' when i say my name, i hear a burned-down church. '
Skye felt awful. Not only was she a liar, but she was also a bad sister and an even worse girlfriend. It hurt to not be able to tell Stefan that she was in possession of the cure, knowing fully well it would turn into a fight.
He wanted it for Elena and Skye wasn't ready to give it up. It was selfish, through and through, but she couldn't help herself. She needed to have this opportunity; she needed the time to think this through.
Not only was she lying to her friends, she was also granting hope to Rebekah by making her think that Elijah was the one to give it away.
This was why they were currently seated around a table, discussing whether her sister deserved the cure or not.
'Elijah, being a human means a fresh start. I can grow old and have a family and fill my days with meaning, knowing that each one matters.'
She was convincing, Skye had to give her that much.
A laugh came from her right and Skye frowned. Could her brother not take things seriously for even one second?
'Well, that was poetic,' Klaus amended, a smirk stretching his cheeks as he looked at them with a mocking edge.
Elijah turned to face him; his expression unimpressed.
'Well, if you can provide us with a more compelling reason for wanting the cure, Klaus, please,' Elijah inquired.
They all turned towards the person in question as he leaned forward, 'Silas can appear as anyone. He got inside my thoughts, convinced me I was dying. He will torment me until I give him the cure.'
Skye was barely able to keep in a scoff at his words. How surprising, it was for entirely selfish reasons. She didn't know why she expected better from her brother.
Rebekah turned to him in disbelief, 'And in doing so he will break down the wall to the Other Side.'
'So it doesn't trap him there when he dies!' Nik shot back, before turning towards Elijah, 'He wants to reunite with his lost soulmate. You of all lovesick fools should applaud his devotion.'
At this point, Skye was just watching the conversation like it was a pinball machine.
Elijah knew incredibly well that he was not the one to make the decision, but he played along. He knew that if they were to find out that Skye was the one who owned the cure, they would descend on her like beasts. He loved his sister, but he knew that she would be easily persuaded if they turned to her directly.
He had to give her the opportunity to decide for herself without any outside influences.
'He will open the floodgates for every supernatural being that has ever died!' Rebekah seemed appalled by the thought, perfectly aware of all the enemies they had made over the centuries that'd died by their hands.
'Including our dear brothers, Kol and Finn. We'll have our family back.'
Their names made Skye suck in a breath, fingers clenching under the table. She missed them so much. Even Finn. They were her brothers and she never had a chance to say goodbye to either of them.
She was compelled to agree with Nik, but the rational side of her knew that unleashing everyone from the Other Side wouldn't be worth it. They'd suffer more than they'd gain.
'Please, you hated Kol and you kept Finn in a box for most of his life.'
Rebekah had a point, but Klaus turned towards Elijah to make him see sense, 'Elijah, please.'
'Your personal discomfort might not be sufficient reason for putting the entire world in jeopardy, Klaus,' Elijah directed at him, before he shared a look with Skye. Her face was unreadable, but she gave him the tiniest of nods.
'I think our sister deserves a shot at happiness,' he continued, which made Nik's face contort in disbelief and rage.
Rebekah, understanding where this was going, turned hopeful.
'Tell me you're joking. Tell me you're not fating me to an eternity of torture,' Nik questioned him, rage bubbling up inside his throat.
'I made my decision.'
At Elijah's words, Niklaus was out of his seat and leaned over towards Rebekah's ears, 'When you're sick and dying, and you beg for my blood, I will laugh in your face and compel you to forget me.'
Rebekah cringed openly but stood her ground as she let his words wash over her. Skye pursed her lips at Nik's over dramatics, but as soon as he left the room, she turned towards Rebekah herself, now taking control over the situation.
She wasn't going to make it easy for her sister. There was a lot at stake here.
'Are you absolutely sure, Rebekah? Do you understand precisely what you're giving up here? You can be impulsive and emotional, and I don't want you to make this decision hastily.'
The blonde turned towards her younger sister as she nodded feverishly, not questioning why Skye was taking over now. She was too wrapped up in the chance of finally becoming human.
'I'll do anything to prove it to you.'
It took a few seconds to register, but eventually, Skye nodded.
'I want you to live a day as a human. This day. No vampire privileges- no strength, no compulsion, no nothing. If you succeed, if you still believe this is what you want, the cure is yours.'
Elijah turned towards Skye with a frown. He didn't want her to give this up to please others. This should be her decision alone.
Skye glanced back at him but ignored his imploring look as Rebekah accepted the deal.
She didn't know what she was rooting for. If she wanted Rebekah to lose the challenge, or win.
She just knew this was going to be one hell of a decision.
Dress shopping with Caroline and Bonnie was quite low on her list of priorities right now, but it was a welcome distraction to her inner turmoil.
Elena had moved in with Rebekah, which made Skye move out and into the Salvatore boarding house. Keeping a secret from Stefan was made even harder by living with him. She was still looking for a place of her own, sure that living together at this stage in their relationship would prove to bring problems sooner rather than later, but nothing seemed to fit her demands.
She didn't want to kill someone for a house, but Mystic Falls was a town in which people rarely ever moved. There weren't many free houses on the market. So, she was forced to bunk with the Salvatore's.
Part of her enjoyed it immensely, being able to wake up next to Stefan each morning and cuddling with him whenever she felt the need was amazing, but she was distant, the guilt over the cure eating at her.
Not only was she struggling with her guilt, she was also experiencing even worse nightmares than before and had screamed Stefan awake multiple times during the past few nights. He always wrapped his arms around her to calm her down and he rarely judged her, but she knew it was wearing him down as well.
There was already so much to deal with and here she was, going insane.
She also hadn't told him about one other thing, and that was that the hallucinations that she suffered from nine hundred years ago, had returned.
The first time it happened, the day after they returned from Willoughby, Skye had been alone, which she was grateful for. The face of Jeremy haunted her not only in her sleep, but in her waking moments as well.
She tried to ignore the hallucinations as best as she could, but she was ashamed to admit that they brought on panic attacks more often than not. Her mental state was a mess.
Turns out, so was Bonnie's.
'What kind of dreams?' Caroline questioned her as they exited the fitting room, a beautiful red dress clinging to her curves.
Bonnie and Skye followed her out towards the mirror as the witch explained, 'Usually I'm at his grave and, all of a sudden, he appears to me.'
The subject of Jeremy had Skye emotional, but she locked up the feelings inside her chest and managed to look at Bonnie with gentle sympathy. Those two had loved each other so much and Skye had only known Jeremy for such a short time, it seemed unfair to let her grief overshadow that of Bonnie's.
'Well, you never got to say goodbye, Bon. You're grieving, that's normal.'
Caroline was a good friend and Skye nodded in agreement. Grief did weird things with the brain.
'When I woke up, the couch was on fire.'
Okay, never mind, that was pretty dangerous.
Both blondes turned towards their friend, brows furrowed.
'Are you losing control over your magic?' Skye inquired softly, as not to alert the store clerk.
'I don't know. Maybe it's because I was emotional in my dream, or maybe Shane was right. Without his help, I'll lose control of my magic.'
Skye frowned as she considered this. She really did not like to think that the creepy professor was the only one who could help Bonnie. Besides, Skye knew her fair share of witches as well. If that man could do it, so could she.
'You don't need him. I'll help you figure this out, okay? I know quite a few things about magic and my family has saved plenty of texts and grimoires over the past few centuries, I'm sure there is something in there that could help.'
Bonnie turned to her in gratitude, before Caroline spoke up, 'You need a night off from mourning. And I'm gonna make sure that you have it.'
She directed her sentence to both of them, completely aware that Bonnie was not the only one suffering. She tried to get Skye to open up, but it was like kicking against a door with a hundred different locks and riddles. The Original kept her grief to herself, which made Caroline worry.
'Um, you look super hot, by the way,' Bonnie told Caroline to lighten the mood and the blonde grinned widely in response.
'Do you think?' Caroline scrunched up her nose adorably and Skye couldn't help but laugh.
'Totally. The belle of the ball.'
Caroline turned around to look back at the mirror and appraise herself, warmed by the compliments of her friends.
'Matt and I are gonna have the sexiest date there,' Bonnie convinced her, before turning towards Skye, 'Sorry, you and Stefan just can't compete with this kind of sexiness.'
A bright laugh bubbled up from Skye, something she hadn't been doing a lot lately, as she shook her head with a grin on her face.
'Wanna bet?'
All three girls giggled.
'You know what, I love friend-prom. And it's exactly what prom should be- friends and memories. You better hang with us, Skye. Don't get too lost in Stefan's eyes,' Caroline sounded positive.
'I promise. Friend-prom sounds like a blast.'
'Yes, it sucks that my boyfriend can't be here, but we're gonna have the night of our lives,' A soft sorrow flitted across Caroline's face at the mention of Tyler, but it left as soon as it came.
Skye had been filled in about Niklaus hunting Tyler out of town and she felt for Caroline, but there was little she could do. Nik didn't listen to her or anyone else for that matter.
They were interrupted by the ringing of a bell, indicating that the door of the shop opened and someone new had entered the store.
Caroline's smile faltered as she saw them, and Skye and Bonnie turned around to see as well.
'Hey, Bonnie. Heard you got your mind wiped- that sucks. Pretty dress, Caroline,' Elena Gilbert told them.
The first time Skye saw humanity off Elena, she'd been this close to strangling her pretty little neck. The brunette had made some comments about Skye and Stefan that stung, and since then Skye tried to avoid the doppelgänger as best as she could.
Flitting her eyes over to Rebekah, they shared a quick look, before Skye focused back on Caroline's words.
'I know. You helped me pick it out months ago when we were friends- before you tried to kill me.'
The cure burned in her pocket. She took it with her everywhere she went, afraid Stefan or Damon would find it in the house when she wasn't there. The thought of having the cure in her possession while Elena stood in front of her, clearly suffering despite her emotionless state, made Skye understand even more why Stefan wanted Elena to take it.
But then again, she also had her sister to consider. And most importantly, herself.
'I thought it looked familiar,' Elena realized as a sly look crossed her face. Skye's brows furrowed, but she obeyed when Caroline spoke up about them following her, 'Can you press this for me? I'll pick it up later. Bonnie, Skye?'
Bonnie shared one last look with Elena, before hurrying after her friends, leaving Elena looking at them with an idea forming in her mind.
The thought of prom used to make her excited. While she didn't have the regular high school experience, she figured that one way or another she would be able to attend the dance. Now, with Stefan as her boyfriend, it was actually happening.
The downside was, dances in Mystic Falls always ended terribly, and her mind was too occupied with cure related thoughts to even feel a spark of excitement.
Picking out a dress had been done without real thought, which probably would've made Caroline throw a fit had she found out, but even Skye had to admit she looked beautiful in it.
It had less to do with her and more so with the dress.
It was made from tulle and satin, with a tight bodice that flowed down when it came to the hips. The bodice was beaded with lace flowers and pearls, and the sleeves came off the shoulder, leaving her collarbones exposed.
It was a pinkish-brown color and complimented her skin tone perfectly.
Her honey-blonde hair was curled in gentle waves with beaded clips holding strands back. She looked like a princess, which was probably for who the dress was made originally.
Being part of the Mikaelson family had its perks, like having a diverse pick of dresses and accessories.
Because Skye got ready at the Salvatore boarding house, Stefan didn't have to go all out with transportation. He dusted off his red Porsche for the night, instead of taking a rented limo to the prom. He gave the keys of those to Damon.
Unfortunately, the night wouldn't be all rainbows and sunshine, because Stefan and Damon had to keep an eye on Elena, just to make sure she wasn't going to murder anyone.
Stefan would've probably taken Elena to the dance if Skye hadn't been there, but he was self-aware enough to realize that not taking Skye to prom would equal to being a bad boyfriend.
As Skye descended the stairs of the house, Stefan was waiting for her in the parlor with a rose-petaled corsage in his hand. As she came into the room, Stefan turned from the fire of the hearth to face her. The sight of her made his breath get stuck in his throat.
'You look beautiful.' His voice was soft, like raising it would break the spell.
A gentle smile stretched her cheeks as she moved closer to him, feeling comfortable and safe for the first time since they got back from Willoughby. At this moment, it was just the two of them. No cure, no ex-girlfriends, no death friends. Only a boy and a girl, so in love with each other, they could make the earth bend.
Moving her hand to brush his tie, she smiled at him from under her lashes. His own hands came up to cup her face and then they were kissing.
He kissed her and the world fell away. It was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be. His hand rested below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek as their breaths mingled. She ran her fingers down his spine, pulling him closer until there was no space left between them and she could feel the beating of his heart against her chest.
When they pulled away, they were both out of breath. Their foreheads connected for a moment, before Skye stepped back completely and allowed him to slide the corsage around her wrist.
As he did so, she spoke up, 'I don't have much faith in tonight, but I'm happy I get to spend it with you.'
His forest green eyes moved up and they locked their gazes together.
'Elena won't do anything. Damon and I will make sure of that.'
A sigh left her lips as she brushed a strand of hair out of her face, 'I know, I know. I just wish we wouldn't have to worry about Elena, that we could just enjoy this night together.'
His face softened as he pulled her towards him, her face resting against his chest, 'We'll have a hundred more of these nights to come.'
Pulling away slightly, she raised her eyebrows in amusement, 'Are you saying you'd go back to high school again for me?'
A deep bellied laugh left his mouth as he pressed his hand to her head and pushed it back against his chest.
'Not any time in the next hundred years, that's for sure, but after that.'
Instead of laughing at his joke, tears filled her brilliant blue eyes. He really thought they'd be together for hundreds of years to come. She wanted that so badly, it made her heartache.
'Okay, deal. We'll have a hundred more proms, after you recovered from the current one. After that, it's high school for the rest of our lives.'
A collage of photos flickered on the screens lining the entrance of the building and Skye stopped momentarily to gaze at them. Stefan halted at her side.
While she didn't recognize most of the people on the pictures, she knew some. Most of them made her smile, but there were some photos that made her suck in a breath.
One of them was Elena dancing with Stefan. The Original was willing to admit that Stefan's relationship with Elena was a topic of insecurity for her. He had loved her so deeply; she couldn't expect him to have moved on from her completely. Rationally she was okay with that, but the insecurity stuck.
The next picture was worse. Jeremy's smile was directed at the camera, and he looked even younger than she'd last seen him. He looked happy and alive. A stark reflection of reality. As Skye looked at the picture, she felt fingers interlink with hers. Looking down and sideways, she saw Stefan's hand holding hers.
A soft smile played with her lips as her eyes were watering, but she gave his hand a gentle squeeze in gratitude.
The moment was broken by Damon's voice, 'Where's the disco ball?'
Turning around to face him, Skye noticed Elena was with him. More importantly, she was wearing Caroline's dress. Skye's eyes widened in realization and as the doppelgänger noticed her look, a sly smirk appeared on her face.
It took her all her willpower to keep quiet, but Skye managed it as she turned her attention back to Stefan.
'Caroline's been working on this for a while. It's a, ah, photo-yearbook of the senior class.'
Skye wondered what Caroline did once realizing that Elena stole her dress. It was an incredibly bitchy move.
One of the screens flashed to a different picture, and they stopped to look at it. Elena was smiling back at her with Matt next to her. They looked like they were having the time of their lives.
'Isn't that photo from, ah, the first day of freshman year?' Stefan inquired; his question directed at Elena.
'My mom took that when she dropped us off at school.'
Elena looked at the picture with an unreadable look on her face and Skye searched her expression for something along the lines of sadness or any emotion at all. She couldn't find much, but this was the most Skye had seen Elena crack since she got undaggered.
As the photo morphs into a different one, Elena's expression changes again, a mask guarding her.
It's Jeremy and Elena, together.
'I'm gonna get a seizure if I keep staring at these screens.' Then she walked off.
Skye shared one last look with Stefan, before following her inside.
The party was in full swing. Every inch of the dance floor was packed. Dilated eyes roamed around the room, trying to take it all in. Caroline had done an amazing job. It was a beautiful theme, with even prettier decorations. Skye mentally noted to herself that the perky blonde could be fitted with planning her wedding.
At the thought of marriage, Skye's eyes flickered to Stefan. It was way too early in their relationship to even consider the idea, but the thought of living without him made her choke.
Focusing back on her surroundings, she noticed Elena talking with Matt and Bonnie. She could swear the doppelgänger had been talking to Damon just a second ago. Apparently, she'd been staring at Stefan like a lovesick fool the entire time. He was kind enough not to say anything.
Elena's conversation seemed to be going sideways, if Bonnie's facial expression was anything to go by. That thought was reinforced when Bonnie made her way outside, her shoulders tense. Skye followed her with her eyes in concern, before her attention was called by Stefan.
His hand waited patiently for hers, 'May I have this dance?'
Her face softened as she granted his request, her one hand fitting into his and her other hand resting on his shoulder.
Moving towards the dancefloor, Stefan's hand landed on her waist.
The slow music twirled like thread around them. All the scenery and the people around them dissolved.
Skye rested her head on his chest and let him sway her body from side to side.
She needed this as badly as she needed to breathe. A quiet moment, with just the two of them.
Ever since she learned about Jeremy and Kol dying, she'd felt unbalanced, slightly out of step. There was a hole in her life and her mind had a difficult time reconciling that.
But when she was with Stefan? It seemed like, just for a moment, that time slowed down. Everything else disappeared. There was no one else she needed, not at that moment.
'I love you,' The words left her lips in a whisper, letting it drift into the air surrounding them.
She could feel his hands tightening their grip on her in response.
'I love you too.'
When the song came to an end, they stepped away from each other. As Skye noticed her sister, she gave Stefan's hand one last squeeze before going over towards the punchbowl, interrupting Matt and Rebekah in the middle of their conversation.
'You look beautiful, Bekah.'
At her words, a smile appeared on Rebekah's face, before she observed Skye's own outfit.
'So do you.' Her mind occupied with the cure; Rebekah straightened her spine. Skye was here to hold her accountable for every move she made tonight. It felt suffocating, but she wanted this so badly, all rational thought had left her.
Skye directed herself at Matt, 'Where is Bonnie? Is she okay?'
The boy shrugged, a concerned look on his face. The conversation with Elena had really rattled the witch.
'She went outside for a moment. Elena said some really shitty things.'
Skye's face contorted into something resembling sorrow, once again reminded of how Elena's life affected those of everyone around her. The cure could fix it all and here she was, unable to even tell them she was the one who had it.
A surge of panic washed over her at the thought and she knew she needed to find some space for herself, or she'd break down. Everything was becoming too much for her.
As she excused herself from the conversation, she made her way over to the door. On her way out, she noticed Damon standing off to the side. Following his line of sight, she stumbled in her steps.
Stefan was dancing with Elena, and it seemed intimate.
Shaking her head, Skye willed herself to keep moving, bursting out into the open air. Making her way to the side of the forest, she leaned down and heaved. All that came up was bile, but the taste was acidic in her throat.
Before she knew out, thick tears were rolling down her cheeks, smudging her make-up. She couldn't find her breath. It was like all the air had left her and there was none to inhale.
When she'd vomited out all that she could, she lowered herself onto the ground and leaned her head against the rough bark of a tree. She had all the reason to be happy, but here she was, so wracked with guilt that it felt like black tar poisoning her.
Closing her eyes, she felt him before she saw his face. A shiver rolled down her spine as she forced her eyes closed tighter, knowing exactly what she'd see if she opened them. She had enough hallucinations over her long life to know precisely how they felt.
As he came closer, she felt his hot breath on her face. How could something that was fake, feel this real?
'Skye.' His voice had a whimper escape her throat, the saltwater on her cheeks glistening.
Then she felt his fingers touch her cheek and she couldn't keep her eyes closed any longer. She needed to see his face so badly, it didn't matter if it was real or not.
Her lashes fluttered open and she was met with the soft gaze of Jeremy Gilbert.
At times, she saw Kol instead of her friend, but it was Jeremy that appeared to her when her emotional state spiraled. It was like the two traded places, depending on her mood.
When she was happy and comfortable and safe, Kol appeared like a guardian.
When she was sad and wracked with guilt, Jeremy came as a warm blanket.
Her hallucinations weren't necessarily bad, but she knew they weren't healthy, which made her even more averse. She had been fighting them at every turn, but now she welcomed them.
'Hey...' Her voice cracked as she swallowed audibly. Jeremy was crouched in front of her, a gentle expression shaping his young face.
'It's okay. I understand.'
At this, she sputtered a mirthless laugh, shaking her head as thick strands of hair escaped the pins holding them back.
'I'm an awful friend, Jeremy. Everyone's going to hate me when they find out.'
His features remained soft.
'They'll understand. You deserve to be human, Skye.'
Then he moved closer and pressed his lips to her forehead. Her skin tingled where he made contact. As he moved away from her, she gazed into his eyes one last time, before he faded into nothing in front of her eyes.
When she walked back into the room, she noticed Caroline immediately. A beautiful dress clung to her every curve and Skye recognized it from Klaus's collection.
Her brother's infatuation with Caroline both delighted and repulsed her. She wished her brother happiness and if her friend granted him that, she was all for it. On the other hand, her brother could be thoughtless and hurtful, and she didn't wish for Caroline to be caught in the crossfire of his temper.
Making her way towards the girl, she notices the grim expression on her face. Either something had gone terribly wrong, or Caroline wasn't having the night she wanted.
'Hey, are you okay? You look stunning. Definitely the sexiest one here.'
Caroline laughed, but it sounded hollow even in her ears.
'Thank you. After Elena stole my dress, Klaus was kind enough to grant me one of his trophies. Why he has dresses just stocked up, I don't even want to know.'
Instead of laughing at her joke, a melancholic smile appeared on Skye's face.
'I think he saved them for Rebekah and me. You know, for the future.'
Caroline's face softened, 'Well, your dress is totally ethereal.'
Before Skye could respond, Damon joined them, a flask of a strong-smelling alcohol in his hand.
Turned out no one was having the night of their lives.
'Aren't you on "Save Elena" duty?' Caroline questioned him.
He pulled a face, 'I'm taking a little breather.'
He shared a look with Skye. Seeing Elena dance with Stefan brought up a lot of jealousy on both sides and Damon had noticed Skye's hasty retreat earlier that evening. They were in the same boat.
Caroline, noticing both of their tense postures nodded and sighed before speaking up, 'This prom sucks. This is our last dance together, and it's awful. This is not how I wanted to remember this night.'
Skye smiled at her consolingly, but it felt futile. This night did suck.
Damon offered Caroline his flask, which she accepted after a moment of hesitation, before giving it back to the oldest Salvatore. He raised his eyebrows at Skye in question, but she just shook her head. Alcohol wouldn't make this situation any better.
'If anyone asks, I'll be at the after-party,' Caroline said eventually, before giving Skye a quick hug.
'Don't wallow,' Skye warned her and Caroline nodded before making her way outside.
Skye was just about to turn to Damon and propose they get out of there as well, when Bonnie appeared before them, looking frazzled.
'We have a problem.'
'It's like Jeremy was there. I could talk to him, feel him.'
They were clustered together in the corner of the room, Stefan and Matt on either side of her, while Damon stood next to Bonnie.
'Bonnie, that's what Silas does. You can't let him get to you again,' Stefan warned her worriedly.
'Yeah, because you all crazy and brainwashed is just not a good look,' Damon added in, which made Skye sigh in annoyance. She knew he meant well, but he got on her nerves at times.
'Silas is dangerous, Bonnie. You need to stay away from him, no matter how tempting he makes it,' Skye told her gently, her shoulders slumped. She hated seeing Bonnie like this. It felt a bit too much like she was looking at herself in a mirror.
Skye had seen Jeremy at the exact same time as Bonnie, so she was certain that her Jeremy had been a hallucination and not Silas, but the thought made her shudder.
She hadn't met the man yet, but she was not looking forward to it. Everyone seemed to fear him.
The scraping of a throat alerted them to the stage, where April Young prepared to announce the prom king and queen. Skye had forgotten that was even a thing.
'Hey. Okay, the ballots have been tallied, which means it's time to announce this year's prom king and queen.'
It looked like Skye was the only one noticing the spectacle, because Stefan continued talking.
'Look, one of us should take her home.'
Damon looked at him like he was crazy, 'What? no. She's safer here in public around all these people. There's no way Silas can make everyone see the same thing all at once.'
'Okay, in the meantime, how do we look out for a guy that can appear as anyone?' Matt sounded just as rattled as the rest of them.
Before anyone could answer, they were interrupted by April and a blaring spotlight, 'All right, your prom king and queen are...Matt Donovan and Bonnie Bennett.'
A scattering of applause filled the room as the two people in question looked up in shock. Pushing them forward, Skye urged them to go over to the stage to accept their crowns, leaving her with the Salvatore's.
Damon, upon noticing the tension, left to go outside.
'I saw you dancing with Elena earlier,' Skye spoke up, her voice trailing off as she kept her eyes straight ahead, pretending like it didn't affect her as much as she liked to admit. She didn't want to come over as a jealous girlfriend, but she had to know what happened.
'I tried to make her remember what it was like before...' As he trailed off, Stefan sighed, taking on a different direction, 'Skye, I love you. More than I thought was possible. But with Elena... I just need to make sure she's okay, that I haven't ruined her life interchangeably with coming to this town. I owe it to her.'
It always came back to this, didn't it?
Her eyes blazed as she turned to face him directly, her hands balling at her sides.
'You don't owe her anything, Stefan. You've given her so much. If she can't see that, that's on her. Not you. Everyone makes their own decisions and so did Elena. You didn't force her to love you, just as much as you didn't force me.'
She takes a shuddering breath, tries to calm herself down, 'Look, Stefan, I get it. That kind of connection you two have? It doesn't just disappear. I came to terms with that a long time ago. But when does the time come for you to admit to yourself that maybe your relationship with Elena doesn't have to equal a fiery romance? What if she's here to be your friend and your confidant? Don't rob yourself of that by holding onto something that has already gone.'
She picks up his hand, places it upon her heart, 'I'm here. Isn't that enough?'
He gazed back at her, before moving forward, capturing her lips with his. The kiss is short but passionate, a fire burning within them.
'It's enough. More than enough.'
After their intense talk, Stefan got ushered away by Damon, who appeared out of nowhere.
Skye was watching Bonnie and Matt from the sidelines, until she saw Bonnie diving into a tented area followed by Elena. A sense of looming overwhelmed her, and she hurried after them to make sure nothing terrible would happen.
What she stumbled upon made her freeze. Elena's hand came up to grab Bonnie by the throat, but a flare of magic incapacitated her. Everything around them began to shake, a strong gust of wind racing through the room.
Skye looked at Bonnie in alarm, noticing the girl had barely any control over what was happening. Suddenly, Matt entered the area, making Bonnie cut her eyes to him quickly as he warned her to stop.
'Something's happening to me,' The witch said in response.
'Okay, just relax,' Matt urged her as he eyed Elena, who was still clutching her head in pain on the ground.
'No. I gotta get out of here!' Bonnie spat before pushing past Skye and Matt, finally freeing Elena from the piercing headache.
Sharing a quick look with Matt, Skye dashed out after her, bumping into April on the way.
Mumbling a quick sorry, she tried to make her way through the crowd as efficiently as she could.
Unfortunately, just before she reached the door, a fast song came on. The entire room erupted into chaos as people started jumping around, hyped about the song choice. A chorus of loud singing accompanied the song and Skye had to slow down considerably.
When she finally managed to worm her way through, she hurried outside.
'Get away from me, Silas!' Bonnie's voice echoed through the air, and Skye sped up. She couldn't see them yet, but she knew that time was of the essence.
'We can help each other.' Jeremy's voice almost made her halt, but she had enough practice with her hallucinations to push through the pain and move forward.
'This is what you do. You wait until I lose control and then you want to swoop in and save me!'
'You really think you have a choice? If you don't let me help you, your Expression will consume you from the inside out.'
Car alarms went off and electricity sparked through the air.
Skye skidded to a stop. Silas his back was facing away from her, but Bonnie saw her immediately. Her magic sputtered in confusion.
'She doesn't need you, she has me.'
And before Silas could react, Skye jumped.
Her fangs extended, eyes bloodshot, she attacked Silas.
But before she even reached him, all that was left was empty air in his place. He was gone.
Skye's eyes shot up towards Bonnie who looked at her in shock, magic still swirling around her like a thunderstorm.
'Bonnie, breathe. It's okay, he can't hurt you.'
The witch looked at her in anguish, strain visible in the cracks of her face.
'I can't control it, Skye.'
Nodding feverishly, Skye stepped closer, making sure to move slowly.
'Yes, you can, Bonnie. Magic doesn't control you. It's yours. It has to listen to you. If you want it to stop, It will. Believe in yourself, Bonnie.'
Bonnie closed her eyes and suddenly, all the noises and flickering lights stopped. A deep breath of relief escaped the blonde, but the feeling didn't last long.
Out of nowhere, Elena jumped out and sunk her teeth into Bonnie's neck.
Skye watched in shock, when all of a sudden, Elena began to choke, releasing Bonnie from her grip. The witch fell on her knees as the wounds in her neck healed and Skye watched the scene in horror.
The witch turned around in disbelief, her magic prevailing. And then, with a sickening crunch, Bonnie broke Elena's back. A piercing scream filled her ears and Skye recoiled.
'Oh my god, Bonnie!'
Then, Elena's hand broke. The doppelgänger moaned in pain as she crumpled to the ground.
'Bonnie, stop, Bonnie!' Stefan's voice filled her ears, and the two Salvatore's rushed towards them, Damon coming over to lean Elena against his side.
'Damon, help me...' A whimper left Elena's throat.
Skye moved closer with Stefan, her hand itching to touch Bonnie to make her calm down, but not wanting the blast of magic to hit her.
'Bonnie, you're killing her,' Skye said harshly, her eyes shooting between the two girls.
'I know what I'm doing.'
'That's the magic talking. This is your best friend,' Stefan urged her, a sense of alarm visible in his sunken eyes.
Elena continued writhing in pain while Damon held her. He seemed pissed.
'Damn it, Bonnie.'
Elena managed to look up at Bonnie, blood dripping from her nose.
'Bonnie... Please.'
And then, Elena stilled. The magic had stopped. A gasp of relief left her lips.
It takes them a second to register, but then Stefan asked gently, 'Are you okay?'
Bonnie turned to him in disbelief, 'No, I'm not okay. I almost died. The shell of my best friend almost killed me. None of this is okay!'
Locking eyes with Skye for a moment, a fire blazing behind her eyes, she stormed off.
As she left, Damon tried to reassure Elena, 'I got you.' He tried to get her up, but she staggered and landed in Stefan's arms.
'Okay. Hey, whoa.'
Elena, dazed from the attack on her body, barely noticed it. Then, as if by magic, she collapsed.
Skye looked on shocked, until she noticed the syringe in Stefan's hand. Vervain.
'Plan "B",' Stefan told them.
Leaving the Salvatore's with Elena's unconscious body, Skye made her way to Rebekah's house. There was still one thing she had to do that night.
Waiting on the porch, she saw her sister approach, a huge smile on her face. Skye sucked in a breath and stood up.
'Rebekah... How did it go?'
The girl hesitated, 'I won't lie. There were complications,' then, 'But I passed your test with flying colors.'
That explained the smile.
'Where's Elijah?' Rebekah questioned her, excited about the prospect of the cure.
A deep sigh left her lips as Skye moved to stand opposite her sister, a grim expression on her face.
'He's not coming. The truth is, he doesn't have the cure.'
Her sister looked at her in confusion, so Skye hurried on to explain, 'That night in Willoughby, I talked to Elijah. He told me about Katherine and what happened between the two of them. Then, he gave me the cure. He told me that he wanted me to be human.'
A wave of nausea washed over her, but she continued, 'I'm so sorry, Bekah. For giving you hope. But I can't give this up. I know it's selfish, but I need to decide if this is something I want.'
Rebekah's face contorted into a frown, her hands balling at her sides, 'You had it this entire time and you didn't tell me?'
Skye felt herself crumble.
'I deserve to be happy too.'
As their eyes interlocked, Skye saw something that made her shiver. Opening her mouth to say something, she was interrupted by the sound of her phone. Not moving for a second, Skye appraised her sister, before moving for her phone.
Rebekah's name flashed on the screen. Her eyes shot up, to be met with nothing.
Confused, Skye answered the phone, 'Rebekah?'
'Skye, I think Nik's up to something.'
A frown played with her cheeks, 'Where did you go?'
'I'm still at the prom. Look, don't let Elijah do anything with the cure until I see him. Something's not right.'
Oh. My. God.
'Skye? Hello? Skye, don't let him take his eyes off that cure.'
'He doesn't have it. I do.'
'What?'
'I have the cure. I think Silas was just here... I didn't give it to him, but he knows I have it now.'
This was karma. This was definitely karma. She was so dead.