A/N: a long and final chapter ahead!
Elena headed over to the gym early in the morning with Rebekah in tow. They had stayed up late going through each other's closets before settling on buying outfits from a vintage shop outside of town.
"So, they didn't try to hurt Alaric?" Caroline asked as she and Elena stood off to the side while Rebekah yelled at people hanging chandeliers.
"No, not as far as I know. They've been hunting for clues on where Finn is and Kol has been checking grimoires to see if there are any protection spells we can use on me."
"And you're okay?" Caroline wondered, giving a quick glance over to her friend to make sure she was all still in one piece.
"Yeah, besides the lack of vampire abilities I had gotten used to, I'm normal. Same old me."
Caroline frowned, sensing the disappointment and worry in her friend's melancholy voice.
"No! what are you doing? You can't just hang them. They're supposed to trickle down!" Rebekah yelled to Matt and Jeremy on a ladder hanging lights and stars.
"Yikes," Caroline whispered, making Elena give a small laugh. The two girls slyly made their way over to one of the tables to find something useful to do. They were sure if Rebekah saw them without a task to accomplish, she'd bark out an order.
"So is Elijah coming to the dance tonight with you?" Caroline tried to ask inconspicuously. Elena narrowed her eyes at the blonde, who was flashing her a smile.
"Just wondering. Tyler is coming back to town tonight and Bonnie has a date."
"With who?" Elena wondered.
"Jaime. I guess he finally had the guts to admit he was interested in her and Bonnie brought up the dance so he asked her."
Elena was surprised. She had only heard of Jaime in quick passing when the three of them met at the Grill. She had no idea that Bonnie was actually interested Abby's somewhat son.
"I know, I was surprised too. But it's kind of nice, you know? This could be good for her."
Elena silently agreed. "Rebekah practically made Elijah take me to this dance. I wasn't even going to go but one look from her and-"
"-Yeah, she's got that down pat," Caroline said glancing back to where Rebekah was instructing some girls on decorations.
"Wow," Caroline stated when she turned back to Elena. Elijah stood near the entrance of the gym, dressed in a pair of jeans and a white shirt. She had never seen him in less than a three-piece suit, and if it weren't for her best friend dating the guy, and having Tyler, she would have definitely tried to jump his bones.
"Wha-?" Elena turned, slowly following her friend's gaze. Eyes meeting Elijah's, she stared appreciatively at his form. He looked sexy to say the least, and she was astounded he wasn't wearing one of his fancy suits to help set up. His attire made him look younger, as if he almost fit in with the crowd. Elena didn't even know he owned shoes other than dress shoes until now.
"Better late than never I see brother," Rebekah said coming up to table just as he approached Elena and Caroline.
"Good to see you too 'Bekah," he said before giving Elena's cheek a kiss.
Ignoring her brother, Rebekah pointed her pen at each individual. "Caroline, I need you to go help the girls with the signs. Elena, you can finish sorting through all these props for the photobooth, and 'Lijah, set out the cups on this table please." With her orders given, Rebekah spun on heel to manage the rest of her group.
"Yes, captain," Caroline grumbled before walking off. Elena and Elijah let out a laugh before getting started on their jobs, keeping close to one another.
"So, he finally shows," Elena joked, laughing as he hit hips with hers.
"You could say I tried to get out of this," he answered glancing up at his sister to make sure she was busy before making Elena laugh again by bumping against her.
"And what made you decide to come?"
"Knowing I'd see a certain girl," he said flipping the cup down to match the others on the table. "Not to mention Klaus practically kicked me out the door not wanting to get on 'Bekah's bad side."
Elena let out a hearty laugh, one Elijah couldn't help smile alongside. "I missed seeing you last night you know," he murmured to her. Giving her a quick kiss to the head, he watched as she smiled from his gesture.
"I know. Your sister kept me on house arrest after we found our outfits for the dance. She couldn't trust I'd make it here if we went back to the mansion."
Elijah nodded, knowing his sister was probably right. He'd want Elena for the day and somehow talk his sister out of the both of them helping her.
"I'm surprised you aren't wearing a dress shirt and pants," Elena teased as they worked in a comfortable silence.
"Yes well, if I would have known Ms. Forbes would be staring at me like that, I would have," he told Elena quietly, making her laugh and swat him as she glanced over to her friend. Caroline was practically drooling, barely able to tear her eyes away from Elijah.
"Be nice," Elena laughed. Bringing him in for a kiss, she enjoyed the way he dropped everything to hold her in a close embrace.
"Mm, what was that for?" Elijah asked after they pulled away and Elena went back to sorting through things. Seeing her shrug, Elijah inwardly smiled. He enjoyed the look of jealousy on her. He enjoyed it even moreso when it came with kisses.
"Not everyone knows you own more than just suits, you know," Elena teased, glancing around and finding others beginning to stare as well. Elijah enjoyed seeing her in her element. Each setting brought out a different Elena, and he felt like being at the school gave him an opportunity to see another side of her. Sneaking glances at his sister, he pursed his lips. "Yes, well then, let's hope we can get out of here soon and you can help me change."
The twinkle in Elijah's eye didn't slip past Elena. How she longed for intimacy with Elijah again. She felt as if the two were drifting apart from all this drama between them, and now finally they were getting back to their old selves.
"Elijah," Bekah called breaking up their moment. "I need your help hanging the stars. No offense Elena, but your brother is horrible at hanging things properly."
"Hey, I heard that!" Jeremy called from up on the ladder with Matt laughing beside him. Smiling up at her brother, Elena let Elijah go and finished up both of their jobs for them.
The gym was practically finished when Elena left. Rebekah was hollering at Elijah, Jeremy and Caroline for a few more things, so her and Matt snuck out as quick as humanly possible. The pair stopped at the deli in town, grabbing a quick bite of food to take home.
"It's so different not having Ric around," Elena told Matt after they paid for their food and left the deli. "I mean, he used to do everything for us around the house. He'd have dinners ready, keep things clean and even grocery shop. You have no idea how long we've been out of milk and bread. Jeremy and I have been taking turns and I've totally slacked on the chores."
"I can help if you want," Matt said walking beside her around town. "I know I don't have special vampire abilities or anything, and I'm no hybrid or doppelgänger, but I can at least help you out with the human stuff like groceries."
Elena felt sympathetic towards Matt. She knew it must be hard on him to be in all of this. "No, it's okay. I'll get around to it sometime. I just need to get life together first."
"Come on Elena," Matt said knowingly. "The way things have been going, you're never going to have time. And if I have to see Jeremy at the Grill one more time just because you haven't gone out to buy the poor kid some food to eat, I'm going to kick the guy out."
Elena laughed. She knew it wasn't that bad, but she also knew Jeremy was stubborn, and they both hated grocery shopping.
"Fine, but I'll at least give you the money."
Matt smiled, happy to win a battle. "I won't say no to that."
They walked around downtown for a while longer, chatting and poking fun at the orders Rebekah had been barking out all morning.
"There you are. I've been looking all over for you," Elijah said coming up to them now dressed back in a suit. Quickly noting a hello to Matt, Elijah gave Elena a kiss.
"I better get going," Matt said getting up from the picnic table. "And I'll run those groceries over for you tomorrow."
"Here!" Elena said digging out some money before Matt could leave them. "And thank you. I owe you one."
"I'll hold you to it!" he told her with a Matt-like smile as he waved to the pair and left.
"What was that all about?" Elijah wondered as the pair began to walk around.
"Nothing," she shrugged, slipping her hand in Elijah's as they walked. "Matt insisted on doing some grocery shopping for me. With Alaric out of the house, I never realized how much he did for us. I've been struggling to get it all done, so Matt volunteered to help me out."
While Elijah was appreciative of her male friend for making things easier on his love, he also wished to be the one supporting her. "You know if you need help, we can always hire someone to look after the Gilbert house for you. We can hire-"
"No," Elena quickly cut him off. "No hiring anyone. No compelling anyone either. Jeremy and I are fine on our own and hopefully Alaric will be back to his normal self soon. Caroline told me today that Stefan and Damon are working with Bonnie to find any magical solutions. Plus, it's not like I spend all that much time at home."
Elijah backed off, respecting the bounds of Elena's request. While he didn't see the harm in help, he figured her friend Matt at least had part of it covered for her. He'd have to thank the man for that some time.
"How does the last of the gym look?" Elena asked, swinging their hands in between them as they walked. It was probably the first time they were out in town as a couple for the public's view. Elijah wondered what they looked like to others.
"The last of the lights and stars are now hung. Music is set, and balloons are placed," he answered, kissing her hand. "Speaking of which, what time shall I pick you up tonight?"
"Actually, I am getting ready at your place. Rebekah asked me to bring over my dress. Did you know she is making Klaus go too?"
"Yes, well, I doubt he needed much convincing with Ms. Forbes attending."
Elena nodded, wondering how that would play out with Tyler being there as Caroline's date.
"Shall we head home then?" Elijah wondered, glancing around to the townspeople, finding eyes on them. Narrowing his gaze at those who gawked, he moved to catch Elena, wrapping his arms around her waist before giving her a long passionate kiss.
"What was that for?" Elena asked breathlessly after they parted.
"In case people had any question to what we were," Elijah said glancing around again. "We are dating you know."
Elena laughed and shook her head. While she didn't notice or care all that much to the townspeople staring (she was pretty used to it), she was happy to see his dominant side as well. "Come on, let's get home."
Pressing the ignore button on her phone once more, Elena went back to focusing on curling her hair in the mirror. It was the 15th call from Damon in the last two hours. Whatever he had to say to her, he could leave a voicemail.
"My God, will you just answer it already?" Rebekah called from the bathroom, sticking her head out to her room as her phone vibrated again.
Rolling her eyes at the impatience of the blonde, Elena set her curling iron back on the table and looked at the screen. Finding Stefan's name flashing on the caller ID this time, Elena picked it up. "Hello?"
"Elena, finally. We've been trying to get a hold of you. Have you happened to see Alaric today?"
Elena thought she mustn't have heard right. Ric was supposed to be with them and Bonnie at the boardinghouse. Not out with her. Was she supposed to take a shift and missed it or something? "Excuse me?"
"Alaric. Have you seen him?"
"Why would I see Ric, Stefan?" Elena asked with concern now heightening.
"Bonnie was helping us earlier today. She needed to do a spell but she had to have physical contact with Ric. We went in there with her in case Ric's alter-ego would appear, and it did. He hit Bonnie over the head and then snapped both mine and Damon's necks. He's gone Elena. Damon has been trying to track him down and look in his usual hide outs. We have no idea where he went."
"Is Bonnie okay?" Was Elena's first concern.
"Yeah, just a slight bump on her head, otherwise she is fine. She left to get ready for the school dance."
Elena heard mumbling on the other end. "What is it, Stefan?" she asked him concerned.
Stefan sighed. "No luck. Damon just came back from searching the entire town. Alaric is nowhere to be found."
Great.
"Keep an eye out," Stefan said with caution. "I'm going to the dance tonight in case he shows up. I'm trying to convince Damon too."
"Okay," Elena said trying to stay calm. "I'll let everyone else know to keep an eye out as well."
"Thanks, Elena," Stefan said before hanging up.
"Did I hear that correctly?" Rebekah asked, now standing a few feet behind her. Her proximity made Elena jump. "The teacher is gone? The one that hid the the stake that could kill us?"
Elena's nerves kicked into high gear. "Yeah, yeah he is."
"Perfect!" Rebekah exclaimed before cursing up a storm. Elena watched as the blonde grabbed her jacket and unpinned her hair.
"Where are you going?" Elena asked concerned.
"To find your teacher," Rebekah said frustrated.
"Bekah," Elena said stopping her before she could speed off. "He can kill you."
While the concern was nice, the roadblock from her mission was not. Huffing by the sad, concerned look the Gilbert was giving her, she thought quickly. "I'll take Kol with me. It's not like he had plans anyway. And I'll be back before you know it. I don't care if I won't be there yet, I expect you, Elijah, and Nik at the dance 7pm sharp."
With her final commands, she sped off, grabbing Kol and leaving the house.
Like Rebekah had requested, Elena, Elijah, and Klaus were all at the dance by 7. Dressed in outfits similar (if not actually) from the 20s, they watched the school crowd from the entry way of the gym.
"Ridiculous," Klaus groused as he watched high schoolers prance around, trying to swing dance with one another. "She drags me here and hasn't even shown yet."
"She did have matters to attend to, brother," Elijah reminded Klaus as he looked upon the crowd. "and I do see Ms. Caroline Forbes over by the drinks table."
Klaus's demeanor quickly changed. Fixing his light shaded suit, he put on a smile. "Well, I do fancy me some punch," he told them.
The excitement and light that was in Klaus's eyes made Elena feel the slightest of guilt. "Klaus!" she called before he could get lost in the crowd of people. "Just so you know, she is supposed to be meeting Tyler here."
The glimmer in his eyes darkened, but he kept a sly grin on his face nonetheless. "Well then, I'll just have to say hello first then." And with that he was gone, off to try and swoon Caroline.
"Do you think Rebekah's okay?" Elena asked Elijah when they were left alone.
"I'm sure she is safe with Kol," Elijah answered, dragging her to the dance floor. He wanted to make sure she would have fun tonight, not worry over his family and what couldn't be controlled. She looked beautiful in a while pearled dress with her hair dolled up mocking the 20s. Her tall black heels made her almost face height to him.
"Are you going to show me your 1920s moves?" she grinned with a hopeful smile as a jazzy tune continued to play.
"Not quite Ms. Gilbert," he said as he gathered her in his arms. The music then changed to a slow song and he smiled at Elena's arched eyebrow.
"You look lovely tonight, Elena" Elijah murmured as he held her close.
Staring up at him, she smiled. "You don't look to bad yourself."
"May I cut in?" Klaus asked Caroline and Tyler. While he had intended to get to Caroline first, as he made his way through the crowd to get to her, Bonnie had stopped him, threatening if he pulled anything tonight, she would unleash her magic on him. While he had no intent of harming anyone tonight, he did enjoy how his presence rattled the witch. Nodding at her warning with a cheshire grin, Klaus found Caroline to then already be taken in arms with one of his hybrids. Oh, how he enjoyed a challenge.
"Thanks Mate," he said to Tyler with a sense of cockiness that rubbed Caroline the wrong way.
"Why do you always have to be the alpha male?" she questioned as he held her in his arms.
"Because I am the alpha male," he answered, slowly swinging her around in his arms. "I missed you while I was away you know."
"I'm with Tyler," Caroline said staring away from him. Tyler was standing there just watching them dance. What was Caroline doing?
"And you know, you don't have to be so controlling either," she told Klaus in an angry voice. Scoffing when Klaus put a hand to her cheek, he bit back a snarl as he set his hand back down to his side. Stepping away from her, he clenched his jaw. "Mark my words. Small-town boy, small-town life, it won't be enough for you," he angrily spat at her before brushing past her and walking away.
"Elena," Jeremy cut in to Elijah and Elena's dance. "May I?" he asked the Original.
"Of course," Elijah said stepping back. Noticing his brother stomp off, he excused himself and let the siblings have their moment.
"Alaric is missing, did you hear?" Jeremy wondered as he held his sister.
"I did," she sighed. "Rebekah and Kol are out looking for him. Along with Damon I believe," she said after taking note earlier that he wasn't with Stefan near the tables.
"They're not going to do anything to him, right?" Jeremy asked hesitantly.
"Of course not," she said, her eyes snapping up to his in surprise. "You think I would let that happen?"
Jeremy was frustrated, but it was only out of care for Alaric. "No, but I think that the Original family tends to have their own ideas. They aren't exactly ones that listen."
"And Damon is?" Elena asked confusedly challenged.
Jeremy rolled his eyes and sighed. "No, I guess he isn't either." After a long pause, he held his sister close. "I just want to make sure he is okay. He's all we have left."
It saddened her how deeply worried Jeremy was, and the fact that indeed, he was all they had left. "We'll find him Jer. We have to."
Feeling suddenly antsy, Jeremy parted from his sister. "You know what? I think I am going to go help everyone look. To hell with this dance."
Before she could stop him, Jeremy started making his way through the crowds. "Jeremy wait!" Having no choice but to chase after him, Elena finally caught up to her brother outside. "Jer, wait. You can't just go alone."
"Why not?" he argued. "It's not like anyone else really has his back out there. What if he is just his normal self? What if Damon goes crazy on him or Rebekah and Kol try to attack him to get the whereabouts of the hidden stake? He's all we have Elena. We can't lose him like we did-" Jeremy stopped himself.
"-like we did our parents," she finished for him. No matter how long it had been, Elena still felt guilty for being the reason why they became orphans. Their parents were dead and if she hadn't fought with Matt that night and hadn't asked them to come get her from the party, they wouldn't have swerved off Wickery Bridge and died.
"We need to at least let somebody know where we are going," Elena sighed, turning to look back at the dance. "We can't just go chasing after Alaric with nobody knowing where we are or if we are okay."
"Elena, if you wish to help your friend Alaric, I suggest you come with me" a voice called. With the pair surprised, Jeremy turned to see Esther standing a few feet behind him, and moved protectively in front of his sister to protect her.
"Jeremy, go get everyone. Find Elijah, or Stefan and Bonnie," she told him. When he hesitated, she shoved him backwards. "Go!"
When he raced off, Elena stood in front of Esther, defiantly waiting for backup. "I mean you no harm, but willingly or not, you will come." Esther vowed. Arching an eyebrow as the girl continued to stay still, Esther began walking off, smiling as Elena then followed.
"Where is she?" Elijah asked, running to the front of the dance with Jeremy, Klaus, and Stefan in tow. With Elena nowhere in sight, Jeremy led the way for the search mission. Rushing past where Esther once stood, he stopped when he noticed the rest of the party was no longer following behind him.
"Salt," Klaus answered in anger as he looked down at the line of white that now surrounded the school.
"It's the binding agent for a spell," Elijah ground out, stress levels heightening as he knew his mother now had Elena.
"We're trapped here," Stefan announced to Jeremy. "We have to get Bonnie."
Jeremy felt slightly guilty for pulling Bonnie away from her date. But only slightly. He couldn't help but feel jealous of her moving on from their feelings for one another. Bringing her to Alaric's classroom, Stefan, Klaus, and a pacing Elijah were already waiting for her.
"What's taking so long?" Klaus asked impatiently after Bonnie had just begun chanting to the witch spirits. "All boundary spells have a loophole." Time was being wasted and who knows what would happen to them or Elena if they didn't hurry up and find their mother.
The sound of the door opening stopped Elijah from scolding Klaus's impatience. Matt hustled into the room. "People are walking right out of the dance, past the barrier."
Hope dangled in front of Jeremy, making him perk up with determination. "Well, if Matt and I can leave, we could stop Esther ourselves. We just gotta find out where she is."
"No," Elijah said pinching the bridge of his nose. The last thing they all needed was Jeremy to go off and get himself killed. Elena would never survive that. Trying for Kol and Rebekah again, Elijah pushed aside the desire to crush his cell phone when he got reached their voicemail box.
"That's suicide Jeremy," Stefan answered, glancing over to the Original. Elijah was unraveling – a sight which Stefan was actually uncomfortable to see. Elijah was always composed, calculated, and almost cold. It was ill fitting to see him this raveled.
Klaus then sped over to Jaime, taking him by the throat. "Suicide would be disappointing me. Now, work you magic witch or I'll start killing people you fancy."
Tears filled Bonnie's eyes. "Let him go!" she called as Jaime continued to gasp against Klaus's grip.
"Not until you get us out of here," the hybrid growled to her, holding her boyfriend up higher.
"Let him go, Klaus," Elijah reprimanded. The last thing he needed was to piss of a witch and keep his brother in line. "Rebekah nor Kol are picking up their phones," he told his brother. "I fear they may be in trouble."
Klaus let out another growl.
"I said, let. Him. Go," Elijah spoke in a deadly tone, speeding his way next to Klaus to match his glare. Klaus ended up letting go of Jaime who coughed for air. Now was not the time to mess with Elijah.
"Bonnie, please. Find the loophole," Elijah said almost beggingly. He silently prayed to the witches that could hear to keep Elena safe and out of harms way from his mother. He had failed a promise to her once again.
"You'll forgive me from taking you from the dance this evening," Esther said guiding a trailing Elena to the familiar graveyard. "That's the burden of being the doppelgänger I'm afraid. Your blood is a potent binding agent for a witches spell."
"Just please don't hurt Alaric," Elena said, stumbling in her heels as she followed the original witch.
"She's not hurting me."
Elena stopped in her tracks, looking up to find Alaric and Finn together. "Ric!" Stopping before she could touch him, she realized it was not Ric that she was about to go hug. The Ric that was staring at her was cold, distant almost. "What's going on? What are you doing with him?" she asked both Finn and Esther.
Watching as Esther nodded to Finn, he left them, walking towards the mausoleum and entering it. It only took a second or two before Finn came out with a large bowl. It was then that Elena noticed the space in front of the mausoleum was now a large pentagram made of salt. Finn stood safely in the middle of it and waited for his mother to come to him. Torches around the pentagram ignited.
Esther took the bowl from Finn's hands and waited. The veins around Finn's eyes changed and his vampire features now showed. Taking a bite from his hand, he let his blood spill into the bowl. When enough was emptied, Esther signaled for Alaric and Elena to follow while Finn stayed in the pentagram, as if guarding the entrance.
Once inside the mausoleum, Elena made sure to keep a distance behind from Esther and alter-Ric. She wasn't sure what either of them were capable of right now. Esther went around lighting candles.
"I'm going to remake him, Elena," Esther answered from previously. "Make him strong, fast, like my children, Indestructible. For one final time I'm going to tap into dark magic I used a thousand years ago. Like my husband Mikael, before him, I'll make Alaric into a true hunter. The vampire to end all vampires."
Elena's eyebrows furrowed, trying to find the logic in the madness. "You can't create another Original. What if he turns out to be a bigger monster than your children?"
"He won't," Esther answered calmly. "Now that he's embraced his darkest aspect, his hatred for them will become more pure and uncompromising."
She was dumfounded. Esther was banking on Ric turning evil. And while she didn't know Ric as well as she once did, he couldn't be this, even she was told his alter-ego was a homicidal psychopath.
"Each time he died with that ring, during his brief journey into death, I was on the other side," Esther clarified.
And then it all made sense. And that was the moment Elena knew she was in trouble.
"When you are ready," Esther said opening her hands for the alter-Ric to take.
"No Ric," Elena pleaded taking a step forward. She was hoping just a shred of the real him was left in there to take control. "Please don't do this."
When Ric raised his hands and met Esther's, Elena quit pleading and became what felt like a defiant child. "I'm not going to do this. I'm not going to let you do this. You're going to have to kill me."
Esther looked back at her, almost bored. "That won't be necessary." Pulling Elena's body forth with magic, she held the girl still and made her pull out her arm. Hand out and palm out, she sliced a deep gash into Elena's hand, and let blood pour out from it, filling the bottom of the bowl.
"Drink, and let it be done," Esther instructed Ric. Ric looked directly at Elena then, making her believe that her guardian was in there. With that, she pleaded again. "No, Ric, please don't!"
Alaric turned to the bowl, picking it up in a robotic motion and drank. It was only after he set it down that Elena watched him register what happened. The old Ric had resurfaced. Before he could say more though, Esther stabbed him in the chest with a stake and he fell to the ground.
"He'll wake soon" Esther said checking back in on them and glancing at her watch.
Elena wasn't sure how long she sat with Ric laying in her lap. She only felt the numbness fill her heart.
"When he does, he may for a time be his old self," Esther told her, almost pitying the sight of the girl. "If so, you can say your goodbyes before his transition is complete."
Tears poured down Elena's cheeks and she held the stake she pulled from Ric's chest. It was now lined in silver, making it so it was no longer destructible. Esther handed her a white cloth for bleeding hand. It was a handkerchief she guessed was Finn's. "You said you wanted undo the evil that you created, but this—this is just as evil."
Esther narrowed her gaze and Elena knew she insulted the woman, but couldn't seem to find a way to care anymore.
"Alaric will never be what my children became. I have granted him enough power to complete his task. Then when the time is right, he will die."
"How, if he's immortal?" Elena wondered, trying to clear her eyes of the tears as she looked down to poor transitioning Ric.
"All you need to know is that when this is over, we will have rid the earth of vampires once and for all."
As Esther went to walk away again, Elena guessed to check on Finn, she scoffed and got up from the ground. "You're just as bad as you claim your children to be. You think they are monsters but you didn't dare bother to teach them differently or to get to know them better."
The words stopped Esther, so Elena continued. "You are blinded by what you think is for the greater good, but it's not. You're killing the good along with the bad. Your children are capable of more than what you see them for. They have love and kindness inside them. And they know care and loyalty."
Esther turned and face Elena. She stood still, face void of emotion.
"But you don't even care about that, do you?" Elena asked the mother, seeing her indifference. "You don't care to take the time you've been given from the other side to care for your children. It's just better to call them monsters and rid the earth of all vampires."
"I desire a world where you and your loved ones will not suffer at the hands of vampires, like your Aunt Jenna did."
It was a pointed judgmental 'how could you side with them' reminder as Esther tried to use a motherly scolding tone with her. It made Elena angry to think she knew better and then use Jenna's death as a reason to do this to everyone. "Don't you dare use Jenna as an excuse for what you've done. You know nothing about her."
"On the contrary Elena," Esther said folding her hands behind her back. "you may draw comfort in knowing though made a vampire, she remained pure, and was not in the place that I was. She knows peace…"
Before Esther could say more to Elena, she looked over her shoulder distracted. "No, it's too soon," she whispered. "They're coming mother," Finn's voice called.
Turning on heel, Esther swiftly departed from the mausoleum.
"My children, come forward," Esther said gathering her composure and stepping in the pentagram. Elena followed, watching helplessly from the entryway of the mausoleum as Kol, Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah came forward.
Elena wanted to scream for Elijah, but instead settled on trying to convey to him with her eyes on what was about to fatefully happen.
"Stay beside me," Finn said reaching his hand out to Esther.
"It's okay," she said looking to her children. "They can't enter."
Flames from the torches roared as the siblings tried to get close.
"That's lovely," Kol said sarcastically.
"Let Elena go, mother," Elijah called, glancing over to his panicked love, while trying to keep composure. All he wanted to do was knock his mother and brother far back from Elena and run as fast as he could to get her out of there.
"Yes, while we're all stuck out here and the favorite son gets to play sacrificial lamb," Kol snaps. "How pathetic you are, Finn."
Elena could tell Kol was losing his nerve, and in glancing at Finn she knew that his brother's words had hurt him.
"Be quiet, Kol," Esther snapped. "Your brother knows virtue you cannot even imagine."
"Whatever you think of us, killing your own children would be an atrocity," Rebekah called out.
Esther turned to her daughter blank faced. "My only regret is that I did not let you die a thousand years ago."
The words cut Rebekah like a sharp paper cut, stinging her and filling her eyes with tears.
"Enough." Klaus growled, seeing his mother hurt his baby sister. "All this talk is boring me. Let Elena go and end this now, mother. Or I'll send you back to hell." There was a smirk on Klaus's face that made Elena hope he had an idea of how stop this from going any further. Maybe he had a plan.
"For a thousand years, I've been forced to watch you, felt the pain of every victim, suffered while you shed blood," Esther announced strongly. The words seemingly stung Klaus as the fierceness on his face faded ever so slightly. "Even you Elijah, with your claim to nobility. You're no better."
Elijah glanced down at the ground, her words striking a chord with him too.
"All of you," Esther said then looking at each and every one of them. "You're a curse on this earth stretched over generations."
Elena jumped and was about to scream out when she felt a hand over her mouth and shoulder. Glancing back, she was relieved to find Ric. He let her go, only to signal to be quiet. Both Finn and Esther were too preoccupied with the rest of their family that they didn't notice Ric.
Taking the modified stake from Elena's hands, Alaric slipped past her and Finn.
"If you've come to plead for your life, I'm sorry. You've wasted your time," Esther told her children.
Before anyone knew it, Alaric shoved the stake through Esther's back, hitting her heart. Withdrawing the stake, both Alaric and Esther fell to the ground and Elena ran him. The flames roared, startling Elijah, Kol, Klaus, and Rebekah back, giving Finn a chance to run off. As the ground shook and the flames continued, Elena shielded a weak Alaric with her body.
And then suddenly, nothing. Everything stopped – the flames, the shaking ground.
Running over to Elena, Elijah wrapped her in his arms tight. "Are you alright?" He asked her, checking her all over and inspecting the deep gash on her hand.
"Yeah, I'm okay," she said with a small sniffle and snuggled into his embrace.
"Oh God," Alaric said reaching for her hand as well when he saw the cut. Then as if he knew what it meant, he looked down at his own wounds, finding nothing to be there but torn fabric. Pausing from the stake in his hand and back to his disappearing wound, he looked to Elena. "Tell me what happened."
Elena let a tear slip down her cheek.
"Elena! Alaric!" Jeremy called out, rushing over to the pair. He sprinted towards them, breaking just fast enough to fall to the ground and skid in front of them.
Checking, like Elijah had, for visible gaping wounds on the two of them, Jeremy then embraced the pair. Behind him were Stefan and Damon walking up to the scene.
"Elena, tell me what I did," Alaric said staring at the stake in his hands once Jeremy pulled away from them. Glancing down at it, Elena slowly and carefully took it from his hands. As Elena filled in her guardian and Jeremy, Rebekah and Klaus went to dispose of their mothers' body.
"So, I've become a deadly weapon," Alaric stated after gathering all the information Elena had just told him. Hesitantly nodding, Elena watched as Alaric got up. She watched as Ric glanced over to Elijah and Kol who were a space away, giving him a knowing look back, while Stefan and Damon stared at him with sadness. She feared what that meant.
Alaric squatted back down to their level and took each her and Jeremy's hand in his. "Look guys," he sighed. And then Elena knew exactly what was coming. And she sat there frozen in denial and disbelief. This wasn't going to be happening to her again.
"I'm not going to complete the transition," he told them gently. "My dark side was dangerous enough as a human. I can't be a vampire."
Jeremy blinked a few times, trying to get his brain to cooperate and understand what his only guardian was saying. "So what, we are just going to lock you up and let you die?" He was in disbelief.
Elena shook her head. No, this could not be happening to her again. She was not losing another person from her life. Again.
"No! No, we can't!" Jeremy's voice said breaking Elena out of her thoughts.
"Listen, guys, it's the right thing to do, okay? After everything that's happened, after—after all I've done." He looked at the pair. "Maybe I had it coming."
"No, no," Elena said trying to get her brain to process everything as well and catch up. "Wait, Ric, this isn't your fault. We can find a way," she said getting up and looking to Elijah and then Kol with hope. "We—we can-" In turning to Damon and Stefan thinking they'd get everyone on board, she saw the same look in their eyes when Aunt Jenna was gone – loss.
"-please guys, let's not make this any harder than it already is," Alaric said, glancing over to the onlookers sadly. "You guys have to let me go," he told them in a gentle and patient voice.
Jeremy shook his head and got up, ready to walk off.
"Hey," Alaric called after him as Elena stayed immobilized. She stared at Damon and Stefan with betrayal in her eyes. While it was unreasonable to blame them, she desired to badly. It would have been so much easier to put it on them, to put culpability on them for not helping her to convince everyone they could save Ric because he wanted to live. But she couldn't, because Ric didn't want to live and she knew that there was no way to save him from Esther's magic. It was why Esther had been trying to buy time for herself, because she wanted the hunter to awaken.
"Don't." Jeremy said snapping at Alaric's request. "Just don't give me some crap speech about how I need to be the man of the house."
"Okay," Alaric said. Stepping forward, he wrapped the young man in his arms.
Elena let out a half sob at the sight making Elijah step towards her. "Hey," Alaric said taking over. Jeremy had then since walked off.
"This is all my fault," she said with tears dripping down her eyes. "If I hadn't been so irresponsible and dropped my bracelet, Esther would have never found me. I would have never come back or let this happen. I-I forced you to stay and take care of us long ago and I shouldn't have."
Alaric wiped her tears and tilted her head to look at him. "Don't do that, okay? Taking care of you and Jeremy has been…it's been the closest I've ever come to the life I always wanted."
His answer made Elena let out another sob and so Alaric held the girl tighter. "You're stronger than you'll ever know, Elena. You'll be okay without me."
"But I don't want to be," Elena answered still holding onto him. While she knew she could survive without a guardian, it was the fact she didn't want to. It was the point that she enjoyed having someone to care for her, and watch over her. Someone to keep the house moving, groceries stocked, and dinners going. She enjoyed how the three of them had built a family together.
"You should go," Ric said with a tear dripping down his face as well and silently beckoning Elijah over. "Take care of her."
More tears fell down Elena's eyes and she pulled away from Elijah, only to give Ric one more hug. They savored the moment, both closing their eyes and holding onto one another.
The sight made Elijah fill with guilt. Over the centuries, all his family had ever done was to take. And he had greatly taken from the Gilberts.
When Alaric went to pull away again and Elena turned back to Elijah, they were both surprised to see what was behind them. Candles were lit and loved ones gathered, each congregated to pay respects to Alaric. There was Stefan and Damon, Caroline and Tyler, Matt and Jeremy, Bonnie, Kol and Rebekah, and even Meredith Fell.
Hugging Elijah tight, everyone watched as Alaric locked himself in the mausoleum before blowing out the candles and going off their own way.
Damon and Meredith Fell stayed behind with Alaric while Matt took Jeremy out. Her brother's care was one less thing she'd have to worry about right now. He would be safe with Matt, and she was relieved.
Elijah tried to convince Elena to go home, but she itched with grief. She didn't want to cope with another loss. She couldn't think, couldn't breathe, couldn't stop, or else if she did, the grief would overtake her and she wasn't sure if she'd be able to get up tomorrow. So, she poured her feelings into cleaning out Alaric's weapons from his classroom. She took an empty duffle from under Alaric's desk and busied herself with emptying her teacher's drawers.
"We can handle this later, Elena," Elijah said standing in the room and watching as she gathered a handful of stakes into a duffle. "I'm sure Stefan or your friend Matt wouldn't mind doing this. Rebekah can even do this for you."
"No," Elena said gathering a bunch of wooden weapons and stuffing the items in the bag. "I'd rather get it over with now before some janitor comes to clean out Alaric's stuff and realizes the history teacher was a vampire slayer."
The distress and edge in her voice made it clear to Elijah that it was not healthy for her to be doing this right now. While it was a way to process grief, it seemed to be doing Elena the opposite. "Elena…" Elijah said hesitantly, walking over to her to stop her. She was trying to run away from her feelings, he could sense it.
She continued to shove things in his duffle. "Elena, please," he said catching her hands.
"I can't, okay? I can't," Elena snapped, pulling away from his grasp and taking a step back from him. Elijah ignored the pain of hurt from her actions. "I—I can't think about the fact Jeremy and I don't have anyone to take care of us anymore. Or-or that we've lost another friend. I-I can't think about any of this."
Elena backed away and resumed putting supplies in the duffle, tears free falling down her face. Elijah let her pack once more until he knew she was just about ready to break. Sweeping her up in his arms, he patiently waited for her stop fighting him before he looked down at her, brushing stray hairs from her face.
"I don't have anyone anymore," she noted to him with teary eyes and a quivering lip.
"Of course you do, Elena," he replied. Caressing her cheek and marveling at her beauty and strength, he put his forehead to hers. "You still have so many people who love and care for you. And you'll always have me."
Elijah held her as she broke, embracing her tight and whispering comforting words as she heaved. He then sped them off into the night, bringing her back to place she called home.
"How is she?" Rebekah asked getting up from her place on the couch when Elijah walked through the front door of Klaus's mansion. All of his siblings were solemnly waiting for him to reappear to hear news on things happening.
"Asleep finally," he said with a frown as he walked into the family room for a drink. Unbuttoning the cuffs of his dress shirt, he let out a long sigh and then angrily threw the glass of liquid against the flaming fireplace.
Rebekah jumped in surprise, yet understood his emotions.
"We almost lost her tonight," Elijah gritted out in anger.
"We almost lost our lives tonight if it hadn't been for Alaric," Kol pointed out without a hint of snark. He had owed his life to the teacher, the teacher who had been built by his mother to now kill him and his family. Yet he settled on dying and leaving Jeremy and Elena behind, all for them.
"Finn is gone," Klaus added. The news of their eldest brother gone again had them all angry.
"How could we let this happen?" Elijah asked them all.
"Well, Kol and I must have been close," Rebekah explained. "We went back to the Salvatore boardinghouse to re-trace Alaric's steps. Finn must have been there to get the teacher because he staked us and snapped our necks."
Elijah nodded, now understanding why they had appeared at the school just as Bonnie had broken the barrier around the school.
"And Elena was grabbed when she was arguing outside with Jeremy," Klaus explained. He and Elijah were each separately angry with themselves to have let that opportunity present itself.
"Has mother been disposed of?" Elijah then asked, turning to Klaus.
"Can't burn her body apparently," Kol quipped with anger, making Elijah inquisitively turn to him. "She must have spelled her body to stay intact in case of such circumstances."
"Regardless, she is back in her rightful place," Klaus said, grabbing a drink for himself and staring into the fire near its pit.
It was unsettling to hear their mother's body could not be destroyed. It left lingering questions that were unlikely to be answered.
"And how do we protect the coffin where mother is in? How do we know that she won't rise again?" Rebekah asked.
"She's dead. We all saw it," Klaus answered. "And so be it if she tries something again. There will be hell to pay and we have one another to deal with it together."
It was surprising to hear from Klaus, the unity he was proposing. It was ironic mostly because he was the one daggering them and putting them in coffins when he felt as if they'd betray him.
Rebekah grabbed them drinks. "Always and forever," she reminded them as she passed out the glasses and raised hers.
"Always and forever," Elijah and Kol repeated, as Klaus too raised his together with the rest of his family.
A/N: And that's it! Hope you all enjoyed the story. There is a sequel - 'Love You' , posted now!