "I could go for a walk if you want to finish off on the bed."

"Shut up, Ryan!" she said, blushing furiously and closing the door quickly.

He grinned, staring at the closed door.

She hadn't slept fitfully since he started staying on the bed with her while she slept. So when she started making restless movements again, he wondered if something had changed.

Hearing soft moans changed his mind quickly. Was she really having another sex dream? Was it about him again? Who else would it be about at this point anyway? Desperately wishing he could be apart of this one too, wishing to know exactly what was going on in that head of hers, he watched her to see what would happen next.

He knew the instant she awoke because she froze on the bed. She was too pent up, too tense, and shifting her legs together under her sheet too much for her dream to have ended the way it should have.

As she finally slid out of the bed and walked cautiously toward the bathroom, he couldn't help himself. He wanted her to know he knew, and maybe if he offered to give up the bed, she might just offer to let him stay and help her instead.

She clearly wasn't ready for that yet, but he didn't mind.

She called him Ryan.

That dream was definitely about him.

To be continued…