Please don't hate me.
Chapter song: In The End, Tommee Profit
"Wait, so what happened?"
Val reached up and rubbed her temples, a throbbing beginning behind her eyes. The trio had staggered back to the Gilbert house after Damon fed Bonnie his blood to save her and Val woke up with intense neck pain, (again). After a quick shower and changing into a tank top and some fresh jeans, she was seated with Bonnie at the table and currently trying to treat her wounds.
Damon began telling the whole story again as she let her hands fall and reached for the damp rag, pressing it firmly against Bonnie's still bleeding throat. The fang marks were slowly closing, thanks to Damon's blood.
"What do you mean, 'he turned'? I thought you were standing guard!" Stefan protested, and Damon scoffed.
"Don't blame me! Blame Bonnie the blood bank!"
"Will you both shut the hell up? You know it's not her fault." Val hissed; her temper was already worn thin. Bonnie winced as she rubbed some dried blood off.
"I'm sorry I snapped your neck, Val." She told the older girl softly, and Val mustered up the best smile she could. Though, it probably resembled more of a grimace.
"Don't be. I'm more impressed at how quickly you could do it."
"So, where's the stake now?" Stefan asked, and Damon stood.
"Oh, you mean the white oak stake? The one that can kill an Original and wipe out an entire line of vampires?" He braced his hands on the table and leaned towards Bonnie. "We don't know."
"If you're so upset with me, why did you feed me your blood to save my life?" The teenage witch ground out, and Damon straightened.
"I don't know!" He cried, throwing up his hands. "Because I do stupid things Bonnie, like let my friend die with dignity when I should have just killed him!"
"Don't talk about him like that!" Val snapped, eyes flashing venomously. Damon turned towards her, and to everyone's surprise, shut his mouth.
"Alright, so how do we kill him now?" Stefan's question cut deep into Val's chest, and she brought Bonnie's hand up to support the rag before standing, beginning to pace.
"I've been searching for a way to undo the spell; there's always a way to undo the spell."
"What if it was only part of the spell?"
All three heads snapped towards Val, who was chewing her lip softly in thought. She raised her eyes to theirs, shrugging. "I mean, think about it. What if we just suppressed his sociopathic side, and we brought the real Rick back?"
Bonnie and Stefan were staring at her in horror and Damon turned towards her, shaking his head.
"Pipsqueak, you know that's not how it works-"
"So you say." She growled, then turned to Bonnie, drips of desperation beginning to slip through the cracks of her facial expression. "Bonnie, it- it's possible, right? I mean, we could do something, right?"
"Val, you know that Rick, our Rick, would hate being a vampire." The witch told her softly, "And even so, I would have no idea where to start looking."
"Look, Val, I know you miss Rick-" Damon started, but Val whirled, eyes blazing.
"Don't try to be kind and warm to me right now, Damon. You're not doing out of respect or friendship, you're doing it because you feel guilty! And I could give less of a fuck about your feelings right now."
"Oh, you want to talk about feelings?" Damon hissed, taking a step closer. "Look at you! Trying to preserve some serial killing vampire because you can't handle grief! You're only trying to help him because you still feel like he and Jenna are your fault!"
Val flinched back like she'd been smacked, and Damon's expression dropped as he realized what had just come out of his mouth. Stefan and Bonnie both turned to each other with open mouths, then back to the bickering duo.
"Val, I-" Damon started, reaching out his hand, "I'm so sorry, I-I didn't mean to-"
But she smacked his hand away, grabbing her jacket and heading for the door. The others started after her, calling her back, but she ignored them. Angry tears burned in her eyes as she stomped towards the door, flinging it open-
-and nearly running smack into Klaus Mikaelson.
"Woah, there, love." He crooned, reaching up to grab her. Luckily, Damon was at her side in less than a second, hands wrapping around her arms and swinging her back safely behind him. He and Stefan glared angrily at the hybrid on the porch, squaring up in the doorway to block any possible port of entry. Not that it mattered. Klaus had never been invited inside the Gilbert home.
"Oh, poor dear." Klaus taunted, cocking his head to the side as his eyes flickered to Val's hurt and angry expression. "Loses both of her best friends and now has to deal with the two of you all on her own."
"Yeah, about that," Damon started, "something happened."
"Oh, I know all about my mother's invulnerable little creation. That's why I'm here; I'll be leaving town, just need to pick up a few road trip necessities. Spare tire, flashlight…doppelganger."
Val made a show of looking around the house, then turned and shrugged. "Sorry, fresh out."
"Yep. Can't help you there." Damon added, then slammed the door shut.
The three all looked at each other and split up immediately, searching for the brunette. Val made sure to rally Jeremy and Bonnie in the kitchen, wanting both children close by in case Klaus decided to try something.
"She's not here." She heard Stefan tell Damon, and the huntress scowled.
I need to microchip that girl, for fuck's sake.
"What's going on?" Bonnie demanded, walking down the hall towards them. Val put her hand on Jeremy's shoulder and brought him with her, watching out the window carefully. She could see Klaus pacing on the lawn like a caged animal.
Like a wolf.
"Klaus wants in." Damon stated grimly. "We have to keep him out." He lifted a blind slat on the window, Val moving to look through it with him.
And just in time to see Klaus fling a newspaper at full speed towards them.
"Duck!" Damon cried, grabbing Val and throwing her to the floor before landing on top of her pretty ungracefully. The weight made her grunt, but she couldn't help but feel grateful that the glass wasn't slicing at her flesh. A look to the side showed her that Stefan had done the same with Bonnie.
"Come on," Damon encouraged breathlessly, helping pull her off the ground. "Get to the kitchen!"
The group all ducked into the kitchen, making sure to stay away from the windows. Val doublechecked the French doors were still locked, wishing she'd snatched up a stake or two or even her gun before they had to barricade themselves in.
"Elena's car is gone." Stefan told them, and Bonnie's eyes narrowed in confusion.
"Why wouldn't she tell anyone where she was going?"
Val had just opened her mouth to speak-
BAM!
Splintering wood met their ears, and she barely jumped to the side in time to avoid getting hid in the head by a soccer ball. Damon also jumped to the side as Stefan yanked Bonnie and Jeremy away from the projectile.
Klaus bounded up the steps, the front door now busted open, with two wooden slats from a white picket fence in his hands. With a grunt, he threw one like a spear and Damon's head.
"Get down!" Stefan yelled as Damon and Val both ducked. Jumping back to their feet, Damon grabbed the wood.
"Missed me!" He shouted, then flung it back out the door. Klaus barely dodged it, snarling, then broke one slat in half and went to impale Val in the chest. As the wood was coming towards her, she felt her senses turn up full blast. Like someone was turning that dial. Time seemed to slow, and she leaned to the side, hand coming up to grab the wood and catch it in midair.
"You throw like a bitch!" She taunted darkly as Klaus's shocked face, then sent the wood speeding towards his neck.
Val had just ripped a piece of wood out of the wall when Stefan suddenly army crawled towards them. "Stop, stop! That was Rick! Alaric just called me!"
The name was Val freeze, wood still clutched in her hand. Klaus had disappeared, no doubt to go get something else to attempt to bring them outside. She glared at the door, then looked back at Stefan. "What did he say?"
Right as the vampire opened his mouth, footsteps coming up the porch caused their heads to snap back.
There was Klaus, with a propane tank and a newspaper on fire.
This is the most over dramatic vampire I've ever met.
Before she could make a smartass comment, Stefan was walking towards the door. "Put it out."
"Come outside and make me."
Stefan didn't respond, but without looking back, stepped outside and onto the porch. "Elena's not here. Alaric has her and Caroline, and he's going to kill them both unless you turn yourself over to him."
Klaus's smirk dropped off his face, replaced by deep irritation. With a scowl, he dropped both the newspaper and the tank, making Val wince as she made her way onto the porch.
"Now, I know you're not asking me to walk into a certain death."
Val smirked as Stefan chuckled dryly, shaking his head. "I really wish we could-"
"Not that we'd stop you if you wanted to." Val chimed in, cocking her head at the hybrid.
"-but if you die," Stefan continued, "there's a one-in-four chance that we die, too."
"I'll take those odds." Damon told them easily as he sauntered onto the porch, a piece of wood propped over his shoulder.
"And a one hundred percent chance that Tyler dies." Stefan reminded his brother, but Damon just shrugged.
"Good with that, too."
"Why don't we just find a way to put Alaric down, hmm?" Stefan told the three people around him.
A deep sigh pushed past Val's chest, and she reached up to hold her crucifix. The feeling of the rubies against her fingers calmed her, even just slightly, and she perched herself on the porch railing as her mind raced.
Klaus, Val, Stefan and Damon were all thinking deeply. The huntress could feel Klaus's gaze flickering to her now and again, but she ignored him. All she could think about was Rick.
Can I really kill him? Am I capable of doing what needs to be done?
"Ok," Klaus spoke up, turning around like he had a great idea, "how about Damon sneaks in and distracts Alaric while Stefan grabs Elena and carries her to safety?"
"Great idea," Damon responded sarcastically, eyebrows raised, "what's to stop me from being killed instantly?"
"Nothing."
"Caroline's in there." Damon reminded the hybrid, cocking his head to the side. "Don't you have a thing for her? Or did she just reject you too many times?"
Klaus's face dropped from a smirk to a shadowy expression, but Val couldn't take it anymore.
"Enough you two." She said firmly, hopping off the porch railing. "This isn't helping us. We need to make sure we do this without anyone else being killed in the crossfire."
"I might have a plan."
Bonnie's voice startled Val, turning to see the teen stepping onto the porch. She'd changed into some new clothes and her neck was fully healed. But her face was somber as she regarded the group, eyes betraying a sense of apprehension of her own idea.
"My mom used a desiccation spell on Mikael that immobilized him for over fifteen years. If I can get it, I might be able to use it on Alaric."
"'If and might'. Your words inspire such confidence." Klaus sneered.
"You know Klaus, if you've got a better idea, we're all listening." Val snapped, irritated with his attitude. They were literally helping save his life, and here he was throwing fits and acting out like a spoiled child.
The hybrid scowled at her while Bonnie continued, "I'll get it. But when I do, we'll need a lot of vampire muscle to take him down." Her eyes flickered to Val. "Including the both of you."
Klaus didn't respond right away, instead turning around to look at the sun. He paused before turning back around to face them, expression reluctant. "Let's get one thing straight; the sun sets in about eight hours. If we don't succeed before then, Elena will be dead, I'll be gone, and the rest of you will be left to fend for yourselves."
Val's car roared to a stop just outside the school, pulling up beside Klaus's SUV. As she stepped out, Stefan stormed off towards the entrance, leaving a frustrated Klaus behind. She avoided his gaze, moving to speak to her vampire friend when her phone went off.
Glancing at the caller ID, she groaned and walked a few steps away from Klaus before answering. "Look, Liza, this isn't a good time-"
"Hi, Tina!"
Val's eyes widened, "Ally? How did you get Liza's phone unlocked?"
"She kept forgetting her password, so she took it off. Tina, when are you coming back? I have my tumbling next week!"
Val swallowed her guilt, doing her best to keep her tone light. "I'll be there, baby, ok? I just have to wrap a few things up over here."
"Can Damon and Rick come, too?"
Val's words caught in her throat, and she closed her eyes. She hadn't told Hector and Ally what happened, obviously. Her eyes burned when she realized what she'd have to tell them when she got back, and she shook her head before answering.
"No, they've got their stuff to do over here, mi hija. Don't worry, I'll be there."
"Ok, bye Tina! Hector says he loves you!"
She'd only just hung up the phone when her eyes raised to look in front of her, narrowing as the hairs on her neck stood up.
"It's rude to listen in on people's conversations."
Klaus smirked as he came to stand by her, "Maybe you should speak quieter then, love."
"Not like that would make a difference with your freaky vampire hearing." She shot back, walking towards the school. To her irritation, Klaus matched her stride, voice thoughtful.
"Forgive me for intruding, but you seem rather young to have two children."
"As I've said before, it's none of your business. And they're not mine, they're my little brother and sister."
"Half, correct?"
"Yes." She responded shortly, and he hummed thoughtfully.
"Was that your sister?"
"Yeah. Alejandra, we call her Ally."
"And the boy?"
"Hector."
"That's a common name, yes?" Klaus asked, and his voice almost made her pause. He sounded genuinely interested. "I had a friend, years ago. She had a son named Hector."
Val snorted. "Yeah, I'm sure she was your 'friend'."
"Well, you'll find those who are close to me can't keep their hands to themselves, love." He told her, winking. She rolled her eyes as he continued, clearly not intending to stop.
"It's funny, how often family names are used in the Latino culture. You even share a name; a middle name, in your case."
Val stopped dead, turning to face him. She felt her chest tighten. "What did you just say?"
But they were already done walking. Damon, Klaus, Stefan, Bonnie, Jeremy, and herself all stood in a circle outside the school. Maybe it was the blood connection, but Val could feel Rick's emotions. His anger, his vengeance, the bloodlust pulsing through him. The string of emotions felt so familiar that she had to suppress a shudder and instead stood rigidly still, trying to focus on what Bonnie was saying.
"This is my blood," Bonnie told them, holding up a vile, "Val obviously can't drink it, but the rest of you can. It bridges us all together. When I stop Jeremy's heart, it will give you the power to stop Alaric's. You'll have to make some kind of connection to his bloodstream; a vein, an artery, anything leading back to his heart."
The vile was past around, each vampire taking a sip. When it came to Klaus, he paused, swirling the small drink in his hand before looking back up at the rest of them.
"Let's get on the same page, shall we? I was the one who created your vampire blood line, and therefore I am the one who is responsible for your lives. And Tyler's life, Caroline's life, and of course," he raised his gaze to Bonnie, "Abby's life. Should anything go wrong."
"Or you're just lying to save your ass." Damon deadpanned, but Val could see right past him. His eyes looked troubled, and he was edging closer to her and Stefan. Klaus smirked.
"I'm not lying. Go ahead, call my bluff. Let the teacher kill me, you'll all be dead soon thereafter." He threw back the rest of Bonnie's blood like a shot.
"Ok, enough of the dramatics." Val interrupted, glaring at Klaus as he finished the blood and watched her with an intense expression she didn't want to read into too much. "We just need to get this over with."
The school was oddly quiet. Val hadn't been back there in a while, and her heart ached slightly, thinking of her team. Were they angry at her for leaving?
She and Klaus were paired together, and they slipped inside, careful not to be too loud as they snuck around towards the classroom. Val turned to Klaus, a finger to her lips, and leaned in closer to him.
"Ok, so-"
Before she could even finish speaking, a flash of blonde and black caused them to leap to their feet. Caroline stopped in the hallway, panting and whimpering. Her skin was slowly healing, Val could see blistered and burnt skin around her mouth was slowly healing, and Val could see bloody smears on the backs of her hands. Her heart sunk.
Rick did that.
Before she could move, Klaus suddenly leapt forward and caught Caroline from behind. He had a hand around her mouth and an arm around her middle. "Shhhh, it's ok." He reassured her, "It's just me and Val, it's ok."
Turning the blonde around, he instructed her lowly, "We'll save Elena. You go straight home, you stay inside, do you understand?"
Caroline nodded, eyes wide, and softly muttered, "Thank you."
Klaus sped off, and Val stepped forward, hugging the blonde. "Are you ok?"
After she nodded, Val nodded at the door and watched as the blonde sped off. She saw two blurs move towards Rick's classroom, and knew the plan was about to take place. Since she had some strength of a vampire but not quite the speed, she stuck to sneaking through the hallways and sticking to the walls. No way could she take on Rick by herself; she'd be dead in seconds.
There was a loud noise, and she heard Rick suddenly shout in surprise and anger. That was her cue. Taking off, she rounded the corner to see Damon and Stefan holding a thrashing Rick, who's eyes were going darker and darker by the second. For just one second, she froze.
Is that really Rick?
"Val!"
Damon's voice yanked her from her thoughts, and she ran forward as Klaus approached, kicking Rick's legs out from behind him and wrapping her arm around his neck. Locking him into a choke hold, she fixed Klaus with a panicked expression. "Hurry! We can't hold him forever!"
And she was right.
With a shout, Rick wrangled out their hold. Turning, he threw Val into the lockers with all his might and snapped Stefan's spine. Val felt the air in her lungs be knocked violently from her body as she made contact with the metal doors, grunting as she hit the floor. Damon soon met a similar fate as his brother, and then she felt a hand on her throat.
Rick's hand was squeezing her neck closed as he lifted her, her legs kicking and flailing as she clawed at his wrist. He squeezed harder, and she felt her eyes bulge as she stared into her best friend's.
"Rick," she gasped, "Rick, please…"
They were cold and empty, and he smirked viciously at her struggle.
"I'm supposed to kill Klaus first," he told her, "but I think it might be smarter to dispose of you now."
He reared his other hand back, and Val felt horror rise in her as she could do nothing but gasp for air and prepare for the pain of having her heart ripped out. His hand came forward, and she shut her eyes, praying it would be quick-
-and then she was falling, Rick's hand gone and air rushing back into her lungs. She gasped as she hit the floor, coughing and rubbing her throat. Angry howls were filling the hallway, and she saw with a start that Klaus's hand was in Rick's chest, making contact with his heart.
He was going to kill me.
Something red and hot and rushed through her, and fury made her vision go scarlet. Leaping to her feet, she spun around and slammed her foot into Rick's ribs for all she was worth. A loud, painful crack! was heard, and he shouted in pain. She forced him to his knees, wrapping her arm around his neck.
He was going to rip out my heart.
Val looked up, locking eyes with Klaus. "Do it!" She cried.
This isn't Rick.
Klaus dug deeper into Alaric's chest as she spoke, the vampiric hunter shouting and groaning in pain. But Val's chest felt cold as she watched them, felt him struggle against her.
My best friend is gone.
There was a squelching noise, and she knew they were close. They were so close…
With a roar, Alaric leapt to his feet and threw Val off of him. She hit the ground hard a few feet away as the monster grabbed Klaus and slammed him into the ground before lunging at him. He yanked the stake from his jacket, and Val's eyes widened in horror.
"No!"
The stake stopped just over Klaus's heart. Alaric struggled, forcing it towards the hybrid's chest, but both Val and Klaus had their hands around Alaric's, fighting his strength with theirs. But it was a losing battle. Val watched in horror as the tip drew closer and closer to Klaus's chest, threatening to kill him and therefore her friends, her family, the people she cared about. She fought harder, refusing to quit. But he was only getting closer…
"Stop!"
Elena's voice nearly startled Val enough to fall back and lose her grip on the stake, but she held on. The trio looked over to see the teen holding a scalpel to her throat, hands shaking and eyes wide.
"Let him go, or I'll kill myself."
Val's eyes went wide enough you could see the whites all around her eyes, but Alaric's posture was what really shocked her. He went rigid, backing off the stake just a few inches so he wasn't pushing down as hard. Val pushed up even harder, helping Klaus move it away.
"Put it down, Elena." Alaric ground out, but the teen shook her head.
"Why? Because you still need me alive? There's a reason Esther used me to make you, isn't there?"
Alaric didn't respond, but he was starting to look less and less sure of his actions. Elena pressed the blade harder against her neck.
"Lena…" Val grunted, trying to warn the younger girl, but she ignored her mentor.
"She didn't want you to be immortal. So, she tied your life to a human one; mine. That way, you have only one lifespan to kill all vampires, and then you'll be gone. So when I die, you die too. That's it, it has to be!"
Alaric's grip was growing weaker on the stake, and Val wrapped her fingers around his, desperately trying to pry it from his grip. He growled and turned his attention further to Elena, panting.
"You're wrong."
"Am I?" Elena pressed harder on her neck, and Val watched in shock as red began to leak from the cut. She fought harder to grab the stake, feeling desperation rise in her.
"No, no! Elena, stop! Wait-!"
Too late.
Klaus suddenly reared up, taking advantage of the momentary distraction of his adversary's. Val watched Alaric fly back, and then she was airborne. Her head smacked hard against the lockers, and the force of the hybrid's push made her vision swim, and she felt hands grab her from the ground before it wall went completely dark.
When she started coming to, there was no confusion. She knew exactly where she was. Maybe it was the developing blood inside her, but she remembered the effect the boarding house had on her senses. The smell, the sound, the temperature. And for whatever reason, she knew exactly who was beside her when she started waking up.
"So, I take it Klaus isn't dead."
Her eyes opened slowly to see Damon, sitting by her bed. His elbows were on his knees as he watched her come to.
"No." He answered lowly, "Mummified. We used the spell on him, and we've got him chained up in a coffin. We're about to go dump him." He watched her carefully, blue eyes boring into hers. "I thought you'd want to be there for that."
She sat up, feeling her heart rate speed up. It was then she realized she was only in her tank top and her jeans, her jacket, shoes, and socks were gone.
"What about Alaric?"
"He's stuck in the school." Damon told her gravely, "the sun is about to set. We have to move now." He paused now, face going slack. "Look, Val I understand if-"
"Don't." She told him firmly, voice sharp. She flung the covers off of herself, standing and looking for her clothes. She spotted them, folded at the foot of the bed and her boots on the floor beside it. "I don't need to talk about it anymore."
"Val, I know it was hard for you, and I understand if you don't want to fight him again."
"I don't have any problems in a fight, Damon. You know that." She answered, aggressively yanking on her boots. Damon stood now, face hardening in frustration at her stubborn streak.
"Yeah, but he's our best friend-"
"Was." Val interrupted him, voice dripping venom as she straightened and stared up at him. Despite their height difference, for Damon, it suddenly felt like he was looking right across at her.
"He was our best friend." She continued, face set like stone, "But our best friend died is dead, Damon. That thing out there isn't Rick. And he's threatening all of us. So, I'll do to him what I've done to every threat that comes to this town: I'm going to hunt him." She grabbed her jacket, stomping towards the door.
"You know you can't!" Damon cried, flashing in front of her. "If you kill him, Elena dies!"
"Then I'll figure out a way!" She shouted, her own voice rising, hands shaking in fury. "I'm not stopping, Damon. Klaus is dead, and now I have to destroy the next big bad that's going to kill us all!"
"Val, this isn't you." Damon told her lowly, reaching up to place his hands on her shoulders, "This vengeance, this blood lust, it's not you, it's-"
"It's who?! Huh, who? Is it Mikael?!" Her words made him freeze, and she snarled at him. "Don't think I haven't noticed you treating me differently, Damon. You're scared I'm going to turn on all of you, just like Rick did. You're not worried about my wellbeing, you're worried about you and Elena, just like you always do!"
"No, I'm worried about you!" Damon shouted back, his jaw clenching so hard it looked like it was about to break. "I care about you, Val, and I want you to be happy! I want to live with Hector and Ally and away from this hell hole! I want you to stop hunting, I want you to be safe!"
"Why do you fucking care?!"
"Because I-!" He stopped, his voice dying. They were close now, panting and facing each other. He took several deep breaths, licking his lips. "Because…I…"
He trailed off, and before he could speak again, the door behind them swung open. Stefan stepped in, looking at least a little apologetic as he stepped into the room.
"We need to go; the sun is setting, and we need to dump Klaus's body."
The car ride was awkward, to say the least. Stefan was driving, with Damon in the passenger seat and Val in the back with the coffin.
She should have been happy. She should have felt satisfied and fulfilled, like she'd finally done it. Like she'd avenged Jenna, and Rick's memory. The real Alaric. She should feel happier now that they were down one less threat, and she was one step closer to going home to Hector and Ally.
But she didn't feel any of those things.
As Val sat there, watching the sleek black coffin and resting her hand on it, she didn't feel anything. She felt…empty. There used to always be something in her chest. A burning desire for revenge, a desperation to keep her loved ones safe, and the ambition to become a better huntress. To make her family proud.
But as she sat there, she couldn't feel any of those things. It was like there was a hole in her chest where those parts of her used to be.
And it terrified her.
"How many desiccated hybrids does it take to screw in a lightbulb?"
Damon's voice made her jump, looking towards the front to see him smirking in pride at his own joke. Stefan shook his head as she rolled her eyes.
"You're in a good mood."
"Yeah, I'm in a good mood. Klaus is dead, my brother's halfway sane. Give or take an immortal hunter that wants to kill us." He looked towards his brother, eyes momentarily flickering back towards Val in the rearview mirror. "We won, you guys. Come on, say it."
Val pointedly ignored him, not wanting to tell them that this didn't feel like a win. None of it felt like a win. Lately, everything kind of felt like loss.
And that wasn't the only thing. As she sat there with her hand on the coffin, something just felt off. She couldn't sense Klaus's presence anymore. The brothers had tried to reassure her when she first brought it up as they started the drive, telling her it was because Klaus was technically mummified. But she'd been around mummified Original's before, and this was different. She couldn't explain how, but it just was.
The brothers were talking about Elena. Val didn't butt in; she knew giving her two cents would make things worse. Siblings had a way of figuring things out for themselves, and she didn't want to interfere. She respected Elena's autonomy, even if it drove her crazy and simultaneously pissed her off sometimes.
Damon's phone went off, and he glanced at the screen before answering. "What's up, Jeremy?"
He paused, then shot up, spine going rigid.
"What?!"
Val wasn't exactly happy to hear Jeremy had taken Elena to the hospital, but they couldn't do much from their position. They'd have to take the coffin to a storage facility and Damon and Val would go from there while Stefan went back to Mystic Falls. Hopefully, they could figure out a way to stop Alaric on the way.
Stefan was back with Elena in Mystic Falls. Rick was unsure of where she was; or maybe he did know, and he had bigger problems. Honestly, as long as he wasn't killing anyone, Val was ok. But what really threw her for a loop was when Elijah of all people showed up at the Gilbert house.
And did what he did best. Offered them all a deal.
"So," she heard Elijah's voice on the other end of the phone as he finished explaining the deal. They would hand over the white oak stake, let Elijah take Klaus's body, and then trust him to never revive Klaus until Elena had lived out her life and Alaric was dead. "Do we have a deal?"
"No, we don't have a deal!" Damon shouted before anyone could even answer, his voice soaked in disbelief. "Did that concussion give you brain damage?! His lunatic siblings would try to kill you first chance they get!"
"Rebekah and Kol will honor the terms if you return Klaus's body to us, Elena will come to no harm."
"And what about Val?" Elena's voice interrupted their argument, causing everyone to pause. "She's being hunted now, too. How will you help her?"
Val opened her mouth to reassure the teen she could take care of herself just fine, even thought she wasn't entirely sure this was a fight she could win. But Elijah's voice stopped her reassurance dead.
"I'm aware of Valentina's predicament, and that is the second part of my deal." He paused, the spoke again, this time his voice was much softer and more sincere. "Valentina, if you will allow it, I would like to take you and your siblings under my families protection."
It was like someone had just dropped a bomb over all of their heads. Val sat up in her seat, jaw dropping open, as Damon's face went slack in absolute shock. Judging by the lack of response on the other end of the line, Val was guessing the rest of the group was just as thrown by the proposal. Elijah continued through their stunned silence.
"You are slowly morphing into the worlds greatest huntress, but you have loved ones that Alaric will use against you. If you agree to this deal, you'll come with me. I'll ensure the safety of your siblings foster parents, and we will retrieve them from San Antonio. Then you, myself, Hector, and Alejandra will train and hide from Alaric together." He paused. "I'll make sure that your sister gets all the training she needs, and that she and your brother live out long and happy lives. Alaric will never touch them, that is my pledge to you."
Val was struggling to come up with a response, floundering like a fish.
"Do we have a deal?"
"No!" Damon shouted, and Val took a deep breath as he continued. "No, no, no, and did I mention no?"
"Elena, Val," Stefan spoke softly from the other line, "it's up to you two."
"Oh, come on!" Damon protested, but Val ignored him.
I said I'd do anything for Hector and Ally. And I meant anything.
Elena spoke up, saving Val from having to answer. "Why do you want Klaus's body?"
"Klaus is my brother." Elijah responded tightly, his voice wavering. For just a second, Val felt empathy for him. She understood. She knew why, even after everything Klaus had done to his siblings, Elijah felt the need to have him close by and therefore protected. "We remain together."
Elena sighed, and Val knew her answer. She also knew her own. It seemed they were more alike than Val really knew, because they both spoke at the same time.
"We have a deal."
"I cannot believe you."
Val tried not to break her teeth with how hard she was grinding her jaw. They were wheeling the coffin into unit 1020, but Damon wasn't being shy about how much he disagreed with her decision to trust Elijah.
"You don't have to comment on my life choices, Damon." She ground out slowly, "And I don't need your permission. I'm doing what's best for my family."
"And who the hell says it's Elijah?" Damon demanded, glaring at her as they finally wheeled the coffin to a stop inside the storage unit. "He's not your only option here, peaches."
"Oh, and who else is going to stop him? You?"
Damon didn't say anything, merely pressing his lips together and staring at her. Val opened her mouth to speak again, and then sighed.
"Ok, look, Damon. You and I have been through way more than I even knew was possible. We've saved each other's lives countless times, and no matter how much I claim to hate you, I…" she trailed off, "I wouldn't ever take it back. And I'd do it again, too. And I know you like to be the protector, but you can't protect me. Not from this."
"I could if you'd let me." Damon growled, stepping closer. "I could protect you, Hector, Ally, Elena, everyone-"
"I already decided, Damon." She told him softly. She was past yelling. "I'm sorry."
She could feel his fury, burning the air around them and making his muscles shake. Finally, though, he turned on his heel and stalked off. Bonnie would be meeting them to spell Klaus's body; Val insisted she have an escort into the building.
Once he was gone, Val turned back around, and with a deep breath, swung the lid of the coffin open.
There he was. The creature that had made her life so hard. He was laying in that coffin, gray and covered in veins, desiccated and near death. He was chained up and helpless, completely at her mercy. He couldn't hurt anyone else.
"You have no idea how long I've waited for this." She whispered, glaring at him as she braced her hands on the side of the coffin. "I've been wanting to see you like this ever since you killed Jenna, ever since you ruined everything. Since you destroyed what I worked so hard to build."
He continued to stare at her.
"And this should make me so happy." She continued, mouth morphing into an angry grimace. "I should be thrilled. I should be dancing on your fucking coffin right now." She paused, and took a deep, shaky breath.
"So why don't I feel anything?"
The door swung open, and she knew it was Bonnie and Damon. The pair paused at the sight of their friend. But Val didn't speak to them. Turning, she smiled softly at Bonnie and walked out. She didn't want to be near Klaus anymore, not when he was still alive like this.
She just wanted it all to be over.
Soon, Bonnie was gone. They were waiting for Rebekah to show up to pick up both the body and Val. Not that the huntress wasn't nervous that the blonde would try to kill her, but she trusted Elijah. Even if he'd screwed her over before, this wasn't just about her anymore. Ally and Hector, Liza and Gil, they were at risk now, too. And they deserved protection. If Val had to suck it up a little to keep them safe, then she'd do that.
But she needed to ask him about-
The sudden, loud noise that echoed through the loud unit stopped her dead in her tracks. It sounded like bones cracking.
No, not bones. A spine.
Her heartrate sped up, but she willed her breathing to stay normal as she slipped around the corner of the storage unit. She could hear footsteps, now, heavier and different from Damon's. Alaric was there.
She could hear him opening the storage units, one after the other. He was still a way's away from 1020. But that didn't make her feel any better; if he continued uninterrupted, he'd find Klaus or herself first.
Ding.
"Damon?"
Fuck. Or he'd find Rebekah.
Val switched tactics. Now, she doubled back and away from Rick's footsteps, straining her ears. Just because her hearing was better didn't mean it was in anyway at the level of the Originals, but she could still hear the faint click of Rebekah's boots. As she rounded a corner, they got louder. The huntress planted herself behind the wall, waiting. It was silent.
And then, the footsteps. They closer, and closer, until they were almost right on top of her. Val took a deep breath and leapt out of her hiding place.
Rebekah's green eyes widened and her mouth opened to shout at Val, but the huntress didn't bother to let her speak. Her hand clamped over Rebekah's mouth and swung her around, hiding her with her. She raised a finger to her lips. Rebekah froze, and Val slid her finger down before pointing behind them.
They both looked around the corner to see Alaric enter the row of units, eyes searching. Turning back to each other, Val and Rebekah nodded at each other and took off for the storage unit. Before they got there, though, a figure flew out in front of them. They both jumped into a defensive position, but their shoulders sagged in relief when they saw who it was.
(Start song)
The wheels were loud, too loud, as she, Damon, and Rebekah frantically started rolling the coffin towards the parked SUV. Val could feel the hairs on the back of her neck starting to rise, and suddenly her necklace burned. They were almost to the car when her eyes widened and she felt it.
"Guys-!"
But she was too late. Alaric was suddenly there, flinging them all away. Val grunted as her body met the cement and turned on her back as her shoulder screamed. Rebekah and Damon were both on the ground, as well, and they all looked up in horror as Alaric flung the coffin lid open and raised the stake over his head.
"No! No!"
"No don't-!"
"No, Rick!"
The stake sunk right through Klaus's chest.
Val stopped, dead, her heart plummeting to her stomach. She could hear Rebekah wailing in the background, but she could only watch as Klaus's body caught fire, the flames climbing and spreading. It was the sight she'd longed for, the thing she'd been working for; for the longest time.
But when she looked at his burning body, all she felt was defeat.
Alaric shut the coffin the stake clutched in his hand. He faced Val and Rebekah, but his eyes went straight to his former best friend. He raised the stake and pointed it at her.
"Next."
She heard Rebekah take off, and then Damon was shouting. He sounded frantic as he jumped in front of her, his blue eyes wide with panic.
"GO! Val, GO!"
Val did run. She ran outside and kept going until she saw Rebekah slowing down just long enough to swallow her tears, pausing at the tree line. The cold night air strung her skin as her feet pounding against the cement alerted the blonde, who looked up just as she slowed down next to her.
"We have to go-" She started, but Val shook her head.
"No." She told her, voice surprisingly steady. "No, I'm not running."
Rebekah stared at her in shock, "But- but Alaric will come after you, after your siblings-"
"And that's where you come in." Reaching up, Val undid the golden clasp. Slowly and carefully, she slid her crucifix off her body and took off her jacket, wrapping the jewelry in the fabric and putting it in Rebekah's hands. When the blonde stared at her questioningly, she shook her head.
"You and I aren't friends. Hell, we're not even allies. But I'm going to die tonight. And when I do, that crucifix will simply be another piece of jewelry." She felt her eyes start to burn. "Alaric won't chase my family when I'm gone, and I need you to take it to them. Give it-" her voice caught, and she stopped, swallowing. "Give it to my little brother. Tell him and Ally how much I love them. And then just tell Elijah that I'm holding him to the last part of our deal. Just make sure they survive."
"Valentina, this is insane-"
"Yeah, I know." Val chuckled tearfully and shook her head. "I know. But I can't do that to them. I can't let them live like that, on the run. It's the complete opposite of everything I've ever wanted for them. So, you don't owe me anything, but please," her tears started falling, "just imagine if it was your family. Don't do it for me."
Rebekah was silent for several seconds, staring at the girl in front of her with an expression of incredulity. Finally, she shook her head. "You truly are nothing like I expected."
Val smiled sadly. "Yeah. I get that a lot."
Loud footsteps alerted them, and Val turned back to Rebekah. "Go." When the vampire hesitated, Val put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her towards the trees. "I said go, Damon and I will keep him busy. Go, now!"
Rebekah looked back at her one last time, and then she was gone.
Slowly, surely, Val walked back. Her heels echoed loudly against the floor; she could hear Alaric absolutely kicking Damon's ass as she did. He was angry Rebekah had escaped, and he had most likely suspected she'd gone with her since her scent was on the jacket.
But she wasn't running.
Stepping around the corner, she stopped and watched. Alaric was standing over a bleeding and groaning Damon. He must have heard her, because he stopped and turned around. Upon seeing her, he fingered the stake in his hand, turning to face her head on.
"It was stupid of you to stay."
She only glared back at him, waiting several seconds to answer, her voice dark. "I'm not afraid to die." She pulled out her barbed wooden dagger, "And I don't run."
Alaric scoffed at the weapon in her hand. "You're going to kill me, Val? Really?" He cocked his head to side mockingly. "Your best friend?"
"You're not Rick." She snarled, voice dripping with absolutely loathing. "You're not my best friend. He died in that tomb, and he never came out. And now, I'm going to make you pay for taking him from me."
They were facing each other, the two hunters. Muscles rigid, weapons in hand, determination in their eyes.
And with a shout, Val lunged at him.
He dodged fluidly, but her muscles were screaming for blood. She didn't care who's. He stabbed upward, trying to catch her ribs, but she spun out of the way and slammed her foot into his knee. He shouted in pain as she brought the knife across his face, slicing it wide open. He shouted again, and she wrapped her arm around his neck, swinging her body and flipping him over her shoulder. His back met the cement and she lifted her foot to crack his head open, but he rolled away and stood back up to throw her into the garage door. She cried out as pain flared through her upper body but dodged just in time to miss the stake going through her neck. He'd put a little too much force into his movements and stabbed the weapon right through the metal, unintentionally getting it stuck.
Taking her opportunity, Val spun and roundhouse kicked him in the chest as hard as she could. The force sent him flying backwards, crashing hard enough into the car to shatter the windows. As he slumped to the floor, Val stomped over and grabbed his shirt, lifting him up and slamming him into the bent and broken metal. With a loud battle cry, she raised the dagger over her head and prepared to shove into his throat, but a sharp pain in her stomach made her cry out.
Rick punched her again, knocking her over. She grunted as she hit the floor and started to get up when a boot met her face. The hit knocked the shout from her throat and sent her to the ground again. She felt blood gush from her nose and bubble up in her throat. Coughing, she spat it onto the ground as he advanced on her.
"You let your emotions drive you." He growled, "And it's always been the one thing that kept from being the best, truly the very best."
She didn't respond, watching as he raised the stake over his head. Closing her eyes, she simply let her head fall back. She heard Damon struggling to get up, heard him shouting.
"No! No, don't! NO!"
I love you, Ally, Hector. And I'm so sorry.
She braced herself for the pain…
…but it never came.
A loud gasping noise made her eyes fly open, and she saw in horror that Rick had stopped dead, the stake still poised over his head. His eyes were wide, and he grabbed his chest with one hand as the other dropped the white oat stake. Val's stomach dropped in horror.
"No!" Damon screamed, stumbling up from his spot, grabbing Rick as he fell. "No, no, no…"
Val couldn't stay anything, staring in disbelief as Alaric's skin slowly turned gray. Veins crawled up his body, his limbs stopped working. He stopped breathing, he stopped moving. Damon clutched his body as it went slack, and then he was still.
"Rick…" Val whispered, dropping to her knees as Damon frantically shook their friend. "Rick?"
"Val."
She gasped, whipping around to see him. It was Rick, their Rick. Standing behind her. She looked back at the body in front of her and then to him again, her eyes beginning to sting. "Rick, I-how are you even-?"
"I needed to say one last goodbye." He whispered, crouching down. "I hope you know, that despite everything I said and did, you were right. That wasn't me. I would never hurt you, and I would never hurt Hector and Ally."
"Val, what are you doing?" Damon asked, sounding confused and terrified. It occurred to her that he probably couldn't see what she could see, and she couldn't open her mouth to tell him. She just stared in incredulity at her best friend's ghost in front of her.
"I needed to say good-bye, Val." Rick told her softly, "and I wanted to say thank you." He smiled tearfully. "You truly are the best."
Val opened her mouth, finally finding her voice. Her chance to say thank you, to say good-bye, to beg him not to go and that he needed to stay because she couldn't do any of it on her own.
But she didn't get a chance to. Because one second he was there…
…and then he was gone.
Twelve hours later…
She shut the trunk of the car with finality, her bags fully packed inside. There was nothing left of hers in the house, or in town. It was all loaded up, ready to go to San Antonio. And after that, she wasn't sure. She'd need to do some more research.
"When my sister gave this to me, I thought for sure it was some kind of cruel trick."
Val turned slowly to see Elijah standing there, holding a clean white cloth in one hand while the other was in his suit pants pocket. Dangling out of the white cloth was a long, golden chain. The ruby-embedded crucifix gleamed at her in the moonlight. She tried to smile, but she was sure it came off as a grimace.
"You sure you want to give that to me?" She asked, leaning against her car and folding her arms. "With Rick dead, I'm technically the ultimate huntress."
Elijah only shook his head, walking closer. "If you wanted to kill any of us, you would have done it when we were at our weakest." He paused, and it was then she saw how swollen and red his eyes were. He'd been crying. "After Niklaus had died."
Val hesitated, but finally reached forward and took the crucifix from him. She didn't say it out loud, but it felt so good to have it in contact with her skin again. Like coming upon a part of her that had been missing for so long. Slowly, she clasped it back around her neck.
"My sister told me what you did." Elijah said quietly, staring down at her. "How you gave it to her, how you made sure she escaped."
"She needed to give it to Hector."
"It could have been anyone."
"Yeah." She nodded, licking her lips and running a hand through her hair. "Maybe."
They sat in silence for a few more minutes, and finally, Elijah reached up, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "This isn't goodbye, Valentina. I hope you know that. Eventually, we will meet again."
Before she could respond, he was gone.
She slowly set the letter down on the kitchen island right in the center. Jeremy would most likely see it first, and she hoped he would give it to Elena. She wanted them both to read it. She wanted them to know how sorry she was.
"So, that's it, then?"
Val turned, seeing Damon standing in the doorway of the kitchen. His face was tight and angry, his fists clenched at his side. "You're just going to leave?"
She was quiet for a beat, biting her lip, before she spoke. "I have to, Damon. I need answers, for so many things. And I won't get any of them here."
"Yes. Yes, you can." He told her, stepping closer. "I could help you. We could find them together. Just…" he trailed off, and shook his head, face tight with fury and pain. "Just don't go."
She smiled sadly and stepped forward, lifting up a hand to place it against his cheek. Softly, she rubbed her thumb over his cheekbone and finally spoke. "I don't hate you. I need you to know that. I could never, even after everything you've done. You're my best friend, and I trust you more than anyone."
He looked hopeful, but she had to shake her head. "I know what you were going to say yesterday, when I woke up. And I need to tell you that I don't love you like that."
His face dropped, and his eyes closed. "I- you don't-"
"I know that look, Damon." She whispered. "And I also know that it's not real, not completely. If things were different, if we'd met in another time, then maybe we could have tried. But…" she bit her lip and shook head. "But I refuse to come second place to anyone. As long as Elena is around, no one else will ever be first in your eyes."
Damon looked guilty and angry, but she turned his face slowly back to her. "Hey. It's ok. I'm not mad, and I'm not upset as I say that. I know it's hard to control your feelings, especially your feelings about others. And I mean this in the most sincere way possible when I say that I hope you find someone who will love you completely, whether that person is Elena, or not." She paused. "But it won't be me."
They both had tears in their eyes as he leaned down, and softly, slowly, they kissed.
It was short, and very, very sweet. They stayed with their lips pressed together for a few seconds, but eventually, she pulled away. Pressing her forehead against his, she sniffled and took a shaky breath.
"Goodbye, Damon."
And then she left, walking out the front door without looking back. Damon watched her leave. He opened his mouth to call her back, but the words got stuck in his throat. He heard the sound of her car starting, then the tires on the asphalt as it pulled away.
And then it was quiet.
Slowly, he grabbed the folded letter sitting on the island. It was addressed to Jeremy and Elena, but he couldn't help it. He unfolded the paper and looked down at Val's neat, small handwriting.
Dear Jeremy and Elena,
I'm begging you not to hate me. I know that doesn't do much good, and I understand if you're upset. It's not fair to leave you like this with Rick officially gone, but you have Damon, Stefan, Caroline, Bonnie, Matt, Liz, and so many others. I'm confident that you will be well cared for.
But I also need you to know that there are so many questions that I have to find answers for. About my family, about Ally, about my connection to the Mikaelson's. And I won't find any of those in Mystic Falls. I have to travel, I have to go places that my ancestors were. Maybe, when I've found everything there is to find, I'll come back. And don't ever think that I'm gone for good. I'm only a phone call away if you ever really need me. I'll do whatever I can to get back to you guys, no matter how long it takes.
I spent most of my time in Mystic Falls desperate to get my family back. I have awful tunnel vision sometimes, and I was so blinded by duties as a sister and as a Rodriguez I don't think I was ever the version of myself that any of you needed. For that, I am deeply sorry.
But I understand now. I understand that I already had a family. You were all my family. I felt like I'd lost all but a few members of it, and instead, I gained even more. I will never forget any of you, and I want the best for every single one of you guys.
I love you all.
Sincerely, your huntress,
Valentina