This fic is dedicated to iheartnatebuzz bc it was her idea so props to her! Give it a shot!
Enjoy
Salvatore House
There was a lot that they needed to talk about and her head was aching. Carla wanted to help them, she really did, but at the same time she wanted to slap all of them. How in the hell had they managed to create such a mess in such a small amount of time? Like, for real, this had to be some kind of joke. Not to mention the fact that now she and Anthi were working with that bitch Katherine.
Ugh, the werewolf groaned inwardly. She was in a pisser of a mood and it seemed like she had to swallow it in order to solve this new problem. But why did she have to do it anyway? Swallow her opinions?
"Hey, are you okay?" Jeremy asked her lowly.
She snapped her blue eyes at him "I'm fine" she lied.
Jeremy sighed and paid attention to what Caroline was saying, he knew better than to push Carla's buttons, especially with the full moon being two nights away.
"So, my mom and I went to her office earlier today and had a look at the security cameras and we know who helped Matt. Well... sort of"
"What do you mean 'sort of'?" Elena asked with her brow furrowed.
The blonde vampire clicked her tongue before speaking "We have the identity of the woman that helped him, it's just that she's very irrelevant you know? Also, she's relatively new in town"
"Either way we need to know who she is so that she can cough up some info" the doppelgänger went on "She can't know about us"
"And she doesn't. She was standing by the door while Matt was stealing the video" Caroline clarified for the gang "I also compelled her to tell me what she knew about the file or, you know, the supernatural in general which was nothing. She's clean."
"Except that she's not. She helped Matt once, she might help him again" Jeremy retorted "We can't rule anything out at this point"
"Which is why I compelled her to tell me every time Matt contacts her, if he even contacts her at all" Caroline smiled visibly proud of herself.
Tyler huffed and leaned against the bookshelf nearby "Alright, that's great and all. Now, about that file, we need to see it Care"
The vampire nodded and pulled out her laptop "Like I said before, I went through it myself and... it's a lot. I thought about sending it to you but it's too dangerous, so here it is" she pulled out her laptop and clicked on Elena's folder, she told her with a sympathetic voice "You might want to sit down for this 'Lena"
Suddenly, Elena was feeling very much on the spot. Not that she minded being the center of attention, but in this case, she felt like a deer caught in the flashlights. Her heart was ramming violently against her ribcage and she wasn't sure if she wanted to know what was in her file. What if it had something dodgy – even dodgier – about her parents? About Isobel and John? She had yet to actually process that whole ordeal that was losing her parents, finding her biological parents and also losing them while being hunted by Katherine and Klaus in the process... It was a lot and it was scary and she needed a break. But could she afford a break? Not with everything that was going on, she feared.
She gulped and put her hand over her chest. She was conflicted, scared and lost.
She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder "Maybe you can look through it later" Jeremy said seeing clearly that his sister was fighting her inner turmoil.
Tyler huffed "I don't care if it's too dangerous Caroline, I want to download it onto my phone. We don't have time to lose and if these files are as big as you're saying they are, then we need to go through them very carefully and I'd rather do that alone"
"No surprise there" she scoffed.
Tyler ignored it and addressed the rest of the group "I spoke with my mom and she confirmed that she and Liz have control of the cameras for our safety. I also went by Matt's house and it was empty, but I expected that too, so I went by Amber's and he wasn't there either, neither was Amber nor Sookie"
"Okay, so we've completely lost track of them" Bonnie said feeling discouraged.
"Not at all" the Lockwood hybrid started "Matt once told me about a place his mom used to take him and Vicky when they were kids, just outside town, I'm assuming they used it as a stopover. He wasn't there but I think if you go there" he directed his gaze to Anthi "Then maybe you can sense something that I missed and we'll be able to find them. Given that you're a powerful hub of energy and all."
The hybrid nodded "That can work but that would be too long and we're running out of time. We can grab a piece of clothing or some item that belongs to him and I can perform a locator spell. Even then, we'll have to deal with Sookie and Amber"
"I'm assuming you have a plan" Tyler said
Anthi beamed "I do. I'll track Matt and we'll bring them here. Matt'll be in the cellars and Sookie up here with us–"
"–Wait, pause!" Jeremy interrupted "You won't lock her up as well? But she attacked Bonnie and–"
"I'm not finished" the hybrid admonished "I think Caroline was absolutely right about helping Sookie with her quest to find Eric, however, I'm not stupid. I won't let her harm Bonnie or any of us; that's why I'll be temporarily disabling her powers"
Jeremy looked contrite "Didn't know you and Care had already caught up"
"Just briefly" said the blonde vampire spoke with a dismissive tone "How are you going to do that Anthi?"
Carla huffed harshly; she could tell that she would not like whatever was to come out of Anthi's mouth. She had such a bad feeling since they left New York and she couldn't really shake it. It was like her friend had lost all of her senses and decided that she was invincible. Which, yeah, it wasn't far from the truth but at the same time, Carla had never seen Anthi acting so carelessly about her own life. This was the girl that always made sure she would be safe and five steps ahead in whatever situation she found herself in and she always made sure to have an ironclad plan when shit hit the fan.
Anthi being so willing to put herself on the line like this while being pregnant set off several alarm bells, not to mention the fact that she was working with Katherine, the vampire that turned their lives upside down, and that, in a way, had caused the death of someone very close to her. Her other best friend, the one she had been in love with for a long time but never had the courage to come through and confess her feelings for him, the only other good werewolf she'd ever met – Diogo. She was still mourning him and, unlike Anthi, she couldn't just move on and find a new replacement for him. She had come to Mystic Falls with the sole reason of trying to somehow escape the torture that was facing the full moon but even that was impossible now, with Klaus dead and all.
Ugh, she was tired of this fucking town, of everyone and she was tired of not being able to walk away, especially now that they had yet another crisis to solve. She was so close to being done, to let everyone fend for themselves and leave but she just couldn't do it, no matter how much she wanted to.
The hybrid clasped her hands together "Well, on the way here I thought about how weird it was that three completely different people, with no relationship to each other, were working together to kidnap or kill Stefan. And since this Amber girl seems to be just another face among the Mystic Falls population, I'm sure that they headquartered at her place, and Tyler just confirmed that." she continued "I mean, not one of us suspected that she was even aware of the supernatural and now she's the enemy. Not only that, but they all revealed their alliance yesterday and since they've moved on to another location so fast, I'm sure they've left at least one belonging behind. With luck, it'll be something very personal"
Anthi dug inside her purse and retrieved what looked like small rocks "I'm going perform three separate spells; one to track down their location and another to disable Sookie's powers and I'm going to use these beans. I'll crush them and mix it with Sookie's stuff" she took a deep breath a looked directly to Bonnie "This is the slightly more complicated part and I'm going to need your help in this entire process"
Bonnie had an understanding look, she knew this wasn't a one woman show "Of course, whatever you need me to do"
Anthi nodded "Well, these beans are as dangerous as they come. Just one of these is enough to kill your average supernatural but we're just going to use a very small portion of it"
There it was. Carla hated this plan already "But you're pregnant Anthi! What if something goes wrong and the spell backfires and poisons you both instead?"
The caramel skinned girl looked back at her friend "That's why we're going to perform a protective charm first"
"Okay, but still that's a hell lot of spells for just one day Anthi" Carla voiced her concerns as she made her way to the middle of the huge living room "It's dangerous for the both of you" she said directing her gaze to Bonnie.
"Look," Bonnie started "We're both Bennett witches, we can handle it. And I know there's a baby there and we want to keep it safe" she said adding a smile
"Besides, I know how to channel energies and how much energy I should give away, and we're not going to do all of the spells at once. We're going to do it step by step; I don't want to overwhelm either of us" Anthi said looking at Bonnie.
Still, Carla wasn't convinced and neither was Jeremy who had been looking pointedly at his ex-girlfriend. "And how did you get those beans?"
The hybrid huffed because they were wasting time and they couldn't afford it "I have my ways" she said at once "Now, after we perform the spells, we'll have to move fast. We're going to split; while Bonnie and I are at the Witches' house, you both" she pointed to Tyler and Caroline "You are going to have to be ready and on the go; we'll need you at the border, and you Carla, you're going stay with the Gilberts and look for Damon. You can start doing it now actually."
"So, how long until you perform the spells?" Tyler asked with his arms crossed, he wasn't going to let anything take his focus away from the plan.
"Two weeks. This is a difficult spell and a very draining one, we can't really rush the process. Either way, that should be enough time for you to get to get in Amber's house, get their stuff and sort everything out so the plan works" Anthi clarified "You should also take Elena with you when you go fetch the things we need"
The doppelgänger jumped from her place in the couch "Why? I don't have any powers and I don't even know which things we're supposed to bring"
"And why Tyler? I think that Caroline should go" Jeremy asked confused "They go to the same school as well"
With a huff, Caroline said "I see your point Jeremy but the fact is that Tyler is the Mayor's son; that alone will prompt whoever's at Amber's to invite him in or to be more open minded about it, even if out of their own selfishness. You know how the people in this town are always trying to get close to the Mayor and get some sort of status."
It was no secret that the town events were a big thing in Mystic Falls and whoever wasn't part of the Founding Families or had enough relevance, would be cut out of those privileges. Of course, having those perks meant that they could rub it in people's faces how elite they were, out of reach and important. Jeremy couldn't even argue with that fact because he recalled some people at school talking about how cool it would be to attend one of those parties.
"I'm not sure about this..." Elena lamented.
"Elena, we each have a part to play in this plan, stop being so stubborn about it!" Tyler said tired of Elena's whining.
"Not to mention that Amber was at the pageant last year and Stefan ate her, also let's not forget that you're Elena Gilbert, everybody knows you and you're the poster child of the sweet small-town girl" Caroline said in one breath "I'm sure you'll charm her mom or whoever into inviting you both in"
The doe eyed girl braced herself; she didn't feel particularly comfortable with her role in this plan at all. What if Amber's parents saw right through her? What if they slammed the door in their faces? "We weren't even close at all" she tried to reason.
"It doesn't matter Elena, the fact that you both attended the same school is enough." Anthi quipped "It's an easy thing; get in, get out and bring the items here. Tyler will know which ones to bring"
Tyler nodded. With his heightened ability as a hybrid, he'd be able to smell the traces of their enemies, however faint they were.
With her lips pressed into a tight line, Elena sat back on the couch feeling defeated.
"What happens when we bring the Alliance here?" Carla asked with spite "We'll actually help Sookie find her decrepit boyfriend?"
Anthi ignored the tone on her friend's voice once again. Whatever feelings Carla was going through, she'd have to push them aside and think straight. They were all going through a delicate time, she couldn't give Carla another pep talk "Yes, we will and we'll also keep Amber close."
The blonde werewolf clapped her hands together "Oh wow, that's great! Let's gather all of our current enemies and put them under our roof! Cause that's smart"
"I think it is, actually" Bonnie intervened.
"Of course you do" Carla snorted.
"Without her powers, Sookie will be harmless, Amber is human so I doubt she'd be stupid enough actually try to do anything to us and Matt... well, being locked in the cellars with Bennett magic will be more than enough to keep him quiet until we figure out this whole mess. Those cellars held Katherine and a feverish Damon, so I think we're straight" the teen witch continued without paying mind to the other's comment.
"You know what? Fine, I'll play my part!" the blonde snapped before storming out of the room.
"What's her problem?" Caroline retorted. She knew Carla wasn't the easiest person to work with but she never expected her to throw such a childish tantrum.
"She'll be fine" Anthi dismissed the situation quickly "Now, do you all understand the plan? We need to work as fast and as effectively as we can"
"Wait" Elena spoke "What about Stefan? They're gunning for him!"
The hybrid marched towards the tall girl "I've been keeping him there Elena. No one will be able to get him unless I want to, you have nothing to worry about"
She sighed relieved "I'm sorry, it's just that everything is in crumbles and I'm worried. That's all"
Tyler huffed. Elena needed to grow up and stop being such a whiny creature. The girl was spoiled "Yeah we all are but we need to move and follow the plan."
"Exactly, and one last thing," Anthi started digging inside her purse and retrieved 6 necklaces and gave one each "These will protect you against any hexes and charms. Do not remove them from your body because then you'll be vulnerable to whoever wants to hurt you."
After that, Elena and Tyler proceeded to drive to Amber's house and get their part done but not before Caroline had given Tyler the folder Liz had on him.
The blonde vampire then stood awkwardly in the middle of the room not sure what she wanted to do. She understood her part in the plan but for the moment being, there was nothing she could do to speed up the process, and to be honest, she was feeling emotionally drained. It was weird because with the way things moved in Mystic Falls, she should be used to that feeling but she hadn't, and now it was getting very difficult to be her optimistic self and just carry on like nothing bad was happening.
This whole situation brought up all of her insecurities from the time when her mother first found out she was a vampire, how she teamed up with Matt to destroy her. The two most important people in her life at the time wanted her dead, her own mother looked at her with hatred. How could she ever forget that? Liz had been plotting to get her, just like her dad that had used his newfound supernatural abilities to torture her.
Caroline gulped and felt her heart clench. All of that had happened in a span of a couple months and she barely dealt with all the trauma that was left behind from those events. She could never understand what she had done to deserve such treatment from her parents. Though she and Liz had made up and rebuilt their relationship, there were some scars that could never be erased, no matter how much one tried. And she had, countless times. That was one of her better qualities, she masked up all of her pain behind a gorgeous smile and positive attitude but the truth was that she was still hurting, she still had nightmares despite being a strong vampire. It was like she forgot that she was barely eighteen and a teen because their lives were always in peril.
Sure, Caroline had developed a backbone and had become stronger, there was no doubt about that at all but, right now, she was feeling very vulnerable and small and she wanted to be somewhere safe. It was weird that that somewhere would be the Salvatore manor but she could be herself there, and there was lots of spaces where she could be left alone for a couple of moments. That and she wanted to be close to her best friend.
"Um... do you mind if I hang around for a while?" the blue-eyed vampire asked the hybrid.
"Not at all, make yourself at home" Anthi replied and made a move to Bonnie who was busy packing her grimoires "Hey, can I have a word with you?"
The girl looked up with a small smile "Yeah, sure"
Anthi led them to the garden and they sat in one of the benches "So, I won't beat around the bush; I know we haven't had the proper time to connect and I want to correct that"
"Oh" Bonnie said surprised "Well, I guess could've put more effort into it but with everything going on..."
"I get it, and honestly I feel the same" the long-haired girl sympathized "Which is why I want to get to know you and help you too"
"You don't have to" she said out reflex. She was so used to people only wanting things from her that it was a bit of a shock to know that Anthi wanted to have a genuine connection with her "I mean, I'd love that"
Anthi smiled "You know we're going to be working a lot more together now and we're Bennett witches, we have to stick together. Which is why I brought you these" she took the grimoires from her purse and ran a hand through their cover "These have been given to me by someone very, very special and they've helped me a lot with my magic. I want you to have them" she gently put them in the witch's lap "And I would like to help you grow your magic and accept it. I've been alive long enough; I have the knowledge and I can help you use your magic in ways that won't harm you"
Bonnie was honestly and truly speechless. There were so many things going through her mind, yet she couldn't voice any of them. Everyone kind of assumed she had the hang of witchcraft and that she knew how to do things blindly due to her powerful lineage, but the truth was that most of the time she was frightened. Scared for her life and for her friend's lives. That was the whole reason she still practiced magic.
She had become much more powerful over the past year. She went from levitating feathers to levitating full vampires. Shit had gotten real way to fast. But still, every time she would perform a spell, she could feel some blood dripping from her nose. That was her body saying that something was wrong, that she was doing something wrong but she had no choice but to move forward. If she stopped, who would save her friends?
Though, it was sad to think that apart from Jeremy and Caroline, no one seemed to understand or care for the fact that she was doing everything solo and with no guidance whatsoever. She barely even had the time to learn how to perform magic the right way before Sheila was taken from her. The only thing she had were her grimoires and there was only so much a book could teach her. She needed a fellow witch, mentor, a friend, a sister.
She often avoided having these thoughts because the depressing truth was that she had no one, she only had herself.
Until now.
Anthi covered Bonnie's hand with her own "You don't have to do anything alone anymore. I will help you, Bonnie. You're my family" she added with a sweet smile "I'll protect you, guide you and show you all the wonders of being a witch"
The girl rested her books on the bench and hugged Anthi tightly. The hybrid found herself hugging her back and it wasn't long before she heard Bonnie's quiet sniffles. She was crying. The hybrid ran her hand along Bonnie's back "You don't ever have to be alone; I promise you that"
Bonnie pulled back from the hug and quickly dried her tears "I don't know why I'm crying honestly. I just... I've never had someone look out for me before and now I'm too used to being on my own" she said choking on the words as fresh tears came running down "When you first came to town, I didn't think much beyond of the drama that was happening at the time because the Bennett witches that I've met in past always left... and then you got pregnant and so much bullshit happened that I didn't even think that this could happen... There's always something going down in Mystic Falls"
"Well, that is true. What is it about this town being so danger prone? Seriously, you can't make this up" Anthi asked amused "But in all seriousness though, you've never had someone to help you with your magic before?"
Bonnie looked down before answering. It had been a long time since anyone had asked her about Sheila. Her throat grew thick with emotion.
"You don't have to talk about it if it's too much" Anthi said as a wave of understanding came over her. She could tell that Bonnie was distraught by the way she fidgeted.
"No, it's-it's fine" the young girl said clearing her throat "Um... Grams used to babble about how we had a special heritage and that I needed to embrace it. I never paid it any attention because that speech always came after she had some liquor in her" she chuckled lightly reminiscing the simpler times. "I became painfully aware of my powers soon after Stefan came back to Mystic Falls and before I knew it, we were in deep trouble. We had to perform a spell that she didn't want to and I begged her to help me" sigh "It was a stupid thing really because... the spell... it was too much and-and she just..."
"It's okay Bonnie, you don't have to go on"
The young witch wiped her tears away "It's fine, really. It's just that it still hurts but I know now that she's found peace, she's alright." sigh "But yeah, um... Grams didn't have much time to teach me about magic. She did warn me to stay away from Damon and briefed me a bit on the basic spells but nothing more"
Anthi nodded "And the other witches you've met?"
Bonnie rolled her eyes "Oh that's another can of worms. Well, first there was Lucy who I didn't even know until I found her at a party and apparently, she was working the Katherine, so she was obviously fighting the wrong fight. Though, I like to think that she redeemed herself in the end. That was the last time I saw her"
Anthi tensed briefly at the mention of Katherine's name but Bonnie didn't seem to notice it. "You never thought about contacting her?"
Bonnie was pensive before she spoke "I did, yeah, but... I don't know... I guess, you know, with everything going on I took it up on myself to carry the burden alone" sigh "And I was scared" she admitted.
That was surprising "Scared of what exactly?"
The small girl shrugged "Of failing as a Bennett. Lucy seemed strong, seasoned and I... I was still trying to understand most of the spells in my grimoire. Still am"
Anthi had a sympathetic smile on her face "There's nothing wrong about failing Bonnie. I've failed so many times it's almost laughable. The point is that you learn from those mistakes and grow stronger and better."
"I know that but... other than Grams, I had never met another Bennett witch and I got really insecure about myself as a witch and if I was even the right Bennett to carry my family legacy" she confessed in a small voice.
"Bonnie, look at me" the hybrid said "You are the right one. Look at all that you've done and you've barely grasped your true power. I'm sure your grandmother and all of our ancestors are proud of you and I am too. You're a very powerful and wise witch, I sensed that the minute we met and I know that you are capable of incredible things Bonnie, don't doubt your power"
"You really think so?"
"Of course!" she said with a smile "I don't say things just because Bonnie. I meant it when I said I wanted to help you. I see the light in you as a witch and as a person, you just have to see it too" With a deep breath, Bonnie nodded her head "What about other witches?" Anthi asked.
"Oh, there were the Martins." she started "A father/son duo that gave me a lot of shit and they were also working for the bad guy, a.k.a Klaus." she continued "Jonas, the father, took my powers for a minute there and I realized that witches could be almost as ruthless as vampires... But then I found out that he was doing all of that stuff to save Greta, his daughter. That's it, all the witches I've ever met"
"Not gonna lie, that's a bit depressing" Anthi commented with a chuckle "I assure you that I don't want to hurt you or steal your powers."
"You know, that's oddly reassuring" Bonnie smiled. She picked up the books and said "Thank you for this, seriously."
"Of course," the hybrid said "Those helped me a lot and I hope they do the same to you. I thought we could go through it together if you don't mind"
The teen girl nodded several times "I'd love that."
"It's settled then, we're going to have witchy sessions soon" the other said with a smirk "But first, I need to take care of something" she added as they both stood up.
"Oh sure, I need to speak with Caroline too"
They both went inside and Anthi shared a friendly look with Bonnie before making her way up the stairs. She knocked softly on the door "Can I come in or you're not done pouting yet?" she waited a couple seconds before knocking again "Come on now, this is wildly ridiculous" and still she got no answer.
Anthi palmed the wooden door and pushed it open, expecting to see Carla fuming on the other side, however she was not there. Only a note on the bed that read "I'll be back soon". Anthi shook her head and went to her own room to lie down and make some calls.
"Hey, you" Caroline said as she sipped on a mug of coffee.
"Hey" Bonnie said back "Care to fix me some, please?"
"Sure" the vampire said and moved around the kitchen "So, I take it that your conversation with Anthi went well"
Smiling, Bonnie rested her new books on the counter "You know it did. Nosey"
Caroline beamed and faced her friend with a more serious but understanding look "You know that you can count on me, right? For everything"
Bonnie took the mug from her friend's hand "I know Care, you're amazing" she said adding a dramatic flair to her statement.
The other went to her "No, I'm serious Bonnie. I'm sorry that I haven't even considered how difficult it must've been to deal with all this pressure and your magic on your own"
"Care, you don't have to apologize for anything," she said "You've been the most supportive friend one could have and you couldn't help me with my magic any more than I could help with the blood thirst. But you've been there for me, time and time again. You're the bestest"
"I don't think that's a word Bon Bon" The blonde beamed "I love you and you're my best best friend"
They smiled at one another and Jeremy came in to the kitchen "Hey, I need to go to school and try to salvage at least some of my grades. I know I'm supposed to help look for Damon but I have no idea where to start, Elena is with Tyler and Carla pretty much bailed on me"
Practical as ever, Caroline said "Don't worry, go but be careful please and if you see anything suspicious let us know right away"
He nodded and looked at Bonnie who returned a small smile "See you"
With him gone, Caroline looked at her friend but before she even uttered a word, Bonnie stopped her "Don't."
"I just want an update" she said "You told me that you kissed but I need to know the details and all that jazz"
The young witch groaned "Care, we're going through a whole mess right now, do you really want to talk about my failed relationship with Jeremy?"
"Yes" she started "There's a lot of tension in the air and we need to talk about something light. So, let's talk"
"So, you're looking for a distraction and it has to be at my expense huh?" Bonnie smiled amused "It take it back, you're not the bestest, from now on you're just okay"
The vampire rested her mug on the table and took a deep breath "You know I don't mean it like that Bon"
"I know, I'm just messing with you" the other said. She took a good look at Caroline and noticed that her stance was so defeated, so small and so uncharacteristically Caroline. The vampire was usually so strong, and though Bonnie herself was feeling like a bag of poo, she always looked up to Caroline to find that light and strength. However, that light was so dimmed and Bonnie knew it could only be one thing. "Care, is this about your mom and the files?"
Caroline gulped and looked away "I... I don't want to talk about it Bon"
"Care..." she started but knew she shouldn't push her friend.
The other got up and put some space between herself and her tiny friend "I can't talk about it otherwise I'll break Bonnie. I thought I was okay, but with this whole thing some things came back to haunt me with a little more force and I- I can't right now. I'm sorry."
Bonnie wanted to go to her friend and hug her but she wanted to give Caroline the space she wanted "You don't have to apologize at all Care. Just know that I'm here to help you with everything you need and that's never going to change"
Caroline had the ghost of a smile in her face "I know Bon and I love you for that... It's just that I need some time to process everything and somehow get my head straight"
"Take all the time you need Care; I'm not going anywhere" she said with a smile.
The blonde had a smile of her own "I know and you were right. I was using your Jeremy situation in my advantage."
"That was very clear" the witch commented with a smile "But I'm giving you a pass. You can pay me back with coffee."
"Deal" This time, Caroline sat back down on the table next to her childhood friend "So? What happened?"
With a sigh, Bonnie relayed what had happened the previous night.
Mikaelson Property
"You know, it makes me highly uncomfortable being here" Alaric muttered. Even though Esther had performed a spell to conceal their presence, Alaric was still feeling vulnerable and he hated that. The whole point of being an Original hunter was to be stronger and to fulfill his promise to Meredith but still, he felt somehow weak being in the property.
The woman shrugged as she made her way into the cellars "I do not understand why, you are just as powerful as the monstrosities upstairs and my children are gone"
He had to agree that she had a point there but still being there was nerve wreaking "I know, that's not the point Esther"
"Then what is?" she asked genuinely confused.
"Oh, uh just the fact that we're surrounded by hybrids without a master" he said as he pushed the metal door open "Not to mention that somehow they're still all here despite Klaus being dead"
Esther walked around the cellars, feeling the energy "Don't you find that rather interesting?"
"No. It's creepy and weird and dangerous" he countered, resting the bag next to him on the ground "Not to mention that they can end up screwing up our plans"
The woman decided on a spot and stood there "I assure you they will not, they have a better a purpose as you know. Now, can you open that bag please and give me the small black bag?"
He did as he was instructed "I guess you're right, but I can't be as relaxed as you are."
"You just have to trust me Mr. Saltzmann, that is all" she said as she crouched and spread the small seeds on the dusted ground. She then added some drops of Elena's blood on top of the seeds, chanted a few words in Latin and the seeds were swallowed up by the floor.
There was a rush of energy that could be felt in the air, the heavy kind but that no longer surprised the former teacher. He was getting used to Esther's tactics, sort of.
Esther got up and straightened her long skirt "Alright, done"
"What do you mean done? I thought there'd be a gush of wind or I don't know something else"
The woman looked at him amused "Oh, you want wind. I can conjure up a storm if you would like"
"No, I just thought there'd be something else" he said with a shrug "I mean, you just cursed this house and every supernatural attached to it, it's no small feat"
"Though I surely appreciate the compliment," she started "I though you out of all people would know that magic does not need to be such a grand gesture all the time, it is energy and it behaves in the way it wants"
"I do know that but... Just forget it" sigh "Now, what?"
She rubbed her hands together and collected her items "Now, you need to resume your role as a guardian to the Gilberts and make sure everything goes down as it is supposed to"
Alaric groaned; he didn't want to do that. Handling Elena and Jeremy meant that he had to deal with the rest of the teenaged gang and that meant he'd end up killing everyone in less than twenty-four hours "Esther, come on, I haven't been present for quite a while now and I haven't spoken to Elena or Jeremy in weeks."
"All the more reason then" she countered "I know you do not like it but without Matthew on our side, and since Mikael is no longer possessing the Gilbert boy, we need eyes and ears within their organization–"
Alaric had to scoff at that; he would hardly, hardly call the resident supernatural gang an organization. They were just a bunch of overpowered teens in need of a lesson.
"–And from what you have told me, Elena is the key piece and you used to have a rather close relationship. Am I wrong?" she continued.
"No" he admitted through gritted teeth "But that doesn't make me like it any better."
"I know but this is not about you or what you like. This is bigger than you and me Mr. Saltzmann, I told you that"
With a huff, he agreed "When should I start?"
"As soon as possible" was her reply "We cannot waste time. Everything that we have been building, especially in the past few days, has led us to this moment. We cannot let this momentum go; we will make things right again Alaric –sorry– Mr. Saltzamn" she quickly corrected herself.
He smirked at that slip of tongue "It's alright Esther, you can call me Alaric. After all, I did help kill your family so it's not like you have to be so formal with me now"
The woman squared her shoulders "Well then Alaric, let's not waste time. We have quite a lot to do"
Mystic Falls High
Jeremy was fast packing his things as soon as his art class finished. He'd been distracted the whole time trying to figure out a way to help speed up the plan Anthi had come up with. He hated that Matt, of all fucking people, was the one messing up with their lives so badly. He never thought that he'd actually try to get their friends killed. He knew Matt was still grieving Vicki's death – and with due reason – that was why he hated the Salvatore brothers; however, he didn't expect that hate to include Caroline and Bonnie in the same bag of bad guys. He'd dated Caroline and had known Bonnie since they were babies so all of this was very out of character. Not to mention that Matt had actually hurt Bonnie. Like, really hurt her and that Jeremy couldn't forgive. At least not so soon.
Besides, ever since Jeremy picked up some shifts at The Grill over the summer, he and Matt had grown to become best friends. They shared the fact that they were engulfed in this supernatural horror tale and hated every second of it. They had lost so much already; family, friends and girlfriends, but mostly, themselves at some point. Working at the pub offered some sense of normalcy in their warped routines, it helped escape their reality and breathe, even if strained.
Jeremy went back to the many conversations he'd had with the quarterback and how he'd always offer insightful advice without any judgement. He was a good friend like that.
He came out of his thoughts when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, uh... sorry to interrupt but uh you left this behind" a young girl said holding his sketch book.
"Oh, thanks" he replied. He was about to ask her name but a loud noise caught his attention. Looking back, he saw something he couldn't quite explain but he couldn't look away either. "I have to go!" he said fast without looking back to the girl.
The young boy had never seen something like this, not even in movies or in the wildest of dreams. He looked around to see if someone was aware of what was happening but no one in the hall stopped their movements. Weird, he thought. This was most definitely something he had to tell the girls.
Later that day...
Mikaelson Property
Lana took a deep breath before entering the premises. She had a weird vibe about the estate but she had a meeting with Tyler and she wasn't sure how he'd react to the news. She had been looking for a way to get the artifact he had asked her to retrieve from Caroline's house, and in all honesty, she had found it but she was reluctant to do so. There was something fishy about this whole thing and she had to get to the bottom of it. She knocked on the door and smiled when one of the hybrids opened it for her "Thanks"
"Sure thing. How you been?" he asked as he took her to the study.
She shrugged "I'm alright and yourself?"
He mirrored her movement "Likewise. You know, with Tyler in command here it feels like I have my freedom back. We all do actually"
Ever since she started having her meetings with Tyler, she went out of her way to befriend one of the hybrids – Luke. He was the best looking one and he could give her some information about why Tyler wanted this piece of jewelry so bad. She'd just have to play her cards right, and who knows, she might even have an actual relationship with him.
"That's really good Luke, I'm happy for you" she said sweetly "I couldn't imagine being without my willpower"
"Be grateful that you don't ever have to know what it's like." He sighed heavily "It's like every fiber in your body is telling you to go right but your brain goes left. It's a fucking fight every time you have to do something, it's maddening to be real with you"
Lana rubbed her hands together as she tried to imagine what that internal struggle must've been like. She didn't like it at all, but that made her even more sympathetic to the hybrid. She found that his voice and the honesty in his eyes were the best qualities Luke possessed. When she had clumsily approached him the first time, he had been nothing but sweet and before she knew it, they had been talking for hours. It was so easy opening up to him and she guessed he felt the same.
"I believe you" was her reply.
He sent his brown eyes at her "We should go for a drink soon, catch up"
She smiled hugely "I'm free tomorrow"
"Then tomorrow it is" he said, his bright smile contrasting with his chocolate skin "Take care of yourself Lana"
"You too Luke" she said softly and watched him walk away with butterflies in her stomach. She turned around to open the door that gave access to the study but found it locked "The hell? Tyler?" she called from her side but got no answer "Tyler!" she called again.
On the other side, the hybrid was staring at the computer in shock.
Anthi was right; Amber's mother had invited them in without a single problem and while Elena was distracting her, he went to look around Amber's room. After a couple of moments, Tyler knew exactly what to bring. He'd recognize Matt's chain anywhere because he had one just like that – Richard had given both Matt and Tyler matching chains when they made it to the school's football team – not only that but he figured that a picture of Amber's family was personal enough as well as what he assumed to be Sookie's top. It smelled different from the rest of the clothes in the room. As soon as he left Amber's house, he drove Elena back to the manor so she could give the items they had stolen.
He drove fast to the Mikaelson's so he could go over his file uninterrupted. That and he still couldn't bring himself to be so close to his mom after so many months and pain. Tyler thought he was prepared to know what they had collected over whatever time they'd been watching them, but nothing prepared him for this. When he opened the file, he saw those images and video of him turning, with glowing eyes and claws – he expected that because Matt had shown it back at The Grill, what he didn't expect was the picture of Richard Lockwood in the same state.
For all he knew, his father had never known anything about the supernatural. He was a strict man, obsessed with manners and appearances, but then again, he had come to learn that his father was a member of The Council. Tyler face-palmed; of course, Richard would know about all of it... of course! But, why did he keep it a secret from him? Actually, since his mother had that file as well, why hadn't she told him about it in the first place?
Why?
The only other Lockwood that had been truthful was Mason, but that was his trait. Mason had always had his back, always.
As he scrolled down, Tyler saw a black and white picture of the men in his family from 1910. They were all dressed appropriately in their gowns and hats symbolizing their status and wealth, but that was beyond the point because all of the men had shinning eyes. All of them. Their eyes were glowing like the sun and it was terrifying. It took him a moment to realize that there were three wolves on the ground in front of the men – correction – three dead wolves because it sure as hell didn't look like they were sleeping. So, that meant that his family had killed members from another family, another pack maybe and they were proud of it.
Tyler gulped and ran a hand across his face. This was becoming way too real for his taste and he needed a strong drink. He was about to pick a glass but decided to drink from the bottle instead. It was then that he finally paid attention to someone yelling outside his door.
Fuck, he thought. He swiftly closed his laptop and went to open the door.
She barged in like she owned the place "What the hell Tyler, I've been calling you forever! Did you suddenly go deaf or something?" Lana yelled mad.
He sat down roughly on the sofa and nursed his bottle "What do you want Lana?"
The redhead looked offended "What's up with you? Why are you so cranky?"
He huffed. He was still processing what he had learned about his family, he didn't need Lana worsening his mood "What do you want? I'm not in the mood"
She pressed her lips mad. This was not how this was supposed to go. With Tyler acting all weird, there was no way she'd get anything valuable from him at the moment. "It can wait"
"Oh, so you were all upset for nothing huh?" he said after taking a jug from the bottle "Then don't waste my time and go"
"Look," she started with a strong tone "I don't know what fuck got you all up in a shitty mood but you don't have to be an asshole because of that!"
He gave her a snide smile "Says who? I told you I'm not in the mood, you're the one who's still here"
Lana looked absolutely pissed as she walked out of the study fast. Tyler exhaled somewhat relieved. He didn't have the strength to entertain her without accidentally snapping her neck and he couldn't exactly do that. He took another long jug from the bottle as he contemplated what he had learned so far from his file. His entire family was made of werewolves, even Richard but for what he had known, his father hadn't killed anyone and that didn't make sense because Mason had explained to him that they had to kill someone to activate the werewolf gene. That's how Tyler activated his, he had accidentally killed Sarah in that forsaken Masquerade Ball.
Something wasn't right and he had to figure this shit out. Not to mention those three wolves in photograph. Who were they and why had they been killed? Were they from another pack or were they Lockwood's? He was yet again pulled away from his thought when another person walked in.
"Sorry, I tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen" one of the hybrids said fast "And I didn't want to kill her. She said you know her"
With a groan, Tyler looked up only to find Carla standing there, blue eyes fuming and all "It's okay Don, I do know her. You can go" The hybrid went away closing the door behind him "What are you doing here?"
The werewolf shook her head "Are you seriously okay with this plan Anthi came up with?"
He shrugged tiredly "It's a good plan"
She reacted by joining him the sofa "Oh come on, are you serious? Have you thought about all the implications in it?"
"Do you have a better plan?" he countered.
"Yes" she said smugly "Compel them to stop being complete idiots"
He rolled his eyes "Don't you think that if it was that easy Anthi would've suggested that?"
"You said you could compel them"
"I said I could compel Amber" he corrected "I could compel Matt too but we don't know the extent of Sookie's powers yet and that way we prevent whatever possible backlash that can come from compelling him"
"And why doesn't that apply to Amber?" she argued "She's as much part of their team"
Tyler huffed again, he was getting tired of people bothering him "Because, as far as we know, Amber just learned about the supernatural and both Sookie and Matt have a vendetta against us, that's powerful as hell." he took another sip "Besides, it looks like she's the weakest link in there. Even when they came after Bonnie and I to try and free Stefan, it was just Sookie and Matt. Sans Amber"
Carla shifted in the sofa as she tried to make sense of his reasoning "So, what, she's convenient?"
He nodded "At least that's how it looks. Either way, we have Anthi, Bonnie and myself. That's one hell of a team right there, we have the upper hand"
Carla had to roll her eyes at that "You're forgetting that you have me and Caroline too."
"Care's one hell of a vampire – sure – but she's also young" he started "And you just threw a fit earlier, so what's your point?"
"Hey! I do not throw fits!"
Tyler chuckled, maybe having Carla there wouldn't be so annoying after all "Yes, you do. Why don't you stop bitching and just admit that you're feeling threatened?"
"Because I'm not" she lied.
He smirked knowing better than that "I don't give a fuck either way but if you don't get your head in the game, then you can't play with us. There's serious shit going on and you can either be useful or go for the childish route and throw fits. If you decide to do that, then do it somewhere else because nobody has the time to babysit you"
She pursed her lips mad and looked away. She knew deep down that he was right but she would never tell him that. There were some things that she liked keeping buried "You know nothing" she said taking his bottle from his hands "And my head is in the game"
"Good" he nodded "Because we could use your help"
She started fidgeting with the bottle as she gained courage to ask him the other thing that was in her mind. With a huff, she said in a low voice "I might need your help with something else"
Tyler let his head fall back and closed his eyes "Full moon?"
The girl nodded "I still don't know how to... um... control it"
"It's easy. Get a bunch of chains, vervain or wolfsbane and stay hidden" was his offer.
She slapped him in the chest "Or you could be a decent guy and help me"
He looked at her "Every full moon is the same struggle Carla, there's no way you can escape it or control it. You just endure it"
She scoffed at that "Gee Tyler, stop being so optimistic"
"I'm not sugarcoating the truth Carla" he argued and went for his bottle "You know it's unbearable and excruciating to go through that every month. That's why I was so grateful to be a hybrid" at first, he wanted to add "It doesn't get easier but I know what it's like so... yeah, I'm going to help you with that"
"For real? And without acting like an asshole?"
"Why is everyone under the impression that I'm the bad guy?" he asked back and stood up.
"You're not the bad guy, you're just very... ahh angry" she offered "But I'm angry too and apparently, I throw tantrums so I guess we balance each other out"
"You do throw tantrums" he teased "Alright so, let's get you started with the full moon one to one"
Salvatore Manor
"It's been a long time Anthi. You should at least call more often"
The girl sighed "I know Dani but trying to find time and space to do it has become a whole sport"
"You left New York so fast, I still think we should meet again and for more than forty-five minutes"
"I know Dani" she repeated "But thank you for being able to see me in such a short notice, I know how busy you are"
During her stay in New York, Anthi had found a way to meet with Dr. Dani Lacerda, her underground witch doctor and very close friend. Dani was a rare breed of witch; she came from an ancient line of Oracles and Druids with great amounts of power. She was also very shrewd and that made her highly valuable, especially in the underground world.
Anthi had come across Dani years ago during one of her stays in the so-called land of the free as she looked for a way to strengthen her bond with one of her contacts in the underground world. Dani had been there operating as the head of the Lacerda family, powerful and mighty, but always very lowkey. It didn't take long for the two supernaturals to hit it off since they were both very valuable beings in their own right.
Along the way, Dani and Anthi became very close, not only for personal reasons but also for business. It came in handy having an Oracle at her beck and call when shit hit the fan, and Anthi had also helped Dani with some very difficult situations. It was because of Dani that Anthi had been able to fly so under the radar, even after her friend Gloria passed. Not only that but Dani was probably the one person (with the exception of Gloria) that truly knew her and her past. A bond like that could never ever be broken.
Since finding out about her pregnancy, Anthi had met with Dani three times. If there was a reason why Anthi had actually come to terms with her pregnancy and why she was so sure her baby was safe was because of Dani. Even though Anthi's case was rare, she knew that Dani would know what to do, she always did. The one time she didn't seek her friend's help was when she went to meet with Hekate and she planned to keep that a secret, not because she was regretful of her decision because in the end the mark was gone, but because she knew Dani would lose her shit. Most likely.
Back then, Anthi was still trying to fully comprehend that she was pregnant and what that meant for her, so much so that she fully trusted Emily's intuition when she told her she could seek out Stefan's help. To be honest, that clouded her judgement a little bit and she didn't even think about contacting Dani at the time. But now it was different, she was actually feeling a bit more balanced, so she needed Dani's guidance once more.
"You know I always have time for you" Dani said "I'm worried about you"
Anthi gasped "But you said the baby was okay!"
"It is, but I'm actually talking about you Anthi. I feel like you're not telling me everything and I'm sure you've been feeling overwhelmed"
Anthi sat down on her bed "I have" she confessed "But I don't want to stop fighting... I can't"
Sigh "I know, I know how you operate. This is why I want us to meet again Anthi"
"I know and I would do it in a heartbeat but things are so fucked on my end that I don't have the time to do it" she confessed with a huff.
There was a pause before Dani spoke "Well, at some point we're going to meet again. You're still looking for a way to bring Kol back, right?"
"You know I am"
"I've done wat you asked and I contacted the beings from the seven worlds..." Dani trailed off.
"Okay and?" the caramel skinned girl asked impatiently. She needed to know if she was on the right track.
Another sigh "The spell I gave you is the right one. It can be done and you'll have him back"
The hybrid smiled excitedly, that was amazing news. She knew that Dani wouldn't give her a faulty spell but it felt right to have the confirmation "I'll have him back" she whispered.
"Yeah, you will" Dani said "That means that we're going to be working together again soon and I'll keep a closer eye on you and your baby"
"I'd love that."
"Anthi, I told you this already but please be careful with those beans" she advised.
She chuckled in response "You know it's not my first time performing a dangerous spell, right?"
"I do know that but it doesn't hurt giving you the heads up again"
"And I love you for that." Anthi said amused "No, but for real, thank you Dani, for everything."
"You know I'm always here for whatever you need. That's what sisters are for" she said sweetly.
"Yeah" Anthi agreed "And how's it going with Markos? Is he still... weird?"
Markos was Dani's boyfriend and also a warlock, but instead of having unlimited power like Anthi and Dani, he was bound to a certain amount. That came with the burden of being a Traveler. However, for the last couple of months, he had been obsessed with finding a loophole so he could perform magic freely. Needless to say, that that caused a strain in their relationship.
"Oh, you know how he is, stubborn like a bull" Dani sighed "And you know how I am"
That she did. Dani was a strong-willed woman, she did not like being bossed around or have her own personal opinions cloud her judgement "I do. I hope he comes to his senses soon"
"Yeah, me too" she sighed "I have a meeting in a couple of minutes so I have to go but... let's talk again soon, alright?"
"Of course." she agreed "Bye Dani, take care."
"Bye Anthi"
She locked her phone and sighed. Things were still very messy at the moment but Anthi felt good about the fact that she was closer to having Kol here, next to her. No matter what she was going through right now, the possibility of having him here and find some common ground was just... something she really wanted.
They did everything backwards and in all of the wrong ways. The young hybrid was not oblivious to that fact. Her relationship – if you could even call it that – with Kol was violent, fragile and just very toxic. It needed a redo, urgently.
She felt good that she had set a tone in whatever it was they had when she had gotten back from Bon Temps. She told him very clearly that she was done with his childish ways and that she was about their baby – that was still very much true and wouldn't change for nothing. Anthi was serious about protecting her baby and she would go to whichever lengths to ensure that, with or without Kol, although she'd love to have him here.
It was weird but she thought that maybe, if he hadn't been killed, they would have reach some sort of agreement and get things right. Get them right. Anthi knew it because he had told her that he was somewhat accepting her pregnancy, and she'd seen it in her dreams, several times. Her, Kol and their baby living as an actual family and it was weirdly realistic, none of the fluffy, dove-y side of a human family, but it was a loving union in their own right. Just with fangs, witchcraft and all around bad-assery and she absolutely loved it, every single second.
She loved seeing how she was still very much herself and a mom, the same went for Kol, but the most beautiful part of it all was holding their child in her arms. That feeling was more powerful than any spell she knew, and she knew a ton of those. It was special, and hers. The worst thing was waking up because she would wake up in either in her bed or in the middle of the woods, right where she'd seen him die.
Her mind must've been playing some sick game or something because it was twisted and evil, but that didn't stop the girl from finding a way to bring him back. This wasn't just about her; it was about their baby too. Whoever it was, it still deserved to have a chance at a real family and to know its legacy, the Bennett-Mikaelson link was a powerful one and she wouldn't deny it.
The other part that moved Anthi's motivations was Kol himself. Though their time together was absolutely cut short, she still thought that he needed another chance. To live, to experience fatherhood, to love maybe, and most of all, she sensed that he had a deep sadness within him that was just overwhelming. Where that had come from, she didn't know, but she easily recognized the feeling because she'd felt it too. Too many times. So yeah, she was going to bring him back and nothing would stop her.
Took me a long time but here is the latest. I've been working on this chapter for a while and I surely hope you enjoyed it, so please let me know in the reviews! Also, to everyone that has added and favourited this little fic - thank you so much! From the bottom of my heart. I hope everone is safe and healthy. See you soon.