When Marcel agreed to make a deal with her about freeing Hayley's pack in exchange for her help with Davina, relief filled her. They could actually do this, they could /save everyone.
"He's actually doing this?" Hayley asked. "He'll let you save my pack?"
"I believe so."
Hayley sat down on the other end of the couch and tucked one foot beneath her.
"Will she still have to die, the girl he's trying to save?"
"Yes. But I know how to keep it from being permanent. It'll have to be done by a New Orleans witch and I think Jane-Anne Devereaux might be willing to help, provided she can channel me."
"Can you trust her?"
"No. But I don't have to trust her to work with her."
"I don't know how you do it, working with people like this who'll stab you in the back at the first sign of weakness."
"Because saving my family and the people they care about is more important than anything else. I can put my pride and fear aside if it means they're safe. Besides, I'm more powerful than she is, so if she tries anything, I'll just take her down."
"I wish I could be like that."
Elena thought of the stories she'd heard of Hayley and smiled.
"What?"
"I think you could become like that, given a reason. You've been alone for most of your life, and I think that helped you feel like you were never fully a part of anything. But with your baby and the Mikaelsons and your pack, it will give you a reason to become like that."
Caroline and Ryan walked through the door just then, carrying a heavy cloth bundle between them.
"Good. You're just in time." Elena stood up and pointed to the coffee table. "Put it there. We've got to hurry."
"You mind telling me why we went grave robbing?" Caroline demanded.
"That is the body of the witch who cursed Hayley's pack. She's been body jumping for centuries. And I plan to put a stop to it."
"How did you know where she was buried?" Ryan asked, one brow raised in curiosity.
"Elijah told me. They were involved before she was killed in this body. Though I have a theory about that."
"She committed suicide and made it look like she was murdered to make Elijah feel guilty because he cares too much sometimes," Hayley guessed.
"That's my opinion, yeah. Elijah wasn't so sure, until he learned exactly what she's been up to. He's now inclined to agree with me though."
Elena knelt down beside the bones and cut her hand over the skull, murmuring a spell as she did so. If there was a celestial event, it would make it easier, but they didn't have time to wait for the full moon. She'd just have to expend a little more of her own power than she wanted to to get it done, but it was something she was more than capable of.
"She's binding the witch's spirit to her bones, preventing her from ever taking over another body," Ryan explained to the other two women. "But Mama put a time delay on the spell, so it won't take until midnight tonight and she's added a few layers of protection for herself, so Celeste can't do anything to retaliate, at least before she gets thrown back into her original body."
"It's done." Elena stood up.
"What do we do with the body now?" Caroline asked.
"Take it to Lafayette Cemetery. Let her wake up where she should have been buried. Be careful though. I'm pretty sure they've blocked all vampires from entering the land, so it'll have to be Ryan actually taking it in."
"I'll make sure he's okay," Caroline promised.
"Just make sure you're invisible when you go in. No sense in a tourist seeing you carrying a bag of bones."
"Yes, ma'am." Ryan kissed the side of Elena's head, a teasing smile on his face.
"Come on. The sooner we get this taken care of, the better. I don't like carrying around the bones of a crazy witch who wants to hurt my best friend's baby daddy." Caroline placed her hands on her hips and looked the bundle over.
"Be safe, both of you." Elena gave Ryan a one armed hug and rubbed his back.
"We will be, I promise." Ryan pressed his cheek to her hair, then released her reluctantly.
"Alright, let's go."
He picked up the bundle and Caroline wrapped her hand around his arm. They then disappeared out the door once more.
"That was kind of a risk, because if Marcel came back with that witch before they were gone, it could have ruined everything," Hayley remarked.
"I know," Elena admitted. She exhaled heavily. "Trust me, I know. I just wasn't expecting Marcel to find us so quickly when I sent them to get the body."
"He's desperate to save her, so even a whisper of there being a way to save her, he'd find it."
Elena sat down and braced her elbows on her thighs. "I wonder how he'll respond when he finds out what saving her will require."
Was there a way around the Harvest?
Even as Elena asked herself that question, she knew the answer. There was no way around it. Davina would have to die. She just had to make sure things weren't hijacked so Davina and the other girls came back like they were supposed to.
"If you could get Klaus to listen to you, I think you can talk Marcel around." Hayley chuckled
"Thanks." Elena smiled, a little of the tension draining out of her.
"Relax. Stress can't be good for your babies."
"It'll be easier to relax when I know that Marcel will let me help save Davina."
"Why does this need to happen?" Hayley raked her hands through her hair. "I couldn't imagine requiring people to die for a spell."
"Old school witches and their need for sacrifices. Most of the strongest binding spells I've seen require death."
They remained silent until Caroline and Ryan returned.
Ryan sat down at Elena's feet and leaned against her knees. Elena combed her fingers slowly through his curls and he relaxed, tilting his head back. His dark lashes fanned out across his cheeks as he closed his eyes, his lips parting just a little.
Seeing how he responded to this affection twisted Elena's heart. No matter how much love she gave this man who'd become her son, it might never fully heal the damage his creator had dealt him and Elena felt a renewed surge of hate towards Malivore.
That beast was only capable of consuming, of destroying, he had no concept of what it truly meant to be a father.
Now though, now, Ryan had her and everyone else who'd learned to love him this time around. He would never be truly alone again.
Elena leaned over and pressed a kiss to Ryan's forehead.
"What do we do now?" Hayley asked.
"Now, we wait," Elena replied.
"I think I'm gonna start supper now if we're just going to sit around."
"It's just passed noon," Hayley reminded him."
"Yes, but my roast needs to be put on now if we want to eat at a decent time." Ryan climbed to his feet and disappeared into the kitchen.
As the sun set, a knock on the door interrupted them.
By this time, Ryan had returned to his place at Elena's feet, resting his head on his mother's knees once more.
Before they could knock again, Caroline raced towards the foyer. Moments later, she returned with Marcel and a woman with skin a few shades lighter than his.
"I brought Sabine, just like you asked. Now, mind telling me why you wanted Sabine instead of one of the Deveraux witches?"
Elena patted Ryan's shoulder and he reluctantly got to his feet, then held out his hand to help Elena stand.
"I'll explain later." Turning to Celeste, she asked, "Do you have the spell prepared?"
"I do." Celeste set a jar of green herbs on the coffee table.
"How do we use it?" The werewolf picked the jar up and examined the mixture with a skeptical expression on her face. "It looks like some sort of health food shake."
"Mix it into their food on the next full moon and the curse returns to normal." Celeste headed towards the door, as if desperate to be away from the witch who'd obviously figured out her secret.
"Is something wrong?" Elena raised an eyebrow.
Seeing this woman who turned so cruel, who'd been preying on her community for centuries suddenly going from hunter to hunted, it made Elena feel like a bit of justice had been dealt out. Now she knew what it was like, knowing that her life as it was was about to come to an end.
"No. I just have some things I need to do and this put me behind." Celeste gave the group a fake smile and then hurried towards the door.
"She was kind of in a hurry, wasn't she?" Caroline commented.
"Now, how do you plan on saving Davina?" Marcel sat down across from Elena.
"She's carrying the power of three other witches. It's killing her."
"I'm pretty sure I would have noticed it by now if that was the case."
"It's weakening her, though you won't see the affects for a little while yet. The only way to save her is to let them complete the ritual."
"No!"
Marcel leaped to his feet, lunging for her. Before anyone could blink, Ryan had Marcel on his back, his hand wrapped around the vampire's throat.
"If you even think about touching my mother, I swear to whatever god that will hear me, I will tear your heart out, then keep you alive long enough to eat it," Ryan spat, his face twisted with fury.
Marcel blinked several times as he tried to process what had just happened, then studied Ryan's face.
Holding his hands out to his sides, he said, "I won't harm her. I swear."
Ryan stared at Marcel for a long moment, then stood up. Inhaling sharply, he shook his head as if to dislodge the rage, and moved so that he was standing at Elena's elbow.
"I give you my word, she will survive this. I know how to save her, but to do that, she needs to die, so she can give the magic back."
"I don't let kids die. I'd be breaking my own rules." Marcel ran his hands over his head.
"She won't be permanently dead. She'll come back when the time is right. We'll hold off until it's closer to the time for the girls to come back."
"Why wait?" Marcel asked, curious.
"The ancestors may bow to me, but they won't be so kind to her, considering what she's done against them. So, I'd say right around the first of February, we'll have to complete the ritual and bring her back."
"Can you do it?" Marcel asked.
"My mother freed me from an impenetrable prison world and created a new body for me to sever the link between me and my initial creator, then turned me into her son." Ryan placed his hand on Elena's shoulder and smiled down at her.
"What?"
"It's a long story, but suffice it to say, I wasn't born Elena's son, but when she used her blood in the spell to save me, that's who I became. That's how powerful she is. She can change a person's destiny completely."
"You made him your son." Marcel turned his attention to Elena.
"I did," Elena confirmed.
Marcel walked slowly over to Ryan and inhaled his scent, his brows furrowing.
"You smell human, but not, so I'm gonna have to believe your story. And that means I have to trust that you can and will do this." Marcel walked over to the window and looked out at the darkening landscape.
"I gave you my word that if you helped with Hayley's pack, I would help with Davina."
"She's not going to like it."
"She sent you to find me and I swear I'll help protect her from the witches so they don't act before we're ready."
Marcel nodded and sighed.
"If it makes you feel any better, I died and came back without it costing another life."
"To break Klaus's curse?"
"Yes."
Ryan squeezed Elena's shoulder and Elena patted his hand.
"If this is the best help I can get for Davina, I'll take it."
"I'm sorry that I can't do more."
"As long as she lives a full life, I don't care."
"If you would tell Jane-Anne not to do anything stupid before I decide to meet with her, I'd be grateful."
"Why Jane-Anne?"
"She's got just as much a reason for the Reaping to be successful as you do. Her daughter is currently dead."
"I'll talk to her." Marcel's resigned tone had Elena wanting to hug him.
"Thank you."
"And tell the Mikaelsons that as long as they don't cause trouble, they can come home. I'll clear out their rooms in the Abbitor, as well as some rooms for the four of you, unless..." Marcel raised an eyebrow as he trailed off.
"Elijah and I will share a room," Elena informed him.
"Alright. I'll show myself out. Have a good evening." Marcel inclined his head a little and walked out the door.
Once they were alone, Hayley headed towards the backyard.
Behind her, she heard Ryan say something about finishing supper and Caroline agreed to help.
Elena pulled her phone out and selected Elijah's name from her contacts.
Elijah answered on the first ring with, "Are you okay?"
"We're fine. Marcel has agreed to work with us and as long as everyone behaves themselves, he'll have rooms in the Abbitor ready by the time you all get down here."
"Did you deal with Celeste?"
"Halfway. She'll be thrown back into her body tonight and won't be able to jump into another."
"She'll be furious."
"I know."
"Stay safe, Elena."
"I'm as safe as I can be without you here."
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm doing good. I just miss you."
"I miss you too, but we'll be together soon."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
After bidding him goodbye, Elena decided to follow Hayley outside.
When Elena found her, Hayley was staring into the brush surrounding the edge of the yard.
"Is that one of the wolves in the pack we're trying to save?" Hayley whispered.
Elena's eyes finally adjusted to the darkness and she saw the wolf with glowing yellow eyes staring at them.
"I think so."
"You wouldn't happen to know who it is, do you?"
"No. But whoever they are, they seem protective of you."
Hayley walked closer to the wolf.
"I don't know who you are or if you can even understand me, but I think you might be part of the pack I'm looking for."
The wolf's ears flicked and their head tilted to one side.
"We're trying to save you. Hopefully, the coming full moon will be the last one you spend with the curse flipped."
The wolf approached Hayley slowly, their gaze going to Elena a few times, but for the most part remained focused on Hayley.
"She's a good person. She's the one trying to help us, help you."
Hayley sat down at the edge of the pool and dangled her feet into the water. The wolf glanced at Elena one more time before sitting down beside her. Hayley looked at the wolf for a moment, then draped her arm across their shoulders, for the moment, completely at peace.
Elena smiled and made her way towards the kitchen. Whoever this wolf was, they were no threat to Hayley or Hope, so there was no need for her to hover.
When Elena entered the kitchen, Caroline and Ryan were already there. Ryan stood over a saucepan at the stove, a whisk in his hand while Caroline pulled cheese and sour cream out of the fridge. Bacon sizzled on the stove and Ryan flipped the strips over with his free hand.
"You'd better say that I'm your favorite aunt," Caroline was saying.
"I don't have favorite aunts. I love all my family equally, except for my parents. I love my mother so much more than I love anyone else, with Elijah running a close second for accepting me as his son."
"Okay. Okay," Caroline conceded. "As long as I'm your partner in crime, I'll try accept that."
"The last few days have been fun. And I'm actually helping people instead of feeding them to an insatiable beast." Ryan chuckled once. "You are the one who understands me the best though, so maybe you edge out the others just a little."
Caroline tossed a towel at him and they started laughing.
"Seriously though, having you around has helped me more than even you will ever know." The corners of his lips pulled up.
"And I feel the same about you."
"Which is why you want to be the favorite aunt. Because you've let yourself be so vulnerable with me."
"Maybe." Caroline's brows furrowed.
The conversation was drifting into territory that they probably didn't want overheard, so Elena decided she had to either interrupt or leave the room.
"What are you making?" Elena asked, drawing attention to herself.
"Roast beef a jus, roasted brussels sprouts, loaded baked potatoes, a tossed salad, and chocolate cream pie with whipped cream. It'll be ready in about half an hour."
"That sounds delicious." Gesturing towards the pool, she added, "One of the Crescent pack is by the pool with Hayley, so I think they might appreciate a plate of beef and maybe a potato with all the toppings."
"I'll fix it up." Caroline pulled out an extra plate. Pulling out a bowl as well, she added, "They might want some water too and their nose won't fit into a cup."
Almost exactly half an hour later, the food was ready and he started dishing up.
Elena picked up the plate and bowl for the wolf and headed outside.
"Supper's ready," she said to Hayley. "And we fixed up a plate and some water for your friend as well."
The wolf's snout lifted, sniffing the air.
"I'm not sure how much they understand, so it might be better if I gave it." Hayley took the dishes from Elena and set them down in front of the wolf. "I'll be back out as soon as I get my food."
The wolf's head bobbed as if nodding and Hayley hurried inside, with Elena trailing slowly behind her.
Ryan was handing Hayley a plate when Elena entered the kitchen and as soon as she had her food and a glass of water, she all but ran outside.
"Eager isn't she?" Ryan raised his brows and shook his head.
"She's found a member of her pack. Of course she's eager to be with them." Elena picked up an empty plate for herself as she spoke and Ryan placed a few slices of beef on it.
"Yeah, that does make sense."
"What about the lost sister? When will we look for her?" Caroline asked as she cut into the beef.
"In the next few days, hopefully. I'm not sure when she'll wake up exactly, but I think Finn will rest much easier if we have her with us," Elena replied. "And I'd feel the same. If other witches find her first, it would be terrible if they decided to use her against her family."
