NEW ORLEANS
Buffy was sat on the edge of her bed tears streaming down her face as she tried to get the horrid dreadful feeling out of her chest. While she had faith in her friends something felt wrong about the whole thing, she just couldn't put her finger on it.
Wiping the tears from her face the blonde moves to call Bonnie to check how the spell was going when she hears Marcel yelling from downstairs.
While Mary, Rebekah and, Elijah had gone off to bring back Esther that had left Buffy with Joy, while Marcel and Freya had been downstairs trying to slow down Dahlia's magic.
"Buffy!" Marcel screams again making the blonde speed out of her room only to spot Marcel pinned to the wall by Freya's magic.
The vampire looks over at the blonde desperately "She's gonna kill him!" He screams at the blonde before turning back to Freya who Buffy could see now was bent over Klaus with the White Oak Stake in her hand "You kill him, you kill me too!" Marcel screams as he struggles to try and stop the witch.
The second Buffy spotted the white oak stake panic filled her, leaping down over the railing the blonde lands in a crouch her eyes glued to the stake "Freya please! Don't make me hurt you. Please don't kill him."
"I don't want to!" Freya screams tears filling her eyes as she held the stake right above Klaus's heart Buffy too scared to make the wrong move and risk the witch staking him by accident "This is the family I longed for. But because of her..." She hisses glaring at Dahlia "...I'll forever be alone."
Deciding to go for the risk Buffy speeds over to Freya tackling her to the ground with the White Oak stake stumbling away from them both.
As Buffy grabs ahold of Freya pinning her down the blonde's eyes widen as she spots the White Oak Stake now magically flying towards her, knowing it could kill her the blonde moves to jump only for her eyes to widen as someone stops it's path.
Looking up at the face belonging to the hand currently holding the white oak stake Buffy's eyes widen as she spots Klaus staring at them both with wide eyes.
However, no words were exchanged as Dahlia gasps awake behind them all, Buffy clenches her jaw tightly as she glares at the witch, all they could hope for now was that Esther was back otherwise...they were so screwed.
Davina continues to stare at the newly resurrected witch Esther in confusion; this wasn't possible. She had used Kol's ashes yet he wasn't the face that burst out of the chamber when the spell was complete.
Hearing footsteps behind her Davina's eyes widen as she spots Rebekah walk in guilt and remorse covering her face as she faces the young witch. Davina couldn't help but glare "What did you do?"
"It wasn't Rebekah." Elijah reveals as he walks into the tomb with Mary at his side, the raven-haired beauty who was carrying the chains that Klaus had created for her so long ago waves her fingers at the witch "This is awkward. But it may have been us. Bit of distraction, a bit of swapping dust. Then boom, mother."
Davina stares at the pair in disbelief tears filling her eyes, Mary and Rebekah had promised to help bring Kol back and now they had both ruined the young witch's only chance in succeeding with that act. "That was my only chance. That was Kol's only chance. Now I know why he hates you."
As Davina takes a step forward Mary's eyes turn black and she raises her hand sending the witch flying backward hitting her back against the wall of the tomb "You may be regent but I am the eldest living witch...sort of..." She mumbles realizing that now she was technically the fourth "...I could tear you apart."
As Davina stands Rebekah wraps her hand around the young girl's neck beginning to put her to sleep as she holds her in a headlock "I promise we'll get Kol back. Just not today."
Without another second Elijah takes the chains from Marianna's hands and speeds over to his mother without hesitation planting them tightly around her wrists "Welcome back, mother."
THE OTHER SIDE
Elena groans in pain as her back connects with the staircase sending her crashing through the railing and into the wall. As her body lands back on the stairs she quickly goes flying down them landing at the bottom of the foyer.
"I must say." Alina chimes up as she reaches for the Banshee grabbing her by the hair before launching her across the floor sending her rolling into the kitchen "You're trained well. But no Banshee powers here, sweetie. I've had 300 years to prep for this."
Elena groans as she rolls onto her side grabbing her ribs, wincing in agony the Banshee struggles up to her feet and swings her fist out at Alina who quickly catches the girl's fist in her hand before slamming her forehead against Elena's.
As Elena drops once again she swings her legs out taking Alina's feet out from under her. As the elder Banshee drops Elena quickly pulls herself up moving towards the backdoor only to cry out as Alina flips back up to her feet and grabs onto the banister of the kitchen doorway swinging her body forward kicking Elena straight in the back.
Elena goes flying out the backdoor and into the garden, as she rolls onto her side she glares up as she spots Alina walking through the ruined door with a smirk on her face "Now...I'm out of time honey...as fun as this has been...time's up."
"Yeah, it is." A sudden voice says from behind Alina before a baseball bat was swung at her face sending her flying across the garden.
Elena's eyes widen in confusion before her eyes land on the man currently helping her back up to her feet "Oh my god." She breathes.
Alaric chuckles "Only you would get into a fight on The Other Side. Well, actually I can think of two other people." He tells her with a laugh making her smile as she knew that he meant Jeremy and Buffy.
"No." Alina hisses as she moves to step forward only to gasp as a ring of fire begins to take form around her.
Alaric quickly grabs Elena's wrist hauling her back as Alina begins screaming and crying begging for her life "No...please...don't make me go back..." She says to the flames before she glares over at Elena just as the flames begin surrounding her entire body engulfing her "This isn't over!" She hisses before finally, the flames disappear altogether, with Alina.
Elena sighs in relief before turning to Alaric hoping he knew what the hell just happened, but he just shrugs "No idea." He admits, in all his time on The Other Side that was a first for him. Shaking his head he quickly gets back to the reason he was here "Come on you gotta go."
Elena shakes her head in a panic, she wasn't going anywhere until she found Xander, she couldn't leave without him "What about Xander? I need to find him."
"No, you need to go home to your brother and sister. I'll find Xander. I gotta find Damon too."
Elena shakes her head yet again refusing to just run off she wouldn't leave without knowing Xander would be there too "I can't..."
"I'll find him, Elena Go!"
NEW ORLEANS
Buffy was stood beside Marcel while Freya was currently keeping a weak Klaus upright, all of them glaring at Dahlia who seemed amused by all the actions that had occurred.
"I'm almost impressed by the lengths you'd go to for your little girl." The witch hisses at Klaus "Though not enough to let bygones be." Without another word she raises her hand causing the White Oak Stake to fly out of Freya's hand and straight into Dahlia's grasp.
Buffy clenches her jaw tightly watching the stake with horror, if there was one person on the planet she didn't want holding the only thing that could kill her, it was Dahlia.
"We are still linked, dear aunt." Klaus hisses stumbling forward "You may not want to punish me with that particular weapon."
"I made sure that the link between us melted along with the dagger." She hisses before her eyes land on Buffy "And shall I remind you Niklaus, this weapon works on more than just you."
With that Dahlia tosses the white oak stake at Buffy who is quickly tackled to the ground by Marcel safely out of the way.
As she lands on the floor she allows Freya to help her back up before her entire body goes tense as she spots Dahlia gone from sight. Pausing the blonde freezes as a terrible sound filled her ears, the sound of Joy crying "No!" She screams leaping up back onto the second floor Klaus quickly following behind her.
Kicking open the door to the nursery Buffy's eyes widen as she spots the place now filled with tree branches all circling around the little girl. Running over to the crying girl she lifts her into her arms trying to soothe her.
Glancing over at Marcel and Klaus Buffy couldn't help but gulp, she knew it, Dahlia had gotten what she needed.
"Why didn't she take Joy?" Marcel asks in confusion as the little girl continued to scream in her mother's arms.
"Because all she needed was a drop of her blood." Klaus explains, "Unfortunately, I have no idea where the vile harpy has fled to."
Buffy merely kisses' Joy's head before her eyes widen as Marcel speaks once more "Go. Get Joy and Buffy someplace safe. I'll track down your witch. And when this is over, you and I are gonna settle up." He warns the hybrid who merely nods in understanding "Provided we sur—"
"Can we go already!?" Buffy exclaims in anger, she was not in the mood for this bitch fest "Baby about to be linked. Me about to become a baby machine. You two can play with harsh words later!"
THE OTHER SIDE
"Elena?!" Xander yells as he strolls through the back streets of Mystic Falls, honestly other than The Grill and Elena's house...he had no idea where in the hell anything in this damn town was.
As he walks he suddenly feels a chill through the air before the human finds himself stumbling off his feet as the darkness begins pulling him in.
"Can't I catch a damn break!" He yells as he grabs onto a lamp-post his eyes filling with panic as he holds on as tight as possible but his fingers were slipping. The force pulling against him was too strong.
As one of his fingers slips his eyes widen as he realizes this was it, he wouldn't be able to hang on much longer, the darkness was going to get him, which made sense given he had the worst luck in the damn world!
Just as one of his hands finally comes loose the human's eyes widen as he feels a hand grab his, looking up he couldn't help but stare in shock as he spots Damon with the help of Alaric pulling him out of the darkness' reach.
As they pull him away Xander gasps heavily before laughing at the sight of Damon "Never thought I'd be so happy to see you."
"I just saved your life." Damon reminds him "Don't be a dick...and ditto. Come on we gotta go."
NEW ORLEANS
Walking downstairs from the upper level of the Jazz bar that was luckily still magic proof Buffy spots Joy happily asleep in her car seat. Klaus was rocking the seat softly with one hand while with the other he checked his phone.
"Marcel?" She asks as she moves past him standing on the other end of the bar and crosses her arms over her chest.
The hybrid nods as he tucks his phone back into his leather jacket "He found our witch. It's time."
"Fine. Cami will be here in a minute to watch Joy." The blonde says flatly before turning to grab her jacket off the bar.
Klaus sighs as he watches her, he was unsure of what to say, what did you say to the woman whose heart you had literally ripped out with your bare hands. Taking a step towards her his expression falls as she immediately takes a step back flinching at the sight of him. Water fills his eyes as he watches the blonde look up at him with red eyes filled with nothing but anger and hurt "Buffy—"
"Don't." She whispers shaking her head at him "Not now."
The hybrid sighs in frustration, she knew it was part of the plan, she understood it that he was sure of but the way she was looking at him right now...that he couldn't understand "Buffy, I was going to tell you, but time was short..." As he steps forward again, reaching out to touch her face: Buffy shoves him back pushing hard against his chest; sending him stumbling backward.
As he stares at her in confusion Buffy's breathing became erratic as she stared at him so much hurt in her eyes, her body was practically shaking as she stared at him "You..." She stutters before letting out a harsh laugh "What sucks is I do get it." She tells him "I know why you did it Dahlia had to believe she could trust you but..." Running a hand through her hair the blonde let out a small growl and turned back to the hybrid punching him across the face as tears streamed heavily down her face.
The hybrid's head swung violently to the side before after a beat he finally looked at her, seeing the state he had put her in...it killed him, there had been times when she had hated him, times where he thought that she had maybe loved him...he recognized all those looks. But this one...the look she was giving him, this was something he had never seen.
Which killed him all the more.
Buffy takes a shaky breath as she continues to glare at the Hybrid, thinking about all the lengths he had gone to convince Dahlia, from ripping her heart out to what he had done to Cami, not to mention the wolves and his family. While yes she was furious at the wolves she couldn't have imagined doing that to them.
"My mother died in front of me." She whispers looking up at him with such a broken expression that it froze the hybrid making him suck in a breath "My dad abandoned me..." She continued "...then died under some false lies of wanting to be my father again! Because he wanted why I have! I have spent my entire life under the control of men forcing me to fight a war as a child! Having people try and kill me every second of my life because I have power! Like you! Like Joy!" Pausing the blonde lets out a small growl shoving Klaus' chest again while he merely lets himself be pushed as she lets out all of her anger and hurt "All I have ever wanted is for her to not have the fate we both did! She deserves better than that! That is all I have ever wanted for her! That's why I didn't run when I was pregnant! I didn't want her to be like us with a scared mother and a father who wasn't around!"
Punching him across the face she then shoves his chest again before staring at his blood-covered face watching as the wound she had inflicted on his cheek begins to heal "And you...you cut me out of a decision regarding our daughter's life! My life! I don't care that there is no time! One wink and I would have known you were playing some game against Dahlia. One nod! I trusted you to believe in me! That I would have faith in you...I think you were scared that's why you went along with ripping my heart out. Scared I wouldn't forgive you for the Crescents, I don't even know. One signal that's all it took and I would have played along. If Dahlia thought I agreed then you wouldn't have left me on the side of the road! But you gave me nothing!"
Shoving the hybrid away from her once more Buffy stumbles back barely able to stay on her own feet as she lets it all out. A loud sob escapes the blonde as she glares over at the suddenly very quiet hybrid "You...you were the only person that I thought...God, I have let you in! I don't let people in Klaus! But I let you in even after everything you have done to me!" She hisses her voice cracking slightly as she goes on "I was at one point the only person that gave a damn about you! I trusted you! And you...a man that I have trusted, loved..."
Ignoring the way he suddenly looked right up at that she lets out a disbelieving scoff as she wipes the tears from her eyes "Once upon a time you said...that Joy and I were everything to you, that I wasn't just some breeding mare to give you a powerful heir...I never thought you were lying...till you looked me in the eye and ripped my heart out."
As the blonde shakes her head scoffing slightly the hybrid inhales tightly watching as she begins pulling her jacket on, turning so that her back was facing him. "Buffy..."
Buffy clenches her jaw refusing to speak for a long moment before she zips up her jacket and places the scythe resting on the table back onto her holster. Not bothering to turn to look at him she finally speaks "You still doubt after everything that I wouldn't stand by your side. You know Klaus..." Finally the blonde spins around to face him a cold look crossing her face "...I may understand why you did it. But...I will never forget what it felt like having your hand in my chest...it broke me Nik. More than anyone has ever broken me. You were the only person that ever truly understood me. And now... every time I look at you...I feel that pain all over again."
Without another word the blonde sniffles slightly before storming out of the Jazz club to get some air leaving the hybrid stood alone in the middle of the room staring after her.
Wiping the blood from his nose he clenches his jaw before grabbing a bottle of bourbon off the bar and launching it at the wall in anger.
Kicking the table by his feet he couldn't get the image of her tear-soaked face out of his brain, it was burned in there a reminder that he had driven her to that state. Because the truth way maybe she was right...the vision Dahlia had shown him had scared him...because in truth he knew how much he wanted that life. He knew deep down that all he had to do was offer Buffy a simple gesture and at that moment she would have known he was planning something but he didn't. His fear of being alone had once again taken over.
And in doing so he had driven away the only woman who had ever truly understood him, and for the first time...he wasn't sure he could fix the damage he had done between them.
"Klaus!" Cami yells suddenly as she storms into the room only to come to a halt as she spots the broken look on the hybrid's face.
She froze at the sight, she had seen a sobbing Buffy outside which was already bad enough but this...it was obvious something big had gone down "Klaus..."
"I'm not in the mood to explain my reasoning to you, Camille." He whispers before sighing as he focuses back on the reason she was here "I need a favor."
"Buffy!?" Marianna says happily as Klaus and Buffy walk into the room where they had been keeping Esther who had now been dressed up and made all pretty. Buffy arches a brow as she spots Mary at the bar with a cocktail shaker in her hands "Martini?"
Buffy sighs before her eyes land on Esther, glaring at the witch the blonde turns back to Mary "Make it two."
Without another word, she walks over to the bar happily taking a drink as the gleeful Mary hands it to her. Clearly, the witch was enjoying her adopted mother's misery.
Buffy arches a brow in confusion at Mary's mood however before she could ask Elijah speaks up "Marianna is very excited about the prospect of torturing our mother."
The blonde vampire slayer merely shrugs, given this was Esther they were talking about she couldn't blame the raven-haired witch for being so happy about the concept, honestly Buffy would be happy too in her position "Fair enough."
Klaus merely smirks over at his mother "Mother, I've arrived just in time for another of your deaths. And as much as I appreciate the front-row seat...I'm afraid I'm going to have to postpone the festivities."
Buffy groans zoning out of Klaus's taunting and gloating as she moves to sit on the bar both she and Mary sat side by side with new drinks in their hands as they watch Elijah and Klaus act like children.
Rolling her eyes Buffy clinks her glass with Mary's before taking a sip of her Martini "Can we get to the point of bringing that back." Buffy hisses pointing at Esther "Before I rip her head off? Or one of yours." She hisses glaring at both men who gulp under her glare.
"To be clear, I do want her blood." Klaus tells the blonde exchanging his first words with her since the outburst downstairs. Pausing the hybrid pulls out a blade from his jacket "But I want it on this blade, which I've had bound with the soil...from Dahlia's homeland and not to mention Viking ash. Mother's demise will have to wait."
Buffy groans in annoyance as she watches Klaus circle his mother "Bla bla bla epic plan whatever we get it. Esther weakens Dahlia's defenses, can we go on a witch hunt now?"
"You expect me to walk willingly to my death." Esther says almost amused while Buffy merely tilts her head eyeing Esther's shoes "At least you're doing it in Prada. There are worse ways to go."
"Lovely to see your sarcastic attitude has not changed Miss Summers."
Buffy rolls her eyes before turning to Mary "Bourbon, next."
"On it." The witch mumbles reaching behind the bar to grab herself a bottle of bourbon before she takes a large gulp then passes it to the blonde who brings the bottle to her lips.
"Lovely, Slayer-witch drinks night." Rebekah snarks as she walks into the room moving as far away as she could from Klaus, both her and Elijah glaring at the hybrid.
Buffy clenches her jaw at the sight, she didn't have time for them all to start yelling about whose betrayal was worse.
Glaring over at Rebekah, the blonde jumps off the bar "Just because you didn't let one of your brother's clean me up after you poisoned me and left me to rot in the Bayou, don't think I won't happily make you a bald little vampire. The reason all of you are still breathing right now and aren't suffering under my axe is because we need Dahlia dead. So stop your bitching. I don't care, I want my daughter safe, So either all you work together, like adults." She warns glancing in between Elijah, Rebekah, and Klaus "Or I take Esther, knock you all out and do it myself. Probably dying in the process. Then when my Slayers come for an explanation you can deal with them."
When Elijah merely continues to glare at Klaus, Buffy groans "Kill each other later." She orders moving in front of Elijah and Rebekah "You trusted someone we barely knew and she sent me into a living hell. You two owe me, so suck it up."
Elijah sighs as he watches the blonde, he could see it all over her face, plus he had overheard her breakdown during her argument with Niklaus just downstairs...he had broken her, they all had "Fine." He agrees before his eyes land on Klaus "But one thing." He says calmly as he walks over to his brother "We have fought together for centuries and once again, to break your enemy...you broke your family. Well, know this: whatever the outcome tonight...you will no longer see me by your side. You want to be alone. Well, congratulations. You have your wish."
As Elijah moves to grab Esther he gasps as he suddenly finds himself pinned to the wall the axe end of Buffy's scythe digging into his chest.
"Buffy, no!" Rebekah yells as she runs over only to have the blonde backhand her sending her flying as the demonic veins begin to appear under her eyes.
Buffy merely turns back to Elijah who cries out in agony as she pushed the axe further into his chest closer to his heart "One more thing...try and take my baby again then I promise you, we will find out if an Original can grow back a head."
Without another word, Buffy yanks the scythe out of Elijah's chest before grabbing the chains on Esther's wrist yanking her to her feet "Let's get this over with, come on Wicked Witch." She hisses storming out of the room with Esther in tow, not bothering to speak another word to the Mikealson siblings, they would follow but as long as they shut the hell up Buffy didn't care.
MYSTIC FALLS
Stefan, Lexi, Tyler, and Enzo were all stood in the graveyard with Bonnie as they waited for the others so that they could all pass through Bonnie and get back home.
"Bonnie!" Luke screams as he runs out of the crypt where Liv was performing the spell which would save them all "Look, it's too much for her. We need to start now."
"No!" Stefan yells over the loud wind picking up around them signally they were running out of time, they didn't have long till The Other Side was completely destroyed. Them along with it.
"We go together." He tells the witch "Damon isn't here yet neither is Xander!"
Luke shrugs as he turns to Bonnie "I don't care." He says before without hesitation grabbing the witch sending him passing through her and back to the land of the living while she screams in agony stumbling under her feet slightly as the pain echoed through her body.
Bonnie groans as she pulls herself back up and looks around, they had to start, they didn't have time to wait "You need to come through!"
"What about everyone else?" Tyler yells.
Enzo arches a brow before scoffing and making his way towards Bonnie "You don't have to tell me twice." Without another word he places his hands on Bonnie smirking as the darkness of the other side faded away for the bright real world.
Smirking he walks away from the screaming Bonnie and begins making his way walking past Jessie and Caroline as he does "Hello Gorgeous." He greets with a smile before speeding away.
Caroline shakes her head before turning around just as Tyler appears having passed through "Tyler?"
"Yeah, it's me." Tyler says with a smile as he hugs the blonde before frowning something felt completely different, as a hybrid everything was heightened but something was off "That felt different."
"What do you mean?"
Tyler frowns before quickly grabbing a sharp rock off the floor and dragging it along his palm only for the two to stare in shock at the unhealing cut...he wasn't a hybrid anymore.
NEW ORLEANS
Walking into the empty warehouse that Davina had managed to track Dahlia and Freya to, Buffy and Klaus, as well as Rebekah stroll inside just to hear Dahlia giving another monologue to Freya who was kneeled on the floor in the center of the circle.
Buffy groans loudly as she draws the witch's attention "Bla Bla, we get it you hate your sister. Do we have to chat about it all day?"
Dahlia turns her head to look over at the blonde who was stood with a smirk on her face as she stood beside Klaus, tilting her head at the blonde Dahlia shakes her head "I think when I take you I'll have to remove your tongue. Can't imagine having to deal with your chatter." Pausing the witch looks around her eyes landing on Rebekah and Klaus before turning her gaze back to Buffy "For a Vampire Slayer you decide to bring vampires to a witch fight. It seems none of you have learned their lessons."
As Dahlia's eyes land on Klaus the hybrid merely shrugs playfully "Well, I can be a bit thick sometimes."
"That he can." Buffy couldn't help but agree "More than sometimes...actually it's most of the time."
Hearing the clanging of chains Dahlia's head turns, her eyes widening as she spots Mary and Elijah walk in with a chained and a very much alive Esther.
Klaus's grin grows at the witch's shocked expression as she stares at her sister "Although, on this occasion. I'd say I took your lesson to heart."
"And hey!" Buffy continues with a wave of her hands "We brought two witches. I mean one's chained up and one's crazy. But still."
As she and Elijah bring Esther right up to the circle that Dahlia was stood inside of, Mary waves "I'd be the crazy one." She says wiggling her fingers happily.
There was nothing but silence for what felt like an eternity as the two sisters stared at each other for the first time in 1000 years.
The cold heartless witch stood in the center of her sacrificial circle taking in the sight of her younger sister; rare emotion filling her eyes "My sister...in chains." As Dahlia begins laughing like a lunatic, Buffy couldn't help but stare, it was like fighting a less pretty just as crazy Glory all over again.
"Is she to be a gift to buy your freedom?" Dahlia asks as she looks around at them all her laughter finally dying down "Because I brought something."
Buffy tenses slightly and twirls the scythe in her grasp as Dahlia revealed the one thing that could end them all from behind her back. The White Oak Stake, honestly she wanted to laugh she used to jump at the idea to use stakes to kill vampires, and now that stake was the one thing on the planet that could kill her. Talk about irony.
"One stake. Five of us." The hybrid points out with a growl "Even if you don't hesitate, the others will rip you in half."
"Very much happy to start that process now." Buffy chimed in pointing the axe end of her weapon in the witch's direction only making Dahlia chuckle "Sound thinking." She compliments "But small thinking."
Suddenly Dahlia raises the stake to the sky and with power filling the room the five watch as the stake burst into dust.
Buffy frowns in confusion "What the fu—" Dahlia cuts off her words by waving her hand at them all causing the dust of the white oak stake to begin filling their lungs sending each of them into coughing fits.
Killing them brutally and slowly.
MYSTIC FALLS
Bonnie turns away from Caroline and Tyler to look over at Stefan and Lexi "Come on, guys there's not much time. Take my hand!"
Lexi's eyes widen as she takes in the weak state of Bonnie, something was wrong, turning to look at her best friend she knew that she needed to get him home "Go!" She yells "Go. You have to go. Come on."
"No!" He yells refusing to leave without his brother, he couldn't leave without Damon, there was no way, nor was he going to leave without Xander. It wasn't happening.
Suddenly Elena runs through the graveyard and over them with a panicked look on her face "I can't find Xander!"
Stefan's eyes widen and he gestures for her to move "You go. I'll wait here."
"No!" Elena screams, she couldn't she had already felt her heart die when Xander did, she wasn't taking any chances, she couldn't lose him again. He was one half of her and she just couldn't leave. "I can't leave without him!"
"This place is falling apart." Stefan reminds the Banshee, she had to go, Buffy and Jeremy were back on the real world, neither of them would survive if they lost her.
Elena was still stubborn feeling sick at even entertaining the idea of leaving without her boyfriend "No!"
Before the Banshee could do a thing Bonnie steps forward grabbing her sending her through.
Elena stumbles as she passes through stumbling right into Caroline's arms "Elena, thank god."
The banshee ignores her as she turns to Bonnie with betrayed tears filling her eyes "No, Bonnie why would you do that?! I can't leave without him."
"We'll find him." The anchor promises before coughing violently as blood spills from her lungs falling from her lips. Stumbling slightly she falls right into Stefan and just by him catching her to help it unknowingly passes him through too.
Stefan's eyes widen as he looks around only to spot Lexi gone while he was faced with Caroline, Jessie, and Elena "No, no, no." He stutters in a panic "I was just trying to...she fell...I was just trying..."
"What?" Caroline yells in confusion while Elena shakes her head dread filling her up as she watched Stefan who shakes his head "Damon and Xander. They're not there yet."
Elena takes a shaky breath as her chest begins to rise and fall in a panicked fashion, this was her worst moment come to life, this couldn't be happening, they had to get through. Xander had to get through "This isn't happening."
Bonnie turns over to her heartbroken friend and nods reassuringly it "It's okay. I can do this." She promises the Banshee as she walks past the group to another spot only to spin as she hears Lexi calling her.
Looking back at the vampire Bonnie smiles through her tears while Lexi stares at her with wide concerned eyes "This is killing you isn't it?"
"I can hold it." Bonnie promises whimpering out her words from the pain "I have to. Just come through."
Lexi stares down at Bonnie's hand before hearing a yell behind her, spotting Markos making a move for Bonnie the blonde slams her elbow into his face and pins him to the ground the two of them rolling across the floor.
As he manages to pin her down the blonde merely smirks "Bye now." She says sweetly as she feels the wind pick up just before Markos is pulled off his feet into the void.
As the vampire pulls herself back up to her feet Bonnie reaches for her "Lexi come on. It's your turn!"
A sudden moment of clarity runs through the blonde as she stares at the dying young woman before her, who was willing to put herself through such agony "Every person that passes through takes you one step closer to death. What kind of a best friend would I be if you died before Stefan got his brother back? What kind of person would I be if I let an innocent kid get stuck here?" She questions knowing that the best thing she could do was make sure that Bonnie was still alive for Damon and Xander.
Lexi smiles softly before slowly opening her arms up as she feels it, this was why she had stayed here so long, why she hadn't found peace. But now she could.
As Lexi disappears in a bright light just like her Grams had done Bonnie smiles sadly before her eyes widen in relief as she spots Alaric followed closely behind by Damon and a weak Xander heading towards her. "Thank god." She breaths before grabbing Alaric crying out in agony as he passes through her.
"Where's Elena?" Xander asks making Bonnie smile "She made it through." Pausing the anchor turns to Damon "Stefan too."
Damon and Xander glance at each other with relieved smiles before the vampire smirks "Come on human, you first."
Bonnie chuckles weakly before placing her hand on Xander's shoulder only to freeze as nothing happens.
He didn't pass through which could only mean someone had stopped Liv's spell.
The human's eyes widen and he turns to Damon both of them sharing the same crushed look. It was too late, this place was going down and it seemed like the three of them, were going down with it.
NEW ORLEANS
Buffy coughs violently blood spilling from her eyes, looking up she spots Mary whose eyes were flashing between red and black as she muttered under her breath trying to keep them all alive as long as possible.
Buffy spits more blood out on the floor as she rolls onto her side her lungs filling with blood, right now she had never felt more useless, she tried to reach for the scythe but her hands were shaking violently as red and black lines began appearing on her skin.
They were running out of time.
"This better work." She hisses at Klaus before coughing up more blood.
Esther who was stood motionless as she watched her children and the mother of her grand-daughter continue to suffer stares with wide eyes as Dahlia begins moving to grab Buffy.
As the witch raises her hand towards the blonde causing Buffy to scream out her eyes flashing their speaks of black as more blood began to spill from her nose "Don't worry my dear. You'll still live. Just not as pleasantly."
Esther's eyes widen before she takes a step towards the circle "Sister." She calls drawing Dahlia's attention off of Buffy and onto her, as the two sisters watch each other Esther lifts her skirt taking a step into the circle of magic "You still carry around so much anger for me...after all these years?"
"You broke your vow." Dahlia hisses not moving as her sister approaches her "We were to stand together, always and forever and you left...to marry that brutish Viking imbecile. You ended my family...and they were the result." She hisses glaring out at the Mikealson siblings who were all crying out in pain as their conditions continued to worsen.
Buffy gasps as she feels the ash of the white oak begin to spread throughout her body, looking over through her bloodshot eyes she spots Klaus next to her yelling out in agony.
The hybrid hisses before his eyes land on her and he takes a shaky breath "I'm sorry."
He whispers at her as he watches her wince in agony, the blonde nods taking a shaky breath as blood began to pour from her nose. Letting out a small sob of pain she takes a shaky breath her voice cracking as she spoke "I know." She whispers tears glistening in her eyes.
Esther tears her gaze from Buffy and Klaus as well as her other children to turn back to her sister shaking her head in shock "You call this my wrongdoing? You made me bargain away my firstborn child. My daughter."
"Not just this firstborn." Dahlia corrects gesturing at Freya "But every firstborn. And even then you still found a way to deny me that which you had sworn would be mine! How do you think that felt?!"
As Klaus tries to run at Dahlia with their weapon the witch merely waves her hand sending him flying. Buffy growls and through the agony running through her veins, she grabs the scythe and launches it at Dahlia who merely raises her hand sending it flying right back at the blonde causing the axe to go straight into the blonde's gut.
"Ah!" Buffy cries out as she drops back to the ground blood pooling around her, reaching to rip the scythe out a hand stopped her.
Klaus crawled over to the blonde and yanked the scythe out of her tossing it away his eyes widening as he spots her not healing due to the white oak in their systems.
Dahlia chuckles at the sight before her, looking up at the now full moon, it was time "Now Esther say goodbye to the last of your children. Buffy, my dear..." The witch calls out "...try and stay awake. We won't be here long." Without another word, Dahlia raises her hand towards Freya her magic causing the younger witch to begin choking violently as she clawed at her throat for air.
Esther's eyes widen as she looks around at all of her suffering children, despite the many times she had tried to kill them...she couldn't watch them die not this time "Sister, wait!" She begs "Wait! You've won Dahlia. You have everything you ever wanted...including the firstborn of a new generation as well The Slayer to give you more children for your power. You have bested us all. At least let me try to make amends. Let me share with you the glorious freedom that I have found... In death."
Suddenly Esther wraps one of the chains around her neck.
As Freya gasps finally feeling the air fill her lungs she doesn't hesitate and uses her magic to split the barrier, once she was free she turns to the others waving her hand forcing the white oak ash out of them.
Buffy coughs violently as the ash spills out of her mouth before she winces as she feels Klaus's hand still pressed against her bleeding stomach.
"Supase." Mary mumbles as she waves her weak hand at Buffy causing the blonde to gasp as her stomach finally begins to heal making her let out a sigh of relief.
"Elijah!" Esther screams causing the eldest Mikealson son to grab the dagger that Klaus had dropped, tossing it to his brother, Klaus then speeds over to the two witches driving it through Esther's back so that her blood covered the blade as it went through Dahlia's heart.
Buffy rolls onto her side and coughs again as she stares with wide eyes at the sight before her, the two sister's were embracing tightly as their bodies turned to stone.
Allowing Freya to help her up Buffy winces slightly before staring at Esther and Dahlia's bodies.
It was over. Dahlia was defeated and for the time being Joy was safe.
Looking over at the others she couldn't help but chuckle "I guess welcome officially to the Orphan club."
MYSTIC FALLS
Elena was gasping around in panic as she desperately searched for Liv, she had to finish the spell, she had to. Hearing her best friend enter the crypt Elena spins around pretty much in the middle of a full-blown panic attack "Bonnie." She gasps out as she runs her fingers through her hair in a panic, this wasn't supposed to be happening. Xander didn't even know he was affected by the supernatural because of the Hellmouth till a few days ago and now he was stuck there "We need to find them. We need to start the spell again."
"We can't that was our one shot." She reminds her best friend who was falling apart right in front of her.
Elena shakes her head, no that wasn't possible, just no "Yeah but...but Xander is on the other side! We have to!"
"Elena!" Bonnie exclaims before stepping forward and trying to calm her as the brunette banshee began to hyperventilate "It's too late..."
At those words Elena gasps feeling like her heart was being ripped from her chest, she couldn't breath, she felt like half of her heart was missing "No." She cries as she falls against the wall and begins sliding to the ground unable to stand on her own two legs anymore "No...no, no, no." She sobs out before frowning as Bonnie steps forward "He's here."
Elena's eyes widen as she tries to stand shakily as she takes gasping breaths, but alas despite the fact he was here, she couldn't see him.
Bonnie takes a deep breath trying to remain strong for her best friend "You can say goodbye."
Elena shakes her head as she looks around the empty room, he was here yet she couldn't see him. This wasn't supposed to happen, they were supposed to have a life together, get married move into the house he had built for her, have a family.
But now...that was all gone.
"You lied to me." Elena gasps out as she sobs against the wall looking ahead of her not realizing she was looking right at Xander who was holding back tears of his own as he watched the love of his life sobbing because of him.
Stepping forwards he tucks a strand of hair behind her ear making her frown as she realizes he was touching her...but she couldn't feel it. She couldn't feel him.
He couldn't help but let out a sad laugh "Yeah...well you know me...I'm a goofball. Your goofball...always will be. God, I wish you could hear me right now."
Elena merely shakes her head sobbing out "Please don't leave me."
Xander takes a shaky breath "I wish I wasn't. Trust me you wouldn't want to be stuck in purgatory with Damon either. He's Buffy-moping. And I'm going to be busy Elena moping." Sighing he watches her beautiful face cupping her face softly allowing him to gaze into her beautiful chocolate brown eyes "You are the greatest thing to ever happen to me. I just wish we had gotten to move into the house...cause it cost me a fortune to rebuild"
He lets out a small laugh as a tear drops down his face, watching her sob violently "Then I would have asked you to marry me. But either way I am going to die the happiest guy in the world. Because I got to be with the woman, who made me so happy. I love you, Elena Gilbert."
Elena who still couldn't hear a word of this finally falls down to her knees and gasps loudly as tears continue streaming down her face.
Xander sighs and crouches down in front of her cupping her stunning face in his hands "How you are still so beautiful even crying...I was a lucky man. I am so in love with you. Powerfully, painfully in love. The things you do. The way you think. The way you move. The way you scream." He chuckles out before letting tears run down his face as she continues sobbing "I get excited every time I'm about to see you. You make me feel like a complete person. So fulfilled. Happier than I have ever been. I wouldn't change it for the world."
Elena lets out another loud sob as she rests her chin on her knees and looks to where she was hoping Xander was still stood "Please..." She gasps out "Please come back to me."
Xander takes a shaky breath before leaning forward and kissing her forehead one last time "I love you, Elena Gilbert. And I will always love you...more than anything. Goodbye."
NEW ORLEANS
Buffy was sat on the balcony at the small table there just outside her bedroom, looking out into the French Quarter as she waited to hear from her friends back home. Sighing as she glances at her still un-ringing phone she takes a sip of her Bourbon before leaning her head against the comfy chair taking in the sight of the beautiful city below her.
"Am I interrupting?"
Hearing the familiar noble voice behind her Buffy's hands tighten around the glass ever so slightly, just because Dahlia was defeated didn't change the facts. Elijah had poisoned her, locking her away deciding that he knew better for her child's safety than her own mother.
"Just waiting to hear from my friends." She mumbles downing her glass before moving to pour herself another glass not even bothering to look at the man she had once called a friend, had thought of like a brother... the man who had decided to take control of her life, deciding that he knew better.
As he takes a seat beside her looking out at the city she sighs "What do you want Elijah? I thought you were gone. Freya is putting Rebekah back in her witch body so she'll be gone soon enough."
"I'm planning to visit the Bayou tonight on the full moon."
At his words, Buffy scoffs as she finally turns to look at him "Tell Hayley I'll come to see her next month. Still a little touchy right now."
"Buffy..."
"I will help." She hisses ignoring the way he tried to cut in, she was done listening to Original vampires, she was done playing nice "I will bring Hayley and the wolves back...because they are my army. Understand, not yours, not Klaus's. I'm done playing nice, Elijah. You Originals, don't get to toss me around like yoyo anymore. So I'll help but let me make one thing clear..." Pausing the blonde leans across the table ignoring the hurt in Elijah's eyes as he finally come to the realization that all the trust he had built with her was gone.
"Other than this little project..." She whispers darkly "...you stay the hell away from me and my daughter. I don't need you deciding that you know best for her and for me. That's my job. You even try...and I promise you, I will kill you. And trust me...I don't want to kill you." Taking a shaky breath the blonde wipes a tear from her face before breaking eye contact with the Original.
Elijah watches her carefully taking in the sight of what he and his family had done to this girl...they truly had broken her. Moving to leave her in peace he stands and heads to move back inside so he could leave this Compound, however, as he reaches the balcony doorway he glances back at her "Will you ever forgive me?"
Buffy lets out a small laugh, honestly, she had no idea how to answer that right now, what was she supposed to say, this had all happened in just a couple of days. She still hadn't fully processed everything and she didn't know how she was going to feel when she had processed it all.
"I don't know." She whispers "I can...barely look at Klaus let alone get near him without flinching and you...every time I look at you I feel the demon in me begging me to kill you. So until I get that side of me railed in again...I don't know how I feel."
"We ready?" Mary asks as she walks into Rebekah's room where the vampire was now back in her witch body as she stood with Freya.
The two blondes turn to their raven-haired sister who smirks before pointing over to Freya "The boys are your problem now. You can be the Mikealson witch." She says making Freya chuckle in amusement but Mary merely shakes her head trying to keep the smile off her face as she remains impassive "Never ask me back here again. From bloody teenage witches to our mother and dear aunt...I hate this bloody city." She mumbles making Rebekah smirk "Yeah but you love us."
"Shut up." The witch mumbles in annoyance, she just wanted to get on the road with both of Rebekah's bodies so that the two of them could continue their mission in bringing Kol back.
As the raven haired witch spots a figure moving into the room she looks over at Freya knowing this was going to hurt...and be slightly entertaining "Freya...I'd suggest frozen peas."
The eldest of the three frowns in confusion at her adopted sister "What do you—" The witch was cut off as a fist flew at her face sending her crashing to the floor.
"Seriously!?" Rebekah hisses at Buffy before moving to help Freya up as a black eye quickly began to take form.
The blonde rolls her eyes "This is the last thing I have to say. Then we can start new." She tells Freya as she takes a threatening step forward towards the witch her eyes flashing that demonic black once again "Do you know what it felt like? I've died in a lot of ways...some more painful than others...but what you did to me, what you put in me, I can't even describe it...cross me again and I promise you...you will know pain." Slowly the black fades and a fake smile grazes the blonde lips as she shrugs "If you don't upset me...then maybe...just maybe we can be friends. Or yoga buddies. I'll think about it." Without another word the blonde flips her hair exiting the room while Freya remains stunned as she held her face.
Mary chuckles before turning to Freya "Hey, that's basically we're gonna be great friends speak in Slayer language. There's always a punch somewhere. Be happy she didn't stab you."
Rebekah couldn't help but nod in agreement at that "Before we were friends Buffy tried to kill me...and snapped my neck at least 6 times...so one punch. Progress."
Freya couldn't help but groan as she continues to rub her throbbing eye "Lovely."
In the Bayou, Elijah watches as Hayley now in her human form for the next few hours makings her way towards him, pulling off his jacket he places it around her bare form before hugging her tightly.
As she holds onto her ex-lover the wolf sighs "How are they?" She whispers.
"They're safe." Elijah assures the brunette "I've spoken to Buffy, we're going to find a way to release you from this. I promise you."
At the mention of her Queen, the wolf looks up at him sadly "I want you to make me another promise, Elijah. Be there for our Queen and Joy. Buffy may hate you...but Klaus cannot be all she and Joy know. Especially with her demon side coming out. She'll need help. Promise me you'll help her. Both of them."
THE OTHER SIDE
After managing to avoid everyone finding out the truth till the very last second Bonnie smiles up at the group but before they could get to her she was On the Other Side, this time unable to go back.
Standing in the middle of the forest she looks into the bright lights in front of her, everything else was darkness as the other side continued to shake violently, completely falling apart.
"This place is going down, isn't it?" Damon asks as both he and Xander stand on either side of Bonnie, the three of them waiting for their end.
"It is."
At Bonnie's words Xander groans, "I survived 23 years on the Hellmouth, one year here takes me down. Mystic Falls sucks."
Bonnie smiles sadly as she reaches over taking Xander's hand entangling their fingers together "Yeah, it does." She whispers before glancing to look at Damon "I'm sure there are a million people all three of us would rather be with right now. But..." Pausing Bonnie reaches down entangling her other hand with Damon's.
"Couple thousand at most. At least your good looking."
Xander groans at the obvious dig at him "This is gonna be a sucky ass purgatory. Or wherever the hell we're going."
With that, the three stand as the bright light begins to move towards them sucking them where they assumed everyone else had gone.
As they wait for their fate Bonnie turns to the boys "Do you think it'll hurt?"
Damon shrugs his final words getting cut off as The Other Side finally crumbles in on itself "I don't kn—"
Sat in his daughter's nursery the hybrid smiles down as he continues to hold his daughter in his arms rocking her softly. As she begins to finally fall asleep he speaks in a hushed tone hoping to soothe her "Once upon a time there was a wolf king...who fought a war...for the most precious treasure in all the kingdom...his beautiful little princess. But victory came at a price. Allies lost. New enemies made. A divide grew between the wolf king and The Slayer Queen. So for now the wolf king stood alone. Happily ever after it was not. But sometimes, even the worst endings are not really endings at all. And you should know, my littlest wolf, that even when all seems burnt to ash...in our story...there is always another chapter to be told."
"Pretty." Buffy mumbles from the doorway where she had been listening, the hybrid sat up his eyes widening as he spots her. Moving to carefully lay Joy down in her crib he opens his mouth to speak but she cut him off.
"I'm gonna go meet Cami for a drink." Buffy tells him running a nervous hand through her hair "You okay to watch her?"
When the hybrid nods Buffy quickly moves out of the room and begins heading down the stairs only to jump when she felt a hand touch her. Spinning around she quickly pulls out of the hybrid's grip unable to look into his eyes without it happening all over again.
Without seeing him holding her heart in his hands.
The hybrid's face falls as he stares at her, hating the fact she couldn't even look at him "Buffy..."
The blonde sighs and opens her mouth only to freeze as she spots a figure stood in the doorway of the entrance to the compound "Stefan?"
The hybrid frowns in confusion before turning to look in the same direction and there, sure enough, was Stefan Salvatore. To be honest, he looked like a mess, he had obviously driven all night, his hair was a mess as were his clothes and his eyes were bloodshot.
Buffy inhales tightly as she walks over to him, there was only one reason Stefan could look like that and it was one she had been dreading. Tears begin to fill the blonde's eyes and she shakes her head as she watches him "No." She whispers "No..."
"The others." The vampire whispers looking over at her with wet eyes "Buffy, we didn't all make it back from the other side."
Buffy takes a shaky breath and walks over to the vampire who was shaking his head as tears began spilling down his face, she had never seen him more crushed which meant that there was one person she had a horrible feeling was a part of the list.
Cupping his face in her hands she turns him to look her in the eye "Who? Stefan who didn't make it back?"
"Xander...Bonnie and Damon." At his words a loud gasp let the blonde as tears began to run down her face as her heart started beating against her chest in a panic, this had to be a trick...this just couldn't be...she should have been there.
"They're gone, Buffy." Stefan whispers as he wraps his arms around the blonde holding onto her tightly "They're gone."