Getting my parents on board with a sudden and abrupt move was a challenge. First I convinced them that they needed a holiday and that we should go visit our family, which was the easy part. At least it got them out of town before Silas and everyone else could come back, and I stayed behind to start with the preparations to leave, meaning packing up all our things. Most of it was accomplished through magic, and I searched for safe places that we could live away from this hellhole that had job opportunities for my parents.
Rebekah was already on board for helping me compel them, so all I had to do was make the preparations and to also sell this house so that we had money. I didn't want to, I'd spent a great deal of my life in this house. It was home to me, but something told me that I would never be coming back to Mystic Falls for more than a fleeting visit from now on, and this house was only going to hold me back. I had to wait until Bekah came back, where she filled me in on any details that I might have missed. I was surprised to learn that Jeremey Gilbert was dead, so after hearing about it all, I actually ended up making my way over to the Gilbert house.
I got there just as Elena had struck a match and let it drop to the floor, setting fire to everything and I stared in alarm as her brother lay dead on the couch, Stefan and Damon both just standing there. Was this girl completely out of her mind?! Lifting a hand, I drained out the energy from the flames, siphoning it off so that they died out, though there was still a strong smell of gasoline in the air. "Looks like I showed up just in time." I noted, putting my hands in my jacket pocket as Elena suddenly vamp sped her way over to me.
"You're interrupting my little bonfire celebration." She told me, making me frown at her. Her eyes seemed dead, like she no longer cared about anything, so after a moment I clicked what it was.
"Ah…you flipped your humanity switch. Well then I guess my condolences are wasted here, though I can tell you from personal experience house fires are no party." I told her morbidly, standing face to face with Elena who looked like she was considering snapping my neck. "And before you think about killing me, remember I'm an all-powerful druid and I could kill you a hundred times over before you even twitched a finger." Brow furrowing at me, Elena seemed to decide that I wasn't worth the effort, brushing past me with a harsh knock of her shoulder.
"Fine. Do whatever you want with the place. It's yours for all I care." Well, she's even more delightful without her humanity. Turning on the brothers, I shot them a glare.
"Whose brilliant idea was it for her to switch off her humanity? Because I sure as hell doubt it was her." Damon looked particularly guilty, so I presumed it had been him. Rolling my eyes, I then looked over at Jeremy, the body now starting to smell and swell as it reached the stage where it really needed to be taken care of. "Get him out of here, bury him properly before Elena comes back with more matches and a pyromaniac attitude."
"Why are you even here, Lia?"
"Believe it or not, but I'm actually here to express my commiserations for Jeremy, and to also warn you guys about a few things you should probably know before I skip town. Let's call it one last Lia 'hurrah' before I'm gone." Glancing at Jeremy again, I couldn't help but walk on over in order to stand over him, regarding him as he lay there and looking worse by the second. He was growing waxy and discoloured, really starting to look like the corpse he was and I found it deeply unsettling, so I cast some magic over him.
Usually my magic doesn't work on the dead, but there were still some spells that had an effect. Mostly it was dark magic, the element type my druid ancestors used to use both for necromancy and interring bodies. I was using it now for the latter. With the magic, I reverted Jeremy's body to the state it had been just after death, where he looked like he was about to take a deep breath and wake up. A healthy tone returned to his skin and the smell vanished as I let the magic flow over and through him, wishing that there was more I could do. I'd liked Jeremy. He was a good kid, he didn't deserve this. "What are you doing?" Damon asked suspiciously, stepping forwards but I lifted a hand.
"Relax, I'm just doing Jer one last favour." I assured them, giving his hand a squeeze before then turning around. "Listen, basically you guys are going to be walking into a battlefield soon enough, and things are going to get messy. You need to focus on Bonnie right now. Forget Elena, let her go off the deep end. She'll be fine eventually. It's Bonnie you have to worry about. She's being manipulated by Silas, who is now awake and walking around town wearing other people's faces because he can do that."
"How do you know…?"
"Because I'm an oracle, genius, a druid oracle and I can see some things that are about to happen." Giving Stefan a glare, I continued. "Silas isn't back to his old strength yet because the expression triangle that Professor Shane was trying to complete is yet to be finished. No matter what, you can't let that triangle be completed, otherwise you guys are basically screwed. There's some other things too but there's so many details that you'll forget them as soon as I tell you, so I'll just text you guys useful tips every now and then. If Silas really gets out of control, then you call me and I'll try and deal with him, but only call me as a last resort. Unless there's another way to get rid of him, then you don't want to use your trump card too soon." Both the brothers looked at one another, as if uncertain whether or not they believe me, suspicious and untrusting.
"Why are you suddenly getting involved now carrots? You've always said you don't care about what happens to any of us, now you're suddenly a team player?" Seriously Damon? Still with the nickname? You're such an ass.
"Who says I haven't been involved all along?" I reasoned, making them both look completely lost so I sighed. "When Klaus first wanted to kill Elena in the ritual, where did you think Elijah got that resurrection ring from? A bunch of dead witches from five hundred years ago? Yeah right." Stefan got there first, his face dropping in shock as he stared at me.
"You made that ring?"
"Yeah, I made the ring, Stefan. I saved Elena's life, as well as her dad's life since I'm pretty sure I'm right in thinking he was going to do a linking spell to offer his life for hers. Good thing that spell became unnecessary after it was cast because Elena never truly died." I spread my hands at them with attitude. "When Caroline got bit by Tyler after he turned into a hybrid, who do you think Matt called to go get some of Klaus's blood to her? Yours truly. Who kept Klaus on a leash to keep him from killing you all every time you guys tried and failed to put him under? Me. Who helped Rebekah adjust to teenage life and persuaded her to try make friends instead of killing Elena after she stabbed her in the back? Me again. Which one of us was the one who not only expelled Klaus from Alaric, but also saved him again when he got possessed by the dark side of the resurrection ring and almost went on a killing spree? Me. I'm the one who spelled that side of him out, I even stopped him from killing Caroline's dad who would have been murdered with vampire blood in his system at the time. I kept him from switching to Evil Alaric, and only lost that power when Esther poisoned me into a deep sleep. Who was the one person who was willing to bury Silas forever and actually try to create a new vampire cure for anyone who wanted it? Me."
"You…that was…you?" Both the brothers were staring at me like I was a total alien, probably unable to believe everything that was coming out of my mouth.
"And that's not even the half of it. I've saved Carol Lockwood from Klaus's revenge tirade, I've been keeping tabs on you all since the very start and helping from the background whenever you guys started to mess up or looked like you were going to be killed by something. Who do you think kept all those angry ghosts in check when they got a hold in the physical world? Because it sure as hell wasn't Bonnie. Whilst they were running around trying to kill everyone, I was the one binding them down and using my magic to hold them off long enough for Bonnie to send them back. Every gust of wind, every earth tremor, every sudden tip of the balance you guys have experienced, that's been me this entire time." Taking a deep breath as I had almost run out of air, I needed a few seconds to recover as I grabbed for a seat and sat myself down, running a hand through my hair. "I couldn't fix everything, sometimes I couldn't help in time to change anything, but I have been the one all this time trying to fix things before they ended up broken, and none of you have been very helpful on that front."
"Why didn't you just tell us that this is what you've been doing all along? All this time, you've actually been on our side, helping us." Stefan sat down too, looking at me intently as I rubbed my neck where it still felt a little sore and bruised from where Klaus had stuck me.
"Because I'm not on your side. I meant it when I said none of us are friends. Rebekah is my friend. Elijah, is my friend, because they actually care about me. Sure they came to me asking for something, but when I said no, they stuck around anyway. You guys took my rejection then just left me alone, which was fine, I get you don't want people around who aren't of use to you. It never bothered me, but I've had it up to here helping people who seem hell bent on destroying themselves and everything around them." Lifting my hand to level with my eyes, I then dropped it again. "So I'm leaving, and I'm probably not going to be coming back. Like I said, I'll drop hints if I see you guys wandering off track, but that's it."
"Lia, we're…we're sorry we never realised everything you'd been doing for us."
"Speak for yourself, I'm not even sure I believe any of this." Damon quipped so I shot him a look.
"It doesn't matter whether you believe me or not. Just believe this. Silas is here, and he's not going to give up until he gets exactly what he wants. He's going to want to destroy the Other Side, I'm not sure if you guys know what that is yet, I'm a little mixed up with the whole timeline thing with the visions, but he's going to want to destroy that, then die so he can be with his one true love. Eventually, he's going to figure out that actually, being alive is way better than being dead, and that's definitely a problem that you guys are going to have to go fix. Well. I've given my share, now the rest is up to you. Have fun, and have a nice life. I hope you guys figure out who's going to win the Elena tug of war sooner or later, though at this point you guys might as well just share her."
Damon flew at me then but I just flicked my finger at him and he flew back across the room. Jeez, that guy never learns. It was a tense exit, but I felt satisfied that I'd at least got my point across. By now, Rebekah would have compelled my parents that a change of scenery was needed and being closer to family was definitely in order, so things should be moving along quickly soon enough. She even helped me find a new home to move into, though she was still focused on trying to find the cure which apparently had fallen into Katherine's hands. I'd tried a couple of locator spells, but she was too far away for me to find anytime soon, so it looked like it had to be the old fashioned way.
For now, however, Rebekah was completely on board with helping my family move. The house we'd all chosen was a little pricey, but Rebekah sorted out the funds for it by compelling some rather sizeable donations from rich people in a couple of the surrounding areas. I wasn't too fussed on her methods, but I was desperate to get out of this town as fast as possible, and I was down for anything that got us away from here faster. "You're being rather devoted recently Bekah. What's going on?" I asked her one evening, standing in my new house and painting my room together.
"Think of it as an apology for my brother's mistreatment of you. He was wrong to drug you like that." Grunting at the mention of Klaus, I put my brush down for a moment in order to take a look at the wall. I'd gone for a nice sunset orange colour, which was totally predictable being a redhead and all, but I liked the colour and I'd added some gold tones so that it shone brightly whenever it caught the light. "I am sorry, you know. I haven't been a good friend to you recently, and I'm hoping this makes up for it."
"Well I don't know, maybe." I said slowly, looking down to my hand covered in paint before I wiped it down Bekah's face with a grin, laughing as she squealed in protest. "But that might. All is forgiven." Rebekah retaliated with a paintbrush over my shirt, and before we knew it the both of us were throwing more paint at each other than on the walls. It felt good to be like this with her again, just normal, easy going, and enjoying spending time together. I hadn't yet told her about the fact that her brother had kissed me, and I don't think I will. I didn't want to remember it, because as much as it had hurt being tricked by him like that, it had been a rather sensual kiss.
Part of me wanted to think that it had meant something. I mean, I had definitely felt more than I thought I would, and I wanted to believe Klaus had felt it too. That spark, a connection, but I guess not. I'd cut him out from my life, refusing to talk to him and even blocked his number so that he couldn't call, because there was no way I was going to let him back into my life now. I should have known from the beginning that any kind of relationship with him was just going to end in hurt. Serves me right. "There is something that I want to give you Lia, sort of a peace offering." Bekah said to me after we quit the paint fight, going over to her bag and rooting around until she drew out something bound in cloth.
"What's that?" She brought it over and handed it to me so I held it as the cloth slipped, my fingers brushing against something wooden and metal as I held it, frowning before drawing the cloth away to reveal a wooden stake imbued with resurrection magic from a Gilbert ring, the one that had been worn by Alaric after it had been given to him by John Gilbert before he'd left town. Instantly I felt dread flood through me, dropping the stake from my hands but it was too late. I'd touched it. I could already feel a familiar warmth of recognition spreading through my fingers as my magic mapped the properties of the ancient tree.
"Lia? What's wrong?"
"Bekah…why did you give me this?"
"I want you to hold onto it. That is the only weapon that can kill an Original, and you're the only person I trust to hide it." She said to me, but when she saw my pale face, she crouched down in confusion and peered at me. "What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Bekah, I'm a druid."
"Yes, I am aware."
"A druid with multiple elements of magic, including nature magic." I pressed, trying to make her realise what I was trying to tell her, but she just continued to frown at me. "I can grow things, Bekah, plants and trees and all kinds of things, all I have to do is touch them once. You've just given me a stake made from an ancient white oak tree that no longer exists in this world." Her eyes widened, realising her mistake. For a while the both of us just stared at one another until slowly, Bekah cleared her throat then picked the stake up again. I thought she was going to take it back, but when she held it out to me again, I stared at her in bewilderment. "Rebekah I can't…"
"You've already touched it, so it's too late now. Besides, even if you could grow a thousand white oak trees, I know you wouldn't. You'd never hurt us, and that's why I'm giving this to you. Destroy it, hide it, do whatever you want with it. I trust you." Touched that Bekah had that much faith in me, I took the stake from her, feeling it's weight in my hands and took a pressure filled breath before ghosting my hand over it, making it shimmer slightly before it faded out of sight to a well hidden place where only I could retrieve it. "Thank you, Lia."
"My pleasure. Come on, we still got plenty of work to do." Smiling at me, Rebekah offered her hand for me to grab hold of and pulled me onto my feet so that we could get back to painting my new room. This was the start of a new life for me. A new chapter in a story yet to be completed. As much as I knew what was coming, I was also happy that I was no longer in the middle of it all. I could choose whether or not to help, and since I already had an idea concerning the major points when a little help on the good side would be appreciated, I figured a quick trip to Mystic Falls every now and then couldn't hurt. For now, I can just focus on my parents and the new jobs Rebekah and I had got for them, everything in our life falling into place where I could find a peaceful escape from the supernatural problems of Mystic Falls.