MYSTIC FALLS
After Elena had another vision which lead them to a house on the edge of town, Enzo and Damon walk through the empty house only to spot a shadow sat in the corner of the living room, surrounded by the darkness.
Damon takes a step forward arching his brow at the figure "Markos, I take it."
As the leader of the travelers stands Damon and Enzo walk towards him ready for a fight "Well, I'm not Stefan..." Damon comments before gesturing to Enzo "...and this is not Elena."
Markos sighs before moving towards the fireplace unamused by the vampire's humor "Why are you here?"
"I was about to ask you the same question." Damon fires back watching him carefully "Plus what do you want and why are the doppelgangers having visions of each other?"
Markos doesn't lift his gaze from the flames as he speaks "First two are complicated. Last one's easy. I'm the reason Stefan and Elena are having visions of each other."
Damon's eyes widen in shock but he couldn't help but find himself confused, why would this random guy even if he was with the travelers be giving Elena and Stefan visions "You?"
"Well not exactly." Markos corrects as he turns to face the two "It was a suggestion made by a friend of the Travelers. She's helping us get their blood. The prophecy regarding the doppelgangers is not as it's said in lore, it's that their blood can help the travelers. They're being drawn together because of a spell I cast 1500 years ago. The visions are just an extra precaution from a Banshee friend of mine. Alina Petrova can be very persuasive, you'd be surprised some of the people she's had wrapped around her finger over the centuries."
"Another Petrova?" Damon asks groaning in annoyance, how did yet another Petrova land in their lives and a Banshee of all things. Weren't they supposed to be extinct other than Elena? "We just got rid of one Petrova bitch we don't need another."
"It's stuffy in here." Markos says suddenly before turning to Damon, practically ignoring Enzo "Why don't we take a walk?"
Damon clenches his jaw before moving to the door as Markos moves to follow him the almost 2000-year-old traveler halts as he finally faces Enzo "You stay here."
"Not bloody likely." Enzo hisses refusing to leave his friend, however, what Markos says next makes the vampire pause "You want to find Maggie? You stay here."
NEW ORLEANS
Buffy was crouched on the floor in front of Joy feeding the little girl cut up pieces of fruit when a cold sensation goes down her back. Frowning the blonde picks up her little girl holding her close as she keeps her arms protectively wrapped around her.
"Hayley!" Buffy yells as her feet stop suddenly her eyes going wide at the sight that had drawn her attention.
"Buffy, what is it? Are you guys okay?!" Hayley yells in a panic as she runs into the room only to spot Buffy staring at the opposite wall with horrified eyes.
Buffy couldn't tear her gaze from the wall as branches continue to grow out of nowhere before flowers began blooming all over the new stems. But they weren't just any flowers...
"They're dahlia's." The blonde whispers spinning around to face Hayley, she knew what this was, it was a message "She knows."
Hayley clenches her jaw and quickly takes Buffy's arm leading the mother and daughter downstairs, there was no way she was letting either of them out of her sight.
Buffy sighs as she reaches into her back pocket, grabbing her phone she tries to dial Klaus's number only for the call to not even go through "I can get through."
Hayley clenches her jaw before turning to one of the wolves guarding the main door "I need you to go get help now. Go. Go."
With that, the wolf runs off and Buffy turns to Hayley "Take her." She whispers handing Joy over to the wolf who keeps a protective arm around the baby while Buffy grabs the scythe from her side.
Dahlia was coming, but Buffy sure as hell wasn't going down without a fight.
MYSTIC FALLS
After flying back from New Orleans Stefan had been sat in his taxi when he had another vision of Elena. Only this one felt different than the others like it would be the end of all of this. It felt like the power giving him the visions was withdrawn.
Rubbing his eyes as he flashes back to the inside of the cab which was now outside the Boarding house he hands the driver his money before making his way inside. Dropping his bag in the doorway he comes to a startling halt as he spots Elena sat with her back to him in the parlor room as she stares into the fire.
"Elena." He calls causing the brunette to jump up from her seat and spin around to face him, revealing the tears in her eyes. She watches him awkwardly for a moment before running a hand through her hair "Did you...did you feel that too?"
Stefan nods thinking back to the image of him and Elena married with two kids, while it had been beautiful it felt...wrong "And then it just ended."
Elena sighs "Does that mean that's it's over?"
"Yeah, it's over."
Sighing the vampire moves to leave the room only to halt in his steps as Elena calls out to him "You're back."
Stefan hesitantly turns back to face her, his jaw tight as he watched her "For now."
Elena frowns in slight confusion at his words before rubbing her palms together nervously. The room, filling with an awkward tension as Stefan clearly knew what she was about to ask.
"How—"
"She's scared, Elena." He snaps before groaning as he watches her flinch, taking a step closer into the room he rubs his jaw in frustration "She's freaked out and she's terrified." As he spots her reaching for her phone his eyes widen "Don't." He warns her. Buffy could not handle Elena messing with her head right now, she was barely holding herself together, Elena was not going to help in this situation.
"Leave her be." He warns her ignoring her hurt look, she needed to realize that this wasn't about her "Elena, she's going through enough right now. She's in hell and she needed her big sister...and you made her feel like something was wrong with her."
Elena's eyes widen tears beginning to stream down her face at his words, that's not what she had meant to do, she just wanted Buffy to not act like Damon, or Stefan, or worse even Klaus "I just wanted—"
"It's not about you." He reminds her sighing in frustration, this was the second time they had to have this conversation and it still wasn't getting through her head. Hell, even Katherine when she was pretending to be Elena had seen that Buffy was happier out of Mystic Falls.
Inhaling tightly he tries to think of the right words, because this was the last time he was going to try, if Elena didn't see it soon then she was going to lose Buffy and there wasn't anything he could do to stop that "You're causing more damage than good Elena. It may not be my place but...she has enough to deal with worse than you can even imagine."
Elena clenches her jaw slightly wiping at the tears streaming down her face, all she wanted was her brother and sister home with her. To go back to a simpler time.
"I just want her home, Stefan."
"This isn't her home, Elena!" The vampire finally snaps as he turns his back on her, his back tensing slightly before he turns back to look at her "And it's not mine anymore. I'm leaving once the travelers are dealt with. Buffy and I...we discussed it today. We're moving on with our lives. We all are...I suggest you start doing the same."
NEW ORLEANS
Buffy clenches her fist tightly around the scythe as she blocks Joy from the view of the doorway, this was where Dahlia was coming. She could feel it all over her body, her slayer sense going haywire at the dark energy approaching the doorway, which hopefully the witch would not be able to pass.
Not even a minute later her worried feelings were confirmed as heels click loudly from outside before finally, Dahlia appeared standing just outside the barrier.
Dahlia's eyes glaze over Buffy and Joy gasping with a smile at the both of them "She's a mirror image of her beautiful mother." The witch compliments as she smiles at Buffy who clenches her jaw tightly.
As Dahlia takes a step forward Buffy moves to throw the scythe only to halt as she spots Dahlia unable to cross the barrier. Buffy couldn't help but sigh in relief, that was one thing going their way today at least.
Dahlia's smile quickly fades as she looks down at the white line currently barring her from crossing over, sighing she turns to look at Buffy "I was hoping for a more intimate chat, though I sense by entering...you would have me at a considerable disadvantage."
Buffy merely tilts her head "Come on in, I was always more for fistfights." She says twirling the scythe in her grasp as she continues to block her daughter from Dahlia's view.
Dahlia merely offers what would be considered a kind smile, if she wasn't a psychotic witch trying to kidnap the Slayer and her child.
"I only wanted to meet you..." Dahlia says almost too kindly sending a dark shiver up Buffy's spine making it clear for her to stay on guard at all times around this woman.
"I have the heard the stories." Dahlia says letting out what could be perceived as an impression laugh "The Fallen Slayer. First of her kind. The strongest, the fastest, the most aflame. I must say..." Pausing the witch looks Buffy up and down before smiling slightly "...you're smaller than I imagined."
"And you're not all bones and dust for an old witch." Buffy snarks "Color me surprised. I thought I'd be talking to a walking skeleton."
Dahlia lets out a small chuckle amused by the young woman's words "I've heard you were funny, fond of sarcasm and jokes. I'm sure it will grow on me, over time...it won't be long now."
Buffy couldn't help but gulp as she spots Dahlia again trying to get a peek at her daughter but once again Buffy pushed Hayley behind her making it clear that if push came to shove and she had to fight Dahlia, Hayley would have to take Joy...and run like hell, while the blonde tried to hold her off.
Dahlia hums slightly as she looks around the outside of the club currently keeping the Summers girls safe "Surely you've noticed that the spell protecting you is growing weaker?"
At this Hayley steps forward letting out a growl "If you lay a finger on either of them, I'll show you some werewolf hospitality."
Buffy smirks slightly before turning back to Dahlia a dark look covering the blonde's face "You come near us...and you'll find out exactly what a Slayer Demon hybrid is."
Dahlia despite the threats coming from both women merely turns to Buffy with a kind smile hoping to make her see that it would be better for her to come with the child peacefully.
Because she would take them both by force if necessary "I'm granting you a gift, my child." She says focusing on the blonde vampire Slayer who was practically vibrating in anger "We will be great friends you and I... I'm letting you remain in your daughter's life, as well as your future children's. I can assure you, I'm promising you nothing more than a happy life. I will teach all your children magic and they will be extremely powerful." Slowly a grin covers Dahlia's face as she spots Buffy's disgusted look "I even have the perfect father in mind for all the children you will have."
Buffy couldn't help but scoff, this woman not only planned to sell her off to whatever powered creep she saw fit, but she was acting as though she wouldn't be turning Joy into her little slave. Just like she had done to Freya.
She would not let her daughter go through that kind of treatment and she sure as hell would rather die before she let Dahlia get her clammy little hands on her baby "Yeah sorry I've both been there and done with childbirth, I'm good."
Dahlia sighs at the girl's stubbornness "My child, Esther and I made a bargain a long time ago...and so, you see, that child is rightfully mine." She points out gesturing to the little girl in Hayley's arms before facing the Slayer once again "Esther kept what was mine through that curse. The payment of them becoming vampires and driving away any chance of more first born's...is you."
Buffy clenches her jaw as she takes a step forward glaring right at the witch "I will not have my life or my little girl bargained away. You wanna try and take us, fine...but I will end you." She hisses out her voice coming out sounding more like a vicious growl during her promise.
Dahlia sighs with a shake of her head she watches the blonde carefully, it would make sense that the woman destined to be with the stubborn Hybrid...would be just as stubborn "You're frightened for your child. But rest assure, I mean neither of you harm. Anything that Freya may have told you about our life together, well she always had a flair for the dramatic."
"Yeah, well, it seems to run in the family." Hayley pipes up glaring hatefully at the witch.
"It will be different than it was with Freya." Dahlia says as she glances at the werewolf before turning back to the seething Slayer "Joyce will be raised by her mother and will be surrounded by powerful siblings."
Dahlia offers the blonde one more smile just as Buffy takes a now crying Joy into her arms while Hayley steps forward blocking them both from view as her eyes flash yellow "Come closer. Let's see how a witch with no magic does against a werewolf and The Slayer."
Dahlia merely shakes her head at the werewolf's words "Hayley, is it?" She asks making the wolf clench her jaw as her claws slowly begin growing ready to rip the witch's throat out with her teeth "I see you're fond of the two of them. Say your goodbyes. Nightfall tomorrow will come all too soon. Goodbye, for now...My Slayer, Little One."
After having a pitiful lunch with Camille who had clearly just been digging for him to admit some emotional issue she suspected he was hiding over his dead father the hybrid strolls through the quarter only to sigh as he feels a familiar presence moving over to his side.
"Your transparent attempts to therapize me, failed, brother." Klaus hisses not willing to admit that while Cami's attempts had failed another blonde the previous night had managed to get the truth out of him. With much less psychoanalysis.
"I suggest you allow me to make my way home in peace."
"Enough of the games, Niklaus." Elijah hisses no longer having the patience for his brother's stubbornness "Now is not the time. Must I beseech you to stand with us?"
Klaus couldn't help but smirk in amusement at his brother's words "If by us you mean you and Freya...then I will not be standing with you."
"She is the best chance we have to save your child."
At his brother's words, Klaus couldn't help but feel something inside him snap, just like the mother of his child he was getting very sick of others telling him how to protect their daughter. The only people that got to make those decisions were himself and Buffy.
Stopping in his steps outside a small cafe he turns to face his brother with a heavy glare "Yes, Elijah, my child. Which is why although she feigns innocence, I can't help but recall it was Freya who led our lunatic brother to the safe house, where he would have done God knows what if you and Buffy had not intervened. Buffy stands by my side yet you don't."
Elijah clenches his jaw before thinking back to a certain day years ago when Buffy had not stood by his side where he himself had almost done something he was certain he would have regretted "I was a breath away from taking your life." He reminds the hybrid "Just a few short years ago when you broke your curse and began the process for the prophecy that led to having The Slayer at your side...I held your beating heart in my hand. Do you recall that, Niklaus?"
Klaus couldn't help but clench his jaw tightly at the mention of the curse, while he had no regrets over breaking it, had he known back then just how important The Slayer would become to him...he would have made sure to use another vampire.
"And yet here we are." Elijah continues causing the hybrid to come out of the flashes of biting Buffy that night and focus back on his brother "Still alive, still family. Now, we need her, Niklaus. Freya is our family if you cannot see the greater picture-"
"You see only the next curve in the road." The hybrid argues his rage raising by the second "I am looking from above. The mother of my child has stopped seven apocalypses not by luck...but by thinking ahead. Freya gave herself away...when she complained of our single weapon to kill Dahlia. She confirmed what Buffy pointed out to me long ago in Sunnydale before she died. There is always another way. And I know now there is a way to defeat our hated enemy without Freya."
Elijah sighs, his brother did have him there, while yes they had faced their fair amount of foes over the centuries none of them had been through the battles Buffy had. She had run armies, fought things non of them could even imagine. And each time she had found a way. Niklaus trusted her word, her advice when it came to war...because she had been in her fair share. She was a General. One adapted well to battle.
However, what Elijah disliked was his brother's clear distrust to in-trust his own siblings with the trust and respect he granted The Slayer "So enlighten me and I will do everything in my power to help you."
"Forsake Freya and I will let you in."
Elijah's eyes widen in disgust at the ultimatum "Niklaus, this is insane. Buffy is like a sister to me, she and Joy are also my family. Now, if you continue to walk this path, you will lead them both towards harm. And do not fail to understand me when I say this to you: I will do whatever it takes to prevent this."
Klaus couldn't help but clench his jaw in anger, everything he had done was to keep Buffy and Joy safe, no matter the cost. Yet his brother didn't see it that way, because he was not fond of the methods "So will I. So the choice remains yours, brother. Freya or me."
WHITMORE
"I'm out of coffee." Bonnie announces as she strolls into Elena and Xander's apartment ignoring the pair that were currently making out on the couch.
Elena's eyes widen and she panics quickly jumping off her boyfriend's lap only to land straight on her butt on the floor.
Xander snorts in amusement before turning to Bonnie in confusion as he helps Elena up "It's night. Isn't coffee a sunlight only thing?"
Bonnie sighs as she pours herself a mug before leaning her elbows against the kitchen counter, sleep was going to be impossible for her now that she had found out the truth not only from her Grams but after Matt died temporarily he had confirmed it too "How am I supposed to sleep. The Other Side is disintegrating. As the anchor to the other side, I'm only alive as long as there is another side."
Elena sighs shaking her head, there was no way she was going to let Bonnie die "No, you're not dying again. It's not an option."
Bonnie sighs, she didn't want to die, she didn't want to not grow up, to watch her friends grow, to not see her Goddaughter's first dance. She wanted to be there for it all "Mary even called me yelling about how she's been seeing dead people all night in Paris. Who are not happy with her. She sent me a spell that might work. I'm gonna talk to Liv, she's on her way to meet me here."
Elena sighs rubbing her forehead in exhaustion, they had to find a way to save Bonnie "We should get everyone here, I mean think about everyone else on The Other Side, Alaric, Lexi."
Bonnie nods, from what Matt had said Vicki had been yanked up into some void, they couldn't let that happen to the others, they just couldn't "Stefan's next door said he'd come over to help."
Elena frowns in confusion, the last time she had seen Stefan he had been at the Boarding house "Why is he here?"
"He's picking up a few of Buffy's things for her."
NEW ORLEANS
Buffy groans as Elijah follows her through the Jazz club with Hayley, she really was not in the mood for a third degree. Kicking open a set of doors into the main bar the blonde moves behind it grabbing a bottle of bourbon off the bar before turning to the suit-clad original "Look I tried to call Nik, my phone was working one second and the next Dahlia went Hypno on it. I'm not Willow I can't hack around magic technical interference, Elijah."
As Buffy opens the bottle taking a big gulp from it Elijah sighs turning to Hayley "Where were the rest of the wolves that were supposed to be stood-guard."
"Getting their asses handed to them by Dahlia, like Klaus did."
Buffy groans as she pulls the bottle from her lips before leaning her head against the wall, right now she was thankful Stefan left when he did otherwise Dahlia probably would have ripped him apart. Moving to sit on the bar she turns to Elijah "I'm not staying here now. There are too many entrances, too many places she can get through."
"Buffy is correct." Another voice says, causing Buffy to turn and sigh in relief as she spots Klaus walk in and straight over to her taking the bottle from her hands making her roll her eyes.
"You're coming with me to the compound."
Buffy arches a brow at the hybrid "Didn't you have a possessed witch there this morning?" Hopping off the counter the blonde couldn't help but pace "She's smarter than we are, I don't know if there is anywhere we can go where she won't find us."
"Then you leave." Hayley pipes up making Buffy's eyes widen and she spins around to face the wolf giving her a pointed look, she had warned Hayley not to do this.
Hayley ignores the furious look on the blonde's face as she steps towards her "Look Jackson is out getting supplies. We'll go with the wolves take you out to the Bayou."
Buffy couldn't help but groan, that made no sense, they needed a ground that both she and Klaus knew like the back of their hands "No, I don't know the Bayou, Dahlia has already shown that she can take the wolves, poof down with a wave of her hand. If I'm gonna have to deal with Dahlia I want as many advantages as I can, including knowing the lay of the land."
Klaus takes an angry step forward forcing Buffy to grab his arm, she could see it in his eyes he was about ready to rip the wolf's head off "I will not allow Buffy and my child's safety to be left in the hands of Wolves that Dahlia has no problem tearing through."
"Buffy, Niklaus." Elijah pipes up from behind the pair causing the two to turn their heads to where Elijah was stood listening calmly "Perhaps Hayley is right."
"What?" Buffy exclaims in astonishment as she stares at the suit-clad original "How does that work in your brain? I'm not going to get wolves killed, which will happen when Dahlia gets there."
Klaus scoffs slightly as he glares in-between the wolf and his brother, both of them clearly deciding that they knew better than both the hybrids "While the two of you..." He says pointing in-between them "...have been kowtowing to Freya, and devising ways to flee with your tail between your legs...I've been forging a new path. I know what Freya was planning. And I know how to kill Dahlia."
MYSTIC FALLS
Damon slams the front door of the Boarding house shut behind him, today had just gone from bad to worse. While yes Markos, the travelers, and the Mysterious banshee Alina had stopped Stefan and Elena's visions, it had then gone right downhill from there. Jeremy and Matt decided it was a great idea to lose the only weapon they had against the travelers and now Lockwood was missing, so was probably stuck with a passenger in his body.
Spotting Enzo calling he quickly answers as he makes his way over to the bourbon "How is it travelers are everywhere until you actually need to find one?"
"Hunt going poorly then?"
"That's what I get for working with the hardy boys." He mumbles as he begins pouring himself a glass of bourbon cursing himself for staying in this damn town as long as he had.
"I take it you don't have Stefan's diaries handy." Damon frowns in confusion, that was completely out of place and sudden, however before he could even question it Enzo continues "I need you to check his journal for an entry on November 8th, 1960."
Rolling his eyes the vampire drops down onto his couch comfortably placing his feet on the pillows "Stefan burned his journals a while ago. He was in a mood. Why?"
"Ah. Just trying to settle a little debate. No matter, I'm right. How are you hanging in there mate, I hear Stefan and the lovely Buffy are planning on a move."
At his words Damon sits up a million thoughts running through his head, while he wasn't stupid enough to believe that Buffy would come back here like the others, given she had wanted to leave for over 3 years he hadn't been aware his brother was planning on running off too. "How'd you hear that?" When Enzo goes deafly quiet Damon couldn't help but clench his jaw, he had a bad feeling about this "Are you with him right now?"
"Not for long. I reckon him or one of the others will be dead soon. An eye for an eye and all that."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Enzo." Damon panics as his fists clench "You have your murder voice on. I need you to speak very slowly, very calmly, and tell me what the hell the problem is."
"The problem, if you must know...is that my girl, Maggie, the one who got away, turns out she didn't get away for long. Your ripper of a brother took a big bite out of her neck membrane in the '60s."
Damon couldn't help but frown, that wasn't possible Stefan in the '60s was a miserable barely feeding introvert "Sixties? Stefan wasn't even..."
"Gotta jet mate. Nothing personal, just a bit of revenge. You understand."
NEW ORLEANS
"Freya objected to us making a single weapon because it spoiled her plan." Klaus argues as he paces back and forth trying to make his brother realized the truth.
However, the discussion was cut off as Jackson screaming comes from outside "Klaus!" He yells his voice quickly approaching.
Buffy frowns in confusion and spins around only for her eyes to widen as Jackson runs inside with a body over his shoulder "What the hell?" She breaths as Jackson continues to yell furiously while Hayley makes her way over to her husband.
Moving towards the table Buffy's eyes widen at the sight of Aiden's scratched marked face, it had been torn into and his heart had been viciously torn out leaving nothing but a gaping hole in his chest.
Jackson clenches his jaw as he turns to glare at the hybrid "Klaus made Aiden spy on us. Instead, he told me everything. So you killed him."
Buffy arches a brow as she moves the hair out of Aiden's face, the claw marks on his face were horrible yes, but it wasn't the way Klaus killed. She had seen enough of his victims to know that he never had to bring werewolf claws into the game. None of this made sense.
"These wolves swore to protect Joy and Buffy and you killed him!" Hayley yells turning to Klaus in disbelief.
Noticing Jackson making a move towards Klaus Buffy speeds in front of the hybrid pressing her hand against Jackson's chest sending him flying across the room "Don't." She warns making Hayley stare at her in disbelief "Buffy look at what he did."
Buffy clenches her jaw she knew he hadn't done it, he had been just as shocked as the rest of them yet she also knew that the immediate accusations coming from the wolves had hurt him. Specifically, because Elijah had just stood by and not questioned it.
The hybrid who was glaring at the wolves yanks Buffy out of the way moving her behind him as he glares at the wolves "So what if I did?" he lies through his teeth making the blonde frown, he was lying that was clear enough...but she couldn't figure out why.
"This is what happens to anyone who dares cross me."
"That is enough!" Buffy yells drawing everyone's attention, stepping forward she turns to the wolves "Go now."
"You can't be asking us to leave you alone with him!" Jackson yells in disbelief as he glares at the hybrid who smirks at him.
Buffy groans and again catches Jackson's fist in her palm before he could have a go at Klaus, which would only lead to every wolf in this room dead "You push right now...and I don't have to tell you what will happen. Go to Bayou give Aiden the funeral deserves." When Jackson tries to move against her hold the blonde rolls her eyes before squeezing his fist causing him to cry out in agony and drop to his knees at her feet "Did I stutter? Go, now. Clearly, I can take care of myself. No one else is dying today."
Klaus merely chuckles slightly at her words watching as the wolves all watch her as she brings their Alpha to his knees without breaking a sweat "Listen to your Queen boys and girls. If you think my temper's bad...you've never seen her cut a man in half."
Buffy groans before turning to Klaus "Klaus, just go get this weapon."
"Shant be long."
MYSTIC FALLS
Damon quickly opens the file for Maggie James' murder as Liz hands it over, scanning through the photos his eyes widen at the sight of the beautiful woman with her head missing. A woman he very much remembered.
"Stefan was right." He mumbles, this was not good "He didn't kill Enzo's girl."
"How do you know?" The Sheriff asks in confusion.
Damon winces slightly as he slams the file closed unsure of exactly how in the hell he was going to figure out what to do next "Because I did."
NEW ORLEANS
Hayley sighs as she stands in the doorway watching as Buffy sat with Joy, after a beat she spots Elijah stood at the bar gesturing for him to move into another room the Original frowns in confusion before sighing as she taps her ear and gestures towards The Slayer.
Sighing Elijah follows the brunette closing the door behind them, not even a second later Hayley starts up on him "Nice job today. First Klaus kills Aiden and then you and Buffy defend him?"
Elijah couldn't help but clench his jaw as he holds his glass tightly in his hand "I was protecting Buffy and Joy."
"Yeah, if that's true then what happens now?" Hayley groans before grabbing onto her hair in frustration "Why does she trust him so much?" She couldn't help but ask, she just couldn't understand how Buffy had so much faith in such a monster.
"After everything that he has done to her, she still protects him."
Elijah couldn't help but exhale, the connection between Buffy and Klaus was something not even he in his 1000 years had he been able to come close to understanding. And he doubted he would ever understand the depths they would go to for each other.
"The Prophecy." He says simply only to sigh as he spots her confused gaze, placing his glass down on the table he tries to think of the best way to explain it "It spoke of a connection between the two of them. A bond like no other. One I cannot even understand. But if I could guess...they are both the only ones of their kind. Both alone in the world. That connects them in ways non of us can imagine. Buffy's relationship with her family is falling apart, yet Niklaus is always there for her. Because he loves her. He understands her. Just as she understands him. She has been through many wars yes, and had my brother not done this to Aiden I would trust that her faith in him was correct, but that faith...I'm starting to believe it will be her undoing. Like it was almost mine."
Hayley's eyes widen as it clicks, Elijah didn't think that Klaus being around Buffy was good for the Slayer. Looking around she sighs "Buffy told me you promised to always protect her. I just wanna keep her and Joy safe. Buffy is the key to the future but she won't listen to me. I want to take them both to the Bayou. Help me."
Elijah shakes his head and crosses his arms, he was still firmly agreed that staying here, for the time being, was the safest option "If you take them to the Bayou, I cannot protect them or you from Dahlia. Or Niklaus. Or even Buffy, she won't run."
Hayley sighs, "Buffy got Klaus to find a way to keep Joy from doing Magic. We have it. And...Davina had an idea to at least make it easier for us to get Buffy there. Jackson knows every inch of the bayou. Help us help them."
Suddenly there is a slamming of the door and both of them spin around in a panic, Elijah speeds into the room where Buffy had been only to find it empty.
No Buffy or Joy.
Buffy storms into the Compound with Joy in her arms and quickly spots Klaus "You get the weapon?"
The hybrid nods as he makes his way towards the blonde kissing her forehead softly before kissing his daughter's, before spotting the silver chain on Joy's wrist "I see Davina came through."
"Yeah." Buffy whispers before running a hand through her hair as she stares at the device that was currently keeping Joy from using her magic. Honestly, when Klaus had messaged her telling her to meet him she had jumped because with the way Elijah and Hayley were whispering around, she didn't trust it.
Buffy looks up at the handsome hybrid sadly as she watches him "Why did you lie?" She asks with a small whisper looking up at him with wide eyes.
When he frowns in confusion she shakes her head at him, For 7 years she had known this man and she still had to explain the basics sometimes "Really? Nik, I've known you a long time. I've seen you kill and I also know what you look when you're shocked. But you took the credit...why?"
The hybrid sighs, while a part of him hated that somehow this one woman could read him like an open book, there was a part of him that was grateful that someone still had faith in him. Not even his own brother had thought it a lie but she knew "If I have spilled Crescent blood..."
"Then I would be forced to question the packs' loyalty." Buffy whispers before taking a shaky breath and places a hand on his cheek forcing him to look her in the eye "I'm not gonna run. I'm here because you and I can protect her. We're her parents, we decide no one else."
The hybrid merely stares at her for a long moment as he watches her, "Why..." He whispers before leaning his forehead against hers closing his eyes "Why do you still have faith in me? I am not a good man."
"Because we're the same." She whispers looking up at him with teary eyes "We kill, we hurt...people fear us without knowing us. But everything we do...is for her." She mumbles to the little girl whose head was asleep on her shoulder "And I'm sick of other people expecting me to turn on you and run, telling me what is best for our child. I want Dahlia dead and the only person I know who will do anything to get that done. Is you."
The hybrid pulls back watching her for a long moment before smiling, as much as he wished he could kiss her right now, he knew it wasn't the time...and she would probably punch him in the face if he tried.
So instead he cupped her cheek in his palm looking at her with rare kind eyes "We will defeat Dahlia. The two of us...like you said to me all those years ago...we're stronger together, Luv."
Buffy smiles brightly before she arches a brow "Well technically I didn't call you Luv when I told you that. But yeah that works."
WHITMORE
Damon pushes open the door to Xander and Elena's apartment quickly spotting the disaster that had occurred. Liv currently had Bonnie in the kitchen while in the living room Xander was out cold with a bloody head and Elena and Stefan were tied to chairs. Stefan getting the worst of it as he currently had Enzo digging a wooden stake into his gut "Well, this is depressing."
At his words announcing his arrival, Enzo yanks the stake out of Stefan spinning around to spot Damon who arches a brow at the disaster of an apartment "Got to hope they have homeowners insurance." He says as he walks over the broken table.
Enzo ignores Damon's jokes as he glares at his best friend, he knew what Damon was doing and it wasn't going to work "You were there with me in Augustine. Don't tell me you've forgotten...what it was like to cling to the thing that kept you from feeling pain."
"Enzo, I get it." He assures his friend who he could see was on the edge right now, and an Enzo on the edge was almost as bad as a Damon on the edge "The prospect of seeing Maggie was your safety line to the world...the one thing that kept you from shutting it off. But she's gone."
Noticing Elena's worried gaze on a pass out Xander he sighs, he couldn't help but feel for the human he had already lost one eye and now kept getting knocked out. Sighing he turns back to Enzo, dreading what he was about to admit but it was either he tells Enzo the truth or Enzo kills Stefan.
"The thing is...I didn't know she was your Maggie."
At his words, Enzo's entire face drops as he stares at Damon in confusion praying that Damon was bluffing "What are you talking about?"
"She didn't tell me her name when we met."
"When exactly was this?"
Damon sighs as he rubs his jaw slightly, this was going to go very badly "November 8, 1960."
NEW ORLEANS
As their daughter slept surrounded by a boundary spell courtesy of Mary, Klaus was leading Buffy so they could gather the weapon to kill Dahlia. As he leads her into the art studio both of them come to a halt as they spot Elijah stood in the center of the room.
"I knew you would come here." The elder Original said as he glances back at Buffy with a shake of his head, in his mind his brother had dug his claws so deep in the Slayer's mind now that there was no reasoning...with either Hybrid.
Turning away from her he picks up one of Klaus' paintbrushes examining it closely "You put them in the paint. Father's ashes." He realizes before gesturing at the painting Klaus had done mere hours earlier "The earth from the sacred ground all hidden in plain sight."
Buffy clenches her jaw tightly her hand hovering ever so slightly closer to the scythe. She didn't like this, something felt off here.
Klaus was clearly feeling the same as he places on hand on the Slayer's wrist softly pulling her closer to him and away from his brother "What are you doing here?"
"Keeping a promise." Elijah says vaguely before a loud shot comes up from behind them.
Buffy gasps, feeling a wave of agony pass through her body, looking down her eyes widen as she spots a wooden stake that had been shot at her back now sticking out of her stomach.
"Nooo!" Klaus screams quickly catching the blonde as she drops to her knees however before he could proceed to rip the stake from her stomach he suddenly found himself thrown across the room his elder brother holding him against the wall.
Buffy gasps in agony as she looks over only to spot Klaus now pinned to the wall with Elijah's hand to his throat "No!" She gasps as she begins pulling the stake out only to gasp as she feels a needle enter her neck. As the serum forced into her system begins to spread Buffy could vaguely hear Klaus screaming her name. But it was put to the back of her mind as agony ran through her body and she quickly fell into a pair of arms.
Blinking she looks up only to spot Jackson who looks at her sadly "Jackson..."
"We're gonna help you." He whispers to her as he pulls the stake out of her stomach causing her to groan in agony, she could feel herself healing but something wasn't right. She wasn't healing like normal...whatever they had put in her system had weakened her more than anything she had ever felt.
"No!" Klaus screams forcing his brother off him before pinning him to the wall, the two struggling as the hybrid tries desperately to get to Buffy while fending off his brother "How dare you!?"
Buffy gasps as she watches Klaus get launched across the room "Nik!" She cries trying to force Jackson off her as he carefully lifts her into his arms but she couldn't fight against him as she felt herself becoming weaker and weaker until finally the last thing she saw before her eyes fluttered shut...was Elijah daggering Klaus with the golden dagger.
Elijah holds onto his brother tightly watching as the hybrid stares at him in shock, glancing back at Jackson who was holding an unconscious Buffy he gives him a small nod "Hayley has Joyce?" When Jackson nods he sighs before gesturing to the blood-covered blonde in Jackson's arms "Get them both away. Somewhere Niklaus will not find them. Protect them."
"I promise." Jackson assures him before taking Buffy away while Klaus watched unable to fight as the effects of the dagger began to kick in making him completely immobile "I'm protecting Buffy from your influence Brother. It's for them, for her and Joy." He tells his brother before letting him go watching as his brother drops to his knees.
The last thing Klaus seeing before he finally desiccates was the sight of Rebekah walking into the room...with Freya by her side.