35: Thank you for your review and i hope you enjoy this chapter
Heart Eyes Mf: Thank you for reviewing! Yes, it's kind of subtle at the beginning and I wanted it to be more questionable for the reader but almost understandable why Damon didn't see the abuse. Emotional abuse is something that is usually more subtle to the outsider but can have long lasting effects.
Ray: Thank you for your review :) I hope that some of this chapter explains why she has a strained relationship with her brother. This will be further explained and explored in the next coming chapters. but the gist of it is that Klaus was there for her and he cares about her. she feels betrayed by her brothers so she is loyal to the person that was loyal to her as well
BrookeWorm3: Thank you for reviewing :) I have a lot planned and it's taking awhile for me to filter out the bad ideas so bare with me please
Serena Salvatore: Thank you for your review! I'm glad you were surprised, I was worried I was being too obvious with everything
With two witches following after escaping the clutches of a hybrid, Stefan had presumed that they would understand that they were on a tight schedule and walk faster. They were lucky that Klaus had underestimated the witch and only sent one hybrid to the house.
Trenching through the damp cave was not how Stefan imagined he would spend his morning. Laying in bed and questioning his existence had been his plan until the shrill ringtone of his phone pulled him out of his self-deprecating thoughts, along with Bonnie's frantic voice travelling through the speaker as she recounted her tale. A part of Stefan was impressed with the witch, stabbing a hybrid in the eye was not something everyone could do. Though he couldn't say he was too surprised, Bonnie was smart, more than anyone really gave her credit for. She was the reason that they still had the locked coffin, she is on the cusp of breaking through with said coffin and who could forget how she brought an Original hybrid to his knees.
However, his admiration of the witch was put on pause as he scurried through the Lockwood caves with a pair of witches stumbling behind him.
"Slow down!" Abby cried out as she grasped on to the cave walls, her feet slipping from her quick movements.
"Keep up, we don't have much time," the vampire called out, agitated.
"That's not our fault Stefan. You were the one that undaggered Elijah and cost us the rest of the coffins," the young witch pointed out.
"I get it Bonnie!"
Stefan paused at the entrance of the cave, he could just make out the end of the coffin and breathed out a sigh of relief. Though he would never admit it, a part of him was worried that Klaus had somehow gotten hold of the last coffin.
"That's the one that's sealed?"
"Yep. Fortunately it seems to be the one he cares about most," Stefan remarked, grateful that this one coffin had been their saving grace in preventing Klaus from tearing their limbs off.
"Aren't you coming inside," Abby asks, glancing abc at the grumpy vampire who stood behind the cave entrance.
"Vampires can't get in. Damon compelled a couple of Lockwood gardeners to bring the coffin in," he explained in a rush.
"This is a bad idea." Abby couldn't get rid of this nagging feeling in her chest as she stared at the coffin. She knew that the only reason she was here, the only reason she was still alive was because she was useful. But what the hell could she really do? She didn't have her magic. She didn't have her mum anymore. She was completely lost and out of her depth. But Bonnie….Bonnie had been out of her depth for months apparently and she managed to not only survive but thrive under the pressure. The magic she possessed, the confidence she had in her convictions. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that her daughter would stab a hybrid in the eye. Maybe it was a good thing that she left Bonnie. It made her better.
"Look, if you're really the key to opening up that coffin, I think it's a pretty safe bet that you're on Klaus's hit list. So I suggest you hide out here and figure out a way to open the damn thing."
"I told you I don't have any powers."
"And I don't believe you. It won't be long until Elijah gets tired of waiting and undaggers the rest of his siblings and comes after us. So dig deep, Abby Bennett. Scrape out whatever magic you have left," Stefan implores before makIng his way to the damp dark cave.
As he made his way towards the light at the end of the tunnel he saw a figure pacing the entrance of the cave. Slowing down his steps, Stefan tried to think of a way to avoid speaking to Elena. He hadn't gone near her since he threatened to drive her off of Wickery Bridge. What exactly could you say to the woman you once-still loved after you made her relive the most traumatic event in her life? He could try and speed away before she could say anything but she would still see him as he fled. Staying in the cave would be pointless as she would eventually get tired of waiting and come in, leaving him trapped. His best option would be to just let Elena confront him and get it over with.
"What are you doing here?" Stefan asks as he emerges from the cave, his voice causing Elena to abruptly stop pacing and face the vampire she once trusted with her life.
"Bonnie told me that you would be here. We need to talk Stefan," the doppelgänger says forcefully.
"There's nothing to talk about."
"You almost killed me!"she exclaimed. "I have spent all week trying to figure out how to talk to you. How to look at you again."
"What's done is done Elena." Stefan tried to leave once again but Elena forced her way in front of him and pushed him back.
"No! My parents died going over that bridge. I almost died. You knew that. That's what you wanted right? You wanted to use my parents dying because of me to convince me. To scare me.'' Elena could do little to stop the angry tears from falling down her face nor could she prevent the quiver in her voice but she could make him admit what he did. Make him see the damage that he caused.
"Look, he had to believe that I would do it, alright? Your fear sold it," the vampire shouted. He had to. He had to do it. Why couldn't people understand that? This was the only reason to get Klaus to see that he was serious, that he wouldn't be underestimated. Of course Stefan never could have anticipated that his sister was on his side helping him.
"It didn't do shit, because your plan failed. You broke me for nothing."
"He has a weakness, Elena!" He pointed back to the cave where he could hear the Bennetts looking through their grimoires looking for a way to break the sel on the coffin, in turn giving him hope. "I know his weakness, I can destroy him." he says passionately.
"After everything, that's what matters to you? Destroying Klaus," she questions.
"Destroying Klaus is all I have left," he remarked with a sad smile
"You had me," Elena says dejectedly, looking up at him with teary eyes.
"I lost you the minute I left town with him. You just haven't let yourself admit that yet."
"No, you lost me when you drove me over that bridge. But thank you for clearing everything up for me," she says sarcastically. Stefan nods his head lightly before turning to leave but is prevented when Elena asks, "Did you kill the medical examiner?"
"Why would you think I did that?"
"You tried to kill me, clearly I don't know what you're capable of," doppelgänger explains.
"Well believe what you want."
"I don't know what to believe anymore."
"Did you ask Damon...if he killed anybody lately?" Stefan asked cautiously. He wasn't oblivious, he had noticed the stolen glances, the pep in Damon's step. How Elena leaned on him. He didn't know exactly what had happened when he was gone but he knew that something had changed between the two.
"No, you don't get to play the victim after what you did to me." Elena says angrily, stepping towards him with an accusing finger, "You know what? It was a mistake to come here. You and Klaus deserve each other, you're both willing to hurt the people you love to get what you want." Elena stormed off leaving a crestfallen Stefan standing on the clearing as he stared down at the floor. Deep down he knew that driving down to that bridge was a mistake, but it was a calculated risk with a high reward. It could-would have worked as well. If Aurora wasn't there.
If he...if he hadn't had taken her.
But she should have never been an option in the first place. He shouldn't be on his side. She should be with them. With her family. You never know how much freewill really matters until it's stripped away from you, his experience only lasted a couple months. Who knows how long Aurora lived with that feeling of hopelessness?
It was times like this, when he was truly alone with his thoughts that Stefan had the most terrifying thought creep into this mind. What if she wasn't being compelled and had chosen Klaus? What if everything he once thought was wrong. What if he was the bad guy?
Back at the boarding house he had a long blistering shower that failed to dampen his agitation, his skin felt too tight, the rooms were too small and everything was just too bright and burned him. It reminded him of when he first turned back at the quarry. How every sense and emotion overwhelmed him until the release that blood offered cooled his mind. What he wouldn't do for just a drop right now.
Before Stefan could deal anymore on this Damon came into the room with two different coloured shirts, one dark blue and one black.
"Get dressed. We're going out," Damon announced.
"Yeah, sorry, not interested," Stefan replied, ignoring the shirts his brother placed on his bed.
"I didn't ask. Elijah and I have scheduled a very old-fashioned sit down/family get together. I say go with the black. Makes you look all villainy."
"And why are we doing this?" the younger Salvatore questioned.
"We are buying a little time to give our wicked witches a chance to pop the top off the coffin before Aurora's vampires or Klaus' hybrids sniff us out."
"So that's your, uh, plan? Stalling?"
"If you didn't go postal and wake up Elijah and lose all the coffins, then maybe we'd have some options," the dark haired vampire supplied.
"And you think you can trust Elijah?" The last time they listened to that Original Stefan ended up sacrificing himself to Klaus in order to save his brother who took that time to shack up with his girlfriend. Was that his goal? Did he want him out of the way again so he would have Elena all to himself?
"Are you kidding me? After what Klaus did to him? He's in vengeance mode. It's perfect." Of course Damon was cautious this time round, he knew to take their temporary alliance with a grain of salt. Elijah is a man of honour unless it comes to his siblings.
"There's nothing smart about trusting Elijah, Damon. He hasn't undaggered his siblings yet. For all we know he could be on team Klaus."
"Yeah, well, the way you've been acting, I trust him about as much as I trust you," Damon quipped, still wary about his brother's mindset.
"And you've always been the trustworthy one right Damon?" Stefan gave his brother a crooked smirk, hoping to catch him out.
The Salvatore frowned at his younger brother, ignoring the guilt clawing in his chest before stepping close to him and gripping tightly on Stefan's shoulder as he stared deep into his eyes. "I don't know what's going on with you Stefan but you have to get it together. I am not losing Aurora again because you can't control yourself." turning his heel, Damon called back to Stefan,"Get dressed and meet me downstairs at 20."
After 20 minutes of Stefan mopping and stubbornly waiting an extra ten minutes before coming down to meet his brother, the Salvatores were at the Mikaelson Mansion, ready to enter the belly of the beast.
Elijah opens the front door before either brother can raise their hand to knock. "Welcome," Elijah greets before stepping back and allowing his guest to come inside, directing them to the dining room.
"Where's Klaus?" Damon questions, looking around the empty room, tensing at the thought that Elijah had betrayed them yet again and were about to be ambushed.
"He'll be here shortly, along with your sister. Please," the elder Original gestured to the fully set dining table.
"So what exactly is the plan here Damon? We pretend to play nice with the psycho that's kidnapped our sister and hope he gives her back?" the young vampire asks, taking his seat next to his brother.
"Just concentrate on being sane, boring Stefan for now and leave the rest to me. We need to keep a level head if we want to get her back."
Before Stefan can poke any more holes into Damon's ill-conceived plans they hear the front door open and two steps of footsteps heading towards the dining room. Both brothers tensed when they saw their sister, her long pink coat resting on her right forearm and her right hand grasping Klaus' as they entered the room.
The pair came to an abrupt stop as they looked with questioning eyes at the Salvatores. "I don't recall inviting you over for lunch," Klaus queried as he saw the two pains staring at him in his home. Olive stared silently at the two, happy to let Klaus take control for once.
"I did, brother." Elijah clarified, stepping up to the pair. "I thought since we are family now that we should get to know one another. Bury the hatchet as it were"
"I'll bury the hatchet when they bring my coffin back," the hybrid expressed.
"And they shall do so after we come to an arrangement of sorts."
"Well," Olive cleared her throat which had suddenly decided to close up, "you guys can do that. I'm gonna go upstairs and pretend this isn't happening. You four enjoy yourselves." the female vampire nodded at Klaus, ready to leave but was interrupted by Elijah.
"I'm afraid your presence is required," he interjected. "Your brothers insisted upon it. Without you here I'm afraid the last coffin will remain in their possession, leaving my siblings daggered." Elijah wasn't too sure about this Olive woman. In all his years searching for Klaus he had never heard of him taking on a companion. He had heard whispers of Olive having the help of an Original, with some suggesting that she was sleeping with him - apparently no woman could resist Niklaus(!) - but the idea that Klaus trusted someone enough to actually let them in. To invite them into their family? It was unprecedented. He had hoped for this day for years, longing for a woman that would ease his paranoia. But Olive was not who he envisioned. He thought his brother could do better than a woman who throws temper tantrums at her younger brothers and punishes them for it.
"I wouldn't worry about the coffin," Olive says confidently looking back into the dining room where the Salvatores are pretending not to listen in, "They're pretty dumb I doubt it would take me very long to find it."
"Please Olive, it's only one dinner. One dinner and this matter is finally laid to rest amicably. Don't you agree, Niklaus?" Elijah beseeched.
"Personally I prefer bloodshed and torture but I suppose in the name of peace I would be willing to discuss a mutually beneficial arrangement. But it's up to Olive."
The vampire in question looked back over to the two vampires she once considered family and weighed out her options. She could ignore them and look for the coffin herself and stop them from opening it, but this would take more time and it was more than likely that they have the Bennetts with the coffin, protecting it. Going against wouldn't be that difficult considering one is without powers and the other has only been practicing for a year. However, she shouldn't underestimate them, they could hold their own and any direct attack on the witches would lead to casualties which she wanted to avoid at all costs. Another option would be to bleed them out and Klaus can simply compel the answers out of them but again this would take some time, be too messy and would only give them more incentive to attack in the future.
It seemed a sit down would be the least violent way of getting back the coffin. "I have ground rules. I'm not sitting next to either of them, they are not allowed to say anything snarky about my relationship with Klaus and a guarantee that we get the coffin unopened."
"I'm sure those terms will be no trouble for your brothers." Elijah looked back at the Salvatores, Damon giving them a forced smile and Stefan looking more gloomy by the minute.
"I have one last condition. Stop calling them my brothers." Shocked by her forcefulness Elijah nods silently before looking back at the brothers who look disappointed with Olive's words.
"Excellent. So, what are we having for lunch?" Klaus claps his hands in excitement, already knowing that this night will be filled with tension and one or two violent outbursts.
The five vampires sat at the dining table, a heavy silence filled the room, only the sounds breaking free were the occasional crape from the cutlery on the plates. Olive was seated between Klaus and Elijah, unfortunately this met facing the two Salvatores who couldn't help but glance at their mysterious sister frequently which made Olive shift uncomfortably in her seat.
Though it wasn't obvious at first, Elijah was able to see the family resemblance between Olive and the Salvatores. She and Stefan had similar green/brown eyes, all three had quite pale skin - not vampire related - and shared a flare for dramatic eyebrows. The main difference between them however was their age. He was previously informed that Stefan was 17 when he became a vampire and Damon looked as if he was around 25 when he turned. But Olive looked a bit older than them. She could surely pass for a woman in her early twenties but the way she dressed and held herself was not that of a woman in her early twenties. If he had to guess he would assume that she was 27 when she turned, close to Niklaus's age when he turned.
"Isn't this nice? The five of us dining together?" Elijah remarks, hoping to break the tension
"No," Olive quips without looking up from her plate, choosing to focus on moving her mash potatoes around her play with a fork.
"Come now, I think over time we could even make this a weekly event."
"Are you high?" the vampire questioned, causing Klaus to burst out laughing at the pair.
"I'm just saying this wouldn't be possible had Stefan not removed that pesky dagger from my chest," the Original quipped.
"That's true. Tell me, was this what you had in mind? A forced family meal?" Klaus asked, looking over at Damon.
"I just thought since you brought my sister back to life then why shouldn't I return the favour?" he supplied, taking a large mouthful of his steak.
"Speaking of sisters. Where's Rebekah? Last I checked she was still daggered. You were afraid to face her," Stefan pointed out with a barely hidden grin.
"If you're referring to the fact that Rebakah knows I killed our mother, I've already come clean to Elijah," the hybrid revealed, happy to take the young Salvatore down a peg.
"Hey, Stef, remember when you killed dad? Might want to dial down the judgement until after we finish eating," Damon reminded.
"Yea Stef. You killed Dad, Damon has killed everyone else. Who are you to judge right?" Olive remarked bitterly.
"What about you Au-Olive," Stefan grimaced as he corrected himself, "have you ever killed any of the Salvatores? Might be a family trait."
"Not yet."
The sun was just starting to set over Mystic Falls, giving the town an eerie feel as the sounds of traffic began to lessen and slowly be replaced by the sound of crickets. The dreary atmosphere seemed fitting after the day the pair had as they walked towards the Gilbert residence. Both knew the pain that came from losing a father and while their experiences were different it didn't make the hurt hurt any less. Knowing that their friend, their innocent, kind heart friend was going to have to go through the same thing made their hearts ache but it made them think about all that they had lost in such a short time period.
Vicki. Jenna. John. Mum. Dad.
Normality.
It was amazing that they hadn't completely broken down yet.
As they climbed up the house steps they could immediately tell that something wasn't right. The front door was left ajar. Alaric was always so careful to lock all the doors. He never forgot.
The two teens cautiously entered the house and found that all the lights had stopped working. They could still see without the lights but not as clearly. Elena signed to Matt to follow her into the kitchen where she knew the flash lights were kept. But before she could even reach the kitchen she could smell the metallic range in the air.
Blood.
Lots of blood.
It seemed like there wasn't a day when this kitchen wasn't covered in blood anymore.
"Oh my god!"
"What the hell?" Matt questioned, staring down at the pool of blood.
Intuitively the pair each get themselves a kitchen knife from the drawer and make their way slowly down the hallway, following the droplets of blood. As they look around they can see a bright red mark on the banister and follow it up the stairs where bloody hand prints have decorated the white walls. At the top of the stairs Elena can see a crumpled Alaric leaning against the wall with a knife sticking through his stomach.
"Ric! Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!"
Rushing towards the injured man Elena is frantic and at a loss on what she should do. Calling for an ambulance would take it long. They didn't have any vampire blood laying around - though they really should at this point - and they had no way of knowing if the person that attacked Alaric was supernatural or not. If he would come back.
But deep down she knew what to do. She had done it before.
"He's dying Matt! What other choice do we have?"
As gently as she could she pulled out the knife from her guardian ready to plunge it through his heart.
"You could always use my blood."
Elena stops as she hears a woman's voice coming from downstairs. From the top of the stairs she can make out a pair of legs in high heeled shoes. Instructing Matt to stay with Alaric he places pressure on the wound trying to prevent his favourite teacher from bleeding out.
Quickly and cautious heading down the stairs the doppelgänger can see a well dressed woman in a black and white maxi dress. She is smiling at the doppelgänger but makes no move to enter the house or introduce herself.
"It's right here, free of charge," she offers, holding a vial of blood in the air before placing it on the floor and rolling it towards the doppelgänger.
The young girl quickly grabs the vial and inspects it. She looked over at the stranger again and noticed that she had a strange accent that she couldn't place. The stranger didn't look like she came from around here either. Her bronze skin left her wondering if she was from South America.
"Who sent you?"
"Olive. She wanted to make sure nothing happened to the teacher," the vampire shrugged.
"Why?"
"She doesn't want him to die yet. Have a nice night. And maybe lock your doors." With that she quickly disappears into the street. Once Elena is sure the woman is gone she rushes upstairs and feeds Alaric the blood and tells Matt to call the ambulance just in case.
"Stefan. Where is the lovely Elena tonight?" Elijah wonders, he had seen first hand how much she cared for her loved ones and was truly impressed by her strength of character.
"I don't know. Ask Damon," Stefan quips, causing Olive to snicker into her napkin as Klaus unsuccessfully tries to suppress his laugh with his hand.
"I'm sorry, you've missed so much. Ah, trouble in paradise," the hybrid explains.
"Stefan has a thing for threatening his exes. Very problematic that one," the young vampire whispers dramatically.
"I think it's best to keep Elena in the do not discuss pile."
"Oh so you don't want to talk about how Damon kissed Elena after he found out you saved his life," Olive sarcastically asks, looking between the pair with wide eyes.
Staring accusingly at his brother, Stefan breaks the wine glass that was in his hands, wine spilling onto his jeans and dripping down onto the hardwood floor. "You kiss Elena?" he repeated. He knew. He knew something had happened between the two. He knew that Damon just had to swoop in when he was trying to make things right. How long has this been going on? All summer? Have they done anything else? Were they both having the time of their lives while he was in hell following the devil like a bitch?
"This feels like a discussion that should be had in private, not something you just blurt out." Damon pointed out nervously, refusing to meet his brother's gaze.
"It was an honest mistake, I just assumed you would have told him. It would have been the right thing to do, don't you think Nik?"
"I would assume so. I guess that famous Salvatore bond is crumbling," Klaus smirked.
Taking a deep breath Stefan shoved down all the anger and betrayal he was feeling away. He had to keep a level head or else he could lose everything. He could deal with Damon later. He could sort through his feelings later. He just had to get through this and give Bonnie enough time so that they could finally kill Klaus for good. "One more word about Elena and this dinner is over," he calmly states looking over at his sister, to which she makes a key lock gesture causing Klaus to snicker.
"I see, well perhaps we should discuss less intrusive matters," Elijah suggested, his eyes shifting between the Salvatores.
"Aurora-" Damon starts.
"-Olive," she interrupts with a frown.
"How did you and Nik get together then? From the stories I've heard, you're the complete opposite of him. Or is that just bullshit like you being dead for 200 years," Damon snarked, unable to help himself. He came into this believing without a doubt that Aurora was being compelled. That the Original hybrid prick was taking advantage of their sister and it was their duty to save her from him. But he was starting to lose his convictions. The more he watched the pair the more he began to fear the worst. The way they made each other laugh, the casual arm behind her chair that would occasionally rub her shoulders. The smiles. The happy in love smiles.
It made him sick.
"I like his butt. I'm willing to over look mass murder for a cute butt. And big dick," she stated factually causing Klaus to produce a shit eating grin.
"Uh, why?" Damon grimaced, shuttering dramatically.
"You asked. I answered," she shrugged.
"You know that being rude to make people uncomfortable isn't going to work. I practically invented that."
"That's not what I was doing," she stated, "If i was doing that I would tell you that Nik and I had sex in that chair this morning," Damon quickly leaps up from his chair causing it to tip over and land on the floor with a loud bang, "or i'm lying and that chair is perfectly fine."
"Stefan switch with me," the vampire demands.
"Yea, that's not happening."
"Relax gentlemen, there is nothing wrong with the furniture. Yet." Olive and Klaus look over at each other before laughing gently, leaving the other occupants to wonder why. Damon picks his chair from the floor and looks at it suspiciously before cautiously seating down.
"Were you alone?" Stefan asks suddenly, looking up from his plate. "When you turned, were you alone?"
"Yes."
"Was it an accident?"
"I was injured, a vampire decided to be merciful and healed me, made me forget. Then I died and came back." she replied vaguely.
"I'm sure it was quite a shock not knowing what was happening to you," Elijah sympathised.
"It was not too much of a shock. I still had my father's journals and they explained a lot."
"Did you know we were alive?"
"Not until the 40s."
"Why didn't you find us? We could have helped you," Stefan pressed, his anger slowly coming back.
"Help me with what? I was dealing with being a vampire perfectly fine and I really didn't need others knowing that I was related to the Ripper of Monterey," she explains, if they knew no one would have trusted her. She could hardly blame them either.
"But you're fine with people knowing that you're fucking the devil?" Stefan bursted out, unable to control himself any longer. Damon yells his name in frustration but is unable to stop what happens next
Before anyone can react Klaus grabs his steak knife and throws it at the young Salvatore and embeds it squarely into his heart. The vampire groans as blood seeps through his clothes and struggles to remove the knife. The hybrid is practically frothing with rage when Olive turns to look at him and looks at him apologetically. "Bite your tongue," Klaus growls.
Olive gives Stefan a bittersweet smile before calmly folding her napkin and placing it neatly on the table next to her still full dish. She turns in her seat and holds Nik's face in her hands forcing his eyes back on to her. Gently caressing his face with her thumb she gives him a loving smile. No words are exchanged between the pair but the moment is so intimate that the others can't help but look away. Klaus manages to relax under her touch and allows himself to close his eyes briefly. Nik only opens his eyes when he feels the lightest touch of her lips on his cheek and watches as she stands gracefully form the table with her head held high and leaves the room.
"Aurora." Damon calls out. Aurora please come back. Great job Stefan."
Klaus leans forward from his seat, holding his hands on the table as he stares down the Salvatores. "Let me be perfectly clear, you do not talk to Olive that way ever. If either of you ever disrespect her again I will tear out every organ from your body except your heart and make you eat it while your precious doppelgänger watches," he calmly informs, his piercing gaze showcasing a burning rage concealed by his calm demeanor. "Understood?"
Barely suppressing back a shiver Damon manages to utter, "Crystal," and for the first time in a long time the brothers are reminded how dangerous Klaus really is.
Deep in the caves the Bennett witches are desperately trying to open the coffin.
Or at least one of them is.
"You're not trying." Bonnie cries out, ripping her hands away from Abby in frustration. "We've been at this for over an hour!"
"The spirits are angry with me. For leaving you. Maybe they didn't want me to have my powers again," Abby reasons. She didn't deserve to have her powers back after what she did.
"I had all those dreams for a reason. The spirits wanted me to find you because you're my mum. It's not them, it's you. You won't open yourself up to it. You know dad never talked about you? And neither did Grams. I had no memories of you. So you know what I use to pretend? That you were dead. It was easier to do that than wondering why you never came back for me." Taking a deep breath she looked her mother in the eye. "So I don't care about any guilt you feel or your excuses. The spirits are not mad at you so stop using them as an excuse and just do something for me for once. You cost me my childhood, you will not cost me my friends. You owe me this much," she demanded.
Overwhelmed with guilt Abby can't stop the tears from running down her cheek as she croaks out, "I'm so sorry for everything that I did. I wish that I could make things up to you."
"Prove it. Try."
"You've grown into such a strong woman"
"I had no choice," she proclaims. Bonnie reaches out to Abby again, placing her hands on the coffin. They close their eyes chanting loudly as they feel the power surge between them.
Suddenly the candles flare up kissing the walls of the cave rattling in place as a deep rumbling over takes the cave. After a minute the candles suddenly return back to normal and the cave is silent once again.
Opening her eyes Bonnie tries to open the coffin again, it rattles slightly but remains intact. "It almost worked. I have to text Damon, tell him that we're getting closer. I'll be right back."
"Ok," Abby nodes, adrenaline rushing through her body. It's been years since she felt a rush like that.
The young witch grabs her phone out of her bag and makes her way out of the cave for better cell reception. She manages to send Damon a message before she hears a thud back in the caves. Bonnie makes her way back inside to investigate but before she can all the candles flare up again and the coffin slams open. Bonnie tries to leave but crumbles just outside the cave.
After Olive's departure and Stefan's near death experience things had grown even more tense. Klaus was still seething inside yet managing to keep his cool exterior. He had learned that when people witness others go blind with furry they tend to misunderstand the message. Thankfully he has had a thousand years of practice. Olive could be heard outside quietly talking to the hybrids outside seemingly unbothered by the events happening inside. Trying to salvage the evening Elijah suggests, "Perhaps it would be best to move this along and discuss the terms of the proposal."
Discreetly booking at the text that Bonnie has sent him Damon replies, "It's very simple, Klaus gets his coffin back, in exchange, he and all the Originals leave Mystic Falls forever. Me, Stefan, Elena and Aurora live happily ever after. No grudges."
"Olive is not part of the deal. As for the doppelgänger, her blood ensures I will always have more hybrids. I won't leave her behind, certainly not with incompetent fools like yourselves."
"You're not taking Elena." Stefan says, speaking for the first time since Olive left.
"There are alternatives of course. The first being that Elena promises to donate blood once a week for the rest of her short life. Or, the doppelgänger donates a few of her eggs which are placed in a surrogate so that the Petrova line can continue under our protection," Klaus states factually.
"Are you insane? That's crazy," Damon protests, frowning at the absurd suggestion.
"It's your best option. Let's be realistic for a moment gentlemen." Klaus lends forwards and rests his chin on his hands. "If I were to leave her here under your protection, how long until one of you turns her into a vampire? Or worse, dies caught between your idiotic feuding. You see, each one of you truly believes that you're the one that can protect her, and that is simply a delusion. Gentlemen, the worst thing for Elena Gilbert is...the two of you."
"I'm gonna get some air," Damon clears his throat and gets up from the table, giving Stefan a weak smile. Klaus' words were affecting him more than he would like.
As Damon leaves the room Elijah turns to his brother and says, "Let me deal with this." the original gets up front eh table and follows Damon out the room where Klaus not longer has any eyes on them
"And then there were two," the hybrid smirks, staring down the paranoid vampire.
Time of the essence with this. They could not be gone from the table for too long or else Klaus would grow suspicious. Elijah led Damon up the stairs to the door at the very end of the hall. It was being guarded by Olive's vampires who had been instructed never to leave their post. The Original ripped out their heart before they could even blink and had Damon gently place them on the ground, preventing any sudden noises announcing their intentions. Elijah was finally about to enter the room now that the Bennett witch had removed the barrier spell.
All three coffins were placed on the sides of the room. The Original let out a sigh of relief when he saw them.
He was getting his siblings back
All of them.
Damon goes towards the closet coffin finding the sleeping Rebakah still in her unused prom dress and undaggers her, placing the weapon on the side table.
Elijah gazes upon his brother for the first time in centuries before removing the dagger and swiftly heads towards the final coffin. He joyfully opens the final coffin but is stunned with what he finds inside. "No, no." Elijah whispers shocked.
"What?" Damon asks as he comes around to the final coffin
"Did you do this? Did you switch them out?" he asks accusingly.
"What? No. Are you saying this isn't your brother?"
Elijah looks towards the door and mutters, "Niklaus," before speeding off.
Left alone with two sleeping Originals Damon takes this opportunity to take one of the daggers from the coffin before following Elijah out at a more leisurely pace.
"So, how long have you been compelling my sister, Klaus"
"Still on that are we?" Klaus rolls his eyes, "Does it ever bother you, being wrong all the time?"
"I know you. I know how you think. There is no way that my sister would ever be with someone like you," he growls, leaning forward in his seat gripping the side of the table.
"She hasn't been your sister for a long time, mate," the hybrid quips, relaxing into his chair.
"I don't care what I have to do, but I'm getting her back."
"Back to what exactly? The human version that you remember? If that's what you're looking for then you'll be disappointed Ripper, that girl is long gone. Thanks to you," he nods to the vampire
"You won't get away with this Klaus. When we get the compulsion off, I'll have a front row seat to her fans ripping you to shreds when they find out you've been using her."
"I'm curious. Are you more upset that your sister has sided with me or that your girlfriend fell for your brother when you left to save him," Klaus smirks. Stefan tries to remain still but the slight tick in his jaw confirms to the hybrid that he hit a nerve. "That has to hurt. Giving up your life to save him only to find he has slowly been replacing you. The long lost sister coming back from the dead, and wanting nothing to do with you," he remarked gleefully.
"Is that your move Klaus? Trying to turn me against my family?" Stefan sneered.
"Oh you're doing a splendid job of that on your own. Won't be long and you'll only have yourself to blame. And I get to have a front row seat," Klaus boasted.
Before Stefan can say anything else Klaus is sent flying off his seat as Elijah tackles him to the floor, making the young vampire leap from his seat in surprise.
"Where is he?" Elijah roars as he punches his younger brother in the face.
"What the bloody hell are you on about?" Klaus screamed pinned under Elijah as he used it off and into the wall next to the door where a confused Damon entered.
"KOL! He's not with the others," he ranted, attacking his brother again, "Where did you put him?" In his fury Elijah manages to put Klaus in a choke hold from behind.
"Elijah," Klaus chokes out, confused by this sudden attack.
"Tell me where he is," he shouts.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Elijah pushes Klaus on to the floor with his hands around his neck. Tired of this fight Klaus' hybrid face comes out and is ready to bite Elijah when a man appears in the doorway holding various shopping bags.
"Hello, brother!"