Bringing Out The Dead
It was a beautiful day, as Elena walked into the kitchen. Alaric was already up.
"Morning," she greeted him.
"Thought we had aspirin," Alaric said, searching for some in a cupboard.
"Yeah, with the vitamins. You're hung over."
"Yeah, sorry about that, it was a bit of a weird night."
"I told you you don't have to feel guilty about inviting Meredith over here."
"Oh, I know. And I thank you for that. But I feel guilty for whiskey dialing her two in the morning."
"No, you didn't."
"Yes, I did."
"Oh, was she cool about that?"
"Well, as soon as the aspirin kicks in and I remember the conversation I'll let you know."
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Elena opened the door to see Sheriff Forbes on the porch.
"Sheriff Forbes, hi. Is everything ok?"
She closed the door behind herself to talk to her on the porch with Alaric beside her.
"This is an unconventional conversation we're about to have. So, I hope you'll protect me on it," she replied.
"Of course," Alaric responded.
"I assume you both heard our medical examiner was murdered the night of the Whickery bridge fund raiser."
"Yeah. Brian Walters. Why?" Alaric answered.
"We've been investigating. Someone drove this stake through his heart."
Liz held up a plastic bag with a stake inside it.
"That's one of ours. I mean this is one a set from your parents' lake house," Alaric said.
"That's why I'm here. I haven't told anyone, but forensics scrutinized it for prints and found only one set."
Liz looked at Elena.
"Yours."
"What?" Elena questioned.
Damon Salvatore walked through a meadow in the woods, talking on his cell phone with Elena.
"So, you're the prime suspect, huh?"
"She doesn't think that I did it. She's just trying' to find out why somebody used one of my family weapons to kill a council member," Elena replied.
"Well why don't you just ask Ric if his dirty little doctor had access to the weapons," Damon said.
"You're on speaker phone, dick," Alaric interjected.
"I'm just saying' first suspect she's the right one. Don't get so defensive," Damon explained.
"Brian Walters was killed days ago, right? I didn't show Meredith this stuff until last night!" Alaric said.
"It wasn't Meredith," Elena said.
"But Brian Walters was her ex-boyfriend and Ric saw them fighting that night," Damon replied.
"It's not Meredith! Okay? I refuse to believe that your luck with women is that tragic," Elena responded.
"Who else knows about your secret slayer stash?" Damon asked.
"A dozen. I got weapons everywhere, here, the school, my loft, your car."
"It's Klaus. It has to be, he's screwing with us," Damon replied.
"What if it was Stefan?" Elena asked. "He was crazy that night, and you know he was trying to get under Klaus' skin, he was capable of pretty much anything."
"Ahh, makes me nostalgic for the time Stefan was a bunny snacking pacifist, anyway got to go, tomorrow later."
"Hey, where are you?" Alaric asked him.
"Tea with an old friend," Damon replied.
Damon hung up.
"Elijah, my favorite Original, back from the dead. Clean up nice."
"You left something in my jacket pocket," Elijah said, a piece of paper in hand.
"Oh, yeah, "Dear Elijah, let's get together, thought of the destruction of your brother, XOXO."
"Damon."
"Was I right to undagger you or do we have a problem?"
"I'm here, let's talk."
"I'll start with an easy question, any idea why Klaus' killing weapon would be magically sealed in a mystery coffin."
Elijah opened the door to Klaus' house, Stefan and Damon with him.
"Niklaus, our guests have arrived," Elijah announced.
"Damon. Stefan. Elijah tells me, you seek in audience. Very bold. Let's discuss the terms of our agreement like civilized men, shall we?"
"It's better to indulge him," Elijah told the Salvatores.
"I didn't come here to eat, Klaus. Fact, I didn't want to come here at all. But I was told, I had to cause you would hear our sound," Stefan told Klaus.
"Well, we can sit and eat, or I can reach down your throats and pull out your insides. The choice is yours," Klaus replied.
Everyone but Stefan ate at the table.
"You lost your appetite," Klaus said.
"Eat. I thought we agreed to leave grumpy Stefan at home," Damon said.
"Isn't it nice? The four of us dining together? Is it that was you had in mind when you pulled the dagger from my brother," Klaus said.
"Oh no...I felt about you so...I figured the more the merrier!" Damon rejoindered.
"Elijah and I we have our quarrels over the centuries, but we always make it through."
"Kinda like you and Rebekah, right? Where is she by the way? Last I checked she was daggered because you were afraid to face her," Stefan retorted.
"If you are referring to the fact that Rebekah knows that I killed our mother I've already come clean to Elijah."
"Hey Stef, remember when you killed dad? Might wanna doubt on the judgment desert," Damon told his brother.
"We're here to make a deal Damon. That doesn't mean we have to kiss his butt for seven courses."
"I'm just saying we have a long evening ahead of us, face yourself," Damon answered.
"Stefan, where is the lovely Elena tonight?" Elijah asked.
"I don't know ask Damon."
Klaus laughed.
Elijah looked surprised.
"I'm sorry you missed so much. Ahh...trouble in paradise."
"One more word about Elena and this dinner is over," Stefan commented.
"You know what probably it's best just to keep Elena in the Do Not Discuss pile," Damon interjected.
"You're probably right," Klaus agreed. "It's just the lure of the Petrova Doppelgänger is still so strong. What do you say brother? Should we tell them about Tatia?"
"No, why should we discuss matters long since resolved?"
"Oh, give them both a shared attraction for Elena and Katerina I think they must be curious to learn about the originated of the Petrova line."
"We're not going anywhere Elijah. Please! Do tell," Damon rebutted.
"When our family first settled here, there was a girl named Tatia. She was an exquisite beauty. Every boy her age desired to be her suitor; even though she'd had a child by another man. And no one loved her more than Klaus," Elijah explained.
"Ah, I said there's one who loved her just as much."
"Wait a minute, so you both loved the same girl?" Stefan asked.
"Our mother was a very powerful witch," Elijah explained. "She saw our love for Tatia, and she took her. Klaus and I would later learn that it was Tatiana's blood that we consumed in the wine of the night when our mother performed a spell which turned us into vampires. Tatia wouldn't make a decision between the two of us so for a time Niklaus and I grew estranged harsh truth traded we even came to blows. Didn't we, brother?"
"But in the end, we recognized the secret bond of family."
"Family of paver," Elijah said, raising a glass.
"Family of paver," Klaus echoed.
"So, what do we look at this evening along and discuss the terms of this proposal," Elijah announced.
"That's very simple. Klaus gets his coffin back and exchange he and the original extended family leave mystic falls forever. Me, Stefan and Elena live happily ever after. No grudges," Damon replied.
"Sounds fair," Elijah commented.
"I don't think you understand Elena's doppelgänger blood ensures that I will always have hybrids to fight those that abode me. I will never leave her behind. Well say I do leave her, and you protect her and what then? How long until one of you turns her into a vampire? Or worse. How long before she dies? Count between you two. You see each one of you believes that he is the one that can protect her. Nice simply at the illusion. Gentlemen. The worst thing for Elena Gilbert is the two of you."
"I'm gonna get some air," Damon said.
"I'll deal with this," Elijah responded.
"And this talk has made me thirsty. What do you say Stefan? Can I interest you with my love to do a drink?" Klaus asked, as Damon and Elijah stepped out.
Klaus fed from a girl's neck.
He finished and she dropped to the floor dead.
"Delicious," Klaus commented.
"Well...I guess the only reason you agreed to this evening, Klaus is to try and watch me and my brother," Stefan said.
"I know you didn't have well enough for your own. Because of Elena you're going to lose your brother and you only have yourself to blame."
"What do you say, Klaus. I'm here to put something on the table. We've made our offer. Now you count on," Damon said, coming back in with Elijah.
"Okay. I offer Elena's future happiness, you see what she needs right now is to be rid of you lot, and to fall in love with a human, maybe that football player."
"Matt Donovan? Really?" Damon said.
"Yeah. Why not? They marry, live a long life and make a family."
"And continue the Petrova bloodline, every few hundred years you'll have a doppelgänger for you to drain and you never run out of hybrids, right Klaus?" Stefan said.
"Consider it a small return on my investment in her well-being. See after you hand me back the coffin, I'll ensure her safety for the rest of her natural life, you know it's what's best for her."
"So, what do you say, Stefan? Do we have a deal?"
They walked towards each other.
"What are you doing?" Damon asked.
Klaus held his hand out and Stefan took it.
"Nice try, Klaus, but no deal."
Klaus grabbed Stefan's arm and held his hand in the fireplace in the fire and his hand started to burn.
Damon rushed over and through him away.
Stefan got to his feet.
"What do you think you're doing?" Damon asked Klaus.
"Since we don't have a deal, let's make a new one. Give me the coffin or I'll burn him alive."
"Why don't you go ahead and kill me now? We both know you'll do it anyway once you have your coffin."
"Because that would take all the fun out of it."
Elijah walked in with Rebekah.
"What have you done?" Klaus asked Elijah.
"What have you done? I've learned now to trust in your promises, Klaus."
Rebekah walked up to Klaus and stabbed him with a dagger.
"This is for mother."
Elijah had a dagger too.
Just then, their mother came in and walked up to him.
"Do you know why I'm here?"
"To kill me."
Stefan and Damon watched from the sidelines as a family brawl fell into place.
"I'm here to forgive you," their mother replied and then left the room.
Elijah stabbed his brother.
"See you in the next century or two."
The Salvatores left.
Damon and Stefan walked through the woods that night.
"You could've just left me to die there and you would've had Elena all to yourself. Why didn't you?" Stefan said.
"I didn't do it on your account."
"I love her, Damon."
"So do I."
Damon looked at him and then walked away.